A/N: Now before you say anything, yes this is a shorter chapter. That is all.

Chapter 6: Tastes like Quiet

"And that's the gist of it." Kaneki had changed out of his battle suit and was boarding an airship back to Mistral, and on the phone. On the other end was a certain pyrofile "I'll write up a full report when I get back. Anything you want to update me with?"

"Mercury's back from Atlas." Cinder told him. "He was successful in his mission."

"I would expect so." Kaneki took a seat as the airship took off. "And how's Emerald?"

"House sitting for you." Cinder informed. "I'm pretty sure she wasn't asked to though."

"Eh, I can appreciate the thought. Though I am slightly worried that she's eaten all my food."

"Emerald isn't really the Gluttonous type." Cinder remarks. "Or the cannibalistic type, though it's not my place to pry."

"I can't see that either." The ghoul sighs. "Well, I guess that's a good thing. I don't endorse cannibalism."

"I know you don't." She did, now that Kaneki thought about it. "Which is why you won't like what I have to say next."

"Oh wonderful." Kaneki's mood suddenly dampened. "What are you doing?"

"I want more ghouls." The ghoul was silent for a few moments. "I can also think of several ways to on how to make them

"I'm confused by two things here." He stated. "One: How that is in any way a smart thing to, and two: Where exactly are you going to find people willing to become monsters?"

"I've already found some possible candidates. Cannibals." Kaneki's free hand found itself covering his face. "I'm surprised you didn't figure it out."

"As am I." The ghoul muttered, removing his hand from his face and popping his index finger. People nearby shivered at the sound, the faunus more so. "Why is it that faunus act so strange around me?" He asked himself.

"If I were to guess." The pyrofile's voice startled him back into conversation. "It has something to do with your lack of aura. Sentient beings aren't normally associated with not having a soul."

"Wow, I am sounding more like grimm every week." Kaneki mused. "I keep joking about it but the similarities are becoming uncanny."

"There are ways of producing artificial aura." Cinder consoled. "It's all currently top secret but the Atlesian army does have a few interesting toys. I'll see if I can find you some. That should solve your problem."

"Thank you." Kaneki looked forward, gazing out of the window opposite him. "So, I completed my mission, what's next for me?"

"Your first actual mission is a few months from now." Cinder said. "An SDC freighter will dock in Vale. Roman Torchwick will be overseeing the acquisition of it's contents. I want you to act as bodyguard, seeing as his last one ended up dead recently." The ghoul yawned quietly. "He's looking for a good enough replacement but he won't be able to find one in time."

"I know I shouldn't be complaining about a job, but couldn't you have anyone besides me do it?"

"Emerald has a mission that will end around the same time your one starts. And Mercury still needs to recuperate." Cinder tone only changed slightly, but there was definite irritation. "Look, do the job well, and you'll get a big reward. I'll even let you choose what you wan-"

"I want a coffee shop."

"What?"

"Let's be honest, if these cannibals you talked about do accept and become ghouls you plan on pushing them onto me." Cinder was silent. "I wanted to return to Anteiku. Anteiku is what saved me, and Anteiku is what gave me the strength to fight." Kaneki inspected his hand. "These new ghouls are going to need something like that.

They're going to need help, in any way possible."

Cinder sat in a large, clean hotel room. The white carpet underneath her feet was thick and comforting. In fact, the entire room was almost completely monotone, save for a few minimalist paintings that were spread sparsely across across the walls. Her goal meant she didn't really stay one place for fear of being caught. So in the end, it became easier to stay in hotels across Mistral. This particular one was among her favourites.

She sat on the edge her king-sized bed, covered in black silk sheets, as she processed what the ghoul had just asked of her.

His perceptiveness caught her off-guard when it really shouldn't have. He was right, after all. He was the one with the experience. And even if she did too, she was already busy enough with Mercury and Emerald. The only person who could really be capable of keeping the ghouls under control would be Kaneki.

Then there was his request.

"I'll consider it. Now go rest up." She closed the call and threw a scroll behind her, stretching her arms.

'They're going to need help, in any way possible.'

Her thoughts drifted to the ghoul's memories. But not to that monster Yamori or that strangely familiar Investigator. No, she thought of Anteiku.

She didn't confuse his memories for her own. She knew better than that. What she really thought about was the effect that coffee shop had on the ghoul.

'Anteiku is what saved me, and Anteiku is what gave me the strength to fight.'

The empathy she was feeling was way very distracting, especially considering she shouldn't be feeling it.

Turning her thoughts away from that, a coffee shop wouldn't be difficult to get. And if it helped with training the cannibals on actually living as ghouls, it would be easily worth the cost. I may even be a decent source of funding for the ghoul, meaning she could focus more money into her plan There was no real reason not to allow it. Kaneki could enjoy a few things

Besides, his coffee was good.

"What did you do?" Emerald was currently blocking the door of Kaneki's apartment, fear clearly written across her face. The question was simple and obvious: What happened?

"Nothing!" She piped up, straining to keep the door closed as the ghoul 'gently' pulled on the handle. "Nothing at all!"

"Well then, you should have no problem letting me in, shouldn't you?" The thief squirmed as she tried to dig her feet into the ground even more than she had been already.

"So there might be a small problem." She admitted.

"'Might'. What an interesting way of saying 'is'." Kaneki didn't look impressed. You have five seconds before I start opening this door." The thief bolted away from the door for fear of getting flung into a wall. She immediately regretted her decision as the ghoul walked into his apartment. Rushing in after him revealed he was in the living room, staring at the...problem. "You know, not only do I not own a gaming console, I also do not own a broken TV." The thief winced at the lack of anger the ghoul exhibited as he continued staring at the busted screen.

"It was an accident, really!" She blurted. "A nevermore got in through the window and I may have missed the first shot." Kaneki's lack of any emotion was terrifying her more than anything. He pinched the bridged of his nose, letting out a long sigh.

Before he could say anything about the matter, Emerald's scrolled received a text. Scanning the screen, the thief let out a sigh of her own. "That was Cinder." She told the ghoul. "I really have to go and see her. I'm sorry about the TV, I'll pay you back soon." Emerald left at a pace slightly faster than normal. Kaneki nodded curtly never taking an eye off the television.

He left the room, entering his own dark blue bedroom. It held a basic single bed, a bookshelf, a desk and a swivel chair to go with it. Taking a seat, the ghoul enlarged his scroll and began writing a full report of what had occurred at Beacon Academy.

Upon finishing the report, the ghoul let out a loud yawn, stretching his arms. He then paused, an epiphany all but smacking him in the face. Leaving the room briefly to fetch a piece of paper and a pencil. Returning to his chair, he quickly began drawing large, complex complex symbols. He nodded at the sight:

静かな夢

Shizukana Yume.

A/N:Before you ask what that means, let me say it will be revealed in a later chapter. I've also put a hint somewhere in this chapter, so there's that.

Oh god it keeps looking like I'm shipping Cinder/Kaneki. There's gotta be a better way of writing this that I'm not seeing.

One last thing: yes, shit's about to go down.

Hope you can join me for it. 'Till next time.