Unraveled

Chapter 18: Too Young and Too Old

23rd Ward COCHLEA

Underground Entrance

"It's been three days since the CCG investigators raided the Island where Kanou is", Rikina informed as she led three ghouls in the secret passage. She's wearing a fox mask. "There's a high security here but it would cause smaller scale fight. Once I come across the gatekeeper, you have to dash in very fast", Rikina instructed. "There's no way I am leaving-", Touka was about to say something when the white head turned to her. "Don't worry Touka, I am strong", she assured. It didn't sound condescending or as if she was boasting about it. Rikina just knows her capabilities. 

Gate

The group saw a huge man standing at the gate. His body is all ragged and there was a foul smell on him. "They're using a ghoul to be a gatekeeper?", Nishiki clicked his tongue. "As long as he gets fed", Rikina cracked her neck. She used her scythe attached to chains to break the gate. "Who disturbs my sleep?!!!", the ghoul woke up and activated his kagune that looked like tentacles. "Are you an octopus? Why do you have so many?", Rikina tilted her head. "It's not time to joke around. We'll just help and we'll go toge-", Touka wasn't able to finish when Rikina used her quinque to throw them all inside. 

Touka held on to her father's kagune and smiled. "I'm happy he ended up being used by you, Rikina", Touka closed her eyes. 

Inside the Cochlea

Aogiri tree also infiltrated to save Hinami. The battle between the remaining investigators stationed in the facility began. "Can we really trust her on that?", Nishiki was sure that the ghoul had many kagune because of the amount of people it ate. Judging from the skulls he saw, the ghoul is well-fed. "It's not about trusting that airhead. She said she'll come after us so it's up to her to be accountable for her words", Touka had a confident smile. 

"I'm glad you found yourself a friend", Yomo commented. Touka flushed and tried to enumerate how it was not her decision but felt pity because Rikina kept bothering her. They came across the most formidable opponent. 

"Arima", Yomo called out his name. 

Underground Gate

Rikina covered her left eye because it was bleeding once more. She kicked the ghoul's head which came rolling on the floor. "You're strong, young girl. Would you like to join us?", Donato suddenly appeared. Due to the chaos happening in the cochlea, the ghouls who are placed in highly concentrated RC inhibitors were able to escape. "Why would I join you?", she chuckled and prepared her weapon. "You don't have to deny it. You're one of us", Donato gave an eerie smile. 

The investigator saw ghouls escaping and she used her chains to restrict them having their heads decapitated. "You're here because you want to save that girl. She's a ghoul, not different from me nor these headless corpses", Donato looked around and saw a pool of blood around them. "Hinami is a ghoul. That's a fact. But she's not like you, Donato. She's not like these ghouls who kill humans for fun", Rikina studied their faces and read their crimes written in the logbook. 

There was an earthquake. "I will run after you but there are things I will prioritize", Rikina turned and started running away. 

SS Rate Cell

Rikina heard something and entered. Her eyes widened to see Eto almost on the brink of death. "Owl", she rushed to her side. "Eto, that's my name", she introduced herself. "Who did this to you?", she looked around and could not see any sign of an investigator or even a ghoul who would like to do cannibalism. "You will soon get to know", the green-haired lady coughed blood. Rikina gulped and reached for her hand. "You just need a little nib to recover just a limb, right?", she was offering herself. 

"Idiot. How fearless could you be? I could gobble on your whole arm", the ghoul laughed. "Do if you must. There's something I have to ask you", Rikina said with a serious voice. "It's about Arima", Eto guessed right. "He is the One-Eyed King. The strongest", Rikina read the lady's book. "I won't be lasting long. I'd tell you a stupid story. Just bear with it for a while", the greenhead closed her eyes and started narrating how she met Arima and the dealings they made together. 

Flower of Lillies (Underground)

Rikina ran as fast as she could and reached the bed of lilies. The lady sustained multiple wounds from fighting Aogiri tree ghouls along the way. She saw two figures on the ground having a conversation. She walked closer to hear their conversation. "The One-Eyed King is a figure Eto and I created. You must have noticed. Once the One-Eye King is dead, there will be hope for the ghouls. I just grew tired of taking something from someone else. At least now, I am able to leave something. ", Arima cupped Kaneki's face and smiled with tears falling from his eyes.

Rikina covered her face and pressed her lips together. She knelt on the ground and pounded her head. Aogiri tree is attacking them and Arima, the strongest investigator is now dead. Haise, now Kaneki cried his heart as well. He lost his father again. Hirako and the rest of the investigators arrived. Rikina panicked as she knew that the team would try to kill Kaneki because he had taken their leader's life. "We are resigning from CCG", Hirako informed and walked past Rikina. "The investigators from the island already come back. We have to leave now", Hirako told Kaneki upon seeing the cut on Arima's neck. He knew that it wasn't Kaneki who did it. "You're leaving CCG?", Rikina tried to reach out to her former comrades, now declaring themselves as free men. "You also have to think of what you are to do, Special Class Imai", the man gave a bow of the head and dragged Kaneki away. 

Furuta came and tried to stop them but Rikina stood in between. "Let them go", she said with authority. Rikina had the feeling that it was Furuta who also killed Eto. With the strength that he had when he strangled her, she already knew that it wasn't humane to have such. "Are you willing to do here with Arima?", Furuta smirked. 

After some time, the investigators arrived at the underground. Urie and his three squad members saw Arima lying on the ground, lifeless. Urie saw Rikina leaning on the wall with a hole in her chest. The quinquie filled in the hole. He walked closely and was hoping that she wasn't dead. "Kina-sama", Saiko hugged her. "Hey! She's wounded and...is she-", Urie stopped when he saw the lady's face. She gave him a small smile and hugged Saiko back. "Sorry for making you worried", the lady patted the lady's head. Mutsuki also sighed and felt relieved to see her alive but the huge hole in her chest made her worried about their superior's survival.

She reached out to the other two and invited them for a hug. "Haise is dead", she said with a pained tone. Rikina was meaning that Kaneki came back to life and killing the person that CCG created. First was Shirazu. Now, they have to face the fact that their leader is no longer to be with them. "Are you also going to leave us?", Saiko cried making Mutsuki also tear up. Still hugging the three, Rikina gave a small laugh. "I'd stick to you like a leech. How does that sound?", she coughed blood. "Kina-sama!!!", they gently pulled away to see how the lady was doing. 

"Are you going to bite the dust here?", Rikina heard a familiar voice as her vision blurred. "Welcome, Ui-san", she greeted then blacked out. 

Chapter end.