The Chikamori Selfacy (A Reboot)
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Generation One
Chapter Four - "Close Neighbours Make for Tense Relations"
Part One
Sunset Valley Police Department
“Hank, did you hear about that Jared got knocked out and beat up?” Constable Tia Rose grinned at Constable Henry Goddard, known to his friends as Hank. Neither of them liked Jared Frio and Hank had run-ins with him in high-school. “Looks like the Chikamori kid took him on and beat him to a pulp.”
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“Could be assault...but y’know what they say, what goes around comes around. Frio’s been doing this for years to other people. Frankly, the way I see it, Tia, the kid did us a favour. If I heard around Varg’s correctly, Stiles McGraw was saying that Frio blew smoke in the face of that kid’s father. That’s assault.” Hank replied. “under s. 34 (1)(b) the act that constitutes the offence is committed for the purpose of defending or protecting themselves or the other person from that use or threat of force; doesn’t matter that it was just smoke being blown in the face. Frio’s intent was to start an altercation. And you know Frio uses any situation like offence to having smoke blown in one’s face to start something.”
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“So what are you saying?” Tia asked a slowly dawning grin on her face.
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“Well, the way I see it, Jared went looking for trouble, and got what he was looking for. The Chikamori kid may have gone a little overboard in his defence of his father, but it was defence of others. Maybe the concussion will teach Frio a lesson.” He chuckled. “And he’d do well to keep the fact that he had the snot kicked out of him by a teen-ager under wraps unless he wants to become the laughing stock of Sunset Valley.”
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“Captain was laughing his rear-end off...” Tia snickered.
“Yeah...I bet he was. What did he say?”
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“Three words: Lose the file.”
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Hank laughed, “I’ll go have a friendly talk with the Chikamori kid...He needs to get a rein on his temper before he turns out like Frio.”
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Three Hours Later
“But he blew smoke in my dad’s face. Hank...”
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“I know...but kid, you gotta get a hold of your temper. You can’t go around beating up everybody who ticks you off...” Hank looked at him with a severe look even though he was trying to keep from cracking up. The thought of Jared getting tuned up and his lights knocked out by this teen-ager was cathartic after all the stuff that Frio did to him when they were both going to high-school. What Haruo did to Frio was satisfying to Hank after getting slammed into lockers by Jared during Grade 8 and 9, at least one time opening up a cut that needed sixteen stitches to close. Jared was one year older than Hank and that made all the difference in how their relations had gotten along. “Eventually, it’s gonna earn you a criminal record. And you don’t want to end up like Jared, do you?”
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“No...”
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“Well...this is your Come to the Watcher moment, Haruo...you need to come with me...” Hank said decisively.
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“You’re not taking me to jail, are you?” Haruo looked at Hank with wide eyes.
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“No...you and I are going for a ride...in the cop car...”
Sunset Valley Cemetery
“Your grandmother was a kind woman...” Hank said as he looked out at the cemetery grounds. “Unlike your mother...” he paused for a long moment. “My dad was an abusive drunk...and took it out on me...when he wasn’t lying on the couch nursing a bad headache...”
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“A hang-over?” Haruo asked as they sat on the bench looking out over the pond where the deathfish circled endlessly.
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“Yeah...when he wasn’t beating us, he was drinking his money away.”
“My mom doesn’t beat me...” Haruo said.
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“Yeah, she does..." Hank corrected him, "...in other ways...” He reached out to put a hand on Haruo’s shoulder and patted it, “The way your mother does it is worse in a way, since the police: me, Tia, Sarge and the Captain; can’t help you and arrest her.”
“Why not?” Haruo’s question was filled with unspoken bitterness, but the feelings behind it could be felt by Hank. Because they were feelings that Hank had felt for a long time against his own abusive father.
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“In order to prove that there is something going on, there needs to be physical marks, like a bruise where she hit you or slapped you, and she has to do it, not you faking it either...otherwise she can just say that you’re making it up or she didn’t do anything and the law doesn’t look kindly on fake accusations, even if there is a real history behind them. You want to have evidence that she can’t make excuses for which means they have to be real bruises made by her. The abusers get really good at lying...so the only thing you can do is for the next three months, cope...then get out as fast as you can.” Hank looked down at his feet. The law was immutable regarding the law of evidentiary support for claims and criminal charges thus until Mayumi hit her son and left marks that could be seen, there was nothing the police and by extension Hank could do for Haruo. “Use your grandmother’s grave-site to come talk to her...if you find that it’s hard to take and if your mom ever hits you, come talk to me and then we’ll be able to do something. I know you and River go up to Pinochle Pond on a regular basis. He gestured over to the white grave marker that stood tall in the moonlight. “You’ve never been to your grandmother’s grave; not even during the funeral?” At Haruo’s negative shake of his head, Hank told him, “That’s your grandmother’s place where she’s buried and she never told you where? Why not?”
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“Mom said it wasn’t important...that when they’re gone, they’re gone...so that’s the end of it. I’ve always thought that was a strange thing to say.” Haruo looked confused. “Like she didn’t care one bit about grandma.”
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“Well...Haruo, now you know...and your grandmother helped me when I needed someplace as a refuge...when my Dad was taking his rage out on me.” That’s why I come here often, just to talk to her.” Haruo looked over at Hank who smiled at him, “I thought you might need this too.”
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“I remember my grandmother and how she took care of me...she died when I was seven.” Haruo’s tone seemed hopeless.
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“Well, don’t listen to what your mom says about your grandmother or about you. You’re a good kid...I just don’t want you going down the wrong path.” Hank nodded quietly, then looked over at the grove of trees lining the area behind the mausoleum. “If you’re quiet, you can hear the birds in the trees, right?”
“Yeah.."
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“Well...that’s the same kind of quiet that you can use to listen to your grandmother here...” Haruo looked up stunned at Hank Goddard. He’d never heard the fact that his grandmother helped the community here.
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Hank and Haruo sat for a long moment while they each thought their own thoughts. Then Hank took Haruo back to the house reminding him to stay calm...and try to cope...then get out of the house away from Mayumi at the first available opportunity.
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River was waiting for him when he returned escorted by Hank, holding her tongue until Hank patted Haruo on the back, gave him a nod and left. “What’s going on? Why was Constable Goddard here?”
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“He told me that I needed to control my temper. That if I don’t in the future that there could be serious consequences.” Haruo looked down at the ground.
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“Did he take you to the police station?” River asked; her look on her face was worried. Haruo’s dreams of a future could have been dashed if he now had a criminal record.
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“No...” Haruo sounded tired. “Const. Goddard just wanted to let me know that he understood why I was so angry; y’know how my mom never goes to see Grandma after she passed away?”
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River remembered the loving gray-haired lady that Haruo’s grandmother was, how she was doted on by the woman and that she was devastated when she’d heard that Grandma Yumiko had passed away.
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Haruo looked over at River, “He took me over there, showed me where Grandma was buried and he told me that he went there to talk to her sometimes.”
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“Why?” River had never known this. “Why would Const. Goddard go talk to your grandmother?”
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Haruo gave her a sad smile. He didn’t need to say anything. But he quietly said, “He and I are more alike than we knew...” he paused, his words more mature than his seventeen years as he looked out at the yard. He’d be turning eighteen in June. “He just doesn’t want me to go down Jared’s path.”
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River enfolded him in an embrace as Haruo slumped on the ground, staring at nothing, taking a deep breath as though he was trying to calm himself.
“Are you planning to go back to the gravesite...soon?” River asked, wondering why Mayumi would try to keep the knowledge of where Haruo’s grandmother was buried away from her son.
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Haruo nodded silently.
“Take me with you...”
(end Part One)
Generation One
Chapter Four - "Close Neighbours Make for Tense Relations"
Part One
Sunset Valley Police Department
“Hank, did you hear about that Jared got knocked out and beat up?” Constable Tia Rose grinned at Constable Henry Goddard, known to his friends as Hank. Neither of them liked Jared Frio and Hank had run-ins with him in high-school. “Looks like the Chikamori kid took him on and beat him to a pulp.”
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“Could be assault...but y’know what they say, what goes around comes around. Frio’s been doing this for years to other people. Frankly, the way I see it, Tia, the kid did us a favour. If I heard around Varg’s correctly, Stiles McGraw was saying that Frio blew smoke in the face of that kid’s father. That’s assault.” Hank replied. “under s. 34 (1)(b) the act that constitutes the offence is committed for the purpose of defending or protecting themselves or the other person from that use or threat of force; doesn’t matter that it was just smoke being blown in the face. Frio’s intent was to start an altercation. And you know Frio uses any situation like offence to having smoke blown in one’s face to start something.”
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“So what are you saying?” Tia asked a slowly dawning grin on her face.
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“Well, the way I see it, Jared went looking for trouble, and got what he was looking for. The Chikamori kid may have gone a little overboard in his defence of his father, but it was defence of others. Maybe the concussion will teach Frio a lesson.” He chuckled. “And he’d do well to keep the fact that he had the snot kicked out of him by a teen-ager under wraps unless he wants to become the laughing stock of Sunset Valley.”
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“Captain was laughing his rear-end off...” Tia snickered.
“Yeah...I bet he was. What did he say?”
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“Three words: Lose the file.”
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Hank laughed, “I’ll go have a friendly talk with the Chikamori kid...He needs to get a rein on his temper before he turns out like Frio.”
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Three Hours Later
“But he blew smoke in my dad’s face. Hank...”
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“I know...but kid, you gotta get a hold of your temper. You can’t go around beating up everybody who ticks you off...” Hank looked at him with a severe look even though he was trying to keep from cracking up. The thought of Jared getting tuned up and his lights knocked out by this teen-ager was cathartic after all the stuff that Frio did to him when they were both going to high-school. What Haruo did to Frio was satisfying to Hank after getting slammed into lockers by Jared during Grade 8 and 9, at least one time opening up a cut that needed sixteen stitches to close. Jared was one year older than Hank and that made all the difference in how their relations had gotten along. “Eventually, it’s gonna earn you a criminal record. And you don’t want to end up like Jared, do you?”
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“No...”
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“Well...this is your Come to the Watcher moment, Haruo...you need to come with me...” Hank said decisively.
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“You’re not taking me to jail, are you?” Haruo looked at Hank with wide eyes.
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“No...you and I are going for a ride...in the cop car...”
Sunset Valley Cemetery
“Your grandmother was a kind woman...” Hank said as he looked out at the cemetery grounds. “Unlike your mother...” he paused for a long moment. “My dad was an abusive drunk...and took it out on me...when he wasn’t lying on the couch nursing a bad headache...”
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“A hang-over?” Haruo asked as they sat on the bench looking out over the pond where the deathfish circled endlessly.
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“Yeah...when he wasn’t beating us, he was drinking his money away.”
“My mom doesn’t beat me...” Haruo said.
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“Yeah, she does..." Hank corrected him, "...in other ways...” He reached out to put a hand on Haruo’s shoulder and patted it, “The way your mother does it is worse in a way, since the police: me, Tia, Sarge and the Captain; can’t help you and arrest her.”
“Why not?” Haruo’s question was filled with unspoken bitterness, but the feelings behind it could be felt by Hank. Because they were feelings that Hank had felt for a long time against his own abusive father.
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“In order to prove that there is something going on, there needs to be physical marks, like a bruise where she hit you or slapped you, and she has to do it, not you faking it either...otherwise she can just say that you’re making it up or she didn’t do anything and the law doesn’t look kindly on fake accusations, even if there is a real history behind them. You want to have evidence that she can’t make excuses for which means they have to be real bruises made by her. The abusers get really good at lying...so the only thing you can do is for the next three months, cope...then get out as fast as you can.” Hank looked down at his feet. The law was immutable regarding the law of evidentiary support for claims and criminal charges thus until Mayumi hit her son and left marks that could be seen, there was nothing the police and by extension Hank could do for Haruo. “Use your grandmother’s grave-site to come talk to her...if you find that it’s hard to take and if your mom ever hits you, come talk to me and then we’ll be able to do something. I know you and River go up to Pinochle Pond on a regular basis. He gestured over to the white grave marker that stood tall in the moonlight. “You’ve never been to your grandmother’s grave; not even during the funeral?” At Haruo’s negative shake of his head, Hank told him, “That’s your grandmother’s place where she’s buried and she never told you where? Why not?”
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“Mom said it wasn’t important...that when they’re gone, they’re gone...so that’s the end of it. I’ve always thought that was a strange thing to say.” Haruo looked confused. “Like she didn’t care one bit about grandma.”
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“Well...Haruo, now you know...and your grandmother helped me when I needed someplace as a refuge...when my Dad was taking his rage out on me.” That’s why I come here often, just to talk to her.” Haruo looked over at Hank who smiled at him, “I thought you might need this too.”
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“I remember my grandmother and how she took care of me...she died when I was seven.” Haruo’s tone seemed hopeless.
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“Well, don’t listen to what your mom says about your grandmother or about you. You’re a good kid...I just don’t want you going down the wrong path.” Hank nodded quietly, then looked over at the grove of trees lining the area behind the mausoleum. “If you’re quiet, you can hear the birds in the trees, right?”
“Yeah.."
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“Well...that’s the same kind of quiet that you can use to listen to your grandmother here...” Haruo looked up stunned at Hank Goddard. He’d never heard the fact that his grandmother helped the community here.
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Hank and Haruo sat for a long moment while they each thought their own thoughts. Then Hank took Haruo back to the house reminding him to stay calm...and try to cope...then get out of the house away from Mayumi at the first available opportunity.
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River was waiting for him when he returned escorted by Hank, holding her tongue until Hank patted Haruo on the back, gave him a nod and left. “What’s going on? Why was Constable Goddard here?”
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“He told me that I needed to control my temper. That if I don’t in the future that there could be serious consequences.” Haruo looked down at the ground.
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“Did he take you to the police station?” River asked; her look on her face was worried. Haruo’s dreams of a future could have been dashed if he now had a criminal record.
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“No...” Haruo sounded tired. “Const. Goddard just wanted to let me know that he understood why I was so angry; y’know how my mom never goes to see Grandma after she passed away?”
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River remembered the loving gray-haired lady that Haruo’s grandmother was, how she was doted on by the woman and that she was devastated when she’d heard that Grandma Yumiko had passed away.
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Haruo looked over at River, “He took me over there, showed me where Grandma was buried and he told me that he went there to talk to her sometimes.”
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“Why?” River had never known this. “Why would Const. Goddard go talk to your grandmother?”
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Haruo gave her a sad smile. He didn’t need to say anything. But he quietly said, “He and I are more alike than we knew...” he paused, his words more mature than his seventeen years as he looked out at the yard. He’d be turning eighteen in June. “He just doesn’t want me to go down Jared’s path.”
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River enfolded him in an embrace as Haruo slumped on the ground, staring at nothing, taking a deep breath as though he was trying to calm himself.
“Are you planning to go back to the gravesite...soon?” River asked, wondering why Mayumi would try to keep the knowledge of where Haruo’s grandmother was buried away from her son.
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Haruo nodded silently.
“Take me with you...”
(end Part One)
