Shizuo took a long drag from his cigarette as he stared up at the sky, the anger he had been holding inside of himself finally escaping as he exhaled a puff of smoke. The silent presence of Celty next to him was comforting. It was nice to see her after having a rough, stressful day of work.

"Thanks for letting me vent." He lowered the cigarette, his fourth one in less than an hour. "It's been a really difficult month. I thought that the flea disappearing would make me calm down but… I've only felt worse."

Celty tapped on her PDA for a moment, and held it in front of him. [Are you worried about him?] She asked.

Shizuo instantly scoffed, and then stopped as several conflicting emotions hit him. "No… Yes… Ugh!" He crushed the cigarette in two with his fingers. "I don't know! It's just… weird to think that he may be in danger."

[What do you mean?]

The man in the bartender outfit shook his pack of cigarettes and pulled a new one out. "Izaya may be a pest, but he's a resilient pest," He begrudgingly admitted,"He fights with me all the time, and usually gets away without a single scratch. If he really got attacked or kidnapped, it would have to be something pretty intimidating for him to just vanish."

He rolled the stick in between his fingers. "...And even if he's an asshole, he's only human. He doesn't have insane strength like me, he isn't a Dullahan like you… He could get injured and die easily… But it's weird to think that he could even get hurt. You've seen it too, he's always acting high and mighty, like he's invincible… But I know he's not."

Shizuo didn't admit to her the third thing that he'd been bottling up. Without his usual chases with Izaya to wear himself out, it was a lot easier for him to get riled up by pesky clients. In less than a month, he'd raked up three times the property damage he normally did. His boss was not pleased, but Shizuo didn't know how to stop himself from continuing down his destructive path.

Celty waited for a moment to see if he would continue talking. When he didn't, she reached down to type another message. At the same time, the PDA in her hand buzzed. She tapped the screen a few times, and Shizuo saw her body freeze up.

"What is it?" The debt collector worriedly queried.

The Dulluahan seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if she was worried to show him what was on the phone. Her shoulders eventually slumped in what seemed like a sigh, and she turned the PDA around to face him.

[Celty, I'm back. I have an important job for you, I'll provide more details when you're ready.]

Instantly, all the words that Shizuo had just admitted to his friend were cast aside. He growled angrily and read the message over and over. "He's back?! And he's already up to his old tricks!" He crushed his cigarette box in his hand. "That stupid flea!"

Celty held up a hand, motioning for him to calm down. [Shizuo, did you forget everything you just told me? I don't even know what he wants. Maybe it's just a simple courier job for Shiki.]

Shizuo rolled his eyes. Celty was too kind, always trying to see the good in people where there was none. "Well ask him for details, I bet it's something like kidnapping someone for him that supid fucking flea…"

The fae shook her head in exasperation, and tapped out a reply to Izaya. A few moments after, Izaya sent her a speedy reply. She read it over, and then held out her PDA again. Shizuo was quick to read it, searching for any of the flea's evil plans.

[Shiki-san wants me to hack cameras. I need certain parts for that, but I have business to take care of and can't get them myself. Here's the part list and where you can meet me to get your payment…]

Shizuo didn't understand any of the things after that, but he was already angry. "He's probably off tricking people while you do all the work! That damned flea. As soon as I see him, I'm going to kill him!"

Celty shook her head again, she was very used to Shizuo refusing to see reason when it came to Izaya. Although she felt similar distrust for the fur-coat wearing man, a job was a job and Izaya always paid well.

[Listen, Shizuo, I have to go do this job. I'll tell you how it goes later, okay?] She motioned at the pitiful cigarette box still crushed in his deadly grip. [And stop smoking so many of those! Shinra said it isn't good for you, remember?]

"I know… I know…" Shizo muttered, an embarrassed blush dusting his cheeks. "Good luck with the job, Celty. Please be careful."

The Dulluhan gave him one last nod before she sped away, Shooter's haunting neigh echoing through the city as she vanished around a corner.

Shizuo watched her go, and then looked down at the crushed box. With a heavy sigh, he threw it in the nearest trash can and stalked away as his depleted rage began to build up all over again. That stupid flea! If he tries to step foot in Ikebukuro again, I'll make him wish he stayed away for good!

Kill, kill, kill, kill...

It wasn't that hard for Celty to find the parts Izaya had requested. She'd had similar requests from him before, and sometimes got that request from other people like Shiki or his men. It didn't happen often, but she knew what to do.

It was a little awkward inside the store, as everyone regarded her oddly. She ignored their glances and slid a paper with the parts over to the store clerk. She was thankful that he seemed to know what they were, because she had no clue.

While she waited, the many stares thrown her way began to be thrown her way made her uncomfortable. She scratched at her neck and tapped at her wrist, wishing that the clerk could work faster so that she could leave.

Finally, finally she was able to grab the bag of parts and speed off on her bike. She knew she had to meet up with Izaya in Shinjuku soon, but she still took the long way around to try and calm herself down.

Even though she had become more comfortable with herself since the Dollars meeting where she revealed herself to the while city, and discovering the secret Shinra had kept from her about her head, there were still times that the city left her feeling lonely.

The city knew her now, and yet she was still treated like some strange zoo creature to be gawked at. Sometimes the attention felt so exhausting that she wished she could go back in time and stop herself, returning to being the urban legend that nobody paid mind to except in passing.

Celty was proud of who she was, but she was still the only one of her kind in Ikebukuro. All the humans around her, even Shinra, didn't understand what it was like to be otherworldly. Shizuo was the closest, but no matter how strong her best friend was, he was still another human.

It really feels like we're both alone in this world, Shooter… She thought as her hand gently rubbed the motorcycle. Her faithful steed let out a sad whinny, obviously sensing her troubled thoughts.

After an hour of aimless cruising, when the sun had set over the skyscrapers, she finally brought herself to the agreed upon meeting place. Along a highway, leaning against the guardrail, was the informant she begrudgingly worked for… But he looked odd.

That familiar fur coat he wore was gone, replaced by a leather jacket and red plaid fabric underneath. His eyes did not scan the road for her, but instead remained focused on the moon high in the sky. It was strange, Celty noted, how the light of the moon seemed to shine down on him as if he had been blessed by it… He seemed so peaceful...

Her motorcycle let out a haunting sound as she slowed to a stop next to him, Izaya's eyes tore away from the moon and that tranquil expression was replaced with an expression she more easily recognized; a sardonic and wicked smirk.

"Ah! My favorite courier!" He said cheerfully as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked back up at the moon. "It's a lovely night, isn't it? The moon is always so pretty. I bet she would look even prettier if the light pollution allowed us to see the stars."

Celty remained still on her motorcycle and didn't answer, keeping her focus on the handlebars of her motorcycle. Where is he going with this?

His red gaze turned to her, with eyes that Celty almost didn't recognize. "Are the stars easy to see in Ireland?" He answered his own question with a shrug. "Ah, you probably have no clue, I bet all that is lost with wherever your head is."

A burst of sadness and anger ran through Celty. Why did he have to be such an asshole? She had hoped that his month long disappearance would do something to him, maybe give him a little humanity, but apparently that had been too much to hope for.

She held out the bag with a rushed hand, she wanted him to take it and go away so she could feel hurt in peace. But as she finally put her full focus on Izaya, something made her freeze up.

A strange feeling overwhelmed her senses. It was like she suddenly gained a rush of adrenaline, and it felt as though her heart was pounding despite her not needing one. This feeling, it called out to her, but she didn't know what it meant.

Izaya seemed to notice her strange and sudden hesitation. "Eh? Celty? Is everything okay in that cloud of smoke in your helmet?" He asked in a mocking tone.

But his words didn't get to her this time, she was too focused on the strange feeling. Yes, yes she knew it was because of Izaya… But what was it trying to tell her? She couldn't pinpoint what it was, but she knew one thing for certain.

[Something is different about you.]

Izaya read over the words on her screen. She carefully watched his face for any sign of a reaction, but the damn informant kept his expression perfectly blank. When he finally answered, it wasn't what she was hoping for.

His smirk returned, as he grabbed the parts bag and gracefully brushed non-existent dust off the jacket. "It's the outfit, right? I knew it would draw some curiosity, I just couldn't resist!" He shoved his hands in the pockets. "Red really is my color, you know-"

[No! It's not the outfit!] Although that had confused her when she first saw him. [When I looked at you, I got this odd feeling. It feels like there's something different, it's like I'm trying to reach out to discover what it is!]

She felt confused, desperate to know the truth. It was a feeling she wanted to understand, because it reminded her of kinship, something she never had before and wanted so badly to feel. Could he tell her? He was an informant after all, maybe he knew?

But the young man threw away her hopes without a second of hesitation. "Oh? Maybe it's just your head calling out to you, begging you to find it! Help me, help me!" He chuckled at his own horrible joke, and then sobered. "Or does it not care? Maybe it has a mind of its own, and has given up on you… Maybe it feels like you abandoned it without a second thought…"

Izaya's cruel, hateful words sent a spike of pain through her, like someone stabbed her with a knife and twisted it over and over. She shuddered in anger and then screeched away on her motorcycle without even a thought about her payment.

When she looked back, all she saw was that bastard smirking at her from afar. She quickly sped up and flew around the counter, Shooter's mournful neigh echoing her pained heart.

If she had looked back just one more time, she would have been able to see the mocking expression turn into one of loathing and guilt…

"Ah, Celty! Welcome home! How did the job for Orihara-kun go-"

Celty cut off her boyfriend's cheerful greeting by throwing herself towards him and pulling the underground doctor into a tight, almost crushing hug. She rested her helmet against his shoulder, and allowed herself to shake.

"Oh? Celty? I-Is everything okay? Did that police officer try to chase you down again?" Shinra's hands rubbed against her back in a comforting manner. "Because if he did, I promise you I will report him!"

Celty shook her helmet against his shoulder and held on for a few more seconds before finally she pulled away and shakily typed on her PDA. She leaned against Shinra for comfort as she handed it over to him.

[It's Izaya. Shinra, he's such a horrible person! He feels different, I think something changed while he was away. But when I asked him about it, he just started mocking me about my head! He… He said that maybe it didn't even care about me because I abandoned it! Why is he so cruel?!]

Her beloved looked conflicted, like he wanted to defend his friend but without insulting Celty. "Ah, well… That wasn't very kind of Orihara-kun to say.

Shinra's calm demeanor only furthered her anger. [Why aren't you upset about this?! He was hurting my feelings for his own sick kicks! Shizuo was right, he may be human but he is a monster!]

"I'm sure Orihara-kun didn't mean anything by it. He's been that way since we were in middle school, Celty. It's just who he is," Shinra tried to tell her.

[That doesn't make it right!]

"I know, Celty."

[Why are you defending him?!]

"I know it seems weird for me to defend him, but I have to. He's my only friend, I know him better than anyone else, and he's more fragile than you think." Shinra sighed as he squeezed Celty's hand in his own, adoring their closeness. "He has a brittle heart, filling it with love or betrayal may shatter it, that's why he avoided it from the start."

Celty felt her anger settling a little as she listened to Shinra, tilting her helmet in curiosity. [You think it's possible for Izaya to genuinely care about people?] She questioned.

Shinra gave a gentle nod. "I think that somewhere, deep down, he has the potential to. But if he was offered the chance, he would probably fight against it and try all of his old tricks in fear of heartbreak." He chuckled. "I think the only reason I managed to become his friend is because I was persistent enough to break through those layers."

It gave Celty a moment of thought. She had told Izaya something was different about him. Perhaps she had scared him in the way Shinra had suggested, and that was why he lashed out so violently.

[Now that you mention it… He seemed more aggressive than usual. Most of the time when he says stuff like that, he's subtle. But this time… He just insulted me straight to my face. It almost seemed like he was trying to get me to leave.]

Shinra let a wide grin appear on his face. "See? I knew it! He was probably caught off guard by your concern." He dramatically threw a hand in the air. "But don't worry, Celty! You don't have to worry about Orihara-kun! Focus on me, and I'll protect you and adore you for all eternity!"

His playful and lovey-dovey attitude was what she needed to hear to help her feel better. She didn't even try to punch him or elbow him in the ribs. She just held up her PDA with a shake of her helmet. [You're an idiot.]

Shinra's surprisingly wise words had helped her a little bit, but she still had conflicting feelings towards the raven. He had been cruel, but was it for the reason the Shinra was thinking? Maybe… But then she recalled that strange feeling that ran through her when she focused on him.

Perhaps the underground doctor was partly right, but Izaya didn't verbally attack her until she mentioned the strange feeling to him. Although she wasn't sure what it was, she had a sneaking suspicion that the informant knew exactly what it was.

Three Days Later

Despite her suspicions towards Izaya and what he might know, she couldn't bring herself to confront him. Even if Shinra was right and the informant's words were hollow and being used to push her away, they had still hurt her and she needed time to repair her damaged pride.

She did a few jobs the first two days to make up for the money she forgot to get from Izaya before speeding off. On the third day, she had worked her way through the list of jobs and decided to take a day off for herself.

Celty thought about staying home, but Shinra had many patients that day thanks to a rough gang fight. Their staring and constant bickering made it hard to relax, so she decided to take Shooter out for a ride.

She sped around the city, enjoying the sights and sounds from afar. She watched the musicians on the street, enjoyed the smell of the street food she couldn't taste, and watched the sun rise higher in the sky.

Along the way, she found Shizuo and Tom walking together through the streets. Shizuo sent her a small wave, but that was all he could give her before he turned to catch up with Tom. Celty felt relief, he had seemed to be calmer since their conversation.

She thought about mentioning her and Izaya's interaction and the strange feeling, but ultimately decided against it. She didn't want her friend to kill Izaya before she got any answers out of him.

Eventually as hours dragged on and night fell, she grew tired of riding and decided to head back home. She sped along the empty highway and looked up at the sky. The moon wasn't full anymore, but it still looked beautiful.

As she turned her gaze back down to the street, a jolt of terror ran through her as she saw a black down running right in front of her motorcycle. She grabbed her motorcycle and tried to screech to a stop.

The black dog yelped in terror as it jumped out of the way. She felt her wheel hit the dog's back leg as she sped by in her attempt to stop. She finally managed to make the motorcycle stop rolling, a tire streak left behind her.

Once she was sure the bike wasn't going anywhere, she hopped off and ran over to the dog. But as she got closer, she realized that there was no way that could be a dog… It was too big, too feral-looking. It had to be a wolf, she recognized it from the vague memories of Ireland before the wolves went extinct.

The beast was large, with thick fur as dark as her shadows and shiny white teeth. He limped slightly as it moved back towards the city and away from the highway. At the sound of her footsteps, the wolf turned to Celty and she was greeted by striking red eyes.

As soon as she saw those eyes, the adrenaline and the strange feeling returned. She froze in shock as her eyes began to connect the dots. The wolf wasn't just some random wild animal, it was…

Izaya?!