Relaxation? I Seriously Doubt That...[Ed]

[Ketsueki]

Ket set her pace at an easy jog. This latest job was pretty easy. A local car dealer moonlighting as a serial rapist. He may have been able to avoid arrest, but he was becoming well known on the streets. Over three months, and he was finally going to pay for his crimes. As she neared the bench underneath which she had stashed her spray-paint, she sighed slightly. She had thought this would be a more challenging target, but no… The low-life lived with his mother for crying out loud. All Ket had had to do was snag the guy’s jacket sitting on the porch and bring it to the front door. The family name was on the postal box outside, all she needed was his first name.

Rolling her eyes, she recalled the brief exchange of words: “Good evening ma’am, I found this at the foot of your porch. Would it happen that this belonged to you or anyone in your household?” Ket had held the jacket out, politely bowing her head to the elderly woman. “Why, my dear Ryouta is always leaving his things around.” The woman rambled on about her son a bit longer before Ket could finally escape. Honestly, why did people talk about such meaningless things for so long?

Though she shook her head, naught but indifference showed on her face as she reached her destination. Reaching beneath the bench, she extracted a can of her usual bright red paint. She peered around in the dim lighting of lamps that lined the pathways. It was nighttime, of course, and nobody was to be seen around this particular area. Walking out to a stretch of pavement, Ketsueki bent at the waist and left her mark.

[glow=red,2,300]Tanaka Ryouta. Serial Rapist. Kira, Give Him His Just Reward[/glow]

With a name, a search for a face was easy. Now this man could be punished, as was deserved. And his victims would now have closure…which is was Ket’s main goal was. She stood to admire her work for a moment before wiping down the can with the edge of her skirt before tossing it into a nearby garbage. It wasn’t as if her prints were in the system or anything, but it was always best to be safe. Yawning, Ket sat on the bench. She hadn’t eaten most of the day, and had gotten into a bit of a scuffle that morning. She touched a hand to the purpling bruise that adorned her cheek, her blank expression showed not the satisfaction she felt. The guy who had jumped her looked much worse, barely walking away. He had chosen the wrong person to mess with.

Leaning her head back, Ket briefly closed her eyes before surveying her surroundings. She rather enjoyed the silence in the park at night. In the alleyways, there was always movement, nocturnal-folk like herself constantly moving about. Here she took a rare moment to relax, but not going off of her guard. Despite her relaxed demeanor, Ketsueki was always on alert, constantly sensing the area around her. A habit that helped her live on these streets so long…

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[Ed Thompson]

Ed had been walking around these streets for hours. "Dear goodness, there's no end to streets when you don't know where you're going..." He muttered to himself. Turning a corner into a park, he saw one of two things. First, graffiti on the pavement, naming a rapist, and telling someone to give him his 'reward'.

Second, he saw who he believed to be the artist, standing and admiring her own work, before wiping down a paint can, and tossing it into a trash can. He walked over to her, by now she had obviously noticed him. She was armed, at least one dagger attached to her leg, and she was obviously fit. As much as he'd like to let his guard down for a woman, he couldn't.

"So, tell me, what reward might this be? See, if it were my guess..." He laughed, coming to a stop about 5 feet from her, "I'd think you're asking Kira to punish criminals. Now, there's been a lot of cases of people asking Kira to do such things, but this seems different. It's not a personal grudge, it's the kind of criminal Kira would be looking for. Lightening his load for him?"

He smirked, as he awaited her answer...

[Ketsueki]

It didn’t take her long to realize that someone had arrived. A man, an American man by the looks of it. “Hmm…odd“ Not that there weren’t many American’s around, but they tended to find her open use of daggers and lack of emotional displays a bit frightening, and left her alone. She ignored him until he stopped a few feet from where she sat. What did this guy want?

Listening to his words, she kept her face impassive while her mind raced. An American asking about Kira? He obviously knew a lot about what was going on here, not just some imbecile that watched the news. Was he working on the case? His tone told her he was not one who particularly supported Kira and his doings. Letting a moment of silence pass between them, she then stood, turning slowly to face this newcomer.

She spoke in a deep, almost bored tone, her face expressionless. “What interest would some gaijin have in what I do?” She let her eyes roam, doing a once over of this man. He was taller than she, and much heavier, and she reckoned he was likely armed. Essence of “cop” all but oozed from his pores, and the way he inquired about her doings rather irritated her, though she was careful not to let any of her thoughts show on her face.

Idly, she brought a hand to her side, brushing it against the sheath where one of her daggers resided before bringing her hand behind her, twirling her long, vermillion tresses around her fingers. She chose to let it down today, though she felt the urge to bundle it atop her head. She had an odd feeling about this man, and wasn’t sure whether she would need to be able to move quickly during this little meeting.

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[Ed Thompson]

Ed saw her hand move to her side, and, just to be safe, he put his hand in a position, from which he could draw his blade more easily. "My interests in this matter are of a concerned man, of course. I may be an outsider, but that only gives me clarity. And what I see in my clarity is that you are wasting your life, working for a man, no, a childish brat, that doesn't give a damn about you."

He was quite careful about his features, keeping his confident smirk, but never letting on any other emotions. "This leads me to question, why? Why would one such as yourself work for Kira, a common criminal? After all, you could obviously do so many other things."

He laughed. "Or perhaps you already have an occupation? You know, this can go two ways. You can either tell me anything you know about Kira, not that I need specifics, but perhaps when you usually write these, in what areas, and the names you wrote? And if you can't do that, well, I'll convict you in aiding Kira, along with vandalism. I doubt you'll have much a future after that, especially considering the enormity of this case. Would you risk that, for a man that would probably brush you off as a servant, if you ever met?"

[Ketsueki]

Watching the American’s hand shift, her suspicions were confirmed; he was definitely armed. Tilting her head to the side in a curious manner, she vaguely wondered what exactly he had concealed. He didn’t move like one would if in possession of a gun. A blade perhaps? Though naught but a scowl showed on her lips, Ket inwardly smiled. “If he iss a blade man, this could get interesting“ She thought of her own two daggers. He had obviously noticed her smaller one just beneath her skirt, but he was not aware of the other. Taking care not to betray her thoughts, she gave no notice to her second blade, not wanting to draw any attention to it.

She remained silent as she listened to her words, setting her expression to its usual stoical state. But despite this, her mind raced with fury. “How dare he speak of Kira in such a way!” Similar thoughts circled though her head, but she let none of it show. This man moved and acted in an almost similar way to she…almost. But it was enough to tell that he was probably just as observant as Ket, only more obnoxious. She would have to be slightly more careful not to let any unwanted emotion be displayed.

“My reasons for doing what it is I do are my own, gaijin.” Ketsueki thought the derogatory term rather suited this man, and figured she would use it as a substitute for a name...Like a nickname. If she wasn't in complete control at the moment, she probably would have chuckled. She spoke again in an almost bored manner, her tone completely flat. “I do what I see fit for myself. You know nothing of me, therefore you know nothing of what I may be capable of doing.” Her last statement was both a minor threat as well as a response to his previous words.

Convict her? So he was a cap. She allowed herself to raise a single brow as if in surprise, though it was more like slight annoyance. Expecting this little meet to have a not so preferable ending, as Ket had no intentions of being arrested by some outsider American, she leaned forward slightly and extracted two lacquered chopsticks from her left boot. Clenching them between her teeth, she bundled her hair atop her head and used her free hand to place the slivers of wood within the knot she had made, holding it firmly in place. She managed an aura of boredom as she moved, acting as if she simply wished to get the incredible long tresses off of her neck.

“Of what interest would my writing be to an American? You, gaijin, are an outsider. Your jurisdiction is far from here.” Even if he was to get local officers on her case, he would find that many already knew her, and even secretly supported her. Those that did not just weren’t quick enough to catch her, though she had to admit they didn’t try too hard. Her being around meant just that much more fear among the sinners, that much more safety coming to the streets. She deliberately avoided speaking directly of Kira to this man. “And as I said, I do what it is that I do for reasons of my own.”

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[Ed Thompson]

Ed laughed. He found this girl amusing. "My jurisdiction extends as far as I'd like it, because of this case. If I give evidence that you know anything about Kira, your own government will hold you, on my suggestion. Along with that, I'm sure L would be interested in a possible interrogation." He stepped a bit closer to her.

"Listen, I know you don't trust me, but I truly to care what happens to you. As much as I may be an outsider, I've been working on this very case since it began, and I know Kira. He's a pathetic criminal, pure and simple. And frankly, I don't give a damn what I have to do to get to him because, as you oh so eloquently pointed out, I'm technically not an officer here." He smirked, and added, "Being a vigilante has its perks."

He cracked his shoulder. "In fact, I almost feel for Kira. I understand what he's trying to do, make the world a better place. And I understand why you'd want to help him. But the fact is, we shouldn't allow a petulant child to become a god, no matter how much he does. Because Kira has had no consequences for his actions. Therefore, how can he distinguish between right and wrong? Do we want a leader who is so morally bankrupt that he would kill whomever opposes him. Case in point, he believed a man in a broadcast to be L, who was merely trying to tell him what he was doing was wrong. He killed that man, merely because of a differing point of view..."

He sighed, and looked her in the eye. "You seem intelligent. Tell me, how is that any different from how the Holocaust, or any other mass genocide occurred? This is a genocide against criminals. When the civillians are the killers, who then is the true criminal?"

[Ketsueki]

Hearing the man laugh irritated Ket further, though she simply rolled her eyes. Her government? L? As he stepped closer, she refused to let herself retreat the step her instincts insisted she take. Instead, she moved slightly forward as well. Tilting her head to the side, her deep voice took on an almost sickly sweet tone. “What would make you think that I would have any knowledge of interest, huh-” Realizing that she did not know this man’s name, she simply put in her new nickname for him, “-gaijin?” without interrupting the sentence at all.

Smirking slightly, she brought a hand up to toy with a loose lock of hair as if in boredom. “You know Kira? Then why, sir, have you yet to acquire his location? If you were to “know” Kira, you would be able to find him, to capture him by exploiting his strengths and weaknesses. And yet…” She paused a moment, as if in thought. Her voice took on a rather wistful tone, though it was clearly laced with sarcasm and spite. “You have yet to do this…So, one would be able to conclude that you do not in fact “know” Kira. And as such, you are not in a place to judge his actions or theorize about his thoughts.”

She ignored his comment about “caring what happened to her”… It was just an interrogation method. Make the suspect think you feel sympathy for them, make them think you want to help them… Yeah that won’t work on her.

With a mocking smile, she continued. “And that man he killed, the one you say “merely had a different point of view”… L does not simply disagree with Kira, he threatens him. That man called Kira evil, and insisted that he be stopped.” She paused again, looking about for others who may be passing by, despite the fact it was well into the night. “The only way those hunting Kira would “stop” him would be by killing him. He was defending his own life.”

She considered his final statement and gave a slight nod, her expression back to pure indifference. “I can see where you would come from there. The whole “Cleansing the World” idea. But there is a significant difference here. In the past, those killings were mainly about things such as race and religion. Now it is about crime. Only those who commit serious crimes are punished.” She thought for a moment, taping a finger against her chin. “Tell me something… If these criminals were caught, would the system not fight for the death penalty for those that murdered, fight for the worst punishment possible for the rapists? I do understand that people believe “they have the right to fight for themselves” and such, but in the end, many die anyway. The system essentially executes the same punishment, only Kira has better means to do so.”

She regarded him with a cool sense of vague respect misted over with annoyance. “And yes, he may be at fault in the eyes of some, being “criminal” in a sense, but then if Kira is criminal, then so is the government. The system judges an execution as a “just murder”, and in turn, so does Kira.”

Unconsciously, Ket reached for the glass vial the hung between her breasts, the cold of the material seeping into her hand as she spoke a final time, “You may even seem me as a criminal myself, aiding Kira.” She looked to her hand briefly, then into the man’s eyes. “But as I said before, my reasons for my actions are my own.”

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[Ed Thompson]

Ed smirked. He shook his head. "You see, it's people like you that cause the system to fail. So absolutely pathetic that, in your desperation, you turn to Kira, and others that may be like him. I know Kira, beyond a shadow of a doubt, but I cannot work with no evidence. If you'd stop hiding behind your false idol, and actually tell us something, it would be incredibly easy to capture Kira."

He scoffed at her comments about his government. "Please don't compare a system that has stood for decades to some brat playing god. They're nothing alike. Honestly, I thought you were intelligent. You're disappointing me." He smirked. "So tell me, any names you write on these walls are executed? That's interesting. So, tell me, had any trouble with relationships lately? Perhaps someone didn't enjoy your company, and your hand just slipped..." He let his hand fall, to accentuate his point.

"Of course, you think yourself too good to do something so barbaric, but the fact is, if you wanted, you could. And Kira could, ten times easier. This is too much power for one person to hold. And the complete disregard for any of his victims? What of falsely accused criminals? If our system is as flawed as you say, I'd hate to see one of them killed for no reason whatsoever..."

He scratched his head. "Kira seems, to me, like a delusional sociopath. He thinks himself God, and doesn't let feelings effect him. Funny, that's the kind of personality I'd peg on a rapist, or a pedophile. Perhaps that's where your hero Kira would be, if he wasn't in possession of such awesome power." He cackled to himself, doing an imitation of Kira. "It's alright, I can do whatever I want, because I'm always right." He gazed at her again, his head slightly tilted. "Yet you support him. It's a pity, truly. To be so completely devoid of logic..."

[Ketsueki]

As the man before her went off on his tirade, she dropped the small vial so that it hung from the long chain. Ket would not say that he was wrong, she would not say that he was right, because he was neither. It was his opinion. Or at least that is what she told herself. But it would become him to perhaps listen to the opinions of others instead of acting as if nobody’s thoughts had any validation other than his own. As he continued, she put a hand on her right hip and shifted her weight onto her left leg, resting in her position. She was listening as intently as she would anyone else, and worked to fight the displeasure she felt at this man’s closed-mindedness.

Even through his accusations, she maintained an aura of calm. Ket knew she would never use her talents to exact revenge upon someone that may have wronged her in a small way. She believed in just punishment, not petty vengeance, and she was confident Kira shared her same ideals. “Too good… psht” Just because she did not take it upon herself to punish those who did her injury did not mean she thought herself above anyone else, but she kept her mouth shut as this man would obviously not listen to her.

Growing annoyed with his rantings, she shifted her weight to her other leg, rolling her eyes. As he finally let his final sentence drift, she chuckled. “Nice imitation, though you sound more like yourself there.” Drawing her brows together, she deepened her already contralto voice in her own imitation of this man. "It's alright, I can do whatever I want, because I'm always right.” She chuckled again, allowing her naturally deep tone to return. “You, sir, seem to act as if you are the one who is always correct, refusing to listen to the words of others.” She gave a short laugh, not going to bother with talking to him. He was too pig-headed.

Peering down, she plucked up the vial of red liquid from where it hung and slipped it beneath her shirt, slightly comforted by the coolness of the glass against her sternum. It gave her a bit of relief from the irritation stemming from this man. She looked back to him, completely calm and indifferent once more. “What exactly is it you want with me? Or do you simply wish to waste my time, gaijin?”

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[Ed Thompson]

Ed chuckled. "Well, how is it you like Kira? After all, that is basically what Kira is all about. He'd be just like me." He smirked. "If you'd talk, I'd listen. But seeing as you seem to be staying silent, I'm merely filling in the holes."

He sighed. Damnit, why won't the woman understand? He wanted to help her, but she didn't want help. Perhaps this wasn't going to go anywhere. But, until Taka got him more information, different leads, this was all he had.

"Tell me, in what general locations to you write these names? Are there prerequisites for your choice? Also, at what time are they generally written?" He doubted that she had any sort of plan for these killings, but if there was some sort of pattern, he might be able to follow that.

Normally, if someone wouldn't talk, he's persuade them forcefully. However, he didn't wish to get physical at this point. This was due to a few things. First, she was armed, and he wasn't sure what other weapons she might have. Second, he held little sway here in Japan. As much as he'd like to pretend it hadn't, his jurisdiction was at an end here. Finally, she was a woman. He wasn't discriminatory, in any way. But he did fancy himself chivalrous, and thus, he wouldn't allow himself to harm a woman unless he had no other choice...

[Ketsueki]

She gave a rather un-ladylike snort. “I was talking, before. You simply dismissed my thoughts and words. Why speak further?” This man truly was obnoxious. And she thoroughly doubted Kira was anything like the egotistical gaijin before her.

So this really was all he wanted after all? It wasn’t like it would help him any by knowing. “So are you still threatening to arrest me if I decide not to tell you?” She emphasized the word ‘arrest’, calling him on the fact that, despite what he had previously said, he couldn’t possibly hold any power over her. It wouldn’t really hurt to tell him what he wanted to know, but she wasn’t going to simply give it up just like that. Perhaps she could return some of the annoyance.

She vaguely considered how this little meeting would end…She would rather not fight, as she was pretty tired and figured a fight with this man wouldn’t be much of a challenge. Not that she was being arrogant, but she did have a lot of street experience, and he did not seem like he would be up for a fight either. She stood upright again, removing her hand from her left hip, switching it for the right. This was, as a precaution, she would be able to get to her primary dagger if she was wrong about this man. She always felt best when prepared.

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[Ed Thompson]

Ed smiled. He did have a habit of doing that, at times. Turning even the simplest conversation into a full on interrogation. He couldn't blame her for feeling the way she did, but he couldn't exactly apologize. After all, showing any sign of weakness is a mistake.

He saw her shift her weight, and bring her hand down to her side. This wasn't the first time she'd shifted weight, but the combination of the two worried him. Generally, that's how one would prepare to use their weapon. And her hand had swayed down to the dagger at her side. If she had a gun, he was pretty sure she'd have pulled it and simply left. So she must only have hand to hand weapons. He wouldn't count out the possibility of others, however.

"Well, on my own, I can't arrest you. But this Kira case is giving the NPA some problems. I'm pretty sure they'll believe a tip from an experiences FBI agent, even if he himself can't make the arrest. I don't want to, but it's something I may have to do, if you refuse to give me anything. Just give me something I can use, and I'll be gone, out of your hair."

His smile disappeared. "And if you're thinking of pulling a weapon on me, don't try it. I may be being a bit overly cautious, but that's a warning you'd do well to heed..."

[Ketsueki]

His smile bothered her. What did he think this was? He was an FBI detective intent on getting useless information out of her, what else could he think it is; an interrogation. Ha! She doubted even the most experienced detective could get anything out of her that she did not wish to share. This man here, he seemed to have a high verbal skill, much like her own. She would reckon he would be right up there with her in that area, along with emotional control, though she believed she had the upper hand there. And with that, she made sure to keep her face perfectly emotionless as he observed her as she shifted. There was no doubt he was wary of the small dagger that was visible.

Like the NPA would be able to find her… “Look here, gaijin, you don’t even know my name. What exactly will you say to the police? ‘Officer, I saw a scantily clad woman spray paint a message about a rapist to Kira in the park late at night.’” She gave a low chuckle. “They would pass it off as an encounter with a prostitute who had a beef with one of her customers,” She paused, “Or her pimp for that matter.”

She looked to him with bland stare, though her voice was calm and slightly gentler than it had been before. “Besides, the information you are asking of me is completely useless to you.” And it truly was. All he would find are places with high concentrations of criminal activity.

At his comment about drawing her weapon, she actually laughed at him. She spoke mockingly, “Why sir, I apologize! I wouldn’t think of it!” It was a rare moment of true emotion, her pure annoyance and vague amusement plainly showing. After collecting herself, she spoke again, a smile in place. “Gaijin, you aren’t the only one being cautious here. I can tell you are armed, so naturally I would be careful to be able to get to my weapon easily.” She made a motion over her body, indicating her clothes and overall state, then over to the message she had painted on the pavement. “Habit of living the way I do. In case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t exactly live safely.”

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[Ed Thompson]

"Well, someone is definitely at fault for your living conditions. And it certainly isn't a pimp, or the law. I'm afraid that, if you had simply stayed out of the conflict, like most other civilians, you'd be living peacefully and without any problem. But you chose to take a side. Now, you've gotta stick with that side..."

He sighed. "Look, enough of this charade. I don't give a damn, personally, about whether or not I get this information. The fact is, I just wanted to get a feel for what some Kira supporters were like, the length of their dedication. And you've given that to me. I'm very pleased with your cooperation."

That was true, for the most part. That had been his main goal, with information being secondary. He had HOPED that the information he requested would be a sufficient clue, but he had not been counting on it. "Along with that, I now know that you, yourself, are a supporter of Kira. That means you've put yourself on pretty damn thin ice, if I do say so myself. Watch out for run ins with the law, because a simple offense could escalate. And I truly mean that. Watch out, because I don't want to see someone that COULD be living peacefully have their life ruined by a bad decision."

He turned on his heels, and began walking away. "Again, thank you for the help. Now that I've got a basic profile of the blind dedication to Kira some exhibit, I'll be able to identify said worshipers more quickly. In speaking with me for this length of time, you've tipped your hand, not emotionally, but in your ideals and beliefs. Also, in your own personal sense of justice, which is almost identical to Kira's, if I do say so myself. Thank you, because, although you didn't realize, you've been of great service to me."

And, with that, he was finished. He placed his hands neatly in his pockets, and walked off to wander these streets once more...

Leave Thread

[Ketsueki]

Vaguely listening to the man speak, Ket leaned a hip against the bench she stood by. She did not reply to his words, but did consider them, though it was mostly out of her control. She was a naturally analytical thinker, constantly over-thinking things that probably could be left untouched. She seriously doubted that if she had stayed out of the “Kira conflict” she would be living any better. She would most likely be some servant girl on a farm back where she grew up. She much preferred this lifestyle.

She had to laugh at the so-called valuable information she had apparently given him. Quite literally anyone could see the extent of dedication to Kira. His name is whispered throughout the streets, making its way into homes and jobs, even schools. Though there are a number of “silent supporters”, all one would have to do is see one of the many who only admit their devotion, who are everywhere, to see.

As he turned to leave, she gave him a mock salute. “Glad to be of service, sir.” Chuckling, she nodded at his back as he walked. Raising her voice ever-so-slightly, she called after him in her friendliest tone, “See ya around, gaijin.” Though more silently, she added to herself, “You may want to be careful yourself.”

Sitting on the bench, Ket had to admit he was smart to have not given his name, but she could still easily find out….if she were so inclined that is. An American FBI agent in Japan. Shouldn’t be that hard. She gave a short laugh before leaning back and flipping the unseen dagger from her boot, tossing it up into the air as she pondered what to do with the rest of her night.

End[/I]