The Distance A Raindrop Falls

By: AtomicKokoro

Storyline

Set five years after the end of Durarara. Peace seem to have finally fallen in their lives, but one wrong word brings everyone back together for one last round of war.

…

Before You Read

This might be the last chapter.

Why?

I don't know.

On with the story.

…

Chapter 10

Divided

34 Takeshita Street; Harajuku, Shibuya

December 22, 2015, 5:29 AM

There was a quiet ticking of the clock and a faucet dripping in the kitchen. It was enough to wake Masaomi from his light, dreamless sleep. He blinked sleepily and glanced at the clock. Five-thirty. He blinked and looked down.

He and Saki were cuddled on the couch. His head rested on hers as she leaned onto his shoulder, his arm around her waist. His t-shirt was half-dry from tears. He moved slowly, not to wake Saki, and lifted his head. Quietly, he slipped out from under her, holding her still, and laid her gently on the couch. She stirred but didn't wake.

He disappeared into the bedroom for a moment and came back with a light sheet, covering her in it so she would be warm.

His vision blurred for a moment then refocused when a few salted tears rolled down his cheeks. This might be the last time he'd ever see her. And never before in his life did she ever seem so beautiful. He swallowed, trying to control his breathing. He brushed some hair from her eyes and shut his eyes for a moment. "I love you," he whispered and kissed her on the forehead.

Saki didn't make any noise, simply breathing deeply in her sleep. He wished he could see those misty gray eyes one last time but he didn't want to wake her from whatever dream she was having to bring her to a reality neither of them could face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and held his breath to swallow back a few sobs. He could almost watch her forever...

He knew he couldn't wait any longer. His train would arrive in ten minutes. Slowly, he stood and, wiping away his tears, he turned to the door and kicked on his shoes. He looked back for a moment. He had nothing more to say.

Masaomi turned and opened the door, closing it gently behind him.

…

Aoba's Apartment; Ikebukuro, Toshima

December 22, 2015, 6:52 AM

Mikado had all the numbers he needed programed into his phone. Aoba was behind him, texting one half of the Blue Squares about where to go, when to meet, what to bring, and what to prepare for. This half met with the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars by Sunshine Sixty. Mikado texted the second half of the Blue Squares and told them to meet with the Evergreens at the end of Kurabuya Street and await for further orders.

Half-way through all this, Mikado realized there was a slight problem; the Saika.

Knowing which ones Anri had decided to control was impossible to know as none of the people being controlled by Saika would ever know they had been cut or that they had done something without them knowing. Mikado frowned. Anri should be on his side. Not the Dollars. Not the Evergreens.

He flipped out his phone and began to text her. Things should go as planned.

If they didn't...

Mikado bit his lip then closed his phone and shoved it in his pocket. He stood and Aoba stood with him. "Let's hurry to Sunshine 60," he said quietly. "We're going to be late."

…

Sunshine 60; Ikebukuro, Toshima

December 22, 2015, 6:55 AM

Anri and Kyohei were there before anyone else. There were Dollars and Saika scattered every among the people who had no idea what was about to go down. Kyohei was nervous about the number of Evergreens that were appearing.

Kyohei didn't bother to look when Anri opened her phone and glanced at a text. She gave a small frown and folded her phone again. Kyohei noted the tension. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"It's him," she replied quietly. She flipped open her phone and showed him the text.

Dollars

Unknown

Who's side are you on?

She was the only one who received the text. They both knew it was Mikado talking to her but he somehow didn't want her to know.

Kyohei sighed and looked forward. "Just stick to your own side," he said evenly. "That's what we are all doing."

"Guys."

Kyohei and Anri turned at the voice. They would have smiled if the circumstances weren't so dire. It was Masaomi who was walking towards them, looking ready for a fight. The secondary Dollars leader noticed the pistol from earlier in it's holster on his belt. Kyohei frowned. "Is that necessary?" he asked.

"I don't want you to have to tell Saki," he replied carefully. "that I'm dead." Kyohei continued to stare. "It's for emergency's only."

Anri looked around nervously. People were beginning to stop and gather around the Sunshine 60. "This is going to be a wreck for profits," she said quietly. "The Sunshine 60 will be closed until the war is over."

"The war will be far from over," Masaomi said, looking over the street. Kyohei and Anri were quiet. "Anri, Kyohei and I will be taking the Dollars and the Yellow Scarves all across Central Tokyo to make sure there are no more Evergreens."

"I should come," she replied. "There are a lot, but I found out that they have a thin density."

Kyohei and Masaomi looked at her, confused. "Huh?"

"There may be a lot of them," Anri continued. "but there are a lot less Evergreens over an area than there are Dollars and Yellow Scarves combined. Such as Toshima. If we fight only the Evergreens in Toshima, the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars outnumber them by a lot."

"Really?" Kyohei replied. "but I thought they were spread out all over Toshima compared to the Dollars and Yellow Scarves only in Ikebukuro."

Anri shook her head. "Remember," she said. "the Dollars aren't just a gang from Ikebukuro like the Yellow Scarves."

Masaomi and Kyohei looked at each other, a glimmer of hope shining just a bit brighter. They might live through it after all.

"It's seven'o'clock." Kyohei and Masaomi checked the time on their phones and nodded.

"One more hour," Masaomi whispered.

And they went silent.

…

Izaya's Apartment; Somewhere in Shinjuku

December 22, 2015, 7:03 PM

Izaya threw on his coat and kicked on his shoes. He fiddled around for his keys and cellphone and shoved them in his coat pocket.

It was the first time in five years Namie saw him wear that black fur coat. It was almost as though the old Izaya was back, minus the unsure scowl on his face. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" she asked carefully yet in her usual sarcastic manor.

"Out," he replied quickly. "I'm going to Ikebukuro." Namie shifted her weight to one foot and put her hand on her hip. "I'm going to watch the Second War."

"That's what you dubbed it?" she sighed. "How unoriginal."

Izaya gave her a small glare. Slowly, he gave his usual knowing, sneaky smirk then hurried out the door, closing it gently behind him. Namie stared at the door for a moment. It was better seeing him go out for once with that smile than with watching him spin in his desk chair with a frown.

She smiled a bit, then went back to work.

…

Somewhere in Toshima

December 22, 2015, 7:05 PM

"We have...half of the Blue Squares on our side?" the voice repeated, puzzled from the gesture.

Akako nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "I think the kid is crazy because he's using the other half against us."

"He must be planning something," the voice mused quietly. "Can we trust him?"

There was hesitation. "Maybe," he replied. "He's given us true information and has not pulled any aggressive actions..."

There was more thinking, more hesitation. "For now," he said. "but I want him with you the whole time. If he pulls anything funny, kill him."

Akako nodded, despite the other line couldn't see him. "I'll tell him soon. I'll get in contact with you when the war starts."

There was a quick goodbye and Akako quickly dialed another number. He waited until the other line picked up. "Hello?"

"Hello, Mikado," Akako said, carefully planning his next words. "Listen. I need you here at Grand Heights of the Second War, if you don't mind."

Mikado stopped dead in his tracks. Half because he saw Masaomi and Anri outside Sunshine 60 and half because of the choice of words Akako made. "Second War," he said quietly. "You've been talking to Izaya."

"That's none of your business," Akako snapped. "If you don't come to Grand Heights by eight'o'clock, I'll take out all of your Blue Squares."

The line when dead and Mikado found himself staring at his phone. Then, he flipped it close and turned to Aoba. "Change of plans," he said quickly. "We're going to Grand Heights."

Aoba blinked twice, confused. "What? Why?"

"I need him to trust me," he said quietly. "Besides. I have a plan."

With that, Mikado turned on his heel and began in the direction of Grand Heights, Aoba following behind him.

…

34 Takeshita Street; Harajuku, Shibuya

December 22, 2015, 7:28 PM

Saki woke to the sound of her phone ringing through the silence of her dreams. Slowly, she opened her eyes, tired, cloudy gray irises almost misting over her pupils until she blinked away the dizziness and leaned up.

Masaomi was gone. It was seven-twenty-nine.

He would be fighting in half-an-hour.

Upset, she reached for her phone and flipped it open, not bothering to check the caller ID, praying it was Masaomi. "Hello?" she asked dazedly into the mic.

"Get out of there." Saki sat up straight, instantly awake. She was confused for a moment. Before she could ask who it was, the voice continued, "Not through the front door. Find another way out."

She jumped off the couch and ran to the front door, slipping her shoes on and heading for the fire escape on the opposing side of the room. She jumped out and slipped on the icy metal. The front door burst open with a kick and Saki hit the deck, crawling up against the wall.

She held the phone up to her ear but didn't speak.

"Where is she?" someone snapped, looking around. "He said she'd be here."

"Maybe the information was wrong," another voice suggested. Something fell on it's side, something crashing, something breaking. Saki held her breath. "She's not here."

"Dammit," the first voice growled. "C'mon."

They didn't shut the front door on their way out.

Saki slowly got to her knees, peeking through the window to see if they really were gone. "Leave," the voice in the phone commanded. "Go to Meguro. It will be safer there."

The line went dead as soon as they finished their words. Saki jumped up and started down the fire escape, then stopped halfway down. She looked at the phone, which was still open, in her hand. She thought about it for a moment. She could go to Meguro.

She clicked a few buttons and checked her Caller's Log.

She didn't know the number. She didn't know the ID.

It didn't make sense. Why would he call her?

Kasuka Heiwajima.

Who the hell was that guy, anyway?

…

*Here's A Hint*

It wasn't Kasuka who called her.

…

Sunshine 60; Ikebukuro, Toshima

December 22, 2015, 7:56 PM

There were more people than Masaomi could count.

Snow slowly fell from the sky in balls of flakes. Gentle, falling stars. Breaths turned to white mist and noses were turning red. The morning bitterness was warming but it wasn't warm enough to keep them from shivering and shaking.

There was a helicopter in the sky. Kyohei looked up and saw the men in the doorway. "Kasuka?" he muttered. There was a pause, then, "Oh, I see..."

…

*What Kyohei Found Out*

Shizuo knew about the Second War that was about to go down. He told Kasuka and asked him to create a news broadcast to warn the Ikebukurians about it.

What they should have done was warn all of Central Tokyo.

…

Anri looked around nervously, her eyes red but the Saika unsheathed. "Where's Mikado?" she asked. "He should be here by now. The war is going to start very soon."

There was a pause as the three looked around hastily, hoping their friend was simply lost in the crowd. Instead of Mikado, they found someone else.

They were shocked to see him.

There was Izaya Orihara.

He was wearing his usual black fur coat. His usual black tee. His usual black jeans.

And his usual knowing, sly smirk.

"Izaya," Kyohei growled. "What are you doing here?"

It was a good question. Not once in five years had Izaya interfered or even appeared by any gangs wars, big or small, or by any strange crimes or events that came from Ikebukuro's restless wake. And not in five years had Izaya that knowing smile that just made everybody want to kill him.

It was almost refreshing.

"I thought I would watch the Second War," he replied with a sigh. This was Izaya. "I thought I could shake things up a bit. After all, war is one of the most interesting human phenomenons known to man, wouldn't you say?"

"Who's side are you on?" Masaomi asked. It was a crucial question but stupid one also.

Izaya smirked and sat on the steps behind them. "My own, of course," he said. "Just remember. Mikado isn't really on your side. And he isn't really on the Evergreens' side, either."

"What do you mean?"

"What I say I mean, of course." He gave a cat-like smile and Anri could have sworn he had purred. "Mikado is on his own side and you might be a fool to trust him."

Masaomi, Kyohei, and Anri were startled. If Mikado chose to take the Evergreens' side, it might all be over. The Second War wasn't looking so winnable anymore.

In the roar of the crowd, a phone went off.

For a moment, everyone stopped.

Another phone went off. And another. And another.

There were murmurs and whispers. Finally, the Dollars looked up and Masaomi stepped forward off the sidewalk onto the ice-layered street where the gangs were separated.

It took the breath of one man, a step forward, and a battle cry.

The Second War had begun.

…

After Notes

Waaaa! We're almost finished! So close to the end. What do you think? What will happen? I'm so excited! I'm not sure how it will end yet, if it will end in the next chapter, or the next, or the next!

Love it? Hate it? Wanna read it again? Let me know! The review button is right there!