Dogs and Pigs: Chapter 1 – The Pains of Dual Loyalties

Chapter 1 – The Pains of Dual Loyalties

I sit on the sidelines, watching the people I love and support be at each other’s throats, yet again. Out in front of a police station, two opposing groups of police are debating one another, with groups of people watching them from a distance, supporting their side with protest signs. One side has been nicknamed the Pigs by the public. They are called that because they want better pay, better physical enhancements, and see hero associations, like the Dominion, as a threat to their relevancy. The other side is called the Dogs, and they relate to the concerns of their colleagues, but don’t think they should be protesting about it and causing a scene, leaving the city of Meridian without a large majority of its police protecting it.

“We can’t leave the city lacking its protectors,” one of the officers says.

“Why not?” an opposing one asks. “It was superheroes who cleaned up its reputation, and the Dominion who does more for it than the police. Why does it need us anymore? In fact, a high-ranking member of the Dominion is running this city and uses the Dominion more than its own police force.”

They’re talking about me again, and never fail to bring me up in every debate.

“Mayor Polina helped L’Obscurité save this city from the demons within it, and continues to put her life on the line to help others, even though she could easily stick herself in an office all day and let others do the work.”

“What she’s done is give more help to ex-convicts and so-called repentant villains than the police force she used to serve. She’ll even give them jobs for the Dominion she works for as an easy way to escape prison.”

“It’s a better solution than what we previously had, where the justice system used to be a revolving door. The people she reformed have become upstanding members of society and are helping the people they once hurt.”

“Let’s not forget that one of the women whose organization was supposed to help orchestrated the assassination of the previous mayor and his deputy mayor and caused a massacre at a city festival.”

“One bad example doesn’t invalidate all the good work she and her people have done.”

“One bad example has led to her being put in power, and the Dominion and their allies in the Coronamento Corporation taking over a majority of the city. Don’t we matter? Shouldn’t the police force have its share of advancement and pay raise without having to switch to working for them?”

“Polina has been trying to raise wages for all people, superhuman and normal humans, equally. She just became mayor not too long ago. Give her some time to enact changes, and you’ll see that Meridian will equally value its hero associations and police.”

“How about we look at the situation in the rest of the country where this exact thing is happening. In most cities and towns, their police forces are often overlooked in favor of supporting their hero associations, especially the Dominion, which is currently taking over the world bit by bit. Those who don’t support the Dominion aren’t helped as much as those who do, and the relevant police forces have become subsidiaries of the Dominion. As far as we’re concerned, the Dominion and our mayor don’t care for anyone who doesn’t support them or their agenda to the letter, and this must change lest the rest of us fall to poverty to ruin.”

I wish I could intervene in the conversation, but there’d be no point. I wish I could show everyone what I see in people’s souls, the mercy they deserve despite their sins, but that’s a power I don’t have. Instead, the only thing I can do is pray and hope this situation reaches a peaceful resolution where both sides are satisfied. As the new mayor of Meridian, I’ve been trying to focus on the poor and those who have been struggling to get by. Sure, I don’t employ the police force as much as the Dominion. Still, because our enemies are either low-level crooks or powerful villains who want the honor of making a home for themselves here, I have no choice but to have the heroes of the Dominion take care of it.

I’ve tried to get the police more funding and better equipment, and physical enhancements to put them on par with superhumans; however, that requires government approval, which takes forever, given similar requests like mine being submitted to them. There is also the consideration of making them part of the Dominion, but a corporation and a hero association can’t be a city’s official protector. The police are meant to make sure the hero associations are following the law and aren’t given special privileges. Besides, trying to make them part of the Dominion wouldn’t help the fact that people think we’re trying to take over the country, when we’re actually just trying to help. Everything feels like it has a caveat to it, making compromise seemingly impossible.

From the room I’m sitting in with bulletproof glass in front of me, I see my reflection, my red hair that’s been combed a thousand times to keep up appearances, my red eyes, and paler-than-usual face. Looking at my image overlaid on the scene before me makes me feel like I’m responsible for it all. Nothing I’ve done has seemed to help the situation and only looks to inflame it. A sudden grab of my shoulder pulls me out of my thoughts and planning, as I turn around to see Raziel. He looks at me with his compassionate red, orange, and yellow eyes with a look of quiet concern on his face.

“I’m fine, Raziel,” I say.

“Are you, Polina? I know that look on your face. You’re overthinking this situation again, aren’t you?” he says.

“…maybe,” I say, trying to be as honest as possible.

Raziel sits back down behind me. He’s wearing his usual modern-day, medieval knight in crimson armor with his crimson scythe by his side. Behind him are my other two bodyguards and fellow members of the Compassionate, a subsidiary of the Dominion, Zahara and Penelope, both of whom are waiting for Raziel and me to get together.

“There’s nothing else you can do besides do what you always do, help people as best you can. There’s nothing else to plan or think about,” Zahara says.

“We can get directly involved by influencing people’s thoughts with our psychological powers, Polina,” Penelope suggests.

“That’s too extreme a solution. We can’t use force to bring calm to this situation. It’d only make things worse.”

“It’s already bad the way it is. What does worse look like?”

“She’s right, Polina,” Zahara says. “Crime in the city has gone all but completely quiet, meaning there’s likely to be another attack on the city, especially with this golden opportunity in front of them.”

“We have to do something to hasten the peace between them,” Raziel adds. “A city’s police force can’t spend this many days fighting each other rather than patrolling the streets.”

I brainstorm for a second and come up with a singular solution.

“I’ll tell the heads of both groups to have a one-on-one conversation with me. They can’t say no to me and have to hear me out, at least,” I say.

“Do you want us to be with you?” Raziel asks.

“No. It’ll be off-putting, and make it look like I’ll be expecting trouble. I want you three to continue patrolling the streets for any signs of trouble and stomping it out if you have to.”

My three friends agree and wish me luck. After the debate between the two sides, I call each of their leaders and arrange for us to meet. The leader of the Dogs agrees to meet the same day as soon as possible, while the leader of the Pigs wants to do the same thing, but at the end of the day. Thankfully, the times are easily arranged, and the meeting is happening as soon as possible. I meet the leader of the Dogs, who is in the police station he commands. He’s a young man with scars on his hands and face named Tanimura, rushing to finish up his work and clean up his office.

“Come in and take a seat, Ms. Mayor, and please excuse the mess. I just finished up my work for the day,” Tanimura says.

“Thank you, and please. Just call me Polina. We don’t need to be formal about this,” I say as I take a seat in front of his desk.

“Sorry, Polina. I can’t thank you enough for meeting me about my concerns with my colleagues who are causing a stir in the city and leaving it lacking a majority of its police force.”

“What do you think I should do to appease them to bring peace to Meridian?”

“I think you do enough. It’s them who are the problem. Their expectations for what they deserve are out of proportion and need to humble themselves or switch jobs.”

“That’s a harsher opinion than I’d thought I’d hear. Even I agree that the police aren’t paid as much as they should and need to be better armed to keep up with superhumans.”

“The job is what it is. A humble profession. You sign up to put your life on the line with the equipment you’re given, and you’re paid a certain amount. We work to protect others, and if that means living in the lower-middle class, then that’s what we have to deal with.”

“I agree, but officers should be paid more than office workers and at least be paid above or on the same level as other government employees.”

“It’s nothing I mind. I don’t even mind when officers quit to join associations like your Dominion.”

“You don’t mind much at all from what I’ve heard of your history.”

“It’s the way my parents raised me, my faith, and how the world is. You take what you can get and appreciate it, and if you don’t like it, then do what you can to change it or suck it up. Life is difficult, and complaining about it doesn’t help anyone, especially if that complaining ends up risking the lives of the civilians signed up to protect.”

“That’s why I’m here. I need you to help me talk down our colleagues so that they stop protesting.”

“I’ve talked to them day after day and got nowhere. You know it. I’m sure you’ve seen it on the news, and if trying to give them what they want ends up in them still complaining, then there’s nothing more that can be done. If you want my opinion, you should fire them.”

“You really think I should do that?”

“They’re refusing to do their jobs, while being paid by the tax dollars of their citizens, so they should face the consequences. We’re cops, not normal workers at a corporation, and our absence on the streets leaves it undefended by possible attackers, criminals, and villains.”

“So, that’s it then?”

“There’s nothing else that can be done. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t even mind it if you ordered me to get them arrested so the rest will either get back to work or quit, because I’m tired of dedicating my people’s time and mine to arguing with them to do their jobs.”

Using my powers, I look into Tanimura’s soul. He’s a rigid man, and yet, it’s that rigidness that makes him such a dedicated police officer. I can complain about him not giving himself a break, and that self-abuse bleeding over to the other officers who look up to him, but I don’t think that’d do me any good. Even though he’s young, he’s set in his way like an elderly man due to the traditionalist mindset he grew up in, and is unwilling to budge at the moment. I thank him for the conversation, and go to leave to see the next leader, hoping that what we will talk about can be used on Tanimura.

The leader of the so-called Pigs, Munakata, is at his police station, which he leads. Unlike Tanimura, he’s not rushing to do anything as his office is neat and in order.

“Mayor Polina, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Please, take a seat,” Munakata says.

Munakata is an older man than Tanimura is with some noticeable white hairs and the same amount of scars as the leader of his opposition.

Taking a seat, I say, “Thank you. Please, just call me Polina. After hearing what’s usually said about me by your allied officers, I’d expected a less than warm welcome.”

“Don’t mind them. They don’t actually mean the words they say or let their emotions use less-than-favorable words to express their concerns. You see, we’re all stressed out because of our job, and just want the right tools to accomplish it and reasonable pay for it.”

“I understand and agree. That’s why I submitted my request for exactly that to the government. I’m sorry it hasn’t been fulfilled yet, since they’re busy with similar requests.”

“You can’t get your allies in the government to make the process go faster?”

“No, unfortunately, we can’t.”

“Heh, I find that hard to believe given how much change the Dominion and Coronamento Corporation have indirectly done just through their actions.”

“The Dominion is a hero association, not a political party. We can only do so much.”

“You say that, but the Dominion has changed the world through its efforts, and you’re telling me that you can’t get the government to give some papers their stamp of approval?”

“…yes.”

Munakata is silent for a moment before laughing and taking out a piece of gum to chew on.

“Do you want a piece?”

“No, thank you.”

“I chew this instead of smoking. Gotta kick the habit.”

“I can’t force the government to do anything, despite being mayor and the Dominion’s reputation and allies.”

“I know. That’s the government for you. Always willing to take, but never willing to give. Believe it or not, it’s why I respect your hero organization and Coronamento. You both take what’s rightfully yours and worry about legalities later.”

“What can I do for you then so you can stop your protesting?”

“Just hear me out and listen to my story. Do you remember when a mad scientist and engineer teamed up to make cybernetic men to steal from the hospitals, factories, and police stations? Each one of their soldiers took more than three assault rifle clips to put down, and the specialized bullets we had dried up early in the fight because we had to use them in a previous one.”

“I remember. You put in the request for more and had to wait six months to get it. I was still just a cop at the time, and not a superhero.”

“Nevertheless, we had to make due. I got these scars during that fight. Lost a lot of good friends and failed to save civilians that I tried my best to protect. I remember waking up in the hospital, wanting to be dead if it meant that everyone else would be alive, but here I am still alive today.”

“Munakata…”

He wipes his eyes and says, “You know it’s funny to me that people in the government have secretly funded people like them to gather wealth, materials, and people for them, rather than funding the force that protects the public? There was a time a friend offered to have Christmas at his apartment. The place was run down, but he did his best…I’m sorry. That last part was sort of off topic. I forgot the exact reason why I told you the story and started the next one. Maybe it’s because it always pops up in my mind and feels like it happened yesterday, and I want to share it with someone, but I’m sure you understand me. Your powers allow you to do it, right?”

“They do. More than you know.”

“Then you know how I feel and why I have to continue this protest. If I don’t, then more tragedies like that one will happen again.”

“It’s going to happen again if you don’t tell your supporters to get back to work.”

“No, it won’t. The Dominion is doing a good job of keeping the streets safe. At this rate, it’ll be the country’s official police force or even military. I can see it now. The Dominion, the world’s first superhuman army, brought to you by the Columbian Union.”

“Munakata.”

“I’m sorry, Polina. I trust that you’ll give us what we want, but you know as much as I do that we need to speed things along, and making a scene is the best way to draw attention to the issue. Am I wrong?”

I can’t argue with him. His past trauma and the suffering of others are motivating him to continue the protests, so there’s nothing else I can say. I thank Munakata for his time and leave to go home. My parents have left me dinner and are watching the late-night news like usual. I hardly have the energy to tell them how my day was, and I don’t have the will to go into detail because not much was accomplished. After eating, I take a shower and hit the bed.

As I’m about to fall asleep, Raziel, Zahara, and Penelope all text me in our group chat about the meetings I went to. With so much to say but being too tired to go into detail, I simply text back that I’ll tell them tomorrow. It’s then that I realize I have to say my nightly prayers, so I do and hope that my prayers will be answered. Both Tanimura and Munakata are good people, as are the people they lead, making this situation harder to deal with than the usual ones I face with criminals and villains. It makes part of me regret becoming mayor to begin with. I want to give them both what they deserve, but with no apparent way out at the moment, I can only hope that it works itself out or that an answer will come to me soon.