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…
"что?!"
Vorona and Slon exclaimed at the same time – though for Vorona, an exclamation was more of a gasp of surprise.
"Huh?"
Shizuo said in confusion, and realizing they had inadvertently switched to their native language, they quickly moved to correct themselves –
"H-Heiwajima-san, you're leaving? What – why – it doesn't make sense! You're the Strongest Man in Ikebukuro and you're leaving Ikebukuro?! How can – you can't do that – c-can you? What about your reputation – what about Ikebukuro's reputation?! Is that even important here?! Heiwajima-san, please stop giving me questions to which even Vorona doesn't have answers! It's torture, torture I tell you!"
"I-Irrelevant – Slon, focus. You mistake…the issue. Shizuo-sempai, please explain…the concise r-reasoning…"
Seeing his confident kouhai stutter, and his kouhai's partner panicking, Shizuo blinked as if just realizing his departure was a big deal.
"…I don't understand. Why can't I leave Ikebukuro? I'm just one guy –"
"Just one guy?! Heiwajima-san, there's a misunderstanding here, you're not just one guy, you're the strongest guy - !"
"Well yeah I'm strong, but there are also other strong people too, like Simon, and Vorona herself is pretty strong –"
"Irrelevant! Ahh now I'm speaking like Vorona! Vorona, please explain to Heiwajima-san that he's the strongest guy!"
"…Peculiar. To a guy who says I'm' more amazing' – he doesn't comprehend his own strength. To explain, would be a difficult task, we lie on different wavelengths in our perception of strength."
"Well it's not like I don't know I'm strong, but like I said, my strength has nothing to do with training, unlike you, so you're definitely more amazing –"
"- Weird! Weird! Heiwajima-san, you're really weird, and here I thought Vorona was weird! Birds of a feather flock together, huh?! Look Heiwajima-san, Vorona is definitely amazing and strong, but you're definitely stronger! Vorona can't lift up a vending machine with one hand, can she?"
Slon said rapidly, as he tried to cross the divide between his and Heiwajima Shizuo's logic –
"Ahhh yeah…but it doesn't count. See if I didn't have this strength she would be stronger than me. If I didn't have this strength I'd just be a normal guy, so it's nothing to do with my own power. I didn't do anything to get this, unlike her who obtained her strength with her own efforts. Or you, since you're her partner, you must be pretty strong too huh?"
- Which turned out to be a futile effort as Heiwajima Shizuo spoke admiring words with a smile in his direction.
To Slon, who had never expected praise from the legendary man in a bartender suit whose renowned strength could lift up vending machines and kick a car towards them like it was a soccer ball, those words were equivalent to a shock to his brain.
"Gahhhhh! You're missing the point here, Heiwajima-san! Vorona…..!"
It was all Slon could say, as he knew the man in a bartender suit's logic was very different from his that even he could not convince him otherwise.
And thus he sought for his trustworthy, infinitely logical partner's help –
"I – in this situation – am powerless. We have different waves, unable to be crossed….in such a case, I suggest simple acceptance for peace of mind…"
-Who failed him for the first time, and thus Slon let out a strangled sound while he internally sobbed for the demise of logic, as the culprit spoke peacefully as if oblivious to his sorrow.
"Right. Anyway, I'm not that great really –"
Slon whimpered quietly and Vorona's face fell even though her expression was perpetually emotionless.
"…."
Shizuo tilted his head. Realizing his words were causing distress but not knowing why, he cleared his throat and decided to change the topic.
"Enough about my strength then…anyway I'm leaving Ikebukuro –"
Another whimper, and a very soft sniff.
"…."
Shizuo looked towards the two downhearted assassins and scratched his head.
"…Uh yeah, sorry about that. But I'm still leaving, that's why I brought you two to meet each other. Also Vorona, sorry but I have to rely on you to take care of Tom-san for me….I already told him I was leaving so he knows. You're strong enough to protect him on your own, yeah?"
"Affirmative…"
"Yeah, if there's trouble, you can always get Slon to replace me. You two are partners after all. I thought of that actually, but I didn't want to ask and trouble Tom-san more…"
Shizuo trailed off, at the same time remembering –
"Oh and yeah, no extermination. Either of you, Slon you too if you end up working with her. Vorona, don't cause Tom-san any trouble with dead bodies and unrepaid debts."
"Affirmative, Shizuo-sempai. I will restrain…"
Slon was still whimpering, and Vorona's emotionless voice was even more stoic than usual.
She looked up when she felt a hand on her head, to see a reassuring smile directed to her.
"Hey, don't look so sad. I'm only leaving, and we'll definitely stay in contact. Slon, take good care of her for me. Also, regarding the plan, I'll contact you when I get the details sorted out."
He said, and ruffled her hair fondly, and she spoke.
"Request – why Slon? Shizuo-sempai and I were the original originators of the plan."
"Eh? Well I didn't mean to exclude you, but I need Slon's help too."
"I see. I am still a participant then?"
"If you're sure it won't be any trouble."
"Affirmative – no trouble, in fact, pleasure. Especially since Shizuo-sempai is leaving Ikebukuro….pity. Truly. Thus, I maintain our relations as sempai and kouhai – the plan involving Orihara Izaya retains such."
Vorona spoke emotionlessly, but there was a slight lilt in her voice and a light in her blue eyes. Slon stopped his indulgence in his self-misery when he heard and saw such, and sighed.
"Affirmative – Heiwajima-san. Hopefully Vorona here will listen to me, well if she won't listen to me she'll definitely listen to you. And I've heard about Orihara Izaya, but what's this about the plan involving him? I thought you said there was someone you wanted – wait, Heiwajima-san, why are you not angry when Orihara Izaya was mentioned?! Twice, no thrice!?"
"Why would I be angry?"
"….Because you hate him?"
Slon said carefully, as if expecting the unpredictable man to finally realize Orihara Izaya's name was mentioned and blow up in anger.
"..Oh yeah. Well I don't hate him anymore. I love him now."
"…Oh god. Sorry Heiwajima-san, I must have been locked up for too long. You didn't just say you love him, right?"
"Yeah I said that. That's right, you were locked up by the Awakusu-kai for quite a while, so you haven't heard. I forgot about that."
"…..?!"
The finger pointed towards Shizuo was shaking.
"H-Heiwajima-san, you're gay?!"
"Slon, I request you do not show discrimination towards Shizuo-sempai because of his orientation – in addition, homosexuality is not that uncommon and was held in prestige since the Greeks, during which homosexual relations were a rite of passage for men. Even the greek god Apollo fell for human males. Homosexual relations were encouraged in warrior cultures as a means to improvement in physical strength. For example in Japan ancient times, samurai were homosexual and held relationships with men – these relationships were known to foster loyalty until death."
"Seriously, where do you get this information from, Vorona? But I wasn't discriminating Heiwajima-san, I was just shocked, that's all. Ahhh but I see now, even a man like Heiwajima-san has got to have a secret or two! Even though his looks will get him any beautiful woman!"
"That's interesting Vorona, I never knew that. So samurai were gay huh. And even a god…Ah but I'm not gay, I'm still interested in older women. I just love Izaya that's all."
"'That's all' – he says, is it really supposed to be such a matter? And what do you mean by you're not gay?! Here I was, just starting to accept the fact that you're gay and now you say you're not gay?! But you're attracted to Orihara Izaya right, and he's a man!"
Slon said despairingly, for his perceptions were overturned by the unpredictable man again. But said unpredictable man seemed to be entirely unaffected as he replied calmly.
"Yeah, Izaya is a man. But I'm not attracted to him because I'm gay, I'm attracted to him because I love him. If it were any other man other than Izaya, I wouldn't be attracted to him. And even if Izaya was a woman, I would still love him – well, her. So it's not a matter of sexual orientation…it's a matter of the heart."
"….I see. Matter of the heart, huh? Heiwajima-san, you're weird, but you're a pretty cool guy too you know?"
Slon said with a wry smile, thinking he could see how Vorona had grown attached to the honest man.
"I'm not sure why you say that, but thanks I guess. Anyway Slon, the plan I was telling you about is a plan to get Izaya to be mine."
"…Get him to be yours? But you're going against him right?"
"Yeah I am. It's a long story. Just know you'll be going against Orihara Izaya – and everyone else on his side. He has a gang of his own. Can you handle that?"
As he said this, Shizuo looked at Slon, who merely waved the concern off.
"Anytime, Heiwajima-san. Though I don't understand why you said you're a bad man – you're a pretty good guy! And Orihara Izaya is on the bad side, so we're on the good side, right Vorona?"
Slon said as he laughed, deciding to not comprehend the other man's strange logic and just listen as he did with clients.
"Depends."
"Eh?"
"No, we're not on the good side. What I'm going to do to Izaya is something no good man will do, whether you consider him as the bad guy or not. And if you consider him as the bad guy, then I'll be the worse guy. So, you can say we're like the worse side against the bad side."
Shizuo said bluntly. Seeing no reaction from the two assassins, he continued.
"But before I leave Ikebukuro, I have some preparations to make. But you two will stay in Ikebukuro, Slon perhaps you can work with Vorona in her job. And Vorona, did you bring that?"
"Affirmative. Shizuo-sempai requested this?"
As she said this she produced a syringe filled with a liquid, handing it over to the blond man, who took it and looked at it carefully.
"Yeah. This is what you used on Izaya?"
"Affirmative. A drug to erase a witness's memories. Different variation, but serves same purpose."
"Indeed. Heiwajima-san, what are you going to do with that? And Vorona, isn't that like exclusive…?"
"…Irrelevant."
"How is it irrelevant? You're not supposed to give things like that to others outside of our profession!"
Slon complained, but Vorona remained emotionless. He sighed again in a helpless manner.
"Well fine, since it's Heiwajima-san….you aren't going to kill someone are you?"
"Kill?"
"Vorona didn't tell you? That drug has the purpose of knocking someone out. The erasure of memories is a side effect. It's a very strong drug. If it's in too huge a dose it may kill the person."
"…I see. Vorona did you know this?"
"Affirmative. However, be reassured Shizuo-sempai, no negative effects will befall Orihara Izaya, such I ensured."
"Yeah you don't have to worry if it's Vorona who's the one who's administering it. She's meticulous and experienced."
Shizuo's shoulders relaxed at this, and he was soon giving off a calm vibe again.
"Alright. I won't use it if I have to, I just need this as leverage over someone. Actually, since it's a woman, I really hope I won't have to use it."
As he spoke to himself, Shizuo turned, giving Vorona and Slon a nod and smile.
"Take care, you two."
…
As they watched the man in a bartender suit's retreating back, the taller of the two spoke.
"Hey Vorona?"
"?"
"Where do you stay? I guess it's just the two of us again. Oh do you stay in a hotel room, does that mean we'll be sharing a bed – owwww!"
Vorona removed her foot from Slon's and he hopped around on one leg, wincing as she spoke in her usual emotionless voice.
"Negative. I request you keep such deluded fantasies to yourself."
"…Uwahhh….you're as cold as ever…"
As Slon muttered to himself, he was unaware of the slight curl of Vorona's lips as she spoke in the same tone –
"…Affirmative."
-Thank you….Heiwajima Shizuo.
- And the gladness in her heart which she would identify as 'appreciation' at having her partner whom she couldn't save, alive.
…
…
"Have you heard?!"
"Heiwajima Shizuo left Ikebukuro!"
"What?!"
"Impossible!"
"No it's true! See they haven't even been reporting of his activities!"
"No bartenders suits around anyway!"
"No way!"
"Why did he leave?"
"What about his woman?"
"The Russian one? I've seen her around."
"He didn't take her with him?"
"Did they break up?"
"But there were rumors he was in love with Orihara Izaya now?"
"EH?!"
"I don't know! They're just rumors!"
"Where did he go?"
"The city is going to be peaceful from now on isn't it…?"
"But I can't believe he left, isn't this like his city?"
"The Monster of Ikebukuro leaving Ikebukuro….you sure it's not a rumor?"
"No. It's real. I saw him leave...I just didn't think he wasn't coming back"
…
For once, the information broker who should have been spreading such information wasn't the culprit.
For he was focused on something else – on a threat to his position –
When in reality, the real threat to his position –
The one who upset all his plans and expectations, the one man he couldn't make use of and control –
Had already left the city of Ikebukuro.
…
CHATROOM
Bakyura
Have you heard the news?
Gaki
About that Heiwajima Shizuo is it? Rumors say he's left Ikebukuro.
Sharo
Ah ah, the strongest man has left huh? Even my sister respects him you know. This is quite a surprise. Is this a loss to Ikebukuro's reputation?
Saika
Heiwajima-san…why did he leave?
Bakyura
No one knows.
Setton
Yeah.
Pure Water 100% has entered the chatroom.
Pure Water 100%
Hello~! What are you all talking about?
Bakyura
Heiwajima Shizuo left Ikebukuro.
Pure Water 100%
Eh? Seriously?! Isn't he that super strong guy who throws vending machines?! Scary!
Bakyura
Ah yeah…but he's a good guy. Heiwajima-san, that is.
Pure Water 100%
Eh? Bakyura-san knows Heiwajima-san?
Bakyura
Not really. I just have a feeling.
Setton
Sorry, but I have to go
Setton has left the chatroom.
Gaki
That was sudden.
Gaki
Come to think of it, the old members still haven't appeared? That Tanaka Taro-san, and Kanra-san isn't here. I'm surprised she isn't the one spreading the news.
Bakyura
Now that you mention it, it's unusual for Kanra-san not to be here.
Chrome has entered the chatroom
Kanra has entered the chatroom
Kanra
Ehhhh we entered the chatroom at the same time. Don't tell me, Chrome-san is a stalker!
Chrome
I'm not. It's just a coincidence.
Kanra
So you say~wah what if Chrome-san is looking in through my window right now, peeping on me? Pervert!
Chrome
…I am not.
Bakyura
Speak of the devil.
Bakyura
Kanra-san, did you know Heiwajima Shizuo left Ikebukuro? Such surprising news – like Gaki-san said, I'm surprised we didn't get it from you.
Kanra
Ehhhh?! Heiwajima Shizuo left Ikebukuro!? I didn't know! I've been so busy nowadays~
Chrome
Heiwajima-san left? That's quite a shock. Isn't he Ikebukuro's strongest man?
Bakyura
Yeah he left, everyone's talking about it. It's the latest news.
[Private Mode] Bakyura
You wouldn't have anything to do with this, would you?
[Private Mode] Kanra
What's this? You sound concerned. Have you become Shizu-chan's friend too?
[Private Mode] Bakyura
Answer the question.
[Private Mode] Kanra
Shizu-chan left of his own volition, I did nothing.
[Private Mode] Bakyura
You…you didn't even know, did you?
[Private Mode] Kanra
?
[Private Mode] Bakyura
Haha. How funny! What have you been caught up in? To not even know the guy you hate the most is gone?
[Private Mode] Kanra
You're surprisingly vicious today. I'm interested in what you have been emboldened by.
[Private Mode] Bakyura
Don't change the subject.
[Private Mode] Kanra
Fine. I didn't know, I was busy with matters more important than that monster. Like with your best friend
[Private Mode] Bakyura
What did you do to Mikado?!
[Private Mode] Kanra
Nothing. He did it to himself.
[Private Mode] Bakyura
You bastard…..!
[Private Mode] Kanra
Oh? Blaming me now? When you know that maybe that's Mikado-kun's true self –
[Private Mode] Bakyura
He would never! Mikado would have never changed if you hadn't said anything!
[Private Mode] Kanra
Such faith you have in your relationship. Yet perhaps that is your idealized view, and the Ryuugamine Mikado you see now is the real one. Yet you selfishly want to possess the ideal of your innocent best friend. Shouldn't you be by his side, as his vassal?
[Private Mode] Bakyura
SHUT UP!
[Private Mode] Kanra
Now you're just being in denial. Well, I look forward to your progress as well, Masaomi-kun.
Kanra
Everyone~I just remembered I had an errand to run~ see you!
Kanra has left the chat.
Bakyura
Same here.
Bakyura has left the chat.
Gaki
Well that was weird
Sharo
Do those two know each other? They seemed like they were having a private conversation
Gaki
I guess.
Chrome
I have to leave too. Let's talk next time.
Chrome has left the chat.
Gaki
Haha it seems like everyone is leaving one by one.
Sora has joined the chat.
Gaki
Oh what's this? A new person.
Pure Water 100%
Hello! Nice to meet you, Sora-san!
Sora
Hello. It's nice to meet you.
Sharo
It's nice to see a new face. Did you get here through an invite too?
Sora
Invite…no, it was more of a recommendation. I heard this chatroom was quite active, so I decided to join. I'm new to this, but please take care of me.
Pure Water 100%
Don't worry, Sora-san! There's no need to be so formal.
Gaki
Yeah, we're all friends here.
Pure Water 100%
And it's great to meet another girl! Besides Kanra-san, who's really energetic~
Sora
Girl? Me?
Pure Water 100%
Eh? Sora-san isn't a girl? But your picture…
Sora
….Ah I see. That guy must have played a prank on me. I'll scold him later.
Sora
Sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm a guy.
Pure Water 100%
Awww, Sora-san's a guy? Then I guess I'm still the only girl here…
Saika
Um…I'm here too…
Pure Water 100%
Wah! Sorry! Sorry, Saika-san! You're so quiet I almost forgot you were there!
Saika
It's alright…I also thought Sora-san was a girl.
Sora
I sincerely apologize for deceiving you two. I will definitely scold that guy later.
Pure Water 100%
No it's alright~ it was just a misunderstanding! At least you aren't one of those online crossdressers hahaha!
Sora
Online crossdressers?
Pure Water 100%
There are people who change their gender online. Didn't you know?
Sora
No I didn't. I see, there are people like that huh.
Gaki
Yup, and they really act like girls so it's hard to tell!
Sharo
Online crossdressing…that's quite a frightening concept. I've heard of it before but I didn't think it was true! I'm good with women, but I'll politely reject those 'women'….
Sora
Haha. I guess you gotta be careful online huh. By the way is this all the people here?
Gaki
Nope. The old members aren't here, and Kanra-san, Chrome-san and Bakyura-san just left. You just missed them.
Sora
I see. I hope they won't mind me joining this chatroom.
Sharo
Haha. You're quite a polite guy aren't you Sora-san? By the way why Sora? It sounds like a girl's name. I also thought you were a girl, sorry about that. Though I guess Sora could be a guy's name too.
Sora
I couldn't think of a name…still, I was looking at the sky the other day, before I left.
Gaki
Left?
Sora
Yes, I felt it was an important moment. I was leaving someone behind. Hopefully not permanently, but…
Gaki
Ah I see, I see. So that's why you named yourself Sora. Well we know, but you better change your picture, or someone might get the wrong idea.
Sora
Yeah, I will. I wouldn't want to deceive anymore girls.
Gaki
Haha! You're such a gentleman, Sora-san! But more than that, I was talking about if you were caught up with that person.
Sora
?
Gaki
It's an old member of the chatroom…really energetic and loves to talk. If she misunderstood you were a girl, you'll be in quite the trouble.
Sora
Oh. I'll better avoid that. I'm not much of a talker, so I wouldn't be able to catch up with her.
Sharo
Oh don't worry about that, none of us can.
…
…
…
Author's Note
3 chapters done. I usually don't do this but...
I need you guys to review.
I need people to review this story, because I need feedback.
This is most likely the hardest story I have ever written and let me say honestly I have plans but it's for the climax in the future. Between that and now it's mostly a blank. I thought the new season would encourage me to write but it left so many details from the novels out. All I know is that scene I haven't given up this story for and the important flashback. And the beginning chapters.
So yeah if I don't get some feedback, it's likely updates either won't come or will take a long time to come. Not because I don't want to, but because I can't. For a story of this level, I need something more. It's Shizaya - but also Durarara. It's like trying to rewrite Durarara only with Shizaya. Everyone will still be themselves, but there will be Shizaya because things happened differently at one point in time, which will change the future. With Shizuo moving independently to take Izaya down once and for all. It's complicated, but at the same time not. The people - Mikado, Anri, Kida and others such as Chikage and Kadota will just have to do different things to obtain a different outcome. And in order for that to happen, their issues must be tackled in a different way. By a different person. Shizuo, and not Izaya.
I can't just write anything, I need ideas. I need situations. I need turns.
So it would really help if I get more reviews. What you liked, what I did right, just talk to me about the story. Help me see why I wanted to write it. Please say something more than you can't wait for the next chapter...I know you want to read more, I do too, but it's really not easy to write this kind of story alone. And so I naturally turn to my other stories instead. So if you're interested in this story, please show me why. Convince me it's worthy to write.
And if you have any ideas, do share them with me. There's no guarantee that I will use your idea because it may or may not fit, but whatever it is, reading about people's ideas help - either to spark my own or see why it may not work and make me think on what will work, or who knows it may be such a good idea I might adapt it if it will fit with the story.
Not sure if there are any takers, but I guess I'll give a rundown. I won't spoil much. But this story is a Canon Divergence. Which means it follows canon until a certain point. Here, it follows canon until Volume 7. But it doesn't completely erase Volume 8 (the major turning point with Mikado in canon), some things happened, but some things didn't (hint- Masaomi didn't get to apologize to Shizuo). The divergence from canon starts there. So that's where the story begins which means Volume 9-13 hasn't happened at all (ending episodes with Izaya of Ten and the entirety of Ketsu). And because the events in Volume 8 changed, Mikado becomes a different person. He still has the ideal of purifying the Dollars but he's not exacty the same as the Mikado in canon. He may either be more ruthless or more lenient. So this story will have its own 'ending'.
If you could bring up any issues in this Alternate Universe from Canon Divergence, that would be great. Any issues with any character. You can even give a summary of events in canon. Or say what you liked or what you think will happen. Like seriously - anything really. I'm open to anything because I need ideas, I need inspiration for this story. I need people to respond. I need feedback. I need to see that it's worth writing. Because I don't want to discontinue it.
So yeah, feel free to ask me questions about the story, or contact me if you want to help.