Disclaimer: I DUN OWN
Melissa whistled as she walked down the street, looking around in thought. Her hair was down and she had some tucked behind her left ear. It was the day after she got moved in and had decided to explore her new home. Her eye makeup was the same as yesterdays, as was the necklace she wore. Her lips were a deep black color, she wore a white corset top with black flower patterns, a black frumpy skirt with black and white striped thigh high socks, black and white striped fingerless gloves that went to her elbow, and knee high stiletto boots.
Cathy and she spent the night talking and getting to know each other, and it turned out they both liked weird things. So the oddball girl was pretty happy about that. She ignored the odd looks she got, calmly walking down the street, looking around. She blinked, suddenly stopping short when a cardboard cutout just randomly appeared before her…
"Well hello Miss Cutout, what are youuuu doing all alone in the street? Herrrmmmm?" Melissa asked, leaning down a bit to look the cut out in the eye. Suddenly two people popped up from behind the cutout, one man whose eyes seemed closed, and a girl with a cut hat. "Ah ha! I knew someone wouldn't leave this awesome cutout all alone!" Melissa exclaimed. The girl blinked, before sticking out her hand.
"Hi I'm Erika! That's Walker! That's Saburo and that Dotachin!" The man tagged 'Dotachin' sighed.
"Kadota." He said, Melissa grinned.
"I'm Melissa! It's nice to meet you guys." She chirped. It was obvious that her strange manner of dress caught their eye, but they seemed not to care.
"Ooohhh you were the girl that got hit with Shizuo's vending machine yesterday! Are you okay?" Erika asked, looking Melissa over. Melissa had a large, dark bruise over her right shoulder that moved down her back and up her neck a bit.
"Yeah, just a bit sore, and bruised." She said, rolling her shoulder and smiling.
"So ya new here?" Walker asked, peering at her. She nodded.
"Oh she can join us for lunch! And we can show her allll the best anime and manga stops!" Erika exclaimed, looking up at the girl. Melissa nodded, grinning.
"Sounds fun! I was just getting a bit hungry too!" She grinned, helping Erika and Walker get the stuff they bought in the van before climbing in with them calmly. She wasn't worried about being kidnapped or whatever that one would normally worry about. She sat between Erika and Walker, both of them staring at her.
"You dress weird." Erika said bluntly, like a little child. Melissa laughed softly and nodded.
"I do, but this is the style I like, and if it makes me a weirdo or noticeable then it does. I don't care if people don't like it. I do and that's all that matters." She said calmly, the others hummed and nodded. She looked out the window in thought.
"So what brings you to Ikebukuro?" Kadota asked, looking back at her from the front seat.
"The pursuit of knowledge one cannot gain in a small village." Melissa said, smiling. They made it to the restaurant and Melissa blinked, slipping out with them in thought. She saw a tall, black Russian accented man and happily walked over. The man looked at her, blinking her frowned.
"You're hurt?" He said, his accent thick.
"Oh, it's fine, I was just at the wrong end of a flying vending machine, I'm doing much better." Simon blinked, nodding he grinned.
"You come in, eat sushi! It makes you feel better!" Melissa beamed at the man.
"Okay!" She marched in with Kadota's group and they calmly got a private booth. She sat, her legs crossed and her knees bumping the table.
"So Melissa, you should know a few things." Kadota started, the girl nodded for him to continue. "Shizuo and Izaya aren't exactly people you want to hang around. Shizuo's okay, but when he gets angry he tends to throw things." Melissa nodded. "But Izaya is a different story all together. Stay as far away from him as you possibly can. He's bad news.' Melissa nodded, frowning.
"What exactly does Izaya do, might I ask, that makes him so feared?" She asked, frowning as Simon got them tea and took their orders.
"He's in information broker, but he enjoys fucking with people. He's got a bunch of teenage followers and what not, they will do anything for him, and I mean anything. There are a few who will kill themselves for him, and he uses these girls just for his own amusement. He starts all kinds of fights then leaves like a coward. He's just bad news all around." Melissa nodded.
"Okay." She said, frowning in thought. She saw Shizuo walk in and she grinned, waving. "Hiiiiiiii!" He looked over and grunted a hello, sitting down.
"Well then." Kadota said.
"We are neighbors, he probably just feels bad about hitting me yesterday." She said calmly, shrugging. Kadota nodded calmly. Simon brought their food and Melissa ate, smiling as she listened to Erika and Walker talk about all the anime stuff they got.
"So, what about the gangs around here?" Melissa asked Kadota hummed calmly.
"I'd stay away from the Yellow Scarves, and the few Blue Squares that are left." He said, frowning. "There is another gang, their okay. It's an anonymous online gang called the Dollars, anyone could be one, they aren't harmful or anything like that. They just do as they please and gather together for nonviolent things, stuff like that." He said. Melissa nodded.
"I see, well I'll be careful." She said, smiling. They ate calmly, chatting as Melissa smiled happy with her newfound friends. After they finished they paid and hopped up. Erika and Walker started dragging Melissa around, showing her all the anime stores. And Melissa was having happy otaku moments as well!
Before they knew it night had fallen upon them.
"Well we gotta go. See you soon!" Erika sang. Melissa nodded.
"Yeah see you guys soon!" Melissa chirped, before she turned, walking down the street calmly. She walked down the street and soon passed the train station, a blonde getting to the top and spinning around, a shy looking boy with wide grey eyes and black hair following the hyper blonde whom introduced him to the city.
"Welcome to Ikebukuro Mikado." The blonde said. Melissa walked out of earshot, but smirked slightly.
"Yes. Welcome." She murmured walking. As she neared her house she was unaware of the man in the shadows, watching her like a hawk, his previous prey Rio having been abandoned for this new prey.
"Melissa Hirogatchi, this should be very fun." He said, before he disappeared.