I do not own Baccano!

"" (talking)

'' (thinking)

Isaac and Miria: The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

'God, what another boring lecture.' Isaac straightened his tie. The year was 1929. The Stock Market was doing fine and Americans couldn't be happier. Isaac Dian did not share the general feeling of euphoria. Isaac was in his first year of law school at Colombia University. The twenty three year old only decided to pursue a degree in law after his father pressured him to do something with his life. Isaac came from a well-to-do family in upstate New York. He sought adventure and considered enlisting in the United States Navy but after learning about basic training he quickly opted out of doing so. 'All the old fart does is talk and talk and talk. It's giving me a headache.'

"Wah!" Startled Isaac snapped out of his monologue. He had bumped into a pretty blonde woman. She had been knocked down by Isaac and was rubbing her sore bottom. "Ouch that really hurt." The woman moaned.

"I'm so sorry." Isaac used the free hand that wasn't carrying his heavy law books to help the blonde up.

"Thank you very much." The woman dusted herself off. "You're a student?" The blonde asked noticing the books Isaac was carrying.

"First year law at Colombia."

"Woooooow!" The blonde's eyes sparkled. "You must be like super smart or something to want to be a lawyer."

"Well, um, actually…" Isaac rubbed the back of his neck. "My father wanted me to do something with my life so I decided to study law. I'm from a wealthy family in upstate New York so my intelligence has nothing to do with it actually."

"I dropped out of high school and now I work at my family's ice cream parlor. It's at the corner of 34th and Madison." The blonde smiled.

'She dropped out of high school?' Isaac now understood why she thought he was smart.

"Well I have to run." The blonde turned to leave.

"Wait!" Isaac called to her. The woman turned around. "What's your name?"

"Miria, Miria Harvent."

"I'm Isaac, Isaac Dian."

"Well then goodbye, Isaac." Miria waved to him as she left. Isaac went back to his apartment he was sharing with a fellow Colombian law student.

"Welcome back." His roommate greeted.

"Arg!" Isaac let his law book fall onto the kitchen table. "Do you have Professor Simmons this semester?" Asked Isaac as he loosened his tie.

"No, why?"

"He's so boring. I have to pinch myself every three second just to keep from dozing off." Lamented Isaac.

"Sounds like you could use a drink."

"I'd love one." Isaac reached into his pocket but discovered his wallet was missing. He frantically patted the pocket again but the wallet did not reappear. "What the hell? My wallet, it's missing."

"Did you drop it somewhere?"

"No, I had it with me until…" Isaac's eyes grew wide in realization.

"Until what?"

"That blonde, she stole my wallet!" Isaac told his roommate. "I'll be right back." Isaac stormed out of the apartment. 'Lousy no-good rotten stupid little…' Grumbled Isaac as he made his way to the ice cream parlor at 34th and Madison. Chingle ling the bell on the door chimed as Isaac entered the ice cream parlor. "YOU!" Roared Isaac. Miria turned her head.

"Oh it's you from before."

"Don't give me that crap; I want my wallet back!" Demanded Isaac.

"Your wallet?" Miria looked at him confused.

"The one you pilfered from me."

"I didn't steal your wallet. You must have dropped it somewhere."

"No I didn't because you know why that five dollar bill your holding has a blackened mustache drawn on Abraham Lincoln, he's also wearing a stove pipe hat. I'm the one who drew that on there.

"Ssssso, someone else could have dddddrawn the same thing you ddddid." Stuttered Miria.

"Miria, did you pickpocket someone again?" Her mother glared at her.

"Okay I stole his wallet but Mama those men said that if we didn't come up with five hundred dollars by tomorrow something bad would happen to the shop. I may be stupid but I know what that means." Defended Miria.

"Oh Miria." Her mother sighed. "You can't steal other people's money no matter what the circumstances may be." Miria crossed her arms and pouted. She opened the cash register and withdrew $50.

"Here." She handed Isaac his wallet and the amount of money she had taken. Isaac stared at his wallet and the money. "Well aren't you going to take it?" Wondered Miria.

"Keep it." Isaac told her. "You need that money more than I do."

"But sir…" Miria's mother tried to interject but Isaac stopped her. I know how terrifying the mob can be." With that Isaac left the ice cream parlor and headed back to his apartment.

"So did you get your wallet back?" Isaac's roommate asked him.

"She didn't take it after all. I must have dropped it somewhere like you said." Isaac lied. Isaac wished he could do more to help Miria but he couldn't do anything as he was now. Would good would a lawyer do against the mob.