The Aves of Maria

Acta Deos Numquam Mortalia Fallunt or "Mortal Actions Never Deceive Gods."
***

"I have found Kira. Thank you everyone at the police station and the TV station."

The Second Kira, Light decided, was either one of two things:

A.) An idiot.

B.) A liar.

Light wasn't happy with either option, but, well, there you were. The Second Kira was either only pretending to be a Kira supporter, or was simply such an oblivious fool that he didn't take the time to realize he could be putting Kira in danger by speaking so openly.

It irritated Light to no end.

Even more irking was that the anonymous person had discovered Light, while Light himself had searched high and low and not caught so much of a glimpse of the Second Kira! It was insulting, especially considering that it was obvious the person was nowhere near his level of intelligence.

L, sitting directly across from Light, was perched awkwardly in his chair, bony fingers resting on his knees, and got the team started on making a tape in response to the idiot imposter's message. Light didn't want to help. It could lead to Light's undoing: the imposter could take the bait and turn Light in, or simply write Light's name in his notebook. Yet, he couldn't come out and announce that he didn't want to make the video. Despite his brilliant mind, he couldn't think of a way to stop the team from baiting the Second Kira without making himself look suspicious.

He really wanted to write something.

Light inhaled deeply and stood, stretching numbness out of his legs and fingers. Rolling one shoulder he took his cell phone out of his pocket and turned it on to check for any missed calls.

L looked over at him, clearly annoyed. "I really don't like it when people use their cell phones in front of me, Light-kun. It's distracting."

Light rolled his eyes. "You're such a hypocrite, Ryuzaki. This will only take a few minutes. Dad and I might have missed something important."

The other man stared at Light from under his messy, black fringe. Finally, he nodded.

Light stomped down the desire to openly smirk in triumph. Instead he focused his attention back on his phone, noting the "1 missed call" blinking at the bottom of the screen.

"Oh, I missed a call from Mom." Soichiro looked up at the mention of his wife. Light continued. "I am going to call her back and check in. Ryuzaki, do you mind if I…?"

L took a sip of his sugary tea and conceded. "Alright, but do it in another room."

"Fine."

The tawny-haired youth stood and walked into the kitchen area of the suite, hitting number 2 on his cell phone's speed dial—home—and lifting the device to his ear as it rang.

"Moshi moshi?" he heard a female voice ask; his mother's voice.

"Mom? It is Light."

"Light! Oh, I was wondering if you'd call back."

He could hear her sniffling into the receiver, not intensely, but enough to make him aware that she was upset about something. "Mom, what is wrong?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Light, sweetie. I know you and your father are both working hard right now, but I thought you needed to know right away."

"What is it?"

"It seems Maria's friend, Takagi Akito, was in a traffic accident yesterday. She just found out this morning."

Light squelched his smile, forcing his mouth into a pained line. "That is awful. I just met him the other day."

Sachiko wailed. "Oh, I'm sorry, Light! Now you won't be able to concentrate on your homework at all."

He hurried to soothe her. "It is okay, Mom. I'm glad you told me now instead of later. How is Maria taking it?"

He heard her take a calming breath. "I'm not sure, but she can't be taking it well. Apparently they were very close. We'd talked about him a few times during tea; she was hoping that he would ask her to marry him soon."

Jealously, white hot and spiteful, flared in Light's chest for a split moment before fading quickly. 'I must not let my hatred for him get the better of me. He is dead now; there is nothing to be jealous of. Maria will be mine soon enough.' Out loud, he said, "That is terrible."

"Yes, yes it is! It's downright awful!"

From the other room, Light heard L call his name.

Light sighed. "Look, Mom, I have to go now. I will be home soon and we will talk more then, all right?"

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry. I hardly knew the man, but I know how much you and your sister like Maria. Oh dear, my mouth is carrying me away again. I'm sorry, Light. I'll see you at dinner."

"Yeah. Bye, Mom."

"Goodbye, Light."

He snapped the phone shut and sighed with barely masked irritation. Annoyed at the Second Kira for so spectacularly throwing a wrench into his otherwise perfect plans, at L for forcing him to cut off the wonderful conversation he was having with his mother—and no, that was not sarcasm—at the feelings that become more and more difficult to suppress with every passing day. He wrenched his hand through his hair and strode back into the sitting room.

L glanced over at him and spoke before Light could ask what he was called back for. "What's wrong, Light-kun?"

The young man hesitated, counted to ten in his head and responded accordingly. "A friend of one of our church acquaintances was apparently killed in a traffic accident yesterday morning."

The detective placed his thumb between his teeth. "Ah, yes, Mashiro Maria-san. You're close to her, aren't you, Light-kun?"

"We are well acquainted, but I wouldn't go so far as to call us 'close,' Ryuzaki. I am amazed that you knew who I was talking about; have you spied on my neighbors as well as me?"

Soichiro looked up from the paper he was reading over; his eyes were wide with alarm. "What? Maria?"

Light's eyes slid over to his father. "A friend of hers was hit by a car, Dad."

The salt-and-pepper haired man blinked several times before lowering his gaze to his lap. "Oh, that's…" He drifted off, unable to find the words.

L looked over at the older man. "Will you be alright, Yagami-san?"

Soichiro perked up at that. "Hm? Oh, yes, I will be all right, and I will be able to work on the tape, if you're worried about that. It's just…" he sighed, "Hearing about death never gets easier especially when it's someone you probably know."

The dark-eyed detective nodded solemnly. "I understand."

Light's mouth twitched downward and he pulled L's attention back to him. "What did you want, Ryuzaki?"

L's reached for another cup of tea. "Hm? Oh, yes, I just wanted to let you know that you're free to go home for the night. We can take care of things from here. Besides, it sounds as if your mother would like you home now."

"I would normally protest, but, yes, I think Mom needs me. Sayu, too. I'll see you at home later, Dad." Light said, picking up his jacket and book bag.

"See you at home, son."

Light left quickly, eager to get home and hear about Maria's devastation at Akito's death, as well as to try and think up a counter-plan to keep L off his trail. He wouldn't—couldn't—get caught.

As soon as the college student left the suite, L went into action. Flipping the input on the television screen, he watched attentively as Light left the hotel, switching between cameras until the man climbed into a taxi and was driven away. As always, Light's facial expressions and body language relayed none of his inner thoughts. The perfect son of the Yagami household was unreadable, completely unsuspicious.

Which in itself was suspicious.

Licking the vestiges of a heavily iced cookie from his fingertips he turned the television off and called for the youngest member of the Task Force, aside from Light.

"Matsuda-san."

The dark haired man, who had so shortly ago masqueraded as Light's cousin, bounded up to the detective like an overeager puppy.

"What is it, Ryuzaki?"

L could almost see the tail wagging. "I need you to tell me again about that person you said Light met while in Aoyama."

Matsuda scratched at his cheek. "Oh, of course. Um, do you mean her physical appearance, or…?"

"Physical appearances is fine for now."

He nodded. "Okay. Well, it was a woman and she was older than Light, blonde, a bit on the short side. She was with a blonde man, but I think her hair color was natural, because his definitely wasn't. I think she had a Christian crucifix for a necklace."

L brought his finger to his lips. "Yes. At the moment that describes two current suspects for the Second Kira."

"It does?" The young officer looked surprised.

"Yes. Is there anything else significant about the woman? You said she was older than Light, how much?"

"Oh, she was more than a few years older, if that's what you're concerned about. She was more around Chief's age. Not quite that old, but near there. Does that help?"

"Immensely." L eyed Matsuda seriously. "You have been a great help, Matsuda."

The young officer flushed at the praise. "Y-you're welcome, Ryuzaki! But… I still think you're wrong about Light being Kira, you know."

The detective nodded. "I know." He thumbed his lower lip thoughtfully. "The chances of Mashiro Maria being the Second Kira is minimal; however, I think she may be worth speaking to whether she is or not."

Matsuda bit the inside of his cheek. "Do you want one of us to bring her in for questioning?"

"Hmm? No. I believe this requires a more personal touch. I will take care of things."

"B-but Ryuzaki! The Second Kira can kill with just a face! What if—?"

"Don't worry," L interrupted, "If I die, it would prove that Light and Mashiro Maria are the First and Second Kiras. However, I am confident that I will not be killed.

"The dead cannot cry out for justice; it is a duty of the living to do so for them."