#and then being in martinaise… yeah…

[palms-upturned]

Me: the swap au stuff is fun but idk I don’t think I’d be all that interested in going in depth with—

My brain: who would be the person in Kim’s dream sequence?

Me:

[image description: a meme of Tsuwabuki Mitsuru looking thoughtful, end description]

[mihotose]

I Know kim and harry literally index the case using the date 08/03 suggesting this is the date of day 1 however ruby's diary entry says M's peone is coming to martinaise to investigate on the Ninth (and besides, it doesnt fit with the date of death being the fourth and that the corpse has been hanging for seven days as of day 1). might the index just use eg the date the corpse was reported to the rcm rather than the date assigned officers actually make it to the scene

[57sfinest]

okay as a Jean Enjoyer i feel like i need to say this because there are different genres of jean enjoyment (jeanres if you will). i am of the faction where i don’t really vibe with the whole “jeangst” thing (as it exists as a fandom phenomenon) and here’s why. so much of the stuff i see labeled “jeangst” is WAY too sympathetic to and forgiving of jean for my taste. like he’s woobified or there’s a lot of uncritical ‘poor jean harry is so mean to him and now harry’s amnesia ruined his life :(’ type stuff which is such a fundamental misunderstanding of him and his role in harry’s past & present and it skews how we view his dynamic with harry too. and i don’t mean this as “oh considering jean’s pov is bad!!1!1″ no i consider his pov all the time i am indescribably mentally ill about the torment that the jeanharry relationship puts both jean and harry through. but when we consider his point of view i really think that just ascribing him the simple role of ‘poor depressed punching bag’ strips him of all the interesting parts of his character & also contributes to a less nuanced and accurate understanding of harry as well (it makes it easy to villainize him for his addiction and mental illness, which in and of themselves aren’t moral failings-- harry was a bad person for his behavior, which is not the same as his addiction or his illnesses)

like, jean put himself in this situation. over and over again. yes he was likely forced into working with harry, but whatever’s going on between them is more than a workplace conflict. you look at luiga’s twitter and he’s said so much about jean and harry’s codependency and the other mentions of a very close and very unhealthy personal relationship. you see the way jean talks about his own role vs harry’s in the ending-- jean WANTS to be the poor victim, he wants everyone to see him as the helpless punching bag who is being such a saint by Putting Up With Harry And His Bullshit, look at me, i’m so much better than this stupid mentally ill addict! he’s like harry you are so unprofessional, and there is something wrong with you, and we are all so tired of putting up with you and your shitty behavior, but here he is sitting in a hotel lobby in a wig to harass harry while harry is actually doing his job!! like jean my love here you are reaming harry out about “doing his fucking job” sir what are you doing!! you are sitting in a hotel looking angry for 14 hours just in case your special little partner who you are definitely sooo mad at condescends to speak to you for a few minutes!! and you dragged poor judit out here too!! jean. girl. babe. it’s time to admit you are a massive hypocrite with an even bigger victim complex. you, a mentally ill addict, are losing your shit at harry for being a mentally ill addict. why don’t you meaningfully address the actual behaviors instead of just reminding harry that he’s an alcoholic every 2 minutes.

like i’m not saying jean should have infinite patience for harry after multiple years of mistreatment but damn dude the double standards are insane. jean is instigating a messy public breakup and being pretty abusive the whole time and then he’s like everyone feel bad for ME and not STUPID HARRY who is an ALCOHOLIC in case anyone forgot. he goes on and on about how much his life sucks and how much harry sucks and boohoo poor him he’s so depressed and beaten down by the shitkid etc but then in ANY sub-ideal ending you get there’s still something that tells you that he’s still taking harry back or at least considering it. in the cuno ending “he can’t leave you behind. he just can’t. one final time...” even in the worst ending “if you make it-- if you’re sober for 10 months-- tell us. i’ll work with you again.” jean babe if you hate him so much then stay the fuck away from him!! damn!! your codependency is showing!! your victim complex is showing!! just go get harry’s name tattooed on you at this point like at the very least it might get you some sympathy from people at the bar when they ask about what’s very clearly an Ex’s Name Tattoo

[diaphragia]

i am a cuno supporter till i die. if cuno has 1000 fans i am one of them. if cuno has 100 fans i am one of them. if cuno has 1 fan i am that fan. if cuno has 0 fans then i am dead and buried.

[thecherrygod]

thinking about hdb while holding my head in my hands and suffering

[even-disco-baby]

KIM KITSURAGI — The lieutenant’s expression is difficult to place as he ponders the mural.

THE NEXT WORLD MURAL — “TRUE LOVE IS POSSIBLE ONLY IN THE NEXT WORLD— FOR NEW PEOPLE. IT IS TOO LATE FOR US. WREAK HAVOC ON THE MIDDLE CLASS.”

INLAND EMPIRE — Right on.

CONCEPTUALIZATION — What a slogan! So many layers in so few words. Perfectly crafted to grab one’s attention and keep hold of it for long after you’ve passed by. You wish you’d thought of it.

“Truer words were never spoken.”

“What a fuckin’ bummer, am I right?”

“Not bad, but I like the one we painted in Martinaise better.”

KIM KITSURAGI — “You mean, the one *you* painted,” he says pointedly. “I had nothing to do with that.”

ESPIRIT DE CORPS — He did like your mural. He’s just never gonna admit it. He’s too committed to the bit.

THE NEXT WORLD MURAL — The words seem to tower over you as you and your partner take them in. Once again, you can’t help but wonder how the Belles Lettres managed to paint this monstrously massive mural without being seen.

VISUAL CALCULUS — Surely there must have been scaffolding involved, or some kind of machinery.

LOGIC — They were seen. Just not by anyone who would disturb their work, or sell them out to the police. Which, if the results of the vote are anything to go by, would be most of the people of Jamrock.

“What do you think about the part about true love, Kim?”

“What do you think about the part about the middle class, Kim?”

“Did you know there was a vote on whether or not to remove the mural?”

KIM KITSURAGI — “We did hear about it back at 57,” he admits. “It’s rare for your district to organize a vote like that. Or any district, for that matter…”

He frowns slightly, peering up at the embracing couple. “I’ll admit, when I heard about it, I had no idea how *big* this thing was. I’m surprised that they voted to keep it. You must be able to see it for miles…”

CONCEPTUALIZATION — Eight stories loud, painted over the corpse of a failed real estate venture. A reminder, a call to action, and a threat, all rolled into one. Constant and inescapable. Oh, yeah. *This* is good stuff.

EMPATHY — It makes the lieutenant uncomfortable.

CONCEPTUALIZATION — That’s the point.

YOU — “How would you have voted?”

KIM KITSURAGI — “I wouldn’t have,” he says drily. “I didn’t live here.”

“All right, fair enough.” (Drop the subject)

“Cmon, Kim. If you *did* live here, which side would you be on?” (Press him)

KIM KITSURAGI — “I don’t know that it’s about taking sides…” His sentence trails as he considers the mural.

PERCEPTION (Sight) — He glances at you for the briefest of moments, and then away. Almost as if he hadn’t meant to do it.

ESPIRIT DE CORPS [Godly: Success] — You make him uncomfortable in much the same way that the mural does. Representative of truths that he doesn’t know what to make of.

There was a time when he dreamt of things like true love. And heroic deeds, and brilliant discoveries, and aerostatic pilots. A home that belonged to him. A table laden with food and crowded with people. The future and the past were polar opposites in his eyes— one a painful collage of loneliness and ostracization, the other a blank canvas, and all the more beautiful for it. It could be anything.

It did not take long for the present to beat it all out of him. And then he blinked, and he was forty-three and alone, having spent twenty years of his life on stubbornness and spite, trying to prove himself to people who didn’t and still don’t care, at the expense of the people that he should have cared for. And he realized it was too late for him.

YOU — Too late for what…?

EMPATHY — To do or be anything different.

KIM KITSURAGI — “…I don’t know,” he finally says. His voice is level, but quiet. “But I can understand why people wanted it to remain.”

He tears his gaze away from the mural at last and looks at you. “What about you? How did you vote?”

YOU — “I can’t remember.”

KIM KITSURAGI — He grimaces slightly. “Right. Sorry…”

“But I think I would have voted for it to go.”

“But I think I would have voted for it to stay.”

KIM KITSURAGI — “That doesn’t surprise me,” he sighs. “I’m sure the part about wreaking havoc on the middle class especially appealed to you.”

“You know it, comrade.”

“No, it was the part about true love being dead.”

“No, it was the part about new people.”

KIM KITSURAGI — He looks at you strangely. “…Oh? What do you make of it?”

“There’s no such thing as new people. We’re all the same, and we’ll always be the same, walking in the same old circles.”

“Fuck the new people and their new world that we’ll never get to see.”

“I think anyone can become a new person if they try. It’s a call to action.”

“Even if it’s too late for us to be new, I think we can still change. And we can still love each other.”

KIM KITSURAGI — He looks for a moment as if he’s going to say something… and then nothing. His lips purse slightly.

EMPATHY [Formidable: Failure] — It’s hard to say what he thinks of your little thesis. Matters of love are tough on him.

COMPOSURE [Legendary: Success] — But you get the feeling that *something* is happening within the lieutenant. There’s a crack in the dam that’s widening every day, and he knows it. He’s afraid to let it happen, but he’s equally powerless to stop it.

INLAND EMPIRE — You’re afraid, too. You’re both the same brand of coward.

VOLITION — You’re both a lot of things that you don’t have to be. It’s too late to have never been them. But it’s not too late to stop.

ESPIRIT DE CORPS — Stopping is precisely what he’s afraid of. He wonders what of himself will be left if he ceases to be *this.*

That’s selfish. We’re both so selfish.

It would be better if we ceased to be anything at all.

Whatever is left, I’ll still love him.

INLAND EMPIRE — How do you know he *wants* your love?

YOU — I don’t know. But he has it, anyway.

THE NEXT WORLD MURAL — A cold wind rushes past you, sending a chill deep into your bones. Unconsciously, you both step closer to each other. Seeking warmth.

[sygneth]

Just a thought but let's stop for a moment and think about how Jean we see in the game is the worst version of himself, not his standard behavior, yes?

Like. He's been dealing with Harry's shit for a while now trying to keep him in line, excusing him to the captain and other precinct members, he's been cleaning his mess and all of this struggling with his own issues, just to hear that Harry "doesn't want to get better, he wants to get worse" and what Jean does is cramping his style and he should finally fuck off. When he comes back to Martinaise thinking that Harry's just playing his usual shit and tries to justify himself in the most stupid way, still being pissed for the fallout they had earlier (I mean, it's quite normal to be pissed after an argument, yeah) and then he finds out that no, Harry has really lost all his memory and doesn't remember shit. What makes him even more pissed, because, you know. You argue with somebody, you maybe expect an apology but you know you won't get it if you won't be the first to reach out, so you decide to do it anyway, and then you find out the other person doesn't remember what they did. And you're still pissed about that argument, and now also pissed, as you don't see any way of making up if they don't fucking remember and you don't really feel like explaining it to them, because you're still pissed. Well, it's not like there is no way, but for now, you're to mad to see it. You just wanted it to be over and you're stuck again.

Now let's add to this equation that one of the most important to him people don't recognize him and he cannot do anything about it. His boyfriend best friend doesn't remember him, at all. Something he didn't really expect when they argued and he left, probably thinking stuff like "this is so over" and "I don't want to know him anymore". (Careful what you wish, for, if you're unlucky enough, you may receive it). Sounds frustrating to me. Sounds like a very bad combination when you're already depressed and feel like shit yourself and deep inside you need someone, because you're a human and have human needs, but you get left with nothing.

Let's spice it up even more with the fact that Jean actually leaving Harry in Martinaise before the events from the game may suggest that some part of him noticed how unhealthy and mutually toxic their relationship was and that was an attempt of getting out of it, and not falling again into the same, old dependent patterns. And yet. If he didn't leave, there is a huge chance Harry wouldn't have drunk himself to oblivion. And well, it probably only adds to Jean being pissed and frustrated. Because if he didn't leave, he would be mad at himself for babysitting Harry once again and fixing his mess. And now he is mad at himself because he let Harry erase his memory. And being a Jamrock boy with no awareness and probably little connection to his own emotions he gets it out on Harry.

Oh yes, and half of the time he's probably really fucking anxious that someone will find out what has happened and they will all get dicked for it, possibly could even lose jobs, and while he wants to think it's all Harry's fault, it's actually their shared responsibility and he knows about it, so it only adds up.

So yeah, that was the worst week probably not only in Harry's life (but he's fortunate enough not to remember the worst part of it), but also in Jean's, and what we see is probably him acting in his worst possible way, as the sky has quite literally fallen onto his head. And I'm not saying it as "he's a real victim of the story". Many people are affected by Harry's behavior and many people are responsible for what happened, including Jean (and not only events from right before the game, but all the little mistakes and misunderstandings and unhealthy mechanisms they both with Harry got themselves into). Also, he's acting like an ass when he is angry and I'm not trying to deny it. I'm just noticing here that the narrative doesn't give us a representative sample of Jean Vicquemare, only the most shitty, pissed, frustrated, and anxious one.

[palestaticexchange]

JUST THE TWO OF US

"Ey, C!" You shout over the fence where your new friend looks at you. She's all suspicious and shit. "Got you something!" Like a big man, you toss the chocolate bar and watch as she snatches it from the air. Primo-style.

"The fuck is this?!" C sneers, eyes glinting with danger. "You got me chocolate? The fuck are you?! Some kind of fägäri?!"

Your hackles raise. A shiver roots you into frozen mud at the unexpected aggression. Yeah, she's aggressive. Maybe the Cuno *should* have expected this. But you were being *nice* for fucks sake! You bought the scrawny little bitch some fucking chocolate! Money's *hard graft* in Martinaise! You're a MANS man: you know this shit... So you stole the 70 Centims from your deadbeat dad while he was comatose, then popped down the Frittte for some choccy.

In the eyes of this lass that's a weak manoeuvre. Time to embellish this shit: Cuno-style. "I fuckin' *stole* that from Frittte for you. Don't be ungrateful to the Cunn!"

Cunoesse cocks her head, bored. "*You* stole from Frittte?" Shit. She doesn't fucking believe you. A mocking whine creeps into her tone. "Cuno snuck past the fatass *kyrpänaama* stood outside? Fuckin' gun and all?"

Sweat prickles against the flannel of your top. No. Not sweat. It's just the lightning. This aint *shit* for the Cuno. You puff out your chest. "Maybe I did!"

C rolls her eyes then hops back. She's gone from sight but you hear her behind the fence all the same. "Fuck off did you."

"I fucking did!"

"No, Cuno," Bored again. "You didn't." The crinkle of tinfoil being unwrapped.

You growl and run at the fence. A tuffet of frozen crab grass bares your weight *just* long enough for you to vault up and grab the top. The wood wobbles and bangs in protest as you haul yourself onto your forearms, hanging half over it.

Beneath, the girl sits in a squat ripping strips of tinfoil from rich, brown chocolate.

"The fuck's your problem?! Try to do something nice for you and you fucking spit in Cuno's face?!" You puff out your chest again, but all that happens is a pressure against your ribs where you dangle. "Fuck you, C."

Her head snaps upwards, pippo catching against the wood. As her hat's dragged off it reveals lank hair. Her eyes are refined fire. "I didn't fucking *ASK YOU* to do that, did I?!" Her lip quivers when she snarls. She is a frenzied dog. "You fucking stupid vittupää bitch! Get out of my *fucking* face!"

You reel backwards, teetering on the fence edge as she lashes upwards. You thought she'd strike you but she throws something: a crushed ball of tinfoil which bounces, painlessly, off your face. Fucking pathetic is what it is.

"What is it you want Cuno? Want a big fucking scene?! Want me to *thank* you?!" She scrambles up and away from the fence, shoving half the bar in her mouth as she turns to face you. "Am I shupposed to-" She swallows roughly, brown-stained spit dribbling down her chin. "-Fucking *suck you off* or some shit?! Roll onto my back and let your limp little-" She coughs, pounding a fist into her chest.

"I didn't say that shit either!" You try to yell but it comes out more a wheeze. *Your* chest is hurting from the fence. "What is it then?! Is the Cuno a fag or does he wanna fuck you? Can't be both, C!"

Her face screws up as if she doesn't understand the question. She licks at her chops. "*How* the *fuck* am I supposed to know?!" She drags the back of her hand across her chin, regarding the sweet sludge before she licks that up too. "My bets on *yes* but that's *your* shit to sort out." Her eyes flick from her sticky hand to you. "And it's boring."

Whatever happened, whatever *barrier* you crossed; her rage is ebbing. You still don't fucking get it. She's just another silly bitch you guess.

"You better not be thinking nasty shit about me Cuno," C growls out a warning. "You've got that stupid fucking face on you get when you're thinking *stupid* fucking shit."

You startle, but play it off as teetering backwards. No sooner is that pressure lifted from your ribs than your FALNs make contact with the crushed crab grass. "Whatever, C." You shove your hands in the pockets of your windbreaker and turn. You don't need her. You'll be *forlorn* and shit. *Moody* like one of those cop-turned-killer types. You'll find a rooftop to stand on and stare into the distance all dramatic and shit.

Behind you the fence bangs as she scales it. There's a wooden wobble, and then a *weird* sound. Crunch. Oh shit. Is she-

As you turn you see her on *your* side of the fence. "The fuck you doing in Cuno's Kingdom?!" Your vitriol comes from a place of fear. She's never done this before.

You yelp as you scramble away, hands flying out your jacket as you make a dash for your hideout. You can hear her chasing but it doesn't matter. You've got your FALNs on. Primo-shit. High concept sportswear. Make a man a god. Three sizes too big. Make a man slip on his *fucking ass* as the whole *faggy* shoe slips around your fucking-

No. NO it's NOT fear! Cuno's not scared of anything, you're gonna-

Oh *SHIT* she's fucking *RUNNING* at you.

It's fear.

You're stunned as your back meets black ice. The white sky glaring bright above you and making your eyeballs throb. Your ankle hurts.

Quick pads slow into a leisurely walk, then she's stood above you. She smacks her lips licking chocolate from the inside of her cheeks. Cunoesse looks *beyond* bored.

Your ankle hurts.

"Real fuckin' cool Cuno. You pull these moves on the security fag outside Frittte?" She has chocolate all over the hand holding the bar. "He probably fucking *gave* this to you. Probably felt sorry for you." She takes a smaller bite this time.

"I told you, I-" You bite your bottom lip. She's being a *real* fucking piece of work today. "I fucking mugged him, yeah?! I'm a hard man! Hard man, Cuno! That's what they call me!"

The girl grins. Unlike normal it doesn't feel like she's on *your* side.

"Who calls you that? 'Cos it *aint* fucking me!" She cackles, spit-slicked globs of chocolate visible on the roof of her mouth from where you lie on the floor. "*Hard man Cuno* robbed the Frittte!" She mocks. "Took the fatass's gun and *SHOT* him with it!"

You snarl. You'll show her. You hop to your feet and- *FUCK* your ankle hurts! You yelp as you fall on your ass.

This only makes C laugh harder. "Holy shit! Are you for real!?" She walks around the length of you, eyes raking your prone form in glee. "How the *FUCK* you gonna claim shit like that if you can't even-"

You won't. You won't. No fucking way. You don't *DO* that pussy shit. It doesn't fucking help anyway. You fucking *WON'T*.

"Are you gonna cry?"

You won't.

A crow caws from the dead tree at the end of the yard. In the distance you hear the MCs making their way to and from the harbour. "Are you gonna cry, Cuno?" Oddly, her bark has lost its bite.

You stare at your feet still resting on the frozen slush. Your right shoe is still on but you've always lead with your left. The trainer's twisted sideways, your toes still clothed but heel exposed and flush to the ice. 'A strong left foot! My boy will be an athlete for sure!' And that's *worse* than being hit. A sudden burst of memory from the time *before* he got shit. Before *she* had to go and die like a stupid whore.

You start to cry.

"For fucks saaaake," C groans, arms dropping to her sides and cursing the clouds.

You don't give a shit. You'll fucking cry all day if you want: this is Cuno's fucking kingdom. Cuno can cry in Cuno's kingdom if he needs to. You cross your arms tightly over your chest and hiccup, still scowling at your feet.

C squints at you. For a minute she just watches you cry, then she drops into a squat next to you. "Eat this, runkkari." She holds the slobbery end of her chocolate bar against your face.

You scowl at her instead of your shoes.

"Huh? What? You want a fucking silver platter or some shit?!" She turns to spit quickly behind her. "Sorry, faggot, fresh out," she says sarcastically. When you neither move nor respond she wiggles the chocolate bar in your face. "My *patience* is running thin, Cuno..." She doesn't threaten you, but the threat *is* there. It's always fucking there.

Good. Maybe this time she'll actually fucking-

"Ugh!" She groans suddenly, dropping the hand that was in your face. "Fine. FINE! I'm fucking *SORRY* okay?!"

What?

"I'm *sorry* I didn't thank you for the chocolate, and I'm *sorry* for saying you wanna fuck me and shit when you're *probably* a faggot, and I'm *sorry* you fell on your skinny fucking faggot ass." She sniffs, then wraps the remainder of the sticky chocolate in ripped, crumpled foil. "So take the fucking sweets, paskapää." When it's wrapped, she leans in and tucks the sticky mess in the pocket of your windbreaker.

What?

"What?" She grumbles.

You blink. The chocolate's burning a hole in your pocket.

"You better not want anything else from me." She narrows her eyes. "I'll go. I'll leave forever."

She won't. You know this now: it's you and her. Cuno and Cunoesse. You're the same; that's why you named her. You smile.

"The fuck you smiling for, freak?! You bust your fucking brain when you fall?!" She cocks her head back and forth, assessing her Cuno for damages.

"Thanks, C." You say, pulling the chocolate from your pocket.

"Thanks..." She spits. "Don't *thank* me, you braindead fuck."

When you pop a cube in your mouth it's as sweet as it is slimy from her spit. Your smile widens.

"I fucking mean it, Cuno! I'm only keeping you around for alibi's sakes, you hear?!"

The crow caws again. There's a bang in the distance as something's unloaded from a crane. The backdoor to the Whirling opens with a creak and the blonde bitch gets one look at the two of you before she turns on her heel and takes the binbag *back* inside.

"I said do you *hear* me Cuno!"

You place your free hand on C's shoulder-

"Hey!"

And use her to pull yourself up, pushing your trainer back on.

"Touch me again and I'll cut your *FUCKING* dick off."

But she won't is the thing. She's fucking crazy, a killer for sure, but she's not *ever* gonna do that shit to *you*. You're *HER* Cuno, and as much as she's a crazy bitch: she's *yours* too.

Cuno and C.

Cunoesse and the big man.

This world is shit, but together the pair of you are gonna fucking make it.

[hairierduballs]

so yeah 'disco' as a term is pretty important to the game and has so many thematic ties to harry and to revachol and 'disco' as related to the pale, this blurring of the past and present, but what i also find interesting is that in the context of the game's title 'disco' actually means "i'm learning"...."i'm learning elysium". which is pretty interesting right, because its immediately a very heartbreaking thing cuz like the game was always only intended to be the *introduction* to the world and the mechanism of the protagonist's amnesia is a way to introduce these concepts to the audience presumably so they could be elaborated on later. but thats under the assumption that the term 'elysium' is neutral and has a one-to-one correlation with 'world', which it doesn't, in the context of the game it's a specifically *fond* word, an old word, which i guess also relates to the pale and past and present, but its the *fond* part, its a generous word, and obviously the irl origin of it being a literal version of heaven, so perhaps there's a kind of triple meaning, like "learning elysium" translating to "learning heaven" or "learning goodness." and like this is so relevant to what i see as the core of the game which is the ability to take that guy, that fucked up amnesiac guy, and make him into something better, something kinder, help him get sober, it's the way you're able to find pockets of beauty in the shithole of martinaise, the way you're able to find hope despite it all. so like the title of disco elysium can be analysed to death and both words have, like, nuanced meanings and shit but the way i take it is that in every way that you interpret it, it means learning to see the world *as* elysium. whether that refers to the audience or harry or- sorry did you say you wanted that drink?

[sydmarch]

for a couple days i've been wanting to post about the coin operated viewers & my thoughts there but kept getting distracted by other writing until earlier today @frogean asked me about my thoughts on the fishing village wrt; why would evrart gentrify a village full of people who can't afford to live elsewhere when he seems to genuinely care about martinaise, is the thing with the signatures just a ploy to see if harry's trustworthy, etc. & since thoughts on the fishing village tie back into my thoughts on the coin operated viewer i'm just gonna make one big post on both topics.

quick note before i start rambling here: the point of this post is NOT to come to a "evrart's actions w the fishing village good" or "evrart's actions with the fishing village bad" conclusion or to justify said actions. i'm strictly interested in digging into evrart's motivations behind it all & what i imagine was going on in his head while making these decisions.

first - to discuss why evrart involves harry in this whole thing. yeah i do think it's pretty likely that it IS primarily a test of his trustworthiness. I get the feeling that if the signatures were really as central to evrart's plans as he makes them out to be he would NOT leave it to harry to take care of it (even if we assume the most cooperative w evrart version of harry) just wouldn't see him him truly trusting a cop with a task like that ESPECIALLY not when kim's involved and evrart is very obviously aware that kim does not trust him. & harry is very well aware of the possibility that evrart is playing him:

as for why evrart chose this errand specifically as a test for harry, i can't say definitively. maybe this task was chosen because in addition to being a good general test of harry's trustworthiness, evrart wanted to get a real idea of what harry's opinions on this plan are? maybe the signatures really aren't actually important in the grand scheme of things like logic suggests? maybe the signatures are only unimportant because evrart has the letter intercepted? he does explicitly state he's friends with the mail man

so it could very well be the case that if you forge the letter he DOES know about it but doesn't let on that he knows (i feel like it's very likely he knows about the forgery especially, if doom spiral signs it out in the open rather than harry passing the forgery check & doing it in private??). also worth considering where you're mailing it to:

like it's going to evrart's account, not some neutral third party. so any of those things could factor into why he sends harry on this errand. I think it's more likely that if he REALLY just needed the signatures that evrart would've had some of his union guys get on it - although there's also the possibility evrart decided having rcm officer ask for the signatures on his behalf could be advantageous to getting the documents signed. another possibility is that evrart picked up on harry's can opening abilities & thought that having not just an rcm officer but HARRY specifically on the task might be advantageous, in addition to being a good test of his loyalty with those failsafes in place for if harry betrayed him on this one. so yeah i do suspect it WAS at least partly/primarily a test but don't feel like i can say FOR SURE if that's all there is to it & would be interested to hear anyone else's thoughts on this topic.

second - to get into the village situation itself & the coin operated viewer. throwing this screenshot up for some context:

I think it's really interesting how kim disapproves of evrart interfering with this "revitalization project" while also disapproving of evrart's actions with the village (again it all comes back to kim just implicitly distrusting evrart but i find the above especially interesting):

not going to rehash my thoughts on evrart's feelings about/intents for martinaise as a whole here even tho it's relevant to bear in mind but one aspect of that topic i DO think is worth mentioning specifically when it comes to discussing evrart's plans for the fishing village is that (if we take him at face value with the following, & for the purposes of this analysis i'm going to go with that interpretation) yes, evrart IS planning to use the construction noise to push the residents out of the village, but he isn't doing so thoughtlessly or without a plan on where they will end up:

& i DO believe this is his genuine intent because it's in line with his characterization when you consider how he keeps rene, gaston, & leo on the payroll. especially rene where he doesn't just keep him on the payroll where so that he can get by without his pride being wounded too much - he had the guard booth built specifically for rene. it wouldn't make sense for someone who DOES look out for members of his community to this extent to not extend similar consideration to the villagers.

i don't think evrart views his actions with the youth center as gentrification (again i will not be discussing if it actually IS or not - all of this is just my speculation on evrart's own interpretation of things) at least not in the same way that i imagine he viewed the revitalization project in '49. from evrart's perspective he grew up in martinaise, knows everything about the district, has the best interest of the people at heart etc, so why WOULD he allow some design studio to come in and start putting up tourist attractions?

i mean, they're putting up coin operated viewers & that horse statue meanwhile people are living in buildings on the verge of collapse? that kind of revitalization in all likelihood WOULD lead to gentrification and displacement. evrart doesn't want the people living in the village displaced - he wants them properly housed, to have prospects, to live in a district that's more than just a post war ruin. now whether he's actually going about achieving that the right way or not & if the villagers would agree with him here is a whole different topic but yeah.

[thegrimreaperisanerd]

hi :) binge read your de fic that you have posted on ao3 last night and really enjoyed all of it! excited to see any updates. was wondering if you have any rec for other fic youve read and enjoyed-- i am not god's bravest soldier and do not enjoy trudging through tags and was wondering if you had read anything yourself that you really enjoyed lolol

Hey, thanks so much!!! Sorry it's taken a couple days to answer this, I'm poor as shit and have two jobs now wah... capitilism...

I'm working on the next 46' chapter, It's about 70% complete and I generally let it sit for an evening once it's done then re-read it the next day to catch the vast majority of mistakes (I edit everything myself) so I'd say expect that in the coming days.

I have some thoughts! I... Have never been asked for fic recs before so I'm gonna list a bunch in no particular order that I enjoyed, and reasons why. I will note that I tend to enjoy meaty plot-based works over fluff, so that's what I'll be recommending. Anyway!

Paddling Out (THE REPEATER CORPSE CONUNDRUM) - @transhitman - So this is the first DE fic I read and it set the bar pretty fucking high. YOU'VE GOT: a very cool and insular setting (don't get me wrong I like fics where they travel around Revachol too, but there's something to be said for building a set and living in it for a while) YOU'VE GOT: extremely harrowing tension and pale-fuckery YOU'VE GOT: some genuinely beautiful, heartfelt moments (I don't want to spoil anything but "people don't need your permission to care about you" kinda undid me) YOU'VE ALSO GOT: Amazing art?! Always a bonus, I wish I could draw people lol

Have You Heard The News That You're Dead? - Wizardlover - Time Loop shenanigans hell yeah! Basic premise: Kim is *unable* to save Harry's life after he's shot at the tribunal, each time he dies he Reawakens in Martinaise on the first day and desperately has to try and find a way to either prevent the Tribunal entirely, or survive it. I think the major draw to this one is how well it's characterised and how well that lends to the major source of tension: trying to convince THE WORLD'S BIGGEST SKEPTIC that you *a man he 'has only just met'* is actually stuck in a time loop. Juicy shit.

The Case Of The Man Who Two-Thirds Wasn't There - @glisteningceruleaneyes - We got another case fic here, gang. This is one of those "they travel around Revachol" numbers I previously mentioned. A lot to love about this fic; the minor OCs are all loveable (or at least well-written, looking at you Mr. Bigot-All-Rounder), the elements of writing in the game's style (particularly use of Harry's 'to do' list that you find in the ledger, you don't see that as often!) are all fantastic. Also without spoiling too much I'm a sucker for hurt/ comfort :) I like when bad things happen to our specialist guy :) ALSO! alternating chapters, Kim vs Harry's perspectives contrast REALLY well! Just a super enjoyable read. - On that note I also wanna include a special mention: there's a podfic for this one and since I mentioned my two jobs, I've been listening to audiobooks at work (I'm a cleaner. It's very boring) and that was a fun change of pace!

The Emergent Causeway - hal_incandenza - Now you KNOW this one is good because it's the only *unfinished* fic I'm recommending. Again, We've got art! We've got a brand new (non-Revachol!) setting that still feels excellently Elysium! We got that excellent balance of humour and misery from the get go! EXCELLENT murder mystery so far, I am intrigued AND also there's a fucking puppy. Hell yeah. This one's from Kim's perspective and does a really good job of it, nothing like a man being begrudgingly sent on holiday and being somewhat relieved to have a corpse to deal with.

A Spilled Kaleidoscope - @spilledkaleidoscope - I'm actually recommending a series here. Real definition of "came for the art, stayed for the writing" I mostly have a soft spot because I got to watch a few "haha, what if-?" musing text posts become a series of written chapters and INCREDIBLE DRAWINGS HOLY SHIT. Like, you really just draw hands for fun, huh? This person made a pact with some sort of devil beasts to draw hands very good, at the bare minimum we can read their fiction.

Nothing To Lose But Our Chains - Lepak - I almost forgot this one and I honestly can't believe it because this is one of these ones that you need a cigarette afterwards. Good fucking god. This is probably the best fic I've ever read in terms of not shying away from the heavy themes that make Disco Elysium such a beautiful, moving game. It tackles a racism in many forms, particularly how people like Kim (in working for the RCM) and immigration laws do their part in upholding racist systems, despite the way it hurts him too. Of course, it's also excellently written with tense scenes and some real funny moments. A real good'un here.

The Catacomb Killer - SupposedToBeWriting - Give Harry more memory loss. Make him convinced he killed a kid. Make *Kim* convinced he killed a kid... Then the plot thickens. I won't lie I can't remember fuck all about this one because I was mostly drunk when I read it, but if it was good enough that I kept reading instead of smoking a spliff or something then it must have been excellent... I will re-read it when I have the time, lmao.

MURDER ON THE AIRWAVES - @randomisedmongoose - I'm just a really big fan of murder mysteries and gore. You show me somebody with brain matter pouring from their earholes and I'm like "yum yum, more of that please." I am a sucker for curious methods of murder and this one's good for that. Lots of trekking back and forth like in the game again. More ACAB - always good.

I did not mean to include this many...........................

Oh well. Here's my list, there are plenty of others I've enjoyed but these are just the ones that came to mind! Thanks again for reading my fic! Always makes me happy when people let me know they enjoy my writing :3

[palms-upturned]

.

[p0rchc0ll4ps3]

Thinking about fucked up angst bw Harry and Jean. Headcanons for my au, warning for suicidal thoughts and the like

Anyways they were roommates and their old roommates kicked them out bc they were just way too much so they moved into a super tiny horrible apartment bc it was all they could afford bc Harry refuses to take bribes and he's busy doing his job instead of being a good corrupt cop like the rest of them. So he and Jean are sharing this super small one room apartment with only a gas stove in the corner as a kitchen and inevitably Jean reaches his limit with Harry and can't stand him anymore so he moves out and gets his own apartment and Harry can't handle it

Harry gets all aggressive and upset and fucked up over it and all the 'of course you'd leave, everyone always leaves me'

He tries killing himself one time and it doesn't work and he just starts to get worse and deeper in the hell and completely relapses

And then he just blows Jean off entirely like I don't need you I don't need anyone I'm god fuck you fuck you fuck you

And Jean has massive guilt and super upset about it bc he feels it's his fault for ditching Harry and causing him to spiral this hard but he's done with his bullshit he's had enough he's not going to deal with him anymore

And then Harry goes to Martinaise without Jean and he gets so fucking upset like he tries to get rid of the ledger and tries to quit and tries to kill himself with the car trying to drive himself into the sea

Harry's supposed to have died multiple times. With one time when he got shot, with the hanging, with the car crash, with the amnesia, with the time he gets shot with Kim, with the alcohol poisoning being so severe, but he just doesn't die

And Jean has all these guilt complexes bc yeah he did ditch Harry in the end and he did choose the selfish path of 'I have to survive so I have to leave him behind bc he's dragging me down' and yeah technically it is his fault Harry hung himself and Harry blew him off the case and all that but also Jean is like well actually no

I worked really hard to get you better. And you kept relapsing. And you never got better.

Even though I managed, and I thought you could manage coz you're my brother basically and you're like me, apparently you don't want to live and you're not strong enough and ok fine. If you won't listen then fine. See if I care. Go and fucking rot in hell

I'm done

And now Harry's forgotten him completely and his issues seem to have evaporated and what's more this new partner of his (who Jean really sees as a better cop) seems to be doing a way better job than Jean ever could at helping Harry

So it's gonna take a LOT to mend this whole thing even if Harry does remember. Bc basically Jean and Harry go from being REALLY close and fraternal and like I'll take care of you you'll take of me etc. having both survived horrendous traumatic shit together. To just this huge rift in their relationship bc Harry just cannot for the life of him get better. He cannot unstick himself out of his rut. He just wants to keep tearing himself apart

And Jean feels hugely guilty for leaving him behind but also he just can't stand him anymore AND ALSO it's a form of self harm that he destroy this relationship further, that he completely blow Harry off. Because he knows in his heart of hearts that the closeness and brotherhood they shared before was too good to be true. That he (Jean) will NEVER have anyone who understands him on that level again AND THAT even more so he does not and never will deserve closeness like that

So yeah. Jean is basically 'go fuck yourself. Go kill yourself. See if I care. I don't fucking care. I hate you.' <- said while caring way too fucking much

[godspeedmajortom]

A personal reflection on Day 1 of Disco Elysium that I want to get out of my drafts...

I was crying by the end of the first in-game night in Disco Elysium. For a couple of reasons, the main one being that the order I did things on Day 1 made for a real emotional build up that needed an outlet.

I faffed about Martinaise most of the first day because I was scared of the Endurance check to get close to the body. It was late afternoon by the time I actually attempted it, failed twice, and needed to take an hour to get my shit together. By the time I finished the autopsy and stashed the body in the fridge for later inspection, it was pretty late at night.

So Kim and I went to Bird's Nest Roy's to pawn Kim's spinners so I wouldn't have to sleep in the trash. Already feeling guilty about that, I learned how Harry had pawned his gun because he was afraid he might kill himself with it. While I knew Harry had been waving his gun around the Whirling-in-Rags, I thought that had been a mean joke more than a serious threat. Selling his gun indicated how consciously, dangerously suicidal Harry had been.

Kim and I went back to the Whirling to debrief, and he explained the "pissing contest." Kim thought that Precinct 41 sending Harry was a genuine attempt to win the competition as opposed to how the game trailers frame it: "Precinct 57 sent their best. Precinct 41 sent... you." I didn't really believe Kim, until I went back to my room and read Harry's case files. And it turns out, yeah, Harry was oddly successful at his job. (I hesitate to say he was "good" at being a cop, because in no world should breaking a man's kneecaps and crippling him for life be considered a job well done. But, uh, he didn't get fired and it did "solve" the case.) Harry had colleagues who respected him. He wasn't a complete loss.

Then I opened the compartment and took out the note. Went out to the balcony, just like the city told me, except I held onto it and read it even after she told me to let it go. (Always listen to La Revacholiere.) Dora's note broke me. It took me a while to fully realize why (I wrote notes like that once upon a time), but at the time what struck me was that Harry had been loved. He was lovable. At some point in his life, someone had loved him so heart-achingly much, and he kept that reminder with him even though he'd fallen so far from that time. I started crying reading the note. When Harry passed out after finishing it, I thought I hit a game over and died.

But no, Kim found me (I must have woken him up, it was 2am in game at this point [close to 4am IRL]) and made me drink some water before going to bed. When I did go to sleep after that whole evening, Harry dreamed of the bloated corpse of a drunk, a vision of his past, present, and future. And I was crying again.

It wasn't just seeing his body strung up on the tree emanating disco light, though that image itself shook me. The Ancient Reptilian Brain informed me that Dora left while Harry just kept drinking. And I thought, if someone told me a story about a woman who left her abusive, alcoholic partner, I wouldn't be sad at all. She would be completely within her rights, and he would have to deal with the fallout of his actions. But encountering the story this way – from the perspective of an amnesiac discovering his history as someone who was loved and respected being driven to absolutely obliterating himself – I couldn't help but cry.

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

🎵 Instrument of Surrender

7. "SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IS GOING TO HAPPEN"

CONCEPTUALIZATION - You've spoken. The wall will now silently repeat the message. For a decade or so, until the sea air degrades the paint, adding another layer of *detritus* to the city.

Item lost: Cindy's Brush

Item lost: Banged-Up Fuel Canister

Task complete: Add even more beauty to the wall

+10 XP

KIM KITSURAGI - "Very poetic." The lieutenant nods in appreciation -- it doesn't sound sincere. "Real poetry. Should we return to our murder investigation? I hear there's a really *bad* one we're supposed to solve."

This finished all our tasks in central Martinaise. Since we've *just* started today, let's deal with a few of the things we can quickly take care of in the Whirling.

🎵 Whirling-in-Rags, 8 AM

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Hey." He nods in greeting. "Was there something you needed?"

3. "Garte, I saw another *thing* at the Whirling..."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Another thing -- great. I love those."

3. "I have to warn you -- I may have discovered that the Whirling is part of the Doomed Commercial Area."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "What?" He looks mildly startled. "Why would you say that? We're at a *completely* different address from that whole thing."

REACTION SPEED [Easy: Success] - So he knows of the Doomed Commercial Area. *And* its address. He's thought about this.

"Wait -- so you *know* of the curse!"

"The Whirling is listed on the intercom outside. As one of the businesses in Building B. You should get your wiring fixed -- I tried to call and couldn't reach you."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Everyone *knows* of it."

"The Whirling is listed on the intercom outside. As one of the businesses in Building B. You should get your wiring fixed -- I tried to call and couldn't reach you."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "I've been working here for a *long* time, and that intercom has *never* been used by the Whirling."

"Hold on -- not once? Isn't that *already* a sign of decline?"

"The Whirling was once the East Delta Pinball Arcade, before it failed. It's only a matter of time before the Whirling fails too!"

"The Whirling was once the East Delta Pinball Arcade, which failed. Though perhaps the Whirling will *escape* the curse..."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "It's a *sign* of the Whirling-in-Rags not being part of the Doomed Commercial Area. If anything -- we're *revitalizing* this neighbourhood."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Relax, Mr. Garte. I'm sure there is no *Doom*. He simply wants to share his discoveries with you."

2. "The Whirling was once the East Delta Pinball Arcade, which failed. Though perhaps the Whirling will *escape* the curse..."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Does this *look* like part of a *Doomed* Commercial Area?" He makes a sweeping gesture. "This pre-revolutionary tile work? These high ceilings? The nice rooms? Well, *most* of the rooms..."

"For 14 years, man -- that's how long I've worked here. I've kept this place up through hail and through sleet. Fuck me, if some Doom Ghost..." he steadies his voice.

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - He's done a fine job too. Though he's spoken of the place dismissively before, the hostel is actually very important to him.

"You really care about the Whirling, huh."

"Who *owns* this place?"

"What about those other cafeterias you manage?"

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Yeah." He sighs. "It's *slowly* growing on me again. It's beautiful, in its own way -- especially for this neighbourhood. I've been trying to keep it that way..."

"Even if it is part of the damn Doomed Commercial Area..."

"Aha! So you finally admit it?"

"You shouldn't be so worried about that label, you know."

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "*I* don't place much stock in the curse and so on, but the label frightens the clientèle. Who wants to stay at a *doomed* hostel? Everything's doomed enough without that..."

Task complete: The doomed hostel?

+10 XP

2. "Who *owns* this place?"

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Some real estate management company. They never come around here, just collect money from afar. Honestly, I think *some* money laundering might be involved."

AUTHORITY [Medium: Success] - There is an acrimonious note. It's clear he's doing the real work around here.

3. "And who named it Whirling-in-Rags?"

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Well, it sure as hell wasn't the real estate company."

KIM KITSURAGI - "It was you?"

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "You look surprised? What? It's a great name, I know. Cafeteria managers come up with great names too. It's from a song."

"A song?"

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "*Hail Holy Queen* by The Etenniers. 'Hail holy queen of the sea,'" he quotes. "'You're whirling in rags -- you're vast and you're sad."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Good pick," the lieutenant nods.

4. "What about those other cafeterias you manage?"

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "What about them?" He shrugs. "One is a basement dive frequented by chain-smoking communists. I can't *tell* you how sick I am of Kras Mazov and Ignus Nilsen and all those old ghosts..."

REACTION SPEED [Easy: Success] - He's hesitating, not sure if he should share this information with you. Encourage him.

"And the others?"

He doesn't have to tell you anything he doesn't want to.

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "The *other* is a kebab cart. It's very *successful* in its way, but... it's nothing like the Whirling."

5. "Well -- good luck to you with this place then." (Conclude.) 6. "Well -- too bad it's all doomed then." (Conclude.)

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "Luck has got nothing to do with it." He looks to where the hidden room is. "I need to think about where I'm gonna place those pinballs -- I have a feeling they're gonna help."

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - Against the Doom, it's implied.

GARTE, THE CAFETERIA MANAGER - "So if you didn't have anything else to tell me -- about my establishment -- can we, you know, wrap it up?"

Sure.

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Hello, officer! I think I almost have it! A new trap design, that is! I know you're sceptical, but I have a good feeling about this."

"I had a chat with this kid, Cuno. He promised to stop stealing the locusts."

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "So it *was* just a child..." He purses his lips, crestfallen.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Thank you for telling us, sweetie." She turns to smile gently up at her husband. "This is good news, right? It means we can try *again*."

Task complete: The Missing Insects Case

+30 XP

Level up!

DRAMA [Medium: Success] - She acts chipper, but something's changed in her tone. A hidden worry.

VOLITION [Easy: Success] - Something is secretly gnawing at her confidence. It's not this Cuno kid, or the missing locusts, it's something else.

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Yes, you're right. We just need to restock the empty trap. Then we'll need to inspect the traps one more time, and then *maybe*... we can..."

The ageing cryptozoologist breaks into a hideous coughing fit.

COMPOSURE [Medium: Success] - He has a 38 degree fever. His resilience has given way.

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - She looks at him with tender concern. "Darling, I told you to take it easy. You're getting sick. Maybe it's time to go home?"

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "You're right, you're right..." He breathes carefully, not to start coughing again. "We can come back next season... when it's warmer..."

AUTHORITY [Medium: Success] - There won't be a next season. Not for this. Find the phasmid or admit defeat, people.

"Man, I'm really feeling this is costing me time on my main investigation..."

"I'd offer to help, but I have my own things to do." (Refuse.)

"It's not worth risking your health. You should call it a day and go home." (Refuse.)

"Damnit, maybe I can still restock the trap for you?" (Accept.)

"We've come too far to quit. I'm gonna restock the trap. Lets *do* this." (Accept enthusiastically.)

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Of course, sweetie, you've helped us so much already. Everyone would understand if you..."

3. "Damnit, maybe I can still restock the trap for you?" (Accept.)

We have *some* time.

KIM KITSURAGI - "You *can*?" The lieutenant makes a show of suppressing a sigh. "Fine. It's better than having these people get pneumonia on the coast, but after *this*..."

DRAMA [Medium: Success] He wants to see this tale through as much as *you*. Otherwise he'd have stopped this already. But he *cannot* let it drag out after this.

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Really, it's too much, officer..." He starts coughing again.

New Task: Find the Insulindian Phasmid

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "What Morell means is, we're grateful for your help." She nods to her husband.

MORELL, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST - "Here's a fresh batch of locusts. They should slide right down the funnel. And thank you again. We will definitely mention you, should this lead to a discovery. I'm not talking co-discovery, of course, but..."

Item gained: Box with Locusts

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Easy: Success] - Wow! Co-discovery? You'd be famous. You'd show them all. This *does* tingle the pleasure centre...

AUTHORITY [Easy: Success] - This would *show* them all. We need to get you on that list of discoverers, no question about that.

5. "I'll get going." [Leave.]

BOX WITH LOCUSTS

A cardboard box with several rows of little holes in the lid. Though at first glance the box seems perfectly ordinary, upon closer examination, it's obvious that it has been prepared with great care.

Now that it's daytime, we can enter our room again.

EMPATHY - Kim also tries *not* to look at the pile of tape viscera on the carpet. Or the weird suitcase on the hat rack. Or the potted plant dying in the corner. But it's all just too morbid to ignore.

SAVOIR FAIRE [Easy: Success] - The man is finding it hard not to trip on the tape -- and not to send any of the bottles rolling across the floor...

ENDURANCE [Easy: Success] - ...where unidentifiable sludge makes it hard for him to breathe. Smells of vomit in here.

"You're looking at the destruction?"

"I'm sorry for… this."

"I did it -- my way."

"Got my own little Co Hoi here."

"This is where *the magic* happens."

Say nothing. Nod stoically.

KIM KITSURAGI - He nods.

[weepylucifer]

liz being harry’s lawyer against the RCM because she specifically owes him for saving her life. after a trauma like that she can’t help it. the survivor’s guilt too? and she can hate cops *on his behalf* now

yes hell yeah!!! liz just really hates cops (understandable), so if harry's no longer a cop, she might grow to tolerate him. like, she'd not let harry forget that he WAS a cop for 18 years and DID do fucked up shit and DID uphold an imperialist regime. but he did try his best to save her and as many of the hardies as possible, and he probably has no desire by that point to return to the RCM, and that counts for something. plus, like this she gets to attack the RCM directly. this is great.

just... the thought of harry being, in no uncertain terms, left to die, but maybe, if the people of martinaise take him in, he doesn't HAVE to die. it's a nice thought. people are sweet.