damned_institute | Day 34: Lunch

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Day 34: Lunch

Yuffie bounced all the way through collecting her lunch, all the way to a good seat- one with a nice view of the whole cafeteria, which was something she'd been missing out on during the past day or so that she'd been stuck in the Institute- and hell, she even bounced into her seat.

A good mood? No, really?

Despite the occasional blip, talking to Sagara had been awesome. He was a fun guy; he wasn't a prude, didn't have a stick shoved so far up his ass it was poking out his eyeballs, and he'd actually had a conversation with her. One that hadn't revolved around doom, gloom or how much life sucked. If she could find other people like that and keep in touch with Sagara, maybe there was a little hope for this place.

After a quick gulp of pink lemonade, Yuffie settled to munching through her food and keeping an eye on the door.

[Waiting for Dean, I think? :x]

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"I can't be sending everyone after the same items I desire," Artemis said with a small smile. "Besides, Mr. Nails desired cigarettes and a lighter, suggesting that he is older than you are. The prices I ask correlates to the client. Requesting a CD and a player from a nurse for purposes of self therapy is no great skill. The only reason I have not done so myself is simply because my 'condition' denies me such items as concertos and tea. If I requested Mozart or Beethoven, I would most likely find myself with a Backstreet Boys CD in hand."

Artemis scoffed and looked past Near. His eyebrows knitted together. Was Mello... looking at him? Slightly unsettled, Artemis looked back at Near.

"Yes, I read that, but it's hardly solid evidence. Especially when the nurses won't tell us a thing concerning the outside world. I couldn't so much as find a newspaper, let alone a calendar while I was outside the walls. A few magazines can be falsified, as well as labels. I don't trust anything that Landel exposes us to. The possibility of tampered evidence is too great. We are playing his game--there is nothing we can take for granted.

"If Landel's goal was to imprison us, he would have done so. However, this setting is far too Lovecraft to be coincidence. We would be far more willing prisoners and subjects when our minds have been broken beyond repair. If that includes the warping of our sense of time and space, I would have to commend him on a well-founded ploy. If he can fast forward through months by placing magazines in a library, that is a simple enough conceit and prestige. Yet the weather and the trees... if he is able to manipulate those, I would be very interested to know how he is able to perform such a feat."

But perhaps not. Such a thing couldn't be human. Artemis had manipulated and extorted many individuals and collectives, but the weather and time was... too much.

"But our mystery poster is male, is he?" Artemis commented, taking another sip of water. "I should have guessed. The ratio of females to males is, after all, about one to three."

"So you know about the condition you're said to be suffering from." That was something Near had yet to discover for himself, the nurse stubbornly unhelpful in regards to the question. Would the answer be given in time, once Near was more indoctrinated into their system? "Regardless, I still decline. Though if you were to ask for a number of toys, perhaps we could make an exchange of the requested items."

Artemis was an intelligent boy, and the denial of more refined things suggested a coorelation that did not bode well for Near. And yet they fed Mello chocolate? Or was it by other means that the elder had gotten the items.

Then the solution presented itself, through Artemis's helpful, if unintentional gesture. An impish grin came over Near's face, and for the first time, he looked directly at the boy when he broke his focus away from the other table.

"Mello doesn't like you, does he?"

Near knew better than anyone what it took to get across the thin border marking Mello's bad side. Artemis seemed the type who could. Intelligent, bratty, selfish, and strong-willed. Perhaps it was the closest Mello had come to a nearly-Near in this place.

The rest of Aretmis's speech seemed to fall in line with this thought. Turning his eyes away from the boy after that single statement, he listened without comment. The conclusions were good, much like the ones Near himself had drawn. And it made it clear why Mello both didn't like Artemis, and why he hadn't acted his best against him.

"You stopped short of the most important parts." It was a tricky gamble, but one Near was willing to wager on. "It's a shame, really. If you'd gone just a bit farther, you both could have made much more progress." It was both Artemis's failure, and Mello's. Near sighed softly; he had been hopeful. But hopes, like his carrot tower, was easily pushed over. "You shouldn't have assumed I was being truthful. You should have questioned how I knew the anonymous was male."

Now what conclusions would Artemis reach, with carrots spilled all over the table?

"Oh of course I do," Artemis said, waving the question away as though it were obvious. "I am fourteen and yet I possess the highest IQ in Europe. What reason would they have not to institutionalize me?" The boy chuckled a little. Of course he didn't mention the fact that not only did he believe in fairies, he extorted them and called on them for favors on a regular basis. That alone was probably enough to land him in an insane asylum--not to mention the fact that he believed himself to be a criminal mastermind. A fact which, of course, he could prove, yet no one would let him.

"Ah," Artemis smiled back. "You assume that because I did not follow the next step you would, that I have stopped short."

The boy considered Near and the fallen tower of carrots for a moment before continuing. "Yes, Mello does not like me. In fact, had I not been in a wheelchair at our first meeting, he might have tried to throttle me, I think. However attacking invalids looks rather cheap, doesn't it? But I digress.

"I haven't caught Mello looking at me like that in quite some time. And the fact that you refer to him by name and recognize that he does not like me is rather significant. Now, perhaps you met him in the two shifts before we have met, but I am inclined to doubt it. Why? Because you and I are far too alike for his hatred of me to be a coincidence. I would be willing to bet a bay full of cola that he is incensed because you and I are speaking to one another right now. And this is a problem because you two know each other. And most obviously do not like each other. Why is unimportant.

"And now, I move to the question of the mysterious poster. Why exactly were you so interested in my reaction to his posts? My disproving his theories?" Here, he went out on a limb. He hadn't come to any conclusion concerning the rival poster's handwriting, but based on what Near was giving him now, and the fact that this rival had appeared so suddenly and Near had arrived just that morning, Artemis could reasonably guess the identity. It wasn't a solid argument to be sure, but one couldn't make an omelet without paging Butler over the intercom. "And why were you arguing at length with him, in long notes that I could hardly pass over they were so lengthly? The handwriting on the notes to me and the handwriting in these notes were, more or less, the same." Alright, so perhaps that bit of prestige wasn't called for. But nevertheless, he continued.

"I don't believe you have any reason to lie to me N. Not when we've just met," Artemis said, perching his chin on his folded hands. "Besides, lying to me would bring you farther from what you desire, which are my transcripts, no? Alas, I think you dropped that piece of evidence to see where I took it, and as you can see I've taken it quite far. While I may be imperfect, I am not one to be trifled with.

"But I could be wrong," Artemis sat back in his chair, the same excited, dangerous, and pleasant smile on his face. "You could be a pathological liar for all I know, and you could coincidentally have very similar thought processes to the mysterious poster's rival, but you've given me something interesting to look into." He looked back over at where Mello was sitting, smiled at the young man, and looked back at Near.

"Not that I'm very concerned with the identity of the mysterious poster. I find his efforts to be rather useless, actually. In my opinion, there is no need to discover how time works in this building. While interesting, the theory does not aid our escape. Knowing how much time passes during the night does not, in fact, tell us where Martin Landel is residing, nor does it tell us how to kill him."

Almost as soon as he had pushed over his tower, Near began to gather it back. He had done it for demonstration purposes, but he was hardly finished with his project. Without delay, he once again formed the foundation, then began to place rows of the vegetables on top of each other, restarting the construction that he himself had destroyed.

Well. Artemis had a healthy ego, didn't he? Near knew better than to say such a consideration would stop Mello from physical confrontation. The smart man's money would be on outside interference of some sort, should Mello have become enraged enough.

"Of course." And for Near's purposes, he had in fact done just that. If Artemis had proved a better rival, or somehow on level with Near, then Mello's potential would have been maximized, and much more progress made. As it was, the elder would only just now began to commit himself entirely to the effort, only because of Near's presence. Perhaps he thought he was before, but Near could see the flaws, the marks of carelessness caused perhaps not from rushing, but a sense of complacency. Strange to think of it that way when L himself was there, but still entirely possible, especially considering that Mello thought he had surpassed Near, and by capturing Kira, L as well.

But Artemis didn't see this. He was self-centered, assuming that Near was only talking about the fourteen year old's potential. Hardly the case at all.

Yet the boy was doing well enough at picking up the breadcrumbs Near was leaving for him. He had, of course, made the connection obvious on purpose, much like the picture printed on the box of most puzzles. And to his satisfaction, Artemis had begun to put together those pieces, working from the outside in to form a whole. Or most of one. There were still a few gaps, thing he had yet to see. Like that while Mello didn't like Near, Near did not share those feelings towards Mello. Nor that the reason behind their rivalry was quite important, if one wanted to take best advantage of the skills of either of L's heirs.

"You're wrong. I'm quite talented at disguising and mimicking handwriting." A necessary skill for any potential L. It was the first comment Near made, just as he dropped a carrot so it landed eskew in its place. "Instead of trying to make yourself look smarter by cheap insults, you should base your victories on nothing but fact. That's a weakness you and Mello both have in common, it would seem."

Mikami had jumped up elsewhere in the room. Near had already seen who the man walk talking to, and knew it was not Kira. Was Mikami somehow confused? It was highly likely, given the time he may or may not have been taken from, that Mikami had never seen Yagami Light, and thus would be unable to identify him. Yet how had the mix-up happen? Had that other claimed to be Kira, or was there some other similarity?

These thoughts would have been distracting to others, but for Near, it was as if two trains had passed at the same moment. These observations were made even as he continued to study Artemis. Was he trying to pressure Near, by implying that he might be lying, or somehow insulting the boy? He would have to do much better. Near had far too much experience with that sort of pressure to be moved by it, even if he had been a normal person. Or so he believed.

Near did, however, give credit where it was due. At least when it suited him. "That is exactly what I wanted to see, yes." He fixed the carrot he had purposely put out of place. "And you have done a better than average job with it." High praise, coming from Near, though he had a feeling Artemis wouldn't recognize it as such.

"You've come to a good conclusion. You are correct to say that he is wasting his time, if his goal were to freely give information in the hopes of benefiting the patient body at large. But that is not his goal." Now Artemis was trying to stand up to Mello, perhaps to show that he wasn't intimidated by the elder. Near wasn't fooled; he had already seen the initial reaction. "You and Mello are similar in certain aspects. You both act impulsively at times, trying to make yourselves seem like more than you are. If this is any indication, you have a drive to be superior. The best."

[More]

"I will tell you that I am not a liar, and that I am the one arguing with the anonymous poster. I will also tell you that the poster is Mello, who will no doubt be enraged when he overhears that I've told you that. I think it's likely he will even come over here to tell us that himself when he loses his temper." But Near knew better. Now that he'd said the words, Mello wouldn't come over, simply to prove Near wrong, that he couldn't be so easily predicted. Which was why Near had been working where Mello couldn't see even as he regathered his tools from the tower's fall. Carrots on the table had been arranged to form a message, block letters only gradually becoming clear over time, and none moved independently of a carrotstick being placed into the tower.

WONT COME. PRETENDS NOT TO CARE. DONT REACT.

Artemis listened intently to what Near said, smiling. He was quite pleased with himself. The bluff had worked nicely. "Yes, in fact. You are quite the expert at disguising your handwriting. I did not, in fact, link yours to the anonymous poster's rival's handwriting. I bluffed and won. Which, I may add, I am uncannily good at. I'm terrified that one of these days my luck will run out..."

Technically, it already had. His attempt to bluff out Disraeli had backfired horribly, and cost him precious memories. Artemis was only lucky that he had been smart enough to call out to Schuldig before he blanked completely.

"However," Artemis looked a bit more serious as he approached this topic. "While I am reckless and impulsive at times, you mustn't think that this is simply because I am like Mello. Where I come from, I have access to many more resources and therefore, can plan better. Being here for ten days... I will not lie, it has cost me my sanity twice now. There is only so much one can do up here," Artemis tapped his temple. "That eventually one becomes trapped here. But I've come to accept that logic is useless here. Thus I can only assess situations on a case-by-case basis. Until I can get a firmer grasp on this reality, this is all I can hope to do.

"But I am not as reckless at-- no, that's a lie. I'm just as reckless at home," Artemis laughed. "Something has always gone awry in my plans. I cannot hope to claim perfection." The teen laughed in spite of himself. Since when was he honest with himself? Granted, he gave himself high praise for pulling through these situations, but before now he had never acknowledged that perhaps parts of his plots hadn't been thought out and executed especially well. But there had always been backup plans. And backup plans for the backup plans. And... well, that was the idea.

"So while Mello and I may share some less-than-prudent characteristics, I am still nothing like him," Artemis said with a dangerously saccharine smile. He did not want to discuss this subject. Not again. He would not have the same humanism vs. people as pawns discussion twice in one week, thank you very much.

Artemis looked down at the pile of carrots, eyes showing a small spark of recognition--but nothing that would be visible unless the viewer was seated across from him. He had the urge to laugh out loud at the little charade that was being enacted, but the message specified no reaction. So no reaction it would be. Perhaps this could be amusing... He needed this after the night he had last night.

"I am relieved to hear that you are not a liar, and not at all surprised to find out that it is him. Although, I must ask, since you know him. If his purpose is not to collect information anonymously for his own theories, then what is his purpose?"

Artemis watched curiously as Near rebuilt his tower. Definitely obsessive compulsive. But many great detectives had some sort of detail-oriented disorder.

Near gave Artemis a flat look when he proclaimed victory, supposedly because Near had fallen for his painfully obvious bluff. He was showing himself to be more like Mello with each passing moment, it seemed. For someone like Near, who knew Mello intimately well, the comparisons were rather easy to make. Including that streak of denial Artemis displayed when he claimed to be nothing like Near's elder.

"Oh, of course. You're obviously not alike at all." Near wasn't exactly tactful when it came to things like this, and his sarcasm was likely obvious. He was beginning to suspect that pressing the issue would turn things sour, however, so after that remark, he was willing enough to let that aspect of the conversation drop.

Once he was certain Artemis had seen the message (and clearly didn't understand the definition of "don't react"), he began to clear it away. There was no detectable change in the motion of his hands, and Mello was doing an admirable job of controlling his temper. And of course, proving Near right. The resulting conversation was an interesting turn, however. A topic considered safe for Near to hear, and one he was interested in. Matt, at least, was trying to be quiet about it, though Mello's resultant exclamations did little to aide that purpose.

Near felt something tugging at his attention, however, other than these two conversations, or many of the others he could overhear. It didn't take long to figure out why, of course. A simple turn of his eyes put the teenager dangerously close to making eye contact with L, who had apparently decided to make sport out of staring at him. Strange that it made him feel an almost uncharacteristic urge to squirm in his seat. As it was, the only reaction he made visibly was to accidentally drop a carrot stick.

Oops.

"He wants the patients to trust him." It wasn't an unwise idea, certainly. "He also wants the patients not to trust me. By taking a position of informational authority, he believes he has cut off my best path to success." Whether this idea occurred before or after Near's arrival was an interesting question, but not one that mattered in the end result. That was the reason that Near, of course, had to contest the matter. His options were limited, after all. "It isn't a bad idea, although the topic is, if anyone were to think about it, a waste of time."

Near's tower was precise. No carrot stick stuck out any farther than the ones next to it, and again it quickly reached a tall height. He considered the conversations going on around him again, while doing his very best to ignore L's persistent stare. At the moment, he could only be glad that Yagami Light wasn't in the room, as it would have undoubtedly been the equivalent of a bullseye for Kira. But now was time to venture a guess of his own, his words directed at Artemis, though of course heard by at least two other prying ears.

"Are you a fictional character?"

"Hm?" Artemis frowned when Near dropped the carrot stick. That was new. He turned and followed the young man's line of vision. Was that... Ryuuzaki? Why were people staring at them today? Well, he supposed that two geniuses were enough to cause some sort of stir, but from Mello and Ryuuzaki? Come to think of it... Near's eyes reminded Artemis quite a bit of Ryuuzaki's blank stare. Which Mello also seemed to share. This fact unnerved him, but not enough to comment.

After revealing Mello's intentions, Artemis stared at Near for a moment, then barked a laugh. "He certainly has a strange way of going about it. Providing information and conclusions that none but a few patients seem to care about is not the way to win their affections. Unless he intends to create a mass patient uprising as Dear Abby."

The boy chuckled at his own joke. He was making quite a few of those lately. He would have to analyze why later. Perhaps laughter in the face of adversity.

He had lifted his water glass to his lips again when Near dropped what could only be described as a nuclear bomb to Artemis' psyche. Artemis nearly choked, hiding his nose and mouth in the crook of his elbow as he coughed. His eyes flashed to Mello, livid. Of course Mello would mention that again. But this posed another interesting question. Did Mello mention this beforehand to Near, or was Near able to pick up on conversations being held tables away? Most likely Mello had just said that, considering the situation. Artemis didn't fancy himself important enough to be attacked by Mello for no reason. No, the reason was because Artemis was sitting with Mello's most hated rival or enemy. He or Near was being sabotaged.

The boy looked calmly at Near, took a deep breath and exhaled. And again. And again. He took a duck to the face at forty knots.

"According to... a young man named Reid Garwin and some other sources... there is a book detailing parts of my life." Artemis seemed rather shaken. Paler than usual. He still hadn't come to grips with the fact that details of his life were floating around in some worlds. What did those books say about his life? Were they even accurate? Did they tell the truth, or make him out to be some sort of ultimate hero? He wasn't sure, and that was the part that scared him the most.

"And I'm not certain why I'm so surprised at this fact," Artemis continued, his hands shaking, his motions becoming more and more agitated. "I mean, Freud's mother, Clark Kent is running around the halls at night! I suppose I should feel honored. Kidnapped to the same place as Clark Kent and the cast of Final Fantasy seven."

Artemis stared at his food for a moment, his eyes as blank as he felt Ryuuzaki's were. "Fiction. The class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration, especially in prose form. An allegation that a fact exists that is known not to exist." The boy's gaze rose to meet Near's dead-on. "My life is not fictional. My feelings, my struggles, and my pain are all very real things. Perhaps not for you or Mello or anyone else. It depends on the definition of 'reality'. If it is something that you can closely interact with, then I am your reality as of now.

"But as far as I am concerned, I have been living all fourteen years of my life, working towards my means and ends. Whether or not someone has chronicled this is irrelevant. It is my reality."

Artemis' words were strong, but his body didn't follow suit. He still looked pale and tired. At this moment, he looked as though each day at Landel's had been a year--and time had not been kind.

"And I am tired of this subject. And if you do not drop it, Mello," Artemis spat, staring straight at the blonde young man. He knew that Mello was listening. "I can promise you will live to regret it."

He looked back at Near, "Any questions?"

Artemis noticing L's stare bothered Near, but only for his own slip. He shouldn't allow the connection between himself and the detective to be made so easily. Certainly not if the Light Artemis had mentioned was Kira, and regardless, not to random strangers. But there was little he could do about it, so Near continued to try and ignore it, focusing on the conversation at hand.

He'd gotten much more information than he counted on, from Artemis and from Mello. Even before the boy had answered, Mello's reply was a clear indication that not only did this seem to be the case, but that it was an issue with Artemis, one the elder enjoyed holding over his head. And with good reason, given Artemis's reaction.

"Saying such things won't dissuade him.". Near had turned his eyes when Artemis tried to meet his gaze, letting him see only whites. "Clearly it is a weakness for you. He will continue to take advantage of it so long as it gives him power over you." Including by attempting to feed Near information. He had indeed heard Mello's words, but he was one who enjoyed beong manipulated just as much as his rival did. So the words were ignored, along with Matt's wave. There was no need to acknowledge what they all already knew.

Aretmis's speech was rather impassioned, making Near curious. "If you truly feel so strongly, then the matter shouldn't bother you." He used both hands now, leaning carrots against one another to form a peak for his tower. "What does it change if you are in fact fictional to this Reid Garwin? You are, as you said, still yourself. Perhaps if you believed it, Mello would be forced to drop the issue simply because it failed to work. It's likely the only way he will stop, in fact. And even that isn't certain."

Of all people, Near should know.

"It would be much more practical to change yourself instead."

Artemis gave another short laugh, "Believe me, I know that nothing short of an army would dissuade him. However, this will not discourage me from expressing my displeasure at him. That way," The boy leaned in and dropped his voice. It was mostly for theatrics, because he knew Mello could probably read his lips. "When he finds himself on the other end of the entire Arts and Crafts division and a few of my other personal business contacts, he will realize that I was being charitable."

He shook his head lightly. "Most likely, I am suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Everything, since the first day I have been here, has been amplifying my feelings of confusion and distress. The thought that perhaps I am only as smart as I am because someone has written me to be that way...

"No," He shook his head more firmly this time. "That isn't possible. If anything, I should be demanding royalties for this book. It is turning my personal struggles and pain into entertainment. I am highly offended to the point of distraction."

He didn't know if that was actually true or not, but it did disgust him that people in the institute would run around telling people they came from books, movies, or other forms of entertainment. Purely because someone's struggles were personal--entertainment when looked at from a third-person, outsider perspective. But when faced with the subject of said struggle, it was insensitive to claim that their personal pain was entertaining. In that sense, yes, it disgusted him, and he dearly hoped that it would stop soon.

"Trying to change Mello would be fruitless, I know. I must come to terms with this on my own. It did just happen only three days ago. I must be allowed time to process this adequately."

"You're underestimating Mello's stubbornness." Near knew better than to think even an entire army would put Mello off from his goals. His sheer stubbornness and determination had no match, a trait that had doled out equal amounts of harm and help throughout his life. Likely including his own death, Near supposed. Or so Mello might consider it. Near, however, felt differently.

But that was an issue for another time.

"You're also wrong to assume that it isn't possible." Near spoke the words dryly, considering the grand issue of Artemis's life, and in fact his own, with seemingly the same weight he considered his carrot stick tower. The first part complete, Near's left hand went to work on the second, his right again curling a clump of his hair. "You could be fictional in some world. Just as much as Mello or I could. But as you said before, fictional or not, it changes nothing about your life. Even if someone said I was fictional, I wouldn't become a different person. So really, I don't see why you're having such a hard time dealing with it."

Near had never been the sensitive type. Someone's pain was almost always entertainment for someone else. It was just unfortunate in Artemis's case that it was more wide-spread. But the fact that it did bother him so was fuel for Mello's fire, and until the boy countered that, he only had himself to blame for the continued anguish.

And besides, three days was a long time to deal with something of that nature. Or so it was to Near.

More importantly was what Artemis had said before, concerning his apparent resources. Near of course noticed the drop in volume, indicating that Artemis wished to hide his connections from Mello. That suited Near's purposes well enough, as the simple statement answered questions that he'd had from his bulletin reading. That Artemis was in such high regard with one of the clubs (even accounting for the ego the boy had shown) indicated that they valued a person with his particular skills. And while he looked neither so thin nor so pale, Near doubted that Artemis was a particularly gifted physical combatant. So of the three groups, Arts and Crafts might well be the best one to pursue, in an attempt to make connections of his own.

"We've moved pretty far from our earlier topic." Near hadn't forgotten the talk of transcripts, nor his desire to have them. "Do you still need further proof that my conclusions are worth having? I can speculate on a topic of your choosing, if you'd like, but you might not like what I have to say about it."

He hadn't liked what Near said about the similarities between Artemis and Mello, after all. But then again, he also seemed particularly talented at rationalizing away what he didn't like. Also a trait of Mello.

Artemis looked at Near as though he wanted to reach across the table and remove a carrot stick just for the evil desire to see Near's reaction. But he quashed the desire, albeit with some difficulty, and looked directly at Near. Artemis had picked up on the fact that the young man didn't particularly care to look into someone's eyes while talking--a preference that drove Artemis crazy. It was, in his mind, rude and disrespectful. The least someone could do was look at him while he spoke.

He let the topic of his own personal struggles go. Artemis felt that if he continued to discuss this with Near, he would actually need therapy. Haku... where was Haku when Artemis needed him?

"Although you compare me to Mello, you certainly are as egotistical as he is. But, then again, those in glass houses should not throw stones." He flashed a small smirk. "No, N, I am not at all convinced that I have need of your conclusions. So far all you have offered me is insight into my personal life--something that any psychologist could discern with great ease--and compared me to Mello. I'm sorry to say that I remain unimpressed." He tilted his head a little. "Though your attention to detail is rather intriguing,I must say."

Oh that look. Near had seen it countless times, when Mello struggled with his inner urges. He grinned lightly, then pointed to a few spots in the tower. "Here, here. Or here." The weakest points in the structure, the sticks that if removed, would cause the most spillage. Artemis didn't seem to realize that Near simply didn't upset easily, but he likely would in time.

Or perhaps not.

"I never said I wasn't egotistical." And that was all Near offered in calms reply. At the claims of 'all Near had offered', however, he sighed softly. "And while Mello's ego is often irrational, it's not entirely unfounded. For example, thanks in part to his paranoia, but also to his wits and understanding," Near snapped a carrot stick in two. "Mello can usually tell when he is being led along."

"That is one difference between you two, it would seem."

Artemis thought too much of his own opinion, and that was keeping him from realizing that it was not the be all end all. If he had been more aware, he would have had 'Ryuuzaki' and Yagami Light analyze the transcripts already, and share their conclusions with him. Failing to recognize the skill of both men was a failing on the boy's part.

"You've noted my attention to detail, but you still think that I fell for your bluff earlier. Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, considering that you assumed I fell for it when I pointed out your earlier error. Moreover, you're also assuming that what I've said is all I can say about you. Though I'd be interested in meeting the psychologists able to discern specifically that you are contesting the idea of being a fictional character without being told."

Near felt a twinge in his fingertips then, and took hold of one of the three sticks he'd pointed out earlier. "In reality, you should be thankful for my discretion. Mello is listening to everything we say, and has been from the start. If I wanted, I could give him more fuel to add to his fire by exposing more of your weaknesses." Though Mello likely wouldn't use the information given to him, if it came directly from Near, there were certain circumstances where it could be arranged. "But that wouldn't serve my purposes. Not at this point."

More importantly was the fact that it simply wasn't interesting. Certainly not enough to warrant Near doubling the amount of time he spent dealing with this particular personality type. Artemis may have been insulted that his specific personal struggles were the topic of amusement for others, but the simple truth was that the boy wasn't really complicated.

"Regardless, as of tonight I'll be able to keep track of the posts for myself. It might have been easier with the previously recorded information, but this will not be the first time I've had to start from zero on such an enterprise." The statement wasn't entirely true, of course, nor not entirely false. While the information available at the start of the Kira case was limited at best, Near had, in that situations, his reputation as L's heir, and the resources left to him by L. Here, he had much less than that, forcing him to take a hands-on approach. Something he wasn't nearly so good at as Mello, but a fact that Artemis didn't need to know.

After his words, Near released the carrot without pulling it. It wasn't worth the effort, in the end, to rebuild the tower in a different fashion, with different strengths and weaknesses. This would suffice, regardless of the result, and the teen went back to work constructing the second building.

Artemis tilted his head slightly and listened to Near. If the young man was banking on Artemis expressing dismay at being compared to Mello again, he would be sadly disappointed. Artemis Fowl never repeated himself unless he felt it was absolutely necessary. Near was smart enough to recognize that Artemis was displeased at being compared to Mello, he didn't have to say it again.

So instead, he smiled, and marveled at how alike this 'N' was to Ryuuzaki. Artemis had felt the same way when matching wits with the older man, and the pattern of thought was almost identical. Yes, there was more than just passing coincidence to that look Ryuuzaki had given Near. Well, Artemis could work with this. He'd done it before, he could do it again.

"I don't see how that concerns me, N. If you are able to draw conclusions from scratch tonight, I wonder why you sought out my information in the first place. Most people do not meet with me unless they desire something I have and have something of equal worth to trade for it.

"I may 'not be able to realize when I am being led along', but I think, N, that you are rather stubborn and must have things your way. I am the same. However, I am afraid that in this situation I hold the upper hand. I have what you desire, and thus you are not in a position to make demands. I am willing to compromise, of course, but you continue to offer the same thing--which I have repeatedly refused to accept.

"But, that shouldn't be a problem for you, if you don't desire to compromise," Artemis said, taking another sip of water. "After all, you can start from zero on this enterprise as well. Or you could receive the transcripts from Ryuuzaki. Once he pays me for them, of course."

Near hadn't been banking on anything. The comparisions to Mello were only made because they were true, regardless of how Artemis felt about them. Near saw the similarity, and he'd never been one to hide the truth in cases where it wasn't best hidden; Artemis's feelings simply didn't warrant that. Besides, the transcripts only had so much value to Near, and he was only willing to offer so much for them. "I did say it would be easier to have them. But as you've realized, I'm new here. There's only so much I have to work with."

The matter was as simple as that. Near had to budget his resources, and not waste anything if he were to end up successful in the end.

"You have refused it, several times." Near shrugged, then impishly grinned at Artemis, though he still didn't look at him. "Ultimately, that is your loss. Though Mello will be quite pleased that we apparently won't work together."

Ah, and then a jab in return. It was only to be expected, given how Near had dug into the surface of Artemis's personality, and his earlier slip. But if he expected Near to be so simply pried into, or somehow severely effected by the words, it was Artemis's turn to be disappointed. "I have no intention of asking Ryuuzaki for the transcripts." Bargaining them away from Artemis was one thing, but asking L for that help would be far closer to failure than Near would accept. Of the three, Near was clearly at the greatest disadvantage here, and while he was willing enough to accept that truth, Near shared the determination to win, even without the willingness to go to such lengths as the others.

Besides, L had no reason to help either of his heirs; they had ultimately succeeded where he had failed in the Kira case. The possibility of L knowing this was high: the latest point L could be drawn from was his death, meaning at best he had not solved the Kira case, and at worst knew of his own failure. If he had been drawn from death, it would have been after Kira's moment of victory, one that he no doubt take the opportunity to gloat over, possibly revealing himself to L in the process. Then the final factor, that L was as determined as the rest to win at all costs; Near found it unlikely that he would be so cooperative when he looked at the picture as a whole. Certainly not without demanding a greater price than Artemis was.

No. Getting the transcripts from Yagami Light was out of the question. From Artemis or this Mr. Nails (who seemed willing to see anything for cigarettes) would be the preferable route. L at best remained a distant possibility, should it only become clear that there was both no other way, and that those early transcripts were somehow vital to solving the dilemma.

"What price did you ask of Ryuuzaki?" Regardless, the fact that Ryuuzaki wanted the transcripts, and did not have them yet, was still valuable information on its own. The question was a safe enough one; Artemis could only tell L what Near had asked and said. L, in turn, could speculate that Near saw him as competition, and that he desired to move about this investigation in his own way. Both of these assumptions would be correct, and at the same time likely do no vital harm to Near's investigation. Provided of course, L didn't try to hamper the progress he might make.

The persistent stare was enough of an alert to the possibility. But if that happened, Near would simply deal with it then. There was no other choice, in the end.

Artemis' grin twitched up a little. Near followed the bait of Ryuuzaki, so perhaps he wasn't the only one who could be 'led along'. Ryuuzaki had recognized that Artemis had played him and Light against one another, but Near obviously needed those transcripts from another source. Otherwise the deal would have ended right there. Near would have gotten up and waited for Artemis to give up the transcripts to Ryuuzaki.

"Ryuuzaki? We agreed that he would give me ten packets of Earl Grey tea. My nurse does not allow me this, because I am supposed to be a normal fourteen-year-old. As you can see, I am denied many of the things that I am used to because of my age. Thus I use my talents to barter for objects I cannot obtain on my own. It's a fair enough system, I think. Obviously you don't feel the same way, N."

Artemis pushed aside his tray. "But, as I stated before, I am willing to compromise. Is there something you would be willing to give me in conjunction with your regular observations? Perhaps... what N truly stands for?" The boy smiled.

Ten packets of tea. That confirmed for Near that they were in fact not in England, where such a thing would be considered standard for any teenager or child. But tea wouldn't be denied for L, whose penchant hadn't been for the drink, but the sugar that went in it. There were several possibilities then, to explain why L hadn't yet received the transcripts. He perhaps hadn't been here long enough to receive ten tea bags from the nurses, who might very well limit what the patients were allowed to receive, or...

L didn't see value in the transcripts.

"Your system is fair, for people who choose to use it. And I did say I would ask for that cd and player if you would ask for toys for me. A finger puppet kit, perhaps. Or block men." Such things would be very useful to Near. But if Artemis's condition was any indication, he likely wouldn't be able to get them on his own. Normal eighteen year olds, to his understanding, didn't play with toys as he did. That of course was perfectly acceptable in normal cases, as it meant Commander Rester wasn't trying to touch his things.

In this, however, it was not at all a pleasant coincidence in this situation.

And then Artemis asked for more, all the while not knowing what he was asking for. So Near suspected, at any rate. He considered it in silence, thinking over the consequences and the possibilities. Of course he could lie and make up a false name, but that was easily enough exposed. There was greater risk in revealing the alias he went by. Kira was present, and though there was no way to know what time he had been pulled from, Near was certain that Mikami would have been informed of the names he and Mello went by. There was of course, a high chance that none of them had access to the Death Note here, and an equally good chance that Near had been separated from his time, and a death here would not affect the progress of the Kira investigation and conclusion in his own world. But Near had no desire to put that theory to the test, as he did not wish to die just yet. Additionally, there was the possibility that he had not been removed in a way that allowed time to continue, but that on his return he would be in the same exact moment when he left. If this was the case, then the same could be said for Yagami Light and Mikami Teru. Those two realizing that he was Near, particularly with Mikami's shinigami eyes, was too dangerous a risk to take.

He wouldn't lose the Kira case simply because of this detour.

There was another name, however. One that could not be verified or denied by anyone without an ability such as the shinigami eyes. Near was the only one who knew it; not even Mello, Matt, or L knew what the N truly stood for.

"My first name will have to suffice." There was no way of preventing L-Kira or X-Kira from knowing it, since there seemed to be no way to hide his face. In that way, revealing this truth was safer that exposing his identity as Near. "Nate."

Artemis nodded. "Nate..." He smiled, genuinely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The boy opened up his notebook and proffered ten sheets of paper, detailing all intercom broadcasts and radio transmissions during the night. "If you have any ideas concerning the announcements, I would be happy to hear them and relay my own."

His eyes slid to the side, as though to look back at Mello. But the boy didn't move.

"I'll ask about the toys. I am, after all, Sean Malloy, fourteen-year-old soccer enthusiast. It shouldn't be hard to receive a few toys. Block men, you said?" He smiled happily. Artemis liked this game. Very much.

"Yes." Artemis didn't press for a last name, nor for the reason Near wouldn't give his last name, and Near wasn't going to point out the error. In some ways, it worked to his advantage; N and Near were both names he'd gone by in his own world, but Nate was virtually unknown as his true name. And in the end, Near had lost attachment to it the day he entered Wammy's House. From that moment, he was Near, and shortly after, the number one contender to be the heir to L. So it was a good name, for the time being.

Near took the papers Artemis offered, reading over them quickly, though unlike most people, he held them high, not bending his head to look at them, and from the top of the pages. Since Artemis had said nothing about needing them back, he assumed they were his own to keep. In reality, however, Near would only need them for this initial reading, as after this point, he would have them memorized.

Hard copies were still good things, however. They made wonderful evidence. For example, they proved beyond doubt that Near and Artemis had reached an agreement. Even if Mello could deny Near giving a name having that effect, he couldn't deny what his own eyes saw. Nor could the elder hide his eventual curiosity, based not on the information, but simply that Near had it and he didn't. Unfortunately for Mello, the angle would prevent him from seeing what was written on the sheets.

Such a little thing as that much consent, and Near noted the drastic improvement in Artemis's mood. Regardless, Near simply nodded, confirming his choice of toys. "Block men will do nicely. A marker would also be good, but you shouldn't press too hard. A fourteen-year-old asking for them probably isn't much better than an eighteen-year-old."

"It won't be a problem," Artemis said, waving the concern away, and strangely not showing any surprise at Near's age. How could he, after all? Given who he was? "My nurse, while she says I am fourteen, treats me as though I am a toddler. She'll be thrilled if I ask for something 'pertaining to my own age group'." The boy rolled his eyes. Really, if he managed to pull this off without any further convincing, he would have to write a letter to Martin Landel about the competency of his staff.

"So, as you needed to use a code name when we first began speaking, am I to assume that 'Nate' is not safe to use on the bulletin board? Or may I contact you that way?" Seeing as Near hadn't given his name from the get-go, Artemis knew that getting anything past what Near was willing to give first would prove problematic. Besides, the fact that Near was eighteen and yet gave a fourteen year old his first name allowed Artemis to refer to Near as an equal. After all, 'Mr. Nate' sounded so primary school.

"I sign all of my messages with my initials, so you'll know if it's me or not. Unless someone cares to copy my handwriting."

Matt's joining of a group was somewhat predictable. Mello had done the same with the mafia in their own world, and perhaps he was trying again. Then was it a matter of getting power? To have sway over the patients, and no doubt at an opportune time, since it seemed from their postings that leadership was changing hands. It would make sense, simply because Mello was the type of person who saw no one better suited for any role of ultimate leadership than himself. It fit the elder to attempt something of this nature, and Near would no doubt have to keep an eye on the other's progress.

The question of names was a concerning one, but Near only needed a moment to answer. "Nate would be best. Of course Mello will now know that this is how we will contact each other, so we should both be wary of forgeries. He is quite likely to interfere in such a way." Except now that Near had said it, the chances dramatically decreased, and for the better. It would be the simplest means of communication, and the less interference, the better.

Moreover, it solved the problem of hiding his real name from X-Kira. Since he couldn't hide his face, he would simply have to hide for as long as possible that he was Near. At least until he could confirm that they did not have possession of the Death Note in this facility, and also that Kira and X-Kira would retain none of their memories if and when they returned to their own world. To lose in such a fashion would be disgraceful, and unacceptable, especially when Near considered all who had already died.

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Day 34: Lunch

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