Summary: The question Raito-kun, is not whether or not I will die, it is merely when

Summary: The question Raito-kun, is not whether or not I will die, it is merely when. For you see Raito-kun I am already dying either way.

Detached: Hey! This one was a random idea…and I sort of feverishly typed this one out. I really don't know where I want to go with this so suggestions will be greatly appreciated. So tell me what you think, and more importantly, tell me what you think!

L: You already said that…

Raito: Are you sure it's wise to write this while you currently have another story and the fact that you don't know anything about what you're writing.

Detached: That what research is for! –If I say something that is wrong, please correct me- Ok, here we go!

Note: I know I said I was going to give you "Loose pages" but…my English teacher kept our notebooks! Not that she's correcting that! I didn't want to rip the pages out so…I wrote this instead! And I already loose leaf lost page eight! Dammit! –Sniffle- Oh and tell me if you find and mistakes! I worked really hard on that this time!

It was another ordinary day, the sun was shining and the classroom was buzzing with activity. Raito Yagami hated this because the children who would be here early would pester him until their later friends showed up. And Raito, being the actor he was would play along, waiting for the teacher to come into the room.

It didn't matter who he was talking to, it was just a way to pass the time. He didn't fully comprehend the feeling of being overworked, if anything, he was severely under worked, his so called "homework" was never challenging, he never actually had to bring his it home, he merely perfected it at home. Perfected as in absolutely perfect. He still brought a majority of textbooks home, however because he wished to learn as much as he could. New facts alleviated his boredom, even if only for a little while.

The bell rang and the teacher entered, calling for everyone to sit. After roll call, he began the lesson which Raito ignored as he looked out the window. It really was a beautiful day; perhaps he would stop by the park instead of going directly home and read a book.

Then he saw it. A black notebook lying there, in the middle of the schoolyard. A plain unadorned black notebook. He watched it for several moments before he became bored once again. Yet, the notebook captured his attention throughout the day as the day passed.

When the final bell rang Raito walked out along with everyone else, occasionally he would stay after, to help his teacher, hell in several classes; it was his ideas that made the lesson plans. Today however was not one of those days. He walked into the courtyard over towards the notebook and took a quick glance. Everyone was interested in meeting up with one another. He leaned over and effortlessly picked up the notebook.

"Death Note. This is a Shinigami notebook." He said quietly to himself before letting out a little chuckle. He opened the note book and casually flipped though it, looking to see if it belonged to anyone. He could tell quickly that it didn't. There were only a few children who could write English as well as him, and out of those, none of them ever had any free time. Not for reading for pleasure, or for playing video games, or for spending time with their families. They had no time to live, unlike Raito.

"How to use…it's all in English what a pain..." Raito said this as he confirmed that the language throughout the notebook was indeed English, but it wasn't a pain. On the contrary, he was enjoying this and wished to decipher the notebook. He decided to go home instead of the library today, although he would take the longer path home.

As he walked home, he continued to read the notebook, effectively ignoring everyone and appearing studious at the same time.

"The human whose name is written in this notebook shall die." He laughed again as he thought to himself. This is sick. Why do people like this stuff? This is worse than those chain letters… "I'm home." the brunette announced as he removed his shoes and continued to walk up into his room. He closed his door after checking his door handle and the paper, both of which were not in place. When he opened his door however, he saw why. He had a basket of laundry on his computer chair. He knew that today was his mother's day to do the laundry, so he wasn't bothered. She didn't clean his room, he was too old for that, and besides his room was immaculate as it was.

His bookshelves, his bed, his computer desk and his pile of library books. He didn't adorn his room with anything; the walls were just as plain and striped as they were the day they moved in. not that Sayu hadn't tried to hang a poster or two. Those had been quickly removed. He put away his laundry and placed the basket down the hall for his mother before retuning to his room.

He removed his school jacket and loosened his tie before he sat down to read once again. He read quietly to himself, as if he thought that someone was listening to him.

"This not will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name. Therefore people sharing the same name will not be affected."

"If the cause of death is written within 40 seconds of writing a person's name, it will happen."

"If the cause of death is not specified, then the person will simply die of a heart attack."

"After writing the cause of death, details of the death should bewritten in the next 6 minutes and 40 seconds."

He smiled and closed the book before lying down on his bed, staring at his perfectly white ceiling.

"It is impressive that someone would put so much effort into a prank like this," he said to himself before glancing over at the onyx notebook once again. "Death if you write the name…eh? Stupid." He told himself as he yawned.

5 days later

Raito walked home with two people at his side. His "friends" as they liked to call themselves. Raito would have rather walked home alone, but he did have to keep up appearances, which is also the reason why he had a couple of girlfriends. To keep up appearances, and nothing more. He had thought that it would have been interesting to have more than one, but he juggled them all effortlessly. He felt nothing for any of them. To take what he said at face value was stupid and pointless. He'd rather have them be interesting, and question him, then not think about what he said and blindly follow him and his judgment every step of the way, without a thought for themselves. But no, the minute they were "his girlfriend" they stopped being interesting. He hated that.

Raito would guess if he ever had to describe a dream girl, it would be "interesting". Not stunning beautiful, nor a classic Japanese beauty, but interesting, which meant intelligent. But they were not called "dream girls" for nothing. Besides, he had no need for that, not anymore. He walked into his house and took off his shoes.

"I'm home."

"You're back early!" Raito opened his eyes to see his mother standing there, smiling up at him. "It's just that…" he started to speak but trailed off as she continued to stare at him expectantly, almost bouncing on the heels of her feet. He sighed as he reached down into his bag, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to her. He walked slowly past her so he could hear her reaction.

"Wow! Ranked first in the country on the National Scholastic Practice exam!" to which her son replied an uninterested "Yup." Before he continued up the stairs.

I'm going to study, so don't bother me."

"Hai, hai. Oh, Raito is there anything you want? Just say something?"

"No, mother." I already have what I want, he told himself for a second time that hour as he walked into his room and closed his door quickly behind him and locked it with a satisfying 'click'. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

He turned his computer on and pulled out the notebook, staring at it for several long moments before letting out a slight laugh, a laugh of relief.

"Looks like you're enjoying it." A deep and dark voice said. Raito turned around quickly, to see who was there.

There were very few moments in the brunette's life that he could say were extremely surprising to him. Recently, however he seemed to be surprising himself constantly.

"Ahhh!" he fell out of his chair as he looked up at this…this thing that had spoken to him, with those big eyes and a permanent toothy smile.

"Why are you surprised?" the dark voice asked. "I'm the owner of the Death Note, Shinigami Ryuk. It seems you realized that ain't no normal notebook."

"Sh-shinigami" Raito stuttered, but then a thought crossed him as he sat there, why wouldn't a god own the notebook? He convinced himself of this as he slowly stood up again, grasping his computer chair for support. Only what did this god want with it? Did he want the notebook back? Or did he have something else planned? He took a breath before starting to talk.

"I'm not surprised Ryuk." He paused, the face did not change. "…No… I've been waiting for you." This was true, he had hoped that the owner would eventually come to retrieve it; he wanted to know why he had been chosen. Raito didn't know if what he was saying would result in, but he continued anyway. That's just the kind of person he was.

"So even a Shinigami has come. How nice. I've already accepted the Death Note as real, but…seeing things for real gives me confidence in my actions. He picked up the notebook, flipping though its pages. "Plus there's things I want to ask you." His gaze became steely as he opened the notebook and shoved it into Ryuk's face.

The creature seemed amazed, this was quickly confirmed.

"Whoa…this is amazing! I'm the one surprised! I've heard many stories of the Death Note falling to the human world, but…you're the first one to do this much in only five days. A normal person would be too freaked out to go this far.

Raito steadied himself for what he would say next, he didn't know if he was going to be punished or not, after all he'd been using to tool of a god for his own ends. Facing the god directly was different, he may have considered himself important but he was at the mercy of this god.

"I'm prepared Ryuk…I used the Shinigami notebook…and now a Shinigami has come…What happens to me…? Is my soul taken?"

The creature seemed surprised once again. "Huh? What's that? Wild human imagination? I won't do anything to you." Raito stood in silence as he continued.

"Once the Death Note lands in the human world, it belongs to that world. It's yours now."

"…Mine?" Raito asked, still unbelieving.

"If you don't want it, give it to someone else. Though if that happens, I will erase your memories concerning the Death Note. And…" to Raito's surprise, he jumped out the window onto the power line and continued to look at him.

"Because you're the only one who used my notebook, only you can see me. Of course, only you can hear me also." This was proven by the pair of schoolgirls that were walking underneath him, chattering about their school day as if there was nothing there. According to Ryuk, there was nothing there that anyone could see. It made sense, Raito decided as he looked at the creature again. It certainly wasn't something he'd imagine to be a god, and it certainly wasn't something that most people could tolerate seeing. Ryuk continued to speak.

"The notebook is the bond that ties the human Raito and the Shinigami Ryuk together."

"…Bond?" Raito was still trying to process what Ryuk had told him. "So there's really no price for using the notebook?"

"…Well you could say….The stress and fear that's only experienced by the human using the notebook…And when you die…I'll be writing your name in my notebook, but…" The Shinigami got close to Raito's face, his red eyes boring into him, as he continued to speak.

"Don't think that a human who uses the Death Note gets to go to Heaven or Hell." He paused for a moment before finishing.

"That's it." He backed away from Raito, who had somehow ended up leaning himself against his bookcase for support. He stared at Ryuk for several moments before he began to laugh nervously. To his surprise, the Shinigami also started to laugh. It was a horrible sound; one that Raito felt could tear him to pieces. If he let it that is.

"Something to look forward to when you die, hm?" the creature continued to laugh. But Raito was still unfinished.

"Then…one more thing." He even held up his finger to emphasize his point. Ryuk stopped laughing and looked at him.

"Why did you choose me?"

"Huh?" The creature seemed surprised for a moment before he began to laugh again. "KuKu, don't be conceited. I only dropped the notebook. You think you were chosen? It just happened to fall there….And you just happened to find it…That's why I put the explanation in the most popular language, English."

Raito was still coming to terms with the fact that he hadn't been chosen. It had never occurred to him that the notebook could have merely been dropped into the human world, not without a purpose. But Ryuk had translated it into English? Then he'd dropped it on purpose! But was it for him?

"Than why did you drop it?" he asked almost desperately. "Including an explanation like that, it can't be an accident."

"Why…?" The creature repeated. "Because I was bored." Raito was stunned; he didn't know that gods could become bored. He hadn't been bored since he'd received a god's power. The prospect seemed a little less appealing now. But only a little. Who knew how old the death god was anyway? He would finish what he started. He always did.

"This may sound strange coming from a Shinigami, but…I just didn't feel alive…Being a Shinigami these days is so boring. We're either sleeping or gambling. You write a few human names in the notebook and they laugh at you for working so hard. Killing guys in the human world from the Shinigami world isn't fun at all. Plus writing Shinigami names in the notebook doesn't due anything. I figured it would be more fun to bring it down here."

Raito felt deflated at both the prospect that he had not been chosen and that, someday, this might eventually become boring for him. The Shinigami picked up his notebook once again. Raito made sure to make the note in his mind that the notebook belonged to him now, not that creature. Still Raito couldn't believe that a god could become bored. Bored like Raito had been. Bored like the Raito that had decided to use the Death Note.

"You sure have written down a lotta names though."

"…Me too…" Raito began as the creature looked up in him in confusion. At least that's what Raito judged. The constant creepy smile on his face was the absolute poker face.

"I was bored too, so…Obviously I didn't believe it at first. But that notebook has a power that makes you want to try it."

Flashback 5 days ago

Raito was staring at his ceiling, he looked over at his desk where the notebook lay. It was as if it was waiting for him to write in it. He stood up and walked over to his desk and sat down. He was about to put his pen to the paper when he paused.

"Hold on, if this actually does work, am I a murderer?..." he stayed silent for several minutes as he thought to himself.

'Well, if it's someone…whose death doesn't matter…and it should be someone not connected to me…also I need to know immediately if they died…' he bit the end of his pencil as he thought. He looked over at his television.

"Let's see…" he picked up the remote and switched the screen on. It was hazy for a moment before settling on the news. "Why am I taking this so seriously?' Raito asked himself as he waited for the announcer to speak. She didn't disappoint him.

"The killer who indiscriminately killed six people yesterday in Shinjuku's Hanka district is still locked up in the preschool with the teacher and seven children as hostages. The police suspect Otoharada Kurou, 42 unemployed. Last night Otoharada was…" Raito had heard enough, he wrote the man's name down and glanced over at his clock.

8:23.00 "Heart attack in forty seconds right? He watched the clock as it ticked by, stretching those forty seconds out over lifetimes. Finally the clock said 8:23.41.

'Nothing happened? Thought so.'

Then the television screamed at him and he flinched as he looked back at it. 'OH! The hostages are coming out! Seems like everyone is fine. And now the police storm the school. Have they made the arrest!?" the television quieted for a few moments.

"OH! There's coming back out!" Raito stared at the TV questioningly as the announcer quieted again. "I don't see the suspect!" she finally shouted. "We just got word that the suspect has died! They are saying the suspect is dead!"

"Dead?!" Raito said loudly as he looked down upon the notebook.

"The police are saying they did not fire any shots. Could it be a suicide? According to the hostages, the suspect just collapsed.

Raito continued to stare blankly at the notebook, as he thought to himself. "It could be a coincidence…one person isn't enough…

"Raito!" his mother shouted. he jumped up and spun around when he heard his mother's voice. "It's six twenty-five, time for your cram school."

"Yeah, I'm getting read to go." Although Raito was nervous and confused, his voice came out perfect, his mother suspected nothing. As he packed the notebook in his bag he spoke to himself again.

"It has to be a coincidence…it just has to be." He convinced himself as he packed his things. "I'll have to test it again…I'll need results right away…but who…"

"Someone…Someone it doesn't matter to kill…No, someone that deserves to die. A criminal. I'll need results right away also, so not anyone too major." He slung the bag over his shoulder and quickly walked to cram school, the heavy feeling of a life constricting him. He needed to prove that he hadn't killed someone, and the way of doing so was to write another name.

While he was in cram school he looked around and saw the usual. The kids who hassled, the kids who were hassled, the ones who ignored them, the ones who didn't care, the ones who did, much like a smaller version of society. Raito thought about removing a bully or two, but thought better of it. It would be better for him if he didn't kill anyone that he had direct contact with.

"Ow." He said as a piece of chalk collided with the side of his head.

"Hey, nationally top ranked Yagami-kun! Don't space out! We're counting on you to make us look good!"

"Yes, sorry sensei." Raito replied apologetically. He didn't need to pay attention, he never really did, but today he didn't even fell like putting up the fact that he was pretending to do so. He didn't even really want cram school; it had been something his mother had insisted upon. It looked good for colleges also.

After cram school was over, Raito stood outside as he listened to the other students.

"Hey Maki, wanna go drinking with some college students tomorrow at ten?"

"Sure." She replied as her friend asked "What about me?" another boy, the one who had been hassled at the start of class said "Where the fuck is my mom!?"

Raito listened, indifferently as he thought to himself. 'Jeez…looking at all these people…I start to think the world would be better off without all of them.' Then a loud motorbike skidded close to him and slid in front of a girl.

"Hey lady." He said as she made a surprised squeak. "Wanna come hang with us?"

Another member of his little group played commentator. "Whoa, Taku-san is going after a hottie!"

As if on queue, Taku started. "Shibuimaru Takuo, they call me Shibutaku. Hehe…go out with me lady. She squeaked again and the commentator spoke.

"Oh, rejected! Denied!" Raito stepped into a nearby convenience store and picked up a magazine, placing the Death Note in front of it. He began to write Shibuimaru Takuo in several different ways, in order to make sure he used the correct spelling. He wrote "traffic accident" because he did not want a heart attack to happen so close to him, and this would also be proof of another way the notebook could kill. He watched his clock.

"Now! What will happen?" he watched as the girl ran across the street and the man in question followed her. "Hey, I'm on a bike girl!" then the commentator called out to him to watch out.

Raito eyes widened as an eighteen wheeler truck rammed into the man, crashing both him and his bike into pieces. He was dead there was no question about it. There was also no question to whether or not Raito had caused this death. His jaw dropped as he dropped the magazine.

'That…That's it!! The Death Note is real!' he ran out of the store and ran away from the along with more than a few others. He stopped running and braced himself against a wall, hand covering his mouth as the realization hit him, trying to hold back the bile rising in his throat.

"I killed…two people…I did…What should I do?" Raito now fully realized the weight upon his hands, he saw the blood upon them as he looked at them. Two people, two existences wiped from this planet, this universe. And it was his fault. They didn't have a reason a purpose to die. Raito started to pull out the notebook.

"A terrifying notebook like this…No…" he thought to himself grasping at what he knew about these two men. Otoharada, who cares if he died…but what about the second one…? He didn't deserve death…no, that's wrong. It's what I'm always thinking. This world is rotten. The rotten should die. And…and I… can do it, with this notebook…" he now had justification for their deaths. But now he had another problem to overcome.

He lay in his bed, the blankets covering him and his eyes impossibly wide. 'My mind…It's only been two people and I'm like this…Of course I'm like this, these are lives…it can't be easy. Can I stand it? Should I quit?...No, I can't quit. Even if it costs me my mind and life…someone has to do it! Things can't remain as they are! Is there anyone else I could trust with this notebook? Such an incredible person doesn't exist…Yeah…I can do it…No…only I can do it! I'll do it! I'll use the Death Note and change the world! Those deaths…they will be a start, a stepping stone of my new world!

Present

"It's true, I've had trouble sleeping and I've lost ten pounds in these five days. Even so to clean this earth…I continued writing names of criminals…this era is very useful. TV that runs the news of the world twenty-four hours a day. The internet where you can learn anything."

The Shinigami was staring at the notebook intently. "But beside the truck you didn't write any causes of death. Because it's a pain?"

"If you don't write the cause of death, then it's always a heart attack. That's the best thing about the Death Note. I'm writing down all the released names of criminals and lowering the amount of evil in the world. And they all die from a heart attack. Even an idiot will realize that evil people are being killed." His voice became more confident as he spoke to the Shinigami, more assured of himself.

"I'm going to make the world aware of my existence. That there is someone passing down judgment!' nobody will be able to do any evil. The world will advance in the right direction. While those that do evil will die of a heart attack, I can erase other useless people through illness." He stood up tall now using his hands to help his speech.

"Then one day people will realize…That "Doing this will get me killed"…And I will build a world of only kind hearted people I accept."

"Then you'll be the only Bastard left…" Raito turned to face the Shinigami.

"What are you talking about? You could say I'm Japan's number one honor student. I…will be… The God of this New World!" Raito would be a god; he had to be a god, because only god had the power to take human life. The human Raito did not have that power. The god "Raito" however did.

I knew it! Humans…are so much fun!

In another country/ Interpol Emergency Council

"That's fifty-two we know of from just this week. All are heart attacks. All are wanted or already imprisoned criminals. We should assume many others are dead that are yet to be confirmed. That would mean at least one hundred are…"

Meanwhile another man was watching this meeting from his computer, staring at his screen interestedly.

"So Interpol is finally acting. I won't be able to avoid helping the police on a case like this." As he listened he pulled up his other files on this particular case. "Let's see how long it takes for me to find you, hmm?" He rubbed his arm, it still stung from earlier. His screen flashed and he clicked the message. Furious typing appeared.

How are you doing? The next one was born. How is your case going? Have you been contacted yet? They're slower than I thought! L responded just as quickly with only one hand.

No, they have not, but they will soon. Is it healthy? I cannot complain about my condition. It is the same as always. How are the failures doing? This was their way of speaking a sort of code between them, even though they were using a secure internet connection.

They are fine. I've been keeping them away from their mothers, it's difficult though, just because they gave birth to them does not make them parents, especially if that is all that they did, carried another woman's baby. How is the F2 child doing?

The boy is fine, a bit reclusive, but fine.

Reminds me of you.

Well, that would follow considering we contain the same DNA. But the F2 does have a better chance than I do; all the tests so far have come back negative. There are still more later, however. I do not wish to put him through too many tests so early. I have papers should I meet my end.

You think this case will kill you?

I am prepared for the worst, as I always have been.

You should go out more. Or should have, before this happened. You never found anybody.

I never needed anybody.

Yes you did then just as you still do and don't you dare argue with me. Promise me that after this you will go out more.

Very well. If you'll excuse me. He cut the message and went back to his work, once again rubbing his arm while he continued to type out a message with the injured arm.

If you could contact the following…

Raito's Room

"Quite the hard worker, aren't we," the Shinigami said as Raito continued to write. He was eating an apple as he lay upon the teenager's bed.

"There's no time to waste Ryuk. I can only write in this from after school until I go to bed. I have to stay at the top of the class. I can't sleep in class, and I still need to study at home and go to cram school and sleep deprivation is an enemy." Even as he said this, Raito continued to write robotically, one name after another. It was less personal that way, if he wrote so many, the names would blend and it wouldn't be so difficult. Unlike the first two, Otoharada and Takuo. He blinked. Those names won't disappear, will they? He thought to himself.

"Still…no matter what, I need to create a world without evil. But…there just isn't enough time."

In some developed nation ICPO (International Crime Police Organization)

The intercom read off the details to the many men who were listening.

"So far we've counted fifty-two dead this week. All of them heart attacks. All of them were either suspects for a vicious crime or already in jail for one and chances are we've barely found half of them. The correct death toll is more accurately around one hundred."

"Well, all these people should have died anyways!" One man shouted.

"Who said that?!" shouted another. It was as if all the tension in the room had broken open and was spilling, much like a bottle of champagne at a wedding, L thought. Then again, this wasn't exactly something to celebrate either. More shouting ensued.

"That's right! Even if they're criminals on death row, killing is still a crime!"

"But you can't be sure that's it murder right?"

"What else could it be? There's no way over one hundred people could coincidentally die from a sudden heart attack!"

"It's impossible to organize a mass murder of this scale and frequency!"

"We think that a large syndicate is responsible for these killings."

"It must be the FBI or CIA!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING?!"

"Alright already, stop kidding around." The tension settled somewhat due to the outbursts and the men now continued in a less angry manner. For a minute anyway. L thought this rather funny as he watched grown men fight over small comments.

"These criminals' deaths can keep up the police's reputation."

"This isn't about reputation!"

"It is a problem if criminals are sentenced to death before their executions."

"But first we should concentrate on finding out if this really is a mass murder!"

"But didn't all the coroner's reports say "Heart attack of unknown origin"?"

"Such an ambiguous death doesn't mean anything to us."

"True, we might have been able to find something if they were all say, stabbings?" No, L thought, it is one man who is causing this and for now I do not know if he can control his victims before death. Even if he could, not everyone stabs the same.

"Shall we vote on it?"

One voice spoke up above all the others. "That settles it. We'll have to call L to solve this one." Finally, L thought. L sat back and waited for the rookies to learn of him, he would act momentarily.

"Chief who is L?"

"Oh, right, this is your first meeting." Soichiro said, he'd forgotten. "L is…somebody whose name, face and whereabouts are a secret. But he can solve any case. You could call him a "private investigator" of sorts. Anyways we have no clue who he is. He keeps himself in the deepest secrecy, solving case after impossible case all over the world…and he's our…last resort."

The other men began to talk once again.

"But he's kind of stubborn…L will only take cases that interest him."

"Stubbornness aside, how can we even contact him?" Now it was time for L to make his presence known.

"Gentlemen, L is already on it. He has already started work on this case."

"Watari!"

"Huh…Watari…? Another Japanese delegate?" the rookie asked.

"No, but he's the only contact we have with L. Still even Watari doesn't know who L really is..."

"Silence please. I now give you the voice of L." everyone in the room quieted as Watari set the computer up on the desk. The image of L, his gothic letter came onto the screen and a clearly disguised voice came through the speaker.

"Greetings to everyone at ICPO. This is the biggest and most difficult case yet an atrocious and unforgivable mass murder!! In order to solve this case, I ask all of you in the ICPO to offer me your complete and total cooperation in solving this case." the room started to murmur in response, L expected as much, and if need be, he was prepared to show his face if things become too much of a hassle later on.

Days later. After school

"See you tomorrow!" The boys yelled as Raito walked into his house.

"You seem to be in a good mood Raito."

"Not really Ryuk. It's because I leave the notebook at home all day." He stepped into his room and locked the door. He pulled out the notebook and after staring at it for several seconds, turned his computer on.

"Look, Ryuk. These sorts of websites are already popping up…"

The Legend of Kira

Of the Savior Kira

Criminals worldwide

Dying one after another

Because Kira is among us once again

He is the one who will tolerate no wickedness

Our messenger from hell

Only those who believe in his existence and return

May enter this site.

"Kira, probably from "killer" I'm not sure if I like the sound of that but I guess I'm Kira to the whole world now." The god "Raito" finally has a name and it was Kira.

"If you search Kira you get tons more sites like these, people already feel that there is someone in this world that serves justice. People who are too afraid to say that people should be punished or even killed flourish on sites like this. People who are too afraid to admit that I exist in public come here and cheer Kira on. Even though no one may say it, they believe that they are being judged by the wrath of god. Everything in going as planned."

Raito's television blanked out then, and it started to fuzz, it was an important news update.

"We interrupt your programming to bring you an important message from the ICPO. This is being broadcast all over the world. My name is Lind L. Taylor, widely known as "L"

"WH…who is this guy?!" Raito was surprised; he did not think that anyone would challenge him, that anyone would have the guts to even think of challenging a god.

Special investigation force/Japanese taskforce

"It's finally started."

"Oh, so this is L."

"But didn't he say he'd never show his face in public. Is he already finished with the case or something…?"

Soichiro stared at the screen. "Alright, L. we've done everything you've asked of us. You just fulfill your promise that you made to us at the ICPO.

ICPO meeting

"L the ICPO has approved to give you all the assistance they can."

The detective spoke again. "Thank you. In that case I request the aid of the Japanese police." Japan, I never thought I would go there within my lifetime.

"Wh…why Japan?"

"Regardless if the suspect is a single person or a group of people, he is almost certainly Japanese and even if he is not Japanese, he is likely hiding there." L paused waiting for the room to explode. The people did not fail him.

"Why? Where is the evidence?!"

"The reason I believe he is in Japan…is because…of something I will show you in our soon-to-follow showdown. In any case, I hope that the force can be moved to Japan.

Japanese taskforce

"Does this mean the showdown he was talking about already started? What the heck is he planning?"

"Let's just wait and see." Soichiro said reassuringly.

Taylor continued to speak. "To the perpetrator of these serial murders: You have committed the most abominable act in history. I will personally catch the one behind it "Kira" at any cost." As L watched Taylor speak his essay, he knew that Kira was committing one of the most abominable acts in history. He'd made Taylor say act merely for greater effect.

"At any cost…" Raito repeated to himself. "Hmm…Fool! How can you possibly catch me? It's all the notebook! If you don't have this you have nothing on me! I cannot be caught!" he laughed to himself. "Ha. I was expecting the law to do something like this…" this was a lie, he had not expected a direct challenge, at the most a few television shows and phone taps. A comedy talk show or two.

Taylor continued. "Kira, I think I have a pretty good idea of what you're trying to do and why you're trying to do it. But what you're doing…is EVIL!" L knew he had contacted the right person to play him after all. Taylor knew exactly where L had been coming from and exactly how to express it. None would know that Taylor actually wanted to die from this, but L had known which was why he'd contacted Taylor in the first place. And if he was correct, Kira would act just as he was supposed to.

"Me evil?" Raito stated as he opened the notebook.

"I am JUSTICE! I am the god placed here to save the weak and create a perfect world! Those who oppose god are evil. You're too stupid, L, if you were just a little smarter we could have had some fun." Raito scrawled L's name across the entire page. L.I.N.D L. T.A.Y.L.O.R.The detective deserved at least a full page for having the gumption to challenge a god.

"Let the world see what happens when you go against Kira L." he counted down the seconds on his watch as Taylor continued to talk. "Zero." Taylor gripped his chest tightly, Raito knew it was over. The screen went silent and then L spoke. But he'd just killed L.

"Unbelievable…I did this on the slight chance that you would kill "me". So Kira you can kill people without even being nearby."

"What?" How much had L actually figured out?

"So it's true if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it, but this was the only way you could have killed them, wasn't it?" The voice paused for several moments.

"Kira listen to me. The person you killed was actually a prisoner who was sentenced to be executed at this time today. It was not me. He was a criminal imprisoned without any media attention, so naturally you didn't even know he existed…" That was a lie, well the part about Taylor supposed to be dying today, again it was in there to merely be more believable.

"Heh got you there Raito."

"But I L am REAL! So why don't you kill me! Come on! Do it!"

Raito sat dazed. Son…son of a…

The police headquarters was in an uproar.

"What going on here?"

"Do you have a deathwish L?"

"Come on!" L continued to shout. "Kill me! Can't you do it!?" After several moments, he said "Seems you can't kill me after all. So there are people you can't kill. Thanks for the hint and let me tell you something in return. I said this that was a worldwide broadcast but it's really only being shown in the Kanto area of Japan. I was planning on broadcasting this elsewhere, but this is now unnecessary, because I now know that you're in the Kanto area." L felt giddy almost, he hadn't had this much fun with a case in a while, it was rare to find something like this. Especially now.

"Heh, this guy L isn't bad." Ryuk laughed as L continued to speak.

"The police might have missed this, but I know you're first victim was a murderer in Shinjuku." Raito's eyes widened. L had caught that, was L really that good?

"Compared to all the other criminals who died of similar causes, this man seems insignificant and only the Japanese media reported this incident. That was the only clue I needed…to know that you're in Japan Kira! And that man was just a test for your killings." A test subject, a lab rat, L's mind added for him. L shook his head as he continued.

"I got lucky, casting my net out on the most populated area of Japan. I didn't really expect my plan to go so well. Kira, it is not far from the day you die."

Headquarters was sill in an uproar, although now for different reasons.

"That's the L I know!"

"Yes, he's proven that Kira does exist and is indeed in Japan."

"Kira I am extremely interested in your killing method, I shall figure it out…When I catch you!

"So do you think you can send me to the executioner L?"

"L…" Raito started.

"Kira…" L started.

"I will hunt you down and destroy you! I am Justice!" they said simultaneously, although L had no notion that they had.

L ended his message with a simple, "See you Kira." Leaving an angry Raito and an excited Ryuk in his wake. Humans are so interesting!

"I will win this…"

Detached: So do we enjoy the craziness? I'm gonna try to follow the book pretty closely on this one, so I'll take a while. And then….more craziness! I did Raito's viewpoint for a while, but he'll be ignored for a little bit, the way he protects his notebook with the desk doesn't really need to be explained, you know? Focus on L's pages for a bit. At least in the beginning. Oh and you see that I made Raito paranoid about him room already. He doesn't have the pencil lead in place yet, so only 2/3 paranoid. Crazy bastard. I think I'm all done blabbing now. 'night.

Raito: I am not a crazy bastard!

L: No you're a crazy megalomaniac who wants to rule the world.

Raito: -glares-