Hey there, everyone. I'm so sorry about the slow update. Summer started, I went away, the computer crashed AGAIN because it's a stupid jerk-face, and so on and so forth. Anyways, here be the next chappy! Enjoy.
Chapter Eight: Isolation
Hikari sat cross legged on the hotel's room bed, like an infuriated statue. She did not look up at her uncle as he entered her room and instead glared at the cream coloured bed covers. She heard her uncle sigh, drop her suitcase near the door, and sit down next to her on the bed.
"Hikari, we need to talk," Soichiro murmured after a tense pause.
"Light is not Kira," Hikari grumbled through clenched teeth. "And I am definitely not staying here."
Soichiro heaved another sigh and laid a hand on his niece's shoulder.
"Hikari-chan, you have to," he told her wearily. "You overheard us talking, and found out who L is. He, along with the others, is still unsure of exactly why you were standing outside the door. That alone may put you under suspicion."
Hikari pressed her lips shut, and narrowed her eyes at the comforter. Outrage bubbled in the pit of her stomach, and caused her vision to tint red.
She had explained to the 'all knowing' L and his worker bees why she was standing outside the door, but the skeptical detective didn't fully believe her yet.
"How much more evidence does he need?" Hikari questioned, balling her hands into fists. "I had the CD in my hand. My coworker is in room K21201. It's not like you can expect me to just continue along with my business especially after I heard you and Light talking."
"I know, I know," Soichiro assured her and drew his hand back away from Hikari's shoulder, and pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up. "But you have to understand that L is the world's top detective; he second guessed everything. He just wants to be sure."
Hikari's nails dug into her palms. She didn't care how sure the high and mighty L was, it didn't change the fact that he imprisoned her cousin, and intended to keep her in a hotel until he was convinced of Light's innocence.
She knew she should have been grateful that she was being kept in a nice hotel room next to the Task Force instead of a cold cell like Light. But, the events in the past hours had greatly upset her, and she already found herself harboring resentment for the man who allowed those events to proceed.
"Hikari, look at me," Soichiro said, turning his body to face his niece.
Inclining her bowed head, Hikari shifted her weight and looked at her father's brother in his exhausted eyes.
"I know how hard this is for you," Soichiro began, every worry line in his ashen face creasing. "I know you love Light, and want to protect him. I do too. But..."
The older Yagami paused, knitting his eyebrows into a distraught scowl.
"... You have to keep in mind that this was his idea, and his choice. I don't know how or why Light came to his conclusion, but there is nothing we can do about it now. And, I want to apologize to you. The last thing I wanted was for you, or anyone else in our family to get involved. This wasn't your fault, but the situation calls for desperate measures."
Hikari never broke eye contact with her uncle, even when a painful lump formed in her throat and tears stung the back of her bloodshot eyes.
"Uncle Soichiro," she started, her voice cracking, "I don't want to stay here. I have a life, and Light does too. L can't keep me here, and have an innocent man jailed."
Soichiro looked at Hikari sadly. "But he can, Hikari," he corrected her. "He can. And, like it or not, you have to do what L says for the time you're here. In the end, it's all for the better."
The both of them sat on the bed, letting a painful silence settle around them. Hikari felt tight in her chest, and she could feel exhaustion from crying and fighting creeping up on her. After a moment, Soichiro got up from the bed, and turned to face Hikari.
"I have to get back to work now," he informed her in a monotone. "I brought you everything you needed from home." He gestured at the large, purple suitcase lying abandoned near the door. "I told your aunt and Sayu that your ballet company is going to be rehearsing for a while at an auditorium in Okayama."
"But we're not rehearsing in Okayama," Hikari pointed out. "What am I going to do about my job?"
"Ryuuzaki is taking care of that," Soichiro explained. "I'm probably going to be here all night, so if you need anything, we're in the next room." Hikari shot a glance at the simple pine door that stood by the bathroom. It was the entry that connected the two rooms together. She nodded wearily, suppressing a yawn.
"I know it sounds easier than it is, but try to get some sleep, Hikari," Soichiro said, walking over to the pine door. He gripped her doorknob. "Don't worry about either me or Light. We will both be fine."
Hikari nodded silently. Her uncle turned the doorknob, and stepped over the threshold into the other room.
"Good night, Hikari-chan."
--
Light sat in his solitary jail cell, frequently glancing up at the surveillance camera pointed towards him. Beside him, Ryuk glanced around the cell worriedly.
"So, I guess apples are out of the question here," he muttered, sounding disappointed.
Light didn't reply. He leaned against his bed, and glared at the cell's bars.
He was furious.
This plan of his had been going along so well. He was going to imprison himself, give up ownership of the death note, and get himself out of the mess that Misa had gotten them into.
But, of course, things had to turn out bad somehow.
Hikari was taken into custody because she overheard them talking.
Right now he's probably got her locked in a room all alone bugged with cameras and microphones, Light thought angrily, not liking the lack of privacy Hikari was experiencing.
It took all of his will power to maintain an apathetic face as he thought of L using Hikari to his advantage to further prove the evidences against him.
Of all people, why her? Light wondered, clenching his teeth. He didn't know what to think anymore. He was anxious of what possible plans L might use, with Hikari now in the picture.
Light to a deep breath and stared at the blank ceiling.
And if he was just going to be honest with himself, he was more worried of what was running inside Hikari's mind right now. He didn't know what he'd do if ever Hikari agreed to help L with his plans.
After a minute or two of sitting there and fuming, Light calmed himself down.
She must be angry with L now, he reasoned. She won't say anything to him. Probably not even a hello.
He couldn't help but grin a little.
Light closed his eyes, feeling the burning sensation of his tired brown chocolate orbs. If ever Hikari decided to go against him, he knew that it will be the insignia of Kira's downfallbecause he was perfectly aware that he can never hurt the girl who just shed tears for him a while ago
Though a great deal of worry for Hikari's safety still lingered in the depths of his mind, Light Yagami was content for the most part. Once I disown the death note, not even L's gift for deceit will be able to reveal that I'm Kira
--
Hikari fell asleep at midnight and woke up at three in the morning. She opened her eyes to find herself lying spread eagle on the bed's blankets, in the same clothes she had worn since yesterday afternoon. She discovered her neck was stiff as she looked around the dark hotel room. The only two sources of light were from the alarm clock that stood on her bedside table, and the soft glow creeping into the room from the bottom of the pine door.
Moaning, Hikari sat herself up and looked towards the door. She remembered her uncle saying that he would be in the room next to her.
She glanced at the digital alarm clock again. It had been a good nine hours since she first arrived here. Maybe her uncle and the other detectives could tell her how Light was doing.
Hikari dragged herself to her feet and stumbled over to the door, which she found unlocked, and stepped into the Task Force's room.
A computer screen lit up the whole room, which was empty except for Hikari and the man who had taken her away from normal life. Hikari rubbed her eyes and took a few steps toward L, who was sitting hunched over the computer in an armchair, his back to her. She cleared her throat.
"Where is Soichiro Yagami?" she asked hoarsely.
"He's taking a small break with his coworkers," L answered, not turning around. "Do you need to see him right away, Miss Yagami?"
Hikari walked around to the side of the armchair to see the world's best detective. His pallid face was lit up by the computer screen, and he still did not turn to look at her. Curious, Hikari glanced at the computer screen too.
There were two frames on the screen. One frame showed a tired-looking blonde girl that was bound and blindfolded. The other frame showed Light, sleeping peacefully on the bed in his cell.
The sight broke her heart.
"Why would you do that to him?" Hikari demanded.
L finally turned away from the screen and looked at her curiously. "I did that because he may be Kira."
Hikari shook her head, biting her lip. "Well, you're wrong," she told him matter-of-factly. "It's impossible for Light to be Kira. You have the wrong guy."
L's face remained indifferent as he turned back to the screen. "No, I don't have the wrong man," he responded calmly. "All the evidence that I've gathered points to Light Yagami."
Hikari glared at L, her raw throat tightening. "Light could never be Kira. He hates evil people and criminals. Besides, why would the son of a police chief be a murderer? It doesn't fit!"
L turned away from the screen again. He looked at Hikari as seriously as a person possibly could.
"It could be anyone, Miss Yagami," he told her. "For all I know, you could be Kira. The niece of a chief and a ballet dancer could be a killer as much as a straight A student could."
Hikari gasped. She backed up a few steps from L, glaring at him. He thought she was capable of killing? He, who was insensitive to her feelings, and more than willing to hurt her more? Hikari's hands curled into fists.
"You know, I had always admired L," she told the disheveled young man in a shaky voice. "I was always hoping you would catch Kira and see that justice was served to him on a silver platter." She shook her head again, looking at him as if she was ashamed of him. "But now, I see you for who you really are: A mislead coward who hides within the shadows and preys on the helpless." Hikari bit her lip to keep from screaming in outrage.
"Could you not see that my cousin needs help!?" she questioned. "Did you not notice that my uncle and I are desperate to disprove his hypothesis?" She sighed, her anguish mounting. "You're a detective. You're supposed to help people. Why aren't you helping me? Why aren't you help my cousin?!"
L stared at the distressed Hikari for a tense second before answering. When he spoke, his voice was as cold as winter's day, and Hikari could sense no human compassion whatsoever from him.
"I'm sorry I disappointed you, Miss Yagami."
Hikari didn't want to stay in the same room with a man she now hated. She turned on her heel, and marched back towards her own room. She managed to slam the door shut just in time before she broke down in a fit of tears.
