Happy Wonderland

Izaya

Halo Twelve: Izaya:

Mikado was careful not to talk too much on the phone every number. He wouldn't talk about the box unless it was Masaomi or the girls. Luckily, the caller hadn't asked too many questions about any boxes or Noriko lately. That did little to put Mikado's mind at ease. He still expected that boot to drop hard.

"Ah, yes I was listening," Mikado said. "I was just thinking about something else."

Izaya knew they will kill him. He had a target on his back. Tandeki was never going to let him join the inner circle. The best thing he could do was to prove himself useful to preserve his longevity. Today's errand was no different.

Noriko followed Chiharu to the post office.

"Thanks for coming out with me today," Chiharu said.

"It's fine," Noriko said. "I didn't have much to do anyway." Her old friend turned her head.

"You just wanted to get out of going to therapy today, didn't you?"

Noriko giggled, sticking out her tongue. "Guilty."

"Why do you keep going?"

Her friend shrugged. "They'll probably keep calling me if I don't show up."

"Ah." The girls arrived at the post office. Chiharu turned to Noriko.

"I won't be too long," she said. "Please don't wander off."

"Alright," Noriko said. Chiharu walked into the post office. Twenty seconds later, Noriko heard someone say, "Oh, Nori-chan." She turned to see Izaya standing inches away from her. He smiled at her like a cat.

"I seemed to have misplaced my phone," Izaya said. "Could you help me find it?" Every fiber of her being screamed, "Run!"

"Where did you last leave it?" Noriko asked.

"I'm not sure," Izaya lied. "I had it with me this morning."

"Okay..." Noriko tilted her head. "Did you set it down somewhere?" The information broker rubbed his forehead.

"Oh, this is bad," he said. "I am expecting an important call today too."

"Alright, I'll help you," Noriko said at last.

"Thank you so much," Izaya said. His victim already regretted saying that as she followed him down the street. During the walk, the information broker glanced over his shoulder.

"Funny," he said. "I don't have any information on you."

"Huh?" Noriko asked.

"I know about everyone in this city. But you..." Izaya turned around. "I dug up every file on you, but it comes up fake or empty. Why is that?"

Noriko froze as she had the feeling of déjà vu with these questions. "What are you saying?"

"Do you know where your parents were born?"

"No."

"Do you know your parents' names?"

"No."

"Do you even know who your parents are?"

She shook her head. "I... I don't know. I..."

"Where you born?"

"Tokyo."

Izaya shook his head. "No, you weren't."

"I was."

"No you weren't." His gaze made her feel like she was shrinking. Noriko's eyes widened as she began to panic. She rested her fist to her chest.

"What you want with me?" she asked.

"For you to be honest," Izaya said.

"About what?"

"Everything."

"But what do you mean?"

"Oh, there you are!" a voice spoke up. Izaya and Noriko looked up and saw Chiharu jogging towards her. She grabbed her friend by the wrist.

"I told you not to wander off," Chiharu said.

"She didn't wander off," Izaya said. "She was helping me finding my phone."

"Shut up, you weasel!" Chiharu hissed.

"Bye," Izaya said, waving as the girl dragged away her startled friend. He pulled out his phone from his coat pocket.

"I did as you said," Izaya said.

"Good, good," Junko said on the other line. "That will be all for today."

On the other side of the street, Makoto and Evie had just walked out a store when Noriko and Izaya were talking minutes before. That brief exchange made Makoto freeze. His heart raced against his chest as his head began to spin. The pulses of the wasteland came with the painful questions. Why? Why does she have her voice?

Meanwhile at an elementary school, a teacher was in the middle of teaching her class when a violent attack hit her. She began to have vision herself being naked and on fours. The images only came in bits and pieces, but they were so strong that they made her tremble. She could see a pair of strong hands around her throat from behind, her ankles and wrists tied down to a bed, and her mouth around a huge, throbbing...

"Yamazaki-sensei, are you feeling okay?" Awakusu Akane asked from her desk. The teacher pressed her hand to her head as she shook it.

"No," she said. "Everyone... study group for the rest of the period." The students whispered amongst themselves as Yamazaki-sensei dragged herself out of the classroom in a cold sweat with more visions skipping around in her head.