Light, Now Turn Back and Die (Lawlight)

Blackmail

The best school in the world is located in England. Many might debate the validity of such a claim, that there can even be a best school, but it's completely true. It sits on the top of a tall hill, more a small mountain really, that overlooks a little town. The campus is a beautiful modern structure that stands in contrast to the old world surrounding it. Each building is designated for a different field. Arts, academia, science, and whatever else might delight a gifted child's mind. They stand as towering structures of steel and glass. It's the type of school one only hears about in movies, but never actually attends.

This school is "Wammy's School for Gifted Youth". It's a place for the best and brightest teenagers from all over the world. For most teenagers, Wammy's is a place for them to hone their skills and prepare to enter the career or college world. For L Lawliet, Wammy's is the only home he's ever known.

L's been living in Wammy's as long as he can remember, and the day he was finally allowed to attend as a student was the best day of his life. The classes are challenging enough to keep him engaged, not to mention he's not forced to socialize with anyone. Watatri provides all the company he could need. He can retreat into his room among his corkboards, papers, and whirring computers whenever he pleases. It's heaven for a reclusive 18 year old genius.

But no matter how hard he tries, people still find him. Despite his best efforts to be unpleasant for the general population, a select group still seek him out. He's not sure why he's surprised at this point, watching a girl all but barrel down the hall towards him yelling, "Ryuzaaaaaaki!" at the top of her lungs. Is it too much to ask for some peace and quiet?

"I need a huuuuuge favor!" She skids to a stop in front of him. Her hair is a wild tangle of blond waves, pulled into a ponytail on the back of her head. The school uniform she wears, usually crisp, is rumpled and messy. The bags under her eyes rival L's own, and he thinks for a moment that she looks awful before reminding himself that he is the last person who should be allowed to judge that kind of thing. Her name is Abigail, she's the student head of the Wammy's theater department. The brown eyes that stare at him are shimmering and pleading. L has a terrible feeling about this.

"No. Absolutely not." L's gaze is hard as he glares down at Abigail. She's one of the few people who's managed to worm their way into L's life. He wouldn't call them friends, but he has nothing against her. She's smart, resourceful, and doesn't give up easily, which are traits he would appreciate in any other context.

"Please, Ryu!" She clasps her hands like a prayer, "I need to find a stage manager for the show!" So that's what this is about. L should have figured. It's the first show she's directing as a senior, and it's always been notoriously difficult to find a stage manager in Wammy's. Everyone wants to be on stage, or doing tech, or literally anything other than handling all the responsibilities of wrangling a bunch of teenagers.

"Naomi can do it, can't she? She owes you a favor." L waves a dismissive hand and starts to walk past her. Abigail scrambles to catch up and grabs his arm before he can get more than a few steps away.

"Naomi is sick!" She wails, there's a real note of desperation in her voice now. L glares at her. "Please Ryu, please! I know for a fact that you've been bored lately! C'mon, it'll just be one show."

L lets out a long sigh, hoping that Abigail can see the suffering she's currently putting him through. "Let me guess," he says, as blandly as possible, "You'll also want me to help out with lights and sound if I agree." Abigail chews guiltily on her lip, which is answer enough.

"Matt will do most of it," She promises, "I just need you to run the cues sometimes and make sure he stays on track."

"Isn't there anyone else who can do it?" L asks, a bit desperate himself now. This is more interaction with another person than he's had in months, and his skin is starting to crawl. Abigail, to his dismay, shakes her head.