Okay, another experimental step on this story, but I'm still incredibly shaky about it. PLEASE review. Again, I own nothing; Tsgumi Ohba is the genuis behind Death Note. This chapter is based off a scene in "Death Note Re-Light" (sort of an extended cut), in which L's private funeral is revealed. I suggest you watch the scene on youtube, but that's another story for another day.
The setting sun bathed the scene in a river of blood.
Blood. Blood is for the living and the dying.
Those that lie here have passed both those gates long ago.
The graveyard was filled with small, humble stones each quietly holding their own little lot. None were particularly elaborate; the most decorative objects in the plot were the stone angels that so solemnly guarded it.
Stay out, they seemed to warn. Do not linger among the dead; you will join them.
Do not linger.
Wedy stood, head bowed despite the constrictive collar of the mourning suit she had donned. Beside her stood the small task force, each following in her suite, though perhaps more due to the heavy burden of hopelessness than the one of guilt she so willingly carried.
"Ryuzaki…" Chief Yagami spoke in a gentler tone than she was accustomed to hearing him use. It was husky with pain, she realized. How…touching. The hardened police officer had developed an attachment to the eccentric, practically inhuman detective.
Even though that detective had held his beloved son under suspicion.
If you stay to yearn after them for too long, you'll forget the joys of living. Death will seem so pleasant that it can't come soon enough.
You can only hope to be buried beside them…
Her gaze wandered from the simple, cross-shaped stone to the slightly taller one beside it.
"We have gathered here for your private funeral," the chief continued, but his voice faded away as Wedy stood stiff, her eyes locked on the two stones that stood so intentionally close to each other, just as their occupants had in life.
Watari.
"Watari!"
She almost tripped in her haste to reach the two receding figures. Her breath came quickly, laced with anger and physical strain.
How could they leave me? Without even trying to say goodbye…?
Gasping, the girl slid to a stop in front of L and Watari, who had turned when they heard her shrill cry.
"W," Watari scolded her in his typical stern yet gentle manner. "You should know by now that it is strictly forbidden to leave the grounds of Wammy's. Moreover, as one of the older and more experienced students here, you ought to know why."
Cheeks burning, she stared resolutely at the ground.
"It is dangerous," Watari continued, despite the blatant rebellion in her posture. "Because on your own, your identity is at risk of being revealed. How many times do I have to remind you, child?" He walked over, laid his hands on her shoulders, and knelt so he was looking up at her. There had once been a time when such a position would have left him eye-level with her, but she was fourteen, and much taller than she had been.
"Your identity," Watari said in his soft, clipped voice. "Is much more than just your life. It is your future, your definition, and your strength. You cannot so brashly leave it open to compromise. It would be a betrayal of not only yourself, but of any who consider your important or dear to them. Like me, for example."
He had broken down her defenses so easily. She looked up, hating herself internally for allowed the hot tears to swim in her eyes.
"You're not just taking him away," she retorted. "You're leaving with him!"
Watari nodded gravely.
"I must," he explained. "His life will never be the same, and it will certainly never be safe. He is stepping into a new world, and I'm sorry my dear, but I need to be by his side to keep him on his feet. You know how curious his sense of balance is."
Stubbornly, she bit back the smile that had threatened to invade her mood at the thought of L's flimsy frame and odd way of walking with his hands constantly in his pockets.
"Don't worry, Wedy." L, who had been standing silently and observing the whole scene, walked over and awkwardly took her hand. He was thirteen, skinny, and clumsy, but somehow maintained the aura of a sanctuary around himself. When he touched her, no matter how obviously unnatural the action was to him, she felt safe as well. He fixed her seriously with his large black eyes, piercing orbs that saw through everything.
"Don't worry," he repeated. "Watari is merely a precaution, and I'm not as fragile as he'd like to think I am." He shot a mildly irritated glance at the elderly man, who simply smiled in a dismissive manner. "You have my word that he shall be returned to you, and in good condition."
Despite the circumstances of the moment, she couldn't hold back the smile that his words prompted. Despite the fact that she had been the one watching his back for the past couple of years, L had been the one who gravely shouldered the title of "Guardian" when it came to their relationship. Then again, he believed he was responsible for the safety of every innocent human on the planet, and perfectly capable of carrying out the task of keeping their world one of Justice. Pretty heady stuff for a thirteen-year-old, but L was a "heady" being. W was the muscle. And now, she realized, she was obsolete. Watari was taking her job. Was that really the reason she was bitter? How…childish.
Jealousy.
And towards her own father-figure and teacher.
Her lip curled in derision.
She truly loathed herself at times.
But the fact remained. She was an old tool, no longer required and thus without purpose. She was being left behind to rust.
No.
She was the best agent of espionage in the world, even at her young age. Granted, she would be pitting her skills against the world's future best detective…
I love a challenge.
Swallowing her motive-laden, feral smile, she pushed her platinum blond hair away from her face and nodded earnestly at L.
"I know, L. I never doubted you. I guess…" The humiliation she allowed into her tone was probably the perfect touch. "I guess I'll just miss you…both of you. You're all that I have, after all."
L shuffled his bare toes.
"I see," he mumbled, and she silently cheered herself. Excellent. His focus had been thrown into uncomfortable confusion. Lately, he hadn't known how to deal with her "female notions and emotions". She had enjoyed making him uncomfortable. She had spent hours practicing different ways to do so, which was why it was now so ridiculously simple to finish off any suspicions he had concerning her ulterior motives for such a confession.
With a dry sob, she threw her arms around his neck, pressing herself against his slender body.
"Just be safe," she gasped, and was rewarded with the immediate stiffening of his form. She turned her devilish giggle into heartfelt tears as Watari gently pulled her away. She gave him a hug too, perhaps a more earnest one, for she truly adored the old man, and finally allowed him to lead her behind the fence.
"You will hear of us again, Merrie," he soothed her, brushing her tear-sodden hair away from her cheeks. She froze, almost thrown from her flawless act. He hadn't called her by her true name since the day he had found her. This truly was goodbye, in his mind. Rubbing her eyes, she nodded, and then watched from beneath the crook of her arm as Watari returned to L's side and led him away, over the hill and into the horizon of the vast world of crime and death.
A thief must hold no pride. You must be crazy if you think I'm gonna let you out of my sight in a world like that!
Drying her eyes with a grin, she stood and headed back to the campus, the perfect plan already churning in her mind. Blueprints to the school, security lay-outs…these she had all broken into and committed to memory long ago. Watari knew, she was sure…but she still wanted to feel like she could leave any time she wanted to. Now, with Watari gone, it was finally time for her to say her goodbyes to the institution that had taken her in as a tiny orphan. The plan was drawn. All that remained were simple preparations.
After all, I made a promise.
A day and a half later found her holing up in allegedly the most secure building under the administration of the Wammy program. Oh yes, it certainly WAS cushy…but she had enjoyed then added challenge of breaking in and finding a secure area to live in. She spent one whole day hooking her battered laptop up and tapping it into the feed of every camera on the property. Wherever L or Watari were, she would see. If trouble came up, she was a hop skip and a jump away from an easy rescue. Satisfied, Merrie smirked and allowed herself to relax briefly.
"Wedy, you should know that spying on people is rude."
She jumped slightly, internally kicked herself for taking her eyes off the screen for so long, and then grinned, turning to face L.
"Like you're one to talk. I know your style of solving crime. You're a friggin' peeping Tom, of the worst sort. Maybe you're starting to rub off on me." She shrugged, stood, and strode with catlike grace to where he stood, barefoot and clad in the usual white shirt and too-large jeans. She lightly punched him in the shoulder.
"So, what are you doing to do? Arrest me?"
"Hmm…" L tilted his head back and musingly pressed his thumbnail against his teeth. "Well, I could do that. Or, for old times' sake, I could allow you a five second running start. Knowing you, that's two seconds too long."
She dipped her head in modest appreciation of his compliment.
"Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere."
"Oh?" He was surprised; she had caught him off-guard.
"Yes," she said stubbornly. "I promised I'd protect you, that I'd never leave your side. In reality, I should be here with you and Watari should be back at Wammy's, where he belongs. I mean, I've grown too! Watari ought to put more trust in my abilities."
"Exactly," Watari's voice rang from the doorway, and both teenagers turned to face him. The old man stepped into the light, a serene smile on his mustached face.
"I never doubted your abilities, W," he addressed her. "But I had to see how far some honest motivation would press them. You tend to be lazy, and I wanted to see how well you could actually do. This is the first time I've seen you give anything your all, and you passed your test. You also, L, for managing to detect her." Both students bowed their heads slightly to their teacher and father, a warm glow of pride lighting up their eyes.
"L," Watari continued. "You are the Chosen Successor. You know your duties well. W, you have declared yours, but I still do not intend to leave. I have taken it upon myself to personally be here for both of you. I could not leave either of your sides, W, anymore than you could leave L's. Am I understood?"
Smiling, she nodded at him enthusiastically.
"Excellent," Watari said. "L, I'm going to get us all some ice cream."
And with that he left, remaining ever the enigma-brewed mixture of unbeatable sage and loving father. Merrie turned to L.
"Looks like you're still stuck with me," she said with a shrug. "But I'm pretty sure you knew you would be. After all…" She began to walk towards the door. "I made a promise."
"…Ryuzaki."
A younger, more clear voice cut through her memories. He was speaking.
That's not his name…
She yearned to scream that at the man who had said it, to take him by his collar and demand to know who he truly was. To beat the truth out of him…and if she found what she thought was there, to kill him in the most painful way possible.
Kira.
She clenched her fists until her red, manicured nails bit into her flesh, dropping the blood of the living onto the sacred ground of the dead.
You will pay for what you have taken from the world…and from me…
However, her anger receded as she looked once again at the graves. Watari's grave stood unbendingly by L's, as steadfast and noble in its intent of protection and service as Watari had always been. Even as a teacher. He had existed to serve and protect L, his true prodigy.
He knew he would be by L's side until the day he died…but that was never a condition meant both ways.
Her head bowed further under the unbearable weight of guilt as a tear slid down her cheek.
It was my duty to make sure he would never have to join you. My duty…and I failed.
Wistfully, she looked at the empty lot beside the two new graves.
The worst part? I wasn't granted the path to join you. I am alone…I stand by nobody's side, and no one will stand by me.
You were all I had.
"Don't worry, Wedy."
She could almost hear him saying that. As long as she could remember, L had been the only one to ever call her by her preferred nickname.
Dry-eyed, she looked up towards the horizon, trying to picture two figures turning back to look at her as they had when she had so long ago cried their names. One, a dignified elderly man with a gentle, caring smile on his face and the other a scrawny, awkward young man with an uncontrollable head of black hair and otherworldly eyes that saw who she truly was and what her heart yearned for. She tried to picture them before everything had changed, before the weight of Justice had bent L's back like an old man and etched circles beneath his extraordinary eyes, and before Watari had taken to carrying a large amount of sweets around to ease the constant bitterness the dark side of humanity brought to the detective's tongue.
I can almost see them.
Turning back for her when she called them, waiting for her to catch up with them and offer a final goodbye...
"Wedy?"
The images were whisked away with the wind as she turned to face him.
Light Yagami.
What an epitome of the friend in mourning he was! Brown eyes downcast, head bowed slightly in pain, shoulders bent...
You're the best liar I've ever had the misfortune to meet. Better even than L.
"Yes?"
Don't call me that. Don't call me what he called me. You aren't worthy...
"I was wondering...if I could have a minute alone?" He looked up to meet her eyes then. His act was certainly flawless, but if L had never trusted her, there was no way she ever would.
"Of course," she replied with a shrug. "And Light?"
"Yes?" The young man was looking at her intently. She stared into those masked eyes, keen and observing beneath the pained exterior.
A moment of silence reigned as their eyes locked.
You haven't fooled me. Bastard. When I leave, you'll defile this holy ground, more sacred to me than anything else. You will crow of your alleged victory to the dead, remaining unheard in your desecration. But I'm not dead yet. I will protect him until I die. I will. You'll never be safe from me until you kill me...Kira. I hope you know that. And when you do, you won't have won. I'll do my part. You will be caught, and you will be executed. When that day comes, writhe and scream in the agony of a soul that long since lost its humanity, knowing there's only one place you can truly go: no where.
"I'm truly sorry for your loss."
She turned and left.
The sun was barely peeping over the barren horizon. Not a sign of them to be found. She did not look back at the graveyard, but as she passed one of the angels, she glanced up at its solemn stone face.
I will linger among the dead, despite the consequences.
Just let us be buried side by side.
Again, PLEASEEE review! I need opinions on this! Read, review, and enjoy
