Chapter 2: Invisible Introductions
When I land on the roof of L's apparent temporary abode, I look around to see if I can't remember it by way of land marks. Hmm...There's a sweet's shop called Sweet Haven near by...Of course there is. Rattling my memory for the information on where L is staying, I walk on the roof as though there's nothing wrong, and walk through the door. I grin. This is going to be much too easy.
Down the halls I go, taking stairs instead of elevators because a moving elevator with no one in it is weird, and ignoring the various giggles or yells that come from some rooms that I pass. Upon making it to the middle floor, there is nothing but silence occurring. Not even a cockroach can be heard; probably because there are none but that's besides the point.
Upon entering the appointed room that I know L to be hidden away in, I see nothing but a simple place with white carpets and a tan sofa. On a coffee table there is nothing but the reflection of the ceiling, seemingly unused. Right from the room, however, there is a wall with a rather long desk pushed up to it, and on top of that, a singular lap top on and shining in front of its operator. In a black arm rested swivel and rolling chair is a crouched figure. On his head is a mop of messy black hair, on his back a long sleeved sweatshirt, and on his lower body a pair of baggy jeans.
Silently, although it's not needed, I move to stand behind him; he's looking over information about past and recent Kira killings. Of course. Next to him is a mug of coffee, probably mostly sugar and no milk if the info on him is correct. I place a hand on his shoulder, standing to his left as though he could actually see me. "L Lawliet...," I coo to him, remaining unseen for now, "Remain calm for the duration of my visit". My free hand takes on the form of a finger gun, the 'barrel' going against his head.
As is a natural human reaction to being spooked, L becomes rather stiff as I talk to him. However, unlike normal people, he does not flip out or scream, nor scramble to get away from the voice that they're hearing. Instead, he looks in my general direction. "Alright, Visitor," he agrees our shared language being English, "I will do as you say. In return for being able to see you".
"Unfortunately, I can't do that until I'm sure you understand the current situation. Well, more like until I'm sure you understand why I'm here," I reply and remove his hand.
"You are either here to take my life, or you are here for some sort of information or because information led you here," L states simply.
"And what do you deduct is the most likely reason?" I watch him with my unseen red eyes.
"Hmm," L ponders as he swivels now in my general direction, his left thumb coming to his lips to allow him to nibble on the nail. "As you have not threatened my life yet, I can say that I am 40% positive that you are not here to kill me. I am 50% positive that you are here for information, and 50%s sure that you are here because information led you here".
I move, my movements silent to his human ears, and sit on the couch; no indent from my weight is left. "I see. I will give you the answer, because you're wrong on all three counts," I watch as his eyes widen while he swivels to look towards me again, his ears telling him where I am via my voice. "I'm here in order to protect you, L, from the man known as Kira".
"Protect me? It seems you are low on information, Visitor," L moves to correct, "I have deduced that the men helping me are not Kira, and that Kira is not near me. I only have one suspect, and he does not know what I look like, let alone my true name. A name and a face are needed in order for Kira to kill, this much is true. He has neither about me".
I nod even though he can't see it, "This true, and yet here I am. I am something of a...Precaution of sorts. You like taking those, right? Going so far to hide behind a lap top while being a detective- the best in the world at that- and using the minds of people against them by using your real name as your alias. After all, who would think someone would only have a letter for a name?" I watch as he stares in my direction impassively yet interested. "In order to get you to know just how good of a precaution I am, I'll tell you what I am and what I can do, and why I exist".
"That would be much appreciated, thank you," L comments simply.
"First off, my name is Lucifer Datenshi. I know that Kira has hinted to you that Shinigami exist. I'll tell you now, that it is true. Shinigami, Gods of Death, use a special note book called a Death Note that allows them to kill someone simply by writing down their name and knowing their face. If this person, their target, is being killed prematurely- say they weren't due to die for another fifty years and they died at twenty- those years left over, the fifty, go to the Shinigami who wrote that name's own life span. Doing this periodically keeps them immortal. While Shinigami exist, so does the opposite; Seikatsuma, Demons of Life. A Seikatsuma is both physically, mentally, and spiritually the opposite of Shinigami. Where as Shinigami are greedy and eternally bored creatures who see humans as toys and sometimes even food, we Seikatsuma see ourselves as guardians of the human race, are constantly busied with something, and feed on Shinigami ourselves in a similar way Shinigami 'feed' on humans. Are you following along thus far?"
L stares my voice down for a few silent moments before finally speaking, "Your explanation highly tests my own ability to understand what is and what is not real. I say that Shinigami are nothing but myths. And yet here you are, a seemingly figment of my imagination, telling me that not only do they exist, but you are from a race that is the opposite of them. While I do not have no choice but to believe you, I have to admit that yes, I am hypothetically following you. Until you prove to me that you truly exist, I will not fully take to mind the words you say. I could be asleep for the first time in a rather long time after all. Of which I am nearly 99.86% positive".
I shrug, "Then you're in for a rather shocking surprise once I'm done talking. Never the less, I'll continue. Seikatsuma were brought into existence mainly because everything must have a balance. Shinigami had nothing to be the yin to their yang until Seikatsuma came along. However, that is not the only reason we were created. Nature didn't just say 'hey, I'm gonna create something the opposite of Shinigami'. We started out small in number, and fought hard to grow. All Seikatsuma are victims of a Death Note taking their lives prematurely by the hand of a Shinigami. Our numbers started out rather small due to the fact that not everyone is made into a Seikatsuma after their death by Death Note. It depends on when they were killed, why, and how. Most common is heart attack, and at least thirty years too early, and always simply because we were pray. Other than that, the main factor, is simply that we're chosen at random. No one knows if they will become a Seikatsuma if killed by a Shinigami". I pause in order to let L take any questions that ramble on in his head.
"You are created mainly by coincidence," L summarizes my explanation ending, making me nod once. "I see...Because of coincidence, your numbers started out rather small...How long do you live?"
"We are immortal to an extent. When we eat a Shinigami, their life span is added to our own. If we stop eating, then we die. If we kill for revenge, we die," I answer simply. Then I continue, "We're not super heroes or anything. Nothing like that. Though we are legitimate demons. A demon, in all reality and simply, is a creature with no soul nor a beating heart, and more common than not with animal features such as ears or a tail. However, the human we look, the more powerful we are. Because we are demons, we do have some quirks that make us powerful. Super strength and speed, our age as you now know, immunity to poisons are our main ones. All the quirks we have are physical. However none of us can fly, nor do we have some sort of special energy as many may think we fight with. We cannot be seen by the human eye if we don't want to; this is a skill like all others that we have to master with time. This is the skill I'm using now".
"...Your words do not sound like any sort of lie, and your statements are rather valid. However, I refuse to fully believe you until I can see you. As you may know, humans don't believe in what they cannot see or touch, especially myself. This is due to the fact that sight, hearing and feel are the three most commonly used senses that we use with smell and taste being lesser used".
I nod again even though he still can't see me, "Very well. I'll show myself to you. I did say I would," I admit to him. Becoming visible to the human eye is something as easy and natural as blinking once you've mastered it like I have. However learning the skill is rather hard to do; I won't get into that. With not even a thought, my frame now sinks into the couch and a blurry reflection of myself appears in the wooden polished top of the coffee table. Eyes the color of blood meet those of the night. I grin, "I just told you, the more human we look, the more powerful we are. Save for my eyes, I'm as human as a Seikatsuma can get. However, Seikatsuma have three forms. An animalistic one, a human version of our real selves, and our real selves. Right now, I am in the form that looks the most human. My original self has little difference to this one. It's a pleasure to actually meet you, L," I greet as his eyes widen and his hands grip his knees in utter surprise and bafflement.
"...Real...," L murmurs, wide eyes never leaving my frame that stands and makes its way towards him. "You are truly real," he continues. I am not asleep; I can tell. No dream, not even my own, is this detailed.
"Here, shake my hand. Let touch also prove my existence," I offer him a hand, now standing in front of his crouched frame. What I wear on this evening is all black, as I felt that even though I wouldn't be caught, it was needed. My black shirt is a tank top and shows a good portion of my mid drift. The pants I wear are tight at the hips but otherwise loose and breathable with four pockets on each leg and one on each but cheek. On my feet are my equally black steel toed boots that I love to wear.
He reaches forward, taking one of my fingers on the offered hand in an odd way, holding it as though it were covered in disease or simply out to kill him. However the skin on skin contact is obviously real. I'd offer to let him taste me and smell me, but both are rather...Creepy. "It seems that I am truly not asleep for the first time in months...And that you are rather real. However, this does not mean that I trust you, as you may know. As far as I know, Kira is one of these Shinigami and you are he, pretending to be someone out to protect me".
I grin and lean down, "Well, I do have your name and your face. Would you like me to take out a note book and write it down?" This is of course a tease. I shake my head, "I don't care that you don't trust me; I don't expect you to do so for a good long while, either". I pause, "However, I will be placing myself at your side 24/7 save for showers. Therefore we need to get me an alibi".
L stares at me for a moment before stating, "...I will have to inform Watari of these occurrences...You can be my bodyguard and chauffeur, someone in training to take Watari's place should anything happen to him. Old age, Kira, anything".
I blink for a moment, "Anything huh?" L nods.
"Where is your current abode?"
"Kojiki Inn," I reply without a second thought.
"Change it to this one. I will need you as close as possible if you are to be playing the proper role," he tells me in turn.
I sigh, "Alright, I'll get on that...Damn, I'll have to pack my things again". Tch. "Before I forget," I tell him eyes searching for something to write on, "Let me give you my cell phone number".
"Very well," he pauses, eyes never leaving my frame with that inspecting sort of look that I suppose any good detective needs to have.
However, after five minutes of staring, I tilt my head, "What?"
"You are going to give me the number, are you not?" L returns.
"I would if I had a piece of paper and a pen".
"Why do you need either of those?"
"So I can write down my number," I reply with furrowed brows and a shake of my head.
L pauses, "Just tell me it. I want no record of your existence on paper".
I blink for a moment or so before sighing. Seriously? You've gotta be kidding me! I don't exist as it is! Not on human records that is. Back when I was alive...That was waaaay before paper records or anything was really taken. I sigh before nodding, "Fine. 548-359-48217. There's a total of eleven numbers instead of ten due to it being a special line. Got it?"
"Yes," L continues to stare at me without remorse or a real care in the world. It's almost as though he were staring into space. And he would be if I weren't in his sight.
I back away from him before giving him my back, "I'll be seeing you around, L. When my new room is set up, I'll be in contact". That said, I promptly fall from his sight, and leave the room via walking through the wooden door.