Disclaimer: No change since chapter 1. RK isn't mine. Watsuki is the millionaire, I just have fun.
Still rated PG-13 for language and main characters enjoying to smoke (bad, bad, I know).
Verdict
Chapter 2: Aftermath
After the verdict, Saitoh had managed to escape the journalists again, without any more difficulties. He was smoking, sitting on a bench, in the reserved main hall of the tribunal, which allowed him to witness several interesting scenes.
Kondo was talking with Kamiya, the chief of police. Saitoh already knew. He was promoted to the rank of Detective, and Kondo was Captain. That meant the end of their partnership. He kind of regretted it, yet he was feeling free in a way. He only wondered who would be the new one. Hopefully not Harada, but Kondo being their new superior, hence the one to choose, he could expect to be spared this annoyance. Nagakura maybe? They were often teamed together, back to the academy, and he quite appreciated the man's calm demeanor and deadpan sense of humor.
He noticed Takagi and Yamagata's arrival. The journalists had assaulted her at the end of the audience, not even waiting for her to exit the courtroom. They joined Kondo and Kamiya. Saitoh was surprised to see the girl taking advantage of the congratulations show off between the two heads of the law enforcement department to have a private, almost conspiratorial discussion with his partner. Whatever it was, no good news for sure. Kondo was negatively shaking his head, and she let appear some sad disappointment before recovering her detached attitude.
Somebody else was watching them. Yukishiro Enishi was standing a few paces away from Saitoh, his gaze riveted on her, obviously waiting for the end of her conversation. And there was a teenage girl, waiting, too, just in front of the boy. He recognized Kamiya's daughter, whom the detectives and inspectors of the CD were all familiar with. She had the unnerving habit to interrupt the briefings, under the most ludicrous pretexts, looking at the cops like they were some dangerous animals threatening her daddy dearest.
As Takagi ended her conversation with Kondo, she spotted Yukishiro and waved to him. Too focused on her, he bumped into Kamiya Kaoru and almost sent her to the floor. He caught her waist to prevent her from falling, and she blushed a red crimson, as he was apologizing, and handling her back the purse she had dropped. Kondo approached Saitoh, while Yukishiro had joined Takagi for an animated talk, and Kamiya was almost tumbling under the heartfelt hug of his daughter.
"So, Hajime, all's well that ends well," he began.
"It isn't that well, Kondo-san. I heard his lawyer saying to the journalists that Seta was going to plead madness and try to get an internment instead of a prison time."
Kondo had winced at the way Saitoh had called him, though he had expected that. From today on, they wouldn't be partners anymore, but boss and subordinate. Saitoh was respecting order too much to blur the line. He was regretting it, though. He valued Saitoh's friendship. He wasn't so close personally to him as he was to his former partner, Hijikata Toshizo, yet he weirdly found more pride into it.
"He will never get out, wherever he's locked. So you heard."
"Congratulations."
"You too, Detective Saitoh. I guess you'll refuse any higher promotion."
It wasn't a question. Kondo knew his partner's dislike for desk jobs and honors. Irrelevant was the word he used to refer to them. He should have been promoted before, and had always refused, not wanting to be bond to a desk after only a few years of career, what was the inevitable outcome of early advancements.
Saitoh shrugged in place of an answer.
"So I thought that for our last day of partnership, we could have a drink. And I could give you the sneak peek on whom I'm going to team you with."
"And?" It meant that Saitoh could give his opinion. That was fine. It was about work, about getting a partner with whom he could really be efficient, and not really accepting a favor.
"You'll be working with Okita."
Saitoh was a bit surprised. He and Okita were night and day. Good cop, bad cop. Mm. That could be fine. He reminded the attitude of the usually easy-going guy in the courtroom, his knowledge of the real enemy. Okita had seemed all but pleasant at that time.
"I'll look forward into it," he let out, satisfied.
"I have something to check for Kamiya. Meet you at the usual place."
Saitoh nodded, taking a new drag on his cigarette, appreciating the taste. Well, this day had turned out right, finally.
He spotted Yukishiro hurrying out of the courtroom. Takagi walked to the smoking corner. He saw a brief hesitation in her eyes as she noticed him, her happy smile changing into a cautious, distant expression. Oh, so she was afraid of him, whatever Kondo said. His anticipation grew when he saw that she didn't change direction.
Shit. Why did he have to be there? Tokio got unnerved as she noticed the self-content smirk of the Wolf. She really didn't need a new confrontation right now.
She had had stressful days. Between the trial, Seta's threats, Meg, Tami, and the journalists harassing her.....They were following her everywhere, and she was relieved, finally, that she had broken up with Seijuro before all this madness. She still had to be careful. If their affair, even over, was discovered, she could draw a cross on her career: anything she could achieve would be unfairly attributed to her connections to the powerful tycoon. All these machos didn't know what to make out to discredit women. She had had to work twice hard as men, to prove her abilities. Not to mention all the times she had had to give a piece of her mind to the pompous idiots asking her for coffee and treating her like an office flower. Luckily, Yamagata wasn't like this, and he had even liked her attitude. She couldn't be thankful enough that he was her boss.
The cops had been no better than the lawyers. Almost all of those she had worked with during these few months had tried to flirt with her or patronize her at first, before they recognized her abilities. She was just beginning to feel comfortable, because she had been at last allowed to be in court, and could show her worth, when this stupid man had sent the prejudices she thought she wouldn't have to deal with anymore to her face. She had expected better from him, according to his reputation of seeing beyond the appearances. He was a celebrity in the little law enforcement world. She had heard tons of rumors about him, and she had to admit that she tended to agree now with the "total jerk" part of it. She breathed deeply. Well, she'd probably have to face prejudices during all her career, thus she should just consider him as a reality check. Moreover, she had an advantage on him. He had been wrong about her and she should be the satisfied one. Whatever she was tired, she wouldn't avoid him.
She acknowledged his presence by a nod, and lit her dear little tobacco stick. How she had needed it since the audience had started....She relaxed more, as he didn't seem to pay attention to her, and enjoyed the taste, letting out a little, relieved sigh. A well-deserved break, she thought.
Her mind wandered back to her conversation with Enishi. She had been so worried about the boy, who had found himself alone in the world, with nothing left but bitterness and hate. She had even been afraid that he might really try to avenge his sister, and kill Seta, especially after Aoshi had warned her that the depths of his anger were reaching a dangerous level. The profiler had told her to take the threats that Enishi had uttered, once it appeared that the murderer had a chance to get away with his crime, with the most serious care. She would have considered so unfair that Enishi ruined definitely his life, becoming a murderer, when he was initially a victim, only because he had been denied justice, because she and the others had failed. Fortunately, the verdict had taken that weight out of her shoulders. He was relieved, now, that his sister's murderer had been convicted, and though it would probably take time for him to recover completely, he wasn't anymore the lost boy nobody had cared about, whom she had met months ago. She remembered how her heart had clenched, thinking that he was about Tami's age. Maybe, that was why she had been so involved, and that the thought of him having a brighter future was making her feeling happy. The procedures of his emancipation were almost finished, and he had already the right to live in the apartment he had shared with Tomoe-san. He would get the inheritance money soon: he could then resume to a normal life. He was also having objectives, which was a good sign. He had just told her that he wanted to be a cop. Like his sister, and to punish people like Seta. If he were as dedicated to his duty as he was to his sister's memory, he would sure make a good one. He was extremely intelligent, and possibly would have opportunities for a more flourishing career, but he seemed quite stubborn, and he might stick to his plan. She smiled at the idea that she might work in collaboration with him, one day.
Yes, now that this case was over, she could rest a little, and allow herself to be optimistic.
"So, how does it feel to be the little goddess of the media?"
She turned to Saitoh, wondering angrily if he had waited for her to lower her defenses, to launch his verbal attack. He was watching her, with that scornful smirk, blatantly challenging. Surely. What a jerk. Paying attention into hiding her exasperation, she shot back, using her most charming smile.
"Jealous?"
"I leave you this kind of ego trip."
"I guess that you have enough by yourself already," she responded, graciously.
Now he was scowling, and she wondered if she should thank him for allowing her to release her stress. She barely contained a giggle at the thought.
"If so, as a veteran I can give you an advice. You'd better enjoy this one. The luck of the beginner doesn't last long."
"Luck?" She couldn't have helped the outraged word to escape her throat, and as his lips had retrieved their cynical curve, she cursed inwardly.
Saitoh finished his cigarette, trying to decide what was more satisfying, the blissful sliding of the smoke down his throat, or managing to unnerve her. It hadn't been that easy, which made it more interesting. She had nevertheless the same weakness as all the capable rookies. She had a very good opinion of herself, but she didn't have yet the assurance given by years of success, and denying her abilities had been a sure move. Kondo was right, when he said that they would probably have to work together again, and he should teach her who would be the boss, then. Not sure that she would learn fast: her dismay had lasted only a second, and her smile was firmly back in place.
"Luck?" she repeated, as if pondering the issue. "Tell me, are you so afraid of women that you need to belittle their merits to feel superior? That's so disappointingly common, Inspector Wolf. "
"Is doubting about their assurance the way you usually hit on men? I'm not falling for this kind of trick, sorry, " he warned, putting a patronizing tone in his voice, and a wicked smile on his face.
"Ah, Saitoh, I was looking for you," interrupted a cheerful voice, to Saitoh's profound annoyance.
She had looked as if she wanted to bite him, and that was very entertaining. Upset that his victory was delayed, he turned coldly to the newcomer, who was going on as if he didn't notice, addressing the girl with enthusiasm.
"Hello, Takagi-kun. Good work! Congratulations for your promotion. You deserve it."
Tokio smiled genuinely to the other cop. Okita Soushi hadn't been flirtatious neither patronizing with her. She had been working with him on a new criminal case for some weeks, and they had gotten along immediately. He was the only one, with Aoshi, who had considered her seriously since the beginning.
"Thank you."
She heard Saitoh snort. She had almost forgotten about him, and his....unbelievable gall. A shot of anger brought an insulting remark to her lips, but Okita's intervention prevented her to speak.
"I see that you know each other, that's perfect. I just met Kondo-san, he told me," Okita went on, addressing his colleague, who nodded, curtly. "I had a new lead on the case I'm working on, and I was wondering if you would accept to start on it now. I could brief you on the different aspects, and as I also plan an interrogation tomorrow, you could be already prepared."
"That'll be fine with me." Okita didn't loose time. Saitoh appreciated that. "I have two cases I should tell you about, too."
"Of course, I will report to you if it has any legal repercussion, Takagi-kun," added the boyish-looking man for Tokio.
She stared at him, then at Saitoh, the awful truth dawning on her.
"You're in charge of this one." Saitoh seemed as unhappy with it as she was.
"You're replacing Inoue-san." She knew that Okita was going to have a new partner. Why did it have to be him?
Saitoh tossed his cigarette away, a new grin twisting his mouth. He should see the glass half-full: she at least was capable; Kondo was right on this, too. It could be worse. Moreover....
"We'll hence have another occasion to continue this interesting conversation. It'll leave time for you to improve your strategies," he added meaningfully. "Okita, is it the school teacher murder you were talking about?"
He had turned his back on her, as a little payback for their first meeting, and Okita followed him after a rapid but warm goodbye.
"Yes, but it finally seems more complex than we thought..." finally began his new partner.
While walking towards the exit of the tribunal, Saitoh was analyzing the information Okita was giving him, and swore as somebody bumped into him.
"Hey, you could be careful!" yelped a juvenile voice
Saitoh sent a cold glare at the rude youngster. He had spiky hair, a red bandana tied up around his head, and, after sticking his tongue at Saitoh, was about to leave, when the cop grabbed him by the collar and threw him back on the floor.
"Pay attention to whom you talk to, moron."
"Maa, maa, Saitoh, it's no big deal. And you, Sagara-kun, you don't want to get into trouble again so fast, do you? "
The boy shrugged: "Well, yeah...."
And he ran away, showing his back to them, and the symbol "Aku" written on his white jacket. Saitoh had already recognized the outfit as one of a young thugs gang's, the Red Division.
"You know that moron?"
"Yep. I arrested him when he tried to steal Kamiya's car in the police parking lot. And he's even too young to have a driving license," sighed Okita.
"Idiot."
"Well, Kamiya didn't take it badly. He proposed to help him, but you can see how grateful he is towards people who step in his favor."
"That's even more ridiculous. These kinds of gangs are specialized in misdemeanors, but they're the pot where the future hardcore criminals grow. They need to be punished, not to be helped."
"We can let Kamiya going on with his saintly attempts at this stage. You never know, some might turn out right. And if he were to fail, and these guys to cross the line....it will be our turn to act."
Okita's eyes were now hard and cold, the corners of his lips hardening, not even a trace of his previous boyishness lingering on his features. Definitely, he saw things his way, thought Saitoh with utter relief, as they exited the tribunal. Yes, they could be an efficient team.
***
Tokio had been watching them going away, a dim feeling of being doomed mixing with the outrage Saitoh's last shot had caused her, and whirled around, startled, as she realized that Aoshi had joined her.
"I didn't mean to frighten you. You're very stressed."
She shook her head, smiling. In Aoshi's code, that she started to decrypt, it was the equivalent of : are you all right?
"I'm fine. I guess that after all that pressure, I'm just slow to react. Tired, nothing more. An afternoon off with friends is all I need right now. Luckily, that's what we have planned."
"About this, did you talk to Kondo? Kamiya had asked him to watch over a case, and he didn't have the time to answer me."
"Yes, I did. No good news, it went as we thought. She waited too long to report. Though he tried, there weren't many chances to find something. And without medical evidences, a trial is out of question anyway. But he keeps her file...."
"In the CD data?"
"No, he will keep it in his personal ones. This kind of cases is under his jurisdiction, even more now that he's Captain. If he crosses a similar one, that may be an help."
"She'll be disappointed, you know, even if she was aware of it. Are you sure that you don't want me to go alone? You need some rest."
"No. She doesn't trust you enough yet....She is thankful, but it's too early. Please, don't take it personally, you've helped a lot, and Megumi is as conscious of it as I am."
Aoshi nodded. Most people thought that because he didn't express his emotions, nothing could hurt him. They weren't wrong, he had worked a lot on himself to reach a level where almost nothing mattered. Yet, he was sensitive to Tokio's thoughtfulness.
"I understand. Friend or not, helper or not, I'm still a man. Considering her ordeal, her reaction is absolutely natural. Maybe while you're away, she'll manage to get over her defiance. Did you reschedule your flight already?"
"No, I cancelled it. I'm staying here finally. I talked to Tami on the phone yesterday night. She is sensible about it, she was only a little....cold. She said that as I missed her birthday, I had no reason to go. But my mother agreed to let her come here this summer. I'll make up for it then."
Aoshi didn't say anything. Teenagers' resentment was very deep, especially when they felt betrayed by somebody who did count for them. Tokio had never described her sister as cold, and that was a bad sign. But his friend was so tired lately that it was better not to make her worry in advance.
"Anyway, my promotion arrives well. When summer comes, I'll be more comfortable with my job, and I'll have more time for my family. If I survive my next case," she added, deadpan.
Her voice was so dry that he frowned slightly.
"It can't be more stressful than Seta. I thought that you were getting along with Okita. That should help."
"Oh, yes, Okita is fine. Unfortunately, you witnessed my little relational problem with his new partner, the Mighty Wolf." She reminded her last confrontation with the unnerving man, pausing some moments. "You know, I usually wait before forming a negative judgment on people. But I think that I really hate that guy," she sighed finally, lighting a cigarette.
She lifted a brow at Aoshi's swift grimace. "Hey. I really don't miss my ex-boyfriend's disapproving face each time I was smoking. Please don't tell me that you intend to take over the outraged non-smoker stance?"
He dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. "I thought that Saitoh was your style of guy," he muttered. He had worked with both of them for some time: Tokio *seemed* easy-going, and Saitoh reserved *at first*. Their unusual, overly hostile reaction to each other was definitely a textbook one, on top of the page of the chapter dealing with physical attraction.
She laughed heartily. Was that Aoshi's sense of humor? If so, it was definitely weird, yet she felt thankful for his ridiculous joke. A good laugh was what she had needed most, she realized. How funny that this so serious guy knew it before her.
"Yes, of course, I'm a sucker for arrogant, self-satisfied jerks. He just makes my heart melt."
Realizing Aoshi's annoyance behind his impassible face, and that he had *indeed* been serious, she soothed: "OK, I give you that he's sexy. Let's say that he's physically my style. Your deductions weren't totally wrong. Happy?"
"I guess I don't know you well enough yet."
"Or you should stick to criminal psychology. Let's go, Megumi is waiting for us and I don't want her to worry."
He followed her, still slightly bothered at his mistake. Maybe she didn't realize, and he was right, but her laugh had been spontaneous, thus....
After a few paces, she asked seriously: "Aoshi?"
"...."
"Remind me to never listen to you about my love life. Come on," she added, "everybody can be wrong, even you. Lighten up."
He shrugged, but she was so bemused that he couldn't be angry. She was right, too. Human beings made mistakes, and he was a human being. Tokio never let him forget that. Neither Megumi, though in a less relaxed way. He could say that they were the first true friends he ever had, and teasing was supposedly natural between friends. He hence wasn't vexed. But if he had been right, he could give a try at this. It was also supposed to go both ways, theoretically.
She shook her head, laughing again. "Saitoh....Oh, Aoshi, really!"
Maybe he had really been wrong.
THE END.
Author's notes:
Aoshi-sama is never wrong (^-^).
DA stands for District Attorney, CD for criminal department.
I like Saitoh and Tokio's first meetings, and I couldn't resist to write one for Preys(^-^), this was my first motivation for this prequel.
It also allows me to show briefly the basis of some other relations, like Saitoh/Kondo, Saitoh/Aoshi, Tokio/Aoshi, Tokio/Enishi, etc....which are very important for Preys, especially for the upcoming chapters, and didn't have a place to be explained in the development of the story as it is. There are moreover more hints on some characters and first allusions to subplots that will be developed later.
I don't know if Verdict makes sense on its on. It's really a part of Preys, there are lots of allusions to the developments of the story. For this reason, I wanted to rate it R, but there was nothing in this one imo that justified it....so it ended up as a PG13 rating.
I posted the two chapters at the same time, as it was too long for one chapter, but it's a one-shot, initially.
I hope that you liked it (^-^). And I'll try to post chapter 16 of Preys as fast as I can.
Thanks to Firuze for her support and comments, again (^-^).
See you!
Kamorgana
Still rated PG-13 for language and main characters enjoying to smoke (bad, bad, I know).
Verdict
Chapter 2: Aftermath
After the verdict, Saitoh had managed to escape the journalists again, without any more difficulties. He was smoking, sitting on a bench, in the reserved main hall of the tribunal, which allowed him to witness several interesting scenes.
Kondo was talking with Kamiya, the chief of police. Saitoh already knew. He was promoted to the rank of Detective, and Kondo was Captain. That meant the end of their partnership. He kind of regretted it, yet he was feeling free in a way. He only wondered who would be the new one. Hopefully not Harada, but Kondo being their new superior, hence the one to choose, he could expect to be spared this annoyance. Nagakura maybe? They were often teamed together, back to the academy, and he quite appreciated the man's calm demeanor and deadpan sense of humor.
He noticed Takagi and Yamagata's arrival. The journalists had assaulted her at the end of the audience, not even waiting for her to exit the courtroom. They joined Kondo and Kamiya. Saitoh was surprised to see the girl taking advantage of the congratulations show off between the two heads of the law enforcement department to have a private, almost conspiratorial discussion with his partner. Whatever it was, no good news for sure. Kondo was negatively shaking his head, and she let appear some sad disappointment before recovering her detached attitude.
Somebody else was watching them. Yukishiro Enishi was standing a few paces away from Saitoh, his gaze riveted on her, obviously waiting for the end of her conversation. And there was a teenage girl, waiting, too, just in front of the boy. He recognized Kamiya's daughter, whom the detectives and inspectors of the CD were all familiar with. She had the unnerving habit to interrupt the briefings, under the most ludicrous pretexts, looking at the cops like they were some dangerous animals threatening her daddy dearest.
As Takagi ended her conversation with Kondo, she spotted Yukishiro and waved to him. Too focused on her, he bumped into Kamiya Kaoru and almost sent her to the floor. He caught her waist to prevent her from falling, and she blushed a red crimson, as he was apologizing, and handling her back the purse she had dropped. Kondo approached Saitoh, while Yukishiro had joined Takagi for an animated talk, and Kamiya was almost tumbling under the heartfelt hug of his daughter.
"So, Hajime, all's well that ends well," he began.
"It isn't that well, Kondo-san. I heard his lawyer saying to the journalists that Seta was going to plead madness and try to get an internment instead of a prison time."
Kondo had winced at the way Saitoh had called him, though he had expected that. From today on, they wouldn't be partners anymore, but boss and subordinate. Saitoh was respecting order too much to blur the line. He was regretting it, though. He valued Saitoh's friendship. He wasn't so close personally to him as he was to his former partner, Hijikata Toshizo, yet he weirdly found more pride into it.
"He will never get out, wherever he's locked. So you heard."
"Congratulations."
"You too, Detective Saitoh. I guess you'll refuse any higher promotion."
It wasn't a question. Kondo knew his partner's dislike for desk jobs and honors. Irrelevant was the word he used to refer to them. He should have been promoted before, and had always refused, not wanting to be bond to a desk after only a few years of career, what was the inevitable outcome of early advancements.
Saitoh shrugged in place of an answer.
"So I thought that for our last day of partnership, we could have a drink. And I could give you the sneak peek on whom I'm going to team you with."
"And?" It meant that Saitoh could give his opinion. That was fine. It was about work, about getting a partner with whom he could really be efficient, and not really accepting a favor.
"You'll be working with Okita."
Saitoh was a bit surprised. He and Okita were night and day. Good cop, bad cop. Mm. That could be fine. He reminded the attitude of the usually easy-going guy in the courtroom, his knowledge of the real enemy. Okita had seemed all but pleasant at that time.
"I'll look forward into it," he let out, satisfied.
"I have something to check for Kamiya. Meet you at the usual place."
Saitoh nodded, taking a new drag on his cigarette, appreciating the taste. Well, this day had turned out right, finally.
He spotted Yukishiro hurrying out of the courtroom. Takagi walked to the smoking corner. He saw a brief hesitation in her eyes as she noticed him, her happy smile changing into a cautious, distant expression. Oh, so she was afraid of him, whatever Kondo said. His anticipation grew when he saw that she didn't change direction.
Shit. Why did he have to be there? Tokio got unnerved as she noticed the self-content smirk of the Wolf. She really didn't need a new confrontation right now.
She had had stressful days. Between the trial, Seta's threats, Meg, Tami, and the journalists harassing her.....They were following her everywhere, and she was relieved, finally, that she had broken up with Seijuro before all this madness. She still had to be careful. If their affair, even over, was discovered, she could draw a cross on her career: anything she could achieve would be unfairly attributed to her connections to the powerful tycoon. All these machos didn't know what to make out to discredit women. She had had to work twice hard as men, to prove her abilities. Not to mention all the times she had had to give a piece of her mind to the pompous idiots asking her for coffee and treating her like an office flower. Luckily, Yamagata wasn't like this, and he had even liked her attitude. She couldn't be thankful enough that he was her boss.
The cops had been no better than the lawyers. Almost all of those she had worked with during these few months had tried to flirt with her or patronize her at first, before they recognized her abilities. She was just beginning to feel comfortable, because she had been at last allowed to be in court, and could show her worth, when this stupid man had sent the prejudices she thought she wouldn't have to deal with anymore to her face. She had expected better from him, according to his reputation of seeing beyond the appearances. He was a celebrity in the little law enforcement world. She had heard tons of rumors about him, and she had to admit that she tended to agree now with the "total jerk" part of it. She breathed deeply. Well, she'd probably have to face prejudices during all her career, thus she should just consider him as a reality check. Moreover, she had an advantage on him. He had been wrong about her and she should be the satisfied one. Whatever she was tired, she wouldn't avoid him.
She acknowledged his presence by a nod, and lit her dear little tobacco stick. How she had needed it since the audience had started....She relaxed more, as he didn't seem to pay attention to her, and enjoyed the taste, letting out a little, relieved sigh. A well-deserved break, she thought.
Her mind wandered back to her conversation with Enishi. She had been so worried about the boy, who had found himself alone in the world, with nothing left but bitterness and hate. She had even been afraid that he might really try to avenge his sister, and kill Seta, especially after Aoshi had warned her that the depths of his anger were reaching a dangerous level. The profiler had told her to take the threats that Enishi had uttered, once it appeared that the murderer had a chance to get away with his crime, with the most serious care. She would have considered so unfair that Enishi ruined definitely his life, becoming a murderer, when he was initially a victim, only because he had been denied justice, because she and the others had failed. Fortunately, the verdict had taken that weight out of her shoulders. He was relieved, now, that his sister's murderer had been convicted, and though it would probably take time for him to recover completely, he wasn't anymore the lost boy nobody had cared about, whom she had met months ago. She remembered how her heart had clenched, thinking that he was about Tami's age. Maybe, that was why she had been so involved, and that the thought of him having a brighter future was making her feeling happy. The procedures of his emancipation were almost finished, and he had already the right to live in the apartment he had shared with Tomoe-san. He would get the inheritance money soon: he could then resume to a normal life. He was also having objectives, which was a good sign. He had just told her that he wanted to be a cop. Like his sister, and to punish people like Seta. If he were as dedicated to his duty as he was to his sister's memory, he would sure make a good one. He was extremely intelligent, and possibly would have opportunities for a more flourishing career, but he seemed quite stubborn, and he might stick to his plan. She smiled at the idea that she might work in collaboration with him, one day.
Yes, now that this case was over, she could rest a little, and allow herself to be optimistic.
"So, how does it feel to be the little goddess of the media?"
She turned to Saitoh, wondering angrily if he had waited for her to lower her defenses, to launch his verbal attack. He was watching her, with that scornful smirk, blatantly challenging. Surely. What a jerk. Paying attention into hiding her exasperation, she shot back, using her most charming smile.
"Jealous?"
"I leave you this kind of ego trip."
"I guess that you have enough by yourself already," she responded, graciously.
Now he was scowling, and she wondered if she should thank him for allowing her to release her stress. She barely contained a giggle at the thought.
"If so, as a veteran I can give you an advice. You'd better enjoy this one. The luck of the beginner doesn't last long."
"Luck?" She couldn't have helped the outraged word to escape her throat, and as his lips had retrieved their cynical curve, she cursed inwardly.
Saitoh finished his cigarette, trying to decide what was more satisfying, the blissful sliding of the smoke down his throat, or managing to unnerve her. It hadn't been that easy, which made it more interesting. She had nevertheless the same weakness as all the capable rookies. She had a very good opinion of herself, but she didn't have yet the assurance given by years of success, and denying her abilities had been a sure move. Kondo was right, when he said that they would probably have to work together again, and he should teach her who would be the boss, then. Not sure that she would learn fast: her dismay had lasted only a second, and her smile was firmly back in place.
"Luck?" she repeated, as if pondering the issue. "Tell me, are you so afraid of women that you need to belittle their merits to feel superior? That's so disappointingly common, Inspector Wolf. "
"Is doubting about their assurance the way you usually hit on men? I'm not falling for this kind of trick, sorry, " he warned, putting a patronizing tone in his voice, and a wicked smile on his face.
"Ah, Saitoh, I was looking for you," interrupted a cheerful voice, to Saitoh's profound annoyance.
She had looked as if she wanted to bite him, and that was very entertaining. Upset that his victory was delayed, he turned coldly to the newcomer, who was going on as if he didn't notice, addressing the girl with enthusiasm.
"Hello, Takagi-kun. Good work! Congratulations for your promotion. You deserve it."
Tokio smiled genuinely to the other cop. Okita Soushi hadn't been flirtatious neither patronizing with her. She had been working with him on a new criminal case for some weeks, and they had gotten along immediately. He was the only one, with Aoshi, who had considered her seriously since the beginning.
"Thank you."
She heard Saitoh snort. She had almost forgotten about him, and his....unbelievable gall. A shot of anger brought an insulting remark to her lips, but Okita's intervention prevented her to speak.
"I see that you know each other, that's perfect. I just met Kondo-san, he told me," Okita went on, addressing his colleague, who nodded, curtly. "I had a new lead on the case I'm working on, and I was wondering if you would accept to start on it now. I could brief you on the different aspects, and as I also plan an interrogation tomorrow, you could be already prepared."
"That'll be fine with me." Okita didn't loose time. Saitoh appreciated that. "I have two cases I should tell you about, too."
"Of course, I will report to you if it has any legal repercussion, Takagi-kun," added the boyish-looking man for Tokio.
She stared at him, then at Saitoh, the awful truth dawning on her.
"You're in charge of this one." Saitoh seemed as unhappy with it as she was.
"You're replacing Inoue-san." She knew that Okita was going to have a new partner. Why did it have to be him?
Saitoh tossed his cigarette away, a new grin twisting his mouth. He should see the glass half-full: she at least was capable; Kondo was right on this, too. It could be worse. Moreover....
"We'll hence have another occasion to continue this interesting conversation. It'll leave time for you to improve your strategies," he added meaningfully. "Okita, is it the school teacher murder you were talking about?"
He had turned his back on her, as a little payback for their first meeting, and Okita followed him after a rapid but warm goodbye.
"Yes, but it finally seems more complex than we thought..." finally began his new partner.
While walking towards the exit of the tribunal, Saitoh was analyzing the information Okita was giving him, and swore as somebody bumped into him.
"Hey, you could be careful!" yelped a juvenile voice
Saitoh sent a cold glare at the rude youngster. He had spiky hair, a red bandana tied up around his head, and, after sticking his tongue at Saitoh, was about to leave, when the cop grabbed him by the collar and threw him back on the floor.
"Pay attention to whom you talk to, moron."
"Maa, maa, Saitoh, it's no big deal. And you, Sagara-kun, you don't want to get into trouble again so fast, do you? "
The boy shrugged: "Well, yeah...."
And he ran away, showing his back to them, and the symbol "Aku" written on his white jacket. Saitoh had already recognized the outfit as one of a young thugs gang's, the Red Division.
"You know that moron?"
"Yep. I arrested him when he tried to steal Kamiya's car in the police parking lot. And he's even too young to have a driving license," sighed Okita.
"Idiot."
"Well, Kamiya didn't take it badly. He proposed to help him, but you can see how grateful he is towards people who step in his favor."
"That's even more ridiculous. These kinds of gangs are specialized in misdemeanors, but they're the pot where the future hardcore criminals grow. They need to be punished, not to be helped."
"We can let Kamiya going on with his saintly attempts at this stage. You never know, some might turn out right. And if he were to fail, and these guys to cross the line....it will be our turn to act."
Okita's eyes were now hard and cold, the corners of his lips hardening, not even a trace of his previous boyishness lingering on his features. Definitely, he saw things his way, thought Saitoh with utter relief, as they exited the tribunal. Yes, they could be an efficient team.
***
Tokio had been watching them going away, a dim feeling of being doomed mixing with the outrage Saitoh's last shot had caused her, and whirled around, startled, as she realized that Aoshi had joined her.
"I didn't mean to frighten you. You're very stressed."
She shook her head, smiling. In Aoshi's code, that she started to decrypt, it was the equivalent of : are you all right?
"I'm fine. I guess that after all that pressure, I'm just slow to react. Tired, nothing more. An afternoon off with friends is all I need right now. Luckily, that's what we have planned."
"About this, did you talk to Kondo? Kamiya had asked him to watch over a case, and he didn't have the time to answer me."
"Yes, I did. No good news, it went as we thought. She waited too long to report. Though he tried, there weren't many chances to find something. And without medical evidences, a trial is out of question anyway. But he keeps her file...."
"In the CD data?"
"No, he will keep it in his personal ones. This kind of cases is under his jurisdiction, even more now that he's Captain. If he crosses a similar one, that may be an help."
"She'll be disappointed, you know, even if she was aware of it. Are you sure that you don't want me to go alone? You need some rest."
"No. She doesn't trust you enough yet....She is thankful, but it's too early. Please, don't take it personally, you've helped a lot, and Megumi is as conscious of it as I am."
Aoshi nodded. Most people thought that because he didn't express his emotions, nothing could hurt him. They weren't wrong, he had worked a lot on himself to reach a level where almost nothing mattered. Yet, he was sensitive to Tokio's thoughtfulness.
"I understand. Friend or not, helper or not, I'm still a man. Considering her ordeal, her reaction is absolutely natural. Maybe while you're away, she'll manage to get over her defiance. Did you reschedule your flight already?"
"No, I cancelled it. I'm staying here finally. I talked to Tami on the phone yesterday night. She is sensible about it, she was only a little....cold. She said that as I missed her birthday, I had no reason to go. But my mother agreed to let her come here this summer. I'll make up for it then."
Aoshi didn't say anything. Teenagers' resentment was very deep, especially when they felt betrayed by somebody who did count for them. Tokio had never described her sister as cold, and that was a bad sign. But his friend was so tired lately that it was better not to make her worry in advance.
"Anyway, my promotion arrives well. When summer comes, I'll be more comfortable with my job, and I'll have more time for my family. If I survive my next case," she added, deadpan.
Her voice was so dry that he frowned slightly.
"It can't be more stressful than Seta. I thought that you were getting along with Okita. That should help."
"Oh, yes, Okita is fine. Unfortunately, you witnessed my little relational problem with his new partner, the Mighty Wolf." She reminded her last confrontation with the unnerving man, pausing some moments. "You know, I usually wait before forming a negative judgment on people. But I think that I really hate that guy," she sighed finally, lighting a cigarette.
She lifted a brow at Aoshi's swift grimace. "Hey. I really don't miss my ex-boyfriend's disapproving face each time I was smoking. Please don't tell me that you intend to take over the outraged non-smoker stance?"
He dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. "I thought that Saitoh was your style of guy," he muttered. He had worked with both of them for some time: Tokio *seemed* easy-going, and Saitoh reserved *at first*. Their unusual, overly hostile reaction to each other was definitely a textbook one, on top of the page of the chapter dealing with physical attraction.
She laughed heartily. Was that Aoshi's sense of humor? If so, it was definitely weird, yet she felt thankful for his ridiculous joke. A good laugh was what she had needed most, she realized. How funny that this so serious guy knew it before her.
"Yes, of course, I'm a sucker for arrogant, self-satisfied jerks. He just makes my heart melt."
Realizing Aoshi's annoyance behind his impassible face, and that he had *indeed* been serious, she soothed: "OK, I give you that he's sexy. Let's say that he's physically my style. Your deductions weren't totally wrong. Happy?"
"I guess I don't know you well enough yet."
"Or you should stick to criminal psychology. Let's go, Megumi is waiting for us and I don't want her to worry."
He followed her, still slightly bothered at his mistake. Maybe she didn't realize, and he was right, but her laugh had been spontaneous, thus....
After a few paces, she asked seriously: "Aoshi?"
"...."
"Remind me to never listen to you about my love life. Come on," she added, "everybody can be wrong, even you. Lighten up."
He shrugged, but she was so bemused that he couldn't be angry. She was right, too. Human beings made mistakes, and he was a human being. Tokio never let him forget that. Neither Megumi, though in a less relaxed way. He could say that they were the first true friends he ever had, and teasing was supposedly natural between friends. He hence wasn't vexed. But if he had been right, he could give a try at this. It was also supposed to go both ways, theoretically.
She shook her head, laughing again. "Saitoh....Oh, Aoshi, really!"
Maybe he had really been wrong.
THE END.
Author's notes:
Aoshi-sama is never wrong (^-^).
DA stands for District Attorney, CD for criminal department.
I like Saitoh and Tokio's first meetings, and I couldn't resist to write one for Preys(^-^), this was my first motivation for this prequel.
It also allows me to show briefly the basis of some other relations, like Saitoh/Kondo, Saitoh/Aoshi, Tokio/Aoshi, Tokio/Enishi, etc....which are very important for Preys, especially for the upcoming chapters, and didn't have a place to be explained in the development of the story as it is. There are moreover more hints on some characters and first allusions to subplots that will be developed later.
I don't know if Verdict makes sense on its on. It's really a part of Preys, there are lots of allusions to the developments of the story. For this reason, I wanted to rate it R, but there was nothing in this one imo that justified it....so it ended up as a PG13 rating.
I posted the two chapters at the same time, as it was too long for one chapter, but it's a one-shot, initially.
I hope that you liked it (^-^). And I'll try to post chapter 16 of Preys as fast as I can.
Thanks to Firuze for her support and comments, again (^-^).
See you!
Kamorgana