Truth and Justice

Warnings for this chapter: Angst, Language, reference to N/C, Violence, WIP.
SPOILERS: All manga, all anime, L's true name, Another Note, Law and Right.

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Truth and Justice

Chapter 7: Righteous

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"Are you saying you killed the man that raped me?" Light raised an eyebrow, gaze cool as he took in Mikami's composure.

"No. I am saying that I am responsible for his death," Mikami folded his hands tightly on the table. "When I wish for a person to die, they do."

Light's gaze flickered up to a camera, then back to Mikami. "You're saying you have the power to kill people, with just their face and their name?"

"And a sincere belief that the world is better without them," Mikami agreed.

"Have you ever seen a creature like Ryuk before? One that only you could see?" Light asked. Oh, how he would have been able to use someone like Mikami in the war against L. If he had only known... but then, it wouldn't have mattered. He still would have been raped. He still would have turned himself in. He was not Kira anymore.

His gaze flickered to his watch, then back to Mikami.

"No," Mikami replied quietly.

"Do you write down the names of the people you wish to die in a notebook of any kind?" Light pressed.

"I don't see what that would have to do with anything," Mikami pressed back.

"Answer the question," Light returned.

"Yes. I write their names down," Mikami frowned deeply.

"And how long after that do they die?"

Mikami shrugged. "Sometimes within minutes, sometimes it's as long as a month afterwards."

"Stay here. I need to speak with L," Light rose, took one step towards the door before Mikami spoke.

"It started in middle school," Mikami said with a frown. "Since then, it's always been this way. When I have tried to redeem someone and it fails, I wish for their evil to be erased from this world. After that, they die."

Light paused. "Always in the same way?"

"No," Mikami shook his head. "Usually in accidents."

"I'll be right back," Light stepped out of the room, closed the door behind him and hit the wall-mounted intercom. "He has a Death Note."

"I suppose it is possible. We will want to keep him close, check his journal to see if it really is a Death Note or not. If he is a Kira, I don't believe he's caused a significant amount of deaths," L replied softly. "He will be arrested if he is in possession of a Death Note. Let him go when you've finished questioning him. I will have Watari search his home while you keep him busy."

"I didn't use the piece of Near's Death Note on him," Light replied quietly. "I took a piece from a notebook similar to the Death Note, let him touch that instead, but Ryuk doesn't seem to be possessing him, and he claims to have had it since middle school. Ryuk is the shinigami for his Death Note. We need to talk to him."

"Very well, I will contact Near. Meanwhile, Watari will go look for the Death Note. Keep Mikami busy," L ordered.

"All right," Light agreed, then returned to the room, settling himself opposite Mikami once more. "If Kira is god, but you have the same power, what does that make you?"

Mikami raised an eyebrow at Light. "You went so far as to attempt purifying the entire world. I only sought to purify those I came in contact with, and to erase those who were hopeless. I am not a god, but a servant of god. Of Kira."

"Of me?" Light raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Mikami spoke without hesitation.

"Then listen to me, Mikami. I need to know everyone you're responsible for erasing. I need the names, I need to see any notebook that you've written those names into. I trust you with the power, I trust you not kill anyone who is innocent, but there's someone else who had a weapon like that, once. Who pretended to be Kira, who framed someone, very skillfully framed them, enough to fool me, to fool L, to fool an entire taskforce of people. I need your help to find them," Light said firmly, leaning forward.

"I will do everything in my power to help you, god," Mikami promised, spreading his hands on the table. "I will bring you the notebooks tomorrow. The ones that I still have, anyway."

"Good. Excellent. Now, I need to know if there is anyone who has shown an unusual interest in that case. Anyone who spoke to you about it," Light leaned back again.

Mikami gave him a list of names, and Light pressed for more, asked about Mikami's personal life, any girlfriends or boyfriends, anyone that mentioned it even in passing, and came up with a very interesting result.

A young woman, an artist, that he had dated for a few months several years ago, had shown him some negatives, and he had told her about the case he'd worked. About how that person looked so much like Yagami Light, and he had assumed, of course, that it was just a relative or such when he found out that the photograph had only been taken a week before.

It was the photograph of Light and L, flanked by taskforce members, between a pair of cherry trees. A scene that had been likened to that of a wedding.

Light confirmed for Mikami that he was the person in the photograph.

"And the man you were with, he is L?" Mikami asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can't tell you that," Light replied easily, shaking his head with a small smile.

"No matter who he is, he is someone you are or were in a relationship with," Mikami nodded, "and I hope that he treats you well, god."

"Let's get something straight," Light sighed, "I'm not a god. Maybe I was, once, but not anymore. I'm a victim, a detective, and little else."

"You are a Kira," Mikami replied.

"And that's the English word for Killer," he snapped back, frowning. "You think I picked that name? No. The media gave it to me. It doesn't embody what I was trying to do."

"Either way, you have had the power of the gods in your hands and used it for good. Surely that's worth something," Mikami pressed.

"Maybe it is, but I don't hold that power anymore. Even if I did, I wouldn't use it," Light shook his head. "It was murder, plain and simple. No matter how you look at it."

"You were erasing the evil from the world," Mikami countered.

"By becoming evil myself. You're not going to convince me to take up my power again and finish what I started. I am not a god," Light frowned.

"Then perhaps someone will need to do that in your place," Mikami tilted his head slightly.

Slowly, with rage coiling inside him like a snake ready to strike, Light rose to his feet. "I am Kira," he said it quietly, still bent over the table, his hair hiding his eyes. "No one else will decide who lives and who dies. Kira is justice, and Kira is dead."

Mikami leaned back then, spreading his arms open in a gesture of peace. "As you wish. I simply thought that, if Kira were unable to move freely, and that were the only reason, then I would make an ideal servant."

He never even had a chance. Light moved so quickly that even he hadn't realized what he'd done until it was over. Mikami's chair had toppled sideways and with it, he tumbled to the floor, his lip bleeding and face pink from the backhanded blow Light had delivered.

Light paled slightly, stepping back and heading for the door only to find it locked. He tried to force it, then turned to the camera. "L! Let me out!"

The TV screen turned itself on once more, displaying a black gothic L on a white background. "Yagami-kun, calm yourself."

Light's hands curled into fists as he glared up at the camera, but he said nothing, simply wrestled with his temper for a long moment, doing his best to swallow it.

"Thank you, Mikami-san, for your time," L's electronic voice carried into the room. "I apologize for Yagami-kun. He has not been himself since we discovered that his rapist still roams free. We request your assistance with finding the rapist and invite you to work with us on the case, if it would fit into your busy schedule."

"Of course," Mikami agreed as he slowly got up, righted his chair, let his gaze slip to Light as he wiped the blood from his lip. "My apologies, as well."

"You are free to go, Mikami-san. Thank you," L's voice replied. "The door has been unlocked. Yagami-kun, I would like to see you as soon as you've seen Mikami-san out."

"All right," Light replied, sighing in relief when the door opened and held it for Mikami. He glanced into the cell he'd spent so much time in as they passed it, then returned his gaze to the exit. When they reached the security boxes and Mikami used the key to get his briefcase back, Light finally spoke again. "I'm sorry. For hitting you."

"I crossed a line," Mikami replied without hesitation. "I spoke of things better left unsaid."

Light sighed, turned to look at Mikami. "The weapon... should never have been used in the first place. The weapon the gods gave me. It's for them, only them. Do you understand that? Do you really think that murder, no matter how, no matter why, is really okay?"

There was a long silence before Mikami sighed. "Are you attempting to redeem me?"

"It was L who redeemed me. Since then, we track down those who are evil, and we let their own societies decide their punishment," Light replied quietly. "Kira was evil. That is why I can no longer be Kira, nor ask anyone to act as Kira in my stead. It doesn't matter, if people are better off for it. It's ruling through fear, to rule as Kira. Fear doesn't create good people, it only creates evil people who can hide it better."

Mikami stood there for a long time, simply looking at Light, taking him in. Finally, he gave a deep bow. "Thank you... Yagami-san. I will return with the Death Note tomorrow."

Light stood there, eyebrows raised in shock as he watched Mikami turn, walk out of the building. It took him a moment to pull himself together and head back up toward the main floor. "He confessed."

"I saw that. It was a very good move, Light. How did you know he would do that?" L asked, glancing over from his cup of tea.

More like a cup of sugar, Light thought. "I wasn't trying for that. I was just trying to get him to stop killing."

"Watari did not find the Death Note in Mikami's home, so this is for the best," L replied, pressing his thumb to his lips. "If he follows through, we can use him to get to Kira. If Mikami has been able to avoid notice from the police and myself this long, then I suspect that whoever the other Kira is would have simply overlooked him as well."

"Let's hope so," Light agreed, glancing up at the cameras and noting, with some amusement, that they were showing a red light, indicating that they were not being watched, and since Mello and Matt weren't in the room, that meant the information was strictly between them, for now. "Did they see the interrogation?"

"No, I was watching on a closed circuit," L replied, pressing his thumb to his lips. "That's why I wanted you to interview him there."

"Mello looks good for Kira, doesn't he?" Light sighed softly.

"He does, but we will follow the evidence. For now, we will focus on your rapist and allow Near to work against Kira. I've already begun funneling him information through secure channels with no middleman," L agreed.

"I'm sorry. For losing my temper with Mikami," Light let his gaze settle on L's.

"It was the first time you lost your temper over a legitimate issue," L shrugged. "I am not upset with you, Light, if that is what you think. If anything, I'm a bit proud."

"Of violence?" but the relief showed itself as his shoulders relaxed, when a smile tugged at his lips.

"When it is appropriate," L agreed. "Shall we go upstairs?"

Light nodded, sliding his hand into L's and heading up the stairs. "Will Mikami be allowed to retain ownership?"

"So long as the notebook remains with us, that will be acceptable," L replied. "Though I will have to decide carefully about turning him over to the police. Please don't speak with Aizawa, Matsuda or Mogi about it."

"Of course," Light drew L's hand up, kissed it as they reached the top of the stairs, stepped onto the main floor of the headquarters.

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A/N: And another Kira is discovered! I will give a full explanation of the why and the how of Mikami having a Death Note in the bonus materials for this fic, so don't worry! It'll all make sense in the end, I promise. =3 I don't want to give it away right now, because I may end up using other details to surprise you!