All three of L’s top successors sat in the darkened basement. Each had their own reasons for being there. Matt: to decline any L offers that came to him. Mello: to see if he would be alone after this fateful meeting. Near: To see who would succeed their mentor.
The door opened and in walked the familiar figure of Rodger. The man who took charge of these matters since Watari had also died in the ‘Kira’ case investigation.
“You boys know the L routine am I correct?” Rodger stated sitting in the front of the long table. “The previous L left us with a little surprise as to the key of who will succeed him.”
Matt snickered behind his cigarette and turned away. His fingers blazing over some controllers buttons.
The old man glared at the upstart before turning back and looking at Near and Mello. “There is the rule that only one may go on to be L.” He gazed over some papers he held. “He never picked one of you.”
“What?” Mello said leaning forward. All those years of work he had put into showing them his worth and now none of them would be L?
“Let us hear Rodger out, Mello.” Near said. “Please continue. If he didn’t pick either of us who held his eye?”
Matt spun back around, “No way your making me do anything L’ish. I’m not up for it. I’m a passive type of guy mostly. Ummm……” He snapped his fingers “A follower not a leader. That’s what I mean!”
“L knew your intentions Matt never fear.” Rodger calmly told the boy. “L had other intentions for you.” He slid Matt some section of paper and again turned to the other two. “L said that Matt would act in the place of Watari.”
“Awwwwww.” Matt said “Ain’t he sweet!”
“Shut up, Matt!” Mello barked sitting down. “Now Rodger. Tell us who L picked.”
“L wished for you two to collaborate. He stated that one could benefit from the other. As Mello needs someone to act as the passive L and Near would require someone to do all the active work.”
The silence that followed made the air itself feel stifling. Both boys seemed to star off at nothing in particular.
Mello spoke first. “There can’t be two L’s at one time. It’s impossible. Near and I would only wined up fighting over the position.”
“Look here, you!” Rodger shouted standing up and going to stand beside Mello. “He watched you all the years he could! And even after he called when possible to check on the progress! You are not going to sit there and tell me that the consideration of a man who is now dead! Is going to be thrown away by the least likely of all of them! Why if it were up to me I’d have never even given you a thought!”
Mello stood up so quickly the man didn’t even see the movement. He had been sitting in the dark but was now in the full light in front of the man. His scar fully exposed and seemed to pulsate with his rage. “And if it had been ME! I would not have put an abusive old freak like you in charge of 78 children!!! For the man who was the world’s three top detectives, L sure didn’t pay to close attention to the underlying problems of his own institute. ‘The man who sees the world, doesn’t see his own home!’”
Rodger backed away from the mad look in the boy’s fiery eyes. “I only did what was in interest.” He stated pointing a shaking finger at him. “Discipline is the key to success! No matter what the cost!”
“ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS LOVE!!!! REAL LOVE AND APRESCIATION!!!” He stood panting for a moment, Near watching this quazi-drama unfold. His eyes wide with surprise. When Mello had collected himself he said in a whisper. “It’s all any of us wanted…. I want the position of L passed on to Near and Matt. I will catch this ‘Kira’ my own way. I’m grown and don’t need a parents hand to hold me down. Besides Near will be able to solve this keeping his cool. Something I can’t do.”
“Fine.” Rodger sighed “Near and Matt will go on. While Mello…” He glanced in the blond’s direction “will have all his records at Whammy’s erased. For his cowardice at not standing for justice.”
“As you see fit!” Mello spat walking up the stairs.
Matt stood at some point during the whole scenario “Ummmmmm…..Rodger?” Matt piped up. He walked and placed the papers back in the folder. He put out his cigarette on the bottom of his boot. “I’ve got something to say about the matter of being L’s assistant.” He ran a hand threw his mop of hair causing the mess to stick up on the top.
‘What a sight.’ Near snickered to himself.
“Yes, Mail?” Rodger said looking warmly at the red head.
“Not sure how else to put it…. But, I don’t want to be the Watari figure.”
“What!?” The man looked like he had just been torn in two. “Why!?” That smug Mello would get a good laugh at him if he had heard that.
Matt simply smiled. “Isn’t it obvious?”
