Hello everyone! I'm not dead! (Somehow.) I forgot that this fanfiction existed until a few weeks ago... I shudder when I think about how bad my writing was back then... But, I've decided to rewrite it! Yay!

On a more serious note, I am SOOOOO sorry that I disappeared without saying anything. (Not that any of you care... But...) I never thought that I would be one of those writers... *bows deeply*

This chapter is rather short. (I want to see how it goes... And see if anyone actually reads Death Note fanfiction anymore...) However, I'm planning for the next few chapters to be much longer.

I've changed a few things. Like my OC's name, her father (King of Death), and a few of the relationships that will be discussed later in the fic. This is because I want to make this fanfiction more serious than it was. (Less fan service, more angst and drama and depressing things...) At the moment, I don't know if there will be any slash. There might be later on. Let me know!

So... Without further ado... *pulls back curtains only to find...*

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note... I wish I did... But... *sadness*

Prologue: The Daughter of Death

Shiki POV

"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."

I was halfway down the page, thoroughly immersed in the musings of the 17th century French philosopher when three sharp taps sounded to my right. Startled, I peered over at the large mahogany doors to my study. I recognized that knock. Candid and to the point.

"Enter." I called out. The doors swung open to reveal a tall bony creature wearing a purple silk robe.

"Milady. Your father requires your presence in the Throne Room." The Shinigami known as Dokuro informed me. He was a high ranked Shinigami. 2, as he often liked to remind others. He acted as an adviser for my father, King of the Shinigami.

"I understand. Thank you for informing me." I replied. He respectfully inclined his head in my direction. Then turned with a swish of his cape and glided away.

I let out a small sigh and closed the thick tome that was resting on my lap. I let out a groan as I unfurled my legs from the lotus position they had previously been in. Placing the philosophy book on a small table next to me, I stood and started walking over to the doors, glancing out a window at my realm. I scowled.

The Shinigami realm was as barren and lifeless as ever. There was sand as far as my eyes could see. Large piles of bones were scattered every few miles. A long time ago, Shinigami use to bring the bones of important humans back. Robin Hood, Marie Antoinette, Joan of Arc; they were trophies. Spoils from a Shinigami's hard day of work. Nowadays all those once contended for bones had been diminished to mere gambling tools.

Yes, Shinigami had grown lazy in the past hundred years. Humans began causing the deaths of other humans; more so than the plague or famine as the 19th century rolled around. Slowly but surely, Shinigami began to lose their purpose in the human realm. As war and poverty took over, Shinigami no longer had to kill humans to keep the world in balance. We were pushed back into our realm to sit and wait until we were needed once again.

The mere thought disgusted me. Shinigami were once known and feared in all parts of the world. We were known by many names. The Grim Reaper, Styx, Ankou. We were spoken about with hushed whispers around camp fires, those who knew of us feared and respected us. That is how it should have been.

I snapped out of my reverie. My father was not one to appreciate tardiness; and as such, I decided to make haste. I strode down the dimly lit halls of Death Palace wondering why he would call me at this hour. It couldn't be anything good…

As I trans versed the serpentine halls, I shivered. It was always cold in the Shinigami Realm. An eternal night. Most Shinigami got use to the frigid temperatures after few hundred years, but I doubted the icy chill would ever work its way from my veins. Left, left, right, left, right… I stopped when I reached two colossal doors that announced the Throne Room. The two guards that were positioned by each door gave me a small bow which I returned with a nod. I brushed my nightgown off and straightened my back (bad posture was unacceptable for a noble). With another sigh, I pulled open one of the large doors and strolled into the King of Death's domain.

The Throne Room was majestic and decorated with the riches that befitted a King. An exquisite red carpet lay on the stone ground, directing those who entered. The room was illuminated by candles hanging on the walls; their black flames cast eerie shadows on the ground who danced whenever a breeze came through. Those gyrating shadows use to frighten me when I was young. I pictured them as monsters, nipping at my feet, clawing and jeering at me as I walked by. As I grew up and watched the horrendous events called "war" and "disease" overtake the Human Realm, I realized that the shadows were nothing to be afraid of. Nothing at all.

The sound of a voice clearing forced me to realize that I had been daydreaming again. I raised my eyes to look at the large throne that sat at the back of the room. No, not the throne, but the being seated on the throne. My father.

He was in Human Form today, which was surprising considering he rarely used it unless he was making a trip to the Human Realm. (Which never happened.) He sat with his fingers steepled, gazing at me with no expression on his elegant face. In Human Form he was lithe and tall, with long hair that was as dark as the Realm he ruled. His glacier eyes met my aquamarine ones and he raised a graceful eyebrow as if challenging me to look away. I evenly held his gaze, and when I did not look away after many seconds, a flash of vexation materialized in his eyes faster than Ryuk snatches an apple. I was confused for a few seconds as to what I had done to warrant such a gaze, then realized that I hadn't bowed yet (an expected and necessary tradition in the Shinigami Realm even if he was my father.) I silently cursed my forgetfulness as I dropped onto my knee, my head bowed slightly.

"Rise, Shiki." His voice was soft with a hint of amusement. I rose to my feet and waited for my father to continue. He beckoned for me to come closer with a long graceful finger. When I was in front of him, his eyes flickered across my face and his gaze softened.

"My daughter… I am pleased to see you. I assume you have been well in my absence to the Human Realm." He asked, a slender eyebrow raised.

So, he had been in the Human Realm. I was going to question his motives, but stopped myself, expecting him to inform me of them soon. Instead, I nodded.

"Indeed Father. I have been in fine health and spirits." I replied. While that was not entirely true, he seemed satisfied with my answer, as if the information had brought him solace of some sort. His visage grew serious once again.

"I have summoned you to inform you of a mission that you will be attending to starting in a one day. This mission will take place in the Human Realm. Tokyo, to be precise. It seems" irritation colored his voice with this, "that a Death Note has been dropped into the Human Realm. I have yet to find out why this has happened, or whose Death Note it was. On November 28, 2003, humans will begin to die. The Death Note will be behind these deaths. You will find out what Shinigami was responsible for this blunder. As well as reap the souls of those who were killed by the Death Note in Japan. Do not concern yourself over deaths outside of this area. I will send others to deal with them. You will remain neutral in this matter."

He said it all without hesitation. His voice was commanding and pitiless. It held no room for argument. This, of course, did not surprise me. While he was my father, he was also my higher. I would obey his orders whether I wanted to or not.

"I see. I suppose this means that I should leave as soon as possible." I asked. He nodded, but his gaze was expectant. He knew what I was going to ask next.

"Father, may I inquire as to where I will be staying in the Human Realm?" I hid my excitement and attempted to look bored. Apparently not well enough, for my Father's lip twitched upwards in a rare display of emotion.

"I contacted Kin, a few days ago. He has been living in Tokyo for 5 years, and 8 months. He will provide you with living arrangements while you are in the Human Realm. Is this acceptable to you? I can certainly find you alternative arrangements if it is unsatisfactory." He said it curtly, but I knew he was amused.

I held back a smirk. "No, Father. I believe that those arrangements are perfectly agreeable to me. I will pack my belongings and depart to the Human Realm as soon as I can."

He met my eyes again, an order and a question were held in his ageless features. It was his way of telling me to "be safe". I would have smiled back, but such an outward display of emotion would have defied all rules of etiquette. In response, I dropped into a curtsy. He dismissed me with a dignified wave.

Making my way to my personal quarters, I glanced around, making sure there were no spectators. When I was sure that I was alone, I let a small smile overtake my previously mask like features. I was permitted to go to the Human Realm again! It wasn't the Humans living there that excited me. I found most Humans repulsive. They were emotional, irrational creatures who refused to work together and instead threw others down to heighten themselves. It was the warmth of the place that I adored. The Human Realm was unlike ours to an extreme. Our Realm was covered in constant darkness. It never changed, remaining immobile, grey and cold for all eternity. The Human Realm was ever changing. From the devices they called "computers" to the weather. Even the prospect of seeing clouds again made my freezing heart beat faster. The Human Realm, even being tainted by the beings known as Humans, was undeniably beautiful. Vibrant and full of life.

When I reached my personal quarters, which consisted of a bedroom, bathroom, dining room (even though I didn't eat), study, living room, and music room, I was full blown grinning. The prospect of leaving the desolate wasteland I called my home was a bright one. I walked into the bedroom and grabbed the long black trench coat that was laying on my bed. The cloth was known as a Death Cape. It acted as a sort of portal into the Shinigami Realm, allowing me to have access to a surplus of items without having to carry all of them on me. They were quite handy, but hard to come by. My Father was the only one who knew where and how to get them.

I glanced around my room. It was empty except for my bed, a nightstand, and a wardrobe in the corner. I walked over to the wardrobe and critically eyed the contents. In the Shinigami Realm, I wore sophisticated robes, dresses from the 18th century, and long flowing cloaks. The clothes of royalty. Unfortunately, traipsing around the Human Realm in such garments would definitely warrant unwanted attention… I would have to acquire modern female clothing in the Human Realm. At the moment, though, I was wearing a nightgown and that was also completely improper to wear in public…

I grimaced and picked up the least dramatic dress I had. It was a dress from the Victorian Era. It was black; simple for the time, with white flower trimming that encircled the long sleeves and hem. Thankfully, I noted with a grin, there was no corset or crinoline involved. (I despised the blasted contraptions almost as much as I despised high heels…)

Shuddering at the cold air, I quickly slipped out of the pale nightgown that I was wearing, and slid on the black dress. It was made of a heavy cotton, which I was grateful for, and I was pleased to find the realm induced chill slowly working it's way out of my bones. I peered around my room one more time, mentally formulating a list of the items that I would need in the Human Realm. Death List (obviously), Death Note, Scythe…. I would obtain modern human clothing in their realm… Food was not a necessity for Shinigami… Throwing the aforementioned items into my Death Cape, I strode out of the dimly lit room, not feeling a hint of regret as I left.

Again, I transversed the eerie hallways of the palace, but this time with a different destination in mind. There was only one way to get to the Human Realm… The portal… There use to be 4 different portals in existence, but that was a long time ago. With the fall of Shinigami, came the fall of our Realm… The portals slowly started to crumble away, forgotten and unused, until there was only one left. This portal was located in a large cavern, directly underneath the palace. The further down I trekked, the colder it got. I noted, with amusement, that water droplets had begun leaking from the stone ceiling… The transparent sprinkle of drops created faint echos when they fell. Plink. Plink. Plink. It was calming in effect. A steady metronome of sounds that grounded me as I descended into darkness.

I rounded the final corner and took in the enormous cavern that awaited. Human skulls littered the ground; they were piled up against the black walls, creating a pathway to the glowing epicenter of the room. The portal was as beautiful as ever. A swirling mass of pure energy. Every color of the rainbow flashed and flickered about, projecting radiant, transient sparks of energy. They floated around the cavern, illuminating the ashen ghostly skulls like fireflies above a summer lake. The room had an air of tranquility, one that I hadn't felt in an interminable amount of time…

I took a deep breath in, preparing myself for the tedious task that shortly awaited me. Then, without looking back, jumped down into the rotating rainbow of vitality, closed my eyes, and let the flow of energy overtake me.

So... That was the first chapter. I hope I didn't screw up too badly! Please review! I like to know what you all think! :3

Next chapter: Shiki shows up in the human realm to an unpleasant surprise... An apple loving Shinigami makes a rather abrupt appearance... And who is the mysterious Kin?