Another day…

Rain…

Isolation...

THE GAME OF PREY

I'm used to this. The feeling of loneliness is crippling to a twenty four year old man. I had finally gotten the chance to start my life and what happened? It all went to shit in a matter of seconds. Is it selfish to want to abandon life and move on? Is it wrong to say that I hate my life while knowing others may have it just as bad, or maybe even worse than I do? It probably is...That won't get me to change my outlook though. I won't just end myself. I'm not a coward. I know that there are still people out there that desperately need and look up to me. I have responsibilities and I plan on taking care of them. Regardless of how difficult that may prove to be.

I have a lot of problems. One of which involves my...obsession...You see, I was once a married man. I even had a beautiful child. The problem with this however came with whom my wife is...or should I say what she was. To be completely up front, my beloved wife was a human. As terrible as that may seem, it wasn't all bad. Humans and ghouls aren't all that much different. I mean, yeah...Ghouls may eat people, but I've learned to do it in a way that didn't end up hurting anyone. You see...I made it a habit to prey upon humans that were already deceased. I tried to make that happen with all ghouls...Unfortunately, not everyone felt the same.

There were many ghouls that felt as though living humans were better tasting. They enjoyed their fear and said that it added flavor. I never understood what they were talking about. The taste was more or less the same whether they were dead or alive. Those ghouls just wanted an excuse to fulfill their bloodlust. These were also the ghouls that had taken my family from me and left me alone in this twisted world. My wife...My daughter...They're gone. I'll never see them again.

I dropped my eyes to the cup of coffee in front of me. I stared at my reflection and glared. I wanted to continue drinking it. It's savory vanilla filled aroma was so tantalizing to my senses. I wanted to indulge myself in the hot beverage before me but...I just couldn't. It brought back to many memories. Memories that would leave me feeling empty after reminding me of my loneliness.

Anteiku...It was technically where I first met my wife. It was where we'd meet up and relax with each other's company. It was...nice…Peaceful even.

"..." Nothing but silence. I hated this feeling of isolation but I just didn't feel apart of the world anymore.

"You may want to drink that soon, sir. The flavors tend to lessen when the coffee is too cold." Said an older man from behind the counter. I looked up from my cup. He was wiping a glass and gave my a sad smile.

"..." I said nothing.

"Would you like to talk about it? It may ease the pain." He said. There was just no hiding things from the old man. I guess he knew of my situation. I don't often come to this coffee shop alone so he must've felt that something was wrong.

I sighed. "I don't know anymore Yoshimura...You've been in a similar situation as me...You have to know whether or not simply talking about it will help." I spoke with bitterness.

The old man scratched his chin as if it would help him come up with the right words.

"I'm terribly sorry about your family Reyoto. I know how hard this must be for you but I want you to know that I'm still here if you ever need guidance. All of us at Anteiku are here for you. You just have to overcome this. If you let your past take a hold of you, there'll be no future to go to. Take time to grieve but remember to look for a brighter path." He said to me. I sat there and listened closely to his speech.

"I just don't know where to start."

"Start with Anteiku. You'll be a great help to us. We need a strong ghoul like you to help protect those that can't protect themselves. You're a good man Reyoto, despite what happened in the past. You're gentle and yet fierce at the same time. You'll be perfect for our group." He said.

He sighed again. "I assume you know of Aogiri, correct?"

I glared at him. "You mean those monstrous savages that are stepping out of line in the 20th Ward as of late?"

"Yes...It appears that they are making their presence much more known. They're more active and their not exactly doing things for the "good" of the ghoul population. Aogiri along with the CCG, are becoming more of a threat. It's harder for younger and inexperienced ghouls to survive. They'll look for hope and shelter. My dream is to make Anteiku a place where humans and ghouls can both coexist together." He said.

I stared back down at my coffee. "...Together…" I muttered.

"Yes...It is very possible. I found that out the day I saw you and Akihime meet. A human and a ghoul. It was so fascinating. It gave spark to my dream." Yoshimura said with a small smile.

"...You really think that?"

"Yes Reyoto...I really do." He said.

-Present-

It had been about three years since I started working with Yoshimura and helping him with Anteiku. It was somewhat like freelance work. I'd do whawhatever I could to keep both humans and ghouls safe from the wicked scum that hide in the shadows. I was by no means a saint to either group. I didn't ever pick sides. My enemies could range from the lowest of Aogiri filth to the most prominent CCG investigator. Both were polar opposites but did in fact share something in common with each other. Neither one could justify the countless innocent lives that they took. Whether it was Aogiri feasting on vulnerable people or the CCG tearing apart the families of peaceful ghouls. It was all the same in the end and it made me sick to my core.

I stared up at the clear, blue sky as I walked down the street towards the illustrious coffee shop. I stopped for a moment and inhaled the fresh, spring air. That's when my nose caught a whiff of a VERY familiar smell. The heavy smell of fresh blood. Human blood at that. The scent was mixed with a feminine one. I knew right away who it was. I stopped and turned around and faced the woman that I despised completely. She was a terrifying woman deep down, regardless of the gentle facade that she put up. She seemed to be walking towards me so I stopped.

"Rize…" I muttered.

"Why hello Reyoto. Are you headed to Anteiku for a nice cup of coffee?" She asked in her "sweet" voice. I noticed that she was walking with a book in her hand.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Yes...I am…"

"Lovely! I happen to be going there myself."

"You don't say…" I muttered with distrust.

She nodded. She brushed a few strands of purple hair out of her face and smiled. I knew it was a sinister one. "You see...I'm going to meet this sweet boy…"

My eyes widened for a moment before I glared at her. "Listen to me Rize! I swear that I will not allow you to prey upon anymore defenseless people! You know damn well that Anteiku can help satisfy your hunger without the need to kill!"

"Sorry Reyoto…" She quickly moved in front of me and smirked evilly. "But I love the sounds of my victims as they scream in terror." Her giggling filled my ears. "You of all people should know what I mean." She whispered sadistically in my ear before walking off.

My blood ran cold and I looked at the hundreds of people that roamed around the area. I couldn't attack her. Not here at least. Especially without my goddamn mask! I'd be a wanted man. I'd cause too much panic. It wasn't worth it. I'd just have to keep an eye on her new plaything.

I turned back and continued walking in the direction of the old coffee shop. Once I opened the doors, everyone seemed to quit what they were doing for a very brief period of time before resuming. I walked towards the counter and was automatically greeted by a girl with her dark blue hair that was covering her right eye.

"Reyoto! How ya been?" She asked with a smile on her face.

I gave her a light grin. "It's nice to see you again Touka. I've been well. Sorry I've been pretty absent lately. The day doesn't go by without some bastard attacking a small child or something." I said to her.

"Did you bring back any souvenirs?"

I shook my head. "Sorry...Not this time."

She pouted a bit. "Darn. I thought that you'd be able to top that pocket watch that you got off of that one serial killer guy."

I simply shrugged before glancing at Rize and some black haired kid with a bowl cut. He was smiling brightly at the binge eating witch before him. The sight made my stomach churn. I looked back at Touka again, ready to actually order something.

"Let me just get my usual…"

She nodded and scribbled on her notepad before walking around the counter.

I continued to watch the young man converse with Rize about some book and it's author whose name I didn't bother to remember. I sighed when Rize took one singular bite of her sandwich. I knew that she was going to kill the poor kid and I sat down trying to figure out a plan. The kid was so scrawny and vulnerable. He looked frail and highly naive. He was completely oblivious to the hungry looks that Rize snuck at him as he talked away with her.

"Here you go, Reyoto. One hot cup of ristretto with vanilla and cinnamon spice. I also threw in a few cubes to help with your hunger. I can tell you haven't eaten in a while." She said the last part with a worried glance.

"Thanks Touka. You don't have to worry yourself too much about me though. I'll be fine. I promise to pick up something to eat when I swing by later." I told her.

"Why? Is something going on?" She asked.

I nodded to her. "You see that boy over there with Rize?"

"Yeah. What about him? Are you gonna try to save him or something?"

"Yes. This has to end. She literally just feasted on about thirty living people this week alone. She's a menace. I need to put a stop to this. She making the CCG target ghouls more aggressively with her constant consumption of humans. She's silently killing both groups." I said to her.

"But Reyoto, you're still not at one hundred percent after your fight with that Casey guy. Plus you haven't eaten anything for almost two months! You can't keep going out there fighting with a diet of coffee and the stupid blood sugar cubes! You need to start taking better care of yourself." Touka rambled.

"My job doesn't really give me a lot of...healthy options. Sometimes I have to give up my need to eat in order to get things done. I don't enjoy starving myself but ghouls like Rize and Casey don't make life any easier for me."

"Didn't Casey get away?" She asked.

"Yes. He was one of the fastest ghouls that I have had to face."

"You'd be able to finish him if you had your strength back. You can't possibly fight Rize the way you are. Please just take some time to rest Reyoto." Touka pleaded.

I shook my head again. "I can't do that. If I let that kid go out and die, I'll have even more nightmares for weeks to come. I refuse to let Rize kill him." I said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rize excusing herself and walking to the bathroom. The kid was just sitting there with a smile on his face. I got up and walked over to him. I had to do this right to avoid conflict. I stopped and stared at him.

"Uh...Hello mister…" The kid said shakily. He was clearly nervous by my demeanor.

"What's your name kid?"

"K...Kaneki...Kaneki Ken…" He stuttered. Innocent...That was the vibe I got from this kid just from the way he talked and how he carried himself. He was young, gullible, desperate, and oh so stupidly innocent. He was the perfect prey for someone like Rize. She loves to see the horror showed from the faces of those that were soon to be dismembered by her. He was weak. Extremely weak. I could tell he didn't have much. He had a slight look in his wide eyes. It was a look of a man that has little left to lose in his life. I'd have that look sometimes as well.

I nodded to him. I could sense Rize was about to return from the bathroom and mentally cursed. "I'll be seeing you real soon Kaneki...Stay safe..." I said before walking out of the shop. I could see Touka giving me a sad look as I walked past. It was time to start my own set of plans.

Night had fallen at last and Kaneki along with Rize, had been walking around, talking with each other. Both had smiles on their faces. Unfortunately, it was for two very different reasons. Rize had ended up asking Kaneki to walk her home. This got my blood pumping. She was about to lure him away from any onlookers. Once he agreed, she led him down to the darker paths and the more shadier parts of town. I hopped from building to building in order to make my presence unknown. Once I landed on a large steel beam, meters off of the ground, I stared long and hard at the interaction between the two. Rize had thrusted her arms around Kaneki, much to his delight. He smiled, but that smile soon turned to a look of shock and horror when Rize's kagune slowly crept out and she took a bite out of his neck. The poor boy stumbled back and quickly tried to run away.

I was ready to jump down and activate my own kagune but it just wasn't happening. I could feel my eyes turn red as soon as my stomach growled. A nauseating pain rushed throughout my entire body. My core felt as though it would burst and my vision grew blurry. I was light headed and my now sweaty hands were shaking furiously. I couldn't control myself and I was now fighting with the urge to not jump down there and devour Kaneki myself. The sight of Kaneki all bloody and battered both enraged me and fueled my hunger at the same time.

I wiped away my overflowing saliva and grit my teeth when Kaneki was slammed through some sheet metal. He laid motionless on the floor, slowly bleeding out. Rize stomped over to him and licked her lips. I noticed that she was standing under a good amount of heavy looking steel pipes that were being suspended from a singular wire. I quickly stepped over to it and sliced the wire apart, dropping the pipes down onto her, crushing her body in the process.

I jumped down from the steel beams and stepped over to her. I glared daggers at her dying face. She looked back at me with a look of shock, hatred and anguish.

"I...s...should've...known...you'd...show up. A traitor...to his own...people." She choked out with blood gushing from her lips.

"It's over Rize...You're done…" I said to her.

She smiled slightly at me. "Oh Reyoto...How long...will you continue that...little front of yours? It's only a matter of time...before you...wound up dead. You've got so many enemies these days."

"Do me a favor and just shut the fuck up already." I said as she cackled before letting the cold embrace of death overtake her.

I stared down at Kaneki and looked at his soon to be fatal abdominal injuries. I resisted the temptation to eating him and wrapped him up in my work jacket in hopes of slowing down the bleeding process. I then turned around and picked up the boy's dropped cell phone and dialed the police.

"Yes, this is the police! What's your emergency?" Said the operator.

"Yeah, I've a boy bleeding out on the floor next to...a dead woman. Please send an ambulance! He's in desperate need of medical attention." I said urgently.

"Where is your location?" The operator asked.

"20th Ward...South side...construction site. Please hurry." I said before hanging up the phone and laying it down next to Kaneki.

My stomach growled again and I knew right off the bat that I had to go back to Anteiku and get myself fed or more people were gonna start dying. I leapt up to the rooftops and made my way back to the coffee shop with desperation.

After landing in the front of the shop, I busted through the front door and toppled into a nearby table, slamming it and myself to the floor. I growled and clutched my stomach. Kaya and Enji ran up and helped me to my feet.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's going on Reyoto?!" The brown haired man asked.

"...Need...to eat…" I hissed. Gobs of spit drizzled from my mouth, onto the floor below me.

"I'll go get a package from the back. Get him to the lounge." Kaya said as she ran to get me sustenance.

"Hang in there Reyoto! You're gonna be ok!" Enji said as I blacked out.

So little time...

Can you honestly make a difference in the world...

All by yourself...

I snapped my eyes open and let the light fill my senses. I looked around the room and saw Yoshimura, Touka, Kaya, Enji and Yomo all standing over me. I sat up and held my head. The pain in my stomach had vanished and I felt much more energized.

"What'd I tell you?! You nearly died from starvation!" Touka yelled with obvious irritation.

"She's right Reyoto. You need to take better care of yourself." Yoshimura said.

"You scared us all half to death when you came crashing into the shop." Enji said with a light hearted smile. Kaya nodded with agreement.

"I'm sorry everyone…As usual, I was reckless. I should've been more attentive to my hunger." I said to them.

"Relax yourself Reyoto. You'll be able to rest up here until morning arrives." Yoshimura said.

I picked myself up and grinned back at them. "No thanks you guys. I'll be fine getting home on my own."

"But Reyoto-" Touka started but I silenced her with a wave of my hand.

"Don't worry about me. I got a special favor to ask of you." I said to her.

"Special favor? What do you mean?" She asked.

"I need you to look after that Kaneki guy for me. He's probably still traumatized from the attack. Please just check on him for me. You know...If he ever does come back here." I asked.

"Yeah, sure. I'll watch him." She said.

I nodded to her before getting up and walking to the door. "Have a good night everyone…"

A/N: First chapter folks! Hope you enjoyed it! I wanted this story to grow into something special one day. Any feedback and suggestions would really help me out guys. I do appreciate it!

Thanks for coming and giving this story a shot and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!