Prologue: Origins
In the words of Mongul from Justice League: The people have spoken!
Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the newest story in my growing arsenal, Green-Eyed Ghoul!
After re-watching seasons 1 and 2 of the anime, and reading about twenty different Wikipedia articles, I finally came up with a way to get this baby rolling, while at the same time adding my own variations and adjustments in order to fit with my own mythos regarding this new story.
That being said, I've decided to kick us off one year before Tokyo Ghoul's canon, with Percy and Hinami being the same age.
Now, since this was the fan-favorite, and had the most votes, I would prefer that any reviews along the lines of 'you should've done this story,' or 'I wanted this story' to not be posted. I did this democratically, and I'm only doing what the majority of the people wanted. However, do not be alarmed, for the other two WILL be posted in the future.
Now, without further ado…
Disclaimer: Tokyo Ghoul and its characters are property of Sui Ishida, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians are property of Rick Riordan
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Ghouls.
A race of humanoid predators capable of tearing apart humans like tissue paper. They are stronger than us, faster than us, more durable than us, and their senses are far superior to us. Ghouls use a variety of tactics and techniques to hunt and kill their only prey: human beings.
The way a Ghouls body works, prevents them from consuming any type of man-made dish that isn't made of man. Their digestive processes can only function on one type of sustenance that is found in human tissue: RC cells.
The origin of these special cells is unknown, however the first reported cases of these abnormal, fetus-like cells came in from the 1950s, after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This had led experts to believe that the RC cells are the result of mutations caused by nuclear radioactivity.
Of course, people were skeptical of the presences of these mutations…until the hunger set in, until the eyes began to change color, until the claws started to emerge. Special organs were discovered in the bodies of those whose RC levels were 1000, and these organs were named 'kakuhou.'
Using their kakuhou, these new people could extend their RC cells beyond their bodies, forming unique weapons called 'kagune.' There are four types of kagunes, the Ukaku, Koukaku, Rinkaku, and Bikaku. The Ukaku takes the shape of wings, and can harden into a crystal-like weapon capable of launching projectile spikes; the Koukaku typically sprouts from the shoulder blades as a drill, a spear, and sometimes even an entire new arm; the Rinkaku kagune comes from the lower back, and comes in a variety of tentacle shapes; finally, the Bikaku emerges from just above your ass crack, and is always in the form of a tail-like appendage.
Each kagune has its strengths and weaknesses, and that is something that capitalized on.
When the Japanese government learned that these 'Ghouls' could only feed on the RC cell-rich flesh of the humans, they went to great lengths to not only completely cover this up, but to find a way to counter this new threat. Media was strictly governed, and tourists and visitors were closely monitored. The answer to combatting these Ghouls came in the form of the Ghouls themselves.
The Japanese government founded an agency called the Commission of Counter Ghoul, an organization dedicated to destroying these predators. By killing a Ghoul, harvesting its kagune, and splicing it with a special steel found in Germany, the CCG was able to develop a new weapon: the Quinque. Using this weapon, Ghoul Investigators, the soldiers of the CCG, were able to slice through the hardened flesh of any Ghoul with practiced ease.
And so the two sides have been waging a cold war for decades. The humans and Ghouls locked in a silent, bloody conflict for survival. However, neither side was able to gain any real ground. The Ghouls learned quickly how to be uncatchable predators, and the humans learned quickly how to fight against their superior enemies.
Realizing the stalemate they were in, the government blocked off their major cities into multiple wards, in order to coral the Ghouls and keep better track of the predators. So far that method has worked, but by drawing lines on a map, certain Ghouls were able to rise to power, taking control of the wards, and forming gangs to fight for territory.
The CCG mostly stayed out of conflicts like that, letting the Ghouls kill each other off before swooping down and wiping out the survivors. Of course, a system had to be created in order to accurately classify Ghouls and the threat they posed. That system was called the Rating, and it ranked Ghouls on a scale of C all the way up to SSS.
Leaders of the Ghoul gangs were typically S-rated or higher, so there also had to be a class system for the Ghoul Investigators as well. Rank 3 was the lowest, then there was Rank 2, and Rank 1. After that, you became a Senior Investigator, with the ranking there being First Class, Associate Special Class, and the highest being Special Class. Only very few Investigators became Special Class, and only very few Ghouls were SSS-rated.
Despite the Japanese's best efforts, some Ghouls managed to slip past security, and enter the outside world, forming lives of their own. The governments of the other countries had to be informed of the threat in their borders, but it was done covertly and professionally, so that international panic wouldn't ensue. So, even with the 'outbreak,' Ghouls were still the world's most largely kept secret.
This is where our story begins. An American Ghoul returning to Japan in order to see his family, only to meet a beautiful young woman with glowing red eyes. These two would consummate their love for each other, and a daughter would be born unto them.
A daughter by the name of Sally Jackson.
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Sally was a Ghoul, like her parents, and had an Ukaku kagune. Her 'wings' took a shape similar to that of an orca's dorsal fin, with the interior color being white, with red veins sprouting from a red circle in the middle of her kagune, leading to a red outline that trembled like fire.
She lived a happy life her parents, the three of them able to make ends meet in more ways than one. Their Ghoul identities were kept a close secret, but it was a secret that was soon discovered. Sally had made the mistake of hunting an Investigator, and was not strong enough to defeat the pair of Ghoul hunters. Luckily, her parents arrived in time to save their daughter, but now their identity was known.
CCG soldiers broke down the door of their house days later, and Sally barely made it out alive, but her parents were not so lucky. The girl's perspective on life changed that day, and she fell into a mindset that most Ghouls had. That humans were always the enemy, no matter what.
Sally lived on the streets for years, learning, growing, hunting, eating, and fighting. She stole any clothes that she needed, killed whomever threatened her, and created an infamous reputation as the Death Angel, an S-rated Ghoul known for her white cloak, serene-faced mask, and white Ukaku kagune.
Sally became strong and jaded, and she eventually formed a Ghoul gang of her own in the 20th ward of Tokyo, Japan. Her gang was composed entirely of Ghouls with Ukaku kagunes, and they were feared for their coordination, flight abilities, and high-speed attacks.
The Death Angel ruled the 20th ward for over a year, until two new Ghouls rose to power, and formed gangs of their own. Kaya Irimi, aka Black Dog, leader of the Black Dobers, and Enji Koma, aka Devil Ape, leader of the Apes Ghoul gang.
The two gangs gained followers quickly, and challenged Sally's rule on a number of occasions, each time ending only with blood. Every encounter ended with Ghouls on both sides dying, and all three gangs losing member after member. Eventually, the Death Angel got fed up with her men being killed, and she issued a challenge to her rival gangs.
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The Angels of Death, the Black Dobers, and the Apes had all gathered at an abandoned warehouse district, one gang occupying the roof of one building, the other two gangs occupying the roof of another.
The Angels of Death were all clad in white cloaks, with white masks designed to look like peaceful, serene faces, but the image was shattered by the glowing red lights that shined with hunger coming from the eyeholes.
The Black Dobers were dressed in black coats, jackets, shirts, hoodies, etc., and black pants. They all had the exact same masks in the design of a Doberman's snout, and their kakugans, the name of a Ghoul's eyes, were shining brightly in the night.
The Apes were dressed in a less matching manner, the only similar thing being the white jackets and the demonic, monkey-like masks. Other than that, they were a hodgepodge of different garments.
"This ends tonight," Sally said. "I've tolerated your pestilence for long enough."
Black Dog and Devil Ape didn't get to respond before Death Angel was zooming forward, grabbing both Ghouls by the throat, and flying off with a flap of her kagune. The Dobers and Apes that were too stunned to react were cut down by the hail of Ukaku spikes shot by the Angles of Death. The survivors scattered, and the three gangs engaged in all out turf-war.
Sally threw her opponents through the metal roof of one building, sending the Ghouls crashing into the concrete below, cracking it and sending up dust. The jaded woman dive-bombed through the roof, and the other two just barely managed to dodge.
Sally went after Kaya first, swinging her kagune like a pair of swords. The Black Dog was nimble, and avoided every slash and jab with grace. The Devil Ape bounded above, using his enhanced muscles to blur across the support pillars, before shooting downwards.
Sally leapt back, and brought her kagune forward as a shield, before throwing it forward launching her opponents backwards. She crystalized it, and sent a hail of spikes at the Ghouls. They were able to dodge nimbly, but the Death Angel had experience in dealing with fast people, and was able to shoot them both down.
Sally approached the downed forms of the Black Dog and the Devil Ape, her wings crystalized and poised to strike down. The two had spikes piercing places among their bodies, and their kakugans were no longer shining.
"You two put up a good fight for these past few months, but you don't fuck with the Death Angel and live, bastards," Sally said vindictively. She raised her kagune higher, and that was her mistake. Twin pairs of red eyes snapped open, and Sally was too slow to react to the double-fisted punch to her gut that sent her speeding across the warehouse, through the concrete wall, and slamming into the door of another warehouse.
The bodies of all three gangs could be seen littering the walkways, but still many continued to fight for their leaders.
Kaya and Enji stalked forward, their kagunes out and ready for battle. Enji had a Bikaku kagune, while Kaya had an Ukaku like Sally. The Death Angel was struggling to regain her breath; those two punches had packed some power behind them, and Sally was too slow to harden her muscles so that they could take the brunt of the damage. She probably had internal bleeding, too.
The Black Dog and the Devil Ape were just feet away, when everything went pear-shaped.
"Stop! In the name of the CCG, you are all under arrest!" Over a hundred soldiers decked out in full gear and guns loaded with Q Bullets, along with more than a handful of First Class Investigators armed with various Quinques, stood in front of the small army of Ghouls.
The red-eyed beings stood frozen, the leaders all with scowls on under their masks. This was not planned, why the hell were these humans here in the first place!? This was supposed to be a private affair between rival gangs, not an everyone's invited party! Even worse, in their fatigued states, the Ghoul gangs didn't stand a chance against that many CCG officers.
"No. They are not under anyone's arrest."
Then a humongous giant of a man crashed down in between the CCG and the Ghouls. Eyes widened and mouths fell open upon recognition of this new arrival. Most thought he was a myth, a legend, just a story to kill little kids. The Head Investigator was able to whisper the name of the new arrival, before the slaughter began.
"The One-Eyed Owl…"
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Years later
Sally Jackson stood at the end of a dock, overlooking the Tokyo Bay. The sun was setting behind her, and it was moments like these that she enjoyed the most. The peace, the quiet, the lack of hunger. She had just finished her shift at a quaint little coffee shop by the name of Anteiku, and was spending the last few hours of light staring at the endless expanse of beautiful water.
Sally's nose picked up a scent coming from behind her, one that smelled of the sea breeze, and salty water. She turned around and a light gasp escaped her mouth before she could stop it. It was a man, a very, very beautiful man.
This man's skin was tanned, his beard and hair a dark black, with his hair being in a wind-swept fashion. His eyes were a beautiful shade of green, and shined with a warmth and kindness that no human or Ghoul could possibly emit. He wore a flamboyant Hawai'ian shirt of all things, Bermuda shorts, and sandals befitting a fisherman.
"Hello there," he greeted. God, even is voice was beautiful.
"H-hello," Sally stammered in a very uncharacteristic fashion. She was a SS-rated Ghoul known as the Death Angel. She had killed probably over twenty Ghoul Investigators, and God knows how many other people, and once led a gang that held the 20th ward in an iron grip for over a year, so why was she stammering like a school-girl in the presence of her crush!?
"I'm sorry for intruding like this, but I couldn't help but notice the way you look at the sea. It reminds of the way I look at it as well," the said wistfully.
"R-really? And how do you look at it?"
"As if it's a beautiful woman," Sally's heart skipped, "someone shrouded in mystery and wonder, yet powerful and fierce all the same. The sea holds many secrets, and just below the surface is a world unlike anything that man could ever build." The man looked at Sally with warm eyes, and held out his hand, "May I ask what your name is?"
Sally hesitated, but she put her hand in the man's, "Sally. Sally Jackson. What's yours?
The man kissed the back of her hand and looked back up at her with a smile, showing off his sparkling teeth, "Poseidon."
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Six months later
Sally was hidden in an alleyway, satisfying her growing hunger. She was careful in who she picked to eat, because RC cells were a must-have at this point in her pregnancy. She needed food for herself, and her growing baby.
Right now, her meal consisted of someone dumb enough to try and mug her. A man, probably in his late twenties, well-built, tall, rugged, and tasted very good.
It was quite the shock to learn that the man she had fallen in love with was the Poseidon, and that everything about the myths and legends was true. It was terrifying, actually. Sally hadn't ever been one to read up on mythology, but if her child was going to be born in a world of hungry monsters, angry gods, and ferocious Ghouls…she was scared, and rightfully so.
Of course, it didn't help much in that Poseidon didn't know that is lover was a Ghoul.
"Sally?"
The Death Angel's head snapped up, her glowing red eyes widening at who had called her name. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Poseidon stood at the entrance of the alley, his face morphed into one of confusion and horror. Could you blame him though? He had just found his lover, covered in blood, in an alley, eating another person.
Sally did the only thing she thought was logical: she ran away.
If she had been thinking rationally, she would've realized that running away from a god was next to impossible. Poseidon suddenly appeared in front of her, and he engulfed Sally in a tight hug. She promptly broke down crying his arms.
He wasn't afraid of her.
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Three months later
August 18, 1993
Sally grit her teeth, her kakugan springing to life. With a grunt, she pushed her baby into the world with little more than a slight pinch. She had powered through having her limb removed, and Ghouls had a pain threshold beyond anything a human could hope for.
Poseidon had the hospital staff under a heavy layer of Mist, so that they didn't freak out over their patient suddenly gaining black sclera and red eyes, and her uterus suddenly bringing itself back together without any harm.
Sally took a deep breath. That probably set a world-record for shortest birth, but the cost for it being almost painless and ridiculously short was an astounding amount of energy. The new mother was very hungry now.
Poseidon smiled at his new son, pride and joy in his green eyes. Right now, he wasn't worried about the oath, the prophecy, or Amphitrite, or Triton, or Hades, Zeus, monsters, the Fates, anything. He was just proud to have another to call his flesh and blood.
"Let me see him," Sally said tiredly.
Poseidon walked over, and gently gave his son over to his mother. Sally gingerly held the infant wrapped in blankets close to her, smiling at him with love only a mother could muster.
"What are we going to name him?"
Sally thought long and hard about her lover's question. Her son now lived in a harsh world, and survival would be a bitch, and if Grecian history showed anything, her baby's life was going to be tragic, just like every other Greek hero's…except for one.
"Perseus. Perseus Jackson."
Just then, green veins spread into the newly christened Perseus' eyes, and his lids snapped open, revealing his green kakugan to his parents.
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Four years later
Little Percy backed deeper into the dark alley he had run into, trying to escape the really big black dog that was chasing him. He was playing in the park with his Mommy, when he saw butterfly float past him and he just had to follow it because it looked pretty!
He followed the butterfly, trying to catch it, when he walked past a big dog. It was huge, as big as a car, with black fur, and glowing red eyes, but its eyes weren't like his Mommy's eyes. Mommy's were pretty, the dog's eyes were scary. Percy had run then, as fast as he could (which was really fast), but that dog wouldn't give up. Percy had turned a corner, hoping to find a winding alley so he could try and hide from the dog, but all he found was a dead end.
Really dead.
The dog stalked closer, its hackles raised, its teeth bared, saliva dripping from its shiny fangs, and its burning eyes boring into Percy's with a hungry light. The dog crouched low, and pounced-!
Percy shut his eyes tight, bringing his arms forward in a feeble attempt to protect himself. Just then, he felt something in his back, a lot of somethings, then lots of things felt like they came out of his back. He heard a weird sound, kinda like the sound he heard when he ate dinner with Mommy.
He cracked his eyes open, blissfully unaware that his sclera was black, and green veins were protruding from his iris out to his skin. He gasped when he saw that a bunch of green and black—what were they called? Squids had them…oh, right! —tentacles piercing the giant dog in multiple places, keeping the dog stopped in the air.
Percy counted the tentacles. 1, 2, 3, 4…12. There were 12 green-and-black tentacles in the dog. Then the giant canine dissolved into some pretty golden dust. Percy just stared in awe at the tentacles. He imagined them moving, and, to his shock, they did move! So cool!
He began to move them more, more, and more. It was like moving his arms or legs!
"Percy!" Mommy suddenly yelled from the front of the alley. The boy yelped in surprise, and he giggled as the tentacles receded into his back. That tickled! His Mommy scooped him up into a tight hug, saying how she was so worried about him. Percy just grinned, and told his Mommy about the butterfly, the big dog, and the tentacles, and how he could move them.
Sally sighed out how ADHD her son was, paled at the mention of a hellhound, and felt proud of her son awakening his kagune. It sounded like a powerful one at that; twelve tentacles, probably a Rinkaku, and most likely the number was related to his Olympian heritage.
In reality, this was bad. Percy's scent was now strong enough to attract monsters, and he was fine with only eating just a bit of meat every month or so, but with a twelve-tentacled Rinkaku, his appetite was about to get bigger.
Time to move back in with Yoshimura, and start her son's training.
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A few weeks later
"Alright, Percy. Today, Mr. Yomo's going to teach you, and you're to listen to every word he says, right?" Sally said with an edge.
Percy bobbed his little head, a giant smile on his face. "Yes Mommy!"
Yomo, a large man with white hair, stubble, and dressed in a grey trench coat, let a ghost of a smile cross his face at the interaction between mother and son. He knew Sally well from their 'glory days,' and, even with Yoshimura's intervention, he still couldn't fathom the Death Angel ever having a child. She never did say who the father was though, and Sally wasn't the type to spread her legs for any reason other than love, and she was too powerful to be raped, even by another Ghoul.
Questions for later though. Right now he had to focus on teaching a toddler how to brawl effectively, and hope the kid wouldn't put someone in the hospital.
Percy's RC level was insane, and he had some powerful muscles, even as underdeveloped as they were.
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"So cute!" an eight-year-old Touka Kirishima gushed when she saw Percy. Her younger brother, Ayato, just raised a brow at the new kid. Percy yelped and used his Mommy's legs as a barrier between him and the Crazy Girl. When Touka ran to the side, Percy scrambled up his Mommy's back and did a handstand on her shoulders.
It was a good thing Anteiku was closed, and the blinds drawn, or this spectacle would've raised many eyebrows.
Sally rolled her eyes at the interaction between the two children, and shifted her shoulders, causing Percy to lose his balance and fall to the ground with an oof. Touka saw her chance and dove, only to hit the floor when he the object of her desire rolled out of the way.
Percy ran behind the other blue-haired kid, and Ayato just sighed…before his eyes widened when he saw his sisterflyingthroughtheair-! CRASH!
Sally, Yoshimura, Irimi, and Koma just chuckled at the spectacle, and Yomo closed his eyes with a small smile on his face. Once the children untangled themselves, Touka latched onto Percy and squeezed. Ayato shook his head. Poor kid, he thought. He began to walk away, but his sister suddenly grabbed him and pulled him down to.
Now Touka had two little brothers!
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Four years later
"Prepare yourself, Percy. I'll only be holding back a little."
"Ha! You'll need everything you have if you want to beat me, Yomo."
The eight-year-old grinned challengingly, but when he settled into his stance, putting his left foot forward, leaning back on his right, bringing his left arm up to cover his lower face and cocking his right arm back for an uppercut, his whole demeanor went from playful boy, to serious fighter.
He closed his eyes, and focused on the RC cells in his body. Bright green veins appeared around his eyes, and just two of his tentacles slid out from underneath his black shirts. The tentacles mimicked his arms, the left drawing across his body, and the right getting primed for an upper-slash. The tentacles were about as thick as a stop sign pole, and were colored black and green where normal kagunes were colored red and black.
Percy's snapped open, revealing his unique kakugan to the world.
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A few months later
"No! I don't need you to keep spoon-feeding me every month! I'm a Ghoul, and I can hunt on my own!"
Sally scowled at her son's attitude. "You don't even know the first thing about hunting, little boy! If I didn't bring you food every month, your little butt would starve to death! Now be quiet, sit down, and eat, before I bend you over my knee and spank you till you're crying like a baby."
Percy scowled right back at his Mom, and hopped out the window, before sprinting full force down the street into the night. He would show her! He wasn't a baby anymore, he was a Ghoul, and he could hunt for his own meals now!
He didn't need help!
His nose easily picked up a scent, and he followed it to its origin of an old man dressed in blankets, pushing a grocery basket with something inside of it. Percy was dressed in all-black; loose-fitting capris, hoodie, gloves, and sneakers. He didn't have a mask yet, so he drew his hood up to where it slightly obscured his face.
It was a residential area, a street surrounded by fences, hedges, and houses, with a bridge overhead, the old man beginning to enter the small tunnel. A couple of street lamps lit up the night with their yellow glow.
Percy's kakugan activated, two of his tentacles emerging from his back in a black and green mist. Driven by hunger and a desire to prove himself, the young Ghoul dashed forward, fast as a cheetah and quiet as a mouse. His lessons with Aunt Kaya finally paying off.
He got to be within five feet of his prey when the old man whirled around, some type of blade in his hand. Percy's eyes widened, and he brought his kagune forward in time to block the old man's swing. The Ghoul's strength overrode the human's, and Percy was able to get a good look at what he was dealing with.
It made his blood run cold.
The thing that almost took his head off was a Quinque, a teal one that was probably once a Bikaku kagune. Percy followed the bastardized weapon to the white-gloved hand, up the grey coat sleeve, to the most deranged face he had ever seen.
"See, Mugeno? If you portray yourself as just another worm, there's no telling what kind of fish you'll attract, and I must say, we've reeled in a rarity!" the man said in crazed voice.
Percy disengaged and leapt backward, and the other Ghoul Investigator popped out from his cover underneath the stuff in the grocery basket. The apparent 'Mugeno' was a young man with tan skin, brown eyes, messy, dark brown hair, and clear hero-worship in the windows to his soul. "Mr. Mado…how did you know that a Ghoul was around here?"
"Instinct, my boy, instinct. Now, I'm interested in what kind of Quinque this one's kagune will make."
"But Mr. Mado," Mugeno gasped. "He's just a kid…"
"Come now, my boy. You think that mean's anything in this world? Regardless of their age, all Ghouls see humans as their prey, and besides, this one may be young now, but what will happen when he gets older? No, it's best that we put him out of his misery now, before he becomes a threat in the future!" Mado screamed and he charged forward.
Percy didn't know whether to be afraid or excited. These were Ghoul Investigators, people that were trained to fight and kill Ghouls with extreme prejudice. On the other hand, these were Ghoul Investigators. What better to prove he was strong, then to kill those that were meant to kill him?
Mado charged at Percy with all of the grace of a drunken bull, but even a sober bull was a dangerous threat, so the Ghoul casually leapt high above the deranged old man, and made a beeline for the frozen Mugeno. Maybe it was the green eyes, but the other Investigator stood frozen and unmoving, even when Percy plunged his tentacles through the man's heart and larynx.
Maybe it was because he was a Ghoul, and it was his very biology to hunt and kill humans, but as Percy stared into the dying eyes of Mugeno, he didn't feel anything. No, that was a lie. He felt satisfied, content, whole, complete, synonyms with the phrase at peace.
Percy heard the old man sprinting at him behind, and turned around to fight.
Quinque and kagune clashed in a rapid flurry of sparks and blurs. Mado was having a ball fighting a powerful Ghoul, and Percy was being pushed to his limits…with two of his tentacles. He had ten more just waiting to be unleashed to crush this Investigator.
The two dead-locked again, and Percy kept his down so Mado wouldn't see his face, and the man's face was crazed as ever, with one eye narrowed and the other impossibly wide, showing off more sclera that what should be possible.
Mado's Quinque began to press down, the old man displaying his physical ability. Imagine the Investigator's surprise, when four more tentacles burst from the boy's back, and him (Mado) flying back.
The First Class Investigator dug his Quinque into the street, halting his momentum while carving a trench through the asphalt. Mado grinned when he saw what his opponent had become. The boy was crouched low to the ground, in a runner-like stance, six black-and-green Rinkaku tentacles splayed straight out behind him, pulsing with energy. His head was bowed in a way so that his hood and the street light above him shrouded his face in shadow, but his beady green eyes glowed brightly.
"My, my, my. Six tentacles, little, glowing eyes, and a penchant for green. You look like some kind of tiny sea-creature! HAHAHAHA! Like a baby Kraken! HAHAHAHAHA!" Mado toned down his laughter, and both of his eyes became dull and half-lidded, "Now it's time to get serious."
Percy exploded forward in a blur of black and a streak of green light, the small shockwave shattering the above light.
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Percy was lying face-down on the asphalt, his own blood pooling around him. His kagune receded into his back, and his clothes were torn in multiple places. Luckily, his hood was still up, so Mado couldn't see his face.
The Ghoul had been defeated. Despite his strength, his speed, his agility, his durability, and his superior kagune, he had still lost. Soundly. Kureo Mado might have been ranked at only First Class, but the man was far more skilled than that. The Investigator had taken down Percy with surgical precision, tearing apart every slash, swipe, jab, spin, punch, and kick thrown at him.
For all of his training, Percy was no match for the superior experience of First Class Investigator Kureo Mado.
Then again, he had only fought at half of his full power, so he was about to die with the question of 'what if' floating around in his head.
Mado chuckled as he approached the downed Ghoul, his trusty Quinque held tight in his hand. "And so ends the tail of the Kraken before it could even begin. Don't worry though, I'll put your kagune to good use," Mado chuckled before raising his Quinque. "Now die!"
A hail of red and white spikes streaked in from nowhere.
Mado leapt back, but his Quinque was knocked out of his hand. Looking up, his eyes widened when he saw the origin of those Ukaku spikes. Descending from the darkness of the night was an angel wreathed in white. Her face was calm and peaceful, and her robe was pure as freshly fallen snow. Sprouting from her back were wings made of clouds, and blood.
The Death Angel was back.
She alighted next to the little Ghoul, surveyed the battle field, taking note of the craters, the destroyed lights, and the dead body lying underneath the bridge. She slowly swiveled her head around back to Mado, and the Investigator froze under the weight of those crimson orbs.
This feeling…it was the same look his wife gave him whenever he screwed up with their daughter.
The Death Angel scooped up the boy into her arms, bridal style, before flapping her kagune and vanishing from sight. Mado stood there for a while, just drinking in the moment, before he realized something: the Death Angel had birthed a child.
The First Class Investigator grinned as he retrieved his Quinque.
So, that boy, the Ghoul with the Rinkaku, who was the son of the Death Angel…Mado would report this with glee. A new Ghoul to be added to the 20th ward's list. An A-ranked Ghoul, by the name of Kraken…
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Sally didn't dare go back to Anteiku, not with this amount heat. Her son had just killed an Investigator, and went toe-to-toe with one of the CCG's best, and if not for her timely arrival, would've died. She was equal parts proud, relieved, and furious with her baby.
Only nine-years-old, and already a murderer.
Percy was numb right now as he was held safe in the arms of his mother. He was scared, and his pride had been wounded on an ungodly level. He had wanted to prove he was strong, but he still needed to be protected. He would've been dead if not for his mother.
With that in mind, Percy clung tighter to her.
Sally felt her son's grip increase on her cloak, and she just couldn't find the strength to be mad at him. How could she? It was partly her fault this had all happened. If she had taken him out hunting, he wouldn't have felt coddled, or the need to show off his strength. Sally was originally going to ground him for running off like this, but any punishment would pale in comparison to what happened tonight.
Percy had his first near-death experience, and Sally was deeply worried that it wouldn't be his last.
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A year later
Percy's age: 11
Yoshimura and Sally watched with neutral expressions as Percy engaged Yomo, Kaya, and Enji in three-on-one combat. Twelve black-and-green tentacles burst for the boy's back, and they began to flail around wildly in an uncoordinated flurry of destruction. Despite their power, the three SS-rated Ghouls were hard-pressed to evade each strike.
Ayato had left Anteiku a few weeks ago, the 15-year-old vanishing in the night. They all saw it coming of course, the staff members. The boy had boar a grudge against humanity ever since his father mysteriously disappeared, and he loathed his sister and Percy for making friends with the humans.
Despite Sally's efforts in keeping their little family together, she couldn't save Ayato from the proverbial darkness he had fallen into.
News had spread like wildfire about the Ghoul called Kraken that had fought against Kureo Mado, and lived. Somehow, the story had been twisted by even the CCG to where the Death Angel was never involved. It made people question whether or not Kraken should've been S-rated instead of A-rated.
Percy had taken that news with a grain of salt. While saying he wanted to be just like his mother wasn't exactly a good thing, he did want to be strong, so he could protect Touka, and his new friend, Hinami. Sally often teased the two eleven year olds about when their wedding was supposed to be.
In a moment of cliché befitting an anime, Percy had asked for his training to be increased after that night. Yoshimura had just shrugged, before asking Sally what her opinion was. The mother had caved in under the power of her son's puppy-dog eyes. Cute little bugger…
The results of his increased training were right in front of everybody. Percy stood in front of his three opponents, who were all heavily panting, with his breathing only slightly more labored. His twelve tentacles were splayed out behind him, all of them poised to spear at the three Ghouls. His face was covered by a mask now, since he had been officially dubbed 'Kraken.'
Uta had fashioned the boy a mask perfectly befitting the moniker. (Google Images| Triton Kraken Mask| first image)
Percy's green eyes glowed from the eyeholes of his mask. The style of the mask, his posture, and the number of tentacles he had made him appear to be some sort of ancient sea monster. His muscles tensed, and all three got ready for Round 2, when Yoshimura held his arm out.
"That's enough for you three," he said calmly. Yomo, Kaya, and Enji didn't voice it, but all three were glad for the reprieve. That boy was a monster at fighting. Always moving, insane reflexes, and an RC level that shouldn't have been possible for a child his age. 7,320; that was Percy's RC count.
Yoshimura smiled in his grandfatherly way at Percy. "From this point onward, I shall be your sparring partner, and the others will assist me if I feel it necessary. Now, I want you to prepare yourself, Percy, for I may be old and out of practice," Yoshimura's body changed, his muscles becoming bigger, his Koukaku springing from his arms, spikes erupting from his back, a red cloak forming around him, and his face became covered in a white mask with an eyehole on the right side, and three horizontal lines on the left, "but I'm still far above you, child."
Percy said nothing, only springing into the first of many battles against the One-Eyed Owl.
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"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to Percy, happy birthday to you!"
Percy just sat at the table, an embarrassed expression on his face as his family sung to him. When they finished, he blew out the twelve candles on his blue birthday cake with a single breath, causing everybody to cheer.
Anteiku was closed today, for a private event. The coffee shop was decorated with streamers, paper-link chains, and your everyday party decorations. Of course, the cake was only ceremonial, because eating that, for a Ghoul, was like feeding a dog chocolate.
Instead, the party food was more 'steak' oriented.
Sally, Yoshimura, Yomo, Kaya, Enji, Asaki and Ryouko Fueguchi, their daughter Hinami, and Touka were all present for the second youngest's birthday party. There weren't many presents, because Percy already had everything he wanted. Instead, most everyone just bought a thoughtful card and put a few hundred yen in each one.
If Percy saw something that he liked, he would buy it himself.
Of course, that wasn't to say money was all he got. The Kraken, after a few nonlethal bouts with low-class Ghoul Investigators to test his power, had been given an S-rating, and, judging by his height and small build, held the record for youngest Ghoul with any rating ever.
Yoshimura had also offered his grandson a spot as a junior waiter in Anteiku, something Percy accepted with the biggest of grins. That grin turned into a playful groan when he was told Touka was going to be his boss, to which the 16-year-old smiled devilishly. Sally just chuckled in amusement, and silently prayed to the Christian God that life would stay like this forever.
No Doves, no malicious Ghouls, no monsters, and Percy not having to do anything even remotely related to his father's side of the family.
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Later that night
"Mom? Why is Dad never around?"
Sally's breath hitched in her throat. It was bedtime now, and she was busy tucking her son in for the night after an exhausting day of being the center of attention, opening envelopes with money inside, and hunting with Touka.
In twelve years, Percy had never asked his father, so Sally had never really bothered to tell him. Hell, she hadn't seen Poseidon since this time in 1993, but she knew he was watching. Every now and then, like today, she could smell just the barest traces of sea-salt in the air, and whenever she turned to look at the source of the scent, she could see the faintest outline of a man.
"Your father…is a very important man, Percy. His job requires him to be at sea almost all of the time, and he doesn't get very many days off. There are some years, where doesn't get any vacation days, because he's such an important person. I know this all sounds strange, Percy, but he has ways of watching you, and I know that he's very proud of the young man you're becoming," Sally brushed some of her baby's raven locks to the side, pecking his forehead, "just like I am."
Percy smiled, before closing his eyes for the night. Sally smiled, and headed for her room, shutting off the light and closing the door. Before the door shut all the way, her acute sense of hearing heard a tiny voice whisper:
"I love you, Dad."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
January 3, 2006
Something was wrong with the world. The others at Anteiku didn't notice it, but Sally did. Having a god climax in her womb had left the Death Angel with a few benefits, like right now. An instinct telling her that something big had happened a few weeks ago, on the 21st; in other words, the Winter Solstice.
Sally knew that was the day that the Olympian gods convened for their semi-annual meeting, so something happened, and it had Zeus and Poseidon pissed. There were frequent reports of rough seas, capsized ships, jumbo jets being struck by lightning, or encountering severe turbulence, planes getting grounded, and ships having to stay at port.
Sally feared that her son was about to be dragged into the world she wanted him to have nothing to do with.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Later that night
Sally was sleeping soundly in her bed that night, before she was pulled into a dream.
She was on the sea floor, but probably only 30 or so feet deep. The dirt was flat and the odd object poked up here and there. The water was a beautiful crystal blue, and the noonday sun shined through the waves above.
Sally turned around, the water offering no resistance to her movements. Poseidon stood behind her, dressed the exact same way as when they first met twelve years ago. His face wasn't his usual happy smile, and his eyes were heavy, and tired, not their usual lustrous green.
Sally walked over to her lover, and they hugged for what felt like years. "What's happened, Poseidon?"
The Sea God sighed, "Someone has stolen my brother's Master Bolt, and he blames the theft on me. The arrogant bastard has declared that if the bolt isn't returned by the Summer Solstice, it'll be war."
Sally gasped. A war of the demigods had killed hundreds of millions; so what kind of destruction would a war of the gods be like?
"Zeus has all of the other gods out searching for it, but I fear that they will not succeed…" Sally picked up on what Poseidon was hinting at, and she vehemently opposed the idea, "No! You're not dragging our son into this mess, because your brother can't find his magic sparkplug. He's living a happy life without any Greek influence, and I want it to stay that way forever!"
Poseidon felt his old heart getting heavy. He hated this, he really did; he wanted his son to keep living the simple life he was living right now, but he knew that Percy was the Child of Prophecy. Thalia was currently a tree, and the di Angelo's have been in the Lotus Hotel for decades now. As much as he loathed to admit it, if the gods couldn't find the Master Bolt, then it was up to Percy to lead a quest.
"Sally," Poseidon sighed. "We both know that Percy's destiny lies not at Anteiku, and we both know that it was inevitable that he would have to enter the mythological world. As it stands, if the Master Bolt isn't found by June 21, Percy's the only one that can prevent a divine war from breaking out."
"But how will the other demigods handle this? Percy's a Ghoul, he needs to eat human flesh, needs to eat RC cell-rich flesh, in order to live. I know for a fact that the demigods don't have RC cells, and Percy starving was bad enough when he was six, imagine the nightmare he would become at 12, and surrounded by people that he couldn't sustain himself with!" Sally argued.
Poseidon rubbed her back, right on top of her kakuhou. "That's not something you'll have to worry about. I may not be able to interfere directly, but I can easily drop some meat in every month or so." Sally was still unconvinced. "Then how about this: Percy can stay here, but when June comes, he will go to Camp Half-Blood. War is bad enough, my love, but a war between the gods…Zeus might not be our father, but his regard for mortals is very limited."
Sally buried her head in the Sea God's chest. "Why him, Poseidon? Why our Percy?"
The Earthshaker held her tight. "Because he's my son."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Months later
Over the course of the following weeks, Percy began to have nightmares. Vivid ones. He dreamed of monsters straight out of horror films, events that were spoken of only in myths, and epic battles between men and women in togas. It was not uncommon to find Percy curled up tight against Touka in the morning, the boy finding solace in the arms of his Big Sister.
It was not uncommon to find Touka's kagune out and wrapping them together.
Sally had kept a careful track of the happenings of the world, and her dread increased when things only continued to get worse. The gods and still not found the Bolt yet, and today was June 1. The day Poseidon said that Percy would have to go to Camp Half-Blood.
The Death Angel both shuttered and sighed when she thought of her Ghoul son being surrounded by other demigods. Poseidon had shown her the camp, the activities, and the children's powers, and Sally just shook her head. Despite them being half god, none of those brats could hold a candle to Percy.
His RC level was dangerously approaching 8000. He fought toe-to-toe with the One-Eyed Owl every weekend. He could regenerate almost every injury (even reattach severed limbs if necessary). His skin, when his kakugan was active, was harder than diamond, and the celestial bronze weaponry would probably not even leave a scratch, and that was even if the demigods did manage to get close enough to get in a slash.
His reflexes, stamina, ADHD, durability, and his skill with his Rinkaku all combined to make him a dangerous fighting machine. He just couldn't be still on the battlefield, always darting around, sliding across, or leaping about, swinging his tentacles around like whips, using blunt force or sharp-edge attacks.
Gods, how many abandoned warehouses had the boy knocked down when sparring with Yoshimura?
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Anteiku was twelve minutes from closing. Yoshimura and Enji were cleaning up the glasses and putting away the coffee things. Touka and Percy were teasing each other as they cleaned up the tables from the day's abuse, both of them in their fancy uniforms. Sally sat in a chair, flipping through a book by one Takatsuki Sen.
The day had gone as every other day. Touka and Percy competing to take the most orders, the customers chuckling and giggling at the two's antics, finding it cute and refreshing. The adults busy brewing coffee and adding the specified ingredients. The usual people had come in, some new faces had shown up, the Ghouls all carefully observing human behavior so that they could fit in. Sally was just relieved that no one in orange shirts had barged in here asking for her son.
Jingle-jingle-jingle
The Ghouls all looked at the new arrivals with looks that clearly displayed their displeasure at people walking in just as at closing time. Except for Yoshimura and Sally; the old man could that these people were not ordinary humans, especially the little one with auburn hair, and Sally knew who these people were from what Poseidon had shown her.
"We're looking for Perseus Jackson," Artemis said, most of her Hunters standing behind her.
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And there's the first chapter of my new story.
If you noticed some inconsistencies between it and the manga, good for you. I tried reading manga once, the backwards format and the ungodly mix-mash of black and white was too much for me to wrap my head around, so I have not read Tokyo Ghoul, so much as watched Seasons 1 and 2, nor have I watched the OVAs. Do not hate me.
Since this was the fan-favorite, I expect this story to get some love. I don't expect 50 reviews right off the bat, but a good solid 20 sounds nice. Let me know how I did, give me some tips to make it better, ask questions, speak your mind, do whatever.
For my usual last words…
Favorite!
Follow!
And Review PLEASE!