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Kitsuragi experiences racism for his [[Seol|Seolite]] ancestry. Others do not call him Revacholian,<ref name=":4" /> despite his birth in [[Revachol]], and he has been called racial slurs in the past.<ref>KIM KITSURAGI - "People call me all sorts of things. But you know the one thing they *never* call me?"<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "Revacholian."<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "I don't suppose anyone ever questions whether you belong here. Not matter how badly you fuck up, no matter what a mess you make, you never *stop* being Revacholian..."<br/>YOU - Say nothing.<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "I was born here. I grew up here. It's the only *home* I've ever known. And there's a good chance I'll die in the line of duty here, too."<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "But -- to most of my countrymen, I will always be some *monkey fucker*."</ref> He derives pride from not being associated with Seol in any way except his ethnicity, instead being a "regular, garden variety Revacholiere."<ref>KIM KITSURAGI - "I can see you're disappointed." A brief smile. "You're right to be -- I don't speak a word of Seolite. I've never met either one of my grandparents. I've never been to Seol. I'm a regular, garden variety Revacholiere."<br/>RHETORIC - A point of pride to him.</ref><ref name=":10" />
 
Kitsuragi experiences racism for his [[Seol|Seolite]] ancestry. Others do not call him Revacholian,<ref name=":4" /> despite his birth in [[Revachol]], and he has been called racial slurs in the past.<ref>KIM KITSURAGI - "People call me all sorts of things. But you know the one thing they *never* call me?"<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "Revacholian."<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "I don't suppose anyone ever questions whether you belong here. Not matter how badly you fuck up, no matter what a mess you make, you never *stop* being Revacholian..."<br/>YOU - Say nothing.<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "I was born here. I grew up here. It's the only *home* I've ever known. And there's a good chance I'll die in the line of duty here, too."<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "But -- to most of my countrymen, I will always be some *monkey fucker*."</ref> He derives pride from not being associated with Seol in any way except his ethnicity, instead being a "regular, garden variety Revacholiere."<ref>KIM KITSURAGI - "I can see you're disappointed." A brief smile. "You're right to be -- I don't speak a word of Seolite. I've never met either one of my grandparents. I've never been to Seol. I'm a regular, garden variety Revacholiere."<br/>RHETORIC - A point of pride to him.</ref><ref name=":10" />
   
−
Kim had doubts about his name at some point, but deliberately discarded them.<ref>EMPATHY - Kim must have had doubts about his name at some point too, but deliberately discarded them. <br />YOU - ''"Have you ever wanted to change your name, Kim?"'' <br />KIM KITSURAGI - "Change? No, not exactly. But I think all of us at some point imagine what our lives might have been had we been something else."<br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "And then we feel trapped by the names we've been given, as symbols of the intentions and expectations of others..." He pulls a long, pensive drag. <br/>KIM KITSURAGI - "Even if I were to change my name now, upon hearing any syllable that sounds like *kim* in the street, I'd turn to see who was calling me."</ref>
 +
Kim had doubts about his name at some point, but deliberately discarded them.<ref>EMPATHY - Kim must have had doubts about his name at some point too, but deliberately discarded them. <br />YOU - "Have you ever wanted to change your name, Kim?" <br />KIM KITSURAGI - "Change? No, not exactly. But I think all of us at some point imagine what our lives might have been had we been something else."<br />KIM KITSURAGI - "And then we feel trapped by the names we've been given, as symbols of the intentions and expectations of others..." He pulls a long, pensive drag. <br />KIM KITSURAGI - "Even if I were to change my name now, upon hearing any syllable that sounds like *kim* in the street, I'd turn to see who was calling me."</ref>
   
 
=== Expressiveness ===
  
=== Expressiveness ===

Revision as of 18:56, 14 May 2021

Kim Kitsuragi is a character in Disco Elysium.

Background

Childhood and Ancestry

Kim Kitsuragi was born in Revachol around '08 to half-Seolite parents; his grandfather and grandmother on opposite parental sides were from Seol.[1] He's never met his grandparents.[2] He cannot speak Seolite.[3]

When he was 2 years old, his parents were killed during the end of the Antecentennial Revolution. He was saved by virtue of his youth.[4]

As a child, he dreamed of becoming an aerostatic pilot. He was particularly interested in revolutionary air brigades, though he would never admit this.[5] He also collected figurines of Franconigerian knights.[6] He was bullied in high school.[7]

RCM Career

Kitsuragi joined the RCM around the age of 23, in '31, and began his career with 15 years as a juvenile police officer. He developed an aversion to teenagers for this reason.[8] When he was 38, he had to infiltrate a pinball ring. He trained for 9 months, was successful, and was transferred out of the juvenile wing to homicide.[9] Along the way, he earned the moniker "Kim 'Pinball' Kitsuragi" and "The Kimball": nicknames which he detests.[10]

He worked a year in Processing[11] and thinks it is a wrecking crew.[12]

Kitsuragi earned his lieutenancy as a member of Criminal Investigation[10][13] and has since been four times decorated.[14] He once had a partner nicknamed "Eyes" because he had to show the farsighted[15] Kitsuragi things. Things didn't end well with Eyes, and it saddens him to even mention him.[16] Despite this, he passes shooting courses 7 out of 10.[17]

He currently works for Precinct 57[18] and owns a patrol and pursuit Coupris Kineema motor carriage that the RCM affected to him.[19] Kim has two decades of RCM service under his belt.[20] Before the tribunal, the last time he killed someone was four years ago.[21]

Personality

Political Beliefs

Kitsuragi identified as a moralist in his twenties and currently describes himself as someone who believes in the RCM.[22] Above all, he loves Revachol.[23] It is implied that he was once partial towards the revolutionaries of the Antecentennial Revolution[5] and disapproves of fascists.[24][25][26]

Religious Beliefs

Kitsuragi is a follower of Dolorianism[27] and practices various Dolorian rituals, including the Stations of the Breath[28][29] and crossing his chest in an "X."[27] Yet, he claims he is not spiritual, as Dolorianism is considered secular in Elysium,[27] and is put off by religion.[30]

Interests

File:DE Cupris Kineema.png

Kim's Coupris Kineema

Kim Kitsuragi is a self-described "torque dork."[31] He lovingly modifies his Coupris Kineema,[19][32][33][34] listens to Speedfreaks FM,[35] and is a fan of the TipTop Tournée.[36]

Kitsuragi reads science fiction[37] though he dislikes "fantastique" science fiction pinball themes.[10] He plays Wirrâl and is partial to sidhe and huldur races.[38] He also enjoys filling out the crossword outside of working hours.[39][40][41]
Kitsuragi tailors. That is why his clothes fit him well.[42]

Habits

Kitsuragi often taps his foot[43][44][45][46] and writes in his notebook, which he uses for detective work.[47][48] He permits himself exactly one cigarette a day, usually at night when he goes over his notes.[49] It is implied that he smokes in order to look cool.[50]

He has a habit of dispensing wisdom and he is trying to curb it.[51]

Personal Affairs

Kitsuragi is not comfortable with emotional openness[52] and discussions on matters of love,[53] and he is afraid of becoming a joke.[54] He dislikes dealing with personal affairs due to his lieutenancy.[55]

Kitsuragi experiences racism for his Seolite ancestry. Others do not call him Revacholian,[23] despite his birth in Revachol, and he has been called racial slurs in the past.[56] He derives pride from not being associated with Seol in any way except his ethnicity, instead being a "regular, garden variety Revacholiere."[57][2]

Kim had doubts about his name at some point, but deliberately discarded them.[58]

Expressiveness

The lieutenant nods often as a part of his un-plastic expression range, communicating both professionalism and sarcasm.[59] His eyebrows are the liveliest part of his otherwise inexpressive face[60] and are deployed often.

He's described as incapable of blushing.[61] Instead, his ears turn red.[62] However, he may become flushed from anger.[63]

He communicates impatience by looking at his watch[64][65] or tapping his foot.[44][45][46]

Pinball

Due to his experiences in juvie, Kim despises pinball with a passion.[66] He considers it a game that requires no skill, appealing to those with a childlike affinity to flashing lights.[10]

Belongings

Here is a list of Kitsuragi's belongings in-game:

Drug smokes astra

Astra Cigarettes

  • Electronic[69] sports[70] wristwatch, on his left hand
  • Handkerchiefs (multiple)
    • One is a blue checkered handkerchief.[71]
    • Another is white, lined with red, adorned with lace, and has a tiny embroidered Portier.[72]
  • Mnemotechnique A6, in his chest pocket
    • Described as a "classic" notebook.[73]
  • Single-shot Kiejl A9 Armistice,[74] on a holster under his arm[75]
  • Small folding knife[76][77]
  • Trigat Sunshine Mini, in his coat pocket[78]
    • It is an instant color camera.[78]
    • Looks like a piece of milled aluminum foil. Requires a metal-capped glass ampoule inserted into its side for every photo, which is broken following the shutter click and flash.[78]

Interactions

  • A key statistic in game is the player's reputation with Kim. Treating Kim nicely or impressing him raises the reputation, while displeasing him lowers it.
  • Kim Kitsuragi is the deuteragonist of the game encountered on Day 1 at the Whirling-in-Rags. A passive Esprit de Corps check can remark that he would throw himself in harm's way for you,[79] and it is implied this is because he is a dedicated RCM officer.
    • There is a Conceptualization red check to come up with a name when Kim asks for one. Succeeding the check does not lead to a name, but gives hints to one of Harry's nicknames: Tequila Sunset.[80] Failure leads to the name Raphaël Ambrosius Costeau.[81]
    • After he was assigned to the case, Kim tried to meet up with Harry for two days, finally succeeding on the third after Harry lost his memory.[82]
  • Harry can talk to Kim during the investigation about the case or the lieutenant himself.
    • Harry can confess that he lost his entire memory, which Kim does not quite believe.[83]
    • If Harry shaves, Kim can express hesitation over his new look. Kim preferred the mutton chops as they covered the "damage."[84]
    • If Harry completes the Homo-sexual Underground thought, he can ask about Kim's sexuality. Kim says he is homo-sexual.[85]
    • Harry can try to smell Kim, to which the lieutenant leans away from. Harry can learn that Kim smells like a motor pool and pine needles.[86]
    • Asking Kim for a secret about himself leads to a display of Kitsuragi's Authority skill in his eyebrow, which is described as "off the charts" and able to exert "psionic control" over Harry.[87]
  • Passive Interfacing and Encyclopedia checks allow Harry to comment on Kim's Kineema with expertise. If Kim is impressed with the player's knowledge and Harry has a high enough reputation statistic, Kim can agree to collaboratively exchanging the Kineema's lights to helium headlights with enthusiasm.[88]
  • If Kim is present when Harry asks Lena about cryptids, he asks Harry to ask about only one. If the player continues to ask about cryptids, Kim relents, saying: "Ah, fuck it. Let's have more cryptids."[89]
  • If Harry fails to pay his fee to the Whirling-in-Rags, Kim can sell his spinner hubcaps to Bird's Nest Roy for 200 reál. He gives Harry the exact amount of money needed to pay off his debt and pockets the rest for himself.[90]
  • Asking Acele if she wants to party leads to Kim, if present, doing a severely outdated impression of someone looking for "smack." At the end, despite the highly visible RCM watermarks on his jacket, he says "We're from the police, by the way."[91]
  • If Harry fails a white Composure check analyzing why Gary is shifting around, he can accuse Gary of sporting anal beads. If Kim is present, the lieutenant whispers: "You wouldn't be able to hear if he were wearing anal beads."[92]
  • If the player fails the red Authority check to compel Kim to dance within the church, Harry calls Kim a racial slur.[93] Kim walks outside and the player has the option to following him out, then apologize or refuse to apologize to the lieutenant.
    • If the tribunal has not happened yet, Kim leaves for the day no matter what dialogue options the player chooses. If it is after the tribunal, Kim does not leave.
  • It is impossible to survive the Ruby encounter without having Kim by your side.
  • Kim shoots and kills Ruud Hoenkloewen during the tribunal.[94] At the end, when Harry is on the ground and Kim is trying to prevent him from bleeding out, the player has the option to try to warn Kim about Phillis De Paule, who approaches from behind. If the player succeeds the red Authority check, Kim shoots and kills De Paule after being warned by Harry.[95] If the player fails or chooses not to warn Kim, Kim gets shot.[96]
    • If Kim isn't shot, he is the one that patches Harry up after the tribunal. If Kim is shot, he is absent for the rest of the game, recovering at a hospital.

Trivia

  • The lieutenant has poor handwriting.[97][98]
  • Kim is homo-sexual.[85]
  • The lieutenant refers to Harrier Du Bois as "the 41st" in his notes - by his station number.[99]
  • There are rumors he's on La Puta Madre's take. He's not.[100]
  • He never really learned how to use radiocomputers.[101]
  • At the Station gym, he prefers running to weightlifting.[102]
  • Kim is described as being shortish[103] and scrawny.[104]
  • He smells of the motor pool[105] and pine needles.[106]
  • He uses Taiga Super Special aftershave.[106]
  • Kim has hyperopia, or farsightedness.[15]
  • Kitsuragi reads the front page of the newspaper based on headline size.[41]
  • Cut content mentions that Kim has killed 6 people and officially has 106 cases solved, though two are them are double counted for being murder-suicides.[107][108]

Behind the scenes

  • Kim's last name, Kitsuragi, although not a proper Japanese last name (there is no corresponding kanjis), is potentially a reference to Lt Colonel. Misato Katsuragi (葛城 ミサト), the commander of NERV's military forces in Neon Genesis Evangelion, who also has the rank of lieutenant. However, this hasn't been confirmed.
  • Kim Kitsuragi is voiced by Jullian Champenois.

Gallery

  • Concept art

    Concept art

  • In-game model

    In-game model

  • Orange bomber jacket description

    Orange bomber jacket description

  • Black bomber jacket description

    Black bomber jacket description

Voice Over Sample

References

  1. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "That's because I'm half-Seolite. Or quarter. My father's father was from Seol -- so was my grandmother, but from my mother's side..." He shakes his head. "It's not an interesting topic."
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 KIM KITSURAGI - "You're barking up the wrong tree. I don't speak a word of Seolite, I've never met either one of my grandparents. And I've never *been* to Seol." He seems almost proud of these things. "I'm a regular Revacholiere."
  3. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Mhm. I don't speak a word of Seolite and I've never met either one of my grandparents. There is nothing *ethnic* I can tell you. Or anyone else."
  4. ↑ JOYCE MESSIER - She turns to him. "And what is *your* official position, lieutenant?"
    SUGGESTION - There is curiosity there that goes unnoticed. The lieutenant takes a step back, absent-mindedly. KIM KITSURAGI - "My position, ma'am? My parents got ripped to shreds in the Revolution -- I would have gone the same way. I was saved by being two years old. That's my position -- the abattoir."
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 KIM KITSURAGI - "Okay. I wanted to become an aerostatic pilot. Then I turned ten and realized we no longer have an air force."
    YOU - "Are you sure the *revolutionary* has got nothing to do with this?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Absolutely nothing."
    DRAMA - The *revolutionary* must have added a little lustre to it, for a ten-year-old Kitsuragi. He will never admit it though.
  6. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Franconigerian knights." He looks at the dusty figurines in the dim light. "I used to be very serious about these guys."
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - ...a long, long time ago.
  7. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Binoclard... binoclard..." he repeats to himself, eyes fixed on the ground.
    EMPATHY - Whatever high-school bullying memories you woke in your colleague, he doesn't enjoy them.
  8. ↑ EMPATHY - So that's why he doesn't want to talk to Cuno. Trauma-and-Stressor Disorder from being a juvie cop.
  9. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - He puts his glasses back on. "Fine. I was a juvenile police officer -- for over 15 years. It's how I started out in the RCM. Once I had to infiltrate a pinball ring. As you do -- when you're a juvie cop."
    YOU - "Okay."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "It was not okay. I needed to become a... *pinball champion*." He shudders. "I trained for 9 months. The job was successful and I was moved out of the juvenile wing -- to homicide."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "End of story."
    YOU - "You were a juvie cop for 15 years?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "That time is over now." He looks at the pinball machine and breathes in. "I was already a 38 year old man. It was unbecoming. As was playing pinball."
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 KIM KITSURAGI - "Fine. I'm Kim 'Pinball' Kitsuragi." he puts them back on. "AKA The Kimball. You remembered -- congratulations."
    YOU - "You don't seem to really 'like' pinball."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "No human being should. It is a game that requires no skill and a childlike affinity to flashing lights. And to *fantastique*, science fiction, and historic romance franchises."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "It is *lame*."
    YOU - "Then why are you called Pinball?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I am not *called* Pinball. It was used to taunt me -- a long time ago. *Before* I became a homicide detective. And got my lieutenancy."
  11. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - shakes his head. "I worked as one of these *Processing guys* for a year. They are butchers and clowns. I once saw twenty CODs go misidentified in one week. Chances are slim to none that they'll find anything useful in processing."
  12. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Think of the *boys from Processing* as murderers. Only instead of people they murder crime scenes. Processing is a wrecking crew. They know how to commission off items and how to work the incinerator in the morgue."
  13. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes. But I am not them. I'm from Criminal Investigation."
  14. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "I know this sounds fantastic. But I'm a four times decorated lieutenant of the RCM. I do not make up encounters with *cryptids* to spice up my day. I am very, very sane."
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 KIM KITSURAGI - "I never got the hang of it. Hyperopia." He points to his glasses. "Do you see anything out of the ordinary?"
  16. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "I had a partner once. They called him Eyes, because he had to show me things. It's that bad."
    EMPATHY - This partner of his, Eyes -- things didn't end well. It saddens him to say his name. Don't even ask. He wouldn't answer. Maybe some other small talk?
  17. ↑ YOU - "Can you still shoot, though?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Well enough, actually. It's odd how that works. I'm no sharpshooter, but I pass my shooting courses 7 out of 10."
  18. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Hello, I'm Kim Kitsuragi." His grip is firm. "Lieutenant, Precinct 57. You must be from the 41st..."
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 JOYCE MESSIER - "I haven't seen anyone else drive a souped-up Courpis Kineema motor carriage either."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Actually," the lieutenant becomes defensive, "that motor carriage has been specially issued to serve as a patrol and *pursuit* vehicle."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "It's for crossing long distances in the Greater Revachol Industrial Harbour. It's not a toy."
  20. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "No, I do not see the future. I made those up using two decades in the Revacholian police force as a reference point."
  21. ↑ YOU - "Have you ever killed anyone, Kim?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes." He pauses. "The last time was four years ago."
    EMPATHY - He says it matter-of-factly and moves on.
    COMPOSURE - He has internalized it well. It's just that. A fact. A self-contained, past event.
    ENDURANCE - There is a *slight* physical revulsion in him while saying that, but he's worked through it in the intervening years.
  22. ↑ YOU - "You like the Moralintern."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes. I *did* -- when I was younger. In my twenties I considered myself a moralist. *A blue forget-me-not, a piece of the sky*," he quotes. "They're not all that bad." "But the years have changed that. I don't know *what* I believe in now...." He thinks, then changes his mind. "No. I believe in the RCM. That's enough for me."
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 KIM KITSURAGI - "Don't you *Welcome to Revachol* me," the lieutenant fires back. "My grandfather came to here from a three-thousand-year-old racist-isolationist culture, while your ancestors came to this island a mere three hundred years ago."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Every school of thought and government has failed in this city -- but I love it nonetheless. It belongs to me as much as it belongs to you."
    AUTHORITY - The lieutenant's impassive mask has been replaced with intensity. He speaks not as a cop, but as a citizen. He is *Vacholiere*. A Revacholian.
  24. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "It's worrying. Especially in light of his political views. Detective Du Bois is -- as you may know -- a fascist. A far-right woman-hater and, of course, also into race-stuff. Which -- for a police officer --" He shakes his head. "Not good."
  25. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant picks up one of the mugs, then puts it back down with a look of disdain.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I'm beginning to feel better about breaking into this man's apartment."
  26. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "The RCM doesn't discriminate," the lieutenant remarks dryly. "Women are held to the same standards as men. And -- as reflected in the quarterly statistics -- are equally effective in their jobs."
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 KIM KITSURAGI - As that terrible word passes through your mind, the lieutenant draws an x-shaped cross from shoulder to shoulder.
    YOU - Do the same.
    STAINED GLASS WINDOW - Your fingertips touch your chest four times as you stand in the apricot-coloured light of the window. Above you, the woman still smiles her distant smile, sundered by the crack in the glass.
    YOU - "Kim, are you a follower of Dolorianism?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes. We all are. Her name, body, and rule are synonymous with humanism. The laws we enforce are Dolorian in origin."
    YOU - "I didn't think you were spiritual."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "It's not spiritual. It's constitutional. The Dolorian system does not demand faith -- only accordance."
  28. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "A fitting testament to the lives lost," the lieutenant says as he turns toward the plaza. He holds one hand against his chest, the other is outstretched -- palm flat to the air.
    COMPOSURE - That's a variation of the Stations of the Breath. It's used when the body of the deceased is not available to hold a hand against.
  29. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Then again -- the right lividity is easy to produce, if you know what you're doing." He places his hand on the dead man's chest, as if in preparation...
    COMPOSURE - Your central nervous system recognizes this gesture. It's the *Stations of the Breath* -- ecclesiastic, religious in nature. A holdout from Pre-Dolorian burial rites. It takes him two seconds to perform, then...
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - Somewhere in Jamrock North, a small wood shed behind Rozenkrantz Row, Lieutenant Nick Feurback puts his hand to the chest of a small corpse, no larger than a monkey. It's raining outside, light drizzle. There is darkness in the shed.
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - Elsewhere yet, an obese female sits in a wicker chair, her silhouette ball-like against the window. Outside: Grand Couron. The day is turning dim for Sergeant Mack Torson. Hand extended, he approaches. To make sure she *is* dead, more than anything else...
    SHIVERS - The building is tall, seven stories wind-wrapped in solitude; most of the apartments are unoccupied. This was a suicide. The other an accident -- the small one.
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - ...and so all across Jamrock, Coal City, G.R.I.H. Forty two deceased persons found today -- forty two Stations of Breath.
  30. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant whispers to you, quietly. "This man is obviously a habitual narcotics user. Do we really need to question him?"
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - I'm put off by this religious stuff, he thinks -- and maybe the ceiling-climbing too. It's all very hard to square with the lieutenant's own view of reality.
  31. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Strange... but plausible, I guess." He gives you a quick side-glance and turns to go. "I guess you're a bit of a... torque dork too."
  32. ↑ YOU - "Ever thought about switching to helium headlights?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Actually, I have a pair at home -- just haven't gotten around to fitting them yet. I need to lay some wiring for the ballasts first..."
  33. ↑ COUPRIS KINEEMA - I'm good, cherished and cared for, in the hands of a tending owner.
  34. ↑ COUPRIS KINEEMA - The cage at the back of the motor carriage looks rather uncomfortable. Four shiny hubcaps are stacked against the seat. Their silver edges sparkle in the dark.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I confiscated these four a little while back. We can take them to the pawnshop down by the Martinaise Canal."
    YOU - "What *are* those things?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "They're spinner hubcaps -- frivolous things you put on your wheels. When the wheels come to a stop," he makes a spinning motion with his hands, "the caps keep on spinning. There's no real use for them, it's just for vanity."
    SUGGESTION - A vanity he wouldn't mind.
  35. ↑ YOU - "*Speedfreaks FM*. huh?" (Look him in the eye.)
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Oh, is that what it was called?" He's trying hard to act surprised.
    REACTION SPEED - Go for it -- turn the radio back on while it's still on the Speedfreaks FM!
    YOU - Pick up the radio again.
    DJ MESH - "...SSSSOUPED UP MOTOR CARRIAGE FOR ONE BAD BAD MOMMA'S BOY, F-F-F-FFFOR THE H-H-HEAVY OF F-F-F-FFFOOT AND FREAKY IN..."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "God-damn-it!" The lieutenant moves quick as a viper as he switches off the radio and sets it on primeline. Then he turns to you:
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Look, it helps me to stay alert on long nights, okay? It's a method. I'm not some kind of *speed-freak* or..." He shakes his head, furiously staring at his feet.
  36. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "You're right." A vainglorious smile spreads over his face as he pats his machine. "I didn't take you for a motorcar enthusiast. Do you also like TipTop, detective?"
    ENCYCLOPEDIA - The TipTop Tournée is an interisolary racing series, mostly known for it high speeds, ludicrous sponsorship deals, and high death toll. In Revachol it's held quadrennially on the prestigious Zéro Carrousel racing circuit.
    YOU - "TipTop? Adore it!"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Really?" the lieutenant looks at you. "Well, I'm not indifferent on the matter either." He adjusts his glasses, visibly pleased to have found a fellow fan.
  37. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Unless we've veered off into a folded M dimension, I'm expecting to step out on the roof."
    CONCEPTUALIZATION - Folded M dimension. A reference to the popular science fiction series *In System*. Look who's in a good mood suddenly (and reads science fiction).
  38. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Dweorgr, huh?" The lieutenant shrugs. "I was always more of a sidhe or huldur guy myself."
  39. ↑ ESPRIT DE CORPS - In a mould-covered bathroom inside a trashed hostel near the edge of Martinaise, a middle-aged man grips the sides of a cold sink in white-knuckled fury...
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - Meanwhile, his colleague is filling in the last clues of his nightly crossword when he hears what seems to be some kind of animalistic howling from the adjoining room. He directs his eyes toward the door of their shared bathroom...
  40. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "And that seems to corroborate the ethnicity we gave." The lieutenant is pedantically happy about it.
    CONCEPTUALIZATION - Like a crossword puzzle solver. Or a master at the guessing game peng.
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 ESPRIT DE CORPS - First he removes the games and puzzles page and sets that aside for later. He never does the crossword during work hours.
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - He reads everything on the front page according to the size of the headline. Today, though, he only skims -- none of it seems very interesting.
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - When he's finished with the front page, he scans the local box scores. The Stormers lost again, 17-32. He shakes his head and checks his watch. It's time to get back to it...
  42. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes. And this 'mega-binoclard' knows how to sew a lapel and center a back vent." The lieutenant raises one eyebrow at you.
    COMPOSURE - That's why his clothes fit so well...
  43. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "I have no idea." The lieutenant taps his foot, frowning.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 KIM KITSURAGI - Lieutenant Kitsuragi slowly begins to tap a little rhythm with his right foot. Quite a lot of time has passed.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 KIM KITSURAGI - "Are you sure we have time to go chasing after bug-hunters just now?" The lieutenant taps his foot impatiently.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant is tapping his foot, but you can't tell if it's a habitual tic or impatience.
  47. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "For real detective work, nothing beats a good notebook by your side..."
    KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant produces his small blue notebook and idly thumbs through a few pages.
    EMPATHY - That's where his conversations with himself take place.
  48. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Well, detective, it appears you've solved the case..." The lieutenant looks around, writes something in his notebook, and turns to you...
  49. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "I apologize, but I only brought one with me. I have exactly one cigarette every night while going over my notes."
  50. ↑ VOLITION - Keeping the habit within the parameters he's given himself takes a lot of focus. It would be easier to simply quit.
    COMPOSURE - Yet were he to quit, he would lose the cool factor. This man relishes his cool quite a bit -- below it all.
  51. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Focus on *other* people's troubles. Not your own. That is the relief."
    YOU - "Thank you, oh wise man."
    KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant blinks, his mouth slightly open and his body motionless. A microsecond passes.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Excuse me. I was lecturing you. I shouldn't have. You should consult a medical professional if you feel that you need help."
    ESPRIT DE CORPS - This habit of dispensing wisdom has been brought to his attention before. He will not think less of you for lashing out -- he is trying to curb it.
  52. ↑ YOU - "To me, you're my partner."
    KIM KITSURAGI - For a moment the lieutenant seems to be suppressing something uncomfortable. Then he clears his throat...
    COMPOSURE - The lieutenant's not comfortable with emotional openness. He's eager to change the subject.
  53. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant opens his notebook but doesn't write anything.
    VOLITION - He's hiding. These things are tough on him. Matters of love, not violence or deceit.
  54. ↑ YOU - "You're not... afraid, are you?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "No. I just don't want to walk into another *embarrassment*. I am a creature of pride, you see..." There is silence. "I'm afraid of becoming a joke."
    VOLITION - It's not something he's proud of, but that's the way it is.
  55. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Have you tried concentrating on something other than your personal affairs?"
    EMPATHY - There is a sudden, harsh edge to his voice. Like he's tired of hearing about your "personal affairs."
    YOU - "What's wrong with personal affairs?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Not a fan. It's just the nature of lieutenancy."
    ENCYCLOPEDIA - The RCM deploys a self-styled structure called the Décomptage as its chain of command. Every lieutenant has to deal with quite a few personal affairs. Even you know this.
  56. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "People call me all sorts of things. But you know the one thing they *never* call me?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Revacholian."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I don't suppose anyone ever questions whether you belong here. Not matter how badly you fuck up, no matter what a mess you make, you never *stop* being Revacholian..."
    YOU - Say nothing.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I was born here. I grew up here. It's the only *home* I've ever known. And there's a good chance I'll die in the line of duty here, too."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "But -- to most of my countrymen, I will always be some *monkey fucker*."
  57. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "I can see you're disappointed." A brief smile. "You're right to be -- I don't speak a word of Seolite. I've never met either one of my grandparents. I've never been to Seol. I'm a regular, garden variety Revacholiere."
    RHETORIC - A point of pride to him.
  58. ↑ EMPATHY - Kim must have had doubts about his name at some point too, but deliberately discarded them.
    YOU - "Have you ever wanted to change your name, Kim?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Change? No, not exactly. But I think all of us at some point imagine what our lives might have been had we been something else."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "And then we feel trapped by the names we've been given, as symbols of the intentions and expectations of others..." He pulls a long, pensive drag.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Even if I were to change my name now, upon hearing any syllable that sounds like *kim* in the street, I'd turn to see who was calling me."
  59. ↑ COMPOSURE - The lieutenant nods often. It's part of his un-plastic expression range, communicating both professionalism and sarcasm. This time, the latter.
  60. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - His eyebrows arch. They are the liveliest part of his otherwise quite inexpressive face.
  61. ↑ COMPOSURE - He's incapable of blushing, but if he weren't -- he'd blush.
  62. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - Right away the lieutenant reaches into the cabin and turns off the radio. He's not looking at you as he says:
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Someone must have been messing with the radio, or maybe it picked up a random frequency... You wanted the primeline, right?"
    EMPATHY - He's still avoiding your gaze -- and his ears glow red.
  63. ↑ YOU - "I didn't know they *let* binoclards become cops."
    KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant's face turns a ruddy shade. "I can *assure* you, detective, that I've passed *all* the required physical exams within the last year. Can you say the same?"
  64. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Had enough assaulting *madre natura*?" He looks at his wristwatch. "We should get moving."
  65. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - He looks at his wristwatch a little impatiently. "You know, since tape-spinning isn't really our day job. Solving murder investigations is."
  66. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Agreed," the lieutenant chips in, "pinball is the worst."
    EMPATHY - His disdain for pinball could not be clearer.
  67. ↑ EMPATHY - The lieutenant breathes out a chestnut-scented cloud of cigarette smoke and looks at the city he's sworn to guard.
  68. ↑ YOU - Pull out the pull-out toolbox. COUPRIS KINEEMA - A metallic drawer slides out from under the seat and clicks into place. The tools inside are neatly organized.
  69. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI -The lieutenant glances at his electronic wristwatch.
  70. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - A moment passes. The lieutenant glances at the sports watch on his wrist.
  71. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Keep it." The lieutenant hands you a blue checkered handkerchief.
  72. ↑ Description of Lieutenant's Handkerchief
  73. ↑ ENCYCLOPEDIA - Oh! The lieutenant uses a Mnemotechnique A6 -- that's not just any notebook, it's a classic!
  74. ↑ YOU - (Whisper to the lieutenant.) "Kim, what are you packing?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "It's a single-shot Kiejl A9. An *Armistice* to be precise."
  75. ↑ PERCEPTION (SIGHT) - He wears a wide leather belt around his waist and a gun holster under his arm.
  76. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Ligature mark..." The lieutenant produces a small folding knife. With the other hand pulling on the belt, he starts cutting into the polyester. The stench is horrid. After a while, it's obvious the material cannot be cut.
  77. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - Out comes his small folding knife -- the lieutenant moves its blade across the man's skull, searching for the exit wound...
  78. ↑ 78.0 78.1 78.2 YOU - "What's that?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "A Trigat Sunshine. Mini."
    ENCYCLOPEDIA - Trigat is the world's leading manufacturer of intercommunication devices, primarily projectors. The camera before you looks familiar somehow.
    CUNOESSE - "Shit, Cuno! WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "An instant colour camera." He produces two metal-capped ampoules and clicks them into place on the side of the apparatus. A thin slot shines there...
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I have only two ampoules, so nobody move -- I don't want to waste one." He points the camera at the corpse, peering into it. The lens needs adjusting. Then:
    KIM KITSURAGI - A sound, a shrill flash. Followed by the breaking of a small ampoule of glass. You see streams of colour pour onto the thick, glossy piece of paper rolling out.
  79. ↑ ESPRIT DE CORPS - If an assault were launched on this building right now -- if the windows came crashing down and the whole world descended upon you -- this man would hurl himself in death's way to save you. You are sure of this -- but why?
  80. ↑ YOU - Invent a name for yourself.
    CONCEPTUALIZATION - Concentration makes you squint your eyes. Your name should be deep gold and orange, like a forest fire looming on the horizon, but mixed with the stench of liquor rising from your breath. You're two steps closer to it, but there are still many to go...
  81. ↑ YOU - Invent a name for yourself.
    CONCEPTUALIZATION - Raphaël Ambrosius Costeau.
  82. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "It looks like we had a little scheduling error on Sunday. Saturday too, actually... Have you had time to talk to the manager here?"
    RHETORIC - What he means is he has been trying to meet up with you for two days, but you have been *otherwise occupied*.
  83. ↑ YOU - "I think you should know that I can't remember *anything*."
    KIM KITSURAGI - No response. He just arches his brow.
    RHETORIC - He's having trouble processing it. *Believing* it even.
  84. ↑ YOU - "So..." (Point to your face.) "I shaved."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes, uhm..." The lieutenant stares at your shaven face, his eyes narrowed. "Uhhhh..." he mumbles. "I don't know what to say." He coughs. "Perhaps..."
    YOU - "What is it? You can tell me, Kim."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I'm not really sure about this turn of events. I... think the mutton chops might have been a better idea. They sort of seemed to cover up some of the..." He stops.
    ENDURANCE - Damage.
    RHETORIC - Yeah -- damage. He means damage.
  85. ↑ 85.0 85.1 YOU - "Are *you* part of the homo-sexual underground?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "You didn't stop at all, did you? You're just obsessing about *other people's* sexuality now."
    REACTION SPEED - Uhm... uh...
    YOU - "Yeah, but..."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "...but am I? I'll spare you another *20 hour mind-project* -- yes, I am. Now let's get back to work."
    DRAMA - That's the truth.
  86. ↑ YOU - "Hold still a second..." (Try to smell Kim.)
    KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant's posture becomes rigid and uncomfortable as you lean forward and sniff the area just above his shoulder blade...
    PERCEPTION (SMELL) - The lieutenant is fastidious as a cat in matters of his personal upkeep. And yet, in the folds of his jacket you can just perceive the stale and acrid traces of oil rags, transmission fluid, and brake pads.
    ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Wait-wait. There's something else there, something that sets your GABA-receptors aflutter.
    PERCEPTION (SMELL) - The lieutenant's aftershave. A common drugstore brand. Strong hints of pine needle.
  87. ↑ YOU - "Tell me a secret about yourself."
    KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant narrows a single eyebrow. "No."
    YOU - Ask again.
    KIM KITSURAGI - Your brain sends the signal to your lips but they refuse the order. Something is paralysing them.You're pretty sure it has something to do with the lieutenant's eyebrow.
    VOLITION - The eyebrow is exercising *psionic* control over you.
    COMPOSURE - It's like you're *locked down*.
    YOU - What's... happening... to me?
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Something the matter, detective?"
    AUTHORITY - This guy's got Authority off the charts. With just a flick of his eyebrow he's able to make you his thrall.
  88. ↑ YOU - "Ever thought about switching to helium headlights?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Actually, I have a pair at home -- just haven't gotten around to fitting them yet. I need to lay some wiring for the ballasts first..."
    YOU - "I f we ever get this case solved, maybe we can do it together?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "You want to help?" He glances at you and smiles. "Thank you for the offer. That might be fun. Let's do the case first though, alright?"
    RHETORIC - He liked the idea.
  89. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant leans in. "Hey, you promised you'd only ask about one cryptid."
    YOU - "But, Kim... Don't *you* want to hear about another cryptid too?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant pauses thoughtfully.
    VOLITION - Something in him breaks.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Ah, fuck it. Let's have more cryptids."
  90. ↑ BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Of course. I meant no offense. 200 reál for you, officer. Delightful doing business with you. Do come again."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Thank you." He takes the cash, then turns to you.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Here's the 30 reál you need for your bill. Do *not* waste it." The rest goes in his pocket.
    RHETORIC - The rest is for him -- to compensate for the pain of being separated from his radiant spinners.
  91. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Yeah, man..." The lieutenant suddenly appears to your right with his collar popped *insanely* high.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Got any dope? We need some dope bad." He scratches his nose, then his armpit through the jacket. "I got the *Boogie Street* shakes."
    YOU - Let the lieutenant do his thing.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Tryin'a score some *dope*, man. Tryin'a score some smack -- you got any?" He hops from one foot to the other.
    ACELE - "What's *smack*?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "The *D*, man, gotta hit that D!"
    ACELE - "What's... 'the D'?"
    YOU - Say nothing.
    KIM KITSURAGI - "*Diamorphine*, girl. Quit clownin'. We need a hook-up for that D..." He breathes in through his teeth.
    ACELE - "Diamorphine? But that hasn't been around for years -- five or more, like seven years maybe? Everybody just does *hunch* now."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Really? What's that?"
    ACELE - "Hunch is like ten times stronger than diamorphine and *waaay* more lethal. I think the name is... B-hydroxy-something."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Okay." The lieutenant stops hopping. "That's... that's real bad. Someone should definitely look into that..."
    KIM KITSURAGI - He rolls his collar down to normal human level and pulls out his familiar notebook. "We're from the police, by the way."
    ACELE - "Oh, of course." She doesn't look surprised.
  92. ↑ COMPOSURE - Is he? He's looking comfortable enough -- maybe it was just beads? Sounded like beads. But what kind of beads might a man like Gary be hiding beneath his clothes?
    YOU - "Are you currently sporting some *anal beads*?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant leans in confidentially. "You wouldn't be able to hear if he were wearing anal beads," he whispers.
  93. ↑ YOU - "Dance, monkey fucker!!"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Excuse me, *what*?"
    YOU - (Stop.) "I don't know what got into me. I'm so sorry. I just lost control for a moment."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Dance?" he repeats. "*Monkey* fucker?"
    KIM KITSURAGI - Then a breath of cold sea air fills the church as the lieutenant opens the door and steps out.
  94. ↑ YOU - Kim -- did he hit the rifleman?!
    RUUD HOENKLOEWEN - Blood gushes from the helmet's eye-sockets as Ruud staggers back, disoriented. The sounds coming from his helmet are not human.
    HAND/EYE COORDINATION - An unbelievable shot from the lieutenant.
  95. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - There is no room for hesitation. The lieutenant turns around and fires, his body falling on yours in the course of the motion...
    DE PAULE - You hear a faint scream -- a woman's. Then the sound disappears, like someone pressed STOP on the tape. The woman is gone. So is Kim. Then the whole world...
  96. ↑ DE PAULE - It's not all dark yet. As you're leaving, she is in there too with you. You can *feel* the slender figure move, like a snake. And then a distant gunshot. Velvety smooth. Muffled.
    KIM KITSURAGI - A big pillow falls on you. Cold nylon and blood. Slumped on you as the lights go out. All the lights. And the sounds. Of the world. Disappear.
  97. ↑ YOU - "Hmh..." (Try to understand what the lieutenant has written about the case at hand.)
    KIM KITSURAGI - It's very hard to draw conclusions. All you can make out is that he is in a hurry to solve the case -- the tempo of the handwriting says as much -- and that there are *a lot* of notes in there. Most of them are made prior to arriving at the scene, in preparation.
  98. ↑ YOU - "Hmm-hmm..." (Take a peek at Kim's notes.)
    KIM KITSURAGI - You find a moment, as the lieutenant inspects the dead man's fingernails. Just a few glances. The pages are filled with bulky freehand that's nearly illegible...
  99. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - Maybe you're imagining it, but there are some remarks in there -- and they're not all negative! You're referred to as 'the 41st' -- by your station number. And...
  100. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "I've heard people say *I* am on La Puta Madre's take." He looks you in the eye. "And I am *not*."
  101. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "We have one of these down at the station, but I never really learned how to use it."
  102. ↑ KIM KITSURAGI - "Weightlifting was never my favourite, either." The lieutenant is obviously *handling* you. "At the Station gym, I mean. I prefer running. It clears your head..." The lieutenant steps away from the barbell, letting your recover in peace.
  103. ↑ ESPRIT DE CORPS - Three figures on the spring ice. One, a shortish man, is standing with his shoulders slightly hunched. Another, a young woman, tries her best to ignore the third, a middle-aged man with spectacular sideburns, jumping up and down on the sea ice...
  104. ↑ RUBY, THE INSTIGATOR - "Well, it wasn't this scrawny dude." She nods toward the lieutenant. "You had two guys and a lady. The guys looked pretty buff. Lady wasn't bad either."
  105. ↑ PERCEPTION (SMELL) - The lieutenant is fastidious as a cat in matters of his personal upkeep. And yet, in the folds of his jacket you can just perceive the stale and acrid traces of oil rags, transmission fluid, and brake pads.
    YOU - "Just as I suspected: You're no lieutenant... you're a *mechanic*!"
    KIM KITSURAGI - "I do like to *hang around* the motor pool every now and then, but that doesn't make me a mechanic. Sort of like how hanging around the liquor store hasn't made you into a master distiller."
  106. ↑ 106.0 106.1 PERCEPTION (SMELL) - The lieutenant's aftershave. A common drugstore brand. Strong hints of pine needle.
    YOU - "I was just wondering what brand of aftershave you use."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "It's nothing fancy, just plain old Taiga Super Special... I do like the way it tingles, though. It's the only part of shaving I actually look forward to."
  107. ↑ YOU - Look for: Precinct 57 -> Lieutenants -> Kitsuragi, Kim.
    ENCYCLOPEDIA - The name "Kim 'Pinball' Kitsuragi" appears before you.
    YOU - Confirmed kills?
    ENCYCLOPEDIA - Six.
    YOU - Cases solved?
    ENCYCLOPEDIA - One hundred and four.
  108. ↑ YOU - "For some reason I thought you had a hundred and *four* solved cases."
    KIM KITSURAGI - "Well, *technically*," the lieutenant says, somewhat sheepishly. "The official record keeper has been known to double-count murder-suicides."
    ENCYCLOPEDIA - A common accounting gimmick used to inflate precinct stats.
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