(A/N) Heeeeyyyyy :D Sorry it took me so long to update this story. I've been bulk writing the rest of the chapters so you don't have to wait any longer :3 On another note, my second Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction, Tokyo Ghoul Zenith, is coming soon so be on the lookout for that. Peace.

Rex Otanashi stares into the eyes of Auron over the dining table between them. "Well? Are you ready to talk?" Auron leans forward a little as Rex nods slowly. "Yeah. I'm ready to talk. You want to know anything on the CCG's whereabouts right? Settle in. There's a lot of intel to discuss…"

It had been 3 days since Auron and Kaneki defeated Horus and the other ghouls, revealing their true identities to Rex Otanashi. In the time since, the Police had refurbished the warehouse, moving in 20 new people to populate the new settlement. Auron and Kaneki had met up with the rest of the Elite Squad, including Eto and Nishio to plan their next move. They had to somehow make contact with the CCG, but first Auron and Kaneki needed to get the information out of Rex. They were currently in Auron's own quiet corner of the mess hall. The security cameras didn't cover this area and it was late, so everyone else was asleep.

Rex rubs the back of his head. "The CCG... They're a very hard group of people to find. All I know about their history is what you told me it was like before the cataclysm, and the drunken ramblings of my friend. His name is Reims Hallberg by the way". Auron nods, cupping a mug of hot coffee to his breast. "So what are they like now?" "Going by the things Reims said back then, the CCG aren't very well equipped. They have few Quinque available to arm their investigators, and….I don't know the significance of hierarchy of the CCG, but apparently they don't have any investigators above the rank of First Class…. As far as the modern CCG is concerned, First Class is the highest rank an Investigator has ever been able to achieve". Auron raises an eyebrow. "Well… This is news. So if the CCG is so under manned and under equipped, then how have they managed to put up a fight against Tatari and his 'Empire'?" Rex shrugs.

"Don't take his to heart, but it's said that they are led by three ghouls. The leader is called Raven and the two others Rabbit and No Face… It seems that these ghoulish benefactors came to the ruins of the CCG after the event and gave them Quinque material and a place of shelter. Since then, they've provided the investigators with Tatari's weak points". Auron's mouth almost drops. He shakes Rex's shoulders violently. "Are you sure those were their names? Absolutely sure?" Rex pushes him back. "Yes Yes I'm sure! Raven is said to be tall, with long, white hair and a mask like a bird of prey. Rabbit is shorter, with midnight blue hair and a white mask with the appearance of a Chibi Rabbit, and No Face has half their hair shaved off, with many piercings and his mask completely white, revealing nothing about his face. Why are you so interested in them?" Auron drops back onto his seat, stunned. "Because I know them. Those ghouls were friends of Kaneki many, many years ago. How could have they survived this long?" Kaneki shakes his head violently.

"There's no way they can still be alive… I thought they had surely been killed in the initial blast… They've been alive all this time? I should have been with them…" He cradles his head in his hand, trembling slightly. Auron frown at him. "You forget yourself Ken Kaneki. Straighten up. You're both Ghoul and Investigator, rival of Kishou Arima and the One Eyed Owl…." His expression softens slightly as Kaneki looks at him "Things may have changed a lot since you defected from the CCG, but I have faith that you will come out on top. You always managed to in the past…" He turns back to Rex. "So now we know what condition they're in and their operational strength. Do you think you can sneak us in?"

"Quiet! If you're caught talking during ceremony you'll be punished". Auron, along with all the other members of his group stand at attention in their investigator uniforms among the ranks of the CCG. Rex had spent months trying to gain access to one of the CCG's meeting grounds, and the week earlier, he had finally gotten wind of a promotion ceremony being held here in the ruins of the ghoul prison Cochlea. As all the investigators looked on, a group of men and women walked out onto the platform and sat on a row of seats. The man on the far right stands up and walks towards the central podium. "My fellow Investigators, it's been quite a year for the CCG hasn't it? We successfully infiltrated and raided the Eastern Gate compound on the outer wall, and two First Class Investigators even got inside the inner two walls to do reconnaissance on Tataras city!" This announcement causes much cheering and clapping.

"Tonight, we hold our annual promotion ceremony to give appropriate reward and respect to our most outstanding officers. Rank One Winslow Arêtes, step forward!" A tall investigator near the front steps forward onto the stage and salutes the speaker. "This man has effectively restored this facility to full working order without Tatara and his empire even noticing! I am hereby promoting you to First Class Investigator for your efforts. Wear this title with pride, for it is the highest rank that most investigators ever gain. From now on, you will be working alongside Associate Special Class Rilden in his squad. Unless you have any complaints Associate Special Class?" He turns to one of the men sitting on the row of chairs. Rilden shakes his head, smiling. "Of course not Special Class Otanashi, we know well that I'm the only associate and you the only Special Class… I welcome the extra support from such an outstanding investigator". This leads to further clapping and cheering. Auron frowns. "I guess this is the reason Rex managed to know so much about the CCG… He's the brother of their leader…" An hour passes of several other awards and promotions being handed out, including the promotion of one First Class Nodari to Associate Special Class, which was a very big deal apparently. As the night wore down, Special Class Otanashi raises his hands for silence. "This assembly is now officially adjourned".

He raises his eyes to the heaven, as if waiting for a god that didn't exist "Unless anyone wishes to intervene?" A sudden commotion rises as an investigator to Aurons left raises his voice. "I wish to intercede sir". Otanashi raises an eyebrow "Very well. Step forward investigator, and let us hear your thoughts"… The investigator in question was short in stature but with a menacing look in his eye. This man had seen battles in his time. He stalks out onto the stage to stand next to the Special Class. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the CCG, I am here tonight to tell you something that shouldn't come as a surprise to any of you…" He pauses, and looks over at Otanashi. "Lord Tatara knows everything about you". He snarls and suddenly his Kakugan activate while his greenish Kagune lunges towards the throat of the defenceless Special Class. Otanashi would have been slain then and there if it were not for the blast of a Quinque rifle that tore through the ghoul's body and into his Kagune. He drops to the floor at Otanashi's feet, dead instantly. As one, all of the investigators turn to face the direction of the killing shot. Auron stands at the end of the walkway between the two crowds, Reiyuza still smoking in his hand. Special Class Otanashi lets out a deep breath, the shock of his near death experience stealing his voice for a moment. "What is the meaning of this?" It is Auron who answers him.

"The meaning is obvious, Special Class. Tatara and his ghouls know everything about your operations, therefore, despite your achievements, your organisation has underestimated ghoul kind once again…" Otanashi looks straight at his saviour "Who are you investigator? I haven't seen you before…" Auron cocks his head slightly and smiles. "I'm afraid I haven't shown up for duty in a while…" Otanashi frowns "That Quinque… It's incredibly potent. What's its rating, name and type?" "This is Reiyuza, SSS rated Ukkaku type…" The crowd goes silent and stares. "Please don't joke around investigator. I want to know what Quinque that is…" Auron frowns in turn. "I just told you Special Class. I do not need to repeat myself to you…" Otanashi turns red. "Your insubordinance will not go unpunished. What is your name?" "Commander Executive Auron Tanderus is my title, and I will not be spoken to in such a way by you. Do you understand?" Otanashi rocks backwards on his feet. "Wha- What are you talking about? The CCG has no Commanders… Who are you?"

Auron walks forward onto the stage and is joined by Kaneki, Arima, Eto, Urie, Noro and Nishio. "We are the CCG's S4, the Elite Squad. My two Vice Leaders here are Elite Special Class Investigators Ken Kaneki and Kishou Arima, Black and White Reapers of the CCG. The rest of my team is Special Class Noro, Associate Special Class Urie, S Rated Ghoul Serpent, and SSS Rated Ghoul Eto Yoshimura, the One Eyed Owl. Does that answer your question Special Class Otanashi?" The gathered investigators are silent. Otanashi splutters in protest. "Preposterous! I've never heard of any Elite Special Class rank, and how can you possibly be a part of the CCG in the company of ghouls? Men, kill these intruders from Tatara!" Several investigators leap into a circle around the group as Auron laughs. "How can you be so hypocritical when your "benefactors" are ghouls themselves?" He points a finger at the group of robed figures sitting on the seats rear stage.

"Those are the real Commanders of the CCG fool. They aren't ghouls…" As he says this, one of the robed people starts to laugh. His deep voice is heard all throughout the room. "I don't know who you are, but you're certainly perceptive… How could you tell?" The man stands and stops next to Otanashi, pulling down his hood and revealing his stylish half shaven head. Many piercings decorate the contours of his face, which is hidden by a blank white mask. "Well met, SS Rated Ghoul, No Face. Or should I say, Uta?" Uta removes his mask, smiling. "If not perceptive, you certainly know who I am. So, who are you and what do you want with the CCG?" Auron shrugs. "I'm saddened you don't remember me... No matter. Perhaps you'll remember Kaneki here?" As Kaneki steps forward to smile at Uta, the other two robed commanders rise and throw back their hoods. The one on the right was much shorter than the towering man on the right, and she wore a white Rabbit mask. The man had silvery grey hair, and a black mask in the shape of a raven's beak. "Is it really you? Kaneki..." Kaneki smiles sadly at the short woman. "It's been a long time, Touka, Yomo… It's really me". Touka throws down her mask and lunges at Kaneki with her Kagune "IDIOT!"

Kaneki deflects this blow and collects her small frame up into a deep embrace instead. "I haven't seen you since you threw Tsukiyama of the Lunar Building 140 years ago… Where were you all this time?" Kaneki laughs. "Don't worry Touka. I've been asleep with the others here for a very long time. I had a plan to make things all better… but I didn't factor Tataras ambitions into them, so the world had become like this… I'm sorry, just wait a bit longer for me ok?" Auron had been frowning in confusion at Kaneki's story. "What are you talking about Kaneki? More secrets from me?" Kaneki glares at him. "I'm sorry Auron, but I can't stay here any longer… I need to go back to stop this… And you. You have wholeheartedly committed yourself to serving Kaiko and V? Did you think I wouldn't have any issues with casting our lot with my enemy? V is the reason for all my sorrows. V is the reason the world today is like this in the first place!" He takes his spectacles and crushes them in his hand, letting the twisted metal and glass shards sprinkle onto the floor.

"I'm tired of this Auron. It's time I put an end to this abomination of a timeline". Auron throws his arms into the air "What the hell are you talking about Kaneki? You speak as if you being here now is a mistake. What do you mean "abomination of a timeline"? Kaneki sighs, removing his red gloves and revealing to the shocked onlookers his scaled arms and hands. "Many, many years ago, I was defeated…. "Killed" by Kishou Arima and physiologically altered to become an investigator. After many events and years after that, I chose to defect from the CCG. I opened all the A rated cells in Cochlea while I rescued Hinami Fuegechi from the prison. During my escape, I encountered Touka's brother Ayato and my old friend Banjou facing off against Arima himself. I intervened and in the long battle that followed, for I had gotten far stronger than the last time he and I fought, I was ultimately defeated… again. Ayato was killed, and Hinami was executed by him in front of my own eyes"… He looks with deadly intent at Arima behind Auron. "I know now that giving up was a mistake. But at the time I merely submitted to what I thought was my tragic fate. I was imprisoned in Cochlea's depths, and given a SSS rating. Then, after many years of imprisonment, Eto came to me. She had escaped in the events that led to my imprisonment, and had continued operating with Aogiri after the CCG's rout on Rue Island. She offered me a chance of redemption, and I took it. We attacked the CCG's very Headquarters and that's where I met you Auron. We battled, and I was defeated once again. I let you win Auron, I needed to be in the CCG to become stronger again. Then all this happened, and I am at the point where I must go back"…

The entire group is shocked to their core by Kaneki's perspective of the events of this world. Urie was shocked most of all. He got imprisoned for trying to rescue a ghoul? But a ghoul that he considered to be his little sister… All this time I thought he had betrayed the CCG and killed countless investigators, but he only wanted to defeat Arima. I never knew what Arima had done to him all those years ago. Converting a ghoul, even a half ghoul, into a ghoul investigator? It would have been kinder to kill him outright. Kaneki looks at Auron once more. "I have lied to you Auron. Kept many things from you and deceived you. For that I am deeply sorry. You are not the One Eyed King, you never were. Your immense power came from contact with me, and your prowess as a ghoul investigator is simply your own skill". He looks at the ground, his eyes heavy with sadness. "My story can't end yet. I have yet to make my mark upon this world, even after all I have done".

He smiles at Auron, tears welling up in his eyes. "I see this world we're in now as my mistake. If I hadn't wanted to die, I could have prevented this all from happening. I don't know If I will regret this, but it's time that your story ended, Auron Tanderus…" He thrusts out his hands as Auron activates his Kagune, all 4 limbs homing in on Kaneki's body. Kaneki breaks each limb asunder with one hand, then uses his feet to sweep Auron off his legs into the hard concrete. Auron curses, wiping blood from a scratch in his right shoulder. "Why Kaneki Why must you kill me? You should know that I am far stronger than you ever were". Kaneki unconsciously cracks his finger, looking down at Auron with his single Kakugan. "Maybe once, but my objective here is complete. I have learnt all I can about Kishou Arima's fighting style and skill, and because of you, I have gotten far stronger than I was. We all have. For that I thank you, but please".

He thrusts his twisting Kagune into Aurons chest cavity, his own fingers cracking again. "Don't make this difficult. Die in style, just as I wanted to do"… Auron drops to the ground, unmoving and everybody present gasps. Touka looks at Kaneki with fearful eyes. "What have you become? Kaneki. You aren't the same person I once worked with in Anteiku". He smiles at her, Uta and Yomo. "I know. Too many things have happened for me to become the Lie that I once was… This is the real Kaneki. The truth of my existence… Don't worry Touka. I will make things better. I will protect the people I love". He turns to leave, but Noro grabs him roughly by the shoulder, pulling him back. "Kaneki! You can't seriously be about to walk out after killing our leader? He can't be dead. He's the greatest investigator the CCG has ever known, even if he's a ghoul! I don't believe for a second that you could have just killed him like that!"

Kaneki looks Noro dead in the eyes. "Auron didn't want to die, but he knew. He understood what I was saying that I have to do. He was never the One Eyed King, just as Eto was never the King either. You might not want to hear this right now Noro, but I am the One Eyed King. Now". He looks around the room at his now former comrades. He looks at his old friends, Touka, Nishio, Uta and Yomo. "I will save all of you. Please wait for me". Next he looks at his protégé from his time as Haise Sasaki. "Urie. I'm sorry you never truly understood me. I promise I will help you get Shinji's body back…" Finally he comes to Eto and Arima. "Now is not the time for our final fight, Kishou Arima, but I will put an end to the dog of V. And Eto, You were right. We are the same". He leans in to kiss her on the cheek. "I too have grown fond of you my dear Owl". She blushes as he pulls away, waving behind him at he steps into the center of the stage, bathed in moonlight. "I'll see you all again. Earlier than you think. "I told myself long ago that I wanted to die. That is why I failed everyone. I can't do anything to help if I'm dead"…

A beam of white light envelopes him, his body fading into the moonlight slowly. "I now know something"…. He closes his eyes as the light rises to blinding levels. As he opens them, he is lying on the floor with his own blood pooling around him but he himself having no wounds. He looks around. He lies on the very stage that he had just left, but bodies and blood are scattered everywhere. Kishou Arima stands a few feet away from him, his Quinque Ixa poised at the throat of Ayato, the Black Rabbit. Hinami is couching behind Kaneki, her sobs of despair piercing into the very depths of Kaneki's soul. He gets slowly to his feet as Hinami gasps. "Yes. I know what I need to do…" Arima looks over in surprise at Kaneki rising to his feet after Arima had all but killed him. This battle would now happen for the second time. Kaneki had been dreaming again. This time he would stay awake… As the Reaper drops Ayato, whom is dragged off by Hinami, Kaneki smiles, his Kakugan activating and his finger cracking as he draws out his Kagune. "I don't want to die anymore".