Hi everyone!

So, if you've been following this story as Second Chance, I'll have to ask you to go back to Chapter One/Prologue or else this chapter won't make any sense. I decided to revamp and rewrite this story, as the way it was, I knew it would never been updated again, much less completed. I lost all my passion for it after I wrote myself into a corner. Anyways, there's more on this and the changes that were made to in the rewrite in the first chapter.

I promise you'll like it equally, if not more, than before!

Chapter Two

Idiocy, Plain and True

As I stumble out of the building, panting heavily and thighs finally burning, I see Celty.

Thank god, I think, because on the way down the stairs, wondering where I 'd go to get away from Izaya, I realized that while some of Rio's memories were inside me, not all of them were.

Basically, all I had was basic knowledge from the show with Rio's input. I don't know her address, or her friends, or what she's doing in school—god, I don't even know what classroom to show up to!—so basically, I've escaped Izaya (frying pan) and am now in the fire (real life).

And I'm still waiting for my death to stick, to disappear from this world, or whatever, even though I'm slowly starting to think I've been fucked, that I've replaced Rio for no apparent reason and now am forced to live her life as myself.

I'm not dead. I think I've been…shuffled around, a little.

I have no idea what to do about that, and I'm also not sure I'll be able to find any answers. Rio was such a minor character in the show that I'd probably need a wiki page to fill in my knowledge, and, well—it's not like there's going to be wiki pages on real people like there would be in my world, where she's only an anime character.

The tapping of a PDA breaks me out of my thoughts and I look up to see Are you alright? presented on Celty's phone.

I sigh and don't answer. "Can you…take me home?"

Celty pauses, then types out, Yes. What's your address?

My frustrated screech of "FUCK!" is so loud I'm pretty sure Izaya could hear me if he's still in the vicinity, which I can only assume he is.

I wish Celty had a head right then, because she doesn't type on her PDA anymore and just seems to be staring at m. I have no way to tell what she's thinking.

Finally, I come to a conclusion. "I'm…just going to walk." Because the only other person who knows 'my' address is Izaya, and I sure as hell am not going to reveal to him that he's right. God, I have no interest in seeing the smug look on his face if I were to come back, tail between my legs, and beg for help. Which was probably the only thing that would convince him to help in the first place: groveling.

I have had entirely too much experience with groveling to sociopaths in one life time. I'm not ever doing it again.

Celty stares some more, then nods her head hesitantly, like she's worried but doesn't want to interfere, and zooms away with an otherworldly neigh coming from her bike. Biting my lip, I feel tears nearly come to my eyes. I'm so fucked.

It takes a moment, but I realize that this is an abandoned building. I could probably find a room to sleep in, at least for tonight, and then solve my problems tomorrow in the daylight. Eventually, 'my' parents will get worried. There'll be a search, and I'll be happy to be found. I can claim I hit my head, no problem, and since I don't actually have the answers that they would ask, they'll rule it amnesia in a heartbeat. That gives an excuse and time to acclimate. Feeling better with a plan, I open the door to the building to find a room.

Instead, I face Izaya, who looks vaguely surprised, like he really hadn't expected this turn of events.

But he hides it admirably. "Coming back so soon, Mumei-chan?" he asks with a pleased grin. "I didn't know you enjoyed my company so much."

I have no patience for him right now. "Oh, fuck off, asshole," I snap as I push past him.

The next thing I know, I'm shoved up against a wall with a knife against my throat. It happens so fast I'm left reeling, and all I know is that I'm not in any real danger despite the threat Izaya's making. Not yet.

"You're so rude," he says lowly but with amusement. "Rio never, ever would have spoken to anyone like that."

I'm too impulsive, I know, but I'm just so done. But I think I can be excused for it in this ridiculous situation. "So what if I'm not Rio?" I say snippily. "Who're you going to tell that'll believe you?"

Izaya grins widely, and I've never seen anyone in my life so happy because of something I said. "No one," he replies. "It'll be our secret."

"You're not going to be able to blackmail me," I tell him firmly. He raises an eyebrow like he's skeptical, or he didn't see it coming. "If you knew what my situation was, you'd know you can't even touch me with all your ridiculous mind games."

His eyes narrow, but he's not any less pleased. "Is that so? What is your…situation, then?"

I eye his grip on the knife. It's loosened a bit, and I think I might be able to push him away if I can keep him off guard for just another second, but he sees where my eyes go and he firms his grip.

That thought trashed, I make eye contact and deadpan, "I'm a dead woman from another world, a world where you're an anime character."

Izaya's eyes widen for a moment, like he can't believe I just said something so ridiculous, and then he bursts out laughing, high-pitched and so, so happy.

I take the moment of distraction to kick him in the shins and shove him away from me. He doesn't even try to stop me, and I figure maybe he thinks I'm just off my rocker and I've lost his interest now. So, without any further violence, I move past him at last and start walking away.

Izaya catches his breath abruptly, as though he'd been faking, and catches my wrist before I start to ascend the stairs. "Did you watch the anime?" he asks.

I turn around and stare at him. I can't not at this point. "Parts of it," I admit. "I didn't finish it."

"Did I win?"

"Does the villain ever really win anything in anime?" I asked pointedly. "I know in Season Two you get stabbed and end up in the hospital."

He looks at me contemplatively. "Do I die?"

I shrug. "Not to my knowledge. Unfortunately."

Izaya smiles at me. "You're so much more interesting than Rio."

"It doesn't take a lot to be more interesting than her," I admit. I know he doesn't believe me, so there's no reason to bullshit here, and the more I tell the truth, the more he'll realize I'm insane and leave me alone. "She was just a plot device in episode two to introduce how much of a psychopath you are. Basically, it's "Hey, viewers, we got a villain here! Watch as everyone else doesn't realize it!"

But still, he humors me. When will he leave, dammit? "And I suppose as a plot device, there's not much information on her," he muses. "Which means that you know nothing about her beyond the scene where she dies."

"She doesn't die," I correct him, feeling a bit victorious. I don't mention that that was only because Celty saved her.

"She was a minor character, though," he says like he knows this already.

I shrug again.

He claps his hands together, the knife nowhere to be seen. "Alright, Mumei-chan, come along now."

"Would you stop calling me that? I have a name."

"It's not Rio," he singsongs. "And I don't know what your real name is." And if I have any say in it, he'll never know.

"Also, I'm not going with you."

He turns, eyes wide like a puppy dog's. "But then where will you go?"

I don't tell him my plan. "I'll figure something out."

"You're missing a grand opportunity," he tells me.

"I'm sure," I reply dryly. "So grand, in fact, that I think I'm going to have to pass."

"So you'll sleep here for the night?"

"That was the plan."

He shrugs noncommittally. "Ah, alright. Have fun, dumpster rat!"

I scowl at him, only then realizing that I'm hungry, but otherwise don't respond. I won't dumpster dive for food though, I know that much. I do have my dignity, after all.

It's pretty much all I have, though.

As I head up the stairs, I hear the door shut behind Izaya as he walks out. Good riddance. A thought occurs to me, and I glance over my shoulder at the exit. It seems clear, but it's also very dark in here, so I can't really know, but I don't have any idea why he would stay. I decide to focus on finding a little nest for myself.

I do, eventually. It's a little corner by a window that allows me some light as well as ventilation—the smells in here aren't terribly pleasant. It's on the second floor in an isolated room at the very back of the building, so I'm not worried about hooligans finding me. Curling up in a ball—damn, Rio sure did wear some unfortunately short shorts, I'm getting ick all over my legs instead of removable clothing—I rest my head on my hands and try to get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.

I wake up in the middle of the night to a shadow standing over me, but before I can scream, I get a hard kick to the head. Someone snaps, panicked, "She's supposed to be unharmed, idiot-"

And then I'm unconscious.

Let me know what you think? Do you like it? Hate it? Has 'Rio' made the biggest mistake of her life? Is Izaya as horrible of a person as 'Rio' believes?