''Welcome to Lastation, the land of Black Regality'' a speaker shrieked as soon as they landed.
Only a few steps into Lastation and he could already feel it was wrong, the country felt polluted and the clouds were dark. As he wanted to remain anonymous his only option was to equip his mask. If he went by another alias then it wouldn't be necessary to give any personal information about himself on this country, but he felt his biggest objective to do was to find Noire and ask about any information on Avenir, there was no time to waste.
As he wandered deeper and deeper into the City he felt the area was more like a olden technology city unlike Planeptune, it was like a city with the theme of steampunks, even some areas it was either damaged or collapsed, it didn't feel pleasant at all, the continuous clanking of machines and clockworks echoed throughout the City, the people more likely had raggedy clothes and not everyone here was as wealthy as in Planeptune, mabye because of Avenir, the wealth had fallen?
''Did Avenir do this? It seems like something or someone destroyed this part of the city'' Kaneki thought to himself, stepping around the fallen debris it seemed that dust and decay had taken over the crumbling stones, something had happend and he needed to get to the bottom of it.
He went around to merchants, to ask if any of them knew where Noire might be located. To his surprise they didn't know anyone by the name Noire. ''Hmm perhaps the CPU's hide their real names in order to walk around normally?'' He wondered.
Instead he asked the people who ruled this country and where to find her, they directed him to a place called The Basilicom. It seemed to be a place where they either worshipped, or discussed political matters. Kaneki was also surprised at the fact the people living here weren't afraid of him despite him having his mask on, and was relieved he could still get answers even though he wasn't showing his whole face.
He slowly opened the enormous doors at the entry of the Basilicom, As soon as he went inside guards rushed over to stop Kaneki and surrounded him, He took a moment to process why they were so hostile to him, and then asked.
''Why are you all pointing your weapons at me? I'm only here to speak with your ruler''
Mabye it was the mask, had intimidated them enough to think he would attack Noire?, Or mabye was he just a threat because of his appearence all in all, with his ghoul mask and the remnants of his Aogiri clothes it would be understandable.
''This is not an area for outsiders like yourself, So scram!'' a guard yelled.
''Look, I'm just looking for-''
''We could care less what business you have with Black Heart, Now get going!'' Another guard shouted towards Kaneki.
Kaneki cracked his index finger while staring at the guard infront of him who was quivering in fear at the intense stare of Kaneki's ghoul eye which was a terrifying sight, when Kaneki got serious.
''Let me rephrase then. Where is Black Heart?'' He said with a tone as deep and terrifying as possible.
The guard infront of him threw his weapon and began to talking ''W-we don't know at some point today she just v-vanished from the Basilicom!'' he said hoping Kaneki would leave as to never be stared at again, they were afraid and terrified at the sight of Kaneki, It would be felt that he had an dark aura to him, an aura telling the guards he's a person that's been through hell and out again.
''I see, I appreciate your help'' His voice was a stiff and cold tone ''But the next time you point your weapons at me again, I'll make you regret it'' Kaneki said coldly, He cracked another finger which the guards couldn't bear to listen anymore so they retreated into the Basilicom.
Kaneki turned around and walked out of the entrance to the Basilicom, The doors shut tight behind him with a slam.
''Why were the guards so hostile? I thought the places where Goddess's reside would be peaceful? Dammit i'm not going anywhere standing here! I hope Noire isn't in some trouble'' Kaneki thought to himself.
''I might aswell look around for any other leads. Any information helps,'' he mused.
- 1 Hour and 19 Minutes later -
No luck. There wasn't even a single person that knew where Noire or the so-called Black Heart was. They would only direct back him to the Basilicom. He was tired from so much walking around, So he found a small cafeteria. It was nearly empty, but atleast it had chairs so he could rest his legs, He found the nearest wooden chair and sat himself down feeling relief of resting, A woman at the other side of the cafeteria walked towards him with a confused expression.
''Who are you?'' she asked wondering why a person with a mask would enter her cafeteria.
''Pardon the intrusion. I just needed to rest my legs for a bit; it's a hard city'' Kaneki said.
She felt like a genuine nice person so what harm would there be in taking his mask off?
''Hmm...why would you walk around with a mask that creepy, when you're so cute?'' she asked smiling.
''Heh. Thanks'' Kaneki said, smiling back. The only thing he could do was smile when someone complimented him; he was unaccustomed to love and romance, so he brushed it off as merely words of admiration.
''Well, while we're at it,'' she said, taking a seat opposite him, ''You look capable...so do you think you could do me a favor?'' She said looking at Kaneki.
''I know i'm asking out of nowhere but it's an urgent problem, so even foreigners like yourself are welcome to help''
''Depends on the favor,'' Kaneki said, looking hesitantly at the woman.
''Aw, don't look like that, it'll probably be easy for someone like you!'' she said reassuringly. ''We've recently begun having troubles with our trade routes. A large monster appeared one day and now it's halting the merchants. That's where you come in, do you think you can defeat it?'' she asked
Kaneki knew he didn't have the time to run around doing small jobs, but what could he do?, he felt it was best to find the one ruling the country first, but since Noire was nowhere to be found he figured he might as well. ''Don't worry, I'll take care of it'' Kaneki said. He was interested to see how the monsters would be able to attack him, since he didn't think that the monsters would be made of Quinques, And that the strength of a ghoul is four to seven times stronger than a normal human.
''Oh, I totally forgot! I'm Chian,'' she said, smiling sheepishly.
''Kaneki Ken,'' he replied, while putting his mask on once again. ''So, where's this route i gotta find?'' he asked.
''Just go directly east from here, and you'll soon see a bridge. Cross the bridge, and bam! You're there,'' she said, smiling.
''Fine then, I'll come back when I've dealt with the monster,'' Kaneki said, as he slowly walked toward the door.
''Wait!'' Chian shouted. ''You don't have any weapons, how will you defeat it?'' she asked, biting her lip with a worried look.
''Don't worry, Chian, i know a thing or two about combat. It's fine; I'll come back alive no matter the cost,'' Kaneki said firmly.
When Kaneki arrived at the route, it was atleast out of the city, and it was less filled with smoke and the smell of oil out here. The trees grew in the distance and he went further on ahead toward a pleasant forest. Kaneki took a deep breath. ''Nothing more refreshing than the smell of nature - Now to find that monster.''
- 11 Minutes later -
He couldn't find the monster anywhere; he scouted along the route, hoping that it would jump out in an attempt to ambush him. As he trudged along into the forest he began to hear something... A struggle? No - fighting? Yes! It seemed as if someone was attacking or was in the middle of combat. As he headed for the origin of the sounds, he finally saw a face he recognized.
''Tch - such a fool to attack me. Those monsters come out of nowhere; it's annoying!'' Black Heart said before returning into her normal form. Kaneki stepped away from the cover of the bushes to greet her.
''Hey, Noire.''
As soon as Kaneki spoke, she froze. turning slowly around, she immediately knew it was the ghoul from before that had slammed her into the ground before she could attack Neptune.
''H-hey. What are you doing here, Kaneki?'' she asked nervously, slightly trembling at the memory of his attack, and the fearsome look of the mask.
Kaneki unzipped his mask, knowing it was a better way to have a conversation with an acquaintance, and that it was obvious she was tensed up when he had it on ''I am on a job here, to defeat a large monster that would be around these parts. Have you seen it?'' Kaneki asked curiously.
''No, but I've killed alot of small monsters around here. I really have no idea where they're coming from,'' she said.
''Wanna join me in finding and defeating that large monster? I mean, it is your country, after all,'' Kaneki chuckled.
''Fine. I'll join you. But it's not like i want to. Or that i like you. It's to protect the people of this land.'' Noire had begun fidgeting.
''Alrighty. It's always more fun to be around someone than to be alone, am i right?'' Kaneki said...But Noire kept quiet.
Kaneki and Noire had encountered several small monsters but they were no match for the CPU and the ghoul, Kaneki had noticed these monsters were not worth fighting, since they could hardly do any damage, but Noire was in a full swing.
Running head-on toward a monster, she drew her sword across it's body, jumped above it, and sliced its back. She stood there in a posture of victory as the monster vanished into nothingness, Kaneki noticed that every time she killed a monster, a noticeable small bar had appeared above her and then disappeared again. What was that bar?
''Hey,'' Noire said, sounding annoyed. ''Shouldn't you also attack, since you wanted fight?''
Kaneki saw a small slime jumping in his direction. He was curious as to what they would do to him, so he raised his fists. ''Nothing personal,'' he thought, before grabbing the slime mid air. ''What's this monster called?'' Kaneki asked, whilst still holding the slime in his hand. Its gooey mass felt unpleasant, like an octopus that would hold on tight to his hand.
''They're called dogoos. Extremely weak and one of the first monsters one would encounter if adventuring,'' she said, sheathing her sword.
Kaneki raised his hand upwards slinging the dogoo around, and then slammed his hand down. It crashed against the ground, generating a small crater. The dogoo vanished. Just like all monsters but...something strange happened. He had wanted to see if he had the same bar above himself that Noire had...and he did!
But it was labeled Level, and Kaneki couldn't tell what his level was, because all it read was ''N/A.'' Noire noticed this as well, and appeared to be confused.
''Weird. I wonder why you don't have any level? Maybe it's because you're what you said...a so-called Ghoul. Would that mean your strength is superior than this world's calculation?'' Noire wondered.
If Kaneki had an answer, he would have explained right away. He closed his eyes. ''If I go all out I should have alot of kagunes...what about my Kakuja? Would that be the reason my level is boosted above th-''
Kaneki noticed a presence coming at him, a spine chilling sensation as if some emotional spider tucked at his spinal nerves, sending crude tones of primal fear into his brain. A giant arm slammed against Kaneki's chest, it's shape and form blurred by motion, flexible in motion yet hard as concrete on impact. Air got squezzed out of his lounges, bones groaned and cracked in protest and Kaneki found himself gasping and heaving for air, mouth wide open with a primal hunger as he soared away, crashing through branches and twigs of trees a good 10 meters away.
''Kaneki!'' Noire yelled with worry.
She tried to run to his aid but the monster grabbed Noire with incredible strength. Her face shifted from frustration to fear as it became apparent that there would be no easy escape. The grip, while solid at first, started to tighten around Noire's frame, making her wiggle in a weak, futile protest. She could feel the pressure on her body was becoming unbearable, the grip starting to tremble with tension and pressure, if she had only transformed before it grabbed her.
''Aaaaahhh!'' Noire yelled with agony.
In a bush there was Kaneki. He coughed blood up several times. ''H-how did that monster damage me? It's not a goddamn Quinque!'' Kaneki thought.
At that same moment, he heard Noire's yell - it filled him with memories, of it all, Aogiri, Anteiku. If he ever let one die again, then he wouldn't be able to face anyone ever again. Kaneki raised himself to his feet. His ghoul eye had appeared, 2 kagunes had also materialized on his back. ''I'll...I'm gonna...'' His voice was filled with hatred and determination ''I'LL PROTECT YOU ALL!'' Kaneki shouted with all his might, using his kagunes on two trees on opposite sides of him as a launcher.
''Take this!'' he thought to himself, using the kagunes like a rocket, flying towards the large monster.
As Noire's struggle was about to end, she cursed the monster deep inside and herself for not being able to do much against it. Suddenly, Kaneki came flying with lightning fast speed and an outstretched leg. He aimed to hit it - Bam!, The sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the area as Kaneki hit it right in the chest. ''Good hit before; just repaying the fucking favor!'' Kaneki shouted, sending the monster back on impact. The foul beast loosened it's grip on Noire, who was caught in Kaneki's hands before she hit the ground. ''Ka-kaneki?'' She asked, as she struggled to regain her breath.
''Don't worry, Noire. Stay back - I've got this''. Kaneki said, putting Noire on the ground. He was enraged to see that one of his friends was already this injured - and 2 Kagunes was all he could muster.
Noire stood up, gasping and breathing heavily, while holding Kaneki's shoulder with one hand. ''Don't think...you can do this...this is my land...I'll take care of this myself. No need to help me, Kaneki!'' Noire shouted, as she activated her transformation.
She was now a tall, beautiful girl with long white hair and black Armour.
''Don't count me out just yet, Kaneki. I'm the CPU of Lastation, after all!'' she said, while pointing her sword at the monster.
''Stop being so fucking stubborn!'' Kaneki shouted, making Black Heart freeze. He turned to face her. ''Can't you see that we need to work together to kill it!?'' Kaneki was reminded of himself as he looked deep into the eyes of Black Heart, he could see she had the same eyes filled with determination he had before the mess with Anteiku started.
She walked past him to face the monster, but stopped to clarify one thing to Kaneki.
''I need to be strong to defend this land. I don't give a damn about the Shares. I just want my citizens to live in peace,'' she said, and raced towards the monster.
As Kaneki watched the CPU run, he yet again saw a silhouette of himself, ''If i'm weak everyone will get killed...''He couldn't help but smile as he watched her, he had the same desire to help and protect everyone, before he got his Kakuja he remembered he did everything to get strong to protect others.
''But I'm gonna do the same as Tsukiyama and Banjou,'' He said, assuming a fighting stance, readying up to run in backup. He clenched his fist.
''I'll become your sword and shield!'' he yelled as he ran towards the monster and Noire/Black Heart.
Noire was the first to hit she aimed straight at it's shoulder and moving like lightning she was gone one instant and re-appeared behind the next, leaving a hole in the shoulder. The monster made a ear-deafening cry, Kaneki darted beneath the monster's legs and with a quick dodge, it only managed to make a small claw mark on his cheek.
''Any slower and it would've killed me, now it's confirmed, he can attack me!'' Kaneki launched himself back to his feet. He was now behind the monster and he used his kagunes to wrap around each Arm to render it immobile.
''Noire!; Throw your sword in it's left arm!, hurry!'' he said, managing to hold the beast in it's position.
''Why!?'' Noire yelled
''Just do it!'' he struggled to hold it in it's place now.
She hurled her sword, pinning the creature's arm to the earth, Kaneki leapt above it appearing in front of the beast.
''Take THIS!'' he shouted, combining the Kagunes into one whole while penetrating it's heart. The monster stood there motionless and Kaneki just stared at it.
''What's one thousand Minus seven?'' he asked, coldly.
Making the kagunes appear separate again and making them stretch it's body in opposite directions, the monster vanished into thin air, it was defeated.
Noire transformed back to her normal form before sighing.
''That's impressive fighting, good job'' she said, first time fighting side by side with a ghoul and she liked it.
''I'm sorry about before'' Kaneki said, whilst looking down ''I shouldn't have called you stubborn; you just reminded me of myself before i got this strong'' his tone was apologetic.
''What's done is done, rather being called stubborn than crushed in the palm of a monster''
Suddenly Kaneki felt a surge of nausea, he didn't know what happend he just began to feel weak, he slammed head first into the ground, he was unconscious.
How long time had passed? Was it already nighttime? He had no idea, it was just dark all around him.
A light illuminated now in front of him he knew this light, it was the same as in his dream!
The same figure appeared as well and through the darkened silhouette she made Kaneki saw a grin.
''You managed to save Black Heart before she died, that's one objective done. Now you just have to complete the second one, Uncover Avenir's secrets and make peace with Black Heart or should i say Noire?''
The figure already began to disappear but Kaneki wouldn't let them go so fast.
''Wait!; how do you know who i am, why are you telling me all this?!'' He wanted answers.
The figure stood there speechless, before speaking up clearly ''All i can say is that you didn't come to this world on accident, this is much bigger than you know'' the figure said, in a cold yet reassuring tone ''You can do it, Kaneki''
Kaneki finally opened his eyes, slowly, he noticed his head was on the lap of a girl he'd never seen before.
''Thank goodness'' She said, sounding relieved, ''I saw your fight and i was afraid you would've gotten hurt, but it seems like you're just fine!'' she smiled down at Kaneki.
''Who...are you?''
''I'm Compa, Nice to meet you!'' she answered, while chuckling.
-End of Chapter-
Writers note.
Soo it took me alot of time to get this chapter done, especially because i took alot of time *trying* to figure out how to Show a fight instead of telling a fight.
you will probably notice alot of differences it's my friends that helped me on this part, because i was unsure soo through most of this chapter it was guided and or helped by my friends, A big salute to them!
Also in my head i figured Lastation would be a very olden timish city, with not so much of the great stuff other cities would have, thus making it like this.
Also, i'm gonna start taking longer stretches for updating chapters, because i need to practice fighting scenes, i'm very VERY bad at it, So don't expect i'll update frequently anymore.
with that said, Merry Christmas everyone!