Enjoy, also, I want to thank everyone following the story.

Thoughts of the main character


Stupid bastard... He was researching me, preparing... Mikuru's thoughts trailed off as she began to drift to sleep, snuggled safely in bed, a last look of the clock before her eyes closed for the night was all that was left of her nightly ritual, 3:41. She slept.

7:12, Plum eyes viewed the morning from the open window, the air had a fresh smell with the clean scent of recent rain and budding chrysanthemums, pale yellow beneath the window. The girl leaned out the window on crossed arms, bare arms greeting the air in a teal camisole, it was a much better day today. A smile grew on Mikuru's face as a chilly morning breeze rushed through the window to great her. Mikuru felt a shiver go through her, and mentally noted to bring a jacket with her while walking with Mina.

Glancing over her left shoulder to the furry companion brought the malformed flesh into direct view, it did not ruin her mood, but it dampened some. It bothered her, but she accepted the disfigurement, sometimes, when others saw it, she felt like a freak. Mikuru went to shower.

8:24 Slipping flats onto her feet, the goliath girl began to leave on her walk with her dog. She dressed in white pants, cuffed, matching white jacket, and a solid rose colored top with a design meant to flatter her modest chest. An outfit easily interchangeable with her work clothes, perfect for later, her hair was put up in a peacock twist. With a quick whistle, and the click of a leash to a collar, she was out the door, music in her ears.


2:15, Mikuru was off the clock and changed, hair down, make-up a bit more than normal, but she wanted to look nice, even for just a short while. Down the halls she went, her school bag bouncing against her, until she arrived at room 715, a corner room, private, belonging to Imai, Akeno. The tenant had been in the hospital for nearly seven months from an auto-accident, and only for the past two had he been out of intensive care. A glance about, and seeing no one's eyes on her Mikuru let herself in.

The lights were off, but the curtains were drawn slightly to let a bit of light in, and a warm breeze lazily blew in through the screens, heating the cool room slightly. Mikuru set down her bag. It was clean, of course, it was a hospital room, but the smell of him lingered, two months had let him seep into the room. She wondered how long it would last when he left.

Akeno came out of the bathroom, towel pressed against his damp face, loose grey sweats hung low on his hips, even now his bare torso, atrophied, burnt, and scared, held the remnants of his once toned physic. A smile, for her. A flick of his wrist and the towel was behind him, on the floor, back into bathroom, and he took a step. Two step. Three step. He was taller, by barely a half inch and it made her heart beat faster. He leaned down, closer, his arm on either side against the chair behind her, plum eyes close. Nothing. Eyes open, he is turned around, red shirt being slipped efficiently over his head.

"I'm really tired today, physical therapy sucked. They had me do an extra twenty-five minutes of stretching. Than about five new exercises, part of a new routine for me. Good for my muscles, apparently. Anyway, 'Aim for the Ace' is on in a few, wanna catch it?" She sighed, buried a might-have-been, and let a smile bloom on her face.

"Sure."

3:14, Hair perfectly done into its previous peacock twist, jacket on, picking up her bag she left the bathroom, Akeno leaned against the wall across from the door smile on his face. Just where it always was. She blushed. His smile grew.

"I'll stop by Tuesday if I can, want me to bring anything?"

"Just some snacks, bring some movies too." It became awkward then, and Mikuru debated speaking, his smile receded some. She spoke.

"See ya later."

"Take care." The door clicked shut behind her, 3:18.

Down the halls she went, walking towards the dressing rooms, watching the people she would pass do everyday things. Families hugging, nurses talking, people leaving rooms. Mikuru turns right at the corner. A man is leaving a hospital room. She stops, nearly tripping herself, she knows those clothes, knows him. She quickly steps behind the corner again, back against the wall.

Lawliet's here... why...

Her head pokes out again, he's stepping into the elevator. Once the door closed she ran down the hall, checked the room, 705 Yagami, Soichiro. Mikuru kept running, until she reached the shining silver doors, at the top of the elevator read the destination. Ground floor. Pivoting Mikuru threw open the stairs and began to rush down them. Leaping the bottom four steps before each landing. Her mind did not think, her body just acted. Mikuru felt in her gut, stronger than she ever had, that she needed to follow him. The door to the ground floor stood before her, her breathing was labored, but she advanced and opened it slightly.

Lawliet was nowhere to be seen, not left, nor right, now where? A couple strode in front of the door, arm in arm, either not noticing her or not caring, and when they past the women began commenting on how she felt sleepy just seeing those eye bags. Mikuru threw open the door and turned left. It could only have been him.

Down the hall around the corner, she jogged several feet, past three doors, but could not see him. The hall was long and strait from where Mikuru stood, she turned around, it must be a room. A few steps and she reached a door, swung it open, empty. The next round of their game would begin soon.


It was fast. A blur, but now she was in the maintenance room, closet really, it was small -no larger than five feet each direction-, cramped, and lined with shelves of cleaning and maintenance tools. It was bright though, she was thankful for that, but Mikuru had no use for the light when it came to identifying her reason for being in here. It was Lawliet. Here she was, on the vinyl floor, head throbbing from where it hit a low shelf and rear sore from catching her fall.

To hell with gut feelings, they hurt... stupid bastard didn't have to throw me...

"Miss Ikeda, it would be wise for you to pay attention."

"Why," Mikuru's left hand checked her head, just a bump. She began to stand, gripping shelves to help her up as Lawliet stood a few feet away, simultaneously blocking the exit and observing her. "should I? You've stolen from me, invaded my privacy, stalked me, bugged my phone, and now, now you've thrown me in a closet! Why should I do anything for you?" A glare sent his way. Brushing imaginary dirt off of herself, checking the time, 3:25 she impatiently awaited his answer.

Lawliet seemed to pause, contemplating what he would say, based on her outburst. She fidgeted, uncomfortable with the small space, and how unnaturally warm it was for a room in the hospital. He began.

"You should because I suspect you may be kira. I also have evidence to support this."

"Liar." Mikuru nearly spat out the words. "You don't think I'm kira and we both know that. Try again." He seemed non-pulsed by her answer, and continued to speak in his scholarly monotone.

"Why would I not suspect you? You fit into the general categories of the profile and with your past, although it has yet to be shown, you have a high probability of possessing a strong sense of justice." Horror shown on Mikuru's face, she knew it did. Why did he have to bring that up? Even if he knows... She became cold, a moment, she replied.

"What from my past would give me an inclination to justice? My mother who was killed? My 'father' whom I met once?" Her voice began to rise with emotion she wished could have been kept in check. "You don't know any of my personal circumstances around any of that. If you did, than you wouldn't even bring it up." Hatred pooled into her plum orbs, and a silver tongue spoke. "If I were your kira, I would have never revealed the fact that I know your name. Added to the fact that I know you're a detective looking for kira, I would have killed you by now in a traffic accident." A tired, well practiced sigh, left her lips. "I'm not an idiot like your kira, whom you want so badly, I wouldn't bring such attention to myself. I would only use that tool when I had no other choice, and I would make sure it was worth my while." Mikuru had spoken the words she had semi-rehearsed since the day he had claimed to be kira.

Lawliet did not speak.

"Now you know I'm not the kira you want. We've already covered that you're not kira. I'm leaving now." The goliath stepped forward, reaching for the handle, suddenly Lawliet moved. Shoe by her face, left leg lifted high, blocking her path.

"I'm asking my questions right now. We aren't done. " His coal eyes bore into her own, serious.

"Yes, we are." With the last word and Mikuru stepped on his right foot with her left, surprising him, then stooping low, ducked beneath the appendage, holding it still with a hand as the other stretched for the handle.

"We are not." The detective's leg came down with more force than she thought he could and she was on the floor again, back sore, foot on her stomach, holding her firmly in place. Mikuru lifted up on her elbows, he let her. Both let out a few breath of air, at a standstill between them, then, when he blinked, her hands shot out, both thumbs digging deep into the knee that teetered over her. The appendage collapsed, digging harshly into her stomach and he launched forward into full shelves, sending various maintenance materials crashing to the ground.

Catching himself he swiveled off her, to the left, but Mikuru was coughing violently, supporting herself with her right arm, doubled over her stomach in pain, face contorted with agony. As the pain subsided and she regained some composure, Lawliet forced her to the ground, imprisoning an arm beneath the girl and trapping the other with his own. Her eyes met his, muddled with emotions that were reflected in his own.

"You will find that I am quite strong."

"And you will find I'm quite stubborn." Mikuru mimicked his phrasing. She attempted to struggle, to no avail. Legs were in useless positions, her torso had no leverage and her arms were trapped, true to his words, he was quite strong. When she finished struggling both stared at the other, eyes hard.

"Miss Ikeda I still have reasons as to why you might be kira. Disproving them is your quickest way to leave. I assure you." His eyes told a not-so-secret secret, he meant it.

"Then ask, I'll try my hardest so that I won't be very helpful."

"The password for your phone is shinigami. This is the second instance in which recently shinigami have come to my attention. The first instance was in a message from kira that was not released to the public. Explain." It was not a question really, more of a statement, but she obliged, just a little.

"Coincidence."

"I am disinclined to believe in coincidences."

"To bad. Next question." The detective seemed to twitch a little in irritation, but continued down his apparent list of reasons. Eyes observing her face for any tell.

"You seek attention in any form, just as kira does. Positively, from your pet, by your excellent grades, nice clothes, and by working here and helping others, receiving their gratitude and admiration as well as receiving it from those around you for working at such a care oriented job." Lawliet paused, calculating and cataloging her expression. Mikuru said nothing, feeling that he wasn't done and so chose to wait. He continued after about a minute."Negatively by your choices in middle-aged men, rebelling with your uniform, colored contacts, and although I assume the hair is natural due to your parentage, I believe you would have dyed it anyway." He seemed to be finished and so Mikuru began.

"Firstly, I dated him for a very brief time, not even a month, he was also very handsome, and kind, figured I'd give it a try. It's over now though, he broke up with me for someone else, and then a few days later he died in a traffic accident. Now I won't deny that it's nice to be thanked when I work, everyone likes to be appreciated. It is my job though, I get a pay check, I earn money, in a few months I will be spending said money, to buy colored contacts, which I don't already have. My eyes are naturally purple, and I already know, it's not possible, it's some genetic mutation probably." Questions bubbled behind his coal black eyes." Lastly, I don't wear the uniform because, they don't allow tights. If they did I would, really, but I get a detention if I wear the uniform, plus tights, or no uniform at all. I might as well wear what I want." She saw his lips begin to move and answered the question Mikuru knew he would ask. Knew because they all asked, the last person being Mr. Takahashi. "I have both vanity and pride, and I won't allow an entire school to gawk at me like I'm some circus freak. I have a rare birth defect that effects my skin and is found in patches all over me. My left thigh is effected, and if I wear a skirt without tights then everyone would see it at some point, even if I wore a long skirt, there would always be a chance."

"None of your files mention a birth defect of any kind."

"That's because Aunt Kokoro is kind. She didn't report any when I was born, and she has always been good at making sure that it stays that way."

"How am I to know that it exists?"

"Excuse me?"

"You conveniently have a rare skin condition that has conveniently gone unreported and is the reason why you conveniently do not adhere to a school policy that most don't like. It also conveniently explains why your lack of wearing your uniform is not an act of rebellion, but a convenient attempt at hiding your convenient skin condition." His eyes never left her face, she could tell, but her plum eyes watched the ticking hand on the clock above the door till it read exactly 3:33. Her eyes met his, she spoke, voice hard and steady, eyes unwavering.

"I'm not lying."

"You could be half-lying."

"It's the complete truth."

"Prove it."

They stared unblinking at each other, a minute past, 3:34.

"Lift up my shirt near my right hip, just an inch, you'll see more than enough to prove me right." Lawliet blinked then, left hand trailing from her shoulder, along her side to the hem of her shirt. Mikuru shifted her head so she could see it when he lifted the hem also. The rose blouse went up, two inches not one, it didn't matter. He still saw.

His eyes wouldn't leave her flesh, the leathery, malformed flesh. She closed her plum eyes, forced herself to see what he saw. Eyes open. Raw, twitching muscle met her gaze, she swallowed hard, nauseous.

"Interesting."


*'Aim for the Ace' - A TV drama from the time.

-Please note, for any who have a comment on it that she is only a quarter Japanese, her grandfather being American, and that that is the reason for her last name, it is also why she is a blonde.

R&R, Hope you all enjoyed this.