I do not own Durarara! And after a few more chapters, I will most likely vanish back into another fandom. Update: I couldn't write today, because I got the call that my granny has passed away. So this is late, but was mostly written prior to the funeral.

On with the story!

Masaomi leaned back, twining his fingers around the back of his head.

"Hey, hey, Mikado, you don't have to be so formal."

Mikado refrained from swatting his friend in front of such powerful deities. He knew cities were dangerous, but these were some legendary creatures!

Kadota made a calming gesture.

"He's right, you know. We rarely stand on principle here. So, if you don't mind sitting up, you really don't need to pay homage to us."

Mikado straightened up slowly, his legs folded underneath him. "But you are the cities protectors, few of many, yes?"

The Shinigami cocked his head to the side.

"Well, aside from us, and the Byakko, and the Dullahan, there isn't anyone."

Mikado felt slightly faint. So many powerful entities in one city….this was so interesting!

"Mikaa~aado, you're acting like the country bumpkin from Saitama in front of them." Masaomi sighed, leaning back on his arms to support him.

"It's alright." The siren murmured, her nose buried in a book. Shutting it and sliding it into her bag, she smiled at them. "We don't actually have to talk business until the food arrives, and it's nice to be treated like stars for a change!"

That's right. Mikado realized. To these people, the humans only see them as ordinary humans. There are no more shrines, or priests who worship these creatures that can actually see them.

Mikado scanned across the three creatures, looking at each of them. They worked so hard, did anyone ever thank them? Then again, they had to supply for themselves in order to be defenders, but it really helped to have one's ego stroked in a while. Trust him, he's a cat.

Having someone fawn over you did wonders to your health.

That was when he noticed the human sitting next to the Tengu, opposite of Masaomi.

The human was quietly watching him.

Mikado felt his hairs rise at the calm, steady look. He matched the human, stare for stare.

The human blinked first.

Mikado blinked in surprise.

"Wait a minute- are you a priest?"

The man smiled. "You're right, he is a smart one. My name is Togusa, I drive the van. That way we have legal means of transportation that doesn't include sprouting wings or explaining why no one saw you."

The man was dressed in a vest and a button up shirt, and almost nothing about him screamed priest…except for the beads around his neck.

Mikado gave him a low bow as well.

"Thank you for looking after them, Togusa-san."

Togusa gave a wide grin. "Well, it's nice to meet someone who remembers to notice the one who takes care of the temple after thanking the deities. It's also my job to introduce them. So, this is Kyohei Kadota. He is the leader, and the Tengu who wells within this city. He carries many of the same duties as the Byakko, and in fact, went to school with him."

"This here is Erika Karisawa. She's an Otaku, and a siren. She's usually very good about behaving. Her Otaku friend is Walker Yumasaki, who, as you have noticed, is rather hazardous to have around."

Mikado inclined his head to each of them.

Masaomi straightened up.

"Whoa, wait. Walker-san is here? I thought you would tell me next time!"

Mikado twisted to look at his friend for his outburst.

"Aaah, sorry, Masaomi-kun. Since Mikado was a nekomata, I thought that it wouldn't matter, since he could see Walker-san, and you aren't here to talk to him."

Masaomi deflated some, then removed his hands from the table top.

"I'm sorry I overreacted. I just thought, that if Walker-san could get past me, so could Orihara-san."

Kadota gave the Elf a steady, level gaze.

"Kida. I went to school with Izaya, I would know if he was here, or eavesdropping from his usual purchase at the counter."

Kadota didn't raise his voice, but in the silence, there was a shuffle of feet, and then the door chimed, signaling someone leaving.

Mikado gave the Tengu an appreciative look. He hadn't even sensed the vampire, and he had been stalked by the vampire just a few nights ago.

Simon arrived, handing out tea and trays. Then he left, shutting the door behind him.

Kadota's face imperceptibly shifted, and then he was fixing Masaomi with a steady look.

"I received your text. What do you think Orihara-san is up to?"

"Besides using this as an excuse to 'kyaah' as the humans put it over my best friend, he's looking into who is kidnapping humans and our kind. The way he phrased it, I thought that they were deliberately looking out for our kind, and performing something that needs both humans and our kind."

"By our kind, do you mean just Elves?" asked Erika.

Masaomi shook his head.

"No. Not just the Fey. I mean, all Fable kind."

Walker released a low breath. Mikado wrinkled his nose, smelling dirt and grave soil. Fanning the air, Walker spoke up.

"He's telling the truth, or so far as he can determine the truth. Please add what your intuition tells you, Kida-kun."

The Elf nodded.

"I think he knows who is doing this. Without aiming them towards our kind, because they had some evidence of us before hand. He's with them for mutual benefit, but their either crossing into no longer being useful, becoming dangerous to his wellbeing, or are trying to cut him out of the situation. Perhaps all three. Perhaps they don't even know he is a vampire. That's all my thinking brought forth to me."

Masaomi finished speaking.

Mikado was watching everyone intently, waiting to hear what they had to say.

"Itadakimasu." Togusa-san intoned.

They all split their chopsticks and dug into the sushi.

Masaomi held his hands palm up and his lips moved, then he too ate.

Mikado looked around. They were eating?

"We can't think on an empty stomach, Nekomata-kun." Erika said, a twinkle in her eye. "Besides, you won't be eating if you don't eat now. You were asked here beyond Masaomi-kun changing plans on you, correct?"

Mikado gave Masaomi a side long look, but the Elf just drained his tea and asked for more from the pot.

Washing his hands, Mikado washed his face and then picked up the chopsticks to eat.

It seemed that this meeting would be lasting a long time.

After the trays were cleared away, Mikado left enough to tip Simon, and Masaomi and Togusa paid for the dinner. Then they all piled into the van.

"So what's with the protective nature? I mean, I've heard of Blood Elves before, but this is the first time I've seen you have to touch up on your hair job, Masaomi-kun." Kadota stated.

Masaomi relaxed his shoulders.

"Orihara-san kissed Mikado."

The van lurched to a stop. Togusa whipped the steering wheel, bringing the van to the side of the road and parking there. Then he reached over Kadota and opened the glove compartment, rummaging through before he pulled something out.

Twisting around, he handed something to Mikado. It was a cell phone, with a pink casing and a checkered board. Then he passed back a cord.

"Input the information into the new cell phone. You're going to need it." He ordered.

Nodding, Mikado made to move the information, while the priest chanted.

There was a vruum from the driver's side. A yellow helmet appeared by Togusa, but the rider politely waited.

After the information was finished, Togusa finished chanting, his hands white around the wheel.

The sound of a hand rapping against the window sounded.

Togusa rolled down the window.

"Ah, hello, Celty-san. How is Shinra today?"

The rider held up some cell phone instead of removing her helmet.

Mikado folded the cell phone and slipped it into his bag. He passed the cord back up, and then settled down.

"Ah, thank you Celty. Just a drive around the city." Togusa replied, and then the driver pulled away.

Togusa resumed driving.

"Well, aside from Orihara-san showing more typical vampire strains, anything else?"

Masaomi began to rattle off names and last known locations. Walker-san was marking down what Masaomi said, and then he and Erika puzzled over the map.

"It's too spread out. Even factoring in time, these places don't have a central location above or underground to report back to."

"Which means that the kidnappers themselves are hired and paid per hit." Kadota intoned from the front seat.

Masaomi nodded.

"Keep in touch, both of you." Kadota asked.

Realizing that they were back at his place, Mikado got out.

"Ah, I'm coming with you. My parents are at meetings to move most of us out- those that can't fight, or aren't stable." Masaomi hopped out.

"Thanks for the lift!" He called back to the van.

"Take care." Kadota called back.

Masaomi pulled Mikado towards the house, when they heard the sound of a bike coming up. A black rider moved after the van, passing the boys. He, or a flat chested she, moved by with a yellow helmet that had cat ears.

"Isn't that the rider Togusa-san was talking to?"

"Hmm? Our lovely resident Dullahan from Ireland? Yes, that is she, Celty-san. We should get inside." Masaomi actually hustled Mikado inside and then locked the door.

"So, let's do our homework and go to bed! It's been a long day!"

"Masaomi-kun…"

"Yes, Mikado?"

"Ah, nothing."

Mikado watched Masaomi vanish into the apartment, and wondered just how much his best friend wasn't telling him. He was rolling with so many dangerous others, and he never said anything in their emails.

And his reaction to Walker-san, after Mikado asked if he was a Shinigami….had Masaomi somehow not heard him?

More questions bloomed in Mikado's head.

How do the English say…Curiosity killed the cat.

Mikado felt his mouth quirk into a smile that showed his eyeteeth.

Satisfaction brought him back.

He wasn't a Nekomata for nothing.

"Actually, how about some more tea and snacks while we go over the homework, Masaomi? I think my mom sent me a home care package, and telling her I shared them with you means she'll send more next time."

"Haha, Mikado, you trickster, you!"

Mikado followed Masaomi's voice into the living room.

Oh yes, satisfaction brought him back.

A/N: Don't look at me if it felt creepy near the end. The grief is really throwing my writing off, so I might actually kill off some people, or become rather morbid. Ooooh, I could get graphic for the abductings and experiments. Ya'll are so lucky that I'm listening to music while I write.

Sigh. Just don't expect another update so fast, okay? I feel so exhausted….and I keep looking for her, or expecting her to be eating when I come downstairs…

Till next time. Most of what's going up right now was already written pre phone call.