A/N:
This will [probably] be a one shot, depending on the feedback I receive. As a huge fan of both series, and noticing some stylistic similarities, I decided to cross the two series over. If you'd like to see a full resolution of the thumbnail, please visit my deviantart page, Filmcreatorx
The doors of heaven and hell opened slowly, cold wind gently escaping them with a slight hiss. The elevator doors, that is. A father joined with his son by his side, and peeked out of each of their elevators to peer into their new environment.
The son, without a word, took his father's hand in his own as he eyeballed the lights that dimly lit the establishment in a blue light. Together, they walked down the red carpet into the lobby of what almost could be described as a bar. Large tanks filled with water and various aquatic life bubbles as they glanced over at me. Without paying them any attention, I grabbed a towel from underneath the counter which I stood behind. My eye glanced to the right of the bar, meeting a beautiful girl with dyed purple hair, which came down to her shoulders.
One day, she showed up knowing nothing more than her name, 'Rize.'. For the time being, she assists me with my bar duties.
"Dad, where are we? What is this place?"
"I'm not sure, son." He said, glancing around. Taking the moment, I placed my hand to my mouth and cleared my throat, taking their gazes off the grand glass chandelier and placing it on myself.
"Welcome to Anteikudecim," I said, glancing at the small child, "I am your bartender, Kaneki. Would either of you care for some coffee, perhaps a hard drink for the older gentleman?" I asked, glancing at the various alcoholic beverages behind me. The father furrowed his brow, helping his son up to the seat. His eyes shot up and down, scanning me and my uniform. Calmly, I adjusted my bowtie as his gaze rose to my face, glancing at my white hair, then at my crimson red eye, then finally at my eyepatch.
"What's with the eyepatch? Isn't that a medical one?" He asked, taking a seat.
"I..." I said, glancing away. "was injured in an unfortunate accident."
"Where are we?"
"A good segway into my first question." I said, turning to them. "Can either of you remember anything? Any details are acceptable."
"Uh..." The kid said with a frown. "Only my name. Leo Smith."
"Same here." The dad said, scratching at his well kept beard. "Its Daniel Smith, but you can call me Dan if you'd like."
"Thank you." I said with a slight bow.
"Where are we, anyways?" The young boy asked. He couldn't be too old, maybe twelve or thirteen. Enough to be innocent, but not enough to be childish. At least, not too terribly so, based on how he assessed his location.
"Allow me to explain your situation." I said, turning to Rize. She gave a small nod, turning to the pair and held up her index finger enthusiastically.
"One!" She said, causing the child to giggle slightly."
"I'm afraid I cannot provide you with any information regarding your current location."
"Two!" She said, holding up to fingers and winking.
"As per regulation, we shall have you play a game."
"I like games!" Leo said, giving a big smile.
"Three!" Rize said with a smile, holding up her third finger.
"As to the type of the game, that will be decided by roulette." I said. A large object slammed behind my back, causing them to leap in shock. Glancing back slightly at the small board. It was divided into 3x3 squares, much like the face of a rubix cube. Each design added to the larger picture of a leather mask with teeth and a black leather eyepatch.
"Four!" She said, holding out her fourth finger.
"The stakes of this game are very high. Play as if your lives are at risk."
"Excuse me?!" Dan said, standing up and slamming his hand on the counter. "What is this, Saw?!"
"Five!" Rize cheered, closing her hands and extending all her fingers.
"You will not be allowed to leave this establishment until the games completion."
"Daddy?" His son asked as Dan grabbed his hand and walked away from the counter.
"No thank you! We are leaving now!"
"Its so cute how they always think they can leave." Rize said, giggling evilly. I sighed, cleaning the glass underneath the sink as they stormed around the building, storming into bathrooms and clicking the buttons on the elevators. It took a good ten minutes, but Dan slowly came back, his face a pale white.
"Listen, please let us go." He said, rubbing his hands through his hair. "No, you can do whatever you want with me, just let my boy go."
"I'm afraid that is not an option. You will both play this game. You may start it by pressing the large red button on the counter." I said, glancing down at the cup. "Young man, would you like a drink?"
"Uh..." He said, glancing at his scared dad. "Can I have some Coke?"
"Of course." I said, pulling out a glass and pouring him some of the bubbling liquid. Dan gasped as I handed his son the drink.
"Don't drink that." He said, glancing at his kid.
"It's fine, see?" Rize said, grabbing a glass and pouring some of the liquid herself. Glancing at him, she took a large sip, letting out a happy sigh.
"Sir, would you like a hard drink? Some coffee?" I asked, glancing at him.
"Does the loser die?" He asked, unable to calm down.
"Play as if your lives are on the line." I said, turning around and grabbing a beer for him. He wasted no time placing the cap against the counter, slamming it down and popping it open with a hiss. With a sigh, he placed the bottle to his lips and took a big swig.
"Are these games dangerous?"
"Dangerous?" I said, tilting my head. "I can't answer that. Painful? It will depend on how and what you play."
"And what happens if we don't play?" He said, glaring at me. I sighed, glancing at Rize. She motioned 'no' with her head, glancing at the boy. With a shrug, I decided not to show him what was in the back and instead answer him directly.
"I would highly recommend playing." I said, glancing at him straight in the eye. He swallowed hard, clenching his eyes shut and slamming his hand on the big red button on the middle of the counter. The tablet's sections glowed one at a time as a small and cheery tune played, the light settling on the eyepatch. It flipped around, revealing a paddle.
"It is decided. You will play Parade Paddle." I said, glancing to the left. Smoke erupted from the area as the floor flipped around, revealing a large black bone table, spiderwebs forming a net in the middle of the table. I stepped out from behind the bar, grabbing two paddles and handing them each one.
"Rize, please prepare some food for our players."
"Aye' Aye, Cap'n!" She said with a lighthearted salute, walking over behind the counter.
"I will now explain the rules of this game. It shares the same rules as Ping Pong. You have a paddle each, and there will be a small ball. One will serve it, letting it bounce once and only once. From there it can bounce on the enemy's side once and only once. They may hit it freely to get it to bounce once on the original side, and so on and so forth. A point is achieved if someone can make the ball bounce twice on someones side, or go past them so they cannot return the hit. If you fail to bounce the ball once at least on their side, they get a point. There will be no reserves, and no particular way you must serve the ball. The first to 4 wins. Do you understand?"
"So its just Ping Pong?" The child asked with a smile.
"Yes, Little Leo, exactly like Ping Pong." I said, patting him on his head. "Any comments, Daniel?"
He swallowed, weakly shaking his head. I gently handed him a ball with a bone on it, giving a small nod. With a sigh, he walked over to his side and held up the ball.
"Leo, I need you to hit this ball, okay? I'll let it bounce on my side."
"Whatever you say, Daddy!" He said, giving a smile. Dan nodded, holding the ball up in the air.
"Are you ready?" He asked. His son nodded, causing his father to give an ever so slight hit with the paddle. It gently bounced once on his side, going over the spider web net onto the boy's side, bouncing yet again. He furrowed his brow as all his energy focused on the ball, waving his paddle
and missing the ball completely.
The ball bounced to the side, landing off the table and rolling on the floor.
?!
The young boy and his father gently walked down the street at night as the child gently licked his ice cream cone, glancing up at his father with a smile on his face. He may not have been the best father, especially when he drank, but he never hurt him. He always loved him, always cared. That's why he got him ice cream. The young boy had a large test tomorrow, and he needed good luck. The father promised the young boy he'd get triple the ice cream, along with a nice breakfast of pancakes and bacon if he got an A. After all, the father never did well in school. He worked a dull job, where he met his ex-wife. She cheated on him with some younger guy from a fast food place, leaving in the middle of the night without a single word. But he didn't want that for his son. He didn't want his son to turn into the failure he was.
?!
"And a point goes to the father." I said, picking up the ball. Dan let out a yelp as he grabbed his left arm, fearfully looking at me.
"What's wrong?" Rize asked, setting up two kickstand tables and setting two plates on them. On one rested a nice steak, complete with a fork, seasoning, a steak knife, and some french fries. Similarly, on the other rested a small kid's burger, some potato chips, and a small toy.
"My arm just... really hurt for some reason. Almost like its broken. I can't tell if I did and I'm in shock or if it was just in my mind."
"I see no reason for it to be broken." Rize said, hiding a giggle. "You didn't do anything to hurt it." I glanced away, wrapping my thumb around my index finger, popping it with a loud crack.
"Gah, it does hurt though." He said, holding it. "Leo, you have to hit this ball. It's really important, okay?"
"Okay, but are you hurt?"
"I'm... fine. Let's just finish and get out of here." He said, grabbing the ball and hitting it. The boy gave a cute grunt as he hit the ball, sending it flying over the man's shoulder. He howled in pain as he gripped his left lower rib area, landing on the table with a thud.
?!
They passed in the very special shortcut that his father used to get to their apartment. It would nearly be a twenty minute walk to go around the block, but through the alleyway would be half as short. It may not have been the smartest choice, but he had beer in his system. Not nearly enough to even be remotely drunk, but enough to take note. With a smile, he hoisted his loving son up to his shoulders, the boy letting out a giggle as he reached for the moon. He wanted to be an astronaut. The father had bought his son various posters from deep space, along with glow in the dark stickers for his son's room to keep the fascination.
And then the figure in black stepped out of the shadows
?!
"F-Fuck!" He shouted, turning his head to me. "What's going on?! What am I seeing? What the hell are you doing to me?"
"Continue playing." I said, setting my red eye on him and popping a finger. "I... don't recommend what will happen if you do not."
"What did you do to me?!"
"The score is currently Dan, 2, Leo, 0." I said, handing him the ball.
"Daniel, just play the game. Worry about what happens after." Rize said with a shrug, walking over to the table. He winced, pulling himself up and throwing the ball in the air.
"Dad?"
"We're playing, are you ready?" He said, leaning against the table. The son nodded, resulting in the father hitting the ball slowly. The son hit it, causing it to bounce off his side and off the table.
?!
The robber asked for their money, but the father was broke. He only took enough to pay for his son's ice cream, and even that was harsh with the bills he needed to pay. He'd have to work overtime, but it shouldn't have been anything too bad. Did the robber believe him? No, of course he didn't. He brought out a loaded gun, flicking off the safety. After threatening the boy, who was now in tears, he gently grabbed his wallet out of his pocket and handed it to the man, who tore it open and shook out its contents.
?!
"Dan, 3, Leo, 0. Game point." I said, Dan screaming as he fell to a knee.
"My leg! Its broken!" He screamed, causing his son's face to contort in fear.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!" He shouted, slamming his fist on the table.
"Continue playing."
"NO!" He shouted, throwing the ball against the table in anger. It bounced high in the air, slowly falling as it landed on his son's side, bouncing over his head.
"Game, Dan wins." I said, bowing. "Good game."
Dan turned to me, his face contorted in fear and surprise.
"What?! That wasn't a serve!"
"I said that there was no specific way to serve. Anything counts." I said emotionlessly, causing Rize to giggle. "Leo, I'm afraid you have lost."
"No..." He said, glancing down with a destroyed look on his face. "No, thats not it. I'm not letting you take my son!"
"The game is over, and he has lost."
"Like hell it is!" He shouted, stumbling forward and grabbing the steak knife from the table. He leaped forward, raising the knife high in the air as he stumbled towards me. With a small frown, crimson tendrils shot out from my back and wrapped around his limbs, hoisting him into the air. He let out a scream of fear, joined instantly by his son as the boy fell over and covered his eyes.
"What is this?" He screamed.
"And here comes the final bone break." Rize said, plugging her ears. Right on time, the man let out a blood curdling yell as his spine snapped in half. His head shook right and left violently, almost more fearful of the sight about to come.
?!
And the gun fired, hitting his son in the head. The father watched in horror as Leo's head blew off in a heap of shattered bone and crimson red rain, tissue raining onto the concrete with a loud splat. The father erupted in a teary-eye rage, grabbing a rock from the ground and leaping onto the man. Holding it high above his head, he slammed it into the robber's skull, cracking it open. Even so, the pain of the impact caused the robber's finger to twitch, pulling on the trigger and sending a bullet through the man's lung.
He fell to the ground, drowning in his own blood.
?!
"I'm... dead." He said, tears welling up in his eyes. "We're both dead, aren't we?" I gently lowered him onto the ground, my crimson red tendrils flexing as they retreated back into my spine. Slowly, I walked behind the counter and glanced at him, nodding.
"That is correct. You are both dead. I am an Arbiter, assigned to judging dead souls, and if they should go into 'heaven' or 'hell'." I said, grabbing a glass. He winced from the ground, his son letting out a teary scream as he ran to his father's side.
"That... can't be." Leo said, touching his dad's side. The father flinched, sending his son rearing back in shock. "We're dead? No, we can't be! I have a big test tomorrow! You promised we could eat all the ice cream."
Turning to Rize, I gave a small nod. She rolled her eyes with a smile, walking behind the counter.
"I'm afraid it is the truth."
"Is Leo going to..." He said, his voice cracking.
"I cannot disclose that information." I said, walking over to the counter. With a subtle smile, I grabbed the two plates of ice cream, lowering them to each of them. "Sir, you should find that the pain will vanish momentarily. You may spend time with your son before you go."
Tears welled up in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around me, embracing me in a hug. I flinched in surprise, causing Rize to fight back laughter.
"Thank you..." He said, pulling back. "I... hope that you will judge us right. I don't care who won or lost, my son is the nicest boy in the world. Heaven would be lucky to have him."
I smiled as I returned to the counter, cleaning cups as they ate their ice cream and talked the night away.
"Kaneki, one be-" He paused, giving a smile. "One coffee, please. Mocha, extra cream."
Rize giggled as I turned around, preparing his order exactly how he described.
"Can I have a coffee too?" Leo asked, giving a smile.
"You know you aren't allowed to have caffeine, it will keep you up at night."
"But Daaaaad!" He whined. I leaned in, whispering into the fathers ear.
"Perhaps that's a good idea. It is your final day."
He chuckled, holding his hands up in the air.
"Alright, fine. Get the kid what I had."
...
"Are you both ready?" I asked, glancing at each of them in their elevators. They each nodded, allowing me to gently press the button. It glowed as the elevator doors of Heaven and Hell slowly closed, shooting off in their directions. Turning back to Rize, she gave a pout.
"I missed it, who's going to which?"
"You know the rules. You 'snooze you loose'" I said, popping a finger. "I cannot disclose that information. Arbiter rules."
"Oh, foo!" She said, crossing her arms. "You know you're making that up, don't lie! I'm not even an Arbiter, I shouldn't count!"
"I would do no such thing." I said, shrugging and walking over to the counter.
"How did they die?" She asked, sitting in a bar stool with a margarini in hand.
"It... wasn't a happy death." I said, glancing off into the distance. "Though I suppose it was better than ours."
"I miss life." She sighed, glancing up at me. "Do you?"
"I... don't know." I sighed. "Its not like either of us can remember anything about it."
"And why 'Anteikudecim? I could think of ten better names."
"It was previously called Quindecim, a combination of the name of the past owner and the owner before him. I'm keeping the tradition."
?!
My eye twitched as the next emotions of visitors flooded in through the elevator.
"We have more guests."
"Gah..." She sighed, sticking her tongue out of her mouth. "Already? We just judged the last group."
"Do you know how many people die a second?" I asked, glancing over at her. She shrugged.
"Its a lot. I'm sure a friend of mine could tell you, if we ever visit her."
"Who are they?" She asked, standing and stretching her arm over her head.
"They are..." I said, choosing my words carefully. Their identities and the memories associated with them were lost on me, but it still clicked. "They are old friends."