Sorry, I forgot to thank you guys for reviewing last chapter! So here goes. Bloom Momoyia, kirabbit, Lita Takanashi, Fluffy Sheep, you are beyond awesome! Thanks for keeping the story going :)

Wow, this is a long chapter.

Chapter 10: Isolation

As she raced through the halls, Tenn noticed that they were strangely empty. A couple of kids were whispering excitedly as they ran towards the front door, but Tenn was less than interested.

The girl hoped fervently that the nurses hadn't found them in her hoodie when she was being treated. Although it was unlikely – there had been no panic in the girl's face, and no policemen in her room. Was it possible that Beyond had, once again, intervened?

She needed to find her Death Notes. If Light managed to get one of them... Tenn was as good as dead. He has probably already written her name down, and all Tenn can do is wait for death. She would probably die of an accident... Run over by a bus, maybe... or she might get murdered and mutilated like she had already done to so many others...

But there was still hope. Maybe Light was otherwise occupied. Maybe both books were still safe and sound in her clothes drawers.

She burst into the room at full speed and flew around her bed, tripping over her own feet. As if any amount of speed would allow the Notes to remain where they were.

But Tenn's stomach dropped as she scanned the scene before her eyes.

Every one of her drawers had been ripped out of the frame, their contents scattered across the floor. One of them had splintered and cracked down the side. Her bed had similarly been stripped of its sheets, and the small amount of personal items she had had been torn out from under it.

Whoever searched her room had found what they were looking for.

The Death Notes were nowhere to be found. Both had been taken. But that didn't stop Tenn from searching through the mess for them. She had to be absolutely sure.

Still nothing.

Tenn sighed in defeat and regret. Father, you said you'd help me. Why stop now? What did I do wrong? Then she fell onto her bed. Fine. You win, Near. I'm as good as dead anyway...

But the girl resented the idea of simply giving up and waiting for the end. She couldn't bring herself to stop fighting. It was impossible.

So she refused.

"It's not over yet, Light," she whispered. "It'll take more than a name to get rid of me." So Tenn decided she would beat Light. Simple as that. She was going to win, and nothing would stop her.

Tenn would learn how to kill a shinigami. And Ryuk would help her with that – whether he liked it or not. Then she would reacquire her Death Notes. She would get the Eyes. Near will die forty seconds after. And then there would be no stopping her.

God of the New World?

Pfft.

When she was finished with it, there won't be any world left.

And she would start with Wammy's House.

Beyond was roaring with a demented laughter.

"I know you're not going to destroy the world, girl. That wouldn't be at all productive. What exactly are you aiming for, then? Becoming the chaotic ruler of a destroyed planet? I don't think so. You're in a bad mood, Tenn. It'll pass. Don't do something you'll regret."

The strange thing was that he was right. Tenn huffed angrily.

"Tantrums will get you nowhere. I do like your ambition, though. Maybe you weren't a complete waste of my time, after all."

"Well, what are you after, then?" Tenn was already quite used to hearing her dead father's voice in her head by now.

"Like I said-"

"It's for you to know and me to find out, I know, I know. But I'm not going to do anything for you unless you tell me why. I don't appreciate being used."

"Stupid girl. Do you really think I care about you?" A cruel chuckle. "Do you believe that I won't take over your body and force you to kill people, simply because you tell me not to? I am afraid that you are sadly mistaken. I am not like others; that is how I am able to be here. That is the only way I am able to take over the minds of my offspring without any effect on my conscience. You are a pawn; you shall be used as bait. As a decoy. And when I'm done, you are to be thrown away like the garbage you are. You are nothing to me, Tenaiah. Don't think you can control me." Beyond's voice was white-hot and dripping with venom.

Tenn was almost too shocked and hurt to notice the small slip-ups Beyond had made. Almost."Y-you said 'minds'. And you've said that you found someone else to possess. D-does that mean... I have a sibling here? Someone else you're controlling? And that also means... that you can only control your children..."

"It does. And they are much more cooperative. Their mind was already empty of anything that could get in the way of progress. Although you were quite easy to control – all I had to do was connect your murderous thoughts to actions – and this one finds it hard to kill someone... I've already worked around that. Just feel lucky that I made them spare you as Shadow met his end."

Tenn only noticed then that she was shaking her head in denial. She had thought at least one of her parents was decent. Her mother had abandoned her. Her step-father had abused her. And now she realised that her real father treated everyone that cared about him like dirt.

The girl wished there were a way out. She despised her heritage. She wanted there to be some way to make it unreal. In the short month she had been at Wammy's, Tenn's only real family had been Malice. And she was unsure if she even had that any more.

And the little girl broke down. She wished she had never found the Death Note. She wanted everything to be normal again. She needed Malice to be with her now.

Beyond sounded agitated. "You see, Tenn? You even think about killing someone, and your inner self beats you down. That's what a normal person would feel like if they had killed someone. That is what your dear Malice felt like when she found out you were a murderer. I held it back for you before. And if you be a good girl, I shall do so again."

"I-I did this to Malice?" Oh god.

"You should look out for her. She might get into trouble if you keep this up." It sounded like an unfinished sentence, but the presence in her mind was gone. Tenn felt empty.

"Wait, what's wrong with Malice? Father, where is she?" A sinking feeling filled her chest, and Tenn raced back out of the room. She could only concentrate on one thing at a time in her state, and at the moment it was Malice. The Death Notes; Light; her unknown sibling. All wiped from her mind in a second.

Tenn saw that the pair of kids were still on their way to the front door, which made her wonder how long exactly she had been in the room.

They looked tense. Tenn ran beside them, keeping up easily with their rushed steps. They stopped whispering.

"What's going on? Where is everyone?" Although Tenn could not consciously comprehend the sad looks they gave her, something in her mind told her to run. To get away while she can.

The boy – someone she had seen around but never bothered to get to know – leaned in. "They've caught the murderer!"

Run, Tenn! Her mind seemed to scream at her. "W-who?"

"Malice." He misinterpreted the look on Tenn's face. "I know! No one knew she had it in her! I mean, she's the top student; a responsible goody-two-shoes. We all thought it was Shadow until he was killed! Who'd've guessed, right?"

But Tenn was already gone.

-X-

Outside, the entire population of Wammy's was gathered.

Roger was beside the head officer, a sad look on his face. He didn't even glance at Malice as she was led to the police van.

The orphans, however, had a different reaction. Some were screaming profanities at her. Others were crying for the ones she had killed. But many more were simply staring; like something impossible had happened. They didn't know what to think.

Malice, however, held her head high in defiance. The dry blood was caked into her clothes and hair, and her tired eyes locked with each and every person in the crowd. She willed them to realise that she was innocent. But, as always, there was nothing but shock and mild horror in their expressions. They would believe anything. Idiots.

Someone else pushed through the crowd, ignoring the protests of whoever was in their way. That person emerged from the masses, a step in front of the circle of witnesses. And she stayed there. Her bright green jumper had been put on hastily over a hospital gown. She was still barefoot. Still the same little murderer she was before.

But something had changed in her eyes. They were no longer shining. They were dead and hollow. Grey as ash, pupils larger than they ought to be, now just useless holes that saw everything and nothing.

Tenn stayed silent as she watched the girl get pushed roughly into the police van.

Malice finally let her head hang and the tears fall. If Tenn would do nothing, then Malice was a condemned criminal as far as anyone was concerned. Nothing she could write would convince them otherwise.

Roger stepped in front of the crowd then, clearing his throat. "I realise the shock you are going through at the capture of the Wammy's Murderer. But I am afraid that I have some bad news. The Board has decided to close down Wammy's House."

He let the news sink in. Then the outbursts came.

"But we live here!" "Where will we go?" "What about Mr. Watari? He built this place!" "Finally someone sees sense!" "We can't exactly go home, you know!" "My parents are dead!" "We'll be safer the sooner we're out of this place!"

Roger called their attention back. "I am aware that some of you consider this building home. But this cannot continue." The door to the police van slammed behind him, punctuating the sentence with the finality of justice. "Too much has gone wrong with previous students, and it cannot be allowed to happen again. The world is better off without Wammy's House." He was referring to the incident with A, and Beyond. Another boy, too, called Marko, had ended up killing someone and then himself because of the pressure of living up to L. That was before A and B.

"You are to return to your rooms and pack your belongings. Groups of up to five are able to move to the same place, but we will make allowances. From the orphanage you are going to, you will find a foster family to care for you until you are old enough to move out on your own." A lump rose in the man's throat as the car pulled away. Wammy's had meant so much to him, and he had kept it in perfect order since Watari had passed away. Now it was all going to be taken away.

It had been decided soon after Steph had died. Roger had been making plans for the children since, and Shadow's death had only sped up the process. Malice's persecution was enough to make it final.

Malice listened the brief speech intently, a scowl plastered to her face. She was so preoccupied with the thought of Wammy's closing down – the place she had called home for the majority of her life – that she didn't notice the policeman at the wheel convulse.

He gasped for air and clutched his chest, and the van swerved off course as he gripped the wheel awkwardly.

The next thing Malice knew, glass sprayed over her as the front of the van was crushed by the wrought iron gate of Wammy's. The driver was dead. His partner was dying – gasping for air as his heart constricted. He then slumped forwards, the life leaving his body as his heart gave its final thud.

That's when the attacks began.

Every one of the forensics and policemen fell to the ground, one by one. No one knew what to do. There was fear on every face in the crowd. When the officials were dead, would they be next?

Panic spread like wildfire. Kids ran inside; they ran away from the scene; they ran in circles, confused and terrified. The adults followed suit. There was only one person in the crowd that stayed deathly still.

Tenn knew what this was. But she didn't know how, who, or why.

Malice was just as scared as anyone else in Wammy's. She was sure that she would die. But it was then that she made the connection between Kira and Tenn.

Tenn had Kira's power...

Malice tried to run, but the handcuffs were too tight and the door crushed shut. She tried to scream. She tried to flee. But it was useless.

Roger was screaming at the children, trying to get them to calm down and exit the orphanage in an orderly fashion.

"Please, children! Make your way out-"

His words died in his throat, and he could not find his breath. Roger's heart stuttered and constricted, then it shut off completely. He fell then, hardly having the time to bring a fist to his chest.

Tenn was still. Her eyes locked with Malice's.

And she smiled.

Malice, however fast her heart was racing, however much her mind told her to flee, knew she was safe.

Kids were screaming. Any that reached the gate died, also. They eventually got the message.

You're stuck here. No one can enter. No one can leave.

Everyone was still. People were crying. Not a single adult was left in the yard. And Tenn continued to smile. Someone is on my side, she thought fervently.

The sun shined mockingly on the scene of the massacre.