A/N: What's this? Two chapters in one day!? Dear lord! The world has come to an end!

...

Or it's spring break for me and i have a lot of extra time to write now. :D

lol, hope you guys enjoy!

(Mello P.O.V)

The battle between Matt and his car was hard won, but I let him bring it to Japan. Still, finding a cargo plane that would bring it to Japan was the hard part. Thank every god there was that I still had some ties in New York to help me out.

His car would arrive a day later, so the most we had to do for the moment was wait.

We had just arrived in Japan when Matt left to grab our bags. As I waited, something on the television caught my attention.

Kira worshippers were surrounding a very familiar looking building. It only took me a moment to realize whose it was, and I instantly shook my head. Had Near just listened to me…

As I bit into my chocolate bar, completely engrossed by the current story, Matt finally showed up with our bags. When I wouldn't look at him, he followed my line of sight and immediately gasped.

"That's Near's building!" He exclaimed to me. "Fuck! He's gonna die! Mel…!"

"He'll be fine, Matt. If he's anything like L, he's got something planned. Hopefully, he won't blow up his headquarters."

"Mel, he's a kid!" He worried. "The guy may be smart, but…"

"No 'buts'. He's got this. I already warned him of this happening, so he may have a notion as to what to do next."

I watched on as Demegawa continued to lead the raid on the SPK building. I can't say I was totally calm about all this. I mean, if Near were to perish, it meant I was the only one left. Kira would have to take me down next. Also, without Near and his 'L-like' mind, I wouldn't be able to do this alone. Even I can admit when help is needed. And help is needed now more than ever.

I didn't care about being the best anymore. I wanted Kira's head. I wanted to avenge L and keep my promises to him. I'd already done so by writing again.

One of my promises to the detective was to start writing stories again. I suppose this came about after he found a story I'd written for English Language Arts back at Wammy's. I'd only been thirteen at the time, but he told me my work was masterful. I sometimes wondered if he had been telling the truth, but I decided not to think about it too much.

He asked me to write… made me promise to write. So I did.

Suddenly, there was a dramatic change on the television.

It was… raining. But, it was green and…

I grinned a bit. "Near, you sly little fucker."

"Is that… money?" Matt remarked. "That little bastard! He said he couldn't fund us, yet he has enough for that!?"

I shook my head as all the Kira supporters turned on their cult leader and began going nuts for the bills scattered around their feet. "That's the world for you, Mattie. People like them are just greedy. As long as they get something out of it, they'll follow anyone. Even a crazy serial killer."

I bit into my chocolate bar again. Hearing Matt groan. "Still… that's A LOT of cash."

"I admit, it's a bold move. The supporters are distracted, Demegawa no longer has his camera on the entrance… still… it's a masterful plan on Kira's part."

"How so? I mean, even you figured out he'd go after Near right when the president stepped down and started bending knee to Kira."

"Think about it…

"Right when Near was at his most vulnerable, right when the President steps down, and right when he finds out I'm alive, he goes for Near. Why? Several reasons." I bit into my chocolate again before continuing. "Kira uses Demegawa and his crew to fly over Near's base and tape him 'escaping' thinking he has no choice but to show himself to the cameras." I then saw the soldiers leaking out from the building trying to calm everyone or hold them back. All of them had masks to hide their true identity.

I pointed at this. "I believe Near is among the soldiers, trying to blend in to escape, along with his companions. Kira wouldn't see this, but I'm betting he's pretty pissed about it.

"I'd also go as far as saying he's trying to provoke me. I mean, Near let it slip I was one of L's successors. Trying to capture and kill Near is probably a way for him to say, 'We can get to you too, you know. We got Near, so why should you be any different?' Instead, he's underestimated the both of us. I've already warned Near about this, and he's probably been prepared anyway for something like this.

"In other words, Kira's just grasping at straws now."

I didn't hear anything from Matt, so I looked over to see the idiot smiling at me. Upon my questioning, he stated, "You sound a lot like L, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Right. Anyways, this is only making Yagami look guiltier. I mean, Near just started suspecting him, and suddenly gets attacked? That too much of a coincidence."

"You're right. We should consider ourselves lucky that we're one step ahead of him."

"That's not enough, Matt. This guy is working fast. He wanted L gone, and got it done. Now he's coming after us, and he's more ruthless than before. Whoever's doing his deeds is definitely loyal to him, and he definitely wants us out of the picture. You could say we're lucky enough to be alive. It takes one screw up from us, and Kira will have our heads."

I finished my chocolate bar and watched the scene begin to die down. The supporters were being pulled into police cars or running off to god knows where. I knew Near was safe, but I still planned on speaking with him later that night to confirm these thoughts.

"Kira is becoming law across the world, Matt." I grinned, throwing the wrapper in the trash. "Which means everything we do from now on is considered treasonous. Corrupt, immoral, evil, wicked. Everything L taught us, everything Kira wants to take down… is wrong."

He seemed to know where I was going with this.

He put an arm around my shoulder and began leading me out of the room. "Then may I suggest we change our names to Bonnie and Clyde?"

"Depends. Which one am I?" I warned.

He chuckled, changing the subject. "L would be proud of us. Going against a serial killer, knowing we could die at any moment."

"Then, we should treasure the moments we have before then. I don't think he did enough of that."

"It's probably why he always envied us. Well, from what I saw anyway."

"How so?"

Matt only shrugged. "I don't think L knew what it was like to be a kid. He was always smarter than anyone else, and he liked to be treated like an adult. At the same time, he seemed to have missed out on what it was like to be a child. Thus, his fascination with all of us. Always wanting us never to grow up too fast, or just keeping us young. He knew, Mello. He knew."

I can't tell you how many times the red-head at my side left me in silence. He always seemed to have a thought or two that seemed beyond his comprehension. Something to always make you think back on your life to the moments you didn't quite remember all too well.

Or maybe he just liked talking. I can't really say.

Once we left the airport we found the closest hotel for the night. We'd go back in the morning to pick up the gamer's car, but for right now, we rested. We'd head into the city streets the day after.

I did end up speaking with Near again, and a bit of my motherly side came out when I constantly told him he had been stupid for staying. To be honest, I wasn't aware I had a motherly side. Matt had to tell me through his laughter just how much I managed to put forth upon Near. I'm pretty sure I kicked him for it.

But I suppose I needed to be like that. L would always tell us right from wrong, and Near was doing more wrong than right. He was smart when he wrote things down on paper, or took a test. But when it came to the real world, he needed help. Though, I doubt he'd admit it.

As for me? I had real world experience. I did everything with my own hands. I knew the world better than Near did, which meant I was more helpful to him than I was at Wammy's house. I didn't like the thought of me being an accessory to him, but I suppose that's what I was.

Whatever. As long as I got Kira's head in the end. That's all that mattered anymore.