To whom it may concern, "did I really just write that?" You'll know it when you see it. I think this kind of scene will be a one off kind of thing and I don't expect to write more of this (It's not TrashKan sorry to disappoint you) Also, Holy fuck this is a lot of words (at least for me) Who know about my update schedule I mean rly, I'm so unreliable! I shall go sit in the corner and punish myself for leaving this half done for so long.

Chapter 10: A Snake's Apology, Ein Tausendfüßler in Sein Ohr

Sasaki groaned, his mouth was dry, his back and shoulders ached. He was tied to a chair, manacles affixed around his ankles. The floor had a black and white checker pattern in marble tile. It was caked in dry blood. His mind swam as he swallowed. Sharp pangs rocketed through his skull when he sat up. Manacles arrested his wrists and a rope dug into his stomach, keeping his back against the chair. The appearance of the room was beyond unsettling, yet terrifyingly familiar. Massive, red steel bars held up the dome roof reminiscent of a birdcage. Aside from the chair the room was empty.

"Ah, you're awake. Good." The voice had come from behind him, right behind him. His gray hair was given a sharp yank up straining his neck. "And how are we feeling then?" It was like hearing a distorted recording of himself. Whoever it was leaned over his shoulder. Sasaki could make out the mask, it was his, the one from that crazy dream a few days ago. I have to be imagining this! It's in my head. This isn't real. He squeezed his eyes shut, pain contorting his face. Wake up, dammit!

"It's useless," the figure whispered in his ear, "I want to have a nice long chat… but first, a question. What's 1000 minus 7?"

*Crack*

*POV

Omega leaned against the wall and swiped her tongue over her lower lip thoughtfully. She was studying the young CCG officer restrained on her table. She had gotten to keep him, though she wanted the white-haired one, when the Gourmet returned successful. Gamma had told her to be careful, so careful she was. Quinex were a whiley bunch after all. The worst was when the CCG hid knives and such in their clothing; she took the logical step of stripping him of everything but his boxers, a very nice pair with a simple white color, and strapped him down so her couldn't stab her with his borrowed kokaku. Looking at him made her hungry. Domino-sama had instructed her to help him recover, so he must be important, but her stomach vehemently protested the easy meal she was passing up. Just a taste shouldn't hurt right?

She perked up when a slight moan escaped from his throat as he blinked his eyes open. He was undoubtedly staring at the chains that hung in a spiderweb style on the ceiling; it was a pattern of her own making. Omega chuckled to herself when she saw him stiffen. Her prey gave a brief, precise pull at his bindings before deciding it was useless and becoming still. The only light in her playroom filtered through the chains and fell on his exposed torso. It was a very nice torso. Clearly well built with muscles that were just filling out. She liked low fat meals. He was scanning the darkness in which she lounged. The she-ghoul checked her half mask before stepping out to greet her awakened toy.

His gaze fixed on her with such intensity that she almost hesitated to approach. She walked in the manner of her usual disguise, rolling her hips to expose her long sculpted legs through slits up to her mid thigh. Her mask was red like her dress and curved to accentuate her cheekbones and the gentle slope of her jaw. The letter after which she was named emblazoned in black over her right eye. She leaned her shoulders back when she came to a stop next to him to add that little bit of femme fatale charm. While his gaze never left her one seen eye, she could tell he was dissecting every last detail he could find. Eyes were very telling to someone with experience at reading them.

She swiped her tongue over her lower lip again before purring "Nice to see you awake, officer."

He was silent. Rude.

Omega swung her leg over the table and, with a little shift, was straddling the young man in a provocative manner. Subtle changes like breathing, heart rate, and scents shifts were plainly open to her now. The violent rushing of his blood betrayed the stalwart face he wore. His breathing sharpened when she leaned over him, deeply inhaling his musky smell and streaking her fingers through his soft hair. She dragged her tongue slowly along his jawline and drew small circles down his neck to his collarbone. Every centimeter was appetizing with the tang of adrenalin. From the rigidity of his muscles he was clearly in the "fight" stage. She opted to stop her teasing when she heard the metal creaking under his straining.

She gently folded her hands over his chest to rest her chin, suddenly filled with curiosity. "What is it like?" He was looking at her with mixed disgust and confusion. "What is it like to eat normal food?" she clarified. "I wonder, I can't quite remember the taste of things. I have plenty of memories from my life before all of," she lifted one hand to make a vague gesture, "this…" He was calmer now, although still stiff as a board. "My Papa worked long hours, and I remember how tired he was when he came home. Worn to the bone, always, but never distant. He was a good parent and a good man." The officer flinched. "Every time he came home he would call out to me," a smile came over her face, "and I would always run right into his arms 'Welcome home, Papa,' I would always say. 'Now, my princess,' he alway sounded so serious when he said that, 'what would you like for dinner tonight?' I normally replied with something ridiculous and he would play along." She turned her head so that her cheek lay over his heart, one arm underneath her and the other draped over his shoulder. "So, you see, I have no shortage of happy memories but I can't remember the simple things, like how Autumn smells with a pumpkin latte, or being able to go in from the street and pick anything from the menu, or even being able to chew gum." Omega looked up at him wondering how his face had changed, if it did at all. "Fathers are great, aren't they. It's just a sad thing for me that my happiest memories are also the most hollow. What about you?" a sadistic smile touched her lips, "What about your Papa? The Owl got him right?" She could feel the tendons in his arm tearing from the force of his grip.

He seemed to be purposely trying not to look at her, determinedly staring at the chain-web. His lips looked nice and Omega was overcome with the desire to feel them. "How mean," she murmured before cupping his face in her palm. He was forced to look at her, pulse accelerating slightly in anticipation of attack. She kissed the corner of his eyes first and tasted surprise. Next moving to his lips, she was firmly denied access to his mouth; his jaw was practically locked closed. She was not about to give up though a decided to play a bit dirty. He was one of those that suffered from an animalistic instinct. For a ghoul such a thing wasn't so bad but for a human in his position, well, she could take advantage of that. Shifting her weight onto her hips rubbed her intimates against his. With only two layers of thin fabric separating them it was too easy to provoke a reaction. He gasped and she pounced. She wanted to play with him, see how he would react to her. He had broken the kiss as soon as he could. Omega could feel his pain, see his agony, taste the sweat beading on his skin. So this is what Domino-sama was talking about. Poor guy. He was right to send him to me. "The only way to subdue your monster," she hummed walking her fingers along his chest, "is to accept it and work it out of your system." She murmured lustfully against his ear.

"Fuck-" he growled when she dug her nails into his shoulder.

"That's the general idea." She pulled herself off of him to undo the interwoven strings holding the crimson dress to her back. "You should already know about rc pathways, that a ghoul gets stronger the more it fights. That weapon in your shoulder can't access the natural pathways of the circulatory system to its full potential. You didn't train enough, get hurt enough, for your body to adapt to the power increase, but don't worry. I'll break you in all the right ways." Her laugh was accompanied by a pained scream.

*POV

Shirazu glanced around the laboratories looking for someone worth talking to. It was way to quiet for a busy school in the middle of the day, not a soul to be seen. Getting creepier every second. The prickling feeling in the back of his head didn't help. It was like some unseen threat was staring at him. It wasn't until an all too familiar hand dropped onto his shoulder followed by a "Hey~ friend," that he knew just how fucked he was. His blood turned to ice. Sigma was right behind him and felt very hostile. "What do you think you're doing wandering around like this? It's terribly~ rude not to call before you visit." The emphasis to the final "t" made a chill run up his spine.

Sigma's grip tightened and the young investigator had to fight not to scream. He was slammed into a row of lockers. With his "friend" just inches away, standing over him with overwhelming killing intent. His quinque had been knocked from his hand. As a long range kagune wouldn't help with Sigma this close, he was defenceless. He formulated a plan in seconds. Fuck! I really hope this works. He pulled a sidearm out of his belt.

"Ha~! What'cha going to do with tha~t. You know it won't do shit to me."

Shirazu smiled suddenly, he was right Sigma might be strong, but he wasn't that bright. "I'm not aiming at you!"

"Eh?"

*Blam* Water sprayed down from a broken sprinkler. The gun's recoil was stronger that he expected. Even though there wasn't anyone around to hear the shot the fire suppression system would pick up on the now running unit. Sure enough an earsplitting alarm went off. This was a school after all, the students would evacuate and his teammates would come.

Sigma's visible pupil contracted and he let out a pain cry, desperately trying to cover his ears. "You pest!" He roared, slamming his fist into the locker where Shirazu's head had been a split second before. The reinforced metal bent inward offering no resistance. Yikes.

The investigator ducked and rolled over the slicked floor to his weapon. Whipping it out and taking a battle stance. He felt the veins around his eye bulge as his lighter colored kakugan activated. His shirt gave an audible protest when his kagune tore free.

Sigma's face went from absolutely livid back to his off balanced smile in seconds. "You're going to regret tha~t!" He waved a finger at Shirazu. His laugh echoing through the halls competing only with the alarm every other second. "Domino-sama wants you alive for now~. Ah, but soo~n…" he cut off, another bout of laughter ripping from him. "I wonder if you can bear it!"

Shirazu felt his heart sink. The ghoul had to have a reason for calming down that quickly. It couldn't be good. "What are you-"

"Ha~! Maybe I'll have a cute little brother after Omega-chan is done breaking him!" Sigma stuffed his hand in his suit pocket before turning on his heels.

Shirazu knew immediately. A rage like he had never felt before jabbed out of his heart. How could he have been so stupid? Why? Why did he ever think that he could trust a ghoul? "Don't you dare talk about Urie like that, you bastard!" He charged.

Sigma side stepped still smirking. The ghoul's eye focused on something behind him and the smile dropped.

"Shirazu!" It was Mado. His backup had arrived alarmingly fast. She must have finished talking to the administrators while he had been walking in circles. Her quinque was a chimera type, the point was thrust in Sigma's direction. His loafers couldn't get the traction he would need on the slicked floor. Mado would hit her mark.

As the milliseconds slid by however, Sigma moved. He was far more agile than he seemed. Slamming his foot through the floor, he anchored himself, dropped below the strike, and, without removing his hand from his pockets, delivered a kick that sent the senior CCG officer flying.

Shirazu put both hands into a downward swing. Sigma caught it. He fucking caught itI Like it was nothing! Clicking his tongue he fired several point blank shots from his kagune at the masked madman. A dull crack noted that Shirazu's rounds impacted on something other than flesh. When the steam cleared he was staring at a black, metallic looking koukaku that had formed a protective shell over Sigma's body.

The ghoul yanked his foot free and delivered another kick, this time aimed for Shirazu's shoulder. I'm fucked! His mind reeled for a way out of the blow. Blocking it was out of the question, as was releasing his weapon. Mado once again saved his ass when her quinque's bikaku whip coiled around Sigma's leg mitigating the blow to painful but not deadly.

It was Sigma's turn to click his tongue. "So~ annoying."

*POV

Mitsuki whipped around when he heard the fire alarm go off.

"Sounds like it's coming from the Bio-Chem lab." The hooded young man stood as he spoke. It spooked Mitsuki how similar to Sasaki he sounded. "Wasn't one of your teammates there, officer?"

"Ah! Shirazu!" Mitsuki sprinted away and to his surprise the hooded young man was right on his heels. He didn't seem to be breathing heavily at all even though Touro was going flat out. What is up with this guy?

"This way," he deadpanned. If he didn't have the student following him, Mitsuki would have run straight past the fire door. "The main entries are electronic and their power is cut when the alarm goes off. These emergency doors are the only way in and out of the building and lead straight to the main stairwell."

"Oh, thank you." The duo pried open the door. A good bit of rubble was blocking the way into the lower floors and echos of a fight resonated just behind.

"We'll have to go around, unless you can do something about this."

"Let's hurry around then," he muttered nervously.

"I see."

They raced through the upper halls, skidding over the wet floors at every turn. Mitsuki was just cutting around a classroom when a very injured Shirazu went flying through the wall in front of him. The black koukaku that had thrown him retreated back into the hole before its wielder stepped out. Mado was being dragged by the hair, her weapon trapped in the armored flesh of the ghouls arm. The ring-like kagune, coiled around his shoulders and his upper body, creeping up his neck and crisscrossing down his right arm. Darker purple cracks formed briefly whenever he moved before it hardened again. Mitsuki froze when he locked eyes with the ghoul.

"Eh~, there's~ more of you? Ha! You guys are like rats, kill one and there's ha~lf a dozen more~!" He lifted Mado into the air and she snarled in pain. "I don't care about orders anymore. I'm gonna rip you all apart!"

"How unfortunate." The monotone behind Mitsuki declared. When the investigator looked back he saw the young man flip open a nearby locker. He lifted a simple half mask to his face, the hood falling when he brushed his hair back. The left eye remained visible but had shifted into a kakugan.

The ghoul in the white suit stared for a long time, a serious expression on his face. "You're-" He didn't have time to finish his sentence as the teenage ghoul rushed him, putting up a guard at the last possible second. Mado fell to the floor with a gasp. Mitsuki sped over to his superiors side. Shirazu seemed to recover himself somewhat.

Looking up at the fight, Mitsuki gazed in awe at the speed the two ghouls were moving; the younger while notably faster, didn't hit quite as hard, giving the aggressive other opportunities to counter. It was clear, however, that the teen was stronger as he was quickly winning ground. When they broke away the black-clad ghoul was winded.

"I'm disappointed in you, Sigma. Do you forget your loyalties?"

"N-no!" The reply had a hint of desperation.

"You were given an order, Sigma," ice had crept into the monotonous voice making a chill run up Mitsuki's spine, "and you will carry it out."

The one, whose name was apparently Sigma, snarled in response. "Fine." He turned on his heel and stalked away.

Mitsuki froze when the other ghoul turned his piercing eye on him. "I'm sorry about him. He had been bothersome recently. It won't happen again." There was no emotion as he spoke. He also hadn't used his kagune at all during the fight, a fact that struck the investigator only after the youth had started to walk away.

"W-wait!"

He turned.

"A-as a CCG officer I have to arrest you," he stood shakily and took out his knife.

"... "The young man laughed harshly, "Look after your injured, officer. Jokes like that make you into a fool." He wasted no more time, vanishing from sight, as if he had never been there at all.

"What the hell!" Shirazu grunted.

"Hold," Mado barked, "as much as I'm loath to say it, we are in no condition to go after them. Let's find Seiko. Sasaki should be here with Urie by now. We can regroup and then launch a counter assault."

*POV

The side of Sasaki's face burned when the back of the ghoul's hand connected. Dried blood stuck to his hair and coagulated down the corner of his mouth. He glared defiantly up at the figment that stuck him. "You're not real." Again another blow came down on him.

"Just because you say something over and over, doesn't make it true, Sasaki. You're an investigator right? Prove it."

"How can I," he laughed bitterly, "this is all in my head right? It has to be. I'm insane! I've know it for a long time." The other's black nailed fist plunged into his stomach, forcing him to cough violently as he tried to catch his breath. His head slumped against Eyepatch's shoulder.

"That didn't sound like proof. You can do better. So tell me, how is it that this place isn't real?"

"Because," he was finally able to speak, gasping slightly as his body healed, "you're me. The me I was before I became Sasaki Haise." The other took a breath as if to say something when a loud bang cut him off.

A tall, very excited figure burst into the room and memories of a confrontation with the rakish ghoul came flooding back. It was an ambush, he had Urie swung over his shoulder, and he was attacked from above. He had managed to avoid the knife like kagune, but only just. He was rushed before he could put the invalid down. That was undoubtedly intensional. It made him vulnerable, easy to defeat. He had taken a blow to the head. It wasn't meant to kill but had succeeded in knocking him out. Sasaki had recognized the mask, it was Gourmet.

He took a sharp breath, pain and confusion swirling around in his head. The Gourmet was real, without a doubt, and was having a heated argument with Eyepatch. He could see Sasaki's tormentor meaning said ghoul must himself be real. Meaning this was real. Sasaki had really been captured. He was really being interrogated. He was really being beaten. And, most importantly, his captors really did have the ability to end him whenever they wanted. Sasaki wanted to summon his kagune but the all too familiar feeling of sluggishness in his regeneration informed him of the futility.

The ecstatic voice of Gourmet snapped him back into focus. "It's really him, my Kaneki! It's him! It's him!It's him!It's him!It's him!It's him!It's him!It's him!It's him!It's him!"

"Shuu," Eyepatch moved between the salivating ghoul and Sasaki, "back away, now."

"My Kaneki," he rambled on, "My beloved master, my fête!"

"Shuu!" the younger ghoul cracked his fingers pensively.

"I will have him. You will not get get in my way Yukio-kun."

"We need him alive!"

Instead of speaking the Gourmet's knife koukaku ripped through his bright suit and he charged. Eyepatch dodged and parried each blow with a careless ease. The only indication that he was exerting any effort was an irritated sheen in his one blue-gray eye.

With one fluid motion, he diverted one of Gourmet's strikes, breaking his guard, and delivering a devastating body blow. Four long, almost black rinkaku limbs tore free from his back and, each in succession, struck the indigo haired, sending him sprawling across the floor. Again Eyepatch moved to stand between Sasaki and Gourmet. It seemed strange that the ghoul that had just been beating him was now defending him.

"I lied to you Shuu," his voice was cold and sent a chill up Sasaki's spine, "I had never intended letting you anywhere near Kaneki Ken. He is valuable at this stage. The gambit is yet to be played. You however, are now expendable. I will kill you. Back off."

The Gourmet still in a spitting rage stood, albeit unsteadily, and glared at Eyepatch. "Je vois, Yukio-kun, I should have expected no less from his son."

Who was he talking about?

"Cleverness runs in the family," the injured ghoul limped out. "but, I will have Kaneki, sooner or later."

"Damn that fool," Eyepatch muttered before too making his exit.

Sasaki was left alone to think on what he had seen. All the implications of this begain to drown him. Did I know them? Clearly Gourmet knew me, or at least of me. What about Eyepatch? He looks exactly like … me. No. It can't be possible right? I would know if I had any relatives. Arima would have told me. Unless they were also a half-ghoul… But he would still tell me right? It's Arima. Of course he would. Mado definitely would… right? He shook his head as if he could physically throw off those doubts. Regardless, how long has this ghoul organization existed and what was my relationship with them? Was I a member? Is that why I recognized Serpent?

His stormy thoughts were interrupted by a hesitant creek of the door. A familiar hooded ghoul peeked into the room before glancing back into the hall. Once he slipped in he made sure to close the door as quietly as possible behind him.

"Serpent?" Sasaki spoke without meaning to.

The hooded ghoul approached, cautiously at first but with more haste the closer he got. "Sasaki." He stated his greeting with a hint of concern.

"Why are you here?" the question seemed natural and despite a growing pain in the back of his head, it felt relaxing to be near Serpent.

There was a long pause where it seemed that at any second the ghoul would turn and leave. He kept glancing back at the door. The motion was nervous and when at last he speak it was in a barly audible whisper, "I'm going to get you out of here." This, naturally took Sasaki by surprise.

"Eh?"

"I'm going to get you out of here." Serpent repeated just a little louder.

"W-why?"

"What, do you want to stay." It wasn't phrased as a question, more like a statement of annoyance.

"N-no, of course not but… why are you helping me?"

There was yet another long pause where Serpent clenched and unclenched his hands "I still owe you too much to stand here and watch you rot. Kimi wouldn't have wanted that, either."

While Sasaki had no idea what the ghoul was talking about, after seeing Gourmet, he didn't much care how he managed to get out of… wherever he was.

"I'm sorry about Yukio," he said having moved around the back of the chair to snap off the restraints.

"You know I'll have to fight you as soon as I get out of here right?"

"I'm pretty sure I'll kick your ass this time, I've been practicing." Somehow Sasaki found it in his heart to laugh. Though his head still felt like it was splitting the calm that swept him along numbed him.

Serpent lead him through twisted passage after twisted passage. It was a labyrinth down here. Even if Sasaki managed to escape there would be no way to find his way back. He was so distracted by the grandeur of the place, he nearly didn't stop in time. Serpent had come to a dead halt, the reason for which was Eyepatch leaning his back against the wall just two meters in front of them. He turned his head to look at them and Sasaki swallowed nervously. The two ghoul gave a nod of acknowledgement and Eyepatch shifted, walking along with Serpent picking up the pace as well.

Sasaki gave a startled noise before trotting after them. "Uh, where are we going, and why are we going with him?" he whispered to Serpent.

It was Eyepatch who responded, "Because Shuu has become a problem, Domino-sama has changed the plan. Too many variables. He's the type that likes to be in control. Besides, I have verified your stability myself. You will be allowed to participate in the plan after all."

"What gives you any idea I'd cooperate with you?" Sasaki demanded, only slightly curious, but more incredulous.

"Your cooperation is not necessary for your participation." Eyepatch stated matter-of-factly.

Serpent gave an irritated huff. "But your cooperation is prefered." He almost seemed to be reminding Eyepatch of something.

"Wait a second," Sasaki ask in a serious tone, "how can I participate if I don't cooperate?"

Eyepatch stopped suddenly and too a side step to face Sasaki, looking him dead in the eye. "Because it is your nature." The investigator had opened his mouth though he had no reply. Thus they continued for sometime without speaking until at last they reached a door. "This will lead you to the surface, here." Eyepatch handed him red domino tile and a burn phone. There was a single number stored on it. "Take your time, officer. Domino prefers full disclosure to those who earn his trust. Call him when you see fit."

The door swung open behind him and another ghoul in a decrepit white suit with matching mask froze on the threshold, his gaze flicking from one face to another before resting on Sasaki. "Oh, hey~." he said moving to the side. Sasaki stepped past with some hesitance. Three against one were not good odds. "Oi," the newest ghoul said, tapping Sasaki's arm, "do you… remeber me?"

"Er, no. Should I?"

There was a brief flash of hurt over his visible features before he laughed sadly "Damn you, man~. I was hoping for a happy reunion." He looked down quickly before returning his gaze steadily on Sasaki. "I might not get the chance to say this to you later, but… I forgive you, for everything." and with a pained smile walked away allowing the door to swing shut behind him.

I-I know him. But… where? Where? "Who are you to me, Sigma?" He had guessed the name from the greek letter under his mask's left eye.

OMAGORSH this was a long time coming… So much work… I'm backing up the ending date of the murder poll because reasons. I'm retaking the SAT again tomorrow so me post this su~per late at night is painful. But, you know, Fuck it. Sorry if Sasaki seemed passive in this chapter but it was necessary for plot. BTW, I don't give a damn about canon anymore (outside of character development and relationships) I think I might shoehorn in some SasaMado because why the fuck not! I'll still kill her if the people demand it tho… *begins to laugh evilly*

I would like to take this time to thank BeryllSnake. I'll go back and do something to the German titles...probably...maybe...I haven't actually had German in so long that my grammar is kinda shite...whaaa…

Okay I'm gone, Good night world, torment you later.

(One last thing *POV indicates a change in point of view, however since part of the fun in my writing is for my reader to figure out whose pov they are in, I won't outright tell you who is whom.)