Light's heart felt, well, lighthearted. After killing his archenemy the day before, Light was in such a good mood that he had agreed to accompany Misa to the zoo.

Misa pointed at the cage in front of them, clutching his arm. "Isn't it cute?" she squealed.

Light peered through the bars at the panda within. The panda was nibbling on a bamboo shoot. Light surveyed its black-rimmed eyes, its hunched back, its squirming toes.

He asked Misa, "Do Death Notes work on pandas?"

"Don't hurt such a cutie," Misa whined, pouting. "Anyways, I have no idea."

But Light had already flipped open his black notebook. Scrutinizing the panda's face, he wrote, Panda.

He glanced at his watch. Forty seconds to go. Thirty. Twenty.

The panda raised the bamboo shoot to its mouth.

Light's most recent victim had raised a fork to his mouth before it clattered from limp fingertips.

Ten seconds. Five.

Light's lips twisted into a smirk.

Four. Three. Two. One. Zero.

The panda continued to much its bamboo, unscathed.

"Argh," Light growled. "You stubborn thing, you."
Misa glanced over his shoulder at the notebook. "Maybe you need a more specific name than 'panda,'" she suggested grudgingly.

"I thought you didn't want me to kill it," Light snapped. "Can you stop acting like my slave? It's revolting."

But her advice made sense. Light lowered his pen to the paper and began to guess random names:

Liam. Larry. Lester. Larson.

"Why are they all boys' names?" Misa inquired meekly. "And why do they all start with 'L?'"

"Shut up," Light hissed. As he continued to scrawl names, a manic red gleam emerged in his eyes.

The panda continued to chew serenely.

"WHY?" Light bellowed. "WHY CAN'T I KILL HIM?"

A pair of security guards rushed to Light. They grabbed each of his arms.

"Kill who?" one guard demanded.

"THE PANDA," Light roared, spittle dribbling from the corners of his lips.

"You are under arrest for animal abuse," the other guard declared.

"What are their names?" Light shrieked at Misa, plunging his pen toward the notebook.

A guard snatched the notebook away. "We will confiscate all of your belongings," he stated, "stationery included."

Both guards dragged Light away, flailing.

Misa chased after them, teetering on her high heels, sobbing.

Light turned backwards. He fixed his glazed eyes on the panda, yet he saw a young man crouched in the cage. "You won after all," Light whispered hoarsely.

The panda swallowed its final bite of bamboo.