CHAPTER 10:
"Resurrection - Part 2"

Morph laughed. "Some games are worth playing, Light Yagami. But believe me when I say, a game is only as fun when there is a challenge. Otherwise, what is the point when you know you are going to win?"

Light smiled to himself. Morph was right. He had felt the same way when he was battling wits with L. Near, not so much. In fact, Near was nothing more than an inferior copy of L. There was no one that could replace L. And when L finally died, Light actually felt a pang of regret, because he had lost a true and worthwhile opponent.

After that, Kira reigned supreme for nearly five years.

But in his plight to cleanse the world of evil, Light felt empty, because no one had the ability to challenge him. He fooled the Kira Task Force. But even if they knew about him, none of them would be a challenge for him, and he would depose of them all in freak and unfortunate accidents like he did with the members of the Yotsuba Group.

In retrospect, he wish he had, and along with Misa Amane.

But L was dead, and he was never coming back. L had never used the Death Note, so he could not come back from the dead like Light. So, there was no point in wasting any brain cells in thinking about the dead detective.

Light now had had other challenges to tackle and the most prominent one was rebuilding his life back to a standard like that of before. He could forget about being a detective. But those years in gathering intelligence for the NPA and other law enforcement agencies would not go to waste. He could use that knowledge for his own purposes. But he would need capital, and allies, to achieve his goals—no longer depending on other intelligent services as aids.

Morph waved a hand in front of Light's face. Light blinked, taking him away from his reverie. "Sorry, I was thinking about something else," Light said. "I agree with you on battling a worthy opponent in a true game of chance."

Morph smirked. "I'm glad we can agree on something," he said, then snapped two his fingers of his right hand.

Suddenly manifested in his left hand, in an open palm, appeared a small, white, square case, twelve centimetres by twelve centimetres. He then presented it to Light, as if it were a prize for a king, and the most precious thing in the world, even saying, "For you, Lord Kira," albeit somewhat condescendingly.

Then: "I present to you, your new Death Note, Light Yagami. As Geist explained, the Death Note no longer needs to be carried around to be effective. It has evolved, no more a mere book. I crafted Demetre Draycott a ring, because it would be discreet to wear. This item is similar, and it will be very easy for you to use. And, in case you have any questions, it comes with a mini-pamphlet of How To Use It instructions like the Death Note. And just to be clear: With both of your items—Light and Demetre—in using them, your victims names will still be written in your notebooks, although they will be done so metaphysically. You won't have to do so yourself. Your thoughts and Death Notes will be combined like a symbiotic host being—one depending on the other to operate. You can be half way across the world, or your Death Note can buried a hundred feet underground, submerged, sealed in concrete, misplaced, or the like, and they will still work as one. However, I need not need to explain the cause-and-effect if you lose ownership of your Death Note, do I? And yet, if you do, the knowledge of your items will be lost."

Neither Light nor Demetre responded, but Light knew silence was also a form of acknowledgement.

"Good, then open the case, Light Yagami," Morph said.

Light opened it, but when he looked inside at the item, he was dumbfounded.

He plucked it out. It was carefully placed in a protective encasement within. "A black mouthguard?" he said. "What the hell is this? You gave Demmy a ring, and me a mouthguard? Is this a joke? I don't grind my teeth, Morph."

"It's not to protect your teeth, Light Yagami. It's several pages of your Death Note weaponized. I think it's quite ingenious. It is placed inside of your mouth, behind your upper teeth."

"I still don't understand."

Light handed it over to Morph when he asked for it.

Morph then said, "It's a device that uses mind manipulation through a form of neuropathy." He pointed at some electronic components within the interior of the mouthguard. There were also wire attachments that hooked around Light's back molars to secure it. "You won't even notice it and it won't affect your speech. Any command you give a person with this device, they must obey without question even if goes against their moral code. They will suffer unimaginable pain if they refuse you and will eventually go insane if they keep resisting you. With this device, any person will be your unwitting servant, without say or question. And if they take it out, they will die."

Light took it back and was stunned. "I'm a little confused. I thought you preserved life? You are the owner of the Life Note. This is uncharacteristic from what I know about you, Morph."

"True, but I have been known to take lives like Shinigami to survive, too," Morph revealed. "I once had this intense battle with a fool who thought he could challenge me, and he had abilities no humanoid should possess. In the end, I taught him a very valuable lesson. But that was a long time ago. Sufficed to say, I like you Light Yagami. You are a very interesting human being. So complex, and exciting to watch. Like I said, I was bored when I changed the trajectory of the Death Note so you could pick it up. It is time to write a new chapter in your story."

"How does this work? Does it work like Demmy's ring?"

"Yours is a little more down to earth," Morph replied. He waved a hand, and twelve more cases like the previous one suddenly appeared on the bed in a semi-circle, like teeth. Morph used his powers to open each lid psionically.

In each, mouthguard's resided like the one given to Light, but they were white. Morph picked one up.

"In order to use your mouthguard—let's call it the Alpha—you must give one of these other mouthguard's to someone to wear, tricking them into doing so. Then you must manipulate them into agreeing to your terms, playing a game with them, or challenging them to a battle of wits. It may take some convincing. But with your intelligence, that shouldn't be difficult. If they agree, and lose, then they'll become your obedient servant."

"For a clandestine being with untold cosmic powers, you're not very inventive, Morph," Demetre Draycott interjected. "Read any good Japanese manga lately? I've read that manga, you plagiarist."

Morph gave him a scowl, then smirked. "You can learn a lot about a culture in how they educate their children through picture books, and the alike," he responded. "The irony is your entire culture is on constant repeat, plagiaristic in every way. So many countless wars and butchery over the same issues thought long settled."

"Point taken," Demetre agreed straightly, losing his smugness.

"Like I said, you humans are very inventive. Especially when it comes to building weapons. But I digress. Yes, I borrowed the idea**, because it was not only quite inventive of its own violation, but it will be discreet in its use. However, I have adapted the idea to serve another agenda. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

"And you're a deity-like being, so you can do whatever the heck you want," Demetre remarked.

Morph smirked. "You catch on very quickly, Demetre Draycott," he replied.

Morph explained that he had found a manga laying on the ground, and tossed haphazardly away, with torn pages, partially wet and stained with weather damage, when he was visiting the Human World, wandering the streets, looking for anchor hosts, and it featured the inspired item for Light Yagami's new weaponized Death Note.

He said he didn't think much of it at the time, but later when he recalled back, the idea came in very handy, when he was approached by Geist and Ryuk, asked by Demetre, for ideas to give new life to the Death Note instead of the standard notebook. He wondered why, but then he thought: weaponization with a twist.

But Morph forgot the name of the manga. All he remembered was the concept.

Light wondered about the mouthguard. He put it down, so he could dress, putting on a pair of dark trousers, that Demetre was lending him from a near-by closest. He also chose a suitable dress shirt, seeing he and Demetre were the same fit. He chose all dark clothes. "How does this work? Can we test it?"

"It won't work on any one of us," Morph said, gesturing to himself and the Shinigami. "Once you persuade another human to your terms, and they insert one of these other guard's into their mouths, and they lose to you—if you wish to release them from your command, then all you have to do is say the words: 'I release you.'"

Light looked at Demetre, as he buttoned his shirt. He gave him a thin smirk with a tilt of his head.

Demetre put up his hands, and said, "Forget it, Light. I won't be a slave, not to you, or to anyone else."

"I would never dream of it. You're my equal, Demmy. And note, I have never said that to anyone before. We've known each other for most of our lives. You are like a brother to me, and I would never do anything to hurt you." He rolled his eyes. "Except that time when I wanted you dead, when I thought you were my enemy…"

Demetre cocked his head with a smirk. "Yeah, that time," he said.

"Although, you have never won a game a chess against me."

"In the chess game of life, Light, I believe I've won hands down."

"In that, I concede to you. Consider that a little bit of personal growth on my part."

"Speaking of personal growth, you may want to try a little hair colour," Morph jumped in, pointing to Light's head.

"Why? What's wrong with the colour of my hair?"

"Nothing, we match. I've always liked platinum white myself."

Demetre opened his mouth. "Ah, yes…I meant to tell you sooner, Light," he said, collecting a small mirror from a side table. "You hair is no longer the same colour as it was when you first arrived here. It's changed to pure white."

Light took the mirror, and looked at himself, thrusting a hand through his now ghostly, white hair. It was no longer brown. He remembered catching a glimpse of himself at the medical facility in a reflective surface before he fled the building, his identity hidden behind a mask, and his hair was perfectly fine then.

"What the hell happened to my hair?" he said shocked.

"A good fright usually does that," Morph said. "It's called Marie Antoinette Syndrome. Rumour has it that during the night before she was to be executed by the guillotine near the end of the French Revolution, her hair turned stark white. You came back from the dead, Light Yagami. You know what awaits you when you die after using a Death Note. Somewhere in the back of your mind, it must have frightened you. Your hair will never be the same again."

Light was shocked, but he didn't feel frightened in the slightest. In fact, he felt invigorated, and full of energy. He couldn't wait to get back to work again punishing criminals. But…

He sat down on the edge of the bed, and took a moment.

"Of course," he reasoned. "Yet hair colour and appearance is nothing in the grand scheme of things. I'm alive again, and that's all that matters. You know, if I'm supposed to be a 'ghost', then I might as well look the part." He smirked. "Besides, I've seen a few cartoons, and the most interesting protagonists are the one's with white hair."

Demetre cocked an eyebrow. "Cartoons, Light? I never took you for one to watch cartoons?"

Light blushed. "Well, some of the one's I saw weren't half bad. Especially the one's with a good, intelligent theme. I had to relax somehow, apart from writing names in the Death Note. And Misa wasn't much entertainment. If you know what I mean? I had to shutdown my brain, or I would never get to sleep. And they helped."

Morph laughed boisterously. "Oh, that's funny!" he said. "The great and powerful Kira admits he watches cartoons." Light scowled. "Nevertheless, you seem to be taking this quite well, Light Yagami," Morph then said. "Normally, anyone else would go insane after what they've experienced. You seem strong willed and determined. You have been granted a second chance at life. As I said, when I gave you those pages of the Life Note: Use it wisely."

"I'm not like other people, Morph. And I will use this second chance to my advantage. I'll use it to continue my work. This world still has so much more evil to cleanse. The Shinigami also wish to be entertained. But I can't carry on like I did. I'll need something…new. Some new venue, a new look, and a new name. And I'll need your help, Demmy. I need you to be at my side. Together, we can bring order to the Human World." Light stood.

Demetre nodded, and extended a hand. Light clasped it, they shook.

"Partners, like The Brother's Grimm," Demetre remarked.

Light laughed. "Something like that."

"Would you like a hair cut, Light Yagami?" Geist offered, chuckling, retrieving his bone club from behind his back. It was large in size and had the appearance of something from the Stone Age. "Your hair looks dishevelled. I know a little bit about cutting hair, I do my hair all the time."

"Thanks for the offer, Geist, but I wish to keep my head on my shoulders," Light retorted. "I'll find a human barber."

"Death is not forever, Light Yagami," Morph said divinely. "In fact, it's just the beginning of a whole new journey. And now, here, you have a new start. I'm curious how you will undertake the challenge? Boredom can be universal when you live forever. Incidentally, I wrote your name in the Life Note. So, you no longer have to fear dying by the Death Note. You are under my protection now, as is Demetre Draycott—for a price."

"I piece of my soul? My life essence for you to feed on? I accept. I have no problems with that." Light turned to his friend. Demetre also agreed to the terms when they were briefly explained. "Thank you, Morph, for resurrecting me," Light then said. "But don't take too much of my spiritual essence. I plan on living for a long time."

Morph nodded. "You are quite welcome…"

"That's not fair!" Geist said. "What about us? Their lifespan is ours to take when the time comes. What's the point in all of this, for us, if you just took away our main incentive for being in the Human World?"

"Other than a life of imprisonment in the Shinigami Realm for causing untold havoc in the Human World? And that goes for both of you!" Morph said harshly. He waved a hand, and then something took place. It wasn't seen, but it felt by both Shinigami, because they both jolted like they had just been given a mild electrical shock. "There, your lifespans have just increased a thousand fold. More than you would get from these two. You two can remain here, if you wish, and be entertained, or go elsewhere. It makes no difference to me. I will make sure the Shinigami King cannot touch you. That arrogant fool! The Shinigami King and I go along way, but that tale is left for another day. Now, be quiet!"

The Shinigami looked at each other bewildered at the stringent command. Light noticed Morph's tone bordered on a certain animosity towards them. But he compartmentalized that away for another time.

"Now look here," Geist said growling, wielding his bone club. "No one orders me around!"

"Geist, settle down," Demetre said. "Leave it alone for now."

Geist's eye pockets glowered red with an irksome emotion, but then he nodded, and returned his bone club to its holster on his back. "Fine, I'll back off for your sake, Demetre. But I don't like his tone of voice."

"You'll get used to it, Light's the same way," Ryuk said, chuckling. Geist grunted.

Morph didn't respond, leaving the Shinigami's remarks up in the air.

Morph suddenly clapped his hands together, as if to get everyone's attention. "There is work to be done, and plans to bare fruit. I can't wait to see what you will do." He spoke his words to both Light and Demetre with a sinister grin. "And I have to admit, I'm quite excited to see what you have in store, and how you will entertain me."

To be continued...

(**Author's Note: The manga in question is called Dorei-Ku)