Summary: Lamore knows the Life Note is real but questions what to do with it and how it will affect her. Just when she is about to give up, a Seimeigami appears and tries to help her out.
Author's Note: A Seimeigami is a God of Life.
Chapter 3: Decision
Lamore was sitting at her desk as she looked at the Life Note before her. It was opened to the page with the set of rules and the first page where she had written down the two names, Akio and Aoi. When she had gotten back, she went straight to her room and placed the Life Note on her desk. She had been looking at it for hours, just in deep thinking as the night rolled by. First that boy that died by a fracture skull and then Aoi who was stabbed to death. She was sure of it, this Notebook and it's powers were real.
"I can't believe something this powerful could actually be here," Lamore said to herself, more dumbfounded by the fact that she had this supernatural object in her midst. She thought it was a bad prank, and that her first resurrection was a coincidence. But after Aoi, Lamore was sure that this Notebook lived up to it's name. She wasn't sure what to do with this mess now though. She didn't think it was real, and now that she was sure, Lamore had been spending the rest of the night trying to figure out her next move. "I've brought back two people from death…" She told herself as she looked at the names of the ones she had resurrected. "I was the one that brought them back with this Notebook… I'm the only one that has this power…" Lamore tried to ease herself to calm her state. "I-I'll be okay. They won't be able to connect Akio Arata's resurrection with me. Aoi on the other hand…" Lamore had made the young girl believe she was there to save her from whoever it was that killed her. The only problem is, Lamore was not there to actually see who it was that committed the crime. If Aoi does tell the police about this, they could come knocking on Lamore's door. She may not be considered a suspect, but they may want to ask her questions about the attack. That alone sent shivers down Lamore's spine. If they find out she knew nothing of what happened at that crime scene, they would get suspicious. What if they find out about the Life Note, what would that mean for Lamore?
"I'm overthinking this," Lamore sighed. "Even if they grow suspicious of me, they won't be able to connect it with the Life Note. Besides, it's not like seeing those names alone will convince them that it was this Notebook that brought them to life. I know I wasn't fully convinced until I saw it with my own eyes." Lamore closed the Notebook and rested her head on the desk. "Still, I think it's best that I tell no one about it and keep it a secret until I figure out what to do with it. I mean, there's no way I can keep this Notebook. Something like this shouldn't belong in the hands of a common human. And if I make one false move, I could end up caught and who knows what they would do to me. I have my whole life to think about and a bright future to look forward to. I can't be weighed down by this Notebook, no matter how incredible it's powers might be."
Lamore sighed as she turned her head to look at the clock on her bedside. It read 12:36 AM, had she really been thinking this over that long? She stood up from her chair and rubbed the bridge between her nose. "It's getting late and I have to help Yuki and her friends study later on." Lamore placed the Notebook in her desk draw and headed to the bed, too tired to bother putting on any night wear. "Man, these last few days have been so stressful. Hopefully some sleep might do me some good, though I doubt I'll be getting much." As she got under the comforter, she continued with her one self conversation as her eyelids began to get heavy. "Tomorrow, I'll try to find a way to take the Notebook off my hands. I'm sure I'll be able to figure something out… in the morning..." With that, she drifted off to sleep.
Lamore woke up like she usually did, though she was a bit more sleepy than she would have liked. It was ten when she woke up that Saturday morning and got ready for the day. She barely got any sleep, her mind was racing with endless possibilities of the Life Note even as her body was resting. She went downstairs and ate her breakfast alone at the table. Lamore became more unsure about what today would bring her. Her mind always came back to the Life Note. It can perform miracles, but can she really keep something that powerful? Yes, in hindsight, something like that couldn't be dangerous. At least not in her hands, but if someone with a darkened heart were to come across such a Notebook, like a thug gang or any other dangerous group, they could easily use that Notebook to their advantage. And what of the military? If they got a hold of that...maybe it wouldn't be so bad? They could always bring back their fallen comrades and what if someone died from a terrible illness? Surely the Life Note would save them and it may help doctors researching of certain types of diseases progress in their knowledge.
With the pros that Lamore was thinking of, perhaps this really was more of a gift than a weapon. But that doesn't mean that it couldn't become a weapon. Still, could someone like Lamore actually keep something like this? Could she decide who could live and die? No! That was terrible! How can she play God and toy with lives!? Lamore sighed as she finished her breakfast. Lamore agreed to met up with Yuki and the others at the university library at 2 this afternoon. At least she had some time to figure out a way to take care of the Notebook. She couldn't keep the Notebook with her, she made that choice last night, but what could she do with it or who could she give it to?
She supposed she could bury it, someplace where no one will find it. But the Notebook would still exist and she could get anxious at the very possibility that someone other than herself could dig it up and discover it. Lamore could not give this Notebook to her friends. They may not use it wisely or could hold the responsibility of it. Could she burn the Notebook? She wondered about that idea. It was made of paper, but that would seem too easy. Afterall, if it was so magically, could the paper burn easily? And what would happen to the ones who she brought back to life if she burned the Notebook? Would they still live or be burned to flames? She shuddered at the thought. For now, it would probably be best if she kept the Notebook and told no one of it. Not even her friends. Who knows what someone might do just to get the Notebook or what they may do to Lamore.
Lamore sighed as she placed the dishes in the dishwasher. "Looks like I'm gonna have to hold onto that Notebook until I figure out what to do with it." Lamore then headed up the stairs to her room and went to her desk. Opening the drawer, she took out the white Notebook and looked at it. As much as she hated the idea, she was taking the Life Note with her. She didn't want to leave it unsupervised in case someone were to snoop through the house to find it. Lamore placed the Notebook on her desk and reached into one of the drawers to take out a pink notebook cover. She wrapped it onto the front and back cover of the Notebook. "There, that way, it will look like just a regular Notebook when people first see it. I just have to remember that the Life Note is the pink cover, and I should be fine." For extra insurance, she also ripped out the page that she had written down the two names. She folded up the paper and placed it in her pocket. "There, now they won't see the names I've written down." She then placed the covered Notebook into her briefcase and headed out of the house to try and face the day head on.
She walked through the streets, not really having a destination in mind. She had plenty of time before she had to go to the library, so she was just walking around. She kept her eyes open though, wondering if there was anyone out that would come and question her. She was probably just being paranoid, but she couldn't let her guard down. She kept walking until, unconsciously, she was at Emmachi street, where the Takanori couple and Aoi lived. Lamore remembered the address where the three of them lived. She wasn't sure why she allowed herself to be taken here, but she was debating if she should even be here. If she went to the house, chances are there could be the police asking questions about what happened to Aoi last night. The last thing she needed was to get involved with the police, especially if it made her a suspect in the assault/murder last night. Still, Lamore wanted to make sure Aoi was alright. The poor kid was probably shaken up by what happened to her last night, though her memories were altered. And Lamore was in charge of the young girl, so she wanted to make sure she was doing alright. She walked down the street until she got to the Takanori's house. She went up to the front and rang the doorbell. Waiting for a few minutes until Mrs. Takanori opened the door
"Oh, Lamore!" she smiled as she saw the young adult again. "Good morning, please come in. My husband just left for work so it is only me and Aoi." Lamore entered the household and she was lead by the Mrs. into the living room, where Aoi was seen dancing along to a musical on the television. She wore a white ballerina suit this time from her blue one, but she still looked as cute as ever. She stopped in mid-twirl when she saw Lamore and her new mother enter into the room. She smiled and ran up to the two adults.
"Lamore~!" she laughed as she hugged the brunette around the waist. Lamore laughed with a smile as she patted the young ones' head.
"It's good to see you again, Aoi. How are you settling in?"
"I'm alright," Aoi assured Lamore. "I love my new home! Mr and Mrs. Takanori are great parents! Mrs. Takanori and I are planning on going shopping later to get some things for my room! It has a large mirror so I can turn it into a dance studio!"
"We have a few ideas in mind," Mrs. Takanori said as she sat on the couch. "Hopefully we'll be able to set everything up before she goes to school on Monday. We were thinking that Ichimaru Elementary would be a wonderful place. They have an amazing system with kind teachers and there's even a dance program that Aoi would sign up for."
"Looks like everything's coming up Aoi huh?" Lamore chuckled at that comment.
"Oh don't be such a stranger dear, please sit down." Mrs. Takanori motioned her hand to pat the seat of the couch next to her. Lamore nodded and sat down next to the Mrs. while Aoi went back to dancing along on the television.
"I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced. I just wanted to see how Aoi was settling in." Lamore told Mrs. Takanori.
"Well, she's a little bundle of joy alright. She even helped make breakfast for us this morning." The Mrs. told Lamore. "I'm glad she's doing well, I was sure she would still be shaken from last night."
Lamore could sense where this conversation might be going. She swallowed her fears and tried to continue the conversation. She knew where this was heading, but if she changed the subject at this point, it would only make her look suspicious. "So… you told the police what happened?"
"Yes, earlier this morning. Aoi was more than willing to tell them what had happened last night." Lamore on the outside was calm and collected, and she listened intensively. However, she was panicking on the inside. She feared that this could mean the police would be knocking on her door soon and would be asking her questions. She was sure Mrs. Takanori would tell her that the police would be paying her a visit soon or she should go down to the station and tell them her side of it. "She had told the police what had happened," Mrs. Takanori continued as she and Lamore watched Aoi finish up her dancing. When she was done, she headed to the kitchen to get herself some water, that was when the mother continued the story. "Aoi said that she had fallen into the forbidden part of the park and was trying to get back to us, but she was lost. As she was trying to find her way, she heard some crackling behind her and thought that it was me or my husband. But it was the one that attacked her. She saw the stranger holding a knife and ran away from him. She wasn't able to get too far though, and he was coming right for her. That was when you came along and stopped him."
"Yes, he got me a few times, but luckily he didn't hurt Aoi." Lamore stated. She told them that, so she could say it with confidence and not much worry.
"After that, he ran away suddenly and you took Aoi back home to us." Mrs. Takanori finished explaining the testimony that Aoi gave the police.
"Did Aoi give a good description of the one that attacked us?" Lamore asked without thinking.
"Yes, he was in a gray hoodie that covered his head, but she could see he had coal eyes and strands of crimson hair covering his forehead. He had the logo of a white tiger on his hoodie. That was all she could see before she passed out."
"I remember the color of the hoodie, but he was coming at me so fast that I didn't get a good look at him." Lamore averted her eyes away from Mrs. Takanori to make her feel guilty about it.
Mrs. Takanori reached out and placed her hand on Lamore's, giving a reassured smile as Lamore looked back at her. "You don't have to be sorry, sweetie. The police figured out who it was that hurt you and Aoi. His name was Banto Danno. But he was given the nickname Bishamon. Apparently he was the leader of some gang and after they split up, he had taken terrible drugs that caused him to become violent. They were able to track him and after collecting physical evidence, they took him in. When they asked him, he didn't hesitant to tell them he was behind it. He admitted his guilt."
"So...he's behind bars now?" Lamore asked, relieved for more than one reason.
"Yes, we're not sure what will happen to him, but we should be lucky that he won't be harming us in the near future. And I made sure to tell the police to stay out of your hair now that they caught him. So they won't be bothering you." Lamore smiled, and mentally sighed. At least that was one weight off of her shoulders. Now maybe she can focus on trying to get rid of the Life Note and return her life back to normal again. Hopefully before anyone notices that she's acting weird.
"Thank you Mrs. Takanori. I've been a bit busy lately and I wanted to make sure that the police understood that I may not be much help to them anyways. Though I would have been happy to help them catch the one who could have hurt Aoi, I didn't get as good of a look at the man as Aoi did." Lamore quickly said as she lowered her gaze to the floor. Mrs. Takanori reached out her hand and placed it on Lamore's shoulder and when the two locked eyes with each other again, the Mrs. spoke.
"Not to worry sweetie, with exams coming up and you volunteering your time at so many shelters, I think the police are the last thing you need." Mrs. Takanori laughed. "Though I'm sure they wouldn't have hurt you. We can always count on our forces to help us. After all, they never gave up when Kira was pushing us all around. We should be lucky to have such dependable and courageous men and women who will fight for our rights and justice."
Lamore blinked at those words… dependable and courageous… just like her grandfather. Lamore could remember when her grandfather was on the force and he would tell so many stories to her about all the bad guys he captured and sentenced them to the gallows. She'll never forget how happy he was as a police officer. Then after that day… when Lamore almost died, he had decided to quit the force and keep an eye on her by helping out at the museum. She'll never forget how he sacrificed his job for her. But his personality he got from the police did not change. He helped her become the woman she is today. Why should she run away from the police when she did have certain connections to them? She knew a few people who were close with her grandfather.
Aoi came out of the kitchen and saw the two talking with each other. Lamore turned to see her in the division of the kitchen with the living room. The brunette smiled and waved to Aoi and the child smiled and waved back. Mrs. Takanori saw the two interacting with each other and spoke up. "Aoi, why don't you go upstairs and change and we'll head for the stores when you come back down?"
"Okay!" Aoi nodded at her new mom and rushed past the two and up the stairs to her new room.
"We should set up her room before she starts school. If you like, you could some along with us." Mrs. Takanori offered. "Aoi would probably love to have you along and you might be able to help with picking out some of the materials."
"Thank you for the offer, but I must decline. I came here to make sure that Aoi was doing alright after last night and I have to help my friends study for the upcoming exams." Lamore answered.
"Oh, I see. Well, I wish you and your friends the best of luck on those exams and your future."
Lamore nodded at Mrs. Takanori as she stood up from the couch and thanked her again for her hospitality. As Lamore headed out the door, she had a thought in her mind that she knew she would have to execute. She held her briefcase with the Life Note in it as she thought back to the idea of the police. She thought that it would be best if she didn't go near them, that she should stay away from them because she didn't want to get in trouble or expose the Life Note to the public. But then again, it was the responsible thing to do. She wanted to get rid of this Life Note, she didn't want to have it in her possession for so many reasons. And the police might be able to help her with it. She could make sure they seal it away somewhere so no one would find it. They took care of Kira, they can take care of this. Lamore knew a few people at the station thanks to her grandfather's connections. She could ask them for help. And it wasn't like she committed any crime, so if she comes clean, she won't get punished for it. She was sure that if she was honest and handed the Notebook over, then it would all be over and she can move on with her life.
By the time she had gotten to the police station, it was already noon. When she entered, she noticed that there weren't any people around except for the receptionist at the front desk. She was a typical Japanese woman in her mid 40's that was busy typing away on her computer. She probably didn't even notice that Lamore had entered the building. The brunette took a deep breath and walked up to the desk, getting the receptionist her attention. The lady looked up from her screen and smiled at Lamore.
"Hello there missy, can I help you with something?" she asked kindly.
"Yes," Lamore answered with a curt nod. "I was wondering if I could speak to an officer directly? Preferably someone who worked with Daiki Nishimura."
The lady frowned a bit and Lamore was worried she seemed suspicious to this receptionist. Instead, she told Lamore, "I'm afraid there is a meeting going on between all the police forces across Japan right about now. All the officers are currently away." Lamore was stunned by that news. Was it an ICPO meeting that was going on? She had learned about them from her grandfather. It was a meeting that usually takes place between high level officials of every country when there is a terrorist attack that is taking place somewhere. Could it mean that something bad was happening?
"Do you know when the meeting is going to be done?" Lamore asked.
"I'm afraid that is classified," the lady told her sternly. "If you want to wait here until someone comes back, I will allow it."
Lamore thought about wanting to stay here and wait until then. But the longer she would wait, the more likely it would be that she would start to be taken over by fear and my chicken out of wanting to hand over the Life Note towards the police. Also, she didn't know how long this would take and she promised Yuki and her friends that she would be at the library at 2. Lamore shook her head and offered a gentle smile. "Thanks, but I think I should just be on my way. Before though, may I ask where the bathroom is?"
"Down the hall then turn left, you'll find the women's bathroom." The receptionist answered.
"Thanks, I'll be on my way after I'm done." She assured the lady. Lamore walked down the hall and took a turn until she found the restroom. She really must have been nervous if her stomach was acting up. As she finished up in the restroom while washing her hands, she couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. Oh well, it probably would have been too easy to just hand the Life Note over to the police. And she couldn't just hand it over to the receptionist, she would just write Lamore off and think she was crazy. That's why she had to speak with someone on the force directly and explain it to them. But it looks like that wouldn't be today. "So much for that," Lamore mumbled to herself as she dried her hands off. "Oh well, I can always come back tomorrow. There should be someone I can talk to by then."
Now that Lamore thought about it, how would that have all gone down? She would have thought the scenario would be her telling the officer or officers about the Notebook as she handed it to them. Chances are they probably won't believe her at first, but she will convince them to test it out. And when they got their results, they were sure to believe her then. Of course, Lamore will probably be interrogated since she was the one that found this Notebook and they would ask her some questions. She would tell them everything she knew and hopefully if she answered honestly, they would go easy on her. Worse case, they may lock her up for a while and see what they should do. She could tell them she thought the Notebook was a prank and that she had no other intentions than to test it out. That was actually more than true. As long as she could get rid of the Life Note and go on with her life, then that was the main goal she had in mind.
She walked out of the bathroom, ready to head to the library. As she was walking down the hall, she noticed two men walking through the halls, dresses in suits as they talked to each other. "Man, I can't believe we're late for the meeting." One of them said.
"We had to make sure that the perpetrator was being held in the detention center before we could come back." The other told him. "Besides, why do you care? I thought you hated going to these meetings."
"But it's mandatory on our branch and showing up late will only give us more yelling from the boss."
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure this meeting isn't too important."
"Well considering the fact that we have a 'special guest' for this meeting, it would be pretty important."
Lamore blinked as she heard them talking to each other and watched as they walked into a double door. Were they talking about the same meeting that the whole departments of Japan were attending to? She had to admit, she was curious. She casually made her way to the door and waited a bit as she leaned against the wall. She had to be careful not to get caught so she made sure to look around for anyone coming and to keep a safe distant from her and the cameras. When she was sure the coast was clear, she reached out for the door handle and slightly opened it to get a peek at what was going on inside. There were many men and women around a table, and they all seemed to be talking with one another. Lamore could also see what appeared to be a huge computer screen on the wall, but could not see what was on it. She listened carefully while peaking inside.
"So, any new updates about the Kira group?" one of the men asked the board.
"So far, they haven't committed anything shady other than trying to spread the word of Kira." A woman noted from the notes she was reading. Lamore blinked at the beginning of the conversation. Kira? Was that what this meeting was about? Come to think of it… Yuki mentioned some things about Kira a few days ago.
"It'll be the anniversary of Kira's death in a few more months… Yeah, Kira. You know, the killer who punished criminals for six long years?… Don't tell me you don't know about him! Everyone in Japan, even the whole world has heard about Kira and all of the people he killed!"
'Yuki mentioned that the anniversary of Kira's death would be coming up soon. I wonder if that's why they're having this meeting.' Lamore wondered mentally. It would make sense, there would be a lot of people upset about the fact that Kira was labeled as dead and would want to seek out vengeance for him. Kira did have a lot of followers, as far as she heard from Yuki and from what she gathered from this meeting going on.
"Why are we even bothering with these followers? All they do is vandalised property and assert the name of their 'God' on everyone. Do we really have to put up with them? I can see if Kira was amongst them and we had to keep an eye on them to get to him." One of the other men from the hallway stated very annoyed.
"If Kira was among them, we would notice." A non human voice said. Lamore mentally gasped and blinked as she heard a mechanically and echo like voice. She opened the door a bit more to see where it came from. Without drawing much attention, she looked at the computer that they had on the wall. It was a white screen with a Wedding Text BT/Clerestory SSK L. Lamore blinked as she couldn't help but look at the L shape letter on the screen. Was that where the voice had come from? And who or what was it that talked like that?
"What do you mean by that, L?" one of the women asked.
"If Kira was among those followers, then chances are he'd already attack by now. They would have asserted their powers upon those to get them to join. But as you can see from the charts provided, the numbers of followers have been decreasing at a steady rate rather than rising. This proves that the Kira Followers are losing their hold not only on their society, but of our own as well. But, we must be careful. This will be the sixth year since Kira has been dead and the Followers tend to be more aggressive during this time. While the original Kira is dead and we were able to destroy the weapon Kira used, we must not tread lightly."
'Weapon?' Lamore questioned. 'So Kira did use something to kill off those criminals.'
"Are you talking about the Notebook right?" a women question.
Lamore gasped at the word they used. 'D-did they just say a Notebook? Kira used a Notebook to kill off those criminals…' Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth while slowly closing the door yet kept it ajar so she could still hear the conversation. 'Notebook… but, that means…'
"Yes, if we do happen to find anyone with a Notebook with special powers, we will convict them immediately and their punishment will either be life in prison or death." The headboard man told everyone as they all agreed in unison. Lamore froze as she heard those words. Notebook with special powers? Convicted and sentenced to prison or death? She shook as she closed the door and gripped her briefcase closely to her side. She shook her head and slowly walked down the hall back towards the entrance. She avoided the attention of the receptionist and headed out the building.
Lamore sighed as she entered the library and made her way to find her friends. Her stress level were completely high at this point and she didn't know what to do now. She had no idea what to do now after what she had just heard what those officers had said at that meeting.
'Now what am I going to do?' Lamore asked as she sighed. 'It looks like the police force are after anyone with this 'Notebook of special powers'. So even if I do hand it in, they may convict me and send me off to prison, or worse, death.' Lamore shuddered at the thought. 'So much for just giving the Life Note to the force. I guess I'm going to have to keep it myself.' She didn't like the idea of keeping such a powerful object with her, but if she turns it in, she'll just met the same fate anyways. And she might as well keep it to see how much power it does have.
"There you are!" Lamore stopped completely and gasped at the voice. She had thought for a second it was the police who must have seen her left the station in such a hurry. But as soon as she recognized that voice, she calmed down and looked to see Yuki and her two friends waving at Lamore. One of girl's had long midnight blue hair and light blue eyes. She wore a blue vest with a light blue skirt and white belt as well as white gloves. The other girl had a mix of blond and brunette short hair, blue eyes and wore a white muscle shirt with a white skirt with lots of ribbons and in her hair was a red ribbon. The three girls smiled as they saw Lamore walking over towards them. Lamore put on her best smile and sat down at the desk with them.
'I should just try to forget about it for now,' Lamore thought. 'I have some studying to do with my friends. Just act like it's another normal day.' Lamore looked at her friends and shrugged. "Sorry, did I keep you all waiting?"
"Nah, we just got here not too long ago." The blue haired girl assured Lamore.
"Then we can get started," Lamore said as she reached for her bag but stopped midway as she remembered what she had in her bag.
"What's wrong Lamore?" the girl with the two colors in her hair asked.
Lamore looked back up and blinked, then she smiled as she came up with a good excuse. "Uh… I forgot my book back at home. Is it alright if I borrow yours Asagi?" Lamore asked her.
"Oh sure!" Asagi slid her textbooks over so she and Lamore would be able to share.
"Thanks," Lamore calmly reached into her bag, still shaking a bit, to take out her notes and place them on the table. She was scared the girls would noticed her new Notebook and she couldn't let them see it. She should have gone home to drop it off, but she had to go from the police station all the way to the library so she could meet with everyone in time. Hopefully she could hide it until the study session was over. "So, what lessons should we start off with?"
"Well, I'm having trouble with the graphing parts in my math class." The blue haired girl told Lamore.
"What part don't you understand Aiko?"
"Mostly the formulas," Aiko responded. Lamore looked at a few example questions that Aiko had out. She looked back at her notes and then back at the examples and smiled.
"Here, you just got to use the formula you have and simplify it by crossing out the same numbers and letters on both sides. If you can simplify your equation, you can be able to turn it into the x equals or y equals and use that to figure out where your first x and y coordinate goes. From there, you'll be able to know what direction they go in depending if they are a positive or a negative number."
"Oh...I see it now. Thanks Lamore." Aiko smiled as she wrote down the explanation on her own notes.
"This is why you won't have any trouble on the exams when they come up." Yuki decreed as she smiled at her friend.
Lamore took that compliment and helped her friends with the rest of their study session. For the next few hours, the four girls worked on the subjects they would face for their upcoming exams. Mostly math, reading and writing were the ones they were struggling with. They talked out any problems they may have and when they knew the way to solve it, they wrote it down in their notes. Though Lamore was occupied with the study session, her subconscious still brought up the Life Note. 'What can I do with the Life Note now? I know I can't just give it away to someone, that alone could get me killed no matter who they are or what their intentions. At least there's no way the police will be able to connect the resurrection with me. I shouldn't have any trouble with them, the receptionist didn't seem to pay me any attention and the ones at the meeting didn't notice me peeking in on their conversation. I guess the only option I have at this point is to keep the Life Note. I can just hide it in my room and not bother with it. I might have to make a small compartment for it to hide in so no one can easily find it. Making one shouldn't be the problem, in the meantime maybe I can try to learn more about it. Perhaps if I find out it's origins, I can figure out who owned the Life Note and give it back to the original owner. That might take awhile though.' But Lamore knew one thing for sure, she would not be using the Life Note ever again.
At around five in the afternoon, the girls decided to take a small break from studying. They agreed that after one more lesson, they would call it a day. They planned to do another study session later in the week though. Aiko and Asagi went to the cafe next door to get some hot cocoa (with Yuki's money), while Lamore and Yuki stayed in the library. Yuki stretched out her limbs while Lamore was flipping through her notes. She still had the Life Note on her mind, no matter how hard she tried to focus on another topic. It didn't help that the Notebook was literally in her briefcase. How can one Notebook cause her life to turn upside down?
"Man, that studying sure did help me understand a whole lot." Yuki said as she finished stretching. She looked over at Lamore who seemed lost in thought. "Hey Lamore? Earth to Lamore!" Yuki said as she was face to face with her friend. Lamore snapped out of her daze and jumped as she saw Yuki literally a few inches apart from her face. "Hey, are you alright? You seemed kind of spaced out during the session."
"Huh? Oh! Sorry Yuki. I guess a lot has been on my mind lately." Lamore admitted as she closed up her notes.
"Trouble studying?" Yuki asked. Lamore shook her head. "Is it about your folks?" Lamore shook her head again. "Your volunteer hours giving you a hard time?" Lamore hesitated at first then just shrugged. There was some trouble she ran into relating to that, so it was a bit of a mess. Yuki sighed as she placed a hand on the table and looked at her friend. "Lamore, if you have some problems, you know you can always talk to me. We've been friends since high school, so if you have anything bothering you, just let me know."
Lamore looked at Yuki, with a blank stare at first. 'I wish I could tell Yuki about the Notebook, but I don't want her to get involved. It's better if I'm the only one that has to bear this burden. Besides, even if I were to try and explain it, she might think I was crazy or tell others about it. That's the last thing I need.' Lamore thought. She then forced a smile upon her face and nodded. "Thanks Yuki, but it's nothing serious, really." Yuki smiled at her friend, assured that it was alright. Even though Lamore felt a bit better, she still had a huge weight on her shoulders. Still, she wouldn't let her friends worry about it. It was her responsibility to take care of this Life Note. And that was what she was going to do.
It appeared as if Yuki was going to ask a bit more from Lamore, however her thoughts were interrupted from the ringing in her clothes. Yuki took out her phone from her pocket and answered it. "Hello?" Yuki spoke on the phone. "Yeah, I'm at the library studying with my friends…what?" Lamore blinked as Yuki suddenly gasped in shock. "Yeah…I'll be right there." Yuki hung up and went to her messages to text Aiko and Asagi.
"Yuki, what's wrong?" Lamore asked concerned. Yuki looked up at Lamore, looking upset.
"It's my brother…he's been hospitalized." Yuki was on the verge of tears.
Yuki's parents were standing in the hall of the hospital, outside the room where Yuki's younger brother was when the four girls arrived. The father, dressed in a suit, had black hair and brown eyes. The mother had brown hair and eyes as she wore her apron and glasses here.
The girls rushed down the hallway to greet Yuki's parents. Her mother came running over to her and the father followed. "Yuki! Thank God you made it here!" Her mother began to sob.
"Where's Yuma?" Yuki asked. Her father, answered in a stern yet calm voice.
"He is in room 207. The doctors are running the test as we speak. They should be back soon with the results."
"What happened?" Asagi asked.
"I-I don't know...he was fine this morning...but then he started to feel ill as the day went on. He collapsed a few hours after you left for the library. We rushed him here, called you and have been waiting since." Yuki's mother began to cry as she covered her mouth and sobbed. Lamore patted her on the back trying to ease this woman's pain.
"Don't worry Mrs. Ota, I'm sure Yuma will be alright." Lamore assured. Though she did not know if her words were true, it did seem to calm down Yuki's mother a bit. Yuki smiled sadly at Lamore as she nodded to her friend.
"Do you want us to stay here with you Yuki?" Aiko asked.
Yuki shook her head as she looked at the three. "No, I'm alright. This shouldn't concern you three anyways, it's a bit personal on our part. You girls can go back home, We'll meet up later."
"Are you sure?" Asagi seemed unconvinced, but Yuki assured them with a smile. Asagi and Aiko looked at each other and with a nod they looked back at their friend.
"Let us know if anything happens, and if you need any shoulder to lean on, you know where to find us." Aiko told Yuki. The two bowed, and Asagi and Aiko walked down the hall and out of the hospital. Yuki's father turned towards his daughter and smiled. Yuki however turned to see Lamore still standing there with a concerned smile on her face.
"Lamore, you don't have to be here." Yuki told the brunette.
"Yuki, you were there for me when I was in this situation, it's only fair I stay with you until you all get through this." Lamore promised as she rested her hand on Yuki's shoulder and smiled at her friend.
Yuki looked at her friend and gave a slight smile. "You really are the best friend a girl could ever have. I don't know what I did to deserve you."
"Yuki," Mrs. Ota interrupted the two girls with a saddened smile. "Could you go to the cafeteria and get us some drinks? We've been here for quite a while now."
"Oh please, allow me." Lamore told Yuki's mother "Yuki, you stay here with your parents and keep an eye on Yuma. I'll be back with those drinks." Lamore then headed off to the cafeteria while leaving Yuki and her parents to sit and wait for the news.
Lamore filled up three cups of water and began to carry them through the halls back to Yuma's room. She figured that since it was still early, water would suffice for the family. She decided that she was going to stay here as long as she needed to to help the family get through this. She had to be here, she wanted to be there for her friend. It was the least she could do. Lamore remembered when she had woken up in the hospital after she had collapsed from that disease. She was alone at first and tried to find her family, only to find out they weren't there anymore. It was Yuki and her family that came to the hospital to pick Lamore up and took care of her until her grandparents came back from their dig. If they hadn't helped her back then, she wouldn't be here now. It was Lamore's turn to be there for Yuki and her family. A reassuring smile on her face told her that Yuma would be fine. It was probably just a cold or some airborne virus going around. He's probably getting cured right now as she was walking down the halls.
Lamore was about to turn the corner where Yuki and her family were, when she heard the mother sounding hysterical. Lamore peeked around the corner to see a doctor talking to Yuki and her parents. They were close enough for her to hear the conversation but she stayed hidden from the family to eavesdrop on the situation.
"Well Doctor Kaito, tell us what's wrong!" Mrs. Ota begged for the test results the doctors did on her son. The doctor sighed in a heavy tone, indicating that it was not good.
"I'm afraid we just got the test results back. It seems that the cancer has spread throughout his body." The doctor calmly stated. All three Ota's gasped at the news and Lamore could barely process this. Her eyes grew wide as she heard what the doctor said.
'Cancer?' she mentally gasped.
"How is that possible?!" Mr. Ota demanded to know. "You told us that he was completely cancer free after his surgery! Why does he still have it and how could it have gotten this bad so quickly?!" the father was practically shouting at this point.
Now that Lamore thought about it, last spring Yuki told her that Yuma was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors told him that since it was still at an early stage, they could remove it and have him feeling well. So over the summer, through lots of surgeries and chemotherapy, he seemed fine. He had his moments where he was weak due to the medication, but he was getting better as well. Lamore saw that for herself, so why was he sick with it again?
"W-we don't know how it happened," the doctor shuddered honestly as he was frightened by the father's harsh tone. "We were sure it had been controlled and our equipment was up to date as well as the medication. Somehow the cancer must have spread before it could be detained."
"I-isn't there anything we can do?! C-can't you give him another surgery or some medication?!" Yuki's mother demanded as she sobbed uncontrollably.
The doctor looked down at the ground and shook his head. "I'm afraid there isn't anything we can do for him at this point. The cancer has already taken a large toll on his body. The only thing we can do is make him comfortable until…" He trailed off as he saw the look on the family. They all knew what was going to happen. All three Ota's gasped. Mrs. Ota fell to the ground and held her face in her hands as the tears poured out. Mr. Ota slammed his fist in the wall and Yuki could only shake her head. Lamore was just as shocked as they were. She had loved Yuma like a brother just as Yuki. He had always had this childhood crush on her, but he was such a sweet kid. In fact, this would be the year he would graduate from high school and he had plans to go to college to become a manga artist. Now he was going to die, and there was nothing they could do about it. It just wasn't fair! She lost her parents, why should her friends suffer as much as her?
Lamore peeked to see that the Doctor had given them permission to enter the room. The parents went in first, leaving Yuki in the hall. Lamore took a few deep breaths and straightened her face as she walked down to get Yuki's attention. She handed one of the cups of water to her friend and Yuki took it as her eyes fell to the floor. Lamore looked at Yuki with an empathetic look and clenched the two cups in her hands. "I'm… sorry…"
Yuma laid in his bed and watched as his parents left the room, his mother in tears and father to stunned to say anything. He was just as upset as they were, because he knew that time was running out for him. It wasn't long after his parents left, Lamore and Yuki entered the room. Lamore saw how weak he was as he lied there on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He seemed so broken, though who could blame him. Yuki and Lamore sat down next to Yuma's bed. The high schooler looked at his sister and gave her a small smile. "Ha...hey sis..." Yuki put on a brave smile herself and nodded at her brother. Yuma turned his attention toward Lamore and smiled wider as Lamore thought she saw a sparkle in his eyes. "Hey, you didn't tell me you brought my secret admirer here. If I knew, I would have dressed up nice." Yuma joked with a sadden laugh.
Yuki looked at her brother nervously as she stuttered out her words, "Yuma...uh...it's just...well, when I heard what happened...I thought..."
"Relax sis, they told me everything." Yuma assured in a low voice. "Honestly, you don't have to make a big deal about it."
"How can you say that! May I remind you of what will happen to you! The depression me and our parents will face afterwards! And your friends! Not to mention all the things you won't be able to do!" Yuki practically shouted in tears to her brother. Lamore laid a hand on her friend's shoulder and tried to calm her down. Lamore could understand her pain, but yelling about it will not make it better. Yuki looked at her friend with tear filled eyes as Lamore shook her head. Yuki only nodded, and sat back down as the water kept flowing out of her eyes. "I-I'm sorry..." Yuki sniffed.
"Hey, it's alright. I felt the same at first, but there's nothing that can be done about it now..." Yuma turned from the two girls and looked back up at the ceiling as he went on. "I mean, yeah, I wish I could have lived longer...I mean...18 years aren't long enough if you ask me." Yuma sniffled as the tears started to form in his septias. "Heck, there's so much I wanted to do but now...oh God why…" Tears flowed down his cheeks as he was lost with words for a moment. Yuki and Lamore were just as upset as he was, but he was the one that was really suffering. Yuki reached out a hand towards her brother. Yuma took it with a shaky hand and held it to his tear stained cheek. "I'm so pathetic, But I don't want to die. I had so many hopes and dreams after my surgery. I was going to get into college, go into the manga industry, met a lovely gal and have kids! I wanted to have a graduation and an entrance ceremony party with my friends and family. Now I can't… why did this have to happen?" his lip trembled now and he began to cry into Yuki's hand. Yuki shook her head as tears came out as well.
Lamore wiped away her own tears with her sleeve as she saw Yuki trying to comfort her dying brother. Lamore never had any siblings, but she could tell how painful it must be to lose them, especially in a way such as this. This moment reminded her of when her parents died three years ago. She couldn't stand to watch this much longer for more than one reason. She excused herself and left the room. She knew Yuma would die soon, and there wasn't much she could do. Lamore soon found herself in a bathroom nearby. She was alone in the stalls, which was good because she didn't want to let anyone see her cry her eyes out.
"I'm sorry Yuki…Yuma...Mrs. and Mr. Ota…" Lamore sobbed in one of the bathroom stalls. She huddled against the stall boards and prayed that she could do something that could help out the family. She knew she would have done anything in her power to have saved her family years ago. Lamore remembered that she had her own problems when she was born. Before her, her mother, Hikari Nosaka, had three miscarriages. No one, not even her own parents and doctors believed they could have a kid because of those miscarriages. But Hikari still prayed for a child, and she never gave up hope. Her prayers were answered when Lamore was born. Her parents were overjoyed to finally have a child of their own. But Lamore was very weak and frail when she was born. As she grew older, she was able to get better, but she always kept getting fevers and was constantly sick as a child. Many thought she wouldn't last long, but her parents somehow always nursed her back to health. It was their love for her that made her stronger and she tried to fight off her sickness at times. But even in elementary and middle school she would still get fevers and faint. She would be on bedrest for a week at most. Still, her parents never gave up on her.
Lamore could remember when she was sick with the deadly illness that spread across Japan about three years ago and how it not only affected her, but her parents as well. By that time though they had already gotten some vaccines for the illness, but it was so expensive then because it was newly made and they only had a limited amount of it. The Nosaka family only had the money for one of the vaccines, and they used it on Lamore. They sacrificed their lives just so she could live on. Lamore could still remember waking up in the hospital and searching for her parents. When she saw them in the other room, a white sheet over their heads, her whole world felt like it had been torn apart.
'My parents died for me...because they loved me. I had to go on with a smile because I didn't want them to look down upon me and see how broken I was.' Lamore thought as she wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry mom and dad…I hoped that after you, no one else that I knew would die. I don't want Yuki and her parents to go through what I went through…but what can I do?" Lamore asked herself. Lamore realized that the tears kept coming and her sleeves were soaking them up like sponges. She reached for her school bag and tried to find some tissues to wipe away the waterworks. She felt around until her hand brushed against a familiar cover. Lamore's eyes widened as she grabbed ahold of the pink covered Notebook and looked at it.
Her eyes went wide as she peeled back the cover a bit to reveal the title of the Life Note written on the white hardcover. She remembered Akio Arata and Aoi… how they died and how she used this Notebook to bring them back with just writing their name and cause of death. Though she already took those two names out, the other pages might have the same property! Could she really do it though? Would she dare to deceive death by saving Yuma from it? Lamore slowly rushed out from the stall and opening the door ajar, looked out. The bathroom she went to was near the room Yuma was in. She could see that the Ota's and Yuki were no longer in the hall. She slowly made her way just enough from the bathroom to look at the window into Yuma's room. The doctor and Yuma's family were gathered around his bed, no one noticed her staring through the glass. Lamore could see Mr. Ota looking down at his son with a frown and arms crossed, trying but failing to keep a straight face. Mrs. Ota was on the bedside praying and Yuki was in the chair still holding onto her brother. The doctor was there looking at the scene as well as the monitors. Lamore looked at the monitor and saw the heart rate slowing down by the second. Lamore looked at the Notebook once again.
Her eyes turned back to the scene inside the room and she looked just in time to see the heart rate monitor going flat, and a long beep was heard. Yuma cried as the life in his eyes faded away and his hand that he had around his sister's went limp and fell to his body.
"I'm sorry for your loss." The doctor said in a calm manner. Mrs. Ota began to break down as did Yuki and Mr. Ota only could keep the tears in.
"Yuma! Come back!" Yuki cried as her brother was now deceased.
Lamore saw the heartbreak only beginning as she gripped the Life Note in her hand. She didn't care of the consequences anymore! All she cared about was saving Yuma and easing their heart ache. She dashed back into the bathroom and locked herself into a stall. She opened up the Life Note to a clean page and took out her pen from her bag. She readied it on the lined paper as her hand shook. "I know I promised that I wouldn't use this thing again, but this is for a good cause." Lamore told herself in a quiet tone for only herself to hear. "I know your power is real, I've seen it. So please, don't give up on me here and now. Just let me bring back one more person. Let Yuma live!" Lamore then began to write, the victim's name and the cause of death all while picturing the living face of Yuma who she saw moments ago. Trying to keep her hand steady as the pen scrawled across the page.
Yuma Ota, died of cancer throughout entire body
Lamore looked at her watch after she was done. She now had to wait 70 seconds. She quickly and neatly put away the Notebook and pen back in her bag and straighten herself up. She headed out of the stall and bathroom casually and went back to Yuma's room. She peeked through the window to see Yuki and her family still crying over the loss of their son and brother. The doctor was writing a few things down on a chart as the family said their last goodbyes. Lamore kept her eyes on Yuma's limp body, and waited patiently. 'Come on...please come back…' Lamore mentally prayed. She waited for any response to tell her that it had worked. She jumped as she saw the heart monitor beeping again.
The doctor stopped writing and turned to see the heart monitor starting up again. The Ota family watched as their son's heartbeat was regulating again and Lamore was able to see the arm on Yuma's side twitch to life. She gasped as Yuma slowly sat up in the bed and looked around the room.
"Y-Yuma!" Mrs. Ota cried as if she could not believe that her son was living again. Yuma looked around and smiled.
"Grandma says hi." He laughed. Yuki hugged Yuma as she cried and laughed all together and Mrs. Ota bursted into more tears while Mr. Ota was praying and thanking God for sparing his son. Lamore watched the Ota's reunite and smiled while sighing in relief. She hugged her briefcase which held the Notebook and for the first time since she had gotten it, really appreciated it's powers. 'Thank you, Life Note.' Lamore thought. She looked back and saw the family cheering and hugging Yuma as the doctor was baffled by what just happened. Lamore knew that they would probably keep Yuma here for some tests, but she was sure they would find nothing. Though they would question it, only she knew the reason why. Lamore couldn't help but feel happy for Yuki and her family as they gained Yuma back. She knew she would have done anything to bring her parents back.
Lamore walked down the hall and decided to call it a night. Yuma would be alright now and she didn't want to stay in this hospital any longer. She held her briefcase tightly and smiled sadly. If only this Notebook could have been available to her three years ago when she lost her parents. She could have used it to bring them back to life and they would have had a moment similar to the Ota family. Perhaps… this Life Note really was a gift. Lamore had only used it three times, but it's already brought so much joy and happiness to a lot of people. The families especially, knowing they didn't have to lose a loved one so soon. Why should she get rid of something so wonderful as this? It must have been brought to her for a reason. Perhaps it was here to help her make up for the fact that there were many people that were suffering like her and only she had the power to help them. Maybe this was a gift sent by her family to help ease her guilty pain. Think of how many lives she could save with this. How many families wouldn't have to go through such heartbreak. Lamore smiled, and thought to herself one last time. 'Maybe...I should use this Life Note…'
Unannounced to anyone, way up in the clouds, a certain being was watching over the human world. "Oh no, don't tell me...My Life Note is already in the hands of a human!"
*You can chose when you can bring someone back by writing the date and time of their resurrection after you fill out the person's name and cause of their death.
*If you do not fill out the time a human should be resurrected they will just be brought back within 70 seconds.
Tens days have passed since Lamore had picked up the Life Note now. And seven days since she had brought back Yuma. Lamore was walking with Yuki towards her grandparents house and would stay in for the rest of the night. As they were walking, the two were talking, mostly about Yuma and his situation.
"...Then when they were finish with the tests and got the results, they weren't able to find any trace of the cancer in his body! It's like it disappeared into thin air or something!" Yuki told Lamore.
"There sure have been a lot of miracles happening lately though." Lamore pointed out.
"Yeah, first that Akio Arata kid, then my brother and now there are so many people that are being brought back to life these days. I don't know what it is, but whoever or whatever is doing this, I for one really want to meet them."
"What do you suppose is causing this?" Lamore asked.
"No one knows, but this phenomenon sure is gaining in popularity these days. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes as popular as Kira someday."
"Again with the Kira stuff," Lamore rolled her eyes at that topic. Yuki lightly punched her arm and the two soon reached the gate of the house. "Well, I better head on in. I've got some work I need to do. Thanks again for walking me home from the homeless shelter."
"No problem Lamore, I'll see you tomorrow in class." Yuki waved goodbye to Lamore as she headed down the street. Lamore opened the gate and went inside the house and took off her heels. It had been a long day for her at the classes and shelter, but it was only 8, so there was still time. She headed upstairs to her bedroom and when she closed the door, she locked it behind her. She went to her desk and turning on the lamp for light, she opened one of her desk drawer to look for the Life Note. She placed the Notebook on her desk and opened it to a new page, one without any names. She turned on her computer to look up some news to see if there was anyone that might have died today. So far, she had already filled out three pages of the Life Note already, and she was pleased with her work. Grabbing her lucky pen, she looked through some media to see who had died today, gathering the information about the victim. She already found two, who had died only hours ago and were still in the hospital. Perfect! Lamore began to write down the names and causes of death as she looked at one of the pictures.
Just as she had finished with the one and was about to start the second, she was interrupted when she heard some creaking downstairs. She jumped in her seat and turned her head towards her door. Lamore blinked, was she hearing things? She was alone, her grandparents weren't here. Maybe she was just getting tired or over studying again. Before she could go back to writing, she heard something once again. This time it sounded like footsteps. She instantly froze as she stood up from her chair and headed to her door. She unlocked it and opened it to see what was going on. She had turned on a few lights when she came back so the people outside knew she was home. She advanced down the hallway and kept her eyes peeled for anything. She slowly made her way downstairs and looked around cautiously for any sign of intruders. The lights were still on, and the doors and windows were locked. She heard nothing, so no one could possible be in here. Still, she looked around the kitchen and living room to make sure. She was relieved to see that she saw no one and that she was alone. She breathed in relief when she had confirmed that she was safe.
"I really must be imaging things at this point," she assured herself. "I better get back upstairs…" She turned around and made her way up the stairs to head back up to her room. As she walked through the hallway, she stopped as she took a whiff of the air around her. That's strange, was she smelling flowers? She could have sworn she was smelling something sweet. She looked at the floor and blinked as she notioced pink and purple petals. She picked a few up and examined them herself. They looked like they belonged on a lily or perhaps from a sakura tree? Strange, Lamore didn't remember buying herself any flowers lately. She clenched the petals in her hand and walked back to her room. She wasn't liking this, she was sure someone or something is here. As she was about to enter her room, she reached for the knob and heard a voice behind her.
"Pardon my intrusion…" Lamore quickly turned around to see a figure standing behind her. The brunette screamed at the sudden being and quickly turned her door and entered the room. Slamming the door in the stranger's face and locking it! She panted heavily and she backed away from the door while not taking her eyes off of it. She wasn't alone! Someone was really in here with her! Who the heck was that person!? Lamore thought she was safe until she heard the voice again. "Well now, that was very rude! I just came here to ask you a question or two." The one who was speaking was actually phasing right through the door. Lamore backed up against the wall as she saw the figure coming into her room by literally going through the door. When the being was now in her room, Lamore was able to get a good look at them. She could see the one that had entered was actually a female, which would explain the soft voice.
She had light mocha skin, and pure white flowing long hair that reached her butt. Her eyes were a beautiful light amethyst purple. She wore a pink puffy dress with a light purple sash under her breast and a dark purple ruffled skirt under the dress and dark purple ruffled cuffs. She also had light purple bows on her skirt, elbows and neck area. She had pink shoes with purple bows on them and in her hair on the far right side, a purple five petaled flower with a pink center and two pink lines on either petal. Actually, Lamore had to admit, she certainly was beautiful, but she reminded herself that this girl wasn't human. "I'm terribly sorry for scaring you, but you don't have to fear, I am not here to harm you, Lamore Nosaka." The figure assured.
"H-how did you know my name? W-who are you?" Lamore stuttered as she asked these questions.
"I know a lot more than just your name," Lamore jumped by that phrase and the being tried to assure her. "Please do not worry yourself, like I said I have no intention of harming you. I am Hana, and I am a Seimeigami. A God of Life and Rebirth."
"God of Life?" Lamore blinked as she repeated. "I've heard of Gods of Death, but I've never heard of beings such as yourself."
"I'm afraid not too many people are even aware we exist," Hana laughed embarrassedly. "But that doesn't mean we don't do our jobs."
"So then… why are you here?" Lamore asked, calming down slowly.
"I am here to see where my Notebook has landed," Hana pointed to the Notebook on Lamore's desk. Lamore looked at it and then understood. "You see, the Life Notes belong to us Seimeigami's, we use them to bring humans back to life. Though I'm sure you are already aware of this seeing as how you seem to be using it."
"Honestly, I never would have thought something like this would end up in a place like Kyoto. And I didn't even know it was real until I tested it out. So… what are you going to do to me? You're not upset that I took it from you are you? If so, I'm really sorry."
"You have no reason to be," Hana assured. "I'm not gonna do anything to you. The Life Note becomes property of the Human World once it lands here. And it becomes property of a human who picks it up. So, the Life Note is technically yours."
"Really?" Lamore asked as she picked up the Life Note and held it in her hands.
"I mean, if you don't want it, you could always give it to someone else. Of course, I'll have to erase your memories relating to it."
"So… were you trying to get your Life Note back then?" Lamore asked.
"Well...yeah, but I don't really need that one. I have a new Life Note, so if I get my old one back, I'll just have two. And we are never allowed to have two. That's the rule our Queen has set for us all. I mean, I would like to get my Life Note back, however, it's clear you have a certain attachment to it. So if you wish, I will allow you to keep it until you do not want it or you die."
"So, basically, this Life Note is mine and I can use it however I want?!"
"That's correct," Hana nodded. "But, there are a few things you should know about being a Life Note user. First rule, If you do not want the Life Note anymore, as I've stated before, I have to erase your memory of it. Now, since you have my Life Note, that means that from now on, until you die or give the Notebook away to someone, I have to follow you."
"You're going to stalk me?" Lamore raised a brow.
"It's not stalking if the person you're following knows who you are and knows you're following them..." Hana defended.
'Well she's not wrong.' Lamore mentally noted. Suddenly, she realized something. "Wait, won't people notice that I'm being followed by a Seimeigami? I mean, you kind of stand out."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. See, since that Life Note originally belonged to me, and since you now have it, you're the only one who can see me and hear my voice. Think of the Life Note as a sort of bond between the Human Lamore and Seimeigami Hana. The only way for someone to see or hear me is if they themselves touch the Life Note."
"So, as long as the Life Note isn't touched by anyone else, I'm the only one who can see you."
Hana nodded. "And there are a few other things, one of them is that anyone who has ever used a Life Note... will not be allowed into Heaven or Hell. What awaits them...is Nothingness." Hana said in a serious tone. Lamore froze at the thought. If she couldn't go into Heaven or Hell...then what will happen to her after death? "I'm not trying to scare you, I just want to make sure you know all these things so you know what it is you are getting into. That's all I can tell you for now. If you do have any questions about the Life Note, let me know and I will answer as best I can." The room was silent for a moment after Hana finished her statement. Lamore sighed as she sat on her bed. She looked up at Hana with a serious face.
"I just have one more question. Was it on your own accord that I found the Life Note, or was it just luck?"
Hana blinked at the question and then sighed as she turned to face Lamore. "It was by accident, I assure you. Actually, I was kind of hoping that a Human hadn't picked it up. I was looking for it back in my realm and didn't notice it was in the human realm until a few days ago. And it took me just one week to find the city it was in."
"If the Life Note was so important to you, why drop it in the first place?"
"It was not my intention to drop it in the first place," Hana defended herself. She sighed and sat on the floor. "You see, I have a history of losing my Life Notes, it doesn't happen too often, but this is not the first one I have lost. Usually I am able to find it because I misplace it from time to time. But this is the first time it has fallen in the human world. I had to tell my Queen about it and she told me I had to stay here until I found it and returned it to her. I was able to get another Life Note, but I can tell she was disappointed in me. We Seimeigami's take our jobs very seriously, and I love giving life to humans!"
"Is losing your Life Note a crime?" Lamore asked.
"Not really, but you are punished to stay in the human world until we get it back or it is destroyed."
"So… this is a punishment for you?" Lamore sadly asked as she felt sorry for Hana now.
Hana looked at Lamore and waved her hands to once again reassure the human. "Oh, you don't need to be sorry. In all honesty, it's not that bad as you think. I love the humans and their realm. I have been meaning to see this world with my own experience. Besides, I think getting away from my realm will help me out a lot. I will not have to listen to those other Seimeigami's pick on me. And I have been watching over you for quite some time, so it's nice to finally get to met you."
"Well, if you will allow me, I would like to keep the Life Note then. For now at least." Lamore said.
"I see no real problem with that. I must say though, for only having it for ten days now, you have used up many pages." Hana said as she looked at the open Notebook in Lamore's lap. The brunette nodded as she held the Notebook up to her chest and hugged it.
"Yeah, the truth is when I first got the Life Note, I didn't believe in it's power. And when I tested it out and got the results, then I was so shocked...I didn't know what to do. I actually thought about getting rid of the thing in general."
"Oh? What changed your mind?" Hana had to ask.
"Well...I guess it was after I brought back Yuma." Lamore remembered how happy Yuki and the Ota's were when Yuma was brought back to life before them. And how the doctors were astonished by how the cancer had completely left his body. Almost as if he never had it to begin with. "After that, I saw how happy they were that their son was brought back. How Yuki was happy that her brother didn't have to leave her. And how Yuma was happy he could live life longer and fulfil his dreams. It then made me think back on the other two I saved. The boy from Osaka and Aoi...I wondered...were they happy that I extended their lives? That they could still be with their friends and families for another day and live out their dreams to make them come true? Many people die every day, from murders, accidents, disease and suicides. And they were souls who were innocent and wanted to make their dreams come true. And I always remembered my mom saying to me,
"If you have a gift, you should use it to make yourself, and the world a better place."
Lamore looked at the Life Note and smiled, getting a bit flustered. "That was when I realized how much of a gift the Life Note was, and a gift like that should be used to help people. So, once I saw that, I started to use it to give those who had unfair deaths a second chance. I know it shouldn't be my place to play God, deciding who should live and die. But think of all those families and friends that didn't have to lose a loved one. Think of those that have suffered terrible diseases be cured and not be worried about getting sick again. And think of all of those who died by murder or were assaulted, they can be brought back to send that person to justice." Lamore turned to the window and looked out at the stars and moon. "When you think about it, this Life Note is the most precious gift the world has to offer."
"You certainly do see life half full." Hana giggled. Lamore turned to see her and nodded. "So, does that mean...you'll be keeping the Notebook?"
"Yeah, I've made my decision. I'll use the Life Note for as long as I live and try to help out the people who need a light to give them a second chance. Of course, if anyone finds out about me and the Life Note, then I'll probably get in trouble. But that is a risk I'm willing to take."
"Then you should be careful," Hana told her. "It seems you are playing a dangerous game."
"I'm not too worried, they'll have to find the Life Note to get any proof on me. So, in the meantime, I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled.."
Hana only smiled in amusement. "So, what are your plans for all of this? Do you plan on gaining anything out of doing what you're doing?"
"Of course not!" Lamore looked almost offended. "I just want to help people, and that's that. I'm not gonna gain anything out of this other than the fact I've saved lives and helped others fulfill their lifelong desires. That's all I really want."
Hana nodded. "You sure would make a great Seimeigami one day Lamore." Lamore smiled at the compliment.
Laura was walking back to the hotel room she was staying at in the Kanto region of Japan. She came here for the anniversary of L's passing which marked the 11th year. No matter how many years passed however, she could never forget how much it hurt that he was no longer alive. After everything L had taught her, after every moment they spent together, Laura loved L and would have done anything for him. And now that he was gone, she did not know what to do anymore, expect keep going.
She knew L was dead, so were Mello and Matt, though their deaths were more recent compared to L's. But Near, Laura could never get that one boy out of her head. He was alive, she knew because of her eyes. She knew what he was doing, but she didn't know where he was. But it wasn't like they would run into each other anything time soon. The chances of them ever running into each other were slim to none. Since Laura's work was more focused on the field and Near used more intellect and always hid behind the scenes, like L, they could never meet, for their line of work was far different.
Laura finally made it to her hotel room after a long day of grieving. She had stayed in Kanto for over six days now and had planned on heading back to headquarters tomorrow. It was still early though, and she wanted to try to get a few things off her mind. She sat on her bed and pulled out a book from her nightstand and started to read. It was a thick book, but she read it at a speedy pace. She loved to read, it reminded her of home, the home L took her to when she was a child. Laura could never pictured how life would have been like if L hadn't saved her that rainy day. If she had never met Mello, Matt or Near. Chances are she wouldn't be where she was standing, or laying, right now. Laura owed everything, her whole life and existence, to that one man. The man she will never see again.
Laura closed the book and looked at the time. It was already five minutes passed nine in the evening and her train for Hiroshima was very early. Her mini vacation would be up soon and she had lots of work to do when she got back. She hopped off her bed and grabbed her suitcase from the bedside. As she opened it to put away her things, her cellphone in her pocket began to ring. Laura blinked, and grabbed the phone from her pocket and put it to her ear.
"Yes?" Laura asked the other side.
"Laura, hey, are you heading back to Hiroshima?" Matsu asked. Laura seemed surprised that Matsu would call her on her 'vacation' time. He never did that, for he and Net knew how important this day was to Laura. Did something important happen back at the office? A new case? Perhaps they needed her to leave right away.
"I'll be heading back in the morning." Laura told Matsu as she put the phone on speaker, set it down, and began to pack up her clothes and belongings into her suitcase. "If this is about a new case, fill me in on the details."
"Oh… well, this isn't really a case. Well maybe it is, but I'm not so sure. We don't know what it is, but it's been spreading throughout Japan like fire." Matsu rambled on and on.
"Just get to the main point." Laura told Matsu sounding a bit irritated by how much he was making a big deal of this news yet not actually telling her. Honestly, what was he good for again?
"Well, you remember Kira right?" Laura stopped packing, she stood there frozen at those words. Kira...the man who killed L...he was the one who Laura hated the most in the world, even after his death. And what was worse, she actually knew who Kira was, unlike most of the world. She could have told the police who he was… but she didn't and she payed the price for it. She clenched her fists and tried not to grind her teeth as she kept talking to Matsu on the phone.
"Yes," Laura calmly stated, trying to control her rage. "I am well aware of the Kira investigation that took place over 12 years ago. Are you saying that Kira is back?"
"N-not exactly, it's kind of the opposite. It's all over the news, the web and through media. There's this new person who has gained a supernatural power." Matsu began to explain. Laura reached for a photo of her and the Wammy kids and looked at it. She was about to put it in the case but then Matsu said, "But unlike Kira, this person has the opposite power. Somehow, this person can bring anyone back to life!" Laura stood still, she did not gasp nor react to the news, but she let it process through her brain. A person with the power to give life? Could it be possible? Laura looked at the photo in her hands. She zoomed in on L, how his name or lifespan no longer showed whenever she saw his face. Just like Mello and Matt...and unlike Near. "Anyways, I'd figured you would want to know, being a paranormal investigator." Matsu went on. Laura said nothing, but kept looking at the photo in her hands.
"Matsu..." She finally said moments later.
"Yeah?" Matsu seemed a bit surprised that she finally answered.
Laura let her black bangs cover her eyes as she picked up the phone, turn off the speaker, and placed it to her ear. "I want you to email me every single information of this supernatural phenomenon. Links to sites connected to it, the people who this person brought back, where these people were located and how they died, anyone who may have known these people, as well as list of suspects. And most importantly, do not tell Net or Golbat that you sent me this information. Don't tell them that I'm investigating this. Can you do that?"
"Uh..." Matsu was hesitant to answer, was Laura going to investigate this alone? Surely without the boss's approval? Just what could she be thinking? Then again, maybe she has her own motive? Matsu could only nod, he trust her enough. And she must trust him if she is willing to tell him this and do this on his own. "No need to ask, I understand. I'll send you as much information as I can. And I swear not to tell Net or the boss."
"Thank you Matsu...I owe you a great deal." Laura hung up without another word and looked back at the picture. "L...can it really be possible to bring you back? Will it really be that easy?" Laura looked at the man as her eyes wavered, but she kept still and firm, showing no real emotion. She looked out at the window, as the stars and moon showed in the sky. "No, even if it is only a tiny ounce of possibility, I have to take it. I may never get a chance like this again. L...you saved my life, now I will save yours. Just keep watching over me, and you'll see. Even if I can see you one last time just to say goodbye..." Laura looked at the photo one more time and placed it in the suitcase. She shut it up and locked it. "This may be my most difficult case yet, but still, I will accept."
To be continued…~
CosmoK13: I'm so sorry for the delay everyone, I'm a huge procrastinator, there is no excuse. I'll try to get the other chapters updated as soon as I can. Can't promise to do it during the 4th of July break, but I'll do my best! Thank you all for fav, following and commenting on this story. See you in episode 4.