DAY 43: CAFETERIA, MORNING

[hailmegatron.livejournal.com]

Where was Blitzwing?

Lugnut ignored the nurse's fussing over his foot, even as it howled objections to his ill treatment of it the night before, pounding through the town in search of his wingmate, reportedly helpless and injured by an attack the night before-- and not finding him, not seeing even a glimpse of his crazy triple-changing ally.

Snarling at the nurse, but restraining himself from shows of violence-- Blitzwing would mock him if he showed up drugged already, and he would be useless to Megatron like that--he made his way impatiently to the cafeteria, stopping for just long enough to post an urgent notice on the board.

Where was he?

Looming in the middle of the cafeteria, he took the tray the nurse handed him (filled with disgusting human fuel, didn't she know he didn't have time to eat, not when his wingmate was missing?) and ignored it, watching for Blitzwing, where was he?

He refused to think about what might have happened to a wheelchair-bound, drugged, incapacitated warrior, with the swarms of monsters flooding around him, clawing and biting...

[for Scourge]

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[2cute2bkira.livejournal.com]

The last date she remembered? So...that meant he was probably from later. She really wanted to ask him about Light, but she was a little reluctant to do so right away, especially considering he had been there before and then disappeared.

"It was 2004...May 28th. I remember talking to you and to Light, and then getting pulled away by my manager. And...I don't really know what happened after that. It's all a blur. I remember getting pulled into some strange car after that, and blindfolded. I think it was some creepy stalker. They kept asking me questions, and I kind of fell asleep after a little while. The next thing I remember is waking up here." Misa frowned, looking down and shoving pieces of waffle around on her plate.

"I think there are people investigating that," she said, a moment later. "I think one of them said it might be some weird experiment? I don't really know the details. As for the radio stuff, what I've heard has been like riddles and things, when it goes off."

She paused again, looking around nervously before continuing. "Yeah...the people who are hurt are hurt because of the monsters. But...sometimes people disappear from this place and they don't come back. I...well." Her lower lip trembled, and she looked close to tears. "Light...was here. And now he's not and I don't know what happened." The words came out in a tumble, one after the other.

[ryuuzaki]

Taken away by her manager and pulled into a car -- it was the day we arrested her. L had complimented her that day, a false, delighted compliment based on the confirmation that his case was coming together. Now, he looked at her pretty face, across the table, her blonde hair; he had found them to be useful tools.

"What kinds of questions did they ask you, Misa-san? Do you remember?" He knew exactly what he and Watari had asked her -- or at least the general course of what had been an incessant interrogation -- but he wanted to hear how she would respond. "Do you think it might have had anything to do with this place, with why you were brought here? Can you think of any reason for it -- any reason at all, even if it seems unlikely?" Being the second Kira, for example: a murderer like any other.

He listened to her answers, shoveling more French toast into his mouth. After swallowing, he asked, "Do you have any idea who the people pursuing the investigation might be? If I approach them, it is possible that they will share information. I may be able to make something of the clues." If she still believes that I am Light's school friend Ryuuga, it is better not to let her know that I want to join their investigation myself -- or perhaps investigate it seriously on my own. Amane will probably think that I have a reasonable casual interest, nothing more.

More breakfast food followed his words. When she confessed that Light had gone missing, he stopped chewing, looking at her intently with his head tilted to the side. Finally, he spoke around his food.

"When did you last see him? It is possible that he was injured by the monsters?"

If the suggestion made Amane cry, too bad.

[2cute2bkira.livejournal.com]

I promised that I wouldn't tell anyone. I promised...but a friend of Light's is something else, right? So...I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me for telling.

Misa took a long, shaky breath, then another. "I don't remember a lot," she said, "but it was a lot of stuff about being Kira or helping him or whatever. I didn't know what to say about it all. But I really don't think it's why I was brought here. It seems like it's really random."

She gasped at that last question, biting her tongue to keep out the words 'don't ask about that, don't make me say it.' She took a moment to try and compose herself, but it didn't really work.

"I...honestly didn't see him before I was here. What I heard was through another detective from home," Misa said, the tears coming to her eyes unbidden. "So I honestly don't know if something hurt him or whether he just disappeared or what," she added, then broke down, crying openly.

[ryuuzaki]

So she admits that she was questioned in the case. The probability that Light directed her to address me as Ryuuga if she came across me here is infinitely low; she is probably telling the truth about most of this. The connections snapped quickly into place in L's mind. But I wonder --

"No, it seems unlikely," he said, around the last bite of his French toast. "We cannot all be serious suspects in the investigation: I doubt that L has a habit of kidnapping innocent people and imprisoning them in psychiatric wards. This could not be his doing. Apart from that, it would be ridiculous to suspect someone like you or me of being Kira."

When Misa began to sob, L tried to imbue his tone with the same sincerity -- simulated, but convincing enough -- that he had used when speaking to HK-47; as a hint of exasperation crept in this time, it became apparent that the performance was not entirely succesful. "Misa-san, crying about Yagami will not help him. It certainly will not help you.

"But I have one question: when you say 'another detective,' what do you mean? Is Yagami a detective? What did this detective look like?" Matt -- no, "Robin" -- or M?

As he sipped at the apple juice, watching her, he thought, It is possible that she will be unable to answer further questions. Perhaps a slight tactical error. If that turns out to be the case -- another time, then. It seems it may be possible to break down her connection to Yagami, or to use it here in some way.