Tᴏᴋʏᴏ Gʜᴏᴜʟ Rᴇ:Cᴏᴅᴇᴅ

Delicacy

Nishiki dropped Kaneki and turned to face the man who'd interrupted him. He'd always hated being disrespected especially by other ghouls who swore they were better than him or just acted entitled.

"Look Trashy-yama, I was just teaching this kid a lesson. He wandered onto my feeding ground like he owned the place and that's unacceptable. Wouldn't you agree?"

The purple haired man said nothing as he began to slowly approach Nishiki. This brat had always rubbed him the wrong way ever since they'd met and had an attitude that reminded him of the youngest Kirishima sibling.

He held out his arm as his kagune erupted from his shoulder blade and coiled around his arm until it reached his hand and formed a blade.

Nishiki glared as his eyes became black and red, he'd known that one day he'd have to fight this crazy bastard but didn't know it'd be today.

"Heh, I'm not scared of you and your thick ass blade. You can't even touch me with that thing!!"

Nishiki dashed toward his enemy as his kagune whipped behind him aimlessly until it stiffened up and tried to impale him.

The Gourmet merely stood there as his own kagune blocked the attack without any effort. He smirked knowing full well that he'd had Nishio beaten from the very start and now all he had to do was humiliate him in front of his would be victim and damage his pride beyond repair.

While lost in deep thought, he'd been dodging and blocking the young ghoul's attacks before grabbing his leg at the last second and slamming him into the ground.

Nishiki grunted in pain as he collided with the cold ground and stared up into the grinning face of the Gourmet,  his kagune retracting into a small tail at this point.

"Dear Nishio you couldn't even handle Ms.Kamishiro much less me. It was honestly pointless of try."

Kaneki had been watching them intently but when he heard that, a switch went off in his mind. These people, these ghouls knew Rize. Maybe they could tell him what was going on with his body. You know, before they murdered him in cold blood and ate him like Thanksgiving turkey.

"Kamishiro? Y-You mean Rize don't you?", he said in a voice that was way more squeaky than he'd intended.

The battling ghouls looked away from one another and stared into the frightened eyes of their one eyed associate, Nishiki with disgust while the Gourmet with intrigue.

"You know what, have the little one eyed bastard. He's too thin for me anyway, hell I punched right through him without even trying. Not to mention that he smells like a female ghoul. Take him, I'm outta here."

Nishiki got back up and turned away from both of them before making his exit, leaving the two by themselves.

Ken gulped in fear as the man began to move towards him slowly. Who could blame him since the only two ghouls he'd ever met, tried to kill him immediately after meeting. But this one seemed different.

Unlike Rize and Nishiki, this man did not seem unhinged but rather, he radiated an aura of calm and class fit for royalty.

He stopped and knelt down beside him before giving him a warm smile. "I am so terribly sorry this happened to you,  that brute is always picking on the weak to make himself feel better after losing to her. Are you alright? It seems your wound is almost fully healed."

Kaneki looked puzzled until he looked down at his abdomen and gasped. The hole Nishiki had made was now considerably smaller appeared to be helping itself before his very eyes.

His eyes began to water as he tried to stifle a sob. There was no doubt about it anymore, he was some ghoul hybrid now. A monster.

The Gourmet seemed concerned, after all he'd never seen a ghoul break down like this in front of him. As if on instinct, he embraced the crying young man and held him while his emotions ran wild.

"There there, it is quite alright. No one can hurt you now, you're safe with me."

Kaneki gathered his composure and eventually the hug ended. He looked into the Gourmet's purple eyes to see that they held much compassion and confidence.

"Thank you mister Gourmet. I don't know what I would've done without your help."

The man let out a laugh, "Dear boy think nothing of it. It's the least I could do for a fellow ghoul being abused by that ruffian. And please, my name is Shuu Tsukiyama. May I ask what yours is?"

"Oh, I'm Ken Kaneki. It's a pleasure to meet you Tsukiyama." This was great, he wasn't like the others. He was civilized and seemed like the perfect person to ask about Rize. "Actually, there's something I'd like to ask you if that'd be alright?"

"Of course it is my dear boy but we shouldn't remain here, the doves are known to frequent this area because of the 'Binge Eater'."

"Binge Eater?"

"Heh, you know her as our dearly departed Rize Kamishiro. Now come, I'll answer any questions you have."

Kaneki followed Tsukiyama out of the alley and found that there was a limousine waiting for them by the sidewalk. Fitting for someone who's alias was 'The Gourmet'.

Kaneki got in the backseat while Tsukiyama had a word with his driver, probably about why Kaneki was covered in blood and why he was coming with them. He didn't know why but he strangely felt safe with the man.

When Kaneki closed the door, Tsukiyama turned to face his driver who looked at him with an expressionless face.

"It's him alright...the one who we heard about from the old man. The boy who walks in both worlds, the half-ghoul."

Tsukiyama began to twitch and shudder as his hands gripped the area where Kaneki's wound had bled out onto his own outfit. Slowly he brought his smeared hand up and huffed it intensely.

"There's such a tender...mellow harmony. It's absolutely exquisite, like nothing I've ever experienced before!"

The driver smiled as she pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping his hand before folding and placing it on his person. "You never change Master Shuu."

"You know it, now if you'd please take us back to the estate I'd be most grateful."

"Of course."

"Many thanks my dear Matsumae." He walked around to the other side of the limo and got in beside his new acquaintance, all the while thinking about how great he'd taste on a silver platter.