"Huh, you know this chick, Akira?" Futaba asked she looked at her fellow midget, was she one of Akira's fellow college students? No, she seems way too young for that.
"I didn't mention to the others, but I met her that night last week, though she had just eaten, so she didn't want any meat," Akira said, and the girl's eyes went wide as she looked between him and Futaba.
That night last week? That means… "So, she is one too?" Futaba asked, as it clicked in her mind that the girl before them was a Ghoul too.
"Yep, though, unlike me, she is a full one. Is Yoshimura present? I need to talk to him about a, pickup?" Akira asked the girl now feeling a little bad about talking around her like that, though now he knew what a Ghoul smelled like.
The mention of her boss's name caused the girl to come out of the funk his words had put her in. "Um, right, I will be right back," She said as she went through a door in the back.
And it seems another has fallen for the Kurusu Charm, Akira is truly the enemy of all women. Futaba thought as she had seen the girl blush, then Akira had addressed her.
"Wonder, what is up with her?" Akira asked no one.
And somehow still as clueless when it comes to anyone besides Makoto. "So, since she is one, do you think Mr. Yoshimura is one too? Or do you think she is just hiding her nature while working here?" Futaba asked her brother-figure.
"I think it's the former, I know what Ghouls smell like now, and I can smell multiple scents with the same underlying odor, I think is characteristic to Ghouls," He answered as he smelled the girl and another Ghoul coming closer. "Yeah, definitely a Ghoul himself."
"Yesh, so you're like a bloodhound now? Or is it a blood cat?"
"Futaba, I am not a cat," Akira deadpanned.
"You say that, but who is the one that sometimes sleeps in Leblanc's rafters, not me, and not even Morgana."
"You little gremlin," He responded as the girl came back alongside an older looking gentleman.
"Thank you for getting me Touke, just continue to watch the counter," The old man said.
So her name is Touka? Akira and Futaba thought at the same time.
"So, you must be Mr. Yoshimura. We're here to pick up the Blue Mountain beans for Sojiro," Akira told the old man.
"Yep, this is today's quest!" Futaba stated with a thumbs up.
"Didn't think that Sojiro hired such young help?" He asked.
Futaba shook her head. "He is the help, I just decided to tag along cause I was bored."
"The name is Akira, this gremlin here is Futaba and well-behaved cat here is Morgana," He said, introducing them, scratching the magic car behind his ear as he sat on his shoulder.
"Well, my old memory must really be failing me, so you're the kid that Sojiro has been bragging about. Anyway, the beans are in the back, and that will also be a good place to talk without being overheard by any customers walking in randomly," And with that despite the grandfatherly attitude of the man, Akira could tell that he was dangerous even for a Ghoul. But he could tell that the man wouldn't hurt them. And Akira, also gave a nod when Yoshimura's eyes went from him to Futaba, asking if she knew.
They followed Yoshimura into the storage room. "The beans are there," He said, pointing to the three bags lying on the table. "But before you go, I have to ask you're the one-eyes ghoul that ran into Touka last week correct, you definitely match the description she gave."
"I am, though the way you say that makes it sound like there are more than me who only have a single Kakugan?" Akira asked while his eye changed, and he also noticed the old man's wording
"You're right about that, a one-eyed ghoul is normally created through the union of human and ghoul if one is willing to make the sacrifice for that to happen, but you're an artificial one aren't you?" He asked.
"How can you tell?"
"The way you smell too me, you smell like both Ghoul and human too me, but the Ghoul half has the exact same scent at Rize, and I doubt you're her child considering her age, and her personality," Yoshimura stated.
"You know, Rize?" Akira asked.
"I have encountered her a few times, she was a problem child with her habit of overeating pulling the attention of the doves onto the 20th Ward. So, can you tell me what happened, how you exactly came to exist in both of our worlds?" Yoshimura asked, and Akira saw no reason not too. The elderly man was probably the one who tried to keep peace among the Ghouls who lived in the twentieth ward. But it seemed that Futaba spoke first.
"It's because of that bastard Dr. Konou, the bitch tried to turn Akira into her midnight snack but effed up, and she got crushed by pile steel beams and died. But Akira also got hurt, and then that doctor took and put her organs inside of him and well…" Futaba didn't finish her explanation as her expression became downtrodden.
"I see, thank you for the explanation Futaba, I understand what happened now. Though I have to ask you, Futaba, what is your relationship to Akira here, and even when he is now a Ghoul, you do not seem to fear either him or me? Why is that?" Yoshimura asked the young girl.
"Akira is family while Sojiro is my dad, he is basically my adopted older brother. And of course, I would never be afraid of him, Akira is Akira even as a Ghoul. And I know he would never hurt me, even if he were starving," She said with a tone of pure conviction as she tried to stare the older man down. "And as for you, I'm not afraid of no Ghoul as long as Akira is by my side, cause if you tried anything, he would blast you into next week."
"I see," Yoshimura said with a happy smile glad too see that the boy's new Ghoul nature hadn't destroyed the bond the two shared, and the same probably went for Sojiro also. For if his daughter knew he most definitely did soo too, and if so, Yoshimura had to once again admire the unparalleled kindness that his fellow café owner possessed.
"Was that all Mr. Yoshimura?" Akira asked.
"It was," The old Ghoul responded.
"Okay then, but before I leave, I have to ask since you're a Ghoul, and you employ Touka, what is Anteiku exactly?" Akira asked.
"Anteiku is a safe haven for Ghouls. We try to maintain peace and help feed those that can not hunt for themselves. And I also let some earn a bit of cash by employing them," He answered with a kind smile.
"How noble of you," And Akira did not say that mockingly, it was admirable what Yoshimura was trying to do. "And speaking of hunting, how do you get the meat for them, do you kill yourself? Or do you have some kinda deal with a Morgue?"
"We at Anteiku do not kill to get human meat, we find suicide victims. Why do you ask? Do you have trouble getting food?" His voice now filled with concern.
"No, I don't think I will. I have no trouble hunting criminal scum, but those that know my secret do not enjoy the fact that I now have to kill," He answered the older Ghoul.
"Akira!" Futaba tried to say, but Akira cut her off.
"I know you can deal, but I don't want you too feel guilty by association and make you more uncomfortable than my new eating habit does," He said, and Futaba looked down in shame as she couldn't argue against it. Cause she knew that everyone had felt a sour taste in their mouths when Akira had told them he had basically killed a man to eat him, and would continue to do so to continue living. This was further enhanced by the fact that as Phantom Thieves, they had promised to never kill another human. But through circumstances outside of his control, her brother in all but blood had been forced to break that promise, and would probably continue to break it the rest of his now half-ghoul life. "So I would like to know if I could partake in that deal, and I will, of course, compensate you for your troubles. I can do so in various forms, like helping to keep the peace, helping with the harvest, assisting with monetary troubles if the need arises," Akira offered.
But Yoshimura just shook his head in response. "All of that isn't necessary; I happily provide what you need so long as you need it."
"Yeah, those words won't work old man, Akira is going to keep nagging until you relent, cause he is going to nag and offer you help until you relent and accept it," Futaba said remembering all the money he had spent on them, and continued to spend on them. Though not that it made a big with his current wallet. Akira had millions of yen stored away in the attic. "Especially the money, he had enough to spend."
Yoshimura just sighed as he looked Akira in his eyes, and yes, he was quite able to see that he would not relent until he accepted the proposed deal of food in exchange for him helping out Anteiku and its Ghouls.
"Fine, I accept," Yoshimura finally responded this was not worth arguing over.
"Very, well, we have a deal then," Akira responded, and as he did, he heard words he had not heard in a long time.
I am thou, thou art I… It shall become the wings of rebellion. With the birth of the Hunger Persona,
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
That moves thou through the world.
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
Shall lead to continued freedom and new power…
A new bond had been formed not with himself Yoshimura though he was a part of it, but with Anteiku in its entirety.
And Akira was so glad he had Chihaya teach him about the various Arcanas and what they symbolized. The Hunger was part of Thoth Tarot Deck, and was also known as Lust, it's number was XI, and its counterpart was Strength. Its literal meaning, in this case, was the want the Ghouls of Anteiku had for human flesh. Symbolically it represented power and the loss of control it, falling to one's baser instincts. But it also represented control of those instincts and using them to work towards a better and brighter future. That was what Yoshmuira wanted Anteiku to be, a place where Ghouls in control of themselves could work to improve the future of other Ghouls.
"Here is my number just call when you have need of me, and how is the meat distributed?" Akira asked as he handed Yoshimura a piece of paper with his phone number on.
"Every Saturday, a package is given that will have you feed for a week minimum, but I presume you at most of that man last week, yes?" He asked without an ounce of judgment in his voice.
"I did."
"You've been actively using your Kagune?"
"Yes, I've been practicing with it,"
"When you should last another week just fine," Yoshimura stated, and Akira nodded.
"If that is all, for now, Mr. Yoshimura, we will be getting what we came for," Akira said as he picked up the bags of Blue Mountain beans.
"It is. It was nice too met you, Akira, Futaba. I call you if I require your help," He responded as he pocketed away the piece of paper.
"When I will see you, Mr. Yoshimura."
"It was nice meeting you, sir," Futaba waved as they began to exit the storage room.
"You're welcome to buy again if you like, maybe you like my coffee more than Sojiro's," The older Ghoul said with a teasing tone.
"Yeah I don't think so, you only seem to have Coffee Grandpa powers while Sojiro has Coffee dad powers, which are obviously superior," She responded, and Yoshimura let out a chuckle as they entered the café area once again where Touka and now another Ghoul worker was serving customers.
How long had we been talking for? Didn't feel that long. Akira thought as he carried the bags of coffee beans. Touka eyeing him as he approached the door. "Well, hopefully, we'll be able to have a proper conversation next time we meet," He told her and finished with a wink. And he meant that, there was something about the female Ghoul that piqued his interest though not in that sense, his heart belonged to Makoto. But more like she gave off the feeling of yelling for someone to help her, and Akira couldn't ignore that.
Though for some reason, that had elected a sigh from both Morgana and Futaba for some reason. Though as they exited the café with the beans, they had meant to pick up Akira did not notice Touka's face blush slightly in response to the wink. I hope you keep that promise, there is something about you. Touka thought as she cut the cake to serve the piece the human had ordered. And the fact that he is pretty cute doesn't hurt either… what the hell am I thinking?
Xxx
"Well, that was certainly a conversation," Morgana said, speaking for the first time as they entered the car.
"You can say that again," Futaba grunted in response. "Dad's rival café is apparently run by Ghouls, though this means we have stuff to tell the others."
"Yeah, right, we have to inform the others, and I think they will be glad that I probably don't need to kill anyone to eat. But even with that, I still kinda feel even worse about having to eat a suicide victim than a criminal," He told the two.
"Why is that Akira?" Morgana asked.
"It's more about those related to the victim than the victim itself, like how do you think Ann would have felt if Shiho did manage to kill herself while no one was near, but she would never truly know because a Ghoul had collected her body, before her death had been confirmed," Akira responded.
"She would probably be depressed and wonder what had happened to her friend for the rest of her life, yeah I can see where you're going with that," Futaba said in response to his.
"But I don't feel the same way about criminals if I decide to hunt and kill them, many probably have families themselves that they care about… Maybe it's just a cognitive disconnect on my part,"
"Probably you see one as sinful the other as sinless, guess that is what is doing it. Cause of Satanael, you have a bit of a drive to punish those who remove the wills of others.
"Probably," Akira said solemnly as he turned on the car and began to drive back to Leblanc.
Xxx
A/N: A bit of a short chapter compared to the others, but hey we got a new Confidant this one is with Anteiku as a whole. Though I will not do link up dates, the only time that is going to happen is then it turns into a blood vow. And Touka is already starting to crush on Akira thanks to that level Max Charm, though sadly she has already lost the race.
If you like this or any other of my stories you can donate to my P A Treon. com (Slash) StreamingViking and read commissioned stories