Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 46)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 46)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1141
Rating (chapter): K (G)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: I didn't like the Detective Boys at first. Then I realized that they are wonderful Plot Devices. :)
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 46
The urge to walk to the nearest wall and start beating his head on it was an urge Takagi stomped down on. Standing in front of him were five, very familiar, and very inquisitive children.
“What sort of case are you investigating, Detective Takagi?” asked Ayumi, not quite innocent curiosity shining from her eyes.
Takagi refrained from looking back at the tailor shop he just walked out of. There was no sense in encouraging them. Not that he was sure that would stop them.
“Detective Takagi, are you all right?” Genta asked. “You look, I don't know, kind of pale.” He pulled his backpack off and rummaged around it. “Food'll help. That's what mom says, anyway.”
“Ah, thank you but no. It's nothing. Really,” Takagi said, shook his head and wandered back to his car. He could almost feel the eyes of the children follow him. Chancing a glance back, he could see that, yes, they were watching him and none too subtly either.
I wish Sato-san was here. She's good at deterring people. He thought about that a moment. Except even she has trouble with these kids. They're too clever by half. And Conan-kun and Ai-chan are the worst. I dare say they even encourage the others with the facts they give. Facts that very advanced for kid to know.
Takagi wanted to sigh. Now that he really thought about it, Conan was not the only child he knew that was not 'normal.' I wonder if I can reason them away in a way that normally doesn't work with children? They already know more than most ever know.
With some effort not to rub his temples from what felt like an oncoming headache, he turned to the children. “Look, I know you want to know what I'm doing but I really can't afford to be dragging you around. Sa-, my partner is off today and I have to continue with the investigation as we planned unless something comes up.” He knelt down so he was almost on eye level with them, “You have been a big help in the past but I can't afford to change my plan today. If I have you along, everything will have to be changed to accommodate additional people.”
Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta looked disappointed at his statement. Takagi thought that Conan also looked disappointed but he almost seemed relieved, too. Ai he found hard to read. She was a quiet child but when she spoke, well, Takagi did not know what to think of her. He did not think children were normally that reserved. I don't need any more mysterious children. Conan-kun is more than enough. I don't think I could handle two of the them.
The three more normal members of the group gave Takagi a look that was strongly reminiscent of the 'kicked puppy' look, as he tried to get them to stop bothering him.
--
Resigned, Takagi allowed the Detective Boys (which he used to think was an ostentatious name but after they showed that they caught details the police missed he knew that it was frighteningly accurate) to climb into his car. They chatted excitedly about what they hoped the case was about and what they could do to help.
Despite his efforts, they somehow managed to instigate themselves into his investigation by slipping into the shop he just left. Secretly, he was relived that they seemed leave rather quickly. Judging by the scowl on the owner's face, he knew why. Now, they were sitting in his car, waiting for the next destination.
Takagi planned to drop them off at Professor Agasa's. A quick call to the aging man and a few desperate words had Agasa promising to stick around and get the kids out of his hair.
There are places I'm going that I would get in trouble for bring kids into. And Sato-san might chew me out for going into alone. But it can't be helped. He looked into the review mirror at the part of town he was just in. He pulled his eyes back to the road and asked, “What were you kids doing there? That's not the sort of place you should be.”
He could hear the children shift around guilty in the back seat. The unchildlike quality of the muffled snort from the passenger seat caused him to turn his head and look at the boy seated there.
“Well, you see, we wanted to help Conan-kun and Ai-chan,” Ayumi began.
“Yeah! They were going to go off to investigate something by themselves,” Genta added, sounding put out that their two friends had been planning on leaving them behind.
Takagi looked at Conan from the corner of his eye. The bespeckled boy caught his glance and shifted uncomfortably in the seat. Conan muttered, “They weren't supposed to come along.” Disgruntled muttering came from three of the children in the back. They gave the impression that they had to do everything together all the time or they were not friends.
Takagi's raised his eyebrows but turned away from Conan and back to the road. Silence permeated the car as the children seemed to search for something to say.
A heavy sigh escaped Takagi. “Okay, look, I know you all are unusually capable and intelligent for your age,” he almost stopped when he noticed Conan flinch, “but there are some parts of town that just aren't a good idea to visit, especially for children.”
“Okay, I understand Detective Takagi. No more going to the part of town without an adult,” Conan chirped, causing Takagi to twitch. Conan's response sounded so artificial. As did the other children's response. Takagi mulled over it a moment the sighed mentally when he realized he left them on opening. Somehow, they are going to talk Agasa-san into taking them. I just know it.
As he pulled into Agasa's neighborhood, they let out a cacophony-filled round of complaints. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. They just figured out that he was not taking them with him.
He parked in front of the eccentric inventor's home. Grudgingly, they climbed out of the car.
“I'm sorry to do this to you,” he said, “But I really can't take you where I'm going. You aren't even peripherally involved this time. I will get in trouble if I take you now and may not be able to take you around in the future.”
They looked horrified at the prospect of being totally forbidden from police investigations. He pulled away from the house. In the review mirror, he saw Genta kick a rock and slip into a slouching sulk with Ayumi and Mitsuhiko trying to cheer him up. Conan and Ai looked like they were in a conference, throwing glances back the way they just came from.
Author: ytak
Word count: 1141
Rating (chapter): K (G)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: I didn't like the Detective Boys at first. Then I realized that they are wonderful Plot Devices. :)
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 46
The urge to walk to the nearest wall and start beating his head on it was an urge Takagi stomped down on. Standing in front of him were five, very familiar, and very inquisitive children.
“What sort of case are you investigating, Detective Takagi?” asked Ayumi, not quite innocent curiosity shining from her eyes.
Takagi refrained from looking back at the tailor shop he just walked out of. There was no sense in encouraging them. Not that he was sure that would stop them.
“Detective Takagi, are you all right?” Genta asked. “You look, I don't know, kind of pale.” He pulled his backpack off and rummaged around it. “Food'll help. That's what mom says, anyway.”
“Ah, thank you but no. It's nothing. Really,” Takagi said, shook his head and wandered back to his car. He could almost feel the eyes of the children follow him. Chancing a glance back, he could see that, yes, they were watching him and none too subtly either.
I wish Sato-san was here. She's good at deterring people. He thought about that a moment. Except even she has trouble with these kids. They're too clever by half. And Conan-kun and Ai-chan are the worst. I dare say they even encourage the others with the facts they give. Facts that very advanced for kid to know.
Takagi wanted to sigh. Now that he really thought about it, Conan was not the only child he knew that was not 'normal.' I wonder if I can reason them away in a way that normally doesn't work with children? They already know more than most ever know.
With some effort not to rub his temples from what felt like an oncoming headache, he turned to the children. “Look, I know you want to know what I'm doing but I really can't afford to be dragging you around. Sa-, my partner is off today and I have to continue with the investigation as we planned unless something comes up.” He knelt down so he was almost on eye level with them, “You have been a big help in the past but I can't afford to change my plan today. If I have you along, everything will have to be changed to accommodate additional people.”
Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta looked disappointed at his statement. Takagi thought that Conan also looked disappointed but he almost seemed relieved, too. Ai he found hard to read. She was a quiet child but when she spoke, well, Takagi did not know what to think of her. He did not think children were normally that reserved. I don't need any more mysterious children. Conan-kun is more than enough. I don't think I could handle two of the them.
The three more normal members of the group gave Takagi a look that was strongly reminiscent of the 'kicked puppy' look, as he tried to get them to stop bothering him.
--
Resigned, Takagi allowed the Detective Boys (which he used to think was an ostentatious name but after they showed that they caught details the police missed he knew that it was frighteningly accurate) to climb into his car. They chatted excitedly about what they hoped the case was about and what they could do to help.
Despite his efforts, they somehow managed to instigate themselves into his investigation by slipping into the shop he just left. Secretly, he was relived that they seemed leave rather quickly. Judging by the scowl on the owner's face, he knew why. Now, they were sitting in his car, waiting for the next destination.
Takagi planned to drop them off at Professor Agasa's. A quick call to the aging man and a few desperate words had Agasa promising to stick around and get the kids out of his hair.
There are places I'm going that I would get in trouble for bring kids into. And Sato-san might chew me out for going into alone. But it can't be helped. He looked into the review mirror at the part of town he was just in. He pulled his eyes back to the road and asked, “What were you kids doing there? That's not the sort of place you should be.”
He could hear the children shift around guilty in the back seat. The unchildlike quality of the muffled snort from the passenger seat caused him to turn his head and look at the boy seated there.
“Well, you see, we wanted to help Conan-kun and Ai-chan,” Ayumi began.
“Yeah! They were going to go off to investigate something by themselves,” Genta added, sounding put out that their two friends had been planning on leaving them behind.
Takagi looked at Conan from the corner of his eye. The bespeckled boy caught his glance and shifted uncomfortably in the seat. Conan muttered, “They weren't supposed to come along.” Disgruntled muttering came from three of the children in the back. They gave the impression that they had to do everything together all the time or they were not friends.
Takagi's raised his eyebrows but turned away from Conan and back to the road. Silence permeated the car as the children seemed to search for something to say.
A heavy sigh escaped Takagi. “Okay, look, I know you all are unusually capable and intelligent for your age,” he almost stopped when he noticed Conan flinch, “but there are some parts of town that just aren't a good idea to visit, especially for children.”
“Okay, I understand Detective Takagi. No more going to the part of town without an adult,” Conan chirped, causing Takagi to twitch. Conan's response sounded so artificial. As did the other children's response. Takagi mulled over it a moment the sighed mentally when he realized he left them on opening. Somehow, they are going to talk Agasa-san into taking them. I just know it.
As he pulled into Agasa's neighborhood, they let out a cacophony-filled round of complaints. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. They just figured out that he was not taking them with him.
He parked in front of the eccentric inventor's home. Grudgingly, they climbed out of the car.
“I'm sorry to do this to you,” he said, “But I really can't take you where I'm going. You aren't even peripherally involved this time. I will get in trouble if I take you now and may not be able to take you around in the future.”
They looked horrified at the prospect of being totally forbidden from police investigations. He pulled away from the house. In the review mirror, he saw Genta kick a rock and slip into a slouching sulk with Ayumi and Mitsuhiko trying to cheer him up. Conan and Ai looked like they were in a conference, throwing glances back the way they just came from.