"Haise..." A whisper echos amongst the darkness.

He looks around, trying to find someone; anyone.

"Give me my body..." The whisper calls out louder.

Haise backs away, goosebumps crawling his arm. "This body is mine. I am Haise Kishou... Am I?"

"I want my body back!" Pale, chained hands emerge from the darkness and wrap around Haise's neck. Strangling him with intensity.

Struggling Haise digs his nails into the figure's arms. Without avail, this didn't stop his lack of oxygen nor conscience from fading.

"HaISE!" The mouth of the whisper screams into his ear.

Arima, save me. Arima, please. Come save me. Father. Haise thought, while fighting a futile fight.

Blood dripping from the mouth, it calls out once more.

"Haise!"

Chomp!


Cold sweat and shallow breaths awaken him to reality. Even though he has not been in the prison cell in quite some time, the memories of something, or should he say someone else? Are are still torturing him, at every sign of waning faith.

"Another nightmare," Haise stretches from his bed and wipes his damp face. Mr.Kishou informed him that the voices will be troubling, but to this extent is exhausting.

Nonetheless, today is the day that he would start his first investigation. And Mr.Kishou will lead the investigation, while he learns the basics of being an investigator.

Haise respected the man and took note of the lessons that his mentor teaches him.

Although, the man didn't show much emotion or feelings for that matter, he expresses it in a way of his own. The brief visits during his time in that cell were a piece of heaven in that hell. And when all would seem lost as he clawed his eyes out repeatedly in search of death, Mr.Kishou would show with a book. Breaking the horrid torture of that voice. That damned voice that echoes inside his skull. Screaming for freedom. Screaming for him to return his body. Screaming for someone to save him.

"That was only a few months ago." Haise sighs and dresses for his first official investigation.

Mr. Kishou has informed him that they will be investigating the 6th Ward for the A rank, Phantom Ghoul. With the nearby wards tightly protected by CCG, this ward would naturally be next on the list. But, for a first time investigator this would be a time to hone his skills and show his mentor that he can meet his strict expectations.

"I will not let him down." Haise smiles and grabs his quinque, off to meet his mentor at the train station.

Walking through the bustling streets of Tokyo is not an easy task. The daily work hour rush and dozens of people with specific destinations in mind makes arriving to your personal destination difficult at times.

Haise apologizes as he bumps into multiple people on his way to the metro station. Doing his best to avoid the collisions and potential disarray.

" Excuse me." Offering an apology to an middle-age man with decrepit scars.

" Sorry, in a rush." Sweeping past the large crowd of business men packed tight like sardines in a can.

"Forgive me." Haise gives a brief apology once again, yet this time to a short statured woman stationed near the entrance of the terminal.

"Sorry, Mr. Investigator." A young lady with emerald hair and eyes apologizes as she contributes about her own way.

"I-" Before Haise could respond further the woman has already assimilated herself into the crowd.

Something is clawing at his heart to stop that lady and ask who she is to him. As if the world just stopped for abrief moment, in which felt as if an entirety has went by. She seemed familiar, from where he did not know, but his heart and brain felt conflicted from this one woman.

"I need focus on the task at hand." Haise thinks amongst himself and checks his watch, three minutes late. Mr. Kishou is not a man that tolerates tardiness and he has learned that in their training sessions. Whoever that woman was she would have be thought about later, as of now he has an assignment to attend to. Clenching his suitcase one final time before entering the terminal with thoughts of his mentor's lecture awaiting him.


"You're late Haise. Five minutes and twenty seconds late, to be exact." Arima comments, his demeanor unfazed by the tardiness of his subordinate.

"I can expl-" Haise spits out only to be cut off immediately.

Arima intercepts the stammering of his young charge, "We have a train to catch. Lets go."

Haise nods his head and follows behind Mr.Kishou, preferring to not bother the man anymore with his errors.

The rumbling of the train signals their journey to a new ward, Arima sits undisturbed by this sudden start up. Settling to his own personal thoughts at the time, whatever that may be.

Haise sits beside the man ticking his fingers against the suitcase, anxious of his first investigation, even more so his mentor's disappointment in him. After all, he is the man that saved him from that prison, has given him a new life, and brought his love of books into full bloom.

"What is it Haise?" Arima opting to speak for the first time since their train ride started. "You appear to be nervous. Why is that?"

"I'm not nervous at all." Haise confidently states to his mentor with pride.

"I'm terrified."

"I am counting on you." The words of Arima cause Haise to smile with determination.

"I will not let you down Mr. Kishou!"

"Mr. Kishou."

"Arima works Haise."

"Mr. Arima, there was this woman that I bumped into near the terminal. Well, I bumped into a lot of people but this woman seemed different."

"How so, Haise?"

"My encounter with her was brief. Although, it made my heart and head feel very strange like I know her from somewhere but I can not place a finger on it."

"This woman, what did she look like Haise?"

"She had emerald hair and eyes, Mr.Arima. They were stunning and seemed to be longing for something, yet content with something else. I did not get a chance to ask what her name was nor if she knew me by chance."

"Is there anything else about this woman?"

"No, but it serves as a reminder that I do not know a lot about myself..."

Arima places his hand on top of Haise's head with a gentle pat. "You need not worry about your past, more so your present, then future. After all, you are here now, correct?"

"Correct."

"Focus on the here and now, and push forward. It will help you become an inquisitive investigator that will not die to ghouls easily, nor become unaware of the most obvious ties."

Arima ruffles Haise's hair slightly with a gentle smile. At times like this, he remembers that he has been alone for the majority of his entire life. Completing hazardous assignments and fulfilling tasks that were laid out before hand with no questions asked. Now, that he has Haise, the boy is a grim reminder of that fact.

Kankei Ken, no Haise Sasaki, is a son to him in a certain degree. The comments of Akira discussing their similarities seemed too good to be true. Furthermore, the boy was essentially the closest thing to a family that he has ever had. He will cherish this time and hopefully Eto does not mind that either. We all have to make sacrifices in this cruel world.

Haise's appreciative ' thank you ' draws him out from his inner thinking. "You are welcome." Arima's reply being almost instant, the years behind an ultimate mask graced with formalities and greetings will do that to a person.

"If there is not anything else, I will return back to my novel now Haise."

"Thank you for everything Mr.Arima."

Unbeknownst to Haise, a small smile managed to carve itself upon Arima's stone facade.

After the supplementary conversation, protégé and master delve in their own works of literature. Each leisurely enjoying the works of art, as they relax before their work truly begins within the broken ward.