it was black ◎ psycho pass

~Chapter 25~

aHAA

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I think you nearly died five times in the last minute! Well done, keep up the record~!

Angrily muttering some insult at the paintings, I ran past rows of them and was ready to tear them to shreds. The only thing I could focus on right now was trying to escape the death blasts and the paintings. Just the same seaside landscape over and over, and again. My first thoughts were 'why is the same painting here over and over?', now it was just 'can somebody destroy the seaside?'.

I couldn't stop to look at them for long because I was being attacked by-

AHHWWQ-

An explosion cut me off from the front and I flew backwards, inhaling a large mouthful of smoke. The shots had stopped; the smoke was a thick haze that nobody could see in- not even the MWPSB. I couldn't see either because my glasses were covered in soot(?) by the way, don't think I have super vision or something.

"Your Crime Coefficient has hit 900." The machine on my wrist whirred, giving me some Iosine tablets. I face palmed but ate them anyway, the calmness nearly knocking me out then and there. These would've been pretty useful ten minutes ago!

My watch may have been trying to recover from all the torture I've been giving it for the past few days. If only I hadn't tried to hack into the MWPSB's files, then I could've been celebrating my birthday with Miki back at my house. I stood up, brushing the black dust off my clothes that would never come off.

"It's okay, Zara." I whispered sarcastically to myself. "You'll just be chased forever."

"No, it's not okay!" Kagari familiar voice laughed. "You've destroyed all of the MWPSB's hologram basement!"

What? Hologram basement?

Was this all a hologram?

"What?" I tentatively asked into the smoke, shuffling forward. The dust burned my neck and throat. I scratched it harshly.

Masaoka appeared behind me. "I would stop scratching it- the dust will only set into the cuts." He chortled. I caught sight of the dominator in his hands and started to back away. Masaoka followed my gaze and quickly held the dominator up towards me. Heart leaping, I sprang away and slammed against the wall.

What is this game you're playing???

But much to my surprise, the dominator in Masaoka's hands dissolved effortlessly into pixels. He gave me a rough smile. I relaxed, but felt a overwhelming urge to cough- so guess what? I did. After clearing my throat, the smoke suddenly cleared and the rest of the MWPSB came into view beside me. Mels was sniggered behind me, and Kyle had starting jogging towards us.

"We told them everything, Zara. We thought it would be better that way- you have less to worry about that way..." My heart missed a beat. Everything? Everything everything? But that's-

"They needed to do a few tests to see how extreme your... problem... was."

Problem?

I nodded and smiled at everyone, but on the inside I felt like exploding. My life was going to be so difficult, everything will just... explode. I've spent my whole life trying to avoid this situation- and now it's ruined. As everyone started joking and discussing the results, I stared at the floor sadly, wishing that the simulation had been real.

Goodbye freedom~

Goodbye exciting activities~

Goodbye sanity... again~

The floor seemed much more appealing right now compared to their conversation. I wonder if they knew if I was that Zara by now, did Kyle and Mels tell them that as well? The world would explode again. No. I'm going to become one of the normal latent criminals who stay in a cell for the rest of their lives. I'm not going to be able to go outside normally without being watched every day. I had to stop myself from crying out in frustration then and there.

"Zara? Zara~?" Kagari brought me back to reality.

I looked up at him in surprise, watching his face crinkle into a smile. One, what's with using my name so familiarly? We're not that close. Two, why are you shaking my shoulder, we're not that close again!

"Yes?" I replied robotically, void of all emotion.

"You need to clean your glasses- that dust stains~!"

"Oh! Okay..."

I realised that my vision was clouded and tinted with a dark perspective, one that probably wouldn't leave for a while. But I hesitated. Would they recognise me? Nah, my face was probably covered in soot anyway.

Cautiously, I cleaned my glasses on the inside of jumper as best as I could and glanced up at the MWPSB a few times during. They seemed to be recalling something, and were deep in conversation.

I glanced up at Kyle and Mels, who were making X shapes discreetly with their arms. They hadn't told them! After that, I hurriedly shoved my glasses on. Mels nervously nudged Ginoza and Kogami.

"Could you get us out of this hologram please? It's a bit scary!" Mels asked, waving a hand in front of their faces. Ginoza turned away from Mels with an annoyed expression and clicked his fingers. Us psychologists stared open-mouthed as the landscape diffused in pixels to reveal a large white room. It was very, very big room with a long window at one end, not corridors. Through the window were scientists in white uniforms and Jake was waving enthusiastically, pressed up against the window.

I giggled and waved back, put at ease by the
familiar face in the crowd. At least Jake was still his bubbly self after all this. The MWPSB took little notice. Kyle and Mels had given a small wave to Jake and had signalled to one of the scientists, who was tapping something on the window.

I could suddenly clearly see on the window the same screen as my watch had, but extended into a larger screen that showed everything- and I mean everything. My Hue, Crime Coefficient, age, weight, face shape, location, family, history of hospital visits, favourite type of muffin and animal, heartbeat, BMI, personality type and other weird things- like a status update on Miki!

Are these guys stalkers?

~END~