I wrote this fanfiction a very long time ago, it must be nearly ten years ago now. So I thought I'd dust it off and retell this story, it will be nice reliving it again. I wanted to write about the Wammy House, the school always interested me.
I first remember reading Another Note, I immediately took a shining to Beyond Birthday a.k.a BB or Backup. I love the anime series too, it's still holds its own until this very day.
-I don't own Death Note.
-My laptop charger decided to die on me - I'm sorry for any spelling errors and silly mistakes.
-Thank you for the reviews, faves and alerts!
-This opening chapter is from my oc Elizabeth's point of view, my writing style will change after this chapter.
Enjoy!
Chapter 19!
Elizabeth had been living at The Wammy House for over three weeks now, she had trouble settling in at first. Everything was different, also the lack of freedom was frustrating for her. Apparently there was different rules for different students, Mr Ruvie told her that when she asked him if she could visit Rose. She didn't like him and she knew a few other students who disliked him too. He was Watari's manager of the orphanage when Watari wasn't around, he was stern with some of the students and made their lives hell.
The classes were hard too, she felt stupid in some of the classes when she had to ask the teachers for help. The stuff the students were learning was all new to her, she had no idea what to do in the forensic science or criminology classes. They did have normal lessons at the orphanage like mathematics and literacy, they even had foreign language classes which all the students must take. Elizabeth was beginning to think she was the dumbest student at the orphanage, the only things she was good at was forensic art and prosthetic makeup. She had been told by one teachers that she may have a future in forensic art for law enforcement if she continued improving her skills, but she don't want to follow that path.
It was the 23rd of December, the classes had now finished for the holidays. She wasn't really sure how Christmas worked at the orphanage, she had many questions to ask about it. But for now she had to help out with the Christmas decorations. All of the students had been given different tasks, some of the students were putting up paper streamers in the corridors and others were helping to decorate Christmas trees around the building.
Elizabeth had been paired up with Nonie, they were decorating the staircase in the main hallway of the orphanage. They had collected a box of decorations from the assembly hall, there were many different coloured baubles, plastic holly leaves and tinsel in the box. They had both decided to each take a side of the staircase, they shared the decorations out between them and chose which side of the staircase they wanted to decorate. They both began to decorate the staircase's banisters, she looked over at Nonie and watched her hanging some of the tinsel underneath the handrail of the banister.
" And what are you staring at?" Nonie asked.
" Nothing..." Elizabeth replied, she turned away from her and took some tinsel from the box. " I was just checking on what style you were decorating the banisters on your side. I thought it would be better if they matched."
" So, you're copying me?" Nonie asked.
" No, I just didn't want the banisters to mismatched." Elizabeth replied before she began to hang the tinsel from the handrail. " I've never done this before, we didn't really have tinsel at Christmas in my Aunt's cottage."
" Why not?" Nonie asked.
" My Aunt was very set in her ways and never had tinsel on her Christmas tree, she thought it looked tacky." Elizabeth replied, she looked over at the girl. " We use to make popcorn and then thread them on string to hang on the tree. She was very old fashioned when it came to Christmas, we didn't even have Santa toys or flashing lights on the tree. Just white candles and holly across the top of the fireplace..."
" That sounds pretty cool in an odd way." Nonie said. " What kind of popcorn did you use?"
" We dipped it in homemade toffee, it was really good." Elizabeth replied with a smile. " I'm guessing they don't do that kind of stuff around here?"
" No, but if they made toffee popcorn tinsel then Alternative would probably eat all!" Nonie laughed and looked over at Elizabeth. " My Brother told me about your Aunt, I'm sorry that she died. But I don't understand why you're here, you're not like us."
" Not like you how?" Elizabeth asked.
" You're not smart or gifted, there's nothing special about you." Nonie replied, she turned away from her and continued to hang the tinsel from the handrail. " It's because you've got money, right? I know money can talk volumes that the greedy can only hear."
" My Aunt arranged for me to stay here until I turn eighteen." Elizabeth replied with a sigh. " I don't think it's got anything to do with my inheritance, she was friends with Mr Wammy for many years and donated loads of her money to many charities. She even wrote in her Will that she wanted to give some of her personal books to reading charities, she was a good woman even if she was stern with me at times and made me take elocution lessons."
" You took elocution lessons?" Nonie asked, she looked back over at her and smirked. " God, poor you! But your Aunt does sound charitable, I like people who give to the needy. But you need to change to fit in here, the way you dress for a start is terrible and outdated!"
Elizabeth looked down at her light purple dress she was wearing, she didn't see anything wrong with it. It wasn't frilly or too girly, it was plan with a black belt around her waist. Nonie got up from the step, she was wearing her red devil hoody with blue jeans and black sneakers. She walked along the step towards her, she then stopped and sat down next to her on the step.
" I want to do a makeover on you, I'll help you to fit in here." Nonie smiled and held her hand towards her. " But you've got to promise me something first, do we have a deal?"
" What kind of promise?" Elizabeth asked.
" I want you stop stealing my Brother away from me, he's my family and not yours!" Nonie replied with a frown. " All he does is hang around with you since you moved here, he never got time for me anymore!"
" I'm not stealing your Brother away from you, he's just being supportive..." Elizabeth replied before she shuffled along the step away from her." Is that why you keep being rude to me? You can hang around with us too, I don't have a problem with you being around us. Have you tried talking to him about it?"
" I've tried everything to get his attention, but he always tells me to stop bugging him!" Nonie replied, she clenched her hand." That's why I want to help you, then you'll have to help me in return. I'll help you fit in, then you can help me get my Brother to notice me again. So, do we have a deal after I've explained my predicament to you?"
" I guess so, I'll try my best to help you then." Elizabeth replied.
" Good!" Nonie smiled and jumped up from the step. " I'm glad we've got that sorted out. Now come with me and I'll find you something more fashionable to wear. Can I style your hair too?"
" But we're meant to be decorating the banisters, won't we get into trouble with Mr Ruvie?" Elizabeth asked.
" Nah, we can say we went to the bathroom. He never questions girls when they say that, you just give him the monthly excuse and he's fine with it." Nonie replied before she yanked Elizabeth up from the step. " Come to the clothes storeroom with me and I'll show you what they've got there! It's a good place to find your own style, but you'd have to leave your dress behind for a trade. "
Nonie led Elizabeth down the staircase, she had no idea where Nonie had gotten her idea from about her Brother. She would never dream of taking anyone's family away from them, it was ridiculous. Nonie stopped her outside of a door labelled clothes storeroom, she opened the door and hurried her inside of the room. Elizabeth looked around the room and smiled to herself, the storeroom was amazing. There was all kinds of different clothes, she felt Nonie tap her shoulder before she walked passed her. Elizabeth followed her down one of the aisle, there was so many colourful clothes on the rails.
" Where did all these clothes come from?" Elizabeth asked, she stopped by a rail of clothes and looked through them. " They're amazing, are they all donated clothes?"
" Yeah, they come from clothes companies." Nonie replied and took a straw hat from a cardboard box. " They send them to us instead of throwing them away, we get sent loads of cool stuff though. Let me choose something for you to try on, have you ever wore a skirt before?"
" My Aunt wouldn't allow me to wear skirts, they're not ladylike." Elizabeth replied before she turned around to face Nonie." Will Watari mind me trading my clothes? I've got a lot of clothes of my own already, it feels wrong trading them in for new ones."
" You're too innocent, don't you know how to have fun?" Nonie asked, she took a red coloured skirt from the rail and held it towards Elizabeth. " Try this one on, I'll get you a black top to go with it! This will be so much fun, I never get to do things like this with my friends!"
" We're friends now?" Elizabeth asked.
" Yeah, I think we're friends now." Nonie replied.
Nonie hurried over to another clothes rail, she took a black long sleeved top from the rail and pulled it from the hanger. She beckon Elizabeth to follow her, she led her to the changing room area and pushed her inside one of the cubicles. Nonie hung the skirt on a coat peg inside the cubicle, she then threw the top over her shoulder and drew the changing room's green curtain.
" Get changed, I'll find you some boots to wear!" Nonie said from behind the curtain. "What size shoes do you take?"
" I'm a size five, but I think my feet may have grown since I last got them measured at the shoe shop." Elizabeth replied. " Maybe a size six!"
" I'll take a look around while you're getting changed!" Nonie yelled.
Elizabeth looked at her reflection in the mirror and pulled the top away from her shoulder, she then got undressed. She put black top on and then the skirt, she felt uncomfortable. She ran her hands down her hips and shook her head, she looked too grown up for a thirteen year old. The skirt was just below her knees and the shirt was tight, she didn't like this dress style.
" How does it look?" Nonie asked from behind the curtain. " Do the clothes fit you? Can I see?"
" Sure, you can come in!" Elizabeth replied
The cubicle's curtain was drawn back and she turned around to face Nonie, she played with her fingers while she looked at the boots in Nonie's hand. They were black ankle boots, she held them towards her with a smile on her face. Elizabeth took the boots from her, she then put them on and walked out of the changing room.
" Now it's time for me to do your hair!" Nonie said, she smiled sweetly Elizabeth and took a hair bobble from her hoody pocket. " Let's see, I think I'll tie your hair up. Yeah, I like that idea."
Nonie quickly rushed behind her, she took the black headband from her hair and threw it across the room. She tied Elizabeth's hair up into a ponytail, she gently pushed her out of her way and hurried into the changing room. She picked the dress up from the floor and hung it on a coat hanger before she barged passed her.
" Those clothes really do suit you, I think we should show Alternative your makeover right away!" Nonie smiled and hung the dress on one of the clothes rails. " I'll go and find him, I can't wait for him to see you now!"
" Well, okay then..." Elizabeth said.
" I want you to count to a hundred and then come out of the storeroom when I knock on the door, have you got that?" Nonie asked with a smirk. " We'll be waiting for you outside, I'll be quick!"
Nonie left the storeroom and Elizabeth began to count to a hundred, she then picked her headband up from the floor. She put her headband back on and pulled some fluff from the top, she had no idea why Nonie was being so nice to her. It wasn't long until there was a knock at the door, she heard Nonie's voice from the corridor. Elizabeth opened the door and peeped her head around the door, she saw Nonie with a big smile on her face.
" Surprise!" Nonie yelled. " Come out and play!"
Nonie grabbed hold of Elizabeth's wrist and she pulled her out of the storeroom, she then pushed her into someone. Elizabeth apologized and stepped away from the person while she looked down at the floor, she felt awkward. Nonie joined her side and crossed her arms, she looked pleased with herself. When Elizabeth finally looked at the person she saw A standing in front of her, he didn't look amused.
" What do you think?" Nonie asked while she pushed Elizabeth towards him. " She looks great, right? We were playing makeovers, I think she needed an upgrade from her dull dress style."
" Why does she have mistletoe in her hair?" A asked.
" I don't know, it looks festive to me." Nonie replied.
" I've got mistletoe in my hair?!" Elizabeth asked before she put her hands on her head. " Is that what's digging in the back my head?"
" Yeah, keep still and I'll get it out for you." A replied.
" Thank you, why did you do that Nonie?" Elizabeth asked.
" Oh I don't know, it seemed funny at the time!" Nonie replied in a sarcastic tone. " I thought it would look festive in your hair, tis the season after all!"
" Ignore her, she can be childish at times." A said before he took the mistletoe from her hair." She needs to grow up, but can I ask you why you've allowed her give you a makeover?"
" It sounded fun." Elizabeth replied, she looked over at Nonie and saw her frowning at her." I guess you could call it a clothes experiment, but no harm was done. We had nice time, it was nice spending some time with your Sister."
" Oh right, I guess clothes experiments are fine if you fancy a change." A said before he grabbed hold of Nonie's arm and looked down at her. " If you'd excuse us, I need a quick word with my little Sister."
A led Nonie along the corridor by her arm, they disappeared around a corner together. She was surprised to hear A raise his voice at her, he never normally lost his temper. She leaned back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling of the corridor before she sighed to herself, she had no idea what was happening between the siblings. Looking along the corridor she heard someone humming a Christmas song, it wasn't long until she saw Backup walking along the corridor with a Santa toy dragging on the floor behind him. He stopped near her and she looked down at the Santa toy on the floor, there was tinsel wrapped around the toy's neck.
" What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked.
" I'm taking Santa Claus for a walk, I plan to hang him outside of Mr Ruvie's office." Backup replied with a smirk. " He'll not find it amusing, but I on the other hand will find it hilarious! May I ask why you're dressed like a tramp?"
" A tramp?" Elizabeth asked.
" Yes, just humor me with an explanation." Backup replied.
" Nonie gave me a makeover, but this dress style isn't me." Elizabeth sighed and cupped her hands behind her back." I may go and get changed back into my normal clothes, I don't think A liked it. Also Nonie put mistletoe in my hair, I'm not really sure why she did that though..."
" Alternative dislike girls who dress in clothes like you're wearing, I think you've been pranked by Nonie." Backup said with a chuckle. " She really doesn't like you."
" I see..." Elizabeth said.
" She think's you're trying to steal her sibling away from her, she get's very possessive at times over him. He's the only family she's got left in this world." Backup chuckled before he pulled the Santa toy up from the floor by the tinsel around its neck. " Her Mother and Grandmother both died in a plane crash a few years ago. Many people died on that flight, she was one of the fourteen survivors who survived that horrific plane disaster."
" How do you know all of this?" Elizabeth asked.
" I've read most of the personal files of the students who live at the orphanage, I like learning about my fellow students." Backup replied. " But I overheard most of what Alternative and Nonie were talking about in the corridor when I passed them, she confessed everything to him. If I was you I'd stay away from her and watch your back."
" Oh..." Elizabeth said.
" I think she may have it in for you, but if you like I'll watch your back from a distance." Backup said. " I'll be like your shadow, you wouldn't even know I was there."
" So she gave me a makeover to make A hate me?" Elizabeth asked, she looked down at the clothes she was wearing. " I feel so stupid now, she said we were friends..."
" Yes, cunning isn't she?" Backup asked while he dropped the Santa toy on the floor. " I don't trust her at all, she's like me in many ways. But for now I must say goodbye, I need to go and hang Santa Claus outside of Mr Ruvie's office for his little surprise. I do enjoy Christmas, it's full of mischief and joy. Quite delightful, don't you think?"
" I guess..." Elizabeth replied.
Backup walked down the corridor with the Santa toy dragging behind him while he hummed a Christmas song to himself. Elizabeth pulled the hair bobble from her hair and dropped it on the floor, she was going to get changed back into her old clothes. She hurried back into the storeroom and found her dress on one of the rails, she then got changed into it. She drew back the curtain and jumped when she saw A sitting on a chair by a box of hats, he gave her a smile before he got up from the chair.
" I'm here to say sorry on the behalf of my Sister, she can be jerk sometimes" A said. " She's gone back to the staircase to finish decorating it, so you can join her when you feel like it or you could be cruel and let her decorate it all by herself for her punishment."
" It doesn't matter, I forgive her..." Elizabeth said, she hung the top back on it's hanger." I understand why she did it, she just wants to spend more time with you. You've been spending a lot of time with me lately since I moved here, you need to make some time for your Sister too."
" You're too understanding and forgiving, but I get what you're saying." A said with a smile. " But Nonie has to learn that I've got a friend who needs me right now. I think she's just jealous, she's been use to getting all of my attention for months now. There's enough of me to go around, it's not my problem if I'm in high demand sometimes around here!"
" Big head!" Elizabeth smiled and slightly shook her head at him." But you should make some time for your Sister though, I'll be okay by myself for a few hours. Why don't you take her to the games room later, you could play some video games with her."
" But I'd feel guilty leaving you all by yourself." A said with a sigh. " I promised Watari I would look out for you while you stayed with us. I'll ask Nonie if she wants to hangout later in the games room then, but for now I'm hanging out with you."
" Okay." Elizabeth nodded.
" Come on, I'll protect you from Nonie while you decorate the rest of the staircase." A said before he ran his fingers through his blonde shaggy hair. " I was meant to be helping Backup decorate the windows in the corridor, but he ended up disappearing on me."
" I saw him, he was going to Mr Ruvie's office." Elizabeth said. " He had a Santa toy with him, he was going to hang it outside of his office for a joke. He said he walked passed you and Nonie in the corridor while you were talking, didn't you see him?"
" You're kidding me?!" A asked with a hint of surprise in his voice. " I didn't see him, but I need to see this! Do you want to see Backup pranking Roger?"
" Sure, it sounds fun." Elizabeth replied.
Elizabeth hung the rest of the clothes on the rail and hurried out of the stockroom with A, they were soon running along the corridor together. There was a few children hanging baubles on a giant Christmas tree near the main entrance of building. Elizabeth stopped dead and admired the tree, it was beautiful. It reminded her of the tree they had in the town square at Christmas time in the village. A called her name and she looked down the corridor, he was waiting for her. She soon caught up with him and followed after down another corridor, the building was like a maze.
" You can check the tree out later!" A said.
" Is Christmas always like this here at the orphanage?" Elizabeth asked.
" Yeah." A replied before he turned right into another corridor. " You should see Christmas morning, now that's when the true celebrations begin! We get up at 9am, have a late breakfast and then sing Christmas carols until lunch time. After lunch we just hangout and play games until it's supper time."
" That sounds quite delightful!" Elizabeth smiled.
" I guess it's delightful, but this year I'll have more family around me." A said, he stopped near a wooden bench and pointed down the corridor. " I've just seen Backup, he just disappeared down that corridor. That's where Roger's office is located, he should be back in a moment to hide in this corridor."
They followed after Backup and found him leaning back against the wall of the corridor, he looked pleased with himself. A stopped next to him and took a look down the corridor, the Santa toy was hanging from some tinsel in front of the door. Elizabeth thought the hanging Santa toy was kind of morbid for the festive season, but she did find it kind of funny since Roger wasn't a nice person.
" Did we miss it?" A asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. " Say we didn't miss it, I love it when Roger get's all worked up over pranks!"
" No, I'm still waiting for him to arrive." Backup replied while he looked over at Elizabeth. " Did she tell you about my prank? Hopefully no one else overheard it, if so I'd have to punish your little friend..."
" Touch her and I'll break your fingers!" A said with a slight frown." You know what Watari told you about punishing others, he'll come down on you like a ton of bricks the next time you do it!"
" It seems like I've hit a cord, how interesting." Backup said, he peeped his head around the wall and chuckled to himself. " I think we should test Elizabeth's courage, what do you say?"
" Test my courage how?" Elizabeth asked.
" I want you to fasten mistletoe above the Santa toy's head, I think Mr Ruvie deserves a Christmas kiss this year." Backup replied with a smirk. " What do you say? Will you take part in my prank? It's Christmas after all, maybe it will break your innocent streak."
" I don't want to get into trouble..." Elizabeth replied." What if I got caught? I'd get scolded by Watari, I promised Rose I would be good while I lived here under his care."
" It's fine, you don't have to do it." A said. " I'll do it, I want to see Roger's face when he see's old Saint Nick waiting for some Christmas kisses. I bet it will be brilliant!"
" That's the spirit, I believe you've got some mistletoe in your pocket." Backup said.
" How did you know that?" A asked, he took the mistletoe from his pocket and held it over Backup's head. " Hey Backup, pucker up for Alternative!"
Elizabeth laughed and covered up her mouth while she watched Backup shooing A's hand away from his head with a frown on his face. There's one thing Elizabeth had learnt about A since she moved to the orphanage, he liked making fun of Backup. But she liked being around him, he was funny and smart. He was different than the other students of the orphanage, he actually cared about his fellow orphans and tried to help them when they were struggling with classes.
" Alright Backup, you need to be my lookout." A said while he stepped into the other corridor. " If you see Roger I want you to whistle, have you got that?"
" Of course, you can trust me." Backup replied.
" I find that hard to believe for some strange reason, I don't trust you." A said with a smile. " Izzy, you can be my lookout instead. The moment you see Roger I want you to whistle, have you got that?"
" I can't whistle, I'm sorry..." Elizabeth replied.
" Really?" A asked.
" You're wasting time, hurry up!" Backup said.
" Alright, I'm going to just have to chance it then!" A said, he placed his hand on Backup's shoulder and spoke in a dramatic tone. " If I get caught you've got to promise me that you'll stay out of my stuff. Don't look under my bed or eat my toffee, I shall return at some point."
" I promise you nothing, I hope Mr Ruvie gives you the cane!" Backup smirked.
" No, let me do it!" Elizabeth said while she grabbed hold of A's arm. " I'll to do it instead! You'll end up getting caught, I can use the monthly excuse on Mr Ruvie because I'm a girl and I hear he doesn't question girls when they use that excuse!"
" What?" A asked, he looked confused." What are you talking about?"
" Please let me do it, I don't want you to get the cane!" Elizabeth replied.
" She's weird, I like weird..." Backup said.
" No, I'm going to do it." A said with a sigh." Look what you've done now Backup! You've made her think we get the cane now for bad behavior."
" My bad..." Backup chuckled.
Elizabeth snatched the mistletoe from A's hand and hurried along the corridor towards Mr Ruvie's office, she stopped in front of the door. She looked back along the corridor and saw A beckoning her to come back to him with his hands. Backup was laughing hysterically to himself, he was finding the whole situation hilarious. Elizabeth stood on her tip toes and carefully began to tie the mistletoe on the tinsel, but she dropped the mistletoe when she heard someone yelling angrily down the corridor.
" What do you think you're doing young lady! Take that down immediately and sit on the bench outside of my office!"
Mr Ruvie was making his way along the corridor with Mr Wammy walking next to him, she froze on the stop. She was going to get into so much trouble over this stupid prank. She looked back along the corridor and saw Backup running away, but A stayed behind. She pulled the Santa toy down from the doorway and sat down on the bench across from the office, she had no idea what was going to happen next.