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Chapter Six

Decision

Watari watched as the man slowly wrote the name Kaku Machucha in the Death Note. The man was sweating profusely and his hand was slightly shaking, although he didn't back down, finishing all the Japanese characters, now written in bad penmanship on the neat, fresh page.

The old man frowned, finding that he couldn't blame the poor guy. It was under L's orders that he was to tell him the real purpose for writing in that notebook. He knew that dying wouldn't lead him to heaven or to hell. Fortunately, the Shinigami Ryuk decided to stay with L. If he had come as well, the man might even have had a nervous breakdown.

"Sir," the prisoner said shakily, "P-please... You can take this now and leave me. I c-can't bear to-"

"Yes, of course," Watari quickly cut off, grabbing the Death Note from the prisoner's hands and leaving the cellar. The jailkeeper locked the door behind them and led him back to the main hall.

The old man's thoughts didn't cease. He sighed. In a few seconds, someone was going to come rushing to the jailkeeper, panicking that a prisoner on death row, Kaku Machucha, had died.

The Death Note.

Light Yagami.

Kira.

But this time- L, making sacrifices to solve the Kira case.

It wasn't that Near didn't trust him. It was just the sure fact that everything was going to be faster without the unnecessary arguments and disagreements that could be brought up between them.

Mello was in his room, sleeping, and was quite oblivious to the plans of his companion. All he knew was that they were working on helping L with the Kira case but were currently not doing anything much. However, Near was actually doing quite a lot.

He had already notified the police of his presence and that he could be trusted. The problem was that Higuchi. There was a possibility that he might not be in the correct place at the correct time. Things would go terribly wrong and the police might end up signing Near off as some sort of wannabe-L if that happened.

Near piled more and more dice, one on top of the other, and was slowly making an L-shape on the floor. He carefully arranged the dice and made sure that none would fall as he added more and more. Beyond his calm demeanor was actually a mind full of incessantly whirring thoughts.

He had a certain feeling that he would need Mello's help soon. However, if he refused to cooperate, everything would be messed up and then there would be obvious consequences. It was risky but necessary for Near to plan things on his own.

The dice were all used up and there was now an elaborate L on the floor- in Cloister Black font. Near sighed.

He was also awaiting Wedy's response. She had said yesterday that she'd call if ever she would make up her mind about helping. The possibility that she wouldn't help, though, was because she was always faithful to L. She might have already started thinking that Near was a threat and that by assisting him, she'd end up doing something wrong. The fact that Higuchi was highly unlikeable and that he could be Kira could have motivated her, though.

Near desperately needed her assistance. Wedy could install surveillance cameras and bugs in Higuchi's apartment and car, and even in the Yotsuba Company building. She just had to reply soon.

He stood up and walked over to the computer desk, where there was a plate of chocolate chip cookies beside his cellphone. He grabbed one and ate it, tasting the mellifluous, sweet, chocolatey substance.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

He answered. "This is-"

"I know you are not L, and if you dare give me another letter of the alphabet, I'm putting down the phone," said a female voice.

Near was slightly amused. "Wedy. You may identify me with any other name if you must, but I am not revealing my identity. Have you made your decision?"

"Yeah. I'm going to help. However, there are three terms that you must agree to before I start," Wedy replied nonchalantly, "First, I'm going to tell the real L about this as soon as I'm done. Second, you have to pay the discussed fee in either dollars or euros. I don't do pounds. Or yen. And because I don't want to go through all that money changer crap. Third, if it turns out that Higuchi is not Kira, then there's an additional thousand dollars to the money. That's all."

"All of the terms are plausible. I agree. Contact me as soon as you're done with your task," the thirteen-year old albino answered.

Wedy scoffed. "Yeah, sure thing, darling. Goodbye."

Near ended the call and smiled, twirling his hair. Everything was going well- very well, even. Now all he needed to do was choose a good date for the plan to take place, tell Mello all about it, and inform the Japanese police of what they had to do.

He told himself softly, "Kira will be brought to justice... And justice will prevail."

Light Yagami was not a fool. He was not stupid; he was not gullible. He knew that L was keeping a secret from the rest of the task force, and he knew that he was the only one who had noticed. Not that he was worried or afraid or anything, but he had a bad feeling about this.

Sometimes, Light would admit to himself that he held a deep respect for L.

That he didn't care whether the damn detective suspected him or not.

But nothing stopped him from being suspicious. There was a possibility that L would try to arrest him again if ever he could actually get evidence. There could have been a high chance of him taking evidence from a certain source to prove his guilt. However, it wasn't possible. Not possible at all.

"Is something bothering you, Light?" came the gentle voice, with a certain air of sharpness.

The brown-haired, nineteen-year old man had his face in his hands, and looked up. L was currently looking at him with an unreadable expression in between concern and suspicion. There was an awkward pause as Light tried to think of a good reply.

"Nothing, I... I guess I'm just hungry," he mumbled faintly.

L just continued staring at him like an x-ray machine, his dark eyes scanning him curiously. Light felt annoyance surge through him, but kept his face blank. He decided that he hated L's perceptive, manipulative, and calculating eyes. He simply stared back with equal hardness, unblinking. L didn't back down.

A staring contest had started.

"I see," L finally said, after a few moments of silence, still staring, "Watari makes excellent cakes. I can call him to bring us something. What flavor?"

Light smiled halfheartedly. "Sure, cake would do fine. As for the flavor, well, you can choose that."

L stared even harder.

"Strawberry cheesecake would do, then."

"Okay."

L raised his left hand from his knee and pressed the call button, not even removing his gaze from Light.

Light's stare slowly and unintentionally turned into a glare.

L just continued staring unblinkingly.

Light glared sharply at his black-haired companion, ignoring the slight pain in his eyes.

L calmly stared back, head slightly tilted to the side like a curious child.

Light frowned, trying his best to keep his eyes open.

L smirked.

Light scowled, trying not to hit the man sitting across him.

L's smirk turned into an amused smile.

Light blinked, eyes slightly watering.

L grinned idly. "Three minutes, Light-kun. No one has ever been able to hold out for that long with me. We should do that again sometime."

"I'll try not to let you win again."

Light frowned miserably to himself, realizing that his actions were childish and extremely competitive- traits that Kira obviously had as well. He turned away from the detective beside him and focused on the cake that had just arrived.

L put his thumb in his mouth, wondering what Light was thinking as he grabbed his fork.

Shopping was very tiring. Ten bags and hundreds of new clothes and accessories later, Misa Amane had realized this. She shopped two to three times a week so that she'd avoid wearing the same clothes all over again, and be able to start new trends. She loved the feel of wearing something new and feeling really beautiful and confident because of it.

However, she wasn't feeling so good today.

Misa hadn't seen Light Yagami for over a week due to her business at work and his insistence that they were both to focus on their own occupations, and she actually followed. She actually followed. It had hurt, of course, but she knew that Light would never want to keep her away like that. She knew that, deep inside, Light Yagami really loved her.

Misa decided to herself that she would visit Light next week, since this week seemed to be pretty busy. There was going to be a shooting for the television show where she was invited to appear on.

She entered her car and ordered the driver to bring her home at once. She'd have to prepare the best clothes to wear for the following week, so Light would know that she was forever pretty whatever happened.

As soon as she got home, she brought out her pink, heart-charmed cellphone and sent a text to Light, clearly stating that she was going to visit the next week no matter what he said.

Light sent back a text saying that whatever happened, he was definitely not going to treat her like a pampered princess.

Misa replied that he was already making her feel like a pampered princess just by loving her.

Light answered that he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

Misa texted back that she knew he loved her deep inside.

Light gave no reply.

And Misa Amane went to bed.

"That staring contest you had with Yagami a while ago was really childish and pathetic," Ryuk sneered at L, amused.

L frowned, and then countered cunningly. "It is none of your business if I am childish and pathetic. Besides, he was the one who started it."

"Tch. Anyway, what's up?"

"If you're referring to why I left the task force again," L said tonelessly, continuing his steady walk towards Watari's room and ignoring Ryuk floating along beside him, "It's because I've confirmed that the Death Note does indeed work and that it isn't a fake."

Ryuk scoffed. "Thanks to your poor slave, as always. Besides, aren't I proof enough that the Death Note is real?"

"For the last time, Watari is not my slave. And as far as the Note is concerned, being certain is what I always aim for.

"Okay, sure thing," the Shinigami replied sarcastically.

They had reached Watari's room a few seconds after Ryuk's sarcastic statement. L knocked softly on the door with a certain air of sharpness, and the old man instantly opened it. They walked inside.

Ryuk was puzzled. "How did he know it was you?"

"Morse code," was L's simple answer.

Watari brought out the Death Note from the same drawer under the computer desk, holding it gravely as if it held a curse. "It worked. Kaku Machucha died."

"Well, of course he did!" Ryuk said nonchalantly.

The two human occupants in the room ignored the death god's comment and continued looking closely at the newly-added, few hours-old name written by a prisoner in a prison cell. Nobody spoke.

"Staring at the notebook won't help you," Ryuk laughed, rolling his eyes.

L ignored him once again. Watari decided to answer the creature for once. "Just a tiny look at it wouldn't hurt."

"Uh-huh," Ryuk replied boredly.

Everything went well. The Death Note which Light Yagami had used to kill most of his victims was in the same room as L. His death god was also in the same room as L. With all these, L finally had a more-than-fifty-percent-chance to bring Kira to justice.

"Watari."

"Yes, Ryuzaki?"

L put the Death Note down on the table and his thumb went straight into his mouth as he silently contemplated. His deep, dark eyes were focused entirely on Ryuk. "We can now apprehend Light Yagami and arrest him for being Kira. The moment he touches the notebook, all his memories will come back, catching him by surprise. Then-"

Ryuk scowled, interrupting rudely, "Brilliant plan, weirdo. But how do you know he doesn't have a back-up plan?"

"I don't know if he has a back-up plan and unfortunately, I'm quite sure that you have no intention of telling me if he does whatsoever," L confirmed, frowning, "But the evidence I've gathered right here, right now is very important and thus, cannot be abandoned just because Kira might have a back-up plan. If he does, then we'll just have to figure that out when the time comes."

Watari nodded. "Well said, Ryuzaki."

Ryuk grabbed an apple from the basket on the desk and gobbled it down instantly. He gave up trying to bring down L's good mood and scare Watari out of his wits. He was hungry. However, he knew that Light was now officially on the losing side of the battle between L and Kira. Things didn't go exactly as planned.

For that, L couldn't help but smile. "Kira will be brought to justice... and justice will prevail.

Okay, screw me. I made Near and L say the same thing. And I made L and Light have a staring contest. I enjoyed too much. So there.

Anyway, there will be more Ryuk in the next chapter. And a few surprise characters who you definitely won't be expecting. And, unfortunately, more Misa. I suck at writing her, if you haven't noticed. Stay tuned for the next update; I guarantee that it will be more thrilling, serious, and action-packed, since L's plan shall be taking place. Review as well, please. :)