CHAPTER 26:
"The Return of Jasper Yuta, Part 2"

A little hesitate, Raye informed Jasper Yuta about some of the things that had transpired, with Menace filling in gaps that Raye missed, including things about the Shinigami Realm and Quindecim. It took nearly fifteen minutes.

After everything was said, Jasper Yuta scowled. "What the hell is going on with this supernatural mishmash? I mean, c'mon! It's inconceivable! An intelligent person would say it belongs in a science-fiction novel or a kids manga. To think that a place like Quindecim actually exists is intriguing. That's where people go who use a Death Note?"

There was a moment of hesitation. Then Menace cast his eyes aside. "Um…not everyone," he said. "However, when it comes to Quindecim, Light Yagami escaped with help from Morph. Morph formulated a plan to break Yagami out with Ryuk, Light's Shinigami, and Morph even tricked the Shinigami King into releasing Ryuk from his eternal prison in the Shinigami Realm, stating Ryuk still had a contract with Misa Amane. The Shinigami King may rule with the iron hammer, but he has become soft and lax, and sleeps most of the time, using others to do his work. I can't believe he was the same Shinigami who defeated The Brigade of Life with a collective force many years ago."

"I kind of get Morph's methodology, however," Jasper said. "This Shinigami King did murder your parents, you said, that were trying to help Humanity from the Shinigami in driving them to extinction. And now, the remainder of your people are few. Morph feeds those who reside him with energy that he takes from people after he makes contracts with them with the Life Note. From my understanding of the situation, what he's doing is self-preservation. I get it."

"In helping a serial killer escape?" Raye questioned bewildered. "Do you really accept Morph's methodology?"

"You miss my meaning," Jasper retorted.

"Yes, I know what you mean, Jasper," Menace said, before Penber spoke in reply. "But my brother must be stopped, so balance can be restored to the space-time continuum. When he released Light Yagami, many strange things began to happen, because it did not go through normal channels. In Quindecim, a person can be offered a re-birth, but certain provisions must be met, namely another person has to die to give another life. A Special Arbiter was found dead in Quindecim, so I do believe that provision was met. However, he was targeted by my brother."

Jasper said, "The way I see it, despite it goes against your moral code, Morph is doing what he needs to do to survive, much like a Shinigami must take human life to survive. But if Morph is such a threat, why doesn't the Shinigami King do something about him? Or doesn't the Shinigami King think Morph is worth his time?"

"No, you're wrong. Morph is a threat to everything, the entire universe, and he must be stopped!"

Jasper gave Raye a strange look. Raye knew what that look was, and he thought the same thing. Morph and Menace shared a trait, an obsessive compulsiveness much like two jealous kids fighting over who was stronger.

"Light Yagami picked up the Death Note," Menace stipulated factually. "My brother had foreknowledge of the future and he purposely caused it to fall where it dropped at Yagami's high school, knowing Yagami's curiosity would overcome him and he would use it. Otherwise, its normal trajectory was somewhere in the America's. I was trapped in the Void in Quindecim at the time, but my mind's eye could still see everything happening, even without a body."

"Okay," Penber began, putting certain personal concerns about Menace aside. "So, how do we stop Morph?"

Menace shook his head, cupping is chin in contemplation. "I'm not sure," he said. "Only my brother has the power to travel back and forth through time and to change chronological events. The origin point where all these changes began must be where we put things back to the way they were for the cosmos to right itself." His voice trailed off as if an idea crossed his mind. "A starting point," he repeated "Yes! Why didn't I think of that before?"

Jasper waved the hand through the air as if trying to swat an insect, but in truth he was trying to refocus his own thoughts. "Look, I have no idea what you're babbling about. As long as I get my shot at Light Yagami, I don't give a damn what you do. Kira used his power to murder my family and friends and I will have my revenge."

"Penber," Menace said, ignoring Jasper, "does Clavis still have that time device? The one that brought you here?"

"Yes, he does," Raye replied. "but it took all of us—Clavis, Castra, and myself—to the wrong place and time. Clavis believes because of Morph's influence in altering the timeline that its matrix has now been corrupted."

Menace signed defeated. "That probably means Morph has also, most likely, blocked any chance of anyone going back into the past to revert the timeline back to a pious flow. The point of origin where the timeline splits is just after Light Yagami was shot and dies in that warehouse. He was then revived later by Morph's piety."

"But," he went on. "Even if we could revert the timeline back from that point on, Morph could go back and change our efforts as many times as he choses. So, we must incapacitate my brother first before we attempt anything."

"That's all dandy," Jasper Yuta said sarcastically. "But that doesn't help me. Like I said, you can do whatever the hell you want, but I want Light Yagami. We can fight him on his own terms now that we have a Death Note."

"Anyone's name that is written in a Life Note cannot be killed by a Death Note. Or, haven't you been listening? So, even if you wrote his name down, that would be useless. However, a person can be killed by other means."

Intrigued, Jasper asked, "What do you mean by that? Do you mean that he can be killed by conventional means?"

"Yes," Menace said. "However, Morph has the ability to revive someone within a seventy-two hour period. So, the conventional method of killing a person would be moot. As long as a person is useful to him, my brother will keep that person alive. He can even heal a person's wounds."

"Can your brother even be taken down?"

Menace said, "I don't know. Only Clavis has ever attempted to try, but that ended in abject failure for him."

"Clavis and Castra are out searching for Morph as we speak," Penber put in. "I informed L that I saw him with Light Yagami just before they disappeared from here. And Ryuk, his Shinigami, took Matt's motorcycle. He transformed into a human, and rode off on it with Matt strapped to his back, headed back to Tsuku-Yoki Tower."

"Crap! That was damn, sweet ride!" Jasper said, then blinked surprised. "Did you say L is involved in this? He battled Kira before. He died, Matt told me. Did Kira kill him with a Death Note? How was he resurrected? I'm still trying to wrap my finger around why I'm alive? I did some rotten things to people. Why do I am get a second chance while some other's don't? People of greater importance?"

"Some unsung heroes are often never truly recognized for their sacrifice," Menace said. "They may play a small role in the over all picture, but what they contribute can have everlasting repercussions like ripples in a pond. Perhaps you were such a person, and the universe chose you to return to fight again and to finish what you started. That you were taken before your time. It's funny how the universe works like that. But you do have a connection to Light Yagami. Your paths are intertwined. The universe chose you to help us against Kira. Everyone deserves a second chance. Writing your name in a Life Note is similar to writing in a Death Note. You may not have gone to Quindecim after you died, for whatever reason, but you are still in the same boat as Light Yagami."

"If that is some kind of babble about redemption for my misdeeds, then you can stuff it. I want revenge, plain and simple. My friends meant everything to me. And because of Kira, my friend's little boy was orphaned. That is a sour pill to swallow. I have searched for him, but no one will tell me anything because I'm not a family member."

Raye looked to Menace. "Should we tell him?"

"I think it would be cruel not to," Menace answered. The supernatural being turned to Jasper Yuta. He had a look on his face, as if he was about to tell him something shocking. "Jasper Yuta, your friend Matt Rise's son, Braydon, is safe. L felt bad when he became an orphan after the death of his parents, and took him to an orphanage in Winchester, England. It was called Wammy House, an orphanage and school for gifted children. Braydon is a very bright boy, and smarter than most. He takes after his father. He takes after you."

Jasper's eyes widened with shock and his mouth went slack-jawed. He shook his head slowly in disbelief. "No, that can't be. I would know if I had a son, and at the time of my death I was only nineteen years old, Braydon was five years old. Since my resurrection, only a little more than a year has passed for me."
"Braydon is seven three-quarters years old currently," Menace revealed.

Penber nodded. "I met him at Wammy House. Cute kid, very cautious but smart," he said. "Now that I see you, I can see the resemblance."

"Look into the past, Jasper," Menace said. "Forgive me, but I dwelled inside your mind to learned a few things. It's one of my gifts. One Morph does not have. I would have asked permission first, but I believe this is important."

He paused, then: "Do you remember when you escaped the juvenile detention centre when you were thirteen? Your friends helped you escape. And despite your tender age, you had intimate relations with Crystal Rise, before she married your friend Matt in a secret ceremony. During your time with Crystal, thus came the spark of life.

"But even Crystal did not know the child was yours. And he was brought up as your friend's Matt's son, as he was also having relations with her. It was a one time affair, a special moment between you two."

Jasper's eyes began to tear-up. "I-I can't believe it…" he stuttered.

"Braydon Rise is actually Braydon Yuta. But you'd be displeased to know, Light Yagami sent his Shinigami to attack the orphanage he had been residing in at a few days ago. And during that time, one of the Shinigami harmed your son when he took a device away from him called a Probable Orb, and forcefully, albeit accidental, broke his arm."

Penber nodded. "We confirmed your relations with genetic testing. L took a sample of your DNA before your body was removed from the Kira de facto headquarters after your raid on it to compare to Braydon. Also, taking samples of your friends. He said he needed it for Braydon's records before he could be accepted into Wammy House. Even he was surprised, yours was the only one that matched Braydon's. But Braydon still believes Matt is his father."

"As he should," Jasper said, sighing with a smile. "Matt was a great guy and a great Dad." He looked momentarily reflective. "My Dad, well, he was only good to me when he wanted something from me. So, I helped him, to appease him. He praised me. At ten, that's all a kid really wants from his father, to be accepted, loved. My older brother left when he didn't bow down to him. I guess that made me weak back then."

Jasper then clenched his fists at his side in anger.

"Not this time," he said. "I'll kill the m…fu…king bastard! I swear it! I will have Light Yagami's head on a silver platter! Fine, redemption it is. If I have to redeem for my sins, then so help me, my soul is for the taking! Count me in!"

He then asked if he could see Braydon at some time, and Menace said yes, when the time was right.

Raye smiled, then turned to Menace. "So, what's our next move?"

And Menace formulated a few ideas.

One of which was getting in touch with L and Near.

To be continued...