You and your cronies, you forget so easy [OPEN; in-progress]

[non_veritas]

Characters; L and... maybe YOU! [Open]
Setting/Location; New Utopia
Date & Time; 2nd full day of NU stay.
Warnings; None so far.
Briefing; L lurks around NU (presumably near the main square)

Comments

[sparingthird]

Finding L (and less importantly, Mello) had been forgotten in the process of recreating B's most recent goal: surpassing him. Whether or not he would be capable of matching L on a genuinely equal footing seemed unlikely, but he knew he was at least capable of giving this endeavor his best. His goal was adjusted to accommodate a different set of possible results, but his method was the same: narrowing his concentration to what he estimated to be necessary, and sifting through what he came up with. It was somewhat dangerous, he was aware, to be so single-mindedly focused, but he was short of time and couldn't pace himself until he was on a more solid base

[non_veritas]

L had a way of looking oblivious to things happening around him, focusing on one thing only, whether it was his destination or a person walking with him. It was misleading. He was, in fact, more aware of his surroundings than most people, well-attuned to things happening in his peripheral vision, and to the possibility of danger

[sparingthird]

Even if he couldn't be sure that L was looking at him, that he was genuinely aware of B's physical presence, the general feeling that L simply knew pervaded his being. Consciously he might try to convince himself that L couldn't just know things, he must observe them in order to analyze before awareness could occur just as every other living human being must. Nonetheless, he simply felt that L knew, and that he knew everything.

It was extremely unsettling. He, however, was positive he wasn't giving vibes even close to what he was receiving; his stare blatant and the curiosity bare. B was running out of time to do something, L was looking at him now, and he still hadn't decided whether to approach him or just turn tail and run. The latter was nearly overwhelming in its temptation, he would very much have liked to go back to bed and erase those numbers from his mental vision, but ultimately he was aware that he would approach, that he would be unable to not approach. As level-headed as he tried to be about his idol in person, he was a

[non_veritas]

L continued to stare at B. The questioning element in his gaze flattened, became dispassionate.

So far, B had done nothing threatening; if anything, his approach had been tentative, even insecure. Yet L, deprived of useful intermediaries by their situation, wasn't quite sure what to do with him. He should be in prison in California, not walking the streets of this city, any city. Their respective positions, however, made it difficult to contain B's presence.

With regard to the assumption that B would eventually misbehave, the best hope was that he would be trouble for Verity, and that their authorities would manage the situation. L was unsure what position he was in to offer his assistance: probably not much of a position, he thought. Trouble for Verity would be good for Ex Favila.

As to deterrents... violence might not be tolerated in New Utopia, but murder was illegal everywhere in their own world, and that hadn't stopped his erstwhile aspiring successor.

With a sigh, he asked, "What do you want, B?"

[intothedawn]

Day two, and he still hadn't gotten anywhere, investigations wise. That guy from last night had been as helpful as he could, but the help amounted to nothing more than what he knew or could have figured out for himself. He walked along the streetside, hugging the shade and marking off general places where people seemed to gather - the square around certain stands, bars, a cafe off the main street, the stairs to the city library... he wouldn't have a lot of time to waste on misses. He needed at least a good hit to get started

[non_veritas]

As he loped along down the street, L nearly passed Riku, who was standing against the wall between two stalls. He caught Riku's gaze -- a little less glancing and more intent than that of most people -- out of the corner of his eye, and paused.

He didn't come too close to Riku; violence might be illegal in New Utopia, but that didn't mean it wouldn't happen, only that it would be rewarded with harsh punishment. He had no wish to be trapped in a relatively enclosed space with an unknown quantity.

Instead, he turned his head, and inquired, "You are from Verity. -- You wanted something?"

[intothedawn]

Riku held the gaze easily, going through his options, not really bothering to move. What did he want? Well, he had been looking, yes, but he was just another soldier in a street peppered with several of them. He hadn't meant to single out this stranger, and after yesterday's run-in, he definitely wasn't looking for a fight. Riku finally said, "I'm taking in the sights. I'm pretty sure that isn't outlawed in this world."