I do not own Death Note and only take responsibility for my OC.
Over the next couple days, I made sure to become more and more present in Light Yagami's life. It started with an "accidental" encounter on my way to my Journalism course, and then a "chance" meeting in the coffee shop, and then another, and another. Within the next eleven days, I had managed to befriend Light Yagami. I was about to leave the hotel to meet Yagami at the coffee shop, but L had stopped me in the kitchen. He had a feast of pastries and other delicious sweets set out before him.
"And where are you going?" L questioned.
"I made plans to meet Yagami today," I answered. "Why, do you need something?"
He took a large bite of strawberry shortcake before pointing the fork at me and saying in all seriousness, "Only for you to be careful, Everest. We don't need another member of the Task Force to be sent to the hospital."
I rolled my eyes, "I can take care of myself just as well as you can."
"Yes, and if I have, as you said 'met my match'," L's mocking tone was not missed, and I threw a Pocky stick at his head, which he avoided easily, "I would be careful."
I picked a cherry from the top of a sundae on the table, "Now, Ryuzaki, when are you ever careful?" I asked before popping the cherry into my mouth and exiting the hotel. I was able to get a taxi, and as I sat in the back of the car, I thought about my encounters with Yagami. He had been polite and charming. There had never been any reason, no factual or evidence based reason, to suspect him. There had never been cracks in his demeanor, and he had never hesitated when the popular topic of Kira had been mentioned in an off-hand remark about my friends and their interests. If I hadn't trusted L's judgment completely, I might have honestly befriended Light Yagami.
I entered the shop and found Yagami waiting in our usual booth not too far from the shop's door. He smiled at me when I sat down, "Reika, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up. I ordered you your usual, is that okay?"
"Sorry, I got held up at home," well, it wasn't a lie, "and thanks. How's your dad?" My concern for Mr. Yagami was not forced. I sincerely hoped that Mr. Yagami was making a full recovery while on leave. I had done as L asked and filled in for the absent chief of police, only at the Task Force, of course.
"He's still not at his best," Yagami admitted with a downcast expression, "his recovery hasn't been as quick as we hoped."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Light," and I was. "How have you been coping?" No, there wasn't necessarily any deeper question besides the one I asked. I wasn't silently questioning how he was coping with being under suspicion from L or how he was coping with being a mass murderer, but if he wanted to answer those questions, I wouldn't mind.
Light sighed heavily, "Well enough. It's difficult. It seems as if my classes are purposefully making things harder on me, and between schoolwork and visiting my dad, I've barely had any time to myself."
I laughed lightly, "You're exaggerating." He looked at me in surprise, as if I had insulted him in some way, and I suppose that I had. I had questioned his sincerity, but not intentionally…well, maybe I had some intention to… "I doubt that your schoolwork is really that taxing on you, Light," I clarified. "You're top of the class."
He chuckled at my remark, "Not exactly. Ryuga and I are tied for that top ranking."
"Ryuga's an odd one, isn't he?" also not a lie, "What do you think of him, Light?" Now I was prying. What does Light think of our classmate, Ryuga, who had revealed himself as L?
"You're definitely right, he is odd," Light agreed. That was all he had to say to that question. So, Light Yagami doesn't completely trust me yet, does he? I wondered. He must have had more thoughts on L than that, everyone does. Thirty percent says he was simply being well mannered and refused to bad mouth his classmate, sixty-eight says that he was being cautious, and two percent says that's truly all he had to say about L.
"Oh, come on, Light," I rolled my eyes and, in a very L-like manner, pointed at Yagami with the teaspoon I had been mixing a socially acceptable amount of sugar into my coffee, "he's your rival, you have to have more to say than that." Yes, Yagami, he's your rival. In more ways than one, now tell me, what do you really think of L? my inner detective questioned. Now, if he would answer my prodding, then maybe he trusted me more than I thought, if not, he suspected me of being in league with L. The way I had phrased my question made it seem harmless enough. Hopefully, I wouldn't have any problems.
Yagami sighed, "Okay, you're right. I think he's a fake." Well, that certainly wasn't what I was expecting. It was, in some ways, absolutely true. Ryuga was a fake who L was using to get close to Yagami. L was a fake who protected the person behind the alias. I suppose that this was as true of a statement that Yagami could possibly say to someone he had known for such a short time.
"Really?" I questioned snarkily, "A guy walks up to the stage of To-Oh University looking like he had just woken up from a coma, and you think he's a fake?"
"You don't think so?" Yagami countered curiously.
I shrugged, "He has to have some guts to show up looking like that at a ceremony. You can't fake that kind of nerve."
"I guess not," Yagami admitted. I heard a faint snicker from the vacant space beside me. I looked down at the banana bread Yagami had ordered for me. Did he drug me? Was there some sort of hallucinogen in the coffee or food? My suspicions raced through my mind until logic kicked in. No, if Light really is Kira, that's not his style, and if he wanted to drug me, he wouldn't have used something like a hallucinogen. Ugh, and now my head's starting to hurt.
"I'm sorry, Light, I'm not feeling very well," I apologized, trying to ease the pounding behind my forehead.
"You're not getting sick, are you?" the concern in his voice was entirely believable; maybe I had won him over. "Are you okay?"
"I hope not, that would be a real pain in the ass," I muttered. "My head's killing me, I think I should get home."
"Do you need any help?" he offered.
I shook my head, wincing when that only made it feel as if my brain was rolling around in my skull, "No, thank you, it's just a headache, I should be fine. I'll see you later. Bye, Light." When I left the shop, I looked back at where I left him, offered a smile, and waved. He did the same, and for a moment, I could have sworn I saw a shadowy, hulking figure beside him. It was gone as soon as I had noticed it. I blinked a couple times and got into another taxi. I must have been overworking myself without realizing it to be seeing and hearing things that weren't there.
I leaned back and closed my eyes after giving the driver the address, ignoring the incessant headache. It was strange that somehow, when I was with Light, those were the most normal moments of my life. It was almost natural. With L, I knew that we had both reached a level in which we exceed normality. Around the friends I had made at school, it was a charade built to protect my alias, like Ryuga for L. However, Light Yagami was surprisingly the only person with whom I could hold a somewhat natural conversation with. Yes, if only there wasn't so much suspicion, I think we might actually have been friends.
"How'd it go?" L asked as soon as I got in the door. My headache was not as severe as it had been when I left the shop, but I did not feel like answering L's questions. I ignored the other detective and headed straight for my room. L did not take being ignored very well, not when he addressed you directly. I heard his shuffling steps follow me through the hallway. "What happened? Did he say anything of relevance?" When I finally got to my room, I opened the door, but L's hand shot out past me and pulled it back shut. I glared at him and he met my glare with an annoyed expression of his own, "Everest, I hope you realize that I expect you to tell me all that goes on during your meetings with Light Yagami. For the sake of the investigation."
"I'm going to take a nap," I said slowly, "and once I am done taking my nap, I will tell you exactly what happened with Yagami." That seemed good enough for L. He turned and walked away without another word, and I entered my room with a returning headache. I lay on the bed and closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would come quickly.
As usual, the table was piled high with outrageous desserts and sweets. The mountain set out before the dark haired porcupine was enormous by normal standards. I couldn't even see him from where I stood at the opposite end of the table. When I looked back at the table, it was directly in front of me, and the mountain of sweets had diminished so I could now see where the detective was sitting, crouched, on his chair. I sat properly, surprising, since I usually sat in a more comfortable position. "You know, it really isn't healthy for us to eat all these sweets," I remarked. Then, L laughed. My entire being froze, and he kept on laughing. He laughed with a raspy quality. His laughter was so strong that it affected his entire body. It wasn't L. It wasn't L. With the realization, the desserts disappeared until the table was cleared, leaving only a lone jar of jam in the hands of L's look-alike.
"Are you surprised to see me, E?" the amused voice that was certainly not L's questioned me. He looked like L, crouched and sloppy, but closer inspection proved his identity. His hair was not as grown out as L's mane of quills, the shadows under his eyes were not as prominent as those under L's, and his eyes were not the same fathomless, dark pools as L's. His eyes were a deep midnight blue masquerading as black.
"What do you want?" I demanded. I didn't want him here, but at the same time, I wanted to see him.
He ignored my question, "Look at you, a big girl now, so grown up. How long has it been?"
"Four years, but who's counting?" I sneered venomously. Beyond Birthday put a finger into the jar of jam and scooped a generous amount into his mouth. I narrowed my eyes distastefully, "I always hated it when you did that."
"Yes, right, you always said something about germs and numbers," he remembered. "You've gotten yourself wrapped up in something dangerous, E."
"More dangerous than murder, mutilation, and attempted suicide?" I countered. Two years ago, Beyond Birthday, formerly known as B, orchestrated the Los Angeles Murder Case. He had killed three people, and he hadn't been delicate about it.
"It appears to me that this Kira has done two out of three," he said simply. "You need to listen to me, E. Do not get involved any further in this case." Great, now my subconscious was speaking to me through the image of a dead murderer. Of course I had my fears concerning the case, and of course I wanted to drop it and run, but I couldn't do that. This was a case I had to see all the way through. I had my reasons.
"See, I can't do that," I replied. Not only could I not do that because it wasn't in my nature to abandon a case, but I couldn't just leave L to solve this on his own. If I left, then that would only prove to him that I am incapable of handling this case as well as he could.
"This isn't about your pride," Beyond snapped irritably, seemingly reading my thoughts. "L is going to offer you a way out. You know he is. I want you to take it."
"And what right do you have to tell me what to do?" I demanded, "The great Beyond Birthday who could never stand being less than L. Do you really think that I would run away when I have the chance to not only work with L, but also prove my worth as a detective? What was it you always used to say? 'I'm everything L is and more'?" And in that way, we were similar, BB and I. Neither one of us was fine with being second best. Not to L, not to A, and, for me, not to BB.
"We are a lot alike, Everest," BB laughed again, that familiar, raspy chuckle. The one I had grown so used to hearing that, as eerie as it was, I found it comforting. "Fine, do as you will. Just remember, things are changing, E. You're a big girl now." Then his eyes began to glow red, and his laughter, the sound of it, changed along with his body. The table and room disappeared, leaving me in an empty space with only BB. The familiar form of Beyond Birthday melted into a hulking shadow with red eyes, and…It. Never. Stopped. Laughing. "E," an unfamiliar voice resonated around me, "E."
"Everest, get a hold of yourself," I felt hands on my shoulders, pinning me down. My eyes snapped open, and I halted the unearthly howl that had been coming from my lips. I looked up and saw the mass of black hair, and I recoiled before I realized that it was L and not him.
"I'm fine," I said dryly, my throat was still raw from my unconscious screaming. L had not released his grip on my shoulders, nor had he moved from my personal space. He was merely a few inches from my face, his eyes criticizing me.
"No, you're not," he concluded.
"It was just a bad dream," I argued. "You can get off me now, I'm awake." The genius did not comply, and I fought to keep the annoyance from showing on my face.
"And if I remove myself, how do I know that you won't hit me?" L questioned suspiciously. I wasn't quite sure if I was going to hit L, the possibility had certainly crossed my mind, but I hadn't decided if I was going to act on it or not.
"Ten percent, L" I growled impatiently. The chance that I will hit him increased by ten percent the longer he stayed as he was. The detective cautiously lifted himself up and brought himself to a crouched position at the edge of my bed. I sat up and drew a breath, annoyed at the shaky quality of the inhalation. I also realized that I had a sheen of sweat on my forehead from the nightmare. Right, the nightmare.
Beyond Birthday had spoken to me. That much I could recall, about what, I wasn't certain. More prominently etched into my memory was the indistinguishable figure with red eyes. Whatever that figure was, it had been the true cause of my nightmare. BB's appearance in the dream had been…bittersweet.
The thing about BB was that he wasn't just some murderer. He was a Wammy's kid, just like me and L. He was one of us. He had been second in the line up of L's successors, and he hated it. A, the boy who was first, was brilliant, but he couldn't handle the pressure. A committed suicide, and B left shortly after.
"Everest," L's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, "uh, what was the dream about?" L had the tip of his finger in his mouth, a bad habit of his. He was out of his element here. L was all about facts and statistics. Dreams and nightmares and providing consolation were not his forte. In fact, anything that involved interacting with other people directly was out of his element.
"I don't want to talk about it," I said flatly.
"Do you want me to call Watari?" L asked.
"No, thank you," I spoke mechanically. L got up from his perch and walked to the door.
He looked over his shoulder before walking out the door, "Well, if you need anything…"
"I'll let you or Watari know," I finished where he left off. He nodded before exiting my room, leaving the door slightly ajar on his way out. I moved myself from the bed to the desk chair, sitting, not like L, who preferred a crouch, but with my left ankle tucked under my right thigh so that one leg dangled while the other rested on the chair. I looked out of the hotel room window, the sun set the sky ablaze with orange, I had slept through most of the afternoon.
I heard the Task Force enter, but I didn't go to meet them. I wanted to do something else first. I could hear them talking on the other side of the door while I pulled up the files. They were somewhat old, and safely stored away, but not difficult to gain access to. Once I opened one file, I had complete access to the Los Angeles: BB Murder Case. I didn't have time to go over the entire case. All I really needed was to read Naomi Misora's report. And I read it three times through until the words were seared into my memory. Particularly the revelation of Rue Ryuzaki's identity as Beyond Birthday as well as his attempted suicide. Finally, I turned off the monitor and wobbled out of my room, rolling a couple rubber bands in my palm.
"Regarding Naomi Misora's disappearance, shouldn't we open an investigation into this matter?" one of the members of the Task Force questioned in the living room.
"If we do, it should be coordinated separately from the Kira case," L's reply was cool and logical. "Also, we'll have to use police sketches instead of actual photos."
"We're talking about someone who has been missing for four months already," another office pointed out irritably. "Chances are she's probably dead," he spat out.
"Well, aren't you optimistic," I remarked, drawing their attention to me, leaning against the wall. "I'll look into it on my own, gentlemen. No need for you to get your hands dirty."
"If you're right about that, I find it odd that we haven't found her body yet," L said to Mr. Sunshine over there with a condescending tone that couldn't be helped. "If we did it would provide us with some much needed physical evidence. Thank you, Endo. That would be very helpful."
At that moment Watari entered the room, "Ryuzaki, something seems to be happening, on Sakura TV." L turned on the television to the broadcast and we stood around him to watch. It appeared as if Kira had taken the station hostage and what they were broadcasting was not one of the many hoaxes put up online. They seemed adamant on proving that this was real.
"Four days ago, our program director here at Sakura TV received four tapes. After a thorough examination, there could be no doubt they are from Kira himself," the man on screen reported. Why does everyone assume that Kira is a he? I scoffed, Thorough examination? What did they do? Play it over twice? I had my own doubts. "The first tape we received contained a prediction, regarding the deaths of two suspected criminals who had recently been arrested, and as predicted, at the exact time that Kira had specified, both men died suddenly of heart attacks yesterday. Kira has instructed us to air the second tape today at exactly 5:59 p.m. and we do intend to comply with his demands. This tape should offer proof of his powers by predicting yet another death, beyond that, we understand that it contains a message to the world from Kira."
The officers around me started at this revelation. Neither L nor I showed a reaction. Kira had not verbally addressed the public before, so why now? It certainly seemed within Kira's power to kill at any given time, but never had Kira bragged about it or shown it off.
"This has to be another fake, don't you think?"
"I doubt it," Matsuda said, "I don't think even Sakura TV would stoop that low." They announced that they would play the video before the stylized name appeared on screen.
Was that…scuffling? I wondered disbelievingly, How unprofessional. Could this really be Kira? This behavior suggests an amateur crook. Did…did Kira just clear his, or her, throat? "I am Kira," the deep, distorted voice announced, "if this video was being aired on April eighteenth at exactly 5:59 p.m. as I requested, then the time now is 5:59," and then Kira began to count up from forty seven. "Please change the channel to Taiyo TV, the news anchor, Mr. Kazuhiko Hibima will die of a heart attack at exactly six o'clock." Again a collective gasp from the officers. It seems that their views of normality had not changed throughout the duration of this case and still had not registered that Kira's murders were now a common occurrence.
"Change it," L ordered. On Channel 36, sitting dead in his chair, was Mr. Hibima.
"How could he?" Ukita exclaimed upon witnessing the panic on set.
"Change the channel back," L commanded sharply. Watari complied immediately, "And I need you to bring us another TV, Watari."
"Bring an additional one to that, Watari," I corrected. L and I had probably made the same assumption. Kira would manipulate more than just two stations.
"Yes," Watari said before going to take care of the requests. I quickly went to my room and retrieved a slim laptop, courtesy of Mr. Wammy, and returned to the living room. I turned on the computer and went online, certain that the broadcast had gone viral.
"This is punishment," Kira's voice came from the screen. "I present you with another victim. My next target is NHN TV commentator, Mr. Seiji Kumaizumi who is scheduled to appear in a live broadcast. He too has dared to defy Kira." What is this? These aren't criminals, not open criminals at least. They don't fit Kira's list of victims, what is going on? Had Kira suddenly decided to not only deal out his or her own twisted death penalty but also eliminate all those who dare oppose him or her? I had begun to chew on my hair as more possibilities and theories filled my mind.
"Ryuzaki?" Matsuda questioned hesitantly.
"Change it to Channel 24," L ordered. Matsuda did, and there was once again a panic on the set as another victim died on camera. "Please, change it back," L's voice had a new, darkly serious quality to it.
"Now that you have seen proof of my powers, you should have no trouble believing that I am Kira," Kira stated. Proof? I filed this choice of wording away for later discussion with L and the Task Force.
L started as he realized something I had yet to pick up on, "Stop this broadcast! We can't let him finish!" As soon as L said it, I began my attempt to halt any possible online streaming of the broadcast by shutting down websites and creating server errors among other things.
Matsuda was the first to act, he ran to the phone, "Get Sakura TV on the line."
"It's no good," Aizawa stated with annoyance, "I'm trying but none of my contacts at the station have their phones on."
"And nobody's picking up at reception either," Matsuda sounded slightly panicked.
Ukita grunted in frustration, "Ugh, dammit!" he ran for the door, "I'll stop this broadcast myself, if that's what it takes!" His bravery, although rash, was respectable.
"People of the world, please listen to me. The last thing I want to do is kill the innocent. I hate evil and love justice, I've always thought of the police as allies, not as enemies." Justice? Was Kira trying to make himself or herself look like the hero? Is that what this was for? "I intend to create a new world, a world that is free from evil. If you agree to join me in my mission, I know we can make it happen, and as long as no one tries to catch me, I promise that the innocent will not die." Dammit. Kira was rallying supporters. That's why L wanted to cut off the broadcast. "Even if you don't agree with me, all I ask is that you not publicize your views on the media. If you can do that, you will be spared. All you have to do now is be patient. I will create a better world that we can all enjoy. Say good-bye to the world as you know it. Soon, we'll have a new world ruled by benevolence and inhabited by kind hearted, honest people. Try to imagine it, a world where the police…"
Kira aimed to create a perfect world, he or she was going about it the wrong way. This was tyranny, dictatorship, ruling through fear. Was Kira aware of that, or did Kira not even understand what he or she was doing? No, Kira was more developed than that, right? There's always the possibility that this was Kira's accomplice and not Kira himself or herself. That would explain why "Kira"could do what he or she was doing on the broadcast, but why the mannerisms were so basic. This possibility had a forty three percent chance of being true, a much higher probability than the other theories.
Watari had retrieved the two other TVs, and while I attempted to slow the spread of the broadcast online, Matsuda and Aizawa kept trying to contact Sakura Station, and L kept his eyes fastened to the three screens. One of the screens displayed the image of a terribly familiar body frame garbed in a terribly familiar suit lying face down at the doors of the TV station. I heard Matsuda call Aizawa's attention, and the gasp from the other man confirmed my worst thoughts. It was Ukita.
"Ukita, dammit, Kira did this," the grief in Aizawa's voice pained me, but it only brought forth an aggravated growl from L. I heard Aizawa's footsteps from where I sat on the chair I had brought next to L's. How had this happened? Had Kira somehow learned Ukita's name?
"Mr. Aizawa," L called sharply. "Where are you going?" it was that tone. The one that exuded authority and seriousness.
"Where do you think?" Aizawa demanded angrily, "I've gotta go there!"
"You can't," L said firmly. His tone lightened as he continued, "Please, think about this rationally."
"What, you want me to just sit here and watch TV?" Aizawa's voice had risen to a shout.
"Mr. Aizawa, please," I said gently, turning to face our ally, "you're of more use here than you are out there."
"If this truly is the work of Kira, you'll just meet the same fate if you go there," L reasoned.
Aizawa turned and glared at where L hadn't even moved, "You told us that Kira couldn't kill without a name! So how could this happen?" If Light, as L suspected, really was Kira, he would have known Ukita's name, I thought. The probability that Light was Kira increased as the thought crossed my mind. Otherwise, if Kira was still an unknown individual who had learned the names of the Task Force, why weren't they dead yet?
"The aliases and fake police IDs were worthless," Matsuda agreed fearfully. "What are we going to do, L? You don't think Kira has all our names already do you?"
"That's a definite possibility," L responded. Of course, if Light was Kira, or even if Kira had simply gone through the police files and found the records of who was on duty. "However, if that's the case, you'd think it would be easier for him to kill off the entire task force before making a move. Initially, I'd deduce that Kira needed both a name and a face to kill, but from what we've just seen, I'd say it's not entirely impossible that Kira can kill with only a face. All I know for sure is that Kira is either in that TV station or he's somewhere close by, in a place where he can watch where anyone can enter the building. Perhaps he's in…" I listened to L's observations, absorbing them into my own mind.
Aizawa yelled out, interrupting L, "If Kira's in the area, then isn't that why we should get down there?"
"We'd be running down there like pigs to the slaughter, Mr. Aizawa," I stated curtly.
"For all we know, he could have just placed surveillance cameras in the area," L sounded tired, and I couldn't tell if it was because of Aizawa's stubbornness or because of the case, "if we went down there unprepared, all of us will be killed."
Aizawa suddenly grabbed L by the shoulder of his shirt, and L gave a hiss of discomfort. I narrowed my eyes at Aizawa, and scrutinized L more closely. He was shaking. L was shaking.
You've gotten yourself wrapped up in something dangerous, E. The words in BB's voice weaved their way through the thoughts in my mind and left a cold feeling of fear.
Was L trembling from adrenaline? The rush of the case? Or was L genuinely afraid? For his life? For our lives? Of Aizawa who had yet to reign in his rage? I felt a pang of sympathy for him. "Wasn't it you who said we'd have to risk our lives to catch Kira?!" Aizawa demanded.
"I meant what I said, but risking my own life to catch Kira and doing something I know will cost me my life are two entirely different things," L answered calmly.
"Oh yeah?!" Aizawa roared, he turned to me, "What do you have to say?!"
"This isn't the time for our emotions to get the best of us," I said carefully. "It would be in our best interests to remain here, where Ukita's efforts will not be in vain." He looked back at L and slowly let go. I watched some of the rage leave his face, but he was still tense.
"Please control yourself," L advised, "we've lost Ukita. I understand you want to go there, but if something was to happen to you as well…" L trailed off. I put my hand on his arm in what I hoped he would perceive as supportive.
"And now I await a response from the police. You must decide whether or not you will help me create a better world for all of us," Kira continued through the tape. "Please announce your decision on the six o'clock news in four days. I've prepared two videos. One to be aired if the answer is yes, and another if the answer is no."These demands were so… outrageous. Kira was more intelligent than this… otherwise, L would have found him by now.
I watched as a news station broadcasted coverage of a car ramming into the glass doors of the station. "A vehicle has just driven through the front doors of the station," the woman reported.
"Well," L drawled, "that's one way to get into the building without being seen by Kira."
"But who would…"
"Someone who is very dedicated to shutting Kira down," I closed the laptop and played with the rubber bands that had worked their way around my wrist. I watched the screen with a newfound interest.
A/N... Hi I'm Lotus, welcome to my new story. I got so excited about posting it that I forgot to put a note on the first couple chapters there, whoops. Sorry, haha. Anyway, I hope you guys like it, and feel free to review. Thanks ^.^
