Tokyo Ghoul - NEST

King & Crow

" We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us."
- A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

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One day after operation....

Akira POV

Reading the reports from the Rue island raid, I felt sick just looking at the numbers. It was almost as bad as the Aogiri raid four years ago.

Over a hundred lives, including the CCG's reaper, Arima Kishou, were now KIA. I set the file down on my desk and let out a sigh of frustration. The news spread like wild fire that Arima had passed. Many people were shocked.

The one who did it also... his old pupil, Sasaki... no, Kaneki Ken. And with the disappearance of the One Eyed Owl, everything is a mess now here at CCG.

The Crow was seen escaping Rue island, so the guess is that the Crow killed Owl. Thinking that made me mad, I couldn't avenge my mother if that is true.

I rest my chin on my hand and look out the window from my office. Too many things are left in the dark. The attack on Cochlea, the prisoner that escaped, that wasn't filed. Kaneki defeating Arima, what happened exactly down there?

Something is going on here in CCG. Something everyone is being kept in the dark for. I can't quite put my finger on it. Whenever the sun next turns to the Crow and Kaneki, the trail you have to walk is a dangerous one.

Looking back at the file laying on my desk I slowly pick it up and open it once again. The pictures and footage taken from the Crow and Kaneki escaping. What Kaneki said that day haunts everyone in CCG.

In the footage you can clearly hear him say: "I am the One Eyed King."

But, wasn't the Owl the king? Or did he say that to state that he killed Owl and took the throne? But all other evidence points to Crow killing Owl, so why Kaneki?

I groan and throw the file back into the cabinet. It's best to just move on, I suppose. Thinking this I reach back into the cabinet and pull out another file.

The files name read:

"Amon Kotaro"

Levin POV

Carefully and skillfully blending the coffees together with the mixer, I finish the cup nicely. I find myself grinning down at my work, then picking up the two cups I had prepared and walking out into the larger room.

Kaneki sits there, reading a news paper. Who reads newspapers nowadays? Thinking this I set his cup on the coaster near him. Without looking away from the paper, he moves his hand and picks up the cup, sipping on it. He recoiled a bit after it touched his lips.

"It's still hot." I said after sitting down and setting my cup down as well. Kaneki took a quick glance at the paper again and then set it down after folding it.

"So, what's are plans? When are we heading back to Re?" Kaneki asked, folding his arms.

Yes, we weren't home just yet. We didn't want to move a far distance and he followed by chance, so we cleaned ourselves off after the fighting and came to a hotel in the 3rd ward. I blow on my coffee to cool it faster. "Maybe in a day or two, we need to wait for everything to calm down. What you should be asking yourself right now is; what are you going to do now that your king?"

Kaneki shrugged. "I need to speak to the others about it first. I can't do this alone." He said.

This made me smile. "Yeah, you bet you can't." I muttered.

Hearing him say that made me remember what Eto talked to me about after I helped her. The words linger in my mind still.

Eto had tooken mortal blows, and after eating her Kakuja, I fed a scrap of my arm, making her sprout a little. What she told me was... interesting.

"My final request." She had said, a small smile was on her face. The feeling passed as melancholic, and sad. It made me want to shout at her for talking like that, but I held back. I promised myself that I wouldn't let my personal feelings get in the way when I accepted this fight.

"The One Eyed King... Will be de-throned tonight." She said, her voice was raspy, probably because of the blood in her throat.

"You mean he will be killed?" I asked.

She nodded. "Me and him were keeping the seat warm for someone. This new king... I want you to protect him." She said.

"Protect... who?" I asked slowly. The dawn of my mind, somewhere deep in there I could tell who it was already. Deductions in my mind broke it down.

"Kaneki Ken. Kaneki Ken will defeat Arima Kishou tonight. If he chooses to take the throne, I want you to help him with his choices." She said.

I was silent for a moment, noticing her chest was rising slower and slower. "... so... you want me to take your place?" I asked.

Eto smiled. "Your so perceptive. But yes, I do... Will you do it?" She asked.

I nodded, making her smile grow a bit. She didn't speak anymore, so I stood and left her there hanging on to her life by a thread. I talk big but when it comes down to it, I can't finish her off.

Looks like she did leave a mark on me after all.

. . .

And now we're here. But just like Kaneki will keep his promise to Arima, I will keep mine with Eto. I will follow this man wherever he goes, to change the world.

Kaneki snapped me out of it by suddenly talking. "Your getting better at making this stuff." He said, drinking he coffee with a smile.

"Thanks. Touka was the one teaching me, so of course it's nice." I said. This earned me a short glare from Kaneki for some reason. I blink and tilt my head.

"What? Are you angry now?" I asked.

Kaneki turned his gaze away and became flustered. "Just be quiet." He mumbled.

"Ah! Your jealous I'm spending time with Touka!" I said, a huge grin growing on my face. Kaneki let out a cough.

"I am not. Your imagining things." He said quickly.

I spoke at him with a teasing grin. "C'mon! C'mon! You can be honest with me~!" I said.

Kaneki turned red. "Shut up!"

(This brings the end of that arc. The next arc will have to do with a character mentioned in this part. Nonetheless I hope you enjoyed and have a wonderful day!) - MnMs171