Okay, first time with Death Note fanfic, so allow me to make a disclaimer for you. Obviously, I don't own anything except this plot line and any of the characters I make up. Everyone else belongs in Death Note. Then there's the fact that this is indeed my first time, so my apologies if you feel like the characters are OOC (feel free to comment if they are). Finally, there's the fact this doesn't line up with the actual plot line. You'll get some of the characters, but there's nothing else to it.

Now, let's get started!

Choosing

Part I: "Place Your Face"

Chapter One:

Mello's morning started off as they normally did on Mondays; he got up, took a shower, brushed his teeth, pretty much got ready for the day before stepping out of his room with a chocolate bar sticking out of his mouth. He then crossed the hall to wake up, probably the only person he treated with any form of kindness at Whammy's House: Matt. This, of course, did not include when the guy went to bed late on Sunday night, which left Mello to kick open the door in order to wake the ginger up.

"MATT! GET THE FUCK UP! WE'VE GOT SCHOOL THIS MORNING!" Naturally, Matt sat up in his dazed and tired expression, but reluctantly got up because he was too tired to fend off the seventeen-year-old blond. So, Mello waited in the door frame; tapping his foot impatiently while munching more of his chocolate bar until such time Matt was ready. "Took you long enough!" He complained, "When will you ever learn to stop playing Zelda at four am on a Sunday, Matt?" He questioned, rhetorically.

"When will you learn," Matt started, lifting a hand over his mouth as he yawned, "to stop waking me up three hours before classes start?" Mello rolled his eyes; Matt could be snippy, but he wasn't good at come backs when he was sleep deprived. It wasn't too often, but often enough, regardless.

The two went to breakfast; sitting at their usual table. Mello was trying to get his breakfast in before Near showed up to ruin his morning; he was two years older than the brat, and he was still second. It irked him a lot, but it irked him even more because of his age. Mello had turned seventeen exactly a month ago. It was mid-January, and Mello didn't have a lot of time in order to get ahead of Near. All kids in Whammy's house were sent off for their future at age eighteen, at the latest, and if he didn't prove himself to L soon, then Near would most especially become his heir.

That was it; he had eleven months precisely, and if he didn't win, all his efforts would be futile. He didn't want that, dammit! He worked too hard in order to fall behind a stupid brat that still played with toys! He had to find a way to get ahead of him before his eighteenth birthday. Otherwise, he would forever be second to his rival.

They managed to finish before Near got in line, quite thankfully, but Mello could still feel the boy staring at him as he left. "Good morning, Mello, Matt." Mello grunted in response at the typical tone Near had been speaking with for years. He wasn't going to deal with Near right now, he was going to get to class and prove how much better he was.

Mello and Matt separated to attend different classes. Matt was probably going to fall back asleep in his global history lecture while Mello went to physics class; a textbook propped up in his hands, and a chocolate bar in his mouth. It helped him concentrate, and chocolate normally allowed him to forget his competition and just study in order to simply prove himself.

He sat down in his desk and stayed like that until a few hours later, when class started. The teacher, although didn't like Mello's tongue, was thankful at the fact he was interested in his studies and made a great amount of effort in his classroom. As much as they mutually hated each other personally, they could tolerate each other professionally, so long as Mello didn't have an outburst. And since most of the kids in the class knew better than to provoke the blond, the man's class was always quiet. And if people whispered or did something to break either his or Mello's concentration, the class knew trouble would come with it.

The class was meant to last two hours long, and they were barely halfway through it. Mello and the teacher were having a bit of a debate about one of the equations up on the board when a knock came at the door. They stopped bickering as the door opened; Roger, the housekeeper at Whammy's, stepped through the door and looked directly at Mello. "Grab your things, Mello, and come with me," he ordered, neither angry nor annoyed.

Confused as to why, Mello reluctantly grabbed his things and left the classroom. Once outside the door, he noticed Matt was standing with Roger as well; his bag also in his hand, and he was much more awake than earlier (probably from a nap). They walked on with Roger; both giving the other a look that first questioned what was going on before making another expression that told the latter they didn't know.

"Roger, what the hell is going on?" Mello half demanded, but kept his voice at an inside-volume. This was the guy who controlled the chocolate supply, and Mello wasn't going to upset him and risk losing his number one food in the entire orphanage. It had happened once as a punishment, and Mello made it his job to not get in as much trouble to ensure that consequence again.

Roger didn't answer. Instead, he stepped into Arabic 101, where the children inside were learning the language as well as the many cultures. "Near, grab your things," He ordered, waiting patiently for the boy to come out.

Once done, Roger closed the door as Near set his eyes on the others. "What's the occasion?" He asked, a bit puzzled (for once).

"No fucking clue," Mello answered briefly, a tad bit annoyed that his question wasn't answered already.

Roger still didn't reply. He simply motioned the boys to follow him until they reached the corridor that had all three of their rooms. While Mello's and Matt's were across from each other, Near had the one at the other end of the hall. Roger stopped there before looking down at the three of them. "L called," he started, getting all three to jerk their heads in his direction as well as getting their full attention, "He didn't explain why, but he's going to be landing in Winchester within the next six hours in order to pick you three up. He said it important that you come with your bags packed for at least a few months, and that you board on his flight to France immediately after." He explained further.

Nothing more was said, and nothing had to be said. The boys left for their rooms, getting their bags packed while wondering what L had planned for them. Whatever it was, Mello was trying to be hopeful in the situation. If they were traveling with L, that meant there might be a chance to prove that he is a better successor than Near. There didn't seem to be much any other reason but a test, and Mello was determined to ace it.

So, his luggage set full to the brim, Mello walked out of his room, joining Roger and Matt before Near came walking up to them. With that being done, Roger led them outside where three cars were waiting, due to the amount of luggage they had to bring. The three of them got into one; allowing their chauffeurs to pack their luggage before driving them to the airport to meet L.

Okay, a decent start, I think. Hopefully not too bad with the characters (feel free to correct me), and I'm sure you noticed that this story is centered around Mello. Each part of Choosing is meant to focus around one of the three possible heirs L has. The first is Mello, quite obviously. I'm not sure if Near or Matt will be next, but I will be working as diligently as my schedule will allow on this story.

Thanks for reading, guys!
~ K. Fang-sama