A drastic rise in temperature for these past few days were trying for Tokyo residents and the 'people' affected did not only include those who were fleshed; the Brave Police Detectives had problems of their own to cope in the climbing heat even when they were lounging lazily in Decker Room, a fact that the robots were quite grateful for because nobody could find pursuing criminals during hot days particularly appealing.
"I don't like it," Duke's voice broke the lazy silence in the room, instantly garnering himself attention from his fellow Brave Polices. "It feels too...peaceful. Too good to be true. What if something happens under our noses and we know nothing about it?"
The heat of the day was not as merciless to robotic beings as it was to humans, but their systems did get more taxed than normal in lowering their core temperature, resulting in them performing below their par...or, as DrillBoy put it, 'feeling kinda lazy to do anything'. Though coming from the youngest Build Team member, it sounded a little strange, seeing as the driller was usually the most restless among the Brave Polices. For Power Joe, though, the description was perfectly fitting to his current mood.
"Chill out," the power shovel said from his seat, his torso slumped on the desk and fingers playing with a pen, scrabbling senselessly on the poor notepad before him, "Don't think anyone feelin' up for crime today. Or tomorrow, if it gets any hotter."
There was no argument from the English knight though he was not about to stop worrying just yet, especially if the words came from Power Joe.
"Power Joe's right. And about you worrying things that we might miss...that is exactly why Shadowmaru and DrillBoy are out there." McCrane said; the robot was uncharacteristically lazy too and had opted to fill his free time to polish his gun. Now, Power Joe, with his carefree attitude, was not much of a guarantee for Duke but McCrane...well, the eldest of the Build Team was a different story. After all, Duke's own leadership WAS patented from the crane-robot himself...
The motorcyclist detective, GunMax was aroused from his catatonia by the sudden presence of voices in the Decker Room and gave a superfluous 'yawn' – the Brave robots were not initially programmed with such biological reaction at first but constant contact with humans had stimulated their super into incorporating it into their behaviours, serving as extra measures to activate their systems after a resting period – and peered over the mounting paperworks that he stubbornly refused to start working on. "Baby, if you're really worried, just call them with the BP badge. Simple as that. Case closed. Now if you please, Mr. Knight, I'm trying to sleep here!"
Though it was Duke himself who had insisted to be called as 'Knight' once, that was when he was still a newcomer to the Robot Detective section of Japanese Police Force; now, however, the calling of him with that very designation made him uncomfortable for he was reminded how distant he was to the original members of the Brave Police then, of the coldness he had to endure in the times before their friendships. GunMax's unchangeable sassiness compelled the green bot to harrass his team mates every chance he got – the easiest way to do so with Duke was by using the now-forbidden name, of course – but Duke had gotten used to his way that he had become somewhat immune to it. The shock of GunMax's name-calling lasted no more than a second before his suggestion sunk into the English knight-bot's mind; Duke found the simple solution somewhat reasonable and already had his hand raised to his torso compartment to retrieve his Badge when another familiar presence contributed his voice to the discussion.
"I don't really think you need it, Duke."
If Duke's respect for McCrane came from his leadership capability, this voice's owner commanded even more respect from the ambulance; from him, Duke had received not only his 'heart' like the rest of his fellow BPs but also his incredible courage. Here was a Brave Police that he once had the arrogance to assume that he could easily fulfill the other's role as the head of Japanese Robot Detective section – and was swiftly proven how wrong he was. The first of them all to come online, Deckerd the Brave Detective was an irreplaceable member of the team – and for the moment, he was calmly tending to his many reports that needed finishing . His typing fingers did not miss a beat as he spoke but Duke knew well that Deckerd perceived all of what had transpired between himself and the others even as he focused his optics on the computer's screen. With a final press to the keyboard, Deckerd whirled his chair around to lock his gaze with his Second-In-Command, "If Shadowmaru and Drillboy need us, they will call. It's best not to disturb them unreasonably."
"And he's quite right about it too, dan'na."
Neither of them realized when the Decker Room's door was opened, nor of the arrival of one of their own until he had spoken; Shadowmaru, expectedly in his dog/wolf form, came padding among their own, his optics flashing with each word uttered. In his animalistic body, his increased stealth and silence explained well of the unnoticed arrival...unlike DrillBoy, who stumbled into the place only a second later, feet dragging tiredly as he made his way to the Build Team's desk.
"You've returned already?" Deckerd's voice hinted of his bewilderment; indeed, patrol rounds usually took most of their working hours that to have them both back this early was something uncommon.
"Hai," Shadowmaru's airy voice was unaffected as his form unfolded to become a humanoid robot of his root mode, "We encounter no problems during our rounds so I see no harm to get back early. So yes, calling us will be pointless because there's nothing that needs the Brave Police." The twinkle in his green optics made it clear that the last sentence was for Duke, making the Knight retreated further into his seat. The ninja bot knew well how to embarrass him!
"Beats flying in hot weather, that's for sure," DrillBoy chirped in and simultaneously saving the ambulance from the requirement to reply. The young Build member practically threw himself into the chair, eager for the rest; his heated systems demanded it even though he was usually against anything that did not involve being active.
Deckerd offered a smile but no reply to suggest his disapproval. Admittedly, Duke found Shadowmaru's actions understandable under the circumstances – and his reasoning was logical as well. Receiving no protest from his superior, the violet mecha made his way towards his seat...which was another uncommon sight, seeing that the Ninja Detective was rarely seen sitting in his chair at all, him being almost constantly out doing field works and such. However, having recently finished his case, Shadowmaru was perhaps unoccupied by any task for the time being, save to submit his investigation report once he was done with it. Duke gave a relenting sigh – it seemed that it was definitely going to be an uneventful day for the Brave Polices; he was about to share this opinion with Deckerd – he already turned his chair to regard the blue-armoured Detective – and was stopped from speaking, not by the realization that Deckerd was back to focusing on his report typing, but rather by the expression that graced his face.
It hit Duke just how familiar the expression seemed to him before realizing that he himself had felt the same shortly after his own introduction into the Japan Brave Police. Being separated from his Lady was definitely a blow to his super A.I then before his newly formed friendship with Deckerd and the rest soothed much of the hurt afterwards. Oh yes, he could still communicate with the girl if he wished so but being far away physically from those that you love was not something that he wished upon anyone...especially so with Deckerd. In his case, Duke's love for Lady had been what one would bear towards his creator – appropriately so, since Regina was his programmer – and already it seared through his very being; what Deckerd and Yuuta shared was something much, much more. The boy's unbiased friendship early in the bot's building stage had granted him a 'heart' and that had been a significant point in both of their lives, paving the way for their casual friendship to grow into something even deeper than any of them could have fathomed; witnessing Yuuta's devastation at Deckerd's every suffering was proof enough of the boy's affection, putting Duke's own sadness at having himself so sternly treated by Regina to shame. Duke had no doubt whatsoever to vouch that Deckerd's feelings was just as intense...
...which was not surprising to see the Brave Detective's sorrow when Yuuta outgrew his kid's carefree life and was transferred away for his high school years outside of Tokyo. Unlike himself with Lady, Deckerd's contact with Yuuta while he was away was limited, and whenever the opportunity to do so was granted, it was pitifully brief. The robot behaved as if it was of small concern; the Knight couldn't say for the others but Duke was certainly not fooled by his acts.
"Duke?"
Snapping out of his daydreaming and silently berating himself for his lack of self-control, the English robot turned to face the speaker – who turned out to be another member of the Build Team – and replied, "Yes?"
"You alright?" Dumpson asked; the Wrestler Detective waived his burly hand around as if unsure whether he had Duke's attention or otherwise. "I've been calling you dozens of times!"
"Sorry, I was just lost in my works," Duke almost failed to hold the amused smile from forming on his lips, remembering Lady's previous words concerning how he was such a terrible liar. Well, messing with these guys seemed to improve his skill if only it was mainly to avoid unnecessary concern from the others. "What is it again?"
"I was asking about this report you gave me – there's something I don't understand here," and pointed to one of the stacks of papers piled on top of his desk.
Concern for Deckerd's well-being was tentatively pushed back as he opened stride towards the red Detective. Official jobs came first in priority even though Duke was just as desperate to help his comrade-plus-leader getting through his emotional imbalance. Hmm...perhaps some other time, the opportunity to do so would present itself. In the meantime, Dumpson got the bulk of his attention.
Something was wrong with him, and Deckerd knew it.
Results from their recent scheduled inspections that their engineer, Mr. Toudou had published invalidated the hypothesis that had been haunting Deckerd. Nevertheless, the Brave leader knew that something about him was...a little bit off, for lack of better descriptive word. Confrontations with increasingly powerful villains took their tolls on the Brave Polices once in a while but the physical damages that resulted were swiftly dealt with. No, it was not his body that was wrong; it was his mind, his soul that needed healing. Truth to be told, the robot himself was unsure whether these...changes were beneficial or otherwise. If he had been daydreaming excessively of some other things, he would have Mr. Toudou ran a check-up on his systems pronto. However, he did not do that because what had occupied his thought processes was actually a certain boy who went by the name Yuuta Tomonaga.
...Well, not exactly a boy now. Ten years ago he might be that; however, turning eighteen this month, Yuuta was more appropriately categorized as a teenager. That small boy had grown so much throughout the years, Deckerd recalled as he continued working on the reports that Mr. Azuma had repeatedly reminded to have them finished by the end of the day. The lack of police actions meant more time for his mind to start wandering again even as his fingers were working on the keyboard. Soon after Yuuta was admitted into a prestigious boarding school in Hokkaido for his high school education, Deckerd discovered how mentally agonizing a separation could be even though the whole thing was for Yuuta's own good – the school was chosen personally by their Commissioner Juuzo Saejima, who insisted that the Boss of the Brave Police should be given the best education to be had. Though reluctant, in the knowledge that they could still see each other sometimes, Deckerd held his tongue when the boy agreed to Mr. Saejima's suggestion – after all, was it not he himself who had thought of being capable to endure even interstellar separation in his effort to help Kapia's people? However, being so used to Yuuta's presence, the months that followed afterwards made him missed the simplicities that he once shared with the boy – whether it was greeting him with a hearty good morning, seeing him slumped tiredly in his seat at the Decker Room once a case was closed or to hear him laughed along with the other Brave Polices.
His only balm throughout the deprivation was the promise of reunion whenever there was holiday, especially seasonal ones. Summer was beginning to close in and with it, Deckerd's anticipation for the boy's return and this year had been especially waited for. This incoming summer meant the end of Yuuta's final year studying away from Tokyo and the Brave robots, with Deckerd leading, were excessively excited to have their Boss returned to them. However, the mounting hope was regretfully deflated by a call from Yuuta himself only a few days ago. Nothing short of the boy's demise himself could be more depressing when Yuuta informed that his return would be later than scheduled because of some 'unfinished business' though he had sent the packages of his belongings back via the national courier. Perhaps he was being unreasonably selfish – and to think, Deckerd was supposed to be the exact opposite, him being a police officer and all – but he was just helpless to prevent his desperate need for the boy's proximity from growing. When it came to Yuuta, he was rather...greedy, and even that was not enough to encompass the full scope of his feelings towards the human that was ingrained in him the moment he gained sentience. The unhappy thoughts must have displayed themselves on his face, Deckerd realized, and he resolutely kept his head facing the screen out of fear having his expressions noticed – a leader though he was, Deckerd had no right to worry his team mates about such petty matters. He only looked up when he heard a soft scraping of a much smaller door being opened. Curiousity and trained reaction caused his optics to automatically jump at another set of door near his own desk, a downsized entrance into the Decker Room that was exclusive for the use of their human comrades.
"Commissioner sir?"
It was not only Deckerd who realized that Juuzo Saejima was among them; the Build Team, Gunmax, Shadowmaru and Duke had also whirled their chairs around so as to face the podium at the front of the room, where said entrance was located. In his crisp police suit, Mr. Saejima's face was often contradictory to his clothing – especially when one took his 'interesting' hair style into account. He could be as serious as hell when the situations required it of him but most of the time, he was perhaps the most peculiar policeman who had ever walked the face of the Earth. Now, though, from the severe lines that formed on his face and his hands held behind him, it could be said that this was one of those not-funny moments.
"Deckerd."
"Sir," the robot quickly stood up as his name was summoned, for the moment quickly putting aside his thoughts of Yuuta and the urgency to finish what Mr. Azuma had tasked him to do.
"I have a mission for you," the man said as he produced a tightly-wrapped package from his back, which he had been apparently holding all these while. It was small enough to fit in the man's palm and almost fragile-looking in its thinness. "You are to go to the New International Airport to meet with someone there. You will receive further instructions from him once you give this package to him."
"Commissioner sir, how will I be able to recognize this person?" The airport was almost always bursting with people departing and arriving. It would be nigh impossible to find someone there without being given a little descriptions with which he could use to identify him.
"He will find you himself."
The way Mr. Saejima uttered it was a clear indication that he brook no further discussions. The extending of his package-holding hand just summarized it all up of what he expected from the Brave Detective. It was not anything out of the ordinary for the Brave Polices to act as escort, usually for somebody of importance or just plain dangerous but the body languages of the Commissioner spoke of a matter that was out of normalcy. Still, it was not his place to question the order of his superiors so Deckerd wordlessly accepted the package, careful not to hold it too tightly for fear of its seeming fragility. They exchanged salutations before the Brave Detective left the place, still a little puzzled but willing to carry out the hole-filled command.
The huge doors slid shut; Deckerd's footsteps gradually grew fainter as his distance from the Decker Room increased. Only when there was no sign of him being near whatsoever did Shadowmaru's curiousity got the best of him and voiced out the words that he achingly wanted to spill:
"Commissioner...why didn't you tell Deckerd?"
If Mr. Saejima's conspicuousness had been puzzling, Shadowmaru's question was even more so to his fellow comrades. The Ninja Detective was so familiarized with the lone nature of his task that sometimes, he forgot that the others could not have known of the matters swirling in his mind without telling them first.
"What's this is all about, Shadowmaru?"
The shapechanger Detective answered Duke with a pointing of his forefinger towards the recently-closed door and said, "Apologies for the spying, dan'na, but the package Deckerd just received contains a human-sized Brave Police Badge. My scanner detects its frequency just now."
At the spilling of the information, Power Joe and DrillBoy rose excitedly from their respective chairs; the rest kept their composures but doubtlessly, they were just as eager of the news as those two. Their faces lit up with delight for they had not known of any other BP Badge that was issued for the use of a human except for one person only.
"So, unless there is a plan to demote our Chibi Boss and let another takes his place..." Shadowmaru's triumphant smirk completed the rest of his sentence for him. Mr. Saejima was visibly disappointed that this particular news leaked out so quickly – if only because it was his own fault to not wrap the Badge with a more insulating material – but the twitch of his moustache spoke of excitement that equaled those that felt by the robots.
"Hmmm...No point pretending otherwise, then." As the confession fell from the Commissioner's lips, the Decker Room suddenly burst with liveliness as the Brave Robots could not help but began rapid-firing questions, in which even the prideful GunMax joined in.
"Cool! When can we see him?"
"Is he coming today?"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Why haven't Deckerd been informed, at the very least?"
More would have come if not for the man raising his hand in request for silence, which fell immediately. That facade of seriousness he adorned when he first walked into the Decker Room was completely thrown off by now; Juuzo Saejima had returned to his youth-like cheerfulness as he stood before them and announced with a twinkling in his eyes, "I think Deckerd deserves a happy surprise once in a while. And today will be for themselves – it's been a while since he saw that boy."
xxxxx
Being a robot detective in general, Deckerd possessed another alternate form fitting for his role as a Brave Detective in which he used to get around in public. Already transforming himself into a Corvette patrol car, he cruised down the streets to said airport with his mind still choke-full with mysteries of his Commissioner's secretive nature, completely oblivious that the rest of the team had already figured it out thanks to Shadowmaru's spying equipment. As usual, any thinking activity ultimately led him to one particular end, especially when it was done in solitude with little else but the radio to accompany him. Sanada Hiroyuki's voice floated from the speaker, filling the Corvette's interiors with his song Summer Dream and the detective cranked up the volume a notch – inwardly smiling as he did so, remembering Yuuta's surprise in discovering Deckerd's versatility in his preference for music. The police robot could enjoy upbeat tunes like those that GunMax usually listened to as well as he did harmonious, swaying music of an orchestra. There was never a second of silence when Yuuta was around, Deckerd remembered, because the Tomonaga boy always had something to say. Sometimes, he asked questions like one of his age should but mostly their talking considered of pointless chats – again of which Deckerd usually took for granted until the luxury to do so was taken from him. The saxophone-dominated song ended just as Deckerd turned into the last junction for the airport, heading straight for the exit nearest to the arrival gate and parked himself there. Even with Mr. Saejima's assurance, the possibility that he might not find the aforementioned person worried him – the package must be of paramount importance if Deckerd himself was required to hand it over.
Seconds slowly crawled to minutes. The arrival gate saw scores of people passing through it but none of them gave the slightest indication of recognition when their eyes landed on Deckerd's Corvette form. The airport taxies and personal vehicles came and went as soon as their passengers boarded but the patrol car was still left to his own, causing his systems to be flooded with yet more anxiety at the prospect of failure for he had no idea what consequence might sprout from it if he did. The patience packaged together with his police-like nature warred with his desire to call the Commissioner, the former eventually winning after debating that Mr. Saejima must have a good reason for the secrecy. It struck Deckerd in all of sudden that he was not given time frame of which he must remain in waiting – for all he knew, he could be parked here until tomorrow and no one would come to him. The fact that Mr. Saejima was peculiar resurfaced from his memories and suddenly, trusting his Commissioner did not seem like a great assurance at all.
"Deckerd!"
It was not as much shock from hearing his name than it was for the recognition of the voice that caused his headlights to pop up from their slots. If he had lesser restraints, Deckerd would have converted to his robotic body, just to make sure...though he did not really have to. That would have attracted unwanted attentions from the public but more to the point, his familiarity to the voice left no room for doubt as to its owner's identity. It was a voice that was already firmly part of his being, one that his super A.I – that was, when he still needed the computer chip for his personality – refused to give up even to the point of defying all attempts at erasing his memory banks.
"Yuuta...?" It was rhetorical but the question came before he even could think of processing it. He felt instantly foolish for having said it but the name had jumped from his speaker so effortlessly, without needing to form it in his mind first.
The chuckles that followed agreed with his guess. The youngest of the Tomonaga family approached from the Corvette's hindquarter, hindering Deckerd a full view of the human he sorely missed. He still caught his image in the periphery of his vision, though; almost as tall as Mr. Saejima himself by now, Yuuta was nevertheless still a lanky person as his kid's body had hinted though in no manner he was willowy or frail-looking. His statures did not convey the picture of strength but rather nimbleness, spoken even through his easy strides as he closed the distance between him and his robot friend.
"What are you doing here?"
Yuuta's sudden halt put him exactly in Deckerd's car-form's blind spot. Unable to see the teenager no matter how much he rotated the lenses that served as his 'eyes', frustration soon flooded the robot's systems. The Tomonaga's presence was already confirmed by his thermal cameras and other wide arrays of sensors but real satisfaction came only when Deckerd perceived him through his visual lenses. Had he thought of it, simply switching his view to other cameras installed on his chassis would probably eradicate the blind spot but between the stony stillness and his surprise of the boy's appearance, the notion did not occur to him. The frustration was exchanged for uneasiness as Yuuta's refusal to reply stretched the seconds into seeming infinity until…
"Sounds like you don't want to see me here."
"No!" In less than a second, that uneasiness evolved into fear – Hell freezes over first before there would come a day when he was displeased to be in Yuuta's presence – and hastily mended himself, "I mean, I didn't expect to find you here. You said you aren't going to get back this soon..."
All of Deckerd's systems seemed to be put into stasis as he waited for the teenage boy's reaction. The falls of sneakered feet were the first things that the Corvette perceived before Yuuta finally moved into his visual field, revealing a face adorned with poorly disguised amusement.
"Just kidding!" The laughter burst out from Yuuta's mouth, bringing with it relief into Deckerd's systems. Yuuta's familiarity with the police officer made him quite an expert in finding the right moment to pull his tricks on the robot – and sometimes, despite his acknowledgement of his mischievous side, the Brave Detective still fell for it. His headlights went down halfway in his limited gesture of shared amusement, unmindful of the fact that he was the victim just now.
"Really, Deckerd? Do you really think that I'm going to think so?" It would have been quite a peculiar sight for the passers-by, Deckerd mused, for Yuuta had come to stand directly in front of him. The public might have been informed of the Brave Polices' ability to transform but that Yuuta was actually talking to one in his vehicular mode was not exactly what would have come first to mind when presented with the scenery.
"How could I've known?" Deckerd shot back – and it was the truth, despite the disguising good-naturedness of his tone. It was impossible for him to tire of Yuuta's company but...he had no idea if this notion was similarly shared by the human especially after he had been informed of a teenager's tendency to be easily bored by things they were used to. Curiousity and fear was hand-in-hand when it came to hearing the answer if he could ever have the courage to ask it in the first place. "But really, what are you doing here?"
"What does it looks like? I'm coming home, of course!" Adjusting the straps of his bag-pack which he had been carrying behind him, Yuuta went for the driver-side's door, a hand already extended out to reach for the handle when a subtle rocking of the Corvette's chassis stopped him. Yuuta's smiling face turned serious by the worry, hinted by the frown forming on his forehead. "What's wrong, Deckerd?"
"Um...I can't give you a ride home, Yuuta," and saying it hurt the Brave Detective for it was against his wish; nothing pleased him as immensely as the knowledge that he was of use to the Tomonaga boy. "I'm on a police mission right now. I'm supposed to wait for..."
Deckerd's verbal sentence was stopped as the rest of it was continued in his mind:... someone to come for me. And Yuuta did just that which meant –
"...you...?"
"Let me guess; it's Mr. Saejima. He didn't say who you're supposed to meet," Even Yuuta facepalmed at the Commissioner's unexpected childishness. "And he told to expect you waiting for me."
Chuckles bubbled up from within Deckerd's core and out to his speakers; he should have known that his Commissioner was up to something like this, having had experiences working under him for years already. Shocked, yes, but it was a delightful one, like finding your wrapped Christmas present to hold just what you wished for. In a sense, it might as well be...only, instead of winter, his gift was uncovered in the warmth of the sun. Continuing to vocalize his mirth, Deckerd opened the door and invited the boy into himself, "Well then, come in."
Deckerd did not miss the smile forming on Yuuta's lips – not the smirk of triumph he had when successfully pulling pranks on Deckerd but a genuinely happy one that had remained unchanged since his childhood – as he stepped into the patrol car's interiors. The Brave Detective's rugged frame could withstand small explosions if he had to but as Yuuta seated himself on the driver's place, Deckerd noticed that his entry, despite its seeming spiritedness, was actually very careful and considerate, rocking his chassis barely more than if he was still a fourth-grader. Yuuta unhooked the bag-pack's straps from his shoulders and tossed it to the back, allowing him to rest fully against the backrest of his own seat. The human's weight was a load that Deckerd readily welcomed for it was a solid proof of Yuuta's presence in himself. Comforted by the knowledge, his Corvette's engine purred involuntarily out of happiness.
Yuuta'a mouth was half-opened in what was unmistakably the start of their conversations – even as a teenager, he hardly lost his talkativeness – but the opening of Deckerd's glove compartment stopped the words in his throat, revealing the package that the Commissioner had entrusted into his care. Now that Yuuta was with him, Deckerd meant to surrender it to its rightful owner but the boy merely stared at it in bewilderment.
"What's that, Deckerd?"
"I imagine it's you who are going to tell me that. The Commissioner ordered me to give it to the person I'm supposed to meet here...which is you."
Deckerd's answer prompted the other to take it from the compartment, which closed on its own once the hand was out of its way. Seemingly trying to guess its content, Yuuta gazed at it for a minute but the shape was not indicative of anything particular. Assuming that it was meant for him anyway, Yuuta unwrapped it while Deckerd patiently waited for the revelation, being as curious as his human friend to the object's identity. A dull, palm-sized box was revealed underneath the wrappings and Yuuta hastily pried it open –
"The BP Badge!" Deckerd's and Yuuta's shouts were in unison with each other as said object slid out of its housing and into the teenager's waiting hand. With practised ease, Yuuta flipped it open and smiled as the Brave Police insignia inside it gleamed under the sunlight; the excitement and happiness that came from it were like a deja vu of his first time receiving it from Mr. Saejima, fingers closing around the familiar shape and feeling its weight in his palm. When he was sent away for his high-school study, the Commissioner withheld all the responsibilities that burdened Yuuta as the Boss of the Brave Police – his wisdom foretelling that such things would only hinder his learning – and thus were all his law-enforcing equipment stripped from him, albeit only until his return. Now that the moment was finally upon him, Yuuta would again regain all of his possessions – and first and foremost was the BP badge.
"We have one whacky Commissioner, don't you think?"
Yuuta's rhetorical question was nevertheless answered with agreement as the headlights dipped down slightly to indicate a nodding motion. Having such an extraordinary superior had its ups and downs but more often than not, Deckerd found himself being grateful for Mr. Saejima's unexpected way of thinking – his liveliness and energy provided colours into their lives even when things seemed rotten. Yuuta's joy infected his already heightened moods; the slightly giddy tone betrayed it when he playfully said, "Your orders, Boss?"
Stowing the Badge into his jeans' side-pocket, taking care of its placing so he would not accidentally sit on it, Yuuta gave a wink that inexplicably reminded Deckerd of a rather strange adventure they had together – it was when Yuuta still a fourth-grade then and stuck with a rather embarrassing situation where his infiltration into the St. Angela All-Girls School required him to cross-dress in the said school's girl-uniform. He had given similar gesture of eye-winking then – doubtless to accentuate to Deckerd how 'in-character' he was for the mission – but Deckerd was instead anxious as to these 'new' behaviours. That was in the past but today, the winking brought new reactions to the officer's systems and strange heat crawled all over his Corvette body from inside out.
Of course, the heat was more imaginary than real and Yuuta was oblivious to the affects his action caused on his robotic friend. He proceeded to answer Deckerd's question with total innocence as to his doing, "What about we go and see the guys first?"
Now that sentence had no fuel to spread the heat within him so it dwindled instead to lay dormant in Deckerd's core. In some ways the officer was rather glad that Yuuta resorted to a question he could answer easily and his fired-up engine was a reply enough to that. Deckerd waited until the seatbelt was fasten (he always insisted Yuuta riding in him so) before his wheels rolled on, carrying the young man back to the Police Headquarter.
xxxxx
For the rest of the robot detectives, none had left the Decker Room though it was well past their working hours for the anticipation of their Boss's arrival was as powerful an anchor as any unsolved case. As always, it was Shadowmaru's keen sensors who detected Deckerd's approaching communication frequency. From there, it was not difficult to jump to conclusions that Yuuta was with him too even before the duo showed up in the room themselves. And when they did... well, suffice to say, Decker Room resembled less of a detective office and more of a club in aspect of its noise level that evening.
Instead of using the small door from which Mr. Saejima had previously emerged, Yuuta, comfortably perched on his favourite place at Deckerd's shoulder, had entered the room through the gigantic entrance usually reserved for the robots. As soon as he made his appearance, he was met with six voices greeting him with an exclamation of "Boss!"; naturally, the seventh voice who called out "Chibi Boss!" came from Shadowmaru for he was the only one who addressed the Tomonaga boy so.
"Guys!" Yuuta shouted back, as joyous as the rest were at the reunion, hands waving frantically above his head.
Knowing that hours-long conversation was in place now that the Brave Polices were reunited again with their Boss, Deckerd went to the front of the room where the podium was located – and also where Yuuta's traditional place was as their Boss. Deckerd's hand, which was capable of forming fist powerful enough to punch through metals and concrete walls, seemed to belong to another individual entirely as he offered Yuuta assistance to get off his shoulder-perch, black fingers curling gently around the teenager once Yuuta hopped into his palm and lowered him down to the podium. The Build Team, Duke, GunMax and Shadowmaru rose from their seats and crowded around the new arrivals with enthusiasm one would expect from best friends – which they all were – barely giving Yuuta the chance to catch his footing after he was deposited near his workdesk.
The energetic DrillBoy leapt forward, barely catching himself on the podium's edge to avoid his fall and smiled sheepishly at Yuuta. "We missed you, Boss!"
The young man returned the offered smile as he rushed forward to embrace the Soccer-player Detective – though with his size, Yuuta only managed to cover one side of DrillBoy's cheek. When he was done with it, Yuuta found that he was overshadowed by his bigger friends who were bending down over him, eager to give him their personal greetings.
"Welcome back, Boss," Duke said through his smile. Without hesitation, Yuuta rushed forward and gave the robot's huge white fingers as best a hug as he could manage.
GunMax's turn came next; the green highway patroller's forefinger descended lightly on Yuuta's scalp. His face was one of huge amusement when he said, "A year...and you're still a midget. Haven't you done any growing at all?"
"Exactly why he remains a Chibi Boss..." Shadowmaru said. He was in his beastly form for convenience; his slimmer build and lesser height allowed him to slip in between the robots' legs and provided more jostling room for his comrades. As if to accentuate his point, he gave Yuuta's side a seemingly gentle push but it was actually strong enough to knock the boy to his knees. "Not only he didn't get taller, he's as light as before!"
Faking anger at their words, Yuuta spun away from the robots' touches and waved a fist at them, "Hey, I've grown, Okay! You guys just don't notice it!"
Unintentionally shoving DrillBoy to the side in his enthusiasm, Power Joe emerged from the masses of metals before him, putting himself in clear view of Yuuta. "Two centimetres are hardly worth noticing, Boss," He smirked, causing the teenager to sigh defeatedly. He would never get the upper hand if the three bots cooperated to bully him.
"Deckerd's right there, guys." The newest interruption came from Dumpson. His thumb was pointed over his shoulder, in the direction of the aforementioned Brave robot who had chosen to remain behind in giving his partners chances to socialize with Yuuta. "Overdo it and you'll have him to answer to."
It was an exaggeration that coaxed another round of wall-shaking laughter from the Brave Polices – and yet, Dumpson's statement held truth in its core. No one here would willingly harm the very human who gave them all souls but if ever Yuuta was under threat, Deckerd would not hesitate to use brute force. Indeed, for all his gentle nature, the Brave Detective's protectiveness over the boy bordered on being legendarily renowned; it was dumb ignorance if one had yet to know the measures that the blue robot would take to protect Yuuta, demonstrating it time and time again at the slightest cue of Yuuta's discomfort.
The first to recover from their laughing mode was McCrane; still hitching from residual mirth, the eldest of the Build Team finally made himself known after the rest of them had done so. His hand reached out to ruffle Yuuta's shining black hair in a gesture of affection which he usually reserved for DrillBoy – especially when they were out of visual range of GunMax, who just loved any moment with opportunity to tease the Soccer-player Detective's comparative childishness. Yuuta could not help but laugh; McCrane's actions had caused his messy hair to get even more so, the strands now sticking in every possible direction.
"We're glad that you can spend some time with us," the hydraulic crane-robot said gently, the truth flowing out from his mouth without the restraints of pride or awkwardness. Among the Brave Polices, McCrane seemed to possess the gift of using fluent, persuasive speech, a skill he very much valued for he was a pacifist in his deepest core who preferred negotiation with words rather than guns. McCrane's claim was greeted with universal agreement by his fellow comrades whether verbally or by actions – and from his standpoint, Deckerd could not help but feel a certain pride at the closeness between them.
Though it was only a year's separation, Yuuta and his robotic friends found that there were so much things to talk about that they were soon exchanging stories of their experiences in the absence of each other. The annual reunion inevitably created cacophony of noises which carried well out of the Decker Room, penetrating several layers of wall of the Headquarter building. Though the human officers had been well-versed with the noise level of this event, one particular man was still entranced by the sounds of their joy; the paperworks he was reviewing bore nothing that could amuse him but Mr. Saejima nevertheless was coaxed into smiling as their joyous voices drifted into his office.
Being the manager of the Brave Police project in the first place, the robots as well as the boy themselves had become his 'children' by heart, if not biologically so. He harboured no regrets in inducting Yuuta Tomonaga into the Robot Detective Section as the Boss of the robots despite the torrents of objections that he faced. Though practical logic warned against it, his instinct, as whacky as it was, was telling him that Yuuta was an invaluable asset to him and the Brave Polices – and the evidences could not be any clearer than the robots themselves. He remembered being shown by Toudou of a half-built Deckerd deep in the underground of his secret birth place, a lifeless, unfeeling 'it' rather than 'he'...before Yuuta's chance meeting with the Brave Detective transformed him into a sentient being, paving the way for creations of more emotionally-capable machines – namely, the rest of the Brave robots. Such bonds were created between the boy and the Brave robots that to separate them seemed almost blasphemous. However, he still belonged to the community – and as he grew, Mr. Saejima realized how the need for Yuuta's proximity around the Brave Policemen conflicted with the demands of his education – and so, he was forced to partially sacrifice the former. Three years of high school might seem like a trivial thing to outsiders but the Commissioner worried the impacts it might have on the Brave Polices, and even more so when it came to Deckerd, the first to have received sentience and the closest among the others to the boy.
Now, though, the time of separation was drawing to its end with this year being Yuuta's final one in high school; university-level education was still waiting, of course, but no longer would he be of any unreachable distance from his robotic friends. The routine would once again resemble those that he went through in his childhood – his life would be split between his time as a student and his responsibility as Inspector Tomonaga, the Boss of the Brave Police. Discreetly playing a role in the whole arrangement, Mr. Saejima had it so that Yuuta would continue his study in the proximal area of Tokyo where he could commute between his university, the police headquarter and his home easily enough. Of course, this piece of news were yet unknown to any other people except Mr. Toudou – he could inform them right when Yuuta had arrived, but that peculiarity in his nature insisted that he waited for the time when he could coax their biggest delighted surprise.
His office stayed peacefully quiet for some time, broken only by the occasional laughter from the Brave robots which managed to breach the cement walls. Mr. Saejima continued his half-rest half-works for perhaps half an hour when the place suddenly rang with the music of Saejima-san's cellphone. The suddenness of it shocked the man so much that he nearly fell off his chair, catching himself some balance just in time before he could commence with the painful landing on the floor. The tickling vibration in his pocket made him giggle a little as he fumbled for the gadget, finding the task a little difficult than it should be in his franticness and the aftermath of surprise. The glowing screen displayed a contact number that he instantly recognized though he had not expected this particular person to call his phone instead of his office number.
"Saejima speaking," he said quite formally, just in case if the intention of the contact was indeed purely official in matter. As it turned out, though, his precaution was unneeded for the voice at the other side of the line merely chuckle at the hints of business-like tone in the Commissioner's voice.
"No need for pleasantries here, Mr. Saejima," the soft voice said cheerfully, "I just want to inform you that I'll be making a visit to the Robot Detective Section in a few days."
The words made the Commissioner paused; the collaborative works with Britain and Japanese Brave Police were under strict monitor on their performance, ensuring parallel excellence between the East and the West; a visit from one so important in the globalized Brave Police project denoted significancethat made even the Commissioner serious. The confused lapse was easily perceived by the caller who quickly explained, even before the Commissioner himself could ask of it, "I'm quite pleased to inform you that the project Mr. Toudou and I have been working on is nearing completion."
Mr. Saejima could feel his own breath quickening in anticipation; this project that he had earlier proposed was proving very difficult indeed to accomplish, especially with the Brave Polices' evolution from robots with hearts to become living beings in their own rights. It had taken years and innumerable hours of brainstorming between the greatest minds from both Japanese and European Brave Police engineer teams to cope with the challenges…now it seemed that all the hard works were finally paying off. "That's good to hear. Are you sure that 'they' are fully dependable…?"
The question was carefully crafted for a slight mistake in the project could prove very well to be disastrous; delving oneself into this kind of field was like treading the very edge between failure and success where a simple neglect to details could be the downfall of them all. After all, life and consciousness were subjects that are so delicate and complex that none of them could claim complete understanding on these matters. Perceiving the hesitance in the man's words, the caller too lapsed into silence – it was only for a few seconds but it was evidence enough of her worry when it came from one so confident such as herself.
"Unfortunately, there is no way to be sure of that unless we run a field test on this," she said, each word desperately shielded from the edge of anxiety, "The shells will be shipped on your way via a military aircraft with maximum security. I will be there to monitor the test myself."
"But you are sure that they will have no adverse effect on my 'boys'?" His affectionate terms towards the Brave robots in general leaked how much care he invested in them, something that the caller had no problem perceiving when she herself had King, Bishop, Rook, Pawn, Ace, Ten and Jack regarded with the same care and attention. The Scotland Yarders had grown in her heart as much as Duke had over the past few years.
"I have done everything that I can, Mr. Saejima. The Scotland Yarders have volunteered to be the first test subjects and they have all completed the procedures successfully. However, they are not 'just' robots…they differ from each other as humans do. We can't be certain unless they are individually tested."
It was as much assurance as anyone can get even if the questioning continued for hours longer since all that they could study from theories had been extracted, leaving only the real practices to confirm what the numbers and equations told…which was admittedly not very much with their shallow knowledge. Still, Mr. Saejima knew that with her and Mr. Toudou heading the teams, the projects had the best chance of succeeding compared to it being led by other people. His instinct called to faith and trust in these two, and so he would even though he would not breathe any easier until it proved to be a complete success.
"Alright, Regina. I'll have Toudou make the necessary preparations for the tests. When are you expected to arrive?"
From the phone, a soft whistling sound could be heard as Regina Argine's breath was sucked in through her teeth, a habit she acquired during times of contemplation and thinking. Mr. Saejima waited patiently for her reply which came a few seconds later, "Perhaps in two days, at the fastest. I'll have to package them first…not to mention the many safety measures needed to be done."
"Good, that'll give enough time on my side too…" The man considered for the briefest of moments before deciding that this next piece of information deserved telling to the British girl, friends as they were, "And oh, Yuuta has just arrived at Tokyo today. I'm giving him a day's leave tomorrow before he got back in the job. Perhaps he can watch the tests too?"
The old Regina would have replied with as much coldness as her heart contained – but this one, the new Argine girl was much, much warmer in her manners and more open with her feelings. Thus, her reply came out enthusiastic instead of formally indifferent and Mr. Saejima could hear the smile in her voice, "It's so much better if he does! After all, he is their Boss; he should be present at such important event."
There was little to argue about that; even if Yuuta still had his school to deal with when only few select information would be passed to him, event of this significance earned enough merits to be informed no matter what circumstances Yuuta was in. That he would again assume the role of the BP Boss just emphasized his need to be there when the project was tested. The Commissioner told this to her, agreeing that it was only appropriate to have the young man's presence when the testing commenced and again assured her that Japan Police Force would be ready for her plan when she and her cargo arrived.
"I'll see you in two days, then. Give a call if anything comes up," Regina said, and after Mr. Saejima completed the pleasantries, the phone on her side clicked off. The Commissioner did likewise with his and stowed it back into his suit's pocket. There it stayed for the rest of the evening, not once bothering the man again with its ringing or vibration and left Mr. Saejima into quietness. It took a while for him to realize that the soft laughter from the Decker Room had ceased; outside, the red sunset marked the closing of today's curtains and night would soon make its appearance.
That same sunset the Commissioner espied from the window of his office was also looked upon by Yuuta though he was watching it from his passenger-seat inside the Corvette that was Deckerd. Cruising at speed as high as law tolerated - Deckerd remembered from their younger days how Yuuta had always loved the thrill the high velocity brought him – he was finally bringing Yuuta home after the boisterous reunion with the rest of the team had concluded itself. The young man's blue-grey eyes – a rather unnatural colour for one of Asian origin – flitted rapidly across the landscapes that whizzed past the window though his mouth passed on no words, deriving enjoyment from the pleasant ride in the officer-turned-car. Deckerd allowed him the silence, sufficiently content that his coming home today would not be on his own.
"The guys look so happy back there," Yuuta suddenly said after a few minutes of complete silence, leaning a little forward as if conversing with a person that sat in front of him. He realized that he was in fact inside the very individual he was talking to and that wherever he was facing , Deckerd would hear him perfectly; the gesture was merely out of habit from his childhood.
"They have every reason to be," the cruiser replied gladly that he was engaging in conversation with his human friend, "They've been missing their Boss for quite some time."
"It's not like I haven't come home for three years – and I always return for the holidays, remember?"
But not the same as having you around every day, Deckerd thought; losing Yuuta, even temporarily, felt much like tearing out a chunk of his very being. He felt incomplete…and knew for a fact that the truth was not quite so far from that. However, revealing the immensity of his sorrow would only spoil the joy of meeting each other again so he said instead, "True enough. And I'm happy that you've taken the pain to return as frequently as you do."
Deckerd felt a light touch descended on his steering wheel – so light that it did not at all affect his driving performance – but it was enough to make his heart fluttered. Yuuta's fingers were patting a column of it in what the Corvette assumed to be appreciation for his kind words. Little did the boy know how precious the simple gesture was to the Brave Detective who himself had longed for the feel of Yuuta's warm skin against his being…another simple luxury that he only truly cherished once it was taken from him. He kept sufficient focus on the road in front of him to ensure their safe journey but a part of his consciousness drifted away from reality and immersed itself in the pleasure that Yuuta had unintentionally conveyed through his hand. All too soon, the contact was broken and Yuuta leaned back into the seat, completely oblivious to the inevitable frustration he had caused brewing in the Corvette's systems. Deckerd sighed internally at the briefness of the moment but was otherwise secretive of his opinion and reactions.
They chatted again for a while, the topics concerning all the unimportant stuffs that worth mentioning only for the sake of continuing the conversation. The weathers featured prominently, as well as Mr. Saejima's unchanging hair style throughout the years. Deckerd was happy to entertain him through the journey, even feeling Yuuta's apparent happiness from their pointless exchange. The city dwindled behind them as cruiser-Deckerd entered the more peaceful housing area in Nanamagari city. The traffic thinned considerably until he found himself the only vehicle around with only occasional cars passing from the opposite direction. Voices of humans going about their business grew clearer while the honking and rumbling of vehicles became less and less noticeable. Yuuta's neighbourhood barely changed whether in aspect of the atmosphere or its residence. They even came across Mrs. Itohata, older now but no less cheerful because of it, sauntering down the street, no doubt on her way home after he habitual evening walk. The chubby woman saw Deckerd and waved towards him as was her usual, but when he saw that the Corvette had a passenger today, he shouted, "Evening, Yuu-chan!"
Deckerd instinctively lowered down the window on Yuuta's side to allow his passenger to shout back a hearty reply of, "Evening, Mrs. Itohata!" complete with hand-waving of his own. Even Deckerd could not contain his amused chuckles at their enthusiasm – neither had lost the exuberance that was characteristic of their personalities. However, the Brave Detective did not stop for he had sensed Yuuta's desire to return home as soon as possible – and from Deckerd's experience, the one thing guaranteed with his neighbours was that chatting with Mrs. Itohata would drag on for hours if not stopped, and maybe even then. The window whirred to a close and Yuuta slumped back into his seat with a relieved sigh; an encounter with lively neighbours would not be as enjoyable when you're tired and missing your family, even if that family consisted of only sisters for the moment.
Well, two older sisters and a brother-in-law, to be exact, as revealed to Yuuta when he finally reached the home he had left for months. As soon as Deckerd rolled into the parking space at the side of the house, the door seemed to have been burst open from the inside from the force of Kurumi's pushing. The sound of Deckerd's engine had alerted them of their arrival and the younger of Yuuta's sisters practically jumped out of the house to greet them. Yuuta was barely out of the Corvette when Kurumi hugged him tightly, her slender arms belying the strength of which her limbs were capable of. They have to be because punching and kicking opponents in tae-Kwan-do required strength if one hoped for victory, even if the opponent was only in competition and not real life. While Yuuta had learned a little of self-defense from his school's martial-arts-related club, he was still not a match for the more experienced sister.
"My lil' brother finally remembers his way home, I see," Kurumi chided playfully, referring to the fact that they had only returned when night had descended despite being informed that Yuuta had arrived at Tokyo at noon.
Yuuta, out of breath that Kurumi's embrace was forcing out air from his lungs, was about to plead for his release when he caught sight of the eldest of the Tomonaga children, Azuki, standing at the doorway with her usual smile on her face.
"Now, now, Kurumi; Why don't we give Yuuta a little break? I'm sure he's tired already."
Kurumi's mouth pouted, innocent enough if not for her arms which were now strangling the Tomonaga boy into near-suffocation. In his disorientation, though, he still caught Kurumi's argument about how she had little time to 'socialize' with her younger brother nowadays and that a budding young man like him should have been able to take more than just 'a little tight hug'. However, when it came to someone like Kurumi…suffice to say, when she finally relented with Azuki's unfaltering smile and her persuasive words, Yuuta felt like he was resurrected from death. And it did not help that his usual protector could do nothing to aid him in this circumstance, where his beloved family was involved – in fact, Deckerd's speakers emitted out low chuckles of amusement at the unlikely scene, where the renowned Boss of the Brave Police could find no victory over this girl.
Yuuta gained back his stability and oxygen after a few deep breaths, supporting himself by clinging desperately to Deckerd lest he would definitely fall down. The Corvette gave it to him, wheels remaining locked on the same place even though his amusement still refused to abate, seeing these siblings interacting with one another. Satisfied that Yuuta was not in any danger of drowning now, Azuki's smile widened and said, "When you're done, I'll have dinner ready for both of you. It's been quite a while since we sit down together before a meal." So saying, she turned on her heels and disappeared into the house, intending to make good her promise of providing her siblings plenty of food to satisfy their appetites.
Kurumi Tomonaga eyed her brother with something akin to dissatisfaction at being denied her desire for more interaction with him but decided at the very last second to abandon her pursue. Yuuta gave her a you-can-beat-me-later-but-let-me-rest-for-now wave of his hand before letting his body leaned more heavily against Deckerd's side to accentuate his point. She gave one final huff before she too, followed Azuki's steps and went past the house's door. Yuuta's eyes followed her progress, just in case she decided to jump him again but a silhouette of man called out to her from inside the house, shadowy in the fading light of the world outside and poor lighting of the house itself – Azuki had yet to switched them all for the night – but the identity of this person was clarified by the indistinct murmurs of his voice – Masaya Kashiwazaki, formerly a neighbor of the Tomonaga siblings who had his status elevated to become part of the family because he was now an alleged husband to Azuki herself. Even after marriage, Azuki had been reluctant to leave her siblings to be on their own.
Yuuta's expression morphed into one of surprise to see Azuki's husband at home for he was constantly busy with his job as a doctor at a local hospital. His normal daily scheduled entailed his leaving for work early in the morning and returning only when it had grown dark, usually around seven if the hospital saw no casualties that needed extra helping hands which was the reason for Yuuta's puzzlement – it had barely passed dusk now. Deckerd saw the confusion evident on the human's face and supplied helpfully, "Kashiwazaki-san had taken an early leave to see you at home, Yuuta. He is as eager to celebrate your return as the rest of us."
Kashiwazaki (or Masaya-kun, as Azuki had come to call her husband affectionately) rarely had the opportunity to personally attend Yuuta's return all through the years the boy was sent out of Tokyo for his high school study. More than once, Kashiwazaki had expressed his wish to be present when Yuuta came home for the holiday. Between his works and Yuuta's extended absence, family dinner where all of them participated was a rare occasion and one that all of them, especially Kashiwazaki, being a newcomer to the family, had come to miss; apparently, the Tomonaga's brother-in-law had been lucky this time around that no assistance-requiring cases had surfaced, thus enabling him to leave early and fulfill the wish he had yet been able to realize before.
Deckerd's Corvette form rattled from the revs of its engine and broke the encompassing reverie from fully engulfing Yuuta's mind. It was a little regret on the Corvette's part but he would not let his simple longing for their prolonged togetherness to precede Yuuta's well-being. He could 'see' the signs of the day's tolls on the boy, trivial though they were. Long had he been acquainted with such insignificant changes in his behaviors and physiques to have noted the state of his body and emotions – and right now, the slight bending of his knees as Yuuta rested his side against Deckerd told of his exhaustion that threatened to bring the human down into slumber. As if needing any more reason for their separation, an inconspicuous rumble from Yuuta's stomach announced the emptiness within and its need for filling before any resting could commence.
"Oh, sorry," Yuuta blushed at the unbecoming reaction his body gave. The sheepish smile was endearing but the fact that the noises indicated his need for nourishment was unsettling. Though far, far away from being starved just yet, Deckerd did not like the notion of Yuuta being hungry – or being in any discomfort whatsoever.
"Have some dinner, Yuuta. You need it," he said while gently nudging the human with a scant opening of his front door. It was not enough to unbalance him nor did Deckerd intended so; he was only urging Yuuta to fulfill his bodily requirements. Sometimes, Deckerd admitted that he worried needlessly but the feeling was well-placed this time. Though there was no gun-shooting or criminal-thwarting, it was nevertheless a fulfilling day for him and Yuuta had yet to eat anything except for a tuna sandwich he had quickly grabbed along the way to the Police Headquarter. That was much too little food to fuel his energetic teenage body especially when he had a group of lively Brave Polices to interact with for the past hours.
Yuuta's free hand, the one not used to support himself, was pushing Deckerd's door to a gentle close. The Corvette was ready to start persuading with reasons already lined up in his mind, waiting only to be emitted out from the speakers but a warm cheek pressed to the top of his roof stopped the incoming tirade of words. There was assurance in the light touch, the kind of yes-I'll-do-it-really that contained no fallacy as to the legitimacy of the promise. Then, the pressure vanished when Yuuta lifted his head up and pushed himself away from the patrol car, returning to a fully independent stand though he still kept his hand on the upper sill of Deckerd's windows. It was his silent gesture of appreciation – the way his fingers stroked the strip of metal – and one that had never been agreed upon but rather what Deckerd learned from experience. From inside the house, Kurumi's voice could be heard all the way from the kitchen, shouting, "Yuuta! Come and get your dinner already! We're starving here!"
"That's the bell for me," Yuuta muttered, still mirthful despite the annoyance. He gave Deckerd one last stroke along the upper windowsill, speaking both his gratefulness for Deckerd's time and a farewell for today. Though it was usual for them to spend anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours (or more, on some occasions) before bedtime just conversing with each other, tonight would be of exception. A look at baggy-eyed Yuuta was enough to indicate the immediate sleep after his dinner and shower, with the shower being an option instead of obligatory.
"Go on," Deckerd urged and drawing the curtain down for tonight, so to speak. Yuuta obliged with reluctance that touched the Corvette's heart and a smile that made him wished for virtual-game-like ability to replenish energy in an instant…if only to see the sweet expression a while longer. Then, a simple "Good night, Deckerd," uttered in a tiredly croaky voice banished what tiny chance there was for budding regrets from blooming.
An inch or two lowering of the headlights signified Deckerd's non-verbal acknowledgement and, to a lesser extent, his gladness for the lack of defiance from the young man. There were times when Yuuta was unfeasibly persuadable into anything, usually involving suggestion of resting and the Tomonaga's denial of its necessity – those times were difficult for the police robot since his concern for Yuuta and his obedience to him were equally demanding. The lack thereof simplified matters massively, not to mention saving time and energy from pointless arguments.
Then, out of impulse which he was not sure from whence, Deckerd added, "And Yuuta?" Said human stopped in his track as desired to give the Brave Detective his attention. Though his robotic head was hidden away underneath layers of folding metals and various machineries in his vehicular form, Deckerd allowed himself a smile when he whispered, "Sweet dreams."
Throughout the many years of their friendship, their usual nightly wish was either 'good night' or 'see you tomorrow'. 'Sweet dreams' was rarely on the list for no apparent reason other than the previous two had become accustomed to their lips. The change surprised the young man for a few eye-blinking-long moments but the pleasantries contained within those simple words delighted instead of baffled him.
"And you too, Deckerd," He replied in kind, his friend's name only barely uttered before a huge yawn overtook the power of speech from him. Yuuta gave up the fight and shuffled inside the house, family warmth and the delicious smell of soup wafting from the kitchen welcomed him with comfort that only home could give.
The door closed gently behind Yuuta, cutting much of the house's lighting from spilling outside except through the narrow line of rectangular gap separating the entrance and the wall that framed it. Partial darkness enveloped Deckerd's Corvette form but the police officer was not unsettled by it. The night brought with it calmness not found in daylight, where the crickets sang and the stars winked merrily as if having a secret celebration that no Earth-dwellers knew of. It was the consolation for the solitary he endured every night, with a few exceptions when Yuuta would choose Deckerd's seat over the squishy bed in his room to spend the night on. However, his overnights in Deckerd grew increasingly uncommon as his fear of ghosts and ghouls receded to mere childish imagination and the creaking of doors no longer induced imaginations of waiting boogeyman behind it…and when teenagehood hit and high school started calling to his fate, the Corvette ceased having the human as his sleeping companion.
Yuuta's laughter drifted from the kitchen space, faint but noticeable to Deckerd's audio receptors. Kashiwazaki said something in the background whose words did not survive the thickness of the walls but apparently, it was hilarious to the point of inducing another round of laughter, this time with all four diners joining in. Their mirth brought longing to his heart, to join the family at the table – not for the food but for the simplicity of being able to. Yes, he had good relationships with Yuuta and his family, Kashiwazaki included, and yes, he had enjoyed their unbiased company for as long as he had lived…but there would always be that devilishly subtle humbleness for being different than them.
Be grateful, Deckerd. You could not have asked for a life better than this, Deckerd scolded himself, forcing the unhappy thoughts to the furthest back of his mind. Yuuta had taught him one of the important lessons in life and it was his teaching that he was forgetting. If their physical differences had mattered to Yuuta, Deckerd would not have gained his sentience to begin with and he would never know the fullness of life in all its glory. That he was a robot never seem to bother the boy; he related to Deckerd as he would other humans…and perhaps more so for sometimes he perceived a twinkling in the human's eyes that seemed to be more than just reflection of sunlight or the way his voice softened during their conversations with only the Corvette-former as the listener. Of course, that was not saying that his perceptions were all true. There were always possibilities of exaggeration when unfulfilled wish lurked in one's mind but there was also no sin in hoping.
For the time being, he was content that there were enough sweet memories – imagined or otherwise – to entertain him. One day, and he hoped that it would be long in the coming, if at all, reality would come crashing down on his meticulously built illusion...but until then, the castle of his imagination stood proud and strong. His hidden lips smiled at the thought and the hope it brought with it, soothing what secret disappointment he might accumulated during the day. It was still a tad too early to sleep for the Brave Detective but he was not averted to rest either. In the house, Yuuta and his family had yet to finish their dinner. Their laughter, still present but fading a little as food became the center of their attention, calmed his heart as he settled comfortably on the shock absorbers and commenced with the resting…though it really did not take too long before the lack of activities finally lured him into a true sleep.
xxxxx
Unlike Deckerd, 'home' for the other Brave Police detectives were the Japan Police Force Headquarter itself. As the working hours came to an end and the building was beginning to empty out of their workers, the robots soon found the place all to themselves. Usually, many of the Brave robots seized the freedom from their jobs with a recreational drive around the city and the areas in proximity. A rare occurrence was that McCrane, who usually stayed in the Decker Room for an extended hour or so to finish whatever reports he had left incomplete, also decided to leave – and the moment he announced his intention, the crane-former was plagued with meaningful stares and not so well-covered snickers, most prominently from DrillBoy.
"Is there a problem with it?" A confused McCrane demanded, magnanimously sparing the driller and choosing to direct his question to GunMax instead, whose snickers had been the loudest after Drillboy's. The Decker Room was suddenly filled with a sense of friendly teasing that infected the moods of all the Brave robots present, even Duke whose deadpan gazing on his computer screen contradicted the smile he tried to futilely hide.
The biker cop was grinning like the devil himself – with imagination, one might easily envision two horns protruding from the white helmet – and shrugged dismissively. With a flick of his wrist, his long-nozzled revolver spun round his two extended fingers before he slotted it in his side-waist compartment, doing so with ease borne from years of practices. The Build member waited with unwavering patience, making certain that his stare would not go unnoticed by the highway patroller. GunMax, being in no mood for a boringly silent competition of patience when he had his treasured GunBike to take a spin, said airily, "Oh, nothing. Just be sure to make the lady's waiting worth her time."
At this, and GunMax was immensely satisfied at his achievement, McCrane's white cheek-plating grew hot with embarrassment. It had never been an official thing or at least, not something that McCrane had openly advertised but all of the Brave robots knew of his more-than-just-friend relationship with Seia Inoue, the Captain of Self-Defense Force 9th division. Demands from their respective jobs made spending time together a difficult arrangement for these two but when opportunities arose, neither the army lady nor the Combat Detective wasted it. For this particular case, McCrane and Seia had been apart for nearly a month. Apparently, the others have noticed it too because the 'lady' mentioned by GunMax just now could only refer to Seia.
McCrane's response was an embarrassment-filled silence which was made further awkward by DrillBoy's stifled giggling. GunMax made no attempt to hide his triumphant smirk as he stood up from his chair and outwardly pushed his interlacing fingers until the gears within gave a satisfying crack. He calmly resumed his body stretching for a few more seconds before turning to leave the place…though at the very last moment, he could not refrain the mocking salute towards the crane-former and yelled, "Good luck!"
The two sentences were followed by a roaring good-natured laugh from the rest of them. McCrane, helpless to defend himself from being further 'victimized', merely shook his helm in defeat. Despite knowing the legitimacy of their relationships – none of the Brave Polices objected to it and despite their friendly teasing whenever the chance presented itself, they actually encouraged it – McCrane always found himself getting progressively shy the longer he talked about it. Their mirth soon dwindled down to peaceful silence and McCrane's cheeks lost their distinctive warmth though the embarrassment remained as a subtle glow in the innermost part of his frame. His comrades resumed their interrupted works – which were not much, really, since they were getting ready to leave the Decker Room anyway. However, the crane-former quickly noticed Dumpson's lack of hurriedness when in usual circumstances, he was among the ones who were frequently absent from their midst after working hours. Contrary to himself, the Wrestler Detective had more flexibility of time to be with his own lover; Ayako Kimizuka, while still a globetrotting journalist-plus-reporter, was not as strictly bound to time schedule as Seia did. This ought to be one of those circumstances where some new cases worth investigating popped up from nowhere; if such was the truth, the red-haired woman could be off up to days at a time.
Though GunMax had already left the place – probably off to cruise the coastal road on his GunBike because he had always loved the view and the lack of traffic there – there were other candidates to initiate another round of teasing, the chief among them being Power Joe. Now, the power shovel was busy fending off DrillBoy's persuasion to accompany him for a little sightseeing drive (though it would seem that the driller would win Power Joe over soon with the latter's increasingly unenthusiastic rejection) but there was no telling if the yellow-clad Detective would launch his 'teasing campaign' at any moment. Unwilling to bear through anymore embarrassment, friendly or no, McCrane swept out of the Decker Room once he had deemed the state of his working desk satisfactorily neat, his trusty gun tucked in the hidden compartment on his back, just in case he was required to engage criminals at a moment's notice.
However, as soon as he stepped into the night, his thoughts went ahead of his body, being cast into the distance where Seia would be waiting for his arrival. In his mind's eye, already the crane-former envisioned the woman of his love – she would appear in casual outfit instead of her normally olive-green military uniform, as was her wont during their dates. The brunette hair, slightly sun-tinged with redness, would not be imprisoned in her uniform's hat, being let loose to cover her back. And she would be smiling when she saw his coming, her lipstick-decorated lips spreading to welcome him without fail like they always had when she saw the crane pulling over in front of her house. He thought of all these and more while transforming into his alternate form of hydraulic crane and all the way to Seia's residence, the local radio seemingly able to read the distilling moods of romanticism by airing appropriate tunes – and McCrane soon found himself humming softly to the gentle music rolling out from his speakers. From the hints the universe gave, this would be a beautiful night indeed.