Hello! This is ERBBY and you do not know how excited I am about this story! I'm actually going against my own will and doing what I hate: writing a chapter and then posting it once I'm done writing it. Yeah, I figured that if I don't do it that way, I'll lose interest in the story (that's what happened with Always There For You, but at least I finished it.) Also, this story is already organized and I pretty much have all of the other chapters written in my head. Getting them down on paper is the hard part. So, now let me disclaim!!!

DISCLAIMER: Death Note, Mello, Matt, Near, and all of that other fun mumbo jumbo belong to the almighty gods, Ohba Tsugumi and Obata Takeshi. I do not own them, but I will steal Mello one day...he's my ultimate favorite anime character (as well as Aki-chan from Furuba...but that's totally different). Also, in the Prologue here, be aware that the first half is my paraphrase of one scene from Chapter 77, so don't sue me for plagiarizing, because it's really just Mello's narration of that scene. Also, be prepared for some language, massive spoilers, and awesomeness spewing from Mello...he's pretty damn sexy.

Another note! Considering that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are basically the "Spokes-band" for Death Note, I was inspired by Californication, hence the title. "Otherside" helped me think of this new concept for the story (first person), so I named the story in honor of the song...ENJOY!

EDIT - 12/13/2007: As today is Mello's 18th Birthday, I am REPOSTING this story…to be more accurate, I have edited and proofread this story to a T and I would like to repost each chapter. So HAPPY 18TH MELLO! Here's your neat-and-clean story, ready for re-reading, or for some of you first timers out there!

Prologue

"I'm not just a tool for you to use to solve the puzzle," I say, pointing the gun to his white head. From the corner of my eye, I can see the two men in the room bring out their guns, pointing them at me.

"Rester, Gevanni, please lower your guns. If Mello wishes to shoot me, let him," Near says, not even turning his head. This only agitates me more and I put more pressure on the trigger, until Hal runs to me and grasps the gun.

"Mello, don't shoot him. If you do, then just capturing KIRA on your own would be meaningless. Besides, if you do shoot him, the three of us would be left with no choice but to shoot you as well. If both of you die, then KIRA succeeds."

I stare into her eyes and lower my gun, letting out a laugh. "I suppose she's right, Near. But I only came here for one thing: my picture."

He pulls the photo out from some random place on his body, showing me the side with my smirking face from five years ago.

"This is the only remaining photograph of you, Mello. Also, the surveillance cameras in this building do not record, just monitor," he says.

I walk over to him and grab the photo from his small hands. He hasn't grown much in the last five years; he's still just a little shrimp. He continues to speak.

"I've contacted the Wammy's House and anyone else who has seen your face. You're just about 100 cleared from being killed by the notebook."

I flip the photo over to see Near's handwriting. 'Dear Mello,' it says. It's obvious from this that he's been planning to meet up with me. He probably also figured that Hal would give the SPK's information on KIRA to me.

I look over at Near. "Near, I have no intention of joining you," I start.

"I know," he says without emotion.

"However, it feels unnatural for me to receive this picture without giving you something in return. The notebook…is a Shinigami's notebook." I hear the men in the room gasp. "Whoever touches the notebook can see and hear the Shinigami that owns it."

"That's ridiculous!"

"A Shinigami's notebook? Who's going to believe that bull?"

The two men in the room are almost yelling, but I don't care about their opinions; Near's in the only one that matters.

"I believe him," he says. I knew he would say that.

"There is no advantage for Mello to lie with a story about a Shinigami. If he were lying, he would've come up with something more believable, so Mello is telling the truth and Shinigami do exist."

"The notebook that was in my possession belonged to a Shinigami named Shidou, who was looking for his lost notebook on Earth. He said that another Shinigami had his notebook before," I say.

"This fact can be validated because of the rules written in English. If he were looking for a lost notebook, why would he write down the rules of the notebook for human use," Near says, playing with his dumb figurines.

I turn around and I'm ready to walk out of this place. "Oh yeah, Near, one more thing. Among the rules of the notebook is a fake one. That's all I'll tell you," I say, putting my gun in my pants.

"Near."

"Mello."

We speak simultaneously.

"Which one of us will get KIRA first?"

"The race is on…"

"I'll see you at the finish line," I say, and I walk out of the room.

I walk to an abandoned apartment building about two blocks away from the SPK headquarters. I open the door and walk inside, climbing up the beaten stairs. I enter a room, which oddly enough has a fire going in the fireplace. I sit down in the chair right by it and pull out my cell phone. I dial Matt's number and it rings about three times.

"Where the hell are you?" he says after answering.

I sigh. "New York."

"WHAT?! New York?! How the hell did you get to New York? When did you get there?"

"Well, I had a few errands to run and New York was the place to be."

He pauses. "Uh-huh, okay. So, did you see Near?"

I pause for a bit, too. "Yeah, I got my picture back."

"You did? What was he wearing? How much did he grow? What toys did he have with him? Is he still in that stupid blank emotionless state that he always used to be in?" He says all of this while laughing hysterically.

"Why do you care, Matt. He's still short and white, okay? And he's still a bit of a douche, too."

"Aw, isn't that cute." He pauses again. "So, when are you coming back to me?"

"Maybe tomorrow or the next day. I've still have to do some things for some one."

"Who, Near? Or that hot chick that you're always calling."

"You asshole, Near. I'll come back when I'm done, okay? See you then."

"Okay, later." He says, and then hangs up. I shut my cell phone close and lean back in the chair, sighing.

I pull out the picture and stare at it for a bit, laughing. I can't believe that the stupid kid in the picture used to be me. I look so cynical.

I look over at the fire place and my mind gets lost in the chaos of the flames. I toss in the picture and watch it slowly melt away, letting myself remember things that haven't crossed my mind for years…