Vanity of Hearts
Skuld_2K1
[xm_lee@yahoo.com]
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in my works. You're Under Arrest characters belong to Kosuke Fujishima and Co. Everything below is purely fictional where any similarities to actual names or incidents is purely coincidental. Lastly, please don't sue me as I don't have much money.
Like the beginning of all tales, everything was normal like it always was. The clear blue skies of the morning, the melody of the city, the ambience of people, and lastly the peaceful law abiding city; it was all thanks to the perseverance of the officers of Bokuto PD. This story would shed light onto one particular officer, who has gone through lengths no one would even consider. She does indeed deserve some degree of recognition, though her colleagues were quite reluctant to give her this honor. And what is this sacrifice that she made to demand such respect and what could have coerce her into such an extreme measure?
The answers were were not straightforward ones. To truly understand her actions, we shall now revisit the past of this outstanding individual. At the time of birth, the doctor could instantly verify that the soon-to-be Futaba Aoi was a healthy, bouncing baby boy. There was no mistake in it. His parents could not be any happier; time was running out for them and they had no one to pass on their hopes and dreams, until now. To them, their son was the shining star in the family.
And so, Aoi was given a lot of affection and love during his upbringing. He attended school like any ordinary boy. However, he was categorized as the 'sissy' type. He showed all the symptoms of one; shy, soft voice, cute way of walking and the list went on indefinitely. Despite so, Aoi was never one to succumb to peer pressure that easily, although he had certainly gained the unwavering support of all his female friends. That was a double-edged sword for him, it meant that he was popular among girls, but it also meant he had to rely on the so-called weaker sex for support. The 'sissy' label only stuck harder onto him, bringing him close to tears for countless times.
This does not bode well for Aoi, he knew that he must do something about this. He had always fantasized being a world-class basketball player. That is the only 'male' thing that his classmates considered him to endeavor in. Indeed, when he was not in the court, he took his time off learning the ancient arts and customs from the various culture clubs in his school. His seniors were quite was amazed that a boy could master the feminine arts of flower arranging, tea ceremony, bento making, and many more. It would have commanded great respect if not for the gender barrier that had existed since time immemorial.
For the first seventeen years of his life, Futaba Aoi was contempt about his life. He never gave much thought to his gender. His hormones didn't even budge him from pursuing the gentle arts. Even if it did sometimes get out of control, he found out that a round of basketball could work wonders in calming down his nerves. Thus, he never fell prey to those impulsive desires that most of the male population would resort to. This was indeed praise-worthy, but ironically the 'strange' label on him only grew larger day by day.
Fortunately, he never directed any energy to blind anger and frustration. Instead, he harnessed this energy into determination in his basketball training. The coach could see the talent within him and signed him up in the school team, amidst all the protest from the squad. They all got the shock of their lives when 'sissy-boy' had brought their school to new and great heights by scoring the deciding 3-pointer and winning the national cup in Kyoto. It was truly unbelievable, but Aoi knew that all the hardship he went through was indeed worth the price. Being a star in school meant that nobody could insult him in the face anymore. Futaba Aoi became someone you couldn't mess with.
He grew more confident in himself, but his humble upbringing always kept his head in check. Being boastful was something you could never see in him; his humility once earned him an award for outstanding behavior. He certainly showed everyone that being humble is not an excuse for the weak. He was also very apathetic, sensitive to the feelings of others. He was often thought to be able to read people's minds, ending him up as the assistant counselor of the school.
Slowly but surely, Futaba Aoi found out that love was something even he couldn't escape from. His one and only crush was none other than the team manager of his basketball team, Shinobu Kinotori. She appeared to grow more beautiful and divine day by day. He knew that she was the perfect girl for his heart and there could be no other. They were on friendly terms by then because she was the only one other his parents that understood and accepted his so-called funny habits. That reason alone was more than enough to make her so adorable.
There is a saying that states that opposites attract each other. It held true in this matter. Shinobu was a girl that favors masculine sports. There was no male that could tangle with her, earning her the title of 'Iron- woman'. Like Aoi, she advocates the freedom to pursue her own interests, irrespective of gender. This is what made her so attached to Aoi, who had the reverse situation. They represented the inverted Yin-Yang, the system of balance in the universe.
When Futaba Aoi finally managed to let go of the three magic words from his mouth, Shinobu was stunned for a while. It wasn't long though, as she smiled at him and took his hands in agreement. They thought they had meant to be together from the beginning, and no force in the universe could separate the strong bond of love between them. The days from that day onwards seemed a little brighter than before. They enjoyed the intimate company of each other like any typical student couples. Their love affair was something they never publicize; a wise decision as the school authorities takes a very dim view of such matters. All their outings were done in secret. In a way, it gave their relationship some spice. It was indeed a blissful three months for the two lovebirds.
However, like all things, happiness never lasted long. For Futaba Aoi, this fateful day changed the way he lived life forever. It is an incident which shall haunt him for many years of his life. At that time, he relied much on the strength of Shinobu even while they both shared a mutual relationship. When it came to strength, he admitted that he was beyond help. He always chose to use his head instead. Well, let's just say that rationalizing does not work all the time. It's one of these rare times that shook him for life. When it hits, it hit hard.
Like it or not, we shall now have to revisit one of the darkest incidents of the life of Futaba Aoi. Please understand that we would intend to do so just for the sake of understanding, thus it shall be depicted as tastefully as possible with no vivid descriptions. What that is going to take place next is not for the faint-hearted. If you are not ready to accept this matter, then skip the next three paragraphs.
It was a date. Things were going great for both Aoi and Shinobu. At that time, they were at the amusement park, having the time of their lives. Little did they realize that a few pairs of vengeful eyes were staring intensely at them, calculating their every move. They waited until the couple was going home, and followed them silently. Both of them were oblivious of the threat which was so close from them. Like an eagle, they waited for perfect moment to strike. Their weapons were ready. Altogether, there were three of them, their faces bearing very distinctive and menacing scars.
The ill-fated couple didn't even see them coming before it was too late. A blow to the head knocked down Aoi to the ground, a couple more came to his abdomen and limbs as he tried to defend himself without much avail. Everything suddenly became blurry for him. He was determined not to pass out and tried to shout for help. However, his assailants had taken the liberty to bind him with some rope and gag him before he knew what had happened.
What he saw next was truly inhuman. It was made even crueler as his captors purposely made him see the whole act. The feeling of helplessness was something those animals probably enjoyed as they forced themselves on Shinobu. It was beyond the ability of humans to be capable of such despicable acts. Aoi didn't know how long it lasted, every second was pure torture to him, seeing his loved one being violated and he could not do a single damn thing to help her. What good is his knowledge going to do now; he could only stare in disbelief as those animals choked the life out of her. Everything went black after that as he fainted in despair.
When Aoi came to, he noticed himself being in a hospital room. The after- shock of the incident made him scream his lungs out. Naturally, this outburst warranted immediate attention. First the nurses and doctor did a checkup and reassured him that everything is all right, oblivious of the truth. Then, his parents were next. They knew their son was not the cause of this misfortune. A touching moment ensured as the tears flowed freely. Lastly, the police came to take his statement. In burst of sobs, he related to them about the horror which he had witnessed. He never missed out a single detail despite the pain which throbbed within his heart with every word he spoke. When he was done, he asked the question that had been poking the back of his mind:
"Is Shinobu all right?"
The police could only shake their heads while taking their caps off. They decided to leave him alone to sort out his emotions. Futaba Aoi was heart-broken. The love of his life was taken away from him while he was just looking helplessly. Clenching his fist with all his strength, he swore right then that he would see those bastards are put behind bars permanently.
His physical recovery was fast, only a few bruises and a slight dent on the skull. But he knew that his heart would take much, much longer to heal. At least the Kinotori's were understanding and didn't blame him for Shinobu's fate. But still, he knew that part of the reason she was treated this way was because of him. Some people must have nursed a grudge against him. The real reason eluded him even until the present day. At her funeral, Aoi made an important vow to himself. He would join the forces of the law and bring justice to these perpetrators, for the sake of Shinobu and for the rest of the law-abiding citizens.
Futaba Aoi graduated from high school with flying colours. When he finally told his parents about his decision to join the police force, they were taken by surprise. At first, they were doubtful of their son's sense of thinking. They proceeded to lay out all the cons of such occupations; low pay but dangerous work. However, Aoi was all set. He would not budge from his decision. After a week or so, his parents finally relented and gave him the green light. They felt that their son has that feeling responsible from that terrible incident. He was an adult already, he can be trusted to decide the way he lives his life. Since then, Aoi was pretty much estranged from his parents. But he kept in touch once in a while.
The very next day, he signed himself up at the Academy. His instructors saw the spirit and the determination within him to succeed in every test and training. Not to mention that he has pretty good skills and reflexes thanks to his basketball training. He was poised to become the first batch to pass. It took two long years before they finally transferred him to Special Crimes Unit.
Over there, he stated that his main goal is to catch perverts and rapists. One colleague made a casual joke that he must be a female to be efficient in such matters. Nobody guessed that Aoi took his suggestion seriously. They were even more surprised when he said that he become a woman if it would help him to attain his goals. There wasn't a joking tone in his voice, his gaze was unfazed and his eyes showed grim resolve. It took only three months or so to get through all the red tape. Finally, he was all set to become a 'she'.
Thus, Aoi went through special training to change his mindset, body set and voice set. As far as looks go, he would pass without a hitch if he hides the private parts. A little makeup did the trick for him. It also helps that he was keeping long hair at the time, although he had to use a wig for quite some time before his hair was long enough. Then, he underwent special therapy for a week to start behaving like a real woman. He blended right in due to his vast experience in dealing with women. When they shipped him out, even his superiors could not recognize him and gave him a thumbs-up. Aoi Futaba is now officially a female officer and ready for active duty. She knew that there is only a very thin line separating justice and revenge, and she knew her priorities were to serve and protect innocent lives. Revenge in cold blood was the last thing in her mind.
Naturally, she started out with small fry. This includes gropers and underwear thieves. As the list of apprehended suspects became longer, Aoi grew more and more confident with her new gender. All the guys in her department were very tempted to ask her out but held back the intention, remembering that she was originally a man. There is one rare exception though, once an officer from another department passed by and was instantly allured to her charm. Being the direct person that he is, Aoi was asked for a date by a man for the first time in her life.
Aoi knew that is was a more important decision than it looks. She knew that being a perfect undercover cop requires that officer to be flexible and ready for duty at any time. Being optimistic, she accepted his invitation. The dinner went smoothly, and then came the slow dance, and finally the long drive home. In the car, her date was trying to make up his mind about her. At the doorstep of her apartment, he said these exact words to her:
"Aoi-san, thanks for the wonderful dinner tonight. I really enjoyed your company. But, I'm sorry that things would have to end right here. As charming and beautiful as you look, you are still a man at heart. That is something which I can't accept. I cannot lie to myself anymore. Sorry if I had hurt you, but I believe that this is best for both of us. Sayonara."
And with those parting words, he took off in his vehicle. Since then, he had applied for transfer to another part of Japan for 'private reasons'. Aoi was once again at a loss of what she should do. However, one phrase struck her deeply:
{You are still a man at heart.man at heart.man at.man}
She knew that he was just being honest with her. Ironically though, she felt the exact sense of helplessness that a woman would normally feel from being dumped. She knew that just disguising herself was not enough. To accomplish her goal, she would need to give up her manhood for good. In the end though, she couldn't managed to bring herself for plastic surgery. The reason was that she would only be telling a very big lie. Instead, she resorted to not-so-permanent solutions to make her feel better, spoiling herself with the top-of-the-range undergarments.
Of course, the main obstacle was not the outside but the inside. She realized that she never really understood the real meaning of being a woman. If it is just catching perverts, understanding this trivial matter proved unnecessary. However, Futaba Aoi was determined to do her utmost. And so, she spoke and interacted more with her female colleagues. She was not really accepted at first, but she knew that until the day when they can truly consider her as one of them, she would not give up. That is the final test of Futaba Aoi's womanhood: being recognized by the real thing.
However, she soon came to know that women could be so fickle-minded at times. All she needed to do is to get on their good sides, and suddenly they would become the best of friends. This may sound easier said than done, but Aoi knew all the tricks. She still hasn't lost the female-support- streak from her schooling days. The days went by peacefully as Aoi got along well with generally everyone. Of course, she couldn't avoid the occasional awkward moment and short-term jealously.
Days became months. Before you know it, good old Aoi had already nicked up three years of experience under the Special Crimes Unit. One day, she got a break of her lifetime when she saw a file on her desk. Opening it, she saw the photos of three suspects. In an instant, a flashback occurred to her. She would never forget these faces for as long as she lives. The trio had the exact same scars that she saw five years ago. It all came back to her at once. The pain, the anguish, the feeling of absolute helplessness, all of them poured into her mind like raindrops on the ground. It was more like a hailstorm going through her head. Remembering the smiling face that she would never see again, Aoi shed one last tear before her eyes burned with deep resolve. These bastards would pay dearly for their deeds.
According to her superiors, these three usually work alone when it comes to one-on-one victims. Sometimes, they would gang up if there were more than one potential prey. They were also very careful, leaving no tracks for the police. The records were frightening; so far seventeen victims had succumbed to these criminals. It looks like special tactics would have to be employed if they were to nail all three of them and send them behind bars for good.
Futaba Aoi was nominated for this assignment, as she was the most experienced officer they had. The other reason was that she had nothing to lose. Fortunately for Aoi, no one knew that one of those seventeen victims had changed her life in a big way; otherwise she wouldn't get the job as her superiors had always feared that their subordinates would get mixed up in their own private emotions in the line of duty. Either way, her past only made her more determined to pull off this assignment successfully. She would never let her personal grudges overcome her sense of duty. That is what differentiates her from those criminals.
The approach was simple. Since the trio took a liking to schoolgirls, she would don a typical sailor uniform and pretend to be walking back from school. The challenge was that she must remain hidden during school hours or else her disguise would be invalid. She would also be walking with a mock boy friend that was one of her colleagues. That way, all three would strike at once and at least she would have a better chance. She was indeed bemused when she remembered being an actual boy friend to a school girl who was very close to her; very, very close indeed. The fates have such a weird sense of humor, noted Aoi.
At the end of two uneventful months, Aoi's resolve had grown much weaker. But still she clung to the very slight hope that those crooks would come out of hiding. She knew that these people must have developed a pattern by now. According to her calculation, they would strike within the week itself. She wasn't really expecting the day itself. Her good fortune had struck a funny spot again.
They came from behind like they always did. Fast on their feet, they charged at their intended victim like a cheetah on its prey. However, Aoi could feel their dark aura from a mile away and was ready for them. Her partner instantly understood her nod and readied one hand on his pistol. When the trio was within range, Aoi took out her special weapon for dealing with these people. Since she disliked violence, she resorted to more humane ways, such as the pepper spray gun that she was using to choke them into compliance. Her partner had given the first and last warning to them, pistol at ready.
However, these criminals were not very happy of the prospect of spending twenty or so years in jail, plus the mandatory strokes. Going for broke, they took the two officers by surprise. Two went after the gun while one charged Aoi headlong. Two shots were fired; one of them went through the torso while the other grazed the arm of the other assailant. As for the third, let's just say that Aoi always wanted to try out some wrestling techniques she saw on TV. In the end, all three were finally arrested. A hero's welcome awaited them at the office.
However, after overcoming her past, she was troubled by another prospect. If she were to continue this line of work, sooner or later she would definitely need to resort to lethal force like her partner. She won't blame him though; it was clearly done in the act of self-defense. She was lucky this time, what about the future? Futaba Aoi pondered whether or not she would have the courage to pull the trigger at live targets. Her superiors mentioned that she was getting popular among the public, which would make undercover assignments almost impossible without extensive make up. They also brought up the issue that maybe she would like a more stable line of work.
At first, Aoi took their suggestion as a request for resignation. However, they suggested that she should apply for transfer to another department, something in the likes of Public Relations or Traffic Control. After much thought, Aoi decided that she would settle for the latter. She had heard much about the outstanding team over there. Moreover, she knew that it would be better on her nerves. One of her main reasons for becoming a cop was to erase the dark incident of her past. She was pretty much satisfied with the outcome. Those three wouldn't be terrorizing any more victims for the next decade or two.
With the backing of her superiors, Aoi was reassigned to the Traffic Control Department. True to her suspicions, everyone there was a merry bunch, a drastic change from the gloomy faces at her previous unit. Kachou was the good type of boss, lenient but caring. Her new partner was none other than Nikaido Yoriko, the famous gossipmonger of the PD. One outstanding party was the dynamic duo, namely Tsujimoto Natsumi and Kobayakawa Miyuki. Their boy friends or soon-to-be boyfriends, Tokairin Shoji and Nakajima Ken irrespectively, completed the list of colleagues worthy of mention. She was sure that she would fit right in. She got the hang of the entire drill in just three days, her present job being almost twice as easy as her last one.
As for the issue for her gender, Futaba Aoi decided that she would remain a 'she'. After all, she couldn't really remember how a man would feel anymore. Of course it took more than just three days to get the arrangements right. She would have a private corner in the girl's locker room and have her own private time at the showers. This was decided in the favor of her being a woman after the males complained that she posed too much of a distraction for them. After all that hustle, she settled in her new department like a second skin. She would continue to serve and protect the citizens of the city to the best of her efforts. The physically-a-man- but-a-woman-at-heart officer knew that she would have to look for her own answers in life. In the mean time, Yoriko would be a nice alternative.
[FIN]
Authors Notes:
1) Allow me to clarify that I have no actual base for the past of Futaba Aoi. It was my theory of why Aoi would choose to walk the path of a female officer. I hope that you would find it to your satisfaction. If not, my e- contact is below.
2) If you're asking why I wrote this fic, it's because I always wanted to imagine myself being in the shoes of this extraordinary individual. All in all, I had enjoyed much when I let my mind wonder into the world of Aoi.
3) Want to say something? Feel free to do so here: [xm_lee@yahoo.com] I know that some of you may not agree with my depictions but I'm no mind reader OK? You must at least let me know first.
4) Oh yeah, I had written this amidst my studying periods. If there are silly grammar or spelling mistakes above, it is deeply regretted. Sumimasen! Also, if you're curious, I had referred to Aoi as a 'she' from the day she chose to become a woman, despite the fact that she was born a male. I hope you would understand that the author did so to respect her as the woman she wanted to be.
5) Once again, I hope to see you guys after my exam. Ja!
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in my works. You're Under Arrest characters belong to Kosuke Fujishima and Co. Everything below is purely fictional where any similarities to actual names or incidents is purely coincidental. Lastly, please don't sue me as I don't have much money.
Like the beginning of all tales, everything was normal like it always was. The clear blue skies of the morning, the melody of the city, the ambience of people, and lastly the peaceful law abiding city; it was all thanks to the perseverance of the officers of Bokuto PD. This story would shed light onto one particular officer, who has gone through lengths no one would even consider. She does indeed deserve some degree of recognition, though her colleagues were quite reluctant to give her this honor. And what is this sacrifice that she made to demand such respect and what could have coerce her into such an extreme measure?
The answers were were not straightforward ones. To truly understand her actions, we shall now revisit the past of this outstanding individual. At the time of birth, the doctor could instantly verify that the soon-to-be Futaba Aoi was a healthy, bouncing baby boy. There was no mistake in it. His parents could not be any happier; time was running out for them and they had no one to pass on their hopes and dreams, until now. To them, their son was the shining star in the family.
And so, Aoi was given a lot of affection and love during his upbringing. He attended school like any ordinary boy. However, he was categorized as the 'sissy' type. He showed all the symptoms of one; shy, soft voice, cute way of walking and the list went on indefinitely. Despite so, Aoi was never one to succumb to peer pressure that easily, although he had certainly gained the unwavering support of all his female friends. That was a double-edged sword for him, it meant that he was popular among girls, but it also meant he had to rely on the so-called weaker sex for support. The 'sissy' label only stuck harder onto him, bringing him close to tears for countless times.
This does not bode well for Aoi, he knew that he must do something about this. He had always fantasized being a world-class basketball player. That is the only 'male' thing that his classmates considered him to endeavor in. Indeed, when he was not in the court, he took his time off learning the ancient arts and customs from the various culture clubs in his school. His seniors were quite was amazed that a boy could master the feminine arts of flower arranging, tea ceremony, bento making, and many more. It would have commanded great respect if not for the gender barrier that had existed since time immemorial.
For the first seventeen years of his life, Futaba Aoi was contempt about his life. He never gave much thought to his gender. His hormones didn't even budge him from pursuing the gentle arts. Even if it did sometimes get out of control, he found out that a round of basketball could work wonders in calming down his nerves. Thus, he never fell prey to those impulsive desires that most of the male population would resort to. This was indeed praise-worthy, but ironically the 'strange' label on him only grew larger day by day.
Fortunately, he never directed any energy to blind anger and frustration. Instead, he harnessed this energy into determination in his basketball training. The coach could see the talent within him and signed him up in the school team, amidst all the protest from the squad. They all got the shock of their lives when 'sissy-boy' had brought their school to new and great heights by scoring the deciding 3-pointer and winning the national cup in Kyoto. It was truly unbelievable, but Aoi knew that all the hardship he went through was indeed worth the price. Being a star in school meant that nobody could insult him in the face anymore. Futaba Aoi became someone you couldn't mess with.
He grew more confident in himself, but his humble upbringing always kept his head in check. Being boastful was something you could never see in him; his humility once earned him an award for outstanding behavior. He certainly showed everyone that being humble is not an excuse for the weak. He was also very apathetic, sensitive to the feelings of others. He was often thought to be able to read people's minds, ending him up as the assistant counselor of the school.
Slowly but surely, Futaba Aoi found out that love was something even he couldn't escape from. His one and only crush was none other than the team manager of his basketball team, Shinobu Kinotori. She appeared to grow more beautiful and divine day by day. He knew that she was the perfect girl for his heart and there could be no other. They were on friendly terms by then because she was the only one other his parents that understood and accepted his so-called funny habits. That reason alone was more than enough to make her so adorable.
There is a saying that states that opposites attract each other. It held true in this matter. Shinobu was a girl that favors masculine sports. There was no male that could tangle with her, earning her the title of 'Iron- woman'. Like Aoi, she advocates the freedom to pursue her own interests, irrespective of gender. This is what made her so attached to Aoi, who had the reverse situation. They represented the inverted Yin-Yang, the system of balance in the universe.
When Futaba Aoi finally managed to let go of the three magic words from his mouth, Shinobu was stunned for a while. It wasn't long though, as she smiled at him and took his hands in agreement. They thought they had meant to be together from the beginning, and no force in the universe could separate the strong bond of love between them. The days from that day onwards seemed a little brighter than before. They enjoyed the intimate company of each other like any typical student couples. Their love affair was something they never publicize; a wise decision as the school authorities takes a very dim view of such matters. All their outings were done in secret. In a way, it gave their relationship some spice. It was indeed a blissful three months for the two lovebirds.
However, like all things, happiness never lasted long. For Futaba Aoi, this fateful day changed the way he lived life forever. It is an incident which shall haunt him for many years of his life. At that time, he relied much on the strength of Shinobu even while they both shared a mutual relationship. When it came to strength, he admitted that he was beyond help. He always chose to use his head instead. Well, let's just say that rationalizing does not work all the time. It's one of these rare times that shook him for life. When it hits, it hit hard.
Like it or not, we shall now have to revisit one of the darkest incidents of the life of Futaba Aoi. Please understand that we would intend to do so just for the sake of understanding, thus it shall be depicted as tastefully as possible with no vivid descriptions. What that is going to take place next is not for the faint-hearted. If you are not ready to accept this matter, then skip the next three paragraphs.
It was a date. Things were going great for both Aoi and Shinobu. At that time, they were at the amusement park, having the time of their lives. Little did they realize that a few pairs of vengeful eyes were staring intensely at them, calculating their every move. They waited until the couple was going home, and followed them silently. Both of them were oblivious of the threat which was so close from them. Like an eagle, they waited for perfect moment to strike. Their weapons were ready. Altogether, there were three of them, their faces bearing very distinctive and menacing scars.
The ill-fated couple didn't even see them coming before it was too late. A blow to the head knocked down Aoi to the ground, a couple more came to his abdomen and limbs as he tried to defend himself without much avail. Everything suddenly became blurry for him. He was determined not to pass out and tried to shout for help. However, his assailants had taken the liberty to bind him with some rope and gag him before he knew what had happened.
What he saw next was truly inhuman. It was made even crueler as his captors purposely made him see the whole act. The feeling of helplessness was something those animals probably enjoyed as they forced themselves on Shinobu. It was beyond the ability of humans to be capable of such despicable acts. Aoi didn't know how long it lasted, every second was pure torture to him, seeing his loved one being violated and he could not do a single damn thing to help her. What good is his knowledge going to do now; he could only stare in disbelief as those animals choked the life out of her. Everything went black after that as he fainted in despair.
When Aoi came to, he noticed himself being in a hospital room. The after- shock of the incident made him scream his lungs out. Naturally, this outburst warranted immediate attention. First the nurses and doctor did a checkup and reassured him that everything is all right, oblivious of the truth. Then, his parents were next. They knew their son was not the cause of this misfortune. A touching moment ensured as the tears flowed freely. Lastly, the police came to take his statement. In burst of sobs, he related to them about the horror which he had witnessed. He never missed out a single detail despite the pain which throbbed within his heart with every word he spoke. When he was done, he asked the question that had been poking the back of his mind:
"Is Shinobu all right?"
The police could only shake their heads while taking their caps off. They decided to leave him alone to sort out his emotions. Futaba Aoi was heart-broken. The love of his life was taken away from him while he was just looking helplessly. Clenching his fist with all his strength, he swore right then that he would see those bastards are put behind bars permanently.
His physical recovery was fast, only a few bruises and a slight dent on the skull. But he knew that his heart would take much, much longer to heal. At least the Kinotori's were understanding and didn't blame him for Shinobu's fate. But still, he knew that part of the reason she was treated this way was because of him. Some people must have nursed a grudge against him. The real reason eluded him even until the present day. At her funeral, Aoi made an important vow to himself. He would join the forces of the law and bring justice to these perpetrators, for the sake of Shinobu and for the rest of the law-abiding citizens.
Futaba Aoi graduated from high school with flying colours. When he finally told his parents about his decision to join the police force, they were taken by surprise. At first, they were doubtful of their son's sense of thinking. They proceeded to lay out all the cons of such occupations; low pay but dangerous work. However, Aoi was all set. He would not budge from his decision. After a week or so, his parents finally relented and gave him the green light. They felt that their son has that feeling responsible from that terrible incident. He was an adult already, he can be trusted to decide the way he lives his life. Since then, Aoi was pretty much estranged from his parents. But he kept in touch once in a while.
The very next day, he signed himself up at the Academy. His instructors saw the spirit and the determination within him to succeed in every test and training. Not to mention that he has pretty good skills and reflexes thanks to his basketball training. He was poised to become the first batch to pass. It took two long years before they finally transferred him to Special Crimes Unit.
Over there, he stated that his main goal is to catch perverts and rapists. One colleague made a casual joke that he must be a female to be efficient in such matters. Nobody guessed that Aoi took his suggestion seriously. They were even more surprised when he said that he become a woman if it would help him to attain his goals. There wasn't a joking tone in his voice, his gaze was unfazed and his eyes showed grim resolve. It took only three months or so to get through all the red tape. Finally, he was all set to become a 'she'.
Thus, Aoi went through special training to change his mindset, body set and voice set. As far as looks go, he would pass without a hitch if he hides the private parts. A little makeup did the trick for him. It also helps that he was keeping long hair at the time, although he had to use a wig for quite some time before his hair was long enough. Then, he underwent special therapy for a week to start behaving like a real woman. He blended right in due to his vast experience in dealing with women. When they shipped him out, even his superiors could not recognize him and gave him a thumbs-up. Aoi Futaba is now officially a female officer and ready for active duty. She knew that there is only a very thin line separating justice and revenge, and she knew her priorities were to serve and protect innocent lives. Revenge in cold blood was the last thing in her mind.
Naturally, she started out with small fry. This includes gropers and underwear thieves. As the list of apprehended suspects became longer, Aoi grew more and more confident with her new gender. All the guys in her department were very tempted to ask her out but held back the intention, remembering that she was originally a man. There is one rare exception though, once an officer from another department passed by and was instantly allured to her charm. Being the direct person that he is, Aoi was asked for a date by a man for the first time in her life.
Aoi knew that is was a more important decision than it looks. She knew that being a perfect undercover cop requires that officer to be flexible and ready for duty at any time. Being optimistic, she accepted his invitation. The dinner went smoothly, and then came the slow dance, and finally the long drive home. In the car, her date was trying to make up his mind about her. At the doorstep of her apartment, he said these exact words to her:
"Aoi-san, thanks for the wonderful dinner tonight. I really enjoyed your company. But, I'm sorry that things would have to end right here. As charming and beautiful as you look, you are still a man at heart. That is something which I can't accept. I cannot lie to myself anymore. Sorry if I had hurt you, but I believe that this is best for both of us. Sayonara."
And with those parting words, he took off in his vehicle. Since then, he had applied for transfer to another part of Japan for 'private reasons'. Aoi was once again at a loss of what she should do. However, one phrase struck her deeply:
{You are still a man at heart.man at heart.man at.man}
She knew that he was just being honest with her. Ironically though, she felt the exact sense of helplessness that a woman would normally feel from being dumped. She knew that just disguising herself was not enough. To accomplish her goal, she would need to give up her manhood for good. In the end though, she couldn't managed to bring herself for plastic surgery. The reason was that she would only be telling a very big lie. Instead, she resorted to not-so-permanent solutions to make her feel better, spoiling herself with the top-of-the-range undergarments.
Of course, the main obstacle was not the outside but the inside. She realized that she never really understood the real meaning of being a woman. If it is just catching perverts, understanding this trivial matter proved unnecessary. However, Futaba Aoi was determined to do her utmost. And so, she spoke and interacted more with her female colleagues. She was not really accepted at first, but she knew that until the day when they can truly consider her as one of them, she would not give up. That is the final test of Futaba Aoi's womanhood: being recognized by the real thing.
However, she soon came to know that women could be so fickle-minded at times. All she needed to do is to get on their good sides, and suddenly they would become the best of friends. This may sound easier said than done, but Aoi knew all the tricks. She still hasn't lost the female-support- streak from her schooling days. The days went by peacefully as Aoi got along well with generally everyone. Of course, she couldn't avoid the occasional awkward moment and short-term jealously.
Days became months. Before you know it, good old Aoi had already nicked up three years of experience under the Special Crimes Unit. One day, she got a break of her lifetime when she saw a file on her desk. Opening it, she saw the photos of three suspects. In an instant, a flashback occurred to her. She would never forget these faces for as long as she lives. The trio had the exact same scars that she saw five years ago. It all came back to her at once. The pain, the anguish, the feeling of absolute helplessness, all of them poured into her mind like raindrops on the ground. It was more like a hailstorm going through her head. Remembering the smiling face that she would never see again, Aoi shed one last tear before her eyes burned with deep resolve. These bastards would pay dearly for their deeds.
According to her superiors, these three usually work alone when it comes to one-on-one victims. Sometimes, they would gang up if there were more than one potential prey. They were also very careful, leaving no tracks for the police. The records were frightening; so far seventeen victims had succumbed to these criminals. It looks like special tactics would have to be employed if they were to nail all three of them and send them behind bars for good.
Futaba Aoi was nominated for this assignment, as she was the most experienced officer they had. The other reason was that she had nothing to lose. Fortunately for Aoi, no one knew that one of those seventeen victims had changed her life in a big way; otherwise she wouldn't get the job as her superiors had always feared that their subordinates would get mixed up in their own private emotions in the line of duty. Either way, her past only made her more determined to pull off this assignment successfully. She would never let her personal grudges overcome her sense of duty. That is what differentiates her from those criminals.
The approach was simple. Since the trio took a liking to schoolgirls, she would don a typical sailor uniform and pretend to be walking back from school. The challenge was that she must remain hidden during school hours or else her disguise would be invalid. She would also be walking with a mock boy friend that was one of her colleagues. That way, all three would strike at once and at least she would have a better chance. She was indeed bemused when she remembered being an actual boy friend to a school girl who was very close to her; very, very close indeed. The fates have such a weird sense of humor, noted Aoi.
At the end of two uneventful months, Aoi's resolve had grown much weaker. But still she clung to the very slight hope that those crooks would come out of hiding. She knew that these people must have developed a pattern by now. According to her calculation, they would strike within the week itself. She wasn't really expecting the day itself. Her good fortune had struck a funny spot again.
They came from behind like they always did. Fast on their feet, they charged at their intended victim like a cheetah on its prey. However, Aoi could feel their dark aura from a mile away and was ready for them. Her partner instantly understood her nod and readied one hand on his pistol. When the trio was within range, Aoi took out her special weapon for dealing with these people. Since she disliked violence, she resorted to more humane ways, such as the pepper spray gun that she was using to choke them into compliance. Her partner had given the first and last warning to them, pistol at ready.
However, these criminals were not very happy of the prospect of spending twenty or so years in jail, plus the mandatory strokes. Going for broke, they took the two officers by surprise. Two went after the gun while one charged Aoi headlong. Two shots were fired; one of them went through the torso while the other grazed the arm of the other assailant. As for the third, let's just say that Aoi always wanted to try out some wrestling techniques she saw on TV. In the end, all three were finally arrested. A hero's welcome awaited them at the office.
However, after overcoming her past, she was troubled by another prospect. If she were to continue this line of work, sooner or later she would definitely need to resort to lethal force like her partner. She won't blame him though; it was clearly done in the act of self-defense. She was lucky this time, what about the future? Futaba Aoi pondered whether or not she would have the courage to pull the trigger at live targets. Her superiors mentioned that she was getting popular among the public, which would make undercover assignments almost impossible without extensive make up. They also brought up the issue that maybe she would like a more stable line of work.
At first, Aoi took their suggestion as a request for resignation. However, they suggested that she should apply for transfer to another department, something in the likes of Public Relations or Traffic Control. After much thought, Aoi decided that she would settle for the latter. She had heard much about the outstanding team over there. Moreover, she knew that it would be better on her nerves. One of her main reasons for becoming a cop was to erase the dark incident of her past. She was pretty much satisfied with the outcome. Those three wouldn't be terrorizing any more victims for the next decade or two.
With the backing of her superiors, Aoi was reassigned to the Traffic Control Department. True to her suspicions, everyone there was a merry bunch, a drastic change from the gloomy faces at her previous unit. Kachou was the good type of boss, lenient but caring. Her new partner was none other than Nikaido Yoriko, the famous gossipmonger of the PD. One outstanding party was the dynamic duo, namely Tsujimoto Natsumi and Kobayakawa Miyuki. Their boy friends or soon-to-be boyfriends, Tokairin Shoji and Nakajima Ken irrespectively, completed the list of colleagues worthy of mention. She was sure that she would fit right in. She got the hang of the entire drill in just three days, her present job being almost twice as easy as her last one.
As for the issue for her gender, Futaba Aoi decided that she would remain a 'she'. After all, she couldn't really remember how a man would feel anymore. Of course it took more than just three days to get the arrangements right. She would have a private corner in the girl's locker room and have her own private time at the showers. This was decided in the favor of her being a woman after the males complained that she posed too much of a distraction for them. After all that hustle, she settled in her new department like a second skin. She would continue to serve and protect the citizens of the city to the best of her efforts. The physically-a-man- but-a-woman-at-heart officer knew that she would have to look for her own answers in life. In the mean time, Yoriko would be a nice alternative.
[FIN]
Authors Notes:
1) Allow me to clarify that I have no actual base for the past of Futaba Aoi. It was my theory of why Aoi would choose to walk the path of a female officer. I hope that you would find it to your satisfaction. If not, my e- contact is below.
2) If you're asking why I wrote this fic, it's because I always wanted to imagine myself being in the shoes of this extraordinary individual. All in all, I had enjoyed much when I let my mind wonder into the world of Aoi.
3) Want to say something? Feel free to do so here: [xm_lee@yahoo.com] I know that some of you may not agree with my depictions but I'm no mind reader OK? You must at least let me know first.
4) Oh yeah, I had written this amidst my studying periods. If there are silly grammar or spelling mistakes above, it is deeply regretted. Sumimasen! Also, if you're curious, I had referred to Aoi as a 'she' from the day she chose to become a woman, despite the fact that she was born a male. I hope you would understand that the author did so to respect her as the woman she wanted to be.
5) Once again, I hope to see you guys after my exam. Ja!