I wasn't going to lie to myself, I thought this case was going to be extremely easy. I thought, "Who is ever going to believe that you could kill someone by writing their name in a book? It's ridiculous!"

My client, Light Yagami had just been brought into the lobby. He looked confident, "And why shouldn't he be?" I thought, "This is an open and shut case, there's no way any of this could be right. I know that there has been a huge series of unexplained murders, but to blame it on a college student and a book? Is this what the law has come to, not if I can help it!?
"Court is now in session, could the defense and his client please enter the courtroom?" yelled the bailiff.

There was a huge audience in the courtroom today. Word had obviously gotten around about what was going on today and people were anxious.
"Are both the defense and the prosecution ready?" asked the judge. "The defense is ready your honor." I reply. The prosecution is thoroughly prepared your honor." replies Edgeworth. "That's weird," I think to myself, "I thought Teru Mikami was prosecuting this trial."
"I'm sure you're all wondering the same thing "Why is Edgeworth here? Well to answer that question, I am here because Teru Mikami has fallen ill and is currently at the newly built Hickfield Clinic, where he will be brought back to health as soon a as possible."

"Fine then. Mr. Edgeworth, your opening statement please." orders the judge who seems to be alot more forceful today for some reason.
"Of course, your honor. I am here today to prove that that man Light Yagami is guilty of mass murder under the guise of Kira... That is all."
"Very well, Mr Edgeworth please call your witness to the stand."
"Yes, of course your honor."

A strange man takes the stand, I can't seem to get a read off him. But my client seems worried. I'll end that soon.

"Name and occupation" Edgeworth says calmly, not really taking notice of the witness' strange appearance.
"I am the head of the Kira investigation... You can call me L.

"I am the head of the Kira investigation, you can call me L."
As those words came down there was an uproar in the court. Things like "Him, L, he must be lying!" were being shouted all over the court but no one was listening, everyone just too caught up in their own rant about how the prosecution could fall for something like this.
But not me, I believed this could be the real L, because the man across from me and myself both knew that looks could be deceiving, and I also knew that he would stop at no lengths to see that all that he brought to the courtroom would be what he believed to be the truth, so he would make sure for certain that this was in fact L.

The judge could not silence the court so the judged ruled for a ten minute recess. I decided to take the time to talk to my client as he seemed more worried now.
When he came in he was mumbling to himself but just loud enough for me to hear but it was something I didn't expect or want to hear, "I didn't expect this... I didn't plan for this, but good thing she is here." There was a look of pain on his face as he said this and it spread to my own. "He's guilty," I thought to myself, "He knows it and now I do too, but I still have to defend him, I can't back away from this now!"
"Are you okay Mr. Wright?" asked a seemingly innocent voice. It was him, my client.
"Yes, I'm fine." I lied.
"Good because you need to be at your best, especially if you want to beat him."
"I've heard the rumors, but I thought he was, well a hermit, never coming out in public. He must really want this badly if he's willing to stand as witness himself."
"That's only because you don't know him, once he's set on something he'll do whatever it takes to see that it's accomplished."
"He's really that bad?" I'm starting to get more and more worried each second but I try not to let it show.
"Yes, so be ready" says Light brightening up again.
"The trial will now reconvene, please enter the courtroom!" shouts the bailiff. "He must really enjoy that part of his job." I whisper to Light. That was the first and last time I saw his genuine laugh.

"Court now is now back in session." the judge shouts after a bang of his gavel. "Mr. Edgeworth, your witness please."
"Certainly, your honor."
L reappears on the stand, a somewhat cheery look on his face as he looks at Light. "Let's see if I can end that." I think almost out loud.
"Now witness, your testimony please."
"Certainly your honor."

"There will be no need for a cross examination or multiple testimonies. That much is simple. The rest of this will not be, as I am sure you are all well aware of. I have the perfect evidence of the defendant's guilt. First I present the murder weapon, the death note, a book which can kill someone if you write said persons name in the book, while knowing their face. I will prove that this is not in fact a joke by testing it. We have arranged for a criminal who was to be executed today, to be brought to this court, she will be executed by me by writing her name in the death note. Her name is Mindy Sanchez. She was arrested and convicted for mass murder. Now I will show you the proof of the death note's authenticity."

The criminal Mindy Sanchez was brought forward with an armed guard on either side of her. There was a tear dripping down her face, she knew what was coming and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
L once again lifted the notebook and scribbled something in it.
"Ms. Sanchez will die of a heart attack in approximately 40 seconds."
We all waited, waited for the death of another human being, I felt horrible but it had to be done.
The 40 second mark was up and Ms Sanchez fell to the ground clutching her chest and screaming.

After the victim's body had been escorted out of the courtroom, L decided to go on with his testimony.
"I will now prove that it was the defendant who wrote all the names in the book. I will do this with the aid of the prosecution." Everyone began to stare at Edgeworth but he didn't care, he was used to it.
"We have already run a handwriting analysis and found that it was the defendant that wrote in the book."
"There it is the facts of one complicated case in one testimony, with no need for cross examination."

I could do nothing to stop what was coming next. The verdict would be handed down and I had no evidence at my disposal to stop it.
After a few moments of astounded silence, the judge finally said, "If this is the case, there is no need to further delay this trial. I will now hand down my verdict. I find the defendant, Light Yagami, GUILTY."

"I find the defendant, Light Yagami, GUILTY!"
The words that I feared but knew were coming had been said. Ever since I saw Light muttering to himself earlier, I knew it was going to happen.
I looked around the courtroom, it was weird but it was the first time I had done so after a trial, but what I saw was shocking, but up in the crowd of people watching the trial, there was a young woman crying.
I stood there pondering what this might mean but I was interrupted in my train of thought by the bailiff, he was shouting, "Court is dismissed, please leave the courtroom immediately!"

So that's just what I did, I left the courtroom and the court altogether. I couldn't face a guilty man after his trial, so I just went back to the office. Maya was there but not Pearl, thank God, I think she'd kill me if she saw me fail in court.
So I told Maya what had happened and then she shouted, "We have to get that book Nick! And I know we can, we just need to sneak into the police department and steal it!"
"That's not happening I'm not sneaking into Criminal Affairs but if you do don't expect me to defend you when you get caught."
"Awww. OK then, how's this? We'll get Gumshoe the biggest steak he'll ever see and show it to him but only give it to him if he agrees to give us the notebook! It's brilliant"
"Hmm, it's not certain to work but since it's Gumshoe it just might and I really need to see this book."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, when I went to answer it, it was the woman from the trial, the one who was crying.
"Mr. Wright?" she asked.
"Yes, that's me. Can I help you with anything?"
"It's not how you can help me, it's how I can help you."
"What do you mean?"
"May I come in? This can't be heard by anyone."
"Of course, right this way." I lead her into my office, where Maya is sitting watching a report on the trial.
"Turn that off, please."
"OK, but who was at the door? Oh, it must have been you."
This was obviously aimed at the mystery woman.
"That reminds me, you didn't introduce yourself."
"That's right, my name is Misa Amane. I'm a model/actress ... and I was also dating Light."
"I see, well I'm sorry for what's happened."
"It's fine, you see we had a plan in case this happened."
"And this plan involves me?"
"Yes, quite a lot actually. Now, I need you to take this for me. I think you probably want to get your hands on the other one."
"What is it?"
"It's a death note. You see, right now there are actually two in our world. This one and the one that is going to be incinerated by the police"
"I see and why are you giving it to me?"
"You're needed for the plan and you won't be able to understand the plan until you take this."
"Nick, don't do it, I sense something evil coming from that thing and if you touch it, who knows what'll happen?"
"I have to Maya, if it's a request from my client, I must honor it."
So I took the book from her and I screamed at what I saw.
I always thought they were just legends, but not any more, it was a Shinigami!

I couldn't believe what i was seeing. It was like something out of a movie. I was terrified and I wanted to run but at the same time I was intrigued.
It seemed to be giggling, laughing even, was it at me? I couldn't tell. Maya was hunched over in the corner beside my desk, crying, did she know something I didn't? I was starting to get more and more scared.
"Maya, are you alright?" I asked but I couldn't make out a reply through her sobbing, so I took it as a no.
"Don't worry about her right now, we have more to discuss," said Misa,I had forgotten she was here, she seemed to be unaffected by all the conflicting emotions around her, as if she was used to it.
"This is Ryuk, the Death Note you are holding originally belonged to him. He's going to be a sort of guardian angel for you in the time that you'll be using the Death Note."
"Wait, using the Death Note!? You didn't say anything about that!" I think she had more to say but I didn't care, this was already getting out of hand and I could tell it was going to get a lot worse.
"I know I didn't say anything about it, but that was necessary for you to take it from me, and using it is vital for the plan to work."
"Killing is never necessary!" shouted Maya, still crying, "Do you know what you've done to Nick!? By handing that to him you've opened his spirit to darkness and evil!"
"This could be amusing." I wondered where that voice had come from, I was still staring at that book when it had spoke but when I looked up I realized that it was that thing, that thing Ryuk.
"Amusing!?" I screamed, "This is all about messing with other people's deaths, and killing is one thing I cannot stand!"
"You're getting angry unnecessarily, you must be feeling frustrated and confused," said that woman, I barely knew her, how could I let her tell me to do things my client wanted, especially a client that had been proven guilty for mass murder!
"You need to leave! And you can take your crazy book and your crazy creature with you!" I yelled at her, I needed time to think about everything that had just happened and I wouldn't be able to do that with them here.
"Fine, but I will be back." she replied and she snatched the book and left in a hurry.

Maya finally spoke again but she was still sobbing, "How could you Nick? How could you take that book even after me warning you not to?"
"I'm sorry but it was a request from a client, a final request, I felt I had to honor it and it seemed like it was no big deal but again I'm sorry, you were right to be worried."
"It's not just that now, by touching that book, you've allowed the darkness to enter you, when you touched it I could feel it flowing into you and it scared me so much."
"I-it flowed into me? But I don't feel any different."
"You don't need to feel any different but I can feel it and it really isn't good, I think we should go to the Kurain village and let some of the more experienced mediums check you out."
"That's a good idea."
"But Nick, we need to watch out because I can still send that creature near by."
And with that we left for the train station.