Disclaimer: I don't own Duarara!
Chapter I
Ikebukuro, a place that people come when they get bored from the hum-drum of "normal" life. When in reality, there is no such thing as a normal life; everyone's circumstances aren't the same from one another. The things that are consistent within life are birth, growth, and death. A child is born, he grows into an adult, and dies. What happens between these events is different; one may have asthma, while another develops polio. One may be a victim of a divorce and another doesn't see this horror of human nature at all.
I really didn't see why many people, love it here. The air was thick with pollution and crime rates were through the roof, sure the police were patrolling but I could easily name dozens of people that shouldn't be on the streets. However dozens of people flock to the city by day and only a fraction of those people leave, fed up with the dangers that lurk around every corner and that the infamous duo was too close to tearing up their place of business for the last time. I normally ignored them, got better things to do most of the time. The dangers could easily be ignored, or could be more threatening once you made a name for yourself, then depending on who you are the fun can begin.
For me, Ikebukuro was at first the escape from the boring hole my old small town that I had been born in was. I ran away when I was fifteen, finished high school and I haven't turned back. Truth is, I found this place more interesting by the day. I passively watch as the events in the town change, trying my best to keep up with them and clean up any messes my competition makes, knowing full well it was irritating him to the point that he'd have to leave his cozy apartment and prowl the streets only to just miss me and release his anger by taunting his nemesis.
I bowed my head, letting the black hat I had on cast a shadow over my face, covering my innocent looking features and grey eyes from the world as I stuffed my hands into the shallow pockets of my leather jacket silently chuckling to myself. I had managed to fool the oh-so popular information broker once again, though he might not show it, he was genuinely frustrated with a person he knew almost nothing about.
Most of the town knew me by the name of Mitsu Sasaki, an honest informant if there is such a thing. I answered pretty much any question with a straightforward answer, only holding back information I deemed personal, fatal flaws, old relationships- unless that's the precisely thing being asked, then I left out names- child-hood trauma, and anything about who I really was. I carried two cell phones, each under a different name. One a Samsung Galaxy and the other a white Blackberry, the Samsung was for business.
Katsuki Rin, that's my real name. Only old high school friends knew that name, I was really unsociable during high school. Most people went to Izaya Orihara for their precious information when he showed up, suited me just fine. While he was surrounded by a crowd I could easily listen in and figure out how he operated under his radar, or I assumed. Now that I think about it, he was probably onto me the entire time.
I stopped walking and tilted my head, thinking about what had happened that day, mainly me aimlessly walking around to prevent Izaya from finding me. However, something seemed off, all the street signs and vending machines were still where they were. I turned around and saw my raven haired stalker blending into the crowd. I turned impulsively down a less crowded street and crossed it. I lifted my head, smiling as Izaya followed his hands in his fur-trimmed jacket.
I pulled my hand from my jacket pocket and with it a white cell phone and called up a close friend. I was going to be causing chaos, something I don't do unless it's Izaya, but he always starts the mass destruction. Therefore, my conscious is clear. I was sure my friend didn't mind, if he did he was blunt enough to where he'd tell me.
"What?" answered an irritated voice on the other end. This was perfect, I smirked and held back a chuckle as I answered casually.
"Still working?" I asked even though I could tell from the irritation from his voice that he was.
"Yeah now what do you want Katsuki?" he demanded while I heard a skull crack from the receiver. I let my smirk widen, he was a little more irate than normal, even better than perfect. I chuckled evilly as I stopped walking and leaned against a light post looking up at the sky.
"Just asking, thinking about dropping by why? Problem?" I answered as he sighed from the other end. I knew where he was, this was my way of letting him know I was close, it annoyed him slightly but they would still continue on their path and Shizuo will still end up attacking Izaya leaving me and his boss to have another pointless conversation.
"The flea chasing you again?" I nodded even though he couldn't see it. I heard another voice in the background ask who was on the phone, and he was ignored for the time being. I looked up and smirked chuckling slightly as I continued.
"That he is Shizuo, getting more persistent might I add, normally by now he's looking for you. Hey, he's within earshot, don't be surprised if he mysteriously shows up." I hung up after I heard the blond-haired demon grunt on the other end. I shoved the phone into my pocket as the informant strode across the street and stood next to me, as I watched people pass, occasionally my gaze would lock on one of them and everything I knew about them surfaced.
The blond girl who had almost every inch of her skin covered was a drug dealer, her son a result of a night spent totally wasted on anything and everything imaginable with her ex who left town the night after. The man following close behind her was a client of hers, he was going to buy the drugs she promised him and then take advantage her. On the other side of the street were two teens skipping school, they didn't care about their future their families had money, enough to where they didn't have to worry about it until they were forty, their less than pleasant personality will ensure they ended up alone when the bank ran dry.
"Now, you should know by now simply ignoring my presence won't make me go away Mistu-chan," Izaya sang dismissively next to me. I paused looked at his crimson tinted brown eyes and then back at the people as they passed along the streets. I smelled the cologne that he always wore, it was light and honestly I could wear it and it be easily mistaken for perfume that girls wore when they were trying to mask the fact we were too lazy to take a shower the night before.
"I wasn't ignoring you. I was more so avoiding conversation. Talking with you often ends with someone getting screwed over," I replied turning my head slightly toward him. "And besides if you really wanted to know about who I really was, why wait until now to 'gather' your information?"
"Now that's a question normally that would trip someone up isn't it Mitsu-chan? No, not me however, have this entire conversation as planned out as you do. I waited because you have never sparked my curiosity, until now that is." I nodded slowly, all that he said was true. He had his wide grin set on his face in confidence as I turned my head toward the end of the street, and then leaned back toward the sky when I didn't see what I wanted to.
"But now you're biting yourself in the butt for not taking notes until now. Meanwhile I was doing so the entire time, oh the irony." I turned down the street, right on cue. I pushed myself off of the post as I bowed my head dramatically and walked past a bartender and his dark colored friend, I gestured for his friend to walk with me waving two fingers toward my shoulder. "It's about to get a little…..ya know." I looked at Shizuo and smirked, he scowled at me as I mouth my apologies.
"Orihara?" asked Tom Tanaka, a debt collector that hired Shizuo Heiwajima as a bodyguard. He understood more than anyone that when Izaya was around it was World War III in the streets of the city. I nodded and stopped walking, we were a good ten feet from Izaya and Shizuo, and all we had to do was wait until Izaya said the wrong, or right thing, depending on whose side you were on, to get the blond haired demon to snap and start throwing anything at the information broker. "What brings you out this far into the city Katsuki?"
"Hmm? Oh I was just bored and I wanted to get out, I can only sit in front of a computer screen for so long. I'm not like Izaya, get so immersed in finding out information on a given person that I can go three days or so without sleep. I like my sleep and it's easier to process information and predict what's going to happen. Besides getting the info from the bird's mouth is just as fun." I smiled as Shizuo dropped the cigarette he had in his mouth as he reached for the light post I was just leaning against to use as a bat to hit Izaya.
I watched as the dark information broker jumped out of the way, then twisted his hips to avoid the same light post again, this time wielded as a javelin. I shook my head, at the show, I always did. I was clearly on Shizuo's side and if he would let anyone help him in times like these we could have informant in the hospital for weeks easily, assuming a mutual friend didn't intervene.
"Hey, what do you know about this guy?" asked Tom suddenly. I pulled Tom's hand as a stop sign sailed over our heads and took the picture he held in his hand. It was a guy that I saw around, typically wearing a yellow scarf, but before that a blue t-shirt. He was skuzzy, his face had a five o'clock shadow and his head almost cleanly shaven.
This was Tom's way of striking conversation with me, he knew Izaya's reputation like the rest of the people that has hired the informant, and spread the word. The entire city knew that he only did this for mess with people and thus he has ruined the reputation of all informants. Needless to say because of my line of work he didn't trust me, hardly anyone did. My information was a different story, it was genuine, and I didn't say anything unless I was positive I was right and if I wasn't I'd tell my client. I held back a lot, simply answering their question and not elaborating much on the subject.
"I was wondering when you'd catch him. Don't know him personally but I have no doubt that he's in the Dollars by now, he likes being in gangs, never travels alone. He normally hangs out in the alleyway around Russia Sushi, or the old warehouse the Yellow Scarves used." I turned the picture over and drew a map on it with a pen I had on the inside of my jacket. "Normally I'd say be careful, but-" I pulled Tom down again as a vending machine flew over our heads this time. I was honestly shocked that they were still in the street that they started in. "Shizuo's going to be with you. Keep a pocket knife with you anyway, he likes going to cheap shots, he's not afraid to stab women." I handed the picture back as Izaya landed directly in front of me.
"Tisk tisk, you missed again Shizu-chan. This is becoming extremely boring," complained the raven haired mastermind. I reacted and pushed Tom to the ground as Shizuo growled out Izaya's name and threw a car, 2006 Toyota. I cursed as I listened to my knee shatter. Lightning like pain shot up through my knee as I stared at the car, wincing as the pain intensified. I turned my head as watched the bastard skip off satisfied with his work. I ran a hand through my hair as Shizuo's shadow shaded my broken body, lifting the car off of my knee.
"Nice, that's just nice damn you Izaya! Thanks Shizuo," I said shaking my head guarding my voice in an emotionless drawl. I stood up even though I knew I wasn't supposed to. Tom was pulling at my wrist, as I pulled a black cell phone from the pocket opposite of my broken knee. I scrolled through the numbers and called the only person I would trust in fixing me up, hospitals seemed too nosy.
"Hel-lo!" said a cheery voice on the other-end. I watched Izaya disappear as Shizuo casually walked up and supported my weight, just standing there with his hands in his pockets.
"If only I could be that cheery. Look Shinra we're on our way over. I'll explain when I get there," I said as I looked up and yelled out a stream of the one cussword that normally would never leave my mouth.
"Mmmhmm, we'll get everything ready. We should get together some other time when you're not working or injured though Katsuki." I smirked as I hung up and looked at Shizuo, his eyes covered by the blue lenses of his sunglasses.
"I'm assuming you'll be oh-so-patiently helping me get to Shinra's right?" I asked getting only a grunt in return I turned to Tom. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah but are you? That car just landed on your leg," asked the debt collector I looked at my disfigured limb and shrugged it off.
"Just my knee, I'll be fine. Just need to get to Shinra's. And you're guy is only out after dark, total cliché but who am I to judge?" Shizuo took a step forward, I hopped along not at all pissed or feeling any sign of being mad. I looked around as people were shocked that Shizuo was helping me I chuckled as he finally looked down at me.
"You're not mad, most people would be terrified, or extremely pissed by now," he noted I looked up and shook my head.
"Am I like most people? I've been through worse. Got caught a couple of times while getting info on the Yellow Scarves after they shot you, almost killed me. This is nothing compared to that. Hell I can't remember how in the world I got to Shinra's apartment that night. Besides we've known each other for how long now? 8 years? " I hummed to myself as I noted the smirk Izaya had on his face right before the car hit me, he knew I couldn't dodge it and with that my nails dug into Shizuo's arm. He stopped abruptly. I looked up at him.
"Does your knee hurt?" he asked his voice guarded. I turned my head to the side, letting the longer strands of my auburn hair to fall from my shoulders. He looked like he was about to toss me over his shoulder, I shook my head and turned down the street, trying to judge how long it was until we got to the apartment complex. I turned back to the ex-bartender and shrugged.
"Yeah hurts like hell, but that's not why I was gripping your arm tightly. I keep telling you to let me help, that we can get the flea in the hospital easily. He knew I couldn't save both me and Tom. The bastard made me choose and with that he knows that I think about others before myself, which is right to an extent, but it's still more than I want him to know." Shizuo must've started walking again because I found myself hopping along.
We walked into one of the buildings and waited for the elevator. I let go of Shizuo's arm and grabbed the metal hand-rail as the doors closed. "Thanks, you didn't have to help me hobble. Could've thrown me over your shoulder, but then you'd get complaints from me, and then we'd both be pissed." I said closing my eyes and pulling my hat off of my head. My hair was heavily layered so that most of my hair was around my skull with enough hair reaching my chest and my back to look like I had long hair. I shook my head as my shorter hair started sticking out, I smoothed it down with one head.
"I was the one that shattered your knee, might as well try to make it up," he said crossing his arms. I shook my head and told him it was Izaya's fault, and I would worry about my revenge. I grabbed onto Shizuo's arm as he walked, I continued my hopping, down the hallway to Shinra's apartment. He knocked we both waited until Celty answered the door for once.
"Surprise!" I said in false excitement throwing my arms up unenthusiastically putting a cheesy smile on my face as the headless woman stood there, black smoke radiating from her neck.
Come-in Shinra's ready for the worst, what did you break this time Katsuki? I read Celty's cell and smiled, hopping in and clumsily took off my shoes.
"Just my knee, it's shattered, got a car thrown on it. Partially my fault mostly Izaya's." I hopped into the living room and laid exhausted on Shinra's couch. The lab coat wearing underground doctor walked in and frowned as I waved innocently and explained in detail what happened. I pulled out both of my phones and unlocked the black one. I opened my e-mail from the android and scrolled through them, looking anything that would allow me to pass the time, ignoring the fire-like pain from my knee.
I let the phone fall from my hand and onto my chest as I sighed in defeat, other than finding a way to totally murder Izaya I had nothing to do but let my knee heal. I heard Shizuo leave as I looked down to the concentration burned onto the face of the young doctor. Are you going to behave while your knee heals? I read from Celty's phone that she put in front of my face. I looked up at her and smiled.
"When do I behave, but I suppose I will until my knee can support my weight again, I despise crutches so I'll be stuck at home for a while. I have dozens of e-mails waiting for a reply, might as well answer them."
"Done!" exclaimed Shinra throwing his hands up. I looked at the small cast only surrounding my knee. I smiled as it meant that I'd be back on my feet a lot sooner than I thought.
"Thanks again Shinra," I pushed myself up, sitting with my legs still on the couch. He looked at Celty gesturing down toward me with his eyes, something was up, and for once I was clueless. "…What's up?" I asked turning toward Celty who apparently had the question. She typed something on her phone and showed it to the doctor and me.
I don't want to be a bother. Knowing her she's going to find out on her own eventually, if she doesn't already know.I raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"I honestly have no clue where this is going, could you tell me anyway. I'll find out eventually like you said, but I'd have more time if you told me, I literally have no plans what-so-ever."
I watched the black clad Dullahan walk around uncertain about how to word what she was going to say, typing something in, pausing and deleting it all and starting over. I clicked my tongue in thought as I opened the first e-mail of many. Mitsu, I need any info on the Slasher, it's for a school project. I laughed at the youth of today, using a free info broker for school projects. I was an honest person, and I wouldn't condone cheating. I put some bogus in the e-mail and sent if off as Celty tapped me on my shoulder.
There's another Dullahan in Ikebukuro, I can't pinpoint where she is exactly, but I'd like to know anything about her. I read over the text and nodded slowly. It wasn't what I thought it would be, but not many things were at a first glance. I honestly thought she was going to ask a question that I had been hoping she'd be asking for a while now. This was a whole lot more interesting though, and I liked being intrigued, it's what makes my job fun.
"Can do, once I can move on my own again. Don't tell Izaya though, I want to be a step ahead of him for once." I smiled, I was finally going to start playing the game I had been restraining myself from playing. During the gang war six months ago with the Dollars, Yellow Scarves, and the Slasher, I stayed back. I did give out bits of information, hinted a few things spread some rumors, but it was minor considering what Izaya did, what strings he pulled. I was actually considering laughing in pure joy that it was my turn to screw someone over, that someone being Izaya at beating him at his own game.
I had taken apart of a game at some point years ago that lead me to come to Ikebukuro. I had a blast, but the town I was living in didn't agree, the institutionalized me, when I was released I left and never looked back. I threw my legs onto the floor and smiled ear-to-ear with anticipation.
"Give your leg at least three days, then you can take short walks," ordered Shinra. I nodded once as stood on my good knee, asking Celty for a ride home. She agreed and with Shinra's help we got me down stairs and onto Shooter, my mind bubbling with possibilities as we sped down the streets.
So I had major writer's block and I started this to try to break through it, then I deleted it and started over. I like this a lot more than what I had originally. So tell me what ya think :3
