Akira went that day to the cemetery to lay flowers.
As of that very morning, she was a rank one investigator. Her quinque combat skills had been deemed acceptable enough to allow her entry into the special anti-aogiri team, commanded by special-class investigator Arima.
So much time had passed already since the owl battle and the raid on Anteiku, but she didn't feel changed at all.
But what had her father taught her? She still trusted that deep feeling in her gut. Now that the world had been shaken so much, she would need it more than ever.
Because the education of a certain junior investigator had been left specifically to her. She was going to be his mentor, a teacher to the one who was 'different from the other investigators'.
She had asked him to meet her here.
He bowed low, the green trees swaying behind him, and his shock of white hair hanging down towards the ground.
'Hello,' said a familiar voice, 'rank one Mado Akira.'
He straightened, and before her stood a serious and determined looking young man. Just as much as his appearance had been wiped clean and brushed up to perfection, there was not a trace of recognition in his eyes when he looked at her.
'I am rank three investigator Sasaki. By way of special-class Arima's orders, starting tomorrow, I will be learning from your investigation techniques.'
Her investigation techniques. Techniques to find, track, and kill ghouls. It was ironic, almost as much as it was a little bit sick.
And all she could say herself were the words, 'N… nice to meet you…'
They were supposed to be starting from scratch, rebuilding and heeling. But to :redefine her future, as well as the future of the person standing before her, as anything other than a horrifically tragic nightmare would be a complete and utter lie.
She had lost so much, and so many people, and now this 'new' person standing before her was all that was left of the way forward.
The End.