Damn this is what having double the usual amount of free time that I have does. Seven chapters practically rewritten in days.
(edited 04/03/2021)
May 15th, 2003.
Misa is eighteen when she decides her parents deserve a break.
"Darling are you absolutely sure it's okay for us to leave for a whole week? We can always stay here the three of us, it's no-" Misa didn't let her mother finish, giggling sweetly as she hugged the woman closely.
"Really mom? I wouldn't have bought you two a trip to Osaka if I didn't want you to go." As simple-minded as it was, sending her parents away was both the best and the worst idea. Burglars couldn't hurt them now, but if something were to happen in freaking Osaka, she wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
It was a risk she had deemed necessary when her parents' numbers refused to budge. No matter if she upgraded the security system of their home or took self-defense class. It was driving her mad.
(oh baby, don't you know?)
(you already were mad)
"Besides I really want you to enjoy your anniversary together. Twenty years of marriage, you guys deserve some time off!" Her mother sighed, defeated.
"Leave her alone Yui, our daughter is a big girl now. A week without us won't kill her." Her father kissed her forehead, avoiding his wife's incoming slap to the back of his head. "No boys or wild parties while we are gone! Don't forget to call. We love you, sweetie."
"Yes dad. I promise," she then checked the time, lips pursing. "Guys you're boarding in an hour, you need to pass the checkpoint."
"Dear wife, that is your doing not mine." Her mother's face took a lovely pink color, rolling her eyes fondly. "Takuma!"
"Go!" she shooed them both away after promising yet another time to keep the doors closed and her phone open at all time so they could call her once they landed. "I love you!"
She has time to catch a glimpse of their numbers before their backs are completely turned to her and there's this, this hitch in her breathing. Those damned numbers will be the death of her, they'll be the death of her and a grin still splits her face and half.
She laughs when the numbers bleed. Crashing down on themselves to build back up, years piling on top of the other.
Yui Amane
6 8 98 3 8 2 0
Takuma Amane
4 00 3 25 0 4 0
Some lady turns her nose upwards when she catches the breathless girl almost running out of the airport back to her car - it made more sense to use hers since she was dropping them off at the airport. She smiles at the mean old thing, all teeth and wide blue-green-golden eyes.
"What are you going to do now?" Gelus' voice is light, slightly scratchy.
"Go back home, and take care of any vermin that might show up." So maybe she now sounds like a protagonist of an action movie, truth be told she trusts she'll be able to get out of there with her life and perhaps not much more.
She'll find a way to deal with this, it's not like she has much of a choice. Really, the event that set in motion the original Misa's psychotic break never got much more than a date and a 'robbery gone wrong'.
Thanks a lot guys.
Somewhere in the twisted confines of her mind, Misa remembers forgetting things about Death Note including the date of her parents' death. After all, it was only in the encyclopedia-like thing she had quickly browsed through quickly, damnit all to hell. She remembers not remembering.
(nails digging into the skin of her cheeks, near her eyes as she wailed)
Suddenly, she got her date.
It was there in front of her eyes, in bold raw lines on the sketchpad that had been left on her desk for schoolwork. May 19th, 2003.
(yes...Misa remembers)
"I'll have my phone in hand the whole time, and a taser." Her dad's idea of a Christmas/birthday gift, she loved it. "Maybe a knife, the small ones in the kitchen could be hidden in my boot..." Not the ones her mother got her for December 25th of course, her other cheaper ones would make a better option.
"Murder is a good option as any," her cute companion nodded. "I do however believe the human thing to do would be to discourage it."
"Luckily, I already have human friends. I do not need more." Gelus cackled, trailing off about how she was the most entertaining human ever. (the 'im' in impossible stood for Mi, who stood for Misa)
That wretched man would receive no mercy from her.
May 19th, 2003.
She barely sleeps that night - her first mistake, running on coffee and four hours of sleep alone was not her best idea. (eh, she did worse while in college as Maria, she'll be fine)
She picked Nami up with her trusted engine, almost expecting someone to jump out of the bushes.
"I really don't know why you love that thing so much." The blonde let out an offended gasp. "Shh! She's going to hear from you! Don't listen to her baby, Nami is just jealous she doesn't have a car as beautiful as you." Her brunette friend gave the metal a knock once she was out of the car, walking towards the rather imposing building.
Misa rode towards her own university which was only a few streets away.
Misa Amane had once been a model, a pop idol. This Misa was studying to become a lawyer. (Maria...hadn't been much of anything)
The thought alone made her choke down a laugh, justice was...an abstract concept, especially in a world where visions of justice were the main focus of the storyline. She held no love for such a concept, especially not in practice.
What she did enjoy however, was winning. Misa was pretty, a good portion of her charm, the rest laid in her ability to twist and turn to fit whatever it was people wanted to see, to hear.
To be pretty (that's easy) so boys underestimate you and girls assume you're too vain to care about what's up in your head. To be smart, just the right amount, not to be chalked down as dumb and forgotten too soon. To be kind, but not too much, then other girls can boast about their morals and oh I took in that cat from the streets -
And when Misa is exactly where they want her to be, just the right amount of pretty-smart-kind, that's when she strikes.
People don't see her coming.
(sometimes the combination changes, humans are such fickle creatures after all. slutty-dumb-ditzy or cute-shy-humble are less used, she still likes them)
It was either to become an actress or a lawyer. (she's both, just the right amount)
Her first semester in Law school almost made her rethink her decision because holy shit. The course work wasn't what was challenging no - not when she'd read law students' books in high school.
It was all the running around between classes and mile-long papers she had to write. She sure as hell didn't remember university to be so energy-consuming the first time around. "Amane-san?"
"Yes?" The boy gave her a shy smile, gesturing to the other students around them who were packing their stuff. "Thank you, I had to pull a one-nighter for that paper due next week, I'm a bit distracted." He blushes as she brushes past him, school bag in hand with her stuff hazardly thrown in.
Her baby rumbles and she almost forgets Nami texted to say she'd be waiting at the closest coffee shop instead of college, working on some papers before Misa came to pick her up. Great, an opportunity to get some more coffee.
"Good afternoon best friend of mine!" She greets the girl with a peck on the cheek and slice of cheese cake carefully placed next to the girl's pile of papers.
"Hey, you want to hang around for a bit or to go home already?" she takes a seat on the comfortable chair, trying to calm her nerves. It's going to be fine, you'll be fine -
A laugh that sounds of death rings in her eardrums.
Bloodied letters and numbers shift and move around, a young girl kisses a boy in a darkly lit corner of the shop, her numbers drop.
"Just need to finish this and-" Her stomach rumbles, the brunette's brows furrowing. "Shit, I forgot to eat." Nami looks at the slice of cake before stuffing it into her mouth.
"Oh, oh Misa I love you." Hazel eyes sparkle, no crimson reflected in them. "I thought we'd already established that babycakes, your mom's already planning a June wedding."
"Of course how could I forget, we'll get a dog for you and cats for me. We'll live in Canada!" Misa laughs an ugly laugh and recognizes it's the most genuine thing about her.
"I'll go freshen up before we go, that lesson killed me." Not as much as her parents would-be murderer might do. The bathroom is empty and her reflection is what greets her. Her complexion is uneven, mascara barely smudged from where she rubbed her eyes awake during class.
Misa frowns, even if she's quite sure nobody noticed and the only reason it stands up so much is because of her eyes. She fixes up her makeup, applying a dark plum color to her lips.
The plump flesh quirks upwards, she looks good, you really couldn't fake genetics like these.
"Damn girl, you have a date or what?" Someone whistles as she passes by, she ignores it. The knife is cool against the skin of her ankle, she's almost scared it might cut her, even when strapped there securely.
"Back off loser," Nami's bag is in her hand, the other holding her friend's coffee. The boy lets out an offended tch and Misa giggles prettily when she takes back the still hot cup, looking at the boy underneath her lashes. "She's not interested."
"Not when my date's so pretty, I'm not." Her lips press against the corner of Nami's, she can almost taste the sugar and strawberries on the tip of her tongue. The boy chokes at the display, the two girls escaping outside with twin smirks.
"You're evil," her best friend laughs, slamming the door of Misa's car close.
"For calling you pretty? Well then I must be the devil for loving you so much." Nami falls silent, mouth hanging open. There's a comment about her not being funny to which Misa answers that no she is not funny. (she is not funny, only dead)
Thankfully the ride home isn't long, both of them having wisely picked schools that were close to home. Nami gives her the stink eye before getting out of the car, before turning around with a promise to call later. Her cheeks are red, lips pulled into an almost shy smile.
Well...time to ride off into the sunset to meet her fate.