Hide had never once in his life wanted to do anything but have fun- never do anything but laugh. However, now all wanted to do... was die. It wasn't fair, was it? What had he done to have this happen to him? Damn, he didn't even remember how long it had been since he had been torn open- numbed slightly, but not enough to negate the pain entirely(if at all). He swore he could feel whatever they had put inside of him squirm.
Hide couldn't open his eye's at present, not that he was scared, nor did anyone tell him not to, he just couldn't... it hurt to much. It hadn't been so long ago(a few hours maybe) since that doctor had come into the room... God, he fucked with his head... He was the one who had cut him up- He was the one who was responsible for his being here. But, he was so... friendly. Hide knew that he shouldn't buy into the act, that the doctor was trying to produce a Stockholm syndrome type of scenario into place, but he wouldn't fall for it... It was just nice... having someone to talk to through this he supposed.
Despite his cheerful personality, people ignored Hide, always choosing other people from his circle of friends to crowd around, eventually forgetting about him. Sure, it hurt at first, but people would come and go, ya know? Besides, he was healthy, he made grades, his life was pretty good... and he always had Kaneki... Except... Kaneki wasn't here now... Where was he? Hide hadn't seen him in so long... He'd been pretty lonely since he left.
"You know... It's his fault you're in this predicament now." A voice echoed, almost making Hide jump(if he had the strength to, that is).
Hide knew the voice well, it was the doctor's. Apparently, he'd slipped in here without Hide even noticing. But something wasn't right... Hide was certain that he was just thinking to himself... he didn't feel his lips move, nothing... Unless he was losing control of his body and mind.
"I don't know if you can hear me, Hideyoshi Nagachika, but the entire reason you're here is because of your friend, Ken Kaneki..."
Hide remained quiet(If he could even talk). How exactly was Kaneki responsible for this at all? He hadn't been there when those two, hooded ghouls jumped him after he exited the pay phone.
Wait, what was I doing at the payphone? Hide wondered. It was something to do with Kaneki, but it wasn't this... I-I don't think... He paused, racking his brain hoping to remember... But he didn't remember much. All he could recall was being captured. Dammit... All I can draw is a blank.
"Originally, when I had heard Aogiri had captured Kaneki, through the grapevine, I was worried. Despite being my prototype, Kaneki was my greatest work, and I couldn't afford his death. I, along with Nashiro and Kurona, made our way out to the 13th ward that day. The twins were full well prepared to sacrifice themselves to save Kaneki at my order, but I was reluctant to lose them too... That's when we overheard your little phone call to the CCG."
Oh no... Hide began to sweat in the darkness, felling each individual drop run down his skin, I- did I rat on Kaneki? Anteiku? The Author? Why? What could've driven me to do that?
"You saved us the trouble of having to get our hands dirty by calling the Commission of Counter Ghoul." he paused, "And for that we are very grateful... Still, I saw an opportunity and I took it. Over the months since Kaneki had been released from my care, I've had many other... less successful experiments and I was running out of patients to take from the hospital without bringing suspicion upon myself... But, I remembered you, from the times that Kaneki was bed ridden... Your visits and how close you were."
He heard the doctor begin to walk over to his slab, the echoing of boots on metal ringing loudly inside of his head. "I find your story sad, Nagachika, don't you? Even more so than Ken's..." Hide felt the doctor hovering over him, watching him as he remained still, "All you wanted was to make sure Kaneki was safe... And look where your kindness has landed you..."
Shut up... Hide warned mentally, I did that because Kaneki's my... My friend?
"I realize... As children we are taught to put others before ourselves and that's perfectly fine... But is it when it causes you pain?" The doctor asked in rhetoric, "I've been keeping tabs on my prototype since that night... And it's my burden to tell you that he hasn't even considered your well being since that day. It's almost like he's forgotten about you. Replaced you with his friends at Anteiku..."
"H- he wouldn't..." Groaned out Hide, grabbing at Kanou's coat. "We've been f-friends since elementary... he wouldn't leave me like that..."
"Then, why hasn't he come looking for you?"
The words stung Hide. They stung because everything Kanou said up till then had been true. Kaneki had seen less of him. He had been spending more and more time at Anteiku... He hadn't even told Hide that he was a ghoul... Now here he was, and he could guess what the doctor had done to him. The same thing he had done to Kaneki, turned him into a ghoul.
The realization made Hide's stomach drop. Hide didn't want that, or any of this... He just wanted to live a normal life... Now he couldn't. What was the reason for it? Simply because he choose to befriend Kaneki. Now, when he got right down to it, he was a monster because Kaneki was thinking with his dick...
"Don't worry though... We won't abandon you... Not, like Kaneki did. Here- we are all the future of existence."
Touka lowered her body forward, using her now crystallized Ukaku to intercept a coming swing from Rize's kagune. Smack! The force behind the hit was enough to almost make Touka fall face first into the floor, but, in her resilient nature, she pushed back, holding her ground. She was fighting the white haired girl. From appearances, she didn't look like much, but she packed a heavy swing. Both with and without Rize's kagune. Touka added, absent-mindedly placing a gentle hand over a now slighty swollen cheek.
Letting out a primal growl, that eventually worked it's way up to a scream, Touka pushed against her with a sudden rush of adrenaline, breaking the momentary lock of pressures and pushing her off of the single wing she had. It was a testimony to Touka's strength, but to be honest she felt more than a little unnerved. The girl, just like her counter part of reversed colors, showed almost no emotion at all. If, through all the times Touka had landed a hit, she felt it at all Touka didn't know. Touka had riddled her arms with shards once already, but she still came, almost unhindered.
This time was no exception. After the white one had regained her foot from the shove, she had once again began to rush Touka. Shit. Touka was at a severe disadvantage here. She wasn't particularly weak at hand to hand, nor was she weak in general, but she was still an Ukaku ghoul, and her stamina was proof of that. She already found herself sweating after all, and it wasn't from fear.
The rabbit threw her torso forward at an angle, bending her wing slightly to match the arm. Then, as her opponent neared her, Touka began to spin backwards, spraying the girl with blood-red shards. Though, it seemed the girl was a fast learner. Rappidly she used Rize's kagune to bat away at the projectiles, slowly moving forward. It wasn't the intended result, but it had bought Touka at least some breathing room.
Tsukiyama was having a much easier time however, in fact it seemed like he was probably enjoying himself. He was almost dancing around as he fought the black counter part- who just couldn't seem to land a hit on the flamboyant gourmet. He swung his koukaku around like a blade- taking wide slashes and quick gabs forward. His footing, his stance, even the way he tilted his head reminded Touka of some kind of fencer holding his sword. And it pissed her off.
It wasn't just the smug grin on his face, It was the way he was toying with the girl. He had multiple opportunities to get rid of her, but he purposely let them pass... Just for the sake of his own enjoyment. Idiot, keep doing that and you'll regret it.
Of course, Touka wasn't the only one of the three having trouble. It was a rare sight to see, Yakumo being bested as easily as he was. Of course, he stilll did land the occasional hit every now and then, but not enough to slow the darker man down. Touka almost felt bad for him, but then she remembered who he was. Sure, he may be helping them now, but he was still the reason Kaneki was like this, the way he is now. That's not to say Touka is heartless, however. She would have helped the man if she could, but she and Tsukiyama were currently enveloped in their own fights at the moment.
Yakumo wasn't quite sure he could feel his feet anymore he had been hit so hard. The blows had such a force behind him that, as he stumbled, his head felt as if it were only on a platform that wouldn't stop shaking- and this time was no different. Before he could recover from the crushing power behind Orca's attack, Yakumo felt another fist rushing into his gut, propelling his back with it, but keeping his feet stationary.
He was almost going to laugh- he hadn't been hit this hard since Kaneki had fucked him up back in the 11th ward. The result was also the same. He felt his muscles ripple from the impact and finally they stopped at the center of his back. And he went flying.
Well, that was an exaggeration, but he may as well have been airborne. During the time his feet had left the earth(or metal) Shachi had grabbed him by the ankle and used his fin shaped bikaku to ram him back into the ground. Metal tore up into the air due to the force of impact, ruining what was otherwise a fine metal floor.
Now he felt Orca straddle him, sitting on his waist, using his full body weight to keep him pinned and began to fire shotgun like punches into his face- breaking his nose over and over again as it mended itself each time. Truth be told, had anyone else gotten in this position over him, they would most certainly be regretting it. But this was Orca, he was feared through out all of japan- hell, maybe even the world. And God did he earn that respect... Yakumo had been too numb to use his kagune due to the blows to the head- making him lose feeling in his body.
Dammit... After everything I've been through... And he's not even using his damn Kagune. Yakumo mentally scoffed as he began to lose consciousness. However, that's when he saw someone he had hoped to never lay eye's on again... her. It wasn't really fair in all honesty... It wasn't his fault right? No, it wasn't. And it wasn't like he didn't want to see her out of some petty spite- but rather he wanted to... But how could he ever face her? That's when he knew though, he wasn't dead just yet.
Banjou and the others had taken refuge in the corner of the room, the tallest of the group using his body, as weak as it was, to shield his followers, who trying their best to hide behind him and still appear brave. Banjou's jaw was set sternly in fear as he watched Jason of the 13th ward being beaten to a pulp. The others were doing better- but he wasn't sure how long Orca would be wailing on Yakumo. He could turn to Shuu or Touka at anytime. Fuck... If it comes to that I'll have to fight... No, don't think about it like that- that's just selfish... But still... I don't want to die...
His eye's began to scan for something- anything to keep his eye's away from the brutality being displayed. It was weird, until now Banjou never felt anything for Jason, in fact he hoped that the bastard would die in the most horrible way possible. But, now, as he watched the man being destroyed, he couldn't help but feel bad. And as he lamented Jason's beating, he saw a figure looking on from another doorway, wearing a nurse outfit, looking as horrified as he felt at the display of power. He had to wonder though, was the other doorway there the entire time? Or was it hidden? But, that didn't matter at the moment.
The nurse, he observed, rather bravely, began to step out. Her feet were bare as they stepped over the metal, which must have been freezing. From the tattered look of her outfit, the disheveled way of her brown hair, and the black under her eye's, Banjou could tell that she wasn't someone who enjoyed it here.
Then she saw him, cowering in the corner, and her eye's almost lit up. Why? Banjou wondered. He was a ghoul, and could tell from her scent that she was decidedly human. Maybe it was like his situation with Aogiri? Despite him being part of it he didn't like it.
Then, in the most confusing display yet, she began to wave her hand, beckoning him, and his underlings, over too her. God, did he want to run over there, but he couldn't, not when the others were still fighting. Sure, he couldn't do much, but he could try to help right? Banjou, though reluctantly, shook his head. He wasn't going to abandon them.
Frowning in fear, the nurse then looked over to the fights and froze. What was she planning? Her face was still and she almost appeared to have stopped breathing. Then he saw her take a deep, heavy breath. Like she was sucking in the courage to do whatever she had planned. And then she initiated it.
"Hey!" She screamed loudly, "You two with the purple hair, over here!"
Banjou almost began to laugh, was she serious?
Touka kicked away the girl who refused to give her any space, finally causing her to reveal some form of physical pain. She used the short time too look over to the voice. It was a tattered girl in a nurse outfit, the cloth torn up and practically rags. Her skin was dirty and her eye's had severe black under them. She was motioning towards herself vigorously.
Touka almost laughed herself, did she honestly expect her to trust her? They were in enemy territory, everyone was a threat... But, it was still quite the trade off. She was just one girl, a human girl at that... And even if she had a quinque with her, there were eight of them and one of her, how much could she do?
Touka looked over to Tsukiyama, her eye's asking for conformation... The twins weren't to bad, but that big guy... Touka didn't think any of them stood a chance compared to that guy. Speaking of which... it didn't appear Yakumo had much of a chance. Shuu simply shrugged, giving her the decision... she took it. Turning her head to Banjou, the girl ordered him. "Yo, Banjou, let's go!"
He didn't need to be told twice. It was practically unanimous as they all took for the door.
Shachi grumbled aloud as he watched his targets escaping towards a newly opened door- one that he didn't even know about until just now. I won't let you... He thought to himself, leaving his punching bag behind as he took off after the group, the twins joining is side shortly after they recovered. running, for their enemies was futile... Orca had practiced and mastered martial arts, and combining that with his endurance as a ghoul made him incredibly strong and fast... they couldn't out run him, not even the Ukaku...
Then he felt it, his muscle tearing as a foreign entity entered his right shoulder, pushing all the way through and pinning him to the floor. Then, the twins were knocked away with the swing of a giant appendage, flying out of his now restricted sight. Straining his neck to see over his back he saw something that should have been impossible... That man who he had so thoroughly beaten into the floor was now up. But more impossibly, he bore a new Kagune... It was a deep red pulsing with anger and excitement and it stretched from his lower back all the way over to both of his arms and his face... Shachi knew that the man had been eating ghouls recently, he could smell it each time he punched with wind out of him, he just didn't think his metamorphosis was this far along.
Then he heard the once opened door slam shut, followed by a breathy laugh and finally... "What's 1000-7?"
Eto found herself shaken from her bed, not physically but more due to the sounds that had begun to bounce of the walls... They were like explosions in some way... But who would be here? Of course, as soon as she asked that she realized how dumb of a question it was... Dammit, Kaneki...
A/N: Hello everyone? Just a quick question that's been bothering me. Do these chapters feel rushed to you? Maybe it's just me being self-conscious about my writing but what do you think? Anyway's Enjoy the chapter!