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

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