The Puppeteer

Cuffs Uncuffed

And our dear protagonist knew exactly how to use that to her advantage. 

"What're you talking about? As long as we're joined by these, we would die together anyway.." Light's tone had now subtly yet noticeably changed, from being filled with incredulity to now apprehension, as he arrived at a definite conclusion from L's weird behavior, "I see," He almost scoffed, "Ryuzaki, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to tell everyone what you're really thinking right now.

He thinks that if I am Kira then there are two possibilities - either I am just pretending I am not him and putting on an act or Kira's power has passed on from me to someone else and I have no memory that I was ever Kira in the first place. He's trying to determine which, if either, is the truth.

The first theory - If I am putting on an act, he will never remove these handcuffs. No, even if I wasn't pretending to be innocent, I'm sure he still wouldn't take them off. Ryuzaki still believes that I am Kira, even if that power had been passed to someone else, he thinks that I would have planned to have it return to me once I am safe from suspicion. 

In other words, I wasn't being controlled at all. He thinks it was a plan to pass on the power and arrange for it to come back to me once I'd been cleared. Ryuzaki's theory is that once I steal L's title, I will become Kira again."

"Correct."

"Taking on the identity of L, having the power to control the police in every country while being Kira in secret.. It's ideal. And you're thinking I could do it.. no.. that I would do it. That's what you're saying, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"But what about now?! I told you, I don't want your title! That should prove, even to you, that I'm not putting on an act, shouldn't it?"

"If this is all an act and you are trying to steal my identity, there's no chance you'd be foolish enough to reveal your plan in front of everyone. Wouldn't you agree?"

As the moment that would definitively decide the future of the world inched closer, so did Kiyo's hands towards the switch that allowed her voice to be heard by the task force. 

It was an almost insignificant moment, the second fight between L and Light, and it held little to no meaning in the eventual outcome of the Kira case, per say. However, if that moment could be influenced, if it could be changed, its significance would become immeasurable.

Light turned L around in his seat to look at him right in the eye, his sincerity and honesty practically glowing from them. With every prideful word he spoke, it seemed as though he was pleading, begging for the trust that L simply refused to give to him.

"Ryuzaki, do you think that I am actually capable of becoming a murderer? Kira? Even after I help you catch him? Do I seem like that kind of person to you?"

But begging and groveling for something that L was so stingy with was pointless. L's trust may as well have been the only thing in the world that you could neither buy nor earn, irrespective of the efforts you put in. It could only be waited for, with patience and endurance, and it was only and only up to L to decide whether or not you were worthy enough to receive it.

"Yes, you do. I've always thought so."

The punch that struck L and the kick that struck Light, both were moves that could be seen coming from a mile away if you looked carefully enough. 

Everything had been the same up until now, leading to the same things even though the process had changed. Now, however, it was time for the story to begin straying from its path. It was time for the world that they all existed in to deviate from its original reality. It was finally time.