Izaya's head was pounding hard against his skull. The raven was surprised he hadn't fallen unconscious. He was barely able to see as one eye was nearly completely swollen shut and the other was starting to blur.

But Izaya's aim was true as he pointed his pistol at Tsukishima.

Tsuki—his glasses missing and his eyes having turned a shade of prominent red—stared at Izaya wide-eyed. There was no mistaking the raven's aim. Izaya had pushed himself to his knees and held the gun out with both hands. However, he was panting hard and his form was shaking.

Tsukishima scoffed as he cocked a brow, a droll expression crossed his face. "Best be careful, Orihara. You might actually shoot someone with that."

"Get away from Alessa."

That droll gaze turned into a sickening grin. "Or what? You'll kill me?"

"Don't test me, Tsukishima."

"Oh, please, if you wanted to shoot me, you would have already." Tsuki shrugged. "You're barely standing, and your hands are shaking so bad, you're more-likely to hit Alessa than me."

Izaya fired.

The bullet ricocheted off the ground by Tsuki's feet.

The blonde's eyes stretched wide and he leapt back out of reflex.

Izaya pointed the gun back up to Tsuki's chest. His expression was filled with stone-cold conviction. Tsuki stared at the raven wide-eyed.

Then his eyes narrowed as a nonchalant chuckle escaped his lips.

"You'd really shoot your Shizu-chan?"

"You're not Shizu-chan."

"Oh, am I not?" Tsuki shrugged with a flamboyant flair of his arms. "How do you know the Darkness hadn't broken my mind? The cute little teen you've been talking to is my persona and this is what's left of your Shizu-chan?"

"You're not Shizuo!"

"Don't you think it's a little too convenient that I just so happened to be at the school right after you spotted Shizuo?"

"I don't care."

"You should. Think about it, Izaya! Isn't this whole scenario just too easily constructed? You meet me, shove me around without a care, just so happen to find a cassette tape, a TV magically turned on so you can watch it and now you're faced with the choice of shooting Shizu-chan or letting Alessa die. It's almost like you're being led by the nose."

"I don't! Care!"

"You should!" Tsuki yelled and gestured to Alessa, who sat huddled on the ground. "This thing has been toying with you this entire time! This—she isn't human! This thing controls the Darkness, controls all of Silent Hill! This thing," he glared at Alessa. "Has been trying to kill you since you got here! She's a demon; a monster."

"I DON'T CARE!"

Tsuki's eyes stretched wide. Alessa smiled.

"I've known for a while now and I don't care. I'm here for a reason and she's it. So, get away from her!"

"You'll kill an innocent to protect a demon?"

"You're not an innocent."

Tsuki stared at him. Then chuckled.

"Oh, really?" The blond mused.

Tsuki inhaled deeply as his eyes closed. The blond stumbled back, his arms coming in to hug himself. Izaya cocked a brow. The blond fell to his knees and coughed slightly before his red eyes opened.

Tsuki looked up. He squinted his eyes at Izaya.

"Or-Orihara-san? Wh-where-where are we? Where-where are my gl-glasses? I-I can't-can't see."

"This is a ruse."

"Eh?"

"I'm not falling for it."

"Orihara-san?"

Tsuki's eyes stretched wide with realization at what Izaya held that was pointed at him.

"Or-Or-Orihara-san!" Tsuki leapt to his feet, hugging himself tight as he began to shake. "Wh-wh-why-why are you poin-pointing that at-at me? Wh-wh-why—"

"Drop the act. I won't be tricked."

"What-what act? Orihara-san, pl-please!" Tears began to leak from Tsuki's dull, red eyes. "Please do-don't kill me. Please!"

Izaya faltered. He lowered the gun by a millimeter.

'Is this a ruse?'

"Or-Orihara-san?" Tsuki reached out for him, taking a few steps closer.

"No, stay over there!" Izaya raised the gun back up to chest level.

"No, please!" Tsuki put his hands up in surrender. "I-I'm-I'm scared, I'm scared! Orihara-san, wh-what's going on? What's ha-happening? I-I-I—"

"Just stay over there! Get away from Alessa!"

"Ale-Alessa?" Tsuki looked around until he spotted the little girl. "Wh-wh-who are—who is—"

"Get away from her!"

Tsuki jolted. "O-Oka—hk!"

Tsuki coughed for a moment, his eyes stretching wide. Izaya cocked a brow, holding the gun firmly. Tsuki looked at him.

"Or-Or-Oriha—"

Tsuki's eyes began to glow red. Tsuki put his hands on his head, clenching his teeth hard in agony.

"Ro-Ro-Roppi-san, help me!"

The tears stopped as a grin crossed his face.

"Heehee, see." Tsuki smiled at him, wiping the tears from his face. "I might not be innocent, but that doesn't mean you won't be killing an innocent. Are you willing to murder little Tsukishima, the poor lost soul who just wants to see Roppi-san again, all for a demon?"

Izaya didn't answer.

'If he's being controlled by the Darkness, then he can still be saved, can't he? But how?'

The informant lowered the gun.

"That's what I thought." Tsuki said with a chuckle.

Tsuki turned to Alessa.

"I'm sorry." Izaya said.

"Eh?"

A resounding bang echoed through the air. A flash of light from the tip of the pistol. Then there was a gaping, quarter-sized hole through Tsuki's skull. The blonde's eyes widened out of reflex as his body fell with the motion of the bullet. His body hit the ground with a resounding thud.

Izaya's hands were shaking. He was breathing hard and his vision was tunneling so all he could see was the dead blond. He dropped the gun. He didn't realize he had until he heard the metal clatter against the gravel.

'I did it…I killed him. I…could have saved him, but I…'

Tsuki's body convulsed. Izaya jolted in shock. The blonde's mouth then parted. A flood of blood came from the orifice, followed by a thing. A thing that rivalled a slug but was as red as the blood it swam in. It was big, so big, Izaya was surprised it had fit in Tsukishima's throat. The blonde's glowing red eyes dimmed, turning into a lifeless green. The roots of his hair began to darken with brown locks.

'He was possessed…He was savable. And I killed him.'

A small hand touched Izaya's hair. The raven opened his eyes to see Alessa standing before him.

'For her. I killed for her.'

"You've done so well." Alessa said.

Izaya glared at her. "He was innocent…"

She smiled. "No. He wasn't. But is that important?"

Alessa's hand touched Izaya's temple.

A burning sensation tore through the raven's mind. His eyes widened and he gasped.

In the next second, images flushed past his eyes. A graveyard. Stairs. Atop the hill was a church. Atop the church was the cross he had seen around the town so many times now. Screams. A little girl was screaming. Fire. "Weep not for the demon."

Hospital. Izaya had been there before. Brookhaven Hospital. "Once again, we are locked in a mortal battle."

Pain. Fear. Darkness. A map. A map of the hospital. B151. B151. B151. "Praise God for our clarity!"

Izaya screamed. He felt like his mind was going to melt. He didn't know if he was crying or if his eyes were bleeding.

But it soon didn't matter as his eyes rolled into the back of his skull and he saw black.


Shizuo didn't know how he had the reflexes to save himself. He didn't know he could respond so fast despite being in a state of shock. His body just moved on its own. Natural instinct saved his life.

Shizuo slammed his arm into Roppi's hand, forcing the gun left. At the same time, he moved right. A loud bang resounded in the same second and Shizuo felt the bullet graze past his shoulder blades. He felt no pain from it, but he was certain he was bleeding.

"YOU!" Roppi yelled in pure rage.

Shizuo stood and ran. Another bang sounded. Shizuo jolted left, the bullet whizzing by his head.

'He's going to kill me!'

Shizuo looked around quickly, wide-eyed for anything to defend himself with. There were metal beams everywhere but stooping to pick one up would give Roppi enough time to shoot him. He had to get out of the open.

Shizuo dived behind the elevated air vent, ducking into a crouch.

"Don't run from me, you little rat!" Roppi yelled.

Shizuo glanced over the metal barrier. Roppi was pointing the gun in his direction.

"That's what I thought, bullets can still kill you."

"Roppi, I'm not a monster!"

"Like I care about that! You can be a monster or a human or a dog for all I fucking care!"

There was a broken metal beam by the vent. It was just out of reach of his cover. He may get shot if he went for it. The vent stretched across the roof, disappearing into the ceiling a foot away from the door they came from. He had a lot of cover so long as Roppi stayed over there. But it was only if Roppi stayed over there.

"All I care about is you!" Roppi yelled. "Using me as your 'Izaya' replacement! Telling me what to do and kicking the shit out of me! You had this coming, you bastard!"

Shizuo glanced over the metal. Roppi hadn't moved from his spot.

"If you want a fight," Shizuo yelled, "Then face me like a man! Put the gun down and—"

"AHAHAHAHA, like hell I'll do that! You fucked me up pretty good last time! I don't want a fight! I want you dead—"

Shizuo bolted out from behind the vent and grabbed the metal beam. He turned and threw it with effortless ease. Roppi's eyes widened before he slammed his feet against the ground in a dash. The metal missed his body but clipped his ankle. Shizuo heard a sickening crack before Roppi called out in pain.

Shizuo rushed forward with prompt distraction.

'Get the gun away from him!'

Roppi fell to his knees in pain, holding his damaged ankle. However, he saw Shizuo. Saw him coming. Roppi raised his gun and fired without much aim. It was wild panic and showed as the bullet clipped Shizuo's shoulder. The blond jolted to the side, nonetheless, and made a side sweep arch towards Roppi.

"BASTARD!"

Roppi stood, limping on his injured leg, and aimed again. Shizuo was on him now. He reached for the gun, staring down the barrel of it.

Roppi pulled the trigger.

*CLICK*

Both their eyes widened as the top pulled back and stayed like that.

"Goddammi—"

Shizuo punched Roppi. There was no need to take the gun from him now that he knew it was empty. Instead, Shizuo allotted to beating the hell out of him. One hand grabbed a handful of Roppi's shirt to keep him in place while the other slammed into his face over. And over. And over again.

Pure, unadulterated rage overtook his being. Roppi had no remorse or mercy. If Shizuo was a normal man, Roppi would have killed him. Roppi didn't care so Shizuo wouldn't care. Why should he, against a man who arbitrarily tried to kill him?

Hate. Shizuo hated Roppi. Hated him, hated him, hated him! He'd kill him. Roppi had no right to live after trying to take someone's life! He had no right to even complain. Kill him! Kill him! Beat him to death! Kill the offender! The violator!

Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill

"Shizu-chan."

Shizuo stopped. His hand was coated in blood. Roppi was gasping and wheezing. His face was covered in blood as well. There was a prominent gash above his left eye, his nose was gushing, his lips were split in multiple spots and blood was pouring from inside his mouth. He was holding Shizuo's wrist as his knees had given away. He still held onto the empty gun, despite looking like he was unconscious.

Shizuo dropped Roppi. The raven hit the ground and started hacking. Blood sprayed from his mouth before he gasped.

The blond stared down at him with confliction. He couldn't kill Roppi. Even if he deserved it, Shizuo could never have that much blood on his hands. Especially not someone who looked like Izaya. He came to protect Izaya and even if this wasn't him, he couldn't go against his reasoning.

Shizuo turned and walked away.

Roppi grabbed his ankle. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you."

Roppi grabbed Shizuo's pants leg, pulling himself up. He struggled to his feet, leaning on Shizuo hard.

"Get off me." Shizuo shrugged him off.

Roppi stumbled back, managing to stay on his feet.

"You're…just going to…walk away?"

"That's right."

"I won't stop…until I…kill you. I—"

"You can't kill me. And with those injuries, you're not a threat."

Roppi chuckled as he pulled the top of the gun back, which made it prop back forward so it looked normal. "That's what you think."

"I'm not going to kill you. You're not worth it."

"Liar. You…want to kill me…You're holding back for…another reason."

Shizuo glared at him.

"It's…because I look like Izaya, ain't it? Can't kill me…because I'm…his twin…"

"That is none of your concern."

"It is! I'm not Izaya!" Roppi grabbed the chest of his own shirt as his eyes lit with rage. "I'm Hachimenroppi! Orihara Hachimenroppi! I shouldn't be second to that life-stealing bastard!"

"Life-stealing? What are you…?"

Roppi chuckled, an evil grin crossing his lips. He stumbled forward, hand outstretched. He grabbed the chest of Shizuo's shirt.

"Since you passed Alessa's test, I'll share a secret with you, Shizuo. One that Alessa will punish me for sharing."

Roppi stood on his tiptoes. His blood-covered lips came over Shizuo's. The faux blond was repulsed and immediately attempted to push him away. However, in the same moment, Shizuo was transported. Through his mind, he was no longer in Silent Hill, but a hospital room.

Before him was a Japanese woman on a hospital bed. She was screaming with her legs spread wide. A man sat next to her, holding her hand while doctors and nurses strewn the room. One knelt between her sprawled legs.

This woman was giving birth.

'Why am I…?'

The woman tilted her head back and screamed. In the next moment, the doctor held a baby in his hands. The baby was silent.

"Wh-why isn't he crying?" The woman asked.

The man didn't answer. He had a solemn expression on his face.

The doctor passed the quiet infant to a nurse.

"Why isn't he crying?!" The woman screamed.

"Honey, remember?" The man at her side said. "Roppi was a stillborn. They told us this the last time we came in."

"Why isn't he crying?!"

"Honey—"

"Orihara-san," a nurse started, looking at the man, "Kyouko-san is in a lot of pain. It's not unnatural for women to become a bit inebriated because of that."

"WHY ISN'T HE CRYING?!" the woman screamed.

"Ms. Orihara, calm." The doctor said. "You have another baby to deliver."

"Why isn't Roppi crying?"

"Ma'am, focus on the next baby."

"Why—" She started to scream as a contraction gripped her.

Within the next few minutes, another baby was born. This one immediately began to wale.

"Iz-Izaya's crying! Why isn't Hachimenroppi crying?!" The woman called.

The vision changed.

A jar of ashes sat on a shrine. It was a small jar with no picture to indicate who it was. Shizuo knew it was Hachimenroppi, his parents having cremated the son they never got to meet.

A little Caucasian girl with black hair reached forward and grabbed the jar. She hugged it close to her chest then disappeared in a wave of darkness.

In the pits of a dark, rotting hospital room, the ashes were dumped into a pile onto the floor. Alessa sat over them, placing her hands on them. The ashes began to shift, forming into a baby. Then the baby shifted. It coughed then let out a piercing wale.

But this transformation didn't stop there. Alessa continued to pour darkness into the baby. The infant began to age, rapidly, until it was at least seven-years-old.

The boy coughed before his eyes flared open. He shot up, stark naked and red eyes wide.

"What…"

"Hello, Hachimenroppi. I'm Alessa." Alessa smiled at him.

"Hu…Hi…"

"Your brother is my chosen savior. To make sure things go well, I'll need your help."

"My…brother…?"

Shizuo was pulled out of the memories almost as if someone had grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him. His eyes flared open as he gasped. He stumbled back away from Roppi, wiping his blood-covered mouth on his sleeve. He made eye contact with the man who looked exactly like Izaya.

"You…You are…"

Roppi smiled at him.

Then he put the barrel of the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. A loud bang resounded as crimson exploded up into the air.

Shizuo's eyes stretched wide in horror as Roppi's body fell back.

'The gun was empty…'

Roppi stumbled as he fell head first backwards. The man who looked like Izaya tumbled into the open dome out of Shizuo's sight. Silence befell before a sickening thud resounded.

Shizuo fell to his knees. Tears fell down his cheeks as he clenched his teeth.

'The gun was fucking empty! How…how…'

"Why is this happening to us?"

'Izaya's a chosen savor? The fuck does that mean? What does Alessa have planned for him? Izaya…Where are you? Iza…'

"IZAYA!"


I could have sworn I posted this chapter months ago, but looking over both AO3 and FF, I apparently didn't. I don't know why. It was typed up and everything, just needed proofread. :/

So, I would like to state, this story is pass the halfway point. I wanna say the halfway point was probably when Izaya made it to the hotel. Somewhere in that area.

Right now, as of this chapter, this story is making it's way to the endzone. I didn't realize I was that close when I put it on hiatus so I've decided this story is OFFICIALLY OFF HIATUS! I'm going to finish this, dammit!

Stick with me for a little while longer!

KCK