A/N: I've changed some of the content in this chapter, along with a number of minor plot holes that I rolled my eyes at while editting. It still sounds like there are holes, but seriously, I adress them later on.
Also, there's a lot more to Kurai's family's story than there seems, and I think I'll be adressing more of that in CRIMSON. As you know Vile is a manipulative liar and generally an asshole.
Good news though, I'm completely re-writing the ending, so it's changed drastically. It'll include a few more chapters, too.
- DW
Chapter Three - Partners in Crime
A whole without a piece isn't a whole any longer.
A piece without a whole is only a part.
Apart they are little more than objects missing a part of themselves.
But together they create something special.
"Are you sure? You can take some more time off if you'd like."
"No, really, it's fine. I need to catch up with my studies." I smile sadly at my Aunt, who is standing by the door, a worried expression on her face. I need to get out of this stifling place for a while - where my relatives won't judge and pity me … or try to make me something I'm not.
"You can take the year again."
"I don't want to," I say, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder.
"… Very well." She closes the door in front of her slowly, hoping that I would change my mind, but that's not going to happen. I've made my choice. I am going to finish school, get into college and set myself up for a future.
As I walk to school, I breathe in the fresh air and reorganize my thoughts. However, I am interrupted by the lizard constantly looming over my shoulder now.
"Why are you trying to do something about what's-his-name? Why would you bother?" he asks, pupils narrowing considerably. My figment has been brooding for several days now, since I started on my project. I think he may be experiencing something called confusion.
"I saw something that not even my subconscious would produce. Someone died before their death-date. It's so incredibly perverse and defies the laws of … well … everything!" I whisper harshly.
"… You really are crazy. Are you solipsistic or just a narcissist?"
"No," I deadpan, ignoring the urge to smack him; talking under my breath is one thing, flipping out and attacking thin air is another – and don't even get me started on how it feels like to be called crazy by a hallucination.
As I approach the school I completely ignore Vile, opting to construct my presence for the day. I want to be calm and composed when I go to school. At the moment I'm still functional, even if I'm technically insane.
"Kurai!" a voice calls out to me as I step inside the grounds, and I stop myself from pinching the bridge of my nose out of habit. A girl around my age approaches; she's in my class. Long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, freckles and stormy blue eyes: this is Kakushin Lee.
"I thought I asked you not to address me by my first name," I let out a sigh, so much for calm and composed. I don't like people doing that, it's far too personal for my liking. I would have them call me by something utterly unrelated, but I don't see that happening in a public school.
"Oh, sorry!" she smiles sheepishly. She would probably see it as a sign of friendship - a nickname. That's not the impression that I want to give.
I look up and stare into her eyes. A flash of concern flashes across her face, "Wow, have you been sleeping at all? You have black circles under your eyes."
"No," I say, intending to move past her, but something catches my eye. I look above her head, and stare blankly at the space where he lifespan should be.
It's gone.
"Hey, are you okay?" Lee asks when she notices my gawking.
"I would ask you the same question." Oh no, is she going to die?
"I'm just great actually! I had a great time in America!" She talked about going to America with her family before my Father's passing. She likes to hang out around me, but I've never really counted her as my friend. I've always kept people at arm's length, but that doesn't mean that I won't be sad if she were to suddenly drop dead.
"That's not what I meant …"
"What are you saying?" she's serious for a moment, blinking rapidly and frowning.
"Never mind," I say hurriedly and continue to move past her. I don't want to hang around and let my face betray my shock.
"Wait …" she says, voice surprisingly sober. I glance over my shoulder at her. Lee's face is shadowed by her hair, and she is frowning severely. "You have Shinigami eyes, don't you?"
I manage to keep my face strait for this, but I'm subtly shaking. "What makes you say that?" How the hell did she know about those in the first place?
Am I really crazy?
"Don't lie. You and I both know what I'm talking about," she then looks up, and I see sadness in her blue eyes.
"Itsoku, Kakushin!" a voice calls out. We are interrupted by Lee's friend, Makoto Korin.
"Oh, hey Makoto!" Lee greets him cheerfully, as though nothing had ever happened. If I hadn't just heard her grave words, I wouldn't have known that they had crossed her mind. Certainly fooled me …
The gangly brown-haired teen grins goofily and proudly tells her something about his weekend. I train my eyes on the ground, and leave to head into the school building.
Alright, I must admit, I am officially surprised. Kakushin Lee is really good at stealth work. She jumped out in front of me when I was walking down the hallway, looking like she's about to burst an aneurism.
"How long have you had a Death Note?" she growls in my face.
"A few days," I shrug, not looking at her face, god, anywhere but her face.
"How long have you had Shinigami eyes?"
"Since I was nine … apparently."
"I don't understand," she says in confusion, and her voice is calmer now.
"My father," I whisper, and Lee makes a pained expression, getting what I was implying.
"I'm sorry," she mutters obtusely. "It's kind of scary, you know?"
I shake my head in reply, "I'm crazy. Maybe this is all a dream, right?"
Once again, she utterly and completely shocks me by twisting the skin on my arm tightly. "What the fuck?!" I hiss, rubbing my abused arm and shooting her a sharp glare. At her raised eyebrow I understand what she was implying: 'this isn't a dream stupid.'
"Don't you think it's odd that I'm having the same hallucinations?" she says instead, satisfied that she got her point across. I pout, not wanting to believe the implications.
"Have you tested it?" she asks me after a sparse silence.
I laugh outright, "You don't actually believe that it's real?"
"How do you explain the Shinigami then, if you're not crazy after all?"
I cannot reply.
"So, again, have you tested it?"
I don't want to admit it, but I give a small nod and avert my eyes. Her whole body almost slumps, and she gives a small sigh. "That's what I thought. How'd you do it?"
"I chose a criminal."
"Just like Kira," she chuckles, "that sounds like something you'd do."
"Just a thought but … if this is actually legit, it could help me find Kira."
"You want to find Kira?!"
"I've seen death all around me since I was young, and if this 'Death Note' is real, in an indirect way my parents were murdered by Kira. He disgusts me in a way that I can't describe. I want to see him in prison," I vaguely try to express my emotions, voice trembling towards the end.
She surprises me once again.
"Then count me in." I look up at her, and find her smiling fondly. "I may not be a genius of any kind, but I can do some things."
"Count me in too!" We both turn our heads and see Korin running down the hall towards us. Shouldn't he have gone to class?
"M-Makoto!" Lee stutters.
"How much did you hear?" I hiss at him.
"Enough to get the main idea of what you guys are up to," he smirks slightly. I scowl in reply. "Come on, don't look at me like that Itsoku."
"Yeah, we can trust Makoto," Lee pipes up.
"I bet you want to know what the official investigation is up to," Korin smirks smugly at me.
"Of course," I roll my eyes in reply.
He laughs awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck, "Well, most people don't know this, but I'm actually a decent hacker."
"Please Kurai! He won't blab! I promise," Lee begs.
My eyebrow twitches as they plead, "Fine! He can help, but you cannot let anyone else know."
"Yeah," Both Korin and Lee agree without hesitation.
I grunt in response and cross my arms over my chest, "We shouldn't talk about this here. My cousin is working after school; you guys can come to my place so that we can talk more freely." They both nod in response, and then head off to their separate classes.
"No way," Korin breathes. He and Lee are sitting on my Cousin's bed, and I'm sitting on mine. The curtains are closed and the door locked. I told my Aunt that we were studying and not to disturb us.
Korin is taking this well … which is in complete sarcasm. He obviously does not believe much of our story. Lee told us how she found her Death Note, and I proceeded to explain what it does and how it works. I then told them how I got mine, and what the general idea of the letter was. Lee is staring openly at me with … sympathy? Or maybe pity … I cannot tell.
I take a deep breath, and launch into the rest of my thoughts. I tell them about what I've witnessed, suspect and deduced. They nod at some points, and need a clearer explanation at others. They aren't stupid, at least.
But as Lee said, she isn't a genius.
Then I move on to what I want to do. I wish to find Kira firstly, and get evidence against them. With our prior knowledge to the way they kill, it will make our job much easier. That is, if it's the real deal.
In the middle of my speech, I grab the remote to the small television, and flit through the channels to find the one I want. Even as we speak, they are reporting on the criminal that I had singled out.
"That is the one I tested the notebook on," I say, slightly shocked. It takes them a few moments to understand why I changed the conversation so drastically. I am incredibly reluctant, to the point where I was in denial, but the proof is staring me right in the face right now.
"So it is real after all, not that I had any doubts," Lee admits.
Well, I am so screwed. This is the fucking real deal. Okay, so maybe I'm not crazy (well, actually, just because I'm not hallucinating it doesn't mean I'm not crazy). What the hell am I going to do now?! … Well, I guess go through with my plan. The Death Note is real, and that is what Kira uses to kill. I have an advantage right now.
"I don't know. It could be coincidence."
"No, Korin, it isn't," I lean down, trying to keep my voice calm, and pull the Death Note from under my bed. His eyes widen as I open to the first page. "I will burn this page soon, along with the letter my father sent."
"Okay, okay, I believe you now. And please, you can call me Makoto."
Frowning, I shake my head. I completely forget why I am unnerved for a second.
"Aw, why not Kurai?" Lee says in her best innocent voice.
"If we ever get close to Kira, we cannot use our real names. If we get into the habit of using each other's names, if we meet them in person it will be difficult to remember the alias."
"So what are you suggest?" Korin asks.
"Well, we start calling each other by an alias, at least when it's only the three of us."
"That makes sense," Lee smiles. "We should have letters, just like L, 'cause we're investigating the same thing."
"If you want."
"I want to be D," Korin says nearly immediately.
"Any particular reason?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, D can stand for dangerous, as well as detective, and other things."
… He's completely serious, to which both Lee and I facepalm to.
Lee then smiles affectionately. "I want to be … K." I guess that makes sense, nobody will suspect that you use the first letter of your name to address yourself. I wonder if L has thought of that.
"What about you?" Korin asks me. I glance over to the mirror and look at my own bright red eyes.
"I wish to be known as Red," I say, a smirk coming to my lips.
"Red?" Both Korin and Lee ask, or should I say K and D.
"Yes."
"Any reason behind that name?" D asks with a slight grin.
"Yeah, but I won't tell you what that is."
"This is so cool!" Lee says excitedly. If she were a dog, her tail would be wagging a mile a minute.
"Yes, now that is out of the way let me explain the rest of my plan," I say, and tell them the rest: the plan that I had formulated in the event that the Death Note was real (because, really, I have nothing else better to do in my spare time).
I want to hack into the Task Force main frame to keep up with their investigation, and if possible make contact, all the while remaining anonymous expect what we wish to be called – our aliases obviously.
Once we gather the evidence, we deliver Kira to them in a gift wrapped box (K laughed at this) – let them take credit for capturing Kira. I have no interest in becoming recognized. I don't want to be contacted afterwards. I want to get rid of Kira and move on with my life.
"I think it's a great plan," K smiles, not knowing that the plan itself is completely ridiculous and we're in high school for god's sake. I mean, really, we're delving into a world where we are just children and ignorant buffoons compared to the real veterans.
I digress.
"Yeah, I could probably help out with all the technical stuff," D adds. I nod.
"Hey, Kuru wants to meet you guys," K speaks up. I assume that is the name of her Shinigami. D seems … nervous. I guess that makes sense - he's meeting his first Shinigami after all.
K reaches into her bag, which is on the floor, and pulls out the skinny black notebook. There are some scratchy symbols on the front, written in what appears to be white ink. She hands it over to me, and as soon as I touch it, I look over her shoulder. It's a huge looming figure – much different from Vile. Behind me the Shinigami is laughing, the first noise he has made since this morning.
Kuru looks like a bear, and if you saw him from a distance he would seem like an overgrown teddy bear. Up close is another story. His fur is a light brown color, matted and scruffy. The body is stitched together from something similar to thread, only silvery and insubstantial. He's missing an ear. There are claws instead of fingers, attached to large hands without wrists. He does not seem to have feet, like some stuffed bears. It's wearing a skull mask, without a jaw, and behind that are two bright green catlike eyes, now fixated on me. It's hunching slightly. For his mouth there is a deep rip in its face.
"Hello," I greet it, and pass the Notebook to D. He looks to the place I'm gazing at. He doesn't scream, but he breathes quickly and his eyes widen to the size of dinner plates.
"Hello," Kuru replies in a deep, steady voice. It's nothing like Vile's voice. No, in fact the lizard-Shinigami's voice is higher, and filled with smugness and mockery.
Bastard.
I pass around my own Notebook, and K immediately launches into a conversation with him. She's confused at first at his name (she thinks he's calling himself something mean) but quickly realizes that it's his actually name. I place the Death Note back under my bed, just to be safe. K puts hers in her bag.
D quickly gets over the shock of seeing Shinigami, and talks to them a bit. I silently begin thinking of my shaky plan. It heavily depends on my thoughts, and D's skill as a hacker. The chances are too low to gamble on, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
I then look up, eager to ask something that's been on my mind. "Kuru, may I ask you something?"
The Shinigami's gaze focuses on me, "Go ahead."
"Why did you drop your Notebook on earth, or more specifically, how did Kakushin get it? Kind of convenient, don't you think?"
He pauses, and the others look up at him too. They are also curious. I mean, what are the odds that Kakushin gets one too?
"I am here to keep an eye on Vile, actually. I've more or less made it my duty to make sure he doesn't screw up too badly." The three of us laugh. Vile ruffles his wings and pretends to scratch a spot on his shoulder with his fangs, evidently embarrassed.
After a while, K glances at her watch and with much gusto, gasps in surprise, "I should get home. It's really late!"
"Me to," D stands up and stretches his arms.
I agree silently. My cousin should be home within the next twenty minutes, and I do not want her to catch us up here.
"I'll see you guys later," D yawns.
"Yeah, goodbye," I say to K and D.
K smiles sadly at me, "Make sure you get some sleep tonight. You look better without the panda eyes."
"Panda … eyes?" I blink in confusion. K laughs in response.
"See you later, Red," K says, and both her and D leave me alone
After a moment I begin to laugh. Oh, this is definitely going to be interesting at the very least.
"What are you going to do if you crash and burn?" Vile asks me.
I startle and whirl around to fix him a stare, "What do you mean by that?"
"You're playing a dangerous game, doing things that normal people wouldn't even consider. I want to know why."
Vile is perplexed, at a complete loss as to why I am acting this way. Normal people don't try to contact the greatest detective in the entire freaking world. Normal people don't hunt psychopathic serial killers. Normal people don't do both.
He stares at me expectantly with those beady red eyes. I smile.
"I've told you why."
"You could be killed."
I laugh, "It's a risk I'm willing to take. It's all part of the game after all."
My red eyes shine.