• Published 20th Oct 2011
  • 27,418 Views, 1,247 Comments

Death Note: Equestria - Nonagon



A deadly notebook called the Death Note lands in Equestria. Chaos ensues.

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Advance

5
*Advance*

If the time of death is written within 40 seconds after writing the cause of death, the time of death can be manipulated, and can go into effect within 40 seconds after writing the name.

“Twilight Sparkle!”

Apples, thought Twilight glumly, filling her bag with produce from Applejack’s stall. Why did it have to be apples? I’ve offered all kinds of fruits, flowers, grasses and hay fries, even gems, but no. ‘Apples, Twilight! Apples!’ I’m going to have to restrict his supply. I don’t eat this many apples in a month, let alone-

“Twilight Sparkle!” The more insistent voice jolted the unicorn out of her thoughts. “I’m surprised at you, ignoring a friend like that!”

“Oh... sorry, Rarity.” Twilight blinked and the fashionista came into focus right next to her, wearing a pouty expression. The purple mare grinned sheepishly. “I guess I haven’t been getting much sleep.”

“Yes, that much is obvious.” Rarity circled Twilight, giving her critical looks. “Which is why I was just stopping by to make sure you hadn’t forgotten about our appointment tomorrow.”

Twilight paid Applejack and tried to keep up with Rarity’s circular pacing. “We have an appointment tomorrow?”

“Yes! I asked you this morning if you wanted to join Fluttershy and I at the spa tomorrow at our regular time, and you agreed. On me, of course. Dear, do try to keep up.”

“I did?” Twilight tried to think back to that morning, but most of her memory turned up blank. “Rarity, that’s really not necessary-”

“Not necessary? Not necessary!?” Rarity grabbed Twilight’s face between her hooves. “Dear, you’re frazzled, dazzled, bedraggled, straggled, your hair and skin are an absolute mess, you look like you haven’t slept in days and you’re suffering all the tell-tale signs of overwork! Believe me, I’ve spent enough nights up working to recognize them. Darling, you simply must relax!”

Twilight looked down at herself. It was true, the last few days had not been easy for her. Ever since Caramel’s fateful - and fatal - broadcast, she’d been spending longer and longer in front of the Death Note, furiously scratching out names. Added to her already-packed schedule of studying magic, this meant she hadn’t found much time to eat properly or look after herself. Maybe I have been overdoing it, she considered. I guess it couldn’t hurt to relax a bit. “I’d love to join you, Rarity.”

“Wonderful! We’ll talk more later, when we have some... privacy.” Rarity shot a dirty look towards the apple stand and marched haughtily away. “See you tomorrow, Twilight.”

“Bye!”

Twilight turned back to Applejack, who was standing next to her cart with a baffled expression. “What the hay did Ah do?”

“I don’t know. You seemed fine to me.” Realization struck. “Has she been like this ever since you two talked about Kira?”

“Why, yes. Ever since...” Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t suppose she’s still hung up on that, do you?”

“I don’t know. I’ll try to talk to her about it tomorrow.”

“You do that.” Applejack sighed sadly, looking away. “You make sure you do that.”

---

Minutes after night had fallen, Princess Luna flew over the ramparts of Canterlot Castle. She soared around the Solar Tower once before fluttering to a halt on the balcony where her sister usually stood while lowering the sun. Celestia was nowhere to be seen. The lunar princess rushed inside, catching a glimpse of a striped pastel tail rapidly retreating down a flight of stairs. She followed at great speed, finally catching up to her sister in a narrow corridor. “Celestia!”

Celestia did not even look back. “Luna, I am tired,” she sighed. “Please, talk to me some other time.”

Luna did her best to swallow her frustration. “We haven’t spoken in a while,” she said carefully. “I thought you might want some company.”

“Not tonight, Luna.” Celestia shook her head and continued walking. “I’ve had a very long day and I wish to be alone. Perhaps some other time.”

Luna sighed and looked down. “That is what you said last night as well,” she muttered. Without realizing it she ground her rear left hoof against the floor, leaving a deep scratch in the marble.

This was a disturbing pattern that Luna had started to notice in her sister. Celestia had taken to rising just in time to raise the sun in the morning, pouring herself into her royal duties throughout the day, and then going back to bed just as night fell. This constant cycle left no time for her to speak with her little sister, or anypony for that matter. The lunar princess couldn’t recall the last time they’d had a proper conversation. She's pushing everyone else out, Luna realized. She's filling up all her time with work so she can hide what's really important to her. Just like I did, before... She could barely finish the thought. Before...

"Lady Luna." A voice broke into her thoughts, making the princess jump. She turned to find Sideline behind her. The mare probably hadn't meant to sneak up on her; her enchanted cloak made almost all of her movements soundless. "I'm sorry if I startled you," L's disguised voice crackled from beneath the hood. A tiny voice box was visible hanging around Sideline’s neck. "I suspected I might find you here. May I have a word in private?"

"Oh... of course, L. Come with me." Together, the two ponies made their way back the way Luna had come, arriving at the balcony overlooking most of Canterlot. The dark alicorn’s horn glowed momentarily, and a glittering cobweb of soundproofing magic formed in the air around them. "We can speak here. What did you wish to talk about?"

"I no longer trust the Night Court."

"That is... a very direct thing to say. Sudden, too." Luna pretended to look over the sleeping city before them. "What brought this on? Is Straw Bolt being too much to handle? I can have him removed from the proceedings."

"No, he is fine. Resistance to my proposals is always to be expected. What bothers me is that I am afraid that Kira has access to the information presented at the Night Court."

"You believe there's a spy in the Court?"

"Possibly. As soon as we tried to trick Kira with the false newspaper reports, he switched his targets to ponies already in prison. When I was beginning to put together a pattern of the times when he kills, he began killing one criminal on the hour, every hour. If we continue to discuss our conclusions in so public a manner, Kira will only continue to outmaneuver us."

"The Night Court is hardly public," Luna scoffed. "There's an intensive screening process before guests and applicants can even be considered."

"Nevertheless, information is being leaked. That is why I will no longer be attending sessions of the Night Court. Sideline will return to Ponyville as soon as possible. You may contact me through her if I am needed." The disguised pony tilted her head, as if in confusion; perhaps this was news to her as well. "If you still want to hold the Night Court on a nightly basis, I have no power to stop you. However, I feel that the group's usefulness has run out."

Luna thought about this for a minute. "I don't know if I'm prepared to abandon the Court so quickly," she said. "I told Celestia that we would be the ones to catch Kira. She may worry if she believes I’ve given up on it."

"She need not worry," L insisted. "I will be the one to catch Kira."

"Of course you are." Luna stifled a laugh and smiled affectionately. An unfamiliar sense of nostalgia washed over her. That's such an L thing to say. The voice changes, the methods change, but even after a thousand years, L's still the same. She sighed. It’s good that some things never change.

L continued. “It has also come to my attention that Kira has made some changes to his killing schedule. They were marked on the last report, but no details were given. Would you care to elaborate on that now?”

“Oh... yes. I was going to discuss those at the Court, but... okay.” While she trusted the strength of her own silencing spell, out of habit Luna looked around before continuing. “There were three deaths that occurred out of sequence with the others last night, all within the same hour, and within the next day there were three hours when nopony died. But some of the others...” Luna closed her eyes as she spoke and her voice fell, trying not to think about what she was saying. “One pony carved a suicide note in the wall with his horn and then stabbed himself to death. Another managed to buck down his cell door, not an easy feat at the best of times, then hung himself with his sheets without even taking a step outside. A third was accidentally trampled to death during a prison hoofball game. Normally we would have overlooked these, but they all happened exactly on the hour, in place of a pony having a heart attack.”

“Interesting.” L made strange noises that Luna correctly surmised were sounds of writing, then was silent for a minute. “This raises some interesting questions. It seems that Kira can kill with methods other than heart attacks, and possibly manipulate his victims before death. And now he is testing the limits of that power... How many of these reports have been released?”

“None, so far. Our experts are still trying to gather more data about these particular cases.”

"Shut them down. Shut them all down. If Kira is performing experiments, we must make every effort to ensure that the results of these trials do not reach him. If possible, we must make him believe that he has failed. From now on, within the Night Court and all official reports, those ponies died of heart attacks without any complications or strange behavior. Do I make myself clear?"

"Completely." Luna's head was reeling. Had L just given her an order? Her, Princess of the Night? But, at the same time, what he said made sense.

"Good. I hope to speak with you again soon. Please send the full reports of the deaths to my base in Ponyville. Otherwise, not a word." There was a pause. "It was good to see you again, Princess."

Luna considered giving the mare a hug, but decided it would be a pointless gesture. "You too, L." Sideline turned away, her cloak causing her to instantly blend in with the enveloping shadows. For the second time that night, Luna found herself alone on the balcony.

---

Byuk groaned as Twilight entered Ponyville’s spa. “This is pointless,” he whined. “I can’t talk to you here, I can’t eat apples, I can’t even feel the water. This is going to be so boring.” Twilight ignored him. A group of young mares strolled by, giggling to themselves, and Byuk’s eyes followed them. “Although,” he mused, “maybe it couldn’t hurt to freshen up a little. I think I’ll go haunt the showers. Ciao.” He drifted sideways through the wall, leaving Twilight rolling her eyes.

"Twilight, this way!" From a door at the end of the reception area Rarity waved at her impatiently. "I've already checked us in, and our tub is nearly ready!"

A few minutes later the pair were relaxing in the spa's large, ornate bathtub. Twilight sighed as she started to loosen up, her muscles aching as she released the tension she’d been building up over the past few days. Gentle and sweet fragrances wafted up towards her, calming her weary mind. Rarity had been right; she did need this.

The white unicorn, on the other hand, was looking more and more stressed by the minute. “Where is Fluttershy? It's not like her to be this late, not without a reason.”

"Um." A large, floral hat came into view above the edge of the tub. "I'm sorry, girls. I had to, um... I had to take a detour."

“Fluttershy!” Rarity practically leaped from the bath and began looking her friend up and down. She was dressed in all kinds of clashing green colours, along with a pair of oversized sunglasses. “What in the world possessed you to put on that ghastly getup? Those colours don't do you the least bit of justice.”

"I know. I mean, I'm sorry. I mean, I'm... hiding."

"Hiding?" Twilight leaned forward. "Hiding from what?

Fluttershy pawed at the ground nervously as Rarity busied herself undressing her. "I think... I think I'm being followed."

The two unicorns took a moment to take this in. Rarity reacted first. "Darling! You have a secret admirer!"

"What?" Twilight shook her head. "Rarity, are you sure?"

"Why, of course! To admire one's love from afar is one of the most romantic displays of affection. Oh, how I envy you two!" The unicorn sank back into the bath, swooning dramatically. Fluttershy followed more slowly, testing the water with her hooves before lowering herself in. "The noble stallion, be-smitten with admiration, has laid eyes on you and fallen in love at first sight! But so great is your beauty in his eyes that he cannot bring himself to approach you and reveal his innermost feelings for fear of rejection. What grand romantic gesture will follow? A single rose, delivered to your door each and every day by a cloaked stranger? A four-piece orchestra singing songs of praise outside your window? Tickets to the next grand Gala, with instructions to seek him out within the crowd? Oh, I cannot imagine how excited you must be!"

By this point the timid pegasus looked positively mortified. "Oh, that sounds... lovely." She sank a little further into the water. "But, um, I don't think it's like that. I'm worried it might be somepony who works for Photo Finish. She wants me to model for her again, and she's written some weird letters to me."

Rarity was undeterred. "Letters declaring her undying love?"

"Not really. I mean... weird letters. Really, really... weird." Fluttershy bit her lip and looked aside.

"Oh, don't worry, darling." Rarity put a comforting hoof on her friend's shoulder. "You'll find the pony of your dreams someday."

"Um..."

"Girls, I think you're missing the point," Twilight broke in. "This still doesn't answer the question of why Fluttershy's being followed. That must be terribly frightening."

The pegaus blushed. "It kind of is, a little..."

"My, Twilight, I'm surprised at you!” Rarity interrupted. “I thought you'd be able to appreciate the romantic gesture, especially with that magnificent stallion following you around."

"That has nothing to do with... what?" Twilight's brain caught up with her mouth. "What do you mean, somepony's following me?"

"Oh, you didn't know? That's strange. He was not the most subtle of ponies."

Twilight grabbed Rarity, panic starting to rise in her. "Rarity, you knew somepony was following me and you didn't tell me!?"

"Well I thought you knew!" her friend snapped back. “Really, darling, have you no eye for stallions at all? He shines like a burning light in the darkness. That mane... that horn..." The unicorn sighed. "Oh, I am so jealous! How did you of all ponies wind up with such an attractive suitor?"

Twilight sat back, thinking furiously. Is this the work of L? There's no way they could have figured me out so quickly. Her eyes landed on Fluttershy, who had closed her eyes and was doing her best to relax. Of course! He doesn't suspect me specifically, he's trying to narrow down the list of suspects. But what can I do about this? I can't keep using the Life Note in public, not with some spy watching me. I’ll have to deal with him, somehow... She caught sight of her friend’s expression. “Rarity, why don’t you talk to him?”

Rarity’s jaw dropped. “Twilight! That is not how a lady goes about these things!”

“Why not? You like him, don’t you?”

“Well, I...” The unicorn blushed. “Perhaps that’s not quite the word I would use, but...”

“So what’s the problem?” Twilight wracked her brain for a convincing argument; surely she’d read enough studies of romance to come up with something. “Rarity, you’ve spent your whole life waiting for other ponies to come to you. But how can you expect them to seek you out if you never reach out yourself?”

Rarity opened her mouth, then closed it. She turned to Fluttershy for support. “Dear, what is your take on this matter?”

“Um...” Fluttershy sank a little further into the water. “I don’t think I’m the best pony to ask, but... if a boy talks to me, and I don’t talk back... he usually doesn’t talk to me any more.”

“Well...” The unicorn turned back to Twilight. “Times are changing, I suppose,” she mused. “I doubt I would be seen as less of a lady if I were to simply, oh, announce my availability. Are you sure you wouldn’t mind, Twilight?”

“Of course not. I’d rather have a happy friend than a stalker any day.” And if she can’t get him off my back, nothing will. “Speaking of friends, have you talked to Applejack at all lately?”

Rarity’s expression soured instantly. “Oh, don’t talk to me about that... barbarian,” she grumbled.

“What happened?” Fluttershy asked, worried by her friend’s sudden shift in tone. “Did you two have another fight? It’s not good for friends to fight.”

“Oh, I know, dear, I know. Normally I would hate to drag out a disagreement for this long. But that pony... Augh!” She stomped in frustration, sending ripples out along the surface of the water. “I still absolutely cannot believe she supports Kira. Siding with such a monster is completely unforgivable.”

“But, Rarity...” She thinks I’m a monster? Twilight swallowed her own anger and reached out to her friend. “You used to be such good friends. Is a difference of opinion really more important than her?”

“Difference of opinion?” Rarity shot her a cold look. “Twilight Sparkle, this is not a difference of opinion. This is a clear-cut case of right and wrong. Now, if this Kira were simply avenging those who were killed unfairly, then perhaps I would sympathise with his cause. But killing burglars? Robbers? Petty thieves? That is not how a civilized pony deals with justice. No, what Kira does is simple, cold-blooded murder, disguised by only the pettiest, flimsiest excuse of moral justification.” The unicorn tossed her mane haughtily. “I absolutely will not tolerate the company of anypony who thinks they can defend that kind of evil.”

Now it was Twilight’s turn to be rendered speechless. Like her friend before her she turned to the pegasus across from her for help. “Fluttershy, do you think Kira’s that bad too?”

“C-could we talk about something else, please?” the winged pony squeaked.

Despite the soothing atmosphere an uncomfortable fog fell across the group, and the rest of the session was spent in relative silence.

---

“Where is he?”

“Near that alley. Try not to stare.”

Twilight allowed herself a quick glance as the trio left the spa. Sure enough, a light brown unicorn wearing a dark coat and sunglasses was idling just across the street from them, pretending to inspect a flower stall’s wares. From what she could see, she had to admit he did appear to have a certain charm. “Good luck, Rarity.”

“Thank you, Twilight. I’ll remember your advice.”

“This was fun. See you later, girls.” Decked out once more in her clashing coat and hat, Fluttershy quietly slipped away.

Rarity made her way across the street, while Twilight took a sharp turn back towards the library. “Why, darling!” she heard Rarity say. “What do you think you’re doing, wearing a coat like that in this weather? Please, you must let me help you find something more appropriate...”

Twilight allowed herself a smile as she galloped away.

---

It was after dark when Byuk finally arrived back at the library. As soon as he drifted through Twilight Sparkle's wall he began complaining. "You could have told me you were leaving," he whined. "I spent three hours waiting for you to show up. Do you know how boring it gets when the only pony I can talk to..." He stopped short. Twilight was hunched over her desk, the Death Note open before her. She had no quill; the pages were blank. Her breathing was sharp and ragged, as if she was choking back tears. "Hey. What's up?"

Twilight shivered. When she spoke her voice was low, and she didn't raise her head. "Byuk..." She sniffed. "Am I a bad pony?"

"You're asking the wrong god, little pony. Good, bad, you're the one with the Death Note." Byuk folded his wings and settled down next to the desk. "What brought this on?"

"It's just..." She sighed. "When you were in the Shinigami Realm, writing names in the Note to extend your life, how did you choose who to kill?"

"I chose people whose lives were almost at their end. I didn't get much time in one go, but I tried to interfere with the world as little as possible. I can't speak for the others, though." The shinigami scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I knew a couple who threw sand down to the worlds below and killed whoever it hit. I don't think any of us ever targeted any person in particular."

Twilight looked up. "You keep using that word. What are people?"

"Silly pony. You think pony worlds are the only ones out there?" The god gave a throaty chuckle. "This isn't the first time a god has fallen to another world, you know. Maybe someday I'll tell you that story."

"Maybe." Twilight turned back to the deadly notebook. "Did you ever worry that what you were doing was wrong? That maybe some ponies don't deserve to die?"

"Deserve?" A strange look crossed over Byuk's face, as though the word was unfamiliar to him. "What's deserve got to do with it? Everything dies."

"Even robbers? Even thieves? Even... heroes?" Twilight sniffed again. "I wanted to be justice. But Equestrian justice is based on the punishment fitting the crime. Am I right to condemn all ponies equally?"

"See, I never worried about that. Life, death, it's all the same."

"It's not the same. It's not all the same to me." Twilight closed her eyes. "Byuk... why me?"

Byuk blinked. "Huh?"

"Why me, of all ponies? Why not somepony who would use the Death Note more freely, somepony strong enough to not worry about the consequences? Why not somepony... more like you?"

"You're talking like I chose you." Byuk stretched and walked behind Twilight. "Listen closely, Twilight Sparkle. When I dropped the Death Note into this world, I had no idea that any pony would find it. I only meant to go down, pick it up, and see the sights before going home. If it came to you, it was completely by accident. It could just as easily have landed in the hooves of anypony else. You were not chosen, not by me, not by divine powers, not at all. You were never under any obligation to keep it. Which is why I'm going to give you a choice." Byuk twirled Twilight's chair around, making her stare into his enormous eyes. "At any time, you can relinquish ownership of the Death Note and return it to me. If you were to do this, all your thoughts and memories of the Note would vanish. It would be as though you had never discovered the book at all."

"All my memories..." Twilight's eyes widened. "You would do that for me?"

"I would do that for any pony. It's one of the rules. Of course, any pony you've killed would stay dead." Byuk released the chair and backed away. "Personally, I'd prefer if you don't take that route. Then I'd have to go home, and I wanted to see how this game between you and L plays out."

The name struck a nerve within the unicorn. "L..." Twilight muttered.

"Yes, L. See, that's more like the Kira I know, the one who wants to rid the world of crime."

"To rid the world of crime..."

For Moondancer.

"You're right. I can't let myself be lenient. No crime means no compromise, no matter what. And if Celestia won't punish those who've done wrong..." Twilight rose, passion returning to her voice. "Then I will!" Byuk smiled. Twilight smiled back. "Thank you, Byuk, but no thank you. I don't think I'll be needing to give up the Note just yet."

"Glad to hear it."

"But there is one thing I do need. I need to know the identities of the spies walking around Ponyville. Taking out just the one following me would look suspicious, but if they were all to disappear at the same time...”

“I see what you’re getting at.” Byuk nodded thoughtfully. “And I suppose you want me to do something about it?”

“Would you?”

“Nope.” Byuk cackled and floated up towards the ceiling. “I’m not on your side, Twilight Sparkle. I’m not on L’s side either. I want to see who can out-think the other, and that means no interference from me.” He held up a hoof as Twilight opened her mouth to argue. “But there is one thing I can give you. It comes with the Death Note, in a way, so it wouldn’t be cheating. I don’t think you’re going to like it, though.”

“Whatever it is, I can take it if it helps me get to L.”

“I thought you’d say that.” The god smiled and drifted closer. “A shinigami’s eyes are different to those of most beings. I can see a pony’s name and lifespan just by looking at their face. For a price, I can enchant your eyes in the same way. It's undetectable, infallible, and lasts the rest of your life. If you kept your eyes open, you could learn those ponies’ names in no time.”

Twilight grinned widely, trying to calm her beating heart. “What’s the price?” she asked, barely containing her excitement.

“One half of your remaining lifespan.” Byuk let out another laugh as the pony’s face fell. “If you have fifty years left, you’d have twenty-five. If you have twenty, you’d have ten. If you have two... you get the idea.”

“Right.” Twilight kicked at the ground. “And I guess I’m not allowed to know how long I have until afterwards, right?”

“Bingo.” The god extended his hoof towards her face. “So, my little pony, what do you say?”

---

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that good advice can come from all kinds of places that you’d never expect. Sometimes, a pony can get so used to thinking they know everything about a topic that they start to believe they can’t ever be wrong. But if you take the time to listen to those with differing opinions, you might realize you’ve been going about something the wrong way all along. It’s always important to listen to what your friends have to say, because you never know when they’re going to surprise you.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle