+Beginning+

[1]

It was a surprisingly quiet day in the city. A flock of dark clouds hovered over the city, a foreboding of the rain to come. Of course, in the opinion of Awani Nishiki this was the perfect weather. The air was cool, the streets deserted and most importantly, all her favourite hiding places empty. She swung open the door to her favourite newsagent, causing the bronze bell attached to it twinkle with an almost rusty sound. The inhabitants of the quaint store turned around lazily to see what had interupted their silence before going back to their books. Awani let out a rare smile. She was in a store she liked with like-minded people. Paradise! Although, her presence seemed to annoy these like-minded people as the bells of her skirt rattled with every step, playing as tiny echoes of the one attached to the door. She scanned the shelves until she came to a magazine rack where new fashion magazines sat, one of which with the popular model Miss A Misa on the cover. As far as popular fashion idols go, Misa was the only one Awani actually took an interest in. She would've liked to wear the clothes she did, and she had tried, but they just didn't seem right on her. She let out a deep sigh. Her interests then jumped from the magazine rack to the stationary isle. Ever since she'd been little she'd always checked it. However, now she wasn't so much interested in crayons and glitter glue as she was high quality manga-making materials. One day, she hoped to become a world famous mangaka. Her eyes finally came to rest on a black, hard-covered book. She picked it up, and as soon as she did a shiver went through her spine. Her fingers traced the white writing on the front, in old cursive English. Death Note. It sounded quite ominous and occult. She liked ominous and occult. As she began to flick through the book, she heard a faint whisper. "Buy it. Buy it," the voice sang in a hushed tone. When she turned around there was no one there. Maybe it was subliminal messaging by the shop owner, she thought to herself before stopping in shock. Yes, she'd definitely been around her friend Misuzushi too long, the conspiracies were starting to rub off on her. The book in hand, she subconsciously approached the counter. Awani just felt like she had to buy it, there was no price marked, but she knew she'd pay anything for it. She just couldn't snap out of it, what'd come over her? The man at the register interrupted her thoughts with a slight cough. She'd forgotten his name again, and noticed he wasn't wearing his nametag today. She wasn't very good with names.

"That'll be 900 yen, please come again," he sung in a fake tone with a fake smile. Awani nodded slightly and began to walk away, but the nameless-man started blubbering. "Bah . . . bah . . . bah . . ." he continued, loud enough to cause the few customers standing around to glance up. She glanced back as well, with annoyance sharp in her chestnut eyes. The man was now standing on the counter, his blubbering stopped. Awani followed his gaze. When she saw what his eyes rested upon her expression mirrored the shopkeepers' own. As she stared on in shock, the book slipped through her fingers making just enough noise to alert the monstrous creature that stood before her.

"What is that thing!" the shop-keeper screamed. The store's inhabitants looked around in curiosity, but they just stood there and stared at the screaming man instead. Surely, they should be more worried about, about that 'thing,' as the shop-keeper so humbly put it, behind them rather than this man's outburst, Awani thought. It stood there, staring straight at her, their eyes fixed on each other. There was no way she was imagining this. There it stood, right across the room perched on a shelf. It looked like a mesh of a monstrous bird, a turtle and a human, and these people weren't even responding. The 'thing' broke its gaze from her and she realized the deranged shopkeeper had rushed at it with what appeared to be a one metre metal ruler. Was he hoping to use it as a sword? She didn't want to stick around to find out. She grabbed the book and clutched it to her chest before running out of the store. Behind her she could still her that same faint ringing.

The curtains pulled across, the doors locked and her music loud, Awani just sat there staring at the book. She wasn't thinking about it so much as she was the store. Had those people survived or had that creature snapped them up, taking advantage of their obliviousness? She shouldn't have to worry about that now. She was home. She was safe. What she'd need to do was call her Misuzushi. Yep, that's what she needed. The reassurance of her best friend, and there was always one good thing about him; he'd believe anything.

"Hello Mrs Renato, may I please speak to Misuzushi-chan?" she asked politely as his mother picked up the phone. She was a nice woman, but a gossip and tended to spread rumours about how she and Misuzushi were together and such. They didn't really bother Awani though, because she had the privileged knowledge that the boy 'stood on the other side of the fence.' Finally he picked up the phone, but before he even had a chance to greet her, Awani shrieked into the phone, "Misuzuhi-chan! The craziest thing happened! I was at the bookstore and there was this creature and-"

"Whoa, slow down Awa-chan! I haven't heard this much, well, this much emotion from you since you drank one of those funky caffeine drinks. Did you buy another 'Doki Doki Ichigo'? Because you know, the government has manipulated its way into those companies and added chemicals that may very well mutate humans of the future," he tutted, raving on about another conspiracy. He then added, "Oh, and don't call me 'Misuzushi-chan', okay? It's degrading!"

The idiocy of his theory almost made her forget about that crazy monster. Almost, she added as an afterthought. She sighed, "Yes, yes, I know you're paranoid, but a 'crazy' happened. Something worth noting in your journal of conspiracies, 'kay?" It was sad to admit, but conspiracies were actually Misuzushi's life. He was obsessed with them. If you could see his room, you would be frightened, it was that bad.

"I'm listening," he purred. Awani then proceeded to explain the encounter in great detail, having finally calmed down enough to do so.

"…and this creature, it was though an eagle, turtle and person had been joined," she explained. There was silence from Misuzushi's end.

"I suggest it's an escaped experiment from some laboratory," he finally concluded. Awani could practically hear the smirk.

"Why could only I and the shop-keeper see it then?" she challenged calmly as she braided her hair. She now sat on the ground with her legs folded. Every time she talked on the phone, she had a routine she would move through while she listened.

"Perhaps only those powered by energy drinks can see them," he suggested with a laugh.

Ignoring his sense of humour, she lay down and after a moment of quietness pondered aloud, "Do you think any of them survived?"

"It might not have been hostile. You chickened out before anything happened. Check the news, if it says anything about the shop-keeper dying, you'll know," Misuzushi suggested, a little taken aback by the talk of death, but completely serious. "Oh, unless there's been a cover-up of the incident, in which case the FBI will be coming to erase your memories in the next few days," he added. Of course.

"Oh yeah, what was his name again, Misuzushi-chan, you know, the shop-keeper?" Awani muttered. She'd write it down this time. There was no way she'd forget and she'd scour the news channels to check up on it.

"You only go there every week and you don't know his name! It's Aizou Mahoda! He's got a wife, three kids and he lives down the street from you. He brought back your dog when you lost it!" Misuzushi replied in astonished laughter before he let out a deep sigh. "Well, I'm sick of your constant questions, so I'm going. I'll keep an eye out on the news, 'kay? See you at school! Don't you bring your turtle-bird with you."

"Good night to you also, Misuzushi-chan," she murmured, ripping a page out of her book to scrawl the man's name on. She wouldn't forget it next time and she'd ask him about the encounter with the creature.

Awani sat in front of the TV, watching half-heartedly as she completed her homework. Her father wouldn't be home until late, so she always had this time to be by herself. The wind outside the apartment rattled across the old window shades. The rain had come and gone, but the brisk fragrance of it still hung in the air. The current news had mainly been focused on the on goings of Kira, as usual. No news of Aizou yet. She decided to make herself some instant ramen. Her bare feet stuck to the linoleum as she walked and it took a while for the old incandescent bulb to flicker on. As the light pierced the darkness, she was greeted by the same monster as before.

Before she had a chance to scream, or talk or flee, the 'thing' introduced itself in the manner of a gentleman.

" Good evening, my lady. I am Aerik," the creature talked fluently, as well as any human. As could be expected Awani was taken aback. Here was a mutant talking to her! Crazy! Insane!

When she finally managed to open her mouth to form words, all she could stutter was, 'W-what are you?"

"Why my dear Awani, I am a shinigami. Gods of death and you have something that is mine. My Death Note," his sung in an English accent.

"A shinigami," she repeated to herself in shock. Death Note. That's what was written on her notebook. "Do you want it back? You can have it," she offered, not meaning a single word of it. This book, she'd fight the Death God, what was his name? Aerik. She'd fight Aerik, for it. It seemed so stupid, but so important at the same time.

"Why no, no, I want nothing of the sorts," he tutted, causing Awani instantaneous relief, "I just want to teach you how to use it."

"Use it?" Awani echoed. It was just a book. She intended to draw in it. Was the god of death an art critique? He sounded posh enough to be one.

Instead of answering her question, his taloned hand reached down and picked up a silver pocket-watch with a black skull engraved into it. "Aizou Mahoda. 6:49pm. Heart attack," he muttered.

"Aizou Mahoda? Did you, uh, kill him?" Awani inquired, trying to be as polite as possible and not anger the shinigami. He seemed like a gentleman but she had no idea how short his temper may be. She was now sitting with her hair covering her face like a veil. She could not stand, she was too shocked. Her legs were too feeble to support her.

"Me? No. Awani Nishiki, you killed him, and that's precisely why I've come to teach you how to use the Death Note. A book that if you write your victims name in, they die," Aerik's words cut through her. They were unbelievable. But she didn't doubt them. And that's when Awani realised; she'd just bought Death for 900 yen.