A/N: If you want quicker updates check it out on archiveofourown. My pen name is youngjusticewriter on there. I really do update there quicker.

Characters watching: Amon, Akira, Juuzou, Arima, Hide, Seidou, and Shinohara.

"Another victim with no torso," a man announced as the scene switched to Tagami Park. It was night and if the barren trees were anything to go by it was either late fall or early winter.

"A ghoul did this...it has to be the Torso." Same voice but now the investigator with protruding lips was being shown.

"Lets get started on I. the victim."

"Yes, sir."

The scene changed again. It was inside a car and a man's face was partially shown before the camera drew down to his tapping nimble fingers.

It wasn't voiced but Amon was sure that if any one of them had to guess who the Torso was it would have been the character just shown. Character; not person. This was some film someone had managed to drop off to the CCG so they, the people named on the note, would watch it. Because honestly what else could it be? Yet a part of Amon, his instincts that kept him alive besides the occasions when two ghouls had chosen to spare him, felt as though there was more than that (that...Hinami was familiar).

It set Amon on edge, his nails digging into his hardened palms, knowing something was going to happen but not what and when was never a pleasant sensation to occur to someone.

"Is Investigator Mado here?" Asked the man, Sasaki, from the cd cover after helping the woman in public relations.

It's instinctive, his body tensing at the name. Amon is and had worked with both Mados in the CCG after all.

Akira merely tilts her head, her eyes narrowing at her family's name.

"She just stepped out," the member from the PR department informed the salt and pepper haired man.

In the corner of his eye Amon spies Akira's eyes narrowing at the pronoun.

"I just missed her, then..." The instructor trailed off.

"Do you where she's headed?" The woman inquired to the young investigator.

Sasaki bent down, a thumb raised as he smiled brightly at her. "I do. It's Tuesday. So she'd probably at her usual curry place. It's free naan day."

The scene changed to the medical office where a doctor and the man from the beginning was shown.

"You're such a wuss...Mutsuki. How're you ever going to be an investigator like that?"

Toru Mutuski (19, Rank 3 Investigator, 165 cm/ 48 kg) made a horrified face as he explained he can't when he saw blood.

A frown makes itself home on Amon's face. Why was this character an investigator, he wonders. Blood of innocent humans, of the perpetrators, and yourself was part of being an officer of the CCG.

How had Mutuski even pass the academy? Amon's eyebrows drew tight together before shaking his head at himself. It was just a show after all.

'Urie and Shirazu're probably off investigating by themselves. Saiko probably over-slept again...Instructor Sasaki told us we need to work together... But they won't listen to me anyway,' Mutuski thought to himself before another man bumped into him.

Annoyence usually reserved for Juuzou's lack of professionalism was starting to build in Amon. It was an ugly thing burning in his stomach. Surely the public didn't think CCG investigators would behave in such a manner, that partners would oversleep on working hours or separate and w-

Expect Amon and Mado had once done so and looked how that had en- Amon's thought comebto a haunting stop the moment Akira appeared on the screen.

There was a sharp intake of breath from a member of their group but Amon didn't divert his eyes from the screen to see whom else had been taken by surprise. A drawn intermission starring Arima was one thing but an actually living member of the CCG on this dvd was another thing entirely.

"Mado's daughter and her team are embarrassment to the CCG. That's what they're saying about us."

It wasn't just some actress that looked like Amon's partner but Akira herself. It was her own damn voice coming from the cd. How? Akira never would have agreed to do a tv show with how busy they're with cases and that, acting, wasn't a thing Amon could honestly picture his partner doing. The feeling of unease from the younger ghoul, the one that had followed Ayato, was growing like a weed in Amon. Soon it might just strangle him.

Also Mado's daughter. Not Mado herself, but Akira was only being referred to as the daughter of her late father. The grim expression on Amon's face was growing stronger.

"Wow that's naan looks good. Hope it's not a non-flavored naan. What do you think? I came up with it myself."

"That's a very spicy joke-"

No, it had not been and now apparently was not the time for Sasaki to be joking to Akira, his superior, who he and his team were failing.

"Developing effective new officers to rival Arima is of the utmost importance." Akira informed Sasaki before taking a bite of her food. "Your quinxes have the potential to become rays of light for the CCG. In order to train an investigator to be superior to Kishou Arima you have to surpass him yourself."

Curiosity began to ebb at Amon. Akira honestly thought the young man could surpass Arima? What made this man so special? And, Amon began to wonder, where was he? If this wasn't some tv show - which Amon hard beginning to believe - than was Sasaki at the academy then?

"Oh and I have message from Investigator Arima: 'I finished the book I borrowed. When's a good time to return it?'

Sasaki picked up a glass as Akira relaid the message to him, "He's a busy man. He doesn't have to return it personally. He can be so nonchalant...Oh that wasn't meant to be another naan pun."

"Fine. Shut up." A pause before Akira spoke, her chin resting on her right palm. "Maybe he just wants to see you. It's been a while. He's concerned about you."

"You really think he has such emotions like that...?" Sasaki asked.

"Beats me."

It's that that brings Amon to flicker his eyes away from the screen. Arima's face is impeccable and perhaps - no, probably thought as uncaring by other people.

Mado's daughter they would refer to his partner but no one questioned that Akira had feelings. What must it be like to thought of like Arima was? Thought incapable of feelings that is; that even a person you cared for didn't know if you were capable of such emotions...

Sasaki lifted his arms out after getting out of his chair. "Akira may I give you a hug?"

At that Seidou made a sound like he'd been forced to eat a lemon.

"We notifed the woman and she was very relieved. She said she'd finally be able to get some sleep," Mutsuki informed his superior about the dog mistaken for a ghoul.

Haise, with his arms tightly crossed, nodded before speaking. "Good, good."

No, Amon thought adamantly, not good. Your team of inexperienced investigators is separated and searching on their own while the other one is sleeping in instead of working. So, no, not good.

It, Amon sadly knew, was so easy for an experienced CCG investigator to be murdered by a ghoul much less inexperienced ones working by themselves. What were the CCG thinking putting this man in charge? Much less on thinking that he could surpass Investigator Arima himself...

"Let's go get the Torso case files from the squad in charge." Sasaki broke into a run, "You're with me, Mutuski!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" Mutuski stuttered out before trying to catch up the with Sasaki.

'Those idiots,' the older investigator thought as he ran, his briefcase in hand. "Where's Saiko?"

"Um...I spoke to her when I left but...I think she had a late night last night."

"Okay, I'll speak to her when I get back."

'Akira not only am I barely developing an investigator like Arima I can hardly keep my squad together!'

'A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool,' came to Amon's mind. Despite himself Amon's grim expression softens at Sasaki and his own thoughts.

Least Sasaki was attempting to improve himself before it was too late.

"We have our own way of doing things. I'm sorry." The officer from beginning of the episode told Sasaki. "Frankly 1 Investigator Sasaki, is it? This is all because you can't manage your squad. Am I wrong?"

And the grim expression retuned, making itself home on Amon's face, yes, Sasaki was at fault for this whole mess but from what Amon understood the young man's team was somewhat new. (It had to be.) Inexperienced young officers' lives were on the line-

In the corner of his eye Akira's glare could have damn well murdered the Torso investigator. Amon looked about the room after noticing that and it wasn't just his partner glaring. Shinohara wasn't outright glaring but Amon knew he didn't approve of what was happening - what was at risk - while Juuzou looked upon the screen uncaring in his boredom.

Even Nagachika, who often tried to get along with everyone, didn't look kindly upon the Torso investigator.

"Instructor Sasaki...perhaps we should go. We don't have much time." Mutuski suggested to his commanding officer.

"You're absolutely right. I'm not managing my squad. I also understand it's selfish to ask for your case files. However," Sasaki said as bowed before the Torso investigator, "I cannot expose them to danger due to my incompetence! You will of course get the credit for anything we discover. If you could let me see the case files."

"You realize the spot you're putting me in? I gotta say, I'm not sure you're fit to be an investigator. I've heard some things about you and your squad...Actually mostly about you."

Amon closed his eyes from the sight before him. Anger was beginning to fester in his stomach and Amon honestly didn't care to rip out the ugly weed of emotion in him.

"Please stop. It doesn't mean much coming from such a questionable investigator."

Amon opened his eyes just as Akira spoke to herself in a whisper, "I wouldn't have thought a questionable investigator capable of succeeding Arima."

There too was anger in her determined eyes. Perhaps partially to Sasaki but it seems mostly towards the other investigator. Amon felt himself smile (because it would work out with Akira being Sasaki's mentor) even though a part of him was beginning to wonder he was in all of this...

"That was embarrassing. Begging like it would do the trick," Sasaki confessed to his student.

No, Amon thought, what he had done was honorable. There were lives on the line.

After Sasaki relaid the new plan to his subordinate the scene changed to the inside of a taxi cab.

"The Commission of Counter Ghoul, please," Kuki Urie (19, Rank 2 Investigator, 173.5 cm/ 60 kg - Quinx Squad Leader) informed the driver.

"What?" Exclaimed the man driving the car.

There was a sharp intake of breath from Shinohara but no explanation.

Out of everything so far it was this scene that caught Juuzou's attention. He leans forward from the office couch, his eyes wide in anticipation...for what? This wasn't the first time they had seen Urie in a taxi. Amon's eyes grew wide as he realizes what caught Juuzou's interest: this was the first time a character was in a taxi after they had seen what Amon suspected was the Torso.

And the kid had no backup if this was indeed the ghoul the CCG was looking for

Amon's nails dug painfully into his palms, his heart was beating against his chest like a drum might in war, but thankfully nothing happened as Urie stepped out of the car...only for the young investigator to get back into another taxi.

'I'm almost out of funds. Worst case, I'll say I'm on an investment and demand a free ride.'

"An investigation you're not suppose to be on to begin with." Shinohara reprimands the young man shown on the tv, a frown marring the older man's face.

Juuzou, ever the sweet tooth, made himself known as the cream puffs (the ones Kobayashi was describing along with rambling about his cooking habit) were being shown on screen, red sown hands dramatically clutching his stomach as he leaned into Nagachika. Juuzou probably was asking Nagachika to pick up some sweets for him; unlike Amon, Juuzou didn't feel an ounce of shame at using Nagachika as an errand boy.

...Not that the white haired boy had any shame to begin with.

"I have a good sense of smell. You might have waded it off, but I can smell it. Blood."

"No way!" Unfair never passed Seidou's lips but Amon could easily hear the unspoken word as the fight between Urie and Kobayashi (the Torso had been shown with slender fingers while Kobayashi had pudgy ones) began on the screen.

Amon's eyes grew at the sight of an unknown ukaku firing at both the ghoul and Kobayashi - no, it was mostly fired at Kobayashi. Urie had only been scratched at his cheek.

What? Amon's heart pounding furiously as another investigator, Ginishi Shirazu (Rank 3 Investigator, 176 cm/55 kg), was introduced instead of the other ghoul.

"You're attack hit me as well," Urie informed his only present squad member.

"What? Where's your quinque? Is it broken? Oh, c'mon man...You're our squad leader! Heh, heh. My attack? Whatcha talking about?"

Amon trying to fathom what the hell was going on was interrupted by Urie grabbing Shirazu to use as shield against the ghoul.

"Hey!" Seidou screamed, both anger and utter horror painting his tone. For once both Seidou and Akira were agreement; Amon's partner was looking ready to murder Urie herself. Honestly, now that Amon was looking, Shinohara was genuinely angry too - a rare emotion from the older man. Arima however only had his eyes narrow at the scene playing out before them.

Amon had to fight the urge to grind his teeth at Urie's 'Rest in peace' at his fallen comrade. It, that thought, poured salt into the whole ordeal. How could he so easily use and discard-

Akira leaned forward, her chair creaking at the action, as Urie was able to empty handily hold his own against the ghoul. How? Amon couldn't help but wonder for not the first time since they had played the mysterious cd. It probably wouldn't be the last either.

"H-he's a ghoul!" Seidou cried out, his eyes as wide as an exaggerated anime character would be, when Shirazu was shown with a single kakugan. So that was why Urie could so easily discard him and where the ukaku attack had come from.

Only it was revealed to Amon's further confusion that Urie along with Shirazu were ghouls. Urie was a koukaku and because of that he was with able to take down the other ghoul by stabbing him in the stomach.

"That's not possible," Shinohara voiced as he shook his head in denial.

Amon could only stare as the young ghouls argued whom was owed more percentage from the catch. A reaction besides confusion was too much for Amon who was still reeling from the reveals.

"Never let your guard down," Sasaki told the ghouls after protecting them.

"Investigator Sasaki," Urie said.

"Sas-san," Shirazu began only to be interrupted by the man. Both of the ghouls single kakugans had dissipated.

Why did they only have single kakugan?

"'The infliction of the infliction of unnecessary can you get schools is strictly prohibited.' It's in the ghoul counter measures handbook. He could have provide us with information but most importantly - I said not to act alone, didn't I?!"

Akira shook her head, lips thin in disapproval. "He's kindness will get him killed."

"But I'm here with Urie," Shirazu protested and Urie furthered the lie by agreeing with his teammate.

"You're splitting hairs," Sasaki yelled. "Shirazu you're hurt!"

"Even if we've gotten wounded, we've would have regenerated eventually...Takes a bit longer for me,but...If we keep following Article 13 we'll never get rid of ghouls," Urie informed his mentor as he walked away from the man.

'Quinxes are experiments,' the narrator spoke for the first time since the episode began. 'Humans implanted power with the of their nemesis - ghouls. Leading them is Rank 1 Investigator Sasaki.'

"Never get rid of ghouls," Haise Sasaki (Rank 1 Investigator, 170 cm/58 kg, Mado Squad, and Quinx Squad Mentor.) spoke to himself.

'Meanwhile the ghoul that Investigator Urie suspected of being a ghoul the Torso who called himself was Kobayashi, was not the Torso. The real Torso-' the scene cut to reveal the nimble fingered ghoul whose fingers were digging into a decapitated neck of a human corpse, 'was savoring his catch of the day.'

The episode ended leaving the Amon and his fellow investigators with more questions than answers.