[ Open ]

[enucleation]

WHO: Kaneki + Open
WHERE: Heropa, Nonah, Maurtia falls, De chima
WHEN: March 1st to March 15th
WHAT: Find Kaneki on the street because he won't tell you he is here otherwise
WARNINGS: Canon spoilers, mentions of violence, gore and cannibalism

[ His arrival back in this world was smoother than he expected. The government told him he was not going to prison for what he did, but due to his violent acts --even if he wasn't in his right mind and was being "controlled" by Hornets-- he had to be put on probation. He was requested to wear an ankle monitoring bracelet for a month and he will have to report to a Registered imPort who will act as his parole officer; the tattoo in his arm now says "criminal" and will remain so for a month. And during all of this, not once Kaneki argued or complained. He nodded and accepted every decision the government made about this situation, and at the end all he did was ask if he still had access to De Chima labs --they said 'yes' because it was necessary-- and requested to now live in De Chima --request accepted-- and that was it.

That's how he returned to this world.

He left an entry over the network, and went to his new place. he is not sure how to address others just yet, but he knows he has to apologize, though you can't really apologize for something like that, not so lightly. He will focus on what he can while he decides the best course of action: the Hornets, the Porter, he will focus on keeping his place in this world, that has been threatened so many times already, and he will protect everyone. He will find what is the better way to do that, since experience told him he can't just do everything blindly. He needs to think.

He will figure it out. ]

HEROPA : Bookstore

[ Even though Kaneki is no longer living in Heropa, he still walks around the city quite often. It's a way to make sure everything and everyone are safe and in case something happens, he will be there to help and protect the people he cares about. He is now working at De Chima bookstore, but he decides to drop by his old workplace; here, only few days passed after he was sent back to his world, but back home it was over 6 months.

He smiles politely at his ex-boss as he comments on the white hair, and he smiles kindly at the man. He also apologizes for leaving and apologizes for no longer working there. With a small bow, he buys three new books and an extra fourth is given to him for free. When he finally leaves the bookstore, he looks around for a second and decides to take off his eyepatch; white hair and black clothes made him pretty weird already, but he figured it was better to avoid looking THAT weird with an eyepatch too. ]

NONAH : Coffee shop

[ He never actually been to Nonah before. It's funny because he was 6 months in this world before, and he never found an excuse to go to Nonah and visit the city. Right now he is only doing so because he wants to know the city, the layout, to see the people, the natives, the imPorts and their locations. He is scouting, that's the only reason he is there. Annie and Reiner live there, so it's important for him to know the place and in case something happens, he can navigate through it.

After a whole morning of walking around, he eventually comes to a coffee shop - a petite and quiet one - and asks for their "best coffee, no sugar, no cream, just coffee". And he eventually sits by the window, looking outside. Doing this sort of things... drinking coffee at a coffee shop, taking a moment to look around without searching for an enemy... it has been a while. ]

MAURTIA FALLS : Streets

[ This was the second city Kaneki was set on getting to know. Like Nonah, he has never been there, but like Nonah, he needs to get to know it in case anything happens. Scouting, learning the layout, learning what you may need to face. If anything happens and he needs to go to this small city again, he will know the place easily. He is also interested in the rumored underground scene going on; these are usually good for information, but given Kaneki is currently a "Criminal" and under Government's observation he knows he can't approach it just yet.

He is carrying his eyepatch today, plus the black clothing and the white hair help a lot for people in this town not to be so suspicious of him. The ankle monitor also brought enough attention, too, but Kaneki politely asks them to go away -with a smile and everything!- as he grabs his cup of coffee and sits down at a public bench to drink it.

This is a really interesting place, actually. Ghouls would probably find it "homy" ]

HEROPA/DE CHIMA : Moving from a city to another

[ Now that he lives in De Chima, he will have to move there. It means going to his old apartment in Heropa and get his things and move them to a different city. At least Kaneki doesn't have much house utensils and necessities, but he has a lot of books and carrying those can be a feat. At least he has super strength and he isn't going to hide that anymore; in his hands, he carries bags full of books, some clothes, some other accessories like coffee.

He can be found carrying his items from Heropa Individual Housing back to De Chima Individual Housing, since it's where he will live from then on. ]

CLOSED : Will Graham

[ Kaneki was assigned Will Graham as his parole officer; he is to report to him and the man already has files on what Kaneki is, thus he doesn't expect having to explain it to him. Hopefully. Though he has a feeling questions and conversations will be had. In any case, Kaneki decides to visit him the second he can.

At least he doesn't bring cupcakes this time.

Kaneki is wearing black, and if Will remembers a gentle black haired kid who smiled and looked too naive for this world, he will now meet a white haired Kaneki who still wears an eyepatch and looks far too tired (and sad). He is still smiling, though. Once he arrives to Will's shop, "Hook, line, & tinker", the first thing he notices is the dog, but after he looks around ] Excuse me...?

Comments

yeah he does have a slew of things to remember now good work ken

[lyingheart]

[ look shut up this is her kindness, it's just also awkward to anyone who hasn't had to do this for comrades during winter months.

regardless, she just continues on like that, matching stride so that they... look like they're walking much more intimately than they are. there's no actual undertone to any of it - she's comfortable in physical proximity, they've been dance partners (and she's worked with him with sparring and control issues). he's not hungry, she's not worried about his kagune, and he's part ice now. good work. ]

Your hands never used to be so cold.

[enucleation]

[ he doesn't mind the proximity nor that they look much more intimate. If anyone notices or not, who cares? Ken certainly doesn't.

But when she mentions his hands, he just nods ] I know. I poor circulation, now. [ it's not a lie. After his fingers we cut and regrew again and again, it's natural they are a bit messed up.

the black nails, hard and thick that probably feel like an insect's carapace, are a bit harder to explain though. He honestly can't explain them. ]

[lyingheart]

[ It's not the time where she'd ask why. She makes a noise of assent, accepting what he says. Poor circulation now. After whatever happened. Her mind shies away from examining that too closely right now.

It won't, later. But later is later.

Now is now. ]

Where will you be living?

[enucleation]

[ even later, he still won't have an answer. Not because there isn't one, but because he doesn't want to say it.

Kaneki hums softly ]

De Chima. It's closer. [ to the "food", he means. This way, not only he has good amount inside his fridge, but "grocery" will be just around the corner ]

Right now, I'm only just visiting. [ scouting Nonah, he means. ]

[lyingheart]

[ She can pick up on the undertones. He gets a speculative glance from her, a cant of her head and her eyes sliding his way. ]

Planning on visiting Maurtia Falls, too?

[enucleation]

[ kaneki, in return, smiles innocently. A small "No way I'm doing what you think I'm doing" ]

Aha- perhaps. I never did visit the place. I hear it's lively.

[lyingheart]

Mm. It can be rowdy.

[ which is lively, for one understanding of the word. ]

Let me know how you like it.

[enucleation]

Well, now I sure have to visit it. [ lalalalala~ not really scouting. Just looking around.

~TOURISM~ ]

You may come along, if you'd like. [ see? He is even inviting Annie.

But then again, Kaneki can easily multitask, like he is currently doing. ]

[lyingheart]

Been there, done that. It's not a place I feel a need to know.

[ Tempering her words, but there's an emphasis on feel and need. She doesn't buy tourism bs even from people actually doing tourism bs Ken you are SOL ]

[enucleation]

[ he will stop. Kaneki's amused expression relaxes a bit, but he is still smiling. he knows Annie is not blind. ]

It's good to know the important points in the map. [ Maurtia Falls is a place where imPorts live, of course he should learn the place's layout just in case ]

[lyingheart]

Scouting new territory is something every new recruit learns to do. At some point, it becomes second nature.

[ They should all know the cities, and it's why Annie has cursory knowledge of them all, but the most in Nonah and De Chima. Maurtia Falls invites a different sort of attention that's more difficult for someone who looks her age to navigate without inviting other troubles to mitigate at the same time.

Not that she hasn't handled those. It's just a hassle. ]

[enucleation]

[ he nods softly ]

I never did that before. Though, I admit I'm a lot more relaxed about it here. [ back in his world, he wouldn't go walking around with a cup of coffee in his hand. In his world, he'd be crazy obsessive with way too many details currently passing by him. ]

It keeps me occupied, though. [ and THAT is a very good thing ]

[lyingheart]

Is that important for you at this point?

[enucleation]

Isn't it for everyone? People like to keep busy, I think.

[ sure. ]

[lyingheart]

How people choose to do that says something about their personal priorities... or the way their minds work.

[enucleation]

Does it? [ he smiles, hand reaching to touch his own chin ] I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

[lyingheart]

[ Really, she's almost missed that gesture in the last few weeks. ]

Whatever you say, Ken. I'm hardly the one to imply there's anything wrong with the idea.

[ More like she's among the number to count it as something right. ]

[enucleation]

Exactly.

[ ... ]

I know I have changed. Everyone's already told me so, Annie.

[lyingheart]

Is that supposed to be more surprising to you or to me, Ken? People change.

[ She gives a squeeze of his fingers - cold hands, she wants to say. Things change. ]

I don't believe in a world where nothing changes. If it's for the better or worse, that's a question answered over time, but if things are truly stagnant, then they're dying. Even if the way things move is as clear as mud... that much I believe is true.

[enucleation]

[ and yet sometimes, they change for the wrong reasons. They change too drastically too. Too painfully as well.

Kaneki looks away ]

I wonder if it's wise to change this much, though. The pure me... [ he trails off. No, things like that- ] I can't change back, i know that. But I also think i did a lot of things wrong.

[lyingheart]

"The pure you..." Do you listen to yourself speak? You weren't a child. If your hands are that dirty now, it's only the contrast that makes you think you were pure before.

[ such a mild rebuke, but it's his language that catches at her. ]

Idealizing what you were doesn't make it true. "Pure..." at least find a different word.

[enucleation]

[ he never said it wasn't in contrast to that. in fact, it's exactly in the face of the things Kaneki has done then and has done now that he uses that word.

But if she wants a word- ]

Not fucked up. [ he has three ]

[lyingheart]

[ ... she pauses. then she snorts. ]

Not as fucked up. [ as now. sorry, but you were a little fucked up. (she's biased.) ] Which leaves a lot of implications for the life you've been living since you left.

[enucleation]

[ yes, yes he was. But mostly he was pathetic and weak ]

Are you asking or waiting for me to tell you?

[lyingheart]

It's not my story.

[ she says. ]

What you do or don't say, that's your decision.

[ she doesn't pry. she listens, she pieces things together, she answers when she's asked for parts of her own life, but she doesn't pry. why? probably because it brings around a different responsibility. it's respect, and it's still that distance. ]