Part of Robin felt hopeful, but the majority of her brain was scolding her for the immeasurably stupid idea that had led her to currently stand on the busy side street, clutching her navy trench coat tightly around herself.
L and the task force had decided to focus on Misora's disappearance for the moment; and the further the discussion delved that morning, the more unease about the LABB case Robin built up. Under the guise of errands and the promise to utilize the disguise she accompanied Whammy to the police station in, Robin had left the hotel. She had taken a cab directly to the largest part of the shopping district, the only place where she could hope to find the item she was looking for; and now she was standing in front of a small shop. Sandwiched between a tourist trap and a greasy family restaurant, was the shop that matched the address hastily scratched on the scrap of paper in her coat pocket.
"This is completely idiotic," she muttered to herself as she eyed the peeling paint, overpriced items advertised in the window, and the overall junky appearance of the shop. "I should turn around and just go buy a new sweater or something" and her mind tells her to do just that, but her body slouches forwards into the aged shop marked by the Japanese words 'Dragon's Eye Occult' accompanied by the confusing English sign 'Occult witch scary here'.
The inside of the shop is dirtier than the outside, but somehow the stacks and bunches of odds and ends nearly falling off the shelves give off an odd sense of organization. Robin adjusted her large sunglasses with unease at the mythical clutter, the few unexplainable supernatural stories she had crossed in her lifetime did admittedly made her stomach turn; and the possibilities the debris of the shop held made her let off a shiver.
Since her research had only led her to a book title, and consequently the Dragon's Eye shop being rumored to stock it, Robin wasn't exactly sure how to go about looking in the unfamiliar surroundings and searched for the register counter instead. But of course it was vacant and, like the majority of the shop, displayed a layer of dust as if it hadn't been used in years. There was neither a bell to ring or a sign for further instructions, so Robin opened her mouth with uncertainty.
"Hello?" it was far from a yell, and hardly a volume above her normal speaking voice, but it was the best Robin could manage. "Is anyone in? I'm… looking for an item? I could use some help" her words went unanswered, and Robin hesitantly began walking down an aisle. Most of the walls were covered with odd brick-a-brack and shelving, but there was a door at the back of the store reading 'employees only'.
As she reached the door, she realized it was covered with strange symbols although they weren't any she could identify through her small educational interest in religions. "Pardon, is anyone there?" Robin asked, lightly knocking on the metal door painted a sickly greenish hue. The suddenness of the door swinging open as well as the loud greeting from the woman behind it was enough to make Robin skitter a few paces back.
"I bid anyone who enters my shop a good morning and a along life!" the woman said enthusiastically, throwing her hands up dramatically before dropping them and finally looking at Robin. "Oh" she said quietly, her eyes going wide. "Oh, young lady, bad luck and ill will surrounds you!" she exclaimed in worry, her hands over her cheeks in yet another dramatic gesture.
Robin cleared her throat, smoothing down the sides of her coat nervously as she reclaimed a normal and more confident stance. "I'm here looking for a book, madam" Robin said as politely as she could, the woman's expressive behavior already digging under her skin.
"That can wait, first you must stop contaminating my shop with this darkness!" the woman declared, reaching out a bony hand and clasping Robin's arm before dragging her back through the doorway. "how have you gotten by before now? The stink of this unhealthy aura is almost palpable!" the woman continued, leading Robin down a short hall and into a small living quarters. "I will make some tea, and then we may work on righting your aura" she said, motioning for Robin to sit at the tiny table before turning towards the small kettle on her electric cup warmer.
Slightly bewildered by the woman's mutterings, Robin hesitantly stepped forward and immediately heard a cry of despair from the strange woman. "The tatami! You've stepped on the corner!" she exclaimed before rushing over and forcibly sitting Robin down on a cushion at the table. "You're a magnet for bad luck!" the woman scolded before taking a seat opposite Robin.
"Um, madam, this isn't really necessary, I'm only looking for a book. I can be on my way after-" the woman cut Robin off with a brisk wave of her hand.
"Nonsense. I won't charge you a dime for this, dear. I am a woman who helps out her community at any cost. No matter how large the demons are that surround you!" the woman exclaimed with a dramatic sweep of her hand before stopping and suddenly giving Robin an odd look. "young lady, you're dressed quite oddly. In order for us to progress, take off your glasses and hat and that awful scarf. And a jacket, too? It's not nearly cold enough for that! It's mild outside, surely you must be burning up?"
The woman's words about demons admittedly shook Robin, but the strange shopkeeper didn't appear a threat, so Robin removed her disguise and sat it neatly folded in a pile on the floor next to her. "Much better dear" the woman said with a smile, "I had no idea you were a foreigner, surely you haven't traveled all this way to seek my help? Kae Satou was once a great name, but I have since become less respected in our world"
Robin shifted uncomfortably, "No, nothing like that; not to sound disrespectful. I'm here on business, but recently things have been hindering my work, which is why I looked up that text and-"
"We'll get to that later," Kae said almost forcefully. "For now, tell me your name young lady"
"R," Robin stated, but then quickly squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head slightly, "I mean Robin. Robin Steele"
Kae smiled as if Robin had just told her a funny joke, and her crow's-feet-crowned eyes twinkled in amusement. "That name doesn't belong to you, the letter was more truthful, although I can see why you would lie to me in such times. You must understand I am nothing more than an old woman with brittle bones, I am not a threat to you as Kira would be" she paused, the enjoyment in her face suddenly halting. "You are close? You are close to him, aren't you?"
Robin swallowed heavily, thankful that her face remained placid. To Kira? If this woman can ascertain I'm working on the Kira case… Is she some kind of psychic? "To who?" she asked quietly.
"The one that haunts you, he is close to you-was close to you?" Kae asks, and Robin fights the shiver running down her spine. What little relief Robin gained upon learning Kae didn't suspect her of hunting Kira was almost instantly replaced with painful thoughts of B, and their recent encounters.
"Y-yes, I was. Very close" Robin said, "How did you-?"
"You stink of death and grieving, dear" Kae said gently. "I can see now that your life has been hard, your scars are not the only indication" Robin absently touched one hand to the scar on her lip, unsure of what to say. "I mistook the demons around you as mischievous, only meaning to cause you minor troubles and bring you bad luck, but now I see that I was wrong. There is something much darker around you. It coats you so closely that it surely must have known you"
The sudden shrill whistle of the kettle made them both jump.
Kae got up quickly and served them tea in silence, it's only when she sits down again that she resumes speaking. "In spite of what I said earlier, your ghost has yet to break you. Your core spirit is strong and tough. It has been built up wisely through your unfortunate instances over time"
Robin took a hearty sip of the tea, even though her stomach was churning with unease at Kae's words. "I feel foolish for asking, but is there any way you can fix me?" she asked hesitantly.
Kae gave her a pitying smile, "No, dear, you can only fix yourself. As much as I would like to help you. even though, I can see now, you believe in none of this"
"No, I…" Robin trails of hesitantly. "I believe that he is haunting me. Although, weather it is merely psychological or he truly walks the earth in a mortal or immortal form, I haven't concluded yet" she said, and the honesty of her words makes her wince.
"I simply meant the world I live in, dear. Spiritual. You may have your doubts in that. It doesn't bother me," Kae stated. "but, this man that haunts you, have no doubt that he is real. Your science may explain him, but he does follow you in one way or the other"
Robin gulped. "I know. I've… seen him"
A look crossed Kae's face that seemed nervous enough for the two of them. "Have you spoken to him? Has he held a bodily contact with you?" she asked.
"He spoke to me even before I saw him. He had a knack for being wily in real life, so I have no doubt that he was able to disappear through un-supernatural means. But the next time, I talked to him and then he…" Robin covered her shoulder with her hand as the memory of their encounter at the ceremony washes over her. "he touched my shoulder" she finished.
"You've come in contact with him more than once?" Kae asked.
"Yes," Robin said, "I see him a lot. Although not terribly recently. I saw him in a dream last night"
Kae suddenly stands and begins bustling about her small room, opening a small pantry shelf in the corner. "There is nothing left for me to do, I can't help you with this. I can only caution you and urge you to stay safe. Remaining around others is the best thing you can do for now" she said. "I'm giving you these though, think of them as a gift, dear" Kae pressed three small jars into Robin's hands, strange spices with handwritten labels. "They can help you sleep, and relax. Use them before bed, or when you're in a panic"
"Drugs? Is this illegal-" Robin starts, but Kae interrupts.
"No, nothing like that, dear. Or perhaps maybe a pinch. I do hope the business you came here for doesn't do screenings" Kae says with a mischievous smile before returning towards the 'employee only' door, with Robin following reluctantly behind after grabbing the stack of her belongings.
They weave through a few aisles before coming to the section stuffed with books; old texts and new ones with worn covers litter the bookshelf and overflow into haphazard stacks and teetering masses on rickety chairs. "Now, what is this book you've been searching for?" Kae asked.
"Um, there were a few actually…" Robin trailed off as she dug the scrap of paper out from her folded coat pocket. "the first one is 'Shinto, Shamanism, and the way of the gods', the second 'Shinigami Dissected', and the last 'Al Azif'… I'm sorry if that title needs translation, it was hard for me to-" Robin looks up and stops as she suddenly becomes aware of the blank stare Kae's giving her.
The two previous books Robin named are dropped in her hands, and Kae seems old and frail as she retreats once again to her room before returning quickly with a book much more heavily worn than the others. "Al Azif is an Arabic title, it has no other language translation even though the rest of this book is in Japanese. Al Azif is meant to be the sound one hears late at night, the one that is undistinguishable as neither wind or wails." Kae says gravely, leading her to the register counter, "This is not something I give out lightly. I can tell that you are a smart girl, but with this you must be especially careful of how you handle the contents and what path this book may lead you on"
Robin fights another shiver, although her hands slightly shake as she hands Kae some money, three times as much as the woman rings up on the till. "Thank you" Robin said, and she meant it sincerely although her voice noticeably lacked the warmth.
"Stay safe, dear" Kae said in return before handing Robin her books in a thick brown paper sack.
Robin is dazed as she stood outside the shop, and it took her some time before she re-donned her disguise. The sidewalk is bustling with people, and Robin is thankful of the alcove of the occult shop so that she isn't run over as she puts on the coat and accessories. After she's finished, Robin enters the thriving mass and gradually feels the weight of Kae's conversation leave her among the loud chatter of the city around her.
That is, until she hears the first scream.
"It's true, they really are dead!" a young woman wails out, waving her phone in the air as if it's proof of the crime. Robin blinks, and tries to take stock of the current situation as murmurs go through the crowd. She'd been zoning out, mindless walking with the crowd, and Robin just now realizes she's standing in a crowd of onlookers in front of the giant news casting screen in the square. The cause of alarm is clear as day when she looks at the broadcast; a static background with the name 'Kira' in an ominous inky black font.
"I killed these people only because they denounced the name of Kira" the distorted deep voice said, booming throughout the square. "I don't want to harm the innocent. I am an advocate of peace and justice. I don't look at the police as my enemy, only as an ally" despite Kira's words, Robin can tell the crowd around her is getting restless and panicked.
It's no good to make the public fearful like this, the broadcast has to be stopped. Then the task force can confiscate the tapes and deal with this message then. Their's no need to drag the public's health through this, Light! Robin stopped and squinted her eyes in thought. But… This doesn't really sound like Light. I mean, his ideals are relatively the same… but… somehow… She stopped her thought as the voice spoke again.
"I will make this world into a better one, one where-" the Kira voice was almost drowned out by a man.
"Someone just collapsed! A police officer went to Sakura TV, and he collapsed!" A man shouted suddenly, turning up news coverage from another channel on his radio.
"Oh my god, Kira really is killing anyone that will stand in his way!" A woman in the crowd shouted hysterically.
Thoughts flickered through Robin's mind quickly; about the task force, the efforts they would no doubt be making to get the broadcast off the air. What if it's a heart attack? Who collapsed? I've got to… no, Kira would-No, if I kept my disguise on like this there's no way Kira could get me. Unless, of course it's bullets or some sort of biological weapon, but-
An angry shout cut off her thought. "Shut up, shut up! Kira is speaking!" an irate, muscular 20-something man shouted at the shocked chattering crowd.
"What are you, a supporter of that sick fuck?" someone in the crowd countered.
The young man seemed to still before narrowing his eyes at someone Robin couldn't make out from her position. "I support justice! I support Kira relieving us of those sick criminals! You should be thanking him!"
"Oh, thank you Kira; you dirty cop-killer!"
"You'll be next! Kira will get you next for saying that!"
"What about for giving you a black eye?"
This crowd could get dangerous, Robin thought, I've got to get out of here. The Sakura station is only a block away, it's not likely I'll find a taxi, but… Robin turned and weaved through the growing crowd, dashing into an alley to get through to the station faster. For once, she was thankful she wasn't wearing heels or a suit; since her sneakers, jeans, and tank top were much better suited for sprinting.
Around 15 minutes later, Robin arrived sweaty and panting in front of the Sakura TV station, running past the rival news network filming the entrance in order to do so. "Hey, please don't go, you could be killed!" the female news reported shouted as she passed, trying to grab Robin's trench coat futility as she did so.
As the collapsed figure came into view, Robin immediately recognized him and let out a thankful breath that it wasn't a crumpled figure in jeans and a white t-shirt; no matter how unlikely that was. "Ukita!" She shouted, the pain from running digging harshly into her side as she ran to the body. "Ukita! Are you okay?" she asked, wincing as she fell hard to her knees beside the man. "Ukita, say something! Ukita!" Robin demanded, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her side and the blooming sting in her knees. She shook him lightly, but only succeeded in lolling his head to the side. Robin snapped her fingers in front of his face and bit her lip when she saw the lack of response. The last test was to check his pulse, and with a heavy heart, Robin hung her head when she felt nothing but his already cold skin.
"Miss! Miss, who are you?" the reporter called to her across the street.
Robin frowned under her scarf, closing Ukita's eyes before she stood. "This man was Ukita Hirokazu, and he was a fine officer who has now died in the line of duty. I'm requesting that you vacate the area in order to keep yourselves safe" Robin ordered the reporter and her cameraman, who made no move to budge.
Fine, don't do as I ask, idiots. It's heartless rating-hungry people like you that got us into this mess! If Sakura had just turned the tapes over to the police when they received them… Robin thought with a scowl before turning her attention to the doors of the Sakura building. Inside, she could barely make out a security guard, and Robin rushed to the glass window. "Open the doors! Open the doors!" she repeated, pounding on the glass. The man only frowned, making an 'X' motion at her with his hands before his eyes widened and he suddenly waved his arms around urgently.
Prompted only by the guard's pointing, Robin looked over her shoulder in bewilderment; and dived out of the way of the large SWAT vehicle just in time. When the glass and debris settled, Robin stood with a cough and hastily made sure her disguise was still on. She'd lost her navy fedora, but the large sunglasses and the scarf still thankfully kept her intact for the moment.
"Stand down, whoever you are! This is-" the chief stopped when he spotted Robin's familiar blonde hair and eyes. In a quieter tone he continued, "Robin?"
"No names" she said, rushing inside through the gaping hole the chief had created. "And you could have honked, or something"
The chief walked past her, directly towards the guard sprawled on the ground. "Where's the studio where the broadcast is coming from?" the chief demanded, his intimidating appearance making the guard meek enough to actually answer.
They raced down the hall, "This is the police! Stop the broadcast right now!" the chief ordered as he burst into the room, gun in hand and Robin hovering behind him in the doorway.
"W-what?" A fat man with glasses asked, obviously the one in charge judging by the fact that he was overseeing the other two employees currently operating the system.
"Stop the broadcast!" the chief ordered again.
"Detective, I can't! we'll all be killed by Kira if we do!" the man said, obviously afraid of the chief's outstretched gun.
"You'll give the tapes to me now if you don't want to be shot!" the chief nearly shouted.
The man teetered nervously. "What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?" he asked, on the edge of panic.
"Everyone, just calm down please" Robin spoke up evenly, the fact that the chief didn't turn on her with the gun cemented her hypothesis that he knew what he was doing; however unorthodox a way he was going about it. "Sir, we are the police. Despite any threats Kira has made against you, you will be imprisoned if you continue to keep these materials from us. If you don't give us the tapes, as well as any copies, and the packaging the tapes and instructions came in, the chief will be forced to take it from you by force"
"I-I…" the man fumbled. "Yes, I will get everything you need. Just… please tell him to lower his gun"
The chief did as he was told, although he kept it at the ready in his hand as well as the safety off. "Now, chief, may I please borrow your phone?" Robin asked and the chief nodded before tossing her the device. "and please press the signal for Mr. W" she asked, and the chief did that as well before moving closer to the employees that were collecting the evidence.
The chief's cell phone rang within a minute and Robin answered hurriedly. "Mr. W? Please hand the phone over to-"
"It's me. R, are you alright? Yagami was the one in the SWAT van? How is he doing?" L asked, his tone even and calm over the phone, but only forcibly so. Through his experience during tight situations, all emotion was currently void from L's voice and Robin could only speculate about how the events had effected him.
"I'm fine," she said. "It was the chief. He's here with me now, and seems fine despite his condition. We've stopped the broadcast and we're gathering the evidence. Although I… I've confirmed Ukita to be deceased" Robin refused to let herself pause and dwell, "How do we get out of here, is the front entrance too dangerous still?"
"Hold on a moment" L stated. The chief, having gathered all the Kira-related items, nodded his head towards the door and the two of them walked into the hall as Robin kept the phone carefully pressed against her ear. L's voice was back within a few seconds. "R, wait five minutes and then calmly walk out the front" he said.
"Just come out the front?" Robin repeated hesitantly, shooting the chief a nervous glace that soon turned to worry as she saw the state he was in. "Alright, L, I trust you. We'll be there soon" she said hurriedly before clicking the phone shut.
"chief are you alright?" Robin asked worriedly, observing the man wheezing and leaning heavily against the wall.
He gave her a sheepish expression, "I may have overdone it a little, but I'll be ok"
Robin nodded before looking at the phone's clock. "We've got two minutes, we might as well start walking. I'll help you" Robin stated, looping one of the chief's arms over her shoulder as the two of them began their slow but steady walk towards the Sakura entrance.
There were swat and police members everywhere, not daring to let a visible gap through. A sole man was waiting next to an inconspicuous Toyota, and the two approached the stranger with caution. "Thank you sir, but we'll drive ourselves" the chief said, his words holding a wheezing whistle.
"I'll drive, chief. Please rest" Robin said, blocking him from the drivers side door.
"But, how young are you? Can you drive?" the chief asked worriedly.
"I'm 18 sir, I can drive just fine. No need to worry" Robin assured.
A kind, but tired, smile overtook the chief's face. "Sorry, parental instincts kicking in. I'll just lay down in the back seat for awhile. Catch my breath" the old man said before slipping inside the car.
Although Robin didn't exactly drive 'just fine', or even have a license for that matter, they made it back to the hotel without incident. After another long and tiring walk, the two of them entered the suite's living room with relived greetings from the rest of the task force. "Chief! Robin!" Matsuda exclaimed, "You're alright!"
It was followed by Aizawa's own worried, "chief? You don't look very well" since the chief was flanked by both Robin and Whammy, he must have looked much worse than he probably was, but either way the chief took a seat on the nearby couch.
"I'm fine, just a little tired. Robin drove and allowed me to rest some on the way here" the chief explained, and Robin carefully avoided L's eyes since he most likely knew of her lack of license. "but I do apologize for acting so brashly like that. I let my emotions get the better of me"
"Not at all, you did a fine job chief" L said monotonically, suspiciously leaving Robin absent from the compliment.
"Also, this bag contains everything that Sakura had from Kira's package. Even the copies of the tapes" the chief said, Aizawa taking the bag from his hand.
"Robin, what's in there?" Matsuda enquired, and Robin looked back down at the brown paper bag clutched tightly in her right hand with sudden remembrance.
She blinked for a moment before pushing thoughts of Kae's strange words away. "Oh, um. I was shopping earlier. When I saw the news… the crowd was fighting and a lot of people were really angry, where the square with the big news screen is? It could be dangerous, has anyone checked up on that?" Robin asked, slightly dazed now that the adrenaline was wearing off.
"The police will take care of it," L stated, taking her hand and leading her to the other couch occupying the room. "I think it's best if you sit down for the moment, but we'll talk later" Robin nodded dully at him, clutching the paper sack in her lap as the team came alive around her. "Aizawa, please take these things to the lab, and Matsuda can you drive Yagami back to the hospital please? Only when he feels ready to walk again of course. Watari, can you bring R and I something to eat? I'm going to get started on watching these tapes"
I've added more Fragaria/Robin+L doodles to my photo bucket, which you can view through the homepage link on my profile. thanks for the reviews and favs!- luv, Cart