Culture Shock
The Eighteenth Ward...
A group of three walked down a street alley, it was dark, lights were flickering. In the distance lights flicker as the sound of metal beams striking something ring out against the noise of the busy district. Interesting things had gone down but none more interesting than what was about to happen.
"Go, run," the first person of the three, a man with graying black hair and an average building, shouted. Beside him a woman, she too had a few gray streaks running through her hair and even more around the base of her ponytail. To there immediate right a young man seventeen at most stood confused as to what was happening, the people in front of them were supposed to be friends.
"No, You and I are doing this together Take," the woman growled, eyes shifting slightly to narrow slits tinted a red color. The man frowned, eyes gaining a similar glow.
Their son, the boy, on the other hand was tense, Take was a very rare think to hear for him. Shintake would have fit better as it was the man's real name and the basis for their entire life." Mom dad what's going on?" the teen mustered the courage to asked as the suited individuals in front of them held out their suitcases a button on the handle being pressed in.
"I told you to run didn't I? Get out of here now while you still can, Yato," his father growled a stirring coming from under the gray-brown suit jacket he was wearing.
"What do you mean? They are only CCG; guys we have nothing to worry about," Yato, the teenaged son in the black jacket and blue jeans tried to point out. He failed to notice however that the operatives were far from good guys.
"Just get going you shouldn't have to see this," his mother turned, revealing her eyes black with red pupils, to her sole child. He was taken aback, black eyes with red pupils they were the sign of..of..a Ghoul.
"He's not going anywhere. You Ghouls have been causing a lot of trouble inside this ward!" the first CCG agent said as the suitcase chattered to life. It shredded the silvery outside to reveal a heavy iron blade that needed both hands to carry.
"Ghouls? What does he mean by that?" the blonde haired teenager was obviously awed by the accusations. His father's jacket shredded to reveal a tail-like appendage lashing out from left to right, red in color. His mother's short pink jacket was torn away as well revealing a corkscrew-like shape upon her left arm, its hue a shimmering purple-red.
"Guess we couldn't hide it forever. Maybe in the twentieth but not here," his father sighed as the second CCG agent's case rattled to life. It expanded into a strange grasper that shone a pale green.
"It'd be better if you didn't know, Yattori. Which is why we've kept you sheltered," his mother's face was sunken slightly filled with sorrow that should have never been there. The two agents did not care Ghouls were Ghouls, and in an area notorious for S-Class Ghouls it was too risky to even give an inch.
"I-I'm a Ghoul too! No this can't be real!" he took a few steps back stunned. Both parents nodded at one another assuming a defensive stance around him. Thoughts of everything raced through his mind how could it be.
'Ghouls have a great sense of smell,' Yattori noted staring around at the events before him.
Like a flood memories fluttered in.
"Yato what do you think is for lunch?" one of his friends from school, his best friend Tatsu, asked.
His nose had cringed and picked up on every subtle scent in the cafeteria. It was savory but also salty and it almost smelt sweet as well." Some sort of pork dish," Yattori responded having taken into account the sweet smells of cologne and perfume in the hall.
His 'intuition' had been correct, even though he had an 'allergy' to most foods, he could decipher pork's scent from a simple smell.
Another memory appeared in his mind about food, yes what he could not eat.
'Food. I never ate real food did I? Mom and dad they tried their hardest to stop me from eating it giving the excuse I was allergic,' he realized, every time he ate regular food a convulsing feeling would rise up from his gut but the special sandwiches his mother had made never did.
He should have know earlier especially at the interview to go to high school.
"Does your son have any medical conditions?" the nurse, a light blue haired young woman, questioned his parents while he had finished his physical examination.
"A few yes. He has several allergies to foods: nuts, milk, gluten, even certain meat," his father remarked legs crossed, hair, then slightly less gray, slicked back with a comb swipe.
"We will provide him with food so don't worry about it but yes do pay attention to him if he does try anything," his mother as cheerful as could be smiled, eyes a shining chestnut rather than their current blood red.
A few weeks into his high school career he went in line and got tempura with a side of soba noodles. After eating it his body shook uncontrollably and sweat rolled down his face to the floor below in puddle. A grumble flooded through his body as did the contents of his stomach which quickly rushed up his throat. The sweat puddle on the floor turned a mixture of colors as his stomach emptied onto the floor.
"Yato! You alright?" his friend from grade school, Tatsu rushed over and patted him on the back. Tatsu, the lousy student but great person that had been a big help with all of his 'health' problems.
He shook his head as sweat began to drip in larger bullets.
'They were lying to keep me safe in public. Why? Humans don't like Ghouls,' Yattori's thoughts snapped away as the sound of an aluminum trashcan being crushed filled the air.' Ghouls need to eat human
Shintake's kagune had swiped and missed and crushed the can. The CCG officers were prepared and began to charge forward where his mother quickly barged in with her kagune ready to strike.
She struck against the bladed one's weapon the corkscrew nearly barging through it. Quickly however she was thrown back by the second who had swept in and nailed her with the grasper's closed form. Harui, his mother, slid back a wound opening up along her left cheek where the strike had occurred. She dodged a sword slash and drove her kagune through the agent's left shoulder bone and blood firing out the back of it.
Blood suddenly spouted from her body. A lot of blood. The CCG had prepared, sword breached through her entire torso from one hand. Her eyes turned dark and hollow as the sword bearer drew her up and smashed her body to the ground blood rising from her pink clothed body.
'Harui, this was not supposed to happen,' Shintake clutched both hands. The blood currently running through the alley stained both of them as well as falling from the sky when the blade was slung clean of the Ghoul blood.
"Damn S-Class getting cut so easily? Thought they were tougher than that," the CCG agent laughed aiming the large blade at his father its metal shimmering a black in the night.
"Of course you did get the better of our two quinques," the second said lashing out at the other Ghoul in the alley.
"Mom!" Yato shouted rushing forward a lash of his father's tail stopping him dead in his tracks. The older Ghoul was serious and it radiated off from him as the other agent charged.
"Get out of here son!" the kagune slammed the agent into the wall which crumbled slightly under the force but it was not enough to halt the progress of the agent for more than a brief second.
"D-dad I can't just leave you here to die!" the son desperately shouted body shaking tears streaming from his well hidden Ghoul eyes which were quickly changing into those of a typical Ghoul. He was shaking arms tensed at his side as his father whipped the tail expertly like a scorpion keeping them at bay unwilling to stare at the blood mess of his wife.
"Unfortunately you have no other choice. Yato be strong. Remember to eat and keep yourself hidden," Shintake sighed shoulder's slumping like those of a man that had nothing to live for. Tears rolled down his stern features like dribbles of water down a sturdy rock, it was tragic he just did not want to show it.
Yattori flinched for a moment as the two agents charged together bodies being slammed away by the kagune. A vicious snarl left his father as the tail turned like the edge of a sword and began jabbing down at them ready to impale them.
"I'm the one you want bastards try me!" the swipe of the kagune was incredibly fast and effective the gust alone hurled the two agents away from him. Shintake's glare peered over his shoulder eyes glowing red as the two agents got up ready to strike again.
"Dad, please don't-" Yato turned and dashed away the blood of his dead mother not only staining his shoes and pants but also his face. To the CCG the death of a dangerous Ghoul was benefit. It did not matter if they were good Ghouls or not or if they were even from the district, Aogiri Tree was something the CCG feared and preventing any ground to be gained by the organization was a must. His father unbeknownst to the boy fell under both categories of a good Ghoul but also a member of the Aogiri Tree group.
"Don't look for any of my friends they won't help you. Just run, its going to be easier for them to hurt you if you stay here," the tail lashed nearly catching one of the two CCG off-guard, almost." Trying to sneak past me to get to my son? Try again!" the sword bearer's left arm was gashed open in a single strike a right hand throwing him across the alley.
Yattori could not handle it anymore, he closed both eyes and bolted from the alley the images forever burning their way into his mind. Sounds of combat rang out for the rest of the block as the teen ran through the streets, the Ghoul and the CCG just kept banging. Silence filled the air, followed by a scream of guttural agony, and then silence, it was over.
Tears dropped upon the pavement as each footfall left a small bloody spot to be washed away by the soon to come late-night rush on the ward. It was feeding time for the Ghouls.
Yattori's eyes though blurry with tears held something: the will to fight and win. The will of a lone son ready to kill the bastards that killed his parents which in his eyes had been innocent, no matter what instinct and school learning had told him. Those eyes now burned red and were even more resplendent with the black backing it was true he was a Ghoul; but what kind was the question.
Later...
"News from the Eighteenth District, it appears that two Ghouls associated with the recent binge of people in that area have been found and euthanized by the CCG. It was said by one of the agents that the two Ghouls were being violent-" the news feed was cut off by an angry button click.
Yattori Suzuki sat there on the couch hurting. His blonde hair was damp with shower water but still it did not relieve him of the sweat and anguish that had come from running, let alone learning the truth about who he was. Both hands now gripped the side of the chair tearing the fabric like it was paper mache or something potentially weaker like a radish.
"Lies! That is what's going on here!" the remote was flung at the television, breaking upon contact with it. Yattori stood and paced around in his night garb it was pointless though, he was a target now. Usually rational, the loss of both parents and the fact your life was a lie quickly grated him down to an emotionally wrecked state.
On the stove a pot that had been left there to warm for dinner. A steak, no a human made to look like a steak, simmered slowly within a sauce that had both the scent and color of fresh brew coffee, the only drink aside from water he could drink. It smelled divine to him at least.
"I can't eat that not now," he sighed staring at it no matter how good it smelled it just was not right to eat a person.
'Eat, flesh, human,' internal thoughts so primal only reacting the surface due to an immense amount of stress being forced to their owner. Yattori had never had them and always ate as if a proper middle-class teenager but now that there was no rules between him and dinner.
"No, eating people is wrong. Raw or cooked it makes me no better than the monster Ghouls elsewhere!" the teen shouted the lid of the pot being molded under his strengthened grip, just knowing the power one had could aid in actual usage of it.
'Flesh. Sweet flesh! Its delicate and sweet like the food that you can't have,' more thoughts from a nature that both parents tried to keep in check.
"I am a Ghoul though. I've never been human this whole time!" his eyes shifted to fresh crimson the black as cold as onyx.
'Yes! Gorge! Feast! Devour!' the internal instincts roared loudly. The meat from a person sat there, origin unknown their essence reduced to a single piece of food.
He lept at the pot body shaking with a certain youthful spring. It was strange as he lifted the pot up like a giant bottle of water and opened his mouth. The coffee sauce descended upon him and he enjoyed it and the piece of meat descended through the air. He bit clean through it and continued to drink and savor the flavors." This is great I can actually taste everything!" he shouted as the brown sauce rolled down his face.
The pot had been drained of its fluid and licked clean so much so it looked brand new. The meat inside though tender was scarfed down without a moment of hesitation even now that he knew what it was. The brown fluid of the coffee slipped down from the corners of his mouth and onto the brilliant magenta table cloth. Yattori opened both red eyes again this time a craze filling them.
'All of these smells. So young and fresh,' he noted the many different scents slipping under the door. He reached for it the earliest leaving workers walking by to progress their careers.
"No, I just ate that should hold me over for the day," Yato grunted grabbing at his left hand which was reaching for the door. Sweetness filled his mouth the savor of the food filling his senses again.
'Eat! Humans Kill! Kill first!' the words of his instincts kept howling.
"I need to get my head back on straight," with that he turned towards his room the bloodstains from his rushing into the house drying quickly. The door shut and locked the sound of things being moved about to shut out the door echoing in the ghostly quite home.
Yato laid on his bed body shaking the thrill of food becoming blatant. Bot hand were grabbing at the sheet as his red eyes darted towards the window footsteps passing by this time lighter as the sun shone through his window.
Giggles passed by the window, teenagers trying to crack jokes on the way to school. Their scent matched that as a bed of roses, not in the form of perfume, no but in the scent of their flesh.
'Maid, maid, maid,' each one of the young ladies that walked by were designated by their aroma, all of which were those of pure women.
Yato stared for a moment at the door its bounty outside, shining with the strength and flavor of youth.
He was salivating until reason slipped back into his mind." No, damn it! Mom, dad they both freaking died to protect me! If I let their hard work go to waste by pouncing on some innocent chick walking by...I'll be no better than the monsters those agents should be hunting!" Yato hissed loudly and then he stopped salivating, a certain soberness filling him, eyes shifting from red and black back to a cool blue and white. With a few blinks he laid back down in the bed body now relaxed a comforting sleep filling him.
'How long before I'm next?' the thought that he fell asleep upon, riddled his dreams.
Hey Welcome to the first chapter of Eighteen. This story of course will revolve around my OC, presented so far as Yattori Suzuki and Yato(his nickname), it will also take place in the Eighteenth Ward of Tokyo, up until Kaneki's final battle with Jason and the goings on surrounding that.
Anyway just a head's up I'm new to writing outside of Dragon Ball Z stories, which I have two of, so give me a little time to adjust to the new genre and feel of Tokyo Ghoul which is in my current top five anime/manga.
~Herodan3