Okay, so someone pointed out that Kaneki was only a part of Aogiri in the anime. So, wanting to be accurate, I went and searched the wiki for evidence of Kaneki either being connected or not to Aogiri in the manga. I couldn't find confirmation or evidence against. I try to be accurate guys, I really do, but with how long the series is and the confusion of differences between the manga and the anime, it's hard! I can explain Hanako's words away by saying it's simply an exaggerated rumor she heard, but if I get something wrong, please forgive me!
And please, by all means, enjoy!
On my insistence, we go to visit Touka that evening. The two of us sit at our usual table in the cafe and order ourselves coffee, as if the past month had never happened. Touka refuses to outwardly express her relief as to our safety, but she lingers about our table just a bit more than she typically would. It isn't until she invites us to join her in the back during her break that she mentions anything about our absences. Upon her request, we settle into the couch and relay to her the majority of what has happened. As per usual, however, we drop the notion that I happen to be a different species from either of them.
Once we've finished, she rewards Hanako with a sharp kick in the shin and a scolding for ever running off, to which I crack up. My best friend glares at me before rubbing her hurt leg. It seems that Touka, as a fellow ghoul, has the strength to cause her pain. Makes me glad we decided to come. I can never do anything but the equivalent of poking at her on my own.
We leave on good terms, with my mask secured under my shirt and a friendly send off from both Touka and Yomo. Next, we stop by Mami's apartment complex. While I buy myself a sandwich at the restaurant across the street, Hanako leaves another note for Mami at the front desk, this time written by me, along with an enclosed message to Yui apologizing for everything and informing her I lost my phone. If not for the time I spent mulling over every single word I meticulously wrote to the both of them, we would've gone to see Touka before the sun began to set, but I was incredibly careful with everything I meant to say to them. After all, those words may end up being the last I ever give to them. I had to somehow sum up all of my gratitude to the both of them on those two sheets of paper, which I still believe was an impossible task to undertake. I hope, though, that they understand, and if all goes well, maybe they'll start to talk again with my common absence in their lives. Perhaps they can mend their friendship.
Hanako meets me at the door of the restaurant and we continue down the road. At this point, the sun has sank completely, replaced by the manmade lights of night. We maintain a steady, slightly sluggish pace to ease the burden on my feet and prevent my injuries from opening any more, although both of my feet are wrapped restrictively tight just in case.
Finished with my food, I toss the evidence into a trashcan we pass and stuff my hands into the pockets of my jacket after wiping my mouth. I suppose it doesn't matter. Where we're going, there are probably ghouls who already know I'm human. Still, I'm not sure how many. Hanako apparently didn't hide my species from her superior, Ayato, so I can't really say how many know without asking her. And if I asked her, she'd think I was doubting her. The last thing we need is to add strain to our friendship at this point.
When we reach the abandoned business building that serves as our destination, each of us slips on our mask before we head inside. Hanako has to lead me by the hand inside, her ghoul eyes catching hints of light in the dark building that mine do not. We go slowly. She has to guide me verbally as well as physically to prevent me from stepping on anything sharp, because, according to her, a good portion of the windows that're supposed to be in their panes are actually shattered on the floor. The staircase is the hardest to traverse, with my toe stubbing on every other stair and causing me to nearly fall down the stairs backwards at least twice.
We finally emerge into a fair sized room lit by only a few electric lanterns that must be newer than they look, considering they appear to be battery powered. With only them for lighting, shadows dominate the room, but still I can make out boards barricading the windows. Besides the boards and the lanterns on the floor, the room appears to be empty.
"Boss isn't here yet?" Hanako inquires to the dim room. To my shock, she gets a reply from not one, but many people.
"He's usually last."
"But we can't exactly complain, or he might lose his temper."
"It sucks we have to work under a guy who's so young. He's got no experience."
"Clearly you've never seen him in action."
As my eyes begin to adjust, I begin to pick out silhouettes slinking against the walls. With a start I realize the room is anything but empty. Easily more than a dozen ghouls line the shadowy outline of the room, each one keeping to themselves. Hanako joins them by leaning against the wall by the door and I follow. As I settle, I try not to let my eyes wander. Then I realize they can't see my face behind my mask, and begin to gaze around at each of them. Every one of them has a mask on their face, but from what I can tell, they're all dressed comfortably casual. This gathering is starkly different than the ghoul gatherings I'm used to, which had wealthy ghouls is wealthy dress quietly socializing like royalty. If royalty was deeply imbedded in black market transactions. But the atmosphere here is more underground rebellion than snobby aristocracy. It's strange. Despite ghouls having both a common food source and common enemy, they've divided into such varying groups. You'd think they'd all band together, but no. I get the feeling most of the ghouls Uta introduced me to would turn their noses up at the ghouls in this room right now. They'd call them 'savages'.
"Who's the new chick?" The woman with a ponytail nods to me, her question seemingly aimed at Hanako.
"My friend," Hanako says simply. "I want to ask the boss to let her join."
A man snorts. "Like he'd listen to a subordinate's request."
The man next to him elbows him. "But remember, he's sweet on Black Cat." I glance at Hanako, but can't make out any sort of reaction on her face.
"The Black Bunny and the Black Kitty. How fitting."
"Black Rabbit," a new voice corrects. All eyes land on a young man standing in the doorway. It takes me a second, even though he's the only one without a mask, but then it hits me that it's Ayato. Since Hanako hadn't referred to him by name, I'd figured the boss would be someone even higher up. "I'll overlook the other crap you spouted just now. Everyone's here?"
Ponytail lady nods. "Plus one. Black Cat brought a little birdie along."
It's only then that he notices me. I watch him carefully, but he doesn't pay me more than a glance. It's Hanako he addresses. "Why did you bring her?"
"Because Mockingbird's a rank A ghoul, and willing to help. I can vouch for her."
His head turns slightly towards me. "Rank A? Her?"
"Crazy, right?" Hanako grins.
He thinks about it for a moment. "I'll allow it, but you're her babysitter. I'm not responsible if she gets herself or you killed."
"Understood."
"As for you," he finally speaks to me, "if you start dragging anyone but her down, you're out."
"Yes sir."
A snicker from one of the nameless ghouls earns a glare from their boss. When they're successfully silenced, Ayato gets to the meat of the gathering. "Kitsune, what have you to tell about the cyber attack we launched on the main building?"
Again it's the woman who replies, this time a smug smile on her face. "My team was successful. We managed to reap the dates of the next times they plan on moving prisoners in Cochlea, and I was able to download a few files concerning a number of special investigators."
"Is that all?"
She falters. "Y-yes. You can't expect me to get much more than that out of such a protected system, Boss."
"This is why you're still only under me and no one higher," he snaps back. The woman he'd called Kitsune snarls, but keeps her complaints to herself. "I expect you forwarded it all as usual?"
"Of course."
"And you covered your location?"
"Of course! Boss, I've never made such an amatuer mistake for years!"
He ignores her insisting. "The next meeting we'll have is in eight days. We'll be joining with another unit to gather intel on newly hired doves. The meeting place will be the park at the foot of the cell tower near the station. Be discreet. Does everyone under-"
Clink
Something hits the ground tossed from the doorway, drawing all our attentions. My eyes go to the door, but before I can find anything, Hanako shoves me to the ground. I gasp, the breath forced out of me. Before I can recover, she's thrown herself atop me.
When I push back, she hisses, "Stay down!"
And then I'm blinded by a light and deafened by a sound, and suffocating heat floods the room. I clench my eyes shut as the floor beneath me quakes. It only lasts for a second. When it cools down enough for me to comfortably take a breath, I pry open an eye. Hanako has pushed herself off of me, grimacing, her limbs shaking and face towards the door.
"Aw, come on!" The voice that speaks, although I can't quite put a name to it, makes my blood run cold. "It wasn't that strong of a grenade. Is that all it really took? I thought ghouls were stronger!"
The next thing I notice as I ease myself upright is that every ghoul in the room has their kagune at the ready, the red of their weapons gleaming in the light of the small fires spread throughout the room. Seeing this, I reach under my jacket to grasp the gun hidden inside. Since it's the gun Hanako found me, and not the one I left back in Mami's apartment, I have to fumble with the unfamiliar design to find and undo the safety. Then, I freeze with my hand inside my outer layer. Uta always told me never to draw in front of others unless they either know my species, or it's inescapable.
"At least you can all still stand!" This time, I finally spot the owner of the voice and put a name to him. Suzuya stands aloof in the entrance, a second grenade in his hand. "It wouldn't be any fun for me if I had to cull you while you were barely clinging to life!"
"Suzuya! Why did you set off an explosion in an old building like this?"
I startle at Haise's voice, hand spazzing around the gun. I just manage to avoid hitting the trigger. Although I can't see Haise yet, I can now hear his footsteps along with others approaching the room. This can't be good.
"Kiyoko." I jump again when Hanako whispers in my ear. "We're only a floor up. The wood over the windows should be singed from the grenade he threw, so the boards should splinter easily. I want you to try to break through and run when the fighting begins."
"I won't!" I refuse, resolute. "I'm done with running! All you and Uta ever tell me to do is run, but at least he put a gun in my hand and taught me to use it!" The other ghouls in the room begin to sink into pouncing position, widening the grin on the wild investigator's face.
"But do you really think you can shoot a human to kill?" Hanako insists. I search her face. Even with the mask covering everything above her mouth and nose, her lips convey her displeasure clearly enough. And I can clearly see that she doesn't think I can do it.
I offer her a sad smile. "Hanako….I already have."
Hehe...Suzuya. I had to use him for something more than just a dialogue scene. I also thought it was a little fun to give him a bit of an explosive entrance. This was fun to write, to say the least. What do you guys think? Any and all pointers are welcome! Praises, criticisms, I wanna hear all you've got! I look forward to hearing from you!
Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!