The Post.

You know that feeling, when you feel completely, utterly, and embarrassingly hopeless? That happened to me just about three years ago. Up until the last few weeks of school, my grade had been just on the borderline of average and a high D. Every day I got home my mother would tell me, "It'll be okay," and "You'll pull through, I promise.." I had recently found the effort to pull my grades up with the help of my friends through 8th grade. Sometimes you really needed others to help pull you through. My final hope was this final all powerful project on World War I, that could pull my grade up to a high C or even a low B, if I was lucky, to pass the grade on a the highest note I'd been all year; let alone pass the grade at all. I wasn't a bad kid. My mind simply wandered too easily.

Since the point I had found my passion of dancing: nights when homework would be due- I'd stay up singing to myself silently, dancing around my room. Slamming the wooden door of my bedroom shut tight, I ignored the calls from my mother, ignored her consolation, and I realized much too late that I needed it desperately. Attempting to control my thoughts, I stumbled to my bed, sighing heavily. I had to start over or I'd fail for sure; therefore, I had that thought of ultimate failure in my mind. I huffed, rolling over and off the soft, teal that had seals. In other words, my sea theme of a bed. Soon enough, my eyes found themselves scanning through the darkened closet, in which my hand had not run to it's switch to enlighten. As a result, I was forced to feel along the bumpy walls, stumbling inside and tripping over the geometric figures spread across the floor. That was until gravity spun like a top going down a ramp. "O-ouch!" I yelped, rubbing my head as I propped myself up. All I knew was only one thing could be seen: a vivid blue shoe box, luminescent enough to shine upon my dull skin.

Curiosity soon bested my mind, a box was what was needed to restart my project, but something about this one screamed that it wasn't just some normal shoe box, oh how I wish it was that simple. It hadn't a name, brand, or symbol apart from it's own blue shell. Removing the top, a blinding light hit my deep brown eyes. As I reached in to take out it's source, presumably to turn it off. What I failed to notice was myself being pulled, sucked into the small object. My mouth opened wide to scream, but no sound came, only the end of it's string of sound finally reached my own ears, my eyes slowly wrenching open to see the most peculiar butterfly flying toward me, its whole body upside down. The thing about it that mind boggled me was it's wings, it's wings made up of shining bass clefs, antennas resembling an alto, the body splattered in colors of rainbow paint.

The strange creature flew upon my nose, causing me to sneeze with out remorse, the insect quickly fluttering on it's way. "Gazoontite." rang an unknown voice, eerily close. My hazel eyes looked down to the man, who looked to be in his early teens. His sharp scarlet eyes looked right back up at me, and only then did I realize that it was I who was upside down. How? I did not know. The raven haired boy cracked a smirk, his short cut hair slightly swaying as a pair of fluffy moon white sparrows flew past. "So, you're another lost human, huh?" His words confused me, and I had no idea what to make of them. What I really wondered was if I could get down from this odd sky, where my feet were inexplicably staying attached. He seemed to read my mind in an instant. "You can't get down till' you make a choice," he shrugged nonchalantly, "You get two hours: either you stay here, or go home." I looked around me fully for the first time, only one word could describe it, and that word was : indescribable.

The birds were the clouds themselves, floating gracefully above characters dancing and popping to the wondrous, diverse beats of the clef-winged butterflies. It was like a dream within a dream! Running across the sky I disregarded the growing headache of staying upside down for so long, gaping in awe at the sight as if it were made just for me. I beamed at the ever lasting teal moon as bright as the sun, not believing that I could finally escape my dark fate, never having to worry of deadlines or work! A certain finger tapped my shoulder, clearing it's throat. "Listen up," the boy said in an urgent tone.

"You stay- you're here forever. No friends. No family. No games. No human-activity ever, again." he finished this with utmost clarity, his darkening red eyes snapping me back to reality. Those were most of the soul reasons you had stressed over this project so much, the reasons you had put the effort of a million soldiers in battle, into this one assignment: you wanted to make them proud, you wanted to move forward with them. Just a ten minute glance at the gates to freedom and lackluster laziness, had me convinced to stay. No matter the amazing atmosphere and things, I found it unforgivable. "What is your name, miss?" My mind set refocused itself to the boy. "Ataru." I answered simply.

His face twisted into an unreadable expression. "That is not your name, miss. But I will tell you the name that is not mine in return, nevertheless." he said in a bland tone. "Ayazi." It was an unusual name indeed. But what did he mean by 'That is not your name'? He sighed, slightly glaring at me. "It is known here, that once you utter your true name aloud, you will be able to return home." "My true name?" I questioned in curiosity, though he ignored it. "I blindly chose my permanent path in staying here. Now I don't have a last name, or knowledge of my first. I am merely the keeper which is to guide each lost human that enters this realm back to their true home.. and if I fail to do this I may as well disappear into oblivion. Only upside is seeing when other humans themselves choose their fate. To stay here and ultimately suffer." Did seeing other's suffer the same as him bring him joy..? Or simple content?

His smirk wavered, but his eyes trailed upward. He raised a pointer finger, a butterfly landing on the tip. I saw as it dissipated, reincarnating into a new object. It was a sharp winged dragonfly, wings like four sharp blades- their reflexions red and dark with indescribable pain. I eyed him with dry eyes, wide and round with sorrow; but the oddest part of the small event... was the fact his own eyes, had burned into a deep, natural brown for the short moments the life form stayed perched upon his hand.

"I wish to go home, Ayazi. I have something I have to get back to." I said this with a new found enthusiasm, knowing that I could not stay here. I had a family to get back to.

He pointed toward a small green box on the nearby hill, releasing the insect. Upon leaving his sights it melted back into it's original... and perhaps... un-true form. "There is your ticket back down to earth, milady." he pronounced his last word with deep sarcasm. I rolled my eyes and ran to it, popping off the top, to find a simply note card. "Urata? Who is that?" I asked aimlessly. "You. Apparently." he uttered, kicking you into the box with the bottom of his black, laceless sneakers. Another blinding light broke out from it as I said the name- my name, and in my descent I heard his final words

"You passed.~"

I awoke with a start the next morning in my own sea themed bed. A bright red A greeted my sights. My older sister had a habit of flashing my grades of just received report cards from our post in the mornings. I looked at it blankly, blinking as happiness rose inside of me.

I had passed! But before I would ever be able to go forward, I had to help a friend move forward to his true home as well. I had awoken knowing his name, suddenly knowing, just knowing what I had to do. A mere day after graduation, I pulled out a note card, writing a sort of thank you note per say, to my dear keeper Ayazi. "Thank you... Izaya." I dropped it into the old, dull blue shoe box deep in the back of my enlightened closet, smiling as it disappeared. Ultimately, I had learned, that a mere glimpse at an easy way out could go a long way.. even as far as to making you lose your true self, but we must all live to the fullest, never giving up what you hold most dear.

Another morning I checked my own personal post, opening a cardboard top to find the last and final note I would ever receive from the "Keeper" falsely named Ayazi.

"Thank you for helping me find my true self. -The Keeper"

+ Alrighty~! Well this is a "sort" of oneshot here. It isn't exactly romantic in any sense, more mutual understanding and young "love". Izaya may be OOC because in originally writing this, it wasn't meant to be a fanfic. It was written for a school assignment. "Read it. Dream it. Do it." project really, in reality we were allowed to write anything we wanted to write: real or dream. As long as it was appropriate and well-written. I didn't at first intend on actually making a deal of "Ayazi" actually being Izaya Orihara, but over time I kind of wanted to post this... so, if it didn't float your boat, sorry! I have high hopes it was at least semi-enjoyable? And yes... Urata is my real last name. In any sense, you're only around 13-14 in this flashback, but in current day you ought to be about 17. If you like it... you could recommend I continue this story. I'm not too sure how I would yet, but I think it may be interesting +

Love, Choco.