A/N: First fanfic… prologue of first fanfic ever. FYI, it won't always sound like this, it just does right now because it's a prologue. It WILL have PoVs. Many thanks to caveat lector, the most amazing person in the world who 1) inspired me to write something, 2) put up with all my stupid questions, and 3) helped point out what was wrong and somehow make me feel better about my writing AT THE SAME TIME. Truly thankful. :D Also thanks to all the friends I sent this to asking for criticism and comments when I got paranoid with it... especially babababeanie (who also happens to be the only friend I sent this to that has a fanfic account! XD) And please review, even if only to say that it really sucked and you hate it more than life itself, because that's helpful to know ^^
Disclaimer: I certainly HOPE you already know that I don't own Death Note or any of its characters, because they would NEVER turn out that wonderful… and amazing… and fuzzy… (ahem)if I had.
The change happened on one snowy night, with the darkening sky in Winchester, England. A lonely boy with big dark eyes and black hair falling in his face, holding onto the hand of a lonely man, known to the world but never understood. The snow fell gently, freezing on the iron gate of a building proudly pronounced "Wammy's House – Orphanage," by the sign posted on the gate.
Then there was a letter- L. The small young boy hid behind the name, playing, helping others not out of the goodness of his heart, but for his own personal amusement. And the graying old man, always lingering in the shadows, protecting his only family from harm.
Thus was the birth of "Wammy's House – Orphanage for Extraordinary Children." Children, whose minds were faster, smarter, and more capable than anyone else's. The letters came first- the experiments. They lost their minds, couldn't handle the expectations, the pressure. Their lives were structured too closely. After that failed attempt came the second generation. Wammy was everywhere yet nowhere, searching hospitals secretly for homeless children, tested for extraordinarily high natural intelligence and skills. These children were given a new chance at life, and an aspiration to work towards. They had a brighter outlook on life, not pushed to any objectives they couldn't achieve.
Enter Mihael Kheel. M was homeless, from a wealthy family, proud. Found by Wammy after an incident where his parents and elder sister drowned at sea. Soon after acceptance into Wammy's House, he rose to the head of the pack, defeating the ex-first place by a landslide, seemingly easily. Got along well with everyone who respected him, easily subdued his enemies in the House. Finally believed he found his rightful place in the world.
Until Nate River. N, the unemotional albino boy with a knack for witty comebacks. Avoided the company of others, and was ignored, save a few compassionate souls wishing to help with his nonexistent problem. Beat Mello by a hairline in the standings, and has been despised by him ever since. Never shared his personal views unless specifically asked, which was rarely, since he scared most of the children with his detached gaze.
And finally, Mail Jeevas, the kid who just wanted to be left alone, who seemed to study everyone and everything around him from a distance. The one whose father died flying his plane, and whose mother raised him alone from age 3 to age 7, when she followed his father to the grave in a car crash. The boy that felt the world was falling to pieces around him, slowly, and was waiting until it did, watching from the other side of the window.