This is a beautiful story~ I love it as an alternate ending to Death Note. This one is very, very believable! Oh, Mikami, you are a wonderful actor and Light is brilliant.

I thoroughly enjoyed this alternate ending. Though I really don't like the second half of Death Note in general, the final 'trap' to catch Kira always seemed like bullshit to me. This seems like a much more realistic portrayal of what should have happened in that final confrontation.

yessssssss

Could have happened... *screams like a terrified little girl*

Yes. YES! I was so disappointed when Light died, and I've been scouring , trying to find one GOOD fic where Light wins...this is TEH AWESOMEST TING EVAARRRR!

As I come back and read it again, I find that I like it even more than I did originally.

Exactly as planned...

I have spoilers in this review, so anyone who doesn't want to know them beforehand should read the actual story first. ;

An interesting alternative idea you have created here. It is certainly entertaining to wonder what else would have happened besides the real anime end. Haven't read much of the manga, so most of my observations are based on the show. There was a good amount of description, though I noticed a few times commas were forgotten at the end of speech. Otherwise, everything made sense and you actually made me believe for a bit you were going in the direction of Near as the one in the end.

It was a believable end with the Task Force. Light remained cool and tricked them, and blamed Near with evidence I'm not certain could be counted as completely credible, but Light's persuasiveness can do the impossible, I guess? Plus he is believed quite easily all the time. The Task Force waltzed out and easily trusted Light by himself. Foolishly, of course, but that's canon. I also particularly enjoyed Matsuda's reactions, though maybe he acted rashly? He originally shot Light because he was furious about how Light treated his father, but he shoots Near when he did not even move. They could have tried to grab him like Mikami, and if all else failed resort to the guns.

To make Near appear the villian is a concept I never thought of before, and rather intriguing, too. Light was so wrapped up in saving himself it probably never crossed his mind in the original material. All of the signs pointed to Light, but what about if we could tweak the evidence so it was more complex and went to someone like Near? Nice. Near was a bit more silent than usual, so it made me wonder.

But IMO, however, Near give into Light's accusations too simply and instantly let him win. That completely goes against L's beliefs. As successors, Near and Mello have just as strong views and would have tried to fire back with their own ideas to cover the gaps and prove Light false. Near is a bit emotionless, as you accurately depict, but basically thought, "This is it. I'm dead because the real Kira is framing me. Let me sit here and wait to be shot and for him to win." That doesn't fit his character. He wanted to get done what L couldn't, and would persist until the case was solved or he was dead. Plus, Near's bodyguards were there and you don't mention them. He was not alone and they would have protected him; there would have been a confronation between the two groups before he would have somehow died.

I think the part about the switch with the Death Notes makes sense and the names part. Somehow I always get confused when I remember that, but it makes sense if Mikami knew ahead of time to write Light's and that it was a fake. But I don't think he even knew he had a fake? That's why he didn't write Light's orignally, if I'm correct. He was still a bit dramatic between Light and Near - I feel like I missed something when he can tell who Kira is and he seemed to think they both were. ;

Uhh. I'm sorry this is so long, I got carried away. Hopefully those observations are helpful and I actually make some sense. I did like this one-shot overall, but Near was a bit OoC to me and I pointed out what else I thought. Curious about what Mikami and Light would do since they're still alive, haha.

- Sarah

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS THING! this is the way the show should have ended! LOVE IT!

that is totally what should have happened. Very well done. Thanks for writing it.

Great story! and great timing too! I had just finished watching the series earlier this week. I was thinking of something similar happening but I hadn't thought about the the second replacement as apart of any of the scenarios. I wounder if you could continue it because I can't think of what would Light do next.

Very good, a interesting alternative end. I like :D

very good. i always wondered how it would be if mikami was just a little bit more attentive. a better ending than how it really happened.

It would have been nice if this one would have been the real ending of Death Note.

Loved reading this!

Woo awesome new story even if i have no clue about whats going on! Ive never read/watched deathNote but w/e.