A/N: It has been a long hiatus, but I'm back and ready to finish the last few chapters for this book. Thank you all that have managed to stay with me and my train wreck of ideas... Enjoy.

Side Note: Tokyo Ghoul Re: is back.

Sirens. That is what pierced Eto's mind. Sirens that spoke of widespread panic and that would normally be used for a natural disaster.

The plane before her is a blank, yet she could see vivid images of her fighting multiple investigators, but none of them mattered. They were weak, feasible prey, however one stood above them all.

Kishou Arima, the CCG's Reaper. He went tow to tow with her, even in her kakuja. "It certainly was a thrilling encounter." She thought to herself. The investigator had managed to wound her significantly, yet he didn't kill her.

But, in the lingering images, he wasn't fighting her. He was fighting Kaneki... " She knew they had the arrangement of finding the new One-Eye King. But, could Kankei be the one they're searching for.

The sounds of fighting and citywide alarms alerted Eto. It reminded her of the day that she had faced many special investigators, and brought the city to its knees, if only for a moment.

"Ken. Ken... Ken..?" Eto sighs, seeing that he has disappeared once again.

Ever since that trip, he has begun to regress into a solitary person, more so than usual. He only spoke a certain amount, yet his eyes held a certain weight in them. One of restrained regret and sadness. The more she thought about his changes, the more she believed in her fault in this. Clasping together her bandaged outfit with a cloak, Eto sought Tatara for an update report. Although she knows Kaneki needs help, her plans must continue forward.

Starting with bringing more powerful pawns to Aogiri Tree. Cochlea held many of the strongest ghouls, so that would be the best place to strike sooner rather than later. With an upcoming war against the CCG, they needed to be prepared.

Kaneki listens to the briefing of their new mission. He and Ayato would be breaking into Cochlea to free ghouls for Aogiri to recruit. A mighty simple goal, but with the number of investigators it may be much more complicated than he would like. Speaking of complicated, ever since that trip, he had mostly ignored Eto. Opting to small conversation and gestures, which would end quickly.

His carelessness had brought them consequences. If only he had been stronger and made better choices they would still be relaxing. However, he doesn't do anything but cause others pain. Unnecessary pain, in which he would hurt the people he cared about. Eto was overly protective after that trip. With him always under her optical gaze, like a dragon to a princess.

"You two will begin the operation in three hours." The voice of Tarata spoke. Kaneki had mostly tuned out the man, as he was in a world of his own. "I understand." His response the man, while exiting the room. He had hoped that the operation wasn't too long. A simple in-out would be preferable, but his life is never that easy.

"Coachella isn't a nice place, Ken." As if Eto had read his mind, as she appeared from a corner. "You should be focused. There is no room for complacency or your death will be the result."

"Harsh." Kaneki thought to himself. "I understand Eto." His solemn voice pained her on the inside, but her expression didn't falter.

"When you get back we need to talk." Eto placing emphasis on the final segment of her words, before kissing Kaneki's cheek. The tension between them was thick, enough to choke anyone that was nearby.

"We will, Eto. I will not fail the mission. I need to get stronger, and I can't do that if I'm held back by failure." Kaneki replies in a rigid tone. He gathers his gear and mask ready, as the time ticks down for their raid on Cochlea. Yet, he couldn't rid the thoughts of his own self-pessimism.

Kaneki wanted to do a lot of things in his life, but there is always something. Always a problem, or inch of doubt that made him rethink his actions. These same actions brought him troubles that would cost him his life and hurt the ones that he has grown to care about. Hinami, the manager, Touka, Hide, Nishiki, and Eto...

Flashbacks of Jason haunt him and the thought of someone like that investigator killing Eto haunted him even more. But, he put that aside for the moment. One goal. One mission. Go.

The alarms of the prison system go haywire, as it alerts the wardens and prisoners of a jailbreak. Kaneki slinks down to the lower levels in search of powerful ghouls that can be useful to Aogiri Tree. The warden's office held the release button. A simple in and out. Kaneki walks to the Warden's office activating his kagune for a swift kill.

The warden, a gruff man with a muscular physique, stands guard at the control center for the cells. You're not getting in here ghoul. Attacking Kaneki with his ax quinque, fluids strikes that are meant to decapitate.

Kaneki easily dodges the warden's strikes and counterattacks with his kagune. Relentlessly attacking the man, as he tries to block each strike. However, a small opening in his guard was his fatal flaw. Kaneki taking advantage of this opening pierces the man heart, and on queue, he drops his weapon and falls shortly afterward. He didn't take joy in killing, but it had to be done. That is what he told himself anyway.

Flipping the switch to release the cells that held the prisoners. "I wonder how Ayato is doing with his part." Kaneki thinks to himself.

"I have come to ask you a question Mr. Shachi. Will you join us at Aogiri?" Kaneki questions the ghoul standing upon the ceiling of his cell.

"Why do you have Rize's scent?" Shachi drops to the floor and stares at Kaneki. His figure towering over Kaneki significantly.

"Do I have force you to join us or will you come willingly?" Kaneki questions not fearing the ghoul as he walks towards him. Before he could take one more step Shachi plants his fist into the eyepatch ghoul. Blood escapes his mouth while he slowly regains his senses. Albeit late, Kaneki managed to block the next attack which tears his arm.

The regeneration factor heals the wound in an instant. Kaneki takes the offensive bringing forth his kagune, as he cracks his finger. Piercing the large ghoul's back as he tries to jump away. "So you do have some fight in you, but it is laughable," Shachi comments. Activating his dolphin-esque kagune, then spinning as his speed increases before slamming his foot into Kaneki's leg.

A resonating crack could be heard from the broken leg and accompanying scream of Kaneki as he tries to put the pain aside. "Oh, no you don't." Shachi follows up with a barrage of fist each connecting to Kaneki's body with immense force. The attacks so fast his healing factor cannot keep up, as Shachi sends him flying through multiple walls. "Pathetic."

"I-I need to p-protect them... I have to... If I don't everyone will die... It will be all my fault.." Dark centipede kagune snakes along the dark room. Sounds of a madman could be heard coming from it. Shachi ignores the crazed ghoul's sounds and continues his pursuit on the ghoul until he is stopped.

Eto drops in front of him. "If you would like to see Rize, then I would suggest you join Aogiri." Her distorted voices say in a high pitch tone.

The operation has been mostly successful on Aogiri's partly thanks to the prisoners being freed. They only needed to free the maximum security prisoners and their mission will be a success. Ayato watches from the ground level dispatching any CCG soldiers with relative ease.

However, the cells start reverting back to their original state causing him to be alarmed.

"What is going on?" Ayato thinks to himself.

Shinohara appears from one of the entrances with quinque equipped. "I can not find Amon, Juuzou, or Akira. But, a ghoul huh? Seems I'll just have to put you down."

Activating his cleaver-esque weapon as he parried the shards from Ayato. The swiftness of his strikes are refined but could use work. Shinohara tells himself, while mainly playing defense as the winged ghoul attacks.

Ayato slams his kagune into the weapon causing sparks to fly, as he tries to overpower the large investigator. It is futile, however, as he is launched across the floor.

"I am going to take you seriously now." Shinohara actives his arata, an armor that was made from a ghoul in his past battle. The armor could take a beating and provided him with security.

Ayato paused and clenched his teeth in anger, " That damned old man. This is where he has been..." Increasing his ferociousness, Ayato strikes decisively aiming to destroy the man that wears his father as an armor. His attacks barely scraping the investigator and relentlessly pursuit is only tiring him out.

"Damn i-" Ayato is cut off as the investigator's blade slashed his side. Then, proceeds to drop as his face is brutally smashed by the blunt side of the cleaver. Shinohara slams his foot into Ayato's stomach causing him to lose his breath. Grabbing the ghoul's hair as he slams his head into the wall repeatedly before dropping him.

Placing the cleaver on the ghoul's neck, " Any last words?" Shinohara asks, giving the ghoul one final moment of reflection.

Ayato punches his fist against the armor, his soft eyes giving into the unconscious, and last words being, " Father."

Shinohara brings down his cleaver only to dodge last second as four centipede kagunes attack. The dust settling to reveal the ghoul he was going to kill gone and in his place a white hair, half-kakuja ghoul.

"P-Protect..." Kaneki uses his kagune to boost himself running along the walls, as he comes down aiming to pierce the armored man. Shinohara dodges each strike and reflects with his own strikes. Each clash resulting in sparks and distortion of sound, while the two attempt to overpower each other.

Kaneki dodges in his crazed state. Being the main aggressor as the man begins to fold under his vicious and constant strikes. Shinohara dodges the next kagune, ducking blow it then slashing the ghoul's abdomen dropping him to the floor.

Incoherent mumbles escape Kaneki's mouth, " C-Centipedes in my e-ears... M-My fingers they, they're gone..." Multiple kagunes sprout from Kaneki's back as he bends his back and stares upon Shinohara.

"You are a crazy ghoul. The craziest one I have seen yet!" Shinohara powers the strikes as his armor takes multiple attacks, but with each strike of the kagune getting stronger he couldn't do much. Using his blade to repel each strike only to catch a brief glimpse of the ghoul, as he tears into his armor and flesh with the kagune. Bringing him to a halt as he drops on the bloody floor.

Amon and Akira had finally managed to make it to a safe place. With reinforcements arriving soon and CRC gas stopping Aogori it was finally over. The fighting had ceased for the majority of prison, but the sounds of crunching can be heard. A large, dark kagune can be seen through the gas. Moving in a waving motion as it disappears between the fog, in an out, as the main body is close by.

"Eyepatch...?" Amon calls out from his foggy position. Gripping his quinque and clenches his hands in anger seeing the ghoul that spared his life eating Mr. Shinohara. Rushing blindly in anger he amputates the Kagune. Combating the half-kakuja ghoul with deadly blows determined to get an answer and clear his mind once and for all.

Kaneki's mental state was deteriorating, but that did not stop him from defending himself against Amon. The investigator's skills overcoming his rapidly depleting mind and attacks, while each blow brings a searing pain to his nerves. Swiping the kagune, only for it to be stomped on and removed as he is littered with blood. Dropping to his knees, Kaneki looks up at Amon, as tears flow from his eyes. "I-I don't w-want eat anymore..."

Amon holds his blade against the young ghoul's face, "Eyepatch.."

Crink...

Crink...

Crink...

Bodies fall from the upper level alerting Amon, as massive, blood-covered claws open the lower levels. Blood drips from the claws and the Owl's head is revealed with a blood-covered smirk adorning its face. It drops itself from the upper level forcing the gas to spread out and blind everyone.

"The Owl," Akira shouts out, " That monster..." The ghoul that stole her mother from her is right here and she knows that she is too injured to combat the ghoul on their own.

The Owl snatches both Ayato and Kaneki roughly as it flies from the prison squeezing them both tightly, as it disappears into the gas within the upper levels. Kaneki's eye opens slowly gazing at Amon as they disappear from Cochela...

Amon rushes to his senior peer and calls for backup, as the reinforcements arrive in the prison with medical help and soldiers. "What are you Eyepatch..?" The last thoughts of Amon as he helps organizes the soldiers and report to the responding teams accordingly.