DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.

A/N: This is a prequel to the fic Tokyo Tentacle. Before the events of Tokyo Tentacle. Younger days of Anteiku's staff. They need more love! (Also, ghouls are called tentacles here, okay?)

DAYS GONE BY TOKYO 01
Apes, Dogs and Ravens Arc - EP1

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

A young ginger-haired male tentacle jumps over a car. He was holding onto a loaf of bread, his gray hood keeping his identity a mystery to those who were chasing him. He was being followed by a dozen of tentacles who were also wearing similar gray hoodie like he does.

Jumping over the car, the dozen who followed him hopped over it like there was a stampede, making the person inside the car panic in fear that he will be hurt.

"Over here!"

All of them had different colored tentacles also of different numbers. But their leader who was in front had three tentacles.

He led his team to an alley, taking a sharp turn and motioning for everyone to climb up the building as soon as they turned to the alley. The tallest within his team halted in front and the rest of the tentacles used him as stepping stone to leap on the second floor of the building.

When everyone was already on top, the last man also jumped up and their leader being the last to follow.

"Woohoo! Devil Apes did it again!"

Raising the long loaf bread in victory, they celebrated, shouting and clapping their hands and jumping in the air.

When he lowered his arm, the loaf of bread was gone from his hand. "What the-?!"

"Enji-san, up there!"

Looking up at the ceiling, they see four tentacles up there. Two were female and two were male. They were using their tentacles to hang from the ceiling. The girl in the middle was the one holding the loaf of bread.

"Give it back thieves!" the head of the Devil Apes yelled.

"Consider this as payment for the last time." the girl says and swung herself towards the window, jumping out of the building and the three followed her lead.

"Black Dober!"

Growling in anger, the head of the Devil Ape grew his tentacles and turned to his people.

"We outnumber them, this time, let's tear them to pieces and show them not to mess with us!"

Now in pursuit of the Black Dobers, they were all angry. And they ought to be really violent towards their enemy for the past year.

"Irimi-san, they're gaining on us!"

"All for a loaf of bread..." the girl muttered and smirked. "Then let's mock them before we retaliate."

Stopping on their tracks, the loaf of bread was divided into several pieces, passing it towards the other members and eating it before the Devil Apes arrive. This made the other team really angry.

"BLACK DOBERS!"

"DEVIL APES!"

The two teams clashed, fighting each other in the middle of the street in broad daylight. This ought to get a lot of attention from CCG. The humans nearby chose to leave their cars and everything behind.

Screaming in fear, they ran off. But some stayed and dared to take pictures of the scene and also filming it.

The leaders of both sides clashed while their followers fought separately. "For a little girl you fight okay." Enji flattered.

"Maybe you're losing your ability to see, ape. I'm taller than you!"

Their tentacles slammed towards each other as if it were swords. Enji happened to have the advantage because he had three tentacles that manifested from his back while Irimi only had two.

Enji used his extra tentacle to grab her arm, pulling her close to him so he can punch her hard in the face, forcing her to fall on the cemented road. Then he jumped and lands his fist on her stomach. Irimi rolled to the side and his fist lands on the ground, making a crack.

"A dog must be taught a valuable lesson." Enji says, cracking his knuckles.

Getting back on her feet, both her tentacles stretched towards Enji, binding both his arms and squeezing it tightly. "What kind of lesson can a primitive like you teach me, huh?"

"Never to mess with an opponent you can't take!"

Three of Enji's tentacles stretched towards Irimi, the end was slowly turning sharp. One was headed to her head, the two were headed towards her body. The girl merely smirked. "Learned that a long time ago."

Taking one step forward, her tentacles began to discharge a transparent liquid and wetting the Devil Ape leader. When his tentacles were an inch near her face, Enji lit was lit on fire.

Releasing him, Enji was in a panic as he rolled himself on the ground to put the fire out. "AAGGHH!"

The fire was temporal and it left slight burned scars all over his arms. The sleeves of his jacket was tattered thanks to the fire. Enji got back on his feet, snarling at his enemy. The head of the Black Dobers was standing a few meters from him, grinning.

"Truth be told, I was never fond of dogs." he says while waiting for his arms to heal.

"Neither was I fond of apes."

Allowing her enemy to heal, they stared at each other in the eyes for a moment. Waiting for the burns to heal, they turned to the side, left and right, seeing that there are a few people filming them and taking pictures.

"The most number of kills win." Enji proposed.

"We have an even number, better not slack off for a banana, ape."

"I'll throw you a bone after you lose."

Splitting up, Enji went to the left and Irimi ran to the right. The two were quick to destroy the gadgets being used to record the scene of events. But what got them in real trouble is when the blood of these humans were spilled.

CCG investigators arrived and outnumbered both little groups.

The two disregarded their ongoing rivalry as they went ahead to protect their team members from the investigators. CCG was there for the kill, any kill would mean promotion for them, that's why, they showed no mercy even if the tentacles they had to kill were teenagers.

"Enji!" One of the injured Devil Ape member cried out.

Enji tried to reach his hand to help his friend, but one investigator appeared in between them, slashing at Enji and he had no choice but to back away.

He turned to the rest of his teammates who were also killed already. Then he turned to his rival, the Black Dobers had no members left and the remaining survivor was their leader.

Irimi was kneeling down, bidding goodbye to the last member of her team that was killed.

"Black Dober." Enji says as he approached her, protecting her from an investigator who tried to decapitated her. "We can't escape if we fight. We need to work together."

"Kneel and beg and maybe I'd consider." she tells him sharply and they glared at each other.

"Should I put a leash on you and strangle you to death?"

To accept his offer, she killed the investigator that appeared behind him with her two sharp tentacles. Blood splattered on Enji's jacket. "Call me Enji. Enji Koma."

"Irimi Kaya."

The two shook hands and together ran towards the direction of the setting sun.

They were surrounded by the number of investigators, and the situation was almost hopeless. Until a twelve feet tall tentacle appeared behind them, knocking off the investigators and grabbing the two tentacles with him and jumping away.

The huge tentacle dropped them off the rooftop of the tallest building in the 13th Ward.

"Whoa what are you dude?!" Enji said as he stared at his arms covered in slime.

As soon as Irimi lands on her feet, she shoved the foreign tentacle off her. "Get your slimy tentacles off me!"

"Is this how you thank the person who saved you?" he says as slowly his form reverted to a human's. In the end he wasn't that tall or that scary. He's actually an elder with white hair.

The two exchanged looks before staring back at their savior.

"What do you want from us?" Enji asked, not wanting to thank their mysterious savior just yet.

"You'll have to earn it if you want me thank you." Irimi said and crossed her arms.

"My name is Yoshimura. Doves dubbed me the 'Owl'." he began to say. "Let's say I did a lot of bad things in my life and I want to start anew. That's what I'm doing right now. You two happen to be in the area when I was traveling. I couldn't leave strayed young ones to get killed because they don't know what's right and wrong."

Enji tapped on his chin, thinking. "The Devil Ape is aware of what's right and wrong. Stealing food just happens to be our only option to eat."

"Just 'coz you have more tentacles than us, doesn't mean you know what's right and wrong in this world." Irimi countered.

Yoshimura takes a deep breath, keeping both hands behind his back. "You two survived by stealing food, killing doves, gathering troops to create a group to make you feel like you're home. But there is an alternative way to live. Something better."

"If we follow you, you get to be boss?" Enji asked. "The Devil Ape doesn't bow to anyone."

"I agree with you, ape."

"You don't have to follow me if you don't want to. But give me a month or two to show you a different lifestyle. I am going to the 20th Ward to live there. I have plans to open a coffee shop. Simple yet civilized." the elder tells them. "What do you think?"

"Well... I have no place to go." Enji says, unsure. He turns to Irimi whose arms were still crossed and staring daggers at Yoshimura. "Would you go?"

"Am I your mother? Decide for yourself."

"Die you mongrel."

Yoshimura turned his back on them and starts walking. "If you already decided, just follow me and I won't mind. If you decide a little later in the future, the shop will be called Anteiku." he says and left them.

Enji and Irimi turned to each other. They honestly had no place to go, no past to look back to, just a future to walk towards to.

"Wait up! My name is Enji Koma!" Enji says as he ran after Yoshimura, staying on his right while Irimi arrived from his left. "I am also known as the famous Devil Ape." he bragged.

"Irimi Kaya, Black Dober."

"We beat the Dobers every time they attempt to steal from us." Enji continued to brag when Irimi didn't retaliate earlier. "Since she's a little girl, I showed a little mercy."

"Call me 'little' when you actually grow taller, stupid ape."

"Circumcise me you piece of dog crap!"

"Take your pants off and let me do the honors, horny monkey."

"I dare you to make a move and I will cut you down!"

Yoshimura's tentacles slapped the two in their butt and the two jumped forward, startled by the deed. They were both massaging their butts from the pain. It won't bruise but it sure was painful.

"The heck you stupid old man?!"

"You have no right you ancient garbage!"

When they yelled at Yoshimura, the two were once again slapped. This time, their tentacles manifested to defend themselves in case Yoshimura was planning to hit them for the third time.

"If you two are coming with me, you should learn to get along." he tells them. "I don't want to hear you calling each other names. Your name is Enji Koma, isn't it? Then learn to respect a girl and call her by name. Kaya Irimi, you will do the same for him."

"The hell I will!" the two said in unison.

"Then I refuse to allow you to come with me." Yoshimura says. And the two kept quiet. "Can we start over?"

The two turned to each other again, still glaring. Enji was the first to stretch a hand forward. "Enji Koma. Pleasure to meet you..." he says, refraining from saying anything else.

Looking at his dirty hand, she reached for it and shook his hand. "Irimi Kaya. Likewise."

"Easy right?" Yoshimura stated when he saw the two shook hands and completed a sentence without insulting each other. "Now let's go."

It was easy for Yoshimura to say that, but things were just about to begin. He was only about to meet another troublesome tentacle soon.