KITSUNE

➖ Sympathy for the Broken

BARELY A DAY HAD PASSED SINCE YAMORI FOUND A NEW TOY TO PLAY WITH. And Aya was hopelessly listening to the screams that emitted from his tower – his playroom. Yakumo Oomori, known as Yamori, as well as 13th Ward's Jason due to his brutality. Of all the members of Aogiri Tree, he was her least favorite one. He was arrogant, sadistic and violent. But he was not always like that – at least that's what Aya heard. His time in Cochlea – Ghoul Prison – changed him for the worst. He enjoyed pain and he loved to see his victims bleed. Every few days, another victim would experience his brutal methods of torture. None walked out of his playroom; at least not intact.

"Tatara wants to speak with you."

Aya gripped the rails of the fence as she stood on top of the building – observing the surroundings of Aogiri's Hideout. It was quiet. Too quiet for Aya's taste as tormenting screams managed to reach her ears. Those screams were nagging her in the most irritating way. She was imagining all kinds of sadistic tortures involving instruments that could tear a body apart with brutal force. And she hated her mind because of it. It had a wild imagination that made her question her own sanity.

"Didn't you hear me, idiot?! Tatara—"

"I heard you, idiot!" She harshly interrupted Ayato before he could repeat himself. "You don't have to tell me twice." She glared at him with a look that could kill.

But that glare was short. She returned her attention back onto the dark distance which was enlighten with street lights. She could see, but she knew that Ghoul Investigators were already brewing up a plan to get to Aogiri Tree with all people and weaponry they have. Just like Aogiri, they were planning. And Aya was not sure what to expect – she was certain they will come with enough resources to destroy them.

While in her thoughts, Aya did not forget about Ayato who was still in her presence. "What's with you?" He questioned as he leaned with his back against the railing, tucking his hands into the pockets of his pants. "Ever since we got that one-eyed bastard here you've been acting differently."

Ayato Kirishima was not the friendliest of Aogiri Tree. He was brash, arrogant and hot-blooded. For the simplest mistake, he would respond with violence. And Ayato expected for Aya to fear him – but she would mock his actions and twist him around her little finger without fear. It was probable the reason why the two of them saw each other as friends – and not just partners. Ayato did not join Aogiri Tree to make friends, but he found one in Aya – however, of course he was too proud to admit she meant to him more than anyone else in Aogiri Tree. Usually he wouldn't care whatever anyone was acting different, but that was not the case with Aya.

"I know him." Ayato's eyebrows rose in wonder. "Before the doves killed my mother, we used to be friends."

"That was... 8 years ago, right?"

For someone who seemed always uninterested when it came to lives of others, Aya was surprised he remembered that little detail she had once mentioned to him. With brief content in her eyes, Aya nodded to him, confirming it.

"Life has funny ways of placing people into your life." Aya commented quietly.

"It will be even more funnier when Tatara kills you for making him wait." Aya chuckled to Ayato's apathetic reminder.

She looked at the indigo haired boy who appeared tough before her – showing no concern for her well-being when in fact, deeply within him, he cared for her. Chuckling at his tough persona, Aya breathed in deeply, for a moment forgetting about the suffering boy a few building away from them.

"We wouldn't want that, would we?"

Ayato simply shrugged with his shoulders. He watched her as she made her way off the roof of the building. Through the hallways of the buildings, Aya knew exactly where to find Tatara. He was always in the same place, in the Auditorium, thinking, waiting. And walking with her own pace through the old walls of the halls, Aya came to the wide room – the stench of one-eyed ghoul's blood still stained the floor. Memory of yesterday rolled into her mind and it took Aya all her thoughts to push that memory away just to prepare herself for whatever Tatara will tell her.