Chapter 4 – L's successors

Over the next two years, Renee barely left the workshop that Watari had provided for her. Now she had become the entity behind a locked door and she loved it! She felt like she was finally getting pay back for all the times it had happened to her. The big difference being between her own experiences and the ones she were currently creating was that there was nobody on the other side of that door trying to get it, not usually anyway.

Every couple of weeks Watari would eventually decide that she had become enclosed and would ask her to leave the room, seemingly wanting her to communicate with the other children who had started noticing her distance and were comparing her to the ever elusive L in this aspect.

L...

She had not seen him again since the finishing of her father's case. Every time she ventured outside of her workshop, deep down, she was hoping that he would come visit her or have cake with her again. It seemed silly, in a way. They had only ever had two full conversations with one another, but again, those were still two whole conversations more than what she'd had with any other child. Not for a lack of them trying, she supposed.

One boy in particular, the boy with golden eyes, had taken a particular liking to her from the first day she spotted him reading in the dark. She'd asked Watari about him briefly, out of a morbid curiosity. Actually, she was completely freaked out by him. Apparently his name, or alias, was B and he was one of three already rising to succeed L. 'A' was the first, 'B' the second, and 'R' the third. Yes, 'R' as in 'Renee'. She'd been chosen as the third possible successor of 'L', and at first, she'd flat out refused.

Renee didn't want to succeed L. In order to succeed him, he'd have to be gone or retired. No, she wanted to work with him, not because of him.

However, she recalled the day Watari had called her into her office, another unexpected interruption from her workshop. At the time, she'd been working on a clock face for Watari and almost didn't go, but was persuaded by the urgency in the announcement. She assumed something terrible had happened, but when she sat down opposite him in their usual manner, Watari had a smile on his face. He told her that he was providing her with a letter... The first thought that came to Renee's mind was whether she could choose the letter or not. He allowed it, but explained that she couldn't take any letters that were already occupied, which was fine by her, as she was only interested in one.

But then Watari further explained the responsibility that came with such a letter, and how she may not be able to handle the intensity. Questioning him further, she discovered that she was chosen by L to be one of three of his current successors. That was the final straw.

"NO!" She cried, jumping forwards off the chair in front of Watari.

"Please, Renee. Myself and L chose you ourselves, and I have every faith in your abilities," He said calmly, clasping his hands in front of him. At the time, she may have been genuinely esctatic by this revelation... but it would be many years until she realised the truth. The truth of her pre-determined failure.

"So do I, but that's hardly the problem," She sounded almost arrogant in her proclamation, but there was certainly a hint of fear.

"Then what is the issue?" He questioned, genuinely interested.

Renee sighed loudly, quickly pacing back and forth within the confines of Watari's office. "The issue is that in order to succeed L, he'll have to be gone and I'd still never see him again!"

Watari's eyes shimmered slightly with adoration. "Ah, it seems I had less to fear than I originally thought with you," Renee watched Watari carefully, that knowing look on his face unnerving her. "You've been thinking about him, then?"

Renee's eyes grew wide before she looked to the floor, sitting herself back down and crossing her legs. The only answer she dared to provide was a shrug. After a moment of silence, Renee dared a glance back at her mentor, who was happily grinning at her infectiously. Taking a deep breath, Renee collected enough courage to ask the questions she'd desperately tried to stop from appearing within her head. They were terribly distracting when she was working, and therefore she figured by finally asking them, they would leave her alone.

"Has he ever mentioned me?" It was now Watari's turn to avoid eye contact, and that was a more honest answer than anything else he could have provided.

"It's a bit different for L, Renee. He doesn't allow his attention to be diverted from the case until its finished. By then he already has three more lined up waiting for him," He was trying not to offend her, but his words were resonating to a deep part of Raya, the little girl, rather than the child inventor, Renee. It reminded her of her father, who had had little time for her before he died. Leaving her alone to cry... but at the same time subjecting himself to the same torture. He hadn't allowed Watari to visit, one of his few friends, and he'd shut out everyone else. She didn't want that for L, too. As if sensing her thoughts, Watari spoke again. "You know, if you become L's successor, you'll eventually have to work with him so he can evaluate your abilities."

So that was how she became L's successor. Or at least one of them. Actually, having that goal in mind meant that she had often found herself working even harder, much to Watari's and Roger's displeasure. She didn't know if Watari had lied or mislead her so she would accept, but it was a risk she was willing to take. She had created a lock for her workshop that could only be opened and closed by her voice. That way, if she wished it, nobody could distract her from her work. One young, golden-eyed boy springing to mind instantly.

Renee seemed to only see B when she would sneak in to the kitchen in the middle of the night. She'd found herself doing that every other day, more hoping to see L doing the same. That was never the case, however. She assumed after the first time, he wouldn't make that mistake again... But B was at the end of the hall, reading a book in the dark, opposite her workshop, every night with out fail. And every time he would look up, give a chilling smile, and then she would bolt to the kitchen and stay there until morning. There was just something about him that didn't sit right with her. She'd never gotten a good look at his appearance having always seen him in the middle of the night, plus the hooded top he wore that covered most of him regardless.

Deciding she didn't want to think about B any longer, Renee returned to work. She was currently working on devices that may benefit L in his work. When she finally got to see him again, she'd show them to him. That way, he may see the benefit of keeping her around permanently. The young girl laughed to herself lightly. When she'd first come to Wammy's House, she had been confused over the dedication everyone seemed to possess over L. Everyone had wanted to meet him, be him, succeed him, beat him even, and she hadn't understood why. Now it was clear. There was a certain allure about pleasing Watari's number one student. Of course, she'd met him and created a one-sided friendship that left her with a certain unfair advantage. At least, she assumed it was friendship, or a deep-seated respect anyway. It was difficult to say with her lack of experience, but it had made her very determined to do well. She had been awestruck listening to him speak when he was only nine, she wondered what he was like now. She doubted he had changed much, to be honest. He hadn't the opportunity to.

Realising thoughts of L were plaguing her once again, Renee mentally kicked herself. This was probably why L didn't involve himself with anyone other than Watari. It was not productive to have these feelings riddled inside someone when they work... and L was constantly working. Renee decided she needed a break. She had no idea what time it was, so she took a moment to check a pocket watch she had made for Watari. Fortunately for her, her mentor had been so busy caring for L that he hadn't taken it from her yet. The watch read 11:27 pm, and she figured that was time enough to go to the kitchen. Perhaps leaving a little earlier would mean that B wasn't waiting for her this time.

With that hope in her heart, Renee carefully unlocked the door of her workshop by whispering "open sesame" (she had originally meant it as a joke, but the phrase resonated with her somewhat so she kept it). The locked slipped open, allowing Renee to open the door very slowly. Much to her distaste, however, B was already waiting at the end of the hall, book in hand. Taking a deep breath, the girl stepped out of her safe haven, causing the boy on the other end to glance up with a smirk on his face.

Completely afraid, Renee began in the direction of the kitchen, before a chilling voice rang out in the darkness.

"Sneaking off again?"

Renee's mind was screaming. He had never spoken to her before, not once in the time she'd been there. What had changed? Why now?!

Without realising, Renee's fear had kept her firmly on the spot she currently resided. She could hardly breath, let alone walk. However, B took this as an invitation to approach her and the young girl almost shut down in fear.

But once B was right before her, she had no idea what to think. His golden eyes still seemed troubled, and quite frightening, but also captivating in a sense. Most of his hair was still covered by the dark hooded jumper he wore, but she could see dark spouts sticking out from underneath. He also walked a little hunched over, reminding her of L himself. Actually, in a lot of ways he reminded her of L. It was like he was mimicking him in preparation for a large performance.

Finally, Renee found her voice. "I often go to the kitchen at night..."

He smirked in the darkness. "I am aware," he said simply.

Typically this would have freaked Renee out, but the way he said it reminded her of L. These little similarities were slowly breaking down the social barriers she had created for herself, allowing the girl to take a moment to really see the boy in front of her and somehow, she wasn't so afraid any more. She had never seen him with company before, so perhaps he waited outside of her workshop every day because he needed a friend? It's not like she could really make an assumption like that, though. She hadn't the expertise... but if she couldn't provide friendship for L, then maybe she could for B? Well, practice made perfect and if she was to befriend L, she'd need a lot of it.

"Would you like to join me, B?" She asked politely, and the young boys eyes lit up for only a second. Enough to be convincing.

"Thank you, Renee. I knew you would ask," She brushed off the comment as the product of an over analytical mind, following him downstairs as he led the way to the kitchen. Once inside, B sat on the stool closest to him, somehow able to navigate in the pitch darkness. Renee wasn't quite as skilled at that and began pushing her hand against the wall to find the switch, until a hand quickly grabbed at her wrist to prevent any more movement. "Please leave the light off," Renee was sure he wasn't meaning to hurt her, but the restriction of blood flow was making her hand very numb.

"Please let go, B..." she asked under a pained grunt. As if realising his actions, his hand abruptly vanished as he quickly returned to his seat.

"I'm sorry," he spoke with a such a small voice that Renee almost didn't hear it, so small that the apology itself could be disregarded as a formality.

She laughed nervously in the shadows. "I-It's alright. No harm done... erm, since you seem to be able to find your way... Would you get me some cake from the fridge, please?"

She never received a response, not one she could hear anyway, but the sound of clinking plates let her know that he was complying. When he moved towards the fridge she felt the hesitation before it was pulled open. However when the light him, she found that the majority of his face was covered by his arm, as he allowed the other to travel within and pull out an already sliced piece of cake.

B seemingly glared at it, obviously seeing something that she couldn't. "What is it, B?"

He replied in a monotone voice, exempt of all emotion. "This was left for you purposefully."

Renee smiled to herself lightly. "Yeah, they often are these days. I think I've been rumbled or something by Watari... It's the only explanation I can think of," she tucked her hair behind her ears before moving to sit next to B, who decided to bring his knees to his chest tightly having placed the cake on the island in front of where he had already assumed she'd sit.

"... Or perhaps it was L," B said quietly, causing Renee's breath to hitch. Surely it couldn't be. "You have spoken to him, haven't you?"

Not really knowing what to say, Renee decided to start eating, her mind buzzing with thoughts like little bees causing a nuisance. She'd never even considered the possibility that it could have been L leaving her these sweet things. She hadn't told anybody about her two meetings with L, nobody but Watari, and she wasn't sure if that was out of caution to protect L, or just because she hadn't anyone to tell. Somehow, she felt the need to deny it all.

"I... uh..." She desperately wanted to say 'no', but she just couldn't. She knew he already knew the truth anyway, and if he didn't he'd sense her lie. "It's been two years, though. Why would he still do it?"

B stared at her in the darkness, slightly enjoying the nerves he created within her. This girl with her short, copper hair and her ragged appearance had somehow peaked his curiosity the first day he had seen her sneak out... Perhaps, it was knowing that she had met L, or perhaps it was her story that he empathised with. He wasn't certain, but he had become very watchful of her. Her workshop was his favourite place to be, and whenever any of the other children had tried to take a peak at her, or others who tried to mock her... all of them were ran off by him.

"Perhaps he considers you his friend," His haunting voice caused a shiver to run down her spine, but she determined it was just cold, that was all.

"I know that's not true," Sadly, Renee's thoughts lingered on the conversation with Watari and sensing her sadness, B attempted to stare into the very heart of her, or at least that's what it felt like.

"L chose you for his third successor, he must have sensed something in you," It may have been Renee's imagination, but she swore she could hear B gritting his teeth.

"But, you've never met him and you're his second," she sighed, not really wanting to have her hopes raised, only to have them cut down again. Instead, she decided to change the subject. "Erm... B... Why do you not like the light?"

An intense silence filled the room...

"In the light, people can see me coming."