Necessary Trip [Takai]

[Yagami Raito]

A rather tall and neatly dressed young man made his way through the mall, rather displeased at the fact that he was there when he knew he had better things to do. But still, he was new to university and the art of being prepared was well-practiced for him, no matter how small the event he was preparing himself for.

Like… running out of school supplies, for instance?

He knew the task seemed menial – well, it was, really – especially compared to how he’d been spending his time lately, but he knew he still had other obligations, and while running out of supplies certainly wasn’t the top (or bottom) of his list of possible disasters, he didn’t want to have to run out and get them later if he really did have something much more important to do. It was best to get it done now, at a time he’d either be studying or relaxing a year or so before. And he did have other things nagging at his brain, after all… so perhaps this would be best for him. A trip to the mall… a typical one for any other university student. It would look normal, and give him time to think.

He still was never perfectly certain about whether or not he was being followed. He was going to put nothing past anyone… he had to expect just about anything. Just because he was now on the unit met nothing to him. It was probably just another ploy for L to get closer to him, though Raito himself was using it for the same reason. It often amazed him how quick L’s mind was. He was no fool, he knew intelligence when he saw it. That’s what made the challenge so interesting… their minds were both so sharp. And that was why Raito was proud of himself… he did not underestimate his enemies.

Raito lowered his head slightly as he walked, closing his eyes for a brief moment, thinking. He listened to the sounds and voices all around him… plenty of teenaged mall rats lurked about, laughing with friends. He’d never been part of that scene, always being the more studious type who enjoyed a different sort of company. The mall had never been a place he’d frequented, and he only made quick stops there, unless he happened to have gone there with his father. But finally he saw his destination… the little office supply store he preferred. He liked it because it was usually a fairly quiet place in the mall, and it was even only moderately busy when September was rolling around. Raito always counted on it to be a quick in, quick out. He was never disappointed.

He walked into the store, searching for the aisles he’d be frequenting that day. He knew where he’d be going, but he was already listing out the options in his mind regarding which ones to visit first to get the fastest time. It was just a habit he did, tracking nearly everything he did and adding it all up like some math question using objects or daily activities. He finally decided on the farthest end first, then he’d work his way to the back aisles, then up again, and to the counter. Post-it notes, a couple packages of paper… extra pencils, some black pens with about four red for immediate corrections. Hmm… maybe two white erasers as well… they scuffed up the page less than a pencil eraser did. He had a few of the calculators he’d need at home, so he decided not to buy another knowing he should try to save his money, and not only that but he did have enough of those.

But what else did he need? Raito picked up two packages of lined paper, considering the brands and quality. He considered buying notebooks instead, but made up his mind not to. He had about four at home that he could use if he changed his mind, and if he did so he’d come back later for more. But as he debated which paper to buy and which would remain cleanest as he wrote upon them, his mind drifted back to his Death Note, still snuggled safely away for when he’d use it next. He frowned for a moment, not pleased that his thoughts returned so quickly to the black notebook, but he couldn’t blame himself. Who wouldn’t be so distracted by it? In fact, he believed he was handling it well… it wasn’t all he thought about, after all. He knew other humans would probably suffer greatly just from being haunted by the thoughts of such a powerful item.

Yes, he was well in his right to drift toward it every now and then. But now for the paper… he was indeed studying them deeply. Both brands he was unfamiliar with, as the little store had stopped carrying his favourite for whatever reason. Now he considered finding another store that did carry his brand and go out of his way to go there instead, or simply accept one of the others and continue on his way. At this he made up his mind to buy a few of both, and figure out if either was better. The brand he did not like he’d give to his father or to Sayu… he knew they weren’t very picky over their brands of paper.

Raito nodded to himself, adding two more packs of paper to the ones he already carried, and headed on down to his next aisle. Writing utensils… hopefully they still had those particular brands he liked. If they didn’t, oh well. Perhaps he’d be forced to discover a better one.

[takai]

Takai was extremely annoyed that he would actually have to buy office supplys. He usually did his work on the laptop which was in his smaller suitcase which only held the laptop and some vials/syringes in case he needed to do a quick silent hit. He looked around annoyed while straigtening his blue neon tie on his immensly expensive suit that held a state of the art dragon scale armor underneath.

He walked into the quietest office store he could find. As he walked in he only saw a old man managing the store in a green t-shirt with sweat pants and using a clean cloth to prevent the ink from a ballpoint pen he was using. To ensure the table was not marked messily. Takai saw another person, roughly a college student although he looked far to serious to be a normal student.

He simply walked to the pen section grabbed a few blue pens and stuffed them into a small bag he held lazily across his shoulder. After that he walked keeping a eye on the kid, he afterall didn't know if the kid was a yakuza wannabe or gonnabe. He didn't want to kill someone in a store and get the police to search his new suitcase which he had yet to modify and prevent anyone from getting into it but him.

After he attained his notebook he took a few notes about where the store was located and what it had for future reference. He went up front to the man and after it ringed up paid in full amount took his things and stuffed them into his suitcase except for one pen and the notebook. He stuffed the page he wrote on in the suitcase of course. After that he turned around thinking he was going to walk out, all the while keeping a eye on that kid as discreetly as he felt being.

[Yagami Raito]

Raito browsed through the next few isles, picking up a few things here and there, though he added very little to the grouping of paper and pens. He was relieved that they’d still had the type of ballpoint pen he liked… it glided easily, he could grip it without sliding it, and the ink dried quickly so he never got it on his hands nor did he smudge the paper. His writing was neat, orderly, showed the precision that he approached everything with. And he was not going to let a measly pen mess with the perfection he worked so hard to achieve. Raito wondered briefly about L once more, finding himself now curious to know if the detective was aware of Raito’s pickiness regarding his writing tools. If the detective were to discover that Raito only used a particular brand of pen, wouldn’t that spell disaster? Would L even focus on such a thing? Hmm… Raito wasn’t sure. He didn’t know if anything like that sort of forensics would be approached in the Kira case… and wouldn’t they have to attain the Death Note in order to test such a thing? Raito paused his walking for the moment, placing one of his hands to his chin in a contemplative manner, considering his possible dilemma deeply. He had no intention of letting anyone get their hands on his Death Note, but perhaps he should take precautions. He decided that he should perhaps carry on with the current ink he used, then gradually switch over to another brand for use in either the Death Note or his school work. But which would be best to change? The ink used in the Death Note, or in his schooling? He rationalized that his schoolwork throughout the years was spread throughout various areas in the house, where his mother liked to keep some of his particularly excellent work. Raito knew he’d been using the same pens since about the time he began high school, so he only had to worry about those years and up. But being that his work was available in plentiful quantities, he decided that the Death Note’s ink would be the best one to change over, although he believed it would look better if he used two new brands. Make it seem as though whoever had been writing in the Death Note had only used that particular pen until it ran out of ink…

Which led to another idea. He could find a way to empty the ink in a current pen, begin writing a name, have it die on him, then change over the brand. Yes… that would definitely work well enough, although he knew that if it ever came to it where his Death Note would be analyzed, it was probably a futile effort. He had been careful with his handwriting, but perhaps not enough so that it wouldn’t be recognized by a professional. Raito had only danced with the idea of the Death Note being found, but never taken such a concept overly seriously. He believed he’d hidden it too well. He’d have to reconsider his hiding place, he supposed. Now that he thought of it…

Raito shook his head, realizing he’d been standing in one place far too long. He looked around for a moment or so, wondering if anyone else happened to be around to see the spacey attitude he’d just portrayed. Raito noticed only one other person around the store, one who must have entered after he did. He did not recognize the strange man, who was dressed in a suit – one that Raito could judge to be worth a fair amount – for some reason, though Raito was not really concerned about why. The guy was allowed to wear a suit without Raito getting the back-story on it, after all. And he himself was dressed in a blazer that hadn’t been particularly cheap and belonged to a complete suit. Raito actually approved of always looking one’s best, not for anyone else, but for oneself. Although he supposed most university students weren’t always dressed in business casual…

Raito looked down at his pants… shrugging. Oh well, nothing suspicious there. He was known for dressing in such a manner, and he hadn’t changed that since high school so he really didn’t feel worried in any such way. No reason to feel concerned about his attire… there were a few other students on campus who dressed like Raito did on ordinary days. Although they probably allowed themselves for more leisure time…

Raito almost sighed, but as he looked to his side he noticed a scattering of pens on a lower shelf. Ah… he could test a few of those out. He picked three packages up, added them to his now growing pile, and then decided to head toward the counter to pay and then leave, as he was now wishing to get out and just head home. He reached the counter just as the man was paying and about to leave. Raito looked at the man, getting only a view of his back, but she shrugged, though his eyes were narrowed thoughtfully. Returning his attention to the man who was ringing up his purchases, Raito offered him a cordial nod. Most of the people who worked at the store had served him at least once, being that this was the only place he would ever do his supply shopping. Unless they stopped getting his brands in. He was still not very pleased with that.

Raito looked back toward the man, taking the bag the clerk offered him in an absentminded way. The guy gave Raito a strange feeling, but he continued to move toward the exit of the store, walking back into the halls of the mall. He briefly considered making a stop at one of the food courts to grab a drink of some sort… a bottle of water or a cola sounded very good to him at that moment, but he didn’t feel hungry enough to consider purchasing something to eat to go along with it. But he did desire for some bags of potato chips to keep with him at home… so perhaps he’d stop at one of the grocery stores on his way home and grab a drink there. But which would save him the most time?

Well, he was already at the mall so he went for the course of the food court. And he knew the mall had a tiny drug store in it somewhere that he knew for sure would sell bags of chips… at a ridiculous price but it would certainly keep him from having to go all the way to the grocery store and then home. He wasn’t in the mood to go elsewhere. Raito looked behind him again, wondering about the man he’d seen, but shrugged it off and walked towards where he believed the food court was located. He should probably familiarize himself with the mall one of these days… it could prove to be useful.

[takai]

Murazar nodded back avoiding eye contact with the young obviously well dressed student. Probably university, high class too, probably rich or lives very well off. Hmm, he seems far far to suspicious. I guess I could follow him, maybe act like either a Private Eye or that we have the same places in mind.After murazar attained his items of low value he pocketed the other ones.

Once he started following the kid he did it highly discreetly by merely being within site or ahead of him, he went into various stores for cover. He always knew where the kid was in the crowd because well, he was dressed completely different. Then again he was easy to spot to because of the suit, but it helped if security or etc ever quesitoned him.

Eventually he followed the kid into a drug store, he purchased some syringes at the counter and put them in his suitcase before turning around and accidently walking into the kid himself. Niether of them fell backwards, but it startled takai because he didn't hear him coming. To deep in thought probably. He managed to keep his serious expression and said to the kid, "Sorry, call me...Takai, Takai kumeri."

[Yagami Raito]

Raito felt almost exhausted… well, he wasn’t quite certain if that was how he was feeling, but it was the only word he could fine himself coming up with. Exhausted. Perhaps the day was dragging on too slowly for his tastes, though normally he cherished the time to try and think. He’d thought he would have liked a change of pace at the moment, but he supposed that he was wrong. Be careful what you wish for… a saying he’d heard once too often that suddenly became so very real over something so trivial. But he also supposed that whether or not he wanted to enjoy the slowness that he felt, he probably should. It was becoming increasingly difficult to predict what may lie ahead of him.

Raito sighed inwardly to himself, keeping an even, steady pace, and trying to keep on the lookout for that strange man he’d seen in the office supplies store he’d entered earlier. He still didn’t feel right about him, though Raito was wondering to himself if he was just getting paranoid or not. He was very open to such ideas, being that if he discovered he was indeed becoming as such he’d make every effort to change that. He was not allowing anything to corrupt his mind… he had a very important goal to accomplish. Raito tried looking out of the corner of his eye, while also attempting to maintain a nonchalant attitude… the sort of attitude he believed any other university student would have should they be seen wandering about a mall with menial tasks to fulfil for the day.

Raito paused, looking over to the side and heading towards a garage can with a plastic top. It looked clean, so he had no qualms about leaning against it. As he did so, he pulled out his cell phone, dialing into his voicemail, though not paying attention to it. What he was looking out for was that man, so he was careful to make it look as though he was simply scanning the crowd as he listened to something on cell phone. Playing along with his own charade, Raito pressed a few buttons, entering his password into his phone to listen to the actual messages. He’d checked them about an hour ago, and he had no notice on his phone that said he had new messages, so he had to press other buttons here and there to make it look as though he were deleting or saving. But as he looked around, he did not see the man, though he was unable to shake the feeling he was being followed. But by now he was certain he was… he didn’t consider himself the paranoid sort, so he’d been quick to shake such an idea off.

At this point Raito was uneasy, so he decided to drop his plans to head to the food court, and instead venture straight toward the direction he knew the drug store was located in. He wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible, and he’d take the bus home rather than walk or call for a pickup. Once he made up his mind with this, he disconnected the call to his voicemail, re-pocketed his phone, and gave a meaningless shrug that was meant to give the impression to any onlooker that he’d discovered nothing important while on his phone. He carried onward, to his new choice of direction.

Making his way into the drug store that he knew all too well, Raito headed down the isle that he knew contained snack foods, candy, and various chocolate bars. None of these items tempted him in the least bit, for he didn’t have much of a sweet tooth. His choice foods for snack purposes were cracker, sometimes cookies, though usually something saltier. Potato chips… that was what he’d come in for, after all. He scanned the isle to his left, looking up and down, finding the brand he preferred. Plain… that was what he wanted. He liked them for the saltiness, though also because he found such flavours as ‘barbeque’ to be odd choices for potatoes. He pulled down two bags of chips before turning to leave and head to the cashier once more, though as a second thought he grabbed a box of something he figured Sayu might like. He could never remember what her favourites were, though he was usually pretty close when he grabbed things for her every now and then.

Finally, he’d be able to head home soon, though as he was making his way to the cashier he noticed someone he believed was familiar. That man. So… had he been followed to the drug store? Or was it a mere coincidence? Raito shrugged, not wanting to be bothered until he had his items in a bag and paid for. Raito was about to move out of the man’s way and walk around him, but he didn’t have the chance to do that before the man immediately turned and walked right into him. Raito was startled, though he didn’t show much of what he was feeling in his face or mannerisms. He dropped one of the bags of chips, though he was relieved it hadn’t been the cookies. Raito kept his footing even, dipping down for a moment to pick up the bag of chips, and he looked at the man who was now speaking.

An introduction? Raito couldn’t see how that was warranted, though he felt no reason to hide his own identity from the man. As far as this person was concerned, Raito should be nothing more than a regular young man buying some junk food for what could be his dorm room or a study session of some sort. After all, Raito was well aware he’d seen the man in the office supplies store as well.

“Uh… yeah,” he said, “I’m Raito.” He paused, not certain if he should offer up his last name as well. He saw very little reason to do so, and the only reason he was even considering it was because the man – he could now call him Takai, though – had done so. Raito scratched the back of his head for a moment, considering Takai. “Yagami Raito.” Now he smiled. “Sorry about that, it was my fault. I meant to walk around you, though I suppose I should have said something to let you know I was there.”

[takai]

Takai did not smile and merely nodded saying, "True, however you wouldn't mind if I paid for the chip do you?" It was a test to see wether he jumped on opportunitys, was honest and kind, or just someone who would give in the end. Lets see how good you are with words raito. Hmm, I'll have to grab his file from the Bureau later. For now I think I should not even slightly under estimate him.

Takai reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a fold of yen's that would more than enough cover the chips. He kept it between his thumb and index finger while holding it out to raito. If he accepted it he would grab it, depending on wether he declined or accepted and how would determine some of his personality.

Hehe, no avoidance kiddo lets see if your to smart for your own good. Hehe, and if you do the perfect response then I'll expect to much thought into it. And if you do it, but dont act like the response enough to follow through with the same one later on.

[Yagami Raito]

Raito studied the man very carefully now. It was strange how the man had agreed that Raito was at fault, though he found himself appreciating the bluntness. Some people made too much of an effort to make other people feel better, and he found that to be rather bothersome at times. It was strange how even though Raito felt that way, he wasn’t about to act that way. Politeness was often the only acceptable way to behave, especially when he was making every effort to appear as though nothing drastic had happened to him, besides, exaggerated manners had its own merits, being that he was more likely to get what he needed from people that way.

So when the man continued to speak, offering to pay for the chips Raito found himself almost confused. So the whole thing was Raito’s fault, yet Takai was willing to pay for it? While that could very well just be the sign of a kind gentleman, Raito felt unsettled. That, and he had no intention of accepting something from a stranger. He did not want to even slightly be indebted to anyone at this point, even if it was unlikely they were to meet again.

“Oh no, it’s fine. But thank you.” Raito replied simply, wondering if he should add anything else to his response. Say something about how he was using his mother’s money anyway? That would be a lie, but how would it sound? Would it be pointless, or simply make the man attempt to push the money on him once more? Raito decided to leave that thought, understanding the possibility that the man could attempt to guilt him into accepting it, and Raito may have to even though he wouldn’t really care.

Raito was in a hurry anyway, so he nodded once more to the man, a quick and brief one that was partially a pleasant goodbye though mostly a cordial nod of dismissal. “I’m in a hurry, sir, but take care.” Raito had thought of offering to purchase the man something, but decided that could take up too much of his time, and the man didn’t seem to have anything he had to pay for, so perhaps he had already made his purchases. It was either that, or Raito had indeed been followed so he had no intention of doing him any favours. If anything, he wanted to be rid of the man completely, and he was rather uncertain as to if the man had merely followed him out of some strange curiosity, or if he were affiliated with someone who was after Kira. If L suspected him, was it possible that other branches did, too? Or was this man a possible addition of L’s? Or had he even been followed?

Each possibility simply created more questions for Raito, and it bothered him that this whole thing had taken place so quickly. Now he believed he knew exactly why he disliked the mall so much. It was far too big, and far too busy. While in some cases he had thought that may be an advantage, now he believed that perhaps he was at a disadvantage. It was now evident to Raito that anyone could have been watching him, and that perhaps this Takai person was merely someone who possibly could have been placed as a distraction. And while that plan was very extravagant, it was also plausible, and that bothered Raito the most.

Raito resisted the urge to look back at Takai, deciding that perhaps that would make the man realize that Raito was possibly a little too curious to be some normal kid making his way through the mall on small errands. And what would another quick look do for him, anyway? Not that much. A visual could only provide so much information without being too close. And he really did want to get out of the mall and just go home and do some of the studying he’d put off for the last two hours. His schedule was getting tighter, and he didn’t want to make it even more so over one chance meeting. If the man turned up elsewhere, then he would focus on him some more, but in the meantime Raito decided to play it the way he deemed safest, and simply let things slide this time, but take note of them for later.

[takai]

Takai let the kid pay for it and go deciding that he was in way to much of a hurry and looked like he was thinking far to much on this. He took way to much time, even a instant in his books before hurrying off was way to much. Ok I better put surveillance in mister yagami's house. It seems he thinks im hired by someone to watch him, thats the only reason why he would skirt away from me.

The instant he managed to get a dressing room, he pulled out his laptop and manually typed in words to get raito yagami on surveillance stat. Once that was done he knew his house would be filled with alot of cameras and anywhere else he stayed at too. Before the kid could get home he would be watched, if there was any special place the kid went to that he was going he would meet him there almost as casual. Time to see what your up to kiddo.