July 27, 2002

4 years, 3 months, 27 days prior to Incident

2:14 AM

Sakura rubbed at her arm and quietly considered the black clothes hanging in her closet. She'd finally lulled Kaito to sleep, but was now faced with a difficult decision.

In all actuality, she was grateful that Beatus had missed a few of the fuckers. It gave her the chance to exact her own retribution - if he'd cleanly killed them all, she'd have been angry that she wouldn't have the chance to hurt them with her own hands.

But herein laid the problem: kill the assholes now, or kill them later?

On the one hand, she was quite literally itching to rush out and make the bastards wish they'd never been born. Her bloodlust was almost at unmanageable levels. She wanted to tear them limb from limb, to spray their filthy entrails all over the equally filthy ground of an alleyway. She wanted to erase the stains of their existence as soon as possible.

On the other hand, if she killed them now, and all within a short span of time, Beatus would know that it was her, or someone who similarly cared about Kaito. And if she went out as the Shi no Kage, she didn't doubt that the psychotic genius would immediately make the connection between pink-haired Sakura and the uncatchable assassin.

She cursed and tousled her hair until it was a tangled mess.

"Arg!"

... Those shitheads were lucky.

Sakura would allow them to live a little bit longer. She grit her teeth and slid the closet door shut.

Fucking hell.

12:47 PM

Sakura sighed as she opened the door.

"Do you have to come bother me everyday -" she stopped and blinked. "Oh, it's Matt. Sorry, I thought... Anyway, what's all this?"

Matt stood in the doorway with a cocky grin, arms laden with wires, video game consoles, and CDs. "This is how I'm gonna induct you into the prolific society of gamers!"

"I doubt it." She quirked her lips. "Fine, come in. There's nothing else to do right now."

Two days ago

Matt glanced furtively around the living room. He peered behind the sofa. He investigated the shelves surrounding the television.

Matt's brows wrinkled in distaste when he didn't find what he was looking for.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, curious.

"Where's your gaming system?"

"What?"

"Your gaming system! You know, consoles, CDs, headsets?"

"Oh, that. We don't play those kinds of things in this house."

"What?!"

"I find them childish and distracting, and I don't want Kaito-kun or Miku-chan getting addicted."

"You don't play any games? Video games? Handhelds? Computer? No? Nothing?" She shook her head.

"We have board games and puzzles and such."

Matt gave the girl an appalled look, as if she'd just announced that she was deeply in love with the secret heir to a mafia family and had decided to run off and elope with him.

"That's it. I'm coming back on Friday. Be prepared, because I'm going to show you a whole new way of being alive."

B and Mello both stared at him from their respective seats, looking unimpressed at his passionate declaration, while Sakura just looked amused.

1:06 PM

"I died," she said, blankly looking at the screen.

"Yeah, that's normal."

"But... you didn't die."

Matt gave her a smug look. "I'm special."

"..." There was a pause. Sakura stared intently at the little controller gripped in her hands. "... Again."

"What?"

"We have to go again."

The fire of competition, usually kept snuffed deep within, had come back to life with a vengeance; the fiery flames licked at her very soul.

Matt raised both eyebrows. "I thought you said this was childish."

"I. Demand. Another. Go."

"Okay, okay," he laughed.

7:51 PM

"Yeah!" Sakura cried, throwing down her controller. She pointed at Matt triumphantly. "Take that! I win!"

It was her second win, after 127 losses.

"Good job, Pinky."

Sakura squeaked in surprise and spun around. "You! Since when were you - How did you even get in here!"

Mello smirked at her. "I picked the lock. Half an hour ago."

There was a clatter in her kitchen, and Beatus peeked out of it. "Chibi-chan, you're all out of jam."

Still brimming with energy from mowing down a whole slew of zombies, Sakura couldn't help but to shove her face into a couch cushion and scream in frustration.

Fuyuno Sakura - age 12, 2nd year junior high

Matt - age 12, education unknown

Mello - age 12, education unknown

BB - age 15, education unknown

AN

The original title was "A Rage Filled Place I Never Knew" but it was too long. And then it was "A Whole New World of Rage", but I changed it to something shorter and simpler.

Beyond climbed through the kitchen window; Sakura's on the second floor of a four floor building.

Sakura lives in a secure apartment. Don't you wonder how they're getting through the front door without intercom-ing Sakura? Because I don't know either. I'm tempted to just say that Miku's letting them through.

Next chapter, the three amigos are going home. Either L or Near might make an appearance. High schooler Mikami Teru shows up two chapters after this one.

Review Replies

Guest: And there's your answer! ;D They'll die... eventually... but in a way that doesn't shed suspicion on the Fuyunos.

redrose3443: Actually I have no idea how to incorporate Near yet, but I'm working on it for youuuu. Who's your other favourite? L, I'm guessing?

Thank you guys for the reviews! Please let me know how you like it so far, and what you'd like to see more of in the future! I'll probably use your suggestions as chapter prompts when I'm in need of ideas.

TELL ME YOUR DESIRES (I'M GENIE FOR YOU FANGIRLS) TELL ALL OF THEM TO ME (I'M GENIE FOR YOUR WISH)