Playtime is over

The day after the meeting, Eto, Tatara and I started to do our parts of our planning.

The plan was basically to make the CCG go on a big mission that would need a lot of agents and then invade the cochlea that wouldn't be able to receive reinforcements quickly.

My part was to get as much information as possible about the investigators stationed for the Cochlea defense, as well as getting the CCG on the way to Jason's base.

Tatara would "recruit" ghouls to help invade the cochlea.

"Actually I still have to talk to him about his 'recruiting', getting to places, beating up the leaders and then getting them to join Aogiri is not a good idea..."

And Eto...she was only going to sleep until the day of the invasion.

"Fucking Eto..."

So I'm currently at CCG "researching" Jason the Compulsive Overeater.

By searching is meant putting useful information in the case files.

After all, Shinohara is responsible for this case.

When he reads it he will put the pieces together and the operation will begin.

It should take an average of ten days.

With my calculations in two days Arima and squad zero will leave tokyo and will not return until fifteen days later.

In other words, it will give you plenty of time to eliminate Jason and invade the cochlea.

I give a slightly evil laugh.

-Why don't you just let Shinohara know where Jason is?

Shiona asks, stretching in her chair.

I still haven't told her about Aogiri and the invasion but she knows my intentions with Jason.

- Why would it be suspicious?

I ask back.

-And does it matter?

-Not really, but better, in addition to dealing with the time left over, it will also help people to have faith that this will be an important mission....and beyond that...

I pause looking at Shiona.

-...do you think investigators...let's suppose...Akira, would you accept a mission that literally came out of nowhere?

She makes a slight face.

-True...she is very...strict...

-Boring...you can say she's boring.

I comment dryly as I type.

-Who are you talking about?

asks a voice coldly behind me.

- Yourself...

I answer without turning around knowing Akira is behind me.

I hear a grunt of disgust.

-Good morning Shiona-san.

Akira ignores me and tells Shiona who has an amused smile on her face.

-I already told you that you don't need Akira suffixes.

Akira blushes slightly.

-Shiona! You're going to short-circuit her progamation!

I scream at Shiona and hear some laughter.

Akira glares at me and Shiona hides her smile.

-Ryo! Stop teasing my partner!

And then the champion of justice arrives.

-But it's so fun! Let me play Amon!

Amon just snorts softly.

-Ryo, where's Shinohara? I have something to talk to him about.

-Tell me.

Silence.

-I want someone responsible.

-Hey!

I scream indignantly.

-I am responsible!

Amon stares at me dryly.

-I would trust a ghoul more than you.

Says Akira.

At this point I look at Shiona and start laughing.

Between my laughs I speak.

-Defend me my partner!

Shiona also looks very funny.

-Like? You're not trustworthy anyway.

I cross my arms and pout.

Akira and Amon look at our interaction a little confused but then Amon speaks again.

-Where is Shinohara?

I sigh.

-Where is Juuzou?

Amon's eyes sparkle.

-And just find out where this Juuzou Babanohara will be around.

-That's not an answer! And almost an enigma!

screams Akira.

-I know.

I smile.

Amon sighs.

-Thanks for nothing Ryo.

-You're welcome.

And then the pair leaves.

-you can laugh now Shiona.

And then she starts laughing.

-Oh my God...I even feel bad...

-Why?

-Because they don't know I'm a ghoul.

I give a light laugh too.

-No, it's like you're trying to hide it.

-It is not! It's kind of weird no one has noticed so far, like I don't eat anything ever has until that time the RC cell detector beeped when I walked by! And after all the only one who distrusts is that old pervert!

"Mado"

-I think they think it would be so absurd for a ghoul to work here that they don't think about it...

I pause and stare at Shiona.

-...and about the detector...sometimes a few quinques activate the detector and well...your quinque...

-Stop! Stop right there! We won't get into another discussion about my equipment!

- You have a hammer! And fight without the least class or style...

-And a fight! And I need to be helpful! Not to be stylish...

And we start yelling at each other, drawing the attention of people who only ignore it after a while.

Our futile discussions have become commonplace around here.

But then my phone starts ringing.

I take.

[Edge girl]

"Touka...call me?"

I answer.

And before anything Touka starts talking.

My smile fades.

================================

Touka was worried and nervous.

She had never felt so worried before.

The day started out normal and everything changed so fast that she couldn't even understand it.

But one thing she did know was that Ryo had to be the first to know, no matter what, he had to be the first.

So I called him and told him a little about what happened and he hung up saying he was going to come here.

So in the meantime I took advantage and started helping one of the unwanted visitors of the day.

A tall man with short hair and a kind of pewter chin.

Banjou.

A useless one.

As I put him on a sofa, the door of Anteiku opens and enters Ryo and that kakuja he calls his partner.

Ryo wasn't smiling.

My body shakes slightly.

I know how dangerous he usually is, but now?

I'm really scared.

And if the kakuja's face is anything to go by, she's at least uncomfortable.

-What happened...from the beginning Touka.

He orders coldly.

I don't even think about giving a sarcastic response.

And then I start to explain what happened that day.

Today it was just me and Kaneki at anteiku so we were closed to the public, everyone else in the team was dealing with their stuff, from picking up food to dealing with small gangs in the area.

So the first visitor was Banjou who arrived looking for Rize but kaneki accidentally knocked him out.

After calming down he chatted calmly about his relationship with Rize.

But then the second visitor arrived.

Jason and some of his white suits.

He also sought out Rize but smelled her scent on Kaneki and started fighting Kaneki and I fought his henchmen, even Banjou helped.

At least until it's new-utated again.

I managed to beat the henchmen and went to help Kaneki against Jason, Kaneki was fighting well but Jason was more experienced and ended up breaking his arm.

And then Kaneki activated his kakugan.

And Jason started laughing excitedly saying something about "One-Eyed".

Then abruptly he grabbed my head and held me hostage.

More henchmen arrived and Kaneki surrendered.

The last thing I remember before I passed out was Jason punching Kaneki's face into the ground until he passed out.

Throughout the entire story Ryo just listened intently and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

In the end we were in silence for a while.

-Wh...what are you going to do Ryo...

He sighs.

-Thanks for letting me know first Touka...I already had a plan to end Jaosn...I'll just make some changes to it...

"Wait? How?"

-...I'm going to talk to someone now...Shiona, go to the CCG and speed up our original plans, or just let Shinohara know where Jason is...then I create a backstory.

Shiona nods.

-...Touka, tell the people at Anteiku about this, I'm going to rescue Kaneki.

He says resolutely and gets up to leave.

-What about Jason?

I ask shyly.

-ohhh...about him...

Ryo smiles again...but his smile is something that will give me nightmares for a while.

And something frightening, dangerous and bathed in sadism.

-...I'll have a lot of fun with him...

And with that he leaves.

================================

Right after dispatching Shiona to CCG I went to Eto's house.

"It's my fault isn't it?"

I thought as I walked.

"Of course Jason's ego would be hurt for me remembering his defeat over Rize."

I arrive at the reception of his building and just wave to the receptionist and take the elevator.

"Kaneki...is he even alive?"

"...no...he will be alive...I know that..."

I knock on Eto's door.

"...how unlucky are you? Kaneki?"

No one answers, I just sigh and unlock the door with the key.

"But I'll help you...no matter the situation..."

I go into her house.

"...no matter whose fault it is..."

-Eto...I...I have something serious to talk about...

She was lying on her couch.

-Just say it...

-Can the invasion happen sooner?

With that she lifts her head and looks at me with curiosity and seriousness.

-Why?

-Jason kidnapped a friend of mine and I want to save him.

She snorts.

-No way, we will not accept the risk of the mission failing just for you to save a human.

I approach her.

-First...he's a half ghoul...

She is surprised and sits down on the sofa she was on.

-...second...Eto...we're different...I don't care about this world....no...not like you...

She looks curious.

-...what I mean and that...

I get even closer to her.

-...you want to change the world...I don't care about him...if the sky starts crash out now I'll just dance while it's all over, tell me, what do you think is the opposite of love?

She thinks for a while.

-Hatred.

-wrong, the opposite of love is indifference, hate means you still feel something you hate, it means you spend your days thinking about it...

He nods in understanding.

-...so you get my point?

-You and indifferent to this world, you don't care if it will become a better or worse place.

I nod my head.

-Somehow you're a better person than me, after all you want a better world for the ghouls...

I comment laughing.

She looks surprised.

-...and I'm just an egoist who cares only for those who are close to me...

I sit down next to Eto and play with a lock of his hair.

"Wow, it's softer than it looks..."

She looks so surprised she doesn't even have a reaction.

"...hahaha I'm so worried about Kaneki that I don't even think about the danger of this situation"

-My point is that I would move mountains to help those I care about, Kaneki, Hide, Touka, Hinami, even you Eto...

She looks even more surprised.

-...I started to consider you someone really important to me, before you were just a source of fun, but then I realized...you...

I pause looking directly into her eyes.

-...how you really strive as a writer and as a leader, how much you care about the cause you fight for...and a lot of other things, and that's why I would never do anything that would harm Aogiri... no...that it would harm you....my only request would be to make the break-in in five or six days, I couldn't break into Jason's base by myself and get Kaneki out of there, the CCG will help me with that and so you can still invade the cochlea anyway...only sooner...

Eto looks really thoughtful.

-Okay...but I'll just accept that because you've only proved useful so far and because it was my intention to be quick on this invasion.

I truly smile at Eto and hug her.

-THANKS!

Eto doesn't hug me back.

-I'll let it go this time, but next time you do something like that without my permission I'll eat at least a piece of you.

I just laugh.

I get up and start to leave.

"I still have a lot to do"

-You know that if your friend is alive Jason will be torturing him right?

I sigh.

-Yes...and that's why I'll make sure to make Jason suffer...not just suffer in his life, I'll deform...I'll destroy his own memory...

I say laughing sadistically leaving Eto's house.

================================

"That was something..."

Eto thinks about all the conversation he had with Ryo.

"He's dangerous but he's also very useful, it's worth giving him certain perks"

-He cares about me huh...

I speak stroking my hair smiling.

"That hug was good..."

And then I remember his last laugh.

I had never felt such anger and malice coming from him.

"...it even got hot..."

I pull my hair in startle at the thought.

"NO! ETO BAD ETO BAD"

I think blushing heavily.

"..."

"But... were your words true?"

I make a slight face.

"Does he....really care...for me...?

================================

In a large hall a young man is trapped in a chair.

I arrive with a caring full of tools.

"Let's have a lot of fun together..."

I took pliers.

"...my new toy "

And with the pliers I rip off one of the young man's fingers.

The young man wakes up screaming in pain.

-Good Morning.

Jason snaps the knuckle of his index finger.

*CRACK*