3RD PERSON POV
2 WEEK TIMESKIP
Steven: *grumble* This is bullshit.
Immediately after he found the nearest library and newspapers he could tell something was off. There was nothing mentioning about the wars happening about the wars in Europe people calling for anarchy and destruction in Russia. There was nothing familiar to him at all. Even in America, there was no mentioning of his name or cybernetic achievements or anything he knew about, not even the fall of the SOP. It's like all his efforts and achievements were for nothing, like everything he knew was forgotten and replaced with outdated technology.
But not quite.
Even the date of the current day was wrong, like it was 15 years into the future and 4 months, 6 days off. Even his former trusted advisors know that his efforts wouldn't be forgotten in even centuries although they don't seem to exist in the government archives.
Steven may be completely full of brawn but he does have some brain. To him, it seems as if this might not be his world.
And that means he has to start over. Start over from scratch. Start over like he has nothing. He hated this really. To having everything he wanted to be reduced to just himself. He hated that his allies never existed, he hated that everything was unfamiliar to him, he hated how he had so much more to do, he hates how his efforts would no longer be recognized.
But he especially hated how the society he is currently works.
The concept of ghouls and RC cells are interesting but extremely biased. Every human has an RC cell count which is some kind of special common cell in the body Steven had to guess. Humans have an RC factor of 200-500 that can be apparently be detected by the detectors used in many places. However they can detect if the individual is a ghoul as well.
Ghouls....
What an interesting subject. Apparently everyone categorized them as man-eating monsters ruthlessly hunting for human flesh. But they never look at the facts. Humans don't bother to see they can't eat anything else. They don't bother to sympathize with a ghoul that just wants to live normally. They don't listen to ghouls who plead for help, merely wanting the destruction of ghouls themselves, with the efforts of the government, their limp-dick lawyers and chicken-shit bureaucrats. The entire economy is focused on killing these ghouls, not focusing on the needs of people or making laws to benefit everyone, only aiming for pointless wars that will only result in the endless destruction of the weak and strong.
He doesn't see them as man-hungry and ruthless monsters. He sees people, people who strive for the greater good. People who fought agains the world, fighting to take their lives back. Striving to live and striving to create a land of the truly free while oppressed by the corrupted system aiming to get rid of the strongest of them.
The media is bullshit. Ghouls incapable of feeling emotions? What bullshit. If they never had any emotions, they would they cry? Why would they beg? They all got their memes and facts wrong. Everything is wrong. Even he met a few ghouls that showed some emotion........before they were spartan kicked into the concrete wall, knocking them unconscious after attacking him. Killing them won't benefit him and investigates will surely get suspicious of a random ass man murdering ghouls in the streets, which is the last thing he wants, an entire government on his ass.
Even the government is really sus. CCG? Who is making the missions? Why are they actively targeting ghouls who aren't doing a lot? Why even public executions sometimes? He has so many questions to contradict this society yet so little answers due to blatant bias.
He can't just leave this society like this. Something needs to change. Good thing he has his nanomachines. Although it's strange. Strange how he doesn't need to recharge, how they can practically activate and deactivate whenever he wants and he practically is a lot stronger than he was when fighting Raiden. He's practically invincible. Judging from some shady videos and such he finds of ghouls and investigators and such, he should be able to handle about everyone. He needs to pull the roots of this society out by the roots. Wipe the slate clean of the corrupted members of the system and such and burn it down, leaving an even better society to thrive with the truly weak purged from the system.
But first he has to drink his coffee after a hearty breakfast of eggs and sausages. Good thing there are not a lot of landlords in the 20th ward. He was able to find an actual good looking abandoned house after looking to make sure no one was coming for two days. Along with plenty of free clothes and enough money to last for 5 years for some reason. It's not a lot but he had to suck up his pride and deal with it somehow: So far no one is thinking anything of him despite his very big size of 6 foot 7 and very muscular build but that will change soon, which is why he needs to know more about the society he is living in.
???: *wave* Hello! What can I get for you?
Steven: A cup of black coffee please.
???: Coming up in 2 minutes!
The waiter walks away, leaving Armstrong to grab his newspaper.
Armstrong: Hmmm....32 ghouls eliminated from the 14th ward....4 of which are S rank. Ghouls are ranked from danger huh.....
He flips his newspaper over only to his frustration to find news about ghouls again. Again.....again. Only a few stories weren't about ghouls yet they're basically useless, not contributing to the dire situation Japan is in.
Armstrong: *sigh* What bullshit.
???: Here's your coffee!
Armstrong: *nod* Thank you...
He grabs the cup of coffee as the waiter leaves, taking a big sip while looking outside, seeing the people walking through the streets.
Armstrong: Someday.....things will change.....but let's go for a walk!
Later
Wearing some dress pants, a white dress shirt and a tie like usual, he strolls through several wards, looking at how everything operates.
Steven: *ponder* 'Ghouls are capable of hunting through any means possible....the state of the body doesn't matter as they can eat dead bodies unless decayed enough to lack the RC cells needed. Interesting....their 5 senses are superhuman in comparison to humans. Investigators go in rotations and patrols, many assigned to each ward. I have yet to come across an investigator. Hmmm....life is however somewhat frail here. Ghouls have failed to hurt me so far-'
*THUD*
???: Ow!
He stops, looking down to find a kid on the ground.
Armstrong: I'm sorry. *kneels down* Let me help you up.
Hinami: *gets up* *bows* No I'm fine! I'm sorry for bumping into you sir!
Armstrong: Hmm.....I accept your apology. But I must be on my way now.
He then walks away, leaving her the-
Hinami: W-Wait!
Armstrong: *turns* Yes?
Hinami: Um.....sir Uh.......I need help.
Armstrong: *nod* Go on.
Hinami: I-I'm a little lost and I was.....wondering if you could help me.
Armstrong: *smirk* Why me? Are you looking for anyone specific?
Hinami: W-Well you seem like you know a-a lot about the 20th ward and my mom said that it's dangerous around here.
Armstrong: Where are your parents kid?
Hinami: M-My mom is back at Anteiku. I-I don't know my way back.
Armstrong: Lucky for you I know that place. *holds hand out* Care to follow me?
Hinami: *shy* O-Ok.....
She meekly nods her head, giving Armstrong the signal to turn and walk away.
Steven: *turns head* Catch up if you don't want to be left behind kid.
Hinami: *hurries* A-Ah yes sir.
She quickly walks to Armstrong, walking by his side as they make their way through the yard.
Later
Hinami: U-Um sir?
Armstrong turns his head, finding Hinami who was holding her closed umbrella by her side.
Steven: What is it?
Hinami: What's your name?
Steven: Hmmmm....why do you ask?
Hinami: *bow* I just want to thank you for helping me.
Steven: Well in that case, my name is Steven Armstrong.
Hinami: Steven? You're not from Japan?
Steven: *flashbacks* You can say that kid.
Hinami: O-Oh........wait.
Steven looks ahead to find Anteiku just 10 meters away.
Steven: Well we're here.....but the windows are all broken.
Both of them could hear a commotion happening inside the cafe. Looking inside from outside, Armstrong could see a big blonde slamming a black haired guy to the ground.
Kaneki: *coughs blood* ACK!
Hinami: M-Mr. Armstrong....
Hinami hides behind him, looking inside in fear.
Steven: A commotion huh...*cracks neck* I guess it's my job to stop it then.
Hinami: *panic* Mr. Armstrong it's dangerous!
Steven: *cracks knuckles* This should be easy!
Ignoring her protests he walks forward, grabbing the door and opening it. All the occupants inside stop to look at him, even the big blonde turns to find a man towering above him by more than half a feet, adjusting his glasses to look directly at him.
Steven: I believe you're causing too much of a ruckus here. Please leave if you know what's best for you.
Yamori: *grin* What best for me huh?
He lets go of Kaneki who crawls back to the front of the counter before walking and stopping in front of Armstrong.
Yamori: Why would you know what's best for me huh? *sneer* Pathetic HUMAN!!
*TWACK*
Yamori: OW!
He holds his fist in pain, shocking everyone as Armstrong adjusts his glasses.
Steven: I believe I made myself clear. I said leave-
*GRAB*
Yamori grabs his throat, attempting to squeeze it with one hand only to find himself failing.
Yamori: WHAT?! WHY CAN'T I CHOKE Y-
*CHOKE*
His eyes widen as a hand was felt around his throat. Armstrong raises him into the air, tightening his grip around his neck while grabbing onto his arm and pulling it off his neck.
Steven: *smirk* Is that it?
*CLANG*
Yamori: *shock* I-Impossible!
His kagune stab at Armstrong's torso onto for them to bounce off of him, shocking everyone.
Steven: *frown* I thought I told you clearly to stop.
His grip tightens on Yamori's neck causing him to grab his hand in an attempt to get him off. Having enough, Armstrong reels his head back, positioning himself for a headbutt as Yamori widens his eyes.
Steven: Guess I need to beat my words down on YA!
But there's one problem about what he said.
He severely underestimated his own strength.
*SPLATTER*
He headbutts Yamori hard but on contact his head explodes, splattering his brains and skull onto the wall behind him. Armstrong raises a brow, confused but impressed at his own strength as he drops the headless corpse.
Steven: *impressed* Huh......*cracks knuckles* Care to listen now?
*CLANG*
He raises his sleeves arm, blocking a flurry of RC shards and shocking the wielder who was backing away.
Ayato: *backs away scared* What the hell are y-
*CHOKE*
Armstrong was already in front of him, grabbing his neck and hoisting him into the air. He looks, seeing Ayato's associates grab Yamori's body before running away.
Steven: *tch* Cowards....
Ignoring his gasps, Armstrong walks outside, still holding onto Ayato who was trying to stab into him with this kagune with no effect whatsoever.
Steven: If you're not listening then fine. I'll bring you out myself! But remember......
He throws Ayato into the air, hearing him scream as he spins down.
Steven: DON'T FUCK WITH THIS SENATOR!
*BOOM*
Ayato was sent flying into the horizon, screaming as Steven adjusts his glasses once more while watching his body fade into the distance.
Steven: Former.....Senator......*sigh*
He turns around and walks back into the cafe, seeing the teens and such cleaning up the mess. Everyone in there freezes though, seeing Armstrong back in the room.
Steven: Hmmm.....my work here is done.
Without a word, he turns around, adjusting his dress shirt before walkin-
???: Hinami get back!
He turns around to find Hinami bowing down in front of him.
Hinami: *bow* M-Mr. Armstrong thank you for saving Kaneki and Touka!
Steven: No problem kid. I-
???: YOU!
The purple haired girl pulls Hinami back while glaring at Armstrong.
???: STAY AWAY FROM US!
Steven: Hmmm...I just saved your ass though. But...*shrug* oh well then. I'll be on my way.
He turns around, casually walking away while she was left dumbfounded at his dismissal.
???: *confused* What?
Steven: 'So Anteiku huh.....they're definitely ghouls but on the more peaceful side. This definitely is good news.....but that blonde though....he wore a suit so he must have worked for some organization......but the question is which ghoul organization?'
Later
Tatara: *glare* So you're telling me not only you failed to retrieve our target, Yamori was killed in the process.
Ayato: Y-You don't understand! Everything was going so well until that.......behemoth came along!
Tatara: The human?
Ayato: *grit* He's no....ordinary human! Yamori hurt his hand trying to punch him and our kagunes failed to even pierce through his flesh!
Tatara: So he's wearing armor.
Ayato: NO! He's literally just wearing clothes pertaining to an office worker! Yet we can't even hurt him for some reason! He killed Yamori with a headbutt. A FREAKING HEADBUTT AND SPLATTERED HIS ENTIRE HEAD ON THE WALL!
Tatara: *glare* Do not yell at me like that!
Ayato backs away, scared as Tatara sighs.
Tatara: What does this human look like?
Ayato: He's quite tall. He's at least 7 inches taller than Yamori. Not to mention that he has slick black hair, glasses and a very muscular build, muscular than many of our physically capable ghouls. He's not young though. He's as old as my old man when he died.
Tatara: So we're looking for someone with a jock-build, in his mid or late 40s or and has black hair.
Ayato: Yes.
Tatara: Nico is this true?
Nico: It is. I even watched him get punted into the horizon.
Tatara: *narrow* Why didn't you attempt to kill the human?
Nico: I'm not stupid. He killed Yamori easily. I'm not dying like that.
Tatara: Fair enough. Report back 6 hours later!
Both Nico and Ayato scramble away, leaving Ayato to turn to the mysterious girl next to him.
Tatara: What should we do boss? This human is clearly an abnormal threat and he managed to deal with some of our top forces easily.
???:...........*whisper*
She leans in, whispering into Tatara's ear. No one could hear what she was saying but Tatara nods in understanding.
Tatara: Very well. We'll look out for him and offer him a deal.
Looks like the former Senator got the eyes of Aogiri Tree on him now.
Next Chapter: Run-In with Investigators