"A breathtaking sight... Imitations they may be, but together, they make a fine spectacle." -Yusuke Kitagawa, "Persona 5"
WARNING LETTER
The social studies trip had arrived, and the Phantom Thieves - or rather only four of the five members, had all gathered. At first, Ryuji had complained about going and wanted nothing more than to ignore it in favor of going out elsewhere. However, once Ann had mentioned actresses, the blonde male changed his tune, much to their chagrin and amusement. Ren didn't think much of it. He wasn't interested in showbiz, but he was curious to know what topics the station would be covering. Especially when he learned that the students of Shujin would be part of a live audience with the Police Chief Soichiro Yagami and another guest. A detective, or so he heard.
He placed his bets on it being that Goro Akechi person he met in the cafe that one time. An odd fellow, but not entirely unpleasant. In fact, the two had more or less become involved on the topic of books, primarily detective novels and picaresque-themed sources of literature. Ren hadn't been the most active reader, but ever since obtaining a Persona, he found a newfound passion for anything documenting or telling a story of rebellion or a fight for freedom. Naturally, the story of the Gentleman Thief that was his Persona was the first book he read, and it quickly became his favorite.
Morgana complained he was obsessed with it, given how many times he had read it.
That aside, the trip hadn't shown much. In fact, as he expected, it was a drag. The hostess just dragged on and on so much that he felt as if he were being put to sleep. Something Ryuji could agree on. "This is so not what I had in mind..." he muttered, stifling a yawn. "How much longer is this gonna take?"
"Could be worse." Ren shrugged. "We could be stuck with one of Ushimaru's lectures."
"Eh. You got a point. Old warhawk likes to drag on and on and on..."
Eventually, and much to their relief, an executive producer had came in and managed to get things back on track when the woman went on a tangent. Unfortunately, Ren and Ryuji found themselves doing grunt work when an aid that had attempted to hit on Ann, much to Morgana's annoyance, forced them to help clean up cables and whatnot when they got tangled. Considering how they were still somewhat sore after Light's Palace, they still felt as if their bodies were burning in pain.
Once everything was over and the students were allowed to wander for the break until lunchtime, the three students gathered in one of the halls. "Aren't we supposed to be guests?!" Ryuji complained angrily, not happy at all to be used by the same adults that pissed him off time before. "How the hell are we being treated like mules?! We took down Kira for god's sake."
"Say that a little louder, why don'tcha?" Ann deadpanned before smacking him in the arm. "You want to blurt out we're the Phantom Thieves too?"
"W-well, no..."
Ren shook his head, smirking inwardly. What a pair they made. Best to keep that to himself, though. He didn't want to get yelled at, especially not by Morgana. Really, how in the world Ann had no idea he was into her, he had no clue. Still, perhaps for the best until the cat learned how to get his body back. "This place is absolutely noisy." the cat complained as he poked his head out from the bag. "And this is where everything you see on TV gets recorded?"
"Yep." Ann nodded. "From the news to cartoon shows to even movie scenes. Everything gets filmed in studios like this one. Speaking of which, there's supposed to be a live interview with the police chief from the Kanto Police Department. That's Ki-" She caught herself quickly, reminding herself that the serial killer had been defeated and therefore gone from the world. "I mean, Light Yagami's dad, right?"
"Probably gonna be about Kira." Ryuji guessed, scratching the back of his head. "By the way, any word about that guy from Sayu-san?"
Ren nodded, albeit somberly. Sayu had contacted him through Mishima, much like before via messages and whatnot since she didn't have his contact info. She confirmed the change of heart and that Light had confessed everything. She did seem skeptical about the idea of a notebook being able to kill people, but she was willing to believe it when he showed her the list of names and the details behind each victim's deaths. He didn't dare to imagine what that must have done to the poor girl. However, she did resolve on doing her best to help her brother. It had only been two or three days at most, but so far all she reported was that Light looked like he was having trouble sleeping, evident by the dark rings under his eyes.
He relayed this info. The two looked concerned, in spite of the fact that said topic of discussion was a murderer. "Can't say I blame him." Ryuji said. "I mean, when you compare what he's done to Kamoshida or Madarame, it ain't much of a contest. Stuff like that is gonna weigh on him hard, and it isn't going to help him."
"And he can't exactly confess to the police." Ann added. "They'd just think he was crazy unless he showed them how that Death Note works. Actually, does he still have it?"
"According to Sayu, he did try giving it back to Ryuk." Morgana told them. "However, he refused to take it back, so Light Yagami still has ownership."
"Seriously?"
Ryuji scrunched his forehead in thought. "Why the hell not? That thing was his to begin with, wasn't it?" he questioned. None of them understood why Ryuk wouldn't take back the Death Note. It just seemed too crazy. "Is he just looking for an excuse to stay here a while longer?"
"Could be." Ren noted the possibility. "Let's wait a while longer for Sayu-san to tell us more about what's happening with Light."
His friends nodded in agreement. As much as they wanted to understand what went through the mind of an apple-obsessed death god, they couldn't dwell much. For now, they had other matters to concern themselves with. Wanting to move away from the rather depressing topic, Ann wisely changed the subject. "Once we're done, we get to go home straight away, so why don't we hang around the area? See the sights a little?"
"Oh, yeah." Ryuji realized. "This is your first time coming to Suidobashi, right, RenRen?"
Said teen adjusted his glasses, creating a reflective glare. "Please don't call me that." He was promptly ignored, much to his chagrin.
"In that case, we should check out a couple of places." Ann smiled. "I know a few shops we can check out."
Morgana's eyes sparkled. "Ooh! Ooh! There's a place I want to go! The pancake-looking place we saw on our way here!"
"Pancake?" Ryuji scratched his head. "You talkin' about Dome Town? That place has an amusement park and a baseball stadium, along with some pretty hardcore rides. My favorite's the roller coaster one!"
'Huh. Roller coasters, huh?' Ren thought idly. A mental image of him and the others on one came to mind. With Morgana in his bag. And it would be Morgana's first time on a roller coaster too. Immediately, he frowned. "I don't want him puking in my bag." Morgana looked alarmed at this, taken aback by this information. Puking? He would puke if he got on a roller coaster?!
"It'll be fine! Don't worry, we'll be awesome tour guides!" Ryuji promised. "Man, I can't remember the last time I went to Dome Town. Been so long..."
"Ah! I thought that mess of hair looked familiar."
The thieves blinked and turned around. Approaching them was a teen their age, wearing a jacket over a white dress shirt with a tie and black dress pants and neat brown hair with red eyes. He wore gloves over his hands, and in one hand was a silver briefcase. Ren immediately recognized Akechi and greeted him with a small nod. "Been a while."
"I suppose so." Akechi chuckled. "I wasn't expecting to see you here of all places. Perhaps it's fate at work?"
Ryuji cocked his head. He seemed familiar with his friend, but he didn't recognize him. Meaning it was someone he didn't know. "Uh, who are you?"
"Oh, where are my manners?" Akechi face-palmed and shook his head. "My name's Goro Akechi. You must be friends of Amamiya-kun. It's nice to meet you."
Ann recognized the name immediately. Given her part-time job, it would be hard not to, considering all the ads she had seen him on, as well as personal magazines relating to menial topics that caught her fancy a few times. Things that would only interest girls. Immediately, she became concerned and looked worriedly at Ren. He understood her concerns, and made a gesture saying that they would discuss it later. The only one among them who didn't seem to know was Ryuji, who was looking at Akechi still in confusion.
"So, you're some kind of celebrity?"
"Partially. I've been on TV a few times, but nothing more." he said as he waved a hand. "I don't believe I caught your name, though."
"Ryuji. You already know RenRen, and that's Ann over there."
Akechi couldn't help but give an amused look as he shot a look at Ren over Ryuji's pet name. In response, he gave him a glare and dared him to comment on it. Even if he couldn't summon his Persona, he would ensure that Akechi never made it out of here alive. "I see." he chuckled wryly, cupping his chin. "Interesting."
"So, how'd you meet anyway?"
"I recently became a regular at the cafe Amamiya-kun works at." Akechi answered. Seeing as how this was the first the thieves had heard it, they were surprised to learn that Ren worked at a cafe and made a mental note to ask him about it later. Who knows? Maybe they'd even give it a visit, especially given how he often boasted about being a student of the art of coffee. Ann was partial to the stuff, and Ryuji had never tasted coffee a day in his life. "We somehow managed to bond over books. I believe it was Edogawa Ranpo's The Boys Detective Club?"
"Close." Ren corrected. "The Case of the Murder on D. Hill."
"Ah, right. I have to admit, it was quite refreshing to discuss with you. Speaking of which, if you don't mind indulging me for a bit, I'd like to bring up another debate. I imagine it will also be mentioned in the show today." Akechi's demeanor changed considerably. He was still smiling, but it didn't match the gleam in his eyes. He seemed more attentive and alert. "What do you think about Kira?"
A loaded question, that one. As the thieves learned when they entered Light Yagami's palace to gather information on anything that could be of use, they learned that the vast majority of people on the net were singing praises of the man. Even in public, there was widespread outspoken support. The kind that was normally frowned upon. On more than one occasion did people see posters and graffiti that was practically Kira propaganda. To say that they were stunned would be an understatement of massive proportions. They couldn't understand how people could admire someone like this. Especially when Kira had killed someone on live television when he openly opposed him. That should have made some detractors, but it only garnered support. Thankfully, there were still a few people who didn't support Kira. The minority who made themselves known on a few occasions.
"He's a serial killer and a psycho." Ryuji said flatly, but careful with his choice of words. He didn't want to clue him in on the fact they knew who Kira was. "If you ask me, guy has a serious god complex."
Ren nodded. "He isn't what I'd call a good person."
"On that, I couldn't agree more." Akechi nodded whole-heartedly. "While I do admit their way of doing things does have results, what they have done cannot be condoned. Sadly, the public doesn't share that consensus. In a poll this studio conducted a few days ago, over 76% of the general public believed that Kira was correct in his methods." At their looks of stunned disbelief, Akechi laughed. "I had that same reaction when I heard it myself. And as you can imagine, not many police officers were thrilled to hear it, either. However, you can't deny that Kira's methods do have some merit. Before he appeared, do you know what the average crime rate was in Japan?"
"No." Ren answered truthfully. "What?"
"In the past, Japan's crime rate was among the lowest in the world. Now, when you compare it to other countries like the United States, it's begun to skyrocket. Almost every day on the news, you hear about crimes being carried out daily. And that is to say nothing about crimes that haven't come to light, like the cover-up at Shujin Academy with Suguru Kamoshida or the plagiarism and abuse that Madarame's pupils underwent." Akech told them. "When Kira appeared, and word of their exploits came to light, crime suddenly dropped to almost unheard of levels. In the past month alone, there are almost no reported incidents such as murders, kidnappings, etc."
Ryuji's jaw became unhinged. "Effin' hell..."
"I agree. Quite startling, wouldn't you say?" Akechi bemoaned as he sighed sadly, shaking his head. It was clear he was not happy with the news himself. Not surprising, as he was a detective. Even though they may be technically enemies, Ren knew the man had standards. "And given the incident with Lind L. Tailor, many police officers have begun to fear for their safety. Kira made it clear anyone who's after them is fair game." He paused briefly, then smiled. "However, I can name a few people who are willing to stand up to someone like that."
"Would their name happen to be a letter?" Ren smirked.
The detective nodded. "L-san is among them, yes. But he wasn't the one I was talking about. You'll be meeting him today, I'd wager." He glanced at his watch, then his eyes widened. "Oh my. I'm terribly sorry. Our break is nearly over, and here I am, talking your ears off."
"It's fine." Ann told him. "In fact, it was...enlightening, even if a bit depressing."
"Thank you, Takamaki-san." Akechi said gratefully before he pursed his lips in thought. "Speaking of break, I'm rather awfully hungry. Pancakes do sound delicious, now that I think about it."
Ren frowned. "Pancakes?"
"Oh, well, I could have sworn you were talking about pancakes earlier." Akechi said. "Hm, perhaps I was hearing things. Well, I'll be out of your hair." He then shot one more glance at Ren, smiling. "Hopefully, I'll see you at Leblanc again. I still haven't given up on proving you wrong in regards to Arsene Lupin."
The frizzy-haired teen rolled his eyes. "In your dreams, Kogoro." he shot back, eliciting a grin from the detective before he bowed his head and walked away.
"Talk about weird..." Ryuji muttered. "I barely kept up with him about that crime rate stuff. All I got out of that was that our country's turned to shit lately. Not that it's surprising. But hey, that's what we're here for, right?" The two nodded, all sharing a grin. "Still, what was up with that guy? He some kind of detective or something?"
"Spot on, Ryuji." Morgana remarked, popping out of the bag now that Akechi was gone. "He's a so-called detective prince. And apparently, he's investigating us." The blonde delinquent spluttered, looking like a deer in headlights before he stared at Ren in shock, clearly questioning how he seemed so lax and familiar with someone who was technically after them. "Still, hearing about all of that stuff now... It makes me wonder how things will look once word about Kira's retirement hits the street. If crime does go back up, business will be booming for the phantom thieves."
"True." Ann nodded. "But Akechi-kun wasn't kidding. Our break's almost over, so let's head on back to the studio."
They left the hallway. As they walked out and into the main area, Ryuji noticed the troubled look on his friend's face. "Something up, man?"
"I dunno. Something's just bothering me is all." Ren told him. He didn't know why, but something about what Akechi said had been nagging him. For the life of him, though, he couldn't figure out why. He eventually gave up and thought it was just his nerves. "Never mind. Let's go."
CHAPTER 04: Justice, Rediscovered (Part I)
The past few days had not been kind to Light whatsoever. Not since he received the calling card of the Phantom Thieves.
Prior to the sudden change, the weight of what he had been doing all this time suddenly crashing down on him all at once, he had been busy ensuring that criminals would die at the specified times he had set routinely. He had even been in the process of writing Raye Penber's name into the Death Note. Thankfully, he had not finished writing the man's name, stopping just short of the last letter before the Phantom Thieves' change of heart triggered. Now, he could barely look at his desk without feeling his stomach violently protest and attempt to force bile up his throat.
When his father returned home, Sayu had made an excuse for him, saying that he was studying for the college entrance exam. A load of bull, but Soichiro had accepted it without complaint. After dinner ended, Sayu had spent the whole day with him in his room, comforting him and convincing him not to turn himself over to the police. She told him how she didn't want to lose him, and that she didn't want to see their father distraught when he learned of the fact. Light tried to fight her, but she had brought up good points. He didn't want to see, nor imagine the face his father would have when he would put the handcuffs on him. And he didn't dare think what Sayu's life would be like, staying in an empty house with no one to greet her when she returned home.
Despite her efforts, however, Light was still suffering the consequences. He tried to live normally, but every waking moment reminded him of his sins. He couldn't focus in class. He didn't pay attention to the lectures whatsoever. And he was starting to lose sleep. He could get maybe two or three hours before the nightmares forced him awake, leaving him short of breath and skin covered in sweat. And every time he closed his eyes, he could see the faces of all the men he killed. They were criminals, sure, but they were still human beings. And they must have had families. And he killed them all without a second thought. They wanted him to pay and haunted him every night, dragging him down with them to the depths of hell.
He just wanted it all to stop.
Early on, the major source of his troubles didn't just stem from his consciousness, but also from the thing that started all of this in the first place. That goddamn notebook. It hadn't so much as moved from his desk since that day, and he didn't dare touch it. The only time he did was when he attempted to return it to Ryuk. He had forfeited his ownership, but...
"W-what?!"
"I said, you can keep it." Ryuk repeated, sounding a little bored as he dug into his ear. "In fact, think of it as a souvenir! A good luck charm! Hell, a memento of our time together!"
Light stared at Ryuk, a mix of horror and shock. This-this can't be right. This wasn't supposed to happen. "But, this is yours, isn't it?" he questioned the Shinigami. "You even said it belonged to you!"
"It does. But I decide whether or not I want it back." the Shinigami said bluntly. "Besides, don't you need it to change the world?"
His words were intentional, that much Light knew. They hurt, so much so that it showed on his face. Ryuk laughed at his expression, making him scowl. "...you have no intention of taking it back, do you?"
"Oh, I had planned on it when things got so boring. But now, what with everything that's been going on, I say I can stick around a while longer! If only just to see how things play. Of course, you could destroy the notebook. Then you could forget everything that's happened. Might even ease your conscious~"
But Light didn't. In spite of the truth in Ryuk's words, he knew that even if he did, a part of him would remember the pain. More than that, he wanted someone to find it. Someone that could prove that he was Kira and ensure that he paid for his crimes. But how long would it take? How much would he need to suffer before he'd be free of all this?
And so it sat there, in plain view until someone found it and exposed him. But that thought hadn't provided him solace as he once thought. Other thoughts plagued his mind. What would happen if a burglar broke into their home, found it and used it for their own ends? That terrified him more than anyone, as he didn't dare think what would happen if a new Kira appeared. One far more selfish than he once was. So he returned the notebook to its former place, hiding in that secret compartment and hoping that nothing would happen.
Life continued on. But Light Yagami hadn't moved with it. He was sitting in a classroom, barely paying any attention while he stared blankly at the textbook on his desk. The class droned on, and the teacher in the midst of a lecture. He tried to read the words, but they were all just so bleary to him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to focus and push his mind on other things, but the result was the same. 'C'mon, Light. Get your act together.' he scolded himself. 'If someone sees you like this...'
If they did, what would they do? Say he was Kira simply because he was slacking? Worried or overjoyed that the number one honor student was finally showing a human side?
"Light-kun?" the teacher called. He looked up and frowned. Everything was so...bleary. "Can you read this passage aloud?"
What? Passage? Dammit, he really needed to focus. Hoping to wing it, or maybe just get it over with, Light stood up...and then found his body shaking. 'Huh?' His body turned heavy. Before he realized it, he collapsed beneath his own weight and fell to the floor, much to the shock and surprise of the class before he heard shouts of worry. He could have sworn he heard the teacher call out his name. 'What's going...'
Then his world faded to black.
"And now, onto the "Hottest Meet-And-Greet" segment of our show! And today, we have two very special guests with us today! One of them was brought back after his well-received appearance with us last time, so we couldn't afford to not bring him here again." the hostess said with that fake, routine smile on her face before she gestured her hand to the two men sitting on the other couch beside her and her co-worker. "Introducing Goro Akechi, the Second Coming of the Detective Prince and Kanto region police chief, Soichiro Yagami!"
Ren perked up, now at attention. "Yagami?" Ryuji blinked in surprise, leaning forward with renewed interest. "Then, this guy is...?"
"Seems like." Morgana nodded. They had heard there would be a special guest, but they hadn't guessed it would be Light's father. And given what Akechi had said earlier, it seemed to be a natural choice if his words proved true.
Soichiro Yagami was definitely older than how he appeared in the photograph, which was understandable. There were a few stripes of gray hair, and he sported a bushy mustache, and his face seemed more gaunt and sturdy than before. His eyes were dark, shining with intelligence and a fiery resolve that one would see on the more fierce of individuals. Befitting his status, he was dressed in a brown suit with a dress shirt and black tie.
While Chief Yagami seemed quite unused to the sudden interest and seemed quite abashed, Akechi took it all in stride and smiled. "Nice to see you again." he greeted amicably.
"I have to say, Akechi-kun, your popularity is as stunning as ever!" the male host said with a wide grin. "It must be hard work, being a detective on top of being a high school student."
"It can be, at times. But I rather enjoy the profession, considering all the opportunities it gives me. In fact, I hope one day, I might be able to work alongside the original detective prince." Akechi admitted. "Though speaking of detective work, I must admit, I do find it surprising that Yagami-san agreed to join us today."
Soichiro grunted. "That's because of a bumbling idiot by the name of Matsuda and an overbearing boss of mine asking me to take a break." he admitted. Said idiot happened to be watching the broadcast at this moment and couldn't help but weep inside after having been insulted by the man he respected, but everyone else knew Soichiro meant it in light gesture. "But I can't say the time off isn't so bad. For one, it gives me a chance to come home to my children."
"I hear your son is one of the brightest students in all of Japan!" the hostess commented. "They even say he might be the next Akechi-kun."
"Light is talented, but he's still too young to get involved in police work. Of course, that's me being a father. Given everything that's been going on right now, I'd rather be safe than sorry."
"Speaking of things happening, there's been quite the buzz going around." the male host crossed his leg, adjusting his glasses. "Akechi-kun, is it true you've taken on a new case?"
Akechi smiled. "If you are referring to the scandal involving Ichiryusai Madarame, then yes, I am currently investigating the Phantom Thieves." he admitted. His admission put the thieves on high alert, with Ryuji not-so-subtly shooting glares at him. Ann smacked him in the shoulder and told him to stop unless he wanted attention. "Between them and Kira and L-san, Japan's become the center of attention these days. Actually, before I answer anymore questions on that matter, there's a question I'd like to ask Yagami-san." The police chief seemed surprised, but nodded. "Tell me, as a police officer, on top of the chief of the Kanto Police Department, what are your thoughts on the Phantom Thieves?"
"That's...rather difficult." Soichiro closed his eyes as he leaned back, head tilted in thought. "Speaking as an officer, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are acting outside the law. Yes, the men they targeted were despicable, but if they really wanted to help, they should have informed the police." Ren silently groaned. Of course he'd say that. But he knew that method would never work. Not when both Kamoshida and Madarame were careful. The former was protected by Kobayakawa, and Madarame was too well-known and respected by the public to believe such ridiculous claims. However, Soichiro wasn't finished. "But if I'm speaking as an individual, I can't help but feel thankful for what they did. Kamoshida and Madarame were horrible men, protected by those who valued their presence. As sad as it is to admit, others were willing to hide their deeds, all the while turning a blind eye to the people who suffered because of them."
Soichiro paused, then gave a worn smile. "That, and this will prove to be a very negative opinion to the general public, but I would rather support the Phantom Thieves, who change hearts and turn men to the straight path than someone who plays judge, jury and executioner."
That brought smiles to the Phantom Thieves. It was nice hearing that, as far as morality went, the police believed in them. However, their smiles dimmed when they realized that, while Soichiro didn't know it, he had condemned his own son.
"Speaking of Kira, we'd like to ask Akechi-kun about his opinion."
"Asking the hard questions, eh? You'd make a fine interrogator." Akechi joke, eliciting a few laughs in response. "But to answer them, like Yagami-san, if I were to choose between the Phantom Thieves and Kira as a necessary evil, I would say the Phantom Thieves. Do I support either of them? No. But in terms of morality, or at least based on what we've seen so far, the Phantom Thieves aren't trying to kill men they perceive as evil. They simply make them have a change of heart. While I'm unsure if that is hypnosis or something else, it's a better alternative than say killing a man simply because he was a criminal." Akechi paused, then smiled bashfully and scratched his cheek. "And I have no doubt that now everyone is flaming me online. Public support for Kira is quite terrifying."
The hostess giggled at joke. Ren, however, noted that her smile became strained when Akechi voiced his support for the thieves, if only because of the reasons he stated. A Kira supporter herself, it seemed. Her co-worker seemed to have picked up on it and quickly spoke again before anything could happen. "Two men of the law, voicing their support for the Phantom Thieves? I dare say hell is freezing over. But continuing on, Akechi-kun! Hypothetically removing Kira from the equation, if the Phantom Thieves were the only justice-oriented heroes, what are your thoughts?"
"As a detective, I would feel as if it were a real-life telling of the struggle between Sherlock Holmes and Arsene Lupin." Akechi said simply. "Of course, while I pale in comparison to L-san, our modern day Sherlock, and if I may toot my own horn, I believe I am quite capable. The Phantom Thieves leave no trace of their crimes. All anyone finds are their calling cards, and the results of their success. Gentlemen thieves they may be, changing the hearts of corrupt men, I can't help but want to compare them to Kira for a moment." This earned surprised and confused looks from the crowd, the thieves especially. Compare them to Kira? "Recall early on when Kira first appeared how criminals all across the world were dropping like flies. Like the Phantom Thieves, who can seemingly change a person's heart without being present and by some supernatural means, Kira can kill with a heart attack and strike from anywhere in the world. At first, I thought he was a well-intention extremist, acting on morality."
Akechi's eyes then hardened. His shoulders became squared, and his mouth became set in a firm line. "Then he murdered Lind L. Tailor on live television. Then it became abundanly clear that Kira would kill anyone who dared to speak out against him or were pursuing him. Was he always like that? Perhaps he was. Or maybe the power to kill corrupted him. So far, the Phantom Thieves only change hearts. What's to say they won't change their methods and begin to act more violently?"
"Like hell we would." Ryuji seethed. He couldn't believe the nerve of this guy! Telling them they'd end up like Kira, or worse. His earlier positive impressions of Goro Akechi had faded and were replaced by animosity. He wasn't a shitty adult, but he was pretty damn close to being one.
He had fainted. That was what had happened shortly after he woke up in the school infirmary. If it weren't for the fact that his mind was elsewhere, Light would have laughed aloud at the absurdity of it all. He, of all people, fainting. God, it sounded so pathetic.
The teachers immediately assumed that he had been pushing himself too hard. That he was studying far more than he should. Given his track record, they were more than willing to ease up on him, and even tell him it was fine to skip a day of school or two. Favoratism was immediately called by others when they heard it. Light was pretty much used to people glaring at him, but now he found their stares entirely uncomfortable.
"Yeesh. I knew getting your heart changed was going to do wonders to your personality, but fainting in the middle of class?" Ryuk snickered to himself, floating unseen to everyone but his unwilling host. "Gotta admit. It was actually kind of funny."
Light gritted his teeth, refraining from yelling. He gripped the strap to his book bag tighter, eyes focused ahead of him. "I really wish you'd leave me alone. The only reason you hanged around me was because I was your primary source of entertainment, right?"
"And you still are! It's funny watching you mope like some emo kid on a soap opera!"
Oh, how he wished he could have punched the Shinigami. He really did. Anything to get rid of his damned mug. As he walked, Light stopped when he saw a familiar face from cram school. It was Sudou again, smirking as always with that nasty look in his eye. The resident bully and self-proclaimed alpha. Light could count the number of times he had seen him hound someone on one hand alone. What he saw was nothing new. Some kid he was harassing for money to hit up the arcade as usual.
However, Sudou's smirk was different. It seemed far more angry than smug. He was too far away for Light to hear him clearly, but judging by the look on the poor kid's face, it was clear that Sudou was in a foul mood. A fact made evident when he rammed his fist into his victim's gut, knocking the wind right out of him. The only reason he didn't fall to his legs was because Sudou had one hand wrapped around the collar of his shirt. The brutality and sheer anger behind it was enough to stun Light. This was different than usual. He had never seen him so brutal before. At the very least, he's never seem him so violent.
The first thing that came to mind was that Sudou didn't deserve to live. Then after that came shame and anger directed at himself. Why had that thought entered his mind? Even if Sudou was a piece of shit, he didn't deserve to die like everyone else. Light continued to stare at the sight, as if debating what he should do before he closed his eyes and turned away, walking past the sight and pretending he wasn't hearing Sudou beating someone up. "Hey, aren't you going to do anything?" Ryuk tilted his head. "That kid could be in trouble. Shouldn't you, you know, go and save him?"
Light didn't answer, because he didn't know how to respond. How was he supposed to, when he had long since the right to decide what was right and what was wrong.
He didn't even know what justice was anymore.
Light had returned home in a somber mood, but put up the best smile he could when Sayu saw him. He helped her make dinner and the two sat down at the table. Ryuk had flown up to his room to go snack on his daily feast of apples. Good riddance too. His continued existence was a harsh reminder for Light of what he had done with his notebook. To try and ease his mind off of things, Light discussed how things were going at school. As he expected, Sayu was struggling with exams. Before he realized it, he was already making plans to help her.
In the past, it was the best feeling in the world, seeing her smile. Now, all it did was just rip a hole in him.
In the background, the TV was blaring. There was an interview going on. To the siblings' surprise, it was his father and someone else. "Goro?" Light blinked, not expecting him to be there.
"Eh?!" Sayu seemed surprise for some reason. "Light, you know Akechi-san?!"
"Well, yeah. He's a classmate." he told her, shocking her greatly. Then he realized why she seemed so stunned. Goro Akechi was the famed high school detective. The two had never really interacted, and the school seemed to think that they were rivals. They were also total opposites: whereas Light had a small social circle, if it could even be called that, and spent every waking moment preparing himself for the future, Goro Akechi was a social butterfly and pretty much did everything without trouble. Hard work and talent, it seemed. "You a fan?"
"K-kind of..."
"-If you are referring to the scandal involving Ichiryusai Madarame, then yes, I am currently investigating the Phantom Thieves. Between them and Kira and L-san, Japan's become the center of attention these days. Actually, before I answer anymore questions on that matter, there's a question I'd like to ask Yagami-san. Tell me, as a police officer, on top of the chief of the Kanto Police Department, what are your thoughts on the Phantom Thieves?"
"That's...rather difficult. Speaking as an officer, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are acting outside the law. Yes, the men they targeted were despicable, but if they really wanted to help, they should have informed the police. But if I'm speaking as an individual, I can't help but feel thankful for what they did. Kamoshida and Madarame were horrible men, protected by those who valued their presence. As sad as it is to admit, others were willing to hide their deeds, all the while turning a blind eye to the people who suffered because of them. That, and this will prove to be a very negative opinion to the general public, but I would rather support the Phantom Thieves, who change hearts and turn men to the straight path than someone who plays judge, jury and executioner."
Light's hand trembled. The world seemed to stop for a moment. He felt like he had just been shot. His father said that. His own father said that! The TV was shut off instantly. Sayu's face was no longer cheerful, nor was she focused on eating. Instead, she stood next to him and comforted Light as he was on the verge of breaking. Compared to before, he may as well have been a different person.
"It's okay, Light." Sayu tried to assure him, but he didn't believe a word of it. He just couldn't... "It's okay..."
Between the talk of the Phantom Thieves, the Kira case and everything else in between, Light's mental health had not been going well. It had eventually reached the point where Soichiro, having learned about his spill in class the other day, recommended he take a few days off and recuperate. He could see that his son was troubled by something, but he didn't know what. Light wanted to tell him, but his tongue was always tied. Nothing he tried worked.
And his usual attempts to ignore Ryuk never worked either.
The dreams, combined with the stress, had eventually led to Light deciding to try and seek out some kind of help. This led him to a place called Hiiragi Therapy.
The office's presence felt, for lack of better words, otherworldly, and at the same time comforting. The tension in his body lessened, and the dark haze in his mind cleared, if only briefly. It was colored deep blue, with various ornaments such as stars, waves and orbs and whatnot. The walls were decorated in wreaths and pictures of abstract artworks, all having vibrant colors that blended together wonderfully. The center of the room had two seats, divided by a round table with a lamp exuding smoke out from it and what looked like a deck of cards.
Greeting him was a woman in her thirties, but still fairly young. Short brown hair and kind eyes that spoke of understanding and soothing pain. She introduced herself as Maki Sonomura. From what Light learned, she had succeeded her mentor, Hiiragi, when she had retired on account of a debilitating injury. Though she was still quite young at the time of her succession, she was still well-known by many in her field. She was also known for her fortune telling, a past time she took up only a few years ago.
"First things first, Yagami-kun, how do you feel? At this moment right now, I mean." Sonomura asked, sitting across from him with a clipboard in her hand.
Off to the side Ryuk was staring at her oddly, as if finding her fascination. "Huh. Those kids from earlier were one thing, but running into another one is just weird." he said with a cocked head.
He ignored him. Whatever he meant, he didn't know. Nor did he care. Light offered her a small, tired smile as he let himself settle in the seat. "Earlier, I felt like I was losing my mind. Like every passing second, this pressure in my chest just got worse. But now... I dunno. This place feels calming."
"Incense." Sonomura told him with a smile. "My own little concoction. I've heard it works wonders. Now then, Yagami-kun, you said you were a senior at Daikoku Private Academy right? Are you feeling stressed about exams?"
"I wish. It's...more complicated than that." He was a murderer. A killer. And right now, he was walking free. Even if Sayu had begged him to stay, the guilt was maddening. She was being kind, and she wanted her brother - the Light Yagami that cared for her back then - back, but she had no idea how cruel she was being. "I think you'd call me crazy."
The therapist smiled. "I know a few people who are crazy. Some of them are even my friends." she told him. "Believe me, whatever you tell me, I think it'll be normal by my standards."
She was wrong. Oh, so wrong. Light wasn't sure how to tell her. He was silent for the longest time, but she was patient, calmly waiting for him. She could tell that whatever was eating him up was causing him a great deal of grief. Light took the moment to collect his thoughts, then let out a heavy breath and leaned his head back. "I...have this power. A power that I used to...k-kill people." Sonomura blinked. Light's face was marred with sadness and forlorn, unable to meet her eyes. "When I got it, I thought it was a joke or something. But, when I used it, and I realized it was real, I got scared. That I had become a murderer. Then I tried to rationalize what I did. I tried to tell myself because those men were evil that they had to die."
"...why did you think that, Yagami-kun?" Sonomura asked, her voice calm and low.
He took a few seconds to form an answer. "When mom died, I more or less had to take care of Sayu by myself. Dad was a police officer, so he was always busy. I didn't blame him for it. In fact, I idolized him for it. Him and his partner. They were people I wanted to be like. So I did everything I could to earn a scholarship and make it to a good university. I did the best in school and any sport I played. I tried to be the perfect honors student." He reminisced about those young, innocent days. Oh, how he wished he could have gone back to those times. Back to before these hands became stained in red. "So when I got this power to kill, I was terrified and sickened by what I had done. I couldn't believe I did what I did. Then I thought, maybe I had this power for a reason. For as long as I could remember, I saw how sick this world was."
"Sick?" Sonomura asked. Light heard the faint tapping of her ballpoint pen. "How do you mean?"
"Because I wanted to be a police officer, and maybe because I was more aware of things than most, I saw how people treated one another. How murderers got away scott-free. How corrupt politicians were taking control of the system. How corrupt cops were skirting around the law, doing however they pleased. Because I saw that, I thought the world was rotting. Then I got to thinking: if I was given this power, and those men were evil, I should kill them. Then maybe the world can be a better place for Sayu." Light's smile turned bitter, hanging his head further in shame. A young Sayu Yagami flashed in his mind, barely out of grade school and with a beaming grin. "When I was in Elementary School, there was a news report about a shooter taking refuge in a school. No one was killed, but a lot of people were injured in the incident."
Sonomura seemed to understand what he was getting at, as her eyes softened and briefly stopped the motions of her pen. "The school was the one your sister went to, wasn't it?"
Light nodded. "She had a fever that day, so she couldn't go. But even so, I thought: Oh, god. What if Sayu had been there? What if she had gotten hurt? When I thought back to that incident, and when I got this power... I decided to try and make a world where Sayu could be safe. Where the day something like that incident would never happen again. But, somewhere down the line, I lost sight of myself. I went crazy. Some people set me straight, and now I..." Something wet dripped down his cheeks. It took him a moment to realize that he was crying. "I don't know...what to do...!"
His whimpers dissolved into sobs. At some point, Sonomura had walked over and held him close. She said nothing, just holding him while he cried on her shoulder. Here he was, a stranger confessing he had killed people, and this woman was comforting him. She was a saint. A better person than he was. When the waterworks finished, she had offered him a refreshing cup of Oolong Tea to help his nerves. It seemed to help, but he still felt cold and dreary.
"I won't lie to you, Yagami-kun. What you did was horrible." Sonomura said. There was no harshness to it. She didn't sound like she was making an observation. But there was a softness to her voice. Like she was chiding a child. "It can't be forgiven. But, that doesn't mean you can't own up to what you've done."
"But, how do I make up for all the people I've killed?" Light asked desperately. "I can't even tell the police, or my own father. My sister is the only reason I haven't turned myself in, and even if told them the truth, they wouldn't believe me."
"Perhaps." Sonomura nodded in agreement. "But atoning by way of penance isn't the only way to absolve a wrongdoing." At Light's confusion, she gave him a smile and took the deck from the table and set it in the center, spreading out the cards. There were over twenty spread out, all randomly shuffled and placed in a neat order. "Fortune telling is something I've taken a shine to. I'm no expert, but sometimes, they can offer you advice, Yagami-kun. Even if they're done with the same cards, the readings are always different. Want to give it a try?"
He didn't put stock into fortune, but hey. What did he have to lose? Light shrugged, and Sonomura continued. Her hand moved to the card at the far left corner, taking the card at the end of the first row and flipping it over. "The Death Arcana in the upright position. Despite the name, it doesn't signify misfortune. It represents something coming to an end, a change or transformation, and perhaps a transition in life." The next card was the one in the center in the second column. "The Tower, in the reversed. It could represent a personal transformation, the aversion of a disaster, or perhaps a fear of changing." The third card she took was the one at the bottom, in the same column she revealed the first card. "The Hanged Man, in the upright position. Pause, surrender, new perspectives, and letting go. These are what it represents." The last card was in the second row, second to last on the left-hand side. "The Star. In the upright position, it represents hope, faith, purpose, renewal and spirituality."
"And...what does it all mean?"
"That you have changed. And because of that change, a disaster has been averted, and it gives you a new opportunity. And with that opportunity is a new purpose. Something that will guide you to a new path." Sonomura told him. Light didn't understand what she meant. Not at first. Yet somehow, he felt that he could take her words as truth.
The session ended in the afternoon. Light thanked Sonomura and paid her, taking his leave. Ryuk followed after him, amused by how everything turned out. He had been greatly intrigued by the fortune, knowing that something was indeed planned. But what was the question. Unknown to either, Sonomura watched them leave with a sad expression, eyes following Light's retreating back. "That poor boy." she muttered, a hand reaching to the pendant around her neck. A gift from someone she cared deeply for. "I pray the cards lead him to the right path." His story had unnerved her. It sounded too much like what she had been hearing lately. About Kira. Yet from what she garnered from those stories, Kira was a ruthless killer. And Light Yagami had realized he had done something horrible and was trying to find a way to make amends.
She prayed the boy would find peace someday soon. She had seen how the guilt was breaking him apart.
Unknown to her at the time, a change had occurred. A change that had been brought about long ago. One that was waiting for the right time to wake up.
TO BE CONTINUED...
"Kira is childish and he hates losing... I am also childish and I hate to lose. That's how I know." -L, "Death Note"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know I said my next update was going to be Overlord/Grand Order, but my muse had other ideas. To be perfectly honest, my fingers wanted to write this chapter more than anything else.
If anyone is wondering right now, Kira's absence hasn't been noticed yet. But it will soon enough, and L will be the first to know, as will everyone else. And once the world will learn... Yeah, I think we can all guess who everyone's attention will be focused on. If that quote doesn't tell you anything, L is not going to be happy that somebody took down Light before him.
For anyone who is new to the Persona series, including myself who needed to consult an expert and read the wiki, Maki Sonomura is a canon character. She is a character from Shin Megami Tensei: Persona. In Persona 2, she works as a therapist and helps run a clinic-esque place in Innocent Sin. Given how I am trying to help flesh out Light's character post-Kira without losing the Death Note and resetting his memories, her inclusion was rather neat if I do say so myself. The tarot card scene was also inspired by the opening in Persona 4.
Also, there is a story I would like to recommend to everyone. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name since I deleted my bookmark of it, but I do remember the premise. Simply, the protagonist has his own insecurities and is distorted to the point of having a Palace, in spite of possessing a Persona. The author does ignore that fact, and spins a wonderful tale that more than shows just one of the many possibilities that lay underneath Joker's mask. Again, I can't remember the name, but I do believe it is mentioned on Persona 5's TV Tropes Fanfic Recommendation's page.
Unlike before, Daemon of Wrath did not help me write this chapter. Even so, I still want to thank him for his contribution to this story. Give him your thanks as well, everyone.
REVIEW
Gamelover41592: You are welcome!
treyalexander63917: It will be hard, especially since L will be able to figure them out in mere seconds. Of course, they do have one technical advantage: the Death Notes are a physical piece of evidence. The Metaverse is not. However, that isn't so much an advantage as it is the only thing that keeps L from figuring out how they initiate a change of heart.
foxchick1: This chapter is mostly just set up for what he's like after his heart has been changed. The next one will expand on it, and offer more.
superpierce: At the time, he was more pissed off and angry that someone had the gall to call him out on his shit than wonder how anyone could have figured out who he was. It's a reasonable reaction from Light, who gets majorly pissed when things don't go his way. Like when L got one over him in the college entrance ceremony and he threw a fit, simply because L revealed himself to him and that he knew L knew he was Kira on some level.
Luckenhaft: First off, good god that is one long review. Possibly the longest I've ever read. Second, all are good points. I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far!