The Puppeteer

A Second Kira

22nd April 2007:

"I can only say it's a shame that your 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."

24th April 2007:

"Ryuzaki, I'm afraid it's as you thought," Soichiro said as he walked into the new HQ of the Kira task force. L was sitting in a single chair at the head of the coffee table, a couch to his right which sat Matsuda and Aizawa, a second lone chair placed oh his left for Soichiro to sit in, and a third lone chair, right opposite L on which Kiyo sat facing him.

"Several of our member countries have weighed in, and it seems they are in favor of having the real L appear on T.V."

L sat calmly on his seat in his usual position, a pure white teacup delicately held in his hand as he takes a slow sip out of it, "I think that is the most appropriate choice given the options. Well, we still have three days before that happens.. maybe we can find some countermeasure. After all this, it would really annoy me," He says before scooping up and taking a bite of the strawberry shortcake placed in front of him, "If I'm killed by the first person to jump on the Kira bandwagon."

Gasps of the three other men in the room were heard as slight panic arose in their stomachs. "Ryuzaki, what do you mean by that?" Soichiro asked immediately.

"That there's a strong possibility that this Kira's a fake. No.. we should think of him more as a second Kira."

"A second Kira?!"

"I- I don't understand, why do you think there's a copycat?" Aizawa stuttered out, "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"I looked at the victims he used for his predictions on tape number 1. Their purpose was to prove to Sakura TV staff that he is Kira. Both their names were only reported in tabloids and daytime talk shows, so they weren't exactly hardened criminals. The real Kira has no need to prove himself using such insignificant criminals but from the perspective of the second Kira, he'd want to make absolutely certain that he didn't predict the death of a criminal that could be killed by the real Kira first."

Soichiro hummed thoughtfully at L's words before speaking, "Ryuzaki, if you had to put a number on it, what's the probability of a second Kira?"

"This time I'd say it's more than seventy percent," L replied, getting loud gasps from everyone as a reaction, "I really don't like the way he operates, it's not like Kira."

'Bla Bla Bla.. Boring!' Kiyo thought to herself while mentally making flappy hand signs, 'I've already heard this before!'

 Kiyo zoned out, going back into the comfort of her mind, the musical comfort of her mind.

'It's been a long, long time...' She sang in her head, unknowingly straining her neck and moving her head around to the notes absently echoing within her. 

For the first time since he had known her, Kiyo had done something unintentionally, and even though he didn't understand or realize it, it was beautiful in the dark eyes of the ravenette sitting across her. 

However, sitting across her were not just one, but two ravenettes.

A young, rookie investigator, and a young, mature detective, both attempting a discreet and rather constant instead of a fleeting glance in her direction to the best of their abilities, and both for quite similar yet different reasons.