Conversation · Kim Kitsuragi

"Do you, uh, want to talk about what just happened?"

"What's there to talk about?"

"Normally I'm opposed to discussing one's feelings, especially on-duty, but I think this is an exceptional case..."

"So, what do you think happened?"

'Tis possible thou couldst persuade the lieutenant 'twas all a part of thy 'unorthodox' method. But can thou persuade thyself?

Convince yourself that you didn't melt down just now.

Believeth in thyself, my liege! 'Twas all a clever ruse.

"Don't worry, Kim, it was all a ruse." (Wink at Kim.)

"Yes. A clever ruse. I see."

"Right. I mean, who cries in public, like for real?"

"Who indeed?"

"In the future, could you please refrain from emoting too much on duty? The quasi-legal status of the RCM means we need to project strength twice as consistently as any other police force in the world."

"The RCM?"

"That's us. Revachol Citizens Militia. The police."

"Okay, I'll control my emotions."

"Good. Controlling your emotions sounds good."

"Glad to hear it was 'minor.' Can you go on?"

"I can. And I'm sorry, Kim. I promise this is the last time."

"Then let's go."

"The end is near anyway, I might as well see this through..."

"Yes. It is my duty, after all."

"Absolutely. Superstars always get back up and try again."

"Weakness is strength."

"Not when projecting strength -- then it's just weakness."

"Sounds like typical macho bullshit to me."

"That may be so, but such is Revachol and this is what is expected of us -- in Revachol."

You get the feeling you're being handled with kid gloves because your cheeks are still soaking wet.

"Okay, then it isn't strength. You're right."

"Thank you."

"You don't. But you will."

Thy pen of lies runneth dry. Best to simplie deny the Truth baldfacedly.

"What? Nothing happened!!"

The lieutenant blinks. "So you're saying you didn't break down in tears just now and nearly tear your shirt off?"

"I've never cried once in my life..."

"Uh huh."

"... you could torture me, abandon me, even divorce me, and I'd be dry as a desert, yessir." (Wipe your eyes.)

"Yes, I've definitely never seen you cry before, nor lent you my handkerchief to dry your tears."

Hrmm, methinks my liege doth protest too much.

A performance that would make the star of a radio melodrama blush.

"Okay, right. Enough of this."

"I experienced a minor malfunction. I'm okay now."

"A crygasm."

"A what?"

"It's when you totally break down and it feels a little better afterwards. I don't know where I got the expression from. I may have just invented it."

"It was nothing." [Leave.]

The lieutenant merely nods.

"That's probably a good idea."