Chapter thirty-one- Takada takes over.

Rem ignored the cold tingling down her skin. She was unaccustomed to dealing with the cold. The shinigami relm only ever remained dusk, smoldering, and unbearably hot. Despite that, this was an unpleasant change.

A sense of foreboding overtook her. She knew giving the Death Note to Takada was, in a sense, betraying Misa. But at the moment, it was the only way to save her life. Misa knew that.

She swiftly entered the room, and tapped the unsuspecting girl on the shoulder. Kyoimi gasped at the contact. Rem spared no time pushing a page against the human's pale arm. Takada calmed down when she saw the shinigami.

"Kira," she gapped, "you are real. I thought Light was half mad when he told me to expect you. So, do all shinigami look like you, or do you look different?"

The purple haired death god shot her a glare. "Do all humans look like you, human, or do they look different?"

The young genius flushed at the reprimand. "Oh, sorry, I should have guessed not. I honestly didn't mean to offend you. Light tells me you're called Rem. He also said that you were Misa's former shinigami."

Rem stiffened. "That's true. Misa was my former charge until Light commanded me to retake the Death Note from her." She got a dirty thought and added more. "He also told me to warn you that, if you disobey him, he'll have me take the Death Note back and kill you."

Takada frowned uneasily. "That's not very nice of him," she pouted. "Did he say anything else to you to warn me?"

Rem shook her head in response. Her gaze hardened frighteningly. "No. But beware of one thing, human. I despise Light Yagami. He's my enemy, and if you like him, you're my enemy too. A shinigami is the last enemy you want to have."

"Misa liked Light. Did you hate her?!" Kyoimi sneered in disgust.

Rem lied through her teeth perfectly. "Yes, I did. I would've killed her had I had the chance. Light always stopped me, and that is why I hate him so."

Kyoimi wasn't buying it, but she wasn't about to call a SHINIGAMI out on lying. "Er, yes, of course. But from now, you don't have to deal with Misa anymore. You deal with ME."

Rem wasn't scared. Not intimidated. Not in the least "Understood, human. However, my quarrel still stands with Light. A shinigami never forgives and they never forget. Remember that."

Needless to say, Takada ended up being the intimidated one. But then again, it wasn't everyday she talked to a shinigami who hates her guts.

Misa slipped into bed. She wore only black, lacy panties and a lacy, blue tank top. She barely had time to curl over in bed before she felt a hand brush her shoulder.

"This place reeks of L," Ryuuzaki murmured. "Did you throw him a tea party?"

She laughed him off wryly. "As a matter of fact, I did,"she answered. "You should have seen it. There were cakes and everything!"

Ryuuzaki knew she was only teasing, but her wording brought vivid pictures of Alice in Wonderland.

"'We're all mad here'," he quoted thoughtfully.

Misa moved her back against his chest as she scooted under the covers more. He slumped down and unconsciously wrapped himself around her.

"Yes, 'fraid I'll have to agree there. What with having the drama between you, me, and L. It's almost actually hysterical."

A deep rumble came from the back of his throat. It almost sounded like a song to Misa. A purr replaced it when he answered. "Hysterical, yes. Insanity; no. I'm not yet ready to be committed. And I don't think my successors would be pleased if I pleaded insanity now."

Misa perked up at the mention of the word 'successors'. "You have successors?! Are they like your heirs, or..." She trailed off, leaving the rest up to his imagination.

He was quick to reply. "They're not my biological children. They're three of the orphans Watari, L, and I raise at Wammy house. They all show great potential in replacing L, should he die for some unknown reason."

Misa felt her teeth blush her lips. "Is that what they're for? They're just to replace him, if he dies? Do they even care that he's using them?"

L frowned a little at that. "What do you mean by that? I thought you had a great time with L."

She sighed. "Yeah, it was just fine. But the way you worded that made it sound like you take care of them for the sole purpose of recreating L, should Kira kill him."

L noted she was right. He shrugged it off simply. She was only average in intelligence. She wouldn't understand it. He tried to explain it the best he could. "Even so, L is not a person, but an idea. L had always been and will always be. Watari, L, and I have made sure of that. These children know their purpose and they accept it."

A shallow breathe escaped Misa's lips. How could anyone live like that? "That's so lonely. Why do they have to take on all that responsibility on their own? You've already admitted that they're children. Is it really fair to put all that pressure on them?"

Ryuuzaki already knew he'd come off as cold, but it's what she needed at the moment. "Life's not fair, nor is it easy for ANYONE. And yes, they are children physically. Not in a mental capacity. Some of them are well on their way to outsmart L himself." Near, Mello, and Matt came to mind.

Misa felt her stomach tug. She'd had enough of his cold antics. "Fine. I'll drop it. Let's just agree to disagree. I need my sleep."

He was almost wry when he answered her, his icy breathe tickling the nape of her neck as he spoke. "Yes, you do."

She decided not to ask him exactly what he meant by that. She slowly fell into a deep, thoughtful sleep. She'd meet those kids one day, she was sure of it.

Misa sat up straight in bed. The space beside her was completely empty. But she could still sense Ryuuzaki's presence. It hung heavily in the air, not just in an aftertaste of the previous night. "I'm going to Wammy House today, Ryuuzaki. I still want to meet the children you've talked so much about. It's the least they deserve after all the harsh treatment you give them."

She stiffened as she swore she felt him exhale deeply on her neck. When she turned around, there was nothing there. "Not going to happen. I've already told you that, Love," he replied from the intercom.

Misa felt like throwing a tantrum. "Why not?! If you're worrying about me being a bad influence, you're far worse than me!" She pointed out. "Besides how's it fair that you get to hang out with children when you don't even like them and you forbid me from even meeting them when I LIKE children?"

Ryuuzaki sighed. "It's not. Deal with it, Misa."

He groaned as she got cocky. "I'm meeting them! YOU deal with it."

"No, Misa, you're not. You have no idea where the school even is. Don't bother Watari because he's not telling you. And neither am I."

She took her phone out and tapped a few keys. "Found it!" She declared after a second of searching.

Ryuuzaki scratched his chin as he tried to find the glitch in his system. "Crap, I thought that'd be harder to find," he murmured aloud as he typed 'Wammy House' in the search bar.

There were seventy-five entries, including one blog entitled, 'Harshin' My Mello.' He quickly made a mental note on having a talk with Mello about it when he next saw him.

"Fine. But you're not getting out of the house," he warned her. "I've locked down security. I'm afraid you're stuck, Love."

The smile on the second Kira's face surprised him. "Not if I've already hacked it- which I have. Loopholes, gotta love 'em. And who's Mello, by the way? I read his blog and he's... interesting, if not a little violent."

L sighed wryly at the reminder. He was well aware of Mello's "special tendencies".

"Violent's too easy a word. Brutal would be a better choice," he noted aloud.

"Gotta agrees with you there," Misa mused. "He's got it out for that Near kid.

L could've smiled fondly at that. "Ah yes, their sibling rivelry to become the next L before the other one does. They've been like that since we've sheltered them, if I recall correctly."

Misa grinned suddenly, a thought occurring. "You make yourself out to be like an old man, you know that? I get you're mature, but there is a little too far."

Ryuuzaki stared ambivalently at the screen, not quite sure how to respond exactly. Slowly he replied carefully, "One's maturity level cannot be too high, Misa. Maturity tends to be made up with a proper dose of intelligence. A person's life is made up of decisions that were fond of or at loss for making. Life's a game. And I intend not to lose."

She felt her lips press together. "Yeah, anyway, I'm heading out."

"No you're not. Bad girl, stay!" He tried to stop her.

She shot a smile back his way as she opened the door. "Bye, Ryuuzaki. I'll have fun with you're students. Be good while I'm gone, okay?"

Play along with it, he reminded himself. "Misa, come back. I command you to come back this instant."

The poor girl was already out the door and a sneaky idea was already forming in his impish little mind. Time for L to come out to play.