C H A P T E R T W E L V E
Interrogation
Light was roughly placed at yet another padded cell— this time with only a cold metal chair and a single table to console him, as well as a prominent CCTV camera assembled at each four corners of the room. The feeling would've been rather familiar had it not been for some missing factors; such as a black jumper, chained legs and bars, but he supposed the situation isn't as crucial as the previous one.
Which is kinda odd, considering that he almost murder someone.
And that someone just so happens to be the L, the very detective leading the most confidential case of all time.
Hmm. How peculiar, indeed.
He watched as Watari took a seat on the opposite end of the table, not missing the grim yet calm expression of the old man. It was odd. Watari has never really been a direct threat for Light (other than the fact that he obeys L without question). The old man hasn't done anything suspicious nor out of question (at least not without other's reasoning) so for him to act on his own is kind of unnerving, though Light completely understands.
He just need to take this into account and re-think his decision whether or not he should put Watari along his plausible string of allies, or someone he needed to terminate.
And right now, the latter option sounds more likely.
"Light Yagami", spoke Watari, recovering the tension back into the room, "I'm sure that you are very much well aware as of why you're here".
Light could only pursed his lips, knowing of how things will eventually work out. He tightened on his grip, fist meeting fist, answering, "Yes. I know".
"Well then, let's cut to the chase, shall we?", responded Watari as he leaned towards Light, not cutting him any slack, "Why did you do it?".
"Watari, I—", Light spoke, without no sense of direction to backup his answers. He has no decent answer to that question that doesn't made him sounds like a total psychopath— because why did he do it? His thought process up until that point has been undecipherable, almost incoherent. All he knew that he liked the feeling of L writhing in pain. He liked having L under him and he's sure damn well love feeling so powerful over L, who is as good as dead.
But of course, he couldn't outwardly says those things.
Not to Watari.
"I guess that I was angry, maybe mad, that Ryuzaki was thinking of dropping the case", claimed Light, ducking his head down in (fake) shame. It was partially true. But he was angrier at the fact that the puzzles he prepared just for her wasn't at all appreciated. That led him in getting physical with L. Not the fact that he and Misa was caught up on the crossfire.
"I didn't mean to hurt her... Trust me, that's far from my true intention. It was at the heat of the moment and my body reacted on its own. I didn't think of prolonging the fight in any way at all", a sigh escaped his lips, "Believe me when I say that I didn't mean to continue hitting her after my first blow".
Watari, of course, was not convinced.
Light has done his fair share in manipulating people into his favour. It wasn't particularly something that he's proud of doing every so often (people makes it so easy for him), but he could just tell that Watari isn't going to be like one of those people he had past experiences with. Just by a single look at him, Light could tell that almost no tricks could outsmart the man's wits— and that Watari is more interested in listening what he wanted to hear than whatever bullshit Light got to offer.
It's a refreshing situation to be in, but Light kind of needed Watari to be convince of his innocence right now or else there would be hell to pay.
"Alright then, let's go with your defence and say that you didn't actually mean to prolonged the fight", sighed Watari, "Why did you hit her back?".
"Because she hit me".
"You hit her first".
"It was my fight or flight instinct kicking in", reasoned Light, ignoring that it sounds like an utter bullshit, but he needed Watari to listen, "I said what I said. I didn't mean to cause a ruckus. That is far from my true intention", he didn't even know if hurting L is even among his bucket list, "L— Ryuzaki hits me back, and I was so happen to be so stressed that I saw red, thus attacking her. It was human instinct that drove me into doing what I did. And it was an accident".
Watari could only massage his temple, thinking how debating with Light is almost as the same as arguing with a little child— but as much as he loathes to admit, the fact that L decided to reciprocate the hostility could be a major drawback on the case itself. If what Light said was true (which Watari doubt it was) then L would be also at fault for contributing onto the fight itself.
But then again...
"I will put you under house arrest", concluded Watari, gripping his hands together, "For now, at least. I didn't lie when I told the Task Force that I will not be pressing charges, although I must admit, that was a bit further from the truth".
"The reason why I didn't take matters onto my own hand was because I refuse to navigate the situation on my own", confessed Watari, "As you can already see, the Kira case has already taken up so much toll on Ryuzaki's well-being, particularly her mental state. As her guardian, it is my duty that she is at the utmost care, and that includes helping all the unnecessary burden being cleared out of her path whilst she was investigating, or out of commission".
He continues, "The only person that has a say on what will happen to you will be, ultimately, Ryuzaki herself. I really don't want to mingle in a business that is not mine, and I believe that Ryuzaki is capable enough in making her own decision. While she is in need of a constant supervision as well as guidance, I do not doubt her skill".
"Yes", responded Light, "But remember that Ryuzaki will only see me as a threat. It's still beyond me how she has enough courage to chain herself on her own suspect to, I don't know, maybe prove a point— but don't you think that factor alone could affect her judgement? After all, she's a detective. Not a jury".
"Pardon me?", gasped Watari, confused.
Clearing his throat, Light argues, "My point is— how are you supposed that Ryuzaki make the correct decision without her considering my side of the story, by means of directly? That doesn't sound like justice to me".
Watari hums, "As mentioned before, I will have a talk with Misa Amane as an active witness. She saw the most of it first-hand, thus deeming her input valuable. I forbad you from seeing Ryuzaki at the moment, so she will speak on your behalf", a pause, "You might as well take her as your defence attorney".
Light scoffs at this— Misa? As his lawyer?
Well, he might as well be as good as dead.
"Let me speak with Ryuzaki", asked Light, "If she's the jury in this case, she should at least hear me out first".
"Must I remind you that Ryuzaki is knocked out cold?", snarled Watari, "She's currently sleeping, and I would really appreciate it if you do me a favour and not bother her while she's resting".
"Well then, let me be by her side", offered Light, "I can explain it to her then. I might as well take care of her. Let me atone for my sins".
"The only way for you to atone is through valid punishments, Light Yagami, not by doing some community service", bites Watari, massaging his temple gently. He then stood up before making his way towards the door, sparring Light one last glance as his dominant hand dances at the doorknob.
"I will now be interrogating Miss Amane. Please be at your best behaviour as I'm attending to her ", a pause, "I do hope you are telling the truth. You are gifted with such a brilliant mind. It'd be a shame if it all goes down to waste".
With that, Watari left Light with his thoughts.
Seeing as the man disappeared, Light couldn't help but to grimace silently, pulling against the all too but not the same cuffs. It clamped onto his wrist, just as the former ones did, but it provides coldness his body doesn't recognise. It practically sinks to his wrist, and it's only the matter of times before bruises starts to form around it.
He glances momentarily at the cameras all around him, watching as Ryuk phases in through the solid, concrete walls...
'Ryuk', he tapped, 'Status?'.
"Rem is already on the move", the Shinigami claims, his malicious grins forming wider and wider at the thought of yet another exciting show being held just for him to entertain over, "She's able to corner some business man into accepting the Death Note. The dude's pretty greedy on his own, to be honest, so he doesn't need much of a convincing to claim ownership in the first place".
'Ah', Light thought, so it was a businessman.
'There's going to be some sort of drawback', Light tapped, 'L is off the grid. We needed her back into the equation to continue'.
"What?", gasped Ryuk, before huffing. "Fine... how long do you want?".
'4 months. 4 months and 3 days at most'.
The Shinigami let out a hearty huff, obviously not satisfied with the change of pace. He has been starved off his delicious apples for about a month now, and his withdrawn symptom is starting to become more and more painful as time goes by.
Still, for the sake of entertainment...
"Fine...", sighed Ryuk in utter defeat, "Guess I'll have to inform her now...".
Light grins.
4 months is all he needs.
"It's Ryuzaki's fault".
Watari simply narrowed his eyes at the accusatory of Misa Amane, deciding that he doesn't like her tone one bit. Though, he knew how stubborn the model tends to be, and let this one slide.
"You haven't even listened to what I had to offer, Miss Amane", sighed Watari, "Could you please at least wait until it's your turn?".
"I don't have to wait to tell you the truth", she claims, crossing her arms over her chest, "It is Ryuzaki's fault. I don't condone of the actions in hitting women myself, but what she did is way out of the line! Of course, Light would be upset! His perfect life was ruined because of this whole stupid Kira case! She didn't need to rub more salt onto the wound!".
Watari simply let out a huff. Of course. He had thought of a possibility that Misa would be someone hard to convince, but he didn't expect she'd be dead set-in blaming L...
That said, Watari is almost fascinated.
He had a pressing suspicion that Misa isn't what she let others to believe. It is, after all, a tactic L herself had used while juggling her three careers, making others assuming that she was a male without no sorts of evidence to back up the theory. It's an extra step in protecting her true identity, and considering that men has been (somehow) the default gender in her field, it's not that hard either.
Misa has used the same exact tactic of deliberate misdirection, but of her intelligence rather than her identity. She uses this tactic as a mean of cover-up, making others acknowledge her as a pin-up doll rather than what she's truly capable of in terms of intellectuality— she let others thought of her as an idiot when it's really the other way around.
She knows how and what to speak. This little factor almost caught him off guard, yet he refused to give in.
On another note, he believes that Misa Amane would be one hell of a lawyer, had it not been for her (somewhat) shallow career in the model industry.
"Still, won't you agree that chocking her is way out of the line too?", asked Watari, "You two are in a relationship, after all, but even you should see that was borderline psychotic. Regardless of context, no one should have that kind of reaction whilst facing a threat that has no intention in killing them in the first place, unless that reaction has always been set as the main goal in viewing that person".
"I agree. I don't condone of Light's actions either", claimed Misa, "I do see that him practically chocking the life out of Ryuzaki has been impractical. Even downright wrong. I will not defence the course of his actions just for the sake of releasing him. Even I won't go that far", she pouted, "What I want, and need, you to understand was that Light has a lot of burden pressuring on his back— and with Ryuzaki being provocative with her constantly accusing Light of mass murder, a crime he didn't do, it's no surprise that Light finally breaks and attacked her".
Watari was taken back at this, shocked and speechless. Never in a million years he'd thought that Misa would tell that Light was in the wrong (even at some point of the story) as he, and probably everyone else, has assumed the model will only see the right in him.
After all, she did condone of Kira's actions. Could you blame them for that?
"I... see...", Watari chocked, at loss of words, when Misa decided to continue.
"Don't get me wrong, I hate Ryuzaki with a burning passion, but I don't see her as a threat to Light and I's relationship", she shrugged, "Even if I did, I still wouldn't say she deserves it. I have been in her position too, you know? When a man overpowers me and all. I have experienced that on a personal level, so I'm glad that Light didn't ascend to that, or else I'd have no choice but to hate him".
"Even so, you must understand that Light just freshly got into college, a prestigious one that happens to be so demanding, and somehow got involved into this mess. It's no wonder he lose his cool...".
"So, are you trying to say that they're both guilty and should be held accountable?", asked Watari, trying to sum it up, to which Misa nodded, "Yes! I can see why Light did what he did, but at the same time, he shouldn't go that far! It's still wrong!".
She let out a giggle when she saw Watari's dumbfounded face. He let out a cough, trying to cover it up, before dismissing their session together.
He needed to re-evaluate of his deductions on Misa Amane, and would have to tell Ryuzaki (who'd probably be aware of it by now) of how much a threat Misa actually is...
Tipping off his hat, he goes, "It has been an enlightening conversation, miss Amane. I wish you only a fine evening. Now, I have a few matters I must attend to. Feel free to exit this room whenever you desire".
Misa did an 'OK' sign with her fingers, indicating that she understood but wishes to be here a little while longer. Watari ducked his head and walks out, closing the door after him in the process.
As soon as he left, Misa tapped gently onto the table.
'Hello, Ryuk'.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
While writing this chapter, I thought of the plausible reaction the two would have for being accused of something— and I actually like the outcome.
I imagined Light would be the type of guy who'd be angry (which happens to be canon at some point). Of course he would have logical reasoning more so than often, but he'd be too angry at the thought of being accused of something he didn't do. (Which is odd, because he did it). I think I accidently write him to be more personally offended trying to reason with Watari using some facts instead of actually being angry. Although he has master the art of 'pretending', he doesn't see the sheer reason to actually be angry at something he did do, and was out of the dark.
Misa, however— we did see in the show how defensive she tends to get, either while being interrogated on a matter she did know or trying to protect the truth. Considering the fact that Misa has been assaulted previously in the series (which I thought to be more than one occasion), I think Misa would try to reason on both Light and L's side. She understands why Light did it, but at the same time, she wouldn't condone the actions herself. She's a woman too, and I'd imagine that Misa would subconsciously look out for L, despite hating her.
That said, I imagine Misa would be the type to be calm and collected while being interrogated on a matter she *did* know, and want others to know too. After all, she has nothing to hide. Misa would possessed empathy as someone who's dating the attacker, and of the same gender as someone who got attacked, essentially making her the middle person.
And I am rambling...
Sorry this chapter is a little bit late though!