A Talk with the Ghouls

Chapter 22: A Talk with the Ghouls

-Nerima City, Japan, Sunday 10am-

After a pleasurable lengthy exercise last night, Valerie woke up a few hours later and had breakfast with the girls and Kali, before leaving, and opening a portal to the same alleyway. And of course she wasn't alone, like always Kali came along.

After entering the alley, She immediately used her [Malleable Anatomy] to change into her "Ghoul" persona, with midnight black hair and gold reptilian eyes, which she then covered with the shades she bought from the Hell shop.

Valerie then glanced at Kali, waving her hand at her, weaving an illusion that would make her look like an albino German shepherd.

"Let's go". Valerie said with a smile, receiving a bark in response.

"Woof!( I'll protect you mistress!)" Kali nodded.

And much like yesterday, city dwellers gave the pair curious stares. Valerie wore a grey high-waisted skirt with a black horizontal line across the bottom, a belt around her waist, and black stockings with matching coloured boots. Her dark top exposed her shoulders and arms, but a white denim jacket concealed them.

"It looks like the shop is closed, but it isn't that surprising considering what happened yesterday, right?" Valerie turned away from the door and stared at the girl behind her.

An ordinary see a cute girl with bob-length dark blue hair and matching coloured eyes. However Valerie who knows her story is aware that this unsuspecting was a ghoul.

"Who are you?" The teen stared at the black haired foreigner warily, just because she was beautiful it didn't mean she would accommodate her. Who knows, she could probably be undercover 'Dove'.

Though that notion was quickly broken when Valerie lifted her shades for a moment, "I told Kaneki that I'll be visiting, but who would of thought that the shop would be closed?"

Touka came out of her stupor from seeing those inhuman eyes when she heard Kaneki's name from the woman's mouth. "You know Kaneki? What is your relationship to him?"

"Curious one aren't ya~ As for our relationship…" Valerie paused and grinned, "He is my…son!"

"Huh?" Touka blurted out in confusion, as she just realised what Valerie said. She narrowed her eyes and was about to quip back, but the sound of the cafe door opening got her attention.

Jing-a-Ling~!

"I see you're here Touka" The old man from yesterday—Yoshimura greeted and turned to Valerie with a grandfatherly smile, "And with a guest we were expecting."

Valerie raised and eyebrow and smiled, "I presume Ryouko and Kaneki filled you in on what happened yesterday?"

"That's right." Yoshimura answered as he gave her a deep look, "Thank you for saving them." He gave a slight bow, much to the surprise of Touka, who quickly deduced that Ryouko and Hinami were in danger yesterday.

Valerie walked passed the old man and into the cafe with Kali next to her, "It was just a matter of lifting a finger…And it became my responsibility the moment Kaneki followed my advice."

Yoshimura smiled as he started leading her upstairs, "I understand."

…

Click-!

"Kali!" The moment Valerie along with Yoshimura and Touka entered the room, a brown blur appeared before them, in the form of a brunette little girl with similar coloured eyes.

""Hinami"" Valerie and Touka simultaneously called out, the latter immediately rushing to the young girl, checking whether she had injuries.

Hinami shifted her attention from Kali when she felt someone hugging her and two familiar voices, "Touka-nee? Youru-nee!" She quickly escaped Touka's grasp and ran to Valerie, giving her a big hug.

The other people in the room who were quietly observing were shocked to see Hinami, who is often reserved around strangers, joyously hug one. They know how this beauty saved her, but it still caught them off guard.

Ryouko and Kaneki who were also in the room smiled at the scene.

"How are you doing Hinami?" Valerie returned the hug and stroked the young girl's head.

"Good!" Hinami smiled happily, before looking up at Valerie, at her shades specifically, "But…"

"But?" Valerie tilted her head curiously, she wondered if something was wrong.

"Can I see your eyes again?" She asked hesitantly.

Ryouko who heard her daughter's question which she deemed was disrespectful was about to apologise, but stopped when she saw Valerie nod at her with a smile.

"Is that all? Then I don't mind…" She eyed everyone in the room for a moment, "It's not like any of the people here are humans." Her indifferent comment made some frown, but Valerie paid no mind as she removed her shades.

The one's who didn't see her eyes yesterday couldn't help but be stunned, Yoshimura being no exception, though he got himself together the next second.

"Onee-chan, which are you?" Hinami's sudden question immediately piqued everyone's interest. "Ah! I done it again. I'm sorry Yoru-nee…It's just that you smell completely different, just like Kaneki-nii."

"Really?!" Kaneki who was silently listening stood up abruptly, the hope and relief in his eyes were clear to everyone. Seeing all the eyes on him Kaneki scratched his head in embarrassment, "…Sorry about that…"

"I know how you feel." Valerie gave him a sympathetic and understanding smile, "But, I'm not like you, Kaneki."

Kaneki felt his eyes getting wet at Valerie's first sentence and warm smile, for a brief moment her image overlapped with his mother's, for the first time, he saw his mother smile. However the moment he heard the word's "I'm not like you", it was like something broke in him.

Valerie rolled her eyes when she saw his exaggerated reaction, but she could somewhat understand what he feels, and as his master it is her duty to advise him.

"Kaneki." Kaneki focused his attention back on Valerie when he heard her call him in a firm tone.

Valerie nodded seeing him focused, "You are not like me because I am Evil, my existence is a Sin."

Yoshimura who heard her words widened his eyes in surprise. That way of thinking about herself, it was exactly like how he thinks of himself. He is clearly aware of how his past actions have caused irreversible damage to others, and just like Valerie he sees himself as a "evil" and "cursed" existence.

And Valerie tried her best not to snort after noticing the difference in his expression. She was a demon, an embodiment of sin and evil both literally and figuratively, but the old man clearly misunderstood; it's unlikely that she will explain.

Still, she understood where he was coming from even if a little, as she realised after the conversation about "change" with Chisato, she fully embraced her Eldritch side. The proof was her trait [Alien Mind] becoming [Incomprehensible Mind]

_ _ _

Traits: Retractable Wings, Succubus Tail, Demonic Claws, Horns, Incomprehensible Mind(New!), Divinity Devouring

_ _ _

Incomprehensible Mind (Passive): Congratulations…Young One…You who have always unconsciously rejected your change have now accepted it…With this change, you are absolutely immune to any powers that affect your mind. And if anyone is foolish enough to continuously probe your mind in hope for access, then let them…Let them see the insanity and aberration that the Outer Gods represent!

_ _ _

Quite the description…It's quite obvious that she's caught the eyes of someone high up in the ladder.

"You're not evil!" Kaneki's outburst brought Valerie's attention back from her musings.

"Why? Because I helped you? Because I put target on myself in your place?" Valerie questioned, but didn't allow him to answer, "Don't you wonder how my city got the nickname 'Peace City'? Why Ghouls don't dare enter it and how the CCG can't figure it out the cause of it?"

Everyone in the room except for Touka (who didn't know what happened yesterday) suddenly widened their eyes in surprise and shock.

The 'Peace City', that was the name Valerie's city was given 15 years ago by the masses due to having no ghouls within it. And whenever a ghoul appears, it vanishes, never to be seen in the city again.

The civilians are obviously unaware of the cause, but the same couldn't be said for the ghouls. Their was multiple eye witness accounts that said a ghoul who was previously in 'Peace City' was found alive and well in other wards.

Though what spooked the Ghouls of other wards was that the 'released' ghouls had no memories of ever living there, and they were also ghouls who haven't eaten humans yet—the non-hunting types(like Ryouko). The rest however disappeared to never be found again, and their end was quite was obvious.

So when the ghouls in the room heard Valerie say 'her' city and also recalled what Ryouko and Kaneki said about her ability to manipulate memories and hide in plain sight, they couldn't help but connect the dots.

(A/N: What do you think the name of Valerie's city should be? Yh she's in Tokyo, but in Tokyo Ghoul it's divided into wards which are cities. So I need a city name for where the story of Shinmai Maou no Testament will take place. Or I can just refer to it as the 'city')

"I didn't think that the 'Enigma' would visit my little cafe." Yoshimura commented with the same grandfatherly smile.

"Wait…You're the Enigma?!" Touka uncharacteristically shouted, making all eyes turn to her. "But, you said that you were Kaneki's mother!"

"Eh?" Not just Kaneki, but everyone else in the room was dumbfounded by what they heard, their gaze shifted back to Valerie, and then to Kaneki, they repeated this a couple times, but still couldn't see the similarities.

Valerie didn't pay them any mind and was think about the Enigma. 'I'm pretty sure the Enigma is Chisato, after all she descended from the Divine Realm fifteen years ago to look after Basara, so while she was at it she protected the city from Ghouls and the like.

Well, it seems that it was just my luck that Chisato manipulated the memories of the 'good' ghouls, since Amelia told me this information before our session, once I gave her the full detail of what happened the other day'.

Valerie came out of her thoughts as saw the others just staring at her, "Since Ryouko, Hinami and Kaneki alright, I'll take my leave."

"Wait!" Kaneki called out to Valerie who already turned her back, "Can you tell me why you think you are evil?"

'This boy…Instead of explaining, let me just show him' Valerie turned around, and immediately the temperature in the room dropped, as she released her killing intent.

"Don't move." Valerie glanced Yoshimura who she could tell was about to attack, though what Valerie didn't know was that he wouldn't of attacked even if she didn't tell him.

Since at this moment, he could see Kali staring at him, waiting for him to make a wrong movement at her mistress.

"Do you feel it?" Valerie slowly walked to Kaneki who froze on the spot the moment he felt the full brunt of her intent. She lifted his chin with her jade-like finger and said, "This is the difference between you and I. I am a killer. If things get too troublesome, I won't hesitate to kill. And you? Could you kill those investigators to save Hinami and Ryouko?"

(A/N: I couldn't resist writing the word jade)

"Please stop, Yoruichi-san." Ryouko who wasn't exposed to the killing intent pleaded.

Valerie stared at her for few seconds, before huffing and reigning in her intent, "Your lucky I have a soft spot for single mothers."

Ryouko smiled at her comment, "You're a good person Yoruichi-san."

Valerie rolled her eyes and walked to the door. It was time she left, these guys definitely experienced enough shocks for the day, "Let's go Kali."

"Woof!" Kali walked to Valerie's side much to Hinami's disappointment.

"Don't worry, we'll visit again, little Hina." Valerie smiled as she put her shades back on.

"Okay…Bye Yoru-nee, Kali."

"See you." Valerie nodded and looked towards Kaneki, "Remember Kaneki, being kind to your enemies is being cruel to yourself". With those words, Valerie left.

Click-!

A silence permeated the room, as everyone had their own thoughts about what has transpired.

***

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chap~

Just wanted to ask, does anyone got any good ideas for future summons? I already have one in mind, in which Valerie is summoned by Ryuu to save the Astraea familia members in the dungeon.