Just as Crazoa was about to toss it into a trash can, a large shadow loomed over him.
He slowly and cautiously turned around. There was a large metal skull belt in front of him. He looked up and saw a very tall… man (?) above him. But it didn't look like a man. It looked like a monster. Something like knight's armor with a skull for a head and very long grimy looking hair. It even held a scythe.
"Why hello." It spoke in a small croak sort of voice. "It looks like you found my notebook."
2
The Death Note… is real?
Crazoa stared up at the phantom then back at the notebook in his hand. He seemed utterly unperturbed. He looked around the grounds. No else seemed to notice the creature. Crazoa looked back up at the skull face, "Is this some kind of ghastly hallucination?" he asked it. It was odd for him to be having one. He hadn't taken anything… recently.
The thing chuckled. It sounded like it was hacking up its lungs. "No, but you can't really be sure of my answer if you think I'm a hallucination can you?" It reasoned.
The boy raised and eyebrow and raised the notebook openly, "Here, you may have it back. I apologize for taking it from you."
The phantom looked surprised, "Well I could if you wanted me to, but then I'd have to erase all your memories concerning the Death Note. Are you sure you don't want to make use of it while you have the chance?"
Crazoa was all the more surprised, "You want me to keep it?"
"It's your choice." Said the phantom, "The Death Note is now yours."
Mine? The boy looked down at the notebook. If he wasn't imagining the creature, and it was real, it meant that the notebook was real. This was immense power that he was holding in his hands. Crazoa once again looked around; people were starting to stare again. But only at him. It looked like he was talking to himself. "They can't see you?" he asked, astounded.
"Nope! The only people who can see me if those who have touched my Death Note. In other words, the Death Note is the bond between Crazoa, human; and Smith, Shinigami."
Crazoa didn't ask how the thing new his name, nor did he ask what a 'Shinigami' was. It sounded like an Asian term; this was Australia he was living in. Instead, he hurriedly stuffed the notebook into his backpack and walked off. He slipped out the map in his pocket as he walked, looking for some quiet place to be able to speak the thing, which's name was apparently Smith. He decided on the library, and as he walked with his nose to the piece of paper he suddenly bumped into something. Expecting that it was the 'Shinigami', he cried out in exasperation and the map flew out of his hand as he was knocked back slightly. But it wasn't Smith; it was Jake Trident, the burly kid who had laughed at Crazoa in class, and his friend, Mason Ripley. The burl wasn't even muscle, he was just big boned. Gross.
"Hey, you little punk!" he spoke in an immensely stupid deep voice. "Go back where you came you medieval freak!" Mason sniggered and egged Jake on.
Surprised, Crazoa had raised both eyebrows. Oh he knew how to deal with these kinds of people, having been attacked so many times before "Does the way I speak bother you? Well I must apologize if I offended your un-adapted mind and your thick skull." Crazoa immediately ducked, knowing there would be a punch from that, and he was right. He had missed it by inches.
"HEY!" shouted Mason, and made a grab for Crazoa, who did a barrel roll on the grass while Smith watched in excitement. There was now a crowd gathering to watch the fight. They were mostly cheering for Crazoa. Apparently Jake and Mason weren't very popular. "My money's on the skinny one!" some people shouted.
After his roll, Crazoa had darted behind Jake while Mason had fallen to the ground. Crazoa, who was still crouched, gave a seemingly impossible 'The Matrix'-like jump and kicked Jake in the back of the head, who was knocked out, and his heavy body fell on the outraged Mason.
Suddenly everyone was cheering and ran over to Crazoa and swamped him. Oh great, the last thing Crazoa wanted was attention, he had things to do! Stupid thugs.
He fought out of the crowd and ran to the library as quickly as possible, hiding behind a book shelf and panting.
"You know you could always just kill them." Came the croak of Smith, "Just write their names in the Death Note, it's not hard." He laughed again.
Crazoa considered, seeing as he had totally just kicked their butts, it didn't look like they'd be trying to bother him again. But Crazoa had a cruel mind, and he'd kill anyone who annoyed him if he had the power, and now he did.
I have nothing to fear! He realized, obsidian eyes going wide. I'm unstoppable.
Crazoa pulled out the Death Note and a pen, and looked over the rules again. "Smith?" he whispered.
"Yes?" the said being croaked.
"It says here that I can choose the cause of death. In that case, can I also choose the time of death?
Smith was surprised; the kid had been quick on the uptake. "Yeah you can. I've never used it that way before though, but why don't you just kill them right away?"
A thought suddenly struck Crazoa. A long time ago, when he was still just a blundering little kid, there was some kind of crazy thing happening. For a few years, something was happening in Japan that criminals worldwide were dying of sudden heart attacks. The person behind it was known as 'Kira'. Apparently he wanted to rid the world of evil. Crazoa's memory was hazy, he hadn't cared less about current affairs as a kid, but this thing was pretty big and significant.
"Smith, do you know anything about the Kira Case?" He had dropped all formalities at this point, and the moment Crazoa sounded even desperate.
"Huh? Oh yeah sure, some guy Ryuk mentioned something about it. He dropped his Death Note and some guy went crazy with it for a couple of years, why?" Smith asked wonderingly.
"So Kira used a Death Note? Which belonged to another one of these Shinigami things?"
"Yeah of course, there's a lot of Shinigami and a lot of Death Notes."
Crazoa thought for a moment. He couldn't care less about Kira's visions. He wasn't going to try to become God. After all, he could've been killed himself if he had been an adult at that time. But who said he couldn't have a bit of fun?
"So are you going to kill them or what?" Smith asked impatiently.
"Yeah I am." Crazoa finally decided, "But I'm not going to kill them right away."
"Why not?" Smith asked incredulously. Humans were so strange.
"Because…" Crazoa began, mimicking Smith's impatient tone. "Don't you think it would be a little suspicious if two thugs who had just tried to beat me up suddenly just died of heart attacks? After the Kira situation, I of course, wouldn't be surprised if an investigation was suddenly put underway… so instead."
Crazoa bent down and began writing in the notebook.
Jake Trident
Accidental death, Tuesday 27th of April
Struck by a car while walking to school with a friend
Mason Ripley
Accidental death, Tuesday 27th April
Struck by a car while walking to school with a friend
The boy straightened up, admiring his handiwork. "I'll let them die in an accidental death in a week from now. That way, it will appear to just be another unfortunate accident." He smirked, eyes flashing insanely.
"Ve-ry smart." Smith mused, lengthening the word, "So you want them to die together, but what if they are walking with different friends?"
Crazoa smiled crookedly once more. "Didn't you notice Smith? They don't have any other friends." He whispered. He had to keep himself from laughing or the Librarian would come. "You obviously aren't very good at making observations, are you?"
As the boy walked seemingly alone out of the library to his next class, the croaky voice spoke in his ear, "You know kid, I think we're going to get along just fine."
"Yes that's right." Crazoa muttered darkly, "We have a lot to talk about, my friend."
"By the way, do you have any apples?"