Chapter Three: Common Heights

L had researched Wiltshire, looking for an instance where both of Beyond's parents could have died. Because, to put it very bluntly, the younger boy freaked him out. He supposed it was the nature of all the odd things stacked in his favor. Born and raised in Wiltshire, where one would find Stonehenge and all the strange things that happened in its vicinity. A birthday on February the twenty-ninth, a day that didn't even exist but once every four years… And his startling red-onyx eyes, which L often saw flashing a bloody crimson color as the boy stared into space above someone's head.

Yes, Beyond was strange, but he was also brilliant. He equaled Aisha in ability, and Mr. Wammy informed L in private that he would be second in line to take over if anything were to happen to L and Aisha. He had already explained logically how things would work. It was fairly obvious that L had the potential to be the greatest detective on the planet. That was a dangerous job, and if anything happened to him, he would need people to take his place.

"I don't want to work with people, though. People will slow me down." L said softly, when Mr. Wammy spoke to him about the possibilities.

Mr. Wammy stared at him. "I'm sure we can find a way to work around that."

L nodded. "I'd like that." He left the library, where they had been talking, and wandered in the direction of his room. The other children had learned, mostly, to leave him on his own. They didn't bother him when he was working, or anything else. As he passed by one of the windows in the hallway, he noticed a large cluster of children gathered on the front lawn, appearing to be staring up at something. Frowning, he wondered what it could be. Not a plane; enough planes flew by on a regular basis that something that simple would not be an object of fascination. A hot-air balloon, maybe? Or, recalling his research of Stonehenge, something as preposterous as a UFO?

Aisha came hurrying down the stairs, looking relieved as she saw L.

"Thank goodness!"

L blinked at her. "What's going on?"

Aisha sighed. "Ryuzaki was looking around the top floor, and found one of the windows that open over the roof. He's climbed up to sit on the railing of the tower." She looked exasperated, with the air of one who had spent a long time trying to convince the crazy boy to come down.

"How did he get all the way up there?" L asked, frowning.

"God only knows…" Aisha proceeded to murmur something inaudible in French, before beckoning. "Come on, I'll show you."

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As L followed her to the upper floors, he pondered Ryuzaki's behavior. Either climbing on roofs was a normal thing for him, or he was looking for attention. Aisha went into one of the bedrooms on the top floor and pointed at the window.

"That one. I've tried everything, but he won't come back in. Mr. Wammy and Roger will have a fit, if they haven't already." she sighed. "Someone will have to go get him." Aisha could be very motherly at times, wise beyond her eleven years.

L stared at her a long moment. "Roger will throw a fit. Mr. Wammy won't. I'll go get him." He moved to the window, easing out to perch on the roof just outside.

"Be careful, L!" Aisha cried. He nodded once, carefully climbing around where the window stuck out and moving higher. Being thin and light and spidery helped for such an endeavor. He glanced up, seeing Beyond's red eyes on him, and determinedly kept moving. When he reached the tower, he was met with a wide smile.

"You got up here!" Beyond chimed. He kicked his feet happily, pleased that L had gotten as high as him. "I didn't think anyone else would come out here, unless it was you."

"What are you doing out here?" L asked blandly, sounding disinterested. He really did want to know, but he would never show Beyond that.

Beyond turned bright red eyes on the space above his head again, before gazing up into the sky. He seemed lost in the clouds for a moment. L knew, somehow, that Beyond turned that ruby gaze on him more often than anyone else. Still staring at the sky, Beyond muttered, "It helps me think… I like to look at the clouds… I don't have to think about what I can't see…"

"Can't see?" L asked. Beyond looked back at him, his eyes a normal color.

"Me, you, and the world." he said cryptically. The ten-year-old hopped down, landing next to L on the rooftop. "Let's go in."

They picked their way back down from the roof, to be greeted with a relieved Aisha upon coming back down. The incident went largely unnoticed until after dinner, when they were called into Roger's office to be lectured.

"Ryuzaki, that was a foolish and very dangerous thing to do!" Roger yelled. "If you had fallen, lord only knows what kind of condition you would be in now! And you are setting a bad example for the other children of this institute! We don't want them thinking they can go running about on rooftops!"

"I'm sorry…" Beyond said, a look of false sincerity plastered on his features. L knew it was fake, but it seemed to fool Roger. "It'll never happen again." L watched as the younger boy crossed his fingers behind his back. Roger seemed to accept the answer, shooing them from his office. Beyond scurried ahead of L down the hallway, turning to walk backwards facing him.

"Roger Ruvie…" he said, giggling. L blinked.

"How did you know that…?" he asked. No one had told Beyond what Roger's full name was… Had they?

"I see stuff." Beyond giggled once more. "I'm going to bed, L. Night!" He raced off, leaving L to stare at him in puzzlement. Beyond was annoying, not because of how he acted, but simply because he was something L could not figure out. Never had anyone been so completely confusing. It was irritating past the point of coherent description. L went back to his room, still thinking hard.

"I see things"… What the heck is that supposed to mean?

DNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDN

So! I figure Beyond would be the type to go and climb on roofs and stuff. My description of Wammy's is based on the brief images you get in episodes 25 and 27, so I'm mostly making it up as I go. Hehe... O.o

Love and hugs!
Li

P.S. Next chapter: Is it jam? Is it blood? We may never know...