[Shinra's POV]
Celty and Shizuo went together to find Leena's medicine. The two of us are alone. Leena is trembling at the thought of not recovering her medicine and disobeying some old dude's strict orders. The atmosphere is so uncomfortable.
I sat next to her, grabbing the nearby television remote. "Leena, let's have faith in Shizuo and Celty. They'll find your medicine."
She looked at me with restless eyes. "Your friends? What if they don't?"
"Ah... um..." This is a little hard to answer. "They will! Surely! I know those two!" I forced a reassuring smile at her, more like the smile I always show Celty.
She bit her lips, blinked once, and looked back at me. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"
"Oh, uh. I'm sorry I wasn't able to introduce myself when you told us your name," I said while fidgeting and panicking since I was the one who set her to sleep to avoid awkward situations with her, but I guess I don't have a choice... while she doesn't remember. "I am Dr. Shinra Kishitani. I treated your wounds earlier."
She smiled genuinely, but her expression still hinted her restlessness. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me."
I rubbed the back of my head. "Oh, don't mention it."
She laughed a little. "You're a funny person," she said.
"So, should we watch TV while Shizuo and Celty are not back yet?" I asked her so that I can put a temporary end to her revealing herself without the other two.
As soon as I opened the television, the news showed the events that occurred earlier from where Celty and the others rescued Leena and put her behind Celty's bike. She was caught in the camera, but subtly. The main focus were the horde of black vans that ran away.
"Wasn't that a capture from earlier?" I asked Leena, noticing that she was so focused in the news.
"Yes, that was us," she said, not drifting her eyes away from the monitor. "The black rider and the other guy were the one who mainly rescued me."
"And they brought you here," I added.
"You have such warm hearted friends to come and aid to my rescue when I was already unconscious," she said.
"Ah well, yeah that's right." We continued to watch the news until it was over. Thankfully, Leena's restlessness subsided and she appeared to see more light within Celty and Shizuo. Not that she disliked them, but she appeared to be partially uneasy towards the two of them, and me as well.
I wonder why? She could be (F/n)! I have a very strong feeling about it!
-
[Normal POV]
The door opened suddenly without a knock. Shizuo let himself in first, taking off his helmet and putting it on the table next to the door. Celty entered next.
"So, how was the search? Did you find it?" Shinra asked with a gleeful face.
"Sorry about that," Shizuo said monotonously. The hope in (F/n)'s eyes faded.
(F/n) muttered, "No way..."
Celty continued explaining what happened, "When we got back, we found fine glass shards that looked like they're from a broken bottle." She brought out pieces of it, confined in a ziplock plastic, putting it on the table where everyone can see. "There are no medicines left."
(F/n) observed it closely and saw a fragment that erased her doubt that it might not be her medicine bottle. But it was really hers.
"How did this happen?" (F/n) asked, half hopeless and half furious.
"Don't get mad at us, Leena," Celty tried to appease her. "When I fetched you earlier, there are hordes of gangmen who were running away."
"Blame those bastards instead," Shizuo added.
"Could this have not happened if I didn't try to help that lady?" (F/n) started doubting her good deed. Her eyes started to appear like a madman's "Anyway, she told me that she could handle it all by herself."
To cool everyone off, Shinra intervened, "Now now! Let's not take it that way! There is still something we can do!" he said cheerfully.
"Really?" The hope filled (F/n)'s eyes once again.
"Yes," the doctor assured, pointing a finger up. "It may not be exactly like the actual, but I can make something that can be used as a substitute."
"You're not a chemist, four-eyes. What do you know about formulation?" Shizuo bluntly asked.
"Uh-ah-uhm..." Shinra clicked his tongue while gesturing and shaking his head. "I know someone who can help us."
"Please not your Dad," Celty interfered. She appeared to have developed a little trauma from Dr. Shingen and his new wife.
"Dad is away, but there is someone else."
Celty sighed.
"...Although that someone is not very good at socializing and works with Orihara-kun, she has a debt on me so she'll definitely get this work done well," Shinra finished.
Shizuo gritted his teeth when he heard Izaya being mentioned.
"Yagiri Namie-san, was it?" Celty asked. "...It's okay since she does works independently. Although she is still under that guy."
"Well, she has business that are unheard of by Izaya even though they share the same roof." Shinra turned towards (F/n). "We won't really take a big step and ask her unless Leena says yes. So what do you say?"
"I don't care no matter who!" she said with determination. "I badly need that medicine."
"Alright! Fine! Whatever!" Shizuo bursted. "I warned you on this!"
"So... what do I have to do?" (F/n) asked.
"I need blood samples," the four-eyed nerd replied.
"Didn't you take samples earlier?" Celty intervened.
"Yeah, I did, but they're spoiled," Shinra answered. "They've been experimented on and it's been more than an hour since I extracted them."
"Alright. I'll give you my blood now," (F/n) said, taking out her knife.
"No no!"Celty and Shinra stopped her. "We use syringe to get blood; not cut out! You'll get infected."
"Syringe?" (F/n) tilted her head to the side curiously.
"Ah, you'll know when I'm going to take it," Shinra told her, panicking at this rate. (F/n) is becoming more of a dangerous image similar to her old self. The type that will just pull out a deadly knife without a warning.
"You mean you're not going to take my blood now?" (F/n) raised her eye brows a bit.
"No. The laboratory is locked at this hour and you already lost much blood from the surgery," Shinra explained. "Tomorrow. We will take blood tomorrow after you rest considerably."
"So my sleep earlier was not considerable?"
"Definitely not."
-
-- After 30 Minutes –
"Alright, let's have a proper introduction," Shinra said cheerfully as he made us go around in circles. "Leena has to know us after she's told us who she is. And by the way, I told her already who I am."
"That's right," (F/n) said. "I'd like to know you, too, and be friends with you... only if you would."
Celty sat next to her and typed on her PDA, "I am Celty Sturluson and you won't be surprised that I am not human. I am also Shinra's fiancé."
"Aw really?" (F/n) said it like she was disbelieving and at the same time, she was happy.
"Uh, you don't believe me?" Celty was surprised and black smoke came out from the spaces between her helmet and her neck.
Shinra jumped next to Celty and hugged her. "Celty is my fiance~" Celty pushed him away with her smoke, making (F/n) giggle.
"You know what, you two are cute together," (F/n) teased, making Celty panic and let out more smoke.
"Please don't put it that way!" Celty nearly begged, not knowing that Shinra got off her smoke and hugged her again.
"Celty-chan~" She pushed him away again.
"I'm also a transporter and they call me a legend in the road," Celty continued explaining. "But actually, I am a fairy called Dullahan from Scotland. I came here in search of my missing head."
She lifted her catlike helmet and showed (F/n) what was under it, a black cut on her neck that releases smoke and a space for her head. The latter had her mouth form the shape of 'o', showing both her amazement and shock.
Then, the two girl looked at the blonde haired man. "My turn now?" he asked, pressing his cigar to the ash tray to put out the fire. The two girl nodded.
"I am Heiwajima Shizuo and I don't know why my name- no... just my face doesn't ring a bell on you," he said and then calmed down upon remembering that he might not be talking to (F/n) but to a completely different lady. "I am that blonde bartender who was fired because I wrecked too much property and couldn't pay for it. Now, I work as my friend's body guard."
"Is your friend a rich businessman or something?" (F/n) asked, abruptly wondering why she might have struck a nerve on Shizuo earlier.
"A man with business but not really someone rich like that." Shizuo tried to sit up straight. "Now, aint it time for you to tell us your story? We have all the time to listen."
"Ah, that's right," (F/n) said, composing herself. "My name is Leena Prestn and I am 24 years old. I live in a small and poor village called Archen Hannes at the North most end if you take the train. It is a village that is often attacked by fugitives for years. However, I only have memories within a year."
"You had a slight amnesia, you say?" Shinra guessed.
"That is right. I live with a small family who I believed has looked after me since youth. My uncle, Chikara-san is the village's engineer. He invents machines that can simplify our farm works so he is often in the basement, working on it. Then, I look after his auntie, Lady Mirae and my cousins Malana and Aaron, at the same time, defending the village's treasures from the thieves."
"That's complicated," Shizuo commented. "So why are you here now?"
"I wanted a change. I don't know why I always yearned to be in this place. Lady Mirae told me that I once worked here and I left my friends so she told me to come back. Chikara-san agreed as well although it was hard parting with my cousins."
Shinra remembered something related to my story all of a sudden, "You mentioned this Berserker thing while you were looking for your medicine, didn't you? What is it?"
(F/n) smiled. "It is the defender's blood that runs along our family line. Whoever chosen becomes the one that will protect the village and that person will be given inhuman strength, speed, and agility."
"That's so much like Shizuo," Shinra muttered, rubbing his chin. "But it was his reward after breaking his bones and getting hospitalized so much since he was a kid."
"Shut up!" Shizuo hissed.
"Mah, anyway. The reason why we're telling you all these stuff is because you resemble our friend so much," Celty intervened. "So much that we mistook you for her."
"Who is she?" (F/n) asked, wanting Shizuo to answer her question since he hasn't spoken a lot.
"It may be hard on Shizuo, so let me answer that instead," Shinra took over.
(F/n) blinked. "Okay..."
"This girl is named (F/n) (L/n) and she was an assassin," Shinra started explaining.
"An assassin? You we're friends with an assassin?" (F/n) inquired. "How is it hard for Shizuo-san to tell the story?"
"Tch." Shizuo looked away.
"It's because she was hired to kill Shizuo by Orihara Izaya..."
"That Orihara, the one who works with the chemist that you're gonna ask help from in order to help me?" (F/n) asked, feeling a strong shudder. "How come?"
"They have a childhood rivalry and those two would try to kill each other whenever they run to each other," Celty explained. "If you see a man with a short black hair, wearing brown fur coat, who prances down the street, be careful because he always wield a knife."
"(F/n) had two failed assassination: one was with Izaya, ordered by a scary drug dealer named Yodogiri Jinnai; and the other was with Shizuo, after Izaya threatened her. But after she failed to take out Shizuo, she was kidnaped by her rivals and tortured."
"(F/n) must have had a really sad life..." (F/n) muttered sadly after hearing the story, not knowing that the main character in it was her.
"Shizuo and Celty set out to rescue her and put her rivals to jail. After which, I performed a plastic surgery on her. And by the time she regained her health, she bid her farewell to us, but more likely she just told Shizuo, but that's nearly the same."
"That's a very sad ending," Leena said, "She didn't deserve that kind of fa-" (F/n) was stopped by her own thoughts and dreams flashing before her, like she could see herself in the past together with Shinra, Celty and Shizuo. Their faces were so clear and their words echoed on her.
"That's why we're telling you straight," Shinra added. "We think that you are (F/n). She left a year ago, and you said you only have memories within this year. There is a great possibility tha-"
(F/n) gritted her teeth as she squeezed her head. "My head hurts!"
"I'm sorry that was quite heavy on you," Shinra said. "It is getting quite late, so..." He looked around and noticed that there are is no room left to let and injured person spend the night since the other resting patients are occupying space.
Shinra shakily turned his head towards Shizuo. "Um Shizuo... is it okay?"
"I don't have much space on my room either," he replied fast and flatly. "I'll call Varona over." As he went to the side, he quickly dialed Varona's number.
-
[Varona's POV]
It is unusual for my phone to ring this late when I no longer have to involve myself with the higher ups. I picked my phone up anyway and looked at the unregistered number before answering. "Good evening. This is Varona."
"Sorry for calling you at this hour," the man from the other line said. I immediately recognized that voice.
"Shizuo-senpai? What's the matter? How did you get my number?"
"Tom-san gave it to me. Anyway, I need a little help regarding the wounded girl from earlier..."
"She is conscious now, right? And her wounds and injuries are treated?"
"Yes. We originally planned to let her stay the night over at our place, but we don't have enough comfortable place to let her rest in, so I was wondering if-"
"That is fine, I can take her with me," I said with a bit of smile. "I've always been living alone and working with guys, so staying with a girl will give me a change."
"Thanks, Varona. I owe you one."
"I'll be right at Dr. Kishitani's apartment. I'll just dress up. Bye."
That being said, I hung the phone up, get dressed, and hailed a taxi outside. "Dr. Kishitani's clinic, please." I told the driver. "I'm fetching someone so I'll pay for a two way ride."
"Alright," he said.
I can totally see this kind of situation coming. This is a good opportunity to give her my gratitude and also, this can lead to fulfilling one of my wishes towards mankind.
In no time, we stopped at our destination. I saw Leena coming outside, carrying her bag and still wearing that black suit. Shinra was telling her a few reminders before she leaves.
"Your wounds are not that heavy so you can move properly, but don't overwork yourself okay?" He said.
"Yes," the girl replied.
"Don't forget to drink antibiotics trice daily for five days and put plastic plaster on your wounds before you shower," he added. "I put it on your bag."
"Okay!"
"Well, I'll see you off," Shinra said, waving at her when she was already outside the main gate. "Come again! We'll always welcome you!"
"Bye," Leena said, waving her hand, then looking at us.
I opened the taxi door to let her seat beside me at the back of the driver. "Thanks for tonight and sorry for the trouble," she said, greeting me and smiling. "I'm Leena."
"I am Varona. Pleased to meet you, too," I said as she entered, put her stuff in, and closed the door. The entire time, I was looking through the window, so we didn't talk.
The next time we talked was when we were already inside our unit. She was looking around with a happy glint on her eyes. "Wow, you really have a spacious room, Varona-san! You live by yourself, right?"
"Yes. Make yourself at home," I said as I turned to face her, putting on my game face. "I want you to fight me."