It was a beautiful in the 20th ward, and another trip to the library for the Kirishima family. It was more of a routine actually. Everyday was a trip for Arata and his two young children, Touka and Ayato. It was was Arata's way of giving them an education since they couldn't attend school and he couldn't afford it. But the liberty was perfect. It was free and he had all of the tools he needed to teach them. The problem was getting them to go. Most of the time they would protest that learning was pointless and that they would rather play outside, and today was no exception.
"Dad. I don't wanna go." Ayato whined tugging on his father's choat.
Arata sighed and kneeled down in front of his son. "Now why not, Ayato? I thought you and Touka liked the library. Don't you like reading the anatomy books they have there?"
"Yeah...But I've read all of them already! And all the other books in the library our really boring!" He protested.
"I see."
"I agree with Ayato. I'm not going either." Touka huffed and crossed her arms.
Arata shut his eyes. Not this again. Those two being as stubborn as always. Just like Hikari. He put both arms around his children's shoulders. Realizing both had tears in their eyes.
"What's Ayato? Touka? Please tell me."
"You can't help us." She whispered.
Arata rose an eyebrow. "Oh really what could it possibly be then. Could it be a bully."
Ayato's eyes suddenly became wide, and he flashed his sister a horrified look. "Please Onii-chan don't tell him." He begged.
"Tell me what?" Arata went curiosity.
"Ah..um..nothing." He stammered.
He sighed again. Getting his children to admit something was wrong was like using a paper spoon to dig into cement. He found it somewhat frustrating that they would refuse to come to him for problems, a lot like their mother.
"Come on Ayato. Stop being a baby and tell him." Touka scoffed.
He flashed his sister a glare. "Shut up Anki! I'm not a baby!"
"Then why haven't you stood up to him yet?" She rolled her eyes.
"You haven't stood up for yourself either!" He yelled.
"I can't! Not in front of a bunch of people, idiot!" She yelled back.
"Okay. Okay. That's enough you too." Arata went between his children. " So you're having problems with a bully."
The stared quietly at their father. Trying hard to keep their mouths shut. But then Touka spoke.
"Ayato's getting mad fun by some idiot and he refuses to stand up for himself." She confessed.
His face turned beet red. "I'M NOT!"
"Oh yeah! You cry like a baby because he made fun of your hair!"
"He does it to you too!" He cried. Tears pooled out of the young boy's eyes.
"Alright Touka. That's enough you made your point. Now Ayato tell me what happened."
He whipped his eyes. " There is this boy. Who hangs out by the medical book section and every time I go by to borrow a book he picks on me. And it's always about my hair."
"Hmmm. I see and that is what is bothering you?"
"Yes!" The two went in unison.
"Alright well then." He sat down and crossed his legs. "Touka. Ayato. Come over here and sit down."
The two flashed each other confused looks, but the strolled over and plumped down by their father's side. He put both arms around their shoulders and pulled them close.
"I'm going to tell you a story. A story about a lonely young man, and the short tempered woman he fell in love with."
He cleared his throat and continued.
This story takes place a long time ago. In the lively city of Tokyo. The time of year was winter, and a young man in about his early twenties stood alone in a corner. He quietly observed the people as they rushed by. Many huddling close for warmth. He grimaced and threw his hands in his pockets.
He could hear the laughter which rang in his ears. The smells from the bakeries nearby was starting to make him nauseous. The twinkling of the hundreds of multi-colored lights were starting to make him dizzy. He shivered as the air stabbed him causing him to pull his thin jacket closer to his rail thin body. The people passing by completely ignored him. Having not a care in the world as their were far more concerned about the new year and christmas plans.
He closed his eyes. These people. No these humans. They had so much. A place to call home. A family sitting there waiting for them. A life free of persuasion and fear. Having to worry about the people around wanting to hunt you down. Having to fight for your next meal. Yet they still took what they had for granted. Consumed by greed. The never ending thirst for lust. Letting their minds go to jealousy and rage. Having murder being there only salvation. Not being thankful for what they have been given. They had something beautiful and they throw it all away so they can murder, rape, loot, and destroy the world that surrounds them.
The young hated it. He hated it all. The humans. The ghouls. Himself. Everything. The humans for taking away his parents and forcing him to spend his childhood on the streets. The ghouls for their never ending cruelty, and their refusal to share. The world for making ghouls; and humans for hating them. But right now what he hated most of all was the cold.
He glanced up when he noticed a man in a suit walking towards him. He froze. Could it be a dove? His thoughts became a jumble mess, and his heart hammered in his chest, Stay calm. Just stay calm and he well just walk past you. Just like everyone else.
But the Dove kept heading towards him causing the young man to slowly back away from the spot where he was standing. This caused him to bump into an old man causing them to both stop.
"Um sorry." He mumbled.
The old man ignored him and kept on walking. The young man quickly glanced back to see where the dove had gone. But he wasn't there.
Shit, I lost him.
He spun around and rummaged right into the Dove. He jumped back as the ghoul investigator wiped away snow from his coat.
"Hello there. Please sir will you come with me. I would like to ask you."
"I'm s-sorry I don't know anything." The man whispered. Hearing his heartbeat banging into his ear.
"Please sir." The man put a hand on his shoulder. "It'll only take a minute."
The young man slapped the Dove's hand away and sprinted in the opposite direction. Pushing his way through the crowd to put as much distance as he could from the Dove as possible,
He heard the Dove cruse and chase after him. He quickly squeezed past two ladies which caused them to both shriek. The Dove run both the ladies and continued after the young man. He leaned down into his mic. "I'm currently going after unidentified ghoul. Repeat I'm going after unidentified ghoul and I'm requesting backup."
The young man turned in a corner and entered a small shop. He turned his head and pulled the his collar up to hide as much of his face as possible. He noticed that he was in a secondhand bookshop. The smells of old paper and dust filled his nose. His heart started to slow it's rapid beating. He pulled a random book from a shelf and began to read. Eyes glancing up once in awhile to search for the Dove. After what seemed like a long enough time he put the book back on it shelf and started to head for the door just as the Dove walked in.
Both sets of eyes went wide.
The young man grabbed the closest thing he could use for a weapon. A book about knights in armour. He chugged the book at the Dove's head. People screamed and the Dove cursed as blood ran down his temple. The young man spun away and ran out the door.
"My god what's happening?" He heard a man shrieked.
He threw open a door and raced out. The cold stabbing his face. Blood was rushing up to his face and pulsing in his ears. He thought his heart and lungs were gonna burst. His legs were beginning to ache. He sprinted till he found himself in a dark ally. He took several deep breaths and began to frantically search for an exit.
"Sorry, but this is an dead end."
He spun around staring at the Dove who stood before him. Quinque in hand. The man's eyes were filled with a twisted glee. The young man stood frozen in place. Unable to move an inch as the Dove advanced quinque raised and ready to strike. The young man moved off to the side and quinque sliced into his upper arm. He screamed out and pain and tried to head the way the dove came from.
"I don't think so." The dove screamed.
The young man cried out as he was sliced again by the quinque. He turned around to face the dove. Why was he fighting this? What was the point he was going to die eventually anyway. This life he has had no meeting. So why? Why was he fighting back?
He closed his eyes. He knew that it was best to give up. He threw his hands up. He was prepared. Prepared to die. He smiled at how bittersweet it all was. That dying would be his only true freedom from this dark existence.
He felt a snowflake fall on his cheek. It was if he was being given a goodbye kiss. He smile grew wider. He was now free…
But another blow never came.
Suddenly he felt an intense heat. It was as if he was being engulfed by flames but there was no fire. He feared his insides were boiling. The heat attacked with such instantly that it caused him to collapse to the ground. He peeked open an eye.
Before him stood a woman. Her hair was a faded gold. His eyes went wide as he noticed a pair of blazing flames upon her back. Her trench coat was cover in blood, and a white scarf hid her face. Both gloved fists were clenched as she stood over the dead dove's body.
The man was amazed. To be so cold then to suddenly be filled up with so heat. It felt unusual. She was like a fire that stood bright in the darkness. The snow falling down made her wings stand out even more. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He wanted to badly see her face but it was hidden by her scarf.
She spun around. Her kakugan ablaze with fury borow down at him. She shook her head in disgust as the man stumbled onto his feet.
"T-thank y-you."
Her kakugan faded and he noticed her eyes were a golden brown. Then they narrowed. "Dumbass."
He eyes grew wide, and his mouth opened to speak but nothing came out because she was already gone.