Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.

Each time a character thinks the words will be Italic.

Dialogue instructions:

Kaneki: "-speaking-".

Kaneki: "-thoughts-".

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AUTHORS NOTE: Forgive me for not updating last Wednesday. I am currently ill and have been coughing since last week. But I will not fail you my dear readers. I am utmost grateful to how much love you have shown for this story. I adore you all very much and I'm more than happy to post this to the best of my abilities. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, they honestly excite me to get to the next chapter as soon as possible.

WARNING: This is more about friendship! If you want smut, please go somewhere else. ^^; Thank You!

"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."

─Bertrand Russell

A gushing breeze of the wind was what the dirty-blond haired boy felt as his consciousness slowly drifted back towards him. He felt disoriented, not remembering what had happened a while ago. He groaned and felt an aching pain by the side of his head, however, when he tried to reach his hand towards the pain he immediately took notice that the place he was confined to was very cramped. He tried to move his body but felt the space tighten around him, startling him to the movement.

His brown orbs wildly tried to identify where he was and how he got there. There was heat radiating from the walls, as well as a faint tremble that he could feel rattling his back or his lower body whenever it moved. Panic began to rise in his chest, not knowing why he was in this place. He tried to recall the events that had happened, and slowly, he began to think back as to how he got there─wherever he was, that is.

Slowly the memories began to flow back to him, and for just a moment, he saw a familiar white-haired youth which he had embraced and kept clinging to not too long ago. His chest heaved rapidly as his fingers massaged the soft surface, feeling the heat coming from these walls. After several minutes of bewilderment, he finally was able to place the pieces together. He apparently had been squashed by the hand of the One-Eyed Owl, but here he was, alive and well. He now knew why these walls seemed to radiate warmth and why they felt slim.

Hide: "This is his hand. But─why is Owl holding me here instead of killing me?" He thought in a baffle way, not being able to comprehend why this was happening. He didn't even know if Owl was a male or female─which in his case, he was too curious for his own good.

Hide bit his lower lip as he unhooked the side pocket from his uniform. His fingertips caressed the tip of a knife, though he yelped as the walls suddenly moved, causing his finger to be knit by the blade. At first, he cursed silently to the pain but panic surfaced within him.

Hide: "Ghouls can smell blood. If Owl is aware, he might be asking how I opened skin tissue just now. Maybe if I can─" His thoughts were cut off upon hearing a blood-curling scream. He stayed still, as he felt Owl's body shift and jump to whatever may be jabbing at its body. He could feel something slimy sliding around the walls, and recognition dawned on him. "Don't sweat while I'm in here! I might stink when I'm out of here!"

Even though Kaneki's consciousness was not at aware of what was happening, he could feel the pain which was inflicted to his body. His orbs would wildly gaze about, trying to focus on the main target which he had pledged to slaughter. Despite this empty oath, he kept on recognizing an identical white-haired color which would block his eyesight every so often, as if trying to gain his focus.

Finally, as if giving up to this man's insisting atmosphere, his orbs locked on the man's eyes. His eyes identified his lips which were forming words, but he could not hear him. The sound of a centipede's feet scrambling inside his two ears in a high-pitched matter kept him away from any understanding of what others may want to say.

His twin-centipede like tails swayed from both sides behind him, which he noticed that the white coated man kept alert to. Kaneki also took notice of the short distance between the two, and he could not fully understand if the man wanted to distract him from Owl or from somebody else. The sound in his ears increased, which caused him to grind his teeth together to the pain and annoyance he felt.

"...chika...not...ead..."

His lips pursed upon hearing actual words in-between the sound in his ears. He tried to identify where these words came, wanting to hear them once more and know what they had meant. His orbs then fixed on the man's lips and saw that they were forming identical movements to what he had just heard.

Arima: "Can you understand me?", he asked calmly, though in reality he was very intrigued to how the Gho─Kaneki had seemed to focus on him and was noticeably trying to read his lips. An idea struck his mind as he gazed upwards to the hand which was tightly closed.

Kaneki's eyes quickly darted from the man's mouth to his arm which was withdrawn, his hand directing him to look at some place else. Slowly, he obliged to this movement and tried to focus on what he was pointing towards. He could not understand, no matter how much he was insisting on doing so. The monster within him was pouncing on him as if he were a ragged doll, not letting him choose what he wished. With great effort, his eyes focused on a strange difference in the Owl.

Arima took great delight upon seeing Kaneki's puzzled expression, something which he had not seen since his youthful days. He stayed focus on the ghoul, and noticed his expression twisting from recognition to puzzlement, and repeating the facial morphing in multiple occasions.

As satisfaction overtook the Shinigami of the CCG, he darted from one side to the other of the Owl's body. Instead of throwing lightning volts from within his quinque, he quickened his pace and jumped on the ghoul's scaly back, raising his quinque as it morphed back into its blade, he pierced the ghoul's skin with as much force. As expected, Owl let out a shrieking scream and jumped. Unaware of its occupant on its back, Arima mercilessly opened the quinque inside the flesh of the Owl.

Once more, the Owl let out another scream to the pain and to the immense opened gash on its back. It was now aware that someone was on his back, and it began to panic and feel nervous to who it may be──upon seeing Kaneki running by its side, it was startled to the sudden jump he made. With speed quicker than its eyes, he slashed down on its wrist where it held Hide, the massive sharp talons which were in multiple regions of Kaneki's twin centipede-like tails were the charm which had made it possibly to even cut the flesh of Owl. Even while the Half-ghoul was bewildered and confused, somehow it had taken orders from Arima. Anger began to boil inside Owl's body as it threw countless of sharp shards from its back.

Owl: "CURSE YOU ARI─", the words died out as its body was electrocuted by the object that it had felt a while ago. It quickly identified what had impaled its back and why something had also expanded in size within its flesh──the quinque. The damn weapon which the Shinigami was easily able to transform into other varieties had giving him the upper hand easily.

The scream which it later let out rumbled through the floor, causing it to shake terribly as the CCG Soldiers gasped in horror. They weren't the only ones aware of the sound, for Tatara and Shachi had also taken notice of the familiar sound from one of their members. Tatara's eyes narrowed in pure anger and disbelief that somehow they had managed to hurt their leader.

Shinohara: "Don't take your eyes off the enemy before you!", Tatara swiftly turned upon hearing his opponent's yell. His scarlet orbs examined the man's tattered form,, blood oozing down from its chest and the side of his legs. He took notice of the chunks of armor that were scattered about him, as well as the pitiful way he was trying to balance his body to stand before him.

Tatara: "You will die─", he stopped his words abruptly as his body tensed momentarily. Shinohara took curiosity on this as the ghoul looked towards the far off field of the forest. His eyes scanned the area, though he took in a small sniff of the air, and fell silent. He turned to glare at Shinohara, which in his turn looked at the man in confusion.

Tatara: "You humans are always the ones causing the most bloodshed.", he spat annoyingly as he turned on his heel, pacing quickly towards Shachi who was currently involved in combat with Juuzou. Without much warning, in a swift motion he threw the white-haired boy off his feet towards Shinohara's way in a form to distract him.

Shachi: "What is it?", the man asked as he composed himself from his gasps and grunts from the inflicting wounds he had earned. He cracked his craned muscles and stared at the other who seemed to be conflicted.

Tatara: "It seems that we have uninvited guests. The CCG has contacted other professional beings to take care of us, ones which we might stand a chance if it weren't for our low numbers compared to theirs."

Shachi: "Are you suggesting we flee?, how will Eto─"

Tatara: "She is already aware. We will leave now, but we might have difficulties doing so.", he spoke as he frowned. He did not like looking like a coward, but it was vital for their plans and what they were meant to do. "The CCG is aware of the experiments now. We have made our first move already, it will continue going to plan."

Shinohara sighed slightly as his body begged to not continue forward. He was surprised upon seeing Juuzou by his side, which he quickly became concerned. The young man blinked as he stood up, examining himself upon seeing that no wounds had been inflicted too harshly on his body. He noticed his partner and a happy smile came into his lips.

Juuzou: "Shinohara-san~! Do we continue attacking?", he asked as he swayed a bit, walking up to the man who was currently kneeling due to his body's reluctance to stand. Juuzou blinked a few times as he leaned down, he wrapped Shinohara's arm around his shoulder and took hold of his side. He stood up as Shinohara also managed to do so, though he continued to shake slightly as his quinque gave him support.

Shinohara: "I'm afraid not. If we were to do so, we would be abandoning our post. There are injured soldiers and we might end up becoming worse if we persist.", he sighed as he smiled softly at the young man who kept a strong grip on him. "Thank you, Juuzou."

To hear Shinohara thanking him was absolute bewilderment to Juuzou. He tilted his head slightly in confusion, though merely nodded and looked at the men who were injured. He also took notice of the countless of bodies scattered in the ground, which he did not find revolting like others but found interest.

Juuzou: "We'll wait.", he spoke merrily as he slowly made his way back to the tree trunks, moving at a patient pace as Shinohara tried to take a few steps, his armor slowly peeling off more as he did so.

In the mean time, Owl began to pant as it stood in the opposite side of the two enemies which it found troubling to face. From afar, its ears picked up the sound of familiar wheels and steps which came in a very well formed line. Its eyes narrowed upon knowing who had contacted those inferior beings.

Arima: "You've taken notice.", Owl looked up and stared at the white-haired CCG member who was examining every movement it was making. A snort came from Owl as its grin widened, knowing how well the Shinigami was at taking in every detail.

Even so, curiosity ate at Owl's core upon seeing Kaneki's form tired and slightly trembling. It had never seen the boy like this whenever he turned into the beast that it loved, but it began to think that it had to do something with Arima. They had both been close while running, though it hadn't noticed any suspicious activities from the Shinigami.

Owl quickly identified what had happened, smelling an scent which Ghoul prisoners were given back in Cochlea. Its grin widened upon further verification to seeing the half-ghoul's Kakuja armor dissolving into dust as sweat beamed Kaneki's body. A snicker began to overtake its grin, though blood sputter down its lips upon doing so.

Owl: "Rc suppressants...very sneaky of you, Shinigami.", it spoke as blood began to ooze at an increasing speed on its back. "To even manage to execute the attack so well──before you electrocuted me, you made Kaneki cut my hand which you knew Nagachika was there."

Arima: "Safety is always assured.", he answered flatly as his eyes kept gazing towards his quinque that was now on his hand. It had been destroyed, with flesh all around its outer regions but he knew it could be fixed. However, he knew that he would not be able to attack Owl due to this. His orbs noticed movement from the corner of his eyes, but three ghouls had already made their way to Owl's side.

Tatara: "We must go.", he quietly spoke towards Owl, who nodded in understanding. A pleasant grin took over upon seeing Amon standing by their side as well, a blank expression of slight resentment and fear was on his features.

Owl: "You will see them again...Floppy.", it spoke sarcastically as the four quickly made their way from their enemies, a grin still in place on Owl's lips. It gazed back, noticing Arima was not chasing after them but was quite calm. Owl knew that the Shinigami would not leave because Nagachika was still in need of assistance, as well as the half-ghoul which brought Eto a giggle to be let out from within Owl's mouth.

Arima stared until they were no longer in his sight, he closed his eyes and welcomed the serene peace which came upon him now that they were gone. His eyes fixed on Kaneki who stood warily by his side, his Kakuja armor was now gone and his face was now in pure anguish and pain. The mask had also dissolved, revealing the face which seemed so innocent and kind yet held so many secrets and bloodshed.

Arima: "I have given you a chance. I hope you will make good use of it.", he spoke though his tone did not held authority or edge to it, rather it was peaceful and soothing──the man had heard Kaneki speaking nonsense a while ago, but what had intrigued him was the dialogue that Kaneki had spoken of. The words were from a book which he had read, and it had made him feel conflicted to what he was going to do to this young half-ghoul.

His thoughts were interrupted upon seeing Kaneki sway from side to side, his expression showed panic and reluctance but eventually he gave in to unconsciousness. Without much thought, Arima let the young man's body fall into his arms. He stared for a moment at the half-ghoul who slumbered quietly, the wounds which were around his body were stained by more fresh blood, but otherwise he would survive. Arima looked back upon hearing foot steps from the remaining soldiers.

Arima: "Help Nagachika out, he's inside Owl's hand. Please be careful to not impale him as well while doing so."

CCG Soldiers: "Yes sir!"

As the men began to work their way to the hand and carefully detach the fingers which clutched the figure within, Arima slowly picked up the unconscious figure on his arms and could not help but stare at the face of the half-ghoul. He knew that he had a promise to keep, that he would not harm the boy and give him another chance.

But the question was, how could he give this half-ghoul another chance?, it was troubling for he knew that the CCG Headquarters would not take this lightly. Unless, of course...he made the half-ghoul work for their own purposes and goals.

─To be Continued─

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