Chapter 3- Arrival
Touka yawned as she dragged a damp cloth, covered in suds over the counter of the Pub. It was her work as well as her home in the village of Anteiku. Anteiku was, to the world, just like any other village. Somewhat small, filled with hard working residents, and very quiet. Except, it was a place unlike any other, because, unbeknownst to the world, the village's populace were entirely Ghouls.
Today was shaping up to be a nice day. The sun had come out after being overcast all of yesterday and Touka had actually woken up well rested. That didn't happen too often. She would have to thank Yomo, last night was busy, after they'd closed shop Touka crashed out upstairs. She was supposed to help Yomo go out to Gengrel woods, otherwise known as the "Forest of Death" and collect food, he must've decided to let her sleep.
The sound of rattling bottles caught Touka's attention. She turned her head over her shoulder to see Yoshimura holding up two, full, trash bags.
"Touka," he began, extending the bags out to her, "Would you mind taking these out for me?"
Touka nodded, "Sure," then gripped the bags and started towards the door, slinging the trash over her shoulder. They never normally had much trash, but Anteiku was somewhat of a tourist village. They were very few people that lived there that actually drank alcohol, But the village did recieve guests regularly, travelers, traders, one day a circus had passed through. Now that was a busy night.
Last night, however, they had practically a parade of people come through. They were soldiers. They had said they were fresh from training and were looking to celebrate. Touka never did like soldiers, nevertheless, she put on a smile and did her job.
Stepping out into the open air, Touka squinted her eye's a bit. The morning sun was surprisingly bright. She let her eye's adjust then began to trudge over to the dumpster when she heard the sound of a wagon coming.
She looked to her left and saw a familiar horse. It was the Fueguchi's. Smiling, the young ghoul tossed the trash into the dumpster and walked over to meet them with a smile on her face.
Before the wagon even came to a halt, Ryuko jumped down from it, rushing to Touka. Touka simply waved. Ryuko rushed to grab and hug Touka. It wasn't the warmth of a friendly embrace, rather it was that of a woman clinging onto something.
"Ryuko?" Touka questioned, awkwardly hugging back, "Is some-"
Ryuko broke the hug, now gripping Touka by the shoulders tightly. "Touka," she asked, tears running down her face, "Is Hinami here?!"
Touka felt cold. Something had happened, she could tell. "N-no," she answered, "I figured she was in the carriage."
Ryuko let go of Touka and fell back into her husband's chest, crying.
Touka, took a step forward. "Did something happen," she asked, "Is Hinami missing?"
Asaki, her husband, wrapped a single arm around his wife and looked to Touka with a sadness in his eye's she'd never seen. "We'll tell you everything inside. I want to get Ryuko into bed, she hasn't slept since we escaped..."
After getting Ryuko into bed, Touka, Asaki, Koma, Irimi, and Yoshimura made their way to the cellar, leaving a closed sign out on the front door. This is where they leaders of the town discussed important matters, such as food distribution, trading with nearby human villages, and taking in new residents. While this wasn't a village matter, they figured it qualified as important.
They sat at a round table, with only lanterns to light the room. There was an atmosphere of dread around them. Asaki downed a small cup of coffee, trying to wake himself up after driving the carriage for two days.
"About two days ago," Asaki began, licking his lips, "on a nice day, just like this one, we were attacked by Tokyo's Holy Hunters."
When Asaki spoke that name, everyone in the room tensed up. The Holy Hunters were known by all Ghouls, and feared by all Ghouls. Their blood lust and brutal methods of "purification", as they dubbed it, were the stuff of nightmare's.
"Are you sure," Irimi chimed in, "The Holy Hunters haven't been seen or heard about in Jepen in half a century, since the first purging."
Asaki nodded his head, tapping his fingers on his cup. "Oh, I'm quite certain," he affirmed, "When I saw those Kagune blades, and ax's, and hammer's slicing and smashing through my friends like butter, with almost no effort... I knew exactly what they were." He paused, swallowing, "Not just Ghouls, either," he explained, "But Humans, too. They killed indiscrimantly, the whole village, as far as I know we were all that escaped."
Touka gulped, "A-And what about Hinami?" she asked the question they were all thinking.
Asaki shook his head and looked down, taking in a shaky breath. "I don't know," his voice quivered, "S-She was playing out in the meadow when they came... I can only pray that she could grasp the situation and run. I had hoped she would meet us here. I told her before, that if we were ever separated, to come to Anteiku, and we'd meet her here, but..." He didn't dare finish his sentence.
"Well," chimed in Koma, "I wouldn't give up hope just yet, Asaki. After all, you had the advantage of a wagon, right? She might be on her way here now," the man offered up a possibility, hoping to ease the man's pain.
Asaki sniffled. "I-I'm such a coward," he practically spat, "I should have gone to find Hinami, but- but I was too scared... I had to get out of there with Ryuko. If something's happened to my little Hinami," he spoke, more so to himself than anyone else, "I-I'll never forgive myself..."
Yoshimura nodded. "I understand how you feel, Asaki. But, you mustn't blame yourself. There is a good chance that if you went to find Hinami the Holy Hunters would have followed you and killed you all."
Asaki sniffled a little bit, placing a hand on his forehead, letting his tears drip down and stain the wood table. "i-I just..."
"Maybe you should get some rest as well," Yoshimura told the man, "You must be exhausted."
Asaki shook his head. "No," he declined, "I won't sleep until I see Hinami again... How could I?"
Yoshimura nodded in understanding. "Very well. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Asaki didn't reply instead he just placed his face in his hands and remained silent. The others took this as their cue to leave, Touka stayed behind though. Gently, she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Hinami is a lot smarter, than you think, Mister Fueguchi," Touka reassured Asaki, "I know she'll make it here, you'll see."
She waited a moment, wondering if Asaki would respond. He didn't. She removed her hand and took her leave, praying that she was right.
In the town of Bashill Kaneki and Hinami wandered through an open marketplace, looking at to around at the goods they had to offer. Hinami had insisted that the town was only half a day's ride left, but Kaneki had ignored her. He needed some new cloth, what he had was beginning to wear.
It took quite the toll on his nostrils, though, as the market place was teeming with the smell of human foods. He could take the smell, but Hinami was having a more difficult time with the scents. Not my problem, Kaneki told himself, as he continued to scan the clothing available.
"Mister Kaneki," Hinami whined, tugging at her escorts cloak, "I- I'm not feeling so good."
"Breath through your mouth," Kaneki told her, without looking back, "You won't smell as much of it."
Hinami then opened her mouth slightly and began to inhale and exhale, noticing it did the trick, but the smell still managed to waft its way into her nose a bit.
Finally, something caught Kaneki's eye. On a wooden stand, from a hook just underneath the roof hung a sage green cloak, more or less his size, and much newer looking. Kaneki looked down at his old, brown cloak and frowned. Maybe it is time I retired this thing.
He walked over to the stand, eye's kept on the cloak. He reached for it, turning it over and inspecting it. He noticed that it was thick, perfect for harsh weather, the inside was a darker shade of green and it had a silver clasp around the neck area. Very nice, he mentally commented, smiling to himself.
"Like what you see?" asked a feminine voice from behind the counter, prompting Kaneki to turn his focus towards it.
Behind the counter sat a small girl, about a head shorter than him, in a purple dress. She had light, grass colored hair, matching eye's, and a gentle smile. "I made it myself, you know. I'm quite proud of it."
Kaneki looked back to the cloak, the back to the girl behind the counter. "Yeah," he affirmed, "Is it for sell?"
The girl giggled a bit, "Of course! This is a market, isn't it?"
Kaneki didn't respond to the question. "How much are you asking," he inquired.
The girl smiled, rested her head on her left hand, and leaned forward, "How much you got?"
Kaneki pulled out a small bag with a rope around the top, loosened it and peered inside. "About fifty silver coins," he told her, looking back to face her.
She smiled, "Give me thirty and it's yours."
Kaneki reached into the sack, pulled out a handful, counted it and placed it into her hand, noticing she brushed his fingers with hers as she pulled her hand back. She then reached for the cloak and pulled it off the hook, handing it to him. "Pleasure doing business with you," she told him.
Just as Kaneki was about to turn and leave, she stopped him. "You headed to Anteiku?"
Kaneki stopped for a moment, then looked at her, "What's it to you?"
The girl shrugged. "Nothing. It's just such a quaint little village, I love it. Get's a lot of travelers too, so I just assumed you were headed that way."
Kaneki simply nodded and turned towards Hinami, "We're done here, let's get going," he told her, and began to walk back towards the stables.
Hinami sighed in relief and began walking ahead of him, in a hurry to get out of the foul smelling market place.
Kaneki looked over his shoulder back to the green haired woman, eyeing her. She simply looked back, smile a generous smile, and waved.
Hinami, sat leaning against Kaneki, on the horse once more, rocking with it as it moved, boredom evident on her soft face. They'd have made it to antique by now had Kaneki not wasted that time in the market place. Though, she did have to admit that it was quite a nice cloak, that he bought.
She rubbed her right eye and sat forward a bit, trying to get a better look at her surroundings. It was just more bland woods, though there was less brush in these woods, and the tree's were thin, so it was easy to see if they were being pursued.
Suddenly a wooden post caught Hinami's eye, it had something written on it in red lettering. Hinami, however, was illiterate. Pointing towards the sign post, she looked back towards Kaneki, "Mister Kaneki, what does that say?"
Kaneki followed her arm to the sign, then squinted to read it. In red lettering it read; Anteiku. "We're here," he told Hinami, who's eye's widened in surprise.
Hinami leaned forward, looking to the sign as if she could read it. "Really?!"
"That's what the sign says," replied Kaneki, his voice calm as usual.
The pair then made it to the top of a hill overlooking a village. It was a sea of brown, hey covered rooftops and wooden and brick buildings, with some smoke rising from the chimney's. He also saw people bustling about in the streets between the cottages.
"Look, mister Kaneki," Hinami said, pointing towards the village below, "We made it!"
"Can you see your parents from up here," Kaneki asked, keeping his eye's on the town below.
Hinami squinted, searching for a familiar brown braid walking amongst the people, or their family's wagon. She frowned when she found neither. She also began to worry. What if they hadn't made it? What if mom and dad were killed too? What if they hadn't come to Anteiku?
"N-no... I don't," she answered, her voice quivering slightly.
Kaneki remained silent. "Well then, let's take a closer look." With that, he whipped the reigns and the two started down hill.