---

'No, no, it was my fault,' Ketsu apologised right back to her, keeping his voice gentle to avoid drawing too much attention as he held the tissues against her nose, pinching it with two fingers to help prevent any further bleeding. He didn't really care that much about whether she drew attention, but he assumed an event like this was already going to skyrocket Mika's notoriety through the roof even without making a scene of it, which would spell bad things for him if his superiors decided he was at fault. 'I perhaps went too far with the flirting, and in fairness I assumed you'd be comfortable with it, so it ought to be me apologising. Me and Yu-san, actually.

'Speaking of whom,' he continued, turning to her with a bit of an annoyed expression, 'is now really the time to keep going with that? She is bleeding rather profusely, you know.' Once again, he wasn't truly annoyed, but Mika had just fainted, after all. He rather figured she was being unhelpful by continuing to potentially worsen the matter. That, and he kind of wanted to retain the lead when it came to flirting points; telling Yuno to stop would potentially secure that. Or just make her flirt harder, but either way.

---

The Red Tiger felt Grant's piercing gaze fall upon him. Didn't take a genius to know that the possible Dove was analysing Katashi. What did he want? Katashi paid attention as he smoked more of his cigarette. Katashi had a sense of disbelief when Grant said he had been lots of relationships. Maybe he has, maybe he was quite the looker before the scarring, maybe chicks still digged the guy. Oh well, hopefully they would go inside soon and be done with it. Katashi shrugged as Grant apologised somewhat.

"It's fine. It wasn't that kind of discussion." Katashi laughed. Well, he wasn't lying. They weren't talking about the relationship, it was talking about how hot of a boiling pot Katashi had jumped into when Mika and himself had entered the cafe. Speaking of Mika...

Katashi's head turned when a commotion could be heard from inside the cafe. The two Grant was sitting with were around Mika, who was now laying on the floor!?

Shit, shit, shit...

Katashi tossed half of the cigarette he had remaining onto the ground as he quickly rushed behind, not even saying a word to Grant as he bursted through the cafe door. Katashi quickly slid onto his knees as he was beside Mika, but trying not to be in the way of the other two. Seemed the other man was treating the wound Mika had. The scent of her blood immediately filled his nostrils, it was undeniably sweet. He always noticed the differing scent Mika had to other humans, but it was so much more potent in her blood.

"Mika-chan, what happened!?"

@Gardevoiran@TheRedWatcher@BCTheEntity@Alias
This has been the third interruption today. The day was beginning to test his patience and how long he could stand dealing with more bullshit. He took in the longest drag of his cigarette he could muster before letting it out, watching the group through the window.

It seemed that he would have to entertain them for just a little while longer. Large groups were never his thing. Placing the butt into an ashtray on top of a garbage can he felt only the slightest itch of irritation, but when he walked into the coffeeshop that didn’t show.

Grant stared down at the worried group and took out one of his pay to go phones.

“Should I call the ambulance?” Grant asked trying to sound like he genuinely cared, “Just in case.”

@Gardevoiran@BCTheEntity@AngelofOctober@Alias
She fell into Yuno’s arms. Perhaps it was the blood loss, perhaps it was her racing heart.

Mika-cam:

A breeze washed over them, they were in the castle gardens. As she fell into the arms of a prince with brown hair. He made her heart swoon as he talked about wilted flowers. She barely had the strength to muster fighting his charm any longer. When another prince in midnight, Ketsu chastised the other prince for his behavior.

“My dear Princess, it is entirely our fault that your heart could barely take our charms,” Ketsu kissed her hand and she felt herself light as a feather.

Suddenly rushing through the garden hedges was Katashi. Her future king to be. The look of worry on his face. Asking her if she was alright, suddenly snapped her back to reality.
“It’s….nothing….to worry about,” Mika reassured him.

She was a little embarrassed everyone was fussing over here. Before she had time to say anything else Grant came in, offered to call the ambulance. She hated admitting it when she worried about her ratings or her image. She never would admit it to anyone. So she suddenly sprung up with vigor. A light glowing around her energetically as she began to fist punch the air and show her suddenly revival.

“No need!” Mika said excitedly, “I am feeling so much better!”

Mika ran off to the coffee table and finished writing that autograph handing it to Grant quickly, then did a dash back to the group as if to show off her newfound strength and energy. She did a twirl, as her skirt lifted up when she did so. Which made her rather dizzy, but she smiled. Lifting her hands up in the air.

“Ta-dah!” she said excitedly.


@Old Amsterdam
Natsuya skin crawled when Alice touched him at the base of his neck. She didn’t scare much more than anything she aroused him, even now. He did let go, but he gave Alice a dark scowl. The Oda family had been successful through the Meiji period all the way up to the current era. She had no right to judge his family when they outlived even the most common street rat.

He didn’t understand her defense of such an offensive creature. He wasn’t inclined to listen much to her ramblings about it either. He had turned her out when she tried to make it about his clans and their current failure.

He respected her. But he also felt she was cutting herself short. This group could be so much more, if she didn’t turn her attention to every damn piece of shit that had a sad story. That boy dressed as a girl. That little girl who had insulted them both with their carefree attitude. Travis who couldn’t take on a Chimera with help and was blinded doing so. Katashi, don’t think he didn’t notice.

They weren’t very powerful and he didn’t see how Alice expected to accomplish everything she wanted when she turned her attention to scum.

Angry over nothing. Trash had walked in today. Trash she was willing to give a chance. Trash he didn’t understand nor care to treat well until they learned some manners.

Natsuya didn’t understand what she meant by getting ready. Usually when he was certain something would happen he was already battle ready. Supposed he get his mask.

“I am getting the feeling you will inform me of what’s going on,” Natsuya told her as Kazu was told to use the back door, “Or are you going to continue leaving me in the dark Alice? Your partner.”

He meant it in both ways. If she wanted him to follow her, she needed to start acknowledging him more.

Yu shrugged at Ketsu's question to her about stopping this. "I dunno, she seems to be enjoying it." Despite the sudden nosebleed, it seriously seemed like Mika was enjoying the situation a lot. Especially with the sudden arrival of her main suitor into the shop. Hell, his arrival seriously got her back up in a happy mood.

She even did a twirl. An amazing twirl, at that. It might've been simple, sure, but after the ordeal that Yuno just witnessed it was quite spectacular. A series of soft claps came from Yuno as she happily commented on the situation. "Nice pirouette, Mika-san!"

Pirouette? What is this, an anime?

---

'I didn't say anything about whether she was enjoying it,' Ketsu murmured, observing with a hum as the formerly-faint girl suddenly leapt up and began dashing round, finishing off her autograph to Grant and handing it to him before performing what seemed a very lively twirl. Which reminded him, as she was distracting everyone, that he still had some of her blood on his hand. He quickly licked it off.

And had to resteady himself to avoid falling into a state of sheer bliss like Himehana herself. Sweet lord... he knew she smelt good, but that was hands-down the best blood he'd ever tasted. It trumped even the chimera he'd tasted less than an hour before. It was like the best aspects of the freshest venison, lamb, Wagyu beef, who knew what else? It was delicate, and yet bold and heady too; sweet, yet with a pleasantly sour tang, like certain types of plum sauce if they actually tasted of plums; the mouthfeel was... well, the same as regular human blood, thinner for want of RC cells than that of the ghouls he preferred - but somehow, that enhanced the richness rather than diminishing from it, adding to an experience that was all but addictive.

And it was as fleeting as the droplet previously on his thumb, the blood dissolving in his saliva before he swallowed the flavour away, leaving him wanting for more. Dear God. Dear freaking God.

He might have to arrange a liason with Mika at some time in the future. As a "special fan". And now he had an excuse, right?

'Well, listen,' he began to say, making very certain his words came out evenly, 'I still feel bad about all that. Look- here-' Snatching up one of the unused napkins, and gently pulling the pen from her fingers, he wrote down his phone number on the piece of paper, then handed it and her pen to her. 'If there's anything you'd like off of me, just feel free to contact me whenever. Or if you just want to chat again in the future - I think Yuno and I both enjoyed your company, maybe a bit too much.'

If only she knew. Having said all that, he left her and her man-eater boyfriend to their devices, and returned to a drink that by now had been practically forgotten. Another lukewarm sip washed away any lingering flavours of blood, replaced by the taste of coffee, with the mildest hint of sugar taking the edge off the bitter.

Somehow, that latter point was suddenly far more bilious to him than Mika's flavour could ever be. He might just take his coffee straight black from now on.

Kristian gave Travis a crooked look.

“No, I have not lived in a house before,” he responded quickly. What was so great about them, he wondered though. Staring up at the buildings they were passing, it just seemed like a bunch of square prisoners that people made themselves believe they had some freedom to leave whenever they like. They didn’t look too different from that place. “I really don’t have any parents or a place to live.”

----

Travis winced after hearing Kristian’s confession, it was as he feared, Kristian hadn’t had a place to call home. He struggled to think of something to say to comfort the boy but in all honesty he had no idea how to address something like this, he couldn’t relate to Kristian’s lack of sanctuary. To think he’d lived up until now with no home fuck the world can be cruel… he thought to himself.

Then Kristian said about him also lacking parents. Fuck… This kid has seen some shit hasn’t he?... Travis shrugged of his question then looked down at Kristian. “Well I can fix one of those things for you. The home part, not the other part.” Travis smiled he might be a good parent, not that he was going to be one. But managing a child couldn’t be much harder than managing part time staff and McDonalds could it?

----

Kristian looked at Travis, why was he being nice to him? He just met him. It irritated him how much Travis was doing for him right now. Just allowing him to weasel his way into his life. Kristian wanted to stab Travis right now and scream at him. Rip him into shreds.

“How can you just trust me?” Kristian asked angrily.

----

Travis was puzzled by Kristian’s anger but then he realised that the kid had a point. All this kid had done was defend himself against a chimera Travis benefiting from this was just coincidence, but he was still just a kid. It wasn’t like he was plotting some scheme to rob Travis or to kill him. Was he? Travis felt kind of stupid, normally he would think things like this through, perhaps his loneliness had finally gotten the better of him. Made him just accept all these things that happened today. He looked at her banged up shoulder, maybe the brush with a chimera also made him realise it might be nice to have someone else there to look out for you. Even if that person was as awkward as Kristian.

“See now I’m going to sound like a selfish ass… Also we’re almost there by the way, just up these stairs.”
Travis would point at the set of stairs ahead of them, the building was clean but it didn’t look like anything special.
“Back to your question. I’m lonely. How pathetic is that right? I mean I let my guard down because I felt sorry for myself, it was pure luck that you were the one to find me in that state of weakness. I think I would have openly accepted anyone into my life at that point…”
Travis held the bridge of his nose as the duo walked up the stairs, he felt like such an asshole.

----

Kristian threw his head up and laughed for a second. He honestly didn’t think he didn’t know that.

“I talked to you because you looked easy to manipulate,” Kristian told him recovering from his laughter, “And you’re genuinely being nice to me. It’s….weird.”

----

The pair had arrived at Travis’ door but before he pulled out his keys Kristian spoke of his intent to manipulate him.
“Wait? You fucking what!? You cheeky little shit!”
Travis scowled at him, as he fumbled around inside his pocket for his keys.
“And why wouldn’t I be nice? If nobody looked out for anyone then the world would be even more shitty than it already is… Now… Now shut up and come meet my lizard…”

Travis unlocked his door and pushed it open. His room was fairly standard, the only striking things were the size of his television and the lizard tank behind his couch. His couch sat on the very left wall puched up against a table and the TV on the right wall, there was a coffee table in between the two, his kitchen looked the same as any other apartment kitchen. Tiled floor shiny bench and a big metal sink. He had a large glass tank positioned behind the couch on top of the table, and in this large tank was a monitor lizard, an Ackie. It was still small only around 1 foot long but it seemed happy in it’s tank, that tank was easily big enough to wander around in but it was content to just sit under the heat lamp.

“Welcome to castle Travis…” Travis grumbled as he walked into his apartment and flicked on the television.

----

He was mad at him, but he was still inviting him inside. Why? Just because he was lonely. He had never heard of a bullshit excuse like that before. He was still fuming about earlier today. He was not a success to his blood. Everything about today screamed as a frustrating failure. He wasn’t sure whether or not he wanted to tear Travis up. Or if he wanted to tear up his own flesh. He was so frustrated right now.

The chimera taken from him. To be dragged into this situation. Where he spilled secrets to Travis. Where he caused a scene in public like an insolent child.

He ran up the stairs really quickly and used the momentum to punch Travis in the shoulder as hard as he could.

Oh hey he felt better doing that.

----

A sharp pain went through Travis’ shoulder and he stumbled forward. Kristian had just punched him in the shoulder as hard as he could, why the hell did he do that?
“Ahh what the fuck!? What the hell was that for!?”
Travis’ wound was agitated by the hit and began bleeding a little. He hissed at the pain. “What the hell did I do to deserve that!?”
Travis looked pretty dam angry now, he held his shoulder and gave Kristian a look as if he were saying explain yourself!

----

Kristian looked at Travis.

“I was mad,” Kristian said, “At you. At myself. I wanted to hit something. I chose you because you’re a pussy.”

----

Travis gritted his teeth.
“You couldn’t have chosen to hit my other shoulder? Not the one that has a massive gash on it!? Fuck man. Just… Fuck. You’re making it real easy for me to reconsider letting you stay here.”
Travis sighed and went over to the door and closed it gently.
“Just sit down…”
Travis was thinking about what Alice wanted to do with this whole group, what did she need other people for? That problem would have to wait, currently he needed to figure out what was up Kristian ass hopefully it was something he could help with. Though he didn’t know if he had the energy right now.

----

“No, I couldn’t have chosen the other shoulder, it wouldn’t have been any fun,” Kristian tells Travis, “Besides you say those rude things and still invite me into your home. Soooo….you deserved it.”

He brushed white hair out of his eyes and flopped on the couch like a little defiant kid. He just watched Travis with arms crossed.

----

Travis frowned down at Kristian before walking into the kitchen. The teen was grumpy for sure, maybe he was hungry or something. Couldn’t hurt to ask, unless Kristian decided he wanted to punch him again.
“... Are you hungry Kristian? I don’t exactly have anything here at the moment. But we could go out and get some. I know a few places we could go.”

----

Kristian perks up.

“You mean like Hunting?” Kristian ask.

----

Travis facepalmed.

@LemonZest1337@BCTheEntity@TheRedWatcher@Alias



She annoyed him. Her optimistic nature at first had him curious. Now it just sickened him to watch her go to great lengths to put on a display. Considering she was fine at this point he walked to the table and placed his phone on it.

Taking his first sip of coffee through the pinky silly straw. It cooled down significantly at least. This day was beginning to become something he could not stand. His phone began to vibrate onto the table. One of Himehana’s choruses began to blare out in the coffee shop. Oh he forgot about that.




He quickly picked it up before the rest of the song continued.

“This is Leitner,”

"Grant? Send Yuno back to HQ, if she's got nothing else going on. You're to meet up with Decker and Atticus. We might have finally found this serial killing bastard. Last known location was about ten blocks away from the West border,"

Grant was going to respond, but Seto hung up immediately. He’d like to get to now that man’s mind someday.

Pulling Yuno back? Odd how he was ordered to meet up with her today. Only to put her away like a puppy being put back in its kennel.

He stiffly placed the phone back in his coat pocket.

“Bit of an unfortunate update, but we have to depart,” Grant said trying to wear that last bit of humanity he had left to the company in Mika and Katashi, “Bisuto you’ve been asked to return. Jericho, with me.”

He knew the stakes. Though curiosity overrode his current cautiousness.

"Aww what?" Yuno sighed as she heard Grant's statement. She didn't want to leave yet for multiple reasons, one involving how she wanted to beat Ketsu at attracting the attention of Mika-chan. Ah well, work came first... or it did most of the time. There were a few times it never did, like when you would be making love or something, but this wasn't that instance exactly.

"What're we gonna be doing, Grant-san?" the junior asked as she put on her coat and zipped it up, taking a sip from her cocoa mug afterwards. Oh no, there was only a bit left, surprisingly. It had felt like only a few minutes since they had been there. Maybe it was secretly a month or something crazy like that.

---

Monika sat in her cell laid back on the cold floor, today was moving day. She'd gotten herself into big trouble killing some of the other inmates so she was to be moved to a more advanced place where they kept the worst of the worst.

She dug her nails into the floor slightly hating the constant nagging of hunger, she'd not eaten properly in weeks, that was part of the reason she killed the inmates... But they always restrained her before she could get a good bite in.

She looked up as she heard footsteps in the distance, perhaps now she was finally getting moved out of this shit hole. She didn't much like being in prison, she didn't like being held down by rules but they really had thought of everything when they built these ghoul prisons. She'd tried a few thing but all her escape attempts so far had been thwarted. Tho it did take a considerable amount of munitions and manpower to do so.

Her hunch was right, it was time to move. She watched as the group of guards walked up to her cell and inserted some kind of sleeping gas containers into the ventilation, and sealed off her cell. She could smell the gas immediately, she smirked they should've used stronger stuff this shit won't keep me out for more then two h-o-u.... Monika the flopped onto the floor. The guards waited a good five minutes before venting the gas back out and loading her into the prisoner transport.

---

Back in Ward 8, same time…

---

Alice laughed lightly at the comment, jumping to the next building over.

"Silly Nat, you're the only one around I can rely on. My big, strong block in a world filled with fools. When all else fails, I know you'll be there to help me finish the fuck fest that remains," she said quietly, knowing he would hear her. "Now let's go, we're going to break into a prison. A Dove prison."

----

Natsuya head cocked to the side, he asked her to stop calling him Nat. Nats are not dignified beings, if she had to shorten his name couldn’t she make it more appealing? Natsu, Suya, Nat are pest. With that aside they were breaking into a Dove prison? Just the two of them. They didn’t want war, but the very action would cause war.

“Is there a particular reason why we’re breaking into a Dove prison?” Natsuya asked her, he was pleased to hear she could rely on him. However, he didn’t like the idea of them going into a Dove prison the two of them strong?

----

”To pick up some garbage. That's what you'll call them, I suppose. Someone who could rival you in strength, at any rate. Strong. Powerful. And to give the Doves something else to worry about,” Alice said casually as they started crossing the Ward via rooftops. ”See, it's actually a transport from the prison we're after. Couple dead Doves, escaped Ghoul. They'll think they broke out somehow. Less to worry about in eight, and that means I can operate easier.*

---

He said nothing. He owed Alice many things, however, he didn’t know if he should agree to such a plan. He might be cruel, but he was no idiot. An escaped Ghoul? What if they could not tame an escape Ghoul?

“Has it come across to you that this Ghoul could also go against us?” Nastuya asked her.

Alice shrugged. ”If they do, I'll kill them too. Nothing to it, boo.” she said in a sing-song voice.

----

“Do you know anything about this Ghoul?” Natsuya asked her.

She was currently being reckless is how Natsuya saw it.

----

Alice was quiet for a bit before she replied. ”She's a killer. Not sure why she was captured, honestly. Not sure why she didn't break out, either. She's like me, in a way. A different kind of predator.”

They were near the edge of the Ward now. ”You can leave, if you'd prefer.”

----

Natsuya narrowed his eyes, Alice couldn’t assume he was this blind and into her that he’d go along with a plan without thought.

“Just like you in a way can mean a lot of things Alice,” Natsuya told her, “I’m here because I am the one who does the thinking. I spy on this world. I protect Mika because it is what needs to be done. But today you have brought in vermin into our hold. That girl you defend her because she’s just like you. Now breaking someone, a Ghoul out of prison like you. What part of you? You know nothing. You think nothing. And expected me to follow?”

Natsuya frowned.

“I like you for more reasons Alice,” Natsuya told her, “Had I known you were to show a lack in leadership and do something stupid today, I may have retracted how I felt about you long ago. I will turn back. I hope you get what you’re searching for, I will be looking for that boy you brought into the fold. The one with the dress, with Travis. I will be doing a thorough interrogation. Something that should have been done beforehand.”

----

Turning on his heel. He was no fool. He was no idiot to be made a mockery of. He would follow Alice, but not when she made decisions like this. He didn’t know who she thought he was, but a loyal blind puppy was not one of them. He’d seek that boy and Travis, interogate the child who tried to escape his ire.

----

Alice shrugged. ”Your choice. Have fun. Make him pee a little for thinking he could fool the Wolves.” she called back as she crossed the border. ”I've got enough riding on this without someone who doesn't want to be there. Stop by my room in the morning. We can make up.”

----

The convoy carrying Monika finally departed from the detention centre, it consisted of a van and a large car. The van no doubt holding holding Monika and the large car in front housing 2 doves and a driver. They traveled slowly anything to avoid waking their captive, that could make their trip much more difficult. There were also to officers armed with QQ pistols in the van with Monika. The two were looking down on the massive russian, one of them managed to muster the courage to speak. “W-what happens if she wakes up?” the other took a deep breath, “We blow her bloody brains out. Or we die…” The other guard looked at him wide eyed. A drop of sweat ran down his forehead.

----

Alice watched the convoy move slowly through the streets from a five story building ahead of their route.

“What's that? Is that a person?” a guard in the front seat of the van asked hesitantly.

“You fucking tell me, I'm trying to drive.”

“I think it is a - OH FUCK - “

The front windshield of the vehicle smashed in abruptly, several strangled screams being cut off suddenly as Alice's teeth and tails ripped theirs throats out.

The vehicle came to a stop with a jerk as it hit a stop sign.

----

The car leading skidded to a halt and the two doves leapt out of the car headed straight for the van. They sped towards the van quinque in hand ready to fight the no doubt awake captive and the ghoul trying to break her out. “What the hell is another ghoul doing here? Who would want to break that monster out of jail?” one of the dove’s asked, “Nobody knows just how much of a monster she is remember, no survivors.” the dove’s then nodded to each other and headed for the van.

Inside the van the two who were in the back with Monika were now out cold from the crash, but Monika was quite the opposite, the crash was just the start she needed to shake off the last bit of the sleeping gas. She wasn’t going to do anything for now considering she was still full of sleeping gas, even now she could only just manage to keep her eyes open.
----

Alice busted back through the front glass, appearing on the top of the van as is from thin air.

”Accept your fate. Lay down and die,” Alice commanded in a sharp voice.

----

The two doves looked at each other then both charged in unison one quinque being a long thin blade and the other being a large flail like weapon. The use of the flail was the first to send out a strike, his ball of pain aimed directly at Alice. The other dove waited to counter or follow up on the other dove’s attack.

----

Alice ducked the ball, grabbing the chain and yanking, hard. The Dove flew forward several feet before landing hard, the Quinque falling from his grasp. Alice took control of the Quinque, using the chain to counter the follow up attack by the other Dove.

”Fine, have it your way.”

----

The disarmed dove hissed and got back up, this ghoul was tough. He wished some more experienced dove’s had been chosen for this job, he wasn’t sure that they were going to survive. The blade wielding dove was sent backwards from the counter but recovered enough to send a slash towards Alice’s legs.

----

Alice blocked the attack with two of her tails with relative ease. ”Koukaku… You're a failure. Die knowing that.”

----

The blade user gritted his teeth and pulled back his blade readying for another attack. “You speak like the battle is already over!” The man shouted as he let out a flurry of attacks.

----

Dust kicked up from the attack and Alice's own movements. While the Dove couldn't see, he could feel many of his attacks connecting. As visibility improved, maniacal laughter rang out through the area.

”Because it was over before it began,” Alice's voice could be heard between the laughter. As the Dove could finally lay eyes on her again…

”Because you've just been hunted by the Wolf.”

Her fully formed Kakuja gleamed in the light before blood splattered along the street.

”Your blood isn't even worthy of feeding on.”

----

The blade user didn’t even get a chance to scream before his entrails were scattered across the road, and the disarmed dove was in shock as blood splashed across his face. He started running for his life not daring to make a sound, maybe he could get away before the ghoul noticed.

Meanwhile Monika sat in the back of the van struggling to keep herself under control. It had been so long since she’d smelt the intoxicating aroma of fresh blood. She was still very drowsy from the gas but her hunger made her tear into the two unconscious guards that were in the back of the van with her. With her once orange prison garbs now drenched in red Monika found herself feeling much better than before. Still very sleepy, but not as hungry.

----

The runner didn't make it far before Alice impaled him with the sword Quinque from a distance, leaving him to bleed out with a sword in his chest, having pierced a lung in the process.

Turning towards the convoy, Alice attempted to control the maniacal laughter bubbling up from within. Reaching out with a clawed tail, she ripped the backdoor off…

----

Monika wouldn’t look up from the corpse she was eating as the backdoor was torn off, she couldn’t help herself. The food she’d been missing for so long was right in front of her, she had to eat some. But she did wonder who had decided to come looking for her, they might possibly be a powerful enemy.

After stripping on of the bodies bare she would would pause for a moment panting. “So… Who… Are you…” Monika’s voice made it obvious she was still under the effects of the sleeping gas, she would normally have tried to hide any signs of weakness but her lust for food had temporarily broken her resolve.

----

”The Wolf. Finish up, we're leaving.”

----

Monika couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Kakovy shansy? (what are the chances)” Monika said as she quickly stopped her laughing, “This is all to perfect. The Wolf has come to my rescue. I’ll admit I’m surprised, but it is a pleasant surprise.” Monika was thrilled, one of the targets on her list had just busted her out of jail. It was like fate had wanted them to meet.

----

”Are you nearly finished? I am a busy woman.” Alice said between fits of insane laughter.

----
Monika wasn’t very amused with Alice’s laughter and impatience. Monika wiped the blood from her face only to smear more blood on a different area. She then stood up walked out of the van and looked down at Alice, “Hit me. I need proof that you are worth my time.” Monika knew this “Wolf” was strong from appearance alone. But Monika liked solid evidence, after all, appearances could be faked.

----

In a blink Alice had hit Monika full on in the gut before beginning to walk away. ”Come. Or stay and die.”

----

As the hit connected with Monika’s gut she was sent flying, she bounced off of a lamp post bending it then colliding with the wall behind it. She hit the wall hard, but not hard enough to get embedded into it. She then hit the ground with a thud, now she was laughing a little. This “Wolf” did live up to rumours. Perfect.

Monika picked herself up off the ground, her right shoulder was partly shattered when she hit the metal lamp post, the arm was still slightly useful. And Monika enjoyed the pain, reminded her she was still alive. “It is good to know that the rumorus do you justice. I’ll follow you, for now.

----

”The rumors know nothing,” Alice said as she demanifested her Kakuja and Kagune. ”We're going to Ward 8.”

----

“But you don’t know the people I do. The things I’ve heard are quite extensive.” Monika didn’t question the move to ward 8. That was where most of the Wolve’s activity was so it made sense that she would probably operate from that ward. I need some new weapons and bandages...

@BCTheEntity@Gardevoiran@AngelofOctober



She was showing her off her muscles and looking determined. Her eyes wide and sparkly. Smiling bright she flipped her brown hair and looked at Yuno.

“Thank you, I am a master choreographer after all,” she said posing cutsey. Than she watched as Grant on the phone. She smiled sweetly at Katashi for a second. First her heart screamed a little as she heard Grant's phone play one of her songs. He really was a fan. Her injured prince truly had a tender side.

Then heard the news that Ketsu, Yuno, and Grant had to leave. She looked a little sad, but she smiled.

“Well it was nice meeting all of you,” she pauses, “And I look forward to our double date Mr. Wesley.”

---

Ah, back to HQ so soon? Alas. And here he thought he might be useful for whatever mission Grant and Yuno were about to go on. But, Grant was his and Yuno's superior officer, and he supposed you couldn't have everything you wanted. Besides, he'd been fed decently, at the end of the day.

'Well, Grant, Yuno, I hope I see you both later on. Same to you, Mika-san- and remember,' he continued, pointing the idol's way, 'if you want anything from us, just call the number.' That said, he took up his coffee, taking another slightly sweetened, slightly sickening sip as he strolled out of the shop. It wasn't a bad place, by any means... but again, he rather felt that one taste of Mika's blood outdid anything else in there. Once he was out of sight of the location, he chucked the half-full cup in the nearest bin, and strolled the rest of the way back to the HQ, hands in his pockets and a whistle on his voice. If he wasn't berated too harshly, then maybe he'd get that mission report done, since he had nothing else to do with his time after all that.

---

Travis looked at Kristian and was concerned by his eagerness to get out and hunt. He needed to try and figure something out, they needed food but Kristian might be a little too enthusiastic. And that could lead to problems, problems that Travis wasn’t equipped to deal with. Kristian wanted to kill, that was without question, but how would he be able to stem that bloodlust?... Video games! It was so simple, what better way to let out your urges than on a screen. Some people played games for fun, others to pass the time and some even played them for umm… Sexual reasons. So satisfying a teens bloodlust wouldn’t be too much of a stretch would it? Only one way to find out.
”You’ve not heard of video games have you Kristian?” Travis wasn’t subtle in the slightest, but he didn’t feel subtle was the way to approach Kristian.

----

Kristian cocked his head to the side. One minute he’s talking about food. Now he’s talking about this, vi-deo game-ing.
Kristian shakes his head, “No.”

----

Travis expected as much, this is actually a good thing, if he’d know what video games were then he probably would have played them before, and obviously not been satisfied with the experience. ”Ok so before we go out I think I need to introduce you to the wondrous world of Ratchet and Clank.” Travis then booted up his playstation 3 and put in Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time. ”This is a pretty good game, if you’re not to keen on it I’ve got plenty of others you could try.” Travis’ tone was rather enthusiastic, he’d not had many people over to play games with.

----

Kristian looks at Travis with mild insecurity.
“This isn’t a test?” he ask.

----

Travis shakes his head, ”Nope. No test, just video games. This game is all about blasting the crap out of things with a wide range of weapons.” Travis would be holding the controller and starting up a new save file for Kristian, hopefully the tutorial won’t be to boring for him. Travis would then finally hand the controller over to Kristian as the opening cutscene started to play.

----

What was he a child? He scowled at the screen as he was greeted by bright colors, a “comical” narration, and child’s sense of what humor suppose to be.
“Is this a video game?” Kristian asked, “When do I get to use the controller” he begin pressing random buttons, “Oh hey look it got them to stop talking.”

----

Travis frowned, Kristian wasn’t going to like this game was he. ”I think I got a game that you’ll probably like much more that this one.” Travis flicked off the PS3 and booted up the PS4, then he simply slid in DOOM 2016 and handed Kristian the controller.

----

Kristian watched the opening sequence before the start menu of mayhem and destruction. Sitting at the edge of the couch, he quickly grabbed the controller. Rip and tear, the narrator said and Kristian licked his lips. As the game thrust him into a hyper violent scenario, a head exploded, and he picked up a gun.
“This is cool,” Kristian said.

----

Travis took a seat next to Kristain with a smug look on his face ”Glad you think so.” He was proud. He had no real reason to be proud but he was anyway, he’d found something for Kristian to hopefully let out his lust for violence. Then he’d take him out and they’d get something to eat, hopefully his supplier would be alright with a new face. He’d never let many people in because he was a fairly weak ghoul, but he and Travis had come to an understanding.

----

“Yeah!” Kristian cheered, “Did you see that? I kicked him right in the groin than smashed his head with my knee.”
Kristian wore a wide grin on his face.
“I like this game,” Kristian said, “It’s not as cool as real life though. But it’s good enough.”

----

Travis nodded ”Yeah Videogames are great sometimes. Good for just chilling and killing. Well Doom is at least.” Travis was thankful that Kristian was enjoying the game, now he just had to wait for a bit then they would go out and get something to eat. Then dealing with the whole Alice situation would come later. Dam. My life is actually interesting now…

----

“Do you wonder the monsters blood taste like in the game?” Kristian asked as blood spattered on the screen. There was an eager glee on his face. This game was giving him good ideas.

----

”They’re demons from hell. Eating their blood would probably kill you. Probably tastes like piss anyway. I mean look at these ugly fucks.” Travis didn’t like were Kristian was headed with this but he’d play along, perhaps this was the game working as an outlet.

----

“What if demons were the only thing? Like humans replaced with demons,” Kristian said, “Oh yeah! Take that you motherfucker.” he shouts at one of the demon’s minions.

----

”Well in that case I think the demons would eat each other. But I’m pretty sure some demons eat each other anyway. So I guess not much would change. Anyway, you beat this level then we should head out for some food, I got a guy who can supply us with and easy meal.” Travis hoped that Kristian’s reaction would be something manageable, he didn’t want to leave him alone in the apartment yet, but he didn’t want to take a rather bloodthirsty ghoul out into the street. That would be just as bad as killing the person himself.

----

Wait a supplier? No hunting? Kristian looked at Travis.
“That almost sounds like complacency,” Kristian told him, “We aren’t hunting?”

----

Travis nods, ”No we’re not hunting, and if getting food like this is complacency then I’m fine with that. It’s what kept me alive after all.” Travis wasn’t the happiest with Kristian’s reaction, but he’ll roll with it if it means that Kristian will work with him.

----

Kristian narrowed his eyes, but sighed.
“Okay, fine, I am in,” Kristian tells him.

----

Travis internally fist pumped, he hid it by nodding to Kristian. ”Good, we’ll get going soon then.” He then leaned back into the couch and watched Kristian kick some demon ass.

----

Travis was weird. This whole entire time spending it with him only made Kristian think he was weird. He was weird and did a lot of weird things. The only reason he was nice to Kristian was because he was alone. He didn’t get that line of reasoning, it was weird.
Then Travis didn’t hunt and he seemed pretty against the idea, that was weird. Not that Kristian thought he was some superior being over Humans, but he also knew that he was given abilities and capabilities to hunt Humans. It’s like people who put animals in their house that were meant to hunt.

It was like they were trying to domesticate them. Maybe one day Kristian be like a cat, who still liked to hunt and chase, but Humans deemed that bad for some reason. He wasn’t even really sure as to why. He wondered if other animals had this argument too.
Does a giraffe have communal meetings about lions hunting them? He didn’t get why everything that was the natural order of things Human somehow had to interject a moral and ethical dilemma. He had never been given anything in his life just because.
He earned it through prowess, cunning, and strength. He wondered if this disappointed his creator. God or whatever that clearly designed them for a purpose, a purpose abruptly stalled.

“Why do you think a God would create us?” Kristian asked Travis as he smashed a demons head into some glass, blood splattering, and sticking onto sharpened shards.

----

Travis watched Kristian grind through demons as he got closer and closer to the end of the level. Kristian was doing pretty good for just starting out, then he went and asked another profound question about god. How way travis going to go about answering this… It took Travis a moment to compile his thoughts enough to give a proper answer.
”because he is the biggest assholes in existence. I mean making ghouls and humans look the same, as smart as one another and then decides to make them kill one another. Despite the love that could form between the species. It’s like he just hit fuck it a gave a praying mantis a brain capable of feeling complex emotions…”
Travis quickly flicked underneath his nose with his thumb, this was a little tick of his when he started to get a little too mad about a subject. God was one of these subjects.

----

Love between the species?
“You think,” Kristian paused, “That Humans and Ghouls could coexist and love each other in the future?” He didn't know if that were true or not. Humans were so easily afraid. A survival technique that pitted them against whatever was the unfamiliar to them.
It also would then make his own existence, pointless. Wouldn’t it? Kristian played with the controller for a second. Is this what it meant to question one’s own place in this world?

----

Travis let out a weak sigh and with it his anger at the previous subject. ”I Honestly hope so, but I doubt I’ll be around to see the day. But who knows? We’ve got a band of people working towards that goal. So we just might see the start of it.” Travis got up and went into his room to change, the only time he didn’t wear a suit is when he went to get meat.
He walked out of his room about 2 minutes later in full casual stuff, he also had a backpack on. It was only there to hold the meat and his mask. ”You finished the level yet? We should get going soon.”
Travis would then open his door and wait for Kristian to finish up before the pair would leave. They’d get onto the street and Travis would start to lead Kristian towards his dealer.

@Gardevoiran@Old Amsterdam


Grant grabbed his coffee, he’d explain on the way. No time to get his car, they’d just walk. Perks of living in Japan was that it was similar to Europe. Specifically in the public transport and how people with ordinary legs could get to districts with relative ease.
America from his one time experience there had none of these perks. He had been only there for a week and he cannot remember the reason behind it. He was young then, though understood the relative ease of transportation even then. Or at least he’d like to assume so.

When they were far enough away from the coffeeshop Grant took a sip of his coffee through his silly straw before saying anything.

“There’s been some serial murders,” Grant begins narrating to Yuno, “It seems they finally have a lead on the murders. We’re meeting Atticus and Decker. As to why you’re here, just tell them it’s an instructing lesson. If they say stay out of the way do it. If they allow you to join, do so. Never waste the opportunity to impress others if you can.”

While he had been told by Seto to tell Yuno to go back to HQ and he ignored that order. He’d lessen the damage by making her follow whatever instructions Atticus and Decker gave her. He didn’t care to disobey those higher rank than him, though he also didn’t care for his day to be wasted either getting friendly with a new partner to only be told to put her back.

That’s not how these things worked. Seto should have known that before giving him orders that contradicted each other. Grant took out a cigarette, holding it between his teeth on the good side of his face he lit it with his lighter. Placing it back, he took a second to take a long drag before continuing.

Watching smoke rise towards the sky before dissipating he continued, “There have been five attacks in different locations within the last couple months. Blunt force trauma and stabbing would suggest a quinque. But the amount of flesh removed from these bodies during the attack would suggest a Ghoul or Chimera. We cannot rule out the possibility of all three, but those are just parts of the information already known.”
Grant takes a second.

“A body found in a park, a body in an alleyway, one in the parking garage of an apartment, the other found in front of a convenient store, and one found in the substation would suggest erratic behavior, no concern of being caught,” Grant mentions though he might mostly be talking to himself, “Sporadic killing, without any discretion could mean it’s a taunting behavior. But it also could be me reading too much into it. Without any secrecy of the bodies and how they were found, there’s not a single sense of remorse or shame or mercy felt for the victims. Generally when a killer hides the body it’s a sign of remorse, shame or mercy, it’s also not a direct call to attention.”
Grant took a sip of his coffee.

Those should cover the basics at least. He wished there was more information beside what he told her. He didn’t like the concept of going into a circumstance in the dark. It isn’t is general method of handling a situation. Though he supposed he’d have to trust that Atticus and Decker were there for a reason.



A little while later, they made it to where he was instructed to meet Decker and Atticus. What he wished from speaking with Jericho earlier is that what he said stuck in her mind.

West border, huh? So where was Atticus and Decker?

“It is important to stay alert,” he tells her, “And pay attention to everything said. The little details stick out, but are often missed.”

"If my say means anything, it could be a matter of just a famished ghoul eating... well... whatever they could easily get," the junior started off. She wasn't talkative throughout most of the ride over, but now she found an opportunity to talk and she was going to try and help the situation the best she could. "It would explain the erratic behavior, right? You have to find what you can eat, so you'd eat what seems easiest."

Yuno sat there for a few seconds in silence before she piped up again. "If we need bait, I'd be willing as long as you promise to not leave me for dead." Live bait had to be tempting for a ghoul, and with Yuno being a "snack" as some people had called her in the academy, she had to be tantalizing to at least some ghouls.

@Gardevoiran

Not much soaked into her head, did it? He had spent most of the time going over the details and he had been given a lackluster response. One without foresight or much thought put into it. Quite frankly it was a disappointment in development.

“You forgot in observation to put other pieces together,” Grant tells her dryly, “Erratic Behavior + Missing Flesh + Five bodies within the last few months could have been a Ghoul’s version of fast food takeout. However, you forgot to add in the additional detail of the fact that there was stabbing and blunt force trauma in that formula. Which means there is some form of premeditation. This was not some starved Ghoul. This not a case that would highlight clues like that.”

Grant takes out his notebook and his pen.

“When putting information together you have to connect behavior and evidence like a puzzle,” Grant mentions.



-Erratic Killing Pattern
Binge Eater; Why? What drives you?

-Lack of body disposal
Taunting behavior? Immaturity? Not cautious? Assured not to get caught?

-Blunt force trauma and stabbing present
Premediative behavior? Subduing behavior. Lack of physical strength then? Quinque? But nothing else adds up.

-Missing Flesh
Ghoul or Chimera? Human?

He reviewed his obsverations before the senior investigators came. It kept his mind occupied. He handed Jericho his current notations.

“Like so,” he told her.

Walking beside Travis, Kristian couldn’t peg him. Both chastising him earlier. But then again also lending him hospitality and a place to stay. He didn’t know whether he should be angry at Travis or should be glad because of Travis.

He didn’t really know what any of this meant right now. He didn’t like this uncertainty or the weakness he had shown earlier in the department store. What other cracks would begin to show? Was he scared of development? Of finding out who he really was. Not who someone wanted him to be.

He felt a sudden sense of unease. Kristian wasn’t so sure if he sensed the presence of another or if he was imagining things because he was already on edge. Looking around, somewhere, somewhere in the shadows? Maybe he was being paranoid. Maybe it was Him. To take him back.

“Travis someone is watching us,” Kristian calls out.
----
Travis looked back at Kristian and nodded, ”I know, c’mon let’s pick up the pace” Travis then looks forward and a drop of sweat runs down his forehead. I had no fucking idea we were being followed! Travis was now on edge. How long had this mystery person been following them, fuck it didn’t matter, he had to change his course.

If he brought a possibly hostile ghoul to his dealer he’d never be able to go there again. And Travis couldn’t afford something like that.
”So Kristian let’s try and get somewhere open. Then we could possibly talk to this person following us. And if we must, we’ll fight them.” Travis’ tone had changed to a worried but stern tone, he knew what he had to do but he wasn’t sure if he could pull it off.
----
Natsuya held onto a piece of shirt that had fallen from Travis’ torn clothes earlier. It was the only clue he had to the whereabouts about the boy, now dressed in pants and a simple shirt. And Travis himself. It didn’t take long for that boy to catch onto him, which only made Natsuya’s suspicions of him confirm his line of thinking.

Where did that boy come from? Why was he here? He was certainly far more interesting than the other child he was brought. But Natsuya wasn’t going to allow him to cry him a river of fake tears this time, even if it meant he had to implement a harsher lesson.
Natsuya bit the bottom of his lip. What the fuck was Alice thinking right now.

That dingy girl earlier, with less than impressive moves. This boy. Breaking someone possibly dangerous out of the Dove prison, bringing ruin to the very Ghouls she promised to protect. Right now he only felt frustration for being so left out of the dark of her thought process.
Listening and watching, he didn’t feel the need to stalk them any further. Instead he cut them off standing in front of them before they could get anywhere open.

“That won’t be necessary,” Natsuya told the both of them, “I had spent most the afternoon finding you. How I conduct my investigation is dependent on how satisfactory I find the answers given to me.”
----
Travis flinched when Natsuya landed in front of him and Kristian. Questions? What did he want to know? It didn’t matter, he was here now and he wasn’t leaving until he got answers, Travis could tell this much just by looking at him. ”What happens if we don’t want to answer the questions you ask?” Travis felt like he knew the answer, but he wanted confirmation of this guys intentions.
----
Natsuya narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side.

“You should know the answer to that,” Natsuya said, “That is a rhetorical question, because I’ll eliminate you both.”

Though there was something nagging him. The boy sensed him. Which meant he was not some low ranking Ghoul. He had power. How much? How strong was he that he managed to notice him?
----
Kristian scowled. It was just the man from earlier in the coffeeshop. Him and that Alice woman thought scary looks scared him. He wasn’t wetting himself just because someone gave him a dark glare. Instead Kristian just gave him a dark look back.

“You and that Alice lady, like scary words,” Kristian told Natsuya, “I don’t really listen well to shitheads who just talk big.”
----
Travis was mentally screaming fucking god dammit Kristian! Don’t fucking sass the dude that’s the kind of shit that starts fights! Travis rubbed the bridge of his nose. ”I… *sigh* What do you want? Please just ask your question, and forgive that last comment. He is new around here.” Travis was not sure how to handle this situation, on one had he had this rather threatening ghoul who want answers or blood, then there was Kristian. Travis was pretty sure Kristian just wanted blood. Things might get really ugly.
----
Natsuya continued his stare at the both of them. This boy had no sense of who he was either. Children these days spouted vulgar language like it was meant to be used in common language. Especially to an elder. He should tear a limb off for such an indiscretion to him. Once again Travis came to the boys aid, against him? Natsuya raised a brow at Travis remark.

“New around here he might be,” Natsuya told Travis, “But things do not stick right in my head. Firstly, look at your shoulder wound as evidence. That attack from the Chimera caused you serious damage. He escaped with barely a cut across his arm. Secondly, he’s the first out of the two of you to notice me. I am not some blind dumb fool who just let’s a stray come into my abode without some clarity. Are you an idiot Travis? Because you’re starting to look like one protecting something that doesn’t need protection.”
----
Fuck Travis was going to have to work really hard if he wanted to talk his way out of this one. ”I don’t doubt that he is able to defend himself. I just think it would be even better to avoid combat altogether. But anyway, what kind of question do you have for Kristian, he is standing right there. So ask them.” things didn’t feel as tense but he still had to make sure everyone stayed happy and non hostile. And this guy has some serious attitude.
----
Nastuya played with the tip of his fingernail, staring at Travis trying to navigate this scenario. So he was an idiot and a diplomat. The worse kind of diplomat. Natsuya looked at Kristian now.

“No fake tears, no childish antics,” Natsuya told him, “Where are you from?”
----
Natsuya they called him, was correct on somethings. Kristian could tell him and Alice were powerful Ghouls in this city. Not that scared him much, but he was here for their protection. If he completely pushed them away he might lose that opportunity. Travis could barely take down a Chimera, but Natsuya and Alice. He needed them at least for his safety.

There were just things he couldn’t say for his own safety though too. He didn’t know how well Alice and Natsuya would be able to protect him from that place. Or if they would find out, and bring him back to that place.

How could he tell an honest lie? One that would not send this man on a kill order? He was good at acting or manipulating people, that was easy. But how could he avoid saying nothing with saying something? Kristian frowned.

“I admit my previous statement was a little overreacting, but” Kristian paused, “What I said was the truth. I am an orphan. My parents abused me. Isn’t that good enough? You really should give people the benefit of the doubt.”
----
Natsuya raised a brow at Kristian. Still going with that story?

“I already gave Travis the reasons why I cannot find that answer possibly real,” Natsuya told the boy, “Travis is an idiot. And you seem to think I am an idiot. You do not behave like an abused boy. If you want a story, should probably do more research.”
Natsuya gives Travis a look.

“With that said you haven’t killed Travis,” Natsuya replies, “I came here to kill you if you did not give me real answers. I cannot trust an individual who has everything to hide. What would you tell me to convince me not to?”
----
Kristian stared at the guy in the odd clothing. He really was arrogant and really thought highly of himself didn’t he? Well Kristian could play that game too. So he gave Natsuya a smile and did a little excited hop, with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Because I’d kill you before you had the chance to kill me,” Kristian told him.
----
Travis groaned as Kristian announced he would kill Natsuya before he had the to kill him. Was that really needed, sure the dude was a grade A egotist but was poking the bear really the best thing to do at this point? Travis was worried again, Kristian looked like he had it under control but this dude wasn’t satisfied, he wanted answers right now.

Even if Kristian didn’t want to talk about it. He must have thought so highly of himself that other people feelings didn’t matter, this really pissed of Travis. Unfortunately for him this guy was also a very powerful ghoul who might just kill the fuck out of him.
Travis clenched his fists behind his back, why was power given to all the wrong people? All of the strong people in the world never seemed to deserve the status assigned to them by the world. Only on rare occasion was power rightfully bestowed upon someone.

This world was unfair and Travis was now in a situation where that unfairness might end in his death. This dude was a massive asshole who saw others as bugs, and to him he could easily step on them and kill them. Even if it was just for looking at him. The thought made Travis sick.
----
Natsuya was cautious. There was no hesitation in how the boy responded to him. The very fact he came toe to toe with a Chimera with barely a scratch. The very fact he had sensed him long before he was to make his presence alone.

And the assured confidence in his answer meant the kid had called his bluff. It wasn’t that Natsuya didn’t think he couldn’t kill this kid, but there was a slight chance he couldn’t. Or a slight chance he could with serious injury to himself.

Travis silence finally meant he understood his place in this discussion. Still this boy seemed too confident that he could kill him, him of all people, that he was beginning to realize that this was not the path to take. He didn’t believe he was abused. Kristian didn’t peg him as the type of person to have been abused, he didn’t have the mannerisms.

He did believe though Kristian had the intent to defend with lethality if he attacked them. Natsuya surveyed the both of them.

“While I do not believe your story of abuse,” Natsuya told him, “Your emotions were fake in the cafe. And even now I see nothing on your face or your behavior that would show that. You will be surveyed.” Natsuya turned to Travis.

“Travis, was it?” Natsuya asked.
----
Travis gritted his teeth as he was addressed, he was so mad but he had to put that aside for now. Sending a wave of insults at this guy wouldn’t help the current situation. ”Yeah, that’s my name.” Travis was mad but it would be well masked, he’d hidden his anger before. People didn’t like being yelled at if they screwed up at work, so Travis had to learn to keep it cool.

”You got a question for me too?”
----
Natsuya took a second to take out his fan from his obi, he opened it and then closed it. A habit of his to relax.

“No,” Natsuya replied dryly, “Instead I have orders for you. By my authority, you will report to me every day Kristian’s whereabouts, the things that have been done, everything. You want to be part of this group, I have to know I can trust the both of you. This is your test. One has already proven they are a liar. Now let’s see if you can prove yourself to me. You took him under your wing I presume, so continue doing so. He is your responsibility. I’ll allow leniency depending on how well you both behave in my eyes.”
----
”So, you need my phone number for that? It’d make things a lot easier.” Travis spoke in a slightly steadier tone, but it was probably clear he was upset. His face tone didn’t hold any anger but his face very much showed his distaste with the situation.
----
Kristian frowned. He was not a pet. He wasn’t something someone could just keep on a leash. That was. That was. Why he left that place. Why was Travis going along with it? Travis had come to his rescue when he was lying, now he’s just accepting this man’s terms.
He did not want to be imprisoned again.

“You can’t do that,” Kristian called out, “I am not going to let you do that Travis. You’re not going to watch me all day and restrict what I can do. I make my own choices and report to no one when I do.”

Because he was suppose to be free now.
----
Natsuya snapped his fan close.

“You think I’d allow you to roam free after telling me you’d kill me first?” Natsuya asked, “You ask a lot from strangers. To trust you. Despite your lies. To let you roam free. Despite the malice in your eyes. You ask a tall order from people.”

Natsuya doesn’t expect an answer from Kristian, as he has already made up his mind on the decision.

“Yes, your number would be serviceable,” Natsuya said, no longer entertaining Kristian to converse with him.
----
Travis was again in a tight spot, he couldn’t try and make a plan with Kristian because Natsuya was right there. And he wasn’t sure how Kristian would take him handing over the phone number, this situation was now at a breaking point. He turned to Kristian.
”Look Kristian, there is only two ways this situation can go at this point. Either I give him my number or a fight breaks out, and I don’t know about you but I don’t want to make a scene. And if I wasn’t useless enough before now I have this shoulder wound. Just trust me on this one, and if you dislike the deal after say, two days then we reconvene and alter the deal then. Sound good?”

He looked up at Natsuya briefly with that “give me a moment” face.
----
Kristian scowled at Travis. Two days. He had tasted freedom. Walked the city. Made his own rules. Survived on his own. They said they were there for all Ghoul kind, but this guy Natsuya was just an oppressor. And Travis wanted him to go along with this deal. He was not a stray puppy. He was not a prisoner. He was never going to be controlled by another person again.

He did it before. It couldn’t be any different from then, could it? He shoved Travis a little, not very hard.

“Fuck you,” Kristian told him, “I am not to be kept.” Kristian only half glanced at Natsuya, “None of you care about your own kind. Else you wouldn’t be putting them through such hoops. You don’t want to keep other Ghouls safe.”

Kristian scowled.

“I’ll do it by myself, like I have been,” Kristian turned on his heel and meant to run off.
----
A tail wrapped around the boys ankle tripping him.

“I’d like you in my sights,” Natsuya said, “Number Travis.”
----
Travis seped between the two. ”Hey! let him go. You’re taking this shit too far.” Travis hoped that this guy had a shred of sense and would let the kid go, Travis never really intended to give Natsuya information about Kristian but he couldn’t have just said that out loud. This was Travis’ last hope at avoiding a conflict.
----

“I tripped him,” Natsuya said with a shrug of his shoulders holding onto the ankle, “Do you want to see what too far is? I can demonstrate for you.”
Natsuya glared.

----
Landing with a thud he was being held down by this man’s tail. Kristian tried to get up off the floor, seeing Travis between the two of them he was beginning to only feel boiling rage.

Get up.
Kill them both.
Rip them apart.
Why are you lying on the floor?
You are meant to kill them. Ghouls like them.
But he’s defending me.
Oh don’t be a baby like you always are
Don’t make excuses
Do It!
Kill!
Kill them!

Kristian growled under his breath as his eyes turned and he shot out his thorns. A blooming rose behind his back.

“Fuck you,” Kristian said again, though all that childish demeanor from Kristian had seemed to fade from him at this point, “I told
you. If you tried to kill me. I’d kill you first!”

@AngelofOctober@Gardevoiran

---

A slight clicking sound, of metal against stone, could be heard nearby, soon followed by the sound of footsteps. From the shadows of a nearby building a young man appeared from around the corner. In his hand lit up a phone as the odd noise started up again.

"Seto sent me this a few minutes ago. More evidence to help us. We got a hit on the serial killings," Atticus said softly, tossing the severely damaged phone towards Grant. "I thought she was supposed to be sent back to HQ?"

He considered for a few moments before shaking his head. "it doesn't matter. There was another murder an hour ago. We found that phone there, beside a dead Ghoul. She had some healing injuries, looks like the killer got her weak. This breaks the pattern, though. Seto called for investigative backup," Atticus continued, passing two earpieces to the other Investigators. "Decker is staying back as heavy fire support, he'll communicate through those. Lucky we had a spare."

As if on cue, Decker spoke up once the others had their pieces in.

"We've got solid Intel that we can cut the bastard off before the reach anyone else tonight."

---

@BCTheEntity

---

A message appeared on the young man's phone, from the automated CGC systems.

Your senior partner will arrive shortly. Please remain on site for further orders.

@LemonZest1337@AngelofOctober



Natsuya’s eyes activated, still holding down the boys leg and pinning him down in the sidewalk. Insolent brat, as he showed his kagune to Natsuya. What did he think he could achieve? This little shithead thought that he could outclass him and defy him.

Stepping forward Natsuya kicked the boy in the face, ignoring the sharp pricks from the boys thorns. A rose? No Ghoul he had ever met had a rose as a Kagune. Stepping on the boys face, he stood up above him with his right foot on the child’s face.

“Who do you think you are coming into my turf, thinking you have any right to throw around your weight?” Natsuya sneered, “Should I teach you a lesson? Or will you yield before you lose a limb?”

He used his tentacle to tightly squeeze on the boys ankle, threatening to break it. This was not some light threat. He would not go easy on him. He’d see how many limbs he’d lose before he was crawling on the ground asking for someone’s mercy. Let him heal painfully, leave him enough that he would be a limping dog.



Katashi watched the Doves walk out the door, his blood boiling between his anger with them and his worry over Mika. Letting out a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair. He needed to follow that one. The half face.

He was... Dangerous, Katashi could feel it in his gut, though he had zero reason why. And if he was dangerous... Would he use Mika? Could he put her life in danger somehow? No. He couldn't let that happen.

"Mika, can you call the driver to take you home? I need to... Run an errand for Alice. Then I'll stop by, if you'd like? You've got my number right?" He said, concern evident in his voice as he tenderly took her hand.

Mika hesitated, she looked at Katashi. Cocking her head to the side, she felt her heart fluttering out of anxiety. He wasn’t getting himself into some kind of danger? Did he think she didn’t notice how serious his face looked?

“Katashi,” Mika calls out slowly.

He gives her a smile.

“I am not going to get in trouble,” he reassures her gently. How did he know that’s what she was worried about? She continues to hesitate. He flicks her forehead and she flails her arms.

“Eh Katashi,” she says frustrated, “Fine. Don’t get hurt. Be safe.”

She didn’t like the sound of the war. She didn’t like the idea that the people she loved the most were about to go out and do something dangerous. He just gives her another confident smile, with that complacency he usually has.

“One final thing,” Mika says, Katashi looks at her, she stands up on her tippy toes and kisses his cheek, “A goodluck kiss.”

She giggles sweetly before grabbing out her own phone. Why was she so nervous to depart from him? Today had been the best day of her life in a long time and she wanted to spend every waking moment with Katashi. Though she wondered if he would get bored of her if she did that. Like she’d become too clingy and he’d not want to see her ever again.

She shook her head. Had to stay positive. Rise above the dark clouds beginning to form in her heart. They are strong. They can get through anything.

@TheRedWatcher



His head kicked the cement hard, blood was dripping from his nose and this stuck up assholes fucking sandal was in his face. Fuck this asshole, fuck him, fuck him. There he went talking again, blah blah, yield to me. How about he earn his fucking respect, just liked he asked everybody fucking else to do? How stupid and cocky did he have to be, how arrogant did this old fucking bastard have to be to not recognize people didn’t bow at his goddamn feet?

Yield?! Fuck him!

“Full bloom,” Kristian said as he spit blood from his mouth onto the sidewalk, as his thorns extended outward, “prison.”

His extended thorns then bloomed with several other thorns grown on the exterior of the the shaft of the thorns. Stabbing through Natsuya with them.

“Fuck you,” Kristian snarled under his foot.

@Old Amsterdam


Metal against stone. Grant rewind to hear again. So graded he could barely make it out. If today had been disappointing in the department of people, it certainly looked like it was rewarding him for his patience. He rewind again to see if he could make anything out. Nothing. He’d probably look it over later. The more he could uncover the more he could learn their mind.

“I felt she should have a learning experience,” Grant replies to at least try to look like he tried to defend his position.

He listened to the details. A dead ghoul. This did break the pattern. Who are you? Tell me more about you. Placing in his piece he looked at Atticus.

“Very well,” Grant told Atticus, “I’d like to know more.” Grant told Atticus, “If we catch them I want to dissect their thoughts.”