"Sorry, Inspector. Looks like I won't be keeping my promise again."
"Kou...gami..."
Akane's entire vision was warped beyond repair, the horrifying scene before her filling up every one of her senses. Her mind tried desperately to process what had just happened, but no matter how much she tried to get her brain around it, the Inspector could barely fathom the events that had just transpired.
One moment Kougami was right there, touching her, pushing her out of the way and speaking to her as she saw his smiling face fade away. The next minute, the only thing Akane could see was a literal rain of crimson and broken flesh. Some of the sticky red liquid had covered her face and torso- the disgusting scent of it burning her nose painfully.
She gave little thought to her body's negative reaction to the smell or sight before her though. All she cared about was one thing that she desperately needed an answer for: what in the hell had just happened and why?
Akane's eyes were blank and empty, unsure of anything. Her ears continued ringing loudly, the sound of the dominator firing off still pounding away at her eardrums, making it difficult to hear anything. Unknown to the young detective, a frantic Ginoza was shouting at her as he steadfastly approached her, meanwhile Kasei cackled amusingly in the background.
After a few seconds, the ringing sound finally dimmed down inside Akane's head, giving her some form of hearing back. When Gino's voice finally reached her, Akane tried to turn around towards him. However, instead of meeting the sight of Ginoza, the shadow of a different person suddenly loomed right in front of her gaze. A female in a suit with dark brown hair tied back in a scrunchy stood before her- wearing a look as heartless as the devil himself upon her freckled face. Akane glanced from the other Inspector's familiar face than turned her gaze to the dominator in the woman's hand, noticing it was set on lethal eliminator mode.
It took a moment before the short-haired female's brain put the pieces together. From the gun, Akane turned her eyes back to the spot soaked in an ocean of blood and bone. Suddenly, everything clicked.
"Why..."Akane mumbled, her sight locked onto the matter that had once been Kougami Shinya.
Her teeth clenched together tightly as she choked on a giant lump that had formed in the center of her throat. Akane's eyes shook wildly in her sockets, her face flushing red in fury. Without warning, the brunette jumped up and took hold of the other Inspector's collar as hard as she could.
"WHY DID YOU SHOOT?!" Akane was more furious than she ever had been before. More than when Makishima had murdered her best friend right in front of her. More so than when Sibyl had revealed the truth of the system to her. Even more than when she was handed her grandmother's ear in a box during the Kamui case. Her blood literally felt as if it were boiling; her insides on fire as her heart felt like exploding at any moment. Akane began shaking the person she held onto violently, her very soul feeling nothing but a intensely burning hatred as she locked eyes with the Inspector, "Tell me why...Shimotsuki!"
Ginoza could do nothing but watch as he stood a few feet away from the two, his face paler than a ghost's and despair making up his entire face. Like Akane, he could hardly believe what had just happened. For a minute he thought Akane was escorting Kougami to the vehicle to transport him back for interrogation. A moment later he saw Akane being pushed to the ground, followed by the sound of a dominator screaming out. Just as the Enforcer had made his way over to get a clear view of the situation, only one thing caught his eye before he felt his mind go blank. Kougami's body, expanding, twisting around violently before exploding in all directions, his flesh ripping apart allowing blood and organs to fly out and onto the pavement near where Tsunemori laid.
Now there he stood, having flashbacks to the last time he had seen Akane become this angry, only this time, it was far worst. He could tell by Akane being hardly able to catch her breath, possibly hyperventilating after witnessing such a thing. Ginoza hated to admit it, but he was well aware of how much Kougami meant to her. Now, the worst possible thing had happened. What should he do? Was there really any way to comfort Tsunemori at this point? Would there be any way to calm her? Hell, even he wanted to go over and shout at Shimotsuki Mika. But more than that...
Ginoza turned his gaze upon a smiling Kasei.
More than anything, he wanted to demand answers from the very woman who had sworn to allow Kougami's escort back to the PSB.
"Why,why,whywhywhywhy-" Akane continued to shake Inspector Shimotsuki as hard as she could. All the while, Kougami's face flashed over and over like a movie in her mind. When Mika didn't supply an answer after five minutes of endless shaking, Akane tore her hands away from her and spun around. The 26 year old stumbled back and forth, caught between trying to regain the ability to breath and to scream out as hard as she could. Her mind swirled around like a vortex inside her head, her pupils insanely dilated.
Ginoza became unable to bear the sight any longer and began stepping carefully towards the distressed woman, unsure of what to do. All the Enforcer could think of was to try and call out to her. Hopefully then she'd be brought back to realty enough to take at least a breath.
"A-Akane...hey."
However, Ginoza's efforts had the opposite desired effect.
Instead of responding to him, Akane seemed to fly even deeper into her panic episode. She grabbed her head and stumbled further towards Kougami's remains. Once her shoes were stepping in the pool of blood, the Inspector fell to her knees and began shouting again,
"He broke it...he broke it again. Kougami promised-" In chocolate orbs reflected the images of flesh, eye balls, and organs all souped together. Her stomach churned violently but she didn't throw up. Instead, the screaming continued. Soon, Akane's cries were so wild, they were completely inaudible to everyone around her.
Akane's reaction felt like an iron fist had stuck straight into Ginoza's gut. The man shook in his boots as he watched the woman he cared deeply for fall completely into the worst state imaginable.
Suddenly, Mika broke her silence. What she said instantly made Nobuchika become seething with fury.
"Oh, would you stop with the drama, Inspector? You need to grow up!"
Gino's teeth pressed together as his brows furrowed together. His bright green spheres burned brightly.
Mika walked towards Akane who was doubled over, her face nearly sinking right in the blood she lay in. The younger Inspector clicked her tongue in absolute disgust and shook her head as if completely appalled at the sight,
"My god, and you call yourself a detective? He was just a pile of trash threatening our society. The Chief already told you- that Kougami Shinya would be erased tonight. What else did you expect?"
Akane didn't respond and continued to wallow in misery as she began gripping at parts of Kougami's clothing that had somehow survived the annihilation.
Mika grunted loudly and turned away. She couldn't stand to look at her senpai anymore. It was so completely pathetic. However a pathetic excuse of a woman like Akane had made it to Inspector status remained a complete mystery to Mika, even now.
It was at that moment Gino's temper finally rose to the surface. Of all the things Mika had said to Akane over the years, this took the cake. He could no longer sit idly by and allow this.
"With all due respector, Inspector...!" Ginoza growled at he approached her, ready to give her hell.
Mika showed no interest and simply shot him a glare back, "Enforcers have no right to speak before Inspectors tell them too, Ginoza. So shut up and stay out of it."
As the Inspector and Enforcer went at it, Akane tuned out the yelling and was left alone feeling not misery or despair anymore, but emptiness instead. Tsunemori sat there, her eyes completely devoid of any life or emotion as she stared down at the bloody box of spinels she had found among Kougami's remains. She gently traced the corner of the damaged box with the tip of her finger. As she did so, Akane spoke quietly to herself,
"I...should try lighting one...if I do, he'll show up..." Akane gripped the box tightly and held it to her chest, "Kougami will show up...just like always..."
Akane decided to do just that and dug around in the pocket of her skirt for a lighter she often kept with her for such an occasion. After pulling it out, she removed one of the cigarettes from the box and proceeded to try and light it. She kept flicking the lighter again and again, waiting for the smoking stick to light. In the empty void that were her eyes the sparks from the lighter flew one after the other. Eventually, it finally worked and the cigarette lit. The familiar scent emitted the air around her, pleasing her senses.
The smell traveled over to Mika and Gino. The moment the two smelled the cigarette, both stopped with their banter and turned to Akane. Mika spouted some angry nonsense about the action, while Ginoza frowned deeply as he watched Akane stare at the spinel in her hand quietly.
"...Hey...Tsunemo-" Gino tried to place a hand on Akane's shoulder but froze when he saw her suddenly turn back towards him.
"Ginoza," The Inspector's eyes carefully darted from Gino to the empty areas around him, almost as if she were searching for something. When she didn't find it, Akane forced herself up, took hold of Gino's jacket and looked up at him with her desolate eyes, "...He's not coming."
"...?" The Enforcer's brows creased in concern. He reached down and gently gripped Akane's hand with his prosthetic, "What do you...?"
"Kougami...he's not showing up. But he always shows up when I light one." Akane held up the cigarette and tilted her head slightly. Her voice was as monotone as could be as she spoke, "...Do you know...where he is, Ginoza?"
Nobuchika's eyes widened slowly. He tried to call out to her again but felt his voice catch in his tightening throat. The 34 year old was forced to swallow as he let her continue.
"Did he get away again? I had my eyes right on him, so I don't understand..."
Gino's eyes trembled painfully as his grip on her hand grew, "Akane..."
"Why won't he come..." Akane's face fell, her bangs covering her eyes. The cigarette that was held between her two fingers dropped to the ground and into the blood at her feet, "I don't understand...he always..."
Akane's hand slipped out of Ginoza's as she dropped back to her knees. Gino fell down with her this time, worried beyond belief for her.
"Akane, please..."
However, it now seemed that said woman was once again deaf to anything else around her. She continued to ask for Kougami over and over as Gino tried to gently snap her out of it.
Mika stood there, arms crossed, looking fed up with the situation. She let out a large sight and turned back to Kasei who was now standing with the rest of division 1 that had been called back from their posts. Like Ginoza, each member of division 1 looked completely disturbed by the events. Yayoi especially, considering she had known Akane, Kougami, and Ginoza the longest. It was unusual to see Yayoi with anything but a poker face on but at the moment, her face was clearly beyond upset. Mika felt one little pang of guilt at the sight of the woman she actually cared for but put it out of her mind the moment it surfaced. Ignoring it, she made her way back to the Chief to ask for further orders.
Kasei patted Shimotsuki on the shoulder and mumbled a "Good work, Inspector." before walking over to Akane and Gino.
When he sensed her presence looming over them, the Enforcer decided it was time for answers. Gino removed his hands from Akane and stood up. He turned to Kasei, took a deep breath and braced himself as he spoke out strongly,
"Why...did you go back on your word, Chief? Please explain your actions here tonight."
Kasei raised a brow curiously at the hound dog's question, "My word? I don't know what you mean, Enforcer Ginoza."
It took all the man had now to plow his fist into the old woman's face. Gino breathed deeply, "You had specifically ordered we in division 1 to assist with arresting the fugitive Kougami Shinya. I believe you even told Tsunemori you'd agree to allow her arrest him. So, I ask again, why? Why did you allow Inspector Shimotsuki to kill him?"
The MWPSB boss kept to herself for what seemed like the longest time; when finally, her lips curled up into a disturbing smirk, "I see there was a misunderstanding here, Enforcer, so I shall- No, I will allow the Inspector to clear up any questions on this case." Kasei turned to Mika who quickly followed over.
Mika nodded and locked eyes with the latent criminal in front of her, "You seem to think the Chief ordered you all here to help arrest that man. That, is a mistake on your part, Enforcer."
Gino clenched his teeth together furiously, "Then why the hell did we come here, Inspector?"
"What you all came here for tonight was to fulfill one thing- To make sure Kougami Shinya didn't leave this place alive."
Akane's body could barely been seen jolting in the background.
Out of no where, Yayoi jumped in, hoping Mika would give a better explanation to her at least, "Wait, that wasn't what our orders were." The black haired woman looked towards Kasei and then to Gino, "We were all there. The Chief's orders were 'Surround the area where Kougami Shinya was spotted and await his arrest.' You told us we would only kill him if he tried to resist."
"That..." Mika trailed off as she turned away, unable to look Yayoi in the eye, "...Look, only Inspectors were privy to the entire truth of this case. We needed the Enforcers to come along in case things got...ugly. That's all."
Yayoi and Gino along with Hinakawa and Sugo standing beside them all fell silent. For a moment all that could be heard between the group was the low rumbling of the wind. The next moment, a deep laugh began to sound. Everybody turned to Ginoza who was holding his face in his hand,
"I see...I see now. Fine then," Gino's laughter slowed down, his face still hiding his face as he addressed Kasei again, "I have just one more question, Chief."
Kasei's grin had blown away with the wind, "...Go ahead."
Nobuchika's hand slowly moved away, revealing a frightening scowl that was enough to make Mika jump in her shoes, "Why the hell did you lie to Tsunemori then? What was the point?"
"It was a test." Kasei's grin returned.
"A...test?" Sugo questioned.
"What...? What sort of...test?" Hinakawa mumbled anxiously.
Kasei turned her attention back towards Akane who still sat on the ground, her hunched over back the only thing facing them. The old woman began taking steps towards the young detective. With each movement, the Chief explained,
"Over the several years as an Inspector, Tsunemori Akane's hue has never once hit critical levels. Over the MWPSB's course, I've noticed it common that with time, many Inspector's minds start to become...warped, after a certain period of time. It happens more often then not, you see." Kasei now stood right behind Akane. She pulled her dominator back out and aimed it right at the back of the woman's head, acting as if she were going to fire it again, "...However, there is an exception to this commonality."
Gino neared jumped out of his skin at the sight of Kasei's hand on the dominator's trigger as she held it nearly against Akane's head. Before the tall male could object, his boss' explanation continued,
"Inspector Tsunemori here is that very exception. This was the final test, to see if my theory was truly correct. And as luck would have it..." Kasei's eyes glowed a bright turquoise as Sibyl scanned over Akane's hue. Once the results displayed themselves on the holographic screen, mad laughter echoed once again among the group. This time, it's source being Kasei.
"I always knew it would turn out this way." Kasei continued to chuckle to herself, leaving not only the Enforcers at a loss, but Mika as well.
Shimotsuki was somehow afraid to address the Chief but gathered the courage to do so anyways. She inched a little more towards Kasei, trying to get a glimpse at her face, "Um...Chief?"
Between her cackles, Kasei seemed to mumble to herself. All the while, Akane didn't move one inch from where she was sprawled.
"Even after watching Kougami Shinya, the man you valued more than anyone else, die from before your eyes..."
Akane began to turn towards Kasei. As she did, the old woman's grin widened until her face was practically twitching from the excitement.
"Your psycho pass, it's..."
The moment the rest of division 1 saw the look painted upon Tsunemori's face, each one of the hell caught a horrifying chill down to their very bones. Kasei practically cried out insanely,
"Her psycho pass is as clear and pure as ever! Completely clean! So clean, it's disturbing!"
As Kasei's maddening laughs went on, Gino could barely believe what he was baring witness to. He had always known Akane's mind was one of the strongest he'd ever come across. It shouldn't have seemed so unusual now. Although...the fact that her crime coefficient was an actual 0, his thoughts were only reminded of one thing. Makishima Shogo.
Kougami had been murdered, violently, suddenly, right in front of her. It was Akane's worst fear come true. She had even broke down and screamed, freaked out. Despite that, her hue seemed to have, if anything...relaxed. It didn't just not increase. It wasn't simply a matter of her hue not changing at all. No, it had actually gone DOWN. An action that only happened when people became relaxed or...in the rare case that they were unable to be judged properly by Sibyl. The only times Gino had seen such a thing was with Makishima Shogo and Kozaburo Toma. Both were criminals the PSB were left unable to judge.
One thought ran through Nobu's mind right then.
Why is Tsunemori...like them...?
Akane didn't react to any of Kasei's laughing or the concerned looks of her coworkers. She simply watched back at them, her face as blank as a sheet of paper. No tears ran down her cheeks. There wasn't any sign of her crying at all actually, despite her earlier wails and anger. In the brunette's eyes were a reflection of her hue, clear as could be.
"I always knew you were like us." Kasei whispered, careful not to let the others behind her hear. The Chief then extended her hand towards the Inspector, "I think it's time you've stopped putting it off, don't you, Akane."
Akane silently reached out and took the hand held out to her. She was pulled up and stood there, almost mechanically like.
"Come now," Kasei placed her other hand on Akane's shoulder and gripped it firmly. Her lips fell down towards Akane's ear, "You've always mentioned your desire to protect this society and its people. I know you were against it before, but Inspector, you must realize by now that joining Sibyl is the best thing for you. As well as Japan. So, what do you say?"
Akane said nothing. Her heart felt as empty as an eternal abyss. There was nothing in the world that mattered to her anymore. The Inspector felt only one thing as she nodded her head at Kasei without any reluctance- and that was exhausted. She just felt, so damn tired.
Kasei grinned triumphantly, "Wonderful. You have no other attachments after all, right?"
Akane glanced over her shoulder at the remains one last time. At that, the girl barely managed a mere, "No."
While it was true Akane still had her parents, Kaori, and her friends left in her division there for her, it never once crossed the detective's mind. Not even once. The exhaustion she felt, halted all of her senses and thoughts. All she wanted was to go to sleep. For a long, long time.
"Well then, shall we go?" Kasei turned to Mika and ordered her to escort the rest of the division back to the PSB. Meanwhile, Kasei and Akane climbed into the escort vehicle after having a nearby police drone clean up Kougami's body, or what was left of it.
As Akane got into the car, Gino began desperately asking Shimotsuki questions. What was happening now? Why? Where was Tsunemori being taken, and for how long? Anxiety swirled around the center of the male's chest as bad feelings took over every fiber of his being. In his mind, he saw his old self- the version of himself who still wore glasses and held the scowling demeanor.
His old self adjusted his glasses and shot a glare at him, "What are you doing? The Chief's word is absolute, so don't you dare try to interfere. Just stay back beside your master, like the hunting dog you are."
Meanwhile, another reflection of Gino appeared before him, but this time it was that of the current time. His expression was filled with sorrow and fear, "Don't let the Inspector leave! If you do, Tsunemori will...!"
The two versions of Gino internally fought back and forth before finally, the Enforcer took hold of Mika's arm.
The woman nearly flew out of her skin at the feeling of being touched by a man, and a latent criminal at that. She wrinkled her nose up in disgust, "Would you give it up already! I told you, the Chief is taking Tsunemori somewhere only Inspectors are allowed to know about. Hunting dogs have no need to know so just shut up!"
"I can't just shut up and obey orders this time, dammit!" Gino's voice shrieked out loudly, startling both Mika and the rest of division 1. The Enforcer began to tremble all over again, all of his emotions slipping out at once. His grip on the Inspector's wrist strengthened as he peered up her between his fallen pitch black bangs, "I can't explain why I feel this way, but I know...I know if Tsunemori leaves here tonight with the Chief-"
It would be just like Kougami.
Tsunemori Akane, as he knew it, would vanish from existence.
Tears began welling up in the corners of Ginoza's eyes as he flashed back between the loss of his father and best friend. He brought a hand over his face, his face paling disturbingly white as his cheeks became wet, "I can't...Not again."
Mika just looked at the Enforcer like he had completely lost what little was left of his mind. She reached behind her and took hold of her dominator that had been resting in its holster under her coat.
Ginoza's hand covered his eyes as he stood there, utterly lost at what to do. Like Akane, he too had lost many loved ones over the years. Nobuchika couldn't take it anymore. Not again. He may have not been able to save Sasayama Mitsuru. His father Masaoka Tomomi. Or Aoyanagi Rika. Not even Kougami Shinya. If he let Akane go too...
"...I won't be able to forgive myself." Gino hiccuped as she grabbed Mika by both of her shoulders. The woman let out a shriek and shouted at the other Enforcers to get their dominators and aim at Ginoza. When they didn't, Mika began to panic. Gino paid no mind to this and pleaded, "Please, Shimotsuki! You're the only one with the power to stop the Chief! Tsunemori can't go, do you hear me?!"
Mika slithered her way out of the man's grasp and jumped back. She pulled out her dominator and pointed it right at Gino, causing it to instantly go into lethal eliminator mode again. The Enforcer continued to plead his case but it mattered not.
Ginoza was frozen silent when he heard the transport vehicle start up. As the car drove off, the 34 year old began to chase after it, as fast as his long legs could carry him. However, as the car rushed past him and just before his foot hit the road's pavement, he heard Mika shout at him,
"Make one more move, Enforcer Ginoza, and you'll be a pile of mush on the sidewalk just like your fugitive friend!"
Gino instantly stopped but breathed hard and fast, his entire being screaming out at the world to let him give chase after Tsunemori.
Mika looked behind herself at Yayoi, "Kunizuki, would you please handcuff him?"
Yayoi couldn't agree to or deny the orders given to her. Instead she walked over to Gino and patted his shoulder very gently.
"...I don't think...there's much we can do at this point."
Gino looked at Yayoi with a look of utter despair. He fell to his knees and continued to cry out the same thing over and over- Akane's name filling up the streets of nighttime Japan.
One thing plagued the emotional hunting dog as he doubled over, screaming out. Ginoza Nobuchika knew, that like with his best friend Kougami, he would never see Tsunemori Akane again.
Akane laid upon a cold table; the only thing covering her was a thin white sheet surrounding her bare body. An IV was hooked up to her arm while she awaited for Kasei's return. Only a few more minutes would Tsunemori be existing inside of her body before her consciousness was stripped away from it and joined the rest of the brains inhabiting Sibyl's core.
As the Inspector laid there, Akane thought over the last few years. She thought about her first night as a detective, and how foolish she used to be. She remembered the night she lost Yuki, and meeting Makishima for the first time. The dominator failing her when she needed it most, and afterwards, talking with Kougami about it in the hospital. Soon after, he left and she chased after him to stop him, but her efforts were simply wasted. Everything Akane had been through up to that moment, there was only one word the young woman could use to describe it all:
Pointless.
The doors to the secluded room opened and in stepped Kasei who appeared to be wearing a medical cap, mask, and shirt. The Chief approached the table and prepared to send Akane under for the procedure.
"Are you ready, Tsunemori? You're about to go from a measly Inspector to assisting in Sibyl's rule over this very country and its people. Quite the promotion, I'd say. You should be thrilled."
Akane still didn't respond. She had decided to remain unmoving, unfeeling like a broken doll until it was over.
Kasei snorted with amusement and placed a mask on Akane's face. The old woman hit a button, supplying the mask with a large amount of a sleeping drug. As it filled the detective's body, Akane felt her consciousness begin to waver back and forth between realty and sleep. While Akane's mind began to shut down, Kasei told her not to worry and promised that her brain would be safely transported over in a matter of mere hours.
Akane felt her eyelids drooping more and more. Just as she was about to allow them to close for the last time, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. At first, she planned to ignore it but then, a familiar voice echoed right beside her. Akane felt a jolt and shot her eyes open. Her heart sunk at the unbelievable being standing right next to the bed.
Unknown to Kasei, there beside Akane was the broad figure of Kougami, all still in one piece. Akane tried to call out to him but the task soon revealed itself to be impossible with the mask on. Instead, the Inspector tried to reach out with all the strength she had left, but that too, proved impossible. The anesthesia had numbed her body from the neck down.
The only thing Akane could do was stare back at his figure while she flashbacked to the night's previous events.
Suddenly, large tears filled her eyes as regret overcame Tsunemori. She desperately wanted to apologize. She wanted to run to him, to throw her arms around him and hold on tight.
Though unable to voice her thoughts, Akane fought through the drugs and began mouthing to the hallucination at her side,
"Kougami...Kougami..." Tears fell streamed down her face, emotion finally returning to the grieving Akane, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I couldn't..." Akane caught a hiccup and pleaded out in her mind more, "Don't go...please...don't leave again...I'll do anything, so please..."
Shinya's voice echoed back at her in response. Akane's eyes widened as he seemed to lean in closer to her. His hand grasped hers tenderly. The hallucination's arm brought her hand up to his imaginary lips, placing a kiss against the top of her hand.
Tsunemori's tears fell harder when she saw a warm, loving smile from Kougami peering back at her.
Not again. Not that damn smile again. The very same one that belonged only to her. The one that never failed to make Akane feel safe, and put her mind truly at ease when things would become too hard to handle alone.
Without realizing it, Akane returned the grasp and held on as tight as she could. Uncontrollable sobs began to slow down and fade as her consciousness took its last few breathes, so to speak. Only one thought crossed Akane's mind as she fell further towards a deep slumber.
I wish...I could have held his hand like this...just once...
The last few tears fell as Akane's eyes finally closed. As they did, she saw Kougami's lips form a sentence before her vision disappeared.
At that moment, Akane fell completely unconscious. Oddly enough, a small smile had found its way onto her face as the Inspector's soul faded away into the darkness of her subconscious- all the while, Kougami's words filling her up like the sweetest melody she'd ever heard.
"You did well...Akane."
Author's comments: End of chapter 2! Only one more chapter to go. That one might take a while, but I'll try to get it up ASAP. I apologize again for any misspellings, bad punctuation, and OOCness.
PLEASE leave a review so I know what you guys thought! Please, please, please 3