Title: Just a Bit Kooky
Alt. Title: A Little Crazy
Summary: AU! What if Light had grown up with a Neighbor? A rather... unique... girl that has been his 'best friend' since elementary school...? A girl that may or may not be just a little Clinically Insane? What if she was the reason he had first wanted to be a Doctor...? And what if she had a secret of her own...?
Warnings: Crack! and Mild! Insanity (maybe just plain Idiocy, while we're at it. =P), Shounen-Ai Mentions!, Possible Shoujo-Ai Mentions!, Possibly!Disturbing Misunderstandings, Definite AU! and probably more...
Genres: (Crack!) Humor/Parody & Friendship (No Romance, Pairings and/or shippings atm, sorry!)
Notes: Ryuk appears this chapter, yay~~! *cheers*
DISCLAIMER: Like I said, it's boring when things are done the same all the time. And lucky for me, all I need to do to get today's guest to announce the disclaimer is to toss him an apple... I don't feel like eating one today, so it's a win-win situation! Hit it, Ryuk!
Ryuk: kyukyukyuk~~ AoI-chan in no way owns me, Light, the Death Note, or L~~ She owns only Chouko-chan and this plot, hyukhyukhyuk~
AoI: That's right! I own nothing but the insanity!
Ryuk: hyukyukyuk... Can't wait to meet Chouko-chan~~*griiin*
AoI: Don't worry, you'll see her this chapter~ And~ Now that that's over... To the Chapter!
Ryuk: Hyukyukyuk~~
He had just completed his schoolwork for the day (and most of the week while he was at it), when she appeared.
He had already met the Shinigami that supposedly owned the Death Note now in his possession, managing to hide its existence from the rest of the world. It might also have helped that Choukō had been busier than usual for the past few days, and as such, they had not seen each other too often (it had been a bit strange not being awoken by the unbelievably-awake-so-early-in-the-mornings-female, but he had managed to somehow get used to it after falling out bed in shock the first time when he was actually awoken by his alarm clock of all things -needless to say Ryuk had laughed himself silly at the strangeness of humans).
He had actually almost forgotten that they had re-scheduled her tutoring sessions for the week to compensate for her lack of tutelage. It was, of course, a bit alarming by how little he'd even seen her (supposedly home, sick, though it had only really been a twenty-four hour thing), though not entirely unwelcome. It wasn't too surprising, however, that he was quite startled when his door was suddenly opened (practically slammed into the wall, really) with all the force of one, hyper-active Choukō.
"Light-kun~~~ Choukō's finally back~~ and- eh?" She blinked, as she took in the scene in front of her after a distinct, and telltale crash from where Light had been sitting at his desk...
Idiotic -convenient, but stupid- wheeled chair, he thought, wincing as he sat up from where he's slipped out of his chair onto the floor, groaning slightly at the pain as Ryuk started to laugh, as the brown-haired teen wondered if he was losing too many braincells between his best friend and the shinigami that now followed him everywhere.
There was no way he wasn't, after all. It was a miracle his IQ hadn't dropped over the years, really... Or maybe it had, but he was too much of a genius for it to matter...
Naw. He was just resilient.
"Ughhh, hey, Choukō..." He greeted, not really looking at his friend as he hissed slightly, rubbing the tender spot on his skull -he was pretty sure it was bruised. Had he just seen her expression, he would have been rather nonplussed by the uncharacteristically serious look on her face.
Really, though, he wouldn't have to worry too much seeing that by the time he was able to look at her clearly again, her expression had turned to that of innocent worry.
Ryuk had not caught the stare during his laughing fit either, or he also might've been more careful.
Choukō carefully skirted around the blue-lipped, ragged-winged Death God, all the while pretending she could not see the monsterly (yes, that is the word she used) apparition, as her worry for her best friend overrode her illogical fears. Besides, she was probably just hallucinating again...not that that was particularily good either, but recognizing one's faults was the road to recovery...
Or so they said, anyways... Wait, who said that...? Meh, whatever, must not be important, she thought, dismissing her inner ramblings.
"Light-kun-! Are you okay?" she exclaimed, kneeling down beside her somewhat disoriented friend, seeming for all the world like she could neither see, or hear, the bluish-skinned, gothic-winged creature.
"Yeah... I'm fine," he groaned, allowing her to take his arm in an effort to help him up as he did.
She just frowned slightly, "Chouko told you that wheelie-chair would get you hurt one day," she scolded lightly as he righted the chair, her hands fisted at her hips as she pouted. He never listened.
"Yes, yes, so you said," he agreed. Of course, he didn't add that it had been sort of her fault that he'd fallen, as it had, of course, been partly his own for allowing himself to get so distracted.
Ryuk watched on silently, looking quite curiously at Chouko and then Light, studying the two for a moment, before wandering over to Light's shoulder again having gotten used to sticking with the genius brunette. The girl honestly didn't seem especially important, though she was a bit of a strange girl as far as he could tell. He had, at one point, heard Light and his mother talking about his supposed 'best friend', who was apparently practically an adopted sibling to the boy that currently had one of his two Death Notes in his possession.
He had wondered what kind of person she'd be, aside from some speculation from earlier conversations, but he found that the real thing wasn't quite as she had been described -not that he had been henging on the description he had heard to be entirely accurate, but still. Although, there was definitely something different about her, a strange light in her brownish-rust colored eyes, and something off about her in general...
Oh well, he thought, it was probably as rumor (what he'd heard while shamelessly eavesdropping) said, and she was mentally 'unstable', though she seemed stable enough at the moment. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what might have happened if she had been the one to pick up his Death Note rather than Light...
Naw, Light was too much fun. "Light, hey, heeeeeey, Liiiight~~" he muttered, poking the human teen in the shoulder and causing him to wince lightly at the sharpness of his claws -Ryuk made sure not to stab him too noticably, though. "Got any apples?" he asked, feeling bored again. He had seen Light help Sayu study, and he didn't wanna be stuck watchinig him help Chouko study, as intruigued as he was.
Light just twitched, lips tightening just minisculely as he kept his concentration on his onyx-haired friend as they spoke, Light showing her what she'd missed and what she would have to do to make up the work she needed to. Ryuk pouted, disliking being ignored, though he knew Light couldn't really talk to him in front of another human. Thankfully, though, his chance came soon, as Chouko finally dropped her pencil -and the upper half of her body- and the small study table they were sitting at (Ryuk had only seen it pulled out when Sayu had needed a lot of help, otherwise the thing stayed out of sight in Light's closet, when commented on, though, Light had explained that it took up too much space to be out all the time).
"Fuwaa~~!" Chouko pouted, practically throwing herself onto the study desk. "Chouko. is. tiiiiiireeeed~~~ I don't wanna do any more math!" she grumbled childishly, turning her head so that her cheek was resting against the table as Light chuckled.
"Why don't you take a break then, and get us something to drink?" he asked, a light, amused smile on his face, though his eyes were guarded, Ryuk could see.
Chouko brightened at that, and sat up again, "And snacks? Can I ask Auntie for some snacks too?" she asked excitedly as Light chuckled.
"Yeah, snacks too," he said indulgently as she cheered, throwing her hands into the air before scrambling to get up.
"Yippee~~! Chouko will be back soon!" she exclaimed, dashing down the stairs to peste- er, politely ask Yagami-san if it was alright to prepare some snacks for her and Light's study session.
Light turned to Ryuk, frowning. "I told you not to bother me when there are people around, Ryuk," he stared (not quite glaring) at the shinigami, rubbing the poked shoulder now that he wouldn't be questioned for it.
Ryuk just grinned, "I was bored, though~~ And I still want that apple, by the way," he informed the Death Note wielder, before pausing and looking towards the door that Chouko had run out only seconds ago. "So? Who was that, Light~ Your girlfriend~~?" he teased.
Light scowled, glaring lightly at the shinigami. "Later, and you who she is. I know you were eavedropping on the conversation with my mom earlier this week," he told the shinigami, who just continued to grin unrepentantly, before sighing. "She's been my friend since primary school, if you must know, though. She's a bit strange, but," he shrugged, "She's sincere and has a good heart," he murmured, expression softening for a bit. What? You can just spend about a decade of your life knowing someone and not come to care about them at least a bit!
Ryuk grinned, "hyukhyukhyuk~~ So you're sure she's not your girlfriend?" he teased again, causing the brunette to twitch.
"I told you Ryuk-" he started, only to stop as a gasp reached their ears. He frowned at turned to see a wide-eyed Chouko, staring at him before...glancing at Ryuk? Light frowned. "Chouko, what-"
"You- You can see him too?" she whispered, almost unheard but for the sudden, eerie quiet that had fallen in the room. Ryuk was staring as well, as she kept staring between her long-time best friend and the shinigami that he had been talking to. "Light-kun," her hands and voice were trembling slightly, he could see from the ripples in the glasses of juice she had brought up. "It-It's not just Chouko's imagination... Light-kun can see it too? !" she exclaimed softly, eyes filling with tears as she felt her legs giving out.
"Too...?" Light had blinked, before Chouko's legs gave out, "Ah, Chouko-" he exclaimed, managing to at least catch the tray before it all fell to the ground. Quickly, placing the tray of snacks onto the table, he rushed over to Chouko, who was quietly wiping her tears away and sniffing, "Chouko..." his voice softened as he kneeled carefully beside her, "Chouko, what did you mean by 'I can see it too'...?" he asked slowly, slightly worried for his friend as he quietly ushered her up to sit on his bed, while sending Ryuk a look which Ryuk returned, looking just as startled and confused.
A million thoughts whirred through his mind, but for the moment, Light focused on comforting the girl that had been his friend since primary school, and the girl who had come be like a sibling to him -maybe more.
Chouko just sniffed quietly for a minute, before looking up at Light with a watery smile. "I- Chouko always thought she was going crazy," she murmured, sniffling as she spoke, her voice soft and wavering a bit as she told Light of a side he had never trully known of. "Always dreaming of a desert-like place where strange creatures live, where they write in books while watching us, and-and... Chouko would always wake up, and think it was all a dream, but it wasn't. Sometimes, sometimes Chouko would see others, people not like Light and Chouko, and it scares me..." she finished softly, tears no longer streaming though one or two still fell, no longer using the overly cheerful and childish third person speech that she was typically wont to.
Light frowned, "Chouko..." he murmured, hugging the distressed girl, as Ryuk watched on, frowning. What the girl had described had basically sounded like the Shinigami's realm summarized, but what bothered him the most, was that a human could see him. A human could see him without having touched his Death Note... This was... this was strange... this was...
Ryuk grinned as the two humans payed him no attention. This was interesting~~~ he thought, resisting the urge to cackle as Light had when they'd first met -that would be just plain creepy, even he knew that. Clearing his expression, he replaced it with concern and curiosity, hovering closer to the duo, as the female calmed down.
"Ne Light," he said at last, causing Light to look up semi-quizzically and annoyed at him. "Has she ever touched a Death Note?" he asked, before turning to the girl, "Ne, Chouko-chan, do you remember when you first started having these dreams?" he asked curiously, wondering if this was why her eyes were rusty-colored, when he knew they were probably brown to humans. If he was right, then maybe...
Light looked irritated before glancing at Chouko when she shook her head. "No, Chouko's had them for as long as she can remember," she murmured, looking up at Ryuk with honest eyes.
Light gave her a somewhat worried look. "Are you sure?" he asked, "Maybe you forgot...?" even Light's curiosity was peaked now, he knew as well as Ryuk that no human could see Shinigami without having touched their Death Note.
Chouko started to shake her head and deny it, before pausing, eyes widening slightly as she looked to Light, "I do- wait a second... What if... Light-kun, you don't think it could have been around the time Mama and Papa died, do you...?" she asked, looking a bit worried as she tried to think back, "Chouko can't remember much before they died, but..." she frowned, trying to recall anything that might have been it...
Nothing but a fuzzy, foggy haze filled her mind, though there were some slight indents as if it were a static-filled video, and dull, distant, muffled voices... could it be...?
Light nodded slightly as she thought, "It... could be... but... that still doesn't explain why she can see you, Ryuk," he pointed out. "She's never touched your Death Note."
Ryuk nodded, it was true... Ryuk hadn't come down in the last century, so... it couldn't be...
Suddenly, Light frowned, "Ryuk..."
"Yeah?" Ryuk looked at the boy curiously.
"Can Shinigami Eyes be inherited...?" he asked slowly, as Ryuk's eyes widened, could it be...
"I don't think so, not many people have ever used a Death Note, so it's never really happened... It's a possibility, though..." he frowned, "Huh, never really thought of it like that..." he said slowly, "It's still not very likely, though... If it was, it'd either be on full power or it'd be entirely extinct considering the last time a human got a Death Note and made the trade..."
Light nodded slowly, "But it's still a possibility," he asked, more a statement than a questions.
Ryuk fell silent as Chouko watched the two talk, knowing that Light was definitely smarter than her, considering his 'genius' IQ, while she didn't really know how Shinigami thought, but...
Finally, Ryuk nodded. "Yeah... It's possible... especially if there was a catalyst for it..." he admitted slowly, "It might actually work..." both their eyes trailed over to Chouko was still trying to take this in with wide eyes...
If the theory was true, then someone, somewhere up the line in Chouko's family, had been a wielder of the Death Note.
"Eh...?" she blinked, still somewhat clueless to the conversation going on...
More Notes and Other Stuff (ie the "End Notes/Extras"): The end! Well, no, not really, but this is the end of the chapter. Whew! Who knew I could write drama? Sadly, this chapter doesn't seem to be coming out the way I wanted, but after three re-writes, I've given up and chosen the one that worked best.
So yay! Some insight into Chouko's past...sorta... maybe? I dunno, I've been working on three-four hours of sleep and helluva lot of caffeine for the past week or so, so I may end up editting this later...possibly...
Whatever. I'm gonna stop before I start rambling again. SO! Ryuk meets Chouko, and a little of her secret is revealed. Still, what was the catalyst for Chouko's strange dreams and her Shinigami's sight? The world may never know~~
...Okay, enough drama! This was supposed to be comedy, damnit! Still... hopefully Light falling out of his chair was funny. Originally I was going to have Ryuk laugh and openly tease Light about Chouko in front of her, but then Chouko would definitely have reacted, and then it wouldn't be as much fun...
Still, at least I can guarantee this will be the last serious chapter for quiiite a while. I'm still debating whether I should make the next chapter L or Ray Penbar's appearance...
Chouko still doesn't know Light's Kira, btw, and she didn't hear Ryuk calling Light's name when he asked for the apple, so that explains why she didn't react earlier. I also debated having Chouko do a lot of things this past chapter, but in the end, serious-ish won, since no one can stay cheerful all the time, and I needed to make Chouko seem more realistic rather than (humor) trigger-happy and hyper all the time. So you get to see pain... lots of it. still, I tried to keep it from being too angsty, hopefully that worked~~ -w-;;;;
So yeah, in any case, I'm gonna need everyone to tell me which they prefer next! Ray Penbar and the bus hijacking with Chouko going with Light instead of some random girl, or skipping over to college, where Light meets L? And L also meets Light's nut of a best friend Chouko? So again, PLEASE TELL ME! Leave a review or something.
Allllso! I am putting up a poll to see which story people would like me to post after this one's done, or half-way completed~~ So please vote for that too~~!
Ciao for now! And Happy Christmas, Everyone!
~~ AoI / Advent of Insanity