Whoo! Okay. This is my FIRST attempt at a Death Note Story... Please enjoy!

I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE, ITS CHARACTERS, OR ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

Kira was the puppet master in this play, urging his marionettes forward tactlessly, with skill and precision. His true goal was the finale, the final act, in which everything would fall into place, and the performance was over, then, of course, he would be free.

It didn't matter who, or when, as long as it paid off in the long run. It didn't matter that his first puppet was a fluke, a mere bruise on society, unlike his later pawns, who ripped mercilessly at Kira's view on the world, reiterating the founding concept of his eradication of the filth of society: "This world is rotten."

Gradually, of course, those Kira the Savior punished grew more and more outspread, hitting hard the major criminals all of the world, despite location, puzzling the planet's police force, as the shinigami, Ryuk, watched the story unfold, sucked in by brilliance of the man who picked up the Death Note. It was fun, indeed.

Hideki Ryuga, Ryuuzaki, L. It didn't matter what name the detective guised himself with; he became a threat, but in the end, a tool in his own demise. His mistake had first of all been showing his face to Kira, and threatening the would-be King of the New World's ideals and prospects, among other things. He proved himself quite useful in the end, proving the innocence of the suspected first Kira.

The Second Kira, too. Misa Amane was popular, ditzy, and her fashion sense didn't match her personality. With the eyes of a death god, however, she proved to be one of Kira's strongest assets in the race against L. Dimwitted and blinded by so-called love, she clung to Kira's side, doing all she was told, never second guessing his commands, and her only demand was his heart. He consented, of course, only to use her to the fullest extend possible.

The main downfall of Misa was the shinigami who dropped the notebook rightfully belonging to her. Rem was caring and protective of the up-and-coming idol, threatening Kira face-to-face with death, should the young, naïve blonde fail to live until her lifespan depleted. Rem was the most vital part of L's death, having been backed into a corner. It was Misa's life, or her own, and she crumpled to dust for extending her lifespan, like the previous death god to love her, Gelus.

Kira was quite confident when the morning of January 28th, 2010 rolled around. Everything up until now was set for an easy checkmate, and, come 3:00 pm, the world was finally be his for the taking.

He had all of his best puppets, save Misa, bound, ready for their death day's performance, strung tight by silver threads to the commanding hand of God, their fates tied together by nothing more than a black notebook, haphazardly dropped by a bored shinigami.

This was to be his day of conquest, to finally have beaten L, and his successors, once and for all. The entirety of the SPK was assembled in one place, that Yellow Box Warehouse, where their meeting had been scheduled, to await their final, and permanent, doom. It was to be a victory that was long be savored. All of Kira's threat-posing opposition would be taken care of, by Mikami's hand.

His marionettes were ready, poised for action, to confront the SPK, suspecting the same person L had those many years ago. Aizawa, always suspicious, was tense; Matsuda uncertain, but strangely excited, and as for Ide, he was apprehensive at best, swallowing his emotions to hide his inner turmoil at what could possibly happen.

Mikami would be there, faithful, putting his life on the line for the sake of Kira's cause, to better the world. He was a great pawn in this game against L, and Near. Perfectly obedient, the strings wound tightly over his limbs, his actions strictly routine and preplanned, mindless. Kira wouldn't have it any other way; if Mikami acted on his own, his preciously set plans would crumble, leaving nothing but dust and a terrifying legacy in his wake.

Kiyomi Takada, too, had been merely a piece, perhaps a rook, completely controlled by the puppet master, in this game of wits. Twice was she manipulated by him, at first unknowingly, and then deliberately. A smart woman, maybe; but she lacked the common sense that Kira was using her to gain his proposed 'selfless' intentions, the new world, a place where peace reigned from where he sat on his golden throne. Takada was a great marionette, but stupid nonetheless.

That first hour after 3:00 crawled by slowly, Near telling them wait, for someone was to arrive. For those sixty minutes, no one moved, rooted on the spot, awaiting Mikami's arrival. Just waiting…

Near 4:00, the door cracked open. It was time. It was time for Kira's ultimate truimph, to best Near, and finally turn his back on L's continued legacy as he created a world that suited his ideals, what he thought would be best for the world. His slowly tainted ambitions were to be finally realized in the full extent of the Death Note's true power.

Only forty seconds until it was all over.

"You there, how long as it been since you wrote the first name?" God was talking to Mikami.

"Thirty-five," The puppet replied, a wide grin spreading across his lips eagerly. He would do anything for Kira and they had finally won. "Thirty-six! Thirty-seven! Thirty-eight! Thirty-nine!"

"Well, Near, looks like I win," Light Yagami uttered, his intense gaze transfixed on the white-clad detective, who sat twirling a lock of his unruly hair. Almost maniacal was the look in his eyes--the look of a puppteer, enjoying the finale his marionettes enacted at his behalf.

"Forty!"

…and Near was the one who cut the strings.

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