Unraveled

Chapter 16: Always A Rose

The rose is a rose,
And was always a rose.
But the theory now goes
That the apple's a rose,
And the pear is, and so's
The plum, I suppose.
The dear only knows
What will next prove a rose.
You, of course, are a rose -
But were always a rose.

Tsukiyama's Building

"You learned from what happened last time. Don't act on your own accord", Ui turned to the lady. He is the acting commander for this mission. The investigators started raiding the mansions. "We'll be back, Kina-sama", Saiko gave her a hug and the lady returned it. "Of course. I will be waiting", she nodded. The task given to her is to seal the escape routes.

"You don't look so sad just like the last time. I love your aura now", Hairu commented. "Ihei-san,", Rikina was a little surprised to hear from her so she gave a salute. The pink-haired lady would just give a casual smile to her so having a conversation with her wasn't so usual. " Don't be too formal. Koori was just lecturing me about not being too overconfident. You see, I kind of feel bad that you're not joining us inside. But then, it's better to reserve the best fighter for the worst thing to come", the lady placed her arms around Rikina. She had to tip-toe since the lady was tall.

"Imai. I no longer fight as I usually do. Take care of Ui", she said before leaving. The pink haired jumped at the sight of Aogiri tree taking advantage of the situation. Rikina spread her quinquie and captured multiple ghouls allowing the other investigators to deal with them. A huge experimental ghoul dropped in front of them. It started swallowing investigators. "Bite-sized?", it tilted its head. The ghoul was over 7 feet tall and had a huge build. "Step aside!", Rikina commanded. She released her quinquie and it divided into two scythe attached to the chains. The lady threw her scythe and it was deflected. "How thick-skinned are you?", Rikina continued looking for a weak point.

"Allow us to assist", Kuramoto stood behind the special class. "Keep your senses sharp", the lady turned and saw the newly promoted investigators. The lady ran and jumped using her quinquie as a means to keep her on air. "Kuramoto-san, Takeomi-kun. The back of its knee. I'll get his neck. I'll be wrapping my chains on him and Itou's squad members are to pin it down", the lady instructed. They did as what was instructed.

The group was able to pin down the enormous beast. Rikina was about to behead it when she felt someone behind. It was the ghoul from before. She barehandely pulled the chains allowing the huge ghoul to be released. "Stop messing up with our plan", the ghoul with bandages gave a generous amount of space. "Get away from her!!!", she used her chains to push the investigators and to wrap them inside like a ball leaving her open. The huge ghoul punched her but she didn't budge.

The lady was keeping another quinquie inside her coat. It is a black sword with a stained bloody red gem. "So that's where you have kept his quinquie", Eto was referring to her father. Rikina swept the ghoul's feet and she slashed him from below reaching his head. The ghoul was sliced in half. Eto gave a short laugh and disappeared. Rikina released Itou's squad.

"You're drenched in blood", Kuramoto was startled at the sight of their superior. She removed her coat showing her in tank tops. "You were able to kill that humongous bastard", they heard a voice. Rikina felt a gust and saw Takizawa eating the ghoul. "Cannibalism", Takeomi furrowed his brow. "Takizawa-san. Do you know where Amon is right now?", Rikina had the chains lying on her shoulders. "Huh?! Who is that?", the former investigator slapped his ears as if he's trying to get something out.

Rikina had been catching up with Takizawa upon asking permission from Ui. Inside the toilet, she saw traces of blood. She looked away as soon as she saw two younger investigators lying on the floor with their face eaten. The male investigator is still breathing. "Ishikawa, this is me, Imai Rikina", she reached out at the investigator's shoulder. "It's painful, Imai-san. I want... to die", the man was trying to look for her partner. Rikina saw a couple of necklaces hanging around the two of them. Looking at the wound, the white head can no longer see how he could be stitched back. "Give the man so mercy", Rikina heard from behind. She gulped and held on to her sword.

"Ishikawa-kun. Fuyumi is just beside you and she will always be", the lady pointed the sword at the investigator's heart. "I will be accountable for letting you stay with her. Forgive me, Ishikawa for not giving a better option", Rikina furrowed her brow. "Uhmm. Thank you, Imai-san", he smiled knowing that he was to receive salvation. Blood spurted on the lady's face. She stood and went outside. Ui used his handkerchief to wipe the blood from the lady's face. "Haise's on the rooftop. He's having an encounter with the Owl. We have our hands full here. You can trust Itou's squad for the sealing operation. We can't let Takizawa run around the place just trampling on the investigators", Ui ordered the lady to locate Takizawa and capture him.

Library

"It's ironic to find you here, Takizawa-san. You had always been reading just to beat Akira-san", Rikina walked around the table where a comrade was being eaten. She saw that he was already dead. The lady wrapped the investigator's body with her chains and dropped him gently near the door. "Why do you keep interrupting my meal?!", Takizawa shouted. "You also did. Back in the academy, you would scold us for not eating fast and for having chit-chats with our co-trainees", Rikina recalled him having a strict yet caring aura. He is very generous in answering their questions about being an investigator. The white head lady asked permission to see what Takizawa wrote in his will and saw huge writings.

I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!

"Sorry, Takizawa-san. I know it's not my fault nor yours that we have to be born in such an era where we have to be in this constant turmoil of fighting so we would not be the next meal for the ghouls", Rikina stepped forward and made the man look in her eyes. "I too, didn't want to die or even get injured in any of the battle. Death, if feared too much, will eat us up while we are alive", the investigator raised her sword. "I do understand you that's why I don't want you to keep going stray. Former investigator, Takizawa-san", she thrusted her sword and the ghoul caught it barehanded. The sword slashed through her hand but was able to regrow it. "I just remembered a poem we learned in school. Back then, I thought it was stupid", Rikina used her chains to lock Takizawa close to her. "The rose is a rose and will always be a rose", she looked straight into the former investigator's eyes. 

"Takizawa-san. If you want to come back-", Rikina stopped when the glasses broke having Rose' ghouls swarming on the building. Rikina lost sight of Takizawa again and started engaging with the ghouls.

Corridor

Rikina walked on the corridor wiping the blood from her face. As usual, it wasn't hers but that of the enemy. The lady looked around and saw her comrades on the ground with Urie holding Shirazu in his arms. Rikina knelt down and saw that Shirazu was already unresponsive. Saiko is crying her heart out and Urie is trying to keep him awake. Rose's ghouls are still around. The lady's chains captured them and were thrown out of the window.

She looked around and saw how many losses they had just with one mission. After some time, Haise walked towards them. "Where have you been?! He wanted to see you", Urie had been saying things to Haise like blaming him. "It's not me who was here", Haise replied with a hard pill to swallow. Rikina observed how his hair turned more darker than before. It's not usual for people to grow their roots in such a short period of time. 

"Commander Ui and the rest are capturing the Owl. I took off its limbs multiple times", Haise said with a cold tone. Rikina understood it and started running towards the rooftop. 

Chapter end.