Platinum Light

Japan's brightest student wants to end it all into the nothingness of death. Unbeknownst to him, where death is, there exists life and second chances...

Disclaimers: If you wish to read Platinum End, please support the official release. There is even a reddit about the manga. Think Mirai Nikki meets Death Note.

Rating: Teen. Violence and mentions of violence. Language is not a worry.

Length: 3500 words, average 15-16 minutes

Notes: Semana Santa - true story. Happy Easter 2017.

Volume I: Light

Chapter II

Judgement

Gordon Hue sipped drearily at his soup. His birthday was going to be a boring one within jail. A part of him regretted accidentally murdering his fiancee, but he was so mad she was ready to ditch him at their wedding. He paid so much money for it. He worked so hard. And she threatened to ruin it for him. Now he's stuck to suffer a lifelong sentence while she gets death. Hue peered into his soup, attempting to see his own reflection. For a brief moment, he saw something white spark from behind. He turned, but nothing was there. Without warning, his body began to shut down. His heart, lungs, muscles - Hue slumped to the ground, watching as his nerves and senses gave out. The last was his mind, utterly horrified and begging for a chance to live.

"You should know this is my room," says the senior, clicking the door shut behind him as his angel lounges in the air.

"It is wonderful being able to finally interact with you. Aren't you glad as well?"

He takes off his school jacket and places his cram school textbooks on the bookshelf. "I've waited long enough. Tell me more about these powers, angel."

He slammed the phone into the holder, hoping it would break. The guards surrounded him, shouting, "One more tantrum, Lawrence, and you're going back into solitary confinement!" He glared at the guards hiding behind their guns with hatred. Why did society have to be ruled by the elite? It was not fair; he didn't mind being the figurehead of a rebellious group who went overboard. His mother on the phone hated him for his life choices. He couldn't care less what she thought. He thought about breaking the fingers of the guards combined when his body no longer listened to him. He crashed to the floor, briefly feeling fingers pressed on his neck and claiming he had no pulse.

"Until the Candidates are all chosen, the test has not officially started. Yesterday when I last talked to God, only three humans had agreed so far. Now that you are a Candidate, I no longer have the ability to speak to Him."

The senior turns on the television to the news station. On it, is the weather and other pleasantries that immediately bore him. "How many Candidates should I expect?"

"Thirteen Candidates. This may take some time. Certain conditions must be met in order for an angel to ever meet their human. We cannot simply ask for our human's thoughts about joining."

"So I have more time. I must start immediately." He spins slowly in his rolling chair, twirling a pencil before the urgent anchor's voice cuts through the quiet:

"Breaking news, 37-year-old Toyoma Hidemaru is reported to be holding a woman at gun point within an exclusive party. Police on the scene are reporting that the woman may be a very famous actress. At this moment, negotiations are being made to save her life."

The senior stares with his mouth slightly agape while the angel says sweetly, "That sounds interesting. How can you call this world boring?"

The boy closes his mouth and stands. His brown hair hides most of his expression in shadows. "There is nothing entertaining or amusing about seeing criminals on the news. I feel nothing but disgust." He turns off the television, leaving his room dark.

"What will you do, my human?"

"Nothing. Until I understand these powers you've given to me."

"Okazaki Norie." She'd heard her name non-stop ever since she was caught in a convenience store. She had been hidden for three decades after burning half her school. She thought she could rest without the law finding her. Now she saw her old face juxtaposed against her high school face on the news. She had to change her face and name again. Damn the law. She stuffed her black hair under her jacket's hood, though a large wind blew it off. She winced and tried to grab the hood within the mess of hair and snow on her face. The gloves were too thick to allow her to feel the difference of hair and cloth. Her body went cold starting from her back and quickly spreading to her organs. She landed in the freezing snow, unable to move. Her body started burn. It refused to listen to her. Steadily increasing in heat until she could smell burning paper and fabric before her mind was gone.

"I am unaware of any limitations the arrows have," his angel admits, disgusted in her lack of information. "I never used my arrows, other than the occasional white arrow. I know the limits to wings, though, without any inaccuracies."

"It would be helpful to know that as well," says her human, multitasking with listening to her and homework. "Wait a moment, keep that thought. It's dinnertime."

"Dinnertime?"

"Why so confused? You watched me daily."

"Yes, but since you are able to see me now, I was wondering if I should hide so you do not look at me and make your family suspicious," she clarifies.

"It's fine. I'm good at acting. And besides..." He trails off, arriving at his bedroom door. "My little sister is hyper enough to distract me from you." He says that with an affectionate smile.

Easter would be coming. Mario begged for this holiday, for it was tradition for his people to release a criminal. He hoped it was him this time. God, he'd done horrible, horrible things under his drug addiction. All he wants is to repent his sins and start anew, first to apologize to the families he hurt. Last they saw of him was a sociopathic narcissist. He was changed. He cried for his mistakes. Semana Santa would come and he could be freed - is what he believed in, but he swore he saw wings in the darkness before a white sparkle twinkled and his body was no more.

His mother smiles kindly as her son takes a seat at the table. Her body may be old and growing wrinkles, but she finds the energy to keep her children happy. Her husband works long hours and remains stressed despite her efforts. Though she is glad when her son persists in education and makes their family name shine bright.

"How did you do on the mock exam, dear?" she says to her son, who modestly eats while her daughter looks at him, bouncing in her seat.

"I did well. I'll admit I got bored and didn't perform to the best of my ability. There's room for improvement."

"Did well?" his sister gasps. "C'mon! My brother in the brightest student in Japan! To him, well is a 98 out of a 100!" She sticks her tongue out at him.

"You must'nt get bored during a test. It determines your future, dear," his mother says kindly.

The senior beams. "You're right. It's a bad habit I need to stop in order for my future to be great."

He was going to die. Die, die, die. It was no secret all the real bad criminals were getting KO'd one at a time. He was next. He committed a horrible crime that didn't bother him until now. He didn't want to die! He didn't want to die! He murdered, lied, and stole all because it was fun, but now nothing seemed fun about them. He begged anyone, any person to protect him from the murderer. His pleas were in vain. As he assumed, he was next.

Crisp. Sharp. Precise. His look, his uniform, his body language must all be perfect. Not perfect meaning he is so without flaw, he gives off an air of artificiality, but so that he gives away nothing of his shortcomings and comes off as a normal boy everyone wants him to be. His appearance is highly calculated yet comes off as natural. He can't remember how he used to wear his clothes before appearances became important. He neatens his tie, finished dressing. "Perfect."

"You take the halos so calmly, unlike the others I hear," his angel notes with half her attention.

"You said only my angel and myself can see these halos, so why worry?"

"...when will you make your first move?"

"Once I receive my push." He smiles in the mirror innocently. "Are the rules about your appearance as same as the halos?"

"It is similar in regard to normal human beings not be able to detect my presence. However, I can see other angels and they can see me. Their Candidates can also see and interact with other's angels as well."

His smile quickly falls. "Then you'll have to stay at home. I know it's cramped in here, but it's too dangerous to go out. Are all the Candidates in Japan?"

"Our recruitment location is in Japan because - " She hesitates, is startled by her stutter, and shakes her head. "I cannot finish that sentence because it is classified information."

"Why?"

"Classified." She smiles, enjoying her human's curiosity.

The boy turns back too quickly to be seen as calm. "You will remain here while I go to school. Do not leave. Be careful about windows."

"Call or wish for me if you need my help, or" - she pauses long enough for the human to meet her gaze - "when you're going to die so I can take your soul."

The boy leaves without a response, feeling a barely noticeable weight on his shoulders.

Through the day, time passes slowly. He never expected to be here once again, alive. What was he thinking? Angels? Power? He should be dead.

The high school senior stares out the window. Today is foggy and humid. Although visibility is no major issue, the saturated colors begin to bore him. How he wishes he can be flying above the clouds, basking in the sun's light, even if he does not deserve such a freedom. The halos around his neck and wrists are almost taunting him with their bright, glowing red.

"Excuse me, you dropped this." A student sitting adjacent to him has an eraser between two fingers. The senior takes the eraser from the boy's hands with a smile and a thanks. "Hey, how you feel about getting paid to do my homework?" he offers with a huge grin.

"Sorry. Even if I accepted things like that, I'm far too busy." The senior laughs softly and his classmate shrugs, off to chat with his friends. The entire classroom is made up of students who'd given up. It is the last year of high school and with the most intelligent boy in class offering no one any chance at first place, motivations plummeted. Their teacher ignores the disrespect his students show, only concerning himself on those who want to learn. Students like the brightest student in Japan.

Their teacher calls upon the boy. "Will you read verse three, please? State your interpretation of the poem."

The boy picks up the paper containing the poem. It is a specialty of Kipling, one of the most influential poets.

"A People and their King/Through ancient sin grown strong,/Because they feared no reckoning/Would set no bound to wrong;/But now their hour is past,/And we who bore it find/Evil Incarnate held at last/To answer to mankind."

"Excellent reading."

"It seems to me Kipling believes it is Germany's time to repent from the events of World War I; Germany must 'answer to mankind' while they are restrained."

"Perfect analysis. As expected of a fine student."

The senior resumes contemplating. Perhaps a God truly exists and this is no dream of his corpse. The poem speaks of iustitia being more important than peace. Iustitia for the dead sons in war, iustitia before negotiations and false promises of armistice. What luck does he have, to be given a poem called Justice?

. . .Platinum Light. . .

The senior turns on the news as he reads his math homework, bored. "Angel, what is your name?"

His angel opens her eyes. She rests on his immaculate bed. "My name?"

"I have a request to make, but I don't want to keep calling you 'angel' all the time."

Her lips curl into a smile. "I am flattered you wish to know! Frankly, I was starting to wonder if you would ever ask that! Well, my human, I am the guardian angel assigned to you, the great Fény."

He tests her name on his lips until it sounds normal. As normal as a foreign word can sound in a Japanese accent. "Fény, I grow bored. Let's fly."

Her wings shimmer. "Oooh, let us! My skin hasn't touched sunlight in a long time."

He looks out the curtain. "You'll have to wait longer. It's night."

Fény groans. "We must be flying because it is dark."

The boy can't stop a smile from reaching his face and answers, "I need to tell Mom I'm leaving. Then we can fly." The youth does so and soon the angel and the boy soar through the sky, flying at breakneck speeds to remain invisible. Through the course of his flying, the boy manages to master the technique in one-part hands-on experience and one-part watching a master at work. Flying took up no energy. He can do this for hours if he didn't have to worry about other Candidates spotting him. Flying feels him the sense of control and zen.

The boy lands on a building rooftop, his wings vanishing in red sparks, and gazes upon the building before him: a television on the building's face, showing advertisements and small news intermissions. Fény does not rest on the roof but hovers around the boy languidly, keeping to the shadows. "Are you not happy, my human?"

"I'm thinking," he murmurs, allowing his composure to weaken. "I've never felt this great before. Flying, this ability to bring judgment to the wicked, and even knowing a God exists. I have more knowledge and powers than a human can comprehend. Yet I hesitate in my actions, like the titular character from Hamlet. I guess I'm still scared after all."

"Of what? Humans fear death the most. For you to come back from death means you should have no fears."

"You don't understand. Humans feel many states at once. It's very easy to miscategorize our feelings."

Fény sighs, blowing up her wavy bang and revealing her other eye underneath. "Humans are a mess. A confusing mess."

The senior laughs a little.

"It seems a new fad has arose in Japan," a newswoman reports, sounding normal enough for the boy to ignore had she not added, "that there is a game for Godhood."

The senior watches the screen intently. Fény keeps playing with her hair, half listening.

"Yotsuba employee Higuchi Kyousuke and Japanese man Mikami Teru have both been reporting claiming that they will achieve Godhood, and that any 'Candidates' in Japan should come and see them. Both men have listed official locations on several websites. After the commercial break, police will decide on what action to take based on this information."

Advertisements blare as the boy opens his phone, accesses the internet, and browses the names of the men. Both men are already on a web encyclopedia with their locations placed within. Both locations are only reachable via wings. The meet times are set at different days: two weeks from now by Higuchi and 18 days for Mikami.

"What are they thinking?" the boy hisses to the hot and heavy night air. "They're going to kill themselves! What Candidate wouldn't take advantage of this?"

"It doesn't concern you and me," Fény adds. "You don't want to be a God."

"Either they're complete morons or they're formidable opponents," the boy continues. "This could also be a trap." His tone changes abruptly. "So, the two other Candidates are Mikami and Higuchi. That brings the grand total to three. If they're both formidable, I have no backup. I could make the two fight each other, however I don't know if they'll betray me."

The boy does not have much choice. Either he remains neutral or takes a stand.

"We are back on air. Police have decided to take immediate action on Yotsuba employee Higuchi Kyousuke. Apparently this man has been seen flying and has spent a suspiciously large amount of money as of recent. Mr. Higuchi was last seen spotted with a large group of girls after quiting."

"Hmmm." Fény observes her human grip the rail, knuckles white and hands shaking. "It could be possible this Higuchi person is using his red arrows."

"Obviously. Can red arrows hurt Candidates?"

"Red and white arrows still work on Candidates."

"Any delays? Exceptions?"

"None. Arrows effect all equally. Except angels, who do not follow the same rules as humans."

"Unbelievable." The boy drops his head on the hands that hold tenaciously onto the rail. "All it takes is for one person to ruin everyone's fun. No doubt Higuchi is abusing his powers. And I can't stop him. Not yet."

"This is odd behavior for you. Are you alright?"

Something has to be done about those dreadful people, not just in Japan, but in the entire world. Someone needs to fix the sins of humanity. The God that exists in this world does nothing at all.

"Only I can do this," he mutters out loud, feeling the resolve strengthen. "I'm the only one capable of this. Think about it: I'm dying of boredom, I have no hope for my future. The least I can do is use these powers to make humanity better in the present while I still can.

"Fény, I know these wings take me just under lightspeed. But what else can they do? Tell me what you know."

Fény observes him, responding, "The aura protects you from any harm during flight. If you move fast enough, the aura and the wings will begin to lose mass to speed up. To keep from disintegrating, you lose a material body. It isn't easy to notice this change, however."

"So that's it? I can work with that." He picks up his head and brings his wrist to his face, the halos casting scarlet light onto his complexion. "I'll get to work immediately. Fény, go home and continue hiding."

She wrinkles her nose at being crammed inside his room before responding, "What will you do?"

He smiles, one devoid of happiness. "I'm going to purge the world of any human worthy of sin. I'm going to do what God should have done." His scarlet wings shimmer behind him. "In 14 days, we'll deal with Higuchi. Until then, I will see you later." He jumps off the railing and launches into the black sky, vanishing.

Fény smiles. "His zest for life...has reappeared."

. . .Platinum Light. . .

For 10 days does the boy kill, using his superspeed to appear anywhere in minutes and to murder criminals all over the world. By day, he is a normal student, a happy and healthy kid everyone wants him to be. By night, he looks up a criminal's name and face and proceeds to murder them.

On the 11th night, the boy turns on his laptop without looking for any criminal names and chuckles to himself. "As expected, the police are very suspicious about criminals suddenly dying. Though their prime suspects are Higuchi and Mikami."

Fény, disliking the bluish light of technology, remains in his bed, combining her hair. "Did you plan for that?"

"I wouldn't call it planning. I just knew that there was a chance this could happen."

"What if this thing called police killed the two humans? Without any more suspects, what will you do?"

"Nothing," he replies, laconic.

"Nothing?" Fény replies, irritated by his mystery.

"I am a simple, average high school boy with no connection to the supernatural whatsoever. These deaths are caused by supernatural powers. Really, there's no reason for anyone to suspect me."

"Oh, good, I don't have to worry about you dying," she sighs in relief.

After a brief pause, the senior adds, "Even L is working on the case." Upon Fény's curious look, he says, "L is the world's greatest detective. He's never lost a single case he's worked on. However, he is going to meet his match. Even a detective as he can't solve a case like this."

The student is ready to leave the room and resume the killings when the screen on his television turns to white and character appears at the center.

"Greetings, residents of Japan. You may all be a bit skeptical of the game of Godhood going around. Let me say this message is not directed to you. The message is directed to the other twelve Candidates:

"I will be God. Kill each other or yourselves, I don't care. As you try to find me, I will take note of you far faster and kill you. Can you hold out for 999 days? I can. This competition is over. Thank you for time."

A stupid commercial plays, but the senior stares at the screen mutely. Questions flare in his head, the primary one being Who is the voice behind the white screen and red omega character?

Fény lacks the concern the senior feels. "I guess all thirteen Candidates have been picked. From this point on, 999 days remain of your abilities. Please do your best and try not to die within the first 100. Typically, the difficulty is much harder with few Candidates."

Chapter End