The Puppeteer

The Return of the Plot

20th July 2007:

"Is there any progress?" L asked, almost out of obligation at this point as Kiyo walked out of the kitchen, placing the detective's breakfast on the table in front of him.

"No, but I'll make sure there is," Kiyo replied, before moving to sit down on Watari's seat, her seat.

A flicker of disappointment flashed across his face, a moment of frustration sparking in his mind just as quickly as it extinguished. There was no point, he realized, in trying to control something he could not. There was also no point, he realized, in annoying someone who could control the something he could not. So L had resorted to thrusting himself deeper and deeper into the mysteries of the Kira case and the weird behavior of his suspects.

"It's been fifty days, Ryuzaki," Matsuda almost mumbled, not wanting to cross any line, but not being able to watch his superior go through this torture anymore either, "I think it's about time you let them go. Light is clearly not behind any of these recent killings."

"At least you could let the chief go," Aizawa piped in, clearly disturbed since spending fifty days in such confinement was no joke, "He trusts his son too much and he wants to support him, and I understand that, but for someone his age, someone who has already had a heart attack because of immense stress, this might take a heavy toll on his health."

A thoughtful hum left L's lips as he noticed Soichiro's hair that suddenly seemed more grey, his eyes that seemed more sunken, and his skin that seemed like it had been drained of all its color. 

"Mr. Yagami, are you alright?" L almost reluctantly asked, switching on the button that allowed him to directly speak to the man, "There's no reason for you to keep doing this to yourself."

Soichiro remained silent for a moment, trying to process L's words, or trying to formulate sentences before he could speak, "It's been over a month since Kira started killing criminals again, and as far as I am concerned that is all the proof that I need to be sure that my son isn't Kira. So then all that's left is for you to be sure. One way or another, when I get out of here, it will be with my son."

"Wow.. the chief can be pretty stubborn," Matsuda murmured, before being interrupted by the sound of L flipping on another switch.

"Light, how are you feeling right now?"

Just as Soichiro had taken a moment before speaking, Light groaned, remaining silent, before raising his head to face the camera, "I'm okay.." He managed to say, even though it was clear he himself hardly believed in those words, "Ryuzaki, I know that in the time I've been in prison, no new criminals have died.. however, that suggests to me that Kira must be someone who is intimately familiar with my situation and if that's the case-"

"No, Light, the reason criminals have stopped dying, is because you are Kira."

Whatever tired state of mind Light had been in, was clearly shaken out of him as soon as L uttered those words, "No!" He exclaimed, "I'm not Kira! How many times do I have to say it?!"

The sudden loudness of his voice had stunned everyone into silence. It had been fifty days, but Light just didn't seem to break, he just didn't seem to accept the accusation even in the slightest. He was just as determined to deny and defend himself against any claim that said he was Kira, and it momentarily made L feel like there was the slightest possibility that Light was actually innocent.

"This is just cruel," Aizawa said, gaining Kiyo and Matsuda's attention, "I don't care if he is a suspect, Light still has a right to know that criminals are being killed again."

Another switch and another loud click.

"Amane?"

"Yes.."