Heya! So this was actually put together before "Flaming River" and I already have several chapters written out and redacted. Warning: OCs and some OOC characters (sorry). I tried to stay true to what I knew of the :re cast. The story takes a branch off from the main story a few weeks before the Ghoul Auction. Okay, thanks, bye. (One last thing *POV indicates a change in point of view, however since part of the fun in my writing is for my reader to figure out whose pov they are in, I won't outright tell you who is whom.)

Chapter 1: To Pick a Pawn, Die Schwartze Maske

The room was dark, the drapes were open so it must have been night. Tsukiyama Shuu lay staring at the canopy of his covered bed, drowning for yet another day in his despair. Kanae and Chie were arguing downstairs, again. He just couldn't get along with Shuu's pet human. Just as Shuu was about to nod off, he heard the distant boom of the door swinging open. The two fell suddenly quiet. Tsukiyama's servant was the first to speak. "Who are you?" He was upset, though about what Shuu couldn't tell.

"Where is Tsukiyama Shuu?" The voice was eerily familiar. Bringing to mind white hair, a single black and red eye, black leather, and an eyepatch. Tsukiyama took a shaking breath.

"Tsukiyama-sama will not be seeing anyone. especially not someone like you." Kanae's voice had shifted from disturbed to angry. What sounded like a fight broke out downstairs.

*POV

This guy is crazy strong! Verdammt ihn! Kanae landed a kick on the intruder's chest sending him sliding back. His opponent straightened up, brushing a lock of obsidian hair out of his ash grey eyes. Well at least one of his eyes were gray, the other was hidden behind his mask. It was a black leather half-mask from the chin to the bridge of the nose, two strings connected to the eyepatch that cut through his hair, over the forehead, a incredibly detailed mouth was shaped over the wearer's with a zipper that could allow the ghoul to eat and retain his anonymity, and the last detail was two, silver, gasmask air filters affixed over the pulse points just behind the jaw. Just as Tsukiyama-sama described it; there is no doubt, this has to be that man. Kaneki Ken! "Töten!" he charged.

"I don't have time to play with you." The intruder pulled Kanae's arm through, grabbed his shoulder, and slammed his knee into Kanae's stomach, knocking the air out of him. He pulled the winded ghoul up by his tie staring down at him with palpable apathy. "Stay out of my way, peon." With a flick of his wrist Kanae was sent sprawling across to floor.

"You can't see him. You can't be here. You're the reason Tsukiyama-sama is suffering!" His striped purple suit ripped as he charged, kagune whipping out, black and red eyes glowing. "This time stay dead!"

Kaneki's exposed eye shifted, sidestepping Kanae's attacks, infuriating him even more. He stuck out more ferociously, coming within centimeters of the black clad ghoul. Before he could react Kaneki had brought his fist down on the nape of his neck. There was a sickening crunch that echoed through Kanae's skull. "Scheiße." He fell into the arms of his intended victim, unable to even twitch.

"I'll ask you one last time," He said grabbing Kanae's hair, forcing his head up, "where is Tsukiyama Shuu?" Kanae quietly swore. This guy wasn't just monstrously strong, he was smart, too. The blow that stunned him would have killed a human and was no where near the strength of his previous blows. This ghoul could kill him, effortlessly. Kaneki's hand had found purchase on Kanae's neck and, with the slightest of ease, began choking him.

His vision had started to go dark at the edges when Chie jumped out from where she had been hiding. "Stop it!" The pressure laxed. "Tsukiyama is upstairs, last door in the left wing. Just follow the red chamomiles." Kanae couldn't see her but he knew that she was excited by the appearance of this man. All her feigned worry disappeared after her initial interference.

"Schwein!" Kanae growled at her.

"Thank you," he replied coldly and unceremoniously dropped Kanae. He briefly returned to the door, retrieved a large case, and headed over to the stairs. Kanae could tell, his novice epicurean scenes were well aware, what was in the case was fresh meat.

*POV

Shuu held his breath. The altercation had come to a sudden stop downstairs. Someone was headed for his room. He couldn't fight in his present state, weakened by grief and malnourishment. Even still there was an excitement; that voice muffled through the wall, was it even possible? Kaneki Ken. His visitor, or attacker, lingered a moment outside his chamber door before spilling the light from the hall into the darkened room. Ah! The silhouette alone sent such a rush of life through him. Although his hair was a darker hue the mask was unmistakable. He wore the black tailored outfit that Shuu had become familiar with just over two years prior. It was ecstasy, a living memory walked into his room, carrying a large case in his right hand.

He placed it down next to the bed and calmly pulled back the red satin curtains, presumably to allow the bed's occupant a view of more than just the window and doorway. "Kaneki Ken?" Shuu realized just how desperate his voice sounded. He reached out to the black haired boy. "Is...is it really you?"

Kaneki leaned against the head post. "You look awful, Tsukiyama-san." Crushed. Had his sences been as they were before his heartbreak he would never had let himself hope. It was the voice. The same thing that had given him hope smashed it to pieces. It was too young, just a little deeper, the semblence between this man and Kaneki was uncanny, disturbingly so. Yes, closer inspection revealed subtle differences, his eyes were darker and just a little blue, his hair had a velvety appearance instead of Kaneki's silky curls, his completion was paler, he was a few centimeters taller, not significantly enough that it was noticeable without scrutinizing the two, and yes, Shuu was sure if his senses had been as they were, their scents would be different, too. "Shuu?" His heart leapt painfully. Even though he was not Kaneki, Shuu still had reacted as if it had been Kaneki who had called him.

Not Kaneki gave a small sigh and sat down on the bed with his back facing Shuu. He could see every muscle through the thin fabric. "You're not Kaneki Ken." he choked out between silent sobs.

"No, I'm not Ken." He undid the buttons on the back of the mask, so it fell to the side of his face and turned to face Shuu. "But I am Kaneki."

"W-what?" His face was so, so very close to the Kaneki Shuu knew, that it hurt.

"Please don't let your heart fall so, Tsukiyama-san," he leaned over Shuu, so close that his bangs brushed Shuu's face, a hand resting on the silken sheets next his head. "The meal you have so devoted yourself to is still alive."

Shuu's eyes turned and so did this strangers left eye, only his left eye. He pulled away the eyepatch portion and the mask fell away. A one eyed ghoul? He smells like Kaneki-kun but also not like him. Is what he's saying true? Is my Kaneki-kun alive?

*POV

Kaneki chuckled. The once great predatory ghoul, the Gourmet, , layed there. Helpless, hopeless, week. At one time he might even have been handsome but now he was like a withered flower. A tear flickered down from the corner of his eye "Is it really true? Is Kaneki alive?" A pang of something akin to pity jabbed at Kaneki's heart.

"Yes." he lightly brushed the fallen drop from the purple haired ghoul's face. "So, what say you then Tsukiyama Shuu? Will you become my sword as you were my father's?" Tsukiyama froze first a look of shock, then comprehension, followed by disbelief flitted across his visage. "The reason why Kaneki Ken and I share a sir-name is because he is my father. You are not wrong to doubt me, not even father knows that I exist." He bit into his finger, blood welled up on the surface before it healed. "Here, prove it to yourself." He gently pressed it to Tsukiyama's lips who responded by licking it off.

His eyes glowed, seeming to regain some measure of lost strength, and exalted, "Tres Bien!" It had started as a whisper and finished in a rush of energy not seen by any since the disappearance of Eyepatch.

"How troublesome." Kaneki righted himself, placed his right thumb on his ring finger, and cracked it. Tsukiyama seemed to shudder. "Yukio." When all he received was a confused expression he clarified, "My name, Kaneki Yukio."

"Yukio-kun." Tsukiyama tried the name several times before finding a way he seemed to enjoy saying it.

"I know that your tastes are much more…refined," Kaneki began carefully, "but I picked out something that I hope you will enjoy. After all I would very much like to have you as an ally." He gently tapped the "present" he brought with his foot. The case moved, faint noises could be heard. "The sooner you recover, the sooner I can bring my father back." Kaneki retrieved his mask from where it had fallen and rose to his feet. He could feel Tsukiyama examining his physic. "I'll leave you two alone." He had fixed his mask by the time he gotten to the door and looked back. The purple haired ghoul was already eyeing the case he had brought with him. Kaneki was normally against unnecessary death but he cared even less of Aogiri Tree and its supporters.

The door clicked shut as the case clicked open and for the first time in many months the Gourmet enjoyed a wholesome meal. A faint "Bon appetite" was the last thing that poor soul would hear.

I have no idea the frequency of updates on this one xD. Don't worry about Yukio's existence. All shall be explained.