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

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