A/N:I'm glad so many of you like this. :D To be honest, Kida was gonna be Ed...blond hair, golden eyes, short nature...but then again, he has no brother, and the Heiwajima brothers seemed a better choice for the role. :D Shizuo is hysterical as Ed. I'm watching FMA 2003 while writing this. Haven't seen much of Brotherhood, so if some non-canon material is in there, don't complain cos I'm not fond of Brotherhood. But Mikado seems to fit manga Pride well. :D

Chapter 10 Alchemy?

Shizuo frowned as he patrolled the streets of Ikebukuro with his best friend since high school, Tom Tanaka. Tom was looking at Shizuo in worry, his brows creased. Shizuo, however was paying him no mind, busy smoking a cigarette like usual and his mind focused on remembering the odd dream he'd had last night.

He could've sworn the brat he'd met the other day was in there, and there was a leering gate that was alive for some reason, and something having to do with...alchemy...the more Shizuo thought about it, the more confused his thoughts became and his mind started feeling incredibly dizzy. He put a hand to his head, brushing aside stray blond bangs from his face.

"What the hell...?" He mumbled, which caught Tom's attention.

"Shizuo, are you okay?" Tom asked, staring at his oldest friend in concern. Shizuo had been acting rather off today, which made him quite concerned. Of course Shizuo usually acted impulsive and reckless (especially when a certain flea was involved) but when it came to people who weren't Izaya, he usually behaved with less recklessness.

"...Tom, I'm fine. I just had some weird dreams, is all," Shizuo remarked, taking another puff of his cigarette.

"...Shizuo, you're gonna die of cancer some day."

"...Tom, I don't think I'll make it to old age. That would be asking for too much," Shizuo remarked, pushing his sunglasses up a little further. "Hey, Tom...is it just me or is it too quiet around here?"

"Hmm...well, it is rather nice today. Maybe you can relax for a bit and stop thinking over these things too much." Tom reassured, and for a moment, Shizuo almost found himself believing his words. But a little voice inside his mind told him...the opposite.

'Now's not the time to rest and relax. You've got people to watch out for, Shizuo. You'd best remember, sooner rather than later...'

"Tom, is it normal for me to talk to myself?" Shizuo remarked.

"Shizuo, that's weird. But I suppose it's not out-of-character for someone like you. Oh, well, at least we can relax without him here stirring you up-"

"It stinks," Shizuo remarked, his grip tightening on the cigarette he held until it snapped into pieces. "...I know this stench. A putrid flea is nearby..."

Sure enough, there was a dark-haired young man lurking nearby, wearing a familiar fur jacket, who was smirking broadly at him. "Hi there, Shizu-channnn~!"

"S-Shizuo, try to calm down for a second, okay?" Tom said, but Shizuo wasn't even listening.

"Dammit...dammit...dammit...dammit...THAT BASTARD! WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE? I'M GOING TO KILL HIM! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

"Wait, Shizuo!" Tom cried out, but Shizuo had already left, ripping a signpost from the ground and using it as a weapon, which he flung at the informant.

"Bad aim today, Shizu-chan! You really are terrible at this, aren't you?" Izaya taunted, which predictably made Shizuo angry.

"IIIIIIIIIIIZZAAAYAAAAA, WHAT THE HELL HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT STEPPING INTO IKEBUKURO, DAMMIT!?"

"To come in all I want?" Izaya said sardonically.

"Ikebukuro is off-limits to a flea like you!"

"I don't think so, Shizu-channn..."

"DIE, FLEA!"

Sometimes the people of Ikebukuro wished they never knew of Izaya and Shizuo.