Emily sighed as her body and mind slowly woke up and she smiled to herself as memories of last night came floating back to her. She looked to the sleeping being beside her, his naturally messy hair was tangled and flat from sleep. She kissed his shoulder gently and swung her legs out from under the covers. Her muscles and joints were still sore and stiff but it was a pleasant feeling.
As quietly as possible, she crept to the bathroom. The bruises on her neck were yellowing around the edges but still looked raw and painful. Her fingers gently brushed against one where a bite mark was still healing.
After washing her face, she headed out into the kitchen where the sun was shining brightly. It was quiet, she figured Hiko was either in his new bedroom or out somewhere and Isao hadn't returned. She was waiting for the water to boil as strong arms encircled her waist and soft lips planted a sleepy kiss on her neck.
"Morning." he mumbled, dropping his head to her shoulder and taking a deep breath.
"Ayato." Hiko said from somewhere behind them, making Emily jump. She hadn't even heard him leave his room, "Miza has orders from the King. She'll be here soon."
Emily's heart raced - Miza was the Executive who was originally supposed to babysit Emily but their plans changed when her friends tried to rescue her and Ayato was the first to react. What Tatara didn't know, or at least Emily hoped he didn't know, that Ayato's fast reaction was to secure her safety against an unknown threat not to keep her out of enemy hands.
Ayato had told her that Miza was probably one of the very few in Aogiri he could trust. But that didn't mean she wouldn't report back to Tatara the nature of Emily and Ayato's relationship if she managed to connect the dots.
"I'll stay in my room..." Emily said but Ayato shook his head as he straightened.
"No. It'll be conspicuous if you do. Besides," he said turning her to face him, "She'll know the moment she steps inside."
Emily frowned, "How?" It wasn't like there were photos of her and Ayato around the place. Ayato's lips pursed slightly and he turned his head away from her, a light pink hue dusting his cheeks ever so slightly.
"She'll be able to smell it." he said quietly. Emily quickly glanced to Hiko who was standing just outside the kitchen space for confirmation. He said nothing, but he met her gaze and she found the answer within his eyes.
Emily groaned and dropped her head onto Ayato's chest in embarrassment, "Can we do something?"
"No." he replied, "It doesn't matter even if we did. She'd smell you on me."
"I hate Ghouls." she complained earning a low chuckle from Ayato.
"As loyal as Miza is to Tatara, she won't say anything." Hiko said confidently, "Not if we convince her that Ayato's tactic was to torture you into submission."
Both teens turned to look at the older male curiously and Hiko sighed, "It's well known throughout Aogiri that you," he gestured to Emily, "Want nothing to do with us. That's why Tatara cannot trust you to behave if he left you alone and why Ayato and I are here. It's also known that you," his hand moved to Ayato, "Hate humanity and that this is a test to make sure you are still loyal to the King and are still capable of holding your position within the ranks. If Miza were to find out that you love her, she would tell Tatara and he would be able to manipulate you both more so than he already is. Instead of threatening the lives of your friends, he would simply use you both against each other to assure his will. Do you understand?"
"What you're saying is that we tell Miza it was an act of dominance to keep Emily in check?" Ayato said and ran a hand through his hair, "I don't think she'd buy it, honestly. Emily is human."
"Precisely." Hiko replied, "Even if we tell her that you ordered me to do it, you both would still have each other's scent on you. However, Emily is the only one with physical marks. If Miza believes you will go this far, tossing aside your own disgust to assure Emily be bound to Aogiri, she won't uncover your true feelings."
"So what do you want me to do?" Emily asked curiously catching onto the flow of conversation.
"Be in the same room, but do not make eye contact with Ayato under any circumstances. Act afraid in close proximity to him and flinch every time he raises his voice, should that occur. Be distracted, like there's one thousand and one things on your mind and if anyone asks you to do something, do it right away as if you're afraid of punishment if you don't." Hiko told her, "Remember, you're terrified of him."
"Don't worry." Ayato said kissing her forehead gently, "You'll do fine. Your acting convinced Tatara you were afraid of me, convincing Miza will be easy."
"Yeah but it was easy to be afraid there..." Emily whined earning a soft smile from Ayato.
"You'll be fine." he repeated.
Despite both Ayato's and Hiko's reassurances, Emily was shaking with nerves when the Ghoul named Miza finally turned up with two escorts. Emily sat on the edge of her seat, her hands clasped tightly between her knees as Hiko opened the door. Emily didn't know what she'd been expecting from Hiko and Ayato's vague description, but it wasn't the small woman giving a sharp nod to her two escorts. She had large round eyes, their expression reminded her of Uta's, and long salmon coloured hair tied in a top knot with long bangs framing each side of her face.
"Miza." Hiko greeted her in his calm manner of speaking, "Please come in. Ayato will be out shortly."
"Is this the human?" she asked, her gaze shifting to Emily. Emily stiffened, not wholly out of acting, "She smells like Ayato. What's going on here, Hiko?"
"Ayato will explain the situation shortly. Would you like a refreshment?" Hiko replied easily, holding out his hand towards the armchair closest to the door. Miza shook her head and sat, "I'm fine."
"This had better be important." Ayato said as he walked into the room and rested his arms on the back of the couch where Emily sat. She remembered she had to be terrified of him and immediately sat forward more.
"Tatara wouldn't have sent me if it wasn't, but that can wait until you tell me why this human's scent is on you and yours on her?" Miza's large eyes narrowed slightly at him. Emily didn't turn around but she could hear the smirk in his voice.
"Oh you know," Ayato said airily, "Cruel and unusual punishment. Isn't that right, trash?" Emily jumped at his hand on her shoulder and managed a meek nod.
"Clarify?"
"The human tried to run in the night." Hiko said calmly, "We captured her and punished her."
"Tatara said not to harm a hair on her head." Ayato said with a shrug, "So I had to think of other methods."
"You hate humans." Miza said pointedly, "Why would you punish this one personally and not just get Hiko to do it?"
"Why do you think?" Ayato's voice was flat showing his annoyance. Emily saw Miza glace at Ayato's right hand,
"Status. Dominance. Power." she said, "You want to show Tatara you're worthy of those three things and that your allegiance to Aogiri is unwavering."
"We have a winner." Ayato said, his voice light again, as he moved around to sit down. Emily flinched as his arm rested on the back of the couch near her head and tried to press herself further into the arm, "Look at her. She'll do whatever I want now. Isn't that right, trash?"
"Y-yes..." Emily whispered, "Whatever you want, just please don't hurt me again..."
Miza hummed quietly to herself - apparently their act was working, "Well, Tatara will probably reward you somehow."
"So why are you here?" Ayato asked becoming impatient again.
"We received word that the CCG are planning a raid on a ghoul run cafe they recently uncovered."
"Anteiku." Ayato said knowingly, "Why's that our concern?"
"Apparently the King has some kind of interest and wants to personally make an appearance." Miza informed them all, "A show of our power and such."
Ayato sighed and leaned back against the couch, "Anteiku is what we're trying to get rid of, why help them?"
"Because they're Ghouls." Hiko offered getting a nod of Miza in return, "No matter the difference between our ideals, abandoning our own to the CCG is worse than whatever they can do to us."
"That," Miza added, "And they would be in our debt." Emily could only guess Ayato's emotions - was he worried about Touka? Would he fight to protect her? Did he care at all?
At last he spoke but it wasn't what Emily had expected, "I won't get involved if that's what you're asking me to do. My ties with them are severed and I have no intention of reestablishing that connection."
"Tatara said you'd say that." Miza told him, "His belief in your loyalty is quite astounding. But they don't want you to fight. They want you to take the human away from the 20th. You may have cut your ties with them, but she hasn't. Of course they haven't witnessed what I have." Suddenly Miza leaned forward and lifted Emily's chin to face her. Emily jumped but didn't shrink away.
"What will you do now that you know your precious friends are in danger? Will you do what your told or will you try to help them?" she asked.
"She'll do what I tell her to do." Ayato said, anger overpowering his calm tone. Miza's gaze shifted to him for a second,
"I was asking her." she said flatly before looking back at Emily, "Answer the question honestly."
Emily swallowed the lump in her throat - she wanted to say she would do everything in power to help her friends, but that would ruin the act she, Hiko and Ayato had been playing out since Miza arrived. Yet, she couldn't force herself to say she'd do nothing.
"I-I want to help them." she said softly, still trying to figure out what to say, "I'm not sure I can be much help, but I want to try even if it means going against what I'm told to do. I want to do the right thing..."
"Oh?" Miza said curiously and released Emily's chin, "So you still have some fight left in you after all. I can't let you just parade into the middle of a battle but there is another way you can help them. We have no doubt the manager of the cafe already knows what's going to happen, but it wouldn't hurt for you to go and tell them. Don't mention our involvement, but tell him that the raid will happen in three days." Her gaze shifted to Ayato again, "Is this alright with you?"
"Why should I care?" he replied nonchalantly, "Do what you want."
Miza stood and gazed down at Emily again, "On this one occasion, the King has given you special permission to act without an escort and contact your friends at Anteiku. Don't betray us."
Miza didn't have to say what would happen if Emily disobeyed her - everyone would die regardless of whether they were Ghouls or not. Emily nodded once, Miza seemed pleased at her reaction and made her way to the door, "Oh, one more thing." she said and turned back to Emily, "There are some within Aogiri who are dangerous and won't hesitate to kill you given half the chance. But there are some you would benefit making friends with. The more you resist Aogiri, the harder it will be for you to live so it would be best to see us as allies."
Emily blinked at the small woman, her confusion at her words made her momentarily drop her act, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I don't want any unnecessary death. If you're hurt or killed, our members will suffer the consequences." With that, Miza left, but the tension didn't leave with her.
"I get the feeling she wasn't talking about the higher ups being pissed off." Ayato said when he was sure Miza and the other two ghouls had gone.
"What do you mean?" Emily asked turning to him. His azure eyes were uncharacteristically serious.
"Your friend." he told her, "The one who knows everything."
Anteiku, 2:56pm
"Emily-chan, I haven't seen you in a while." Yoshimura greeted her with a warm smile, "I hope everything is alright."
Emily took the offered seat and inhaled deeply, enjoying the comforting and familiar scents of coffee and leather. She hadn't realized how much she missed being at the cafe or how much she missed Yoshimura.
"Not exactly." she said and quickly added, "Though I'm not in very much trouble right now."
"Oh? I heard a different story from Yomo-kun." the old man replied as he reached for his coffee cup. Emily stared at her feet, wondering just how much Yoshimura knew and how much she could tell him. Miza had told her not to mention her involvement with Aogiri, but could she really get away with that?
"I don't know what he's told you, but it's probably true." she told him carefully, "Still, I'm safe. Actually, it's you and everyone here that are in trouble."
"Ahhh, you're talking about the Doves." he said with a knowing smile, "Yes, we had two customers from the CCG come in the other day and I'm certain they're aware of our existence."
"You all need to get out. They're planning a raid, it's not safe." Emily told him while attempting to keep her fear under control.
"I can't." the old man replied sadly, "I can't leave this place."
"You have to! You'll be kill-"
"Emily..." he said softly making her stop mid-sentence, "Anteiku is more than just a cafe to me. It's a home, it's life...it's love. Until now I have never spoken of this to anyone but I believe that you'll understand everything when I'm finished. When I was younger, well...I wasn't the man I am today. But I met a woman who changed me, I fell in love with her. Her name was Ukina and she was a human. Anteiku is all that's left of my ties with her, I won't abandon it."
Emily was quiet for a while as she came to terms with what Yoshimura had told her. He was like her parents, he had fallen in love with a human - a love that was condemned by society. A love like hers. "I understand." she told him. Anteiku to Yoshimura was what Blue Lotus was to her. More than just a building, more than just a name. It was part of him and he would die protecting it. She understood his resolve but that didn't mean she liked it.
"Just promise me you won't do anything unnecessary." she told him as she stood up to leave. He smiled warmly at her again, "I promise."
She had the feeling he was lying but didn't press it. She was just about to open the door separating the stairs to the front when someone grabbed her arm roughly and dragged her into the back room. Touka stood with her arms folded and a cold look on her face.
"Um...Is something wrong?" Emily asked the older girl curiously. Touka rarely spoke to her except to offer a quick greeting or tell her where Yoshimura was.
"Where the hell have you been?!" she demanded, "We've been going out of our damn minds with worry and you suddenly show up without so much as a warning?! Jeez, the nerve you have after putting us through hell!"
Emily was stunned at Touka's outburst. It was true that the two of them had been close when they were younger but years had pulled them apart and now Emily felt more like acquaintances than old friends. "I'm sorry..." was all she could manage to say.
"You're sorry?! It's been over a month and you're sorry!" Touka let out an exasperated breath, "Look, I didn't expect a phone call but you could have at least told Yomo where you were."
"I couldn't..." Emily said softly, "I couldn't tell anyone..."
Touka frowned and her attitude immediately changed, "You were in trouble, weren't you?"
"I still am. I'm sorry, that's all I can say but Uta, Renji and Kaneki know so they can tell you..." Emily trailed off seeing the hurt in Touka's face at the mention of Kaneki's name, "You haven't seen him, have you?"
She shook her head, "Not since he left us... That's why...That's why I was so worried about you..."
"Touka..."
"You can't leave." she said harshly, "I don't know what mess you're in but you can't leave us like he did! I won't let you, do you understand?! Anteiku is a family and you're part of it, I don't care if I have to beat the crap out of you."
Emily smiled and threw her arms around the older girl, hugging her tightly, "Thank you." she said, "I promise, I won't leave."
Emily headed back home where Ayato was waiting for her on the couch, once again watching television without actually watching it.
"How'd it go?" he asked without looking up. Emily shrugged as she slipped off her shoes, "The Manager is going to protect it. I couldn't get him to change his mind no matter what I said."
"Hmm." Ayato mumbled quietly but didn't say anything else. Emily watched him, wondering what he was thinking. She was adamant that Yoshimura wouldn't put Touka in danger, even if she begged him. Koma and Irimi on the other hand...well they owed him a debt. They would stay. Touka's debt to him would be repaid by staying alive. But Ayato didn't know that and despite their differences, she was the only family he had left.
He had told Miza that he wouldn't interfere but Emily liked to believe she knew him better - possibly better than he knew himself - while he wouldn't actively participate in fighting the CCG, she doubted he would just sit back while his sister could be in danger. Still, she didn't voice her thoughts nor did she ask him.
Emily's Appartment, 5:57pm
Emily couldn't sit still no matter how hard she tried - it was against everything she knew to just stay out of the way when people she cared about were in trouble. Toshio had called her earlier that day and told her that the raid on Anteiku was planned for tonight. He'd been worried about her, but after convincing him that she couldn't go even if she wanted to, he'd relaxed. Toshio himself wouldn't actually be taking part, for that Emily was glad. For one more day, she could live without having to worry about the two parts of her life clashing.
"Would you stop?" Ayato asked her taking her hands in his, "They'll be fine. Despite their differences, if the king himself is there, the CCG won't win."
Emily met his gaze, "How can you be so sure? You've never met the King, you're just taking it by word that he's the strongest ghoul."
"You're right, I haven't met him. I haven't even seen him. But there are certain things I know, for starters, anyone who can command Tatara has to be strong. Not only that but he's a one-eyed, like Kaneki, and we both know how strong he's gotten." Ayato unconsciously touched his right hand.
"Yeah, but Kaneki's circumstances are different. He was tortured, his mind snapped and from what Tsukiyama told me, he's been eating other ghouls."
This caught Ayato's attention, "He's been what?"
"I ran into Tsukiyama on the way home from Anteiku the other day. He said he was meeting Hinami-chan somewhere and asked if I'd seen Kaneki since the last time. I didn't tell him about Isao, I don't want him snooping around where he's not wanted, but he did tell me that Kaneki has not only been fighting both Ghouls and the CCG but the Ghouls he kills, he eats." Emily replied. She didn't mention that Tsukiyama had also tried to convince her to let him take a bite out of her, but after threatening him with both Aogiri, Renji and Uta, he'd left it alone.
"This is serious." Ayato said standing up suddenly and looking more concerned that she'd ever seen him.
"Why?" she asked, "I've heard of cannibalism amongst Ghouls before. Uta often talks about it happening in the 3rd Ward."
"Did he mention that the Ghouls who do that often go insane? I'm sure you've noticed Kaneki's slow decline into insanity - you said it yourself, his brain snapped after Yamori tortured him, that's why his hair went white. I did some research while my body was healing and found out that cannibal ghouls often experience something like schizophrenia or multiple personalities. When they consume another ghoul, it's like some part of that ghoul's psyche attaches itself to their mind and they lose it. I don't doubt that when Kanou transferred Kamishiro Rize's organs into Kaneki, part of her mind remained with him, he ate Yamori's Kakuja and part of Yamori's mind attached itself to him too. If he eats any more ghouls, there's no telling what will happen to him. Chances, if he snaps again, he won't recognize friend from foe."
Emily blinked up at Ayato, surprised he would retain so much knowledge about it, shocked at what Kaneki was doing and wondering why Ayato seemed so concerned about a guy he supposedly hated.
"What are you going to do?" she asked him curiously, understanding the serious gleam in his eyes.
Ayato ran a hand through his hair and headed for the door, "I'm gonna make sure my idiot sister doesn't get caught up in Kaneki's hell storm."
Mask in hand, Ayato left Emily in Hiko's care and headed out to Anteiku. This was yet another thing to worry Emily, now that she had new information involving Kaneki's fragile mental state, she was sure if he went there, he would lose his mind although she doubted he would ever hurt his friends. But having Ayato out there was a different story. Kaneki knew how much Ayato meant to Emily, but she doubted that would stop him from killing him this time if Ayato got in his way.
She flicked on the television, on every station was a live feed from news reporters following the raid at Anteiku. They weren't permitted to film the actual fight, but she could already tell it was hell there. When Anteiku went up in flames, Emily could no longer sit back.
She grabbed her shoes and jacket and ran threw the door before Hiko could stop her. She didn't stop running, the cold winter air burned her lungs and froze sweat forming on her skin. She occasionally slipped on icy parts of the footpath or in deeper snow, but she never stopped. She couldn't.
She skidded around a corner, panting hard, she could see the fires of Anteiku burning just ahead. Suddenly, there was someone at the end of the street, blocking her path. He was tall, wore a long coat similar to Renji's and had a scarf wrapped around half of his face. His breath billowed out like smoke.
Emily stopped a few feet from him and squinted, she was certain she'd never seen him before but there was something familiar about him. Something in the way he stood, his posture, his air. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Either way, she didn't have time to deal with strangers. Her friends and her boyfriend were in danger.
"If you're here to stop me on Aogiri's orders, it's not going to work." she told him strongly, despite how hard her heart was beating, "Let me pass."
"Emily!" The voice above her made her look up into the dark eyes of a black rabbit mask. Ayato jumped from the light and landed in front of her and ripped his mask off, "Hiko called, what the hell are you doing?!"
"Ayato..." Emily said, her eyes still on the mysterious stranger. Ayato frowned, seeing her attention wasn't on him and turned to see what she was looking at. Suddenly he dropped low into a defensive crouch, his vermilion wings spread out like a shield protecting Emily.
"What the fuck do you want?!" he snarled to the stranger. Clearly, they had met before. Again, the stranger was silent.
"He's part of Aogiri right? One of Tatara's guys?" Emily whispered to Ayato.
"No." he said harshly, "He's the one who attacked me."
Emily took a step back, this was the guy who threatened Aogiri, killed the Ghoul that attacked Emily and almost killed Ayato. He was dangerous. And he had an interest in her.
"When I tell you to run, do it." Ayato ordered her quietly, "And don't argue with me."
"There's no use in running." the stranger finally spoke, his voice muffled from the scarf, "I'm not going to hurt you."
Emily blinked as she stared past Ayato at the stranger, his voice sounded oddly familiar to her, like something from a dream.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" she asked him, "Why did you almost kill Ayato?"
"I had to be sure." he replied evenly, only confusing Emily more.
"Sure of what?"
"That he could be trusted." he said, "I see now, I have almost nothing to worry about."
"Who are you?" Emily repeated, slower and more serious this time. The stranger stepped forward and slowly pulled his scarf down to reveal his face.
Emily's ears rang, her breath caught in her throat and she felt like her legs couldn't support her weight any longer. Clutching onto Ayato's arm, she sank to her knees in the snow covered footpath.
How? How was this possible?
"Emily..." The stranger said in a voice so familiar to her and gazing down at her with eyes that haunted her dreams.
"No..." Emily whispered too afraid to take her eyes off him despite wanting to look away.
"Emily, do you know this guy?" Ayato asked her, still eyeing off the stranger warily.
Emily swallowed the lump in her throat and raised her shaking hand to point at him, "He's...He's my father...Ishihara Ryota.."
PLOT TWIST!
That's right folks, the mysterious ghoul was actually Emily's adoptive father. Surprise!
Also, a little sad news - the next chapter will be the last, all the questions involving Ryota, who Arima has a debt to and Emily's part in everything will finally be revealed. Also, it will contain spoilers from the manga :Re, so if you haven't read up to the latest chapter, you may want to do so before I publish the final piece (which, let's face it, could be sometime this week or a month from now).
But don't feel sad, Emily and Ayato's story isn't over yet as I'll be writing a sequel to this one. As I mentioned before, I was thinking of doing a Parasyte-Tokyo Ghoul crossover, but there were some concerns as to the plot working. So to clear up a few things, I will be going ahead with this idea, however, aside from my own original plot line, the main plot of :Re will be involved, whilst no one (as of yet) from Parasyte will be brought into it - so no Migi or Shinichi (although I haven't decided whether they'll make a small cameo).
I just like the idea of Ghouls fighting Parasytes over humans xD
Also, in the sequel, Juuzou, Kaneki and Arima will be in it more.
Once again, thank you for all the support with Dances with Shadows - the favourites, the follows, the reviews and the silent readers - it really means a lot to me for this story, a story that started out as just me literally dribbling shit, has become so popular. So thank you, thank you all.