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Misteor was still in shock. But he put on his impenetratable mask of innoence. "Yeah, sure. Sounds good, Reii-chan. Now, why did my mom call? Is this about Kira?"

((Just so you don't get confused, I think I'll refer to Athena as Reii now it is simpler to type.))

"I suppose it was," Reii said, "She called you without notifying me or receiving my permission." She leaned back a little. "I was just looking for some confirmation of a theory, and she completely lost all common sense and called you." She folded her hands and looked down at the paper on the coffee table in front of her. She would have thought the pattern was obvious, but Kurenai had very definately over looked it. It might have been to be expected to someone like her, the fact that people were dying was the only thing they could concentrate on.

"Yeah, that's mom all right... I wonder how she keeps her job as an investigator. I'll be sure she doesn't do that again..." Misteor said, looking at the screen. "What was the theory? Perhaps I could help, Reii-chan?" He asked. He would actually help her, but limit himself. Hopefully this would be their only encounter.

((Alright, this theory is based on the idea that Misteor has been using the Death Note for some time now, and since he just took his entrance exam for a university was probably in his third year of high school when he first started killing.))

Reii looked at Misteor, still not trusting him. There was only about a 1% chance that he was Kira, probably less than that even, but still, there was a small chance. She weighed the idea and decided that showing this one, extremely insignificant amount of information would do minimal damage. She pulled up the grid onto the screen.

"See this?" she said, "The times. Kira killed only at these times in the beginning, but recently it has changed. I think Kira is either a high school student on break, or just out of high school. Your mother didn't see that, she only saw the different ways all of the criminals died."

"I see. Yes, I see your logic. Your chances are good, but it could also be a school teacher. They have the summers off as well. But, either way, you're right. But Kira also killed during times when school was in session, if you check past records. So it could also be someone with too much time on their hands..." Misteor said. That presented too many options for her, leaving it less likely for her to find out that he was Kira.

"Mmm," Reii said, "I suppose. But I profiled Kira before and I came to the conclusion that Kira is more than likely a high school student or a college student, because anyone younger than that wouldn't come up with a plan like 'kill the criminals' or if they did they wouldn't have the courage to go through with it, and anyone older than that would not be so impulsive or foolish as to carry out a plan like that." Reii tilted her head to the side, "So you see, this only confirms my theory."

Damn... She's good... "I expected nothing less from the genius Athena- umm, Reii-chan. Excuse me. But that is probably correct. I hadn't looked at it that way..." Misteor said. Looks like the rumored genius of Athena was no rumor... "So what now? How can I help?"

"Go see what's taking your mother so long with the ice cream?" Reii asked, "I'm hungry." She was quiet a moment, "And perhaps get some cake too..." She still didn't trust Misteor and he was in just the right age range to be Kira. She shivered, not at the thought of being in the same room as a potential Kira, but merely because she was cold. Perhaps ice cream wasn't such a good idea after all. "Oh, wait, Misteor-kun, what school do you go to?"

Damn it, she suspects me... Misteor thought. "I'm finishing my final year at Haoyama High. I'll be attending the Kanto District University this winter. Do you suspect me?" He asked, knowing it was true.

Reii smiled, "Why should I suspect you?" she asked, but added, "Yes, I suspect you along with every other person within those years. Don't take it personally." She leaned her head back against the back of the sofa. "Akira!" she called, "Akira! I would like some cake." Akira sighed and got up.

"Alright," he said, making his way to the door having been sitting in the room silently for some time. Reii sat up and tilted her head to the side.

"Misteor-kun, you do not need to go get me cake now," she said, every minute more suspecting of him, and she did not try to hide it, why should she? It wasn't as though he could kill her, even if he were Kira. He didn't know her name.

"Understood, Reii-chan." Misteor said, watching Akira leave the room to get Athena's cake like a servant. "So shall I leave, or do you need something else from me?" He asked. She suspected him, probably extra because of the fact that they'd met. And maybe she'd figure him out... Her name was obviously fake, so he'd have to figure that out before she figured him out.

"If you think you can contribute, then go and make yourself useful in whatever way you think that is, otherwise, you should best leave," Reii said. She looked at Misteor with her deep eyes, this was a test and depending on how he responded, her suspicion would go upo or down. But to get the best result she made sure he wouldn't guess that. She blinked a few times waiting for his response. She also made a note to herself to take the entrance exam for the school that Misteor went to, it would allow her to watch Misteor and observe others in the same age range.

A test, obviously. If I say no, I'm Kira. If I say yes too quickly, I'm Kira. I have to help Athena... But I may learn her name. I have to say yes...
"I'd be honored to help you catch that scum dead in their tracks..." Misteor said, hoping "scum" would lower her suspicion. "Would I be working by myself and reporting to you, or would I have the honor of working with you and the Force?"

Reii bit her thumb, "You will work with us as long as you have a break from school, once school begins, you work on your own." She wasn't convinced. If he is Kira, he would do everything to make me not guess it was him. If he declined, he would be a normal teen who was afraid of Kira, who had publicly killed the fake Kira. The word "scum" was the dead giveaway, although there were people against Kira, most young people would not call him scum, he was killing criminals after all.

Athena, why can't you be convinced that I'm not Kira...?
Misteor could tell by her gaze that she was not convinced. But he pretended not to notice. He didn't need any more suspicion. Damn his mother for dragging him into what would most likely be the fall of Kira. "Understood, Reii-chan. Would I be helping now? It's only half past seven..." He hoped she would just say yes. He needed to get home to kill. But would she realize that as soon as he got home the killings would begin? Things just got so much more somplicated...

Reii thought for a moment, "No, go home," she finally said, "Go home, get some sleep, if you do not have school, come in tomorrow morning. I have nothing for you to do right now." It was probably not fair, if more criminals died, Misteor was still suspect, if none died, he was still suspect. So if he was really Kira, he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. But, of course, if criminals began dying the moment he got home, it would be a little more suspicious.

"Right. I will see you tomorrow morning." Misteor said, and walked to the doorway. "Oh, and would you send my mom home? She hasn't been near me and my sister in days..." He said, and walked out. He dialed his sister's number, who was there in a few minutes.
"What was it?"
"I'm helping to catch Kira now..."
"Oh my GOD! You are AMAZING!" She said, glomping him, then driving him home.

Reii waited for Kurenai to return with her ice cream and then told her what Misteor told her. She seemed rather disinterested and not worried about the Kira case at all. Once she had done what she thought her duty by Misteor, she asked Kurenai to leave and then spoke privately with Akira over the cake he'd brought. She put the the cake on top of her ice cream and mixed it all together.

She took a spoon and picked up a sopping piece of cake with a bit of ice cream with it. She shoveled it into her mouth thoughtfully then spoke.

"Akira," she said, "I need to have it arranged that I take an entrance exam to get into Kanto District University."

"A university?" Akira asked, "Why?" Reii looked at him sharply.

"I have my reasons," she said, and that was the end of it. Akira left to go negotiate with the university to allow Reii to take the entrance exam.

About a half-hour later, Mist's mom was home. She sat down on the couch next to him. "What do you think of Athena?" She asked right away.
"Erm.. Fine. I think I should tell you this now, but she suspects me of being Kira."
"What? That's preposterous! On what grounds?!"
"She thinks it's a teenager in my age group. She also suspects everyone else my age, so it isn't personal."
"Well, I know you're not Kira, so we just have to put up ith that... So, are you on the case now?"
"Yeah. You should bring me to work tomorrow morning."
"Alright. I didn't expect the day we'd be working together would be so soon! I'm so excited! If only your father were here. He'd be so--"
"Mom."
"Oh, right... Sorry... Damn Kira... He was innocent. I just know it..."

After a few hours, Akira returned to Reii, telling her that the university would allow her to take the entrance exam, even though she was a little late. The time for the exam was set for the next afternoon.

Reii was pleased, things could barely go any better, besides someone coming in and admitting to being Kira. Reii doubted that would ever happen, Kira thought he was righteous and doing right. Reii shook her head, people like that were so twisted, she sometimes felt bad for them, after they were caught, that is.