Hello guys,

I editet the prologue a little, and I hope some of the mistakes are gone, and that there are no new ones.

Please tell me if anything is somehow disturbing.

Enjoy!

Epistemology

Prologue

Ryuk was pretty laidback, lazy and sometimes lethargic. Just like every other Shinigami, too. Well, having a nearly immortal lifespan had of course some disadvantages. One of the biggest flaws of such a life was boredom. The Shinigami Realm was a monotone place where the only companions the never changing moon and other Shinigami were. No change, always the same.

Never change.

Even games started to bore him so he had decided – before Light was the owner of a Death Note, before he witnessed the birth of Kira – to try something. Something no Shinigami has ever thought of doing. It was well known that the King of Death was a powerful godly being, although no one knew how powerful he truly was. There was never a situation where his power had been needed.

The King of Death was truly a terrifying being and was not to be messed with. So it was safe to say that it was not easy to deceive or to trick him, he stood above all Shinigamis after all.

No, it not an easy task at all to trick him. And so the thrill, the need to escape the boredom brought Ryuk to the glorious idea to steal the Death Note of his King. What did he have to lose? Even if – and that was a really big IF – the King would want to kill him, then at least he died trying. Even so, a Shinigami could only die when he loved a human and gave his life for this particular human, so it was safe to say that the King would not be able to kill him, even if he wanted to. Ryuk did bet his life on that fact. So the Shinigami started his little adventure.

While he was on his way to the King something stopped him. Out of the corner of his eyes, hidden in the shadows of some rotten cave… that was when he found him, one of his brethren.

Ryuk observed him for some time. The Shinigami was a small one, even petite, always cowering and shivering, watching humans in an orb interact.

Ah, he was one of those cases, Ryuk thought and for once he didn't come around to smile. Shinigami were beings that lived from hope and despair, at least some of them – it was rare that such a thing occurred and that a Shinigami got interested in humans.

Ryuk was, of course, no such Shinigami. But there were the ones that held feelings. Those that grew these feelings like flowers, watching humans, only to be crushed by despair.

It was a curse.

It was no surprise to Ryuk that this fellow Shinigami was all alone, an outsider, watching in the shadows, watching children and woman and man interacting with each other. Watching how they yelled at each other, how the cried, how the laughed, and most of all how they loved. Humans truly were strange. Nevertheless, it was like an illness that could seep through every molecule of Death Gods. They got addicted, observing the feelings humans held for each other. Hoping, wishing, dreaming… and in the end only to feel despair and self-loathing. Those Shinigami would fall in love with a human and in the end die for his chosen one. The only thing remaining ash and a notebook, the possibility of being picked up by any other Shinigami.

In the end it happened just like that. It always ended like that. The sight of this sad play Ryuk observed was melancholic and even a little bittersweet, and if Ryuk had been human or one of those emotional Shinigami he would have felt compassion and sympathy.

The nameless Shinigami wrote the name in his Death Note and saved a young girl, only a child, her body not matured, nearly being killed by her abusive step-father.

When all that remained was the orb, ashes and a plain looking notebook he went to the place, watched as the man lie there, killed by a heart attack. Ryuk watched how the child started to cry, covered in bruises. Ryuk wanted to leave but curiosity got the best of him. He watched as the girl couldn't tend for herself, the mother being already dead. Days passed and the girl lay unconscious on the floor, beside her father's rotting corpse. Finally the door opened and she was picked up, man and woman where there, washed her, gave her something to eat, and a bed to sleep in.

Hm, well at least she was saved and did not die of fatigue. But of course, Ryuk had known she would survive, his eyes seeing her lifespan. The feeling of curiosity only surfaced, because he wanted to know, how she would survive to live that life of her lifespan.

As he watched how she was rescued he realized that he had been on this place for far too long. He scratched his head in thought, picked up the notebook at last and spread his wings. He had remained way too long on this place.

As he ascended into the sky a grin started to spread on his inhumane face. Humans. Heh. Such weaklings. So dependable on each other. So trusting.

"Hyuk hyuk hyuk.", Ryuk laughed, on his way to his king, leisurely strolling through the Shinigami Real, thinking of all the things that ran through his mind. The girl merely a faint memory in his mind he thought about his plan and how the King would react once he realized his notebook was gone. Plus, he could finally see for himself: was the King of Death truly someone who wasn't fooled easily? Was he truly that terrifying?

It was decided.

A plan was formed and after some time the plan was being realized. It was no easy task. Ryuk was after all only a normal Shinigami whereas the King an unyielding being who looked down from his throne. (Well, not really much a throne, just garbage thrown together from the Shinigami Realm to make a somewhat makeshift throne.)

And when the feast was done and Ryuk had successfully realized the plan, getting away before he could get an ass beating, rumors started to lie down in the Shinigami Realm like a neatly woven net of words and disbelief. It was a most shocking thing that came to the ears of the other Shinigami.

One fellow brother had been able to fool the King – the King's Death Note stolen.

Rumors were told from mouth to mouth and spread from one end to the other of the realm. Different versions existed of how this very stupid and very brave Shinigami stole the blasted thing. But the most important thing of this whole ordeal was that the boredom was blown away by the neatly woven words of the self-proclaimed Shinigami story tellers who told the tales of Ryuk the only Shinigami who dared to defy the King. Some said that it had been a courageous thing; others had the opinion that it was an idiotic thing to do.

However, Ryuk could care less. He was now in possession of two Death Notes. Even better, the Kings Death Note. What should he do with them? The boredom came back, greeted Ryuk like an old friend and settled with him. He had nothing to do and he had to be secretive and cautious. He didn't want the King to find him. So there was nothing he could do.

And it was a known fact that the Shinigami King wasn't a very nice being. Even less when he had been tricked and robbed of his Death Note. At that thought Ryuk laughed. Still, he could hide. An idea struck him.

He could hide in the world of the humans! Ah, he was brilliant. His ego grew even more when his clever brain came up with the idea of defying boredom by leaving a Death Note there and to observe how humans would react. It had been so long since he had been there the last time. Ah, an adventure! Finally, something interesting!

While he flew away to leave the melancholic realm of Shinigami, memories of a sweet and mildly sour taste came back to him. One of his fellows Shinigami had brought back apples once and they had been the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. His mouth watered and with the back of his hand he swept away the watered spit that ran along his chin, the Cheshire cat grin remaining on his face.

He ignored the other Shinigamis that called him, asking him where he was going. The realm of humans awaited him.

He landed in a country called Japan. He found that out as he flew through the skies. Now though he hovered over a school. He had left a Death Note on this grounds school and curiously he watched the pupils wandering around, chatting with each other.

What a bunch of stupid animals. They were like sheep. These stupid sheep wandering around as humans, not suspecting the big bad wolf who could decide their fate by simply writing their names in a plain looking notebook. If he wanted to, he could kill them all to add time to his own life span. And they weren't even aware of that.

Finally a male student noticed the black notebook and picked it up. In human standards, Ryuk observed, he was pretty good looking. At least the Shinigami thought so after watching some girls giggling over the guy who was now the owner of the Death Note. Ryuk grinned. Then he remembered the purple Death Note, adorned with a silken cover. Ah well, he would stay in this town, no need to go into another, and he would drop the Death Note of the King as well. That promised to be interesting. After all a Shinigami should always be near his Death Note, even more if it was in the possession of an unstable human being. Ryuk snickered.

He flew over the city and finally came to a halt. The place he was now at a park. Some kids where playing around, people were doing some strange movements (later Ryuk would find out that this was called Sport and it was important for Fitness and health). So he dropped the purple Death Note and waited. And waited. And waited.

No one seemed to be interested in this thing. Maybe the grass was too high and nobody could see it? Ryuk went over to where the Death Note lay but then out of the corner of his eyes a girl stepped beside him. Of course she wasn't able to see him and even if she could see him, she was way too focused on the Death Note.

Without hesitation she picked it up, whereas the other human had hesitated. Hm, interesting.

She had been in the park trying to lure her muse out of the dark pit that blocked her motivation and creativity to create. The girl sat in the grass observing her surroundings, sketch book in her lap and pencil in her right hand. It was pointed on the blank paper, leaving a dot where it was left.

Nothing.

Painful as it was, she could not sketch or write anything. She had gotten out of her apartment after sitting around too long and she had been forced by her friend to get out and enjoy a little sunlight. But it had not worked. The girl was too distracted by her surroundings, observing the laughing children, the happy families. The feeling of pain in her heart being awfully strong at the moment.

She sighed. Not only would it be meaningless to stay longer out, but it was already afternoon and a vacuum called hunger had started to get her attention as well. So she decided to leave for the day.

Her concentration not being there at all, not being able to write a single word she stood up. Some stretching was done and her bag was picked up. She would call it a day and would get home, to get something to eat. She remembered that she had to take her new prescribed medication as well. She hung her head in remembrance and as she blinked out of the corner of her eye a purple thing got her attention.

Curious she went to the place where the purple object lay. As she came closer she realized that it was a purple notebook and she bent down to pick it up, wondering who would leave such a thing here. Maybe someone lost it? But it looked pretty neat and unused; the silken cover proving proving that it surly was of high value.

And suddenly, as soon as she had touched it, a shadow was blocking the sunlight. She looked to her right, startled, her eyes behind her glasses widened and her mouth opened to scream… but no sound came out of her.

Ryuk looked at her, grinning, waiting for her reaction, wondering how she would react, his big round eyes watching her reaction with amusement that was only typical for his kind. She looked at him. Staring at each other, without blinking. Seconds passed. One minute. Two minutes. Her eyes began to water. Then a smile: "Cosplay?" She finally blinked.

Ryuk blinked as well, wondering why in heavens name she didn't look surprised. And what the hell was 'Cosplay'?

"What?", was his only intelligent response, not able to comprehend why a human wasn't screaming , or running, or… something at the sight of him. It was a baffling experience and a new feeling clenched in his rotten heart that the Shinigami couldn't place. When was it the last time someone had looked at him like that? Like… not mortified.

Curious like a child, innocence and naivety in her gaze, not fearing him, not making fun of his antics or thinking of him as an idiot. So he did the only thing he could do at the moment and he nodded.

Ah the feeling was… puzzlement.

Her smile grew and her head was now a little bend to the left, sucking in his sight with her eyes. "Wow, looks awesome. Though I don't know from which show it is. Or is it from a game?", a question asked friendly and with honest interest. Ryuk could only answer honestly, not capable of lying at the moment: "Er, a Shinigami."

For once his trademark grin not on his face, but astonished with a flicker of fear. Ryuk had never met someone like this before, precisely he had never met someone who had been friendly with him or never smiled so kindly. It was a very new experience for him and a feeling of bewilderment started to rise in his chest.

Shinigamis where not known of being nice.

"Looks really good.", she said again, "Shinigami, Death God, yes?" He merely nodded just now realizing her accent and with that a minor longing after something he had long forgotten. The Death God looked at her name and her life span.

Weronika Małgorza Ewa Weronika Grzeskiewicz. What a long and complicated name she had. It wasn't even funny. He grinned. Or maybe it was.

The meaning of her name was interesting as well, as if it was fated that she would find a Death Note. But maybe it had nothing to do with her and she was named like that because her parents had a fondness to long names and wanted to give meaning to their daughters life.

Pearl of life; pure and watchful bringer of victory.

Humans were really funny. They thought that the name could somehow influence a life, when in truth it had nothing to do with which name someone wore. A person could be called Dickbutt and the name would have no kind of influence on the person's life. An illusion human beings had created for themselves, chasing the idea of luck and the pretense of being able to direct and design their life for their own desires. But Ryuk knew.

A name had nothing to do with someone's life.

The important thing was how you choose you to live your life. Nothing mattered, only your own choice. You would have to live with your choices. There was no time machine where you could take a quick trip to the past or future to change things, to your liking.

What really and truly influenced a human's life was how he treated others and how others treated him in return. When another human bullied you because of your name it was his choice to do so, and you could fight or sit back and cry.

A female voice got him out of his thoughts. It was her. Weronika Małgorza Ewa Weronika Grzeskiewicz. Ah yes, she was still there.

"Sorry, but I have to go.", she told him, an apologetic smile, but she stretched out her hand, the purple Death Note in it, "Is this yours?"

Ryuk grinned a grotesque smile that stretched his face unnaturally but instead of taking it from her he only shook his head. "No, it's not mine. Just keep it, maybe the owners going to come to retrieve it."

She nodded in understanding, opened her back pack and watched in it to see if she had some space to put the purple notebook into it. When she finally had it stored in said bag she looked up again only to find that she was alone. She furrowed her eyebrows. How strange.

When she first saw him, she could only think of a demon. But she knew that such things did not exist, and if they did, they would never be so stupid as to show themselves like that. So she came to the only logical conclusion. Cosplay.

It was already dark when she came home. Relief flooded through her when she finally put her heavy bag down. Carelessly she dropped it on the floor and without much consideration she took off her shoes and left them on the spot. She knew her adoptive mother didn't like that, but these past few weeks, no one had talked to her. Only her adopted brother, the younger one, had dared to talk to her.

The polish female sat down on the couch and sighed.

After she left the park for a break she went back to the academy only to be appointed for cleaning duty of one of the rooms that stored oil paint, water colors, easels and other artistic essentials. It was more a job of reorganizing these things instead of cleaning. Trying to clean acrylic based color was, after all, nearly impossible. Once stuck on a cloth it was beyond someone's power to remove it.

To tell the truth it was all she could do. She had at least to do something at the Academy. In this way the professors could see her, even if she wasn't able to subdue any art at the moment. She could feel their disappointment and it was like a weight was strapped on her shoulders. She couldn't help but compare herself to Atlas, who had been punished by the gods to carry the world.

But to be honest she didn't mind the organizing, what really bugged her was the fact that it took so much time. And now she was tired as hell. What a lousy excuse. She was always tired these days. Again, her conditions fault. At least the medication worked, it only left a sense of dread and tiredness. Which, she was grateful for because her cheerfulness was slowly coming back to her.

Her cheerfulness being a character trait that always helped her to cope with things but was dimmed by self-destructive thoughts. She reached for the remote and turned on the TV to ignore and forget the darkness that creeped its ways into the rooms of her home.

She switched through the programs until she came to a drama she loved and left it there. After all, there was still a belly to fill with delicious food. The pupil stood up and went into the kitchen, hearing the sound of the television a little dimmed in the cooking area. It didn't matter, she had already watched that episode where the main lead finds out about his father having cancer. Ah yes, drama.

She looked into the refrigerator and let out a sound of relief when she found the cooking of her mother. Thank god, she had left her something. She got it out and closed the door of the refrigerator.

Then she screamed.

Behind the refrigerator door was a monster. The creature looked menacing and she did the only thing she could think of. She screamed.