DISCLAIMER
The following is a fan-based
FICTION
Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul Root A and Tokyo Ghoul:re and other products related to the TG Series are all owned by Sui Ishida, Shin Towada and Shueisha.
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Chapter 20: Paperclip - Desperate Wonder
? Point of View
If there was something I had always hated from my childhood until now, were the walls of my home.
Cold, orizontal surfaces that were made to make the humongous mansion a beauty to the sight, felt insanely wrong and unfamiliar.
It wasn't as if I could truly say for sure, to touch and prove or not my displeasure to those monumental barriers for I lived a life of isolation.
I had more than once thought of turning in a blink of an eye into an hermit, alone to her thoughts as she spent her life trying to shy away from the world's inane pain that I had but just heard from the tales of the petite books the servants would leave on my wake.
"What a foolish nostalgia." I muttered to nobody but myself as I let the warmth of the bed protect my frail body from the harsh cold that had taken onto the palace.
Jail, a word that fitted better to the lonely and silent situation that befell upon me.
My misery was seemingly eternal as nothing broke the monotony of the day and night that made up my whole existance.
The rare moments that my memory catched glimpses of the old, stern man that was my father would soon be shunned by the terrible reality that caused by distress and despair.
"You are a failure." I imitated meekly as I remember that past where everything was fine and warm. "You are a failure." To my surprise my voice cracked a bit at this notion, my eyes going wide with surprise and terror.
Am I a broken doll? Is that why father threw me away?
Two questions that had pestered the unique life that was mine.
My soft weight easily moved towards the only clear window of the dull white room and I blinked once more at my appearance.
Pale blue eyes curiously stared back and long, black hair flowed freely under my shoulder, near my knees.
For a brief moment, I gauged the curious sensation and reaction that would be sparked within my eyes and that light sky complex turned into an heterochromatic dilemma.
My right eye became peculiar as the sclera turned a pitch black while the iris switched to a vibrant red.
Different as my eyes were in that second, I couldn't help but be mesmerised by the sole trick that I could manage in my little, weird world.
A world where I felt at the peak of everything, where nothing was impossible for me to obtain.
A place to call my existence worth of being lived, away from the sadness that made the real world an unforgivable land.
I sighed, letting reality sink in my lonely room, in a lonely home.
As I surrendered my soul to another day of painful silence, my body stilled at the muffled sound coming from behind the simple, wooden door that led to her room.
"Herr Gehner sure is pushing our patient to our limits, Gustav. First he voice the need to have a week of mourning for his little anniversary, then he hosts this futile feast for the greed ones to hoard."
She blinked, her ears twitching at the discussion she been bestowed by the two unknowing men.
"Ja, Wilhelm could try to not get our project jeopardised with his thirst of prestige. Our duty is to our work, not to some dullish romanticism regarding ancient times."
The bickering ceased, deflating my hopes of hearing more of those people, no matter how unpleasant they felt to hear.
Yet something stuck to my head and I felt a naughty sensation bloom in my heart.
Was the feast the two men mentioning the same as the ones cited in the many books that made my vast book collection?
I hummed childishly at the door, my back releasing a slick, blue harpoon that soon destroyed the door of my little prison, giving me a free access to the true world.
With a last glance to my room, I smiled and ran through the silent halls of this cold mansion barefooted.
My mind continued to repeat one sentence over and over.
I am Alice and I will have my Wonderland, father willing or not!
Third Person POV
It was quite early in the morning when Kenshin decided to go around for some jogging.
He had heard some extensive details regarding the chilling weather of Bavaria and he had been forced to wait until now because of the late hour which he arrived to the southern German city.
His body pumped strenght to his joints as he continued the mechanic run through the empty streets of the old quarters of Munich.
The cold and the sun gave him some curious feeling, cooling and warming him at the same time.
The Gamer was tempted by the thought of buying an house for Winter season, maybe one of those unused, accessible castles.
A major cultural and historical province for Germany as a whole, Munich felt frenetic just few hours into his small run.
Finally the young man finished his small session into an alley he had glanced during his fourtieth lap and so decided to breath some fresh air from the completely new city.
"You did a mistake, human!" His rusty understanding of German gave him enough time to understand what the shrill yell he had just heard meant.
With a swift roll, Kenshin dodged the Koukaku that tried to skewer him with her lance-like tendril.
What an interesting encounter!
The 'fight' was onesided, the young man mused as he quickly used a Power Punch against the unsuspecting woman.
The yelp she made as his punch made contact with her chest was brief as her ribs collapsed before the mighty strike of the Gamer, boneshards piercing through her organs and killing her instantly.
+500XP!
As expected, German Ghouls weren't as tough as Japanese ones.
They acted on a more solitary mentality than the pack tactic executed by their Asian counterparts.
Kind of disappointing as it meant they were even more distrustful and less easier to approach.
Disheartened at that bloody pulp that proved him right, Kenshin decided to return back to the small hostel he had settled his small base of operation.
As he entered the front doors, he was greeted by the jovial host of such fine establishment.
"Herr Ogura! I hope you have had a nice walk in our beautiful city! It's been ages since I saw a tourist like you taking huge strides to get to know Munich."
The young man nodded. "It was.. no issue, Frederick. Also.. I think I like the sun approaching.-" "-Dawn, herr Ogura, it's said 'dawn'. I also remember having asked you to call me Fred, why are you so stubborn to irk me, herr Ogura?"
Kenshin blinked before chuckling at the faux offended tone in the host's words. "You are a fun guy, Frederick."
The Gamer left just in time to see Frederick facepalm at his smug antics, his mind now directed to his room.
Closing the door behind him, the young man sighed in relief at having not been caught... yet.
If there was something that made Munich much more dangerous that Tokyo was the tighter grip the Ghoul Forschung Gesellschaft had over the German city.
The lack of a high amount of Ghouls gave them more manpower to patrol it effectively, making simple news as newcomers from Asia actually end up in reports for their high leaders.
Thus an immediate action was required to avoid a quick, punitive reaction and his first opening to the Gehners was the Gala they were hosting that very day, giving Kenshin the opportunity to at least learn more of their plans and how to counter them effectively.
Being put on the invited list was an easy game for his little group of spies and so Kenshin Ogura was going to drink among the Elite families of southern Germany.
What a treat!
AN
This chapter is being finished on December the 16th but will be published later (hopefully not so much later) as I got Internet issues once more.
I've nothing against Albania but geez all the operators I call are sited in Durazzo (from many, different services) and sometime get the same, unchanged result: my connection is not fine and I still pay for it! :I
Also yes, first glimpse at one of the few (quite few, mind you all) OCs that will spice up our story.
While the story of Alice in the Wonderland is used and reused in TG fanfics, I think I managed to find a peculiar way to make the character that is Alice Gehner much more rare, if not unique, in front of many other examples.
Edit: Internet is back thus... here is the update!
Review Q&A!
lovefanfictions72: Thank you!
DarthMMC: US's stance with Ghouls will be cited in next saga.
PervyPanda: Yup, Matsuri is going to appear next chapter and he will be surprised to find another Japanese man in that Gala. Thank you!
LordGhostStriker: I admit I was scowling as I finished reading the first part of the review, then I nodded to myself as I remembered experiencing those kind of surprises while browsing through random fanfics. Still I'm happy you find this story good!