A New World:

Disclaimer: I do not own death note

{All humans, without exception, will eventually die}

The people of Japan walked over the pavement, obeying the common traffic lights, walking when allowed to walk, then ceasing when it wasn't. To anyone, it might look like people merely trying to set an example. Following the rules was a good sign of character, but only the people who were forced by rules everyday knew that it was much more.

They had to. They were forced into a corner, and if they moved, they would die. It was simple, but complex. There were many layers to the system, but everyone who had a sane mind knew who rested on the top.

The god Kira.

So, with their hearts set on smashing and breaking every rule that controlled their minds and more specifically, their fear, they walked on the inside of the lines. They obeyed the rules. They never once broke one. Death crept over whenever they considered it, stalking them when the thought first occurred in their head. Kira couldn't read minds, but he could read actions. If they acted upon their longing to stop the system, their very heart would stop.

And Kira knew this. He knew he had control, for fear was the best motivator.

Light stuffed his hands into his pockets, watching the sunrise from the large window on his office. Ryuk sat across from him, stuffing apples through his lips. With a dejected sigh, the elderly man turned away from the window.

Light Yagami was tired.

He drummed his index finger along the pages of his death note, running his hand over the countless names of people he killed. Only some held purpose in his eyes, but others were just meaningless, nameless criminals that hadn't held any true existence to the world. Light was now sixty-three, and he had been murdering and scribbling down names for what seemed his entire life. The world was now near perfection, though there was some cracks around the edges. He was the leader, the king, but most importantly, the god of this new world. Other than the occasional breakdown of a civilian, life went on without trouble for Light Yagami. When someone tried to destroy Kira, he merely wrote their name down. When someone stood up against him, a heart attack was a solid promise.

Sayu was dead. His mother was dead. His father had died during the Kira-case. Watari was the first to go, then L, followed by Near and Mello, which led to the deaths of everyone that had been working on the case itself. Misa had died in a car accident, and he had killed Takada and all his other followers when a rumor swept against his ears that they had been plotting against him. He grinned faintly at the thought. The power had driven him mad.

There was no more Light.

Only Kira remained.

Light lived in a large house, one fit for a king. The knowledge of Kira had been turned into a religion, and worshippers came from all over the globe. Light had stayed in Japan, only leaving his house when necessary. Not many people knew he was Kira, but those who did never doubted him.

"I want you to kill me."

Ryuk stopped chewing on his apple momentarily, looking over Light's shoulder to be sure that he had heard him right. "Eh?"

Light swung around in his chair, smoothing down the crinkles on his expensive suit. There were wrinkles around his eyes, his nose, and lips. His once golden-brown hair was beginning to turn grey with age. He was going to die, and soon. That was obvious. Either that or he would slowly shut down. Organs would dissipate, bones would creak, and he would be condemned into a wheelchair. The world would be in a state of panic without their god. Light would never allow that to happen. He picked one of his most trusted successors to continue on with Kira's work, and although there was no solid guarantee that he would be faithful to Kira's will, he was the most promising. He was intelligent, and resembled Light at an earlier age. He would be perfect. The Utopia that Light had created would hopefully continue for another generation, and possibly another.

There was just nothing to be done anymore.

He was facing another enemy, one whose name could not be written in a death note- time. With L and Near, he just discovered their names or tricked them into defeat. That had been difficult, but plausible. Destroying time was impossible, and no matter what limits he was willing to go through, it just couldn't be breached. He had to accept that he would eventually die- oh, and he had- which is why he already had a plan in mind. Light always had a plan, after all. Something that couldn't be broken or stopped by others. Whatever problem he was faced with, Light would always be the victor. He had proven that a long time ago, facing off with the two greatest detectives the world had ever known.

Yet again, he planted his gaze outside the window, watching cars pass slowly down the street. He turned on the news. He recalled a time when all there would be was robberies, homicides, and other disastrous human crimes, but now there was none. There was the fact that humans weren't perfect, and they would slip up, but when they did, they would die. Light would be sure of that. He couldn't allow a silly human to destroy everything he had worked for. Still. He was oddly bored. There was no conflict anymore; Light had achieved his dream, and there was nothing else to be fixed. The world was no longer rotten. It as flawless as he could make it, and he thrived on that for many years. With the world lacking of any evil people, no killing was to be done. Not to mention that he was just exhausted. Being Kira had worn him down. His sanity had fried a long time ago, and with it, his humane strength.

"Kill me with your notebook," Light clarified, tone dull and lacking any animation. The sun was a little higher in the sky now, shards of yellow reflecting into the room. "I'm tired...I'm tired of a life that keeps killing others."

Ryuk was silent for a moment, a troubled frown pulling against his shark-like teeth. The apple fell from his mouth, core resting on his outstretched hand. "Is this the end of all amusement?"

There was a pregnant pause as Light thought his decision over. "Yes," he admitted, accepting the end. "This is it, Ryuk. The world is fixed. There's nothing left to be done. This is the end."

"Alright then." His eyes held a spark of an emotion that was unrecognizable. Another overwhelming tension droned on. Light watched through darkened eyes as Ryuk lifted up his notebook, pen resting tightly in the Shinigami's fingertips. Ryuk hesitated, throwing the core of the apple into his mouth, swallowing it hole. "Are you sure this is what you want, Light-o?"

Light nodded. He had never been so sure of a decision, besides deciding to cleanse the world of filth in the first place. He had planned on ruling for a long time, and he had. Light was a prideful creature, and his hubris was the cause of these actions. He didn't want to be old. Gods didn't age with time, but Light did. How long would be before the world was thrown into chaos because of his inability to think properly? That wouldn't happen. He would never get any older than he was today, that was to be sure of. To make sure of his glorified new world, he had to do this. It was for the sake of the Utopia Light had single handedly created.

Ryuk pressed his writing utensil down on the curled pages of the blank paper. "You sure?" he repeated.

Light scowled at Ryuk impatiently. "Yes, Ryuk, I am one-hundred percent positive. It's over."

Ryuk cackled, eyes gleaming red. "Very well." And he wrote the first letter to his companion's name, until he reached the I in Yagami.

The heart attack burned. It sucked his breath away, leaving him shrill and panicked. Light grasped at the edges of his desk, nearly flailing over. His shoulders tensed and he grasped at where his organ was, clawing away at his chest with his fingernails, all attempts futile. It lasted a few seconds, and the life finally died and drifted away from his brown eyes, leaving him sprawled out across his chair. His expression was stoic, but his eyes were large from shock. Ryuk laughed, closing his notebook and clamping the latch. It wasn't truly the end of all fun, though it was the end of this. Truth be told, the entertainment was growing unamusing with time. He tucked the book into its place beside his arm, pen disappearing in the air.

"Looks like it's all over," Ryuk muttered, staring at Light's corpse in distaste. "I guess I'll see you later."

He extended his wings, preparing the grueling travel back to the Shinigami realm.

. . .

There was a vast oblivion of darkness, one that Light himself could not comprehend. "Is this death?" he wondered aloud as thoughts flew back to him. He glanced down at his clothes in puzzlement, collecting logic. His eyes flashed open. The world was grey and rotten, stones crumbling and buildings twisted sideways. "I look young again," he noted in pleasure, examining himself. His face and hands were void of any aging wrinkles. His muscles no longer ached, and his hair was a highlighted brunette once more.

He was silent for a minute, sitting upward. His clothes were covered with black dust. "Where is this? If I remember correctly, Ryuk killed me, and..."

Laughter silenced whatever he was about to say after. "Ku, ku, ku." Light whipped around, facing Ryuk once again. Light's eyebrows furrowed as he thought this through. The Shinigami was hunched over a rock, watching the human with glinting eyes. "I welcome you, Light," his arm extended, gesturing the bleak, sunless horizon of what he called home. "Weclome to the Shinigami's World."

Light's eyes narrowed into slits as he tilted his head downward. No wonder it was so barren. "'Don't you ever dream of being able to go to heaven or hell after using the death note', huh?" The boy suddenly grinned with relinquishment. "Well, it was one of the patterns I was guessing." Light walked around Ryuk, eyes sweeping the contents of the place. His smile faded once he recognized how truly dismembered and lazy the world appeared. Apparantly Ryuk hadn't been kidding when he told Light pessimistic tales of the place. "What will happen to me, anyway?"

"Don't rush it," Ryuk lectured. "It will start in due time."

Light stared at the Shinigami curiously. "What will? You're speaking nonsense-" his breath gave way. The feeling was familiar. Yet again, his hand came up over the place where his heart would be, skin heating up and sweat rolling down his temples. His knees nearly gave way as he stumbled, but managed to keep himself upright. What is this? My chest is...

Otohharada Kurou. Heart Attack. An invisible man spoke those words, echoing inside mind, surging it into panic.

He crumpled to the floor, spiraling into unconsciousness. It only took seconds for Light to awake again. "What's going on? I..."

Shibuimaru Takuo. Car accident.

The image of a car flashed through his mind. He could feel his bones cracking, ribs snapping as the heavy weight rolled agonizingly slow over him, crushing his body beneath the spiraling wheels. It didn't take long for his eyes to snap open again, gasping and panting, the blood disappearing with his awakening. "Whoever I killed so far..." he stammered, staggering upward. "It can't be."

Ryuk finally gave his input, watching warily from the sidelines. He was completely impassive, maybe a tad amused, not an inkling of compassion. "You noticed? That's right. As much as you killed others, you'll suffer the same pain. If you killed ten thousand people, you'll die for ten thousand times. That is the atonement of whoever uses the death note."

Light's head pounded as he received this news, eyes widening significantly. "No way..."

Ryuk chuckled as he read the boy's expression, eyes flashing dangerously. "Did you think you could become a Shinigami, too? That was a stupid dream, especially from you, Light."

Misora Naomi. Suicide.

What is this voice? Light thought as the words deepened throughout his head, husky and all-knowing. Who is...?

As if Ryuk read his mind, he answered for him. "It's the king of Shinigami's voice. Only that old fart's death note can kill the same human again and again."

Light screamed as his hand twisted uncontrollably, bruises and crunches appearing all over his fingers. The blood throughout it twisted and burst. "I can't control my hand. Ryuk," he pleaded through stammers and cries. "Please stop this!" Light's hand wrapped around his own throat, squeezing the life out of it. His voice was raspy as he shrieked desperately. "Do something, Ryuk! Don't let this happen!"

Ryuk's eyes gleamed red. "Ku, ku," he cackled with glee. "No use. The Shinigami king is the one that controls this, not me. I've never tried to stop that old fart from his works, because there's no point to it. Sorry, Light-o. My hands are tied."

"NO!" Light let out a cry of rage, collapsing to the ground as yet another death took over his body. "I don't want to die anymore!" Light's breath grew weaker and weaker, vision spinning and lips parting. "I'm choking..." he rasped out, sinking further to the ground. His cheeks were turning a shade of blue, brown eyes fading and bulging from lack of oxygen. Ryuk stood, walking over to the boy. Light was lying on the ground, eyes tightly closed. Before the Shinigami could say something, Light inhaled slowly, sweat covering his forehead. He sat up, spluttering. After he caught his breath, he looked up between his bangs at Ryuk.

And smiled maliciously, laughter escaping through his bloodied lips. Light tilted his head back, chuckles bursting from his throat. "Ha!" Light laughed, eyes burning a familiar shade of crimson. He cackled, throat hoarse from dying, throat ragged from laughing, but happy nonetheless. "Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Ryuk's mouth fell half-ajar as he watched Light go into further hysterics. "The fear has driven him mad."

Light's laughter abruptly ceased upon his words. "124,925," he stated in all seriousness.

"Hrm?"

Light grinned pleasantly up at the Shinigami, proudly showing off his smile. "That's the number of people I have killed so far. Experience all the deaths and disappear, huh?" His eyes glinted with humor. "Meaning, as long as I'm experiencing those deaths..." his eyes burned darker, and his condescending smirk deepened. "I will exist." Questioningly, he stared at Ryuk for confirmation. "Is that correct?"

The Shinigami scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, unsure of where Light was going with that. "I suppose that's true."

Light crossed his arms against his chest, staring determinedly across the colorless plane. That was the look of the old Light, the one that wasn't bored with life. A burning, never-yielding arrogance that was well-put. "That's more than enough time."

"Light? What're you thinking?"

He took a few steps forward, and Ryuk reluctantly followed. "I shall look for the king of Shinigami..." Light froze, casting a hard gave towards him. "And make a deal with him." He snorted at the bewildered expression across the Shinigami's face. "Obviously I won't war-rant my safety. Instead, I'll offer him my intelligence." Satisfied, Light rocked back and forth on the edge of his heels, red tie flapping. "An amazing strategy to re-build the Shinigami's rotten world."

Ryuk sprung beside him, shaking his head rapidly in disbelief. "I don't think that old fart would be interested in something like that."

Frustrated, Light turned to glower at him. "Who do you think I am, Ryuk?" he chuckled, showing off his white teeth. "I was the guy that became god of the human world. I'll just wheedle him for a bit." His hand expanded upward in excitement. "I'll even kill the king if I have to." At this, Ryuk finally felt startled. The Shinigami was sure this would all be fruitless, but Light's reckless determination surprised even him.

Light's expression turned deadly serious, lips pursing together into a tight line. "Shinigami versus human. A battle for the summit. Ryuk, I'm not done yet. I'll amaze you even more."

Ryuk's giant teeth were shown as his lips parted. "You are the best, after all." It had taken him a while, but the Shinigami had learned not to underestimate this human. For the king's sake, Ryuk hoped he wouldn't make the same mistake.

"Amazing indeed," Light echoed. "Let us go, Ryuk. I'll show you the genius of a new world once again."

They began to walk.

~The End~

A/N: Whoot. Another death note fanfiction completed. Yay for that. Reviews are greatly appreciated. So are follows, favorites, and simply just reads. I would love to hear what you thought about it. :)