Misa, Ryuk

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

[It seems to Misa that all she ever watches anymore is the news. It's not something she'd do normally, of course - at least not without a good reason - so it takes some getting used to. The drone of the reporters' voices (more dead, more frightened every day, and more people growing reverent in the corners of the world) and the flashing of their movements, shaky camera interviews... that sort of thing.]

[In a way, it's awful and boring and she can't imagine why anyone would do this. But they're Light's orders, and he's counting on her. He'll be busy with work, with planning, and his new... assistant, so he wouldn't have time to catch every dissenter that fell through the cracks. He would need to keep up appearances for himself.]

[Which left Misa as his eyes.]

[And when she thinks of it that way, it isn't bad at all. As the tv screen switches back to an announcer (that pretty Takada lady, and Misa wishes she could add her name to the list, but Light would never fall for that) Misa flops back against the side of the sofa, draping her arm dramatically over her head and turning her face upwards. On the ceiling, a large shadow moves at the edge of her vision, and she sighs.]

Ah... it's so boring just waiting for people to complain about Kira! They're so disrespectful, I wish Light would just let me kill them. Hmm.

[After a few seconds she pushes herself back up with her hands into a half-sitting position, and looks at the source of the shadow lurking in the corner of the room, near her bookcase.]

Ryuk, what does Light do when he's researching? He's always so focused... he doesn't get bored, does he?

Comments

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

[Misa's unhappy look turns into a scowl, and she crosses her arms firmly over her chest. Ryuk was right, of course, but that only made it more annoying. Couldn't he see the huge problem here?]

It's business. He has to make sure his plans will work on Ryu-- I mean, L. Like he couldn't figure out what to do on his own.

[She rolls her eyes, and then lets her gaze settle back on the television screen. A new report is starting, something about a robbery, but Misa doesn't wait for the details after that. She reaches for her laptop sitting on the site table and pulls it onto her lap, then watches the tv carefully until they show the man's face - Tanaka Hiraku - and her fingers fly over the keys as she takes down the information. It's a little exhilarating, in a way, that despite everything deploring Kira they're still reporting on criminals, still giving out exactly what Light needed. And they wouldn't stop, either - they couldn't stop, because no barrier would be enough to keep him from doing his work.]

[Misa grins as she takes down the name, and hums to herself a bit, her anger nearly forgotten.]

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

[Ryuk watches, more or less quietly, as Misa does her assigned job. It's almost embarrassing, how willingly she follows orders sometimes - or it would be embarrassing, if Ryuk felt at all empathetic.]

[He doesn't, so he merely watches in amusement.]

He's probably just being cautious then, just like what you're doing. I guess that means that if there's a problem, you'll have to write the guy's name down.

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

[Misa presses her lips together and glances to the side, without looking at Ryuk directly. He's being awfully nosy about this, and she's not sure how much she likes it.]

I'm not going to do anything to ruin Light's plans! Misa's already gotten into trouble once, it won't happen again.

[She glances down at her fingers hovering over the keyboard, and frowns a little. She had, after all, made a promise to herself that in case something terrible happened, she would do just that. And she had memorized the names and faces of nearly everyone Light associated with... including L and Beyond.]

[She shakes her head.]

Light needs Misa as much as Misa needs Light. And once the world is fixed, we'll rule it together. He said so himself.

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

[Ryuk manages to scarf down the rest of the apple without choking from laughter. She wouldn't know that Light considered her even more expendable than the new guy... and even if she found out, there was a good chance she wouldn't understand it anyway.]

[Humans.]

That doesn't sound like any fun.

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

[She rolls her eyes, and lets her head follow the movement for emphasis.]

It's not supposed to be fun, Ryuk. Don't you know anything? We're making the world a better place-- no wars or murders or anything like that!

[Misa looks to Ryuk, but doesn't quite see him; her eyes are far away and unfocused, seeing instead a vast empire filled with peace and prosperity, and happy people unafraid of living their lives. Sure, some criminals would be left - there would always be some dregs at the bottom of the cup - but they would easily be smoked out and eliminated. For the most part, it would be perfect.]

[After a moment, she blinks and looks directly at him, rather sternly.]

It's hard work, you know!

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

[Feeling a little put off by her stare, Ryuk shuffles back a half step, and watches her.]

Sure, yeah, but it still sounds pretty dull. Besides, once you get rid of all the criminals and murderers, you're going to run the whole thing yourselves? You're criminals too.

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

Huh?

[Misa's head tips to the side and a curious expression crosses her face. She hadn't actually thought of it that way before. True, they were killing, which was technically against the 'rules', but--]

That's different! It's a sacrifice. It's okay if it's for the greater good, and besides, nobody else can handle a job like that!

[She scrunches her nose up at Ryuk, frowning at him. Somehow, here, he looks much bigger than she's used to seeing him. Maybe it's the relative lack of space, compared to Light's uncluttered apartment, or maybe she just never really looked that hard before. Usually if Ryuk was there, Light would be, too; or else she'd be busy working.]

Mmm, you shinigami don't have anything like that back home, do you? I mean, who runs your realm, anyway?

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

Eh? Well... the King of Death, obviously. He's in charge of everything, but aside from hoarding Death Notes he doesn't do too much. You can't expect someone interesting to run a place like that.

[Ryuk shrugs a little, and very briefly wonders how much Misa really knew about them. Rem would have told her anything, naturally, but it wasn't a guarantee that Rem knew enough to satisfy her.]

[...which would mean that Misa had only Ryuk himself left to question. Great.]

We don't have wars, really, or anything like that. Nothing happens.

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

[Misa's eyes widen, and although she's still annoyed at Ryuk, she can't help but be captivated by the romance of it. She rests her chin on one hand, leaning forward over the laptop.]

Ohh, a King of Death. That sounds so cool!

[With her smile curling into a somewhat more sinister smirk, she leans fully over the laptop, towards Ryuk.]

Just you wait, Ryuk - someday, we'll have one of those, too.

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

[Ryuk's laughter starts out small, but he follows it up with something more, a low, dry chuckle. He could easily imagine Light in that position, and was already convinced that Light was more of a proper shinigami than any of the actual ones he knew.]

Not bad. I guess you could do a lot worse.

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

What? What do you mean, we could do worse! Light's obviously the best person for the job, there isn't anyone who could do it as wonderfully as he can!

[Without realizing it, Misa balls her hands up into fists, and glares at Ryuk before tipping her chin up a little. Just because he was a shinigami himself, didn't mean he could say things like that about Light.]

[Not that it was entirely a negative thing, but even so - Light had done an awful lot to get to this point, and he deserved every bit of praise he could get. Even if it was from Ryuk.]

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

[She's practically shrieking at him, and he can't help but laugh again. To think that she's so protective of Light, even now, when he would barely give a thought to her if she wasn't directly in his line of vision. And often, even if she was.]

[He waves a thin hand at her, in some vague attempt to cool her attitude.]

Hey, settle down! I didn't say he couldn't, heh. He's been pretty impressive so far, for a human.

[As soon as Ryuk says it, he draws back a little in anticipation of her taking it completely the wrong way. But it isn't really worth the effort to clarify.]

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

[Misa rolls her eyes, frowning a little at his laughter. That was a little annoying, sometimes. Ryuk had a habit of finding things funny when she couldn't identify them herself. She wonders if it's a shinigami thing, something exclusive to their unique perspective, or if it's just that Ryuk is easily amused.]

[But she doesn't question is, and she doesn't let it bother her for more than a few seconds. When she looks over, there's already another news report on the tv, another group of people searching for punishment. Officers, this time.]

[Wouldn't they learn?]

He's impressive for everything! Now, shh! The news is on, and Misa has work to do.

[She shifts in her seat and draws the laptop closer, adopting a much more professional air to show that she meant business. As she begins to dictate the names, she notices Ryuk's thick silence, and rolls her eyes again.]

Ryuk, there's another apple on the kitchen counter if you want it, okay? Just don't eat all of them, or there won't be any left for you later!

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

[That's definitely more like it, and as much as Ryuk would like to stay and watch - which, admittedly, isn't all that much to begin with - there's no way he can turn down a direct invitation for more apples.]

Heh, see, I knew you knew how to treat a shinigami. You might even be better at it than he is!

[Ryuk laughs again, even though his praise is simultaneously empty of value and startlingly accurate. Before he even finishes, he's already on his way to the kitchen.]

[misalolita.livejournal.com]

[Even though she's engrossed in taking down the names of the officers from the report, Misa stops long enough to acknowledge the compliment with a little glance at Ryuk.]

[She takes it as a compliment in any case, even if he didn't mean it that way. Being better at something than Light? If that were actually possible, it would be the highest honor.]

[She's not sure it is, but it's flattering nevertheless.]

Ah! Well... maybe just a little.

[Misa give him a small grin, then immediately returns to her more professional state. Light wouldn't waste time talking to Ryuk, if he were here. So she wouldn't, either.]

Go, go! This is very important. Kira needs his eyes.

[unsettled-dust.livejournal.com]

Yeah, all right.

[Ryuk stops for a moment and looks over at Misa, already hunched over the laptop in order to take her notes. Strange how she could focus herself a certain way... when it came to he responsibilities for Light, anyway.]

[The way humans changed when they wanted something so badly was something he'd never get tired of seeing. Ryuk smirks behind her, washed out with the silvery light from the tv and the laptop combined, and chuckles to himself as he heads into the kitchen.]