Flowers From Hell

Hollow

Summary for this chapter: Frankly, Lieutenant Kaneki didn't believe that Hollows were still souls—until he cut one's mask. And then, suddenly, he was a veteran.

This is a drabble collection for poor Lieutenant Kaneki (is still a ghoul, just doesn't use his kagune [much, winkwink]) and his adventures in Soul Society.

I think I'll get to how he rose to power in time.

He has two phrases for releases, one for his bankai and one for his shikai. To be fair though, his shikai release is a bit weak, meant to encourage the enemy and make them underestimate Kaneki's killing intent.

Oop, really quick, I ship HidexKaneki and am proud! No M-rated stuff tho. Just hugs-and-kisses (with no, uh... tongue).

Before all ya ladies and gents out there like me who hate shippings in fanfics, the KanekixHide thing is just to make Ichigo feel uncomfortable, I swear. If you want to know if there's any chapters mainly focused around that shipping, read the summary at the start of every chapter.

Disclaimer: Please, does it look like I own Bleach or Tokyo Ghoul?

Hiirokari: "scarlet wrath"

Mukade Hiirokari: "centipede scarlet wrath"

Release phrase: "Unmask, Hiirokari!"

Second release phrase/bankai release phrase: "Bankai. Uncoil, Mukade Hiirokari."

Lieutenant Kaneki Ken of the Fifth Division was famed for his accuracy. His zanpaku-tô, named Hiirokari, was suited for critical strikes and speedy recovery. He wasn't loved, not like Captain Kurosaki was, but he was respected, and had plenty of admirers (again, not like Captain Kurosaki, but he was the hero of the Winter War and had an overabundance of women after his blood).

So it was that not even once had he known what was behind a Hollow's mask.

He was similar to his Captain in that he had risen to his rank in a time of war and thus did not go through proper training, but Ichigo had had Rukia to guide him.

Ken had nobody.

So it was that he was patrolling Karakura town with his Captain (whose home this had been in life, Ichigo said), when suddenly, Ichigo's reiatsu climbed slightly as he reached out, sensing something.

"Shit! Hollow! C'mon, Kaneki!" He hissed. Ken, slightly startled (there was a pang somewhere in his heart; nearly no one, with the exception of Rize-san and... him, ever called him Ken), promptly Flash-Stepped after Ichigo, arriving in a clearing, occupied by a large Hollow that somewhat resembled an overlarge rabbit. It stared straight at him and lunged.

Ken brought up Hiirokari and blocked the attack (instinct screamed for him to bring out his kagune), though wincing; two claws had found their way to his side and were currently ripping both the shihakushô and his skin to shreds. He pushed back and raised Hiirokari, taking off the mask and destroying the Hollow.

The figure dematerialized, but a small body remained—a human body.

Ken's heart stopped.

Nagachika Hideyoshi.

The boy—damn it, man crawled towards his childhood friend, and later, lover, reaching up for his face. "Wow, Ken, is that you? It's been so long..."

Ken slowly, tentatively kneeled, in front of Hide, taking his hand—and suddenly, memories flooded back, a thousand moments and a thousand touches and a thousand smiles. Hide.

"H-H-Hide—" gasped Ken, clutching his hand desperately. "I-I-I'll see you. In the Rukongai, no matter how long it takes, I'll find you, I'll bring you with me, we can really finally go home—" He choked on the word.

"Let's just go home, Kaneki."

"Calm down..." Laughed Hide, a breathy one that wasn't anything like him. His lower half had begun to turn to spirit particles. If not for this moment, Ken might never find him again, especially if he ended up in one of the rougher districts of the Rukongai.

"I'll see you, I know. If I saw you this late, I'll see you then." Ken swallowed hard, trying to fight down his panic, his overwhelming fear. More than half of Hide was gone at this point.

"Please, please promise me," he pleaded, hanging on to the small piece of Hide he had left. "Tell me you'll stay out of trouble, avoid death at all costs. I have to see you again, please!"

Hide chuckled, the last of him thinning into the heavy, reiryoku-tinted air. "Of course. You always were a girl, Ken..."

Ken stared at the spot he'd just met his oldest—and perhaps only—friend. Then all the energy seemed to seep out of him and he nearly collapsed if it weren't for Ichigo catching him. He'd completely forgotten that his captain was there.

"Whoa there, Kaneki," he said quietly. "Let's get you to Urahara-san."

Urahara was surprised to see them.

Well, maybe that was an understatement.

When Ichigo walked into the shop with his half-conscious Lieutenant hanging on for dear life to his awareness and Ichigo's shoulders, Urahara took one look and yelped.

Well, as Yoruichi had pointed out later, it was more of an undignified shriek.

The man clambered to his feet and quickly gave Kaneki a once-over before yelling over his shoulder, "Yoruichi-san! Kurosaki-san's lieutenant is in a bad state!"

Yoruichi Flash-Stepped over, took Kaneki, and Flash-Stepped away in the span of five seconds.

Ichigo sighed, rubbing his face. Urahara gave him a sympathetic look.

"Up for tea, Kurosaki-san?"

Minutes later, holding a steaming cup, Ichigo confessed, "I never really thought about Kaneki's past. He was one of the more quiet ones, taciturn. Only spoke when he needed to. Reminded me of Ulquiorra, he did. He came to power like I did, so... I suppose he didn't know."

"Didn't know what, Kurosaki-san?" Asked Urahara, not gently, but with considerably less hyperactivity.

"That there are human souls beneath the mask."

Urahara's brow creased. "Let me guess, someone from his past?"

"Someone very important to him," agreed Ichigo, and sighed deeply. "Must have been his best friend or something, but there was something else, something different. He seemed to be more than that."

Urahara paused for a moment, then suggested, "Partner?"

Ichigo spat half a cup of tea across the table, earning an alarmed squawk from his previous mentor. Panting and staring at Urahara, he said incredulously, "Kaneki's gay?"

"Not necessarily," pointed out Urahara. "He could be bisexual, or pansexual, or demisexual, or simply heterosexual with only one person in particular of the opposite sex of whom he is attracted to."

Ichigo just shook his head in disbelief. "Never thought it from Kaneki, of all people..."

Yoruichi called, poking her head from the doorway, "Hate to interrupt your absolutely lovely conversation, but Lieutenant Kaneki's asking for Ichigo and you, Kisuke."

"Oh," replied Ichigo lamely, standing, still gripping his cup in his hands.

"Why me?" Asked Urahara, but Yoruichi just shrugged with an sarcastic "I don't know. He wasn't all that specific." She then turned an accusing eye upon Ichigo. "His side's a mess. What exactly did you do to him?"

"We ran into a Hollow and he was caught off guard," said Ichigo, brushing past her. Yoruichi, about to turn into her cat form and claw him until he gave a proper explanation—he should know better than to test her patience—caught Urahara's eye. The ex-Shinigami shook his head at her subtly, so she satisfied herself with a very Ichigo-reminiscent scowl.

Kaneki, sitting up and facing the wall, barely stirred at the entrance of the two people he'd asked for, though his dark eyes flickered towards them.

There was a highly awkward silence.

Just as Ichigo was about to excuse himself, Kaneki said, "Kamishiro Rize."

"What?" Asked Ichigo, dumbfounded, but Kaneki plowed on: "That was the name of someone I had loved. But then..."

His fist clenched, turning his pale knuckles white. "She turned out to be a ghoul."

Ichigo wasn't able to stifle his gasp. Ghouls rarely wandered into Karakura Town, but he knew what Urahara had told him and what he'd gathered from television—that ghouls had a very high reiryoku and were much more spiritually tuned than usual. He'd never heard of an incident such as Kaneki's, however.

"I... She chased me, and then I collapsed. The next thing I remember, I was a half-ghoul."

"Wait, wait, wait," said Urahara, stopping Kaneki. "Did you carry over your ghoul powers? Do you still have your kagune?"

Kaneki hesitated for a moment—just for a moment, which Ichigo's high-speed eyes caught—then closed his eyes. Kakugan lines shot across his right eye and four scarlet tentacles rose from his back.

Ichigo stumbled back, slightly shocked. "Oh my God. My... My lieutenant's a ghoul. A ghoul is—is in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads!" He was slightly hysterical at this point, by which point Urahara was peppering a bewildered Kaneki with questions.

"You're a Rinakaku ghoul, yes? How many kakuhou do you have?"

"Does being a half-ghoul hinder your abilities at all?"

"Are all ghouls' kagune unique?"

And so on until Kaneki yelled, "I'm a kakuja!"

This caused a lull. Ichigo, who knew full well that Kaneki never raised his voice, never showed emotion, snapped his mouth shut. Urahara said, very evenly and without any signs of his former eagerness, "How?"

At this question, Kaneki looked down, his head of snow-white hair shrouding his expression. Only his hands, clenched so tight that they shook, and the tell-tale squeaking of his teeth grinding told them that a bad memory was associated with his descent into becoming a kakuja.

"...Never mind," said Urahara quietly, standing and making his leave.

"...Captain Kurosaki?" Ichigo glanced up at his lieutenant, who was toying with the sleeve of his shihakushô.

"Would you... Help me search the Rukongai for H-Hide?" This question was unexpected, and Ichigo stared at Kaneki, enough to make the half-ghoul Shingami uncomfortable. Squirming, he was about to take it back when Ichigo said, "Sure."

Kaneki didn't even inquire after his captain's sanity out of relief. "Thank you."

Ichigo turned to leave, having made his decision and done what he could, and his hand was at the sliding door when Kaneki asked softly, "Captain Kurosaki?"

Ichigo tilted his head to indicate he was listening.

"Please... Call me Ken."