From the other side of the train car, a metro cop was approaching.

 

 

 

 

While in mirror world, it might appear to be more egalitarian than the so-called 'Real World', the situation is not quite so cut and dry. The society couldn't function in its current state without a serious amount of public shaming. People are quick to judge and quicker to punish those who have violated the publicly accepted 'social contract'. By society's standards, Ichikawa was a slightly above average girl who just stomped on the foot of a plain looking guy and followed up with a punch to the arm of an extremely cute boy.

 

All she needs to do is follow up with a few swift kicks to a couple of puppies.

 

Not that Kingo cared. A cute girl like Ichikawa hitting you wasn't exactly the end of the world. In fact, he knew it was part of the process. Not that he was particularly interested in her, but he still had not adjusted his mindset, so he frequently found himself teasing girls in order to flirt with them. Getting his foot stomped on was just a girl's way of testing you to see how tough you were.

 

It was a good thing.

 

Here, however, it went over about as well as could be expected, and someone had knocked on the door between cars to get the attention of the officer in the next cabin over. She stepped in to hear the complaint and was now in the process of radioing it in as she approached the trio. Toshi was the only one to see the cop coming. So it took Ichikawa completely off guard when Toshi abruptly put his arm around her and yanked her in close.

 

Smiling up at the officer, Toshi pointedly pulled Ichikawa in a little tighter as he waved with his free arm, "Greetings, Officer! How might we help you this day?" He conjured forth his greatest phony grin of steel and activated his social technique's final form, Hyper Cheerful Customer Service Mode.

 

The officer seemed unimpressed.

 

Ichikawa had a brief moment where she was trying to figure out what was going on, when she managed to put two and screwed together and came up with 'I done fucked up'. She figured she'd just make thing worse and kept her head down, hoping Toshi could talk her out of this mess.

 

Kingo, on the other hand, did not figure out he could only make things worse and squared off in front of the cop, "Is there a problem?"

 

The cop looked Kingo up and down, "I think that's my line."

 

Toshi tried to regain control of the conversation, "No problems here! This is my cousin." He smiled and gave her shoulders a quick squeeze as he smiled, "We pummel each other all the time." He lightly punched Ichikawa in the arm, "It's sort of our thing."

 

The cop looked at Toshi with a quirked eyebrow, "That's not what I heard." From the other direction another cop was approaching. This one seemed a bit more on edge than the first. She was approaching from behind slowly and much more cautiously. The first cop continued, "I heard she was breaking someone's foot?"

 

Kingo let out a loud laugh, "HAH! You think she could hurt me?" Toshi's eyes bugged out as he watched Kingo push up both his sleeves and grasp his hands together, "Check out these guns!" Then proceeded to flex.

 

The effect on the rest of the train car was striking.

 

Every woman on the train was watching what was unfolding and you got to each every eye widen in unison to Kingo's demonstration. Toshi, on the other hand, face palmed so hard Ichikawa wondered if he broke something. The first cop's eyes locked onto Kingo's arms and she was rendered utterly speechless.

 

The second cop, on the other hand had different ideas, "THIS IS THE POLICE! PUT YOUR HANDS ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD!" Kingo turned around to look right at a the woman behind him holding a Taser pointed right at his chest. Kingo froze and did nothing while the first cop also reached for her taser, "Wha-?" she murmured in confusion but going along with unfolding events. The second cop jutted her chin out at Kingo while glancing at the first. The First took this as an indicator to handcuff Kingo.

 

The second cop kept her weapon trained on Kingo while she explained, "Just got a report of someone getting knocked out cold by someone matching this kid's description."

 

The first one finished cuffing Kingo as she looked at Ichikawa and Toshi, "And I think you two should come along as well."

 

Ichikawa held up her hands defensively, "What did I do?"

 

The first cop narrowed her eyes, "Off the top of my head, I'm going to charge you with being a pimp and we'll see what sticks."

 

Ichikawa's jaw dropped open.

 

 

 

Toshi never stopped face palming.

 

---

 

Toshi had a flashback

 

Let me fill you in on a secret, Son. As a cop, I don't need to make up false charges against anyone. There are so many laws, rules, regulations, and bullshit in the world, that as a cop, I just need to follow you around for twenty four hours. I promise you, sooner or later, you will break a law. You will go one mile over the speed limit, you will step off the curb at the wrong spot. You will bump into someone else and that's all I need to stop you. After I stop you, I will start to question you. I have no doubt you will get annoyed. You will say something, have the wrong tone of voice, or maybe I just won't like how you look.

 

Now I have suspicion.

 

Now I own your ass for the next forty seven hours and fifty nine minutes.

 

I can make you disappear for the first 23 hours and fifty nine minutes if I need to.

 

After all that, I had better have something that sticks, or I'm going to get some serious shit from my superiors. So in the field, the cops can bring in anyone they think is a problem, but the rank and file is going to have to bring things up to their superiors as soon as possible. They will basically be making an informal case to continue pressuring you or not. This case to their superior is basically to ask, "Will you back me up?" If she says yes, they can make your life a living hell, and this gets a whole lot more complicated. If they say no, you'll be free within the hour.

 

From the point you get hauled into an actual physical location, the arresting officer has about an hour to get that superior to give the collar a thumbs up or thumbs down. This is why you need to get a hold of me as soon as possible. You need a lawyer. At the very least you need me to come in and argue on your behalf. No matter what, try not to get upset. You need to keep your mouth shut as much as possible and let me, or the lawyer do their job. Do not make threats. Do NOT say, 'Do you know who I am?' Do NOT say, 'Do you know who my family is?' You state your name, you answer any questions politely and truthfully, until it comes to anything regarding what you were arrested for. If you are in doubt...

 

SHUT UP AND TELL THEM TO WAIT FOR YOUR MOTHER!