Psycho-Pass: Coping Mechanisms

Part 10 : System Restore

PART 10 - System Restore

For the following case, she had to ask Ginoza for permission to act of her own accord.

"Inspector."

She approached his desk. He didn't bother to turn towards her; he kept typing his report, still giving her cold treatment. The enforcers weren't directly looking at them... but that didn't stop them from paying attention to the development of the situation. Pretty everyone noticed that inspectors got very official around each other recently. "What do you want, inspector Akibara?" her partner asked.

"Ginoza-san..." she started, "... we have an emergency. I need a permission to use a vehicle to visit a chemical factory. The suspect is going to contaminate water supply in Kita. May I take Kunizuka and Kagari before it's too late?"

Kagari sighed. He looked at Shizuka, half-annoyed and half-amused. He was about to end his shift so he didn't appreciate the invitation this time. In the past week, she mainly took him and Kunizuka out.

"Hey, hey, inspector... my work for today is ending right now, so I would very much prefer if you took Masaoka instead... once he arrives, that is. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not that I do not prefer such a beautiful company... but since I've been out with Gino this morning, and it's been nasty, I need some rest, Aki-san. Even I have my limits," the redhead enforcer yawned, stretching in his chair. Shizuka wanted to give a retort, but Ginoza spoke first. He also had something to say regarding this topic.

"As much as I don't mind you getting the hounds out to do their job, Akibara..." inspector looked sharply at Kagari who was still smiling in a relaxing way, "... you've taken enforcer Kagari too many times this week upon checking out from the bureau. Is there a reason for choosing him in particular?"

She glared at him. It wasn't an unusual question... but, Shizuka really disliked that Gino brought it up in front of all of their colleagues. There was a reason she was choosing Kagari... but that wasn't because the other enforcers were less competent, as his question might have implied.

"I am not playing favorites, if that's what you are insinuating, inspector. Enforcer Kagari has been the quickest at my disposal. That aside, he has good hunting skills and follows orders without a miss. Our cooperation is generally productive. So, I don't see why you are bringing this up... Ginoza-san."

"Is there any reason you aren't choosing other enforcers?" he asked.

"Why would there be?" she raised her eyebrow.

"You tell me. If you have a problem with some their MO's, you need to report them to me. You also need to be loud and clear if any of them is disturbing, or affecting your hue in any way," he remarked seriously. "One would expect that you knew the rules by now."

She was getting very annoyed with his attitude.

"I do. But, have you considered the possibility that it's not enforcers that are clouding my hue, inspector?" she stated. Kunizuka's eyes widened in shock, and her usual, cold expression got very surprised. Kagari's jaw dropped, and his eyes quickly turned towards Ginoza.

"If that's the case, maybe you are not due to be an inspector anymore, inspector," he said, looking at her over the frame of his glasses. His voice was calm. His tone gave nothing away. He was a classic, by the book definition of the term "professional".

"I guess I'm lucky you rely on Sibyl's verdict, or I'd have been transferred to Mechanics a long time ago," she noted, suggesting that he'd make her switch positions if it was up to him.

"Hey, Gino, Aki..." Kagari now felt obliged to say something before the conversation heats up even further, "...there's no need to make such a fuss about it. I will go."