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. HikariYagami543
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The Challenger
Chapter Ten: Goodbye
Shadow opened her eyes slowly. "oww," she moaned yesterday had been a big day for her. She had learnt two extremely valuable lessons.
One: Matt was terrified of horror movies and to never take him to see one EVER again! Two: NEVER give Matt Skittles.
During the whole movie Matt hid behind the popcorn box, at one stage when the murderer jumped out from behind the girl he squealed and threw it everywhere.
That was when Mello walked out of the cinema and returned with a packet of skittles. Before he handed them to Matt he leaned over and whispered in Shadow's ear "Never give him Skittles". Shadow shot him a questioning look but he just handed Matt the skittles.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," he noted For the rest of the movie he was fine, he even laughed when the girl was getting stabbed to death.
And when they came out of the cinema he continued bringing up all the gruesome parts of the movie and how funny some of them where.
"You're sick," commented Shadow "That movie was so gruesome I feel like I'm going to chuck".
Of course She still didn't understand how the skittles changed his attitude but at least they shut him up.
So the Skittles seemed to help but like most things they were to good to be true. By the time they got back to the train station and boarded a train it was already 6:00. "Great Rogers going to be pissed," commented Mello. "By the time we get back it'll be 7:00".
They all got on the train Mello and Shadow walked toward a three-seater but Matt had another idea.
"Matt come here!" ordered Mello. "No lets go in this one I wanna' ride backwards!" he yelled jumping up and down. "No now get your ass over here now!" repeated Mello frustrated. "B-but Mello I wanna' ride backwards!" he yelled stomping his feet like a five year old throwing a tantrum.
"No I don't like riding backwards it makes me feel sick," argued Mello. "You don't have to look there is another seat facing it," Matt pointed out.
Mello sighed "I feel like Roger," he commented. "Fine," he finally agreed and walked over to the seat. Shadow followed.
Matt jumped onto the seat smiling like he had just won a million dollars. He pulled out his Nitendo and turned it on. His fingers then started running over the buttons in a hurry. Mello laid his head against the window and looked out.
He was tired once they got back to Wammy's he was going straight to bed. Shadow was tired too slowly her eyes began to close and her head began to sway. Mello was too busy watching trees fly past the window to notice, and Matt was absorbed into his game. Matt attacked the game. He started hurling insults at the screen.
"Matt shut up there are other people on this train you know," warned Mello. Matt stuck his tongue out at him in response.
Shadow's head flopped onto Mello's shoulder and she drifted off to sleep. Mello turned his head a bit and looked at her he smiled to himself.
"Take that you Mario you jerk. Ha! Even Roger could drive better then you!" Matt yelled all of a sudden. He hurled some more insults at the console, each one louder then the other. "Matt keep it down Shadow is sleeping!" Mello hushed in a sharp tone.
Matt looked up from his game "aww she's so cute when she's sleeping," he commented. "Hey Mello I didn't know you made a good pillow can I have the other side?". Mello glared at Matt "Shut up," growled Mello. Shadow shifted her position and put her feet up on the seat her head slipped down onto Mello lap.
Matt stifled a laugh but it was painfully obvious and earned him a kick in the knee. Finally the train ride was finished and Mello woke Shadow up.
They walked out toward the street. "Lets start walking," said Mello when he noticed a black car parked on the curb. Roger got out of the drivers seat. "Where were all of you! I have been here for hours!" he yelled walking up to them.
"What do you think L would think if I lost two of his successors?" fretted Roger. Mello rolled his eyes and slid into the back seat of the car, Matt and Shadow followed. Roger walked around the front of the car still drabbling about how stupid their actions were and how he thought they had been abducted or mugged.
Even though the drive home was short Shadow fell asleep again, this time on Matt's shoulder. They arrived at Wammy's Roger turned around and faced them.
"Wake her up there should be some leftovers if you ask Carla nicely". "Thanks but I'm going to pass I think I'll go to bed," said Mello.
"I'll carry Shadow up she's completely knackered," said Matt. Roger nodded and they all slipped out of the car, Matt cradling Shadow in his arms. The two boys walked through the halls. It wasn't late nearly 8:00 so there were still kids about.
Some had sunburns from spending the day at the pools, after all it had been nice weather for swimming.
The boys were shot questioning looks every now and then but they just brushed them off. They arrived at Shadow's bedroom door, Mello opened it and Matt put her on the bed. "Night," he whispered as he turned to leave.
Now she was awake and she remembered all of what happened yesterday and never to give Matt skittles. She sat up and noticed she was still in her clothes. "Last thing I remember is Roger coming to pick us up," She says to herself.
"How did I get here?" Shadow realized she didn't have a shower last night so she went and got her stuff. As she walked through the hallway toward the girls bathroom she smiled to herself. "Mello or Matt might have carried me up to my room". She opened the door to the bathroom still smiling.
Later that day Shadow went to a part of the orphanage she didn't visit very often. The Library. "I still need to thank those two for inviting me yesterday," she thought to herself. She walked in and looked around she couldn't find them.
As she turned to leave a hand grabbed her shoulder. "Hey!" yelled a cheerful voice. It was Linda. Shadow knew the girl. She had seen her a few times when she first came to the orphanage but apart from that they had never really talked before. Form what Mello had told her Linda was 'an annoying little brat who stalks Near and has her head in the clouds'.
"Hi," replied Shadow feeling awkward. "Do you want something?" she asked. "Oh yes well that's why I found you," she giggled. "Ah yes I'll get straight to the point you're related to Near aren't you?" she asked. "Seems to be the rumor going about," replied Shadow dryly.
"Ha ha you shouldn't be so modest about it all. You're so lucky!" Shadow tapped her foot in impatience. "Anyways so what does Near like?" asked Linda. Shadow blinked "ah puzzles," she answered. "It's not like it's obvious I mean he has them everywhere!" she thought to herself.
"Yeah I know that but what I mean is like something that only you would know he likes like his favorite movie or food". Shadows sighs "Is she for real?" Shadow wonders to herself. "How the hell am I suppose to know what his favorite movie is?" she replies annoyed.
"Well you're his sister!" says Linda in a dramatic tone. "Let me give you a little heads up," says Shadow clearly annoyed now.
She puts one hand on Linda's shoulder "I haven't seen Near for the past ten years! I haven't spent enough time with him to know his favorite movie, let alone do I plan on doing so soon," with that she turns around walks away leaving Linda dumfounded.
"Wow Mello was right she is annoying," Shadow thought to herself. As she headed to the next place she was certain the boys would be at another person came up to her and grabbed her arm.
"Shadow we have been looking for you everywhere!" yelled Miss. Coley. She was a nice teacher one of the few Shadow actually liked. She was Shadow's dance teacher when they had sport. "What are you wearing? Go get your things now!" she yelled franticly.
"What do you mean?" asked Shadow confused. "We have that dance competition today you know the one we have been practicing for, for the past month. "Crap! I completely forgot!" yelled Shadow she darted of to her room to grab her stuff.
"Hurry up!" Miss. Coley yelled behind her "We are leaving in ten minuets!" "Great Shadow you idiot! How could you forget!" She rushed out of her room with a bag filled with what she needed.
As she turned the corner she ran straight into someone. Smack! The two bounced off of each other an Shadow landed hard on the ground. "S-sorry!' she said picking up her stuff, "but I'm in a hurry".
Shadow quickly picked up the rest of her things. "It's alright," said the voice. Shadow looked up and saw Near standing over her. "Creepy this feels like déjà vu," she muttered. "Yeah," agreed Near "I seem to have a habit of bumping into you on this corner and I mean that literally".
Near held out his hand in it he held an envelope. "What's this?" asked Shadow taking the envelope. "It's your finale grades Roger asked me to give it to you," he replied.
"Thanks,' she said shoving the envelope into her bag "But I really gotta' run. I'm already late as it is," she darted off past him but slid to a stop and turned. Her long curly white hair spun around her face, her pale blue eyes caught the light and her pale skin seemed to glow.
Near looked at his mirror image she smiled "Cya!" she called and ran off. Near was left standing, alone in the empty hall. He looked up to where she was standing only moments ago "cya," he mumbled.
The bus returned to wammy's later that afternoon all the girls on it were exhausted. They each had to perform individual dance routines and then one finale group routine.
Shadow climbed off the bus and dragged herself toward her room. "Ahh why does it have to be so far away," she moaned.
She opened her door and collapsed on her bed. As she prepared to fall asleep her door burst open and Matt appeared in her doorframe. "How was it?" he asked. Shadow rolled over "Alright," came her muffled reply.
Matt walked into her room and started looking around. He picked up pieces of clothing and books. Shadow sat up "Matt what'd you think you're doing?" she asked annoyed.
"Uh nothing," he replied innocently he then opened up her bag from dancing. He pulled out the envelope Near had given her and yelled "Ah ha!" he then darted out of her room. "Give it back!" she yelled running after him.
They ran into his and Mello's room. Matt ran over to where Mello sat on his bed and handed him the envelope. "I got it," he said with an evil smile. "Nice now lets see what you got Shadow," replied Mello opening the envelope slowly.
Shadow leapt at him and Matt and landed on the both of them, forcing them off the bed. They landed in a heap on the floor with a thud! Mello and Shadow scrabbled at the envelope, each one trying to get a firm grip. Shadow's fingers locked around it.
"Ha gotcha!" she yelled and attempted untangle her legs from the two boys. She stood up closely followed by the other two. "Alright!" she yelled "I'll show you but I wanna' know what you guys got first".
Matt and Mello went and got their own little envelopes both were still sealed. Shadow glared at them "so you were determined to see mine first eh?" Mello smirked "Lady's first," he gestured.
"Such a gentleman," she replied mirroring his smirk "Same time?" suggested Matt. They all opened up the envelopes and took out the piece of paper inside. "What'd you get Mello?" asked Matt. "95," he replied. "Aww damm," said Matt defeated.
"Lets see what you got Matt!" he snatched the paper off of him and had a look. "Hey 89 that's better then last time". Mello smirked "But if you wanna' beat me you gotta' do a little better". He hit Matt on the back and gave him back his piece of paper.
"Okay Shadow lets us see," said Mello holding out his hand expectantly. Shadow stood there her eyes wide. "Shaaadooow," called Mello "Oi are you with us?" he called.
Shadow looked up at him but her eyes couldn't meet his. "Come on are you going to show us what you got?" Shadow looked down and handed him the report card. Mello looked over it then back up at Shadow.
Matt took the card and looked at her too. "I thought you said you didn't care about your grades," said Mello frustrated. "I swear I didn't know," mumbled Shadow. Matt looked over the card once more.
"Shadow you got a…a 97. That means…" "That's means," repeated Mello. "That I have surpassed you," mumbled Shadow. "That means your next in line to succeed L," said Matt in disbelief. "I can't believe this!" yelled Mello.
"Mello I had no idea what the grade was I didn't do it on purpose! I-I'll prove it I'll fail my next test, I'll do it on purpose!" yelled Shadow franticly.
"I have no interest in succeeding L. I don't care about any of that please you have to believe me!" she grabbed his arm and looked up at him.
Mello stared down at her, he looked into her blue eyes. Bits of her white hair had fallen down hiding them.
"When I look at you all I see is Near, you're his mirror image! I don't care what you say you know that my whole life is about beating Near and succeeding L. And you…you just destroyed my dream the way I am destroying any kind of friendship we had".
He pulled his out from her reach. Shadows eyes widened. "Go," mumbled Mello. "Mello-" "Go!" he yelled pointing to the door. Shadow turned to leave her head hung. "Shadow," Matt's voice was quiet it reached out to her.
"Matt I don't want you to talk to her anymore," said Mello. "But Mello!" objected Matt "If you want to talk to her then you might as well not talk to me," replied Mello.
Matt hung his head. "Mello needs me, Shadow needs me, but Mello…he needs me more". Shadow walked to the doorway and turned her head slightly.
Her hair hid her eyes bits of it were stuck to her face. "Goodbye," she whispered as a tear slid down her check and the door closed.
* * *
Aww the ending to this chapter is so sad. I was re-reading it and I was just like wow! Did I write that how depressing. Anyways here is your update (yes special update as I wrote such a short chappie last time) so we are pretty much just over halfway here. Shadow is now second in line to succeed L, right behind her brother and Mello clearly doesn't like it. They were all such good friends but I guess that now that's finished. So I'll give you a few questions to have a lil' think about. Will Shadow attempt to become the first in line to succeed L? Will her and Matt and Mello become friends again? Will she deliberately fail her grades as to give Mello his spot back? And if she does will he forgive her? Find out in the next chapter!!!
And keep the reviews coming they are like brain food for me, they keep me writing.