Disclaimer: I do not own or make money from the anime/manga Death Note

.

Suggested listening: She's a Genius by Jet (... this song just screams MELLO to me.. dunno why XD)

.

Part 17

.

Although there had been other numerous measures put in place to prepare for their arrival, there was something missing that Mello and Matt noted immediately. There wasn't a wheelchair ramp. Matt cursed bitterly beside him, and Mello allowed himself a nasty glare Roger's way. If they had enough money to toss around for a fucking private jet with a lift, they could have at least shoved a slab of wood over the steps for a few days.

Mello wasn't about to force Matt into the embarrassment of being carried into the house where they were likely to be spotted before Matt could be placed back into his chair. Instead, Mello silently took hold of the handles and pushed Matt to the edge of the steps, turned the chair around, and slowly began to heave the chair up each step.

It was a bit of a bumpy ride for Matt, though Mello hadn't seen a real problem with it as Matt had not slid from the chair. "I'm smoking in the house," Matt called testily to Roger, who appeared resigned as he stood there with their belongings.

"You can take care of our bags too," Mello added with a grin, watching Roger's expression turn sour with his lips pressed into a thin line. He wasn't happy. Good, that made three of them.

"If you insist on acting like this, then please go to the library. That is where the meeting will commence," Roger dismissed them with the turning of his back, and Mello rolled his eyes, opening the heavy oak door for Matt to go inside.

The second he and Matt entered, they were greeted with the scent of wood polish and cedar as well as the familiar warmth that had always prevailed no matter how cold or dreary it was outside; sunlight filtered through the large windows and cast a healthy orange glow upon the room. A small child carrying a load of books stopped dead at seeing them in the doorway, her mouth making an 'o' before she dashed away.

Wammy's was still the same horrid place as ever.

Mello ignored the small barb of 'oh look, it's Mello eight years ago!' from Matt and kicked the redhead's chair to get him inside the doorway. Matt tossed him a glare, and Mello affected innocence. With the door finally closed behind them, there was no real reason to linger.

The halls were mostly quiet, and though Mello didn't know the time he figured it was about the start of afternoon classes. No students would bother them for the moment; however, Mello was certain their arrival would be reported by that child.

Matt hesitated for only a second at the entrance of the library before looking to Mello. With a quiet sigh, Mello shoved open the door; it was noiseless and must have been fixed sometime after he had left, as it use to squeak a God-awful amount upon opening from either side.

Taking one look inside, Mello knew Roger had neglected to mention something. Like all of the people already inside.

Matt was silent beside him but had leaned forward in the chair to see what the holdup was.

Near sat on the cream colored carpet with a small structure of Legos surrounding him; he was hunched over with one hand playing with his longer hair and the other placing a tiny block on his creation. Though Near still appeared as a rather young child, it seemed his features were finally beginning to even out as he aged.

Mello scanned the area and noted the presence of other members of Wammy's former top ten. All surrounded Near in a half moon and were talking amongst themselves, some of them with their vices in view, such as Near and his toys, and others appearing quite content without them.

It wasn't uncommon for those in Wammy's to need a vice, an obsession, something to survive the pressure. Those who were not in the top ten, or even fifteen, tended not to be as stressed, and more than a few of the total 25 students were mostly 'normal' and habit free or so Mello had gathered from his memory. He couldn't say if they had ended up that way as they aged or if those in the final top ten had stuck with those vices into adulthood.

The second Mello's eyes shifted to the last corner of the room, he tensed. Quillish Wammy himself sat in an armchair to the left of the younger adults, watching them like the little experiments they were.

"What a sorry bunch of freaks we are," Matt commented loudly, and Mello held in his snicker as all eyes turned to them.

Wammy frowned. "Now Matt, that isn't a very nice thing to say after not seeing everyone for almost six years."

Matt snorted and wheeled past Mello and into the room, ignoring the surprised looks he received. Mello remained by his side and leaned against the wall rather than seat himself anywhere close to Near—whose beady dark eyes bore into him.

Mello noticed the truth in Matt's statement though. The room was full of them-freaks that is-all of them people he never had wanted to lay eyes on again, aside from Matt. Sadly, Mello thought he and Matt were just as messed up.

"It is nice to see you are now as ugly on the outside as you always were inside," Elisa spoke up. She was seated closest to Wammy, and her long dark hair fell gracefully over her bare shoulders; she had always been pale and mild tempered, though judging from the 'polite' greeting, that had vanished with age.

Mello dragged his eyes across her form and tsk'd. What little she wore could hardly be called tasteful and took the term 'little black dress' to an entirely new level. Gaudy gold bangles littered her arms, while fake diamonds dangled from her ears. Her image was complete with a spray on tan. She had been fifth.

"Glad to see you took up a tasteful profession," Matt said absently and motioned to her attire. Mello watched as Elisa uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, not appearing affected in the least.

"And his dog speaks. So good of you to heel at your master's feet," her painted lips curled into a grin.

"Perfect height for you to earn some money from me," Matt snapped back, and if Mello didn't know any better, he might have thought Matt was actually irritated. As it was, Mello believed Matt was enjoying himself for the moment.

"Children, please behave yourselves and act your age," Wammy, otherwise known as Watari and L's aide and financial backer, spoke up kindly, though there was force behind his words. So long as he was present, there would be no arguing tolerated.

"Now that you are all here I believe we can get things underway," Wammy stood, and many of them had protests on their lips for there was more than one missing from their group.

"As everyone may have noticed, there are a few absent, but sadly, this is all of the ten that will be attending. Jordan and Kerry are deceased, and Geoffrey is in a mental health facility."

Mello couldn't help the small laugh that escaped at the last part. One of them had actually ended up in the nut house. It was fucking hilarious. To be honest, he was more surprised that only one of them was there; this house…this place, it wasn't good for one's health.

"Mello, none of that was funny, you cold-hearted bastard," Linda, with her sandy brown hair and baggy clothing, yelled. Ah, Linda. Mello had never liked the artist. She had always been Near's little stalker and never shut up and couldn't take a hint. Mello last remembered her being at eighth in the rankings. No idea after he left, however.

Mello rolled his eyes, though remained silent at the look Wammy gave him. Mello would have to remind him that he and Matt were only there because they had been badgered into it. He really could care less what the meeting was about.

"Don't get so riled up, Linda-"

"-you know he will never listen to you anyway," and thus spoke the twin girls of the top ten. Clarity and Hope, ranked ninth and tenth respectively. The only twins to ever make it into the institution.

Mello would describe their vice as 'dress-up' if asked. One couldn't tell them apart when they were younger, and Mello still couldn't, nor did he care to. They dressed the same, acted the same and when they spoke, it was of one mind and one voice. They never took cues from one another; it went beyond mimicking and of simple familiarity with the other as siblings.

It had unnerved Mello when he was younger, to the point of avoiding them. Now he simply found it annoying.

"Do not make me repeat myself," Wammy spoke, and the room grew quiet again. If this was how things were going to happen throughout their entire stay, then Mello would make certain it lasted no more than to the end of the next day. His time with Matt was getting shorter and shorter as each day passed due to prior obligations, and he wasn't about to waste it at Wammy's House.

"Now, I have brought you all here, as you are the ones most immediately affected by this. L is dead."

Linda gasped in shock while the others schooled their reactions. "Who is L now? And when did L die?"

"Near is L, as chosen by L himself before his death."

"Is this the big announcement? If so, can Matt and I leave now? Near has been chosen as L's successor for years." Mello was hardly surprised that the news of his former idol's death held little meaning to him now. And perhaps it had stemmed from his bitterness at not having been chosen. He had only met the man once, and what had L ever given him other than the telling of three stories?

"Oh poor Mello, you weren't chosen. Boo hoo," Elisa muttered quietly as though Wammy wouldn't hear her if she didn't shout.

"At least I had a shot. You were and will always be at fifth." Elisa appeared scandalized, and though Mello hated to admit it, he felt marginally better for it. All those years away from them had changed Mello, perhaps made him better despite being in the mafia, yet hardly twenty minutes back in the place, and they were spoiled children again, bickering amongst themselves. It was sickening.

"Mello, how the hell did you know about Near-"

"Look can we just hurry this along? I'm jet-lagged and starving for some actual food," Matt cut in, his voice trampling over Linda's.

Wammy sighed and appeared a little tense and perhaps annoyed as well, as though they weren't living up to his expectations. "I believe it might be in everyone's best interest if we met back here tomorrow morning, say around nine? Your previous rooms are occupied currently. However, replacement accommodations have been prepared for your stay here. Roger will show you the way." Wammy motioned to the doorway where upon inspection the old caretaker stood casually.

Mello scrubbed a hand over his face. Wasn't this all turning out splendidly?

.

-End Part 17-

.

AN: So here's the thing, I attempted to upload a while ago and couldn't. I don't know if it was the site or what (my bets on the site tbh) but I was unable to do anything other than log in. It froze every time i clicked on my sidebar/dashboard whatever you want to call it. Just a sky MelMat, i was on the phone with her and got rather…"angry" when it didn't do what i wanted XD so yeah, i really was going to post on time but i was unable to...

Special thanks to reviewers: (thanks everyone, i forwent copying everyone on here in order to post, just in case it froze again…)

.

.

Review?