---

Hana's arms heaved with the effort, as she gritted her teeth with all her might, intent on not budging an inch. She eyed the reactions of her siblings and comrades in arms. They seemed to be quickly gathering their senses...for the most part. Even though she was under strain, she smiled weakly at Takumi, Rin, the kids and the newcomer. "Yeah, everyone will be safe." she said, lying through her teeth as she knew she couldn't guarantee everyone's safety. It was either her safety or those one she was giving shelter...and the nonwritten code of fraternality among the sames species dictated that the latter had taken preference.

And there was Itsuki, begging her to switch places, as if some kind of self-inflicted torture and himself becoming the escapegoat would solve anything. No, that would hardly do anything. She could never sell her kin to buy time. And besides.

"Are you stupid? If i move an inch, they will get in! You are in no situation to argue, now g-" Hana's beckon was cut short as a Koukaku Quinque, in the shape of a giant sword cut through the door and Hana's left side of her chest with such force the weapon nailed the now unconscious body of the ghoul doctor against a wall, bleeding profusely.

"Pe-ew, looks like I owe you money. This busybody of a second rate B-class trash was really up to something, Associate Special class." One of the inspectors stepped in. Cocky, confident, even staring down at such a cadre of ghouls. A special class dispatch. And he wasn't alone. "We get the whole set. I bet two of these are the Kakujas we want."

"Well, um. Tough luck then. Oh, we can probably get some cool Quinques out of these!" One of the female companions cheered nonchalantly. Also a special class. It seemed like a full-blown massive party, formed by several ward's agents, completely oversized for hunting a ghoul as seemingly harmless as Hana, but perfectly reasonable for two kakujas.

I...I am sorry, I miscalculated. Hana thought, as strength was leaving her quickly, her vision becoming blurrier and blurrier. I should have thought that if they followed Miyako and Itsuki they would bear proportional power. She bitterly chided herself as she could only be a silent witness of the struggle that was about to unfold.

---

---

Whatever response that Itsuki might have had to Hana's words died in his throat as she was suddenly launched passed him by the force of the Investogator's blade, the blood from her wound splattering across his face as he stood in silent shock. The moment quickly passed, however, as the shock was soon replaced with an all consuming rage and blood lust. The luminous white of his Kakugan seemed to burn in the low light of the room as the sounds of his Kagune twisting and shifting filled the air. As his mind started to succumb to the primal and savage instincts of his Kajuka side, he could only choke out a single, guterral word to Takumi, sparing him a split-second glance as he did so.

"GO!"

After that, Itsuki stopped holding back the change that had begun, his kagune suddenly springing to life as chitinous growths began to force their way up his back and onto his arms, chest, and head. With a roar of maddened rage, Itsuki charged forward with all six of his kagune launching ahead of him in an attempt to crush the investigators within the door.

With a chuckle, the investigators leaped backward into the hallway, aiming to lead the Kakuja into a wall of gunfire from the forces that waited outside. The hallway filled with the sound of gunfire as they barraged the entrance to the room. However, instead of trying to stop or trying to retreat, Itsuki simply wrapped his Kagune infront of him as a sort of faux shield, blocking most of the gunfire as he continued his charge, smacking straight into the crowd of investigators. Kagune unfurled to reap a bloody harvest from the doves before him, the lower ranking investigators never standing a chance as he lashed out in a fury driven rage, his Kakuja mask and armor fully formed as he went about ripping into his foes with wild abandon. However, before he could move on, he was suddenly set upon by the Kokaku wielder, barely able to divert the blade away from him into the floor. Seeing an opening, Itsuki launched himself forward in an effort to bite down on the dove's face, only to be suddenly dragged back as one of the other lashed out with their quinque, a whip-like instrument that likely would've taken his head if not for the armor around his neck.

With a growl, Itsuki turned on her, sweeping his Kagune wildly around him to both knock back the Kokaku user as well as tangle it up in her Quinque, the clawed appendages near the end holding it tight to slacken it's hold on his neck. As soon as Itsuki was able to pull it off him, however, he was too be beset by another wave of gunfire, the remaining lower rank doves having recovered from his intial assault. Once again forced on the retreat, Itsuki backed up a tad, before launching into another bullrush, the Kokaku using dove rushing to meet him.

While Itsuki was giving the good fight, it was clear that it was too much for him too accomplish alone, as the combined force of the doves and confined nature of their surroundings left him at a great disadvantage. If left to fight this battle on his own, the chances of death were nigh certain.