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discobrainrot · 1 year

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PERCEPTION (Hearing) [Trivial: Success] - Uh-oh...

1. What do you mean by "uh-oh"? What's happening?

PERCEPTION (Hearing) - Footsteps. Heavy, thudding, angry footsteps are heading your way.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - The sound of RCM-issue boots against the Old Silk Mill's floor is unmistakable. Only one person in the building can make his brisk walk sound intimidating from across the bullpen. Satellite Officer Vicquemare is headed your way, and he is not pleased.

COMPOSURE - I don't mean to alarm you, Harry, but you might want to put on your best "I'm Innocent!" face. Fast.

1. [Composure - Formidable] Keep it together, man. 2. [Drama - Impossible] Feign absolute innocence. 3. [Esprit De Corps - Godly] Why is Jean mad? 4. Just let it happen. He'll fill you in.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Godly: Failure] - Where to start? Since you returned from sick leave, you haven't submitted your paperwork on time. Your desk is a mess. You lost his pen the other day...

1. Okay, I think I get it...

ESPRIT DE CORPS - ...You chew your lunch at an alarming decibel. You remembered how he takes his coffee, but not anything else about him. You're closer to Lieutenant Kitsuragi than him these days. You can't figure out what's wrong. God, the list goes on and on, Detective.

DAMAGED MORALE (-1)

LOGIC - No time to worry about it now. He's at your desk, and he does not look happy.

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Is this your idea of a joke, Shitkid?" He growls, slamming his RCM issue ledger on your desk. A flurry of loose papers drifts up as he does, emphasizing the sorry state of your desk.

1. "I have no idea what you're talking about." 2. "Yeah! Pretty funny, right? Just like old times! ... Right?" 3. [Logic - Challenging] Figure out why Jean is mad, for real, this time.

LOGIC [Challenging: Success] - You open Jean's ledger, flipping through forms and case files.

VICQUEMARE'S LEDGER - Most of the names are familiar. You and Kim have helped him work on some of the more recent ones.

EMPATHY [Impossible: Failure] - Is he upset that you're working with Kim? You thought he didn't want to work with you anymore.

PERCEPTION (Sight) - No -- look, there! On the most recent closed case!

VICQUEMARE'S LEDGER - Jean's most recently closed case (THE FOOTLOOSE FIGHTER) stands apart from the rest. Not only because of the exceptional detective work he demonstrated but because of a small addition to the first page. A yellow sticker in the shape of a star, no more than 1.5cm x 1.5cm, has been placed on the top right-hand corner. The words "Good Job!" are printed in the centre.

HALF LIGHT - He thinks you put it there to demean him.

1. What?! Why?

LOGIC - Because when you complete a task, you get a sticker. Either dispensed by lieutenant Kitsuragi or yourself.

ENCYCLOPEDIA - This is based on the concept of positive reinforcement. After displaying the desired behaviour, you're exposed to positive stimuli. Several varieties of positive reinforcement exist, including natural reinforcers, token reinforcers, social reinforcers, and tangible reinforcers.

VOLITION - As it stands, you receive star stickers of various colours with phrases such as "Good Job!" and "Great Work!" and "Wow!" when you complete your paperwork, drink enough water, eat on your lunch break, and a variety of other tasks.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - It's not as fun as speed and booze, but I'll take all the damn dopamine I can get.

EMPATHY - As you look up to meet Jean's eyes, there's no question about his feelings. The pockmarked skin of his cheeks is practically glowing red from rage and embarrassment.

PAIN THRESHOLD - He doesn't like that you need these infantile rewards to do the bare minimum. The assumption that he needs them as well? It's more than he can take.

1. But I didn't put the sticker there!

DRAMA - He's not likely to believe that, ssssire.

1. [Rhetoric - Impossible] Explain that you didn't give him the sticker. 2. [Suggestion - Godly] Calm him down. 3. [Half Light - Medium] Lean into it and make fun of him. 4. [Composure - Legendary] Keep your cool and brush it off.

RHETORIC [Impossible: Failure] - Oh, god, Harry, there's nothing you can say to make this better. But, thankfully, it seems like someone's coming to your rescue.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Khm. Officers." At some point, while you were withering under Jean's glare, Kim arrived at your desk. "What--"

OFFICER JEAN VICQUEMARE - "I'll tell you what's going on!" He snaps before Kim can get the whole question out. "Shitkid over here decided if he has to go back to fucking kindergarten, the rest of us are going with him! Isn't that right, Harry?"

YOU - "Jean--"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Don't you Jean, me." He points a finger in your face, hissing through gritted teeth. "You think everything's a big joke, don't you? Well, let me tell you, I--"

KIM KITSURAGI - "Officer Vicquemare." Kim cuts him off, holding up a gloved hand.

PERCEPTION (Sight) [Challenging: Success] - The tips of the lieutenant's ears are turning red.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I... Think I understand what this is about. I-- Khm-- I apologize."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "You don't have to go around cleaning up Shitkid's messes, Kitsuragi."

KIM KITSURAGI - "I'm not 'cleaning up' after detective Du Bois." He sighs, taking off his glasses to clean them.

VISUAL CALCULUS - They're already exceptionally clean.

KIM KITSURAGI - "This is about the sticker in your ledger, isn't it?" Having spent enough time dawdling on the left lens, he moves on to polishing the right. "He didn't put it there. I did."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "...What?" The reaction is delayed, as though he's trying to parse a hidden meaning to the lieutenant's words.

1. "... What?" 2. "See, Jean! I was trying to tell you I didn't do it!" 3. Say nothing.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Khm. Yes, well..." Donning his glasses again, Kim looks just about anywhere except in Jean's direction. "I... overheard you the other day saying that you felt unappreciated."

CONCEPTUALIZATION - He's summarizing quite a bit. You were also privy to the tail end of Jean's self-deprecating muttering. It's a little concerning how little he thinks of himself - and that's coming from you.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I assumed that a more... overt display of recognition would be unwelcome. I see now that I overstepped professional boundaries - it won't happen again."

1. [Rhetoric - Formidable] Back Kim up. 2. [Half Light - Trivial] Throw Kim under the bus. 3. [Esprit De Corps - Challenging] What's Jean feeling?

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Challenging: Success] - Officer Vicquemare is an experienced officer and resourceful man. The RCM is lucky to have him. You are fortunate to have him. He can count the number of times someone told him those things on the one hand.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - In short, he doesn't know what to feel.

1. [Rhetoric - Formidable] Back Kim up. 2. [Half Light - Trivial] Throw Kim under the bus. 3. [Esprit De Corps - Challenging] What's Jean feeling?

RHETORIC [Formidable: Success] - This is difficult for me to say, but… Words won't be as effective as actions in this instance.

1. Give Jean a pat on the back. 2. Punch Jean's shoulder (gently). 3. Hand Jean his ledger.

JEAN VICQUEMARE - He opens and closes his mouth, unsure what to say to either of you. Looking between his ledger and Kim, he eventually decides to take it from your hand.

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "It's... alright." He mutters. "Your heart was in the right place. I'm uh..."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - The look he gives you borders on horrified.

1. "Don't worry about it, Jean." 2. "Oh, this'll be good! Apologize. Make it worth my time." 3. Say nothing.

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Good. I won't." He stiffens, steeling himself behind the bulwark of rage. "I--I have more important things to be doing! Get back to work, Shitkid."

KIM KITSURAGI - Once Jean retreats to his desk, Kim practically collapses at yours. His gloved hands cover his ever-reddening ears, and he lets out a groan only you can hear.

KIM KITSURAGI - "I can't believe I did that." He mutters, looking almost as ashamed as Jean.

COMPOSURE - The lieutenant keeps his shit together with far, far more grace than Jean.

1. "What are you talking about? I thought it was sweet!" 2. "Yeah, Kim, you shit the bed." 3. [Empathy - Challenging] Peek at what Jean is doing.

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] - Jean sits at his desk across the bullpen. His cheeks are still flushed despite his best attempts to temper himself.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - He can't focus right now. Instead, he runs his fingers over a little yellow sticker on the top right hand of his paperwork.

EMPATHY - It's not a jab, but he won't be able to believe it. Not yet. But this is a step in the right direction.

INLAND EMPIRE - One day, a day closer than any of you realize, he'll start to believe that people do care about him. The road from there is long and fraught with pitfalls and setbacks.

VOLITION - You know that better than most.

INLAND EMPIRE - But you'll be there. And so will Kim. Your time in this world is limited, and you're more intent on making the best of it now than ever.

1. "I think you did the right thing, Kim."

KIM KITSURAGI - He looks up from your desk, eyebrow raised (but not yet to the level of psionic control).

1. "Trust me. I he needed to see people believe in him. Especially someone like you."

KIM KITSURAGI - He looks over his shoulder to Jean's desk, taking a long moment to silently observe him.

EMPATHY - He doesn't know Jean like you once did, but he trusts you.

KIM KITSURAGI - "...Fine. But I think I'll limit my sticker-giving to you and Officers McLaine and Torson."

1. "That sounds fa--Wait! Since when did Mack and Torso get stickers?!"

KIM KITSURAGI - He heaves a deep, long-suffering sigh that you know is more for comedic effect than anything else. As Jean looks up across the room, he doesn't notice the hint of a smile pulling at his lips.