"She is a puppet of her own crippling desires; each gesture guiding her to a bout of mad intentions."
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Tsuki silently ascended the few steps leading to the stage, illuminated only by a single overcast spotlight. At the center of it sat a black Steinway & Sons piano, the glossy veil already lifted, exposing the monochromatic keys. The young brunette was garnished in a long, velvety champagne gown and silver two-inch heels. Before she took her seat, she ardently smiled and bowed to the audience anxiously awaiting her performance in the darkness.
Sitting down on the stuffed leather cushion of the ebony stool, Tsuki raised her hands above the keys and closed her eyes. A composition I hold dear, she thought, as she guided her left hand west to the first chord's position, then elegantly ordered her right hand a short distance east of the middle. She suddenly pressed down on the few series of keys, her fingers slowly tracing along each. With a short pause, she raised her hands slightly above the piano, then entranced herself within the aggressive tune.
The Etude, Opus 25, Number 11 ... Fryderyk Chopin.
For the first minute, everything was smooth, the notes flowing like wheat in a gentle breeze, though, it quickly changed for the worse when she opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of the crowd standing to their feet. She had looked away for a moment, only for her hands to suddenly slip against a warm liquid; her performance had yet to end, so there was no purpose in a rude, premature applause.
As her chocolate eyes drifted from the crowd and back to the task at hand, they caught sight of a bright crimson fluid tainting the pure keys. She hesitated, her mind running amok with confusion by the drainage of blood from the lifeless creation. Attempting to keep track of the etude, she continued playing, ignoring the slick surface.
Her heart suddenly pounded roughly against her ribs and the sounds reverberating from the piano ceased, changing into more of a muffled rumble. She panicked, kicking back her stool and fumbling to her feet.
The crowd pointed and gasped in fear, some releasing terrified screams as she turned to face them. Her champagne gown had been corrupted---transforming into a deep merlot color. Tsuki's eyes had underwent an abrupt metamorphosis: the white sclera had been gnawed away by a ferocious poisonous black and the brown irises had been dyed a vibrant, monstrous red.
She stood before the horrified audience, whom, less than two minutes prior had silently adored her skills.
Unwillingly, her rinkaku sprung free of its confinement in her lower back, tearing her expensively made dress. The three appendages flared sharply towards the many people frantically rushing to the exits, only to be stopped by flames rapidly eating their way after them. Tsuki's legs seemingly froze in their place---she was unable to move from the stage to help any of the civilians staring in fear between she and the burning room.
As if the fire had grown legs, it sprung in sparks from the doors to the rows of seats ... then to the people. Tsuki's nose burned from the horrendous aroma emitting off the roasting people, her wide, petrified eyes lined with tears trapped in their ducts. Her rinkaku unexpectedly lurched towards the crowd and swept those growing closer to Tsuki to the carpeted ground, allowing the flames to nip and tear away at their flesh.
The twenty year old was no longer in control of her extra appendages; they had obtained a mind of their own and wanted nothing more than to cause further death and suffering. She bore witness to her kagune becoming a ghoul in itself, opening up and swallowing the victims it came into contact with---an ability she had never possessed beforehand.
The sensation was both repulsive, yet satisfying because she could taste their supple flesh. Tsuki dropped to her knees and saw the flames encircling around her, and instead of trying to run, she allowed them to overcome her and maliciously eat away at her hair and skin. She looked up to the spotlight still above her and stared into its brilliance with distant eyes.
Death wouldn't welcome her because her Rc cells fought vehemently against him---her regenerative ability was too furious to allow her sweet release. She closed her eyes, allowing tears to escape from the outer corners of them, only to evaporate once they met with the flames.
I'm in hell, she thought, indefinitely.
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Her eyes abruptly opened and stared at the ceiling, a dull light shivering through her thick curtain over her bedside window. Tsuki heaved out a heavy sigh and sat up, tussling her messy, black tresses. She twisted herself from side-to-side, the aching vertebrae in her spine cracking in the process. Hoisting her arms above herself, she stretched, yawned, then slowly removed her comforter.
With her bare feet and pale legs exposed, she slid off her bed, her toes meeting with the cold floorboards. She trudged towards her bathroom and commenced in her morning routine of showering and getting herself prepared for the free day ahead.
Once she had finished dressing herself in a long, white, hooded, faux fur-trimmed coat, with grey jeggings and a pair of comfortable, alabaster boots, she strode out her door, locking it behind herself. She pulled her hood over her head and exhaled a cool breath---the air had chilled it and made it a small, visible cloud. Tsuki examined the clouded sky with disdain, it felt like it was about to snow, but she knew better; it hadn't snowed in the crowded city of Tokyo since the night of her parents' death.
Descending the set of stairs, she walked down the sidewalk in silence, her head bowed and eyes averting from everyone she passed by. She could feel the hunger welling up inside the pit of her stomach, her mouth salivating as it yearned to taste their delicate, luscious ... and savory flesh. Her nose twitched as it caught wind of an enticing aroma coming from the café she had just ambled on by.
Tsuki paused and stared through the window at a boy, who appeared around her age, a white eyepatch covering his left eye. She immediately removed her hood, her eyes widened as she noticed that it was the lad who had been chosen as the meal at Shuu's dinner. Though, what had occurred that had allowed the young halfling to live, she wondered.
Noticing that he, an elderly man, and a couple of coworkers were casually taking the orders of human customers and serving them, she smiled and decided to enjoy something she had never: coffee.
She examined the sign as she calmly trotted back to the few steps leading into the café:
"Anteiku," she exhaled, a warming tone ringing to the title in the bitter cold.
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As she entered, Tsuki was greeted by a woman, her hair long and black, tied behind herself in a low ponytail, her narrow onyx eyes shimmering with a glow of joy. Once she'd sat down at a table to herself, the woman strode over to her with a smile lightening her features.
"What would you like?" she inquired, her pen and small tablet in hand. Tsuki knew she was a ghoul, just by her scent, but didn't know that one could be so inviting, then again ... that must be required of the job.
An exhilarated grin etching her porcelain face, the black-haired girl answered with, "One coffee, please."
The woman bowed respectively. "Very well; one coffee coming right up!"
Tsuki watched as she went behind the counter and handed the wrinkled, yet affectionate looking man the note she'd scribbled down. She observed as he subtly nodded and commenced in boiling the kettle of water, then poured it through a paper filter filled with finely powdered coffee beans. Tsuki also discerned that he was a ghoul as well.
There was something strangely ... comforting about being around other ghouls that eased her nerves. Then again, perhaps that was only because she didn't feel the urge to eat them like she did humans who had done nothing to her.
The woman swiftly returned to Tsuki, a tiny, white saucer in hand and eight ounce cup set atop it. She placed it in front of Tsuki and smiled. "Please, enjoy your coffee."
"Thank you very much," she replied, tucking three of her fingers through the handle and picking up the hot beverage.
The older ghoul left to go take someone else's order---an elderly woman with solemn hazel eyes and a heavy heart.
Bringing the glass up to her pink lips, Tsuki sipped from it, her tongue tingling as the steamy liquid slid across it. It was different, that was for sure. The taste was phenomenal---not too bitter, nor too sweet. Why had her parents taught her that it wasn't right to drink coffee? To claim it was bad for your health was madness---the taste was sheer perfection and unique.
Tsuki had tried to partake of other humanly beverages, but most were too repulsive and caused her terrible pains. She had only been raised on water, which didn't bother her, but now ... she was going to be a regular at Anteiku, only because she was wary of the canned coffee sold in the vending machines.
Finishing the last of it, she heaved out a sigh and shifted her gaze to the outside; the people seemed so preoccupied with their own lives to even enjoy the simplicity that surrounded them, their only goals revolving around work and their next paycheck. Why was life so dull for them? Was it possible that ghouls were placed there to give their lives some sort of excitement? Or was it just a cruel joke on God's part?
The woman came back to Tsuki's table and removed the dishes.
Knowing that she had plenty of time to waste, she sat in that café and stared out the window, her chocolate eyes drifting between each person that would pass by. I can't let my instincts get the best of me, she thought, smiling as she watched a young girl tug on the hem of her busy mother's coat---she was on the phone and was talking formally with, possibly, her boss. For their sake ... and mine.
Tsuki lowered her head and sighed, then peered over at the eyepatch halfling. She admitted that he was rather cute, though, Tsuki wasn't interested in him. Her thoughts, however, froze as the tall, silver-haired man she'd encountered at the library yesterday entered the back door behind the counter and stood at the elderly man's side, his bland, grey eyes fixated on her.
Her heart rate sped up rapidly as he lifted the short plank of wood separating he and the customers, then walked over to her table. Tsuki stared up at him as he towered over her, his intimdating stance and excessively lengthy black trench coat reminding her of a raven standing over a carcass.
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