Today, we came home to Hissan sleeping on the table. We tried to wake him up, but it didn't work.

He later woke up after a few hours.

He yawned, stretching. He blinked lazily a few times, content.

"Hissan?" I called from the couch. He turned towards me with the same expression. Saiko burst out laughing. "Are.. you alright..?"

"'Course! Alrighty then, accidental success. Accidents are often the source of huge discoveries," Hide murmured, jotting down notes. He got up, got some ingredients, grabbed some quinque steel, and sat back down, starting to mix some things in a bowl. I watched, curious.

I'd never seen Hissan start an experiment.. None of us have-- he usually starts when we go to work or when we're asleep.

Hissan finished mixing the contents of the bowl and started making quinque knives. After he made a few knives, he coated them in the liquid that was in the bowl and put them in a box. He put the box in the freezer and sat back down. He started humming, jotting down some more notes. He then cleaned up and got out some more ingredients. He started making one of the pill-type concoctions.

Hissan often had three types of experiments- pills, some blocky thing, and liquids. We didn't know what they were for, but Saiko had peaked into his notebook once or twice. The notes for the liquids were just the ingredients, taste, and effects. The notes for the pills were the ingredients and effects, along with any problems like 'dissolves quickly' or 'looks nasty' or anything like that. Saiko hadn't seen the notes for the blocky things, but it could be assumed-- ingredients, minor problems (that category could include taste), and effects.

"Hmmn~" Hissan hummed to himself. I hadn't noticed, but he'd stopped experimenting to stare ahead at nothing. He sometimes did this, so we knew what to expect-- a question. "Oi, you guys, can you deliver something for me?"

But we'd never been asked a favor.

"..? Is that allowed, Pappan..?"

He shrugged. "I think I'm as successful as I'm gonna get for this one -- on my own. So I need to test it out properly. But since I'm stuck here, I can't really do that.."

"We're not testing it out? And haven't you already tested it?" I inquired, glancing at his newly-made pills. Had he taken one of them..?

"No and yes, but I need to test it on someone who actually has the problem it's supposed to cure.."

Me and Saiko exchanged glances.

Hissan never gave too much information about his experiments, and it was pretty obvious that he was trying to be as vague as possible.

"Then, sure," Saiko replied before I was finished thinking.

"Great." Hissan stood up and gave the pill to Saiko, "Keep it safe. Take it to the address ### XXXXXXXXX, okay? Make sure nothing happens to it, and make sure it goes to a girl with blue hair. Okay? If anyone else answers the door or stops you on the way, come back here immediately," Hissan explained.

"Okay," Saiko replied.

"I'll go, too," I got off the couch, and Hissan nodded.

"Be careful, you two. Try not to take black alleys."

"Yep," we both responded.

---

It'd been a split-second decision when I had agreed to go. Now though, I could think it all through.

"Nee, Saiko, why did Hissan tell us that information?"

"To convince us to take up the favor?" she guessed.

"... What is he hiding..?" I mumbled, "What doesn't he want us to know..?"

"Who knows, but maybe we can figure something out from the girl we're visiting." I blinked.

She's right.. Did she agree to this because she saw the opportunity to find out more about Hissan..?

-------------------------

Knock, knock.

The door creaked open, revealing two people standing outside. One was a petite girl with blue hair in long pigtails, and the other was a guy with pointy teeth and orange hair. On the safe, home side stood a girl with blue, puffy hair that barely reached her shoulders.

The pair studied the female as the female studied them.

"May I help you..?"

"A-Ah, yes, this is.. a pill to cure your, uh.." the girl glanced at the guy, obviously awkward and not exactly knowing what she was doing, "disease.."

Disease?

These two were obviously out of place.

"Did someone tell you to give this to me..?"

"Yes.. Our mentor, one Hideyoshi Nagachika.. Can you tell us a little about him because he's kind of a mystery.." the girl replied. Touka's eyes widened.

Hideyoshi Nagachika? As in, Kaneki's best friend? As in, the human boy who went missing after the Anteiku raid?

"I.. I see.." Touka stared at the pill the girl was offering. Then she realized.

They wanted information. They said they wanted information.

Touka nodded, getting out of the way for them to pass, "Please then, come in."

The two followed her in, staring in awe at everything as if they'd never seen an apartment.

"So? What would you like to know?" Touka settled into her couch.

"Oh, uh.. anything really.." the two exchanged glances.

Touka continued to study them as they thought about what to specify. They smelled slightly like Kaneki, only at a lesser ghoul level. Almost like they were less of a ghoul than him. Were they artificial ghouls? Was that why they were here?

But..

What does that have to do with Hide?

For the first time, the boy spoke, "Um, do you know why he's so obsessed with experiments..?"

Touka raised an eyebrow for a second. "Sorry, but no. Hide's been missing for a while, so I haven't seen him. I don't think he had an obsession with experiments when I knew him."

"You thought he was missing..?" Saiko blinked.

She supposes that would fit.. Hide probably had a bunch of friends that weren't notified or briefed about Hide's new.. situation..

"Yes, I did. I wasn't too close to him, but one of my friends was his childhood friend. He actually got kind of upset when he found out Hide was missing. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear Hide's safe. How is he doing?"

"O-Oh, he's fine. He was hurt during the Anteiku Raid, but he's fine now. Healthy and kicking."

"I see."

The Anteiku Raid..?

"So Hide was caught in the crossfires of that raid then?"

"Huh? The crossfires? What are you talking about?" Saiko blinked.

"I mean he was an innocent bystander who got hurt."

"? ? No.. He's an investigator.."

An INVESTIGATOR?!!

Touka tried not to let her fury show.

"He was hurt in the line of duty.. We don't know how or anything though.. He has a few scars, but not many that we see."

"I see.. How unfortunate.. I had no idea.. So he is still an investigator then?"

"Yes."

"Hmn."

"Hey, uh, do you know why Hissan is obsessed with the book, The Egg of the Black Goat?" Shirazu inquired.

Touka's eyes widened, "HIDE? READING A BOOK? I thought he hated books!"

"Uh.. what?"

"! Sorry. It seems Hide's really changed since the last time I saw him.. But that book, I'm pretty sure it's my friend's favorite. The one that was childhood friends with Hide."

"..??" Shirazu frowned.

"A-Are we mistaken..? Maybe you know a different Hideyoshi Nagachika..?" Saiko inquired hesitantly.

"Well, it's kind of hard to find someone with the same exact name."

"..Guess so.. Plus, he did tell us your address.."

".. I've been meaning to ask. Do you know how he knew my address? I changed it recently."

"..? No, sorry.."

"I see. I suppose neither of us have good information for the other, do we?"

"... Nee, if Pappan's so different now, can you tell us what he USED to be like..?"

".. He was an obnoxious extrovert. He was always cheerful and tended to babble. He flirted without a care in the world. But I've been told from people who are more familiar with him that he's perceptive and intuitive. That he's intelligent. ... I imagine he was a great friend to our mutual friend.. You see, Hide's childhood friend was really shy. He's easily embarrassed, and he tends to wrap himself in books rather than communicating with others. The only reason we became friends was because of.. certain circumstances that forced him to get out of his shell.. From what I understand, when those circumstances came up, my friend started distancing himself from Hide, until they didn't speak at all.."

"..How sad.."

"..Hm." Touka took a deep breath. "If you ask me, it's probably better this way.. Both of them could've ended up very depressed if they continued to be such close friends.."

"..." Saiko and Shirazu absorbed the information in silence. Touka waited. Eventually, Saiko spoke, "Do you know if that has anything to do with the pill..? And what is your disease..?"

"... I'm actually not quite sure what Hide's talking about, sorry.. So I have no idea if it has something to do with the pill he told you to deliver.." Touka glanced at the pill they'd brought. Hide was an investigator.. There's only one main thing wrong with her - physically - that Touka can think of..

She's a ghoul.

And if what these kids say is true.. then Hide's an investigator. Which means he could easily be trying to kill her..

But at the same time, these kids seem genuine. They truly do want to know more about their 'mentor'. Touka doesn't think they know about her true nature..

"..."

"What about Hissan's confinement?" Shirazu blurted. Touka glanced at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Hissan isn't allowed to go out. That's why he asked us to deliver it. He even gets regular visits from Akira Mado, although we happen to never be there at the time of those visits.."

"..."

That's interesting..

"So, the CCG keeps him locked up in an apartment or something?"

"Yes."

... That is certainly peculiar..

On one hand, Touka could say that it's because Hide was too violent with his ghoul killings, but there's no way that's the case. The CCG doesn't care about their violence.

Which means there's only one other option..

He's assumed to be a traitor.

"So he still works with the CCG, even though he's being locked down?"

"Yep."

He hasn't been proved as a traitor. Otherwise, he'd be fully locked up, in jail.

So.. the CCG assumes him to be a traitor.. but can't prove it yet.. They're not quite sure..

"Do you know why, miss?"

"... No, I do not. But I know a little bit about the CCG, so I can attempt to guess." Saiko and Shirazu both waited impatiently for an answer, pleading with their eyes. "... I'd say the CCG thinks he's a traitor," Touka explained, not able to resist the kids. They obviously wanted to know, and this shouldn't hurt her in any way. She continued, "But they can't prove it. Thus, he's on watch."

"... W-Well.. there are rumors, but.. But that's not true!"

"Yeah! Hissan would never betray us! Besides, he teaches us and helps us! Why would he help the CCG if he was a traitor?!!"

"... I don't know."

True.. It could just be that the CCG was assuming he was -- even though he wasn't.

"Is Hide the same as he used to be? Besides the books, experiments, and his best friend, that is." The pair glanced at each other.

"Well.. yeah. He's overly energetic, and he's really carefree.. We often wake up to smoke in the house, and we run in, seeing Hissan working at his experiments as usual.."

"Yeah, he smiles at us as if nothing was wrong, and that's how our morning starts.."

"What?!! He's completely calm during a fire?!! Oi, isn't that a little overboard?!!"

"Huh? Oh, no, it's not a fire. It's just that he made another failure.."

"How does that make a bunch of smoke?"

"That.. we have not figured out.."

Touka scoffed, "I suppose he is the kind of person to end up making things that shouldn't be possible.."

... The question is, was he really able to make something to cure a ghoul? And is it really something to cure ghouls in the first place?

She shouldn't try it on herself first though.. It's only an experiment.

"Can I have that pill?"

"Oh, of course!" Saiko handed her the pill. Touka inspected it. She nodded towards the pair.

"Thank you. Maybe we can talk more some other time," she smiled slightly.

The pair took it as a request to leave, so they stood up and bowed before leaving.

--------------------------------------

"Oh, you're back. How'd it go?" Hide inquired when they came back home. He seemed to be experimenting again.

"She thought you were missing," Saiko commented.

"I see you guys had a conversation. But what about the pill's effects?"

"? Oh, I don't know. She didn't take it while we were there."

"... Ah. That's too bad. I don't know what she's going to do with it then, but oh well. Do you think you two can visit her again in a few days? I assume she won't take it in your presence, but she should take it in a day or so."

"Oh, sure."

"Great. Hey, I updated your quinques, guys," Hide handed them their respective quinques. "I made Shirazu's more durable, but I also added some flexibility. I hope it works.. We'll have to try it out before you go out with it."

"? ? Hissan.. this is.."

"I made it similar to your kagune. Since you prefer to use your kagune."

Blink, blink.

"How did you even change this? Isn't it based off an actual kagune..?"

"Well, yes, but you can shift it some. It took a lot of work though since it was way more than just a little shifting. I had to work on a separate quinque. As for Saiko's, I added some spikes, so be careful."

"Where'd you come up with spikes?"

"? I just took some ukaku crystals and put 'em on."

"Oh, so they're not part of my original quinque."

"Nope. This is thanks for delivering the pill."

"? But you said you'd been working on mine for a while."

"I have. Like I said, I wanted to make a quinque that you were more likely to use. And it just so happened that you decided to go with Saiko to deliver the pill, so I tried really hard to finish it quickly."

"Oh."

"Yup. Do you guys like 'em?"

"Yes," Saiko's eyes sparkled.

"Yea.." Shirazu whispered in awe.

"I used Mado-san's quinque as a model though, so.." Hide dug something out of the mess, "If you wouldn't mind, can you give this back to Mado-san?"

o.O

"D..Did you steal this..?"

"I'm a good pick-pocketer."

-_-

�S