Again, sorry for the confusion with the last two chapters. And again, thanks to the guest that pointed it out. We should be back on track now, though, and I'll be extra careful from now on that I don't skip a chapter and have to go back and add it in in the right place.

I'm really excited to start posting various interactions between L and Light! But unfortunately, because Light only knows L as Ryuzaki, there may be a few mistakes in regards to names (i.e., Light may call 'Ryuzaki' L, even though he doesn't know him as L yet) just because it's incredibly hard to catch every single mistake of that nature, no matter how many times I edit it. It's difficult to go back and forth between calling the same character different things, and sometimes names slip through. So if you see any of that, you know what happened.

Chapter 8: The Chariot

The Chariot: signifies movement, progress, and integration.


Light was sleeping.

The key word being was, of course.

Because now he was no longer sleeping, but jerking up in bed as his phone went off rather noisily beside him. He groaned, rubbing at his eyes and glancing at his alarm clock. Three in the morning? Who the hell is calling me at this hour? He let out an irritated huff as he stretched his arm out, gripping his phone and bringing it up so he could read the caller ID. He blinked harshly as the light blinded him temporarily—but when his eyes adjusted, and he could finally make out the words, he was greeted with an unfamiliar sight: unknown caller.

What? Who would be calling him not only in the middle of the night, but also with an unknown number? Light hit the answer button groggily, glancing around the room to make sure that Ryuk was gone.

"H…hello?" he yawned.

"Ah, Light. I was hoping you'd be awake."

Oh, dear god…Light knew that voice. How could he forget? "Ryuzaki?" he rasped. "Is that you?"

"Who else would be calling you like this?"

"God, Ryuzaki, you make it sound so weird. And do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yes, of course I know what time it is. Is that a problem?"

"Ryuzaki, it's three in the morning! Why the hell are you calling me at this time?"

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Of course you woke me, you bastard! Just what the hell were you thinking by calling me this early? What if my parents hear me talking to someone?"

"Your mother should be fast asleep by this hour, and your father has just departed from work. So long as this conversation is kept short, he will not interfere."

"How do you know my dad just left work—no, wait—you said you worked with him, right?"

"That is correct.

"So then, care to tell me what you're doing phoning me at three in the morning?"

"Quite frankly, I couldn't wait to hear your voice again. Do I need another reason?"

"Very funny," Light scoffed. "Do you want to tell me the real reason, or will I have to beat it out of you?"

"I'm sure you've already guessed the reason, Light. After all, you did see the way L confronted Kira earlier, right?"

"Of course I did. What's your point?"

"I already told you that I was investigating the Kira Case, Light—though it didn't have that name when I spoke to you last. A lot can change in two days, it seems. But that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is that the investigation has grown in leaps and bounds this past day, and certain evidence has come to light that leads me to want to speak with you as soon as possible."

"So that's what this is about? You seriously woke me up at this hour to talk about the Kira Case, of all things?"

"Well, yes, I—"

After that, the conversation largely degraded into yelling.

"I said I was sorry!" Ryuzaki said at last, as a way of placating the teen. If you would just relax, then perhaps we could end this entirely unpleasant conversation!"

"It wouldn't be unpleasant if you'd just refrain from calling me at three in the morning!" Light screeched. He was fully awake now, and had been for the past several minutes.

"Look, I don't have time to speak with you anymore. How about this—since you refuse to speak rationally, I'll cease this call and allow you to cool your head. But seeing as I still wish to speak with you regarding the Kira Case, I will have to find another time to do so."

"Well, I don't care what you do—just don't call me like this anymore!"

"Very well. If that is how you feel, then I will endeavor to pick you up at school tomorrow. Be prepared to answer my questions then."

"What? Wait, Ryuzaki, that's not what I—"

"Farewell, Light. I will speak with you tomorrow."

And just like that, before Light had a chance to protest, Ryuzaki hung up on him. The phone clattered to the bedside table, slipping from Light's fingers, and the next moment those fingers were twining in his hair, tugging harshly in frustration. That bastard…calling me at this hour and informing me that he'll be effectively kidnapping me during school tomorrow…how am I supposed to sleep after that?

Light lay back on the bed, sighing deeply. His arms crossed behind his head as a pillow, and he found himself tracing the movement of the ceiling fan with his eyes. He'd be getting no rest, that was certain.

At least, not so long as he knew there would be a dark-haired detective waiting at school the following day, ready to snatch him away.

†††

The next morning was a nightmare. Light, having not slept a wink after Ryuzaki's phone call, stumbled out of bed ten minutes late and fell flat on his face.

"Oh…" he groaned painfully, casting an exhausted gaze back, only to find that his leg was tangled in his sheets. He tugged once, twice—and then he was free to stand, albeit shakily, and make his way to his closet. He picked out an outfit and set it upon the bed, carefully selecting a red tie to go along with the black shirt he'd picked out. Then he headed into the bathroom, fixed his hair, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and dressed himself—all in about ten minutes, which was a record for him. He dashed down the stairs, snatched his bag, and visited the kitchen just long enough to say goodbye to Sachiko.

"No breakfast?" she called after him as he departed.

"No," he called back as he ran his hands down his shirt, making sure no wrinkles were present. "I'll grab something at school before class!" And then he was gone, ignoring Sachiko's protests. He made it to school in record time despite his mental unpreparedness and physical sluggishness. Once there, he was swift to duck into his first period class, surrounding himself with other students in an attempt to use them as a barrier in between Ryuzaki and himself. With any luck, the socially inept detective would be intimidated by the abundance of students surrounding him. But Light doubted it. All throughout class, Light's stomach was twisted in nervousness. He didn't want to deal with Ryuzaki. He didn't want to worry about a detective, not when he already had such a large task at hand. Especially not so soon after he'd used those criminals to send a message.

L, do you know? I'm not who you think I am.

Light could only assume that that message was one of the developments Ryuzaki wanted to talk to him about. His stomach flipped at the thought of it. But all he could do was sit and wait for Ryuzaki to pop out of nowhere and abduct him.

First period passed without incident. It should have made him feel better, but all it did was raise his awareness that Ryuzaki was likely to act in the middle of second period. He drew his so-called friends close, forming a shell around himself, and silently begged the detective to leave him alone. He didn't want to act hospitable at the moment—all he wanted to do was sleep.

Second period came and went without incident. Light felt more and more nervous.

Third period arrived.

Light seated himself in the back of the room and drew his fellow students around him, creating idle conversation in hopes of distracting himself. It didn't work—they were too dull-minded, and the conversations they spawned were uninteresting and bland. How boring…

It was then, while sitting in a ring of his friends, that Light realized he wanted to talk to another genius. But not Ryuzaki. Never Ryuzaki. He didn't want to talk about Kira. He wanted to talk about something interesting, something deeper. He did not want to talk about how Mrs. Fujioka's outfit on Friday had been positively scandalous, or about the way that cheerleader had broken up with one of the players on the lacrosse team. Hell, he'd settle for talking to Ryuk at this point, had the shinigami not mysteriously vanished for the day.

And then, as if in answer to Light's bored plea, the door opened, and someone walked in. The teacher immediately paused, surprised to be interrupted in the middle of a lesson, and even more surprised to see just who was doing the interrupting.

The person looked just like Light remembered him. White shirt, baggy jeans, no shoes. Dark bags under the eyes. Messy hair. "Hello there," he said, addressing the teacher. "I apologize for the interruption, but I'll be taking one of your students now."

The teacher stared, obviously trying to figure out whether or not the person was being serious. "I'm sorry…" he said slowly, "but who are you?"

"Just a friend of Light's," came the response. "I think you'll find, if you check your email, that the principal has sent you a message informing you that Light will be checking out early today."

The teacher moved from the podium to his computer, and while he began to scroll through messages, the person shuffled awkwardly towards the back of the classroom, where Light was waiting.

"That's that guy who pushed you into the fountain!" Takada hissed quietly into Light's ear, as the rest of the group surrounding him began chatting excitedly. "What is he doing back here so soon? It's only been two days since he assaulted you!"

"I told you, it wasn't like that," Light hissed back.

"Seriously though," said another student whose name Light couldn't remember at the moment. "He looks so weird! And he's walking right towards us!"

"He's here for me," Light muttered, but no one heard him.

And then the person—Ryuzaki, of course—stopped walking. He was a mere foot away from the outermost person in Light's group. "Light," he greeted. "I see that you have attempted to surround yourself with a shell of idiocy."

Light almost laughed. Almost. Come on, be nice to him. You said you were going to change and act civilly, so do it!

"Hey!" Takada snapped, speaking before Light had a chance to. "You can't just walk up here and insult us, especially not after what you did to Light the last time you saw him!"

Ryuzaki stared at her blankly. He clearly wasn't used to being challenged. "Pushing someone into a fountain is hardly cause to ban them from seeing that someone for the rest of their natural life."

"It doesn't matter!" Takada exclaimed protectively. "Light is my friend, and you're not just going to take him out of class!"

Ryuzaki craned his neck, staring at the ceiling as if it were far more interesting than upholding conversation with those sitting right in front of him. "I think that's for Light to decide, don't you?"

Takada glared at Light accusingly. "You're not seriously going with him, are you?"

Light knew he didn't have much of a choice. One way or another, Ryuzaki would find a way to get to him. He shot her an apologetic look and opened his mouth to say goodbye—but before he could, Ryuzaki spoke again.

"Besides," the detective murmured, "I believe you'll find that Light much prefers my company. After all, you aren't a genius like me."

"Ryuzaki!" Light burst out, horrified. "Stop that at once! You can't just go around insulting my friends!"

Ryuzaki didn't look at him. "Really, Light?" he responded flatly. "Your friends? Coming from someone like you—like me—that seems a bit strained."

Light stared openly for a few moments. Then he turned back to Takada, who was staring at Ryuzaki, mouth hanging open. "Sorry," he apologized, "but I have to go."

"Light—!" Takada protested.

Light didn't listen. Instead, he rose, gathered his things, and pushed his way out of the protective 'shell of idiocy,' as Ryuzaki had put it. And then he was standing there in front of the detective, unprotected by inferior beings for the first time that day, and it felt…strangely good. He was staring into eyes that held life, that held intelligence, for the first time in…well, admittedly, it had only been two days—but after eighteen years of lackluster interactions with other humans…two days felt like forever.

"Shall we?" Ryuzaki asked flatly, eyes betraying his amusement. He held out a hand.

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Light brushed past him, refusing the hand. He was determined to act nice, but not that nice. He didn't look back at Ryuzaki, but he heard his footsteps, slow and drawn out, shuffling behind him.

"Ah…Light? You're free to go," the teacher announced from his computer. "I've just received the email releasing you from class."

Perfect. Light took a deep, shuddering breath, releasing it slowly as he offered his teacher a polite nod. Then he exited the classroom, ignoring all the curious murmurs that followed as Ryuzaki trailed behind.

The door to the classroom closed ominously, leaving the two geniuses in silence.

Then, "You pushed me into a fountain."

"You were acting impertinent. I had no choice but to bring you down a few thousand pegs."

"I'm—"

"I know you're upset. You don't have to say it."

"—sorry."

Ryuzaki blanched, staring at the teen blankly. "What was that?"

"I told you I was sorry," Light murmured. The words tasted bitter on his tongue, but they were necessary. "I was acting like an ass. I'm not sure what came over me."

The detective stared for a moment longer before responding. "I didn't take you as the type to apologize, Light. Is something wrong, that you suddenly have the desire to befriend me?"

That bastard! What is he insinuating? He suspects me, I knew it—and he thinks I'm trying to get close to him to prove my innocence! Light flinched. He's not too far off, actually… "Of course not, Ryuzaki," he said smoothly. I know it may be hard to believe, but I normally don't act like I'm god's gift to humanity."

Ryuzaki smiled, though it was small. "I'm sure you don't. I just caught you on a bad day, no?"

"Yeah, that's it. A bad day…"

Ryuzaki nudged him, urging him to begin walking towards the exit of the school. "We should be going," he said in explanation. "We have much to discuss, and I don't wish to waste your time with petty conversation."

Light wanted very much to tell him that this was the first dose of engaging 'petty conversation' he'd encountered in days, but Ryuzaki was already pulling ahead of him, so he didn't have the chance. He jogged to catch up to him, slowing to a walk when he reached his side. "Where are we going?"

"There's a café near here that sells delicious pastries. We'll talk there." Ryuzaki, having reached the curb outside the school in record time, paused in front of a black limo. Then he reached out and opened the door, motioning for Light to get inside.

Light hesitated, completely unwilling to believe that someone who looked so strange had funds sufficient enough to randomly rent a limo for a mere conversation between acquaintances. "My parents have always taught me to avoid getting into cars with strangers," he joked weakly, attempting to mask his nervousness. "Besides, what proof do I have that you're actually who you say you are? Who's to say that you're not going to cart me off and have me killed?"

Ryuzaki laughed—actually laughed, and said, "Light, if you had even the slightest suspicion that I wasn't who I said I was, then you would never have allowed me to drag you out of class. You're smarter than that. And I'm smarter than that—smart enough to know that attempting to kidnap the son of the chief of the NPA would only end in disaster."

He was right, of course. He hadn't been wrong yet. And so Light, without another word, ducked into the limo and seated himself near the far window. Ryuzaki followed shortly after, closing the door behind him. "Watari," he called to the front seat. "Please drive us to the aforementioned destination."

The older man in the driver's seat—presumably called Watari—nodded, and the next moment the engine was starting, and the limo was beginning to lurch down the road. Light, despite his earlier assurance that he was not, in fact, being driven to his death, was beginning to feel horrifyingly nervous. It didn't help when Ryuzaki, seemingly unaware of social custom, seated himself right next to him without hesitation.

"Ah…Ryuzaki?" Light said.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

"You…you're kind of…sitting on me, you know."

"I am not sitting on you—I am not even touching you. I am sitting next to you, as you know. There is no need to exaggerate."

"Right…but could you, you know…move over?"

He looked puzzled, and Light began to wonder if this strange man had any sense of normal social behavior. "If that is what you wish." He moved over an inch, and seemed content to stay there. Light decided to drop it; it was obvious that he had no idea how to behave. He inched away slightly.

"Is there a reason you're so eager to avoid me, Light? Do you have something to hide?"

"No! Damn it, Ryuzaki, you can't use every little thing to suggest that I'm hiding something! Just because I don't want to feel you breathing down my neck doesn't mean I'm hiding anything!" Ryuzaki frowned deeply, and Light immediately flinched. So much for being nice…

"So touchy. You wound me."

He didn't look offended in the slightest, which was good, because Light was in no mood to apologize. "Just forget about it, Ryuzaki. You clearly have no idea how to behave in social situations."

The detective's eyes widened, then fell back into their normal expressionless sheen. "Well, I suppose you're right there, Light. I'm not much of a social person. But then again, neither are you."

"What?" he spluttered. "I'm perfectly sociable!"

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," Ryuzaki responded in a lackluster tone. "You are not sociable. You pretend to like those around you because you have no other choice, when in reality you are less than entertained by their dull conversations."

He was right, of course. Again. "Ryuzaki…how—?"

"You forget that I am like you," came the answer. "I am a genius. I was the same way, you know—I used to pretend. But that was then and this is now—and I find it much easier to behave as I wish to behave instead of catering to those below me. You should try it. It's quite effective."

It…it sounded good. To not have to filter his words because those around him wouldn't understand…to be able to speak his mind without fear of being singled out in a negative light…it sounded beautiful. "And if I did try it? What then? Would I be shunned as you are?"

Another deep frown. "Once again, your words are sharper than the deadliest knife," he murmured. "But yes…I suppose you would be shunned."

"In that case, I must decline. I'm not like you—I can't just go off solving cases for the NPA without a care in the world. I have to stay in school, get good grades, maintain a decent reputation, and keep up the golden boy persona."

"You could be like me," Ryuzaki suggested in a low murmur, and for a moment Light was unsure he'd heard correctly.

"What did you say?" he demanded.

"Nothing. Oh, look at that—we're here!" Ryuzaki was out of the limo before Light could react, holding open the door eagerly. "Come on, Light, hurry up!"

Light shook his head in disbelief, following his strange companion. Ryuzaki closed the door behind him, and a moment later the limo was chugging away, no doubt to find the longest parking space in all of existence.

"Shall we?" Ryuzaki asked, echoing his earlier words. And once again, there was that hand, extended in his direction as if he wanted to hold hands like a newlywed couple—and once again, Light nodded politely and brushed the hand off.

Ryuzaki didn't appear pleased. "You're very adverse to me," he commented. "Could it be that you don't like me much?"

"Of course I like you," Light said quickly. "I'm just not used to touching complete strangers. You'll have to forgive me for that."

Ryuzaki looked away, almost appearing genuinely offended. For a moment Light was concerned, and a spike of guilt shot through his chest—but the next heartbeat he was scolding himself, telling himself off for feeling that way, and he was moving into the café ahead of Ryuzaki.

"Oh…" Light said aloud, looking around for the first time. "This…"

"Is it not to your liking?" Ryuzaki questioned. "If it is not, then I will have us driven to a new location."

"No, that's not it, it's just…"

"Excellent," Ryuzaki commented, taking Light by the arm and dragging him further into the café. "There's a pleasant booth in the back that's perfectly secluded. No one will even know we're here—other than the staff, of course. And what's more, no one will be able to overhear what we're saying. It's perfect for discussing things of a rather sensitive nature, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, Ryuzaki," Light said quietly. "It is." And he would know—for this was the café that he always went to. This was the booth that he always sat in. How did Ryuzaki know about it? Was this a subtle jab at him? After all, this was where he'd first opened the Death Note to truly examine it. It had been here, in the very booth Ryuzaki was currently pushing him into.

Once they were seated, it wasn't long until a waitress came flouncing over to take their order.

"Just coffee," Light said when the waitress inquired as to his beverage of choice. "No sugar."

Ryuzaki took a moment to stare at him as if he were insane before requesting, "Please bring me one of each of your pastries."

The waitress stared. "You're kidding."

"I am not kidding."

And he wasn't. He was dead serious, the bastard.

"Also, bring me a cup of English breakfast tea."

"Well…okay," the waitress said uncertainly. "How much sugar do you take?"

Ryuzaki frowned, pressing a thumb to his lips. "Hmm…please bring me an entire bowl."

The waitress sputtered out something about that being impossible—but faced with Ryuzaki's death glare, she soon turned and skittered away to fulfill the order. And, once again, they were left alone.

"You're insane," Light murmured, breaking the silence. "No one can eat that much sugar and live. You're going to have a heart attack, Ryuzaki. And not a Kira related one, either."

"You think so?" the detective murmured, drawing his knees up against his chest.

Light frowned. "Hey…you keep sitting like that. In class, that's the only way you would sit. And now you're doing it again. Is that normal for you?"

"Forty percent."

"Ah…pardon?"

"Forty percent, Light. That's how much my deductive abilities drop when I don't sit like this. The same goes for the sugar—thought the percentage is more around fifty-five percent there, admittedly."

"I see." What a strange man. What was the NPA thinking, hiring someone like this?

"So, Light, shall we get down to business? If we don't start now, we'll be here far into the night."

"Oh…of course. Let's begin, then. What did you want to talk about?"

Ryuzaki frowned. "Well, there's quite a lot. Let's see…we could talk about the confrontation between Kira and L, I could commence with the testing of your deductive ability, we could discuss the specifics of the new evidence that has suddenly appeared, we could converse over the details of your personal life… Why don't you pick, Light?"

He stared, overwhelmed. He wanted to talk about all of that in one session? But, if he had to pick… "Let's start easy, then. As me whatever you want about my personal life. You're profiling me, right? Go for it." I can't say anything that connects me to Kira. I have to be careful.

"Very well. We will start easy, as you say." He leaned forward, eyes narrowing in concentration. "Tell me your name."

"What? You know my name, Ryuzaki. It's Light. Light Yagami."

"And the names of your family members and their relation to you?"

Light leaned back in an attempt to escape Ryuzaki's scrutinizing gaze. "Well, I have a younger sister named Sayu, my mother is named Sachiko, and my father is named Soichiro."

"And what do they do for a living?"

"My mother stays at home and takes care of the house and my father is a police officer. You know this, Ryuzaki. Why are you asking these things?"

He ignored him, much to Light's irritation. "Would you say you got your sense of justice from your father?"

Ah. There it was. The big guns were coming out, and they were aimed right at Light's head. "I don't know," he answered smoothly. "Most likely, yes. Most children are influenced by their parents, after all."

"Would you describe that sense of justice for me, please?"

You won't catch me this way, Ryuzaki. You should stop trying. "It's as the law says. If you commit a crime, you should be tried and given an appropriate punishment."

"What kind of punishment?"

"Depends on the crime and the circumstances. Obviously you can't just start executing people because they stole something minor, or committed a crime barely worthy of mention. But if they murdered someone, or did something atrocious…then they deserve the death sentence, which is what they will ultimately receive."

"So then, you agree with the death sentence? You believe it should be carried out?"

"Of course I do," Light responded calmly. Calm down…saying you agree with the death sentence doesn't condemn you. It's a commonly held opinion. "So long as the criminal is most certainly guilty, and so long as he has been legally sentenced, then said sentence should be carried out."

Ryuzaki smiled a very small smile. "How interesting. So, then, would it be safe to say that you agree with Kira's methods of killing?"

"Ryuzaki…" Light murmured, pausing as the waitress swept by the table to drop off the requested drinks, explaining in a flustered tone that the pastries wouldn't be out for a few more minutes. Only when she slipped back into the kitchen did Light feel ready to continue. "Ryuzaki," he said again, "I agree with Kira completely."

The detective's eyebrows shot to his hairline. Clearly he hadn't been expecting Light's blunt response. "You agree with him?" he asked, as if he didn't quite believe it.

"I do." Light reached for his coffee, taking a sip and reveling in the stunned expression on his companion's face. This, Ryuzaki, is where I will catch you. No doubt you will wish to argue semantics, which will lead to the discussion of the fact that Kira has only been killing criminals who were already sentenced to death. Then I can make you see that I am doing the right thing. It's a bold move, but still…it must be done. I'm certain that you think that your Kira suspect would never come out and say that he agrees with the killings.

Ryuzaki was still staring. "Light," he burst out, "you do realize that I suspect you, correct?"

There it was. It had never been explicitly stated, but Light had always known it was there. Ryuzaki was tracking Kira, and he suspected him. He wasn't sure what he'd done to arouse suspicion—other than his blatant display of arrogant intelligence—but he had to slip free as soon as possible if he wanted to live. "I suspected as much," he responded belatedly. "That's why I'm going to be as honest as I can with you, Ryuzaki." He took another sip of his coffee. "Lying to you will only make me look suspicious. So I'll tell you the truth: I completely agree with what Kira is doing."

"How so?" Ryuzaki asked immediately. A few sugar cubes were clutched between his fingers, held out over his tea, but they had yet to enter the scalding liquid.

"Well, look at the facts. I've been investigating Kira on my own time, you see, so I know—as I'm sure you know—that he has only been targeting those who have already been sentenced to death. He's carrying out the sentence that has already been approved by the justice system. So, he's not really doing the judging himself. He's just going off of what the system has already decided. Don't you think that's ethically correct, Ryuzaki?"

The detective immediately looked away. "Kira is not just targeting those awaiting execution," he murmured, dropping a handful of sugar cubes into his tea and stirring violently. Drops of liquid splashed to the table below, but he didn't seem to notice. "He is also killing those who have committed crimes worthy of the death sentence, but who have not legally received said sentence."

"Yes." Light glanced up, briefly raking his eyes along his companion's frame. He was still hunched over, eyes locked on his tea. "I noticed that as well. But still, don't you think that those people deserve what they got? They committed crimes worthy of execution, and found some way of worming their way out of the punishment. Isn't it right for Kira to get rid of them? It's no different than a revisiting an old case and changing the sentence."

Ryuzaki took a large gulp of tea. Paused. Added another handful of sugar cubes. He fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable in his seat, and muttered, "That is all good and well, but I have reason to believe that Kira will soon begin targeting all criminals, not just the ones who deserve death."

Light blinked, surprised, and immediately jerked his head down to avoid Ryuzaki's gaze. Ryuzaki…just implied that some criminals deserve to die. And he didn't say that he disagreed with Kira's ways of killing. Could it be that he agrees with me? But no—he said that he thinks Kira is going to start killing criminals at random and without reason. That…that sounds like the Kira in the story written in the Death Note. But why would Ryuzaki suspect something like that? I've done nothing to suggest that that's the path I'm heading down. "Would you care to explain why you think that?" Light said at last, choosing his words carefully.

And once again, a flash of unreadable emotion flickered across Ryuzaki's face. "There's no particular reason," he murmured. "It's just intuition from years of working as a detective. If I were to offer any sort of explanation, it would most likely involve the fact that I believe Kira to be very self-righteous, and very prideful. With an attitude like that, soon he'll develop a god complex and decide that killing criminals awaiting execution isn't enough. He'll snap, and he'll begin killing those who are in jail for petty crimes. And once he starts, he won't stop. It will be a downwards spiral, fueled by prideful arrogance. He'll hit free fall, so to speak, and he won't be able to expand his godly wings to stop himself from splattering on impact."

Is that what you think will happen to me? You think I'll become like the original Kira? You think I'll start offing people as I choose? Light had to admit to a certain feeling of sorrow because of Ryuzaki's morbid description of his demise. The detective truly didn't understand him. "I see what you mean. And so that's why you want to catch him? To stop him from hitting free fall, as you put it?"

Ryuzaki nodded shortly, drawing another mouthful of tea from his cup. "Yes," he said after a moment. "I will find Kira before he falls, and I will save him."

"Save? You intend to save him? Ryuzaki, I thought you wanted to kill Kira. You think he's evil, after all."

"Hmm?" Ryuzaki didn't appear to be paying attention anymore. "Oh…yes, I suppose I should kill him. Or not. It will all depend upon who Kira is and why he does what he does. Perhaps I will find myself moved by the man behind the monster, and I will decide to keep him."

Light narrowed his eyes. "You make him sound like some sort of pet."

"I suppose that he would be, in effect, a pet. After all, I would be the one making all the decisions for him. I couldn't allow him to run free, after all. Who knows what he might do?"

Light had a sudden image of being bound to Ryuzaki via collar and chain, and he shuddered internally. "If Kira is as vicious as you say he is, then I doubt he would allow himself to be reduced to a submissive creature that hangs on your every command."

"You make it sound so unpleasant," L muttered, swirling his finger around in his teacup. "But I would be quite the benevolent master."

Another shudder. Benevolent or not, Light had no desire to find himself at Ryuzaki's beck and call. He'd rather end up in hell. "We've gotten off track," he said. "You were supposed to be asking questions about my personal life, not talking about how eager you'd be to keep Kira as a pet."

Ryuzaki nodded. "Ah, of course. But if you'd pause for just a moment…" His head shot up eagerly, and a moment later Light found out why as the waitress came dashing back, setting out a massive platter of pastries before the wide-eyed detective. She left without a word, seemingly disgusted by Ryuzaki's choice of foods—and the instant she did, the detective snatched up an éclair and began devouring it with abandon, tiny noises of approval slipping past his lips as he ate.

Light stared in a mixture of fascination and disgust. "Ryuzaki…" he tried. "Are you…?"

"Hm?" He finished the éclair and reached for another pastry, shoving half of it down his gullet at once. "Oh, I apologize—I haven't consumed sweets in approximately five hours, and I find myself quite famished." He finished off the rest of the pastry, licking his fingers with no regard for the person seated across from him.

God, he's disgusting…why did I agree to this, again?

"I'm sorry that you find me disgusting, Light. And you agreed to this because you had no other choice. I would have hunted you down one way or another."

…And he'd spoken aloud. Brilliant. He shook his head lightly, saying, "Can we get on with this?"

"Ah, of course. Hm…the next question…" he paused to take a drink of his tea. "I think I've learned enough about your personal life for the time being, so let's move on to something else. How about we discuss the confrontation between L and Kira that took place yesterday?"

Ah, yes…L, the person who had decided to challenge him. The person Light needed to win over. Of course, he also needed to win over Ryuzaki—but that was another matter entirely. "Which part did you want to discuss?"

"Well, I suppose I didn't want to discuss it as much as I wanted to tell you that after all the cameras turned off, Lind L. Tailor died of a heart attack."

"What?" Light gasped. This was a surprise—it had to be one of the other users! He could use that information to track him down; it was the first lead he'd gotten! "Tailor died? That means that Kira accepted L's challenge after all!" Damn it! This is a lead, but the person that killed Tailor has caused irreparable damage to the connection I'm trying to develop with L! I wasn't going to challenge him, I was going to try to work beside him…but now that one of the other Kiras has challenged L, he'll assume that I'm the one issuing the challenge. He'll think that I'm against him.

"It does indeed." Ryuzaki was working his way through a forth pastry now, having inhaled his third while Light was talking. "And it also means something else, Light. You see, while I announced that it was a worldwide broadcast, L's challenge was only broadcasted in this region of Japan. That means that Kira is in this region. It also proves that he is real, which some have not yet accepted. So, then—I have a location, however broad it may be. I also know that Kira is most likely a student, seeing as his killing patterns occur only in hours when school is not in session."

He's good…he's already onto me. But if I can reach L first and form an alliance, I'm sure he'll keep Ryuzaki and any other detectives who might wish me harm off my tail. "You've narrowed down your list of suspects quite a bit." Light leaned forward, clasping his hands and resting his chin upon them. "But there's a problem with that, Ryuzaki."

"And what would that be, Light?"

"Well, to put things frankly, if you're targeting students, then you're targeting a very specific range of students. After all, doing what Kira is doing requires a very acute range of intelligence, which only comes with older students. Therefore, I'd say that you're looking for a student in high school."

"And what's wrong with that?"

Light offered his companion a false smile. "That puts me directly in your line of fire, Ryuzaki. I'm in the perfect place in regards to being a student, and I'm a genius. What's more, I already displayed strong arrogance and pride before you. That makes me a prime suspect, does it not?"

"Unfortunately, yes. That's why I'm here. But you already knew that."

Yes…he had. And now Ryuzaki suspected him more than ever. How the hell was he supposed to sway suspicion from himself when he'd already dug himself into such a deep hole? And unknowingly, at that. How was he supposed to stop things that he wasn't aware were happening?

Ryuzaki set down his teacup. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm afraid that this conversation has taken a rather nasty turn."

"Of course it has," Light muttered, trying—and failing—to hide the hurt that he felt for Ryuzaki's assessment of his character. "You think I'm a mass murderer."

The detective's gaze softened immediately, and for just a moment, Light was almost convinced that Ryuzaki was human instead of some emotionless machine. "I do not want to think that, Light. If it makes you feel any better, if there was a way for me to prove you innocent, I would take it. I do not wish to pursue someone as young as yourself in the name of justice. I would be greatly saddened if you were to face execution for your crimes as Kira."

How comforting.

"However, no matter what my personal wishes may be, I cannot cease my investigation of you until I either prove you to be Kira or prove you innocent."

"I get it, so let's just get on with this," Light grumbled. "I feel like we've been here forever."

"Fine, then." L's hand dipped beneath the table momentarily, and the next moment it reappeared holding a cluster of loose papers. He held one out between two fingers, placing it on the table in front of Light. "Would you please read this for me?"

"Uh…sure." Light's eyes raked over the paper. "Continually, and in a thousand other ways, did he feel the innumerable throbs of anguish that had been so cunningly contrived for him. And how soon—with what strange rapidity indeed—did he arrive at an age that was capable of social intercourse. And what a happiness it would have been—but this could never be. He was born an outcast." Oh, so this is how he's going to play it? He's going to show me the suicide notes I had the criminals write and ask me to decipher the hint? He looked up at Ryuzaki. "What is this?"

"Suicide notes left by criminals killed by Kira," was the murmured response. "I was hoping you would help me go over their meanings."

"I see." Light pushed the note away with a finger. "Well, this is obviously an altered quote from The Scarlet Letter. It seems that Kira is comparing himself to Hester and implying that he feels like a social outcast, unable to find happiness. It makes sense, so long as we're assuming that Kira is a genius. After all, are loneliness and unhappiness not common traits in geniuses?"

L frowned. "You're right. That's what I thought as well. Loneliness and unhappiness…they are, indeed, traits shared by geniuses." He picked up a second piece of paper, pushing it forward. "Read this, please."

Light obeyed. "I have a sickness—a sore place, if we may so call it—in my spirit which hath immediately its appropriate manifestation in my bodily frame. Would you heal the bodily evil? No—not to thee—not to an earthly physician!" He looked up. "This one is a bit trickier. It seems that Kira is suggesting that he feels wounded by his power to kill, and wishes for someone to heal him. This was meant to be a direct message to L, no? Perhaps he's reaching out, asking L to work with him and heal him."

"That suggests that Kira feels remorse for his actions, and believes that although he is killing, it is leaving a deadly wound upon his soul. We have already established that Kira feels no remorse, and believes that killing is righteous and pure. Therefore, the meaning you proposed can't possibly be correct."

"No," Light said immediately, "you decided that Kira would begin to enjoy killing, viewing it as 'righteous and pure,' as you put it, after a few months of killing. However, seeing as those months haven't passed yet, according to your logic, Kira hasn't yet begun to enjoy his killings, and hasn't yet decided that he's an avenging angel. Therefore, when he wrote this, he quite possibly could have felt that killing was leaving a wound of sorts on his soul."

Ryuzaki frowned. He clearly didn't like that. "Very well. I suppose I see your point. Now, Light, please take a look at this one." A third paper was pushed forward.

"Who has brought shame upon us all ought to die. Is there not law for it? Truly, you know there is, in the Scripture and in the statute-book." Ah…Light had been particularly proud of this one when he'd picked it out. "This one is obvious, Ryuzaki. It shouldn't even require explanation." He sloshed the remainder of his coffee around his cup. "Kira is obviously saying that he believes what he's doing is right. He's saying that there are laws pertaining to the execution of criminals, and that he is following those rules."

"Exactly my way of thinking, Light. I'm impressed. Now, the next."

Light read without question. "You speak in riddles, with a knowledge of men's hearts that will be needful to the completest solution of the problem." He frowned, feigning ignorance. "I…I admit, Ryuzaki, this one is a bit strange. I'm not sure I understand. Perhaps…he's suggesting that he has the knowledge of men's hearts, making it easy for him to manipulate them."

Ryuzaki hummed noncommittally, cramming a large chunk of pastry into his mouth. "Actually," he said through a mouthful of food, "I wasn't sure what this one meant either. It's a bit out of place, don't you think? My best guess would be that, like you said, Kira is suggesting that he has a way of manipulating the hearts of others." He took the paper back and handed Light another. "There are two more," he said. "Please tell me what you think about this one first."

Light grasped the paper lightly, reading of, "Think you that there can be no outrage against our common nature than the way I shall contrive aught against their lives?" Ah…this one was a bit more malicious than the rest. He'd chosen it as a warning, to remind L that although he wished to make peace, he would not hesitate to show his fangs if he was threatened. "It's a warning," he explained. "Kira is saying that if L thinks his way of doing things is wrong, then he'll lash out at him. In other words, he won't just roll over and allow himself to be killed. If it comes down to it, he intends to fight." He shot Ryuzaki a satisfied glance, purring out, "So then, Ryuzaki…how does this affect your plan to keep Kira as a pet?"

"It was only a possibility. I didn't say it was a definite plan."

"You're avoiding the question," Light chastised, allowing a teasing grin to overtake his features. "Now, come on—give me the next note."

Ryuzaki held it out without hesitation.

"Am I the letter in the marketplace? And what imagination would have been irreverent enough to surmise that the same scorching stigma was on them both?" And this—the final quote. Light had spent a fair amount of time picking it out. He'd wanted it to be perfect. "I like this one," he murmured, not attempting to hide his satisfaction. "Am I the letter in the marketplace…Kira is effectively asking you, am I Kira? He's making you second guess yourself, suggesting that anyone and everyone could be Kira. And the second half of the quote almost seems to suggest that Kira and L share some terrible burden. The same stigma was on them both… the stigma symbolizing the burden, of course."

"That's a very interesting viewpoint," Ryuzaki said. "The idea of Kira and L sharing something between the both of them is quite intriguing." He stuck a finger into the frosting of one of his remaining pastries and brought it to his lips, sucking the sweet substance from his skin. Light couldn't help but stare, mesmerized and disgusted by the detective's display. "Tell me, Light, is that all you see in the message?"

So…he's going try to get me to reveal that I know what the secret message is. He's trying to trick me. But he can't prove anything, not even if I can figure out the juvenile puzzle I left him. It would look worse if I didn't solve it, just because he might assume that I'm dumbing myself down to prove my innocence. It's better if I solve his little puzzle and play his little game.

"Well," Light began, "first of all, the notes aren't in the right order."

"How do you figure?"

"Well, I've read The Scarlet Letter. It's assigned in year one of high school; everyone reads it. And so I recognize the quotes, even if they're altered a bit. And it just so happens that these quotes all come from different parts of the book—and if you arrange them chronologically, then they might spell out a hint, or a clue, or a message from Kira to L that's only meant to be understood by the two of them." Light reached out, taking the pages from Ryuzaki and arranging them correctly. "I suspect that if you arranged these by time of death, they would come up in the same order. Of course, seeing as you haven't provided me with said times, I can't be certain—but I'd say there's a good chance that I'm correct." Light took a moment to read the notes over silently, pretending to think hard about what he was doing before speaking again. "Now, moving on. I'm sure you've noticed that the formatting is strange. The line breaks are out of place, and new paragraphs cut off previous sentences. If I had to take a guess just based on what I'm seeing right now, I'd say that it's formatted like an acrostic poem. Do you have a pen I can use?"

Ryuzaki put down his pastry just long enough to hand Light a rather sticky pen.

Light winced, wiping the frosting residue off with a napkin. "Thanks," he said sarcastically, ignoring Ryuzaki's pointed stare. "Anyways, as I was saying…" He uncapped the pen and marked the first word of every line. "This should be right. But as you can see, it's not. A few words are out of place. But if we use the letters that are randomly capitalized, and add them into the message…" Light made the adjustments swiftly. "And then, if we understand that the word knowledge is written as 'know' and 'ledge,' and if we take just the first half of the word and use it…" More adjustments were made, and Light was suddenly staring at the message he'd hidden for L. "It says, L, do you know? I'm not who you think I am."

Ryuzaki nodded calmly. "Precisely what I was thinking. But one thing bothers me, Light. You said that Kira left these messages. Now, how would he do that? I don't believe I said anything about him being able to control the actions of his victims."

Nice try, Ryuzaki. You won't catch me that way. "It's rather obvious, wouldn't you say? I mean, it seems rather unlikely that all of those criminals just so happened to write out quotes from The Scarlet Letter that line up perfectly to spell out a message. And besides, in one of the quotes Kira implies that he can manipulate the hearts of men. I'd say this falls under that category, wouldn't you?" He forced down a sip of his cooling coffee, gazing up at his companion through his lashes. "You shouldn't try to trick people. It's mean."

"Trick? I don't know what you mean."

"Don't play dumb, Ryuzaki. We both know what you were doing—you were attempting to get me to say something that only Kira would know. But since I'm not Kira, it didn't work out too well for you."

The detective's movements had completely ceased. He stared at Light with wide eyes, breathing out, "Amazing…simply amazing."

"What's that?"

"You knew exactly what I was thinking, didn't you, Light? You knew why I was asking you every question, and you knew exactly how to answer every inquiry. The truth is, I can't say for sure whether or not I can realistically suspect you simply because you are too intelligent to fall for my traps. You're using your intellect to make yourself look innocent, when in reality the truth may be just the opposite."

Light crossed his arms, not caring if the gesture made him look petty. "That's insulting, Ryuzaki. Are you suggesting that the best I can do with my intelligence is make myself look innocent?"

"It's not an insult," Ryuzaki responded. "You're just being sensitive."

Sensitive? Light stared openly at his strange companion, who was now working his way through one of the final pastries. "I don't appreciate the suggestion that I'm manipulating you into thinking I'm innocent."

"Well, that's perfectly fine with me," the detective muttered, "seeing as you're not manipulating me. I know exactly how to dance your dance, and I intend to stay one step ahead."

"There is no dance!" Light hissed, irritation flaring through him. "I'm not trying to trick you!"

Ryuzaki raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Calm yourself, Light. This was intended to be a friendly conversation between companions, not a yelling match."

Light leaned back in his seat, blowing out a harsh breath through his mouth. And then the waitress was back, sweeping across the table and picking up empty mugs and platters (just when had Ryuzaki finished the last pastry? Had he seriously managed to eat the entire pastry menu?) and leaving the bill in her wake.

"I'll get it," Ryuzaki murmured in that low tone of his, reaching out and dumping a wad of crumpled bank notes on top of the bill, not bothering to open or look at it. Then he rose, and that hand was extending again, waiting for Light to comply. "Light," he said, when the teen refused to take his hand. "We need to leave. Your family will be wondering what has happened to their only son."

"What do you mean?" Light asked, bewildered. "School is still in session; you only came and got me during third period. It can't have been that long."

"I think you'll find that we've been talking for far longer than you think," Ryuzaki said in response. "The sun will set in an hour or two, Light."

"What? That's not possible!"

"It's been a few hours. The sun sets early this time of year, after all."

"My mother is going to kill me! And my father will be enraged!"

"Your father isn't going to be home until very late, so I doubt he'll notice. As for your mother, I'm sure you can handle whatever it is she decides to do to you."

Light just stared, completely stunned by Ryuzaki's behavior. "That's easy for you to say," he hissed. "You don't have someone breathing down your neck if you're not home exactly when you're supposed to be!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," L murmured. "I have a caretaker who is quite adamant about maintaining good behavior, as it were."

Light shot him a sideways glance, finding at least a modicum of amusement in the fact that a detective for the NPA was still being bossed around by a caretaker.

Ryuzaki pushed himself out of the booth. "Come with me, Light. We wouldn't want to keep your mother waiting."

And Light, having nothing better to do, followed as Ryuzaki shoved his hands into his pockets, curved his spine, and shuffled his way out of the café. The two of them stood for a moment, side by side, taking in the outside world. It was strange…while they'd been in the café, Light had almost forgotten that an outside world existed. His entire world had consisted of him, Ryuzaki, and their conversation. It was an ethereal feeling, finding someone capable of entertaining him for more than a few minutes. His boredom had just…washed away. It was just like when he was using the Death Note, but greater—for unlike when he was using the Death Note, there were no lulls in conversation with Ryuzaki, no pauses as he tried to figure out what to do next. He wondered vaguely if Ryuzaki felt the same, and if he felt equally uninterested in those around him. Had he eased the detective's boredom?

Ryuzaki cleared his throat, and Light realized suddenly that he'd been staring. "We should go," he said simply. "Watari is waiting for us." He swept an arm outwards, gesturing broadly to the limo, which was parked on the curb across the street. As if on cue, the limo's engine purred to life, and a moment later it was maneuvering around traffic to pull up directly in front of the café.

Light nodded, dragging his eyes away from his companion. "Sorry. I was thinking."

"You should be careful with that," Ryuzaki said sarcastically, opening the door of the limo. "You'll just get yourself into trouble that way." He paused long enough for Light to slip into the vehicle before following close behind. This time the detective seated himself close, but not as uncomfortably close as before. Light wondered, amused, if he'd managed to teach the detective one thing, at least, about social interaction.

The drive passed in record time, and before Light knew it, Ryuzaki was calling, "Watari, stop here."

"Certainly, sir." The limo drew to a halt, and the two geniuses were suddenly standing on the sidewalk.

Light looked around, thoroughly puzzled. "This isn't my house, Ryuzaki. You should know that, seeing as you've obviously researched me extensively."

The detective shoved both hands back into his pockets, staring at Light through a curtain of raven hair. "Yes, I know," he said. "But this way is nicer, don't you think?" He stepped off the sidewalk. "Are you coming?"

Light glanced at Ryuzaki, then at the world around them. He was immediately suspicious—why would Ryuzaki take him here, of all places?

The detective turned away. "Are you afraid of the forest?" he asked quietly.

"No," Light responded, craning his neck to stare up at the trees that suddenly seemed so abundant. He recognized this place, of course—he'd played there as a child. His mother had told him countless times to avoid the forest behind his house, telling scary stories of wolves and giant spiders to keep him away. It had never worked, though, and Light had eventually found his way to every inch of that forest.

"You don't need to be afraid. We'll only be in the forest for a few minutes—"

"Yes, I know," Light whispered, still staring up at the trees. "This forest is very small, and it's surrounded by homes and other such buildings. It's the only green patch for miles around, untouched by human hands. For example, take a look at the footpath. There's one leading from here to the other side of the forest, and it's completely unpaved. Then, if you go in several feet, there's another footpath that branches off. It leads directly to my house. We're not that far away; it should only take a few minutes to get there. But still…why couldn't you have just driven us the rest of the way? It's rather pointless to take a random trip into the forest, don't you think? Unless, of course, you're some sort of murderer who plans to carry out his plan of killing me away from the public eye."

Ryuzaki hummed noncommittally. "We've already been over this, Light. I am not a murderer, nor do I wish you harm—unless, of course, it turns out that my suspicions about you being Kira are correct. As for why I decided to take a detour…" he trailed off, setting his bare feet on the dusty path. "Well, I suppose you could say that I'm prolonging the inevitable."

"What are you so worried about? What could possibly be so bad that you would wish to avoid it by trekking through the forest with bare feet?" Light stepped off the sidewalk and over the railing that separated the edge of the forest from the civilized world. His feet left powdery prints in the dirt, flecks of the filthy substance flying up into the stale twilight air. His shoes, so perfectly shined, were immediately coated in a layer of grit.

Ryuzaki ducked the subject. "This forest is very peaceful, don't you think?" He went on ahead, form darkening as he stepped into the shadows. He began walking, and for the second time that day, Light had to jog to catch up.

"Of course it is, Ryuzaki. That's why I used to like coming here so much." Despite himself, Light felt a surge of nostalgia as he set his feet on the path leading to his home. I used to come here whenever I got sick of dealing with everyone around me. There's a little clearing in the middle of the forest, but we're far away from it now. This place is an escape. It's the closest thing I've found to a safe haven.

"You're very bored, aren't you, Light?"

Light paused, seeing that Ryuzaki had stopped ahead of him. The sun, so close to setting, cast the detective in a dark glow, spreading his shadow out across the earth. "What do you mean, Ryuzaki?"

"You know what I mean." He turned his head, regarding the teen through one eye. "You're like me, so you understand the boredom. You've felt it. Perhaps you felt it today when you were speaking to me, though I hope that's not the case."

"No," Light said at once, because hadn't he just been thinking that Ryuzaki was the first person to be able to entertain him in years? "I wasn't bored. I enjoyed our talk, even if you spent the whole of it trying to accuse me of being Kira."

Ryuzaki immediately turned away. "Yes," he agreed softly. He paused, almost as if there were words dangling on the tip of his tongue. But the moment was gone before it had a chance to really begin, and the next moment Ryuzaki was muttering, "Come on, Light. Let's get you home. Your mother will be upset if you're gone any longer. She'll think you've found a girlfriend, or something equally horrendous." The detective continued walking, seemingly unaware of the strange nature of his comment.

Light chased after him. He's so strange…what kind of person just drags someone else out into the middle of a forest and says such things? He must be insane. Almost as insane as the NPA for hiring him.

…Come to think of it, Ryuzaki had never actually said he was part of the NPA. He'd never denied it, but he'd never accepted it. Was it possible that he was an outside force, stepping in to work with his father? Hmm…Light felt that he'd brushed upon an important revelation, but before he could pursue it further, Ryuzaki was talking again.

"Light, we're here." He stopped, gesturing to the land beyond his fingertips. And indeed, they were there. They were standing at the edge of the forest after what felt like an incredibly short journey. Oh…what a shame. He'd almost hoped that he would get to talk to Ryuzaki longer. Even if he was dead set on accusing him, he was still the most intelligent person he'd met in, well…his entire life.

"So we are." Light moved to pass Ryuzaki, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Ryuzaki?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "What's wrong?"

"Oh…nothing's wrong, Light. I was just going to tell you, before you return to your mundane existence, that I'd very much like to return to speak to you about the Kira case again."

"Oh, right," Light scoffed. "Because I'm Kira, right?"

Ryuzaki frowned. "No, because you are Light, and you don't belong in that wretched high school of yours."

The teen's interest was immediately piqued. "And where do you think I belong?"

"Hmm…" he trailed off, pressing a thumb to his lips. "Perhaps you belong in the forest, like me."

"A metaphor, Ryuzaki?"

He smirked. "Perhaps. In any case, I do believe I will be stopping by again. Please be prepared to be taken out of class at any moment and for any reason. I will be seeing you soon." He stepped aside silently.

"Yeah…" Light responded belatedly. "I'll see you around, Ryuzaki." He stepped forward, brushing past the detective.

A moment later, when Light looked back, Ryuzaki was gone.


This is honestly one of my favorite chapters, just because of the way L and Light interact. They're so fun to write! If only L wasn't so convinced that Light was going to turn into the Kira from the original show, perhaps they could start working together ;)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! And of course, be sure to drop me a review if you did!