Chakra Wizard
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This one took a while to get right, but I think it all worked out. Enjoy, and thanks to everyone that reads these
"It wasn’t…Kira, was it? …Oh, thank God. …Well, I hope he gets better soon. We need people like him in times like this. …Alright, let me know when he makes it out okay. …You too."
I ended the call and turned to Shahim, who had already asked once about the conversation.
"Light’s father had a heart attack yesterday."
"Oooh. Well, judging from the rest of your little talk, he’s still alive, so it was just a normal heart attack."
"…Yes. At this point in the game, Light wouldn’t dare stoop that low. Even if he would have, despite the overall inhumanity in killing one’s own father, Light would still be the first person to be suspected, since he’s the only one who knows that his father is working to catch Kira."
"…Only one?"
I caught on to this immediately, letting a smirk develop on my face to acknowledge the stupidity of that statement.
"Well, one of two, I should say. I only know it because it’s obvious, Shahim. Soichiro Yagami is a Japanese police chief and a model for true justice, so he’s bound to be one of those going after Kira. …I can only imagine the look of horror and depression on his face, …if he ever found out who Light really was."
The next ten days passed by rather quickly with no major happenings from either Kira or L. I recall the next date on which one occurred being a Saturday, so I spent its entirety locked up in my home. I had turned the television on as I soon woke up, so not to miss any criminal deaths or special occurrences that might’ve been carried out that day, …which would prove a rather wise move on my part.
It was approximately 5:58 p.m., as I clearly recall. I was in the kitchen, grabbing a small bag of barbeque-flavored potato chips, when Shahim called me out into the sitting room.
"Hey, Uric! Come take a look at this!"
Rushing out of the kitchen and leaping over the sofa, I got myself situated in my favorite sitting position before turning down my music and increasing the volume of the television. The moment the word “KIRA” emerged on the blank screen, a sharp pain emerged in my gut.
"…So, …it seems I was right yet again. …This is becoming almost frightening."
“…Mm hm. I am Kira. If this video is being aired on April 18th, at exactly 5:59 p.m. as I requested, then the time now is 5:59:47…48…49…. Please change the channel to Taiyou TV. The news anchor Mr. Kazuhico Hibima will die of a heart attack at exactly six o’ clock.”
Reaching for the remote, I quickly changed over to the designated channel, turning it off once I caught sight of the aforementioned reporter, sitting dead in his chair.
"Hmm, it seems Light’s actions are becoming more aggressive."
"…Yeah, …if he were Light, that is."
"Hm?"
"Setting the morbid irony aside, Light would never kill an innocent person, unless of course, they were one of the detectives attempting to catch him. Also, at this point, even if he were to take every necessary precaution, he still wouldn’t attempt to pull a stunt like this. …It would be too out of character."
"So, what are you implying? Who else could’ve done this?"
I smiled at this question, taking note of its obvious answer.
"Who else, indeed, Shahim? …There’s really only one other option. …There’s a third Shinigami in the human world…and the person who picked up his Death Note supports Kira."
"Ooooh. Well, that should make for a surprising turn of events. …So, who do you think it is?"
I could only shake my head in disbelief that Shahim would ask such a question, but I answered him in as polite a manner as I possibly could.
"At this point, nobody could even attempt to guess the answer to that question, Shahim. Right now, I suppose it’s more important to ask…who will find him first. Will it be Light…or L? …And another lingering question to solicit is whether or not they’ll find this second Kira…before he finds Light."
"Huh? Why would that be a concern?"
"At this point, this new Kira’s best strategy would be to wait it out until Light finds him. …He isn’t unintelligent, but he’s certainly nowhere near Light’s own level of genius. If he goes around trying to follow his own agenda, he’s bound to slip up at some point. …The moment the world finds out about the Death Note, that will be Light’s undoing, …and maybe even my own."
"Hmm, so this third Death Note will probably end up working against your plans, right?"
"…Not necessarily. Currently, my opinion on this second Kira is not exactly the most flattering, but…he may end up surprising us. For now, though, I’ll leave it up to Light and L to expose him."
Grabbing a chip out of the bag and tossing it into my mouth, I stood up from the sofa and headed upstairs.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"…To readjust the playing field. …At this point, I don’t find this new Kira reliable enough to label him a new queen, …but a knight should make for a perfect representation for now."
Four days later, I made the walk home from To-Oh University when a rather peculiar message began playing throughout the city.
“I can only say it’s a shame that the answer is no. It’s clear that the police wish to oppose me. This will not go unpunished. So, I’ll start by taking the life of either the Director General of the NPA…or the detective known as L, who is currently leading the investigation against me. …The Director General…or L? Who will pay the price for your refusal to cooperate in the creation of a peaceful world? …You have four days to decide.”
As the screens across the city went blank once again, a feeling of regret began flowing through my mind. …I probably should’ve watched the rest of the previous night’s broadcast, …though that’s not to say that this video didn’t give more than enough information to piece the puzzle together on my own.
"…Well, that’s rather intriguing."
"Hm? What is?"
"…From the sound of things, …this new Kira made the eye deal that you mentioned before. …Either that, or he’s already found L’s name and only needs his face now."
"…What makes you say that?"
"The director’s identity wouldn’t be too difficult to find out in this day and age, but L is an entirely different story. It all boils down to the public’s decision…and, if they choose for L to die instead, he would be forced to appear on television and reveal his face. But, considering he didn’t ask for his name, as well, we can assume that he already knows it…or has methods of obtaining it, …in this case, the Shinigami eyes. …I wonder how the queens will react accordingly, knowing that little piece of information."
"Hehehe, it should be rather fun to watch."
"…Yeah. It should."
With such a small chance of the second Kira being revealed so soon after his message was broadcasted, I remained dormant for the next month, leaving my house only for classes on weekdays and occasional trips to the nearby food market. Honestly, though, it couldn’t have been at a more coincidental time, …as soon afterwards, Hideki Ryuga was nowhere to be found.
"I guess he’s too busy trying to catch Kira, huh?"
"…That would certainly appear to be the case, Shahim."
"Hmm, …Light is rarely seen around here, too. The only class that we share is our first one…and after that, I usually chat with him at least once while we’re both at school, but now…"
"…Shahim, I reckon it’s safe to say that Light has become involved with the Task Force, as well."
"Hmm, …heh he, sounds about right to me. It’s a shame you don’t have access to police information like Light does, then you’d be able to know exactly how far along they’re getting on the Kira case."
"…A shame? Hmph, more like a blessing."
"Huh?"
"C’mon, Shahim. One of the primary reasons that Light is suspected is because he had that access and he abused it. …The last thing I need right now is to become too involved. I’ve already told Hideki that I know he’s L, which was an even greater risk than that, so I don’t need to increase his suspicions. I thought you would’ve found that as obvious as I have."
"Oh, …right. That’s probably true."
"This boy had better learn his place soon. I’m a Shinigami, yet he speaks to me as if I was a lesser being than he is. …Hrrrmm, those years floating over his head get more tempting every day."
The day was May 27, 2006. …That was the day that my boredom suddenly reached its breaking point. I had no other choice, …but to reaffirm my status as a spectator in this game. It was about six o’clock at night, so Light was probably making his way home by now. Standing up off my bed, I grabbed my usual supplies and headed outside. Light’s home was only about a mile away.
"Going out at this time of night, Uric? Hehe, rather out of character, don’t you think?"
"…Remember that video that was broadcasted two days ago?"
"…Oh, the one from the second Kira?"
"Yes. It said that he found Kira, so there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ve met by now. …The odds of them meeting tonight of all nights are about ten percent at the most, but…I need to find out who he is. …Hopefully, I’ll be able to sleep tonight, then."
"Hm? Getting anxious, are we? Hehehe."
"…You have no idea."
After about fifteen minutes of walking, I finally reached the block where the Yagami household resided. I looked for a spot to hide in wait for Light…when I noticed a shadow emerging from beneath a street light. I quickly hid in the shadows behind the trash bin of a nearby home.
"Damn it. I should’ve expected this."
"Hehe, that must’ve caught you off guard, huh?"
"…Obviously. It seems L is too suspicious of Light to leave him alone for a minute. I can only pray to God that his spy didn’t see me."
My hood was up, so he wouldn’t have seen my face, but I had to take every precaution. Pulling out the Death Note, should I be forced to do something drastic, I peeked out from behind the bin and saw that he was still in his previous position. Light hasn’t shown up yet, so he would have no reason not to investigate had he now been aware of my presence. I formed the Sign of the Cross over my chest.
"…Still looking out for me, huh?"
At this point, there were now two people waiting for Light to return home, which we weren’t forced to wait more than eight minutes for. He seemed to be in his casual state of mind, not even hinting at the possibility of him being watched, …when I got the confirmation I was waiting for.
"Light!"
Almost out of nowhere, a young woman with blond pigtails appeared and jumped on top of Light, sending him crashing to the ground, …which was a rather humorous sight, if I do say so.
"I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t wait for two weeks like you said! Actually, I was just on my way to your house when I spotted you! …I-I just wanted to see you so badly."
It took me a moment to recognize her, but the moment I did, I was forced to retreat to the next block before I burst out laughing. As per usual, Shahim was compelled to question my actions.
"What’s going on with you? …It wasn’t that funny, was it?"
I had to catch my breath before I could answer him.
"…No, …it wasn’t. But, the fact that I know exactly who that woman is rather…intriguing."
"Oh? And who is she?"
"…Her name’s Misa Amane. …She’s a famous model and actress."
"Aaaah. …Hehehehehe, well, I suppose that’s bound to cause trouble, isn’t it?"
"Yeah. …That…"
I looked back in the direction of Light’s home before continuing, despite the fact that it was no longer within my line of sight.
"…and the fact that she’s apparently inevitably stupid. But, …from the look of things, they’re now posing as boyfriend and girlfriend."
"And how’s that?"
"From the sound of things, Light wants them seen together as little as possible, but she doesn’t seem to share his own caution, so she’s obviously in love with him. …She’s probably loyal to him, as well, so Light’s bound to use that to his advantage. …He might even use her to get rid of L, …since she has the eyes."
"Hmm, that certainly seems plausible."
"Yeah, it does. …Well, I suppose that urge of mine has been satisfied, …but now, I have another one."
"…Oh, please tell me it has something to do with cookies!"
"Hmhmhm, you read my mind, Shahim."
The next day would begin as any other did, though it would end later on as one of the most crucial points in the game. After nearly four months of absence from the university, I caught sight of a familiar face on the campus grounds, casually reading from a book as he sat on a wooden bench beneath a tree, …in his usual odd position, of course. It took him a second to notice me, as well, but he eventually came to.
"Hmm? Oh, Uric. It’s a pleasure seeing you again."
"…Yeah. Same here, …Hideki."
I sat down beside him, taking a moment to adjust my own sitting as I thought about what I might say to him.
"Heh he, well, this is a pleasant surprise. I’m betting you didn’t expect this."
"…Shut up, Shahim."
"…It’s certainly been a while since you were last seen around here."
"Hm, yes it has. …I’ve had work to do."
I looked around to ensure that it was safe for us to hold this conversation.
"I would expect that Kira would become a major headache after six months."
"…Yes. He’s becoming more elusive with every step I take, yet…I feel as if I’m getting closer to discovering who he really is."
"…Is that why you’re out in public again?"
He looked at me as if I already had the answer, giving him no reason to explain himself. …In truth, he was right.
"You feel as if Light, …given the premise that he was indeed Kira, has made a huge step in his plot to remove you and you’re here to throw him off, right?"
"…I never said that I suspected him of being Kira, but aside from that, …he’s one of only two people outside the Task Force that knows I’m L, the other being you. I highly doubt that you’re Kira, or more so I’m afraid to believe it, so if anything happens to me, the members of the Task Force have already been instructed to suspect Light. …So yes, I suppose you’re correct."
"…I see. …And why would you be afraid to suspect me as Kira?"
He hesitated to answer for a moment, causing me to fear the possibility that I had crossed the line in our conversation.
"…Or would you prefer to keep that confidential?"
"…To be honest, …I’m not entirely sure what to think, in regards to you. There’s something about you that…makes me feel that, if you were truly Kira, …in the end, I would lose."
"…Huh."
"That was rather well-worded. I suppose this is a good thing, …but I’m not gonna go out on a limb and infer that I’m in the clear now, …whether that was his intention or not."
"…I suppose that would be a…compliment?"
"Hmm, yes. You could say that."
"Well, …I appreciate it."
"Of course."
I could’ve kept this conversation going, but the appearance of an old friend out of the corner of my eye indicated that it was time to leave.
"Well, this was a rather…enlightening discussion, Hideki. I appreciate your time."
"Anytime, Uric."
"…Oh, and no matter the results of your coming battle with Kira, …"
I stood up as I continued speaking. And, regardless of my plans prior to our talk, as well as those I had made in the long run, …every word that was about to come out of my mouth was genuine.
"…just know that I’m rooting for you, …regardless of what I said earlier about supporting Kira. …I’d rather see you win."
Against all odds, L’s reaction was little more than a smile across his face, …another accomplishment for me, in my opinion.
"…Thank you. Take care, Uric."
"…Yeah. You, too."
We shook hands before I began walking away, unsure whether or not that would be the last time I would see Hideki Ryuga, …which it ultimately was.
"So, what was that all about?"
"…Nothing at all, Shahim. …Just a friendly conversation. …Shahim."
"Hm?"
"I’m gonna have to ask you to take to the skies real quick."
"Huh? Why’s that?"
"…I’m gonna stick around and see what Light’s reaction is to L’s presence. …We wouldn’t want to miss a vital point in the game, now would we?"
"…Yeah, probably not. …Alright, but make it quick."
Sprouting his wings and taking off, I could only pray that Light’s Shinigami didn’t notice him. After that, I set out in the direction of the cafeteria, stopping just at a point where their conversation could be faintly heard by me. They spoke mostly about what L had just informed me of, …and based on the look on Light’s face, he was, indeed, planning to kill him today.
"Hmm, that must mean that Misa is close by to tell him his name. …But, where is she?"
Regardless, I was forced to move on as L stood up to follow Light in my direction. As I turned around, though, I also caught a glimpse of yet another familiar face…running up to greet Light.
"…Okay, I suppose I could stick around for this. …Light, this is your moment of opportunity. Don’t ruin it with negligence."
Shortly after Misa’s appearance, a large group of students suddenly began to surround her, …a mob of her fans, it seemed. This would seemingly prove more of an opportunity for myself, giving me a reason to remain close by, …though I wasn’t about to move closer to the crowd. I looked around and noticed a bench directly across from them. Pulling out my music player and draping the headphones over my ears, I lifted my hood over my head in such a way that anybody that noticed me would believe I was listening to music. After that, I took my seat and sat back to watch the show, …which was starting to get rather humorous.
"Huh? No way! Someone just touched my butt!"
I was ready to chuckle at this before I realized who did it. L was making a comedic attempt to hide his guilt, while I attempted to guess the reasoning behind his actions, …which didn’t take long.
"…Well, it seems Hideki already knows that Misa is the other Kira. …She must’ve left physical evidence on those tapes she sent to Sakura TV. ...But, what advantage would he gain from touching her…ooooh. Hehehe, L, you sly bastard. I’ve gotta stick around to see this."
After a few minutes of utter turmoil, a woman Misa identified as her manager appeared to sort things out. Once Light and Hideki were alone again, the latter continued heading towards the cafeteria, while Light began walking in the opposite direction. I was forced to bite down on my index finger as Light pulled out a mobile phone that I didn’t recognize as his and held it to his ear. A few seconds later, L confirmed my earlier suspicions as he took out a ringing phone and answered it, using an ill-informed and mildly sarcastic tone as he spoke to Light, who was only twenty feet away. …To this day, I’m still amazed that I was able to keep my laughter at a volume that went unnoticed by the two of them. That was, undoubtedly, the funniest thing I had seen in a long time.
"…Oh my gosh, …Light, …you idiot. …Whether you realize it or not, you’ve almost single-handedly confirmed your status as Kira to L. …How very careless of you."
After Hideki returned the phone to Light, he resumed walking, though he stopped shortly afterwards to answer his own phone. I stood up and left before I could find out more. …I already knew what was about to happen.
Right before I had exited the campus grounds, I was rejoined by Shahim, who had just noticed my movement.
"Hey, where are you going? You know, you could’ve told me that you were leaving."
"…Why weren’t you watching to see if I had? …What were you looking at?"
"…Uh…touché. So, what happened?"
I let out a deep sigh before I replied.
"…Light just made a careless mistake…and Misa’s now in custody."
"Ooh, …shame for Light, huh?"
"Yeah. …The game has now shifted in L’s favor, and at this point, …Light doesn’t have many options."
"Hmm, so what’s he gonna do now?"
"…I don’t know yet. I’ll give him…a month, at the most. That should be more than enough time for some answers to be revealed."
At the time, I knew Light was going to emerge from this unscathed. …The question remained as to how. Light still had six years of life left…and it was highly unlikely that he would spend them in prison.
Witness
"It wasn’t…Kira, was it? …Oh, thank God. …Well, I hope he gets better soon. We need people like him in times like this. …Alright, let me know when he makes it out okay. …You too."
I ended the call and turned to Shahim, who had already asked once about the conversation.
"Light’s father had a heart attack yesterday."
"Oooh. Well, judging from the rest of your little talk, he’s still alive, so it was just a normal heart attack."
"…Yes. At this point in the game, Light wouldn’t dare stoop that low. Even if he would have, despite the overall inhumanity in killing one’s own father, Light would still be the first person to be suspected, since he’s the only one who knows that his father is working to catch Kira."
"…Only one?"
I caught on to this immediately, letting a smirk develop on my face to acknowledge the stupidity of that statement.
"Well, one of two, I should say. I only know it because it’s obvious, Shahim. Soichiro Yagami is a Japanese police chief and a model for true justice, so he’s bound to be one of those going after Kira. …I can only imagine the look of horror and depression on his face, …if he ever found out who Light really was."
The next ten days passed by rather quickly with no major happenings from either Kira or L. I recall the next date on which one occurred being a Saturday, so I spent its entirety locked up in my home. I had turned the television on as I soon woke up, so not to miss any criminal deaths or special occurrences that might’ve been carried out that day, …which would prove a rather wise move on my part.
It was approximately 5:58 p.m., as I clearly recall. I was in the kitchen, grabbing a small bag of barbeque-flavored potato chips, when Shahim called me out into the sitting room.
"Hey, Uric! Come take a look at this!"
Rushing out of the kitchen and leaping over the sofa, I got myself situated in my favorite sitting position before turning down my music and increasing the volume of the television. The moment the word “KIRA” emerged on the blank screen, a sharp pain emerged in my gut.
"…So, …it seems I was right yet again. …This is becoming almost frightening."
“…Mm hm. I am Kira. If this video is being aired on April 18th, at exactly 5:59 p.m. as I requested, then the time now is 5:59:47…48…49…. Please change the channel to Taiyou TV. The news anchor Mr. Kazuhico Hibima will die of a heart attack at exactly six o’ clock.”
Reaching for the remote, I quickly changed over to the designated channel, turning it off once I caught sight of the aforementioned reporter, sitting dead in his chair.
"Hmm, it seems Light’s actions are becoming more aggressive."
"…Yeah, …if he were Light, that is."
"Hm?"
"Setting the morbid irony aside, Light would never kill an innocent person, unless of course, they were one of the detectives attempting to catch him. Also, at this point, even if he were to take every necessary precaution, he still wouldn’t attempt to pull a stunt like this. …It would be too out of character."
"So, what are you implying? Who else could’ve done this?"
I smiled at this question, taking note of its obvious answer.
"Who else, indeed, Shahim? …There’s really only one other option. …There’s a third Shinigami in the human world…and the person who picked up his Death Note supports Kira."
"Ooooh. Well, that should make for a surprising turn of events. …So, who do you think it is?"
I could only shake my head in disbelief that Shahim would ask such a question, but I answered him in as polite a manner as I possibly could.
"At this point, nobody could even attempt to guess the answer to that question, Shahim. Right now, I suppose it’s more important to ask…who will find him first. Will it be Light…or L? …And another lingering question to solicit is whether or not they’ll find this second Kira…before he finds Light."
"Huh? Why would that be a concern?"
"At this point, this new Kira’s best strategy would be to wait it out until Light finds him. …He isn’t unintelligent, but he’s certainly nowhere near Light’s own level of genius. If he goes around trying to follow his own agenda, he’s bound to slip up at some point. …The moment the world finds out about the Death Note, that will be Light’s undoing, …and maybe even my own."
"Hmm, so this third Death Note will probably end up working against your plans, right?"
"…Not necessarily. Currently, my opinion on this second Kira is not exactly the most flattering, but…he may end up surprising us. For now, though, I’ll leave it up to Light and L to expose him."
Grabbing a chip out of the bag and tossing it into my mouth, I stood up from the sofa and headed upstairs.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"…To readjust the playing field. …At this point, I don’t find this new Kira reliable enough to label him a new queen, …but a knight should make for a perfect representation for now."
Four days later, I made the walk home from To-Oh University when a rather peculiar message began playing throughout the city.
“I can only say it’s a shame that the answer is no. It’s clear that the police wish to oppose me. This will not go unpunished. So, I’ll start by taking the life of either the Director General of the NPA…or the detective known as L, who is currently leading the investigation against me. …The Director General…or L? Who will pay the price for your refusal to cooperate in the creation of a peaceful world? …You have four days to decide.”
As the screens across the city went blank once again, a feeling of regret began flowing through my mind. …I probably should’ve watched the rest of the previous night’s broadcast, …though that’s not to say that this video didn’t give more than enough information to piece the puzzle together on my own.
"…Well, that’s rather intriguing."
"Hm? What is?"
"…From the sound of things, …this new Kira made the eye deal that you mentioned before. …Either that, or he’s already found L’s name and only needs his face now."
"…What makes you say that?"
"The director’s identity wouldn’t be too difficult to find out in this day and age, but L is an entirely different story. It all boils down to the public’s decision…and, if they choose for L to die instead, he would be forced to appear on television and reveal his face. But, considering he didn’t ask for his name, as well, we can assume that he already knows it…or has methods of obtaining it, …in this case, the Shinigami eyes. …I wonder how the queens will react accordingly, knowing that little piece of information."
"Hehehe, it should be rather fun to watch."
"…Yeah. It should."
With such a small chance of the second Kira being revealed so soon after his message was broadcasted, I remained dormant for the next month, leaving my house only for classes on weekdays and occasional trips to the nearby food market. Honestly, though, it couldn’t have been at a more coincidental time, …as soon afterwards, Hideki Ryuga was nowhere to be found.
"I guess he’s too busy trying to catch Kira, huh?"
"…That would certainly appear to be the case, Shahim."
"Hmm, …Light is rarely seen around here, too. The only class that we share is our first one…and after that, I usually chat with him at least once while we’re both at school, but now…"
"…Shahim, I reckon it’s safe to say that Light has become involved with the Task Force, as well."
"Hmm, …heh he, sounds about right to me. It’s a shame you don’t have access to police information like Light does, then you’d be able to know exactly how far along they’re getting on the Kira case."
"…A shame? Hmph, more like a blessing."
"Huh?"
"C’mon, Shahim. One of the primary reasons that Light is suspected is because he had that access and he abused it. …The last thing I need right now is to become too involved. I’ve already told Hideki that I know he’s L, which was an even greater risk than that, so I don’t need to increase his suspicions. I thought you would’ve found that as obvious as I have."
"Oh, …right. That’s probably true."
"This boy had better learn his place soon. I’m a Shinigami, yet he speaks to me as if I was a lesser being than he is. …Hrrrmm, those years floating over his head get more tempting every day."
The day was May 27, 2006. …That was the day that my boredom suddenly reached its breaking point. I had no other choice, …but to reaffirm my status as a spectator in this game. It was about six o’clock at night, so Light was probably making his way home by now. Standing up off my bed, I grabbed my usual supplies and headed outside. Light’s home was only about a mile away.
"Going out at this time of night, Uric? Hehe, rather out of character, don’t you think?"
"…Remember that video that was broadcasted two days ago?"
"…Oh, the one from the second Kira?"
"Yes. It said that he found Kira, so there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ve met by now. …The odds of them meeting tonight of all nights are about ten percent at the most, but…I need to find out who he is. …Hopefully, I’ll be able to sleep tonight, then."
"Hm? Getting anxious, are we? Hehehe."
"…You have no idea."
After about fifteen minutes of walking, I finally reached the block where the Yagami household resided. I looked for a spot to hide in wait for Light…when I noticed a shadow emerging from beneath a street light. I quickly hid in the shadows behind the trash bin of a nearby home.
"Damn it. I should’ve expected this."
"Hehe, that must’ve caught you off guard, huh?"
"…Obviously. It seems L is too suspicious of Light to leave him alone for a minute. I can only pray to God that his spy didn’t see me."
My hood was up, so he wouldn’t have seen my face, but I had to take every precaution. Pulling out the Death Note, should I be forced to do something drastic, I peeked out from behind the bin and saw that he was still in his previous position. Light hasn’t shown up yet, so he would have no reason not to investigate had he now been aware of my presence. I formed the Sign of the Cross over my chest.
"…Still looking out for me, huh?"
At this point, there were now two people waiting for Light to return home, which we weren’t forced to wait more than eight minutes for. He seemed to be in his casual state of mind, not even hinting at the possibility of him being watched, …when I got the confirmation I was waiting for.
"Light!"
Almost out of nowhere, a young woman with blond pigtails appeared and jumped on top of Light, sending him crashing to the ground, …which was a rather humorous sight, if I do say so.
"I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t wait for two weeks like you said! Actually, I was just on my way to your house when I spotted you! …I-I just wanted to see you so badly."
It took me a moment to recognize her, but the moment I did, I was forced to retreat to the next block before I burst out laughing. As per usual, Shahim was compelled to question my actions.
"What’s going on with you? …It wasn’t that funny, was it?"
I had to catch my breath before I could answer him.
"…No, …it wasn’t. But, the fact that I know exactly who that woman is rather…intriguing."
"Oh? And who is she?"
"…Her name’s Misa Amane. …She’s a famous model and actress."
"Aaaah. …Hehehehehe, well, I suppose that’s bound to cause trouble, isn’t it?"
"Yeah. …That…"
I looked back in the direction of Light’s home before continuing, despite the fact that it was no longer within my line of sight.
"…and the fact that she’s apparently inevitably stupid. But, …from the look of things, they’re now posing as boyfriend and girlfriend."
"And how’s that?"
"From the sound of things, Light wants them seen together as little as possible, but she doesn’t seem to share his own caution, so she’s obviously in love with him. …She’s probably loyal to him, as well, so Light’s bound to use that to his advantage. …He might even use her to get rid of L, …since she has the eyes."
"Hmm, that certainly seems plausible."
"Yeah, it does. …Well, I suppose that urge of mine has been satisfied, …but now, I have another one."
"…Oh, please tell me it has something to do with cookies!"
"Hmhmhm, you read my mind, Shahim."
The next day would begin as any other did, though it would end later on as one of the most crucial points in the game. After nearly four months of absence from the university, I caught sight of a familiar face on the campus grounds, casually reading from a book as he sat on a wooden bench beneath a tree, …in his usual odd position, of course. It took him a second to notice me, as well, but he eventually came to.
"Hmm? Oh, Uric. It’s a pleasure seeing you again."
"…Yeah. Same here, …Hideki."
I sat down beside him, taking a moment to adjust my own sitting as I thought about what I might say to him.
"Heh he, well, this is a pleasant surprise. I’m betting you didn’t expect this."
"…Shut up, Shahim."
"…It’s certainly been a while since you were last seen around here."
"Hm, yes it has. …I’ve had work to do."
I looked around to ensure that it was safe for us to hold this conversation.
"I would expect that Kira would become a major headache after six months."
"…Yes. He’s becoming more elusive with every step I take, yet…I feel as if I’m getting closer to discovering who he really is."
"…Is that why you’re out in public again?"
He looked at me as if I already had the answer, giving him no reason to explain himself. …In truth, he was right.
"You feel as if Light, …given the premise that he was indeed Kira, has made a huge step in his plot to remove you and you’re here to throw him off, right?"
"…I never said that I suspected him of being Kira, but aside from that, …he’s one of only two people outside the Task Force that knows I’m L, the other being you. I highly doubt that you’re Kira, or more so I’m afraid to believe it, so if anything happens to me, the members of the Task Force have already been instructed to suspect Light. …So yes, I suppose you’re correct."
"…I see. …And why would you be afraid to suspect me as Kira?"
He hesitated to answer for a moment, causing me to fear the possibility that I had crossed the line in our conversation.
"…Or would you prefer to keep that confidential?"
"…To be honest, …I’m not entirely sure what to think, in regards to you. There’s something about you that…makes me feel that, if you were truly Kira, …in the end, I would lose."
"…Huh."
"That was rather well-worded. I suppose this is a good thing, …but I’m not gonna go out on a limb and infer that I’m in the clear now, …whether that was his intention or not."
"…I suppose that would be a…compliment?"
"Hmm, yes. You could say that."
"Well, …I appreciate it."
"Of course."
I could’ve kept this conversation going, but the appearance of an old friend out of the corner of my eye indicated that it was time to leave.
"Well, this was a rather…enlightening discussion, Hideki. I appreciate your time."
"Anytime, Uric."
"…Oh, and no matter the results of your coming battle with Kira, …"
I stood up as I continued speaking. And, regardless of my plans prior to our talk, as well as those I had made in the long run, …every word that was about to come out of my mouth was genuine.
"…just know that I’m rooting for you, …regardless of what I said earlier about supporting Kira. …I’d rather see you win."
Against all odds, L’s reaction was little more than a smile across his face, …another accomplishment for me, in my opinion.
"…Thank you. Take care, Uric."
"…Yeah. You, too."
We shook hands before I began walking away, unsure whether or not that would be the last time I would see Hideki Ryuga, …which it ultimately was.
"So, what was that all about?"
"…Nothing at all, Shahim. …Just a friendly conversation. …Shahim."
"Hm?"
"I’m gonna have to ask you to take to the skies real quick."
"Huh? Why’s that?"
"…I’m gonna stick around and see what Light’s reaction is to L’s presence. …We wouldn’t want to miss a vital point in the game, now would we?"
"…Yeah, probably not. …Alright, but make it quick."
Sprouting his wings and taking off, I could only pray that Light’s Shinigami didn’t notice him. After that, I set out in the direction of the cafeteria, stopping just at a point where their conversation could be faintly heard by me. They spoke mostly about what L had just informed me of, …and based on the look on Light’s face, he was, indeed, planning to kill him today.
"Hmm, that must mean that Misa is close by to tell him his name. …But, where is she?"
Regardless, I was forced to move on as L stood up to follow Light in my direction. As I turned around, though, I also caught a glimpse of yet another familiar face…running up to greet Light.
"…Okay, I suppose I could stick around for this. …Light, this is your moment of opportunity. Don’t ruin it with negligence."
Shortly after Misa’s appearance, a large group of students suddenly began to surround her, …a mob of her fans, it seemed. This would seemingly prove more of an opportunity for myself, giving me a reason to remain close by, …though I wasn’t about to move closer to the crowd. I looked around and noticed a bench directly across from them. Pulling out my music player and draping the headphones over my ears, I lifted my hood over my head in such a way that anybody that noticed me would believe I was listening to music. After that, I took my seat and sat back to watch the show, …which was starting to get rather humorous.
"Huh? No way! Someone just touched my butt!"
I was ready to chuckle at this before I realized who did it. L was making a comedic attempt to hide his guilt, while I attempted to guess the reasoning behind his actions, …which didn’t take long.
"…Well, it seems Hideki already knows that Misa is the other Kira. …She must’ve left physical evidence on those tapes she sent to Sakura TV. ...But, what advantage would he gain from touching her…ooooh. Hehehe, L, you sly bastard. I’ve gotta stick around to see this."
After a few minutes of utter turmoil, a woman Misa identified as her manager appeared to sort things out. Once Light and Hideki were alone again, the latter continued heading towards the cafeteria, while Light began walking in the opposite direction. I was forced to bite down on my index finger as Light pulled out a mobile phone that I didn’t recognize as his and held it to his ear. A few seconds later, L confirmed my earlier suspicions as he took out a ringing phone and answered it, using an ill-informed and mildly sarcastic tone as he spoke to Light, who was only twenty feet away. …To this day, I’m still amazed that I was able to keep my laughter at a volume that went unnoticed by the two of them. That was, undoubtedly, the funniest thing I had seen in a long time.
"…Oh my gosh, …Light, …you idiot. …Whether you realize it or not, you’ve almost single-handedly confirmed your status as Kira to L. …How very careless of you."
After Hideki returned the phone to Light, he resumed walking, though he stopped shortly afterwards to answer his own phone. I stood up and left before I could find out more. …I already knew what was about to happen.
Right before I had exited the campus grounds, I was rejoined by Shahim, who had just noticed my movement.
"Hey, where are you going? You know, you could’ve told me that you were leaving."
"…Why weren’t you watching to see if I had? …What were you looking at?"
"…Uh…touché. So, what happened?"
I let out a deep sigh before I replied.
"…Light just made a careless mistake…and Misa’s now in custody."
"Ooh, …shame for Light, huh?"
"Yeah. …The game has now shifted in L’s favor, and at this point, …Light doesn’t have many options."
"Hmm, so what’s he gonna do now?"
"…I don’t know yet. I’ll give him…a month, at the most. That should be more than enough time for some answers to be revealed."
At the time, I knew Light was going to emerge from this unscathed. …The question remained as to how. Light still had six years of life left…and it was highly unlikely that he would spend them in prison.
- The End -
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