(Chapter Revised : July, 2017 - Two years later!)
So I read somewhere that if you find yourself in a a writer's slump, then all you have to do is write something completely different and your muse will come back to you with new ideas. It's like taking a vacation! So let's see. A list of things to avoid : Supernatural creatures. Well, there isn't any at first! A heroine figure. Well she's just a little girl right now. A battle against good and evil. I failed. Insane characters who I sympathize with. Let's not talk about this one. Death, blood and situations that can be emotion. Hahaha, there was no avoiding this. Final conclusion :
Close enough!
In all seriousness, this story is actually a gift for my beautiful, wonderful beta. Without her, I wouldn't be here today, writing for all of you. Death Note is her fandom (just like Kuroshitsuji is mine) and one afternoon, she talked to me about how she would have changed things. After a long talk, I decided I would write her a story. This is her birthday gift from me!
~ .~Disclaimer ~.~
Just because I switched fandoms for a bit, does not mean I gain ownership over them. Death Note and all the characters in it, belong to their rightful owner who is not me. I just write for fun and any characters, dialogue or places you recognize do not belong to me. The Kagome, Kagome song is not mine either though it was a big inspiration for this story and was therefore given an honorary place as the title of this story.
Birthdays
(More will be added as it becomes needed)
L - October 31st, 1979
Beyond Birthday (BB) - September 13th, 1980
A - July 6th, 1982
Kagome, Kagome
When, oh when will it come out
In the night of dawn
The crane and turtle slipped
Who is behind you now?
October 27th, 2003
It was a title they all strived for. He was like an entity, a trail of mist that everyone struggled to grasp onto. In reality he was an unknown person, known only for the symbol he had adopted. All they ever saw of him was a single letter and they only heard a robotic voice that never addressed one child, but the group as a whole.
No one was singled out. No one was given special attention. He didn't want to give hope to a single child. After all, if the spirit of competition was gone, then nobody in that orphanage would strive for his title.
He had no name. Like many who had come after him, he was given an alias instead. The alias soon became his identity, and his real name was forgotten by all but a select few. He was the one everyone wanted to meet, and the one who all the kids dreamed of becoming.
The one person they all dream of beating.
He was known to world simply, as L. He was the world's best detective. He had taken on unsolvable cases, and solved them with the ease of a child's puzzle. He had seen things that would haunt normal people. He consumed only sweets, and rarely slept at all. He was the type of character that most would avoid when seen, and he knew this.
Those were the characteristics that made L.
Currently, he was crouched in front of a glowing computer screen, his wide eyes staring unblinkingly at the electrical device in front of him. Behind the glass wall of the computer screen, a single news article was pulled up. Its contents were shocking, even to the world's greatest detective, but L was careful to not display any emotion.
Behind him, a door opened and shut quietly. Watari padded in, armed with a large silver tray filled with different slices of cake. Even as the sugary, sweet scent of the pastries filled the room, L still didn't look up from the computer screen. The only movement from the great detective was him moving his hand so he could chew on the tip of his thumb.
Watari didn't think much of it. There was times in the past when L was so consumed in a case that didn't notice Watari coming in at first. Once the sweets were placed in front of him though, L would always grab one, and that action let the elderly caretaker know the young man was okay.
So Watari strolled forward to place the tray down by L's side, easily within his reach. Still, L did not move. He did not reach for any of the sweets, or even glance at the brimming tray. His shadowed eyes stayed focused on the screen, and the nibbling on his thumb increased in speed.
Now this was worrying.
"Ryuzaki?" Watari quietly questioned.
"He finally did it," L mumbled out. "There was always a twelve percent chance he would attempt it."
Watari didn't bother asking the young detective for clarification. L rarely explained things if you couldn't figure it out yourself. He viewed it as a waste of time and energy. Instead, Watari turned his attention to what held L's attention captivated. The large black words immediately grabbed the older gentleman's attention.
'Convicted Murderer Escapes During Prison Riot.'
Watari felt a chill run down his spine as his suspicions rose. His eyes quickly scanned the rest of the article, seeking more information. The prison name was faintly familiar but nothing about the situation sent a bolt of understanding through Watari. It wasn't until his eyes caught a certain paragraph, that understanding started to sink in.
'The escaped convict is rumored to be part of the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases. He is believed to be mentally unstable and very dangerous. We can provide no images at the moment but our sources are searching for one in an effort to keep our readers safe and aware. More on this situation as it unfolds.'
"What do you want to do now?" Watari questioned the famous detective.
There was no answer. L seemed to be ignoring Watari and the world around him. He didn't even flinch when his teeth finally broke open the skin of his thumb and blood started to trail down. Concerned for his charge, Watari laid his wrinkled hand on L's shoulders, which finally caught his attention.
Tired, shadowed eyes moved to look up at Watari. Even though L kept his face expressionless, his dark eyes spoke of so many emotions. They swirled inside his irises, like an untamed tide pool. So many broken emotions dwelled inside him, but L was never the best at expressing such emotions.
He was never social as a child. Skills that most children learned, like expressing themselves, and learning how to interact with others, was never taught to L. He preferred to be alone or with the other two small children that were never far from his shadow. L was often left alone, and now as an adult, he no longer had the need to interact with others unless it was absolutely necessary.
L chose to be alone.
It wasn't always that way though. At one point, far into the past, there were two others. One entity, used to be made of three components.
November, 1989
The start of Whammy's Orphanage was as unknown, and as mysterious as the children who dwelled inside it. Stories and rumors were started about its origins, but there was no solid evidence behind the orphanage's start. Children of all ages, and races, could be found inside. Appearances, talents, and thoughts, were as wild as the rumors that circled Whammy's Orphanage, but no judgement was never passed onto the young souls that dwelled inside the manor.
All of them possessed a talent of some kind. Some were artistically inclined, or educationally blessed. There were even a few with darker talents, like naturally being able to pick a lock, or perform theft with ease. Nobody judged them for what they could do, or the homes they previously came from. As long as they kept their educational grades high, and followed the rules that were put down, they were free to do as they pleased.
Most of them knew why they were there. They were gifted, and because of that, they were given a new home, where their talent could be cultivated, and even encouraged. Children were always competitive beings, always striving to be number one in what they were doing. At Whammy's, this desire was carefully grown. All the children dreamed of becoming the greatest.
In Whammy's Orphanage, they all wanted to be 'Legendary.'
They wanted the title of 'L'.
To them, L was a person to worship. He was untouchable, with the highest IQ, and nobody, nobody, knew who he was or where he came from. He was untouchable. He was the one they all wanted to beat, and humanize. They wanted to prove that they could be just as good as L.
Every month, for the durations of the month, tests were given out. Everything about the children was tested during this time. Their intelligence. Their talents. Their speed and adaptation. Nothing was left to chance, and at the end of the month, a final test was given out. The day after, a single paper was printed out and posted in one of the busiest common rooms.
The final test ranked all the children, and that single sheet of parchment displayed their rankings. The rankings would always changed depending on the subject of the month, and the new arrivals into the orphanage. It displayed to everyone, who was leading, who was a potential challenger, and where some children could improve. It revealed weaknesses and strengths, forcing the children to adapt to beat their competition.
One young boy was always given a personal copy of the test results.
To the others, he was an unseen entity that they all craved to be. To his caretaker and father-figure, he was a boy blessed with incredible intelligence, and a large sweet tooth. To himself, he was just an odd child who was often misunderstood, and after several years, he had learned to not let it bother him.
This boy was L.
Yet, despite being granted all of his desires, because of who he was, L always felt like there was something missing. His social skills were . . . lacking, and even though he was a genius, he was also still a boy. Sometimes, Watari found L standing by his bedroom window, looking through the glass to watch the other orphans playing in the large backyard. His dark grey eyes would fill with longing, but every time Watari tried to encourage him to go play, L brushed his suggestion off.
The isolation that fueled some of the more interesting rumors about L were not forced upon him. In fact, Watari often tried to introduce L to the other kids, or get him to join them in their activities. It was L who politely refused. The young boy did not see the merit in social gatherings, or simple games. He preferred to play with his chess set, or read books in his own library.
So it was surprising when L decided to change his reclusive nature. Watari had just given him a slim, slice of cake, and that month's final rest results. L was nibbling on his fork as his dark colored eyes scanned the page, as was his habit by now. Watari busied himself with tidying up the many, many piles of books that surrounded the small boy when L's quiet voice spoke up.
"His test results have not changed since his arrival."
Watari turned just in time to see L tapping his fork against the paper. Specks of sugary frosting splayed across the results, but L's eyes were glued to the top rankings. Watari, still holding a few books, took a step closer to L.
The older gentleman already knew who L was speaking about, it was his job to keep track of the children, but a tiny part of him hoped that L had not taken interest in who he knew lurked at the top of that paper. His suspicions were confirmed though when he saw the bold black letters that the fork was still tapping.
1.) B - 238 Rest Results
2.) X - 197 Test Results
3.) Z - 196 Test Results
"I would like to meet him."
Watari's first thought was to try and persuade L otherwise. Watari did want L to meet other children but B, more commonly known as BB, was truly an odd individual. The young orphan made Watari uncomfortable, and Watari had seen and done a lot of strange things in his lifetime. His gut told him that it was a bad idea to follow but when L turned large, begging grey eyes to him, Watari found himself unable to say no.
o.0.O.0.o
December, 1989
It was a cold, December day when Watari finally arrange the fateful meeting. It was freezing outside, with the wind shaking the leafless branches of the nearby trees, and grey clouds were steadily building on the horizon. The weather indicated that it would snow soon.
That was why L was in his library that day. In front of him was a large case file that had already been solved. Watari had taken the final conclusion, and conviction, out of the papers, and was letting L work on reaching the conclusion himself. So far, L had already figured out the murderer, his driving reasons behind his actions, and why his victims were chosen. All he had to do now, was figure out where the murderer was hiding and which poison he used to kill his victims.
It was just an exercise to keep his brain sharp. L had already solved his first criminal case, almost two years ago, at the young age of eight. L just preferred to solve older cases since they seemed to catch his attention more. Nothing was more horrible than trying to keep himself interested in a case that didn't hold his attention.
On L's right side was a chess game. The board was made from oak wood, but the pieces were delicate, spun glass. The board and pieces originally came from two different sets, but L didn't care for their odd appearances, only the actions they could perform. As both previous sets were incomplete before, L had managed to make a whole set by melding the random, mismatched pieces together. In front of the boy, was a roaring fire, just out of reach of the flammable case files. Its warm light bathed L, and chased away the frigid, winter air from the room. Nobody was as comfortable, or at ease as L was at that moment, so, of course, the door behind him gave an ominous creak as it was pushed open.
"L," Watari voiced his appearance and L could hear two different pairs of feet entering. One was heavy, with the left leg dragging behind its partner. Watari's leg must be tense from the cold air again. Slightly behind him, the other pair of feet was light and fast-paced, struggling to keep up with Watari's longer strides. L knew this pair belonged to a younger person, possibly a child but less likely an adolescent. "I've brought somebody to meet you."
L didn't want to move. He was warm, comfortable, and everything he needed was within his reach. If he moved, he risked upsetting the balance he had created, but L also knew that Watari would be disappointed in his lack of manners if he didn't greet his guest.
So L chose to lean back, supporting his weight on his elbows, while his head fell back so he could clearly see Watari, and his guest. It was an odd position, but it served both of his purposes, by letting him see who was behind him, without moving from his comfortable spot.
Watari towered over him, wearing his typical black tuxedo. His tie today was a light blue that helped to bring out the color in his wrinkled eyes. He would be impeccable, if not for the specks of paint near his shirt cuffs. The other children must have gotten into the paints without permission again.
Standing by his side, without a sign of hesitation or timidness, was a boy slightly younger than L himself. He was wearing baggy black jeans and a dark blue shirt that was also covered in paint. His feet were bare and streaked with dirt, which he was currently rubbing over L's clean carpet.
The boy's head tilted to the side as he assessed L too. A black, spiky mane of hair framed his face, and his hair covered the entire left side of his face. A single, burgundy-brown eye watched L carefully, scanning him with the same gaze that L was assessing him with.
"I would like you to meet B," Watari nudged the other boy forward a step. "His original alias is BB."
L watched as BB's eyes finally fixated themselves on an area just above his head. "You have such an odd name."
"It's just as odd as BB," L calmly pointed out.
"True, but BB is my chosen name, and B is the alias that the test ranks me with." BB's voice dropped to a near whisper, making it impossible for L to be sure what he said next but it sounded suspiciously like, "It's not my real name."
L found himself curious about this individual. BB was not like the other children he had observed from the window. He wasn't shy when faced with a new, mysterious person. He wasn't loud with excitement, or fidgeting with nervousness. No, he was quiet, with eyes that were intently looking at something above L's upside down head.
L reached an uncertain hand up and tapped the top of his head. He didn't feel any hairs sticking up, and it didn't feel like there was frosting or sugar on any of the strands. Perhaps it was the fact that L was in an odd position that drew BB's unyielding attention to him.
"You know," BB walked forward until he was just a few inches from L's face. BB's brown eyes finally moved to look into L's own grey eyes. "I always imagined you older. Much older."
"I find that mental maturity matters more than physical age," L found himself arguing back.
"Maybe." BB shrugged a single shoulder and moved himself so he could take a seat on the other side of L's chess board.
L picked up his head to glare at BB. Having not been round children very often, L was not too good at sharing, as he had never learned. He especially didn't like the idea of this strange child, who he just met, messing with his chess set and ruining his current game.
Before L could protest, BB reached forward and picked up a black rook. He moved it forward a few paces and took the white side's bishop. L's eyes widened at the action, and he immediately reached forward to grab a pawn and move it to take his opponent's knight.
Retaliation was made. No words were spoken but somehow, the two boys ended up in an intense chess match. Pieces were taken and strategies were made as they both learned about each other through their game
Watari watched the two with a small smile. He had hoped that they would connect, even with their obvious differences. It was not a typical friendship in any ways, but BB had as much in common with L, as he did in differences.
He was intelligent, his test scores made that obvious, but it didn't look like there was anyone in the orphanage that could yet challenge him for the first place on the test. Like L, BB tried to avoid the other children, choosing to lurk in the shadows with a book or play harmless pranks on the other children.
The sudden silence pulled Watari out of his thoughts and his blue eyes flickered to the two boys seated on the floor in front of him. The board that full of pieces just a few minutes ago was now nearly empty, with only the two kings left standing. L had somehow shifted in his preferred crouched position, with his knees tucked in close to his chest, as he gently chewed on his thumbnail. BB was sitting fully on the floor with his legs stretched out as far as they could go. Like L, his brown eyes were on the chess board, and a small frown had formed between his brows.
"It's a draw," BB muttered to himself.
L didn't respond to the quiet words. L had never lost before. Even Watari, who had taught L how to play the game, was never victorious over him, and even when L was playing against himself, there was never a draw. One side always won over the other.
"Unless . . ." BB mused out loud, "I do this."
BB grabbed his king and moved it across the whole board. There was a clink as glass clashed against glass, and BB's king was suddenly standing in the place of the white king. The white king was now on its side, rolling quietly across the board in surrender.
L frowned at BB's actions, and his teeth moved to nibble harder on his thumb's broad fingernail. "That is cheating."
BB shrugged a shoulder, unbothered by the actions he had just performed. "It's stupid if you think the world is going to play fair. Everybody cheats and everybody lies at least once in their lives. The true trick is learning to adjust your strategies so you are prepared even if your opponent cheats."
There was a few moments of silence as L mulled over BB's words before pointing out, "You have a weird way of thinking."
"My mother liked to call me unique," BB instantly replied back.
"Unique is just a polite way of saying weird."
"I know."
Watari knew than it was truly going to be an adventurous friendship between the two.
o.0.O.0.o
January, 1990
Steadily, the two boys grew very close. BB, instead of choosing to be alone, would now chose to spend his days in L's private wing, and spend time with the strange prodigy. BB never waited for invitation, and L never gave one. He would just stroll through the doors like he belonged there, but BB came to the conclusion that he must be welcomed, because L never sent him away.
Within a few weeks, their friendship had grown stronger. Where L could be found, BB was either by his side, or not far from his shadow. When BB experienced an issue, it was L he would rant, or rave, to. L would listen emotionlessly, and then offer logical advice to solve BB's dilemmas. L's quiet responses usually upset the boy more, but despite the odds, the two continued to meet each other.
It was a chilly, late January day when L discovered even more about the mysterious BB. The two boys were sitting in L's private library, with a roaring fire blazing, and a case file spread out in front of them. The two young proteges were going through the case, comparing thoughts, evidence, and theories about the case that had gone cold several years ago.
"Why didn't the police start an investigation when his daughter first showed signs of abuse?" B reached forward to tap a grainy picture of small, chubby cheek blonde girl that was displaying her gap-tooth smile to the camera.
"Children get bruises all the time," L explained calmly. "There was no evidence of abuse until later."
"But her teachers and neighbors suspected that the father was abusing her."
"There was no proof," L stressed out. He even grabbed a few papers that displayed there there was no evidence of abuse until a few months later, upon which local police started investigating immediately. "There was nothing local enforcement could do until there was evidence to investigate the father."
"That is idiotic," BB slammed his hands down in agitation. "Is someone, anyone, had started to investigate earlier, this girl's life could have been saved."
"There may be correct but you have to follow the law. That's why we are learning the things we are."
"And because of that, one innocent life was sacrificed."
"Not everyone can be saved. We all die sooner or later." L knew this a fact that none of them could escaped. No one was immortal, as sooner or later, they all succumbed to death. There was a war outside their doors. Justice against crime, and in all wars, sacrifices had to be made. Not everyone could be saved.
"Is anyone knows that, it's me," BB grumbled to himself.
There was a stretch of silence as both boys focused their attention on the papers in front of them. L noticed quickly that BB's focus kept shifting from the photo of the little girl, alive and well, and the photo of the crime scene, which displayed the young girl sprawled out in her own blood. His brown eyes nearly glowed red in the firelight as his thumb reached forward to stroke a spot above the daughter's blood matted hair.
"L," BB suddenly whispered to the other boy. "What do you think happens after we die?"
"Nothing," was L's quick response. "There is no logical evidence that there is anything after death. I believe it's similar to a candle flame going out. One moment it is there, and then, there is nothing."
"That's a depressing thought." BB's monotone voice didn't make it sound like he was sad or upset at the thought. There no trace of emotions, either in BB's voice or displayed on his face. "What about Gods? Reapers? Angels and devils?"
"There is no evidence of those either."
There was another stretch of silence. This was not unusual for either boy, as they both enjoyed the silence. L's mind was filled with the details of the case. It was about a man who suffered from a mental illness. Evidence revealed that he had been abusing his daughter for months, and for no reason the local enforcements could logically find, he decided to kill his daughter one night. Along with the girl, another mother and young boy, who had been visiting their home that day, and three other civilians found on the street, were killed before he managed to vanish. There had been months of investigating but the killer was never found. Nobody had any idea of how he managed to disappear, or where he could have gone. The case had gone cold three years ago, but Watari insisted on using cold cases as a way to practice and exercise the boy's minds and detective skills.
The door creaked open and the scent of warm chocolate filled the air. Watari strolled in, carrying a silver tray that held two cups of hot chocolate, and some wrapped Christmas themed candy. Immediately both boy's eyes locked on him, prepared for the treats they knew he would give them.
BB gracefully accepted the cup that Watari gave him, and he even managed to snatch a raspberry flavored hard candy from the tray before L got a hold of it. L had a deep love for candy, even more so than a normal child. If BB was too slow, than L would take all the candy before he had a chance to get some.
This had already happened several times in the past.
After taking several small sips, BB placed his cup down and leaned forward to take a better look at the murderer. One of L's running theories was that the man had somehow managed to change his name to slip under police's surveillance. Except, so far, there was no proof of this action and after so many years, it was mostly likely that the man was dead, free from the punishment of his crimes.
"He didn't change his name," BB firmly concluded. "He changed his name back, and he's still alive . . . somewhere."
"How do you know this?" L demanded, his own cup of hot chocolate still resting against his lips. Even Watari paused to look curiously at BB.
"Tick, tock. Tick, tock," was BB's only answer as he tapped the photo of the murderer in tine to his words.
"That doesn't make any sense," L frowned down at the photo. What was BB seeing that he had somehow missed?
BB calmly took another sup of his chocolate before setting the cup aside and popping the hard candy in his mouth. "Sometimes, I wish you could see the world through my eyes."
L felt a shiver go down his spine as BB lifted his head to gaze at L. One eye was still covered by BB's messy hair, but the single eye that could be seen, appeared to be glowing red once more.
L decided that they wouldn't rest in front of the fireplace again. The tricks the light played on BB's normally burgundy eyes was just creepy. He didn't like the crimson color they became, especially when paired with a wide grin, that told L that BB knew something he didn't.
o.0.O.0.o
April, 1990
It was an early spring day, no different from any other. The trees were starting to come into bloom once more, and the warm weather summoned the shyest of creatures into the open. That was why L and BB were currently lounging under a tree of the orphanage's lands.
Watari had insisted that it would be a good idea for them to get out and spend some time under the blue skies. BB had not been particularly excited about this thought, but he had followed L outside. L didn't like the outdoors much himself, but since Watari soon left after they got outside, L was certain that Watari just wanted them outside to keep them entertained and out of trouble.
It wasn't that L and BB were children that couldn't be trusted. They just liked to bend the rules sometimes to suit their needs. L was always finding the sweets that Watari desperately tried to hide from him. Watari had embarked on a never ending mission to try and curb the amount of sugary items that L consumed, but it was slowly proving to be a fruitless idea. L's actions were still tamed though, when compared to his companion.
BB caused mischief when he was bored, and he was often bored. He never did anything to hurt someone, but his actions were annoying to the older gentleman and the many teachers that Whmmy's Orphanage hired. Items were moved across the orphanage, and placed in the oddest positions. Other children, who had the unfortunate fate to cross BB's path, had their prized possessions taken and hidden. They were always found a few days later, but until then, children moped around the orphanage and BB would laugh loudly at their pathetic attempts to try and find the items they valued so highly.
Watari feared the day that those two would start to work together. Currently, despite being close friends, they were working separately with their own goals in mind. They could easily combine their intelligences and interests into one mind, and if that ever happens, nothing would be impossible for them.
L had chosen to sit in the shade of one of the larger trees, letting the thick shadows cloak him. All about him, children raced around while playing games. The ever famous L, the one they all dreamed of meeting, was in the open, and nobody realized it. He went unnoticed, quickly dismissed from the mind, but L did not mind. It was their weak observation skills that caused them to fail to notice him.
"Jam is defiantly better," BB pointed out as seriously as a small child could.
"Frosting is sweeter," L argued back.
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Is not."
"Do you have any evidence to support your statement?"
BB frowned down at his knees as he debated his answer. This had been a never ending argument between the two, and so far, nobody was winning. They were both too stubborn to admit defeat, but their claims were fueled by personal opinion rather than facts.
"I'll get the evidence," BB muttered darkly.
"But why do I need another name?" A high-pitch squealing voice suddenly echoed around the orphanage. L and BB instantly cringed away from the sharp sound as both of their dark eyes tried to find the source. "Why can't I go by my real name?"
The source of annoyance soon became clear to them when Watari walked around the corner of the large orphanage. His quiet voice rumbled a response back, but the two boys were too far away to hear him clearly. Holding tightly onto his hand was a new orphan, one who looked too bright and happy to be entering a home for those who had nowhere else to go.
From their distance, it was impossible to tell the gender of the child. The new kid was nearly skipping to keep up with Watari's longer strides. Unlike some of the other children who came to Whammy's Orphanage, he had no kind of baggage on him. L could see that the child was wearing a pair of of ripped, dirty jeans, with a blue shirt that had more patches than original cloth. Dirt, blood, and unmentionables, covered all of his exposed skin, and L couldn't conclude if his hair was originally brown or black. There was just too much grime to tell.
"I bet you his skills are something stupid," BB said after eyeing the newcomer. "Maybe it's drawing or baking."
"Appearances aren't everything." BB was growing to hate L's quiet, emotionless responses.
"I know that," BB snapped back.
"Temper, temper."
o.0.O.0.o
May, 1990
BB considered himself L's closest friend. L would admit that BB was his only friend. Yet, despite it all, BB was not free from the monthly tests like L was. BB didn't actually mind taking the tests, he enjoyed the challenge, the tests, and most importantly, he liked being reminded that he was number one.
So L couldn't help but be a little amused when BB lost his temper the next month.
"How did this happen?" BB stomped into L's personal room and launched himself at the extremely soft, extremely bouncy bed. L was not surprised since he was already awake and could see his friend stomping down the hallway before he even arrived. L had chosen to spend the day in bed with a complicated murder case. He was crouched down in his usual pose, with his knees pressed to his chest, and a single arm wrapped around his legs. "Nobody had beaten me. Ever!"
"There's only been one chance since last month's test," L unhelpfully pointed out.
"I know and I can't find any information on the brat. He's as sneaky as an alley cat."
L glanced up from his files to see BB sitting at the foot of his bed, his burgundy eyes still glaring at the test results he was holding. His fingers were tearing into the paper, while BB chewing on the thumb of his other hand. Funny how, until now, L hadn't realized that BB had picked up on that habit of his.
L didn't need to see the black, bolded wording that he had already memorized. Watari had given L his own copy of the test this morning, just a few hours before it was publicly posted. Most of the children had managed to keep their rankings, all except for two.
1.) A - 243 Test Results
2.) B - 241 Test Results
3.) Z - 198 Test Results
BB crumpled up the paper and tossed it somewhere in the shadows of L's room. They both knew that Watari would find it later, when cleaning the room, and dispose of it for them. "He hasn't even been here a full month. The odds of him being prepared for that test was below fourteen point three percent."
"Maybe you should practice your bakery skills more." Was that a joke? BB turned wide eyes to L, unsure if it was a serious suggestion, or if L was being sarcastic.
"I can't tell if you are joking or not," BB finally admitted after a few seconds.
BB never did learn if L was joking or not since next month's test did revolve around household skills like cleaning, and cooking. BB's courses were specialized towards his path of following L's shadow, and contained information about deadly chemicals, food, and weapons that could be found in a typical household and how those could be potential murder weapons, but it was a form of home-economics.
In the end it was just another class that Whammy's Orphanage offered to their advance students.
o.0.O.0.o
July, 1990
The next two months were highly entertaining to L, and the rest of the orphanage. It was a power struggle that quickly gained momentum and fame. B and A mentally battled back and forth. Sometimes, BB managed to trump over A in a single class, but most of the time, A would be the victorious challenger at the end of the month, only leading by a few points.
While L enjoyed watching the struggle, he also noticed that something was changing in his friend. with each month that passed by, BB grew quieter, and more reclusive. His temper didn't spike as often, and his visits to L were mostly shrouded in silence. He studied harder, even forgoing sleep, and food, to try and beat A.
All to no avail.
What was even worse for BB, was that he still did not know the identity of A. The mysterious child had quickly made friends with many of the orphans, and whenever BB went on the hunt for the true A, he would always find several different children claiming to be the orphanage's top student. Who was the true A, was unknown, since BB had not thought to get a good luck at the child when he first arrived.
As if to make up for BB's lack of knowledge, he began to name all the other children around him. L mused that it was like a game for the young boy. See a face, and add a name to it.
At first, L had thought that BB was just making names for the children since it was impossible for BB to know the real names.
All the children were required to take an alias when they first came to the orphanage. It was for their own safety, along with those who worked within the mysterious orphanage. Even at a young age, many of the children were allowed to view highly private records, and for those competing to be L, they were allowed to solve cases. Being so young, it was a danger if anyone knew their real names, so alias were given. Watari didn't even keep any records of their previous names so it was literally impossible for him to know, unless the children told BB their birth names themselves.
Or so L had thought, until the two of them had gotten into another argument. This time, it was over if peanut butter made chocolate taste better, like it did with jelly.
"I have proof this time." BB waved the stacks of paper in front of L's emotionless face. "Statistics show that people prefer peanut butter with their chocolate."
"That still doesn't change my opinion on the subject."
BB's frown grew even deeper. Was there no winning? Every time he thought he was winning, L would be two steps ahead of him with counter-evidence. If L had no evidence against him, then he would change the rules so he was still winning.
BB was truly starting to regret saying those words to L, when they first met.
"I'll never win against you, Lawliet. Will I?"
BB was too upset, filled with a mix of anger and disappointment, to see L's reaction. He simply threw the papers to the floor, and stormed out of the room. L was left alone in his library, confused and shocked. Only two people in the world knew his name, and that himself, and Watari.
L tightened his arms around his bent knees, hugging them tightly to his chest in a form of comfort. It was impossible for BB to know his name. Just like it was impossible for BB to know the other children's names too.
But somehow, BB always knew.
o.0.O.0.o
August 6th, 1990
This day was not special in any way. BB and L were just lying on the soft carpet in one of the empty common rooms. A chessboard, the same chessboard they used when they first met, was in the center of the room. Pieces were randomly moved, some of them obviously not on their correct color.
They refuse to call it cheating. It was 'improvising'. They were practicing playing by a new set of rules, since the worst criminals known to man did not play by any rules either. They had to learn to adjust, to beat the other cheaters of the world.
They did have one rule that they had to obey though. Don't get caught 'improvising'.
So the boys were sprawled about on the ground. L was keeping himself entertained by consuming more sweets, but BB was still not sure how, or where, L had managed to find them. Watari often moved them around, to try and stop L's raging sweet tooth, despite the previously failed attempts. BB was keeping himself busy by watching the area above L's head.
Thick, hostile looking numbers were slowly counting down. They were not in any simple order. So far, BB had not been able to figure out how much time was left above L's messy hair. It looked like the answer to a complex formula, but to which formula, BB didn't know yet. The strange numbers, and the meaning behind them, was enough to keep BB's mind preoccupied for some time, especially on boring days when he had nothing better to do.
Their quiet day was shattered by the boom of excited voices. Children's squeals could be heard echoing through the halls, and there was the distinct sound of glass breaking, as it fell to the floor. There was more giggles, and the patter of feet racing down their vacant hallway.
Suddenly, a streak of blue and black, raced into the empty common room. BB and L didn't even have time to react, before the unseen being threw itself over and beneath a nearby couch. There was a muffled giggle, and then silence.
Before L, or BB, could investigate what just intruded on their sanctuary, there was more heavy footsteps. A pudgy man with dark blemished skin, and a walrus mustache, hobbled into the room.
His crinkled eyes scanned the room, and an impressive growl escaped his lips when he didn't find what he was looking for. Behind him, a small gaggle of children were peering inside, each one more excited than the last, in the chase that was happening before their very eyes.
The plump man quickly dismissed the two boys, and stomped down the connecting hallway. The children followed after him blindly, none of them paying attention to the two boys already in the common room. The blob of a man was clearly a man on a mission, and BB had a gut feeling that his objective had just escaped unnoticed, behind their couch.
After everyone was gone, BB moved so he could drape himself over the back of the couch. He quirked up a single eyebrow, as he gazed at the small bundle that was hunched over in an effort to appear as small as possible. With the shadows of the couch, and the extremely baggy clothes and shaggy hair, it was nearly impossible to get a good look at the other child.
All BB could see clearly, was the red numbers, unseen by anyone else, the equally red jar of jam, that was pathetically hidden, and a pair of feline green eyes, which were peering out from a mess of black hair.
"Give me one reason to not call the cook back here," BB whispered with a smirk. A pair of thin, skinny arms, shyly held up the jar of jam. "I'll split it with you."
That was good enough for BB. He quickly snatched the jar, and left the other kid behind the couch. There was an outraged squeak, and the small body once more launched itself back over the couch. The couch gave a small jolt, as more weight was added onto it, and BB's freshly obtained jar was taken from him.
L, who was still laying on the floor, reached over to grab a chess piece that had been discarded earlier, and he started to twirl it between his fingers. Just like every person he met, L took a moment to assess the newcomer, who was currently trying to split the jar with BB, and was failing. BB never did share well.
It was clear from her long, black hair, and her small frame, that this was a young girl. Her bright emerald green eyes were mesmerizing, and unique. L already recognized her as the small girl that Watari had given a tour too, a few months ago, and she was also the newest orphan to date. L also knew who she truly was.
"Why was the cooking chasing you?" BB licked his lips to catch any remaining taste of jam that might linger. He then moved to lick his bare fingers, which he had used to scoop out his share of jam.
The girl sighed at the unmannered display, before pulling a spoon out of her pockets of her jeans, and using that to scoop out her bite of jam. "I might, or might not, have been breaking into the kitchen to get snacks. He tried to catch me this time."
"So you were stealing?" L's voice made the question, into a statement.
"If they didn't want me in there, they should lock it up better," she huffed back. "All the best food is locked up, just begging to be found."
BB tilted his head to the side, as his brown eyes focused on the top of the girl's head. L knew that look too well. BB was about to reveal something that nobody had the right to know.
"Maybe it was being saved for a special occasion, Al-"
She moved with a speed, that most children didn't posses. Her small body tackled BB, pushing him into the couch cushions. In the back of everyone's head, they all registered the sound of glass hitting the floor, and shattering upon impact. Both of her tiny hands were clamped over BB's mouth, keeping him from finishing the name. Her once happy appearance had disappeared, and was replaced with fury of a fluffy, angry kitten.
"That is not my name," she said menacingly.
BB, being older and bigger than the girl, easily pushed her off of him. The smaller girl fell back, but with her balance unsettled, she didn't land on the couch cushions like BB had wanted, and instead found herself landing harshly on the floor. There was a small whimper as the girl used one hand to push herself up, while her other hand rubbed her bruised head.
She managed to scoot herself back so her bright eyes had BB and L in her sight. With a small huff, she moved her arms so she could cross them in front of her chest. BB was quietly snickering at her from his spot on the couch, and L had yet to move from his own position. He was still laying on the floor, his black hair messily spread out on the floor, as the white queen continued to dance between his fingers.
"Then what is your name?" BB asked with a challenging glint in his eyes. It was like he was just daring her to lie to his face, and L watched the exchange with interest.
The girl didn't look like she wanted to answer. Her eyes flickered around the room, going from glaring at BB and L, to staring mournfully at the jar of broken, strawberry jam. She had worked hard to snatch that jar, and now it was just a sticky mess on the carpet.
After a few tense seconds, L decided to answer the question for her. "Her name, is A."
It does have a slow beginning but the main focus for this story is the Kira Case. You, the readers, just need a little bit of background information on my version of A. Our young detective trio is OOC but I would like to remind you that they are children. I know for sure I am not the same person I was three years ago and in a few simple years, personalities can drastically change. I ask that you give me a few chapters first to round out our detectives and bring them to the glory they soon will have before judging them. The next chapter will actually star our mysterious A and I will reveal a bit more about her.
This story, despite being a lovely gift for my beta, does need reviews to continue. It will not be my main focus until Broken Doll is finish but the more reviews that are left behind, the quicker and more motivated I will be to post the new chapters.
Got questions? Feel free to ask them. I will try and answer all the questions left behind without spoiling future plot points. I can tell you right away that Fairy (my beta) gave me certain goals to meet and there are some plot-points she wants me to change from the original story. You just have to give me a chance despite the slow opening. So leave behind a review for me!