Case File 4 [Voice/Action] Pops is up to something....

[greatinspector]

[Inspector Zenigata hates Mondays. He hates Mondays after a weekend he can't freakin' remember even more. After all this time here, though, he's learned to just accept that something weird probably happened to him last weekend. It's a pretty crappy thing to accept, sure, but what choice does he have since those Malnosso punks won't show up and let him arrest them. Add to that the weirdness of that Were-Yeti incident...and you've got a cop who REALLY needs a distraction.

Regardless of the funkiness of the last few weeks, he wakes up and gets a move on. The man's got plans for today. Starting with a trip down to the shops, where he's picking up nails and a hammer, as well as various lengths of wood gathered from around town. He's got a project in mind, for the benefit of his sanity and the residents of Community House 5. The pickup process takes a few hours, so feel free to stop him or give him funny looks as he wanders between Community House 5 and the shops, whistling while he works.

After gathering supplies, the sounds of sawing, hammering, and generalized construction can be heard in the woods behind Community House #5. Zenigata is making quite a racket. After a while, he appears via the journal, saluting like any civic minded individual doing the community a service.]


Hey, anyone out there like to give me a hand? I'm tryin' to put together a little work-shack out back. Figured it would be a good way to keep a certain someone from blowing up apartments again. If you don't wanna help, thats fine. Just figured I'd give everyone some warning. Also...if there's anyone around who'd be willing to bring me some extra nails and maybe some water, that'd be great. Rather not stop workin' once I get started...

Comments

[voice]

[greatinspector]

I'm workin' on a place so you can work and NOT blow up my damn apartment building.

[Pops is impulsive, pissed off, and needing a project. Besides, he's building you a shack out of a sense of civic duty. He can't arrest you, doesn't mean he can't annoy you.]

[voice]

[redjacketthief]

[Thus, Lupin will annoy him right back.]

Where are you going to put it? Did you do a few surveys? Did you even make up any blueprints?

[If Zenigata had bothered checking up on Lupin, he'd find that Lupin has been staying up for days straight, with glasses on and charcoal smudges on his fingers. The remaining room that wasn't a bedroom has been converted to a drafting room--there are papers all over the place.

Lupin's fully refreshed at the moment though. That missing weekend? He woke up on Jigen's couch. He has no idea how long he was passed out.]

[voice]

[greatinspector]

I'm putting it a safe distance from House 5, out in the woods. Found a nice piece of level ground out here, and yea I did check it. As for blueprints, I figured I'd start cutting the wood and making a foundation before worrying too much about the inside. You got blueprints, bring them out and help.

[voice]

[redjacketthief]

Pops...

Stop. Just stop. You're doing it wrong.

[He has plans, Inspector. Good plans--and he'll ask for help if he wants it!]

[voice]

[greatinspector]

Nope. Doing it just right. You want to help, fine.

[He's not arguing on this one]

[voice]

[redjacketthief]

You draw it out first, then you do the foundationing, walling, cutting, nailing...and all of those fun -ings.

You don't just...get brick and mortar and build. Kids do that

[voice]

[greatinspector]

[He did draw it out. It looks something like this http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n57/Godeslas/boomshack.png]

I do have a plan, you know. I've put up plenty of field command centers in my day. To catch you, remember? Look. I'm putting the foundation frame together. If you have more blueprints, I'll wait for you to bring them over.

[voice]

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin can almost guaran-damn-tee that he has something a little better, and isn't willing to budge on it. He stares at the book gravely before putting on his coat and scarf.]

I'm on my way.

[Not to help; he doesn't trust the Inspector, and doesn't want to see him kill himself.]

[voice]

[greatinspector]

Good. Bring some water and nails, would ya. And your...plans...I guess

[He REALLY isn't that much of a slouch when it comes to construction! Lupin should have some honest faith in the man after all this time...]

[Action]

[redjacketthief]

[He arrives all right, with a bag of supplies (including nails and water!) and his drafts neatly rolled up and tucked up under his arm. He never bothered to take off his glasses, and the haste in which he gathered everything lends a clumsy, scholarly air to his usual rakish appearance. Following the staccato of hammers pounding on wood, he arrives quickly.]

Pops. [louder.] POPS. [He drops his bundle on the ground and stalks over, offering a bottle of water.] Now...what the hell?

[Action]

[greatinspector]

I'm workin' here. [Zenigata takes the water and takes a swig] Seriously.

[He gestures to a large stack of wood, nails, and various other construction supplies. All he seems to have done is nailed together some long 2x4s into l-shapes, the frame of the house]

Makin' a frame. You got some plans for me to work with?

[Action]

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin sees that...and isn't entirely certain what he's looking at. Pardon him if he seems a little wary while passing off his blueprints--and don't mind the fact that he's already detailing tables and furniture in the lines.]

Here. Are you sure you know what you're doing?

[Action]

[greatinspector]

[Zenigata chuckles]

Yea, I do. My uncle was a carpenter, taught me a lot about it before he died. My dad always wanted me to follow him into that business, and stay outta the law, but...well, you know.

[Action]

[redjacketthief]

...

Pops. You're being domestic.

Stop

[Action]

[greatinspector]

Nope. [Zenigata starts going through the blueprints, honestly impressed. He nods, and starts taking some measurements]

This is pretty good, Lupin. Shouldn't be too hard to work out.

[Action]

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin stares, dumbfounded by this turn. Zenigata shouldn't be this tame. It wasn't allowed. Where was the restless hound that always surfaced whenever Lupin spent any time in prison?]

...

Who are you, and what have you done with Zenigata Koichi?

[Action]

[greatinspector]

[Zenigata gives Lupin a blank look, completely baffled]

Uh...nothin? My uncle used to be a carpenter. It keeps me focused sometimes. I like working on stuff like this. And with all the shit that's been goin' down? I'm STILL not sure I'm not a freaking yeti. And forgettin' last weekend?

[Action]

[redjacketthief]

....even with all this, I can never do something this, I dunno, normal.

[shrug.] If I wanted normal, I'd have stayed in Japan after graduation and become a translator or something. This place...[he sighs.] This place just isn't...you know.

[Action]

[greatinspector]

[Zenigata shrugs]

No, it isn't normal at all here. But sometimes normal is nice instead of completely screwed up. There is a reason I became a cop instead of a carpenter, ya know? I just sometimes find this sorta stuff relaxing. Its normal, sure, but sometimes ya gotta do something like this so you don't and do something that gets somebody hurt.

[Action]

[redjacketthief]

[Yep, those were words pointed directly at him. Lupin looks away, smoking idly--thoughtfully.]

...you do what's right for you, Pops. I can't be content with this.

[Action]

[greatinspector]

Well good for me that I'm doing this mostly to keep myself from freaking out. That its a workshop for you is another matter entirely. Now, why don't you start measuring some wood out, since it's your design.

[Action] 1/2

[redjacketthief]

...

[Action] 2/2

[redjacketthief]

...

I dunno if you want me to thank you or not.

[Action]

[greatinspector]

If you wanna thank me, start measuring.

[Zenigata shoves a pencil and measuring tape at Lupin]

[Action]

[redjacketthief]

[Measuring, drawing, cutting things up...these weren't new. Usually, though, they were for some kind of ulterior goal...and not with his rival at arms.]

I tell ya, Pops. This is weird.

[Even saying that, he's already setting his supplies down and getting started anyway.]