In the dark streets below the darkened room stood two figures in black, silent as the night around them. In the wind their clothes made no noise that the living could hear.

Gin smiled up at the window. "So that's the house hm?"

"Taichou? Are we really taking him back to the soul society?"

"Orders is orders, Izuru."

Light opened his eyes.

The strangest feeling had just passed through him. Since he had become Kira in his former future he had gained a keen sense when it came to danger. He wasn't sure what was endangering him however which made determining a course of action all the more difficult.

"Something strange is going on."

Throwing off his covers he went to the window but there was nothing outside from what he could see. Walking down the steps he checked on the rest of the household. Everyone else was sound asleep – even his father who would normally be pouring over paperwork even at that late hour.

"Everyone's still out cold. So why am I up?"

Cold hands wrapped around Lights mouth and he tried to pull away only to be tightly held in a powerful grip.

"Now listen carefully," A voice said calmly in his ear, making him jerk away at the feeling of breath on his skin. "We're gonna take you with us. There's no point in fightin' it so just come along quietly."

I can't even get out of his grip! Is this a kidnapping? Could L be behind it?

With all the thoughts running in his head, Light barely registered that he was slowly being moved toward the front door.

I don't have any choice…so I'll go along for now until I can get away safely. I can't risk getting everyone tangled up in this – I can't save us all.

Calming his racing heart, Light waited until he was outside to try talking again. The hand removed itself and the man released him.

"Sorry 'bout that but we didn't want to wake your family. You understand?"

Looking over at his captors he saw a man with short silver hair dressed in a dark business suit smiling at him in a way that could only be thought of as devious. That grin was unnerving but the mans blond partner seemed not to notice. Instead he waited patiently for the silver haired man to finish bringing Light over to him.

"I've prepared the way back Captain, should we go?"

"Yeah, this gigai is a little uncomfortable isn't it? Can't wait to take it off."

Gigai? And just what preparations?

Light stood his ground, watching the other two warily. "Look, I don't know what all this is about but if you're thinking of kidnapping me this is as far as I'm going. Tell me what you're up to."

"Oh? So you're going to be difficult now? That won't do at all."

With a glare Light continued to stand motionless in the middle of the street.

The silver haired man sighed and scratched his head. "And I thought you'd be the curious type too. Well, go ahead and open it anyway Izuru."

The blond man nodded.

Before Lights eyes appeared a massive door – a set of bamboo and paper sliding screens that shone with a bright light from behind. From nowhere it suddenly appeared, black butterflies scattering in its wake. While he stood staring at the door he looked to realize that he could no longer see either of his captors.

"What? Where did –"

"So sorry about this."

A sudden hard push from behind sent him flying into the white light. A moment later the portal closed, leaving no trace of ever having been there.

L looked up at the sign, unsure if he could believe his eyes.

A candy shop. Here in the middle of a suburb.

"I suppose my luck is looking up." He mumbled as he shuffled into the fenced in yard. He had flown all the way to Japan just to be sorely disappointed at the last moment. Light had headed out early, before the family had awoken. They said he'd probably gone to school but when L had checked he was strangely absent.

It's possible he left, knowing I would come here. But where could he go without taking clothes or even money?

"Hello?" A pleasant voice called out. A moment later a man appeared, smiling from beneath a green and white striped hat. "Welcome to Urahara-Shoten! How can I help you?"

"This shop, you sell candy do you not?"

"Of course!"

Waving his new customer inside, the man watched as a slight grin spread across his face. Watching the hunched young man peruse his wares Urahara felt his smile grow even wider. In a few short minutes nearly one of everything in his store (candy-wise anyway) had been purchased and L wandered away with his bags.

"What a weirdo!" Jinta commented. Uruhara's keen eyes never left the detective for a moment.

"Weird? I don't think we're ones to talk about weird. But then again…he is pretty weird isn't he?"

A few blocks away L rummaged through his bags. He really was hungry after wandering all day. Finally, he uncovered a small frog-headed dispenser.

That shop owner said I should try this one first. Looking at it I can't tell what it will taste like.

For a second he shook the dispenser and heard the candy rattling around inside. Opening the lid he could only see one small greenish piece.

"Hm. I wonder if that's really all there is to it? Is it gum perhaps?"

He looked at the candy for a moment, and then shook it into his hand.

"Couldn't hurt."

Quickly he popped it into his mouth.

Something knocked him backwards so that he fell onto his rear with a hard jar.

"Sorry." He commented apologetically as he looked up. No one was in sight near him.

Wait. There's someone familiar standing there in front of me. Did I bump into him?

Rising to his feet L walked around the other side and looked himself in the face.

No…way?

"What is this?" He wondered. The man looked like his exact copy – he was even holding the same bags he had been up to a moment ago.

"Hello?" L tested. The other man blinked at him.

"Hello, kero."

Then L looked down at his clothes. As comfortable as they were they were most definitely not his normal jeans and shirt. They were something from Japans past it looked like.

"What exactly am I wearing?" He asked his double. The double cocked his head to the side.

"Kero, clothes."

Urahara had to grip the tiles with everything in his power to keep from rolling off the roof with laughter. He was surprised he hadn't been heard by now. Beside him his hand was firmly clamped over Jinta's mouth as the boy shook with his outburst.

"I wasn't expecting this sort of reaction." Tessai grinned boldly.

"Really, most people would freak out." Urahara agreed. "He's taking it quite well."

Looking around at his surroundings L was at a loss. The only thing that seemed to have changed was him.

"Aaaaahhhh" He heard someone say and turned to see the familiar salesman in front of him.

"You gave me weird candy." L accused, his voice remaining level despite his irritation.

"Did I?" Urahara countered, giving him an innocent expression that only solidified his guilt. "I apologize, but you see I had a hunch that you were a shinigami so I gave you that soul candy to find out."

Shinigami?

L felt a little weak in the knees. "How do you know about shinigami? May I presume you've come in contact with one before? Or perhaps…you've a Death Note in your possession."

Urahara gave him a blank look. "Death Note? I can't say anything about that. But as for shinigami I know quite a bit. Shinigami are those in charge of leading souls to soul society and purifying hollows before they devour those souls." With a wave of his fan the shop-keep pointed at the baffled detective. "You are one of those Shinigami."

As he stood there, L could only take in the information.

So…shinigami are different now. It appears they fulfill a completely different role then the shinigami in the last world. This means…there may not be any Death Note.

"I'm a shinigami?" L clarified.

Urahara nodded. "But let's finish this conversation at my shop. I'm sure you've got a lot of questions and it'll look strange if people see me talking to myself as you're currently invisible."

This could be a little more difficult than I thought. I wonder if Light knows all of this?

He looked around at all of the rice paper panels surrounding him, each concealing a person behind it.

Damn…where am I?

"We are here to confirm that you are indeed the one named Yagami Light, are you not?"

"What's going on?" Light asked, doing his best to sound innocent and frightened.

Another man spoke. "We ask the questions."

These bastards are holding me without any clue who I am. But they know my name, what else do they know? Fine…I'll play along for a while.

"Alright…not that it's fair, but that is my name."

There were murmurs from behind the panels. One waved to a guard.

"Extract that soul of his."

"What?! My soul? Who are you people?"
Strong arms held him back, keeping him from moving. A man with dark sunglasses forced his clenched mouth open and shoved something into it.

Suddenly his body fell away, landing on its knees while he watched it from behind.

"Wha….what did you do to me?!"

"Once again, Yagami Light. We are asking the questions."

A previously unheard voice spoke next. "It seems that he does have shinigami powers, as was told to us."

Shinigami? They know!

Glancing down he was surprised to find a solid form that was clothed in the strange garb as his guards.

Wait! My soul is dressed like these guys. Maybe their version of shinigami is this! Seeing as I haven't been able to confirm that the Death Note exists in this alternate world it's the only thing that makes sense.

"Hm..." A grizzled voice echoed in the chamber. "Take him to a holding cell while we decide what to do with him."

"Wait! I haven't – "

"And that body is to be destroyed immediately. We can't allow it to go back to the human world."

"WHAT?! Wait-"

Without a chance to argue Light was bodily pulled from the chamber and forced back out into the bright sunlight.

"Come on, the guard urged."

"They didn't even give me a chance to defend myself! And they'll destroy my body? How will I get home?"

The man next to him nodded, his shades hiding his eyes. "Yeah. The 46 don't answer to anyone but themselves. Just so you know, their decisions are final and no one can appeal them – not even shinigami captains. But don't worry about your body. If they let you go home they'll just give you a new one."

"This is completely weird." Light murmured as he followed the narrow walkway.

A few hours later he was awoken in his cell by a man that looked to be around his age. He noted that same black uniform with its sleeves removed. The dark eyes watched him as the man opened his cell door.

"Hey. I'm the vice-captain of the ninth division, Hisagi Shuuhei. I'm here to take you to the Academy."

"Academy?" Light wondered.

"Yeah…the Shinigami Academy. The council has decided to make a proper shinigami out of you. You must have some sort of potential."

Shinigami Academy…this may work out for the best after all.