Disclaimer: Death Note is owned by Tsugumi Ooba, Takeshi Obata and whoever else owns it. I in no way claim it as my own; I just like to abuse the characters more than Amy Rose likes Sonic the Hedgehog. Any new characters are mine and any other new stuff is mine. I make no profit off of this silly fanfic and I don't intend any harm from it. No sue me, plz?
A/N: Chapters may come slow here on out as I'm working on two fics at once. Please be patient.
Angel of Death II: Second Trump (Death)
by KuroShinigami13
Chapter One - Eight of Spades (Loss)
Death Note
How to Use It
- You may also write the cause and/or details of death prior to filling in the name of the individual.
Be sure to insert the name in front of the written cause of death.
You have about 19 days (according to the human calendar) in order to fill in a name.
Musiko, unable to sleep, entered the room where L sat before the monitor. She simply went to a vacant chair, sitting down. Her timing, however, couldn't have been more perfect.
Light looked up to the camera that watched his every move, addressing the raven-haired detective, "Ryuuzaki, I realize that I was the one pushing for confinement and that I asked you to put me in here, but I just realized something important: this whole thing's completely pointless! Because I'm not Kira. You have to get me outta here!"
"Why the sudden change?" Musiko asked, faking confusion, watching the screen from the back of the room in her seat.
"I can't do that," Ryuuzaki replied to the young man. "I promised you that no matter what you said, I wouldn't let you out until I was convinced that you are not Kira."
"Please, L," Light begged, reneging on the previous agreement. "I wasn't thinking clearly! Do you really think a serial killer like Kira could commit those crimes without being aware of them?! If I have no memory of his crimes, I'm not him!"
Ryuuzaki answered his thoughts, "I've never been able to accept this idea that Kira has been acting without self-awareness all this time. But that doesn't change the fact that all the evidence points to you being Kira."
"Since we imprisoned you," the young, raven-haired man informed Light, "Kira hasn't committed a single murder."
"Listen. Just hear me out," the younger man insisted. "I swear to you, I'm not lying. You have to believe me. I am not Kira! I-I must have been framed! That's the only explanation for this!"
'What's wrong with you, Light Yagami?' Ryuuzaki's thoughts questioned of the brunette's change in attitude. 'What you're saying is completely absurd, but... for some reason, it feels believable to me.'
"You have to let me out!" Light desperately cried. "We're wasting time!"
"We can't let you out yet," the detective replied to his pleas, denying his release yet again.
Light slumped forward in defeat, "Damn... Why is this happening?"
"What the hell is going on?" Aizawa asked, bewildered by the young man virtually making a three-sixty of his mind set, also clearly acting out of character. "This isn't like Light at all. He's contradicting himself. It doesn't make any sense to me."
'It would make perfect sense if you remembered my analysis from the first time we met, dear Aizawa,' Musiko thought, both aggravated and happy at his forgetfulness. 'If any of you remember it, you could piece together that maybe Light lost his memories. But only Lawliet will remember, and he's too confused at the moment to think of it right now. All of that is perfect, and I didn't even plan it to be! ...Sometimes, life really does love me.'
"Well, we can't release him now that the murders have stopped," announced Matsuda. "It doesn't matter what he says. I mean, even I know that much."
Aizawa crossed his arms, brow furrowed, "Anyway, I don't care what anyone says; as far as I'm concerned, we have all the proof we need. Light Yagami is Kira and that's the end of it."
Light looked up to the camera once more, "Ryuuzaki."
The detective answered, "Yes?"
"If you can't release me, at least let me talk to Musiko," the young captive requested of his captor, brown eyes looking hopeful.
'Who to the what now?' Musiko thought, eyebrow quirked as she was baffled by the requisition. 'Shouldn't he have forgotten about pretending to love me?'
Ryuuzaki hesitated before asking, "May I inquire as to why you wish to speak to Miss Hanabi?"
Light looked at the camera as if the answer should be obvious, speaking rationally, "I've been confined for at least a week, haven't I? I think it's fair to reason that I miss my girlfriend. At least let me talk to the woman I love."
Musiko's stomach did a sickening flip as she sunk in her chair, her brow furrowing and mind racing, 'Oh, no way in hell could he possibly have been truthful with all those dark-eyed 'I love you's' with his sinister smirks. What the hell is wrong with him?'
"I suppose I see your point," Ryuuzaki replied begrudgingly, looking behind himself to Musiko.
The singer felt like she could puke from nerves at any moment, but kept her cool and got up from her chair, moving to the microphone, holding down the button.
"Hello, Light," she greeted hesitantly.
"Musiko? You sound nervous," Light pointed out, eyes sparkling at the camera.
She replied, "I'm just worried, Light."
"It's alright," the young man assured her confidently. "I know I'll clear my name somehow."
"I'm sure you will; it's the waiting that makes me nervous," Musiko supplied as an explanation.
He smiled what looked to be a genuine smile, commenting, "It's nice to hear your voice again... It's been a long time, babe."
'Babe?' Musiko thought to the pet name, surprised Light Yagami would use such a term for anyone.
Ryuuzaki scowled at their conversation, chewing his thumb as his eyes strayed from the screen. He felt completely awkward in between what seemed like two very intimate people.
"I know," the songstress replied softly, keeping up her act. "I'm glad I can finally talk to you again."
The raven-haired detective let his eyes lazily trail over to her, watching her lips move as she leaned toward the microphone.
"When your name is cleared and you're free, we'll have a lot of missed time to catch up on," the woman commented, smiling lightly.
Light smiled as well, promising, "I'll be out of here soon; don't worry... I love you, Musiko."
"I love you, too, Light," she returned softly, then said her goodbyes. "I'll see you soon."
She then stood up at full height, turning and walking away, keeping her back to the screen.
'What the hell is happening with him? Any ideas of pretending to love me should have been gone when he gave up ownership of his Death Note,' her mind raced, looking for answers. 'This was totally unexpected and doesn't make any sense.'
Abruptly, the raven-haired woman left the room, Ryuuzaki glaring at Light's form on the screen.
'He suddenly sounds so affectionate, as if he truly loves her,' the detective thought, nibbling his thumb. 'This is another thing that doesn't make any sense.'
Later, while Ryuuzaki was alone in the monitoring room, Nyoko walked in and stood behind him, looking at the screens.
"Ryuuzaki," she said, catching his attention. "Remember my initial analysis of Kira? I specifically said he may give away whatever might give him his power in order to throw suspicion off of him. For all we know, whatever it was could also strip away his memories, which would explain both the sudden change in Light and Misa Amane."
"Hm... Yes, that would be a convenient explanation, wouldn't it?" he asked rhetorically, words laced by a bitter tone that didn't go unnoticed by the singer.
She blinked at his tone as her gaze fell to him, Nyoko asking, "Are you mad at me for some reason?"
"Why do you ask?" questioned the detective, tone forcefully devoid of any bitterness.
"Your tone was a rather clear indicator," the raven-haired woman pointed out. "Why not just come out with it and tell me why you're mad?"
"Light sounded very affectionate earlier, don't you think?" the young man inquired, that bitter tone sinking back into his voice. "I wonder why that is... Could it possibly be that he is actually in love with you and you with him?"
Nyoko scowled out his suggestion, crossing her arms as she looked away from the detective, eyes moving to the screen and watching Light.
"Don't be ridiculous," she retorted haughtily, outraged by the very notion. "I don't know why he seems more genuine in his actions now, but I know for damn sure that I am not in love with him. Memories or no memories, he was once, still is, and will once again be Kira. That's a very hefty deterrent, don't you think?"
"I never agreed to placing you in such a dangerous position," Lawliet pointed out, no longer sounding bitter, but rather concerned.
"Who said I needed your permission?" she quipped, turning around and marching out of the room.
Two weeks of confinement and suddenly the news was that Kira had resurfaced, killing two weeks worth of criminals.
Misa Amane claimed to have no idea who Kira was, but that she regarded him as a hero, while Light Yagami still declared his innocence, even when lied to that the killings had not commenced.
Everything was confusing to Ryuuzaki, unless he was to believe Musiko, which he couldn't do now because his newfound attachment to her unfortunately gave him a biased opinion.
'I don't understand what's going on here,' he thought, mind running wildly with information and questions, but nothing adding up into answers.
Musiko then marched into the room and announced in a determined tone, "Ryuuzaki, I'm leaving for England. My flight leaves today in five hours."
"But... Miss Hanabi, why are you leaving?" Matsuda asked, shocked by her sudden announcement.
"I need... a break, Matsuda," the woman explained, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I'll come back as soon as someone informs me that Light and the others are free and we can carry on in a proper hunt for Kira. Until then, I'll visit Near and I'll work on a new album, because God knows my inspiration has given me a hell of a lot to write about."
"I believe that to be a very good idea for both of us," Ryuuzaki commented, then added a comment bitingly. "I would like a break from you as well."
"Why, you son-of-a--!"
She lunged toward his chair, both Aizawa and Matsuda subduing her.
"Please try to control your anger, Miss Hanabi," requested the detective with an air of superiority, "it's very unbecoming."
At that comment, she struggled harder, kicking and attempting to bite her way free before she shouted, "Then I won't be coming back and you can take your offer of 'permanent personal assistant' and shove it up your scrawny ass, you fucking prick!"
She abruptly jerked backward, freeing herself from the two officers.
Grinding her teeth, she turned her neck hard, a crack heard, the singer readjusting her ruffled clothing before marching out of the room and down the hall.
"Ryuuzaki," Matsuda muttered, surprised the detective would provoke her as he had.
"Let her go," the raven-haired man said calmly. "I don't need her."
"Ryuuzaki, I'm not exactly her biggest fan, but I don't think she deserves being treated so badly, regardless of her colorful replies," Aizawa asserted his opinion on the matter, walking out of the room.
Matsuda sighed deeply, resigning himself to the idea that no one could likely change the detective's mind.
After her plane ride to England, Nyoko Kurogawa was picked up at the airport by a limousine that took her to an underground facility. Once she was settled in a room, she was then escorted to the main office of the building, walking in to see Near with his back to her as he sat at a desk before a laptop.
"Near," she said, gaining his attention, the detective swiveling in his seat.
The young man with snow white hair gestured for her escort to leave, Near standing once the doors behind her were securely closed, leaving the two alone in the large room.
She smiled slightly, eliminating the distance between them, soon standing before him.
"I... have a lot of things to tell you," Nyoko confessed, smiling sadly. "One of them which may cost me my life, depending on what you decide to do about it. But... I feel it best that I confide in you."
Nyoko told Near every detail of her life since acquiring a Death Note up to and including the day she told Ryuuzaki she was leaving for England, the raven-haired woman leaving nothing to the imagination.
His eyes were wide by the end of her story, his finger jerkily twirling a lock of his hair.
"So, all this finally confessed, I suppose you'll want to sic L on me and have me locked up," she reasoned sadly, looking down at her hands as she leaned back in her office chair.
Near watched her, contemplating what he should do; justice was all well and good, but locking Nyoko up for her mission, albeit through evil means, to protect the man she loves was not a favorable idea, regardless of how misplaced he viewed her affection to be.
"No," he finally said, half to his thoughts and half to Musiko.
"You... sure about that?" inquired the older woman, surprised he would let her roam free with a Death Note.
"Although I find your devotion to L to be misplaced," he began, finger pulling at his strand of hair, "I can sympathize enough as to say that, if I were in the same position, only with you in the place of L, I would also choose to use the Death Note in the same manner."
Her jaw fell a little, Nyoko unsure of what to say to that, but Near reached over and lifted her chin with a forefinger until her mouth closed softly.
"You mustn't act so surprised, considering my confession some days ago," Near reminded her.
"Yes, well... We never actually got to the bottom of that, so I didn't quite know what to think," Nyoko confessed, crossing her legs as she thought about the subject.
"To be completely honest, there's very little to discuss," he replied. "I know of your devotion to L and that I will always be second, if even that, to you."
"I accept that, as I always have," the young man assured the songstress sitting before him. "And... I suppose this effects my judgment in keeping your secret to myself."
She frowned slightly, "You shouldn't let that effect your judgment."
"I'm afraid it's not as simple as choosing," he informed her. "This particular feeling will always effect my judgment and it has thus far been right to do so."
Once Nyoko was functioning much better from her heartbreak after L had left the orphanage and hadn't returned to see her, Near was pleased to see her more talkative and active. She was finally smiling again, although her smile didn't reach her eyes and her eyes didn't quite sparkle like they used to. Even so, it was better than the last six months of gloom.
Near found Musiko in the morning, finding her as she left her room.
"Musiko," he called the girl's attention, walking over to her.
"Hey," the young woman greeted in reply.
"Your day is free?" he asked to confirm his information.
She nodded, "Yeah. Why?"
"I arranged my class work this week so that today was open," explained the white-haired boy.
"Oh, so you wanna hang out, then?" she asked with a smile.
Musiko knew days with Near weren't terribly eventful as he preferred to spend his free time repeatedly solving the newest puzzle he could find, but that didn't mean they weren't pleasant.
He nodded to her query, taking her by the hand and leading her off to the library.
As usual, he found himself a puzzle, Musiko wandering around to find something to read and choosing her favorite Sherlock Holmes book before taking it to a table. Near sat nearby, beginning work on his puzzle, and there they stayed until one of the other boys wandered over to Musiko.
"Hey, Musiko," he greeted the young woman.
"Yeah?" she asked, looking up at the tall boy with short, brown hair and very blue eyes.
"Me and a few guys were wondering if you'd like to ditch the library and hang out at the fence?" he inquired, speaking of the usual place that his group liked to haunt.
She looked to Near as he returned her gaze, the raven-haired girl asked, "Should I go?"
"No," he replied simply without hesitation, Musiko looking up at the blue-eyed boy.
"You heard. Sorry," she apologized politely.
"What, is he your caretaker or something?" the boy quipped, crossing his arms as he smirked at his own joke.
Near looked up at him, declaring menacingly in a low tone, "No, but I do know how to kill you using my pinky."
The other boy backed away and scurried off with his tail metaphorically between his legs.
Musiko giggled as she watched him leave in the manner of a scolded puppy, the two at the table exchanging smiles.
Such occurrences happened often, Near always chasing everyone away from her and keeping her to himself. He reasoned anyone else would hurt her, but there was also an underlying sense of jealousy, the boy unable to admit he was in love with the girl.
L sat, thinking a moment on how he did, in fact, need Musiko. Her absence had thus far decreased his sugar intake, which therefore decreased his alertness and also his ability to think.
He had to admit to himself that her absence had left him depressed.
Sighing, he flipped out his phone, not caring about Aizawa and Matsuda being in the room as he dialed Musiko's number.
It rang three times and an unexpectedly masculine voice then asked, "What are you calling her for now? Haven't you done enough damage in her life, L?"
L's eyes widened, the detective surprised to hear Near's voice.
"Why are you answering Musiko's cell phone?" L questioned the other detective, very curious as to the explanation.
"Your deductive reasoning skills must have decreased by at least twenty percent with her absence if you can't reason that it was on the nightstand," answered the younger detective through what sounded like a sneer.
L's eyes narrowed, "I'd reason it as fifteen percent when I take into account the fact that I completely understood what you're implying."
"Perhaps you should call when you're thinking more clearly?" asked Near snidely, ready to end the conversation.
Suddenly, L heard some muttering and Nyoko's voice came on the line.
"Why are you calling, you jerk?" she snapped.
He scowled as he inquired without thought, "Why was your cell phone on the nightstand beside his bed?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Musiko asked, genuinely sounding confused. "It was on my nightstand... I was in the shower and Near just came into the bedroom when you rang, so he picked it up."
Silence lingered, L trying to decide upon his next move, but Musiko broke the silence.
"Were you implying that I was sleeping in Near's bed, which implies we had sex?" she questioned the raven-haired man incredulously.
When met with guilty silence, she gritted her teeth as she replied, "You are such a jerk. I didn't run off to England to fuck Near and get some fish 'n' chips, you asshole."
"Then enlighten me as to why you ran off," he retorted in a frustrated tone, the other two men in the room exchanging a brief glance and listening in.
"I ran off so you could cool down and maybe realize that you have no right to be angry with me, regardless of whether or not I love Light Yagami," the singer explained in a pained voice. "Can't you see that you logically have no reason to be angry?"
"Logically, all I can conclude from this particular situation is that women in general are highly confusing and frustrating," he answered honestly, gripping his pant leg with his free hand. "I care for your well-being, Musiko."
She sighed deeply, "I've been in lots of dangerous situations on other cases, but this particular part of this case is supposed to be off-limits? You're not making any sense."
"I can't think quite so clearly without you here," L replied softly, diverting from the topic at hand.
"Is that your way of summoning me back?" Musiko asked through a smirk.
"...Yes," he finally said defeatedly.
"Near said you'd come crawling back, and that I'd run right back to you," the woman told him, sounding amused with the situation now. "He's right, on both accounts. I'll get a flight out in a few days after I tie up some loose ends here."
L let out a relieved sigh, "Thank you, Musiko."
He then hung up his phone, speaking to the two men behind him, "You may stop listening now; I've hung up."
Both men discreetly backed away.
It was the fiftieth day of confinement for the two suspected Kiras and Soichiro Yagami, the whole situation reaching a fevered pitch and resulting in Ryuuzaki coaxing Soichiro into meeting with him to discuss a plan that would hopefully end the current situation.