L is dead. Near walked almost blindly down the corridor to his room at the orphanage. His mentor, his idol, was dead. Mello was going to leave in the morning. Near liked his life the way it was, but his world was changing around him, and he couldn't keep up. He was especially shocked to find out that Matt was not going with Mello, for the two were usually inseperable.
Mello was stuffing things from his room into a rucksack. He did not own very many items, so it was easy. L was gone. If Near was going to become L's successor, Mello sure wasn't going to sit around and watch it happen, no, he was more likely to get the Hell out of there. He straightened up and looked around the room. It was now mostly blank. He laid down on his bed.
Near flopped his white head onto his pillow, sighing deeply. A small tear rolled down his cheek. This room was the only place where he allowed himself to show any emotion. He closed his eyes, and his mind opened.
~*~ Dream Sequence ~*~
Near and Mello were standing in front of the door to the main room at Wammy's. They looked at each other, then simultaneously opened the door.
Ingonyama, nengw' enamabala.
Ingonyama, nengw' enamabala.
The room was wondrous. Sunsets danced on the walls, leopards leaping across the room. They walked on.
Night.
The room grew dark except for the ceiling, which was now the night sky.
And the spirit of life.
Gusts of wind swept through them.
Calling. (Oh, oh, iyo) Mamela. (Oh, oh, iyo)
They walked forward.
And a voice,
A ghost creeped out next to Near, who clutched Mello's arm.
With the fear of a child.
They looked at each other.
Answers (Oh, oh, iyo). Oh, mamela (Oh, oh, iyo).
They started walking again. Somewhere to their left, a monkey was singing part of the song in a foreign language.
Wait!
They stood still. A big hill was ahead of them.
There's no mountain too great! Hear the words and have faith.
They climbed over the hill.
Oh (oh, oh, iyo)! Have faith.
They reached the top of the hill, and what they saw, amazed them.
He lives in you.
L.
He lives in me.
A giant projection of him was in front of them.
He watches over, Everything we see.
The projection swept the whole savannah scene they were in. They kept walking. They reached a pond and looked in.
Into the water.
Instead of their reflection, it was L.
Into the truth.
Another tear rolled down Near's cheek. Mello took his hand and led him across a bridge to a mirror. But it wasn't themselves they were looking at.
In your reflection. He lives in you.
The mirror showing L swung forward to reveal a wide field, full of all kinds of animals, but they wouldn't hurt the two boys. In the aurora they saw in the sky, there were scenes from L's life. They saw when he first arrived at Wammy's with Watari. They saw him eating cake as a 13-year-old. They saw him hugging the two of them. They saw him kick this brown-haired model guy in the face (Mello liked that one). They saw him in the rain. They saw him die.
He lives in you.
He lives in me.
He watches over, everything we see.
Butterflies swirled past them, which Near was content to go and chase, Mello following right behind him.
Into the water, into the truth.
In your reflection.
They came to another door.
He lives in you.
It opened automatically. They walked into a cave, with a glowing river. The water was dancing on the walls. They walked cautiously, yet curiously forward.
So wait.
An invisible force made them stop in their tracks.
There's no mountain too great. Hear the words and have faith.
Have faith.
An invisible force pushed them forward and made them walk again.
He lives in you.
There were scenes playing on the walls again, but this time, there was Mello standing outside a burning house, crying, Near holding his mother's hand in the hospital, the both of them at the orphanage.
He lives in me.
He watches over, everything we see.
Suddenly, they were engulfed in water, and swimming by the coral reef in the Pacific. They didn't need to breathe.
Into the water. Into the truth.
In your reflection.
A fish had a staring contest with Mello before it swam away. They surfaced onto a riverbank in the jungle.
He lives in you.
They were fighting their way through the leaves when they sprouted wings and were flying in the clouds!
He lives in you.
He lives in me.
Mello and Near looked at each other, pure joy on each of their faces.
He watches over, everything we see.
They swooped downward and skimmed their toes on the surface of the ocean.
Into the water, into the truth.
They soared back up.
In your reflection.
He lives in you.
They noticed a particularly puffy cloud with a door on top, and they landed there. Their wings grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared. They opened the door.
~*~ End Dream Sequence ~*~
Near sat up and looked around. He went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. It was just him. He changed and set off to search the orphanage.
He saw Mello out of the window in the back. Apparently, he was saying goodbye to Wammy's. There was no one else out there, it being such a cold November morning. Near put his shoes and jacket on and headed out to meet Mello. He walked up to him and tugged on his sleeve. Mello looked down surprised. Near thought that he acted differently than usual.
"What is it, Near?" Mello asked.
"I..." Near thought on how to word this. "I had a strange dream last night." He looked up at the blond. Mello looked down at him with a strange expression, then began to sing.
"He lives in you. He lives in me." Near's eyes widened. Near continued the song.
"He watches over, everything we see." They sang together.
"Into the water, into the truth." They grasped hands. "In your reflection," They gazed into each other's eyes. "He lives in you." They hugged each other tightly. A breeze swirled past. They could have sworn it whispered, "Goodbye."
"Mello?" Mello sat up and looked around. It was Matt.
"What?" he asked, angrily.
"Um, why were you singing in your sleep? What kind of a dream were you having?" Mello stared at him without saying anything. "Well, anyways," continued Matt. "Want to come and chase this butterfly with me?"
Near sat up in bed. He looked over at his toys. He had sorted them into "Alive" and "Deceased". He looked at the pile that housed L, Mello, and Matt, then looked out of the window. His reflection shined on the glass. But it wasn't him. It was L.