A Soft Smile

Dusk moved up through the twisting passages of Thermoa with a familiar ease. She knew each level and connecting tunnel intimately. She had spent her whole life wandering through them, exploring, finding the small spaces between the walls that no one knew existed. But today, she was on a personal mission: to find something special for Pearl. This wasn't an uncommon occurrence, but Dusk still had to make sure her gift was as unique as possible—something that would make Pearl’s eyes light up.

Her steps were light and precise, using her energy wisely as she began the long climb toward the upper reaches of Thermoa. Houses in varying states of disrepair hung around her, each built with the distinct touch of whoever created it. Some walls bore smooth, polished metal panels; others were a patchwork of dark iron, scraps, and stone. Most homes displayed individualistic markings or mismatched colours, remnants of other people's influences. Together, the houses stacked up in a great web of steel, rock, and creativity—a testament to Thermoa’s strange, rough beauty.

As Dusk ascended, she bounced off houses and ran across roofs, delicately dancing her way up. Though not overly muscular, Dusk's stamina was something she had long taken pride in, and she was careful not to expend too much effort all at once, pacing herself with each step and saving her strength for above.

Higher and higher, darker and darker, colder and colder. The reactor provided the entirety of Thermoa's life. Without it, only a cold cavern deep within rock remained. Its blue glow was barely visible from above, shadows etching themselves between the cracks. Dusk found it invigorating. She could relax, free to explore her own playground, watching the small ants putter about below.

With each passing level, she would fling herself through a window, searching for anything of interest. There was never a trouble of walking in on someone. All those who had lived on the upper outskirts had either died, or descended closer to the reactor's lure. As such, Dusk flung herself in and out of homes, looking for any small trinkets that piqued her interest.

§

Eventually, her search brought her towards a small metal cabin, tucked away. Up near the highest reaches of the cave, one hidden behind a wall of rock. She pushed open the door cautiously, eyes scanning the sparse interior. Inside was a mattress similar to her own, made of familiar Thermoan fibres. But what caught her attention was a modest collection of gems, arranged in careful rows atop a worn-out metal shelf. She let her gaze linger over the collection, struck by the simple beauty of each piece.

Dusk gingerly picked up a small cracked piece of obsidian, turning it over in her hand. It felt delicate, as if it might break if given too much pressure. She pocketed it. It nestled itself gently in her pocket, as though it had rested there for an eternity. Next, her eyes fell on a round sapphire, perfectly smooth. It shone a vibrant navy blue, one she'd fallen deeply in love with: Pearl's vivid eyes looked back at her. She rolled it between her fingers, savouring its cool weight, before slipping it carefully into her bag.

She took a second look, emeralds, rubies, and opals all softly glistening. The absence of light left them murky, yet they still sparkled in the darkness. She carefully chose the most unique of the stones, giving careful thought to each, she paid particular attention to a pair of dusty emeralds. They were imperfect. Yet the cool whisper in Dusk's mind, told her that Pearl would love them. As she departed, Dusk briefly glanced back. She'd left the most beautiful stones behind, hoping to honour whoever had once collected them.

§

Having secured her gifts, Dusk made her way back down. Winding back through Thermoa’s twisting paths. The structures grew denser as she descended, and the air thickened with the reactor’s steady hum. She eventually reached the lowest levels, where the reactor cast its soft blue glow over everything, illuminating the path and lending a quiet eeriness to the surroundings.

Just as she rounded a corner, she heard an upbeat voice call out, “Dusk! Over here!”

April leaned against a railing nearby, her short apricot hair waving alongside her hands. Dusk managed a polite nod, though inwardly she braced herself. April’s boundless energy could be a bit much sometimes. She shared a similar personality to Quill in many ways, their only difference? Quill knew how to shut up.  

“Coming down to visit the reactor?” April asked, eyes glowing. “Or did you just come for the view?”

Dusk shrugged. “Just passing through. On my way to visit someone.”

April chuckled nodding with understanding. “Ah yeah, of course, good luck! Hopefully, you'll fair better than the reactor scientists, they've been looking even glummer than usual."

Dusk raised an eyebrow. “The reactor giving them trouble?”

“Probably just the usual fussing, they look pretty exhausted most days. Though I’ll admit, there’s been something strange in the air.” April shrugged, her usual carefree grin dimming for a second. “They’re a weird bunch, those scientists. Always serious.” She shrugged off the thought. “But hey, I’m probably just imagining it.”

Dusk nodded politely once more, before continuing on her way, for once appreciating April's company. She was a good confidence booster as well.

Step by step, Dusk grew closer to Pearl's home. Even though she visited often, very often. Holding herself back never got any easier. Her vision grew slightly blurry, her cheeks softly burning. She sped up. Gently accelerating herself towards a state of exhaustion. A smile formed on her face, and she ran.

§

Dusk paused for a moment. Breath shot out from her mouth in-between frequent gasps. She'd sprinted to the point of stupidity, although, this was, once again, a common occurrence. She heard Pearl's usual humming from outside. Her workshop door hung ajar, warm yellow light flowing out.

Inside, Pearl was lost in concentration, carving delicate details into a sculpture about the size of her hand. She didn’t look up, so Dusk let herself quietly admire the artwork before her: Pearl’s slender hands moved with purpose, each touch deliberate. Her auburn hair flowing out behind her, lightly pooling on the floor, softly dancing with each subtle movement. 

A small golden lamp highlighted her latest piece: It was a swirl of smooth wires that coiled up like a spiral shell, each tinged in a gentle mossy gradient, intricate and mesmerising. Dusk's heart continued to stir, heightened by her admiration of Pearl's craft.

Pearl looked up, her navy eyes brightening at the sight of Dusk, lightly smiling. “Ah, hi Dusk! Wait one moment, I'm almost done.”

Dusk smiled, setting her gifts carefully on a nearby table, mirroring Pearl's steady movements. She then watched as Pearl made her finishing touches. Her light brown hair resting down upon her shoulders, its bright hues glistening in the light. With each gentle movement, time seemed to freeze—just like the falling of leaves in autumn. Dusk had been shown such beauty when she was younger, pictures of the world above. She was certain that no matter how beautiful the upper world may be, it would always be inferior to the art before her. While contemplating such graceful ideas, her eyes began to grow heavy, a soft voice called her to sleep.

§

Dusk awoke to the sound of joyous humming. Pearl was sitting on her usual stool, swaying back and forth to her own music. Dusk groggily pushed herself upwards, realising she must've fallen asleep.

"Ah, good morning." Pearl whispered lightly. Her alluring gaze rested upon Dusk.

Dusk's cheeks burned. "How long was I asleep..."

Pearl smiled warmly and giggled. "I'm only teasing, I'd say about an hour at most. You're quite cute when you sleep you know."

Dusk's cheeks flamed even more. "I... um... thank you." she stammered.

"You're welcome." Pearl sung, in her usual slow yet playful tone.

Dusk properly took in her surroundings: the finished sculpture, Pearl's watchful eyes and her gemstones on the table.

"Oh, I brought you something. It's on the table. I assume you already saw..." Dusk muttered, slightly deflated.

"Actually, I thought I'd keep it a surprise," Pearl replied. "I thought I saw you sneak some gifts in. So I made a note not to look at them just yet."

Dusk watched as Pearl moved her way over to the table, her eyes admiring the small collection. She immediately zeroed in on the two small emeralds, their surfaces dusty and fractured, lacking the vivid sheen of more polished stones. She picked them up with a soft reverence, studying them thoughtfully, briefly looking back at Dusk for confirmation.

“These are perfect...” she murmured, half to herself. “Exactly what I needed.”

“For… your magnum opus?” Dusk inquired.

Pearl nodded, her face brightening up. “Quite so, though it’s not ready for you to see just yet. Still, I must thank you these are better than I ever could have hoped for.”

Dusk watched Pearl’s eyes as she admired the emeralds, feeling a quiet satisfaction at having found something so meaningful. She looked around for a nice spot to relax, having nearly leapt off Pearl's mattress once she realised she'd been sleeping on it. 

Content just to watch Pearl work, Dusk found herself a comfortable corner. Pearl continued with her smaller sculptures, occasionally murmuring comments about their colour or balance, while Dusk simply listened, absorbing the quiet beauty of Pearl’s creativity.

As Pearl’s hands moved once again, Dusk allowed herself to imagine what her magnum opus might be, a grand culmination of everything Pearl held dear in her art. The silence was comfortable between them, broken only by the soft sounds of carving and quiet laughter.

Dusk was at her happiest.