Sorry for the late chapter! It's because I was in a different country. Anyway, hope you enjoy!
Chapter 20: Reunion
Just as Kaneki walks in after Touka's less presentable entrance his eyes slightly widened in surprise. The 'boss' of the group was the same man who frequented :RE, and the same man the bartender spoke to him about as the manager of the pub.
"Wait isn't that… Huguo?" Kaneki questioned as all eyes in the area turned to the two.
"Huh? Hu-who?" Touka questioned, never managing to get the man's name before.
"Nevermind. I was just talking about the 'boss' of this bunch over there. He was a frequent at :RE wasn't he?"
"Hmm now that I think about it-"
"Who are you two?!" Someone finally spoke up and asked the delayed question, as others tensed up.
"That's none of your concern." Kaneki replied cracking his index fingers out of habit. It's been a while since he's gotten himself into trouble, and the nostalgic feeling started giving him shivers of excitement down his spine.
"Hell yeah it is!" The anonymous ghoul shouted back, placing the bottle of blood wine in his hands down and jumping off the table he was sitting on. "Unless you wanna get your ass handed to you I suggest you speak up!"
"Wait, isn't that the Centipede?"
All eyes were drawn to the short female ghoul who asked the question. At first everyone was quiet, but soon enough quiet chatter was heard about the true identity of the white-head.
"That's him! That's Mukade!" Another ghoul shouted out, and soon others followed suit, some getting scared while others shocked at the sudden unexpected appearance of the eye-patch ghoul.
"Well that was quick." Touka commented. "I honestly didn't expect them to figure out that fast. You haven't shown your face around in a while."
"Knowing them, they probably had pictures of me."
Touka furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Huh? Why the hell would they do that?"
"They were searching for me to join their petty group. They even kidnapped Gazel and 'interrogated' her for information on my whereabouts, that's why they bothered to hurt her in the first place." At the mention of her suffering, Kaneki's hand clenched in anger and his face turned menacing like that of a predator's. How dare these fools! I still haven't taught them their lesson yet. I'll be sure to make it slow so they can understand.
Touka, noticing the sudden change in demeanour, commented "Scary."
Kaneki snapped out of his thoughts but didn't reply before Huguo shouted "Enough!" Suddenly all chat came to a halt, and everyone's attention was drawn to him. "Use your brains! He's the one who killed all our brothers and sisters in that facility! And besides, does he look like he's here for a chat, or for spilling our brains out?!"
"That's just not the case." Kaneki sarcastically replied. "I'm simply here to ask you how my friend's coffee tasted, he's a rookie you see. He needs feedback."
"Shut he fuck up! Kill this fool, he needs to be punished for his insolence!" Huguo screamed and soon the ghouls obeyed, rushing towards the two with a newfound motive as they prepared for battle.
"You ready?" Kaneki asked while slowly walking towards the large group of ghoul approaching; some already have their kagune out.
"Don't slack." Touka replied with a teasing smile, as she rushed forward to jump kick her nearest opponent.
Kaneki smirked. "We'll see about that." He said to no one in particular, as he also rushed in.
"You take the left, I'll take the right!" Kaneki shouted to his partner as he ducked under the blade of a koukaku kagune and used his opponent's now vulnerable position to deliver a round house kick to the head, effectively knocking the ghoul out but not without a fractured skull.
"Got it!" Touka shouted back after defeating another opponent. Suddenly, a barrage of ukaku shards came flying her way as she just barely dodges the hail of attacks by back flipping away thanks to the momentum she was already in. Gracefully landing next to a broken table, Touka cursed as she realised a couple of shards were embedded in her arm. She quickly removed them to allow her arm to begin the healing process. "They're not very skilled, but there sure are a lot of them."
"Agreed." Kaneki replied just before he delivered an uppercut to a ghoul who got too close for his liking. Unexpectedly, he felt pain in his left arm soon followed by a small burning sensation. Looking for the source, he found there to be a rinaku kagune slammed in his arm, its spikes embedded in his flesh.
"Ha! Got you Eye-patch!"
What the ghoul didn't expect however was for the white-head to casually shrug his firm grip off, causing chucks of flesh hooked onto the spikes to come off along with the kagune.
"Whatever." The half-ghoul watched his arm patch up at a horrifying pace. "This level of pain is nothing compared to what I've been through in my life." He didn't need to look up to see the shock written across the ghoul's face. Kaneki smiled. "What's wrong? I thought you 'got me'?" He saw a ghoul charge up to him from the corner of his eye, interrupting what he was about to do. Jumping up high, Kaneki avoided the ghoul's charge leaving her dumbfounded by the unexpected dodge. Gravity pulled the boy down to which he extended his legs so hit the she-ghoul right in the head. Along with a quick jab to the head, she was easily knocked out. Looking up, Kaneki saw the rinkaku ghoul's mouth gape open in awe. The white-head grabbed the ghoul's arm. "This isn't the time to be standing around considering your situation." A rather loud snap was echoed in the underground zone.
"ARRRGHH!"
Kaneki smiled, and soon the smile was too wide to be called a smile as he laughed. "How does it feel dickhead?" His voice began to darken. "Gazel-chan felt more pain than this. You all will have to pay for that." Kaneki didn't want to hear the ghoul's voice anymore. He hated, absolutely despised people like them with twisted morals. He couldn't help but let them know the pain he inflicted on innocent people.
The ghoul struggled against Kaneki's vice-like grip, unable to break free. The firm hold moved down towards the hands, and soon the ghoul's fingers became victims. Plenty more cracks resonated through the air, soon accompanied with ear piercing screams though they were drowned from the other screams the rabbit masked ghoul caused.
"Learn the consequences of your actions, prick." Kaneki said with more than enough venom in his voice to poison the whole group of ghouls.
Falling to the ground, the ghoul was sweating profusely before eventually succumbing to the pain and falling unconscious.
"Touka." Kaneki turned around to the she-ghoul.
"What?" Touka asked after defeating another opponent.
"They're just rookies, we should speed this up by using our kagune." Kaneki replied, dodging another attack delivered by a bikaku ghoul.
"You're right, we shouldn't dwell here."
"Shut the fuck up fight me!" The bikaku ghoul shouted before a charge.
"Never shout or scream anything before an attack. It gives the opponent a hint of you next course of action." Kaneki said, as he predicted a stab the bikaku ghoul intended to deliver with his kagune.
Kaneki kicked the ghoul away and activated his kagune. The half-ghoul's left eye became fiery red as the sclera drowned in pitch black. Four scaly tendrils erupted from his back, tearing his shirt up in the process.
Slowly walking forward, the white-head ordered his newly acquired limbs to do some tearing and shredding of the man in front of him, only they disobeyed and fell limp to the floor.
Wha-? "Aaaaghh!" Kaneki, so unexpectedly and suddenly, screamed as he clutched his head.
Touka recognised the distinct scream and violently turned her head to its origin only to find her partner struggling against some sort of pain. "Kaneki? What the-?" The she-ghoul was cut short of finishing her sentence as her attention was forcibly stolen by a group of three ghouls, now having to fend them off before aiding her friend.
Kaneki panted as his face scrunched up in pain. He felt his kagune disintegrate in a crimson mist. What the fuck is-
A shadow loomed over him as he looked up just in time to find the bikaku stab his kagune in his leg, further amplifying his pain.
"I don't care how resistant you are to pain, you're clearly feeling it now!" The ghoul smirked, but failed to see the barrage of razor sharp crystals flying his way as he was painfully impaled with all the projectiles.
"Kaneki!" Touka rushed to his aid, defending him. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
Kaneki huffed in desperate need of air. "This h-happened before when I-"
The rabbit-masked ghoul didn't hear the end of the sentence as she was forces to crystalize her two flaming wings to impale a few ghouls who thought they could sneak up on her keen senses. "You fuckers didn't let me hear what he said!"
Many more opponents surrounded them, as it was only Touka fending them off now. Just as she threw another punch followed by a side kick, she manages to just barely dodge a kick herself. Shit, I can't fend them all off, there's just too many!
"My subordinates should not be underestimated Rabbit!" Huguo said with a laugh, as he sat away from all the commotion.
All they have is numbers and nothing else coward! Touka's breath grew heavier and heavier the longer the fight drew. Even though she had greatly improved her stamina over the years, an ukaku will always have trouble with outstretched fights.
"Just drag out the fight, she's getting tired!"
Touka inwardly cursed as she dodges a kick, only to immediately regret it when she realised the kick was directed to her defenceless half-ghoul friend. "Kaneki look out!"
Unable to dodge the white-haired ghoul was sent into a nearby wooden table, destroying it into millions of splinters. The momentum caused the white-head to continue rolling until he hit a wall with a grunt.
Immediately, the rabbit masked ghoul rushed to his side, ignoring the burning feeling in her chest after exhausting more of her short stamina. "Kaneki, you okay?"
"My spine's broken." The half-ghoul replied curtly, finding breathing to be more important than speaking.
"What the fuck happened to you all of a sudden?!"
"When I used my kakuja, I didn't rest properly. It's taking a toll on my body now." Kaneki briefly explained, looking forward to direct the she-ghoul's attention to the approaching group of ghouls. "Heads up."
"Fucking hell, give me a break!" Touka huffed as she exploded crystals from her wings to the group, some dodging the attack to the side while others didn't make it. "I can't hold them all back for much longer, I'm getting tired!"
"I know, but I can barely fucking move… damn!" Kaneki commanded his legs to do their one and only job, but to no avail. His legs lay limply on the cold floor, completely useless. He wasn't healing either, at least not fast enough. Any healing was barely noticeable. "Touka!"
Just after slicing the chest of another ghoul Touka turned around to the one-eyed ghoul behind her. "What?"
"Look over there!" Kaneki managed to lift his arm to point to the dormant monster laying in the corner. They had both completely forgot about its existence, being too interested on the battle at hand rather than the sleeping goblin. "Stop that guy! He's getting too close!"
Looking to its direction, Touka found a young teenage ghoul sneaking towards the Frankenstein monster. "What about you? You'll be exposed!"
"Touka! If that thing wakes up then we'll have a whole lot more on our plate than we bargained for!"
The blue-haired ghoul hesitated. "B-but…"
"It's not far, just get close enough to impale him with you projectiles."
"What if I'm not fast enough?!"
"Remember when I said not to deny your skills? Besides you're an ukaku. The longer we have this chat, the riskier it is!"
"Fine!" Touka leapt in the monster's direction, slicing the head off of a ghoul who tried to get in her path. Her flaring wings crystalized as they prepared for another round of shooting. Except this time she was the one being shot at.
A bullet suddenly came flying her way, scratching the nose of her bunny mask. Shocked, Touka halted and turned around to find more visitors had entered the underground region. Better yet, they were investigators.
"Hello Rabbit."
Everyone's attention was put on the group of five doves who had just entered.
"Fuck, it's the doves!" Huguo cursed under his breath.
"Wow, there sure are a hell of a lot of ghouls here!" One investigator said, smiling wide to show off his razor sharp teeth.
Kaneki immediately recognised the bunch, and stared in horror. He turned to face Touka who he realised was also looking at him. Although he couldn't see her face, he knew worry was spread across her face. The unexpected fatigue to his body really busted their plan, and now were in a dire situation.
"Some are already knocked out or killed. There was a fight in here." The purple haired investigator muttered, putting away his earphones.
"But why?" Saiko asked.
"How should I know what they're thinking, do I look like a ghoul?"
"Uh-"
"Don't answer that."
"Fine." Saiko pouted.
"Enough talking, let's get rolling!" Shirazu shouted, rushing forward in the vast area blindly and almost tripped once he saw a particularly wounded figure being overly protected by a rabbit masked ghoul. His mouth stuttered as sweat poured down his face.
"What is it topknot?" Saiko asked. "Scared?"
Shirazu didn't reply as he stared at Kaneki dead in the eyes, grey eyes piercing back at him.
…
"S-Sassan…" He managed to mutter after several moments, receiving confused looks from his squad. "… See for yourself."
The squad walked forwards up to Shirazu and finally realised what he was talking about. Behind the ghouls (some were tensing up while others still trying to fight the Rabbit) the squad could clearly see the former CCG investigator.
Suddenly, without warning a roar interrupted the shocking moment as it was amplified and echoed through the walls for everyone to hear. Attention was now drawn to the no longer dormant monster, getting up while lose chains dropped around it. It limply took a step forward before smacking the young teenage ghoul that freed it, sending him soaring across the wide room and into the parallel wall unconscious.
"Fuck! What idiot woke it up!?" Huguo screamed, waking everyone from their awe allowing them to decide what choice to make next.
Shit, how did things end up like this?! Kaneki mentally slapped himself, since he couldn't physically do it.
How the fuck are the doves here, especially Mado! Touka screamed in her head.
S-Sensei I've found you! This time I won't let you go and this time we'll make some happy memories. Tooru thought.
H-How is Sassan here?! What's going on?! Shirazu mentally asked, still shocked at the situation.
It looks like a three way battle now. Urie observed. I could get a promotion off of this.
I need to get to Mamman and speak to him! Saiko thought
Akira calmly reached for her comm, and began speaking into it. "We've come across a ghoul hideout, looks like a heavy battle will breakout."
I love leaving chapters off with cliff-hangers [insert evil laugh]! Anyway, thanks for reading and please review.
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