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I'm glad that I finally got through this chapter! It took forever, I swear! Zorro is fixed, by the way! So with that said, I hope you enjoy my stories and read and review. I would appreciate it very much! Don't be afraid to break free from your comfort zone and read and review! It only takes about 30 seconds. Don't forget, I absolutely love constructive criticism. And please, no derogatory comments. If you "flame" me, I'll incinerate you. You wouldn't like that very much, now would you? Didn't think so.


Chapter One

"All people are vessels," she began.

In the scant few months she had worked there, taught there, lectured there, she had become somewhat of a legend. With her abrupt and unusual questions and remarks, her quirky nature (if one would have the gall to describe it as such), and odd mannerisms, her students were surprised everyday with a new side of her.

Her whole being, persona and all, caused quite the ruckus at To-Oh University. Within the teaching staff, one was not to be found with such... special... traits often. In fact, now that he thought about it, she was much younger than normal. Around his age, even. Perhaps... a genius? No, impossible. Unfathomable. Inconceivable! He would have known of her! Of her achievements, her presence, her life.

He, Yagami Light, makes it his job to know these things.

L... Ryuuzaki.

The only reason he even knew that this insignificant woman worked here ― existed ― was because of that insufferable Ryuuzaki. He just had to take this class (some weird combination of Psychology and Philosophy and History) and Light just had to sign up as well. Even if he happened to hack the school system and then (illegally) change his own classes to match Ryuuzaki's (which just meant adding this class since, creepily, they were already taking the same classes).

But back to the current subject ― her.

And her ongoing lecture.

"All people are vessels," she repeated.

Many confused looks. An expectant one from Ryuuzaki. A blank and calculating (to her and Ryuuzaki, no one else) face from Light.

"Can anyone tell me how I came to this conclusion?"

No response. For a reason, of course. No one ever knew if she wanted the obvious answer (organs, dipshit) or a more... abstract one (what're you looking at me for, I don't know). There is never a "one or the other" or a "both". She changes her mood about which she wants every day. No way to tell, no way to answer.

"No?" She didn't look surprised (then again, they had never seen her surprised).

A sigh from deep in her lungs.

"Fine, I'll tell you."

Sharp look towards her watch. Enough time, good.

"All people are vessels," the third time, "because―." She cut herself off as she saw a hand tentatively raised. "Do you have the answer?"

"O-our bod-ies c-ont-ain our hea-arts?" More of a question then an answer.

Nevertheless―"no."

Embarrassment.

"Well... in a sense... maybe. In an analogy." She noticed the pick dusting on the student, Nijiko's, cheeks. "Do not feel bad, that was still a good answer."

Nijiko felt slightly better at the reassurance. No more pink, now just a small, relieved smile.

Light sneered to himself, only two in the room noticed, the same two as before.

The teacher let her lapis lazuli eyes twinkle for the barest second and then stated her whole point. Ryuuzaki observed.

"All people are vessels because of what we hold back from the world. Feelings, words, actions. All of those things build up and become a beast. Something feral. A demon. And our bodies are the vessels to those demons." She expanded upon the thought.

"This is not a bad thing, per se. But, you know, it is never good to bottle things up."

'I'm such a hypocrite,' she commented in her mind.

'Aww, poor little Higurashi Kagome,' mocking laughs echoed in her head then stopped. 'Keep teaching, doll,' the rough, masculine, and barking chuckles ensued again.

"Criminals' demons burst forth from the subconscious mental restraints they are bound in and savagely take over the person's soul, committing crimes and destroying lives, their own included."

Ryuuzaki was even more engrossed.

Light was discontent.

Kagome paused to let her students absorb what she just said, monitoring them. Secretly, she was mulling over the history to the subject.

Kagome straightened her spine, standing a bit taller and bringing the attention back to her.

"In no way am I saying that criminals aren't responsible for their actions. No, definitely not. They are responsible. They bottle it all up inside. They are always conscience to their acts. They may not be controlling their bodies, but most do not object to the cruel acts they commit. Those that do are one in, literally, eight hundred million. Their resistance soon deteriorates, anyways." Halfway through the monologue, Light's face smoothed out, no longer in a tiff.

'Yours never did,' the deep, rich voice said. 'Of course, you are special, doll.' He mentally winked at her.

Kagome rolled her eyes in response. 'Only because you developed an attachment did mine survive. Besides, we have a deal, remember?' No one detected her surreptitious smirk.

He let out a soft snort. 'Yeah, yeah.'

As she looked to her watch for the second time, her face showed a business like expression. It always did at the end of class. "Tomorrow I will explain the historical connection to the topic at hand. You have no homework tonight," she paused to let everyone cheer, "Also, in a week I will be gone for an undetermined amount of time." All of her students looked surprised.

"Why, Higurashi-sensei?" Ryuuzaki asked.

"I'll be... helping the police with a case."

Ryuuzaki sharply looked at her eyes, ascertaining the truth value in that statement. Even from the back of the classroom (he was sitting to the right of Light), he could tell that she... was not lying. L hadn't known that she had association with the police.

Apparently, neither did Light.

Nor any other student.

Astonished, silence set in.

And the bell rang.

Ryuk was laughing hysterically.

Kagome excused her students.

Subtly nodded to Ryuk―

"Goodbye everyone. Be good~."


Her only class done with, she packed up her stuff and headed to her car.

Kagome sighed.

She hadn't planned on telling them of the case. She didn't even know if she was working for them yet. Kagome was supposed to get the call tomorrow after her class confirming it.

The case had to be trivial at best. But it wasn't often they called her in. Of course, the person leading it...

Soichiro... did he even tell his superiors of her involvement?

Probably not.

'He never does.'

'True, very true'

'His son, isn't he in the class you teach?'

'I believe so,' she nodded to herself as she drove to her house. 'His name is Yagami Light, I think. He is the one Ryuk follows around. The...'

He got her drift. 'Yes, of course.' A sharp answer, not necessarily directed at her.

'...Naraku,' Kagome thought solemnly.

He snapped out of it. 'Miko.'

Relief. 'Oh, good. I thought you were gone.'

He softened a bit (he would never tell her that, of course). 'Never. Our deal isn't done, remember?' He played it off as mocking.

Openly, she nodded.

They reached an empty shrine with a massive amount of stairs.

"...'Home again, home again'..."


Across town, Yagami Light had just stepped through the door to his family's home.

"Welcome home, dear," Sachiko, Light and Sayu's mother and Soichiro's wife, stated. "You're father has something to tell you!"

"Alright, thanks for telling me mom."


"Light," Soichiro alerted his son to his presence. He informed him that he was accepted onto the Kira Task Force.

"Of course! Thank you so much, dad!" Light replied with fake enthusiasm. "I promise you, I'll find Kira."

Sachiko looked on with pride.

Light grabbed his customary bag of barbeque chips and an apple.

"I'm going to go do my homework now," he excused himself from the room to head to his bedroom, chips in hand. There was nothing else to say.

Plus, he had criminals to punish.

Ryuk smirked to himself and grabbed the apple once they were in the safety of the bedroom.

"Hey, Light, I have something to do," He said as he gulped down the apple and quickly disappeared from view.

"..." A look of distrust emerged on Light's face. He did not like it when Ryuk left for such unknown things, it was much too odd. What could a God of Death ever possibly have to do in the world of the living that he left his "entertainment" for it...? Nothing, that's what. Nothing at all.

After narrowing his eyes, Light went back to the task at hand. One name down, twenty-six more to go.


END OF CHAPTER

So, tell me, how do you like it? Still really short, I know. At least it's longer than the Prologue is! Still easy to read? I hope the chapters will continue to get longer and longer! Just remember, I love all of you bunches, and reviewing is apt to make me more likely to update (longer chapters, too~).

EDIT: My laptop (Zorro!) is still in pretty bad shape... or at least, he was in bad shape, got better... and now he's broken again. -.- What a nice present from my little, rebellious Zorro, ay?