Apples
Disclaimer: We do Not own Death Note..., But we do Own Alice and Our plot...
We take turns writing these chapters, and help each other with our work,
So please no flames. We will only roast marshmallows and then put it
Out to prevent forest fires.
ApPLes: ap-ple ap-ulh noun (1) The Usually round, red or yellow, edible fruit of a small tree, Malus sylvestris, of the rose family. (2) A Shinigami's favorite fruit...
A light flickered on and off, shouts from all directions filled in any empty space possible. The shouts turned into screams, and breaking glass, and in a sudden burst, all sound died.
No one had stopped, no one had looked, and no one had cared. Because things like this were normal. Death was now common, and so was the fear that spread because of it.
The passersby of the events would lower their heads and run along. Trying to hide themselves from everything and everyone.
A killing spree had been going on in Tokyo, and other parts of Japan, for months. And yet the police had no leads. Some people said it was a sign from god, the apocalypse, others said it was a blessing from Kira, to rid the world of evil.
An apple fell from the sky. A bright red orb illuminated by the city lights, the buildings reflected in its smooth, round surface. And the face of a Shinigami.
--xXXXxxx&xxxXXXx--
"Arisu Amane, 17 years old and a famous model" The anchorwoman smiled, "Where will she--" the T.V. flickered off. And the room went dark.
The room was filled with contrasts; blacks to pinks, cartoons to real life, love to hate. The black comforter was lumped up at the end of the bed. Books were scattered around the floor, magazines were towered from floor to ceiling.
Cd's and DvD's were stacked on shelves, while posters adorned the walls. The light in the room flickered on, humming and filling in the contrasting room's inhabitant with the constant buzz.
"I need to change that light bulb..." The girl had just entered the room, scanning for any changes since she left. None. She crossed the room to her bed, knocking down a pile of books on her way.
She sat on her bed, looking at her spider shaped alarm clock. 6:43, why am I awake? She sat on her bed; a creak edged its way out and accompanied the humming light. She rubbed her temples. And turned to her night table, shifting piles of books and Cd's. Letting out a sigh of relief when she found her aspirin. She opened the bottle and popped out two pills.
"Knock knock." A male voice called through the doorway. The girl looked up from her pills in hand to the door.
"Hey Mello-san. What's up?" The girl grabbed a water bottle off of her nightstand and took a swig, and quickly swallowed the pills.
"Well L needs to see you, you know, the usual." He let out a long sigh, and pointed his thumb to the hallway. "I swear he is slowly going crazy." He frowned as the girl got up. Slightly stumbling, and throwing her arms out to catch her balance. She stood pigeon toed, he chuckled. Her socks didn't match.
A black and white checkerboard pattern on one and a heart and star pattern on the other.
"Arisu-san, your socks..." he trailed off, as she walked over to her closet. Quickly opening the doors and pulling together a skirt, shirt and a pair of black lace up boots.
She quickly pulled on the skirt, its metal chains clanked against her rings as she smoothed it out; she pulled on her shirt, the heart pattern highlighted in the light. She finally sighed and sat on the floor.
Grabbing her boots she pulled them onto her feet, not bothering to change her mismatched socks. And a smile finally cracked across her face.
"How do I look?" She stood up, twirling her skirt, the clinking chains making a rain like sound.
"Great!" Mello smiled at the girl, and turned the light off.
Leading the girl out of the room, turning once again to the contrasting apartment, closing the door, and locking it behind him.
Putting on a fake smile, he turned to face the girl who had been waiting for him.
She smiled in return, fake of course, but it was a start. Mello sighed taking the girls arm in his. And lead her outside to his motorcycle, and possibly to her breaking point.
--xXXXxxx&xxxXXXx--
"You know, you don't have to help us." Mello looked at Alice, and smiled. She had been through so much; it wasn't fair that she had to see the cruelty that existed in this word. But no matter what he tried, she did, the deaths, the lies, and the betrayal. She had seen it all.
She shook her head. "I want to help." She bit her lip on that last word, help. The one thing that was never around when she needed it.
But she had luck, if you even wanted to call it that.
She was an orphan, at least that's what she thought, until she found Misa. Misa Amane. Her cousin that was luck. She became a model, and an idol, that was luck.
She was a cutter, she cried out, she screamed and no one listened, she needed help, and that always seemed to be the one thing that she never got.
Until she found L. Or rather Ryuzaki. He tried everything he could to help her, to make sure she felt like a human and not an outcast. So had Mello, Near, and Watari. But she was still in need of help, she was missing something, like she had been ripped apart and wasn't completed. Like a piece was missing.
"Mello-san, how is he?" He sighed looking at Alice. ''He needs to sleep, and he needs you to be there for him.'' She nodded. Her hands were laced around his waste, her foot tapping on the side of his motorcycle.
The Japanese suburb passed by at an alarming speed. The trees creating a never ending green line, only to be replaced by buildings and skyscrapers. The city was giant. Alice smiled looking out the window all the people, the brave people. Living in a world where death was in the norm.
Living with the fact that anyone of them could be the next victim.
"How do they do it?" Alice looked at Mello, her expression was blank. Like a camera out of focus.
"Do what?" Mello looked at Alice, appraising the seriousness of her question.
"Live." Her voice rang with numbness. Sirens were loudening with every passing second; an ambulance was close to where the two were. Along with the police and the fire department. A family huddled in front of the crammed Tokyo apartment, sadness radiated from them.
The ride to L's apartment was grueling. The two had been silent most of the way. And almost instantly after passing the family in Tokyo a news alert went out for Kira.
"Arisu-san, we're here." Mello pulled up to the giant building, quietly turning the motorcycle off, pulling the keys out of the ignition.
"Yeah." Alice smiled. She jumped off the motorcycle causing an echo to bounce off the walls of the parking garage. ''Let's go!" She put on a fake smile.
Pretend happiness surrounded her in her attempt to make Mello forget that she had ever lived through any sorrow.
It was the least that she could do for him, he wanted her to be happy with every ounce of his being, and she knew she couldn't. But the least she could do was try.
They had crossed the garage and came upon the steel door; the camera whirred and buzzed as it sent their images to the security office in the highest part of the building.
The two stood there for the clear.
All outside sounds were drowned out by the thick walls. They waited for the door to open, fidgeting in awkwardness and impatience.
"What's taking him so long?" Mello's voice broke the silence; he looked from the door to his watch. They had gotten there five minutes ago. It never took them this long to get clearance. Unless. Unless something was wrong, or something had happened.
Panic coursed through his body, what if Kira had found this place? He glanced at Alice, she was in danger if Kira was here, and he had threatened her before. And if that was the case he needed to get her out of here. He looked around the garage, there was really no where to hide.
But the second Kira wouldn't need to see her face. Mello took a steady breath, he needed to focus. He was sure if he panicked now neither of them would be safe.
He reached out and grabbed Alice's shoulder, nodding his head in the motorcycles direction when she glanced up at him in surprise. She instantly knew what he wanted. Nodding she slowly turned and headed for the motorcycle.
"What about L? Is he okay?" Her questions caused panic in Mello, she was right he could be or might have been in danger. Alice looked over at Mello his face was calm and flat. Expressionless.
He put his finger to his lips, the universal sign of silence. She nodded in agreement. If this was the first Kira, he didn't know who they were yet, and they needed it to stay like that.
Anything they said, could lead him to their identities. Or L's. She shivered at the though of Kira finding L, or anyone of her friends, they reached the bike. Mello grabbed the keys out of his pocket and climbed onto his bike. Nodding at her to get on. Looking at Alice he mouthed the words It's alright and he grabbed her hand. He quickly started the bike, turning and making sure that Alice had her helmet on and speed out of the parking garage.
--xXXXxxx&xxxXXXx--
''Arisu get my phone''
''Why?"
''Call L. See if he's O.K.''
She nodded reaching into his pocket and grabbing his phone. They had made it out of the garage without any trouble, but they still didn't know if L was alright.
The city was blurring by them, Mello was ignoring the speed limit trying to put as much distance between them and Kira as possible. The noise was making any phone calls impossible to make. Alice tapped on Mello's shoulder, nodding her head at the side of the road for him to pull over. He shook his head.
"Not yet, sent him a message. 090-874-1A5R.
She nodded typing in L's number. L are you okay? Please reply! Arisu
She hit the send button; an image of a kangaroo appeared walking her text to a mailbox. She shook her head, letting out a big sigh.
Mello pulled over, the city seemed to loom over the two as they got off the motorcycle. The fact that Kira could be any one of them made the teens all the more nervous.
"Is he okay?" Mello looked over at Alice, her eyes glued to the phone screen
"I haven't gotten a reply.''
"Hey, he'll be fine."
Tears were falling from Alice's eyes. She clutched the phone and closed her eyes. L could be dead, or hurt, or dying. And she wasn't there for him.
Mello clenched his fists. He hated Kira; he hated everything Kira stood for. The lives Kira was ruining, the people he was tearing apart for his own personal gain.
That bastard! Mello turned away from Alice, punching the wall of the building behind him.
The road was empty; he had forgotten where they were. He just remembered needing to stop. He felt like he was exploding.
Turning back to Alice he saw her sitting on the floor. Her arms wrapped around her knees. The tears that fell from her face darkened the concrete like rain. Sadness filled Mello up to the brim. He walked to where Alice was and sat next to her. Putting his arm around her shoulder pulling her closer to him.
She threw her arms around him, dropping the phone and crying on his shoulder.
He sighed, Damn it Kira! He had caused so much damage in the lives of the-so-called people that he wanted to save.
buzzz-bzzzzz-zzzzz
The two eyed the phone; the words incoming message appeared on the screen. Mello smiled at Alice and picked it up.
"Hello?"
Shock crossed his features, he nodded once. Twice. He inhaled and nodded a third time. Hanging up the phone, he looked over at Alice.
"What's going on Mello-san?"
Silence.
''Mello-san!" She shook is shoulder; he let the phone drop and swallowed. The call was from L, he said something about Kira finding their hideout, and not being able to bring Alice back of awhile. She had to be moved again, and it was possible that she might have to stop being herself. Being an idol, he laughed at the thought.
I was her favorite thing to do; there was no way she was going to give it up.
"He said he was fine." he looked over at her for the sigh of relief
"And that Kira found your apartment."
Alice bit her lip, she knew what was coming.
"L says it's dangerous for you to be in your apartment for much longer." He swallowed, "He says he has another one ready for you if you're ready to move."
Alice looked over at Mello, standing up she put her hands on her hips.
"Why does he think that every time that danger rears its head that I should go run and hide!?" She threw her hands in the air.
"I was fine without anyone taking care of me before he came along." Mello smiled at her change in voice. And he knew that in about three seconds she would agree to move to the new apartment, and volunteer L to buy her ice-cream.
"Well lets go, he said we could go see him when we got you settled in." He hoisted himself up, and was instantly stricken with panic.
His chest felt heavy, and pain seemed to course through his entire body. Like he was being slowly torn into tiny pieces.
He walked to the bike, putting his keys in the ignition. The bike revved up, and smoke billowed from the engine.
He motioned for Alice to hop on the bike, and placed the helmet on her head. Smiling at her he turned away form the bike and quickly picked up the phone and placed it in his pocket. He smiled at Alice, the pain searing through his body worsening with every second.
"786620 apartment 4d, L said he'd be there most of the day." His smile cracked as pain tore through his heart.
His eyes widened in horror. Kira. He was here; he had lead them on to where he wanted them to go. Shit.
Kira had written his name in the notebook. Pain pulsed and ripped his body apart more.
"You need to go, Arisu-san. I'll meet you there soon okay?"
''Mello-san? What's wrong?"
He motioned for her to go. He clenched his fists, this wasn't supposed to happen. He wanted to protect her, and now he couldn't.
''I have some business to take care of here. So I figure it would just be easier to catch up with you later.'' A smile forced its way through his pain and onto his lips.
"Mello-san, are you sure you want me to take your motorcycle? I could--"
"Just go!"
"Okay..." Her voice shy and hurt," I guess I'll see you soon."
He gave her one last hug, inhaling her sent, committing the way her body felt to memory.
If he could change anything, it would be that he got to spend more time with her. He wanted to be there for her like L and Near now had the chance to.
"Here Arisu-san I need you to take this too. He took off his leather jacket and tied it to her waist, his smile faltered more as the pain in his chest rose and worsened.
"Mello-san It's your jacket, are you sure…I think you should keep it. She made a motion to the jacket.
Mello shook his head; he knew he wouldn't need it anyways.
"No I want you to take it to L's new apartment, okay?"
"I guess….alright. I guess I'll see you soon."
''Yeah, soon….' His voice trailed off as he gave her one last hug. He kicked in the kick stand and saw Alice off.
He could tell he had hurt her, and he knew he would regret it later. But at least she didn't have to see him die by Kira's hands too.
Stumbling to the ground he managed to pull his cell phone out of his pocket.
L, Kira found us, he wrote my name in the notebook. But Alice is okay, I sent her to your place. I'm sorry but you're going to have to break the news to her, she has my jacket and motorcycle. Tell her I'm sorry I let her down
Mello
A slight gasp and he fell to the ground, clutching his chest he screamed. He wanted it to be over, this pain was unbearable.
His heart felt like it was being squeezed, like he was loosing all his air and strength. His body screamed from every pore.
Finally the pain stopped, and so did his heart, his phone dropped from his grip, and onto the floor.
Thunk. An apple fell from the sky.
--xXXXxxx&xxxXXXx--
"L you owe me ice-cream!!" Alice dropped her bag on the floor.
A thump echoed through out the apartment, she had stopped by her place, to discover that L had taken the liberty of getting movers to take her things to her new place.
She scoffed. Who does he think he is! She decided early on that day that she would bug L as much as possible, it was the least she could do.
He anger quickly turned to doubt and aftershock of the events that happened that day.
They were almost caught. A shiver ran up her spine, that reminded her, where was Mello?
"L-san! Is Mello-San here yet?"
"Where is everyone…?''
She continued through the bare apartment, slipping off her boots and leaving them by the door, she quickly skimmed the living room.
A couch, and end table, and a tea set was all that was in the room, traces of human existence was scarce.
L had always insisted on a clean house.
Walking farther into the apartment, she came upon the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and of course he had a computer room. Of course.
Walking in the computer room she sat down at L's desk candy wrappers crowded the keyboard. His videos of the Kira case littered the floor.
She sighed a little realizing that he was risking his life to save the world. It didn't seem fair that he wasn't respected for it.
He was mocked for not showing his true identity. For wanting to be safe from the plague that Kira was bringing upon the world. For not trusting the police, and all the people that said they wanted to help, when all they wanted were those fifteen minutes in the spotlight.
She knew that L wanted to be accepted, but he knew, and she knew that he was different.
Insomnia.
Paranoia.
"I see you found my sanctuary."
"L."
"In the flesh, so when and how did you get to and in my house?"
She spun around in his chair to see him standing in the doorway. His black hair slightly messed up, bangs covering his eyes ever so slightly.
He looked tired, and Alice could tell, as well as everyone else, that he hadn't been sleeping.
"L, no offence, but you look like shit."
Smiling she stood up, stumbling from her spinning in the chair, and reached out for his hand.
"You know what L-san?"
"What Arisu-chan?"
"You owe me ice-cream."
Smiling at his friend, he quickly took her hand and smiled back. It was a tired smile, and it was sad and lonely, but that's what he was feeling at that exact moment.
In is pocket, a message appeared on his screen. L shook his head; he had already known what had happened. Why Alice had Mello's jacket, his motorcycle.
But he couldn't accept it, Kira needed to die. He needed to pay for the lives of the innocent that he took. That were wrongly accused and framed. It was all one unjust system of give and take.
"So I owe you ice-cream huh?"
L peered over at Alice who had raced to the kitchen, and straight to his freezer.
She nodded; a genuine smile crossed her features for a split second as she nodded.
"Yeah you do, because you made me move again."
"Right, for protecting you, I owe you ice-cream, and apparently a lot, by the looks of that bowl."
He smiled as he looked from his overly excited friend to her mountainous bowl of ice cream. He was pretty sure that he would have to buy more soon.
"Yeah well that's what you get."
She crossed the kitchen. It was bare just like the rest of the house.
A rice cooker and some dirty dishes were all that littered the counter. Sighing she set to work on her ice-cream mountain.
Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his phone, New message appeared on his tiny screen. Sighing he opened the phone, clicking the icon that would let him read a message that he already knew all about.
L, Kira found us, he wrote my name in the notebook. But Alice is okay, I sent her to your place. I'm sorry but you're going to have to break the news to her, she has my jacket and motorcycle. Tell her I'm sorry I let her down
Mello
L felt his hear skip a beat. It was strange that he knew that this was going to happen and he truly did nothing to stop it.
He felt his heart harden and get heavy with guilt and grief. He found himself laughing; it was just like Mello to leave his dirty work to someone else.
But he was right to send Alice away before it happened. L's laughter quickly turned to tears, and hysteric sobbing.
He was sitting on the couch, the same one that Mello had sat on not a day earlier.
L half expected this all to be a bad dream that he would wake up any second, with Mello and Near asking what scary movie he had watched.
But he knew it wasn't a dream.
A pair of arms wrapped around him and pulled him close.
Alice.
He needed to be strong; she was the one who needed comfort, not him. She actually got along with Mello.
"L-san its okay, everything is okay."
He couldn't seem to think straight; like his brain was on lockdown He wrapped his arms around her, tears streaked down his cheeks.
"Arisu-chan, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"
She let her arms drop to her sides, leaning against the back of the couch for support. L wiped his eyes, but the sadness was still there.
"Well, to be honest, I don't know how to put it. Or how to even start." He grabbed her wrists and pulled her into a hug.
"Arisu-chan, its-" He sighed "Mello-san, he's, well. Kira found him."
Alice's body went rigid, panic coursed through her veins like adrenalin. She inhaled as much air as her body would let her.
"He, isn't with us, anymore. Arisu-chan, I know that this must be hard but-"
She couldn't believe this. She just saw him! Why! Why did everything have to be this way! Shaking her head pushed L away. Feeling the streams of tears streak down her face. He had wanted her to leave. He said he would be home soon.
Reaching in her pocket she felt around for the keys to his motorcycle.
He had to be alive, he said he was going to run errands. Standing up she pulled the keys out of her pocket.
Looking at a sad and heartbroken L, she shook her head. He had to be wrong and she was going to find Mello.
"Arisu-chan, where are you going?"
"To find Mello-san'
A look of determination crossed her face, she quickly ran to the door. Putting her boots back on grabbing Mello's jacket and throwing it on over her heart patterned shirt. The metal chains on her skirt clanked as she hurried to get out the door.
"Arisu-chan-" A look of confusion and sadness stayed on his face while he walked to the door.
"He's gone. Look I know its hard, but he's not coming back."
He reached out for her hand, hopeful that she would come to her scenes. But she shook her head.
He had to stop her somehow, but he knew she wouldn't listen.
"Arisu! He is DEAD! Stop ignoring this! He is never coming back!"
He looked at the girl with sad eyes. Her head was low, She shook her head and opened the door.
"Arisu!"
"I'm sorry L, but I don't believe you!"
Running out the door and down the steps. Tears flowed freely from he eyes.
He's not dead, he's not dead!
She jumped on his motorcycle, putting the keys in the ignition and started the bike. The engine revved and made a noise that broke the silence of the night.
She looked back to the apartment she had just left . A boy no older than twenty stood by the door.
His arms crossed, his hair slightly blowing in the breeze.
She had to turn away, she had hurt him. And she knew it. But she had to find out the truth for herself.
She quickly pressed the gas pedal, speeding away from the boy whose heart she had broken.
--xXXXxxx&xxxXXXx--
"Mello-san! Where are you! Mello-san!"
Alice had been at it for hours, calling for her friend. She knew that he had to be alive. She went through shops, and cafes. No sign of him anywhere. Maybe L was right.
She shook her head her hair twirling about. He isn't right.
"Arisu-chan!"
L? What is he doing here?
She didn't know what it was but for some reason she didn't want to be near him. Running back to the bike she sped off, to the last place she saw Mello.
--xXXXxxx&xxxXXXx--
There it was. He was more accurately. She felt her heartbeat speed up. Mello-san?
Dropping the helmet on the floor, she walked over to her friend.
Tears were once again flowing. L was right, he was dead. Alice fell to her knees.
She felt numb, lonely. She saw his phone, a new message. She grabbed it with shaking hands and flipped it open. A message that he had sent two hours prior appeared on the screen.
L, Kira found us, he wrote my name in the notebook. But Alice is okay, I sent her to your place. I'm sorry but you're going to have to break the news to her, she has my jacket and motorcycle. Tell her I'm sorry I let her down
Mello
She couldn't breath. He knew that was going to happen. He knew that he had been written down in Kira's notebook, and he didn't even tell her. He had just sent her away, he had left his dirty work to L.
She cried, sobbed hysterically. He died because of her. Because of Kira.
She felt herself screaming, but no sound came, she covered her face with her hands. Trying to block out the image of her friend from her mind.
She thought she heard footsteps, she knew she should move, but she couldn't. she tried to turn, to see who it was, but she didn't care.
She wanted to die.
"Arisu-chan…"
L had figured out where she was going. He wanted to make sure she was okay.
"Its ok."
Walking over to his distraught friend, he pulled her up off of the ground.
"I didn't want you to see this. And neither did he."
Pulling out a handkerchief he handed it to the girl. She shook her head tears spreading around like a halo.
A smile of pity cracked on his face. He knew he should feel bad. Pity and sorrow for this girl. But he didn't. Things like this were bound to happen. After all they were working to stop Kira, a few lives were meant to be lost for the cause. But it wasn't fair that she had to suffer. She was still just a kid.
She was still a person, so were the murderers, kidnappers, and robbers that Kira had killed.
L chuckled to himself, it was true, in his opinion, that most of them deserve to die, or at the very least to be punished.
But they had families. They still had people who loved and cared for them. They had people who waited patiently for them to make the right choices, and plans for the future.
But Mello had a future. And so did Alice, Watari Near, and L himself.
Why did it have to be this way?
"L-san" Alice's voice was raspy and dry.
"Yeah Arisu-chan?" He forced out a smile for the tearful girl.
"I think I want to go home." Her voice cracked, and tears pooled in her eyes. She tried to hold them back but to no avail.
"He's really gone?"
"Yeah."
L's voice was barley a whisper, grabbing her hand, he managed to pull the cell phone from her grasp.
Quickly dialing Watari's number he placed the phone to his ear.
"Watari yeah, I need you to do me a favor." He nodded, "Yeah, Mello-san, is, well-"
He blinked back a few tears. Nodding and hanging up his phone.
"L-san what was that about.?"
"I needed Watari to call the police and inform them about Kira being in the neighborhood. He said he was already on his way to pick Mello-san up."
"Oh"
Her expression went blank. She reached out for L's hand slightly wishing he would turn it down, but he didn't.
He knew what she needed and wanted. And he wasn't going to leave her in the dark.
"Let's go home."
Grabbing her hand, he took her away from the place where Mello died. He was sure she wouldn't be herself for a few days, and he was okay with that. He just wanted her to be safe. And at least, if she was with him, she would be. For a little while anyway.
--xXXXxxx&xxxXXXx--
Alice: Okay I really hoped you enjoyed reading this! But just for reader conformation, I haven't watched Death Note. I have only read books one through five, and the Japanese movie(# 2). So if the characters are OC I'm very sorry. But its a fan fiction right? Therefore get over it.
Mello: I died!? I wasn't even in the whole chapter!
L: Get over it. At least you were in it.
Near: Yeah, I didn't even show up!
Alice: Both of you shut up! Or Misa will make you gay in chapter two!! Anyways please review we are always looking to improve! And Misa-san will be writing chapter two, so if you have anything that you want to happen just PM us.
Mello: I died…..
Alice: And or next chapter will be longer so please read it(bows)
Thanks for reading!
VanIty DOlLs
まずは用件のみ。