A twelve year old Kat lay sprawled on the ground

1994 October 24th

A twelve year old Kat lay sprawled on the ground. Examining a few case files with L. This habit had only started two years ago, three years after they both started chasing their destinies.

L had developed a love for justice, one almost as grand as hers, so he asked Mr. Wammy to become a detective, an anonymous one. Just like that his detective career took off.

But Kat, newly named K, decided on a more adventurous avenue. Loving the thrill of adrenaline, she asked of Mr. Wammy, newly christened Watari if she could do hands on work without revealing who she was. Of course, that turned her into a sort of vigilante that was in league with the authorities. But she also worked cases with L.

It was an odd day in Winchester when she and L had paired up for a case, it was no surprise to the people at the Orphanage but the authorities were somewhat in awe. By then, L had built a name for himself a part from K, him as the famous Detective L and her as the infamous K, accomplice to justice.

She took on cases that were only up to par with her experience, at first, she had to learn the hard way that she could not jump in head first into something she did not know how to handle. She came out of her first mission with a broken tail, bullet in the left arm and a few scratches. But then K gained speed, advancing through the cases and missions like no other person, managing to get the stuff that FBI usually ranked in no time. Of course, she had to mingle in the Underworld a good bit, finding out what was new amongst the criminals. The only down side, in her opinion.

Her first case with L, she very nearly through a tantrum at the nonexistent ground work she was getting. They were ten at the time, and K had established in the Orphanage her foul bouts of anger at the humans' lack of competency. A hissy fit was the last thing anyone wanted.

1992 July 27th

K was sitting in L and her room; clad in all black from head to toe. She was frowning at the files in front of her, disliking the fact that she was not outside tracking down some mafia member, mass murderer or even her least favorite, guarding some old person whose life was endangered. She swiped her hair away from her face, now glaring at the print in front of her. Must she be forced to do the idiotic behind the scenes work with L?

She was on the verge of telling L off for making her focus on something trivial for a week without so much as a word from him when she caught something.

"L, I believe I have found the link between the murders, does the fact that the SOG team that was on hand on the previous murder was disregarding direct orders from higher ups? This might be an Underworld case." K handed the reports over to L, taking out the phone with the synthetic voice.

"Mr. South? Yes, this is K. we have made a significant breakthrough, please apprehend the team of black ops you dispatched to the crime scene, the ones who have a disregard for authority. The charges are Murder in the First Degree, Five counts of fraud, and ah…two counts of theft, consequence should be...what in the world is that? L, that does not look legible, do I have to make you go over writing basics? Oh, it says, lifetime without parole." She spoke, a tone of annoyance in it.

L glared at her, his handwriting was perfectly legible. She was the one that barely could turn her chicken scratch into the roman alphabet.

"Yes, we appreciate your cooperation in the case as well, pass on the word of Detective L and Agent K, please. Yes, goodbye." She finished, pressing the end button softly.

"Your 'Ts' looks like an 'Fs,' your 'Rs' looks like an 'Ns' and vice versa." She mused, reaching to grab a book. Having given up with trying to go out to stretch.

1994 October 25th

Kat was sitting on a chair, eyeing every piece of information that L had let her see, withholding what he deemed useless. ("No piece of evidence, L, is ever significant if you do not thoroughly investigate," She was quick to admonish in her calm and quiet voice. He rolled his eyes and through a faux glare at her, "Even if the information is something like, oh, grocery receipts for a pack of gum?" She smiled ruefully, "Maybe the gum was a major part of the crime scene?" Though even Kat, whom was curious and unknowing of the reason behind human intentions knew that it was unlikely.)

"Lawliet always picks the most challenging case he can find, how likehim," She murmured, looking down the pictures of the scene. Kat had picked up the habit of calling L by his last name, saying that she felt privileged to be one of the only ones to know it. Both of them were proud with what they had accomplished in two years time; she had spread word of the Detective L and he of Agent K. It was odd, Mr. Wammy had taken a before and after picture with the security cameras, and what they saw was just about one of the worse things Kat ever had.

She was smiling with Lawliet in one, he had his crooked smile on and they seemed almost normal. Than next to it, a looming figure donning nothing but black, apathetic to everything and a boy hunched over his computer, dark bags forming under his eyes. That was the day she just about nearly punch a hole in a wall. Yelling about humans tainting her, humans turning her evil, influencing her like the scientists. It took a good while for L to calm her down, saying that K and Kat were two very different people, just like L and Lawliet, Watari and Mr. Wammy. Some days she wondered why she even bothered with life, hating the fact that she was trying to cleanse a world that was laden with evil to great for her to cure. But, at least she was helping somewhat.

The only emotions I have any clue about, she thought bitterly, the morbid tone of K sinking in. Anger, curiosity, confusion, fondness, worry, frustration, trust, morose and hate.

She glanced at the transcripts of the phone calls that the victim had made before her death, switching from that and the computer screen in front of her, she was itching to stretch her muscles, practice that great strength and speed she had tamed. But then a surge of confusion swept over Kat, causing her delicate eyebrows to furrow. Was she K or Kat right now?

"Is there a prime suspect yet, L?" Yes, she was very much feeling confused now. Perhaps she was Kew Keikan? Neither the science experiment filled with hate or the emotionless agent. Just the human side of her.

"Yes, one Laurenzo Alfonzo," He said, grimacing at the Hispanic name. They never liked that language, having deemed it too odd for their liking.

She looked up into his tired eyes, obscured by his messy raven locks. He sounded tired, but that was to be expected, they both barely got a wink of sleep between his cases, her missions or a combination effort of both.

"Should I dispatch a SWAT team or settle for the local authorities? The ICPO will not like that, though," She murmured, flicking a strand of hair out of her face.

L shifted in his seat, turning to her with his gray eyes boring into her own slitted ones. "SWAT, the police won't be able to handle this one."

Kat nodded, sending a wordy message giving all of the facts and that they had sufficient evidence to prosecute and win the case.

She sighed, closing her laptop and flopping down on the bed. "We are in dire need of a…break." She spoke quietly through a yawn, rubbing her eyes.

L had no intention to disagree with her; he was good as dead asleep on his chair in front of the main computer. Kat opened one eye to see the worn out twelve year old's head had lolled onto his chest. (Yes, she still prided herself in saying she was a year older.) Sighing, she pulled her small frame out of the bed, sliding her hands under Lawliet's arms, trying to pull him out. She yanked fruitlessly, but she was not trying to hard for fear of waking him up. Kat threw her parka to her bed, flexing her fingers and trying to look at the situation from a critical view. Taking into account that she was drowsy, famished, fatigued and lacking in everything because of it.

She sighed again, running a hand through her choppy shoulder length hair, a habit she picked up from the other children. Okay, she began her foggy analysis. He is in a rolling chair, he is taller than me by two inches and is it me or is Lawliet muttering something that suspiciously had the same tune as Kew Keikan? Oh, this is absolutely frustrating!

With halfhearted pulls she managed to move his chair near his bed. "Sleeps like the dead," She murmured; the irritation in her voice nearly clear.

She heaved Lawliet onto the bed, throwing a bunch of blankets on him so he would not get cold or contract something. Being too tired to even get to her own bed, Kat settled for resting her muddled head next to Lawliet's little cocoon of warmth.

-

Little rays of sun were filtering through her vision, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut more and just curl up tighter.

"Kat, get up, we are leaving," The voice of L not Lawliet, she noted. What was happening? Heaving a sigh, she jumped onto her feet, arms limp between her legs as she sat crouched. "What is it?" She ask, her quiet voice a bit rough.

"We're leaving, Watari wants to take us somewhere. I do not know where." And with that, he seemed to orient himself around the room. The dark blush on his face went unnoticed by Kat.

She began her own packing when a thought floated around her head. "L, please go tend to your teeth, we do not want a dentist appointment hindering our careers." The command in her voice was strict, almost maternal. But, oddly, still held her soft tenor. She gave him a bleary eyed glare, it was practical for him to keep his health up, but he seemed to just darken even more at the command. Trying to make the mood a bit lighter, he murmured, "Yes, mother."

Pain flashed across her face at the word. Was she that much of a tyrant? She associated the term mother with that hag that tried to shoot her all of the time and how she would ignore Kat's pleas for food or non raggedy clothing.

Lawliet, with his keen eye, did not miss the subtle change in Kat's demeanor as she meekly gathered her things. To anyone else, she would have just seemed to be going on as usual, nothing out of the norm. But having lived with the strange girl named Lovable Fierce Strength he had more experience with her guarded eyes than even her previous "owners" (as she spat one day, never wanting the term guardian and her previous 'owners' in the same sentence. It was blasphemy in her eyes.) But that did not come with consequence for Lawliet. He himself had to let her into his own mind to learn anything relevant from her. She knew some of his deepest secrets but never how he came to be in the orphanage, which was the only piece of information that remained relatively private to the two prodigies.

Kat slumped to the ground when she was finished, obscene scenes flashing through her head. She ignored Lawliet's glances as he tried to discreetly put as much candy into his pack. Her thoughts were too mussed. She scrambled to get them out, to purify her tainted head. It was amazing how one thing could set her off.

I am turning into a monster, nothing but an emotionless weapon, succeeding those scientists' hopes. A low hiss began to build in her chest, a growl mixed in, so quiet only she noticed. Her instincts were going wild; her human half was trying hard to control the more feral part that was bound to start ripping up the first human that came within her vicinity. But she was neither, not human, not animal, she did not fit into any category a human could fathom besides an abnormality, an abomination created out of sheer human desire.

Lawliet looked out the window, wondering briefly if she was like this, in a weakened state because rain might be coming. He swept some of his bangs out of his eyes; no, there was not a cloud outside, just pure blue uninterrupted. He glanced back at her, hearing the slightest hums in the air.

Her eyes were going wild, hands twitching as she held herself, almost to prevent from shattering to pieces. He had finished packing; he edged closer to her but stopped when he saw her go rigid, tensing herself. What on earth…?

Than her form blurred a bit, the slight sound of shuffling as her form changed quickly into…a great white tiger.

A snarl rose from her, hackles raised, she seemed to be trying to say something. Lawliet backed up a step, noticing that his friend was buried somewhere within this, not at all fully conscious of what she was doing. He looked the great feline in the eyes, seeing a dark emerald color. But it was not what he thought he would see. Panic, worry and fear.

Lawliet continued to back off, taking heed of the hidden message in her eyes. Lawliet searched his mind to think of what could have possibly thrown her into such a state. She was perfectly fine until he teased her; called her mother. Lawliet winced, he was the reason she seemed so distressed.

Kat's eyes darted everywhere but the human in front of her, not wanting to rip him to shreds for insulting her. In her heart of hearts, she recognized that he was just teasing her like usual, but why do humans tease? That question along with many others ran rapid threw her head.

Concentrating fairly hard, she managed to bring herself into her half human form, falling to the ground in shambles, eyes leaking again.

Lawliet tried approaching again. This was too reminiscent of when she would wakeup from her nightmares, the only change that he would not stand by and hopefully wish she would not get them anymore. He came down to her level, ignoring her protests and wrapped his arms around her awkwardly, rubbing his pale hand down the length of her back, trying her best at calming her.

Kat hiccupped, grabbing Lawliet's shirt with impressive force, sullying his white shirt. Lawliet is always trying to bring me back to normal, she thought bitterly through her sorrow. Such a…an odd person, to care for an experimental abomination such as I.

-

Mr. Wammy had brought them to a ware house, with nothing but a few computer systems on the floor, basic living necessities and a sort of training room for her. He said they were somewhere in the forests of China, never divulging anymore information. He said that they had cases to work on here and it would be more convenient to be near the crime scene. L took it in stride, commending Watari's choice, thinking it appropriate. There would be less distractions, he had said.

Kat just ignored the conversation, settling for distancing herself ever the bit, not wanting to interfere with their reasoning.

She only had one mindset in her head.

One mantra that kept her going, kept her from letting her self destructive thoughts lead her to one of the ample weapons she had at her disposal.

Support L. Nothing but support, doing the dirty work while cleaning the world up. Help L. Lawliet and Quillish "Watari" Wammy.

And that is the only thing that kept her going for more than a decade.