"Roger I want you to tell us the story about B, about he tried to succeed L, but ultimately ran away from here" says Mello to Roger.
Near sits across from Mello. They are both facing Roger in his office room. It is a rainy afternoon in August 2002. Naomi Misora has been hot on the trail of the Los Angeles B.B. murder cases throughout this time.
"Mello, Near, I'm not so sure it would be an appropriate time for me to tell you the story of Beyond Birthday right now. Not while L has someone working for him right now to bring him down" Roger tells Mello.
"It's okay Roger, I don't think L would mind. Please tell us the story, from the very beginning to when Beyond Birthday first arrived here until the time he had left. I am rather curious to know since I don't really know much about Beyond Birthday myself" says Near.
"Right, see even Near wants to know Roger!" says Mello.
"Not many people here in Wammy's House do Near, in fact no one knows the full story of Beyond Birthday save for me, Watari, and L" says Roger. Roger then sighs.
"Perhaps it is time you boys knew."
And with that being said Roger begins to narrate his story about Beyond Birthday's days in Wammy's house.
Roger: "It all began when L and Watari brought in the second child to Wammy's House. His name as you know was 'Beyond Birthday' but for the purposes of his stay here his name was shortened to just 'B.' He was to join our child, 'A', as one of the hopeful successors to L one day. Very little was known about B, even to me. All I was told was that both of his parents were dead and that he was dubbed a "special child" at his school. He was 13 years old when we brought him here."
Beyond Birthday is being brought into Wammy's House by Watari and L. He is introduced to Roger at Roger's study office and Roger introduces Beyond to A, the first child brought into Wammy's. Beyond was followed up as the 'second child.' A introduces himself to Beyond,
A: "Hello my name is Alex or A as they call me here. It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"
B: "Nice to meet you Alex, my name is Beyond Birthday, but I suppose I will be called B here."
Roger: "During the first few weeks B spent here at Wammy's house, we would put him and A through the traditional tests that we have put both of you through during your time here. B was always doing something differently from A. In a way they actually remind me of you two in that light, except for the fact that B was very…different. He would often be seen…arguing with himself."
Beyond Birthday struggles to keep the demonic voice in his head quiet.
B: "Will you just be quiet for once ALREADY?!"
Demon: "Why Beyond I thought YOU HAD FUN TALKING TO ME AND SPENDING TIME WITH ME!"
B: "When I'm lonely or scared it's not that I mind it so much it's just, I'm trying to make a good impression while I'm here and I met a nice boy who I've made friends with here named Alex! I don't want him to get the wrong idea about me…"
Demon: "HAHA! So you mean to say that you're ashamed of our shared secret? Of what you really are!"
B: "I don't know what I am! I don't know what you are I was just born with this! But it doesn't mean I understand who or what you are I just assumed I must be crazy!"
Demon: "My my little Beyond Birthday you disappoint me. In time, you will give in to my needs, no, OUR NEEDS. Your true self. You just don't see it right now."
B: "I don't know if I ever want to know."
Roger: "I can't describe why he was so different, he just was. B was a special child and no matter how hard A tried to keep up with him in sleuthing and deducting abilities, B somehow always schooled A. Not to say that A was a bad student, he put in a lot of effort, but B just did everything…better."
Mello interrupts, "So are you trying to say that Beyond Birthday was a real genius like L, Roger?"
Roger: "I wouldn't go so far as trying to say that Mello. When it comes to Beyond Birthday, it's complicated. He was a remarkably smart child, one who's deductive abilities were argued to be a match for L. Even a threat to him. In that regard, I suppose you could say that B was (Roger pauses and corrects himself regretfully realizing Beyond is still alive out there) is a genius. But an eccentric genius is what he was. The reason for that is because…Beyond Birthday started to dress and act more like L, as the months went by."
Roger pauses a moment to think. Near chimes in. "Is there something about Beyond Birthday that you're leaving out Roger?"
Roger: "Well, yes, there is in fact. I should have known I couldn't hide something, especially from you Near."
Mello: "Well then out with it old man we're not here to hear half a story, we want it all!"
Roger: "Yes, you're right Mello. You and Near deserve to know, you're not children anymore. In the months that B began acting more like L, the way he dressed, the way he ate, even his hair became more like L…B took a knack to challenging A…he would challenge A where every time they would see an unknown person on TV, or a picture of someone on the newspaper unnamed, or came across a complete stranger, B would challenge A to use his deductive skills to figure out what his or her name was. A would always fail, while B proved to succeed every time."
At this point in Roger's story Mello's jaw drops in shock.
Roger: "B thrived on having A fail all of his challenges. It became such a big deal that even I nor Watari couldn't be blind from B's strange talent, and yet we couldn't explain why he could come up with the names of these people just by looking at their image. It was astounding and even frightening."
One day A approaches Beyond about his feelings on Beyond's challenges towards him. Little does A know that Beyond Birthday, has Shinigami eyes that aid him.
A: "Beyond there's something I'd like to tell you."
B: "What is it Alex?"
A: "I don't appreciate you challenging me to figuring out people's names anymore. I just can't do it the way you somehow do it. You've proven that you're more clever than me in that right but I'd like you stop now."
B: "Are you saying you're giving up on what L has sought us to do? To live up to him as his successors?"
A: "No I'm not saying that! I'm saying that what started off as some playful competition between friends has become a manic and dark obsession of yours Beyond! You're not the same kid I knew when I first met you 7 years ago!"
B: "Seven years…it's been that long already hasn't it?" he says with a small demonic grin on his face.
A: "Beyond…I don't think I even know who you are anymore."
B: "Alex, if only you knew…" he says with his expression turning into guilt.
A: "SHUT UP! KNEW WHAT?! THAT YOU'RE A PSYCHO? YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO BE MY FRIEND BEYOND! YOU WERE MY FRIEND…But now I don't know what you've turned into. All you do is fucking challenge me and you talk to yourself all the time!"
B: "You don't understand Alex! You can never understand! You don't understand what I'm going through!"
A: "Understand what that you're fucking crazy?!"
A suddenly feels guilty about what he said.
A: "I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way. Beyond, if you really need help maybe you should go seek it."
B: "You know what A, fuck you!"
And with a burst Beyond charges at A and knocks him down. A gets up from his feet shocked with tears flowing. He starts to head towards his room but not before saying one last thing to Beyond.
A: "You've never called me A before."
Roger pauses a moment, looking like he is about to say something in shame.
Roger: "In the months following after I heard that A had a nasty argument with B, things had only grown worse between the two of them. L and I did the best we could to try to keep them calm and have them rekindle their friendship but as each day, week, month passed they were drifting farther and farther apart. It was obvious that their friendship had deteriorated and sadly became more of a nasty rivalry."
Demon: "You don't need that brat anymore."
B: "Why are you making me do this? He was my friend!"
Demon: "Don't be such a FUCKING FOOL! You can never have any real friends in this world. Perhaps lovers but even those may fade. "
B: "But Alex cared about me! He was like a brother to me and I pushed him away! Pushed him away because of us!"
Demon: "You still don't get it do you? If you continue to be friends with this boy eventually he will end up like the others."
B: "Are you sure of that?"
Demon: "It's not like you haven't killed before."
Roger: "Then that day came that none of us at Wammy's House could forget. We found A had hung himself from outside his bedroom window. The rope was tied to the window lever from the inside as his body stuck out hanging from the outside. It was a truly sad and horrifying sight to see. It was told to us from B that A had lost his faith in being L's successor and that he couldn't handle the pressure anymore. It was too much for him. From that day on, the way we handled things at Wammy's House had changed."
L, Watari, and Beyond are at A's funeral. Speeches are made and everyone pays their respects to A's tragic death. After everyone leaves, Beyond requests to Roger for him to stay by A's gravestone just a little longer before they go home.
B: 'What have I done?' he thinks to himself.
Demon: "This isn't your fault."
B: "But what if it was me that did it? I honestly…cannot remember."
Demon: "Listen to me his demise wasn't by your hand. This is the fault of the one you look up to as your mentor, the one you call L."
B: "L? What does he have to do with this?"
Demon: "Has this L ever showed you true sympathy? Has he ever treated you or A respectfully as people?"
B: "No…not exactly. Wait…you might be on to something. L never showed us much remorse let alone sympathy! To us we're just his puppets! We're nothing to him! Nothing more than his tools to be used!"
Demon: "Exactly. Now you see. You said it to L and Watari yourself that A committed suicide because he couldn't take the pressure of being L's successor any longer, didn't you? He thinks he can just use you, your entire being of existence to advance himself and wallow in his good fortune. But you lost the only friend you ever had."
B: "But you were the one that told me I can't ever have any real friends did you not?"
Demon: "I cannot deny that I did say that but maybe you could have proven me wrong. This boy meant so much to you and L could have obviously given less a shit."
Beyond's eyes go red, thirsting for blood. For the first time he fully accepted the demon's words inside him and began to believe this so called 'true side' of himself. He lusted for revenge and he couldn't think of anyone better to pay for A's death than L.
Roger: "Upon hearing A's death L had formed new, stricter guidelines for each of our children to follow of which L was very serious about. L instructed me to set forth these new rules and guidelines for each of our children being brought to the house as potential successors to L. I agreed with his new, stricter approach seeing it as a way of preventing future similar incidents to A's suicide. B unfortunately did not take kindly to L's new rules. He would blame L for A's death, reasoning that A killed himself because the pressure of succeeding L proved too much for him.
"What sort of things would he do Roger?" Mello would interrupt.
Roger: "B as I said would always want to imitate L. He would go so far as trying to solve L's unsolved cases he was working on at the moment. We wouldn't know how B would find out about L's private cases that weren't televised, he just somehow knew them and tried to solve them. He would even think that he was better than L, mentioning that he should just be made L's successor now."
Near interrupts, "It sounds like Beyond had a special advantage or power he was keeping secret from everyone, Roger."
Roger replies, "That very well may be true Near, that is what L suspected and told us. Now as I was saying B would continue to try to solve L's cases, mentioning them aloud in front of the other potentials when we forbid him not to, and continuously challenging each one of them when he wasn't suppose to. Then one day B demanded that he see L face to face."
Beyond comes before Roger in his office one day.
B: "Roger I would like to speak with L in person."
Roger: "B you know making a heavy-handed request like that isn't going to go through so easily. L has been busy solving cases around the world that threaten it on a global scale."
B: "I understand Roger but I have something important to speak to L about and I can only do it in person. You must make him come here."
Roger: "And as I told you B, L is an important individual in the world. If he's not available then there's nothing we can do about it, not even me."
B: "Roger you're gonna ask L to come here because if you don't you're going to tell L that there is gonna be another death in this house."
A brief moment of silence passes between them.
Roger: "Is that a threat B?"
B: "No Roger, think of it more as a promise."
Roger: "You do know that murder is a criminal act which L will not tolerate and will involve the authorities don't you?"
B: "I'm well aware Roger. I'm ready to be arrested. So unless L shows up here, there's going to be blood spilled in this house. And we've already suffered through one death."
Roger: "Very well B, have it your way. I will get L here as soon I can."
A few days later L arrives to Wammy's House. Roger summons him to his office where Beyond confronts him.
L: "B, Roger told me you want to speak to me and the consequence you pressed if I were not to show."
B: "Yes L what you heard is right."
L: "I shouldn't have to remind you B that I will not tolerate threats especially ones that will relate to a criminal act."
B: "I only said that so I can guarantee your coming here L."
L: "Well you've gotten my attention B now what is it?"
B: "I wanted to let you know in person that you have failed all of us. A most of all especially. His death is your doing. He couldn't handle the pressure of being your successor so he killed himself."
L: "Roger has already told me you said this about me. First of all I cannot be held accountable the true reason behind A's death. Second of all, is there anything you would like to tell me that I haven't already heard before? Or am I here just so you can waste my time?"
B: "That's all we are to you here at Wammy's House. You think of all of us as a GODDAMN WASTE OF TIME!"
L: "Enough of this B!"
B: "That's not my name! That's not my name you sick son of a bitch! I asked you to come down here to tell you that you've failed all of us at Wammy's and that it's because of you that I've lost my best friend! You don't deserve to be our mentor and someone should take your place right now as it is!"
L: "Really B? Well if that's how you really feel, who do you feel is worthy of my position and title?"
B: "Myself. I feel that I'm worthy, no more worthy than you."
Roger just looks from Beyond to L, words escaping him until he musters up the courage to speak up.
Roger: "B this behavior and these insults towards L will not be tolerated and are not easily forgivable. I'm going to have to suspend you from the house."
Beyond just looked at Roger with a bitter look on his face. Then he looked at L. All of a sudden he clenched his fist and charged at L with his fist aiming to punch him. Roger steps in the way before Beyond could reach L though and gets punched instead.
Then L jumps over at Beyond angrily and punches him. Beyond gets hit but doesn't stop and lifts his foot and kicks L in the chest. L gets thrown back and stunned for a second but then he says.
L: "Enough of this Beyond!"
Then L spins over 180 degrees and kicks Beyond right in the face and knocks him down.
Roger: "Since that day we locked up B in our confinement here in the house, but it wasn't long until B somehow managed to escape.
Near: "He escaped? But how Roger?"
Roger: "We don't know Near."
Mello chimes in, "So that was the last Beyond Birthday had anything to do with Wammy's House? He didn't even leave a note or message explaining himself?!"
"No I'm afraid not Mello" replies Roger. "Beyond Birthday as I said was a unique child who we trained here. Now that I think about it, it didn't really feel like we were the ones training him, but I suppose you could say he was training himself. He idolized L and this idolatry eventually turned into hatred and blame for the death of his friend A. He kept spouting how L was to blame over A's death and that L didn't deserve his title. He wanted to be better than L. Our best assumption is that based on L's strong suspicion that he is the one responsible for the wara ningyo murder cases in Los Angeles, CA, that he is trying to create a case that is unsolvable for L, thus surpassing him in wits."
Over 5, 000 miles away, we see Beyond Birthday in Los Angeles, CA, dressed the same way as L and sporting the same hair style as L. He is holding a picture of Naomi Misora.
B: "So this is my final hurdle to beat you L. I just now need to get to you, Naomi Misora."