Chapter 2, Forboding

Tokyo, Japan

    Matsuda's surroundings flashed silently past outside the windows of the train. He sat hunched over in his seat staring up into the steal gray sky, lost in thought as he sped closer to his destination. For years he had been tormented by memories of what had been the most high profile case he had ever taken in his life. It was the first time he had ever seen any of his team mates die on a case and it had been the first time he had ever opened fire on anyone. And although these memories burdened his mind, there was something else that troubled him even more.

    Although he himself had shot Kira and watched him limp hagardly away, slowly bleeding out from his wounds, there was a nagging doubt at the back of his mind that that was the end of Yagami Light or Kira. It had been three years since the case ended, but all over the world there were still cults who claimed that one day Kira would return and choose one of the faithful to take up his mantle and deliver judgement on criminals and those who dare question or stand against him.

     The train pulled into the station and matsuda stepped out onto the platform as rain spattered on the tracks and drenched his surroundings with the pattering of a million tiney drums adding to the turbulence inside his head. In a few short minutes he had reached the small shinto shrine that laid hidden away, nestled in the middle of a forest of skyscrapers. He bowed befor the gate and crossed the court yard to a fountain sheltered by trees and proceeded to wash his hands in the holy water. Turning toward the shrine he noticed a priest standing just out of the rain and approached him.

     "Excuse me, Kannushi-san..." Matsuda bowed to the man who in return smiled and said, "What seems to be troubling you sir?"

     Matsuda shifted uncomfortably. "I've come to seek your council Kannushi-san. You see, I'm a member of the Japanese police force and my work is sometimes unsettling."

     The priest nodded. "Of course. Please, step out of the rain and we can talk."

     Matsuda slipped his shoes off and entered the shrine, rain water dripping off of his hair.

     "Thank you. I was one of the police officers on the Kira investigation three years ago. It's haunted me ever since. I watched members of my team fall dead at the hands of an invisible murderer; I had to kill the culprit and I had never shot at anyone before in my life. I think the thing that's troubling me most of all though is the feeling that it's not over. There are Kira worshippers arround the globe who seem convinced that he'll come back and I don't know what will happen if he does. It was a stroke of luck that we caught him in the first place and it was mostly because of team members who are now dead."

     The priest nodded looking grave and thoughtful. At length he replied, "You're concerned that without key members of your team, you wouldn't be able to stop this person if he came back. Have you considered the posibility that they are just as likely to return as Kira is?

     Matsuda gazed at the priest with a puzzled expression as the priest continued. "Many followers of Shintoism believe in reincarnation. We believe that the soul waits in the spirit world to be reborn. If your team mates believed as strongly in their cause as Kira did, it stands to reason that they would have an equal chance of coming back.

      Matsuda pondered the priests words in silence for a moment before asking, "Please, what can you tell me about Shinigami?"

 

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