August 23, 2001
5 years, 3 months, 0 days prior to Incident
"Find a large statue of a snail around the Umeda Sky Building. It'll be somewhere at the base of the East Tower. There are other similar statues spread throughout the major cities, but I only know where the one in Osaka is. You'll notice that most people don't approach it. I never figured out how, but the statue repels anyone who doesn't already know about it."
L stood in front of a cartoonish looking snail made of stone. It was almost as tall as him, had he not been slouching, and very noticeable. L looked around, but no one else seemed to give it, or him, a second glance.
Peculiar.
"Next, you'll want to walk straight into the outer side of the snail's shell. You'll find a small room on the other side."
Both he and Quillsh had been skeptical at this.
"It's true! No-no-no-please, keep that thing away from me, I swear it's true, it's completely true!"
L pressed his foot against the solid looking shell. It went right through. A hologram, perhaps?
So he was telling the truth.
The detective looked around, but no one paid any attention to him.
He extended his entire leg past the stone facade and jiggled it around. Nothing happened.
64% sure that nothing that would try to attack him was hiding inside, he dropped his leg and stuck in his head instead, eyes widening when he realised the space that met his eyes was entirely disproportionate to the size of the statue. He brought his head back out and waved his hands directly above the snail, meeting only air.
What in the world?
He went around the statue in a tight circle. Air.
How is this possible?
It seemed the Shi no Kage was just one mystery after another. L's lips quirked up in a tiny smile, incredibly excited at the prospect of finally solving the maddening puzzles. He walked into the shell.
The room he had entered was at least two feet taller than the statue outside, and considerably wider. If he was so inclined, L could stretch out his arms to either side and only barely touch the walls.
"There will be a chair and a ledge with a clean scroll opened on it. Beside the scroll will be a black pen. Just write on the scroll with that pen to communicate with the Shi no Kage."
L picked up the scroll with both index fingers and thumbs and inspected it. It seemed like normal paper, if perhaps in a unconventional form. He tilted his head to the side and looked under it. Normal paper, though it had a strange sort of design on the back, consisting of seemingly meaningless squiggles. He put the scroll down and picked up the fountain pen.
"Normal pens don't work. It has to be that one."
There was nothing particularly special about the pen except for a small, swirly leaf shaped insignia on the back tip.
Settling himself on the seat, L took the pen and made a line on the paper. His eyes widened when the ink slowly disappeared.
What - ?
A moment later, writing appeared on the paper.
Who is this?
Dropping the pen, L sat and stared at it for a moment, his mind racing with possible explanations. The writing disappeared and new words took its place.
Having second thoughts?
L blinked. Taking up the pen again, he carefully wrote, 'Hello, my name is Hiroma Satoshi.'
The ink faded away and was replaced with a message.
Hello Hiroma-san. What can I do for you?
A polite mercenary. Unsurprising, as social acumen often accompanies intelligence, and the Shi no Kage is clearly intelligent to have eluded me thus far.
'Kage-sama, I am a small-time member of a yakuza group based in Osaka. I need you to kill my boss, a man named Yamamoto Kousuke. He's taken my wife against her will, and the police refuse to do anything - I'm certain he's bribed them into turning a blind eye. I can't speak out for fear that he will send men to kill me. I'm willing to pay 600,000 yen.'
There was a pause. The Shi no Kage was apparently deciding whether or not to take this job. L knew he would, since the story he'd concocted matched all of the killer's preferences.
Do you want me to bring your wife back to you?
To not seem suspicious, L wrote a 'yes'.
I'll take the job.
Of course.
When and where do you want me to get rid of him?
L gave him the location and date of the trap, and wondered at the simplicity of the transaction.
Are you able to give me half up front?
L glanced down at the suitcase chained to his wrist. He'd been prepared to give the full price upfront, since the wakagashira had fallen into a coma before he could specify.
'Yes,' L wrote. 'But how do I get it to you?'
Just stack the money on top of the scroll. I'll take care of the rest.
It's likely that the Kage will come to collect it later, L thought, as he placed the cash on the paper. Perhaps we can catch him then. The very thought of such an simple capture made the detective feel rather disappointed.
It was no such thing.
To L's astonishment, the money disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He narrowed his eyes and began to furiously work his thumbnail between his teeth.
Some sort of teleportation device? Impossible. I would know about something like this. At the very least, Quillsh would have invented it before anyone else. And magic doesn't exist. Does it? No, there must be a logical explanation for all of these occurrences.
Come back 2 days after the job is finished and you can transfer the rest of the money to me.
'Yes.'
Mission complete but more puzzled than before, L picked up the scroll and pen and stored them in the suitcase. He would have Quillsh analyze it.
World's Greatest Detective L - age 18, formal education unknown
AN
Writing L is tiring, since he thinks so damn much and is so suspicious of everything. After the clash with L is finished, I'm going to write more interactions between Sakura and Light.
BB next chapter!