Chapter 1

Do you know Beyond Birthday? Yes, you more than likely heard the legend of the cold-hearted murderer that killed without remorse. The unforgiving headlines of a killer that L took on himself. The monster that lived his life revolved around L, at the man that slowly destroyed his life. B didn't always hate L, to be honest he quite liked L, He admired him, because he gave him something to look forward to, something that he could finally do to prove himself in the eyes of others. Until L turned right around and spit on the trust and respect that B held so highly of him.

But, that's not the whole story. Beyond Birthday was only a very young child when he got his first dose of what humanity was really like. He never got the love that he desperately needed, not by his parents, councilors, teachers, or anyone really. He never had any friends; his mother and father were deathly afraid of him. You see B, he wasn't what you could call an average boy that went to school and was popular with all the girls, he was lucky to finish the day without insults hurled his way. No, B liked things that modern day society would consider "Weird". B was an insomniac, and even when he could sleep, his dreams were plagued with nightmares. When he tried to make conversation, he spoke like a fully mature adult, even at the age of 4 and 5. When he was real young he would address people by their full name and would always mumble and ramble about numbers. B would go on for hours about numbers that no one else could see. B tended to become violent when things didn't go his way or if he got to frustrated. Lashing out was the only way that people would give him any sort of attention. B was ostracized by children and adults alike. B was never really considered "Normal" and that was perfectly fine with him.

At the age of 7, B was expelled from school for punching a girl in the face. Apparently, the girl, Lucy Nevins, made fun of B's name, then the way that he looked and so forth to get a reaction out of him. B didn't react at all, he didn't even look at her, and he never did. Not until Lucy tried to reach for him did B finally react. B screeched, loudly turned with angry eyes, pulled back his little fist and flung it forward with all his 7-year-old strength. It was more than enough to brake her nose. B's family was moved out by the end of the week.

At the age of 11, the neighbor's cat went missing. It was later found with its head, tail, and paws cut off in his mother's garden when she went to go plant her yearly flowers. B didn't deny anything, but he didn't say that it was him either. B was a very smart boy; so naturally he got away with it, abet some warranted speculation. While B was incredibly smart for someone his age, B never fit in, or did the "Normal" things that others would do. Sometimes he would just appear sitting on the couch or at the top of the stairs. B never really talked, he didn't have to he always was sitting at the dinner table when he was hungry, and when he wasn't he was in his room or outside sitting in the grass. Beyond scared his parents, He never asked for anything and never seemed to care what happened around him. Unless necessary, B's parents avoided him and sometimes he would catch him talking about him late at night. So, it was no surprise to learn that they were even afraid of talking to B, because they didn't want to upset him.

At the age of 12, B came home to an empty house. He walked into his parent's room to find it empty, the mattress was bare and the closet was cleaned out. They left while he was at school, no note or really anything at all was left behind. Beyond lived in that house alone for 2 and a half months, until B's savings had run out and the man for the electricity came to shut off his power. 2 weeks later B found himself in foster care. He didn't last long there. He broke a 14-year-old boy's wrist for pushing him into the wall and soon after that throwing anything he could get his hands on at anyone that came too close. 8 days later he was transferred to a different house, closer to his new shrink Mr. Toler.

When he entered 7th grade he got on the honor role, after taking the state-wide test. B was always a smart child, never failed a class and always got good grades. B didn't care, whatever to keep speculation off him. 3 weeks later a strange man came to the school. He said that he was going to have a special test for smart young children, and the winner wins a big prize. B wasn't that thrilled, why should he have to prove himself to someone that B didn't even know? In the end, B was found trying to sneak out of the school and brought back to the testing room and wasn't allowed to leave until it was done. To B, that test was easy, way too easy if you were to ask B. He knew that there was some kind of ulterior motive to why they were here to have people at his school take a test only people at his mental capability could solve, it was something that he thought about on the way back to the foster house. He got about half way back to the house before Quilish Wammy drove up beside him and rolled down his window.

"Hello, you're Beyond Birthday, right?" Quilish spoke to him. B walked on, not even looking at the man. The car sped up. "Mr. Birthday, I would like to have a word with you, if that's okay." He spoke again. B didn't even flinch his way. "My name is Quilish Wammy, and I represent a place where special young minds like yours can go, and I want you to be there." B turned his head so quickly that his raven hair fell into his eyes blocking Wammy view to them.

"Why?" B murmured. He was not special; he was a freak, a weirdo with red eyes. B felt that sudden frustration well up inside of him. Then as soon as it came the feeling left as if it was never there. B didn't care what happened as long as Quilish keep his hands to himself.

"My dear Beyond, you are smarter beyond your peers, don't you want to come to a place that will rightfully recognize your powerful mind?" Wammy asked. The car was stopped now, because B stopped too. His face never changed, but B was thinking. He doesn't have anywhere else to go, and trying to bear living with sniveling young pathetic children was almost too much. Then again, he was looking forward to his weekend with the houses pet rabbit. "If you want to, come back here at 8am tomorrow and I'll have everything set up for you if you decide to leave. I'm not forcing you Beyond; I want to challenge you, to see how good you really are at games." B was hooked, but he wasn't going to tell Wammy that. He wanted him to sweet it out a little, so without so much as a head nod he turned and left.

At 8am a black SUV rolled up to the corner that B was waiting at. All he took was what he would need, clothes, and his Swiss army knife fit snugly in his back pocket. The door opened and B got in without a word. Too bad that he didn't have more time, B just hopes that no one notices the smell from under the floorboards, a parting gift as he would call it. Bonnies agenized squealing was something that he will never forget.

B arrived at Wammy's house 18 hours later, after a delayed plane ride and 2 hours of sitting in a car. He wished he was still in japan, he did not like London, not the way they talked, or the wired way they drove, or their weird obsession with tea.

He met Roger first, 'He's a prick' B decided. It would be spot on if B had any say in the matter. When Roger introduced himself, B ignored him. B wasn't there to make friends he was there to experience an actual challenge. He did nothing but glare and stare at B when he didn't listen or answer him, so Roger grabbed B by his arm and shook him. B wailed and punched Roger in the throat; Roger gagged and let him go falling to the ground. B was hyperventilating grabbing at himself with his eyes wide. when Roger finally could breathe normally he glared hatefully at B.

"You just got here, and already you're going to be a trouble maker, when we are done here you are going to your room until dinner, if you don't you get no dinner. Do I make myself clear?" Roger growled out still clutching his throat. B was angry he knew that Wammy put in his files that he doesn't like to be touched, he knew! Everyone knew! Then he had the gull to punish him!? B usually didn't get mad over trivial things like this, but the fact that he had that knowledge infuriated him. He was trying to provoke him! That has got to be it! When B didn't answer, Roger pointed at his face, not touching him this time. Good, B would have loved to bite that finger clean off. "I said do I make myself clear!" Roger said calmly with an undertone of anger just beneath the surface. If an answer is what Roger wanted then he would get one.

"Crystal~" B purred out. His lip was curled over his teeth in a wide terrifying smile. His eyes were wide and dangerous, no more like wild and frantic animal, looking everywhere yet, not moving. It frightened Roger, a 12-year-old boy should not have that smile or those eyes. They were eyes of a madman, of a person that had seen something horrible in his life like a war veteran. "I'll go straight there, Roger." And with that B left the room to make his way to his room that Wammy had directed him to when he passed him on the stairs.

None of them saw how B was still protectively clutching his arm across his chest.

"What's up with your eyes?" B slowly turned his head to the voice that had spoken. There was a boy around his age with short brown hair. The freckles on his cheeks and nose brought out his green eyes. He was just standing there, looking at him. B's been there for almost 6 months and he was the first one to talk to B, B had to give Allen credit though, no one willing considers his eyes and doesn't shudder with emotion.

"Nothing" B replied bored looking back down to his book clutched in his hands. When Allen didn't leave, B slammed his book closed and stood up to go back inside, Allen stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. B dropped his book and turned to punch him but, surprisingly, Allen ducked under his fist and spun to the side. Turning his head to look at Allen again, B glared. "Don't touch me." he growled. Expecting Allen to run away B was surprised when he laughed and backed away with his hands in the air.

"Okay, okay calm down there." Allen held out his hand. "My name is A." The newly dubbed A replied. B stared down at the hand, the one that's attached to the person that stared him in his eyes. Calmly B reached down to pick up his forgotten book tuck it under his arm and reached out a thin pale hand to A's and grasped it firmly in his.

"B"

When B turned 14 he met L for the first time. He was perfect, In every way. He was smart and reserved; he was one of the very few people that B admired. L was tall, well he would have been tall if he didn't have that stubble slouch when he walked, and his raven hair spiked in the back with his bangs almost covering is dark coal eyes. He had strong intelligent eyes, eyes that knew everything there was to know, the bags underneath them proved that much. B couldn't deny that L was kind of weird, but so was Albert Einstein and look how that turned out. The entire image of L Intrigued B so much that, eventually, he aspired to be L, so that's what B started to do. He would copy L's quirky habits to a T, the way he sat, the way he ate and held things. One thing that B never really had to copy was the way he looked, L had an uncanny resemblance to B. Slowly but surely L was becoming B's life.

B wasn't the only one that adored L; A did to, maybe even more. He didn't do the things that B would do, but he would through himself into work to make himself smarter, to make L notice him. B learned later that Wammy's house really was a special school, one that groomed extremely smart children to be the next L, and that's what A and B wanted, desperately.

B never saw L again, in person anyway. L would sometimes voice chat with everyone and answer their questions. B never asked any, but he listened. A was one of the kids that was at the front of the group to hear everything that was said, hanging on every word that fell out of L's mouth.

B hated A for that. A should be next to him talking to him! He knew A longer! He was A's friend, not L!

And so, A and B grew further and further apart.

It was 4 days after they all took the big test, the one that L was to look at and start them off on their quest to surpass L that they all got their results back. You can't surpass L! And B knew that, but he didn't think that A did. It took him a long time to find that out, B wanted to tell A, but he couldn't nonmatter how badly he wanted his A back. Then B started to notice things about A, especially when the results came back. A seemed withdrawn and cold. when they would usually eat outside, A would never eat, or when he did get food would just poke it around the plate with his fork. At first B didn't notice, he was a teenager now and teens do tend to go through rebel phases.

Later B noticed that A always looked tired. B asked him what was wrong but he just brushed it off like it was nothing.

"It's nothing B."

B hasn't seen A for 2 weeks. He was worried, how could he not be? A was his best friend, losing him would be devastating. The last time that he did see A was when they were walking back to their rooms together.

He was eating alone again. Casting his eyes down to the plate of steak and potato's B sighed. It was lonely without A. Then there was scraping of a chair. B was going to glare at the fool that was trying to sit in A's chair, but when he turned to glare his eyes widened. It was A, but it wasn't A.

His eyes looked Haunted, dead. The bags under his eyes were dark purple and bruising with lack of sleep, his hair was upkeep and he was still in his pajamas.

Almost scared to look, and very hesitant B looked up and closed his eyes.

Afraid that if he opened them again he would see the numbers drop even lower.

B was frantic. He had to do something, but he didn't know what to do! He never had to deal with something like this before! He didn't care about other people, but A was not other people. A's numbers were so low now. So, so low. They were fluctuating, up and down, up and down.

Eventually they didn't go back up.

One week that's all the time that B had left with A. How was he supposed to help his only friend in a week? B is a genius; he could solve any problem you put in front of him.

So why couldn't he solve this one?

7 days left:

B seen more of A, surprisingly. A's actually talking to him! He's happy, but doesn't know how to show it. At lunch A eats all his food and when B goes to throw it away he trips and lands on his face and A laughs. Laughs! B didn't know what to do. Maybe he's getting better? Yes, B decides, A is getting better, and soon everything will be back to normal.

But B never did glance above his head that day, not once. He didn't need to because A was getting better.

Deep down B knew he was wrong.

The numbers were dropping faster now.

6 days left:

B caught A today. He was going to A's room to wake him up for breakfast, but when he got there A was sitting on the hard wood floor with a razor blade to his wrist. That explains why he started to wear long sleeves.

B ran over to him and threw the razor out of his hand, but before B could asked him why A's red rimmed eyes narrowed, A yelled at him and pushed him away.

Yelled? Why? what did B do wrong? He just saved A's life! A's not getting better, B decided. He never was.

The numbers plummeted.

5 days left:

B only let A out of his sight when he had to go to bed. The rest of the time, no one could look to find A without finding B there too. A hasn't apologized for yelling at B; really he hasn't even talked to B at all since yesterday. That's fine though, B talked to A even if he never said anything back. He wasn't leaving unless A pushed him away. B was going to go to Roger even though he hated him, but would it make A madder at him?

A fight broke out in B's mind. Should he go and possibly save the life of his best friend, but at the cost of their friendship, or not go and leave everything up to chance?

B never visited Roger.

4 days left:

Since B meet A, he hasn't played with anything. No more trying to hide the bodies after he was done playing with them, or having to worry about anything really. A was his outlet, his safe zone from everything. B realized that A couldn't be compared to anything.

Not even L.

3 days left:

A apologized today.

Since the day that A looked fearlessly into B's eyes, he didn't know it then, but they became best friends. B was never the type to show his feelings at all, but somehow A could see through every mask he tried to put up.

If only they had more time.

2 days left:

There was nothing B could do. He tried, really tried, but nothing worked. A never laughed, never smiled, he didn't really talk to anyone but B anymore. B was determined that he would make his last days the best days of his entire life.

They went outside to the park, and B bought them ice cream. A went along with him, mindlessly. Like a zombie.

When they got back B walked A up to his room and looked at his friend. B could see that A was tired, the bags under his eyes looked painful and he now had a permanent slouch when he walked and sat down. Like a broken man.

But they were only kids.

Last day:

B was scared to wake up. Hoping that time wouldn't start without him. Ridiculous.

When B went down stairs he met A sitting at the table.

"Hey" he whispered to A. A looked over to B with dull green eyes. He didn't sleep last night either.

"Hey, B" A spoke softly back. his gaze returned to his full plate of food.

"You should eat some food A; you're not looking to good." B urged. He pushed A's plate back towards him when he pushed it away from himself.

"Not hungry" A replied, his usual reply. B frowned and took a glance at A's numbers. Everyone had them, he knew that when those numbers ran to zero that person dies. A's numbers were dangerously low.

"okay"

Later, after class A and B walked next to each other. Turning the corner B shoved A out of the way of an oncoming fist aimed for A's head, B took the hit instead.

"B!" A called to him going to see if he was alright, before a hand pulled A back into the wall.

B was furious. How dare they! Getting onto his hands and knees he was going to kill them! Before he could, however, a foot landed on his back, forcing him to the ground his arms buckled and his head slammed into the floor. His vision went blurry, dark spots danced in his vision.

The last thing B saw was A reaching out to him with his name on his lips before one of the boy's fist smashed into his face, and everything went dark.

Hours later, B woke up in his room. Groaning he sat up and held his head. Gentle, but firm hands were placed over his forehead. B's eyes snapped open to see A's bruised eye and busted lip.

"Are you okay, B?" A asked quietly. B was instantly angry, even if his face didn't show it. With a short nod, B got to his feet and started to walk to the door. "Where are you going?" A asked, when B's hand was on the knob. Looking back at him B smiled that smile he hasn't smiled in a long time, the one that terrified everyone.

everyone but A.

"I'm just going to play with them." B said before he heard a gasp and seen A's hand slam against the door firmly shutting it before B got out. "A..." B said warningly.

"You don't have to B, it's fine, don't worry about it. Plus Roger is dealing with it anyway." A said franticly, as he put more pressure of the door when B tried to open it again. B sighed.

"Why? why shouldn't I rip their God damn heads off!? You're my best friend A, how dare they hurt you when you already have such little time left!?" B's voice rose as he continued talking, his eyes were flashing dangerously in the light.

"B, what are you talking about? I said that it is going to be handled! Why are you still trying to go! B! Please stop! For ME!" A screamed at last when B got him out of the way. B froze half way out the door. Looking at A, Beyond sighed.

"Fine, just be careful from now on okay? Always have someone with you, never go out alone, B gets scared when B isn't with A okay?" B said reverting to a child's tone as he faced A once more.

"Yes, yes of course Mom." A smirked. B's eyes widened he smiled and made a joke? Eagerly B looked above A's head.

The numbers still counted down.

B seen right though A's plan. All he was doing was pretending that everything was fine when it wasn't. B's eyes never lie. For A's sake B said nothing about it. For the rest of the day they both sat and watched movies and played video games. Normal teenage boy things. B was happy even if it was all fake.

Later when it was time for lights out and the announcement came over the intercom B turned his head away so that A couldn't see the tears gathering in his red eyes. They said he only had hours left.

"I had fun today, B." A said when the game shut off and the only light in the room was the blue of the TV screen. Wiping his eyes, B nodded and turned to face him again.

"Yeah, B did too, A... B hopes that we can do this again sometime." B whispered quietly. If he talked to loudly he would start to cry again, but he had to be strong. For A. Standing up A turned looked down at B.

"So, do you want to walk me back to my room?" A asked him. B didn't answer his red eyes were somewhere over his head. "B? Hey listen I'll just go by myself I'll be fine I'll just run like you told me to okay, B?" When it seemed like B wasn't going to answer him A frowned, this was the last time he was going to see B, and he won't even answer him? "Okay B, I'll see you in the morning...B? I'm uh, sorry for the way I've been acting lately I hope that you won't worry about me anymore okay? I'll be alright; I'll see you in the morning." A smiled, a real genuine smile to B. Then he turned to leave, but a hand stopped him. That same hand pulled A down to were B was and he was surrounded by long arms in a hug. Some of B's hair tickled his mouth and nose as he whispered in his ear.

"please don't leave B… B is so lonely without A…" B whimpered into A's ear.

"What are you talking about B? I'm not going anywhere. Where would I go? You're all I have B." A whispered back rubbing his hand up and down B's back.

"Okay. Please be careful, don't go tripping down the hallway now-" B's words got cut off as a sob broke out of his throat.

"B-?" A started to question trying to pull away to look at him, But B covered it up with a cough. His arms tighten around A.

"I'm fine. I'm just really mad at those guys from earlier, that's all. Just- just know that if I could follow you to be you're going... I would be right behind you. That's what Best Friends do. Through thick and thin, right? A?" B whispered into A's ear. B held A for a few more moments before tightening slightly then letting go. B didn't look back up at A, he couldn't. He heard the movement of the beanbag chair as A stood up.

"Thank you, B. Thank you for always being there for me. I won't ever forget it. I'll see you in the morning B." With a little hesitance A turned and walked to the door opened it and with one last glace at B's slouched over shaking frame he softly closed the door behind him.

B sat in that room for hours. He sat so still, when Roger peeked his head in the room he didn't notice him. After the door shut the only thing that you would've seen was the face of Beyond Birthday lit up in the blue light of the TV screen with tears falling down his face.

B never saw A again.

They ruled it suicide.

Then nothing, because the house was a secret A didn't even get a normal burial. His room was cleaned, and it was like he was never even there. It was like A only really existed inside B's mind.

He's the only one that would truly remember him, as him Allen Hanker, not as A, L's Guinea pig.

Lawliet, how he hated that name now.

Time passed 3 or 4 months, something like that, B didn't care. About anything. The dark circles under his eyes now replaced the makeup in its place. His raven hair was long and untrimmed, and his eyes were dead. B never really left his room, Not after A left. Roger brought food to his room when he refused to go down to eat with the rest of the kids. All he did was breath, eat, sleep, and stare at the wall.

B was lost.

Shoving the shovel into the ground, B whipped the sweat and some blood off his forehead as he turned to the two lumps wrapped in black sheets. Pulling the first one into the hole B thought of what just happened 3 hours ago...

A now, 15-year-old Beyond Birthday was walking down the empty hallway with a purpose. No one would stop him, he had to wait for quite a while, but finally it was the time.

B ended up at a door. Without even knocking B kicked the door open and the two figures yelled. One cried out from a punch to the face, and the other a kick to the diaphragm.

20 minutes after B drug them out into the forest out back B waited until they wake up.

For 2 hours B cut, slashed, punched, kicked, bit, tortured Jonathan Burke, and Henry Pide relentlessly.

Jonathan Burke's body was the worst, he was the one that punched A. One of his eyes were gone, the other swollen shut. Both his arms were broken in multiple spots, and four of his fingers bent the wrong way. His legs weren't broken but black from the wire that B had wound around each leg until the blood circulation stopped in them. He wouldn't stop screaming after he got the gag out of his mouth so B removed his tongue for him. He had multiple burses and cuts on his cheek. B killed Jonathan Burke with multiple strong punches to the diaphragm until B heard the satisfying crunch of his rib cage, and watched with wide glee as the broken ribs punctured his lung and heart and very soon he spasmed until his heart stopped beating.

Henry Pied was at least a little more recognizable. Henry Pide's face was covered in cuts, small and large. One ear was completely gone, and a large chunk of his nose was gone. B pulled out all his teeth and cut off all his fingers and toes. His body was covered with bite marks and dark bruises. One leg had every bone in it shuddered, one arm was dislocated. Henry Pied died from blood loss.

Patting the soil with the flat side of the shovel over the new grave, B looked up and glared at the Moon with his crazy murderous red eyes and blood splattered face with his twisted smile. Jonathan Burke and Henry Pide were the first of many more murders to come.

Moonlight shined down a small figure staring at the sky. His clothes were dirty from the mud and blood that wasn't his. In his hand he held a shovel and the other, a small piece of paper. He was standing next to a newly covered grave.

For the longest time B thought that it was his fault that A died, then he got thinking. It wasn't his fault it was L's.

Everything led back to L.

A was there to be the next L.

He wanted to be the next L.

He worked so hard to be the next L.

The man that denied him that dream was L.

l, L, L it ALWAYS led back to L.

L was going to pay, even if B died trying to make that happen, He swore that night glaring at the sky.

Then after he avenged A, B can finally go to were A went, and they can play video games again.

"Poor Lawli, Poor poor Lawli…. B's coming Lawli and when B finds Lawli… Lawli's gonna pay for hurting A… B promises."