The Journey

One Week

             It's been about two months since the little run-in with Touka and the others. Ever since then, I've been talking to Sasaki about Kaneki in secret. I made sure to not be seen with him in public so that Touka would believe she scared me off. If she really scared me off, would I still be here? So far, Sasaki has agreed to go along with the whole memory business but he is still quite shaky about it.
No matter how shaky he is, this plan is going to be finished in the last week that I'm going to be here. The only real problem in this case is that the week I speak of starts tomorrow. Most of my questions have been answered which allows me to accelerate this mission. Sadly, I have very little knowledge of how to make the spell work. For example: I don't know the side effects.

            This mission has to be treated like a serious medical surgery or something like that. I don't know the side effects and I won't have three months to restore Natsu's lost memories. I'm only spending three months so that I can perfect the spell. I'm learning how to use this in a very short amount of time.

            I'm sitting at the bar inside of what used to be the coffee shop known as Anteiku. Touka has stopped by several times to make sure I wasn't secretly meeting with Sasaki. I know her sense of smell is very strong so I've managed to hide myself in the scent of burnt wood that inhabits this dump. Every day she would come and go, empty handed. Empty headed.

            I would come in here every day to just sit and go through my thoughts one by one. I have one whole week, seven days, to restore the memories of the lost Kaneki. What am I supposed to do now that Sasaki has agreed to go along with my mission. I banged my head on the already beaten counter that I sat at.

            I heard the door swing open, making me jolt up from my position. To my relief, it was only Sasaki.

           "I thought I'd find you here." He said.

           "I'm just going over how this is going to work without Touka noticing what's going on." I replied tiredly. He sat down on a stool next to me and began to explain the headaches he's been getting recently. Over the two months I've been talking to him, his headaches have incresed more and more. He says that they're being caused by Kaneki fighting his way out and trying to take back his former body.

            "How did you figure all this out?" I asked. I was hooked now.

            "He would always say stuff like 'you need me' or 'you can't do this without me' whenever I would be in midst of a battle with a powerful ghoul." Sasaki replied with tension.
"This sounds interesting." I said while pondering the thought of Kaneki escaping his prison.
"It makes complete sense if you ask me. I mean, I did take his body away from him." Sasaki replied.
"The question is, do you know how you became Haise Sasaki?" I asked him. I wonder if he even knows that. He shook his head.
"I just woke up and here I am now. Haise Sasaki. My memory bank was completely empty." He informed me. I guess Arima never told him the truth. My eyes began to fill with sadness and pity.
           He's been living for two years with the torture of not knowing who he was for the past 20 years. No matter how you look at the situation, it's sad.
            I looked at the counter as the warm glow of the sunset shined through the back window and across the countertop. The small particles of dust could now be seen, as if an invisibility cloak had been placed over them and then immediately removed.
            The legs of the stool I was sitting on gave out from underneath me and I came crashing to the floor. Stupid burnt wood. It's been lasting for two months and it decides to give up now?
            Sasaki rushed to my aid but I pushed him away.
            "Come on. It's the least I can do in return for helping me." He insisted.
            I pushed him away again.
            "I'm fine, really." I argued. I stood from the rubble and brushed the debris from my butt.
            When I had gotten up, Sasaki had retreated backwards up against the counter as if he had just seen a ghost.
            "What's the matter?" I asked him curiously. He raised his hand and was pointing out the back window. That's when I realized what had just happened.
            A stinging pain was rising from my abdomen and up my spine. I glanced down at the fatal wound that the infamous Touka had just given me. I let my guard down. Big mistake.
            A large hole was now in my abdomen and blood was gushing from it like a river. You think I'd die after something like that. But guess what? I'm not dead.
            "I knew you were still squirming around you little pest. Now leave this place at once!" She shouted angrily.
           "Since when do I take orders from scum like you?" I laughed maniacally. Sasaki was beginning to get a little freaked out. He brought his quinque with him this time though. That's a good thing right?

            Her kagune was very vibrant in the the light of the setting sun. The red, orange, yellow, and purple color was standing out from the red-orange horizon. I could see that her kagune had hardened and was ready to shoot more spear-like daggers, an attempt to kill me. Her expression was that of a lion stalking its prey before before going for the kill. Her stance was flawless, as always.

             The wound in my stomach was slowly ceasing its "blood gush from wound" cycle as I began to move again. This time, it was my turn to attack. This will hopefully end the feud. My feet crushed the ground as I jolted forward, aiming for her right shoulder. Her main weak spot. I think. Before I could strike, Sasaki jumped in between us and pushed Touka back. Same  goes for me.

**a few minutes after negotiating**

            "Fine. I'll go along with your stupid plan if I have to." Touka agreed angrily. Her kagune had retreated back into her upper shoulder blade and she was slightly calmer. Sasaki had put his quinque away and was now cleaning up the mess that we had made just a few minutes before. Chips of surviving cups were now all over the place, as well as glass shards.

            "You have one week to re-enter the plan into your friends' heads" I informed the angry Touka. She soon nodded and walked off down the street.