Prologue
In Tokyo, Japan, there lives beings which are seen as harmful to human existence. They are known as ghouls, similar to humans, yet they feed on them for survival. These beings are vastly stronger than humans, possessing great strength, immunity to conventional weaponry, and an ability known as Kagune. Kagune is a manifestation of cells in the body, known as RC cells. They form into weapons the ghouls use, like a liquid muscle, red as blood, and strong like blades. A ghoul is strengthened when they release their Kagune, becoming more agile and vicious as a result. The Kagune comes from an organ unique to ghouls, known as the Kakuhou.
A ghoul can be distinguished by their Kagune, which may be deadly to take sight of, or their Kakugan. This is the easiest and safest way to tell if a person is a ghoul. The Kakugan is a change in the eye color, the pupil turns a brilliant red and the sclera black as coal. This is shown when a ghoul is excited to a large degree, when famished, or when their Kagune is activated. Rumor also has it there are a unique set of ghouls, known as one-eyed ghouls, whom only possess one eye as Kakugan.
An investigation bureau that acts as an anti-Ghoul organization, known as the Commision of Counter Ghoul (CCG). They are a police force with the sole purpose of eliminating ghouls, seldom also detaining them. A special weapon type was developed to counter Ghouls great defense, known as the Quinque. It is a device modified into a weapon from harvesting a Kakuhou of a Ghoul. They are turned into weapons, retaining a similar shape to that of the Kagune the ghoul whom used it had. They have also developed what is known as Q-Bullets, bullets tipped in kagune material.
The city of Tokyo is divided into many different districts, known as wards. There are twenty-four in total, all housing unique individuals and ghouls. Many high ranking ghouls have gone as far as taking siege of these wards, essentially ruling them as tyrannical kings. Among the wards there are extremely dangerous ones, such as the 11th and 13th. Also, there are much more "docile" ones, such as the 20th. The CCG monitors these wards with great caution and patience. As a measure of tracking a ghoul they often record a single ghouls habitat in each ward they enter and cause more chaos.
Chapter One: Genesis
A young man, Aru Valentine, age 17, calls the bustling city of Tokyo, Japan his home. A city in a subtle entropy, at the cause of ghouls. A person of blended ethnicity, American and Japanese. A High School third-year, attending Koyami High in the 20th ward. A usually silent person, only talking to other whom he finds an interest in. It isn't as though he is a vain person, he merely dislikes conversation that he deems meaningless. A kind and caring individual to those he deems worthy of his time and energy.
Aru, due to his style of attire and piercings, often kept people at bay. His single nose-stud, and snake-bite lip rings, labeled him in a sort of demeaning way. Others viewed him as a delinquent or failure, however his vast intellectual capacity spoke to contradict that. Bright crimson hair adorned his head, styled in a slicked back manner. People ridiculed him for such a color of hair, even though it was his own natural color.
"..." Silence flourished in the classroom of the young man. All classes were over for the day, yet he remained on the roof, watching the sun turn the sky a numerous amount of hues. A can of black coffee slowly sipped on, little by little. A sound of footsteps and the doorway becoming slightly ajar. SIlence again persisted.
"Here again, as always I see," a soft voice spoke to the third-year. "A small escape from the inevitable hell to follow upon my exit." He retorted, though stated it more to himself than the person.
"How can you be so… so empty? You have little drive to anything ya know that?" a familiar sentiment of lecturing began. To which only a deep sigh followed.
Aru merely left from the rooftop, exiting from the now opened doorway. Leaving his fellow student behind with no remorse. Easing down the stairway, to the ground floor and then to the schools exit. Consuming the remnants of the now hollow black can, then tossing it aside into a trash bin. He headed for his home, reluctant as he was. Anything seemed better than the pseudo haven of his residence. Past the appearances it was more reminiscent to that of a prison.
"Good to see you back home, Aru," a man in his late thirties, dark hair pulled back into a small horse tail, Takashi Kujo; stood in the hallway with a sour grimace. "Couldn't say the same for myself, Kujo."
Eyebrows into a glare, thick lines becoming eyes, and a condescending tone traced the man's tone. "What was that now?"
Silence again, both sets of eyes in a fierce clash, tension thick as blood. Another young man entered, from behind Kujo, "Hey now, let's not fight or anything."
The young man, medium length dirty-blonde hair styled down, age 15, Iggy Rikane. He also took residence to this facade of a home. The situation defused at his intrusion, as was normal of him. Kujo would simply walk away, and go about his normal day.
Takashi Kujo, Aru Valentine, and Iggy Rikane all shared this apartment. No blood relation to be had amongst them, an adoptive family. A family ill thrown together, with a brewing hate from Aru towards Kujo. Having been in many families, with no peaceful results, this had been his last remaining effort from the agency. Kujo knew this all too well, in many cases using that as blackmail against him. Things were different for his adoptive brother, he was a submissive person, as a result Kujo left him alone.
Aru kicked off his shoes in a hurried manner, rushing to the room he called sanctuary. He closed the door, adrenaline flowing through each vein. With swift breaths he lay upon the bed before him, sliding on headphones and toning out the world. Heavy music turned up loud, drowning the nightmare of existence. He didn't hate life, but hated the current state of his life.
Why do you put up with that man? You could erase him, put an end to his and your own misery. You're not like him, not human. Nothing but a monster.
Music turned up louder, violent thoughts streaming "SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"
The door opened to a crack, eyes deathly fixated on it. Iggy entered sluggishly, with a nervous smile. Aru sat up and looked at his younger sibling, turning off the music.
"Hey, I know Kujo-san can be difficult, but I hope you know that I'm here for you," Iggy was soft in his tone and showed great kindness.
Aru touched his cheek only now realizing his tears had been cascading downward. He glanced at his phone for reflection, his eyes coal black. Only his left pupil remained it's natural color, displaying a normal and unusual Kakugan. He gripped the phone in a furious manner, the case keeping it from being broken. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, showing a blushed red scorn. He hated his eyes, being a failed sentiment, a defective ghoul.
"I know you hate me seeing you like this, but I don't care if you're a ghoul. In the short year we've known each other, I've always held respect for, admired you. You're a strong person for not breaking under such pressure. Whereas most certainly would in your position."
Iggy grew closer to him, smiled, and gave a light embrace. Warm and caring, anger faded from the room. Iggy let go and sat on the floor aside the bed, smiling sincerely. He had a way of doing this, quelling the hurt and frustration Aru harbored. After a few hoarse breaths Aru regained composure. His eyes remained the same as they had been, for why he didn't know.
"Hmm, how much have you eaten today?" Iggy, posing a question to him. To which he was uninclined to reply.
Instead he sat in silence, face again a light shade of red. "Come on, you gotta tell me, I can't help you if don't tell me." He wasn't sure himself, "I uh… maybe since Monday… I think."
"That's two whole days! Jeez, you gotta talk to me if you need help, no matter how much it seems inconvenient. It's not as though you have to have people to eat, you can eat any meat so long as that's all it is."
Aru, a ghoul living in human society, though he was different from a normal one. He bore a Kakugan with an irregularity, and could eat any kind of meat. However, he could not live off it forever, at least once a month he needed human flesh to some degree. Also any other meat than human flesh would not resolve his hunger, only keep it at bay for a day or two at most. A ghoul that could blend better than most, however he felt isolated as a result. Knowing no other ghoul made the task of obtaining a "human resource" difficult of a task.
"I'll go and cook you something, you like rare right?" Aru nodded and sighed a little in relief.
Iggy headed out of the room, leaving Aru alone again. No one knew about him being a ghoul, except Iggy. He discovered it a few days after of their meeting, which ended in a bizarre manner. Aru was an anxious person by nature, to which was more so around his newly adoptive father. This made eating anything in the home a psychological strain on him, fearing conflict from Kujo. After a slip up from Aru, Iggy discovered the eyes of a ghoul, the Kakugan.
As he described it, "Your eyes are a little scary, but they house a solid hurt, the kind of a person, not a monster." After a short time Iggy knocked on the door, entering and holding a plate of pork. "Here you go, just take it slow okay, eating too fast will make you hungry quicker."
Aru nodded, taking utensils in hand and carving up the slab of meat. Slowly consuming bits of the rare pork. It didn't taste the greatest, no meat did other than human, but it would suffice to curb the hunger pent up inside him. Each chunk of meat slid down his throat with an ease like that of molasses. It was quite far from anything delicious, but it tasted exceedingly better than anything humans could call food. With the last morsel ingested he set the plate down and sighed heavily.
"Feel better?" Iggy grinned slightly. "Yeah," Aru took a deep breath, "thank you." "Don't think anything of it, it's nothing that great."
"Hey um… could you do me a favor?" Aru posed a question anxiously. "Sure, anything." "Could you get one of the coffee cans from the fridge for me?" Iggy smiled and nodded, "Absolutely!"
Iggy picked up the plate and utensils and exited the room once again. Aru checked the time on his phone, it read 9:25 PM. He sighed again, maybe I can sleep well for once tonight.
A soft knock again, followed by an entering of his younger sibling. "As requested, one coffee, black, and cold." Aru gave a light-hearted smile, "Thank you very much."
He opened the can slowly, feeling the seal of metal ease away, followed by a hushed pop sound. Taking a drink eased his stomach and washed the taste of the meat down. This was one of the very few pleasures he had in life, though how he discovered it was a forgotten memory. Drinking the beverage made him feel normal, something not so unusual or outcast. In this moment he felt the weight of the world become lifted for at least a small interval of time.
"Ya know, watching you enjoy that coffee the way you do," Iggy rested his hand on his chin, "it's like, you're truly happy for a time." Aru laughed in a short burst. "Maybe you're right."
