AnimeFEST 2003 Fanfiction Contest
2nd Place

It Takes Two
A Patlabor Fanfiction
by G.L. Sandborn



     "Noa?  We're almost there.  Get ready."  Asuma's voice
crackled in Noa Izumi's headset.  It was comforting and
irritating at the same time.  He was always so bossy.

     "Okay," she replied, sounding less sure that she was.

     Moments later, she felt the transporter slow, then stop.

     "All units, return to base."

     Captain Goto's recall order sounded relieved, in a way. 
Since going on duty three days ago, they had been on one call
after another.

     "What's happening?" Noa called.

     "Construction labor operator was drunk.  Looks like he
passed out thirty minutes ago.  The construction company has
things in hand."  Asuma's voice also sounded relieved.  Day after
day of calls had taken its toll on everyone - even Ohta.  She
could hear the man screaming about how unfair it was his Ingram
didn't even get to launch.  Of course, they had all gotten used
to his maniac outbursts.

     Since they had to wait for traffic to clear before
returning, Noa climbed out of Alphonse and carefully resealed the
hatch.  Riding in the air-conditioned transporter cab with Hiromi
was better than her cramped Ingram.

     Sitting opposite the big transport driver, she stared idly
at the scenery.

     "Cheer up.  At least no labors were injured," she heard him
say.

     Glancing over at him, his enigmatic little smile reminded
her that he knew how she felt about labors.  They were more than
just a collection of parts and programming.  They were alive and
had personalities as diverse as the humans that controlled them.

     "It's not that," she said in her usual cheery voice.  "I was
just thinking about two people and their problems."

     "Problems?"  Hiromi's smile faded into a concerned frown. 
He had a way of looking worried whenever someone told him their
troubles, as if the troubles were his own.

     "It's nothing important, I guess."  She shook her head to
clear it.  "We'll just have to work this out for ourselves."

     She knew he wouldn't press the point.  That was good.  She
needed to talk to someone.  Hiromi, despite his agreeable nature,
wasn't that person.

     Back at their remote base, Noa and the others turned
everything over to the mechanics before heading to their section
office.

     At the foot of the stairs, she caught Asuma looking her way
and felt herself blush.  This was getting out of hand.  She knew
what needed to be done but was reluctant, to say the least.

     When she entered the squad room, it was empty except for
Takeo Kumagami, updating her report on the day's fruitless chase
through Tokyo traffic.  She wasn't exactly the right person but
she probably wouldn't laugh at her for asking a few questions.

     Noa edged a little closer, hoping and dreading Takeo's
attention.  She was smart and older but difficult to talk to
about personal matters.

     "If you want to read it, give me a moment to finish," Takeo
said as she continued typing, never once looking Noa's way.

     The younger girl fidgeted and cast a quick glance at the
door to make sure they were still alone.  "It's not that," she
said with some light phoney laughter. 

     "Then what is it?"

     With a final glance over her shoulder to make sure they were
still alone, Noa leaned closer.  "I need advice."

     "Oh?  What sort of advice?"  Noa could tell she had Takeo's
attention.  The woman continued to type but her fingers had
slowed to a more deliberate pace.

     "Personal advice."

     Takeo's fingers stopped and hovered over the keyboard. 
"Personal?"

     "Yeah, I mean, you're experienced - with men."

     "What do you mean by 'experienced'?"  Takeo abandoned typing
all together and turned to face Noa with a frown.

     "I guess that didn't come out right," Noa admitted with more
nervous laughter.  She was never good at saying the right thing. 
"What I mean is: how can a person tell another person how they
feel about them, if that other person is a person of authority
that acts like they don't even know the first person is alive,
socially, even though they see each other almost every day?"

     Noa cursed herself for being so inarticulate but she had no
experience at this sort of thing.  That's why she was seeking
help in the first place.

     After several seconds of Takeo trying to piece what Noa said
into some semblance of coherent speech, she finally cleared her
throat.  "Yes, well, that's a tough one.  Maybe you need to talk
to someone with more... experience.  Say, Captain Nagano."

     Noa hung her head.  This wasn't what she wanted.  She wasn't
ready to talk with Shinobu Nagano.

~*~

     Asuma Shinohara paced a couple of small orbits in the
hallway outside the command offices trying to gather his courage
to go inside.  He paused every now and then to listen at the
door.  He couldn't hear much; just Captain Nagano turning pages
in a book and the occasional squeak of a chair as someone shifted
position.

     Pressing his ear against the door, he tried to determine if
both Captains were in the room.

     "Hear anything interesting?"

     With a sharp cry of surprise, Asuma flattened himself
against the door.  Captain Goto remained bent over, as if helping
his young officer listen.

     "No, sir!" Asuma squeaked, his usual brash nature
evaporating at being discovered.  "I mean, I am here to speak to
the Captain, sir."

     Still bent over, Goto cupped a hand as if to keep their
conversation private.  "Which Captain?"

     "You, sir."  Asuma could feel his sweat making his hair
stick to the office door glass.

     "Well, I'm here.  Do you want to talk inside or should we
just stand out here and whisper?"

     Asuma's reprieve came with the warning alarm.

     "Second Section mobilize!  Two Forty-seven in progress."

     "Gotta go, sir!"  Asuma waved a salute and scampered for the
stairs.

     Goto chuckled and began to follow.  Young officers were so
much fun.

~*~

     Unlike their earlier call of the day, this one ended before
they even got out of the hangar.  Seems the reported out of
control labor was just malfunctioning and the construction
company's labor support team were able to shut it down before it
did much damage.

     Goto relayed the news to his team from his vehicle.  Most
took it well.  Looking in his rear view mirror, Goto made a face
at the sight of Ohta's Ingram bouncing on its transporter as the
officer vented his displeasure.

     "That man needs a hobby," he muttered.

~*~

     Hours later, as darkness fell on the Special Vehicles base,
Noa approached Captain Nagano on the catwalk overlooking the
maintenance floor.  She figured the time had come to talk to the
one person who might have the answers.

     "Captain, Ma'am?" Noa said with an innocent salute.  "Could
I ask you something?"

     "Certainly."  Shinobu continued to watch the mechanics, like
a cat avoiding eye contact but still very much aware of what or
who was nearby.

     Noa scuffed a boot on the metal catwalk floor, her hands
clasped behind her back.  She knew this wasn't going to be easy.

     Shinobu retained her business-like manner as she glanced at
the young officer.  "If this is something official, you really
should be talking to Captain Goto.  You're in his section."

     "I know, Ma'am, but this is something I'd be uncomfortable
talking about to him."

     "Uncomfortable?"

     "Well,... it's something personal," Noa said in one long
sigh.

     "I see."  Shinobu frowned at the mechanics before looking
around.  "We can't use my office.  Goto is in there.  How about
the locker room?"

     Noa eagerly agreed and followed Captain Nagano towards the
women's locker room.  She was ready to go anywhere to get this
over with.

     Inside, Shinobu sat on one of the benches and motioned for
Noa to take a seat on an opposite bench.  "So, what's so personal
you can't talk to your commanding officer?" she demanded.

     "I..."  Noa swallowed hard and blinked at the floor.  She
couldn't even look at the older woman.  "I've been getting
letters from home."

     "That's good," Shinobu said, nodding in an understanding
manner.  "It's important to stay in touch with your family."

     "Yes, well, my father has been dropping hints."  Noa sighed
and slapped her legs.  "Oh, who am I kidding?  He's being a lot
more direct than that."

     "About what?"

     "He keeps writing about all the girls I went to school with
back home; who is dating who, which girl is getting married,
stuff like that."  Noa wrapped her arms around herself and
huffed.

     "So?"

     "Don't you see?  He's hinting that it is time for me to
settle down and get married.  I don't want to get married - not
yet, anyway.  I mean, yeah, sure, I DO want to get married
someday but I'm a police officer.  I've got a good job.  I've got
a career.  I like what I'm doing.  You know what I mean?"  Noa
paused and checked the Captain for a reaction.  Seeing only a
uncertain frown, she pressed on.  "Mother is no better.  She
keeps writing about my old friends having babies.  Can you
believe it?  Babies.  I'm not ready to have babies."

     Shinobu blinked a few times.  "I don't see the problem. 
Just tell them that you're not ready yet."

     Noa snorted.  "You don't know my parents."

     "I'm sure they're just being normal parents who want the
best for their daughter," Shinobu said with a smile that
suggested she finally had a handle on the problem.

     "Normal," Noa snarled.  "You know what they said?  They said
that I need to act before I'm twenty-five years old.  You know
why?"

     "Christmas cake," Shinobu said, her expression slipping
slightly, like the term for a woman who wasn't married by the
time she was twenty-five had more meaning than it should.

     "Exactly.  I'm only twenty-three.  I've got two years to go
before I have to face that.  Who knows how I'll feel in two
years?"  Noa collapsed back on the bench with a grunt.

     Shinobu's face had gone completely blank, her vacant eyes
staring at the locker across from her.  Maybe talking to Captain
Nagano wasn't the best idea.

     "Uh, Ma'am?" Noa asked after a few moments of uncomfortable
silence.  She ducked her head slightly and maneuvered it so she
broke the older woman's gaze.  "Did I say something wrong?"

     Shinobu jerked and blinked at Noa.  "Huh?  Oh, yes, well, I
think you should just tell them how you feel.  I'm sure they will
understand."

     "Babies," Noa said with a sigh.  "Can you believe it?  Are
all parents like that?"

     "I don't think --"

     "I mean, would YOU want to have a baby?"

     Shinobu's reaction was priceless.  Her eyes went wide and
her jaw dropped.  She looked like someone had just slipped a
fresh squid down her pants.  "I...  I...  I don't know," she
finally gasped out.

     "Does your mother pester you about it like mine?"

     "Uh..."  Shinobu's lips moved like they were trying to form
words but her mind kept overruling them.

     Before Noa could press the issue, they were interrupted by
the warning klaxon.  Another call for Second Section.

     "Excuse me, Ma'am," Noa said, bolting to her feet and waving
a quick salute Captain Nagano's way before dashing out the door. 
She glanced back before the door closed and saw the Captain still
staring with a confused expression at the lockers.  

~*~

     Four hours later, Second Section returned from another
frustrating call.  Caught in traffic, they were unable to even
reach the call site before being ordered to return.  Another
false alarm.

     Climbing out of the transporter, Noa caught Asuma's gaze for
only a moment before he quickly looked away.  Why did she ever
think this would work out?  Two people, working closely every day
but unable to express how they felt about each other.  She
regretted having gotten this much involved.  It was beginning to
effect them both.

~*~

     Asuma intercepted Captain Goto on his way back to the
Command Offices.

     "Could we have that talk now?" he asked.

     Goto checked his watch and nodded.  "I think Captain Nagano
is meeting with First Section down in the briefing room for
another hour.  It should be safe."

     Asuma sighed and followed Goto up the stairs to his office.
All the way, he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

     As his commander settled with a grunt into his squeaky desk
chair, Asuma snapped to attention in front of the desk.

     "Oh?  Is this going to be a formal discussion?" Goto asked
with a raised eyebrow.

     Asuma's hand wilted out of its salute.  "No, I guess not."

     "So, what's on your mind?"  Goto leaned back in his chair.

     "I need some help."

     "Oh?  On what issue?"

     Asuma squirmed slightly.  "Are you very experienced with...
you know, women?"

     All that question did was cause Goto's left eyebrow to pop
upwards.  "Experienced?  Women?  What do you mean?"

     Asuma cleared his throat.  "Yes, well..., I mean..."  He
closed his eyes and cursed when his mind went blank.

     "I wouldn't think that a handsome young man such as yourself
would have any problem with the ladies."

     Gathering himself, Asuma tried another angle.  "What I mean
is: can you give me any suggestions?"

     "On ladies?  I suppose."  Goto shrugged.  "Women are very
unpredictable.  They seem to place a high value on things we
don't consider very important."

     Asuma eagerly nodded.  "Good, good.  What else?"

     Tucking his hands behind his head, Goto leaned back and
stared at the ceiling.  "They are very sensitive to sights and
smells.  They like things that look nice and smell even better."

     Asuma caught himself leaning forward.  Things were finally
going the way he had hoped.  Captain Goto's information was just
what he expected of an experienced police officer, complete and
detailed.

     "They especially remember little things that show your
thoughtful side.  It could be a flower or some other little gift. 
It doesn't have to be expensive, just something that shows you
are thinking of them."  He paused.  "Are we talking about anyone
in particular?"

     "Uh..."  Asuma felt the icy fingers of panic slide up his
spine.  He certainly couldn't answer THAT question.  "Not really. 
Why do you ask?"

     "No reason," Goto replied with another shrug as he rocked
forward, resting his elbows on the desk.  "Just thought it might
be helpful if I knew who the woman was."

     Feeling himself beginning to sweat, Asuma forced a nervous
laugh.  "Is it really that important?"

     "I suppose not."  Judging by the man's sly expression,
Captain Goto obviously thought he had this discussion figured
out.  "They all react to the same stimulus."

     "What if - and I'm not saying this is the case - the woman
in question was a fellow police officer?" Asuma asked.

     "Well, that could be a good thing and it could be a bad
thing.  She's still a woman."

     "What if the woman police officer in question was determined
to continue with her career?"

     "That could also be a good thing or a bad thing.  On one
hand, the two of you would have mutual experiences to share and
would be able to relate to each other's problems --"

     "Would you try to talk the woman into giving up her career
and becoming a housewife?"

     "That depends."

     "Depends on what?"

     "On the woman in question."

     "How do you tell the woman in question how you feel about
her and stuff?"

     "You just tell her."

     "Just like that?  Without any preparation?"

     "Naturally you would have to do it in a romantic place, say
over an expensive dinner or while walking together in the
moonlight."

     "So, you would take this woman out in order to tell her how
you feel?"

     "Atmosphere is very important to women.  You can't very well
tell her in a police patlabor hangar."  Goto laughed at his
observation.

     "Or in the workplace."

     Goto's laughter faded.  "Especially, the workplace.  That's
inappropriate to the maintenance of discipline - or so I've been
told."

     Asuma nodded and added a salute.  "Thank you, sir.  I think
everything is clear now."

     "Just be careful," Goto warned.  "I don't want any broken
hearts around here."

     "I'm sure everything will work out fine," Asuma added before
turning towards the door.

~*~

     Goto chuckled aloud after his office door closed and Officer
Shinohara's footsteps rapidly echoed down the stairs.  Young
love, what a special time in life.

     Pulling out a comic book, he almost missed Captain Nagano
drifting into the room.  A little uncertain how to take her
manner, he eyed her curiously as she crossed to her desk and sat
down.  She seemed... distracted.  Almost like her mind was on
something.

     "Problem?" he asked, returning to his comic.

     Fingering a book on her desk, she frowned.  "I just spoke
with one of your people.  I know it wasn't proper, in a command
sense, but she wanted to talk to another woman."

     "She?"  Goto tried to not look her way but it wasn't easy. 
He was getting curious.

     "I'm not sure I should be telling you about what we talked
about."  Shinobu squirmed in her chair, causing it to squeak.

     "Then don't."  Goto knew she would rise to the bait.  She
couldn't resist a challenge and would tell him everything he
wanted to know, if he was just patient.  Maybe he should have
told Shinohara THAT little secret.

     "Aren't you the least bit curious?" she asked.

     "I've always found that curiosity in the area of women can
be a dangerous thing and better left alone."  Goto congratulated
himself on such a safe answer.

     It must have had the desired effect.  Shinobu sat in silence
for a few moments.

     "You may have a problem and don't know it," she finally
said.

     "If you mean Izumi and Shinohara, I'm sure they will work it
out.  It's none of our business anyway."

     "Since when?" Shinobu gasped.  "It is the responsibility of
every commander to be concerned about the well-being of their
people.  Especially if it concerns their happiness.  Noa Izumi is
feeling her biological clock ticking.  She's thinking about
marriage and children.  As her commanding officer, it is your
duty to help her any way you can."

     Goto chuckled.  "Izumi is only twenty-three.  She's hardly
in the desperate state of an older woman."

     "I'm thirty-two," Shinobu said flatly.

     "Really?  I would have guessed younger."  He slumped down
further behind his comic trying to hide.

     "I'm also a woman."

     "Yes, that's true - a woman police captain."

     The sound of Shinobu slamming her hands on her desk caused
him to flinch.  Her chair slid away with a loud squeak as she
stood up.  Did he say something wrong?

     "We have been sitting across from each other for three
years.  In all that time, not once have you even hinted that you
thought of me as more than another officer in Special Vehicles
Division.  I want to know why?" she demanded.

     Goto cleared his throat and turned a page in his comic. 
"Well, in a professional workplace --"

     "There have been plenty of times where we were NOT in a
professional workplace.  I have a phone, you know.  I have a
biological clock, too!"

     "I understand but a police officer never takes off the
badge."

     "Is that all you see in me?"

     "Well, no but since one of us has always been on standby,
there was no point..."  His voice trailed off as Shinobu stomped
around to stand in front of his desk.  He could feel her leaning
forward.

     "You know full well that Special Vehicles division has added
another section.  Section Three's training concludes Friday. 
They take their first duty shift Saturday.  I expect you will
call me for a date no later than Thursday evening.  I expect
dinner and a show.  And take a bath.  I don't want people to
think I'm dating someone with sloppy hygiene.  I've had to listen
to my mother harping about my not being married for seven years. 
Seven years!"

     Goto leaned back holding his comic as a shield to counter 
Shinobu aggressively bending over his desk.  The look on her face
was both frightening and strangely exciting.  "That's a long
time."

     "Yes, it is."  With a final huff, she spun on her heel and
stomped out the door, slamming it hard enough to cause the office
windows to rattle.

     "What on earth caused that?" he mumbled, his eyes wide and
locked on the still-quivering office door glass.

~*~

     In a painfully silent squad office, Asuma sat at his desk
casting worried glances at Noa.  She obviously caught his
expression.

     "You think it worked?" she asked.

     The sound of a door being slammed was quickly followed by
Captain Nagano stomping past on the catwalk.  Every step echoing
through the stunned hangar.

     Asuma drew a deep breath and leaned back in his chair,
crossing his hands behind his head.  "Well, maybe it did and
maybe it didn't."

     "Maybe we shouldn't have done it."

     "No, it was the right thing.  They need each other," Asuma
replied with a satisfied grin.

     "Wait a minute!" Takeo gasped.  "Do you mean..?  Are you
telling me..?"  She stared wide-eyed at Noa.  "When you asked to
talk to me, you didn't want to talk about you and Asuma?"

     Noa blinked and looked over at Asuma.  "What ever gave you
that idea?"

     "Her and me?" Asuma asked with a chuckle.

     The two began to laugh.  

     Asuma slapped the desk with a hand.  "What a ridiculous
idea.  How could you seriously believe I would be interested in
Noa other than as a fellow officer?"

     Laughing louder, Asuma held his stomach with both hands as a
deadly silence descended over the room.

     "Idiots," Ohta grumbled.

     Hiromi and Shinshi slid slowly away from Noa.  It proved to
be a good move.  In an instant, she snatched a trash can off the
floor and dumped its contents over Asuma's head before shoving
the empty container down to his shoulders.  She added a final
slap to its side before turning on her heel and storming out of
the room.

     Practically breaking into a dead run, she flew past the
dazed Captain Goto who was pursuing Captain Nagano.

     "Noa?" Asuma called from the squad office door as he
continued to pick bits of trash out of his uniform.  "What did I
say?"

     He began to pursue Noa, almost colliding with Goto.  The two
paused looking at each other.

     "Biological clocks," Goto said, still staring the direction
Shinobu was last seen.  "Did I forget to mention biological
clocks?"

~*~