" What cannot change can only be broken."

— From Dear Kafka, by Sen Takatsuki

Eto was thrown over Touka's shoulder, and her back thudded against the floor, ending the latest sparring round.

Touka looked down, unamused. "You fight like a starved dog," she said, releasing Eto.

"Yowch… I must be more out of shape than I thought…" She rolled over to prop herself up on her elbow.

"Here." Touka's hand extended into her vision, offering assistance. Eto stared at it for a moment before getting up by herself.

(save it for someone who matters)

While Kaneki was out with Fuka, of all ghouls, to find suitable bases with a small group, those who remained were taking the first steps to preparing their forces. For Eto and Touka, that meant sparring for the past hour, with the latter winning each match.

"Eto," Touka said. "What drives you?"

"Hm?" Eto tilted her head. "A world for ghouls; same as always."

"Really?" She gave Eto a cursory glance over. "You're not even sweating."

Eto checked. "So I'm not."

"So why are we here?" Touka folded her arms. "I decided to spar with you so you can conserve your kagune, but letting me beat you up over and over isn't doing anything for either of us."

Eto hummed.

Touka stared at her a bit longer, then sighed. "You know what? I'm gonna take a break, get us some water."

She went to the side of the room, where Hinami sat next to a small stack of books.

"Did you finish these ones?" she asked the girl, picking a few up.

"Oh! Um, yeah. Thanks, Touka," Hinami replied.

Eto watched the barista leave the training room, then looked around. The place reminded her of the 24th ward. Concrete walls and pillars and open space. And when she thought of the 24th, she inevitably thought of her childhood, of Noroi, of Shiono, of V, of herself, who kept stealing people away from her (always her). Then came the anger and the sorrow, all over again, renewing her promise to herself.

(die giving those bastards a taste of their own medicine)

Hinami closed her book. "Eto, are you okay?" she asked, walking up.

"Hm?" Eto chuckled. Was she not reading? "Just peachy, Hina."

She frowned at that. "You had such a scary expression on your face, is all."

"Maybe Touka and I just don't get along and it's getting to me."

She shook her head. "Things like that don't get to you."

"They don't?" Eto chuckled. "Perhaps you don't know me as well as you thought. I'm quite sensitive, you know."

Hinami frowned again. "You're doing it again— hiding your sadness with laughter."

"You ought to learn from adults like me, then, so you don't get the same bad habits."

"I don't want to learn from you." Hinami looked at her, tried to peer beneath the mask. "I want to help you."

'Help'. 'Save'. 'Love'. So many people wanted to perform the acts on Eto, and it was, more often than not, for someone else. Noroi did it for Kuzen. Kaneki promised it to Kuzen. Ukina manipulated it for Kuzen. Always Kuzen.

Except for Shiono. Shiono simply wanted to help her. Turn her into something she wanted for herself. Get her a platform to get people to think about the truth. Because when presented with the raw truth, anyone with a brain could do something about it. Whether or not he succeeded, she didn't know, but she got a step closer in the end.

Hinami was like Shiono, she thought. Though she spent time at Anteiku, the disconnect between her and Kuzen was… appreciated. The fact he was going to initially send her to the 24th Ward told her enough.

"You're so kind, Hina," Eto said finally. "Reaching out a hand for anyone and everyone. Your sympathy is your greatest asset— and your biggest weakness."

Hinami looked down. "I know, and it's gotten me in trouble more often than not. Ken, Ayato, and Touka have all had to save me because of it. That's why I came to you. Because I thought, if anyone knew how to temper and control my sympathy, turn it into strength to protect others, it was you and Aogiri.

"And… I'm sorry I wasted your time. I still bend to my kindness instead of the strength you gave me. I ate like you said I should, and you said I'd get used to it, but I still…" She was trembling now. "I still can't do it. It still tastes disgusting, and because of that, people keep leaving me. I—"

"That's enough of that," Eto interrupted. Slowly, gently, she reached for Hinami's chin, lifting it to look at her. "The time spent crying about your weakness is time wasted. You can't use a double-edged sword if you're afraid of getting cut."

Hinami, more than used to Eto's harsh advice, swallowed her tears, took a few deep breaths, then let out a shaky laugh.

As a reward, Eto patted her cheek. "Good. You work better when you're smiling, anyway."

"You're really gentle when you want to be, Eto." Hinami smiled. "It always surprises me."

"I do try to stay unpredictable."

She laughed again. "You know, you said, once, that Ken was someone who wanted to be loved. He sought strength because he wanted to protect his loved ones. That's why he was alone all the time, and why he seemed so far away…

"The more time we spend together, I can't help but wonder if you said what you said… because you're like that too."

Eto's hand dropped back to her side.

But before the conversation could continue, Touka came back with two plastic bottles of water. "Yo," she said, walking over.

"Oh, hey, Touka," Hinami said, rubbing one of her eyes with her palm. "W-Welcome back."

"You okay?" Touka raised a brow, then scowled at Eto. "Did you do something to her?"

"No, no, she didn't do anything." Hinami waved her other hand. "She was just helping me."

"Oh. If you say so." Touka handed a water bottle over to Eto. "Drink. We'll start up again in a bit."

Eto stared at the bottle, then sighed and cracked it open. "Alright…"

The three sat in silence for a while, drinking water or reading books or even doing both. Hinami, eventually, excused herself to get more.

"Careful you don't clear out our whole catalogue," Touka warned with a grin. "They're surprisingly expensive."

Hinami laughed. "I'll just have to read them again, then. I was taught to always read things thrice."

Eto paused mid-drink, then continued. Hinami left her with Touka.

"Did you teach her that?" Touka asked after a bit. "Read things thrice."

"I did," Eto answered. "You get new things each time you reread something. It encourages thought and self-growth."

"Huh." Another pause. "I went to see some of the Rushima refugees. The ones from Aogiri. I didn't know you guys took in kids."

Eto shrugged. "We did what we could."

"That was very kind of you."

"Think what you like."

"Not everyone would do that." Touka hugged her knees. "Sometimes, people will just leave kids for their own selfish desires. Like my father."

Eto took a swig of her water as Touka continued.

"He was always kind to me and Ayato when he was around, but whenever he went out, he was killing investigators or cannibalizing or whatever. He wanted revenge for our mother, to the point where it blinded him to his own children. What an idiot!" She sighed loudly. "Killing for revenge, for the dead, is pointless if it gets you killed too! He left us all alone, and for what?"

There was a really interesting hole in the floor, Eto noticed, from one of their spars. All chipped and empty. Hollow.

"You have that look in your eyes, like Kaneki did. The look of someone who's already dead." Touka's hand landed on Eto's shoulder, making the latter flinch. "But you aren't. And just like with Kaneki, I'm gonna make sure it stays that way. So—"

"And how will you do that?" Eto asked, shooting to her feet and breaking the connection. No point in hiding from someone who could see you. "You said so yourself: I'm not sweating. I'm holding back. So how are you going to stop me? Protect me?"

(just forget me)

"How do you protect someone who's stronger than you are? You don't. You can't. You'd just throw your life away, changing nothing. And I don't think Goat can afford to be wasteful."

(leave me alone)

"Eto," Touka said.

(i should eat more; it'll make vomiting easier.)

"It's your life, so I won't tell you how to live it. But I think Hinami and Kaneki would be sad if you died."

(liar.)

Eto cackled. "You're so funny, Touka!" she said. Her smile was crooked. Her eyes were empty. Her brow was low. "Everyone who's ever cared about me is gone."

Touka stared back at her, a sad look in her eyes. A pitying look. A wasteful look.

The doors opened, revealing Hinami and—

"Kaneki," Touka said. "Didn't know you were back."

"We just got back," he said. "I ran into Hinami, so we went to see you." He looked at the water, then the room. "Training?"

"Yep. Kakugan only, to better combat RC suppressants," she explained. "Wanna give it a shot?"

"Uh, sure…" Forever cursed with compliance, Kaneki stepped further in. "But later, I want to talk to you and the others about what we found."

"Sure thing." Touka took a seat on the sidelines, then looked at Hinami and patted the spot next to her.

"W-Wait." Kaneki stared at her, then looked at Eto for the first time. "I'm fighting—?"

"What, you think I was gonna be the one kicking your ass?" Touka fanned herself. "I'm sweating buckets here."

Eto shrugged. "Fair's fair, I guess."

He sighed, then took his spot. "Okay."

"Good luck!" Hinami offered to both, sitting next to Touka.

"So sweet of you, Hina," Eto said, and put her hands out in a fighting stance. "Whenever you're ready, Your Majesty."

Kaneki awkwardly shifted into his own. "I, uh, I'm ready."

"You ought to cut out the stammers from your speech; a king needs to be confident." She sighed. "But if you insist."

She dashed at him, throwing a punch at his jaw, which he blocked with his hand. Another one, another block. He was immediately on the defensive, stepping back and around the allotted area as she threw a flurry of attacks that either struck his palms or scraped his body. It was so very like him, to continue to be hurt unnecessarily. Yamori had given him many strengths, but this was not one of them.

He eventually pushed her back, resetting their positions.

Touka threw something, and a crumb of concrete bounced off Kaneki's head. "Stop letting yourself get hit!" she critiqued. "You're a ghoul, not invincible!"

Eto smirked. "She's right, you know."

"And Eto!" A second crumb of concrete hit Eto's head. "Hit him harder! He's a ghoul, not a plushie!"

Kaneki smiled back sheepishly. "I guess we can both improve."

Eto rolled her eyes, and they continued.

This time, when she ran forward, Kaneki met her halfway, and when she swung with her left hand, he actually leaned backward, dodging with a surprising speed, and replicating Arima's iconic pose. They passed each other, and Eto spun to kick him. The attack connected, but it was a bait.

Kaneki seized her foot and yanked using her own force against her. She tilted her head just in time to avoid his fist, and it cracked the floor just beneath her.

"Two hundred yen on Kaneki," Touka mumbled.

"W-What?" Hinami looked up from her book.

Eto kicked her way out of Kaneki's grip, then leapt away to put some distance between them. When he chased her, she pivoted to avoid getting slammed against the wall, then again to use the tactic herself. Predictably, he decided to take her attack. She seized his shirt and activated her kakugan. She lifted him over her, slamming him down with a bit more force than either of them expected.

"Y-You okay, Ken?" Hinami asked, staring at how he was implanted in the floor.

He lifted his hand and made a thumbs up. "Uh-huh," he groaned.

Eto raised her brow as he lifted himself out of the Kaneki-shaped dent in the ground. He brushed the rubble off his clothes, rolling his shoulder. Before it could occur to her to check on him, he swung a haymaker at her right.

She stepped forward and stuck out her hands, catching the attack by the base of his arm and his forearm. She slipped beneath him before he could swing with the other arm, her smaller form giving her more wiggle room. That was the thing about Eto; she almost always faced people bigger than her.

She kicked his heel and tripped him. Kaneki placed his palms on the floor to catch himself and rebounded. Like a mirror, where she went low, he went high. Their gazes connected: a gray meadow and a green storm. She got… distracted.

His heel collided with her cheek, and she tumbled across the room.

Hinami gasped. "Eto!" she called out, and rushed over with Touka not far behind.

But, like with most physical beatings, Eto was unharmed. She got to her feet with little issue, dusting herself off. "All hail the strongest ghoul in the world, eh?" she said, winking at Kaneki.

He scratched his head, walking over. "Thanks…"

Touka sighed. "We'll call it here; I gotta clean the shop. Hina, wanna help me?"

"Huh? Me?" Hinami looked a bit confused. "I'm happy to help, but—"

"Great! Then let's go." She scooped up the books and still managed to escort the girl out. "See you both at the debriefing?"

Kaneki nodded. "See you." When the doors shut, he let out a breath. "You okay?"

"Hm?"

"I kicked you pretty hard; I'm sorry."

"It'll take more than that to hurt me, Your Majesty," she assured.

"I guess you're right." He scratched his nose absently. "Just… Not all wounds are physical, I suppose."

"You too, hm? Touka and Hina have already beat you to it." She shrugged. "I told you already, didn't I? Better to leave ghosts in the past, where they'll stay."

"… As long as you learn from them."

"Exactly. You always were a fast learner."

The flattery didn't paint a smile on his face this time. "I never got to ask. Why did you and Arima pick me? I'm—"

Eto interrupted him. "You and your whys. Very well. It's what I do."

I'm worthless, not a leader, not anything. She didn't care to hear what she could already read.

"To be clear, Arima didn't pick you— I did. I'd been following your trail since you raided Kanou's lab. Rumors of the Eyepatch and all your little adventures after the 11th Ward raid. Needless to say, I was very… intrigued by what you would do.

"The fact that you were also Takatsuki's fan was a fortunate coincidence for me; I got to know you better as a result, and you got a few dates with your favorite author." She chuckled. "So adorable."

He flushed, but quickly refocused. "So, like your mother did with Kuzen, you approached me for your plans?"

"I'm so glad you caught that! I did." She clapped her hands in praise, and it was unclear if she was mocking him or not. "And I decided that you were perfect. That's why Arima let you live."

"But— that still doesn't make sense," Kaneki said. "Why didn't you become king instead? You know so much more than I do. You can't be blind to the influence you had as Takatsuki. You shook the foundation of ghoul rights with a single sentence!"

"Get up," Arima, nineteen years old, said, cold as ever.
Eto, barely fifteen, managed to prop herself up on her elbow. "I… I can't…" she gasped, trembling under her own weight.
"Get up," he repeated, sharper this time, standing over her. "Otherwise you will not surpass me."
His shadow eclipsed her entire form, representing the chasm of difference between them. He was higher and farther away from anyone, and not even the One-Eyed Owl could stand by his side.
"You are my quinque." He took out a cloth and wiped the blade of the Owl in his hand. "And you will be king."
"Me?" She coughed out a laugh.
(i'm worthless. i'm not a leader. i'm nothing.)
She swung at him. Futile. He ducked and kicked her high into the air. She landed on her back, and she felt her spine crack from the impact.
"If you can't, find someone who can." He only watched her as she writhed in pain. "Don't you want to fix the world? You can't do it without power."
"I… I'm sorry…" Eto's mouth filled with nauseous saliva, and she spat it out, muddling the blood Arima had wiped away earlier.
He squatted down just then. "It's okay, Eto," he whispered, suddenly gentle. "We'll keep trying."

"Would people still side with me when they realized I was the founder of Aogiri?" Eto answered with a question. "A controversial-at-best organization of ghoul terrorists? Who preached 'a world for ghouls', the terrors of the world? Tell me, what did the CCG think of us?"

Kaneki pursed his lips. "They were afraid of what would happen after you took them down. But—"

"Exactly! See, you already know." She smiled at him. "All we wanted was to provide you with some ready-to-go firepower and some ground to stand on once you sat on your throne. To that end, Tatara, Arima, and myself gave up everything we had for you."

Everything for him— her names, her connections, her work, her kills, her interference. Everything, so that she could die with nothing left unsaid. And yet, she was here. Still interfering. Still living, like a cockroach.

She turned toward the exit.

"Eto."

She stopped. The last time he'd said her name was to arrest her, and never since. A simple ploy to detach himself from her and view her as the villain she had always been, and she had accepted that, for it was the truth. She manipulated him, she helped him, she spun him a cocoon of bandages to emerge from as a monarch.

Shouldn't he just leave her be?

"Were the dates really just that? A means of finding out if I'm a worthy king? Were those 'fruitful discussions' just you psychoanalyzing me? Is that why you never told me what you thought?"

She wet her lips, and her tongue pressed against her mask. She turned toward him, like so many times before, and it smiled. "Yes."

"I don't believe you." There was a sudden defiance in his voice. "Hinami told me. How you laugh or smile when you're sad. She's right, but…"

Eto started walking away. She made it to the door and put her hand on it.

"But she's never seen your real smile."

A shaky breath escaped her. The mask slipped off her face that couldn't be seen. "And you know what that is?"

(because i don't)

Another pause. "I do. Because… we're similar."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him smiling hesitantly at her. She left.

The 14th ward, July 14. The night of the Owl Suppression Operation.

Eto had been on her way to prepare for her role in the raid when she ran into Kaneki by sheer coincidence. The urban part of Tokyo was always so busy, so the fact that she identified his scent, let alone spotted him, among the crowd was nothing short of luck.

In the two short weeks since their first get-together, Eto had seen Kaneki four other times, and each one managed to be more fascinating and entertaining than the last. His capacity for analysis and knowledge went far beyond anything she had hoped for, and his boundless empathy— such a sweet weakness, to the point of a cavity— was in truth a simple director for the strength he wielded, though he could definitely use some fine-tuning.

He had the makings of a king, and she was delighted. The search was over.

(time to finally drown in the albumen)

So when she happened to see that familiar head of white hair walking down the sidewalk across the street, she obviously had to table her role as the Owl to become Sen Takatsuki again. She had to make sure to prepare him for his last test. Whatever Eto personally felt for him didn't matter. It had to be buried. Stopped. For the sake of breaking this wrong world.

She put on her mask, moving to where he could see her.

"Kaneki?" she called. When he turned, whatever mask she was hiding behind failed her; her arm that shot up into the air was the whole truth. "Kaneki! Hey!"

A car zipped between them, illuminating his face. She watched the pitiful affection for Takatsuki bloom upon it. "H-Hey!" He waved back.

They walked down their respective streets, parallel and never crossing, yet having a perfect view of the other. When they reached the crosswalk that connected them, Kaneki crossed while Eto stayed where she was, letting him come to her.

"What a coincidence!" she said. "Or were you out looking for me?"

He chuckled, much less flustered at her teasing now that he 'knew' her better. "Would you be upset if I wasn't?" He even teased her back sometimes, but she refused to be outdone.

"You'll have to try harder than that, dear." She grinned at him. "But it's a good start."

"I have a good teacher."

The compliment made her giggle. "Charmer."

At this time, they would usually fall into their usual rhythm. A new book or poem would come up, and Eto would ask him what he thought. Kaneki would answer enthusiastically, letting out a long stream of thoughts for her to watch, like a running river with nothing in its way, until he shackled himself down out of self-deprecation or embarrassment, oftentimes both.

And she'd tut. She'd tut because for all his strength and knowledge, he thought himself the opposite:

Worthless. Weak. Pathetic.

Besides the fact that a king— a leader— could not want for confidence, his victimization act was incredibly frustrating, and she would make sure he knew it. She'd have him tell her he was things he didn't believe:

Valuable. Strong. Admirable.

It was a superficial coping method, but given where he was beginning, it was better than nothing. And with each new get-together, his posture was a bit straighter and his shoulders a bit broader. Something was working, and that was what mattered.

But this time, Kaneki had no answers, and Eto had no questions. They simply… stared. Green into gray, clouds into meadows, under the foggy night.

The traffic light was red, allowing people to cross between the two streets. A bridge of blood, maybe, entangling roads that otherwise would never connect.

Yet here they were. Still, while the crowds shifted around them. Conversation was suddenly so meaningless. Aimless. So they stared.

Eto wanted to… do something. To him. With him. But that was impossible. It'd be so fake. So instead, in the silence and the fog, she studied him. Printed him on her mind. Memorized him.

The white roots of his hair splayed out over his head. His exposed eye, always hungry and never satisfied in a world too slow to produce. His eyepatch that covered his true nature. His jawline and lips, which she wanted to idly trace with her finger, leaving an inconsequential imprint or maybe a cut to pilfer a snack. She wanted him to watch. Watch her eat, and realize what she was. One less secret dividing them.

Her hand raised up from her side, but before it could reach him, she was suddenly reaching out for a corpse. Its eyes were wide open, the last instance of shock before being thrust into death. In the corner of her vision, the passersby were also corpses. Shambling. Staring.

Her hand was bloody: evidence of a fresh kill, with many more on the way. It would never be clean.

Upon closer inspection, the corpses were crying. Lamenting. Regretting lives they never got to live. Because of her. Always her. And she didn't even know their names. Their stories.

Worthless. Weak. Pathetic.

Her hand dropped back down, and Sen smiled for her. "Is something the matter?"

Kaneki rubbed his wrists, cracking under invisible pressure. "Well, um, Ms. Takatsuki, I, uh…"

Eto swallowed anticipation. "Yes, Kaneki?"

"I-I wanted to know if, um—"

An announcement came onto the billboard, cutting him off. "A large portion of the 20th Ward has been sealed off by the CCG. Access is currently restricted…"

He snapped out of whatever he was going through, whirling toward the building as a panicked look crossed his face. She pretended not to notice.

"Oh, my, you live there, don't you?" She gave him the cover he desperately wanted.

He laughed and rubbed his chin: the telltale sign of a white lie. "O-Oh, yeah. I do. How am I gonna get home now…?"

Eto shot him a devious grin. "Need a place to stay? Though, I don't exactly have a guest bedroom…"

He shook his head, collecting himself. "No, no, I couldn't possibly—" He cleared his throat, and a cold sort of aura settled around him. She liked it, the way he could oscillate like that. "I have to go."

So did she. "Aw, that's too bad. Helping out your friends, right? They may be—" she paused— "evacuating, huh?"

"Y-Yes, exactly. I need to touch base with them…" He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry, Ms. Takatsuki, it's just— it's really important I know they're safe."

She tilted her head and smiled. "You're too kind, Kaneki."

He shrugged and laughed. "Maybe I am."

"You could get hurt, you know."

(what?)

Isn't this what she wanted him to do? The king would be there. If she was lucky, he'd get to see Kaneki in action. And Kaneki would make an impression, right? He had to. There was no other option. Otherwise, everything would fall apart. She'd fall apart, and it'd all be for nothing. The crying corpses surrounded her, watching with unknown intent.

And yet she continued anyway, her foundations wavering. "If the CCG's there, that means ghouls. They'd hurt you."

"Wounds heal with time."

She came closer, almost upending years upon years of planning and waiting and wanting with a single step. All for him. "Kaneki, I—"

"I'm sorry." He took a few steps back and set things right. "I'll see you…"

She bit her lip as annoyance welled up in her stomach. "Saturday," she declared. "July 20th. The usual spot and time. Be there."

His brow quirked. "And you'll be on time?"

She smirked. "Promise."

"Alright… July 20th, then." He smiled at her, and she couldn't explain why her stomach flipped when he did. Fear of being seen, maybe? "See you then."

"See ya!"

Kaneki turned and left. The traffic light turned green. People stopped crossing; the paths were separated again. He quickly became another face masquerading in the chaos of the streets. Eto watched his figure grow more and more distant when she suddenly remembered something.

"Kaneki, wait!" she called, making him stop one last time. "I hear the Children's Forest is rather empty this time of night!"

He looked confused at what she said, but the information made him change directions, toward what would be the least guarded entrance. Good. She sighed as he disappeared for good, his scent lingering in the air before her.

Offhandedly, she wondered if the king would kill him if they met. Oh, well— if it was, then he just wasn't strong enough, and Kanou would have to make him again. Simple as that. Such a waste, though, of a strong mind. Of an admirable mind.

A beautiful mind.

She adjusted her coat, crushed the strain in her chest, and made her own way to Anteiku.

February 4th. The prelude to the Clown Siege is well underway, and the CCG places the blame on the One-Eyed King. The Johannes brand sees a surge in production of white suits.

The mass production of the White Suits was proceeding nicely, thanks to Tychon Johannes, and fitting began. In the shop, Kaneki gathered six of his eight chosen executives: Touka, Nishio, Irimi, Kurona, Hirako, and Eto. The other two— Tsukiyama and Banjou— were busy overseeing the suit production and Akira Mado respectively.

"These attacks are a part of Furuta's plan to become Bureau Chief and realize his goal," he said, reiterating what they knew. "He wants to make a new 'common enemy' of us for humans and ghouls. As of right now, it's an apparent inversion of our own: the cooperation between humans and ghouls. That said, he's unpredictable, and we don't know enough about him besides the fact that he can access V and the Clowns, and has a knack for data analysis."

"Plus he's captured his half-sister, who he wants to marry," Touka added, shuddering. "So he's also a little gross."

"So our adversary's our siscon 'brother'," Kurona said. "Great."

"If his version of cooperation succeeds, he'll be in a position of power," Kaneki continued. "We can't have that. After we help the CCG protect the public from the attacks and establish ourselves as separate from the Clowns, we have to take Furuta's power away from him. One way we can do that is to support Matsuri Washuu's claim to the position."

"It won't work," Hirako said. "You said so yourself that Furuta claimed he wasn't in a state fit for leading."

"Do you have something else in mind?" Kaneki asked.

"How about a PR campaign?" Nishio offered. "Feed the truth in digestible bits. The public doesn't really get that we have thoughts and feelings, so if we tell them, they might listen and it might weaken investigators."

"In other words," Irimi said, "dismantle the CCG."

"Good idea," Kaneki said. "'What cannot change can only be broken.' Ultimately, we need to get rid of the CCG and the current Ghoul Countermeasure Law so we can move forward."

Eto, the furthest from the conversation, smirked to herself.

"That's cool and all," Touka said, "but if we do that, what's gonna replace it? And how will we feed ourselves? Don't tell me we're gonna expand the body search; it'll be impossible to feed everyone like that forever."

"Yeah, we can't go hunting anymore, either," Kaneki agreed. "If we do, we'd make things worse. Ghouls always walked a thin tightrope, where we could fall any minute now." He looked around, then smiled. "By following me, you lose even that. So… Thank you. For fighting with me. For believing in me."

Touka punched his shoulder, grinning. "Anytime." A statement which Irimi and Nishio agreed with.

"So what do we do about food, then?" Kurona asked.

"We'll have to search for bodies for now and rely on :re's storage, so we can plan now for the future," Kaneki answered. "But then I realized: we don't know enough about ghoul biology to know if we require more food to operate at full strength. We need a proper ghoul biologist with the proper equipment and knowledge in our ranks to help us and find an alternate means of nutrition.

"When I met with Taiwa Act, they knew much about the structure of the ghoul body compared to humans, but had little in the way of how a ghoul's body functions differently. However, they mentioned that their founder knew and loved a ghoul, and that Taiwa's initial incarnation began at Kamii, where Nishio and I went. If she is who I think she is, then he, Touka, and I know her."

"Kaneki," Nishio warned. "Even if it is her, we have nothing to track her with. Aogiri was scattered by the time we got to Rushima, and Kanou escaped, likely with her in tow."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Kaneki held out a hand. "Eto had me plant a tapwire on one of her conversations with Furuta. She called him 'Kanou's Clown', and he confirmed it. Kanou's sole interest is to 'shatter the birdcage' by perfecting his artificial half-ghoul surgery. To do that, he needs expensive equipment, preferably premade and properly maintained.

"Combine this with Furuta's plan." He put out his other hand. "If he wants absolute victory, he needs physical strength. Lots of it. So, if Kanou and his team were forced out of their facilities on Rushima, and Furuta has a bid for Bureau Chief—"

"Then he's at the CCG!" Kurona finished as Kaneki pressed his hands together. "Of course! The underground lab beneath my father's mansion was CCG property, so the main lab might already have the equipment Kanou needs!"

"Then, if we find him, we might find our founder," Nishio continued, and swallowed. "What then?"

"We recruit her, if she is who we think she is." Kaneki turned to the farthest executive. "Eto, was there anyone named Nishino on Kanou's team?"

Eto had been quiet until then, perched on the nearest desk and swinging her legs with little else in mind. "Looking to poach his team from him?" she asked. "Yes, there was a Nishino. She's his prodigy assistant. Went right to him after graduating. Her credentials were impressive, and he couldn't say no."

"Kimi…" Nishio whispered, voice shaking. "So Aogiri didn't kidnap her?"

"We never targeted civilians," Eto said. "Only interfering ghouls and any anti-ghoul facilities or associates."

He shuddered with relief, and Touka put her arm around him comfortingly. Kaneki folded his arms, putting his high IQ to work.

"We'll have three teams," he said after a while. "The main force will wear white suits and engage the Clowns, and they'll be supported by the bulk of communications. The second force will break into the CCG Lab Division to obtain RC Suppressant, and the third will follow them and attempt contact with Kimi Nishino."

"Ken," Irimi said. "The second force is for your investigator friend, isn't it?"

"It is," he admitted. "But it might also come in handy if Kimi agrees to help us. There's too much we don't know about our own bodies, and I think we can all agree—" he scratched his head, almost looking embarrassed— "we're tired of being helpless."

A relieved smile came across her face. "Alright. Sounds like a plan, then. Who'll go where?"

"I should be on one of the lab teams," Hirako said. "I know the layout; it'd be easier to find Nishino that way."

"That makes sense," Kaneki agreed, "but you can't. We need humans on the main force to better demonstrate our goal and notify our ghoul members of how to work around investigator formations."

Hirako stepped back, and Eto watched his fingers curl slightly before surrendering again to gravity. That was the advantage of being in the background all the time; you catch things no one in the foreground would.

Take Hirako was entrusted with Squad 0 by Arima, but she had never met him, let alone learned anything about him, until now. He seemed so plain at first, but perhaps there was something simmering just beneath. She wondered what it was.

"The main force will be led by myself and Tsukiyama," Kaneki said. "Kaya, inform Miza that you will support us with the Blades and Aogiri's communications squad, as well as anyone else you think can help."

"Roger." Irimi left to find the other woman.

"The second team will need to be small, but able to carry a lot of RC Suppressant." Kaneki tapped his cheek. "I can find it myself, but if I leave, then—"

"I'll go."

Heads turned toward Seidou Takizawa, dressed in black and flip-flops.

"Akira needs that for treatment, yeah?" he said, brow furrowed. "And I can smell it too."

Kaneki saw the implication on his face. "Alright. Takizawa will lead the second team. Grab as much RC suppressant as you can stomach."

"So nothing," he said, nodding. "Kidding, of course."

Kaneki smiled. "You'll be accompanied by… Ayato."

The younger Kirishima, from the outfitting station, visibly deflated. "Why am I the first guy you pick…?"

"Kuro."

"You got it," Kurona said with a thumbs up.

"And… Yomo."

The Raven inclined his head. The three came together and exchanged greetings.

"As for the third team, it should comprise of people Kimi knows, and who can escape fast. Nishio, you will lead them."

"'Course," Nishio said, shaking out his hands. "I wanted to wear a suit, though… Maybe next time."

"Touka."

"I'd have punched you a second time if you didn't," Touka joked, and he laughed.

"And then Hinami as well, to track her down." Kaneki turned. "Hirako, if you could give them a map…"

He issued command after command with the confidence expected of a king. Just off to the side, Eto swung her legs from her perch, observing quietly. The group moved like a well oiled machine, gears turning with nary an unneeded sound and pushing forward. And while Kaneki was the one giving the orders, he listened closely to feedback from the others and adjusted as necessary.

What was she even doing here?

"Eto."

By this point, everyone had cleared out, giving her and Kaneki a measure of privacy. She didn't turn to him. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"I need your help."

"'Need'? Dire times indeed."

He frowned, seeing past her facade. She didn't mind as much as she thought she would. "Don't say that."

"The past cannot be changed, King." She waved her hand dismissively. "What is my role? I assumed I was part of the main force."

He sighed. "You are, but there's something only you can do, if it comes down to it."

"My, my, a special mission? Must be my lucky day." She cupped her cheeks and swayed.

Nostalgia flickered across his smile, and it seemed to ease him. "I need you to deal with V," he said. "I don't know when, and I don't know how, but they will come, and Goat can't be seen dealing with their agents."

"Oh? So you were thinking about them." Eto grinned. "The secret army of the Washuu, who only appear in a crisis… But why me?"

They both knew why, but Kaneki answered anyway. "Because you're stronger than I am." He folded his arms. "And the One-Eyed Owl is in a unique position to pick sides, don't you think?"

"You think so?"

"I do. Furuta told me a lot despite your being here. Either he dismisses your survival as irrelevant, or Donato didn't tell him. And I'm inclined to believe more in the latter." His reasoning was solid. "Rize's kagune is strong, but I could never beat you unless you were on RC suppressants."

"Charmer." She shook her head. "Very well. I can never say no to you."

He chuckled. "Be careful what you say."

"And who would I be if I wasn't?"

With that, he left her to check on the suit productions with Tsukiyama, a familiar smile on his face.

("deal with V," huh? sounds like a good chance to—)

February 9th: The main force of Clowns attacks the CCG main office in the 1st Ward, per Furuta's prediction. At this time, Goat makes its first public appearance.

It was a foggy night, just like that one. Anyone else in Eto's shoes would feel a pang of nostalgia. But she was not a wistful woman; she seized her past and threw it into the flames, fueling her hatred for the wrongness of the world until she turned to ash.

The Clowns attacking the 22nd Ward, predictably, were not strong. The CCG likely had its hands full with the actual members at the main office. That being said, there were a lot of them, and the 22nd Ward was lacking in special investigators.

But something about these Clowns was wrong. Amid the fighting, one of Eto's kagune appendages bit the face off one of the Clowns, tasting it intimately.

"King," she called, and as a row of Clowns approached her, he landed right behind her and cut them down.

"Yes?" He turned slightly. His white locks had been slicked back to complete the look, and she was not disappointed by it.

"There are humans in the mix," she said. "And now that we've disrupted the narrative, the editors will be here soon."

"Noted. I'll tell Kaya." He adjusted the sleeves of his coat. "Stay alive."

She paused, but shook it off. She'd already made her decision years ago, and he didn't yet know he was better off without her. Still, that was cruel of him.

And they were separated again.

Twenty minutes passed. The first V agent appeared and nearly gouged Kaneki's eye out. He dodged with newly practiced grace thanks to Touka's… aggressive training, and addressed the Suits.

"Reinforcements have arrived from the CCG!" he announced. "Defend yourself if they mistake you for a Clown, but otherwise do not engage!"

That was the signal.

(finally)

With one swift motion, away from prying eyes, Eto discarded her suit, exposing the monster she was.

"The One-Eyed Owl took the form of a large creature, only earning its name for the plumage on its shoulders that bore a vague resemblance. It had large shoulder pads that functioned as close range blades, and it sported multiple appendages that it crawled on.
"As for the face, boney and white, I can only describe it as a monster's: a single eye in the middle, a crooked horned head, and large teeth with no lips to cover them. It shook me to my core, permanently engraving its image onto the minds of me and my fellow investigators."

— Excerpt from a Ghoul Investigator's diary, a survivor of the Owl Suppression Operation

She appeared from the opposite side of V's forces, tearing through them at an alarming speed.

"The Owl…!" one V member growled, and promptly got his head separated from his neck.

"Seems I've built quite the name for myself!" Eto cackled from the nape of her kakuja, and inserted herself between the Suits and V. "Do you like my Clowns, Investigators? They're putting in a lot of work!"

One of the agents broke past her, rushing for Kaneki and the Suits. She leapt backwards and crushed them beneath her feet. Kaneki, the fool that he was, got distracted by her appearance and stared up.

She kicked him hard enough to send him flying. He'd recover.

"What an eyesore," she grumbled, before returning to the matter at hand.

A significant portion of V turned their blades on Eto, and she met them head-on, killing and eating as many as she could get her hands on. For Noroi, for Shiono. For all the helpless people who'd been swallowed up by the organization's narrative.

Time passed. Kaneki commanded the White Suits to move away from V and toward the CCG.

There were a lot more agents than she was expecting, and she was running out of steam. She swung recklessly at another line of agents, and the kagune was cut off.

(is it time?! am i finally going to—)

Soon after, the head of her kakuja was sliced open, exposing her body and her green mane of hair. She kept herself exposed, taking down wave after wave of black suits.

One of them got her good, stabbing her body in the back, scraping her spine and piercing her kidney until it emerged from the other side. In response, her kagune bit their face off as another got her in the side and a third severed her arm. The agents were like a hydra; for every one she killed, two more appeared.

(yes yes yes)

It wasn't long before she was a flower vase for quinques, each blade sticking out at a different angle in her stomach and thorax.

She spat out her own blood, mixing it into the pool of corpses around her. And still, more came after her.

(ah.)

She stared at the ocean of black Surrounding her. Isolating her, as it always had.

(this is it.)

She did okay. Probably.

(isn't it?)

She'd be another brick in the road the king walked, as she should have been from the start.

(i'm so tired)

Something cold and metallic entered her throat, shattering the bone and severing her esophagus. It exited out the opposite side. It curved upward.

(curtains closed.)

Eto saw her own headless body get trampled underfoot, and it all went black.

(_)

The CCG successfully defended Tokyo from what became known as the Clown Siege. And with Matsuri Washuu missing, Nimura Furuta seized the position of Bureau Chief, getting exactly what he wanted.
However, an unknown attack on the CCG's Lab Division resulted in the loss of a supply of RC suppressants, the theft of a certain test subject, and the abduction of Kimi Nishino and several other scientists. Discarded Clown masks were found at the scene.
As for Goat, the newly established organization marched its way into the public sphere of thought, kindling the flame lit by Sen Takatsuki.

Name: Touka Kirishima / Rabbit (former, Unrated)
Affiliations: Anteiku (former waitress), Goat (member)
Born: July 1 (Cancer)
Occupation : Owner and manager of :re
Blood Type: O
Size: 156cm, 47kg
Feet: 22.6cm
Likes: rabbits, learning
Hobby: trying new brews of coffee, especially "odd" ones

*Cuts the head off the main character of the fic* Oops, my hand slipped.