Disclaimer: I own none of death note... sad but true

Note: sorry for not updating... i've been terribly busy... and beating myself up to get to this... oh well... here it is! hope you like round 2!


Near

Near,

By now I believe it is logical to assume that you are aware of my death. I apologize for leaving you with my failed case, as well as very little help in the matter. Kira is now the responsibility of my successors, but I fear that his ambitions will grow with my death, as will his agressions. Be unpredictable. Form plans that cannot fall through. Take risks. Stay hidden. Form no attachments. Trust others as yourself. I wish you well.

L

With unshaking hands, I folded my letter perfectly, repressing the creases so the letter lay flat. Part of me wishes I could feel the searing emotions so common in Mello. The desire, the need to prove myself to everyone around me and to myself. But it just wasn't here with me. Just numbers and patterns circulating in my head. Just my calculating head, as cold as ice. However, only using my head may be the best lesson I ever took away from L. The pressure for perfection, the knowledge that any misstep can lead to the death of innocent people or the fall of accountability is just to high for any human to handle. The solution: cease to be human, avoid the spontanious combustion brought about by something so unreliable as emotions. Forget the unacceptable. "Roger," I say in my monotone of a voice. "Who will take over the responsibilities of L?" I pick up the first piece of the blank puzzle in front of me and set it into its proper place. I can feel Roger's eyes on the top of my head. His silence suggests disbelief. Figures. He never did understand me.

"Don't you feel anything for him, Near? What can possibly be going on inside your head?" I did not appreciate his tone. It was like he was scolding me for the impossible emotions. I continued with my aquired rhythm of pressing puzzle pieces into place. Finally, "If you can't win the game... If you can't solve the puzzle..." The clicks of the puzzle pieces fill my brief silence. "Then you're just a loser." I pushed the final piece into place, letting the lone "L" in the corner capture my full attention for a moment. "The game is changing Roger. Old pieces that have become obsolete are coming out. New, useful pieces are coming on." I swapped out my completed puzzle for a new one. "The old pieces have been discarded. They are no longer useful and therefore, no longer matter. So why concern yourself with them?" I started the new puzzle, setting a quicker pace for myself than before, making a pathetic attempt at a challenge as i dealt with Roger's reappearing glare. "I would think you had learned that by now, watching the way your own school works. But you still haven't answered my question, Roger."

"Mmmmm?" He'd forgotten so quickly... What a disgrace...

"Who will take over as L?" His following silence concluded that he wanted Mello present for this. And seeing how he was off in a fit in his own little world of tramatic emotions, that could take a while. "Excuse me." I stood up, not even waiting for a response, and left turned into the hall toward my own room. Once there, I gathered into my arms the most difficult puzzles I could find, and returned to Roger's office. I knelt back down on the floor and set about to what I do best. Solving the puzzle.


So... What'd ya think? I like it better than my first one... anyway... please leave me a little review so I can improve. even if it's just a :) to say you liked it or what not. just please leave a little happiness... to keep up my spirits :) Thanks for reading chapter 2! Matt... ur next!