AN: One thing that bothered me throughout TG was how some people (coughToukacough) would treat Kaneki like a complete idiot who couldn't think for himself, or at least someone who needed all of the information laid out on the silver platter, even though it is stated multiple times that Kamii has difficult entrance exams, which require a lot of studying, meaning that those attending are, if not smart, then at least learned. As you've seen, I'm fixing that here. Yes, I'm aware that it's for us readers, which is why I'm having Kaneki give the info instead.

I also noticed that I got the storyline a little mixed up here, the next few scenes actually happen before the mask-studio in canon.

Demon's Anarchy of Pride: -I'm glad you enjoyed it. And as you'll see, Uta agrees.

Akuma-Heika: -Good point, I couldn't see Euphie pushing the trigger in the same situation. In fact, I hope you don't mind if I use this for my other CG-fic?

-Either way, unlike some people I don't get but-hurt over calling them one or the other, blame D&D and DxD for that.

-You know what, you just gave me a brilliant idea how to cover that. Thanks.

-Touché

-Yes, now ain't that fucked up? All the more fitting, though, if you're caught up on the manga:

-You're right, Eto was revealed to have fridges full of meat, though it probably isn't a good idea for her to cook 'em.

-Yes, I did. You can export chapters, edit them, then replace the old versions with the new ones once you're done.

-Glad you enjoyed it

-Thanks, I'll give that a try.

Guest: Oh don't you worry they will. Not just yet but - They will.

makesomehassel: Hope you do, you might get some ideas from Demon's Anarchy of Pride, like I did. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you make!

Without further ado – on to the story!

The demon listens

'Why did I get slapped for her getting too close?'

Ken was still wondering that the next day, as he was learning how to brew coffee from the manager in the kitchen of the shop. He was doing better then he thought, almost like he was used to making it this way, instead of the instant coffee he had at home.

"Just like that, slowly, in a circle," said Yoshimura, "Tell me, have you brewed coffee before?"

"N-not, th-that I can re-remember," the half-ghoul answered nervously, afraid he might spill some of the hot water on himself or mess up the coffee.

Giving the finished drink a taste, Ken frowned a little.

"It's not quite there yet. Certainly not as good as yours, Yoshimura-san."

"Well, coffee is something one needs to put great effort in, just like people. There's no need to get impatient."

"Well then, I'm going to the front for now. Touka-chan can help you out, just ask her if you need help with something."

Silently, Ken watched the manager leave, when the old man paused.

"One important thing...'Anteiku' is not just a coffee shop, but also a gathering place for local ghouls."

Ken came up and looked past Yoshimura at the customers, subtly sniffing the air.

'They're almost all ghouls...that's a lot,' he thought.

"There's no need to be particularly on guard here. You just need to know that many ghouls frequent here."

Ken nodded, he had imagined something like this the first time he came back here after his 'surgery'.

"Of course, just like you, several of our customers are human. At those times you should also try to give your best service."

"But...with ghouls needing to hide from them, is it alright to let them in here?"

Yoshimura considered the young man before asking: "Tell me, if you had never known life as a human, what would you stand to gain from associating yourself with humans, even at our distance?"

Ken thought about it for a minute.

"I could learn how they act, mimic what they do so that I don't stand out," he finally answered.

"Indeed," replied Yoshimura, "humans are like walking text-books for a ghoul. Besides..."

Ken gave him an interested look.

"I like them...the humans."

'He likes them...how?' Ken couldn't help but wonder about that.

As the manager made to step out into the front room, he had a thought and said: "By the way, Kaneki-kun..."

The half-ghoul perked up at his name.

"If someone with a bag, or suitcase or the like comes in, tell me straight away, or ask someone to let me know if you can't come yourself."

"Why?"

"...I'll cover that later."

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Ken entered the shop area, noticed Touka mouthing him to come over. She looked slighty annoyed.

When he saw the source of that annoyance, he honestly couldn't blame her.

"Ohh, Kaneki!"

There was Hide, looking like the incident with Nishiki never happened.

"Hide? What are you doing here...?"

"I came to see you on the job! You told me about it, remember?"

Must've been before the mask shop. Touka's got a mean slap.

"Lookin' sharp in that uniform, you are!"

"Thanks, but would you please order something? I don't want to trouble the manager..."

Hide stared at him wide-eyed for a split second as Ken got out a pen and notepad.

"So uptight! Is it the suit? I heard how clothing makes a person, but this is something else!"

The look the fake blond got was both stern and troubled.

"Right, my order. Cappuccino, please! Oh, and could you get it, Touka-chan?"

Touka-chan?!

He didn't know why that bothered him as much as it did, but he knew that given the opportunity, the girl would tear his friend out for that.

"Ah, okay..."

But right as she was about to leave, Hide spoke up again.

"And thanks again for before!"

For a moment, Ken was lost about what his friend meant, when his mind went back to the cover-story the manager told him they had provided for Hide concerning Nishiki.

Something about a car accident.

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"Make sure he doesn't find out, okay?"

"Huh?"

Just as Ken was about to bring Hide his order – which Touka unsurprisingly insisted he make – the ghoul-girl said that while cleaning the counter.

"About what you are. If he does, not just you, but all of us will be in deep shit."

Ken gulped, she sounded quite serious...

"So, if he does find out..."

She turned towards him with a one-eyed glare. (Bloody peek-a-boo bangs)

"I'll kill him."

He looked afraid for a moment, before returning the glare, also one-eyed.

"What about you?"

Her visible eye widened. They both knew what/who he was talking about.

"You have the same situation, no?"

His shaking hand which held the cappuccino settled.

"So before you say something like that, be sure you can follow through it for yourself."

With that, he left her standing there, so she can think on that.

'Coming from her, it's likely a compromise.'

'Probably...'

'That Nishiki person is still out there, and there might be more ghouls like Rize.'

'...'

'And while I don't think the regulars will try anything funny, you still might want to keep an eye on the patrons.'

'Right, Hide is my friend.'

'Which means we're responsible for him.'

Ken never stopped to ask himself why he was arguing with himself.

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After their shifts ended, Yoshimura asked Ken to the staff room, where there was a plate of sandwiches on the table. And a smirking Touka nearby.

"Yoshimura-san, what's this," he asked, though he had an idea. One that upset his stomach.

"Since you're going to spend no small amount of time among other humans, I wanted to help you practice how to 'eat' around them," the elder man replied, gesturing to the food, "Why don't you go ahead and try?"

Ken assumed he would get some helpful tips once he spat the sandwich back out. Surprisingly, it didn't quite go as imagined.

Sure, it was disgusting, he barely held it in long enough to spit it into the nearby sink, but frankly, he was amazed that he managed to hold out that long. He also ignored the waitress trying half-heartedly to hide her amusement.

"Bread tastes like a sponge...lettuce smells like fresh grass...cheese is like it's spoiled..."

Now they were both laughing, Yoshimura in a subtle chuckle and Touka full out giggling.

"W-what?"

"Apologies, but I did not expect such an...interesting description."

"More like, who the fuck says that kind of shit?" mumbled Touka, albeit uselessly.

"It's actually better than the ones I had at home, after my surgery, that is."

This earned him a shocked look from the waitress, as the manager kept his face straight and asked: "Could you elaborate?"

Confused at their reactions, Ken explained: "After I got out of the hospital, no, even the food there had tasted absolutely horrible. I literally tried everything in my house, it's how I found out about the coffee preference. That was much worse than this sandwich here."

"That can't be!" interjected Touka, "Aside from coffee and water, all those human foods should be the same kind of disgusting!"

"..eh?"

"Perhaps your ghoul and human abilities have not settled themselves?" offered Yoshimura.

"Makes sense," Ken conceded, "my ears and nose have been getting sharper, so maybe it's that?"

The manager nodded in agreement, while the girl just shook her head at the nonsensical situation.

Yoshimura proceeded to show Ken how to 'drink' the food, pretending to chew. To their, and his, surprise, he reenacted it almost perfectly, one would almost miss the slight cringe in his face at the taste. The old ghoul emphasized the need to vomit the food afterwards, because it can impact a ghoul's system negatively.

"Finally," said the manager, "I have a present for you."

"? A present?"

The old ghoul presented something like a brown sugar cube.

'That's not sugar.'

Ken gulped as the thought passed through his head, accepting the cube.

"Using this in your coffee should take the edge off of your hunger, so you won't need to eat so frequently."

"Is this..." Ken hesitated to ask, even though he already knew the answer.

"You probably do not want to think about it."

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Ken happened to be in the now empty café when the door opened to reveal a mother and her daughter.

"Ah, welcome."

'Regulars?'

'Probably here for 'special services'.'

"Oh my," said the mother, "A new worker?"

"Ah, yes. My name is Kaneki Ken."

'They're ghouls...'

"I'm Fueguchi Ryouko. Here, Hinami...say hello," the woman nudged her daughter, who jolted out of whatever she was focused on.

Then the middle school aged girl hid behind her parent, peeking out at Ken.

"Well, she's still shy around strangers..."

'What a lovely mother.'

'I'm seriously trying to not be envious.'

'?'

"H-hello," offered the half-ghoul, thrown off by the thoughts in his head..

"...Hello..." was the weak reply.

From around the corner popped Touka, with a surprisingly pleasant experession.

"Oh! Ryouko-san, Hinami!"

"Hello there, Touka-chan."

'I've never seen her with that kind of face before.'

'What about her friend?'

'She looked more how I feel when Hide is around.'

'A pain in the ass that you wouldn't trade the world for?'

'Err, something like that.'

Should he be worried that he doesn't find this weird?

"The manager is upstairs," said Touka, "You can go on up."

As he watched the two females climb the stairs, he muttered: "Hard to believe it."

"Huh?" went the ghoul beside him, "What is?"

"Well, just looking at them, you'd never think they were ghouls," he explained himself, "What are they here for, anyways?"

"They're a bit like you – not the whole transplant bullshit, your 'food' issues."

"They don't...'hunt'?"

"More like can't, or won't."

"Huh..." he hadn't thought there were such ghouls.

'More like, you just assumed that all ghouls are predators.'

Ken winced, which Touka noticed.

'For every ten ghouls like Rize, there's probably one like Fueguchi.'

Thinking about it like that, it made sense. If there was the odd ghoul willing to hunt their own for food, then there were also those who didn't hunt, period.

'The only ones who should hunt...'

"...are those prepared to be hunted," he mumbled, unaware of Touka observing him.

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"You know Kaneki..."

A few days later, Ken and Hide were having lunch on campus at a table outside, when the human began to speak.

"When I came to see you in the hospital, you looked like shit."

"I-is that so?"

'Probably the food.'

Needless to say, the artificial hybrid was using this opportunity to practice 'eating' the way Yoshimura taught him. He wasn't sure, but it almost seemed easier than before.

"Now you look much better, maybe even more than before the accident!"

"I see..."

"How's your job going?"

"I'm getting used to it. My co-workers are mostly nice, too."

'Except Touka-chan.'

'She probably needs to get used to you. Heavens know I do.'

'...'

"...neki. Kaneki I say!"

"! What?!"

"I asked if Touka-chan has said anything about me?"

"Ah, no she hasn't."

Not likely that she will, either.

"Nagachika-kun?"

The young men turned around to see a brown-haired girl that looked distinctly familiar to Ken.

"Ah, you're Nishio-san's girlfriend, ain'tcha?"

Ah, right. He hadn't gotten a clear look at her then, but he recognized her scent from when he met the older ghoul.

Wait, girlfriend?

Retrieving something from her hand bag, she gave Hide a CD. "Here, from Nishiki-kun."

"Oh! The CD with the materials for the school festival!"

Turning to leave, she said: "I only came by to pass that on, goodbye."

"Ah, wait!" Hide called, startling her.

"Do you know where Nishio-san is hospitalized at? We'd like to go visit him, if possible!"

'You do. I don't.'

The woman briefly glanced back at them, before walking off brusquely.

"Ahh...was it something I said?"

'Nisho-san isn't in a hospital...'

'Not one for humans.'

'She came to pass the materials to us...'

'Was she investigating us?'

'To figure out mine and Hide's condition?'

'Does she report to him?'

'She doesn't smell like ghoul...But does she know that he is one?'

"Oi, Kaneki!"

"Huh!?"

"Quit spacing out on me, man! Are you feeling okay? Had this weird face and all that..."

"D-did I now?"

"Yeah...You got work today?"

"Ah...yes, I do."

"All right. Don't overdo it."

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"'Dove' is in 20th Ward."

"Heard Oumi got offed."

"Guy had some control-issues. But man, 20th is not that safe anymore, huh?"

Later that same day, Ken was working his shift in the shop behind the counter, idly listening to the patrons' conversations.

'This place seems to be a hot-bed of information for ghouls.'

'There is no greater weapon, or shield, than information.'

'These ghoul investigators are currently the most popular topic.'

'For good reason.'

"Kaneki-kun, good work today."

Ken looked up to see Yoshimura coming his way.

"Oh. You too, manager."

"Uta-kun tells me that your mask is coming along nicely."

"Ah, is that so?"

Ken glanced around the shop again as a thought came to him.

"Touka-chan isn't working today?"

"Indeed, her exams are about to start, so it cannot be helped. She is quite helpful, but even our pretty waitresses need a break her and there...Anyway, I've a favor to ask of you, Kaneki-kun. Are you free tonight?"

"Ah, yes...do you need me to tidy up the shop?"

"Ah, no, I'd like you to help with 'groceries'."

"'Groceries', as in..."

'Meat.'

"Usually I rely on Touka-chan for it, but today I'd like you to take her place."

Ken wanted to protest loudly, but instead managed only a small, unconvincing: "I, don't think I could ki—"

"Ah, no, not that. There's no need to kill anyone."

"Eh, but it's about, well, 'food', right?"

'So no hunting. Scavenging, perhaps?'

'Wait, as in corpses?!'

'Would you rather kill people?'

Yoshimura waited patiently as Ken made up his mind.

"Very well, sir. I'll do it."

"Oh, good. Thank you. I've already let Yomo-kun know."

''Yomo'-san?'

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Touka had finished her studies for the day, in a sense. At the very least, the time she allotted herself for it was up. For some strange reason though, she's been doing better at school. Perks of having an inner fangirl for some half-ghoul dipshit.

She frowned, remembering all the weird crap going on around said older boy. The worst part was, he himself didn't even seem to have a clue how to deal with it.

There was the bullshit with the sandwiches. Either those just happened to be less disgusting for him, as a former human, or his taste-buds had been that of a ghoul, but were going back to how they were. The former option was already enviable, the latter downright disconcerting.

Then there were this shifts in character. Personally, she blamed the not-Ken who trashed Nishiki for that. Sometimes he'd totally act like she expected him to, other times he seemed...jaded. Scarred. Twisted.

Then she remembered that today was 'grocery' day, and headed downstairs to the manager.

"Oh, that. You don't need to worry," he reassured her, "I asked Kaneki-kun to do it today."

"Him? You think he's gonna be fine?"

"At the very least, it will be an experience for him, no?"

'Yeah, dicing up suicide victims and stuffing 'em in a bag. Sounds like he'll have a blast.'

T-the fuck!?

"Er, yeah, sure. I gotta go to bed, see ya tomorrow, Yoshimura-san!"

As she left her ears caught him mumbling: "I wonder what's got her so worried..."

Once she was alone in the confines of her room, she barked: "Okay, what the flying fuck are you?!"

'Think whacha wanna say, girl. People'll think you've gone bonkers.'

Touka threw herself onto her bed. (Softly, of course. She didn't want to pay for a new frame.)

'I've got a fucking voice in my head! And it's talking back, incase ya ain't noticed!'

'Well, seeing as how I am the voice in your head, I'd be pretty dumb not to notice.'

She buried her head in her pillow.

'Again, what the fuck are you, and where did you fucking come from!'

'Not that I'm one to talk, but for a virgin your pretty damn appreciative of that word, is there something going on?'

'Wha—No! And if there was, wouldn't you be there to notice?!'

'Would I? You ain't got no idea where I came from, anyways.'

'grr'

'But don't worry hun, I'll answer your questions best I can. And truthfully even, unlike that guy...'

'? What guy?'

'{sigh} Okay, first off – you were born with me.'

'...Are you pulling my fucking leg?'

'There's that word again...Alright, let me rephrase that –

You used to be me.'

'Now who belongs in the loony bin?'

'Still you, either way.'

'Fuck!'

'Get your history book – yes that one.'

Following the voices instructions, Touka opened up to a section on the founding of the United States of Japan – or rather, the second founding, if you count the one made after the SAZ Massacre.

'See the red-head?'

'...Kouzuki Kallen...?'

'Nice to meet you.'

Poor girl just plain passed out, unwittingly taking the reincarnated ace with her to dreamland.

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So both Lelouch and Kallen have made contact with their respective new selves, though I hope you like how I did that. I'm thinking of ambling along with my other projects, don't know if you've already seen them. If not, feel free to check out my profile page.

Read & Review, please!