We don't need no education.
We don't need no thought control.
No dark sarcasm in the classroom.
Teachers, leave them kids alone!

~ Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2 (Pink Floyd)

The Kira case was finally done, and Near was sitting in his room at Whammy's House, adjusting to being the new L and looking at old files. He would have done this before, but he'd only had time to recover the deleted information about the Kira Case before he was shipped off to America.

While looking at the files, he came across a name he had never heard before, accompanied by a picture of a blonde in a cotton jacket with one stripe across the chest, a regular, white t-shirt, and blue jeans. The picture didn't go below his waist, so he couldn't tell what shoes were being worn, and his hair reached his shoulders in wavy locks. He had a pleasant smile, although his baby-blue eyes weren't smiling, and he was accompanied by the name "Audrey Baroque". On the top of his file was an Old English "A".

Near's eyes narrowed as he looked at that one letter: A. "A" was a ghost story, and it was told he was one of the first. He couldn't handle the pressure of growing up to be a detective like L, and hung himself in his old bedroom. As a result, A's bedroom was off-limits and no doubt full of dust. He remembered when Mello had been caught sneaking into there, and he was punished with no chocolate for a week and he was kept inside for the same amount of time. For Near, that kind of punishment wasn't a big deal. For Mello though, who loved the outdoors, it was torture.

Now that he was L, and Watari was gone, would it be safe to enter? He remembered seeing L standing outside A's door and looking torn between decisions before he gave the door a quick apology and walked off. He'd found it weird at the time, but maybe it wasn't the door L was talking to.

Maybe…it was A's ghost.

Years ago, before the Kira case, Near wouldn't have thought things like ghosts and death gods to exist. But, having engaged in a full conversation with the death god, Ryuk, he wasn't about to rule out the possibilities of a ghost being in A's room. And he'd heard from different articles that places with ghosts were always very cold. Hadn't A's room been cold, when he stood outside it?

Picking up the file of A, he stood up and left L's old room, – which now his – and quietly padded on socked feet to A's cold, abandoned room. When he reached it, he hesitated and looked around before he placed a hand on the doorknob, his heart pounding with anticipation and curiosity. The knob turned with ease and he slowly pushed it open, looking around the room that he had never been allowed into before now, and then stepped in.

He was right about assuming that it would be frigid. He wrapped his arms around himself and then looked up at the still fan that, on the day of A's death, had been moving and spinning around the boy's body. The thought made him shiver and he looked around to see the walls all covered with pictures and post-it notes, with books piled all over the room. He walked over to the bed and placed a hand on it before looking at the file. "…A." He said softly, his calm, monotone voice stabbing the silence like a brutal knife.

"Well, well, well." A voice said as an invisble hand touched Near's shoulder, a shuddering breath heard in his ear. "I didn't think anyone would visit me, after all these years." Near heard a soft chuckle and then the file was pulled out of his hands. "Is this my personal file? I didn't know they let students see these."

"…So, I was right." Near said calmly, turning to look at where the file was floating in the air. "You are a ghost." He reached up to twirl a lock of his hair thoughtfully, watching the file shift this way and that, as if being examined. "They don't normally let students see them. However, I am no longer a student." He glanced at where he could feel A's eyes on him.

"You're not? What are you still doing here, then?" A asked, curiosity in his tone. "You look twelve, kid. That's student-age."

"I'm eighteen, and I am also the new L." Near said calmly. "Don't you ever leave this room?" He looked around. "Or, can you not?"

"I caaaaan, but I usually only do it at night, when I can cause trouble and blame it on one of you kids." A let out a giggle. "Anyways, you don't seem surprised or startled that a ghost is talking to you. Nor are you denying it. And where did L go, if you're the new one?" Near felt the invisible hand on his shoulder and then the file was returned to his hands before it left. "I haven't seen Matt around, either."

"They're dead." Near said softly, his eyelids dropping to hide his expression. "Both of them. And Mello." He looked around, trying to locate where he was now. "And I've recently held a full conversation with something supernatural, so I'm not surprised that ghosts exist." He sat down on the bed, pulling one leg up to his chest while his hand twirled a lock of his hair. "Can you become visible to me?"

"I caaaan, but do I haaaave to?" A asked playfully, and Near glanced up to see the fan spinning. "Such a shame, those two dying. Us three and B were so close…" The fan halted and then A appeared leaning on one of the blades, looking like he did in the picture – the only real difference was the bags under his eyes from an obvious lack of sleep and his ghostly color of skin. "Have you ever heard the story of Whammy's House before you and Mello and all the others came?" He lowered to the table and stood slightly above it, looking at Near quietly.

"…No." Near shook his head. "We were never told anything about before we came. Matt didn't say anything about it, and Roger and Watari didn't want to talk about it. L was always too busy…" He set the file aside. "…Can you tell me?"

A blinked and then pointed to himself. "You want me to tell you my story?"

"If it is not too much trouble." Near nodded, and then he quietly watched as A floated over and closed the door, locking it. "…Why did you do that?"

"It'll be a long story." A said calmly. "And I don't want Roger coming in and getting in the way. But, I have a question." He turned to Near. "How do you view Watari? And, if L is dead, is he?"

"Watari is…" Near thought a bit. "…Sort of like a grandfather-figure, I suppose." He looked at A. "…Yes, he perished on the same day as L. Kira killed them both."

"About time that monster got what he deserved." A hissed, going back to the table and sitting just above it. "What I am about to tell you will change your opinion of his drastically. Are you sure you want to hear this?" He stood up and then reached out to cup Near's cheek with his ice-cold hand. "Some things are better left unsaid, Near."

Near's eyes widened slightly as he felt the cold touch on his cheek. "…I do not understand. What…could Watari have possibly done to make you call him a monster?" He moved away from his hand and then looked at him calmly, twirling a lock of his white hair.

"Before I begin, have you ever listen to Pink Floyd's album 'The Wall'?" He asked with a slight smile on his face. "You know, the one with the abusive schoolteachers and the kids that are slowly losing their minds?"

Near frowned. "I have never heard any of Pink Floyd's works. I will have to listen to it after your story if told, so I may better understand the relevance to it."

A giggled and nodded. "Oh, it's very relevant." He moved over and sat next to Near, taking his hand in his. "Shall we begin, then?" He asked softly, looking into Near's gray eyes with his blank, blue eyes.

Near didn't speak as A begin his tale, listening as he described his life…

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Yes, it's another "A" story. I really need to stop doing these depressing stories that are bound to end in suicide, but A is just such an interesting character that I think needs to be highlighted. The poor guy only got a brief mention in Another Note; I mean, what the heck? Poor guy deserves more.

So, review if you read it. I don't update unless I get reviews. I'd also like it if you would review if you plan to favorite and alert it.

I think Near will only show up TWICE in this story; at the very beginning and the very end. I think the prologue came out well.

I'm glad for this story, it made the Pink Floyd laser show more bearable, especially with "Another Brick In The Wall part. 2", which terrifies me.

REVIEW!