"I will not."

The doctor let his hand fall. To Kaneki, he looked a little like the father who'd just been cursed at by a disobedient son. That expression pissed him off.

"What a shame…" Kanou sighed. "Such a pity. How many more will I have to run through to recreate you I wonder?"

"None," a child-like voice said.

Kaneki turned. A newcomer had entered without him noticing. A child-like figure wrapped in bandages and a tattered maroon cloak. A floral scarf hung around their slender neck.

Eto, Kaneki thought, remembering the night Ayato and Jason had brought him to the Aogiri hideout. Damn. If she was one of the leaders, she had to be at least as strong as Yamori. No way he could take on both her and Shachi at the same time.

"Kamishiro-san," Eto continued, invisible eyes regarding Kaneki, "please escort the good doctor and Rize-san to safety. The doves are nearly here."

The muscular ghoul did not look pleased, but used his Bikaku to propel himself over to Rize's containment chamber nonetheless. "Another time, boy," he said as he smashed through the glass and pulled the young woman free.

Rize. Turning his back on the newcomer, Kaneki dashed for the marital artist, preparing to release his Rinkaku.

"Where'd you think you're going?"

Something hit him between his shoulder blades with brutal force, and the ground flew up to smack him. His teeth rattled in his mouth and blood coated his tongue. Next thing he knew, his face was pressing against the cold floor. Black veins stretching out from his right eye, he turned his face enough to see Eto peer down at him.

"I was told you were a such a well-mannered kid," she said, twisting his arm around until it felt like it would break. "And yet here you turn your back on me when I'm talking to you?"

"Get off!" He released his kagune, and the aigori ghoul jumped back. The tips of four rinkaku pierced the ground, and he lifted himself up to see Shachi take hold of Kanou with a muscular arm, an unconscious Rize secure in the other.

"Goodbye for now, Kaneki," the doctor smiled. "Though I suspect we might be reunited a lot sooner than you think." Shachi's kagune dug into the floor between his feet. He was preparing to launch himself away again.

"Kanou!" He sent two rinkaku the trio's way. They were both torn apart before they reached the halfway mark.

"Your date is with me, little egg," Eto said as he landed in front of him, her hands stained red by the flesh of his kagune. Ignoring the pain, Kaneki regrew the organs in a heartbeat, but it was too late. Shachi had jumped out of his reach and disappeared through a shaft near the roof of the chamber.

Placing her hands behind her back, Eto looked up at him, her head cocked to the side. "I don't suppose you and I could go into the doctor's office and discuss this over a cup of coffee?"

Kaneki brought the regenerated rinkaku down to swat her, but she drifted away like a ghost. He let himself drop to the floor, not letting go of the other ghoul with his eyes for a second.

"What do you want with Kanou?" he demanded, keeping his kagune ready for action. "Make more freaks like these?" He motioned at the pods lining the room, all filled with creatures right out of a Stephen King novel.

"If those are 'freaks', what does that make you, Kaneki-kun?" Eto answered. "A mongrel? A mutant? A monster?"

"No." He sent all four rinkaku at her at once. "I'm just the guy who's going to eat you."

The Aogiri ghoul vanished as the kagune reached their mark, kicking up dust and other particles, but he did not feel them make contact with any flesh. What?

"That's not polite." A split-second after whispering the words into his ears, she hit him right in the ribs. Bones broke. The rush of air. Agony, as he smashed into the wall. His Kagune evaporated.

Standing where he'd stood a moment ago, Eto rubbed her knuckles. "You sure you don't want that coffee cup?"

She's like fucking lightning, he thought, wincing as he touched his chest. Not even Ayato was this fast. Shit, regenerate already!

As if she'd just teleported, Eto's shadow suddenly fell upon him. Squatting, she brought her head down to his level.

"Now, let's think about this rationally, little egg," she said as she reached out and twirled some white strandes of her around her finger. "A sheepdog wants to protect his sheep, but the wolves just have him outnumbered. Instead of seeking the inveitable martyrdom through taking them on alone, wouldn't it be smarter to join the wolves and direct the pack's attention somewhere else?"

"I'm not alone," he said through his bared teeth.

"Of course not," the Aogiri ghoul giggled. "That's why all your little friends from Anteiku is here with you now." He felt her glance to the side. "Oh wait. I don't see them."

"Shut up!" He meant to struck her face, but she caught his fist with a bandaged hand.

"One hundred and three bones, was it?"

Crack!

"I'll settle for twenty-seven, since I'm feeling compassionate at the moment," she said as she crushed his hand in hers.

Kaneki nearly bit his tongue off to stop the scream. Nine hundred ninety three … nine hundred eighty six … NO! New kagune erupted from his back, slamming into Eto. The impact launched her halfway across the chamber, but she simply spun around in the air and landed on her feet like the most nimble of cats.

"Why aren't you using your kagune?" he growled as he rose to his feet, hand already healed. First Shachi, and now this bitch. "Do you really think I'm that weak?"

Eto straightened her cloak without looking at it. "Responsible adults should pull their punches when children shake their tiny fists, don't you think?"

He swiped at her with all the speed he could muster, but she just danced to the side. "The sheepdog tries so hard for his sheep, and yet he's always sitting alone on the hill as he watches over the pen," she giggled. "How deliciously tragic."

Shut her out, he thought. It's just noise.

"How grim you look, Kaneki-kun," Eto tittered. "What would your little blond friend from school think?"

Kaneki froze where he stood.

"Oh?" Eto pirouetted to a halt, looking at him from the side. "Did I strike a nerve?"

"What did you say?" he whispered.

"What would your little blond friend think?" she drawled. "Let's see … what was his name? Hire? Kide?" She snapped her fingers. "Hide! That's it, isn't it?"

His breathing quickened. Something ugly stirred inside his chest. His hurt like...

"You look surprised," Eto noted. "After what you did to Yamori and Ayato, did you really you hadn't caught your attention? We know where you live, Kaneki-kun. We know where your friends live … but judging by your cute little face right now, I'd say knowing the location of your CCG-wannabe is more than sufficient…" she cocked her face to the side, "…right?"

...like when the centipede had trashed around inside his ears.

Kaneki's vision went black.

XXXXX

Shinohara halted. Perhaps he was turning superstitious in his old age, but he could've sworn something ominous had passed through the hallway just now.

"Shinohara-san?"

"It's nothing," he said, smiling reassuringly to the sweating rank one companion. Being the highest ranked investigator present, it would not do for him to show insecurity in front of his subordinates. Still ... this place was creeping him out. The walls of flesh was one thing, but that was not truly it. If he were to attempt to describe it, he would've said the very foundation of this place had been built by pain and hate.

The corridor ended at last, widening into a much larger chamber. The strong lighting had him blinded for a second. Once his eyes adjusted, he caught his breath.

His instincts had been as keen as ever. A shifting mass of flesh occupied the center of the grand room. Ugly, black limbs trashed madly around a much smaller, but distinctly human shape.

No, not quite human.

Ghoul.

"That's a kakuja," he said grimly. "Or at least, it's well on its way to becoming one. Be ready men."

No answer came. He turned around.

The two investigators lay on their backs. Blood flowed from open wounds in their necks. Their heads dangled in the air, each held by a bandaged hand.

"Can't be helped," the little ghoul shrugged, almost apologetically, before nodding at the monstrous form at the center of the chamber. "He's so hungry, poor thing."

He swung his quinque around, but it was like the ghoul had evaporated. Whirling around, he saw it prance over to the kakuja … no, half-kakuja.

"Catch," the bandaged ghoul tittered, and then tossed the heads before the white-haired monster, which then threw itself at them like a starved dog. The dead eyes of one of his fallen friends seemed to search for him for a moment, before the ghoul's teeth came down on the skin and ripped it off to reveal the pink flesh beneath.

Calm down. Shinohara closed his eyes for a moment, and his hands stopped shaking. He'd seen fellow investigators devoured too many times for this to throw him off. Nothing had changed. It was all a part of the job description.

"Amon," he spoke into the mic fastened to his collar. "I need backup, now."

No answer came.

"Hey, little egg," the bandaged ghoul said to the half-kakuja, her voice laced with glee. "Wouldn't you like something even fresher?"

The white-haired monster screeched, and a centipede-like appendage shot toward the other ghoul, who dodged with little effort.

"This way," the bandaged ghoul sang as she bounced toward the veteran investigator.

"GAAAHHHH!"

Shinohara barely had the time to activate his arata before the monster was upon him, the damn mummy having jumped out of the way. The half-kakuja's jaw snapped shut only an inch from his nose, and the investigator cringed as he saw the raw meat stuck between white teeth. A black beak came very near to poking his eyes out.

"MIIIIIIIIIIINEEEEEEE," the monster hissed, a distinctly female tint to its voice. "IT'S ALL MINE!"

Shinohara planted an armored knee in the deranged ghoul's belly, and it pulled back with another hiss.

"Not bad, Mr. Investigator." From the corner of his eyes, he saw the bandaged ghoul trace the metal walls with a finger as it skulked around in the periphery. "But if I were to make a wager, I wouldn't put more than five yen and a pack of gum on you."

He blocked it out. Wasn't hard, considering how loud the crazed mutant was screaming.

"Seven fingers minus seven toes, cut em' off and make some toys," the half-kakuja rasped. "A bucket full is much too dull. Fill a room … see the corpses bloom … tearing my insides … give em' back..."

A sudden strike nearly tore the quinque from his grasp. He felt his tongue against his palate, sand against sand. Jesus…

"Mom … don't leave me … cut her legs off so she won't go … so fucked…"

That was it. Of all the ghouls this investigator had ever seen, this was the most cracked one by far.

"NO, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

As he tried to pull back to assess the situation, the half-kakuja struck so quickly he didn't even see the movement. The quinque flew from his hand. Pain in his sides as the arata was crunched inward, stabbing at his flesh. He hit one of the pods along the walls like a bullet. The glass shattered. Barely able to breath, he felt something seize him from behind. Turning his head, he stared into the glassy eyes of a zombie. He smashed its face in with an armored fist.

XXXXX

EATKILLEATKILLEATKILLMOTHERGROWPROTECTKILLEATKILLEATSTRONGKILLHIDEEATGROWKILLPOWERTOUKAEATKILLEATHINAMIHURTKILLPROTECTMANAGERKILLEVOLVEKILLKAGUNEEATTSUKIYAMAFUCKKILLBANJOUGROWEATRIZEPROTECTKILLEVERYONE…

It felt like he had a thousand centipedes inside his head now. He slammed himself in the face with his own kagune and the voices ceased just enough for him to regain some measure of control. The investigator had been blown away, but Eto was still up and about. He had to pluck her before more doves arrived, and then find Hide at once. At this point, he had no choice but to tell him the truth, no matter how disgusted his friend would be. It was only way to keep him safe.

The bandaged ghoul stretched her arms to the side. Even though her face was completely covered, he could've sworn she was smiling.

"Come and get me, big boy."

"DIE!"

He pierced her true the torso with all his kagune at once. He did not stop when her doll-like body crashed into the wall, nor when it broke through it. Only when he could no longer feel her body squeeze the appendages did he retract them and fall to his knees. Somehow, he'd managed to match her speed.

Fuck … okay, gotta find the others and get out of here before I lose control again…

"Congratulations, Kaneki-kun…"

His whole body jerked. Impossible. He'd damn near split her in half … and yet now something was moving in the shadows of the hole he'd created. Something huge.

An bony arm as long as lamppost emerged from the darkness, followed by a head straight out of his worst nightmares. It was like a skull, dominated by a single red eye in the center. Red mist oozed from its mouth. As this hulking creature rose above him, he felt smaller than he ever had before.

"You've officially graduated to adulthood."

XXXXX

His lungs aching, Amon koutarou sprinted down the hallway as fast as his long legs could muster with Akira on his back. It had already been too long since he'd received Shinohara's call for backup, and that old warrior would've never asked for help if he wasn't in dire need of it.

"Amon, look," his partner said, pointing over his shoulder. He cursed inwardly. He'd seen the bodies too.

The hallway ended and a more open area emerged. He heard Akira gasp.

"The owl…" the blond woman said breathlessly.

The lumbering creature turned their way, and Amon's eyes zoomed into a small shape caught in the monster's claws.

Eyepatch!?

"Amon, look out!"

It took some effort, transfixed as he was by the beast not a dozen meters away, but he moved his gaze towards a battered Shinohara. His quinque armor was a mess, but at least he was still alive.

"Get out of here!" Shinohara screamed, the unbridled fear in the older man's voice scaring him more than anything else could've. "You can't fight this! RUN!"

The monster let out a cackling laugh. It began to move towards the wounded Shinohara, the limp Eyepatch still in its grasp. Despite its size, the movements were not clumsy at all.

"Let me down!" Akira snarled, pushing herself off his back. Seeing the fire in her eyes, he grabbed her by the arm and threw her back.

"This is an order from your superior," he snapped, splitting his Kura into two. "Stay put."

"Amon!" Akira shouted, pushing herself up on her elbows. He did not answer. He moved forward.

"Come to play?" the owl snickered, sending a barrage of crystalline projectiles his way. He smashed them with the quinques without even slowing down. Once he came close enough, the owl struck at him with its free hand, and he had to throw himself to the side to avoid being crushed.

"I'll distract it," he yelled at Shinohara as he tried to maneuver behind the owl's back. "You retreat!"

His only advantage was that holding the eyepatch restricted its movements a touch. It kicked at him with its hind leg, but one again he dodged.

"Nimble little dove. You're so adorable I just want to eat you up!"

"Go to hell!" he yelled back and slashed its hind legs. The owl let out a scream that was like knives in his ears and whirled around. One of the huge ukaku growing out from its shoulders crashed into him. Even though he managed to get his dual blades up in time to block he was sent flying into the wall. As he slid down on his back with the world still spinning, he'd somehow managed to keep the quniques in his grasp.

"Oh, you're good," the monstrous ghoul breathed. As it began to stalk towards him, he caught a glimpse of Akira between its legs. His partner was dragging herself forward with her hands alone, her eyes wide with fear and rage.

"Koutarou Amon, was it?"

He tried to get back on his feet, but his limbs felt slow and weak.

"Perhaps I should take you too."

A clawed hand big enough to crush his head like an egg grew bigger and bigger in his vision until it blocked out everything else.

Swish.

The owl stirred as several daggers lodged themselves in one of its thick limbs.

"Oh, this is awesome~" Juuzou grinned, darting forward with his scythe in hand. "Hey, biggie! Over here!" Amon had no idea where the kid had come from, but considering the situation, he had no complaints. Feeling his strentgh return to him, he cut the owl's hand clean off.

"RAAH!"

The owl pulled back and then stopped for a moment. "Too many birdies." It lifted Eyepatch above its head and opened jaws that any shark could have been proud of. A grey and a red eye met Amon's green, and then Eyepatch had disappeared down Owl's throat.

Roaring with inexplicable anger, he threw himself at the creature. A gash as long as his body came to adorn Owl's meaty body, but it didn't even seem to notice. Instead, it gathered its legs beneath it and smashed straight through the wall. Amon moved to pursue, as did Juuzou, but before they could take three steps, someone tackled them from behind.

"Give it up, people," Shinohara said hoarsely. "We're all lucky to be alive."

"It ate Eyepatch," Amon growled.

"What?"

He let his gaze slide down to his feet. Guess I'll never know why now.

"Nothing."

XXXXX

Banjou halted as he watched Tsukiyama stop short. The fashionable ghoul had been mumbling to himself for a while now, his voice growing increasingly erratic.

"DOLORE!" he suddenly exclaimed, turning to look at the rest of them with crazy eyes. "My Kaneki-kun is in danger … I can sense it!"

"He's finally loosing it," Ichimi mumbled, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Tsukiyama, calm down," Banjou said while approaching with his palms up. "Kaneki is strong. I'm sure he's alright."

Tsukiyama's sclera turned black as ink. "Imbécile," he snarled, and Banjou swallowed as a purple kagune began to snake its way around the gourmet's right arm. "You would doubt my senses? Don't make me laugh."

"Okay, you're right," Banjou said hastily. "But if Kaneki needs our help, fighting each other would only waste time, right?"

Tsukiyama did not seem to be listening. His Koukau had already sharpened into a blade. "You've been a thorn in my side ever since we joined up with Kaneki-kun. Your unrefined manner is nothing but an eyesore, not to mention all the drivel you've been trying to shove into Kaneki-kun's head. If you rub elbows with him for much longer, his spiciness will be damaged I'm sure."

"Just try," Sante growled, and Banjou cringed. Shut up, you idiot. Tsukiyama might not be on Kaneki's level, but if it came down to it, he would certainly slaughter the four of them in a heartbeat.

CRASH!

Just down the hallway, the wall crumbled as something smashed through it. Even though a cloud of debris and dust blocked their sight, Banjou could make out a massive shape within it.

"What the…?"

The lumbering from shot forward, and all Banjou saw was a horrid red eye before he was swatted to the side like a fly. Someone screamed. Disoriented, he pushed himself up from the ground.

Ichimi and Jiro were crouching beside a shuddering broken form. Sante … had been trodden down. Blood seeped out through his broken gasmask and was pooling under him even now.

No…

"Kaneki-kun," a voice said hoarsely, and he looked up to see Tsukiyama stare rigidly down the corridor the monster had disappeared. "KANEKI-KUN!"

The gourmet began to run like an addict chasing a truck full of drugs. Banjou didn't care.

"Sante," he whispered, reaching towards his trembling underling. The young ghoul seized his hand, holding on for dear life.

"B-boss…"

The hand went limp.

XXXXX

Kaneki did not know how long he'd been in the dark. A minute? An hour? A year? It was warm and mushy. He could not move very much. Could he even breathe? Even so, he was vaguely aware of movement around him. He tried to move himself, but it seemed he was trapped in a cocoon of sorts. He tried to activate his kagune, but his body didn't respond.

It's like it was before Yamori…

Banjou. Tsukiyama. The three. Had they made it out safely? Hinami would be fine, right? She could just go back to Anteiku after all…

Am I going to die here?

No. He wasn't even close to finished. So far, he'd barely put a dent in the Aogiri tree. The others were not yet safe.

He began to trash around. The fleshy prison responded by growing still for a moment, and then began to contract, pressing him forward. Fresh air washed over his face and he fell.

"Aaaah, you're a troublesome one," a well-known voice sounded above him. "I like that."

Kaneki opened his eyes. The ground seemed cold and hard. He was lying in some back alley, Kanou's mansion nowhere in sight. Something wet hit his cheek. He looked up and saw the monster from the lab standing over him. Saliva ran down its bone-like teeth and dripped down on his face.

"What are you?" he asked.

The creature seemed to chuckle. The great mass of flesh began to dissipate and break apart. Before long, only a small feminine shape remained, loose bandages still coiled around the most intimate features of her body. It was too dark for him to make out her facial features, but one aspect he would've recognized, even if he'd been all but blind.

"You're…"

A pale green and a red eye sparkled.

"Why, Kaneki-kun, don't you recognize an Onee-san when you see her?"

AN: Anyone else here that was seriously frustrated with how little behind the scenes Aogiri stuff we got to see in Route A? Thinking back on it now, it seems like Kaneki and Eto had even less interaction than they had in the manga (where they actually exchanged words), despite Kaneki LITERALLY joing the Aogiri. Despite being marketed as an alternate reality, it seems to me all the second season did was shuffle scenes from the manga and leave out all the best stuff (103 bones, Kanou's lair, Amon's badass kakuja armor...). They even dropped Kaneki vs Arima for Kaneki WALKING for five minutes straight, which was granted not a bad scene in any way, but to just drop one of the coolest confrontations in manga history for that didn't make any sense to me. As it stands now, the anime needs another season like dry crop needs rain.