Voice; UN: Deneuve

[onamissile]

Name: M; UN: Deneuve
Date: 3/1/21
Format: [Voice]

[There's a short blip of silence; Mello knows that even his voice can be identified if needed and traced. But he remembers the pain in his chest. The swirling of the delivery truck's mirror, and everything after that, well — ]

[A sharp clearing of his throat. It's so dry.]

I know what I've been told.

[Everything is bullshit until proven otherwise.]

And I know what I'm expected to believe.

[Definitely lies. And for one: he knows he's died. It doesn't take a previous heart attack in his situation to recognize one when it tears at your chest and throat and breath like a visceral assault. Besides, he was always due for one: wasn't he?]

I don't expect honesty from anyone. [And yet here he is: reaching out. Because what else can he do?] But a Witch?

[Or so he's been told. How appropriate. Another pause; another breath.]

Is this Hell?

[He's seen nothing that leads him to believe otherwise. The mirror with the objects and reflections from home. The things that just don't make sense. Maybe someone will honestly reveal that yes, he's earned this. Maybe not.]

Comments

[onamissile]

No.

[Firm. Absolutely not. Mello isn't going to give it more than it already has.]

You know what I think. You're in my head. I'm not going to indulge you. [The more he speaks to these things, the more it tears at him. Perfect or no, he could do without. He'd accepted death for a cause. Never expected this to come after.]

Stop speaking like him. It's annoying.

[Always has been.]

What do you expect to get out of me? I don't believe you. I won't. If you know me, you know that much, even if you look like a fucking mutated girl.

[Messed that part up, didn't it?]

[onamissile]

[Ah, the confidant. Mello knows this game well.]

I don't feel weak.

[An inherent need to make that point clear, for one reason or another.]

I've been through worse. If there is an endgame here: I'll find it and bring it down. [Pride, be thy name.]

Who are you supposed to be, anyway?

[He doesn't recognize the speech pattern. Easy enough to deceive, he supposes>]

Voice; UN: Deneuve

[onamissile]

[Oh he recognizes that voice; age isn't a factor at all. The smooth, logical undertone. The devils playing beneath his tongue. Enemy; Mello's body reacts to it immediately. Stiffens and grows remarkably cold, despite the thick fabric wrapped around him.]

[I just fucking killed you, it says. What are you gonna do about it?]

[Calmness has never been Mello's strong suit, but hell if he isn't going to employ it now. His response is noticeably measured, even if his tone is short.]

Because whatever is bigger is more powerful.

[Logic, Yagami.]

Why give power to something that can defeat you?

[As his hand nearly snaps the device. Shit, even his jaw might snap with how tightly it's clenched.]

Tell me about a Witch's strengths, then.

[Liar. Not that Mello is anyone to judge.]

[discarding]

[well, Midousuji figures this person probably isn't an athlete. athletes have a different relationship with their body than dumb casuals.]

Good, good! Do that! I'll be cheering you on~ If I don't find a way out before that.

Ah??? My name is Hotaru! I'm from a country my world calls "Japan," if that even means anything to you. But in this place, it doesn't matter who any of us are, were, came from, whateverrrr. Gross.

Audio un: Deneuve

[onamissile]

So why contact me, then?

[It wants it. Wants it because it would be the easiest path into Mello's head, wouldn't it?]

[Yeah. It would. But he's not going to fall for it. Not now, anyway. The clicking sound of a nail scratching along the edge of the device might be noticed; maybe not. This hits too deep; it throws Mello off. And it knows it.]

You're obvious.

[Scoff.]

Audio un: Deneuve

[hearthebell]

Because either way, you're going to find out. Why draw it out unnecessarily?

[You'd feel led on; I'd feel cornered.

L's voice is getting increasingly terser. Mello's new; Mello has no memories of the time he was last here. L's still finding it surprisingly difficult to remain unflappable and indifferent.]

There are no shortage of others who remember you and will be more than glad to walk you through the paces, I'm sure.

[worldcleansing]

There's something to be said about giving them the power to hope only to never let that hope be realized, but it would be a lot more effective to torture us without giving us magic at all.

[ It's obvious that the man isn't enjoying the conversation, but he hadn't been enjoying it in the first place. Light doesn't feel special for having earned the annoyance. ]

It's the obvious answer: magic. Anything more detailed depends on what branch you study.

[onamissile]

[No, he doesn't remember a fucking thing because Mello has never been to hell. Still, he responds, because something in this 'girl's' voice seems genuine.]

[And it's all a trick, a trick. None of it matters. It's working at him. It's a good thing he's on audio and his deep frown isn't visible. He takes a deep, deep, breath. Maybe audible, maybe not. He's not paying attention right now. Exhale. Breathe. Can one even breathe when they're dead? Feels as much.]

Stop fucking with me.

[It doesn't take long for his patience to run thin. If this thing knows him, it knows that.]

Send them.

[Not like it matters.

[sing_for_me]

[ Her hope grows with the silence, hoping it might be enough—-

But it seems to only piss him off more. Even if she insisted all night, he wouldn’t believe her without actual proof. ]

I’m not that tech savvy. I don’t know how.

[ It’s a gamble, but maybe she can use that. ]

But I can show you in person.

[onamissile]

[Mello should've figured. Yagami's logic has always been on the brighter side, hasn't it? It's what frustrates him; Kira was hopeful even in his darkest moments. He would compose himself if he could but, well — he just died via a proxy of Kira, so.]

[So.]

It would be more logical to give one false hope and watch them fail despite their attempted progress, if we are where we are where I think we are. Complete submission is useless if your goal is absolute sadism; wouldn't you agree?

[Wouldn't you agree, you murderous cunt?]

You haven't answered my question regarding a Witch's strength. If not useless, what is it?

[worldcleansing]

Being pulled from our home and placed here in a new world without our previous resources is hard. Almost everybody we know is gone. Anything we've built up stayed behind us. If you're a monster, your entire body changes, and even while you gain new strengths, you also gain new weaknesses. Months later, and I'm not happy about the situation either. But it's not absolute sadism. I'm sure most of us can think of a lot of ways it could be worse.

[ Which doesn't make it okay, but Light doesn't think it's Hell. Even when he first came, he didn't think it was Hell. Then again, Light hadn't just died before coming here. ]

You consider magic useless? It might not be able to take you home today, but it's the best chance of making it home, and it keeps us alive until we find a way.

Did you previous world have magic?

[onamissile]

You don't know how to copy and send texts?

[It's a trap. He knows it as much as he knows his blood. Or lackthereof. Mello takes a moment. Stares at the veins in his wrists. Pulsing. Alive. And something... warmer. Witchcraft. Magic. He doesn't know anything about it.]

Nevermind.

[Dismissive.]

I'm dead. [He knows that, too.] You can't hurt me, and I'll snap you in half if you try. [No, he feels no regret with those words. Being dead means being invincible, doesn't it?]

Tell me where.

[Snipped. Maybe he'll show; maybe he won't. Still occasionally glancing at his veins and the way they pulse with something like heat even though he's chilled to the bone. Erasing what just happened before his heart came to a full stop isn't going to happen any time soon.]

this thread is now diamonds. and also locked.

[oftheletter]

So. Have me tell you something you don't already know. If you're dead then surely there would be a way to have a death god prove it.

[He takes a more relaxed position, resting his head in the palm of one hand. It's clear by now that he's laying on his side on the floor. Chairs are for people who know how to sit like a human being.

The smile has faded. He's watching Mello deadpan with only the occasional flick of his tongue.]

Wouldn't it be more unrealistic if I was a perfect copy? I can only do my best, Mello.

Audio un: Deneuve

[onamissile]

So you're gonna be the one to walk me through?

[Ha. If only. This thing is leading him on beyond what Mello is mentally prepared for — L is dead — but L isn't in Hell, is he?]

[Is he? Mello knows what the job entails. Is it possible that — ]

[And this devil sounds unnerved. (Trust nothing). Even though his hands are shaking; even though his fingers are trembling. This is bullshit.]

You're gonna, what. [Aggressive, now.] Protect me from them? You told me to stay away.

[And he means it; he really does.] You stay away.

Audio un: Linden Tailor

[hearthebell]

[He now has not one, but two Bonded urging him to end this conversation. Regardless of how it happened, it was never going to be on his terms, was it?

It's peace, at least for now. He swallows; his throat is so dry.]

I'm glad we're of an understanding.

oho locked

[onamissile]

[The use of his name — even if false — unnerves him. He doesn't like it. He doesn't fucking like any of this. N's voice, albeit slightly different than what he remembers, is unnerving. Off-putting. They're getting the best of him, and they know it.]

[He hates it.]

Who won.

[Flat. Aggressive. That's all that matters in the end, isn't it? But it doesn't matter. They'll tell him what he wants to hear. They'll attempt to bring him to a place of placidity because Mello is fire and a threat and what better way to go about it?]

I won't believe you, no matter what you say.

[So what's the point?]

[oftheletter]

You shouldn't ask questions if you aren't going to care about the answers.

[Near sighs, but Mello's stubbornness is expected.]

We did. [We, implicitly, because he can't claim a solo victory.] Because of you. And I will always appreciate it.

[Though he wouldn't use those exact words to anyone but Mello, and he says them now precisely because it's what the man will want to hear - even as he will expect it and deny it.]

You should ask something you aren't already set against hearing the answer to.

[onamissile]

Hard for you, maybe.

[A childish answer, but Mello's never been one to adjust to others easily, has he? Kira likes to talk, but M knows that already. A politician at heart; how else would he have obtained so many supporters?]

[Mello has always ruled with intelligence and tyrannical methods, but Light? He's something else. Something — ]

Never said it was useless. [He doesn't know a damn thing about it.] I only asked why it would be given to people freely if there weren't something stronger. Which you haven't answered, either.

[If his tone is accusatory, let it be. This is Yagami, after all, and he's doing a right job of pretending he doesn't know who Mello is. Unless.]

[Unless.]

Might've. I had other things to do.

[Maybe true; maybe not. With the existence of Death Gods and the notebook, who knows what else could have existed? But that's neither here nor there.]

You mentioned monsters. [A tip of his head, but it's luckily not audible.] Are you? [He doesn't want this casual conversation. Doesn't want to hear Kira's tongue.] A monster?

[Mello already knows the answer, of course.]

[worldcleansing]

Hard for a lot of us, but we adjust. When you realize this isn't Hell, you will too.

[ Mello is angry. He came into the conversation angry. However, Light is going to allow himself to rise to that anger, not when the bait hasn't been tempting enough. He who sets the mood gets a little bit of a win. ]

But the reason we're given magic isn't as simple as that. Magic exists here, inherently. I'm sure there is something stronger; it's how we were pulled from our homes and placed here. The argument is that as bad as things can be here, its standards would be low to be considered Hell.

[ If only Light had Mello's knowledge. If only he knew how the two of them clashed in the future. He's ignorant to their real identities, both Near and Mello, and has even worked closely with the former. They're even bonded. ]

No, I'm a witch, too, but you won't find a shortage of monsters. They're about equally as common, and they're usually easy to spot.

[onamissile]

If you'd have me ask a question I don't already know the answer to, how would I know if you're lying?

[Really, they're at an impasse, aren't they? It's up to Mello to choose whether or not to believe. And isn't just like N to condescend him. Appreciated Mello's death, did he? It brings back a memory — a lifetime ago — when Near agreed to work with him, only because he knew Mello would refuse. Stole the damn title, even if Mello was the one to give up the fight.]

[This is all so tiring. His voice might seem resigned, but Near would recognize his frustration, wouldn't he? Or this image of N; Mello needs to either outright deny this all or commit to a bit of faith, then.]

Fine.

Tell me how he lost. In detail. I don't care if you're lying.

[He just wants to hear it.]

And tell me why you chose to contact me.

Re: Audio un: Deneuve

[onamissile]

You haven't told me why you chose to contact me.

If you are who you say you are — [It's going to take a lot for M to believe it.] — you could easily have chosen to hide.

[Maybe Mello would have found him; maybe not.]

You want something from me aside from being left alone.

[onamissile]

I know Japan.

[Of course he knows Japan. That's where he died. Funny, that.]

If you find a way out, share with the class. I would compensate you, of course.

[With what: he doesn't know.]

[onamissile]

[Highly easy to spot, yea. Does Yagami truly not know who Mello is? Light has one advantage above the others: M really does believe that he would be in Hell.]

Since you're being so helpful — [Be it through deception or no.] — perhaps you would be willing to teach me a thing or two.

[Devil.]

If you have the time, of course.

[worldcleansing]

[ This is someone so dangerous that L is afraid of him. L is afraid of very little. He even risked his life to meet Kira. Whatever Mello has done, it's horrific enough to dent a man who's seen horrors beyond the imagination.

L's asked him not to draw a target on his head, but Mello is willing to meet with him already. Is it simply because he's willing to take advantage of the situation, because he somehow knows the connection between Light and L, or is there another reason? Something doesn't fit with L's story, and instead of explaining, he left.

Light looks to the messages again; his last message to L goes unanswered. He's buying time to craft a story which means he has to get the truth before the lie has a chance to grow. L's brilliant; he won't underestimate that.

Mello is a new witch. Light's gained power. There's no real danger here. ]

I don't mind. I have some free time. Before we start talking about what types of magic you're interested in, we should probably introduce ourselves. I'm Light Yagami.

[ What makes you so horrifying? Why are you using one of L's names? ]

[private] audio: un; jin_guangyao

[turmoiling]

Not quite so bad as that, I would think. If you need any help getting used to the changes here, I'm sure most would be willing.

[Jin Guangyao's voice is light, almost faintly amused. Even if he's still angrily churning inside. But scanning through the network he may have spotted an interaction of interest. Pleasant first, but...]

Pardon me for happening to glance at the conversation in passing, but who exactly is it that you think Linden might be?