Disclaimer: I do not own "Batman" or "Death Note". "Batman" was created by Bob Kane and copyrighted by Time Warner and "Death Note" was created and copyrighted by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
"The Fatal Pages"
CHAPTER 1
Lonnie Machin was walking to his high school in Gotham City lost in his thoughts. He was disappointed of how things were going. After becoming the vigilante Anarky, he wanted to be a beacon, a symbol of hope and change for a better world, a world free of crime and corruption, where everyone lived in peace and harmony. But now, he saw his vision as being futile.
No one was going to change. People here were apathetic. They didn't care, just as long as they're paid their slave wages at the end of the week and they get to go home and watch the mindless propaganda on their televisions, telling them everything was going splendidly.
He walks past a newspaper stand and sees the front of that day's Gotham Globe. The headline made him angry. It read:
MOB BOSS RUPERT THORNE RELEASED FROM PRISON
That bastard, he thought. If he had it his way, Rupert Thorne would be dead, buried, and forgotten. This was another thing he hated. The guilty always find a way to escape justice. The world would be better off without them. He wished for a way to erraticate them. He continued walking to school.
He arrived at school. He looked at the name of his school above the doorway. It read:
HALMITON HILL HIGH SCHOOL
He frowns at this too. Halmiton Hill was one of the most corrupt mayors this city ever had. To give him such an honor made him sick. It reminded him of the time when he went on a field trip to NASA in junior high and saw buildings named after Nazi scientists. Yet another thing he hated as well. Not only do the guilty escape justice, they get shrines of honor as well. He heads inside to his first class.
The day goes by as he expected, with him and his clssmates being spoon-fed their government approved lessons. As the school day reaches it's end, he looks out the window he's sitting near and sees a black notebook fall down to the ground outside. He wonders how that happened.
The bell rings, and he and the other students leave. He walks over to where he saw the notebook land. He saw other students and teachers walking past it, not even noticing it there in front of them. He goes over and picks it up. He opens the cover to see who it belongs to. He then sees the first words written in it:
THE PERSON WHOSE NAME IS WRITTEN IN THIS NOTEBOOK SHALL DIE.
Yeah, right. He thinks. He continues to read:
IT WILL NOT TAKE EFFECT UNLESS THE WRITER HAS THE PERSON'S FACE IN MIND WHEN WRITING HIS OR HER NAME. THEREFORE, PEOPLE SHARING THE SAME NAME WILL NOT BE EFFECTED.
IF THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS WRITTEN WITHIN THE NEXT 40 SECONDS OF WRITING THE PERSON'S NAME, IT WILL HAPPEN.
IF THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS NOT SPECIFIED, THE PERSON WILL SIMPLY DIE OF A HEART ATTACK.
He closes the book. This has to be some sort of a bad joke. A very elaborate one, at that. He puts it in his backpack. If a teacher found it, it would cause problems for him and his fellow students, as they would make the school into more of a police state than it is already. He heads for home.
After doing his homework and eating dinner, he goes to his room and watches what passes as news on his television. He watches as the newswoman gives a report.
"This is Vicki Vale for Gotham News Network. Earlier today, mob boss Rupert Thorne was released from prison after serving-"
He turns off the television. Disgusting, he thinks to himself. Suddenly, an idea hits him. He reaches into his backpack and pulls out the strange, black notebook he found earlier. He remembers the first words he read in it:
THE PERSON WHOSE NAME IS WRITTEN IN THIS NOTEBOOK SHALL DIE.
He smiles. What the heck, he thinks. He takes out a pen and writes.
RUPERT THORNE
He closes the notebook and puts it away. That was a great stress reliever. It would be funny if it actually worked and that old fart actually died, he thought to himself. He climbs into bed and turns out the light and falls asleep.
Early the next morning, he wakes up and turns on the television. Suddenly, there is a special report.
"This is Vicki Vale for Gotham News Network. Last night, not even twenty-four hours later after being released from prison, mob boss Rupert Thorne has died from a heart attack in his penthouse apartment."
A look of shock appears on his face. He turns and looks at his backpack, and quickly takes out the notebook. It can't be, he thinks to himself. He tells himself it has to be a coincidence. But then, what if it isn't? Does he actually have the power of death in his hands? He decides to test it out one more time. He just needs a suitable test subject. He then gets one as he hears an ad on television.
"Tonight live at 6:30, our esteemed reporter, Vicki Vale, interviews Oswald Cobblepot, formally known as the Penguin, about his life, his criminal carrer, and how he turned his life around. Respected news journalism you can trust, right here on the Gotham News Network!"
He smiles. This would be perfect.
That night, he sits in his room and turns on his television. He takes out the notebook and decides to wait awhile before writing the Penguin's name in it. He hears the boring details of Penguin's childhood, how Penguin began his life of crime and how Penguin usurped control from Fish Mooney. As the interview got to discussing Batman, is when he decided to strike.
He takes out his pen and writes:
OSWALD COBBLEPOT
40 seconds later, Oswald clutches his chest and collapses. Vicki screams to call an ambulance and cut to commerical. Lonnie looks in shock and down at the notebook. It does work. A smile forms on his face. He can't believe his luck. With this, he can make his dream world a reality. A few moments later, a somber looking Vicki Vale appears on television.
"This is Vicki Vale for Gotham News Network. Just a few moments ago, Oswald Cobblepot suffered a heart attack live on this network. He passed away shortly afterward. We send out our condolences to his family members, and our apologies to our viewers who were upset by seeing it unfold live here on this network."
He turns off the television and relishes in his glee. He then hears a voice.
"I see you're enjoying yourself. Having fun?"
He quickly turns around and sees a tall, thin, demonic creature, with a pale face, unkempt hair, and a huge grin on his face that reminded him of the Joker.
"Who are you?" Lonnie asks.
"My name is Ryuk. Pleased to meet you. I am a Shinigami. That notebook you're using is mine."