This story will hopefully make up for the crap job I did on the first story (one which is no longer in existence). I hope you (readers, friends I'm forcing to read this, possible fans of this story) enjoy this. It's not deserving of the rating of M just yet but given time it will. If any of you see errors don't be afraid to tell me or if you don't get what I'm trying to express or say just PM me or review or whatever. I'm not sure if I have Izaya in character or not but I'm trying so... Tell me if he seems like himself to you?

I'm going to attempt to find songs with lyrics that match the chapters... so here's the first one...

I'm not afraid

I'm not ashamed

I'm not to blame

Welcome to the masquerade

- Thousand Foot Krutch's Welcome to the masquerade

Orihara Izaya knew precisely what was taking place beneath his feet…

… In other news the strange robberies have continued to disturb the peace all the way from Ikebukuro to Shinjuku…

Izaya looked up as the two shadowy figures climbed out of the skylight window on the jewelry store. He felt his smirk widen as the smaller of the two glanced in his direction and cocked its head. The other one had had its back to the small one but when it looked at him it froze in place.

Slowly, oh so very slowly, the taller one looked at him and Izaya got a look of the mask she – He now realized its body was much too curvy to be male – was wearing over her face as a cloud moved away from the moon. It was white and had swirls of blue glitter and blue gems – possibly real ones from the things they had stolen – around the eyes but where the eyes should have been only blackness shown.

… Witnesses say that…

Izaya hopped off of the ledge and gripped his flick blade in the pocket of his fur rimmed jacket as he walked towards them. The smaller one – whom Izaya realized was also female – took a step towards him. The taller one put a hand on her shoulder and the small one looked up at her as she shook her head. Izaya stopped walking towards them at that. He could now see that the small one had silver glitter knot work on her white mask.

… They can …

The smaller one nods at the tall one and starts backing up until she's in the shadows and then vanishes. The taller one stares at Izaya – or at least that's how it seems since he can't really tell from the blackness that's there rather than eyes. Izaya takes a step forward at the same moment she does but Izaya keeps walking towards her even as she stops and visibly tensions at his approach. She relaxes when he stops a foot in front of her but she doesn't move. Izaya can see her breath in the tight suit that looks suspiciously similar to one he often sees the courier wearing.

"Tell me," Izaya starts to ask her, "What makes you steal this stuff?"

"The need for money..." A voice that doesn't come from her whispers in his ear. He can feel the heat of breath on his neck and ear as a hand that isn't there is placed on his cheek.

"Are you human?" he asks next and it seems as if her mask smiles at that.

"I'll be whatever you want me to be…" The voices whispers as a female body at isn't there is pressed to his. Izaya doesn't react to this at all and he can see the sudden disappointment in her body language.

"Sorry but I only want information." He said as the head of the female body that isn't there moves to his neck and kisses it gently. Once again Izaya doesn't react to that and then the feel of the body vanishes.

"Sorry but I don't have time for that Cutie-tan." Her actual voice says to him which is a lot more attractive than the fake one.

"I'm flattered really!" Izaya said smiling at her and can see that the mask is actually smiling more widely now, "But I no interest in such things."

"What a pity." She said to him in a sigh, "I guess this is goodbye."

… Vanish before your eyes…

Another cloud moved in front of the moon and suddenly the masked woman is gone. Izaya is now alone on the roof and the feeling of those lips pressed to his neck lingers but he ignores it. He ignores it like it never even bothered him but in the back of his mind something liked the way that had felt.