The Suzuya squad at the zoo please?????

Oh, this is adorable!!!

“But do we have to? Animals are so…terrestrial,” Miyuki Mikage says.

“Of course we do,” snaps Keijin Nakarai. Suzuya deserves a happy day.

“Are we all set?” Suzuya Juuzou bounds up to his squad. “Let’s go!”

As soon as they enter the zoo, Suzuya makes a beeline for the giraffes. “Look!”

He points up at them. His face is wonderstruck, and Hanbee has to suspect Suzuya assigns a special meaning to giraffes. 

Suzuya giggles. “They’re about your heigh, Hanbee.”

Hanbee’s mouth drops open, and Mizurou Tamaki elbows him. “He’s not wrong.”

“What’s your favorite animal?” Suzuya looks at his squad. “I need to know.”

“Follow me.” Mizurou waves them forward. When he leads them into the bird  house to join towards parrots, Suzuya thinks he probably should have expected as much.

“Of course you like the colors,” Mikage teases. 

“I do!” Mizurou sticks his nose in the air. 

“Who’s next?” Suzuya trembles with eagerness. 

“I like the tigers,” Keijin admits. Someday, his dream is to hug one even if it kills him.

“Snakes,” Mikage says dreamily. “I like whatever frightens people.”

“Ew!” Hanbee frowns. “I hate snakes.”

“Well, we’re seeing them anyway. You’ll get used to it.” Suzuya leads his men to the tiger exhibition, where he unexpectedly has to play adult and hold Keijin back from climbing over the walls, and then to the snakes.

Hanbee is visibly sweating as a cobra lifts its head for him.

“Oh, it likes you,” Keijin says.

“I don’t return its feelings.” 

“Too bad.” Suzuya waves at the snake, as if he could communicate with it. “So what kind of animal do you like, Hanbee?” 

Hanbee’s face reddens. The truth is he likes tame dogs, the Shiba Inus and the Corgis. 

But he still guides them to his second-favorite animal.

Suzuya screams. “What is it?”

“A red panda.” 

“It looks like a fat fox.” Suzuya is leaning precariously over the fence.

If he falls in, thinks Keijin, we all might have to jump in and rescue him

He elects not to warn his leader. 

But he probably should have, because Suzuya does fall in, and Hanbee leaps over the fence to rescue him. 

It probably isn’t necessary for the rest of them to join the rescue mission, but they all do, and from the infuriated eyes of the security guards, it’s obvious why.

It’s still worth it, even when they’re kicked out. Because Suzuya continues to whisper, “I patted it,” and Hanbee is glowing that his Squad Leader is happy. 

Yomo finds out just how involved Uta is in all of this.

My boy Yomo better live so this can happen. *falls on face, prays to Ishida*

Uta lounges in HySy Studio, sketching designs for another mask. This one is inspired by dragons, or whatever chaos that runt Souta has planned.

No one will wear it. That’s okay.

He slips on his No-Face mask and dances around the studio. So much fun. 

Until someone’s fist blasts him into the wall.

Uta leaps to his feet, barely bruised – and sees a livid Yomo there, flanked by Touka Kirishima, some sassy middle-schooler, and … Suzuya Juuzou?

He laughs. “To what do I owe this motley visit?”

“Being a two-faced bastard,” Touka shoots back. 

Yomo steps forward, clenching and unclenching his fist. “Is it true?”

“What? Is what true?” Uta bats his eyes. 

“Don’t do that.” Yomo’s voice is strained. He curses. “I knew you were a Clown, but…”

“You impersonated Mr. Shinohara.” Suzuya looks like he wants to cry.

“You’re working with our big leader,” sings the middle schooler. He has a tongue piercing, and that alone warms him to Uta. 

Uta sniffs. “You’re a half-ghoul.”

“No, I’m an Oggai, shithead,” says the kid. “Want to know what happened? Here we were, slaughtering the ghouls in the 24th ward – our leader really took a shine to slicing up your Yomo –”

“When Kuki Urie and the Quinx Squad arrived to tell us we were all being played by ghouls like Nimura Furuta. So we struck a truce. I didn’t like Furuta anyway.” Suzuya crosses his arms. “And I don’t like you.”

“And I remembered you!” The kid giggles. “So now we’re confronting you. Ain’t life a bitch?”

“Please stop swearing,” Yomo says automatically.

Uta chuckles. “You never change, Yomo.”

“Did you? Or were you always this cruel?” Yomo steps forward. He could have died today. The two rogue Quinxes are currently imprisoned with half the rebellious Oggai, but if the lead Quinx hadn’t arrived – he’d be dead. Would Uta care?

“I’m lonely.” Uta smiles at him and shrugs. “So what are you gonna do? Kill me? Torture me? You won’t get far.”

“Don’t you care?” Yomo bellows. “Touka nearly lost her baby! I nearly died! Don’t you feel anything at all?”

He shoves Uta against the wall. His eyes blaze. “What is wrong with you?!”

At his touch, Uta blinks back the image of Yomo’s head rolling along the tunnels of the 24th ward. It’s distinctly unpleasant.

“I – I don’t know,” he whispers. Wait, Touka is pregnant?

“Well, you’ll have time to figure it out, because we’re arresting you.” Suzuya beams at him.

Yomo turns away, and everything in Uta screams for him to look back. 

Shinohara wakes up.

Oh this hurts – 

“We really, really need you to come to the hospital today,” says Keijin, accompanied by the rest of Suzuya Squad. He was the only one who dared to start the conversation.

Suzuya stiffens. “Why?”

Is Mr. Shinohara dying? Is he already gone? Has Juuzou failed him again?

“The doctors think he’s going to wake up.” Hanbee says, flashing Suzuya a reassuring smile.

Suzuya’s eyes morph into saucers. And then his squad – his family – leads him on.

When he gets to the room – of course he never forgot the number – Suzuya draws back. What if Mr. Shinohara doesn’t remember him? Or recognize him with black hair? What if he hates him for taking him from his family for so many years?

Hanbee puts a hand on Suzuya’s shoulder, and Mikage pokes his back. 

His Squad is here. They don’t blame him and they even like him with black hair.

So he moves forward, into the room.

He sees Shinohara’s wife and kids first. They’re smiling – then – that must –

Mr. Shinohara sits upright on his bed, his eyes wide at the sight of Juuzou.

For a moment, mentor and mentee stare at each other.

Then Mr. Shinohara opens his arms, and Suzuya flings himself into them. 

Shinohara sees tears running down Juuzou’s face, and a proud squad standing behind his kid.

“I missed you,” Suzuya sobs.

“I missed you too.” Shinohara leans back. There’s so much to discuss – years of change, literally – but he needs to bring up the past once more. “I never got to tell you how proud I am of you.”

But consider all of the cast with lightsabers.

Oh my word

I’ve sorted the characters according to their introductory affiliation.

Anteiku/Re Affiliates

Kaneki Ken – After inheriting a very special bright red/Darth Maul two-sided saber from the fallen Rize Kamishiro, he finds himself hunted by the Dark Side.

Nagachika Hideyoshi – His is light blue, like Luke’s. 

Yoshimura Kuzen – He’s long retired his purple lightsaber, except when he brings it out to clean up after his daughter, Darth Owl. It used to be his lover Ukina’s, from whom he learned how to wield it. 

Kamishiro Rize – She was exceptionally skilled with her two-sided saber, but is currently saber-less. 

Kirishima Touka – Hers is dark blue and she wields it well. 

Koma Enji – Green.  

Irimi Kaya – Green. This is why she and Koma first fought in the 20th ward, before Yoshimura convinced them there was room for two green sabers.

Yomo Renji – Darksaber all the way.

Kosaka Yoriko – Yellow-green, but she would rather not use it. 

Hinami Feuguchi – Yellow, two-sided, and she possesses uncanny skill. 

Nishiki Nishio – green and cracked. 

Nishino Kimi – green (this is how she met Nishiki). He then cracked her crystal by accident, and learned the power of love by her forgiveness. 

Tsukiyama Family

Tsukiyama Shuu – the gourmet’s is indigo to match his hair, and he adores it to the point that he talks to it. Still, he pines after Kaneki’s two-sided saber.

Karren von Rosewald – Servants weren’t supposed to have sabers, but Shuu bought her a rose pink one for her birthday one year. She’s loved him ever since.

Matsumae – the family bodyguard possesses a darksaber. It still thrills her every time she lights it.

Mirumo – passed down the indigo saber to Shuu.

Chie Hori – her tiny green saber was so delectable she and Shuu had to be friends.

Clowns

Uta – Darksaber, but with a cracked crystal. He and Yomo used to make a fierce darksaber team. 

Itori – Hers is bright pink but rarely used, unless you’re counting when she gets drunk and waves it about Helter Skelter pretending she’s a Samurai. 

Hoito Roma – She seemed to have an ordinary red saber. Instead she literally has a four-sided saber she uses for utter destruction. 

Nimura Furuta – he started the series by pushing pipes onto Rize so he could steal her lightsaber, but now that Kaneki has inherited it, he hired Kanou to make a duplicate. Someday, though, he will get the real one. 

Rio/Shikorae – is not trusted with one. Probably for the best.

Nico – pink but cracked. 

Donato Porpora – Purple, cracked.

Aogiri Tree

Kirishima Ayato – dark blue, just like Touka. *pouts*

Yamori – Sabers cauterize wounds. That’s boring. 

Tatara – Green – half of a two sided saber. 

Yoshimura Eto – Darth Owl has a fierce purple lightsaber and exceptional skill.

Noro – Darksaber. 

CCG

Amon Koutarou – Blue-white and pure. 

Takizawa Seidou – blue, but he cracked the crystal while insisting he could make his own.

Mado Akira – green. She made her own, nice and neat. 

Houji Kousuke- the second half of Tatara’s green saber is his. This is the root of their enmity. 

Mado Kureo – His fascination with lightsabers has lead him to have a collection of every color, plus every cracked version. He was missing a green one before Akira made hers. 

Marude Itsuki – It used to be yellow. Inspired by Yoshitoki, he also decorated the label. It did not turn out well, but thankfully, Juuzou Suzuya wrecked it. 

Washuu Yoshitoki – yellow. He’s decorated the label. 

Washuu Matsuri – spent half his childhood (literally half) whining for one. Now he has a yellow one and isn’t not as exciting as he hoped. 

Washuu Tsuneyoshi – He wishes it was purple, but alas, his is yellow. 

Kuriowa Takeomi – He got so good at beating ghouls up with his hands his dad was reluctant to hand down their family’s white saber. 

Kuriowa Iwao – He used to have a white saber. Now he has an orange one, because he gave the white one to Takeomi.

Aura Kiyoko – Blue and damn does she use it well.

Tanakamaru Mougan – Pink. He loves the color. 

Shinohara Yukinori – Green, “the color of life,” he used to remind Suzuya.

Hajime Hazuki – white. Someone take it away from him.

Arima Squad

Ihei Hairu – hers is lemon-colored, and she’s nicknamed it “Sunlight.”

Arima Kishou – His is ordinary light blue. But he can beat even the most powerful sabers with his technique. 

Ui Koori – His is green. Sometimes Hairu tells him they’re lemons and limes, and he enjoys this.

Take Hirako – he ordered light blue to match Arima. 

Ihei Shio – Pink. He and Yusa swapped colors. 

Arima Yusa – white. He didn’t care for the color, but Shio really wanted pink.

Souza Rikai – purple, which she’s very proud of. 

Suzuya Squad

Suzuya Juuzou – green and two-sided. He insisted on green to honor Shinohara. 

Keijin Nakarai – Yellow to match his hair.

Hanbee Abara – Darksaber. He feels silly with it.

Miyuki Mikage – Green, like his boss. 

Mizurou Tamaki – Orange

Quinx Squad

Yonebayashi Saiko – light blue, and she enjoys wielding it, because then she gets to pretend she’s someone from Feudal times. 

Shirazu Ginshi – orange, cracked, and he loved it for its imperfections. 

Urie Kuki – purple, but cracked, and the crack is growing bigger.

Mutsuki Tooru – green, and he’s determined to become as skilled as Kaneki. 

Hsaio Ching-Li – dark saber. Beware her skill.

Aura Shinsanpei – his is dark blue, and he’s either way too fierce or too timid with it. There is no middle ground.

Higemaru Touma – pink, and he likes to light it up for no reason other than he enjoys the sound. 

Scenario where Kurona and Juuzou have to talk about what happened without trying to kill each other (let me dream okay)

Just minor attempted murders okay? 

“Just – please – please let me kill him!” Kurona lunged forward, but Kaneki held her back. She broke into sobs. “He killed our sister! She had Rize’s kagune too!”

Suzuya peeked out from behind Hanbee and Nakarai. Mikage and Tamaki stood behind him, ready to attack anyone else who got ideas.

“Please!”

“He’s my friend! He was raised to kill. I killed, too, when I had my memories wiped, remember?” Kaneki met Tsukiyama’s eyes.

“Damn threw me off a building.” The gourmet’s eyes soured at the memory of Karren. But he’d told her it would all be okay, and okay did not include vengeance on a brainwashed Kaneki.

“She was my best friend – she loved me no matter what,” Kurona sobbed. “R-r-remember when you lost your Shinohara? That’s what you did to me, and you laughed. You made it into a game.”

Suzuya’s eyes widened. His mouth formed a perfect red circle, and for a moment he felt like he was losing Shinohara again. And again, and again, over and over and over – the Owl kept stabbing him –

“No,” he mumbled. “No, no, no!”

“Hey.” Hanbee caught his arms. 

“Mr. Shinohara knew what you did. He loved you regardless,” said Nakarai.

“But I don’t love – me …” Suzuya took a step towards Kurona. He was visibly sweating. And then he burst into tears. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“You killed her,” Kurona whimpered.

“Do you … do you want to kill me?” Suzuya held out Jason as tears streamed down his face. 

Kurona took a step forward, but she didn’t reach for the quinque. “No. I want her back.”

He looked at the sobbing enemy before her and felt an unexpected stab of pity. He looked like a child. A child she had called “Rei” without knowing what that meant. 

“I don’t forgive you, Juuzou. But I think – I think together, we can be on the same team making the world better.” Kurona held out her hand, and Juuzou flung himself into her arms.

Scenario where Tokage tells Urie and the other Quinx (possibly including Shirazu?) about Mutsuki’s past misdeeds. Possibly in front of the rest of the CCG like the monster he is.

OH MY GOD THE ANGST I LOVE IT.

this takes place in an alternative universe where Shirazu never died, sometime after Rushima, but before the Clown Raid. 

“You’re promoting this monster?” Tokage stretched out a hand to brush back Mutsuki’s hair. The quivering boy slapped him away, but that didn’t stop his laughter.

“What’s so funny, punk?” snapped Shirazu.

“Yes, and he’s Mucchy, not a monster.” Saiko crossed her arms.

Urie glanced at a sweating Mutsuki, and Suzuya Juuzou had gone unusually still.

“Unless you’re a cat, right?” Tokage winked at Suzuya, who paled.

“N-no,” stammered Mutsuki, desperate. “No, you’re wrong.”

“You killed the kitty?” Suzuya’s eyes were wide. 

Because he would remember, wouldn’t he, Mutsuki thought in horror. He liked Suzuya. And he’d hurt him. Again.

“And his family, ain’t that right?” Tokage cracked his knuckles, and that was it for Aura.

“Fuck off.” He leapt to his feet, Hsaio on his heels.

“Nah.” Tokage leered at Mutsuki. “Tell me, who was first: your dad? your Mom? your brother? Did you kill your brother and make up the abuse to cover it? Huh?”

Mutsuki doubled over. “No – ghouls killed them, you know that – ”

“He’s clearly upset.” Saiko marched over and tried to place her hand on Mutsuki’s shoulder.

Mutsuki pulled away. “Ghouls killed them – I am a ghoul – I am – I am – I am – ”

“Say it, boy.” Tokage lifted Mutsuki up by his collar. “You are grotesque. And now your Rc count is out of control, you know. You’re a menace.”

He shoved Mutsuki to his knees. “Look at his Rc levels. He’s a real ghoul now. Tell me, what exactly did Torso do to you to make you like him?”

Mutsuki hurt too much to scream. Salt streamed down his burning cheeks.

“I’m bad, I’m bad, I’m bad,” he sobbed.

“Did you kill the cat?”

Mutsuki didn’t respond until Takage pinched his cheek. “Yes!”

“Did you kill your family? Did you eat a dead instructor to survive at the auction? Did you dismember Torso like you wish to be dismembered?” Takage kept pinching Mutsuki just the way he knew Mutsuki hated, and the boy kept whimpering “yes” just to end it.

“So, there you have it.” Tokage straightened. “I did my duty by keeping an eye on him, and now you’ll do yours and exterminate this vermin. Quinx.” He spat at them on his way out.

“I’m not a Quinx,” said Suzuya, leaping forward and kneeing Tokage right in the groin. 

Higemaru took a step towards Mutsuki, who jerked his head up to see – to see Urie staring at him. Just staring.

He cried out and scrambled back against the wall. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care what you did. You don’t have to be sorry to me,” Saiko said stubbornly.

“We like you,” Higemaru added, and Hsaio nodded with a stern glance towards Aura, who immediately added, “Me too.” 

“I like him, too,” Suzuya told Tokage, chewing on a strand of black hair. “I don’t like you. Wait, Mutsuki -”  

Everyone’s eyes were on him as Higemaru handed Suzuya handcuffs. “I believe this could be considered interference with an investigation.”

Suzuya clicked the cuffs around a protesting Tokage’s wrists. “If I hadn’t had Mr. Shinohara, I would be worse than you. So I don’t look at you with disgust, because you’ve never done that to me.” 

“Come here, boy, my ghoulie friend.” Shirazu crushed Mutsuki to his chest. “Like, am I supposed to be worried you’ll eat me? As if.”

Saiko threw herself atop the two, and Hsaio and Higemaru dragged Aura over.

And through the mass embrace, Urie’s fingers reached out to tap Mutsuki’s shoulder.

“I’m gonna hurt you all,” whispered Mutsuki.

“If we could handle Urie, we can handle you.” Saiko grinned.

Mutsuki’s eyes lingered on Urie. Do you hate me

“Hey.” Urie smiled stiffly. “You know…whatever you’ve done, you’ve been who you are the entire time we’ve known you. And we like you for who you are. Saiko’s right, I think I’ve been more grotesque than you.”

Mutsuki’s heart beat quicker. Could they – could they all accept him?

“Can I hug you?” Urie asked. 

A man…asked him permission to touch him? No one did that.

Mutsuki nodded as tears filled his eyes, and for once he found himself in a safe sea of people who loved him. His family.