soul_campaign | Entry #A-11: "Anticlastic" [February 3, Audio, Morning]

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Entry #A-11: "Anticlastic" [February 3, Audio, Morning]

[The last three days have run L absolutely ragged.

The madness-induced events of the 31st had been no joke, leaving L with finger-shaped bruises on his throat, drugged (sleeping pills), and poisoned (undercooked eggs? Or perhaps something else?) . The 1st of February had been spent recovering from the exhaustion and illness of the previous day, , and the 2nd had found him tentatively leaving the apartment in search of something to soothe his unsettled stomach... only to find himself in the middle of an attack on the city.

A crow familiar had tried to seize his skinny arm and carry him away. He'd beat it off with an enormous bottle of Pepto-Bismol he'd purchased moments before the city had erupted in chaos, stumbling and half-falling into a shop's storm cellar.

He had remained there, motionless and wide-eyed, all night, watching shadows pass outside and pressing his back against the wall if one came too close. At one point, a zombie had tried to break in; scarcely daring to breathe, L had held the doors shut, knuckles whiter than his face, until the threat had given up and shambled off to find a meal more easily extracted from its seclusion.

Now it is the 3rd. The Madness Wavelength is all but out of his system entirely (no small thanks to the food poisoning), and he emerges, disheveled and blinking, into the quiet street.

He takes out his communicator, reading the news as he walks, briskly, and then at a slight jog, back towards Death City Heights.

He's moving too quickly to be a zombie, so hopefully residents won't mistake the gaunt, rigid-eyed man for one. He simply looks like someone who is consumed by an all-important purpose, and whose legs might give out before he accomplishes it. There are also some alarmingly vivid bruises on his neck, but if you're polite, maybe you'll pretend you don't notice.]

[Private to Mello and Near]

If you're there, please answer as soon as possible.

[/End Private to Mello and Near]

[Private to the Members of the Watch and the Agency (Excluding Light Yagami)]

I'm Rue Ryuzaki, a relatively new member of the Watch. I respectfully request the names of those who either died or went missing during last night's attack, especially those who were scheduled to work with these two organizations today but failed to show up this morning.

[/End Private to the Members of the Watch and the Agency (Excluding Light Yagami)]

[Private to Light Yagami]

Where are you, at this exact moment?

[/End Private to Light Yagami]

[Private to Bakura]

Make me something to eat. Immediately. I haven't eaten since the 31st you cad and if I'm going to do something about this situation, I'm going to need more energy than what I can currently muster. Leave it at my apartment.

[/End Private to Bakura]

[He makes it all the way to Mello and Near's apartment, letting himself in with a key they never asked him to return and finding no trace of his successors.

Exhausted, he leans against the wall and slides to the floor, cupping his communicator in his hands. He'll go back to his apartment soon... but for now, he's winded, heart pounding in his thin chest and his legs refusing to work. It can wait until he's rested a moment.]

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[ ....damnit. L's still alive. He was beginning to think he got lucky. ]

Where are you?

[L isn't sure what he would have done if Light didn't answer. Though it's an odd dynamic between them, since the 31st, he wouldn't react well if he lost his partner, nemesis, and obsession overnight.]

You didn't answer my question.

I'm not far from the apartment.

I was wondering. It was far too peaceful here.

[ He doesn't answer still because it's pointless to answer. He's at the apartment, safe and sound. ]

Then you're at the apartment. I'll be there shortly...

[He drags himself up, feeling along the wall. Bakura will be bringing food, he's had a moment, he can certainly make it that far.

And within five minutes, he's back, letting himself in and looking much worse for wear than he did the last time Light saw him. Those bruises, for one, just beg to be noticed.]

[ Light's seated in the living room, arm resting on the couch's arm and chin resting on his palm. His communicator had been tossed onto the coffee table as his attention lingers on the television, watching the news broadcast and the coverage on the events. His eyes flicker toward the door as soon as L makes his appearance -- amusement creeps onto his face at the mere sight of him. ]

What happened to you?

[L shuffles across the room, sitting on the floor against the wall and facing Light. Incidentally, this puts his thin, crouched form at the feet of the Shinigami he drew that resembles Rem. The effect is... striking. Strange. Sad.

The likeness of Rem has no eyes. The same, of course, cannot be said for L; they're set between dark hair and dark bruises, alive and reflective and suggesting soullessness more than most people find comforting.]

First I was strangled, then I was poisoned. Then I was ill, and then I was under siege for an entire day and night. It was all very exciting.

[The message, of course, rings loud and clear: I'm still here. Still living. Still breathing. Still fighting, Light Yagami, despite these minor setbacks.]

At present I'm ravenously hungry... but I've been informed that some people are missing. We should really go and fetch them back.

Edited (Toooo tired to taaaag clearly.) 2012-03-21 03:16 (UTC)

And involve ourselves in another situation like the one yesterday? I'll pass. I've had more than my fair share of zombies to last a lifetime.

[ Light isn't a fighter. And he certainly isn't looking to go waltzing right into more danger -- not when he's an amateur at best in this world of weapon transformations and abilities. ]

It's unfortunate what happened, but there are plenty -- far more capable fighters who will likely go to their rescue. There's no reason for my involvement. I have a difficult time believing there's reason for your involvement either -- [ a deliberate pause. ] -- unless, of course, there is a reason.

[L would be lying, if he attempted to claim that he hadn't expected to meet with any sort of resistance. He's still displeased, and it shows, but he reigns it back admirably under the circumstances. Which are, of course, that he is missing a pair of successors who may well be in danger of killing each other before they're killed by Witches or Kishin eggs.]

Fine. Since you're forcing my hand, I'll give, and tell you that some of my allies are included in the group of people who were taken. It is an obligation to fraternity, as well as self-interest, that motivates me to take part in this rescue mission.

Since you're my partner, I think it would behoove you to try to keep me safe this time. While I said that some of my allies were captured, that is far from saying that I have none remaining within the city. So I beg to differ... there are plenty of reasons for your involvement, the least of which is that I won't allow you to refuse.

[He pulls himself up, wavering only slightly from lack of food and sleep, dropping onto the couch next to Light and stubbornly handcuffing himself to the other man with his very convenient partial Weapon form. This was becoming pretty typical of the detective, as a method of keeping Light from walking away from him when he needed something.]

[ And Light is so used to the handcuffing by now that he doesn't even react when they slap around his wrist. His amusement is visible on his face. L needs him to do this. He's in the position of power here and he has the upperhand. ]

You can't force me to go, L. You realize this. I'm going to be of very little assistance to you considering I don't have any fighting capabilities nor do I have any desire to fight. We haven't even trained since my arrival and you expect me to wander out into the battle field and pray that I have enough survival skills to keep you alive?

I'd rather take my chances with your allies here.

[ His attention shifts toward the television again and a smirk curves on the corner of his lips. ]

However, I may be persuaded to go should you offer me information in return.

[That amusement doesn't go unnoticed by L. How could it? He wants to slap the smugness off his rival's face... even though the last time things got physical between them, they went in an altogether unexpected direction. And right now, L needs calculated reliability on his side.]

Oh, no, I can't force you. But I can refuse to uncuff you, and go myself. You'd be free for about five steps, and then your options would be to come or to part with your right arm.

[Immature? Yes. Effective? Not enough... and it was starting to look like he'd have to play to Light's terms at least a bit. Damn it.]

Information? What information? Choose your words wisely, Light Yagami...

[The importance of this is impossible to understate. Getting information out of L is a delicate process, given his natural paranoia and highly suspicious nature. He clings to information as if his very existence depends on it, and... well, given the nature of their world, where a name and a face were enough to kill someone with the right tools, who could blame him?

Extracting information is difficult enough. A single screw-up, though, could cause him to clam up and make it practically impossible. That being said, Light actually does have some leverage in the situation. L is aware of this, and he's prepared to weigh what he needs (Mello and Near back safe) with what he can't reveal to Kira. Difficult decisions will have to be made, it seems.]

Edited 2012-03-27 19:20 (UTC)

[ The bluff was just that. A bluff. Light knows for a fact that L holds nothing on him. The threat of dragging him by the handcuffs is meaningless when Light can just transform into his own weapon form and slip right out of the others grasp. He opts not to, though, remaining where he is with the uncomfortable chain wrapped tightly around his arm.

There's admittedly a discomfort at being close to the detective, but he doesn't let it show. What happened between them was an act of madness and nothing more. Pretending it didn't exist and waiting for the other to crack first is the best way to play this game. ]

Fewer than 20 but more than one -- these are how many allies you said you had here. What is the exact number?

[ He knows very well that L will never disclose the names, and that's fine. Light can easily find out on his own without it -- but the number is important. The number helps him to narrow it down dramatically. ]

Edited 2012-03-28 02:06 (UTC)

[Of course Light would ask a question like that. He was probably planning on analyzing the networks later in an attempt to get a relatively accurate picture of who L spoke with, and was on good terms with, and who would lay down their life for him if the need arose.]

I am going to, for the sake of simplicity, define my "allies" as the people who would kill for me. While I think that at least half of them would die for me, what's important is that you're aware this number of people are protective enough of me, either through friendship or association, to kill you if you hurt me. Through action, or inaction...

[He thinks for a moment, running some quick calculations, taking cold inventory on what could pass for friendships.]

There are fourteen, Light. Not including you, of course.

[The number is closer to twenty than one, that's for sure.]

[ An impressive number. Much higher than he expected from someone such as L. But then again, L did have his connections. And with a number, he would know who to watch out for -- who to avoid, who to kill. L's allies had to be dealt with before he could be taken out. He already knew the one who called himself John Cusack was on L's side. One down. Thirteen to go, depending on however many were kidnapped. ]

Of course. Though why you felt the need to say so is anyone's guess.

[ He reaches for the remote with his free hand, flicking off the television. ]

But fine. I'll go. I don't even believe I need to mention it, but I will regardless -- self-preservation takes precedence. If it comes down to your allies or us in a battle for our lives, I will not hesitate to turn my back on them.

[The number itself is an approximation... and perhaps a bit optimistic, given L's tendency to have "friends" who have deeply mixed feelings about him in general. Many of them pity him just as much (or more) than they respect him, many of them acknowledge his intelligence but are uneasy with him on a personal level, and some of them aren't even aware of L's intelligence.

But Light is correct; John Cusack is indeed an ally of L's.

L's eyes dart toward the television when the static snap of the remote kills the softly flickering and changing screen and the static buzz. This indicates, rather more clearly than he would have liked to broadcast, just how tense the detective is.]

I thought you'd come around. And of course I don't actually expect Kira to put the survival of L's friends above his own. I do hope, however, that you'll avoid any attempts to sabotage me. I really wouldn't envy you after you returned to Death City, if the mission were to result in my death through your negligence or malice.

'Come around' is a strong term for it. I still don't believe it's a wise idea. For the first time since I've known you, I believe you're acting on emotions rather than intellect -- and quite frankly the only reason I'm going is so that I will know which of these allies of yours are so worth your safety that you would willingly risk your life on a mission for them.

We're not fighters, you and I.

[ There's a long, pregnant pause. ]

And you can release me from the handcuffs now.

That is frank, Light. Too frank. You should guard your intent to sabotage a bit more closely.

[Still, he doesn't sound particularly concerned. He actually seems invigorated and cheerful, as he often does when Light talks the way he imagines Kira would.

There's a soft knock on the door; L jumps up to answer it, uncuffing himself from Light and keeping his interaction with the visitor brief before returning to the couch with some sweetbread and frosted sauce.]

He seems appropriately contrite. Why didn't you kill me the other night, Light?

[The question is obscenely casual, posed lightly as L takes a huge, hungry bite out of Bakura's offering.]

You must have been upset with me, given the events of that afternoon...

[ Light rolls his eyes after L's first comment, watching him head off to answer the door. Why would he bother hiding his intent? Why would he bother hiding what's already obvious? Light wants to know who his enemies are so he can be cautious around them.

And then, of course, L returns with something to eat. Always eating. Always...getting crumbs all over everything. Light gets up off the couch in disgust when L resettles, picking up a few books from the coffee table and putting them up on a shelf -- things on souls and resonance and the history of this world. Things he picked up to give himself a better understanding of their surroundings. ]

I already told you I wasn't going to kill you. By that point, I'd regained my sanity. And as nice as it would have been, I don't believe Bakura would have killed you either -- which was why I was more than content to leave you where you were.

[ He doesn't acknowledge the second part -- opting not to bring it up, opting to pretend it never happened or perhaps that he forgot. Because any time the memory of the kiss enters his mind, Light feels the intense urge to throw up. ]

Yes, you had regained your sanity by that point, I suppose... but it begs the question. Would Kira actually have to be insane, to kill L? Or would he have to be insane not to? My very existence is a threat to yours, after all.

[So cheerful about this, as he eats, but there's something a bit forced about it. Through his enjoyment of the L and Kira back-and-forth, there is an underlying, intense concern. He's worried about his captured successors.

But he does note Light's avoidance of a certain topic with great interest. He's not nauseous; on the contrary, it makes him hungrier, and he takes another large bite of sweet bread.]

Then you weren't angry? People do strange things when they're under the effects of the madness, but I never expected that.

[ The only way to diffuse the situation is to give L nothing to be interested about. To be boring and give him boring answers. Light realizes this, and while it's difficult to swallow his anger at the pressing, fortunately his back is turned. He simply lifts his shoulders with a shrug, placing the last book on the shelf. ]

You're not a threat to me. You're an annoyance. It's your allies who are the real threat. If you were just as alone as I am here, you would hardly have the level of confidence you do right now.

[ And with an airy tone, he continues. ]

Why would I be angry over something I initiated? It would be just like being angry at Yako for kissing her during yesterday's events. It would hardly be fair to be upset at someone for reciprocating. And it would hardly be fair to hold myself at fault for meaningless things I had no control over. She was better than you, by the way.

[ He heads toward the kitchen after the remark. Okay, so maybe he went with insulting instead of boring. Hopefully it would have the same end result. ]

[Like fun it'll have the same end result. Hearing that Light kissed Yako elicits something very odd in L; he'd not sure if it's a strange cocktail of anger, or disappointment, or amusement, but it's certainly surprise, and he's unable to hide the fact that of everything Light could have said, he didn't expect that.]

Unless you tried to choke her to death, too, is it really fair to compare the two occurrences?

Why not? They were both kisses that happened during madness, weren't they? I believe they're comparable in that sense.

[ Opening the fridge, Light pulls out an apple. He goes to rinse it off in the sink, remembers the black blood, and then opts to wipe it on his shirt instead. ]

And you initiated both.

[L is quick to remind him, while they're counting similarities.]

However, Yako isn't much like me. She's younger, she's likable, she's female.

[He says so like all of these reasons should count against her, rather than for her.]

Did it get very passionate? That is... did it make you breathe very heavily, like the other day?

[ Light raises his brows, taking a bite of his apple and chewing it slowly -- as though to savor this sweet moment where the tool L wanted to use against him had backfired.

He swallows his bite. ]

Was I 'turned on' you mean? Of course I was.

[L watches, over his shoulder and out of the corner of his eye, as Light chews his apple at a leisurely pace. If he thinks that admitting an attraction to Yako is going to make L stop picking at this particularly ugly scab, he's sorely mistaken.]

But I said 'the other day', Light. Does this mean that you admit you were 'turned on', at that time?

[ Light shrugs slightly after L's question. There is no denying that he was -- but how to play it without playing into L's hands? How to spin it so that he still comes out with the advantage? ]

You asked if I was passionate and breathing heavy like the other day. In essence, those things are indicative of being turned on. The answer to that question should be obvious.

[ He takes a bite and chews thoughtfully. ]

Why are you so interested in this now, L? Why does it fascinate you when you're guilty of the same thing? Why were you so ready and eager to respond to my touch after my hands had been around your neck with intent to kill? Don't you realize the further we dig into this topic, the more about you, we expose? Your sick and twisted fascination with me -- does it go beyond an obsession to lust as well?

Entry #A-11: "Anticlastic" [February 3, Audio, Morning]

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