The long drive back to the city felt much longer than when they had left.  Kogami ran a hand through his tussled hair and sighed.  He felt irritable and stiff as he followed Akane from the underground parking area beneath the Ministry of Welfare building to the main elevator.  His broken rib ached, more from sitting still for so long than from sitting the trot on Kurosawa's stallion.  He was looking forward to a hot shower, a decent dinner, and his bed.  Even though he had enjoyed spending the day with Akane, a good hound needed kennel time to think and contemplate alone.  So, he was in no mood for the specter of Ginoza, who met them just outside the doors of the Division 1 offices.

    "Inspector Ginoza?"  Akane clasped her hands before her and bowed slightly out of respect to the senior Inspector.  She could make stepping into the abyss of hell a positive experience.

    Kogami was having none of it.  On a good day, he was fully capable of ignoring Ginoza's sardonic behavior, but this was not one of those days.  Injured and weary, he was not prepared to suffer any bombastic assaults now, especially when it was clear that Akane had outperformed her superior and saved the day once again.  Kogami closed his eyes, not even acknowledging Ginoza, and kept walking.

    "Chief Kasei has asked me to deliver a message," Ginoza said, a hint of menace in his voice.  "She wanted to see you in her office the moment you arrived."

    Akane bowed her head.  "Then I will be on my way.  Thank you."

    "Enforcer Kogami, where are you going?" Ginoza growled.

    "Back to the infirmary.  I don't officially have my walking papers yet."

    "It's true," Akane said.  "Mr. Kogami was only temporarily cleared to return to work."

    "Why wasn't I aware of this?"  Ginoza glared at both of them.

    Akane stepped back defensively, unsettled by the venom in his voice.  Then, with shoulders hunched forward and hands balled into tiny fists, she stepped between Ginoza and Kogami before the senior Inspector could accost him.  "Haven't you caused enough damage already!"  Her voice was loud and sharp with accusations, which carried into the Division 1 office, where Masaoka and Kamari watched and listened.  "You're in no position to question my actions or Chief Kasei's authority.  I was told to take an Enforcer with me to clean up the mess you left at Mr. Kurosawa's doorstep.  She said I was allowed to choose any Enforcer I wanted.  So I chose him!"  Rigid with fury, she pointed at Kogami, who had paused to watch the spectacle.  "If you have an issue with that, take it up with Chief Kasei!"

    Ginoza angrily shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose.  He turned his back on her, retreating down the corridor with no apologies.  "So long as you went by the book, Inspector Tsunemori.  Get going.  The Chief is expecting you."

    Kagari leaned out of the door, checking to ensure that Ginoza was out of earshot.  "Wow, Akane, you're really learning to stand your ground with him.  Did you know when you're mad that you get the cutest little vein that pops up—"

    "Not now!"  Kogami gave him a shove.  A warning expression of narrowed eyes and a frown silenced the younger Enforcer and sent him back to his desk.  "Calm down," Kogami said to Akane.  He felt a twinge of guilt for not heeding his own advice.

    Together, they stared after Ginoza's retreating figure until he vanished into the shadows beyond the main corridor.  "Just for the record, you did get Kurosawa's full cooperation on this case, right?"  Kogami scratched his head, perplexed.  "I was there, right?  I'm not delirious, am I?"

    Trembling with fury at Ginoza's behavior, Akane took a deep breath and struggled to compose herself.  She glanced at her wristcom, bringing up all recent incoming messages.  "The documents arrived an hour before we did."

    "Then what's eating him?"

    Akane chewed nervously at her lower lip.  Her eyes darted across the digitalized documents thoroughly.  Fury diminished, she stared in bewilderment at the image.

    Kogami cuffed her gently on the shoulder.  "What aren't you telling me?"

    "I just now noticed this disclaimer.  While I've been granted full access to the Kurosawa Industries database, the legal documents specifically state that Ginoza is not to have any access whatsoever."

    "Explain his rancid behavior, I guess."

    "Gets better...or worse, depending on perspective.  Kogami, you're mentioned in the disclaimer, too.  You also have been granted full access."  She anxiously wrung her hands until the knuckles went white.  "It's all here. We have everything we need to potentially close this investigation.  So what did we possibly do wrong?"

    "Nothing."  Kogami flicked her nose playfully to raise her eyes to meet his.  "You've got nothing to worry about."

    "Why do you say that?"

    He shoved his hands into his coat pockets.  "Because I'll be there to protect you.  Come on.  If we wait around here debating it, we really will be in trouble."

     Several floors up from their offices, the elevator door opened and Akane stepped out with Kogami in tow.  She halted abruptly, just short of clearing the lift, and he bumped into the back of her.  "Why are you stopping?"

    "Because I still don't understand why she wants to see both of us?  Why both of us?"

    "Way to make a guy feel important, Inspector."  Kogami tapped his cigarette pack and pulled a cigarette from it with his lips.  He lit the cigarette and took a deep draw.  "I have to admit, I am intrigued.  Hey—"

    Akane snatched the cigarette from his mouth and crushed it out in a nearby ashtray.  "You promised to be on your best behavior."

    "I'm going back to the infirmary."  He stepped back into the elevator.  "At least they're nice to me there."

    "If you leave me, you'll have more than a cracked rib by the time you get there."

    Kogami laughed softly, but the ferocity in her eyes told him that she was not joking.  With a sigh of resignation, he took his hands from his pockets and leaned forward with feigned obeisance.  "One step to the right and behind you, Inspector."

    Akane activated the sensor to alert the chief of their presence.  The door promptly slid open, admitting them into a spacious office that was nearly the circumference of the building.  More museum than workspace, the large room was decorated with exceptional taste.  Quartz sculptures stood illuminated with color in each corner.  Paintings and tapestries lined the walls in a carefully arrayed mosaic.

    Kogami had the sudden feeling he was back in Shizuoka, standing in the courtyard of Kurosawa's sprawling estate.  He remembered telling Akane about not fitting in and recalled her comment about being out of his league.  Nothing could have been truer at that moment.

    "Thank you for coming, Inspector Tsunemori.  Enforcer Kogami."  Kasei stood up from behind her desk and greeted them politely.  She was dressed in a black velvet tunic that fell well below her knees.  Her gray hair was closely cropped in a bob and curled at the ends.  An older woman, her skin was remarkably well preserved, smooth with minimal wrinkles.

    As Akane bowed deeply in respect, Kogami gave only a cursory nod.  There were few benefits to being a latent criminal, one of them being passive impertinence.  He found Chief Kasei's presence unnerving, too cold and too calculating.  The eyes behind her glasses had no warmth, no compassion, no soul.  And Ginoza was doing everything in his power to emulate her.

    "I received a phone call from Mr. Kurosawa only moments ago.  He was utterly delighted with your apology, Inspector Tsunemori, and with your performance, Mr. Kogami."  Kasei sat back down in her chair.  Elbows resting on her desk, she leaned forward, scrutinizing them.  "Congratulations are in order for earning his trust and cooperation, as well as winning  the Gotemba Regional Championships.  After Ginoza's first encounter with him, I had little faith that our investigation would be able to proceed."

    "Little faith?  Is that why you sent Tsunemori in? To fail?  Hardly seems fair."

    "On the contrary, Mr. Kogami.  If there was even a prayer of getting Kurosawa to open up his databases to the MWPSB, I felt it was Inspector Tsunemori, backed by one of our better hunting hounds, who could accomplish that task.  It was a risky gamble, but one I was willing to take.  While there is much to be grateful for, there is still a great deal of work that must be done before we can close this case."

    "Now that Mr. Kurosawa has granted permission to access the databases, I will get right on it, Chief."

    "The work is too much for just one Inspector.  Ginoza clearly is not in Mr. Kurosawa's favor, but you are, Mr. Kogami.  You will join Inspector Tsunemori in combing the database for the information needed to put this embarrassing matter to rest."

    "Am I being assigned to a sole Inspector?"

    "Yes.  As of this moment, your sole responsibility is to assist Inspector Tsunemori with the closing of this investigation.  All other matters will fall to Ginoza and your fellow Enforcers."

    "Is Ginoza okay with this?" Kogami asked.

    "He will be when I present it to him.  From what I understand, there is still a great deal of friction between you and your former partner.  I doubt you'll miss him.  Nor will he miss you."

    "Don't count on it."  Kogami fell silent when Akane cut her eyes at him, imploring him to remain respectful.

    "Careful, Mr. Kogami, an attitude like that demonstrates why you're now a latent criminal," Kasei said.  "To prevent any further damage to your psycho pass, I've decided to reinstitute your mandatory therapy treatments.  You will begin next week."

    "What?" Akane and Kogami gasped aloud simultaneously.

    "Our access to Mr. Kurosawa's company servers is temporary.  I had to make a deal to keep them open until the investigation could be completed.  You needn't be worried.  The required therapy will be familiar to you.  Mr. Kurosawa has graciously offered the use of his facilities and his stallion, Touch the Sky, as well as his trainer, who happens to be a licensed stress therapist."

    Kogami jammed his hands into his coat pockets and took a step back.  Head cocked to one side, he snorted softly in disbelief.  The snort grew into a chuckle and eventually into laughter.  He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.  "Let me guess—"

    "Yes, the national championships are next month, and he wants you to be his rider.  I trust this will not be a problem."

    Kogami put his hand across his face and continued to laugh softly until Akane shoved an elbow into his cracked rib.  "Five by five, Chief."

    "Excellent.  I understand that the drive is a long one, so one of the MWPSB's flight transports will deliver you daily."

    "Alone?"

    "Of course not, Mr. Kogami.  You know the rules, or you should.  No Enforcer is permitted outside of this building unless accompanied by an Inspector. Inspector Tsunemori will supervise and observe your therapy for its effectiveness.  You've done well, Mr. Kogami.  It's a shame you allowed yourself to be derailed.  We could use more such talented Inspectors." 

    "First you compliment me, then tear me down?"

    "Kogami!" Akane hissed between clenched teeth.

    "It's fine, Inspector.  I see this therapy comes just in time."  With a smile curling in the corner of her mouth, Kasei turned her gaze to Akane.  "As for you, young woman, keep this up and you'll be heading your own division in no time.  You are dismissed."

    Obstinately walking out of the office before Akane, Kogami cued the elevator.  The two rode the lift back to the CID floor in shock and silence.  When the elevator doors opened, neither of them made any effort to step off. 

    Kogami took a deep breath and shook his head in disbelief.  "Tell me, Inspector.  Did that just happen?"

    She nodded in mutual astonishment.  "Indeed, Mr. Kogami, that just happened."

    "Hey, you're back!" Kagari called out.  "Did you see the stuff that arrived for you from Kurosawa Industries?"  He brought a magnum of wine out into the corridor with him.  "Grown and bottled on the mogul's personal estate."  Handing the bottle to Akane, he made an apologetic gesture with his hands.  "Sorry about earlier.  You know I can't help myself."

    "This is from Mr. Kurosawa?" she asked, confirming the answer by reading the small card attached.

    "Do you know how much one of these sells for at auction?"  Kagari rolled his eyes at their ignorance.  "You each have one of these and—what did Masaoka call it?  Ah, an Imperial  sitting on your desks.  Kogami, if it was possible, you could retire in style!"

    "What's an Imperial?"  Akane peered around the Enforcer into the doorway of their office.  There were two 750 liter bottles sitting on their desks, each brandishing the Kurosawa Vineyard logo. 

    "And there's this."  Kagari held up a smaller package.  "It's for you, Ko."

    "Put it on my desk.  I've seen more than enough for one day."  Kogami shook his head, and started walking in the opposite direction.

    "Where are you going?" Akane called after him. She took the package from Kagari, smacking him with it before he retreated into the office.

    "I'm going to the infirmary.  I'm still under Shion's temporary order, remember?  Don't need to give Ginoza any reason to fetch a Dominator and paralyze me for insubordination." 

    "Don't you want to know what this is?"

    "Not really.  Open it, if you want to."

    Akane carefully tore the seal and opened the large envelope.  Reaching inside, she pulled out a first place ribbon.  Made from satin, the rosette was the size of her hand with fingers splayed wide.  Nearly a foot and a half long, the fabric was embossed with the words Gotemba Regional Championships, Qualifier, and Champion on the three-separate sections of ribbon.

    "Mr. Kurosawa must have wanted you to have this."  She admired the ribbon for a long moment, running her fingers over the smooth satin.  "It's beautiful."

    And so are you, he thought.

    Akane hung the ribbon from the opened neck of his shirt, chuckling as she straightened it and pulled his collar to keep it from falling.  "To the medical bay?"

     "Care to join me?"  Hands in his pockets, Kogami offered her his right arm, which she took with a grin.  Together, they started back down the corridor.

    "Why are you being so gentlemanly all of sudden?"

    "Cause in a month, I might need to borrow your compact again."

    She shoved her hip against him, barely knocking him off balance.  "Maybe I need to get a Dominator and paralyze you."

    He laughed.  "As if you haven't done that before."