Remorse of an Actress
Ok…so this is my first Deathnote fic… I'm hoping to keep it a bit dark, but I don't always do dark so well. Anyway, it picks up midway through the manga – the section titled "Hug". AKA after Raito remembers, and is no longer handcuffed to L. Misa has just dug up the deathnote in the forest.
Basically it describes how the story might have gone if Misa had a) a brain, and b) actually cared about Ryuuzaki as a friend. It drives me crazy that a female character could be as empty-headed as Miza, so I feel obliged to turn it on its head. I warn you now… as the chapters go on, Misa will be increasingly out of character. I may also make it slightly Misa x Ryuuzaki – just cause its so cute.
Chapter 1
Misa stood alone in the dark forest. The wind whipped by her as she read the note Raito had left for her beside the notebook. She smiled, maybe now Raito would love her, at least a little. She folded it out, noticing how smooth the paper, how well thought out Raito's plan. She read the last line: "Until death parts us!" She read the line again: "If you do for me what I ask you to do…"
Misa sighed. Was this what her life had really come to? Letting a man manipulate her in the hopes that one day he would love her just a fraction of how much she loved him? She sighed, well, maybe this time he would mean it.
She thought for a moment. "Raito means for Misa to kill Ryuuzaki. This means that he is… L." For a moment triumphant flared up inside her. L was the only one standing in between Raito and his perfect world. Her perfect world. But… L was also Ryuuzaki. Misa looked confused for a moment. Ryuuzaki was her friend.
Misa Amane may have done many horrible things in her life, but she couldn't kill a friend, could she? She sighed. Was it really so critical that they kill Ryuuzaki? Wasn't it possible that Raito could just keep it secret? Or what if they talked him around? Surely Raito with all his brilliance could make Ryuuzaki see that this was for the best of everyone.
Misa sighed, remembering Ryuuzaki's strong feelings about justice. "Even if the system fails," he'd said, "It's all we have. If one person takes it upon themselves to judge the world, where would it end? It may start with criminals now, but isn't it possible that one day anyone who so much as holds an opinion different from Kira may become a target?"
Misa stared up at the dark sky. She sighed again. It didn't matter anyway right now. There was no way she could remember Ryuuzaki's real name. She started to walk away from this dark clearing in the forest. She needed a plan.
From the shadows Ryuk watched the young model head back towards civilization, an expression of glee upon his face. It was ever so amusing when Raito's schemes didn't work out according to plan. Though he was rather upset that Misa hadn't looked for him. He could smell that apple in her backpack.
He watched Misa pause. "Ryuk?" She called out. "I know you're there somewhere. And I have something I know you want."
Ryuk moved out of the shadows. "I knew you wouldn't forget about my apple." He said with an awkward smirk.
"Well," said Misa slowly, as if she was weighing her words. "There is one condition though."
Ryuk widened his eyes in interest.
Misa entered the foyer of the building holding a rather large box. Raito greeted her with a look of surprise. Misa smiled and carefully made sure she was facing a camera, these next few minutes had to be acted to perfection. She realized Raito may not initially like the changes she'd made to his plan, so it was essential she get this all right. "MisaMisa was hoping to see Ryuuzaki." She said brightly, knowing that the person in question would be watching the camera – the pervert that he was.
Raito looked at her in confusion. "See Ryuuzaki?" He asked, momentarily confused. Wasn't he the centre of Misa's universe?
Misa smiled, setting the box down on the floor beside her. She leapt into his arms. "MisaMisa's so sorry." She whispered pathetically. "Misa couldn't remember his name." She faked a quiet sob. She felt Raito's stiff hug, the lack of feeling or emotions he felt for her. "But MisaMisa can fix it." She whispered urgently. "Misa did the eyes deal with Ryuk. All Misa needs is to see Ryuuzaki, and Misa can make it all perfect for Raito." She tightened her hug. "And then MisaMisa and Raito can live happily ever after and make the world so much better." She rambled on, not even entirely sure of what horribly sweet things she said.
Raito loosened his hug. "Misa even brought a cake!" She exclaimed brightly, making sure her face was angled in the direction of the camera, as she scooped up the box.
Raito smiled. The girl was as easy to manipulate as ever. Though he paused for a moment. She had been able to plan her next move – to trick Ryuuzaki into showing himself in person for her to catch his name. He frowned slightly. He shook his head, it wasn't as if Misa could actually be intelligent. He nodded to Ryuk. "Nice to see you again, Ryuk." He told the shinigami.
Ryuk tried his best not to laugh. Who would have known little Misa had it in her to trick Raito? She'd flat out refused to do the eyes deal in the forest, arguing that it wouldn't be necessary, and would just shorten the time she would be able to spend with Raito. He chuckled softly. It was amusing how she thought Raito would forgive her and even love her one day. She didn't seem to realize she was nothing more than a pawn to Raito.
Ryuuzaki popped a sugar cube idly into his mouth, letting the sugar melt across his tongue. He was focused intently upon the two young people who were presently meeting in the foyer of the building. He noticed Mogi momentarily looking over his shoulder. "Ryuuzaki," the man started, "Don't you think its impolite to watch Raito and Miss Amane? They should have earned at least a little privacy by now."
"Not when they're talking about me." Ryuuzaki said patiently. He popped another sugar cube into his mouth. There was no way he could ignore the fact that Misa had scouted the lobby for cameras as she entered, had purposely positioned herself to face the camera, and had then informed him – well, technically Raito – that she wished to see him. Ryuuzaki chewed thoughtfully. She'd also mentioned something about cake…
"Well Misa," Raito started. "We may as well find out if Ryuuzaki will see us." He moved to the elevator, only to have it open in his face. He was shocked to see Ryuuzaki himself standing inside. His hunched form and shadowed features appeared surreal against the normality of an elevator.
"Ryuuzaki!" Misa called playfully. "Misa-Misa knew you would come for cake!"
The three sat awkwardly in one of the rooms they'd spent countless "dates" in during Misa and Raito's surveillance. Well, Raito sat awkwardly. Ryuuzaki was as expressionless as ever, shoveling cake into his mouth, his eyes watching the ever-bubbly Misa Amane. She too appeared comfortable in this setting, happily chatting endlessly about meaningless things. Raito shook his head. How he detested this. Couldn't Misa just look at Ryuuzaki's name and then excuse herself to go to the washroom to write down his name? His hands itched to strangle one of the two, or both, preferably.
"I think I'm going to check on the investigation." He said suddenly, rising stiffly.
Ryuuzaki raised an eyebrow artfully, "Misa," he said softly, "I think we're boring Raito."
Misa sighed dramatically. "Raito is just dedicated to the Kira case." She announced. "Misa-Misa is proud of him for working so hard!"
Inwardly Raito rolled his eyes. He was a god. A god surrounded by people intent on driving him insane!
Misa watched the door close behind Raito. She sighed softly, she had realized that the only way to get out of killing Ryuuzaki was to turn this deathnote over to him. At least with it in his hands, no one else could get killed. She also knew it was now or never.
"Ryuuzaki?" She asked softly. She watched the strange man turn his dark eyes onto her. She shivered slightly, appalled by his wild appearance. How could one so intelligent let themselves look such a wreck? "Misa-Misa needs to tell Ryuuzaki something."
She pulled the deathnote of her purse. "Misa-Misa did more detective work." She watched Ryuuzaki's eyes widen in surprise. She took a deep breath. She wasn't an actress for nothing. "Misa-Misa was on the set of her latest music video, and noticed a strange man watching her. When the shoot was over, the strange man walked up to Misa and asked her if she would have tea with him. Misa turned him down, of course. Misa-Misa has a wonderful boyfriend!" Misa nibbled her lip. A wonderful boyfriend who by now should be watching this on video, staring at the deathnote that Misa was holding out in hands.
"But the man says to Misa, would Miss Misa Amane wish to meet Kira? And Misa-Misa thinks: wouldn't Misa be such a help to Raito and Ryuuzaki if she could find something?" She paused, Ryuuzaki looked only half-convinced. "So Misa says 'Yes', Misa-Misa is indebted to Kira for avenging her parents. And the man says, then come to have tea with me – so Misa goes. And the man talks and talks, but Misa pulls the same trick she's played before." She did her best then to give her silly aren't-I-clever look.
"And the man pulls out this notebook." She pressed the deathnote into Ryuuzaki's hands, feeling oddly free now that it was out of her hands. "And Misa flirts with the man until he forgets about the notebook, and then Misa slips it into her purse. And she brings it to Ryuuzaki!" She smiled brightly, knowing all too well that it all sounded contrived.
But the deathnote was out of her hands, and in Ryuuzaki's. Raito couldn't make her kill Ryuuzaki if she didn't have a deathnote. And that was what mattered right now, right? Ryuuzaki looked at her with hooded eyes. "Did you happen to get this man's name?" he asked unemotionally. Misa shook her head, looking for all the world as clueless as a newborn puppy dog. She watched him watch her. "I think it would be safest for you to stay here for the next little while Misa." He continued. "Once this man figures out you've taken this notebook, he would probably come after you." Misa nodded softly.
In the meantime, Raito stood motionless in the centre of the room, his eyes glued to the monitor showing Misa and Ryuuzaki. That was the deathnote in Misa's hands. "Matsuda," he commanded. "Turn up the sound for monitor 3." He listened, frozen in his anger to Misa's foolish story. What was she doing? She was giving the deathnote to Ryuuzaki? How would they get rid of L now? And worse, how dare she betray him like this.
He shook his head in disbelief. This was out of character, to say the least. At least her explanation left both of them guiltfree. Though he highly doubted it would keep L off their trail for long. He sneered inwardly. This was his own fault – trusting someone as pathetic as Misa. He should have just killed her so long ago.
He sat down unsteadily. "Wow." He heard Matsuda say. "Can you believe how brave your girlfriend is Raito?" The ignorant man said. "She put herself in danger just to help our investigation." Matsuda turned to face Raito. "She did it for you!"
Raito's gaze hardened. "She shouldn't be putting herself in danger like that." He growled. "Now she's confined back to this building – and she was just finally free to go." Inside his head though, he was thinking darkly: she did this for Ryuuzaki.
Review please!!! I wanna know what you guys think... I might not continue if no one likes it - I have another fic going that already eats my study time. But this idea has been bugging me for weeks now. :P