“Aha, this is a difficult question. Does this include layovers at different airports, or only times when I’ve stayed overnight in another country? And by work, I imagine that you don’t mean anything for holiday, then…
"With these factors in mind, I’m inclined to say seventeen, most of which in Western Europe."
“Ah, actually… I don’t think that there’s really any reason to completely discount the possibility, however unlikely it is. There are many things in this world that have yet to be explained; curses being one of them… I’ve certainly met enough individuals that appeared to have some sort of curse upon them… and having associated with an actual witch, I can’t way that it is really… too far-fetched to think that it is, ah, possible…”
Day 7:
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Where does your character live? Why did they choose it, and how did they acquire it? How do they handle intruders (graciously? violently?)? Describe the space.
Hakuba spends his time divided between two different houses in two different countries as his parents are separated.
Most of the time (prior to coming to tumblr), Hakuba lives with his mother in London. They have a large estate that backs up to acres of preserved woodland. The house itself is a mansion and very European in design. It’s been in the family for many years; his mother, Marion, grew up there. If she has her way, Saguru will inherit it some day, as well. There are stables, a lot of dedicated staff, gardens, a menagerie of animals (mostly different kinds of birds), ponds, etc… all very lavish and well maintained and grand. Grand entryway and stairs (instead of having its own ballroom), very large library, and so on. It’s excessive and good for hosting events. Hakuba is very fond of it.
In Japan, he lives with his father in a different estate. This one is still very large, but not nearly as grandiose as the one in England. Also European in design (built to accommodate Hakuba Sr’s wife’s tastes), it has polished marble floors, large, spacious hallways and rooms, a drawing room, very nice kitchen, underground parking area with fancy cars, garden area, and so on. As the residents are only the Superintendent General, his son, and Baaya, the only staff needed are a cook, two maids, and then the grounds crew that come once a week to maintain the place. It’s usually very quiet.
As far as intruders go… both have measures in place (surveillance footage, alarms, locks, security guards, etc.) and are typically dealt with by them instead of the residents.
…that said, it seems that Kaitou Kid has figured out how to sneak through the security at the Hakuba Estate on more than one occasion, and Saguru himself has been able to circumvent the measures in place to come and go as he pleases in the middle of the night without getting caught. (Perhaps this is related…)
Most intruders are questioned and turned away unless deemed threatening in which case they are brought down town and treated severely. They take the protection of Hakuba Sr very seriously.
Kaitou, though, is typically welcomed with open arms by Saguru, which… may be problematic. Huh.
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Day 6:
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Why do they have their resources? How long have they had them, and how have they served the character over time? (Ex. Contacts, money, political power, fame, etc.)
Hakuba’s parents both come from “money” families. His father’s side is well-established and near noble, with Hakuba Sr himself being the number one ranking officer in Japan. While Saguru isn’t included in the inheritance for this, his father makes more than enough to provide for his needs (and often dips into his own family funds to add to the savings accounts for his son, but that’s hush hush). Also from his father, the younger Hakuba has made several contacts in the police and private investigatory circuits, all of which he abuses as he sees fit.
His mother’s side is also old money and near-noble, but in a different sort of scope. Saguru receives full benefits from this and is included in his grandmother’s will to receive a substantial inheritance (though she’d like for him to be married and provide heirs, conditionally). Saguru has made several social connections this way, as well as personal relationships that he can call upon for favors when needed all throughout Europe.
A lot of his contacts, money (that he actually uses), and fame, however, come from his own hard work in the field, both in England and in Japan. Detectiving! Meeting people! Footwork! Solving cases!
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Why do you even own a gun…
“I’m the son of the Superintendent General, the number one ranking officer in Japan. I was issued a firearm (after all proper testing and paperwork) in order to protect myself and others in appropriate situations. From time to time, my work with the police force requires it, though I’ve (fortunately) never had to use it in the line of duty. I hope to never have to.”
“My… bedtime is technically 22:30, but I normally don’t get into bed until after 01:15, and that’s on days when I am trying to be responsible. This is problematic as I am I’m normally awake between 06:00-07:00."
Somehow we got on the topic of a 7 year-old Hakuba in skype club earlier tonight and I couldn’t stop thinking about it so here is a thing.
To get a little Saguru James Hakuba, all you have to do is take one part Cavin,
add two parts Christopher Robin,
then a healthy dose of Wendy Darling,
stir in some dragon,
marinate in Sherlock Holmes books
and serve with tea and crumpets (especially with butter and honey on top)
TA DA
“This answer has been a long time coming; I apologize for making you wait so long, Emi-kun. I’ve given it a lot of thought and I must answer that my favorite passage is from the end of my favorite story, The Boscombe Valley Mystery:
“Well, it is not for me to judge you,” said Holmes as the old man signed the statement which had been drawn out. “I pray that we may never be exposed to such a temptation.”
“I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?”
“In view of your health, nothing. You are yourself aware that you will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is condemned I shall be forced to use it. If not, it shall never be seen by mortal eye; and your secret, whether you be alive or dead, shall be safe with us.”
“Farewell, then,” said the old man solemnly. “Your own deathbeds, when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace which you have given to mine.” Tottering and shaking in all his giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room.
“God help us!” said Holmes after a long silence. “Why does fate play such tricks with poor, helpless worms? I never hear of such a case as this that I do not think of Baxter’s words, and say, ‘There, but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.’”
"This was an instance in which Holmes refrained from following strict procedure in lieu of protecting someone (or in this case, someones). The law and its officers, I know, do all that they can to make things fair and just, but the law is not perfect. Judges, juries, lawyers, and so on are not perfect. No one is infallible. Because of this, there is a margin for error which is at times, unfortunately, enormous.
"Part of our duty as a detective is to not only examine the facts, but also the intention and motivation of the criminals and others involved to determine the true nature of the crime. Someone stealing a loaf of bread because their family is starving and they had no other choice is, of course, entirely different than someone who steals a loaf of bread in order to hurt the reputation of a business owner or commit tax fraud… both of which I have seen in the field in my years as a detective.
"Some have said that emotion really plays no part when discovering the truth, and in part, that is the case… You do have to lay aside biases and heart to get to the core of corruption, BUT, that said, your actions afterward must take that human element into account. After all, we detectives do plenty of things that are in a grey area as far as the law is concerned to get to that truth, but we allow ourselves certain leniency based on the premise that we are doing it for the greater good.
"We’re not the only ones who take the law into our own hands, so to speak; there are many who are in positions of power to do as they see fit, and we must trust that every person is doing what they truly believe is right, just, and correct in the sight of the Law and God for the benefit of man. Sadly, that is not always the case. Adding to this sadness is the desperation that it, at times, propagates; adding to the irrational passion that oft creates further criminal activity.
"Ahem, I’m about to go onto a tangent and into Utopia if I’m not careful, here. The point that I was trying to make is that, sometimes, we detectives (and other officers of the law) do not disclose all details according to procedure and protocol if it is in the best interests of those involved (innocent parties, typically), and at times alter the truth to further seal that protection. To be honest, I have done this on more than one occasion, but only with very careful, deliberate thought… and only after gathering hard evidence and materials necessary to correct the decision should it, in the end, have been made in error.
"Such as in this case, where Holmes asked the guilty party to pen and sign a confession and testimony, to be kept under lock and key in case it was needed. Why did he not turn the old man in? The culprit was already on his death bed and doing so would have destroyed two families in terms of reputation and emotional stability. The man confessed, evidence was gathered, and all arrangements made… but inevitably, was not punished for his crimes… at least as far as the courts would have preferred.
"This principle is key to how I operate within my means. No, I’m not perfect, nor do I claim to be, but I want to help people with the truth, not make them fearful of it.”
“As for portrayal of Holmes… there have been many, many wonderful actors over the years, and I am fond of many. Too many to really choose a "best,” as they each play up different aspects of his character. For this, however, I will give an honorable mention to actor Ben Syder in the 2010 The Asylum film, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Much like Holmes, Syder pulls off the role as a sort of diamond-in-the-rough, shining and brilliant despite the rest of the film’s… ah… oddities.
“Regardless, I enjoyed it, mostly because of the Holmes and Watson that they chose, but it was certainly different! Who would have thought – dinosaurs and Sherlock Holmes?”
Day 5: Resources and abilities
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Where did they learn their abilities?
Most of the things that Hakuba knows he learned either in school or from professionally taught classes and tutors after school and during the holiday breaks. No real shortcuts here; just good, honest hard work. Fortunately, his family has had the funds to back up his many intellectual pursuits.
If they have an income, where does it come from?
Although still in high school, Hakuba does quite a bit of work on the side. Most of his income comes from the private consulting work that he does as a detective. He collects monthly retainers as well as per-hour fees, all of which is billed and invoiced at the end of the month. It’s worth noting that he also works with the police force for a set amount of hours per week (depending on school), but all of that is an unpaid internship, anyway.
Do they have a job? Do they like it? How do they feel about their co-workers?
As mentioned previously, yes, Hakuba has a job. A couple of them, really. He enjoys the consultant work quite a bit; actually more than the police work if he were to be honest. But he has decided to ignore that part. Still, working as a police officer’s assistant (in the homicide department, of course, working with other investigators) definitely has its perks. Which includes his co-workers.
Hakuba, for the most part, genuinely enjoys the company of the officers and respects them and what they do. He doesn’t feel entirely like he fits in, per se, but they’re kind enough to him… though he can never be sure if it’s because of his own conduct and merits as a detective, or if it’s because he’s the son of the Superintendent General.
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Day 4: Favorites and habits
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What are some of your character’s hobbies? What do they do with their time?
When not working on cases, Hakuba is usually looking for cases, going to class, or reading. To say that he reads a lot would be an understatement. He’s also an active austringer, and hunts with Watson as he can on weekends. Other non-reading activities include jogging, tennis, archery, the shooting range, camping, hiking, and fencing. But mostly reading.
Favorite color? Blue.
Favorite music artists? The Beatles, Muse. Queen, Lady Gaga, Maroon 5, Carla Bruni.
Movies or TV shows? All of James Bond, The Bourne Identity (original miniseries), anything Sherlock Holmes, Ocean’s 11, The Italian Job, Amelie, Moulin Rouge, City Lights, My Fair Lady, The Holiday, Dr Who, Monty Python, The Pink Panther.
Books or authors? Black Beauty, and anything by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (OF COURSE), James Herriot, Charles Dickins, Anthony Berkeley Cox.
Actors? Sean Connery, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Audrey Hepburn, Annette Funicello, Nicole Kidman, Grace Kelly, JIMMY STEWART.
Political stance? Are they active in politics or do they not care? Hakuba’s a pacifist, though active in politics only inasmuch as his mother asks him to be… which is still a lot. He helps with charity benefits and writes PSAs for things on occasion… but is more focused on helping people deal with lying. greedy bureaucrats than fighting them himself (that’s Marion’s forte).
What are some of their pet peeves? People not paying attention to procedure. He understands that there are times when you have to circumvent the rules to get things done, but it should at least be acknowledged. Breaking the law should be done intentionally, not by accident, geez. Also, he dislikes when people are unnecessarily loud and aggressive. But mostly it’s the ‘did you even think about how this would effect others?’ thing that bothers him the most.
What sort of gifts do they like? Small tokens of affection that say “I know you enough to know what you like, I wanted to give you something to prove that to you.” and “This reminded me of you, which is great because I love thinking about you.” And notes… little notes. He loves those.
What is their favorite time of day? Favorite weather? Season? Dusk/Drizzling/Spring
Where do they like to spend their time? His office, the library, or the police office.
Favorite food? Favorite drink? Hot drinks, soft drinks, or alcohol? Chicken Cordon Bleu/Tea/Hot (though he does like scotch and cider).
Favorite animal? Horse!
Do they have any pets? Do they want any? He has two dogs in London (Mycroft and Irene, Golden Retrievers), and his Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Watson. He’d love to have more, though right now might not be the best time since he travels so much. One day, though, he’ll get horses.
What relaxes them? Tea, good conversation, reading, tea, alcohol, tea, cigarettes, more tea.
Do they have any bad habits? Alcohol, cigarettes, sleeping around at those charity benefits… uhhh… Oh, and working too hard.
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