I used to have a fanfiction account. It still exists, and my earlier content can be found if you look up the profile TheXWandererXWithin. I don't have access to it anymore, however, and so I created a new profile in order to pick up where I left off. There are still a lot of plot holes to fix across all my work, and a lot of chapters need to be reworked. But I have some new ideas that I hope will help. I'm also a lot older; hopefully my writing has improved somewhat.
This particular document is a continuation of my story 'The Lightning Strike'. Unless I develop a better name for it, that is the name this continuation will run under too. This is the official chapter 12.
"Watari will show you to the room you will be staying when you are not privy to our discussions, or when I am working on other cases." L had said as he dropped seven sugar cubes into his tea, one after the other.
I was still wearing my mask. Looking at him, not looking at him…
What a strange human.
There was a rustle and quiet footsteps as an old man approached me, making way through the crowd of investigators. Even he managed to be taller, looming over my 5'3" frame. Wordlessly, politely, he lifted his hand to direct me to the door, and began to proceed back the way he came.
L spoke up again as we came to the door. We both stopped as he began, I taking Watari's cue out of courtesy.
"I would have you drugged, but it would be pointless. The only reason to do so would be to make sure you don't know where you're being relocated. Normally, this would be the traditional move; but given your skills I don't doubt that you can easily discern your location from even inside your new room."
I stayed quiet and reactionless behind my mask, merely monitoring his vitals. Nothing of interest to report.
The pause was long enough for Watari to assume movement again, only to hesitate:
"-Oh, and Miss Queue; I will ask that you never wear that mask in my presence again. If I am to utilize your skills to our benefit, I must be able to see your facial expressions as we delve into material concerning the investigation. I must have transparency; and since I cannot simply trust you to tell me the truth when I ask it, I must be able to discern such answers on my own."
...Jokes on you. I display about as much emotion as you, Kid.
I followed Watari into the light.
The room was nice, at least.
Spacious. Room to move. A large bed, a little coffee maker, a loveseat, an armchair in the corner. I sensed that there was even a window in the far wall… blocked off by metal slats.
I stood in the middle of the room, my arms folded. There was nothing to say. The light from the hallway slivered into the dark room, falling onto my legs. The door was still slightly ajar as Watari placed a thin silver laptop on a little eat-in table, and opened it. The laptop screen remained black. I turned my masked face towards him.
"Thank you." I said softly.
Watari nodded and exited, leaving me in complete darkness. I stood there for a moment, wondering about my friends, wondering how long the investigation might take… wondering whether L could actually handle Light Yagami.
A bright white light blipped on next to the computer's camera lens.
"Miss Queue. I hope you will find your accommodations acceptable. As I am sure you have noticed, your window has been covered. This measure has been taken to assure that you don't go causing trouble during our time here. We also move locations every three days; these same measures will be taken in order to protect the investigation. That is not to say that I believe you pose a threat; it would seem that you are not on Kira's side. I cannot be too careful, however. Hence we have also temporarily installed cameras and monitors in every corner of the room to track your vitals and gather data. If we find that it is necessary, we will combine military weapons technology and that same information to control your powers and prevent your meddling affairs."
It was not surprising to me that L would attempt to restrain a super-powerful entity. I doubted that he saw me as a human in any capacity. It made sense. What surprised me is how fast he'd gotten such a room set up. But then, he was the Great L. He had all the monetary and political connections he needed to get any task completed in the blink of an eye.
Regardless. I hated being locked up. Trapped, like a little bird in a cage. I swallowed my anger about it. Even after all my years, I had a problem controlling my emotions.
I was seeing a therapist about it.
"Miss Queue. I see that you are still wearing your mask."
Now this I had to answer. "Well, I'm not in your presence, am I?"
"I suppose that depends on what you consider a presence."
"If we're going to argue over what 'presence' is, then we're going to have to go straight to a discussion of the concept of time and maybe pull Heidegger out of his grave. We still won't get a definite answer."
I grabbed one of the chairs, scraped it back to situate it right where he could see me properly through the camera.
"-So. I'll tell you what my definition of a 'presence' is. I measure animals - their vitals, their interactions with the world around them - according to a kind of aura-radiation that I pick up. No, I don't have any scientific terms for it. I can only pick up information within a certain area beyond myself. That area I am able to grow - extend - or limit according to whatever my preference is at any particular time according to linear time as it appears to the average human mind. Side note: fun fact about me is that I am partially human, which means I can operate easily in that framework; that is, I can adjust my comprehension of time to fit the requirements of any one timeline. Anyway, that area can be grown or reduced to include only awareness of myself and my own vitals. The natural area allowed, though, is larger - however, your current presence does not fall within that natural area. The room I am currently in is just far enough away so that no, you do not fall into my presence. So regardless of your definition of presence, you do not currently fit the criteria of being in mine. Hence, I can keep my mask on if I like."
It was quiet on the other end apart from a light crackle as she heard him breathe in. When he spoke again she could almost hear a smile in his voice.
"An interesting response to my question. A marvelous skill though that may be, I do recall that I asked you not to wear the mask in my presence, ever again. Which makes your argument null and void; for I consider that you are currently in my presence. That makes this an argument based on subjective criteria."
I gripped the sides of the chair as if holding down my anger.
"Then that also makes your argument null and void, so I don't have to do what you say."
"Perhaps. But even by your standards, you will eventually."
My heart skipped a beat. Stupid, I groaned internally. How could I miss that?
"Good night, Miss Queue. Should you need anything, call for Watari."
The camera light went out.
For some reason, I was shaking. What a ridiculous discussion. Still, I realized my back had gone rigid during the conversation, and that my palms were damp. When it came down to it, I hadn't really spoken to anyone seriously about anything since 2013. My conversation with L didn't have to be long or particularly deep to remind me that formidable human minds still existed, and that I needed to be careful. My anger had also gotten me talking more about my powers. And that was not something that was allowed to happen.
I lifted my hands to the mask and felt my hair spill away as I undid the ties from behind my head. In truth, it was a relief to remove it. The mask was not comfortable. I looked at it in my hands in reality examining the future that my movements had created, and the new timeline that was to spring from the very existence of this mask.