A/N Soooooo, hey to whomever finds this little fic. I've been itching to get away from this one book i'm working on, a horror, and wanted to work on something...well I guess this was a bad choice to alleviate some melancholy, with the crossover TG world and all, but, nontheless, I just needed to get away from it some. If you've read my other Naruto fic, then I apologize, but it is less likely that I will update it much at all, including this one. But, I digress, with the minimal times that I actually update, I will ensure that the quality will make up for it, and try not to make the mistake of listening to everyone's advise in the reviews on what to do, I made and learned from that mistake last time in my other fic. Also, this will be a small harem fic, with what you can only guess who will be in it, though your guess is as good as mine, for now at least, but you've been warned.
Alright, I've annoyed you enough with the what's and is's, and so, I present to you...Life!
Chapter 1
A Twist of Fate
The streets of Tokyo blared with cars and people, the humanous legions amassed themselves in the hundreds upon each street corner, each going to and fro, their life bare in their minds. They thought much of the future, and their past, always taking the leading example by the next throw of life, just so they could hopefully take that next step, closer and closer to their goals that they set, which sadly, most might not succeed in. The humans, they have so much, and so less, they are strong, and they are weak. They are capable of incredible feats of destruction, and yet, also of prevailing life, that winks out the dying hopes, bringing those lost back to a blaze once more.
One such 'human' walked down the streets of man, his bright orange hoodie, blue jeans, and black boots the usual attire he chose nowadays that he was supposedly stuck here. If you knew him as he was now, however, you would also know that he didn't go out in the middle of the streets, full of people, for nothing-having grown estranged to what he had thought was his fellow man, ever since that battle taken place moths before, a fight that lingered in the depths of his nightmares. The very ground shook, as he remembered, as he clashed with her. So, the oddity of him making an escapade out into the throng of human's was only warranted by the fact that he was following someone, for a personal mission.
Or two someone's, to be exact.
One, wore a frilly white dress with purple underneath, and strangely, her hair was just the same concerning shade, it being a cascade of velvet that flowed down in long wisps. Not much to describe the woman who was under his suspicion. Though, the other beside her, well, if it weren't for the orange hoodied mans pensive gaze, he would call that one a skidish boy. But, this was in fact, a short, black haired, petite lass with small, cute features.
He found her choice of clothing, this time, was not that of a black jacket, stripped shirt, and tan slacks, that which had him thinking at first that she was a boy. Now, however, she wore a pair of white tennis shoes, and a white sun-dress, flowing past her shins in a modest way-almost as if to not be noticed, with the only standing feature being blue ocean swirl pattered on the right side. Her eyes-he spotted outside that coffee shop-were very dark, hidden by a book or by her black tresses, usually placated with a docile stare. But now, there was a glint of joy in them, a small smile gracing her lips, her face framed by her near bowl cut hair.
The reason he was following them, or more specifically, the more matured woman, this, this Rize chick, was because he had heard a small, whispered, rumor-just amongst the few who were not those troublesome groups. Through and by the word of mouth, he heard the gossip that she was possibly-probably-a ghoul, code named, the binge eater, a high ranking S, it would seem. He had laughed at first, when he heard the concept of them, a ghoul, the only beings who were so close to human, yet the very bane of their counter-parts existence. How could something so much like a human, eat a human for the basic needs of living? An anomaly that he decided to dwell over-something he had been putting off for a while now-for later, knowing the graveness of the situation if he dare let his mind wonder about for no good reason. He was getting off topic, and found that he had to remind himself exactly why he was following her. It was heard that she had connections-though to her annoyance-with people with powerful tech, tech he would need if he ever wished to escape this world, though only if these human's so had that power.
Though, now that he was here, following the supposed ghoul, he found himself pitying the other girl, and desired to save her if rumors came to pass. Knowing that if Rize was this binge eater, this terrifying ghoul that sent shivers down the doves spine upon the call of her code name, then that Kaneki Ken girl was in deep trouble, so, to his best ability, he would try to save her, if the mission was not be in jeopardy.
Turning his full attention back to them, he followed at an even space between them, walking with silent steps as they wound down the streets of Tokyo, stopping briefly when a girl named Touka stopped them shortly, but Rize said something that, under the impression that she was not a ghoul, would have sounded less than a cool threat. But he thought she was, and so, it was a very deep threat, despite the fact that in human ears, it sounded like casual speech.
"What seems to be the problem Touka?" She asked smoothly with a smile.
The petite Anteiku waitress dismissed them, saying it was nothing, a weary glance to Kaneki, and continuing her easy strides. When she passed him, she gave a strange, questioning glance, but said nothing, walking as if she wanted to forget the thought of what was to come.
They stopped in a dark alley that was to the side of a rail road, within the distance, having an approaching train chugging along, and a little further on, was the sheet metal wall that warned of a construction site and some hazards that occupied it. He watched with quiet breath, hidden beneath dark shadows, watching as Rize talked, seemingly growing fearful, and truly it looked to be, as she fell into Kaneki, huddling in the girls comforting shoulder. The orange hoodied man tensed, his leg muscles ready to spring forth, though holding back the strange energy that may give him away. Kaneki, the poor, unknowing girl, comforted the mature woman in her fear, and a smiling Rize set her grateful gaze to her new 'friend.'
Something caught in the corner of the hoodied mans gaze, forcing him to look away as some dark figure leapt across the roof-tops. It had a strange mask on, it looked a lot like a clow-
BANG!
His eyes snapped back down, cursing himself for letting his attention slip as a loud crash filled the air. He looked away from them for but a moment, a glimpse, a second. A second too late, realizing that Rize had thrown the poor girl through the wall next to them, striding through with a large grin spread across her visage, as wicked as a devils.
Ken Kaneki, or just Kaneki, was having a pretty good day, up until now. She had met this knew girl, this Rize woman who had the same taste in books as her. Though, she did not know that she also had a taste for her. Just a moment ago, mere moments, she had been comforting her for her fear of the ghouls, only to grin and chew right through her shoulders skin and flesh, the pain shooting down her arm and up her head, but it was numbed in comparison to what the crazed woman did next.
When she tried to get away, she was dragged back, and stabbed by something large, sharp at its tip, piercing her through and barring body with harsh thrashes, its crimson tentacle form was as red as the blood-her blood!-that now stained her white red scarlet, the Kagune that had run through her slim belly, it now tossed her through the sheet metal wall next to them. Jarred and in shock, Kaneki could only stare on in mock terror as Rize drew closer to her, unable to do a thing in her slumped form. Faintly, she heard the snapping of ropes, and amongst that, in the thick of her hazed mind, she heard the mocking tone of Rize.
"Heheheh, I'll give you one thing, Kan~ek~i. You are a tough human with a strange taste, especially one who could keep glaring at little 'ole me~heh hahahah!"
Her voice was grating to Kaneki, that belittling tone surprisingly upsetting her. Kaneki felt weak for trusting her. She felt like the most idiotic person in the world. She felt like crying. Was that what mixed with her spattered blood, tears, then maybe she wasn't dead yet, if her body had time for silent tears, then it had time to live, for a short while anyway.
Rize was before her now, that grin for her to bear.
It was then that something seemed to...to snap within her. She did not feel weakness, then, she did not feel like the fool, then. She did not feel like crying anymore! The very sight of that grin now, that grin that bore itself into her eyes, as if the world was Rize-a glint of hatred in her-always seemed to be laughing and pushing her down! Throwing one thing after the other at her! Until...until-
And for once, Kaneki, had enough of the world.
Kaneki had enough of Rize.
Rize watched in stark confusion as something, something that should not be, came into fruitation. She saw a flash of something crimson, movement, a moment, a single moment that crushed her sense of what is. In that moment, she felt pain, she saw red blood-her blood!-fly in once in a long time. In that moment, she was tackled to the ground, just as garters fell, almost crushing them both, the loud thunder of crashing heavy steel forcing her ears to ring. Before her, was something she only heard of in the myth that flouted through ghouls.
"You're...a half ghoul?"
The flash of red and black, in that single eye glared into her for a moment, the girls teeth sinking into Rize's shoulder, as if in mock return for that earlier bite she herself delivered to her. Kaneki suddenly snapped her head to one side, taking with it a large chunk of Rize with her.
Gulp!
No. Freak'in. WAY!
Kaneki Ken, who she thought was a human, just ate a piece of her, ate a piece of her flesh. No no no no, that was not the way it was supposed to go! She was the one who ate, not the one who was eaten! But, despite her initial anger, she found the pain was dull, and she grinned, finding it almost enjoyable, like dealing with a petulant child.
A petulant child who needed to be taught a lesson.
Almost unbidden, her rinkaku began to form, one of the tentacle like daggers smashing into the half human, sending her off of her and into the garters that nearly killed her. A gasp was all that was heard, and a slumped form was all that came of it. Rize had just knocked her out, leaving the petite girl defenseless, leaving Rize with spare meat, the thought of eating a unique treat a bit tantalizing. She was about to skewer her false friend, let the blood drip like fine wine down her Kagune, when strange daggers came flying down from off of a strange angle, one sticking into her rinkaku. Her Kagune whipped once, flicking the pieces of steel out of itself.
Rize turned in the darkness, only to find that no one was there, only of the dank construction site that surrounded her, greeting her with silence. A flash of metal was all she saw before her instincts kicked in, her Kagune covering her side. The kunai flew away from the speedy mass of flesh, and there was only more silence.
Another flash of steel, but this time, it was not aimed at her, but the ground near Kaneki. It was a different shape than the rest, strange symbols across its pronged form. Shortly after, a man, no older than her, appeared there, grabbed Kaneki, then left in a-literal-flash, her rinkaku too slow to pierce him. No, slow was not the right word here, her Kagune was fast, and could pierce things faster than the human eye could track, but what that man just did, that was faster than what could humanly-maybe even ghoul like-bepossible.
Another a bout of stillness that was the night seemed to mock her, all encompassing thought ran away as she waited for something to happen, for more, for some figure such as his to suddenly spring out and fight her, to try and take her life. But, nothing did, seeing as that even when her guard was down, there was no attack. A smell caught her attention, one she had not expected.
A grin spread, as she knew why that strange orange flash did not return to fight her. She brought one of her 'shining scales' to her face, and examined it. A blot of crimson was there, covering the sheen of light that pulsed through her Kagune. She had gotten the sneaky bastard, finding that this blood was different, more appealing than the mild fish taste that Kaneki had, that was why he did not return to fight, he was wounded, harmed, and fighting her in anything but peak condition was suicide. Then, a thought brought on by her growling gut, and her sense of smell, made her speak a single word, one that spurred her on to find this person, and eat him.
"Delicious~"
As such things came to the S ranked ghouls mind, far away, in an apartment owned by a hermit-his neighbors would call him-an orange flash brilled inside the small quartered bedroom, and from a pronged kunai, came the hoodied man, clutching onto Kaneki dearly. He fell to one knee, the thud of the floor boards scarcely important in his mind, grimacing in pain as he waited for the wound to close.
His tenant, a stubborn kind of beast, slowly stitched the gash shut, knowing the consequence if it were to allow its jailor to perish-and he himself having grown fond of his imprisoner. With naught but a blotch of red the only damage now, the man stood woodenly, rocking for a moment to catch breath, the black tresses of the girls hair swaying with him. Finally, he found his footing, and with tentive care, set the petite lass on his bed. He pulled his hands away, getting her settled in as slow as he could, as not to harm her, and brought his hands to bare by the wounds she sustained. Before he could administer any healing jutsu-of which was admittedly limited-he suddenly found that the missing chunk of flesh slowly close, and his eyes widened to the feat her body performed.
The seeping red stopped just as well.
Her light cough emitted a surprise from him too, and found, upon pressing lightly to her ribcage, that they were no longer broken, or were not as he had thought. Healed and sealed and no more was the whole of her damaged, for what was left remained the bloodstain, much like him. So, what he saw mere moments before was not a delusion, what he saw was fact and truth, that she really was a ghoul, full and true. But...if that were the case, then why had she not attributed any ghoul tendencies, as before? Unless, those instincts had never been kicked into until now, after all the stress put on her, that ghoul side never coming to bare until recently. If so, if she were that rumored half ghoul, then, that bite she gave Rize, may have sealed her into the ghoul half, the blood of a true ghoul may have...
He placed a mental note to investigate this later.
Starkly had he thought this, that her dark eyes-human eyes-fluttered open. Blurry at first, and confused, brows knit, that was her first outlook, but when she spotted his dark figure from the bed side, they widened to a fearful height, brows shooting to her hair line. She made to scream, for help, for this dark shadow of a man to stay away, but a rough hand shot out to her lips, just as she was about to let out a ear splitting scream. He pulled back his hood, bright blue eyes stern as a finger lifted to his lips, hushing her, shaking his head, as if in dismissal.
"Please don't scream. I am not gonna hurt you, I swear."
Her eyes only widened more, but his followed suite, and he shook his head fervently, knowing what was going through her mind.
"I won't be doing anything, I won't, just please let me explain." He nearly begged, knowing full well that if she did scream, the neighbors would hear, call the police, and he would have to move out of the district, again. He was not doing that again. He waited, waited for those eyes to drop, and for her to nod, and when they did, he let out a sigh, retracting his hand from her mouth. She did not scream even after that, but backed away into the corner side, between the bed and where two walls met. He backed up into the window light, and sat on the computer chair that was adjacent to the bed, to look across the small room, then he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Listen, just moments ago, you were attacked by a ghoul-"
"-W-what!" She screamed a little, and he put a finger to his lips again.
"S-sorry. But, I-I was just with my friend Riz...Rize...Rize and...I. . ." Her voice failed her, trailing off into mumbles as scenes not so long ago played themselves before her falling gaze. Now, she remembered, and the whiskered visage of the blond before her grimaced at the look she gave him. It was that of betrayal, fear-terror-and words at a loss to her mind. But, she shook her head, and he knew what was coming next.
"So, she's...a ghoul? But she, she was human-
"When she met you, yes...but look, Kaneki, I followed you two, hoping to find out that myself, and stop her if she decided to do what she did. That's why you are here now, breathing." He told, gentle, knowing how much she was going through, though keeping his real-primary-motive to himself. It reminded him of when he entered this world a few months ago, that terrified look, after a scuffle with a certain goddess, and now he was here, ripped from the tide of his world and now in the swirl of this one.
He-true to his shinobi ways-adapted to this new life, and used it as best he could, a steady income from his job as one of the best assassins and mercenary for hire-for private business after-all. That did not by any means signify that he didn't try to find his way home, finding that he could afford great luxuries here-but far from it was he to not seek his path home. He tried a countless times to. . .well, that mattered not, right now he needed to help this Kaneki girl, seeing as she was no shinobi.
"What are you gonna do with me now?"
"Now," he asked, not really knowing himself, "I guess it would be best if you stay away from R-"
"-N-no, I-I mean, I-If Rize's gonna come after me, won't you have to prot-"
"Don't," he said, finger to his lips, "think that. Rize ain't gonna catch you, and, actually, it might be that she's gonna go after me."
"How so?" Kaneki asked, still fearful, confused, barely keeping track of what was going on.
A sigh escaped him then, and he decided that all this information would hurt her head, so instead, he opted to deviate from it, and go for more friendly talk, just to calm her down a bit.
"Hey, let's not think to much about this stuff. For now, think of me as a guy that's gonna keep you safe and make sure you can protect yourself. So, what's your name?" He asked. Obviously, he already knew, but that was not the point. If he really was going to protect her, train her to utilize her ghoul half-god the headache of telling her and actually training her just occurred to him!-he would have to gain her trust.
"K-Ken Kaneki. W-what's yours?" She told, tentive even when asking him his own name.
He let loose a fox grin that seemed to loosen the tension more so, and with pride, thumbing his chest, he declared it.
"Uzimaki Naruto, dattebayo."
It was then that she raised a brow to him, most of the worry now gone as she sat up, more relaxed. But when she asked him this single-to him-annoying question, he found his teeth grit together in slight ire.
"Fishcake?"
A/N
Hope you enjoyed it, I took and gave on things, and created some differences, so I have to say i'm pretty proud of it, at least a little bit anyhow.
Oh, and if you decide to 'troll' or flame me, go ahead, I really couldn't care less now.
But for those of you who take the time to point out things and have good criticism, and advise on the style of writing, or some misspelling, I welcome you and will try to do my best to improve constantly, so long as the plot in mind isn't shifted greatly.
Thanks for reading guys and gals, see ya the next time I update
:^)