Kaneki listened to her quietly, trying to clearly understand how many people had survived the strike on Anteiku by the CCG. Touka was oblivious to the truth that the One-eyed Owl was Yoshimura's child, and he decided for some reason to keep it from her. It was better to keep things uncomplicated. Besides, even if that monster was Yoshimura's only child, Kaneki was still bent on killing that beast. While the One-eyed Owl was still breathing, no one could live undisturbed and for that reason he would slaughter the only family the Manager had left. "Touka-chan, I know a few ghouls that can help us get Yoshimura-san back. Banjo-san is still around, isn't he? Do you know where Hinami is too?"
"Banjo is still around here, but Hinami… A while back she joined Aogiri Tree. I don't know what she was thinking, but there was no one left to take care of her. Yoshimura-san was gone, bother her parents are gone too, and then you disappeared. I was too busy to notice that she was drifting farther and farther away. Damn it…" Touka clenched her teeth and made a fist again. "Because I failed to notice, she joined up with that scum! I'm so pissed off…" Touka stayed quiet for a moment. "You know… She stopped calling me 'big sis'." Touka's voice cracked slightly when she said that, almost as if saying it had made it a reality. She had everything taken away from her again. A loving home, a father figure, and a younger sibling; her past kept repeating it seemed. "I fucking hate this Kaneki… I want them all to come back home, but there is no home anymore!"
Kaneki took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry Touka, I'll save the Manager. I won't let anyone else be killed. I promise." Kaneki walked with her silently the rest of the way to the apartment building. Don't make a promise you can't keep. A single doubting thought wandered out from his sub consciousness. Kaneki had failed miserably the last time he had tried to save the manager, but he would not allow that to happen again. The white haired boy would destroy anyone in the way of his objective. Kaneki convinced himself that he needed to kill the One-eyed Owl and save Yoshimura-san. Their footsteps echoed off the walls of the alley way, all the while thoughts ran through his head like the spike Arima had penetrated Kaneki with in the past.
What will Yoshimura-san think when you kill his child?
Is that really okay?
Will the Manager ever forgive you?
What will you do after?
How many will die in the process?
Can the One-eyed Owl really be killed by you?
Can you protect everyone?
You can't protect anyone.
Shut up. Kaneki continued walking without a single answer to any of those questions. He focused on the quiet noises of the night; a horn honking, an owl's powerful wing beat, to drive away the questions he could not answer…
{At CCG HQ}
"What did you say?" Itsuki Marude exclaimed and his shrill, agitated voice seemed to radiate throughout the whole building. "Squad 17.D was wiped out?! Did you lose your mind on your way here!" Marude grabbed the poor messenger's tie and tugged harshly. "Haise Sasaki was with them, do you really think he was wiped out that easily after we spent almost our entire budget on him?! Huh?!" The messenger tried to calm down the raging superior, but to no avail.
"Actually Sir-"
"Huh? What is it?! Speak up!"
"Rank 1 Haise Sasaki was the one that wiped out the squad!" The lower investigator yelled over Marude's voice and the entire room heard it. Marude was taken back for a moment.
"Hey, are you serious?" Frightened murmurs soon followed the profound statement.
Inside the board room was the shinigami himself, Arima. He was too occupied drinking tea to even comment on the elephant in the room. An ominous presence soon made itself known and the ghoul investigator raised his gaze. Marude and Arima's gazes locked onto each other. Arima was as calm as could be, while Marude was about to be pushed over the cliff. "Arima!" The investigator marched right up to the protégé. "This was your damn idea, so you fix it!"
He took a moment to reply. "I would sir but, it's my vacation."
"Huh?" Marude had had it. He was pushed over his limit. "What vacation?!"
Arima looked at the agitated ghoul investigator. "Have you forgotten? Every two years an investigator is able to take a 42 day vacation if they have worked diligently throughout those two years. A year ago you went to Hawaii, remember?"
Marude was completely distracted by the thought of those warm sunny beaches and beautiful Hawaiian women to hear the rest of Arima's explanation of the timely vacation, but soon his mind was thrown back to reality. "Tch- AKIRA!"
The lone female investigator watched her superior try to hold in his irritation. Marude's eyes became dark as he issued his orders to her. "Find the little squirt with special forces squad 13.A. If he is still Sasaki, bring him in. If not, eliminate him on the spot. If the SS ghoul 'Centipede' comes back, it'll be hell for all of us."
{At Touka's Apartment}
Touka ran the hot water over her face. Her hands moved across the skin; cleaning the blood off her shoulder from where Kaneki had bitten her. The shower doors where slightly blurred from the steam and her finger drew a rabbit on the foggy door. It was clear for a moment then it blurred and blurred again until there was nothing left but a faint outline. Touka stared at that space for what seemed like forever. She hadn't fought with everyone; she had run away like a craven and a child. She faded into the crowd just like how the drawing faded back into the steam; leaving only an outline. Yomo-san had told her that there was no other way; to not waist everyone's sacrifice, but what was it worth to save a child like her? Maybe if Yomo and she had joined the fight, everyone would still be here. Is the Manager even still alive? That news was delivered on the waves of rumors; only rumors. Yet she so desperately wanted it to be true. Touka continued to take a shower while Kaneki was slouched lifelessly on the couch.
I bit her. I tried to eat her. Don't use a power you can't control. Don't use it, and everyone will be safer; much, much safer. His eyes stared into the white carpet without any interest. It had been the same from when he had hurt Banjo-san. "God damn it-"
"Hey, hey now. Isn't it rude to curse in front of a lady Kaneki~?"
His eyes widened and focused on the pair of feet that had moved in front of him. That voice- No-no way. There's no way. He slowly looked up at the face of the familiar female.
Rize stared right back at him. "Hello Kaneki-kun~" Her smile sent chills down his spine. "You're starting to look even more delicious."
"Rize-san…" Her eyes where filled with mischief. A black leather jacket hung loosely around her shoulders and dark denim jeans covered her legs. A black and blue shirt was concealed under the jacket and instead of glasses, a pair of motorcycle goggles rested on her forehead. Her hair had gotten longer and her hand was holding a biker helmet with an iron spike on top. "You've changed."
"Hm, I had to. After our little date, the doves found 'Rize Kamishiro' and she had to disappear, but I'm back now Kaneki… Do you want to take me on a date again? I promise it'll be so much more fun than the last one…" Her playful smirk waited to see his reaction, but before she could see it, Yomo-san intervened.
"Rize. Stop it now." His voice was stern with warning and his eyes gleamed with hostility.
"Yomo-san…" Kaneki was still speechless from the appearance of the missing Rize.
Soon after, Touka walked out of her room; dressed in a hoodie and lose sweatpants. She looked at the three of them. "Rize… What the fuck are you doing in here again?!"
"Yomo-kun game me a key." She replied; not amused by Touka's burst of rage.
Touka's irritated gaze shifted to Yomo. "It doesn't really matter, right? You'd bust down the door to get in anyways."
Rize held in a giggle and smiled. "Touka, you know me all too well."
Yomo took a seat in a chair. His face held something different than it did before; grief, but at the same time a stubbornness. "We are all here to discuss the rumors flying around about Yoshimura-san. I investigated and…" The tension in the air was unreal. Touka dug her nails into the flesh of her pale arm. "It's true. The manager is alive, but he is being held captive by Aogiri Tree."
"How do you know?" Kaneki's voice cracked. He didn't want to fill anyone with doubt, but he needed to know how Yomo got this information.
Yomo looked at Kaneki with eyes that seemed full of understanding. "Hinami told me."
Blood ran cold in Touka. The same Hinami who had abandoned Anteiku, who had left Touka in the dark, was now trying to help them. No. No way. There's no way.
"Touka…" Kaneki watched her expression change from shock to anger to disbelief. He knew how hard this must have been for her.
"No way…" She mumbled to herself. "There's no way! Why would she help us after everything she did?! I can't believe it! I won't…"
Author's Little Note: I am so glad I getting so many good reviews on this story even though it is my first fanfiction! I have been dead tired and incredibly am busy for the past while. I plan on writing more soon so please be patient with me!