So, in case anyone was wondering, this story will be ending in just a few more chapters. If anyone wants any sort of sequel, I set up a poll. Honestly, I would like to put out a sequel. Just lemme know if it's even worth putting out. I imagine there will be quite a bit of support for a new series. I own nothing in Tokyo Ghoul aside from my own characters. Enjoy.

'Akane, you got a sec?' -SS

'What's the issue?' - Sparrow

'I think I found out where your boyfriend is.' SS

'Go on.' - Sparrow

'Bozo's unveiling a new scrapper tonight, and your dad got invited. He was about to check his schedule when he found out his name. "Snowbird."'-SS

'That's gotta be Arata.'- Sparrow

I closed my phone and smiled at the Clown strapped into the wooden chair.

"It seems you're no longer of use." I said bluntly before severing the man's head.

On the way back, my phone rang. Unsurprisingly, it was Father. I quickly flipped the phone open and answered.

"Akane, dearest! How are you?" His booming voice greeted.

"Great, sir. How are you?"

"Fantastic. I just wanted to ask you for something. There's a scrapper unveiling at The 5th Ward restaurant, and I'm in Niseko with your mother. Would you mind going in my place? If you're busy, that's alright. I could just cut our anniversary short…"

"Don't worry about it, sir. I'll be there."

"Fantastic. You're mother says hi, by the way. Anyway, see you when we get back, dear!"

I hung up and smiled. 'Tonight's the night I get Arata back.'

"Oh, back already?" Uta asked, not looking away from the mask he was working on as I walked in. "Found out anything interesting out there?"

"I interrogated a guy who supplied Bozo with people for his shows, since I couldn't get into his restaurant to find one of his scrappers. But Sachiko did tell me that he's unveiling a new scrapper tonight, and my father was invited."

"Cool. I might just stop by. Seeing as you plan on killing possibly hundreds of possible S-Rank Ghouls, I doubt my assistance would be unwelcome."

"Well...thanks, Uta. Honestly, I didn't expect that from you."

"Bozo annoys the shit outta me. Might as well kill him." Uta said coldly, finally looking at me instead of the mask he's been working on for almost a week, since I told him of Arata's kidnapping. "You're still wearing his clothes?"

I looked down at what I was wearing and blushed. I was still wearing Arata's old black tank top and blue jeans. It was relatively loose, but not enough to expose more than it needed to. They were wrinkled from how often I slept in them and how scarcely I changed. I never took them off because the clothes still carried his scent, and it helped me keep from breaking down, from feeling like I've lost him forever.

"Uta, I'm gonna go change. The Revealing starts at 19:00, so get a mask ready. We're taking Arata back, and killing Bozo."

(Arata's POV)

I couldn't tell where I was, but I knew I wasn't in the cell. The scent of human blood was a lot stronger than it was in my cell. I was somewhere where a lot of people died, and relatively recently. Maybe I would be fortunate to meet the same fate.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope you're ready to see a real glutton for punishment, because you're gonna get one hell of a show tonight. Here, in Bozo's Ghoul Restaurant, the unveiling of our newest Scrapper. Everyone, meet the one and only Snowbird! Now, for his first kill in my ring!"

The lights flashed fast enough to surprise me, blinding me for a second before I saw the person standing before me. She was young, looking no older than maybe twelve. I could see that she was terrified, speechless as tears ran down her cheeks from her pale blue eyes. Her lip quivered as she looked at what was lying between us: a gleaming, painful-looking knife. We both stood, silently eyeing the dagger.

"Kill the bitch before I come down there and kill you both!"

That line triggered something I really hoped was gone. The fire, the very same fire that lit inside me when I fought Yatsu, surged through my body. A little voice, I don't know whose, whispered in my head.

'Kill'

The world went white when I rushed and grabbed the blade. I heard the girl scream, and the world went red, and got redder every time I heard the gurgling of blood in her throat and the sound of the blade easily shredding through her tender flesh.

"You understand, don't you?! I have to do this! I don't want to do this, but I have to! I have to kill you...to see my Akane again...so please...forgive me…"

'You're a monster now. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster.'

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'M DOING WHAT I HAVE TO DO!" I screamed out, my voice nearly muffled by the cheers from the Ghouls watching.

"Akane! Akane!" I screamed, looking desperately in the stands to see if she might be here. The spotlights made it hard to see, but I still kept searching. Finally, two clowns came up and took the body.

"Now that was a spectacular show, right? Let's get a couple more bleeders out there to-What the Hell?"

The shower of red crystals seemingly came from nowhere. Both Clowns were shredded into little bloody ribbons, and a few actually cut me, even though it was nowhere as severe as what the Clowns got. I fell into the gorey puddle of remain when I saw her, the figure of the woman who kept me from complete insanity.

"Akane, I-" I cried, cut off by hard punch to my lower back. I fell again, staring up at Akane as her ukaku splintered like shattering ice.

"How cute! Sparrow came to save her precious little toy. Too bad he's gonna die before you can even-"

Bozo let out the gurgle of blood in his throat as a splatter echoed out. I felt a warm, sticky rain fall on me.

"Sorry, I'm late. Did I miss anything fun?" Uta's voice questioned. "Wow, he's bleeding bad."

That's the last thing I heard before the pain from Bozo's punch caused me to black out.

(Akane's POV)

That night was the most stressful one of my life. Uta had me take Arata to a hospital in the 20th Ward. He'd be safe, seeing as he was human, but I was worried. Bozo had punched a hole in his back. If he didn't survive...I'd kill every Clown in Tokyo. It took every fiber of effort to try and get some sleep, but I managed it.

"Miss Suzume? Miss Suzume, wake up."

My eyes fluttered open to find an old man in a lab coat, smiling down at me. He reminded me of Yoshimura from Anteiku, in some strange way.

"You were the one to check in Mister Yukikari, correct?"

"You...You mean Arata? Yeah, I did. Is he okay?"

The doctor gave me a grim look.

"You see, that's just what I needed to talk to you about. He's alive, and gained consciousness just a few hours ago. It's just...we had to do something risky. Are you aware of Ghouls, Miss Suzume?"

I nodded, nervous about where he was going with the conversation.

"Well, a risky procedure has been developed to help people on the verge of death, like Mister Yukikari. We implanted several organs from a ghoul present in The 5th Ward Massacre last night. I hate to tell you this, but Mister Yukikari is no longer entirely human. I'm afraid he is now a half-Ghoul."

The news hit harder than I thought it would. 'Arata...a half-Ghoul?' The thought was troubling, but it meant one thing to me: Arata is alive.

"Can I see him? If he's alive and well enough, I mean."

The doctor led me to Arata's room and knocked.

"I'm not buying anything...unless you have cookies!" He called from inside.

He let me in, and I smiled when I saw his eyes light up.

"Akane! Gah, fuck!" Arata called, but was silenced by some pain that caused him to reel back into bed.

"I'll be out, if you need me." The doctor said, closing the door behind him.

"Bozo...where is he? I'm gonna kill the fucker!"

"Relax, Arata. Uta killed him. Oh, and I brought something for you."

I reached into my bag and pulled out Arata's mask. I handed it to him, and he smiled as he looked over it.

"My mask. I thought Bozo had this destroyed. He did say something about that, when he...oh god…"

I quickly wrapped my arms around him as he began to cry.

"He did it to him, y'know. He made Yatsu...the way he was...a sociopath...I...I felt like I was about to lose it...when I killed that girl...I felt like a monster...like I wasn't me...I wanted to die when it came back to me. I felt like I wasn't even human anymore."

I tensed up. 'Does he know?'

"Have you eaten anything?"

"I tried. Everything tastes like shit now. The water went down fine, but when I tried to eat some soup the nurse brought in, I couldn't even swallow it."

"We'll see about getting you something to eat once you're able to leave."

"Akane...thank you. You saved me from becoming a monster, maybe worse than Yatsu. I love you, Akane. Please...don't leave me alone again."

"I won't. I promise."