A/N: Well, here it is! The story the majority of people voted for on my profile poll. First off, I want to thank all of the people who made this whole thing possible (I sound like I'm winning an award, Lol!). Anyway, first off, to my amazing Zombie L, for whom this story is dedicated, for getting me to start this in the first place. Second, to Jackai, for showing me the video I got this from! And last, to the two people that edited this: Insanitoon, and Bio-Electric Anemone. Thank you all! In any case, happy reading, and please be sure to let me know what you think at the end!

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or any of the characters that are in this story.

Chapter 1

Near's P.O.V

The day started out just as it always did. I woke up at about 6:30, even though the officials woke the kids up at seven. I liked that the short time allowed me to take a shower, and be alone without others around to disturb the silence.

Later that morning, I went down to breakfast and ate by myself –just like I always did. Everyone else liked to sit with their friends, and talk about meaningless things. But I always preferred the solitary silence where I could think about whatever I wanted and plan out the day.

Human interaction was an interesting thing to me. It was something that I could easily observe, but always felt that I could not join in on. And even then, sometimes, there were things about it that I did not understand.

As I sat in the dining hall and observed the people as they talked about nonsense, I knew that that was part of what I did not understand.

How could it be that a person could rely on another in such a way? How was it that they generated a sense of trust with the other person in whom they could tell that person, and only them, certain things? Did they not think about how easily it could be for them to betray that trust?

Honestly, it seemed as though withholding all important information would be the safest, and best option.

But as I watched the girls at a table not too far away from me, talking on and on about something another girl said the previous day, I knew I would never understand.

People can be so confusing

As I went to take my dishes to the kitchen, Mello approached me and I instantly knew what he would bring up.

"Did you study for the math test today?" He asked, but I knew he didn't care in one way or another. It was simply his way of bringing up the subject, so that he could then commence in the assault I knew would follow.

"No." I answered simply, turning away from him as though shrugging him off. I knew he hated to be ignored. Normally, I was quite polite to people, but when it came to Mello, I could never help but feed the flame of his anger. "It's quite easy material; I did not feel it necessary."

As I turned back to him in order to leave the kitchen, I observed the way his fists clenched. Mello had probably stayed up all night trying to study. And he was probably trying to hold himself back from hitting me now –if there were less people around I know he'd do it.

"Well…" He fought for words. "I'm still going to beat you!" He nearly shouted out at me as I stepped away. I was actually surprised that he just let me leave like that.

I didn't say anything back to him, but I mentally planned out exactly what I would have, had I wanted him to lose control and attack me. 'Yes, I'm sure you will. Because we both know how well that plan has stood strong in the past.' But I bit my tongue –it would just be too easy.

I made my way out of the dining room and down the nearby hallway where our classroom was located. Just like every other morning, I was the first one in the classroom.

I sat down at my desk and opened one of the math books to our section. My eyes scanned over it, and while my mind –for some reason- told me I didn't understand what I was seeing, I knew I had to understand it.

It was basic trigonometry. To me, this was as easy as two plus two was to a child. Math was simple –a series of easy steps that led to a certain solution. What I didn't understand was how people got confused, and got things wrong on it.

My eyes scanned the page as if reading any other book, and my mind tried to quickly complete each problem as they went.

However, as I tried that, for some reason my mind seemed to draw a blank when I got roughly halfway through each problem.

'What's going on?' I asked myself, looking back at the sample problems that explained how to do each one. I understood it… I knew I did. Each thing made sense… but for some reason my mind couldn't hold on to the knowledge and it slipped like sand through my fingers.

The teacher had just taught this material a couple of days ago, so there was no reason why I should have forgotten all of it. And even if I had, there was no reason why I should have any trouble picking it back up again as I looked at the page.

What was wrong with me?

I jumped suddenly when the bell rang and the rest of the kids in the class began to filter into the room –the looks on their faces, I noticed, was a whole array of half asleep and worrying about the imminent test.

I looked back at the book and began trying to understand the math problems once again. I had to understand this… I had to get it.

All of a sudden, the teacher entered into the room. The woman was always very calm; who dealt well with children, and was an overall, a good teacher. But… for some reason I couldn't remember her name.

"Alright, class, take out a piece of paper and a pencil. As you all know, we have a test today." She said, carrying with her a small stack of papers that I figured was the test.

I did as I was told, taking out the needed materials and closing the math book. I was no longer confident about my ability to take this test and be able to pass it. Even as I thought about it, and tried remembering the sample problems –the answers just wouldn't come to me.

The teacher passed out the test and I looked it all over once.

I suddenly felt nervous about how all of this would turn out. I had no way of knowing, and when I tried to analyze the situation to try weighing my options, my mind filled with a fog and I just couldn't think. As I looked back at the problems, I knew I should know the answer, and that it all looked easy enough.

But as my hand, which was firmly clasped around the pencil, began to work out each problem there, I instantly knew that I had no idea what I was really doing.

Things began to look different on the paper and in that moment it was as if I was trying to read a language that I had minimal understanding of. I couldn't comprehend anything that was written to. And if I stared at it long enough, the numbers seemed to move to different parts of the paper. Why wouldn't they just sit still so I could think?

My heart began to race and I simply didn't know what to think anymore. My hand continued to write, as if working with its own mind. Well… as I thought about it, it must have its own mind, because mine was drawing a blank and I had no idea what to do.

If I hadn't realized something was wrong before, then I certainly did when I noticed Mello get up and hand in his test first. That wasn't right! I was always the first one to finish.

I could feel my heart grip at the feeling that told me maybe this meant I had failed in something. I had not completed this test fast enough, and thus had lost to Mello.

After another moment of writing, I finally finished all that I possibly could. I knew things were wrong on it just by looking and observing the way none of it made any sense. But… it was all that I could do.

I walked up to the teacher and placed the test paper, as well as my unused scratch paper on her desk –my look despondent and ashamed.

Her eyes tried to meet mine. "Well, Near, how do you think you did?" She asked in that quiet, calm voice that she always had. She always asked the same thing to everyone after they finished, and I knew I always answered the same thing to her.

But why couldn't I remember what I always said?

"Fine." I lied, then turning back to my desk before she could say anything back to me.

Once I was back at my desk, I looked down at the faux wood top and wondered about all the things that were going on. It didn't make sense. I'd never been like this before –ever. So… why now?

I knew that the moment I got out of this classroom, the one thing I would need to do was go to the library and do some research.

I decided to look at this like I did everything else. So… I just had a new puzzle. That's all it was. A… a game… But, the only problem with this one was that I wasn't too sure if I wanted to know the answer to it.

A/N: As I wrote more and more chapters of this story I realized how hard it was to show insanity through writing, rather than visually. I haven't quite figured it out yet. And I still have a lot of research to do. I'm going to warn people now: it might get a little bit confusing later on in the story because this is in Near's point of view, and thus we're seeing the inside effects of it. Even in his speech, Near won't say everything he really means. It'll make more sense as the story goes on… Anyway, for now, just let me know what you think! Was this a good beginning?

Please review!
-Forbiddensoul562