Random: I suppose we'll find out, eh? And I like that quote, by the way! It's wonderful; I may use that... or maybe just write it in my special little notebook and keep it forever and ever. ovo
I support Kira in the fact it actually succeeds in deterring further crime, and thus protects future minds...or even innocence... I'm sorry, but I feel strongly about that whole 'taking of innocence' thing. Perhaps, then, Kira is kind. Merciful. Maybe rotting in prison is a better punishment... but isn't really the entire point, either...
I'm going to tell you right now that the other three aliases won't be used... This way you won't get your hopes up. ;v; Sorry. I just thought it would be too unlikely to find four people with all four aliases that were meant to die at that time...you know? Ahh... It would be interesting, though, wouldn't it? But... it isn't B's intended pattern anyhow, so...
BB: ...Yay. I like hugs.
I am actually very good at seeing every side. Perhaps it comes with being a writer, I don't know, but... I especially feel for people like you, dear BB. And the darker bits of the mind have always intrigued me anyway, haha.
A sweetheart, huh? I have never been called that in my life, except perhaps by my mother. I'll be honest with that, haha. Aren't you a dear? ...So, wait... you like hugs? That must be terrible if you don't have many people who want to hug you... Wahh...
I actually still have tons of Barbie dolls from when I was little. I probably shouldn't hurt them, though, because my younger niece still plays with them. Ahaha... ...Okay... I'll admit I wasn't expecting that one. An L plushie, huh? Isn't he your rival, dear? I mean, I understand he's comfortable - Real-Life Sam tells me so all the time - but...hm. It's not really disturbing, just... more surprising than anything.
Alright... Any night, stand atop the pavilion across the street from my home. I will listen, and if I hear song, I shall know it's you. There we are.
Huzzah! We all have wonderful tastes in music; how lovely~
Hahaha, don't worry, BB, I don't love you in that way. It's not a 'I want to be with you' or a kissing or hand-holding love; not even a fangirl love. You're just amazing, which we both agree upon. I'd just love to be your friend~
Aw, you care about my well-being? Thank you, dear! I would hate to know you'd been hurt as well, dear BB. I hate people getting hurt...unless maybe if it's someone who deserves it.
Ah! I actually know French! Ça me fait plaisir, BB~ c:
The Reading Kind: Her twin is just her twin, dear. She may come up... a lot later, but I can't think of how you'd know her... *pet* Don't fret over it... Though, yes, it is the same murder from the chapter before it. c: It's okay, though, dear, I have low self-esteem too. But look! You're right! Natalie and the rest of the task force is involved now; paths are converging...
Yeah... the Bond of hate doesn't come in until the next story. Sorry about that... Gee... my readers are getting so excited about Max... I feel kinda bad now... xD
My life is quite alright. School's getting more tense as the exams approach, but summer is definitely a thing I'm looking forward to. I love summer. It's lovely, isn't it? The rain, I mean... Just standing in it, allowing it to soak and drench you... It's rather nice. I love the rain... Texas, huh? I've never been there... Yet I have family there. Funny. Hm.
Ohh, now you're calling me that too? xD It's so...god-like. Really flattering, honestly. I don't really know what to say about it.
It's okay that you're following B's posts. He's amusing, so it's understandable. C: And... *holds hand to heart* That cookie cake will be remembered well.
Ooh... I used to love that song, as well as that band. The song really can describe them now, huh? It's actually rather sad... Ah well...
Ahh, well, the Bond is a bit complex in its own way, ahaha. Real-Life Sierra gives me headaches when she asks me to figure out exactly what would happen to people if they were Bonded to more than one person... *shakes head* Ahhh...
Pshh, don't worry about a long review. Long reviews make me happy, typically. I don't mind a bit. I just hope all that's on your mind isn't overwhelming, my dear~
Reader: Well, I guess it's a good thing you feel bad for the murder victim...because...well...she's a murder victim. xD I do suppose there are parallels between the Bond and the connection of twins, eh? There will be a little bit of Sam in this chapter... and some BB in the next, so I hope this satisfies you, aha. Here's the next one~
Alright, guys... Double update this week! Because we've already got 50 reviews... Wow... Thank you for reviewing; all of you!
In any case, enjoy the chapter~
"That's it!" Anna cried. The SPK minus Near all shifted, turning to look at her. "I'm bored! We need to do something other than wait!"
"Patience is a virtue," Near said calmly as he put together a little model plane.
"Yeah, well, I've practiced patience for six flarping years, if you haven't noticed! I'm tired of waiting, because that's all I've had to do! First, Aunt Natalie was always off with L and the task force, and even when we moved into L's special building there was practically nothing to do." She was now counting up on her fingers as she went on. "Then, L died and Sam ran off, so Sierra and I were stuck in a hotel room, bored again. Then Sierra got kidnapped by Mello, and what do I do? Nothing! L hung around, sure, but he was no fun at all!" Anna huffed, crossing her arms. "I was barely involved at the warehouse, and the moment Kira came back, even though I've been here at the SPK, not much has happened."
"…I died," Near offered flatly, gazing at her.
"Well, yeah, but do you think I consider that fun? That was horrible!"
"Well, you weren't bored, that's for sure," Halle remarked drily.
Anna rolled her eyes. "My point is, we either need to get something done, or you, Near, need to be more fun. Dance. Run with me for once. Get up, for Pete's sake! I can teach you acrobatics, or at the very least show you how to do a cartwheel!"
"…I'd rather not…," Near said dully, looking up at her.
Anna leaned down and gripped his shoulders, shaking him to make her point. "Show some emotion, gosh darn it!" She stopped shaking him and let him go.
He blinked dazedly. "Please don't do that…."
Gevanni coughed to hide a small laugh. Rester frowned at him.
"Well," Anna persisted, "will you at least have dinner at my house tonight? Sam will be there, too, and so will Aunt Natalie and possibly L. Come on…."
"Will you shake me again if I don't?" he asked, looking up at her as he set down his airplane.
It was meant to be some sort of joke, but Anna took it seriously. "I might."
Near sighed, then looked to Rester. "It seems you'll be driving me to Anna's tonight."
Anna blinked, surprised. "I actually got you to come? Yes!" She did a little jig, happy with her accomplishment.
With dinner with Near in mind, Anna waited for the few more hours she was to spend at SPK headquarters. She talked animatedly with Gevanni and Halle to pass the time, though they actually worked as they conversed. She certainly had a lot of energy now that she had something to look forward to. But then, Anna always did have a lot of energy. She was actually probably the most active of the four of us….
"Come on, come on, come on!" Anna pressed, pulling on Near's arm to get him to his feet. "Let's go; come on!"
Now on his feet, Near leaned down to pick up his toy robot, along with a Rubik's cube he had set aside. "I'm bringing these; I hope you don't mind."
"That's fine," Anna insisted. "Now come on!"
"Please come, Rester," said Near without much inflection, unfazed by Anna's need to hurry.
"Of course," Rester responded, and Anna let out a cheer and ran ahead. Finding they weren't running with her, she grudgingly made her way back and walked at their pace.
"You want me to carry anything?" Anna asked Near.
He shifted the two items in his arm, and twirled his hair. "No. I'm fine."
Anna found that the car ride from HQ to her house was much, much shorter than the trip by foot. She was grateful for this. The traffic made it irksome because they seemed to not be making progress every so often, but overall it took less time. "Thank you, Mr. Rester!" Anna chirped then got out of the car, pulling Near along.
"I will call when it is time for me to go," Near informed Rester, and he nodded. Anna shut the car door, and the two went inside. Rester began driving away.
"Yeah, we're working on a new case right now; the murder in Omotesandou. Sayuri Sakamoto," I said to Roger as they entered.
"Yes, I heard about that," Roger replied, then looked to Near and Anna. "Hello."
"Roger?" Anna asked blankly.
"That would be Watari to you," L responded, pouring himself a cup of tea. "Hmm…," he droned, reconsidering. He began plopping sugar cubes into his tea. "Actually, if you can call me L, I see no reason you cannot call him Roger. Call him what you like." He looked to the two. "Hello Anna; hello Near."
"Hello," Near responded.
"Why'd you bring Near?" Sam asked Anna, gesturing to the albino.
Near twirled his hair.
"Why'd you bring Roger?" Anna countered.
"I didn't," Sam replied, smiling slightly. "L did."
"Meh!" She looked for a place to sit down. With Sam, L, and Roger on the couch and me on the chair, Anna had nowhere to sit. So, she grabbed a pillow from beside Sam, put it on the ground, and sat there. Near merely sat himself down on the floor beside the couch. "So what are we talking about?" she asked brightly.
"From what I caught, a new case Natalie is working on," Near responded, beginning to tinker with his robot.
I nodded. "There's a case in Omotesandou that I'm working on right now. The public's all worked up about it."
"Why?" asked Anna.
Sam snorted.
"The killer has boldly written 'I am Kira,' in the victim's blood," L answered, then took a sip of his tea. "That would be in Japanese, of course, Anna."
"Perhaps he wants attention," Near suggested.
"Probably," I agreed. "Plus, we're thinking the killer was trying to send a message to the police with the evidence at the crime scene."
L paused in setting down his cup for a moment, then resumed in the motion. "…How so?"
I shrugged. "It's only a theory. Besides, if you're curious…" – I made a gesture with my hand – "…then you can find what you need to, as L. This is supposed to be undisclosed information."
"Right," said L. "Of course."
I turned back to Anna and smiled. "You're just in time," I added, gesturing to both her and Near. "Dinner's almost ready; we're having Yakiniku and rice tonight." (Yakiniku was a Japanese barbeque, in case you didn't know.)
Anna made a face. "We have rice a lot."
Roger sighed, and Sam shrugged.
I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well, we're in Japan, and rice is easy to make. You'll eat it if you want enough to eat."
"I'll have extra Yakiniku."
"There needs to be enough for everyone," I told her, looking around at the others to make my point. I lifted my glass of water. "Sometimes I feel like I'm your mother, you know that?" And I took a sip.
"Maybe you should be one," Sam suggested nonchalantly.
Cue spit-take. And a nice, meaningful glare at Sam.
Sam smiled innocently.
Roger took out a handkerchief with another sigh and began wiping the water off his face. I stood quickly. "I'm sorry, Roger," I apologized quickly, then made my way over to the kitchen to grab a napkin. I gave it to him when I returned. "Sorry," I muttered again. Anna was laughing at the fact I had sprayed water at him.
"It… it's fine…," said Roger.
Sam laughed. "So much for getting on his good side, huh?"
"Which, by the way, is rather hard to do anyway," L added. "I wouldn't be too disappointed."
I frowned at the two of them while Anna just amusedly puzzled over what she must have missed. The oven beeped, and I straightened up. "Oh; dinner's ready. Who's hungry?"
Sam sighed dramatically. "Back to your calm demeanor again, huh?"
Anna jumped to her feet. "I'm hungry!"
"I'm pretty sure there's enough for Near, too, even though I didn't anticipate him being here…."
"I apologize," said Near, getting to his feet and leaving his robot and Rubik's cube behind.
"No, it's fine," I smiled as I spooned the rice into a bowl. I already had the serving plate of Yakiniku on the counter, and so put that on the table as well. The table had been expanded so that it could fit more people.
"Near, you'll be eating, right?" asked Anna.
"Of course."
"Sorry," said Sam, waving a hand at Near, "I do believe we were under the impression that you ate your toys."
He tilted his head slightly. "Those wouldn't taste very good."
"Anything can taste good with enough sugar," L pointed out.
"Maybe, but it would certainly be hard to get down."
A vague smile appeared on L's features. "True."
By this time I had set the table, and everyone sat at their respective chairs and began to fill their plates (except for L, of course, but that goes without saying). "Near," asked Sam, "why are you such a towel?"
Near gazed at her quizzically. "A towel?" he repeated.
"Yes. A wet towel."
"Ah." Near poked at his meat with his chopsticks. "Well then, I'm not sure."
"You're no fun!" Anna huffed, pouting at Near.
Near glanced at her.
"Even Anna has admitted it!" Sam cried, raising her hands into the air. "The people have spoken!"
Anna stuck her tongue out at her.
Sam just happily ate her food. At this point the table had split off into two different conversations: Roger, L, and I talked about one thing, while Sam, Anna, and somewhat of Near conversed about something else. After swallowing a mouthful of rice, Sam added, "I still don't get why you think Near is so awesome, Anna."
Near looked to Sam again as he lifted a piece of meat to his mouth.
"He's just awesome, okay?" Anna frowned. "I don't get why you don't like him."
"He's got a creepy smile," she began, counting off on her fingers, "he just plain out creeps me out, he talks too much in explanations, he talks too little in conversations, he called L a loser, he's childishly annoying, and he cheats." She paused. "No offense, Near."
"None taken," he mumbled in response, poking at his meat again.
"He doesn't cheat!" Anna protested.
"Yes, he does," Sam said matter-of-factly, then popped a piece of meat into her mouth. "Must I bring up again how he tried to kill Mikami?" she asked, her mouth full.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Roger scowled, looking at her.
She swallowed, then stuck her tongue out at him indignantly.
"For the record," said Near, leaning on the table with his elbow and resting his head on his hand, "the only reason I did that was to ensure myself, the SPK, and the Kira task force weren't killed."
"Well, he didn't die, and you're still fine."
"It was a precaution," Near stressed the word. "If there was any chance that Mikami were to figure out that the notebook was switched, the whole plan would have gone wrong, and I can't rely on chance."
"It doesn't mean you can kill a guy," she sniffed.
"Mikami was aiding Kira, the mass murderer. He would have been imprisoned for life anyhow, if he were to live. Which he did, of course, but now he has escaped."
I blinked, then did a double take. "What? He did?"
I was ignored. "True," said Sam, "but you can't just kill Mikami like that. He's awesome. And epic. And smexy."
"No he's not," Anna disagreed. "Mikami's stupid!"
Sam stood abruptly, drawing attention from everyone at the table. "This is mahogany!"
"Your face is mahogany!" she snapped.
Sam sat again, leaning her elbows on the table and looking at Anna with hard eyes. L, Roger, and I hesitantly returned to our own conversation about Mello. "Anna," said Sam. "Near called L a loser. That is not right."
"I didn't know at the time that L was actually alive," Near defended. "With only my knowledge at the time, L was supposed to be dead, killed by Kira. He lost."
"That's not fair, though! L was at a disadvantage!"
"Disadvantages don't matter. A loss is a loss."
"The murder weapon of the case was from another freaking world! How can he possibly best that?!" Near opened his mouth to speak, but Sam continued. "Near, no one can stop a shinigami from killing you! What if some random shinigami came down to Earth right now and decided to kill you? Does that mean you lost your battle against Kira?!"
"Yes. Yes it would."
"But…" said Anna slowly, "…L's awesome."
"Anna, that does not change the fact that L would have lost had Natalie not intervened. You're only a loser if you cannot win the game."
"I just lost The Game!" Sam cried. Then she scowled. "Yes, yes, Near, if you don't solve the puzzle you're nothing but a loser. Good way of thinking. L did solve the puzzle. He knew Light was Kira. He solved it, Near."
"But he couldn't prove it."
"See, that's the problem for all of us, isn't it?" Sam asked, tilting her head and smiling crookedly. "The thing is, L was about to prove it. Rem messed things up because of Light's meddling. Light and Misa would have been caught in no time if he'd lived."
"That's just it," said Near. "Because of Light, L would have died. With this, L lost. If you're dead, you cannot win. He almost would have won, I'll grant him that, but he supposedly died and so he lost."
"But L didn't lose!" Anna cried. "That was just Light being Light!"
Near's gaze hardened ever so slightly. "If L had died as he was meant to, he would have lost."
"But Near… L's awesome," Anna replied softly.
"Awesome or not, losing is losing and winning is winning. If L hadn't intervened at the warehouse, then I would have won against Kira and Kira would have never come back."
Sam glowered at him. "Are you saying this is L's fault? Our fault?"
"What?" Anna yelped. "But—but Near doesn't… he wouldn't…!" She looked at Near. "It isn't L's fault, right?"
"You have to admit," he said, "that if he hadn't created that plan for the warehouse, Kira would be gone for good." His eyes darkened. "Light should be dead right now."
"Near!" Anna snapped. "Light's a good guy now! You saw how innocent he was at the warehouse after he forfeited."
Sam frowned and averted her gaze, sticking a piece of Yakiniku in her mouth.
"It doesn't matter if he was innocent right then," said Near. "Light still killed many people. Losing his memories doesn't erase that. And even with this, he's technically the same boy who started it all. He'd do it again, with or without his memories."
"Near, don't say that!" Anna protested. "Light is my friend and right now he's not Kira!"
Near frowned slightly and looked at his food.
"Well, Anna…" said Sam hesitantly, "…what if Light is Kira?"
"He isn't!" Anna insisted. "And even if he is, L should not be considered a loser and Light should not be dead because he's awesome!"
"I digress," Near muttered.
"Well, that's because you're plain out mean," Sam shrugged. "Practically no one likes you, at least in my group."
"I appreciate that," he uttered dully.
"Near, why do you have to be so mean?" Anna huffed. "Be nicer or I—or I might just end up having to pick a new favorite person!" She frowned.
"I cannot change who I am," he pointed out, his voice flat.
Sam shrugged again. "The only one who can make change to you is you, Near."
"I think I should be fine just like this."
"Yeah; look how well that's working out for you," she scoffed. "You are so loved; even Matsuda doesn't like you very much. …Again, no offense."
"None taken," he muttered, poking with a bit of irritation at his meat.
"Near," Anna frowned, crossing her arms, "you're a meanie poop."
"Am I?" he asked with dull inflection, glaring down at his food as he prodded it.
"Yes," said Anna. "Poo you; I don't like you right now."
He continued poking at his food for a moment more before he stood, looking to me. "Natalie," he said, his voice slightly harder than normal, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I please be excused from the table?"
I looked at him and blinked. "Uh, sure," I said, and he slid out from between the chair and the table and pushed the chair back in.
"Anna," he asked, "did you say that there were building things on the back porch? May I use them?"
"Um, yes and sure," she said, looking up at him bemusedly.
"Thank you." And he walked out the back door onto the thin, long platform-porch-thing outside, closing the door gently behind him.
"Is he alright?" I asked blankly. "I mean, I know he's a loner, but…."
Anna shrugged.
"Well, both Samantha and Anna have informed him that he's unwanted," L remarked, then took a sip of his tea. "They had quite the conversation."
I gave a hn in response, looking at the door for awhile longer before returning to my conversation with L.
Roger, on the other hand, had caught the last bit of Near's conversation with Sam and Anna, and leaned down to speak to my niece. "Be careful," he murmured to her.
"What do you mean?" she whispered back, confused.
Sam tilted her head, looking at them curiously but unable to hear them.
"Near is very tentative and cautious where he steps when it comes to trust," Roger told her. "You know this."
"Well, yeah…."
"Letting you into his group proves his trust, yes?"
"But that was only because of the mind sync."
"Maybe, but he trusts you pretty well now, correct?"
"I guess…."
"See, this" – he gestured to the door where Near had walked out – "is just how Near is. I wouldn't take him leaving us behind personally; he literally doesn't feel wanted. If he feels as such, he just accepts that and leaves. It's just when someone he trusts doesn't want him that he withdraws even more. That's why he's so careful with whom he trusts and with whom he accepts. He tends to feel like he doesn't belong anyway; he doesn't have the confidence when it comes to people." He chuckled lightly. "Mello didn't help much with that."
Anna looked down at her hands, placed in her lap. "Um… am I allowed to ask why that's the way he is?"
Roger looked at her with those squinty eyes from behind his glasses, the thin orbs expressing something like understanding. "Well, Near is a Wammy, I'm proud to say, and every Wammy has a background story. It's just they tend to not tell any of their past." He paused, as if considering whether or not it was right to tell her. "The reason he's like that, Anna, is because he was abandoned rather than having had parents that died."
Anna looked up at him and blinked. "Oh," she said blankly, at a loss for words, then gazed at the closed door that led to where Near had disappeared to.
Poor Near...
Fun Fact: When Real-Life Sam was reading the 'Maybe you should be one,' bit where she teases Natalie, she didn't get it until a few paragraphs later. xD
Remember; extra chapter tomorrow~
Review? For Near's past? '^'