Live!!

[windsofwar]

Who: resident dragon man and you
Where: Lobby
When: 184 morning

Good morning, everyone! I've decided now is the best time for us all to have another debate, now that our guests have been excused.

As many of you know, most of those guests were like me. Damned from other shows, instructed to take part in the show to make it more entertaining. During the week, we all saw and did many things, and hopefully, no one is holding much of a grudge.

Especially toward Future is Now, because I offered to murder, but they refused, and tried to protect as many people as possible, and we still were victorious, some how. So they should be applauded!

That aside, there was also that. . .live. As someone who has also stabbed a child, it made me think. How exactly do I want to reach my goals, and what should I sacrifice to get there? Personally, I don't think my stance has changed much, but we definitely shouldn't stab children. Only deimos! So I apologize for my brash actions from before.

So my question for the rest of you, even though violence can't be completely avoided here, when is it an appropriate first choice of action? I imagine many of you may have had to make extremely hard calls this week, so I have to wonder. Please discuss.

Comments

[worthathousand]

[ crisp ] Good.

[ another sigh, eyes closed a moment; then, a bit gentler- ]
You have seen what these captors would have us do. You want to fight monsters, but the more you act on their behalf, the more you serve them.

...And even if you would discard even your own honor for your wish, I have seen graduations in my time here. They did not require such things.

[windsofwar]

So I've been told, but how many of those people were fighting to save an entire world?

[worthathousand]

[ a brief pause, considering him ]

Truly, I do not know what those who chose Hell wished. I could not even begin to tell you what meant they were deemed ready to graduate.

But I have been told that the only time those here were deemed to truly be failing in our "duty," if you can call it that, was when they were insufficiently loyal to their units. Suffering for its own sake had nothing to do with it.

[windsofwar]

Perhaps it's different for us damned then. I suppose I won't truly ever know until they grant me my wish.

Still, I have no intention of betraying my unit, that much is certain.

[worthathousand]

Then perhaps this sort of advice will be valuable to you:

Like you, I am a warlike person on a comparatively gentle unit. I have found that the best way to show my devotion to them is to try to protect their gentleness—which means defending them when necessary, yes. But mostly it has meant trying to ensure they never feel like they're forced to be violent.

My understanding of your unit is that they are efficient, results-oriented people, who care a great deal about the community as a whole. The best show of loyalty to them is... well, I cannot tell you how to live your life. But in your place, I would try to protect those ideals.

[windsofwar]

[crosses his arms, letting out a sigh]

That's the second time someone's said something similar. . .maybe it's time to give it a try.

[worthathousand]

I think that you will find it more rewarding than your current course of action by far.

If you feel the need to keep your skills honed, there are others here who enjoy a good fight on fair terms.
[ wry ] There is more than one way to put on a good show of combat, after all.

[windsofwar]

I'm starting to think I should have just asked for proper sparring partners in the first place. It would have saved everyone a lot of headache.

I just, thought it wasn't what our captors wanted to see.

[worthathousand]

[ shrugging a shoulder ]
Well, as I've said, I personally try not to concern myself with that. I want to make my way from this place on my own terms.

The sorts of things they want to see, well—
[ a pause, then she taps her chin, thoughtful ]

I suppose if it's really important to you, you could ask after the sorts of things that got people the most letters and gifts from the audience.

[windsofwar]

I'm not following. . .?

[worthathousand]

Ah, the letters and packages that arrive every few weeks? From the audience?
If there is anything that is a measure of what sort of actions are "wanted" from us, I suppose it would be that.

[windsofwar]

Oh, that stuff. It just seemed like silly things from the audience. I was basically a prince, so I'm used to getting lots of things like that. Though. . .none here, but that's kind of refreshing.

[worthathousand]

[ another light shrug ]

I've gotten baffling things, occasionally unpleasant things, and a few genuinely beautiful pieces of art. But since I never consented to being a performer, in the end, I try not to concern myself with it overmuch. It's just another option to consider, I suppose.

But I still say that looking after one's unit is best, in any scenario.

[windsofwar]

Performer. . .I'd never want to be one, but I guess in a way, that's what I was doing.

I do appreciate the advice, regardless what ends up happening.

[worthathousand]

I am glad to hear it.

There's no way to say this that doesn't sound, you know, a little overdone, but if you are someone who would sacrifice anything to save his home, then I think you cannot go too far astray by simply being yourself, rather than whatever person you think our captors want you to be.

[windsofwar]

Being myself. . .not sure if that's really an option, but thank you.