Capítulo 9: Chapter 12: Masks
"My mask?" Ken had been drying some of the coffee cups that had just been washed when the manager had approached him. "Yes," Yoshimura continued, "I remember you said that it had been damaged during that incident with Rize. Have you been able to get it repaired yet?" Ken shook his head. "No. Unfortunately due to the fallout of that time and just being busy recently I haven't had time to do it. Come to think of it, I also need to get the twins refitted for new masks also. They don't wear them much but the last time they did, Kuro complained about it being a bit tight in places. The problem is I don't know where to actually go. All my mask business was done at Helter Skelter whenever I spotted Uta there. But it's a fifty/fifty chance that he'll be there." Yoshimura hmmed. Ken noticed that he seemed agitated by something. "Touka," he called as the young girl walked by, "Can you go with Kaneki to Uta's to get his and his sisters' masks redone on your next day off?" Touka made an unpleasant face. "Hah?! Why do I need to spend my day off with him?!" She pointed at Ken. Ken frowned. "And what's wrong with me? I'm great company." "Shut up Bakaneki." Before this could turn into a full blown fight, the manager cleared his throat and got their attention again. "He might get lost if he goes on his own." "Hey," Ken interjected again. "I have a good sense of direction." He paused for a bit before adding, "Is this supposed to be some weird attempt to get me and Touka to hook up or something?" Ken wished he could have taken a photo of Touka's face when he asked that. Yoshimura laughed into his hand. "No, not intentionally. But I would not be against it either." He smiled after that statement but it fell as he moved on. "But the real reason is that it would be safer and faster to have someone guide you there instead of just letting you find your way there. And we can't afford any unnecessary risks right now either." "Why?" Touka asked. The air in the café seemed to grow still. "Doves have been spotted in the ward. There have already been casualties."
Both younger ghouls fell silent. Touka was the first to react. "Why here? Why now?" she asked. Touka looked at Ken suspiciously. The young man knew that she was accusing him of attracting them here. Or at least his family; namely Rize. The sad fact was that he couldn't deny it. However it was Irimi who came to his rescue. "While they may be interested in our dear Eyepatch, he's not the main reason they came. Their main targets are most likely Ryouko and Hinami," the older woman informed them. Yoshimura confirmed it when they both looked to him. "Fuck." That one word by Touka was enough. If the doves were after those two then they had to be prepared. Touka turned to Kaneki. "You. Saturday. Be at the Shinjuku station, east entrance. If you're late I'll kill you." Ken smiled and saluted. "Yes ma'am." Touka huffed and walked away.
Ken sighed as he looked at the clock on his phone. It was already almost two hours since the time Touka had arranged to meet. Few things really irritated him. Messing with his family or friends was on the top of that list. But punctuality was not too low on the list either. Especially since it had been drilled into him since he was young that timing could be the difference between success and death. 'I swear I'll get back at you for this Touka.' Ken decided. As he was planning all the pranks and tricks he could use on her, Touka came behind him and kicked him in the butt. Ken turned around and scowled at her. "Took you long enough," he accused but Touka just smirked at her little victory before turning away and heading to their destination. "You better keep up because I'm not gonna wait on you, jackass," she called back. So Ken followed; noticing the interested looks they both got from people walking by. He begrudgingly had to admit that Touka did deserve them. She did have the looks even if her personality was rotten.
They arrived at a shop with the name HySy painted on the front. Ken immediately felt that the design of the place reminded him of Uta. Touka knocked on the door and then entered without waiting for an answer. The shop appeared empty. "Uta-san. You here?" Touka called out as they began to look around. Ken looked at a familiar mask on the wall. 'Yep, definitely Uta. I'd recognize that creepy type of design anywhere,' he thought. He didn't hear what Touka said as he noticed something covered by a sheet. His curiosity peeked, Ken ripped the sheet off. "Bah," stated the man under the sheet. "What was that for Uta?" Ken asked. "I thought I'd scare you a bit," replied Uta. Ken grinned at him. "It'll take more than that to surprise me." Uta put a finger to his mouth and answered, "Is that so?" He then pointed up to the roof. "How about this then?" "What are you talking about?" Ken asked as he looked up. He only had a second to notice the grinning Itori hanging in the rafters before said she-ghoul fell down on top of him. "Waaah!"
Touka could barely keep a straight face when Ken let out that half-scream, half-yelp. Or when the now revealed Itori began to hug and, for lack of a better word, cuddle with the distraught younger half ghoul. "Oh! It's been too long Ken-chan. You should really show up more often at my bar. I miss you and the twins. Speaking of which, where are they? I can't get enough of those cute little twerps either." When Ken finally reached a point where he could breathe, he wiggled out of Itori's grip and asked, "Why are you here? And don't call me with chan." Itori grinned and bounced back with, "Is there a problem with me going to meet a good friend? I'm not a NPC from some RPG, Ken. I'm not bound to one place simply to give quest details. I have the ability, NO THE RIGHT, to go where I may choose and give important information to who I want." Ken stared at here before simply saying, "Ok." Itori giggled at his flustered answer.
Ken shook his head. "Anyways Uta," he addressed the other man in the room. "Yes?" came the response. Ken took a moment to pull out the three masks from his small bag. He placed them in front of Uta and Itori. "I need you to repair or replace my mask and a resize for my sisters." "I can't resize them without measurements." Ken wordlessly pulled out a sheet with the new measurements for the other two and handed it to Uta. "Booo. You should have just brought the two little kiddos with you. It would have been fun to see them again. Especially teasing Kuro about her chest size again," teased Itori. "Please don't start a fight in my shop. I got it just how I like it," Uta replied as he looked over the sheet. "You're no fun," she shot back. "We need these as soon as possible, Uta," Touka stated. Uta got up and head to some cabinets. "Because of the doves right? They used to leave us alone with the ward being so docile. Was it Rize that attracted them?" "That fuck'n gourmet has been pushing his luck too." Ken noticed that Touka didn't say anything about the possibility that the Fueguchis brought them when they fled into the ward.
Uta motioned for Ken to sit down so he could measure him too. "Do you have any allergies? To rubber or metals?" He asked. Ken arched an eyebrow, "No. And why are you asking? You should know this already." "Consider it inspiration." Itori laughed at Uta's explanation and Ken just sighed and gave up. "Want to keep it the way it is?" "Yes, gotta respect the eyepatch." "Got any lovers?" "No. And why the plural?" Itori grinned. "Now now, Ken don't act all coy. You were quite the popular boy. Still are actually. I wouldn't be surprised if you were some harem king," she teased. "Well sorry to disappoint." She sighed. "You see, this is why people started rumors about you and Rize or your two cute little girls." Ken's eyes narrowed. "And you heard the rumors about what happened to the ones who started those rumors right?" "Stop trouncing on a girl's fun." Ken shook his head.
"What about Touka?" Ken sputtered at Uta's question; thankful that the girl in question was looking at the masks on the other side of the shop. "No. There is no way that'd happen. Even, if I did want that kind of girlfriend, she'd kick my reproductive organs up into my body if I asked." "Kyahahaha! I'd love to see that. I think you'd make a really cute girl; a true Ken-chan. And don't worry." Itori seductively rubbed her hand across the young boy's cheek. "This onee-chan will show you all the pleasures of the world of Yuri if that comes to pass." "Can we please stop talking about my possible future forced sex change now?!" Touka shot Ken a confused look as Itori just laughed at the whole thing.
"Well anyway onto more important matters," she moved on. "Ken, you haven't been sneaking back into the thirteenth ward to do a little hunting now and again have you?" Itori asked. Ken cocked an eyebrow again. "No. I have not really left the twentieth much since I moved. Not only that but I've been keeping a pretty low profile and avoiding hunting as well. It's not that hard with Anteiku's help. Why do you ask?" Itori's face turned serious and in Ken's book, that was never a good thing. "Well there have been multiple attacks there in the last few weeks. All the attacks look a lot like your or Rize's handy work. And the only guy not to die immediately supposedly stated your title before passing away under CCG care. My sources say that while they don't really believe it's you, the doves are keeping tabs on the attacks in your file. And some of the ghouls in the area are pretty up in arms over it too. A few of the more aggressive ones have even been pushing the idea of attacking the twentieth ward in retaliation or at least dragging you and possibly the girls too back to the thirteenth for punishment. Ken gripped a fist. "Oh, they can try. But I'm telling you it's not me." "That's what I thought. A witness to one of the attacks claimed it was a girl anyway. So Ken I have a request. Do you mind looking into this for me? After all it is your reputation that is on the line right?" Ken thought about it for a moment before agreeing. "Give me some time to prepare. I'll try to get out there once all of this dove stuff is settled." After the measurements were taken and a bit more small talk, including a threat by Itori that if Ken "didn't let Touka ride him like a cowgirl or ride her like a bitch in heat by the next time they met," she would force the young boy to lose his virginity one way or another, Ken and Touka left for Anteiku.
Meanwhile in the spare apartment that Yoshimura was able to get them, Ryouko and Hinami were resting. Hinami was asleep with her head in her mother's lap. Ryouko meanwhile, rubbed her daughter's head as she looked at a mask. The mask was a very nondescript white one. She picked it up as Hinami begin to cry again for her lost parent. She resolved herself to what she had to do.
Omake
Being both off and shop itself winding down for the night, they both ended up just relaxing in the breakroom. Touka gave Ken a glare. "Oi, go make me some coffee," she ordered. "Oh and why should I do that?" he shot back. Touka smirked and answered, "Who was it, who took time out of her day off to so graciously help you get to Uta's? It's the least you could do." Ken was about to argue until a brilliant thought crossed his head. He still needed to get back at her for being late.
He grinned and bowed to Touka. "Right away, my mistress." Ken quickly made a couple nice cups of coffee. Before he brought it over to her tough, he slipped in a few of the creamers and sugars that humans like to put in it. He mixed it, making sure to keep its black color so as not to arouse Touka's suspicion. He grinned innocently as he handed her the cup and waited. Touka brought the cup to her lips and took a deep sip before spitting it back out; her face squished into one of distaste. "Damn it Ken!" she shouted; still coughing and spitting. Ken simply laughed at her. "That's for making me wait on you this afternoon. Next time try to be on time." She chased him out the shop and down the block till he was able to slip away.
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