Oasis, 20th Ward: Sunday, November 14; 7:37 AM

"Get the hell out of our city!"

"Freaks!"

"Go back to the sewers where you belong!"

Hiroshi stood behind the kitchen counter, cleaning dishes that came to him while everyone ate. He tried not to pay attention to the shouting outside, though his residents were certainly being bothered by it.

"Mr. Kameko? They are back at it again." One of his residents, a young boy named Haru, was looking outside the only window left that wasn't cracked. As if on cue, a rock hit the window he was looking out of and made a huge crack in the glass. Just another window that needed to be replaced.

Hiroshi sighed and turned of the sink, taking off his glove he used when he washed dishes. "I'll deal with it. These people never learn."

Hiroshi walked away, leaving the dishes he was washing in the sink to walk outside. He opened the door to look walk out, noting that there was a red X painted on it again. A rock hit his shoulder as his eyes adjusted to the light outside. Keeping his composure, he said the same thing he said every morning. "Can I help you?"

One of the protesters, one holding a sign that said 'Pure Humans: Pure City', addressed him. "Damn right you can help us, filth. You can go back underground and leave the surface for us. Or, better yet, just hang yourselves and be done with it."

Hiroshi didn't let the insult phase him. He knew stuff like this would happen the moment he decided to build this shelter. "Sir, please answer honestly. Why do you think ghouls cannot live among humans?"

The protester seemed visibly stunned by the question. "What do you think? You kill and eat people! Just look at your missing arm! Isn't that enough proof that you were fighting for a meal?"

Hiroshi nodded, looking at the stump of his left arm that had yet to grow back. He could certainly see this person's point of view, though it was still wrong. "So, tell me, do you not know of the artificial food that the Ghoul Relief Effort gives out? Considering that, your point is null and void. Try again."

The protester opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Hiroshi looked at the ground, closing his eyes and savoring his victory. "I see. When you have a more suitable reason, please come back and tell it to me. Until then, get off my property before I call the police. Thank you, and good day."

Hiroshi started to turn around but was disappointed to see the man raising his arm to swing a punch. Seems like this man would not be convinced with words alone.

Before he could land his punch, his arm was stopped by the navy blue metallic kagune that had suddenly wrapped around his arm. Hiroshi turned to face the man, his eyes blood red. He studied the mans face, noting the absolute fear in his eyes as he realized his mistake. Then he looked behind him and was satisfied with the fact the other protesters were still there and didn't run. He hated repeating himself and chances are they would be back tomorrow if they didn't hear what he said next.

"Alright. Listen carefully, because I hate repeating myself," Hiroshi said as he tightened his kagune's grip on the man's arm. "One: Throwing rocks and painting my door with a red X is considered destruction of personal property, so feel lucky I haven't called the police yet.

"Two: Calling people filth and trying to swing a punch at someone is a bad idea, because that would also be a crime. It is known as assault. Three: Calling a ghoul filth and trying to swing a punch at them just means you have a death wish."

Hiroshi tightened his grip on the man's arm further, then suddenly adjusted his kagune to break it. The man screamed as the kagune released him and retracted back into Hiroshi's body, right below his shoulder blade. He grabbed the man's chin and pulled his face closer to make him look directly in his red eyes. "Now, filth, don't let me see any of you on my property again, or I might decide you look tastier than you smell."

With his little show finished, Hiroshi turned around to walk back inside, leaving the protesters to scatter. He ignored the accusations of being a monster as he shut the door and clicked the lock. They were right about one thing. He was a monster. That is why he made the homeless shelter: to prevent his residents from becoming him.

As he walked inside the main room, he wasn't surprised to see everyone inside staring at him. "Show's over, folks. Let's enjoy the rest of our meal."

20th Ward Police Station: Sunday, November 14; 12:23 PM

Kiyoshi wasn't pleased with the way his day was going so far. First that filthy ghoul who broke his arm, and now this police officer was laughing in his face. These new laws protecting ghouls are inhumane. It goes against everything humans represent.

The police officer wiped tears out of his eyes, a big grin on his face. "You're telling me you threw rocks at a ghoul homeless shelter, insulted and tried to attack the owner and now you want to press charges of assault now that the owner broke your arm in return?" The police officer didn't seem to be taking Kiyoshi seriously, which was the biggest problem. "I'm sorry, Mr. Tanaka, but you got everything you deserved. Plus, technically, he had the right to do what he did since you were on his property and actively damaging it. It's called the Castle Law and was implemented in Japan not long ago in order for ghouls to defend their property from bigots like you. I agree with the ghoul on this one."

"How can you support those filthy monsters! They belong mounted on someone's wall, not living as neighbors!" Kiyoshi was full of rage. How could another human say this?

"Sir, I would be careful with that attitude of yours. Keep it up and you might have your left arm broken too," the police officer leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of his coffee. "Now, the only reason I haven't arrested you is it seems like that ghoul did a pretty good job of giving you a form of punishment for your actions."

"You can't seriously think that ghouls care about us humans! We are just a meal to them!"

The police officer took another sip of his coffee before responding. "Not true. Last night a woman was saved from a mugging by a ghoul. According to her, the ghoul lost his left arm in the fight and was severely injured. He left before police arrived on the scene, so we have no way of confirming her story, though."

Kiyoshi recalled that the owner of the shelter had a missing arm, but he couldn't remember if it was his left. "But in order for a ghoul to sustain that much damage in a fight, he would have had to have been fighting another ghoul, would he not?"

"Mr. Tanaka, you are missing the point that a ghoul killed another ghoul for the life of a human. That should be enough proof to you that some ghouls do care about people," the police officer leaned forward in his chair and set his coffee down. "Now I suggest you leave so I can tend to actual crimes. Either that or I can arrest you right here."

"You're human! Why do you support ghouls?" Kiyoshi couldn't believe what he was hearing. This officer was trying to arrest him when he was simply doing what was required of him as a human being.

"Sir, if I was to answer honestly into why I support ghouls, I would say my wife is one, as well as our adopted son," the officer said with a completely straight face. "Now please leave, you are forming a line."

Realizing he wasn't going to get any help on the matter, Kiyoshi Tanaka readjusted his cast on his arm and turned around from the front desk to let the next person talk to the officer. As he walked away, a thought came to him that brought a smile on his face. If the law won't do its job, it looks like I will have to take matters into my own hands.

Oasis, 20th Ward: Sunday, November 14; 2:56 PM

This was the last thing I wanted to be doing today. Hiroshi sighed and dipped the paint roller in the tray and started working on the first coat of paint on his door. He had to do this about once a month, but that didn't make it fun. To make it worse, the department store was out of the original color of paint, so he had to paint the whole thing a new color, not just the red 'X' that was painted on it this morning. Haru's mom had said she would be happy to do it instead, but this was something he needed to do as the owner.

"You work yourself to hard Mr. Kameko," a young girls voice said from behind him. Hiroshi glanced back to see Airi. She was still wearing the same pajamas from last night and strands of her brown hair was sticking in every direction. "You should be resting right now. That arm isn't going to heal if you just spend all your energy into working."

She had a point, Hiroshi had to admit. Since he founded this shelter, he had tried to do anything and everything. He barely got sleep as it was. He turned back to the door sitting against the wall. "I need to get this done tonight so we have a door again."

"Ms. Abe said she would do it, but you said no. You don't need to be doing it."

Hiroshi set the paint roller down and looked at Airi. "Okay, Airi. Let's make a deal. If you help me get some food tomorrow after school, I will let Haru's mom do this."

Airi frowned at the suggestion. "It doesn't require killing, does it?"

Hiroshi laughed. "No, honey. It requires going to the store. We just got our grant from the United Front to buy food. But we may be out late and miss dinner."

Airi went quiet for a moment, mulling in thought. She finally extended her hand to shake Hiroshi's. "If it means you not doing everything alone, I will help you with anything you want besides hunting."

Hiroshi smiled and shook to girl's hand. "Alright. I will hold you to that promise. Now get Ms. Ade out here and say I took her up on her offer for help."

Boy, the world of Tokyo has changed a lot, hasn't it? I will say that the Castle Law does not apply in Japan, but I see no reason why it wouldn't anymore now that people like Kiyoshi are around doing stuff like that to ghouls just because of what they are. Speaking of, what did you think of Kiyoshi? What nefarious acts do you think he is planning to do? I will say that you have not seen the last of him yet. Stay tuned for Chapter 3: Hunting and Gathering!

Fun Fact Time! The Japanese name 'Kiyoshi' means 'He who is pure'. Hence, the sign he was holding that said, "Pure Humans: Pure City." His last name doesn't have any meaning behind it, however, other than it happened to pop up on a random name generator.