• Chapter Two

    Otaku

    L began to talk to them. I watched. I noticed that all three of them, L, Light, and Misa all had unnerving resemblances to the characters in the book. Maybe it was just a coincidence. But it was simply uncanny. I brushed blonde hair from my eyes and turned to eL. Her first name was Elizabeth (but even so, that’s still not what we normally called her), so we came up with eL as her alias. Otaku. I whispered my name quietly under my breath, feeling it on my tongue. It meant ‘obsessed’ which was a joke between me and eL, because I was so obsessed with L Lawliet. I couldn’t help bubbling over the Ryuuzaki I had just met, because of how much he reminded me of the real L.

    The party was ending. We would reveal our names soon. I wanted to know Ryuuzaki’s name, but I didn’t know why. I was content with calling him Ryuuzaki. What other name could describe this man, other than L of course! No name that came to mind I could see myself comfortably calling him. Nothing fit his wide, empty black eyes, his beautiful, thick black hair. Except L. I guess I would see. And eL, too. We would learn his name, and Light’s and Misa’s. Obviously, they were Ryuuzaki’s friends. And they would learn my name, too.

    Chapter Three

    L

    “Where were you? Ah, that’s beside the point. We need to get back. I met Otaku and eL- “Wait,” Light stopped him. L forced himself to look Light in the eye. “L? He calls himself ‘L’ too?” “…It’s a girl,” Light shut up.

    “As I was saying, before so rudely interrupted, (he glanced at Light at this, trying to seem normal) I met Otaku and eL and I just have a feeling that they could help us get back,” L left out the Death Note book, hiding it in his back pocket. No where did Death Note say ‘And Light found a book telling him he was Kira and that he killed his best friend’. L knew he had to keep it hidden from Misa and Light. Light didn’t know it now, that he was Kira, but his intentions earlier… “I was right…” L thought.

    “So you have a FEELING that two girls who call themselves Otaku and eL can help us get back into a book…” Light said suspiciously. L nodded, his thumb nail pinched between his teeth. Light held his head in his hand and paced, Misa’s eyes following him. She turned to L.

    “Ryuuzaki, you must have a better idea!” she said, clinging to Light’s arm. “There’s no way- “Misa-Misa! Nice to meet you!” L heard Otaku cry from behind him. She and eL appeared beside Misa. As they began chatting with her, L watched a wide smile spread across Misa’s face. She turned back to L.

    “You are right, Ryuuzaki!” she cried happily and continued chatting with both of them, her brown eyes sparkling. Light turned to Misa and tried to drag her away when a loud voice on a speaker startled them all.

    “Okay, the party is ending! Quick! Tell your friends your real name! Party game rules!” Misa, Light, L, Otaku, and eL stood in a circle.

    “Hattie, short for Hedwig,” eL smiled and turned to Light, who was on her right. “Now tell us your real name!” Light looked frazzled, his eyes wide.

    “Uh, Light Yagami…” he muttered. L wondered how Hattie and Otaku would react, but they weren’t given time.

    “Misa Amane! Please, no autographs!” she laughed, smiling at the girls.

    “No, no, your REAL names! We know who you’re dressed as! Party game rules!” Hattie added with a giggle.

    “Those ARE our real names!” Misa said, looking confused. Hattie and Otaku glanced at each other, but shrugged. “Okay, Ryuuzaki, what’s your name?” L stopped. “Obviously, I can’t tell them my real name with Light standing right here, even though there is a chance he won’t remember this experience. Should I tell them ‘L’ or ‘Ryuuzaki’?...”

    “My name is L, but please continue to call me Ryuuzaki,” L said. He glanced at Light, who didn’t look at all like a murderer at the moment. Just a confused boy. Otaku blinked in surprise. She looked into all of their faces, seeing they were telling the complete truth. She looked at L. Into his eyes. And collapsed.

    * * *

    Hattie fanned Otaku’s face, patting her forehead and cheeks with a wet towel as she did. The rest of the party had gone home, except them, who were alone in the large, empty room. She hadn’t said a word to Light, Misa, or L, but had caught Otaku, and laid her on the floor to try and revive her after the shock wore off. Otaku’s blonde hair was thrown across her face, strands caught in her thin eyelashes and laying over her pale lips. L watched Hattie care for her friend, holding a plate of strawberry shortcake in his left hand, pressing the tongs of his fork into his bottom lip with his right. He hadn’t taken a bite of his cake. Hattie turned to L.

    “So, are you really … L?” she asked slowly, as if in disbelief. L nodded. Hattie turned to Misa “This is the real Misa Amane!” she giggled and dipped into a mock bow and laughed again. Hattie stared at the two.

    “And, hello, I’m the real Light Yagami!” Light cried. “Are you doubting me?” Hattie turned to him, still in shock, and stared. Then swung her fist into a punch that connected with Light’s nose. Light cried out in pain, clutching his face, which was beginning to bleed. Otaku’s eyes fluttered open, awakened by Light’s cry, as he hunched over in pain from the force of the hit. She climbed to her feet cautiously, looked over him as he began to try and stand, and threw all her might into a kick aimed at Light’s face. Blood spurted from his nose as he screamed out in pain again. L handed him a box of tissues from the snack table, debating whether or not now would be a good time to kick Light Yagami.

    “What the crap was THAT FOR?!” Light screamed. Otaku glared at him. “You wanted to hurt L,” she growled. Hattie nodded. “And if you’re really who you say you are ‘and I’m the real Light Yagami’, ” she mimicked him in a high, whinny voice, “Then you are Kira and you – “WANT TO KILL L!!!!” Otaku finished for Hattie, screaming. L blinked in surprise at the outburst before him as Misa let out a shriek that bounced off the now-empty walls of the party room as she grabbed Light’s arm, dabbing at his face with blood-soaked tissues.

    “I’m going to GET YOU!!!!!!!!” she screamed and lunged at the two girls. But it was two against one, and Otaku and eL soon had Misa-Misa in between them, each clutching one of her arms. When they let her go, she stumbled a bit, but raced back to Light, who was holding practically a whole box of tissues up against his nose.

    “But, you won’t kill L,” Otaku said, breathing hard, flecks of red seeming catch the light and glare in her eyes. “Because we will protect him. You will have to get through us, first,” The two girls stood in front of L, even though they were smaller, thinner, and younger, you obviously don’t get in between a fan-girl and her L.