Penguins...

(AN: Wassup, two chapters today, next chapter has an annoucement at the end)

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[The Market]

The shopping cart hurtled through the aisles, an unusual scene unfolded that drew attention from those around. Atop the cart, a couple of penguins snatched items off the shelves and tossed them into the cart as they passed.

"How long have they been at it?" One refugee said, their eyes moved to the sound and brief images of the cart.

"Beats me," another replied, chuckling. "I still can't get over the fact that one of them is used as a booster."

A third onlooker pointed at the trail of foam marking the cart's path. "Looks like foam, doesn't it?"

"No way that tiny penguin's stomach could house a fire extinguisher, right?"

Who knows, they might be magical," the first spectator mused, the hum of the shopping cart blending into the background, not entirely masking the approaching footsteps. "So, what do you know about their world?

"Just the ordinary, really. Nothing much going on, except the animals seem smarter than usual,"

"I see," the first onlooker nodded, returning to the cart's chaotic spree just as it made a beeline towards the counter where Kazuhiro stood, utterly unbothered by the commotion.

Misty returned from the information kiosk with Ash and Pikachu in tow. They found Brock standing with his arms crossed as he watched the scene unfold across the aisles.

"It's kind of weird, you know. They remind me of a certain Pokémon because of how they look, but" Brock mused, scratching his chin thoughtfully. His eyes followed the shopping cart, zipping back and forth. "Their appearance and the fact that they can talk is a big difference."

"From what I've read, they're called 'animals.' I wonder if you could catch them like Pokémon," Ash pondered aloud, 

"Pi..." Pikachu chirped curiously from his shoulder.

Misty shook her head, a few strands of hair falling across her face as she corrected him. "That's not going to work. Remember what that kid said? Our Pokéballs only work in our world. They'd be useless anywhere else."

Brock tapped his foot against the ground, a new idea forming. "Well, maybe we don't need to catch them," he suggested. "We could try taming them instead. I have seen some trainers who work closely with their Pokémon without confining them to Pokéballs."

Misty considered this, nodding slowly. "That's actually not a bad approach," 

"Hey, do you think we could go to other worlds too?" Curious, Ash looked towards Brock as if he carried the answers

"It's possible," Brock replied, his gaze drifting towards Kazuhiro, who stood behind the counter. "But something tells me that exploring other worlds wouldn't be free."

A later scene jolted most of those around as the cart crashed into the counter with a loud clang, sending items sprawling. The penguins jumped and flipped onto the cashier counter. One was slightly off balance, slipped and fell, but quickly recovered and hopped back up, his feathers slightly ruffled.

"Kenny—" Skipper started, only to be promptly corrected by Kowalski.

"It's Kazuhiro, sir." 

"Kazohero," Skipper stretched out a fin authoritatively as he tried again, adjusting after Kowalski's whispered correction. "We've gathered the basics, but there's more we're after." He motioned to Kowalski, "Write it down for Koby here."

"Kazuhiro." Yet again, Kowalski corrected in the background, now ready with his notepad, caught the red marker Rico regurgitated and prepared to jot down the new list.

"First," Skipper's eyes locked on Kazuhiro's face. We need plane parts such as working engines, turbo boosters, and even airline meals. Or, since you mentioned this place has everything, get the whole shebang in one go."

"Those can be found, however—" Kazuhiro nodded, about to speak, but Skipper raised a fin to halt him.

"Hold it, Kevin, I'm not done yet." using yet another incorrect name, which Kowalski no longer bothered to correct. "Second thing on the list..." 

Skipper's list of demands grew lengthy and precise, rattling off continuously for nearly five minutes. Most bystanders had tuned out the detailed inventory, choosing to rest or divert their attention elsewhere in the market.

"And make sure the statue is as detailed as possible, got that?" Skipper concluded, casting a critical eye over the pile of notes Kowalski had compiled. "If you're missing anything, these notes should cover it," he added as Kowalski tore off yet another piece of paper, adding it to the teetering stack.

Kazuhiro picked up one of the notes to review it. The paper was nothing more than a mess of scribbles, utterly indecipherable. Fortunately, his slightly enhanced intelligence had captured the essentials of their request, though some minor details might have slipped through.

"It's possible to fulfill these requests," Kazuhiro finally said, his voice calm and measured. "But be aware; the cost will be substantial."

"Money isn't the issue." Skipper retorted briskly. "Rico!" he called out, signaling the small penguin to regurgitate any treasures he might be hiding. After a moment of struggle, and with Private patting his back to assist, Rico managed to expel a few valuable items, though far less than expected.

"Skippa, no more gold is coming out," Private reported, looking slightly dismayed as he watched Rico cough up a few screws, metal scraps, and a handful of silver coins. Hardly any of the treasure trove they might have hoped for came out.

Skipper's face fell for a moment before he snapped back into his usual upbeat self. "Well, that's alright! We can work something out, right?" he chirped, looking at Kazuhiro.

"There are ways to earn income," Kazuhiro said, his voice calm and steady, catching the attention of the four penguins.

"Go on, we're listening." Skipper urged, his curiosity piqued.

"One of them is by getting a loan." Kazuhiro paused and walked a few steps, later gesturing with one of his long, claw-like hands towards a large bulletin board. The penguins followed his actions. "And the other is one of our latest methods, and that is to complete missions across worlds."

The concept intrigued Skipper, and he turned his eyes to the board. "Missions, you say?" He scratched his beak thoughtfully. "Kowalski!" He turned, flippers behind his back. "Are we in a rush to get to New York?"

"Not necessarily, sir," Kowalski affirmed, stepping up to the bulletin board and inspecting the notes. "With the abundance of food and fresh water on that island, we are in no rush to take flight to New York. With the lemurs around and the necessary parts, we might be able to build a sustainable plane in six to nine months."

"Sixty-nine months?!" Skipper exclaimed, his eyes widened.

"No, six to nine months," Kowalski clarified patiently. "Going back to what Kazuhiro said from the start about the concept of worlds. Our best bet is to salvage whatever resources the world has to offer to trade to get the necessary parts." Kowalski inspected the small rewards given as they weren't enough. "Given the amounts shown, it may take time. Plus, it's surprising that I can read what's written," he added, a bit shocked as he turned back to face Skipper.

Skipper nodded, absorbing the information. "Alright, soldiers, looks like we've got ourselves a mission within a mission. Let's get to it and earn what we need!" He turned back to Kazuhiro. "We'll take on these missions. Just point us in the right direction."

Kazuhiro nodded. "Very well, but you will have to fill a contract. Would you prefer to be of seasoned or novice rank?"

Skipper smirked, "I think we all know which rank we belong to, right boys?" He turned to his team, who exchanged enthusiastic fin slaps,

"The seasoned rank will cost 25SC each, totaling 100SC for all four of you," Kazuhiro explained, his eerie, featureless face giving nothing away.

"Aren't you being a bit too greedy, Kenny? Making us pay just to do missions?" Skipper retorted, narrowing his eyes at the towering figure.

"It's part of the market's services. However, the novice rank is free. After completing a certain number of missions, you can rank up to seasoned. You can also pay to rank up later if you wish," Kazuhiro clarified, his calm demeanor unwavering.

"Kowalski, analysis!" Skipper barked, turning to his second-in-command.

Kowalski tapped his beak thoughtfully. "Based on our current assets, we can't afford seasoned status for all of us, sir. Our only options are to either work our way up or gather resources to pay to rank up."

"Fine," Skipper sighed, "baby rank it is." He turned back to Kazuhiro, 

Kazuhiro nodded and took a few steps to the counter where a small stack of papers lay. He marked four by shading in the novice choice. He then handed the adventurer contracts to each penguin. "Sign these, and you'll be ready to pick any available mission on the board by simply ripping the note off," he instructed, his long, claw-like hands steady as he distributed the documents.

"Rico," Skipper called, as Rico promptly spat out a pen that Skipper caught. Holding the pen with both fins, he signed the document beneath his feet and then passed it to the others, who also began to sign it. "Are there any more payments we should know about?" he asked, raising a brow.

"There are additional fees," Kazuhiro responded smoothly. "If you have read the document, which I noticed you didn't, you would have known about the travel fees, failure fees, facility fees, and several others. These will accumulate and can be paid by the end of the month."

"Sheesh, who knew you were so money-hungry," Skipper muttered. After the others finished signing their documents. A later scene occured as the contracts whispered to Ash and items materialized near Kazuhiro, revealing exactly four cards draped in bronze. The sight made Skipper whistle in appreciation while the other three stared with mouths agape. "A money-hungry freak to add," The comment was directed towards the supernatural rather than Kazuhiro's appearance.

He handed each card to its new owner, with their names attached. "These are your adventurer cards. Losing them will require you to pay extra fees for it to reappear," he said, his tone unchanging.

"More fees? What is this, Congress in session?" Skipper muttered, but loud enough for his team to hear. "Rico! Safeguard these cards and never let them see the light of day until it's necessary." He handed his card and the rest to Rico, who saluted before swallowing the cards whole.

"Kowalski!" Skipper turned. "Assess the missions. Filter out the dull ones."

"I've already done a preliminary scan, sir," Kowalski reported, adjusting his invisible glasses. "Most of the more exciting missions are reserved for seasoned ranks. The ones available to us are mainly support roles and resource gathering."

Skipper's face fell slightly. "Seriously? None? And here I thought it would get better."

"Well, there is one mission that stands out," Kowalski replied. "It's an operation to deal with a gang of street cats causing trouble in the neighborhood. Authorities have a hard time catching them."

"A cat gang, huh?" Skipper's eyes sparkled with interest. "That's more like it. Alright, boys, we've got our mission. Let's show these cats they picked the wrong neighborhood to mess with. Rip out the note, kawalski."

Kazuhiro observed silently, curious about how the market's system would recognize their team dynamic. As Kowalski tore the note from the board, a muffled ting was heard inside Rico, drawing everyone's attention.

"Got something to say, Rico?" Skipper asked, eyeing the blushing penguin.

Rico, with his usual promptness, spat out the source of the noise: a gently glowing card with Kowalski's name on it.

"Hm, I think I might understand what's going on here. You," Kazuhiro remarked thoughtfully. He pointed at Kowalski. "Hand that note to him," he gestured towards Private, curious to test his theory. 

Skipper bristled slightly. "And who gave you the right to order my men?" he challenged, then turned to Kowalski. "Kowalski, pass that note to Private."

Kowalski complied, transferring the note to Private. Another ting echoed from within Rico, followed by Private's card being expelled.

'It appears the market recognizes and assigns members for a mission when the note is handed off, allowing them to form a group.' Kazuhiro thoughtfully concluded.

"I think I get the gist of what's happening here," Skipper said, scratching his beak. "Kowalski?"

"To summarize, the note assigns those who touch it as a group," Kowalski confirmed

"You don't say? Private, hand me that note," Skipper ordered, wanting to verify.

Private complied and handed the note to Skipper, resulting in another ting from Rico's void-like stomach.

Skipper glanced at the note before slapping it on to Rico's back, producing yet another ting. "Looks like we're officially a crew on this mission," Skipper declared with satisfaction.

Kazuhiro interjected, "To start your mission, simply leave through the main entrance with the note in hand. It will take you to your destination."

"You heard him," Skipper said, stuffing the adventurer cards back inside Rico's mouth. "Let's roll." The penguins slid on their bellies towards the exit.

Meanwhile, Ash, Misty, and Brock approached Kazuhiro. "We overheard your conversation, and after thinking it over, we'd like to sign up as adventurers too," Brock said, trying to keep a serious face despite the flush on his cheeks.

Misty gave Brock a sidelong glare, suspecting his true motivations. She muttered something under her breath but didn't argue.

"Very well—" Kazuhiro started, but the sound of zaps and electricity from the entrance interrupted him. Rico lay slightly burnt on the floor, still alive but looking worse for wear. The commotion drew everyone's attention.

"Rico!" Skipper shouted, rushing over. "Who did this to you?" He cradled Rico's body, glaring at Kazuhiro. "Was it you?!"

Kazuhiro observed the scene and shook his head. "It's not within my intentions to harm anyone. It's one of the market's security defenses against those that break the rules. To trigger such mechanisms, your friend may have harmed someone—" he couldn't, as Skipper interjected.

"Rico wouldn't hurt a fly! Well, not right now," Skipper said, his suspicion not entirely fading.

Kazuhiro observed silently. "As I was saying, the other thing which would trigger it would be to steal or to sneak out the wares and products from the market without payment."

The penguins' eyes widened in realization. "Well, we've been caught. Rico, spit it out." Rico struggled but complied, expelling a stash of snacks, treats, and small products. Skipper sighed, "Alright, no more sticky flippers, boys. We'll earn our keep the right way." Kawalski approached and assisted Rico as they left the endless domain.

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[W4 (Deathnote)]

[Yagami's residence]

Step. Step. Step

A middle-aged woman stopped cleaning the dishes and turned to the sound of footsteps descending the stairs. She noticed that it was her son, Light, who now wore a coat. "Are you Going somewhere?"

"To the convenience store since I'll stay up a bit tonight to finish an assignment; while I'm at it, I'll also take out the trash." Light smiled at his mother.

"Oh, that reminds me, there's a small box beside the front door; throw that out, too. It's a bunch of old things that no longer have any use." 

Light nodded and walked to the hallway. He grabbed the trash bag and the box and left the house. 

Light's footsteps echoed softly against the pavement as he walked, the cool evening air brushing against his face. He went down the dimly lit street, carrying a trash bag and a small box filled with old, unused items.

"Care to explain why the shinigami are on its side?" Light muttered, keeping his voice low as he walked past a narrow alleyway. He knew Ryuk was close behind,

"I've heard stories, and that's about it," Ryuk replied nonchalantly.

Light tossed the trash into a nearby bin, and his mind began to theorize. "An ally is a big stretch. For that to happen, it must have offered the shinigami something they all needed, something that resolved their weaknesses or fulfilled their desires."

Ryuk's eyes glinted with amusement. "Hn, from what I heard, your words carry partial truth. So, do you want to summon it here?" Light continued walking, heading towards the convenience store. "I guess not," Ryuk followed closely.

After a minute of silence, Light spoke again. "Is it possible to control where that door should appear?" he asked, his voice thoughtful.

"It is," Ryuk said, his tone more serious. "From what I've heard, you can focus on the spot where you want it to appear. To summon the door, simply envision the place you have seen."

Light nodded, absorbing the information as they reached the convenience store. The door opened with a soft ding, and a blast of cold air greeted him. He moved from shelf to shelf, gathering snacks, drinks, sweets, and a bag of chips to keep him fueled for the night.

With nothing else to get, he headed for the cashier's counter. The worker casually scanned the order, later turning the screen to face it towards Light. He paid the amount due. The worker later bagged his stuff and wished him farewell as he left with Ryuk trailing behind.

"Can I have some?" Ryuk asked as they stepped outside, eyeing the bag of snacks.

"You can buy your own," Light said flatly, checking the items in the bag before pulling out a small chocolate bar for himself and unwrapping it.

"Hm? You aren't coming then?" Ryuk tilted his head, curious.

"No," his voice was firm as he took a bite from the sweet.

A soft hum from the alleyway drew Ryuk's attention. A subtle light emerged from the darkness, revealing a golden door with a scale symbol engraved at its center.

The strange scene in front of Ryuk's eyes was disturbed by Light's voice, which made him turn to face him again. "I'll just have to open it so you can go in, right? I won't join you, as I do not want to associate myself with you,"

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