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

Audio un: Linden Tailor

[hearthebell]

[For a second, L does, in fact, think that this is hell. He could consult his Bonded, at the very least Near, and mutually determine how best to inform Mello. In the end, he doesn't have the heart to lie, at least through more than mere omission.

His voice is a soft monotone when he answers.]

What you've been told is true; what you're expected to believe won't change. It's a reality all of us share, and so... sooner would be better.

Audio un: Deneuve

[onamissile]

[Of course the Devil would send him something familiar to comfort him. He deserves this, yea? Even if all he's done was for the sake of the greater good.]

[Respond or remain silent? Either or. Neither matters at this point, does it?]

[But Mello's always been a fighter.]

You sound just like Him.

[Funny, that.]

I should be offended. [Or humored.] I suppose you have no intention of telling me who you really are.

[And why would a fallen thing speak the truth when lies are so much easier with which to deceive? A chuckle, nothing more.]

I wouldn't. If I were you.

[Whatever you are.]

Audio un: Linden Tailor

[hearthebell]

[L's sigh is quiet and shallow. It's clear; he's certain, now, that Mello does not remember.

A shame, or a blessing? Will time be the one to tell?]

I'm not who you think I am. That's also true; I expect you to believe it, and it will really be better, if it's sooner.

[Should he say what happened? Draw a boundary, forbid even a meeting? Make claims that will laer be seen as sabotaging games?

Audio un: Deneuve

[onamissile]

[From their short encounter so long ago, Mello has learned one thing: L has always spoken in riddles, hasn't he? Ever elusive, even when they were face-to face. The exasperated sigh throws him off for only less than a second. This is supposed to throw him off. Remember, remember.]

I know you're not.

[But you won't tell me who you are. Would he? No. Mello shakes off the possibility immediately.]

What do you want?

Audio un: Linden Tailor

[hearthebell]

Just one thing.

Keep your distance, at least for awhile. It would be better if you don't come looking for me.

[He means for his voice to sound gentle, neutral. Instead, it's as though it's sprouted tiny, but noticeable, thorns.]

Voice

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex didn’t frequent the network often, only sometimes watching the videos or reading over posts. It was another idle moment of going through them when she comes upon an audio recording. She didn’t recognize the username, but taps on it curiously.

The moment the voices comes through from her device, she almost drops it. It wasn’t as if something like this hasn’t happened before, but with so many having left recently, she hadn’t expected someone to return. How long had it been since she last heard his voice? How could she be sure?

With not much to lose, Alex decides to call him directly. ]

M, is that you?

Voice

[onamissile]

[M, Em, Emm — What does it matter? All is revealed; his book was opened straight down the middle and this was the decision.]

Maybe.

[A Witch: so he's been told. Does identity even matter before? Mello's voice takes on a combative tone. Better than curiosity. That would make him appear too weak, when all is said and done.]

Who are you?

[Of course, he expects a lie. The voice is unfamiliar, even if there's a tone of genuine, innocent inquiry behind it.]

[sing_for_me]

[ The more she listened to his voice, along with the cautious responses, the more she believed it could be him.

But, it seems he didn’t return that recognition, her shoulders dropping along with her tone. ]

It’s Alex...

[ He’d at least remember her name, wouldn’t he? With his brain there’s no way he wouldn’t. ]

Voice

[onamissile]

I don't know you.

[Of that much, he could be sure.]

So who are you playing at? A bint I met at a club?

[All offense intended.]

un: dagwood | audio -> video

[oftheletter]

That always depends on who you ask, doesn't it?

[Near doesn't beat around the bush. He switches his own feed to video, capturing only his upper half.]

You can take some time to mentally go through all the possibilities if you want. I'll wait, but please don't take too long.

[Voice] UN: Deneuve

[onamissile]

[Oh, this place is just throwing them at him, isn't it? But it got this one wrong. Too old, though the tone and response sits properly with Mello. Like the previous one who is what he knows, this one is far too familiar with enough changes to make him question the validity. A solid two to three minutes of silence before he responds. And then — ]

Depends.

[On you.]

You've got it wrong, by the way.

[N doesn't look this way.]

Didn't dig deep enough, I suppose.

[oftheletter]

[Near tilts his head, then a slow smile spreads across his face. Whether this is more or less creepy than normal given his red eyes, lack of eyelids, and scale-covered skin is a matter of opinion.]

Ah... you think I'm an image or a doppleganger pulled from your memory.

[A black forked tongue darts out of his mouth a couple times in his amusement.]

Please continue to explain your train of thought.

[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?]

text | un: HOTARU☆KUN

[discarding]

[Midousuji likes the cut of this jerk's jib. he stifles a laugh into his dry, bony hands before he responds.]

I was thinking this is more like a coma dream..... I don't personally believe in things like Hell, but this creepy, nasty place is tailor fit for torment, so Hell certainly isn't a far cry! That'd be one twisted way to be proven wrong on one's beliefs...

But in the end, your only answer and subsequently your own reality will probably just be that: your belief. No matter the conclusion, it's an unforgivably repulsive state.

Text; UN: Deneuve

[onamissile]

[Repulsive. Mello's never cared for the word regarding himself. Not until the scabs healed, and even then — ]

[Doesn't matter. Not here, anyway.]

I'm not dreaming.

[He knows that much, at least.]

So your answer is that if I believe in Hell, then this is what it'll be? What if I choose to believe that I deserve Heaven? Or nothing at all.

[He never really knew what to believe, anyway. No one with any sort of intelligence would commit themselves to a single truth without proof.]

And If I believe this a dream? Will I wake up?

[discarding]

Who knows. I'm not saying your belief manifests reality, moreso that regardless of the reality, you'll probably carry on with your own interpretation anyways! I know I certainly am.

But if it is a dream, I haven't been able to wake myself up, yet. And it's unusually long feeling. Mundane, too in tune with the weakening state of my body, lots of static and stillness. That's why I think if it is a dream, it's not the kind you can simply wake yourself up from. The kind that lasts for a long time, and only ends if you survive from where you sleep.

[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; u/n l.yagami

[worldcleansing]

[ Another stranger; Light has no reason to assume Mello will ever hold significance in his life. If anything, he approves of the skepticism. Questioning such an odd world is the only logical reaction. ]

If you won't believe our word, then look at it through logic: as weird as this world is, it could be worse. Being a witch comes with a lot of strengths. In a world where Hell exists, it's more likely to strip you of power, not give it to you.

[ The voice is younger, but Mello may very well recognize it as the one belonging to one Light Yagami, a man responsible for his death even if he didn't write the name directly.

If there's doubt, Light isn't too secretive with his username considering it's one means of which he means to establish himself. ]

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.]

[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]

[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?

[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?

[private]

[onamissile]

[Everyone here is so helpful, aren't they. Only serves to aggravate Mello's suspicions further. But he'll respond, because he's a curious thing. Always has been.]

[Linden. One of Yagami's first kills, according to files and research. A name that L goes by now, for some reason.]

You know him?

[Doesn't matter. They're all devils. Even if Mello takes on tone of genuine curiosity.]

Who is he to you?

[Question for a question. Mello's never been the trusting type.]

[private]

[turmoiling]

We've only met before in passing. But he is a very unusual fellow, isn't he? I wondered if some old acquaintance of his might be willing to tell me a little more of him and where he comes from. Linden isn't so forthcoming, himself.

[Not that he's actually asked. But it's pretty obvious how far that effort would go with Linden himself.]

[private]

[onamissile]

[No, none of them are very forthcoming. Part of the job.]

Never met him, [He lies; of course he does.]

He's a friend of a friend.

Sounds like he left an impression, though.

[Who is this person that they're already digging into L's past. Into Mello's past, by effect.]