"So this is what the East looks like," L muttered mostly to himself as he stared out the glass panel of the machine.
They were in the flying transportation for the Celestial beings, the vehicle is sleek and long with a curved nose to allow for speed. The entirety of it is silver, with the top half made up of retractable glass that allows for entry and exit. Most of the other vehicles have clear glass while this is tinted black, allowing the passengers to look out but no one would be able to look in. Usually, the typical flight transport is only enough for two to five at once, while this is able to accommodate sixteen at most, including the pilot. That was because the vehicle belongs to L, hence the lack of the logo 'Uber Wing' that adorns the side of most other machines.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" Mello said from beside him.
"The temples look old, I thought no buildings were made out of wood anymore." L mentioned flatly, still looking out.
"The East like their heritage," Mello shrugged, fluttering his wings slightly, "Are we going to stay in here any longer?"
"Get out of the vehicle if you want to."
Mello huffed, "I'd hate to fly the rest of the way but it's so boring in here, where's the food and refreshments?"
"Act your age, Mello," L grumbled.
Before he could put a retort to that, a snicker came from the back.
He turned to face the two who occupied the seats in the row behind them, Wedy and Aiber.
They were of a warrior class like him, born to battle and fight against demons at the command of the realm. These two were more or less veterans, calm and composed in the face of evil, many demons have fallen by their blades for at least two hundred years.
Aiber, the tall and large man sat on the left where Mello is facing. He is charming in his ways and speech, despite his innate composition to battle. He is usually seemed too laidback for his type, dressed in fancy but casual shirts and pants. Today, he wore light leather armor that adequately covers his body with the knowledge of what they were here for. A fearsome longsword rested on the side of his seat, its large blade covers two-third of his height, the scabbard adorned with gold and subtle jewels.
Wedy sat on his right and similarly switched out her short dresses and furs to wear a bodysuit for battle. It was required as she depends heavily on mobility, to dart swiftly from place to place before she stabs the enemy in the back with her daggers. She has terrifying precision as well, evident by the deadly darts that are currently hidden, for when she is unable to reach her foe to stab them or when the opportunity allows her to do so.
She was also the one who laughed, as evident from the smirk on her face.
"What?" Mello snapped.
"I was just thinking," Wedy smiled, "As angels grow older, they mature and yet, as you grow older you seem to become… even more whiny than you have been."
"I'm not whiny!"
"You've grown so much," Wedy sniffed, wiping away a tear.
"Don't mock me!"
Aiber chuckled, as they continue to bicker among themselves while L stared silently out the window, pointedly ignoring the noise that kept growing louder by the minute.
They fortunately arrived at their destination soon after, stepping onto a dock of a tall tower. They made their way into it, where it opened into a large windowless white hall. They stepped into it, where a middle aged man in a black suit stood waiting, flanked by two large heavily armored angels armed with large spears.
The door closed behind them and the outside world seemed to have disappeared.
"Kawaguchi."
"L."
They shook hands and the man named Kawaguchi, the leader of the domain surveyed the team that was brought.
"These three are…"
"My personal guards, we are potentially in a danger zone after all." L gestured to the three accordingly, "This is Aiber, Wedy and Mello."
Kawaguchi nodded at them and they returned his greeting.
"We appreciate your presence here, L," he said, "However, things are under control. I have deployed the best warriors in the East to guard the city. They have been stationed around the Core-"
L interrupted him in a toneless voice, "I thought I told you not to do that specifically."
Kawaguchi seemed annoyed, "It must be done, and what foolish dark creatures would think that they can penetrate the defense that was set up here?"
"You'd never know," L continued, "This foolish dark creature of yours have broken into your city at least three times and slaughtered twenty-six of your people, brutally. The last thing you want to do is to reveal the location of the heart of the city to such a dangerous being."
"I believe, with your expertise that you should have uncovered the its identity by now," Kawaguchi stared at him, his tone friendly but strained, "Have you, Judgement?"
"I have not," he said, "I suspect it is the doings of a fallen angel, one from your domain specifically, as it seems that it is familiar with the rules and layouts of this place."
"And how come it hasn't found the Core yet?" The elder angel challenged.
"I suppose it is one that has fallen many years ago, a few centuries at least and have thus forgotten the exact location," L explained with the deduction that he had came up with a while ago, "These incidences are merely it familiarizing itself with the area that it had forgotten due to time. I have not ruled out the possibility that it is doing exactly this to manipulate you into revealing the location of the Core."
"Hah! The possibility of that," Kawaguchi laughed, "It is too absurd to be true. Even if it is, I would like to see it attempt to go through my strongest warriors."
"I advise that you take caution, sir."
"I might consider that," Kawaguchi said instead, "I will allow you and your guards to stay. You will only interfere if I give you permission, do not step out of line."
"Yes, sir."
The moment they left the room, Mello exploded, "What on earth, why did you just let yourself get pushed around like that!"
"We are in his domain, Mello," L stated, slouching through the corridor, "We should do well not to provoke him if we were not to damage the relationship between the East and the West."
"This is bullshit."
"Language, Mello."
Mello glared at him, "Whatever. Now what?"
"We stay and observe," L instructed, "Watch out for anything peculiar."
"Does fish-flavored candy count?"
"No, absolutely not," L gave him a deadpan stare, "Be vigilant, if the Core gets destroyed, it spells the end of the East domain."
"Okie dokie."
"I'm serious, Faith."
"Fine, Judgement," Mello drawled, walking away with his hands behind his head, "I get it." He made his way towards the open door which leads to the dock outside, where L's vehicle had disappeared to dock within the safety of the tower's basement.
L stared after him, "Aiber, go with him. Make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."
"As you wish."
The tall man followed the blonde, who shouted back, "Don't need a babysitter!"
L shook his head and turned to Wedy, "Come with me."
"Yes, sir."
They started walking towards the stairs that leads to the ground floor.
"Does he know where to go after he's done?"
"Aiber will bring him."
"Good."
One of the things that clearly distinguishes the East and the West domain was a sort of marketplace that exists in the former. It was large, colorful and lively, occupied mainly by food stalls that distributes varied edible items that ranges from fruits to curry to corn pudding.
L folded his narrow-shaped wings as close to his body as he could, weaving through the crowd with Wedy in tow. It wasn't as if they are keen to get closer to him, as he looked strange by the angels' standard. Still, he didn't want any accidental contact with a living body if he could help it.
He kept an eye out, sure that they regard him even more suspiciously with him peering like that.
L didn't particularly care, for their safety encompasses part of his job and not the entirety of it.
As Judgement, it is only appropriate to do what is right.
L failed to dodge a child that mistakenly ran into him, in the midst of a game with his friend. The child stared up at him, his tiny wings shaking in shock and fear.
"S-s-sorry!" He burst out and ran away.
L looked after the child when someone else bumped into him.
He spun towards the person, about to snipe at whoever who apparently couldn't pay attention to where they're going when he froze.
It was a man with a white jacket, cream-colored shirt and brown trousers. He was tall and slender, with a pair of the most fascinating brown eyes that he had ever seen. He had golden brown hair that tastefully framed his face and smooth, pale skin that looked as if it were meant to be caressed. His wings were pure white, bright even.
It was the most beautiful angel he had ever seen.
Normally, L would pay no mind no matter how attractive someone is. He had never been attracted to another, yet in an instance that he meet this one's eyes, a jolt went straight through him and fanned out, spread down his limbs and out the tips of his toes and fingers. He instinctively knew what it meant.
Soulmate.
Not now.
The other seemed to sensed it too, as he stared back at L wide-eyed.
L half-expected him to begin talking to him, getting closer or trying to, while thinking of a future together, as soulmates are bound to do.
He thought of about ten ways to turn him down and get out of there when another angel bumped into his shoulder.
The man took the split second of distraction to retreat into the crowd.
"Wait!"
L didn't mean to run after him. Even so, it was no use as the angel seemed to have vanished into thin air. He looked up, perhaps he had took off but no, there was no sign of him in the sky.
He looked around some more until Wedy appeared beside him, asking if he had found something strange. Apparently she had briefly lost him and missed the entire scene with the mysterious man.
"No, that wasn't it." L refused to mention anything about the incident as he continued, "We shall keep looking and return to the tower at dusk."
She nodded.
In the meantime, the man that L saw broke out of the crowd in the marketplace. He ran through the alleys between the towers, slowing down to a walk as he saw the familiar sight of the smaller buildings.
The angel came to a stop, shaking his head.
Soulmate, he couldn't believe he just met his soulmate.
At a time like this, when he's… like this!
He felt like tearing his hair out when a familiar voice called out to him.
"Light!"
He froze and was ready to bolt until he saw who it was.
"Matsuda?"
The other angel brightened, his wide smile blinding, "Light, it's really you!"
He ran towards Light, who merely peered back at him.
"You've been away a long time!" Matsuda beamed, "Where have you been, how have you been? I can't believe it's really you, man! Six hundred years is a long time!"
Light stared back at him incredulously.
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing's wrong," Light responded as he covered up with a soft smile, "Nice to see you again."
"Oh, I thought you've forgotten about me, we should catch up, there's a nice restaurant by the mountains, we should go there sometime…"
As Matsuda rambled on, he failed to notice the cold sneer that spread across the other angel's face.
A/N: Well, ok, hi, been a while since I left any notes anywhere. I swear it's not because I got lazy or something, hahahaha... ha... ok. So, stuffs, uh, I have developed the workings and the lore and explanations of this universe quite a fair bit and there will be quite a lot of details that might be left out in the story. So, if you guys want to ask about anything feel free to do so as a review and I'll put the answer in the notes of the next chapter.
That's all.
...
Bye XD.