The Aves of Maria

Acta Santorum or "Deeds of the Saints."
***

Less than fifteen minutes later Maria and Light stood inside the restaurant Chinya, a hostess in a kimono leading them to their table. Ryuk hovered behind them like an ugly, overbearing chaperone.

Chinya was a popular restaurant, attracting locals and tourists alike, but despite its strictly traditional atmosphere it was a very casual restaurant. It was alive with chatter, the diners absorbed in their own conversations and sparing not a thought for their fellows at other tables.

Light and Maria made light talk while a traditionally dressed cook prepared their sukiyaki at their table; stir fried slivers of beef, grilled tofu, shitake mushrooms, negi leek, shirataki noodles, and chrysanthemum leaves simmered in sweet-and-sour stock. They dipped bits and pieces of the mixture in bowls of raw eggs before lifting the food to their mouths.

She was older than he'd expected; thirty-two, widowed, no living family but an older sister and a niece (and brother-in-law) and a few estranged cousins. He found it ironic that she bred and raised white doves for weddings and magicians as a living.

The reason for their meeting wasn't brought up until their main courses were taken away and after-dinner tea was served to them along with dessert.

Maria sipped at her tea tentatively, trying to avoid mouthing too much lest she scald her lips and tongue.

"So, Yagami-kun," she began, setting down her cup, "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Light's eyes were calculating as he gazed at her from over the rim of his teacup. He sighed heavily.

"Have you ever felt like… half of the world is against you?"

A muscle in her cheek twitched as her jaw locked. "Yes." The corner of her mouth tilted upward slightly in a humorless smile. "I'm a devout Christian, Yagami-kun, a great deal of criticism comes with the package. But, I suppose the thing that is ailing you is not quite the same."

He brushed his fingers over his temple. "I suppose not. Then again, it is not completely different either. I would rather not get into names and specifics, if you do not mind."

"I understand. We'll keep things vague, shall we?" She took another sip of tea. "Please, do continue."

It was like reciting from a textbook. "There is a lot of pressure to do well in our society. To do well in school, do well at work, to maintain a clean and welcoming atmosphere in the home…"

"It's not easy to do."

"No, it is not. I think people might expect more of me than I can actually do." They expected him to bless their weddings and kiss their babies brows and fill their homes with riches.

"Do you?"

"They want me to do everything and do it perfectly, but I am only human." He was for now, but soon enough he would be divine; it was only a temporary issue.

"Yes, a single person can only do so much."

"High school was easy, I was bored with it really, but I found something" that fell from the sky "that I am passionate about," a notebook that kills "for the good of humanity, and there are those who approve" of the elimination of criminals "and others who do not appreciate it at all, who even believe it is wrong. Most of the time, I manage to rise above them because I" am God "know I am doing a good thing, but at times it can be difficult to ignore."

Maria was nodding wisely. "Those are strong feelings, Yagami-kun. Familiar ones. I think everyone feels like that at sometime in his or her lives, all for different reasons, of course, but they nevertheless feel it. It is common for young men and women your age to experience such. Puberty, the high education standard, coming of age and flying from the nest, it all really adds up. The world outside of your parents' home is nothing like the way it's portrayed in movies and manga."

"No," Light agreed, "It is not. I suppose that might be why our country as such high crime and suicide rates."

She grew very still. "I suppose it might be."

For a moment he debated on whether or not to bring Kira into the conversation. He was very interested in what Maria's view on the death of criminals was. It was doubtful that she saw Kira as a god, but surely she could see the honest and pure intent behind it all?

He decided against bringing up the subject. Though everyone was talking about it, this was only Light and Maria's first encounter. It was too early. Perhaps next time he would dare it; it was a touchy subject.

"You're studying law, aren't you, Yagami-kun?" Maria asked, biting into her dessert. He admired the way her lips moved around the treat.

"Yes, I am. I want to become" God "a policeman, like my father, or perhaps even a detective. I've considered becoming a lawyer, but I feel they are too disconnected to important aspects of criminology and I would never want to take the case of a felon who wants to avoid the chopping block. There are too many lawyers who do that."

"You don't believe they are doing the right thing?"

"No."

She hummed thoughtfully and sipped at her tea. "This thing you've become passionate about, it's in this realm of study? Law and criminology and such?"

He nodded. "Yes."

A delightful smile crossed her face, her cheeks dimpling. "How wonderful. I have long admired your father's career. Not many people can handle it. Do not worry about the negative things people say about your passion; I am sure you are doing a wonderful thing if your goal is to help society in such a way."

He beamed at her. "Thank you, Mashiro-san. That means a lot, coming from you."

"You are most welcome, Yagami-kun."

Light and Maria both straightened out of their relaxed postures when their waitress came by again to refill their teacups and supply them with the bill. She smiled cordially at them, her hair shining like polished ebony. Light nodded stiffly in reply while Maria gave the other woman a more prolonged bow of the head. As she started on her fresh tea, Light took the opportunity to pull the receipt to him and take out his wallet.

Maria's hand sped across the table to latch onto the other end of the meal ticket. "Yagami-kun!" She said in astonishment.

He gave her a tight, very obviously fake smile and tugged the paper toward himself. "Please, Mashiro-san, I insist you call me Light."

Her eyes glinted. "Well, Light-kun, I certainly hope you weren't trying to pay for both of our meals, were you?"

"It is only gentlemanly."

"Take care not to say that as if this is a date, Yagami-kun."

The corners of his eyes crinkled. "I would never, Mashiro-san. But really, it is not as if you are an old maid. You are a very lovely woman."

To his delight, a slight rose blush took to her cheeks. "I am a financially stable thirty-two year-old woman, and you are a blossoming young pine* who surely has better things to spend 10,000 yen on than food."

"Ah, but I am the one who so shamelessly demanded a portion of your busy schedule, Mashiro-san."

The poor receipt was on the verge of being torn in twain.

"Oh come now, Yagami-kun, it's not as if I would've come if I didn't want to spend some time in your company, even if it meant acting as something of a psychiatrist for an evening."

"Yes, but it was rude of me to push you into that position, even though you are good friends with my mother. Please, let me make it up to you by paying the bill."

"I don't suppose that you'll let me at least pay for my half of the meal?"

"Not a chance," Light said with a cheerful air.

"I thought as much, but I am not about to let you pay for the entirety of that bill, Yagami-kun."

"Oh, but I insist."

"Yagami Light, give me that receipt. You can take care of the tip, if it means that much to you."

Light was taken somewhat by surprise and allowed the paper to slide out from under his fingers. Maria had used a tone of voice that only his mother and elementary teachers had ever used on him. That low, well pronounced, almost dangerous sounding voice somewhere between a purr and a growl that caused any misbehaving child to sit up ramrod-straight without fail. It was a tone he had not expected from Maria, as he knew it was not a tone childless-women could typically recreate successfully. He had not expected her to do that.

He upheld a slightly meek expression as he pulled out a few hundred yen for the waitress' tip and submitted himself, for the time being, to following Maria's lead. Less than a minute later they got up and left Chinya. He offered her his arm and though she refrained from looking at him, he felt relieved when she accepted it.