Yes, I should be working on my other stories. But do I care? No!
This was inspired by the last episode of the first season. It has quite possibly nabbed the place of Sexiest Togusa Episode Ever from 2nd Gig's TRIAL.
Togusa was completely wiped out when he got home. It was a good feeling, though. His friends were still alive to tease and jostle him; he still had his job. He was even allowed to give Mei some details.
So why didn't he feel happier?
He pulled out the small box from the top of the cabinet and placed his spare revolver inside. Then he dug into the deep pockets of his cargo pants and pulled out his flashbang(1) grenades.
Three grenades because it was always a good idea to bring extras, and because he'd only been able to fit his two spares into his pants' pockets. The first he had stuck in his sweater to pull out and throw into the crowd.
He stared at them now. Did his teammates really think he hadn't considered getting past everyone?
But that was the whole point, replied the reasonable corner of his mind. They didn't think you would. If they did, they might start looking too closely, and put everything together.
Maybe I wouldn't mind so much if they did, he whispered back. Maybe they would understand. Maybe...
Are you really willing to risk it? Are you really so strong that you'd be able to walk up to them tomorrow and tell them?
Togusa's grip tightened dangerously on a grenade as his vision blurred. This time, he let the tears fall.
No.
He wasn't that strong.
Maybe he never had been.
(1) "Flashbang grenades" are a variety of stun grenade. They cause very little physical harm. When they're set off, they let out a blinding (1 million Candela) flash and deafening (170-180 decibel) blast of sound. A perfect tool for distracting people, don't you think? As to how Togusa gets his hands on them...well, he has some resources that he doesn't want Section 9 to know about.
I want to say this here and now: there is a lot more to Togusa than what we're shown. In the episode CHAIN REACTION, he walks among the refugee slums and doesn't even twitch. In fact, Togusa is quite comfortable, and the only emotion he seems to generate is pity. He shows a similar fortitude in the opium dens.
In the episode RE-VIEW he takes out the narc squad members rushing through the door with relative ease. He's only been with Section 9 for a year; despite his amazing ability to learn and retain, not even Togusa would be able to use their training so comfortably in such short time.
My conclusions are this: Togusa lived for a long time on the proverbial wrong side of the tracks, and somehow managed to pick up some kind of martial arts training that he's kept up with. This episode has actually convinced me that the past I've constructed for Togusa might have some validity -- with both his experience in the asylum as well as what happened to him afterwards.