Tokyo Ghoul: The Other Story

Chapter 11: Bikaku

"Nishio-sempai?" Kaneki could keep the surprise from escaping in his lips, he hadn't seen Nishio for three years. The last time he saw the bikaku ghoul was when Nishio walked him and Hide home after killing that CCG investigator, which was Kaneki's last kill. He often wondered what happened to Nishio, he had tried call the ghoul many times since Touka told the trio that he had disappeared.

But now after three years, here he was.

Kaneki knew that he should be over joyed to see his friend again but there was something about Nishiki that put the half-ghoul on edge. He couldn't explain it but there was something hostile coming off the ghoul and it seem to Kaneki that he wanted to pick a fight.

Nishio pulled the snake skinned masked off, smirking at Kaneki like he always had done like nothing had changed. It seemed that Nishiki Nishio hadn't aged a bit.

"Nishio-sempai, what a pleasant surprise! You didn't have to drop in like that you know" Kaneki said, he dropped his defensive position a bit but not enough to himself vulnerable if an attack were to strike. There was just something off about Nishiki.

"I thought I would give you a little surprise" the ghoul said leaning back against the wall with his arms behind his head, taking in Kaneki's appearance "You don't have to look so tense you know?" He said with slight chuckle in his voice "I mean I didn't scare you that bad did I?"

"It wouldn't have hurt to drop a call or text like a normal person" Kaneki said "What's with a mask, you do understand that the doves are roaming around the town don't you?"

"Oh I'm well aware what going on in this town" Nishio said looking away from Kaneki "I hear that Aogiri Tree is here to, you and Hinami-chan should be hiding away they are after you, you know?".

"I kinda figured that would be part of their plan" Kaneki nodded "But tell me, where have you disappeared to for past three years?" Kaneki asked "We couldn't get a hold of you, we were worried that you were dead"

Nishio didn't say anything to this, instead he just sighed and pushed himself of the wall and dropped his head. Kaneki couldn't see his face due to the hood and the long hair but he was sure that it was a look of sadness hidden there.

"Sorry but I was a little busy" The ghoul said slowly "You see, I've been looking for someone and I was hoping you might be a help".

"Really, how so?" Kaneki asked, for some reason not liking were this was going.

"Well, I'm sure you have heard about the accident a few days ago?" Nishio said "They showed an image of the taxi driver who attacked two students, one was knocked out while the other fought him I believe they were you're students?"

"How do you know that?" Kaneki asked stuttered "The only people who knew that Mutsuki and Shirazu were the victims are me, the CCG and my friends and what does it have to do you anyway?"

"Yeah, some insource information told me about them" insource information Kaneki wondered what he meant by that. "You see I'm after that taxi driver, Karao Saeki but he goes by the nickname Torso, I've been trailing him for a while now and the last I heard he had come to this town then I see his face of the front of the newspaper, then I heard you lived here so now I was wondering if you knew anything about him?"

"Sorry but I won't be much help" Kaneki said "Once I got to the scene of the crime the police was already there and I've never seen him before in my life but what I do know is that he might be with Aogiri Tree or the Madams, you do know about the auction being held this Friday don't you?"

"I've heard rumours" Nishiki shrugged "But I'd rather act sooner than wait for Friday, you see me and Torso have some unfinished business".

"I'm sorry but I can't help you" Kaneki said using the tone he would use when telling off a student, although he would never say that he couldn't help them.

"No? But I think you can help me find someone who does" Nishiki said walking closer to the half-ghoul and Kaneki's alert went up by ten-fold. "This guy in your class, Mutsuki his name was right? Maybe he could give me some answers?"

"I wouldn't" Kaneki shook his head "Mutsuki-kun has been sent by the CCG to investigate me and he also has three others with him, plus we have investigators wondering around the town so if I were you I would keep my head down and wait for Friday, its only two days away after all".

"Two day's might be a little late" Nishiki said standing arm's length away from the half-ghoul "Were does Mutsuki live?"

"Not saying"

"Where is now, do you know?"

"No I don't now stop asking" Kaneki stepped closer to the ghoul "And don't come near Mutsuki, he maybe an investigator but he's also my student the same goes with the other three".

"My, my Kaneki you sure take your job seriously" Nishiki said with a chuckle in his voice that Kaneki didn't like "but I'm sure you won't be saying that once he discovers who are, the famous SS ranked Centipede, Ken Kaneki who survived a close encounter with the Death God of the CCG, you are like CCG's most wanted they will kill you on sight. Ha, and if you aren't worried for yourself think about Touka and Hinami they would also be caught in the cross-fire oh and that Nagachika who's been hiding two ghouls all these years if that were found out he will be sentenced for treason!"

"What are you getting at?" Kaneki snapped furiously.

"I mean I could kill those four students for you" Kaneki searched Nishiki's face but he seemed to be deadly serious "tell me Sasaki, are those four really worth the risk? You won't be suspected if those investigators turn up dead, it will be a Serpent attack and you can get on with your quite little life".

"My answer is still no Nishio-sempai" Kaneki said dangerously and took a few steps closer so the two ghouls were face to face "The CCG will not find out my secret and if they do then I will deal with it my own way".

"Ha I thought so" The bikaku sneered "You've gone soft, you have gone back to where you first started, a human!"

"What's gotten into you Nishio?" Kaneki snapped not caring for formalities right now "I thought the two of us were friends?"

"And naïve as always too" the ghoul turned to leave but was stopped by Kaneki's hand on his shoulder.

"You are not turning you're back on me Nishio!" The half-ghoul sneered one of his stone grey eyes turned black and blood red "You still have a lot to explain!"

"And you still haven't learnt your manners…" Suddenly Nishio lift his right arm up and attempted to use his elbow to hit Kaneki in the face but the half-ghoul was ready for it. He used his free arm to block of the attack and was prepared when Nishio swung his leg to kick Kaneki in the legs because the half-ghoul jumped in the air out of the way, letting go of Nishio and lifted his leg up attempting to put his foot down on the bikaku ghouls head but he moved out of the way by an inch. Kaneki dropped back onto the floor in battle position,

"Onii-chan!" The familiar voice called out, Kaneki turned to see Hinami with Hide and Touka alongside red faced and covered in sweat but Kaneki didn't have the time to ask what had been going on because as soon as Nishio discovered they had company he imminently put his mask back on and leapt away from Kaneki towards to the roof.

"Don't let him get away Kaneki!" Hide shouted "He's after Mutsuki and the others!"

"I'm aware of that!" Kaneki shouted back as he legged towards Nishio and crashed into the bikaku ghoul before he could leap onto the roof. The two rolled together on the ground just missing the bins until Kaneki leapt to his feet and kicked the struggling ghoul in the chin of the mask sending Nishio crashing into a pile of bin-bags.

Touka, Hide and Hinami caught up and where now standing side by side with Kaneki, they watched as Nishio lifted himself of the floor and rubbed the side of his chin where Kaneki had kicked and spoke in words so cold that it sent a shiver towards the three ghouls and human.

"You guys are really starting to piss me off…"

Xxx

Hide watched as the snake-skinned masked ghoul, who he supposed of Nishio take a step forward and spread his arms out as if welcoming one of them to a hit.

"Well, well aren't I lucky not only Centipede but also the Rabbit and Daughter Ghoul" And me! Thought Hide but the ghoul didn't take any notice of the human.

"Cut this Nishio!" Touka cried out "Let's go back to the house, we can talk things over and make this whole thing straight!"

"I am done with mindless chit-chat" The Serpent ghoul sneered under his mask, Hide couldn't see his eyes but he swore if he did he would of seen plain cold hard anger "This One-eyed bastard" He nodded at Kaneki "Has made himself quite clear that he doesn't know Torso and won't give me any information on the person who might, but once I've taken down his two precious girls and little human he will most likely spill anything I need from him".

"I won't let you lay a finger on them Nishio!" Kaneki said stepping forward "Plus Hinami and Touka are both strong fighters I bet only one of us is needed to take you out!"

"Never underestimate your enemy Kaneki" Nishio said with a smile under his mask, Hide had the feeling that something bad was going to happen "I've been gone for three long years I've had plenty time to build up my strength" And with that a large blue and green serpent like creature appeared out from Nishio's back and curved around over this head. What was once a small slivery blue kagune was now a large and monstrous weapon that it blocked off most of the path, but Hide wasn't worried because he had faith in Kaneki and he was probably the scariest ghoul he had the pleasure of meeting.

Both Touka and Kaneki stood their ground and stepped forward, Touka with eye's black and her Ukaku forming from her shoulder blades.

"You don't impress me!" The ghoul sneered "No matter how much you train your still the same old shit-head Nishiki who lost his territory to Rize and was beaten up by a boy who had only been a ghoul no more than a week!"

"Enough talking!" And with that the snake like kagune lashed out towards the group, it was Hinami who leaped towards Hide pulled him away from the impact, while Kaneki had rolled onto the floor just barely out of the kagunes reach while Touka had leapt into the air with her own Kagune out. She shot purple-red blades from her ukaku towards Nishio, he tried to dodge but one caught him by the arm causing a rip at his coat. But the serpent ghoul didn't have time to examine the damage as Touka hulled her way towards him but he managed to meet her attacks by using his own fist to send Touka flying against wall.

"Onee-chan!" Hinami cried out but Kaneki was already on his feet and rushed towards the bikaku user at full speed, of course Kaneki wouldn't use his kagune just yet. From text books Hide knew rinkaku type users like Kaneki had a disadvantage against a bikaku like Nishio since the bikaku was good at defending the attacks against the brutal force of a rinkaku. But Kaneki had beaten Nishio once, he was sure it can happened again.

Kaneki ran towards Nishio, dodging the bikaku's attacks getting closer and closer. However Hide nearly screamed when Kaneki was too slow to notice the giant kagune was now hovering over him and was sent crashing down. But then, just in time Kaneki did something that defied all textbook knowledge on bikaku vs rinkaku, Kaneki's own magnificent red kagune shot from his back in the form of one single strong tail and splitting Nishio's own kagune is half!

Right now Kaneki was right up to Nishio and was about throw his fist into the ghouls face but the Serpent ghouls legs were faster as he kicked the half ghoul in the stomach and sent him flying. Kaneki landed on his hands and knees blood shooting out of his mouth as his back slammed against the wall and his kagune was limp besides him.

Nishio examined the damaged done to his once proud kagune that looked as if it had been cut with a knife. "How the fuck did you do that?" the serpent ghoul demanded to know, normally the rinkaku would of broken if it had crashed against a bikaku but that didn't seem to be the case. It was the other way around.

Kaneki couldn't explain what had happened either, he was just acting on instinct when the kagune started to crash down on him and he didn't give it a second thought. But the half-ghoul knew that he won't be going to do it again anytime soon, his kagune felt limp and weak. It didn't look as damaged as it should have done but it still didn't look good, maybe his Kakuja would be enough? But then again was it worth wasting it on Nishio?

It was Hide who was the only one who wasn't stunned by the scene in front of him, the only thing on his mind was that he couldn't let Kaneki's efforts go to waste. A few months after coming to this town Yomo had called at the house not only to give Hinami and Kaneki their food but he also had a present for Hide. It was a Quinque in the shape and size of a standard torch that could fit in your pocked but it didn't light up instead when you clicked the button a long thin blade with a light shade of a dull yellow and blue colour shot out and this is what happened now.

Hide always kept in his pocket for the past three years now, he had been practicing yielding it with Kaneki and had also been reading book on them but this was the first time he had used it in battle. However the serpent ghoul was too busy being confused and shocked to notice the lone human coming at him with the blade in hand. Only when did Hide scream in rage did Nishio look towards the human and by then it was too late, Hide had slammed the blade onto the already weakened kagune, but it didn't cut all the way but Hide didn't care because right now he had already lifted the blade up again to pierce it into the slits of the mask. Where the eyes where.

Suddenly there was screaming and Hide was pushed back leaving the sun coloured quinque stuck in the ghouls eyes. Nishio yanked the blade out, showing the end the of sun coloured quinque that had been stained in deep dark red blood. Hide scuttled away from the ghoul towards Hinami, who had been observing the scene wide eyed.

"Fuck you Nagachika!" The Serpent ghoul sneered but he didn't have the time to do or say anything else because already a harsh impacted had found its self against his head and Nishio could already see his vision beginning to blacken. Shit, he had forgot about the Ukaku bitch!

Touka was standing behind the serpent ghoul while Kaneki had gotten himself up from the floor and making his way quickly towards the falling ghoul. This was probably for revenge or maybe it was for the half-ghoul's amusement because Kaneki lifted his leg up straight, drawing it back and kicked Nishio in the gut sending him flying straight towards the wall. There was the sound of bones cracking, maybe Nishio's spine and the bikaku ghoul slumped to the ground and the atmosphere grew silent.

Xxx

"He's not dead is he?" Hide asked slightly worried, neither Nishio or his kagune were moving nor did Hide like that cracking noise his back made a second ago. Touka just tutted and shook her head,

"It will take more than that to kill a ghoul" She said "Although Nishio surprised me, I didn't know it would take the four of us to beat him".

"You mean three" Hinami said who was standing silently behind everyone else, head down looking ashamed of herself. Hide knew what was going on in her head,

"No Hinami-chan, she meant 'four'" The human said smiling fondly at the confused ghoul "You pulled me out of the way of Nishio's kagune when I wasn't fast enough, you saved my life"

"You shouldn't be the only one to give out all the credit you know" Kaneki said with a laugh in his voice as he pated Hide on the shoulder, Hide saw that his friends left eye were back to its normal grey colour like the right one and that his kagune was now back inside him but he still looked a little roughed up with hair sticking out in all directions and his clothes all wrinkled up with dirt and dust. "I saw the whole scene you know, god Hide you were amazing!"

Even Touka was smiling "I know you have been training with Kaneki how to use the quinque but I didn't think you were that good!"

"Oh no" Hide shook his head and flapped his hand in dismissal "I was just lucky, that's all! Nishio was shocked and distracted that Kaneki's rinkaku was able to break his though his bikaku so I used that to my advantage" He turned to Kaneki with a raised eye-brow and asked the question "How did you do that anyway?" The human asked "I've probably read a hundred of books about ghouls and I'm sure no matter how strong the rinkaku is it shouldn't be able to break through a bikaku that easily".

"I saw that to" Touka said "Nishio's kagune was huge and should have been really strong but you just spilt though it like it was butter, no Kakuja either".

Kaneki felt all eyes upon him as he spoke with uncertainly "Trust me I surprised myself and it wasn't planned" He spoke running his hands though his hair "I was just running up to him dodging his kagune but then I lost sight of it, next thing I know I see it coming down on me and I just acted on instinct" Kaneki paused to breath, he wasn't tired as he should be but this whole ordeal was making his body shaky with anxiety or excitement? "Anyway I don't think I can do something like that twice in one day, when Nishio kicked me into that wall my kagune looked weak and limp I could hardly move it".

Suddenly Kaneki was interrupted by a painful grunt coming from Nishio, he seemed to be waking up.

"We will have to continue this later" Touka said as she picked up the blood stained quinque and retreated the blade back inside the hilt and passed it back over to Hide "Here" She said "With the way things are going you're gonna need it". Hide nodded and took the quinque making a mental note to wash it later.

Kaneki look at his watch the hand pointing to 10 minutes to 1.

"Shit!" Kaneki gasped and the three others cringed, not used to hearing such langrage from the normally polite half-ghoul "I got a lesson in ten minutes!"

"Thank god I thought it was something serious" Touka mumbled but Kaneki paid no attention as he started to quickly clean himself off as best he could,

"You're not seriously going to teach are you?" Hinami asked in bewilderment, they had just survived a fight shouldn't he be going home and resting?

"I still got a job to do remember" Kaneki said "Besides best to keep the normality because I'm surprised that the CCG or anyone else for that matter hasn't come to see what all the racket was about" And with that Kaneki turned his back and headed towards the back door but not before looking over at Nishio "We can lock him up in basement" He said nodding towards the knocked out ghoul "I finish class at two so we will speck then". With that Kaneki had rushed back inside the collage leaving the other three with Nishio. Then Hinami spoke

"I didn't even get a chance to tell onii-chan about the folder…"

While Hide went to get the car the and two female ghouls guarded Nishio a lone dark hooded observer had been standing there up on the roof, watching the scene with interest. He or she turned its back and left without looking back, looks like this person had more information to give out to the CCG and Aogiri…

Xxx

At twelve o'clock, before the fight Urie, Mutsuki, Shirazu and Saiko were making their way home to drop their bags off at the house and try to get a hold of Mado. They walked back to the flat while discussing what had happened today.

"So I think that proves it!" Mutsuki said looking cheerful "Sasaki-sensei is not a ghoul after all".

"Yeah I'm glad" Shirazu laughed "it's one less thing to worry about, now we can concentrate on the auction then go back home to Tokyo" Saiko nodded in agreement she walking with a slight skip in her step, she was obviously pleased with what occurred today. But Urie stayed silent and trudged along behind them,

"Although" Mutsuki explained "It doesn't explain why we didn't know about Hinami, you would think something like a sister would be on his profile…"

"Maybe the CCG made a mistake" Shirazu said shrugging "These things are sometimes overlook you know, and besides it's not our business anyway if there is any false identity then that's the police's job, if it has nothing to do with ghouls then it's not the CCG problem".

Urie didn't like Shirazu's attitude but he kept his mouth shut.

"Yeah and besides" Mutsuki said "The Sasaki family could of just adopted her so that might be why she's not on the list".

"Probably" Shirazu shrugged. After a few minutes the four made it the front door of their flat, then they noticed something very odd. The door was slightly open.

"Hang on" Mutsuki said gasping "I'm sure I locked that this morning…"

Urie rudely pushed past them and flung open the door and to his horror he found the draw to the desk wide open. He ran towards it and first thing he noticed was that the blue folder that had photocopied information on the auction was now gone. He also noticed that the pages containing information on Ken Kaneki and Hinami Sasaki where not in the proper order as they should be.

At least the hacking device looked untouched, but that did not calm Urie's nerves.

"Who could of done this and why?" Mutsuki gasped, he was just as shocked as everyone else. Suddenly the noise of Saiko clearing her throat and everyone turned towards her and she spoke,

"Did anyone notice that Hinami wasn't in the second part of class this morning?"

Xxx

Kaneki ran up towards the lift, he must off looked a sight but he wasn't too bothered because he was going to be late. He got to the lift and pressed the button for the third floor, luckily for him he was the only one in the lift so he was able to tidy himself up more and tried to bring down his adenine rush he got from the fight with Nishio. His heart was hammering faster than it had done in years and he felt his body tense up like he was expecting something to pop out behind him and the strange thing was that he couldn't stop smiling.

Even when Hide could of died back there and when Touka was smashed to the wall he was scared and worried for his friends but he had felt something else besides fear that he couldn't explain. It wasn't happiness but yet here he was grinning like an idiot and suddenly the thought of more ghouls who might be coming after him only made his smile boarder. It was then that Kaneki realised that he was crazier than he thought.

He got out the lift walked towards his classroom still grinning but as soon as he opened his door he was surprised to see Honda sitting at his desk with a sad look on her old face. She didn't notice that he had come in until he cleared his throat.

"Honda-san, are you ok?" Kaneki asked and the old woman, she suddenly lift her head up with a surprised look on her face.

"Oh Haise-kun" The old woman smiled warmly as if she hadn't had such a sad look on her face "I was wondering where you got to, you weren't in the staff room today"

"Oh yeah I was just meeting up with Hinami-chan" he said as his hand moved towards his chin "Where you waiting for me all this time?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you were ok" Kaneki looked at the woman in surprise, did Honda know something was wrong with him when he looked in to the RC detector?

"I'm fine but I will admit I was a little shaky" He forced a laugh "I wouldn't expect the CCG to come here of all places".

"Yeah they came without warning" Honda said shaking her head "Honesty a ghoul in this town would be quite noticeable don't you think, and even if there was one here they don't mean any harm am I right?"

"Of course" Kaneki nodded felling uneasy and then there was silence.

"You should go home Haise-kun" The old woman said and Kaneki couldn't help but look at her in surprise "The science students are busy asking those poor investigators all types of question and the History students are no better, I will take care of your class and you can go home and rest…"

"Its fine" Kaneki flustered "I'm not ill or anything" But Honda put her hand up, stopping him from saying anymore

"Haise, we spend too much time together to know that something is wrong with you" The elder woman said with the look in eyes that said that there will be no arguing "Go home and rest, you only have a half day tomorrow and you're off on Friday so you might well, besides look at you! You are jiggering with nerves and that look in your eyes look a little mad if I'm honest, you can't teach a class like that".

Kaneki looked reluctant but common sense told him that Honda-san was right and he could trust Honda to teach his class than any other teacher in this college. Besides he wanted to check on Nishio. So he left the college feeling a lot sober than he did a minute ago.

Author note: Yeah I know this chapter is short but u are getting two in a week, don't be so spoilt!

My only problem is that I think Nishio's fight scene is too short but considering that he was fighting an aware Kaneki, Touka and the awesome Hide it should be no surprise.

And what do you think about Kaneki new found strength and Hide's quinque?