Final Decision

A week drifted by slowly as Orino's body struggled to heal itself, she'd been staying with Uta in those days since she couldn't return to her home and was reluctant to go to Anteiku, she didn't want everyone being found out because of her.

"Your recovering so slowly because you're not eating enough!" Uta scolded as he sat next to her, she sighed.

"I don't want to eat humans." She stated tiredly as she leaned back in her seat.

"I know that, that's why I've been letting you feed from me, but you've got to eat more."

"No way, I hate cannibalizing you it feels wrong, and I don't want you killing on my behalf either. Though I will admit I'm quite famished." Uta was the only person who cared for all three, now two, personalities, usually the people she encountered only liked one of the three or only ever met them whilst they were wreaking havoc, but not Uta, it was because they wreaked so much havoc that he liked them all.

"Wrong or not, eat." He demanded as he came closer to her, she sighed, if she didn't do it willingly then he would surely force her to eat, she sunk her teeth in.

With the help of Uta, Orino was nearly recovered within the next few days, if anything she could finally leave his shop, but not without a disguise of course, it was because of that fact that Orino decided to go for a completely different look: She dyed her hair coal black, a stark contrast from the platinum color she'd sported before, straightened it, and changed her part so that her bangs covered one side of her face. She also wore contact lenses changing her cherry orbs to light blue, and finally she wore an extra sweater underneath the one she was already clad in, so that she appeared heavier than she actually was.

"If I hadn't known you were changing your look then I wouldn't even know it was you!" Uta assured her, "though it seems no matter what you do, you only look more and more delicious." He stated with glint of mischief in his eye, and Orino flinched a bit, those types of comments always made her so uncomfortable.

She wasn't out of the woods just because she'd escaped the CCG, no, she still saw her picture on the news every day warning citizens about the Yoko ghoul. Speaking of Yoko, Orino found that Wrath had become much calmer ever since that fateful night the CCG had busted into Gluttony's horrible arena of death. Wrath no longer screamed for control or raged about murdering innocent humans, not that her rage had died of course, but Orino couldn't believe that Gluttony had caused Wrath so much distress, the two had always gotten along well enough.

She'd gone to a book store located in a separate ward than Uta's shop, she'd decided to go at night time since it would be less likely that she would be recognized at that time. She smiled contently as she carried along a small bag with a book inside, gripping, along with the bags plastic handles, a flashlight she'd brought along. Orino had been waiting for months for the that books release, she couldn't wait to get back so that she could read it. She hopped over a large puddle as she went, how exciting it was to be out and about once more.

Someone jumped out from behind her, she heard their feet hit the concrete, she spun around only to have a strong grasp come around her neck as she was lifted off the ground, she inhaled through her nose analyzing the person scent, human. She lashed out, landing a solid kick to the man's groin, he released her immediately and dropped to his knees where she then delivered a kick to his face, strong enough to knock him out.

Another attacker came at her head on, this one in a dark hoodie, she was quick to whip out the flashlight she'd brought, hitting the devices switch swiftly the lights beam began to blink rapidly; just as the man was about to grab her, she pointed the strobing light directly into his eyes, disorienting and frightening the man as he covered his eyes and stepped back. Orino took the opportunity to ram her shoulder into the man's lower ribcage, he stumbled over his unconscious accomplice before splashing into the large puddle Orino had leapt over just before the attack.

She ran. How foolish was she? Sure night time meant lesser chances of being discovered and reported, but it also meant higher chances of being attacked by stupid thugs. Wrath had been angered once again as she ranted about those dirty humans trying to harm them, she wanted to kill them, Orino wouldn't allow it, not while they'd just been identified by the CCG.

Orino had run none stop until she'd crossed into another ward, once she was sure that neither of the men had followed her, she stopped to catch her breath. She'd still yet to fully recover and so running so hard and fast for so long took a much larger toll on her than it normally would have.

"Uwwaaaah! Good job Orino-chan!" She heard a familiar voice chime, she turned to find Juuzou Suzuya emerging from the shadows, "you managed to fight those two off without killing them! I don't think I've ever met such a humane ghoul!" He exclaimed as he approached her, Wrath had gone silent at the sight of him.

"A-ah, Orino? I think you've got me confused with someone else." She said to him as she took a step back, Juuzou giggled at that.

"Come on! There's no need to pretend!" He cheered, "I know it's you, because I've been watching you for a while now, along with that other ghoul." What? He'd been watching them? For how long? Were his comrades attacking Uta as they spoke? What was she to do?! Wrath stayed silent as she waited to hear more from the unpredictable Investigator. "By the way," he shoved his hand into his pocket and removed a hair clip in the shape of a lamb, Orino took a step forward when she'd seen it, it'd been missing ever since their date. "This belongs to you right?" Orino wanted to take it from him, but wondered if she should continue acting as though she hadn't met him before, he could've easily been lying about watching her.

"It doesn't belong to me, if you found it on the street you should take it to a police box." She offered lightly, Juuzou scratched the back of his head.

"Ah~ I don't have a good history with police box's…" He trailed off, and Orino raised a brow.

"Wait a second, did you have something to do with those guys attacking me?!" She questioned as she thought on his earlier praise.

"Of course!" He answered with a grin, "I paid those two Moron's to attack you! Ya know, to see which personality I was gonna approach." Orino kneaded her brows together at that, "I didn't want to blindly walk into a fight with three different people like before, it was bizarre! But really cool that you all fight differently!" Orino raised a hand to her temple.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, just stay away from me!" She exclaimed as she turned, but when she did she was met with another Investigator, she recalled him to be the older gentleman whom was Juuzou's partner.

"Orino Morie." He called her name and she flinched, "come quietly and we won't hurt you or your friend who runs the mask shop." So they really had been watching her, she lowered her eyes.

"Please… Don't make me fight." She said, though she wasn't really talking to either of the investigators.

"Something I realized a little while ago," Wrath said quietly, "is that you grew to be independent from Gluttony, and look at you, you've become more confident because of it. Orino, I'm your Wrath, I'm your protector, however there will be a day when you won't need me anymore, I don't wanna be like Gluttony and over stay my welcome, living in denial and causing you to suffer. I want to become a natural part of you like she did. I want you to become better." Shinohara spoke up after a pause.

"We're not making you fight we're giving you the choice to- "

"But I'm not ready to fend for myself yet, I don't want you to go…" Orino said, Shinohara was taken aback.

"Ah, she's having another conversation with those other personalities of hers." Juuzou pointed out.

"You've gotta learn to stand on your own two feet," Wrath stated, "besides ever since Gluttony disappeared your inner rage has been lessening, and that's what always made me so strong, my passions been totally killed out. If you wanna get out of this jam, then you'll have to do it yourself."

"Shinohara-san, she's not gonna come quietly," Juuzou stated as he released his Jason, "none of her personalities are the type to give up like that." He swung his Jason, only to have her catch it's blade with a single hand.

"I really don't have a choice here do I?" Her Ukaku erupted like fire, as she turned to Juuzou and pulled on his scythe, causing the young investigator to stumble toward her, she kicked him hard in the stomach sending him flying from her. She then faced Shinohara, Jason in her bloody hand, had she been fully recovered there wouldn't have been so much blood.

"Juuzou! Remember she's a triple S Rated Ghoul!" Shinohara called out, Orino then looked back to the rising albino who smirked to her, she then crushed the blade of Juuzou's quinque, causing his eyes to go wide and his mouth to drop open.

"My Jason!" He cried as he watched what remained of his weapon clatter to the pavement.

She was suddenly before Shinohara, her Ukaku wrapped around him and threw him off to the side, where he collided with a wall of a building before falling to the ground, he was quick to push himself up and shake his head.

Juuzou began throwing his knives at Orino, a moving target was always the most fun to aim for, which was why he was disappointed to see that she wasn't moving around much at all, only stepping out of the way of his attacks, clearly distance attacks wouldn't be very effective on her.

Shinohara came running at her, she swatted him aside like his was little more than a bug. She turned to older man, despair buried in her eyes.

"Please, stay down." She said as she looked down on the two with watery eyes, "I don't want to kill you. Please don't turn me into a murderer."

"Then die!" Juuzou shouted, Orino turned to find that the white haired investigator was only inches away from her, he was quick to attack and Orino was slow to dodge, resulting in five knives being lodged into her torso.

Orino took a bold approach to the situation, instead of distancing herself she knocked what knives he held out of his hands, then she grabbed his hands tightly and stepped closer. Shinohara charged her as he saw his partner's predicament.

"Stop! Just stop attacking me!" She cried, causing Juuzou to blink as he stepped away from the odd ghoul, "I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask to be born a ghoul! It's not my fault! Just leave me alone!" She then stepped back and swung Juuzou hard, causing him to collide with Shinohara as the two went flying away from the ghoul. She gave them one final look before retreating.

She hadn't left them in too bad a state, not even a bit, though she realized that during their fight Juuzou hadn't moved around as much as he did when he fought Gluttony and Wrath, it was more than likely due to injuries he'd obtained in the battle in Gluttony's arena.

"See? You did good on your own. You don't need me anymore." Wrath said calmly, and Orino knew that she was right. "Let me merge with you." She ordered sternly.

"I will, but… Not just yet, I don't want to be alone right now…" Orino said as she continued on in the darkness. Where was she supposed to go? Uta's shop had likely been raided, her house was out of the question… Should she go to Anteiku? She didn't really have any other choice then did she? Surely, Yoshimura wouldn't mind putting her up for a night or so.

"My Jason," Juuzou whined as he looked on what remained of his quinque, "I can't believe she broke my Jason!" He exclaimed childishly, and Shinohara rubbed the back of his neck as he to inspected the weapon.

"Well, there's nothing much we can do about it… You'll have to work for a new quinque then won't you?" Juuzou whined again.

"I guess…" A smile crossed his lips, "and I know just where to get one." He stood suddenly and went running off into the night.

"Wait a sec! Where're you going Juuzou?!" Shinohara called after his subordinate, who didn't bother responding.

He was heading to the coffee shop where he knew Orino worked, he didn't expect her to have anywhere else to go, he was going to get a new quinque no matter what it took.

"Orino-chan," Yoshimura said her name as he sat coffee before her, meanwhile Touka tended to her wound, "you weren't followed were you?" He questioned.

"I don't believe so, I took many twists and turns at top speed, went through alley's and waterways, and I kept checking for the investigator's scents too, they shouldn't have been able to follow." She answered truthfully.

"Well, they know that you work here, if they end up coming to search for you I'll tell them I don't know where you are and I'll have Touka-chan come warn you so that you can escape." The elderly man assured with a kindly smile as he watched her sip the coffee he'd given her.

"Your coffee's always the best, Manager." She said with a sad smile, it was something that everyone in Anteiku understood: coffee was the only thing that ghouls and humans could share.

"Finish eating and then Touka-chan will show you to the vacant apartment upstairs." He said before walking off, Orino then continued eating the bloody meat which sat on a plate before her.

"Sorry, I'd let you stay in my apartment, but with both Hinami and I it's already a bit crowded." Touka said as she finished tending Orino's wound, she merely waved off the statement.

"No, no, it's fine. I think it's best I be alone now anyway…" She said slowly, "do you really think Uta will be okay?" Touka nodded.

"Definitely! I know you've not seen him in action, but he's a total badass! He'll be fine no doubt in my mind!" She assured with a smile, Orino lowered her gaze at that a small smile on her lips.

"Could you show me to the apartment now?" She questioned.

"Hm? But you've not finished eating yet." Touka pointed out, "you've gotta eat more if you want your hand to heal up quickly."

"…I'm just really tired…" Orino stated slowly, and Touka sighed.

"Not eating won't turn you into a human ya know. You're always's going to be a ghoul, nothing can change that."

"… I-I know, could you just… Please…"

Juuzou stood just across the street from Anteiku, he'd been watching the place ever since he'd discovered Orino worked there and so he knew that there were five apartment rooms above the shop, he also knew that only one of those rooms were being lived in; that's what he was looking for.

The shop had closed up and so then he was studying the balconies above along with the glass doors behind them, one had been lit up all night, the one that he knew was occupied. His eyes flickered to the room just next to it when the usually vacant chamber came alive with light, he squinted as he watched shadows passing by in the room. After a minute or so the shadows stopped moving, but the light to that room remained on and then a silhouette appeared in the glass leading to the balcony and Juuzou straightened as he watched the figure close the curtains.

It had to be Orino. He hurried across the street as he began to make his way to the apartment, even if it wasn't her then all he would have to do is apologize for the intrusion and leave.

Orino sighed as she locked the front door behind her, Wrath had been silent while she spoke to the Manager and Touka, but as they were finally alone she began to talk about the time they'd spent together, the time that she'd spent protecting Orino from the human's cruelty.

"What're you gonna do now?" Wrath questioned, "I know you're not ready to get rid of me just yet." Orino was silent.

"I'm gonna take a shower." She responded as she began to remove the two sweaters she'd been wearing, throwing them down in the living room floor as she traveled to the bathroom, undressing the entire way.

"You should've killed those investigators, Idiot." Wrath scolded in an unusually clam fashion.

"I don't want to kill…" Orino said as she turned on the shower.

"It doesn't matter whether you wanna or not! You're a ghoul, that means you'll have to kill! You've got no choice! You can't rely on me to do this for you anymore." Wrath exclaimed sounding more tired than angry, Orino sank down to her knees as water poured over her.

"You're right…" She said, "I want you to help me make a choice."

"… What kind of choice?"

Juuzou entered the apartment by way of the balcony door, he didn't even bother asking the Manager if Orino was there or not because when he stepped into the living room, sliding the door shut behind him, he saw the clothes she'd been wearing strewn about on the floor, and could smell the scent of blood in the air, he knew that she was there. He locked the balcony door behind him as a malicious smirk crept onto his face, only one of them would be leaving that apartment, honestly he didn't really care which one.

Juuzou followed the trail of clothes Orino had left behind, he came upon the restroom where the sound of running water drizzling came to his ears, along with Orino's voice.

"Yes, I'm absolutely certain," Orino said, "this is what I want to do. What do you think? Are you okay with it?" She was silent for a moment, "You're going away soon anyway… So then, we agree." He armed himself with his Bikaku knifes before opening the door quickly.

"So sorry to intrude like this~!" He called as he entered, his eyes darted downward only to find Orino sitting on the floor completely naked, her head down and her raven locks covering her face. She looked up at him with absolutely no passion in her, once again, ruby orbs.

"Why?" She questioned, taking Juuzou aback somewhat, "why do you keep chasing me?"

"You broke my quinque!" He explained with a grin, "I need a new one! You'll do nicely!" She looked away from him then, and she sighed.

"I don't want to die." She stated, and Juuzou prepared himself for a fight, "but, I also don't want to kill."

"You already have killed~!" Juuzou chimed, Orino slammed her hand on the wet tiles.

"No I didn't! It wasn't me! It was Gluttony and Wrath!" She wrapped her arms around her legs. "Because of those two, I never had to kill… Now Gluttony's gone, and Wrath is going away soon too." Juuzou tilted his head to one side curiously.

"Ne, aren't you gonna fight me?" He questioned.

"That's the thing, I don't want to die, I don't want to kill… But I can't avoid the latter if I keep on living." She raised her chin with another sigh, "I really don't want to take life, I don't want to be a ghoul. So I have to make a choice now, either kill or be killed." She stood, turning to him as she did so, and released her ukaku calmly. "I choose the latter."

"Eh?"

"I choose death." Orino stated, "I researched the making of quinque, they can't be made unless the kagune is released before the ghoul dies right?" She said as she looked back to her blazing wings. "This way you can use them as a quinque." Juuzou blinked a few times as she smiled kindly to him.

"Why in hell are you gonna let me kill you?" He questioned in wonder.

"I already told you, I had to make a choice. Besides that, Wrath is going to leave, I don't think I could handle being by myself, I'm just not that strong and I'm tired of worrying about whether or not I'll have to fight for my life, if the CCG is coming after me. I'm tired of worrying about the people I care about." She gave him a determined smile, "Wrath and I already agreed on this, so hurry up and kill me before we change our mind. Think of it as an apology for breaking your quinque earlier." Juuzou readied his knives once again.

"You really are the weirdest ghoul I've ever met!" He attacked her, blood splattered onto the walls and began to swirl down the drain as the water was quick to wash it away, Orino fell to the floor, her ukaku still flaming even as she lay under the showers drizzle. Juuzou smirked innocently as he looked on the dead girl. "I don't know why you made the stupid decision to die instead of kill, but I don't really care either," he knelt down before her, water dampening his white locks as his finger traced over her flaming wings, "because you'll make a wonderful quinque."