Faded Red

by The.Teal.Rose

[SEQ to: Jaded Blue] *AU* Drawn to the exciting event that is the local carnival, the cast of investigators find themselves at yet another murder scene. Passion, lies, and infidelity are the vices at the heart of the crime. A secret is revealed, fates are liberated and clarity is achieved. "You have failed the innocent people for whom my justice was intended to protect."

[Sequel to: "Jaded Blue"]

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Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor the lyrics to the songs I used in this fic.

Pairings: ItachiXSakura, LightXMisa, Pain/YahikoXKonan, NagatoXKonan, slight LXNaomi & slight SasukeX*Yokai.

*Yokai is the name I gave Pain's female animal path. Her name can be translated into: Animal Spirit. She is not an OC ;p

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Faded Red

...

"Delusion detests focus and romance provides the veil."

― Suzanne Finnamore

…

Cicadas chirped and joined the sounds of screams and trills of excitement from within the local carnival park. Flashing and glowing lights enhanced the evening atmosphere as the day neared its end and promised of a night filled with entertainment and amusement. The scent of fried food and cotton candy permeated through the open area and the summer heat was only alleviated by the occasional gusts of a temperate breeze. Rides traveled along various tracks and the many clangs and dings of games attracted onlookers to observe the available prizes. Children clung to their parents' hands and teens laughed as they enjoyed the freedom the school-break provided as well as the liberty they were experiencing away from the watchful eyes of their guardians.

"Tickets!" a vendor shouted near the booth at the front of the park. "Get your tickets here!"

Approaching, a man directed his young daughter towards the booth while removing his hand from that of his wife. He took out his wallet and exchanged the money for several tickets. "Thank you," he said with a polite nod before guiding his family through the gate.

Lifting his daughter, the Uchiha smiled as he looked to her before lowering his gaze to the woman beside him. "Any suggestions for her first ride?"

"Hm…" she replied, lifting a hand to her chin. "Oh! How about the cage ride? You know, the one that spins you in all directions."

"Uhm," Itachi replied as he tilted his head. "That…I don't know if that would be a good idea."

"Why not? She'll love it. Hell yeah, she will!"

"Even so," he shook his head. "I think we should start her off on something easier."

"Fine," she huffed as she shook her head.

"Mommy is…mad?" the child announced softly, her eyes wide and concerned.

Itachi smiled at the girl before shaking his head, "not at you."

His wife only rolled her eyes before looking to the food court, "I'll just get something to eat."

The Uchiha followed her to one of the food stands and they waited in line for their turn to order. The pink-haired woman tapped her foot impatiently and she wore a set expression of displeasure. Itachi waited in silence and exchanged a few glances with his daughter, who would smile each time his attention returned to her.

"Finally," the woman ranted as she reached the vendor. "I swear, this line is too long." She then proceeded to order herself a funnel cake and Itachi declared that he would just share with her before paying the man and receiving their food.

As they turned, the Uchiha saw a familiar face break through the crowd, accompanied by a shorter person who, though similar in strangeness, appeared entirely different in manner. He then wondered why the former had decided to present himself at the carnival. Had he…figured something out? Casting anxiety aside however, he composed himself and simply held his daughter closer.

"Ryuuzaki," he stated as the man reached him. "I did not expect to see you here. It's been a little while."

The man nodded, his eyes as always wide and attentive. "I did not expect to see you either. I saw you across the lot and decided that I had to say hello."

"Who the hell are they?" Itachi's wife asked with a condescending look as she appraised the two bizarre individuals before her.

"This is someone who aided me in solving a case a few months ago and," his eyes lowered to the boy who was now crouching beside the detective. "I am not acquainted with the other."

"This is Nate," L replied without even looking to the boy beside him. "A relative of mine."

"I see," Itachi tilted his head slightly. There was no resemblance between them at all. However, he decided there was no use in dwelling over the matter and so decided to introduce his own family as well. "This is my wife, Sakura, and daughter, Jasmine."

"A pleasure to meet you both," L replied.

Sakura made another face but did not respond. Jasmine smiled and then giggled, apparently finding the man amusing. The girl then squirmed in an attempt to be allowed onto her feet and Itachi complied, though he kept a protective hand enclosed around hers.

"Ryuuzaki," Nate began in a drawl, "I don't want to be here with these people any longer. I want to leave."

L, however, paid the boy no heed and kept his gaze concentrated on the trio before him. The return of the older Uchiha's company only called to the forefront of his mind the case that had been solved yet unresolved in December of the previous year. He was currently working on six other cases and, simply because the particular event from that time had resulted in a single murder, he had placed it into pending status. Now, however, he could not push it aside. There were many questions that had gone unanswered.

As Ryuuzaki continued to stare up at him, Itachi focused on maintaining ease. The man could not possibly know anything that would result in Sasuke's discovery. After the events of the shooting and the case that had revealed Naruto as the criminal involved, Sasuke had disappeared along with his girlfriend, Yokai. The older Uchiha did not have to wonder what had been done by his sibling as he had always looked out for his friends before anything else. He had helped Naruto escape and they were now in hiding. However, Itachi had personally withheld that observation from everyone he knew, stating that Sasuke had been so upset by the event that he had chosen to return to school and Yokai had quit her job to find a place to live in the town where he attended college.

"Itachi!"

The man's eyes widened slightly before he looked to his wife and blinked, "…Aa?"

"I said," she replied, hands now on her hips. "Did you think of a ride that we can go on yet?"

As the couple conversed, L's attention wandered to the child who clutched her father's hand tightly, eyes staring up at him and conveying immense fascination. He tilted his head and she held his gaze a moment longer before scooting closer to the Uchiha.

"Ryuuzaki," Nate continued, annoyed. "Let's go."

L looked to the boy a moment, eyes narrowing. "You've lost interest?"

"I was not interested from the start."

"Hm…," L replied, pausing a moment. "The problem is that I'm still interested."

"Then that's a 'no'?"

"…Yes."

"Oh," Nate replied as he recoiled and twirled his index finger through a strand of hair.

"Well," Itachi addressed the detective after a moment, "we are going to proceed through the park. It was nice to see you again."

"You too," L replied with a nod as he turned, hands in pockets and began to walk away, Nate following with a sullen expression. The former could not seem to shake the feeling that the Uchiha was hiding something as he had seemed somewhat uncomfortable within his presence. Something was…amiss.

"Why would you work with a creep like that?" Sakura asked her husband as she shook her head.

"It wasn't exactly by choice," Itachi replied only as he turned with Jasmine and began to make his way towards the children's rides. Every day that passed without hearing from Sasuke increased his worry and he had privately been investigating the boy's whereabouts. However, thus far, he had made no success in determining a location. He only hoped his sibling was alright.

They entered the center of the carnival, where the crowd was most dense and maneuvered around the many people. Several tents had been set up and various shows were being held within. A live band was performing on a stage and, from speakers, announcements and different types of music played depending on the sections the park was divided into.

Walking into the area designated for toddlers, Itachi cast his eyes across the expanse of available attractions and decided on one in the form of a train, which went slowly around a track and was surrounded by several lights and encased by a collage of sounds, which the children currently enjoying the ride expressed outward exclamations of delight in.

"Want to go on that one?" he asked his daughter.

The girl observed it in silence a moment before slowly nodding. The Uchiha smiled before again lifting her and looking to Sakura, "Are you coming with us?"

"Hell yeah," she nodded before following them towards the line, where they only waited a few minutes before being allowed onto the train. Itachi placed an arm around the shoulders of his wife as Jasmine sat between them, eyes darting in every direction before a small smile crossed her face as the ride pulled forward.

It was moments like these, the Uchiha acknowledged, that he enjoyed more than anything.

…

"I do not enjoy this at all," Nate proclaimed as he and L continued walking through the park. They passed several rides but the boy did not express an interest in any of them.

L sighed before taking out his phone, "Maybe I'll just ask Watari to come and take you home after all."

"Why did you make me come in the first place?"

"I didn't," he shrugged. "Were it up to me," he looked down to the teen with widened eyes. "I would've come alone. However, Watari thought it would be good for you."

"Well, he thought wrong."

"I, too, think so."

Nate glared and several minutes past before the boy looked to the phone in L's hand. "…are you going to call him or not?"

"Hm," L brought a finger to his mouth in thought. "Perhaps." He nodded, "perhaps later."

The boy glared and L averted his attention. In truth, the detective had only come to the carnival because he had traced his serial killer suspect to the location. He cast his gaze about the area but had yet to catch sight of him. Seeing the Uchiha had not been as great a surprise as he had earlier proclaimed as the sponsors of the park granted a discount to the police force. However, he wanted to withhold the nature of his coming to the place and bringing Nate along simply aided him in that endeavor.

Entering the section primarily designated for the teen population, the speakers emitted popular, contemporary artists, and L slowed his steps as he felt that he had reached a promising location. He was only granted a moment longer to consider that feeling before he caught sight of the man himself, accompanied by the same showgirl from the jazz bar. L halted completely and stared, eyes focused. He analyzed Light for any signs that would portray suspicious behavior and was filled with the same sensation from before; the atmosphere had become considerably…heavy.

"You shout it loud, but I can't hear a word you say"

The song transitioned into another and Misa clutched Light's arm with a grin as they neared the ride she had said she 'just had to experience.' The man looked down at her and smiled slightly but withheld any further response on the matter.

"I'm talking loud, not saying much"

"Come along, Nate," L said to the boy. "We are going on that ride." His eyes set on the roller coaster the couple was approaching and stood in line a few feet away from them.

"I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet"

Misa clapped her hands together and jumped up and down. "This is our first time to go on a ride together. I'm so excited, Light-kun!"

He glanced to her before nodding, "Yes, it is."

"You shoot me down, but I get up"

The line moved forward and from beside L, Nate looked to the ride above in discomfort. He brought a finger through a curl of his hair and proceeded to wrap it through repeatedly. "Ryuuzaki…I do not want to go on this."

"Unfortunately, this is a necessity. Don't allow your personal inhibitions to affect your judgment."

"I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose

fire away, fire away"

The ticket master then opened the gate for the next wave of people as the coaster pulled through. The crowd proceeded forward at a slow pace and most of the seats near the front of the ride were hastily claimed. Light and Misa found a spot near the middle and L stepped forward and looked on in with a slight feeling of dismay when the seat directly behind the pair was taken. However, he stepped onto the platform a moment later and was able to take the position a few cars away from them. Nate sullenly sat beside him and the widened set of his eyes portrayed his surmounting anxiety.

"Sir properly in your seat."

Light waited in patience as the inspector surveyed the occupants of the ride, his voice rising somewhat when he addressed someone from behind him. Misa reached down and clasped his hand tightly, her excitement poorly contained.

"I said, sit properly. Both of you."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Light wondered who the man was talking to and in what way the individuals were sitting to inspire such an order.

"Cut me down, but it's you who'll have further to fall"

Turning then to glance back, the man's eyes formed into a slight glare when he saw the familiar face of the wide-eyed detective staring at him intently as he seemed to entirely ignore the direction of the carnival employee.

"Ghost town and haunted love"

From beside the private detective, Light observed the shorter boy who had a pair of downcast eyes and a prominent frown as he twirled a piece of his hair with a single finger. He appeared every bit as strange as his counterpart.

What were they doing?

Returning his attention to the front of the ride and trying to ignore the sensation of being watched, Light simply relaxed in his seat and breathed in slowly. As unnerving as it was, he was determined to not become affected by the odd man behind him. It was obvious that he was investigating him and perhaps even suspected him as being the mass serial killer. However, it was also obvious that he did not have any evidence to convict him with. There would be no reason to follow him if he did.

"Ricochet, you take your aim

fire away, fire away"

L then heard the instructions of the staff member on the platform and, as he averted his gaze, he was told that he would have to get off the ride for disregarding the security rules. Apparently, he had been instructed several times to sit properly. He also observed that Nate had failed to bring the matter to his attention and surmised that it had been undoubtedly...intentional.

"You shoot me down, but I won't fall

I am titanium"

Rising from his seat, hands in pockets and posture hunched, he glanced back at Light a final time and saw a small smirk directed towards him. The man had won, even in such a small victory, and the detective hated it. Nate followed him down the steps and into the crowd as the ride pulled away from the station and out onto the track beyond. Another reason for disappointment within L was the fact that he had never before experienced what riding on a roller coaster was like and he had really wanted to find out.

Perhaps at another time…he would get the chance.

Absently, he noted that the song had faded and was followed by an announcement stating that the magic show would start in thirty minutes.

…

Itachi carried Jasmine over to the fountain before helping her take a sip of water as Sakura sat on a nearby bench; she had complained that her feet were really starting to ache and demanded that her husband allow her to rest for a bit. As the man straightened, he wiped the access water from his daughter's face before turning to approach his wife. However, before he could reach her, a familiar ringtone prompted him to reach for his phone and look to the caller id to see that Yokai's brother, Yahiko, was calling. A slight feeling of anxiety filled him as he wondered whether the man was beginning to doubt his claim that she had decided to move away.

"Hello, Pain," he answered, remembering that his friend often preferred to be addressed by his nickname.

"Itachi," the man replied, though the inflection in his tone implied anxiety. "I really need your help."

"What's wrong?"

"You know that…woman? That one I was telling you about?"

The Uchiha sighed and closed his eyes. "The one I advised you to stay away from?"

"…yeah, her."

Several weeks ago, Pain had informed him of a woman he had met at a club; her name was Konan. However, she was also engaged to someone and, when the man had sought his council on the matter, Itachi had warned him against pursuing her. Only trouble awaited a relationship like that.

"What happened?"

"Her fiancée…he found out that we…had been seeing one another. She went to end things with him this afternoon but, after hours of not hearing from her, I received a text from him saying that he wants to meet me at the carnival that opened up on Front Street."

Itachi's eyes slightly widened at this as he determined that the carnival Pain was referring to was the very same one he was currently at. Absently looking to Sakura, he saw the sudden worry that had crossed her face in recognition of his own unease. He offered her a consoling smile before handing Jasmine off to her and opting to remain standing as he shook his head.

"When does he want to meet you?"

"In thirty minutes. I'm already on my way over. Can you…meet me there? I don't know what to do. I'm really worried about her."

"I'm already here," he said after a moment.

"Oh," Pain replied. "Well…do you mind? I know you're probably with your family."

Did he mind? Well, certainly and…naturally. Especially since he had warned the man that something was bound to go wrong in the affair. However, his loyalty to his friend superseded that and, if something had happened to the woman, his job as a detective obligated him to look into the matter.

"I will help you," he replied. "Meet me at the gate."

"Thank you, Itachi," Pain responded. "I'll be there in ten minutes." He then hung up the phone and the Uchiha sighed before looking to his family.

"What is it?" Sakura asked, head tilting slightly. Jasmine, too, simply watched him through a set of widened eyes, as if somehow sensing that something had changed within her father's disposition.

"It's Pain," he replied. "He…has gotten himself into trouble again."

"What are you going to do?"

Itachi ran a hand through his hair, "help him."

Sakura stood with a nod, arms locked securely around her child. "Well, let's go meet him."

"You can take Jasmine on some more rides, if you want."

"Hell no," she shook her head. "We all need to go on those together."

Turning, the Uchiha began walking towards the gate, "alright but, if this turns into anything that could endanger either of you, I want you to leave this to me."

She nodded, "okay, sure."

Itachi then placed an arm about her shoulders and smiled as he neared the front of the amusement park. He only hoped that the whole scenario could be resolved swiftly and that the fiancée merely wanted to brawl out the matter with Pain. However, emotions, especially those in connection to romance, were unpredictable. He also hoped that the man was more reasonable than his own friend, who had a bad habit of doing whatever he wanted despite opposing odds.

…

"Cover your eyes

So you don't know the secret

I've been trying to hide"

Light strolled at an easy pace through the crowd, Misa still holding firmly to his hand. After the roller coaster, she had expressed a desire to get some shaved ice, and he had complied. They were now on their way to the magic show, due to start in ten minutes or so. She grinned widely as she proclaimed that he could probably figure every single trick out. At this proclamation, he could not withhold his agreement and obliged her with a nod and confident smirk.

"We held our breath

To see our names are written"

L continued to follow the pair, Nate trailing behind him with a practically murderous expression. However, the older man continued to ignore him as his eyes remained set on his target. They were headed for the magician's tent and the detective was anticipating the opportunity to witness Light's reasoning skills. If they were anything in comparison to his own, and he was suspecting that they were, he would be able to accurately decipher the technique behind every trick.

"I knew the panic was over"

The couple entered the tent and Light chose a seat in the front, Misa clapping her hands and rejoicing in how lucky they had been to obtain such pristine seating. L and Nate were forced to remain near the back, and the former found it considerably odd that fate had determined such a set-up. It seemed…he was not meant to observe the man at all during his time at the carnival.

"Yet since we found out

Since we found out

That anything could happen"

The lights began to dim after a few moments of anticipation, and the spotlight on the small, make-shift stage glowed off of the performer, who looked to the room with a wide, yet considerably eerie grin.

"After the war we said we'd fight together"

"Welcome," he stated in a raspy voice, eyes looking as if they were slits and skin a pale, grayish white. From beside him emerged his assistant, a man of a considerably shorter stature and with wide-rimmed glasses and an unkempt ponytail. The pair of them were probably the oddest looking people Light had ever seen, which was saying a lot considering how strange the two individuals in the back row were.

"We will begin in just a few minutes," he continued before beginning to prepare his work area.

"I guess we thought that's just what humans do"

L propped both feet on the bench and placed his hands atop his knees as he stared attentively at the activity in the front of the room. He began to automatically analyze everything he was seeing and prepared himself for the challenge that awaited his perception.

"Letting darkness grow"

Light's posture remained straight within his seat and he outwardly appeared as disinterested as most of the other attendants around him were. However, within, he was prepping himself for the test that the magician would provide. He scanned his eyes across the stage and preparations, mentally taking note of everything he saw.

"As if we need its palette and we need its color"

Catching sight of the serial suspect he had been trailing for the past few years, L waited patiently to obtain a glimpse of anything that might further indicate his identity; he wanted to know his thoughts.

Light's phone suddenly vibrated and he looked to it with a blank expression before reading the text he had received from the man he had commissioned to help him in his endeavor of passing judgment on criminals; it was more secure to have someone else actually enacting the killings.

"But now I've seen it through"

He keyed a response to the inquiry before turning off the phone altogether and returning it to his pocket. They had been trailing a woman who was suspected of plotting a murder and his associate, Mikami Teru, had traced her to the current park. Light withheld a victorious smile and focused his attention on the stage, though he tightened his hold on Misa's hand in subdued excitement.

L observed the sudden, yet subtle shift in posture that the suspect exhibited and he brought a thumb to his mouth as his eyes narrowed in thought. Something on his phone had instigated that change and he was determined to find out what it was. The atmosphere became even heavier as the killing intent practically radiated off of him. He knew. He knew he had found the right person. He just couldn't manage to prove his theory.

"And now I know the truth"

The lights dimmed into darkness and the music faded as the magician stepped forward and began the show. However, as expected and despite the prowess of the performer, the tricks were entirely too easy for both the detective and killer to unravel.

…

Pain turned when Itachi approached with his family and his face turned apologetic though the underlying worry remained apparent. "I really appreciate this."

The Uchiha nodded before he turned and his friend fell into step beside him. "He said to meet him near the show area of the carnival," the latter offered.

It certainly made sense, as it was the lease populated area of the park and most of the people there were currently within the exhibition tents. Still, he sincerely doubted anyone would try anything too risky before dark. There was still an hour or so left of the evening lighting and it granted plenty of time for a secure encounter.

Glancing over at Pain, Itachi tilted his head. "How long have you been seeing this woman?"

"Two weeks."

The Uchiha raised a brow, "and she's already decided to end things with her fiancée?"

That seemed to imply that Konan was fickle in nature and not at all a viable candidate for Pain to offer his heart to.

The man shrugged, "yeah, but…I really care about her. I love her."

If the time were more appropriate, Itachi would have slapped his friend right then and there for his passionate nature. Everything he did was dramatized and he tended to place people such as her upon a pedestal.

"In any case," Itachi replied, recognizing that there was no use in reflecting upon the past any longer, "let's just get this ordeal over with."

They continued walking and from all around them the excitement from other individuals resounded through the air; it was a night filled with promise and enjoyment and Itachi glanced to his wife and daughter in slight disappointment. Life…was sometimes difficult.

…

Trailing behind the pair ahead at a safe distance, Mikami watched from within the shadows provided by nearby buildings. His friend, Uzumaki Nagato, was an acquaintance of his and shared similar views on justice. He was also a prosecutor and desired to rid the world of its corruption. As the man watched his colleague walk through the carnival with his fiancée, Mikami could not help but glare. About a week ago, he had happened across her within a small bar entertaining the company of another man. Realizing that she had been unfaithful to her betrothed, he and taken it upon himself to inform Nagato of the fact.

However, something had taken a turn for the worst. After the revelation had been exposed, he had witnessed Konan and the other man conspiring against his friend. He had overheard whispered words that implied of murder. He reasoned that she therefore intended to put an end to her fiancée's life. Once he had brought the matter to his overseer, the serial killer, the man had approved his desire to keep tabs on the woman and to end her life if she attempted anything.

Now, as he trailed her, he kept his mind focused and his eyes alert. He was not overly concerned that she would attempt anything within broad daylight, but he was determined to remain vigilant nonetheless.

'There is nothing more despicable,' he thought, 'then infidelity and a subsequent murder to insure that the original fault might continue.'

Nagato was wealthy and had already added his future wife onto all of his accounts. Should he die, she would be entitled to everything.

Greed, lust, pride…the woman was practically the devil in disguise and deserved to be punished accordingly.

…

The first act of the magic show ended several minutes later and Light stood with Misa to venture outside until the second act started. He was admittedly a little thirsty. L watched him leave before rising from his seat and leaving the tent as well, Nate sighing heavily as he followed.

With a glance, L saw that the killer had ventured to a nearby stand and so the detective resolved to simply wait in patience. The crowd became more clustered during the interval of entertainment and the speakers began to sound the contemporary music once more.

"Got up early, found something's missing

My only name"

Itachi entered the performance section of the park alongside Pain and cast his eyes about the area for any sign of the person he was supposed to meet.

"Do you know what he looks like?"

"No."

The Uchiha sighed, "I suppose we can simply wait for him to approach us then."

"No one else sees, but I got stuck

And soon forever came"

Mikami paused between two of the show tents as the couple stopped near the edge of the crowd, a small distance away from the densest area. Narrowing his eyes, he placed a hand on his gun and prepared himself to act if anything went wrong.

"No one else sees, but I got stuck

And soon forever came"

A few moments went by and L narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked away to see that a small circle had begun to form near the edge of the walkway. He felt something was off and so instructed Nate to remain where he was before venturing forward to investigate the commotion.

"Who am I this time, where's my name?

Guess it crept away"

Itachi caught sight of something slightly strange before motioning for Pain to follow and to Sakura and Jasmine to stay where they were. He stepped forward, across the path and towards the gasping individuals ahead. What had happened?

"No one's calling for me at the door

And unpredictable won't bother anymore

And silently gets harder to ignore"

Mikami squeezed the handle of his gun tightly and gritted his teeth as he saw that he could not get a clear shot at anyone. Within a matter of seconds, Nagato had suddenly started to convulse and his legs simply collapsed. The crowd had then started to surround the pair. Konan, however, seemed to have entirely disappeared throughout the commotion.

"Look straight ahead, there's nothing left to see"

Itachi showed his badge and the crowd stepped aside to reveal what had been concealed in the middle of the circle they had formed. From his peripheral, he saw Ryuuzaki approach as well, attentive and curious.

"What's done is done, this life has got its hold on me"

Mikami suddenly caught sight of the woman's unique hair color, her escape covered by the onlookers. He then proceeded to slink into the shadows and away from the prying eyes of the officer who had just showed up. However, just as he was about to turn, he caught sight of the fallen form of his friend as well as the man with whom his fiancée had been unfaithful. He began to formulate a plan as he walked away, one that would draw her lover into his own death. The man would die alongside her.

"Just let it go, what now can never be"

Itachi directed the crowd to disperse before taking out his phone to call the proper authorities. L crouched and observed the body before him, his thumb held against his mouth as he processed what he was seeing.

"I forgot that I might see

So many beautiful things"

The cause of death immediately appeared to be caused by the slit on the man's left wrist, from which he had undoubtedly lost a significant amount of blood. However, that was a slow process and the death had occurred rather quickly. Besides, blood continued to seep from the wound indicating that he still had enough to remain alive for at least another 30 seconds.

"I forgot that I might need

To find out what life could bring"

Was it suicide? It certainly looked as if it might have been, though it could have also been a murder conducted to appear as if it was a suicide. Reaching out, the detective took the man's wallet from his pocket and examined the driver license within. "Uzumaki Nagato," he mumbled before his eyes widened. That name…Uzumaki. The jazz bar from the past winter and the crime committed there had also involved an Uzumaki. The correlation was too convenient to ignore.

"Take this happy ending away

It's all the same"

Standing, he handed the wallet to Itachi as the latter lowered his mobile device from his ear. Examining it briefly, he looked to the pierced man beside him.

"Is this Konan's fiancée? Do you recognize the name?"

Pain's eyes widened, "Yes! Yes, that's him." He then looked to the body, his brows furrowing. "But…why would he ask me to come here only to kill himself? Where's Konan?"

"Get me up, wake me up, dreams are filling

This trace of blame"

"He asked you to come here?" L asked, eyes narrowing slightly as he sorted through his thoughts.

"Yeah…"

"I'll explain it all to you in a moment," Itachi declared to the private detective. He then glanced back to his family with a sigh. It seemed things would not proceed as smoothly as he had hoped.

"Frozen still I thought I could stop

Now who's gonna wait?"

Removing his own phone from the back pocket of his jeans, L placed a finger on his speed dial and hesitated as he considered his next move. He had held off on contacting Naomi for the entirety of the day as she was not always readily agreeable to his antics of spying on Yagami Light. However, with the current development and link to the case they had worked on together a few months ago, he reasoned that she would definitely want to be involved.

The question was…should he risk potentially giving away the fact that they were working together? No one knew he was the infamous detective 'L' but he reasoned that the serial killer suspect had caught on to the fact that he, Ryuuzaki, was keeping an eye on him.

After another moment, he pressed down on the button and lifted his phone to his ear, the top of the device held loosely between the tips of his fingers. He decided that he would simply leave the matter up to her.

"So many beautiful things"

"L," she answered only.

"Misora-san," he greeted in return before turning away from the group surrounding the body. "I may need your help on a new case."

"Now what do I do?"

"What's the case?"

"I believe it could very well be a connection to the one that developed at the Jaded Blue last December."

"Can I change my mind?"

"Where are you?"

"The carnival on First Street."

"Did I think things through?"

He heard her sigh, "Were you tailing Yagami again?"

"What gave you that impression?" he tilted his head.

"It was once my life"

"You never just go places like that on a whim. You're too busy."

L sighed, "The nature of my visit is not important. Can you make it out here within the next hour?"

"It was my life at one time"

There was a brief pause, "I'll be there in ten minutes." He heard her disconnect the call as the song on the speakers simultaneously ended and, lifting his eyes, he frowned slightly when he saw that both Light and Amane had disappeared during the commotion.

…

Misora Naomi adjusted her leather gloves and mounted the motorcycle sitting in the driveway of her town home. She revved the engine and flipped her hair over her shoulder before leaning forward and speeding out onto the adjoining street.

She smiled slightly as she thought of how much L always reprimanded her for opting not to wear a helmet. However, she personally considered the precaution constricting and she therefore remained stubbornly opposed to the idea.

For over three years she had been working alongside the bizarre detective, having originally sought him out when her fiancée had died. They had worked one case together prior to that event but it wasn't until the serial killer development occurred that she had really established her skills as an investigator.

L really was the only person left whom she truly trusted, and vice versa.

Leaning to the right, Naomi took the ramp onto the highway, where she accelerated and weaved in and out of the few cars that stood in her way. The setting sun glistened off of the asphalt and she smiled as she was filled with the familiar excitement her rides always instilled within her.

…

Light, having caught sight of his subordinate in the very same moment the crowd had formed, grasped Misa's hand and strode away from the scene, proceeding on a roundabout route before texting the man. He saw that he had received a missed call from Itachi but ignored it for the time being. If Mikami did something foolish and it was somehow traced back to him, he did not know how much longer he could maintain his cover.

The man was allowing his emotions to determine his decisions and it starkly contrasted against Light's reasons for choosing him in the first place. He had failed to inform him that he was tracking the couple to the amusement park. Had he known, he would have forbidden Mikami to do such a thing at the present time.

He received a response and it conveyed that he had apprehended the woman and was now holding her within one of the park's electrical rooms. There were several and the one he had chosen was not presently in use. Light tightened his hold on the mobile device before stopping and taking a moment to gather his thoughts. He could not follow the man, it would be too risky and he could not allow anyone to see them together.

After a moment, he looked to his phone and keyed a reply that informed the man not to act until further notice.

…

Itachi finished explaining the details of Pain's involvement to L, who merely nodded before turning and following the Uchiha to where his family stood a few feet away. Fortunately, Jasmine had seen nothing and so she was spared the potential scarring the sight of death could inflict over a young mind.

Starting a conversation with his wife, Itachi discussed the situation with her and suggested that she go ahead and bring their daughter home in case the conditions escalated. As they argued over the matter, L's gaze fell to the small girl who was once again staring up at him through a set of curious eyes.

Leaning towards her, the private investigator met the child's enthralled gaze and kept his expression blank. She blinked and he mirrored the motion before she smiled slightly and he did the same. After another moment, he glanced away before slowly removing a spare piece of candy from his pocket. He observed it briefly and hesitated before extending it out to her. Eyes falling to the treat, the girl cautiously lifted an arm, though her demeanor conveyed uncertainty. Her parents seemed to have trained her considerably well in the area of dealing with those she did not know.

There was an interlude of silence, in which nothing was on L's mind aside from the offering he was surrendering to the child. However, he was only granted that single moment for, in the very next instant, he suddenly felt the searing pain of a hard smack across his face.

"Hell no!"

Dropping the candy and brining the same hand to his burning cheek, the detective straightened slightly to look up at the woman who had just slapped him.

"You can't give her hard candy. She'll break her teeth, choke, or even both!" Sakura hollered furiously while Itachi merely looked on with a slight look of disbelief.

"My apologies," L replied with a small nod as he pouted slightly and rubbed his cheek. Glancing to his right then, he saw Naomi approaching, boots colliding pleasantly with the pavement. "Ah, Misora-san," he greeted, though he still held his hand in place.

"Ryuuzaki," she nodded, withholding an amused smile. "Something wrong with your face?"

"It's warm."

"Oh?" she tilted her head. "Did someone hurt you or something?"

"Maybe," he replied, averting his gaze.

"Aww," Naomi smirked, before looking past them to the crime scene that was already being taped off by the park's security officials. "Anyway, what's the deal?"

Itachi stepped forward to disclose the situation to her as Pain simply looked to his feet with a downcast expression. Was Konan going to be okay? He still had no idea where she was and she wasn't responding to his attempts of getting in contact with her.

…

Nate narrowed his eyes before turning and venturing back to the spot where L had commanded he stay. Having noticed Yagami and Amane slip away, he had taken it upon himself to see where they were going. However, after only few moments of a northern direction, the pair had stopped, the man looking to his phone and seeming agitated before looking over to speak with the girl. They had both then taken a westward course towards the crime scene itself.

The boy slumped onto one knee as he twirled a strand of hair with his finger. Something was odd about that man and he didn't like him at all. Glancing over, he saw his portrayal of surprise as he conversed with the security guards before his head turned towards the other police official a few yards away.

More importantly though, Nate wondered how much longer he would personally be required to stay in such a worthless place.

…

"Can I take a look at the body?" Naomi asked. Upon saying this, she saw that a medical team had arrived as well as several more police officers. Everything seemed to be coming together and the particular section of the park was closed off to the general public.

Itachi nodded before directing her forward and noticing that Light had arrived alongside his fiancée. "I appreciate you coming over here," the Uchiha stated when he reached the younger man. "Did you get my voicemail?"

"Yes," Light lied easily. "I did."

L looked to both Sakura and Jasmine a moment before abruptly turning to venture over to the others. He looked to Light and noted that he seemed considerably more uncomfortable with this crime than he did at the Jaded Blue. It was possible…that he was linked somehow. Upon this thought, he looked to Naomi. How could he inform her of that possibility?

Light narrowed his eyes slightly as he saw Misora Naomi kneel beside the victim, her familiarity with the investigative process evident. It was far too coincidental that she had arrived alongside Ryuuzaki in this location too. Were they…working together? If that was the case, then it was possible that she suspected him as well.

"Hm," Naomi mused as she examined the slit and then the face of the man. Pressing her hand firmly against his chest, she furrowed her brows further. "It's obvious that the wound on the wrist is only a diversion. It was not the cause of death."

"I share your opinion," L stated as he approached and crouched beside her.

"Was it murder?" Itachi asked, inspiring Pain's eyes to widen from beside him.

Light withheld any outward reaction but he had to admit that Mikami had been right to suspect the man's fiancée. "Misa," he stated then. "Go and stand with Sakura."

The girl complied with a nod before standing up on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek and running off towards Itachi's family, where she was greeted with a wide grin.

"I'm not sure yet," Naomi answered the Uchiha before she ran a hand along the length of the man's arm. However, upon reaching the center, she suddenly felt something that caused her to pause and lean closer. "There's some sort of…sticky substance here where his veins are."

L peered closer as well, eyes wide. "Perhaps an injection was used."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Look," Itachi suddenly stated, pointing to the suspected site of entry. "See how the skin is slightly irritated there? It looks as if it might be swelling, which implies that the substance was injected rapidly."

"Which could cause the veins to bulge," Light finished with a nod.

"It would have to be a fast-acting component," Itachi began, tilting his head as he considered. "And it's…sticky. What fits such a description? It also doesn't appear as if he put up much of a struggle."

"Furthermore…" L added thoughtfully, thumb against his lips once more. "I believe it was a woman who did this."

Naomi looked over with a raised brow and Itachi furrowed his own in confusion. Just as the detective had surmised that the previous killer had favored the number nine, he had proclaimed the gender of the murderer with no prior or supportive evidence.

"What makes you say that?" Light voiced what the others were undoubtedly thinking.

Pain clenched a fist as he awaited the answer that had already sent him into an inner panic. Was it possible…did she kill him? Had she even been with him at the time?

"Her scent…" L continued, "…lingers within his shirt. I believe it's…" he brought a hand to his chin and lifted his eyes skyward as he analyzed the components of the fragrance. "'Guilty Black' by Gucci. The perfume averages $100 per 32 oz bottle. I am 76% certain that the woman who carries that scent is our killer."

Looking to the detective and then to Itachi, Pain added in a solemn voice. "Konan always wears that fragrance."

The Uchiha sighed, "Then she is now our prime suspect."

The pierced man looked again to the body of the man whom the woman he loved had potentially murdered, his stomach dropping and his mind fighting against it. However, he could not deny the logical conclusion the investigators had reached. Closing his eyes, he thought back to the conversation they had held only a week ago.

"I'm afraid, Yahiko," she whispered with a shake of her head. "I overheard him talking to one of his clients. He wants to murder the opposing lawyer in his current case. Supposedly, he has found evidence of corruption and misrepresentation of evidence. If he…has the potential to murder someone, then I don't know what he's going to do to you when I tell him that I'm leaving him."

"...do you still want to keep this a secret?"

"I don't want to but," she shook her head. "I'm afraid I might have to."

He lifted both hands to her face and smiled slightly. "It'll be alright, we'll figure something out."

Clenching a fist, he sighed. No, Konan would not have murdered her fiancée without probable cause. He knew her. Something had happened, something that presented her with no other alternative. She had gone to end things with him and had fallen out of contact since. Afterwards, the man had demanded to meet him at the carnival. He had most likely brought her along to enact a plot of some sort. What was his plan? And where was Konan? Why would she run if she had merely killed out of self defense?

Light stuck his hand into his pocket and keyed a swift text to Mikami, the memory of having done so blindly on several occasions serving to guide his fingers to the correct letters.

"She is the prime suspect for police. Make it look like a suicide then leave."

"Life is thrilling and meant to be lived to the fullest," L recited almost absently. "Indulge in your burning desires."

"What?" Naomi asked, eyes slightly narrowed. What nonsense was he muttering now?

The investigator's glance slid over to her as he removed his thumb from its place against his mouth. "That is what was stated on the website for the woman's fragrance."

"Relevant," she stated with evident sarcasm.

"Insightful," he countered.

She sighed but withheld a further comment on the ridiculous matter. Standing, she looked to Pain and placed a hand on his shoulder, "she'll be okay."

L looked to Naomi before rising as well. "It seems…that though she is our killer, this act may have been done out of self-defense. However, I have to question why she would run."

The pierced man looked to the investigator with an underlying expression of relief, "that is what I thought."

Light glanced over at them then, his hand tightening around the phone in his pocket. Self-defense? He had asked Mikami about the same possibility but the man had firmly stated that his friend would not have hurt his fiancée, no matter what. He was set on the fact that the woman had been plotting the murder of her husband-to-be.

"What makes you think that it was self-defense?" he asked aloud.

Itachi turned, "forgive me, I have yet to disclose everything to you."

"While you do that," L turned, "I will take the opportunity to get something sweet. I need the sugar if my mentality is going to function at its very highest." Taking a step in the direction of the nearby food vendors, he continued without glancing back. "Come along, Misora-san."

Naomi resisted the immediate urge to roll her eyes but turned nonetheless to follow her partner. She fell into step beside him before glancing to the right and widening her eyes. "Is that…Nate?"

L's steps halted and he looked over to see the child, who was directing a very hardened glare in his direction. "…yes, it is."

"You forgot about him didn't you?"

"As I said," the detective continued forward. "My mentality is not yet functioning at its highest."

"Are you going to just leave him there?"

L paused, "…no."

Stepping into line, he patiently waited until the employee asked for his order and he perused the options briefly, purposefully avoiding the narrowed gaze of the woman beside him in reaction to his most recent response to her.

"Cotton candy," he replied. "Large, please."

It only took a moment for the candy to be spun and he received it with a nod and a few mumbled words of thanks before turning and walking in the opposite direction of the crime scene.

Naomi raised a brow, "Where are you going, Ryuuzaki?"

"This way. Please follow me."

After glancing back with a feeling of uncertainty, Misora complied as she reached the conclusion that L had some reason behind his behavior; it seemed he always did. They walked several feet away until they reached a section of the carnival where the crowd was not so dense. The evening had completely transitioned into night and lights flashed from all around them.

Naomi recalled that the last time she had been at a carnival was when she was in high school. Glancing to a group of teens, she smiled absently. Everything was so much simpler then.

"I wanted to get you alone."

Her thoughts abruptly came to an end as she looked to the man beside her. "Elaborate, if you will."

L grabbed a large piece of cotton candy and tilted his head back to place it into his mouth where it instantly began to melt and satisfy his craving for sugar. He had already started to feel the mental rush that always accompanied his ingestion of sweets.

After swallowing, he replied. "This murder…is somehow connected to the serial killer, Yagami Light. You recognized the man's name, didn't you?"

"I did," she nodded before her brows furrowed. "But…he was not at all involved in the Hyuuga's killing."

"It's not that," L began, narrowing his eyes in thought. "It's how he reacted. He's very uncomfortable with this situation."

"I noticed he seemed a little off."

He nodded, "we need to watch him carefully."

"I understand."

After a pause, L held his candy out to her.

Naomi looked to the treat a moment before taking a small piece and eating it with a small smile. "It's been years since I've had cotton candy."

"I've never had it," L replied as he began to walk in the direction of the crime scene.

Misora's eyes widened but she said nothing. The man never ceased to surprise her.

…

Upon Itachi's briefing, Light was left alone to his thoughts as the former turned and walked over to where his wife still stood with their child. 'The victim's name is Uzumaki. Why did I not think to ask Mikami for his last name?' The situation that had been the Jaded Blue murder returned to the forefront of his thoughts and he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He had been unable to find the murderer, Uzumaki Naruto. The boy had somehow escaped his judgment. However, with the new connection that was this most recent victim, the matter had been revived. He was determined to find him someday.

After concluding that thought, Light then looked to the body and absently gazed upon it for several moments. Itachi had said that he had tried contacting the man that now stood beside him, Yahiko. Why would he have done that if he had not been plotting something? Had Mikami made an error in his own analysis? Closing his eyes, the detective resisted the urge to shake his head.

What could he do?

Removing his phone from his pocket, he keyed another text: "Is it done?"

However, he wondered if the man would receive it any time soon. If he was already escaping and being wary of the fact that he was being watched, then it would be quite some time until a reply was given. Likewise, he himself could not seek Mikami out and risk his own position being given away.

Would an innocent woman be put to death? He had never had to question such a matter before. He had always been so confident in his judgments. However, now that he was actually considering it as possibility, he had to wonder how many other oversights he had committed at the cost of someone's life.

'Damn it,' he thought before composing himself as Ryuuzaki and the FBI agent returned.

"Light-kun," L stated as he approached, "are you alright?"

"Of course," the man smoothly replied in a practiced tone.

Naomi glanced about the area in confusion a moment before seeing Itachi standing a few feet away. Her eyes then caught sight of the child in his arms and her heart felt a familiar ache. That could have been her future in a perfect reality. She was certain that she and Ray would have already had a child, and that the child would have been around the same age as the one before her. With a small smile, she tore her eyes away and looked to the body upon the ground and then at the pierced man staring down at him.

Thinking of the woman who had been involved with both and of the unknown fate that had befallen her, Naomi shook her head. It was a tragedy of a lost love. When it came down to it, the man had acted out on the promptings of a broken heart and had attempted a plan that he would have otherwise never considered. Looking to the bright crimson strands of hair, the woman zoned in on that aspect. It was red, a faded red. A faded red that personified the tragedy of a heart already dying.

The promptings of the heart were often dangerous, though. The man had acted out of vengeance. If L had taught her anything over the last few years, it was that vengeance should never be sought, no matter the reason. Lifting her eyes to the potential killer in front of her partner, she inhaled tightly. She had only ever sought to prosecute him for the sake of avenging her fiancée. Was that not also vengeance? Lowering her eyes, she clenched a fist. Everything L ever did was to ensure the wellbeing of other people, while she…had only been looking out for her own gain. However, now that she was presented with this thought, she realized that prosecuting the killer was not the answer to finally filling the void Ray's death had caused.

Everyone turned then when Itachi approached and the latter collected his thoughts a moment before beginning, "Sakura has enlightened me to the cause of Nagato's death."

"Sakura?" Light asked somewhat doubtfully.

"Aa," Itachi replied. "While studying nursing in college, she took an elective in veterinary medication."

"Veterinary medicine?" Naomi asked out loud, trying to piece the information together in her head.

L turned away from Light and instead faced the Uchiha attentively. "What was it?"

"Euthasol," he replied simply. "A highly concentrated dose was administered to the main artery within his arm. It is a rose colored, sticky substance."

Naomi nodded, her thoughts coming together. "When administered intravenously, it has a rapid anesthetic effect, resulting in a smooth and swift onset of unconsciousness. At a lethal dose, breathing stops in a matter of seconds and the respiratory system begins to collapse, resulting in the subsequent ceasing of brain functions and finally…the termination of cardiac activity."

"Aa," Itachi replied with a nod in her direction. "It is one of the only substances that can act so swiftly and without inducing the victim to any pain. It was a very humane method."

"How did she obtain access to that drug?" Light asked, though he concluded that the suggested cause was highly likely.

"She worked as a veterinary technician part-time," Pain suddenly spoke up. "I suppose she might have stolen it in preparation for such an occasion."

"Preparation?" L asked, facing the pierced man. "Was she suspecting an attack from him?"

"Yes," he nodded. "She was concerned that he would lose control at some point. She told me that he was supposed to be taking a heavy dose of medication because he had a severe bi-polar disorder. However, he recently stopped taking it. It was before she met me but, once he had begun to exhibit signs of violence, she tried to formulate a plan for escape. I guess…I provided her with an incentive to finally leave him. Or…try to, at least. She told me last night that she intended to end things with him today and…I encouraged her to simply face him. She might have brought the euthasol along…in case he tried anything."

"Why did you withhold this information?" Light asked, beginning to experience a series of feelings he firmly tried to ignore. Most potent of which was…the feeling of failure. Had he failed an innocent life? The very thing he had all along been trying to preserve from such bustards as the one lying dead upon the ground? However, even then, the man's condition was on the psychological level and so he could not even be held fully accountable. Was everything so…conditional?

Pain brought a hand through his hair and shook his head, "I…I can't even think straight. I'm so damn worried about her it's driving me crazy."

"I understand," L replied as he turned away from the man and looked to the darkness surrounding the outskirts of the carnival. "I think we need to make finding this woman our top priority."

"Aa," Itachi nodded. "I agree. I will have the medical team remove the body and begin testing for traces of the Euthasol."

"Please do," L replied before looking back to see that Naomi was fixatedly staring at Pain, her expression grave. "Misora-san?"

"Hm?" She replied, looking to him with a questioning gaze.

However, he too, felt an intense feeling of foreboding in regard to the missing woman. "Let's do our best."

She smiled only slightly but nodded all the same.

After the body was removed, Itachi ventured over to say goodbye to his wife, who had finally decided that she was tired and wanted to go home. Misa ran over to Light and told him that she would probably leave as well. Amidst the farewells, L suddenly felt a gentle tug on the back of his shirt and he glanced down to see the Uchiha's daughter staring up at him with the same expression of curiosity.

He tilted his head and she lifted a finger to beckon him down to her level. After hesitating a moment, the detective complied and crouched down in front of her as she offered him a small smile. Jasmine then lifted her hand, already formed into a tiny fist, and held it out to him. L deciphered her meaning and extended an open palm, though he could not quite figure out what she was trying to do.

Her fist opened and a small object fell softly into his hand. Looking down, he saw that it was the piece of candy he had dropped earlier. After staring down at the treat for several moments, he lifted his gaze to her and merely nodded. The child was already exceptionally bright and he was certain that she would grow up to be every bit as wise as her father.

"Thank you," he replied.

Jasmine's smile widened and, after another moment, she hastily turned and ran towards her parents, who looked to her with mirroring expressions of tenderness. L observed her silently before slowly standing and averting his gaze to the candy in his hand.

"She's sweet."

L looked to Naomi and then nodded. "That is the best sort of sweetness." He then returned the candy to his pocket and merely stood beside his partner in silence.

…

Nate, having had enough of seclusion and desiring to point out his findings to the investigation group, finally stood and looked over at them. However, before he could take a step forward, the magician and his assistant from the magic show suddenly swept past and approached the very place he had intended to go. He narrowed his eyes and decided to wait until they left.

…

"Excuse me," a raspy voice proclaimed as the owner of the words stopped behind the line of yellow tape. "We would like to offer you some information."

Itachi turned and approached them before nodding, "anything at all would be most appreciated."

A feeling of hope was roused within Pain and he walked over to stand beside his friend as both Naomi and L followed suit. Light, however, opted to stay where he was. They were the two individuals from the magic show and he inwardly questioned if they truly had anything of value to offer.

"I am Orochimaru," the man introduced himself with a slight bow to the Uchiha before indicating the spectacled man beside him. "And this is my dear assistant, Kabuto."

"A pleasure to meet you both," Itachi replied politely.

"Yes, it is," Orochimaru replied as he looked to the man with an expression of awe. "But…back to the topic at hand. Earlier today, I had noticed a suspicious individual from within my tent and therefore had my assistant follow him. We discovered that he was trailing a couple of sorts, though they did not seem very happy."

"Not happy at all," Kabuto added in a high-pitched and admiring voice as his master explained.

"Ahem, yes," the magician replied. "Not happy. And by the way, I have only recently found out that the man who died was the very same man who had been walking with that blue-haired woman. Otherwise, I would have informed you all of this earlier."

Itachi nodded, "Aa, I understand. In any case though, what did this man look like? Did you see what happened after the death took place or in what the direction the woman disappeared to?"

"He had dark hair and a black coat," Kabuto replied matter-of-factly. "He also had…a gun on him."

"A gun?"

"Yes."

"I see," the Uchiha responded. "What else?"

"We did not see what happened with the couple," Orochimaru explained, "as my assistant's primary focus was the suspicious character. However, we know that he suddenly changed course and seemed to be chasing after someone."

"It was the blue-haired woman," Kabuto added. "And I therefore arrived at the conclusion that the black-coat was…a stalker!"

"Yes, yes," Orochimaru nodded. "A stalker. We did not know what had happened to the man she had arrived with but she did seem to be looking over her shoulder quite a bit. It is my belief that she knew someone was stalking her."

"Did you see where she went after that? Did she leave the park?"

"I don't know," Kabuto replied. "I lose sight of them near the electrical section of the carnival. I decided then to report the entire thing to Orochimaru-sama."

"I believed it to be harmless," the magician responded then. "However, once I discovered that the red-haired man had died, whatever his name is, I concluded that our observations could no longer be withheld."

"An accurate conclusion," L replied.

"Aa, indeed it was," Itachi responded. 'I appreciate this." He then motioned to one of the nearby police officers. "Please relay the story to him as well and he will record it as an official witness statement."

"Understood," Orochimaru replied before turning. "Come along, Kabuto."

The pair of them then ventured away and the Uchiha turned to face the group. "Let's head to the electrical warehouses. This is a good lead."

"I too…think so," L responded.

Light withheld a response as he slowly turned to follow the four individuals before him. Had Mikami already left the scene? Had the killing been done? There was no reason why he would not have followed through with his orders and so he supposed speculation was useless. The woman was…already dead.

The group entered the appropriate area and began to search each of the warehouses in turn, Naomi, Light and Itachi doing so with guns drawn while L and Pain merely stood by. The private investigator was more inclined to surveillance and research rather than field work. That was Misora's area of expertise and so he primarily left it up to her.

"Empty," Itachi declared as he exited one of the buildings and rushed towards the other, disappearing inside as he was flanked by the other two officers.

As he watched, Pain began to grow more anxious. Looking to the strange man beside him, he decided he had to release some of his pent up restlessness. "Do…you think she's alright?"

L's eyes widened and he glanced over at the man beside him. He was seeking comfort. However, comfort…was not an area he was entirely familiar with. After considering, he sighed. "Do you want…my honest opinion?'

"…yes," Pain nodded after another moment. He wanted honesty.

"The chance of her being entirely alright is only...2%"

The pierced man's eyes widened and his hope began to fade. The confident reply he was offered was as solid as any evidence that could be provided to support it. Looking down to the darkened earth beneath his feet, he clenched his fist. He should have accompanied Konan. It was entirely…his own fault.

"Do not blame yourself," L said then. "Sometimes…things happen in life that we have absolutely no control over…no matter how hard you try. It is both wonderful and horrific."

"I want to control it…" Pain admitted. "Damn it…"

"Even so," L replied as he looked away. "You cannot. No one can."

There was a brief silence then, almost akin to one that a person experience within a graveyard. The very air itself seemed to whisper of an awaiting secret; a dark revelation.

And that revelation came within the very next second…in the form of Yagami Light.

"Ryuuzaki," he called out, tone flat and devoid of his typical arrogance. "Yahiko…"

Pain rushed forward with no thought at all before taking the few steps that led into the building. L approached at an easier pace but exhibited visible signs of apprehension. He looked to Light as he passed him and saw something he had never before seen upon the man's face…regret and…remorse.

Rounding the corner, the detective's widened eyes narrowed in defeat as his shoulders slumped further beneath the weight of the scene before him. The pierced man had fallen over the lifeless form of his lover, holding her close and begging her to reawaken. Dried blood was plastered to her wrists and trailed down her hands and onto the cement below. This, too, was made to appear as a suicide, though the cause of death had been the actual slits in her case.

Itachi bowed his head and loosened his grip on the gun he held, unable to continue watching the suffering of one of his dearest friends. From beside him, Naomi suppressed the urge to shed tears for the sake of the couple before her. All too familiar was the ache and the longing such a cruel separation instilled.

"I…will…" Light began, turning away from the building, "notify the rest of the team."

No one else seemed to even hear the man but L looked to his retreating form and then waited until a safe enough space was created between them before following. He watched the killer before him through a set of vigilant eyes. Had he…ordered that woman's death? Did he have someone working for him?

Light clenched his hand tightly around his gun and glared as he advanced through the sparse forestry. That woman…had not deserved the judgment that had befallen her. Nor did her lover the suffering that inevitably followed her demise. It was a failure that served to completely…debilitate him. However, one source of comfort was the fact that he had been falsely informed by someone who had allowed his own predetermined judgment to cloud his perceptions and…due to that, he had someone upon whom to take his frustration out upon.

Removing his phone from his pocket in one, harsh movement, Light texted Mikami and told him in a swift command to meet him somewhere private, somewhere near the park.

He only had to wait another moment before he received a reply from the man. "Kami, I am hiding by the back gate. There's no one else over here."

Light snapped his phone closed and returned it to its place within his pocket. No else, huh? Good. He again tightened his hold on his gun and hastened his steps. There was one final judgment he had to carry out. Uzumaki Naruto was no longer a concern of his, nor anyone else who were currently awaiting his form of justice. For all he knew, they had circumstances to be considered as well.

Mikami deserved to be punished though.

As he reached the designated area, Light instantly spotted the man hiding near a grove of trees. Venturing forward, the detective hid his weapon from view and approached the despicable individual.

"Mikami," he called out smoothly. "It's me."

The man pushed away from his hiding spot and approached, face stoic and resolute. It was apparent that he felt absolutely nothing. From outsider's perspective, Light wondered for the first time if this was the image he had been giving off over the past few years.

"Kami," the man declared with a bow and an almost crazed gleam in his eyes. "At last, we meet face-to-face."

"That woman," Light continued. "Did she anything before you killed her?"

"Yes," the man nodded. "But it was only lies. Every word out of her mouth was a lie."

"Tell me what she said."

"She told me that she wasn't afraid to die. I finally caught up to her after she killed Nagato, as she had known the whole time that I was trailing her. She didn't want to try anything in a private location for that reason. She had his gun and said that she had taken it off his person once he fell dead."

He shook his head, "she told me that he had ordered her to come with him to the location where they had gone for their first date, this carnival, and that he would lure her lover here as well. She complied, the plan to euthanize him already in place and waited until the perfect opportunity to inject him. She claims that Nagato intended to bring the both of them to a hidden location and then kill her lover before her eyes. He then supposedly intended to shoot her as well and then finally himself. Before your orders to finish her off in such a way as to imply suicide, I had intended to lure her lover as well and kill them both."

"So you were told all of that before I gave you the order to kill her?"

"Yes, Kami."

"You did not feel that was worth mentioning?"

"It was a lie."

"No," Light said then, eyes narrowing. "It wasn't. You killed an innocent woman."

The man's eyes widened. "I told you, my friend would not have d-"

"Your judgment was clouded by your own feelings on the matter," Light stated firmly. "You have failed me and you have failed the innocent people for whom my justice was intended to protect."

"Kami," the man pleaded. "She was being unfaithful, she deceived and used him…can't you see that?"

"If he, your friend, approached you with the plot that the woman said he was planning…would you have allowed it?"

There was a brief silence before the man replied, "…his anger was understandable."

"That's what I thought," Light said only before revealing the gun at his side and aiming it against the man's skull."

"K-Kami," the man stammered as his breathing grew heavy. Light deliberated only another moment before pulling the trigger and therefore killing his first victim via use of a firearm. His usual method was a capsule that would instantly inflict a heart attack in the user at the moment of ingestion. However, Mikami had not deserved something so clean.

As Light watched the man's descent onto the ground, he simultaneously watched a shadow of himself recede and withdraw itself forever. Clarity returned to his mind and he lowered his gun as the many lives he had taken swept across his recollection. How many of them had he judged without any form of due process? He had killed those whom he had deemed unworthy. Mikami was no worse than he but he had also been privy to a testimony that he, himself, had never received.

In reality, and despite the man's fervent protests, Mikami had wanted to enact the very same vengeance that his friend desired. Even if he had known the truth, he would have shared Nagato's feelings on the slight of infidelity. The murder of that woman had absolutely nothing to do with justice. It had been personal and, simply due to that, Mikami had proved himself no better than the very worst criminals whom he had sworn to prosecute.

From within the shadows of the neighboring trees, L revealed himself, slowly advancing toward the man who had just proven himself to be the serial killer. It was a probability of 100%. When Light finally noticed his presence, he turned and simply stared at the private investigator. He thought of somehow talking his way out of the situation but then acknowledged that the man had undoubtedly heard and seen everything that had just taken place.

Of all the things he might have predicted, Light had not foreseen being found out as a result of a sudden change of disposition due to a romantic tragedy. He looked to his gun and reasoned that he could still shoot the man before him However, after a moment, he opened his hand and allowed the weapon to fall onto the grass beside Mikami. It was over and…he would most certainly be deemed as a criminal worth executing.

L saw the weapon fall and revisited what he had just witnessed. He observed Light's face and also acknowledged that the killing intent that had always surrounded the man was…entirely diminished. Looking to the corpse of that woman's killer, he also saw…true justice. Returning his attention to the defenseless shooter whom had at last, placed justice above arrogance, L tilted his head and then recognized that he had achieved his purpose; he had stopped the serial killer. He had put an end to the senseless killings.

"I will let this one pass," L stated before turning and beginning to walk away. "…Kira."

…

Another hour passed and the electrical warehouse had been cleared of its victim. She was gently laid beside her fiancée and they were taken away together. Pain watched in despair as he sat with his face between his hands. Itachi sat beside him and kept one arm wrapped around his shoulders. There was nothing that could be said to ease the sensation of loss, but he could offer his silent support.

Naomi stood a few feet away, face solemn. No matter how many cases she worked on, the tragedies and horrors of the job never came easy. Looking to her right, she saw the other half of the park, where life continued. The rides were still moving and the crowds had not decreased. Lights, sounds and scents were sustained with constant ferocity and laughter and excitement was expressed in witness to the wonder that was the carnival.

"Life is thrilling and meant to be lived to the fullest."

She smiled as she heard L's voice in her head; despite the nature of that phrase's utterance, the truth behind it was something to be admired. In fact, she could not readily think of a wiser phrase. Looking to her left then, she saw the man himself approach and stop beside her, expression blank.

It was L's signature façade of victory. But…what exactly had he won? She furrowed her brows but did not press the matter. As she looked away, she recounted her earlier thoughts and simultaneously felt the final lingering drive for vengeance fade from her heart. Lifting her gaze, she then saw Light approach Itachi and Pain, his demeanor somehow different.

It was as if…he had been liberated. L, too. Looking inward, she also reasoned that she had been liberated as well.

"Are you alright?" she finally asked the man beside her.

There was a moment of silence before he responded. "I am thinking."

"About?"

"We are going to leave this place soon."

"Yes," she nodded. "We are. Elaborate."

"I really did…want to ride on a roller coaster for the first time."

Naomi's eyes instantly widened. She had been looking for something to occupy her mind besides the tragedy that had unfolded before them over the course of the evening and L had just offered her that reprieve. Though, perhaps he was also looking for a distraction.

More than that though, it surprised her that the man had never been on a roller coaster before. She slowly smiled before grasping his hand and pulling him along behind her, "follow me."

L's eyes considerably widened as he looked to the sight of unfamiliar contact that was the woman's hand over his own. How was he…supposed to react? His face felt warm all over again.

She led him away from the scenes of death and into the area of life ahead, where the music resounded and the people walked in every direction.

"All around me are familiar faces

Worn out places, worn out faces"

They walked over to the very same ride L had been invited to leave earlier in the day and proceeded on through the line. There were considerably fewer people during the later hour and so they found themselves stepping onto the ride's platform in a matter of moments.

"Bright and early for the daily races

Going nowhere, going nowhere"

Upon taking their seats, the same man from before approached and stopped beside L. "Sit properly in your seat, sir."

"Their tears are filling up their glasses

No expression, no expression"

Naomi looked over and shook her head, "just do as he says, Ryuuzaki."

"This increases my mental capacity by 40%"

"Well," Misora responded as she winked, "be a little dumber for five minutes, then."

"Hide my head I wanna drown my sorrow

No tomorrow, no tomorrow"

L considered for a few moments before deciding that he really did want to partake in the ride. He reluctantly complied and allowed his feet to rest against the bottom of the car. It felt strange…but he ignored it.

"And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad"

As the ride pulled forward on the track, L suddenly felt as if he no longer had control and it instilled…anxiety. He did not know what was coming.

"I feel nervous."

"You wanted to ride on this though, right?"

"…that is true."

"Well," she shrugged, "indulge in your burning desires…L."

He looked to Naomi, eyes wide and she shook her head. "No one can hear what I'm saying."

"Interesting."

"The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had"

…

Itachi strode through the amusement park, having found himself in need of fresh air. A counselor had arrived on the scene and was now in the middle of a session with Pain. Light accompanied the Uchiha and sighed. "…any word from your brother?"

"I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take"

The Uchiha's steps slowed slightly, "…not much. He has been studying a great deal though."

"Has he?" Light asked, pausing before continuing. "At what school? He hasn't attended the university since last semester."

"Uhm…" Itachi's eyes widened. "I…what do you mean?"

"When people run in circles it's a very, very

Mad world, mad world"

"It is as I said. I looked into the matter, Itachi. It was suspicious that he disappeared the very same night that his best friend fled the city."

"I see…" Itachi replied, not knowing how to respond.

"Children waiting for the day they feel good"

Light looked over at the man and offered a small smile, "I want to help you find him."

"Happy birthday, happy birthday"

After a moment, the Uchiha slowly nodded. "Aa, I would…appreciate that, Light-kun."

…

Several minutes later, the ride returned to the station and its passengers clambered off. It was then announced that it was to be the very last run of the evening and so the crowd dispersed. Naomi looked over at L with a small smile. "Fun?"

"Fun…" he replied thoughtfully, a thumb against his mouth. "No, the right word would be…exciting."

She nodded, "yes, you're right. That is more suitable."

A silence ensued between them then and all that was heard was the soft clacks of Misora's boots against the pavement beneath. The music had been cut off for the evening and the lights were beginning to dim.

Returning to his thoughts, L ventured back to the words he had given Pain, about things happening that no one had any control over and how it was both a wonderful and horrific fact.

"That woman's death…" he began slowly as he thought of all those her fate had impacted. Most especially, where Yagami Light was concerned."…has prevented countless more from occurring."

Misora looked to him with furrowed brows and was about to question his meaning when she caught sight of both Light and Itachi. With a sigh, she nodded, her mind beginning to connect the vague statement to what she saw on Light's expression. "Yeah…I know. Sometimes, these things happen for a reason. It's unfortunate, but true."

"Many things are."

She nodded.

When they reached the parallel pair, Light extended a hand to the private investigator, eyes sincere. "It was a pleasure to work with you again, Ryuuzaki."

Eyes widening slightly in intrigue, the young man accepted the former killer's handshake. "You may call me…L."

…

'It's official', the boy surmised as he stood from his spot beside the wall as several vendors began to close their shops. 'I hate L for leaving me here.' Nate walked towards the park exit with a glare. 'And I really wanted to tell him that Yagami Light may be the serial killer he had been looking for.' He twirled his finger through his hair, 'Oh well though. Guess he'll just have to miss out on that information.'

Lifting his phone, he dialed another number and drawled into the receiver once the individual on the other end answered. "Mello," he began. "I have a lead you can follow."

…

Hanging up the phone, the blonde turned to his small crew with a grin as he took a bite of chocolate before venturing towards the sofa and claiming a seat. Matt, a young man who was only a year or two older than the former, took a drag from his cigarette before asking what everyone was thinking.

"What was that about?"

"It seems," the teen began as he looked to the blue-eyed boy who sat on the floor with an eager expression. "That I have just stumbled across the answer to your dilemma."

"Really, dattebayo?"

"Yes," Mello responded with a nod. "We have to provide the law with someone who is worth considerably more than all three of you put together."

"Who?" the youngest Uchiha asked from beside his friend.

Yokai glanced over at the two boys briefly before returning her attention to the one who had practically taken them in off the street. Were their days in hiding going to finally end?

"Yagami Light," Mello continued with another grin. "The infamous serial killer known as: Kira."

...

To be continued…