Seven Ghosts
Part Two
Chapter Nine
Two Ghosts
Warning: SPOILERS
{[Ryugamine Mikado]}
Kanra wants to private chat 11:32:52pm
Kanra: Hey there Tanaka, I have a request for you.
I blink, worry suddenly clenching my gut. It was never a good sign when Orihara wanted to private chat with me. His girly and joking air as Kanra in the chatroom had been strained that evening – he was typing much slower than usual and he seemed distracted.
Tanaka Taro: What's up?
Kanra: I need you to post something up on the Dollars forum, it's kind of important.
Tanaka Taro: Why don't you do it? You're a member too.
Kanra: But you're the administrator. People take you seriously. And this is such a small thing, you see. Those wonderful people you control would be happy to do it...
I cringe at the word control. Orihara has helped me many times over my first year here in Ikebukuro, and nothing he did came for free. The fact that he was asking me a favor was …
Tanaka Taro: What's the catch?
Kanra: Catch? LOL. You think that lowly of meeeeee~ ne?
Tanaka Taro: They wouldn't take me seriously if it weren't for you, you know, keeping my identity a secret and all. Though since that whole Yellow Scarves things, there have been rumors, and it worries me. My saving grace is this obnoxiously famous sounding name. I would ask before you even tell me what your favor is that you quell the whispers if you know what I mean...
Kanra: Done. Do you have a Twitter?
Tanaka Taro: Huh? Yeah … I guess so, but I hardly tweet. I think it's kind of stupid.
Kanra: Would you start a trend hashtag for me? And have every Dollar out there do it too?
I frown. What in the world...?
Tanaka Taro: What is this about, really?
Izaya pauses. I can't tell if he's typing a long response or simply considering the question and how to answer it. The latter seems to be true, as his reply is short.
Kanra: It's a dying request.
I absorb that and continue typing.
Tanaka Taro: From who?
Kanra: Someone very important to Shizu-chaaaaan ;)
Tanaka Taro: Sooo... you're taking your wars online then? He's not even on the forums that much you know. I didn't even know he had a Twitter. He doesn't seem the type. His account says that he's turned off mobile notifications for forum updates, how in the world are you going to get at him with this?
Kanra: Please don't worry about that, Mika-chan. I promise your everyday life will not be affected in the slightest. Will you do it or not?
I lean back and purse my lips, looking at the clock. It's late and there is school tomorrow, but it wouldn't take too long to follow through on the small request. And if its a dying wish of someone...
Tanaka Taro: Okay. What's the hashtag?
Kanra: #peoplelove. Follow me on Twitter as Nakura to retweet, here is the link: .com/Nakura
Tanaka Taro: K.
Kanra: Mikado-san. Thank you. This means a lot to me.
Kanra: Are you still there?
Tanaka Taro: You're the one dying, aren't you?
There is a long pause in the typing.
Kanra has logged out 11:49:02pm.
Oh wow...
Bacula: Still there, Tanaka? Coz you HAVE to see this YouTube video …
Bacula: .com/watch/the_wrong_vagina
Setton: Sounds vulgar
Bacula: It is ^_^
Saika: Where did Kanra go?
Bacula: She can go die for all I care.
Tanaka Taro: I think her IP ping timed out. It's late, I'm not sure she'll be back.
Saika: Oh. Well it is late, I think I'll head out too.
Tanaka Taro: Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, I need some sleep.
Setton: BACULA, THAT'S BEYOND VULGAR.
Bacula: ROFL ROFL ROFL ROFL!
Saika has logged out 11:52:34pm
Tanaka Taro: G'night.
Setton: Good night, Tanaka. Bacula, we shall have words.
Bacula: Just be glad I didn't send you to Two-Girls-One-Cup!
Setton: Ugh.
Setton has logged out 11:53:40pm
Tanaka Taro has logged out 11:53:55pm
Bacula: Suckeeeeeers XD
Bacula has logged out 11:54:11pm
There is no one in the chatroom.
It took a few minutes to really all come together. It was entirely possible that Orihara was being facetious when claiming that he was important to Heiwajima, and the more I thought about it the more likely the scenario was. He was messing with the man, as anyone who knew Orihara even marginally well knew that "People love" or anything along the lines of declaring his love for humans was sort of his thing. Even Heiwajima.
Given his response to my inquiry, Orihara thought he was dying somehow, some way. Maybe this didn't have anything to do with Heiwajima, as he just loved to throw around that he always had the upper hand over the ex-bartender. Using the Dollars to those ends didn't surprise me, but …
I'm not sure how I felt about Orihara Izaya not being in the picture anymore.
He was a thorn in everyone's side, but an irritatingly invaluable asset to anyone who had a stake in anything in Ikebukuro. He'd helped me out a lot, and for a fraction of the price he usually charged the big guns, considering my wallet was pathetically accurate to my age and position. Sometimes even for free out of "respect."
Whatever that meant.
I logged onto Twitter, found Nakura and subscribed to him, reading over his tweets and mentions with curiosity.
Older Tweets
Nakura April 22ndAhhh what a lovely day in Ikebukurooooo~ wonder when the vending machines will start to rain? :)
Heiwaranbou April 22ndNakura you're dead, asshole
Nakura April 22ndThere they are!
Nakura April 22nd Fuck it
Nakura April 22nd … that was weird
Nakura April 23rdFeel like crap today. Ooh, I know. Ootoru. Fatty tuna solves everything 3 #sushilove
Nakura April 23rd RT Heiwaranbou Life just keeps getting more and more fucked up...
Nakura April 23rd SUNSHINE 60 I AM IN YOU
Nakura 16 hrs ago Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow …
Nakura 10 hrs ago Ooooooh more narcotics!
Nakura 8 hrs ago Dullahan_Love you rock you creepy doctor you!
Dullahan_Love 8 hrs ago Nakura stop overdoing it, moron
Nakura 8 hrs ago Dullahan_Love So mean! I live to overdo life!
Nakura 3 hrs ago SECOND GHOST next #maybe?
Nakura 9 mins ago I love humans because they exceed my expectations #peoplelove
Hmmm...
Overly_Ordinary just now Nakura I love humans because there is good in everyone, whether they realize it or not #peoplelove
I logged onto the forums and thought out carefully what I would post.
Admin April 24th 2010, 11:58:43pm
I have a request. A good friend of mine is dying. I don't know how, but he will be gone soon, and I want to oblige one last wish of his. His love for humanity is large, if not twisted, and I know some of yours is too. I know I have faith in humanity, and I want to express that for him. He has a Twitter account, and if you would trend his hashtag, it would make him very happy. Here is the link: .com/Nakura
Tell him why he shouldn't lose faith in humanity or himself. Trend #peoplelove.
Thanks.
I turn the computer off and put my ringer on silent, knowing that there would be a massive amount of replies. There always are when I post as the Admin and not a proxy account. I lay down on my mat and stare at the ceiling for a long time, wondering what Orihara was thinking, and what I would do in his position. It would be hard not to lose hope.
I could at least do this for him. Because as strange as Orihara Izaya was, I didn't want him to die. And if he really was going to … I wanted him to experience real happiness at least once.
"Good luck, Orihara-san," I whisper into my pillow as I drift off.