Successor

1.

Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note.

"Where do you think you're going?" His voice sounded arrogant, as it usually did, but knowing him since birth, I had never heard this tiny tinge of sadness within his words.

"Oh," I turned around in a poor attempt to hide my half packed luggage. "I didn't see you there."

"Answer my question."

I sighed. "You... You know I'm not needed here so..."

"So you decide to just leave?"

"I have so many things I wish to accomplish before I grow old, you know? Spending the rest of my life here isn't going to help that."

"Mia," He took a bite of the food in his left hand. "Stop stalling and answer my question."

I hesitated, glancing into his cold eyes, and then staring elsewhere. "Tokyo."

He gave me a suspicious look. "Where'd you get the money?"

"L... Watari sent it to me." I answered.

"So they just allow you to go to Japan?"

"For a reason," I defended myself for the upcoming argument.

He raised an eyebrow and took another bite. "Enlighten me then."

"I'm going to study in Tokyo, to gain a career in the police force. As a detective." I explained.

He scoffed. "A detective?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind becoming a lawyer but-"

"Why don't you just become a detective here? Why do you have to go all the way to another country?" He sounded a bit angrier now.

I paused. I smiled. Taking a few steps toward him, I touched his shoulder. "Why don't you just stop eating chocolate?"

He frowned, and with a flick of his blonde hair, he muttered, "Do whatever the hell you want."

"Mello," Another voice spoke, joining our conversation so abruptly. We turned to its source. His long white pyjamas trailed the ground, along with his pale skin and light hair. It almost seemed as if he colour coordinated everything of his without that much of an effort. "If your sister is going to leave, the very least you could do is bid her a sincere farewell."

I shook my head, "Really, it's okay, Near. Mello isn't that type of person."

Mello glared at me, brushing my hand off his side, and walked down the hallway as if he had no intention of seeing me again. I watched his figure step further away into the darkness of the corridor.

I looked over at Near. "Thanks for trying, but we both know how he's like."

He nodded, fiddling with a strand of hair between his fingers. "I hope you arrive in Japan quickly and safely. I also wish you the best in your career choice."

As Near made his exit, I checked through my bag to grab the items I had bought earlier that day. After taking them, I knocked on Mello's door. I received no response, so I took that as an opportunity to open it. There, I saw him sitting on the side of the bed, his back facing me.

"Mello?"

Nothing.

I sighed, taking a seat next to him. It was dark, most likely around midnight by then. His lamp barely gave enough sufficient light for his room, acting like a small dim candle. I noticed that he finished his chocolate bar, which was perfect.

"I know you're probably angry at me, and won't want to speak to me for a while," I began in an effort to apologise, "So I'm sorry for leaving you."

"I'm not angry because you're leaving," He mumbled under his breath.

"Now we all know that's a lie," I smiled. "Mello, I'm your sister. No one else here knows you better than I do... I can't stay here in England forever, and you know that. Let me experience the world," My hand ran through his hair once, messing it up a bit. "So... I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

He wasn't very good at hiding his reaction to my abrupt farewell. I murmured, "We both know that I'm not cut out to be one of L's successors. It's already been confirmed. You have much more potential than I could ever hold... So I want to continue doing what I've been doing for my whole life. If I can't become L's heir, than the least I could do is follow a career that is related to it."

I opened up his hand, giving him two chocolate bars and a long crucifix. He gaped, and then stared at me with a face full of questions.

"One chocolate bar to say sorry I'm leaving," I explained, "Another to say thank you for everything..."

I touched the crucifix lightly. "When we first came to Wammy's House, this crucifix was around my neck, and I've kept it near me until now. You may not remember it, because I certainly don't, but there's an engraving on the back. It doesn't give us that much of a clue as to who owned it before me, but I have a feeling it was from our... mother."

He gazed upon the objects in his hand. I said, "This crucifix is for you to wear. For you to remember that I'll be close to your heart, even though I'm a million miles away."

He seemed to be cringing, looking at the engraved words on the back, 'Remember me and smile, for it is better than remember me and cry.'

"That was incredibly corny, Mia... I feel stupid to have liked it." Mello muttered.

I hugged him tightly. "I'll come to visit you from time to time if you don't come to me."

Mello's hand awkwardly patted my back, as he wasn't a very touchy-feely boy. I felt his head lean on my shoulder as we shared our final moments together in London.

It had already been a few months since I'd moved to Japan. I'd enrolled into To-Oh University and I luckily managed to pass the entrance exam. It was a close call, I barely made it through. It just shows that I had to juggle my education and my career, probably not having that much of an enjoyable social life, if I were lucky to gain one. It all sounds pretty stupid, choosing to move out of a perfectly good orphanage to support myself in a whole other country, but I needed to have this type of experience eventually. Becoming independent is what I wanted, and so I got it.

The next day, I attended my classes as usual, paying close attention to the teacher's lectures. Even though I knew I probably wouldn't have enough time to lead a proper social life, it didn't hurt to have a little crush on a few boys. Well, just one boy. Anyway, his name was Light Yagami. He hadn't so much really talked to me since I started the schooling life, but I had seen in work during class. I know I sound creepy, but it's not bad if I admire how much effort he put into his work, right? It wasn't as if I were to make a move on him any time soon. I was told he had a girlfriend already, and true or not, I didn't want to risk it.

Our time at school had ended, and I was heading to my job at the new café downtown. I had no luck in gaining a proper job in the police force, so I was hoping by the time I graduated, I'd be qualified enough to have one. In the meantime, I needed to earn enough money to pay for my apartment (thanks to Watari for the help). Unfortunately, the job I'd gained wasn't of the highest profession. I couldn't find any other place with an available position. It was a maid café. Apparently I was one employee they would love to have since foreigners are very 'hot' right now, or whatever the case was.

As I walked through campus, a small crowd distracted my original course, so I thought I'd go ahead and see what the commotion was about. It wouldn't have done any harm, since my shift started in another hour or so. I overheard some of the students' conversations. Most of them included the phrase, "That's Light's girlfriend!"

Of course by now I would be curious. I stood on my toes to see who this mystery girl was, over the many people in front of me. I had a big disadvantage because of my height, as I was quite the petite girl.

"It's Misa Amane!" A boy pushed me to the side as he rushed to get a glimpse of this woman, resulting in me stumbling over and losing my glasses. I searched the ground, skimming my hands over the rough pebbles. As I squinted desperately to find my spectacles, I wondered as to where I had heard that name before, Misa Amane. No one around me seemed to care enough to help, but one person.

Reaching out, I took my glasses from the kind man in front of me. As I put them back in its original place on the bridge of my nose, my vision quickly changed from blurry to clear. I immediately identified the man. His worn out sneakers and jeans, scruffy dark hair and white hair were all too familiar, even though it had been years since I last saw him. "You're-!" ...L.

He quickly hushed me; of course his identity wasn't to be revealed. It was more than rare to see him out in public. In my whole life, I'd only seen him once. He stretched out a hand to help me up.

As I dusted myself off, he said, "I'm glad you arrived safely. Watari told me of you coming to Japan. For now, please refer to me as Ryuzaki."

I nodded as he gave me that blank stare of his. He commented, "The last time I saw you, you were nine years old."

"Around that age, yes. It's almost been a decade."

"You've grown very well. I can see the potential you have in become a detective."

I tucked a stray hair behind my ear and looked at my shoes to avoid responding to his compliment. I was nowhere near as pretty as most girls, especially in this school. Then again, I didn't put much effort into my appearance. I usually tie my hair up in a bun in a bun and choose whatever clothes were in front of me.

"So... Where have I heard Misa Amane from before?" I pondered aloud.

"Would you like to meet her?" L suggested.

After first rejecting his offer, I was curious, so he led me to the centre of the crowd, to the main attraction. The first person I saw was Light, with his poker yet handsome face. Beside him was a girl who pled for attention by him. She was indeed, as the students described, very pretty. She had long blonde hair, just like mine, yet hers looked better. She wore a cute short dress with frills and boys along with dark shoes. I was guessing this was the Misa Amane that caused the fuss.

Still, even though all these people say they've seen this girl on the television, radio and other forms of the media, I felt like I'd heard of her elsewhere.

"Misa?" L called. "I'd like you to meet Mia Keehl."

Misa turned towards us. She stared at me for what felt like the longest time, as did the surrounding students. I felt embarrassed as their eyes fell upon me.

"Mia Keehl..." She mumbled. "Where have I... Oh!" She gasped rather dramatically. "M-Mia! Mia! You remember me don't you?"

I blanked out for a second, and then memories from my childhood suddenly flooded my mind. Two young girls playing dress ups and dolls, doing anything and everything together for the duration of several weeks. Two young girls crying at the airport as one had to go back to her country. I understood that Misa and I were two very close friends... until I had to return to England. I spent my time here in Japan for a while to vacation with the other orphans. Only a few of us were able to meet L, and I was lucky to be one of them, some of which were Near and Mello.

"Misa Amane... So that's where I remember..." I murmured. "Oh, yes, I do... remember."

"This is amazing!" She squealed, proceeding to give me a hard hug. "I never thought I'd see you again, and to think that I'd find you at my boyfriend's school!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, that's right," I forgot for a moment. "You're Light's girlfriend," I replied, glancing over at Light who was eyeing me. It was then when my blush reflex decided to occur and I looked at my shoes again to hide my hot cheeks.

Various people in the crowd stirred to one another, wondering how such a Plain Jane like me could somehow have a connection to the famous Misa Amane.

"Light! This is my childhood friend, Mia!" She dragged me towards her lover, me still glaring at the ground to avert eye contact with my crush.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mia," Light tried to take another glance from me. "Correct me if I'm mistaken, but you take a few of the same classes as me, right?"

"Y-Yeah," I quickly answered.

I began to feel uncomfortable with the number of people staring at me, so I took a sigh of relief when an older woman barged through the group and took Misa's arm, demanding for her to go to an interview or airing or something. I didn't pay much attention enough to their conversation because I was too aware of how close I was to Light.

Although Misa protested, her manager (I soon found out) took her away anyway. The group of students soon disappeared and I was left standing there between Light and L.

I cleared my throat. "Well, I guess I'll be heading off now."

L stopped me, "Where are you going?"

"Oh," I held onto my bag. "To work."

"Well, Watari told me that you would be working at that café downtown."

I shouldn't call him so much. Even though he's like my grandfather.

"What time will you be back?" He asked.

"Back home? Um... at around 9..." I wondered where this conversation was leading.

"You shouldn't be walking alone at that time of the night, so how about I pick you up and walk you home?" L offered.

This is oddly sudden. "Oh... No, no, that's fine. I wouldn't want to trouble you, besides; I've been walking home by myself for a while and nothing much as happened."

Except for the occasional late night perverts eyeing me as I walk.

"Do you not want me to walk with you?" L asked.

"It's not that, I just don't want to be a bother," I shook my head.

L insisted. "You're not a bother, and since you don't want me to walk you home, then I'm sure Light here wouldn't mind helping a young lady home."

I looked at him with wide eyes, and then at Light. "What? Oh, no! No! It's fine! R-Really!"

Light glared at L for half a second, and then looked above, appearing to think for a little bit. He sighed, "It's not like I have anything else planned."

I complained some more. "N-No, I don't want to trouble any of you, really it's—"

"You're troubling us if you continue to argue," L's reply stopped me.

Of course deep in my mind I wanted to walk home with Light, but seeing him glare at L like that gave me the feeling he didn't want to do it. I let them do as they please, L making me give the address to Light, and in the end I began to work at 'Doll Maid Café', wondering if Light was really going to pick me up or not.

I really do hate being a burden.

I apologise in advance if there are any storyline mistakes or whatever. I haven't watched Death Note in forever. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading the first chapter of Successor, and hopefully you didn't cringe all that much at my poor writing. Please do leave a review to let me know how you felt of the story, it would mean a whole lot! Thank you!