東京グール：花色よりも暗いブラック/Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black

"All losses in this world are due to a lack of ability. If you want to curse something, curse your own weakness." -Haise Sasaki

Episode 3: Helter Skelter

"...ok like hell~"

"Shut up, woman."

Lelouch groaned as he felt his senses starting to return to him. The first thing to register was a dull, aching pain all over his body, and a bitter, disgusting aftertaste in his mouth, causing him to groan in disgust. "M-mnrgh..."

"Well, looks like he's awake." a female voice noted wryly. Lelouch could have sworn he heard such a light-hearted, teasing tone before... but where? "Compared to you, Nishiki-chan, he looks a lot more better... and a lot more cuter~"

"Oh, for the love of..." Nishiki's voice groaned. "I should have taken him to that old geezer instead of you."

"Oh come now, Nishiki-kun...I'm not THAT bad."

Lelouch lifted himself up from whatever he was resting on, annoyed by the small throbbing in the back of his head. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by an unusual sight.

"...a bar?"

"Yep," the female voice said with a hint of pride. "This is my place. Welcome to Helter Skelter, Lulu-chan~"

"L-Lulu...chan...?" His eye twitched at the nickname. He hadn't been called that since...

He looked to see who was speaking with him. It was a woman with cherry red hair, light colored eyes, and a familiar, Cheshire-like grin across her face. She wore a sleeveless black shirt, though her lower half was not visible, due to being behind the counter. Sitting in front of her on a stool was Nishiki... except he looked as if he had just been beaten down. He had bandages around his neck, and a large bandage on his cheek. His glasses were partially cracked as well.

"Well, look who decided to wake up." Nishiki remarked, greeting him. "Took you long enough."

"Wh-what happened...? Why do you look like that?"

"Did you really forget?" He looked at him incredulously. "You're the one who did this to me. You know, for a string bean, you pack a wallop!"

"I'll say~" the red-haired woman giggled. "The only people I know who can kick the crap out of you like this are Renny and Touka-chan."

"Oi! I'm telling ya! I can take the both of them on whenever I want to!"

"And yet you always get beaten every time~"

Nishiki scowled, turning away, while Lelouch frowned as he lifted himself up, walking over to the two. "So..." he started out. "I guess I should be thanking you?"

"Mm, maybe." the woman shrugged before smiling. "Anyway, my name's Itori. It's nice to meet ya, Lulu-chan~"

Lelouch bit back a scowl. 'Dammit. Even here, I'm called by that infernal nickname.'

"So how are you feeling?" Nishiki asked. "You looked like you were starving back there."

At first, the violet-eyed teen wasn't sure what he was referring to. It was then that he suddenly recalled what had happened, how he was become enticed by the smell of a corpse, and had given into his own hunger, and attacked the Ghoul. He didn't recall what happened afterwards. "...just because I can eat human food without puking it up doesn't mean it actually stops the cravings." Lelouch replied, a hand gingerly touching his lips. "I don't really remember what happened... But I have a nasty aftertaste in my mouth."

"Probably the Ghoul you ate." Itori commented. "I heard everything from Nishiki-kun, and got your situation from Yoshimura. Must be pretty rough, having been made into a Ghoul."

Lelouch looked at the injured teen who nodded, then back at Itori. "...Yeah...it was a lot to swallow."

"Well, hey, at least you've got someone who can look after ya." the woman grinned. "On another note, is it true?"

"What's true?"

"About you being able to eat normal food."

"Yeah..."

"...How was it?"

"It tastes like chewed-up gum." he answered plainly. "Everything tastes so bland, like it has no texture. No grease, no actual flavor."

Itori sighed, obviously disappointed. "Damn," she muttered. "And here I thought you could tell me what wine tastes like!"

"You do realize that I am underage, right?"

"Even so, a girl can hope, right?"

"Oi...No one asked for your input."

Itori gave Nishiki, the owner of that remark, a cute pout. "Your so cruel~"

"Shut up." he replied crudely before looking back to Lelouch. "Seriously, though, you okay? You don't feel hungry anymore?"

Lelouch shook his head. "No... The hunger's mostly gone now." A morbid smile made it's way to his face. "Guess that Ghoul was more satisfying than I thought."

Nishiki looked at him. How could he say that with a smile like that on his face? It was just unnatural.

Then again, ever since that accident, the teen had been unnatural.

It was like he was a different person entirely.

"Well, in the mean time..." Itori said, bringing the man out of his musings as she took out a bottle from the shelf behind her. "Either of you boys care for a drink?"

"That all depends," Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Is that really alcohol? Or is that blood?"

The cherry-haired woman smiled, eyes narrowing. "Ooh, very perceptive." she said, losing her playful tone. "As you can guess, I'm like Nishiki-kun here. As a matter of fact, much like Anteiku in the 24th Ward, Helter Skelter is a bar for Ghouls, though we receive human customers too."

"A bar for Ghouls? But I thought you said you couldn't consume alcohol." He fuddled his brow in confusion.

"We don't. That is why we use fermented blood instead. We can drink it, and it gets us drunk."

Nishiki visibly winced at the mention of that particular fact. Lelouch did not miss the sudden reaction, thinking that perhaps he knew this fact from experience, but did not call him out on it. Instead, he turned back to Itori. "So, in other words, fermented blood is alcohol for Ghouls."

"Bingo~" Itori grinned. "Give the boy a prize!"

"If it is fermented blood, then no thanks." He deadpanned. He had no desire to get drunk.

"Aw, why you gotta be like that, Lulu-chan?" Itori pouted again, eliciting yet another scowl from Lelouch.

"Can you please not call me that?"

"Why not? It's just so adorable~"

"Tch..."

"Just let it go man. It's Itori's way of being nice."

Lelouch sighed in aggravation, and took a seat. "Fine..." he muttered. "But, if I get shit-faced, I'm blaming you, Nishio."

"Whatever man." Nishiki shrugged. Itori grinned as she immediately poured the red liquid into two glass cups, handing it to them.

"Well then, cheers to all~" She chirped as she raised her glass.

"Cheers..." The boys said with less enthusiasm.

'Well, least I know who the Milly of this world is,' Lelouch thought wryly, taking a sip of the Ghoulish liquor...

...only to start coughing haphazardly, nearly spitting it out after having dranked it. Nishiki looked startled while Itori started to laugh. "First time having alcohol, kiddo?"

"Y-yeah!" He hacked up. The liquid burned his mouth and throat. Who the hell is able to ingest this stuff?!

"It's like coffee with humans," Nishiki told him, able to drink the stuff like it was nothing. "An acquired taste. Also," he pointed to his finger at his eyes. "Your eye is showing."

"Huh?" Looking at his reflection in the blood, he saw that his left eye had changed again. He had to admit, with an eye like this, he really did look like a demon. Still, he did ponder briefly as to why only one of his eyes experienced such a change, whereas the Ghoul he met had a Kakugan present in both of his eyes.

"Sugoi!" Suddenly, the teen found himself reeling back when Itori leaned over the counter, a dazzled expression on her face. "You really are a One-Eyed Ghoul! That is SO cool!"

"Huh...?" Lelouch looked at her strangely. "Why is that cool?"

"Yeah," Nishiki raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of the drink. "The heck is cool about that? If at all anything, it's disgusting."

"Ara?" Itori turned to Nishiki, slightly puzzled before smiling. "I guess you haven't heard then."

The glasses-wearing man expressed annoyance. "Heard what? Just tell us already, woman."

The cherry-haired woman giggled before leaning back, earning Lelouch some well-needed breathing room. "Here's a question for you boys," she said, holding up two fingers and crossed them together. "What do you suppose would happen if a human and a Ghoul got together, and then the magic happened?"

"Well, the logical conclusion would be a hybrid of the two." Lelouch guessed, setting the vile tasting liquid down. It seemed reasonable to him at least. Still, a hybrid of the two... That sounded like his own situation.

"Nope," Itori grinned. "What you'd get... is a corpse."

"...What?" Both teens paused in disbelief.

"It's a reasonable conclusion. I mean, think about it. Ghouls and Humans have completely different diets. If the baby was part Ghoul, then it wouldn't get the nutrients it needs if its mother kept eating human food. Eventually, it will either die, or eat the mother from the inside out."

"There's also the mother to think about as well," Itori added. "If the mother is a Ghoul herself, then her body will mistake the fetus for nutrients, and absorb it."

"And let me guess..." Lelouch leaned in, curious. "There's at least a few who've made it."

"Yep. Although they are VERY rare cases of it happening."

"...I see..." He nodded. So there were many implications for the breeding between a human and a Ghoul.

"It's said that hybrids are stronger than natural-born Ghouls, and have only one Kakugan, just like you." Itori told him. "I've even heard there's a total hellraiser over in the 24th Ward who's supposedly a One-Eyed Ghoul, too."

Nishiki seemed to know who she was referring to, and raised an eyebrow. "Hold up, I thought that dude died ten years ago?" he asked, confused. "I mean, he went up against the CCG's Reaper, right? As far as I know, any Ghoul who fights that son of a bitch ends up six feet under."

"That may be true, but there were no official records of him actually dying in the battle. The only news about that was that the Ghoul's arms were cut off by the Reaper."

"Hold on, back up." Lelouch was more than confused. What the hell were they talking about? "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh that's right...you don't know." Nishiki said.

"We're talking about an event that took place ten years ago." Itori answered. It was a battle between all of the investigators of CCG against a single ghoul, who was known as the One Eyed Owl."

Lelouch immediately took an interest. "One-Eyed Owl?"

"Yep," the bar owner grinned. "You see, the CCG has a rating system, ranking Ghouls based on how long they've been active, their eating habits, their overall fighting capabilities, and the most crucial being their long list of kills. Rize Kamishiro was S-Rated, one of the highest in their database. Her Kagune was pretty dangerous to begin with, but her eating habits made her all that much more terrifying to deal with." A giggle escaped her. "Eating so much in so little time has it's advantages I guess. Anyway, back on topic, the highest rating they have is SSS... and only one Ghoul has that ranking."

"And that," Nishiki added. "Is the One-Eyed Owl. No one really knows much about him, other than that he's a scary son of a bitch who took over the 24th Ward. That alone tells you how tough that guy is."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Wait, there's only 23 Wards here in Tokyo, though." he pointed out. "Is this 24th Ward just an uncharted area? Or a subterranean part?"

"The latter," Itori answered. "The human to Ghoul ratio there is skewed, and cannibalism is a common everyday occurrence there. Not to mention every Ghoul there is considered to be A to S-Rated by CCG Standards. The fact that the Owl made it into his own little abode tells you just how much heat he's packing."

"Damn..." That was all Lelouch could say. "It sounded like he went through hell and emerged victorious."

"That's about it in a nutshell."

"Of course, because of how strong he is, there aren't many Investigators who can deal with him." Itori waved her hand. "As far as I know, the only person who ever stood against him was the kid who became the Undefeated Ghoul Investigator."

Lelouch recalled hearing that term before, having read various articles on the Comission of Counter Ghoul. "...Kishou Arima," he said the man's name. "He was considered to be one of the youngest to join the CCG, and also held the achievement of reaching Special Class, the highest ranking in the entire organization, when he was only in his twenties."

"Yep, and he's the scariest guy you'll ever meet." the woman giggled, a dark smile on her face. "Any Ghoul who's ever seen the Reaper will not live to tell the tale. Not a single Ghoul has ever survived against him, nor has any ever escaped from him. That's partially the reason why he's called the Undefeated Ghoul Investigator." Another giggle escaped her. "Of course, there's another reason."

"And what's that?"

She smirked. "Not a single Ghoul... has ever laid so much as a finger on him."

"Seriously?!"

"Quite. In all his battles, not a single Ghoul has so much laid a scratch on him. They just weren't able to. He was too skilled."

Lelouch was floored. What he just heard... it was physically impossible. No one held such skill. There shouldn't even be anyone who could perform what he did. But... no ghoul had ever touched him? Was such a thing possible?

'Is Kishou Arima even human?'

"About ten years ago, the One-Eyed Owl attacked the main branch of the CCG, and laid waste to it." Itori explained. "A lot of Investigators were killed as a result, but the Owl got himself injured and had to flee. The next day, though, he came right back in." A curious expression crossed her face. "Although, unlike the last time, there was a lot of people injured, but no one died. It's weird, but it still proved just how terrifying the Owl was. Unfortunately, he ran into Arima that day. Supposedly, he's dead, but all we really know is that he just got his arms chopped off."

"That...really is strange..." First the Owl Shows up, kills masses of people, flees, then returns and hurts but doesn't kill anyone? It didn't make sense. It was as if the Owl was a different person entirely.

"Anyway..." Itori leaned forward again, but nowhere close to his face like last time. "The One-Eyed Owl earned that name because, supposedly..." She closed her right eye, and her left revealed a black sclera and a red iris. "He has only one Kakugan..."

"...just like a One-Eyed Ghoul." Lelouch finished, folding his arms. "As if he were a hybrid."

"Bingo~" The woman sang, a cheery grin on her face. "Your a smart one, Lulu-chan!"

Lelouch ignored the nickname. But the circumstances made sense. If hybrids really were stronger than normal Ghouls, then it's not out of the question for a hybrid to be classified as an SSS rated Ghoul.

Still, the situation ten years ago still seemed shady to him. If a Ghoul that powerful existed, then why did it refrain from killing humans? What was it trying to do back then?

'It feels like there's something missing...' he pondered. '...Oh, well. It isn't as if it actually involves me... but still, it does sound interesting.'

Indeed. This topic was intriguing. He would have to find out more of what happened at a later date.

"By the by," Itori said as she stood up straighter. "Lulu-chan, I have a proposition for you."

"huh? What is it?" he questioned.

Itori grinned. "How would you like to work here, at Helter Skelter?"

"...eh?"

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

Uta had always considered himself a calm person, regardless of the past. He was willing to admit he was a bit troublesome when he was younger, but that was the past. No more, no less. If there was one thing that kept him from actually lashing out in anger, it was his masks. He always put detail into them, crafting them in all sorts of manners. Ever since he started this business, he always considered his customers tastes and values, as well as their character. The masks would always fit them perfectly, as if it were a glove, because he modeled them after his customers, each best representing who they were.

Right now, he was sitting at a stool, a Styrofoam head in front of him, which was covered by his latest work. It was a half-mask that covered the lower half of the face, resembling a gas mask of sorts, with only a single strap going over the head. It was one of his more recent works, one of four he felt an urge to design. Before this were two other masks, one being a red helmet, and the other a visor with an insect-like motif to it. He was quite pleased with himself, and so far the mask was going well. After this, he decided he would work on a full mask.

As he worked on the small cylinder pieces on the jaw, he heard the sound of a doorbell ringing, immediately catching his attention. Right now, his shop was closed, so he wasn't going to receive visitors... at least, not the human kind. He stopped momentarily, pulling down his headphones, and turned his head to see someone entering his studio.

He smiled somewhat. "Well, if it isn't my favorite customer," he said pleasantly. "What can I do for you?"

His customer was a young girl, somewhere in her teens, 15 or 16, with long brown hair, and beautiful violet eyes. She was dressed wearing a simple, white shirt with a green hoodie over it, and below, a dark blue skirt with black leggings, complete with a pair of white boots. She sported a smile, nodding back in greeting. "Not much, Uta-san," the girl said, scratching her cheek as she smiled bashfully. "Other than that I came for a replacement mask for Ayato-kun... He went and broke it again."

Uta sighed, shaking his head. "When will he learn..."

"So what did he do this time?" The mask maker asked the girl.

"The usual," the girl shrugged. "Get into a fight with Yakumo-san. Those two don't get along at all, and if weren't for me or Nico-san, they probably would have killed each other."

Uta smiled wryly as he hopped off his stool, moving to his counter. "Kirishima-kun must be lucky if he has you looking out for him." he said as he lowered himself down, opening the small compartment. Inside were an assortment of masks, each of a different design. "He's lucky I have a bad habit of making copy masks." He pulled out a face-mask from inside the compartment. It was black with dark swirls for eyes, and a deranged, toothy grin for a mouth.

He handed it to the girl, who took it gladly. "Sorry about this, Uta-san."

"It's no trouble..." he assured her. "Just tell him to be careful next time. Oh, and tell him Touka-chan sends her regards."

The girl nodded. "I'll try to...but he's pretty adamant about not making contact with her lately..."

"I see...him and that stubborn pride of his..."

The girl smiled sheepishly. "Well, I can kinda understand where he's coming from..." she said, fully understanding his reasons. "Anyway, how much do I owe you?"

"You a regular customer, and a valued one at that," he told her simply, smiling. "You don't have to pay me."

"I see... Well, thank you, either way." she said, slipping the mask into her jacket. "Thanks a bunch!" Uta smiled as she turned to walk away, about to go back to his work when his instincts suddenly flared in the back of his head. "Oh... Before I forget..."

Instantly, he whirled around, and slammed his hands on the blade that would have cut him in half. It was a Kagune, dark violet in color with red cracks all along the edge, covering the woman's arm entirely. Her smile was gone, replaced with a cold glare. Her right eye had changed, developing a black darkness all around a red orb in the center. 'Yare, yare...' he groaned mentally. 'Her Koukaku is as terrifying as ever.'

"...you broke your promise." her tone had changed, going from light hearted to cold, almost like ice. Her eyes were like piercing daggers. "You swore nothing would happen to him."

Uta's feet were well planted on the ground, and his grip on the Kagune was solid. "I said I would keep an eye on him..." he replied calmly, as if he wasn't facing death in the face right now. "I never said nothing would happen. Besides, Souta wasn't exactly aware of who the boy with Rize was."

"Even so...you did nothing to help him! Now he's like me!" She barked back.

"I'm not the person who orders the Chief, little miss. He is his own boss."

"That still doesn't change the fact that you didn't do anything to help him!" she screamed, anger clear in her voice. "You could have saved him from Rize!"

Uta sighed. Really, this was why he had so much trouble dealing with her... she always had emotion high in her being, always so caring of others... Well, most, more than others. She made her dislike over Rize clear. "As I said, orders were orders." he stated. "And we were not also aware of what Kanou was doing."

The girl gritted her teeth, her Kagune slowly receding into her back. Uta didn't relax, however. If he did, and she blew up again, he knew he'd be a dead man. "...That still doesn't change anything..." she said harshly. "I never wanted Onii-chan to end up like this."

"You underestimate him, you know." he told her. "After all, he's Kisuke and Miyako's son."

"Nrgh!" She huffed and looked away. But he had a point...he was their son after all.

Uta smiled playfully. "Besides, Yoshimura said he'd look out for him in case something happened." he told her, causing her to pout. "Besides, from what I heard from Itori, he really ripped Nishio a new one." At this, the man's face became solemn. "The fact that he has Rize's organs in him means that Aogiri will be taking an interest in him, sooner or later." he stated. The girl's face became darkened, her fists trembling slightly. "And I doubt it will be long before they realize just who that boy really is..."

He turned to look at her. "You do realize that... right?"

"...I know..." She muttered and turned away. "But...there is no way I'll just let them take him. He's my brother, and I swear to protect him!"

"Hehe...it's kinda funny...the younger sister protecting the older brother..."

"Can't you say the same about Ayato-kun?"

"Hm, touche~"

She giggled. In a sense, she and Ayato were similar. They are both trying to protect their older siblings from the cruelty of the world. Speaking of which...maybe she'd visit Touka and Yoshimura again. But she had to be sure Luka didn't see her.

"I've heard of women having mood swings, but your something else." the mask maker remarked as he sat down on his stool. "One moment your trying to kill me, the next, we're back to being friends."

"Well, that's the beauty of our relationship."

"If you say so," he shrugged, taking up a screw into his hand. "By the by... on the off chance I make Luka-kun a mask, what do you think his would be?"

The girl paused to think. That was pretty difficult to think of...

"Well... I think he might have a full mask, or a half-mask." she replied after some deep thought. "It might have a Frankenstein motif to it, though, and maybe an eyepatch... But it would also have something to make it really stand out, something that screams Onii-chan."

"A Frankenstein-motif..." Uta thought. "...That certainly would be something to stand out."

"Or he could prefer something that gives it a real flare." she continued. "Like a full mask, something that could really give him a dramatic flare."

"Flare you say...?" Uta now folded his hands. "You mean something that screams grand debut?"

"Yeah." she nodded. "Something like that."

"Hmmm..." Uta moved his stool over to the canvas beside him, a pencil in his hand.

"You have an idea already?"

"Something like that..."

His pencil was already against the canvas, sketching out the mask. His arm was moving at an erratic pace before he pulled back, revealing a rough sketch of the mask itself. It was a full helmet with five prongs, giving it an appearance of a crown of some sort, revealing a purple orb at the very center of the mask, along with a golden tailing below it.

"Ooh...That looks interesting..." the girl complimented as she looked over his shoulder.

"Does this have a dramatic flare?" Uta asked curiously.

"Yep!"

Uta smiled slightly. "Good to know."

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

When Lelouch returned home, he found a small package hanging from his doorknob. Stuck to it was a note.

"Just a little something to tide you over until you get some real food~" -Itori.

He smiled wryly as he removed the contents from the bag. It was a parcel of some kind, but if the smell was any indication, it was definitely not ordinary food. "I guess she's not all bad," he remarked as he stepped inside his apartment.

He closed the door and made his way to the kitchen table before opening the package.

It was a small lump of meat, likely human flesh, and provided a wonderful smell. Beside him, Rize poked her head over his shoulder. "Mm, looks good~" she giggled. "You gonna eat it?"

"Do I really have much of a choice?" he replied.

He ripped a piece off and plopped it into his mouth. His eyes widened from the flavor invading his taste buds.

The apparition giggled. "Well, I see someone's embraced their nature."

"Shut up." Lelouch stated simply as he tore off another piece of meat. "But I won't deny it. There is no use rejecting what I am now. Nothing would change."

Rize seemed to raise an eyebrow at this, tilting her head at his words. "Ara? Not going to rebuke me?"

"Only when your being annoying."

"Mou...you are so mean Luka-kun..." She pouted.

"Shut up." Lelouch snapped as he tore off a bigger piece, tossing into his mouth.

He continued to ignore her words as he tried to enjoy his meal.

Rize huffed in annoyance as she reeled back, her presence fading away. Lelouch tossed the last piece into his mouth, gulping it down with relish.

"Haa...that was good..." He muttered. he no longer felt hungry, which was a plus.

He placed his hand over his face, reclining back to the bed behind him, looking up at the ceiling. "Talk about a helluva day..."

He grimaced, recalling the flavor of the fermented blood. He was still a bit tipsy.

'Note to self,' he thought. 'Never drink Ghoul liquor.'

He didn't like the drink. It burned his mouth and messed with his head.

He groaned, falling flat on his back. Just remembering the drink was enough to make him nauseous.

"I guess this is why I shouldn't drink..." He mused.

At least now he knew how potent alcohol was... and he really didn't want to find out how the stuff would affect him if he were still human.

He shuddered to think what could've happened to him.

"Still..." Lelouch muttered. "Never thought I'd start working at a bar." He smiled wryly. "A Ghoul, and an exiled prince walk into a bar... I wonder what the punchline is?"

Well, he supposed things could've been worse. After all, he was a person taken from his world into a different one where there were beings that preyed upon humans for sustenance.

Of course, he was also confused about this life he now led. He still wasn't sure who Luka Mezame was, nor the circumstances of why he was orphaned, nor what had happened to Nanako.

But nevertheless, he was determined to find out more about this world and his host's life.

'There's still the matter of my Geass being back to it's initial state.' Lelouch recalled, his hand gingerly touching his left eye.

Things just didn't make sense. Why was he even here? He should've died.

He sighed in frustration, turning over to his side. There was too much to think about... At the very best, he could sort this tomorrow.

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

"Ohayo, Uta-kun."

Itori was again behind the counter, cleaning small glasses when the mask maker entered the bar. She didn't even need to look up to know it was him when he entered.

"Hello, Itori." Uta greeted, taking a seat up at the counter. "So, how's things?"

"Pretty good. Lulu-chan is a pretty interesting character."

"Oh, I see you met him."

"Yep," she grinned. "And she's officially my slave~"

"Careful," Uta warned her with a smile. "If the little miss heard you say that, you might end up with a Kagune in your skull."

"I know I know..." She waved it off. "That girl can be pretty lethal when needs be."

"And perhaps a bit too emotional." he remarked. "She tried to kill me earlier when she asked for a mask replacement for Kirishima-kun. She wears her heart on her sleeve." A small smile crossed his lips. "She's just like her mother that way."

"Let me guess..." Itori drawled. "This about Souta?"

"Yep." He nodded. "She was pretty pissed at me for not stopping him. But there's no going against the boss."

"True..." the woman nodded. "So, what's the story? We going to keep an eye on the kid?"

"Yeah. Otherwise she would resent us for not keeping her brother safe."

"That, and she just might take down every last clown." Itori giggled. "So, what's the latest?"

"Nothing much. But based on Rizes activity, it seems like the CCG is going to send Doves over into this ward."

"Figured as much..." Uta muttered, a hand on his face as he leaned on it lazily. "Any word from Nico about Aogiri?"

"Ever since Souta got rid of Rize, Aogiri's got it's panties in a twist. Right now, they're trying to track down Lulu-chan as we speak, considering he is the last person to be with her."

"...and?"

Itori raised an eyebrow. "And what?"

"What happens when they learn who he is?"

"Oh..." She didn't really think of that. But after realizing this...she actually shuddered to think what would happen.

Luka being an artificial One-Eyed Ghoul with the ability to ingest human food without vomiting it up was one thing, but if they learned that he had Rize's organs? Much less being Nanako's older brother?

They would be on the hunt for him. Wanting him either dead or alive.

"...then I guess we don't got much choice BUT to protect him." Itori sighed in depression, hanging her head. "If anything happens, she's gonna have our heads on a platter."

"That's assuming you-know-who doesn't take an interest in him." Uta pointed out. "After all, she's not one to let such a person of interest escape her. On the best case scenario, Luka-kun ends up with her, which may or may not be a good thing. Worst case scenario, Tatara deems him a threat. That simple."

"And that'll lead to the One-Eyed Demon going on a rampage," the cherry-head woman said. "And when she gets started, nothing will stop her. Not even the One-Eyed Owl."

"Yeah..." He nodded. "...I doubt there is a ghoul who can even stand up to her."

"Well, she's not called a demon for nothing," Itori pointed out. "Still, though... You have to admit." A wide grin formed on her face, her true self becoming exposed since the man walked in. "This is going to be some seriously fun stuff to see~"

"I agree." A similar grin also appeared on Uta's face. "I'm interested in how this all plays out..."

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

As the next day arrived, Lelouch was once again at Kamii University, this time accompanied by an unlikely pair. If the clear look of annoyance on Nishiki's face was any indication, it was clear he was not enjoying their company... or at least one of them.

"Why the heck are you tagging along, Nagachika?" he asked, his tone making it obvious that he wanted the boy to leave. "Kaneki, I get, but what's the occasion?"

"Oh, come on, Nishiki...!" the blonde sighed. "I keep telling ya, I'm sorry for interrupting your fun time with Kimi!"

Kaneki's face turned bright red at the mention of this incident, while Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?" he asked. "Wait, don't tell me... Nagachika walked in on you and Kimi making out."

"Close," Kaneki said. "I think they were about to..." His blush resurfaced. "Well... Ya know..."

It was at that moment that Lelouch understood what he was talking about. His cheeks were now flecked with red. "...Ah...I see..."

"Again, I'm sorry." Hide insisted with his apology. "Besides, how was I supposed to know you two were gonna go at it?!"

Nishiki growled. "It's called 'knocking.' Try it sometime."

Lelouch rolled his eyes at their antics.

Still, he had to admit... times like this brought back the peaceful memories, or what little of them he had, back in his world. Hide was like Rivalz, and Itori was obviously like Milly, and so far, from what he saw, Kaneki might have been like how Nina was in the beginning, only instead of technology, his desires lied in books.

It was uncanny how much they resembled one another. It was pretty strange.

'Though, I don't want to know what the C.C. of this world is like.'

He shuddered to think about it. One was bad enough in his world. But another one?!

"Something wrong, Mezame-san?" Kaneki asked, noticing the slight shiver.

Lelouch waved him off, telling him it was nothing, little more than a passing chill. Eventually, they had to split up, being in different classes. They had promised to meet up later, and then went about their way. Lelouch was once again in history class, only this time, the subject was again placed in Japan, specifically in the early years. The teacher had also not left out the existence of Ghouls, proving that they have been around for a long time, but the question was how long had they been around? Sadly, there was no answer, but he did learn one thing about the lecture, which, if the disdain in the teacher's voice was a clear indication, he was not a fan of Ghouls.

'So, the Wasshu Clan became the founding group of the CCG.' Lelouch thought. 'Hm, interesting...'

So it was a single family that created the sole organization tasked with the eradication of Ghouls? Truly, human potential is a scary thing indeed.

'Then again,' he grinned. 'I know that better than anyone else. After all, I did create the United Federation of Nations. Speaking of which, I wonder how things are going over there?'

Once again, he wished to know what was transpiring back in his own world. Was everyone doing alright? Was the peace he built lasting?

Dammit, he wished he knew what was happening!

"You seem to be lost in thought, monsieur~"

"Huh?" Lelouch snapped out of his thoughts. He was now staring at a blue haired man standing before him.

He was rather handsome, that much Lelouch was willing to admit, dressed in a fashionable attire, a black jacket with a dark blue jacket, and a pair of slacks, along with two intersecting belts that hung off to the sides.

"You seemed troubled." he answered, a small smile on his face. "Especially with that frown on your face, monsieur."

"Er, beg pardon, but..." he frowned. "Who are you?"

"Ah...my name is Shuu Tsukiyama." He bowed elegantly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, monsieur."

"Tsukiyama..." Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "As in, the Tsukiyama Group Conglomerate?

"Exactly!" He spoke in English. "I am glad that someone knows of my family..."

Lelouch shrugged his shoulders. "It would be hard not to." he explained. "Especially since their easily one of the largest corporations in Japan. They have a lot of influence regarding the pharmaceutical aspects."

During his research on this new world, he came across the Tsukiyama group...just about anywhere.

Medical works, politics, it was a giant corporation, and has been highly successful in several years. He was very impressed with it's long-standing achievements.

"I see," Shuu smiled. "I must say, I'm very impressed."

"Meh. I'm more of a studious type. It's just something I came across."

"Even still, very impressive." the man smiled. "By chance, would you be Mezame-san? I've heard quite a bit about you."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, quite. I heard you survived a nasty accident the other night."

He gave a grimace at the mention of the incident. While he held little memories, or rather, of Luka's memories, of that accident, he still remembered Rize's visage, a sickening grin and her Kagune emerging from her back, and blood smeared across her mouth. She looked like a demon straight from hell with such a crazed appearance.

"I suppose." he answered before looking back at Shuu. "So, what brings you here?"

"Well, to be perfectly frank..." he smiled back at him. Something about that smile unnerved him... He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about that smile seemed to set him on edge. "I was actually curious about you."

"Me?" He raised an eyebrow. Why would anyone be interested in him? He learned from Luka's memories that he wasn't anyone outstanding. He usually kept to himself.

"Of course," Shuu told him. "I've seen you browse the library quite often, and you have a bad habit of keeping to yourself. By any chance, are you a fan of the work, Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"

"You mean the story of the Chinese Generals centuries ago?"

"Yes. Quite a fascinating tale, is it not?"

For a moment, Lelouch felt a passionate smile cross his face. "To be perfectly honest, I prefer works from Shakespeare, or something more classical works."

"Such as?"

"I admire his tragedies, such as Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet. But his comedies are quite intriguing as well."

"Such as a Midsummer Night's Dream?" Shuu asked, earning a nod in reply. The man smiled widely. "On the subjects of tragedies, what do you think of Sen Takatsuki? Specifically, her Black Goat's Egg piece?"

"One of my favorites." He answered. "The piece is a nice twist of horror and tragedy, delving deeper into the protagonist's character. I enjoyed the idea of how he realizes that he slowly turns into a 'monster'. Sen Takatsuki truly is a magnificent author to devise such a thing."

Shuu was practically grinning at this point, sitting atop the desk beside him. "It's rare to see someone who can appreciate books as well as myself." he said with enthusiasm. "To be honest, whenever I read a book, I feel myself becoming lost in it, as if I'm walking in the character's shoes. It's quite a thrilling experience, and for a while, it makes me feel as if I'm in my own little world."

"I can understand the feeling." Lelouch replied. He had to admit, despite all the warning signs this guy screamed, he was actually decent to talk to. Of course, that didn't mean he could let his guard down. "Although, I am wondering about the author herself."

"Oh?" Shuu inquired, tilting his head in inquery.

"Well..." the violet-eyed teen scratched the back of his head, trying to find the right words. "The tragedies she rights seem to reflect her own emotions. Every book reflects, to some degree, the author's mentality, emotions, or past. To me, it seems she's suffering, or that she's given into despair, and has lost hope on the whole damned world." A wry smile crossed his face. "Of course, that's how it seems to me."

"I see..." Shuu rested a hand on his mouth in thought. "...That is an interesting way to look at a piece of literature. Sen Takatsuki's especially."

"Like I said, that's how it seems to me."

"Oi, Tsukiyama-san!" The two paused, looking to the door to see a student in the entrance. "Are you coming or what?!"

"Je serai avec vous sous peu!" Shuu replied in French, before turning to Lelouch. "Pardon, but it seems like my clubmate is getting rather impatient."

"Your in a club?"

"Oui, monsieur." the man smiled. "I'm in three, actually. The Equestrian, the Book Keeper, and the Chess Club." Upon hearing those last two words, Lelouch's eyes lit up. Chess... now that's something he hasn't played in a very long time. "The Chess Club is playing a game right now in the library..." Shuu explained, smiling. "Would you care to join?"

He took a moment to decide. He hasn't played a game at all ever since he came here. Maybe now's a good chance to get some practice. "As a matter of fact, I would."

"Magnifique!"

The man was smiling widely, and informed his clubmate.

He was quite impressed with the young man. Ever since they passed each other months ago, Shuu Tsukiyama had been rather interested in Luka Mezame. The first thing that caught his interest was those eyes of his. The emotion displayed was an uncaring attitude to the world, caring little of anything, as if dead to the world, while the color of his eyes provided an ephemeral beauty, almost like illustrious gems. He contemplated taking them, but relented when he recalled he had already acquired eyes beforehand. The restaurant truly loved fine quality cuisine, but two of the same would be something of a boor. The second thing that stood out was his recent presence. Since returning from the accident, he carred himself not like a loner or a corpse, but almost like an aristocrat, someone who could understand the finer things. His eyes shone with brilliance, and that immediately called for interest.

The catcher was his scent.

It was...mesmerizing to say the least. It was more exquisite than that of a human's.

'I wonder how he would taste...?' the Gourmet wondered with a smile etched into his face as he walked out of the classroom with the illustrious teen in tow. 'I can't be too hasty though... After all,' his grin became menacing. 'We have all the time in the world.'

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

"Sen-chan, how many times have I told you...!"

The bespectacled man sighed in frustration. He was Sen Takatsuki's manager.

In front of him was the book writer herself, a small smile on her face as she scratched the back of her head. "Hahahaha..." she laughed bashfully. "Gomen, gomen~" Sen was a young woman with light green hair, albeit of a much darker shade in contrast to a certain witch back in Lelouch's homeworld, dressed in a white knit sweater and a plain brown skirt.

There's also a pair of break lines between each other, but no words. It's during Lelouch's announcement.

She was once again late to a book signing event.

"Well, at least your here a few minutes rather than half an hour..." the man mumbled. "Anyway, where were you?"

"Oh...just handling some other business..." She responded.

"That's pretty vague..."

The manager sighed again, but didn't let it get to him all that much. Besides, it was better for him that she was here earlier than she usually was on days like this. Today was a book signing for her latest book, the Black Goat's Egg, which had recently become a best seller. In retrospect, it was not surprising, especially given how she was bringing a new meaning to the tragedy genre.

"Well, whatever." the man said. "Anyway, the doors will be opening soon. You'd better get ready."

"Hai, hai..." the green-haired woman smiled, skipping past him.

It had been a while since she had some downtime like this. Maybe she would see someone interesting this time around.

Speaking of interesting people, she wondered how that boy was doing.

Her lips curled into a mischievous grin.

"I hope he shows up today~"

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

"...and checkmate." Lelouch announced, slamming his King piece down on the board with a triumphant grin.

His opponent and the crowd surrounding them could only look on in awe. In just a small number of moves, Lelouch had grasped victory.

"H-how..."

"It's quite simple really..." He rested his fingers on his temple. "Your first few moves left you wide open."

Shuu clapped his hands. "Very impressive, Mezame-sam." he applauded. "I've never seen someone talented. I'm impressed, especially since you beat Kushina-senpai."

"Yeah," a member of the club nodded in agreement. "He's the best chess player we have.. hell, he's in the top ten in Japan!"

Lelouch chuckled. "Just because he's one of the best in Japan doesn't make him the best in the world."

It was reality. No matter how good someone was, there will always be someone better.

"Your rather terrifying, Mezame-san." Shuu chuckled. "Still, I must ask... Why did you start with the King the first chance you got?"

Lelouch grinned. "If a King doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

The others looked at him. His words...actually hold some merit.

Shuu, on his part, was only more interested.

For a King to lead...It sounded as if Luka knew a thing or two about leadership.

"What's up with that?" one of the members asked, laughing from the sound of it. "You plan on becoming a big CEO of a corporation?"

A moment of deja vu took Lelouch over for a moment, having heard those words before. "Heh, no way." he replied. "Ambitions like that are bad for your health."

"Heh...well you got me there."

"Then again," another member cackled, looking at Shuu. "I suppose Tsukiyama-senpai doesn't have any problems becoming a big time boss! I mean, his family runs the biggest corporation in Japan!"

The young man laughed at the remark. "Please, you flattering me!" he said joyly. "Although, I must admit, the idea of taking over Papa's corporation is an interesting prospect."

"Or you could go big as a model." Lelouch put in his two cents. "Seriously, you'd make a killing."

"Luka-kun's got a point." a senior member pointed out. "Seriously, man, ever day, you dress like a damned role model!"

"Do I now...?" He took a moment to think, slipping into a pose not unlike what was model would do.

"See! See?!" the member shouted. "Your doing it right now!"

"Really?" He slipped into another pose.

"Okay. Now I KNOW you are doing this on purpose..."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "I see someone enjoys living the high life..." he muttered as he stood up. "Well, I better get going."

"Heeeeeeeeh?" a younger member gaped. "C-come on, please? One more round!"

"Sorry, but I need to get going." he apologized. "I need to run a few errands before I head home. It's a favor for Kimi."

"Eh? Kimi-senpai?"

"Yeah. She wanted me and Nishiki to help out with the upcoming festival."

"Oh, right..." Shuu nodded in understanding. "I had almost forgotten about that..."

"Yeah. So I'll see you guys later."

As he was about to leave, Shuu suddenly recalled something in the back of his mind. Slowly, a plan began to form in his head, making him grin. "...actually, Mezame-san," he called out, causing Lelouch to stop. "Do you mind if I come with?" Lelouch turned, raisin an eyebrow. "I heard that Takatsuki-san has a book signing today."

"Really? I didn't know that." Now he got his attention. "Where is she signing?"

"I believe it's by Sunshine."

"Huh, now that's a coincidence." Lelouch remarked. "That's where I have to run errands." A small smile formed on his face. "Well, I don't see a problem, so why not?"

"C'est Magnifique!" Shuu grinned. "Well, then!"

As the two left together, Lelouch eyed him cautiously. It was clear by their interactions that the man had something planned. What it was, he had no idea, but he already had him pegged. His smell was a dead giveaway. 'A Ghoul at Kamii...' he thought wryly. 'And here I thought Nishio was the only one... I could use my Geass, but I have no guarantee that it's the same power I had before. For all I know, it could have changed, since this isn't my body to begin with. For now, I'll simply play along...'

He had an idea of what Shuu wanted from him...and he wasn't just about to roll over and let him do as he pleased. He wasn't about to be eaten.

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

Yoshimura was slightly troubled as Irimi and Touka went about their daily routine. The 20th Ward was usually so peaceful, which he preferred... and then Rize appeared, and now, everything was spiraling out of control. Doves would no doubt be sent here, but what really worried him was Aogiri's movements. They had been relatively quiet lately, which was usually never a good thing, as it could be considered the calm before the storm.

Worst of all, however... was Luka. He was half-Ghoul now.

The matter was unsettling, especially since it took place after Rize's disappearance.

The chances of Luka's organ donor being Rize, especially given his nature right now, were quite high. Of course, that in itself was not the problem. If he recalled correctly, Rize was being pursued by some rather... unsavory figures, one of them being Jason of the 13th Ward. While having not encountered him personally, Yoshimura knew how demented the man was, and how sick and twisted he could be. The way things stood now, things would be anything BUT peaceful around here.

Even worse, Nanako's brother would be caught in the fray. He could only imagine what lengths the young girl would take in order to protect her brother.

He sighed tiredly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. So much trouble, in so short a time... Sometimes he wondered if there was no such thing as peaceful days.

With everything going on...it was only a matter of time before the 20th ward descended into chaos.

"You alright, manager?" Koma asked. Yoshimura left his thoughts as he turned to the man, who appeared to be concerned. "Let me guess... It's about Mezame-kun, isn't it?"

"Correct." The elderly owner nodded. "I fear that he may be a target of Aogiri."

"Well, he was with Rize-chan, so I guess he would..." Koma rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before a grin formed. "But, he's got his little sister looking out for him. Not to mention, he's got us of Anteiku ready to look after him, case shit hits the fan. Hell, he's even got the Devil Ape on his side~"

"That's right." Irimi added as she walked in on their conversation. "Don't think that Aogiri is just going to take him without a fight."

Yoshimura could only smile at the two.

They had come a long way from when he first met them. They were the leaders of their respective gangs, the Ape Faces and Black Dogs, as well as bitter enemies.

Who would have imagined that they would become such friends? Perhaps he owed that to the current times, however bitter they were at times.

"By the way, manager." Irimi spoke up. "I just got a message from Itori. It seems like Luka-kun has started working at Helter Skelter."

"is that so?"

"wow...I wish him luck then. He's going to need it." Koma said.

"Please," Irimi rolled her eyes. "Your exaggerating."

"You of all people should know what Itori is like, Kaya." Koma told her. "Hell, don't you remember what she made the last poor guy who wanted to work there just to get in her pants had to wear?"

"I believe we all know what you mean, Koma." Yoshimura chuckled. "After all, she did send us pictures."

It had been an amusing sight. The poor man looked absolutely ridiculous.

"Well, it's simply a matter of whether or not he can handle working with her." Yoshimura replied, grinning slightly. "Well, I suppose it's better to wait and see what happens."

"I suppose..." Koma shrugged. "Still, gotta admit, it's kinda sad what happened to him." A sad smile formed on his face. "And she tried so hard to keep him away from this world of ours."

"As sad as it is to admit, I'm afraid it was inevitable." the old Ghoul stated. "Given who his parents were, it was only a matter of time before he became involved in our world."

"Indeed. It almost seemed as if fate has made its decision for him."

Irimi sighed slightly, looking out the window. "...it's still a bit sad, no matter how you look at it."

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

It had been less than an hour since Amon, alongside Mado, had arrived at the 20th Ward Branch Office, and he had to say, he rather slightly enjoyed the small peace and quiet.

It was a nice change compared to the hectic chaos that usually took place in the other wards. In those areas, Ghouls were more frequent to appear and rather hostile.

Despite it being quiet though, they knew why they were here. The Binge Eater.

"I must admit, this Binge Eater hides herself quite well." Mado chuckled as they left the archives room. "And her track record is astounding."

Amon raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by, she, sir?"

"If you look closely, Amon-kun..." the old man handed him the documents related to their target, the younger Investigator taking them into his hands. "80% of the victims were young males, ranging between the ages of 18 to 30. Given that, it's a safe assumption the Binge Eater is female. Also, keep in mind, that when I say 80% of her victims, I mean all of them, not just the ones found in the other wards. It seems like she was based in the 11th Ward for a time, likely getting rid of the Ghoul group maintaining order there in order to freely binge eat to her heart's content before moving on."

Amon nodded at this logic. "A fair assumption." he stated before looking at the details of the case. "It also says here, based on the camera feed, that the Binge Eater had an encounter with the 13th Ward's Jason." A frown settled on his face. "Two S-Rated Ghouls is troubling enough... but what's Jason doing here in the 20th Ward? Moreover, why was he after the Binge Eater?"

"Who can say, really?" Mado chuckled. "From what we know, Aogiri's been after her for whatever reasons. However, a few weeks ago, all binge eating activities have come to a halt." A gloved hand came up to his chin "Not only that, but I recall hearing about an accident around that same time as well. Something about two college students?"

At the mention of this incident, Amon winced, which the old man had not missed. "Rize Kamishiro, and Luka Mezame, 20 and 18 years of age."

"Mezame?" Mado raised an eyebrow, confused at first. Then, a smile formed on his face. "Oh, that's right. He's Kisuke's boy, isn't he?"

"...hai."

"Haa...its been a long time since his death. I always wondered how the boy and his little sister were doing since then."

"Nanako-chan is still missing." Amon told the old man, sadness clear in his voice. "And Luka-kun is attending Kamii University."

"Kamii, eh?" Mado smiled. "Like father, like son, I suppose."

"Indeed." Amon nodded.

"Now that I think about it, weren't you originally assigned to be Kisuke's partner, Amon-kun?"

"I was...but that was before...the incident happened..." He spoke solemnly.

Mado nodded in understanding, understanding how the young man felt. It was always a saddening feeling to lose someone so well respected, but to the few people who knew Associate Special Class Kisuke Mezame, it was heart-rending. He never met the man personally, but he was an odd ball. He always asked questions about Ghouls, questions people might have thought about, or never asked. "Why do Ghouls exist?" "Where did they come from?" "Why do they hunt humans?" "Can we co-exist with them?" That last one personally made the old man laugh. Co-exist with Ghouls? Hah! What idiocy! How the hell could one ever hope to live side-by-side with monsters like them?!

Although... perhaps it was because of that mentality that he was very well regarded. He worked with him a few times, and Mado could honestly say he was a damn good man. He prioritized the lives of his subordinates over the mission, a quality very few in the CCG lacked. Of course, he would often abandon the mission for the sake of his comrades, which put him into a league of his own.

It had been little wonder he was an Associate Special Class. Were it not for the incident, Kisuke would have become a Special Class.

It had been years since then...but the loss of him was still fresh in everyone's minds.

The only thing that they had left of him was his Quinque.

Mado had done everything he could to repair it. It was still a work in process, and was close to being back to perfect condition. But as it stands now, It is still far off from what it once was. But it didn't deter the eccentric man in the slightest. He WILL restore Kisuke's Quinque for it's complete glory.

"After we're done here," Mado said somberly. "We should pay our respects."

Amon nodded strongly in agreement.

The young Investigator hasn't known the man for a long time, but he has come to view him as a precious comrade and role model.

"...Mado-san, when we have the time," Amon spoke up, his face somber. "I'd like to visit Luka-kun."

Mado raised an eyebrow, but didn't question him. Though he sincerely doubted that the violet-eyed teen would recognize him, given how long it has been since their meeting. After all, he was but a child when they last met, and Amon was still in the Academy.

"Alright," he granted the man permission. "But, first things first, let's deal with the Binge Eater. Her last known appearance was at the Tokyo Tower, where she crossed paths with Jason."

"I see. I take it would be best to find answers regarding those pliers?"

"Exactly!" Mado grinned. "And the best place to look..." His eyes gleamed darkly, madness and cruelty reflected clearly in his bulging socket. "Is to ask the vermin in town."

-Tokyo Ghoul: A Flower Colored Darker Than Black-

"I knew you said she was having a book signing, but you sure as hell didn't tell me she was having a celebrity gathering." Lelouch replied, gaping at the size of the line outside the store. It was unbelievable, stretching all the way to the corner of the street, and as expected, everyone was holding a copy of books written by Sen Takatsuki herself. "I didn't realize she was this popular."

"I know, it's terrifying, isn't it?" Shuu chuckled at his remark. "People call her the Japanese Shakespeare because of her works. Not only that, but she has quite the fanbase... mostly women, though."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "That is interesting to know..."

Now that he looked more closely, most of the people in line were female.

"I hope we don't have to stand in line too long," Shuu muttered, a hand on his chin. "Though, we can come by later, but something tells me the line will be even bigger."

"A risk we'll have to take, I'm afraid." Lelouch said. "If I don't get those supplies Kimi asked me for, she'll have my head."

"Indeed. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, my companion."

Lelouch smiled wryly at that last one. Oh, he knew perfectly well how true that statement. "Well, let's get going." he said as they turned to leave, vanishing into the small, thin crowd of pedestrians at Sunshine. Unknown to him and Shuu, however, a figure stood atop one of the buildings, watching them carefully.

"So...where are you going next...?"

The figure heavily cloaked in dark, tattered robes, sitting atop the ledge that overlooked the entire street. His left arm, which rested on his right knee, was entirely wrapped in bandages, while his face was obscured by a black, metal mask that resembled a skull, having a lipless mouth, iron teeth, and two metal bolts on either side of the cheek. The eyes were the darkest part about the mask, as they resembled glowing red eyes.

"...Let's see how things turn out..." He leaned forward, seemingly about to fall off the ledge and down below before he vanished mid air.

Lelouch paused for a moment, turning around to look behind him. A cold chill passed down his neck, and his senses burned, if only for a slight second. "Is something the matter, Mezame-san?" Shuu asked, noticing his pause. Lelouch stared at the crowd, eyes narrowed. That feeling just now... It had felt like nothing but utter, cold malice.

"...it's nothing." he said, turning back around. "Nothing at all."

Next Time: Episode 4: A Familiar Face

Yeah, sorry this took me so long. Been busy... though I hope everybody enjoys this immensely~ Next chapter, we have a brief encounter with Eto, and then afterwards, Lelouch's first real fight in this new world, where he is forced to adapt to the ways of the world. Code Geass: Tokyo Ghoul is currently being worked on, but the chapter should be out before the end of November. I can promise you all that much!

Please, tell me your thoughts about this chapter! As always, you all have a wonderful day or night, wherever you live!

OH! Before I forget... This is a message addressed to all followers of a YouTuber by the name of Chibi Review. In case you have not heard yet, the man's about to lose his channel because of bullshit copyright reasons, courtesy of one Tokyo Radio Station, or whatever the fuck they are called. The man is distraught, he is teriffied, and HE. NEEDS. MORAL. SUPPORT. I mean, the man finally got 100K! That takes a long time to achieve! He has worked so hard, and he's about to lose it all! If you are a fan of Chibi Review, and you are reading this, then give that wonderful son a bitch reassurance.

That's all. Please, be safe. Demons Anarchy of Pride, out~