Untitled, as of Yet

Please, if you have an idea for a title, let me know. I'm terrible with those.

DISCLAIMER:

Ok, fine. I know the Death Note characters are not mine. However. Kari and her friends are so I'd be happy to lend them to you, but don't steal them. And I'm going to marry L. Just so you all know. 

She started to speak and I talked over her.

"Look, don't bother asking how I found the website; it was through long hours of Google ransacking. And don't ask me why I was searching shinigami either, I can't explain it. It's just another hunch I was following. But look, if you can track down who made the website or help me verify the information, that would be wonderful."

Silence.

"Look, Kari. No, just look. I am always happy to help you in your hobbies and don't get me wrong; the Kira case interested me outside of your obsession, but I'm not the only one who feels this way. You never tell us much. Only what we 'need to know'. And I'm getting kind of sick of it. You're not the only intelligent one in the group you know."

I tried to talk and she cut me off. I shut up.

"At least you've been making an effort to have us hang out in situations that don't have anything to do with Kira. I'm glad. I had been initially afraid you wouldn't, but I'm happy you have. That's not the issue here."

She sighed and I waited patiently. When it became clear she was waiting for me to speak I did so, softly.

"I'm trying to protect you."

Silence again.

"Eina..."

"That's not my name."

"Emiko."

Her surprise was almost audible. I guess she hadn't expected me to use her real name.

"I know this is a protected line and I worry too much in general and I spose it's no good to try and explain to you that what we are doing is dangerous, illegal, and that we could all very well end up dead. That's obviously not what you want to hear."

My voice had gone monotone. My temper either flared or flattened, but usually when this kind of calm set in, people tried to avoid me.

"If you so wish, I will fully explain my hunch to you and the rest of the Clan at the next meeting. I can't guarantee you'll believe me because I hardly believe myself anymore and I'm pretty sure I'm losing my mind, but if that's what you all want then fine. I will."

She sighed again and her voice was quieter when she spoke. She sounded weary, but I felt no guilt. I was in the right here.

"Fine. I'll check out this website and your Death Note. I would like it very much if, at the next meeting, you could just explain your Death Note theory to us. I'm not asking for a look inside your brain, I'm just trying to understand you a little more so that I can help you keep from losing your mind. That's all."

She paused and I made no noise.

"I just kind of feel like I used to know you so well. I know you've always gotten your inexplicable hunches and they've almost always been right, but it's like I used to know how you ticked and now it's like you're a different person.

Or maybe I just never knew you."

She hung up and I flopped down on my stomach. Uh. This was not something I wanted to deal with. I always tried to avoid drama whenever possible, but maybe this wasn't something i could just roll my eyes at and be done with. People weren't going to just write off my rudeness as eccentricity forever; sooner or later this was bound to happen because, as Eina said, they weren't stupid. Ok. Fine.

I'd tell them about the shinigami incident and my suspicions about Kira and his possible, well who was I kidding? Probable possesion of a Death Note. So maybe they'd all think I was a basketcase and not work with me on Kira anymore. Or maybe I could convince them. Either way, it was time to own up and stop trying to protect them like small children because apparently, even though my heart was in the right place, my mind wasn't. So humph.

I browsed through the website some more and my anger dwindled and a feeling of hopelessness set in. It didn't matter if Eina could track the maker or not. The website was quite detailed, in its own way, and the person who made it was probably too careful to leave traces of his identity anywhere. But at least this was something and something was always better than nothing. But right now, all of our information wasn't going anywhere.

"See, my dealings with the shinigami, the website about the Death Note, the 'showing our shinigami, the suspicions of L about Light Yagami, the fact that Kira's power seems to have moved through Light Yagami and Misa Amane to a creeper in Yotsuba, a business group nonetheless, and the fact that our only response, so far, is the discouraging note, yet all of our criminals are killed anyway. All of this is valuable information, but it's all over the map. None of it is going in a definitive direction. At this point in time, I'm a little unsure myself as to what we should do with all this information."

The Clan stared unblinkingly back at me. I had revealed everything about the creepy guy, his monster which I suspected to be a shinigami, the website about the Death Note, Eina's confession to me, which had come later that previous night, that she was unable to trace a scrap of anything from the website, which seemed sloppy at first glance, but was actually the work of a professional, and all of my suspicions had been laid bare. So far no one had spoken or even so much as twitched. I sighed and looked down. My voice was much quieter.

"The reason I had been keeping this from you was I was afraid you'd all think I'm crazy and hallucinating or on drugs. I am neither, just so you know."

I looked up encouragingly, for anything, a joke, a snide comment, a sigh, any noise at all. The silence was deafening. I squared my shoulders and looked my Clan in the eye.

"We have been capturing dangerous criminals who were a threat to our society and community. These we have delivered to Kira. By now, our catchings have numbered over 100. This is nothing to sneeze at. We are all deeply involved in this and I had been trying to keep your being involved in my own interests about how Kira kills to a minimum so at least Kira would have no reason to be after any of you and try and give you at least that protection.

However, I have seen the error of trying to protect you to the extent of hiding information from you all and for that I can only appologize. My appology, don't mistake it, is for hiding information, not for trying to protect you. I care about you all and I don't want this to end badly."

I waited again, in vain, for a response of any kind. I was close to exasperation.

"We can continue as if this meeting never happened. We can go on catching criminals and delivering them to Kira if that is what you want. We could investigate my line of inquiry further, or we can drop it. And I will drop it, if you say to."

"We already knew you were crazy, Kari, but I never expected this."

I looked at Mi gratefully. Sukiyo didn't waste time on making me feel better.

"You better promise not to hide anything from us again. Hunches, hallucinations, hell, I want to know every thought that runs through your head!"

I arched an eyebrow.

"About the Kira case of course."

I barely managed to crack a smile and I felt the tension ease. Everyone waited for a second and then the murmuring started and I felt eternally grateful to these people, my friends. I sat down wearily.

"This doesn't mean that we completely believe you, Kari."

I looked up at Jin.

"But,"

He hesistated.

"We'll continue your line of investigation because, well, even if you are just a schitzo, it's certainly entertaining and it's not like we have a lot else on our plates or anything."

I grinned at him.

"I'm not that crazy."

"Yes you are."

I shrugged and gave up. At least they hadn't turned me into a mental ward and I was glad for that. It was later that Sanyu and Nanami actually gave me a great idea.

"What about L?"

"What about him?"

"Well, he's obviously a smart guy and I think that, for our own investigation, not that we should collaborate with the enemy or anything, but what if we just met with him? As a business transaction."

I didn't say anything and Sanyu explained.

"You have valuable information here, Kari. Plus, you are already at a total advantage in a situation where you met face to face.You are already in possession of knowledge of the fruits of his investigation, a nicely planted mole who is unaware of his position as mole and so cannot reveal us, we're untraceable and unhackable thanks to our lovely specialists."

He nodded at Eina and Ryn.

"You are in control of a highly organized and brilliant Clan."

A few cheers and snapping.

"You control the rounding up of dangerous criminals, something that has to be threatening L in his Kira search and to top it all off, you know about the Death Note."

I was already nodding avidly and planning. If I could trick L, well he seemed to be into playing mind games with everyone anyone, but I wonder how he'd react if someone took it upon themselves to set a trap and play a little mind game with him. I was gonna mess with him and I was grinning unintentionally. I didn't even realize until I heard Inari whispering to Sukiyo

"Boy, she really does look evil when she smiles like that."

I smirked and raised my eyebrows. Sukiyo demanded

"Hey! Tell me what you're thinking! Now!"

I looked at her, but in my mind I was seeing the letter L.

"The game is afoot, my dear Ryuzaki and mark my words, I will win. It's on."