15th October 2007:
Matsuda was dead.
"It's been about a week since I first snuck into the place. It looks like things have been moving pretty smoothly since then, huh?"
Well.. not dead dead, just dead.
As his words suggest, it had been a week since Matsuda, to prove his own worth and importance in the task force, had decided to stealthily infiltrate the Yotsuba Company building and ended up faking his own death after acting like a drunk. It was quite hilarious actually. Despite the eminent reality that Matsuda's life was in danger, the whole situation was rather funny, even L couldn't deny that.
Though other than the fact that Misa was now perfectly placed in the Yotsuba Company, if her spy services were ever required, hardly any good had come from Matsuda's extremely risky stunt.
A lot more had also happened in the past two months that your author conveniently left out because there was nothing new to add to it and she hopes you know what had taken place, but just to recap - Misa Amane was now an actress starring in Nishinaka's new movie, the Kira killings were slowly proving to be beneficial for the Yotsuba Company as their stocks raised, Mr. Yagami, Mogi, and Matsuda quit the NPA while Aizawa quit the task force, Aiber and Wedy joined the task force, and Matsuda almost died.
And now, L and his edited task force were seated in front of a huge screen that live-telecasted the empty conference room of the Yotsuba Group, not watching the screen itself, but rather the growing tension between the two handcuffed members in front of them.
"At this rate, if I end up dying somehow, it's quite possible that you would be capable of succeeding me."
The simple sentence was apparently enough to rile Light up. And why wouldn't it be? L had been acting suspiciously low for the past few days, and that was saying something since he had never really been a ball of energy.
"What?! Why are you being so morbid?" He almost exclaimed with disbelief, "There isn't time for that. We only have a month to figure out Kira's identity and gather evidence against him to prove it. This is only the beginning."
"Yes.." L spoke not reluctantly, but rather carefully, as though he was trying to achieve something or prevent something with the correct use of his words, "But you were the one who first noticed the connection between Yotsuba and Kira. You actually might be more capable that I am. I honestly believe you could take this on," Light could only gasp in not just disbelief but also doubt as L continued, "Tell me, if I should die, would you take over for me as L?"
In a room not very far away, yet invisible to those around her, Kiyo couldn't help but wonder - Why was Ryuzaki like this?
His distrustful and suspicious nature had not very long ago driven away a hardworking member of the already tiny taskforce, Aizawa, and despite that here he was, trying to test the character of yet another colleague of his.
L couldn't be blamed, of course. It was after all his job to be cynical and cautious of every damn person and situation he faced, and that had now become a part of him. However, every distrustful person had that particular someone they would trust with their eyes closed, and while that confidant had once been Watari, it was now Kiyo.
L had yet to realize that the person he once suspected enough to have her house covered in cameras and wiretaps, now sat in the seat that controlled every bit of information that was handed over to him and every bit of information that was passed on from him. Sitting in Watari's chair was like sitting in the chair of the ruler of the world, like being in control of the world.
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.
Before anyone could push themselves between the fight, Kiyo's voice boomed through the building, "The both of you will separate at once! If I see you fighting by the time I reach there, I swear to god I will kill you both before Kira does!"
If the two fighting men hadn't jerked away from each other because of the sudden loud voice, they definitely separated upon hearing the words it spoke. It stayed silent for a moment, as Light and L stole quick shameful glances at each other, not being able to look one another in the eye.
Their heartbeats sped up as they heard the distant clicking of Kiyo's stilettos on the marble floor, just as a child's would when he would hear his mother's footsteps while standing on a chair to steal cookies from the highest shelf.
And when she finally came into view, a stern expression on her face and her hands, balled into fists, stuffed in the pockets of her baby pink chiffon flared pants, Light and L could practically see the air of reprimand she had walked in with.
"This is the second time this has happened, is it not?" She questioned, her voice eerily calm, as her feet came to a halt right in front of them, "Didn't you promise me, L, that this would never ever happen again?"
It was so damn wrong that all Light could think of in that moment was how much Kiyo was beginning to behave like she was L's girlfriend. It was so wrong that all he could notice was how she cared enough to scold him, cared enough to make him promise such things, and cared enough to feel hurt when he broke them.
"I did.." L almost pouted. It was stunning, to say the least, for everyone to see just how quickly the best detective in the world could transform into this innocent little child.
"But it still happened," The disappointment in her voice made L's heart hurt, "It happened even when you promised it won't."
Was she upset because they had fought? Was she upset because he had punched her beloved L? Or was she upset because her beloved l had broken her trust? Light couldn't understand, because it was beginning to seem like she couldn't care less about the fact that he had been kicked in the face.. it was beginning to seem like she only cared about L.
Kiyo walked forward.. or rather marched forward, pulling out her right hand from her pocket and slapping it against the table, a peculiar metallic cling sounding along with the smack of her skin. Lifting her palm, she revealed something no one expected - a key - and while it took the others a moment, L had immediately recognized what it was.
His eyes snapped back to look at Kiyo right in the eyes, "You know I can't do that," He negotiated.
"Don't even try that with me L, you're both going to only end up frustrated if you continue to stay like this. You are one frustrating person to be handcuffed to for so long."
L opened his mouth to speak once more, but Kiyo wasn't going to listen, "L, I'm sitting in the control room all day. It's my job to keep watch on everyone. You know there isn't a single spot in this whole building that the CCTVs don't cover. There isn't any need for Light to be handcuffed to you like this."
"But I-"
"There are infrared cameras to keep watch on Misa and Light even in the dark, you've said so yourself. And even if I happen to be somewhere else and was not able to, even for a minute, watch them, it's not like the footage is going anywhere. You can watch the recordings anytime, how many ever times you want to. But please stop this nonsense at once, this isn't helping anyone."
L skeptically eyed the key for a moment, his mind presenting him with the imagery of finally being free from the constant scratching of the metal cuff against the soft and rather sensitive skin of his wrist. It would be much more comfortable, his mind told him, it would be much more simpler. Maybe he didn't have to do things the difficult way every time. Maybe he could choose the easy way out.
"I know what you're thinking, L, and I know how important this is for you, and I know it is difficult to trust someone else to do a job as meticulous as you know you would do, but please, trust me."
Maybe he could trust someone who wasn't himself for once.
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Well.. I have nothing to say except I'm really very very sorry and I'm really very very grateful.
I'm so sorry for not being regular and just disappearing all of a sudden. I had, and am going to have, some really important exams that my future apparently depends on, so even though I'm trying really hard, it's incredibly difficult for me to be able to think about anything other than my studies and said exams.
I'm so grateful for all the support everyone shows, I've said this multiple times before but I simply cannot say it enough, I love you guys to the furthest parallel universe and back! I love and enjoy writing more than anything, and all of your views, votes, and comments just make the process a whole lot more rewarding and satisfying, and I just can't thank you enough for that.
We're on 15.7, going to 16k, and I'm so proud of me and I'm so proud of us! I hope my exams quickly get over so that I can start regularly writing and uploading once more!