Shadow: My first Death Note fic, written as an Easter present for Hikari Daeron. I hope you like it – I've started Lord knows how many oneshots these past few days trying to find one I liked! (laughs)

Timing/Spoilers: Set in volume seven of the manga, at the point where Mello and Near are first introduced. Actually has very little to do with those two, more to do with Light and L. So – anyway – if you haven't met Near or Mello reading the manga/watching the anime yet – don't read this. References are made to anime-only events, such as the discussion L and Light have on top of the Headquarters building in the rain, and the drying-off on the stairs afterwards.

Notes: This oneshot uses a lot of biblical/religious allusions, and in no way is meant to offend anyone of any faith or denomination. What is written hereafter is not meant to be an insult to anyone, so – please don't take it thus?

The last scene is taken directly from the manga.


Resurrection

For something to be revived, it must first be unconscious. For something to be resurrected, it must first be dead…

Rain. Streaks of liquid silver falling from the grey clouds, dismal and dull but bringing a smile to Light Yagami's lips. Rain. It had been raining the day the one calling himself Ryuuzaki had finally died. Rain. L was dead. A new L had risen to take his place…

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"Light?" Misa Amane switched her weight from one foot to the other impatiently, tucking a blonde bang behind her ear and adjusting the umbrella she clutched tightly in one manicured hand. "Light, can we go now?" The young woman wrinkled her nose as some drizzle hit her in the face – if she stayed outdoors much longer, it was going to ruin her makeup. "Misa's hair is getting wet." Both of them were standing in the public park, not far from the original task force headquarters.

"You can go if you want to, Misa." Light continued to stand unsheltered, looking up to the sky above him. His brown hair was plastered to his skin, so dark due to water it was nearly black. His brown eyes, liquid and shifting, were perfectly unreadable. "You didn't have to come here in the first place."

"But Misa wanted to be with Light!" The token protest, Amane's face and tone delightfully earnest as she ran up to the other teen, heels splashing in surface pools of water. "I love you." Misa manoeuvred her umbrella again so she wouldn't end up jabbing Light with it, clinging to the brunet's right arm. "…You're wet…"

That just might be because I've been standing in the rain without an umbrella for the past half an hour, Misa… Light looked down at the girl. "We'll go home soon, I promise."

"Anytime soon would be good." Ryuk frowned down at them – best a shinigami could frown, anyway -, perched in a nearby tree. His tone was disgruntled – apparently Ryuk didn't like the rain anymore than Misa did. "When you said you would be showing me the creation of a new world Light, I assumed it would be somewhere dry."

Light's lips curled upwards slightly, the faintest of grins on his face. "Poor Ryuk – don't you like the damp?"

"It doesn't rain in the Shingami Realm," Ryuk complained, his wings sprouting from his back to cover his head from where an irritating drop of water kept persistently dripping on his skull.

"I'll give you an apple when we get back to the flat to make up for the weather." Misa smiled at the Death God, pleased when Ryuk immediately perked up at he proposition. "That'll be alright, won't it Light?" She looked to her boyfriend for confirmation.

"That'll be fine." The youth nodded shortly, preoccupied. It had been three weeks since L's and Watari's deaths, approximately three weeks since the two had been buried and Light had taken over Ryuuzaki's position. Approximately three weeks since 'L' and 'Kira' had become one and the same…

00d00h58m02s

My plan is so blindingly easy now it's laughable...

Ryuuzaki had been the only thing holding up his plan. Misguided Ryuuzaki, who had been a wonderful ally while it all had lasted, the perfect assistance in providing an alibi and exonerating Light of all guilt in the eyes of the task force. Ryuuzaki was gone now, the sacrificial lamb offered up for the greater good of all mankind. A martyr, almost, to Light's cause, except he'd opposed Light; he'd opposed Kira and God – Ryuuzaki had deserved to die.

Ryuuzaki wasn't a god. Ryuuzaki had been smart, challenging, and resourceful, but he wasn't a god. Ryuuzaki had died, and he wouldn't be rising again. Kira was the one with all the power…

00d00h47m31s

"Light, I brought you a card to sign."

"Thanks, dad…" Light took the pro-offered card from his father, sparing a glance at the flowery outside for a few seconds in thought. The handcuff around his wrist clinked as he moved. "How's mom?"

"Sayu made her breakfast in bed this morning." Soichiro Yagami smiled at his son.

"I'm surprised she didn't burn the house down!" Light laughed, the sound open and friendly.

"She made enough of a mess in the kitchen to account for the house still being in one piece, I think." Soichiro smiled genially, amused by the thoughts of his daughter's culinary disasters.

"It is Yagami Sachiko-san's birthday today?" L, typing away on a computer to Light's left, didn't bother looking up from his work, preoccupied with what was on the screen before him, and the slice of strawberry shortcake presented beautifully on a plate to his left. A handcuff matching the one on Light hung around his wrist, connected to said brunet by a long, purpose-crafted chain. His question…wasn't really a question. Ryuuzaki probably already knew it was Sachiko's birthday.

"Yeah, it's mom's birthday." Light took it upon himself to answer L's rhetoric question. "Ryuuzaki, is it alright if I sign a card for her as I cannot leave the headquarters to go visit?"

"It is acceptable."

Light slid the card his father had brought out of it's wrapping, searching around for a pen to write his greetings with – the nearest was over beside Ryuuzaki. Rising from his seat Light went over and picked it up, leaning on the desk beside L as he carefully wished his mother 'a happy birthday' in his elegant script, signing his name in perfect kanji at the card's base. Once done the card was placed inside its matching envelope, and handed to Soichiro. The Chief smiled, taking the card away to put in his bag.

Dark, shadowed eyes looked up at Light, still standing by their owner's side. "You have an unusual name, Yagami-kun." L speared a chunk of cake on his ever-present fork, raising it to his lips to thoughtfully chew. "Your forename written as 'moon' and read as 'light', and your surname is a combination of the kanji for 'night' and 'god'…"

An effortless, elegant shrug. "Blame my parents."

"It's a pretty enough name, Yagami-kun."

"…Thank you, Ryuuzaki." Light smiled at his companion warmly. "I wish I could return the compliment but -" a short laugh, "obviously I don't know your name."

"Even the devil has a pretty name, you know…" L ate another large bite of his shortcake.

"You believe in the devil, Ryuuzaki?" Light didn't bother hiding the amusement in his voice. "I would've thought those beliefs too archaic for you."

"The only devil I know is that which lurks in the minds of men." The strawberry used to decorate the top met its doom. Ryuuzaki was an eating machine. "Other people, however, call the devil Lucifer."

"Isn't that the name of that cat from Walt Disney's animated version of Cinderella…?"

"You watch Disney, Yagami-kun?" L adopted the tone of amusement Light had used before. "I would've thought it a little young for you."

"I watched the films while growing up." Light crossed his arms a little defensively, the chain around his wrist jingling at the action. "It's a common thing for children to do."

"You are anything but common, Yagami-kun."

"Go back to what you were saying."

A solemn stare from black eyes. Light could never remember ever actually seeing Ryuuzaki blink… "The name 'Lucifer' means 'Morning Star'."

"What of it?"

"My point is it's a 'pretty' name, Yagami-kun." The last of the shortcake was systematically demolished, Ryuuzaki looking almost mournfully at his now empty plate. "Proof that even light things can have darkness in them."

Light smiled faintly, leaning back on the desk behind him. L looked at him shrewdly. "How very poetic."

00d00h32m35s

Before he had died, L had knelt, and dried his feet. Light was no fool – he knew the symbolism of the act, knew what Ryuuzaki said with his actions, was well-read enough and knew enough to know the quote:

"I came not to be served, but to serve."

Jesus had once knelt to clean his follower's feet, made them all uncomfortable – especially Judas, the one who was to betray him. Light himself had been uncomfortable with Ryuuzaki kneeling before him – it was unlike the other man to be so…so humble, L naming him, placing him –

Judas – Light – I know you're going to betray me. L's dark, fathomless eyes. It makes me impossibly sad…but you're still my friend.

Light had escaped Ryuuzaki's hold as fast as he could. He couldn't look into the eyes of a dead man walking. It…hurt too much.

God shouldn't feel.

Judas. Judas. Judas. What an odd – but – perfect role for Light to be placed in.

"Light…?" Misa looked uncertainly at the brunet, at the sudden frown upon her boyfriend's lips. "Light, is something bothering you?"

Light wasn't listening, still staring intently at the rain.

Judas, the red-haired one. Fallen from grace for betraying his master for thirty pieces of silver.

"The name 'Lucifer' means 'Morning Star'."

"What of it?"

"My point is it's a 'pretty' name, Yagami-kun. Proof that even light things can have darkness in them."

Some sources said Lucifer's hair was flame-red as well. Red…red…red for sin. Lucifer had been rejected for trying to create a new world, for rebelling against flawed order. Flung from heaven for his disobedience, going on to rule Hell.

Perhaps Lucifer had had the right idea, and just not executed it well enough. Why should Man, sinful Man, be set above the angels? The world was a rotten mess because of Man – even Judas must've realised the one he served wasn't really doing anything except stir up trouble –

But…Jesus had risen again, resurrected. Was that how Ryuuzaki saw himself…? Just, right, god-like…?

I wouldn't put it past him…

But Ryuuzaki was dead, buried and gone. It was Light that had risen from the Darkness; Light that had risen from his captivity, his period of preparation without his memories. Light that had emerged triumphant, and cast the sinners down –

Ryuuzaki was too presumptuous, that was all.

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Life was all about resurrection, and as God of the life of the world he cast Judgement upon, Light was King of Resurrection. He who had risen above all challenges, who would lead the innocent and just of the world to a better, brighter future. Kira. The shining torch of Mankind. And if L – foolish, insolent, dead L – thought he was better suited to be the betrayer than God –

Well, he was wrong, wasn't he? The triumph was Light's.

Thine be the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, For ever and Ever, Amen.

The prayers were to Lucifer, to Judas, to Kami, to Kira. For the times when the plans had gone wrong in the past, to the destiny that waited all in the future.

"Light…?" Misa tugged on the teen's arm again, somewhat worried.

"Misa," Light looked down at her, smiling, her eyes suddenly aglow with his old fervour, "do you love me?"

"Of course Misa does!"

"Why?"

"Light is a wonderful person, and killed the murderers of Misa's parents!"

"Am I your god, Misa?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Amane replied in the affirmative: "Yes! Misa loves no-one but Light – I couldn't live without you!" Flinging herself at Light Misa dropped her umbrella, wrapping her arms around the male's neck, uncaring of how wet the brunet was.

Smiling darkly to himself, Light wound an arm around the girl's waist, holding Misa close to him. "Good."

00d00h16m11s

On the day he had died, he had sacrificed his memories for the greater good. On the day he had risen he had regained them once more, and triumphed over sin and his foes.

God had heard the cries of his people, and would answer them. Yes, Kira would answer them all, and the criminals and unjust of the world would be destroyed so the pure of heart could live free of fear and persecution.

Kira was back.

"We'll rule this world together, you and I…" Light tilted Misa's head up so he could look into the woman's eyes, his expression serious. "It will be a world where only the innocent shall reside, and we will be the creators of it."

Misa teared up. "Oh…Light!" She buried her face in the brunet's chest once more.

Ryuk made an impatient noise from his perch in the tree. "Can we go now?"

Light shot the shinigami a half-glare, his liquid gaze as dark as his water-dampened hair. His auburn hair. His auburn hair that, when it caught the sun, sometimes glowed a vivid, brilliant red –

Judas.

The would-be Jesus was dead.

Light pressed a kiss to the crown of Misa's blonde head, the benevolent father. "Judas lives on…"

"…Light…?" The girl seemed confused for a moment by the words, red-tipped hand flying to touch the ever-present gothic cross about her throat. "Light…I thought – wasn't Jesus the one who lives on…? In…Christianity, anyway…?" Misa seemed deeply unsure, nervous about correcting her love.

Light smiled at her again. "Not this time."

00d00h03m22s

Ryuk made another complaint. "Now can we go get apples?"

Light sighed loudly, withdrawing from Misa. "Yes, Ryuk. Now we can go get apples."

"Good!" The shinigami took off from the tree, flapping his great wings so he hovered in the air behind Misa. "Let's go!" The blonde girl giggled, bending down to pick up her fallen umbrella and hold it back over her head. It was still raining.

Light led the way out of the park, Misa trailing after him, Ryuk flying low behind them both. Though smiling, Misa was only just stopping herself from biting her lip. Light mentioning Judas was all well and good but –

But –

But hadn't Judas committed suicide at the end? He didn't seem like a very good role model.

00d00h00m00s

-Transmission-

Somewhere else in the world, a phone beeped once. The owner of the phone, already knowing what it was he was going to see, looked at its screen with a heavy heart.

L is dead.

Quietly, the one the children and staff of Wammy's House called 'Roger' rose to his feet, going out into the hallway of the orphanage, and catching hold of the hand of a blond-haired boy running past.

"Mello."

"Huh?" The boy looked at him blankly.

"And Near," Rodger added, glancing inside a room to his right and seeing a pale-haired child completing a blank jigsaw there on the floor, "come to my room."

L is dead.

L must rise again…