Luna Library

Night 2 of the Moonlight Festival

Location: The Luna Library?

My outfit had suddenly started to shift. Each string expanding and twisting until a full fluffy dress appeared.

My height also decided to join in as me and the bird-man are now equal height. Well... As equal height as one could get to a ginormously tall beastman.

I looked down to take a look at my body, but the world shook violently, sending me tumbling flat onto my face.

The endless white landscape had vanished, leaving us outside a strange building I didn't recognize. There were tacky book motifs scattered throughout the architecture. The corners had book bindings, the stair steps had little bar codes. and even the roof seemed to be a giant book caught mid read.

Three full moons hovering above, the sign "Luna Library" was beautifully illuminated.

I stepped inside, met by a blast of warm air. The place was spotless, with freshly waxed floors gleaming like mirrors. Even I could tell someone went all out here.

"Let me give you the SparkNotes version," the bird-man declared, snapping me from my thoughts.

"SparkNotes?" I echoed, unfamiliar with the term.

With a self-satisfied smirk, he gestured toward a golden-framed billboard at the far wall. In bold letters:

• You are dead

• I am a god

"You seriously wrote it down?"

He looked a bit disappointed by my lack of awe but continued, "You saved my daughter's life, but sadly you had to pass away. But opportunities don't stop there! Tell me, young lady, what do you desire most?"

Young lady?  The whole scene was so strange, and yet, here I was, being poured a cup of tea like I was someone important, "So, to clarify, Korra, the cat, is your daughter, and this is my 'reward' for saving her?"

"Yes," he said, visibly trying to sound grand.

I took a long sip of the tea, "Alright, then. A million seeds."

His smile faltered. "Did you look at the board, Shiori? You are dead. Money doesn't quite hold value in the afterli—"

"Fine, then bury me with it."

He squirmed a little, feathers ruffling. "Let's be reasonable. A million in cash hardly benefits—"

"Oh, so you can't do it? Is that it?" I leaned back, enjoying his discomfort. "Is your daughter not worth at least that much?"

"Well... it's just—think about this. How could you even prove that I completed the task when, as I keep reminding you, you're dead?"

"What can you offer me? That is the question you want me to ask right? Go ahead. Be direct with me. I don't do riddles."

"I can bring you back to life, my dear!" He paused for effect. "But, it would mean you'd return as an angel. My angel," he repeated, with a hint of pride. "Left Wing Angel, specifically."

I stifled a groan. Classic scam. The kind where they find you in a situation that no one else can help you in besides them. The kind of situation where one would beg to be helped.

Becoming an angel isn't the worst thing in the world, but I'll be bound to him as my master, my lord and savior. And I was already bound to Rockaburger; was it wise to take on two commitments from beyond the grave? Oddly enough, dying with some dignity was beginning to sound like the most logical choice.

"Thank you for the offer. "But I think I'll pass. My cause of death was already pretty heroic, after all. Plus, I'm already guaranteed to go to heaven and all."

"Heaven? You really think that's your next stop?"

"Excuse me?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "So you saved one life and think that tips the scales? Nobody really knows what the god of death does with all those loose souls... not even me. Frankly, I wouldn't bet on anything so uncertain."

"Let me get this straight," I said, voice dripping with skepticism. "You can't guarantee me a place in Heaven, you refuse to throw in any cash, and now you're saying that all you can offer is dragging me back to a world of debt?"

The bird-man paused, his gaze softened slightly. "Ah... yes, I see. Perhaps I got off on the wrong foot." To my surprise, he knelt on one knee, wings folded. "I nearly forgot that humans were so complicated. For us gods, survival is enough, but humans... well, you fear the future so much it prevents you from living in the present."

I scoffed. "I tried living in the present, it's not fun. Why keep fighting when you don't even know where life's heading, or if anything you do even matters?"

He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Then what was it that moved you to save my daughter? No glory, no gain... only the risk of your life."

I looked away, hiding a small smirk. "Well, smart people are supposed to look out for the dummies, aren't they?"

The bird-man chuckled softly, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Then would you take care of a foolish owl like me?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You're a god. If you want my help, vow to me that this will be a contract of equals... No serving each other. Just independent reliance."

Without hesitation, he nodded. "I swear it. A partnership of equals, bound only by free will. But if you still ever need help. I'll still come rushing to your aid."

I blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity. "I don't mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, but... what's in this for you? You barely know me. And isn't being an angel a big thing for you? You only get two right? What if I betray you?"

He chuckled, shrugging with a surprising lightness. "Ah, yes, betrayal. It's always a possibility. But why should I waste today worrying about a future that may never come?" His eyes were bright, as if this simple truth was enough for him. "I believe we'll both do what's right when the time comes. And if we don't... well, then we'll deal with that too."

"Fine," I finally said, the word barely louder than a whisper. My heart pounded as I looked up, meeting his watchful gaze. "What... what's the first step?"