When Ghouls Cross Over

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Case # B- 014
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:The Ghoul That Crossed Over

The sound of chopper blades floating above head was the only thing a boy could hear as he slowly walked towards the armed men ahead of him. His white hair flowing gently in the wind as it began snowing.

Step by step, he got closer. Step by step, he accepted his fate, another gust of cold air running through him and the body of the friend he carried as he made his way towards the waiting officers. Their sirens growing closer, louder every step of the way.

With each step that came, so did the destruction of the past battle. Buildings wrecked, soldiers gathering their dead and wounded and citizens that may be injured or dead being rescued or gathered. But the boy didn’t care.

The headlight of the helicopter above growing closer as they got closer.

Behind the lights and rest of the guards, a man in a trench coat heard a beeping from his earpiece. Tapping it and activating the intercom, the man responded.

“Yeah, got it” he sighed with the call ending almost as soon as it had started.

A scowl formed on the his face. “Yeah...that’s him. The boy Hoji was investigating...”

The white haired boy and his black eye and red irise came closer to the group of authorities, having safely passed the troop of officers that stared at him as he passed.

The young boy was now in blinding range of the lights, as he stepped further into what would be a death trap to the other half of the species he'd been forced into, but once again the boy’s face showed nothing but indifference as he glanced down at the orange haired friend that lay silent in his arms.

“Let’s go home” the boy remembered the last words his friend had said before his untimely passing.

Home...we’re going home, he thought looking down at the boy in his arms who couldn’t respond, not now and not ever again.

One step into the blinding light and the only thing that the boy could hear were his own footsteps, now that he was under the chopper, the lights clearly displaying him as someone tossed a sheet over the dead body in his arms.

Home.

An officer walked up to him as a van slowly pulled up opening it’s back to allow its newest prisoner inside.

We’re going home Hide.

“Kaneki Ken” the voice of the man standing before the white haired boy said.

We’re finally going home.

“You...are under arrest.”

Kaneki stood waiting patiently as a group of soldiers walked towards him. One of the soldiers tentatively reached over, placing his hands under the fallen covered boy’s body he lifted him up from Kaneki’s grasp with a huff.

Kaneki said nothing, his face inexpressive, impassive as he watched the soldier carefully place the body on the other side of the seat across from where he would be seated.

“Get in” one of the officers said harshly.

“Take it easy now” the officer beside him said patting the trooper on the shoulder. “Go on inside” the second officer said turning to the silent boy.

Kaneki walked inside the armored vehicle, followed by the two other guards after him. The doors shut, then he heard the voice of another CCG investigator call out “Alright, Move Out! Gather the injured and dead, we’re heading back to base!”

A double-tap on the side of the armored truck, signaled that they were heading out. From within the vehicle Kaneki could hear the sounds of the other cars starting up and the chopper slowly gaining in altitude.

Within a few minutes their own vehicle had begun moving as well. Turning his attention back to his friend’s body Kaneki stared in silence, completely ignoring the existence of the other two guards beside him. Both armed, just in case he decided to have a quick snack.

Kaneki could say for certain though that he wasn’t hungry. Just tired. Tired of it all.

The dry cough from one of the guards drew his one normal eye to the two seated guards while he kept his other eye closed. One of them tensed up. The other simply smiled. Strange fellow.

A small halt in the truck caused the three within to rock a bit as the car stopped. The covers slightly falling off Hide’s face revealing just above his forehead.

Kaneki’s eyes turned back to him.

Hide had been his best friend. Now he was gone. He had nothing, no one considering the fact that he had left Anteiku.

The sound of one’s throat being cleared drew his attention back to one of the soldiers that had been staring at him silently. “The one eyed ghoul; Centipede huh? I’d have thought you were a bit...older” the soldier said. A grunt of pain and a sign that the outspoken trooper had been hit told Kaneki that his partner over there was more considerate than he thought.

“Shut it Sting Ray. Sorry 'bout him, name’s Tokoshima, but I usually go by Kill Shot” the man under the visor on the right said. “Been a lot we’ve heard about you back at the base. But you don’t seem as horrible as they describe.”

Kaneki remained inexpressive. His one eye looking at the two soldiers.

“You don’t seem to be scared of a ghoul..you’re friends died. I killed a few of them myself. Yet you don’t seem mad. How come?” Kaneki asked speaking for the first time, since Hide’s tragic accident.

Kill Shot smiled. “Of course I’m angry. You however, you give off a different vibe than the others do. You seem...different” he said after a bit of thought.

Kaneki said nothing, simply nodding and turning his attention back to Hide’s cold face. The truck moved and the group continued on for the next few minutes in silence.

A bump caused the group to slightly jump a bit as the truck hit rough road. “Brace yourselves, rocky roads after the battle. May have to take a detour” the driver called back.

And just as the car was about to make a turn suddenly the whole iron beast flipped over, Kaneki instantly moving to support Hide’s body while the other two guards fought for balance in the overturning vehicle.

In an instant both guards were upside down and Kaneki was up crouching as he kept Hide’s body safe. Slowly lowering the body Kaneki looked at the two guards. One was an unconscious, the other in pain.

“Y-You did this didn’t you?” Sting Ray asked fury seeping into his voice. “You and you’re sick friends right?!" Sting shouted, turning his attention to the driver he yelled "Hey! You alright up there?” the driver didn’t respond, dots of blood touching the glass window.

Turning angrily Sting Ray moved his finger on the quinque in his hand, immediately the instrument sprung to life glowing and instantly shooting a rapid shot of sharp projectiles within the van, one’s that Kaneki dodged with ease as he carried Hide’s body.

Using his foot to knock the weapon out of the soldier’s hand, the one-eyed ghoul slammed his foot down on Sting’s hand, an audible crunch and scream of pain escaping his lips as the bones in his hand shattered.

“You bastard!” he screamed in pain clutching his hand. Kaneki said nothing.

Turning around the boy opened his other eye, the ghoul eye, then began kicking the titanium doors making dent after dent till eventually the doors collapsed.

Click!

Kaneki turned around just in time to dodge a blotted projectile aimed at his head. His eyes catching the sight that Sting had reached over and grabbed the other weapon in his unconscious partners arms with his one good hand. Just as Kaneki was about to react the projectile that slowly passed him exploded, releasing a gas into his face.

His vision blurred the one-eyed ghoul fell to his knees before falling over Hide’s body which lay just inches from the vehicle on the outside where the snow still fell.

Sting chuckled weakly before he passed out from the pain in his hand, leaving Kaneki to struggle with consciousness as he stared out on the now destroyed streets that lay layered with pieces of metal from the other armored vehicles that had been following them.

Slowly his vision became weaker and weaker until the one-eyed ghoul could bare the toxin no more.

Hide, Touka, Everyone...I’m sorry. He blacked out.

Air gently blew against One-Eye's face as he slowly came out of his unconscious state.

Kaneki’s hand twitched as he lay on the grassy plains of a forest. Opening his eyes and immediately shooting up to his feet, he looked around for Sting and Kill Shot along with his friend’s body.

None were present.

The only thing he saw in front of him was a forest. A forest that from his senses was filled with creatures that were just as hungry as any ghoul would be when it came to a good meal.

Ignoring his senses for the meantime Kaneki looked around. Trying to figure out just where on earth he was.

Digging a hand into one of his pockets he pulled out the mask that had been styled for him perfectly and placed it on his face.

A rustle in the bushes drew his attention once he had donned the mask and the boy merely stood there waiting for whatever it was to come out and face him.

Slowly, a wolf like lion, that had the wings of a bat and fire red eyes stepped out growling at Kaneki hungrily. It’s ribs slightly visible as it approached.

Kaneki made no signs of defense nor offense. He just stared with a dull look on his face at the creature that looked at him with hungry eyes.

“Hungry?” Kaneki asked the beast, turning towards the creature. In response the animal let out a howl mixed roar, that sent the ravens in the trees flying through the night.

Cracking one of his fingers as it made a popping sound, he tilted his head. “Me too.”

In an instant the half-lion, half-wolf beast rushed to attack Kaneki but it was useless as the he merely activated his Kagune, as it shot out of his back, smacking the beast away.

The animal landed with a thud on the ground, growling angrily at the mark Kaneki had made on its side with that hit, however it did not appear to be injured save for the small mark on its side.

Kaneki stared for a few seconds, then crouched into a fighting stance waving a hand tauntingly at the creature to come at him.

With great blood lust the monster complied.

Jumping out claws ready, the beast spread his wings and immediately swirled to the side as Kaneki flexed one of his tentacles to deliver a devastating blow. Turning to the side with his other tentacle ready, Kaneki’s kagune collided with the extended claws of the creature. Not even chipping it’s claw or even making a severe dent as the tentacle met its skin.

Slashing quickly, the beast attempted to cut his prey down with one fell swoop but missed as Kaneki did a back flip jumping out of the way. However his opponent wasn’t willing to give him that chance.

With moves faster than he had seen other ghouls use the beast was upon Kaneki in seconds one of it’s wings hardening as it smashed into Kaneki with a force that threw him into the ground hard enough to create a small crater.

Feeling the bones slowly snap back into place Kaneki remained at his spot as the creature began its descent towards him.

With the one eye visible he narrowed his eye now sizing up his opponent, Kaneki revealed all four kagune tendrils, then shot them out towards the strange creature.

The echoing sound of exchanged blows resounded through the forest, till finally the ghoul grabbed hold and dragged his opponent to the ground.

A roar escaped the beast as it tried to get up only to have it’s paw firmly pierced through by one of the tentacles of its opponent, slamming down on it’s stomach with as much force and momentum as Kaneki possibly could the beast let out a howl of pain into the night.

Raising one arm as the beast struggled. Kaneki brought it down on to the creatures other paw, hearing a crack as bones crushed under the pressure he had applied, another howl of pain escaping his opponent. The beast kicked and struggled but try as it might it couldn’t escape.

So it resorted to attempting to bite off Kaneki’s head, which only failed as the boy used another tentacle to pierce through the beast’s mane and attach it’s head to the ground making it incapable of movement.

Unzipping his mask Kaneki stared silently at the creature that glared at him with hunger in it’s eyes.

“You’re no different than me,” he said silently to the creature, as it once again in a futile attempt tried to lash out at him. “Forced to deal with this world” he said digging a free kagune into the beasts hind leg, drawing another howl of pain.

“Forced into this state, by the cruel twists of this world. And now from a hunter, you’ve become the hunted. ” Kaneki said as he removed his mask and could feel the twitching hind leg of his next meal gently beating against the biological weapon within it.

Swallowing as saliva disgustingly rolled down his lips and his ghoul eye dilated, he licked his lips and with a feral snarl pounced. Widely opening his mouth he bit in fiercely, greedily drawing blood. As the blood gushed out of the wound and another feral howl pierced the night sky, Kaneki couldn’t help but feel at peace as he tasted the blood of his dinner.

“Itadakimasu” he said with a swallow, before biting in once more.

Somewhere miles away, in the town of Ponyville a bubblegum colored and pink haired girl shook violently in her bed. Sitting up on to her bed Pinkie Pie got up and removed the covers from her body, stretching as she began making her way towards the window.

Looking out onto the distance Pinkie Pie ran a hand through her mane a look of worry spreading across her face as another violent shiver travelled up her body.

As she looked out in no particular direction the pink girl couldn’t help but wonder “What’s coming to Ponyville this time?”

Kaneki had finished or at least tried to finish his meal as best he could. The wolf beast now dead and it’s pained howls long died out the boy retracted his rinkaku before walking off the dead animal’s corpse.

From what he could tell he was in a forest. And for some reason this forest put all his senses on edge. Moving forward Kaneki’s eyes came across a graffiti sprayed tree that said “Welcome to Everfree Forest.”

The one eyed ghoul stared silently at the mark before turning away and moving further into the forest.

“Everfree Forest huh?” he muttered to himself as his eyes scanned the area. “There’s nothing free about this place. It just seems to grow darker and darker to me.”

Looking up towards the sky Kaneki could just barely make out the night, as he squinted both eyes in an attempt to get a view. Eventually stopping the futile attempt the ghoul walked towards a tree, and scaled it all the way to the top.

Once reaching the top he used a tentacle to prop himself high up into the air so he could see the surrounding area, as he put his mask back on.

It took a few minutes, for all the boy could see were trees, trees and more trees of the Everfree forest. But his eyes caught sight of a small town in the distance.

Without much change in his expression he slowly retracted his kagune, returning to the branches below. Only to find waiting for him below were a pack of timberwolves drawn out by the smell of blood.

Kaneki studied them. They looked like the animals of his world but were completely made up of tree and bark.

Just what kind of world am I in? he thought, turning his attention in the direction of the town.

If I want to go there and get answers, I can’t have this mask on. For all I know there could be ghoul investigators waiting. And I can’t bring them with me his eyes glanced over to the wolves of bark down below.

With a shrug of his shoulders Eyepatch, put a foot on one of the branches next to him as he moved his body over to the next branch his eyes still on the timberwolves below.

“Guess I’ll just kill them as I move along” then in a flash he was down on the ground just a few feet from the timberwolves and off towards the small town ahead. His pursuers keeping up with him as best they could.

Much to his surprise as one came out to rip into his calves, and he had deflected at the same time knocking the treebark creature to the ground, it disassembled before him. Though reassembled soon enough in a matter of seconds as its brethren moved on with the chase.

As Kaneki quickly began moving through the forest with ease so did the wolves that pursued him. Every time he smashed one it would only reassemble until finally. He had had enough.

Skidding to a stop, as another gust of air flew over him and his attackers the timberwolves also stopped, each wolf circling its prey as he stayed in his spot. Taking a glance in the direction he had been heading Eyepatch could easily see that he was not that far away from his intended exit, the only thing he needed to do now.

Was dispose of these pests.

“Koi” he said in in his language, and so they did.

*** ***** ***

Pinkie Pie was now unable to sleep her shaking body, having gotten much much worse as time passed in her room. Now getting a cup of hot cocoa the girl sat on the couch near the fireplace as she tried to warm up this cold sensation that was travelling through her.

Honestly feeling like she should call Twilight and the others she knew that it wouldn’t be a good idea to disturb her friends at such a late hour. So she sat patiently waiting for whatever gave her the shivers to pass.

“You alright dear?” Mrs. Cake asked, a hand placed against the doors frame as she stared at the shaking Pinkie Pie with worry in her eyes.

Pinkie smiled. “I’m fine Mrs. Cake. Just Pinkie sense you know” her smile dimming a bit.

Mrs. Cake nodded, having lived with Pinkie for quite some time now she’d grown used to the mares strange bodily actions whenever something unexpected was about to happen. The way she shivered now though worried her greatly.

“Do you think it’s something bad?” Mrs. Cake asked still standing in the doorway.

Pinkie Pie bit her lip, not sure how to reply. Whenever her body did stuff like this she would assume it was something that she couldn’t explain at all.

“In all honesty , Mrs. C I’m not really sure what to expect. This has only happened once before and that was with Twilight. This time I’m not sure what it could be. But whatever it is, it can’t be that bad can it?” she said hopefully.

Mrs. Cake did her best to offer a reassuring smile. “Of course. It couldn’t be that bad. After all what could have been worse than Tirek right?” she said sounding a bit more chipper.

“If you need anything though dear, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll be in the kitchen getting supplies ready for today’s bakery. If you’re still tired go on and get some rest alright?” she said with a motherly smile. Pinkie nodded smiling back, taking another sip from her mug, her body still shivering.

“I hope it’s nothing worse than Tirek” she shook her head throwing the idea out of her mind. She needed to be optimistic. She couldn’t let dark thoughts worm their way into her head, especially since today would be a great day for parties.

Getting up and chugging the rest of her cocoa the girl licked her lips, before turning in the direction of Mrs. Cake’s kitchen. “Hey Mrs.Cake let me help!”

Author's Note

Like and leave a comment if you enjoy this!

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Strangers

Steady breathing. Splintered wood. Lacerations, bruises , and gashes slowly healing.

Kaneki now stood at Everfree’s exit. The timberwolves lay in nothing but broken twigs and sticks as his rinkaku retracted into his back. Wood was everywhere on the grassy plain and Kaneki simply stared at the broken creatures simply double checking that none would revive and attack him as he made his exit.

His eye, the ghoul eye, slowly turned back to normal, as he continued to stare at the fallen creatures in silence.

The timberwolves had put up more of a fight than he had expected from a pack of twigs, logs and leaves. It was surprising how fierce they had been. What really surprised Kaneki were the strangeness of the creatures he’d encountered so far, but he merely stared at the twigs with a mundane look before stepping over them and slowly making his way towards the light that would be his exit.

Where am I? he thought as the radiant sunlight hit his face forcing him to shield his eyes with a hand, now that he was free from the shadows of the strange forest, that harboured such strange creatures.

Looking around Kaneki saw nothing of immediate interest.

His eyes scanned the plain road till they followed the road’s path up to the town no more than a soccer field’s distance away.

In silence Kaneki stared at the town wondering what would await him ahead. With the strange creatures he had seen, he wasn’t sure what to expect next. But if he was no longer in Japan, then he needed to be careful and not attract unnecessary attention.

Placing a hand on his tattered shirt Kaneki, didn’t feel any hunger. At least not yet.

“Looks like that animal did it’s purpose” he said moving forward, towards the town.

“Maybe I’ll get some coffee while I’m there.”

Dark brown eyes shot open as the being took in a large breath of air, lurching forward in the bed, his companion next to him soon awakening with a start and wincing in pain from the shock his injured hand gave him.

“W-Where are we? Hey, hey Sting!” he said nudging the surprised man to his left as he clutched his sore hand. “The heck happened back there?”

Sting moved his left hand over to his face, both troopers armor were gone along with their weaponry. His head was still fuzzy shortly after fainting from the pain in his hand. However, now that he looked at it. It wasn’t as severely broken as he remembered.

“Sting!” Kill Shot said again regaining his partners attention. “Where the heck are we?!” His voice was clear with distress but at the same time he managed to keep a somewhat cool expression.

Sting looked around the room. Seeing a few books on the floor piled up just a few feet away and a gauze strap that had been placed on a shelf that was used to bandage his hand.

“I have no idea” he said.

Kill Shot who had now gotten up from the surprisingly comfy bed moved over to where a window was. Drawing the drapes light hit the man square in the face as he squinted to peer outside, unsure of what he was seeing.

“Oi, Sting come here” he said ushering over his partner as he moved away to allow Sting to see what he saw as they peered outside the window.

Sting’s green eyes lit up in shock as he and Kill Shot stood looking out the window of what appeared to be a castle. The man clearly seeing all the other parts of the fine lavish building like a tree of sorts as he spotted the roots from below. From below they could see the entire town directly in front of them. From it’s baking shop only a few yards away. To the floating city in the sky.

Both stared in shocked reactions.

“Oh good!” a gentle voice said from behind them. The two soldier turned and to their utter confusion and surprise, they found staring at them was a humanoid equine, with wings.

“Pegasasu!” they both exclaimed in their confusion and shock. The pegasus with the butterfly insignia on her skirt tilted her head in confusion.

“I-I’m sorry?” she said, clearly unable to understand the alien language that had escaped her patient's lips.

Both soldiers looked at each other before nodding silently. Kill Shot slowly and with great caution Fluttershy had noticed, move towards her. She smiled encouragingly like she was dealing with one of her critter friends who was scared. Encouraging him with the calm and friendly vibes that radiated off her.

“U-Um. Sorry Ma’am we just uh were a little surprised is all” Kill Shot said taking in Fluttershy’s form, finding her to look less horse and more human the only obvious horse featuring being her feet which were hooves.

“We simply were wondering. Where are we?” Kill Shot managed to say after he forced himself to quit scanning the girl and focus on the matter at hand.

Fluttershy smiled. “You’re in Twilight’s castle.”

Kill Shot looked back at Sting who was holding his nursed hand. The young man merely shrugged.

“Twilight?” he asked in his japanese accent.

“Why’d you say it like that?” Sting asked from behind.

“It slipped alright!”

“Um excuse me?” Fluttershy’s kind voice said interjecting. Both soldiers looked back at her. She smiled sheepishly in return.

“Twilight’s a friend of mine. She found you guys near Everfree Forest when she was out doing some research on flowers nearby the area. We brought you back to her castle and she called me over to help. She’s waiting for you downstairs if you’re ready to meet her?” the mare finished.

Kill Shot nodded, taking in the fact that they had been saved by the strange human (although kind of cute he must admit), and her friend. Instantly both soldiers bowed to her as a show of respect and gratitude slightly surprising Fluttershy who awkwardly bowed back.

“Thank you miss?”

“Fluttershy.”

“Thank you miss Fluttershy” Sting said kindly. “We would have been in serious trouble not knowing where we are and my injured hand. Once again, Arigatou.”

The yellow mare nodded her smile widening a bit. “Do you want me to call Twilight up here or would you prefer to get some more rest?” she asked as she began walking towards the door. The clicking of her hooves faint and light on the azure floor beneath them.

Sting gave Kill Shot a look that said “Well?”

Turning to face the mare that had so graciously nursed them to health Kill Shot smiled warmly. “We would like to meet Twilight. We would both like to thank her...and ask her a few questions.”

Fluttershy nodded opening the door. “Then please follow me this way.”

Kaneki was now in what he had read to be Ponyville off the sign he saw upon his entry. Since it was in the morning stallions and mares of all ages could be seen walking around going about their business or heading towards a job. It was like any other morning in Ponyville.

Except this time it wasn’t.

The busy streets of the small town would slow down or in some cases even stop as the boy began making his way from the road towards Ponyville’s main street. Kaneki would catch the humanoid creatures staring at him with strange looks of curiosity and some with utter confusion as he would pass by them. Something in the past would have originally bothered him greatly, but now he simply did his best to ignore it.

It was hard not to though. The creatures that he saw had horns on their head or even wings on their backs. All of them looking like humans, all of them having some kind of strange insignia if not on their bare butts then on their clothing. It was uncanny and made the boy feel like his objective of not wanting to attract any attention had immediately failed.

Every time he caught someone eyeing him he would turn in their direction only to see the person look away and then immediately focus their attention back on him as soon as his back was turned.

It’s safe to say. I’m no longer in Japan he thought as he passed by a salesman, selling clothes.

“Hey you there!” the blue stallion said pointing a finger at Kaneki. The boy ignored him and kept on walking. But the stallion was persistent.

“Hey you there!” the stallion said once again his voice coming from below as Kaneki looked down to see the stallion now peering at him from directly below with a creepy smile on his face.

Kaneki’s expression didn’t change but he certainly wasn’t alright with the disturbing friendly look this creature was giving him. Lifting his head up the boy looked around to see if anyone knew who this guy was, but when he did he was met with the averted eyes of basically everyone that walked by.

Kaneki closed his eyes, thinking of a way to get rid of this being, while ignoring the stallion that had begun poking his legs, from directly beneath him in attempts to get his attention.

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” the stallion repeated ruining Kaneki’s train of thought as he slowly opened his eyes to look back down at the stallion that was no longer between his legs but now in front of him.

“Hi there!” the stallion said offering his hand in a friendly gesture. Kaneki took a defensive step back expecting something else to happen but nothing did so he relaxed and shook the creatures hand.

“Boy you’re a strange one, aren’t ya?”

The boy didn’t reply.

“Anywho!” he said acting as if Kaneki had responded. “What happened to you friend you look like a wreck? But hey working hard or hardly working huh?” the stallion said nudging Kaneki who gently pushed his arm away after two or three nudges.

“Strong silent type huh?” the stallion said with a wise nod, when Kaneki didn’t respond. “That cool I can respect that but, you probably shouldn’t be walking around in those. You look like you just escaped prison” he said drawing Kaneki’s attention to his own tattered clothing.

Looking over to the display that the salesman had in his shop Kaneki saw some shorts and a black shirt he could use. But he didn’t have any money. Nor did he believe they accepted yen as currency here even if he had money.

The stallion seeing Kaneki’s eye wonder to the aforementioned items smiled and patted Kaneki on the shoulder. “Go on in and change into them, it’s free of charge.”

Kaneki looked back at the earth stallion with slight surprise.

“Why?” he asked speaking for the first time which only made the sales pony smile even wider.

“What do you mean why?” he asked as he ushered Kaneki into his store. Once inside he took the white shorts and black shirt and from their respected hangers and handed them over to the still confused boy.

“Why are you helping me?” Kaneki asked the surprise and confusion still clear in his voice. “Not a lot of” he paused staring at the human body then down to the hooves that were the stallion’s feet. “Not many, people would help a complete stranger. Especially one like me...why?”

The stallion’s smile faded as he stared at Kaneki with a fixed observative look. The two staring at each other in the silence of the shop, for a few more seconds till he clapped a hand on Kaneki’s shoulder his smile once again returning.

“I can see you’re a good person that’s why. Besides it’s my motto to help out a person or friend in need, and you look like you could use some help here friend” he said simply, moving behind Kaneki and pushing the boy’s bare back towards a changing room.

“Now get in there and change out of those tattered rags will ya?” he said shoving Kaneki inside before closing the curtain on him.

Inside the changing room there was a mirror. Much like any regular changing room, of course. And as Kaneki began changing out of his tattered clothes he looked at his own reflection. A good person huh?

Walking out of the changing room in his new clothes Kaneki looked up to see the salesman waiting for him outside the shop. Still holding his tattered clothing Kaneki grabbed the mask in his pocket and shoved it deep within his short’s pockets before, heading out into the open streets of Ponyville and once again attracting unwarranted attention.Turning towards the sales stallion the boy stared at him calmly, then bowed. “Thank you” he said earnestly.

A few more heads had turned to take a look at the store and the weird stranger that now bowed before their local salesman. The salesman smiled and patted Kaneki on the shoulder. “Your welcome.”

Raising his head a thought popped into Kaneki’’s head before he would begin moving on to find more information on his whereabouts. “I have a question” he said ignoring the eyes that passed constant gaze in his direction.

“Shoot” the blue stallion said crossing his arms.

“Is there a place I can get coffee to drink?” and to the boy’s indifference the stallion immediately began to smile. “Follow me.”

Pinkie Pie had been up all night.

The poor girl hadn’t slept a wink since the shiverings began and she hadn’t bothered to after she’d finished helping Mrs. Cake with that morning’s goods feeling pretty energetic despite the slight lack of sleep she had.

“Are you sure you’re alright dear?” Mrs. Cake asked.

“I’m fine Mrs. Cake don’t worry” the girl had replied every time the kind mare had asked.

“Have the shivers stopped yet?” Mrs. Cake asked once she had finished handing a customer the cupcakes they had ordered.

“Mostly” she said with a weak smile. And though it was true the pink mare still couldn’t feel but uncomfortable by the sudden change her body had made since this morning. Earlier into the night her body had been shaking so badly that she couldn’t properly measure the correct cups of flour she needed to help Mrs. C bake the cupcakes.

It had worried the light cerulean mare so much she nearly dropped all her work and took Pinkie to the hospital, but Pinkie had fervently insisted that she work on the sweets instead. Eventually as it got closer to morning the pink mare’s body had relaxed a bit. No longer shaking as badly as it had before in the night.

And though the feeling had gone down much more as the day progressed there were still moments where Pinkie Pie would get chills up her spine down to her fluffy tail. It made her feel extremely nervous. Because for once she had no idea what to expect out of these bodily disruptions.

“Hello!” a voice called reaching the mare’s ears as they twitched at the sound of Sugarcube Corner’s door opening.

“Is that Raiment Wear I hear at our door?” Mrs. C said with a cheery note in her voice.

“The one and only” the salesman said with his signature smile. “And how are those two sweet angels and good old Carrot doing?” he asked as he entered followed by another figure behind him.

“They’re all just fine, thanks for asking” she said hugging her friend. “Oh and who do we have here now?” Pinkie heard Mrs. C ask. Her body suddenly starting to shake with renewed force as she began the battle of rising to her hooves and walking over to see who the new guest was. The wall having hidden everything about their new guest aside the shoes that poked out from underneath.

“Oh he’s a friend of mine. New in Ponyville and all, and-” Raiment paused as his eyes caught the movement in the living room that Pinkie was struggling to walk out of as she leaned her weight on furniture to support her.

“Pinkie!” Raiment exclaimed, only to stop and stare in bemusement. “What’s with the shaking?”

“Pinkie sense” Mrs. Cake whispered, in a nervous tone. “Been happening since midnight she hasn’t stopped. I may just take her to the doctor if it continues.”

“I’m fine, I’m fine” Pinkie Pie said with a forced smile as she leaned against the table inches away from the doorway. At this point she could now make out the stranger’s clothing. Underneath the black shirt the stranger wore was a sweat shirt, along with the white shorts that went well with his light grey shoes.

Rarity would be proud she smiled as she straightened up on wobbly legs.

Looking up to now see Kaneki’s face all of Pinkie’s fuzziness suddenly stopped. Huh? she thought the confusion clear on her face as Mrs. Cake moved towards, her up the three step staircase, asking “Are you alright?”

“I...I think so?” she said with a raised brow as she checked her body for any twitching. Lifting her tail up with her hand she didn’t feel any twitching. Nor were knees achy or anything else of the sort.

Her muddled expression brightened into a smile.

“Yeah. I think I’m fine now!” she said with glee in her voice, the stranger however had remained silent and staring at her quietly the entire time. Calming herself Pinkie let out a sigh of relief.

“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie” she said moving forward to offer a handshake. “What’s your-” her tail twitched. Then her whole body gave a quick shudder making Mrs. C gasp in shock as Pinkie slipped on her step, her hoof sliding along the clean floorboards and rising slowly into the air as her entire body began to fall towards the ground. Her head in the trajectory of the solid mahogany table now behind her.

Raiment moved to grab Pinkie but he was to slow. His enclosed fingers snatching the air as his hand just barely missed the bubblegum pink mare’s as she continued to fall.

Pinkie’s eyes now stared at the ceiling as everything appeared in slow motion to her.

What just happened? was all she could think.

Shutting her eyes tightly expecting to go unconscious as her head would slam into the table possibly spelling her death the mare suddenly felt strong hands wrap around her body and lift her up, saving her from a painful fate.

Kaneki was now safely holding the mare in his arms, keeping her steady with one arm around her waist. The other on her back near the nape of her neck.

His face still calm and his expression still impassive Pinkie stared into his pale brown eyes as those cold eyes that had been through so much stared back into hers.

Silence.

Raiment and Mrs. C who had been holding their breaths in great anxiety and anticipation, sighed a breath of relief at Kaneki’s quick reflexes.

“Phew,” the stallion sighed wiping a bead of sweat away.

“Oh thank you so much” Mrs. Cake said moving over to help Pinkie as the boy helped her stand back on her hooves. “Pinkie what do you say?...Pinkie?”

The mare and Kaneki still had locked eyes, both ignoring any other presence in the room as the two stared at each other. Kaneki feeling something off about this girl in comparison to the others in the room. And Pinkie wondering why her body had shuddered when she had moved towards the stranger in the Cake’s home. Her home.

“Pinkie!” Mrs. Cake said snapping her fingers and breaking the long stare the two were sharing.

“It’s rude to stare at someone like that, especially when he saved you from your own clumsiness, now what do you say?” Mrs. Cake asked admonishingly.

Pinkie’s eyes widened as she realized that Kaneki had indeed moved quickly to save her. Her eyes moving back to the spot he had been silently standing at behind Raiment and Mrs. C, and near the wall.

He was fast. Really fast she thought looking back up at the calm, slightly dull and the prim look the boy gave her as he continued to stare in silence. And he moved that quick just to save me...

The look of realization turning into one of gratitude the mare reflexively jumped to hug Kaneki, and much to Kaneki’s own surprise his body didn’t reflexively move away. Feeling the girl’s arms firmly wrap him in a hug the mare smiled brightly whispering her thanks rather loudly into his ear, as he kept his arms to his sides hesitant on returning her hug.

“Thank you soooooo much!” she said warmly. “Oh this is great we’re going to be such great friends! I can’t wait to introduce you to the girls!” she said excitedly still hugging Kaneki, oblivious to the fact that her chest was also firmly pushing against the boy’s body.

“Your welcome” was the only thing he said in response to the mare, completely ignoring the rather soft feeling pushing up against his own chest as he kept his arms away from the mare’s body now that she was safe.

“So what’s your name?” he heard her ask him once she had taken in her fill of hugging. Kaneki looked at the expectant faces, waiting for his response as they stared at him patiently. Each holding a friendly smile that reminded him of his comrades back in Japan.

“...Kaneki...Kaneki Ken.”

Twilight Sparkle now sat in her library. A leg crossed over the other as she stared at the two troopers who had only a couple minutes ago come to see her, with Fluttershy who now sat across from them by her side.

The young alicorn had been through a lot, especially to get to her status now. And she’d seen a lot of things with her friends as they made their way through Equestria righting wrongs. But these two soldiers before her were strange in every word.

Not only did they have if not virtually the same anatomy and basically the same physiology, these two “humans” as they called themselves weren’t even sure where they were.

“So” Twilight said with a paper and pen magically floating up into the air, ready. “What do you want to know?”

“First of all where are we?” Sting asked for the second time since they’d been awake. “What are you and why do you resemble mythological creatures that have never been seen in our world?”

“First of all if anything we are almost the same as you. Minus the fact that you don’t seem to posses magic. And your technology is greatly advanced in comparison to our own. Second you are in Equestria, to be more accurate you are in Ponyville; in my castle. And third what do you mean mythological?” she asked with a bit of indignation.

Sting was about to speak again but a jab in the side from his superior silenced him. Kill Shot spoke next.

“Nothing, nothing at all” he said with an apologetic wave of his hand. “Now where is this Equestria? Did we travel from Japan to another country due to the...” he paused looking for the right word. “transportation, we were carrying in our trucks? Or is it due to something else completely different?”

Fluttershy and Twilight looked at each other confused. “We don’t really understand what you’re saying?” Twilight said voicing the two’s thoughts.

“Um. Ok let’s try it this way” he said in Japanese, still confusion was all he got.

“Where are we?” he asked plainly.

“Um Twilight already told you, you’re in Equestria” Fluttershy said quietly.

“I understand that but is Equestria near Japan or anything? If it is this is our first time of seeing such a country with...such inhabitants.”

Twilight and Fluttershy turned to each other talking in a low whisper. “I think he’s saying he’s from Japony” Fluttershy inquired.

“That would explain why he doesn’t know of Equestria” Twilight said with a nod. Turning back to the two soldiers she got up and walked over to a closet. Opening the closet, the lavender alicorn’s horn glowed and out came two RC weapons.

“Those are ours” Sting said pointing to the briefcases.

Twilight nodded. “I know” she said walking over to Fluttershy and gently placing the briefcases on the ground. “The question is why do you have weapons like these with you. You aren’t trying to take over Equestria are you?” she asked.

The soldiers looked at each other then laughed much to the two mares surprise.

“Ma’am we’re not serial killers or tyrants. We’re officers, at least in our country” Sting said wiping away a tear.

“Oh” Twilight said slight skepticism in her voice.

“Here, we’ll prove it” Kill Shot said pulling out his badge and showing it to them. Sting did the same with his good hand.

“GGC; Rank: Associate Special Class-Senior Investigator. Tokoshima Ren.
Code Name: Kill Shot, Age: 28.

“GGC; Rank: First Class- Senior Investigator. Yokozami Akiro.
Code Name: Sting Ray, Age: 20.

The two mares stared in awe at the badges presented before them before the two investigators put the badges back inside their pockets.

“Seems legit to me Twilight” the yellow pegasus said. As Twilight couldn’t help but feel slightly uneasy by all of this.

“Do you know how you two got here?” she asked, when both shook their heads the uneasiness Twilight felt merely amplified. Sighing heavily she tried to calm down by sipping some of the herbal tea Fluttershy had made for them.

“Is there a reason you injured?” Fluttershy asked Sting. “I didn’t see any signs of a serious battle before Twilight and I began treating you. But your hand was seriously broken. It took almost an hour mending broken bones, ruptured vessels and the rest” she said with a frown.

“What happened to you?”

Sting got quiet as all eyes including his partners went to him. “I think that kid did something. I’m not sure what, but whatever it was that happened he wasn’t with us. Otherwise he’d be here as well. Anyway he did this to my hand” Sting said raising his bandaged right hand.

“You must have attacked him then” Kill Shot said. The look of shock on his partners face was enough to tell the senior investigator he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“The heck is that supposed to mean!” he yelled anger rising in his voice.

“Exactly what I said. He wouldn’t have hit you if you didn’t attack. The guy isn’t like the others Sting Ray! I’ve told you time and time again. Not. All. Ghouls. Are. Evil!”

Just as Sting was about to reply Twilight whistled catching their attention and ending the argument.

“Who are the ‘others?’” She asked, Fluttershy drawing in closer as well due to curiosity.

Kill Shot cleared his throat and turned resuming his seating position before speaking. “Ghouls. And the one who was in our custody got away.”

“Oh” Fluttershy said with a frightened voice. “That sounds awful.”

“They are.” Sting said, without hesitation earning a worried look from Twilight and a frightened look from Fluttershy.

“And we need to find ours before he does something we’ll all regret.”

Twilight gulped the nervousness she was feeling starting to reach it’s peak. “Is he really that dangerous? Do you think he’s here in Equestria?” Her eyes widened in horror. “In Ponyville?!” she squeaked.

Kill Shot nodded.

“If we’re here. Then he must be here as well. And who knows how many of our comrades and the ghouls we managed to capture are out here somewhere. But one thing’s for sure, Centipede, the one-eyed ghoul is here. Somewhere. And we’ve got to find him before it’’s too late.”

*** ***** ***

Kaneki sat with Mrs. Cake, Pinkie Pie, and Raiment Wear, all enjoying a cup of tea. The boy had been asked if he wanted anything to eat but he knew if he tried to consume the sweets that filled the air of the bakery home he would merely throw them up in disgust.

And he wouldn’t want suspicion to arise, not after he’d just cleared himself of it all.

As he drank the coffee memories of Anteiku came flooding back to him, when he stared at the cup as he poured himself another cup.

“Enjoying your coffee?" Pinkie Pie asked and for a second the boy almost heard Yoshimaru's voice asking him he same thing.

Staring into the cup once more he nodded taking another sip. “Yes, Thank you.”

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Encounters

The sound of crickets rubbing their wings together as a soft chirping echoed into the calmness that was night was the only sound Kaneki could hear as he sat outside Sugarcube Corner. Sitting on the bakery’s porch as he stared out into the night.

Peace.

A strange feeling that had come over the boy as he watched fireflies floating about this town called Ponyville.

How long has it been since I’ve been able to just sit down like this? the thought popped into the boy’s head. And to that question he found no answer. The best answer probably being: never. Not since his transformation, at least.

“Can’t sleep huh?” A voice said. It was Mr. Cake. The male stallion opened the door wider as he walked up to Kaneki’s side staring out at the empty silent streets of Ponyville.

Kaneki didn’t reply, which was just as good. The stallion had only woken up to give Pumpkin and Pound Cake their bottles. After a few more minutes of peaceful silence Carrot turned around. “Don’t stay out too long alright? Wouldn’t want Pinkie’s new friend getting a cold, especially since this your first time here.”

Kaneki simply nodded as Mr. Cake walked back inside. “Oh yeah, welcome to Ponyville” he heard the stallion say with a smile before gently closing the door.

Silence soon resumed its place in the room.

“Friend huh?” Kaneki said to himself. It was strange. He had only moved to save the girl because he didn’t want to see her getting hurt but when he had saved her he was more surprised by her actions than the strange reality of what he’d seen since waking up.

“Friend” he repeated as if the word were foreign to him. Obviously it was not. He had friends. Friends he would do anything for. Friends he was willing to sacrifice his very body for. Touka, Yoshimura. Tsukiyama. Hinami, Nishiki, Hinami, Enji...Kaya. They were all his friends. And he wondered what they were up to right now.

A gentle breeze stroked the boy’s white hair as his eyes continued to stare out into the night. Pushing the thoughts out of his head Kaneki turned his attention to other matters of the present. He would deal with them later.

Tomorrow he would be meeting the pink mare’s friends at least according to Pinkie Pie, he would.

Were they all as energetic and friendly as this one? a voice soon called his name drawing him out of his thoughts.

“Still awake?” Pinkie Pie asked, now in her pajamas. The pink girl stood in the doorway with her arms behind her back as she stared at Kaneki with a friendly smile.

Kaneki lifted his head upwards as he stared back at the energetic girl who’s smile seemed to infect a lot of people of this town.

“Ready for tomorrow?” Pinkie asked.

He nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Great answer” she said still smiling. “By the way aren’t you cold? It is a little chilly out here” she said taking a seat next to Kaneki as he scooted over.

“I’m fine” he replied. After all he had been in a blizzard with nothing but the very same clothing he wore now.

“If you say so” Pinkie said hopping up. “Do you know where you’re bed is?” she asked as she made her way back inside.

He nodded his eyes remaining straight ahead.

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then” she said, taking another step towards the bakery house Pinkie stopped and stood there staring at the boy as she recalled the look in his eyes she had seen earlier in the day.

They looked like the eyes of someone who’d been through so much she thought, placing a hand on the doorway as she continued to stare at Kaneki’s back in silence. And why did I shudder when I walked towards you? her eyes narrowing before she turned towards the house.

“Night Kaneki.”

He nodded, “Night.”

Hearing the door close behind him Kaneki felt another small breeze brush by him as he sat in silence. He’d felt Pinkie’s eyes watching him in silent observation but he’d simply ignored it. There was no chance the girl would ever learn of what he was. Not as long as he continued maintaining this low profile till he knew just exactly where he was.

Getting up the boy turned to head back inside the warmth of the bakery home. Tomorrow he needed to get up early if he wanted to meet the rest of Pinkie’s friends. Maybe there he could get more information out of them.

Walking towards the door, his foot crossing the doorway’s border the ghoul froze. His eyes turning in a certain direction of Ponyville.

“Kaneki, could you please close the door. The children.” Mrs. Cake’s voice called from within.

Kaneki didn’t respond immediately his eyes still staring in silence down a street of Ponyville.

“Kaneki?” Mrs.Cake called.

Slowly Kaneki walked inside, his eyes still fixated on that spot. “Did you see something outside?” Pinkie’s voice called from above.

As Kaneki entered the room and slowly began closing the door he paused still staring down the street. As if expecting something to happen. The tension in the air rising with his silence, when nothing did.

“It’s nothing” he said and shut the door.

Twilight sat in the library with Fluttershy in silence. The young princess tapping her hoof against the floor as she bit her thumb nail in agitation. Their conversation had went further into the day than she had expected.

After the two Japanese investigators had gotten their answers the two retired back to their room. The one with blue hair known as Sting wanting his weapon back in case an emergency sprung, but his partner simply dismissed the younger detective as they moved back up to their room.

“Are you serious Kill? What if we need them?!” Twilight heard the voice of the younger detective ask as they made their way back upstairs.

“We won’t need them. Not yet at least, like I said Centipede isn’t the type to cause a ruckus like the lower ghouls. We can always get our weapons back later.” The rest of the conversation was more hushed than Twilight’s ears could pick up as the two detective’s voices faded into their room.

Twilight was still biting her thumb nail the clicking of her hoof against the floor becoming louder and louder as the seconds passed. What the two detectives had said worried her greatly.

Should I contact the Princess? was her first thought.

“Twilight” the voice of Fluttershy said although the voice to Twilight was only drowned out by more thoughts and concerns.

Just what in Equestria are these ghouls those two keep talking about? And why did they refuse to tell her what she needed to know?

“Twilight” Fluttershy’s voice called again, but for a second time it was drowned out by more worries.

What if this guy they’re searching for is off causing trouble in Ponyville! What if he’s doing something horrible right now?! she thought now firmly gripping her skirt.

“Twilight!” Fluttershy said louder this time drawing the young alicorn’s attention as she gently placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

“Y-Yes?” Twilight asked as if she had been shocked out of a horrid experience.

Fluttershy pointed to Twilight’s hoof. Raising her leg ever so slightly the girl could see that she had made a dent in the crystallized ground underneath said hoof. She frowned, her horn glowing as she cast a reconstruction spell that would return the shattered fragments back and make it whole again.

“Twilight I really think you should calm down. You’re working yourself over with stress” Fluttershy said pouring her friend the rest of the herbal tea.

“Thanks Fluttershy” Twilight said trying to smile as she kindly accepted the tea. Taking a few sips, she hadn’t even noticed that she’d finished the rest of it with her last sip. Putting the tea cup back down the alicorn sighed, feeling a little better than before.

Fluttershy remained silent patiently waiting for her friend to say something as the two sitting next to each other both contemplated what the investigators had told them. Or as much as they had offered to reveal.

From Fluttershy’s vivid imagination she was absolutely terrified of the very concept of meeting a ghoul. The thought of even seeing one sent a shiver up her spine. The pegasus however could tell, that the whole thought of a creature like that being in Ponyville would surely be devastating and frightening for Twilight who’d just a few months ago became a princess.

Twiddling with her fingers nervously Fluttershy glanced over at Twilight who once again looked like she was in deep contemplation and inner turmoil.

“Twilight?” the mare said quietly.

Twilight jumped, looking over at Fluttershy before smiling apologetically. “Sorry Fluttershy. I’m just thinking over a lot of things is all. I should probably have Spike send a letter when he gets back from Rarity’s tonight.”

“I think that would be a good idea. Princess Celestia would surely know what procedures to take just in case there is a” -she shivered looking around nervously- “a ghoul hiding somewhere in Ponyville.”

Twilight nodded standing up, Fluttershy doing the same as the two began heading downstairs towards the door.

“If Sting or Kill Shot need anymore medical treatment don’t be shy to ask me. I’ll come over as soon as I can alright?” Fluttershy asked. Twilight merely nodded obviously lost in thought as she began planning out how she’d send the letter to the diarchy of Equestria.

“Twilight?” Fluttershy said snapping her fingers in front of the mare, grabbing her attention.

“Hm? -Oh yeah, sure. Fluttershy no problem. I’ll um...do that thing you said I should do” she stated as they reached the door.

“Call me if they need more medical assistance” Fluttershy repeated as she now stood outside the doorway of Twilight’s castle.

“I will, don’t worry” Twilight said with a nod, as she began closing the door but Fluttershy’s hand stopped her dead.

“Twilight” Fluttershy said taking on a serious tone rare in the mare’s voice. “I’m serious anything at all. You call, don’t hesitate or go into a frenzy understand?” she asked.

Slightly taken aback by the sudden strictness, Twilight nodded. “I will Fluttershy I Pinkie promise.”

“Alright then” she said feeling more content with that. “I’ll be going then. Try to take it easy Twilight” she said before turning around and heading homewards.

Twilight waved goodbye to her friend as she watched the mare slowly disappear from view before closing the door and heading back upstairs. When she entered the library she saw that the weapons left on the table were gone.

“I think I’ll...just let them keep it for now” she said with a slightly nervous smile. Her horn getting caked in an orchid overglow as a parchment, ink bottle and feather floated towards her desk.

Sitting down in front of the material, Twilight took hold of the pen in her fingers, before taking in a deep breath and exhaling as she gathered her thoughts.

“Dear Princess Celestia,

I have urgent news to inform you of.

“Now Spike shouldn’t you be getting back to Twilight?” Rarity asked the dragon, standing beside her as he held a dress up for her, that she had been measuring. Turning around she took it up in her magic.

“Psssh, Twilight will be fine without me Rarity. Besides I’d rather help you at this moment” he said with a dreamy smile on his face.

Rarity smiled before placing it on a mannequin nearby. “Thank you my dear Spikey-Wikey” she said hugging him.

Spike obviously enjoyed this greatly, his face growing red, as he took in the fragrance of Rarity’s perfume and her...body heat, oh Celestia that body! He could now feel the unicorn’s own heat radiating off her and onto him. It. Was. Bliss.

THUD!

And now that moment is gone he thought with a grimace as the mare retracted her hug, moving away from him before looking curiously at the door.

“Were you expecting somepony?” Spike asked adjusting his shirt as he tried to hide the grimace on his face so that Rarity wouldn’t see.

“No. No not at all. And at such late an hour” she said glancing at the clock as it now showed it was getting to eleven at night.

“Then who could it be?” Spike asked his own curiosity replacing the bitterness he felt upon being interrupted as he copped a feel.

“I’m not sure Spike” Rarity said as she moved over to the door and peeked through the peephole only to find no one there. Strange she thought opening the door only a crack to peer through. Her horn glowing just in case she needed to cast a quick spell.

While the mare may not look it since she considered herself more of a fashionista than a magic expert, Rarity did know a few spells here and there for when things could get bad. And she sure as heck wasn’t afraid to use them when the moment called for it.

As the door swung open Rarity took note of the small dirt mark on her door, and the strangely shaped hand and footprint marks inches away from the mark against her door. Turning her head towards a nearby street the mare squinted her eyes to see if whatever had slammed into her door could still be seen from here.

It could not.

Spike came outside as well, just barely up to the mare’s shoulder as he stared out on the same street she was looking down, that lead around the corner in a curve and few turns down to Sugarcube Corner.

“Did you see something?” Spike asked.

Rarity continued to stare out on the street in silence for a few more seconds before she turned around her tail swishing to the side as she did so, going back into the Boutique. “No, I suppose not dear. Come along Spike I’ll inform Twilight you’ll be staying the night over.”

Hearing those words made Spike’s day as he pumped a fist into the air a wide grin on his face. Immediately regaining his composure, the young dragon pulled his shirt down, made sure his fly wasn’t down then turned around as he walked back inside closing the door.

Upon walking inside Rarity had already finished scribbling down a letter to Twilight and handed it over to him.

“Be a dear and send that to her for me will you?” she said with a sweet smile.

Trying his hardest not to blush Spike took the letter thought of Twilight and let green flames seep out of his mouth, licking the parchment before it evaporated in a green mist.

“Done.”

“Nicely done” Rarity said.

“So um” he said running a claw through his hair. “Where were we?” a dress floating into Spike’s hand was the only response he got from Rarity who looked at him from the corner of her eye with a smile.

Sighing Spike held the dress up for her to examine. “Right...dresses” he said with a hint of annoyance clear in his voice. “Give me a break.”

*** ***** ***

Minutes Earlier.
Location: Ponyville; Canterlot Boutique.

THUD!

His back slamming against the door of Canterlot Boutique a man fell to the ground.

“Were you expecting somepony?” the man heard a voice say from within. Getting up with one hand propping himself up and using his foot as he prepared to launch himself forward, the man in the trench coat took off down a street in his sights as he turned a corner and hid behind the bushes.

Hearing the door he had slammed into open almost a minute after his escape, the man quickly steadied his breathing and peered through his glasses out at the strange equine creature and what appeared to be reptilian animal that seemed to have humanoid like figures came outside.

The mare who had been inspecting the spot only for a few seconds turned to look down the street that the man had run off down, almost looking in the bushes he now hid.

“Kusou” the man swore under his breath. How the hell was something like that so perceptive? Was it the ears? he thought glancing back at the mare with the extremely curled hair from the glare of a lamp post in his glasses.

“Did you see something?” he heard the reptilian say. After a few seconds he heard a reply though the tone told the man that this creature was definitely wary of his presence.

“No I suppose not dear.” He had heard her- whatever it was, say. The door soon closing after the reptilian had done a little victory cheer upon hearing something that the man himself could not.

Adjusting his glasses now that he was in the clear the man looked around, adjusting the trench coat that nearly covered his entire face, as he looked around the surrounding area.

“Where am I?” the man thought getting up as he looked around. Only to stop as he felt a sudden familiar presence a couple meters away.

He wasn’t sure where. But this was a feeling Chuu Hachikawa would never forget.

“Ghoul” he snarled. Turning around and heading in a different direction the man moved elsewhere. Knowing that since he had no weapon he would only end up prey for the demon he had yet to meet.

“Wait for me ghoul. I’ll sniff you out and shred you to pieces. Even if I have to tear this whole damn place apart” Hachikawa swore as he walked into the night, only to suddenly get knocked down by a strange figure.

Rubbing the back of his head the man looked up from his glasses with a look of rage on his face only for it to instantly disappear as he stared at the blond, grey winged creature before him. Wearing nothing but a buttoned up shirt and jeans with a bubble insignia on it.

“Pegasasu?” he said in surprise.

The blond pegasus smiled. Offering a hand to help him up which he strangely accepted. The cross-eyed pegasus was a sight to look at, considering one eye seemed to be focusing on him while the other drifted.

Once up Hachikawa turned to leave walking away, and leaving the mare alone on the street as he headed to a different destination. Hearing a call he turned to see the blond pegasus still staring at him with a slight smile.

“I’m Ditzy Doo! What’s your name?” she called.

Feeling like he didn’t really need to answer, but getting the strange feeling he should Hachikawa turned around and continued walking down the street, his back facing the young woman.

“I’m an investigator. That’s all you need to know.”

Twilight had spent almost half an hour figuring out what to write as she tossed paper after paper down to the ground. Slowly piling up till it nearly threatened to form a pile the size of a pillow on the floor till she received a message from Spike.

“Dear Twilight,

I believe it would be best if Spike spent the night with me tonight. I do hope you understand but something rather bizarre happened here not too long ago and I would prefer it if Spike spent time with me where it was safe instead of heading home by himself. I’ll be sure to head over in the morning with him first thing in the morning.

Yours Truly,

Rarity.”

Sighing Twilight dropped the pen and closed the ink lid rubbing her temple as she sat staring at the letter.

“I hope they’re alright” she said to herself as she stood up.

Trudging towards her room the alicorn immediately changed clothes before sliding into the safety of her bed and closing her eyes. Letting sleep do it’s job on her.

“Better rest up...if I want...to send that letter...to the princess” Twilight yawned, feeling more tired than she initially thought.

I guess stressing out over this ‘ghoul’ thing really does something to a pony she chuckled at herself her lids feeling heavy. Blinking a few more times the young alicorn slowly drifted into sleep.

“I’ll send that letter, tomorrow” she stretched before shutting her eyes for the last time, then drifting to sleep. Carrying her worries with her into her dreams.

The piercing screech of a roaster awoke the pink mare as she glanced over at the clock. It read 10 a.m.

Perfect! Pinkie thought hopping out of bed.

Skipping over to the bathroom the mare quickly got ready for what she felt would be quite a splendid day as she would be introducing a brand new friend to her friends. The very thought made her feel extra excited, yet at the same time deeply bothered her. However the latter was merely shoved off into a closet full of doubts and concerns, locked up tightly and then buried seven feet under the ground as Pinkie would let absolutely nothing such as insecurity on what she had felt the day she met Kaneki ruin this day she had planned to go so well.

Once she was done getting ready Pinkie quickly headed over to Kaneki’s room only to find it empty. “Did he wake up earlier than I did?”

Heading downstairs Pinkie turned to see Mr. & Mrs. Cake working on their sweets for the day already.

“Have either of you seen Kaneki?”

“He said he was going to get something to eat and wouldn’t be back for awhile” said Mr. Cake

"Why didn’t he just get something from here?”

“The poor kid said he has a very sensitive stomach so he can’t eat a lot of things even if he wanted to. Must be a condition he was born with. Don’t worry though dear, I’m sure he’ll be back in a few minutes he did leave an hour ago.” Mrs. Cake said as she took out the frosting for the cupcakes.

An hour?! What was he doing eating a field?! sighing Pinkie walked over to the Cakes and slumped down in a seat as they did their work. Offering help here and there when needed.

“Just what in the hay makes someone eat for an hour?” she muttered grumpily as she handed over an iron baking tray to Mr.Cake, who smiled at Pinkie’s impatience.

She’d never really had an eye for that kind of stuff.

“Don’t worry Pinkie. He’ll be back soon, he is just going to eat. How long could it be?”

Kaneki was now in the Everfree forest. His desire to feed had started kicking in and had he not left and waited for maybe even a day longer there was a possible chance he could’ve lost it and slaughtered the entire Cake family.

That was something he’d rather not have on his conscience, especially not when they’d been so kind to take a complete stranger in like this.

Having sniffed out a food source the boy was able to track a cemetery about 2 miles down the road. Finding a recently fresh, unsoiled body within he dug in. Eating as light a portion as he possible could.

And as the fleshy substance of the dead stallion slowly slithered down his throat Kaneki couldn’t help but notice the completely different yet still pleasant texture that came off of eating this creatures flesh. It wasn’t like when he’d bit into Jason. That experience had been completely different.

“At least I don’t have to kill anyone here to eat” he said wiping the blood off his lips with his thumb.

Taking a detour the boy headed near a river by the Everfree Forest as he washed himself. Making sure not a trace or even speck of blood could be detected or smelt on him when he returned back to the bakery home.

Finishing within a few minutes Kaneki put his clothes back on and headed back to the Cake’s reaching there in about ten minutes as he decided there was no rush in reaching their place at the moment. He was bound to meet the girl’s friends eventually and one way or another he’d need to if he wanted to get information on how he could get back to Japan.

As he reached the bakery shop that was now in view he took note of someone rushing out and bounding towards him at full speed.

Ready to block and flip this person over Kaneki hesitated when he saw it was Pinkie, and was even more surprised when she stopped inches away from him as she stared at him with a slightly annoyed look on her face.

“How long does it take you to eat?!” she asked clearly peeved having to wait half an hour for someone she wanted her friends to meet.

He didn’t reply.

Sighing Pinkie walked up over to him and patted his shoulder. “Cmon let’s go. I told Dash yesterday to gather the others at Twilight’s so we’re heading there.” Moving ahead of her enigmatic friend Pinkie began walking in the direction of Twilight’s castle. Casting a quick glance at Kaneki as they moved on. The boy’s eyes remained looking straight ahead as they continued to push on towards the castle.

What Kaneki hadn’t realized is that Pinkie’s ears had flopped along with a combination of her tail twitching meaning someone was about to get hurt or someone was about to receive a sudden surprise.

The pink mare had noticed the sudden change in the boy’s stance when she had rushed over to approach him and that combination merely made her freeze in place as she realized that she would be receiving said surprise.

Casting one last glance at Kaneki who at this point had come to completely ignore these looks the two moved on in silence towards Twilight’s castle.

“Whoa!” Dash said once everyone had gathered. Twilight walking down the stairs her hair a mess and still feeling sleepy from the constant tossing and turning she had done in her sleep.

“Who are these two?” Dash asked pointing a finger at the two soldiers who came downstairs.

“They’re guests” Twilight said in a tired voice.

“We get that sugar, but who are they?” Applejack pressed.

“We’re investigators” Sting answered, getting the orange girl in her shirt, jean shorts and stetson to look at him.

“And what exactly are y’all investigating here in Ponyville?” she asked.

“That information is classified. At least for now it is” Kill Shot responded taking a seat across the three girls whose eyes were firmly fixed on him.

Spike had moved over to Twilight where she was now on the same ground level as everyone else.

“Care to tell me what’s going on?” he asked with a raised brow.

Twilight sighed. “It’s a long story. Anyway Rainbow Dash?” the cyan pegasus girl turned to her.

“Yeah?”

“Did Pinkie say why exactly she wanted us all out here?”

Running a hand through her rainbow hair the girl tried to think her tail swishing to the side every now and then as she tried to recall. “No...she said it was a surprise” the pegasus responded after a few seconds.

“Knowing Pinkie I’m sure it will be an interesting one” Rarity said taking a glance at the two detectives. “Oh my,” she said noticing Sting’s bandaged hand. “What happened to you?”

“It was...during the line of work” he replied.

Applejack’s eyes narrowed at the answer, but she didn’t push it further seeing as they’d get answers soon enough.

“How’s your hand feeling?” Fluttershy asked moving over to Sting.

“Much better. I can now move my fingers if only a little bit. Thank you once again” he replied cheerfully. Fluttershy merely shook her head.

“No need to thank me. I was merely helping somepony in need that’s all” she said with a smile, as she began examining the hand, and removing its bandages.

Tracing her finger across it Fluttershy made sure that it would still react to touch. It did as Sting’s hand twitched when she prodded his palm with a finger. Seeing that it was alright, she turned to Rarity asking if she could get bandages for her to replace these with.

Once the bandages had been replaced Fluttershy smiled at Sting who merely smiled back. Everyone remaining silent as they watched the two seem to grow a bit closer as the seconds passed by.

“Ahem!” Kill Shot said startling Sting whose hand immediately retracted from the mare’s.

“Try to focus will you Sting?” Kill Shot said with a teasing grin which Sting merely scowled at.

A sudden clicking from the door downstairs had signaled that Pinkie had made her appearance.

“We’re here!” she said her hooves clicking on the azure stairs as she and her friend slowly made their way up.

“We?” Sting said looking at the girl in the red shirt and dark blue jeans called Dash. The girl merely shrugged.

“Don’t look at me.”

Silence ensued as the footsteps grew louder and louder until the bubble gum girl emerged first holding a beaming smile that seemed to hit the two investigators with such a force they couldn’t help but blink.

“I’ve got someone you all should meet” she said turning her head in the person’s direction and waving him inside.

As the boy took a step inside his shoes quietly clicking along the azure crystal floor, he couldn’t help but notice the slight change of tension in the air as he walked in.

The five girls and dragon being slightly surprised that the person introduced to them was like these two investigators here they couldn’t help but look back at the pair and back to Kaneki. Rarity noticing the extremely shocked look on both their faces upon the boy’s entry.

“Meet Kaneki” Pinkie Pie said. “He’s from Japony, though he doesn’t talk much I was hoping you all could get to meet him as well” Pinkie said still smiling.

An awkward silence filled the room as everyone stared at Kaneki, who silently stared back.

“Um, Hi” Twilight said after a few more seconds of strained silence. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, this is Rainbow Dash” she said pointing to the floating pegasus who gave a head nod in the boy’s direction.

“That’s Rarity” the girl smiled in Kaneki’s direction which he nodded back to. “Applejack” who tipped her hat in approval, “Spike” she said patting the dragon’s head beside her who merely grinned back.

“And over there next to Investigator’s Kill Shot and Sting is Fluttershy-” she paused just now noticing the enraged look on Sting’s face.

“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, feeling slightly nervous by the man’s sudden change of mood.

Kill Shot who had now regained his composure looked at his partner and patted him on the shoulder, applying pressure to make sure he wouldn’t get up hastily.

“Hey there Kaneki” Kill Shot said with a forced smile. “How’s it going?”

Kaneki said nothing, his eyes focused on the now trembling man beside the senior detective.

“Oh don’t worry about Sting. You know Sting always a hot head, never one to-” feeling his hand get smacked away Sting got up from his seat in a quick motion and launched over to Kaneki who stood his ground now away from the staircase.

SLAM!

Kaneki’s back hit the wall as his collar was being fiercely gripped by the man before him that looked at him with rage in his eyes.

“Hey what in tarnation are you doing?!” Applejack asked clearly outraged. “You don’t just-” she went silent as Sting cast a look at her giving the mare the chance to see the clear anger in his eyes.

“Now hold on one second” Rarity said ready to unleash her own feelings of admonish upon the man that had looked at her friend in such a way and tackled this new ally of Pinkie’s.

“Who do you think you are to just attack someone like this?! I don’t care who you are but you do not come into somepony’s home and attack a new guest like this now if you would be so kind release your grip!” she ordered sternly.

Sting who was still snarling at the boy ignored Rarity, though his grip did weaken.

Kaneki made no move to defend himself, as he knew that if he overpowered the man here he would either arouse suspicion or questions and he wasn’t ready for either at this moment.

“Why did you do that back there?” Sting said ignoring Fluttershy’s pleas as she now begged him to release the boy.

Pinkie was still a bit dumbfounded by all this and didn’t know what to do but watch. She had however caught what Sting had said as did the others.

Rainbow Dash now floating behind the man, cracking her knuckles stopped any attempts to hit him when she heard him say that. Kill Shot had now gotten up as well moving through the crowd of girls that were now around the two.

Kaneki had said nothing as of yet.

“Answer me!” he said forcing his other hand to close into a fist and wincing from the pain.

Kaneki still said nothing.

Gritting his teeth even more Sting raised his injured hand ready to inflict as much possible damage he could to Kaneki’s face, but was stopped when a firm hand wrapped itself around his wrist.

Kill Shot was looking at his partner with a strict “no” written on his deadpanned face.

Struggling with his inner rage the man tightened his grip on Kaneki his hand pushing a bit more roughly into the boy’s chest.

“Enough!” Twilight said her horn glowing and surrounding Sting’s hand forcefully pushing him away from Kaneki. “What kind of behavior was that?!” she asked Sting angrily. The blue haired detective said nothing in response.

“Is this the kind of way your investigators act?” Twilight asked looking back at Kill Shot who had remained where he stood to stop Sting from enacting.

“Some do. Not all” he replied truthfully.

The group stared at him in shock. Applejack who had regained her composure turned to Sting who was still glaring darkly at Kaneki.

“Why did you attack him?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Sting said with venom. “He-”

“I didn’t do it.” Kaneki said raising his voice to drown out Sting’s.

Everyone looked at him. Pinkie Pie looked at him with as much confusion written all over her face as it was for the others.

“Didn’t do what?” she asked.

“I didn’t bring us here to this world.”

“That’s not what I’m-” Sting yelled only to be silenced by Fluttershy’s stare.

“Continue” Twilight said once the investigator had been quieted.

“I didn’t do what you think happened back in that truck. Nor did anyone from Anteiku. I’m not a part of them anymore” he said calmly. “And I didn’t bring us here.”

“Then why are we here?”

Kaneki shrugged. “I don’t know why. All I know is that I didn’t do it. If I did why would I have stayed here with you guys?”

Kill Shot looked into Kaneki’s eyes as the boy stared back at him. Both staring down each other till Kill Shot looked back at the still seething Sting whose anger was now partially directed on Fluttershy for silencing him.

“He’s not lying” the detective stated.

“What?!?!!” Sting shouted in disbelief. “How can you believe him?”

“Because like I said. This one’s not like-” he paused. “Not like the other detectives” he said catching Applejack’s raised brow and Twilight’s questioning gaze, both which he ignored.

“And we shouldn’t worry about that. What we should worry about is if he’s here. Then that means the ghouls are here. And if they are” Kill Shot sighed, earning the concerned stairs of the six including Spike.

“Then we’re in for more than we bargained for.”

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The First Kill

"I will Kill."

Location: Manehattan, Haymake Rd
Time: 11:59 p.m.

It was dark, out. The stars were twinkling in the sky and a stallion and his friend were just making it back from their late night picnic heading towards the mare’s home as Streamlight went to drop her off.

It had been another long day, at the Manehattan Detective Agency. And in all honesty Streamlight was just glad his female comrade had offered they do a picnic that very night during his break. Sweet Treat had really done him a favor by doing this picnic. Recently a bunch of strange rumors that started almost two days ago had started about people seeing strange figures around the allies at night.

The MDA had merely ignored such complaints though.

But in the process the young detective had been tasked with all the paperwork for those complaints. Manehattan’s populace were the type of ponies to throw fits and complaints about almost anything. Especially when the city was always bustling with work, and consisted of ponies that were either extremely arrogant because of the jobs they had or were frustrated with the load of crap they received on a daily basis, from those jobs.

There was always bound to be gossip of some form or another, Streamlight thought as he and Sweet Treat turned a corner.

“Are you alright?” the bright pink earth pony asked. Her dark blue eyes scanning Streamlight’s face, with concern.

Streamlight merely smiled at his friend. “I’m fine” thanks for asking. The mare nodded with a content smile as the two continued walking in silence.

Streamlight’s eyes glanced back over to his childhood friend as he stared at her. The mare ran a candy store around Manehattan and was well known in some parts of the streets for her candy making skills, most definitely what had earned her the lolipop cutie mark she had, although it wasn’t visible now. The insignia for the mare’s cutie mark stitched on her pants, where the mark would be visible if not for the clothing.

Suddenly Streamlight found his thoughts wandering on what Sweet Treat would look like with her cutie mark showing.

It was normal around some areas for ponies or others to wear clothing, some had been styled in such fashions to expose only the cutie marks, where others could be designed to display said cutie mark on the material. Streamlight however didn’t mind either. But as a junior detective the unicorn was required to be fully clothed at all times, only having his clothing depict what type of mark he had underneath the garments he wore.

Now that I think about it is kind of annoying to constantly wear such tight clothing when I’m on duty. But at least when I’m off I can wear whatever the heck I want he thought with a smile.

“Streamlight” his comrade called for his attention. The stallion could sense the nervousness in her voice.

Stopping and looking behind him he could see that the bright pink mare had frozen in place, her short violet hair almost magnifying the slightly nerving look she had on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Streamlight asked walking over to her.

“Don’t you hear that?” she asked her ears slightly twitching.

“No what are you-” he stopped.

Now taking in his surroundings the unicorn realized that they weren’t too far away from the mare’s home. And just a few feet away from them was an alley, where said noises were clearly coming from.

Almost instantly a cold sweat formed on the cinnamon colored unicorn’s brow. Something wasn’t right.

Although recently becoming a detective after making it from the police department almost a month ago, the young stallion had grown quite accustomed to reading situations, a skill he had trained himself to do quite frequently since he was an officer. And right now that skill was telling him to carefully pass by that alley without a sound.

A skill which he ignored.

The strange sound that almost sounded like munching or an animal eating of sorts something in between- that was still audible but just barely enough to be heard, luckily ponies have good hearing though because it was still slightly audible to them.

“I’ll be back” he said giving Sweet Treat a gentle pat on the arm, before he began backing towards the alley, his back still facing the strange sound. “If those rumors are true I need to get a report out to the rest of the agency immediately” he said to her, when she gave him a warning look to not go.

“I’ll be fine” he whispered as he got closer.

The noise now growing louder with each step. Streamlight could feel his heart beating. It was pounding rapidly against his rib cage but it wasn’t loud enough to be heard, or at least that’s what he hoped.

Moving towards the sound and away from his spot at the side of the alley the unicorn could now see a small faded lamp light flickering weakly over a hunched up figure, as it dug into whatever meal was before it.

CRUNCH!

The sound made the unicorn wince at what sounded like bone being broken. Whatever that pony was doing it was making quite a bit of noise.

Feeling slightly calmer that it was probably just a hobo the unicorn sighed, noticing the creature freeze and tense up.

Behind him Streamlight heard something fall to the ground and knock over the trash cans that made a long lasting sound echo throughout the hollow alley. Spinning on his hooves the stallion saw Sweet Treat had dropped the empty picnic basket, staring at the figure in front of her friend with nothing but fear.

Her eyes were dotted with terror. Her light pink lips shook, her legs shaked along with the rest of her body. And as she tried to call out to her friend no sound managed to escape the mare’s throat.

Streamlight was confused, shocked that his best friend was behaving in such a way until.

He smelled blood.

Having formerly been a police officer before becoming a detective the unicorn had seen a few incidents involving blood, like robberies at the homes of important diplomats, here in Manehattan. As well as a few drunken fights he had been tasked with breaking up. So the scent wasn’t something that surprised him much. Till he heard the pony behind him move.

“Niku” the pony said, his figure still darkened by the cloak he wore.

“I-I’m sorry?” Streamlight asked backing away a bit at the weirdo in front of him.

The pony didn’t reply. It didn’t need to, the wind gave the unicorn his answer to what he was facing.

Before him was not a equine, but a creature of similar caliber that also stood on two legs. And the light that now shone on that creature's face was caked with blood around it’s mouth.A mouth that appeared much much smaller than the likes of which the equine had ever seen.

Streamlight felt his stomach clench. Behind him he could hear Sweet Treat gag, as she forced herself to remain strong, most likely still trembling.

Streamlight’s attention went back to the strange creature before him, and behind that creature he could see what looked like the disemboweled form of a pony that had been gutted with a sharp object.

The expression that mare wore was one mixed with terror and fear as Streamlight stared at the utter terror filling those lifeless eyes.

“You-” he swallowed hard ignoring every fiber in his body that told him to run, to flee and just get out of here. Out of this nightmare as fast he could, because he knew that with Sweet Treat terrified he couldn’t just abandon her like that.

“You killed her?” he asked.

The creature nodded as it wiped the blood off its lips. “Yes, I did. I had to feed” he said.

Streamlight almost vomitted. That was more than he had expected.

“And now that I think about it” the ghoul said as it’s eyes suddenly took on a demonic form, the likes of which neither equines had ever seen, as drool began to dribble down it’s lip.

Something strange shot out just around its shoulder and stuck out like a sword, which the ghoul pointed at the two equines. “I believe I’m still hungry.”

Streamlight gulped. “What in Celestia are you?”

The drooling beast grinned, trying to maintain the drool dripping from it’s mouth. “I’m a ghoul.”

Instantly turning towards Sweet Treat and running Streamlight grabbed the mare and took off out of the alley and down the road. The ghoul smirked, there was no escape for it’s prey.

With one foot sliding across the ground while the other positioned itself for a jump, the ghoul leaned forward and launched itself towards a light post, using it’s ukaku like a hook to swing around and launch itself after the two running down the street.

“Itadakimasu!” he yelled with a crazy look in both those demon eyes.

“SHIT!” Streamlight yelled as he now saw the ghoul flying towards them. Seeing Sweet Treat was in it’s sights Streamlight pulled the mare towards him just barely getting her to escape certain death as the ghoul slashed at the air, where her head would have been.

Landing with a soft thud that both equines thought should have been impossible the beast glared at him with rage.

“Don’t mess with my meal!” the ghoul screamed, down the street, causing a few lights in some houses to turn on.

“Run!” Streamlight said after he had released the mare from his firm embrace.

“But-”

“Run damn it!” he ordered.

Sweet Treat hesitated. That was a mistake.

Appearing out of nowhere the ghoul was on top of them, merely inches from both unicorn and stallion. Punching Streamlight in the gut faster than the stallion had been trained to react, Streamlight was knocked only a few feet away from both ghoul and friend.

And as Streamlight began rolling, along the ground he kept thinking Why didn’t I listen. Why did I go? Why did I- a cold scream pierced the night causing more lights in the area to turn on.

Oh no Streamlight thought as he could see a few lights turning on in nearby houses. “If that pony was his first kill then who knows what he’ll do if he finds out there’s more!” the unicorn wheezed, before turning to the side and throwing up all the contents in his stomach.

“Streamlight!” Sweet Treat, yelled. “Are you alright?” she asked to his amazement as he cleared the tears forming in his eyes.

“Been better” he chuckled weakly. Expecting the mare to be a safe distance away but instead as he rose to his hooves he came to see Sweet Treat now in the ghoul’s grasp. All manner of amusement faded from his face, replacing it with utter rage.

“Release her” he order the beast, but it ignored him, tilting the mare’s neck to the side so her neck was fully exposed it inhaled the fragrance of her coat deeply.

“Mmm” he groaned. “Someone I once knew would say this fragrance is delicious” the ghoul’s eyes moved towards the shaking mare’s face. “I wonder how you’ll taste” he said, earning a whimper from Sweet Treat.

Streamlight couldn’t take this anymore. This thing was toying with them.

Getting up and weakly walking down the street towards them the unicorn’s horn glowed, his gun appearing to his side in orange magic. “Release her” he repeated.

“Stay back Streamlight!” Sweet Treat said, despite the fear in her voice. “If he gets you it’ll be over. Run, use me as an-”

“Shut up!” he demanded, not wanting to hear what she was about to say. If he did that then there was no way he could ever become a detective. No way he could face his family or hers when they asked what had happened.

Lifting his gun up towards the ghoul who’s back was facing him, he let out a breath to calm himself. It didn’t help.

“I’ll say it worn more time” he said with confidence he did not feel “Let go of my friend.” The gun clicked.

The ghoul turned slightly to look at the weapon in the boy’s hand only to chuckle and then mockingly lick Sweet Treat’s neck.

“Make me.”

Streamlight shut his eyes, not sure if this would work, but prayed to the gods and Luna and Celestia that it would, somehow, someway it just would. Please.

BAM!

The ghoul fell with a thud, releasing the mare in his arms as she went slack and fell forward for Streamlight to catch her and help her stand up straight.

Sweet Treat smiled weakly through the tears pouring from her eyes. “Y-You did it” she said trying to wipe away the tears only for more to continue flowing.

With the crying mare in his arms Streamlight stared at the creature that lay lifeless on the ground, the bullet he had shot on the ground crumpled and small like it were a piece of paper that had been stepped on, while a larger ice shard like projectile lay embedded right between the monster’s eyes.

“I didn’t” Streamlight said, as his eyes followed the spot where the shard had been shot from.

From a distance on a building, stood a tall man with white hair and glasses, holding a bow like weapon, that now lay at his side.

“Who are you?” the unicorn asked, but the tall man with white hair and glasses said nothing. Merely turning around and walking away, before disappearing once he’d jumped off the building.

Turning his attention back to Sweet Treat, who was now trembling a few people began making their way towards the two, all seeing the horrendous display before them.

Within minutes a medical team had been brought over and disposed of the body. The rest of the team now tending to Sweet Treat’s small bruises and the injuries the young detective had received.

“Hey” a medical officer whispered to Streamlight who was being taken care of and checked for internal bleeding.

“What was that thing?” the medical pony asked pointing a thumb in the direction of where the dead ghoul’s body had been.

Streamlight remained silent, staring at the small splotch of blood that showed where the shard had pierced.

“That was a ghoul. And I think it might have been my first kill.”

The two medics looked at each other confused before helping the detective inside, where Sweet Treat was waiting.

“Alright well let’s get you to the hospital and make sure everything’s alright. Okay?” The medic got out and tapped a hand on the side of the truck watching it pull off, towards the nearest hospital. Looking back at the spot where that thing had died, sent a shiver up his spine.

Those eyes were terrifying.

Kaneki had left with Pinkie later in the afternoon. The two had walked in silence as they made their way back to Sugarcube Corner.

Mrs. Cake upon their arrival had prepared the boy the cup of coffee he had requested. And now the two sat in silence; one drinking coffee, the other drinking tea.

As Kaneki sipped from his mug the boy couldn’t help but notice the glances the pink mare would send his way every now and then. It had been like that ever since they got back from Twilight’s. And though it didn’t bother Kaneki it was starting to attract unwanted attention as he could feel the air getting a more strange feeling to it as Mrs. Cake set all the cooking supplies back in their allotted places before retiring for the night.

“Is everything alright between you two?” she asked once she had finished everything.

Kaneki looked up from his mug staring slightly surprised, by her sudden reaction. Mrs. Cake smiled.

“I’ve known Pinkie long enough to tell when she’s hiding something” she said. “Pinkie what’s the matter? Why do you keep throwing glances at him?”

The pink mare remained silent, giving one last glance at Kaneki before drinking the rest of her tea. “It’s nothing Mrs. C, sorry if I worried you” she said getting up.

“Are you sure?” the cerulean mare asked with a raised brow.

“Positive, isn’t that right Kaneki?” Pinkie asked looking over her shoulder at her strange friend.

He nodded.

Mrs.Cake obviously not convinced, but deciding better on the matter remained silent and changed the topic. “How was your visit with Twilight?”

“It went well. She apparently has some new friends that Kaneki knows” Pinkie stated placing the cup in the sink and turning the pipe on.

“Oh really?” Mrs. Cake asked leaning over the countertop. “What are they like?”

“They’re like Kaneki” Pinkie replied, not saying anything else. Upon catching the older mare’s confused look she added, “Their detectives.”

“Oh!” Mrs.Cake exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were a detective Kaneki” she said with a smile.

Just barely Kaneki caught Pinkie say “Neither did I.”

“Well then. I guess I’ll head on to bed. I’ll see you two later, try not to stay up too late Kaneki” she said waving goodbye to the two who waved back as she headed up the stairs.

When she was gone Pinkie’s slightly chipper persona became less than chipper. Rounding on Kaneki who had just finished his coffee she placed her hand on the table and another on her hip as she leaned forward giving him a quizzical look.

Seconds passed.

“What?” he asked.

“You know what!” Pinkie said in a whispered shout. “The girls and I just witnessed you get attacked by a detective and you just pass it off as if it were nothing! He could have hurt you!”

“No he couldn’t” Kaneki said reassuringly as he got up to wash his own mug.

“How can you be so sure!” she raised her voice.

“Pinkie” Mr. Cake said from above.

“Sorry, Mr. C” Pinkie said. Turning her attention back to the boy who had just finished washing his mug the girl continued to stare at him with a quizzical look both hands on her hips.

“Well?” she said.

He said nothing.

After a few seconds of quizzical staring Pinkie groaned quietly, before turning around on her hoof, her tail flicking Kaneki’s nose. “I’m going to bed!”

Kaneki waved goodbye ushering another loud groan of frustration from the mare.

“Pinkie” Mrs. Cake said warningly.

“I’m sorry Mr and Mrs. Cake, Kaneki’s just being difficulty” she stated as she frustratingly, yet quietly went up the stairs.

“Stallions will be stallions” Mr.Cake said with a chuckle.

“But-”

“Pinkie, it’s almost 12:30 a.m. we’ll talk about this tomo- later today okay?” Mrs. Cake said. “We don’t want to wake the foals.”

Hearing Pinkie sigh dramatically and grumble an okay Kaneki moved over to sit outside for a bit and soak in the pleasant silence he had taken in the night before.

As he sat outside Kaneki let today’s or rather yesterday’s events unfurl in his mind. The incident with the investigators was not one he had expected. He thought he had been the only one that had made it to this world and left everyone else back in Japan. But if what Kill Shot said was true. Then they were in serious trouble.

His stomach grumbled. Sighing Kaneki got up, moving his hands over to the back of his neck where the hood lay. The boy lifted it up to provide a cover over his face as he scaled the buildings, tonight where he would get his meal at the cemetery.

“Guess it’s time to eat.”

Morning struck.

Kaneki had gotten back a couple hours ago and was already awake before the rest of the Cake’s and Pinkie Pie when he heard a loud knock on the door. Hearing a small thud before someone moving on the steps he saw Pinkie rush over to the door and open it.

“What’s wrong Rainbow Dash?” she asked still in her pajamas.

The cyan girl with wings floated inside and landed. “You’ve got to see this” she said to both Pinkie and Kaneki. “I think you’ll need to.”

*** ****** ***

Now at Twilight’s castle the group of mares and the two humans sat in silence, as Spike gathered the cups they had all drank from. Right now the group was waiting for Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and her new friend to join them in the common room.

Twilight was holding the newspaper in her hands, biting her lower lip as she stared at the words in front of her.

“Manehattan Officer Attacked by Strange Creature.”

“Last night junior detective Steamlight and local Manehattan baker Sweet Treat were attacked by a monster or “demon” as the injured detective stated, who consumed equines. The MDA has posted an alert in Manehattan and spread other alerts across Equestria to be careful when walking alone at night.”

Silver Star- Manehattan Journalist.

How could this happen? Twilight thought as she heard Rainbow Dash, Kaneki, and Pinkie’s footsteps echo through her staircase.

When the group had finally emerged Twilight stood up concern and worry written all over her face. “Do you know anything about this?” she asked the two investigators who had once again sat adjacent from them.

Sting and Kill Shot said nothing. Both looking quite grim. This only served to put Twilight’s nerves on further edge.

“Well do you?” Rainbow Dash asked turning her attention to Kaneki who was behind her.

Kaneki didn’t say anything. Not because he wouldn’t, but because he couldn’t. He was too shocked to do anything right now. The boy had suspected something like this would happen but not this soon.

“Well!?” Twilight’s voice asked bringing his attention back to the two investigators sitting in front of her.

Kill Shot’s expression was one of contemplation, but Sting’s was one of annoyance.

“How could we know anything about this huh?” he asked. “We’ve been here this entire time. Rather rude of you to assume we had anything to do with this!”

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash scolded. “We never said you were involved in anything we’re asking if you know what that thing out there was and tried to do. And what the hay does that article mean it was trying to feed on ponies?”

“For the last time we-” Kill Shot silenced Sting with a raise of his hand gaining a silent curse from the younger investigator.

“You’re sure you want to know?” his voice asked with both caution and austerity.

Twilight gulped. Of course she wanted to know. If anything Princess Celestia and Luna would have seen this article by now, and any second could be preparing to take action on the matter. As another princess she needed to know what exactly they were dealing with, so she could inform the princesses.

“I do” Twilight nodded with conviction.

Kill Shot didn’t reply, his eyes were now looking at Kaneki. Rarity, and the others turned their attention to the boy behind them who merely stared back at the investigator in silence.

The look Kill Shot gave Kaneki, was one that asked “Should I?” at least from Rarity’s studious eye that’s what she could tell.

Kaneki nodded, “Go ahead.”

Turning his attention back to the mares who were once again looking at him Kill Shot began explaining the creature that had attacked at Manehattan.

“That was no monster, but a ghoul. Ghoul’s are well slightly similar in appearance to us. The difference being that, bullets, knives and any normal weapon used against them is ineffective and useless. If you were to face a ghoul right now and think you could win with a knife you might as well be hitting them with a rubber toy.”

The group of mares were shaken, with both Rarity and Pinkie gasping. “Are they really that dangerous?” Fluttershy asked once they had all managed to calm down a bit.

Kill Shot nodded. “Some are much worse, and the reason that one attacked that detective is most likely cuz he was hungry.”

“H-Hungry?” Pinkie asked. Both investigators nodded. “Y-You’re joking right? What kind of thing eats ponies?”

“Well they don’t” Sting said plainly. “They eat us. It’s the only thing they can eat. At least that’s what reports say.”

Silence ensued as the group took in what had just been told to them. Fluttershy had begun shaking and Sting had moved over to comfort the yellow pegasus.

“It’ll be alright though” Kill SHot said in an attempt to curb the group. “You have us. Our weapons are made from the only thing that can hurt them. Which is the same thing they use to hunt or fight. It’s a long story” he said waving Twilight’s curious look away.

“Besides” the investigator said pointing to Kaneki. “You have him. He won’t let anything horrible happen. Won’t you Kaneki?”

The six mares, along with Spike who had overheard the conversation from the kitchen all stared at Kaneki with concern in their eyes, concern and hope. And as the six mares and dragon stared at him, Kaneki couldn’t help but feel like he was back at Anteiku again...with the others.

A small smile crossed his face, as he gave them a reassuring nod. “I will. Don’t worry.”

Smiling immensely at the boy’s proclamation of protection, Pinkie jumped towards the boy and hugged him tightly, with Fluttershy leaving Sting’s side (much to his chagrin), Rarity and the rest getting in on the hug as well.

As the group hugged him and the two investigators watched with Kill Shot holding a grin of his own, the boy continued to hold the smile on his face. And though he stated he would protect them, a part of his mind said: “Yes. I will protect them.

“Even if I have to kill every single ghoul that tries to harm them. To harm, my new friends.”

Author's Note

Parfume

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: First Degree Murder

"Just Die"

A day had passed since the incident at Manehattan, and sitting in Twilight’s castle in silence were the two CCG investigators. Both Kill Shot and Sting said nothing once the group of mares had hugged Kaneki, and now an hour after that somewhat touching moment the two CCG investigators were now sitting in their room thinking of what precautions they should be taking.

Sting held his briefcase staring at it in silence. Then he glanced over to his now fully healed hand. Twilight and Fluttershy both had done quite the amazing job in healing his hand in the amount of time that would have taken an entire month to do so with medical help back in Japan.

In a worse case it could have either cost him his right hand completely with the way Kaneki had shattered his bones but thankfully the young man had been able to get the help of the most powerful alicorn on his side. Not to mention the kindest mare he had ever met.

Shoving those thoughts aside the blue haired man let his thumb run slowly across the handle and towards the button that would activate his quinque. His eyes burning with the desire to take out any ghouls that may or may not be in the streets lurking in the shadows at this very moment.

“Stop” a voice stated. Sting let his eyes move away from the device, though it was with great reluctance. Looking up at him was his superior giving the younger detective a stare that told him to drop the quinque.

Sting scowled complying with his senior’s wishes. Though he did not like a majority of orders he was given by Kill Shot the younger detective respected his senior, mainly for his prowess in battle and his friendly nature, however there were times where Sting would question that friendly basis with the way Kill Shot could command him to stop by simply looking at him.

Putting his quinque down on the side of his bed, Sting ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “So what’s the plan Kill?”

Kill said nothing. His dark brown eyes staring out the window that looked upon the town of Ponyville.

“We’ll need to do a scouting mission tonight” he said after a few seconds of silence. “It’ll be good to get some practice in as well, besides CCG’s main focus is to prioritize the citizens safety, and since we’re here. We’ll have to take these... ‘people’ under our protection. So don’t do any reckless fighting like you usually would understand?”

Sting nodded, hiding his inner relief with a calm look on his face.

Kill Shot nodded back, running his gloved left hand through his light light purple hair he stared at the ceiling in silence for a few seconds, before getting up and heading towards the door.

“Sting” he said as he grabbed his trench coat, and put it on. Opening the door he looked back at his partner with that same calculating and serious look on his face.

“Yeah?” he said grabbing his own coat, but Kill Shot held a hand to tell him to stop.

“I’m going out for a walk by myself, going to get a good look around the area see what I can spot or find. In the meantime you can do whatever you want, I suggest you go behind the castle. Do a little practicing before we head out. I’ll be sure to get back quickly so we can practice together.

“In the meantime do whatever you want” Kill Shot said his attention now towards the door.

“Also try not to be too reckless with Shokbureido. We don’t want to scare the people of this town or alert their authorities.”

Sting sighed, but nodded. “Alright fine. So we leave tonight?”

Kill Shot nodded glancing over his shoulder back at the younger detective “We leave tonight.”

Opening the door a bit wider and stepping through Kill Shot closed it behind him and headed downstairs past the library and towards Twilight’s front door. It was time this investigator did some snooping, to see just what they were up against.

Kaneki now sat outside a nearby sandwich store with Pinkie Pie and the other four mares, the pink girl having insisted after his decision to help them that they all go out and get something to eat. It had lasted about an hour or so. Shortly after though Rainbow Dash said she had some tricks she said she had been wanting to try out and would meet up with the group later, for the small party Pinkie Pie was planning the following night.

Now that it was in the afternoon the group sat chatting with one another while Kaneki remained silently watching.

He smiled. The content faces and smiles everyone seemed to have on them seemed to earn him some peace. That is until he saw Twilight’s worried expression.

Twilight was at this moment in deep trains of thought. Her eyes narrowed. Her ears slightly drooping, her hoof tapping against the ground in anxiety, and that worried expression on her face.

For some reason Pinkie and the others hadn’t noticed, so Kaneki did the best thing he could do in a situation like this.

He cleared his throat, loudly.

Instantly the conversations between the dragon and four other mares died out almost as soon as they had started. Spike was the first one to catch Twilight’s familiar worried expression.

“Oh no, Twilight? What’s wrong?” Spike asked. “And you have a little” he pointed to his mouth in an attempt to show her she had crumbs all over it.

Twilight however was oblivious to this as she began to tell her friends what was on her mind. “I’m sorry guys, it’s just. This whole thing with Manehattan, the sudden appearance of these ghouls and you the investigators” she said offering Kaneki a quick glance.

“It’s just, I’m not sure how the town’s taking it, especially the princesses” a napkin floated in front of her Rarity smiling with a quick point to her muzzle.

A small blush formed on Twilight’s cheeks as she cleared her mouth of any crumbs that may be on it before continuing.

“And with what Investigator’s Sting and-” she shuddered slightly. “Kill Shot, said about them I’m starting to wonder if magic will even work on them.”

Kaneki’s brow slightly raised. That was an actually interesting point. Would magic even work on ghouls? Sure they could be suspended in the air but ghouls with a ukaku wouldn’t have to worry since they could shoot theirs like projectiles. But that didn’t mean there still wasn’t a way to counteract a magical effect like that.

Pinkie Pie’s voice brought him back from his thoughts.

“Twilight you’re overthinking things again” Pinkie said taking a sip from her cup. “Besides what makes you think magic wouldn’t work on these cannibals anyway?”

“It’s true darling. Plus I’m sure if magic didn’t work on them Kaneki, Sting or Kill Shot would have certainly mentioned it isn’t that right Kaneki?” Rarity asked.

Kaneki nodded, since in all honesty he had no idea if magic would work on them. How could he know or the CCG know anyway to begin with when in their world magic didn’t even exist.

So he nodded, seeing Twilight’s worried expression lighten up a bit.

“See that Twilight? Kaneki said it’s fine so just take it easy will ya? Besides it’s been a whole day since then and there haven’t been any more reports of somepony seeing another one of those ghouls” Spike said grabbing a handful of gems and shoving it into his mouth.

Kaneki couldn’t help but feel slightly awkward when he saw the dragon just shove minerals into his mouth and chew those extremely hard gems as if they were nothing but a snack.

“Anyway just try to relax Twi, nothing could possibly go wrong” Spike said with a confident smile.

“WHO’S THAT!?!” Pinkie Pie yelled pointing in the crowds direction.

Everyone turned and walking through the streets of Ponyville in the brightness of the day was Associate Investigator Kill Shot, silently yet swiftly making his way through the groups of human equines that would occasionally stare as he passed by.

“Is that Kill Shot?” Fluttershy asked. “I’ve never seen him come outside of you’re castle Twilight. Does he ever go outside?”

Twilight shook her head, a look of curiosity now replacing the concern previously on her face. “No, him and Sting haven’t left the castle since they got here 2 nights ago. This must be the first time he’s even getting a look around the town, but does he even know where he’s going?”

Kaneki had now remained silent seeing the investigator moving through the crowd with that familiar sense that came off of investigators whenever they were searching for a certain target, or any target in general.

The sunlight flashed on something in the officer’s hand that was hidden from their view but Kaneki guessed at what he was holding in his hand.

His quinque.

“We should make sure he doesn’t get lost if he really doesn’t know Ponyville that well” Fluttershy said, but Kaneki held a hand out that blocked her path.

“Um Kaneki is something wrong?”

He shook his head. In actuality his arm had moved reflexively on it’s own to prevent the mare from moving any further. Despite his reply though the boy kept his arm out to prevent Fluttershy from moving ahead any further.

So they all sat at their table watching their human ally disappear into the mix of the crowd.

“What do you think he was doing outside today?” Spike asked finishing the rest of his gems.

“Well you saw his look when he found out about the ghoul attack in Manehattan, if it’s any consolation then he must be checking the area to make sure no one gets attacked” Rarity said with a frown. “Brave, but I’m worried he may get himself into trouble.”

“No.” Kaneki replied grabbing the mares and dragon’s attention. “Yokoshima isn’t as weak as you may think. He’s Sting’s senior for a reason” Kaneki stated.

Rarity nodded, simply taking his word for it.

“Now Ah get what you’re saying there Kaneki but-” Applejack rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. “Ya sure we shouldn’t follow him. Make sure to at least show him around so he doesn’t get lost?”

Kaneki nodded. “He will be fine. Yokoshima like I said before, is stronger than you think.”

Silence ensued for a few seconds before anything else happened. Kaneki got up lifting up his coffee cup.

“Where are you going?” Pinkie asked.

Kaneki stopped merely inches from the door. He turned his head, looked at the group and gave them a blank yet reassuring look. “To get more coffee.”

Lyra Heartstrings. The somewhat eccentric mare had heard rumors of a human and his partner staying in the confines of Twilight Sparkle’s castle and she would be damned if she couldn’t get this opportunity to meet such interesting creatures that for once weren’t hostile towards Ponyvillians.

It hadn’t been long since she decided to do a little camp out on her roof with a binoculars pointed directly at Twilight’s castle. Minutes had passed and she saw Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and that human she had seen earlier the day before with white hair, go inside.

“Ooo!” she said with glee. A human! And he’s not too bad looking either. Lowering her binoculars Lyra couldn’t help but grin at the thought of meeting this human. From a distance she could tell there was definitely something about him she’d like to know.

Eventually minutes passed and the mare got tired of waiting around and her roommate Sweetie Drops was calling for her, so she headed downstairs.

“What have you been doing up there Ly?” Bon-Bon asked.

Lyra waved a hand in dismissal, “It’s nothing Bonnie, don’t worry everything’s fine I was just trying to get a glimpse of Ponyville’s recent guests, that have been in Princess Twilight’s castle.”

“Lyra Heartstrings” Bon-Bon said with a stern tone.

Uh-oh. Whenever her best friend used her full name like that it meant trouble. “Yes Bonnie?” Lyra said with a sheepish smile at the stern look her friend now shot at her.

“What did I tell you about being careful with those strange quirks you get?” Bon-Bon said frowning as she brought the salad the two were going to eat.

“Hey you’re one to talk I still haven’t completely forgiven you for that whole secret-” Lyra was silenced by a hand covering her mouth. Bon-Bon was now carefully looking around the room as if it had been bugged.

“Ssssssshhhhhh!” her eyes still scanning the room. “I’ve told you it’s a secret!”

Lyra rolled her eyes and yanked her friend’s hand away from her mouth. “And I’ve told you my interest in creatures that don’t want to hurt us isn’t weird! That’s like saying Fluttershy’s care for animals is bizarre!” Grabbing the bowl of salad meant for her Lyra moved towards her room where she could access the ladder that would take her to the roof.

“Where you going?” Bon-Bon asked frowning once again.

“Outside to eat! Where I can gawk all I want!” Lyra stated, and with a slam of her door she did just that. Climbing the ladder with her tail managing to hold up the bowl of salad as she got to the roof. Once up there the mare fixed her buttoned shirt before grabbing the bowl of salad and placing it beside her and the binoculars that rested on top of her pencil and notes.

Sitting there she began taking small bites of her salad. “Strange” she grumbled with annoyance. “It’s not strange, with her being a secret agent?! Now that’s strange!” she stated grumbling some more.

Minutes passed and Lyra was almost done with her salad, and the musician was starting to get bored. Sighing she took what was most likely the fifth look she had made since coming back to the roof through her binoculars. It had been about nearly an hour now and no signs of the group that had went in had come out.

Maybe they left while I was downstairs? she thought but shook her head. It was simply too fast, even if they had left she would have at least caught a glimpse of them. That’s when she felt a poke on her cutie mark that made her squeal in surprise.

Nearly jumping and falling off the roof, Lyra looked down the hole that lead to her room only to see a beige colored earth pony staring at her with a small smile.

“Hey there Ly” Bon-Bon said. Lyra shot the earth pony a look in response sliding back to her original seat with her binoculars around her neck.

“Don’t do that! You nearly made me jump off this roof!” she scolded. Bon-Bon merely smiled in response.

“Sorry bout that but I just wanted to make sure you weren’t made.”

“Don’t worry I’m not.”

“You sure?”

“Yes I’m sure Bonnie.”

“Okay that good because you see-” Lyra’s tail got right in the mare’s face forcing her to stay quiet by the sudden action.

“Um, Lyra what was-”

“SHHHHH!” she stated with a fierceness. Lyra was now peering through her binoculars.

“What are you-?

“SSSHHH!”

“But-”

“SSSSHHH!”

“I just-” a finger placed itself rather roughly on Bon-Bon’s lips. Lyra’s face now inches from her as she now gave her a glare that told her “if you say one more word I will kick you off that ladder.”

Bon-Bon wisely nodded, Lyra smiled before retracting her glare and her finger away from her friend’s lips before moving back to her previous action. Bon-Bon seeing her friend was rather quite preoccupied she decided to join in and get a look at what she was so fervently staring at.

Pulling herself up, the beige mare sat beside the unicorn trying to see what she was seeing.

“What do you see?” Bon-Bon asked after a few seconds.

“...I think it’s one of those guys that stays with Twilight at her castle. It looks like he’s heading this way...” a few seconds of silence passed by before Lyra quickly shot up to her hooves, and then jumped down to her room. In a blur of mint the unicorn was already outside heading in the direction of where Kill Shot was headed. Hoping to possibly meet him halfway so she could follow him to wherever it was he was headed.

Realizing this the earth pony literally jumped off the roof and landed on the ground with ease only managing a few cracks in the ground before she took chase after her friend.

Agent Sweetie Drops is on the case!

*** ***** ***

Kill Shot had been walking in silence. He had noticed Kaneki and the group of mares staring at him when he had passed by earlier but had simply ignored it. And now if his months of training at CCG, tracking and fighting ghouls had done anything for him then he was one hundred percent sure he was being followed by two people right now.

After a few more steps Kill Shot stopped, with a sigh. He had easily blended in with the crowd of equines that were staring at him, but that didn’t make his job of trying to pinpoint who his stalkers were, and where they were any easier. At this point the investigator had two options.

Lose them. Or confront them.

The former being the last one he wanted to do since he knew they’d only try to follow him if he kept going, but at this rate he confronting them wouldn’t be easy either. Not when you have a crowd of equines staring at you every now and then like you’re the strangest thing they’ve ever seen.

Which in some cases they weren’t completely wrong on.

Taking a few more steps Kill Shot tilted his silver briefcase a bit so he could try and catch a glimpse of any movement towards him that was coming from the rear. He caught a faint glimpse. Two figures: one wearing a blue jacket with what looked like a beige coat. Another wearing a blue buttoned shirt, he didn’t catch the color of this one’s coat.

So Kill Shot kept moving starting to see the sun slowly descending. It was still afternoon, so at the very least he hoped he would be able to catch his stalkers and kick them out so he could do some more snooping in peace without worry.

Pinching the bridge of his nose he let out another annoyed sigh. “I hope Sting’s getting some training done. This looks like it will take longer than I thought.

Ichi! Ni! San! Yon! Go! Roku! Shichi!

Sting shouted with each swing of his blade. The First Class ranked ghoul hunter was swinging his spear like Quinque with ease. Going from formation after formation. He had always trained seriously whenever he and his partner would head out to a mission, not being prepared would spell death for any investigator. He had found out the hard way during the raid they had done watching several members of his team die had left a sour taste in his mouth, and opinion of ghouls altogether.

Every swing allowed the boy to exercise his muscles, feeling himself loosening up a bit as he slowly started working up a sweat. So focused in his movements was he, that he didn’t even notice when Fluttershy and the rest of the group had come around to notice he was practicing.

“Oh my!” Rarity said clearly enamored by the young man’s muscular figure that had been so well hidden by the clothing and armor he had worn. But now being shirtless the group of mares were quite capable of seeing his physique clearly.

Fluttershy squeaked covering her blushing face, and strangely enough the investigator found his cheeks and ears reddening a bit themselves.

Applejack whistled. “Wow there Sting, I’ve been bucking apples all my life, and I’ve got to say ya sure do look well built if I do say so myself.”

“Oh I agree!” Rarity said with a smile much to Spike’s chagrin. “Quite well done- Say Sting, why don’t you visit my place sometime I’m sure I could get you some other clothing to wear? After all you and your partner have been wearing the same clothes for the past two nights no?” Rarity said with a smile and lidded eyes.

Though flattered Sting shook his head. “I’m sorry I can’t I’ve got to meet up with Kill, later today. Thanks for the offer though” he said hitting a button on the spear’s handle, the quinque reverted back to a briefcase form.

Clearing his throat when Fluttershy glanced up at him Sting nodded, to the group. “If you’ll excuse me I need to take a shower.”

Rarity’s eyes continued to follow Sting even much after he had already passed by and left the group behind, Kaneki on the other hand had remained silent the entire time. Not really caring that much, but nonetheless remaining neutral on the matter of reaction in this type of situation.

Twilight had to snap Rarity out of it by telling the mare her hair was getting fritzy, in order to quell the seething Spike’s rage.

“Anyway” Applejack said to try and change the topic. “Where’s Dash again?”

“She said she’d meet us back here once she was done with practice, we should probably head inside in case she might already be in there.”

The group nodded and everyone heading around the castle back to the front entrance. And just as Kaneki’s foot was about to take step in the castle, he froze.

Slowly and carefully he turned his attention to the street that was more than a couple feet away.

“Kaneki?” he flinched, hearing Pinkie’s voice. Turning his attention in front of him Kaneki looked to see the rest of the group waiting for him to join them. “What’s wrong?” Pinkie asked.

Kaneki didn’t say anything his eyes quickly scanning their look of concern. Then his eyes widened. “Quick go upstairs and check to see if Rainbow Dash is here” he stated.

“W-What? Why so sudden Ka-”

“Just do it, please” he said coolly. The five mares looked at each other in confusion before quickly climbing the stares and leaving Kaneki behind at the front door. From there he could hear shouts for Rainbow Dash occur on the upper level till he heard Rarity shout back down,
“She’s not here.”

That was all he needed to know.

Leaving the door open and quickly running down the street as fast as he could Kaneki headed in the direction where he was getting this strange feeling from. If he was right, then he needed to get there before anything bad could happen. Because if Rainbow Dash was anywhere near that proximity. And she met it, then there’s no sure chance she would be able to escape even with all her speed.

Depending on the level of it he’d need to take this thing out with caution, but if he wasn’t carefully and attracted to much attention it would be game over. Either way it didn’t matter.

Because there was a ghoul in Ponyville.

Kill Shot’s eyes narrowed. A couple minutes ago he had caught sight and feeling of some cloaked figure almost three yards ahead of him, and whoever his stalkers were he still hadn’t been able to find them.

Thoughts of just stopping and going after these persistent pursuers crossed his mind but if he ended up alerting this ghoul chances were it could either attack, or go into hiding again.

Kill sighed. “Looks like I have no choice” taking in a deep breath with his eyes closed Kill blocked out all surroundings. Ignored his pursuers and focused solely on the ghoul.

He opened his eyes, intensity radiating out of them as he began his slow stride towards the ghoul that was moving slowly up the crowd. Something happened. The ghoul had stopped.

It sensed his bloodlust!

The chase was on! Immediately breaking into a run the ghoul had taken off in a different direction, Kill Shot hearing the shouts and complaints of the crowd ahead, decided now was not the time to walk but for action. He broke into a run, keeping his thumb on the switch that would activate his quinque at any given moment.

Kill’s attention was now completely focused on the target ahead, as he ran vaulted and did some parkour over benches, and any other obstacles that may have been in his path. Suddenly he saw his target with a rather strong leap shoot off into a farther part of the town.

“Sneaky little guy aren’t ya?” Kill thought as he picked up the pace ignoring curious eyes. “Don’t worry ghoul. The hunt has just begun!”

*** ***** ***

Rainbow Dash was now floating through the sunny afternoon making her way back to Twilight’s castle when her discerning eyes caught something on the ground. A mint unicorn and beige earth pony.

What are Lyra and Bon-Bon doing? she thought noticing the strange way Lyra would take a glance at her binoculars every now and then as they moved through the crowd.

Trying to follow the direction of the binoculars the rainbow maned girl caught sight of a briefcase and familiar purple hair with gold highlights. “Kill Shot?” she thought out loud.

“What in the world is going on here?” she asked halting in midair. And then rather suddenly she saw Kill Shot’s disposition change quite suddenly, no longer was the human walking calmly, but suddenly moving in what felt like a confident and very intimidating stride. Then suddenly her strange officer friend suddenly burst into a sprint.

“Hm? Not bad” she thought with admiration at the speed he displayed, almost as fast as her when she and Applejack did that race to prove who was better, in completing stuff. But just almost.

Seeing Lyra and Bon-Bon suddenly do the same in an attempt to catch up, the mare moved glided down a bit to get a better look. Lyra seemed to be serious about following Kill Shot and it didn’t look like she was going to let up anytime soon especially not with the way Bon-Bon seemed to be frowning as she followed her friend to track this person.

Rainbow Dash grinned, that is till her eye caught something that looked a lot like a pony to be moving pretty fast down the road near an old abandoned building that was set to be demolished in a week. Cones had been placed all around it and at this very moment it was the part of town that was rarely visited.

Turning her attention back towards the ground and away from the quickly moving object Dash could see that Kill Shot was now heading in that very same direction, and if Lyra and Bon-Bon were faster than she thought then so would they in a matter of minutes.

She grinned.

“This looks like it’ll be fun” prepping herself for the dive, Rainbow Dash flapped into the air one more time before zooming off down the direction of Kill Shot and the strange figure.

Lyra and Bon-Bon were both tired and out of breath. They’d followed this human into the proximity of that old abandoned building that was going to be torn down in a week, to make room for a new mall being built here. But they’d lost sight of him once the crowd had slowly cleared up and gotten here.

“Where...is he...Ly” Bon-Bon asked using her placing both hands on her knees as she struggled to maintain consciousness after that extremely long run.

“I...don’t...know...we’ll have to...find him...after we catch...our breath” she coughed then collapsed to her butt leaning her head back in an attempt to grab more air.

After a few minutes of heavy breathing, some sweating and a few coughs here and there. The two females picked themselves up feeling if not a little better before moving around the buildings proximity. Not going in but looking around.

It had taken a few minutes of snooping but after turning up with nothing Bon-Bon sighed with frustration. “Lyra, I came all the way here with you. And we didn’t even get a chance to meet this guy. Can we please go home now?”

Lyra shook her head, stubbornly denying that her chance to meet a human had slipped so quickly when she had been so very close. “You can go I’ll stay. I need to find that human, get his name and figure out why he’s here.”

Bon-Bon frowned, moving forward and blocking her friend’s path as she attempted to move inside of the building. “Are you nuts?”

It was Lyra’s turn to frown. “What makes you say that?” she asked with an edge in her voice.

“Well first of all you dragged me out here on a wild goose chase only to come up flat with nothing. Second of all we’re here, no human in sight. And now you want to go into a old building that could possibly collapse at any time on its own at any given time, at any point of the day by yourself?”

“Well I didn’t ask you, to come with me now did I?” Lyra asked still holding the edge in her voice. “And of course I’m going there, don’t exaggerate it’s not that old.”

A creaking floorboard in response to that statement said otherwise. Lyra ignored it.

“Are you kidding me Lyra? Why don’t you want to let this go?! You’ve seen that kid Pinkie Pie’s with all the time but you’ve never approached him before! Why so interested in this one you’ve never even talked to. At least with that kid you’ve talked to him once!” The earth pony stated anger seeping into her voice.

“Well excuse me for having a bizarre interest in strange things! Agent Sweetie Drops!” Bon-Bon gasped, her expression soon turning into anger.

“I told you not to call me by my agent name it could-”

“It could what?!” Lyra shouted in anger. “Alert some secret group that’s after your little ‘spy’ agency what you’re doing hm?!” the mint unicorn asked with gritted teeth unaware of the shadow that now came behind them.

Bon-Bon was still glaring darkly at her friend also unaware of the shadow closing in on them. “No! It’s complicated. I only told you that because we’re best friends! And if they find out they’ll-” they both froze now taking a second to notice a third shadow mixed with their own.

Slowly the two looked up to see standing before them was a human in slightly tattered clothes. And behind that human looked to be that of a scorpion tail.

Lyra squealed with delight. “Oh sweet!” she stated moving forward but Bon-Bon quickly grabbed her wrist.

“Lyra!” she whispered. “I don’t think that thing is what we were after.” Lyra wrenched her hand away, with a disapproving look. “What makes you say that?”

“Look at his eyes” the mare stated with fear.

And she did, what she saw sent a shiver down her spine. Staring at her with black eyes and red irises were those of the human that was now slowly moving towards them with a hungry look in his eyes. His scorpion tail now extending at the tip to become sharper and more lethal as he took a weak step towards them.

Lyra gulped fear leaping into her.

Bon-Bon was also terror struck but seeing the fear in her friend’s eyes provided some form of strength for her, grabbing Lyra’s hand the two rushed inside the old building. Only to be blocked off by another ghoul that had a blade protruding from what was most likely it’s shoulder.

“Lyra” Bon-Bon said as she began to tremble. “I’m sorry about the whole agent thing. And my complaining about this whole human search we did” she stated as they began backing up towards a rather weak looking wall.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been nagging you so much about the whole Agent thing. Also if I’ve been annoying this whole time you’ve been escorting me I just really wanted to meet a human. Didn’t think we’d get ourselves into trouble for it” she stated grabbing Bon-Bon’s shaking hand who gave a light squeeze in return.

“Well isn’t that sweet.” One of the ghouls stated, wiping the drool off his lips. “A little apology before we eat, now that’s just a fitting end ain’t it?”

“Agreed” said the other ghoul. “Well then. Let’s eat!” they said. And in an instant the scorpion swiped at Lyra and Bon-Bon with it’s tail creating a hole in the wall which the two fell through only to land outside once more.

Scorpion tailed ghoul grinned as he took in the terrified expression of the two mares before him. Raising his tail to deliver the final strike.

“Itadakimasu.”

CLING!

Kagune, meets Quinque as Kill Shot blocked the hit with his quinque. The dual sword like gun, being held in his hand with little to no effort despite its significantly larger size.

Lyra and Bon-Bon stared in a state of shock at the man who seemed to appear out of nowhere to come to their aid.

“You may want to get back” he said Lyra was still in a slight daze by what just happened but the tugging on her clothes by Bon-Bon got her up, just in time as well because the ghoul was ready to shove the investigator into the ground with ease, where she had been laying.

That is he was ready to do so till a hoof firmly met his face sending him hurtling across the ground away from both investigator and the two mares, as his comrade stared with shock by the blow.

“That’ll teach you not to mess with my friends” Rainbow Dash said with a grin. Turning her attention back to the investigator with a slightly raised brow and the two mares behind him she asked “You alright?”

They all nodded.

“Duck” Kill Shot demanded pointing his sword like gun in her direction, doing him a solid, she flew out of the way just as the ukaku shard was released, and imbedded itself in the gut of the second ghoul that had been moving towards them. The ghoul didn’t die but it was injured.

Kill Shot closed his eyes. And intensity by which the likes the ghoul had never seen in eyes before shot out at him, as the investigator began to take a slow step closer.

“W-Wait!” the ghoul said trembling. “T-This wasn’t my idea! It’s not my fault we’re just hungry! We need to eat!”

“If you wanted to eat then there’s a cemetery about a mile away from here. I’m sure you knew that was there” Kill Shot stated now stepping through the hole in the wall towards the ghoul.

The ghoul’s hesitation was a bad move. Kill Shot began moving closer.

“Wait!” he stopped to turn and relax his gaze at the surprises expression of Lyra. “Do you need to hurt it?”

Kill Shot’s eyes widened, before he shook his head and turned his attention back to the trembling ghoul in front of him. “This ghoul has tried to kill before.”

Bon-Bon’s muzzle crinkled in disgust as did Rainbow Dash’s look of abhorrence. Lyra seemed to almost gag but continued to try with persuasion.

“But you heard him he was hungry. I’m sure he was attacking us because he thought we were going to steal his food.”

Kill Shot didn’t look back his glare once again now fixed on the ghoul in front of him. He let out an audible sigh.

“Rainbow Dash” he said making the pegasus slightly tense up at the unnatural level of sternness in his voice. “Tell her what I’ve told you.”

“But-”

“Rainbow Dash” he said slowly turning his head and looking at her. The look in his eyes made Rainbow’s wings snap shut and force her to land on the ground. “Please” his stare relaxed into that familiar look of kindness.

“Tell her.”

Dash gulped, nodding before waiting a few seconds to spread her wings once again slightly shaken up. “He wasn’t trying to protect his food” Dash said with clear disgust in her voice.

“You were his food.”

The looks of shock on both the mares faces was enough to give her the understanding that they understood just how close they’d come to dying.

“N-No way but he’s human also right? He’s just different-”

“Ghouls aren’t human” Kill Shot stated. He took another step towards the ghoul that was now trying to escape his fused Quinque blade Zakiru. “They look like humans, but some are monsters. And some are kind. This ghoul here has tried killing before. He just tried to kill you, and as a member of the CCG it is my duty to put an end to this, and his actions.”

Lifting his blade Kill Shot prepared to strike the trembling ghoul, till he heard Dash’s yell and the mares shout. Quickly turning his attention behind him he watched just in the nick of time as he saw her get tackled to the ground by the other ghoul who quickly flicked his tail knocking Bon-Bon and Lyra aside.

Just as he was about to move in to help Kill Shot heard movement in front of him, jumping out of the way and managing to counter a koukaku to the arm he could see that the level B ghoul before him was now healed.

Kill Shot grimaced, because soon enough he heard six more drops behind him. Each new ghoul landing and either drawing out a koukaku or bikaku of some type.

“Damn” Kill Shot cursed.

He was trapped, and now the girls would have to fend themselves as best they could. Which he knew wouldn’t be long.

Outside Rainbow Dash was thrashing around with the ghoul that had her firmly stuck to the grown.

The ghoul laughed as Rainbow effortlessly tried to punch him over and over and over again, only to yell and feel her extremely hard head smash into his face, actually causing blood to shoot out of his nose in the process.

The blood dripped onto Rainbow’s red shirt barely making it visible and with a snarl the scorpion ghoul tried to slam it’s tail into Rainbow’s head but the pegasus managed to dodge each strike as best she could, only managing to get a very small scratch on her left ear.

Gritting her teeth and feeling the fury rise in her when she noticed the unconscious bodies of Lyra and Bon-Bon Rainbow Dash used her hoof and jammed it right into the ghoul’s crotch earning a screech of pain from the ghoul.

However this only made it grow angrier and grab both the mare’s wrists and slam them roughly into the ground. Using his tail like a hoof of sorts he slammed it around one of Rainbow’s legs so she couldn’t move that one while placing all his weight on her thigh so she could stop thrashing, earning a grunt of pain from the cyan pegasus.

Drool and blood both started to drip onto Rainbow’s chest as she attempted to give the ghoul another headbutt but this time he countered with his own sending her into a daze.

Rainbow Dash felt tears sting her eyes from the pain both on her leg, and the force she’d been hit with on the forehead. The ghoul hungrily stared at her, letting his blood and drool drip down on her as he licked up her to her neck soaking in what he knew would be a very good meal.

“Oi” Rainbow heard the ghoul say as she blinked to clear her eyes of the burning tears in her eyes. “I’m going to eat you nice and slow” he said, making her bite her lip in fear.

“But I’m going to do this slow, while my friends back there handle your friend” he leaned in and whispered nibbling the cut on her right ear. “You’ll be my desert for the next few minutes.”

Feeling even more fear leap into her Rainbow tried to thrash about again this time spreading her wings. Bad move, the ghoul placed his other knee on her left wing and she screamed in pain.

“Rainbow Dash! Hold on!!” Kill Shot shouted through the sounds of clashing objects in the destroyed building.

The ghoul laughed as it watched the tears slide down Rainbow’s eyes, she continued to bite her lip in pain. Leaning in he whispered in her ear. “Thanks for the meal.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened in horror as the ghoul lifted his head up ready to sink his teeth into her as he opened his mouth to bite.

Closing her eyes she waited. And waited, and waited. But nothing happened.

Opening an eye she looked at the ghoul to see his mouth slack still opened and looking straight ahead of him. She did the same tilting her head back as far as she could to see what he was looking at.

Right across the street of the abandoned building, walking out of the shadows, was a boy with white hair and the exact same clothing as Kaneki. He stopped. Staring at them, then slipped his hand into his pocket and put something on.

The ghoul was still frozen as the boy walked right up them now inches away. Slightly disturbed by the mask she now knew Kaneki was wearing the boy looked at her, then the ghoul.

“Did you put that scratch on her ear?” he asked the frozen ghoul above her. He stupidly nodded.

The boy closed his eye, then it flashed into it’s ghoul form just like the ghoul above her. Instantly she felt the ghoul above her release his grip on her and immediately back away from the boy standing above her with a menacing look in his eye.

Kaneki walked by Dash then moved towards the ghoul his eye returning to normal quick enough before she could see, and he removed the mask.

“Kaneki wait!” Rainbow Dash shouted, but was ignored and winced when she tried to get up on her injured wing.

Now standing face to face with the ghoul Kaneki repeated his question from before.

“Did you put that scratch on her ear?” his expression was dull, but the look of rage in his eyes was beyond normal.

The scorpion tailed ghoul gulped. Kaneki continued to stare at him.

“I see” he said stretching. “Hey?”

The ghoul flinched. “Y-Yeah?”

Kaneki finished his stretching then crouched his face directed on the ground as he slipped his mask back on and his eye went into ghoul mode.

“You’re going to die.”

Author's Note

Click

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Be Discrete
“Don’t give them any hints”

Now standing face to face with the ghoul Kaneki repeated his question from before.

“Did you put that scratch on her ear?” his expression was dull, but the look of rage in his eyes was beyond normal.

The scorpion tailed ghoul gulped. Kaneki continued to stare at him.

“I see” he said stretching. “Hey?”

The ghoul flinched. “Y-Yeah?”

Kaneki finished his stretching then crouched his face directed on the ground as he slipped his mask back on and his eye went into ghoul mode.

“You’re going to die.”

Kaneki’s head snapped up with one swift movement, his one visible eye that wasn’t covered up by the mask staring darkly at the scorpion tailed ghoul before him.

“Before I kill you” Kaneki said, maintaining his crouched position.

“Tell me your name.”

The scorpion ghoul swallowed, a drop of sweat sliding down his cheek. “H-Haru. T-The Dicer.”

Kaneki stared at Haru in silence, before closing his ghoul eye and nodded. “Haru...when you go to hell, tell her, I said hi.”

“W-What?”

Kaneki didn’t respond he merely waited one second before he opened his eye again.

Ready. Using his right foot to propel himself forward the white haired boy flew towards the ghoul at an insane speed, planning to finish this with a simple beheading, Haru must have sensed this ducking just in time before Kaneki’s hand was able to make the swift movement towards his neck.

Using his tail to try and finish Kaneki, Haru launched his tail like an arrow at the one-eyed ghoul. Anticipating this Kaneki landed on the ground with only his toes touching before he sent himself a few feet back and away from the scorpion tailed ghoul once again.

“...He’s agile...I’ll give him that” Kaneki muttered. The ghoul however was scowling darkly at Kaneki, clearly knowing that if he let his guard down he’d be at a disadvantage.

“Kaneki!” he froze. Rainbow Dash was still conscious. “Kaneki run away!” she urged now in a sitting position.

Damn it Rainbow Dash.

A low grumbling sound soon filled the air that made Kaneki freeze as drool began to dribble off the ghoul’s mouth. Haru's ghoul eyes slowly turning in the direction of the pegasus’s voice.

His stomach. It was growling, which meant he needed food. And he wanted it now.

Licking the drool off his lips Haru turned his attention back to Kaneki who had taken the opportunity to get close, but the scorpion’s tail was faster.

Barely managing to dodge the attack Haru had to jump away from Kaneki and put a bit of distance so he didn’t end up losing his head.

“Kusou!” the ghoul stated. “Why the hell are you-” he swished his tail to the side smacking something away. Glaring behind him no more than a few feet away was a rock.

Looking around the ghoul could see Rainbow Dash had thrown a rock at him and was now giving him the finger.

Kaneki’s eyes widened. “That idiot!” returning his eye to normal so she wouldn’t see his ghoul form the one-eyed ghoul rushed to Rainbow’s aid as Haru charged towards the mare.

Rainbow Dash had her leg ready though and wasn’t about to go down without a fight.

Haru didn’t care though, he’d figured he’d just jump and bite her hard, so he could hear her scream. Maybe if he was fast enough he could get a nibble of her sweet tender flesh before that ghoul finished him off.

Kaneki was having none of that.

Just as Haru pounced forward to the pegasus Kaneki, grabbed the ghoul’s tail and tilted his body weight forward while he arched back, in a smooth arch motion he swung Haru backwards away from Rainbow Dash and firmly slammed him into the ground with a thud, that caused dirt to raise into the air.

Doing so however had cost Kaneki his balance in the process so he had fallen as well.

“Kaneki!” the mare yelled with concern, but Kaneki ignored her. He needed to focus, because if he didn’t then she and those two unconscious mares would die.

Using his hands to jump back to his feet the boy, watched Haru quickly get up, then swing his tail at him. Kaneki ducked.

Haru was quick so when Kaneki had ducked he quickly did it again, but Kaneki was faster, jumping on the tail and running along it, slightly throwing both Rainbow Dash and Haru off as he ran along the tail with ease.

With a wriggle, Haru threw Kaneki off sending him high into the air.

“Shit” Kaneki cursed his eye narrowing at the ghoul as he watched him change his position away from Rainbow Dash and towards the...two unconscious mares to his right.

Once gravity took its toll and worked its magic Kaneki straightened his body and dove, directly towards Haru who was now moving towards the unconscious Lyra.

Leaning in, and wiping his lips the ghoul raised his tail so he could cut the girl a bit and hear her scream or at least whimper. To him it was the most delectable part of a meal. Watching him/her squirm before him, as he would cut in and slowly eat away at them sent orgasmic shivers up his spine.

“Almost...almost” he breathed, but quickly jumped back feeling one of the hairs on his bangs get sliced clean off. As Haru moved back, unaware that he was now clearly in Kaneki’s line of assault, Haru noticed a ukaku shard lay embedded within a fence far above the mint colored girl, but directly where the ghoul’s head had been.

Glancing over to his left back to where the old building was, Haru saw for a split second that the investigator had killed four out of seven of the ghouls that were attacking him, and with a split second he had managed to aim and fire a ukaku blade at him before evading another attack from a squirrel tail like bikaku.

How in the he- Haru’s face contorted in pain. He could feel a terrible pain coming from his bikaku, like it was being ripped apart at the tip of its segment, where the blade was.

He tried to turn but found if he did the pain increased, so he forced himself with a grunt of pain and sweat to look behind him.

Kaneki was holding the ghoul’s tail, crushing a part of the tail’s tip where the blade was in one hand and firmly pulling to detach the entire kagune with his other. The mask hiding the calm expression he had at the moment, but the ghoul eye only intensifying the rage within.

Immediately fear shot into Haru, like bullets, swinging his tail around the boy tried to slam Kaneki into a fence but he would not budge, only sliding slightly to the right, before coming to a complete and inevitable stop.

“SHIT!” Haru yelled, Kaneki was not distracted, he kept applying force till he heard a crunch come from the tip of the blade, ignoring the small pains he could feel in his hand. He could hear Rainbow Dash cheering him on at this point, feeling somewhat a bit better that she was not traumatized enough by this to simply stare in shock.

At the same time he was glad they weren’t close enough for her to see his eye.

Haru was still thrashing trying to get the Centipede off of him, but Kaneki refused to go into the fence wall.

“FINE!” Haru yelled lifting his tail up with some effort, ignoring the pain he could feel, Kaneki lost his ground before he felt the tail drop with a sudden force.

BOOM!

Haru slammed his tail into the ground, throwing a grin in Kaneki’s direction believing he had let go.

A sharp pain in his tail said if only.

Smoke cleared and Kaneki was on the ground, he had broken the blade completely off the scorpion tail, and was now trying to rip the tail completely off Haru.

Immense pains started to shoot up, his back as he could feel more segments of his tail beginning to crack under the extreme pressure that Kaneki was putting on it. The boy must have been using all his strength because bikakus are extremely durable.

Another crack, dragged Haru’s attention away from the pain and the look of determination in that one ghoul eye.

Why? Why is he doing this?! We’re both ghouls if anything we should be working together to eat those three and kill that detective?! Why is he siding with the enemy!?!!

Retracting his kagune, Haru allowed Kaneki to get in close as he pulled him in along with the kagune.

Bad move.

Thinking he could swing at the white haired boy with ease once he was close enough Haru retracted the kagune tail only to have his face met with a fist directly into his already broken nose.

A grunt of pain escaped as he tried to land a hit on the fast boy, Kaneki dodged his futile punches.

Grabbing Haru by the collar and flipping him on to the ground Kaneki jumped on the boy’s chest using his legs to pin both the ghoul’s arms down, Kaneki delivered, punch, after punch, after, punch, after jab, after punch into the ghoul’s face.

Haru took the hits, watching the bubbling anger in Kaneki’s eye as best he could with every hit. The female he had heard cheering was still continuing but wasn’t as enthusiastic as he had heard before.

Kaneki’s knuckle was starting to get bloody with Haru’s blood; his cheek swelling and his lip bleeding.

“Kaneki!” Dash called. “You can beat him to a pulp but don’t kill him!” she said stated.

Kaneki ignored her, she had no idea what he was dealing with here. He was one of them, he knew what it was like to starve, to hunger to the point where he was so desperate he had nearly eaten the flesh of a deadman in an alley when he first began his experience as a ghoul.

It had been horrible. But there was no way in hell he would ever let his friends die at the hands of a ghoul like this, not today, not ever.

He had stopped punching Haru now, simply staring at the swelling boy’s cheek.

The least he could do was offer the boy, the way he wanted to die. “Where do you want it?” Kaneki said after a few seconds of silence and cool air passed by.

He watched Haru’s throat fluctuate. Possibly swallowing a mixture of his own blood and spit before he spoke.

“Up yours.”

And just as he said the ghoul literally flew up or rather launched up into the air, knocking Kaneki off him in the process by unleashing his bikaku. Using the broken edge to dig into the ground and fling himself forward, Haru went into the direction of the two unconscious mares, heading for the beige one first.

Quickly bringing his tail to his side the level B ghoul aimed ready to strike, till he felt a hard tug on his leg.

Grabbing his ankle and swinging him to the ground Kaneki heard an audible crunch as a bone within Haru’s leg broke, as the ghoul’s face met dirt and possibly other debris.

Swinging him like a golf club Kaneki launched him in the direction of a nearby tree. Watching the ghoul spin out of control, but then go on a quick twirl with his tail as he used it like a hook to swing onto a tree branch.

His leg had a bone sticking out, was purple from swelling and looked to be bleeding, but within seconds it was healed and everything was back to normal for the ghoul.

Kaneki stood between him and the two mares now.

“You come here you die” he told Haru, then pointed to the surprised Rainbow Dash who was now trying to take in what she just saw happen.

“You go to her, you die” he stated more cooly. “Either way-”

“Either way I’m going to die” Haru said with a sigh.

“Frankly. At this point, I don’t see why not” he said with a shrug, getting a raised brow from Kaneki.

Hopping onto the branch with his tail still wrapped around the tree trunk, Haru jumped in Kaneki’s direction.

His plan worked because instantly Kaneki reflexively moved to counter, but nothing happened.

Haru had gone in Rainbow Dash’s direction, using his wrapped tail to stop himself and then propel himself towards the rainbow maned mare, Kaneki, launched forward tackling the ghoul’s tail and pulling back.

What happened next surprised Kaneki to no end.

The two fell to the ground, but Haru would not give up, Kaneki was pulling with all his might, desiring not to use his own kagune, as he pulled the foolish ghoul towards him so that he could drag him away and deliver the deathblow.

But Haru, knew his time was nye. So he forcefully detached himself from a part of his tail, wincing in pain as the tail came off and Kaneki was left with whatever remained.

Scrambling to all fours like a spider, the boy half-crawled, half ran towards the frightened mare, his tongue extended, his mouth drooling, and his eyes wide in delight.

I must have one bite! “ITADAKIMAS-” he stopped several ukaku’s forming a small wall in front of him, separating him from his dinner.

But he didn’t care climbing on it ignoring, the stabbing feeling in his hands the boy moved forward frantic with hunger.

Rainbow’s eyes widened with fear as she watched the ghoul make his way towards her, over the crystal wall his blood cascading down the ukaku shards, just a little.

Haru smiled no longer caring for the drool that wet his mouth like a dog. “Thank you for the meal.”

But that meal never came. Dragged down by Kaneki, the boy fell to his back with a grunt of pain, only to turn his head towards the building and see that every single ghoul that had fought against the detective was dead.

The glass shards dispersed, revealing Rainbow Dash shaking with fright behind them, losing her voice and will to cheer.

Kill Shot silently moved behind her, knelt down by her side, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder in a gentle soothing hug. “It’ll be alright” he whispered into her ear.

Placing his quinque to the side, the purple haired man used the side of his hand and firmly tapped a spot on the mare’s neck. Two seconds later she was out cold, limp in his arms. Lifting her up Kaneki kept his foot on Haru’s stomach the level B ghoul having lost any will to continue after seeing his comrades dead, and his only chance for food gone.

Kill Shot moved over to the two unconscious mares and checked their pulses. They were both still alive, just unconscious and had a few scratches.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips.

Gently leaving Rainbow Dash by their side the investigator turned his back to all three unconscious mares, and moved back to Kaneki whose foot was still on the dejected ghoul’s stomach.

Picking up his quinque and pushing a button the sword, gun like weapon reformed back into it’s case state, Kill Shot looked over at Kaneki from the corner of his eye facing the building where the dead ghouls were.

“If you want I can-”

“No” Kaneki said firmly staring at the lose of hope in the ghoul’s eyes. “I’ll take care of this, you go do what you need to do.”

Kill Shot looked at Kaneki for a few more seconds, seeing something in that ghoul eye he had only seen in only a few peace loving ghouls.

With a nod of his head and a slight return of that friendly smile of his Kill Shot made his way back to the bodies.

Kaneki stared silently at Haru who had shed a few tears as he watched Kill Shot gather the bodies of his fallen comrades and move them outside.

“You say you were hungry, but I’m sure if you’ve been here as long as I have then you must have noticed there was a cemetery not to far away from here. Correct?”

Haru nodded, not looking up at Kaneki.

“Then why?”

This time Haru looked up at Kaneki, tears dropping from his eyes. “Because I had the urge. I’ve been a rogue ghoul since childhood. Till before Anteiku’s raid I met those guys over there” he said looking back at the blood marks on the old floorboards.

“They took me in. Taught me how to hunt for food, carefully in the right way. If it weren’t for them I would be dead a long time ago. I owe those guys my life.”

Kaneki’s narrowed eye, slowly dropped it’s stern gaze as he took in what the boy said.

He knew that feeling. Touka,Hide, Yoshimaru, Hinami, Enji and the rest all made him feel like he could never repay them for the kindness they had showed. Even going as far as coming to his rescue.

Kaneki removed his foot from the ghoul and knelt down before him.

“I know that feeling” he said sadly, as he removed his mask. “But, you attacked my friends. My friends are the only family I have left, and I do not condone those that harm my family.

“You understand that right?”

Haru nodded slowly, another tear sliding down his cheek, he cracked a small chuckle, making Kaneki raise his brow.

“If the roles were reversed I’d do the same thing you’re about to do to me” he said allowing another tear to fall down his cheek.

Kaneki blinked. Closed his eyes, then put his mask back on so only his ghoul eye was visible, when he opened them again he just stared at Haru’s sad smile before speaking.

“Haru?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember my message?”

He nodded offering a weak grin, raising a thumbs up.

“Good.” Kaneki lifted his shirt up a bit so that it wouldn’t get torn, allowed one rinkaku to emerge from his back, then raised it in front of Haru who had accepted his fate.

“Sayanora.” The tendril drove into it’s target and Kaneki watched silently as the ghoul died within seconds.

Getting up once the deed was done Kaneki lifted Haru’s lifeless body off the ground then moved over behind the building, unleashing the rest of his rinkaku he dug a hole within the ground and dropped Haru’s lifeless body in it.

Before covering it Kaneki stared at the look of content, he had on his face. A few seconds passed before he covered the hole up.

Heading back to where the three unconscious mares were Kaneki moved to meet Kill Shot who was now carrying both the beige and mint mares on his shoulders. Not a drop of blood on him, obviously he was very careful in how he had dealt with the bodies.

“Ready to go?” Kaneki nodded, once he’d picked up the unconscious Rainbow Dash.

Together the two walked down the street in silence making their way back to the more populated streets of Ponyville, neither saying a word to each other the entire way.

*** ***** ***

Popping out from the shrouds of the bushes, a mare with a silver coat and blond hair stared in awe at her photos, of Kaneki’s display in skill and strength. She had not been able to catch any images of his face, but had definitely gotten shots of the strange creature’s speed and strength.

“Whoa” the mare said in awe. Moving over to the street she had seen the investigator and white haired boy walk down on with the unconscious mares. For a split second Silver Star wondered if she should contact the royal guard.

The unicorn quickly pushed the thought out of her head, having noticed how carefully the two had carried the unconscious mares.

“No no. I have to show this to Streamlight. He’ll be interested in seeing this.”

Moving towards Ponyville’s train station the unicorn placed the camera carefully back in her bag, her destination Manehattan. Where she was sure her young detective friend would be interested in the photos she would be bringing him in a couple of hours.

“Oooh is this going to be one heck of a scoop!” the journalist said with a grin.

Now in the room sitting beside Rainbow Dash was Kaneki.

The boy hadn’t left her side the entire time even when the doctors had told him that she only had a sprained wing and a few scratches.

So there he sat, staring silently at the sleeping mare his mask long gone, his eye back to normal and a genuine look of concern in his eyes as he stared at the sleeping mare.

A creak in the door, caused Kaneki to turn his attention to the door here he spotted a pink tail, before watching Pinkie Pie and the rest of her friends rush into the room with worried expressions on their faces.

“Kaneki what happened? Is Dash alright, are you alright?! What happened to Lyra and Bon-Bon?!” she asked grabbing Kaneki and shaking him by the shoulders at the same time scanning his slightly dirty clothes for any injuries or bruises.

“He’s fine” Kill Shot stated walking in.

“Nothing to worry about, Rainbow Dash was practicing a stunt, Kaneki must have noticed something wasn’t right and went over to check on her. I happened to be around the area when I saw her crash” Kill Shot said with a reassuring pat on the head to the worried mare.

“But what about Bon-Bon and Lyra?” Fluttershy asked when she saw the two were sleeping in beds beside Rainbow Dash.

“They got caught up in an accident when Dash tried to attempt her trick again” Kill Shot stated with a small chuckle while rubbing the back of his head.

“She’s pretty stubborn, so I had to knock her out and get Kaneki to carry her back here while I carried the two she knocked out.”

“It’s true” Kaneki said with a nod. “She just wouldn’t quit.”

A few seconds passed and the group slowly nodded. Applejack’s originally skeptical gaze lowering when she considered Dash’s personality when it came to her stunts.

“Well Ah guess that’s what Dash would do. She never really listens even when she’s injured” Applejack said with a frustrated sigh. “But to get Lyra and Bon-Bon tangled up in her mess also?”

The group seemed to relax a bit, Kill Shot smiled, and Kaneki remained indifferent, but offered a slight smile in return.

“Well I’m glad none of you were seriously hurt” Twilight said with a sigh of relief.

“Yeah” Spike chimed in. “Dash really needs to loosen up a bit in her practices.”

“I’ll say” Rarity said as she moved over and fixed Dash’s hair with a small smile.

Kill Shot moved over to the seat next to Lyra and stayed there observing the mint colored unicorn and her friend. The rest of the group moved over to look at them as well hoping Dash’s incident hadn’t really harmed them.

A couple of minutes passed and the group got to talking, with Kaneki simply drinking a cup of coffee.

“And then I said no you give me a cupcake” Pinkie said, getting a few laughs from everyone.

That is till Rainbow Dash moved in her sleep.

Kaneki who had been sitting by her side the entire time looked at her. A few more seconds passed and the mare got up, stretching in her bed, before she sat up in her medical gown. “Hey guys. What’s up?”

The frowns she received from the group baffled her.

“What’d I do?”

“Your stunt put two other mares in the hospital” Twilight said still frowning.

“My what?” Dash asked.

“Don’t play dumb Dash you know, the stunt you said you were practicing on before you left earlier today!” Pinkie said now leaning into the bed.

Rainbow Dash continued to look at her friends with confusion, till her eyes widened in realization. “Oh yeah!” she said, “Oh man” she slapped her hand to her face with an apologetic smile.

“Yeah yeah, sorry guys that was my bad. Um where are Lyra and Bon-Bon anyway?” she said.

Everyone pointed to the two beds beside her.

Rainbow Dash gave an embarrassed blush. “Right, man I’m going to have to apologize to them later.”

“You better” Twilight said her frown turning into a small smile. “You do owe them one, after all.”

Together the group began chatting for a couple of minutes, Kaneki catching Rainbow Dash staring at him every now and again in between conversations. Those looks he’d then direct to Kill Shot who completely ignored him as he engaged in conversation with Spike.

Eventually Nurse Redheart came in and told everyone visiting hours were over and that Rainbow Dash needed her rest.

Once everyone bid their goodbyes Kaneki and Dash were the last remaining.

“Guess I’ll be going then. Take it easy Dash” getting up from his seat beside her Kaneki began moving towards the door, but stopped when he felt a hand grab his wrist.

Looking over to Rainbow Dash he could see the mare was holding a warm smile at him. She tugged at his wrist for him to come closer.

Complying Kaneki sat back down beside her.

“Kaneki” she said softly still smiling, a look of gratitude in her eyes.

Does she remember what happened? Kaneki thought, but simply remained impassive, waiting to hear what she had to say.

“Kaneki, I don’t remember what happened that got me injured. Nor do I know how Bon-Bon and Lyra got caught up in it, but I’m pretty sure my stunts had nothing to do with it. Right?”

Kaneki hesitated, but that only served to give the rainbow haired girl confirmation, she smiled a bit wider at him, taking a hold of his hand gently in hers.

“Hey, I don’t know what happened, but I get the feeling whatever you did was really important. Not just for me but for those two also. And while I don’t remember what went down I do have one thing to say to you.”

Kaneki raised his brow in anticipation.

“Thank you Kaneki. For whatever you did thank you. I feel like if I don’t say that to you now I’ll end up regretting it in the future, so don’t worry. I won’t tell the others that you and Kill Shot made something up. It’s our little secret okay?” she said with a mischievous wink before releasing Kaneki’s hand.

Kaneki’s eyes widened. Not just because of the fact that she couldn’t remember, but because of the fact that despite not recalling the horrible things that happened. Which in all honesty he was glad she didn’t remember, she had still decided to thank him.

It made him feel...happy.

“Kaneki?” Nurse Redheart said walking back in with her arms crossed. “Visiting hours are over, you can talk to Dash tomorrow alright?” she said sternly, but with a touch of gentleness.

Kaneki nodded. Getting up from his seat and erasing all trace of surprise and joy mixed on his face. Hearing a whistle he turned to see Rainbow Dash wave goodbye to him with a smile.

He smiled back, and did the same.

Meeting the rest of the group downstairs at the waiting room Pinkie Pie smiled, and gave him a nudge. “Getting closer to Dash are we?”

Kaneki for the first time actually chuckled at her joke, surprising everyone in the process.

“Not in the way you think” Kill Shot said once everyone had regained their composure.

“He’s right, not in that way” Kaneki said with a small smile. Pinkie grinned back both at the fact she had got him to laugh and that he was smiling a bit wider than usual. Hugging her friend tightly the pink mare spun on her hoof and pointed outside. “Let’s celebrate when Dash gets better!”

Her friends cheered, and joked as they began heading out leaving Kill Shot and Kaneki a few feet behind, still within the hospital with no one else in the waiting room.

Kaneki’s smile soon faded once his friends were gone, his eyes moving to the investigator.

“What did you do to her?”

“I gave her some medicine so that she would forget what happened” Kill Shot responded calmly. “It was necessary, I did the same for the other two mares. They won’t remember what happened today either.”

A few seconds of silence passed before Pinkie’s voice outside could be heard calling to them.

“Hey Kill Shot! Kaneki! Get your butts out here!”

The two stood in place for a few more seconds before Kaneki turned his attention towards the front door.

“Thank you Kill Shot.”

Kill Shot stared in silence as Kaneki moved on towards the door then stopped to look back at him.

“Coming?” Kaneki asked before moving on to go outside and meet the others.

The investigator simply remained silent a few more seconds, before breaking into a warm smile and readjusting his glasses. “Your welcome” he muttered before taking a few steps to the doors.

“Hey wait up! I’m coming also” he called.

As the group began heading somewhere to get a bite to eat as it was getting late at night, Kaneki couldn’t help but think how lucky he was to have been able to avoid having to use his powers to their fullest, especially in front of Rainbow Dash.

“From now on I need to be more careful” he said under his breath.

Pinkie’s ear twitched and she looked over to Kaneki beside her. “Did you say something?”

Kaneki shook his head.

“Nope. Nothing at all.”

Author's Note

Things are getting interesting aren't they?

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Hidden Secrets

"Don't let the cat out of the bag. If you do it won't hesitate to attack."

“What exactly am I looking at here Star?” Streamlight asked, with annoyed look on his face.

For the past few days Silver Star, a friend of mine, working as a journalist for the Manehattan News Corporation had been constantly bugging me about the events that occurred about two or more nights ago, I can’t remember at this moment. Haven’t had enough sleep, since the chief and several other precinct areas have been upping town safety. When I gave her the interview she wanted so badly with me after the little incident, she got it published on Equestria Daily. The following morning the mare got sent to Ponyville by her boss to research if anything strange has been happening there as well.

And now here she was, back in my office with a wicked grin as she flaunted these pictures in my face.

“What do you think you’re looking at Stream?” she asked, with that annoyingly confident grin of hers.

Streamlight looked down at the pictures displayed before him. Five in total, each displaying a picture of a white haired boy performing feats that only a earth pony could do. What was more, the junior unicorn detective had never seen this type of creature before. He seemed to be of their kind yet he had no coat, no fur, the ears being smaller in comparison to any Equestrian he had ever seen, and the eyes...Why was one of them covered up?

“Well?” Silver Star asked with a grin. “What do you think? This will make front page for sure right?”

Streamlight looked at his friend carefully for a few seconds, taking in that rather too confident look she had on her face, then looked back at the pictures. Everything he was currently seeing was a little too much for him to take right now, the way the shots captured this po- being’s movement. The way this boy seemed so calm in front of one the very things that he had been unable to kill with his own gun.

It sent shivers down his spine. There was something else that the pictures had so well captured aside from the battle prowess that this white haired being presented.

Courage? No...that wasn’t it. It was something else. Something more than that. Courage was there alright that was a definite.

Streamlight shifted in his seat, a slightly uncomfortable sensation taking over him as he took another look at the bizarre and rather horrific mask this person wore.

His eyes narrowed as he peered into the barely visible face before him. What was it? he asked himself. What am I missing? a few more seconds passed in silence as he ignored the uncanny silence his friend had gained throughout the minutes of silence.

Lifting another picture up closer to his face, Streamlight squinted, scanning the boy’s expression. It was calm. It was placid, yet at the same time wasn’t. Like fury beyond anything he could imagine lay mixed in that hidden face, as he fought against this other ghoul.

“Streamli-”

“What was this ‘being’ doing?” he asked, he demanded. Silver Star was taken aback by the sudden strict nature her friend had gained. The type of strictness he brought out when he was doing investigations.

It took a second. Then another, Silver Star hadn’t expected him to react so strangely to the photos. She knew his incident had happened about two or three days ago but she hadn’t asked after she got the interview.

The way her friends shook when she was told what happened to them and the terrors they saw that night. She shuddered, although faintly. It was not something she wanted to remember. Especially the look of fear in the blue eyes of the bright pink earth mare.

“Star” Streamlight said, dragging her attention back to him. He was still staring intently at the photos.

“What was this ‘being’ doing?” he demanded.

Silver Star pursed her lips. Then sighed. The look in her friend’s eyes told her that if she didn’t answer him then he’d pester her till the end of time till he found out what he wanted, it’s how he worked since they were basically like brother and sister to each other.

“I’m not sure” she said, then furrowed her brows at the skeptical look Streamlight gave her. “Honest” she said with a hand to her chest. “I have no idea what he was doing there, I got there when they had already started the fight and obviously I wasn’t going to get involved in it, with the way they were moving.”

“But” she said after a few seconds of thought. Digging into her satchel she pulled out a sixth picture, the one she had planned on keeping in case she needed a back up. Now, placing it on the table in front of Streamlight Silver Star showed him the last shot she had taken. “It looks like he was protecting those mares.”

Streamlight’s eyes widened slightly, as he stared at the boy, now carrying the cyan pegasus. And out of all the emotions that was being depicted at this very moment, one was very clear to the young detective.

A deep desire to protect.

Streamlight stared in silence at the picture for a few more seconds. Then he got up, grabbed his uniformed trench coat that all Manehattan detectives are supposed to wear, and took all the pictures on his table that Silver Star had displayed for him, sliding them into his pocket. Pulling the drawer, in his desk he took out the cartridge, then turned around to the closet, where he kept other important files and documents on cases he worked on.

Opening the grey doors and allowing them to slide to the side, Streamlight stared at the safe that held something he hadn’t touched in days since the incident. His gun.

“Streamlight?” Silver Star asked with concern now seeping into her voice. “What are you doing?”

I didn’t answer. I just continued to stare, forelonging at the weapon I had relied to save both my friend and my own life that failed me in such a dire moment. It took a few seconds, before Streamlight’s hand moved to punch in the code for the safe. The tumblers clicked, then the electronic safe light flashed green, before popping the door open.

Drawing the weapon out Streamlight stared at his Automag V in silence. It was something few officers had, along with any other weapons they wanted provided they grab a license, get the required training and make sure only to use those other devices within the right circumstances. Having been a junior detective Streamlight had been offered a different handgun of somewhat better caliber but decided to rely on the gun he’d been using since his officer days.

Grabbing the clip and switching the empty cartridge for the new one Streamlight put his gun on safety before slipping it into his hip holster.

“Streamlight” he looked up, Silver Star stood in front of his door her arms crossed, and her frown strong. “What do you think you’re doing with my photos?”

“I’m going to get some answers.”

She raised a brow. “Seriously? Your joking. You’re joking right?” she said with a small snicker, but the stony expression the stallion had on his face said otherwise.

Silver Star’s snicker dropped. “Why would you want to go to Ponyville, because of this guy?” she asked clearly disliking where this was going. “I showed you those pictures because I thought you’d appreciate the work I put into them, and the fact that I found somepo- someone else that can fight those things off.”

“I am appreciative of your work. But now I need to go and get some answers” he said taking a step forward, but Silver Star didn’t budge.

“What do I tell Sweet Treat when she comes looking for you, which she will. You know she’s still shaken up about the whole incident and I’ve got work with MCN, I can’t stay with her as often as you can.”

Streamlight’s hardened expression faltered at that point being thrown at him, but he quickly put on a brave face. “She’ll be alright. I’ll go talk to her before I leave, I just need to get some answers and find out how that guy was able to fight that thing with no worries.”

A few seconds passed and Silver Star was giving her friend a critical stare. Streamlight’s expression had gone back to being confident in his decision and from the looks of it she could be here all day, and he wouldn’t budge. But she still had to try.

“What if” she paused, gathering her thoughts. “What if he had something, a weapon of sorts that took it down. I could go for you instead since I’ve still been assigned there and-”

“No” Streamlight said firmly. “I’m not letting the mare who’s like a sister to me go and end up letting her ‘journalistic instincts’ kick in and get herself killed.”

“Streamlight common I just want to-”

“I said no Silver Star! I refuse to let you go back there without any protection. I’m going to Ponyville, besides the bearers of the elements of harmony are there I have nothing to worry about, especially since I have a licensed weapon. You don’t. End of discussion.” Taking a few more steps towards the silver mare Streamlight now brushed past her, through the door and past the corridor, where they soon went down and elevator that would take them outside.

Silence consumed the two, as the elevator took them from the fourth floor, down to the first.

“You don’t have to do this you know” Silver Star said in almost a whisper. “All you need to do is give me those photos and I can get them published within a day. By then-”

“By then who knows how many others across Equestria will have died. Silver Star, you weren’t there. You didn’t see what that thing, what that ghoul could do. It was something no one, not even the princesses themselves have ever seen before. It’s movement was far beyond that than I had ever seen. And it’s healing factor and durability. Mind-boggling. I’m going to Ponyville, end of discussion.” A silent ding from the elevator signalled they reached the first floor. The doors split open and the two walked through the busy lobbies and halls where other detectives and investigators were working.

“Hey Streamlight” a voice called, making the two stop. A bright pink mare with a cerise mane came forward holding a small smile.

“Sweet Treat? What are you doing here?” Silver Star asked in surprise, the pink earth pony smiled and linked arms with her cousin. “I came to see how things were going with the...investigation.”

Streamlight’s expression went dour. “We haven’t been able to find anything concrete yet, just more rumors. No signs of disappearances either.”

“Oh. That’s good then” the mare said with a bit of a brighter smile. “Are you going somewhere?” she asked as they now went through the main door of Manehattan’s headquarters.

“I’m going to Ponyville. I think I may have finally found a lead on what those things are. With any luck I’ll be back in a few days” the disappearance of the smile on the mare’s face was not lost on Streamlight. It sent a ache in his heart to see the pony he cared about with such an expression.

“Are you sure about this?” she asked after a few seconds. They were now outside of the five story tower that was Manehattan’s Detective Agency. The three ponies stood a couple feet away from the building and were now looking on to the busy carriages that filled the rural roads.

Streamlight nodded. “And don’t worry” he said when both Silver Star and Sweet Treat opened their mouth. “I’ll stay safe” he said with an encouraging smile. The three hugged, an embrace they had rarely shared since growing up and moving on to pursue their own interests.

After spending a few seconds of silent embrace, they parted. Silver Star now locking arms with her cousin. Streamlight waved a taxi over and the stallion pulled up in a few seconds.

Before entering however he felt a tug on his coat. Looking back he saw Silver Star, holding a hand out to him.

“What?” he asked.

“You know what. The pictures. I gave you six, you only need one.”

“I think it’d be better if I kept them. You know, police purposes” he said smiling sheepishly. The glare he was receiving though could burn a hole right through him if he didn’t do something about this issue.

“Alright how bout this” he said digging into his pocket, and pulling out the pictures. “I’ll take one, you get the rest? But you have to do me a favor.”

“And what’s that?”

“Do not and I repeat do not publish these images till I return.” The look of disbelief on Silver’s face would’ve been funny if she hadn’t started shooting him daggers with her eyes.

“Why in Celestia’s name would I do that?!” she asked trying to snatch the pictures, but Streamlight merely held them out of reach.

“Because if you don’t” his horn glowed a light brown. “I’ll burn these pictures.” Immediately the mare went rigid, a look of fear and disbelief crossing her eyes.

“Streamlight!” Sweet Treat yelled. “You wouldn’t do that! She worked so hard for those pictures!”

“And those pictures could have gotten her killed had the fight she witnessed been any closer to wherever she was hiding” he admonished, quickly silencing the pink earth pony.

“Now. Silver Star, do we have a deal?” he asked staring at the silver unicorn with his light brown eyes.

With a scowl, and some reluctance she nodded. Snatching the five photos save for the one he had in his other hand out of his grasp.

“You have three days to get back here, or else” she held the photos up to his face. “These go on Equestrian Daily.” Streamlight nodded, heeding her warning.

Getting into the taxi, he waved goodbye to the mares he considered to be family. After the door was shut he gave them one last encouraging smile, a smile he felt was more forced than he had wanted, but pulled it off anyway. “Don’t worry you two. I’ll be back in no time.”

The carriage began its steady pull. “Where to?” the driver called.

Streamlight’s smile had now hardened. Taking in a deep breath he exhaled, before answering the driver’s question. “Take me to the train station. I’ve got someone I need to meet.”

Walking through Ponyville on the way back from one of Pinkie’s party planning jobs Kaneki was pushing the cart the mare used to carry all the stuff.

“Thanks for coming with me Kaneki” Pinkie said with a bright smile. “Pipsqueaks friends liked having you over as well” she said with a giggle.

Kaneki merely rolled his eyes. The group of young colts and fillies that had attended the party had not stopped poking and prodding him the entire time. Asking him all sorts of questions like where he was from. If he dyed his hair to get it that way, and why he wore shoes. It was anything but relaxing.

“Like would be a misnomer. I think they simply wanted to see what I was” he said with the faintest smile. Pinkie, laughed a bit when she saw his expression.

It was nice, seeing him smile. He’d been doing more of it lately ever since Rainbow Dash had been recuperating from her accident. But ever since then she’s been getting a strange tingling sensation in her nose.

One that told her one thing: Somepony was hiding something.

Still skipping by her friend’s side the mare watched Kaneki push the heavy cart with ease. Like it wasn’t even a problem for him despite the many many many things in it. It was quite the feat. She snorted thinking of how Rarity would simply do more than just admire Kaneki’s quite amazing physique.

Now that I think about it. When he saved me he did seem to have a tight grip...though it was a lot more gentle. Pinkie’s eyes scanned Kaneki. A thought popping into her head; it was strange, almost how the boy could be so distant at times. Like he was off in his own world, thinking about, going through things that not her or anypony else could understand.

Pinkie frowned. Now that I think about it, I don’t really know anything about him. I get he’s from another place, but I don’t know anything else aside from his name. She noticed Kaneki had stopped rather suddenly, a few things that lay in the cart falling off and dropping down to the ground, in front of the clothing store that Raiment Wear ran.

“Hey Kaneki what’s wrong?” she asked. But the boy didn’t reply. She moved over to the items that had fallen to the ground and began putting them back in. “Hey say something.”

Still no reply. Moving in front of him she saw the shocked look in the boy’s eye an immediate wave of worry running through her.

“Kaneki?” her voice full of concern. “Why won’t you-” she was cut off when rather suddenly the white haired boy grabbed her hand and pulled her right into the store.

“Hey! What’s going on?!” she asked but he didn’t reply. Opening the door quickly Kaneki left the cart full of party supplies in front of the store and went straight into to Raiment Wear’s shop. The stallion beamed him a smile and waved, but was ignored as Kaneki simply released Pinkie’s hand then hid behind a stack of clothes as he peered out the window.

Pinkie Pie stared at her friend with confusion. “Um...Kaneki?”

Raiment Wear who was dealing with a customer, trying to make a deal with him on clothing that Rarity had given him to sell left the client’s side after a hasty apology. “What’s going on here?” he said with a raised brow at the clothes Kaneki had practically swan dived into.

“To be honest...I’m not even sure. What’s he even looking at?” Pinkie followed his gaze to see that the boy was staring at...another human.

The human wore a coat that covered almost his entire face, and had on round lenses. In all honesty the look the man gave was slightly intimidating with the way his coat seemed to mask his face, and the rather annoyed glare he had.

Other ponies that had been passing by him seemed to take the hint that this person was obviously not in the mood for anything right now.

Pinkie turned her attention back to Kaneki who’d shifted closer into the surrounds of the clothing as the man passed the cart and soon came to the door, a filly with blonde hair following behind him with a smile.

“Hey there Dinky” Pinkie said with a smile. “Who’s um...who’s your friend?” she asked smiling weakly at the man who seemed to glare at her.

“His name’s Hachikawa. Mom’s friend. He’s been staying with us since yesterday.”

Pinkie’s ear twitched as she heard sudden movement behind her. Kaneki had left his hiding place and moved to another. The man named Hachikawa had obviously not lost sight of this as his eyes moved towards the stack of clothes that had been hung on the round rack.

“Excuse me sir” Raiment Wear said with a smile drawing the man’s attention to him. “I don’t mean to be rude but did you want something?” the stallion asked with a pleasant smile.

The man’s eyes stared at Raiment Wear, acknowledging his existence for a few seconds before they turned back towards the round rack, then glanced towards the stairs.

For a few seconds Pinkie felt something really bad was going to happen. She didn’t know why Kaneki was hiding from this man, but she didn’t like the strange presence that came off this man either. It gave her an uncanny feeling that she should take Dinky away from him.

Hachikawa was still staring at the stairs before Raiment Wear cleared his throat, beaming him another smile, that hid the annoyance on his face. “Sir. I have other customers I’d like to attend to. Is there a reason you came here?”

Hachikawa glanced down at the girl by his side. Dinky smiled sheepishly at him then rubbed the back of her neck. “I wanted to say hi. He offered to take me to Sugarcube Corner.”

“You mean your mother, made me go with you to Sugarcube Corner” he said with clear annoyance.

Dinky ignored the comment, and held the man’s hand. “Well we’re heading there now. Come on Hachii” she said leading him towards the Cake’s store.

“I’ve told you to stop calling me that girl” the man said as he allowed the girl to lead him towards the store.

Raiment Wear and Pinkie watched the rather strange man, walk off with the young unicorn. The annoyed smile Raiment had faded into a small chuckle as he watched the man get dragged along by the unicorn filly.

“Who’d of thought Dinky would have such an influence” turning his back to the pair as they walked off in the direction of Sugarcube Corner Pinkie Pie caught the look the man gave as he glanced back at the store.

Those eyes. They looked blank, like they were searching for something. Like they had expected something to be there.

Hachikawa continued to stare in their direction for a few more seconds till he felt a tug on his hand. Then he turned around.

His back facing them, as his thought travelled to what he had sensed. Ghoul.

Shutting the door Pinkie Pie turned her attention towards Kaneki who had just re-emerged from the second floor.

“What was that all about?” Raiment said, beating her too it.

Pinkie’s arms were crossed and she was giving Kaneki the same stare. The boy’s expression had gone stern. He shook his head.

“Nothing” Kaneki said. “It was nothing.”

“Like Tartarus it was nothing!” Raiment stated with a frown. “You just hid like a child who was about to be caught breaking something, why did you hide from that man Kaneki?”

“I told you it was nothing” Kaneki said once more, his own voice now growing serious.

Pinkie took a step forward, when Raiment shook his head with disapproval and left to attend to the clients that had been so patiently waiting, and a few of which that had been watching.

“Kaneki” Pinkie said softly. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.” A few seconds of silence passed as the only thing that could be heard was the clicking of hooves as other people moved around the store in search of the latest trends.

Kaneki shook his head, his white hair falling over his eyes and giving him a despondent look. “It’s nothing. Let’s go.” Walking by her the boy moved back to the cart and began pushing once more.

Pinkie stood at the store watching her friend begin moving, cautiously. Carefully. In all honesty she felt kind of hurt that she wasn’t being told his reason for doing so. So she took a deep breath and decided to try one more time. Waving goodbye to Raiment Wear before she followed him down the path.

“We’re not going home are we?” Pinkie asked when she caught up. Kaneki shook his head.

“We will. Just not now. I need to wait a bit before I can go back.”

She bit her lip, the question dying to be asked on her tongue. “Why don’t you want to go back Kaneki? Why did you hide from Hachikawa?” she blurted before she could stop herself.

Kaneki stopped moving the cart and looked at Pinkie. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“But Kaneki-”

“I said No Pinkie!” he said with a raise of his voice. Then froze, seeing Pinkie’s hurt reaction, her tail and mane both deflating. Gritting his teeth, and resuming a calmer expression Kaneki turned around and continued pushing the wagon. Aiming for Twilight’s.

“Let’s go.”

Pinkie stared at Kaneki, watching him move on ahead of her as he pushed the cart towards Twilight’s castle. And as she watched him go she couldn’t help but feel that every step he took, was just a giant step further away from her and her friends.

She didn’t know what kind of secrets her strange friend was hiding. She didn’t understand why his eyes always radiated that feeling of having been through so much and was willing to sacrifice everything, but she knew one thing. He had secrets. Just like anypony else. Secrets of which he especially, along with the detectives didn’t want revealed or known by anyone outside their group. Now that she thought about it, the investigators seemed to be carrying a heavy burden on their shoulders as well.

Her saddened expression grew, as she watched Kaneki grow further in distance.

She sighed, moving slowly after her friend. “I just want to help. But you keep blocking me and everyone else out.”

Shaking her head, and forcing away the negative thoughts Pinkie looked up to see Kaneki was waiting for her, having come to a stop. Her expression brightened a bit. Even if he did have his secrets, secrets he didn’t want to share. That was fine.

Maybe one day, he’ll open up to me. Rushing to catch up to her friend Pinkie managed a small smile.

She planned to apologize for being so forceful but Kaneki beat her to it. “Sorry I yelled. I just...I’d rather not talk about it.”

She smiled wrapping an arm around his shoulders and giving him a small squeeze. “It’s alright, everyone’s got their secrets. I won’t pry if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Kaneki nodded, offering a small smile before he turned his attention back to the road ahead. His thoughts soon became lost in what he had just experienced. Chuu Hachikawa a CCG member had now joined him in this world.

Who knows what or who else could have came into this world with him. Kaneki’s eyes glanced back at Pinkie, she was walking alongside him, her arms behind her back, her tail swaying side to side in rhythm with her hips as they walked.

He turned his attention back to the road.

I’ll need to be more careful from now on. I can’t have them getting caught in any crossfires.

A voice whispered into his head, “Then kill the obstacles.”

He shook his head ignoring it. No. I just need to make sure, I don’t get caught in action. I just need to make sure I lay low.

*** ***** ***

The scream from the train whistle signaled that it had made its journey and was opening its doors. A crowd of ponies of all races, unicorns, earth ponies, pegasi and even a few deer from Deerheim made their way out of the train station. Emerging with them was a unicorn in a Manehattan custom made trench coat, displaying the blue burst of light encompassed by a magnifying glass, that represented his cutie mark.

Streamlight looked off toward Ponyville which would take a few minutes to walk to. Digging into his pocket he pulled out the clearest picture he had of his target.

The white haired boy in the mask.

Moving down the steps the unicorn began his walk, to meet the one being he was sure he could get answers from. The one being who he knew could help him end this and learn just what these ghouls really are.

“This trip better be worth it” he said to himself. “Or else things will get ugly.”

Chapter 8

Chapter 8: CCG Meets MDA

“You’re a investigator?”

Chuu Hachikawa made his way slowly towards Sugarcube Corner, the grayish violet unicorn girl leading him by the hand the entire way to the bakery shop.

Every time a pony passed by him they would stare. Gawking at his massive figure that was being led by the little girl. In all honesty if any of the other investigators saw this he would find this quite degrading, but for some reason, he couldn’t move to harm this filly or her mother when they had approached him two nights ago.

Hachikawa sighed, both annoyed by the looks of the civilians of this town and the way this child seemed to lead him by the hand as if he were her friend. He scowled from the safety of his trench coat collar.

Why did you approach me? he thought as his eyes now looked on at the filly. Why did you bother to talk to a stranger who you know clearly is not from your world?

In all honesty the investigator did not understand, nor did he like it. As a CCG investigator his task was civilian protection first, ghouls second. Obviously he had chosen the latter over the former. His past always bringing back dark memories whenever he saw a ghoul, be it adult or child. And when he had sacrificed that old lady for his cause he felt no qualms or regrets for his actions.

So why? he thought. The mare he had seen the day prior to his arrival called Ditzy upon approaching him, must have sensed how he had this dark vibe about him, due to her sudden hesitant state. But she had still approached him. Even more so when the child followed after the mother and came up to him.

Any other day of the week I would have walked off and ignored you. His glasses now reflecting the image of Dinky. But you, your sister, and your mother weren’t scared of me, approaching me like I was a friend who needed help.

He couldn’t help but scoff as he recalled the thought earning a curious look from the child before she turned her attention back to leading him down the street.

One thing I’ve come to notice is that your species are a little too friendly. His eyes now moving away from the child and scanning the area; the curious eyes and looks of concern, doubt and interest of each pony be it pegasus or unicorn, stallion or mare, looking at him as they passed.

He knew what they were thinking. They didn’t revolt now because they weren’t sure of what he could do. The skills he had, the horrors he had seen. But the moment he slipped up, they would attack. And since his kind did not have magic proof clothing, armor or weaponry, if he slipped up he would be at their mercy. But if it came to that he would be sure to take down as many as the multicolored beasts before they could end him. And any ghouls nearby before he drew his final breath.

“We’re here!” the sweet gentle voice of Dinky chirped, drawing the man out of his dark thoughts.

Hachikawa looked up his dark expression disappearing as he stared with a mixed expression of confusion and slight amusement. Before him now was a treat based home. Consisting of frosting, chocolate cake, and candy as its infrastructure.

His eyes scanned the strange building as if this were some kind of joke before he looked down a Dinky who smiled at him.

“This is it?”

She nodded. Hachikawa diverted his eyes away from the child before looking once more at the building.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Lead the way.”

Once inside Hachikawa’s nose was met with the fragrance of freshly baked goods. However he was not hungry at the moment so he could restrain himself.

Looking around the ghoul hunter could see the place was well decorated and ahead of him he could see a mare walking up to the register counter with a smile on her face. However when she looked up and saw Hachikawa her smile almost instantly disappeared.

Hachikawa ignored this. It was a common reaction he’d grown accustomed to since he’d been roaming the streets of this town aimlessly the day after his arrival.

“Hello there” the cerulean mare said with a small smile. A very small smile. “Is there anything you’d like to order?”

He shook his head then nodded it towards the filly in front of him. She took the hint.

“Hey there Dinky” Mrs. Cake said with a smile. “What can I get for you today?”

“The usual please” Dinky said sweetly.

Mrs.Cake smiled and patted Dinky’s head, ruffling her mane just a bit in the process. “Two bakers dozen of muffins?”

Dinky nodded her head. Mrs.Cake simply smiled at her before glancing back at the man standing beside her and sending him a small smile in return.

“It’ll take a few minutes since I put a fresh batch in. Why don’t you sit in the room with your uh” she looked back up at Hachikawa. “With your uh friend and wait till they’re ready?”

Dinky nodded, then gestured for Hachikawa to follow, he did so willingly.

Sitting beside the mare as she looked around the room Hachikawa said nothing, merely remaining silent as the sweet scent of muffins and other baked goods wafted through the air and into his nostrils. It was pleasant, too pleasant to his liking.

The two sat there for almost a minute before Dinky hopped down and told the human she was going upstairs to see if Pinkie and the twins were there. He merely nodded, watching her climb the stairs before turning his attention back towards the window, allowing himself to watch the creatures of this world pass by.

“Oh.” a voice said. Hachikawa turned his attention to it. An amber stallion with a orange hat, matching his mane walked in. If the picture he could see near the table set across the room was any evidence this must be, the father and husband of the foals and wife.

“Hi there, I’m Mr. Cake it’s a uh pleasure to meet one of Pinkie’s friends.” He offered his hand to the man in the trench coat but the human made no signs or attempts to shake it.

After a few seconds of awkwardness Mr.Cake retracted his hand back to his side. “Anyway, its always nice to have a friend of Pinkie’s visit” he said with a smile.

Hachikawa raised a brow. “Pinkie?” he asked.

It was the baker’s turn to give the human a confused look. “Are you not one of Pinkie’s friends?”

Hachikawa shook his head. “I came with the girl, Dinky. I do not know a “Pinkie” as you have described.”

“Hm” Mr. Cake said turning around and heading towards the stairs. “I was sure you might have been one of her friends, if not hers then maybe one of Twilight’s investigator friends or even Kaneki’s.”

Hachikawa stared silently as the stallion walked away; part of the sentence catching his attention but he simply brushed it off without a care, since he did know of a 'Kaneki'.

“Anyway, I’ll be going upstairs for a bit. Hope Dinky enjoys her order, speaking of which I’ll send her down” Mr. Cake said with a small smile before heading up the stairs.

Once the stallion was gone, Hachikawa continued to stare outside for the next couple of minutes till Mrs. Cake’s voice called that the muffins were done.

Hearing the sound of hoofsteps rushing over to, and down the stairs, Hachikawa got up as Dinky ran past him and moved over to where the cerulean mare was waiting with a basket full of freshly baked muffins.

Dinky licked her lips, as the scent of the baked goods wafted through her muzzle.

“Thanks Mrs. Cake!”

“Your welcome dear.”

Hachikawa had now returned to Dinky’s side. Once the muffins had been payed for Dinky waved goodbye to Mrs. Cake who waved goodbye back. Hachikawa said nothing in return as they made their way out of the bakery, which seemed to be perfectly fine to the mare as she obviously sensed a vibe about him that she clearly did not like.

“Stay safe Dinky” she called out as the filly waved goodbye one last time, before shutting the door.

Now outside Dinky had once again taken the lead to lead her strange mother’s friend back to their home. However they hadn’t gotten more than 10ft away from Sugarcube Corner when Hachikawa suddenly stopped.

“Hachi?” Dinky asked. “What’s wrong?”

Hachikawa didn’t look up, his eyes fixed on the pony or person ahead. Slowly Dinky’s eyes rose to stare at a light blue unicorn who also wore a trench coat, that had the insignia M.D.A on it. The stallion’s cutie mark fashioned on as an insignia on his left shoulder, appearing to be that of a bright burst of blue light, that seemed to be enhanced by a magnifying glass, and that same unicorn had his own eyes now firmly placed on Hachikawa’s.

The two stared at each other in silence, a few ponies passing by sensing tension in the air as the did so.

Then the unicorn spoke. “Hello. I’m Streamlight of the M.D.A precinct and it seems you may be just the being I need to answer my questions.”

Hachikawa raised an annoyed brow in the unicorn’s direction; speaking in a rather rough, cold voice he said. “And if I refuse to talk?”

“Well then I can’t make you” Streamlight replied calmly. “That simply means I’ll have to look for the actual person I came here to look for.”

Hachikawa scowled, taking note of the gun strapped to the unicorn’s side. Streamlight took note of this and place his hand on it.

“Don’t get any sudden ideas” he warned, his eyes now moving over to the slightly confused Dinky. “There’s a kid here and I don’t want to see her getting hurt.”

Hachikawa’s scowl though impossible to see from behind his coat still seemed to give off that feeling of animosity. A few more seconds of silence were exchanged as the two stared at each other in observation before Hachikawa began walking in the direction of Streamlight.

Backing away from him Streamlight watched the strange being pass, Dinky following right behind him as she stared at the unicorn her look of confusion only growing as she heard Hachikawa speak in a harsh, yet calm tone.

“If you want to talk follow me. That’s my final offer” and with that, the investigator continued his steady pace in the direction of Dinky’s home, the little girl now taking the lead once more, as Hachikawa picked up the heavy basket of muffins.

Streamlight watched in silence as the human headed down the street, no doubt heading home with the little girl. Before nodding his consent and following them in the direction they were going.

Looks like my trip really is going to pay off.

Ditzy Doo brought over a plate of cookies and placed them on the table between her human friend and the stallion he had brought over. The mare smiled warmly at the unicorn, who smiled back, before she left, making her way upstairs to check on her daughter Dinky, Sparkler having gone to spend a sleepover with friends.

“Dinky” she called. “Where are those muffins I asked you to buy dear?”

A muffled voice called back through the filly’s closed door. “Down stairs! Hachi left them downstairs!”

Ditzy smiled at her daughters attempt. “Nice try Dinky” she said opening the door, her more dominant eye focusing on her daughter a bit. “But I know you’ve got the muffins” she said moving towards her daughter’s hunched over form that was covered by the blanket.

Pulling the cover off her, Ditzy grinned as she saw the muffins Dinky held in her magic and in her hands, a few crumbs falling off her muzzle in her haste.

The filly smiled sheepishly, and held a muffin up to her mother. “Want one?”

Ditzy placed her hands on her hips, still smiling at her foal warmly. “Of course I do.”

*** ***** ***

Meanwhile downstairs the investigator and detective agent sat in silence drinking the tea the pegasus mare had so kindly offered them.

Hachikawa had not said a single word since they’d gotten here, and Streamlight had preoccupied himself with taking in the decorations of the home. It was well done all and all. There were some pegasi ornaments here and there and actually some posters of Rara or Sapphire Shores and a few other mares and stallions who were quite good at singing.

It gave Streamlight a warm feeling to see such an array of different musical styles so well mixed in this pegasi’s home.

Turning his attention back to the being before him Streamlight took another sip of his tea before taking one of the cookies and biting into it. Allowing a few more seconds of silence to pass before speaking.

“So” he said. “If you don’t mind me asking, since this is my first time personally seeing your kind around here. What are you?”

Hachikawa took a bite of one of the cookies, chewed slowly swallowed, then finished the rest of the cookie before he spoke; “I’m human.”

“I see.” Streamlight said. A few more seconds without either talking passed. “So um, Mr.-”

“Investigator Hachikawa is fine.”

Streamlight cocked a brow. “You’re an investigator?”

The only response he got from the human was another nod before he rose from his seat with his cup, and moved into the kitchen to get some more tea.

“And what about you? You some kind of officer to the rest of your race?”

“I am” Streamlight replied, his ears twitching just a bit as he heard tea being poured into the mug. “I work for the Manehattan Detective Agency.” A chuckle escaped Hachikawa as he came back in with his cup of tea, carrying the entire pot with him as he entered and took his seat across the unicorn.

“Something funny?”

“Actually yes there is” Hachikawa stated. “Where I’m from, we have a city called Manhattan?”

“Your point is?”

“Your city’s name is a bad joke based off a real city from- well where I'm from.”

Streamlight’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning into one of anger. “Are you insulting my home?” he asked leaning into the table.

Hachikawa shrugged. “That’s up to you. Did it sound like I was insulting your home?”

The unicorn stared silently observing the human who hid behind his coat. He backed off after a few seconds before sitting up again. “Anyway, I didn’t come here for small talk. I came here because I think you might be able to help me with something.”

Hachikawa made no response, simply sipping his tea slowly. His lenses reflecting Streamlight’s own reflection back at him as he spoke. The unicorn’s horn glowed and out of his trench coat pocket that hung on the coat tree in front of the door, came a folded up news article dating back to three night ago.

“I’m sure you’ve seen the papers since your arrival. Am I correct?” Streamlight said unfolding the paper, creasing it out neatly before sliding it in front of the detective.

Hachikawa leaned in reading the article carefully. His face remaining blank till his eyes came across one word.

Ghoul.

Both eyes, twitched, an action not lost on the junior detective.

Placing his finger on the word, Streamlight gently tapped it three times watching Hachikawa’s eyes raise towards him with a look of malice as he stared at him.

“What can you tell me about these ghouls?” he asked. “You said you’re an investigator, you never said of what exactly though. So tell me, what do you investigate? You spill the beans, I spill mine. Scratch my back, I scratch yours. So go ahead, enlighten me. What. Is. A. Ghoul?”

The look of malice in the investigator’s eyes was still present for awhile before he sat back up straight once more in his seat, taking a nice long drink of his tea before speaking.

“Ghouls are nothing but scum. Their the most vile creatures from where I come from and are nothing but wolves in sheep's clothing, less than so in my eyes. They feel nothing, hunt for sport, and are disgusting vermin that deserve nothing but death” his glasses flashed almost reflecting the anger in his eyes before looking up at the light blue unicorn once more. “And I won’t rest till every single one of them dies by my hand.”

“Quite the opinion you’ve got there don’’t you?” Streamlight said, but froze when the human slammed his fist on the table causing the laughter they’d been hearing upstairs to stop.

Hachikawa glared daggers at the unicorn through his spectacles. A look of rage by which the likes the unicorn had never seen before. If anything the very glare would make Nightmare Moon herself, if she were still in existence to cower before it. But considering the fact that he’d come this far and experienced a near death experience by one of these creatures the junior detective wasn’t going to give up anytime soon, shoving the anxiety he had begun to feel deep within him..

“Is everything alright down there?” Ditzy asked, the sound of her hoof coming closer.

Streamlight’s eyes glanced up towards the stairs, before he looked back at the investigator who looked like he was ready to kill him. He stalled for a seconds before Hachikawa nodded his consent, his tightly gripped hand backing away from the table and falling back to his cup.

“Everything’s fine Miss Hooves” Streamlight said with a somewhat reassuring voice, his eyes never leaving Hachikawa’s side the entire time.

“Everything’s just fine.”

Hachikawa continued to give the unicorn as much information he thought necessary, only telling small facts till Streamlight decided to ask another question.

“They eat flesh don’t they?”

The CCG investigator merely nodded. “Not the kind my species eat. They eat us, or in this case. They’ll start eating you. And considering I’ve seen this article, then who knows how many more are out there, feasting on your kind as we speak.” A chuckle escaped Hacikawa’s lips after he said this. “Disgusting things all just need to die.”

Streamlight shuddered at the thought. It was disturbing, sickening to think of the very fact that while he and this human were talking there could be other ponies somewhere in Equestria suffering a fate he had just barely managed to escape by chance.

Hachikawa merely watched in silence at the stallion’s shudder before speaking again once he’d stopped shaking. “So you’ve met one?”

Streamlight simply nodded, fighting the urge to shake once more. “They’re nothing like I’ve ever seen before.”

“Of course they’re not” Hachikawa answered flatly. “They’re not from here. They belong in my world.”

“Then tell me how they got to our world!” Streamlight snapped, a sudden flash of rage surging into him.

Hachikawa however remained unaffected and shook his head, taking another sip of his tea before pouring himself another cup. “How should I know?” he said. “I’m not even sure how I got here.”

Streamlight remained silent for a few seconds, simply staring at the human with a somewhat exasperated expression, noticing how he always drank his tea from a hole where his mouth would be in the trench coat. Feeling like it wasn’t his place to ask the detective simply pushed it aside, moving on to ask another question.

“So what are those things that come out of their bodies?”

“Kagune.”

“Ka-goo-ney?”

“Kagune” Hachikawa stated.

“Kagune?” Streamlight repeated, Hachikawa nodded. “What are they?”

“A ghouls claws and means of defense. An organ made out of RC blood cells, ranging from various types. Koukaku.” He pointed to his shoulder. “Emerge from the shoulder blade, they are like blades, lethal and deadly. Their RC blood cells are heavy and robust, making them the perfect type of defense against Ukaku wielders. And just as I said they can be used as blades.

“Ukaku, feather like kagune. These type of ghouls have agility. And their kagune is adaptable, being capable of forming projectiles or even a small maelstrom that can give you serious damage if you aren’t fast enough. Ukaku users however grow slower as their kagune uses up energy, the longer the battle, the more stamina they use.

“Rinkaku, emerging from the back around the midsection of the waist. This kagune is one of the most lethal.”

Streamlight gulped. “Why’s that?”

“Because the users have both agility and power. The RC cells of this kagune are akin to liquid, therefore they can shape, or form anything the user desires. Combine into one kagune, split into multiple kagune, provide a form of protection by being hardened or even be used as a means of propulsion. Not to mention their user’s insane regenerative prowess.

“Then finally there’s the Bikaku. Bikaku, can overpower the rinkaku and emerges from the tailbone. This bikaku generally has no weakness like the others. Durability, speed, offense. It’s got it all. However it is weaker in terms of long distance fights against a ukaku wielder.”

Hachikawa took another sip from his cup, finishing the rest of the tea. After which he said no more, feeling he’d given enough information to a complete stranger. Not like it mattered anyway, the only thing capable of killing a ghoul was his very own weaponry. A quinque, but he had lost his since arriving here so he had no sort of weapon to use in case of a ghoul ever attacking. Didn't mean he wouldn't rip off a ghoul's own kagune and beat them senseless with it.

Getting up Hachikawa moved towards the other side of the room, leaving the stunned and speechless detective to process everything he’d said. Before entering the bathroom though the investigator said one more thing before shutting the door.

“Oh yes, before I forget so you don’t get anyone killed and add a load of paper work I may or may not get depending on whether my colleagues are here. I suggest you don’t try using any of your primitive weaponry, such as guns, knives, swords, and spears.

“I’m sure you know why already.” He shut the door, leaving Streamlight to his devices.

Streamlight was not only stunned by the amount of power these ghouls had but by the fact that they seemed capable of regeneration. Not that it mattered since his own Automag V had done nothing, not even place a scratch on the ghoul that had tried to kill him three days ago. What made things worse was the type of weaponry he needed, he didn’t have. So there was no way as to mass produce it for the other authoritative offices around Equestria.

Streamlight sighed, then looked at the time. It was 7:58 p.m. had he and this man been talking for the past four hours since he got here? Boy did time fly, when you’re dealing with a massive crisis.

The beautiful pegasus mare came downstairs and smiled at the unicorn, before casting him a worried look when she saw how tired he was.

“Hey” she said gently. “What’s wrong Mr. Detective?”

“Please Miss Hooves, call me Streamlight” he said with a small smile after running a hand through his mane and face.

“Then call me Ditzy” she said with a warm smile. Although reluctant and refusing to do so at first the pegasus mare ended up winning the debate, with Streamlight calling her as such.

“So Miss Ditzy. How exactly did you come to meet this um...Investigator Hachikawa?”

Ditzy smiled, recalling the memory. “I’d actually met him before, I think it must have been the night he arrived. It was more of an accident really” she said biting into her muffin and smiling as she chewed, then swallowed.

“I don’t know why but one day during my deliveries through Ponyville I found him just sitting in the town square, oblivious to anypony else. He seemed to have been reading the newspaper article at the time and looked absolutely furious. To be honest I was a little scared, to find him still sitting there after I picked up my daughter. But I also felt there was something about him that I couldn’t place my finger on” she said honestly.

Streamlight merely nodded the entire time. He had no idea what it was the mare had seen in this human to invite him over to stay with herself and her daughters but obviously she’d must’ve seen something good in him. Because all the junior detective could see was nothing but hate in his eyes.

Then he remembered, the photo. “Ah yes. Miss could you possibly direct me to where I may find this person. I was told he was at Sugarcube Corner but instead ran into your er friend. It was a pleasant experience though talking with him.”

“A lot of ponies seem to say that” Ditzy said warmly oblivious to the “I’m not surprised” expression Streamlight held on his face.

I’m sure they do. Pulling out the photo and showing it to her Ditzy, the pegasus took the picture in her hand and blinked a few times with a somewhat surprised reaction.

“I-Is that Kaneki?” she asked in a hushed voice.

“So his name is Kaneki?” Streamlight asked, Ditzy nodded her approval.

“Why do you ask if that is him? Does he usually look any...different?”

Ditzy shook her head, the concern not leaving her face. “No. No no, nothing like that it’s just” she lifted the photo closer to her face scrutinizing it, as she bit her index finger nail. “I- It just- He looks so...angry. I’ve never seen him like this before. Where was this um, taken?” she asked handing Streamlight the photo.

“I’m not sure. My subordinate was the one who took the photo and she would not tell me where. But you sound quite surprised, is he usually a placid person?”

Ditzy nodded. “Quite placid. He rarely shows any emotion around other ponies, except Pinkie Pie and her friends. As well as those two investigators that I see come out of Twilight’s castle every now and then.”

I see, Streamlight thought staring at the photo of the white haired boy. Sensing once more the anger and determination through his eyes. He hadn’t noticed when Hachikawa had silently walked up to them till Ditzy made a comment.

“Oh hey Hachikawa” she said smiling at him. “What’s wrong did you drink to much tea?” she teased with a grin, but the grin faded on the look that she was grace the human’s face. “Hey Hachikawa what’s wrong?”

Streamlight looked up and almost froze instantly. The look of animosity he had seen seconds before, was like a furnace in the pits of hell compared to what it had been those two or so hours back.

“That photo.” Hachikawa said. “Let me see it” he ordered, not asking, but demanding.

Streamlight slowly shoved the photo into his trousers pocket, before getting up and looking at the time. It was 8:01 p.m. If anything, it was time he made his leave.

“I’m sorry, but I can't do that” he said with a not to apologetic smile as he rose, before turning his attention to Ditzy. “Miss thank you for the cookies they were very well made. I hope I’ll be able to have some more on my next visit.” Ditzy beamed him a smile before shooting a stare at the human who rolled his eyes and said, “Thank you for coming.”

She smiled nodding at Hachikawa before turning her attention back to Streamlight and offering him a hug as his coat floated over to him.

Complying he took it, then heard the steps of Dinky come down, who he patted on the head before turning his attention back to Hachikawa. The two exchanged a silent stare before Hachikawa bowed lowly.

Streamlight did the same, then offered his hand before having it gripped rather roughly and shaken. “Thank you once more for having me Ditzy, Dinky” his eyes glanced over to Hachikaw. “Investigator” he said with a nod as he put on his trench coat. “Have a wonderful night.”

With that said and done Streamlight walked out into the night, seeing a major less crowd of ponies on the streets as he made his way towards a inn where he’d spend the night. Though something told him to look back at the house so he did.

Standing there in the doorway with the door still open was the human he’d been talking to. His lenses reflecting his image before the reflection disappeared and revealed his light red eyes.

Hachikawa simply stood there, Streamlight sensing a new depth of rage and curiosity emanating from this being for a few seconds before he turned around, then shut the door.

Streamlight merely stood there feeling as if he might have just gained an enemy. And if this man was as strong as his hostility, he probably made a huge mistake. But he’d sort that out when the time came.

Turning his attention away from the house the unicorn made his way back to the inn, pulling the photo of the white haired boy out once more he stared at it quizzically.

“Just who are you Kaneki? And what on Equestria is your story?”

Author's Note

Man this chapter was something. It took a lot of debating and thought before I actually decided to have the two officers meet, but hey I think it went pretty well.

Now the question just remains, what will Hachikawa do next?

Leave a comment if ya want and let me know what you guys think.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Visits

“And how are you doing this fine day”

“How have you been feeling Dashie?” Fluttershy asked with a smile.

The rainbow maned pegasus sat up in her bed and stretched, she glanced over to her wing before smiling at Fluttershy and the investigator beside her. “I’ve been better thank you” she said with a small smile.

“How’s everything back at the castle?”

“It’s fine” Fluttershy said with a smile. “Did Kaneki visit you today?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No, not today. Pinkie came by earlier and told me he said he was going out to eat and would visit tomorrow.”

“Oh” Fluttershy said her ears drooping a bit. “I’m sure he’ll be back to visit later” she said with a smile. “I wonder why he always goes out to eat instead of making something for himself.”

“Yeah, I’ve actually seen him going out late into the night sometimes for a meal. It is a little strange but then again he’s not really from here is he?” Rainbow Dash said stretching her other good wing, before leaning back into her bed and relaxing with her arms behind her head.

“I suppose” Fluttershy said.

“Don’t worry” Sting replied getting the two’s attention having spoken out for the first time since arriving here. “Kaneki is...he has his own habits that he likes to stick to. It’s not that strange from where I’m from...it’s” Sting internally cringed as he said this, “almost common” he finished with a forced smile.

The other two seemed to buy his farce.

“Oh I see” Fluttershy said with a nod. “Well Dashie we’ll see you later okay? Rarity told me she’d visit later today as well, so just try to get some more rest.”

“It’s what I’ve been doing since I got here” Dash replied with a smile.

“Do you know when you get out?” Sting asked as him and Fluttershy rose from their seats.

“A days from now” she replied.

Sting nodded looking at the empty beds next to Rainbow Dash, he glanced back down at her. “What happened to the two that were in here?”

“Bon-Bon and Lyra?” Dash asked with a cocked brow. “They were in here just to check for any serious injuries. They left this afternoon, Kill Shot dropped by earlier in the morning and said he’d pay them a visit actually.”

“Is that so?” Sting asked. Fluttershy and Dash looked at their friend noticing the way his eyes narrowed when she’d mentioned Kill’s visit.

“Well then, we’ll visit again, can’t wait to see you up and about Rainbow Dash” Sting bowed, then left the room. Fluttershy glanced back at Dash with a confused look before waving goodbye and following after her human friend.

“Sting!” he stopped at the waiting room downstairs. Turning his attention to the yellow pegasus chasing after him Sting waited for Fluttershy to catch up before the two left the hospital. “What’s wrong Sting?”

“Wrong?” he asked with a curious tone in his voice. “Why would something be wrong?”

“It’s just..the way you looked when Dash mentioned Kill Shot would be checking on Bon-Bon and Lyra it just- it just made me think there was something going on.”

Sting stopped in his tracks, staring at Fluttershy. The mare did the same looking at Sting with worry as if she had touched on a unwanted subject.

She had.

The day Kill Shot and Kaneki returned with Dash, Lyra HeartStrings and Sweetie Drops, he had seen their condition after visiting the three at night hours.

The levels of anger he had the following day was outrageous. That day Sting made Kill Shot tell him what happened and after a decent amount of swearing, cursing and promises he wouldn’t adhere to the senior detective yielded the truth.

They had fought a ghoul, the two equines had followed him to the spot when he was tracking the ghoul and he had been incapable of being able to protect them properly after being surrounded. Rainbow Dash had joined to help but was easily overpowered. Luckily though Kaneki had stepped in and the two were able to rid themselves of their enemies in a matter of minutes.

Sting didn’t ask why the mares didn’t remember what happened. He knew what his partner had done. He’d used the medicine that wiped out recent events in the memory banks completely. And it was a permanent effect. The mares wouldn’t recall what had happened, but they surely would get the sense that something is missing or they’ve been through something that requires acknowledgement.

Perhaps that was why his partner had left this afternoon, saying he was going for a walk. Sting knew now that Kill Shot was in fact going to check on the mares and see how they were doing.

He smiled turning his attention to Fluttershy who had just asked if he was alright. Sting merely nodded his head. “I’m fine, thanks. Here let me walk you back home” he said with an outstretched hand.

Fluttershy took it, walking with Sting in the direction of her home. The two walked in silence as Sting contemplated just what his partner was up to this exact moment.

I just hope nothing bad happens while I’m away.

Kill Shot now made his way through the streets of Ponyville. He smiled warmly to each equine that waved at him, as he headed for his primary destination.

Bon-Bon and Lyra Heartstrings home.

One thing that had interested the senior investigator with these two is that they had followed him. Persevered, even when he had lost them and even dared to stay when the ghoul had emerged. But there was something else. Something else that caught Kill Shot’s attention.

The day after Kaneki and him had rescued the girls he had gone to visit the two when he’d heard they were awake. And he found that while the pill he had given the three had done it’s job he found the mint colored mare stare at him with a look of familiarity.

So here he was, at the residence of the two mares. Now standing in front of their door about to knock and confront them or in actuality to confront Lyra, as she had been the one staring at him the most the day he had visited the two equines.

Knock! Knock!

“One second!” a voice called from within the household.

Kill Shot waited, and within a few seconds came out one of the mares he had helped save wearing an apron, tank top and shorts. Bon-Bon stood staring in surprise at the human.

“Oh, it’s um you” she said with some confusion. Kill Shot didn’t respond but simply smiled kindly.

“May I come in?” he asked. It took a second for the mare to register that the investigator had spoken to her. She’d been too busy staring at the man to notice at first, clearly studying his appearance all while she stood there, her mouth hanging slightly open.

“Oh uh yeah sure? Come on inside” she said opening the door wider and allowing room for the investigator to walk in. Kill Shot accepted and stepped inside, waiting for Bon-Bon to lead the way.

The beige earth pony after locking the door behind them, moved ahead of Kill Shot and motioned him to follow her to the living room. Once there the two sat done in pregnant silence for a few seconds with Bon-Bon’s hands firmly gripping her apron, her eyes occasionally glancing over to the human who had a completely calm and friendly disposition.

Kill Shot cleared his throat before speaking, “Excuse me Miss Bon-Bon,” the mare flinched nervously looking up at him with a nervous smile.

“Please remain calm, I’m not here to interrogate you or anything” Kill Shot said with an outstretched hand for reassurance. “I just came to talk to you and Miss Lyra Heartstrings.”

“About what exactly?” she asked her nervousness increasing. She’d learned that this person who’d brought her and Lyra to the hospital was an investigator apparently from Japony and if that was true the mare was seriously concerned that her secret identity and her real name would be discovered.

“It’s about the time before you two got in the hospital, before your accident. But before I discuss things with you I need you to bring Miss Heartstrings down here. Is she here?”

Bon-Bon nodded, her nerves relaxing having been given this clarification. “Yeah, one second let me go upstairs and get her.”

Kill Shot nodded, watching the mare walk off upstairs with a smile before his friendly air completely disappeared once she was gone, taking on a more serious expression.

Kill Shot’s eyes carefully scanned the room. It was normal, decorations hung up on the walls with some classical musician posters hung here and there. Nothing really out of the ordinary.

It was then Kill Shot began to think about some of the things he’d noticed upon entering the two mares home. Bon-Bon’s nervous behavior, being one that particularly caught his attention. Is it possible the medicine didn’t work as well as it was supposed to?

For you see the Lapse, a medical pill developed by one of the medical agencies in Japan, has two capabilities. The first is that it can create a gap in one’s memory. Ponies like Rainbow Dash, Bon-Bon and Lyra Heartstrings were physical proof of the pills success. And the second is the pill can only effect the most recent of memories; there being no way for the pill to select a certain memory and erase those, it only effects the most recent and recent alone.

There is however like all medicine, that hasn’t been tested as much as it should be, has some after-effects. And these after-effects basically make the whole pill useless if the effect were to ever kick in.

While Lapse has the ability to erase the most recent of memories completely, the digesters of the medicine will not absolutely forget the event that has been erased from their mind. As it is more of a form of amnesia that is being applied to the digester. This was proven when Kaneki had hinted to the investigator that Rainbow Dash did recall something happening.

So if the medicine still left lingering feelings behind. Then that means the reason Lyra Heartstrings said nothing to me on my first visit there, was because she may still recall some of the things that occurred. That would also explain Bon-Bon's reaction to me being here, Kill Shot reasoned.

The sound of clicking hooves drew the investigator’s attention from his thoughts as he looked up to see the mint colored unicorn and her beige friend walking towards him.

“Here she is” Bon-Bon said before turning around, “If you need me I’ll be in the kitchen. I’ve got some candy I need to finish making” she said before waving goodbye. Kill Shot nodded his head and thanked her for bringing the unicorn to him.

Turning his attention back to the unicorn the human immediately took notice of the spark in her eyes as she stared at him.

It was the kind of spark the investigator hadn’t seen in a long long time.

“Please” Kill Shot said after a few seconds of silence, scooting over in his seat to pat the cushion next to him. “Sit, let’s talk. I want to hear how you’ve been doing” he said kindly, his warm expression returning.

Lyra Heartstring simply stared at the human before her, her eyes wide, her heart beating. The unicorn felt a lot of things right now. Strangely enough one of them was fear. For that reason she knew not why, but the most strong emotion of them all was the desire to know this strange alien before her.

The unicorn did not waste a second to sit by Kill’s side the moment he had offered immediately taking the seat and looking at him with interest and curiosity. Her eyes taking in every feature on the man’s face.

Clearly she could see that the man had no muzzle like her race did. She could see the chiselled-ness that was his cheekbones and how the did well to accent his jawline. Kill Shot, made no movement to withdraw as the mare studied him but simply waited patiently for her to finish before he would touch on any topics.

Lyra was grateful for this.

Once the mare had finished looking over his face the two’s eyes met and Kill immediately noticed the faint blush that touched her cheeks. He let out a small smile. Cute, he thought. Then he felt the mare poke his leg with her finger before looking away meekly and asking him a question.

“C-Could I see your hands?” Lyra asked shyly.

Kill Shot shrugged, not seeing the problem at all. “Sure” and so he offered his right hand, the one that wasn’t gloved.

Lyra took the hand and placed her own hand in it. Kill Shot was frankly surprised at how soft it was, despite the feeling of her coat and skin it felt quite warm. Lyra however noticed the roughness of Kill’s hands. Like they’d been through much work, labour and possibly even suffering.

Her ears wilted a bit at the thought of such a kind alien having to go through such kind of pain. Kill Shot noticed this and gave her hand a gentle squeeze encouraging her with his own signature smile.

Finally when all was nonverbally said and done, the two put some space between them so that Kill Shot could finally get down to what he was truly here for. Bon-Bon having finished her candy making now joined Lyra in a seat next to her both paying attention to what the investigator was about to say.

“Well then” Kill Shot began. “I can see your friend here is quite interested in my species” he said earning a embarrassed smile from the aquamarine unicorn and an annoyed look from the earth pony glaring at her friend.

“But, I really should get down to business” he said his tone now growing serious. The two mares picking up on this immediately ridded themselves of any previous reaction. Giving Kill Shot their full attention.

The man’s light brown eyes fixed on the two before he spoke. Ready to expect any sort of answer they’d give him. “What do you to remember from two days ago?”

Streamlight now headed in the direction of Twilight Sparkle’s castle. The detective had asked around for directions for a majority of the day after awakening and getting something to eat and had finally began making his way towards the crystal tree-like castle.

“Finally” he thought with relief. The unicorn had gone to Sugarcube Corner to double check if Kaneki was there, but only found that the human had gone to the castle with the town’s number one party planner. So that’s where he was headed.

After a few minutes the stallion reached the castle door. Knocking on it only to hear from within a “Come in!” before entering.

Climbing the flight of steps his hooves clicking around the staircase, Streamlight made his way into the common room after opening the doors.

It was there he was greeted with the eyes of four mares, a dragon, and the one he’d been looking for.

“Hello” Twilight said. “Is there something we can help you with?” she asked.

Streamlight however said nothing. His eyes were now directed on the human standing behind Pinkie’s seat. The white haired boy looking back at him with curiosity in his eyes.

Streamlight slowly, yet fluently pulled out the picture of Kaneki in his pocket. Kept his eyes on the boy for a few seconds before looking at the picture again as if this were all just a dream.

He now understood why the pegasus mare had been so confused when she saw the picture of Kaneki, and the person that stood before him now. It was like they were two completely different beings.

Silence transcended the room as the five mares and dragon looked at the MDA detective, then looked back at Kaneki who was simply giving the unicorn a blank stare.

A few more seconds passed before Applejack’s voice drew the unicorn’s attention away from Kaneki for a few seconds.

“Excuse me sir!” Applejack said for what was most likely the third time. “Ah don’t know what business you have here but we did ask you a question. What are you doing here, and state your business!” she said hotly.

Streamlight registered what was being said but he quickly looked back at Kaneki before looking back at the mare and then her friends who were all beginning to eye him with suspicion.

“Ahem. I apologize for that it’s just uh. I thought I was looking at a different person” Streamlight said. Twilight’s brow raised in confusion.

“And who are you?” Spike asked.

“I’m Junior Detective Streamlight, with the Manehattan Detective Agency. I’ve come here due to a certain issue that I would like to discuss with...your friend over there” he said waving his hand in Kaneki’s direction.

Pinkie Pie immediately stood on her hooves confused. “What do you mean you want to talk with Kaneki? What’s the Manehattan authorities got to do with him?”

Streamlight’s eyes turned in Kaneki’s direction. The eyes now expressing a look of suspicion in them as they stared back at the unicorn.

“Well” he said walking towards Kaneki and holding the picture out for only him to see. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?””

Kaneki’s eyes slowly widened as he gazed at the image of himself before him. Immediately snatching it up in his hand and staring at it, surprising Pinkie and the others with the way he ripped it out of the detective’s hand.

Time seemed to slow for the boy as he felt all eyes now firmly glued on him. Kaneki quickly crumpled the picture up in his fist and shoved it in his pocket, his surprised eyes never losing their shocked state as he looked up at the unicorn.

“Where did you get this photo?” he asked in a calm yet cold voice.

Streamlight’s eyes narrowed as Kaneki now glared at him with silent fury.

“That’s for me to know. And you to never find out. Now come with me. We’re going to have a nice, long talk.”

Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Lies. Lies, lies and more lies.

“Don’t breathe a word.”

Streamlight and Kaneki stared at each other in silence. Both studying the other, both thinking what course of action the other would take.

The two had completely forgotten the very existence of the other four mares in the common room till the bubblegum mare’s hoof clicked upon hitting the crystal surface that was Twilight Sparkle’s floor.

Instantly the two synchronously snapped their heads in the direction of the sound, only to stare at the slightly confused looks of the mares.

Streamlight relaxed, then backed away from Kaneki still keeping his eyes on the stranger that had so strongly piqued his interest. “I’m sorry Pinkie Pie, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Miss Rarity. But I need to take this one outside for a talk. It’s crucial.”

“Why exactly is it crucial for someone of the Manehattan Detective Agency to come into my home and question one of my friends?” Twilight said calmly, though the hint of belligerence in her voice quite clear.

“I understand your irritation that an officer of a different city would come into your home and demand such a request of one of your friends, but you do not understand the weight of my reason for coming here” Streamlight intoned.

Pinkie Pie lifted her hand over to Kaneki, gesturing him over to return to her side. Kaneki complied moving back over to his friend and as he did so he kept his eyes firmly glued on the light blue unicorn.

“Then please” Rarity said drawing the stallions attention to her. “Enlighten us.”

Streamlight took a deep breath in, then exhaled running a hand over his aqua mane. “Right...enlighten you” he said with a sigh. “Fine, fine I didn’t want it to come to this but it looks like I’ll have to explain myself.”

Walking into the center of the room, the detective removed his trench coat that bore his agency’s insignia and his own cutie mark before removing the gun out of it’s holster. He took note of how everyone in the room tensed.

Rarity gave him a scrutinizing look, Applejack’s ears wilted and her eyes narrowed with grit teeth. Twilight continued to stare with as much patience as she could muster, her hoof every now and then tapping against the ground and Pinkie Pie just kept her eyes firmly glued on the drawn weapon as Streamlight turned on the safety.

“Relax” he said soothingly. “I mean none of you harm, this is just a precaution in case” he nodded his head in Kaneki’s direction. “Your friend over there gets any ideas.”

A quick glance of eyes were sent in Kaneki’s way, all of which he ignored. His focus was now on the unicorn in the center of the common room.

How much does he know? Kaneki thought to himself. A part of him, the old part of him was overtaken with anxiety, but if he had any Kaneki clearly didn’t show it as he remained inexpressive.

Another part of him said something completely different. “Kill him.” The dark side said. Not here. Do it when he leaves, alone, in a dark alley. Just snap his neck, it will be quick. Painless, he won’t feel a thing. Do it. Do IT!

“Kaneki” Streamlight’s voice said now drawing the boy out of his inner turmoil, “has had some experience no doubt with ghouls, I’m assuming you all know what they are, since the news article that came out a few days ago.”

“That’s right. Someone got attacked by one of those things right?” Applejack asked. “Ah can’t remember who though.”

Streamlight nodded. “I’ve heard that there are investigators as well that know more about these ghouls. I met one of them recently. His name is Chuu Hachikawa, I don’t believe you’ve met him?”

Everyone shook their head, everyone except Pinkie. Applejack noticed this and asked. “Pinkie, have you met this Hachikawa fella?”

The mare quickly glanced over to Kaneki who remained impassive, before she nodded her head. “I have met Hachikawa, he’s not really the uh positive or cheery type” she said with a nervous smile.

Streamlight chuckled at this as he placed his gun back in its holster. “I agree. Definitely not the friendly type. That reminds me actually, Princess Twilight I’ve heard that there are two other CCG Investigators in your residence. If you don’t mind me asking, where are they I’d like to ask them a question.”

“Kill Shot left for a meeting. Sting went out to escort Fluttershy back home” Twilight replied.

“Speaking of Fluttershy those two have been getting quite close don’t you think” Rarity said with wry smile.

Applejack rolled her eyes, “Now’s not the time Rare.”

“Anyway” Twilight said with a raise of her voice. “You still haven’t told us what the reason is for you coming here.”

“Right my reason” Streamlight said. “Alright so here’s the thing” he said with a light brown glow of his horn the unicorn summoned a chair so that he could sit. “You all recall the attack that I just mentioned a few minutes ago?”

Everyone nodded.

“Good, I was the one that got attacked that night” he shrugged his shoulders and added, “Well not just me but a very close friend of mine nearly died in the process, because of that ghoul. If it weren’t for the guy that saved me and my friend we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”

A deathly silence filled the room as everyone took in what the unicorn just said. All of them now stared with wide eyes, Kaneki especially.

A few more seconds of silence passed and the young detective broke it after he cleared his throat with ‘ahem’. “Now, I’m sure you understand why I’m here. I don’t want what happened to me and my friend, happen anywhere else. Ever. To anypony. And my talk with Hachikawa told me that Manehattan isn’t the only place suffering from the enigmatic appearance of ghouls, but it’s happening all over Equus; all over Equestria. And that’s something I need to figure out how to solve.”

“Wait!” Twilight said with a pensive expression. “You mean, you were the one that got attacked?”

Streamlight nodded. “And the one that saved me was an investigator most likely associated with the CCG.”

“So one of Sting and Kill Shot’s allies” Twilight muttered under her breath. Twilight lifted her head up after a few seconds of silent thought her eyes now fixed on the detective.

“What does this have to do with Kaneki though?” she asked.

Kaneki tensed up, but it was in a manner that went unnoticed.

“I have reason to believe that he knows or at least has knowledge on the ghouls, just as much knowledge as your investigator friends or Mr. Hachikawa” Streamlight responded.

“Does it have anything to do with that picture you showed him?” Rarity asked, her eyes now glancing over to Kaneki.

“Yes.”

“Actually” Pinkie said quietly, her voice raising to a more audible tone. “Isn’t Kaneki a part of the CCG also? Sting and Kill Shot said something about him being one of their own investigators but weren’t clear on what ranking or status he had in the organization” she said, looking up at them.

“Actually now that you mention it that does ring a bell” Applejack said, her hand thoughtfully under her chin.

Everyone looked at Kaneki now, the ghoul now starting to feel the pressure as his friends and this detective stared at him waiting for an answer.

“Well then, I guess I have one question for you Kaneki" Streamlight said, tapping an index finger gently against the rest of his chair, as he leaned forward.

“What is your relationship with these ghouls?”

Kaneki was silent, many things going through his mind. One of those being the fact that he had just been pushed into the spotlight, the very same spotlight he’d wanted to avoid ever since coming here. It had taken his brain a second to register that the young detective had even spoken.

“What is your relationship with these ghouls?” Streamlight asked.

There it was, the very question Kaneki had considered more dangerous than any CCG investigator or any ghoul he’d ever faced. The question that now threatened an identity, an image he’d been able to establish peacefully here would be ruined if continued to remain silent or even worse if he said nothing at all.

Kaneki cleared his throat. “My relationship with the ghouls?” he asked after regaining his composure.

Streamlight nodded, Pinkie Pie and the others now all watching, waiting to see what he would do.

Kaneki weighed his options, the others had just vouched for him that he worked with the CCG, technically, this was true. Then again technically it wasn’t since he hadn’t been accepted as an investigator yet, he’d been made a prisoner. What his intended fate had been had he reached the headquarters still remained to be determined, although a part of his mind said otherwise. Part of his brain said he was is a investigator.

So he went with it, and decided to go off on that lie.

“I’m an investigator of the CCG” he said calmly. “I like, Sting and Kill Shot fight ghouls. I’ve fought them before, but under different conditions in comparison to the other investigators” he said.

Silence.

Everyone in the room weighed in with what Kaneki said, then Pinkie spoke up.

“I believe him. Why would he lie to us, he’s got to be telling the truth right girls?”

A few nods, Applejack speaking next. “Ah suppose, after all he does look like he’d have the kind of skill to face off against one of those horrible things.”

Streamlight’s eyes narrowed, though slightly. There was something about what Kaneki said that made him not want to buy this. If Kaneki really was a investigator how come Hachikawa had said nothing about the investigator, especially when he mentioned the investigator’s name.

Did the man simply not know him or something? he thought with curious eyes as he patiently observed Kaneki.

Kaneki merely watched his allies talk amongst themselves with what he had said. Finally Twilight spoke.

“Well then, you have your answer now. Kaneki is an investigator like Kill Shot and Sting so-”

The light blue unicorn rose from his seat, now approaching Kaneki, Pinkie Pie who was standing by the boy’s side moved in front of him in a defensive manner, her expression somewhat timid as Streamlight’s sepia brown eyes stared right past her and focused on her friend. He stopped when he was in front of the bubblegum pink mare.

“Miss Pinkie, would you please move. I’d like to do something quickly.”

Pinkie Pie bit her lip, unsure if moving was the right course of action. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the detective it was just that her Pinkie senses were telling her to stay in between these two for the moment. A gentle hand on her shoulder though made her look at Kaneki.

The determination in Kaneki’s eyes sent a chill up her spine. Gently moving her aside the pink mare watched Kaneki confront the unicorn who was no more than a few, three inches at most taller than him.

There the two stood, staring at each other once more sizing each other up before Streamlight spoke in a quiet tone towards Kaneki.

“You’re not lying to me, to your friends are you? You are an investigator...right?” he asked, skepticism clear in his voice.

For a few seconds the tension in the air rose, as all four mares waited for Kaneki to respond.

“Yes” Kaneki replied. “I am an investigator. I assure you. My only purpose is to protect my friends and the innocent, by any means necessary.”

Streamlight’s eyes narrowed. Kaneki looked into the unicorn’s eyes and could see, feel almost the same desire to protect his loved ones, those he cared for with every ounce and every fiber of his being.

Finally the light blue unicorn smiled, though it was a weak one.

Kaneki knew, he didn’t believe his lie. And if he didn’t then Kaneki only had one comment for this detective.

He’s good, he thought with a small smirk. Real good.

The rest of that afternoon was spent with Streamlight getting a bit more acquainted with the rest of the gang. Though things were still slightly awkward the young detective did a good job erasing any signs of his focus on work.

The detective even had the chance to meet the other two investigators, both of which he privately questioned on the fact of whether or not Kaneki was an investigator or something else. The two had given him the same answer as the others.

He was an investigator.

Streamlight left Twilight’s home later in the night, feeling somewhat confused yet at the same time somewhat content.

He’s not telling me the whole truth. That’s for sure, but at least I can tell his intentions are good.

He stopped, looking ahead of him. There was not a pony in sight. Did I really spend all that time with them? he thought. “Better get back to Quiet Residence’s place quickly."

Turning his attention back to the hotel he’d been staying in, the unicorn stopped, hearing footsteps behind him. His ear twitched and he glanced back.

Faintly in the light, he could see a figure pass by.

Streamlight’s eyes narrowed. Muggers in the streets? he thought placing a hand on his gun. Or could it be something else?

Streamlight stood at the same spot looking off in the direction of where the hotel would be in just a couple feet. “Maybe I’ll take a detour instead.”

Turning his back to the hotel the unicorn took off at a steady pace in a random direction. “Whatever is following me I’d like to see it before I dismiss it as nothing.”

Minutes passed and nothing happened. It wasn’t until Streamlight picked a random street did he hear the sound of sobbing.

“That can’t be good” he thought placing his hand on the mag V. Walking down the street slowly, Streamlight let his senses stay alert, till he reached the sobbing figure. It was a girl. A human girl. She looked to be about the age of around 11, maybe even 12.

Streamlight wasn’t convinced.

“Hello” he said gaining the little girl’s tear stained face to look at him. “What’s wrong kid? Where’s your family?”

The girl sniffed. “I- I- don’t know. I was on a trip with my brother when I woke up in this strange place. Since then I haven’t been able to find him and all the people here are strange and keep rejecting me when I ask them for help.”

Streamlight winced. Ouch, well that’s some ponies for ya.

“Well alright kid” Streamlight said, his hand still on his gun. “I’m guessing you haven’t eaten in awhile, right? What would you like to eat huh? There’s a store nearby here that I can get you something. You just name it.”

“Well I would like one thing” the girl said with a small smile drying her tears.

“And what’s that?” Streamlight asked gripping his gun tighter at the girl’s most likely deceptive smile.

“I would like some pastries” she said sweetly.

The unicorn was actually surprised. “Oh...alright then. Here come with me” he said taking her by the hand.

Together the two walked back up the street in the direction of one of the stores Streamlight had seen.

Every few seconds the unicorn would look down at the innocent girl to see her look up and smile at him.

Streamlight couldn’t help but smile back. Deep down however he was prepared to fight if need be, he still had his magic if anything else.

A few seconds passed and the little girl stopped, now doing a little dance like she had to use the bathroom.

“Is there a nearby bathroom here?” she asked her face starting to turn a bright red from embarassment.

“Um, yeah...if you go into that store, there should be one” he said pointing inside. The girl smiled before rushing inside with a thank you and wave as she rushed in. A few seconds later she returned, smiling broadly.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

She nodded.

A few more seconds passed with the girl and Streamlight walking down the street till she suddenly came to a stop.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

The girl immediately turned to Streamlight a frown on her face. “I’m sorry mister. I really liked you.” Streamlight grabbed a hold of his gun, immediately releasing the girl and jumping back.

“But I really need to eat, and so does my big brother. Please don’t hate us for this” she stated as her pupils turned red and her eyes went black. “We’re only trying to survive.”

Streamlight’s ear twitched, quickly glancing behind him he saw something rush towards him with such speed he thought for sure it was an animal, the next thing he knew he had the wind knocked out of him as whatever it was tackled him, as he turned sending him spinning a few feet away from the girl and the large being beside her.

“I’m sorry” the little girl said sadly as a kagune emerged from behind her back and under her shirt. “But we all need to eat sometime.”

Streamlight winced, his stomach was in serious pain, and he was having trouble getting up. His vision was somewhat blurry from the tears that stung his eyes. One thought popped into his head.

How the hell do I get myself in these situations?

The big brother of the young girl came rushing towards Streamlight who was now stumbling to get up, a lamp post that was on one of the sides of the road came revealing the ghoul’s hungry look and the drool that drooled down his face.

Streamlight who had now finally managed to get up, just barely managed to avoid the koukaku that came at him before he nimbly jumped out of the way landing a few feet away from the ghoul and his sister.

Streamlight pulled out his gun and pointed it at the ghoul. The little girl gave Streamlight a confused look while the older brother laughed maniacally.

“Oi sis, look at this guy! He thinks bullets will work on us. Hahaha, the species of this planet aren’t too bright are they” the ghoul said wiping at the dribble on his lip as he eyed the detective. Streamlight’s smirk went unnoticed.

“You think my bullets won’t work on you?” he asked with a small smile as he forced himself to stand up straight.

The brother who as he heard from the sister call his name, Yu only laughed louder. “Of course, none of your weapons will work on us” Yu stated.

Streamlight nodded, before switching the safety.off, “We’ll see.”

BAM!

A shot was fired as the ghoul waited for the bullet with a grin on his face to make contact. And it did.

Nothing happened.

The ghoul laughed, watching the casing of the bullet fall to the ground. “If that’s all you’ve got then let’s get this over with-” he winced, looking down at his stomach the ghoul’s eyes widened to see the bullet had actually hit him and he was now bleeding.

“W-What the hell?!” Yu shouted, touching the wound. “The hell is this?!!” he said in rage. His sister backed up behind him.

“It’s called improvising” Streamlight said. The shard he’d taken out of the dead ghoul’s head that had attacked him, he’d turned into a small supply of bullets. Which were very limited for him in his case. He had a total of 15 bullets in total. And he’d just used one. The rest of his bullets were back in his office and right now he had about 4 maybe 5 more shots before he was out and would be doomed.

Yu smirked. “Fine job” he said with a weak grin. “I’d heard someone got attacked in a different city by one of the ghouls there. Didn’t think the officers would adjust so quickly to the situation” Yu stated with some surprise. “But we’ll see who’s faster.

“Your trigger finger or my speed” Yu said with a wicked grin.

Streamlight grinned, starting to feel a bit better. “Bring it on.”

Yu dashed straight towards the unicorn, his sister now following behind him. Streamlight’s eyes shifted between the two as they split up on opposite directions and attacked. Yu swung his blade like koukaku towards Streamlight’s head, the unicorn ducked quickly, his reflexes kicking in, after the months of training he’d had to spend in combat practice.

“Now Yumi!” Yu shouted at his sister. Streamlight looked up and saw the little girl with the dragon like tail falling towards him her tail above her before she did a flip, and slammed it in Streamlight’s direction.

The only thing the young ghoul managed to hit was Streamlight’s trench coat as he stripped it off, when he jumped out of the way.

The ground cracked with the force as the tail hit the ground, a long slamming sound echoing across the streets of Ponyville and a few light turning on as well.

“No one come outside!” he shouted, as he ducked and received a slight cut on the cheek as he flipped out of the way of Yu’s koukaku.

“You’re pretty fast kid” Yu commented with a grin, as Streamlight managed to evade yet another of his attacks. “But you can’t handle two ghouls by yourself.”

Streamlight felt his feet fall under him as he was lifted into the air and tossed into the sky, looking down he saw Yumi had used her tail to sweep the ground and knock him into the air. Yu launched towards the detective who was now trying to reach for his gun that had slipped from his grasp.

“It’s over kid!” Yu said with a manic grin, as he appeared above Streamlight. Streamlight’s eyes widened, and then he focused, his gun disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in his hand.

He pointed it directly towards the ghoul. It was Yu’s turn to gain widened eyes. Raising his arm and slamming it down into Streamlight, the unicorn went crashing to the ground like a rocket, but not before he fired into the ghoul’s arm.

“Aniki!” Yumi yelled, her eyes now directed towards the quickly descending unicorn. Rushing towards him Yumi jumped into the air and using her tail like a propulser sent herself straight towards the direction Streamlight would be as he fell.

Streamlight grimaced. Yumi was coming in hot. He pointed his gun at her and fired. she used her kagune like a shield and blocked, still coming towards him.

Streamlight cursed, his horn taking on a light brown glow, as he focused.

Time slowed. Yumi was inches away from her target, Yu had landed back on the ground and was nursing his injured arm, waiting expectantly for his sister to deliver the deathblow, seconds passed as Streamlight’s horn became caked in a second overglow of aura.

Then in a blast of light he was gone.

Yumi landed, skidding on the ground in surprise as she looked around to see where, the unicorn had disappeared to.

“Did he just...disappear?” Yu asked in surprise.

“I- I think he did” Yumi said with just as much exasperation.

They heard a loud groan and then looked to their right. Standing there just a few feet away and holding his head, was Streamlight. “Teleportation while moving is a crap load of work” he stated, his headache taking over.

A whistle distracted him as he looked up to see the girl stand back up, her brother walking forward as he nursed his arm with a half grin. “Well well well. You’re probably the first ever non ghoul aside from investigators to give us such a tough time” he said still grinning.

“But that ends now. Yumi.” The little girl nodded, taking up a stance with a sad look in her eyes. “Once again sir. I’m sorry about this. But my brother and I need to eat.”

Streamlight, tried to keep his focus as his headache became even stronger. “Yeah yeah. Apologies, apologies. You didn’t need to lie to me who you were the entire time though” he said before falling on one knee, the pain from the hit Yu had given him in the air now making it’s presence known.

“Ooh, I think I might have a fractured rib” Streamlight muttered to himself as he looked up at the girl.

Yumi’s eyes narrowed once more, not once losing the somewhat sad look in those red eyes. “Goodbye sir.”

Streamlight raised his gun, forcing himself to stand once more. “Goodbye to you too.”

Streamlight fired, he was down three bullets and only had 2 more now, Yumi evaded as she ran towards him. Her reptilian tail raised and ready. But before either could deliver a fatal strike a figure jumped in and landed between them, knocking the girl aside and forcing the young detective to jump back a few feet away.

“Who is it?! One of your own?” Streamlight shouted on the other side, the dust masking the figures presence but not the figure.

“Not ours!” Yu and Yumi said together. “It’s just us by ourselves!” the brother exclaimed.

“Then who could it-” The dust had now cleared, the wind picking up and playing with all the group’s hairs or mane. And as Streamlight gazed at the person that had come out of nowhere he saw the white hair play in the wind, before the boy turned his hooded figure towards the unicorn.

Then Streamlight saw it. The red pupil and the dark eye that had defined the presence of a ghoul. Streamlight’s eyes went slightly wide as he realized who it was.

Kaneki?

The boy turned his hooded figure towards the two ghouls that had now stayed in their exact spots, watching the scene unfold before them.

Kaneki put his mask on, before staring straight at the ghouls and taking a pose in front of the detective.

Streamlight realized what was happening. Getting up, his gun in hand the unicorn removed his holster straps so that he could gain more free movement, his gun firmly gripped in his hand as he took up a position by the ghoul. The two staring at the ghouls in front of them who looked a bit perplexed.

Kaneki turned to look at Streamlight and nodded, Streamlight nodded back. Then Kaneki looked up at Yumi and Yu, the two slightly flinched when they saw the look of annoyance in his one visible ghoul eye.

Lifting his hand up and moving it in a taunting form Kaneki, stared at his opponents quite frustrated that he’d been pushed to resort to intervening in the fight, when he’d have rather preferred to not get involved.

Continuing to give them the evil eye through his hoodie, the wind blew between the two vs two party before Kaneki reverted back to speaking in Japanese.

“Koi.”

Author's Note

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Splitting Paths

“I’ll go my way, you go yours”

A stand off. Two ghouls; brother and sister, a masked ghoul and a unicorn. One side hungry; offense. The other side fighting for protection; defense.

Kaneki and Streamlight held their ground against the sibling ghouls. The younger one, Yumi stood beside her slightly injured brother who was still nursing his injured arm, Yu. Neither had made a move since the one eyed ghouls appearance. Kaneki and Streamlight hadn’t made a move either.

They just stood there, staring at each other on the abandoned street. Wind passing by and playing with the leaves, sweeping one or two by the two different parties.

Yumi shifted her weight on her left foot a bit. She could feel the intensity of the fight now. Things had definitely changed since this ghouls appearance, and it was as clear as the stars in the sky that things were about to change depending on how they fought next. Yu continued to watch the detective and one eyed ghoul from his side.

He didn’t get what this ghoul’s deal was but if he was right then he must be a part of the ghoul’s that only ate with the help of Anteiku. A faint smile that soon disappeared crossed his face. Him, his little sister and their senior brother had been a part of that party. It was too bad since coming here that they currently now had to feed off of these beings after hiding in the shadows for the past few days.

Honestly if they had a choice they’d go with something else, but they were hungry. Him and his sister hadn’t eaten in days. And if they waited any longer they’d snap and go on a killing spree. If CCG were here he couldn’t risk their safety on such a thing. They needed to eat. And they needed to eat now.

Streamlight kept his eye on the ghoul beside him, but knew if this one had wanted him for supper he could have done it in a matter of seconds with his speed. For now he would simply have to focus on the battle at hand and use healing magic while he had the chance to fix his fractured rib. It wouldn’t do anything extremely efficient, but at least it would numb the pain a bit and allow him to move easily.

Streamlight closed his eyes, let his ears perk up in alert and focused. His horn became caked in a light brown overglow as his magic began doing it’s work. A few seconds should suffice.

Kaneki didn’t even bother to give Streamlight the chance to see his face. He knew if this guy was already suspicious then it’d all be over if he heard his voice or saw even a glimpse of his face. He had to remain silent throughout this fight and only speak when absolutely necessary.

Otherwise he’d lose Pinkie, he’d lose Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Rarity, Spike, Applejack, Fluttershy. He’d even lose the Cake family and Raiment Wear. And that was not something he was willing to lose.

He’d already lost Hide, and Anteiku along with the rest of his friends back in Japan, he would not lose the few friends he had made now.

His ghoul eye narrowed as he stared at the two ghouls in front of them before he spoke in japanese.

“Koi.”

Yumi looked at Yu, Yu noded.

Turning her attention back to the ghoul and unicorn ahead she assumed a cougar position. Her bikaku gator tail raised and waving in the air like a cat that’s on the alert. With a wave of the tail in the air Yumi slammed her tail into the ground and sent herself soaring towards Kaneki and Streamlight.

Kaneki moved to counter, taking a step forward he activated his kagune. Oblivious to Streamlight’s ears twitching in the mildly disturbing way the two of his rinkaku shot out of his back, before spreading apart and attempting to slam down on the young girl like two arms coming from above.

Yumi gracefully dodged, using her tail like a hook, she jabbed the tip into the ground and stopped and flung herself back to her brother’s side, just barely managing to escape Kaneki’s fatal blow.

Once back by her brother’s side she looked over to Yu nervously. “Aniki, he’s definitely not holding back.”

Yu grimaced, staring at the ghoul whose eye was still narrowed in their direction.

“We attack together” Yu said after a few seconds.

Yumi nodded.

“San...” he started.

“Ni...” she finished.

“Ich!” they said together.

Taking off simultaneously, brother and sister went in snake format. Zigzagging and crossing each other’s path in the process as they neared their targets. Kaneki’s eye kept up, Streamlight, however still had his eyes closed and his ears alert. Still working on fixing himself with his magic.

Kaneki glanced over to the detective and actually looked slightly stunned by how he was simply just standing there without paying attention, then again it might be possible that he could simply follow them based on movement just by how his ears were standing straight up.

Before Kaneki could actually touch him though to snap him out of whatever he was doing, the one eyed ghoul had to jump out of the way of Yu’s koukaku as it came in a sweep like fashion at Kaneki’s legs.

Using his rinkaku to send himself back Kaneki was pushed away from Streamlight who continued to stand there like an idiot, while Yu continued his assault towards Kaneki.

Yumi now rushed for the detective while her brother kept Kaneki busy, pouncing into the air the little girl held some pain in her eyes as she stared at the unmoving detective.

Kaneki ducked Yu’s blade, then with a quick and strong jab to the gut sent the ghoul sliding backwards in the process coughing out some blood from the wound he’d received earlier.

Yumi was now inches away from Streamlight, just a few more seconds and she’d have her target. Though the girl still couldn’t help but feel guilty. The only thing empowering her to pull through with this act was her hunger and her brother.

“Sorry mister” she said in a barely audible whisper.

Streamlight’s horn stopped glowing, his ear twitched then his eyes flashed open. In one swift movement he was about nearly a foot away from Yumi, who was now slightly perplexed by his swift movement.

Without wasting a second Streamlight’s horn glowed, quickly lifting the girl higher into the air before she could touch the ground.

Yumi began thrashing, trying to get her tail to reach the ground so she could break through the force that kept her suspended in the air, but try as she might she was having trouble escaping.

Streamlight maintained his focus. This wasn’t a problem, back in his first few days as a junior detective he’d had to break up a fight between two earth ponies. Given an earth pony’s natural strength it wasn’t easy taking on two stallions especially when they were pumped up on pure rage.

He grinned, slightly sweating now. “Just give up Yumi as long as I have my focus on you there’s no way you’ll-” his ear twitched, footsteps were rushing at him.

Ducking just in time Streamlight managed to dodge an oncoming Koukaku. Kaneki’s kagune soon dragged the older brother away slamming him into the ground.

Streamlight however wasn’t able to get back up on his feet in time. When his focus had been broken Yumi stayed balanced on her tail, the moment he fell she took the opportunity her brother had given her.

Now on top her tail raised Yumi, licked her lips as the sound of her stomach grumbled before the detective.

“I’ll try to make this quick” she said opening her mouth for the bite. Streamlight moved his arm to aim his gun at her. A strong hand, tight grip and immediate jerk backwards was all Yumi needed to do to prevent the detective from shooting her.

Streamlight winced, slightly surprised by the strength the girl had in her hands.

Yumi was beginning to close in on him, any second now he’d be chow for her. Glancing back to who he believed to be Kaneki, Streamlight could see the brother was putting his everything in keeping the hooded boy away from them, swinging his kagune around madly, and guarding expertly against Kaneki’s kagune.

“Hurry Yumi!” Yu yelled.

Yumi moved in for the kill.

There was a flash of light, a small yelp and then silence. Both Kaneki and Yu stopped their fight and glanced over to Streamlight who was now sitting up, Yumi lay a few feet away from the unicorn on his right, her rinkaku gone and was clutching her chest as if in serious pain.

“Yumi w-” a strong hit to the face from one of Kaneki’s rinkaku sent the ghoul flying towards his sister. Yu came skidding to a stop, beside her a large gash on his face as well as trails of blood now dripping from his injured arm, though it had slowly begun to heal now.

Streamlight slowly rose, rubbing both his wrists. “Damn” he said looking at the little girl. “She’s got one heck of a grip.”

Kaneki said nothing, moving towards the unicorn while brother and sister merely lay there wincing in pain.

Streamlight moved closer to Kaneki, the two staring at each other in silence not saying a word and ignoring their opponents in the meantime.

Just as Streamlight was about to say something though, something surprising happened.

Yumi who’d been clutching her chest after getting hit by a concentrated shot from Streamlight, slowly got up, her shirt slightly ruined, exposing only a little skin. The girl didn’t make a sound, but the moment she was back on her feet her bikaku shot right out, and in a flash she was right behind Streamlight.

Everything seemed to slow down for both ghouls and the unicorn. Yumi’s movement had increased, her agility off the railing and Streamlight had not expected her to be so quick despite the information Hachikawa had given him.

Kaneki’s eye widened in alarm as he could see the look of murder in the preteen’s eyes. Streamlight in almost slow motion was turning his head to see the girl now just behind him, her tail slowly raising for the kill.

Then the girl did something. Something that reminded Kaneki of his past.

She licked her lips sensually. Almost like Rize.

Time resumed its normal pace, no longer slowing down for dramatic effect. With one quick step Kaneki reached for Streamlight’s collar, and pulled, at the same time Kaneki released a combined kagune in front of him to defend the spear like gator tail that now came in his direction.

Tossing Streamlight behind him with one hand, Kaneki flexed his other hand and in one quick motion his kagune moved up and blocked the spear still aiming for Streamlight.

Sparks slightly flew in the air for some strange reason, most likely because the girl had hardened her kagune and the cells within it. Yumi’s tiptoes touched the ground and in a second, using the force Kaneki had used to block, the girl did a triple front flip with her body tucked in over Kaneki.

Kaneki’s eye followed her movement, and just as he moved in to grab her tail and drag her back down it suddenly disappeared.

She’d retracted her kagune, landing a foot away from Kaneki. Yumi ducked then did a quick jump, using Kaneki’s kagune as a stepping stone to launch herself forward. Now giving her full attention for the objective at hand.

Before Kaneki could go after her, he suddenly felt a strong force tackle him to the ground. Big brother, Yu had come to the rescue and was now looking a bit better, his cheek having been healed and his injured arm looking less injured.

Dodging jab after jab, Kaneki only managed to gain a few scratch marks against his face which also slightly cut up his mask.

Yu had had enough, his hunger was driving him nuts and if he didn’t eat something soon he would lose it. Still trying to cut into Kaneki Yu decided he would be the best option. After all, one nibble on another ghoul couldn’t do that much damage.

Lunging in after stabbing his koukaku close to Kaneki’s face, Yu prepared to bite into Kaneki’s shoulder.

He never got any closer than a few inches away.

With Kaneki dealing with Yu, Streamlight was now on the ground slowly getting up. His ears twitched, perked up then he turned his head to see hungry looking Yumi coming right at him.

With an open palm thrust, Yumi sent her hand towards Streamlight’s solar plexus. He dodged with ease. Continuing to use martial arts against him, the girl kept trying to strike with her hands, legs and, knees, elbows, and on few occasions fists. Streamlight managing to dodge and block as best he could. Ignoring the pain that few strikes gave him when he blocked.

Throwing both her arms back, Yumi hit Streamlight with two open palms. One he blocked with both arms up, sliding back on his hooves and hitting a lamp post.

Streamlight winced when his back met the light post. But he didn’t have time to swear. Ducking just in time as Yumi’s tail came into clip his head, Streamlight rolled out of the way and came right behind Yumi.

Yumi didn’t look back, her bikaku just shot out straight for Streamlight’s direction, hitting the ground a few inches to his left then dragging along the mortar made road in his direction.

Rolling out of the way once more Streamlight stood up, lit his horn and held the girl in his magic. When Yumi whipped her tail at him he barely managed to evade a serious injury to the arm, but made it out nonetheless. Maintaining his focus on her.

Raising her into the air and slowly turning her around Yumi thrashed and snarled at him, drool starting to dribble down her lips.

“Let me go!” she yelled.

Streamlight snorted, slightly wincing from the pain in his back and the slow pain that was returning in his side. “If I did that you’d try to eat me again.”

Hearing footsteps behind him, Streamlight summoned his gun to his side and while keeping Yumi up in the air, he levitated his gun in the direction of the footsteps. They stopped.

Glancing over his shoulder he saw the ghoul, or rather Kaneki walking towards him. With the help of the light post, Streamlight could see that the ghoul had lost a few pieces of his mask. He ignored it then allowed his gun to lower back to his side as Kaneki came closer.

“Where’s the brother?” he asked his eyes still focused on the struggling preteen.

Kaneki’s kagune brought down a unconscious Yu, held around the waist.

Streamlight nodded. Levitating his gun up to the ghoul’s head he lifted Yu’s head up with the barrel and stared at the ghoul. “...”

After that he looked up at Yumi who was still thrashing about.

“Hey!” he said in calm yet very cold tone. Yumi stopped. And when she saw the gun up to her brother’s head she immediately grew submissive.

Streamlight looked at Kaneki, then looked at brother and sister. He bit his lip, mulling over what his decision should be. He flinched slightly when he heard the masked ghoul’s voice behind him.

“You can shoot them” he said.

Streamlight looked at the ghoul with narrowed eyes. “Aren’t they one of your own?”

Kaneki shook his head. “They’re not family. It doesn’t matter what happens to them to me. But if in case they didn’t know.” Kaneki raised a kagune and smacked Yu harshly along the face with it.

The brother woke up with a snort and yell. “Wh-- Yumi?!” he said looking around frantically. The click of Streamlight’s gun made him stop.

“Try anything and I will shoot you” he stated.

Yu stopped moving, scowling at the detective. “Where’s my sis-”

“She’s up there” Streamlight said with a head gesture.

Yu looked up to see his sister staring at him. Tears beginning to fall from her eyes. Yu smiled warmly then turned his attention back to Streamlight and Kaneki with a scowl. “What are you going to do to us?”

Kaneki said nothing and merely released Yu from his kagune’s grip, before stepping back and giving Streamlight full view of the ghoul. Keeping one kagune blade out, Kaneki made sure that if the ghoul tried anything he could simply cut him down in a second.

Looking at Streamlight he nodded.

Streamlight understood what Kaneki had said, words or not. Keeping Yumi in the air, he walked towards Yu and pointed his floating gun at the ghoul’s head. Yu froze, not moving, but his red irises dared the unicorn to shoot him and see what would happen.

Streamlight’s expression was impassive, barely readable from Kaneki’s standpoint. The look in the unicorn’s eyes could be described as one who was absolutely sure of his decision.

Looking up at Yumi, then back to Yu, Streamlight spoke to Kaneki without looking back. “Is there a way these two can eat without killing?”

Kaneki said nothing, slightly surprised the detective was considering this option but after a few seconds he spoke. “There is. Not to far from here on the other side of this town, there is a cemetery. They can eat there.”

Streamlight kept his steel gaze on Yu, then looked at Yumi moving his gun away from him to her. “I have two bullets left in my gun. I can shoot both of you now and end all this.”

Yu moved, Kaneki brought his kagune down threateningly, the ghoul stopped.

“But, if you two promise me that you will never harm anyone here and only eat in that cemetery” his gun lowered slowly. “I won’t shoot you.”

Yu and Yumi stared with a shocked expression. Brother and sister looked at each other, ignoring the compelling feeling for flesh that called them. Yu looked at Streamlight with a quizzical brow, unable to hide the disbelief in his voice.

“Why are you giving us a chance?” he asked.

Kaneki looked at Streamlight, just as interested as the other two on why he would even consider giving them a chance since they had tried to kill him.

“Your sister” he said pointing at her. “She apologized on three different occasions. Once before the fight, again during, and a third time when she thought she was about to finish me off. If you were both cold blooded murders you wouldn’t have hesitated to attack me the moment we met. That could have saved both you and your brother time in fighting me and eventually, him” he said with a gesture to Kaneki.

“I’m giving you a chance. But only one. If I find out either of you have harmed any of the ponies in this town” Streamlight quickly pointed his levitated gun at Yu and fired. The bullet shot past Yu, cutting his cheek with accurate precision before slamming into the ground with a spark.

Yu swallowed.

“I’ll kill you two without mercy” he said coldly. “I’m a detective. My duty is the safety of the citizens of Equestria. So take my warning or don’t” he said now lowering Yumi back to the ground. “I’m only doing this since you two seem like you were pushed too far. But remember, cross the line again” he said gliding the gun back to his hand.

“And you two won’t be having any late night dinners together ever again.” With that said Streamlight cut the magic flowing from his horn, Yumi dropped to the ground on her feet retracting her kagune.

A lengthy silence filled the area as Yumi moved over to her brother and helped him up. The two stared at Streamlight who continued to stare at them with a steely gaze. Clearly meaning every single word he had said.

“Thank you...” Yu said after a few seconds of awkwardness. “For not killing us. We wouldn’t get away with something like this where we’re from. We’ll...take your warning.”

Streamlight nodded then turned his attention to the masked ghoul who’d been staring silently. “Get them to the cemetery. I need to go to the hospital and make sure I’m not dying while standing here.”

His horn glowing once more Streamlight gathered his MDA coat that had been tossed to the side and draped it over his shoulders.

Kaneki looked at the two ghouls and with his kagune directed them to walk ahead, he had something he wanted to say.

Yumi and Yu nodded, with Yumi supporting her brother the two stared at Streamlight as they walked by then looked at Kaneki who nodded at them then turned his attention back to the detective. Brother and sister walked down the street a good few feet and waited.

Once they were out of ear shot Kaneki spoke: “You didn’t need to do that.”

Streamlight merely walked over to his holster and picked it up wincing in pain. “I know.”

“Then why?”

“Like I said, they were pushed to their limit. Caged animals, people, even ghouls when pushed to the brink of death or put in a dangerous situation will behave in ways they normally wouldn’t. I can’t fully blame them. But I will kill them if they’re the ones that pull a stunt like this again.”

Kaneki remained silent for a bit. Staring at the detective and holding him in a different light from before. Perhaps he wasn’t one of those narrow-minded officers like the ones he’d met in Japan, or those that were part of the CCG.

“I see” Kaneki said turning around and retracting his kagune. “Well, I’m off to show them the cemetery.”

“Wait” Streamlight said putting his gun in its holster.

Kaneki looked back to see Streamlight’s slightly dirty hand extend as a form of respect; a handshake. “Thanks for the help” Streamlight said with a slight smile.

Kaneki said nothing, merely looked at the hand then back at the detective. “Don’t mention it” he said shaking the hand.

“I just hope we don’t end up having to fight each other someday” Streamlight said after they’d shaken hands.

Kaneki’s ghoul eye returned to its normal state, slightly slanted. “I hope so also. Ja ne” he said turning around and heading towards the two ghouls waiting ahead.

Streamlight watched Kaneki walk away towards the two ghouls now sure of who it was under the mask. Deciding he wouldn’t say anything, Streamlight simply planned to just wait and see where things went. If he was wrong, and boy did he hope he was. Then he wouldn’t need to exert force.

If he was right, then “I’ll have to kill him.”

Turning around the detective’s horn glowed as the image of the nearest clinic came to form an image in his head. With a bright glow he was gone.

Kaneki didn’t look back as he headed in the direction of the cemetery, watching his surroundings as he led the two ghouls behind him to their salvation.

Depending on how the following days went he’d have to make a decision. Kill Streamlight. Or let him live.

Only time will tell.

Author's Note

Tensions rise, suspicions grow. Who knows what will happen between the half ghoul and the detective.

Side Note: Will be taking a small break from this story for a bit to gather more ideas and thoughts. Comments are always welcomed.

Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Article

“What...is this?”

Mrs. Cup Cake was awake. A few rays of light made their way through the curtains of her horizontal slider style window. And judging from the time on her miniature desk beside the bed it was just a few minutes past dawn.

Her ear twitched a bit as she felt two arms wrap around her, she smiled sweetly at her husband Carrot Cake who’d spent most of the day and a majority of last night working on a order that had been requested by an important client in Trottingham.

He’d probably had it delivered by now and recently came to bed judging from the circles under his eyes, she thought nuzzling him gently.

A pleasant smile crossed the stallion’s face as his grip loosened around his wife just a bit. Mrs. Cake smiled once more, slowing sliding out of the sheets and giving her husband a gentle peck on the check she headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

A couple minutes later Mrs.Cake was downstairs, and not much to her surprise Kaneki was sitting in a chair near the register counter sipping coffee as he usually did every morning. She smiled at him, he nodded back.

The older mare noticed he was no longer wearing the same clothes that had been slightly torn the previous two nights before.

In all honesty it was a bit worrying for her. Being a mother Mrs.Cake always had to think about her children and take into account their safety, and seeing Kaneki with torn clothes at times somewhere in the night was...unsettling.

But she would not ask. Mrs.Cake trusted the human and she would not question him unless it was absolutely necessary. Besides, Pinkie Pie trusts him and her husband and two foals seem to like him just fine. That was enough for her.

Moving past Kaneki and heading towards the back where the kitchen was Mrs. Cake began taking out the necessary tools to begin baking cupcakes. Today’s specialty; cinnamon.

Taking out the flour, cupcake pans, whisk, eggs, cinnamon, salt and other necessary equipment and ingredients Mrs. Cake began getting to work. Kaneki came in a few minutes after with his empty mug, moving to the sink to wash it and place it back in the dishwasher.

“Did you sleep well?” Mrs. Cake’s voice asked after a few seconds of awkward silence was held between the two.

Kaneki paused, slightly caught off guard by the question. He nodded then spoke: “Yes, thank you. And how about you Mrs?”

Mrs. Cake smiled, glancing over her shoulder at him and nodded back. “Just fine thank you.” She went back to work placing the cupcake batter now inside the oven.

Kaneki was now sitting in one of the chairs nearby the register not too far off the kitchen’s entrance. He was staring silently at the front door, something she’d noticed he’d been doing for the past two days.

“Kaneki” she said kindly, the boy’s pale gold eyes looked in her direction. “Is there something wrong? You’ve been staring at the door for the past two days and haven’t been going out as much with Pinkie, she’s starting to worry about you a bit you know?”

Kaneki simply shook his head then looked back at the front door. “There is nothing wrong Mrs.Cake” he said dismissively. “I just have a lot on my mind.”

Oh she thought. It wasn’t the first time she’d noticed the human had had a lot on his mind. He’d become even more wary of going outside nowadays ever since Mrs. Cake mentioned that a large man with glasses, and a scary look came by here with Dinky.

Mrs. Cake had wondered if Kaneki knew him from the way he grew a bit stiff upon mentioning his name.

Now that she recalled she felt that the man, Hachikawa, that had been with Dinky had something dark that had happened to him or about him that made him give off such a menacing look that could eat you up or rip you to pieces without a moment’s hesitation.

An image of Hachikawa popped into her mind. That callous almost soulless look in his eyes. It was...almost terrifying, yet Dinky seemed to see something in him that she hadn’t had the full opportunity to notice. Since all she had wanted to do upon sensing the faint hostility that loomed in his presence was stay as far away from him as possible.

Pushing those thoughts away into a furnace, Mrs.Cake looked at the time. It read it was 6:35 in the morning. In a couple of minutes, possibly around 7 or so Mr.Cake would be awake. Then she’d need to check on Pound and Pumpkin and make sure they were still asleep or needed a changing.

Since the shop opened at 8 in the morning she’d have some extra time to kill. But with Pinkie still asleep there wouldn’t be anyone to talk to aside from Kaneki

She glanced over to Kaneki who’d remained motionless, just staring at the door. Lost in thought.

Mrs.Cake’s hooves clopped gently against the hardwood floor as she made her way past Kaneki and gently patted him on the shoulder. He looked up at her, seeming to return from a daze.

“Kaneki, come let’s sit in the living room dear. We haven’t had a nice talk in a while right?” she asked kindly.

Kaneki looked at the cerulean mare with a slightly confused expression, but Mrs. Cake’s smile only widened

“Come on now. I’ll make us another cup of your favorite coffee and then we’ll have a talk.”

Kaneki feeling slightly confused by the events simply nodded and got up to go to help Mrs. Cake with the coffee beans.

“Oh no don’t worry about that Kaneki. You just go wait in the living room, I’ll be there shortly” Mrs. Cake said reassuringly.

“Um..” he nodded and left for the living room. Unsure of why the mare wanted to talk with him.

It took a few minutes but eventually Mrs. Cake came to the living room with two mugs in her hand. One was hers the other was Kaneki’s favorite. She handed hers to him and sat beside him.

“Is there something I did wrong?” Kaneki asked as he gently blew on the hot liquid. Mrs.Cake smiled and shook her head before patting him reassuringly on the shoulder.

“You’ve done no such thing. I simply wanted to talk to pass the time.”

“I see” Kaneki said staring at his own reflection from within the mug.

“So Kaneki, I’ve been meaning to ask you. You and those detective aren’t from here right? Don’t you ever miss home? Or is there a specific reason you came here.”

Mrs.Cake noticed how Kaneki’s shoulders tensed at the question. It must have been personal, she frowned her ears slightly dropping just a bit.

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to touch on something per-”

“No” Kaneki said kindly. “It’s alright. I don’t mind.”

Mrs.Cake nodded and took a sip from her cup. The coffee’s bitterness with the cream she had added into hers even out with some sweetness. It was nice and it gave her a warm feeling as it went down her throat and warmed the rest of her body.

“Do you miss your home?” she asked after a few seconds of silence.

Kaneki took a sip from his cup, stared at his reflection, closed his eyes as if he were lost in thought before opening them and speaking again. “...There are times I do...miss my friends, the ones I left behind back home...but then I recall the new friends I have made here. And that empty feeling I get...that....keeps me from overreacting or over thinking things when things are at their worst” he pointed to his chest with a calm expression as he looked up at Mrs. Cake.

“It goes away” he said with a small smile. A smile that in Mrs. Cake’s opinion threatened to break her heart.

Smiling sadly at Kaneki the older mare moved closer and gently placed her hand on top of his with motherly affection, and gave it a squeeze. Kaneki smiled kindly and gave a small squeeze back in return.

“Thank you Mrs. Cake. It’s...it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to talk like this to anyone.”

“Even to Pinkie?” Mrs.Cake asked in almost a whisper.

Kaneki nodded.

“I...I would prefer not to burden her with my problems. My problems are my own, and it is my job to protect everyone from as much harm as I possibly can.”

Mrs.Cake’s head tilted to the left in slight confusion by the statement, but she let it slide.

Kaneki and Mrs.Cake talked for quite sometime till Pinkie and the rest of the Cake family woke up. As the two talked, Mrs.Cake finally began to felt she could understand why Kaneki always seemed so closed off to others.

He was in his own way, trying to protect them.

Streamlight now lay asleep in his very own hospital bed. His torso wrapped with bandages and his arm now propped up in a cast. The fight with the ghoul siblings the two day before had taken a lot more out of him than he had expected.

Apparently he’d broken his left arm and hadn’t even noticed. Three of his ribs had been fractured and it had taken four hours the following morning when Doctor Helpinghoof got in, along with the aid of a unicorn doctor called Check-Up to fix his busted ribs.

The bandages had been placed there to make sure he didn’t move around to much to weaken the mending spell they’d placed on him. He’d been advised to wait yesterday and today, but he had refused to do so.

Silver Star would be preparing to publish the photos if he didn’t get back to Manehattan yesterday night.

Sadly, he’d been stopped from doing so. Getting hit with a sedative by Nurse Redheart had knocked him out for the majority of the day and well into today’s morning.

Helpinghoof had said while he lay on the ground ready to pass out that if he moved too much he’d only weaken the spell and worsen his state. So Nurse Redheart had done good with her job.

Now slowly coming out of his sleeping state, Streamlight blinked a few times as he stared at the checkered ceiling of the hospital. Lifting his good arm to rub his face, the stallion tried to sit up. Only to wince a bit from the pain.

Forcing himself to sit up anyway, gaining a lack of breath for his efforts Streamlight looked around and remembered he was back in the hospital.

He sighed, then looked at the clock. “7:43 a.m.?” he muttered. Something in the back of his mind was trying to make a comeback but he couldn’t recall what this urgent thing was.

His ears twitched as he heard clopping coming towards him. Looking up Streamlight watched Nurse Snowheart’s voluptuous form come inside. She smiled kindly at him and asked how he was doing.

He grumbled a “fine.”

“Well well, that’s no way to treat the nurse who helped get you out of those officer clothes” Nurse Snowheart said walking past him and fixing a bed nearby.

“What?” Looking at down Streamlight noticed he was no longer in his uniform but was wearing a medical gown. He gulped, looked up at the ceiling full of worry as he slowly lifted the gown up to check if he was still wearing his boxers.

“They’re still there” Snowheart said saving him the trouble and possibly hinting at something else.

Streamlight sighed feeling a bit better. Then immediately feeling a bit embarrassed he turned his attention to Snowheart who was now walking towards him.

“You do know that I could have stayed in my uniform without you having to remove all my clothing, right?”

“You do know it is my job to make sure the safety of my patients come first be it, royal guard, officer, or detective. Correct?” the mare smiled when Streamlight nodded.

“Good, I just came to check on you and let you know that you’ll be leaving later today.”

“Today?” It took a second but finally the thought that had been resting in the back of Streamlight’s mind suddenly came rushing back with a full force as he slowly rose from his seat on the bedside.

“What’s wrong?” Snowheart asked slightly concerned at seeing the detective’s look of shock.

“The article. Oh Tartarus, the article!” he said rushing to grab his clothes.

Snowheart stepped back looking confused. “What do you mean “the article” ?”

“Silver Star! She’s a friend of mine. I was supposed to be in Manehattan by last night or this morning. If I don’t get there now she’ll publish those photos in her article and it’ll be all over Equestria! I have to stop her!”

“Wait you can’t leave!” Snowheart stated as the unicorn quickly began changing into his attire, hurling the strap that kept his left arm up and wincing before he quickly slipped on his shirt and button up after it.

“I have to! If I don’t, things won’t look good for him!” Streamlight stated using his magic to return the strap on his cast around his neck.

“Who?” Snowheart asked as she watched him fumble with the door knob.

“Can’t say! Bye!” he called.

And before the nurse could even move to stop him from opening the door, Streamlight was already halfway down the hall.

Location: Manehattan; Manehattan News Corps. Executive Director One Shot’s office.
Time: 7:45 a.m.

Walking through a bunch of cubicles and standing in front of a door that said “Chief” was Silver Star.

The mare had received a call from her boss earlier today, and had sounded furious. She’d been postponing the due date for those pictures she had mentioned to him for the past four to five days now and her boss had ordered her to come straight to his office when she checked in.

She gulped, then knocked. “Come in” a voice called, followed by the clang of a phone on its receiver.

Walking inside with the photos in an envelope, tightly gripped in her hand Silver Star nervously walked into the room to meet her boss.

Sitting in a large armchair behind and even larger desk that was full of different notes, photos, and had one framed picture that was most likely a picture of his family was One Shot.

The ginger stallion with the orange mane and grape highlights stared silently at his journalist as she took a seat in front of him. One Shot rubbed his chin as he stared meticulously at the envelop in the mare’s hand.

“Those the photos?” he asked when he was sure the journalist had endured enough silence.

Silver Star nodded, not speaking unless said to.

“Good. Hand them over” he said with a raised hand.

Silver Star hesitated. The deal she had made with Streamlight still weighed heavily in her head and betraying Streamlight’s trust despite time already being up was bothering her. Her boss’ voice however drew her attention.

“Silver Star” One Shot said sternly. “Give me the photos. Don’t you want to get first page on Equestria Daily?”

The slight glint and look of joy in the journalist’s eye didn’t go unnoticed. One Shot gestured with his hand to have the envelope placed in it.

With reluctance Silver Star complied, handing the pictures to him. When the director took a look at the photos, Silver Star noticed how his eyes slightly slanted as he stared at each individual photo.

“What do you think?” Silver Star asked after a few minutes. She was twiddling her fingers around out of a nervous habit, waiting for what may or may not be praise. One Shot didn’t look up at her as he stared at all five pictures of Kaneki. Four of which showed him dodging attacks from Haru.

“What do I think?” One Shot repeated after a few more seconds of careful observation. He lifted one photo that showed Kaneki and the ghoul staring at each other from a distance. One Shot could clearly see the intensity in Kaneki’s eyes.

“I think these are...Amazing!” One Shot exclaimed standing up in front of his desk, looking down at the photos. “These shots get first page, inevitably! Well done Star” he said fervently patting her shoulder. “Hey Film! Get your butt over here and get these photos published asap!”

“Coming Boss!” Film called from behind one of the cubicles.

“W-wait! Sir, I was wondering, would it be too much to ask if we delayed our usual morning newspaper for the next few minutes?” she asked as she watched the director show the photos to the pegasus who just walked in.

Both Film and One Shot stared at Silver Star in amazement, then looked at each other. Film didn’t know what to say to this question, One Shot on the other hand was laughing.

Silver Star felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment, knowing that she was asking something impossible but felt it was necessary to at least try.

“Look Star, what do you think this is a restaurant? If we can get Sapphire Shores to agree to a public photo shot with a diamond necklace then I can tell you without a doubt that this isn’t happening. Film” he said turning to the brick red pegasus and handing him the envelope, “get these published now. I wanna see this kid on front page in the next half an hour stat!”

Film paused looking between the director then back to Silver Star who’s cheeks were still a little red. “Well what are you waiting for a tip?” One Shot’s voice asked him, snapping the pegasus back to attention.

“Uh, no sorry sir” Film apologized before backing out of the room.

“Good, cause you wouldn’t get one” turning his back to Star, One Shot moved towards Silver Star “And you!” One Shot said with a grin as Silver Star rose from her seat.

“Nice job getting those pictures. They’ll make front page in today’s article.”

“Sir” Film said taking a look at the photos.

“What is it?” One Shot asked spinning in his direction.

“What’s the article’s title?”

“Let me see one of the pictures” he said with a wave of his hand.

“Which on sir?” Film asked.

“It doesn’t matter Film just pick one!”

Handing one of the photos to the director One Shot stared at the photo in silence for a few seconds before a grin slowly crossed his face.

“I’ve got it! Film, let’s go. Silver Star, good job once again. Keep up the great work!” With that the director and his partner left the room leaving Silver Star to wonder if this would cause any problems for Streamlight when he got back.

After a few seconds of silent pondering Silver Star stepped out of the director’s office and into the area full of other workers, busy typing, filing reports or handling calls.

She sighed, “I’m sure nothing too bad will happen.”

It was still in the morning the time now 11 in the morning. Derpy Hooves had sent Dinky off to school quite some time ago and had returned to see if Hachikawa needed anything.

As the mare flew towards her home she saw from a distance Hachikawa grab the newspaper lying in front of the door, before heading back inside. It’d been only a couple minutes since she’d seen the news truck deliver papers all across Ponyville and she got the feeling that something interesting would be happening today.

Call it a pegasus or mare’s intuition if you want, but when Derpy landed in front of her door she noticed something strange. A few ponies that had gotten their mail that’d she’d delivered and were now staring at the papers were all looking either shocked or confused.

It was strange. Nopony ever looked that confused unless something unbelievable had happened. And living in Ponyville, the unbelievable happened quite a lot.

Opening her front door Derpy noticed it wasn’t locked. Maybe Hachikawa saw me from afar and decided to leave it unlocked she thought with a smile. What a sweetheart.

Walking inside and going towards the living room where she decided to check first Derpy held a pleasant smile on her face, ready to surprise Hachikawa with a hug.

Hachikawa was standing, facing the window as he read the newspaper. Derpy stopped her snuggle assault, noticing how the muscles in his body were rigid, his shoulders up, and his stance slightly edgy.

Something wasn’t right.

“Hachikawa, what’s wrong?” she asked her eyes slightly lidding, giving her a worried expression.

Hachikawa said nothing at first. He merely stared at the page he was reading in silence before responding. “Did you know?” he asked quietly. Every word filled with a blinding fury.

“Know what?” she asked taking a cautious step forward.

“Don’t come any closer!” he yelled over his shoulder. Derpy winced, her ears drooping submissively as she took a step back.

“Hachikawa, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

The investigator took a deep breath, relaxed, then exhaled. “Did you know Kaneki Ken could do this?”

“Do what? Hachikawa you’re not making any-” there was a flop sound on the ground as he tossed the newspaper at her hooves. The mare looked at it, picked it up and stared. Her eyes widened.

On the first page titled: The Boy With Two Sides, there was Kaneki. Facing off against Haru. All four photos displayed Kaneki fighting with the ghoul with ease, yet at the same time emanating such a form of violence in his body language, his movement. His eyes, that it made Derpy shake. There was a fifth one that displayed him with a softer side as well.

“I see” Hachikawa said, as he stared at Derpy’s reflection and confusion from the window. “You didn’t know.”

“Know what, Hachikawa, none of this makes sense! Talk to me what’s going on! Why was Kaneki fighting one of these things? You’re an investigator right? Don’t you know?”

“No. No I don’t know.” He replied.

Turning around and facing Derpy, the mare froze as she saw the look in his eyes.

“But I sure as hell intend to find out.”

Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Confrontation

“What’s all this about?”

Kill Shot and Sting were both baffled. This morning when the two CCG officers had woken up neither had expected to be awoken by the sound of knocking on their door.

Usually Sting would have been greatly annoyed, cranky, and upset with Twilight. But this day, this day was completely different.

Twilight Sparkle currently sat on the detectives bed, her legs crossed and her eyes glaring at the two detectives. In her hand, a newspaper. And from her expression whatever news this article brought, did not sit well with her at all.

“Well?” she said, “I’m waiting Kill Shot” she said.

Kill Shot who’s mind was still slightly hazy from being awoken did not know what to say or do at the current moment. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep, but the mare sitting on his bed at this exact moment didn’t seem like she was going to relent.

“First” Kill Shot said running his hands over his face, and his fingers over his eyes to clear them of the effects of a restless night. “You need to tell us what it is you want to know. We can’t give you information if you keep us in the dark.”

Twilight scoffed, looking in the other direction with an air of annoyance at such a statement.

“'Keeps us in the dark' At least that statement is true” she said with bubbling anger in her voice.

Sting sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, Twilight. What is it? Just tell us so we can go back to sleep. We were out on the other side of Ponyville taking care of business and-”

Sting stopped as the newspaper in Twilight’s hand was thrown in his face. A plop as paper touched skin then a thud as it landed on the ground at his feet. Growling silently, Sting bent over, grabbed the paper and looked at it.

His eyes widened immediately.

Twilight noticed and her ears perked up a bit as she saw his reaction change. “I see you look surprised.”

Sting couldn’t answer. He could only look up and stare at Twilight in silence. Taking the paper out of Sting’s hands Kill Shot looked it over. Barely catching himself in surprise when he saw the article of Kaneki fighting Haru emerge.

Kill Shot’s eyes looked up at the young alicorn who was still staring expectantly at them.

He wasn’t sure of what to say. This was bad, very bad. If all of Ponyville had seen this then questions would be asked, suspicions would be raised, and things wouldn’t look bad for Kaneki only. But for them as well.

“This is-” he began.

“Yes? This is?” Twilight said with an expectant look on her face, both arms crossed as she waited for an answer.

Sting was still frozen when Kill glanced over to his partner. I suppose his mind couldn’t handle the sudden revelation, Kill Shot concluded.

“Oh yeah, before I forget. Turn the page” Twilight said gesturing with her hand in a circle like motion for him to flip the page.

Kill Shot did as such. What he saw made him run a hand through his hair, and stare at the image on it.

“This is me” he said silently.

“Yes it is. And how many of those things are you fighting?” Twilight asked in a stern mother like tone. Speaking as if Kill were now a child who needed to be admonished.

“...Four of them...” he said staring at the picture in disbelief. In the current photo Kill Shot was fighting the ghouls that had surrounded him inside the building. Two were dead, but they’re bodies weren’t shown and there was no reason for him to inform Twilight and give her even more of a reason not to trust them now that things had gotten to this point. In his hands was his kagune, and he was currently surrounded on either side by four ghouls, two had koukaku, one had a bikaku, the last one had a ukaku.

“And they’re all dead. Correct?” Twilight asked. Kill Shot merely nodded.

“I see” Twilight said. After this the alicorn remained silent. Her eyes shut and her ears limp, Twilight sat silently on Kill’s bed thinking over what she had just seen and read in the article.

It wasn’t much of a surprise to her that Kaneki could fight ghouls, nor was it to her for Kill Shot that he could fight ghouls. Based off the information she’d received this was natural for them. They were part of an organization whose sole purpose was to fight ghouls of all types, strengths, and skills.

So frankly no, Twilight wasn’t upset that the two had fought ghouls. Why would she be? For all she knew those ghouls could have attacked them, or other ponies.

These two were only trying to help, she had reasoned when she saw the article in the morning.

What really made Twilight mad, was that the two had refused to tell her. Refused to say anything about such an important matter when she could have informed Princess Celestia and Luna earlier or come up with her own decision on such an important matter, since she was a princess herself.

And now, who knew how Ponyville would see the investigators, now that this had been revealed. Ghouls in Ponyville? And not a single report on such a matter? It would draw suspicions.

Some of the ponies that still feared the investigators and Kankei would call this an outrage. There wouldn’t be a riot, but the ponies of this town had a right to know if their lives were in danger 24/7 and to whom they should turn to in case the need arises. Not only that but the fact such crucial information had been withheld and happened in Ponyville would make things even worse.

Twilight felt her horn grew warm and tingly, a faint glow forming around it. Ugh! This is all just so frustrating!

“Twilight” Sting’s voice called through the jumble of thoughts that ran through the alicorn’s mind. Twilight didn’t hear him.

“If you guys had told me all of this earlier we could have prevented all this from happening! Now we don’t have a clue how-”

“TWILIGHT!” Sting and Kill Shot yelled simultaneously.

Twilight’s eyes shot open just now noticing her horn was glowing. Looking around she couldn’t see either of the detectives. It wasn’t until a voice called from above did she look up. Pinned against the ceiling, Kill Shot and Sting were doing their best not to be smashed through the crystal structure that was inches from them.

“Put us down Twilight. We’ll tell you what we’ve learned, just put us down!” Sting exclaimed.

About to do as such Twilight noticed that a couple inches away from where the young investigator now stood in cat like position. Body curled up, butt in the air, she could see that he was doing his very best to avoid getting hit in the crotch region, by a dull, blunt crystal structure that formed a part of the ceiling.

Spike walked in the exact moment Twilight decided to do something awful.

Utterly confused and slightly disturbed, Spike watched with great uneasiness as Twilight put Sting in a tough situation. The distance between one of his greatest weak points and the blunt diamond slowly grew as Twilight added pressure to Sting’s back, who was trying to stay away from the object.

Kill Shot whose entire body was plastered to the ceiling like he’d been glued there couldn’t move, let alone say anything to get Twilight to stop her actions, and Spike just simply decided to stay out of this entirely.

A wise move indeed. As he slowly closed the door and turned his back to Twilight and the others the young drake could still hear her shouting things that related to today’s most recent article and Kaneki.

“You promise to tell me the truth?” Twilight yelled from the room as Spike went to grab something to eat.

“Yes! Yes!” he yelled, a few girlish screams escaping the human now and then as his nether regions were put in more danger. “Just stop this madness and we’ll tell you everything! Right, Kill?” the young investigator asked with some desperation.

Kill Shot did the worst thing possible to do to a guy who’s crotch was on the line. He said nothing.

A few more shouts and yells were exchanged as Spike looked through the fridge and got the ingredients ready for pancakes.

“Twilight and the others will be hungry after this” Spike said with a yawn.

Mrs. Cake sat with Kaneki, and Pinkie Pie in silence. Pinkie and the misses sat side by side. Kaneki had refused to sit anywhere near the two, and had reverted back to when they had first met him.

A steel resolve, that refused to let anyone too close.

At this current moment Pinkie’s nose was tingling madly. And that meant one thing: Kaneki was hiding something. More than even today’s news article let on. But if Pinkie Pie had learned anything about the boy, it was that pressuring him into saying something he didn’t want to reveal would only make the distance between them worse.

He was on edge right now, she could see it. If possible, her nose could smell it. Mrs. Cake knew it too, Pinkie thought taking note of the concerned look in the older mare’s eyes.

At the current moment, only these two mares knew the truth. Or as Kaneki had expected if things ever turned out this way, what he wanted them to believe was the truth. That he was a CCG investigator, not a ghoul.

Mr.Cake wasn’t home anymore. He’d left to go make sure the cake had been delivered, and attend to some other orders he had had merely handed the article to Mrs.Cake before leaving. The stallion never once looked at the front page much to Kaneki’s relief.

No sooner had Mrs. Cake seen what the article said about Kaneki, being a hero that fights ghouls yet at the same time a boy with a darkness to him did she wake Pinkie up immediately.

The twins were still asleep thank the gods, so now it was just a matter of settling this problem. This problem that clearly did not want to be addressed by the only one who could settle it.

Kaneki refused to talk. It had been over an hour since this article came out, and Mrs.Cake could practically feel the tension rising in the air, Pinkie sensing it also.

Minutes in silence had passed with both Mrs.Cake and Pinkie Pie looking through the article. Photos having been taken by Silver Star herself, and another pony who had been somewhere in the area. His shot involved Kill Shot.

In all honesty Pinkie had no idea how to feel currently. The slightly burning sensation in her nose, that travelled up her nostrils like she’d just chugged an entire liter of soda reminded her that Kaneki was still hiding things from them, but what those could be was beyond her. What else did he need to hide from them?

What he had done was a good thing. He had saved lives by fighting these ghouls, what was the problem, what was the deal?! Why would he need to hide anything from her, they were friends. Good friends! Could he really not trust her with a secret?

The thought made Pinkie’s insecure side grow stronger with every doubt she gained upon this horrid thought. But that was why she and Mrs.Cake were sitting in this room, the store temporarily closed. So they could confront him and get things straightened out. Assure the other ponies like Roseluck and the other flower ponies, other equines that hadn’t had time to know Kaneki, Sting, and Kill Shot that they were good people. On their side and there was nothing to worry about.

But as long as Kaneki stayed silent no such clarifications, no such assuages could be made.

“Kaneki” Pinkie said silently, speaking now after an hour. “What’s this all about, this ghoul that you and Kill Shot are fighting? We knew ghouls could be in Equestria but we didn’t think they’d be looming around in Ponyville.

“I mean, your kind is so...obvious and different from ours that, it’d be easy to tell if there were more of them in our midst. So what we’re asking is” she said gently, “Do you know where they are?”

Kaneki did not reply. He merely stared at the two with vacant silence expressing his desire to remain silent. Never in Kaneki’s wildest dreams did he-- okay that was a lie. Kaneki had always had doubt.

Doubts that eventually all of this. This peacefulness, this warmth he would occasionally feel when he looked at Pinkie. When he looked at Mrs.Cake, Mr.Cake, the twins, Raiment Wear, all the others, maybe even Sting and Kill Shot also- Kaneki knew, somewhere in the back of his mind. He knew that all of this would eventually come to an end.

His life was a tragedy. The last tragedy he could remember reading when he was human, when he wasn’t...a half-ghoul, half-human being did not end well. But he would be damned to the deepest depths of hell if he allowed his tragedy to affect those he cared for.

For a moment a part of Kaneki. That part of him that was ruthless, merciless, desired nothing more than to make others pay whispered: “If you want you could run. There’s no point staying here any longer. They’ll find out the truth, they’ll realize what you are. What you can become. And then they’ll be scared. They could never understand, not like Anteiku did before you left.

“Their not like us” it whispered.

Kaneki’s face contorted to a frown as he watched words come out of Pinkie and Mrs.Cake’s mouth. Words he could not hear because of this voice. “Be quiet” he said mentally.

“The moment they find out the truth, that other side they’ll reject you, despite all your efforts to protect them” the voice continued.

“Shut up” Kaneki muttered barely audible, moving his hand to scratch his chin as Pinkie asked yet another question that he could not hear.

“In the end your efforts were for-”

“I said be quiet!” he yelled. Kaneki froze instantly realizing he had lost his cool, his eyes moved up to Mrs.Cake and Pinkie, both of whom were taken aback by his sudden outburst.

Pinkie had a great look of pain in her eyes. “I was only saying that if you tell us we can help you” she said morosely. Her hair and tail deflating in their puffy volume. “Why don’t you want us to help you?” she asked.

Kaneki felt sweat beginning to form. He had not been paying attention. The blasted voice in his head, had clouded his thoughts. And now he’d made his situation worse.

Mrs.Cake looked upset, the warmth in her eyes now replaced with a growing anger. Pinkie Pie looked confused, her eyes reflecting sadness and pain from the fact he had withheld such a thing from her this entire time.

Finally after a few seconds of edgy silence the pink mare spoke. “Kaneki...when you go out every night. Are you fighting ghouls?”

Kaneki’s throat flexed as he swallowed his own saliva that had grown to almost the size of a tennis ball, building in his mouth.

Pinkie Pie waited. Mrs.Cake who had calmed just a bit now waited to hear his response. If he got up and left, there would be trouble. As this mare now considered the boy a part of their family now, no metaphorical son of hers would be getting up and leaving a friend in the cold like how he had shouted earlier.

Kaneki licked his lips, they were dry. For a second he tasted iron, blood? Had he been biting his lips? It didn’t matter. The question at hand still hung in the air.

“Kaneki” Pinkie Pie said again. “Have you been fighting ghouls every night you go outside?” Pinkie asked once again. This time she stressed, every word accented as she spoke.

“Have you Kaneki?” Mrs.Cake asked, knowing yet fearing the answer. It was the only thing that could explain his torn clothes the nights she had been able to see him. Frankly she was a bit surprised Pinkie knew Kaneki had been leaving well into the night, but then again this was Pinkie they were talking about.

Kaneki’s pale yellow eyes stared at the mares. Both holding worry, both holding concern. Whether it was for him in general or for how the town would react in the following hours to come, Kaneki could say for sure he did not know.

He sighed, after a few more seconds of silence. “I have. But not every night as you would think. Other nights I’m out....patrolling, like Sting and Kill Shot” he said, knowing that part of that was a lie.

Pinkie stared at Kaneki in silence. The burning in her nose dying greatly with the words Kaneki had spoke. Sniffing, then rubbing a finger over her nose the mare got to her hooves and nodded.

“I believe you” she said.

Kaneki who had now averted his gaze when she rose, slowly lifted his head to look at her. “You do?”

Pinkie nodded. Her tail, and mane regaining it’s puffy volume once more.

“But...but how?” Kaneki asked, clearly disturbed and surprised she would just flat out believe him like that. Kaneki rose to his feet, away from the chair taking a step back from the two.

This didn’t make sense. They had confronted him,after all this time it took for him to speak. After he had hid this part of information where everyone in the town’s life was at stake, they had confronted him. He had told them the truth, expected them to believe it was a lie and push him further maybe even reject him, only to have all of these assumptions blown in his face with Pinkie telling him she believed him.

“It doesn’t make sense” his mind said. “I don’t understand” Kaneki said honestly feeling confused. His human side now taking over and making an appearance. “How could- how can you just up and say you believe me after I’ve withheld all of this from you? Mrs.Cake you don’t-”

He froze. The cerulean mare was staring at him with warmth in her eyes. And a smile.

Kaneki’s eye twitched involuntarily. No one back home would ever believe someone after this type of information had been withheld. What was the catch? What was the deal with these mares? What was the deal with this world?

The ponies of this world were mostly trusting, all appreciative of each other’s company. Yet in an instant they could lose control of themselves, doubt everything and everyone. Some having more tight structures like herds and higher levels of trust between each other. Others like when he had first came here being doubtful and suspicious of him because he was different and looked nothing like them.

And that last part was only farther from the truth then they imagined.

Yet standing before him right now were two mares willing to accept what he had done. When his own friends had had trouble understanding what he had done, abandoning them the way he did. What made them so different from Touka, Enji, Nishiki, Hinami, Renji, and Tsukiyama?

It was...confusing.

Kaneki froze when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked up and stared into two light cerulean eyes, that stared right back into his pale yellows.

Pinkie Pie smiled that infectious smile. That smile that he noticed when he accompanied her during her jobs affected everypony in the area. That smile that was warm, friendly, inviting and trying to understand someone or somepony.

And it was directed right at him. He felt another arm on his back, he glanced over his shoulder and saw Mrs.Cake smiling warmly at him.

“Kaneki” she said soothingly, noticing how his body had begun to shake. “Would you like some coffee?”

For the first time in a long time, Kaneki felt his eyes burning with that unfamiliar sensation, called tears. His eyes wouldn’t release the tears. They simply blurred his vision only slightly before allowing him to see again.

Kaneki’s throat felt warm, like he had drank something hot and that was what was causing him to feel this way. But ultimately it was just this kind gesture that they were showing that made him feel this way.

He nodded, unable to speak. Mrs.Cake smiled once more, rubbing his back gently like a mother would for a hurt child. Then pat him on the head before crossing to go to the kitchen. Pinkie Pie and Kaneki were left in the room alone.

It took a few seconds, but Kaneki calmed soon enough and his calm demeanor returning with it. The moment had passed, and he was back to normal his human side returning to a deep sleep.

Pinkie Pie now stared at the boy sitting beside her in silence, before speaking once more.

“I understand why you didn’t say anything” she said after a few seconds. “After Sting and Kill Shot told us what ghouls were you all noticed how worried we were. Especially since we don’t have anything that can kill them or hurt them. You were worried about us” she said with a smile, running a finger under her eye.

“I appreciate it. We all do, I’m sure the girls understand you were only trying to protect us. All three of you” she said moving to take his hand in hers but at the last second decided against it.

“Kaneki. I may be your friend, but there’s still a lot I don’t know about you. A lot that Twilight and the others don’t know about you, Sting or Kill Shot. When you’re ready. And I hope it’s soon. Will you be willing to tell us how you three came to be in this situation. Fighting those monsters that eat ponies and people?”

Kaneki said nothing. He merely stared at the ground in silence, as he calmed. He nodded after glancing in Pinkie’s direction and noticing her concern.

She smiled. “Thanks.” Getting up and heading towards the kitchen Pinkie Pie felt her nose tingle once more. Casting a quick glance at Kaneki she saw him staring out the window, but upon noticing her stare he looked at her and smiled weakly back.

She didn’t return the smile at first. But after a second she did, then turned towards the kitchen her nose still tingling. “He’s lying.”

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna now sat in their throne room in silence. Neither of them saying a word.

The news of ghouls had come before, and Princess Luna had taken the task of going through every single ponies dream in Equestria. She had found two equines alone who had the dreams of being attacked by ghouls.

Streamlight and Sweet Treat.

Princess Celestia had decided that Luna should keep an eye on Sweet Treat, watching her dreams for any signs of psychological damage as well as the dreams of any other ponies that may be having such nightmares. It would make it easier for them to figure out ways to hunt the ghouls down and eradicate them.

Canterlot unlike Manehattan and Ponyville, had so far not undergone any kind of attacks. Thorough investigations had been made. And no Investigators or Ghouls of any kinds were found anywhere.

Then again they could just be hiding real well. After all, MDA had only found a few ghoul attacks with little to no chances of being able to stop the attackers from attacking.

Recently in the past few days there have been ghouls dying in the darkest alleys of Manehattan, as well as in Vanhoover, and FIllydelphia. Celestia could only hope these were the investigators she had heard about from her intelligence resources.

Both princesses sighed simultaneously as they heard knocking on their throne room doors.

“Enter” Celestia said tiredly. The two sisters were already stacked up with complaints and supposed seeings of ghouls in every dark alley in the neighboring cities and towns. Frankly it was getting a little annoying for Luna.

The guard who had knocked the door, a pegasus. Walked inside and saluted to the two princesses.

“What is it Iron Will?” Luna asked from a mountain of papers.

“We were able to contact the MDA and they have agreed to allow their officer Streamlight meet with you as soon as he returns from Ponyville.”

“Ponyville? That’s right. These picture were taken near that area weren’t they? I wonder how Twilight and the others are faring with this news” Celestia said.

“I’m sure they are fine sister. I will even check on them tonight” Luna stated using her magic to dispose of a shovel full of unnecessary reports. Some involving ponies saying they had seen a ghoul in their bathroom or while they were taking a shower.

“We can check on them after we have settled with all these files. Iron Will, tell Solar Flare to get rid of anymore reports or complaints that may come.”

The guard nodded, saluted then excused himself from the throne room.

Princess Celestia shook her head as papers began sailing past her while she took care of each report. “Most of these reports are just false alarms” she said. “My little ponies are more squeamish than I thought” she said.

" “More squeamish" is an understatement Celes” Luna said as she finished quickly checked off the last report on her desk. Rising from her seat and teleporting the desk away Princess Luna stretched her wings before stepping away from the throne.

“Heading out sister? It’s still a bit bright outside.”

Luna shrugged, stretching her wings and her arms once more. “I’d like to get some air after staying in here since last night. I don’t think I’ll be able to get any sleep now so I might as well look around while I’m awake.”

Celestia nodded, teleporting her own desk away now that the work was done. “I understand. I’ll see you later then Luna.”

The two sisters exchanged a nod, before Luna walked out of the throne room. Leaving Celestia alone.

The princess of the sun spent the next few minutes staring outside wondering what on earth these ghouls were and why they were attacking her subjects. She would have to take certain measures and minimize the amounts of fear by having Luna fiddle with ponies dreams. She’d also need to make a few appearances and show ponies that they should observe their new opponents carefully.

The princess rose and stretched. It was time to lower the sun and allow the rest of the day to fade into Luna’s domain.

Chuu Hachikawa, was in a bad mood. After finding out that Kaneki Ken and fellow investigator Kill Shot had been involved in one of the ghoul attacks he’d noticed happening in the streets of Ponyville.

Just as well it was good that the sun no longer shined so brightly in the sky. And it was just as well that there weren’t that many ponies out now that the sun had set and night had begun to take over. The look Hachikawa had on his face would have only increased suspicions on Sting and Kill Shot with how enraged the officer currently was.

Walking by himself now down the street, past Sugarcube Corner and in a random direction, Hacikawa’s eyes faintly caught the image of a pink female in the distance walking in his direction with someone else.

It took a second, but eventually, Hachikawa’s mind put the pieces together and figured out who it was walking alongside Pinkie Pie.

Kaneki.

In that instant, all Hachikawa saw was red. The last thing he remembered rationally doing was his breath picking up, his heart roaring in rage, pounding against his chest. Adrenaline freely spilling into his bloodstream, and feeling a rush as he began slowly transferring from a slow and steady walk.

To a jog.

To a short paced run.

Finally into a sprint.

Hachikawa came at the mare and Kaneki at full speed. All with the intent to get questions answered. And if Kaneki happened to be a ghoul, well he’d kill him in the process.

Pinkie Pie and Kaneki were now returning from several homes. Earlier after Kaneki had finished his coffee in the afternoon and everyone had calmed, the party planner went with Kaneki and got half of Ponyville’s attention. Assuring them that they had nothing to fear from the boy and the investigators.

It worked, but then again Kaneki wasn’t really all that reliant on the mare’s words. Sure she had all of Ponyville’s population in his favor, but that didn’t mean that they were really going to listen to what she had to say when their lives were on the line.

Pinkie Pie however saw it differently. Most of those that had had the chance to meet Kaneki liked him. Didn’t quite get the way he behaved but they were fine with him. The CMC also didn’t have a problem with him either and had even pitched in when Pinkie had began her declaration that Kaneki, Sting, and Kill Shot were all on their side.

Kaneki stared silently at Pinkie as they walked down the street back towards Sugarcube Corner. He smiled at her bubbly demeanor. Earlier today when all this started he had expected everything to go down hill. Was ready to leave and move out of town.

Perhaps it wasn’t his time yet.

“Hey Pinkie. I really appreciate everything you’ve-” Kaneki froze.

Pinkie stopped noticing his sudden change of attitude. “What were you about to say?”

Her question was never answered though. In a matter of seconds the two heard a tapping sound against the ground. Fast steps were coming their way, and quickly. Kaneki held his arm out to stop Pinkie from moving any further defensively. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the streets and the surrounding vicinity. Between alleys, and every nook and cranny for the sign of a ghoul.

Then quite suddenly all the sounds died. Everything went silent.

Confusion crossed Pinkie’s face as she pushed Kaneki’s arm down and out of her way. “Kaneki what’s going on?”

He never had the chance to reply. Looking up just in time Kaneki watched a shadowy figure sore into the air, do a flip before come like a meteorite directly towards them.

In one swift motion Kaneki had Pinkie in his arms princess style. Before quickly jumping out of the way. The mare gasped in surprised, as she watched them practically take off into the air before watching the being land on the ground inches away, from where they had been.

Kaneki landed feet away from the being. His eyes widened when he realized who it was. “Chuu Hachikawa.”

“Kaneki Ken” Hachikawa said with venom, a vein clearly popping out on his temple. “I see you’ve been lying to your friends as well. I didn’t recognize your name but now that I see I have vague memories of seeing you before.” Hachikawa said standing up straight as his glasses reflected the moonlight.

Pinkie Pie who was still pretty surprised by all of this didn’t know what to say except, “Who is that?”

“I’m not your friend that’s for sure” Hachikawa said bitterly taking a step forward.

Kaneki took a step back.

“Kaneki” Hachikawa’s eyes narrowed. “How did you kill those ghouls without a quinque?” he asked.

Kaneki’s expression remained calm and impossible to read. Hachikawa’s eyes closed, then reopened into slits of belligerence.

“I see...I’m going to enjoy exposing you to your friend” he said cracking the joints in his fingers with a flex of each finger. “Now then. Show us who you really are” Hachikawa said, taking up a stance as Kaneki prepared himself once again.

“Because if you don’t” Hachikawa said one lense breaking free from the glare of the light revealing the rage behind his eye. “Your secrets are going to be spilt in the worst possible way you can imagine.”

Kaneki tensed, his eyes now growing with alarm. This was horrible. His secret had been exposed and the worst investigator of them all had found out.

Kaneki’s eyes quickly glanced over to Pinkie who had a arm around his neck for support and was still being carried in his own arms. The pink mare was clearly still confused, but she definitely seemed to know that Hachikawa was an investigator, how that was possible he didn’t know but he could tell she was beginning to piece things together. At this rate he’d need to knock her out and kill Hachikawa.

Suddenly Kaneki felt Pinkie’s tail that had curled around his right arm, twitch. He looked at her, and noticed her muzzle had scrunched up a bit in confusion just as much as he was unsure of what was happening.

Hachikawa’s shout of anger drew their attention back to him as he charged.

Kaneki shifted his position, slightly tossed Pinkie in the air and caught her once again. “Hold on” he said his face now inches away her own. His breath which gave off a weird scent, but at the same time smelled minty, just gently touching her own face.

For a second Pinkie felt her heart skip a beat. Whether it was because of their current situation or she’d just felt something for Kaneki she couldn’t tell.

Hachikawa in a flash was in front of them, ready to strike Kaneki down. Kaneki knew if he took this hit without showing any sign of damage, Pinkie would gain suspicions. If she hadn’t already figured it all out already.

About ready to dodge Hachikawa’s first strike, all three figures froze. Hachikawa’s raised hand stopping in mid air, as his eyes turned in the direction of the moon. Pinkie’s eyes looking up in the same direction, as her tail began to twitch erratically. Kaneki in the process also getting the same sense the others were.

Two eyes from the moon stared down at the group before disappearing and in a flash of blinding light right above them, did a alicorn appear.

Landing on the ground her mane flowing in the slightly chilly winter breeze, her mane sparkling with almost the same incandescence as the stars itself, the alicorn’s eyes that glowed with white magical power faded as she stared at the two humans and party planner in front of her.

“Princess Luna” Pinkie said slightly surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Princess Luna’s eyes faded with their luminescent glow, her dark blue clad hooves in cobalt blue armored shoes clicking on the ground as she moved towards the group with calmness.

“I have come to see what the problem is” she said looking at Hachikawa. “I’m sure it has been settled now. Am I correct?”

Hachikawa said nothing, his eyes staring at the being that rivalled his own height in clear surprise. Despite the fact that he was a 6’1 and this mare was obviously a 6’2.

“Has the problem been solved here sir?” the princess of the night asked the investigator once again, more stern this time.

Hachikawa’s arm dropped to his side, the look of rage in his eyes not subsiding as he looked at the mare before him.

Silence filled the street as Kaneki released Pinkie, once she had informed him she was alright.

“No. The problem, has not been solved.” Hachikawa breathed with venom, his glare now directed on the princess.

Luna merely smiled. “I see. Then let’s see how we can solve it shall we?”

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Princess Has Spoken

“Do not disappoint me Kaneki, or it will be your end.”

It’s strange isn’t it? How based off the time, setting, current circumstances, place, region, area, and the way light hits a certain spot can change the scenery before someone in a matter of seconds.

It’s strange isn’t it?

How the moon shined on this alicorn who represented the night. A princess nonetheless. Her mane, gently waving in the air sparkling ever so at just the right moments as light hit her figure and that figure casted a shadow that while appeared at a normal size as Kaneki, Pinkie’s and Hachikawa’s there was something regal about it. Mysterious even.

And yet, standing before ghoul and investigator. Party planner and friend. Was Princess Luna. Part of the diarchy that ruled Equestria, and the one who was now staring at Hachikawa with a calm smile on her lips.

“Now what is the problem, Pinkie, care to explain?” Luna asked.

Pinkie Pie still frankly confused about all this snapped out of her confusion and looked up at . “Huh?” she said now fully paying attention.

Luna gestured at the human who was now staring darkly at Kaneki, and in a matter of seconds the mare was able to recall why they had been running in the first place. Though despite her Pinkie Sense going haywire, she still didn’t get why Kaneki ran from a fellow investigator.

Or rather, she didn’t want to understand the real reason Kaneki had ran.

“You’re that scary investigator that Mrs.Cake told me about coming over to the bakery with Dinky!” Pinkie gasped quite dramatically, frankly surprising Kaneki, and even the angered investigator who had been glaring at the two the entirety of the time. “What have you done to Dinky and Derpy?!” she asked, her eyes narrowing and her expression mixing with concern and suspicion.

Hachikawa, unsure of what just happened stared at Pinkie for a good few seconds, looked at Kaneki with a great look of confusion completely forgetting his anger, the boy only offering a shrug in response, before he looked at Luna who was rubbing a temple and shaking her head.

“Pinkie” Luna said gently prying the mare away from the confused investigator. “I asked you what’s happening, not how you met this man. Why was he chasing you?”

At that exact moment the angered glare the pink mare had been giving suddenly changed into one of thought. “Oh yeah, he said something about Kaneki I couldn’t hear, while we were making our way back to Sugarcube Corner. Then all of a sudden he began running towards us. I thought he was just coming to tell us something but before I could even get a word out Kaneki started defending me and then well...” Pinkie looked at the taller, coated man before her. “He just attacked us.”

“I see” Luna said, looking at the human from the corner of her eye. But if Hachikawa gave a crap, he surely didn’t show it with his returning angry expression.

“But” she added , “I don’t think he was after me.” Pinkie paused and looked at Kaneki who had remained silent the entire time, before continuing. “I think he was after Kaneki.”

Silence filled the street after Pinkie had said that. And not a second later did wind flow by making this silence feel even more dramatic.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Pinkie’s nose was beginning to get all tingly again. And that tingly-feel was a strong reminder and referent to Kaneki’s secret.

A secret that no one on this entire planet save for her friends and the rest of her alien species knew about.

Maybe it was time I asked, Pinkie reasoned as Luna remained silent looking between the two aliens before her, obviously pondering things over. There is a strong difference between keeping a secret to protect others, and keeping a secret because you are scared of what the outcome will be. Avoiding the truth because the outcome may not be what you want it to be, because you’re scared of getting hurt or being alone. It’s understandable, it’s common to want to avoid it.

Pinkie knew that feeling well. She had not forgotten how badly she felt when she thought her friends were avoiding her because they never liked a single one of her parties, and were throwing their own without her because they were fed up and tired of her exuberant personality.

It had hurt like several knives to the back and then some. She was mad, angry, despondent, hurt, conflicted, and most of all...scared.

“Kaneki” Luna’s voice said drawing Pinkie slowly from her thoughts.

But then again, when Pinkie had confessed her doubts when her friends went to get her, she discovered the truth and all her doubts were put to rest. Maybe I could do the same for him, like what they did for me she thought with a warm smile.

“I’m going to need you to head back home Pinkie Pie. I must talk with these two alone” Luna’s voice cut in.

Pinkie snapped out of her ruminant state and stared at Princess Luna with a great look of surprise. She then glanced to her right where Hachikawa was, the human had both arms crossed, his eyes hard to see because of the glare coming from the moon on his glasses but from the curves on his face. Pinkie didn’t need to see the look in his eyes to get that he was angry.

He always seems to be angry, she noted as she turned to look at Kaneki. The white haired boy was now avoiding Pinkie’s gaze. Well...okay not avoiding, he was looking down the street a vacant look on his face as he was off in his own world, with his own thoughts.

Pinkie wanted to say something, but Luna’s voice cut in once again. “Pinkie Pie.”

Pinkie looked up at her other friend. The alicorn was staring at her with a serious expression. “Did you hear what I said earlier?” Princess Luna asked.

Pinkie merely shook her head. She was up in her own thoughts. Princess Luna sighed, tiredly, shaking her head for a second before looking at the party planner with a small smile. “Always so caring aren’t you?” the princess said in rhetorical fashion.

Pinkie Pie managed a small smile in return to this, but Princess Luna’s soon vanished. “I appreciate your concern. But I am here on official business Pinkie. I need you to go back home and be careful on your way. I must talk to these two alone.”

Pinkie stared at Luna, feigning ignorance, hoping she wasn’t saying what she think she was saying.

“I need you to go home Pinkie.” Princess Luna reiterated. But to her slight annoyance and inconvenience, Pinkie Pie did not move a muscle.

“Now.” She said firmly.

Flinching, Pinkie sighed, and tossed a glance at Kaneki hoping he’d back her up. But not to her surprise, she saw him staring at her with that same casual expression. “I think the Princess is right” Kaneki said. “You should leave.”

Perhaps Kaneki didn’t put as much emphasis in the words as Pinkie had heard, but regardless it sure felt that way.

“Oh...” she said morosely, her ears, tail, and mane all drooping. “I see.” Pinkie looked up at Luna- sorry Princess Luna, and frowned at her. But no matter how much it may have hurt the princess of the night to toss her friend aside, one of the few that had helped release her from her prison to give her this second chance, it was necessary. Just as the Element Bearers of Harmony had their duty to uphold, like the princess’s when Equestria was in danger in the past.

Luna also had her duty to uphold in this nationwide spreading epidemic. So she did what she had to do just like her sister had done many times over in the past while she had been trapped in the heavens. And just like she had done many times before when they first took over as the rulers of Equestria when they were young; she steeled her resolve, and watched Pinkie leave.

Hachikawa offered a sardonic snicker aloud as he watched Pinkie leave with a despondent look on her face. “Friends huh?” he said in Kaneki’s direction.

Princess Luna merely gave the investigator a glance, then looked at Kaneki with a raised brow.

While it may have seemed to others that Kaneki didn’t care, through that dull and expressionless look on his face, Luna could see his true feelings for what they really were.

Kaneki felt bad, telling Pinkie to leave like that. But he had no other choice. Because if he was right about what they were going to talk about, then it was for the best his energetic friend leave.

And never, ever hear the words that would be discussed this night. Or everything Kaneki had worked for these past two weeks, would be gone.

Princess Luna now stood in front of her two victims.

Both of whom did not look at all pleased for being in their current situation. But in all honesty Princess Luna had to say, she didn’t care.

And why would she? For the past two weeks, since these ghouls had emerged in Equestria, and their appearance had been made public, there had been nothing but panic, concern, and a great feeling of disturbance throughout the streets of various cities.

Fear was common. It’s a part of life, Luna knew that better than anyone. Fearing something and not knowing what it was is one thing. Not knowing when it could attack, do harm, or take away everything you care about are all one thing entirely. Knowing what you're afraid of however, and knowing that it could and can attack you at any given moment, at any given time of day. Could not only ruin you but change you if you let it consume you...that was something entirely different.

And if the princess of the night was being honest, she didn’t like how these creatures had not only appeared on their planet causing all this stress, but were now attacking her subjects.

As Princess Luna stood observing both of these ‘investigators’ as they called themselves, she couldn’t help but notice the look Hachikawa kept shooting Kaneki a dark look. Minutes passed as the silence between the three grew, till finally Luna allowed her curiosity to speak its mind.

“Why do you continue to shoot him such a look-...kind, sir?” the princess asked.

Hachikawa lifted his head up, and looked at the princess of the night, his anger returning as he recalled how her presence had stopped him from delivering just punishment.

A few seconds of silence passed as Princess Luna and Hachikawa stared at each other, Kaneki not saying a word as he watched this little bout in his own silence, while going through his own thoughts.

Finally, Hachikawa did something; he snickered.

“Do you know why I’m so angry?” he asked.

Princess Luna cocked her brow with a look that said “really?” Nonetheless she decided to play along. Shaking her head she said “No. No I do not.”

“It’s simple really.” Hachikawa said, uncrossing his arms.

“Is it now?” Luna asked with a bored expression.

Hachikawa said nothing. At least not for a good few seconds. “Tell me Princess, since Ghouls have appeared, have your kind been able to do any damage to them with your current equipment?”

Princess Luna’s expression shifted from boredom to sternness. “No” was her answer.

To that Hachikawa merely nodded. “I’m not surprised.”

Though the comment was offensive, Luna did not make the mistake of showing how it had irked her, instead she directed the subject elsewhere. “From what I’ve been able to gather in various cities across not just Equestria, but the Griffon Kingdom, Shetlands, and other various countries and nations there are not just ghouls popping up and making their appearances, but members of your faction as well. I believe you called them CCG. Correct?” Luna asked glancing between Kaneki and Hachikawa.

Both nodded, but when Kaneki did he took note of how the investigator scowled at him.

“Mr..?”

“Hachikawa” the investigator responded.

“Mr. Hachikawa, your kind and these creatures you’ve brought with you are not just disturbing countries, families, and homes. But are tearing apart the systems my sister has worked for the past millennium to create, while I was...away.” Luna’s eyes narrowed as she took a step towards the trenched man. “I would appreciate it greatly if you could tell me, how you got here. Or even better, help us with your knowledge on these ghouls so that we may be able to contain, and maintain them. At least so that-” Luna stopped.

Through her peripheral vision she had caught a brief look on Kaneki’s face while she had been speaking to Hachikawa. It was a look of rage, but at the same time it was not.

Kaneki could understand it. Hating the ghouls he meant. Back when he was human, he felt the same, just like anyone else he was terrified of them. But that changed when he became one of them.

With the help of his friends back home. Kaneki learnt that ghouls, weren’t just monsters that masqueraded as humans. But also had human emotions. They had families; Hiname and Touka, they had loved ones and could learn to care, Nishiki, Yoshimura, Enji, Tsukiyama and the others. They, at least the ones he had had the great pleasure of meeting. The ones that had risked their own lives to save him from the Aogiri Tree were not monsters. They were his friends, his family, and the only ones that had risked their very lives to get him back.

There was no way he’d allow anyone. Be it anthro equine, investigator, princess or another human to ever speak in such an ill manner about ghouls that were changing their ways. The two he had escorted after the fight with Streamlight were proof of some trying to change if anything at all.

So in a manner, Kaneki had every right to be angry, he was just doing his best to keep it low-key. But regardless as such Luna could tell just as well that he was displeased. And she wasn’t the only one.

Hachikawa caught on to the silence and followed Princess Luna’s gaze. It was then he saw Kaneki’s cold stare.

Wasting no time Hachikawa approached the boy, backing away from the princess and proceeded to grab him by the collar. Kaneki made no effort to stop him.

“What are you doing?!” Princess Luna asked in surprise and shock. But the man obviously wasn’t listening.

Firmly gripping Kaneki by the collar, Hachikawa lifted him up slightly and uttered a growl that clearly wasn’t human. “I told you before didn’t I? The problem hasn’t been solved.”

A light glow surrounded both Kaneki and the investigator and ripped the two apart. Slowly both Kaneki and the investigator floated towards Luna who looked at them with annoyance in her eyes.

“Put me down!” Hachikawa snarled. Kaneki as usual said nothing, but merely kept an eye out on Hachikawa in case he tried anything.

“I asked you a question Mr. Hachikawa. Why did you attack the boy?” Luna’s voice rose into the night echoing down the entirety of the street and well across Ponyville as a whole. But despite the anger in the mare’s voice and the fact that Hachikawa was currently being suspended in the air, he would not reply. Seconds of constant struggling and flailing went by till finally, the magical field that surrounded him exploded and Hachikawa was dropped to the ground.

A second later Kaneki landed on the ground as well, but made sure to distance himself greatly between the two.

Once Hachikawa was back on his feet, he glared at Luna with such a force that she was very sure that the man was going to attack. But to her utter amazement. Despite this very same man being in quite a few young foals nightmares, he didn’t. He merely got up dusted himself off and shot a look at her that was using every foul language that Equines could utter for a curse. And maybe even a bit more considering he wasn’t even from their world.

Finally after a full minute of silence Hachikawa sighed from behind his coat, turned his back to both Kaneki and the princess and looked at the sky. The starry night sky.

“Princess...you have a duty to protect these equines right? Both you and your sister care about them right?” he asked, his voice bereft of anger just straightforward questioning.

Princess Luna mildly surprised by this question, answered after a moment’s hesitation. “Of course we do.”

Hachikawa remained silent for another minute, before speaking again. “What information have you been able to gather about the ghouls?”

Luna cocked a brow at the question and looked at Kaneki, Pinkie’s friend. He merely shrugged, not wanting to speak she made a note to address him later. “I don’t see why I should inform you of the information my sister and I have been able to gather. Especially since-”

“Your Highness”, the investigator said with great distaste. “I am trying to help you. Now answer my question. What do you have on the ghouls so far?”

Luna paused. Never before had she been spoken to in such a manner. Not when she had returned after the Nightmare Moon incident. Not once had she even been spoken to with such fury. If anything she had to admit, she didn’t like it, but she was impressed nonetheless.

“I..." a sigh escaped her. "The MDA has fabricated from the device used to kill the first ghoul, that only a certain type of weapon can kill these ghouls. Officers that have faced ghouls before were severely injured or nearly killed, their weapons, magic, and devices proving useless to do any damage to a ghoul. That is until Streamlight came along.”

Kaneki involuntarily flinched at the name, and Luna took note of that. “You know him?” the princess asked, looking in his direction.

Kaneki didn’t respond. At least not quickly. “We...have met at Pinkie’s.”

Hachikawa’s head turned in their direction, but he didn’t fully turn around to face them.

“I see...” Luna said keeping her eyes on the boy for a second or two before turning towards Hachikawa. “Why did you want to know that?”

“Because I need to know what you have before I can help kill all those vile disgusting vermin that are now infesting your homeworld” Hachikawa said with a hint of hostility.

Luna paused for the second time that night. Since the reports and attacks she had had to go into various dreams and quell many who had, had the unfortunate task of meeting said “vermin”, and if she were speaking the truth. She could understand why her and her sister’s subjects were scared.

These ghouls were strong. Incredibly fast as well. Not only that but were intelligent. When word first got out, she had assumed they were nothing but mindless beasts looking for food. But when she entered the dreams of some of the officers who had faced off with them and lived...it was quite clear that they were indeed sentient beings.

“How do you kill them-” she stopped mid-sentence. Trying to find the right words to say this without appearing heartless was crucial.

“How do you kill the ones that truly wish to do harm?” Luna asked. “If they are all hungry then how do we pick which ones to kill, if they are only trying to feed their own? How do we-”

“WE KILL THEM ALL!!” Hachikawa shouted. “Every last one dies! Starting with him!” he said pointing at Kaneki.

Kaneki froze and stared, shoving all fears away in an instant. But Luna wasn’t about to be convinced so easily.

“Why should I kill him? He does not appear to be like these “vermin” you speak so illy of. Besides, isn’t he one of your own?” Luna asked with narrowed eyes.

“One of my-!! What!!?!” Hachikawa said in an angered yell. “H-How dare you! He is not one of my own! He is not a investigator! EVERYTHING, everything he’s said to the residents of this town.”

“Don’t say it” Kaneki said mentally.

“Is!”

“Don’t do it or I will kill you where you stand” Kaneki warned though not verbally, his hands began to clench into a tight fist.

“A LIE!” Hachikawa snarled glaring at him through his spectacles.

In that moment Kaneki was ready to slaughter the investigator where he stood. But something else told him to stop. Whether it was his conscience, if he still had one, or his own better judgement. He didn’t act. He just waited, and looked towards Luna who now stared at the investigator with a curious yet obviously disappointed look in her eyes.

Silence took over and not a word was said save for Hachikawa’s heavy breathing. Finally when words were spoke. It was from Luna’s mouth that they came.

“Why do you hate ghouls so much? I can understand your anger. They eat your own kind for survival, and some do it with great joy” she said without even a quiver or a shake. “But your vendetta. Your cause, it’s more personal isn’t it? Tell me Hachikawa what happened to you?”

Hachikawa’s anger quelled in a second and in a flash he was looking at Luna like she had slapped him.

But Princess Luna’s gaze did not falter. “Tell me Hachikawa, what did they do to you?”

Hachikawa said nothing. He merely continued to stare at this princess through the safety of his trench coat. Princess Luna however did not need to wait long, though.

“You know the one thing I don’t understand about you equines, is that you’re all so open and trustworthy” Hachikawa said shaking his head. “It irritates and annoys me how honest you are” he stated with sincerity as he lifted a hand up towards the collar of his coat.

“And sometimes it just pisses me off how your kind approaches these things so casually.”

One tug, one pull. That was all it took to show her and Kaneki the thing he hid every day of his life. The thing he would have to live with for the rest of his life. The thing that reminded him every time he woke up in the morning to the time he went to bed that very night.

His scar. A scar he had received when fighting a very strong ghoul, that not only changed his life, but took everything away from him.

“Oh my...” Luna said in complete bafflement. She had seen the wounds officers had received in various cities...but none had been so everlasting as the one she currently saw. It physically and emotionally killed Luna to see this. It was like a reminder of herself, when she was Nightmare Moon and did awful things that she’d never be able to forget, or ever forgive herself for doing.

“This is why I hate ghouls. They took my face from me. They took my family from me. They took-- take everything you care for if you hunt them. So it’s better to kill them all.” Hachikawa stated, with an icy edge to his voice that made the air temperature practically drop. “I have several scars on my body from fighting ghouls. Several of my comrades have died fighting ghouls as well. Thousands more in other countries that face their own ghouls as well. My own comrades died even protecting civilians in the process, only for those same civilians to either die during the fight in protecting them or later be killed off by some other ghouls. When you make this your livelihood, for years. Watching people die. Getting hurt. Watching those you care for die, then watching even more people die. Feeling like you weren’t able to do anything because you had to make a sacrifice or lose it all, you eventually end up stop caring about the costs or consequences of your actions and ultimately end up doing whatever it takes to end this madness.

“So Princess...Kaneki” Hachikawa said looking to both alicorn and boy from the corner of his eye. “Are you really going to stand there and ask me why I have such a grudge against ghouls?” his eyes narrowed slightly at the statement. Daring them to answer, because if these two were as smart as he knew they were. Then they’d know that this was NOT a question, but a challenge.

A challenge that was not accepted.

Both Princess Luna and Kaneki stared quietly, Kaneki staring at the investigator with a slight look of surprise, and an even greater feeling of perturbation.

Silently Hachikawa readjusted the collar of his coat and turned around in Derpy’s direction. “I’m done here. If you want to kill the ghouls you’ll need to get a quinque. I’ll leave you ‘Investigator’ Kaneki, to figure out and explain that to her.” With that said, Hachikawa made his way back towards Derpy’s place for a well earned rest.

But before he was completely gone, the investigator stopped and gave Kaneki one last glance, huffed aggressively, then made his way back towards his hostess home.

He wouldn’t be killing any ghouls tonight. He’d lost interest completely, and right now all he wanted to do. Was get some rest.

Kaneki and Princess Luna stood side by side watching Hachikawa’s figure fade away into a dot as he headed back home. The words the investigator had said, really did affect Kaneki more than he had thought.

He knew what it was like to lose something. He’d lost part of his humanity. Then again there were many times where he even considered himself no longer human.

Hachikawa was right. There were ghouls out there who’d take and take and take. Not caring at all for what they did. Rize was one, she’d taken a bite out of him, taken his life, then taken his humanity.

But in the end he’d won the battle and conquered her...but at what cost? He was different now. Different from before, and there was not a doubt in Kaneki’s mind that he’d ever be able to go back to being what he once was.

Not that he wanted to anyway. He wanted to be strong, he just wished it hadn’t been like this.

“Kaneki” Luna said.

The white haired boy looked up at her, and she down at him.

“I have been doing a lot of dreamwalking in the past week. And though it was tough, I was finally able to enter your dreams two nights ago. And what I saw....I...I apologize.”

Kaneki’s blood went cold. She knows?

As if reading his mind Luna nodded. “I do know. But do not worry. I will not tell anypony. It will be a secret between you and I.”

Hearing this, Kaneki felt...better in a form. But that did nothing to curb his doubts and suspicions. “I don’t believe you.”

Princess Luna gave him a look, but after a second that look softened into a kind yet sad smile. “I...I can relate. Though our transformations were different, I understand what you went through. I spent a thousand years up there” Luna said pointing a thumb in the moon’s direction. “As a punishment for my actions and everything I’d done. It was thought of as a way to free me, but it turned into a punishment worse than death.”

Kaneki’s expression was still one of doubt. And though he had heard all of this before. There was no way he would be willing to let something like this go without a more concrete security that this would remain a secret between them and them alone.

“You don’t trust me do you?” Luna asked after a few seconds of careful observation. Kaneki’s silence only confirmed this, making Luna sigh.

“I understand...though I spent a thousand years going through mine and only came back angrier at my sister than ever before I was able to receive some form of salvation. You however...had to save yourself in those few hours... I apologize once-”

“I don’t need an apology” Kaneki said gently but strictly. “I need your word.”

Luna nodded slowly taking his statement in then said, “I need yours as well.”

The slight raise of Kaneki’s brow didn’t go lost on the princess. “I need you to assure me that you will never harm the ponies of this town or anywhere else given your skills and strength, you could easily decimate this entire town and all that occupy it. I need your word that you will not harm a single soul if you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to gain sustenance, or undergo certain circumstances” Luna said sternly, but cautiously.

Kaneki took in her words, before he spoke again. “I...can try. No...I can assure you I will not hurt Pinkie or the others.”

“All of them Kaneki Ken” Luna instructed.

“I can assure you I will not hurt Pinkie or the others” Kaneki repeated his earlier statement. “The rest of the town I can do my best, but I guarantee you that there are no promises if other ghouls emerge.”

Princess Luna stood there for a few seconds saying nothing. Finally she sighed. “Agreed. I also promise-”

“Pinkie Promise” Kaneki corrected.

Luna paused and stared at the boy with a slightly befuddled expression. Kaneki made no motion to correct what he had just said.

Bemusement crossed Luna’s muzzle a second later. “I Pinkie promise, that your secret will be safe with me.”

“And I with you.” Kaneki replied.

Luna nodded, and spread her wings. Stretching them before floating into the air a bit. “I should hope so Kaneki. Do not disappoint me, I’d hate to have to kill one of my friends.” With that said Luna rose into the sky her eyes never leaving Kaneki once as he watched her ascend towards the moon.

Then in a flash of brilliant light, she was gone.

Kaneki was left to watch the starry night sky shine down on him, before he turned and began making his way towards Sugarcube Corner. “I hope so also. Because if they ever found out. I’d just have to disappear.”

Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Frustration

“Everything is moving too fast”

Streamlight paced the floor of his office while a mare sat in front of the desk he was now pacing behind. This was awful.

Absolutely, awful. Had things worked the way he planned he could have gotten Kaneki to possibly cooperate with him, but now... -his eyes glanced over to the news article that had been published two days ago- now everything was ruined. Ghouls being sapient creatures could most likely read. And if that’s the case then who knows what kind of actions they’ll begin making from here on out.

“Streamlight. Say something already you haven’t spoken to me the entire-” Silver Star was cut off as a hand slammed into the desk, she practically winced at the sound.

When the white unicorn opened her eyes just a bit, she could practically feel the glare being sent her way. It was the ‘shame’ stare, he had often used on her and Sweet Treat when they were kids. Oh how she hated that look.

A displeased and indignant frown crossed Silver Star’s muzzle now as she straightened herself out, now ready to defend herself. Two days had passed since Streamlight came back the night of the day her director had published her story. And Streamlight had ignored her all those two days after personally visiting her work area when she was away to get some things answered.

Enough was enough. This silent treatment was beginning to get not only annoying, but childish.

“If you’re not going to say anything I’m leaving” she said rising towards the open door.

A light brown glow surrounded the door, then it shut. Loudly.

Streamlight’s horn faded in its light as the stallion continued to glare at her from behind his desk, keeping the door shut and as an afterthought, he locked it. There were a lot of things he had wanted to get off his chest.

“Okay you know what. You're acting childish,” Silver Star stated with her own glare as she moved back to her seat.

“Oh really now? I’m acting childish.Is that right?”

“Yes, Streamlight. That is right! You haven’t talked to me or Sweet Treat in the past two days since you got back, and this entire time she’s been worried about you! She still doesn’t know you’re back yet and you know how worried we both were when you were leaving. Why would you just come back and then ignore us like that?” she asked with a bit of sadness.

“Because of something like this!” he said tapping the newspaper. “Silver, you don’t get it. Nobody here gets it. You wanna know why exactly I haven’t talked to either of you since coming back? It’s because I need to get us all prepared.”

Silver Star paused giving her friend a confused and disbelieving look. The serious expression on his face however shook her out of her stupor eventually.

“I- I don’t understand prepare for what?” she asked crossing a leg on top of another.

“Prepare for when things get bad here. Really bad. I was hoping you’d wait for me to get back before you published this thing so I could advise you on how to publish those photos” the stallion said with distaste. “But now that you and the press have so blatantly published everything for every creature on our planet to oogle there’s no telling what will-”

“You’re still going on about that?” Silver Star groaned and rose from her seat, pulling her jeans down a bit in the process. “Look I told you my boss wanted those photos or else I’d have been fired the next day! What was I supposed to do?”

“You could have told him I was on the outside looking for more information! That could have given him a bigger scoop.” Streamlight stated with crossed arms.

Silver Star sighed, rubbing her temples. “Stream, you know as well as I that your time limit for our deal was up, a day well past its due I might add. I had no obligation to keep the deal, I even prolonged it in hopes you would get back in time. But I’m not losing my job because of your paranoia” she said rather curtly.

Streamlight stayed quiet for a few seconds. He stared at his friend in silence for a good ten seconds. Before sitting down in his chair running a hand through his denim blue hair.

“Paranoia?” he said after a minute of silence.

Silver Star’s ear twitched weakly at the tone of her friends voice. She didn’t budge however when she saw the slight glint of anger in the junior detective’s eyes.

“Is that what you think this is? Me being paranoid?” Streamlight asked, both his arms resting on the armrest and his back well relaxed into the confines of his seat.

Silver Star stared at Streamlight for a few seconds more before she gave him, her reply. “Yes. Yes I do.”

Outside Streamlight’s office. Officers, detectives, secretaries, and many other members of the law enforcement were roaming about trying to gather intel, handling distress calls either important or unimportant, and doing their best to settle complaints about what exactly was being done to solve the whole ghoul problem to begin with.

Deputy Chief Officer Scrimmage, a pegasus who was talking with one of the officers belonging to Manehattan, could now hear the sound of things being thrown about in one of the rooms not too far away from where he and several other officers were going about their business, dealing with different problems from other parts of Equestria.

“Do ye hear that?” Scrimmage asked. His right ear with a scar running along it twitching with each item that hit the ground.

“Yeah, yeah. That must be Streamlight” and just on cue there was a shout sounding exactly like the aforementioned detective.

Many officers moving about the compound stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction of the room, staring at the door that had a gold plate on it saying “Junior Detective.”

Scrimmage rubbed his right ear a bit as it twitched for the third time.

“Does he do this often?” the older officer asked.

The officer Scrimmage had been talking to, a female pegasus with beige coat and light green mane shook her head. “No. Well, not really. Only when he’s really worked up on a case. Usually he’s pretty calm and reserved. When he gets like this he’s usually pretty riled up about how things are going with the case and that usually means he’s not pleased with how things are going for him.”

Deputy Chief Officer Scrimmage of the Trottingham police force raised a curious brow in the detective’s general direction. “Wasn’t he the young lad who got attacked by one of those creatures?”

The young officer nodded with a slight cringe. “Yes, it’s been kind of the talk around here for a while now actually.:”

Again Scrimmage raised a brow. “Why’s that?”

“Well” another loud shout came from two voices within Streamlight’s office, interrupting the mare before she could continue.

When the shouts had settled and everything went silent, Scrimmage cocked a brow at the mare beside him. A gesture that asked if everything was alright back in the detective’s office.

Novice Study merely shrugged her shoulders. “I’m sure everything’s just fine.”

Everything was not fine.

All necessary plans and procedures Streamlight had made now went down the drain, as well as any hope of getting more information out of Kaneki Ken, let alone his cooperation. If Kaneki ever found out that the pony that had almost revealed the boy’s true identity to the world was under his protection and a close friend, Streamlight feared to even think of what consequences would await Silver Star.

Perhaps I was being a bit paranoid. Maybe there was a possibility, that the ghoul attack that had happened a week ago had done something to make me feel this way.

Back when I was a police officer, I had been given the opportunity to see my own fair share of assaults and on rare occasions, deaths and even rarer; suicides. But that experience with that first ghoul was something I’d never experienced or ever hoped to have experience in my entire life.

The aura around Streamlight’s horn faded to the tip. Papers all around slowly floated back to the ground as the file that had been on his desk landed with a thud on the ground inches from Silver Star’s hooves.

His desk tilted, his coat on the ground along with his seat and several books that used to be on the shelves behind Silver Star were now on the ground beside him, as well as the closet behind him where he kept his gun being wide open.

Streamlight was sweating now, his breath heavy his emotions flaring. Nothing was going right anymore. Bordering on to almost a month now, two weeks and six days have passed since their arrival and now everything that’s happening is just making things even more difficult.

Kaneki Ken, my only liable help aside from the Investigator Chuu Hachikawa, would most likely be unwilling to help me now, Streamlight reasoned.

To top it all off, this publishing will alert not only other ghouls, but also the investigators that hunt them around the world.

Streamlight scowled, “Nothing is going right today” he muttered as he swallowed his own frustration.

Convincing the Board of Law to allow him to capture certain types of ghouls had been denied. When Call to Duty the commissioner to Filydelphia’s police force and training supervisor to the Royal Guard, had asked him why he wanted to capture only certain types of ghouls and not all of them Streamlight had no choice but to answer “There are some ghouls more threatening than others”, and while this was true that was not the real reason he had said this.

If Kaneki was proof enough along with that brother and sister he had fought two days ago, there were ghouls out there probably just as disturbed and confused as the ponies, griffons and other creatures of this world were.

Manufacturing even more of the ukaku bullets he had created had been accepted but due to the lack of knowledge the board had, his request to provide every member of Equestria’s law force with weapons made out of the same material he had used to aid him in his battle against that brother and sister tag team, went unacknowledged as well.

“Things are moving too fast” Streamlight muttered under his breath, a bead of sweat sliding down his chin.

“Streamlight” Silver Star’s voice called to him through the rapid waves of thoughts that now bombarded the detective’s mind.

He looked up. Silver Star was staring at him not with anger, but concern. Butter colored aura surrounded a multitude of the things Streamlight had flipped, smacked and hurled aside in the rare moment of him expressing his anger.

Silver Star quickly cleaned up the mess he made, even being nice enough to shut the closet where Streamlight hid his weapon.

With papers no longer slowly descending, desk straightened, chair up and everything else fixed, Silver Star looked at Streamlight waiting for him to say something. But he said nothing.

His mind was overflowing with what needed to be done, what could happen if things didn’t get done quickly, and how exactly he’d be able to stop all these ghouls with only 24 quinque bullets aside from the 5 currently in his own Automag V.

“Streamlight!” Silver Star called again, this time she accentuated her call by roughly smacking her hands on his desk, it worked.

A slight jolt and I looked up at her.

“W-What is it?”

Silver Star’s expression softened a bit. “Glad to see you’re not having a mental break down.”

Streamlight chuckled, though it was forced. “I’m not that weak minded Silv, what uh” he trailed off rubbing his forehead with his thumb and index finger.

Silver Star watched on in silence as the detective eased himself back into his chair. “What were we even talking about?” he asked, completely forgetting. There was just so much that had to be done in such a short amount of time.

For a few seconds Silver Star didn’t answer, till finally she asked a question. “Streamlight, what’s got you so worked up? I get we’re in a tight situation but you’re acting as if you’re the only one who’s noticed and the only one can do anything about it. Why are you being so...I don’t know....strenuous about this?”

The sweat Streamlight had been feeling along his collarbone and neck went cold. “What do you mean?” he asked with slanted eyes in her direction.

Silver Star shrugged, not really caring for the look. “I mean you’ve been acting different since you got back. What happened?”

Streamlight’s jaw clenched and Silver Star noticed. “These ghouls are more dangerous than we thought.”

Silver Star rolled her eyes. “I know that, we all know that! I’m asking you what you-” the light blue stallion held a hand up for silence.

An exhausted sigh came from Streamlight’s lips, his expression turning into one of thought. “Two days ago, while I was at Ponyville, I talked to one-- two of those ‘investigators’ we’ve been hearing rumors about all over Equestria. One of them in fact is the one you took a picture of, his name’s Kaneki.”

Silver Star’s eyes widened in delight, but faded when she saw the expression on Streamlight’s expression remain the way it was; thoughtful.

“I talked to him and another investigator called Hachikawa and he told me a lot about ghouls. We already know there are different types of course, but what we didn’t know was how strong each different type really was. Apparently right now...they’re just trying to eat, stay alive.

“If what I heard was right, none of these ghouls have even begun playing with us yet.” Silver’s mouth moved but stayed silent.

“Playing with us” was a disturbing term.

“I also met two other ghouls the day I was supposed to return” Streamlight said as this thought came to Silver Star’s mind.

Her eyes widened up instantly, and in a matter of seconds she was around his desk, right beside him and checking for serious injuries immediately. “Why didn’t you say anything?!” she asked smacking the detective roughly on the shoulder.

“I didn’t think it was necessary after I had received treatment. With all that’s happened there’d be no point” he explained.

Another groan came out of Silver’s muzzle. “You’ve got to stop doing stuff like that Streamlight. How many times do you avoid telling people what’s happened to you before it nearly kills you or puts you in a tight spot, huh?” Streamlight didn’t answer he merely shrugged.

Silver Star sighed. “Go on” she said.

He nodded and continued. “I was right in my assumption on the things that could hurt them.” A light brown glow encompassed the closet, opened it and punched in the code to the safe that held Streamlight’s gun.

A second later the tumblers could be heard and a loud click came, the gun came out of it’s safe and floated in front of detective and journalist. Popping the clip out of its chamber, Streamlight held a ruby red in light gold casing in his thumb and index finger. “These are the only things that can kill them or even come close to hurting them?”

“Your bullets?” she asked, I nodded.

“Didn’t they come from-”

“The ghoul that attacked me and Treat and was killed by who I presume now, was an investigator? Yes” Streamlight replied. “Yes, I took the shard and made it into bullets. It wasn’t easy but I know a guy who’s good at stuff like this” he said placing the bullet back in the mag before sliding the entire clip back into the gun.

“You still haven’t answered my question Streamlight. What’s got you so worked up?” Silver Star prodded.

“It’s nothing” he said dismissively.

A second of silence filled the room. Outside voices could be heard talking and calls along with other things being made.

“Bull” Silver said.

“What?” Streamlight asked, looking up towards her from his seat. But before he could further elaborate on his question, the detective was yanked away from his desk, right out of his seat by an invisible force and thrown into the chair his friend had previously occupied.

“Answer the question Stream” Silver Star stated, blocking him from getting up as she placed both her hands on either side of the arm chair and leaned forward like an interrogator asking a suspect questions.

For a second Streamlight thought of teleporting out of here, but then again that wouldn’t do him any good.

“Look Silv, I’m really not in the mood for this” he started.

“Neither am I. You accused me just now of leaking information I had no obligation in keeping with you. I could have lost my job, and you have been ignoring us for two days all on top of accumulating stress. By Celestia’s sun you will answer me! What has you so uptight about all of this?!”

“EVERYTHING!” Streamlight yelled. Silver Star released her hold on the chair backing away from her friend.

“You don’t understand this at all do you? I didn’t mention this but those ghouls I fought Star, those ghouls nearly killed me, if it weren't for Kaneki coming in to help me when he did, I would be dead right now. Death is something I’ve long come to accept before taking this job. That, I don’t care about but the power they had. Their movement, their strength, it all reminded me of that first night. These ghouls, Silver they're obviously not from here but still think about it! Investigators, those guys don’t have magic, they don’t have the ability to fly or have super strength like earth ponies or pegasi can. But look at them!

“They’ve been able to manage all on their own with weapons they created. We’ve got powers beyond them and could easily beat them, yet still despite us being superior in strength we haven’t been able to do a thing. Two weeks have passed Star since they first arrived and look at what’s going on.

“Everypony’s going nuts with worry! I try and I try but the Board won’t listen. They won’t listen to me because I’m a junior detective and nowhere as near high ranking as some of the other officers here in the MDA. I can’t even convince them to mass produce my bullets so we can have some other form of protection because they think the attack is making me act up. But I’m fine!

“And you know what really pisses me off? It’s how these investigators are apparently being spotted all over the Equestria, yet we still keep getting more complaints and negative feedback than good reports!

"Meanwhile there are innocent people out there dying right as we speak because I can’t get the Board to help, just because I’m a low ranking officer!"

Silence.

Streamlight had finally vented and released all that pent up frustration he usually preferred to keep stowed away, and now everything was silent.

Outside his office he couldn’t hear a thing. Not a call, not a movement, not a shuffle of files or papers.

Everything was silent. Everyone was silent. All except for Streamlight’s quickly paced breathing.

Saying all of that out loud must have been surprising to hear, but if anything Streamlight was glad he did it. That weight that had been sitting on his chest while he had been coming back from Ponyville felt a lot less lighter.

A sigh escaped his lips. He looked up at Silver Star and saw the sad smile on her face.

“Feeling better?” she asked.

Streamlight sighed again with a slight chuckle. He nodded, getting up from his seat. “Thanks for listening to me rant.”

Silver Star shook her head. “It’s fine. But you really shouldn’t-”

Knock Knock

Streamlight patted Silver’s shoulder and moved forwards to open the door. When he had a cinnabar pegasus about an inch shorter than Streamlight himself,with a cinnamon mane and cyan highlights stood standing there in a black uniform with a gold badge that said “D.C.”

“Deputy Chief Scrimmage, sir uh, what can I do for you.” The pegasus had a grave look on his face. The whiskers around his muzzle not helping much either.

Stepping aside Scrimmage allowed a earth pony mare wearing a delivery uniform come inside. “Tell him what ye told me” he said.

The earth pony delivery mare gulped then took a shaky step forward. When she had completely stepped into view Streamlight noticed it instantly, blood.

“D-Detective Streamlight sir? Silver Star” the mare said her nerves still shot.

Streamlight nodded, waiting for the bad news. He’d been around long enough to know when something bad had happened. Was it another ghoul attack?

“What is it?” Silver Star asked moving forward.

“It’s um...It’s about the baker....Sweet Treat...she’s” the mare whimpered. “She’s, she’s dead.”

Silver Star collapsed to the ground, which Scrimmage moved to catch her instantly.

Streamlight stared at the mare before him who was now on the brink of tears with a still calm expression.

“What?” he said, a ringing beginning to form in his ears as his heart began pumping more blood through him.

“S-She’s dead sir. She died during a ghoul attack this afternoon. S-She died while under care at the hospital” the mare said in between sobs. “S-S-She’s gone.”

At that exact moment Streamlight felt that weight that had been lifted, double on his shoulders. His ears were ringing. A thousand thoughts were rushing through his head, he now just noticed a sobbing Silver Star mourning her cousin’s death, and one of his own best friends while Scrimmage kept her up as support.

Only one more thought passed through Streamlight’s mind as he slowly began to digest the information he had just been given. One he voiced clearly.

“W...What?”

Author's Note

Everything happens in a flash.

Let me know if I made mistakes. As always, enjoy.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Call of the Mark

“Your marks are glowing”

Today was the day it happened.

Today was the day Rainbow Dash finally returned from Cloudsdale, fully recovered. The athlete and aspiring Wonderbolt member had been confined to her room in Cloudsdale for the next five days after her release from the hospital. And according to Dash when she returned the following morning of her release. It had been torture.

She hadn’t been allowed to fly for a week and a half now and it was finally great to stretch her wings.

What’s more, everyone was happy to see her. And even when Spike had bluntly asked her if she saw the paper relating to Kaneki and how cool those pictures showed him the pegasus had merely smiled at the boy and nodded her head in his direction.

“Yeah, he did look pretty cool in those shots” Dash said nudging him with an elbow.

Kaneki had merely rubbed the back of his neck mekely at the comment. Needless to say he was glad his pegasus friend was back and he was especially glad the mare hadn’t referred to past events that the photos displayed either.

After Dash had returned from her home and hung out with everyone, even Sting Ray and Kill Shot joining in which was a rare feat, the group had ended up dispersing leaving Kaneki, Spike and the two investigators behind while the girls went out.

Spike who hadn’t had as much time to relate to Kaneki as the others had decided to join in on the conversation that the two investigators were sharing. But as he walked from his room back downstairs to join Kaneki, Kill and Sting, he didn’t expect to hear the word “ghoul” as he made his descent.

“Things just got interesting” Spike mused.

“Have you heard?” Sting asked his partner and gave a quick glance at Kaneki’s direction.

“About?” Kill said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Spike wasn’t looming around somewhere where the conversation could be heard.

“There have been a few more reports of attacks happening in other parts of Equestria. I think we should get moving Kill. We’ve been here doing nothing the entire time, we need to start moving and do our jobs. Protecting the innocent.”

Kill Shot sighed. “Yes. Yes, you’re right.”

“WHAT? Kill Shot I’m saying this because we need to do what’s right for the citizens of this world! Even if they aren’t our own citizens we still have to-- matsu...did you say I’m right?”

Kill Shot nodded. “Yes. You’re right. We’ve been doing nothing while ghouls have been popping up left and right. We can’t call ourselves CCG if we’re just sitting here on our asses like the police officers back in Japan. If we want to make a change we should start where the ghouls are appearing the most, then continue from there.”

Kaneki said nothing the entire time. Merely sipping his coffee as he listened silently to their conversation.

Neither Sting nor Kill Shot had asked him why photos of him had been published on Equestria Daily. They simply ignored the matter entirely for two main reasons. The first being because Sting already knew about the fight, the second being Kill had helped in the fight and knew what happened.

Therefore there was no reason to discuss the matter any further.

“Oh yes, Kaneki” Sting said. The boy lifted his eyes away from the steaming cup he was holding then looked up to blue haired investigator with a slightly raised brow.

Sting’s expression hardened almost instantly. “They don’t know yet...do they?”

Kaneki’s attention skyrocketed. No longer leaning back comfortably in his seat he sat up, glanced over the two investigators shoulders to make sure Spike wasn’t present then set his cup of black coffee down and stared at the pensive look displayed on Sting’s face.

“Do they know?” Sting asked for the second time.

Kaneki paused recalling his talk with the princess of the night two days ago. “No...” he said. “They don’t know. I’ve been covering my tracks so they shouldn’t know” he stated picking up his cup to take a sip.

Sting’s eyes narrowed as he watched Kaneki take a sip. Kill Shot said nothing, merely keeping his attention on the stairs in case Spike came down so he could distract the young drake long enough to end this conversation.

“Are you sure no one knows?” Sting asked his voice stressing every syllable.

Kaneki did not pause after he had finished taking his sip of coffee. “Yes.”

A crash sounded in the room as Kaneki watched the crystal floor became covered in pieces of glass and the coffee he had been drinking.

His fingers still curled around the handle of the cup, Kaneki stared at where his mug used to be, then looked at the floor and saw all the glass and coffee which now proceeded to spread across the ground towards his feet.

Slowly he looked up and stared at Sting who was now standing in front of him with clenched fists.

“Why did you-”

“Why are you lying to us?” Sting asked with all the annoyance of a frustrated adult.

Kaneki blinked and dropped the hand that still held the imaginary cup. “I’m not lying. No one knows what I am.”

Sting’s hardened expression turned into a slight twitch at the ends of his lips. “No one knows aside from us right?”

Kaneki nodded, and this time Sting turned around and began pacing. The ground crunching and making light smacking sounds as glass crunched over his shoes and coffee hit the surface of his soles.

“You’re lying” Kaneki heard him say as he paced.

Neither Kill Shot or Kaneki said anything to this.

Finally after minutes of pacing Sting stopped and turned to look at Kaneki. “Two nights ago, I was outside. I’ve already told you how Kill Shot and I do patrols on the west side of Ponyville because that’s where we’ve noticed some ghouls passing by every now and then.”

“Sting” Kill Shot warned, but the senior investigator’s warning went either ignored or unheard.

“I was passing by, you know minding my own business until I heard a shout and immediately moved off in the direction to approach it. The entire time I was running over there with my quinque ready I was thinking, “I got to hurry. Somebody’s in danger”, but when I got there guess who I found Kaneki.”

Kaneki remained silent, not sure where Sting was going with this. But when he saw that look in Sting’s eye that showed how furious he was he realized, it was him.

Sting caught on to the look in Kaneki’s eyes instantly. “That’s right. You. You and Hachikawa. Kaneki, what were you thinking?!” He shouted. “Everyone in CCG knows out of anyone with a more stronger hatred for ghouls Hachikawa is at the top of the list! Why would you do that? And more importantly with PINKIE in your arms! What’s wrong with you?!”

Kaneki didn’t say anything, he just kept quiet slightly gaping at Sting who continued to speak unaware of their current guest. “And what’s more you were talking with one of the princess’s of this entire nation! So don’t sit there and tell me that no one knows. What did you and Princess Luna talk about?”

Kaneki opened his mouth but upon seeing their guest staring at them with a confused look he closed it.

“Answer me!” Sting yelled.

“STING!” Kill Shot yelled.

The young man froze then scowled as he turned to face his partner. “What?”

Kill Shot pointed in front of them and as he did so Sting’s gaze followed in suit.

Standing there with a really confused look on his face, was Spike.

Spike was young, is young. He knew there were some things that he still wouldn’t be able to understand. But then again there were things that he already understood thanks to his travels with Twilight and their friends.

Having never met a ghoul as far as he knew, Spike wasn’t sure of what to make of everything Sting was saying, but he did know that ghouls were dangerous. And that alone made it very clear to him that he never wanted to meet one as long as he lived.

“What does Kaneki meeting the princess have to do with ghouls?” Spike asked.

The entire room froze.

For a second the three members not of this world could fill a major drop of temperature and chills run up their spines as Spike’s confused look only told them he had questions he wanted answered. Questions they knew the answer to.

Sting glanced over to his partner a feeling of dread overtaking him as he realized he had let his emotions do the talking for him once again. This was on him. If Spike realized the truth behind his words, then Kaneki would be subject to suspicion and so would they.

He and Kill Shot were already under enough suspicion from the equines of this town since they did nothing but roam about at the night with weapons that could kill. And since unlike Kaneki, Kill Shot’s moment of heroism hadn’t been captured on the papers suspicions were still being thrown their way.

This is bad Sting thought, I need a distraction. And just as Kill Shot was about to put at rest everything Sting had said, something happened.

Away from the living room, down the four or five halls near the front door and close to a small room Twilight often used for reading was the common room. That common room held the cutie mark map.

So when the ground beneath the four started shaking and vibrating, Spike immediately recognized the feeling and took off down the hall to see what was happening.

Sting, Kill Shot and Kaneki who had been expecting Spike to suddenly come to the realization of what was really going on were somewhat relieved to see him turn tail and rush out of the hall, but when they too noticed the vibrations that shook where they sat or stood, all three looked at each other and took off after the young dragon.

Kill Shot ordering Sting to come back and clean the mess he had made out of Kaneki’s coffee when they were done.

Upon entering the room the three were greeted with a bright glow and a shadow. Spike’s shadow.

Standing in front of the glowing table Spike turned to the others that were also staring at the glowing table in front of him and the cutie marks pointing to a certain place on the map.

“Spike” Kill Shot said as he approached the drake. “What’s happening?”

Spike bit his lip nervously staring at the cutie marks before he turned to face the others.

“It’s the Map. It’s activated again.”

“Again?” Kaneki repeated. “This has...happened before.” Spike only nodded in response.

“What does that mean then?” Sting asked.

Spike’s nervous biting turned into a frown his tail swishing to the side out of nervous habit. “Trouble.”

Pinkie Pie had done it. She had thrown one of the best “Welcome Back From Your Short Term Recovery Rainbow Dash” party ever.

Her friends were sitting about talking joyfully with mugs of applecider. Unlike all her other parties Pinkie had decided to make this one a bit more private. Especially since this was a moment where her friend had returned from a near death experience.

Since Dash’s return and the images of Kaneki’s display of heroism, Pinkie has finally begun piecing things together. And that in turn was proven to her as her nose hadn’t twitched in awhile now.

The time Kaneki had intentionally dismissed her when Luna had confronted them two nights ago was still fresh in her mind, and these pictures that had been published were beginning to weigh on her.

What was the connection? What am I missing? She thought absentmindedly putting down her mug and scrunching her muzzle up in deep thought.

Pinkie’s friends who were sitting around stopped their own conversations, just now taking note of their friends turmoil, Fluttershy spoke.

“Pinkie, what’s wrong? You haven’t eaten as many cupcakes as you usually do. Is everything alright?”

Pinkie winced at the question, completely snapping out of her thoughts she looked up and saw the worry on all her friends faces.

That struck a cord in her. If there was one thing Pinkamena Diane Pie, Master of Sweets, Conqueror of Pranks, and Queen of Parties did not like doing, it was upsetting her closest friends.

“I’m fine” she said quickly which she only tried to prove by chugging down her applecider in one gulp and coughing half way through it.

“Pinkie, sugar what’s wrong?” AJ asked patting her friend on the back. “Ya ain’t acting like your usual self. What’s buggin’ ya?”

When Pinkie had finally finished coughing and settled down, she looked around at her friends only to see warm smiles.

She sighed, she didn’t want them to worry so this was probably the best option to voice her thoughts. “Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”

Rainbow Dash stifled a snort only for Rarity to firmly elbow her in the ribs, forcing her to stop, wince then offer a pained smile to Pinkie who had looked at her.

“Go on” Twilight said gently after shooting Dash a glare.

“It’s about Kaneki. There’s just a lot we don’t know about him. That I don’t know about him. And well...I’m not used to not knowing anything about anypony...or anyone in this case so. So I guess what I’m saying is-” she stopped when she felt a hand touch hers. She looked up and Fluttershy was there smiling at her.

“And it bothers you right?”

Pinkie nodded. And it was natural. Pinkie had grown up at a rock farm. Working with rocks and minerals her family had quite a bit of money. But due to their lifestyle that money didn’t get spent that much and was saved, so they rarely went out and she most of the time didn’t go anywhere but play with her sisters and...rocks. Pinkie loved her family, they were great, but not going anywhere had made things dull at home and often made her depressed when she thought of how there were other colts and fillies she hadn’t met yet. Having fun and enjoying themselves while she remained in a stasis like life with nothing to do but take care of the farm. It was fine, but then again it wasn’t. That all changed when the Rainboom came though.

After she got her cutie mark, Pinkie had made sure she got to know everypony within an inch of her so she could spread the joy and enlightenment she felt the day she saw that explosion of light particles disperse the sky.

But not being able to understand or connect with somepony, especially one who lived with her for almost a month now was...unsettling. Even with Cranky it had taken her a few days but this was different. Kaneki had accepted her friendship unlike Cranky when they first met, and what's more she lived with him and had visited both Sting and Kill on multiple occasions yet she still knew nothing, so yeah, it bugged her, it annoyed her and her friends could see this.

“It’s not just Kaneki, but Sting and Kill Shot also. I mean ever since they got here they’ve been so discreet and secretive. Even hiding a lot of information on the ghouls from us. I’m just trying to figure out, why, you know. Why do they need to hide everything from us like this...it’s as if they don’t trust us or...can’t.” Pinkie said with a frown.

The others went silent and looked at each other. Twilight had to admit, Pinkie was right. This wasn’t the usual kind of keeping secrets ordeal they were dealing with. This was the kind of secret these three were willing to die to protect, the question was what was so important they weren’t willing to tell a soul.

Fluttershy had to admit as well that even though she had been spending some time with Sting, he was always alert, always on the lookout even when he came over to visit her and her critter friends. Sometimes it was uncanny, other times she just thought he was being protective of her and her friends, but then there were moments when she looked into his eyes and just couldn’t see any warmth at all.

Fluttershy lightly squeezed Pinkie’s hand to show she understood, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack also reflecting on their own interactions with the boy and the two investigators.

“Pinkie is right though.” Rarity said after a few minutes of silence. “When those images of Kaneki came out I must say I was quite surprised to see him display such skill. Even if it was a photo, I still must say it was surprising.”

“Well he did catch me when I was falling out of the sky after I injured myself, remember?” Dash said with a slight fluff of her wings.

“Did he though?” Pinkie asked.

The others looked at her. “Pinkie what are you talking about” AJ asked.

“You guys all know about my Pinkie sense, Twilight.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “For the past few days they’ve been acting up.” The way her friends stiffened wasn’t lost on her. “And I’m sure it’s because of Kaneki and the others. But mainly him.”

“What do you think sets it off about him? Do you think he’s dangerous or something?” Twilight asked after taking another sip of her applecider.

Pinkie shook her head, “I don’t know. I’m not sure, I mean- I think I have an idea but...it’s nothing good.”

“Well what is it?” Dash asked.

Pinkie bit her lip. This wasn’t something she wanted to admit. That maybe, just maybe Kaneki wasn’t actually a investigator but was tied in with Kill Shot and Sting by some other means, like an assassin or something along those lines. Maybe the reason why he never talked about his past was because a lot of horrible things happened that he didn’t want anyone to know about.

But if that’s the case what did that mean for her. Was she breaking his trust by intruding or being curious? Was she being just a bit selfish in wanting to know more about him and the others as well?

She didn’t know. She felt so confused and wasn’t sure how to approach this, but then suddenly she saw a glow emit from under the table.

“Uh Rarity, girls” Pinkie said drawing everyone’s attention as she looked at her jeans to see the glowing cutie mark.

“I think we have some business to attend to.”

Kaneki, Sting and Kill Shot sat down while Spike explained to them what the Cutie Map was. How it worked, what it did, and how it only selected Twilight and the others to do these jobs and no one else.

“Wait, wait. So only they can solve these problems?” Sting asked feeling quite confused. “I’m sorry to say this but we haven’t been in your world that long. And I don’t understand why they are the only ones that handle these dangerous situations. I’ve talked to Fluttershy and she’s told me you and the others have been through a lot. Yet you have Royal Guards who do virtually nothing, and officers who aren’t as useful either.

“What gives?”

Spike shrugged. “It’s just the way things are. We don’t question it, we just do it.”

To this Kill Shot looked at the map then looked back at Spike. “And you’re fine with that? Just obeying orders from something based on your explanations you don’t understand.”

Spike opened his mouth to speak, but found he couldn’t say anything. Kaneki wasn’t sure of what to make of this either. Blindly obeying the wishes of something they didn’t understand, going through dangerous trials leading up to the current point they now were in, was it any different from the way he lived his life doing his best to keep things in check and protect those he cared for?

The sound of two doors being thrown open interrupted everyone’s thoughts.

Pinkie and the others walked in looking like they had just ran a marathon and much to Kaneki’s surprise along with the other two investigators, that were also staring at the flashing lights on three of the mare’s sides.

Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack moved towards the map, Spike stepping aside to give them way as they took their seats.

“Alright, what the news Spike” Twilight asked once she’d taken her seat and her assistant had taken his by her side.

“The map shows that Rarity and Pinkie Pie are heading to Trancelvania” Spike said. “Applejack and Dash you two are heading to Manehattan.”

The four nodded. “Alright girls, better get ready to pack up and move on out. Meet y’all back here at Twilight’s in an hour” AJ said before she began heading out the door.

“Wait” Kaneki and Kill Shot said together. The four stopped moving and looked at the men.

Kaneki looked at Kill Shot and nodded for him to speak. “Let us come with you.”

“We can’t.” Twilight said. “The map chose us and it’s important we go ourselves.”

“But the map is not control your actions. Just because it chose you doesn’t mean you have to abide by its rules. Let us come, we won’t interfere” Sting said.

Twilight looked at the others and they all shrugged in response.

“Wait outside, we need to talk.”

Outside Kaneki could hear voices raising and lowering. Whatever was going on in there was serious. Was it really that bad if they let them go?

“Sting” Kill Short said. The young man looked up. “I need you to go with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.”

“But what about Kanek-” Kill Shot raised a finger for silence.

“I will go with Kaneki. We need to get out, we can use this opportunity to observe the damage outside of Ponyville. In the meantime we will just have to wait for their decision.”

“And if they say no?” Kaneki asked.

Kill Shot looked at the closed common room doors and pushed his glasses back up his face. “Then we make them see reason.”

Author's Note

Leave a comment if you're curious about anything said in this chapter, as well as if I made any mistakes.
Enjoy.

Case # B- 014

A stallion stood silently at the graveyard, staring at the tombstone of his friend in silence. He did not know how long he had been standing there since the ceremony ended, he did not know how much time had passed since Silver Star had to be taken away because she and several others had been sobbing so hard, and frankly he didn’t care.

It was bright and sunny outside today at Manehattan, but to Streamlight, it might as well have been raining during a tornado.

I was heartbroken.

A cool gentle breeze blew by and played with my hair but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t feel anything right now. All I felt was...nothing. Birds chirped, and the sun rays rained down upon him, but still the stallion did not move, his eyes remained fixed on the tombstone and the words engraved on it.

“Beloved Friend, Daughter, and Cousin. A Great Baker with a kind heart and one her friends and family, and all that knew her would miss.

“Goodbye Sweet Treat.

“May you rest in peace.” Streamlight repeated the words on the cold stone, his ear slightly lifting as he heard somepony approaching him from behind.

Deputy Chief Scrimmage stopped a good foot away, having just returned from just asking multiple citizens at the Sweet Tooth shop what had went down.

“Detective Streamlight, ya’ve been standing there for almost two hours now. The funeral ended quite sometime ago” Scrimmage looked around. “And nopony else is here. Come with me, I’ll buy ya a drink.”

“Thank you sir” Streamlight said still staring at Sweet Treat’s grave. “But I don’t drink, besides I don’t need to.”

“Ya don’t need to huh?” Scrimmage muttered, but Streamlight said nothing. The black suit he was in and the way his shoulders were slumped did nothing to help display a positive body language.

Then again there was nothing positive about any of this.

The two officers stood there for a few minutes both remaining silent. Neither saying a word. Scrimmage could understand the pain the young stallion was going through. He had lost his son who patrolled the Western Naval Seas with a division of the Wonderbolts.

Streamlight himself was a bit younger than his kid, but he could understand what the young one was going through. His son hadn’t died by the hands of a ghoul but had been killed by pirates during a rescue mission.

That didn’t make the pain any less numb though.

Streamlight continued to stare at the grave. Countless feelings were going through him right now. Pain, grief, anger, sorrow, and hatred. The last emotion, hatred being directed at himself.

Sweet Treat had always been a mare he fancied. Not in a romantic way, at least as far as he believed but he had always loved the way his friend was always so kind even in the darkest of moments. He loved the way she was always doing her best to stay brave even when she was terrified. It was inspiring and he admired her for it.

One of the reasons he had became a detective in the first place was because of an incident that had happened with Sweet Treat’s family and his own once.

“You know Deputy. Back when I was a foal. I was always surrounded by trouble” Streamlight said and to this statement Scrimmage cocked a brow.

“What are ye going on about?”

“Back when I was a colt, Sweet Treat, Silver Star and a few other friends of mine that I still maintain in touch with now and then would go with our families together to watch the Summer Celebration every year. But one year on the day we were waiting for Silver Star’s family to arrive nearby a bank, I watched a group of earth ponies pass us by and go inside the bank.” He chuckled.

“I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I was just 8 back then. I didn’t know much about anything except how to deal with my own problems. My parents and Sweet Treat’s however didn’t like the way those ponies had looked when entering the bank and were even talking about changing locations.” Streamlight’s small nostalgic grin faded.

“But we never got the chance.

“Moments later the bank was filled with noise and gunfire. Instantly both our parents moved to protect us. Sweet Treat’s father being a pegasus took his filly to the sky and handed her over to be watched by a flock mate. When he returned he told his wife to call for the police while Guardian, my father, and he made sure nothing happened to the civilians while my mother, Kuberah made sure I was safe.”

Streamlight sighed taking another look at Sweet Treat’s grave before he turned his back to it and looked Scrimmage in the eyes.

“Gunfire continued through the bank, Deputy. I could hear it all. Ponies on the streets were confused and yelling. Running and flailing about. The ponies inside were firing back at their invaders and every now and then I can still remember hearing glass shattering. Till finally, those earth ponies we saw came out.

“I can still remember it you know? You don’t just up and forget something like that at a young age. It stays with you. It reminds you of the danger. Sweet Treat never remembered it because her dad’s friend took her away from the sight, but my mom was also an earth pony. She could have ran with me but she was worried about my father and Spring Step, Sweet Treat’s dad.

“So she did her best to cover my ears. She whispered kind words to me. Told me everything was going to be alright, even though as scared as I was I knew that those were just empty words, but when I saw those villains rushing out of the bank and coming towards us, I didn’t expect them to hit my mother and smack her away in their escape. So what did I do? Well...what would you do if you had been in my situation?”

Scrimmage paused. He hadn’t been expecting that. But after a few seconds of silence and taking another look at the icy expression on the young detective’s face he answered. “I would have attacked them for harming me mum.”

“Even though you were just a foal at the time?” Streamlight pressed, his voice and expression both calm but his words looking for a serious and honest answer.

Scrimmage nodded. “Even if I were nothin’ but a foal.” He said solemnly. “ My family comes from the Shetlands, family is more important than anything to us. So I would have attacked those scumbags even if I were just a young colt who still hadn’t learned how to fly in a straight line yet, and I would have givin ‘em hell for doing so.”

Streamlight lowered his head. That was just the answer he was hoping he’d hear. This wasn’t about him wanting to hear what he wanted, this was about him wanting to hear the truth. This was something that had shaped his life and made him decide on doing what he was doing now.

He sighed. “Thank you for not fabricating your response.”

Scrimmage merely nodded. “Yer welcome. Now that ya mention it, I do remember hearing somethin’ about the massive shootout here in Manehattan, but the details were vague. If ya would be so kind as to fill in the holes.”

Streamlight nodded, “I plan to.”

“After my mother was struck down, those robbers rushed by us. My father and Spring were too busy trying to maintain order with the civilians to even notice. So I did what I did after watching my own mom get knocked to the ground.

“I used magic.”

“When I was a foal, I wasn’t always the strongest magic user. I had trouble grasping simple spells to casting even small transfiguration spells. But that day, when I watched my mom get shoved and knocked aside, something in me snapped.” Streamlight’s horn began to glow faintly as he recalled those memories, even recalling Sweet Treat’s face brimming with tears as she was carried off to safety.

“That day I lost control of my magic. I don’t remember much, of what kind of spell I used. But whatever it was it must have been awful. I remember my horn feeling warm, my vision getting blurry and all I could feel was a strong sense of anger. And then I cast my first spell.

“The first one that hit knocked one of the robbers to the ground and he was paralyzed instantly. He yelled to his friends to help him, but when they saw me they froze. One even tried to shoot me but” Streamlight touched his chest. “I don’t remember getting hit or feeling any pain.”

“They kept firing and firing and firing at my mother and I but not once do I remember ever feeling pain, nor did I even see my mom get hurt when I looked back at her.

“When they tried to aim for other ponies after one of them noticed my father and Spring Step approaching I remember feeling an intense amount of rage. And then that’s it. The next thing I knew my father and Spring Trap were hunting the leader and the two that escaped with him.

“To this day I never knew what happened, by the time the MDA had arrived my father and Spring Trap had detained and beaten everyone. I just assumed at the time they had done it all. I had no recollection of what I did and I still don’t. But when I saw my father detaining those scumbags and watched Sweet Treat and her mother return fine without any injuries along with the rest of the citizens in the area. I felt proud. Proud that my dad had done something so cool.”

I turned to take another look at Sweet Treat’s tombstone and the words engraved on it. “He saved lives. But all I did was get angry” he finished with another sigh.

“Shortly after that I took up training with my old man, then went to Canterlot to learn how to control my magic. Word spread at the time that I was unstable. So I worked hard to control my emotions.”

Scrimmage shook his head sadly. “Is that why ya haven’t shed a single tear despite losing someone so close to ya lad?”

Streamlight didn’t even bother that with a response. And Scrimmage merely remained silent feeling the detectives silence was answer enough.

“While I was at Canterlot I got teased a lot for not being able to control my magic. I was unstable. I wasn’t the best. Heck I wasn't even close to the numerous prodigies there and was even amazed Princess Celestia took me in to begin with. I met ponies like Sunset Shimmer, Master Floranzo, Trixie Lulamoon, and even a young filly called Twilight. So I worked hard, studied hard, put in an effort and forced down anything that held me back.

“But whenever I came back home, came back here. Sweet Treat and Silver Star were always waiting. Always there for me, even when I felt like I was just causing trouble for everyone. Once I graduated I joined the MDA, took up training, became an officer and well you know the rest from there.”

Streamlight lifted a hand and slid it into his MDA coat pocket and took out a rose. Roses were her favorite, he thought with a sad smile.

A aching pain in his chest reminded him that he was hurt, but Streamlight ignored it. Kneeling down and placing the rose on the ground, Streamlight backed away from the grave, then looked at all the various graves and tombstones that had been dug for those of the past. Some prominent, some normal, and some heroes.

“You know Deputy. I feel like it would have been better if Sweet Treat just ignored me, after I left. Silver Star too. I knew what I was getting into when I started this job. But I always thought that after all the effort I put into it as a foal, I’d be strong enough to protect anyone I cared for” he turned and looked at Scrimmage’s grave expression.

“But look at where we are now. If you told me 11 years ago I was going to lose one of my best friends I would laugh, stare you down and tell you not to joke like that. If I knew this would have happened I wouldn’t have joined the force at all. I’m supposed to protect the weak and innocent, but you look at me now and tell me this. Did I do my job well?” He asked with open arms.

Scrimmage opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. The look in Streamlight’s eyes told him he didn’t want an answer. He just wanted to be heard.

“That’s what I thought.” Streamlight said silently taking another look at Sweet Treat’s grave.

“After the ceremony I was taken aside and told what happened by your officers sir. Said the ghoul crushed five of her ribs and bit into her left forearm, yet according to some that were there she used her strength to make sure it didn’t escape before someone came in and ultimately finished it off.

“They say he was one of those investigators, I’d like to meet him and thank him one day.”

Scrimmage raised his brow once again. “For?”

“For making sure she didn’t suffer in her final moments.” Streamlight stated.

“So you’re not going for revenge?” Scrimmage asked.

Streamlight went silent at this statement. He took another look at Sweet Treat’s grave and the pictures of her and them when they were younger placed intricately around it.

“No” he said shaking his head. “I’m furious.” His horn glowed brighter before he took in a deep breath, closed his already half lidded eyes and exhaled. The light of his horn faded slowly till it was nothing but a small spark at the tip. “But” he opened them again and looked at the higher ranking officer. “I’m not going to go mindlessly killing. I got a glimpse of what that looked like when I went to Ponyville, I don’t want to become like that. She wouldn’t want that, my father wouldn’t want that. No one would. Besides, if I can keep my emotions in check after my best friend’s death. I can keep them in check till all of this is over.”

Turning away from the grave while the sun continued to shed its light on the two officers, Streamlight moved past the officer only to stop when he heard Scrimmage’s voice call him.

“So you’re serious. You were one of those involved in Case B- 014?”

To that Streamlight didn’t say anything. He allowed his head to stay lowered. Thousands of memories rushing through his mind. Sweet Treat, his father, everything he had done all coursing through him. It was overpowering and for a second he could feel his horn beginning to grow warm.

But then everything settled when he remembered one thing his old friend had said to him in their youth. “Sometimes, when you’re feeling down. You have to smile. Smile and think happy thoughts Streamy. Then maybe the sad ones will go away.”

For a second it was too much to handle. Sweet Treat’s voice was clear and I could hear it. But then Streamlight swallowed all his grief and sadness and turned to Scrimmage who for the first time in a long time donned a look of surprise when he saw the stallion’s face.

He was smiling.

I was smiling.

Streamlight’s eyes burnt and it felt like those long awaited tears were ready to emerge. But they didn’t. His chest ached, and he felt sick and a flash of rage, but he swallowed all that too.

“Deputy Chief Scrimmage. Why don’t I buy you a drink?” Streamlight asked, doing his best to keep the shaking from his voice.

Scrimmage stared for a long time in silence. He wasn’t sure what to make of this. But after a good ten seconds had passed.

He sported a sad smile of his own. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer. Detective.”

Author's Note

Wow. This chapter was something. I felt bad writing this when I was reaching the end and was like "Dang." Wow.

Well as always let me know if there were any mistakes.

Enjoy.

Chapter 17 Author's Note

Wow, this was my bad. I thought I had finished this chapter and posted it already like a week ago but apparently I hadn't while I was thinking of what I wanted to happen next for 18. Anyway here it is and as always let me know if I made any mistakes.

Enjoy.

Chapter 17

Chapter 17:Open Your Eyes, And What Do You See?

“Where Am I?”

Somewhere, somewhere on an old abandoned farm on the side of Trottingham, was a young pegasus stallion checking up on his great grandfather’s property, one last time before he closed it down forever.

Barley Oats, was the name of this pegasi’s grandfather. And if anything as the young stallion walked into the mahogany based building that had once been his grapa’s (as he liked to call him) home, the pegasus could tell one thing: Oats had done much with his life.

Oats had invested in his family’s wheat making services and gained tons of money in the process that would later prove to greatly benefit him and his family in the later years to come.

Years later, back to before his retirement the old earth stallion that once had curls as golden as the sun from the photo his own flesh now held, Ethnic Duty could tell his grapa had seen the wonderful days in life. But since time had passed, the stallion could still recall how white and in a few strands of hair, gray his grapa’s hair had become from age.

Ethnic Duty walked around the large home his grandfather had built and left behind almost a hundred and thirteen years ago.

It was a wonder how this old thing that had been made from nothing but trees and nails could still hold even after being abandoned for so long. 42 years to be exact.

Turning around Ethnic adjusted his tie, and fixed his collar in a old dusty mirror that had caught his attention as he passed. He smiled at himself for a second, just vaguely able to make out the now straw colored mane he had adopted from his father, and the ruby eyes his mother possessed.

On the side, just next to the mirror, a photo. Ethnic stopped messing with his reflection and leaned in to get it.

Once the image was betwixt his index and thumb the stallion stared at the image depicted on it and broke out into a nostalgic smile.

It was a picture of his grandfather, his own father, and his uncles and aunt. They all sat in front of the very fireplace that was just in the living room across from the Ethnic himself, smiling warmly with Oats holding his wife.

A somewhat tight feeling began to fill Ethnic’s chest.

He never really had the chance to meet his grandmother, and his grandfather and hims hadn’t spoken in years since he got out of his law training program. The only real reason he was here was because his father had asked him to shut this place down for him because Oats would be visiting very soon, since he’d been unable to make it to his graduation from Horizon University back in Baltimare.

It brought a feeling of sadness over Ethnic, “Has it really been that long since we talked?” Ethnic wondered.

And after taking another long look around him and at the room the pegasi’s wings fluffed, and a small smile made its way to his face.

“I should hurry up so I can meet gramps before he leaves again. It’s been so long, and we haven’t talked in awhile either” Ethnic thought to himself. Maybe it would be good to tell him I got hired by Filthy Rich recently. I’m sure he’d love th-

The pegasus stopped his hurried movement in clearing up the place of anything he thought his parents may want to see, and turned his head towards a door across from him that was shut.

For a good few minutes Ethnic Duty didn’t move, he just waited and listened.

Funny, his ear twitched, I thought I heard somethin- SMASH!

Ethnic Duty froze. The door in front of him lead to the basement. No one was supposed to be in this building as the city had made it private property as a respect to his grandfather and some of the investments he had made towards Trottingham in the past, so whatever was causing that noise was obviously something foreign.

Ethnic sighed, he glanced behind him at the large box he had brought to put stuff in. “I guess I’ll come back for it later.” And with that the stallion started towards the basement.

As Ethnic moved down the long line of steps all sound having disappeared the pegasus began to wonder if it were a bunch of vandals again. Before coming onto his grandfather’s property there had been a few guards not too far away from the far that had informed him some naughty colts and fillies would sneak in when the guards were all on break, and do some snooping around the old farmhouse.

Ethnic merely shook his head at the thought with a youthful smile, “Darn kids” he muttered under his breath as the bottom of the stairs came into his view.

And as Ethnic reached the bottom of the stairs and moved to turn on the switch that would bring forth light to this dark room he was both astounded and surprised to see the very thing that had been causing all this racket.

It was...”a boy?”

Hours. How long had he and the others been retreating from the rest of the CCG before he made a mistake and got surrounded.

Ayato Kirishima had no idea. Had it not been moments ago that he had been facing off against a team of detectives bent on taking him down?

Or had that all been hours ago? Whether it was the former or the latter Ayato couldn’t tell. He vaguely remembered seeing a bright light, and then gaining a horrible headache before everything went dark.

“Ugh” he groaned,whatever he had hit as he landed must have been sturdy, tree bark sturdy. Where was he anyway?

Ayato froze, instantly recalling that he had been in a fight with detectives of the CCG the boy quickly rose to his feet and backed up into the corner of Barley Oats basement.

Both sclera turning black, irises going red the young ghoul prepared to release his kagune but froze when he realized what was staring at him.

It looked like a human. But it wasn’t one at the same time. It had a tail, wore a suit, had a tie, some strange tattoo awkwardly placed on it’s rear end, and ears and mouth that no human ever had.

An anthropomorphic? Ayato wondered. He only knew of these things back when he had to act like when he was human, when he had to act to be friends with someone before he ate, he had to associate with all types of weirdos back in Japan.

Then the thought hit him. What's a humanoid animal doing in Japan?

Thoughts began going through Ayato’s mind. How did I get here? Why am I in a basement? Did this thing bring me here? What happened during the fight? What’s going on? And the more Ayato thought about this confounded situation, the more frustrated he became, till finally one sound echoed throughout that basement.

A grumbling stomach.

Ethnic froze. He wasn’t sure if this was one of those ghouls he’d heard about in the papers or through rumors or if this was one of those CCG detectives rumored to be scattered all over Equus.

But when the pegasus heard that stomach grumble, two things went through his mind instantly that made both his wings begin to spread apart as if he were ready to take flight. He’s either hungry for food....or he’s hungry for me...

Ethnic swallowed as Ayato held his stomach for a brief second and looked around. There was nothing in this basement aside from old furniture. The ghoul grimaced, but then that grimaced turned into a face of realization.

Slowly Ayato’s gaze landed on Ethnic and for a brief split second their eyes connected and both saw right through the other, straight into each others soul.

And that’s when Ethnic knew.

If he didn’t escape now he was going to die.

Another grimace formed on Ayato’s face at the thought of having to eat such a bizarre creature, but then again if it looked human there was a possibility his stomach could take it.

Both Ethnic’s wings spread and in an instant the stallion took off up the stairs, Ayato stood slightly dazed at the sudden movement and how quick the pegasus had been but he regained his composure within a few short seconds.

Hearing commotion upstairs Ayato looked to the ceiling that was the basement and immediately called out his ukaku, in a matter of seconds the sound of splintering wood and something breaking filled Ethnic’s ears as he just made it upstairs but he ignored it. He had to get out before that ghoul was done hammering away at the floor boards.

Rushing towards the living room and turning a corner the stallion tripped and fell with a grimace. Looking at what had caused his blunder he saw he’d just tripped on the box he would be bringing to his parents, but the sound of something horribly breaking. A deafening crack that filled the entire room and discarded the bird’s in the distance made him stop any further attempts in moving.

Like fear itself had placed a cold blanket on his body that froze every neuron in his brain telling him to run..

Standing in the living room, just a foot away from Ethnic was now a masked being. He had the same size as the ghoul and the exact same hair color, but Ethnic knew this was the same person he had just witnessed in his gramps basement.

He swallowed a lump within his throat and began to scramble to his hooves in desperation, but then he heard something, felt a sharp pain in his left thigh and right calf then collapsed to the ground.

“NNG!” Ethnic winced immensely, biting the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood. The pain was unbearable, he wanted to scream but no one would hear him. He was too far away from the town and the guards that watched his gramps home to get them to come, besides even if they did they’d be murdered also.

Pain filled tears began to fill Ethnic’s eyes. This wasn’t how I wanted to go! He thought as he began weakly crawling towards the door. I had so much planned with my life! So much I wanted to do, so much I wanted to see, I didn’t even get to tell ol’ gramps about the kick off in my career!

A sudden pressure on his injured leg made Ethnic choke back a scream of pain that came out as a deathly moan.

“Look at me” a cold voice said.

Ethnic Duty refused to do as such, but if anything this only made Ayato unleash his frustration at his current situation. Surprises were not things he ever enjoyed receiving, and eating this thing wasn’t doing him any favors either, if anything not answering him immediately was worsening his mood.

“I said look at me.” Ayato ordered once more, but upon realizing the force he was currently applying to Ethnic’s thigh was too much he eased up and stepped around the injured stallion blocking his exit from the door a mere inches away.

Ethnic lay there, whimpering, forcing back sobs as his eyes released tears in torrents. “Where am I?” Ayato’s voice asked.

It was cold, such a harsh voice for such a small looking creature. Were all ghouls like this? Cold as much as their thirst for blood?

Feeling a sharp smack to the face jolted the stallion out of his thoughts, dazing him. “I said, where am I?” Ayato asked with a dangerous level of malice to his voice as he brought the stallion’s tear stained face in his direction.

Ethnic shook his head. He couldn’t give this thing any information. If anything he would go down a true stallion in the face of an enemy before divulging such information, so instead he did the last thing he would ever do in front of anyone.

He spat in Ayato’s face.

Ayato dropped the injured stallion almost instantly when that filth hit him. Sure he had his mask but he could still feel it, some even slipping through the holes within the mask and getting on his face.

Standing up. Not saying a single word, Ayato released his ukaku showing a ukaku in its premature stage before crystallized for battle; glowing flame that came out of his back.

Ethnic stared at those flames as if they were magnificent. The most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And as Ayato walked towards him slowly like a predator that had trapped it's prey he wondered How could something so beautiful, be this cruel?. And so he stared, he stared and he stared and stared at those flames watching them dance as they came ever closer to him.

He stared.... even as the life....drained right out of his eyes.

Chapter 18

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Arrival At Trancelvania

Something feels off

“Final Destination, Trancelvania!” called Pass Director. And with that call came the loud roar of the train’s whistle and smoke that left its pipes soon accompanied by the loud hiss of steam.

“Pinkie, Pinkie darling wake up” Rarity coaxed gently with a light shake of her friend.

The mare’s eyes slowly opened as she looked around and turned her attention to Rarity sitting beside her. Pinkie smiled sleepily at her.

“Are we here?” she asked, to which Rarity responded with a nod of her own head.

“We should be heading off this train soon, before it departs for its next stop.” A voice called from above the two. Pinkie looked up, slightly unfamiliar of who it was talking but Rarity didn’t, having already known who it was.

It was Kill Shot. The man readjusted his glasses, holding his own briefcase as he stared outside the window. In the distance from their perspective just beyond the station’s departure dock, revealed a large road that made a winding path through a large pair of steel gates leading out the station and towards the metropolitan city just ahead.

Beside Kill Shot, Kaneki. He said nothing as he also looked onwards towards the distant city that was Trancelvania.

Trancelvania Kaneki thought as he watched several passengers walk by and head out the exit to their train cart. Till a couple hours ago Kaneki had never heard of such a city. In fact, now that he thought about it this city hadn’t undergone anything noticeable or noteworthy in terms of the recent ghoul attacks. Not a single mishap had occurred here, at least as far as the papers covered.

Yet despite how good this may have sounded, to Kaneki and the senior investigator, this only meant they had to keep their eyes and ears alert and open if they wanted to make sure everything was alright here to begin with.

For now they’d just need to focus on helping Rarity and Pinkie Pie with whatever they needed to get done here as quickly as possible and get out of here. The sooner they finished the better, Kill Shot reasoned.

A voice clearing itself dourly drew the two’s attention to their comrades. Rarity and Pinkie now stood near the door with the station master peeking in at them through the only exit out of the passenger cart.

“Are you two here leaving with your lovely friends here or will you be staying for another destination?” The station master asked with a quick glance at his pocket watch.

Kaneki merely rubbed the back of his head while Kill Shot looked away in a slightly embarrassed fashion as he readjusted his lenses.

“We’re coming” Kill Shot said to the two mares. “Just got a little lost in thought.”

Being in Trancelvania was no different than being in Ponyville. Everywhere you look someone was always staring at you be it out of interest, confusion, a slight sense of fear in one’s eyes or simple wonder it was hard to tell.

Mainly because it wasn’t just a single pony that sought to look upon the group of four that now made their way through Trancelvania’s streets.

Whether it was because it was the first time ponies had ever seen creatures like Kill Shot or Kaneki before, or whether it was once again out of fear or uncertainty due to their addled appearance yet confounding abilities, one could not say for certain. Regardless however this not stop Rarity and Pinkie Pie from searching for a place to stay since it was quite possible they would be here for most likely more than a few hours leading into the night.

Earlier during the walk through the station, it had been fairly decent.

Rarity and Pinkie having asked a few questions about Earth, then later on discussing a few topics about where Kill Shot, Kaneki, and Sting Ray were from, along with some of the traditions and things they ate there.

Kill Shot doing most of the talking while as usual Kaneki remained silent and simply watched.

But once actually entering the city all manner of discussion as previously mentioned ceased, due to the few looks they received and the even fewer greetings they got.

“So, is this a common thing in your world?” Kill asked Rarity as the group moved through the cities streets in search of a place to stay.

“I beg your pardon?” Rarity asked with a raised brow.

“I mean no offense by the question, Miss Rarity. I simply ask because it’s been almost a month since our arrival here, yet we still seem to acquire the same looks no matter where we go. I was simply asking out of curiosity is all.” he explained.

“Well” she said thoughtfully. “I suppose you could say it is a common affair here. I mean you two, Sting included, aren’t what us ponies would call a normal occurrence around here. And trust me darling, when I say we rarely have anything close to normal ever happen in Equestria without some sort of catch to it.”

“Hm” Kill Shot sounded in understanding. It was an understandable answer for their inconceivable situation. It was quite obvious that humans were anomalies here, ghouls even more so. Then again if the roles were reversed and there were in fact anthro creatures popping all over the world one day people wouldn’t hesitate to stare just as much as these ponies were doing to him and Kaneki now.

It was strange yes, but that was their situation. I suppose it’ll take a bit more time than two and a half weeks for the inhabitants of this world to get used to us. A slight frown crossed Kill’s face as he followed the others. But getting along with them will prove difficult if this ghoul issue isn’t solved soon.

“We’re here!” Pinkie’s voice called in excitement, both snapping Kill out of his thoughts and disrupting Kaneki and his silence.

“The Trot and Stay?” Kill Shot read.

It sounds like a bed and breakfast inn.

“Yes” Rarity said with a smile. “I had the luxury after discovering we were coming here to get some information on a inn we could stay in.”

“I see” Kill Shot said staring at the large building in silence. But after a few seconds of patient waiting the man broke that silence.

“Well then, I suppose it’s best I take a look around this city and get to know our surroundings a bit. Miss Rarity if you would please, register a room for me, I’ll be back shortly, I think it’s best if I go do a little looking around.”

“Oh” she said slightly confused by the investigator’s behavior. He had been fairly silent when they were leaving Ponyville, but perhaps it was just curiosity that had a hold of Kill’s attention today? “It shouldn’t be a problem. Um, what kind of room would you like then?” she asked.

“A single would be just fine” Kill stated, his attention now focused on a certain mare closing up her shop about four to five blocks down their current street.

When she looked up and saw Kill Shot with the others a strange look overcame her. It was hard to tell from the distance, but it wasn’t fear, nor was it a sense of shock either. Plainly said to Kill it looked more of one such as, anxiety. Kill unsure how to take this reaction, waved at her, Rarity and the others watching on from the sidelines.

Trying not to be rude, the mare waved back as she shut the door to her salon shop with a very and quite obvious, forced smile. Once her little wave was done and she’d locked the door, she continued to smile forcefully while making her way down the street.

It wasn’t until the mare was a good yard or so away did her smile fade and she suddenly begin picking up the pace in her already brisk walk.

The senior investigator continued to stare off in the general direction the mare had gone in. He didn’t say a word for a good few seconds, all the while Rarity and Pinkie Pie feeling increasingly uncomfortable with how rude that made had been.

“Um, Ren, Darling why don’t you wait for us to finish up here at the register hm? Then we can all go on that walk you were talking about?” Rarity said gently, trying her best to change this awkward situation to a brighter one.

Ren Tokoshima, a.k.a Kill Shot, did not reply immediately. But when he did speak again his tone was...different.

“No, no. I’m fine. I understand, we are still...new to your world so it’s only understandable some of you would be nervous.” The investigator said silently. He didn’t speak for a few seconds causing Rarity to look at Pinkie for some kind of help, but the mare shrugged with a just as “I don’t know” expression as the fashionista.

When the two looked over at Kaneki they saw that like the investigator, he to was staring off down the street the mare had quickly scurried off to.

“Ahem” Kill coughed, before a slightly choked up sound escaped his throat as he cleared it. “Excuse me. I’ll be going around for a bit and getting a look at this place. Feel free to explore around without me.” He stated before promptly walking off down the street without so much as another word.

Rarity’s ears dropped ever so slightly as she walked Kill Shot walk off. It was too bad also, she’d been hoping to have talked a bit more with him about their world’s traditional clothing styles again.

Pinkie’s ears were also falling almost flatly against her skull, she rubbed one side of her arm and frowned as they watched the senior investigator call a carriage, get in, and disappear down a turn in the street.

“Do you think he’ll be alright?” Pinkie asked after a few seconds of silence had passed.

“I hope so, he seemed a bit disturbed by that mare’s reaction to him. Honestly, that was just too rude” Rarity said with a slight huff as she turned back into Trot and Stay.

Pinkie turned to follow Rarity in, but stopped when she saw Kaneki still staring after Kill Shot’s no longer visible carriage.

“Kaneki?” she called with a bit of confusion, checking for herself to see if the carriage or any sign of the investigator still being there.

There wasn’t.

“Pinkie, Kaneki!” Rarity called from within the inn. “Our host wants your signatures.”

“Coming!” Pinkie called back. She turned her attention back to the boy who still hadn’t seemed to notice his attention was required elsewhere.

Sneaking up silently on Kaneki the mare prepared to surprise him in the most inconceivable manner possible.

Popping up just behind him, Pinkie dug a hand into her mane, tongue sticking out as she fished around for something. When finding it she slowly began to pull out a blow horn, and then moved to place it right behind Kaneki’s head, holding herself back as she thought how funny his reaction would be. Especially since it was so rare to even get one from him.

But when the mare pushed the button no sound came out, but a very muffled wailing noise. She opened both her eyes in surprise, when she felt a hand grasp the horn and looked up to see Kaneki staring at her.

Pinkie smiled sheepishly. “Hehe, Rarity needs us.” she said after seeing his deadpanned expression, one that reminded her very much of a displeased Maud.

Kaneki nodded, then used his other hand to point towards the horn he was still muffling with the other hand. “You’re still pressing it.”

She stopped almost instantly, a slight blush hitting her cheeks as she gestured for him to lead the way.

Once everything was set and their places in the inn settled, the group of three decided to follow Kill Shot’s example and take some time to explore this town. It was mainly Pinkie who had voted for exploring, after she’d put it in such a convincing manner by stating, “We can’t help someone if we don’t even know where they are.”

And so a trip of exploration began, after they’d gotten a bite to eat.

The streets of Trancelvania were far more spacious than Manehattan’s, less crowded, less about the hustle and bustle of getting somewhere on time, and more about an easy and steady pace.

Overall Trancelvania seemed like a calm place, despite the recent events of the sudden appearances.

Yet despite the calm nature and easy going vibe that one could get as they walked on the cobblestoned sidewalks and past the few lakes that surrounded the cities countryside and farms, if one were to pay attention close enough, they’d be able to sense that something, though minor, was slightly off about the surrounding residents.

Kaneki noted this instantly.

It was the way they were being looked at. Earlier he had cast it aside as simple paranoia on their part on never seeing any creatures like this before, but the more the three walked and the more ponies they met, the more they seemed to notice this vibe in the air was anything but normal let alone friendly.

“Perhaps going out for a walk wasn’t such a welcoming thought as I imagined” Rarity muttered to the other two as they crossed the street.

“Yeah, I mean you’d think ponies wouldn’t be as surprised to see a human considering the other things Equestria has faced.” Pinkie said, casting a frown at a small group of fillies and colts that shied away as they approached.

Needless to say, much of the walk for the rest of the afternoon did not go as decently as Pinkie had hoped, or Rarity had expected. Aside from receiving a few looks here and there, things went mildly smoothly, that is till Pinkie ended up catching a particular farm off in the distance being surrounded by Royal Guard members and a few officers belonging to the city.

When Pinkie had inquired somepony nearby what had happened, the group were briefly told somepony died in that farmhouse, one that used to belong to an old farmer that had helped Trancelvania’s establishment back in the day. Though from the tone of the older stallion that informed the group, it was quite obvious he was implying murder had occurred.

It put a sour mood on the entire walk entirely making Rarity wish to return to the inn immediately. It was bad enough they hadn’t found the pony they were supposed to help, hearing about murder happening somewhere in the city just ruined the day entirely, and frankly Kaneki agreed.

Upon arriving at this town the vibe had been friendly, yet somewhat bizarre, but the further they went the less friendly things seemed and the more paranoia or anxiety presented itself everywhere they looked.

It was a relief to be back at Trot and Stay just as the sun set over the horizon and began to slowly disappear over distant hills.

Opening the door to their three split rooms the group walked into the hall, only to find Kill Shot sitting at the front entrance with a leg crossed as he watched the city from their balcony.

“Kill Shot?” Rarity asked somewhat surprised. “You’re already back? The innkeeper didn’t mention-”

“I told her to keep it a bit of a secret in case you and Pinkie Pie were tired” the senior investigator said gently. “I just came by to talk to Kaneki, if you two wouldn’t mind. I’m sure you’re both tired after exploring the city, right?”

Pinkie and Rarity looked at each other and nodded. “I suppose we’ll go to the spa below, care to come Pinkie.”

Hesitant, though yearning, Pinkie glanced over at her other two friends. Kaneki nodded, the investigator offered a smile of assurance. “We’ll be here for a bit don’t worry.”

Pinkie nodded and smiled before giving Kaneki a quick squeeze then suddenly popping up behind Kill Shot and doing the same. The mare popped into her room, grabbed a towel and followed a waiting Rarity out. “Be back in a few” she sung before the sound of the door closing behind them left the two in silence.

Once they were alone, Kill Shot turned his attention away from the door and looked Kaneki in the eye.

“Have you noticed?” he asked, his voice all manner of business.

Kaneki nodded.

“Then you know as well as I that there are ghouls here also. But there’s been no news from this town. Any theories on why.”

“It’s possible the media is hiding it.” Kaneki simply stated as he pulled up a seat.

“Possible, yes. I don’t think the princesses would want every single city or country all over this world to be stating the sudden appearance of these creatures since they don’t want to cause a frenzy let alone a nationwide panic. But I don’t believe they're the ones behind this.”

“Then you’re suggesting otherwise?” Kaneki asked with a raised brow.

“Of course. You noticed it when I arrived. We all did. That friendly atmosphere faded the deeper and deeper we got into this town. This town hasn’t seen as much danger as Ponyville has but that doesn't mean they’re not wary of it. If the recent reports are anything to go off and the recent attack that happened far off in that distant farm are anything to go from then it’s obvious we’re here for one reason.” Kill Shot explained.

Kaneki said nothing.

“You won’t protest?” the investigator asked.

Kaneki shook his head. “I have no reason to. If it means any harm will come to my friends, it doesn’t matter what their reason was.”

“Then it’s agreed” Kill Shot stated, slowly rising from his seat. “I’ll go ahead and do some further investigating. If anything happens I’ll let you know. For now keep an eye on Pinkie and Rarity and let’s try to make sure nothing happens to them. Whatever reason they’re here obviously isn’t a good thing, we just need to keep them out of the way of any of the ghouls as best we can and solve this ourselves.”

Kaneki nodded, as Kill Shot moved towards the door and picked up his briefcase. “Oh and Kaneki” Kill Shot said stopping at the door.

Kaneki glanced over his shoulder.

“Be careful with Pinkie Pie. I’m sure you’ve already noticed but if you’re not careful, she’ll find out soon enough. She may not look it, but she’s perceptive. Far more than she lets on. Don’t do anything to let her know what we’re up to. Understood?”

The boy said nothing, and did nothing in response.

Kill Shot waited a second or two before he let out a small chuckle. “Good. See you later, if the girls ask. Tell them I went out for a walk.”

Click

The door closed and Kaneki was left alone in the room with silence as his only company.

A second later, his stomach grumbled. He needed to eat.

Perhaps it was best he wait later on in the night before going to get a bite.

It was late now. Rarity was in her room and so was Pinkie. Kaneki had his own separate room as well.

A low yet ravenous, growl came out from Kaneki’s room and it was quite clear almost instantly that he’d procrastinated his meal long enough.

Getting up and sneaking out of his room was easy. Putting on his shoes and taking up the sweater wasn’t difficult either as he made his way towards their inn door.

What was difficult was him suddenly hearing something behind him.

Spinning out of instinct, Kaneki stopped his movement when he saw Pinkie Pie staring at him with her hands behind her back, her head slightly tilted at his sudden reaction.

“Going out to eat again?” she asked, her tone low, curious. Almost questioning.

Kaneki hesitated, but nodded his head regardless.

Pinkie opened her mouth to say something but closed it after a few seconds, thinking better on it afterwards. “Alright. Well, don’t be out too late alright? We still need to find what it is we came here to do so we can head back home. And if you see Ren, make sure you tell him to come back here before midnight understand?” she said as she began walking back to her room.

Being caught off guard by the last statement was beyond what Kaneki had felt. The girls had never asked where Kill Shot went after they got back, but upon their return he’d informed them anyway since Rarity had glanced over his shoulder when they entered. Telling them the investigator had went to his room.

It was a lie, yes but how did she-

"She may not look it but she’s perceptive. Far more than she lets on."

Kaneki watched Pinkie Pie go into her room, and begin closing her door. Before it was fully closed he caught her smile and wave goodbye at him as he turned to go.

A cold bead of sweat fell from Kaneki’s neck down the rest of his body as he left the inn and made his way down the now street lit lights of Trancelvania.

I need to stop underestimating her.

Chapter 20

Chapter 20: The Situations We Find Ourselves

“Look what we’ve gotten into”

Night now reigned as ruler. Luna’s moon cast its shadow high in the skies, a full moon showing despite the distant cumulus clouds that gently flowed by in the breeze.

Workers from all over Manehattan began making their way back home, their jobs done. Eager to meet their families awaiting their arrival.

Meanwhile back at the police force base of operations, MDA, Streamlight contemplated his recent meeting.

Streamlight sat alone in his office. He did not say a word nor did he move much as he heard his comrades and colleagues in the department of MDA close up and leave their offices and positions for the night.

The unicorn’s thoughts were a jumble. Much needed to be done, much needed to be changed. His talk with Applejack and Rainbow Dash had proved that.

The very fact that they didn’t know much about the difference types of ghouls despite living in the same environment as the very ones who had been trained to capture and fight them, showed just how little trust or even workmanship the investigators had with the ponies.

Sting had argued of course that it wasn’t the ponies that needed to deal with them, but the investigators that needed to deal with them.

That had been a mistake. The younger investigator hadn’t chosen his words wisely enough and nearly made Streamlight go into a fit of rage. Just thank the stars that he had better control of his emotions or else things would have ended ugly for both him and that CCG investigator.

Knock Knock Knock

Streamlight blinked, his hands still neatly folded on his desk, his coat hung over his chair and his gun in its lock behind him.

The knocks on his door had disrupted his thoughts. It was for the best anyway, he needed to take a break.

“Come in.” He said after a few minutes of silence.

Sergeant Golden Reign, opened the door and walked in. He had an MDA badge on his dark blue shirt, gleaming lightly underneath his jacket. The sahara yellow earth pony came right up to Streamlight’s desk and stood there staring at him.

The two said nothing to each other. One merely stared at his colleague, the other stared right back with a raised brow in response.

Slamming both hands on his desk rather suddenly Golden grinned at his friend and said. “Come on ya lazy arse. I’m taking ya out for a drink, and ya can’t say no.”

“No” Streamlight promptly stated turning himself around in his revolving arm chair.

The strong hands that only a strong earth pony could have, gripped the back of Streamlight’s cushions and with a strong yank, pulled the seat back so it was on two of its wheeled legs.

Streamlight had to grab both armrests on either side of his seat to keep balance or prevent himself from falling over. He grimaced.

“The hell do you think you’re doing you nosy walking tank of pain in my ass?!” though the rest sounded more like “msaking phmnk mf main mn mm massmsdasdwefsad” due to the hand that covered unicorn’s muzzle.

“Shhhhh” Golden said with a smile. “Just let this happen.”

Streamlight’s eyes widened before smacking his allies hand away, yielding an audible ow as the detective jumped out of his seat and moved towards a corner of the room. “Dude” he said hesitantly. “We’re cool and all but, I’m not into stallions.”

Golden reign rubbed his hand rolling his eyes at Streamlight’s comment. “I didn’t mean that, besides I told you I don’t think you’re cute when you get all grumpy like this. And you’re also not my type. I mean-”

“Alright I get it, jeez. “ Streamlight stated with a bit of a frown. “Didn’t need to be so blunt. Still got feelings you know” he stated as he fixed his chair back into correct place.

Golden Reign stopped rubbing his hand and stared at his friend. “Do ya now? Over the last couple of days it’s been hard to tell with all that happened.”

The junior detective didn’t reply to that comment. He didn’t need to. Streamlight knew where Golden Reign was going with this.

Moving over to his closet the stallion’s horn glowed a sepia brown that surrounded the case holding his gun and punching in the code quickly. Golden Reign moved over to his desk and sat on the edge as he watched his friend silently.

“Ya’ve been real distant lately bud. Ye had a lot of us 'ere worried. Even Chief Scrimmage was worried about yer ass.”

Still Streamlight did not reply as he took his mag V out and checked the clip. 6 kagu bullets were within it. He shoved the clip back into the gun. And took another mag out of the draws with his magic. Taking one of the bits of ukaku casing, then taking a regular bullet, Streamlight focused.

His horn glowed brighter a few sparks flying out here in there as he concentrated on the material that made up the koukaku. From concentration alone, Streamlight sensed cells. Thousands and thousands of cells that moved gently as his magic touched them.

Turning his sights onto a single bullet he had taken out of the mag. He then focused the structure of these cells and their hardened form on the bullets casing and its own structure, the casing, the cordrite and the entire bullet as a whole. Golden Reign watched silently as his friend worked, binding the cartridge to the cells that formed the very item that had marked his first attack that fateful night.

A small bead of sweat began to form around Streamlight’s forehead as he worked. He wanted to have this extra magazine in case he needed it when he went on his rounds later tonight, so he focused and poured a bit more magic into it.

A sizzling sound came out of his horn, and the nerves within expanded and released more magical energy, which in turn released more magic working to bind the copied structure and bullets within the mag together. Finally after a few seconds, the detective felt something connect within his mind and opened his eyes to see his work.

The bullet he’d been holding in his magic now had the same shell as the kagu bullets in his gun. “Phew” he sighed, looking at the rest of the mag to make sure everything had worked.

Once done Streamlight slipped the magazine he’d been holding with his magic into his pocket. Before closing everything up and placing the kagune shard back in its case. His usual friend that made him these materials had left town after Sweet Treat’s death.

Streamlight hadn’t heard from him since. The pony had been a close friend to both families and the blow had hit him just as hard as anypony else.

He’d be on his own in making these from now on. Luckily Craft had been able to give him the basics to figure out how to combine these two before he left.

Luckily.

“So is this what ye been doin’ nowadays?” Golden asked staring at Streamlight as he closed the closet and grabbed his coat. “Making these, bullets for a threat that rarely appears, and when it does is smart enough to get out of the way before even our best teleporters can track it down?”

Streamlight sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead, ignoring the small pain in his horn. He’d overworked himself a bit too much then.

“Streamlight you got to take it easy.” Golden said gently as he followed Streamlight out of the detective’s office and watched him lock up. “I mean, ya can’t keep doing this. Ye don’t eat much nowadays, ya seem almost obsessed with finding ghouls. Ya sleep on the afternoons, I mean come on Stream. This isn’t you.” he said morosely.

Again Streamlight sighed. “What do you want me to do then? The only reason I sleep in on the afternoons is-- yes I know I never did that before,” he stated upon seeing Golden’s quizzical gaze. “but things have changed.” He told the earth pony.

“There are still ghoul attacks going on and we’ve got no way to counteract them.” The unicorn pulled out the silver clip holding the newly enhanced bullets. “This here, is what can stop them. But because the freaking Board, won’t listen to what I have to say, we’re still facing casualties.” He stated with a snort, his left ear twitching just a bit.

Golden sighed, pulling his jacket a bit over his chest to avoid the slightly chilly breeze. “I get what yer saying Stream, but are you sure that this isn’t about-”

“No” Streamlight roughly interrupted, his tone harsh.

Golden Reign held his tongue. The matter involving Sweet Treat was still a delicate topic. It was best he didn’t tread on that already thin line.

Both stallions walked down the night road in silence for quite sometime.

Streamlight cleared his throat a second later and spoke in a almost low, less hostile and more welcoming voice. “I’ll go down to Rowdy Roads with you, I don’t drink but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk.”

Srgt . Golden Reign smiled at his former partner, before wrapping a strong arm around Streamlight’s neck and pulling him in with a wicked grin on his face. “That’s my stallion.” he teased.

“I told you I’m not into-”

“I know.” Golden Reign said with a grin, still keeping his friend locked as they walked. “And you’re still not my type.”

Kaneki moved silently through the empty streets of Trancelvania. Not a soul could be seen at this point even though the moon had been out only for at least three hours now.

But it was better this way. No prying eyes would be watching him as he moved around the city searching for a means of sustenance, and no guards would be active at this time of day if his hunch was right.

Luckily it was.

Luckily.

Hearing a twig snap in the distance broke that luck, and made Kaneki stop moving almost instantly. The boy turned his head in the direction of the sound, down the road where he’d been just a few seconds ago and saw nothing. No one and nothing but the lit lights of a sidewalk and a nearby dark house that had a sign placed in its front yard saying “For Sale.”

Eventually Kaneki turned his head away from the street and looked forward, waiting one second to see if something would happen. When nothing did he continued on his way towards the inn, though in reality he was heading towards a different route.

Whatever was following him, clearly wasn’t normal.

Pinkie leaned slightly over the edge of her hiding place and watched Kaneki’s figure continue moving down a different road away from the inn. Her eyes narrowed.

“Pinkie, why exactly are we following Kaneki outside at this time?” Rarity asked in a hushed voice, though the annoyance in it was clear.

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s been hiding something for a long time now. And my Pinkie senses haven’t stopped acting up since. It’s time I figure out just what he’s hiding. OH! He’s moving, come on Rarity!” she whisper shouted as she gave chase.

Rarity stood up from her hiding spot and frowned following after Pinkie once she managed the wrinkles out of her gown. She hated walking out in this attire, but Pinkie had woken her out of bed so quickly that she hadn’t had time to pick the right clothes for this little incognito investigation.

A loud sigh escaped Rarity as she followed after Pinkie, but soon enough she too stopped as her ears perked up and caught the sound of something nearby.

Rarity turned to look behind her, but just like Kaneki had, she saw nothing but a moderately lit street and buildings as far as the eye could see.

“Rarity!” Pinkie whispered right in front of her, making the unicorn mare jump in fright, her horn releasing a few sparks followed by a slight squeak escaping her.

Pinkie quickly shushed her friend “Quiet! We don’t want Kaneki to....to.....” she trailed off over something behind them.

Rarity having enough, moved Pinkie’s hand away from her muzzle and huffed loudly. “Look Pinkie, I understand you’re worried about Kaneki but it's late. I’m not wearing the right clothes for this outing, and these colors simply don’t match my-”

Pinkie’s squeak interrupted Rarity’s babble.

“Oh what is it now?”

The only thing Pinkie did was point weakly in front of them. Rarity turned her already vexed expression towards the source of Pinkie’s unimaginable force for silence.

What she saw made her turn a paler shade of white as her ears lay flat on her head, and her jaw dropped with widening eyes.

“Oh my...”

Kaneki ran. He ran and he ran as fast as he possibly could, jumping from roof to roof. Hopping from place to place, and launching himself forward as fast as he could following the sounds of screaming, hoping he wasn’t too late.

Eventually the screams stopped.

And when they did to so did Kaneki.

Frantically he began searching the streets from his rooftop. Frantically he tried locating the correct location that would take him to them. That would take him to those two, before it was too late.

Emotions that he had long since abandoned in his process to protect all and those he cared for began to slowly resurface.

Anger was the first. Why had they risked it. Why had the bothered to follow him to such lengths in spite of the danger they may face. Was it just some stupid spur of the moment that led them on to follow him like this so late into the night? Or was it Pinkie’s curiosity in where he went that had finally pushed her over the edge to do such an investigation.

If there was a god out there Kaneki thanked him now. If it hadn’t been for Kill Shot he would’ve never been so familiar with this area enough to maneuver properly.

Then suddenly, Kaneki halted his breathing.

Something sounded off in the distance. It was like a cling, a loud crash between two objects, it was- a fight.

Launching himself over to a rooftop diagonal to his right. Landing on the rooftop shingles hard, several slid off as the boy, quickly rolled, picked himself up and took off at an incredible pace jumping onto another rooftop whenever he ran out of ground. Finally Kaneki stopped at the finally building and saw it.

The thing he feared would happen the most.

His friends in danger.

Kill Shot now clashed weapons against the wings of a ukaku user, his quinque like blades making contact with the hardened claws of the ukaku wielder. Around that ukaku wielder. Several other ghouls that now surrounded the fighting investigator, and the girls cowering in the corner too overcome with fear to move.

Then something happened. Something horrible.

One ghoul got desperate, and launched itself right at the frightened Pinkie and Rarity. And if it weren’t for Rarity pushing Pinkie out of the way, and ducking herself the ghoul would have left a detrimental mark right then and there.

But he did leave a mark. He cut Rarity’s cheek.

And Rarity’s surprised cry, made something fester within Kaneki. Something, inhumane and primal. Something animalistic.

And before the half ghoul knew what he was doing, he’d launched himself right into the fray, completely ditching his mask as he landed.

Kill Shot slammed one blade into the masked ukaku wielders wing and felt a restraint as the shards stopped his weapon cold. But with a grunt and angered shout he thrusted the ghoul back and managed a slash that went unseen in the masked ghoul’s direction, before turning to the sound directly behind him and pointing an extended ukaku blade right at Kaneki.

No one moved when that happened.

Pinkie Pie rushed over to Rarity, held her tightly and moved further away from the ghouls and in a direction more in favor of the senior investigator and the stranger before them.

But when the smoke cleared after this strangers descent all Pinkie needed was a single glimpse, and she knew right then and there who’d came to her aid.

“Ka...neki...?” she said in a breaking voice full of emotion, as she held the frightened Rarity tightly.

Four ginkaku tentacles extended from the boy’s back. Four tentacles that loomed over the boy like shadows loomed over a mass. The boy turned only the side of his face that revealed his normal eye, and looked at the girls.

They were terrified, confused, yet he saw a slight sense of relief from them upon the two seeming him and Ren standing together.

That feeling was quickly sunk when Kill Shot pointed his weapon at Kaneki, making Pinkie’s expression shift from fear, and slight relief, to utter horror and bewilderment.

Kaneki turned his attention to the investigator and saw the wild look in his eyes.

Associate Senior Investigator, Ren Tokoshima, was a kind man when Kaneki first met him. But back then, when he’d been fighting to protect Rainbow Dash, Kaneki had seen a different side to that gentle side and observant nature.

The look in Tokoshima’s eyes spelt death. But upon realizing it was Kaneki after a few seconds and no movement had came from either side, the investigator dropped his weapon and pointed it back at the other ghouls hungrily eyeing them and the girls.

“I made a mistake. I let these ones get away when I was doing some patrolling earlier. I apologize to you two” Kill Shot said to the two mares as he faced the other ghouls.

Kaneki glanced back at them, they merely shook their heads and Rarity offered a choked up whimper before completely breaking down. The half ghoul turned his attention to his...own, and referred his response to the investigator.

“They understand” he said silently over Rarity’s crying and Pinkie’s gentle shushs.

Kill Shot only nodded in response.

“Kaneki?” a familiar voice said, making Kaneki look forward to another masked ukaku wielder that now parted the group of ghouls before them.

“Kaneki Ken?” the voice said in shock. Kaneki raised a brow in response as his kagune loomed over his head in attention to the voice.

The masked ghoul took of his mask and smiled grimly. “It’s me. It’s Ayato.”

Kaneki didn’t say a word. His hands clenched tightly, but he didn’t speak. Then in an instant he had launched himself forward.

Ayato dodged and a fatal strike and increased the distance between him and Kaneki, allowing the other ghouls to surround him.

A single order commanded the group to attack as Kill Shot prepared for battle.

“Eat to your hearts content.”

Savage roars filled the air as the ghouls launched themselves at the investigator and half-ghoul, some attempting to jump over and reach the two mares.

The situation had grown grim, but try as they might, not a single ghoul made it over Kaneki or Kill Shot.

Blood flew, the air grew sick with a putrid and disgusting scent as the fight raged on and Rarity was forced to cover her eyes while Pinkie watched only glimpses.

It was a horrid battle indeed.

The last thing Pinkie Pie and Rarity remember, was the smell of blood. The shouts, the shrieks, the screams of monsters. And Kaneki and Kill Shot’s efforts in the fight.

That night, blood painted more than one block.

Two stallions exited a pub shop, with one supporting the other. Streamlight held his friend with his arm thrown around him. All while leading Golden Reign down the road. His ally had drank a little too much and was currently tipsy.

Not tipsy enough to not have his senses, but tipsy enough to do something stupid if he didn’t have support.

“Damn it.” Streamlight cursed as he supported his friend down the road. “Why are you so fucking heavy?”

“Shhhh, bud. Bud, ya’ve got to let loose!” Golden stated with a flail of his arm.

Streamlight rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Look let’s just get you home alright?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure let’s just get me home” Golden echoed.

Streamlight shook his head and shifted his weight. “Come on you moron.”

Thus the junior detective helped the sergeant towards his home in Sessile Oaks. The trip to the drunken stallion’s home had been anything but pleasant. Golden Reign wouldn’t stop mumbling things that mattered very little to Streamlight.

Mostly involving the stallion’s current single status and how he should loosen up and get a good mare already.

All of which Streamlight frankly ignored as he dragged the idiot with him closer towards his street.

“We’re almost there Gold, just try to relax” Streamlight coached as he watched his friend push himself away from the detective to vomit. The detective just shook his head as his friend yaked up everything he’d drunk tonight.

When Golden Reign was done, the earth pony spat, then shuffled a good foot away before sitting up and staring at the sky.

“Better” Streamlight asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Ugh” Golden groaned in response, rubbing his face with both hands. Streamlight smiled lightly. The earth pony had tried quite a bit to get him to loosen up a bit back at the bar, half way along the line though is when the all those six mugs of cider started to kick in and make Gold act more like a his guardian datemaker instead of just a friend.

“Hey Stream” Gold croaked from behind his hands, his voice a bit lower than it had been a few minutes ago.

“Hm?”

“Try to take it easy every now and then would ya? I know ya miss her and all, we all do, but what’s ‘appened, ‘append. So, just do me a favor would ya? Try to take it easy a bit more and loosen up.”

Golden waited for a reply a few seconds. When he didn’t get one, he looked through a crack between his fingers and saw his friend smiling at him.

“Yeah” the detective said with a smile. “I will, thanks.”

“No problem.”

Moving to help his friend up Streamlight offered his hand to the stallion. A second later he smacked it away as something shot out at them.

A loud thunk slammed into a light pole just beside the two law enforcers, slightly bending it. Golden Reign, stared at what had hit the pole. Streamlight directed his attention to what was just ahead.

At that moment a wave of shock and terror filled Streamlight’s being. In an instant Golden felt an invisible force grabbing him by the jacket, dragging him up to his feet. Still too surprised and confused to realize what it was that had hit the pole, but Streamlight knew. He already knew what was coming without even needing to clearly see it.

He knew it because he’d faced it not once but twice, this now making it a third time.

“Get up” Streamlight urged. “Up I said! C’MON GET UP!” He shouted at Golden Reign still looking off in the distance as something, something came closer.

Golden fumbled to his feet and found balance at the last second as Streamlight took off down the street of Sessile Oaks. Before Golden could even ask he turned his head and looked in the direction Streamlight had been staring at and saw it.

A ghoul, one with two tails. Two large tails that almost looked like a kitten's but with claws. The girl came charging at full speed rushing towards the spot where Golden now stood.

Golden Reign stood frozen. He couldn’t find the will to move. His legs just twitched in response as he stared at this little girl coming at him with such a calm look on her face.

It sent a shiver up his spine.

Just when he thought it was over and the girl jumped above to deliver a deathly blow, everything went white. And then all of a sudden Gold was standing, or rather being dragged along by Streamlight’s magic.

The unicorn had teleported his friend to his side and was now ringing him along.

Gold looked at Streamlight and saw the look of urgency written all over the younger detective’s face. Streamlight had his weapon drawn, and was holding the other magazine that held 6 other ghoul-repellant bullets in them. Without even thinking about it, the detective tossed the serg his clip.

“Take your regular bullets out and use those!” Streamlight commanded, the sound of the ghoul completely slicing the light pole in half as it now crashed to the ground reached their ears, just as Gold himself now began to quickly change clips.

“Y-You’ve dealt with this other than that one time?” Gold asked as he shoved his regular clip into his pocket and replaced his gun with the modified one.

“Shut up and shoot!” Streamlight commanded.

Skidding to a stop as wasn’t easy as Gold watched this little girl fly right in front of his former partner, with both her tail like claws drawn. One made aim for Streamlight’s throat, the other attempted to stop the arm moving to his gun.

Turning on a dime despite being magically held, Gold fired a direct shot into the girl’s leg and watched as her kagune recoiled when the koukau bullet met skin.

Both detective and ghoul skid to a stop. The girl held her bleeding leg. Streamlight slowly moved his hand towards his gun. Gold was slowly set back on the ground. Trying to levitate his friend while focusing on this fight would be difficult.

Gold cocked his pistol, then waited.

It was a stand off. Two enforces, one ghoul.

“Do ya often get into situations like this when I’m not around?” Gold asked never removing his eyes on the enemy.

Streamlight snickered. “Except on Thursdays.”

“Good thing today’s Thursday huh?”

A reply was never made as the little girl launched herself like a bullet at Gold.

Being an earth pony means being quick, and one with the earth. Knowing your surroundings, being smart and knowing how to change your situation when life gives you something unexpected are all part of being an earth pony.

Golden Reign knew what just to do as the ghoul came at him. Swiftly moving forward and falling to his knees, Gold allowed the small ghoul to fly just above him, narrowly missing him by an inch if he hadn’t moved a step sooner.

While she flew by Gold shot three rounds into her side. The girl screeched in pain as she flew by the two and came to a sudden stop while she skid on the ground.

The girl didn’t move an inch after those hits were delivered.

His partner whistled. “Wow” Streamlight said in impressive tones. “You still got it.” he said with a chuckle.

Gold helped himself up and snickered in response as he approached. “Hell yeah I do.”

“So what do we do with her?” Streamlight asked.

Gold looked at the unmoving girl. “Question is, is it still alive?”

“It is alive. It’s a she.” Streamlight corrected.

Gold shrugged, “Not in my book.”

Streamlight sighed. “Right. Of course. Why don’t you call back up, I’ll be here and keep watch.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Gold stated, turning in the other direction. Streamlight watched his friend go a good distance before pulling out a communicator in his pocket. The sound of static waves and krrgh* came as the Srg communicated.

Then all of a sudden Streamlight felt a gust of wind rush by him as he watched the girl go right after Gold.

Everything happened so fast.

On instinct Streamlight pulled out his gun and fired every round he had in his mag right into the girl’s head just as she jumped on Gold and firmly bit down between his neck and shoulder. The numbing yell Gold led as he heard that horrible crunch sound from within him before pain spread was probably more worse than feeling the injury itself.

The next thing Streamlight realized was he was using Gold’s gun to fire one more bullet into the ghoul’s head before moving over and checking up on his injured friend.

The wound was deep. It kind of looked like the girl had bitten through the muscle. For a second a nauseating feeling traveled into Streamlight’s throat, and he thought for sure was going to hurl, but he ignored it. Took off his coat and draped it over his dazed friend now laying on the cold ground.

“Cmon Gold stay with me” Streamlight said with some emotion in his voice. Applying pressure to the wound with one hand Streamlight took hold of the communicator with his other hand.

Krrgh* the line was dead. C’mon Streamlight begged, keeping a firm hand on the bleeding wound as Gold groaned from the pain.

He tried the communicator again. Same result. “C’mon” Streamlight pleaded. "Work." His hand starting to feel damp from both the blood from Gold’s wound and his own nerves starting to kick in.

“C’mon!” Streamlight shouted. Krrgh*.... Still no reply. Damn it! He mentally shouted in frustration, throwing the communicator down the road.

Streamlight weakly looked down at his injured friend. Gold was wincing but still conscious. But this wound. If it continued he’d die from blood loss.

A knot formed in the detective’s gut. There was no way in Tartarus he would lose someone else.

Looking around for any buildings, anything that showed there was a place he could go to get some help the detective saw no such thing. All he saw was an ever stretching street and light poles lighting that street. Gold's home wasn't too far from here along with the rest of the residents, but that's not what this injured stallion needed right now. A desperate look began to form on his face as he lifted Gold to a sitting position.

If I’m right, there should be a hospital a mile or so back. If I can just get us over there. Streamlight reasoned, his horn beginning to glow. “Hey” he whispered into Gold’s ear. The stallion’s ear twitched as he weakly glanced over at the detective.

“Hey, c’mon stay with me” Streamlight spoke in a commanding yet gentle tone. “Look. I’m going to get you help, alright. Just hold on.”

Gold didn’t say much, he was breathing heavily. He winced when he tried moving, and speaking only seemed to make the wound hurt even more. “You're...still...not my type” the serg weakly managed.

Streamlight would have chuckled at this, but there was no time for that. A life was on the line here so he ignored the statement, and focused his concentration on that hospital he’d seen on their way back.

A slight twinge of pain crossed his face as his horn began shooting off sparks. It was still a bit warm from earlier, but he needed to do this.

C’mon just a bit more, Streamlight thought with desperation. His horn gained an overglow. It still wasn’t enough magic. He’d used up most of his energy making that clip they’d used in fighting this girl.

She wasn’t moving anymore.

This time the detective made sure of it.

Sweat began forming as the seconds ticked turning into minutes. Streamlight could still feel Gold’s blood soaking through his pelt, soaking through his cloths, and slightly oozing out of the jacket. Where his hand now was, he was sure of it. A bone had definitely been broken.

He didn’t know enough healing magic to fix injuries like this. Just enough to heal minor wounds. If he didn’t hurry he’d end up losing Gold when he could’ve done something. Losing Sweet Treat was hard enough. Partially losing Silver Star was just as bad, she hadn't visited him in awhile. Losing a friend he’d known for years on top of working with when joining the force...that would just be too cruel.

A part of Streamlight knew for a fact he wouldn’t forgive himself if he did nothing and waited for some form of ambulance to reach them. They didn’t get there quick enough the first time. They wouldn’t this time.

The more concentration Streamlight put, the more his head began to ache. His horn was growing warmer by the second, beads of sweat was now slowly dripping from his forehead, sliding down his face and his body was starting to grow warm from the exertion.

Just a little more he kept telling himself through the pain.

Just a bit longer.

It felt like minutes had passed hours almost but the unicorn knew it was all in his mind. Each second passing, the more blood seemed to soak into both their pelts and the more pain Golden Reign seemed to be in.

Pouring his will into the act, Streamlight’s horn lit brighter than a torch in the darkest cavern as a third casing of magic surrounded his horn and sparks shot out of it like an actively lit group of firecrackers.

Then in a large burst of light, they disappeared. The action caused something within Streamlight to break. It felt like a part of him, a bone possibly. It didn’t matter. When he opened his eyes they had appeared at Manehattan General Hospital.

A nurse just leaving her post for the night saw a weak Streamlight with a cracked horn moving towards the hospital with a injured pale yellow stallion moving towards them.

Streamlight never made it to the door, collapsing with Gold still firmly in his grasp.

A group of nurses were sent to retrieve the two in a rush along with one or two security guards.

Gold was admitted instantly to treatment.

Hours later a barely conscious Streamlight who had refused treatment in his daze despite the nurses urges, stumbled up to Doctor Care and asked him how Gold was doing.

The doctor assured the barely conscious unicorn that his friend was fine. And he’d done a good job applying pressure to the wound in time. All Gold needed now was rest.

Junior Detective Streamlight passed out, almost instantly once that assurance had been made with a weak smile on his face. It was only as he allowed his consciousness to slip did Streamlight realize, just how much in pain he was in.

The strain he'd put on his body in using more magic than it could handle would be costly. His cracked horn would especially prove troublesome

How much trouble this would bring him, was yet to be determined.

For now all he wanted to do was sleep. Sleep...and hope everything would be alright the next day.

Author's Note

Finally.

We've finally reached the end.

I know to some this probably doesn't seem like a fitting end for the story, but I spent the last two days while thinking of this where I wanted it to end. And ultimately I concluded that it was best I end it here before I bite off more than I can chew.

I do plan on making a continuation of this, but that's a long time away as I have other stories I want to work on and other things that need my attention. Regardless though any questions you have, I'll be willing to answer now that this story is over.

Thanks for sticking around so long and I hope to make more interesting stories that catch you're attention.

And as always, Enjoy.