A girl was screaming.

Everything was dark, so I couldn't see her. The sound was distant, but clear; a shriek made of pure pain and terror. She had long past the point of calling for help (although it would have been greatly appreciated), and was now tiptoeing just along the edge of madness.

Tap tap. Tap tap.

Suddenly I was surrounded by fire, the intense heat immediately searing my flesh. I tried to yell, but was choked by smoke.

Tap tap. Tap tap.

I was being pulled under by skeletal hands, their sharp claws tearing at my skin with the frenzy of a starved animal. I struggled with everything I had, but it was no use, as I was consumed by the flames and my vision clouded with inky blackness once again.

Tap tap. Tap tap.

And overlapping it all was a strange rhythm.

"Alixandria."

My name.

"Alixandria!"

Someone was calling for me.

"Hey,"


"Alixandria!"

My eyes flew open as I jerked forward, a gasp caught in my throat. The night was cool and dark. I was sitting on my usual tree-branch high above the hideout. I must have fallen asleep and had a nightmare, a thought that deeply unnerved me.

This is wrong. I don't need sleep anymore. I shouldn't be wasting time with useless things-

"Finally! I thought you'd never wake up."

I turned around and saw a familiar figure flying towards me.

"Ryuk?! What the Hell are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd check up on ya, see how things were goin'." He settled on the branch next to me and plucked an apple seemingly out of nowhere. "I assume you've tracked down the current owner of your Death Note?"

"Yeah, he…he's somethin' else."

"Humans are so interesting, aren't they?" he chuckled, eating nearly half of his apple in one bite.

"Nah, just the crazy ones. So, why are you really here?"

"Just a heads up, really. There's a good chance you'll be getting your notebook back tonight."

"What makes you say that?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I heard muffled screams from inside the hideout, followed by a loud bang! as the door was blown open. I spun around and saw the last of a group of men storm into the building. I could hear Ryuk laughing behind me. "What did you do?!"

"I've recently gotten involved with the Kira investigation. One of the leaders actually made the eye-trade with me."

"What?!"

"Look, all you have to do is sit back and watch. The humans even agreed to give you your Death Note back once they have it." He finished his apple, core and all. "I thought you'd be happy."

He's right. I should be happy. Then why…

"Very well, but you better be right." I did as instructed and did nothing, listening to the faint shouts and gunfire.

This is for the best. I have to get my Death Note back as quickly as possible. That's what I came here for, and damn it, that's what I'm gonna do. And hey, at least now I won't have to deal with those assholes anymore, and I won't have to be the mafia's guard-dog either.

Yet I still felt a pang of guilt, and I couldn't help but sigh.

Sorry, Mel-

Part of the hideout exploded.

"Jesus!" We both started. "If anything happens to my notebook, Ryuk, I swear-"

"Would you relax already? I'm sure your notebook's fine."

"It's not the notebook you're worried about."

I froze. A voice had just whispered in my ear, a voice I hadn't heard in a very, very long time.

"You're worried about him, aren't you?"

No. No, I'm not. I'm not!

I stayed perfectly still and did nothing, fists slowly clenching as the voice kept mumbling.

"You care about what happens down there. You care about him."

Shut! Up!

With a deafening roar, the rest of the complex burst into flames.

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shitshitshitshitshitshitshitSHIT!

The building began to crumble as more and more explosions rocked the foundation.

"My notebook!" Before Ryuk could stop me, I jumped off the branch and dived into the smoke.

Where is he? Where is he?!

There were bodies everywhere, some still alive, others…not so much. None of them belonged to Mello. After a few minutes and no luck, I began to think that somehow he'd gotten away. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blonde shadowy figure stumbling through the rubble.

Mello.

Even from a distance, I could tell he was badly hurt. Without thinking, I flew over to him and pulled one of his arms over my shoulders while wrapping the other around his torso, keeping my posture bent so he could walk.

"No…" he slurred. For someone who'd been so close to death, he certainly put up a decent struggle, but I just held him tighter and dragged him further away.

"Don't talk, Pretty Boy. It's just me." He continued to squirm, and I realized that he couldn't hear me, his ears most likely still ringing from the explosion. I gripped his face and turned it so he was looking into my eyes. "Mello, it's me-"

Oh.

The mask he was wearing covered up most of it, but I could plainly see the burns consuming most of the left side of his face, trailing down his neck and to his shoulder, bits of his leather vest melted to his skin. I immediately realized what must have happened.

"You crazy motherfucker…You blew yourself up?!"

"A…?" Mello slurred. "Wha-?"

"I said shut up!" But by then he had passed out, going limp against me.

Fan-freakin'-tastic.

With an exasperated (and also slightly embarrassed) sigh, I did something that I'd never dreamed of doing in a million years: carry a hot, unconscious, injured man bridal-style.

Damn it, it's supposed to be the other way around!

I took him a good distance before spotting a cave and gently placing him inside. I then searched his pockets for something useful.

Come on, come on…Ah ha!

In his right pocket was a cell-phone that had somehow survived the explosion. I flipped it open and searched the names and numbers listed, not sure who to trust in Mello's time of need. But then, at the very bottom of the list, was one name I recognized: Matt.

It's a long-shot, but it'll have to do.

I dialed the number and held the receiver to my ear.

Please pick up please pick up please pick up please pick up-

"Hello?"

Yes!

"Matt," I said in Mello's voice. "Listen, I need your help. I-"

"Hello?"

Stupid! He can't hear me unless he touches the Death Note! Goddamnit!

I cried out in frustration and began to panic, until I heard a moan behind me and came up with a solution. I thrust the phone against Mello's ear and yelled,

"Mello, you have to say something! I can't get help unless you talk!"

"I'm hanging up-"

I gripped a bit of Mello's burned flesh with my index finger and thumb and gave a small squeeze. The response was immediate as he screamed in pain, clutching my arm in protest.

"Sorry."

"Shit!" I heard the voice on the other end say. "Right in my ear!"

"Come on Mello, talk. Tell him you need help."

"Matt…" he muttered, barely conscious

"…Mello?"

"That's it, keep going! If you pass out again, I'm just gonna squeeze harder."

"Y-Yeah…yeah it's me. I…I blew myself up, Matt."

"What?!"

"Can…can you come get me?"

"Hang on, I'm tracking your location now. Just keep your phone on and I'll find you."

"Thanks…" He passed out again, but I let him rest and placed the cell-phone in his hand.

"Alixandria! Yo, Alixandria! Where are you?" It was Ryuk. I could hear him calling just above us. I stared at Mello and sighed, hoping that I would be able to find him again after I left. Wasting no time, I flew out of the cave and glided close to the ground in case Ryuk tried to look for where I'd been. Once I was far enough away, I shot into the sky and waited for Ryuk to find me, which he did. "There you are. I've been lookin' all over for ya."

"What is it now?"

"The guys I'm workin' with want to see you. They say they're gonna return your Death Note."

"Great. Take me to them."


We flew for a while and eventually came to a hospital parking lot. We landed in front of a small group of Japanese men. All but one were wearing hospital nightgowns and some form of bandage.

They must have been in the hideout when Mello blew it up…Can't say I envy them.

There was a cute guy named Touta Matsuda, a bearded dude named Shuichi Aizawa, a big fella named Kanzo Mogi, and a serious-faced man named Hideki Ide. Upon closer inspection, I could tell that some of them had been crying, especially the handsome young man who was holding my notebook. I recognized him from before, when Ryuk was helping me track down my Death Note.

It was Light Yagami.

Kira.

It took every ounce of self-restraint in my being not to throttle him on the spot.

"You're the shinigami who came here to take back this notebook, aren't you?"

"Hai," I nodded.

"The notebook might be helpful to the Kira investigation, but we really only need one of them. I'll give this one back to you." He held out the Death Note. I took it and decided to show at least some respect for these men who had clearly suffered heavy losses.

"Thank you very much." I bowed deeply. "I am very sorry for any grievances caused by my Death Note." I stood up straight once more and tilted my head slightly towards Ryuk. "Don't trust him. He's a lying, cheating bastard. Goodbye."

I was back in the air before any of them even had a chance to respond.


I found Mello right where I left him, still unconscious.

I grimaced as I took a closer look at the damage his body had taken. His face, neck, and shoulder would be scarred for the rest of his life. Even with proper medical treatment, the recovery would be painful. His cell-phone was still on, so I knew that Matt was on his way, although I was unsure how long he would take, having no idea where he was. For all I knew, he could be on the other side of the world.

I sat down opposite Mello and waited. Sometimes he would grumble and moan, but I was pretty sure that he was still out like a rock.

I'll make sure Matt picks him up, then I'll go. Now that I have my notebook back, I can finally finish this. In fact…

I took out my Death Note and flipped to a blank page.

Why not end it right now?

I pressed the tip of my pen to the paper and started to write the characters of Light Yagami's first name. I was almost finished when Mello made a noise that he never would have made were he awake. It was a sad, pathetic little whimper usually associated with a hurt puppy or kitten. He was scared, in pain, and alone.

Just like I was…

I looked at the unfinished characters of Light's last name, then Mello, then back to what I'd written, before closing the notebook and tucking it back into my belt with a sigh.

He doesn't deserve that…Not yet.

"Mmm…" I looked up at the sound of Mello's voice and placed my hand on his uninjured shoulder as he began to stir. "Matt…"

"Just relax, Pretty Boy. He'll be here…eventually." He continued to mewl and, without really thinking about it, I began to gently stroke his hair. Even singed, it was still rather soft.

I wonder what shampoo- wait…what the Hell am I doing?!

I pulled my hand back sharply and pressed myself against the wall, as far from Mello as possible.

Jesus Christ, woman, get a hold of yourself! This is not some shitty fairy tale! Who do you think you are, the fucking Little Mermaid?! He's not some dashing young prince who'll love you forever now that you've saved him! He's a bastard! A cunning, egocentric bastard! There is no way on Earth that pining after him could possibly end well for you, so GET A GRIP!

I buried my face in my hands and groaned.

"I don't even know what I'm doing anymore…" I told the semiconscious man. "Seriously, I have no fucking clue…"

Mello (whom had relaxed somewhat after I'd started petting his hair) began to quiver again. He looked like he was having a nightmare.

Ah, fuck it.

So I sang, hoping that maybe it would calm us both down.

"I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord,

But you don't really care for music, do you?

It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift,

The baffled king composing hallelujah.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."

Mello became still, and after making sure that he hadn't actually died, I continued.


About forty five minutes went by and I began to worry that maybe Matt wouldn't come after all. But, like a cheesy last-minute deus-ex-machina, I suddenly heard tires screeching against pavement followed by a car door slamming and running footsteps. It was Matt.

He appeared to be in surprisingly good shape for someone who supposedly spent all his time in front of a computer, with bright cherry-red hair that had clearly been dyed, orange-tinted goggles, a black-and-white striped long-sleeved shirt, a tan vest with white fluffy trimming, elbow-length leather gloves, jeans, and long black boots. The letters floating above his head read Mail Jeevas.

Fascinating fashion sense…Curious name too.

I watched as he discovered his old friend and hoisted him over his shoulder, cursing around the lit cigarette sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

"Jesus, man, what did you do to yourself? Every time, every fucking time you call me, it's to bail your sorry ass out of some shit-storm you created. Unbelievable, unbe-fuckin'-lievable."

I liked him immediately.

I followed the pair to Matt's car and he loaded the burned blonde into the backseat as I sat on the roof of the vehicle. I held on tightly as we sped out of the woods and into the night.

We eventually arrived at a crappy apartment complex. As I hopped off the top of the car, I heard groaning from the backseat and saw a leather-clad shape squirming around. Matt got out and opened the door, this time walking Mello to safety and not carrying him. I followed them to his apartment and made note of the room number, in case I had to leave and come back. Once the two were in Matt's bedroom and the fake red-head was bandaging Mello's wounds, I decided to give them some privacy and floated up and out of the room.

Hours passed, with the night beginning to fade and daylight quickly spilling into the sky. Mostly I stayed outside the bedroom window, singing to Mello (if he could even hear me), but mostly to myself. When I wasn't doing that, I was following Matt around, trying to think of a good time to reveal myself to him. I knew that it would be a while before Mello would be able to coherently explain the details of the situation, but Matt needed to know now. But the shock of seeing someone like me…

Along with breaking at least a dozen rules…

I soon came to the frustrating conclusion that the only way to do this was to do it quickly and hope for the best. Beyond had told me the guy was smart, and I prayed he wouldn't interpret the sight of a shinigami as a sign of madness and not take me seriously. So, the next afternoon, after Matt had returned from buying more medical supplies for the still unconscious Mello, I touched a piece of my Death Note to his cheek, covering his mouth in the process.

I am going to get so much crap for this.

He immediately became aware of the hand over his mouth and tried to cry out, but I pressed down harder to silence him. I then wrapped my other arm around his waist, pinning his arms to his sides so as to prevent much movement.

"Do not be afraid," I whispered into his ear, instantly regretting it as he struggled in my grasp.

Jesus, how creepy can you get?! Attagirl Alix, so much for not scaring him shitless.

His eyes widened at the sight of my large bony hand, soon traveling up my arm and finding my face. He produced a muffled scream and I began to find it increasingly difficult to hold him still.

"Wait, hold on, just give me a-" He wouldn't listen, and after a few more failed attempts to explain myself, I let out an exasperated cry that, in hindsight, should have woken Mello. "Goddamnit, would you give me just one fucking second?! I'm not going to hurt you! I'm actually here to help!" That seemed to get his attention, for he suddenly stopped squirming and stared up at me. "Look, I'm a friend of Mello's."

He made a noise that I assumed was gag-speak for

"The fuck are you talkin' about?!"

"Well, maybe not a friend, but I worked with him in his Kira investigation. I helped him get out of the hideout after it blew up. I was the one who first called you and you nearly hung up on me. How do you think he even got to that cave anyway, huh? You think he freakin' skipped there?" I decided to stop there and let him come to a decision on his own. I watched as, like Mello, gears seemed to work in his head at an insane speed. "Listen, I can explain everything, and whether or not you believe me is up to you, but I can't talk to you if you're screeching like a goddamn lunatic. Understand?"

"Mmf!"

"Yes!"

"Alright. I'm going to let you go, but I want you to promise me that you won't scream, okay?"

He nodded.

"Okay." I released him and took a step back, whilst he bolted out of my arms and spun around, back pressed against the kitchen countertop and panting. We stared at each other like that for nearly thirty seconds before Matt finally spoke.

"What," he breathed. "The fuck?"

I chuckled, pulling a chair from the table and sitting down.

"You may wanna take a seat. It's a long, complicated story." He did so, producing a cigarette from his back pocket and lighting up, which almost immediately relaxed him. "First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Alixandria, but you may call me Alix if you'd like. I am a shinigami, or 'Death God', if you prefer the English term."

"Alright, Alix the Shinigami. My name's Matt."

"I already know that."

"So, would you mind telling me just what the flying fuck is going on here?"

I smiled beneath my scarf and told him everything.


To his credit, Matt handled the news better than I had hoped, nodding in understanding as I explained the rules of the Death Note and how it had ended up in the human world.

"Here." I held the notebook out to him. "You can look at it if you want, but you must not let it touch the table."

He took it and flipped through the pages, reading the rules Ryuk had scribbled in the front cover. He then handed it back to me without a word and I continued with the story. He didn't ask many questions, soaking in the information I gave him. By the time I'd finished, the sun had almost set.

"But why?" he asked after I was done. "Why stay behind and help? You've already got your Death Note."

"Eh, I've got nothin' better to do."

"Jeez, just how boring is the Shinigami Realm?"

"Unbelievably so."

"Okay, so…we got killer notebooks, gods of death, and a burned Mafioso passed out in my bedroom. Anything else I should know about?"

"No, I think that's about everything. I'm sure this is a lot to process, and I would not be offended in the slightest if you wanted some time to yourself."

"Nah, nah, you're good. I'm gonna go check on Mello really quick."

"Okay." Once he was back, I asked how he was.

"Still out cold. I doped him up with a shit-load of pain-killers, so it might be a while before he wakes up." I could tell by the look on his face that he was worried and saddened by the state his friend was in.

"If it's any consolation, I really am sorry about all this."

"Appreciated." Matt sighed, taking out a small rectangular device and flipping it open, sounds soon emerging from the machine. Curious, I stood up and peeked over his shoulder as a familiar logo flashed on the top screen.

"What's that?"

"This? It's a Nintendo 3DS XL." Upon seeing my look of confusion, Matt elaborated. "You play games on it."

That's right, I think I had something similar to this…Wasn't nearly as high-tech though.

"May I watch?"

"Uh…" He stared at me for a few seconds with a weird look on his face. "Sure."

For a few minutes, I observed the game as Matt played it.

Yes…Yes, I remember this. I had one of these games. It was my favorite.

A yellow creature suddenly appeared on the screen.

"Pikachu!" it squeaked.

"Pikachu!" I mimicked.

Matt's head spun around so fast, I thought for sure that he was going to break his neck.

"What the Hell was that?!"

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to distract-"

"That was amazing!" His face lit up with childlike wonder. "How did you do that?"

"I just sorta…did." I shrugged.

"Can you do it again?" He was practically bouncing in excitement, and I couldn't help but think it a little cute.

"Okay. Pikachu!"

Matt nearly screamed.

"That is so cool!"

"Thanks." No one had ever called my imitating 'amazing' or 'so cool' before. I was actually rather flattered. "I can do other Pokémon too."

"Really?! That would be-!" Then it dawned on him. "Hang on…How do you know about Pokémon?"

Oops. Almost forgot.

"There's…something else you should probably know."

"What is it?"

"Before I tell you, would you mind if I asked you something?"

"Shoot."

"Have you ever heard of a guy named Beyond Birthday?"


Alternate title for this chapter: Blown Eviscerated Puppy

Pokémon and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah belong to their respective owner(s), and not me. So please, no suing.