Seidou clenched his chest with his fist tightly when he reaches the cell. He slowly approaches the door that he shall open. 'I wonder how she'll take this...'
Seidou hits the panel with his quinque case using force. The door opens. "Karren..." Seidou whispers. "Karren, it's me Seidou..." "Sei...?" Karren comes out of hiding. "Oh thank God, I nearly thought you were a guard!" Seidou chuckles. "I told you that I would be here..." Karren blushes lightly.
Karren leans over to Seidou and kisses his cheek. Seidou looks at her questionably.
"What was that for?" "A way of saying thank you, and good luck." Seidou smiles. "Karren, we have to wait for a certain friend of mine to come." Karren nods in understanding.
So both Seidou and Karren go into the cell to sit on the bed and talk until Hide got there.
"Wanna take your stuff with?" Karren nods. She does so, then Seidou gets to questioning.
"Are you nervous about doing this?" Karren nods. "What are you going to do when you get out?" "I would really like to go back home..." Seidou tilts his head. "To Germany?" She shakes her head. "No...to my newer family." Seidou looks at her. "If that's what you want, I'll get you back home safely."
Soon, Hide shows up. "Hideyoshi, thank God you made it!" Hide chuckles. "Yeah, it took me a while to make it here." Seidou gives a quick introduction for both Hide and Karren, and then they're ready to leave.
Time skip
The trio are making their way to the exit after crawling through the vent. The area was quiet, a little too quiet...
Karren begins sniffing out any potential doves, she gets nothing on doves, but something else catches her nose.
"Guys...we need to hurry up!" Karren panics, and Seidou looks at her. "What, why?!" "I'm smelling something I don't trust, and they're approaching fast!" "Who are?" Asks Hide. Karren gulps. "G-Ghouls, and I have a feeling they aren't very friendly...!"
Seidou quickly turns to Hide in a panic. "Hideyoshi, run and hide somewhere, do it now!" Hide looks at Seidou in shock. "But why Seidou...?" "I have a weapon, you don't! You can't possibly defend yourself with the way you are, so just go!" "But-!" "Run Hideyoshi, please!" Hide hesitates for a bit, but nods and runs off. Seidou smirks. 'Glad you'll be safe...Hide.'
Seidou stands in front of Karren. "Karren, no matter what happens, stay behind me..." "But Sei-!" "Stay behind me!" Karren gulps then nods.
Seidou didn't know what threat would appear. Were they prisoners? Were they there to help? Whatever it was, Seidou knew he had to keep things under control.
Suddenly, an Ukaku shard is shot extremely close to his left foot. Seidou is taken aback by this. And then, about five ghouls jump down to his level. He saw what they were wearing.
'Wait a minute...I've seen those robes before, the masks too... Are they-?' Seidou notices the ghouls getting a little closer, he shields Karren.
"S-Stay away from us, we don't want any trouble! We just want to leave!" The ghouls look at the pair, about two of them get closer to smell them. Once they have, they back away and whisper to each other. Karren whispers to Seidou. "What is going on...?" Seidou shakes his head. "I...I don't know..."
The ghouls back away even more, to allow a new ghoul to appear. Seidou gasps, he's seen this ghoul before! That white cloak, that white hair and that red mask that only covers the bottom half of his face. It was him, the wanted, dangerous Aogiri ghoul Tatara.
"I-It's you! That ghoul that nearly killed me, in that battle!" Tatara sighs. "You're Houji's subordinate, should've taken care of you back there. Where is he?! If you're here, he must be here too!" Seidou keeps looking at the male, taking out his weapon. Seidou glares at him with both fear and anger.
"...He's not here...!" Tatara tilts his head. "Well why wouldn't he be, isn't a superior supposed to watch over his underling?" Seidou lowers his weapon slightly. "I...came here without him... I have something important to do right now, I am not looking for trouble!" Tatara looks at him suspiciously, why else would the young man be there?
"And what if I...don't care that you're not looking for trouble? Will you fight back, or will you run?"
Seidou readies his stance, but suddenly, a Rinkaku guards Seidou. Seidou looks behind himself, only to see Karren has unleashed her kagune.
"If you as much as lay a finger on a single hair on his head, I will make you regret coming here!" Tatara scoffs. "Oh, what's this? A ghoul protecting a dove? Hmph, sorry to tell you this b***h, but I couldn't care less about what a female ghoul has to fight." Tatara looks at Seidou through the kagune.
"What's this human, made some kind of deal with this ghoul or something? Involving someone important to you? Some kind of grudge? Whatever, I shouldn't care!"
As Tatara prepared to attack the two, both Seidou and Karren ready themselves. They really thought they were done for, when...
"Now come on Tata, don't be rude...!" A female voice. "After all, I think I've found the ghoul we were searching for..." Tatara turns to where the voice was coming from. Seidou catches a quick glance at Hide, only to see him about to intervene. Seidou and Hide meet eye to eye, Seidou shaking his head and mouthing 'Don't you dare...!' Hide goes back to hiding.
Seidou looks back at what is going on right before him. "Eto, who are you referring to?" Seidou sees the hooded figure, wearing a scarf and covered in bandages. He turns to Karren.
"Karren, something doesn't seem right with that girl..." He whispered, and Karren nods. "I know, she smells...strange." "W-What do you mean?" Karren sighs. "She smells of...human. But not only human, but also...ghoul? Something is very wrong!" Seidou started thinking to himself. 'Could she be...? No, that's impossible, I thought Ken was the only one of his kind...'
The female figure giggles in response to Tatara. "Don't you see her? That ghoul, behind that dove. It's her, the last remaining member of the Rosewald family!" Karren nuzzles more closely to Seidou for hiding.
"That's her, Kanae von Rosewald?!" Eto nods with major enthusiasm. "I can tell from her kagune, she is defiantly our ghoul! Oh how lovely, the rumors were true, she is alive!" Karren whimpers, still holding up her kagune. Eto turns to them.
"Now now Rosewald, we don't mean anymore harm. We've been searching for a ghoul of your status to simply...join us." Karren slowly lowers her kagune.
"Who are you people, and how do I know you won't hurt us?" Seidou looks as Karren, his eyes locked on her. Eto chuckles.
"Well because, I can see great value in your worth, and I have a good eye for it. Why would we kill someone as useful as you? And for who we are...ever heard about Aogiri tree?" Karren gasps.
"You mean those rebel ghouls that go around doing shady work and killing doves? Don't tell me you people are they!" "Oh we are... But don't let that fact discourage you from joining, though the point of you joining is to do those acts, we'll try to find an exception for you." Karren scoffs.
"Thanks but no thanks! I have a home to go to, I'm not wasting my time with you heathens. Come on Sei, let's just leave!"
Karren grabs Seidou's wrist and tries dragging him away, when...
"Weren't you curious about my smell...?" Karren freezes, she looks back at Eto. "...How could you know that...?" Eto smirks at the male and female, noticing that they were now holding hands.
"Oh my, it can't be, can it...? A ghoul and a dove?! Wow!" Both Karren and Seidou blush immensely, letting go of their hands. Eto chuckles.
"Hey, how about a deal? If either of you could guess what I am, I can...give you this apple." She takes out a shiny red apple. Karren scoffs. 'A ghoul like me has little use for an apple anyway...'
"I honestly can't give a rat's ass for whatever the hell you are, it really doesn't matter to me." Karren snapped. Eto sighs with disappointment. "You're no fun...oh well, if that's your answer. How about you dove, can you guess?"
Seidou thinks it over. 'Is this a threat? Would she be alright even if I guess wrong? If so, maybe I should go with my gut here...'
Seidou takes a breath. "This might be crazy to think about, and I know only one other person possibly like you, I would have to say you might be...a half ghoul half human hybrid...!" Eto begins clapping playfully.
"Wow, amazing, very good! I honestly thought you wouldn't get it! I'm guessing your little girlfriend helped you find that out. Well...here's your prize!" She tosses the apple towards the male, he catches it with both hands.
Seidou looks up at her. "Tell me, how is it possible? How are you and Ken like this?" Eto freezes in place, creepily giving Seidou a look. "Ken? Ken Kaneki?" Seidou nods. "Yes, do you know him?" "You could say that I guess..."
Karren scoffs. "Hey, he won, now let us be!" "Hey missy, I only said the prize was an apple, not freedom." "Sei, we have to get out of here! Now!" Karren grabs Seidou's arm, they try running off, only for an Ukaku shard to stop their movements.
"You two are going nowhere!" Suddenly, an Aogiri member grabs Seidou and puts him into a choke hold. "Sei!!!"
Suddenly, Karren meets the same fate. Eto paces around the two.
"Heh, I tried avoiding this, you know... I learned to like this human too, what a shame. But if me trying to be reasonable won't work, than maybe your boyfriend's death will." Karren struggles. "P-Please don't harm him, he has nothing to do with this!"
Eto chuckles softly. "Too late for that excuse, you might as well say your goodbyes." "N-No, please don't! Let him go, and just kill me! He doesn't deserve this!" Eto turns to Tatara. "Tata, can you do the honors of killing this young man?" Tatara nods. "Yeah."
Tatara is now standing in front of Seidou, fear is written all over Seidou's face. "D-Don't do it...please!" Tatara takes out his kagune, mere inches away from Seidou. Karren is at her breaking point, the one human that showed her any fair treatment was going to be gone, for good. She had to act fast, it's the only way!
"N-No, don't! I'll join, I'll join! Please just don't hurt or kill him, I'll join! I'll follow you, I'll kill any other human that stands in your way, just please...spare him...!" Eto smiles a sadistic smile. "Now that's what I wanna hear... Tata, don't harm the boy." Tatara scoffs. "As you wish, Eto." The Aogiri members let go of the two hostages; they fall to the ground and run up to each other, hugging.
"Sei! Oh thank God, are you alright?! Did they hurt you?!" Seidou shakes his head. "No... But did they hurt you...?" Karren can feel a few tears begin to form. "No, I'm fine." They continue to hug.
Eto whispers to Tatara. "Make sure we take both Rosewald and the dove, he might prove useful to us..." Tatara simply nods.
Seidou and Karren are being dragged away by some members, neither of them bother to struggle, fearing what those ghouls are capable of. And Hide, still in hiding, watches as it happens. He covers his mouth, feeling nothing but dread.
'This is all my fault...I could've done something! I...I need to speak with Kaneki, he'll know what to do!'
Time skip
Seidou and Karren are taken to the secret Aogiri base on Rushima, within a cell as they waited for somebody to come. They hold onto each other. "Sei...I'm so sorry you got caught up in this mess... I-I should've-!" "It's alright Karren, it could've been way worse. In fact, I'm pretty sure that it's thanks to you that I'm not dead!" Karren sighs. "I still should've fought back against those people..." Seidou just holds Karren a little more tightly. "I'm sure it'll be fine..."
Soon later Tatara appears. "Get up you two, you both need a checkup." Seidou tilts his head. "A checkup? Do you ghouls have healthcare or something?" Karren giggles in response to the comment, and Tatara scoffs.
"Just hurry up!"
Tatara leads the couple around to make it to their destination, and they eventually make it to a door. Tatara takes out a key. "And remember, you must answer his questions honestly, or there will be consequences." The couple nod, and the door is opened. Tatara pushes the male and female inside.
They are met with a physician and assistant. "There you two are, heard a few things about you both!" They stay silent. "Oh, a little nervous? Come, take a seat!" They slowly make their way over and sit down on the two chairs.
"It's nice to meet you both, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Akihiro Kanou." There was a pause. "And please, don't stay silent for long, I still need to ask you two some things."
Seidou and Karren nod in response. Kanou continues.
"Starting with this young lady over here. What is your name, age, blood type and kagune type?" Karren sighs. "My name is...Karren...Karren von Rosewald, my aliases were Kanae von Rosewald and The Rose. I am age 19. My blood type is B and I have a Rinkaku..." Kanou writes something down in his notes. "Very good... Now to the more personal questions. Have you ever devoured any ghouls?" She shakes her head. "No, I have not..." Kanou writes it down.
"When was the last time you've had your menstrual period?" Karren becomes surprised and extremely embarrassed, and Seidou steps in and stands from his seat.
"Don't ask her something like that, she isn't that comfortable with it!" Kanou looks at the young man. "My, awfully defensive... Is there something going on between the two of you?" Karren holds Seidou's hand and whispers to him.
"Sei, calm down, it's okay... Just take a seat." Seidou sighs in defeat and sits back down. Karren takes a breath. "A-About ten to twelve days ago..." It's written down.
Kanou smirks. "I see now...a ghoul and an investigator, together. How long was it like that? What do you think your...significant other's workplace would think about him if they ever found out?" Karren becomes irritated. "No answer." "Fine, be that way. It's time for questions with him anyway."
There was a pause. "Name, age, blood type and ranking?" Seidou sighs. "My name is Seidou Takizawa, I just turned age 24 today..." Kanou interrupts. "Well happy Birthday, Takizawa!" Seidou blushes sheepishly.
"My blood type is A and I'm a rank 2 investigator..." It's written down.
"And more personal questions for you. What made you want to help out this ghoul, remember that you must be honest." Seidou shrugs.
"Well, they were eventually going to execute her, I...didn't think it right for her to die. Also the fact that...I just wanted her to be free..." Karren looks at Seidou, placing her hand on top of his. "Sei..." Kanou hummed and wrote it in his notes.
"Alright, now this question is way more personal, but please answer it honestly..." Pause. "Did you ever partake in any sexualized activity with anyone, whether it was recent or not?" Seidou just freezes up, this question was getting to him. No one has ever asked him that before. His face was heating, his palms were sweating and his chest felt weird.
"N-No I...I never...I never have..." "What was that son?" "I-I never had sex!!! Or anything like that!" Seidou blushes a deep red, holding Karren's hand a little tighter. Kanou chuckles. "Uh huh...I had the feeling. Anyone attracted to ghouls probably would go through that."
He finishes his notes. "Now, we will need to do a physical examination. Don't worry, my assistant is here to help.
Seidou and Karren get their physical examination done, but Karren is sent to see Eto soon after. She goes back to her and Seidou's cell to tell him she'll be on a couple of missions for a while.
He kept warning her not to go, but she keeps telling him that there isn't much of a choice for her and him. Once Seidou accepts the fact, he hugs her and tells her to come back safe. To which she kissed his forehead, telling him that she won't let him down.
It would be like this for a while, Karren leaving for a mission, coming back, they would cuddle and talk before she would have to leave again. Time would pass and eventually two months later, Aogiri learned to trust the couple.
Eventually, Karren was respected among her 'allies', she somewhat was content with it but still missed her home. However, she was given privileges that many of the members wished for. She was well fed, given money, and was allowed more time with her Seidou.
It took a while for Seidou to have his mark, being one of the very few humans to be in Aogiri. However, both Eto and Kanou eventually saw some potential in him. He was a very clever young man, who was also pretty good at organization. He and Karren were allowed to freely roam the base. Some days, he would assist Dr. Kanou with his research in the lab. Other days, he helped plan an attack on CCG, even if he didn't like it.
Seidou really missed being in the CCG, he missed his purpose, his friends, everything. But just from being with Karren, his sadness would fade. He loved Karren more than anything else in Aogiri, even after knowing what she had to do.
One night, after five months of being there, Seidou decided to make the biggest decision in his entire life. But of course, he needed a little help.
"Sei, where are you taking me? When can I remove this blindfold?" Seidou keeps leading her by the hand. "Just wait, alright?" Karren sighs.
"I swear, if it's anything like that prank with the snowballs-!" "It won't be, I promise!" Karren just keeps quiet.
Then, there's a sudden stop. "Ok, you can remove it now!" She removes it, and the sight is magnificent! Many many many many roses on the floor of their old cell, with a clearing in the middle.
"Sei, h-how did you-?" "I got some help from the others to plan this, now please stand in the middle." She does just that.
She looks at her mans suspiciously. "Sei, why are you-?" Suddenly, Seidou goes down on one knee, holding her hand.
"Sei...? Oh my god...!" "Karri, thank you for meeting me. Thank you for being my light in this hellish place. And thank you...for falling in love with me. Sometimes I have all of these fears in my head, fears and doubts that will probably never go away. But whenever I'm with you, it feels as if none of them matter. I can just look in your eyes and I know everything will be okay." He pauses.
"Karren von Rosewald, will you make me the happiest man alive and become my wife...?"
Karren covers her mouth, tears streaming from her eyes. She starts happily sobbing. "Yes, yes, a million times yes!"
Seidou stands up, hugging Karren tightly, lifting her up slightly. They kiss passionately, with Seidou holding the back of her head.
Though what they didn't know was that soon, they would be free from Aogiri's clutches. Soon hopefully, they'll have a life of their own.
The End