Tsuzuki strolled on the park, hands in his pockets. It was a warm afternoon. He enjoyed the quiet moments he could steal in the human world. It reminded him of the small pleasures that he could still take before work set in.

He thought about the recent events with a smile.

Working in the Shokan division was never easy and never predictable. He never expected it to be. All of his 90 years in the Underworld confirmed that. Now he had his hands full with training a newbie shinigami, a case that involved said shinigami and a lost soul of a dead pop star.

It was best for Tsuzuki to accept the fact that he was mentoring again. The last time that he took someone under his wing was when Hisoka was given to him. Though he knew instinctively that the new kid was smarter than he looks and was more efficient than he would ever be… It was like getting Hisoka all over again.

Hisoka was the best partner he could ever ask for. They had a distinctive chemistry that worked well; whereas he was lazy and naïve, Hisoka was alert and a bit of a workaholic. Their partnership had involved nurturing Hisoka's spirit to grow and to become more receptive. The younger man had no idea of human interaction until he came along. In his own way, Hisoka had forced him to become more mature and more capable to stand up to challenges.

But L was quiet and still; always contemplative and meditative as if his mind was constantly moving and shifting in different directions and in organized chaos. Rereading the file about the young man on his hand convinced him that it was an honor to be mentoring someone so talented.

Hisoka was probably jealous. It would explain the rudeness that he exhibited more than usual. Tsuzuki and L got along perfectly well through mutual adoration of sweet things. He could look forward to a friendship with him. Yes, Hisoka was jealous.

Tsuzuki, walking absent-mindedly as always, didn't see her.

They collided against each other in the briefest of moments. The impact forced her to take a few steps backward. She teetered on her high heels before falling down on her rear. The dark-haired man's eyes widened as he extended his hands to her, murmuring apologies.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking," he said gently as she took his hand and got back to her feet. She brushed off her clothes, tested her heels and muttered about losing her poise. He smiled as he stared down at her. "Nothing broken, miss?"

The girl looked like she was in her twenties because her body boasted of the full bloom of youth. Longish blonde hair was plaited in two separate tails with white ribbons. She was wearing a demure white dress and white shoes. When their eyes met, his widened with recognition.

Soulful brown eyes peered up at him from behind rimless glasses. But they twinkled mischievously when she smiled. The sweet Cupid's bow mouth twitched. "I'm sorry too."

"Is there anything broken?" Tsuzuki asked quickly. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I think I'll know if anything hurts," she answered with a purr. "But thank you for asking."

"It's awfully hot. Can I get you a cold drink?" he offered suavely. His smile was too charming, too dazzling. The other shinigami often teased him for not being aware of his dazzling effect on women but he knew. And he chose to use it to his advantage at the right moment. "Just to make up for it."

She glanced at her watch. An uncertain smile passed her pretty face. "I-I guess…"

"I'm Tsuzuki," the violet-eyed man said cheerfully.

"Hajimemashite," she answered, giggling. Getting asked out everyday was usual but it wasn't everyday when a man with violet eyes and sweet smile did it. Maybe she could spare some time for this.

She was a very busy woman who was also running late. But she decided it was time to take a break. All work and no play will make her a dull girl. Like she was, when her husband was alive…

"Hajimemashite," Tsuzuki said with another dazzling smile.

oOoOoOo

School bored him.

Hisoka walked down the staircase while searching for the girl who had been thinking about the Kira Cult. Lunchtime at school meant that the confusing mix of students and teachers would throw him in frenzy.

His powers had gotten stronger over the years. As an empath, he was very sensitive. Emotions, thoughts and even minds sometimes invaded his personal bubble often. Because of this, he'd often avoided crowds. The confusing collected mass tended to stick to him so he worked hard to detach. He couldn't afford to lose himself.

As he paced the corridors, he searched the general area for her. He knew her so it was easy to trace her essence. A girl so average and so normal would be easy to find. His head snapped to the left when he found her.

There she was.

Small and mousy with brown hair down her back, she was hurrying up the stairs with a couple of books clutched to her chest. Thinking fast, he went to her and grabbed her hand in time just as she slipped. "Thank you," she squeaked.

A mouse, he thought involuntarily as he tightened his hold on her hand. Sugizawa Ayame, 17-years-old, only child and often bullied… Raped when she was sixteen, Kira killed her rapist and now she worships him.

Hisoka let go of her hand. Smiling smoothly, he said, "Careful now."

She bowed and almost ran towards the classroom. He followed her with his eyes; images flashed through his mind.

Twilight. White hoods. Flickering candles. The sounds of the waves. The sacrifice gives her up and jumps into the depthless sea. All in the name of their lord Kira…

Hisoka blinked. He didn't realize that the corridor was now full of students heading back to class. Now he was confused again. He couldn't grasp the thread that connected him with Ayame.

He walked back to the classroom slowly. His head was spinning. Immersing himself in other people's thoughts and emotions usually drained him. It was good that he had enough sense to stop at the right time. If he didn't, he was stuck in Ayame's head for a long time…

Sacrifice.

The word startled him. Ayame knew about the secrets and the rituals. There was no doubt that she was so far in the cult that she couldn't escape anymore. What bothered Hisoka was that Ayame didn't want to. So if she got a kick out of watching someone kill herself…

Hisoka looked at her, slightly disgusted.

Ayame was in her seat and bent over her desk. She was muttering something to herself and writing down things in a black notebook. He couldn't bear to enter her mind again when there were so many interferences. If he tried, he would never get out.

Sacrifice.

There it was again.

He forced himself to stay calm. Because of his entry into Ayame's mind earlier, he was more sensitive than usual to her thoughts. It was unusual that her voice was clearer than all of the students in the room combined. He took a few deep breaths as he allowed himself to accept her thoughts.

Sacrifice her.

Who? Hisoka wanted to ask. Who would you sacrifice?

Her.

A flash of golden hair rippling in the wind, white hood pushed back and a sad smile on her lips. The soulless brown eyes stared before falling backwards…

Hisoka collapsed forward on his desk, gasping for air. He gripped the edges of the desk in an attempt to stay focused on reality.

The sacrifice was her.

oOoOoOo

"The Kira case?" L said slowly. The Gushoushin read the question in his eyes. "I thought that the main suspect was dead."

"Yes, he's dead," said the librarian-bird urgently "but there's a new Kira. The Kiseki is filled again with names of people who aren't supposed to die yet. What's worse is that if the original Kira targeted criminals, this new Kira kills without discrimination."

"Without discrimination," repeated the detective.

"Yes, it started two days ago. At exactly 12 pm on January 28, 2012 fifty people dropped dead. There were no definite parameters that we could identify except the fact that they all died from freak accidents. Then for the next 24 hours, the numbers rose. We were only monitoring it to confirm if it was true." The Gushoushin explained before looking straight at L. "When I heard that you were working with Tsuzuki and Hisoka, I immediately got permission to give the case to you."

L nodded. He clicked on the window in the screen to download the information that the librarian had sent to him. His stomach turned at the sight of the pictures that was included. Though he'd worked long and hard in the police force, the sight of dead bodies still made cold shivers run up his spine.

The sight of women on their backs with blood between their legs and expressions of rage, anger and fear etched on their faces… Children with stumps for arms or legs… Castrated men who writhed in pain…

"We strongly suspect that there is a definite link between the missing soul of Amane Misa and the reopening of the Kira case."

"We're investigating Amane Misa now. She's not dead yet, is she? I wonder why that is…"

The Gushoushin looked at him sternly. "A person cannot die if he or she possesses a Death Note or if he or she is employed in the Underworld. Why?"

"I think there's a connection between her and a Death Note. I'm pretty sure that her Death Note was destroyed as well as her shinigami's. There was no way she could possess another one."

"Yes, we think so too. But the only way for these people to die is through a Death Note. Can you imagine anyone who could do everything at the same time without it? I think that's impossible, especially for a human."

"So let's say that there's another Death Note user running amok. The question will be how he got a hold on it."

They both looked at each other thoughtfully. "Can you tell me if Yagami Light is dead?" L said quietly. Saying his rival's name on his lips sickened him. He waited with mounting tension.

"Yes, he is," the Gushoushin answered after a brief pause. The sound of the keyboard keys filled the air. "He is dead. Nate Rivers, the new L, had caught him before he died under the shinigami Ryuk's decision. The Death Notes that he used have been destroyed. There is no way for him to operate anymore. So he as a primary suspect is not possible."

"Is the victims' deaths just as gruesome as this?"

"The new Kira is more creative. He killed people with many different ways that will make Hannibal Lecter look like a saint."

"Can you give me an example?"

"Sure, here are more pictures. What he did is obscene. It's unbearable…"

"Is that so? How many people have died before you told us this?"

"About a hundred or more, I think. We're pretty sure that the body count will rise if the suspect is not apprehended. The list of criminals that the office suspects is included in the file. We hope it will be useful."

"I see. As a new shinigami, do I have any authority to use the information that the library keeps? I might need to take a look if I have to eliminate some doubts."

"Do as you will," Gushoushin said softly. "We're glad we put it up on the Intranet. You can use this ID."

"Thank you," L said as he bowed to the librarian. "Before you go, Gushoushin-san, can you check in the other shinigami world if a certain Ryuk is there? Thank you again."

"Yes, I can do that. Good luck."

The connection was terminated.

oOoOoOo

"What's a pretty girl like you doing here all alone?" Tsuzuki asked as they enjoyed soda and juice from cold cans. They were seated on one of the benches in the park, watching the scenery. Children and mothers played and talked in the distance.

"Oh, this is a shortcut. I was on my way to my doctor," she answered, swinging her legs under her. "I have an appointment with him."

"A doctor's appointment," the black-haired man said softly. He repressed a shudder. From his past experiences with a certain doctor, the word sent shivers up his spine. It was very unpleasant, to say the least.

"Yes," Misa said quickly. "I needed some help after my husband died… It's a long time ago but the pain is still there. I couldn't deal with it so I sought a therapist. He's been helping me since."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," said Tsuzuki with sincerity in his voice. "It's hard when you lose someone you love…"

She turned to him tearfully. "It is! Nobody knows how much I love my Light. He was the only one whom I would have given myself up. When he died, I saw the world grow dark. I… I…"

Tsuzuki tensed when she laid her head on his shoulder, sobbing helplessly. Willing himself to relax, he patted her head and let her cry it out. The only way to let a girl calm down was to let her cry it all out. He knew that.

He looked at the blonde head resting on his shoulder sympathetically. The poor girl must have loved her husband very much. It was a pity that they were so young when they parted.

She calmed down after a bit. With a soft giggle, she pulled back to wipe her tears. Her eyes widened when her new friend handed her a handkerchief and solicitously helped to remove the wet trails from her face.

"Okay now?" he asked very gently. "Crying helps, doesn't it?"

"It does," she answered "but grief is the hardest emotion to bear. Now that I'm all alone in the world, I don't think I can go on. I can only cry."

Tsuzuki patted her head tenderly. "That's all right, Koneko-chan. You're strong. You'll get through this."

Misa blinked. She was called a kitten by her new friend. With a giggle, she checked her cell-phone and gasped. The black-haired man stared, slightly confused. "Thank you for your time, Tsuzuki-san! Let's do this again sometime. Can I have your number? I'm really late now so please excuse me…"

Tsuzuki gave her his number. She jumped to her feet, smiling. He felt better when he realized that he'd somehow helped the poor girl. Watching her walk away made him feel better.

Then he remembered that he didn't get her name or her number.

The black-haired man sighed. Hisoka would fall over laughing at him. The cell-phone beeped. Curious, he opened the business card.

His mouth dropped open as he read what's inside.

Amane Misa. ****-***-****. (This is my number, okay? See you again!)

oOoOoOo

L looked up from the computer when the door opened. Hisoka walked in and collapsed on the couch. His bag landed on the floor with a vague thud. A glance at his colleague told him that the young man was tired and didn't want to talk.

"Where's Tsuzuki?" Hisoka asked after a minute. He sat up to look at the black-haired detective who was busy at work.

"He's still out," L answered calmly. "I do believe he will be back soon."

"He always comes back when he's hungry," the brown-haired boy said grumpily. "He'd better have some leads… I don't want to go back to school…"

"I don't want to, either," the detective agreed calmly. "It's very frustrating."

"Well, it is," Hisoka said with a curious look at him "I don't think I can handle another day in there."

"It's good to see you two bonding," Tsuzuki said cheerfully as he entered the door. The smell of Chinese take-out food followed him. The older shinigami laid their dinner on the small dining set with a smile. "How's your day?"

"You sound like a dad," Hisoka said rudely. "Where've you been?"

"Here and there," Tsuzuki said as he sat down on the couch beside Hisoka. He couldn't keep himself from smiling like an idiot. "I've got a lead!"

"Me too," said his partner coolly.

"There's a new development," L murmured as he tore himself away from the laptop. He turned to them with a serious expression. "The Kira case was reopened. One of the Gushoushin informed me that we're going to investigate the case."

"That makes my day," groaned the green-eyed boy. "I got into the mind of this Kira follower today. She's looking forward to the day that they're going to throw Amane Misa into the sea."

"Why would they do that?" Tsuzuki said, aghast. "She's a sweet girl! I don't think she ought to die!"

"She's supposed to die," Hisoka reminded him. "We're here to get her soul, remember? And why do you talk like you've met her?"

"Because I did," the violet-eyed shinigami said triumphantly. "We even exchanged cell-phone numbers!"

L stared at the bickering partners while biting his thumb. He listened to the things that they found out with a calm and rational mind. It was better to know what they know first before making a plan.

If Tsuzuki met Amane Misa then he was well-placed to contact her again. From what the dark-haired man said, he deduced that Amane Misa was going to the therapist to deal with the loss of her husband, Yagami Light. (So they got married. L couldn't imagine the kind of hell she must have gone through.) She was still the same immature and optimistic sweetheart that she was but that didn't mean she wasn't capable of cold-blooded killing.

So she was still a suspect.

The question was how does she kill? It was highly possible that she was still using a Death Note. He must use all his cunning to find out.

Hisoka had reported that at twilight on the day after tomorrow, Amane Misa was going to be thrown to the sea. It sounded like a convenient excuse to get rid of a suspect. If they killed her in the name of reverence of their mad god then they ought to be stopped. Even Misa didn't deserve that fate.

If Misa died on the day after tomorrow, would the killings stop? Or would the power pass to another as he had deduced from his previous experiences? Did Misa even possess enough evil for her to kill innocents?

Her sweet and innocent face passed into his mind. L couldn't bear the thought. No, though he damned himself for his bias, he didn't want to believe that.

"L, you mentioned that the Kira case was reopened," Tsuzuki started seriously "how much do you know?"

"Just enough," the detective answered coolly. He gestured to the computer screen. "You can see for yourself. I know that there's another person who has a Death Note. He or she must be stopped."

Tsuzuki and Hisoka leaned forward to look at the screen. Their eyes widened at the gruesome picture.

A nude young woman lay on the floor of a chapel with her chest ripped cleanly in front to show her heart. Blood flowed to form a crimson pool around her. Her eyes were blankly staring ahead; her face was frozen into a chilling expression of fear. A black notebook covered the tops of her breasts; rose petals were scattered around her.

Written around her with her own blood was: "Salvation is upon us."

Sacrifices, Hisoka thought involuntarily.

oOoOoOo

A/N: Thank you for all your encouraging reviews. It's my first time to try a new genre so it's great if somebody tells me what I'm doing right/wrong. Thank you for staying tuned!