Chapter 15: Coiled in Puppet Strings
A/n: I don't own any of the anime/manga/cartoon/songs/music references that might appear on this fic, all I own is the idea and the OC's I might use later on in the story.
I hope you enjoy the chapter.
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"There is nothing we can do James." Ozpin sat in behind his desk, drinking his coffee. In-front of him was James Ironwood this time not as a hologram, he was physically present and in-front of Ozpin. He was a tall man with black eyes and hair. He wore a white overcoat, with a gray undercoat, black sweater, a red necktie and a white glove on his right hand. His suit pants shared the same color as his overcoat and were tucked into silver boots accented in gray.
"No one in the list of new children stands out as an informant for L." He took a sip out of his mug and placed it on his desk.
"In fact, the most likely scenario is that the informant isn't even aware they are handing knowledge to our brilliant detective." He said interlocking his fingers and putting them on his desk. His elbows sat on top of the desk as his interlocked fingers were put right in-front of his face.
"B-But then how would we know who is feeding him information?!" Leonardo spoke, as his hologram took a step forward.
"We wouldn't." Ozpin said with a sly grin on his face.
"But I am certain, someone else would." Ozpin stopped interlocking his fingers and with a grin on his face he laid back on his office chair.
He simply pressed a button on the table and a hologram appeared.
"Not only will we have Qrow coming in next week after the party, but I've also contacted the second most talented detective in our current time." Ozpin showed an image of a man with grey hair and eerie yellow eyes.
"Oh? You are bringing another detective to this? Don't you think one is more than enough?" Theodore asked as his hologram crossed his arms.
"The difference between Eraldo Coil and L, is that Eraldo only cares if he gets payed." Ozpin explained.
"He is loyal to one costumer at a time and will only do what he is asked." He added, making the others in the room knit their eyebrows.
"Why did we not start with this detective?" Leonardo asked. Ozpin simply took his mug from his desk, and taking a sip out of it, calmly answered the headmaster's question.
"Well, because I thought we needed the best of the best, and L is the best." He said making everyone in the room sigh while facepalming.
"That was a mistake Oz." James declared. Ozpin simply stayed on his seat, his grin as evident as ever.
"I do believe L will solve this mystery, probably before Coil does." He told the other headmasters while looking around his room. Ozpin's grin fell and a more serious expression fell on his face.
"But, right now L is threatening to uncover mysteries which pose a danger to humanity, and I would rather have him detained than working with us." Ozpin got up from his seat and looked around.
"How do we know if we can trust this "Eraldo Coil" person?" Leonardo pointed out.
"We will ask him to meet us in person. If he complies we trust him with the case." Ozpin answered. Leonardo nodded to the headmaster's answer.
"I prefer this guy over L, at least we know his real name." Theodore uncrossed his arms and then looked at Ironwood.
"What about you James?" He asked the general who sighed. He turned around to face the other holograms and nodded.
"I think this is the best course of action." He agreed.
"Then it's decided?" Theodore asked, looking at his fellow headmasters who nodded in agreement as they stared at one-another.
"I shall contact Coil right away." He told the other headmasters. Ozpin took a scroll from his right pocket and called an unknown number before closing his meeting with the other headmasters.
Ironwood simply nodded and made his way out of the room. As they all left someone picked up the phone.
"Hello headmaster Ozpin." A mechanical and emulated voice answered the phone, this one was much softer than L's and higher pitched as well.
'Game over L.' Ozpin thought while looking out of his window.
"Am I speaking with Eraldo Coil?" The professor asked.
"Yes, is there anything you'd like me to investigate?" The person on the other side of the phone questioned. Ozpin smiled.
"Yes-"
"L, yes I am very aware, you came into contact with him a few weeks ago and have been working with him since. I am quite aware of what you want me to do, I was just messing with you." Coil answered the phone, making the professor raise an eyebrow.
"I want a total of 100,000 lien." He said over the phone.
"That can be easily arranged." Ozpin informed the detective who chuckled.
"Oh no, that's just my down payment, I'm investigating the most mysterious person in Remnant, I could disappear tomorrow. I want 1,000 lien to be deposited at the end of every day in different bank accounts." He informed the headmaster over the phone.
"That is preposterous!" The headmaster yelled, clenching his fist as he heard Coil's demands.
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Light sat down inside his room holding a phone on his face.
"I feel like 1,000 per day is completely justified for all the risks I am taking." He said over the phone while eating a marshmallow.
"It's just impossible! No one has that kind of money!" Ozpin told Coil through the phone who just rolled his eyes.
"Did you know that a total of 53 people who investigated detective L suddenly disappeared without a trace? I am not investigating L without a hefty reward, I am risking my life for you, you know?" L asked over a phone which had an apparatus stuck to it.
"V-very well. We will arrange the money." He said. L folded the package which had marshmallows inside neatly into a square before placing it on top of a small table next to him.
"I will send you the bank accounts at the start of each day, stay tuned to your email." He said, taking another bag of marshmallows from underneath his bed and opening it while holding his phone with his shoulder and ear.
"Alright, but before I pay you, I need to know if I can trust you." Ozpin said, making a small smirk appear on L's face.
"Alright, let us meet this Friday at 9pm, in-front of the CCT tower. See you there Ozpin." L hung up the phone.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone