This is really late and if I'm honest I've just been procrastinating before coming to the conclusion that I should've never posted this if I wasn't going to actually update so without further ado I give you the next chapter/

The air had dampened considerably since the incident including the two investigators. The sky had gone from a bright blue during the morning, to a clouded gray as the afternoon made it's way around. The rain had begun to fall in soft ringlets, hitting the wood of the building that everything would take place in.

Little ways from the city sat a rather average styled house. The paint on the outside shined a white against red, the door having some flecks chipping away. Neighbors weren't around for miles which tended to be a good thing due to the company there.

Both Kaneki and Eto stood in the doorway, eyes staring at the scene before them in either amusement or slight horror. They couldn't even decide what would be the more proper reaction.

There in front of them was Naki, a sidekick in all honesty to his 'Big Bro' Yamori, or Jason as he's more known, in absolutely nothing save for the frilly 'Kiss The Cook' apron on. In his hand was a rather large chunk of raw meat that he didn't seem to be eating.

Yamori was nowhere to be found.

Another person happened to be there, though. A woman who sat, legs crossed, as she read one of the latest Takatsuki Sen books. Long purple hair framed her face perfectly along with her red glasses that were obviously narrower and smaller than Eto's own red ones.

Rize Kamishiro, Otherwise known as The Binge Eater, casually looked up and slapped on a smile,

"I'm guessing we're ready to go and see our guest?"

She bowed her head towards Kaneki a bit in respect before standing from her place lounging on the couch. She saw no reason to address the lack of clothing on the blond-haired ghoul who had also taken a bow at the sight of Kaneki.

The group of three (Not counting Naki, because he wouldn't be going in) slipped into the other half of the house, walking up to a wall.

Kaneki reached forward and watched as his hand was pricked on the flat wall before it began to shift into a door. Eto was the one to push open the door.

They all walked down the dark hall, feet hitting the soil covered ground as Eto hummed a happy tune that only she seemed to know, skipping down the steps in a quick fashion.

With one last turn, the group couldn't help the small smirks that dawned their faces at the sight before them.

The place in front of them was simple at best. The walls were wooden, already showing signs of both decaying and molding as it did it's best to block out the sobs of those who had the pleasure of being in the room.

The ground of the place had no real floor and was instead replaced with damp, slightly tinted soil. Tinted with both the blood and tears of past victims.

Standing, or rather sitting in front of them were the two investigators that seemed to be the prime talk of the town. Even as they were barely dressed and dirtied from the soil and dust around them they still held onto whatever dignity that had left over.

Well, to be honest, one held onto their dignity.

Kousuke Houji. A Special Class investigator and partner to his shaking companion, Takizawa Seidou, spoke no words as he sat strapped to a broken chair.

The only recognition he gave was the slight dip of his eyebrow upon seeing the three new people, each sporting some type of mask like feature.

The first he could identify with no problem. Standing to the right of the only male who wasn't in a chair was the infamous Binge Eater. The mask that she sported tended to be one of the larger giveaways as the black material faded into a dark indigo. A single 'B' was laid out in the corner. She stood in a bored manner as if she could be doing something much better with her time.

The next was easy. The newly discovered ghoul, Eyepatch, due to the snarling dark mask that covered only one of his eyes. His posture was probably the strangest if Houji had to give an opinion. It was almost as if he was holding back in a way. The Investigator shook away his curiosity and turned his eyes towards the last ghoul in the room.

He couldn't place the new ghoul exactly other than from a few sightings from earlier raids. A dull flash of someone in a similar style sticking close to Tatara came and went though the idea was quickly shot down.

That particular ghoul was in Aogiri and the records showed that they were 'A Rank' at best. The power he felt from this person was almost enough to have a pool of dread spiral down into his stomach.

These are the things that Houji took notice of while Takizawa missed. At this moment Takizawa was blinded by the fear he felt. Sure he could kill a couple of ghouls, but what did that matter when he was tied up, without a weapon, and right in front of three powerful ghouls. Sweat rolled down in beads, stopping to hang on his chin before dripping onto the ground or his already dirtied pants. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed the little amount of spit that he currently had. Even an idiot would be able to tell that things were not looking so good for the two investigators.

Houji was snapped out of his thoughts upon the sounds of footsteps coming towards him.

Eyepatch.

The ghoul stared down at him, orbs full of nonchalance though the icy glare of hate wasn't hard to miss if one were to look close enough, "Where are the CCG keeping the most dangerous of the ghouls?"

Cochlea had been taken down and put out of business after the last Aogiri raid and with its demise, all of the ghouls were transported to another facility. One that no ghoul that Kaneki sent out could find.

Houji kept his eyes trained on the male, not letting a word through while Takizawa went on to bite his lip harshly to keep quiet. He soon lost to the fight as words burst from his dried lips, "As if we'd tell Ghoul scum like you information." His voice wavered as he shook and in the last attempt to be threatening he gathered all the spit that he could and spit on Eyepatch, which successfully made it to his mask. Takizawa felt one small victory before the weight of his actions fell on top of him. His shoulders slumped in fear.

Everything was quiet for a second before a feminine laugh rang through the room. All attention was on the unknown ghoul as Eyepatch wiped the spittle from his leather mask in slight annoyance. "Oh come on, did anyone think that it was funny?" The She-Ghoul said, amusement and childlike innocence clear in her voice. Of course that only lasted for a second before her voice dropped into a dangerous tone, "Of course we'll need to train our little pets to make sure they don't act out once more~"

The split-second change was even enough to make goosebumps appear on Rize's arms upon hearing it.

Kaneki's fingers twitched as he made up his mind on an unspoken idea.

From then on things changed. He clicked his tongue and Takizawa was released from his bindings.

He fell from his chair and onto the dirt, confusion written on his face. What was really going on here?

He stared down at the ground for what seemed like forever until he was shaken out of it by a loud yell. His head whipped around, body freezing and muscles tensing at the sight before him. The arm of Houji fell to the ground, blood dripping down from the wound in large quantities.

The red flash of Kaneki's Kagune retracting from his partner's side left no question as to who could've done it.

His face twisted as he watched, stomach acids threatening to spill out. Though it wasn't just the blood and the screams that made him want to throw up. It was the small guilty part of himself that found pleasure in the fact that it wasn't him.

His eyes widened to the size of saucers as he admitted that to himself. He was happy that it wasn't him. He was ecstatic to be the lucky one who didn't have to go through that. He was- NO! He shouldn't feel that way. He shook his head, fingers moving the pull at the brown locks, successfully pulling some strands away. His eyes were wide open but saw nothing. They held color, but no meaning as he slumped over, letting the contents of his stomach out onto the dirt below him.

Slowly the world seemed more and more black and white. Kill or be Killed became the only thoughts that he understood.

"Say, you don't want to die, right?"

Just like that the world became colorful once more, the vibrant colors becoming almost painful for the man as feminine arms wrapped around his torso to drop a weapon of metal into his hands.

"Do you see the world as a cruel place now? Do you want your friend to die? Are you glad it's not you?"

The questions were endless and ran on without room for an answer though it mattered not because Takizawa could only hear the voice of a bandaged angel when he heard such questions. For this angelic voice gave him the answers to everything.

"Or maybe you want to save him? Why don't you just kill the big bad ghoul?"

A broken laugh burst from his throat as the male shakily pulled himself onto his feet. Yes. This was the answer to everything. Just kill the ghoul with this knife. Everything will be better after that. Yes, Yes, Yes, YES! And if not then he'd just have to kill everyone there!

With every thought, the man became more broken, a shell of who he once was. His sight became more clouded for he did not think about how a kitchen knife wouldn't kill a ghoul. That fact easily slipped his mind as he let a grin curl his lips. The dry skin cracking as letting just a bit of blood drip down and he raised his hands and let the knife sink into flesh.

It took three seconds for the childish laugh of Eto to fill the room as she made her way over to Kaneki.

Five seconds for Takizawa to pull the knife from flesh and drop the metal onto the ground.

Seven seconds to step back and fall.

Ten seconds for him to notice his instructor and partner dead from a single stab wound to the chest.

And Eleven seconds for Takizawa Seidou to scream until his lungs bursts.

The time he spent screaming was unknown to him as what he did came into light. How could he have fallen for something like that? How could he believe that a simple knife would pierce the ghoul. No… He had known it wouldn't. Deep down, even if he didn't want to admit it, he knew that he wanted to live. He knew that he was glad that it was Houji that was dead and not him.

He felt rotten just thinking about it. Houji wouldn't have done it. Houji had taught him to be a better person. He had taught him that in situations such as this it was best to stay strong. To not waver and let basic instincts such as to leave you colleagues take over.

When he first began working with Houji, Takizawa knew from the very start that Houji would always have his back. He never for one moment thought that Houji wouldn't protect him, wouldn't help him, wouldn't be there for him. This belief didn't even waver when he sat blindfolded, the raw fear nestled in the back of his throat like a parasite refusing to leave. Even then, he thought that there was a way.

But as the torture began, Takizawa wasn't so sure anymore. The violent screams and bitter cries, the bone-chilling images of bright red blood spilling everywhere. It made the parasite called Fear go numb.

Save yourself.

Save yourself.

Save yourself.

He screamed these words in his head like a repeated mantra, trying to convince himself that it was the right idea. He clung to them the way an infant would his mother. He thought them as he brandished the knife and delivered the final blow.

Takizawa always thought Houji would have his back. He just never thought he would turn his on Houji's.

Now staring at the dead body, his eyes dull, he felt something snap. With shaking hands, he gripped the bloodied knife once more and stood on unstable knees.

His head turned towards the ghouls, face wet with tears and dirtied with mucus and soil. With a roar he lurched forward, trying to hurt the monsters.

His screams pierced the air as he sloppily slashed forward. The sound was torn, a mixture of bitter laughter and happy tears.

Kaneki stealthily dodged, his face blank.

Takizawa felt the anger bubble up in his chest as Kaneki didn't reveal a teaspoon of emotion. "Feel the pain," he growled, "suffer. Rot." Takizawa's own voice felt foreign to even him.

He ran forward, light on his feet, and his blade kissed Kaneki's skin. The sweet, sultry sound of flesh tearing was nearly orgasmic to Takizawa and he couldn't help but moan and laugh.

"More pain," he begged.

"Look at you," Kaneki spat through his words sat nearly on a nonchalant tone, he had to ignore that shine in Takizawa's eyes that reminded him of himself the day the estate had gone up in flames, "you're like a heroin addicted pig in need of a fix."

Takizawa grunted and stumbled forward again. Kaneki caught the man's arm, which was raised high in order to deliver more stabs, and twisted it back. Takizawa shrieked as he heard a sickening crack!

"Look at yourself," Kaneki hissed. "You're rabid. Sickening. Disgusting. Eyes wide and beady, skin cold with sweat, and teeth caked with blood. Which on one of us is the real monster here?"

Takizawa screamed and tried to lash out, only to fall to his stomach. Kaneki swooped down and pulled Takizawa up by the collar before slamming him against the wall. "Do you not like being held like this?" he asked as he pushed down on Takizawa's broken arm. "Do you want me to kill you? Are you angry?" he hissed into the male's ear.

Takizawa's body rippled before falling limp in Kaneki's hold, he could no longer push his body to fight anymore. He shook and sobbed, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"...You'll always be the monster in a world like this-" Takizawa's voice was broken, cracking in strain as the raw feeling from the screams he released dawned on him.

Kaneki released him. Takizawa fell to his knees and hid behind his hands. He looked through his fingers at Kaneki only to see that there was not a drop of blood on him. His clothes were torn from where the blade had cut. Takizawa had been so positive that Kaneki had been wounded. But his mind was broken, the mirror of reality shattered, and the tunnel to madness was open.

Eto hummed at the sight and bounced over to Kaneki's side. She had stepped away for a short while when Takizawa had attacked. Despite the rush that had come to her upon seeing the action she felt that her time to stretch her muscles would come later.

A second was taken for all of the ghouls to look down at the fallen investigator. He'd need just a few more pushes until he would be born into Kaneki's plans though that'd be brought upon by a different ghoul. The current group's playtime was over.

Just like that the three ghouls made their way up the stairs. The dull thud of shoes against the upstairs floor made it clear that 'Jason' had returned home.

Kaneki pushed the door open once more, not even wincing at the bite that always happened.

Naki was dressed at this moment of time and took a deep bow while muttering something about 'Kaneki and Big bro Yamori' being the only people he respected enough to bow to. That part had Eto giggling at Kaneki's side.

Yamori came next and dipped his head a fraction to show respect though the large curling of his lips into a grin at the sight of one of his leader's clothes was enough informed anyone watching that he wasn't like another mindless follower

Kaneki had to resist the urge to roll his eyes and he spoke of his and Eto's departure for the day.

Eto stopped on her way out of the door behind Kaneki, "Oh you have a new toy, 'Jason'. Don't kill him though we need him alive. Also, You can throw the other body into the lake with his arm. We want to CCG to find him"

With that, she skipped away to follow behind Kaneki on their way back home. Halfway there she perked up at the sudden remembrance that they had to make a quick stop to a certain coffee shop after getting changed.

*One week later in the CCG*

"Stab wound to the heart," a man said, "a declaration of war. The ghouls didn't eat him, not one scavenged his remains, they didn't eat him alive. They killed Houji. They're mocking us," he boomed.

"And if it wasn't a ghoul?" someone demanded.

"What else would it have been, the Fairy Fucking Godmother?"

Insults were thrown back and forth, yelling across the room, threats. "None of us are safe! As long as ghouls exist, no one is safe. War hasn't begun, people, war has been going on, but we've all been too blind to see it! This is a wake-up call. This is a sign that we aren't as strong as we could be, that we aren't forever. Ghouls are the Gods and we are the worshippers, bending our backs and giving up our lives so they can eat. I say we trample the Gods, put an end to them. And I bet you anything that they're connected to the recent string of brutal murders. Ghouls are vicious. Soulless. Our wives, husbands, and children are not safe, our partners and parents will not be able to truly be free until every single ghoul is eradicated from this world. Death to the false gods!"

"Death to the false gods!" everyone chanted in reply.

AND WE'VE FINISHED THE NEXT CHAPTER!/

SNEAK PEAK OF THE NEXT CHAPTER!

"Tsusuka Igarashi. Age, 27, male, blah, blah, blah..." She threw the file down at the man's feet. "Can you do it?" she asked with a grin.

Takizawa pulled his body closer, his weak arm cradled close to his side and sloppily covered with a makeshift cast. His breath was ragged, his cheeks pale. "Why him?" he asked.

"He's been giving information to the CCG. So, answer the question. Can you do it?"

He swallowed a thick lump in his throat, raising a hand to pick at his lips and peel away some of the soft flesh. A bad habit that he had seemed to pick up. "I'm-I'm so hungry." His voice was dull, and he spoke as if he had yet to hear the words she had spoken.

She laughed and knelt down beside him, careful not to ruin her pretty, white silk dress. "If you say you can, maybe I'll get you some scraps."

She cocked her head. "No?"

He remained silent after speaking once.

She 'tsk'ed and stood. "If you change your mind, give a good scream," she purred as she walked out, shutting and bolting the door as she went.

Also to answer a question: Kaneki is around 22, but usually at this age, he's in college which is why I added the school part. Now for the 'Boy' for some reason ( In my experience), older people seem to call people younger than them Boy (or girl) and things like that in some situations. So what the sentence was saying in the last chapter was that on the outside he seemed to be a regular human 'boy' who gave up his grades to look the part of a rebellious person. /