Momenti Che Intersecano
(Intersecting Moments)

Mikami had asked Light, Misa, and Ryuuzaki over to his house for the afternoon, during the time normally allotted for Light's 'piano lesson'. They ended up having coffee and cakes, sitting around and talking about the direction that the case was going.

"I hope Helena's okay." Light said. "She seemed horribly upset."

"Her boyfriend was murdered." Mikami said quietly. "That would be shattering for anyone. Could you tell me honestly that if something happened to Ryuuzaki you would be able to function normally?"

Light shook his head. "No, I couldn't." He took a bite of cake, considering what it meant that there were only seven musicians left out of everyone from the concert. It was frightening, and he knew that the farther along it went and the more people who died, the harder it would be to think through the fear.

"I don't think any of us have experienced death quite like this before…" Ryuuzaki said quietly. "People you know being murdered is different than if they had died naturally or by accident. It hits harder, especially if your loved ones are involved."

"This whole thing reminds me of something that happened years and years ago at my modeling agency." Misa said. "The agency covered it up, of course, and we were paid quite a bit to keep quiet, but attempted murder isn't something people forget about, no matter how much money they're offered." She picked up a cake, munching thoughtfully. "Yumi-chan was one of the best models at the agency, so she had all kinds of fans. But there was this one guy who was stalking her, and he cornered her one night and tried to kill her. We're not really sure why. Probably a really freakish reason. But the way they say she told the story, right when he was about to kill her, he just stopped, his eyes got all blank and he walked away. She found out the next day that he had killed himself."

"That does sound similar!" Light said. "Could you find out whether or not she heard music when this happened? If so, it could be the same person."

"I'll ask one of the managers. This was nearly twenty years ago, so Yumi doesn't actually work with our agency anymore. But I'll see what I can find." Misa promised.

Mikami looked puzzled. "But from what you've told me about what's been happening, this killer's metaphor is 'beauty is dying', from what Linwé carved into the dock before she was killed. If he's killing art, music, or beauty, why would he save someone who works as a model? That's an industry for beauty." He glanced at Misa, then at Light and Ryuuzaki. "Besides, almost twenty years ago and only one suspicious death? Is there any way this could be the same person? Because a twenty-year gap doesn't sound like the modus operandi for someone with a message to get across."

"Still, if the circumstances are similar, it might give us insight into what could be happening now." Light insisted. "We need every clue we can get if we're going to catch this killer."

Mikami nodded. "If you're going to insist on going after this guy, though, just make sure that you're careful. If you're killed because you chased the murderer to your doom, I'll be very disappointed, Light."

Light nodded, feeling that it would be best to just agree with his teacher. He wasn't trying to get killed, dammit. Why did his parents and everyone else have to worry about him so much?

xXx

They talked for a while longer, before finally parting ways to go home. Misa left them both after extracting yet another promise to be careful and giving both a kiss on the cheek.

They stopped to get ice-cream on the way home at Ryuuzaki's urging, and then made their way back to the apartment. But they stopped dead in the doorway, because the Shinigami, Ryuk, was floating in the middle of their living room, eating an apple.

"Ryuk!" Light cried, stunned. Ryuuzaki was silent, but surprise radiated from him. Light walked forward, setting down his coat and looking up warily. "What do you want, Ryuk?"

Ryuk chuckled. "Well, I thought I'd see how you were coming on this murder case. Difficult, isn't it?" He cackled as he took another chomp of his apple.

"Shinigami-san, you know something." Ryuuzaki said. "Will you tell us?"

Ryuk looked at him, grinning. "Well, aren't you smart?" he said. "I can't give you the answer; that's against the rules. But I can tell you a story."

"What kind of story?" Light asked.

"The story of a Shinigami." Ryuk said. Both stared at him a moment, then sat down, waiting expectantly. Ryuk laughed. "Well, then! Shinigami, you know, being Gods of Death, have their ways of killing people. I for one, have this notebook." He pulled out a black notebook and showed it to them, before tucking it away again. "Write someone's name down, and they die of a heart attack in forty seconds."

Light shivered. That sounded horrible. Beside him, Ryuuzaki was sitting very still.

"We're not allowed to kill anyone directly, so we have tools and powers to do so. The King has a scythe. Jastin likes hypnotizing people. And there was once a Shinigami called Gelus who could use the music in a person's soul to control them."

Light turned to look at Ryuuzaki, who stared right back with wide eyes. Was this the answer that they had been looking for? Their elation vanished as quickly as it had come with Ryuk's next words.

"But Gelus died, I don't even know how many years ago. I lose track of time. All I know is that one day he crumbled into sand and rust and was gone." Ryuk took another bite of apple. "The King was disappointed, because Gelus was one of the few of us who weren't lazy. He actually bothered to kill some people. Shinigami die if they don't kill enough people, but Gelus didn't die from that."

"Are you asking us to solve a Shinigami's murder as well?" Ryuuzaki asked.

Ryuk laughed, showing pointed teeth. "No. I just thought you'd like a story." He brightened. "Oh, yeah! I remember talking to Rem, one of Gelus' friends, and she said that the last person he killed before dying was a guy stalking some pretty girl. Like a model or something. But I don't know if that has anything to do with it."

Ryuuzaki looked thoughtful. "What if it was the same guy? What if this 'Gelus' was the one who stopped the stalker from killing the girl from Misa's modeling agency?"

Light blinked. "That would answer that, but it wouldn't help us now. After all, Ryuk said that Gelus died. No matter how ironic that sounds, a Shinigami dying… But if he's dead, he can't be the one causing this now."

Ryuk laughed. "I'll ask around and see if I can find out why Gelus died. It'll be fun to see what you two do with this!"

Light frowned slightly. "Ryuk… Why are you here?"

Ryuk stared at him, then burst into a fit of chuckles. "Humans are much more interesting than anything that happens in the Shinigami world. Especially murder mysteries, when we weren't the cause of them. Not to mention, the kid that the King asked me to watch is here as well, so I'm doing my job at the same time!"

"What kid that the-" But Ryuk was gone, laughing as he drifted back through the wall, and Light's question went unanswered. "He's annoying."

"I agree." Ryuuzaki nodded. "But if there is something supernatural going on with these murders, he is our best chance of understanding. Even if he won't tell us anything."

"We need a plan." Light said. "There has to be a way to lure this murderer out of hiding. If we can get him into the open, the police can move in to arrest him." It was a slim chance, and likely wouldn't work without using one of the musicians left as bait.

"Someone would have to be the sacrifice." Ryuuzaki murmured, picking up on Light's train of thought. "Someone's safety would be put in jeopardy…" He trailed off, looking deep in thought, and wouldn't say anything else. Light, though curious, didn't say anything, moving to sit beside his boyfriend and wrap an arm around his shoulders.

What are you thinking, Ryuu? he thought. And why do I feel like I'm not going to like it?

xXx

Kenneth, Genesis, and Helena were sitting in a small café in Shibuya, talking over the murders and what a logical course of action would be. Helena was, of course, still shaken over her boyfriend's death, but was trying to do anything she could to help keep herself and her fellow musicians safe.

"I feel silly." Genesis admitted. "I jump, every time a car goes by playing music. Or if I hear a radio from down the hall. Anytime there's music that I didn't expect, I'm wary."

"Look at what he's done to us." Helena said quietly. "We're terrified of the thing we love most, because this killer has learned to use it against us." She picked up her coffee mug, taking a small sip so as not to burn her tongue, and then said, "This metaphor of his… 'Beauty is dying'… What do you think that could mean? Is he trying to wreck the arts, or what? Will he go after artists, writers, actors next?"

Kenneth frowned thoughtfully. "I think he's trying to make people notice that they take the artists for granted. Linwé was the one who came up with the metaphor idea, and what she wrote before she died suggests that other people are to blame for the death of art. Maybe… he's just showing it in a more direct fashion."

"If he's so interested in saving art, he shouldn't kill the people who create it!" Helena snapped, setting her coffee down and biting into a doughnut.

The boys nodded. They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Kenneth spoke up again. "Hey, did you hear that they let David out of prison? They couldn't hold him any longer without substantial evidence."

"So he's been released…" Helena said. "That… could either be good or bad. Good if he's innocent, bad if he's not. No one's been killed since he was put in prison either."

"If that's the case, and someone's murdered after he's been released, that will only incriminate him further." Genesis pointed out. "If he's the killer, and he's smart, he'll let this die down before making another move."

It made sense. The small group lapsed off into more pleasant conversation, turning their thoughts away from death and murder until the coffee and doughnuts were gone and it was time to head home. Kenneth set out for the small apartment he was renting in the Udagawa district of Shibuya. Genesis set out for the bus station, and Helena went to the subway station.

There was a restaurant opening in Aoyama that night, something fancy called Note Blue. As such, most everyone in the subway station was waiting for the Aoyama train. Helena was alone on the platform, waiting for the train that would take her back to the station near Tokyo Tower, from which she could get back to her new hotel room.

She listened to the excited chatter of the restaurant-goers one platform over, and turned her attention back to the empty tunnel in front of her. She paused, suddenly, hearing footsteps behind her, and turned around. Her eyes widened.

"You!"

He smiled crookedly at her, and high-pitched sound filled the air around her. She tried to cover her ears, wincing, but her arms wouldn't move. She was paralyzed.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked frantically through her teeth.

"Apparently you know the metaphor, all too well." he said smugly. "You should know better by now than to go anywhere alone. Where did your friends go?" The smirk in his voice was clear.

"You're a lying piece of scum, you-" Helena abruptly stopped speaking as the Piper raised his instrument and played a brief tune. Her eyes blanked, and she waited expectantly.

Knowing that he didn't have much time, since anyone could show up at any time, he moved quickly. A horn sounded to signal that the train was coming in. He retreated to a narrow corner where he wouldn't be seen, and played a song.

Helena turned around, looking towards the oncoming light of the train. She walked slowly forward, stepping over the yellow safety line, and teetered on the edge for a moment.

A person coming down the stairs from above saw her, and started to run forward, yelling for her to stop. The Piper played a final sequence of notes, and then silenced so as to not be noticed. The train rushed closer, and Helena took a single step forward. For a second, she seemed to hang in the air. Then the train arrived, and she was gone.

The girl who had seen her stopped where she was and screamed. This brought others running, attempting to find out what had happened. In all the confusion, the Piper slipped away.

They were right, after all. He was showing them the death of art, in a very literal fashion. This would wake the world up, and show them that the musicians and artists that they took for granted weren't a constant; as easily as they were there, they could be taken away.

Light Yagami would be the one to get rid of. People would stand up and take notice if their precious piano prodigy turned up dead, seemingly by his own hand. But he couldn't be killed yet. The Piper needed him to get to the best prize.

L.

The Masked Violinist was known around the world for being one of the best musicians alive. To prove that even the faceless and nameless violinist wasn't safe from this murderer… That would be a decisive blow, and his crowning achievement. So until he found L, the beautiful pianist would remain alive, in the hopes that he would lead the Piper right to his prey.

xXx

Late that night, Light lay awake, unable to go back to sleep after having the same nightmare again, the one where he was helpless to stop Ryuuzaki killing himself. At his side, Ryuuzaki slept, but he tossed and turned restlessly. Light stroked his hair, trying to calm his agitated lover.

"No rest for either of us tonight, ne, Ryuu?" he murmured. He lay there and listened to the other's even breathing, finally feeling his eyes beginning to droop. Whatever you're planning, Ryuuzaki… I hope you don't plan something that gets us all killed…

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...Yeah. Just to confuse you all a little more. :D People's theories make me happy, though!

Light! The idea of a notebook that kills people unnerves you? (evil grin, ROFL) But yeah. All these stories are all important... somehow. :D

BTW... I would like to reccommend again the wonderful God Eye doujin. Becauseitmightgiveyouahint. Uh-huh...

I read the English translation of "Bound Prince", the doujin game, over the weekend... HOLY FLIPPING GOD. No amount of brain-bleach will ever be enough to get rid of it. Ever. "Poisoned" was much much milder in comparison.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
Li