The Quinx of Change

Chapter 19

Confusion, desperation, agony, and more. Sometimes our emotions can flow through us, without any control. When we find ourselves in precarious situations, we may do things you never thought you would do. When your heart races, or your hunger strikes, we can let our instincts go wild. Hide finds this out through the week is he spent in that dark wretched room, with his emotions taking some interesting turns.

"Aha!" Hide screamed, for countless time today. It had only been a day since he had woken up, and again he was subject to the same thing as yesterday.

Hide looked at his captor, Eto, the green-haired girl who didn't look like a threat, initially unless you knew who she was.

Hide had found out at the end of yesterday, the kakugan in his right eye indicating his status, either as a one-eyed ghoul, or a framed out Quinx. It wasn't until Eto herself had released her own single kakugan did Hide knew she was a one-eyed ghoul as well.

But whereas most of the others were made through Kanou, and thus artificial, Eto was a natural born one-eyed ghoul. Incredibly rare, if Hide recalled from his conversation with Arima.

"What's wrong Hide-kun? Ghoul catch your flesh?" Eto merely taunted, getting yet again close to Hide's face. Too close, Hide thought as he felt his cheeks getting red. It wasn't from the fact that he thought she was hot, but the fact that he could feel her breathing on him!

"N-No, I'm just in p-pain is all!" Hide stated, gasping for breath as he moved his head away from Eto.

Hide panted, trying to calm himself, as he endured another round of his fingers and toes being burnt off. He never knew what the purpose of this was. Why was he the one being subject to this? Why was he the one here? It could've been anyone else, but it was him.

"Why." Hide asked, looking at Eto, who had finished cutting the last of Hide's toes. "Why am I the one here?" He spoke.

Eto shrugged, "Because you were the one caught alive, even better you were a human weapon, so Kanou wanted to see your anatomy. As for me, I'm just curious. You're functioning really well I might say! Look at that!" Eto exclaimed in happiness, as Hide's injured parts of his body, which initially fell off after being charred and burned, were now regenerating, albeit to stumps sometimes due to malnutrition.

Hide raised his eyebrow in confusion, he had noticed his regenerative abilities had improved since yesterday.

"WhaOW!" Hide exclaimed, watching as Eto plucked Hide's chest, revealing the burn mark Eto had given him yesterday to be gone. Only for her to slash him again, this time downwards. Hide hissed as he felt the heat of the blade burn him further.

Eto smiled, "Even if conventional methods don't work when combined with new ways it can still work."

"What," Hide shivered, "did I do," he took a deep breath, "to deserve this..."

Eto giggled, "Just for fun, see you in a bit Hide-kun!" Eto exclaimed, walking away, leaving Hide to his own devices, his blood surrounding his figure as he took in a deep breath.

Once again, Hide was left to his own devices, to just stare around the room, the blood around him and the remnants of his burnt off toes and nails. The quinque Eto had left behind. All Hide could do was stare.

"Amber." He mumbled, "Where the hell are you when I actually need you." He asked

"What have they done to me?" He asked again, his breathing slowing down as his adrenaline subsided.

"Hello, Hide-kun." Hide's head went up as he finally heard the voice of Amber, something he didn't expect he would ever miss.

"Amber! Where the hell have you been?" Hide asked.

"I have been occupied with the change in your body. I guess I should have told you I would've been missing in action for a day or two." Amber stated.

Hide sighed, "Yeah would've been helpful, considering my situation."

"Yeah, I apologize for once, though look at all of that. I wonder if it tastes good." Amber asked, motioning to the charred remains of Hide's body parts.

Of course, being regenerated, Hide was curious as to how it worked. But the simple reaction to Amber wanting to eat it was enough to make Hide feel at ease. At least somebody hadn't changed throughout this whole ordeal.

"Of course, you would ask that." Hide laughed, a smile on his bloodied face.

After he finished laughing, which felt a tad too long for its own good, Hide then asked Amber another question. "So, I'm a ghoul now?"

Amber's laugh echoed in Hide's head, "Well, not a ghoul. A one-eyed ghoul. When you framed out, you accepted it, and your body became ghoul-like!" Amber stated.

Then it hit Hide, "So that's what you meant by my body changing." He recalled when Amber had warned him about accepting that rc cell influx.

"Yep, but it's fine! You don't have to eat for a month, you can fight to your fullest, I see no downsides!" Amber reasoned.

"Except the fact that I can't eat normal food anymore!" Hide yelled, a bit angry at that. His face then turned down, his hair blocking his vision, as he heard some footsteps coming.

"She's coming," Amber stated, warning Hide.

"I know, I can hear her." Hide responded, his voice a lot quieter now.

"You know, how you got in this situation, it's all your fault," Amber stated, critiquing Hide who was shocked at the sudden change up.

Hide's face turned up, "What?" He asked. Why was Amber pulling this blame game right now?

"If you hadn't been reckless jumping in danger like that you wouldn't have been the one to end up here," Amber explained, and Hide sighed. She did have a point.

"Still, someone had to go, and I guess it was me. Besides, I'd rather it be me than anyone else." Hide commented, only for Amber to laugh.

"It's that so?" She merely asked, doubt filling her voice.

"What do you mean by that?" Hide asked clearly sensing something with her.

"Oh, I don't know. It's just you think of yourself as saving others and yourself you'll be a hero? Please it doesn't matter. If you choose to save both, you'll lose both. With what you did, it was either lose yourself or your friend." Amber explained.

"What do you mean, lose myself? I'm still here and alive." Hide explained. Amber didn't answer as she ultimately had to give Hide the time to figure out what she meant by her statements.

Hide looked up, to see Eto smiling at him.

"You'll see for yourself," Amber stated as Eto walked towards Hide, her finger now caressing her face.

Hide shivered upon contact, she really was trying to mess with him, in her own sick ways.

"So, Hide-kun, what shall we do today, right now?" Eto asked. "And if you don't ask quick enough look." She started pulling the equipment she had left behind, oddly enough licking one of them.

"You know, what they say about pain, it's a price. A worthy one to say the least." Amber told Hide, before Hide looked up at his captor, a smile pastored on her face.

"W-what-" Hide never got the chance to finish, as Eto once again lit a match and burnt Hide repeatedly with it.

"You should've been quicker!" Eto stated a smile on her face as she listened to the sound of Hide's cries. Hide grunted as he realized nothing he did would have gotten him lesser of a punishment. Eto was going to give it to him regardless.

Once again, Hide's fingers and toes were missing, but unlike the other times, they weren't regenerating.

"Looks like you're hungry! I'll get you a snack." Eto smiled as she ran out yet again.

Hide sighed in relief, "this," he commented, but couldn't finish when Amber came in.

"Now is nothing by torture." Hide stated, his breathing again fast paced as he tried to calm himself. His mind was breaking, and he was in shock and disbelief.

"Why is this happening to me…" Hide asked.

"Isn't it obvious? You are too incompetent and weak to understand." Amber replied.

"And why don't you answer that for me then, oh smart wizard." Hide jokes, at least trying with the situation he was in.

"It's simple, if you embraced the person, you were, you could still be out there thriving. But here you are now, a pariah of your potential, stuck under the begging of a stronger more likable figure."

Hide remained silent, not knowing what to think. "Why, why do they torture?" He asked.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that isn't for entertainment. Only ghouls and human torture for entertainment." Amber answered for Hide.

Eventually, before Hide could ask, he saw Eto coming towards him with another meat package. Unlike the last time, Hide didn't want it. He knew what it was and was sick to be tricked into it.

"I'm not eating it." Hide stated.

Eto smirked as if that was the answer she wanted to hear, "excuse me?" she asked in a playful tone.

Hide repeated himself and felt himself being punched right in the jaw.

"Ow…" he mumbled before he felt his mouth being forced open by Eto.

"Ah!" Hide yelped as he saw Eto touching his mouth with her finger, very softly.

It made Hide gasp at the contact, in shock, before Eto smirked. She jammed the meat right into Hide's mouth, who did his best to repulse and reject it.

When Hide tried to spit the meat out, Eto just grabbed it and then pushed it back into Hide.

However, for some reason, this time, it was a lot more confusing to Hide. Instead of pushing her finger into his mouth, this time she pushed her own lips into Hide's own, forcing her tongue through his throat, to force Hide to gulp down the meat in his mouth.

If Hide ever tried to push it out, Eto pretty much forced the food to go down one route, into Hide's esophagus.

"Oh, come on Hide, human flesh is delicious! Didn't I tell you to embrace the monster in you? Haha…" With Amber now taunting him, he was overwhelmed, and he gasped as he swallowed the flesh, breathing for air as Eto finally broke the contact.

He was breathing quickly again, and Eto smiled.

"Look at that!" She exclaimed, pointing to his toes and fingers, "They're growing back!" She smiled before she picked up her equipment.

Meanwhile, Hide had been mortified, he had eaten human flesh for the second time in a day. He was human! Or at least his mind was, with a talking ghoul inside of him but whatever. He was human! He wasn't this. He was never supposed to be this.

"Ahahow!" Hide screeched as Eto burned him again, his captor seemingly humming in a weird tune, as if that made him sane anymore.

"You know," Eto started, "I was wondering how much of an enigma you truly are. Coming here with a kakuhou already? You made our job easy. And I thank you for that." She said getting closer to Hide, he could feel her breathe again.

"Hide-kun!" Eto exclaimed in part pleasure and joy, as she lifted the burnt matches up, before slamming it down on his shoulder. Hide hissed as the burning sensation became more and more overwhelming.

Hide made a noise of pain, but was surprised to see himself not scream again.

"Aw that is no fun, I want to hear your screams of agony," Eto smirked, as she proceeded to try and burn Hide up more. With burn marks across his torso, she was delicately painting on whatever remained on his shirt.

Eventually Hide made a small yelp, from Eto now playing close to his collarbone. "Gah!" He screamed and Eto smiled,

"I guess that'll do for now. See you soon Hide-kun! I have another form of punishment for you!" Eto smiled waving Hide by like she was a high school friend. It made Hide sick.

As the orange haired felt his body bleeding, and his injuries and crumpling mental state accumulate, Hide found himself unconscious.

It wasn't until he woke up in his subconscious did Hide realized where he was, fitting.

"What is going on?" He asked somewhat desperately to understand. He was still somewhat confused and scared.

Amber merely smiled at the boy, and it was here did Hide realized the environment he was in. It wasn't the typical orange field or the bloodred sky, but now it seemed to be something completely brand new. An orange and black atmosphere. Orange skies and black stars, Amber's figure was shining in this new area.

Hide looked around and spotted that they were in "nature." The night sky loomed as the forest's nightly beauty was showcased in the moonlight.

"You are in your subconscious." Amber asked for him.

Hide shook his head, "Not that, what's happening in my conscience?"

Amber chuckled, grabbing Hide by his hands, before putting him near a cliff. Hide's eyes widened, "Whoa! What are you doing?" Hide asked, bewildered, and scared at the long drop down.

"I'm simply showing you what is going on." Amber smiled, tilting Hide more towards the cliff, he was already about to fall.

"What does this- Whoa!" He exclaimed as he felt his feet lose the ground, he was now holding onto Amber's hands with all his strength.

"It's simply, you are in a precarious situation," Amber stated, a smile evident on her face.

"I know that now, what do you need me to do?" Hide asked, somewhat begging to be brought up.

"What do you need to do?" Amber asked out loud, chuckling. "Listen to yourself, how pathetic you sound."

Hide only looked at her with more confusion. "Please, I'm so confused as to what's happening, just tell me." he asked.

Amber looked at the orange-haired boy who was in a state of distress. Amber smirked, "Perfect..." She mumbled to herself.

Time seemed to slow down drastically as Hide frantically searched around for anything that would get him out of this situation. He looked down, no chance. He looked to his sides, no area to grab, above him, that's it!

The clothing Amber was wearing was within arm's length, he could grab onto that and maybe pull her down.

With a swift motion, Hide used his free arm to grab Amber's pants.

"Ack!" She exclaimed, surprised at the sudden turn of events. Of course, she was stronger than him, being able to hold her ground regardless of the new force pulling her towards the cliff, but as she backed away, she brought Hide with her.

Hide quickly got up, and got as far away from the cliff as he could, staring at Amber, who chuckled.

Unbeknownst to Hide, Amber could see the crazed eyes of a desperate man. The crazed eyes of someone who had just escaped death.

Amber chuckled, "Well played, Hide-kun." Was all she said before walking off. Of course, she was pulled from her back to see Hide looking at her with a serious expression.

Amber sighed, "Well considering you passed that test, sit down." She motioned to the both, which they did simultaneously.

Hide looked at Amber waiting, before he realized he was to be the one asking the questions.

"So..." Hide started, but Amber immediately interrupted him.

"Look at the spot you were in just now. How beautifully you got out of that. Why can't you do the same in that situation? With that girl burning you up?"

Hide looked down, "I don't know."

"You're afraid."

Hide looked up at Amber's face, her look displaying disgust and seriousness. "W-what?"

"You seriously cannot tell me the only reason you got out there was it was because of me?" Amber playfully taunted Hide.

Hide shrugged, "Maybe it was."

Amber merely looked at the boy, before sighing, deciding to take a more direct approach.

With shock, Hide felt his shoulder being bitten into. "Ow!" Hide yelled. "I already get hurt in the other world; I don't need it from you!"

Amber was now on top of Hide, who was very vulnerable, "Tell me, Hide-kun, why do you think you are in this position?"

Hide struggled to break free, and Amber finished her own question, "It's because you're weak, but you already know that, see?" She asked, displaying her example right now.

"The only way for you to get stronger." She started, biting deeper into Hide's shoulder. "Is to love the feeling." She finished.

Hide merely looked on in confusion, hissing at the injury, "What do you mean by that?"

Amber chuckled, "It may be different because I love how you taste, but for you, you got to learn to love the feeling of pain, and endure it."

Hide still looked on in confusion, "So you are telling me to endure the pain I'm given? I think I'm doing a good job."

Amber then shook her head, licking Hide's face, "I wouldn't say that. Your screams of pain and agony, are only adding to your actual pain. You got to learn to love it, and embrace it, just like you've embraced me after all those months and years."

Hide looked on, doubting himself, and Amber felt herself winning this stalemate. "How the hell do I embrace that?" Hide asked with anger, as he finally began to try harder, their stalemate being even yet again.

"Not worrying about losing your body. It'll regenerate, faster and faster, and the pain will lessen and lessen. You're still holding onto the fact that you're a human. When you are no longer that."

Hide sighed, "I know I'm part ghoul now!" He exclaimed, and Amber smirked as she felt herself being pushed back.

"Go on." She spoke.

"I know I'm a ghoul now! They told me everything they did! How they opened me up and removed the frames! How the rc cell influx was their fault! I can't even eat human food anymore!" Hide bellowed, releasing his anger and pain into their conversation.

Amber smiled as she continued to be pushed back by Hide, despite the bite she had given to him.

"Well then, there's only one option you can do now," Amber stated, her now being on the ground, Hide, to his surprise, beating her.

"And what is that?" He asked, begging for an answer.

Amber smiled, "You must embrace the monster, the ghoul in you. Embrace me, Hide-kun, it'll be better for you now. I know, trying to go back to your humanity will only get you killed."

Hide sighed, as he stared at Amber, revealing her bare shoulders. "Your turn." She spoke.

Hide looked at her as if she was crazy, "What..." Hide asked.

"If you want to embrace the ghoul, you have to bite me, sealing the union." She said, and Hide, with hesitance nodded.

With a swift motion, thinking back to when he had bitten Noro, he brought his teeth onto Amber's flesh.

He could have sworn he heard Amber moan in delight and Hide himself ironically felt at ease.

At least, until Hide blacked out yet again.

When he woke up, he saw the face of Eto close to him, their faces centimeters apart.

"Hello sleepy head, enjoy your sleep?" Eto asked, with a warm smile.

Hide, if he hadn't gone through just now, may have been creeped out.

But now, looking at the girl in front of him, his stoic expression remaining there, before he smiled, knowing the conversation he had with Amber prior helped him understand better.

"I did, Eto-chan." Hide answered, his smile unwavering. He had to play the front of an obedient servant for someone like Eto if he ever wanted to escape.

Eto seemed relatively shocked, but happy. "Great, because look!" She said, pointing to his fingers, toes, and his torso.

"A clean body, after a while. Though it took a couple of hours for you to wake up, you are looking very clean." Eto smiled.

She then got away, grabbing the equipment she had on her, "So, what type of punishment do you want, Hide-kun?" She asked.

When she turned around, she saw the crazed eyes and crooked smile of Hide, "Anything you want, Eto-chan." He said, his tone equaling that of Eto. He hated playing an act, but it had to be done.

"Hehe..." Eto merely said as she grabbed her quinque, dosing it in red using a match, "Guess there's no holding back."

"The more pain they inflict, the more love they show." Amber's voice echoed in Hide's mind as Eto brought forth her preferred way of punishing her victims, as Hide merely looked on, his screams mute, and his face not looking away from his captor.

From this point forward, with Amber, he wasn't going to give Eto the benefit of seeing him in pain anymore. He was going to hold onto it for as long as he could. We would no longer be weak. He'll be there, for everyone.

"You can't call yourself strong if you cannot even be the punching bag. Do you want to get stronger? To defend those, you love? Kaneki? To see him again? Is that it?" Amber asked, sort of encouraging Hide to hold his own.

"I will see Kaneki again. I will see the Quinx Squad again, I will see everyone I love again." Hide mumbled to himself, unaware of the gash Eto was carving into his thigh. It was fine, Hide thought, it'll heal back after a bit. Faster and faster with each cut.

With every cut, Hide became more tolerant, more intact, and more stoic. But beyond that, he became more focused, more composed. But through it all, he was holding back. There was no way he was able to become this way within hours. He had to push back his remaining humanity, as it slowly faded away. He was holding back his humanity when he could.

Eto smiled, finishing her punishment, Hide's toes and fingers, yet again gone, parts of his hair cut, and gashes from burns marked across his body, as his pants were torn in different spots.

"I have to say Hide-kun, this is the most I enjoyed doing this, perhaps I'll give you a special award." Eto smiled, her face close to Hide's, who merely smiled back.

Thinking back at it, Hide, at least his act, kind of found Eto somewhat cute. "I'll be waiting for it." He said sweetly, and Eto's smile widened.

"Well, then I'll torture you by making you wait, see you later, Hide-kun." She finished, saying his name a bit oddly, but Hide didn't take any notice of it.

When Eto was gone, Hide was allowed to break down, and sob. He had held himself back, with Amber's help, and now he was here. Like holding the water back with a rubber dam, it was bound to break. He was just glad Eto had left when this happened.

"I'm impressed, you endured that respectably, though we had to deal with this moment," Amber stated, and Hide merely shrugged, looking around the building.

"Hey, you helped me for once." Hide commented back, ignoring the offended tone Amber made afterward.

It was here did Hide noticed something interesting. The ceiling above him was made of glass, as well as a weird artifact hanging nearby. Hide's mind was beginning to ponder, could he escape?

He didn't know, but he had to try. He moved his arms for the first time, the chains were relatively strong, but also degrading with time.

"Decay..." Hide thought, remembering Kura.

He shook his head, he needed something to break it. He looked and saw a quinque still there. Could he perhaps use that?

"There's no choice, but I'll have to continue degrading these chains so that they become weak enough for those glass shards to break it. Or I could find another way." Hide pondered, talking to himself, his psychotic smile returning.

Hide shook his head, not now. He had to save it for when Eto returned.

No matter the time.

In his case, it took seven days. He had been at it for seven days, slowly trying to decay the chains on him, without Eto noticing as he continued what he was doing for that week.

There were times when Hide felt like breaking in front of her. But again, there were days when the opposite would happen. For Hide, it was about holding on for as long as he could. Both to his humanity and his accepted ghoul side.

However, with each interaction of the day, it was getting more difficult. He had to force himself, and Amber had to increase her influence, encouraging him through more vital tactics, of course, Kaneki and the others came up, but Amber began picturing scenarios, like Kaneki himself being tortured.

He couldn't let that happen. For the longest time, after all that regeneration and injury, Hide had always felt weak, unable to activate his kagune. But seven days onwards, his regeneration had increased, becoming more efficient and quicker. He was now able to regrow his limbs after a couple of minutes, compared to hours.

Now, he felt strong. Not at his full strength, but enough to activate it when he needed it.

Hide smiled, as he heard the door open, "Hello Hide-kun!" Eto exclaimed, a smile evident on her face.

Hide knew he had to push his humanity back again, as he looked at Eto with an equally charged expression.

He felt his cheeks blush a bit at the contact Eto was giving him, a smile plastered on her face.

"Well Hide-kun, it seems your regeneration has sped up considerably, do you know why I have been doing this?" Eto asked

Hide shook his head, "No I don't, Eto-chan."

Eto smiled, "It is said Quinx's or one-eyed ghouls who are constantly injured become stronger, their regeneration becomes faster, and their kagune becomes more virulent."

Hide nodded, not caring as he had managed to do his own thing.

"But you yourself, your endurance and pain tolerance, it reminds me of Eyepatch, and that other person I fought."

Hide nodded, again remaining quiet. He honestly was blanking out from the entire ordeal.

"Even then, you and your kagune as a whole are very interesting, hehe." Eto chuckled.

"Why do you say that?" Hide asked, clearly confused at what Eto meant.

Eto smirked, "Being able to burn your rc cells, to fight, it makes for an interesting kagune. It also makes us wonder about your rc cells in general."

Hide looked on, knowing that he did have an issue with his rc cells. "What do you mean?"

"It's simple, your rc cells count is higher than even many ghouls. Kanou thought you were a failed subject until we noticed how stable your overall kagune and body were." Eto smirked, "You seriously are a unique ghoul."

Eventually, Eto rubbed her hand across Hide's exposed body. He was thankful Aogiri Tree at least kept their area in comfortable temperatures, otherwise, he would've died to the elements.

"It's very admirable, I should say. How much your pain tolerance had improved, wouldn't you say?" Eto asked.

Hide chuckled, "I would necessarily say it's because of my high pain tolerance, but because you're failing to hurt me."

"Enjoy being in a weak position, because that makes you strong." Amber's voice echoed as Hide looked up at Eto, licking his lips in pure lust.

His normal calm eyes were replaced with what could be best described as insane. His smile echoed that of Eto's psychotic one. It was almost as if Hide's personality had changed, or was forced to for Eto.

What once began as a sort of defense mechanism to protect himself from the trauma had officially become another integral part of him. Not to mention Amber in his mind and subconscious to make matters even more complicated.

It also seemed that his deranged personality seemed to be playing with Eto's emotions well, which worked well in his case.

Once again, Eto enjoyed herself injuring Hide's figure, from his toes and fingers, while burning his torso, while Hide pretended to enjoy the feeling of the mist enveloping him as his limbs grew back.

Of course, when this happened, it seemed that this deranged Hide enjoyed eating human flesh, whereas Hide was hesitant and mournful.

Suddenly before Hide knew it, he had two personalities, built based on survival in this torturous environment.

You could make the case that they are doing exactly what they did to Kaneki, but the major difference came in the lack of options they had due to Hide's unusual resistance to rc suppressants, and thus they could only cut him up with a custom quinque. They couldn't do anything else, besides maybe put a centipede in his ear, which they didn't.

However, they instead went to burning Hide because it required less work and resources.

The first five days were difficult, as, despite his defense mechanism, he did find himself screaming, mumbling nonsense, and talking to himself whenever he was alone. After the sixth day, he had managed to get through without screaming.

"So good." Hide finished after eating the flesh, while Eto again smirked.

"You know, I like what you've become. I expected some sort of resistance, but this? It's interesting." She stated after a bit, watching as Hide's limbs grew back and his wounds healed.

"Well, I have you to thank for, beautiful." Hide responded, clouding his memories as he looked at the blushing figure of Eto.

"Look at you, it seems that it has worked, I wonder what Kanou will want to do with you further. It seems that you'll be the perfect specimen." Eto remarked and Hide kept his smirk.

"I'll only work for you Eto-chan, after all, I can't leave my major behind." Hide replied with a mere grin. Internally, he was belching.

Eto blushed, putting a hand, again caressing Hide's face. "You know, I may keep you." She commented.

"I like how well this torture has gone for you, Hide-kun." She said before hugging him unexpectedly. This act surprised Hide but he merely looked on, not wanting to lose what he had.

It was strange, they had a sort of weird connection and interaction with each other. Hide never thought he could connect with Eto. To Hide, it was a lot like Amber. The difference was that Eto was in this world, whereas Amber was in his subconscious world. Whatever, Hide thought, noticing the look of lust Eto gave him. She then looked outside noticing the darkening sky.

"Well, it seems that I have to go, you be a good boy Hide-kun!" Eto stated, coming closer to Hide.

"See you next time, Eto-chan." Hide merely replied, before his head went down, his hair blocking his view.

As Eto left, she left behind a different Hide.

Eventually, after quite the time had passed, Hide had begun to break down. His tears falling out of his eyes, he began to release all his emotion once he was certain Eto was gone.

"What is wrong with me?" He asked himself, over and over, keeping his head down. His hair, which had whitened a bit to produce a more yellow colour, rather than orange, was covering his eyes, which were now full of shame and tears.

"You keep holding onto them, and you'll lose both. You can only choose one." Amber stated. "This is your time to escape. Don't hesitate or you'll remain here longer."

Hide looked up, realizing the condition he was left in. His body was healed from the cuts and slashes Eto had already given him, but he was given some human flesh, which made Hide want to gag, to help with his strength. Over the week, he had managed to decay the chains slowly, and he felt strong enough to bring forth his kagune.

"Y-you're right, Amber, I got to stick to my goals..." Hide stated, "Give me your strength." He stated before his shoulders released his kagune.

Of course, he was still stuck but he expected that. Releasing his crystallized projectiles, it shatters the glass room. The glass shards are coming down, a particularly large one managing to hit the already weakened chain. With a swipe, tilting his body to hit the chains, they snapped off, his hardened wing breaking it.

Looking over at his chains, he decided to act on them.

*Flame Body*

The flames on Hide's wings began to spread across his body, eventually making its way over to the chains, eventually being able to burn them off of him, though he felt himself being burned.

Then, there were the other chains around him, that hung from afar. Unfortunately, his overall flames at that sort of attack wouldn't reach it, so he needed a long-range move.

*X Flames*

At least his wings were freer, and so he was able to move them. As of now, he slashed them across, the X flame particles striking the chains, burning them, allowing for them to be snapped.

Of course, Hide still had the chain around him, but he was able to move himself to escape, and that was important, as he slowly burned the chain off his body.

Hide sighed in relief, but knew he wasn't finished. He looked up at the exposed roof. Making his way towards the wall, making sure not to slip on the blood off the floor, he turned his crystallized wings into more pointed shaped limbs, allowing him to stab the wall, and escape.

It wasn't easy, he was still relatively weak, and his clothes were torn, but his determination was there.

"Come on Hide-kun!" Amber encouraged, giving him the words of encouragement.

Hide grunted once he made it a bit. Using one of his kagune, he was surprised to find out that he had not two, but four crystallized wings on him.

"That makes it easier!" Hide said in relief, using them to smash the remaining glass. Once he jumped, he grabbed the roof handle, swinging around before flicking himself out.

Now high in the air, he produced his four crystallized wings, using them to glide towards the ground safely. It seems that Hide had mistaken his wings. Instead of a bird, it looked more like an insect. Hide shrugged, he still felt elegant like a bird.

Like a phoenix.

Thankfully and to his relief, he had landed on the roof around five meters away from the broken glass roof of that room. Hide sighed, before he took off, gliding as far away from the base he could. Once he felt the fresh air hit him as he glided down towards the ground, he smiled, thankful that he had successfully managed to escape, after seven days.

Though there were new questions, like what was he to do now, he shrugged those aside for now. Right now, his top focus was getting away from Aogiri Tree, who would probably look for him.

"Well Hide-kun, you actually did it," Amber stated, her tone neutral.

After a bit of running, Hide smiled, his eyes tearing up again. "Yeah, I did." He spoke before he stopped, and broke down into tears, once he knew he was finally safe and free of torture.

Still, he had the question about what Eto meant to him, by his uniqueness as a ghoul now. Just what exactly was with his kagune then?

A.N / So I'm not really good with these dark scenes as I am with others, but it's fine, I think. The idea was that Hide was instead the one looked at for the Quinx surgery by Kanou. As for the weird personality Hide had developed, it can be multiple personality disorder. You could also see that he seemed to have also developed Stockholm Syndrome, but I don't know if I will continue that into a plot or something. Regardless I will say I also had to make sure this wasn't too violent for the rating. Anyways hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter will include a six month time skip to match with the manga.

Flame Trail.

Igniting Storm.

Smolly.

Red Rain.

Flame Body.

Shapeshift.

X Flames.

Flaming Pellets.

Fiery Drift.