Chiyoda, Tokyo — Mori Amaterasu

"You know, I've been meaning to ask you, Riko," said Amaterasu, waiting at a bus stop with a younger sister who was heading back home today, "what's with the evil smile?"

Riko's maniacal grin widened. "Well, I was going to wait until the bus came," Riko said, "but if you must know... You know how you told Okāchan and Otōchan that you wanted to be an artist?"

"And they practically disowned me for 'throwing my life away'?" Amaterasu said. "Yeah, Riko. Yeah, I remember." Every since then Amaterasu and her parents had had a strained relationship, rarely even speaking to each other. Riko was the only family Amaterasu kept in touch with anymore.

"Yeah, that," Riko said, rolling her eyes at her sister's negativity, "well, they've come around."

"What do you mean?" Amaterasu said skeptically.

"What I mean, Nēchan," said Riko, "is that they realized they don't want to lose their daughter."

"Well, they're six years too late," Amaterasu pointed out.

"I know," Riko said, "and so do they. They still wanted to give you something, though."

"I don't want anything they have to offer," Amaterasu said firmly.

"I think you'll change your mind when you hear this," Riko said with a laugh. "You know how you always talked about how you wanted to go to Italy? How there are all the amazing sights and things you could draw?"

Amaterasu wondered where this was going, and then her eyes widened. "You're not serious..."

"Yup," Riko said, pulling a piece of paper out of her bag and handing it to her sister, "I am." It had flight information on it, as well as a note on the bottom from their parents stating that they would send her some money to use during her time there.

Amaterasu laughed bitterly. "How blunt. 'Here's your bribe, so forgive us.' They didn't even bother leaving a message."

"Give them a break, Nēchan," Riko said. "They're doing the best they can. It's not easy for them, either."

Amaterasu was silent for a minute. Then she remembered her sister's grin. It was excited, but also sneaky. That evil little grin Riko always had when they were little and she was about to do something bad. "The second ticket," Amaterasu dared to ask, "is it for...?"

"I've got four weeks of vacation from July to August," Riko laughed as her bus pulled up. "I'll see you then, Nēchan!"

Amaterasu sighed. Was this even an apology, or just an excuse for her parents to get rid of their mischievous daughter for a few weeks by throwing her Amaterasu's way? She supposed it didn't matter. Whatever her parents intended, this was something she wanted, and she knew it would be an experience to remember.

She already knew where her first stop would be.

Marino, Lazio — Alessandro Gagliari

"Come on, Sandro, you can admit it. It's just you and me."

Alessandro took a sip of his soda, doing his best to ignore his friend Gaetano. It was a weekend, and the two had gone out for lunch. It was a nice day out, and they were sitting outside on a bench, Gaetano smoking a cigarette, and Alessandro tightly holding onto his glass bottle of Fanta like it was a prized possession.

Gaetano was four years older than Alessandro (or "Sandro", as his friends called him), but the two were close friends who had practically grown up together. Gaetano was busy with university, but he could always find time for his friend when he wasn't busy trying to pick up cute girls (he had a questionable success rate).

Alessandro kept his lips on the glass bottle, pretending to drink its now empty contents, and willing to do so forever if it meant avoiding answering his friend's question.

"I know your bottle is empty, idiot," Gaetano said, blowing a puff of smoke into his friends face simply to annoy him. "It's glass."

Alessandro coughed and fanned away the smoke with his hand. Smoking was by no means uncommon in Italy, but Alessandro had never smoked, despite having been offered several times. He didn't want to start smoking because his parents did. Because his father did.

"Quit it, you ass," Alessandro said. "What do you want from me?"

"Just for you to admit it," Gaetano said. "Admit that you're happy he's dead."

"Why, Gaetano? What's the point in that? What difference will it make?"

"Maybe then you'll stop feeling so guilty," Gaetano said, throwing his cigarette on the ground and putting it out with the tip of his boot. "The bastard had it coming."

"But I wanted it," Alessandro said, staring at nothing. Well, nothing Gaetano could see. Alessandro, on the other hand, looked into the eyes of the monster who had come to him one night and confirmed that his father's death was his own doing. The figure that constantly stood there as a reminder of his sin.

Every day he would pray for forgiveness, and every Sunday he would go to Church with his mother like he always did, but the peace of mind he once felt whenever he was there was now gone. The separation of himself and the troubles of the outside world through the solace the Church had to offer no longer comforted or distracted him. His father was no longer the monster ruining his life, but it was Alessandro himself who was the monster, the monster in front of him acting as a constant reminder.

He had even told a priest. He had gone to Confession and told everything to a priest. He had written down his father's name in a notebook, a notebook of death, and his father had died just as the title suggested. He didn't tell the priest why he did it, though. He didn't think it mattered. He told the priest how a God of Death had later approached him and informed him of his sins. Oddly enough, the Father believed him.

"Demons sometimes make their way into this world in an attempt to corrupt those who are lost, as you are," the priest had said. "They take many forms. You say this demon is visible to you? Is it with you even now?"

"Yes, Padre," Alessandro had answered.

"My child, you can see the demon," the priest pointed out, "which means it is not inside you. It does not possess you. There is hope for your mortal soul yet, and I shall pray for you. Repent, my child. Repent through your sins and be forgiven in the eyes of God. He shall protect you from these demons and from the Devil as you protect and help others."

"Thank you, Padre," Alessandro had said.

"Do not thank me, my child," said the priest, "for it is God who watches over us all, not I. Now, pray with me:
"Our Father, who art in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Give us this day
Our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those
Who trespass against us
And lead us not
Into temptation
And deliver us
From Evil--"

"Amen."

"What was that, Sandro?" Gaetano said.

"Nothing," his friend said, turning from Aitseh to look at his friend and give him a reassuring smile. "Nothing at all."

Gaetano stared at him blankly, hiding whatever he was thinking.

"Whether you're glad or not, Sandro," Gaetano began, "things will be better for you and your mother now. You can't deny that, and you shouldn't. God forgive me for saying this, but your father's death was a gift for you and your mother."

"Maybe," Alessandro admitted. "Papà is gone, and Mamma is grieving, but when that pain fades, she will no longer have any need to cry or fear."

"And thank God for that," said Gaetano.

"Thank God," Alessandro agreed. For his mercy, and his willingness to give Alesssandro another chance.

Chiyoda, Tokyo — Mori Amaterasu

She sat in a chair in the waiting area next to her gate, looking at her younger sister who slept sitting upright in the chair next to her. She looked uncomfortable, but peaceful, her mouth open as she let out little snores. Amaterasu couldn't help but smile fondly as she drew the scene in her sketchbook. Just her and Riko; just like when they were little and Amaterasu would wait at home and watch her sister as the two waited for their parents to return from work. Sometimes they would have to go to bed before they even came home.

It was her and Riko growing up, and when her parents were home it was mostly silence, the only time they spoke seemed to be when they were telling their kids to do something: Amaterasu, stop drawing and review your Shinto studies; Riko, enough playing, it's time to practice playing the mandolin; girls, stop talking and go study your English.

Amaterasu planned on having fun on this trip, but for her, this gift was still just an empty gesture from her parents. What would they do if she came back? Make her have her Coming of Age Ceremony that she had never had and never wanted to? Expect that she would have given up on art and get a "real" job? Have her go to a miai in hopes that they could marry her off and not have to worry about her or the disproving looks and comments given by their "friends". Amaterasu had no interest in any of that.

She was snapped out of her trance when she heard the beeping sound that indicated her plane had arrived and noticed the sign with her gate number on it was glowing. Time to depart, then. She nudged her sister, who bolted up, letting out a startled shriek and earning several annoyed and otherwise bemused glances from others in the airport. Amaterasu held back a laugh as she gestured for her sister to grab her carry-on bag and ticket and get on the plane.

Tivoli, Lazio — Mori Amaterasu

"Tivoli," Riko said. "Tivoli, Tivoli, Tivoli. What the hell's in Tivoli? I've never even heard of Tivoli. What about Rome or Piza, or Venice? The Colosseum, the Leaning Tower, the gondolas!"

"The Tivoli Gardens are here," Amaterasu explained.

"Gardens?" said Riko. "Gardens? I could go home, walk into the backyard and look at Okāchan's flower beds if I wanted to see a garden!
"Give me the Sistine Chapel, the Basilica, some cute Italian guys! But a garden? Come on, Nēchan!"

Amaterasu groaned. She reached a hand into her bag and pulled out her wallet, counted some bills, and handed some money to her sister. "Take some euro and go buy a souvenir or something. Meet me here at three!"

"Yes!" Riko cheered, happily taking the money from her sister. "Gladly! Thanks, Nēchan!"

"Yeah, yeah," Amaterasu said as her sister ran off. "Stay safe, and pick up your phone if I call you!"

"Whatever!" said Riko, causing her sister to roll her eyes and sigh.

It was nine o'clock; Amaterasu had wanted to get an early start (which garnered much protest from Riko), but she was low on energy. She looked at her tourist map, stopping to remember whether or not she'd given Riko one. After determining she had, she skimmed the map and looked for somewhere she could go and buy coffee. It looked like there was a Starbucks a few blocks away.

She got to the Starbucks, ordered some type of cappuccino she'd never heard of, and then started walking again, looking at the map to see if there was anything she could do for the next few hours before she headed for the gardens. Next thing she knew she had bumped into a person she hadn't even noticed, both of their belongings falling to the ground, including Amaterasu's coffee.

"Mi dispiace, Signorina!" he said, bending down to help Amaterasu pick up her things.

"Sandro, sei imbranato!" his friend said, doing the same.

"Stai zitto, Gaetano," the first muttered.

Amaterasu picked up a white notebook and handed it to the man who had bumped into her. No, not quite a man. He was still a boy, probably around Riko's age. Noticing something out of the corner of her eye, Amaterasu glanced at the figure. Managing to hold back a gasp, her eyes darted back to the ground.

"Ehi, Signorina... sta bene?" the second man said.

Amaterasu merely nodded absent mindedly as she continued to pick up her things. Collecting herself, she stood up and stared at the first man, who handed Amaterasu her belongings, and she handed him back his own.

"E il suo café; fammi si comprerò un nuovo café. È il minimo che posso fare."

As if hearing him for the first time, Amaterasu raised an eyebrow. "Eh?"

The man raised an eyebrow in turn before a look of realization came onto his face, and he chuckled in amusement. "I am sorry," he said in English. "American tourist?"

"Japanese," Amaterasu said, glad to hear a language she recognized, "but I know English."

"Then we have a way of communicating," the man said with a smile. "Good." His accent was charming, and were he a few years older, Amaterasu probably would have found herself attracted to him. No doubt Riko would have be enamored if she were there to see him. "My name is Alessandro, and I am sorry for walking into you. I was... distracted."

"Seriamente?" said his friend. "Non anche sentevi me? Stronzo." He rolled his eyes and turned to Amaterasu. "Piacere, Signorina. My name is Gaetano. I also apologize for his stupidity."

"It's no problem," Amaterasu assured him with a nervous laugh. "My name is Amaterasu."

Alessandro and Gaetano stared at her blankly.

"You can just call me 'Terasu', if that's easier for you," she said with a laugh.

"Thank you," Alessandro said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "When I was speaking in Italian I was asking if I could buy you a new coffee because I spilled yours when I walked into you."

"Um, sure," Amaterasu decided after a moment of thought.

"Follow me," he said. "I know a nice little place that has the best coffee in all of Tivoli."

"Ma hai terribile gusto, Sandro," Gaetano jeered, earning a glare from his friend.

"Stai zitto, Gaetano," Alessandro repeated, his tone indicating that his patience was wearing thin. "Are you planning on seeing any specific place?" Alessandro asked once the three of them had started walking.

"Yes," Amaterasu said. "I was planning on getting some lunch and then going to the gardens." She pulled out her sketch book. "I was hoping to get some nice drawings."

"Ah, you draw?" he said. "That is nice. The garden is beautiful."

"That's what I heard," she replied.

"Ehi, Sandro," said Gaetano, apparently having no problem speaking Italian and leaving Amaterasu out of the conversation. "È una bella fica, no?"

"Madonna," Alessandro said with a sigh.

After what seemed like hours, but was only just a few minutes, the three arrived at the café Alessandro had spoken of.

"Caffè Rouge?" said Gaetano, frowning at his friend. "Odio Caffè Rouge!"

"Odii tutto!" Alessandro exclaimed. "Vai!"

The three entered the café and sat at a table. "Gaetano, you buy the coffee."

"Ha rovesciato il café della donna, Sandro!" Gaetano argued. "Dammi i suoi soldi!"

"OK, OK," said Alessandro, giving his friend a handful of euro.

"What would you like, Terasu?" Gaetano asked. He glanced at his friend. "E Sandro?"

After taking their orders Gaetano got in line to buy the coffee.

"You know... I like your notebook," Amaterasu said once they were alone.

"Hmm?" Alessandro replied. "Ah, il mio quaderno? ...Thank you."

"You can tell a lot about a person by their notebook," Amaterasu said, staring at the white notebook sticking out of Alessandro's bag. "Even just by touching it."

"Veramente?" said Alessandro once he had processed the meaning of her words. Unlike his friend, Alessandro was clearly a bit rusty with his English, probably thinking he would never need to use it. Still, he understood the gist of what Amaterasu had said, and smiled in amusement at her comment. "And what did you notice?"

"You have been writing."

"Of course," he said, giving a nervous chuckle. "It is a notebook."

"Names."

Alessandro stopped and turned to look at Amaterasu. For a moment he looked as though he was considering running away, but he ultimately decided against it.

"When you touch someone else's Death Note, you can see their God of Death," she whispered into his ear.

"Come...?"

Amaterasu reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. "Touch it."

And he did. He touched the paper, which Amaterasu casually slipped back into her bag, and stared with gaping eyes at the blue monster standing in front of him.

"Don't look," said Amaterasu. "Act natural."

"Perché non mi hai detto, Aitseh?" said Alessandro. He was looking directly at Amaterasu, but she assumed that he was speaking to his Shinigami.

"Non hai chiesto," the Shinigami replied casually.

Amaterasu made sure to lower her voice when she next spoke. "Are you the one that's been killing the rapists?" Amaterasu asked.

Alessandro stared at her in confusion, and then he looked to his Shinigami for help.

"First I'm stuck in the Human World, and now I'm a translator?" Aitseh mumbled. "Uccidi i stupratori?"

"I stupratori?" Alessandro echoed. "That is Kira."

"No, it is not."

Alessandro raised his eyebrows in surprise. "È Kira?"

She didn't speak Italian, but she could tell what he meant, and she nodded slowly. "The old one died. I am the new Kira, but there is another. The one killing the rapists."

"It is not me," he said. "I only wrote one name."

"Why?"

"Perché?" he echoed in Italian, taken aback by the question. He looked silently at the notebook he held in his hands, a distant look in his eyes. "Uccidere mio padre."

Amaterasu looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to translate what he had said, but he didn't.

"Was it an accident?"

Alessandro shook his head. "No."

"Then why stop there?" Amaterasu wondered.

"Che diavolo? È pazza?" he said, his voice tinged with disgust.

She didn't need to know what he was saying. She could tell. His tone, for one thing, not to mention Amaterasu was an artist. Body posture, facial expressions. She knew them all. "You are already a murderer. You have already killed someone."

"Per proteggerla!" Alessandro snapped. Amaterasu raised an eyebrow, and Alessandro seemed to remember the language barrier between the two. "I did it to... to protect her."

"Who?"

"Che significa? Why do you need to know?" Alessandro ran his fingers through his brown curls. "Ma anche allora... sebbene proteggevo Mamma, ho peccato quando ho uccidato Papà." Alessandro was silent for a moment, trying and failing to think of the proper translation, as these were words he never thought he would need to know. "I... I... did bad when I made him die. Even if to protect her."

"Did you?" Amaterasu said. "You saved her. Is that bad?"

"Ma il Padre..." Alessandro trailed off. Alessandro had never told the priest of his father's sins; his father's wrongdoings. Did Judas not kill himself after he betrayed Jesus to the Romans? Did God not send seven plagues to punish the Egyptians for not letting Moses's people go? Did the evil not deserve to be punished?

"No," he said. "...I do not know, but it is not important. She is safe now. I protected her."

"Alright," Amaterasu said, "but why not protect others, too?" Amaterasu gave Alessandro a warm smile and took his hands in her own. "You saved one person, but there are others in trouble."

"I... That is true," Alessandro admitted. "Maybe... we can talk about it after coffee, Terasu."

Amaterasu giggled. "Okay, Alessandro."

Perhaps Amaterasu hadn't even noticed what she'd just done. She may have been completely unaware of how she had just manipulated the boy, or perhaps she had done so intentionally. Amaterasu had experience: she was a teacher. In the end she could always convince her students that she was right.

"I'm back," said Gaetano, setting down three cups of coffee. "La coda è molta lunga. È ridicolosa." Gaetano looked at an unnerved Alessandro, raising an eyebrow. "Sandro? ...Stai bene?"

"Sì, sì," Alessandro assured his friend, smiling after a moment. "Abbastanza bene."

========================================================

A/N: I translated this myself instead of using an online translator. Meaning that it greatly sucks, but it's still probably better than if I used Google Translate lol

Also, I would like to apologize to Caffè Rouge. I have nothing against you. I just needed a café in Tivoli to insult, and you were there.

In case you use Google Translate to discern what Alessandro and Gaetano were talking about, be aware that at one point Gaetano uses an extremely vulgar word. Aside from it's literal meaning, it is also slang, meaning a really attractive woman, but even as slang it is considered extremely lewd. If you say it to a woman's face, you'll probably get slapped.

Alessandro's so inadvertently amusing at times. He calls her crazy, but he says it formally. Because if you're going to insult someone at least insult them respectfully. XD