Hiro coughed into the running sink, this time spitting out blood. His skin looked pale, his right eye had turned completely red, his pupil dilated. It look like a blood vessel popped inside his eye, but worse.
He turned his head to the door, before coughing up more blood into the sink.
He collapsed onto the floor, holding his chest. Hiro clenched his hand around the shirt, gasping out for breath. He heard the door open, but that was when he blacked out.
Alpha 9 sighed out into the cold air. He looked at Dr. Franxx, who had asked for him, just him.
He had a feeling it was about Iota, but he wasn't quite sure just yet.
"Another clean up duty revolving around Iota?" Alpha 9 said, bored.
"No. I want you to watch and Code Zero-One-Six." Dr. Franxx corrected him.
Alpha 9 straightened up his back, laughing quietly.
"So, just me and no one else in the Nines?" Alpha 9 said, a smile across his face.
"Yes. It's very… urgent." Dr. Franxx said, his fingers tapping on a keyboard.
"Alright, consider it done." Alpha 9 mumbled out, turning on his heel as he put his hand towards the door knob.
That was when Nana came across the monitor, looking afraid.
"Doctor! Zero-One-Six is not well!" Nana yelled out.
Dr. Franxx looked at this, and quickly tapped his hands on the keyboard, bringing up his tab on Hiro's health and genetics.
Werner stared at them, dumbfounded from what he was seeing.
It was spreading too fast. Too fast.
"Get him to a hospital bed! Don't let Zero-Two near him whatsoever." Dr. Franxx said, before pushing the seat back and quickly springing to his feet.
He turned on his heel, picking up his cane and speed walking as fast as he could.
Alpha 9 followed close in pursuit, walking alongside him.
Zero-Two had heard about what was happening, she couldn't help but stifle a laugh from this entire predicament. He'd fine after that pain passed, and he'd be like her. The only problem, would be that pesky doctor that'd try and stop it, or at least slow it down.
But she wasn't expecting that blonde fiend.
Alpha 9 quickly walked past Zero-Two, not batting an eye to her whatsoever.
He kept his pace alongside Franxx, making sure to not lag behind. He never knew the old man could walk this fast, it surprised him honestly.
Alpha 9 turned his head back it Iota, a scowl, and a gaze were shot his way. He paid no attention to it.
They rounded the nearby corner and started reaching the hospital room. It was easy to find, seeing as how it was crowded by the remaining members of Squad 13.
Kokoro was fiddling with her thumbs.
Goro was biting his lower lip.
Ichigo could be seen with a bloody hand, what lead to that, was obvious to Alpha 9.
Miku was staring down at the floor.
Zorome was pacing back and forth in the hallway.
Futoshi was nervously eating bread.
Ikuno took her glasses off, and put them back on multiple times.
When the duo finally reached the door, Dr. Franxx wasted no time rushing inside.
Alpha 9 stayed outside with Squad 13.
His first priority, was checking Ichigo's bloody hand. Which, was on the right.
He walked over, and stared down at the hand.
"Let go for a minute." Alpha 9 said as he took the hand into his right hand.
He looked down at the blood, noticing it was still bleeding.
"Apply pressure to it, did, Iota do it?" Alpha 9 asked.
Ichigo nodded, her words were choked up in her mouth.
"Zero-Two? Ichigo just tried to help Hiro and she just, lashed out." Goro said for her.
"Lashed out? So wait, you all have names for yourselves?" Alpha 9 asked them.
Her lashing out didn't seem normal. Even for her. Alpha 9 looked down the hallway, spotting Zero-Two walking down the hallway towards the group.
"How about you all go inside. Leave Dr. Franxx alone, and just converse among yourselves." Alpha 9 stated.
"Wait, let me stay." Ichigo finally spoke up.
"No." Alpha 9 said, shooting down the offer.
"I wasn't asking." Ichigo said.
Alpha 9 scoffed, watching as Zero-Two walked over.
Dread seemed to cover everyone BUT Alpha 9.
He had dealt with her before.
He could deal with her again.
"Iota. How about you come back to the Nines?" Alpha 9 offered.
Zero-Two ignored him, she glared her teeth. Her fangs overlapped her bottom lip.
"Just going to walk right through us…" Alpha 9 mumbled.
He pushed Ichigo back into the hospital room roughly, he turned to face Zero-Two, blocking the door from her.
"I'm not letting you through."
"Then I'll force my way in."
Zero-Two lunged at him, but Alpha 9 ducked to the right.
His feet were swept out from under him, and Zero-Two jumped down onto him.
Alpha 9 put his hands out in front of his face and throat.
Zero-Two was slamming her right knee into his right thigh, though from this position, it wasn't helping her one bit.
Within a moment, Zero-Two opened her mouth and slammed her teeth around his right wrist.
Alpha 9 screamed out in pain, yet with his left hand he formed it into a fist and slammed it into her right temple.
She kept a firm grip on his wrist, not letting go. He kept slamming his fist into her left temple, something ferocious seemed to seep in to Zero-Two's personality.
He slammed his knee into where her liver should be.
Zero-Two let go, coughing out for breath.
Alpha 9 stood up, holding his bitten wrist. He looked at it quickly, seeing blood gushing from it.
Zero-Two tried getting up, but a swift kick was landed on her left temple, sending her down on the ground.
He stepped over, planting his foot down on the back of her head.
"Again, you never learn." Alpha 9 scoffed out in between breaths.
Zero-Two grunted under his foot, she struggled, but he slammed his foot down once more on her head.
Hours later, Hiro was finally coming out of the room.
Zero-Two stayed at Plantation 13.
But for reasons unknown.
"Keep her there." One of the chairmen said.
"Indeed, it'd be good to let her run rampant for a while. Let her relieve some stress by taking out her anger on them." Another agreed.
Hiro was tired. He just wanted to sleep. That's all he wanted. He was tired, he was hungry.
Wait, Futoshi looked like he'd fill him up for the night, maybe if he were to just take one little bite – wait. Why was he having those thoughts? Why was he thinking about eating his friend? He was confused.
His head hurt, and he just wanted to sleep. He stumbled into the shared room between him and Goro, his entire train of thought a wreck. He felt like he was in pain.
He slowly crawled into his bed, throwing the covers over him.
Hiro rested his head on the pillow.
Even though his brain wasn't going to be hurt, his head just hurt so much that he had to put his head down slowly.
He closed his eyes, and tried to sleep.
Alpha 9 had gotten is wrist bandaged up, but he felt something nagging on him.
Why was Zero-Two defending Hiro so much? And why was he so important to her?
He came up with an idea.
"Doctor?" Alpha 9 called out to Dr. Franxx.
Franxx turned, looking at Alpha 9.
"Can I stay at Plantation 13 for a little while?" Alpha 9 said, curious.
"Sure. But I doubt Papa and the others will like this." Franxx said with a sigh.
And with that, Alpha 9 moved into Mistiltheinn.
Though, he was on a constant daily basis of talking with the rest of the Nines, while also keeping an ever watchful eye over Zero-Two.
Who he still referred to as Iota.
Zero-Two wasn't happy with this new arrival.
He was forced to partner up with Ikuno, who he thought was inferior and couldn't connect with.
He was wrong, yet it strained her.
Alpha 9 wasn't only just watching Zero-Two, he was watching Hiro and his mood.
He thought he noticed blue outlines near his eyes, and from seeing that he almost threw up in disgust and shock.
And this all happened at breakfast.
Hiro's sleep wasn't good. He had a dream, and he didn't like it one bit.
He saw a humanoid figure eating something, at first he thought it was Zero-Two or someone else.
But when he walked closer in his dream, he slowly realized it was him. With blue horns and blue outlines near his eyes.
He fell back in disgust, and that was when he woke up to Zero-Two pinching him, and lightly biting his right cheek.
Alpha 9 looked at his wrist from time to time, checking it for any more blood, or even any new developments. He unwrapped the gauze around the wound, and quickly took a peek at it.
It was disgusting when he first got it, but now it looked fine. He'd probably have a scar.
Though she did do a good number on his wrist.
She ripped off some skin, and tore some muscles.
His wrist was sore, for sure.
Alpha 9 rewrapped his wrist, walking down the stairs.
He looked to the right, towards the mess hall. He squinted, and then looked back at the bathhouse.
He wondered if he should take a bath, and eat later.
Alpha 9 decided against that.
He sped walked over to the mess hall, holding his wrist.
The blonde clone looked to the right, looking at the gender divided tables – but she was sitting in the same seat next to Hiro.
Hiro did seem confused, and startled at the same time.
A day before, Alpha 9 saw him on his deathbed.
But not today however.
Yet he still looked like he almost died.
Alpha 9 felt like he could hear violins going playing in his head, in a fashion of dread, of horror.
Then they picked up.
Then they slowed.
Then they picked up.
Then they stopped.
Then they started again.
Then they picked up.
Then they slowed.
Then they all synchronized.
Then they stopped.
Then a piano was put in the mix.
This just felt, horrendous.
He looked to the left, the female gender table.
Alpha 9 sighed.
Hiro looked up from eating, he hadn't met this newcomer yet.
This newcomer, who was dressed in a white uniform.
Very different to the grayish color of normal parasites.
It reminded him of Zero-Two's uniform – why was he thinking about her?
Alpha 9 continued to walk, and found his seat.
Zero-Two kicked it away from him.
Alpha 9 looked at her, raising a brow.
If he hadn't had a messed up wrist, he would've forced her to sit at her table.
Alpha 9 then spun on his heel.
Alpha 9 stopped. "Oh. That's rich." The Clone said with a chuckle.
The entire room stopped, and stared at this Nines member.
Alpha 9 then turned, and shrugged it off. "It's nothing. I assure you." Alpha 9 said with a grin.
The blonde took five steps over to the table he was to sit at, and pulled out his chair.
He sat down in it, right next to Hiro and Zero-Two.
It was a necessity for him to watch her, to keep a watchful, big brother eye over this entire squad.
Goro decided to strike up a conversation. "So, why're you staying here anyways?"
"Me?" Alpha 9 pointed at himself. He held a fork, admiring its shiny complexion.
Goro nodded slowly.
"I decided to. Papa's orders too." Alpha 9 said with a smug grin.
"Papa?" Zorome shot up in his seat.
"Mhm." Alpha 9 said, still looking at the fork.
"Will he ever come here?" Zorome asked quickly.
"If he has something important to do, though I doubt he'd ever come here. Too much of a pain to go to places he doesn't have to." Alpha 9 shot down the question.
"Oh…" Zorome sat back down.
The females at the other table were chatting, but no one paid too much attention to them.
Alpha 9 sat back in his chair, holding a small piece of meat.
"This?" Alpha 9 said, disgusted.
He took a small bite from it, then chowed it down.
After this, Alpha 9 surmised he would go around, asking who these Squad members are, to get a good understanding of who they were, and how they worked.
Every little detail was needed.
Every. Little. Detail.
The rest finished, and left the room.
Alpha 9 stayed for a while, then got up, pushing the chair out.
He stood for a minute, and then took steps outside of the mess hall.
Zero-Two was waiting for him outside.
He sighed, trying to walk by.
"No." Zero-Two stated.
"What do you mean, no?" Alpha 9 responded.
"You are not going anywhere near my Darling." Zero-Two said, walking closer to Alpha 9.
"I had no intentions." Alpha 9 retaliated.
"Go, eat your other friends." Alpha 9 told her.
"What a nice suggestion." Zero-Two smiled, her tongue swiped across her lower lip.
"Anyways, you'll just prove you're always going to be a monster, and you'll never be human Iota. So, I wouldn't be getting too cocky if I were you." Alpha 9 said, smiling. He continued to walk across the area, quickly making his way to the greenhouse.
He breathed out into the air, wondering what was to happen soon.
Hiro was at it again, coughing up blood. It was worse this time, like the thing that was causing him pain was amplified, and was trying to kill him. No doubt, it was probably trying to do just that.
But something felt familiar about it, something forgotten.
Zero-Two stood behind him, her smile haunted his dreams. Her laugh made him shudder with fear.
And there she was, smiling from seeing him in pain.
Why was this happening to him?
What did he do to deserve this?
AN; Chapter 3. Anyways, time to answer some reviews.
Derpslurp; if you'd like to tell me what you find confusing, I can clear it up in the next chapter or so.
Delphi913; He still has his hand. Though there is some scars on his hand.
KingPlotBunny; Mitsuru had to die to get the plot started. Sorry Mitsuru. The ending is not going to be what you think it will be. I've never watched Tokyo Ghoul, having something like that form of cannibalism was never my intention. But I'm glad you are enjoying it! I'd say it's sort of cannibalism. I haven't focused on it as much, seeing as how I'm trying to build up the next big death. And it's going to be an interesting one.
Alright, that's all for now! I'll work on Mesa Chapter 9 tomorrow, and then after that, there will be a short supply of chapters from me since school is starting back up on Wednesday. Chapter 6 of CiTF is planned for around either next week, or Thursday.
Chapter 4 of this fanfic, might come sooner than you think.