I assume it's because he took that beast's place in the execution. Not only figuratively, but in every other way. [Asch became a Great Value sea serpent for their seas. It's fine.] ... Of course, that's only hypothetical. I plan to ask Plum-san about it myself... and there's also the matter of the real culprit. It's likely their rampage will only get worse over time.
[So, you know, that's wonderful knowledge to have right after you accidentally let a monster walk free.]
[they perceived him as the killer due to their vote, and so. . . he became one. with a shake of his head, Akira climbs to his feet and turns to face Akechi fully]
I intend to ask the sisters that question, too. [. . .] And to ask if Nia's killer is still dangerous.
[a small part of him hopes they aren't anymore, but. . .]
[A small part of him hopes they aren't anymore, huh? Akechi crosses his arms, his expression grimm.]
I spoke to Plum-san after Sunday's execution. [But he was still mad at him at the time, so. Oops! Information that never made it over to Akira.] "They will continue their rampage and lose more of themselves with time. The only way to free their souls is for them to perish."
[He sighs.]
I asked if death was truly the only way to stop Nikki-san. That was her response.
[you know. . . somehow? Akira isn't surprised to hear that. he affixes Akechi with a blank expression, the glare in his lenses hiding the grim look in his eyes. after a moment, he glances away again, fingers dipping into his pockets]
I see.
[calm, casual. . . even if the hope that they could do something else to help those affected has been dashed]
[. . .]
Akechi, do I even need to ask what you would do if you knew who was responsible for Nia's death?
[That sure is something. Akechi blinks at him, visibly surprised for a moment — and then he huffs out a laugh.]
Well, I can answer that question for you. You're spineless. You don't have what it takes to kill someone with your own two hands, so you will stand back and do nothing. Or was that sense of morality you and your teammates touted just a lie?
[He 100% does not believe Akira has it in him to take someone out, sorry.]
[that— cuts deeper than Akira was expecting, and he visibly flinches as his gaze swivels back to Akechi. when he next speaks, it's with a raised voice, his frustration barely contained]
Not wanting to kill isn't a bad thing. That's our justice— we don't stoop to the same levels as those who might oppose us.
[not everyone can be redeemed, but with a power as potent as the ability to steal hearts, Akira is dead set on not beginning the precarious slide down the slope of abusing that power. he has his ideals, his values, his code— and in most circumstances, nothing can force him to break it]
[. . . these circumstances are a little different though, aren't they?]
[Ah, that's funny. That's the self-righteous attitude he has come to expect from him. Akira gets worked up, and Akechi sneers at him.]
Is that how you'll justify your inaction? [Coward.] It's an eat or be eaten world. You're naive if you think some people don't deserve a taste of their own medicine.
[Like, you know... After you order a psychotic breakdown that results in the death of four individuals, or after you bite a 14-year-old girl's head off and sentence someone to death in your place. It's karma, man.]
[Akira's gaze narrows, frustration bubbling to life in the pit of his stomach. TOO BAD THIS IS PRE-RED THREAD RIGHT!!]
I never said anything about not taking action.
[not that he can, considering they don't know who took Nia's life in the first place, but. . .]
I'm not naive. I'm not stupid or spineless or blind enough to believe that doing nothing is the better choice, here.
[inaction is not Akira's style. it never has ben. . . and it never will be. but-- that doesn't mean the idea of taking someone's life, the life of someone who is a person before they are a monster-- isn't. . . well. a little terrifying]
[but perhaps Akechi was the wrong person to even begin to talk to about this]
[Akechi was absolutely the wrong person to even begin to talk about this. Sorry, Akira.]
Answer this for me. You don't want to kill, so what will you do instead? Reasoning with them is out of the question, of course. A rabid dog won't listen to logic.
["A rabid dog," he says, like they aren't people as well... But, eh. Sometimes you turn into a creature and it be like that.]
They're more than just rabid creatures. They're human, Akechi. And I'll be damned if I forget about that part. I'll be damned if I let you forget that part, too.
[. . . what would he do, though? congratulations Akechi this single conversation has sent Akira spiraling into a MORAL CRISIS for the rest of the week]
I don't know what I'd do yet. [beg Peach or Plum or Pumpkin for the Metaverse. try to figure out how to restrain the monsters before they kill. continue searching the mansion to discover its secrets, hoping that one reveals the secrets behind the infections] But whatever answer I eventually come to, it'll be something in line with my sense of justice.
[notably, that does leave room for doing the unthinkable, but he isn't going to say that]
And I won't stand idly by and watch while people are hurt. I won't.
No, I suppose not. A rabid creature wouldn't resort to deceit to escape from death, would it?
[It's unclear whether he thinks this is better or worse, though.]
Say whatever you want to satisfy your own self-righteousness, but the truth of the matter remains. There's only one way to reduce the casualties, and you don't have the guts to do it. Saying you won't stand idly while people are hurt is nothing more than lip service.
[Because, well. Akechi genuinely doesn't think Akira has it in him to pull the trigger. They're very different in that regard, after all. They were always meant to disagree on this point... Which is perhaps why he smiles at the end; more of an upward tilt of his lips than anything born from genuine happiness.]
But don't worry. When the time comes, I won't hesitate.
[He can only ever be himself. Akira is an idiot if he thinks that will change.]
[it's true. they were always meant to disagree on this point. Akira, with his firm ideals, his sense of right and wrong, his unwillingness to become that which he despised. and then Akechi, the man willing to turn himself into a monster to destroy the man he heated most]
[. . .]
[Akira turns to face Akechi again, his hardened expression smoothing over, his own lips twitching]
To you, there is always only one way, isn't there?
[. . .]
When the time comes, I won't hesitate, either.
[but for him. . . that means something completely different than how Akechi means it]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[The million dollar question, really.]
I assume it's because he took that beast's place in the execution. Not only figuratively, but in every other way. [Asch became a Great Value sea serpent for their seas. It's fine.] ... Of course, that's only hypothetical. I plan to ask Plum-san about it myself... and there's also the matter of the real culprit. It's likely their rampage will only get worse over time.
[So, you know, that's wonderful knowledge to have right after you accidentally let a monster walk free.]
no subject
Perceptions, huh?
[they perceived him as the killer due to their vote, and so. . . he became one. with a shake of his head, Akira climbs to his feet and turns to face Akechi fully]
I intend to ask the sisters that question, too. [. . .] And to ask if Nia's killer is still dangerous.
[a small part of him hopes they aren't anymore, but. . .]
no subject
About that...
[A small part of him hopes they aren't anymore, huh? Akechi crosses his arms, his expression grimm.]
I spoke to Plum-san after Sunday's execution. [But he was still mad at him at the time, so. Oops! Information that never made it over to Akira.] "They will continue their rampage and lose more of themselves with time. The only way to free their souls is for them to perish."
[He sighs.]
I asked if death was truly the only way to stop Nikki-san. That was her response.
no subject
I see.
[calm, casual. . . even if the hope that they could do something else to help those affected has been dashed]
[. . .]
Akechi, do I even need to ask what you would do if you knew who was responsible for Nia's death?
no subject
He smiles, humorlessly.]
Of course not. Why ask when you already know the answer?
no subject
Because I don't yet know my own answer to that question.
no subject
[That sure is something. Akechi blinks at him, visibly surprised for a moment — and then he huffs out a laugh.]
Well, I can answer that question for you. You're spineless. You don't have what it takes to kill someone with your own two hands, so you will stand back and do nothing. Or was that sense of morality you and your teammates touted just a lie?
[He 100% does not believe Akira has it in him to take someone out, sorry.]
no subject
Not wanting to kill isn't a bad thing. That's our justice— we don't stoop to the same levels as those who might oppose us.
[not everyone can be redeemed, but with a power as potent as the ability to steal hearts, Akira is dead set on not beginning the precarious slide down the slope of abusing that power. he has his ideals, his values, his code— and in most circumstances, nothing can force him to break it]
[. . . these circumstances are a little different though, aren't they?]
no subject
Is that how you'll justify your inaction? [Coward.] It's an eat or be eaten world. You're naive if you think some people don't deserve a taste of their own medicine.
[Like, you know... After you order a psychotic breakdown that results in the death of four individuals, or after you bite a 14-year-old girl's head off and sentence someone to death in your place. It's karma, man.]
no subject
[Akira's gaze narrows, frustration bubbling to life in the pit of his stomach. TOO BAD THIS IS PRE-RED THREAD RIGHT!!]
I never said anything about not taking action.
[not that he can, considering they don't know who took Nia's life in the first place, but. . .]
I'm not naive. I'm not stupid or spineless or blind enough to believe that doing nothing is the better choice, here.
[inaction is not Akira's style. it never has ben. . . and it never will be. but-- that doesn't mean the idea of taking someone's life, the life of someone who is a person before they are a monster-- isn't. . . well. a little terrifying]
[but perhaps Akechi was the wrong person to even begin to talk to about this]
no subject
[Akechi was absolutely the wrong person to even begin to talk about this. Sorry, Akira.]
Answer this for me. You don't want to kill, so what will you do instead? Reasoning with them is out of the question, of course. A rabid dog won't listen to logic.
["A rabid dog," he says, like they aren't people as well... But, eh. Sometimes you turn into a creature and it be like that.]
no subject
They're more than just rabid creatures. They're human, Akechi. And I'll be damned if I forget about that part. I'll be damned if I let you forget that part, too.
[. . . what would he do, though? congratulations Akechi this single conversation has sent Akira spiraling into a MORAL CRISIS for the rest of the week]
I don't know what I'd do yet. [beg Peach or Plum or Pumpkin for the Metaverse. try to figure out how to restrain the monsters before they kill. continue searching the mansion to discover its secrets, hoping that one reveals the secrets behind the infections] But whatever answer I eventually come to, it'll be something in line with my sense of justice.
[notably, that does leave room for doing the unthinkable, but he isn't going to say that]
And I won't stand idly by and watch while people are hurt. I won't.
no subject
No, I suppose not. A rabid creature wouldn't resort to deceit to escape from death, would it?
[It's unclear whether he thinks this is better or worse, though.]
Say whatever you want to satisfy your own self-righteousness, but the truth of the matter remains. There's only one way to reduce the casualties, and you don't have the guts to do it. Saying you won't stand idly while people are hurt is nothing more than lip service.
[Because, well. Akechi genuinely doesn't think Akira has it in him to pull the trigger. They're very different in that regard, after all. They were always meant to disagree on this point... Which is perhaps why he smiles at the end; more of an upward tilt of his lips than anything born from genuine happiness.]
But don't worry. When the time comes, I won't hesitate.
[He can only ever be himself. Akira is an idiot if he thinks that will change.]
no subject
[. . .]
[Akira turns to face Akechi again, his hardened expression smoothing over, his own lips twitching]
To you, there is always only one way, isn't there?
[. . .]
When the time comes, I won't hesitate, either.
[but for him. . . that means something completely different than how Akechi means it]