I stepped into the office, taking a sip from my coffee.
"Hey, Arima! Wassup!" I said, holding my hand up for a high five.
He said nothing, staring straight into my eyes. I sighed, lowering my hand.
"Y'know, you remind me of this guy I work with." I said, shaking my index. "Real pain in my ass, he is."
"The meeting is about to start."
"And?"
He sighed, stepping into the room and taking a seat by Shinohara and Juuzo.
I glanced around the table, scratching at my chin.
"There aren't enough chairs for me." I said.
Akira looked away, as if looking down on me. I suppose it was intentional.
"One of you could sit in my lap, if you want." I said, giving a smile.
"Oooh! I like the sass!" Juuzo said, clapping his heads together.
I let my eye grow black.
"I wasn't kidding. Get up."
The room stayed quiet as the others shifted their gaze to me, each a coldhearted glare.
"I'll give it to the nice Mr. Ghoul!" Juuzo said, kicking up. "Only if I get to cut off your arm though!"
"Juuzo, please." Akira said with a sigh.
"Alright, deal." I said, holding out my arm. He gave a grin as he pulled his scythe from his suitcase, slicing it off and sheathing it in a blur of speed. The room flinched in horror as I sat down, blood slowly pouring from my stub.
"Juuzo!" Akira shouted.
"Relax, Miss! I'll get Shinohara to mop it up! We got tiles for a reason!" He said, saluting. Shinohara gave a grumpy groan, tapping the table.
"We'll deal with the blood later. At this point, I just want this meeting over with."
"But sir-" Akira started.
"I agree." Arima said.
Pyr-Sasako- looked down, as if ashamed by my behavior. I felt a slight tinge burn in my chest, a cacophony of shame and anger. No doubt she thought this was her fault, somehow. Yet, at the same time, I'm responsible for my actions, screw off with your idea of me being some kind of dog that your responsible for.
I stayed quiet, though, popping my fingers to release my energy.
"Well..." Akira said. "The White Knight's documents were accurate, from what we could tell. The newest hub for the funding of the Black Dragon Club is none other than the Tsukiyama household."
She paused, letting it sink in.
"We have to assume they are ghouls." She finished.
"Oh... Yeah, they are." I said, biting my lip.
This was the point of no return. The ultimate betrayal. I would forsake my alliances with everyone. Kaneki would probably stop operating with me once he was returned the maddened husk of Yoshimura, and even more so when I betray MM. I can only assume my own group will fall apart, as well, since roughly half of them are from MM.
"I personally worked beside Shuu Tsukiyama. He is an egocentric, mad, selfish lunatic. I admire him for that."
"You see yourself in him." Sasako said, venom pouring in her tone.
"I see humanity in him. He isn't different than any of us." I said, tapping the table, my new arm slowly regenerating. "Now, if we do this, we do this my way."
"Like that's going to happen." Akira said, chuckling.
"Are you forgetting I have your little boyfriend?" I said, standing. "This will end me. By exposing the Tsukiyama family, I forgo all my alliances. Not only that, but no doubt my identity will get out, and I'll be the most hated Ghoul in existence. Both by corporate owners allied with the Tsukiyama family, and the entire Ghoul World, who greatly value the Tsukiyama family. I am destroying my life for you, and so you are going to fucking let me run this mission, or so help me God, I'll bring a fiery hell down on you all." I said, glaring at Arima. "You don't doubt me."
"...I don't." He said.
"So here is how it's going to go. We will raid the house. Tsukiyama will likely escape, that's just how this will function. I've never met Shuu's father, but from what I hear through the Ghoul Grapevine, he put's his son before all. I will direct the troops on site. On the off chance I meet up with an Aogiri member, who may have someone on the Tsukiyama inside, I'll need to update quickly. Arima can go with me, so no funny business happens."
It took some convincing, but they finally gave in.
I stepped out of the room and plopped myself in the empty cubicle, still labeled 'Cardin Winchester.' Akira walked past me, her eyes colder than a blizzard. I let out a slow chuckle, picking up pen and twirling it between my two fingers.
ding
I turned my gaze to the elevator as it slowly opened to reveal Sasako. My eyes beat into her back with an intensity I knew she could feel. The way she stiffened when she walked by, or how she looked down and swallowed. As if I wouldn't notice the tendons twitching in her neck, or her throat bouncing as she swallowed. I'm a ghoul, and that was my favorite part.
She was a proud knight when she fought the Midknight Owl. Now look at her. Shy, shameful, confused, and a whole bunch of other complex emotions were just eating away at her.
When she was in my gaze, the world aways slowed. Not exactly like when a schoolboy notices the popular girl, no. At the same time, it wasn't like she was my prey, and that I was slowly stalking her to devour her when she lowered her guard. I suppose my feelings were more complex than I could really comprehend. I could feel a tinge of anger that she didn't run into my arms, despite her condition. Of course, it was egotistical to say, but it was the only fantasy that really helped me stay sane when Kaneki tortured me. The concept that she was still alive, and that she wanted to see me, and would run into my arms...
I feel like the right feeling should be something of a more bittersweet variety. Oh, she was alive and happy with her new life. I should be content with that, right?
It's obvious I wasn't.
My plan had been to watch the world burn, but I guess that didn't last very long. But now what? What the hell should I do? Obviously, I want her memories back. I don't care if that isn't the 'right' choice. If we were talking about 'right' the various Ghouls and Doves I've slaughtered would like a word.
"Hello."
I turned my head to see Sasako pull out a chair, sitting down across from me. She gave a nervous sigh, crossing her legs and placing her slightly shivering hand on her knee.
"Hey." I said, turning.
"I'm..." She said suddenly, turning away. "I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry Pyrrha Nikos is MIA at this moment. I hope that... that... that maybe..." She said, her voice cracking slightly.
"Sasako..." I said, tilting my head.
"M-Maybe we can restore her at a later point. As a CCG Investigator, it is my sworn duty to give my life for a civilian. Even if this civilian is... me. Pyrrha."
"Please stop." I sighed, placing my hand on her shoulder. "Saying sorry for being you is such a Pyr-Sasako thing to say."
She shook her head violently.
"If Sasako needs to... go MIA in order to return Pyrrha, then that will happen." She said, looking into my eyes.
I sighed, grabbing my coffee cup and placing it in her hands.
"Look at me." I said. Her vibrant green eyes met mine, gleaning in the fluorescent lights.
"What?"
"I'm not going to pretend I don't want Pyrrha back. Or that, to put it bluntly, I hate this 'Sasako'." I said, placing my hand on her cheek. "But the way your acting right now, and the shine in your eyes. The emotions you are feeling. I'd like to think that's just Pyrrha waiting to bubble to the surface. You are her, and she is you. You just don't know it yet.
So I'll tell you a story. A story about a dashing young knight, and the fairest princess in all the land."
"I'm a princess?" She said, giggling.
"What?! No, of course not! I'm the princess, you're the dashing young knight" I said, causing her to laugh. "Anyways, in a kingdom far, far away, long ago or something, the princess was being held captive by an evil ogre. This evil ogre would torture the princess every day, but y'know, with words. Sticks and stones and all that. In that manner of speaking, the castle she was locked up in could have been described as her own mind. Anyways, didn't intend for this to be thoughtful. Ogre guard and be mean to princess, princess no likey."
Sasako rolled her eyes.
"I know, I'm fantastic at storytelling. Anyways. The Ogre relentlessly tortured the girl, but stopped at night. At night, the girl was able to find solace. Everyday the princess dreamed that a knight would save her, and luckily, one day soon it would. The knight grabbed the princess by the hand, looked her in the eyes, saying just one word 'Run'. Together, they ran from the Ogre and his buddies, and they ran and ran."
"It's a nice story. The knight seems nice." She said, giving a bittersweet smile.
"I'm not done. Little did you know this was a tragedy." I said, crossing my arms. "The Ogre was all angry and shit, and a passing Witch noticed how down he was feeling. After watching the Ogre from afar, the Witch decided to curse the Princess. At night, the only time she felt solace, she would grow into a hideous ogre. Y'know, like the girl in shrek."
She rolled her eyes.
"But the point is, the Princess was now a monster. The real Ogres knew who she was, and so, they didn't want her. The kingdom didn't want the Princess either."
"But the knight did?" Sasako said, her lips lifting.
"Well..." I said, scratching at the back of my neck. "Y'know... not at first. The knight ran away screaming. The Ogre felt all bad and such, and eventually found some Ogres that accepted him. Unfortunately, they were a real nasty lot. It turns out, the reason the knight had not spoken for so long was that she was kidnapped." I said, pushing my chair by hers. Gently, I rested my head against her shoulder. She flinched, as if surprised. After some visible internal debate, she caved, and leaned hers against mine.
"What's next?"
"The Princess rescued the Knight, for once. Then they lived happily ever after."
"That's nice." She said, frowning. "But that wasn't the ending, was it?"
"Nope."
"What is?"
"There isn't one, yet." I sighed.
"Well, at least tell me the rest."
I sighed, patting her on the back.
"I guess if you really want me to." I said, glancing up at the spinning ceiling fan. "I'll skip the boring stuff. Remember the original Ogre? He joined this Ogre Mafia."
She threw her head back, giggling.
"An Ogre Mafia?"
"An Ogre Mafia."
She rolled her eyes, leaning her head back.
"So what did this Ogre Mafia do?"
"Well, I'll skip some details, since I don't want to get the original Ogre in trouble, and go straight to the climax. The Knight and the Princess had joined some nice Ogres. They liked humans, and just wanted to live in the kingdom, too. In peace. They couldn't help that they hungered for ear wax soup or eyeball stew, y'know? They tried to eat as little as possible, and only things like dead bodies."
"I... see." She said. I suppose the metaphor was growing a little too transparent.
"Anyways, it was Nice Ogres versus the Ogre Mafia. But, in a twist, the Mafia is actually full of humans. Even the original Ogre is really a human. They tricked the Nice Ogres, since they wanted some other Ogres to join their peaceful group. With ill intent, they attacked. Nearly all the Nice Ogres died."
"That's... sad." She said. "What happened to the knight?"
"Crushed under some rocks, after fighting a certain Ogre."
"Who was that Ogre?"
"You don't want to know."
She nodded, swallowing harshly.
"And the Princess?"
"One Ogre tore her away from her dying knight, and strung her up in the dungeon. It was there the Princess was tortured for nearly a moon."
"Why?"
"The Princess wondered that herself. Believe it or not, the mean Ogre meant well. The reason why is complicated."
"And then?"
"More boring things."
She nodded.
"Jaune?" She said, turning to me.
"Yeah?"
"Can you help me bring her back?" She said. "The knight."
I smiled, standing and patting her head.
"Yeah, I think I can. It probably won't work, but it might. We'll try it after the Tsukiyama raid, alright?"
"Okay." She said, giving a smile. "I think I see why the Knight wanted to save you."
I chuckled, turning on a heel.
"I'll be back in a bit. My Ogre friends want to see me."
...
"Hey, Tatara! Baby!" I said, holding out my arms. "Long time no see."
"You have been gone for 43 hours. What has happened?" He said, crossing his arms. Eto giggled silently in the background, touching her index to her chin.
"Time flies when you're having fun." I said, shrugging.
"Answer. The question." He said, putting intensity into his tone.
"Fine, fine. I'm in. I had to really answer some questions, though. I guess they're going to attack the Tsukiyama household."
"What?!" He said, his eyes stretching open in surprise. "That's impossible!"
"It's true." I said, shrugging. "I already have a good idea, though. At least, a way to secure the Tsukiyamas time to escape."
"Oh?" Eto said, tilting her head back. "What is it, J-Owl?"
"The Owls show up." I said.
"Impossible, you said you need to be at the mission." Tatara said. "And the Owls should be used as uncommonly as possible."
"True, but what if the Midknight Owl, and the White Knight could be at the same place at once?" I said, giving a small smirk.
"Elaborate." He said, crossing his arms.
I summoned my kagune, the black flesh wrapping around my arm.
"This is a Kagune. Simple, and effective." I said, removing it and forming my natural quinque. "And this is a detached Kagune."
"And?"
"We do the very same thing, but with my Kakuja."
He blinked twice in surprise.
"That's possible?"
"I can make it work."
He looked down, his eyes still stretched open.
"If you can manage that, then yes. The operation is on."
I threw my hands in the air.
"It's slaughterin' time!"