greatinspector | Case File 5 [Action/Voice] This is my Boomshack

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Case File 5 [Action/Voice] This is my Boomshack

[Early in the morning on the 23rd, Zenigata walks outside and into the forest clearing he's been working in for the last few months. The old cop had been carefully constructing a controlled environment for Lupin III to work, as well as a potential shelter for himself should something occur to his own apartment.

Lupin had given him plans, and Pops had followed to the best of his ability, which wasn't inconsiderable. His uncle had taught him how to do most carpentry things, and through his own ingenuity and skill with his hands he'd figured out the rest. Growing up in Post-War Japan had its benefits after all. Men were handy, because if you weren't and something went wrong then you were going to have to spend money that you didn't have to have it repaired. With what he'd had in Luceti, he'd managed to get a workable shack built with some windows,and it was wired for some basic functions, but would need a generator. Instead, some lanterns hung around, which would hopefully provide enough light.

The last thing he had to do was install working locks, which took only a few moments. Pops turned and wiped his hands satisfactorily before pulling out his journal and sending out a broadcast filtered to Lupin,Fujiko, Jigen, and the only person who'd actively helped him work on it, Adele LeBlanc. ]

[Filtered]

Ok folks, the Boomshack is officially finished. If you guys wanna come down, I'll give you keys so it can be used for...whatever really. Adele, I'd like to thank you for your help a few months back. I owe you a drink, so c'mon down here and get it whenever you feel like.

[Then Zenigata makes a generic broadcast to the entire village]

Alright everybody, this is Inspector Zenigata Koichi. I wanna apologize for all the racket around Community House 5 lately, I've been finishing up a project but I'm done now. Everything's fine, no problems. And hopefully with my job done, Lupin's more destructive urges can be curved and the community can be a bit safer.

All this work has got me thinking about my childhood. Is there anyone from Japan that grew up after the war? Y'know, the Second World War? I'd like ta know if that happened in any other worlds, and if it did, what was it like? If you aren't from Japan, then...can you tell me what your childhood was like? I'm just curious, gettin' a bit nostalgic in my old age. Lookin' back on it all, I'm wonderin' if I had an abnormal childhood, or a relatively normal one?

[Obviously Pops is asking because he's thinking back to life as a kid. He's worried that he's just accepting Luceti a bit to easy, and...for some reason thinks that his upbringing had made him just deal with the situation the wrong way.]

[Finally Pops sends off another message, this one [Filtered to Moro]

Moro, if you are still around, I wanna speak to you. If you're busy, thats OK.

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{Here's someone he hadn't expect to hear from again, figured she wanted nothin' to do with him after Valentines!]

Yea, I'd kinda guessed that much Kyrie. Figured you were a bit more isolated than I was growin' up in Kobe. I vaguely remember some of the bombings, but my family lived so far out in the sticks. I dunno, its kinda weird to think about it.

[He declines to comment on the money thing, remembering from earlier that her family wasn't always on the up and up]

What was it like, growing up where you did? D'you remember much?

[Even if coming out of that was not a good feeling, he was still a nice guy and interesting to talk to!]

I suppose that's the way it is when something happens so close, yet so far away at the same time. You feel like you should be more involved but yet, you're not, right?

As for Kyoto, the shrines always come to mind immediately, it's what draws tourists after all. I moved to Tokyo later and the scenery from home is always something I miss, compared to the city.

Over all it was...pretty rigid. There were quite a few wealthy and important families in the area, so there was no running around in the open unless you wanted to be scolded. My sister went to school, but my mother taught me, and I remember always wishing I could wear the uniform too, it looked much easier than traditional clothing! I suppose my childhood is more indicative of a certain group of people rather than an area. I was the first born of the main family branch, so I grew up with a lot of responsibility, like any others who are slated to become the head of a family.

[He feels the same about her. Older folks aren't easy to come by in the sea of teenagers]

Yea, but I was maybe four or so at the time I think, I don't remember too well.

Kyoto's a nice place, yea. I did my training there to be a detective but I got transferred to Tokyo. Bet it was nice spending time there.

So...you spent most of your childhood sorta kept out of sight? And with traditional clothing on too? Man, that must have been rough. I'll admit I'm not familiar with your family's traditions though. You were groomed to be the head of the family?

Ah, we really are the same age - well, would be if our current years lined up. It's hard to remember much at all outside adults talking about it, looking back on it I wish there was some way to have taken in more firsthand information.
We may have gone from Kyoto to Tokyo around the same time as well. There are almost too many similarities. [She laughs]

Yes, they always have the first born female as the next head and start as soon as possible. It's all about upholding tradition, drilling in their values and following the orders of elders. The head is really just a figure, in the end they just do as they're told. At the same time, everything had to be traditional Japanese style, I took tea ceremony lessons and the like, they still frown on anything nontraditional. When I got to be a little older and able to handle it, business came into play as well. Then of course they wanted to pick who I would marry and all of that. 'Groomed' really isn't an overstatement, I was told multiple times that my purpose was to better the family.

[The illegal activity being implied, no real need to mention it...]

There really are. Thats pretty interesting. [A Yakuza member and a Tokyo Met member from different worlds? Weird stuff...]

You're probably better off not remembering much about the war. I know I don't want to remember much about it, it was pretty rough. Bad time ta be a kid, y'know? Honestly makes me wonder if I am taking Luceti too lightly, since there aren't any air raid sirens and nonsense with the war.

[He just nods when her family business comes up. He's somewhat familiar with Yakuza practices in his own world]

Sounds like you had it tough. Its not bad to learn the traditional ways of our culture though. Makes us who we are as a people, no matter what world we're in. Truth be told, even with the differences in our family backgrounds, mine was pretty much the same. The Zenigata family has been cops and magistrates since the late Tokugawa era, so we just kinda get tracked down that road. Had a fairly traditional upbringing, learned all sorta skills from the old way.

It's true, I do remember the sirens, you don't forget a wailing like that so easily. But just because there are no sirens doesn't mean there is no threat.

I don't mind the cultural experience at all, it's important to keep those things in practice. It`s when it gets in the way of living your own life that`s the problem.
That's interesting, though, I've never known anyone with deepseated law-enforcement roots. Did your parents push you to follow suit or was that something you knew you wanted to do on your own?

Well, yea, but it strikes me that maybe Luceti should have some sorta warning system. Since we are at war and all.

[Pops's voice changes, more upbeat now]

Nah, my dad just did his best to make me out to be a respectable individual, and it just sorta clicked. Serve the community, do right by the folks that raised me. Y'know how it goes.

Oh, it should, the people have a right to know.

Well you've certainly done just that, those are good lessons for anyone to learn. Were you close with your parents?

I was pretty close to my dad, yea. He taught me a lot, and so did my uncle. We had to keep together, y'know. Life wasn't easy back then.

How about you? You close to your parents?

Mm, family is important in times like that.

Ah, well, how should I put it...in childhood, I didn't realize quite how much I hated my mother. Then I dated my husband secretly for years while rejecting marriages my mother proposed. Eventually I became pregnant, and when my mother found out, I was disowned and thrown out. I think she was too disgusted to do anything more.
It's different with my father, he wasn't anything like the rest and I still go to visit him.

Geez, sounds like a real Romeo and Juliet story.

You're closer to your father then? Honestly, I was kinda the same way before they died. Mom was pretty quiet, and supportive, but never really had much to say.

Yes, he didn't approve of the family business and was hated by everyone else, so I've always liked him much better.

I imagine it was that way in many families at the time, women were quiet and obedient, right? Well, it's still that way for the most part in my time, but certainly progress from the forties. You mentioned your uncle as well, did your family live near eachother?

As for 'Romeo and Juliet', 'our story' is more like a daytime soap opera.

Hmmm. That is interesting. So...he wasn't part of your families activities?

[He doesn't put any negative emphasis on the phrase, intentionally]

Yea, my uncle and aunt lived with us. Too poor to afford a second home. Was pretty pleasant. And...you'd be shocked. My mom was not a quiet, obedient woman. She yelled and fussed all the time. Its probably where I got my temper from.

Soap opera? How so?

No, he married in through a contract, so he had no choice about being there. It was probably thanks to him I realized I didn't have to go along with what they expected of me.

[She laughs at the bit about his mother] Really? That isn't what I would have expected at all. So, she didn't have much to say outside yelling and fussing, then. If that's how it is, I'm glad I haven't been on the receiving end of your temper.
Even though it's unfortunate, having your aunt and uncle there does sound like it would be sort of nice. And were both your father and uncle police officers?

For example, at the time I became pregnant, another woman did as well, and told him first. So, he married her. We gave birth on the same day, but I was told mine died. He told me just before I came here that it had been the other way around and he had switched them to cover up for sleeping with two women.

Nah, you're not really someone I'd blow up at. Lupin on the other hand...

[He shrugs]

My uncle was a carpenter, taught me a lot. Heh, had to learn as many skills as I could, y'know?

[His brow sorta furrows when he hears about the husband's deception]

Really? That...sounds like somethin' that musta been rough.

That certainly is a useful skill, do you keep up with it these days?

[She smiles weakly]

It was...I spent years thinking, 'if my child had lived and hers had died, he would have divorced her and married me'. Things have never been easy with him. But, I'm sure I don't need to tell you how complicated any relationship is.

I do. I just built up a shack, actually. Just kind of a work-house.

[He nods and frowns]

Yea, you really don't. My ex-wife...and my daughter. That was a mess.

Oh? More than just a toolshed, I suppose?

Your daughter too? Oh, that's right, I think you mentioned that, you have a grandson as well, right? Well, children assume things and side with their mother over their father quite often...

Yea. Also got places to work and sleep. In case something happens to the Community Houses. Always be prepared, ya know?

I do have a grandson, and yea, Toshiko. I wasn't a good father, so I can't really blame her though.

It's beginning to sound more like a bombshelter. [She laughs]

You may be dedicated to your work, but I can't imagine you could be a bad father. Battler ran away for six years after Asumu died and Rudolf married me, thinking his father betrayed his mother. But children can't understand a parent's reasons unless they take the time to hear them firsthand. Your job is important and you should take it seriously. Unfortunately, that may mean spending time away from your family.

It is, sorta. A reverse shelter, for Lupin to build bombs safely for one.

[He laughs right back]

Well, I wasn't around at all. Remember, I was gone for...god, years at a time. Its my job, and its important, but I really do think I coulda been there for them more.

Ah, the more I hear about him, the more interesting it gets.

Years at a time? Really? That's almost impressive. But, the point is, things need to be forgiven, or at least set aside eventually.

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Case File 5 [Action/Voice] This is my Boomshack

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