A/N: Hello again, to readers new and old! Now, previous experience has informed me that writing two stories at once is a bad idea, chiefly because updates slow to a crawl whenever I have two projects going at the same time. But screw it all, here's another story from this guy.
A couple disclaimers before I start. First, this story isn't as much of a standalone tale as my other pieces, and is the reason its marked as a crossover with Black Rock Shooter. By that, I mean it'll be incorporating characters and ideas directly lifted from my previous series, Lost in Transition. I'm going to try to not go too crazy with the callbacks, but if you want the full context, you'll have to check that one out. I will try to make this readable on its own however.
Second, this story will contain graphic depictions of violence, gore, and some sexual content. If this is a problem for you, then you should leave. Then again, its Tokyo Ghoul, so you should know what you're getting yourself into already.
Introduction is now concluded, so you know what this means.
This is How-Not-To-Do-Something, and I bring you, 'Ballad of the Chosen.'
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HHH
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Why are we here?
A question asked by everyone at some point in their lives, when a moment of silence is reached. Science claims there is nothing, that all we are is motes of life in an uncaring universe. Faith claims God has His plan for us, that all of our acts are part of something greater. For most, either claim is enough. From birth to death we go about our lives, trying to exist as best as we can. Interpretations of this mindset are infinite, as unique as each and every living soul can be.
I asked myself why a long time ago. It's surreal to think I once thought I had no purpose; all I am was a momentary spark, simply living because I did. It was so empty, filled with nothing but seconds of pleasure and the quest for the next surge. Defending my own life needed no justification greater than avoiding an end to the cycle. To continue living just for the sake of selfish life, because death gave me nothing, and robbed me of everything.
But that was before.
Now, I have a reason to live. I have a reason to fight, to cry, to laugh, to fear, to feel joy. As I cradle him in my arms, his life so vibrant yet so terrifyingly fragile, I know I will never again question why I am here. If I must sacrifice myself to preserve him, to preserve all of them, then let it be so. I won't run from my end anymore.
He will live, and I will let nothing change that.
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HHH
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Tendo Shirakawa was having a decent day, all things considered.
The portly man, sliding into his forties yet cultivating a receding hairline, strode from the towering control center out into the still air of Cochlea itself. On the railed bridge he walked, alone yet reasonably confident in his safety. Around the expansive colorless space, in every direction he could look, were monsters of the worst sort. Yet he was undaunted; out of all people in the bustling metropolis he called home, the Chief of Security for Level Two knew how secure this facility was. He had little to fear from its inmates.
Shirakawa was in every way unremarkable from his appearance to his voice, nothing about him giving away his occupation. Perhaps the only thing identifying his job was the outfit he wore, a white button up shirt with blue trousers, complemented by a cap and tie. A badge was clipped to his breast pocket, both a symbol of his authority and a key to this level of the prison. He nodded and smiled to the few patrolling guards along his path, fully aware of the anxiety on each man's face.
His short trek came to an end at the other side of the cylindrical space, Shirakawa pausing an arms length away from an elevator door. Taking a moment to input a code into a keypad, the Chief nodded to an armed guard standing by the small entrance, receiving a curt, "Sir." in response.
"Hey Nagisa. Anything new today?" Shirakawa asked genially, clasping his hands behind his back as he waited. The small display above the elevator blinked, the blocky numbers rapidly shrinking.
"Nothing new sir. Just a little worried is all." the guard replied, turning towards the elevator with his submachine gun at the ready. He was clad much like his boss, only with the addition of a dark colored kevlar vest. The Commission of Counter Ghoul initials were spelled out in prominent bolding in the center.
"About the Aogiri Tree suppression operation?" Shirakawa checked, receiving a nod. "I understand. It's not everyday a Ghoul gang gets a crackdown like this. Wish you were there?"
The guard shuddered.
"Not at all sir. I know that makes me sound like a coward, but I don't want to be anywhere near that bloodbath." he said nervously, idly running a hand down the gun's sling to adjust it.
"I get you. If it makes you feel better, I'm glad the home office didn't send me either. The best I'd do is play meatshield for someone more important." Shirakawa cracked a wry grin, appearing just sincere enough to make the younger man smile. "Cheer up, not everyone is meant to be a hero."
The unvarnished truth, Shirakawa thought. Fighting the cannibalistic monsters, who were physically superior to humans in most regards, wasn't a job for just anyone. In a battle such as the upcoming operation, a Ghoul would see him as a quick snack, and that was all. He had seen enough of the monsters coming and going through his level to know how dangerous they truly were, and how ignorant the public was to both their abilities and numbers. If the charade kept people from panicking, then so be it.
When the elevator began to beep, the Chief stood up straighter in preparation of his guest. His own questions were pushed aside for the time being, in favor of his usual welcoming speech. Shirakawa unconsciously exhaled when the doors slid open, admitting a pair of dainty feet into one of the most secure locations in Japan.
"Investigator Kurocha, welcome to Cochlea. I'm Chief Tendo Shirakawa, I'm in charge of security for this level." he recited, putting on his best smile and trying hard to avoid staring at the woman before him, who nodded in response.
Noto Kurocha, Rank 2 Investigator, and his guest as the official call from Headquarters several hours ago informed, was an unusual specimen of CCG employee. She was half a head shorter than Shirakawa, a little over a meter and a half tall by his reckoning. Ignoring her grey colored business suit and the thigh length long coat she wore, he let his eyes get drawn to the parasol she carried; he recognized cues of it being a Quinque, one of few weapons capable of killing a Ghoul with any guarantee. Her black hair wasn't cut like the close cropped styles most female Investigators liked, instead being parted into two smooth halves that reached down to her collarbone. A grey scarf wrapped around her neck to be draped over her shoulders, a good precaution for the chilly weather hanging over the land as of late.
Her face redirected his gaze however, two glaring details vying for his attention. The first was her eyes: one iris was a hazel brown, but the other was a bizarre shade of blue. He knew of heterochromia, but the Chief had never seen an example in the flesh before. The other was her smile: it was thin, confident, and unwavering, the young woman giving every indicator of the smile being permanent. Shirakawa had seen plenty of Investigators, but very few were so outright cheerful like this.
But his opinions didn't matter, he had a job to do.
"The home office informed me you were coming earlier, I'm here in case you need any help finding what you need here." Shirakawa finished with a polite bow, aware of the guard staring at the arrival. It wasn't hard to guess why, given the woman's obvious European features.
Investigator Kurocha nodded in acknowledgment, producing a small phone to type for a moment before presenting the screen to him. The Chief was a little put off by the informal response, but he deigned himself to squint at the display.
Thank you Chief Shirakawa, read the device in blocky kanji. He rubbed his hands behind his back and nodded.
"I admit, I'm a little surprised to see an Investigator here right now, what with the operation going on in a couple hours. The call I received told me that you recently transferred from the Nagano branch, but this is an all hands on deck situation if I ever saw one." he commented, maintaining his even tone.
Kurocha nodded, reaching for her pocket again to withdraw a small envelope. The Chief took the offered paper, the guard politely keeping his distance as he tore it open. Shirakawa skimmed the half page of print once, before doing a double take to read much closer. When he looked up again, the man had a shocked look.
"Oh, I, uh, my apologies." Shirakawa half stammered, wincing. "I didn't realize the Chairman himself ordered your inspection, please-"
He was cut off by the woman swiping her hand, patiently shaking her head then gesturing for him to stand up straight.
"Right, right." he took a deep breath as he returned the document. "Please allow me to escort you, this place is a bit of a maze. Officer Nagisa, as you were."
"Sir." the guard snapped to. Behind his back the man showed an uncertain look, the retreating Chief waving for the Investigator to follow him.
The duo traveled along the outer ring of the winding containment zone, going a short distance before coming up to another elevator. While Shirakawa stayed to the middle of the walkway, Kurocha kept along the outer edge, running her hand over the sturdy railing while she roamed her eyes over the cavernous space. Despite the number of guards and other personnel going to and fro, the level still came off as devoid of human life. Punching in another code, the portly man noticed her interested examination; he briefly wondered if she knew how many Ghouls were in this area alone.
"A lot of the staff here were called away to beef up the anti-Ghoul operation's manpower, so we're a little shorthanded for now." he explained, seeing her nod. A moment later the next elevator opened, and he strode in with her close to his heels.
Descending down a short distance, Shirakawa risked a peek at the woman beside him, observing how she had both hands on her parasol's handle and the tip resting on the metal floor. Her gloved fingers rippled over the grip, moving to an unknown tune. Now that they were reasonably isolated, he cleared his throat.
"If you don't mind me asking Investigator." he began, hesitating when her fingers stopped. "Is your scarf just for style, or is it to..."
Giving him a sly grin, she reached up to tuck one finger on the black scarf, tugging it down without hesitation. Shirakawa needed several seconds to process the sight, his widening eyes coinciding with a sudden jerk to the opposite wall.
"I'm, um, s-sorry." the Chief stammered, cheeks flushed like someone half his age. Kurocha didn't seem to care, tugging the garment back up to its former position. The patch of mangled scar tissue on her neck was mercifully hidden from view once more, the woman's smile unwavering the entire time.
Shirakawa was almost calmed down when the door opened again, revealing another cavernous room. Unlike the main detention area, this one was dominated by a large open space, with plenty of square indentations on the floor beside several pedestaled controls. Both humans left the elevator to stroll, the woman glancing up to the catwalks several stories above them. The Chief halted a short distance in, waiting embarrassedly for his guest to notice him.
"T-those walkways up there are for security. In case a prisoner here breaks out, the guards can stay up there and rain down gunfire." he explained carefully, finally catching Kurocha's attention. "I mean, this is the area where the S-class Ghouls are held, so it works here. The SS block has their own security measures, but that's not my department."
Kurocha nodded, turning to gesture at the indentation. Shirakawa approached, glancing downwards when his radio squawked. For the moment he ignored it; if there was a crisis, the control center would use the intercom instead.
"These are the cells Investigator. There's about five tons of Q-steel above the containment room, but there are several smaller vents leading down there for air and water. I dunno about other places you've seen, but we've never had a single Ghoul escape from these on their own." he explained pridefully, pointing at the different squares.
Kurocha yanked out her phone again, typing out something to present to him. How hard is it to open one?
"Not difficult at all, although we usually only transfer one prisoner at a time for obvious reasons, and there's always a lot of backup when we do it. Believe me, we know how dangerous Ghouls are in numbers, though I don't need to tell you that." Shirakawa half joked, smiling when the woman snorted bemusedly. His radio squawked again, this time crackling twice. Placing a hand on the device, the Chief waved her on. "I'm sure you'd like to personally inspect the cells Investigator, but I believe the Chairman would be more interested in knowing about the rest of the level."
Shirakawa turned to walk away, but after a couple seconds he realized Kurocha wasn't following. She stopped in front of one pedestal, meddling with the controls until the display showed the occupant.
"Investigator? What're you doing?" the man asked confusedly, ignoring his radio crackling out an indecipherable message.
Flopping her head over, the smiling woman pointed towards the screen; all of a sudden, her smile seemed different. Ignoring the shift, he walked over to see for himself, recognizing the mug shot after a minute.
"Oh, this one. We got seriously lucky with this Ghoul. A local Investigator was in the same hospital emergency services dragged her into, and apprehended her while she was unconscious. Don't ask me how the paramedics didn't recognize what she was, though it looked like someone tried slicing her up afterwards." he explained, raising a brow when he saw the unseemly gaze on the woman's face.
Clamping a hand on his noisy radio, Shirakawa backed away to level a frown on Kurocha.
"Investigator, in all seriousness, why are you here? We have regular and unscheduled inspections twice a month as is, and our security is consistently rated as the best in all of Honshu. I understand the Chairman is nervous about Cochlea prison in light of the whole Aogiri Tree situation, but this seems unnecessary." he explained guardedly.
Kurocha grinned, getting a shiver to crawl up his spine. Still staring at him, she reached out to tap on the pedestal; the simple act made the Security Chief dive for the controls, heedless of the woman's status.
"What're you doing!?" he exclaimed, ignoring her as she moved away. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed her unwrapping her scarf, but he paid no attention to the fact.
The unlock sequence was starting, he had to abort it at once. But despite inputting his shutdown codes, the large hydraulic systems began to groan in effort. Cursing under his breath, Shirakawa kept trying to stop the block from rising, sparing a fevered glance to discover only this cell was opening.
Finally he snarled, punching the unresponsive screen in frustration. "I can't get the system to respond. What did you-"
Shirakawa's breath caught. The Security Chief froze, eyes wide as an ice cold feeling enveloped him. He was unable to get more than a short gulp of air with each breath, like his body had unexpectedly decided to stop cooperating. And for some strange reason, he could hear unusually clearly. He heard his own struggling gasps, the grinding of unseen gears bringing the lone cell upwards, a soft whoosh of rippling air from behind him. Then he noticed a rapid dripping sound, like water pattering on a hard surface.
Lowering his head wasn't a move he made by choice, Shirakawa just couldn't keep his neck straight all of a sudden. Two of his questions were answered by this involuntary act, the first being the cause of the dripping sound: it was blood, flowing down his legs and chest to hit the bare floor underneath him. His blood.
The second answer was a length of silvery metal sticking out of his chest, a thin blade covered with yet more of his blood. Blinking at the sword rising out of him, Shirakawa was helpless to stop a tender hand from cupping itself around his chin, gently turning his head to the side. He beheld Noto Kurocha smiling remorsefully, closing her eyes to give a light shake. The light faded from his eyes as he stared into the woman's gaze, his last thought was him wondering confusedly how her blue eye turned pink.
Kurocha held onto the sagging body, glancing towards the cell as it clanked in place. When the thin door slid open, she planted a hand on the man's back to push it forward, letting her sword slide out of him as he fell. He landed face first with a wet smack, his head just inside the freshly illuminated cell. Backing away several steps, the woman reached inside her coat for a handkerchief, wiping it over the sword as she stared inside.
A hand reached from the darkness to grab a fistful of Shirakawa's shirt, quickly dragging the body further inside. The woman continued to wipe the blood from her weapon, interrupting her observation to track a shadowy form circling the block. Her cleaning was briefly halted when she heard a wet crack, followed by a noise akin to tearing fabric. After that came came a girlish squeal of delight, making her grin.
The body jerked repeatedly, slowly by surely being taken further inside. Blood splattered on the floor around the corpse, as the wet tearing sounds left the tiny room. With each squish and crack of bone, a hearty panting left as well, somewhere between a gasp and a cry. Kurocha dispassionately watched the nauseating display, dropping her blood soaked handkerchief to draw another.
Kurocha finished up at the same time as the occupant, her wry gaze focused on the interior as they fell silent. Letting go of the bloody handkerchief, she relaxed her posture just enough to seem at ease, letting the sword's point fall enough to rest above the smooth floor. Staring resolutely into the dark room, she inclined her head to send a confident smirk to the unseen prisoner, not giving the half visible corpse so much as a glance. More tearing sounds left the cell; most of it was clothing, but there was a definite sound of pierced flesh.
Without warning a mass of red and blue erupted from the tiny space, letting out a banshee shriek as it lunged towards Kurocha. Undaunted, the woman whipped around to dodge the attacker, easily avoiding the leaping prisoner with a sublime level of grace.
The attacker landed in a crouch, hunched over the ground. Although her form appeared human, the mass of writhing red on her back betrayed what she truly was. After a few seconds of strained breathing, the female Ghoul slowly rose to her feet, the mass uncurling out to reveal themselves as pulsating tentacles, four of them. The nimble limbs were known as a Kagune, the signature weapons of Ghouls, which were as much a part of them as their natural limbs.
Facing away from the human, a low chuckle left her.
"I've been cooped up in here for too long." Reaching up to flop a mess of tangled black hair away, the female Ghoul looked over her shoulder with a smirk. The simple act showed off her black eyes, darkened lines reaching out to taint the sides of her face, all while her irises were blood red. This was a sight not many humans witnessed and lived to tell the tale. "Thanks for opening the door."
Kurocha held her arms apart as she curtsied, keeping her eyes on the Ghoul the entire time. The formal display was enough for the prisoner to turn around fully, giving her a bemused look as she wiped the blood from her mouth.
Her bare feet tapped on the floor, although the ragged blue one piece outfit she wore rustled loudly to her movements. In spite of her disheveled appearance, the woman in her early twenties managed to come off as fairly attractive, enough to lure in an unsuspecting human male with ease. If one were to look at her prior to her incarceration in Cochlea, they would never suspect she was one of the most wanted Ghouls in recent memory. Doubly so if her eyes were disguised as a humans.
"You have a quinque, but you're not a Dove. So, who are you?" asked the Ghoul known as Rize Kamishiro, smiling dangerously at the human.
Rather than answering Kurocha finally took her gaze off of her, glancing to the tall containment cell. Rize wasn't one to waste an opportunity, darting forward with her kagune pointed forward, crossing the distance in a heartbeat. By all rights, she should have been able to skewer the human in one strike.
But when she jabbed the kagune into Kurocha, Rize's bloodlust instantly turned into confusion; the woman's form shattered into specks of vanishing light, like a pane of glass. Her momentum carried her for a couple meters, the woman's instincts trying to make sense of the incomprehensible situation in front of her. Then a powerful blow slammed into her back, knocking her to the floor with a pained cry. She twisted her kagune to blindly stab behind her, succeeding in hitting nothing but air. Writhing around, Rize jerked back to her feet with a snarl.
Locating the false Investigator was easy, since the woman was polite enough to stand a couple meters away, twirling her sword armed hand around as she smiled at her. Her carefree attitude brought a growl from the Ghoul's throat, transforming the last traces of her amusement into rage.
"Hold still." Rize hissed, baring her teeth.
Her next lunge had the same result as the first, Kurocha gracefully weaving around her strike with plenty of room to spare. A backhanded swipe of the kagune was likewise avoided, the woman simply ducking under the mass of red, then jumping to miss the second tentacle coming at her. Pushing forward to grapple proved fruitless, since no matter how fast the Ghoul moved, she simply couldn't touch the dodging woman at all.
Drawing the tentacles back, Rize snarled as she launched all four at the human, the force behind them enough to shatter the linoleum, sending debris flying into the air. Deftly landing a meter away from the impact, the unharmed Kurocha curtsied as she smiled. Rize snarled.
"That's enough."
Jerking around, Rize went on the defensive, her scowl briefly clouded at the sight. Despite her stance she kept to the side, so one eye was latched onto the false Investigator. The woman straightened up her own posture, the deep movements of her chest hinting at a greater strain than what she let on. Lowering her blade, she too looked at the speaker approaching the women.
Unlike many other people, human or Ghoul alike, Rize wasn't concerned by the man's appearance. Tall, lanky, light skin tone, and possessing a dreadlocked hairdo bound by a wrap, he strode towards her at a relaxed pace, showing no emotions. The female Ghoul paid no attention to his black ensemble, having seen all encompassing long coats and pants before, though her predatory gaze lingered on his gloved hands for a moment, searching for any sign of weapons. Once she was certain he didn't have any, she glanced back up, locking her red and black eyes to his brilliant azure ones.
He stopped a short distance away, his coat fluttering around him. "Rize Kamishiro I presume."
"That's me." she replied, shifting her weight as she grinned.
"Excellent. You can call me Ron." he greeted, holding out his hands in a lackluster bow that she didn't return.
"Cute name. Its prettier than Koroko here." Rize nodded to the other human, smirking dangerously while her kagune curled around, subtly preparing to attack.
Ron quietly sighed. "Alright, I had this whole speech planned, but in the interests of time, I'll get right to the point. I and my counterpart there are part of-"
"Attention, S-Ranked Ghoul has escaped containment, all security personnel to Block C, repeat, all guards to Block C. This is not a drill."
The blaring booming intercom caused all three living occupants of the cell block to glance upwards, the Ghoul's lip curling in distaste. While the woman began to grin broadly, the man sighed as he rubbed his nose. A mere second later, an alarm started to blare, coinciding with a number of flashing lights blinking on all over the space.
"Merde." Ron muttered, lowering his hand when he heard the elevator rolling. Exhaling, he glanced to Kurocha. "Would you give us some privacy?"
A nod and a wide grin was her answer, quickly followed by the woman zipping off towards the descending elevator. Rize watched her go for a moment, noting how fast she was running. Though she wasn't about to admit it, she was impressed by her speed.
Rize was perfectly aware of the man in black taking several measured steps in her direction, subtly moving her weakening kagune around so she could defend herself. But she didn't acknowledge his presence, preferring instead to watch the human reach the elevator, sword at the ready just as it opened.
"Right, anyway-" Ron began, blinking when she swiped a hand at him.
"Hush." Rize interrupted, her attention absorbed by the attack.
The Ghoul began to smile when she saw Kurocha lunge, slashing a man diagonally before he even left the elevator. His shrill scream reached her easily, eliciting a quiet purr of delight. Entranced by the slaughter, she didn't react at all when burst of gunfire boomed out, the woman recognizing the shots were going nowhere near her position.
It was over in ten seconds, the half dozen guards inside had no chance against the false Investigator. Once the last fell, the woman turned from the elevator to stride towards them, her grey long coat splattered in fresh blood. But not before she rammed the point into the back of a prone man, causing one last twitch before he stilled.
Giving a little shake of her head, Rize flopped to the side to smirk. "Where'd you find her, and how much for one of my own?"
"Long story. Believe it or not I brought her along as a scalpel, since I hoped we'd be out of here with a minimum of violence." letting his head fall back, Ron shifted his weight in place. "If I knew her cover would be blown this quick, I would've brought the hammer. Then again, he'd probably kill everything in the way, including you."
"I doubt that." she challenged easily.
"Doubt away. I've seen him kill much nastier things than any Ghoul, but I needed a modicum of delicacy for this operation." Ron explained with a shrug.
"Why don't you fight me yourself?" Rize giggled, flashing a wide toothed grin. "I could use some more flesh to munch on."
"Even assuming you could defeat me, you and I both have more important things to be doing right now." he replied, eyes narrowing.
"Which begs the question, why did you go through all this trouble, just for me?" Rize turned to ask, her smile flickering. She felt the muscle spasms from her back, warning that she was almost out of strength. Her severely depleted reserves threatened to give out at any second, and once they did, her kagune would shrivel up back into her body to leave her nearly defenseless.
"It wasn't as much effort as you're assuming. A faked letter, ID, and a phone call were all we needed to get in here. It actually took more effort scouting this place out than infiltrating. But that's not the point." Ron explained, crossing his arms. A glance towards Kurocha showed her to be in a similar state, giving the blood on her outfit an unhappy look.
Rize smiled coyly, standing akimbo with her kagune lagging. "What is the point?"
"I and my counterpart here are part of a special interest group, which has been searching for... unique individuals. You are the tenth one we've examined since our arrival, and the seventh Ghoul of the bunch. So far, you're the best candidate in our recruitment pool." he explained, bending over for a formal bow. "Consider this a formal proposal to join our project."
"What's in it for me?" she asked simply, noticing Kurocha covering her mouth.
Ron was still for a moment, his expression flickering. "What we're doing is of vast importance. Its not exaggeration to say this will affect your entire world."
"Ah ah ah." Rize playfully chided, wagging a finger at him as she smirked. "I didn't ask what you're up to, I wanted to know how this will benefit me."
Just as he opened his mouth, a door far above them was thrown open, adding a set of barked orders to a number of armed guards. Whipping herself around, Rize readied her kagune for a fight, at least from the outside; her eyes danced over the uncomfortably bare cell block, looking for anything that looked like an exit. She would fight if she had to, but the Ghoul wanted to leave more than anything else. The thought of how her liberators would feel never crossed her mind.
"Fils de pute." Ron hissed, clenching his fists. Kurocha readied her weapon, until a sideways glance at her partner made her raise an eyebrow. "Alright, screw it."
Just as the guards aimed their guns over the rails, Rize felt a powerful grip land on her bicep. She immediately began to struggle, but with her weakened state, she couldn't dislodge the hand fast enough. With a powerful yank she was jerked around, her ebony and red eyes widening at a large glossy black sphere in the middle of the floor. She had just enough time to see Ron throwing her around before she was flung towards it, distantly aware of gunfire filling the air.
For a second Rize felt herself being enveloped by... something. She didn't know how to describe it; soaking in water or blood was the closest reference she had to the feeling, but that wasn't quite right. It was cold yet all encompassing, pressing down on her from every direction. Opening her lids did nothing but scald her eyes, receiving only pain for input.
While the sensations were entirely new to her, the more pressing matter was the burning of her lungs. Put bluntly, she couldn't breathe. Thrashing did nothing, screaming did less. She heard nothing but her heart thudding in her chest, the rapid pounding warning her she was in danger.
All of a sudden, everything returned: sights, sounds, and most importantly air. Rize sucked in a breath, only to lose it just as fast when she hit the grass covered ground. Bouncing once, she rolled into a heap and began to cough.
Pushing herself up off the grass, the Ghoul hissed when she felt her kagune retract, the organ utterly exhausted. She wasn't in a much better state; being imprisoned in a tiny box for months on end had definitely taken the edge off her prowess, not to mention the infrequent yet crippling interrogations the Cochlea staff put her through, which usually left her beaten and bloodied. Groaning, Rize flopped her head up to scan her surroundings, warily hunting for new threats.
The Ghoul found herself in a small grass filled park, currently abandoned. The oppressive black of the night hung over the entire area, though a number of lampposts held the worst of the darkness at bay. Shivering at a gust of wind, she wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to hold some warmth in, slumping over to groan. When she tested her legs however, she grinned at last.
Rize just got to her feet when she heard something behind her, a soft whoosh noise. Yanking around to ball up her fists, she tensed at the sight of another black sphere, just like the one which brought her here. Running was her first thought, but the possibility of it following her kept the woman rooted in place for a moment. Long enough for it to enlarge in place, allowing a pair of figures to walk out.
Stopping a few paces away, a plainly unhappy Ron crossed his arms. "Hello again."
Flashing Kurocha a smile even as she appreciably looked over the fresh outfit she wore (consisting of a stylish white overcoat and black pants), Rize glanced back to Ron, catching him rubbing his brow.
"So, are you going to finish your offer?" she cheerfully asked, giving him an inviting wave.
Dropping his hand, the man huffed.
"Alright Madame Connasse, here's how this is gonna work. I'm going to state my terms, you're going to agree, and then I and my partner here are leaving for more important tasks, including chewing out my counterpart for taking up resources for her own operation. In due time, you'll be rewarded handsomely for your service. Any questions?" He held up his hand towards Kurocha when she tentatively raised a palm. "That's rhetorical. The chance to negotiate a deal is passed."
Rubbing her chin, Rize hummed. "I'm going to have to respectfully decline your offer. Thanks for freeing me, I just might spare you if we meet again."
She turned away, appearing flippant; in reality she was about to run, as fast as she could possibly move. After everything she went through, Rize wasn't about to meet her end in some random park.
Exactly four paces were how far she reached, before a swirling black mass whipped by her. The woman felt something warm and scaly slither over her shoulder when it passed her, eliciting an involuntary shiver. Meanwhile, the shadowy mass coalesced into a humanoid shape, reforming into a frowning Ron standing in her path.
Rize blinked. "Nice trick."
"Thank you. And for my next one." he held up a cupped hand, rippling his gloved fingers in place. Before her eyes what looked like inky darkness seemed to flow out of his clothes and into a tiny sphere, hovering over his palm. The patterns roiled over the tiny sphere, not unlike clouds in the sky.
Faster than she could react, Ron jabbed the hand out, putting the sphere between him and her as he struck her torso. The attack staggered Rize, making her gasp from the blow. Whatever pain she felt faded quickly when she noticed a cold weight pressing on the impact point, spreading for a moment before it faded. Checking the spot showed nothing, and a frantic paw at the prisoner garb she wore gave no indicator of injury.
Snapping her head up, she bared her teeth. "What'd you do to me?"
"Sub-dermal tracking field. As long as you're alive, I and my group will know where you are to the millimeter. This wasn't part of my original plan, but that's as dead as the guards back there." Ron explained flatly, walking past her back the way he came. He didn't react when she glared daggers into him, trudging back to an awaiting and clearly bored Kurocha.
"I'm not through with you." Rize snapped, darting after him with her arms out to grab him.
Before she could lay a hand on him, Ron twisted his torso around with his arm extended, making Rize freeze in place. His expression was one of tired irritation, calmly staring at the Ghoul's suddenly quivering countenance. His eyes were focused on her, while hers were wide open as they fixated on the the black toned barrel a few centimeters from her face.
"But I'm done with you. I'd advise you leave it be." Ron said coldly, moving his thumb to the revolver's hammer to push it down, until there was a sharp click that made Rize flinch. "Forty five, Q-steel bullets of course. You're free to argue with me if you want."
"Where'd you even get that?" she asked lowly, inhaling deeply to steady her nerves.
Ron rolled his head over his shoulders, the weapon unwavering. "Easier than you'd think, I brought this along because you never know how things will turn out. Like now for example, was this entire venture a waste of my time, or not?"
Rize took a deep breath, her expression warring between anger and fear. But in the end, she backed away several steps, eyes on the weapon even as he curled his arm up.
"Good. Now if you're excuse me, my partner and I have a US Navy carrier to infiltrate. See you around, and try not to die." he said, giving her a weak curtsy before walking away, the gun still in his hands.
Rize had a great number of questions, although the one asking where did he get a weapon like that was lower priority. Her biggest concern was simple: what did they want with her? Immediately after that, why were they letting her go?
Setting her mouth into a hard line, Rize turned away to march off, reflexively shivering from the cold air. Despite her very numerous questions, the woman wasn't willing to pass up a chance at freedom like this. If there was a plus to everything, it was her being free to resume her old habits. The very thought of which made her mouth water, putting a demented grin onto her face. She ignored the odd pair entirely, and by the time they left, she was long gone.
...
HHH
...
A/N: and here we go. I'm just gonna say here that I do not own anything being seen or mentioned here, especially Tokyo Ghoul. Everything belongs to its proper owners, I'm just having some fun here. Read and review if you don't mind too much.
Special thanks to Acidika for editing and input; go check out his stuff while you're at it.