Code ghoul

This chapter is finally about Kanecki for once. The first couple mainly focused on Lelouch but this one will follow Kanecki.

Chapter 3: losing Humanity

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People, people, people, people.

Flesh.

Girl,

Flesh.

Woman,

Flesh.

Man,

Flesh.

Boy,

Flesh.

People,

Flesh.

Kanecki stood in the middle of a street. Everyone passed him by like a boulder in a stream, afraid and wary of the boy with his finger in his mouth. Eyes wide open as he finally came back to his senses. He rushed back to his apartment, fresh tears of pure fear running down is face as he closed the door. He looked at himself in a mirror, what looked back was a monster.

He poked his eye, the black void with a blood red center. Just one, his left eye, just like Rize's. why? Why was this happening, why was he like this?

Then he remembered, vaguely. Doctors talking of a transplant. It couldn't have been, Rize's...could it? Would that have even worked? What little logical thinking Kanecki actually performed was quickly overridden by that now familiar urge. The insatiable desire to eat human flesh. The pain was beyond unbearable, and why? Why should he suffer when he could so easily eat?

Putting his shoes back on, Kanecki went back outside.

Find a human, take the flesh. So simple.

But he couldn't. Damn it! How in all of humanity could he eat a human?

Two conflicting sides battled for dominance inside his head, tearing apart his mind as each side fought for dominance. Gradually driving him insane by both the need to eat and keep his own humanity. Eventually, there would be one he would have to go without.

Then suddenly he smelled something. It was familiar, and yet completely new. He followed the scent, enthralled by the amazing aroma. It was almost like his mother's home cooking. Surely, there was something there even he could eat

As Kanecki turned the corner, his rising hopes plummeted faster then his heart. His smiling face was soon turned horrified. He dropped to his knees. He was drawn here by a corpse. He wasn't-he couldn't be. He was human!

The man standing over the body turned to him, his eyes the same as Kanecki's left one. Seeing the pained look on Kanecki's face the man looked back down at his meal.

"You're a ghoul too?" He asked.

He sighed. "It's been a while for me, so I can't share much." The man grabbed a chunk of flesh for Kanecki, who still knelt motionless.

But before he could even react to the offer, his face was splattered with blood and the ghoul dropped. Another man lowered his blood-covered foot.

"Little fucker, Stealing my food."

He looked at Kanecki, his face showing displeasure at yet another intruder.

The man gave Kanecki a few good kicks, and his wearied body couldn't react much less fight back against a stronger foe.

He grabbed Kanecki by the neck, hauling him up against a wall.

"What do you think you're doing here? Little shit?" The man asked Kanecki, actually expecting an answer.

Struggling against the hand pressed to his throat, he tried to speak. "No, I-I didn't know! I was just passing by!" He choked out.

The man snickered. "Imagine your girlfriend is lying naked on the floor. And you see some guy with his pants down, and he tells you he's just passing by."

He pressed harder against Kanecki's throat, leaning in. "You know what I'd do? I'd kill the bitch."

"And that's why I'm killing you. You trespassed on my feeding grounds." The man spat.

"Your feeding grounds?" Someone spoke.

The man looked up to see someone drop from the roof top and into the alley.

"Since when was this your feeding ground?" Another man, perhaps Kanecki's age stepped from the shadows of his landing spot.

"Lelouch. What do you want?" The man sneered. "The binge eater died, and these were mine first."

"Because you were weak." Lelouch replied. "They don't belong to you anymore. Anteiku decides who they go to."

"You bunch of fence sitters?! Like hell would I listen to you weaklings." The man reacted.

A black wing emerged from Lelouch's back, talons spreading ominously. "Would you like to file a complaint Nishiki?"

Nishiki sneered. "I don't like listening to little shits younger then I am. Why don't you just shut up?"

He lunged, but before Kanecki even saw what happened he was on the ground, several wounds sprouted across his arms and legs.

"Would you like me to hit deeper? Perhaps target vital areas of your body." Lelouch asked.

Nishiki stumbled up, glaring at Lelouch a moment, as if he might actually attack again. He turned and ran away from the alley, limping from the cuts in his legs.

Lelouch stood a while, staring down Nishiki's direction. His ghostly wing dissolved as he turned to face Kanecki.

Lelouch froze, what he expected to see was a ghoul, but what was looking at him, had one kakugan. One red eye and one normal. Just, like, him.

"You. How do you?" Lelouch started.

"Please, I...I'm human!" Kanecki collapsed onto the ground, crying and convulsing as Lelouch stood speechless.

"Everything has sucked since that day. Everything changed, I, I'm not human. And not a ghoul either, something in between. I can't be a normal person again!"

Out of a sudden fit of rage, Lelouch kicked Kanecki, knocking him back and forcing him to face Lelouch.

"Your life sucks?" He asked.

"If that's true, then my life has been a living hell! Since the day I was born I have been different. Different from everyone! I live in constant fear that someone I love will be killed just for who they are. I am hunted every day of my life like some kind of monster. No one has ever accepted me and that is why I have become what I am."

Kanecki looked at Lelouch, eyes wide.

"Your are not a human. And you are not a ghoul. You are half of each. So choose."

He turned away, waking toward the corpse that still lay on the ground. "I did." He muttered.

Lelouch bent down and picked up an arm torn from the body.

"Do you want this?" He asked.

Hunger in his eyes, Kanecki's mouth began to water as he stretched out his hand for the flesh he so desired. But he quickly stopped himself, snatching his arm with the other.

"No! I'm human!" He began to cry again. "I'm human."

Lelouch sighed. "Humanity is weak. They lie, they kill. Just like us. But what is justified? Killing for survival? Humans do it too, kill animals, they call it humane. Why is a ghoul eating a human wrong? It's not cannibalism. Why is the life of a human worth more then that of a pig they slaughter to live a day longer?"

Lelouch approached Kanecki, the piece of flesh still in hand. "According to them, they are superior because they are stronger. Because they eat the animal. Ghouls eat humans. That makes us superior. But let me tell you, starvation for a ghoul is hell. So choose; your humanity, or your life. You will lose one.

Lelouch tossed aside the dismembered hand, and turned to leave. Kanecki watched him, a mix of fear and hatred inside him. He was angry at the world, at everything. How could the world do this to him? Why did he deserve this?

"Lelouch."

Kanecki looked up as the boy stopped.

"What are you doing?" The man who had appeared was older, much older.

"You're going to just leave him here?"

"If he's anything like what I am then he needs to-" Lelouch was cut off by the older man.

"What he needs is help."

Lelouch remained silent.

"You." The man said to Kanecki. "Come with me."

Kanecki stood up as the older man offered his hand. Kanecki took it and the three of them made their way out of the alley. Where they went surprised Kanecki, it was the cafe Anteiku, where he met Rize, and now that he thought of it, Lelouch had mentioned it too.

The man started to make a cup of coffee as Kanecki sat down. He gave the cup to Kanecki, who just stared at it.

"It's only coffee." He said.

"It looks delicious." Kanecki said, but he didn't touch it.

"Go on." The man urged.

After a moments hesitation, kanecki took the cup, and took a light sip. What he had dreaded was actually not the case. It was the most wonderful thing he had ever experienced. It was real, genuine coffee. And he could drink it.

In seconds flat the cup was empty, and he set it back down. "It was delicious."

"Coffee is the only thing that ghouls and humans can both enjoy." The man explained.

He set down a paper package onto the counter, perhaps the size of a notebook. And pushed it to Kanecki.

"What is this?" He asked.

"If you ever need more, please don't hesitate to ask." Was all he told Kanecki.

He frowned, but accepted the gift.

"Thank you." He said.

Once Kanecki left, the manager turned to Lelouch, who had been sitting in the corner the whole time. "He's like you."

"Yes." Lelouch replied.

"And you feel like you should teach him what his life will be like, the pain of being something between human and ghoul?"

"Yes."

"Then perhaps you should. When I found you, you were close to losing your own mind. You wanted to protect Your sister so badly you took a very dark path. It may be best you keep him from doing the same."

Lelouch nodded. 'But what you don't know is, I haven't changed. I have started down that path once again. The path of blood and carnage. Except this time, I don't think even you can save me.'

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