first; video

[labrador]

[ The man shown on the feed looks anxious and rather frazzled; while he holds his phone in one hand fairly steadily, the other can’t seem to stop messing with his hair, his fingers smoothing through it as though it will somehow help. It doesn’t. Keith can’t understand just what it is that’s happened in regards to this strange network; this is the only way he can think of to find out. ]

Ah, hello! I realise that you all likely have to put up with a lot of confused messages such as this. I apologise for adding to them. But, you see… I arrived in Locke City a few weeks ago, and have just started out as a police officer. But as I'm sure you can understand, things are rather…

[ Just before he gets to finish that sentence, he’s interrupted by a rather large golden labrador jumping up into his lap, and suddenly Keith drops the phone so that he can deal with the sudden addition to this broadcast. Eventually he speaks again, though his phone is now face down on the floor. ]

S-steady, John, steady!

[ A few seconds longer and a rather loud bark later: ] What I meant to say is that if someone could explain this current state of affairs to me, as well, I would be in your debt. I've never seen anything like this before.

Despite my confusion over this network and suddenly being able to connect in this kind of way, please allow me to help you, as well! I will do my best to serve you all in any way that I can. After all, as a police officer, it is my duty to assist the people of Locke City!

[ And perhaps someone can dispel him of some of his oblivious enthusiasm...? ]

Comments

[earnedmystripes]

[No. No no no no no no no no.

No.

This is not happening. Why is this happening? It's not fair. That poor kid doesn't deserve this. Kotetsu stares at the post as if he could will it to go away, to make Keith forget and continue on in his blissful ignorance, but it continues to be there, and finally, Kotetsu sighs, scrubbing his face as he responds.]

....You wanna grab a drink or something, Keith? It's a really, really, really long story, and not one you wanna be completely sober for, trust me.

[labrador]

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to a drink together, Mr. Kaburagi! But... why should I be drunk for this conversation first, if you don't mind me asking?

[ The worst part is that he's genuinely oblivious, and he genuinely wants to help people. He just doesn't think that things could ever be that bad. ]

[earnedmystripes]

[If it was any other situation, he might be reminding Keith that he doesn't need to call him Mr. Kaburagi or Sergeant Kaburagi or any variation thereof, but right now he can't even deal with that part of things.]

Because it sucks. All of it.

[Well, there are some things Kotetsu doesn't regret, like the friends he's made on the network, but Keith is so young and bright and friendly, he doesn't need something like the network for that.]

[labrador]

I see...

[ It's clear from his expression that Keith is troubled by this news; he's always had a habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve, and ever since he had arrived in Locke City, he'd been doing his best to work hard and fit in. It seemed as though all of that was in danger of tipping over at this point in time. ]

Then if you would like to meet up to explain, I would be most grateful. I do not think it beneficial for me to remain in the dark.

[ It was better to find out sooner rather than later, wasn't it? ]

[earnedmystripes]

[Kotetsu wishes he could stay in the dark. He wishes he could tell him to leave town and never come back, but it wouldn't do any good. Keith is too good of a kid for that.]

Do you wanna come by my place? Less public that way, and might be less of a hassle than getting a taxi later.

[labrador]

Is that alright? I do not wish to be a burden to you...

[ Still, he knows that this is fairly necessary. He just feels bad about it, though. ]

[earnedmystripes]

You wouldn't be a burden at all.

[He's made carte blanche offers to the network to crash at his apartment if it's ever needed, after all.]

I don't exactly get a lot of company or anything.

[labrador]

Alright, then... Would you like me to bring anything with me?

[ Say "yes," and he'll bring half the grocery store with him. ]

[earnedmystripes]

Nah, that's alright.

[He has a feeling once they get into it, Keith won't be all too interested in eating.]

[labrador]

Very well, then! I shall be there soon!

[ And he'll still bring some alcohol, just in case. It will turn out that he needs it. ]

ONTO ACTION

[earnedmystripes]

[Kotetsu will be hovering in the general vicinity of the door until Keith arrives, trying to think of the gentlest way to break it to him and wondering if there's a way to convince him without having to show him the Paul video, or if it's better to just get everything out on the table. Like ripping off a bandaid, getting the pain over with all in one shot rather than a long and drawn-out ache.

(Not that that's a fair comparison, really, because losing your faith in the system is something that doesn't really stop hurting that easily)

There's a six-pack of beer out on the coffee-table in front of the couch, and maybe after they're done with this part they can get more drunk and watch some shitty action movie or something for the night, deal with more of the heavy shit later.

Hopefully Keith rings the bell soon, because he is fixing to wear holes in his floor with all his pacing.]

[labrador]

[ By now, Keith is fairly sure that nothing he is going to hear here will be particularly good. His discussions with people on the network have given him that distinct impression, that by being a police officer alone means that he's in more danger than many of the other Numbered. It's not something that he's let himself think too much about up until now, but on the way to Kotetsu's, it's all that he can think about. It consumes his thoughts like nothing else.

Unsurprisingly, he doesn't take long to get there, because there's too much weighing on his mind for him to want to linger. And even though Kotetsu told him not to, he brought some wine with him, just in case they need some additional assistance in getting drunk later on.

For now, he rings the bell and tries his hardest to wait patiently, though this tests his patience more than just about anything else so far. ]

[earnedmystripes]

[Luckily, he won't have to wait long, because Kotetsu makes a beeline for the door immediately, all but snatching it open. He tries to put on a smile for Keith, but it's a rather transparent one. One would think he would be used to giving this explanation by now, after nearly a full year of dealing with this (wow, has it really been that long?), but it's always different with fellow cops. And Keith is such a vibrant, goodhearted soul, it does feel honestly like he's about to kick a puppy.]

...Hey. Uh, c'mon in, Keith.

[labrador]

[ The reason why he gets that feeling is likely because that's exactly what is going to happen when Keith hears all of the news. As it stands, he's doing his best to try and put on a brave face, because if he doesn't try then he'll start to crumble already. He can't afford to do that, and so at Kotetsu's invitation, he does step inside, though there's some hesitance to his movements. ]

Thank you for having me over. I appreciate this.

[earnedmystripes]

Yeah, 'course. [A beat, and he fidgets a little, uncertainly.] Um, right, the beer's over there—[he points toward the couch and the coffee table]

Sorry it's not too cold, or anything.

[He knows he's stalling, and he shouldn't, but he doesn't know how or where to start, and part of him still wishes there would come a moment where Keith would look at him oddly, unsure why he's here because he's forgotten the numbers and the network and he wouldn't have to explain the corruption.]

[labrador]

Ah, that's quite alright. You needn't concern yourself on that account, anything is just fine.

[ Even so, Keith knows that he can only distract himself with the issue for so long, because the real one is still at hand. Should he stall, go for the beer and let Kotetsu bring it up when he feels particularly inclined to, or-- ]

But first, Mr. Kaburagi... I believe that we should talk.

[earnedmystripes]

[Sighhh he doesn't wanna. Kotetsu frowns a moment, peering over at the alcohol again before nodding.]

You sure you wanna go into this sober? [It's mostly rhetorical at this point; Keith has made it pretty clear that he doesn't want to stall further. He motions for the other cop to follow him to the couch regardless, because it's really just the kind of talk to be had sitting down.]

...Man, where to even start. You moved here recently, right? Where you were before, I'm sure you heard the news stories about the "terrorists" in Locke. Those "terrorists" were referring to us. The Numbered.

[labrador]

Perhaps it would be best if we did. We can always drink afterwards.

[ While it would no doubt give them a boost of much needed liquid courage, Keith was also concerned that it would only end in them focusing more on the drinking than with discussing the issue at hand. That wasn't something which he wanted to have happen, and he was sure that Kotetsu felt much the same way... somewhere deep down.

Possibly. ]

Yes, I only moved here at the beginning of February. But I had heard of the terrorists... to be honest, it was why I was rather concerned about moving here. But who would call the Numbered something like that?

[earnedmystripes]

[Kotetsu figured as much. Unfortunately, that means there's little to nothing he can do to soften the blow of the answer to that question.]

...The police.

[There's a long and dragged-out sigh. He doesn't know where to begin explaining that without explaining other context. Maybe he should just...start from the beginning.]

Bear with me here, but did you ever hear about the Ben family murders? The one thought to be an accident at first, and then later investigated as an arson?

[labrador]

... Is that why people were so concerned when I said that I was also a police officer?

[ Keith looks deeply troubled by this revelation. ]

I know of them, but very little information made it out to our small town.

[earnedmystripes]

A...mong other things.

[He groans a little, rubbing his face. Can he just magically will himself to be drunk without actually drinking to get this over with, please.]

Paul Ben was a Numbered, went to the local high school. When all the freaky stuff started happening in April, he went to the police for help, and he was shot by Chief Edwards, who then arranged for it to be made to look like an accident.

[Boy, his floor sure is interesting.]

That plan changed when one of us got in their way, and they decided to frame him for the murders.

...There's proof on the network, if you want to see it for yourself. It's--painful, though. The kid does actually get shot in the video itself.

[he's learned to be specific on that front, after the incident when he first met Barnaby u_u]

[labrador]

[ Give Keith a few moments to adjust, his whole worldview has just collapsed on top of him. For a while there it seems as though he won't be able to come up with a response at all; he keeps opening and closing his mouth not unlike a goldfish might. ]

... perhaps we should drink something before going any further.

[ That's about all he can manage at the moment. It's almost impossible to wrap his head around it. Alcohol may not completely help, but it could numb some of the pain. ]

[earnedmystripes]

[...Yeah, that was basically his reaction too. Kotetsu only looks at him for a moment before turning away, allowing to feel whatever he's feeling in some semblance of privacy. He remembers shaking on his apartment floor when he first saw that video, having asked for proof in the absence of anyone he knew and trusted being the one to impart that information. Remembers spending the next couple of days calling in sick for the first time in years because he didn't know what to do, how he could ever live with himself if he put that uniform on again.]

I'm sorry.

[That's all he has to say when Keith finally manages to respond, handing him one of the beer cans on the coffee table without another word. He's sorry for the truth, and for the fact that he had to be the one to tell it. He's so, so sorry, Keith.]

[labrador]

[ Right now, it's too much all at once. That isn't Kotetsu's fault by any stretch of the imagination, but Keith realises that he's in way over his head. Being Numbered, knowing of the presence of the network, knowing truth behind the police department that he'd only just joined... Once upon a time, he'd been so sure that he would be able to do something positive, to be able to help people out as a police officer.

Knowing that the police department was mostly corrupt shattered that dream. How could he possibly assist people when they would be watching his every move, regarding him with disdain? Not trusting him because he was a police officer?

There's nothing that Kotetsu needs to be sorry for, but it doesn't stop Keith from feeling quite sick. He takes the beer with a nod of thanks, cracks it open and then spends a fair amount of time staring at it instead of taking a sip. ]

... How long have things been this bad for?

[earnedmystripes]

We don't really know. There's a guy, Detective Jason Sherman, that's the main one involved in all this, he showed up at the beginning of last year, but I dunno if stuff was already in place with the aliens by then or if it started after that.

[There's...a lot they don't know, really. A lot of what they do is thanks to Nick going undercover and pretending to be on the corrupt cops' side. And as angry as he'd been at the time...he can't deny it got them better results than anyone else had.]

I can show you what info we've got on the corrupt cops so far, though.