I lied! I'm giving everyone a sneak peek of chapter 2 so that I can test to see how well the rewrite is doing compared to the original chapter 2. You don't have to review, but I would appreciate it if you saw something that needed fixing and told me so.

Furthermore, this is NOT chapter 2, this is just a preview! When the rest of it is finished and edited I will post it under the content I already have up.

Warnings are in chapter 1 and original chapter 2 (which I will be taking down after I get these next few chapters up).

Thank you and enjoy!

Chapter 2

A Lost Cause Who Needs No Savior

Rize took Kaneki to Anteiku later after he had calmed down. After Rize dropped him off to talk with Yoshimura, the manager of the 20th Ward ghoul nest, she left with as little as a simple wave. Kaneki gave a little frown of confusion before turning to the older man he now stood before.

Yoshimura cleared his throat, "I understand that Rize told you already?"

The black haired man looked down, "Yes, but I'm confused… How did this happen?" His eyes got a little watery as he pleaded silently for an answer.

"Yes, I thought you might be confused. Tell me, Kaneki; why do you think you turned into a ghoul?" Yoshimura stared at the questioned. In all honesty, the manager wanted to see how well the man's reasoning skills were.

Kaneki made a humming sound, putting his hand to his chin, "I mean, I'm no expert on the human body, but I guess my human RC cells were dominated by the ghoul cells."

"Ahh, you would be correct, they were." A glint passed in Yoshimura's eyes, "So he did know a thing or two about ghouls. Rize was right, he was more comprehensive in a since; learning about things before judging them."

"But!" Kaneki started again, causing the manager to focus wholly on him again, "Aren't taste buds connected directly to the brain? I know you didn't replace that… So why is it everything still tastes disgusting?" He looked down at the floor, chewing on his lip.

This possibility never even crossed Yoshimura's mind. "Kaneki has a point. How did they change?" Yoshimura thought for a bit. Then it hit him, "Well taste buds may change because of a disturbance or fluctuation in your nervous system," he explain slowly. "This may have happened after the ghoul DNA took over your human DNA, changing your body to more like a ghouls, therefor changing your nervous system.

"It could also be a result of an illness." Pausing Yoshimura let this sync into Kaneki before continuing, "'Ghoul' is not an illness, but because I transplanted the organs from Rize into you, while you were still human… hmm." Yoshimura frowned, "Did you feel anything change in you?"

Kaneki's eyes widened, "Y-Yes, I did! But it was strange."

"Strange?"

"Yeah. Everything was foggy and… I was in a place I didn't know existed, in my mind. I was just floating, then I felt Rize's presence in my mind, only I didn't know it was her until I turned around." He thought about the moment, trying to remember every detail, "She had caressed me, whispered something… My name, maybe?" He thought for a moment more, but all he could remember clearly was her turning everything black. He told Yoshimura thins and the gray haired ghoul nodded.

"Yes, I see. Kaneki?"

"Yes?"

"I would like you to try something for me. If you will?" Yoshimura leaned in a bit when Kaneki nodded, "Close your eyes and look for Rize. Try going to the place again. How did it feel? You said you were floating." Kaneki nodded again, this time his eyes were closed, listening to the manager's words.

Kaneki searched, eyes scrunching in concentration. ~Their flesh tastes amazing, Kaneki. Come, try it with me, you can't get enough of it!~ Kaneki lurched back and snapped his eyes open.

"What's happening to me?"

… Later that night, Kaneki's apartment …

Yoshimura and him didn't really discuss the matter further after what happened, only that the elder wanted to study him and what this meant for a while. Yoshimura did give him special instructions not to tell Rize that it happened though, just in case she herself wasn't aware of the happenings.

Before Kaneki had left, the leader of the wards nest gave him a small package of flesh, explaining the way Anteiku got their meat. This all came as a relief to Kaneki. He didn't know how he would feel if he would have had to kill humans. Knowing they ate people who were already dead made it a little easier to eat the meat Yoshimura gave him.

After putting the package away in his frig he plopped down on his couch with a sigh. Taking his eyepatch off – Yoshimura gave him one to wear over his ghoul eye – he stared up at his ceiling as he wondered what would happen if he when back to the place in his head, again. Closing his eyes, he took a few calming breaths and thought of the place again. He thought of himself floating, Rize being there, the blackness.

~Ugh, baka! You didn't wait for me, now I have to walk all the way back from where I just came from. Learn to use your damn phone!~

Kaneki opened his eyes again. Why was he getting agitated right now? He suddenly felt annoyed at about everything he looked at in the room. Closing his eyes made him even more annoyed though. Suddenly there was a knock on his door.

He eye twitched and he reached down to where he had tossed his eyepatch. He grumble as he put it on, making his way over to the door. He tried to look pleasant, but the person knock again and his agitation grew. He threw open the door to see Rize, who just walked in passed him, bumping his shoulder along the way.

"Baka! Why didn't you text me?"

Kaneki suddenly felt calmer and a little relieved as he watch the purple haired girl sit down on his couch.

"Rize!" Kaneki said after a moment, "Sorry, I didn't know you would be coming over again."

She scoffed, "Of course I would. I need to protect you don't I?"

"Heh?" Kaneki looked at her, puzzled, shoulders hunched forward slightly.

Rize blew a lock of purple hair from her eyes and thread her brows together, "There's a part of me inside of you. For some reason, that makes me want to keep you safe… I can smell me on you." She scrunched her nose as if the smell disturbed her.

"Why would that make you want to protect me, though?" Kaneki sat down on the opposite end of the couch, intrigued by what her answer would be.

She shrugged and got up, "Do you have coffee in this place?"

Kaneki nodded, getting up as well and got out his small tub of instant blend. He made them both a cup and placed their mugs on the table.

"S-So, if you're staying here, then I'll let you take my bed…"

"Baka, where are you going to sleep?"

Kaneki pointed to the small leather couch and shrugged, "There, of course."

Rolling her eyes she agreed. After drinking their coffee they got ready for bed. Rize, not even bothering to say as much as a thank you, disappeared into Kaneki's room, locking the door.

"Well, I'll just have to sleep in my jeans then…" He looked down at himself and sighed. No blankets either, as they were trapped in his closet, in his room, which was locked. He contemplated knocking, but when he put his ear to the door he heard the light breathing of a sleeping Rize.

A couple days passed and Kaneki managed to snag a couple blankets from his room. Rize was still oblivious to the fact that she was basically treating him like and unwanted guest in his own home.

Last night Yoshimura had offered a job to Kaneki; and for his first job he had go with Yomo to the suicide spot to get Kaneki more accommodated with the fact that he wasn't all human. Kaneki had accepted it a little, but seeing the actual person his was going to be feeding off of made him feel… exhilarated. Kaneki kept that to himself though. Today was a new day, and Yoshimura was getting wary of the Doves moving closer to the nest.

"Touka, I need you to take him to Uta's tomorrow so he can get a mask made." Yoshimura smiled at her, his eyes crinkling with mirth and he looked at the blue haired girl.

"What?! No way! Tomorrows my only day off this week, and I don't want to spend it with this looser." Touka glared towards Kaneki.

"H-Hey!" Kaneki looked at her, somewhat hurt by that comment and then turned to Yoshimura, "No, it's ok. I'll just have Rize take me."

The older man tilted his head, "Are you sure?"

"Mh," The one eyed ghoul nodded and looked to Rize, who was sitting at her normal seat in the shop, for conformation.

Rize sighed, "Fine." She rested her head in her hand, propping her elbow up on the table. She the dug in her bag with her free hand and got out her book, flipping it to the page she had marked.

"In my opinion," Touka said, slapping her hands on the counter, "I don't think this moron deserves a mask yet."

Kaneki blanched back and Yoshimura's brow crinkled, "Touka, there are two inspectors in the 20th Ward."

"Not the Doves!" Her eyes widened and she glanced at Rize.

Rize had seen this side glance and became annoyed, "Don't look at me, I've been keeping a low profile, baka!"

Kaneki started to feel annoyed as well, much to his confusion. He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, "Yeah, Touka. Stop pointing fingers just because you can. It's annoying and unwanted." He pushed himself away from the counter and crossed the room to where Rize was sitting. "Can we go?"

Touka wasn't finished yet though, "Why you-" Kaneki's eyes widened, realizing what he had said, and to whom he said it to. As Touka stalked closer the half ghoul backed up, the annoyance gone.

"H-Hey, don't you think you're taking this a-"

"Enough!" Everyone stopped in their tracks, focusing on Yoshimura. He had that effect on people. "Touka, I want Kaneki to have a mask, just to be on the safe side. We wouldn't want them seeing his face out there, then seeing it here."

Realization hit Touka and she nodded, "Yes, sir." She then looked between Kaneki and Rize, "I'm going too, I guess. Last time I checked, Rize wasn't so friendly with Uta." Touka glared and Rize smirked.

To be continued...