In which some people remain unchanged while the others have disappeared.

Izaya had expected himself to wake up in either hospital bed or Shinra's sofa, but he was in neither. He was in a strange bedroom. Then again, he didn't actually expect to wake up at all, so he didn't complain. He rubbed the sore spot on the back of his bandaged head, wincing slightly when the pain shock him.

"Ah, you're awake! Thank goodness…"

The informant looked to his right, only to find a woman with turquoise eyes and long red hair wearing white turtleneck. She smiled sweetly at him, and Izaya narrowed his eyes as he found the face to be familiar.

"Is your head still hurts? It didn't seem serious, though. Ah, here, please drink. Really, you must always watch your back in this city. Sometimes gang members just attack you without a reason."

The woman then handed over a glass of water. Izaya muttered a 'thanks' before taking it, crimson eyes still locked on turquoise. When he's done, the woman took the glass from his hand and walked away to get it refilled with water from refrigerator on the corner of the room. Looking at her made Izaya even more curious.

"Who are you?"

It was unusual for Izaya not to know someone. If that someone was an ordinary person like the girl who pushed him from the rooftop, he'd accept it as 'forgotten boring facts', but the woman was far from ordinary. She looked like a foreigner, and Izaya was certain he knew all foreigners living in Ikebukuro, as they were possible target for human trafficking.

Who was she?

Izaya felt as if she's someone important, someone he knew too well. Even so, at the same time, he couldn't name her.

The woman smiled.

"Why, it's your job to find out isn't it, Orihara Izaya-san?"

Expectedly, she knew him.

Of course, many knew him as 'that man who fights with Heiwajima Shizuo a lot'. Even so, not many knew his job as informant. Usually, the ones who knew were only people who dwell in the dark.

"… Seems I'm not doing my job well. You do seem familiar, but apparently I've forgotten."

"Haha, nice one."

It took Izaya ten seconds to realize that her respond was rather weird. But he didn't say anything. He just eyed her curiously.

"Okay then, Mr. Informant. I'll wait until you can find out about me yourself. "

The woman returned and sat next to Izaya. The way she dressed reminded Izaya of Namie, with turtleneck sweater and short skirt, but she's radiating different aura from the usually gloomy scientist.

Rather, she's like the exact opposite.

"Don't you want to call someone? Does your cell phone still work? You can use my phone if you want," she said as she handed him his iPhone from the table next to him. There's a crack on the screen.

Right, his cell phone fell with him from rooftop. It'd be a miracle if it's still usable.

"Please."

"Oh, here you go. But really, your cell phone is so old-fashioned. I don't even know it's still produced. Well, the makers are unable to find new features to be added, so I guess it's not much of a problem, yeah?"

Izaya chose to ignore her words and pressed the buttons of her cell phone. It was a model he didn't know exist. Weird, because Izaya thought that he always keep track of technology. Even so, he didn't even know the brand of said cell phone.

'Wait a second…'

He pressed the red button and it returned to the display. What surprised Izaya was not the picture of yet another familiar looking man as background.

It was the time.

'13 : 46 PM… the time is understandable… the date too… But…'

'2021?'

"What's wrong?"

Last time he checked, he was sure it's still 2011. He stared at the phone, mouth agape.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"…"

"Don't tell me… you just realize you're amnesiac? My, what should I do?"

"Miss, I assure you I'm not amnesiac. I know perfectly well who I am. But one question, why do you put 2021 as current year in your cell phone? Is this a prank? Do you have some sort of grudge with me? Please stop joking."

The woman blinked.

"You… really are amnesiac, aren't you? I'm not lying, you know? Look."

She grabbed a magazine from the table, still covered with plastic. On the right corner was the published date. Izaya didn't care to look at the exact date and month, but true it's written that the year was 2021.

He stood abruptly, grabbed his coat which was folded nicely on top of the table, and after making sure that he still had his knife he stormed out of the apartment, ignoring the woman's calling.

'No… way…'

'There's no freaking way…'

Even so,the city was different from what he knew. There were more sky-scrappers, stores… Young people clad in strange uniform…

People using gadgets he didn't knew…

No, even the people were all strangers. Izaya got scared at the realization. He was the informant who knew Ikebukuro like the back of his hand! It's weird that he didn't know anyone. Not even the passing foreigner, or gang members. Hell, there was even one guy that was clearly a member of yakuza, and he didn't recognize him.

Though the pounding headache made him think that it's because of his injury, he still found the thought rather scary.

Izaya ran towards Sunshine Street, where most of his acquaintances (he couldn't exactly call them friends and vise versa) could usually be found. He tried to ignore the posters or ads in the giant screens, the year written in the commercials as he ran, and focus on people's faces.

It'd be great if he could find someone he recognized.

Even so, no one was in Sunshine Street.

Well, the street itself was as crowded as ever, but not one person could be recognized by Izaya. No Shizuo, no Simon, yakuza, foreigner, Dollars, Saika's children…

No one at all.

'This is so wrong…'

He sighed as he remembered a certain newcomer's first day in Ikebukuro, confusion and awe written all over his face. Izaya wondered if his face resembled him back then.

The pounding headache became a bit overwhelming, and Izaya decided to sit in one of the guard rails and thought it over. He pushed the thought that he's somehow stranded in 2021 to the back of his mind and tried to find more logical explanation. Was he really amnesiac just as the woman said? The last thing he remembered was the face of the young girl who pushed him, and he was sure of the fact that it happened in year 2011 as much as he was sure of the fact that death would be as boring as hell.

And really, it was saying something.

"Goodness… this is so much like one of Erika's silly theories…"

The world, despite some oddities, was not something that was created based on Erika or Walker's fantasies. Izaya could practically imagine them danced around as they sang their weird logic, breathing and steps as synchronized as ever, before finally stretching out their hands to whoever watched them. People around them clapped as if they agreed, but really they just laughed at their idiocy or appreciating their silly stunts.

Even though they did it often enough for Izaya to be able to see them in his mind, their theories could not happen, period. If they could, the world would have already been destroyed by the power of magic, mecha, and Shizuo in mahou shoujou costume.

Don't ask.

"It's awesome, isn't it Miria?"

"That's right, Isaac!"

"We've been away for a long time and yet the city still stays pretty much the same! Very amazing! Very different with New York!"

"This city seems as if it just woke up, yeah?"

"That's right, Miria! This city just woke up. Rather, it woke up just for us!"

"Amazing!"

Izaya jerked his head when he heard clapping, his mouth twitched when his scarlet eyes found the source of the voices. They were not Erika and Yumasaki, Izaya was sure of it, but it could have been. Not far from him, surrounded by laughing people were two weirdoes who were dancing salsa as they spoke to each other.

Two weirdoes, who happened to be part of Dollars, Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent. Izaya still remembered them from Dollars meeting the year before. Well, they were the most memorable anyway, aside from Shizuo.

'What was I thinking, inviting Shizu-chan anyway?'

That wasn't important, he thought as he shrugged. The point was, the crazy couple looked the same as how they looked last time Izaya saw them. As silly too, looking at their outfit. Miria was wearing school uniform, while Isaac was wearing leather jacket and jeans, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses.

They're copying how kogal and bousouzoku dress up, apparently.

"Hey, Miria… Don't you think he looks familiar?"

"Someone we know?"

When Izaya realized it, the weird couple had already stood in front of him, rubbing their chins as if he's some sort of hard to understand art piece. Izaya smiled at them, already in 'Nakura-mode'.

"Long time no see, Isaac-san and Miria-san."

The two tilted their heads to the side, confusion written on their faces.

"You know us?"

"You do?"

"Ah, we met that time during Dollars' meeting. Well, it's understandable if you forget. It's a long time ago."

They clapped their hands before pointing their index finger at Izaya. Their synchronization made Izaya think that they're the perfect role model for Mairu and Kururi, though it was not a compliment. The two really, were a person in two bodies.

"Right! It's been a long time! Really, I thought you're a movie star or something! We met there, huh? I thought I saw you in TV though?"

"As extra in Claudia's movie, perhaps?"

'That movie star? Don't tell me they worship her… Reminds me of those two…'

In conclusion, Izaya thought of the two as mixture of Erika, Walker and his sisters. Even so, he laughed heartily as he thought that.

"No way. I'm not worthy, haha."

"Don't mind! You're handsome enough. I'm sure you'll appear in TV one day."

Izaya seriously didn't wish to be on TV. It'd do nothing but bad things for him. He's famous enough as it was. More fame would make him like walking billboard.

"By the way, that looks serious, the wound on your head."

"Looks painful!"

They pointed at his bandaged head. Izaya then contemplated on what to say to them. He couldn't just say 'someone pushed me from seventh floor and my parkour skill saved me'. After a second, he decided to go with the usual answer.

"Hm… I got it from Shizu-cha… I mean, Heiwajima Shizuo. I suppose you know him?"

"Heiwajima… Shizuo?"

Isaac pressed on the 'o', making him sounded oddly like Simon. Next to him, Miria followed the movement albeit didn't say the name. They both narrowed their eyebrows as if in confusion.

'Well, they're American, so if they don't know…'

"That strong dude who wears bartender outfit? The one who used to be Dollars' member? Didn't he move to Hokkaido few years back?"

"We recalled reading stuffs like that in the forum, right Isaac?"

"Ah, perhaps you just got back from Hokkaido? The nature is still preserved there, yeah? Very beautiful place. Miria, suddenly I want to go to Hokkaido!"

The rest was unheard by Izaya. Their voice somehow became static. Everything Izaya saw became blurry, but it seemed the two were still talking non-stop. After a while, they waved their hands and left him alone

'Shizuo... huh?'

His head hurt even more, and the world seemed as if it's getting sucked by some unknown force. He forced his eyes to shut, wincing as the unbearable pounding returned.

'What a joke… I saw him last week…'

Meeting the two unchanging Americans had made Izaya sure that what he's experiencing was either a very elaborate prank, or confusion because of his head injury. Even so, he felt confident in his memory, so it's probably the first. Izaya pulled out his wallet from his pocket and looked inside.

The inside was exactly as he remembered it. The cards and everything, even the amount of money. He nodded in satisfaction. He's not amnesiac.

A prank it was. Case closed.

When his headache subsided, the informant decided to leave Ikebukuro and return to his office in Shinjuku. Namie would probably give him hell because leaving her alone with mountains of work to do and lots of appointment to cancel, but for some odd reason he felt like he wouldn't mind even being poisoned by her at that moment.

Even so, Izaya himself admitted that he felt a bit worried.

'Note to self, scan Dollars' site for more information. It's possible if it's a secret agreement between the members...'

When he passed what should be Russian Sushi though, Izaya found it hard to maintain his thought that it's just a prank.

He stood in front of the store, wasn't able to say anything.

In the place where the famous sushi shop should be was a bookstore.

"… no… way…"

Even though it was a bookstore, it's probably more appropriate to call it otaku shop. Apparently, it sold all sort of things from manga to figurines. It was rather empty, but it's probably because it's school time.

But, it was not Russian Sushi.

He tried to think of a logical explanation to that, but nothing came up. The posters glued to the windows which promoted some unknown story all had the year 2021 written as the publishing date. Finally looking around at the commercials and ads, he couldn't find any date which was not followed by the number 2021.

Needless to say, it was the time when Izaya finally believed the woman who saved him earlier, and for the first time ever in his life he felt like crying.

"Yes? Ah, it's you. What's wrong? It's rather quick even by your standard. Eh, not about the job?"

"… You expect me to believe you found someone resembling Orihara Izaya yesterday and he's fainted with head wound, and when he woke up he didn't even deny that he's Orihara Izaya, and he ran out of your apartment because he's too surprised after seeing the date on your cell phone? Seriously?"

"Fine, fine… I'll humor you for a minute. So, just calm down and tell me once more."

"I see… well, it's possible if you put it that way. Amnesiac, huh… He denied it? If it's only partial, there's no way he'd know right?"

"By the way, describe him for me. Uh-huh… Man, obviously… black haired… red-eyes… like in his mid twenties… black shirt and jeans… You bandaged his head… What? He had fur coat as well? I see… certainly match the description. I'm getting curious of this man. Guess I'll look for him myself. Though he's probably just a look-a-like. Rather, it's impossible for him to be the real deal."

"Thank you for the info. Well, you can see it that way, but still I won't charge for this. Fine, I'll tell you as soon as I found him. Why are you so interested in Orihara Izaya, anyway?"

"Well, your taste has always been bad, so I guess it's natural that I don't understand? Haha, don't be mad. Haven't you heard of the words 'So bad it's good'? It's like that. Your taste has always been so bad, it's actually good to look at. I personally hate his guts, but it seems you owe him a debt? He's a bad guy, but still he'll do good things if it fits his goal."

"Oh, by the way, I see Anri-senpai and Mikado-senpai's relationship as 'So okay it's average'. See? Yours is a tiny bit better. Ah ah, don't say anything. Yes, I copied that from some page in TVTropes, but it fits, no? Hm… his skill, huh? Well, he was one hell of informant."

"… Perhaps it's true then. The only one who can find that woman is probably Orihara Izaya, now that it's getting hard to meet Mikado-senpai. Don't worry though, I'll still try my best to help you. Just provide me with information as usual, and you'll be the first to know when that woman appears in my radar. Though I wonder why you of all people would want information for me, the one who gets info from you as my provider."

"Right. She's a genius who knew firsthand how perverted you are, and thus is able to somehow avoid your eyes. Fine, fine, I'll keep looking. Yeah, don't worry. Once again, thank you for the info. See you around."

With a click, the young man cut the connection. He leaned back and spun around in his swivel chair, his eyes locked into the ceiling.

As he closed his eyes, the memories of his past all came back to him.

"Orihara… Izaya… no way…"

FYI, I won't use OC. Probably. I'll try not to. Except for that girl who pushed Izaya from rooftop. Hmm… she'll appear later again, but not very important…

So kudos to those who realize who the girl and man were. Actually, I think I made it obvious?

As for Izaya… when I wrote that scene I was kinda influenced by Subarashiki Sekai. Now. Imagine he's like Neku, passing people he knew but already changed. Oh, and really, TVtropers are right. Yumachi and Erika are reality warpers! For all we know this could happen because they told the twins about parallel universe!

The old second chapt… I don't delete it. I'll just repositioned it to a better place.