The Broker
Suzume felt a cool breath blow against the back of her ear as her lips curled to the sensation. It felt soothing, yet frightening at the same time as her fingers began to tremble lightly. She turned around slowly, seeing an unfamiliar man stand before her with a devilish grin. He had bright brown eyes, messy black hair, and a long black coat with furry, tan trim.
"So you're Pariah, I presume?" the man watched her.
"Yes…" she wondered if he really was who he said he was. "So you're Kanra?"
"I am. But you can call me Izaya in person. And what should I call you?" he sneered.
"Suzume," she muttered, unsure how to react to the situation. Being so confident before, she couldn't believe how adamant she suddenly was.
"Suzume… a name given to someone who is quite simple and creative... though that doesn't sound like you at all, now does it? A sparrow… or more commonly given to a mockingbird," he watched her.
"I guess…" she bit her lip lightly as she looked around, "Um… not to be rude, but just exactly, how old are you?"
"Relax, I'm only 23. I'm not that old. And you're 15, attending Raira Academy. You were bullied throughout middle school and wished you could die, but when the time seemed fit, you were too scared to go through with it.
"You decided that the next best thing was to take the life of Suki Motsumoto, the girl who made your life so difficult. You contacted your online friend known as 'Rima', but his real name was Yukio Hikari, who was once a member of the Blue Squares and requested that he kill her. He did so and you felt no remorse.
"You live alone with your brother who works all day and drinks all night. He neglects you emotionally and when you will admit it or not, you only do everything you do—the bottling up feelings, violence, and rebellion—because you wish for him to finally pay attention to you. It's your conscience's silent scream for help.
"Now you stand before Izaya Orihara. An information broker who loves the human race more than the Pope loves God. Understand that I feel no friendship toward you. I am simply using you as a means to read teenage activity."
Suzume watched Izaya with an apprehensive expression. Her anxious eyes watched his confidence burn her face as she uncomfortably shifted the weight of her body between her two feet. Was he going to kill her? She looked at the slip of paper in her hand that contained Masaomi Kida's phone number.
"Don't worry, my intention isn't to kill you," Izaya held his hands up. "I'd rather keep you alive; I'm observing your activity after all."
"So I'm simply an experiment to you?" Suzume narrowed her eyes.
"If you want to put it that way, then yes. I want to see how long your rebellious phase lasts—if you truly have no feelings other than fear," Izaya strode around the redhead slowly with an ear-to-ear grin painted onto his face.
Suzume didn't know what to say. She felt her heart race faster with every step Izaya took when he paced around her repeatedly. Why was he doing this to her? Was he trying to make her feel worse about herself?
"Are you going to say anything?" Izaya queried.
"Izaya! Don't you see this poor girl is umcomfert-able? Why do you prowl on her so harshly?" the large Russian accented black man tapped Izaya's shoulder.
"Take it easy, Simon. She's just surprised because this is our first meeting," Izaya laughed falsely.
"Okay then… do you want some sushi today? 's good! Discount, too!" he waved his board in front of Izaya's face.
"Not today, Simon. I'm leaving very soon."
"We just met and you're leaving?" Suzume contended.
"As an information broker, I have lots of jobs to tend to. You understand, don't you?" he leaned down, his face only inches from hers as he ignorantly smiled at her like a small child.
Suzume sighed, annoyed as she shook her head, "I'm eaving now then. I want to get home before it's too dark."
"Suit yourself," Izaya shrugged as he backed away. He disappeared behind Russia Sushi, leaving Suzume on her own. She was surprised he left so quickly without an argue.
She felt incredibly bewildered as she tried to recollect everything that had just happened. This was perhaps the most awkward meeting of her life, and it didn't exactly go well.
"How did the meeting go?" Kida suddenly appeared behind her.
"Wha!" Suzume was startled as she jumped forward.
"Hey, it's me! I figured you wouldn't know how to get home if I left you here," he smiled playfully, but noticed that Suzume's expression had a bit of discomfort to it. "Hey. Did Izaya say something to you?"
"He said a lot of things," Suzume murmured.
"He does that. What did he do this time?"
"I've been talking to him online for almost two years. And just now he said things to me that none of it really matters to him—he's only using it to observe teenager behavior."
"So you're his new favorite," Kida pursed his lips. "If you try to avoid him, things only get worse. Continue talking to him like normal, but whatever you do, don't let him manipulate you."
Suzume nodded.
"Where's the street you live on?"
"85th Avenue," she spoke quietly.
"Let's go then."
This was all strange to Suzume. Izaya was so different in person. And Kida was so different alone, rather than in a public crowd. She remembered the reason that she avoided boys for so long once more. They were so confusing and acted differently to get what they want.
When they got back to her home, Kida left her to herself as she entered the apartment. It was dark with the drapes covering the windows. The TV was on a channel full of static, so she checked to see if her brother was on the couch.
Ide was asleep on the couch with an empty bottle of whiskey next to him. She sighed as she turned the TV off and headed down the hall to her lonely bedroom, like she did on most nights when her brother decided to sleep off alcohol.
Maybe starting a gang isn't such a bad idea. Still… the consequences could be bad if things got out of hand…
The next morning, Suzume rose for school, getting into her uniform. It fit over her slender body perfectly. A slight curve was visible over her D cup breasts, but she was able to cover it with her jacket in most cases. She routinely put on her smoky coon-like eye makeup as she headed out the door for the bus.
When she got to school, everything was lonely as usual until she had gotten to her final period. She spent most of her time talking to Mayu, who seemed content in reaction while she held conversations with Suzume.
When school had ended, she walked back home, rather than taking the bus. She went inside, knowing that her brother was at work. Her first reaction, of course was to head back into her bedroom to use the computer.
Lifting her laptop open, she went onto the usual chats site she used to talk to her friends she had made. Coincidentally, three of them as well lived in Ikebukuro. Unlike normal, she decided to hold a group chat with these three friends.
Pariah: You guys all here?
Kanra: I am!
Rima: here.
Sachi: Preparing for duty!
Pariah: So, I have a question. Do you guys know people? Like… people who are considered to be outcasts who are slightly rebellious?
Kanra: I know people.
Rima: Of course.
Sachi: I know a few guys and girls… why?
Pariah: Well, I have an idea, and it's a bit crazy, but bear with me!
Pariah: I want to start a secret color gang.
Sachi: Really!
Rima: Secret? If we wear colors, it'll be noticed a mile away.
Pariah: I thought about that. We wouldn't wear obvious clothing by day.
Pariah: What if we wore rings instead? Rings with the colored gem, so we can figure out who's in with us. And by night, we can wear our actual colors in our clothes.
Kanra: Sounds interesting… I know a few people who'd be intrigued by this.
Sachi: Well I'm in! I'll talk to my buddies about it!
Rima: Same.
Kanra: What color would the rings have?
Pariah: Good question… something that wouldn't be expected I guess. Something that hasn't been used.
Sachi: Pink?
Rima: I am NOT wearing pink!
Pariah: No, no. Darker.
Rima: Green?
Pariah: I don't really like that color.
Kanra: How about purple?
Sachi: That sounds cool!
Rima: I'm fine with that, actually.
Pariah: Purple… yeah that sounds good. I have a lot of purple, too!
Sachi: If I recall, there's a small jewelry shop near the new book store that sells rings of colored stones.
Kanra: There is. Well there you go! Now all you need is a hideout.
Rima: The old warehouse by the river?
Kanra: The Yellow Scarves used that area. Probably not a good idea.
Sachi: there's an abandoned elementary school by the junkyard outside of Ikebukuro. No one ever goes there!
Rima: Didn't someone just buy that?
Kanra: I wouldn't worry about who bought it. No one will be using it, trust me.
Pariah: Well then, I guess it's settled.
Sachi: Yay! We're in a gang! What would we do?
Pariah: I know Rima will do anything… what about you Sachi? How far are you willing to go before you get too scared?
Sachi: It depends I guess… but maybe you could add different areas to the gang so that some people work in one area and others will work with something else?
Pariah: Well I was thinking of having an assassin squad within the gang. But we don't kill random people. We'd kill criminals who are on the run.
Rima: Sounds kickass. I'd love doing that.
Pariah: Me too.
Sachi: What could I do?
Pariah: We could have some people who just catch criminals and bring them to the base. Or people who try to knock out other gangs trying to interfere with us. Really, there are no rules… just don't go overboard with the freedom. Or I'll find you. (;
Kanra: What about a name for the gang?
Pariah: Oh yeah… well I have one actually that I just thought of... Violet Vendetta?
Rima: …That sounds pretty cool actually!
Kanra: Very clever meaning.
Pariah: We should use nicknames, too. That way, we don't get in trouble outside of the gang.
Sachi: I call Kaira!
Rima: I'll be called Seer.
Kanra: I don't wish to officially take part in this gang, but if I stop by, I'm just Kanra.
Pariah: Okay. I'll be Eris.
Rima: Well I'll get off to call my friends about this then. Talk to you all later!
-Rima has signed off-
Sachi: Same! This is so exciting!
-Sachi has signed off-
Kanra: Looks like it's just you and me.
Pariah: Indeed…
Kanra: I didn't mean to scare you yesterday! I was just having a little fun with you!
Pariah: Yet you were completely serious?
Kanra: Well, yeah! I can be serious and mess with you at the same time, right?
Pariah: I don't know… can you?
Kanra: You weren't that scared, were you?
Pariah: A better word is uncomfortable.
Kanra: Ha!
Kanra: Hey have you heard of a fellow named Shizuo Heiwajima?
Pariah: The guy that throws vending machines?
Kanra: That's him! He has a real bone to pick with me. You should stop by Russia Sushi again sometime to see if I'm around… he tends to find me there a lot and gets angry.
Kanra: Oh… and I see you took my advice to start a gang then? Well done.
-Kanra has signed off-
Suzume narrowed her eyes, wondering why he suddenly left in the middle of the conversation without a goodbye. Trying not to let it bother her too much, she looked over the entire conversation in silence, almost excited for what was about to come. Soon, she'd be the leader of Violet Vendetta—a new color gang of Ikebukuro.