Tokyo Ghoul: Beginning

8:54 PM, 3rd ward, Tokyo.

The darkness had covered all of Tokyo. Of those places that were safeguarded by the street lights, people gathered and passed as an army of black ants. But the alleys were beyond such protection. Here comes the true night, wrapped in its veil of darkness; few ever dare to pass here often.

Shinji was drifting across one of these alleyways. Drifted as he did as what a ghost would have done. But it was not mindless rummaging. Shinji's ghoul instincts were kicking in. Even in that pitch darkness, without a ray of light we could trace his way. The walls; they bear a pungent smell of sweat. Something that would have not been noticeable by human senses. And the most promising sign was the piercing scent of cigarettes that was wafting from that place. 

Leaning against the wall two boys, were chatting merrily. In one's mouth there was a cigarette, which he inhaled and passed to the other. They were young boys, most likely in their late teens. Shinji stood a few metres away from them, but was standing wide open. They noticed him and the one who now held the cigarette moved towards him.

"What do you want? Don't you know this is our hanging spot" he said. He was taller than Shinji and was trying to assert that superiority as intimidation. Shinji said nothing. He became more frustrated and tried bending down more to see Shinji's face.

"You MF, are you dumb or ... Ahhh" he shouted.

Shinji leaped towards him and dug his teeth inside his arm. It was only thanks to his quick reflexes that the boy could save his face, only by sacrificing his arm. Shinji held on to his arm and that boy punched him again and again. At last Shinji let it go. At once he was pinned to the wall.

The other boy leaped into kicking Shinji as hard as he could. The victim's hand was bleeding. Each of those precious blood drops was going to waste on that dirty floor. 

"You son of a bitch, why the hell did you bite me?" He roared and gave a tremendous punch on Shinji's face. Blood gushed out of his face. And he lied limply.

The other boy picked up the cigarette and put the burnt end at Shinji's face. He felt the pain but couldn't move a muscle. Seeing Shinji gaze, he gave a malicious grin. 

With one final kick, they left Shinji there and were heading out. There were tears in Shinji's eye. Soon blood filled inside his pupil or maybe not. Everything seemed to be in a red hue. He forced his body up, with the support of the wall. Each muscle, each bone of his body were screaming, yet his body moved on its own. He followed them while limping, with each step his limp seemed to disappear. 

"Wait" he shouted at them. The boys turned and were shocked to see him. He was nearly half dead and he still was. But he did have the strength to move.

Shinji was feeling a tingling at his back. That tingle was now becoming an itch and it became more unbearable. From his back two yellow poles shot out. Each was folded. When they were completely out, they unfold. It was his kagune. It resembled the legs of a spider. It was all deep yellow with black marking at periodic intervals. Shinji's kakujan has fully manifested.

Panicked the boys run for their lives. Shinji also ran after them. It was a scene that has played again and again in the circle of life. Helpless prey that only knew how to flee and a proud predator that was not only chasing to appease his hunger but to derive from it an inexplicable pleasure. 

The boys managed to out run Shinji. At last they reached the sanctuary of the main street and disappeared in the crowd. Shinji was still in the alleyways. But luck was perhaps with him. At the entry point, a giant man stood. On his shoulder a girl sat. It looked as if a bird was sitting on an ox back. Their faces were not visible, only their silhouettes were. 

It was a chance he cannot miss. And with a leap, he pointed his spear-like spider kagune at them. He threw himself at that huge man.

" Gabi restrained him" the girl mumbled to him.

As Shinji was about to pierce that man's chest, he felt a tremendous punch on his liver that knocked him down. He was vomiting and after a few seconds he was unconscious. His kagune retracted. 

The girls hopped down from her seat. 

"He was propelled by his hunger. Take him to Kirishima. He might have something to feed him." 

That huge man picked Shinji up as a bag and laid him on his shoulder. Three of them now walked alongside Tokyo's citizens. To them they might seem like a party of regular drinkers, one of whose lights have fused.