{001} Video

[lovesickkiller]

Wow, a secret network! This whole story keeps getting more and more mysterious!

[She had never imagined finding something like this so soon after arriving in the States. Though nearly breathless with excitement, Misa attempts to keep herself in check and remain at least a little bit professional. Beaming at the discovery is impossible to cover up, but she manages to avoid blurting out the first question that comes to mind in favor of a thought-out response.]

Hello, my name is Misa Amane! I’m new here and I’d love to have a conversation with anyone who has been here a while, or has information about what’s been going on. The news has been pretty crazy, but if you want to share your stories then I’m here to listen!

[There, that sounded pretty good, right? She hopes that no one too weird answers, but at least with this number she doesn’t have to meet them face to face right away. Besides, an insider scoop is definitely worth the risks. This is going to get her name on the map for sure.]

Comments

[lovesickkiller]

Yes.

[Her gaze drops to her lap, hand absently tracing the rim of her cup.]

A robber broke in and killed them. I was away and there was never a confession, so I don't know the exact details... it took a lot longer to get justice than it should have.

[Despite her insistence on being outspoken on the subject, trying desperately to get anyone's attention to help and to care, it still isn't easy to talk about. Misa takes a sip from her latte, not meeting Lazarus's eyes.]

[dead_black_eyes]

[It's shocking and difficult. He knows that in a lot of ways, his best bet is to be very silent; better to be a good listener than a dreadful conversationalist. He stays quiet for as long as he can without it seeming too strange.]

I'm truly sorry. I cannot imagine how that would be.

[He's also an orphan, but his parents were both dead before he could possibly remember them. It is not the same thing.]

Did you finally get justice? Obviously it wouldn't bring them back, but I imagine it would give you a sense of closure, and that in itself is a good thing. Or... are you still waiting?

[lovesickkiller]

Thank you. They did get justice.

[Misa smiles, glancing up at him. It's nowhere near as exuberant as she was before, but it is sincere.]

He was captured immediately, but the trial was put off so long I really thought he was going to walk. It wasn't anything I did— I tried, writing about it and taking the story to different papers, blogging, but I guess it wasn't good enough. Someone else picked up the story though, and not long after that a prosecutor finally took on the case.

[She takes another drink from her latte, before putting it down on the table.]

I guess that's when I knew for sure that I wanted to be a reporter.

[dead_black_eyes]

Well, at least there's that. I'm glad to hear, as... someone who really should have been a police detective.

[He shrugs lightly.]

It sounds like you're doing exactly what you're supposed to be, though. You're a good reporter; you'd have to be, to be sent all the way from Japan to cover all of this.

[lovesickkiller]

Oh, uh, yeah...

[She avoids his eyes, unsure about admitting that she came here on vacation time. She hasn't given him the best picture of her abilities as a reporter with that last story.]

You wanted to join the police? That's a great goal.

[dead_black_eyes]

[He quirks a brow at her avoidance, but says nothing. She's allowed her secrets, even if their obvious existence is a lot like an itch that would rude to scratch openly.]

It wasn't meant to be... but it is a great goal, for those who can successfully pursue it.

[lovesickkiller]

Definitely. The justice system might be useless sometimes, but... the police who do their best to catch the bad guys are important, and brave.

[dead_black_eyes]

Most of them. Some are rotten to the core, and unfortunately, they're the ones that make it useless at times.

[lovesickkiller]

[That most definitely sounds like he's speaking from experience. Misa doesn't ask, or argue.]

Have the Numbered had much trouble with the police here? Aside from ones who broke the law, I mean.

[dead_black_eyes]

Not lately, no. Initially there were problems, but most of them were before my time. At least... before I became who I am today, back when I was still more of who I was.

[Said in a slightly quieter voice. He dislikes thinking about that hapless wreck of a man.]

They're more or less working with us now, especially since the meeting with the aliens.

[lovesickkiller]

Right, the aliens...

[There are so many questions there that Misa truly doesn't know where to begin.]

Not to pry, but, when you say before you became who you are today... Are you talking about pulses?

[dead_black_eyes]

It's quite all right. You're not prying.

I am in fact talking about pulses. They can change a person pretty dramatically, and in my case, it was for the better. I'm very lucky that there's more I can do for my community now.

[lovesickkiller]

I'm glad to hear that, but... isn't is weird, being changed like that?

[They're well off of official interview territory and into person questions now, but Misa can't help being curious and a little nervous about these pulses.]

I want to find out more while I'm here, but it's kind of scary to think about what else can happen.

[dead_black_eyes]

It's weird, but so are a lot of other things that happen every day. Even without pulses, we're still all growing and changing, just a little more slowly and subtly. You're a different person now than you were 10 years ago, right?

[lovesickkiller]

Of course I am, but growing and changing seems more... natural, I guess. It's different if you start turning into someone else.

[dead_black_eyes]

This whole process feels a little less existentially crushing if you think of it as growing and becoming who you were always meant to be. We're working on figuring it all out of course, but in the meantime... we do have to live with it.

[lovesickkiller]

Mmh... That makes sense.

[Misa isn't sure that she buys it completely, but thinking that way does make the way things are easier to accept. And there's some worth in that alone.]

It's easier if it seems like the person you're becoming is an improvement, I guess.

[dead_black_eyes]

You'll know soon enough if you feel that way, but where my Other is concerned, I'm absolutely sure it's the case. In a lot of ways I believe that I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't started getting echoes.

[lovesickkiller]

[That's quite the statement, but judging by the scars on his wrists Misa doesn't doubt it. She treads lightly.]

I'm glad to hear that it can be good. That makes the thought of changing a little less scary.

[dead_black_eyes]

That's the spirit. Believe me when I say that compared to a lot of other things that have happened since we started getting them, they're pretty un-scary in the grand scheme of things.

[lovesickkiller]

I'm not sure that makes me feel good about this place!

[She laughs, though the statement wasn't entirely joking.]

But I knew scary things were happening when I decided to come.

[dead_black_eyes]

That's kind the the definition of bravery, you know. It's not being unafraid, it's acting in spite of fear. It's very admirable.

[lovesickkiller]

[It's hard not to smile bashfully at that comment.]

Thank you... I haven't really done anything brave yet, I hope I can live up to that.

[dead_black_eyes]

Oh! Don't think there's any pressure, all right? I didn't mean to give that impression.

[lovesickkiller]

Haha, don't worry about it. It's good to have something to aim for.