Chapter 21: Almost A Different Man. Time to Strike Back
Some would say that regenerating is painless. That it can be even pleasurable if one is relaxed enough to sit still for days on end with nothing to do than to simply count the lines in the ceiling. Some would say that it's amazing to watch, watching as your wounds seal themselves shut. Then there are those who would say that regenerating is a painful happening. That they'd rather heal the normal and slower way. That they'd rather die of starvation than regenerate. The people that think it's a painless process are those who have only gone to get minor wounds- broken bones, small but deep gashes- healed up. It doesn't take them long to get out of the building in which I currently reside. Those who think it's amazing to watch normally have the larger gashes on them. Claw wounds from a bear in comparison to what they really took on...Or maybe it really was a bear. It's possible.
And then there are those like me, who find the process to be a literal living Hell. The pain is excruciating, and there's nothing you can do about it save sit still and either bite your lower lip to oblivion- meaning that needs to be healed next- or scream your head off until your throat becomes raw and your voice goes away temporarily. The moment I had been helped into the vat of healing wax, I started to scream. There was nothing else I could do but that. I couldn't thrash; there was no energy in me to do so. And if I moved more, I'd probably lose more blood. The amount of time it takes me to actually lose my voice is a total of 73 hours. All of which was constant screaming and cursing out the creation of the wax- even though without it I'd be armless for the rest of my life. Which is worse, three days of kill-me-now torture or an entire life living with only one arm? That wouldn't go well for me when it comes to fighting. Not at all. Or other things for that matter.
So, three days and an hour's worth of screaming it is. I lost my voice on that single hour, and then had no choice but to simply throw my head back against the ledge of the vat and stare at my eye lids in a silent pain induced haze. If I didn't need to breathe, I wouldn't be right now, and I'd look like nothing but a corpse. However this is not the case; I do need to breathe. You know when your eyes are closed but you're in the light, and then someone walks into your spot of light thus telling you that they're there? This sensation hits me after three weeks of simply sitting still and doing absolutely nothing. Not even stretching.
"This is where she has been staying for the passed three weeks, three days and five minutes?" A rather familiar voice speaks up, seemingly already knowing the answer.
A second male voice answers the first, "Yes. Lucifer, are you fully healed?"
Cracking open a single eye for the first time in weeks, I find myself looking straight forward from where my head lolls. In front of me are two men, one much taller than the other. The other not standing to his full height due to what seems to be a habitual slouch to his spine instead of a medically caused one. The taller of the two men has long hair that frames his face neatly and is currently in a braid that rests over his right shoulder elegantly. He's dressed in simple clothing for once, bearing a medium blue T-shirt and simple black pants and boots. His eyes are a color not unlike her own, but not a carbon copy either, and his skin is a peach color. This is Gin.
That means that the one next to me is...Well, let's look him over first, shall we? With bed head hair that's some how sloppy yet still attractive to my eye, he honestly really hasn't changed much. His eyes still are odd even for a Seikatsuma now, the pupils being constantly dilated to take in all the light his eyes can while the irises remain black themselves. The only change in the pupils is that they now are stars just like my own. The shadows under his eyes seem to have remained, if not gotten a bit darker. His clothing hasn't changed either. However, my sharp eyes can see that his ears are now tapered. And as I offer a smile to the man, him returning it, I see a shift in his lips that signals him having fangs. If his ears are tapered and fangs rest in his mouth, then he must have some claws. However I can't tell due to his hands being stuffed into his pockets.
I would stand up to hug the man, but for one that would mean showing him my nakedness. And while he's seen me naked while thinking me to be Kira via camera, it's different when it's in person. Plus Gin doesn't need to see me like that. Secondly, it would cause the wax that's solidified by now to get all over him. He doesn't need that. Though it's hard to resist this urge to stand and hug him as hard as I can. I haven't seen him in three weeks, and I've been worried about the process of his change. I've never seen it before. It's a new process. It's never been done on a human before. All these are reasons for me to worry for his well being. I didn't want him to die when I almost died simply to save his damn mortal life. The good news is that now that the process is over for him, and my own arm is back to being an actual limb instead of a nub.
"It's good to see you too, L," I grin to him, flashing a pair of fangs in the process. "But if I'm gonna get out and get dressed and what not, you and Gin are going to have to leave for about ten minutes".
L stares at me with those new eyes of his, the orbs lifting to above my head to look at what I know to be my lifespan and full name. What? Did he think that Lucifer Datenshi wasn't my real name? Even if it's a play on words, my name is just that. "Very well," he turns, "We'll see you in ten minutes".
It doesn't take me any time at all to get done with rinsing off any and all wax from my frame within the standing shower. It takes me even less time to get dressed into the clothing that had been washed free of my blood upon getting to this facility that is hours away from the castle. That's why I was lucky that Gin only nicked the artery because while I almost bled out, I would have definitely bled out if he cut the artery completely.
None the less, out of the changing/shower area and back to the boys I go, fully clad in clothing and not with one arm, but two. Upon meeting them, I instantly move to L, wrapping my arms around his frame in a tight hug to show that I had by far missed the man. Any company would have been nice during my healing period. However, I especially missed my no longer human lover. Now all that's left to do is to figure out what we're doing after this.
"So," I begin, my fingers twining with L's own as we head out of the facility, "What do we do now?"
Either one of the men could have answered, though it seems like L has a better idea of what he'd like to do than Gin, "We go back to the human world. While we cannot be near Light any longer, there are others that by now have hard of my 'death' and are chasing Kira in their own way. Two others actually. They both are rather intelligent and up until I 'died' they constantly competed for the position of L's successor. I'm one hundred percent positive that the both of them have gone their own ways and have moved to finish what I had started. However the one I would like to help complete this case is named Near- his true name is Nate Rivers. He is young, however he is smarter than I am, and I am certain that it is he who will finally take Light Yagami down".
"And how do you think you will find this Nate Rivers?" Gin questions, walking on my free side. We have no real destination. Well...We do, it's just that Gin hasn't made the door to it yet.
"I have a few good assumptions. However the fastest way to find out where he is would be to go to the orphanage where I had grown up," L states, "I have no doubt that information on Near's where abouts will be there".
I look to Gin with a risen brow, "I assume you've prepared a door for us?"
"No," Gin states simply, "However it won't take me long to create one. You're leaving now?"
I nod, "It's for the best. Light needs to be taken down as soon as possible".
"Very well". The tall man sighs before stepping in front of us and making motions in the air. Much like the mark only seen by those of my kind- so now even L can see it if I show it to him- Gin's hand makes the shape of a pentagram which instead of being surrounded by runes and a circle, it is a triangle and runes. He speaks in a language that not even my ears understand before suddenly there is a burst of bright light and then a door standing in front of us. "Here you are," he states with another sigh, he's been doing that a lot, "This will lead you directly to your former home, L".
"Thank you, Gin," the black haired man thanks the silver haired man and then looks to me. "Shall we go, Lucifer?"
I nod, "You go first; I wanna say goodbye to my brother. I don't know when I'll be back after all and phone calls are different from talking in person". L stands there for a moment before continuing on through the door, taking the knob into his odd grasp and then closing it behind him when need be.
When the door is closed behind him, it does not disappear, as there are two people who are to go through it. I look up at the man who has been my older brother for I forget how long. While we are not truly related, I realize that the bond between us is that of two honest to god siblings through and through. However, while he constantly worries about be, that is the only true 'big brother' role that he's played ever since our coming together. Other than that one tick, he's always had a sister complex. He constantly wonders what I'm doing and dislikes it when he can't come along. He only plays cold hearted and serious around all but myself, falling into his true gentle souled self.
I stare up at him and he down at me. Next thing I know, I'm pulled into a bone shattering hug that knocks the wind out of me. "Please tell me that you don't have to go. You only just got back," he begs of me, "It's not fair that you get to go and I can't be with you".
I smile and, after managing to get used to the tight hug, pat his back, smoothing his long hair down with a calming hand. "Gin, it'll be okay. It's not like I'll be gone forever".
"You're never home though! It's lonely there," Gin insists.
"I know," I tell him, "Trust me, I do know...But I have to get going".
"I don't want you to!" Gin demands further.
A calming sigh escapes from my lips, "Listen to me and listen to me well, Gin. If all goes well, I'll come back for you when it's safe. Okay? Maybe I can get her Majesty to say 'yes' to you 'keeping an eye on me' up close and personal in the human world. You can live with L and I then. Okay?"
"...Promise you'll come back for me?"
I nod and pry myself from his hold, "I promise Gin. There's no way I'm gonna make you suffer any longer...You've done that long enough". But for now...I have to go. With a tip toed pat to his head and a smile, I walk through the door that disappears behind me. I find myself walking out of a closet.
What I come out of the closet to is L looking my way, "This is she, Roger, my new assistant and lover, Lucifer".
I grin to the human, seeing L as his new self but certain that this Roger in the room sees us only as humans. Meaning that our IHs are doing their jobs. "Pleasure to meet you Roger, I've heard much about you," not really, "I'm Lucifer Datenshi".
Roger, much like Watari- or should I call him Wammy?- is an older gentleman with graying hair and a balding head. He looks to me with old eyes rather curiously, "I assure you the pleasure is all mine".
"Roger," L states, calling back his attention, "Where are Near and Mello?"
The old man sighs, "Well...After you did your disappearing act, I had no choice to announce you to be MIA to the two of them. Because of this, we needed a new L and suggested that they work together. But...You know how Mello is. Always wanting to be on top and never a fan of Near, his rival through and through. He left...And then Near left to investigate as well...Neither of them have left any clues as to where they have gone. I'm afraid I cannot help you other than saying that Near was headed for America before he left. As for Mello, he left not a trace and took Matt with him".
L is silent, "Very well...Thank you, Roger. We'll be taking our leave then. Come Lucifer".
"Right behind you," I nod to Roger before turning and casually striding across the room, "See you again, maybe, Roger".
"W-wait!" The old man suddenly speaks up as L makes to open the office's door, "Alright...I'll tell you the truth". He was lying? "I'm sorry for not doing so in the first place, but for you to be proclaimed MIA and then suddenly show up four years later...It's rather odd don't you think?"
L turns, "I knew you were lying; I wanted to see if you would break or not. You did. However as to my sudden appearance, it doesn't matter. I will ask you again: where are Near and Mello?"
"Near is currently with the President of the United States of America. Mello on the other hand is with the mafia doing things his own way".
L is silent for a moment, "Very well. Thank you for your time," L states before actually walking through the office door for real this time. Once I've closed the door behind him, he looks to me, "Can Gin get us a door to Near's where abouts?"
I shrug before pulling out the large phone that is constantly on me, "Gin," I smile upon hearing the man's happy voice. He must be at home having gotten a break for now, "Could you get us a door to the States? It's best if we get there as soon as possible".
On the other end of the line Gin speaks the affirmative, "I can definitely do that. Walk through the nearest door; you'll end up in Washington DC".
I grin wider now, "You're a saint, Gin".
"Thank you," he beams, "Talk to you later?"
"You got that right," I nod and then hang up. "Gin says to walk through the nearest door and we'll end up in Washington DC".
L raises a brow, "I still do not understand how the lot of you have these abilities but the Shinigami do not".
"We're the yin to the Shinigami's yang. While we've got a few similarities, everything else is different. All Seikatsuma have an ability that is unique and there are rarely any repeats. But it's not like we have any more unique abilities; just one".
"I see". However it's obvious that it still doesn't quite get it. Ahh well, it comes so simply to me because well...I've been a Seikatsuma for a good while now. And I was never 'turned' as we apparently can do now. I was born.
All the same, we arrive in a completely different country than what we had just been in, having opened the nearest door and ended up where we are now. Cars zoom by and people walk like nothing has ever changed in their lives. However, my eyes narrow, things have changed. Roger said it's been four years since we were last here in the human world. Not surprising since in the Seikatsuma world time moves slower than the human world despite its higher/faster advances in technology. "Ryuuga," I speak up, figuring that the man may want to go by an alias as he usually does, "Do you have any idea of where Near might be?"
L looks to his right where I stand and nods, "I know exactly where he is. While he is smarter than I am, he is easier to read to me than I am to him...He will be with the FBI, at an old place not unlike the building I had made for the Kira case in Japan. He will be there; I have no doubt. And as the building cannot be moved, it's all a matter of getting him while he's alone". Although right now we cannot be seen by the human eye as we begin to walk, we can be heard. Therefore our voices are kept low.
"I see...And you think he'll believe us when we tell him the truth?" I question.
"Near has always looked up to me like the other children of Wammy's have. While he does not idolize me like Mello does, he does however take my word very seriously. Proving to him our existence will be an easy task for us".
"Very well. How long till ETA?"
"If we run...Fifteen minutes".
"Then let's get started, shall we?" I grin, and push him forward a bit, urging him to break into a run as mentioned. He does so, his legs carrying him almost as smoothly as my own do me. He's obviously not used to the change completely still. That is, the added speed, better breath intake- every breathe is like one of fresh air for us- far superior eye sight and hearing, and over all a stronger body. But, I suppose it'll take a little bit of time which wouldn't surprise me.