DISCLAIMER: I do not own Death Note. All rights belong to Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. I only own my OC's-'Kirau', and…that's it, for main characters. And this particular fanfic. Thank you.
A/N: Hey, this is a reposting of the second chapter! I wasn't getting many hits or any reviews/favorites...but after a little reworking, with some advice, I now have 3 reviews for chapter 1! (BTW, I apologize for the title confusion-'The Nameless' was the original title, but I changed it after I posted the first ch. Gomenasai.) Anyways, this A/N is a thank you shout-out to those 3 wonderful people! Here you go!
.LawlietxRinoa: Thank you so much for the advice on your forum-which is a wonderful idea, I must add-as well as the sweet review and favorite! You are made of epic win. And your Death Note Beatles song parody fic is amazing. I can't wait for the next update! Arigato gozaimasu, LawlietxRinoa-sama!
.Moonshine 369: Thanks for the nice review! Again, I apologize for any confusion I caused you...'puppy dog eyes' 'whimpers'...but I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter! You gave my story a chance, and I appreciate it. And, I took your advice as well, and changed the summary once again. Hopefully, it's clear yet enticing now. Thanks again! Ja-ne!
.Kazulallan: Hey! Thanks for the review! I guess you could say that...although her ideals/ideas are way different than Light's...but, yes, she's somewhat taking on the infamous title of 'Kira'. Watch and see what happens. Again, thank you very much for the review! 'smiles'
And now, onto chapter 2 of 'WTP'! Onward! Into the Mouth of Madness!
Welcome to Psychosis
"Aw, crud! Now what?"
It was afternoon on a Tuesday, and the grocers was closed. The blond kicked at the asphalt as she headed down the street. She didn't have a phone, so of course the old fart couldn't call her to let her know earlier. And she'd really wanted to work today, too…
She hung her head low, as she maneuvered through the hustle and bustle of the city. After the events that had taken place last night, she'd needed a distraction-even one as pathetic as a dead end job. She had barely slept at all-not like that was anything new-except for the reason why.
As her thoughts wandered back to the previous night, her bag suddenly felt so very heavy. That strange tablet was in there-the 'Death Note'. There was no way that it actually had the power to take human lives…right?
Although, it might be nice…a good change of pace…these words drifted through her mind lazily, like the cigarette smoke that hung in the air on every other corner. She stopped at a worn bench, and sat down.
Yes, she had to admit-it would be nice. She'd decided, since no one could see into her conscious, it would be fine to accept this fact-a fact that had been haunting her back from when she was a child. She leaned into the seat, and closed her eyes.
It was true, though-you could deny it all you like, but it still remained-the world was a festering shithole. She had been exposed to this fact early on in life, when she was supposed to have been chasing butterflies and dreaming of princes on white horses. She had abandoned those frivolous ideals ages ago. It was probably one of the things that helped her to survive for so long…well, nineteen years. The point was, since she wasn't expecting anything good to happen, it didn't faze her at all when things fell apart. The ultimate defense mechanism.
Was she so wrong to feel nothing towards the majority of her fellow 'human' counterparts? Could you really blame her? Every single day, at least ten different stories, of violence in some form or another, against someone, somewhere. Murder, war, domestic disturbances, child abuse, rape, burglary, drunken rage, suicide, etc-it was never ending. The cycle was enough to make her gag.
So was it really so bad to find an interest in that little black notebook, a book that promised not just power, but hope? A future? An end? She pondered this in silence.
Ryuk stood over the portal, anxious with anticipation. He could tell-her qualms were weakening, but she was still a bit skeptical. All he needed was one more victim-just one more life, to prove that in her hands…she held the ultimate equalizer of death. He chuckled softly.
He was certain he would have fun with this human. She didn't sleep, for one thing-she'd been tossing and turning, eventually opting to pace back and forth for a few hours. She reminded him of an animal…like him…an animal in a cage. Waiting for something spectacular to happen…something bigger and better to come along. Though, she hadn't fully admitted it yet-he had.
And her attitude-oh, what a joy. From flipping off traffic when a particularly impatient louse had gone against the light and nearly turned her into road kill, to fighting her way through the crowds, to her random sayings and colorful words that would brighten up any conversation-yes, she would be fun. She wasn't nearly as uptight as Light had been. It would be amusing to see how she would put the Death Note to use. Her mental instability just seemed to add to the charm.
But before that could happen, she needed to be convinced of its abilities.
And the final lock was about to be undone.
"'Giggle' Uh…excuse me?"
The ragged girl's head shot forward at the high pitched sound. Her eyes readjusted to the noon daylight, as her vision returned to focus.
In front of her was a group of three young women. They were her age at least, maybe a few years older. One was in what appeared to be hospital attire. The other two were dressed in casual wear. They were looking at her with expressions similar to one who has just stepped in something foul. The nurse wore a sweet smile-too sweet. It was fake.
"Yeah? Can I help you?" She really hated to be bothered-as she'd stated before (mentally), she wasn't quite fond of the human race.
"Um, I'm so sorry, but could you like, move? Please? We need this bench." She batted her lashes, which were heavily layered with chunky mascara. The blond's eyes narrowed. She didn't like her tone. "Why, may I ask?"
"No, you may not." One of the other two tried to take a step forward. But the nurse held her back.
"Well, you do know that it's illegal to camp out on public property, right?" Her voice was sugary, but it was dripping with contempt. "You should really leave, before someone reports you."
"Yeah, and get a job while you're at it!"
The girl clenched her fist at this remark. Oh, how she wanted to cuss her out so badly…strangle her with words. But, instead, she took a deep breath.
"I'm not homeless." The words were quick and low.
"Oh, really? I would have never guessed!" The nurse made a mock display of shock, and the other two snickered. The blond glared.
That was when she noticed her nametag.
'Jennifer Pai', was the name printed across in neat black text, followed by a small picture of said person.
And the blond began to grin. An idea was forming in her mind...a devious one. But at least it would settle the matter once and for all.
She stood up, surprising the three women with the sudden motion. She put on her best smile.
"I am so sorry. Here, you can have this bench-I don't need all the room anyway. How selfish of me." She giggled, before picking up her bag and walking away. "Bye-bye."
Even as they grew smaller behind her, she could still hear their irking tones-annoying voices tended to carry. "Ugh. Whatever."
"Yeah. What a weirdo."
"Yeah, she was so totally homeless!"
"Probably retarded, too!"
They broke out in laughter. But this didn't bother the blond one bit.
She sat down against a small building-a single row of smoke and pawn shops. She unzipped her bag, and pulled out the strange tablet plus a pen.
Well, here goes nothing. This'll be the ultimate test. God, I must be crazy. No objections there. With that, she began to write.
'Jennifer Pai
Traffic accident'
She shut the book and capped the pen, and looked down the street. The three women were already standing up to leave. She growled-they had only asked for the bench just to mess with her. Why did people feel such need to cut down those around them?
Some nurse…she probably yells at the patients for interrupting her when she's busy gossiping. She gritted her teeth. She'd had more than her share of lousy doctors and such in the past...she hated the thought of anyone else having to go through the same thing. Although she had her issues with humans, she wasn't a sadist…anyone in the hospital would be suffering enough as is. To mistreat them…that was an abuse of power. Power that they didn't deserve in the first place.
'BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEP'
'SCREECH'
"EEEK!"
"Oh my God! Get out of the way!"
"Look out"-
'KRASH' 'KRNCH'
Her head snapped up. She scrambled to her feet, grabbing her things, and began jogging down the street. An accident…could it be…?
"Oh my God! Oh my God oh my God oh my God…NOOO!"
"What the fuck?! What the fuck?! You son of a…'retch'"
She skidded to a halt.
A car had smashed into a light post. The front fender was completely caved in, and the windshield was shattered, but the driver was alive. He was on his knees, yelling and sweating. A few steps away, passersby were trying to hold back a young woman who was screaming and cursing, vomit and spit dripping down her chin. Another woman lay in a crumpled, sobbing heap upon the sidewalk.
There were deep tire tracks across the road, leading to the crushed vehicle. And there, off to the side…
"JENNIFER!" The name rung, like a single alarm, echoing through the girl's ears, into her throat, down her spine…the chills were beginning to devour her whole. She clutched at herself, the black notebook pressed against her chest. It was all she could do to keep from snapping.
The once living Jennifer Pai had been reduced to bloodstains and shredded garments, and limbs that weren't supposed to bend that way. Her face…her smirking, catty face, had become a dark red swirl, like a sickening salsa; the stuff horror movie cannibals would whip up in their kitchens of depravity. It appeared as if she'd been hit head on and had flown a few feet, before tumbling to a gruesome stop. Her nurse's scrubs were drenched in blood. Her hair hung limp around her head, her lifeless body resembling a broken doll…like the porcelain doll that had fallen off of the shelf, when she was five…but there was no way on this Earth to put Jennifer back together.
She turned and ran. She ran, ran the whole way back to her abode. She didn't stop, refused to pause-everything flew past in a hazy blur. All she knew were the incessant thoughts in her mind, pounding out to the rhythm of her pulse.
It's real. It's real. It's real.
She's dead. She's dead. She's dead.
Murderer. Murderer. Murderer.
Ryuk was laughing now. It had finally happened! And, boy what a show! That accident had been epic. An amazing display of gore and tragedy. He extended his wings, still chortling, and proceeded to make his way down.
It was time to play.
...
'SLAM'
She had arrived home in one piece-how, she'd never know. She didn't even remember rushing up the steps and unlocking the door. She was just…there.
"Shit. Shit, shit, shit!" Her bag slipped off her shoulders, and the Death Note fell alongside it. She was frozen for a few moments. Then…
"Augh!" She ran to the bathroom, and collapsed in front of the toilet. Her body heaved, and her throat burned. The tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes. She gripped at the side of the bowl, and clawed at the cracked, crumbling tiles. She was shaking.
So, it's official then. I killed her…no, I killed the both of them. I can't hide from it any more. She took a deep, shuddering breath. It works. It really works. I don't know how, but it works.
And now, I'm a murderer.
She staggered to her feet, and clutched at the countertop, leaning into the mirror, staring at her haggard reflection. She turned on the tap, but just let it run. She continued staring.
"I've…" she finally croaked out. "I've…killed. Killed two people." She repeated it over and over, as if it were a mantra. She wanted to hope beyond hope that this was a dream, but the pain in her chest and the smell told her otherwise. It was real.
At long last, she splashed some cold water on her flushed cheeks. "I killed two people. With that book. I've committed the ultimate sin. My hands…are stained with the blood…of innocents…"
Her head snapped up. Wait a minute. Innocents? Them?
"No way. No fucking way. I saw them-and I've seen many more like them. They weren't innocent!" Her stormy sea eyes narrowed. That's right. One was a murderer himself, a big shot about to get off with a slap on the wrist. And the other…was condescending and judgmental.
But still…what gives me the right to label them? She took another deep breath, as she flushed the toilet, and washed her hands. She wasn't exactly a saint herself. And the things she'd experienced…
She stepped out into the main room, and her eyes landed by the front door. The little black book was just sitting there on the floor, as if it had always belonged to her; had always been a part of her. She stomped over.
"You." She picked up the notebook, with all the intention to tear it apart right then and there.
But as her thin fingers wrapped around the spine, she found that she couldn't do it. It was like an invisible leash-something pulling at her deep inside, refusing to let her take that drastic step. She kneeled down.
"Then…then, what…do I do? What am I supposed to do? Just…let it go? Pretend that nothing happened?" She was now clutching the book to her chest. Her soul was being torn in two. Part of her felt so guilty…but the other half was holding onto that little tablet as if it were her savior.
Well…it's not as if…anyone'll come after me. I just…I just wrote down a name. That's all. It wasn't as if I pushed her into the car's path. I wasn't even there for the other one. I just wrote down their names…
She bit her lip, and glanced down once more, at the notebook in her now sweating hands. It had finally dawned on her…exactly what this book was capable of.
And now, what she was capable of.
But would she say yes?
"This world…it's like a seething sore." She slowly rose to her feet. She took a few more deep breaths, albeit ragged ones.
"So, is this…" and she held out the book, at arm's length. "…is this the cure?"
Well, if it's the cure, and I have it, then that makes me…a doctor, of sorts. Somehow, she found her red mouth curving into a grin.
"And they said I was a good for nothing." She began to chuckle.
She'd show them. She'd show them all. This world was a rotten mess, with rotten people-and she may not have been perfect…but at least she admitted it. She refused to shove it under the rug.
And this was the outcome.
Whatever the reason, she had found this book. A book that possessed the power of death-and all she needed was a pen, a face, and a name to use it.
Was this the true point of her existence? Was she meant to suffer, only to be given the ultimate tool of judgment? It certainly seemed so…
"Then…...I'll do it. I'll clean up this world. I'll make it…the kind of place you'd want to live. The kind of place it should be. Should've been." With that, she cradled the book in her arms, brushing it against her cheek. It seemed to cool the rising heat under her flesh.
"Finally. I was wondering when you'd get it through your thick head. And I thought I'd seen the worst of 'em."
"What?! Who-who said that?!" In shock and fear, she whirled around…and came face-to-face with…
"Yo." What stood before her…either she was on a trip to Hell, or she was seeing one of the most bizarre and demented hallucinations ever concocted…though, the same could be said for her looks-in her opinion. But that wasn't the issue here. The remaining color drained from her cheeks, and she squeaked out the only word that came to mind; that seemed appropriate at a time like this:
"Fuck."
And with that, she collapsed.
"…Uh…wow." Ryuk had been expecting surprise on the female's part, but not like this. This was the first time anyone had ever passed out due to his appearance. Even that one criminal had at least made it out of the bus while screaming…of course, then he had become a street pancake.
He took a few steps forward, until he was looming over the unconscious girl. He studied her fallen form.
Jeez, she was skinny. Her legs were long-he hadn't noticed that before. But they were so thin. And pale. And covered in scars. Bruises too. The scrapes from yesterday were quite apparent as well. She wasn't wearing tights today. But she was wearing another pleated skirt.
Her fragile form seemed to be drowning in her red and black striped sweater. Why were her clothes so baggy? Did she purposely buy clothing that was three sizes too big? Her messy blond brown hair stuck out in the tangled braid, bits and pieces grazing her snow white cheeks and shoulders.
Her heavily outlined eyes were shut, her blood red lips slightly parted. The bags under her eyes were still as prominent as ever-then again, it had only been one day. Shadows don't disappear overnight-if they ever leave at all. And her tiny hands were still gripping at the Death Note, as if for dear life.
All in all, she was an interesting spectacle. He smirked, sharp teeth pressing together. Yes, it would be something to watch the variety of mayhem she would cause.
Well, as soon as she woke up.
With that, he sat on her bed, and proceeded to wait once again.
...
"…uggh…"
His head perked up. It had been close to two hours…he was surprised he'd been this patient. Whatever. The point was, she was finally stirring.
"Mmm…ngh…" Her face scrunched and creased, as she rolled over, still clutching the black book to her chest. She seemed to be a bit…uncomfortable…
"Ugh…jeez…what the…" She sat up slowly, and blinked a few times before rubbing her eyes. "Damn…one hell of a dream…" she yawned. He smirked once more.
"What dream?" She froze.
Oh no…oh no oh no oh no…it can't be…she forced herself to turn around.
It was.
That…thing, was still there.
And now, it was sprawled on her bed.
Groggy as her body was, she forced herself to her feet. She swayed a bit, as she took a few seconds to steady herself.
"You…" she started. He simply stared, a smile on his face. What the hell was she supposed to call it, anyway?! It appeared to be male...but did it even really exist? There was only one way to find out.
Slowly, she took a step forward. Then another. And another. She continued this, until there was but a single half-space between the two. He was still staring. She knelt down in front of him.
If…this thing…really is…here…then I should…be able…to touch it. If not, then…I'm on my way to the white walls and pills up the wazoo. She carefully extended a small, slender hand, and reached towards his face. He was confused, but made no motion to stop her. At least she was conscious.
'POKE' Her fingertips were pressed against his forehead. Her eyes widened slightly.
Uhh…I can feel it. It has a texture... She gulped. Oh, boy. The skin underneath hers was cold-and hard. It was rough, but not jagged. Although, it was quite pale. Paler than hers. It was…an unusual experience, to say the least.
Ryuk, for the first time in forever, felt awkward. A few seconds had passed, and then few more. Why wasn't this human letting go?! He felt the warmth from her fingertips-they were practically burning him. And she was way too close…every breath she took would graze his face. So, he did what he had to.
He disappeared.
"Wha"- Where'd he go? He had been there-and suddenly, he wasn't!
"Uh? WAAH!" 'WHUMP' Unfortunately, she had been leaning over to reach him, and as soon as he vanished, her balance failed her, and she fell face first into the mat. "Urf…"
"It's your own damn fault. You weren't letting go." He was standing by the bathroom door, staring down at her, grin in place. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, which soon became annoyance. Was he mocking her?
She straightened up quickly, and glared at him, arms crossed. The Death Note now lay flat on her lap "Who the fuck are you?" She tilted her head. "You some kinda demon, come to take me to Hell? It'll probably be better than this. Jeez, anything'll be better than this crap-trap. I ain't gonna kick and scream for you. So there." And she stuck out her tongue.
He took a moment to collect his thoughts.
When he did open his mouth to speak…
"Uh? What the-why are you laughing at me?!" She flailed her arms. "Shut up!" Who did this jerk think he was, anyway?!
Well…aside from being a messenger for the Devil.
"Whoo…oh, man…I knew I was right to pick you. You're a riot!" He chuckled. "I'm not here to take you anywhere, nor am I from Hell. You humans and your insane fantasies…and I thought Light's was nutty. You take the cake."
"Then what are you?! A reject Joker?!" This guy was really pushing her buttons! And it was pissing her off!
"I'm a Shinigami." Her heart skipped a beat. "And I'm here…'cause of that lil' book you got there."
She paled. "This…this is…yours?" For some reason, she felt her thin hands bring the black book to her chest once more, almost protectively.
"Yep. But don't worry. I ain't here for any sort of payment, or to collect the Note." She raised an eyebrow. Wasn't that what-things like this-would bother coming to Earth for in the first place?
"Then…" she trailed off.
"I dropped that Death Note on purpose, just so you would find it."
A/N: Welcome, welcome, to WTP, ch. 2! I hope you enjoyed this-it took a while to jot down, and then I had to edit everything...but, yeah. If you love something, then the work is worth it, ne? Anyways...please drop me a line, once again! I'd really like to know if I'm doing a decent job on this story. I'm going to keep updating...and I'd like to know more about what kind of audience I have out there in cyberspace. Okay, yeah, I kind of ended it on a cliffy, but do not fear-the meeting sequence will be completed in the next update, and our female lead will finally be named! She will also be forced to get used to a roomate unlike any other. LOL. Again, let me know how I'm doing on everything, like the death sequences, and the characterizations-that's the one thing that really makes me worry at night. I can only cross my fingers and hope that they're acurate enough (Ryuk) and appealing (OC). Tell me if she's interesting and decently believable...Okay, I'm off to prepare the next chapter. Laters. Send me some love, please! 'puppy eyes' Moo! Okay, enough begging. I'm probably scaring away the readers. Ja-ne.
