Okay everyone! Long chapter to compensate for the long wait! Here's chapter 17. And please, do let me know about the pacing of the story. Too fast? Too slow?

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Disclaimer - I do not own Durarara.

CHAPTER 17

One week later

"Have you seen that hot new teacher? She's beautiful. If only I were older, I would've wooed her and taken her away from this hell hole like a knight in shining armour. What do you think, Mikado?"

The boy in question, with his head in the clouds, jolted from his erstwhile reverie about the girl he liked, and stared blankly at his former childhood friend, who was in his traditional melodramatic pose, one hand on heart and the other hand high up in the air, as if serenading. Mikado sighed, and hoped he had misheard Masaomi. She was a teacher, for god's sake. For once in his life he hoped Anri would come soon to their usual lunch spot to meet them, just to distract Masaomi. But unfortunately, Anri apparently had some bug and had been granted an earlier leave from the day.

Oblivious to Mikado's inner musings, Masaomi continued, "Apparently she's a foreigner, and is teaching us English. Wow, an English lady teaching us English! For real!"

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"Wait at the preschool for half an hour after it gets over, and play with the toys if you have nothing to do. Then I'll have my lunch hour, when I can come and pick you up. I have also spoken to the teachers about this. So you can stay here, okay?"

"Okay Mama."

Natasha beamed at her daughter. Here she was, finally at her first day of school, a week after coming to a new country. And she wasn't even crying, like so many else were, even half a year after they'd attended it. Raira pre-school wasn't very far from Raira High School, it was a five minutes distance. She could leave during her lunch break, drop Sophie home, have lunch with her, and still be back at school for the remaining two classes.

She thought back to the day her acceptance letter arrived from Raira. Most schools rejected her application letter, citing that they couldn't possibly hire a teacher in the middle of the school year. Which was fair enough. Two however accepted her, one being Raira and the other being a school on the other side of town. She chose Raira, because it was closer to where she lived.

Things had worked out well. Very well. Too well, in fact.

At the time she got her application, she was giddy with joy and anticipation at her luck, since Sophie had gotten into the preschool the day before. But now, as she walked down to Raira High School with a clear head, she couldn't help but think that way.

She sighed and shook her head. Now there was nothing that could be done. She accepted the position, and was determined to do a good job. Nothing would stand in her way. Besides, she had had enough of constantly looking over her shoulder while living. Now, she would live life on her own terms. In the city that first taught her to hope and to love.

In Ikebukuro.

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She entered the teacher's lounge, which was just as she remembered it. The staff present greeted her with subdued enthusiasm, with pats on the shoulder as they left for their respective classes, promising her a better welcome during the lunch hour. Natasha ran her hands over her pencil skirt, smoothening it. She glanced at her schedule, and left for her first class.

She had not anticipated meeting the Saika mother and the Leader of the Dollars so early in the morning.

"Allow me to introduce myself," said the new English teacher in perfect Japanese. She was definitely not a Japanese native, considering her bright red hair, tied in a bun sitting atop her head, pale smooth skin, and bright green eyes. She was pretty, yes, but Anri Sonohara couldn't help thinking that there was something off about her. Something off, but remarkably similar to her own aura. She couldn't name it, but it was there. As if reading her thoughts, the teacher kept looking at Anri throughout the course of her introduction.

Anri shook her head, dismissing her actions as a figment of her imagination. After all, why would someone be interested in a person as low and depraved as herself?

"….studied in Japan for a few years, wherein due to unavoidable circumstances, had to shift to Geneva…" at this point, she shifted slightly, as though she were uncomfortable about the topic. At this point, Saika started calling out to her.

Love, love. Love. We have decided we love the woman. We wish to cut her. We wish to love her. Ascott. Natasha Ascott. We will remember that name. I love you, I love you, I love you Natasha. You're like us, Natasha. I love you, I love you, I love…"

Most of the times, Saika would not be so persistent. Over the course of time, she had learnt to control and wield it well. The few times Saika did act on her own were the times when Anri was exposed to certain circumstances that left her vulnerable. Basically, Saika acted as a defense mechanism, which would strike when Anri was weakened. Weakened by love, hatred, fear, Saika did not distinguish. She only knew how to love, and would show her love by cutting. And would do it when Anri could not contain it. A type of symbiotic relationship, if you may.

However, this was a different situation. Anri was not threatened at that moment. She was in school, in a safe environment. Saika's sudden appearance had thrown her off and her eyes began going red. Anri struggled to contain it within herself when she felt a sword coming out from the left calf without her consent. She looked up at the teacher, who was still talking to the class. Saika's voice became louder.

I love her. I love her. I love, I love. I want to cut. I want to cut her.

Anri's eyes widened with fear when she felt the sword penetrate through the skin of her calf. It didn't hurt, it never did, but she did feel her skin tear up a bit. She continued resisting Saika's voice, even as it became louder and louder and eventually drowned out the teacher's voice. Her fists balled up, she screwed her eyes shut and decided to wait it out.

As soon as she made this decision she heard from across the room, someone murmuring, "Mother," and she heard the chair drag across the floor as he prepared to get up. So Saika's children are in this class as well. Of course she would use them.

Before any untoward incident could happen, Anri sprang up from her seat. "Excuse me!" she said, in a panicked voice, and ran out of the room, far away from the teacher.

The boy, confused as to why he had gotten up, sat down again.

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Received!

"Oh, alright then, Black Biker. We'll call you again the next time we have a job. Thank you very much for you diligence." Said Haruya Shiki, lowering his head in gratitude. It never failed to amaze Celty that even after paying her so much for her services, he was still humble and polite, a stark contrast to a lot of her other clients. It may be so that she may not approve of the Awakusu-kai, but she had no problems with them personally. They treated her very well.

Waving her hand at him, she sped off into the sunset, intent on making it home before sunset and making Shinra dinner. Yellow fishtail seems like a good idea. He seems to like it a lot. She thought idly.

On the way back, she passed the bridge which she frequented, and recollected meeting Shizuo there almost a week ago. I wonder how he's doing. He didn't seem in a very good phase of mind that time. But one good thing that came out of it was that she finally heard of Natasha from the man himself.

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A week ago

Shizuo had just finished his soft drink and was leaning over the bridge railing, lighting up a cigarette when he heard the familiar neighing of a horse, followed by the screeching of tyres brought to a halt. He turned around to see Celty getting off her faithful steed Shooter and walk over towards him. She took her place next to him and leaned against the railing, taking in the light breeze.

After a while, she realised Shizuo had opened and closed his mouth multiple times. She realised he had something to say, but wasn't quite sure how to put it across. She decided to make the first move.

Is everything all right?

Shizuo stared at her PDA for quite some time, the smoke from his cigarette forming a small cloud in front of him. Then he pulled it out and crushed it beneath his shoe.

"No, Celty. It isn't."

Celty, for some reason, had an inkling that it was with respect to Natasha. She couldn't explain why, but she knew. She let him continue.

"You know, I wasn't always alone. Like, how you have Shinra? I had someone too."

He sighed, and continued. "Her name was Natasha, Natasha Ascott. She was from Ireland, just like you. She was also not exactly human, like us."

Then he amended himself. "Nah, not like us exactly. People weren't afraid of her like they are of us. She looked human and behaved human. She was what is called… a mutant, I think."

Celty had heard this before from Natasha, but wanted to hear it from Shizuo again.

"She had superhuman abilities. Like, she could make things fly. Wait, there's a word for that….it's telekinesis." A ghost of a smile graced his face and Celty wondered about the story behind that. But decided to ask later. Shizuo wasn't one to talk about his past very often, she decided to just let him talk this time.

That's not very different from you. You're both humans with extraordinary abilities. She couldn't help but point out.

"Yeah I know, but in Natasha's case, she's had her mutation since birth. She could control it really well. My case, however, it's not a mutation, it's just my temper. And….. We all know how well that works out." He unconsciously clenched his fists.

"I loved her, Celty. I loved her, then I lost her. I lost her quite a few times, actually. And every time I thought it was for good. But then she came back. She always did. Like, this one time…." He smiled sadly and shook his head. Then with a quirky expression, pointing to his shades, he said, "My purple shades."

The sudden change in topic threw Celty off. Huh?

"She bought it for me. At my high school fest."

You went to one of your school fests? Really? You didn't seem the type who would go around socializing with people, much less actually go to a fest.

"Ahh well…" He trailed off, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "I wasn't gonna go. Not initially. But then, well….. I changed my mind." He ended abruptly.

I see. So how does that story go? She found herself asking, and surprised by it. She wasn't a gossipmonger, not by any means. She couldn't afford to be one, not with her job as transporter. She had never prodded Shizuo this way, but her curiosity about his relationship with Natasha took over. Not to mention, Shizuo might have noticed her sudden interest in his relationship, and could get suspicious. She apologized almost instantly.

It's okay if you don't want to, I mean, it's your business entirely. Ah! Look at the time. I'd better get going! See you!

"Ah, okay Celty. See you some other time!" Waved Shizuo as he saw her climb into Shooter and speed off on the highway, confused by her sudden departure. And also, by her sudden interest in his relationship. He had no problem in telling her about it, she was a dear friend. But she had never before been so curious. Ah, maybe she was becoming more and more human by the day. He smiled, his heart felt lighter, as he walked back to his apartment, intent on calling Tom-san and getting back to work the next day, regardless of what his senpai had said earlier. All this free time was driving him mad, and making him remember things he didn't want to.

Not to mention, the damn flea early in the morning. His face deepened into a scowl as he remembered that the flea had taken that paper in his pocket. Not that he would do anything with that address written on that paper, he reminded himself silently.

Yes, he needed a distraction from all this. There were too many things happening in Ikebukuro. As if on cue, his chest tightened slightly. Not in pain, but like there was a weight sitting on top of him, and it didn't seem like one which he could simply push off with his superhuman strength. He was reminded of the cold chill he had felt in the morning, as he sat in the park, and clenched his fists.

Just who was the bastard framing all these events?
Something told him it wasn't Izaya.

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AAAAND THE FATEFUL PREMONITION ;)

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