Poli

I have to write the monthly report...

Ugh... but I'm so tired...

Huh?

Why isn't the tablet responding?

Looks like it's broken.

*Sigh*... Nothing seems to go my way.

Guess I've got no choice but to use a notebook.

Phew.

All done!

...

It's been a while since I wrote in my notebook. It's bringing back memories.

There aren't any other people around, are there?

It should be in the very back...

Er...

Ah! Found it!

Wow, this has seen better days.

Maybe I'll flip through it for a moment...

...

What a beautiful morning it is!

Hello, Poli.

!!

Huh? You two usually come later.

Yeah, we decided to come in early today.

If you want to be a proper police officer, diligence is of the utmost importance!

... I suppose you have a point.

What's that in your hand?

It looks really old.

Oh, this? It's, er...

Oh! I think I know what it is!

It's probably some trash that you're thinking about tossing.

Were you in the middle of cleaning?

What?! No!

I could never throw this away.

Oh, really?

If you can't, then I can throw it away for you.

That's not what I meant.

I don't want to throw it away, because it means a lot to me.

Huh? Are you holding something precious to you?

I can't see anything.

Of course you can't.

You're looking at a towel.

Whoops!

*Sigh*... They've barely been here five minutes and it's already starting.

I need to get rid of all the towels in the Police Station.

But then what will you use to dry your hands after washing them?

Grrr... Don't bicker with me over this.

Understood!

Anyway, you said that notebook means a lot to you.

Mind if I ask what's in it?

This notebook is...

...

It's a secret.

!!

Poli having a secret that you can't tell us? I'm shocked.

You being shocked is the least shocking thing of all.

Hmm...

We haven't received any complaints today that are urgent,

so I'll be stepping out for a bit.

Where are you going?

I'll go with you.

Where I'm going is a secret, so don't follow me.

Oh my goodness, TWO secrets that you can't tell us? Now I'm doubly shocked!

Grrr!

Did you ever finish that report of yours, Miranda?

Not yet, but I'm about to start on it!

What about you, Quiry?

Obviously not. I just got here.

Good then.

Both of you stop wasting time with idle chit-chat and get to work on those reports.

As for me, I'm going on strike for the day.

Take good care of the station while I'm gone.

P-Poli, wait!

What in the world are you going on strike for?

You're talking to the towel again!

Th-this can't be...

That isn't the Poli I know.

Commander!

Commander!

This is urgent! Super urgent!

It's Poli! She's...!

Phew...

Poli left the station!

I think she's angry at us.

Well, yeah, but... this time it felt a bit different than usual.

It seemed like she wanted to be alone.

Do you think she doesn't want to be with us anymore?

Is Poli quitting the police force?

And is... is it because of us?

She didn't say she was quitting.

She just said she was on strike for the day.

That's the first time she's ever said something like that, so we're not sure what to do.

Could you help us, Commander?

Thank you so much!

Oh, right.

Miranda, you noticed that Poli was holding onto that notebook really tightly, yeah?

That's right.

I asked her what about it was so important to her, but she said it was a secret.

And when I asked her where she was going, she said that was a secret too.

Just like that, she's got not one, but TWO secrets, out of the blue!

It was really shocking.

It's not a certain thing, but it does seem that way, yes.

She really didn't want to let us see that notebook.

All right.

We'll hold the fort while we wait for you and Poli.

Thanks for helping us with this, Commander!

*Sniff sniff*

I know that scent.

I'll be out in just a moment.

Commander? What brings you all the way out here?

Oh, I see.

So Quiry and Miranda went to you.

Grrr... They should be writing their reports like I told them to.

Then again, I should have expected as much from them.

Upset?

I'm not upset.

I simply wanted to be alone for a while.

If I hadn't put on a show of anger, I could have never gotten them off my tail.

Nothing in particular.

I think I just haven't had much time to take a break as of late.

And it got me thinking about a lot of things.

Hehe, I'm glad you agree with me.

Huh?

Did Miranda and Quiry talk about the notebook too?

Hmm... This notebook is...

No, it's fine.

It's honestly not all that important, which somehow makes it more embarrassing to talk about.

This is the notebook I used when I first became a police officer.

Yes.

Anyway, now that I've rested for a bit, I should head back and put their minds at ease.

Not really, but it feels wrong to leave them stewing in their own discontent for this long.

Yes, I already finished everything.

Unless something comes up, I have nothing else to do.

R&R?

That may be true, but...

I'm not exactly well-versed in recreation.

Being away from the station at this hour feels odd to me.

Besides, I'm worried about Quiry and Miranda.

...

Having said that... All right, I'm in.

Let's go indulge in some R&R.

Positive.

Quiry and Miranda will be fine.

They're both capable officers.

And besides that, it's true that I am a bit worn out.

I was flipping through the notebook earlier,

and as a rookie officer, I used to make sure to rest and have fun whenever I was going through a rough patch at work.

It might be fun being the old Poli again for a while, as it were.

Given that it's a police notebook, its intended purpose was for work notes only. The fact there are personal entries shows how inexperienced I was then.

Quite a bit different from how I am now, wouldn't you say?

Whenever work was getting to me,

it says that sweets are the go-to.

Follow me, Commander.

I'll lead the way!

Welcome, Master.

Welcome...

Miss Poli.

Did you just call me "Miss"?

I've never been called that before.

I'm sorry, did I make you uncomfortable?

Oh, no! I'm just not used to it is all.

I'm glad.

Then, I'll guide you to your seat.

Thank you.

Hmm...

I have to admit, it feels a bit awkward being here.

Anyway, what are you going to have, Commander?

Hehe, all right.

Let's see, then... hmm...

Apparently the omurice is the big hit here, so I'll get that...

And two strawberry parfaits.

Very well. I'll have that ready for you in just a moment.

This is exciting.

Police officers normally have to be on call at all times, so it's really difficult to get out like this.

All those late nights I spent wrapping up my work really paid off.

Hehe, thanks.

Anyway, looking back at these entries, it seems I often had a tough time with work.

At the end of each of these entries, I write:

Treated myself to some dessert after resolving the case.

No, it's not.

I suppose that shows I've grown up.

Thank you for waiting.

Here is your omurice and the parfaits.

Thank you!

Huh.

Why are the parfaits two different colors?

Mine seems to have a more brownish hue to it.

*Sniff sniff sniff*

Hold on, that smell...!

I'm picking up the scent of sweet potato.

That's my absolute favorite flavor!

We adjusted the recipe slightly to match your preferences.

We hope you enjoy it.

I'm sure I will! Thank you!

*Chomp*

*Munch munch*

!!!

It... it's heavenly.

I can't believe how you managed to get such bold flavors.

I'm glad you like it.

How did you know I'm a fan of sweet potato?

We maintain up-to-date records on the culinary preferences

of all the ladies who are living in the Outpost.

Miss Poli, you're responsible not only for the safety of this place, but the Ark as well.

You're doing incredible things.

Thank you for helping all of us feel safe and comfortable in this place.

P-please, you flatter me.

I'm only doing my job.

Well, I think the fact that you make our lives so much easier is remarkable.

As an ordinary citizen, please accept my humble thanks, Miss Poli.

I...

... Thank you for saying that.

I hope you had a nice time!

Take care, Master and Miss Poli.

Hmm...

Hmm.

It seems like I enjoyed taking walks.

How about we go for a stroll to help with our digestion?

Ahhhh...

Taking a walk is always lovely.

There are so many different scents about.

*Sniff sniff*

??

I smell something suspicious.

Let's check it out.

Hey, you!

Hand over that motorcycle!

Why should I do that?

I watched a movie yesterday,

and all the villains were riding motorcycles.

So hand it over!

Black Typhoon won't let anyone else but me ride her.

I'm sure it'll make an exception for me.

...

*Sigh*

I knew it. Something strange is afoot.

It doesn't seem like a big deal, but I'll intervene just to be sure.

All right you two, that's enough. A.C.P.U.

Stop what you're doing.

Poli, good timing.

Can you get Drake off my back?

I'm not going anywhere! ... Unless it's a jail cell, in which case, I'm game.

What's going on here?

Drake was trying to ride Black Typhoon without my permission.

I was in the middle of asking you for permission!

And I refused to give it!

So I was trying to convince you!

Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.

Right back at you!

Wait a moment.

Drake, do you have a driver's license?

What a foolish question! Of course I have a driver's license.

What about a motorcycle license?

... Motorcycle license?

Is that even a thing?

It certainly is.

Black Typhoon is larger than a typical motorcycle, so you'll need a special license to ride it.

... Driving without a license is indeed irresponsible.

Very well. I guess I have no choice.

In order to become the ultimate villain, I must first go get my motorcycle license!

Take good care of the bike for me in the meantime.

Officer.

Yes?

You're doing a great job.

Keep it up.

Was that... a compliment?

Good grief.

Anyway, thanks for the help, Poli.

I didn't even think of bringing up the license thing.

No problem.

I know you two wouldn't have come to blows,

but I've seen plenty of altercations like that end up becoming physical.

So I figured I would intervene.

Getting involved in squabbles like this

must get pretty draining.

It can be some days, but other days it's not so bad.

Regardless of whether it is or isn't, it's my job.

You're a real pro.

You're always helping me out.

Thank you.

...!

Don't mention it.

Anyhow, I better get going.

Come on, Black Typhoon.

...

A lot of people seem to be thanking me today.

Hehe. It feels nice hearing you say that.

But you know, I was pretty clumsy when I was new to the force.

Oh yes.

...

Let's go somewhere quiet.

I think I can do it now.

I'll tell you the story of when I had just started being a police officer.

The Commander's Room is the perfect place to share this story.

...

Hmm... Where should I start?

I've been working all hours of the night for the past few days,

and it got me thinking

all sorts of things:

Am I being too perfunctory in performing my duties?

Am I even doing my job all that well?

Of course.

I'm not a machine bereft of emotion.

But then this notebook caught my eye.

As you probably could have guessed,

it's from when I was human.

I was completely different back then.

I was clumsy, and overly cautious.

I would be reeling from a single compliment and be devastated by a single complaint.

In other words, I was your typical rookie officer.

I made a lot of mistakes too.

You may find this hard to believe,

but I used to be afraid of citizens.

That was part of it,

but it was more of the thought that my actions could result in innocent people getting hurt which terrified me.

I didn't trust my own judgment.

Who could possibly have faith in me if I didn't even trust myself?

That fear caused me to be overly passive in my duties.

The only thought in my head was to finish work quickly and get some rest.

That's why I find Quiry and Miranda so remarkable.

They don't get dismayed from their mistakes or doubts, and instead always remain motivated.

It's that tenacity that shows me they have a true and sincere love for their work.

... Of course, there are days when they drive me up the wall, but still.

Maybe that's why I couldn't tell them about this notebook.

I was embarrassed.

These pages contain all of my past mistakes and failures.

Not exactly things I'm proud of.

I felt self-conscious admitting how much of a coward I used to be,

especially to the two of them, who take their work so seriously.

The way I was at the start of my career was entirely different from them.

Leaving the station today was just me avoiding the situation.

Now that I think about it, maybe I haven't really progressed all that much since then, hehe.

Huh?

What are you patting my shoulder for?

... It does feel nice, though.

I can feel my worries melting away.

Sure.

I feel I can be comfortable sharing these mortifying stories with you.

Maybe it's because you see me for who I am?

Huh? What do you mean?

...

You're right.

Many people thanked me,

and that's when I realized:

I'm no longer afraid of the citizens, and they trust me now.

I'm not the rookie I used to be. I've grown up.

That's why I was able to tell you my story.

Thank you, Commander.

On the contrary. You've done a lot.

If it weren't for you, I'd probably have simply wandered around aimlessly before heading back to the station.

When I have a lot of thoughts running through my mind like today,

I look at Quiry and Miranda, compare myself to them, and end up feeling like I don't measure up.

Thanks to you, I now have the confidence to show them my notebook.

Now I can tell them I've had my awkward moments as well, hehe.

Hehe, thanks for the compliment.

Having said that,

is it okay if I come to you sometimes just to let off some steam?

I used to eat sweets and go for walks when things got tough,

but now, all I'll need are a few pats from you, hehe.

Nothing will get me in better spirits than that.

Aahhh... It's really addictive.

I will!

You can always count on me.

As a member of the A.C.P.U., I'll protect every last citizen, including you, Commander.