-Glassy Sky-
(Inspired by AmaLee's cover of "Glassy Sky")
PROLOGUE: "There's No Looking Back"
Blood. There was sooooo much blood everywhere. And what scared him most was that it wasn't his.
Kaneki shakily withdrew his head from his clutching hands and looked at the scene around him, eyes wide in shock. How could this happen? he thought to himself. No, this wasn't supposed to happen like this!
Littered around him were bodies-punctured, twisted, torn apart. Each of them had helmets encasing their heads, and the letters "CCG" branded on their backs; stark, white letters against black Kevlar; the light within humanity's dark times against evil-the saviors. Now stained red, their meaning became useless, a waste, and their dead bodies were proof of it. And their blood, oh there was just so much blood.
It took Kaneki a great amount of control not to scream out towards the sky and let out his anguish. He felt as if the world was crashing down on him and his sanity was slipping past his fingers as the seconds ticked on. The tears that should appear didn't trickle down his cheeks and mix with the bloodied floor. Rather, his tear ducts ignored his sanity and trapped the salty liquid within, unwilling and unforgiving. Let insanity take over for once, it cooed him. That's your nature after all. This happened because they were coming for you. They were coming to save you. And now they're all dead. Innocent lives, taken down like dominoes. It's all your fault, Kaneki, and you enjoyed every second of it!
"NO! No I don't! I didn't want this to happen...I-I...I don't know what to do...Please, someone, anyone, please help me!"
His plea want on deaf ears; there was nothing in sight to listen to his cry. He could feel his voice echo out into the halls into the abyss. No one was coming. No one's coming because they're all dead. Just accept it!
"NOOOOO! I refuse, it can't be!" Kaneki hollered back into the darkness. He began pulling at his white strands, practically ripping them out of his skull and repeatedly banged his head against the concrete. Blood gushed out of his forehead, but he didn't care. He kept repeating, "I'm sorry" to himself, like a mantra, over and over and over again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it." But part of him told his heart, he deserved this pain.
He deserved it.
Suddenly he stopped. A broken laugh escaped his lips. Finally, a tear escaped his sockets. "I really am insane, aren't I?" He continued laughing to himself, the laughter becoming louder and more maniacal. His face turned towards the moon shining down the destroyed rooftop and his laugh echoed towards the moon, his eyes glistened in tears. The laugh turned into a sob and that sob into an agonized wail. Agony. What a bitch that was.
I'm breakable. I'm shakable. I'm useless, a burden. I should be dead.
"E-Eyepatch?"
Kaneki didn't hear the voice calling out to him. He assumed his insanity was sending him overboard. Was he a psychic now, able to hear the voices of the dead? The moon shined on him, unwavering.
"Yo! Kaneki!"
He froze. Huh? Hide? Oh god, was he dead too? Did the ghouls kill him, or was he killed in the crossfire? "Oh god, Hide. I'm sorry. I'm soooo sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I'm sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it, I swear. I-I soo sorry..."
Unbeknownst to the half-ghoul, two figures stepped out of the shadows. They were covered in cuts and bruises; the taller of the two injured in one arm, but that didn't stop them from moving forward.
"Kaneki?" Hide questioned, seeing his friend on the ground hugging himself and muttering and sobbing unintelligible words.
"Oi, be careful Nagachika. He may be unstable right now", Amon advised.
"It's Kaneki, he's not going to hurt me. I know him."
"Still, just be careful."
The blonde made his way towards the half-ghoul and knelt before him, the latter unaware of his presence. A sad smile crossed his lips. I'll do whatever it takes to bring you back, Kaneki, he promised himself. Steeling his resolve, he widened his smile-the infamous grin of Hide Nagachika-and gently placed a hand on the latter's shoulder.
Kaneki's body froze, mind stopped thinking.
A familiar scent caressed his nose and suddenly he whipped his head towards the smell, eyes widened in fear of the unknown. The arm belong to no other than his best friend, who was kneeling in front of him, grinning and alive. His hair was an utter mess and his armor damaged and tattered, but he was in front of him...and ALIVE. Another stream of tears ran down the half-ghoul's face as he blinked furiously. It had to be an illusion, right? He was long it after all.
"What's with the sad face, Kaneki? Aren't you happy to see us? We're here to rescue you!" the blonde chirped.
"Rescue? Me?" he repeated, dumbfounded.
"Yeah, man. We had to fight our way through ghouls and soldiers but we made it. And soon we'll be able to go home...together."
Kaneki blinked. "Home...together..."
Amon observed the exchange from a measurable distance, in case the blonde was in need of rescuing but far enough from being intrusive. Eyepatch-Kaneki-had been a mystery to him. Ever since their first encounter, he found him odd, strange, intriguing. He was different, and he wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. After the death of his partner Mado Kureo, his mind went on a full rampage of eradicating all existing ghouls. But it wasn't until he had stumbled upon some jarring information he coincidentally found, connecting a freak accident, a missing person, a missing Binge Eater, and Dr. Kanou and his past with the CCG did things finally click together. Kaneki Ken was Eyepatch, and he had once been human.
God, he had been human. And now turned into a Ghoul. How could this have even happened?
Well, when you mix a medical doctor with a history on ghouls, the disappearance of the Binge Eater, and the accident that fell upon the boy, the pieces began to stitch itself together into a larger, deranged, demonic tapestry. Kaneki was a victim of human experimentation, and he had deserved none of that, including the torture from Jason.
There was a long period of time in Amon's life where he believed Ghouls were the ultimate symbol of evil, eating humans like humans consumed cattle. But humans were capable of being just as evil, and this doctor won the golden globe for that category.
Humans were demons too, so why couldn't Ghouls be more human?
Hide looked towards Kaneki, who seemed to have spaced out. His head hung low, white hair covered his eyes.
"What do you say, ne, Kaneki? Ready to go—"
"I can't."
Hide gave him a confused look. So did Amon.
"I can't go home, Hide."
"Eh, why not?"
"I just can't. I'm not myself. I might hurt you, and everyone else…if they're still alive."
He whispered the last part, but Hide and Amon heard him clearly.
A pained expression crossed Hide's face. He didn't want Kaneki to be this way. None of this was his fault!
"Well you're coming whether you like it or not!" Hide countered.
"NO!" Kaneki didn't mean to blast Hide, but he need his friend to understand. He was too dangerous and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he hurt Hide. "Don't you get it, baka? I'm a Ghoul! I—"
"Bullshit! So what? That doesn't change the fact that you're still my best friend. And what the hell would I be good for if I couldn't protect you and be there when you need a shoulder to lean on? That's what friends are for, Kaneki, and I will stand beside you until I breathe my last breath!"
Kaneki's eyes were wide at Hide's proclamation, surprised and grateful for his continued commitment to their friendship.
As if Hide's voice were the magic words, his senses returned to reality and settled into a content calmness. Hide was right—that's what friends were for, and he wouldn't be the person he was if they never met. He was grateful to have Hide as a friend. And that was why he wanted to stay away from him, keep the blonde safe. But knowing Hide, the guy was as immobile as a mountain when determined. Kaneki's grey eyes met Hide's amber ones; a soothing fire exploded within the pit of Kaneki's chest and began to burn a little brighter.
He took deep breaths, trying to get a grip back on reality. Home…he thought. The word brought back memories of his mother, of his aunt, of his past life as a full human. He could never return to that home anymore. In order to survive, Kaneki had to move on. It was going to be difficult, but with Hide on his side maybe, just maybe, they could find themselves a better place to call home.
Allowing a small smile to touch his lips, Kaneki's eyes met Hide's. "Thank you."
Hide gave him his trademark grin. "You know it! Don't forget, rabbits die of loneliness! Come on, let's get the hell out of here."
Kaneki took the extended hand and hauled his body upward. His knees buckled and his body collapsed, but not before a pair of strong arms grasped the half-ghoul on one side. He looked to see Amon gazing at him, a small smile displayed on his lips—and he allowed the investigator to help him forward.
Making their way towards the abyss, Kaneki took a final glance at the carnage. "What will happen here from hereon out?"
Amon answered without taking his eyes in front of them. "The back up teams should be here shortly. The ghouls responsible will be hunted down until they are found. I highly doubt they'll keep you out of that equation. We have to get out of here as quickly as possible, before they arrive. Or else we'll all be joining them too."
They both nodded in response, and began their transcendence into the hallway. Kaneki was not a believer in God, but he hoped that the men and women that died today would find a peaceful resting place wherever they go. With one last glance, he quietly gave a quick prayer to the deceased before stepping into the darkness.
As they made their way out, a young woman stepped out of the shadows. She gestured them to the black van parked in the vacant area of the docking station, where the driver awaited their arrival.
"Hide, get into the passenger seat. I'll patch up Amon and Kaneki", she instructed. "Hurry."
"Yes, ma'am!"
No less than ninety seconds later the black van sped out of the parking lot and into the night.
It was fifteen minutes into the ride Hide decided to break the silence.
"Hey Ty, where exactly are we headed to?"
The driver, identified as Ty, made a right turn before answering the blonde. "The airport."
Everyone sans the woman turned their heads to their driver. "What, why? I thought we weren't going until another two days!" Amon protested.
"There's no time for that", the woman calmly replied. She applied another swab of antiseptic to Amon's wound, making the man twitch in pain. Then she wrapped the arm up in gauze and sealed the edge. "The CCG and Aogiri will be hot on our trail if we don't escape fast." She pulled out five small booklets from her duffel bag. The booklets were fake passports. "I had Reena create new identities for all of us, and transferred that info to these EM Passports. Here, take these as well." She handed everyone their new identities, plane tickets and clothing, and then distributed a pill to them each.
"These are NEIC pills. It will mask your body signature to be that of your new identity, and get you through security and the airplane ride until we get to our destination. Although I will warn you once the effects wear off, the aftereffects involve migraines, vomiting, and fatigue-which aren't pretty, but it'll be worth it in the end."
They nodded in response and downed the pills accordingly.
Once they arrived at the airport, the minutes literally flew by. The pills took effect immediately. They all sported brown hair. Kaneki and Hide were passable as fraternal twin brothers, Amon as their older brother, and the couple as their parents. To everyone else the five looked like a family unit. Security check was a breeze. When they arrived to their gate number, the plane had begun boarding.
"Group Five, now boarding." Ty led the way into the jet bridge. Setting their belongings into the above compartments, they took their seats and awaited departure. Moments later, the plane began to move it's way towards the runway. Hide looked over to Kaneki, who was looking out the window with a solemn look. So much had happened in so little time, it was hard to know whether or not it really happened. Hide grasped Kaneki's hands, gaining his attention. The half-ghoul looked at his friend, who gave him a reassuring smile. Kaneki smiled back-genuinely with ease-and let out a tense sigh he never knew he held. The idea of flying on an airplane was scary enough for Kaneki-heck, this was his first time on one. But what scared him most was what he was leaving behind. His first twenty years of life-friends, family, coffee shops, books, university, Anteiku-he would only have memories of them. He wasn't even sure if he would ever see them again in the distant future, and he doubted it. But as he looked to his left, he had Hide, Amon, and two new companions-though still unknown to him-making this great journey across the world into a foreign country with him. It was sad to leave Japan behind, but at least he had his best friend and a considerate, kind-hearted ex-investigator turned ally. He gave Hide's hand a squeeze, acknowledging his soothing presence. He pulled out his ticket and observed the print.
YOUTANORI, DAICHI
10:45PM DEPARTURE TIME
SEAT 8F
ONE WAY FLIGHT
DESTINATION: STOKERTON INT'L AIRPORT, USA
He put the ticket back into his pocket and rested his head against the seat, starring into the night as the plane began to take off. Ascending into the heavens, the weight of the world suddenly lifted from his shoulders. Never before had Kaneki finally felt so free. Maybe, he thought. Just maybe, everything will be okay this time. Good bye, Japan. Good bye, Anteiku. Good bye, mother. Everyone, take care, and please don't forget about me or Hide. I'll miss you, and I love you all. Goodbye, mi'na. Drifting asleep, Kaneki closed his tried eyes and fell into a dreamless slumber.
A/N: Hi there! I hope you all enjoyed my first installment of Glassy Sky. I'm off this week and next week so I'm hoping to post up a few more chapters before I get busy again. Let me know what you guys think! Also I just wanted to thank everyone who has favorited, followed, and shared my works. Your support is very much appreciated! Love, VictoriaVQ