Chapter eight: This isn't over.

"This murder scene was so bloody and violent this time." Watari reports. "The criminal who has had his fair share of murders couldn't believe that someone could do such a thing. We have to wait before we can identify the victim it was so bad."

"I have belief that there is more than one meaning to this message." L says. "There's the chance he is hinting to his name as well as something about him. The violent attack is where I am getting this from but I believe that this message is also to tell us that his heart is as black as a raven. Ravens and crows are often seen as symbols of death after all. So what the killer is saying could be that he is an evil murderer to the core. A bringer of death."

Watari nods seeing L's point. "Yes. That does make sense."

"Mello and Near having something to do with the murders is only around one percent." L says turning to the laptop in front of him. "However based off of everything I have witnessed and heard between them I have belief that neither of them are the killers. Neither of them would kill in such a violent matter like this."

"Yes." Watari says in agreement.

"The one percent is only there for if they know the murderer." L says more to himself then anyone. "We can reduce our surveillance on the two. If this continues the murderer is going to not only kill more people but also have a high chance of doing more murders like this one." He turns back to Watari. "We can no longer focus on our suspicions of Mello and Near having something to do with this. Not after what has happened." He looks very determined. "We need to find this murderer."

Watari nods. "Of course."

….

Mello goes to Near's room but he finds it still empty.

Near is nowhere to be found.

Mello leaves and looks for Near but can't find him. He gets a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach and he makes up his mind about something. "Better safe than sorry."

…

Morning classes begin as usual.

Everything is peaceful….. Or so it seemed….

Suddenly the door is flung open as a cloaked being stands there.

The teacher tenses at this. "Who are you?" She demands.

A chuckle is the only response that is too low to make out the voice even though everyone heard it.

The cloaked figure raises a knife making the orphans in the room start screaming.

The teacher moves quickly to take down the cloaked figure but the cloaked figure dashes forward and stabs her in the stomach.

The cloaked figure kicks the teacher away.

The teacher hits her pedestal at the front of the class and she lays there bleeding on the floor.

Some orphans are too scared to move, some are getting to their feet ready to run while others leap to their feet ready to defend themselves.

The cloaked figure turns to the class and lets his red eyes be seen.

One of the male orphans charges ready to take down the figure.

The cloaked figure slashes the boys neck making him fall to the floor with blood squirting out of his neck.

This is followed by more screams.

The cloaked figure dashes for more orphans upon hearing hurried footsteps of people rushing to find out what the screams are about. The figure stabs Linda in the chest then tears out the knife only to spin around to anther orphan stabbing him in the throat.

The footsteps are almost at the door.

The cloaked figure uses blood to write something on a desk since they is enough blood that the figure can do the one word very quickly then dashes for the window.

Rodger, Watari and other teachers who all heard the screams arrive to the room to see the bloodbath as well as seeing the cloaked figure just finishing jumping through a window that opens like double doors as well as not being locked.

Three of the teachers dash after the figure.

The cloaked figure dashes out to the forest behind Whammy's and runs right into the forest not slowing down.

Mello who was on one side of the building sees the figure running into the forest. "Oh no." He says in realization. He dashes into the forest careful to not be seen as he follows the cloaked figure with enough distance that the other is not aware of him.

…

No one who was injured survived the attack….

Watari and Rodger go to the desk some frightened orphans are checking out and notice the single worded message.

Brend.

….

The cloaked figure keeps running until he can no longer hear the teachers chasing him. He glances back to make sure of this slowing to a walk.

Mello moves around to hide using a tree as a shield to watch the figure while waiting in front of the other. "Damn you Brend." He hisses out.

The cloaked figure takes off the hood revealing that is indeed Brend as suspected by Mello. He smirks in victory then begins to run onward.

Mello notices something change in Brend's look so he steps out in front of the other.

Brend runs into Mello only to stop and take a step back looking up to Mello.

Mello watches as the red eyes seem to fade messily looking to stormy grey eyes. He smiles as he knew that he was right when he saw Brend was giving up control to Near.

Near's eyes tear up and he suddenly hugs Mello crying to the other. "Mello!" He sobs. "I don't think I can do this anymore!" He cries.

Mello wraps his arms around the other as he is hugged. "Shh. I've got you. It's ok."

Near cries in his arms.

Mello is still alert for any signs of the teachers while comforting Near.

"It's all too much." Near tells Mello as he continues to cry. "I'm a monster!"

"You are not a monster." Mello tells him sternly.

Near looks up from Mello's chest to look to his eyes as many tears continue to fall from his own eyes.

"Brend is. He is not you. He is an intruder in your body." Mello says gently placing his forehead against Near's forehead. "He is someplace he doesn't belong and that's inside of you. He isn't you and he is the monster. Don't blame yourself for what the intruder inside of your body is doing. It is Brend and Brend alone who is the monster." He tries to wipe away some tears but those tears as quickly replaced by more.

Suddenly there is sounds of the teachers starting to get close enough they might hear the two.

Mello covers Near's mouth quickly moving to use a tree to hide as he holds Near against.

Near holds back his sobs and with Mello's hand over his mouth helps.

Mello listens intently for the teachers as they arrive in the spot where the two were.

"Where did that cloaked figure go?" One teacher asks.

"Split up." Another teacher says. "You go that way, you that way and I'll go right ahead."

The other two make sounds of agreement then they split up.

Mello gets both him and Near to crouch down since there is a bush that should hide them if they stay low enough.

The two wait as the teacher goes right past them not seeing them.

Once the teachers are far enough away Mello releases Near's mouth.

Near swallows harshly as he tries to calm himself down.

Mello leads him back to where they were. "We shouldn't stay here for long." He says. "We need to sneak back to the orphanage."

Near nods in agreement.

"Everyone will be busy looking for Brend. It shouldn't be too hard." Mello says and takes the lead.

Eyes watch them as the two head back to the orphanage.

Near too upset by what happened in the classroom and Mello too intently focused on making it to where he had prepared to make it look like they had nothing to do with any of this, to notice.

The two sneak around to the opposite side of the building that Mello was on after hiding the cloak and knife in a hollow tree to grab it later to not leave any evidence.

Near, who has calmed down for the most part just before he started chocking on dry sobs, notices that there is work there that will make it look like the two were studying together.

"I had a feeling we'd need something like this." Mello says. "I'm glad that I got it done before this happened."

Near nods in agreement. "Yes. I am also glad you got this done."

The two quickly get into position making sure the one sleeve, that held the knife, that got some blood on it is unseen by anyone who will come looking.

It's not like it's much blood but if it is not seen then no one finds out about their act.

Rodger comes around and notices the two as the two of them look up as if in surprise. "What?" He asks in surprise.

"Um." Mello looks away pretending to try to figure out a reason for this.

"You two…." Rodger begins and looks to the work. "Were studying on your own together….?"

Mello sighs closing his eyes softly. "I guess there's no reason hiding it." He says. "Yeah. We were. We wanted to keep that we are close to each other a secret." He tells Rodger.

Rodger blinks as if having trouble processing all of this. "I…. I don't understand. I thought you hated each other."

Mello turns to Near with an assuring look in his half open eyes then puts an arm around Near's shoulders. "People saw us as nothing more than two rivals. We decided to just let people continue to think that while we kept our closeness a secret. We believed it was for the better."

"We were scared of being torn apart if the shock of someone finding out turned downhill." Near adds moving closer to Mello.

Rodger seems to be processing this better now. "Ah yes I see." He says with a nod. "Well… Um….. I see no harm in letting this friendship continue….." He turns away just in time to see the teachers returning from the forest empty handed. He goes to them speaking to the for a moment then they head back inside of the orphanage.

Mello makes sure they are gone then he and Near leave the work there agreeing to come get it after getting the cloak and knife.

The two sneak back into the forest and get to where they hid the two items.

Mello brings it out then turns to Near. "I know you probably don't want to but I think it'll be easier to sneak around if you at least wore the cloak. You have white clothes after all."

Near nods in understanding. He takes the cloak putting it on but not putting on the hood yet. He also grabs the knife. "I can take this." He says even though Mello can see that he really doesn't want to be holding a reminder of what Brend has done. "You need to gather the work. I can sneak back in and meet you in my room if you think you are ready to get rid of Brend. Because you and I know well that this isn't over until we destroy Brend."

"You sure?" Mello asks.

Near nods.

The two are about to start moving when a voice makes them freeze.

"I have seen and heard enough."