Chapter 19: Passage

"… This is stupid." Kaneki was irked beneath the makeshift mask of a scarf and a hat, while the ghoul to his right was enjoying every bit of his suffering. "Why the fuck did I agree to this? What part of me thought this was a good idea?"

"You're brain." Touka redundantly answered.

"That was a rhetorical question." The half-ghoul replied, not amused by his friend's sarcastic response.

Touka giggled as they continued to walk through the crowds of worried, clueless people. But having no clues on the whereabouts of the monster themselves, they decided to follow the destructive marks the beast left behind before its disappearance.

As they moved through the crowds and followed the light trail of footprints and claw marks, they eventually stopped ahead of the entrance to a small alleyway. It was guarded by three men and woman wearing the tell-tale white drench coat, each holding a silver briefcase.

The two ghouls wordlessly moved away from the doves and the crowd into a nearby, secluded disabled parking area.

"… Doves." Touka confirmed, making the half-ghoul nod in approval. "Fuck, they always manage to get in the way."

"I had a feeling we wouldn't get through this smoothly. Is there another entrance to get in there?" Kaneki asked, turning to the ghoul.

Touka shook her head. "No. That's the only way in unfortunately."

Kaneki looked at the ghoul expectantly. "So what should we do Touka?"

Touka frowned. "You're asking me? You're the more skilled person here Kaneki. I should be asking you that question."

Kaneki stared, then shook his head. "Don't deny your skills Touka, I'm not the most skilled. I haven't been living as a ghoul for as long as you have, and I haven't come to appreciate the ways of one as much as you either. Although I am skilled, I know little to nothing about a ghoul's life, the different groups of ghouls, the communities, passages they take or whatever. I'm basically a newbie when it comes to living life as a ghoul, and ever since I decided that day that I wanted to live, even when I was abandoned by the CCG, I knew I would have to live my life as a ghoul again."

Touka stared at the half-ghoul, not expecting him to say a single bit of what he was saying.

The white-haired boy continued. "I knew I would have to hunt like a ghoul again. I knew I would have to fight like a ghoul again. But that didn't scare me as much as it did when I first became a half-ghoul, in fact, it didn't scare me at all. I was out casted by humans but accepted by ghouls, despite my original species. So living life as a ghoul and being accepted for who you are is a million times better than living as a human and despised for who you are. So I'm accepting being a ghoul as much as the ghouls accepted me. Since most of my life taught me how to live as a human, I need to learn how to live as a ghoul too. I'm saying this because I was so naïve when I left you, I thought I was doing everyone a favour by getting stronger to protect everyone."

Touka laughed. "Boy were you wrong."

Kaneki's cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment. "Yeah, I was. I realise now that the strength that I was after isn't what was going to keep my friends safe. I got a reminder of that when I rampaged and killed everyone in that facility." Kaneki's face darkened. "I could've hurt Gazel too…"

Touka calmly stepped forward and placed her hands on his shoulders, making the half-ghoul look up. "Kaneki…" She started. "You care for others, you care for those close to you." The half-ghoul's soft, smoky eyes gently stared into the beautiful galaxy-blue eyes of the smiling ghoul in front of him. "That's what everyone likes about you, and that's all everyone ever needs. When you left, I was devastated and wondered what important reason would cause you to leave. When I realised it was for the reason of 'protecting everyone', I was heartbroken. I didn't need any protection."

The half-ghoul looked down, ashamed of the reminder of his past actions and the consequences they had on his friends. However, he did not expect his chin to be lifted up the by ghoul's hand. Kaneki looked at Touka smile softly, her eyes seemingly even more beautiful. "Don't be sad Ken. Like you said, you chose to continue living, so accept the past and move forward. Like I did."

The words were all the white-haired boy heard, any background noise was dull and forgotten. He smiled widely with great compassion. "Mmm. Thank you Touka."

"Right. So we'd better get past those stinking doves and get in that tunnel." Touka nudged the half-ghoul shoulder earning a grunt from the white-haired boy.

"How? Do you know another entrance? I thought you said this was the only way in."

"There is."

Kaneki tilted his head and raised his eyebrow in confusion. "You're not making any sense you know."

The blue-haired ghoul laughed. "We only need one entrance, we could just run past them."

Kaneki stared at the ghoul. "You're nuts! You know they'll notice us right!"

"Precisely."

The half-ghoul rolled his eyes. "We're going to be chased by the doves when we get seen, and they won't stop chasing until they get us."

"The 20th ward is already swarmed with doves thanks to that Frankenstein thing, what's a few more doves?

"And our faces? We don't have our masks Touka."

"I have mine." Touka brought out the familiar white bunny mask and pink wig out of her coat pocket.

"What about me? I don't have my mask with me."

"You already have a mask on." Touka pointed at the poor excuse of a mask on the boy's face.

"… You seriously expect me to use this tatty scarf and hat as a mask?"

"Haven't you already been doing that?"

…

Kaneki sighed in defeat. "Whatever. Why do I even argue with you anymore?"

Touka smiled victoriously as she put on her mask and wig. "Quick, we'd better get moving!"

"Yeah, here goes nothing." How did she get me to do something so reckless? Whatever, at least it'll be fun.

With haste the two ran back towards the doves. To any passing human, all they would be left with is a gush of wind. Turning a corner, the two ghouls headed straight for the three white-clothed figures in the distance. Only ten metres ahead did the investigators finally notice the presence of two swiftly incoming figures.

The two leapt in the air in perfect harmony, striking down two investigators with powerful kicks.

"Who the fuck? Who are th-" The remaining investigator didn't get a chance to finish his sentence when a kick from the white-haired figure sent him crashing into a wall.

"Let's go, before they get up and follow us!" Touka reminded.

"Yeah, let's go."

As the investigators quickly recovered, they were met by the dust of the two masked figures vanishing into the dim alleyway.

"What the fuck was that?! Were those ghouls?" One asked, bringing himself up to his feet.

"Both their faces were covered, so we should assume so. Quick lets chase them!"

"If they're stupid enough to attack in broad daylight, they're probably just rookies."

"Never underestimate you opponent! You stay here and call for backup." The dove turned to his left. "And you'll come with me in chasing them down."

"Yes sir!"

"Let's go!"

They had been walking for five minutes, being silent for most of the way.

"Do you know where this leads Touka?" Kaneki asked, curious as he had never seen the passage before.

"Yes, these are a set of passages and paths that connect the 20th ward and the 14th ward together. Rarely do humans know this way, either because those who use it at night become food for hungry ghouls or they use the normal way to get between the two wards. The path is made from alleyways bordered together forming long narrow paths that eventually lead you to the other ward. There are other passages like this in other wards except only this one leads you to a completely different ward, at least to my knowledge." Touka replied.

"Oh, I had no idea. How do you remember which way to go to get to the 14th ward?" The path occasionally split into different routes, and the female ghoul effortlessly chose a path leaving the half-ghoul to follow helplessly.

"When you use them often enough, these paths becomes familiar like the back of your hand." She replied.

"You use them often?"

"Yeah. In occasions when there are a lot of doves in the ward, ghouls usually travel in secluded areas like the alleyways to reduce the chance of getting suspected or randomly examined."

"They randomly examine people now?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions. Just recently they've started doing that. One of our customers almost got caught when a nearby human got randomly examined instead of him."

"Lucky."

"Yeah, he was very lucky. But you rarely get chances like that in the ghoul world."

Kaneki nodded. "Yeah, I agree."

Touka looked around. "We should be in the 14th ward."

"Wow, how far did the thing go?"

"Better question is, how did it disappear?"

Kaneki shrugged his shoulders. "We'll probably find out when we-"

"What the fuck?!" Touka stared speechlessly at the sight before her, and soon the half-ghoul did too.

Ahead of them was a completely destroyed, demolished, and obliterated scene. The walls had deep holes and visibly deformed and melted areas. The floor wasn't so great either with cracks and blood splats almost everywhere.

"… The monster really packed a punch! What happened here?" Touka was shocked by the intensive damage the beast caused, going so far to touch the holes on the walls.

"…"

"It looks like it killed someone here. What do you think?" Touka asked, seeing the blood splats on the floor and walls.

"…"

After receiving no answer, she asked again. "Well, what do you think?"

"…"

Touka turned around to face the half-ghoul. She didn't expect to see him sitting against the wall, his head down and eyes empty. "Kaneki? What is it?"

He looked up at the blue-haired ghoul with a face of guilt. "Yes. The monster did kill someone here."

"…? It's not like it killed someone close to you or something, so what's with all the acting then?" Touka asked, completely confused by her friends actions.

"I was the monster."

"… What?"

"I was the monster Touka!" Kaneki repeated.

Touka looked at Kaneki's empty eyes that were slowing filling up with dread and regret.

"What happened to you?!"

The two ghouls immediately turned back towards the sound that they soon realised to be down the alleyway the came from.

The half-ghoul sighed. "I guess the talk will have to wait." He said, walking back to where the sound came from.

"Yeah… okay." Touka replied, still shocked at the sheer destruction her friend managed to cause. She knew the damage he cause was extensive, but she never imagined this magnitude of terror.

"Did you find the two ghouls?"

"No the alleyway goes too deep, we didn't know which path they took."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No?"

"Why would two ghouls suddenly appear out of nowhere, attack three investigators and disappear into an alleyway? Come on, think about it."

"…"

The female investigator sighed. "They were following the trail that beast left, it's the only thing worth the risk of attacking investigators in broad daylight. If we follow it then we'll most likely find them." She picked up the silver briefcase she left on the floor and looked behind her. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, Akira-san."

"Destroyed everything?! Killed everyone?!"

"Yeah, the guy just came out of nowhere and started rampaging in the facility!"

"How did you escape?"

"I escaped when he was distracted with the girl we had. I don't know why… I'm sorry boss…"

"Don't worry, I'll make him pay whoever he is. He'll regret ever hearing of our name!"

…

"Well I guess they're really hungry for you Kaneki, huh?"

The two ghouls had followed the sound they heard earlier into a passage none of them knew existed. It was well hidden in the dim alley by old, unwanted furniture and all sorts of trash thrown around. After walking for about a minute, they came to see a wide open area underground. It was filled with drunken alcoholic ghouls blabbing about all the trivial topics that could come to mind.

"Yep, and they're gonna get me." Kaneki was just about to move out of the concealing shadows the two were in to walk into the hideout until Touka stopped him.

"Wait! Don't go rushing in, you should know that!" She harshly whispered. "Think about what you're doing Kaneki, are you sure you want to jump into the enemy's base without a plan?"

"The plan is simple, attack."

"That's not a plan!"

"We don't have time to form a proper one Touka! Look over there!" Kaneki pointed to the far corner of the little hideout near the only other exit, where a large being sat sleeping and bound by many chains with 'Quinque Steel' written at the pads locks. Its body was surrounded with the familiar kagune shards and ugly, lopsided stitches keeping the entire body intact.

"It's the monster!" Touka realised.

"Well spotted."

The female ghoul ignored the blatant sarcastic comment and took a couple more seconds to take in its ugly features. "It really does look like Frankenstein's monster in a way." She observed. "All it needs is some black and white hair and the bolts on its neck from your mask."

"I'm not willing to share. Anyway, we should kill that thing and get some answers from these punks before anything unpredictable takes away our chance." Kaneki reminded.

"You're right. When we jump down, I'll take the left side, you take the right." Touka quickly strategized, making sure her mask is securely on.

"Okay, but make sure to stop anyone who goes near that beast to try and do anything to it. We wouldn't want it waking up again." Kaneki instructed, as he began taking off his poor excuse of a mask.

"You're not wearing your mask? Why?"

"I wouldn't call this thing a mask. Anyway, it's too hot and isn't secure like a real mask. It's just going to get in the way when it comes of mid-fight." Kaneki replied, dumping the mask and hat behind him.

"Hide wouldn't be happy that you lost his scarf and hat." Touka laughed.

"They're old. I think I remember him wearing the scarf like three winters ago. I'll buy him new ones, since he probably can't afford any."

Touka giggled. "Okay let's do this."

"Ladies first." Kaneki nudged the ghoul forward, making her stumble. As Kaneki heard a 'What the fuck?!' from the annoyed female ghoul, he took it as his signal to make his more formal entrance after her as rolled up his sleeves to prepare for the fight ahead.

As always thanks for reading! While I write, I struggle to find the right words to describe a certain scene sometimes and it ends up sounding odd no matter how many times I re-write it. But I hope to improve in my later chapters in the story, and I hope you guys will bear with me too. Thank you for the amazing support anyway! C: