Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful
Romiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North
America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans.
No copyright infringement is intended.
==========================
Officer Haiyashi
Chapter 1
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by TeW
Last Update 7-31-2000
==========================
Ranma looked around as he'd entered. Despite all the fights he'd been
in, all the bad guys he'd defeated, all the would-be muggers he'd
stopped, he'd never been in the Nermia police station.
Not that he hadn't seen police officers around. There was a police
kiosk between the Dojo and Dr. Tofu's clinc. He must have seen it a
hundred times, usually there was an officer in there, watching those
passing by with a gentle, kind, but watchful look. They'd had officers
over at the Dojo too, sometimes asking questions, sometimes asking for
help against some of the weirdness that Nermia seemed to attract.
This was different. There was an air of seriousness here, a busle and
energy he hadn't expected. At least his goal was obvious. A heavyset
older man with a serious expression sat behind a counter near the
front. He was speaking into a phone, but his eyes tracked Ranma
carefully. He walked over and waited patiently for the man to be
finished with his call, keeping back a step in a mostly symbolic
respect for the privacy of the phone conversation. The man quickly hung
up and waved him over.
"What can I do for you?" He asked. It was possible that Ranma was
imagining the slight emphisis on the word 'you'. Or maybe not. The
police pretty much stayed out of the way of the martial artists in the
area, and he was probably the best known.
Ranma pondered the question for just a moment. He'd thought about how
to approach this on the way here, but had not make any particular
choice. That didn't bother him, he was at his best handling things on
the spur of the moment.
"I'd like to report a possible murder."
There was a moment's pause. The man had done something behind the desk,
probably starting a recorder or something.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that please?" He said.
Ranma nodded. "I'd like to report a possible murder. Or maybe I should
say I believe someone will die shortly, and it will probably look like
murder."
"You're Ranma Saotome?"
So the man *had* recognized him. "Yes."
"Just a moment please."
The man picked up the phone again and had a very short conversation
with someone. Almost as soon as he hung up a younger man came up to the
counter from the maze of desks and offices behind it.
"Mr. Saotome? I am Deputy Chief Haiyashi, will you please come with me?"
He was led into a moderatly sized office and waved to a chair. The
Deputy Chief sat behind his desk and looked carefully at Ranma.
"I must say that I've wanted to meet you for some time Mr. Saotome. I
did not, however, expect you to come and see us. You're group generally
deals with problems directly and we try to stay out of matters of honor
when we can."
"Yeah, I've noticed you guys don't get involved with us much. Actually
I appreciate it." Ranma admitted.
"But now? You said something about a murder."
Ranma fidgetted slightly. This wasn't quite what he'd expected. Still,
it could be worse. At least this guy was being fairly polite. He took a
deep breath and decided to lay it on the line. Either they would help
him or not.
"I don't know if you've all noticed, but things have been getting
pretty intense the last month or two."
The Deputy Chief nodded. Whether it was in encouregement or agreement
Ranma couldn't tell.
"Well, you probably know we all have a code." Ranma said.
A slight frown from the Deputy Chief.
"Some kinda set of rules we use to keep us from using our Art in ways
that we shouldn't. It's different for everyone, and some are a
bit...flexable in how they use them, but pretty much everyone agrees
that we shouldn't get innocents - people who arn't martial artists -
involved, and except for blood-debts fight's aren't to the death."
"Yes, I did know that. I wish you included keeping property damage to a
minimum in that list." The Deputy Chief said dryly.
"Some of us do. I admit I didn't used to, but I've seen how hard some
people have to work to rebuild after we knock down a wall or put a hole
somewhere it shouldn't be. Some don't though. But that's beside the
point."
"The point being?"
"Things are changing. Since the failed...well since a few months ago a
lot of the martial artists seem like they're starting to loose it, to
give up their code in some cases. The fights are getting dangerous, to
us and to those who just happen to be around."
"Can you name names?"
"Yeah, the Kuno's - both Tatiwaki and Kodachi, Shampoo and her
great-grandmother Cologne, and...Ukyou Kunjion." He finished
reluctantly.
"What about Hibiki and Mousse?" The deputy director asked.
"You know them?"
"It's my job. I'm in charge of the 'Special Projects' department.
Around here that mostly means you, your friends, and the odd events
that seem to happen around you."
"Ahh, okay. Anyway Mousse seems to have calmed down a lot recently, and
Ryoga Hibiki hasn't been around much and is behaving himself pretty well
when he is around."
"Odd, those two have been the closest to out of control in the past."
The Deputy Chief said.
"Like I said, stuff has changed."
"So why do you think there's going to be a murder?"
"Someone's going to loose control soon. I'd guess either Kuno or
Shampoo. When that happens either they're going to kill someone or I'm
going to end up having to kill them to stop 'em. Either way someone's
going to be dead and you guys are going to have to get involved."
"I see. You know that there's not much we can do until someone is
actually hurt or killed?"
"People are getting hurt all the time now."
"Hmm...I suppose we could start applying the law a little more
dilligently. Still, I don't like the idea of sending my officers
against the likes of you. They could get hurt, and a battle between the
police and the area martial artists would not be good for anyone."
Ranma narrowed his eye's in anger at the man's attitude. "It's your
job." He bit off.
The man leaned back and looked at Ranma calmly, seeming to ignore the
fact that the angry young man in front of him could take out everyone
in the buliding without breaking a sweat.
"You're right of course. Still, I like to have some chance of success
before I begin sending my people in to be killed."
Ranma leaned back and relaxed, nodding slightly to show he understood,
even if he didn't totally agree.
"We do have *some* recourse. The Chinese girl could be deported easily
enough if she was caught in any kind of crime, or even if there were
sufficent substantiated complaints. The Kuno's are more difficult, as
their social position and money protect them. Still, that can be used
against them if the right pressure is brough to bear. Yes, there are
some things we can do."
"I'd appreciate it." Ranma answered.
"There are a few conditions."
"Like?"
"First, you must swear on your families honor that what you've told me
is true. You never seemed like a schemer to me, but I have to know
you're completely serious about this."
"I do so swear on my families honor." Ranma said simply.
"Thank you. The other condition is that if we find a possible solution
to this problem, that you will help us implement it."
"I don't understand." Ranma said.
"I need to investigate the situation. I may find a solution - a way to
reduce the tension or keep people away or some such - that requires
you're help."
"Sure. I *want* to fix what's happening." Ranma agreed.
"Excellent. If you have some time you could help me considerably by
telling me what you think the situation is now."
"Uhh...I've got about another half-hour. I guess I can tell you the
basics though."
The man pulled over a pad of paper and a pen. "Well then, why don't you
tell me why you think each of your friends is about to lose it."
* * * *
"Chief?"
"What is it Haiyashi?" The man said gruffly without looking up from the
report he was reading.
"We've got a situation."
The police chief signed and put down the report. "Is this a 'we have
five minutes to live' or an 'our grandchildren might have to worry'."
"Somewhere in between, like most things, but a hell of a lot closer to
the first."
"Give it to me."
"I told you earlier that I though something was going on with the
teenage martial artists recently?"
"Yeah, I take it you were right." The chief said in a weary tone.
"And how. I just had one Ranma Saotome in here asking if there was any
way we could help keep things from getting out of hand."
At the the chief sat straight up in his chair and Haiyashi knew he now
had the mans full attention. Haiyashi understood why too, they'd never
been approached by them before. The martial artists took pride in
taking care of things themselves, even if it killed them. And sometimes
that's exactly what happened. Not in Nermia, not in the last twenty
years anyway, but it did happen.
"Could he have just paniced?" The chief asked.
"Saotome doesn't panic." Haiyashi said.
"Anyone can panic." The chief countered.
"You pay me to track these folks. You don't want me to tell you
everything that happens, so I don't. That means you've got to trust my
judgement on these people becase you don't know everything that's been
happening." Haiyashi said quietly.
The chief's face turned red. "Damn it Haiyashi, I don't have to take
that lip from you..."
"What did I say that was untrue?"
The chief turned a rather interesting shade of purple. Finally his face
changed back to a more normal color.
"All right, Haiyashi, I had that coming. I don't like having a 'special
projects' department here, but I know it's necessary." He reached for
the phone. "I can at least get a couple of the martial arts trained
officers transfered here temporarily."
"Don't bother."
The chiefs hand froze on the phone. "Why not?"
"They'd just get hurt. The best we've got wouldn't last a second
against any of that bunch."
"That's not what the assessments say." The chief countered, but he took
his hand off the phone.
"You know those are crap. The same people who train the officers make
the assessments. Even if they wanted to be fair, the don't know what
they're dealing with here. I'd like to cram those assessments down..."
Haiyashi trailed off as his brain kicked into high gear.
"Oh, shit. You've got that look again." The chief said. "Every time you
get one of these ideas, I always end up neck deep in paperwork."
"I need to investigate, but I don't have a way to talk to these people
without their figuring out something is up. But what if we had an
outside expert evaluate some of our martial arts trained officers.
Someone like Soun Tendo?"
"Damn, that's good. They'd never go for an outside assessment normally,
but if it was part of the cover for an investigation..." The chief
trailed off in though, then gave Haiyashi a thoughtful glare. "You're
one sneaky bastard Haiyashi."
"Why, thank you Chief."
"Now I think it's time you gave me some details. What did young Saotome
have to say?"
* * * *
"Father?" Kasumi called. "Father! You have a visitor."
"I'll be there in a moment Kasumi!" Soun called out from the dojo.
"Well, Genma old friend, thanks for the work out."
"No problem Soun, you'll be ready to start teaching classes again in no
time."
"Ha! I wouldn't have to worry about it if that wedding had gone off."
Soun grumbled.
"True. Still at least those two aren't fighting quite so much anymore.
Our families will be joined old friend, it will just take some time."
Genma said, slapping his friend on the shoulder.
"I'd better go see who it is. After that you'd best be prepaired to be
beaten at a game of Shogi." Soun said, knowing his friend preferred
playing Go and hurring out shut out any arguments he might make.
* * * *
"Hello, Mr. Tendo. I am Deputy Chief Haiyashi of the Nermia Police
Department."
"Oh, is there a problem officer?" Soun asked.
"Not at all, as a matter of fact I came here hoping you could help me
out with a minor problem." Haiyashi said cheerfully.
"I suppose, what kind of problem?"
"You may know that our police force - I'm talking about the Tokyo force
as a whole here, not just the Nermia branch - keeps a group of Martial
Arts trained officers. These officers are given advanced training and
used in a variety of situations where unarmed combat may be needed such
as undercover work, crowd control, and certain types of covert
observations."
"Hmm, yes I believe I have heard something about that." Soun said.
"The training team that assessed their capabilities is...perhaps a
little biased. I have several of these officers being cycled through
the Nermia district, I was wondering if you could arrange for them to
meet several of the local martial artists here for some sparing. It
would give them some additional experience and give me a chance to do a
sanity check on their assessments."
"I don't *think* that would be a problem..."
"There would, of course, be a small stipend to help cover your
inconvienence and time." Haiyashi added.
"Ah, yes. We can work something out I'm sure. Now what kind of
opponents were you thinking of?"
"Well, perhaps putting them against experienced martial artists your
age would be unfair to them. Maybe some of the younger students? I
believe your daughter is in high school, she's a martial artist, isn't
she?"
"Yes, that could be easily arranged, and her fiancee Ranma is quite
good for his age. Maybe a few of thier friends who are martial artists.
They would all be in their late teens, do you think that's too young?"
Soun asked.
"No, I think that would be just about perfect. Being challenged by
younger opponents - much less beaten - would give these officers some
incentive to improve their training." Haiyashi said with a wink.
"I...see. Yes that can be arranged. Any particular time?"
"Well the officers are comming in tomorrow. The day after that would
work well, assuming that's not too soon for you."
"Not at all. How about 4:00? That would give the youngsters time to get
home from school and warm up a bit."
"Excelent, I'm looking forward to it."
* * * *
"Boshi?"
He thought. Deputy Police Chief Haiyashi,
veteran - despite his young age - of many a sticky situation involving
guns, criminals, explosives, and in one case a raging elephant, paled
and started sweating.
"Yes Miss Tendo?" He asked, turning and putting on his best smile."
Kasumi gave him a searching look. "You are Boshi Haiyashi? You used to
live two blocks down the road?"
"I'm...afraid so Kasumi." The young police officer hung his head in
shame as the memory of what he'd put this beauitiful young woman
through when she was younger.
"I *am* sorry for the way I treated you back then."
He looked up into her face to see if his appology was enough. It *had*
been a long time ago after all. Her eyes were narrowed, though it
almost looked like she was smiling a little. It wasn't the nice smile
he'd gotten when he came to the door. That had been cheerful, friendly,
and somewhat vauge. This was none of those things.
"You owe me at least fifty lunches." Kasumi said.
"Err...I guess I do. I, uh, could pay you back?" He tried.
"That would be nice."
"Umm...how about starting tomorrow? I often have lunch at a nice little
kasan across from the police station, but if you would like someplace
else?"
"That will do for this time Boshi."
"Kasumi, would you mind not calling me that? I've never really liked
that name."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Haiyashi just nodded and walked out the door as fast as he could
without looking like he was running away.
By the time he got back to the station he'd managed to calm down and
look at the bright side. Those episodes of his bullying Kasumi had
always haunted him. Paying it back with a few lunches - well, a *lot*
of lunches - would make him feel better about it. Besides, Kasumi
wasn't the skinny tomboy with the missing teeth and skinned knees
anymore, she was quite pretty. Not that she was likely to have anything
to do with him, but at least she'd be pleasant to look at. And if all
that was true, why was he dreading lunch the next day?
=== End Chapter 1 ===
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