Somehow, Touka was able to drag herself back to her apartment after the beating she took. She was still alive, but she didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse. Her body was left sore, bruised, and battered after all the punishment she took. It felt like she got hit by a truck. And her mind was a mess after enduring the words and tortured of that bandage girl.
"Tch, damn brat…" Her mind was still on that fight. Someone that small and unassuming was that sadistic. She knew some ghouls were freaks, but that was a new level. How long had it been since she seen someone so messed up? Not even that bastard Tsukiyama was that messed up.
Guess Aogiri's higher ranks are full of sick freaks like that. Not just sick freaks, but sick freaks that knew about her and her activities. That was the scary part. How did they find out? Sure, she was hunting down Doves, but she wasn't making a show of it or sticking around after she killed them. Sure, she took out some Aogiri punks every now and then, but they were more street brawls than the torture-fest that brat was doing. Maybe she had finally gotten the attention of a big fish. It might be they were trying to scare her into submission instead of outright kill her. Either way, she was being called out, and she had to do something about it.
Okay, change of plans. That Dove could wait for now, she was going to get a bit of revenge on Aogiri first. If they wanted to scare her out of the 11th Ward it would be after she ran them out of it, or over her cold, dead body. Taking a week or so to find that bandaged brat and beat her into a coma would be time well spent. Alright then, Aogiri first, Doves later. She forced herself out of bed, stretching.
Getting Aogiri's attention shouldn't be too hard. She knew their hunting grounds and territories by now. Picking a few more fights and kicking them out of a good portion of the Ward might even attract some of the higher-ups. Hell, maybe she could find Ayato and pound his face in for tearing her kagune last time, maybe even return the favor. Tit for tat and all that. She'd have to wait until night fell before doing any of that, but she could make a plan of attack now.
She changed into a t-shirt and some loose jeans, looking herself over, then went out to jog through one of the parks. It was early in the morning, so it was the perfect time to get some exercise. It'd be good training for the battles up ahead, and she needed to stay on top of things as per Renji's orders anyway. She took a slower pace than usual, stopping every now and then to throw a few quick jabs and kicks at the air. Heh, I feel like a kickboxer doing stuff like this.
"We meet again,"
Touka turned around, seeing the blonde Dove from yesterday. Avoiding this woman was starting to become impossible. Sure, it was mostly coincidence, but seeing her was starting to make Touka nervous now. Great… Now she was really wondering if this woman was stalking her. She kept a neutral expression and continued to jog in place.
"Yep, hey there." She gave a smile, trying to sell a bright persona.
"Getting you're exercise I see,"
"Yep, training," This should at least confirm that she does do daily exercise at the parks. "Well, I gotta' go," The sooner she got out of here, the better. She started to jog past the woman.
"Very well," She said. "Be careful, the 11th Ward is getting dangerous, so try to stay indoors after you exercise."
"Will do!"
Touka ran past the woman, picking up the pace a little to get some distance. She didn't seem to be investigating her or anything. Maybe she was safe? If it was just a little darker out Touka might have had a shot at killing her, but… it was probably for the best to not risk it this early in the morning. She had bigger worries right now, liking provoking Aogiri.
"You got balls to be snooping around here,"
"You're that Ghoul Avenger, yeah? You gonna' try and stop us? Avenge these new newbies we got?"
"Keke, good luck kid, we're gonna' kill you and eat you up good,"
There were five of them in total. Touka's nightly patrol had led her to the river near a park where several Aogiri members were bullying some younger ghouls, beating and taunting them to join their gang. World for Ghouls my ass. They just want to bully the weak.
"Eat me, huh?" She placed a hand on her hip, giving a bored expression. She heard that threat a lot from the punks she beat down. Apparently, some rumor about gaining power from cannibalizing or something. Not that these losers were going to see if it was true or not. "Try it assholes!" They all lunged for her at once, an amateur move that she easily jumped over and led them all to piling atop each other. Compared to Renji and that bandaged brat they might as well be moving in slow motion. She grabbed one by the hood and clawed deep into their shoulder, making brutal cuts. She would had gone a little easier fighting a fellow ghoul, but she needed to send a harsh message to tell Aogiri's higher-ups and that bandaged brat to either back off or come at her themselves. The punk howled in pain, crumbling to the ground before Touka turned her attention to the rest.
"Still wanna' eat me, jackasses?" They said nothing, only turning tail and running. "Heh, thought so," She cracked her neck. She still had to send a message, so they were all going to get the same treatment. Just as she was about to chase them a figure swooped down in front of her and went after the group at lightning speed. The figured took them all out quick in a flurry of punches, kicks and holds and attacked vital areas. Touka was surprised she could keep up with their movements. The remaining four Aogiri members fell in an instant.
Running to get a closer look, Touka spotted a young, long-haired girl, probably around Hinami's age, in what looked like a tattered kimono of some kind. She was covered in bruises, having an overall battle-hardened look about her. The girl then began to stomp on her defeated opponents, breaking bone and getting several screams from them.
"Not so tough now, huh? Bet you'll think twice before messing with me!" Touka raised an eye. This girl was furious, and completely absorbed in her own violence. She reminded Touka of herself before she joined Anteiku. Well, a little more like herself nowadays given what she did. She walked closer and approached the girl.
"Think you've beaten them now, kid" Touka said.
The girl spun around to face Touka, her eyes flaring black and red as she glared and snarled at her. "What's it ta' ya'?!" The girl snapped, raising a hand in claw-like fashion. "These bastards had it comin', tryin' ta' push me around like a lackey." She kicked one of them, shattering a bone and getting another yelp. "Just showin' them how it feels to eat dirt."
Touka stared at the girl. Yeah, she was definitely like Touka was a few years back. "So, what are you gonna' do now?"
The girl paused, looking in thought for a moment before giving Touka a sadistic smile. She knew exactly what the girl was going to say. "Say, ya' look familiar. Ya' that Ghoul Avenger I keep hearing about?"
So she was that famous then? Maybe I should had brought my mask. "Yeah, I am," Might as well be honest. "I just take out Doves and Aogiri punks bullying weaker ghouls."
"Hah! So you're the Avenger, huh? Sweet!" She cracked her knuckles, taking an odd stance. Well, not so much odd, but a proper fighting stance, hands raised, feet apart, and focused. It was… odd given the display Touka saw early. "I might get some points with Aogiri if I take you out!"
Yep, it was exactly what Touka thought. This girl was just another Aogiri punk that wanted Touka's head. Eh, she can fight better than those punks. She'll be a good warm up I guess. She smirked, rolling her shoulder. "Sure kid, give me your best shot," She crouched into a feral stance, her own hands stretched out and ready to straight. "I'll give you a good beating to cry about!"
"Bring it!" The girl launched herself right at Touka, punching at air as Touka hopped out of the way of her blow. Touka countered, slamming her leg into the girl's stomach and sending her a few feet away. She was quick to stand though, hissing at Touka as she sent out a few shards from her kagune, nailing the girl in the arms.
The girl launched herself again, but was blocked by Touka's solidified wing, using it as a shield. The girl hissed again.
"What's wrong? Can't use your kagune, bra-?" Touka's was cut off by a piercing pain in her leg. She looked down, noticing a dark red tail stabbing her leg. "Shit!" Touka's wing went back to its enflamed form, and she took several solid punches to the stomach that had her double over. Those weren't kiddie punches, they had power and purpose behind them. Touka held back the urge to throw up, taking a tackle to the ground with the girl's kagune pinning her to the ground, stabbing through her shoulder.
"What was that about usin' a kagune?" The girl taunted, punching Touka's face.
"Gah! Brat!" Touka blocked the rest of the punches with her good arm, but about the girl spun out of her pin and held Touka in an armbar, her kagune stabbing at the joints in Touka's arm and wrist now.
"Wow, you're weaker than I thought." The girl remarked. "Give up?"
"In your dreams!" The kagune went deeper into her arm and Touka cried out. Her kagune wasn't much use in a close and dirty fight like this, and her arm didn't have the strength to break out of the hold while her joints were stabbed.
"Give up?" She asked again.
"Piss off!"
"Fine!" Touka heard something pop and break, her arm exploded in pain and she screamed. It felt like her arm was being cut off. All she could feel outside the pain was the fact that the girl had finally let go of Touka and was now standing over her, giving a cheeky grin.
"Man, I thought you'd be tougher, but I guess ya' just took out fodder," The girl remarked, kicking at Touka's stomach.
"Gah, brat…" Touka narrowed her eyes at the girl. She honestly wasn't in a condition for a series fight. Between the torture of yesterday, her no-holds-bar sparring match with Renji, and now nearly losing her arm, she was probably going to be out for a few days, maybe even a week.
The girl bend down to Touka's level, staring. She was quiet for a moment. "Hmm… I was gonna' just beat ya' up, but I think I'll take ya' ta' Master instead,"
"What?"
"My Master," She said, helping Touka and letting her use the girl's shoulder to stand. "He's in Aogiri, but he's pretty cool. Kinda' like a wise old man type of guy. He said to bring in strong fighters if I met any." She explained. "He's… not like other Aogiri folks. He's real cool and teaches us how to fight, you'll see."
Was this girl mental? The two had just fought each other to near death, and now she was going to just take Touka to their leader? "I don't need help," She said.
"Pfft, the loser doesn't get ta' complain."
The girl helped walked Touka over to what looked like an old dojo. It was a few blocks from the park and her broken arm and injured leg didn't help make the trip any easier. Inside she saw a few people all in similar rags as the girl walking with her. Now that she got a better look they all looked like they were wearing some sort of old marital arts garb from a movie. She had seen weirder outfits, but these stood out.
"Kakuma, hey there!" Another girl approached the two, this one having similar long hair to the girl carrying her.
"Hey Makana," She said back. "I got someone here for Master, she's the Ghoul Avenger,"
"No way!" The girl, Makana, looked at Touka with starry eyes. "Hey, did you really fight off seven ghouls at once? I heard you killed 20 Doves all by yourself!"
What kind of rumors were spreading about her? "Uh…"
"Sis, don't bug her, go back ta' trainin'," Kakuma said.
"Alright… spar with me later, okay Bro,"
"Yeah, sure." Makana helped walk Touka to a corner of the dojo. "Sit here," She laid Touka against the wall.
"Why didn't you just take me out?" Touka asked. It seemed like the obvious choice for someone that was in Aogiri. The girl just shrugged.
"Master said ta' respect strong fighters, an' I had a feelin' ya' weren't at your best, so..." She said. "Well, I'm gonna' get him real quick," The girl turned around and walked off. "Master, I'm back,"
"Kakuma…" A large man came out from the shadows. No, calling him large of an understatement, this man was gigantic. He nearly touched the ceiling he was so large. He too wore a shabby kimono, looking at Kakuma with a mild glare. "You went out picking fights again, boy,"
Kakuma immediately bowed low. "I-I'm sorry Master!" She said. "But I… I brought someone to see you," She stood up, turning and gesturing to Touka. "This is the famous Ghoul Avenger that's been fighting in the 11th Ward, she's pretty tough, but I beat her." She stuck out her chest in pride, but a glare from the man quickly had her shrinking back. The man sighed, turning his gaze to Touka.
"You, Avenger," He said. "What exactly did this boy do to you,"
Touka looked him in the eye, not saying a word. He didn't seem like a bad person, like Kakuma said. For someone that was in Aogiri, he actually seemed… pretty cool.
Wait a second… Touka turned to Kakuma, giving her a confused look. "You're a boy?"