Sol of Luna: Near and Far

Author: Gakusangi

Author's Notes and Acknowledgements:
RECAP – With no money to their names, Mello and Linda leave Near in Matt's care, and seek out work. They pick up the attention of young girl named, Kari, who has fallen into debt. Kari gets them to come with her to a warehouse where they can ask for work, but she really intends to have them robbed and killed. The plan backfires, when the children prove to be expert fighters, but sheer numbers still threaten to overrun them. Just when it seems hopeless, a fire separates them from their assailants. Seizing the opportunity, Linda and Mello flee the scene. They later find that Matt and Near have hustled some of the local residence in a few dart games, and made plenty of money for purchasing supplies. Now all that's left is the border, and the land of the Daimyo…

This is a Death Note fan fiction. Many of the characters presented here are not mine, but the legal property of writer Tsugumi Ohba, and artist Takeshi Obata.

Chapter 18: Cat and Mouse

"This is where his letter said to go." Naomi said, looking upon the rundown tenement before her. "It's funny. I'm the new head of the Guild, and yet I'm taking orders from him."

"Don't think of it as taking orders." Ukita replied. "Both Quillsh and Roger followed L's advise. That didn't mean they were taking orders from him."

"Yeah, but while he's out watching the kids, I'm stuck running around countryside looking for help." Naomi retorted. "Don't I have subordinates or something to do this for me?"

"You have me." Ukita offered.

Naomi regarded Ukita for a moment.

"…You don't count, you're a driver." Naomi responded.

"I wasn't always the driver." Ukita mumbled bitterly.

Naomi laughed a little.

"You're a credit to the Guild's reputation, Ukita." Naomi said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Ukita thought for a moment.

"…Walk, I suppose." Ukita replied.

They both laughed then. Naomi regained herself quickly though.

"Do you know this guy?" Naomi asked, approaching the door, and changing the subject.

"Yeah, he and I both used to be constables." Ukita answered.

"Really, small world." Naomi remarked. "I used to be one too."

"I'm not surprised." Ukita said. "L tends to look for authority type figures when he's recruiting."

"Recruiting?" Naomi asked suddenly.

Ukita reached out and knocked lightly on the door. There was a brief moment of silence, in which Naomi half expected Ukita to answer her, and half knew that he wasn't going to. Then the door opened a crack, and man peeked an eye out.

"Can I help you?" The man asked suspiciously.

Ukita popped into his range of vision.

"Hey, Aizawa." Ukita greeted.

The door came upon all the way to reveal a tall man with a sparse goatee and bushy hair.

"Ukita!" Aizawa burst.

Ukita smiled warmly, and stepped forward. Aizawa openly embraced the guildsman, his initially tense posture having relaxed with the appearance of a familiar and friendly face. He glanced over Ukita's shoulder and spotted Naomi standing patiently off to the side. Aizawa stepped back from Ukita and looked the guild master over.

"Who's this?" Aizawa asked, lifting a thick eyebrow.

"This is, Naomi Misora." Ukita introduced. "She's the current head of the Guild."

"Did the old guy finally retire?" Aizawa asked.

"No, he died." Naomi answered flatly.

"Oh, that's too bad." Aizawa replied, seeming genuinely disappointed. "I liked him."

Then he looked over at Ukita.

"What's going on here?" Aizawa asked, a measure of suspicion returning to his tone.

"We need your help, Mr. Aizawa." Naomi answered.

"Constable Aizawa." Aizawa corrected. "And the answer's no."

"No?" Naomi repeated.

"No." Aizawa confirmed.

"We're at war, Aizawa, and we could use a few good men on our side." Ukita pleaded.

"He sent you down here, didn't he." Aizawa said bitterly.

"Who?" Naomi asked, though she knew the answer already.

Really, whom else could he have been talking about? Hadn't Naomi, until just recently, felt almost the same way?

"Ryuzaki!" Aizawa spat venomously. "You can tell him to go rollover, and die somewhere!"

Suddenly a woman appeared in the doorway, looking gravely concerned.

"What's going on, Shuichi?" The woman asked Aizawa, looking over at Ukita and Naomi with cautious interest.

"Nothing, Eriko." Aizawa assured her gently. "Go back inside, I'll be back in a minute."

Then a little girl appeared by the woman's side, looking fearful from all the raised voices.

"Mommy?" The little girl asked.

"Come on, Yumi, let's go back inside." The woman said, gently ushering the little girl back out of sight, and closing the door.

Aizawa let out a long, slow breath.

"If it's your family you're concerned about," Ukita began quietly, "We can protect them. Bring them to the Guild where they'll be safe."

"I know how that will turn out." Aizawa replied, much calmer now. "We'll be prisoners there, trapped in its walls. The location of the Guild is well-guarded secret. They won't just let us come in and then leave, our freedom would be lost."

"That's not how it will be." Naomi said firmly.

Aizawa looked back at her with surprise.

"The Guild is under new management." Naomi explained. "Mine. And I would never deny anyone their basic freedoms."

Aizawa blinked, still at a complete loss for words.

"Realize this, Constable Aizawa," Naomi went on gently, "We are at war, and there is a possibility that we will lose. And if that happens, all his freedom that you covet so, will no longer be an issue, as Daimyo soldiers march through these streets."

Aizawa set his face, her words sinking in.

"We're here now, asking you for help, so that we have fighting chance." Naomi said. "You will not be working with L, or associating with him, if it is not your desire to do so. You will be working with me."

"Partners with the guild master." Aizawa remarked.

"Partners." Naomi agreed.

Aizawa thought for a moment. As he did, his eyes passed over the streets and buildings that surrounded them. Naomi could see the weathered look in his eyes, the seasoned experience behind them, the good and the bad that helped mold him into the man he was today. Naomi wonder if her eyes seemed so aged, so…sad.

"Okay." Aizawa said at last. "I'll do it, under the conditions that you will protect my family, and that we can leave at any time."

"Done." Naomi said, holding out her hand.

Aizawa took hold of her forearm, and they shook. The Guild was one man stronger now. But would it be enough? Aizawa released Naomi's arm, and regarded her thoughtfully.

"I like you." Aizawa finally said. "You're not like the others."

"That's a relief." Naomi said with grin.

(XXX)

"Our kind is fading away, Azure." The old sage remarked.

"Hmm?" L looked up from the shelves and cabinets he had been examining, his train of thought suddenly disrupted by the elderly man's statement.

"The Sages are only among the various things that people are starting to forget." The old man went on. "To stop believing in. To throw us into the texts of old mythology, convinced that we never were, and never could be."

He turned to the legendary guildsman then, his eyes full of sorrow.

"What do you think?" The old man asked.

"I think we're the last true evil left in the world." L replied.

The man chuckled, and turned away.

"Maybe." He admitted. "It's no longer a matter of if we'll vanish, but when we will."

"You once said that a man can't bear the weight of the world on his shoulders." L said. "That he'll only be crushed under the weight of such responsibilities."

"And have you gotten an lighter?" The old man asked, turning around to face L again.

"No." L answered. "But who else would carry it?"

"These people must learn to stand on their own." The old sage countered. "You cannot hold their hands in the dark anymore. You will only hurt them, in the end."

"Even if I dropped the burden of the world from my shoulders," L started, "I will still have the weight of my sins weighing down upon me."

The weight of my guilt crushing me like a millstone.

"I can see the horrified faces clearly in my mind, when ever I close my eyes." L said darkly.

I never blink anymore. I can't sleep peacefully.

"I can still taste the blood on my lips." L said.

And the undying need to cover its bitterness.

The sage regarded the man before him for a moment. He nodded slowly in understanding, but his brow was still furrowed with sorrow and concern. He turned away from the guildsman, and began placing a few loose books onto the appropriate shelves. L went back to examining the odd artifacts set about the counter. He picked up a perfectly spherical ball of transparent crystal delicately between his thumb and forefinger, bringing it close to his face for scrutiny. He tossed it up, catching it in his other hand, and then replaced it on its stand. He reached over and strummed a dusty old mandolin, its cord ringing clearly in the silent room. The sage didn't turn, but continued to place books on the shelf.

L stepped over, and a small bell captured his attention. He picked it up gently, as he had the crystal ball, and looked at it closely. It was intricately inlaid with all kinds of exotic designs. The size of the bell, and exquisiteness of its markings indicated a level of craftsmanship that was all but unknown in this day an age. L gave the bell a gentle flick.

GONG!

It was like a church bell in a large cathedral had been sounded. The vibrations that whipped through the room were like an earthquake, almost knocking the two men down, and instantly shattering all the glass in the room. L dropped the bell, and placed his hands over his still ringing ears. The old sage looked over at him with an accusing expression. L only shrugged apologetically.

(XXX)

"Could have been that group that came through here, and nearly burned down my place!" The blind innkeeper said angrily. " I couldn't tell you what they looked like, but there were a few of 'em!"

"They almost burned the INN down?" Light repeated.

"Yeah, set fire to one of the rooms and tore-ass out of here!" The man replied bitterly.

Mikami and Takada both moved passed the counter and started up the stairs, leaving Light to question the blind innkeeper. It wasn't difficult to figure out which room the man had been talking about. There were scorch marks everywhere. Takada knelt down in the middle of the room and placed her hand on the floor.

"Well, Takada," Mikami said, without addressing her by her proper title, "Were they here?"

"The Prince was." Takada stated. "I can sense him all over this room."

"Then we're on the right track." Mikami said, turning to leave.

"There's something else." Takada added quickly.

Mikami stopped and turned back to her.

"What?" Mikami asked, his tone mingled with concern and annoyance.

"Resonance." Takada answered.

"Resonance?" Mikami repeated in confusion.

"A dark presence." Takada explained. "Something else is pursuing them aside from us. Something from the spirit world."

"I don't time for cryptic verses." Mikami snapped.

The commander of the Kagebannin whirled around and stormed out of the room. Takada sighed, then rose and left as well.

(XXX)

"I couldn't get close enough to hear what was said," Gevanni admitted, "But Yagami definitely spoke with the prisoners."

Rester sighed heavily. Halle was feeling much the same way. If Yagami was conspiring with the bandits they had captured, then he could be planning some kind of escape. They were greatly troubled by this sudden turn of events. Yagami was being too bold and reckless. It wasn't his style. Something was going on, but they were unable to decipher it. Yagami was indeed a skilled opponent, and dangerous one. Their little meeting was interrupted as Mikami came storming back out of the building, the High Summoner, and Yagami following closely behind him.

"Mount up!" Mikami commanded. "There's a harbor not far from here, and we going to reach it before sundown!"

Everyone climbed back onto their horses, and fell in line. Gevanni disappeared again, leaving Rester and Halle alone once more.

"Any ideas?" Halle asked hopefully.

Rester only shook his head.

(XXX)

When the fog had become so thick that it threatened to hinder their progress, the Kagebannin had been prepared with torches to light the way. But when undead monstrosities began to attack them from all sides, they found themselves at a loss. Severed limbs continued to grab at this shins, while decapitated heads bit at their ankles. There were hundreds of the things, bleeding out of the fog. Light was right beside the Princess's carriage when the side window slid open and Misa pocked her head out to see what all the commotion was.

"What's going–" Misa began.

Then one the creatures lounged at Light, and he quickly cut it in two at the waist. The legs wandered off, while the upper torso began to crawl towards him. Misa screamed in horror, and continued to do so until she fainted. Light pushed her unconscious head back inside the carriage and shut the window. Just as the ranks threatened to break up and disperse, Takada came riding to front. She reached into the folds of her robes and withdrew a small slip of paper, inscribed with sacred markings. She began to chant, and paper became rigid in her hand. Then she threw it down, and once it struck the ground, a giant ring of fire suddenly separated the soldiers from the undead things that were attacking them.

Within the flames could be seen the fire forms of the undead creatures still stalking towards them. Their forms soon collapsed, eaten away by the mystical flames. After a moment, the fire died away, all that remained was a dark ring were the fire had once been, and motionless, chard remains of the undead things. Mikami rode up next to the High Summoner.

"Fire kills everything, Commander." Takada said smugly.

Mikami snorted and rode forward until he came to the edges of a massive lake. Takada soon appeared next to him, and they both dismounted. Takada knelt down and place her hand in the water.

"Well?" Mikami asked.

"They went across the lake." Takada said in quiet voice, withdrawing her hand.

"Then so shall we." Mikami said, he turned to issue orders to his still recovering men.

"No!" Takada said suddenly.

"What?" Mikami asked.

"We will go around." Takada said, and Mikami didn't miss the pleading tone in her voice.

"Why?" Mikami asked angrily. "Given the size of the lake, it could take days to go around."

"This lake is dangerous." Takada said, and Mikami could have sworn that she sounded frightened. "We can't go through it."

Mikami was about to protest, but decided against it. Instead he threw up his arms and cursed loudly. Then he hopped back onto his horse, and left Takada at the lake's edge. Takada looked out fearfully across the seemingly calm waters, as if expecting something to suddenly come leaping out of them. She jumped when a voice drifted into her ears.

"What's wrong with the lake?" Light asked.

Takada hadn't heard him come up beside her, but she quickly regained herself.

"It doesn't like trespassers." Takada answered, and then she too left to regroup with the others.

Light stood there looking out at the lake for a moment. As he stared into the green water, he couldn't shake the cold feeling the welled up inside him, causing the hairs on his arms, and the back of his neck to stand on end. The High Summoner was right, there was something very dangerous about this lake, and given the creatures that had just attacked them, Light felt it best to heed her advice.

(XXX)

"My ears are still ringing." L commented, shaking his head to try and rid himself of the high-pitched pain.

"Good," The old man replied, "When it stops, maybe you'll have finally learned something."

"Yeah, that you collect the oddest things." L countered.

"I didn't collect these." The old man explained. "I inherited them. Just like the memories."

"And have either of them come in handy?" L asked.

"Knowledge is a sage's power." The old man replied. "No immortality, no magic, no physical augmentations."

He looked upon the guildsman for a moment, and smile curled his mustache.

"I think even you can appreciate that, Azure." The old man remarked.

"Only because I want to know everything." L replied, leaning back a little in his seat.

He placed his thumb to his lips and thought for a moment.

"One thing…" L said.

"Yes?" The old sage asked.

"When they get here, don't call me, Azure." L told him. "Instead, refer to me as, L"

"You want to keep that from them?" The old man asked.

"I want to protect them." L replied.

The old man nodded in understanding. Then he tilted his head, as if to hear something.

"They're here." The old sage said solemnly.

He picked up the stack of cards on the table, and began shuffling them with practiced ease in one gloved hand. L's expression darkened. When the old man was finished, he handed the stack to L, who began dealing them out.

"The game is on then." The old sage said. "The fates smile upon them."

"On all of us." L responded.

To Be Continued…

Author's Comments

I had a little trouble with the ending on this one, but not everything can be perfect, right?

I felt that it was time to explain what was going on with the others, since the last few chapters focused on the kids. The next chapter...The Labyrinth (I). You won't be disappointed.