chapter 3: into the good night
Notes:
Revised 10/23/2017. For those that stuck with me through all the terrible, terrible writing: thank you.
Summary:
Light takes the initiative to investigate Mu. A dark mass allures them away from whatever gay bubble they were in.
"The Venus flytrap, a devouring organism, aptly named for the goddess of love." ― Tennessee Williams
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A dark embryo lingered in the distance. It had appeared without warning and far too close for comfort. It concerned Light, and by L's reaction: him too. The dark mass seemed unstable, bulbous tendrils slipping and swirling erratically. It pulsed once, then pulsed twice, with each pulsation... it expanded - as if whatever sphere it was in was too small to hold it. It reeked of instability. A threat? Most likely.
Immediately, all trace of whatever there was between the two genii was promptly discarded. Both prodigy dropped all personal matters and directed their intellect towards the anomaly. They were wary.
Light spoke first, "...What is that?" The man bounced his attention between dark embryo and the detective next to him. Light hoped L had a definitive answer. Something along the lines of 'simply a decoration'.
However, L's answer was at best: unsatisfying - he murmured a flat "Hmm." Paranoia egged Light on.
"I don't know how to feel about this..." The failed god muttered.
L peered back at Light: scrutinizing the nervous energy the man had manifested. On excuse of habit, the detective chewed his thumbnail gingerly. A trickle of sweat could be observed underneath Light's bangs. L supposed this was the first time Light had seen the dark mass in front of them.
"Light, tell me, what do you suppose that is?"
Light tucked his chin on top of his fingers, engaging in deep thought.
"First, I need more data. During the time you have existed here... have you ever observed this... event occurring before? How much time have you spent here?"
"...It's happened before. I don't know the exact time span, but I have been here far longer than I would like to admit." L confessed.
"What? Then I should be asking the questions!" Light exclaimed incredulously. "What do you know? Do you know anything at all? What has happened before?"
L blinked, unfazed. "...I've never been around it long enough to know. Admittedly, I've avoided it. This one however... I can say has appeared much closer than all the ones I've ever observed."
"Huh... L, the great 'L' - just walked the other way?"
"...Yes. For lack of information and protection. There is something to be said for unwarranted risks Light. I don't know what it is, therefore it is safe to assume I don't know what it will do to me. Does it take my soul? Is that where nothingness truly lies? Or is it something else entirely? Regardless of the 'what if's' I deduce my unnatural avoidance of it has helped me reconnect with you. I've never seen anyone else in this place. Or more accurately, I've seen silhouettes of people, only for them to disappear not soon after."
L sighed. There were no security systems, no Watari, no protective building, no task force, nothing . Absolutelynothing. Nowhere to run or hide, just a vast expanse of... white.
"...I suppose we will have to uncover it eventually...But admittedly, I'm not entirely sure I want to find out." L announced.
"Don't be ridiculous L. Avoiding it any longer will do neither of us any good. If you've been stuck here for 5 years, it's safe to say nothing else will happen unless we do approach it. We have to find out, and better sooner than later. I'm not about to spend eternity in this goddamn place without anything else to do. Besides, you have me now. You'll be fine" Light meant to say 'you have another genius here'... but somehow he felt it came out wrong.
L chuckled. He knew what Light meant, but couldn't help think that it was cute. Light Yagami had the pride the size of Jupiter... and despite all the heinous acts of crime he committed with the death note… above all he waskind. Even in the act murder, he did it to save others. Light Yagami was not one to just sit back and observe if something was happening. He would be there. And if he had the power, he would change it. He would make itbetter.
"You're just bored." L shook his head, seeing through the white lie.
"I'm surprised you're not. You've been here way longer than I have." Light was aghast, how could he stand such a long time doing nothing? Light would have rotted away within days, not to mention years.
"Oh, I'd say it was worth the wait..." L murmured to himself. Light didn't catch it.
"Excuse me? Did you say something? Why are you staring at me like that?" Light asked skeptically.
"Nothing, just appreciating you." L stated brazenly.
Light reddened slightly on the tip of his ears.
"I hope I didn't offend you." L continued.
"No such thing, L. I'm just surprised that's all. More importantly, we should see what we can do about this."
"Of course. You first. "
L gestured towards it with one pale hand.
"I'm on it." Light began to glide towards it, only looking back to check if L was following. He raised a questioning brow as he visually recorded the oddity of the man behind him.
The renowned detective looked like he came straight out of a cheesy Halloween horror house... some pale ghoul floating overhead people on top of a flying chair. Except, there was no chair. Just creepy abyssal obsidians inappropriately called eyes.
A tiny smirk curled on his lips, before he focused his attention back onto the dark entity. Light deduced Mu probably followed a different set of rules than the world of the living did. He wasn't sure of the exact rules, so here he was... finding out.
What disturbed him, however, wasn't how it stood out against the background and was so obviously meant to be 'different'... no…. It was the fact that he swore he heard screaming and whispers coming from it. He shuddered inside. Was there a possibility of dying again after you've died? What rules did Mu operate on? Was it something that sucked everything in like a black hole… or was it something that contained something compressed… like a ticking time bomb?
Light was genuinely nervous.
L didn't help.
"...I don't believe thing is tame, Light."
The darkness thrummed in increased agitation, as if sensing the presence of the approaching genii… anticipating them. It pulsated faster.
"How do you know it even has a thought process? Or actions even? Maybe it's just a blob of darkness." He tried to counter, mostly for himself.
"Light... it's not hard to imagine that the thing might just swallow you if you come too close. It has the appearance of a black hole. Why do you think I avoided it in the first place? What if that is the nothingness we're going to be sucked into?"
"Relax, I'll keep a safe distance."
L widened his eyes in disbelief, "Whatever distance you think is safe, multiply it by 2."
"I know what I'm doing, trust me. "
"Hmm, trusting you got me murdered. "
Light scoffed, "It's different this time, you're not working against me. We're in this together. "
"...Reassuring to know that if I ever go against you, you'd be lying through your teeth and saying the same exact thing. "
"Yes, but that should be expected, don't you think? As much as you act all high and mighty, I know you're as much or even more of a liar than I am ."
"Touche." L smiled.
Light allowed himself to be genuinely pleased with this admission. Finally. On the same level.
Deciding he was close enough to observe the specimen in front of them, Light stopped about 10 paces away from the angry mass.
L stopped about 5 paces further away than Light. He scratched his foot. He was still wary.
Light took a moment to peer into it; ascertaining its contents before stating his thoughts on it. He had been unsure of how he felt, thinking it could've possibly been dangerous but now… Light was fascinated.
"It... looks like... the view of the universe...", the failed god observed, "I have to admit, it looks... beautiful.. ."
Within the pitch black pulsating mass, bright dots twinkled, sparkling. Gasses of all sorts of colors pulsated gently around respective solar systems. It throbbed rhythmically, like a heartbeat. It was calming.
The detective didn't agree. Its beauty was what made it dangerous. Like a venus fly trap: waiting for it's pretty to come close enough. Perhaps that's why he felt there was something wrong with it. The black contrasted so strongly with the white, and it was the only thing around for forever, of course people would be attracted to it. He scratched his foot some more, unable to smile at it's beauty.
"Light, what purpose do you think it serves here?"
"Hmm, could it be some sort of landmark? Judging from its appearance, it feels like it was meant to be here..."
"Yes, I've come to the same conclusion… it was placed here on purpose, which is why I have avoided it all this time."
"Ah, you think it's dangerous and is some sort of lure."
"Correct."
"I guess we'll just have to find out."
"Bold decision."
The two genii stole a glance at the other, nodding in agreement.
The failed god stepped closer and waved its hand towards the darkness.
"Just hope it doesn't get us killed." L added.
"We're in this together, if this goes south...we'll go down together." Light repeated.
L tentatively grabbed onto Light's sleeve, while Light used his free arm to wave at the throbbing view of the universe. He hoped not. Not when it felt like everything was just starting to be better between the two...
"...hello." Light tried.
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The pulsating stopped.
The two genii held their breath. L's eyes widened, troubled by the reaction.
"Light, it's going to-"
It exploded.
The pure white dissolved, disappearing all together along with detective and failed god… into the good night.
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