Disclaimer:...Do I really have to say it?

A/N: Yayyy another chapter! You'll get to see how Az acts. Tell me if she's acting like a Mary Sue. D:

Warning: Spoilers for some names.

Ages:

Mello - 15

Matt - 14

Near - 13

L - 25

Az - 23

B - 25

"Japanese"

"English"

Matt, Mello and Near rushed into room thirteen and closed the door behind them. Matt and Mello both had a big sweatdrop on their heads when they realised that the whole class was staring at them. Near tried to hide behind the two boys so he wouldn't get noticed, but his white hair and clothes made him stand out.

Az frowned at the three boys, "Why are you boys so late?" She asked evenly. "Already fifteen minutes passed since class started."

Matt stepped forward and gave the teacher his most charming smile, "I'm sorry, Masters-san. Hideki-san needed to print off some schedules for us, so we had to wait." He explained smoothly.

Az didn't look convinced. "… you're a good liar, Mail Jeevas, but I don't believe you for a second." She deadpanned, speaking in English.

"Wait, how did you know my name?" Matt asked in the same language.

"Simple. I had a look through last year's yearbook and looked at the year sevens. Secondly, all of the class is here except three boys by the name of Mail Jeevas, Mihael Keehl, and Nate River." She deducted.

"First of all, it's Mello." The blonde butted in, "Secondly, prove that Matt isn't lying."

"I heard you guys laughing in the hallway and talking to each other for fifteen minutes. I didn't even hear Mr. Hideki in that conversation." The teacher revealed, and then added, "Actually, Mr. Hideki stopped by to tell me that you guys were going to be late, so you're safe. But would it kill to tell the truth?"

"In a life or death situation, probably." Near pointed out.

Surprisingly, Az chuckled. "Okay, you guys can go back to your seats." She ordered kindly, reverting back to Japanese. She turned to Near. "Nate, right? I'm assuming you have a nickname like your friends."

"You assumed right. It's Near." The white-haired boy nodded, quickly warming up to Az. He then took a seat across Matt.

Az clapped her hands together. "Okay class, sorry for that little interruption. If you don't remember my name is Masters Azure. You may call me Az; Masters-san sounds so weird." She pouted. Most of the class chuckled. "Anyway, I want to see what you can do in the subject. You may do any form of art this period. It can be photography, painting, drawing, whatever, just as long as it's art. I want to see the finished product by the end of this period, but it doesn't really matter if you finish or not. Quick, go!"

The whole class spread throughout the classroom to get their supplies. Matt and Mello decided to work together on a painting and Near decided to do a sketch.

"So what should we paint?" Mello asked his best friend.

"Hmm… Takada's nauseating face?" The gamer suggested. Across from them, Near snorted.

"You'd probably get a big fat 'F' if you paint that." The white-haired boy commented, drawing the base of his sketch. "Takada's face fails."

"He's got a point there, Matt." Mello laughed. Suddenly, Matt snapped his fingers and whispered in the blonde's ear. After he finished whispering, they both glanced at Near and started to paint. Near raised a fine eyebrow curiously, but kept quiet.

--

Ring, ring!

"There's the bell class. Please hand in your work to me." Az announced.

"Hey Near, we painted you. Wanna see?" Matt offered. Near walked over to the two boys, clutching his sketch. The white-haired boy's eyes widened when he saw the painting. It showed him sitting on his bed playing with a white toy bunny. He had a content smile on his face.

"… It's amazing! It looks so realistic, thank you so much." Near whispered quietly, a small smile making its way onto his face.

"You're very welcome, Near." The two boys exclaimed simultaneously.

"Here, look what I made." Near showed them his sketch. It showed Mello and Matt, back-to-back. Matt was playing his Nintendo DS, his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration. Mello was eating a chocolate bar and doing his homework at the same time.

"I never knew you could draw like that." Mello commented. Matt nodded in agreement.

"Ahem," The three boys turned to see Az behind them. "It's the end of class, so quickly give me your work and get to your next class!" She said, holding out both her hands to get their work. Matt handed the painting over and Near handed in his sketch.

Az whistled admiringly. "You boys have some skills. I'll put your painting somewhere safe so it can dry, and I'll put this lovely sketch in my grading folder. Now, shoo!" She dismissed them, smiling.

Once the three boys left the classroom, a voice behind Az chuckled. "So what do you think of the boys?" L asked, standing next to the woman.

Az turned to face L, "They're quite close." She concluded.

L raised a fine eyebrow, "That's all?"

The woman rolled her eyes. "I don't know much about their background, how am I supposed to elaborate?" She drawled.

"Mello and Matt have been friends for a long time, and they're almost inseparable. Near is a bit anti-social and shy, but Matt tries to include him in their activities, despite some of Mello's protests. Mello used to greatly dislike Near, but he's quickly warming up to him ever since Matt included Near in their friendship." The insomniac explained.

"So basically without Matt between the two, Mello and Near wouldn't work together?" Az asked.

"Yes. The three together will succeed me if I am unable to do my duties as 'L'. With their combined skills and intellect they might even surpass me." L mused.

"Were you the one behind the combined class?" Az questioned suspiciously.

"… you catch on quite quickly, Az." The detective smirked.

Az chuckled good-naturedly. "You haven't changed at all, Lawliet."

"Same goes to you, Azure." He retorted, "You're still the conniving teenager that pranked BB and I whenever you got the chance."

The woman immediately sobered at the name, "Did you find any leads on your twin brother?" She asked quietly.

"Unfortunately, no. We searched all around the prison he escaped from for any clues, but we couldn't find any. Not even a DNA sample." L frowned.

"Bloody sneaky bastard." Az mumbled. "How the hell did he go insane anyway?"

"Something must've traumatised him without anyone knowing." The detective sighed mournfully. "I just want my brother back."

--

"Here," a voice spat, throwing a bulky body bag on the ground in front of somebody sitting on a chair. "Otoharada Kurou, male, forty-two years old, and unemployed. Held eight hostages in a nursery school and got away with one million US dollars. Murdered by a knife through the heart."

The man in the chair ordered two of his lackeys to open up the body bag, and sure enough there was Otoharada Kurou with a knife still through his chest. The man in the chair's red eyes clashed with the murderer's other red ones.

"Good work, B." The man praised smoothly. Beyond Birthday grinned insanely in response. B looked exactly like L, only with red eyes. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt and blue baggy pants with no footwear. There were lots of bloodstains on his clothes, but he didn't care.

B swiftly took the knife out of Kurou's chest and twirled it around lazily. "So what's my reward?" He drawled.

The man threw a wrapped package at him and B caught it with one hand, the other twirling the knife expertly. He set it down on the ground and opened it. There was a brand new set of clothes, a wallet with a fake ID and some cash, and a train ticket.

"What's all this for?" B asked curiously. He stopped twirling the knife and put it in his pocket.

The man across from him smirked, "You'll be visiting your brother, of course."

A/N: Ooh, something's happening! OMG WATARI'S PSYCHIC! -gasps-

If you don't recognise BB at all, he's a character from the novel 'Death Note - Another Note'. He went crazy and became a serial killer. :D

In the novel, L and B are not related. But in this fic, they are.

Peaches and Sweet Cream: Yes, you're right. It is him. Yes, he is a perv. :P Thanks for the review! -L gives you cheesecake, and gets another slice from the fridge-

HeartBreAk Lily: I never meant to make Mello, Matt and Near besties at the start, but along the way they just did so I stuck with it. XD Yeaaaah! Down with Kiyomi! Thanks for the review!

puddingcup: Yes, it was him. XD -L was just about to eat the cheesecake, but he gives it to you- Hmm, well I'm currently borrowing L from his owners... but... I'll let you borrow him until I post up the next chappie. XD -hands you L-

L: I'm not just some toy to be passed around, you kno-- -Misa gags him, ties him up and shoves him towards puddingcup- --mmfffhh!

Misa: Stay away from Raito-kun, you pervert! Review please! -giggles and waves-