== Time to Die ==

~Yojne

A loud roar bellowed across the skies, thunder booming in the distance despite the relatively calm rainfall.

"Young woman!" Amon shouted to the girl in red. "Get away from those ghouls! It's dangerous!"

"They... They aren't ghouls!" Ruby hesitantly lied as she desperately tried to convince them likewise. "I've... I've...!"

"You don't know who you're with! Come to our side! Now!"

"But... They... I've... Not...!"

"Young lady, please!"

"Enough of this!" Mado shouted in irritation as he readied his briefcase. "If the girl doesn't want to join us, let her join them in hell!"

"..." Amon could not reply to that statement, for what he said was indeed true. Should a human hold back information of possible ghoul suspects, they will be labeled as badly as criminals and will be treated as such. This allowed Mado to rightfully kill all three women he was eyeing so eagerly.

"Mommy..." Hinami muttered as she stood behind her back trembling fearfully. "I'm scared...!"

"Ms. Ryouko..." Ruby muttered as well, feeling shivers quake within her spine. "I... I don't know what to do..."

"Hinami, Ruby" She stated consolingly. "This... This is what I was fearful about..."

"I've had enough of this. Attack!" Mado commanded as he signalled with his hand. Without delay, the men at the back began firing their pistols at the women.

Suddenly, four clover-like appendages emerged from her back. The kagune revealed itself to the doves, their relatively calm texture accompanied with blood red circles in the center, giving it a look of an eye.

"That's the Kagune!" Mado exclaimed in delight. "See, what did I tell you young huntress? They're ghouls!"

Ryouko sent her Kagune spearheaded towards the old man, but he swiftly dodged backwards causing it to instead smash onto the ground. The Kagune then quickly surrounded and encased herself with the two girls, not unlike a cocoon.

Within the protective shield she created, she bent down to Hinami's level and looked her in her eyes consolingly. She put her palms on her child's face wiped off the tears that she made.

"Hinami." She said. "Run. Run fast."

"Momma…!"

"Run to Anteiku, and don't ever stop running. I'll meet you there. I promise."

"Mommy!"

The two hugged each other lovingly, putting each other's hands behind their backs. The warm embrace made Ruby shed tears, unable to look away from the motherly bond they had.

"R-Ryouko…" The huntress muttered. "I… I…"

"They still think you're human, Ruby." The mother stated, tears dripping down her cheeks. "Run to their side, and meet with Hinami at Anteiku. You can't let them know what you are."

"Ryouko…!" Ruby's teardrops soon flowed into a river, as she began crying streams down her face. "I… you…! You can't… You can't let Hinami lose you!"

The huntress knelt down to the ground in devastation, the streams of tears turning into rivers. If only she was able to use her weapon, then maybe she could defend her against the doves.

"I'll get help, Ryouko, I won't let you die… I won't…"

Ryouko let Ruby into her loving embrace, the three holding each other tightly. All three of them wished this hug would never end, but alas.

"I'm sorry. I guess you'll have to follow my promise after all."

Her eyes turned charcoal black, along with a burning red iris to match.

"Kusaba! Prepare for another round!"

"On it!"

The two men cornering them began firing their handguns at the flowing kagune cocoon, the bullets bounced off the protection, completely ineffectively. Ryouko sent her kagune to the men, using the blunt end of it to send them toppling down.

"Mom…! I don't want to leave you!" Hinami said while still holding onto her hand.

"Ryouko!" Ruby cried in disbelief as well.

"RUN! BOTH OF YOU! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Ryouko shouted, looking at them with her ghoulish eyes. Her own tears dripped to the floor as she was forced to let the two girls split up.

Hinami hesitantly let go of her hand, and ran off away back into the streets, dashing through the knocked out men as she traversed through the wet puddles on the floor.

Ruby cried out in dread as she made her way to the direction of the ghoul investigators. Never had she thought she would have to run to what she believed were her "heroes" in completely vain.

"Come here, young woman." Amon stated as Ruby approached the two doves while crying her eyes out. Ruby didn't stop by their side though, she ran in between them, going past them into the alleyway beyond. Amon looked back in confusion all while his partner never lifted his gaze away from the motherly ghoul.

"Let her go. It's quite a bit of a burden knowing your loving friends were man-eaters all along." The demented old man stated bitterly. "At least she wasn't trying to protect them. It would be quite troublesome having to explain killing a young huntress to the supervisor, wouldn't it Amon?"

Amon said nothing, instead readying his weapon. Pressing a button, his suitcase transformed into a big bright red club of Quinque steel.

"Perhaps."

A faint boom was heard within the dark clouds above, the clouds appearing to weep onto Remnant below. With the heavy rain occurring, Yang and Kaneki stepped out to the streets outside Anteiku with their bright yellow and pitch black umbrellas open at hand, respectively.

"Whew! What a long day of work, ain't it Neki-Ka Boy?" Yang began, stretching her shoulders backwards.

"I don't appreciate the nicknames Yang…" Kaneki mumbled, looking to the side.

"Aww, liven up eyepatch! You're just jealous Ruby got to go get some books with Hinami, instead of you."

"No, that's not it really. I just recommended her the books of Sen Tatsuki, that's all…"

"Sen again? Geez everyone loves reading his works…"

"His? The author's a woman, mind you!"

"Hee hee… I'll never understand this ward's naming cultures…"

"Maybe you should make an effort then…"

The two began marching into the watery skies, the rain pouring as heavily as ever. Yang waved cheerfully to Kaneki before turning around and heading back to Beacon, while Kaneki made his own way back home.

His umbrella shielded him from the downpour of this hour, allowing him to get through the rain and back to his beloved apartment. Kaneki took this time to ponder about yet again how everything was turning out. Ruby had accompanied Ryouko and Hinami to get the books he recommended, which left Kaneki and Yang as the only part-time workers there.

Yang was a bright optimist with a playful attitude, not unlike Enji Koma, the self-proclaimed devil ape. She would always crack some jokes, make some terrible puns and most of all, and never gave up. Despite her looking awfully different from her sister, she would do anything to protect her no matter the cost. It's why she's working in Anteiku alongside her in the first place, anyway.

Then there was Hinami, the young adorable ghoul girl. Although the first time Kaneki met her, he felt on his back in horror, they eventually got back on proper footing. Seeing that she read one of Sen Tatsuki's works, he then recommended several other works for her to indulge in. That's why they went on to get some books in this current weather, leaving with Ruby accompanying them.

"Ruby's quite the girl, isn't she…" He thought to himself.

Kaneki made his way to the bustling streets of the ward, minding his own business in this crowded, pouring condition.

"Someone, help!" A faint voice cried out from the distance.

Her cry was left unheard by the half-ghoul, the sound of raindrops instead filling his ears.

"Anyone! Kaneki! Ruby!"

The boy in question stopped for a moment, as he felt as if he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Hinami! I'm here! I'm here!"

"Ruby!"

Kaneki instantly recognised the distinguishable voices calling each other out. He turned to the direction it echoed from and saw two girls hugging each other in the middle of the street.

"I'm here for you, Hinami, I'm here…"

"Ruby… Mom's still… Mom's still…!"

The half-ghoul widened his eyes as he saw his friends, Ruby and Hinami, both of them appearing to be panicked and helpless beyond belief. He had to see what was going on over there.

"Ruby! Hinami!" He yelled across the street. The two girls in question looked to their side to see the half-ghoul with his eyepatch and an umbrella in hand.

Kaneki took a deep breath and dashed across the street, his feet splashing into tiny puddles forming on the road. Cars left and right honked their horns as they approached the jaywalking boy, but he was able to make it across relatively swift and carefully.

He ran to the two and quickly bent down to the two girls' level, and quickly asked what's going on

"Ruby! Hinami! What happened!?" He shouted.

"It's Mom! She's in trouble!" Hinami hastily explained.

"The doves! They've got her cornered!"

"What!? Where is she!?"

Hinami pointed to the direction she ran from, and the three quickly ran there in haste.

Ryouko panted heavily, kneeling on the floor in fatigue as the men in coats looked at her without remorse.

"Well, you're a pathetic fighter." Mado taunted with a sly grin. "A kagune such as yours could level an entire squad. Trust me I've seen it happen."

He chuckled in amusement, his grip on his briefcase getting tighter and tighter.

"Monster such as you laying your life down for your children, sparing your meal when you had the perfect opportunity to eat them, and even being unable to fight back against me? It's either ghouls these days are getting slobber or I'm just getting too good at my job."

The three continued to run back to where Hinami pointed, splashes created by their hasty footsteps.

"It's all my fault… I don't have my weapon on me so I can't do anything to protect them!

"It simply sickens me to see you mimic human emotions." Mado continued, his iconic smile going unfazed by the motherly ghoul. "If you intend to become an actor you'd better think twice in hell. All you do is kill and kill, just like your animalistic cousins!"

"Don't blame yourself Ruby!" Kaneki shouted as they continued to run. "She would have wanted you to protect Hinami first!"

"I… I… I…" Ruby mumbled. The fellow half-ghoul wasn't wrong to say that at least.

"I… am such a hypocrite…" Kaneki thought to himself.

"Amon, go catch your breath. I've got this under control." Mado giggled to himself as he set his briefcase down on the floor. He opened it slowly and carefully to ensure it would cause the most emotional trauma to the poor defenceless mother.

"I've got to do something, at least!" Ruby stated desperately. "I can't just watch Ryouko fight them alone!"

"But you don't have your weapon, and I don't have any combat experience!"

"But we can't just watch her suffer!"

"Oh my… god…" Ryouko widened her eyes in complete and utter horror as Mado revealed what the big surprise was.

"YES YES YES! BWAH HAH HAH HAAAA!" he cried in pleasure as he released his weapon.

A long stretch of kagune was taken out of the briefcase, reeling out in all its glory. The quinque in a whole had individual segments stitched together to form one very long whip, the end of the weapon having a sharp hook.

"As…Asaki…"

"Anger, anguish, fury, helplessness and sorrow, those are the expressions I like to see!" Mado chanted in glee. "Let me see your hatred, let me see you suffer!"

Kaneki, Ruby and Hinami eventually made their way to where Ryouko was, behind the investigators.

"MO-mmmphhh!"

Immediately, Kaneki put his hand over Hinami's mouth before she could call out her mother, and the three hid behind the corner of the alleyway. Ruby especially felt herself shiver in fear, she knew had to do something, but she just could not think of any ideas.

"But don't worry I'm not all that sadistic. I'll be courteous for you since you spared the child." Mado began, wiping the raindrops off his forehead. "How about it mom, any last words to say?"

Ruby began to step out of the hiding spot slowly. Kaneki tried to reach out for the huntress to stop, but to no avail she eventually stood in plain sight behind the doves, tears dripping down her eyes.

"Ryouko!" She called out in the open, grabbing the attention of the first-class investigators.

"Young woman!" Amon called out in relief.

"Ahh, the junior Huntress! Come join us, and see this monster tell her final tale."

Ryouko remained still, her fringe covering her watery eyes. Ruby just had to do something, anything!

"Please… Investigators…" She hesitantly began. "Don't… kill her…"

Mado stopped himself from his bloodlust to blink, somewhat unsure of what the young girl just said. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Don't… Don't kill her!" Ruby proclaimed valiantly. Everyone looked to the huntress in disbelief, especially the motherly ghoul being cornered.

"Excuse me?" Mado exclaimed in confusion, turning to face the huntress. "Has your brain gone coo-coo? Don't you kill monsters for a living? Why spare this little insect?"

"Please… Don't… I'm begging you…"

"RUBY! GET OUT OF HERE!" The wounded motherly ghoul exclaimed in a panicked frenzy.

"I hear she's spoken her last will, do you want to speak yours?" Mado threatened eerily, slowly walking up towards the huntress, making Ruby step backwards cautiously. "Don't interrupt my fun, dear. I have all rights to kill you for withholding information of ghouls, so don't test me."

"MMMMPHHHH!"

Kaneki continued to hold onto Hinami's mouth as they continued to stay out of sight. He just couldn't do anything to save Ryouko, and with Ruby acting the way she was, he could only feel utterly helpless to the situation.

Ruby was in a big pickle here, with the investigators appearing to have no intention of giving mercy. A lump in her throat manifested itself as she realised she had no plan on how to save Ryouko. With her brain unable to think of any ideas, Ruby decided to do a selfless decision.

"Then, if that's the case." Ruby stated, lifting her arms up to her sides. "Kill me."

Mado eyed Ruby wearily, the grip on his Fueguchi Quinque growing tighter by the second.

"Young woman, don't be reckless!" Amon called out. "We're protecting the people from monsters like her, why do you want to save them!?"

"Because people like her don't deserve to die!"

"So what are you saying, you deserve to die?" Mado stated in annoyance. "Please don't be so pathetic."

"Ruby, please…" Ryouko could only mutter helplessly.

"In that case, I deserve to die!" Ruby proclaimed. "Kill me for withholding information of ghouls!"

"Well, this is quite the dilemma…" Mado groaned in irritation. "Seriously, don't joke with me. Why are you trying so hard to protect her? You don't happen to be a ghoul yourself, are you?"

Ruby felt a shiver go up her spine in the already cold weather, instinctively gulping in fear. She took a deep breath of the wet air, and began to answer the investigator.

"Well… maybe I a-"

"STOP!"

Ruby was interrupted by the loud voice proclaim itself. Everyone turned to the fatigued ghoul kneeling on the wet floor, weeping furiously under the already bad weather.

"Just… end my life. Don't kill the innocent child."

"MMMPHHHHH!" Kaneki still held on to the struggling Hinami as the tension just took a turn for the worse.

"Hahaha, innocent child?! Does everyone happen to be a clown here?" Mado unusually cheered to the sky, which turned into a sour scowl to the floor. "Well I hate clowns! Enough of this bad theatre play!"

Mado whipped his quinque around and about furiously, ending it with a slam to the ground. "You're all just making me so sick. Truly giving up your life for your prey? I'm going to vomit at this point!"

He turned to Amon in an enraged frenzy, his face showing exactly how pissed off he was. "What do you suggest, Amon? Kill them all?"

"…" He said nothing at the irritated mentor, nodding his head instead.

"Excuse me, sir!" An investigator from behind Ryouko called out. "Perhaps, capturing her is the best course of action at this point." Kusaba suggested.

Ruby's eyes widened at this revelation, and she followed through with the dove's suggestion. "Don't kill her, capture her! She doesn't deserve death, only life in p-prison…!"

Mado squinted his eyes in irritation. "Eh? Really now…?"

"Y-Yes sir! She may have information pertaining to the um, other ghouls in the ward… Like the Gourmet!" Ruby explained hastily.

Mado looked to the sky and put his quinque down in ease. "Heh, why didn't I think of that… Amon! Get the RC suppressors and handcuffs. We're taking her into custody."

The first-class investigator did as he was told, pulling out a pair of handcuffs and an empty syringe. He handed the items over to his mentor, who got a small test tube filled with black liquid from his coat's pocket.

He swiftly brought the syringe down onto Ryouko's shoulder, causing her to twitch in pain. Mado groaned at the little emotion she showed.

"You'd best thank your little prey over there. If not for her you'd be dead where you stand." He threatened.

Her kagune slowly faded away, as the drug took effect. Ryouko smiled in relief, before she felt most of her energy fade away from the RC suppressor.

With Ryouko captured, the investigators began walking off into the alleyway, going past the huntress. Mado stopped to look at the huntress wearily and angrily, making Ruby attempt to keep a straight face.

"Heheh, I like you." He said venomously, making Ruby flinch back instinctively. "People like you should be detained as well for withholding and protecting such foul monsters, but I'll spare you the prison life. I've already got a huntress under my wing myself, so I'll grant you the benefit of doubt. Your headmaster might not like the news though, young huntress."

With that, the four investigators escorted the motherly ghoul through the alleyway. Ruby caught a glimpse of Ryouko taking a peek at her, genuine relief shown on her face.

The investigators soon disappeared into the alleyway, their prisoner captured and their leader's bloodlust unsatisfied. The rain also seemed to cease, with the clouds beginning to depart, allowing individual rays of sunlight to shine onto the damp ground.

Kaneki and Hinami came out of their hiding spot, the latter still teary eyed from the whole encounter.

"Ruby…" Kaneki muttered

"Ruby!" Hinami jumped out and held onto Ruby, giving her a warm hug. The huntress knelt down and returned the hug, embracing Hinami.

"Mommy's captured now…" The ghoul child moaned.

"It's okay, Hinami. Your mother is still alive, and that's the important thing." The half-ghoul reassured, patting her back. "It's gonna be fine."

"...Mommy…" She sniffed.

Kaneki smiled as the two girls lovingly comforted each other. He looked to the direction the investigators took and felt somewhat relieved, despite her being taken into custody.

"It's feels weird though, as if something worse was supposed to happen…" He thought to himself. He turned back to Ruby and Hinami, the former looking at him with a relieved smile, while the latter continued to cry her heart out.

"Then, again… It's all cause of Ruby…"

"Damn…" The raven-haired ghoul sighed while in her thoughts. "I really did screw up…"

Touka strolled through the streets, her hands in her pockets, in shame. "Damn classic literature and its damn double meaning bull…" She mumbled to herself.

The morning sun had not fully risen yet, The exterior of Anteiku not colored yellow this time. Touka walked to the entrance casually like she would every other day, but today it seemed that it was unusually quiet.

"Closed? Nobody told me today was a day off…" She murmured.

The doorbell chimed as Touka entered Anteiku, surprised to see neither customers nor waiters around. Only by the coffee bar was the manager of Anteiku, wiping an empty cup with a towel.

"Good morning…" She greeted.

"Good morning." Yoshimura replied in an unusually solemn tone.

"So um, I think you left the sign the other way." She said, pointed behind her. "But there's something a little more important um… I failed my test-"

"Touka." The manager interrupted.

"Yes sir?"

"Would you mind coming upstairs with me?"

"…Um, sure."

Five people sat by the couches in the meeting room, the curtains blocking the orange light created by the now rising sun. Kaneki, Ruby, Koma, Irimi, and Yang. All of them had dismayed looked upon their features, which made Touka feel somewhat unsettling about what this was all about.

"Even Yomo…" Touka muttered, looking at the white-haired man crossing his arms by the side. Her own face took a turn for the serious. "What happened."

"Ryouko was captured by the investigators while trying to protect Hinami." The old manager explained.

"…"

Touka couldn't say anything at this but clench her fists. She could feel her knuckles crack in pain as her blood began to slowly heat up. She instinctively wanted to slam her fist against the wall, but thought against it.

"What… the hell…" She said. "What about Hinami, how's she doing…?"

"She's resting by the other room."

"Then the doves, did they see her face!?"

"…They did."

"This… this is bullshit…" Touka dropped and knelt on the floor, overwhelmed by the intake of news. Now that Hinami was an identified ghoul, and she would not be able to roam the streets freely.

"For now, I've decided that Hinami will be sheltered at Anteiku, with us." Yoshimura began. "But, when the time is right, I'll send her to the 24th ward."

Touka shot up from the floor at what she just heard. "The hell? That shithole? Are you kidding or are you kidding!?"

"You know what? We should just kill the doves! Kill them before they can find Hinami, kill them so that they would get the hell out of our lives!"

She looked to Yomo and continued. "I mean, Yomo's here too! With our combined strength we'll easily kill them all!"

"No."

"…What…"

"If we take the lives of the doves, they'll start focusing on our ward. They'll send more to clean up the warlike ghouls here, and even if we do kill them, they'll just send more and more until we're wiped out." Yomo explained. "Understand?"

"But…"

"As with what Yomo said, we cannot, and must not try to interfere with them. In due time, the doves here will be sent to other wards. We must not cause a scene for the safety of everyone here. It's the best course of action for now."

"Best? Stop joking with me old fool." Touka scorned. "Hinami's family has been taken away from her, and all you've got to say is to suck our thumbs and pray?"

Touka looked to Ruby with a gaze that stared daggers. "It's probably cause of that Weiss bitch, isn't it? She gave the info on where her parents were, didn't she?"

Ruby could only looked down to the floor and close her eyes, very shameful of what the ghoul was accusing her friend for.

"Don't push the blame! We don't even know if she did anything here!" Yang defended.

"Then you should've stopped her from joining them in the first place!" Touka shouted. "It's so bloody pathetic, all of this! So let's stop being pathetic and kill them already!"

"…We will not." Yoshimura repeated. "It's not pathetic to let them to get away."

"The only pathetic thing is to be consumed by your hatred and vengeance, unable to even live your life once more."

Touka grit her teeth and gazed at the manager furiously. "Are you talking about me?" She scorned.

Yoshimura did not reply, instead changing the subject. "We should be grateful that Ruby managed to convince them to capture her, if anything."

"That doesn't change the fact that she's been taken from Hinami!" Touka stormed out of the room, shoving the door on her way out in utter rage. Kaneki and Ruby turned their heads to see Touka disappear into the hallway.

Silence returned yet again, only to be broken by the manager.

"Don't fret about it. She has a lot of things to think about." He reassured. "Koma, Irimi, I believe you've already received the photos of the doves involved."

"Yes, we have."

"Don't even think about getting involved with them." Yoshimura warned. "Please urge our ghoul customers to take caution as well."

Anteiku was still empty at the hour, with no sign of any customers possibly entering today. It was to be expected; Yoshimura declaring today would be a day off for all of them.

Ruby and Kaneki still stood at the coffee bar however, the former arranging some dishes while the latter simply looking down to the table. The two half-ghouls were both displeased with all of this, especially Kaneki having done literally nothing for Ryouko. The least they could do now was to clean up the place to get their minds off the whole ordeal

"It's not your fault." Yoshimura began. The two half-ghouls turned to the side to see the manager walk by. "Even we are hesitant to face off against an investigator, yet the two of you were able to protect Hinami at her request."

"But… I could've done more…" Kaneki admitted. "Ruby was the one that stood up for her, while I simply held Hinami behind a corner…"

"If only we knew what was going on. I'm sorry."

"Sir, may I ask something of you?" Ruby began.

"Yes?"

"Train me to use my Kagune. I'm hopeless without my weapon, so I need to know at least how to fight as you all do."

Yoshimura smiled at her bright demeanour, and pat Ruby on the shoulder. "I can see you get over things well. I'll find a suitable tutor for you; maybe it'll even be Touka?"

"Thanks, sir." She replied. "Oh! Also how goes my baby Crescent Rose?"

"The weapon has been fit with Quinque, along with some rounds of Q-Bullet to go. I think you'll be quite satisfied with it. Yomo will return it to you either tomorrow or the day after.

"Yippie!" She jumped in joy.

Kaneki could only glance over to the huntress and feel hopeless. The huntress was very optimistic, unlike him who could only sit there while everything passes. The half-ghoul also decided to change something for once.

"Sir, may I be trained on how to fight too?" He asked.

The manager chuckled at the determination the half-ghouls here had in them. "Consider it done."

Five people sat by the couches in the open, a bright orange light created by the sun shining from the window, as they discussed their plans and what they've accomplished.

"The daughter of number 723 still roams free, sir." Kusaba stated, adjusting his glasses. "Number 748 still poses a threat."

"Other than that, there are no more major leads to go on in the 20th ward, sir." His comrade, a clean-shaved man by the name Nakajima stated.

"Good to know..." The demented looking investigator commented, looking at the files. "There appears to be no more major threats roaming about this ward. It may be nigh time before we're sent to another."

He looked to his partner, Amon and gave a sly smile. "You wouldn't have anything else to go on, Amon?"

"No sir." He replied. "It would be best to search for other threats now. The gourmet, the betrayer and the binge eater still roam freely around Vale."

"How about you, Ms. Schnee?" Mado asked the relatively quiet heiress.

"Nothing, sir. It's best we follow Amon's idea. We might be able to find number 745 while doing so."

"It's settled then!" The mentor proclaimed with a grin. "We'll search for the three big bosses around here, The Binge Eater, Betrayer and the Gourmet."

Mado looked at Kusaba, Nakajima and Weiss with an appreciative look. "I believe you've all done quite well in hunting down both of these pesky ghouls, and under three days as well! Your co-operation is appreciated, Kusaba and Nakajima. Headquarters will get you some rewards for your hard working efforts."

"Thank you sir!" The two proclaimed diligently. Mado sighed under his breath however, in reality he was still unsatisfied with only capturing the motherly ghoul, but he could wait. Instead, he would have to take pleasure killing the three big cheeses instead, and there was always that bottom feeder if nothing else.

"Weiss, I believe this is where your program comes to an end." Mado stated. "You're always welcome to join us at the CCG, though."

"Thank you for the offer sir, but I don't… I don't think I'm quite ready for investigations." She replied

"What? You've done quite a lot, you know. Heck, you can accompany us even without being an investigator."

"I'll stay at beacon and train to become a huntress." Weiss stated. "Ghoul hunting isn't just for me, I guess… I prefer hunting Grimm."

"Eh, If I can't change a Schnee's mind nothing will…" Mado nonchalantly commented, earning a pout from the heiress. "Hehe, don't worry. I'll get you a reward too, Ms. Schnee. In the meantime why don't you spend some time with these two young fellows? They could sure know a thing or two about fighting."

"I'll think about it…"

"Hehe, just don't die before that. Soon, we'll all be basking in the glory that is victory…" Mado stated, looking to the side in glee.

After the meeting, Amon headed off alone back to his apartment. He stood by a local noodle store putting a hand on his stomach, feeling somewhat hungry.

"Should I eat dinner first, or get home and prepare a meal…" He thought to himself.

"Amon!" a friendly voice called out to him. He looked to see Kusaba, Weiss and Nakajima walking towards him, with the former waving out to him.

"Hello there, men." He greeted formally. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, we were just talking with Ms. Schnee about CCG stuff, trying to convince her to join us you know?" Kusaba said. He looked back to the heiress with a friendly smile. "Isn't that right, Weiss?"

"I guess…" She muttered.

"So you did join them in the end." Amon stated.

"Well… I guess I'm gonna return to Beacon so, why not spend my last day with these guys?" Weiss answered. "They're sympathetic enough to spare Ms. Fueguchi anyway."

"Why don't we have a meal here? It has some pretty good ramen." Nakajima said, looking to the store.

"Well, okay then." The first-class investigator replied selflessly.

The four entered the food store and sat by the table. The kind old storeowner greeted the four and politely asked what they would like to eat.

"I'll have regular shrimp set but add a handful of chicken meat in it as well." Nakajima ordered.

"That again, eh?" His friend Kusaba commented mischievously

"Oh, shut up man." He retorted.

"Large shrimp and vegetables." Amon stated quickly and clearly. Weiss was the only one who have not ordered yet, her eyes scanning through the menus above.

"Hmm…" She hummed. Noodles, Shrimps, Vegetables and others, the heiress just couldn't make up her mind.

"Surprise me." Weiss said, making the storeowner give a hefty chuckle. He went into the kitchen where he cooked up the meals. Not long after he gave them bowls of what they ordered, allowing them to eat. Weiss was handed a bowl of ramen noodles with a small packet of sushi, in particular.

"So… Amon." Kusaba started. "You came out through the academy, right?"

"Uhh, yeah." He replied.

"I've always wondered what sort of stuff they teach back there… Mind telling me about it?"

"It's mostly the law and how it pertains to ghouls. Other than that, it's some weightlifting and exercise." Amon took a sip out of a glass of water and continued. "I can't go into further detail. Sorry."

"Did you train with any ladies, like Weiss over there?" Kusaba asked boldly.

"Zip it Kusaba…" Nakajima said in irritation. Weiss merely just rolled her eyes and continued her meal.

"Of course I did." Amon stated. "Two strong-willed women who were as sharp as they come."

"Whoa, how lucky!" Kusaba proclaimed. "Did you fall for any of them…?"

"Moron! Shut up!" Nakajima yelled. Weiss turned her head to Kusaba in annoyance as well.

"They were killed in the line of duty." Amon replied solemly.

"…Oh…" Kusaba mumbled. Everyone felt somewhat down after hearing such a tragic end, Kusaba especially. He felt very regretful of being so nosy

"That's just how it is. The more earnest they are, the more likely they'll end up in the dirt…"

Amon put down the empty bowl of his meal and walked out of the food store. "I'll get going now. Stay safe people, especially during times like these."

"Goodbye." "See ya." "Later." Weiss, Kusaba and Nakajima said as Amon closed the door on his way out.

"Way to go, jerk." Nakajima groaned, punching his partner in the shoulder lightly.

"Yeap, my bad. Sorry…"

Weiss didn't bother saying anything else and continued to eat her meal.

Now, the sun shone dimly through the sky, the relatively calm evening making the walk back rather nice. The two partners walked forwards side by side chatting unanimously, while the white-haired heiress strolled loosely behind, looking to the ground.

"The more earnest they are, the more likely they end up in the dirt, eh?" Kusaba repeated. "Maybe Amon was telling us not to work too hard."

"Don't be stupid." Nakajima replied. "We're gonna get a lot of work to do soon, especially with the recent events popping up. The Binge Eater, The Gourmet, The Betrayer, heck even Jason is popping up around here."

"I'm just saying that we shouldn't take it so hard. The guys at the home-office can pick up the slack for us."

"Dude, keep up that attitude and you'll be grazing the branch off us for life. Heck even the both of us will."

"Maybe that's for the best, I mean look at Amon. He seems to work off purely based on a sense of justice, don't you think?"

"Yeah, can't really argue with that."

Kusaba stopped and looked back in his partner. "Amon's pretty amazing isn't he?"

Nakajima put his hand on his shoulder in comfort. "Well, you've got a long way to go before you'll ever be among his ranks."

The two looked back at the relatively quiet heiress strolling behind. "Hey, what's with the sour mood, Ms. Schnee?" Kusaba asked. "Got something on your mind?"

"Oh…?" Weiss was snapped out of her trance and looked up to the two of them. "It's nothing, really. I'm just… I've got some things to consider about the CCG and ghouls…"

"Hmm? What about them?" Kusaba asked.

"Since I'm a huntress in training, I'm expected to learn how to fight against monsters. The Grimm are pretty much all we've fought until now. Fighting ghouls is much more different than Grimm, in a way."

"Nah, both of them are the same anyway. They're basically evil stuffed into bodies, you know?" Nakajima stated. "The Grimm are pretty much evil animals, and the ghouls are no different, evil humans, if we can even call them that."

"There are other ways of dealing without killing, I guess. I mean I was the one that suggested we capture number 723." Kusaba stated. "I don't really ponder about this too much. I mean, in the first place I joined the CCG to find a nice comfortable desk to sit behind."

"You have your points but still…" Weiss stated, her mood still looking quite down. "I've already killed some ghouls myself, but it just doesn't seem right if we have to kill for the most part."

"We can't really sympathise with man-eaters, right? I mean Amon's sense of justice is what drives him to hunt them down, so…"

"Ah, forget it." Weiss blurted out. "Let's just continue walking."

As she said, the three resumed walking through the orange-lit streets that the evening sun coloured with its rays. They headed under an underpass, which is where Kusaba began rambling once again.

"All I can really say, is that Amon's driven attitude and determination really pumps me up."

Faint footsteps could be heard from behind them, but no one really bat an eye while walking through it.

"Perhaps, I'll try to be as heroic as he is. I'll save someone's life, yeah…" Kusaba repeated to himself. "I'll save someone's life and be a decent ghoul investigator."

Weiss could only smile at the determination the man with glasses shown. Perhaps he would indeed save someone's life.

The footsteps became louder and louder, as if someone was approaching the three.

"I've got some tips in becoming heroic, albeit poor. I could give them to you if you'd like."

Kusaba looked back with a smug look as he began his reply. "No thanks, I'd like to learn them the hard-"

Kusaba stopped himself as he was a figure in a purple hood dashing towards the heiress. His instincts quickly kicked into motion, and before he knew it he was already doing something heroic.

"WEISS! LOOK OUT!" Nakajima shouted.

The heiress looked behind her to see a hand about to claw its way into her face.

Instinctively, she closed her eyes as the nails were about to make contact with her.

Before she even knew it, however, she was quickly shoved to the side. Weiss was sent tumbling onto the wall, knocking onto it with a soft thud.

"What the hell just…" Weiss opened her eyes to see Kusaba stand still in her place, his glasses ominously breaking.

"K-Kusaba…?" Nakajima muttered with extreme shock and concern.

The former ghoul investigator fell to the floor.

"KUSABA!"

"Oh my god…" Weiss could only stare in shock at the scene that happened before her. The culprit looked at the corpse in silence, a Rabbit mask covering its features.

"You… YOU MONSTER!" The partner cried out.

Immediately, the rabbit mask dashed towards Nakajima, intent on giving him the same fate. Weiss couldn't get up in time to save him, and she could only watch in complete and utter horror.

Out of nowhere, Nakajima was saved by Amon. He quickly pushed Nakajima out of the way, before he himself rolled over and faced the Rabbit-mask.

"Get out of here, now!" The first class investigator commanded, standing up against the perpetrator. Nakajima did as he was told, running far away from the rabbit and disappearing from sight.

Weiss got up to see The purple hooded murderer face off against her comrade, Amon. She looked at the bloody remains that was Kusaba, and shed a tear at his loss.

"In the end you did do something heroic after all. Rest in peace, Ippei Kusaba." Weiss momentarily closed her eyes in grief of such a tragedy. She quickly reopened them with a vengeful intent, gazing at the purple-hooded figure with a look that could spearhead knives.

Weiss summon a glyph behind her and readied her trusty rapier. Myrtenaster in hand, she stepped back onto the glyph, which sent her flying toward intent on destroying the cold blooded murderer.

"You'll pay for what you've done, you despicable creature."

End

...

...

...?

Meanwhile… in a reclusive part of Vale…

Candlelight filled the room, revealing many elegant books being placed on shelves, refined walls and their beautiful designs, and a table in the very center, the candle placed between two plates of steak.

"Well, I suppose that's true." An elegant voice commented, his neat purple hair and suit giving him a refined aura. "Then again…"

"Don't sweat it pal." A charismatic voice reassured. A white suit adorned his body, a bowler hat covering most of his bright orange hair. The fringe covered his right eye completely however, while wielding a cane in his hand. "She's what we call… delicious."

"Oh, you crack me up, Roman. I've always assumed negotiations between us would be peaceful."

"But she is! You fret too much, Tsukiyama. How about I give you a clearer image of what I'm bringing up."

With a wave of a hand, a new figure entered the room. A small young lady with bright colours entered. She wore a white jacket with a pink interior, brown pants, and grey boots adorned high heels. Multitude of necklaces hung haphazardly around her neck, and the colour of her flowing hair was split between pink and brown, the same going for her eyes.

Tsukiyama could only gaze and grin in amusement at the elegant young woman before him. "What an adorable young lady! Now I see why you'd want me to try some Ice Cream."

Roman chuckled. "What'd I tell ya? Meet Neo, my trustworthy associate. A cutie with a sense of fashion, you've got to love her."

The young lady blinked, and the colours of her eyes swapped.

"I can see this being of use to me. But may I ask, is there anything more than meets the eye for this young lady?"

The charming criminal grinned in excitement. "Oh, you'll see soon enough. Let's just say, the doctor has seen her."

End...!

TWO WEEKS 7000ish WORDS OH GWARSH.

Please review! I need the feedback, like really. Writer's block is blocking me every other day.

Let me leave you with a random statement:

You may try to reduce the losses, but in the end someone's gonna hit the hay.

See you in two/three weeks.