daemonized | RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

[Sonova- Okay. Well, too late to take this back. But okay, time to be pedantic and only answer exactly the question that was asked.]

That she hadn't run away from home.

If not that, then what?

[But this is Togusa, and Ardyn will be lenient enough with his old student to back down a little, if told to.

But he has to at least try to indulge his curiosities a little.]

[Izunia is continuing to engage by the unspoken rules, so Togusa will, too.]

That she had been abducted, taken by someone she'd met on the Internet, instead of going to run away with them willingly.

I see. A far more malicious circumstance, and one that would require a dedicated set of minds to further unravel the mystery.

[He could continue. But.]

I take it you know that Retrospec has been acting particularly annoying latey? And so I'm going to assume that you didn't mean to send me this.

I didn't. But I've spotted what you're talking about.

[There is a very long pause before Togusa sends another message, like he was debating whether or not to say it.]

Kato was found, after she'd been taken out of the state. No harm done to her. But, it was no thanks to the RPD.

And she admitted to merely running away from home, instead of being abducted?

Other way around. She was actually in danger, and the Department wasn't convinced of it.

She got found by the feds, who weren't specifically looking for her, but happened across her in a larger bust. Once she was found, Kato's family went to join her and then shipped back home to Japan, so, as far as Recolle was concerned? They never saw the end of the case.

I only know because I checked up on it. Even though I wasn't supposed to.

I didn't tell anybody, not Misaki, not my superiors, not even Koutarou, that I found out I was right. Didn't want to play the 'told you so' card.

Ah, I see. I can only imagine how disheartening that news must have been to find out. It's difficult to not cry foul, when one /knows/ they were right about something as serious as this. But politics and propriety often keeps a tongue leashed.

Are you afraid of something like this happening again? Of not being heard, or listened to?

Yes.

[Okay, that's the short answer, but it takes Togusa a minute to figure out how to elaborate.]

I'm not in a position to be taken seriously on potentially severe cases, because of my rank. But how do I gain the attention of the upper brass and get the promotion I need while keeping in line with protocol?

Is it so bad when protocol is stretched just a bit thin, on occasion?

This may sound bad, coming from your old law professor. But there are only a few number of ways to garner attention; always keeping your head down is not one of those ways.

That being said, I cannot hope to understand what it is /actually/ like, working day-to-day at the department. I only know of stories second-hand from my brother.

I suppose you're right. Next time we might not be lucky.

It's easy to get lost in the day to day, like I said, you keep your head down, and you can just end up focusing on the next call, and the next.

Your brother...he shakes that up. Like he's trying to knock everybody out of their haze and remember to look around. It actually makes work more fun.

He's always been that way. Even when was little; having to watch over him was the biggest handful you could ever imagine.

But re: his job, I'm glad to hear that he can at least keep things interesting. A personality fault utilized as a merit.

I can only imagine. Remind me what the age difference is between you two? Fynn's just about my age.

So, how come you learned to compromise and at least play enough of the political game to advance your career, and he....

...really didn't?

Fynn's twenty-four now, so that makes me thirteen years older than him. Obviously, he was the baby in the family. And I think because of that, my parents did not expect quite as much from him as they did me. He had always been something of a reckless, free spirit; doing what he wanted, when he wanted to. He was allowed a leniency that I didn't have, and I suppose a few life skills slipped through his fingers because of it.

He still has plenty of time to learn, though.

He does. Not like I've got that much experience on him, but he looks up to me as if I do.

But there are some life skills he's got me beat on, and he gives himself proper credit for it. He can outshoot me with his eyes closed. If I'd decided what I wanted to do earlier, I think I'd be closer to his level. But he's definitely got the jump on me there.

Regardless, do set a good example for him. He needs someone to be level-headed, to balance out that impulsive personality of his.

[Give Togusa a minute, because this is a strange feeling.]

I

I'm honored that you think I'd be a good example for him.

He does have a good one in you, even if it looks like it'll take him longer to realize it.

I'm merely stating fact, Togusa.

And the day Fynn even admits that I'm a good role model for him is the day that hell freezes over. But one can only hope, and I thank you for the compliment.

Since we objectively determined what hell was, tell your 2Ls to keep an eye on the thermometer.

He might realize it once he's back out of your hair and you two aren't living in the same place again.

RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

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