Author's Note:

Another chapter! YAY~

I want to say two things before we continue onwards.

First on that list is the announcement of Tokyo Ghoul: The Akatsuki which is a roleplaying forum created by DarkHazen that has been newly created. Currently, DarkHazen and I are the only members in it and we are trying to recruit new members so if you joined that would be fantastic. Personally, I am roleplaying Morie after the Tsukiyama Arc events.

Secondly is a reply to eragon95159 who asked if Morie would create a drug that allows ghouls to eat human food. Because of this I wanted to clarify a few things about RC Cells and how Morie makes the tablets. Morie has to get a supply of RC Cells from somewhere to compress them into the tablets and RC Cells generally do not multiply unless a person is infected with ROS. Ghouls store RC Cells they eat in their kakuhou which is why ghouls can have fluctuating RC levels. Furthermore, from what I can tell, one eyed ghouls have the highest amount of RC Cells in their body when compared to other creatures. Due to this getting RC Cells to compress is rather difficult for Morie. Combine that with other nutrients ghouls need to digest in order to live such as salts, fibres etc, it's not possible for her to create such a medical miracle using the tools she currently has.

"As you can before you, this chart shows the amount of ghoul related deaths in the 2010 from wards 1 to 23. Wards 7, 8 and 13 have the most deaths within but the 11th Ward had an increase of deaths from mid-May to the end of September due to the Binge Eater." Morie tapped on the spacebar and the slide changed to focus on the 20th Ward's statistics.

"Hey, that's us!" pointed out her single person audience. Hide sat on her couch grinning. After reading the messages Morie send him the previous day, he rushed to her house for an explanation only to be greeted by a slightly annoyed Morie who roped him into helping her practice her presentation.

Morie narrowed her eyes and gave a short sigh. "Please refrain from talking whilst I practice."

Raising a hand to his head the boy gave a mock salute. "Gotcha."

Just as Morie began to speak again Hide interrupted her. "You left rice out on the bench." He pointed at it and surely the rice was still there. A mug stood next to it. "And is that fish too?" he added.

Trying to contain her frustration, Morie facepalmed and groaned before walking over to the kitchen to clean up. She should have known she left at least the fish out the moment she woke up. The scent clung to the kitchen at least more clearly to her than the nose of her friend.

As she wrapped the salmon fillet in some clingwrap she said, "Look, I was interrupted when preparing it and after what happened, the thought putting it away didn't occur to me. You probably have a half-eaten something or rather in your room."

"Hey!" He paused for a second before sinking deeper into his seat. "I might actually have a bag of potato chips open next to my bed," he mumbled but got up to join her in the kitchen. As he pulled the strings on the rice bag closed, he looked at Morie who was rinsing the mug in the sink. "Is the 20th Ward really the most peaceful?"

"Yes. For years it has been which is strange because you would expect the 1st Ward to be the most peaceful because it is the location of the CCG Main Office." She tipped out the water inside the mug and began to dry it as Hide put the rice away in one of Morie's nearly empty shelves. "I should clarify what I mean by most peaceful," she stated. "I mean the least amount of death centred around ghouls. That includes human and ghoul deaths that have been recorded. It is thanks to Anteiku."

Hide leant against the bench watching Morie turn on the coffee machine in thought. From a shelf she grabbed a black mug and began scooping spoonfuls of sugar into it. Once the light indicating that the machine had heated up Morie began making the coffee for the two of them. She placed them on the coffee table near the couch when they were made.

Morie as she sipped her coffee began flicking through slides until she reached towards the end of the presentation. Pointing at a table showcasing Japan's suicide rates over the past few years she said, "This is how Anteiku works, Hide. They eat those who have already died."

Hide stood looking over her shoulder and let out a whistle. "If the folks at Anteiku are eating suicide victims then the numbers should be higher. Surely they would be classified as missing people then."

Morie nodded in agreement.

She soon clicked back to the start of the presentation. Hide let out a groan but positioned him back on the couch ready to listen to the whole thing over and over again.

Before she started for the fourth time, Hide check his phone noted the time and left to his feet to stretch. Morie eyed him curiously.

"Welp, time to go. Kaneki's about to start his shift. Don't worry about your presentation. It's fine the way it is," he added, pulling his headphones over his ears and heading towards the door.

Picking up the now empty coffee mugs, she walked over to the door before her friend could make it there himself. "I'm coming with you. I need to talk to Touka."

He lifted the headphones off his ears and grinning Hide put his hands in his pockets and shrugged.

"Good. Now put these in the sink," Morie ordered as she shoved the mugs into Hide's chest.

The boy complied and soon the two were walking down the streets of Tokyo to Anteiku.

It was a quieter time of day for the café as it was that awkward time for food venues where the lunch rush had just finished but it was too early for dinner. There were only four customers sitting in the booths and from what Morie could tell at a glance none of them were ghouls. They all had a plate of something next to them probably acting as an afternoon snack.

As the entrance bell chimed announcing Hide and Morie's entry. Kaneki at the register looked his way and smiled welcoming them to the store. Hide skipped over to the counter and raised two fingers. "Two espressos if you will. Oh, and can you add a marshmallow to one of them like you do with the hot chocolates? K', thanks," he grinned.

Shaking his head, Kaneki sighed. "Anything for you Morie?"

"I'll pass but do you know where Touka is? I want to talk to her."

At this question Kaneki tilted his head slightly in curiosity and briefly scratched the side of his cheek. "She should be upstairs. I'll need to go up there to grab the expresso beans so I will come with you if you would like."

Morie agreed as Kaneki charged Hide for the drinks before walking around the counter to Morie's side. Together the two of them climbed the stairs whilst Hide took a seat next to the window. He readied his playlist whilst he waited for his friends to return down the stairs.

Once they reached the top of the stairs Kaneki pushed open the door to the storage room where Touka was standing looking out the window. She turned her body at the sound of the door being creaked open.

"What do you want?" she deadpanned. She frowned as she watched Morie enter the room.

Kaneki made his way over to the shelves of coffee which also happened to be near where Touka was standing. Eyes scanning the shelves he asked, "Which ones were the expresso beans again? I may have used the wrong beans earlier…"

Touka sighed before saying, "Don't let it happen again. Use the ones with the blue label. It even clearly says espresso on the container."

She took a step towards the shelf and raised her arm to where the cylindrical espresso containers. There was a metallic clatter as the container she touched fell to the ground spilling its contents around the room but the sound of metal hitting wood was not the sound that made Kaneki attempt to catch Touka as she fell to the ground. Hissing in pain she grabbed her right arm. Worried for her Kaneki knelt on the ground asking if she was alright. Morie simply strode to the window watching Touka closely. Her suspicion correct.

Head hanging low, Touka cried a few tears as she shouted for Kaneki to leave her alone. Kaneki backed away a worry expression upon his face.

Cutting through the tension Morie asked with a straight face, "Touka, did you kill Ippie Kusaba?" Her voice was level. There wasn't a hint of anger or sadness in it.

"So, what if I did?" she cried facing Morie teeth bared.

Morie blinked but said no more as Touka pushed herself off the ground with a hiss, bumping into Kaneki as she left. As the two of them watched the girl vanish around the corner Kaneki noticed flecks of red on his hands.

"She's injured…" He turned to Morie. "We nee-"

The waiter was cut off by the Manger who calmly stepped inside the room. "No."

Kaneki was muttering to himself but Yoshimura with a stern voiced continued to say "no". "Attacking a Dove means she's prepared to suffer the consequences. It is not our concern whether she lives or dies due to the actions she chooses to make."

"But-"

Morie closed her eyes. "Kaneki do you know what is about to happen?" she asked before opening her eyes back up to stare directly into his.

"What do you mean?" he returned.

"Because one investigator died by the hands of a ghoul they will send more," Morie answered. "More investigators means that the chances of Anteiku's workers being found to be ghouls increases. If it is found that Touka is a ghoul then anyone who assists her will also be in danger."

Yoshimura agreed with Morie's comment.

Kaneki gulped but said no more.

"I believe your friend is still waiting for his order," said the elderly man as he reached for an unopened espresso bean container and handed it to Kaneki who then disappeared back downstairs. He then walked out of the room, returned with a dustpan and broom and passed it to Morie. "Could you please clean up the spilled coffee? I'm afraid I may be getting too old to bend down and do it myself."

She began to sweep the floor making sure to pile all of the rouge beans in the centre of the room as Yoshimura admired a certain teacup on display before exiting. Morie bent down to check underneath the future for and beans that might have rolled under them and surely there were about 10 or so under the shelving. So, she flipped the end of the broom and maneuverered the stick underneath the gap in an attempt to flick the beans out which succeeded. Eventually the all the beans were brushed into the dustpan.

Needing to put it in the bin, Morie went downstairs where she saw Hide laughing with an awkward Kaneki standing by his table marshmallow in hand. Locating the door to the back alley where the garbage bins were, Morie exited Anteiku.

When she stepped outside she noticed a small black figure to the left of her. Looking down she saw the short black hair and slender frame of Touka curled up tightly. She was strongly gripping her right arm as her white button-down shirt was dyed crimson from her wound.

Morie lifted the lid of a silver trashcan and tipped the beans inside of it before strolling over and sitting beside Touka.

"What do you want?" Touka groaned, her head in her knees.

"Just to say a few things," Morie replied. "First on the list is that I want to say I don't hate you for killing that Dove. You're expressing your sorrow at Mrs Fueguchi's death. Yoshimura told Kaneki and I not to assist you but I will try keep the CCG away from Hinami to keep her safe."

At that comment Touka lifted her head and revealed her somewhat red and puffy eyes. "Why would a human like you care if a murder like me died?" A sad smile graced her lips.

"I care because a life is a life."

A "tch" passed through Touka's lips as she turned her head to face the rubbish bins.

"That's all I wanted to say. I won't bother you any further." Morie rose from her sitting position and headed back inside Anteiku.

Touka remained sitting up against the wall and put her head back in between her knees until Kaneki opened the door with a solemn expression upon his face twenty minute later. In his hand he carried a medicine kit and placed it next to Touka. He stood at they talked.

Morie on the other hand had returned joined Hide before he decided he'd spent enough time in Anteiku for the day and headed home. She remained at the café for a bit longer offering to assist in cleaning tables and retrieving objects from upstairs.

Throughout the afternoon there was no sign of Hinami even though Morie went in and out of some of the upper floor's rooms. Worry centred around the girl filed her head so before she left, she asked Yoshimura about it. His reply was that she was moved to the basement for working hours to better keep her out of sight. At this Morie frowned slightly but she understood the reasoning.

During their conversation the Manager wished her luck for her presentation and stated that Anteiku would be open for workers early tomorrow evening if she wanted to have a coffee before the meeting also adding that her newly crafted mask would be ready for pick up as well.

Heading back Morie walked to a nearby pharmacy where she brought a pack of eyepatches. Kaneki wearing one was a good idea at least for the time being until she brought a new pair of sunglasses or if she had to be indoors for an extended amount of time. It would be a good failsafe if she got agitated again.

After finalising the purchase, she returned home, ran through her presentation one last time and had dinner before going to bed for the night.

A creak signified the arrival of Kaneki and Touka as they walked up a set of wood stairs. The stairs lead to a deeper storage unit for Anteiku where items would be frozen or refrigerated. Kaneki nursing his right hand.

"Oh, toughen up you weenie," Touka complained. "It will heal quickly for you. Having a rinkaku kagune means that you specialise in being sturdy."

Kaneki just looked at Touka's back as she returned to ground floor of the café.

With her hand touching her chin she, she darted her eyes off to the side as she mumbled to herself. Her companion walked over to a cabinet and retrieved some bandages which he began wrapping around his broken finger wincing in pain every once in a while.

Turning her head before grabbing the bottom of Kaneki's shirt, Touka stated, "You need to bulk up." She lifted the boy's shirt up revealing his pale and undefined chest. Kaneki tried leaning away from her but the bench behind him wouldn't allow him to escape. "Everyday you need to do a hundred sit-ups, back extensions, push-ups and squats starting today," she ordered.

Kaneki looked back at her in protest but Touka cut him off criticizing his flimsy muscular state.

From across the room Morie watched the scene unfold. She sat inconspicuously at a table enjoying a cup of coffee with a side of bacon, tomato and lettuce sandwich slices. After a long sip from her cup she raised it into the air and said, "Morning."

Touka and Kaneki froze as Morie continued to sip at her coffee. Her visible eyes glinted as she watched Touka release Kaneki.

"What are you doing here so early?" Touka questioned walking up to Morie with her hands on her hips.

"Breakfast," was the reply. "Besides, I heard that my mask was being delivered this morning. I should be asking you and Kaneki what you are doing here too."

"That's none of your business."

Chewing the last remains of the sandwiches Morie leant back on her chair balancing on the two back legs. She knew something was up with the two of them but her thoughts were cut off as the shop's bell rang. Standing at the entrance way was Uta clad in a black and white coat, baggy pants and beanie.

"Good. The two of you are here." The pierced ghoul walked over to the table where Touka and Kaneki crowded Morie and slipped off his sunglasses revealing the kakugan beneath. Looking at Morie face he frowned slightly. "An eyepatch. That's new isn't it?" He titled his head to the side. "I must say, unlike Kaneki it simply doesn't fit you well, dear." Tattooed fingers reached around Morie's ears as gently pulled the eyepatch off and onto the table. "That's better now."

Uta reached into a bag hanging from one of his arms and pulled out a box. He looked at it for a second before placing it on the table and looking at Kaneki. The chair opposite to Morie was pulled out and turned around. "If you would be so kind to sit here," he gestured.

With an uncertain look the boy sat down as Touka huffed, grabbed Morie's dirty dishes and made her way to the counter where she began to wash them ready for customers to use later that day.

The box was opened revealing a sleek leather mask surrounded by tissue paper. From what Morie could tell at first glance was that it came in two pieces; an eyepatch and a half mask to cover the mouth and neck. Where a mouth would be hidden was decorated using a mixture of red and white dyed leather to create the appearance of exposed gums. A zipper separated the upper and lower jaw belonging to the fake mouth.

Kaneki looked at it with a confused look upon his face too polite to say his actual thoughts on the mask. Morie laughed his inability to say that the mask wasn't really his style.

"Right, if you excuse me." Uta lifted the mask out of the box. It hung in his hands as he fiddled with another zipper around the neck area which allowed Morie to see that the eyepatch segment was actually connected to the half mask with two black cords. Uta leant over Kaneki's figure as he fitted the mask instructing the boy on how to put it on himself.

Once the mask had completely been put on Uta stepped back to admire his handiwork and nodded in approval. Kaneki's visible eye widened as he felt the leather on his skin. Uta took out a compact hand mirror and passed it to Kaneki.

"I figured the eyepatch style was kinda your thing so I incorporated it into the design," Uta explained as Kaneki moved his head around to get a better look at his mask.

"I wear the eyepatch on the other eye though…" the boy trailed off as he handed the mirror back to the craftsman.

Putting the mirror on the table and grabbing out a second, larger box Uta explained that he wanted to see the eye that Kaneki was hiding before instructing him to take the mask off by himself.

As Kaneki fiddled with the buckles and zippers holding the mask to his face Uta opened the second box. Inside was another leather mask but this time it had a metal plate covering the very tip of a beak-like protrusion. Silver bolts and fasteners attached dark grey strips of leather to the full mask. The section around the eyes and cheeks was a dusty tan in colour unlike the lower and upper beak segments which were the same dark grey as the straps.

Uta reached for the mask, reached underneath the upper bean and held it up for Morie to see. Inside the crevasse where her chin would rest was a small black box and a microphone. "The voice changer you requested. You don't need to worry about turning it on as it automatically turns on when you hook it to the upper half like so." He picked up the other half, flipped it over, showed her where the hooks were and attached the two pieces together. "This one is easier to put on compared to Kaneki's but allow me to fit it so you know where the straps go." Like what he did to Kaneki she reached around Morie's head and fastened the two straps one for the upper piece and the other for the lower. "Now, say something," the ghoul said with a wistful voice.

What came from Morie was a garbled and deep "something" which made her smile once she heard the voice.

"Good. Now you will need to change the batteries every few months or so. I have added a small screwdriver and packet of batteries to your box for maintenance."

He handed her the mirror and she inspected herself noticing how heavy the mask felt on her head but she sat up tall. She particularly looked at the beak which upon further inspection had nostril marks and the curve of the metal plate.

After a few seconds she said, "It's a vulture."

"Yes, it is," Uta replied as Morie gave him the mirror which he then slipped into his bag. "Now that I have given each of your mask, I best head off. Do enjoy them." With a flick of his wrist he waved goodbye as he indiscreetly placed his sunglasses back on his nose and walked out the door.

After he exited Morie began to undo the buckles holding the mask and once it was off, she carefully placed it inside the box and closed the lid.

As she did so Kaneki looked at Touka who was putting the now clean dishes away and asked, "What does your mask look like, Touka?"

Morie thought about answering it for her but she remained silent as she reorganised the space in her backpack to hide the box within. She had to take out her laptop, notebooks and jacket to fit it inside neatly.

"It's a white rabbit," Touka said bluntly walking over to the table with a damp cloth. Using circular motions, she quickly wiped down the table ready for it to be used again when the café opens.

Once everything fitted back into the backpack neatly, Morie zipped it up closed and slung it over her shoulder. She grabbed her medical eyepatch and fitted it to her head before bidding the two ghouls goodbye and exiting.

As she left Touka sharply flicked the cloth close to Kaneki. The woosh of the fabric caught his attention. "Listen here. We're going back down into the tunnel. I have plans for us today and you're coming with me. You got that?"

He gulped but gave his affirmation.

"Good." She slung the cloth over her shoulder and grabbed Kaneki's arm yanking him out of the chair. He wobbled trying to regain his balance but failed to. He fell forward with his arms out to brace himself instinctively. A yelp resonated throughout the building as pain shot up his right arm. Tears watered in Kaneki's eyes as Touka rolled her eyes. Today was going to be a long and frustrating one for her.