Guns, Bullets & Bones [Tokyo Ghoul]

Ch. 23 ~ Interrogation

     The next day, following Ayako's instructions over text, Dylan had pulled on his coat and boots, and stepped out into the wind and chill, his phone screen dimly displaying the directions to Anteiku.

      He shuffled along the sidewalk, hands dug deep into his pockets, glancing around himself every so often. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to see, but he had been rocked to the core, and what had happened with Rio, Lane and Ayako was weighing heavily on his mind. He didn't understand what was happening around him, or why it all seemed to circulate around him.

      He couldn't help but think the whole thing had been a mistake, one huge, epic failure, that all started out with his own greed for sweets. He'd fallen into the deep end, and he didn't know how to drag himself back out, he was in too far, now.

     Everything he thought he knew had changed since he came into contact with ghouls. They were nothing like he had ever thought, but yet so much more horrific than anyone could've made him believe.

     He was astonished to find that after so long of never really feeling close to anyone, never feeling like he had a real friend, the two closest people he had met were ghouls. How could it be that such creatures were so like himself, yet so far away?

      Blood and guts was nothing to them, yet they didn't have any other choice. It had to be normal, and they had to survive. Dylan understood.

     But two questions still remained. Why.

     Why had Rio tried to kill him, when she seemed so set on them being friends?

     And when it came down to it, why couldn't she?

       Dylan stopped outside Anteiku, and smiled faintly when Ayako beamed at him, before pulling him close in a hug, then dragging him inside. They plopped down at a small, round table by the window.

     "Hey, welcome back," Touka greeted as she clicked over in her heels, notepad and pen in hand. Ayako returned the greeting and Dylan just nodded politely. "What can I get you?"

     "Coffee and a tea, please," Ayako ordered and gave a subtle wink towards Dylan as Touka scribbled the words down before she strutted back towards the counter, tearing off the piece of paper, pinning it to an order board, and beginning to make the drinks. The coffee shop was relatively empty, and Dylan and Ayako simply sat in a comfortable silence, before they were interrupted.

     Two chairs at the table were drawn back, and Dylan looked up as Kaneki and another worker with glasses sat themselves down, the latter crossing his arms on the table top and leaning forward.

     "Kaneki, Nishiki," Ayako greeted uncertainly, and a moment later Touka returned and set their drinks in front of them, taking a seat of her own.

    "Er..." Dylan mumbled slightly, wondering what these unfamiliar ghouls were doing, sitting so comfortably with them, when he'd met them only once before.

     "So, we heard some stuff's gone down, recently," Nishiki said companionably, but his eyes swivelled between Ayako and Dylan, analysing their reactions, looking for anything that may give anything away.

     "No...? What makes you think so?" Ayako hummed, shifting in her seat, trying to tuck her legs around the chair legs, generally busying herself. Not obvious at all, Dylan wanted to roll his eyes, but resisted.

     "We know something happened," Touka quipped, scrunching up her nose. "When it's anything to do with Rio, word gets around pretty quick, you should know that,"

     There was a silence as Touka eyed Ayako suspiciously, and Dylan let his eyes shift out of focus, the terrifying images flashing behind his eyes. Rio feasting, blood dribbling down her chin. Rio glaring with those piercing ghoul eyes. Rio, looming over him like a predator poised to strike.

     "She tried to kill me..." Dylan murmured numbly, eyes coming back into focus, letting his gaze glance over the expressions of those around him. The only one who looked somewhat shocked was eyepatch boy, Kaneki. Dylan nervously wiped his clammy hands on his jeans under the table.

     "W-What happened?" Kaneki gasped, eyes wide, hands flat on the table. Dylan wasn't sure if he was shocked about what he'd heard, or just pain excited.

    "That's enough," Ayako cut in sharply, shooting Kaneki a disapproving look, and he shrunk away slightly. "I don't think we need to be discussing this anymore.."

     "Honestly, hearing this about her doesn't surprise me," Touka muttered in annoyance, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "I hate ghouls like Rio. Specifically Rio. Spontaneous and uncaring, sadistic and cruel... Ghouls like that are the reason we have a bad name,"

      Touka's rant was cut short when Ayako burst into a fit of violent coughs, clutching at the table. Dylan jumped in shock and Touka's eyes widened as she stood and began to thump Ayako on the back.

       "Are you alright?" Dylan asked, wide-eyed as he leaned over the table towards Ayako, and she gave a faint nod through her coughing.

     "It's nothing," Touka answered for her, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and holding it to Ayako who held it up to cough into, her eyes screwed tightly shut.

    "It doesn't seem like nothing," Dylan argued, standing from his seat when he saw Ayako pull back the handkerchief to take a deep breath, noting it was splattered with black-tinted blood.

      Touka didn't give an answer, simply giving him a sharp look, before standing Ayako and hurrying her towards the back of the coffee shop. Before Dylan could follow, Nishiki laid a hand on his arm and gave a warning look, and Dylan slowly sat down, stomach clenching in anxiety.

      He sat for a moment, eyes unfocused, gazing into the middle-distance where Ayako had just been sitting, mind blank.

    Then the small bell above the door chimed, and Dylan glanced up just long enough to steal a glance at the girl pushing through the door. The girl with the hypnotic blue eyes, and shock of pastel blue hair.

    Rio.

~