Well this is super late. I've actually been working on this for about a month but each time i sat down to do it i was too tired or busy to work on it. plus my other fic still takes precedence over this one. But now its out.
I don't really have anything else to say other than that this was mostly halfbaked idea while i wrote it and I still don't know what name I'll do for his wife.
Harima stretched as he exited the CCG car, before heading to the entrance. It had been a year since that night where his family was torn apart. He had heard from the CCG officials who he talked with that his wife and son were alright but he was still scared for them. He was especially worried for Ken. The shy little boy had never spent much more than an hour or so away from at least one of his parents. Now he had been forced to spend a year without either. Harima prayed for the boy's safety and, regardless of the CCG, he would destroy anyone who had hurt his precious boy.
He was led through the familiar hallway, but this time in the opposite pathway then the one he had taken last time. The other one had led to a rather sterile looking room that sorta looked like a military court room. There he had been sentence to Cochela for a full year for failing to register and remaining outside the CCG approved ward. He was then put back in the car and driven to the prison where he received a physical and had his fingerprints and mugshots taken. After that he was put in the block for nonviolent offenders. Here he met others who like him were serving a year for not surrendering to the doves as well as some who had done petty crime or broken rules in the twenty fifth ward. Overall it wasn't that bad a place. They were allowed some time to exercise in below ground but open air lot, were kept fed, and even given a library and longue like room with a television that they could visit for a few hours a day. He read a lot during his incarceration.
He also talked with some prison psychiatrist. From what he understood, it was her job to figure out exactly how innocent or dangerous he was. So they talked and did some tests. She questioned him on why he went rogue, how he got meat, what kind of crimes had he performed while rogue if any, and other such things. He told her the honest truth. He hadn't trusted the CCG and instead had listened to his parents who had told him to stay away from them. She seemed have expected this. Apparently Rinkakus do this sort of thing a lot. Trusting and listening to family over impersonal authorities. So she argued against his beliefs and, despite his best efforts to not give in, she began to make a lot of sense. Especially when she talked about how his parents being more predatory ghouls would have a negative view of the CCG regardless of its good intentions and there for any arguments from them would have been inherently flawed.
But he was finally free. Now that he was finished with his sentence, he had to meet the man who would work with his family and, most importantly, meet his son again. He also needed to find out what had happened to his wife. She was human so the normal police had taken her away. That could be either really bad or really good depending on several random factors.
Harima was finally led into the meeting room. It had a nice table with few chairs around it, a small bookcase, and was laid out in a rather benign, relaxing arrangement. Inside, one man sat at the table looking towards Harima with a sincere smile on his face. A man he recognized. "Investigator Shinohara?" The man looked a bit surprised to be recognized. He laughed a bit and replied, "It seems my reputation proceeds me a bit." He didn't miss the slight defensiveness that seeped into Harima's posture. He held up his hand and told him, "Calm down Harima. I'm only here to help you and your son. All the checks on you came back clean and the prison psychologist said you seemed rehabitable. So you don't have to worry about being eliminated at all. I promise you that." He sighed a bit in relief when the ghoul relaxed a bit. Though he still appeared worried and prepared to fight.
"And where is he? My son." Shinohara smiled a bit to the man and told him, "Don't worry. He's coming and should be here any minute now. I sent a text to him and a mutual friend ours is escorting him as well." Now this was interesting to Harima. "Ken made a friend?" It actually relieved him a bit. He had always been worried for the boy since he seemed so introverted. Though he had to admit part of that was his fault for being so overprotective of the boy and not letting him grow up.
Shinohara laughed again at what he saw. To be honest, it was sort of cute in a way. Even a powerful ghoul looked silly with a face of wide-eyed surprise. "Actually friends. One of them is a boy under my care in training to become a ghoul investigator. A bit of an oddball but I'm hoping that this friendship can help the both of them. The other friend is also a human. A rather nice lad who comes to visit Ken often and seems to becoming Ken's best friend… out of two."
Harima's was flabbergasted by this. "He made friends with humans?" he asked; trying to grasp the situation. Shinohara simply smirked at him. "It's not that big a deal is it? I mean you have a human wife right?" Shinohara watched as Harima opened his mouth to object but wasn't able to voice anything. But still he felt afraid. He knew that living peacefully with humans was possible since he married one. But he also knew it could be dangerous. He just didn't want his son to be hurt.
It was now that the door opened and a cheerful greeting from Suzuya filled the room. He waltzed in quite happily with Kaneki behind him. He was actually pulling the other boy by the arm and embarrassing Ken who was trying to pull Juuzo's off of his arm. Arguing that he could walk by himself. But he froze and fell silent when he saw his dad. Instantly tears formed in his eyes. "Father," he croaked before running to him and jump in his arms. The two of them just held each other like that for a bit while Shinohara looked happy for them and Juuzo looked bored. Finally, they untangled from each other and Harima asked, "How have you been? Are you happy here? They didn't hurt you at all? Have you been eating properly?"
Ken sniffled before telling his father all about his last year here. About how nice Shinohara had been. All the other ghouls who he had met; especially the coffee shop Anteiku. He bragged about his training there and how much he wanted for his father to try his coffee. He even told him about the two human friends who he had made. When he was done, Ken's father laughed at him kindly. "Sounds like you had a big adventure," he joked to which Ken nodded before he hugged his father again. "But now you're back. And we can enjoy all of those things together. And… hopefully… with mom. Can mom come back too?"
Harima rubbed his son's head before looking to Shinohara. The other man sighed before telling him, "That's part of what we were going to talk about in the meeting. If you'll take a seat, we'll start with the basic stuff." The group soon sat at the table. Including Suzuya, who would get bored and start to just mess around and distract the others for a bit till Shinohara scolded him and he'd sit still again. For few minutes before he started this all over again. As for the discussion, most of it was over basic stuff. Such as giving Harima a detailed report on how his son had lived and been treated this last year and what they would be provided by the CCG monthly. After they had gone over the housing they were provided in the rinkaku ward, and having to sign several documents and waivers, the conversation finally got to Ken's mother. "For starters, Ken's mother is alright. A few months ago the CCG was able to procure her release from police custody after speaking with the upper echelon of the Justice ministry. She will still be registered in police records as a ghoul sympathizer and is not allowed to leave the country except under special circumstances. She will also need to comply with the CCG's requests. Such as allowing the Science division to research into what, if anything, carrying a half ghoul child has changed in her body and how she did carry Ken to term in the first place."
The two family members nodded their understanding. It was Harima who asked, "And where is she? Safe?" Shinohara smiled and answered, "Currently in the inner wards; in an apartment provided by the CCG. However, she is under guard. Both to watch her and to protect her. She has already had a few threats against her by some rather unsavory people. I am sure you both have seen the news over the last year."
Ken thought about what he was talking about. His family had become a hot topic on TV and the internet. It was about three months after he had been released into the ward. The CCG had been able to keep a press blackout on the situation at first but word finally got out. Perhaps from his mother's friends or relatives or their neighbors. However, it was revealed, the whole country become deeply in interested in the story. Entire news specials and talk shows covered the story and discussed opinions on the matter and what this meant. Several internet chatrooms opened up as well about it. Reactions were mixed. Academics seemed just interested in the idea and what could be learned from it or what it could mean for future human/ghoul relations. Ghoul supporters and Romantics supported it and talked about how nice it was that humans and ghouls could come together and even make a child. But there were those who were disgusted or down right angry over it. Some of these people saw his mom as a traitor to her species or him as a freak that should be disposed of. He eventually avoided news for weeks while it shimmered down to just an interesting news piece and not something front page worthy.
Ken was at first very afraid about how the others in the ward would take it but amazingly they didn't seem upset by it. Sure the other ghouls were curios and maybe asked him about it or to see his single kakugan eye but in the end, they practically let him be to his relief. In the end, to them, he was just another ghoul with a bit different family line than them. Still was embarrassing that everyone now knows him by name.
He also took Shinohara's advice and had stayed out of the touristy area for a couple of months. At least while it was still open to the public. And whenever he did go there, he had to allow Shinohara and other CCG investigators to escort and guard him. It scared him to now be the center of attention when he did go through it though. More people took pictures of him then when they thought he was just a cute ghoul pup and there were a few reporters who tried to ask him questions as he slinked by them. The CCG did pass along a statement from him but refused to force him to give the press an interview and warned that they would arrest and press charges against any protesters who threatened or assaulted him. Didn't stop a couple from trying.
Harima breathed a sigh of relief. "So she's ok. The news didn't report at all on where she was or how she was doing. I guess that was kept classified due to those who were unhappy with what she did." Shinohara nodded at him again. "Yes," he said sadly, "Some people are not at all happy about this situation. But thankfully they seem to be a minority and most of them are not even allowed on CCG property in the first place due to previous transgressions." He then cleared his throat. "I also have a request for you too. I know this may sound heartless but we would like it if you returned the favor so to speak. In return for housing, protecting, and providing for your wife while she is unable to return to the public sector, we request the two of you to work in the CCG outreach program."
"You mean that program where the CCG loans out ghouls to other humans for donations and good p.r.?" Shinohara affirmed his answer. "Correct… if a bit crude description. The outreach program is where the CCG has ghoul volunteers who go out of the ward and work for or aid our partners in the program or campaigning for public support. There are a variety of jobs. We even have a ghoul rock band and an idol group who both have quite a lot of fans. Apparently some of their fans even come in with kakugan contacts to their concerts. We also have a few groups who are trained and ready to aid during a disaster or crisis. During the last quake, our teams saved many trapped people who would have died before rescuers would have even found them. Usually volunteers are paid for their services but the CCG wishes, at least for the most part, to consider taking care of your wife."
Harima thought over it for a minute before he agreed. "I understand. Besides I prefer it this way." Shinohara didn't miss the slight suspicion in his eyes as he said, "I don't like owing others or needing to take charity. Especially from the CCG." Shinohara replied, "Good. I was afraid you'd get upset that we are asking for you to work for us while having your pay docked. As for what jobs you would do… Harima, due to having been rogue, and therefore also having a criminal record, some of these jobs are unavailable. At least until it is decided that you can be utmost trusted with that responsibility and/or freedom. For now, I'd think you'd do well in the construction units. Rinkakus are popular there since you guys can carry a lot of heavy equipment around in those tentacles of yours." Ken couldn't help but laugh at the image of his dad in a hard hat with steel girders or a jackhammer in his kagune's grasp. But this brought their attention to him again.
"And what about Ken?" He noticed Shinohara's face turn sour before he pulled out some sort of pamphlet and some paperwork. "As for Ken. Well he shows great promise. That and some other issues led to them to the CCG chairman himself to request this." He handed them the papers. Ken's eyes went wide when he realized what they were asking for. "We ask that he attend the CCG run academy here in the twenty fifth and train to become a hound."