Sorting out memories

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

He stared at the Pensieve, trying to control his breathing and shaking. What he saw was this:

The first major difference happened when the other's Light's girlfriend Shiori (his Light didn't even know a Shiori) was killed by Naomi Misora before she turned the gun on herself. In his time, Misora simply disappeared and L assumed it to be the work of Kira.

The next difference was Mogi was the one that went to the TV studio, and subsequently died, instead of Ukita, and poor Sayu had to witness that, too.

Takada (who he remembers as someone who once dated Light) had been a different person, and took the place of Higuchi.

And here were the important differences.

Ryuuzaki had kept the cameras in Misa's room, and was able to provide conclusive evidence that she was the second Kira. Watari then swapped the Death Note for a fake one, and planted information to keep Misa thinking that she was killing criminals.

L suspected that she (or Light, who Ryuuzaki suspected as Kira) would use Rem to kill him....so he circumvented that by writing his own name in the Death Note, 23 days after the day he wrote in it. He was doomed the minute he wrote his name, but Rem could not kill him.

She still got Watari, but L faked his death, which Light admitted to engineering.

The next part sickened Soichiro, and he could feel the other's anguish even with the memories in the Pensieve.

Light had written his name in the fake Death Note, in order to get Takada's Death Note back.

With that, he had the knowledge that his son tried to kill him (in that world anyway) and conclusive evidence that Light was Kira.

Light and Misa were both placed under arrest, with L detailing to Light all that happened. He tried to use Ryuk to kill them all, but Ryuk decided to kill Light instead-just like Near had said.

The official news was that there was none. Kira, to the public's eye, simply disappeared, Light had died fighting Kira, Misa lost her memories of the Death Note, and L died in peace, which was where the memories cut off.



So. That's how it was.

Soichiro sighed. If that Light had tried to kill that him...well, it didn't look good for his Light, now did it?

The other him had no memory of ever hearing about or seeing Near or Mello, so they probably were alive in the other's world, but without knowing them, he had no way to be sure.

One thing that did reassure him was a sane, if mourning Sayu. That gave him a bit of hope for his Sayu, even if that one didn't get kidnapped by Mello.

He fingered the cat treats he had picked up for A's cats, as he pulled out parchment and pen:



Ryuuzaki,

I came across an alternate version of events regarding the Kira case. (I'll explain in more detail in person.) I managed to get the memories of that inside a Pensieve. If you're interested, I can bring it for you to see, if you like.

Also, I heard that A was with you. I have some treats for his cats, if he's interested.

Soichiro Yagami

Comments

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

Soichiro Yagami,

A has indeed been staying with me, for a day or two, he will continue to do so.

I would be very interested in seeing this version of events. I apologize for replying to you at such a late date, but the past few days have not been uncomplicated. I hope we will find time to meet soon.

-Ryuuzaki

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

Ryuuzaki-

So should I stop by or just owl A the treats?

Owl me whenever you have the time to look at the alternate events.

Uncomplicated? Anything I can help with?

-Soichiro Yagami

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

Soichiro Yagami-

Please, feel free to stop by. I hope you do not catch us while we are out.

As for your offer. There is only to keep your eyes open for the threat you have already been made aware of. If there is anything else that arises, where your help might be valuable, I will owl you, to see if that offer still stands.

-Ryuuzaki

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

Cut to a while later, and Soichiro sticking his head inside Ravenclaw's door.

"Hello? Ryuuzaki? A? Anyone?"

Well, he could hope that one of them would show.

And if not, well, there's coffee.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

And therein lies the answer. Literally.

(L is depositing sugar cubes into his coffee cup. Not as much as B, but close.)

He glances up when he heres his name, and nods when Soichiro looks in his direction.

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

Soichiro nods back as he reached behind the bar for a mug for his own cup of coffee (black).

"I brought those treats."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"And if it is a good time for you, then there is a conversation that probably should be had, by the sound of your letter." He delicately selects a teaspoon, pinches it between his thumb and forefinger, lowers it into the coffee and starts stirring gingerly.

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

He nodded, and reached in his pocket.

It looked like a simple pair of keys at first, but Soichiro has mastered enough Transfiguration to turn his Pensieve into a pair of keys.

"It's in there. The memories, that is."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

L blinks at the keys-Pensieve thing.

"It is possible to store memories within an object?"

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

"A particular object. It's called a Pensieve, Matt told me about it. It can store memories." He took a sip of his coffee. "Are you familiar at all with hexed chocolate? Chocolate that can change you, I mean?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I relived my childhood, you might say." He means this quite literally. "But, have returned safely to my present state. I take it your experience was not so pleasant as simply turning into a four year old?"

He got to play tag. In fact, he rather enjoyed himself.

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

"An alternate me. One who lived to see Kira apprehended. Given that there's a huge difference between what happened in my perspective and his, it might benefit you to see. Who knows, maybe this is what will happen to you." He pushed the Pensieve toward L.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

He leans forwards to peer at the liquid. He can't... see anything, or see how he's supposed to go about retrieving any facts.

"What am I to do with this?"

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

"Touch it. You should be able to see the other's memories of that event."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

Warily, L dips a finger into it.

He's plunged head first, it feels like, into Soichiro's memories. Light Yagami. The sight of the note. His own name on the paper, the game won, and yes, even now, even in a different world, he's still going to end up dying.

This feels wrong, like he's intruding. He's aware of himself standing, watching Soichiro, watching himself (is that really what he looks like when he's older? He's practically the same. It's not so far in the future at all...) and he's aware of his skin crawling, too.

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

And it does feel mildly intruding, even if it isn't his memories; it was another him, and what person would want anyone to know his son tried to kill him, his son was a murderer.

It's one thing to hear about it, another entirely to see it, have it confirmed.

If L's skin is crawling, his stomach is turning.

Still, he let L see it all, let him speak first.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

When it's all played out, his head snaps back, and he's ashamed to admit that he gasps a little. Very disorienting.

Upsetting, he might even allow himself to acknowledge. No matter how well he tries to settle with the idea, he does not want to die.

"...where did I put my coffee?" He's still holding it.

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

"There," he pointed. Normalty, yes, that will help.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Ah, yes," he takes a sip, grimaces, and then reaches for the sugar cubes.

He needs a few seconds to think through what he just saw.

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

"If anyone," he swallows, "if anyone had a right to know, it was you. If it's any reassurance, he knew nothing about Mello or Matt, so I believe they're alive."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Then I hope..." that that's how he's going to die? It's too grizzly to say. He sips his coffee instead.

"...that things turn out alright for them."

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

"It...would be better if they lived."

And if he lived as well. But was the cost too great? He would have to live with knowing Light was Kira.

And truth be told, he would rather be dead and know Light was Kira.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"It would." He inclines his head. "My only real regret was that I failed them. I owe you my thanks, I suppose. This is some hope."

[papayagami.livejournal.com]

"I suppose it is." From L's perspective, anyway.

"I leave it to your discretion as to whether your successors see this. It doesn't affect them as much, but..."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"They are your memories." He shakes his head. "I can give them the news by word of mouth, and the invasion of your privacy will remain minimal."