Hi guys! This is a prequel to our Death Note fanfic which should be up when Kamiko-chan comes back.

Sorry Kamiko, but I didn't know what your character was called so I called her Corcra which is Irish for purple. I didn't know her appearance or personality either so I made it up as I went along. Sorry! ^^

R&R please!

Changing

It was all silent in the orphanage. The rain gently pattered against the windows, and the wind whooshed past softly, blowing away rubbish and sending it cart-wheeling down the road.

A lone girl was awake, and her eyes glittered as she pressed her hands to the window and stared outside. It was so far away. So far. And yet so close.

A single tear ran down her cheek as she bit her bottom lip, trembling. She had failed. How could she tell her friend? She couldn't do it, she couldn't replace the documents. If she had simply edited them...added an extra thirty-eight points to the test score...they wouldn't be there anymore, they'd be in Wammy's. They'd be happy.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, and her voice was so lost, so alien.

Another tear fell and splashed onto the windowsill.

"I'm sorry." She repeated and her voice cracked. They were in the wrong orphanage. They were in the wrong place. The wrong world. She ran a hand through her black hair, held it aloft, and then let it fall back down past her shoulders. She'd had enough.

"Time to change." She whispered, and a last tear rolled silently down her face.

- - - - - - ...Later... - - - - - -

"Hey, Ayaka!" A girl called, with dark brown hair twisted up into a messy bun, looking confused and a little angry, "What happened? Why didn't you edit the papers?"

Ayaka looked up, eyes dark, her mouth a tight line.

"I couldn't do it." She said bitterly, "I couldn't do it, okay? Believe it or not, but I have morals! I want to get into Wammy's truthfully, okay Corcra?"

Corcra's face twisted into a scowl.

"How can a lowlife orphan who steals have morals?" She spat out. Ayaka looked at her, a look of mingled surprise and hurt in her face.

"It'll be different." Ayaka said quietly, "We can try Corcra. We can change." Corcra bit her lip, violet eyes thoughtful and apologetic.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, "Ayaka, I'm sorry. I just want to leave this place. I didn't mean it...I'm sorry."

Ayaka forced a smile.

"It's okay." She answered and Corcra pulled her into a tight hug.

"So, what do you want to do?" Corcra asked, making her voice cheery and upbeat. Ayaka gave a small laugh.

"Let's go to the hairdressers. I'll take some money from the old lady's purse, she won't notice." Ayaka explained with a grin.

"Sure!" Corcra's face broke into a wide, hyper grin.

"Then, let's go."

- - - - - - ...Later... - - - - - -

"You look...different." Corcra said, studying Ayaka.

Her long, straight, black locks had been cut into a jagged, jaw-length bob that dipped down over one eye, streaked with all the colours of the rainbow, bloody reds and bright blues, grassy greens and cheery yellows, starry silvers and pure whites, brave oranges and proud purples. The only colour missing was pink.

"You're one to talk." Ayaka said with a smirk. Corcra's hip-length brown hair had been trimmed to mid-back, dyed a dark navy blue, and streaked with a sooty black. Bangs covered her forehead, making her eyes stand out.

"We've changed." Ayaka said softly, after paying and leaving the hairdressers, "I don't feel like me anymore."

Corcra reached over and squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"But it's worth it." She reassured, smiling at the smaller girl. Ayaka looked up at the cloudy sky.

"I hope so." She whispered, clinging to Corcra like a young child, "I hope so."

"Pinkie promise friend forever?" Corcra asked, holding out her little finger. Ayaka and Corcra linked pinkies.

"I promise." Ayaka swore.

It started to rain again, almost as if the sky was crying at the two girls promise.

But they would never break it...would they?