In Anteiku, the quiet, friendly, little shop that housed an all ghoul staff, who catered to both their own kind and humans, A rather comedic scene was ensuing before the attending staffs eye's. Recently, quite recently, the little coffee shop had accepted a new member. This particular member, like a certain other two, had once been a force of terror and power in the ghoul world. A sadist, who had enjoyed the torture of others, a monster who even the "Doves" would avoid crossing paths with, and who, admittedly, had been a bit of a blessing to have as a worker, due to only his presence making some of Anteiku's more troublesome customers stop coming to the stop all together. What was so funny though, was watching the giant of a man, who hardly looked to fit his work attire, in that it seemed to small, even after being ordered to fit him, clumsily give people their coffee orders, and watching the ghoul customers uncomfortably and awkwardly interact with him as he seemed to tower above them.
At least all of it was funny to Touka, but at the same time she held a deep seething hatred towards the man. For what he had done to Kaneki, for what he had turned him into, she didn't find it appropriate at all to be co-workers with him. But, the managers word was practically law in the 20th ward, and that word was "Treat him as you would one another." Of course Touka could have been a smart ass and treated him like, say, Nishiki, but she knew what the old man meant, and didn't really want to upset him.
Most inappropriate of all, in Touka's honest opinion, seemed to be that Hinami, of all people, had given him quite the warm welcome. The former Jason of the 13th ward's living situation was unknown to everyone besides the manager, so Hinami had offered him a place to stay here at night... with her and Touka. Thankfully, he declined the offer, in a rather kind way if Touka was being honest, but still with a way of doing so that made her uneasy.
She wasn't the only one unable to trust the man, however. Nishiki had also been keeping his distance from his former superior, and with good reason. The college boy had told her of the psychopaths cruelty, his temper, and his backwards idea of "fun", and all of it made her distrust the man even further than she already did. Though, something he had said had caught her ears even more so than the tales of cruelty. Nishiki had told her that he seemed "much different" than before, while still maintaining that unnerving aura about himself. And she noticed it, too, from what Nishiki had told her at least. There was no sickening smile, no cracking of the fingers(a habbit Kaneki had unwillingly picked up), and no evil glares. He was almost a statue, he didn't argue when he was told to do work, nor did he grumble, he just did so and went back to what he was doing before hand quietly.
Then, as if speaking of him would summon the man, he walked past her, past Irimi, past Enji, both of whom paid him no mind, and finally to where Hinami had, without his notice taken over his job cleaning the small coffee cups that Yamori was previously in charge of. Everytime, Touka would bristle at the image of what could happen to Hinami if Yamori decided to snap... It would be like a tooth pick being snapped in half with no effort. Thankfully, Yamori politely took the cup from her and assumed his cleaning of the cups.
Next the familiar chiming of the door opening rang through the shop, alerting Touka and the others in the coffee shop, those who cared enough, to the entryway. Through it, emerged a small girl, wearing baggy green and yellow clothing that ran down to the point where it almost covered her feet completely, of which were dressed with red dress shoes and just poking out from underneath the fabric. Over her shoulder was a small, light green bag which rested softly against her hip. All of this Touka identified to one person, her older sister figure, Eto.
"Hello, everyone!" She called out, more so to the staff than anyone else, in a particularly cheery voice waving her hand in a lazy waving motion.
Touka smiled a thin smile at her a greeted her similarly, "Hey, Eto." But, seeing the woman, she couldn't help but be reminded of the scene she'd stumbled in on about three weeks ago, When Eto and Kaneki were at the closest she'd seen them. So, to change her train of thought, she asked a question; "Uh, where's Kaneki?", dammit, "Didn't he have work today?" Upon hearing herself ask, Touka realized that alot of her thoughts had been about the white haired boy lately. It was concern for him, because no matter how many times she saw him act as close to normal as events had allowed, she couldn't help but feel like he'd stop being Kaneki and become someone else... Like Ayato did.
"Ah, he was tired today, we stayed up later than usual last night..." Eto informed, moving toward the counter and setting her bag down next to her. Touka, and more than likely Eto, also noticed that Yakumo's head shifted slightly when Kaneki's name was brought up, and found themselves both eyeing him, Touka with a more clear contempt, and Eto with a more clear annoyance. What surprised practically everyone in the store was that Kaneki and Yakumo... were getting along perfectly. Not quite best friends, but like normal coworkers would, hell, they even went on trips to get coffee beans sometimes together.
"Anyways," Eto spoke, breaking Touka from her thoughts, "Is my father here right now, I'd like to see him." Touka couldn't help but notice that her tone change from one of confidence, to a slight urgency, But, it was probably her imagination.
"Sure, he's up stairs..."
Eto nodded then sat up, keeping her hand on just above her waist, and grabbed her purse. Then, she walked up stairs, without a word leaving Touka to wonder whether she'd been here or not at all. Eto was never really one to stay long when she came by.
The white doors slid open, letting the cool night air into Kanou general hospital and right into the young nurse, Taguchi's face. The petite young woman sighed in relief as the smell of medicine, the old, the dying, and the dead was replaced by the smells of the city. Which, in hindsight, wasn't much of an improvement, but at least the people where less morbid right?
The nurse then exited the building, quite hurriedly, if one was to judge her, all she wanted to do today was get home, get out of her uniform, take off her bra, slip into something baggy and comfortable, eat food and watch television until she passed out on her couch with the program of her choice blaring from her severely outdated CRT television.
She'd received an email from doctor Kanou today, at work. Just like all the other times before, the first part of it read; "delete this message after reading", but that was the only thing normal about it. The note itself read:
Taguchi,
As you know, of our experiments, only three have yielded results: Kaneki, Kurona, and Nashiro. The rest have turned into useless blobs of flesh that I keep in tanks, or as guards against that those awful organizations, "V" and "Agoiri". Both of which, as you know, are after me. At any rate, however, there's been the possibility of another successful experiment... All I can tell you is that the name I've chosen for this one, for the time being, is "Orange." They've responded to Rize's Kakuhou rather well... It was a rough transition for their body, of course, but now they've stabilized and seem to be responding appropriately to it once more...
And, as instructed, the nurse did just that, deleted the message... But for herself, and unbenounced to Dr. Kanou, she had handwritten down the message and stuffed it in her bag. She didn't particularly enjoy what they where doing... Now, she liked the idea of it... Bridging together the gap between humans and ghouls and ultimately, one day "Escaping the bird cage" as Kanou put it... He never told her much, he just paid her extra, and she needed the money, without being forced into prostitution. Still, the only experiments she felt right about to date were Kurona and Nashiro, but kidnapping unwilling test subjects... made her stomach churn.
What's worse, is that she had no idea who this new test subject was... and Kanou wasn't really the type to go out and take people himself... he either got the subjects from the hospital or lured the homeless in with the promise of food or liquor, etc... But, as far as she knew he hadn't returned from the hospital recently, and the message would have included Iif he was a homeless person... There was a reason he was being secretive about it...
Then, she felt her shoulder rush into a hard object, which caused her to stagger a little bit, before regaining her balance. Fuck... she mentally swore, as she began to massage the area. Looking back over her shoulder now, the nurse had seen the object, or person rather, that caused the pain in her shoulder. He was a big man, with long hair and a very tattered coat that reached down to his calves... That's all she could tell about him from the back, and quite frankly, didn't give a damn about trying to figure out what he really looked like.
"Cunt..." She muttered under her breath, before continuing on her way.
Then, as she turned her head, a large hand gripped itself over her mouth, squeezing tightly, hoping to block all screams she tried to make. Then a strong, almost steel-like arm wrapped around her abdomen and she found herself being hoisted into the air. She was kicking and screaming(into a hand), thrashing around violently as her captor, who was most definitely a ghoul, scaled from building to building, sticking his Kagune into the concrete for support, as to make sure they didn't fall back down.
It wouldn't take a genius to guess what was going on... It was either aforementioned ghoul organizations coming for her. Somehow... Somehow they must've figured out that she worked with Kanou, and now they thought they would use her to get to him... and what's worse... She knew she would crack... quickly.
Then, they stopped, and it felt as if every bone in her body began to rattle and she couldn't breath for a moment. Then, she dropped... falling to her knees, then face first unto the concrete with a loud, audible smack... She must've lost concious for a second because she swore she everything had gone black... but that was probably the night sky. She heard the sound of the man who'd captured her step over her and across from her, prompting her to look up... only for her eye's to meet six other ghouls waiting for her.
One had blonde hair which was swept back at the top, the sides of his head in not such a style. He was wearing a white suit as well, and what appeared to be some kind of eye make up, with a lazy expression on his face. Next to him was a boy who appeared to be no older than 14, with dark purple hair and covered in black clothing with a rim of fur on his coat. Then there were two similarly dressed people, the only difference between them was their masks. Next there was an incredibly tall ghoul, wearing a red cloak and a mask, with a cartoonist smile on it, and finally there was the one at the forefront, who was just now being joined by her kidnapper. He had snow white hair, pink eye's and a neon red mask that reflected it's surroundings, he wore a white coat that covered every inch of his body.
Then, the white haired ghoul knelt down in front of her and gently pushed her hair back out of her face. "Miss Taguchi, I presume?"
Taguchi didn't answer, she was just starring blankly ahead.
"Hmm.." The ghoul said, lowering his hand from her face, "Well now, we have a deal for you... If you tell us where Kanou is hiding, we will let you live... you won't be free... but you'll be alive... and off limits from the other members of our... organization... What do you think..?"
Once more she didn't answer.
"Yes, I think it's a reasonable deal, too..." He answered for her, standing up.
Kanou found himself, for whatever reason, taking the long way to "Orange's" room, for the umpteenth time that day... He didn't know why he was so excited... Maybe it was the same principal as a child finding the presents his parents, parent, grandparents, uncle, aunt, guardian, whatever they may have had hidden from them for their birthday or some other occasion and pretended not to have found it but couldn't help to peak every now and then. For Kanou, that was the exact description of how he felt... Orange was the first subject in weeks that had yielded any progress, rather than just regressed into some disgusting misfit, unfit for life... But, he'd already told all that to Taguchi in the E-mail.
Kanou turned his head, looking at the small containers filled with his failed... "Undesirables". Tiring work for each one, and each one had become a failure in the end... A crushing blow to his motivation, but never the less he continued with his work... Yes, there were sacrifices, but those people... were more than likely unfit to begin with... The future of humanity, and the ghouls, depended on strong subjects, anything less was like an oil spill in the ocean.
Now, his thoughts shifted to Nashiro and Kurona... The first experiments that had been successful since their figurative older brother, Ken Kaneki. The two had been invaliable research material and even more invaluable on acquiring "Orange." They, unlike the other experiments, had been willing to undergo the procedure and had come out, while not as developed as Kaneki, strong in their own right. And then there was their past with the CCG... Making them even more valuable.
Finally, as he turned into a corridor, he had reached his destination. The corridor was empty, except for a single, black door. There was an excitement for Kanou, every time he laid his eye's upon the door. Knowing that behind it, one of the next steps in evolution waited for him, his mark on the world... What he would be remembered for.
No matter how many time he had succeeded in the transplant no matter how many times... it still always felt like the first to him. Slowly, he reached for the door knob, almost reluctant to open the door, as if by opening it, he would doom "Orange." Nevertheless though, he opened the door and stepped in.
The lights were off, all of them except the single light illuminating "Orange." It shown down on him like a holy light, quite fitting if Kanou were to give his voice, considering what he was. Everything seemed still, everything except Kanou, as he moved toward the operating table that "Orange" laid upon, numb, but alive.
"Hello, How are we today?" Kanou asked, putting on his friendly doctor voice. He knew it wouldn't work, but he still did it out of habit.
"It hurts..." the subject replied, not moving, but more groaning on the table.
"Well, I'd imagine." The doctor replied, "After all, I don't have the anesthetics that I do at the hospital... You were quite the thrasher... Really I didn't expect you to survive, you were more a practice for conscious implantation... but here you are... and holding up quite nicely I might add."
A groan was the subjects only response.
"How does it feel?" Kanou inquired, "To have that Kakuhou inside you?"
No response.
"You see... I've always wanted to know what ghouls feel, living as they do, fighting as they do... dying as they do. So please, for the sake of my curiosity..." He trailed off, moving his hands in a questioning motion.
Again, no answer.
"Well, I suppose after a while you can tell me, huh?" He laughed a bit. "For now rest up well... You'll need it." Then, Kanou stood up, sighing, "Till next time." Then he left, leaving his latest experiment alone, in his all but dark room, writhing in a pain so foreign to him that it seemed unreal.
Touka had begun to notice something... Eto had been here for quite some time, an incredibly long time, about 5 hours give or take... Alot longer than her standard visit. But then, Eto was never really someone to stick to to much of a schedule. Perhaps that was why Touka looked up to her so much... Touka would love not to be bound by time and just do what she wanted... But that was because Eto was a writer and she made good money... The waitress on the other hand was failing a literature class, so that career path was out of the question. Although, in regards to the class... she could always ask Eto for help, but her damn pride wouldn't let her.
Then she heard footsteps ring out on the wooden staircase, giving the information that somebody was descending from the second floor. Touka turned her head but didn't bother to do the same with her own body and looked up the stairs, expecting to see Eto. And, as expected, Eto came, descending down the staircase, in her usual happy mood.
"You were in there for a while..." Touka commented, setting down an empty cup with a small clang.
"Well, it has been a while since I last saw my father, can I not spend a while with him?" Eto retorted, with a smart ass tone, raising an eyebrow in mock confusion.
"Just making an observation." the waitress said, defending her own prying into the woman's business. "So, how is Kaneki doing..." Touka changed the subject, motioning with her eye's towards Yakumo, who was busy drinking coffee at the moment. "I mean, is he getting better or..."
Eto smiled, "Well, he no longer wants to go after 'The one-eye'd Owl', and he seems to be getting happier day by day... I don't think it'll be long before the old Kaneki is back." She sighed sitting down now. "But, still, that's only what I think... Still, though he has improved. Whenever he's calm he acts practically the same way he did before, but there is still this tangible feeling of uncertainty with him."
"Really..." Touka acknowledged, lowering her eye's for a moment, "I hope that it's not the latter."
"Yeah... Well, I should probably get going now, Kaneki is probably getting bored staying at home by himself." The author guessed, standing up from her seat and heading towards the door.
"You tell him to stop being lazy and come into work!" Touka called out, as Eto laugh, receiving a laugh in response.
Now Eto found herself walking home, in the cool night air of Tokyo, surrounded by the thriving night life of the city. The young men and women going out to have a fun time, the clubs being filled up, and the bars doing the same. Eto loved the city at night, maybe it was because she had never truly been in any danger from the ghouls or humans of Tokyo, not in a long time anyways. She was practically untouchable, even at her weakest.
Now, though, Eto found herself in an empty street... Which should have made her feel safer than any other time... But truth be told, these eerie silences are what scared Eto the most. These silences usually meant death, or impending death, and they made her second guess herself, which was never a good thing. But, against her better judgement, she went down the street.
And, of course, something had happened. Before her now stood seven men; One had blonde hair which was swept back at the top, the sides of his head in not such a style. He was wearing a white suit as well, and what appeared to be some kind of eye make up, with a lazy expression on his face. Next to him was a familiar face, Ayato, who wouldn't dare look the person who had helped raise him in the eye... Then there were two similarly dressed people, the only difference between them was their masks. Next there was an incredibly tall ghoul, wearing a red cloak and a mask. At the forefront was a muscular ghoul, who had a similar build to Yakumo if Eto had to describe him, with long flowing hair and fu man chu mustache. Then last, was a man, who's hair reminded her of Kaneki's in it's whiteness, and who's mask seemed to reflect everything around it.
"Miss Takatsuki, I presume..." He inquired, as he looked upon her.
Eto didn't bother to answer him, instead she kept her eye's on Ayato, who still wouldn't meet her gaze. She guessed that he couldn't bring himself to do it, after all, he knew exactly what he put Touka through, and figured the others would probably be more than a little upset with him. But, that was the furthest from the truth.
"My name is Tatara, leader of the 'Aogiri tree' organization. And, after consulting with my colleagues here... except for the youngest of our group... we thought you could benefit from joining us."
"Oh, how so?" Eto asked, imitating curiosity, purposefully rudely, hoping to offend the man.
"Well, if you don't then your friends and family at Anteiku, will be wiped out..."
Eto smiled then, feeling more than a little cocky at the moment. "You came to me asking for my membership in your little club, meaning you know who I am... But I don't think you know exactly what I'm capable of... To put it in short, I could kill you right now, without any effort whatsoever."
"Oh, we are well aware of that." Tatara spoke calmly, "But could you do the same to the entirety of the CCG?"
"What?" Eto asked, feeling suddenly nervous and enraged.
"Kill me if you like, but if you do, or if you refuse our offer, we will send a certain human, a nurse, we have to the CCG and force her to telll them all about your little coffee shop... Needless to say, when they hear that one of the 'Owls' is there, they will come out in full force... Of course that's completely up to you..."
Now, for the first time found herself powerless in a situation, completely. Held back by her own compassion for those she cared about. She didn't have any other option really, it was either this, or her family was killed, or exposed to the public, securing a life of running for the rest of their days. Bitterly, the half ghoul began walking towards the group. Reluctant with each step, she moved towards the people who captured Kaneki, an annoyance on her face, until finally, she was at the leader of the group.
Then she grabbed him by his coat collar and pulled him down to her level, "Fine then, Tatara, but if they end up hurt or in danger in anyway, I'll destroy your entire little club."
"... You have my word."