I feel so awful for this. It's been a little over a year since I updated this story. Due to a series of unfortunate events that involved my computer breaking, several cases of family drama, running away from home for a while, and being kept away from a computer for a long time, I have been unable to update. I feel so horrible for those who said they like my story T.T I know how hard it can be when you like a story and it's left unfinished. I promise, I'm here now and I WILL finish this story!

P.S.- In case I forgot to put this earlier: I do not own Durarara or any of its characters and make no money off of this story!


Chapter 3:

New Thread

Shizuo walked up to the gigantic super computer cautiously. His ears must have played a trick on him. There was no way that was Izaya's voice. That was impossible! Deep down, though, some part of him hoped it was possible….

"Izaya..? Is..Is that..you…?"

Again he heard Izaya's voice coming from the computer as it finished loading and running its various programs. "Ah, so it is someone other than me. What a pleasant surprise."

While the voice didn't sound as hollow and scripted as a recording or one of those irritating computerized voices that made Shizuo crush several GPS's over the years, it was still lacking any trace of Izaya's trade-mark taunting or sadistically playful tone. This, combined with the lack of any genuine emotion in the voice, only confused and irritated Shizuo more.

"Hey! I asked if that was you, you damn flea!" He glared at the computer, tempted to hit it to make it listen to him. "Are you or are you not ORIHARA IZAYA?! Cause if you are and you're fucking with me, I'll break everything in this lab right now!"

The voice coming from the computer had a slightly worried or cautious tone, but, again, it didn't sound too genuine. "Woah! Calm down, please. If you have a seat and listen for a minute, I can explain everything. Just please avoid breaking anything, thank you."

Shizuo was still annoyed and ready to punch something, but he did as the computer asked and grabbed the chair in front of the desk. After seating himself, crossing his legs, folding his arms, and glaring impatiently at the computer, he leaned back and prepared to listen. "Talk. NOW."

The voice from the computer sighed and showed a few programs and files on the screen. "Okay. To answer your question from earlier, I am Izaya Orihara…er..sort of…"

Shizuo maintained his irritated expression, but didn't make a move to hit the computer…yet. "What the hell do you mean 'sort of'?"

The computer enlarged a program with a bunch of dials, knobs, and 1's and 0's on it. "I mean that I am approximately 2/5th's Orihara Izaya." One of the dials on the program turned and the voice changed slightly. "1/5th of what I have is the exact vocal and pitch data, along with the basic speaking patterns of Orihara Izaya." The dial turned back to where it was before and Izaya's voice returned as the program closed and another program, this one listing various thought patterns and reactions with dials next to them, opened instead. "The other 1/5th I have is exact IQ, basic thoughts, and reaction data."

The program closed as the computer brought up a list titled "Requirements for Rebirth". On the list were five things:

1) Voice. 2) Thought Patterns. 3) Emotions. 4) Memories. 5) Body.

As Shizuo read over the list, noting the two items already marked off of it, the computer continued speaking. "As you can see, I am only missing three things to be my former self: a body, emotions, and memories."

Shizuo finished reading the list and looked up at the rest of the computer, not really sure where to look to show he was talking to it now. "So…what you're saying is that you're not Izaya..but..you can be..?"

The computer closed the list and a few background programs as it spoke. "No to the first part, but yes to the second part." As if responding to the confused look on Shizuo's face, the computer continued. "I am Orihara Izaya, I'm simply….unfinished, at the moment." A list of various people, companies, and labs came up. "I had a feeling that I may die one day, so, I 'borrowed' the equipment you see in here from various sources and people that I had worked with in the past. It took quite a long time to even get everything that I needed installed and running correctly." A diagram of the lab area came up next. "After getting everything set up, I had to learn how everything worked so I wouldn't make any mistakes. Unfortunately, even after I understood how to use everything, it took forever just to program anything at all into this database." The screen showed a log of various times spent on the computer using different programs. Some, Shizuo noted, went back a couple of years. "Ideally, to make a perfect version of my mind and personality, I would need to take apart and have different sections of my brain analyzed by one of the machines in this room. Since I could not do that without dying, I had to do everything manually and program every detail that I could. It took a long time just to finish my thought patterns and vocal data…." The list closed and the computer screen finally stayed still for a bit. "Hopefully, though, I'll be finished programming myself soon in case something happens to me…."

Shizuo frowned at the last statement and looked down. "….." While he may not have understood much, if any, of the technical stuff, programs, and lists he had been shown, he definitely understood one thing:

Without Izaya to finish the program, this thing was just a computer that had Izaya's voice.

When Shizuo didn't respond for a while, the computer spoke up again. "Speaking of which, I should be down here soon to continue my programming. Odd that I haven't been in here lately…" Shizuo tried to think about what to say while the computer continued. "Since you're in here, and judging by your reaction earlier, I'm assuming that you at least know the me that goes around outside. Where have I been, anyway?"

Shizuo took a deep breath to collect himself, never thinking he'd have to say these words unless he went completely insane and started seeing some weird ghost of Izaya.

"Orihara Izaya….is dead."

The computer sounded as surprised as it possibly could be without emotions as it responded in disbelief. "I'm….dead….? H….How can that be…?"

Shizuo looked down at the keyboard on the computer. "Izaya had something he had to do in Hokkaido. He took a plane there...but…it crashed on the way back. There were no survivors. The funeral was about a month ago…"

The computer took a long time to take in this new information, hesitant to speak. "Oh my…that…is unfortunate…without myself around to finish the program, I may never be complete…"

There was a deathly still silence that filled the lab for a while, neither Shizuo nor the computer saying a word. The only sounds were the faint buzzing of the lights overhead and the cooling vents of the computer and other devices around the room.

Surprisingly, the one to break the silence was actually the computer. "Maybe…you could help me…?"

Shizuo looked up at the computer, frowning a bit. "Look, I'd like to, really, but I'm not exactly the best with computers-"

The computer cut him off quickly. "Don't worry, you won't need to know anything about computers. I can handle the programs from here. All you'll have to do is bring me stuff so I can be complete. It'll be easy." Shizuo still felt skeptical about all of this, but, again, the computer seemed to be able to read his expressions and cut him off before he could say something else. "Please…I want….I want to be alive. I want to be complete. I want to see what the world is like beyond videos and pictures. Please. I can't do this alone."

Shizuo wasn't sure how to respond at first. Even though it wasn't really Izaya, the words were still said in Izaya's voice. This was probably the first time he'd ever heard Izaya asking for help of any kind.

Why he said what he did next, he had no clue. Maybe it was the way the computer begged for help with Izaya's voice. Maybe it was because he didn't want to leave the house. Maybe it was because some part of him was desperate for the annoying flea to still be alive so he wouldn't be alone anymore….Or, maybe he was just fucking crazy. Whatever the reason, it didn't take long for Shizuo to answer.

"Sure. I'll help you. Just tell me what I need to do."

The computer sounded as close to happy as it could be at Shizuo's response. "Excellent! Thank you so much, Mr.….." The computer stopped itself in what resembled surprise and maybe even embarrassment, if it could feel that. "Oh! Forgive me. I got so caught up in everything, I forgot to ask your name."

Shizuo managed to smile slightly. The first time he'd managed that in practically a month now… "Shizuo. Heiwajima Shizuo."

The computer responded with the same semblance of happiness it did before. "A pleasure to meet you, Shizuo-san."