Disclaimer- As I'm sure we all know by now I Ruki do not own Death Note, if I did well..L would..Let's not go there...

I don't own anything that sounds remotely like anything heard in the anime or read in the manga...

Chapter 8

Encounters

Two days had passed since Noriko's rather unnerving talk with her deceased father. She was still confused as to just what it was he had been talking about. There was no indication any type of battle was going to be occurring in the near future.

She was currently lying on top of her black bedspread that had little pink sakura blossoms on it, staring at the ceiling of her bedroom. She hadn't really seen or spoken to Light since the day of her dream and she was beginning to wonder just what was going on with him.

He had become somewhat distant and distracted. Anytime she talked with him it was like he wasn't listening to her, but to someone else. It was starting to make her impatient, and angry. He was her boyfriend, she shouldn't have to feel like he wasn't interested in her anymore. Which she knew wasn't the case.

Noriko knew that Light was still interested in her, he said so whenever they were together. It was just that his distraction was making her feel a little left out and it hurt her. She really did love Light, and she knew he returned the feelings, but she couldn't help but feel bitter at the recent lack of attention.

A defeated sigh escaped her lips as she reached over to her desk and grabbed the television remote. Turning on the t.v she sat up and leaned a pillow against the wall. She leaned back into the pillow before crossing her legs in front of her and then grabbing her homework from her backpack by the desk. Scattering the papers and books on her bed she began to do her work. She had tuned out the t.v. as she worked on some math problems that she was having a hard time solving.

"We are interrupting the regular programming to bring you a globally televised broadcast from Interpol."

Noriko heard the announcement but it didn't register that it was a global telecast, or that it was from Interpol. Otherwise she might have paid some attention to the broadcast. Since she didn't register those facts though, she just continued on doing her homework.

"I am Lind L. Taylor, also known as L, the only person able to mobilize the police in every country. Criminals have been the target of a killing spree which has turned into the largest mass murder case in in history," a smooth male voice informed viewers.

"Huh," Noriko's head shot up at the words.

That had gotten her attention. She sat on her bed still cross legged and stared straight ahead at the handsome dark haired man who was sitting behind a wooden desk. Her pencil dropped from her fingers leaving a small line where it hit the paper as it fell with a dull plunk.

She continued to listen, absolutely intrigued by what she was hearing. There had been rumors around the school about how someone had been 'getting rid' of the criminals, she was pretty sure that some of the students had taken to calling this person something. She couldn't say what the name was though, she hadn't bothered to pay attention. To her it was just a coincidence, she never believed that someone was out there killing criminals by way of heart attacks.

"Kira, as the perpetrator is known..."

'Kira that was it,' she thought with interest.

She hadn't been out of the house much since she was still having some trouble getting around on her ankle. It was still healing and she still needed the crutches, so due to this she hadn't been hearing much about the so called 'Kira' and how he was apparently ridding the world of its criminals.

"... will be caught. I guarantee it. Kira, I think I have a good idea why you are doing this. But what you are doing is evil!"

Noriko's eyes widened at this statement.

'From the rumors I've heard this 'Kira' person has supposedly been killing by using heart attacks to rid the world of criminals. But I don't buy it, it's impossible, how can you give someone a heart attack? I don't get that part. Some say it's supernatural powers, but that's even more far fetched. So how...' Her thoughts were interrupted as the man on the screen suddenly clutched at his chest.

"Oh my god," she breathed, eyes wide in disbelief and shock as the man Lind L Taylor slumped over the wooden desk he had been occupying.

"I...I don't believe it," a distorted voice said through the television speakers.

"What's going on," Noriko whispered to herself.

"This was an experiment to test a hunch I had," the distorted voice continued.

'Experiment!' Noriko thought still in shock.

"Kira, it seems you can kill without being present...So..My hunch was right, I just couldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes...But you can...You'd have to of course, that's the only way it made any sense. But I, L, do exist. That man was not me, he was to be executed today in utmost secrecy. I am still alive. So come on! Kill me if you can!" the distorted voice of the detective L challenged.

'What is this L guy doing?! Is he crazy, Kira just proved he can kill without being present and now he's taunting him!'

Noriko continued to stare at the screen that now displayed the letter L in black English script. The man known as L continued taunt the killer. There were a few moments of silence in which Noriko began to get anxious.

"It's not possible," she began to say in disbelief before the distorted voice rang through the speakers again.

The next words that were said surprised Noriko to the point that she gasped and nearly forget to breath in again. She stared dumbfounded at the L on the t.v screen.

"...plan was to broadcast live to other regions in Japan in turn. But that isn't necessary... you are in the Kanto region of Japan, Kira."

'This can't be for real...This killer, because that's where the name Kira comes from, is in the Kanto region? Here in Japan?'

Noriko stared blankly at the screen as L began to tell what he knew of Kira. His first kill had apparently been the Shinjuku killer that had taken a school and its occupants hostage a little over a week earlier. This had only been broadcast in Japan so that had been the reason for broadcasting in Japan first. How Kira was able to kill people with heart attacks was still a mystery to everyone. A mystery L said he'd solve when he caught Kira.

"Kira, I will find and dispose of you, if it's the last thing I do! Until next time, Kira."

And with that the screen went blank for a moment before the sound of static was heard and the screen went fuzzy.

It would have been annoying, but Noriko didn't care. She was too stunned by what she had just witnessed to really even notice that the broadcast had ended.

She blinked slowly a few times before shaking her head to clear it of the fog that settled over her during the strange and frightening event.

"This can't be for real...Someone killing without being present...Criminals suffering inexplicable heart attacks...If I hadn't just seen that I don't think I'd believe it, but that wasn't fake. It didn't feel fake at least, it was too...real...L I hope you find this Kira person, he's a danger to everyone. He just killed what was an innocent person before you told of his crimes, and his pending execution. Good luck," Noriko whispered into the silence of her room.

The regular television show began yet again but Noriko still hadn't moved. Her jaw was hanging open slightly as she stared down at her bed blankly.

After taking a few minutes to recover from the initial shock of what she had just bore witness to she reached for her phone that was still tucked into a pocket of her black and red school bag. Flipping it open she numbly pressed the number that would connect her to Light.

The line rang several times before it was answered.

"Hello," Light said, sounding somewhat strained.

"Hey, it's me," Noriko replied blandly.

"Oh, hi Noriko."

"You seem distracted? Did you just see that broadcast too?" she asked.

"Yes. It was quite... unnerving," he answered.

"Yeah it was. Do you think it was real? I mean how can someone kill someone like that? A heart attack, and not even actually being there? It can't be real? Can it?"

Light seemed to hesitate momentarily before answering.

"It seemed real to me. I don't know how any of it is possible, but something tells me it should be interesting to see how this battle ends," he said.

Noriko's eyes widened and she let out an audible gasp.

"Noriko, are you alright?" Light asked, sounding concerned.

"What..What did you just say?"

"I asked if you were alright?"

"No, before that...A battle? What makes this a battle?" she asked slowly, carefully.

"Think about it. L is going after this Kira figure because he feels what he is doing is wrong. L's job is to rid the world of criminals, but Kira feels that it's his job too. Both of them feel what they're doing is right, but only one will win," Light responded. His voice held an arrogance Noriko had never heard in it before, but something else too, something she couldn't place...Something like hatred.

"Do you think Kira is right in what he's doing? And what makes you think it's a he," Noriko asked quickly.

"I don't know really. It's wrong to kill people, but I can see the good in what he's doing, I guess I just assume Kira's male. I don't think a female would be able to kill so easily like that."

"You think there's good in what he's doing? But what he's doing is evil. It's not justice. These criminals would be punished for their crimes, but instead Kira is just killing them off. It makes him no different than the criminals he kills," Noriko argued.

Light didn't respond to her argument at first. His breathing could be heard through the phone and it was quicker than normal almost like he was angry.

"Maybe so Nori," he replied after a short pause.

Noriko could hear the undertones of anger in his voice as he spoke, and something that sounded like an arrogant child too. It confused her, she had no idea why her statement would anger him. Unless..

"You support this Kira person, don't you?" she asked suddenly.

She heard Light take a quick breath as if she had startled him.

"Uh, no, of course not. I mean what he's doing can be seen many different ways. He's ridding the world of the criminals that taint it and making it a better place. In doing so though he must kill the killers."

"Doesn't that make him the same as them?"

"I don't know really. We're taught that killing is wrong, but you can't help but wonder if Kira really is doing the world a favor," Light replied.

"I don't know, this is all so strange," Noriko said quietly.

"Don't worry about it Noriko. It has nothing to do with you, and you're in no danger. Just relax, I'm here to protect you," he told her reassuringly.

"I hope you're right," she mumbled.

"What do you mean," Light asked her curiously.

"Huh, oh, it's nothing..Just a strange dream, I had a few nights ago," she answered distractedly.

"Dream? What happened?"

"My dad decided to pop in and give me a cryptic warning about a battle between light and dark, or some nonsense," Noriko then recounted her dream to him.

"That's definitely interesting, Nori. I wonder just what he meant?"

"I don't know, but as long as I've got you looking out for me I'll be fine, right?"

"Of course, I'll never let anything happen to you," he replied.

"Good," she sighed.

"You sound tired, you should rest Noriko. I'll see at school tomorrow ok?"

"Ok, I love you Light," she said.

"I love you too, now don't worry and rest I know the entrance exams have you stressed."

"Yeah. Good night."

"Night."

She hung up the phone and set it back down on her desk.

With a sigh she looked down at the work still scattered haphazardly around on her bed. No longer interested on working on her school work she gathered everything up and replaced it in her bag.

After putting her things away she limped carefully over to her dresser to grab her pajama's that were folded on top of it. She made her way slowly to her bathroom across the hall, and proceeded to change and ready herself for bed.

It wasn't that late so Noriko just climbed into her bed and watched television for a few hours. She wasn't paying much attention to the programming as her mind wondered around in distraction.

'A battle,' she thought, 'Could this be what dad was talking about?'

She mused over the idea of L and Kira being in a battle. At first she didn't see how the two were battling each other in any way. Then she recalled what her father said about a game of chess.

'Chess is a very careful, and thoughtful game. One wrong move and it's checkmate,' she thought. 'So I suppose when you consider the fact that you play with knights and rooks and what not, it does resemble a type of battle. It's just more a battle of the minds than a physical, hand to hand battle.'

Still staring blankly into space she let out a small sigh.

'So this is the battle I'm to be involved in, huh? I don't get it. Dad had mentioned love. I love Light but there's just no way he's involved in this so...Oh, I don't know,' she thought in exasperation.

She turned the television off and laid back. Lying on her back she placed her arms behind her head and looked into the darkness.

Her continuous thoughts finally tired her out and she drifted into unconsciousness.

She blinked her eyes open slowly. There was hardly any light, and what there was was dim and dull. A cough racked her body as she drew in a sharp breath upon realizing she wasn't in her room. Dust and dirt filled her nose and throat as she tried to regain her breath.

Looking around hesitantly, she noticed she was in what looked like an old abandoned warehouse. She was lying against some musty smelling boxes that were bending under the strain of holding her upright. She was surrounded by boxes, large and small, they were stacked everywhere. There were labels on some but she couldn't make them out. She also noted that there was a maze like path leading through the boxes.

Dusting herself off, she stood slowly and glanced around one of the corners. Besides the boxes, which looked as if they had been there for years, she couldn't see anything else. No people, or doors, or even rats.

She shivered at the thought of rats being her only companions.

Another glance up and around told her she was somewhere near a wall of the warehouse seeing as how she could see the metal of the roof arching downwards to her left.

Shrugging, she started walking through the boxes towards the wall. After only a few moments though she was thoroughly confused. She hadn't turned since she had walked out of the area she had been in, but she appeared to be farther from the wall of the warehouse than before.

The distant sound of voices caught her attention.

"Hey," she yelled. "Where are you? Can you help me, please?"

Furrowing a brow and listening intently she could still hear the faint voices but her yell had gone unanswered.

Deciding to try and find the source of the voices, she began picking her way through the maze of boxes.

She heard a muffled voice nearby and could have sworn it had said Light Yagami. It was what was said next that confused her.

"You are Kira."

Noriko stiffened. The voice sounded as if it where right beside her.

She turned around quickly, but saw no one. Still tense, she continued walking towards the voices.

The sudden sound of gunfire filled the air.

Noriko screamed and crouched low, bringing her hands up to cover her ears.

"Humans are so interesting."

Noriko's eyes widened as she removed her hands from her ears and raised her head to see the strangest creature she had ever seen.

The creature was rather tall with long arms and legs. It was thin and skeletal. Its face was drawn up into a strange smile. The thing stared at her, its red lips curling, and its bright eyes staring at her curiously.

"What are you?" she asked in a dazed whisper.

"I am a shinigami," he replied with a smirk. "You don't happen to have any apples, do you? I'm rather hungry."

"Uh, no," Noriko replied slowly.

"Too bad," the being replied.

'Oh my god. I've completely lost it. I'm crazy. First my dead dad and now a thing that says it's a god of death..Why would I be dreaming of a god of death? And why the hell does he seem so unfazed by all this?' Noriko thought frantically.

"If you're a shinigami then why are you here?" she asked uncertainly.

"I'm not here to eat you, don't worry," the shinigami replied with a dry chuckle.

"A little late for that," she muttered as she brought a hand to her forehead to check for a fever.

'I must have a fever or something, my body just can't handle the stress of the upcoming exams that's all.'

"I was bored," the being said after a thoughtful silence.

Noriko gulped as the creature's already strange face twisted into a frightening smirk.

"Noriko, what are you doing here?"

She cocked her head to the side, not recognizing the somewhat childish voice that had addressed her. Turning around she saw a young boy with disheveled white hair staring at her curiously while twirling a strand of hair around a finger. She also noted that there were other people behind him as well, but she couldn't clearly make them out. Although she was sure there was a man that looked similar to the boy only with messy black hair and shadowed eyes.

"Do I know you," she asked.

"Of course you do Nori," another familiar voice said.

She whipped around to face the shinigami again only this time in front of him stood Light. He wore an arrogant and prideful smirk on his face as he looked at her.

"He's our enemy," Light said.

"Enemy...I don't understand..." she replied.

"Noriko," a different voice said from behind her, it was quiet but demanding.

She turned to see the shadowed figure of the black haired man standing behind the boy who had spoken earlier.

"You must choose," he said.

"I don't understand," she replied, on the edge of panic. "Who are you people, was that gun fire earlier, and what's going on?"

She grabbed her head in her hands and fell to her knees roughly.

The feeling of a warm hand touching her shoulder snapped her out of her panic. She looked up slowly and her bright green eyes met another set of bright green orbs.

"You need to wake up now little one," her father said with a kind smile.

With a jerk and a sharp intake of breath Noriko shot up in her bed. She was breathing rapidly and a cold sweat covered her body. She leaned back into her pillow and tried to calm herself down.

'What the hell was that I dreamed,' she thought to herself, 'I don't really remember anything of it now. There were people I didn't now, but I don't remember much else...'

She tried to recall more of the dream she knew she had but found the harder she tried to remember the more she forgot. By the time she awoke the following morning all she would remember would be her dad's smiling face.

Please review!