DISCLAIMER/INTRO:

To be safe, do not read unless you familiar with the entire storyline of Death Note, so as to avoid spoilers. So this is about Near and Mello in the Wammy House. For my purposes, Near is female, not for sexual reasons but because I dislike how DN is so sexist, so I like the idea of Kira's final enemy being female. So Near is a girl in this. Deal.

Chapter One - Sometime Friends

"You'll be working on this next project in pairs. You have five minutes to pair up, or I will pick your partners for you." Professor L was strict, and intense, despite his laid-back style of speech and dress. All of the children immediately started buzzing. One girl in the front row jumped up quickly and turned her head sharply towards the back of the room, silently fixing her eyes on a particular choice of partner. The blond boy at the back of the room slowly looked up, and seemed to assent, despite another boy's attempt on his attention. Other children paired up with varying degrees of excitement. Mello did end up with the albino girl in the front of the room, walking up to sit by her.

"Ok, Near, I'll work with you."

"Good!" Near and Mello both smiled in unbridled anticipation for the assignment.

The entire time that this was going on, Professor L watched closely. He marveled at the girl's ability to tell who her best peers were – she went right for the best kid in the class, second perhaps only to her. L wondered whether she would have that confidence as she grew older – the confidence to be drawn to those who were most qualified, and act on that impulse. It was an interesting phenomenon to see students that young and innocent yet that intelligent.

Before the assignment could be given out, Professor L was called to the door. Roger appeared in the hallway, and said "Professor – it's time for the appointment. I will take over the class for the time being. Good luck, sir." The children groaned in disappointment, their young sensibilities not refined enough to hide it. Roger was a good teacher, but Professor L was the best, and the smartest!

"Where did Professor L go?" called a 13-year-old boy, the one who had tried to claim Mello's attention earlier. This wasn't an uncommon occurrence, and the class fully expected a perfunctory answer like "He has a meeting," or something of that nature. Unsatisfactory, of course, but something. Instead, Roger took a deep, shaky breath, and said,

"He'll be back soon."

He looked like he was about to cry out of nervousness or frustration. He handed out the assignment, which was an analysis of a difficult-to-solve case of the 1800s. While the groups started working, Roger sat heavily in the chair by L's desk. The 11-year-old girl and 13-year-old boy working together in the front of the room didn't start the assignment, though, despite being the most skilled pair in the room.

"Mello! Did you see that? I'll bet this has something to do with that Kira case in Japan that people are talking about. That's why Roger's so nervous. Kira seems so scary."

"Could be, Near. Kira is a scary idea. I hope that Professor L can handle it, though. If he can't, no one can!" This last statement was said fervently, and belied a strong belief that the children all shared. Professor L was the best in the world, and if he couldn't do something, it should be considered impossible. Mello and Near were both chilled by the very thought that Kira could be too slippery for their teacher, and decided to start work. They quickly outlined the methods of the police available at the time of the case, and then they tried to find out new ideas. It was quite difficult, and for typical preteens, it would have been prohibitively so. For your above-average pre-teens, it would have been a stretch. For these kids, it was an appropriate challenge.

After twenty minutes, Professor L re-entered the room, saying to Roger,

"It was quite interesting. You can watch how it happened on the television in the screening room, or your computer, it's already up. We are up against a formidable opponent." Roger was flabbergasted.

"You're…"

"Roger, he's not that formidable. I'll take over from here for today. My future plans are written up and have been left for you. Please act accordingly, and thank you for your help."

Roger got up and left, with a sigh of relief and a half-chuckle.

Professor L looked at the class, and said, "That was a particularly interesting meeting. If we get through everything we need to get through today, you may get a chance to see what happened, as it was taped. You can all learn from it – both things to do, and things not to do, in an investigation."

The class was on edge with a bubbling thrill – getting to see an investigation! That was something that only the older kids ever got to do – if anyone! They quickly wrapped up their work, whether near completion or not. Mello and Near did a rushed, but complete, job, and handed in their work, waiting irrepressibly for the news. At the end of the class period, L ducked into the hallway for a short moment, bringing back a television on a wheeled cart. He turned on the video without a word, swiftly clicking PLAY. The class had a collective eye-widening experience. Professor L retreated to his chair, sitting on his feet. He watched along with them, studying his own moves, analyzing them as if they were an academic exercise, something to break down.

I am Lind L. Tailor, also known as L.

The students gasped at the lie. L was in the room with them! This older man (without any L-like mannerisms) was not their L! After a few moments, during which this "L" spoke out against Kira, the L imposter collapsed over the desk, clutching his chest. This time, the class cried out almost in unison – most kids screamed or yelped, some burst into tears, but two students, Near and Mello, merely widened their eyes. They were in shock, but maintained composure, and an intense academic and investigative interest. Near, out of sheer nervous energy, started vigorously twirling a lock of bleach-white hair with one hand and tapping out a fast pattern on her desk with the other.

"Well, children, that is all the time we have today. I would tell you what I think of this in an academic sense, but it is still too recent for my commentary to be any good to anyone. I will see you in two days, have a good Wednesday."

(A/N: R&R, of course… if there is anything at all that you didn't like, be sure to say – the quality of fanfiction won't raise itself, you know!)