A/N: For details on my update schedule, go to my profile! (AND I just got back from an anime con.)

Mercy Rule

Twenty-first Challenge!

After dinner, Mello was just fine. He claimed that he was a fighter and that no asphyxiation would keep him down. Near hadn't been worried at all, knowing that if nothing else, Mello's stubbornness would carry him through whatever problems he had.

Mello stretched his arms over his head as he hopped out of his seat and stood by the table as the other orphans got out of their seats and pushed in their chairs.

"Are you all right now?" Matt asked, standing next to the blond.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Mello looked up at Near who was easing his way down. He squinted a glare at him. "Near, you dirty cheater."

Near looked up. "How is it cheating when I have common sense?"

Mello was about to say something but was interrupted by Matt's yawning loudly in his ear.

"Agh!" Mello winced violently, turning around. "I told you to quit that!" he shouted.

"Mmm, sorry, Mel…" Matt scratched his side. "It's just eating makes you so sleepy…"

"You should probably exercise more," Near said.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Near sighed.

"Well… I guess there's something to be said about that," Mello hummed and turned to see the rest of the kids sluggishly heading for the common room. They seemed about ready to pass out right on the carpet, their little bellies full of institution-food. Mello's blue eyes followed them for a moment and then he turned back to Matt and Near who were debating how pushing A and B on DS was not cardiovascular exercise.

"It's not healthy," Near stated.

Matt shrugged. "But I've got strong hands!"

"What good will that do?"

Matt grinned, wiggling his eyebrows and Near turned away, blushing.

"Hey, hey," Mello said loudly, placing a hand on Near's shoulder. "You're so pro-PE, let's have a competition."

"What kind…?"

Mello smirked, pointing towards their fellow orphans. "How about some hunting?"

Near blinked and then frowned. "You're horrible - I won't be killing any animals for your amusement."

"Who said anything about killing? This is live-capture, buckaroo. And this isn't the cuddly kind of squirrels you're thinking of… I mean the ever-elusive human being!" He held out his hand to the kids with a flourish and Matt looked over his shoulder, laughing.

"Dude, that's awesome!" Matt cheered. "Where do you get such cool ideas?"

"Well, I do my best thinking when I'm almost dead. C'mon, Near," Mello said, pushing a struggling and protesting Near ahead of him.

"Mello, this is ridiculous," Near whispered as they entered the hallway past the common room. Some of the children had entered the room and sat in front of the television but others went to the threshold of the hallways, probably to go to their rooms and go to bed early. Mello stopped when they were just inside the hallway and saw a few kids walking away.

"You go down there," Mello said to Near. "I'll go scout the common room. Whoever bags the biggest one wins."

"Mello, this is inhumane. These aren't hogs-"

"From the way they ate, they might as well be. Shoo."

Mello turned on his heel with Matt following him back into the common room. They crawled up behind the couch and their noses suck out over the edge.

"What's the plan, Cap'n?" Matt asked.

"Hmmm." Mello looked around and then his gaze settled on a fat boy sitting on one of the couch cushions, absorbing the radiation from the TV. Mello nodded towards him. "That's the one. What's the word?"

Matt adjusted his goggles. "I'd say about a hundred and thirty-five."

"That'll work. Strip."

"Yup."

The two of them took off their shirts and then Mello stood to where his head was juts over the top of the couch. The fat boy below him looked up leisurely and upon seeing Mello's menacing mug, he screamed, but was cut off by Mello's arms over his face. The blond dragged him over the top of the couch and he fell with a thud to which the other orphans looked around, mystified by the sound.

Matt and Mello tied their shirts around the boy's body, restraining his arms and legs and, as a final precaution, Matt stuffed his dirty sock into their catch's mouth and the young boy's eyes watered at the foul smell.

They dragged him into the hallway, hoping to find Near and finally did, about twenty feet away, breathing labouredly as he lay beneath a large boy who was seated on his back.

Near spotted the redhead and blond at the end of the hallway. He held out a shaky hand. "M-Mello…"

As Mello busted out into uncontrollable laughter, Matt nodded sagely. "Ah. The beast has gotten the best of man," he said.

Scoreboard:

Mello: 10 Near: 10

A/N: I know you have thoughts! Care to share?