You're underestimating my judge of character. I've known you since you were a child, after all.
[ Setting down his sandwich from the latest bite, he chuckles. ]
My father is Chief of the NPA, and I always admired him.
[ He does know that suggests his connection helped him, but only to those who don't know Soichiro or Light. Even as his father, Soichiro wouldn't help someone unqualified, and Light has proven himself many times over. ]
When I was 16, I was able to help them solve a couple of cases, and that cemented my passion.
Haha. [ She says with a roll of her eyes but it's good-natured, verging on warm. In a way, he's not wrong. Still, as the conversation continues, her eyes go wide with surprise before they settle, impressed. ]
16? That's pretty young to get involved in crime-solving. [ It could be a case of nepotism but Light is clearly intelligent. She remembers all the books on his shelves, the book on his couch, and if he was solving crime, well... He's one smart cookie. ] Do you have a favorite case you've solved?
I picked up some clues from the news report so when I showed I could be helpful, they let me in on the case. I was only allowed a few before I joined the force.
My favorite case... it's a little complicated. The first one at 16 felt really good.
[ He smiles at the memory. ]
It showed I could help. I never doubted it, but to solve something real instead of hypothesizing based on news reports feels very different.
My favorite case after... it would be because of the person I managed to get behind bars. That makes it a darker story.
The alternative would be my dad trusting his 16-year-old son could do better than the men working for him and bringing me in. It'd be pretty insulting without some kind of justification.
[ Light looks at his food. It's hard to say, but... ]
I don't think someone learns to be so prepared without some stories of their own. In my case, I don't get to come into the story until after someone's been hurt.
[ Sharon gave a grim nod of understanding. ] That sounds like a lot of pressure. If you do your jobs right, you win. You don't, more than just you will lose.
There's a lot of stress, but when you manage to catch someone, you know you've helped more than a single person, too. On lower levels, you'll get cases that involve someone who might have only hurt one person with no plans to hurt someone again, but for the case to make it to my desk, they don't plan to stop so they have to be stopped.
It's different here. I've spent more time catching cheating spouses or employees that have stolen from work.
[ He nods to the food. ]
I still get to solve mysterious, and I do enjoy that part, but this was a nice break.
It's gotta be a trip to go from big cases to shit like that. [ Yeah, there are other mysteries, like the one they're currently chewing on, but she can't imagine it compares. ]
I'll probably revisit the city sometime in the coming months. You wanna tag along? See that otherworld for yourself before we find a way to stop Riteior and seal away that place for good?
[ Sometimes, a second pair of eyes reveal something that was hidden before. ]
I would normally promise to do my best to keep you safe during the visit, but you'll brush me off and remind me that you're capable of caring for yourself, so I'll skip that step.
[ He offers a small smile in return before returning to his food. ]
We don't usually get a chance to see the way somebody has changed since they were a child without seeing the in-between. I'm not saying you're better or worse than I expected, but you didn't seem interested in fighting before.
If it helps, I didn't learn most of this shit back home. [ She wasn't willing to impart to him just how bad Alessa's life had gotten just days after her meeting with Light or how it's defined Sharon's whole life since and always will. ] I ran into some trouble my second month and realized I couldn't just survive here on what I knew back home. I needed to be better.
It's probably happened to a lot of people out here. If they come from worlds without magic or danger, it's a culture shock. Even though I'm in law enforcement, I'd never had to fight a monster. Not a literal one.
But I'm not sure that was the case with you. You said that you could do things like me even before you came here.
[ She falls quiet for a long moment, lips pursing. ]
It was mostly the same for me. Sure, I was born with psychic powers, but that... [ Hm. ] I hadn't met anyone with anything like magic before I came here. [ That took a long time to adjust to. ] You can imagine how isolating that experience is for a kid. Especially a kid born into a religious cult that prided itself on its past for burning witches alive.
I think it would be insulting to say I can fully imagine, but I know it would be hard. I've seen what happened to kids born into religious cults even if they didn't have psychic powers.
[ Thankfully, not so much in Japan. Still, he's done case studies from other countries. ]
Most of them don't have a very easy time trying to become a part of society. They're used to thinking of everybody else as outsiders.
It was kind of the opposite for me. I've had trouble becoming part of society because I feel like an outsider. [ She shrugs. ] Doesn't help that I've spent most of my life on the run from said cult and living under a variety of aliases so I couldn't get close to people until I wound up here.
Still feel like an outsider but... It's not as bad.
In a way, you are an outsider, but we all are. You belong to a much larger group, now. But even if you didn't, being an outsider doesn't mean you'll always be an outsider.
I have to ask: have you tried reporting them to the cops?
[ Her lips purse at that. She's not entirely sure whether or not she believes that. But she laughs at the question. ]
That's where shit gets complicated, Light. You think the cops would believe my dad and me if we told them I was being hunted by a cult that exists almost solely in another reality because they think I can give birth to their god? Because I think we'd get locked up.
just a warning that this topic is getting kind of heavy
If both of you believed it, I'd investigate under the assumption that you believed they were from another reality. Having some details about the case wrong doesn't mean there's no crime. If they'd told you they thought you'd be the one to give birth to their god, that's even more reason to take it seriously.
[ The look Sharon gives him in response is knowing, like she expected it. It feels like an innocent response to the reality she's known but she doesn't fault him for it. ]
See, you'd investigate it but you wouldn't believe it. I'd wind up separated from my dad because we'd technically been missing for the last nine years. The last time they had even a hint of us would've been when I was 15 and we'd left a man dead who had attacked us in our home. And it doesn't matter if the crimes were committed in self-defense if you'd run from the crime scene. That's kind of suspect, isn't it?
I've seen what happens when someone interferes with them. Some PI got involved. Found us for them. Found me. [ She has to pause a moment. The memory still weighs heavily upon her. That was the first time, as Sharon, that she had blood on her hands. ] He died the same day he decided to warn me.
[ She shrugs. ] No one believes in monsters until it's too late.
[ Light started with the question worded in a way that suggested he understood it might be more complicated than simply allowing the cops to handle it. ]
It's usually the criminals who are fleeing.
The justice system isn't perfect.
[ The smile is both understanding and a little sad for it. ]
It's the best thing we have to keep people safe, and I understand why the cops would have separated you from him. I understand why he'd be the most likely suspect in the death of the man in your home. A young girl worried about someone trying to impregnate her for any reason would be the main focus. You'd get more understanding, he'd get more suspicion. Usually, all of those things would be the right decisions.
Sometimes, it means the system is wrong. It sounds like you've been failed by a few systems.
[ But Sharon isn't the kind of woman who wants pity, is she? ]
Sorry, I know I asked about something personal. If I can ask one more question, I'll let you talk about all the different colors of gray paint instead.
[ The smile switches to something a little more teasing, a little more light. ]
I know. [ The words are almost mournful. She knows the justice system isn't perfect. She knows the system can be wrong. Most of all, she knows she's been failed by too many systems in her life, from childhood to young adulthood. And she's used to it.
At the question, she releases a thoughtful sigh, something distant in her gaze. When her eyes return to him, she smiles faintly. ]
Well, the vast majority of them are dead and I killed all their leaders so... [ A shrug. She says it so factually and it lacks any cockiness. ] Yeah, I'd say it did. Better than what I had expected. [ It could've gone so much worse. She managed to save her dad and that was the only thing that really mattered. Claudia's death was just a bonus in her mind. ]
They might one day manage to regroup but there are so few of them left and they don't even know how to leave that hell they're in so I never have to worry about them again unless one of them winds up here.
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[ Setting down his sandwich from the latest bite, he chuckles. ]
My father is Chief of the NPA, and I always admired him.
[ He does know that suggests his connection helped him, but only to those who don't know Soichiro or Light. Even as his father, Soichiro wouldn't help someone unqualified, and Light has proven himself many times over. ]
When I was 16, I was able to help them solve a couple of cases, and that cemented my passion.
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16? That's pretty young to get involved in crime-solving. [ It could be a case of nepotism but Light is clearly intelligent. She remembers all the books on his shelves, the book on his couch, and if he was solving crime, well... He's one smart cookie. ] Do you have a favorite case you've solved?
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My favorite case... it's a little complicated. The first one at 16 felt really good.
[ He smiles at the memory. ]
It showed I could help. I never doubted it, but to solve something real instead of hypothesizing based on news reports feels very different.
My favorite case after... it would be because of the person I managed to get behind bars. That makes it a darker story.
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I'd be up for a dark story if you're up to telling it sometime. I am all grown-up and I can handle dark now. [ She's joking, grin cheeky. ]
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[ Light looks at his food. It's hard to say, but... ]
I don't think someone learns to be so prepared without some stories of their own. In my case, I don't get to come into the story until after someone's been hurt.
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Everyone's got some fucked up stories, especially here. [ A weighted pause ] Just hurt?
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[ He's on a national level, after all. While that still covers some larger heists and such, it more than often deals with death. ]
More often than not, to make it to the NPA, we're dealing with grieving family members. If we do our jobs right, it stops at that family.
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It's different here. I've spent more time catching cheating spouses or employees that have stolen from work.
[ He nods to the food. ]
I still get to solve mysterious, and I do enjoy that part, but this was a nice break.
no subject
I'll probably revisit the city sometime in the coming months. You wanna tag along? See that otherworld for yourself before we find a way to stop Riteior and seal away that place for good?
no subject
[ Sometimes, a second pair of eyes reveal something that was hidden before. ]
I would normally promise to do my best to keep you safe during the visit, but you'll brush me off and remind me that you're capable of caring for yourself, so I'll skip that step.
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[ He offers a small smile in return before returning to his food. ]
We don't usually get a chance to see the way somebody has changed since they were a child without seeing the in-between. I'm not saying you're better or worse than I expected, but you didn't seem interested in fighting before.
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So. [ A shrug ] I became better.
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It's probably happened to a lot of people out here. If they come from worlds without magic or danger, it's a culture shock. Even though I'm in law enforcement, I'd never had to fight a monster. Not a literal one.
But I'm not sure that was the case with you. You said that you could do things like me even before you came here.
[ When she was still a child. ]
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It was mostly the same for me. Sure, I was born with psychic powers, but that... [ Hm. ] I hadn't met anyone with anything like magic before I came here. [ That took a long time to adjust to. ] You can imagine how isolating that experience is for a kid. Especially a kid born into a religious cult that prided itself on its past for burning witches alive.
no subject
[ Thankfully, not so much in Japan. Still, he's done case studies from other countries. ]
Most of them don't have a very easy time trying to become a part of society. They're used to thinking of everybody else as outsiders.
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Still feel like an outsider but... It's not as bad.
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I have to ask: have you tried reporting them to the cops?
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That's where shit gets complicated, Light. You think the cops would believe my dad and me if we told them I was being hunted by a cult that exists almost solely in another reality because they think I can give birth to their god? Because I think we'd get locked up.
just a warning that this topic is getting kind of heavy
lemme know if anything makes you uncomfortable!
See, you'd investigate it but you wouldn't believe it. I'd wind up separated from my dad because we'd technically been missing for the last nine years. The last time they had even a hint of us would've been when I was 15 and we'd left a man dead who had attacked us in our home. And it doesn't matter if the crimes were committed in self-defense if you'd run from the crime scene. That's kind of suspect, isn't it?
I've seen what happens when someone interferes with them. Some PI got involved. Found us for them. Found me. [ She has to pause a moment. The memory still weighs heavily upon her. That was the first time, as Sharon, that she had blood on her hands. ] He died the same day he decided to warn me.
[ She shrugs. ] No one believes in monsters until it's too late.
very few things are; i just wanted to warn you <3
[ Light started with the question worded in a way that suggested he understood it might be more complicated than simply allowing the cops to handle it. ]
It's usually the criminals who are fleeing.
The justice system isn't perfect.
[ The smile is both understanding and a little sad for it. ]
It's the best thing we have to keep people safe, and I understand why the cops would have separated you from him. I understand why he'd be the most likely suspect in the death of the man in your home. A young girl worried about someone trying to impregnate her for any reason would be the main focus. You'd get more understanding, he'd get more suspicion. Usually, all of those things would be the right decisions.
Sometimes, it means the system is wrong. It sounds like you've been failed by a few systems.
[ But Sharon isn't the kind of woman who wants pity, is she? ]
Sorry, I know I asked about something personal. If I can ask one more question, I'll let you talk about all the different colors of gray paint instead.
[ The smile switches to something a little more teasing, a little more light. ]
Did it end well?
ah! appreciate it!
At the question, she releases a thoughtful sigh, something distant in her gaze. When her eyes return to him, she smiles faintly. ]
Well, the vast majority of them are dead and I killed all their leaders so... [ A shrug. She says it so factually and it lacks any cockiness. ] Yeah, I'd say it did. Better than what I had expected. [ It could've gone so much worse. She managed to save her dad and that was the only thing that really mattered. Claudia's death was just a bonus in her mind. ]
They might one day manage to regroup but there are so few of them left and they don't even know how to leave that hell they're in so I never have to worry about them again unless one of them winds up here.