Welcome to the world of Death Note. It is time to follow the life of Beyond Birthday as a child and watch him transform into a serial killer. This chapter was written with music of Beyond Birthday Theme A, Beyond Birthday Theme B, L Theme A, L Theme B, and L Theme C. Please view Youtube for the amazing creations of these instrumentals.
I do not own Death Note, nor any of the characters in the story.
Enjoy.
-Amber
"Neglection, you say? Hmm, not much of a federal case." A raven-haired man said solemnly as he and an older man walked up the stairs to a rundown house.
"Well, there is more to it than that, L." The older man responded. "Severe abuse, starvation, abandonment. I highly consider this beyond a federal case."
"I see." He turned, letting his darkened eyes stare into the back of a police car. A woman and a man sat in the backseat, both seemingly annoyed and angry at their current situation. L stared for a few moments in a hunched position with his thumb against his lower lip. "…I see…" He repeated to no one in particular. His eyes averted from the couple to the flashing blue and white lights, to the old man standing next to him, then to the front door that was busted open. "And where is the child, Watari?"
"He was taken to the hospital." Watari replied, almost sadly. "We are only here to investigate the scene."
"I want to talk to the child." L blurted. It took Watari by surprise by the sudden outburst.
"O-Of course, L."
The two walked into the home and glanced around. Smears of dry blood lined the walls and even droplets of what seemed like fresh blood stained the carpet. Small dents covered the wall obviously caused by blunt trauma which possibly caused minor blunt trauma to the child that was previously thrown against the wall.
L heard Watari move up the flight of stairs which only left himself to examine the floor he was on. There wasn't really anything to be done now. The parents had already been accused and more than likely would be convicted of child abuse and murder if the child were to die in the hospital.
"Well, there isn't anything really…" L stopped mid-sentence at the sight of something on the far wall. "Hmm?" He trudged slowly towards the wall then crouched down even lower than his hunched position to be eye-level with a hand-print. It was a hand-print in blood and smeared in a downward direction. "Hmm…"
L slowly placed his left hand on top of the hand print and sighed. He heard footsteps from the stairway and he stood up quickly. "Ah, Watari. Are you ready to leave? There is nothing of value here therefore there is nothing to aid us in a case. No, no. Nothing. The parents shall be convicted of child abuse and sent to jail. All is done."
L made his way outside leaving a shocked Watari standing inside. The one thing he noticed was that L's left hand had fresh blood on it. What has gotten in to you, L?
….
"Is the boy awake? I wish to speak with him."
From outside the room, voices could be heard. People wanted to speak with him all day. He refused to talk to anyone because no one really cared or mattered to him. The boy let his eyes move slowly from the door to the window as yet another person walked into his room.
"Hello there. My name is L."
The boy let his eyes drift to the man, and was shocked at his appearance. It was as if he was looking in a mirror at himself, expect maybe ten years older. The man seemed equally shocked.
In the moment of awkward silence, L pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. He was determined to get this child to speak.
"You know, food is very delicious. I highly recommend you try it." L gestured to the plate of untouched food on the table. The child moved his eyes to the plate then back to L. It seemed he had no intentions of eating, or maybe, he had not eaten in so long he forgot how. No, that was irrelevant.
But…The child did look extremely gaunt and pale from the lack of food provided to him in his previous living quarters.
"Would you like to watch television? There may be a show you might like." L picked up the remote in utmost care and pressed the ON button. It didn't do anything however. In response L pressed the button multiple times muttering under his breath until the remote fumbled from his hand and L made a failed attempt at grabbing it, toppling to the floor.
"..Hehe…"
There is was. The sound he was waiting for.
L positioned himself back on the chair in his crouched posture and moved his eyes to the child. There was a small smile on his face from his previous giggle.
"Was that funny?" L raised an eyebrow. "I did not quite find that funny, but I suppose one person's pain is another person's pleasure." He shrugged and watched as the boy let out another soft giggle.
"May I ask you one small question?" L inquired, not wanting miss the opportunity.
The boy paused and for the first time looked directly at L and nodded.
"What is your name?"
There was an inaudible silence. The boy gripped the sheets of the bed tightly and looked away from the man beside him.
"I apologize for lying. I said I would ask one question, but here I find myself with another…Do you have a name?"
"...I…Mm…No."
L's eyes widened at the sound of a hoarse voice. He spoke.
He recovered quickly from his sudden surprise. "Shall we give you a name then?" He gave a small smile and the boy nodded.
"A letter." The boy replied quietly.
"Hunh?" Again, L was taken by surprise, something that did not come around quite often. "A...letter?"
"Like you." The boy smiled at L. "B. I want to be B."
"Why B if I may ask?" L questioned curiously.
"Because…You are the first person to use a letter…So you're an A. I want to be the second…so I'm a B." B answered confidently.
This practically astounded L. This child…B…he could possibly be…a successor…?
"I see. Well that is a very thorough answer…B." L nodded in agreement with himself. "But I do think you should at least have a first and last name."
B frowned and glanced out the window. "…Like…what?"
"Whatever you want! You can choose any name you want." L replied and B nodded slowly.
"I'll give you time to think, B. I'll come back to check on you soon." L smiled and ruffled B's messy black hair.
With that, L exited the room with a greeting from Watari.
"Well? How was it?" Watari questioned.
"Surprisingly easy." L replied happily. "Look in to having him brought into Wammy's House."
"E-Excuse me?"
"You heard me, Watari. I want him admitted to Wammy's House." L said sternly. "By the end of the week."
"Yes…L. I will do it. When he has recovered, we will move him to Wammy's House."
The room was dark and echoes of thunder emanated from an approaching storm. In the midst of the darkness lying in an all-white bed was B. Another night spent in the hospital, three days after L had visited him.
"I'll give you time to think, B. I'll come back to check on you soon."
He distinctly remembered the genuine smile that was on L's face and, somehow, B had a little amount of trust accumulated towards the mysterious man.
L Lawliet…
That's what he saw floating above L's head along with numbers. A variety of numbers. But what did those numbers mean..?
13002245
B frowned. Why can I even see these things? He thought. And when will L come back…?
"I still need to come up with a new name…" B murmured. "But…what…"
He pondered on this thought. Nothing but ordinary names flowed through his brain. That's not what he wanted…He wanted something striking. Something…extraordinary. Something with meaning.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The sound of a clock.
Thump.
The sound of a heart beat.
Rumble, rumble.
The sound of thunder.
"Good evening, B. I figured you would be asleep by now."
The sound of L.
B glanced up swiftly at a looming shadow in the doorway. There was a suitcase in each hand and a slouch bag over his shoulder. "Hi…L. What are in the bags?" B sat up in his bed and turned the table lamp on.
"This suitcase," L slung the left hand suitcase on the bed. "Is your clothes." He opened the suitcase and inside were several piles of clothes folded neatly in sections.
He pulled the second suitcase up onto an open space on the bed with difficult struggle. B giggled slightly at L's attempt to get the suitcase on the bed.
"This suitcase…This is books, drawing pads, etcetera, etcetera." He opened it to show a variety of reading books, notepads, drawing pads, crayons, markers, and other writing utensils.
"And this bag here," He placed the bag in B's lap. It was somewhat heavy and B's curiosity took the best of him. He rummaged through the bag to find toys…all sorts of toys! "Toys. All for you." L sighed and plopped down in the chair. "You have no idea how long it took me to bring those up here. Thank you God for the invention of elevators."
"Heehee!" B giggled. "Thank you, L!"
"I would like to ask you a question, B." L placed his thumb to his lip.
"I-I don't have a name yet." B said suddenly.
"Oh? Well, that is quite all right. I can wait a little while longer for you to choose a name. But, that is not what I was going to ask you." L replied softly.
"Oh…Sorry."
"Oh, don't apologize. It's quite all right. Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to come to an orphanage with me. It's called Wammy's House and there is only one other child there."
"What about my mom and dad?" B asked.
L bit his thumb nail. "I apologize, B. But you will not see your parents again."
B stared at L with a sudden sorrow. "You'll be there?"
"Not all the time, but yes, I will." L answered. "If you agree, you will leave out with me and my friend tonight."
I like L. He is nice to me…and I get to live with him…If L likes it there, then it must be a good place. I don't know if I should go. But I want to be with L. Maybe I can even ask him about these weird numbers…OH! The numbers above his head are different. All of them are completely different...
"Okay, L. I'll come." B smiled.
"Good, good! That's wonderful." L said excitedly. "Let's get you changed into some nicer clothes and get to ready to leave."
L rummaged around the first suitcase and pulled out a pair a jeans like the pair he was wearing except several sizes smaller, a long-sleeved shirt, a coat, and socks and tennis shoes. "It's very cold outside, so here are some warm clothes. Do you need help changing?"
"No. I can do it. Thank you, L." B smiled.
"All right then. I'll be out in the hall with my friend. I have some important matters to discuss."
L walked out and closed the door behind him.
I wonder what he's going to talk about… B thought curiously. He removed the clothes he was given from the hospital and shivered as the cold air grazed his pale skin. Quickly, he slid on the jeans and shirt, than wrapped the coat around him. The majority of the clothes were probably a size too big, but it was much better than what his parents gave him. He pulled the socks on then slid his small feet into the shoes.
There was one thing left.
B stared blankly at the unlaced shoe strings. He didn't know how to tie shoes…He glanced up at the door then back down to his shoes. He made his way slowly towards the door and opened it just a smidge, peeking out.
"No, Watari. But I do think it would be the best for him." L was saying.
"Yes, I suppose you are correct."
"…L…"
L and Watari turned around to see a small face under raven-colored hair peering from the cracked doorway.
Watari looked from L to the boy, shocked at the resemblance.
"Hello, B. Are you ready to leave?"
"…No…L, I, um, have a problem…"
L raised an eyebrow and squatted down to eye-level with B. "What's wrong, B?"
"I…I don't know how to tie my shoes." He whispered.
L let out a short laugh before reaching down to the boy's shoes. "I'm sorry." He did a quick movement with his hands and in seconds the strings were tied in a perfect bow.
"There we go." He patted B on the head and stood to face Watari. "Watari, could you please get the bags. I'll let B carry his toy bag."
"Certainly." Watari replied. He entered the room and grabbed the two suitcases, handing the toy bag to B. B pulled the bag over his shoulder.
"All right then. We are ready to leave, L."
L nodded and took B by the hand. "All right. B, are you ready?"
B gave a small nod and they were on their way out of the hospital.
B wasn't quite sure where this "Wammy's House" was located. He stared out the window of the car at the passing lights and buildings. He wanted to hurry and get there, but yet, at the same time he wanted to stay in the warm car with L and Watari. He felt safe.
The past few days were long and practically unbearable. The day the police came and took his parents away was terrifying. Not because his parents were removed from his life, but because he thought he was going to die.
But he did not.
He sometimes wondered if he could see his name and numbers in a reflection. He had never tried it out, but maybe he could…Maybe he could know his real name that way. Well, at least if he had a real name. B wasn't sure if he did have a real name.
B wanted to say 'L, is Lawliet your name?' or 'L, I see your name and some numbers floating above your head'. But he held himself against saying it and sat quietly.
And same with Watari. He could see his name: Quillish Wammy. Wammy? Wammy's House…But the numbers were strange. They were almost the same as L's. The first four numbers were the same. And the numbers after that…they were different. What does that mean? Why are they the same as L's...?
All of this was making B's brain hurt. He sighed and rested his head against L's shoulder. He would figure this out sometime. Just not tonight. Maybe he could eventually tell L.
He could tell L when the time is right. But for now, he would figure it out himself.
A/N: Such a tragically written chapter. Ugh. I apologize for the quick pace of this chapter. I had planned on being more thorough and detailed, but obviously I rushed through it and spent too much time on calculating dates. *sigh* That and I got caught up in watching Once Upon A Time with Beyond-*cough* Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed this...ugly chapter. I shall update more later on. Also, the explanation of the numbers above L and Watari's head will appear later in the story for those of you who do not fully understand how they are calculated.
Thank you for reading. Beyond appreciates it.
Adieu.
UPDATE: I made a minor mistake. I racked my brain over and over again...How do I make L's number smaller now that his exact day of death just 13 years earlier has passed? I couldnt think of it. But then...I woke up in the middle of the night and cried "RESET THEM!" Of course, I about turned my black cat white, but hey...I figured something out. I was thinking too much difficultly than simplicity. So yes.
Sorry for the mistake.
Also, fixed the KIRA Date case year. I put L's death year for that instead of when they began in 2003 (or as the anime states, 2006) Although, those are rather irrelevant to BB.
For now.