This one-shot, short story takes place within the time L is surveying Light’s room with surveillance equipment and wiretaps. The total length of surveillance was 2 weeks. This story takes place on one of those days.

A CONSCIOUS DECISION

L watched Light Yagami as he sat at his desk studying. Soichiro Yagami was proud of his son. Light wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a police officer. However, L suspected him of being something else. His intelligence and profile indicated a perfect match for Kira. Although he had no proof of this, he opt to put surveillance cameras and wiretaps in his room in the off-chance he would reveal this fact. So far, Light Yagami wasn’t revealing anything. L’s data was based on conjecture and speculation at this point. But he had never been wrong before.

Several days of surveillance had passed without revelation. It was almost if his suppositions were incorrect. Criminals were still dying, but according to what he was witnessing, Light wasn’t Kira. Yet his actions seemed contrived somehow, as if Light was putting on a show, knowing full well he was being watched. He was clever; did he know about the cameras? No, that seemed impossible. Unless he had some E-S-P power that gave him an insight into their location. He spent a lot of time in his room, but he spent an equal amount outside. If Light was Kira, that’s when he would kill. But how was he killing? That was the main question.

Soichiro Yagami sat beside him watching the jumble of monitors in the hotel room. The rest of the taskforce were busy monitoring the Commissioner's family. There were more cameras in Light’s room than anywhere else in the Yagami home. But everywhere was equally important. “Mr. Yagami, I’d like you to go home tonight. I’d like for you to pay your son a visit. But don’t misunderstand me, this won’t be a social call. I want you to visit him in his room while he’s sleeping.”

“What’s the point in that?” Soichiro said.

“You said Light wants to be a police officer, so he should be familiar with the law. He spends hours every night studying. I would like to test him on his morality.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“The unconscious mind has a way of revealing oneself that the conscious mind hides. I would like you to ask Light a series of questions while he’s a sleep. The technique is called Subliminal Conditioning. While asleep, the mind is open. It’s also completely susceptible to suggestion. If you ask him a direct question, he’ll have no choice but to answer truthfully. If you do this, and I find his answers satisfactory, we’ll be one step closer to solving this case.”

Soichiro Yagami was reluctant, but agreed with L’s plan. That night, while the family was asleep, he snuck into his own house and crept up the stairs and into Light’s room. He had seen recently that Light normally locked his door, but it was open tonight. In the dead of night, he stood over his son’s bed as he sleep. He looked so peaceful. And he remembered nights when Light was a child when he did the same thing just to see if he was still breathing. A parents curse; eternal worry for a child. He quietly brought Light’s desk chair over and placed it next to the bed. Sitting down, he made sure the earpiece with a direct link to L was secure. L could also seen everything via cameras.

“Very good, Mr. Yagami,” L said. “I know how difficult this is, but you must trust me on this. This could be important to the case. Now, check carefully that Light is asleep. If he’s not in R-E-M sleep, this won’t work. Once that’s confirmed, this is what I’d like you ask him.” L told him what to look for when a person is in R-E-M sleep. When the signs were apparent, L then told him what to ask and explained to him why. Soichiro Yagami accepted his reasons.

Light slept facing the other way, so Soichiro leaned over the bed and began to whisper in his ear quietly. “Light, hear my voice. But do not awake. I would like to ask you something, but you most answer truthfully.”

“Yes,” Light said softly under his breath.

Soichiro pulled back in a panic.

L abated Soichiro‘s concerns. “Don‘t be alarmed, Mr. Yagami. A person can talk in their sleep. It’s perfectly normal. Please continue.”

Soichiro leaned back over his son and spoke again. “Recite for me the core value of Japanese constitutional law. And why it is so important.”

“The core value is the respect for all individuals. The right for each citizen to live a moral life is paramount and supersedes that of the nation state or a group.”

“And what are the three main principles under the law.”

“Pacifism. Fundamental universal respect. And general sovereignty under the state.”

“Is it morally wrong to kill?”

“Yes.”

Soichiro hesitated with the next question. The entire case could hinge on Light‘s answer. Soichiro was conflicted. He did and yet didn‘t want to know. “If you had the power to kill. . .would you take someone else’s life?”

There was a moment of silence. Then Light answered. “Murder is morally wrong.”

“Well, he certainly understands the morality of law,” L said. “I can honestly say he definitely knows right from wrong. He can’t subconsciously lie. The subconscious mind is the backbone to all our core values. It defines who we are. Thanks for humoring me, Mr. Yagami. You can return back to the hotel now if you wish.” Soichiro Yagami stayed leaning over his son. He appeared to want to ask his son something else. There was a moment of silence. Then L saw what Soichiro was about to do, and said, “No, Mr. Yagami. Do not ask him that. If you interrogate him further about being Kira, he’ll wake up. I know I said if you asked him a direct question, he would have to answer truthfully, but asking him more would only spring up a defensive mechanism that’ll trigger his conscious mind to awaken. If he wakes, you’ll ruin everything. All will be revealed in time. Please be patient.”

Soichiro Yagami nodded, then he leaned back. Replacing the chair back next to the desk, he again stood over his son’s bed. He gently leaned over again, and whispered: “Light, I’m very proud of you. I believe in my heart that you are not Kira. You can’t be. I have faith you will be cleared.”

“Mr. Yagami, please, that’s enough. You’ll wake him.”

Soichiro agreed, and then straightened. He then left his son’s room.

But unbeknownst to everyone, the Shinigami Ryuk, who was also in Light’s room, attached to the Death Note, unable to leave, had seen and heard everything.

***

The next morning, Light awoke with a headache. He felt it throb. He rubbed sleep out of his eyes. He had a terrible dream. But the more he tried to remember its details, the more it faded from memory. The only thing that stuck, was something to do with the concept of morality, a conflict some sort. And the moment he thought of the Death Note, a sharp pain surged through his mind. He grabbed the sides of his head.

“What’s wrong?” Ryuk asked.

But Light couldn’t answer him, the wiretaps would pick up his voice. He knew L was monitoring him. There was surveillance equipment all throughout the house.

He went to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet where he took out a bottle of aspirin. He took two and washed them down with water. The pain subsided, but it was still there, and even more so when he thought about the Death Note. Something about the Death Note was causing him pain. Was this a side effect of using it? No, he realized. Ryuk said there were no side effects other than emotional fear using a Death Note. He wasn’t afraid. But the pain seemed almost programmed, like someone had implanted a subliminal message. Relax, he told himself. You have nothing to fear. L may be watching you, but you have everything under control. He has nothing on you. And if you continue as you have, he won’t.

He dressed, had breakfast, and walked to school. Ryuk followed him the whole way. But throughout the day, he suffered one headache after another every time he thought of the Death Note. With Ryuk constantly at his side, he couldn’t help but think of it. At lunch, he sat alone outside. He had his wallet out with a piece of the Death Note, but every time he went to write on it, he suffered another headache. When he put the Death Note aside, his headache lessened. When he reached for it again, it returned with a vengeance.

“Do you think you should see the school nurse?” Ryuk suggested. “You’ve been suffered from these headaches all day. I think it’s something serious.”

Light put the piece of the Death Note away in his wallet. His headache lessened. “I don’t know what it is. It seems every time I think about the Death Note, I get this sharp pain, a splitting headache. Almost as if I’m conflicted with using it.”

“Could it have something to do with what happened last night?”

Light eyed Ryuk curiously. “Why, what happened last night?”

“Your father paid you a visit and he spoke to you.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“You were asleep. But you were talking back.”

“What did he say?”

“He asked you about Japanese Constitutional Laws, and you answered him. You seemed pretty knowledgeable. You answered every question he asked.”

Light panicked. “Is that all he asked?”

“Yup. Pretty much. He also asked you if murder was morally wrong. You answered yes. Someone was conversing to him through a earpiece, almost like giving him directions, what to ask. To me, night is as clear as light. I saw everything.”

“It had to be L. Damn him. Subliminal Conditioning through the unconscious mind. He played on the conflict in my mind on the concept of good and evil. So every time I think of the Death Note, my mind sends out a conditional relax of pain. I know murder is wrong. . .but I won’t give up. I won’t forfeit ownership of the Death Note. I’ll find a way to overcome this. My will to make a better world is strong. L can’t stop me with mind tricks. Ryuk, I need a little favor. Tonight, when I’m asleep, you’ll be my subconscious. You’ll need to reverse everything that’s been done.”

“How?”

And Light explained everything, even what to say.

That night, when Light was asleep, Ryuk spoke softly into his ear. Everything Light told him to say Ryuk said. Then Ryuk made a little addition to the instructions, and snickered afterwards when he thought about it. A little joke.

The next morning, Light awoke refreshed. What he told Ryuk to do worked. He no longer felt pain when he thought of the Death Note.

He stretched his arms above his head and embraced the day with vigor. But a moment later he suddenly felt a damp warmth beneath him. Swiveling off his bed, he patted a hand on the sheets. No, I couldn’t have. He confirmed it by sniffing his hand. He cringed by the smell of urine. I’ve never. . . He eyed Ryuk from the corner of his eye, withholding a sneer. What did you do, Ryuk. . .

Ryuk chuckled.