AN: Thank you for all the positive response. If you wish for me to reply to you personally, please make an account and enable private messaging. For now I'll thank ZGK1007 here, and say sorry that I left you on a cliffhanger. :)
Enjoy.
Jesus christ Bone-meal thank you! I figured if L reacted that badly to even the idea of shinigami, having physical proof of the afterlife, would really mess with him. In this case he just overloaded and couldn't deal with it all at once. Trust me it's going to crush his ego big time. Thank you for your support of Rose, I do like these types of stories, but as you said there's a tendency to make the protagonist too unphased, or too perfect. You don't have to make them serious, I don't think Rose is particularly, but if you don't bare in mind how the original characters reacted, then your character is always going to be out of place, with their wacky hijinks.
Anyway thank you very much, and if you ever want to chat, link me to an account. :)
Chapter 15: The Alliance Begins.
Rosemary was quiet for a minute.
She knew he was likely to react to the existence of ghosts, but she kind of expected him to be more, level headed.
It was a little funny to be honest.
But she couldn't leave him knocked out, so she tried to wake him.
L woke up to the feeling of someone, shaking his shoulder.
He opened his eyes to see the girl, no the GHOST, with her hand on his shoulder.
He quickly moved back, and pressed himself against a wall.
She didn't move, and looked at him with that same look from before.
She was an unfamiliar concept.
He studied her carefully, as his brain quickly worked back up to speed.
She was of average height, and just a little overweight. She didn't look anything like the women he usually worked with, who were more toned, and ready to kill. She was pale like him, but they were on very different levels. His own face looked far more ghostly, whilst her bags, and tone, were at best peaky. Her hands were wrapped up, but not properly, and not with real bandages.
'Did that have something to do with her death?' He wondered. The wounds didn't look fatal, but he couldn't see any physical evidence, of what else could have killed her.
She looked harmless, and if she were alive, he would have no doubt that he could take her.
But she wasn't.
Trying to save face, L adjusted to his usual sitting position.
However much to his dismay, she seemed amused at his efforts.
He couldn't quite register this moment.
Obviously she had some kind of power, but was it logical to consider her a ghost? There were no existing possibilities, L could think of that perfectly aligned with this situation. He knew that he would have to be open minded, but this was asking him to accept something, he'd known for a long time to be untrue. The dead do not come back to life.
"Do all people become like you when they die?" He asked after a moment.
She shook her head, which filled him with a sense of relief, he didn't know he needed. Perhaps he'd worried that the criminals he sent to death were watching over him. Or rather that someone else looked over him instead.
L frowned for a second.
He didn't know if he felt disappointed, that they couldn't see where he was, or who he had become. Would they see a broken boy who couldn't grow up, or would they look past his twisted body, and see something to admire?
L felt the girl's stares on him, and refocused his mind. It wasn't like him to daydream, and there were still questions to answer. For now he would accept that she was, a being best defined as a ghost.
"Did Kira kill you?"
She again shook her head.
So it wasn't revenge motivating this.
"Do you know Kira?" He asked this time.
The response was different.
Her expression seemed mixed, as she wrote, this time.
'I didn't know him when I was alive.'
L was surprised.
He'd suspected that the person preventing Kira was close to him, but if this was true, she didn't actually have any personal connection to him at all.
"Were you the person that prevented him from killing during the two week hiatus?" He asked next, with a smile when he noticed her surprise.
So there were some things she didn't know.
Rose nodded, though she was surprised.
She didn't think L was clever enough to guess that someone had been trying to stop Light.
"I see, And I'm assuming the reason he stopped killing was because he couldn't kill you." Concluded L, as Rose nodded yet again.
This was the immune ability he had suspected someone had. Though admittedly he hadn't thought of Ghosts as a possibility.
"So you tried to stop Kira directly. What happened?" He asked.
'I had faith in him. We got to know each other, he promised to stop killing. I thought I was done, but I was wrong.' She wrote with a frown on her face.
L sensed that he would have to pry into that later.
"What motive do you have for helping in this investigation?"
She glared for a moment, with L's eyes firmly on her.
'People will die if I don't.'
A strong sense of justice, though one that didn't include capital punishment, as he'd already discovered.
'What makes you so sure, the police won't catch him?' Asked L, trying to bait her.
'This asshole, is seriously trying to bait me?' Thought Rosemary.
L noticed her thoughts on this immediately. She was, as he expected an ammateur, and wore her feelings on her sleeve. Though he concluded her attitude towards manipulation was recent.
'It's highly likely that Kira used similar tactics during their time together. If she's telling the truth, she has information, Kira wouldn't be able to ignore' He theorised, as she continued to write.
'I know things about you, and the Kira investigation. I know what happens in a world where I'm not here. I know what Kira's next moves are going to be.'
L paused as he bit his thumb.
So it wasn't as he expected, that she had seen Kira's plans. Rather she had some kind of prior knowledge of the outcome of his actions. This case was already proving complicated. Under normal circumstances, this would be a stupid suggestion, but he was dealing with a killer who could murder through heart attacks, and now apparently a ghost with future premonitions. He knew nothing about ghosts, so it could be that this was a part of becoming one, though something about her face told him, she was withholding information.
"Am I to assume this is how you know my name?" He asked after a moment, thinking back to the small bit of paper, he'd had incinerated.
'Yes. Kira will find out. You will die. Everyone on your team will die.'
He kept his face blank, but inside he was more emotional.
This was more blunt, less carefully worded. She took no time to write it.
She believed wholeheartedly that he, and his team would die, without her help.
There was a part of him that knew, it was evil to feel more pain at the idea of losing, than the idea of all his men dying under his watch.
But none the less it still irked him that somewhere, someway he lost to Kira.
"And how do you know these things?" He asked.
She confirmed that it was connected to being a ghost, though he had considerable doubts. There was a notable hint of nervousness to her actions, but it didn't seem to be about the lie.
If L was right, then something about the truth was so farfetched that lying was the more believable answer.
He had a hard time thinking of what could be more outrageous, than the proof of the afterlife that stood before him. But he was almost certain that the answer he'd been given, was not the source of her knowledge.
Rose was not an experienced liar, but most people wouldn't question her answer in the face of her abilities. Unfortunately for her, L was an expert on deception, and he didn't even have to try to see through her.
Despite knowing she was lying however, L nodded anyway. Her explanation could be accepted with ease, and if his assumptions of her friendly nature were correct, it wouldn't take much to get her on his side.
He would find out eventually.
"How do you know that Kira, won't be executed even if you do help us?" He pointed out. As much as L wanted him dead, that was out of his hands. But there was no way Kira would be allowed to live, even if L was in favour of it. He'd broken every system, and would have to be dealt with as an example.
But Rose just smiled.
'Because I know how he kills.'
L waited for her to elaborate, finding himself intrigued. If she was telling the truth, then her worth was immeasurable.
'If Kira chooses to give up his killing ability, he will lose all his memories. If he doesn't remember doing the crime, you can't rightfully execute him.' She pointed out.
L meanwhile was not calmed by this new information.
If Kira could lose all his memories at any given point, then what was the point in pursuing the case? If they got too close he could just disappear.
"What's to stop Kira from using that ability to evade detection?" He asked.
'He does in the original timeline. However that was because he approached you on his terms. He spent months planning for it. If he just gives up the power on a whim, he won't be able to get it back, and Kira would want to keep this power at all costs.' She argued.
L carefully processed this information. She'd given him a hint to her knowledge, without realising.
The first key here was 'Timeline'. The reason she knew about his name, and Kira's actions, was because they had done certain actions, in one timeline of the events. Meaning anyone who had knowledge of those actions could react accordingly.
However she had also told him, that she had gone to Kira first, which meant he could already be aware of what mistakes to avoid, when making his next moves.
He'd have to find out how much she had told Kira about the events she knew of. The next important bit of information, was the events that had happened in the first timeline.
According to her, Kira had given up the power, but couldn't do so without planning. This to L suggested that however he killed, giving it up was designed to be a permanent decision. It wasn't out of the question for Kira to be able to manipulate these rules in his opinion, but it did make one thing clear to him.
They would have to be unpredictable in their actions.
The last point she'd made, surprisingly had him agreeing with Rose.
Even if Kira was caught, he would avoid giving up his power, unless he absolutely had to. Which meant that if they caught him off guard, the chances of him losing his memories, was close to 0.
Likewise he realised. She most likely knew what his responses were too, meaning if she were right, he was going to have to show a greater measure of self control, than he would normally have to. L wasn't used to acting under orders. He was always right, and his instinct never failed him.
'But.'
He would like to avoid dieing, if that was at all possible, and if she was right, then he would have to make a few more calculated moves, if he wanted to stay alive.
L found himself analysing Rose, as he thought this over.
The fact that this girl seemed to share his thoughts on Kira, was interesting.
They evidently thought in different ways, but she seemed to have an understanding of how Kira thought.
If only for that, L would be a fool not to consider asking her to join the force, but her abilities, made ignoring her inexcusable.
"Hmm." He said after a moment.
"I'm inclined to agree with you Rose. If Kira can't get this power back, he'll almost certainly do everything to avoid losing his memories at all costs."
Rose smiled genuinely, and he found himself oddly fascinated by it. It wasn't often that people smiled at him, but it was usually with a begrudging respect towards his character.
She seemed so pleased to be getting along with him, he wondered how long it would take for her, to get frustrated with his actions.
"I think it's safe to say that even if you don't want Kira executed, the investigation can benefit considerably from your help. At this point, any information about who he is, or how he kills is invaluable to our work afterall. As compensation for your efforts, I can promise that Kira will not be killed on sight, and I will look into the possibility of avoiding his execution." Promised L.
"It would be best if you stayed at the hotel, for the time being as I have no way of contacting you. I'm aware that because of your condition I have no real means of stopping you from leaving, but as a means of trust, I would appreciate it if you stayed under watch, whilst you're cooperating with us. It would make it a lot easier to trust you, and your information." He admitted.
Rose nodded before writing.
'That's fine I don't have anywhere to stay anyway.'
L was slightly surprised.
It made sense in it's own way, for a ghost not to have a more permanent place to stay, but even he had houses.
"I see. Do you have any more belongings you would like to be brought here?" He asked.
She shook her head, all that L had seen in her bag, were the entirety of her possessions.
A part of him felt, not sympathy, but like he should feel sympathy. He'd seen a lot of children, that had nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Between her lack of belongings, and her damaged hands, any normal person would immediately want to help her. But L knew very well, that the most pitiful of people, could be the most dangerous.
His lack of sympathy, didn't mean he was going to avoid helping her though. He didn't have reason to suspect Rose of betraying him for now, even if he knew she was withholding information. Being kind, would only increase her willingness to assist him with the case.
"We'll have to purchase more things for you." He mused after a moment. Evidently this was the right thing to say, since her face beamed slightly.
L travelled light, but he had several shirts, and jeans to wear. Even he had to concieve, that a young woman needed more than the handful of items, in that backpack.
It seemed, for now at least they were on the same page, and until they got closer to catching Kira, she would be willing to help. If by then he didn't have the information, he needed to put Kira away, they would almost definitely clash, but that could be ignored for the moment.
There was a more pressing issue however.
He had to introduce their new source of information to the group.
And he had to explain that she was a ghost.
L bit his thumb.
This could only go so well.
He stood up after a moment, and put the knocked over chair back in it's place.
He was partially thankful they'd forgone cameras in this room, as it saved his pride from being further damaged by his moment of panic.
L arrogantly told himself, that it was a perfectly logical reaction, if only for the sake of his ego, which had taken quite the hit, at being caught off guard.
He told her that he would introduce her to the other members soon, and left the door unlocked. It was a test of how trustworthy she was, but also an acknowledgement, that her power to leave, outdid his power to restrain her.
He decided that the easiest way to introduce Rose, was to let the other men, experience what he had. If nothing else, it was hard to think of as a trick, although he would have to make sure, they left their weapons behind.
It would be best if they met her, one at a time. He would be present, to help explain the situation, and if anyone reacted poorly, it would be easier to deal with one officer, than six.
As he entered the room, L had already decided who would meet her first.
Mogi, had already experienced some form of strange phenomena around her, so he would be the most likely to accept it, without reacting poorly.
"What happened Ryuzaki? Can we trust her information?" Asked the Chief.
L paused for a moment, as he considered how to relay all that he had learned.
"After talking with Rose, I see no reason to believe, that she is Kira, or in anyway supports him."
The group breathed, a sigh of relief. It seemed their luck had turned.
"Rose has information, that I believe to be invaluable to this case. She seems opposed to Kira's execution, but has agreed to assist us on the condition he is not killed on site. However, if we are to work together as a team, it would be best if you were all made aware of her condition."
"What condition? Is she mentally unwell?" Asked Soichiro.
L scratched the back of his head, with a frown. "No, her mental ability is fine. Unfortunately the nature of her condition is hard to explain without physical proof. If I had any other choice, I would try to avoid explaining it at all costs, but I don't think that's possible."
The group paused.
"So what are you going to introduce her to the group or something?" Asked Aizawa, who wasn't quite grasping what the problem was.
"No." He said after a moment.
"What do you mean no? We can't see her?" Asked Ide, in disbelief.
"I never said that Ida-san." L continued.
"The nature of Rose's condition means, you're all likely to react badly to it. I consider myself level headed, but even I was rather shook. As such I think it would be safer, for you, and for her, if you all met her individually, without your weapons."
The force were all quiet for a moment.
Just what was wrong with this girl?
"Ryuzaki, if this girl has valuable information, then meeting her one, on one is a small price to pay." Said the Chief.
L nodded.
"Thank you for cooperating Yagami-san. I won't let your faith, be abused."
"If it's fine with you, I think Mogi should be the first to meet her." He said, much to Mogi's surprise.
"You've already experienced some strange things around her haven't you?" Confirmed L.
Mogi nodded in understanding.
Her evasive ability. Was she some kind of Esper of something?
"If that's fine with you sir?" He asked the Chief.
"I support L's judgement." Confirmed Mr Yagami.
"Thank you Mr Yagami. I would like you to go after him. After that, we'll make our way through the group, until everyone understands. Is that acceptable?" He asked.
Everyone slowly nodded.
"Good. Mogi if you'll follow me." Said L walking back to the room.
They went through each person, and by the third one, L had to admit, he was enjoying this.
It was easy to understand Rose's amusement, when he wasn't on the receiving end.
Though she wasn't malicious about it.
She had a friendly energy to her, and seemed eager to show people that she was harmless. L wasn't used to friendly people, but he found a part of himself, hoping they could get along.
It was strange really.
By the time they got to Matsuda, everyone was a little shaken, and a little concerned.
Ghosts were real.
The fact that L confirmed it, seemed to strengthen their beliefs, but even the most sceptical of them, couldn't think of another answer.
"Now that we're all on the same page, I think we can all agree that Rose-chan's identity, and her information can not be exposed. There's no way for us to properly explain this in any courtroom, so please leave any allusion to her out of your reports." Urged L.
He didn't need to ask though. There wasn't a single person in that room, who was stupid enough to want to blab about this to anyone.
"If she's a ghost, is that why Kira couldn't kill her?" Asked Ukita, after a moment.
The other members, thought it over and agreed with him.
"Yeah, and couldn't she have followed Kira without him noticing? She could have read all his plans or something." Agreed Aizawa.
"I believe that the reason Kira was unable to kill her, was indeed because of her condition." Said L.
"However her knowledge of Kira, doesn't seem to come from him directly." He admitted.
"What do you mean?" Asked Mr Yagami. "How else could she have possibly known about his plans for the FBI?"
L paused, and bit his thumb.
"Rose has made references to an original timeline. If I understand her correctly, then all her knowledge of this case, comes from a version of events where she has no influence."
"So if we just do things differently we'll be fine right?" Asked Matsuda.
"No." Said L, instantly.
"Unfortunately before she sought us out, she tried to stop Kira directly. Now from what she's confirmed, I can say that this resulted in the brief hiatus we saw, however that's not the issue. If Kira in anyway knows about Rose's knowledge, then he will also be changing his mind about things." Explained L.
"And so we'll be right back where we started." Realised Mr Yagami.
L nodded.
"So what do we do?" Asked Mogi.
"We test the waters." Said L. "Even if she gave Kira some forewarning, there may be some things he doesn't know about, that can give us the advantage. Rose wants Kira to be detained in a safe, and secure fashion, so I have no doubt, that she'll be willing to help us. Once we've tested things out, we should have some idea, about what Kira does, and doesn't know."
"But how do we know she's not lying?" Asked Ide.
Everyone paused.
"Look I get that she's a ghost, but how does she have knowledge of a timeline? Doesn't that seem a little far fetched to any of you? How do we know we aren't wasting our time, and that she's already told us all she knows?"
The group turned to L, in doubt.
"Even if she was, we have very few options to pursue. We'd be fools not to look into her information. More importantly, she had access to information relating directly to me." He admitted, much to their shock.
"If Kira, had the information, she told me, I have no doubt, I would already be dead."
They were all a little amazed. She really knew that much?
"L's right." Said Mr Yagami. "Even if her information is false, it's something we can't overlook."
"Thank you Mr Yagami, but I would like to say that I still intend to place security cameras in your house, as well as Director Kitamura's house". Replied L, much to the surprise of everyone.
"Are you kidding me? You have someone who knows who Kira is directly, and you still want to do this?" Exclaimed Aizawa.
"Rose-chan has made it clear, that she doesn't trust us enough to not act rashly. I haven't yet managed to convince her into giving us the name. More importantly she confirmed, that Kira had direct access to Raye Penber. Even if Kira isn't a member of their families, the likelihood that Kira knows, or has come into contact with one of them, is too high to ignore. " He reasoned.
Aizawa, begrudgingly saw his point, and backed down.
"Forgive me Mr Yagami. I'm not trying to accuse your family, but all the evidence I have so far is pointing in the direction of Raye Penber's targets."
The chief shook his head.
"I understand. Besides I'm confident that what you will find, will assure you that they are innocent." He stated confidently.
"As am I." Lied L. "It's just a formality, and I'm sure we won't find anything of note."
Meanwhile in the interrogation room, Rosemary was doodling in her notebook.
The group had taken it as well as she expected; Matsuda's screams had been particularly funny.
She knew they didn't trust her though.
How could they? She was actively withholding information. Mr Yagami, didn't know she was trying to protect his son.
She was just being a nuisance, as far as they knew.
But Rose had been manipulated enough, and she wasn't going to budge, not for L, not for Light, and not for anyone else.
This was going to be on her terms, and she wasn't going to let Light die, when she knew there were ways around it.
Rose frowned.
How was she going to relay her information?
If she flat out told L the name, then what were the chances that he would honestly keep Light alive? It wouldn't matter that he was working with the father, or that Light could have an out.
L would want him dead.
He'd promised to not execute him on site, but how much could she really believe that?
But if she didn't tell them anything, then what was even the point of her being here?
As she mused about this, she heard a tapping on the door, before an old man entered.
Watari.
He couldn't seem to see her either, no one could. But there was always a part of her, that expected otherwise.
Standing up, she moved out her chair, which caught his attention.
"Ah, your name is Rose, correct?" He asked, with a friendly demeanour.
Rose nodded.
L must have told him about her, but without seeing her ability to move undetected, she supposed it was hard to feel unnerved.
She didn't exactly look intimidating.
"If you'll permit me, I would like to help with those wounds." He said, pointing to her hands.
"I'm aware it may not be of much use, but you should be able to move your hands easier." He pointed out.
Rosemary looked at them briefly.
They were getting a little loose, but they had kept well for what they were. Still she should exchange them for some proper bandages if she had the chance.
Rose nodded her consent, as Watari smiled.
They made their way to a bathroom, where Watari had a first aid Kit.
As he tried to pull off her bandages, she winced.
Her hands had stuck to the fabric, as they were healing.
It suddenly hit Rose.
They were healing.
Watari seemed to ignore her surprised expression, but kept it in the back of his mind.
Evidently she didn't expect her wounds, to have closed up some.
It was a brief but unpleasant experience, as they had to slowly peel off the fabric, where it had stuck to her scabbed over hands.
When it was over they looked fine, they were perhaps a little irritated, but not infected which was the main worry for these sorts of injuries.
'Can I even get infected?' Wondered Rose. You needed microbes, and organisms for that surely, but even without all that she was healing, and you couldn't do that without them either.
She didn't sweat, but her hands had been bleeding.
How did this work?
Regardless.
Watari disinfected them anyway, and wrapped them up properly with some real bandages. He did it so smoothly, that Rose was almost certain that he'd done this sort of thing before.
She remembered that Watari owned an orphanage, but couldn't actually remember why he was wealthy. Had it been something medical? This was the main problem with this plan of hers, it relied on her pitifully average memory, to keep track of what had happened. She couldn't keep track of vast amounts of details like L, it was only because she'd seen the show so many times, that she knew as much as she did.
If she missed even one little detail, it could mean everyone's downfall.
"There we are Miss Rose, all done." Said Watari, as Rose broke out of her thoughts.
She looked at her hands, and was pleased. He'd done a much better job than she had, and she could move her fingers a lot easier.
Rose smiled at him, and Watari found himself growing slightly fond of her. It had been years since he'd seen someone smile like that. It was a smile that not many people retained, into adulthood, and it confirmed at least in his mind, that Rose was not a malicious person.
But it did leave him a little worried. He cared for L deeply, but he could hardly call him intuitive, when it came to the feelings of others. He didn't know how strong Rose was, but he hoped L would have the foresight to not push her too far.
"Tell me Miss Rose, did L react at all to your condition?" Asked Watari, in an effort to be kind.
He was rewarded with a wide smile, and a firm nod, as Rose reenacted, the famous detective's, rather undignified reaction.
Watari found himself chuckling, and there seemed to be a slight sense of trust between them.
He would have to mention that moment to L later; he was certain that his charge wouldn't be pleased in the slightest, that she had told him.
"Miss Rose, I'm aware these are unusual circumstances, but I can't thank you enough for your cooperation." He said.
Rosemary seemed to frown, but before she could respond, he continued.
"I understand you're worried about L, he hasn't presented himself as the most trustworthy individual. But I can promise you that if has told you, he will not kill Kira on site, then he will do whatever it takes to keep him safe." He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Whatever information you can give this group, is extremely valuable, and it's very admirable to not want Kira to die, in the face of all this killing. It can't be an easy thing to do, and you're very brave for doing it." He finished.
Rosemary gave him a small smile, and nodded.
It was nice to hear that she was doing the right thing, even if no one else was going to think so.
Watari packed up his things, and told Rose where the task force were. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her give a slight gulp, as she headed off.
Rose began walking down the hallway, to the third door, on the right.
As far as she could tell, this wasn't a hotel she had checked.
The decorations were very pastel, with shades of cream, and gold, making up the bulk of the details. It was obviously wealthy, and the suite was more like an apartment, with all the rooms, it came with.
As Rose walked in through the door, everyone's eyes suddenly shifted to her.
Every person was on edge, and Rosemary began to seriously doubt that this could really work.
It was L (who hadn't turned to her at all), who broke the silence however.
"Rose-chan, please join us for some cake."