WEEDS

[crittersheep]

[You're in your barn! That doesn't seem so bad--oh, oh wait, you're in the air.

Your barn/clubhouse, and honestly some of your stuff, is just floating on clouds. You can walk on the clouds too if you want, no one's stopping you. You will not, however, be able to return to the ground, far, far below you, no matter what you do.

At least not til the Ritual is complete.

Floating among everything else are various crystalized weeds, and the Snake as well, who seems to have fallen into a deep sleep.

After a moment, you hear voices resonating from the crystal weeds--the holy beasts, their voices and minds melded as one, call out to you.

It asks you three simple questions.]

Comments

Gen

[crittersheep]

[talk among yourselves here!!]

Re: Gen

[soulsurvivore]

[ Faith is here, though she seems to be just chilling off to the side and eying the Snake with concern.

it seems she doesn't have much input . . . for now. ]

Re: Gen

[hotnbothered]

... Your thoughts appear to be elsewhere.

[despair_to_live]

One last chance to bring about more despair.

And I'm taking it!

[stirtheblood]

How exactly are ya doin' that?

[hotnbothered]

No! Do not!

Re: Gen

[stirtheblood]

[just immediately laughing uproariously at the questions]

Re: Gen

[hotnbothered]

Forgive me for not finding the humor here.

Argument 1

[despair_to_live]

All right. Let's have some real discussion. Serious face time.

Question! Should all outcasts be cast aside, especially if they pose a real danger to the community?

Answer: Yes. The community doesn't like danger. Avoiding danger is a natural human instinct. It will want to avoid danger wherever it can. If this means locating all of the 'outcasts' and casting them out the door, so be it. It's their own fault for not being able to 'play nice'. Shame on those outcasts. Perhaps a tear will be shed as it's done, but they'll speak the all purpose cop-out explanation that will end all arguments. It was a hard decision.
Why do they do this? ...Because they have hope in themselves. They hope their community will now thrive. If they didn't hope to attain a better community, they wouldn't have done it.
Result? Those outcasts aren't going to sit back and be outcasts living outside the 'golden city' for very long. That brings resentment. Moreover, it brings its own sort of community. Maybe we don't all have reason to get along... but we can hate those assholes for what they did to us. Plot revenge. And someday, when enough strength is built up to hit the shiny city with all of the force those outcasts can muster, the war will start. And all those dreams of a shiny city will crumble into despair.

...Or the community festers with outcasts in it forever. Which, hey, you know. Sort of banal, but just as bad. Despairingly awful to expect there's potential danger around every corner, right?

Re: Argument 1

[stirtheblood]

We're not answering with any of that bullshit.

[just kind of, exasperated]

It's askin' what people "should" do, and that ain't what matters. It's about what they want to do. You even came up with your whole fantasy scenario relyin' on them makin' the decision for themselves, right? 'Cause there ain't no "should."

Argument 2

[despair_to_live]

As for the second...

Question: Does fairness exist in this realm? Does it exist in any realm?

For this realm? ...Not by my estimation. It's ruled by talking animals, and, until recently, had a fountain that people crawled out of to escape death. Is that fair? Coming back to life after you're dead?
But, let's put that aside. Everyone assumes there is fairness. You can't complain about something not being fair if fairness doesn't exist.
Moreover, you can't have better off people who get everything in life if things aren't 'fair'. And you can't be angry about it if truly is 'unfair'.
The urge in all people is to correct the perceived unfairness. Whether this means forming and following some lame social contract that requires you relying on police to do a job they don't want to do, or taking it into your own hands... it doesn't matter. It's all the same, in the end.

But, taking it into your own hands and getting the result you need? ...That's the most satisfying thing of all.

So, yes, fairness exists in all realms. And to the extent there is unfairness, all effort will be made to correct that unfairness. That means a hearty discussion, or blood flowing in the streets. --I know which one is more effective.

And, hey, the statue is gone. People can theoretically die for good, now. I'd say that unfairness in this realm has been corrected. My point is proven.

Re: Argument 2

[stirtheblood]

[so many words. you can almost see the gears in Edgelord's brain strain to engage. But he is trying, because he knows this is important]

...So what, your argument is that fairness has gotta exist so people can feel like they're gettin' an "unfair" deal and fight about it? That's stupid.

People livin' in the world together are always gonna have conflictin' desires and have to fight over 'em. People love to justify it by sayin' they're aimin' for justice and fairness, but they don't gotta. Would be better if they all just admitted they were doin' what they want, for their own gain.

[readytosqueeze]

[ as far as he's concerned, the snake is shaped like a friend.

but rata is idly pulling at some of the clouds. ]

What is this, some kinda survey or somethin'.

QUESTION ONE

[crittersheep]

[you instinctively know only one answer should be given after you discuss as a group]

Should all outcasts be cast aside, especially if they pose a real danger to the community?

Re: QUESTION ONE

[hotnbothered]

If you ask us? No, because you can't so easily categorize who is and isn't a danger. That's just a way for people to delude themselves into thinking they're somehow safe, or that they're better than others.

That said, there isn't really a "should." Decide for yourself and do what you want.

... Well, Queen had some other opinions about outcasts forming their own society and plotting revenge, but she has no shortage of insane ideas.

QUESTION TWO

[crittersheep]

[you instinctively know only one answer should be given after you discuss as a group]

Does fairness exist in this realm? Does it exist in any realm?

Re: QUESTION TWO

[soulsurvivore]

There is no fairness, here or anywhere. Everyone is just out for themselves, really. That's simply how life is.

QUESTION THREE

[crittersheep]

[You know instinctively each weed can put their own answers to these questions]


Do you regret your time here?

[despair_to_live]

...I would never regret time spent causing despair.

So, no! If anything, I regret not being here longer to cause more of it!

Re: QUESTION THREE

[hotnbothered]

This place was completely infuriating! I was trapped away from everything I knew! I lived in a hovel with barely a furnishing in sight for months! I always had to worry if I was going to get killed as part of some ridiculous ritual! I was constantly dealing with the consequences of you lot being completely unable to deal with your own messes!

... But I don't regret g-getting to know some of the people here. Or trying to make something of the Weeds. ... So the answer is no. I don't.

Re: QUESTION THREE

[wooliefrand]

[when the rest of the Weed's chime in as well, they'll all see the snake waking up]

[and then. . .]

Re: QUESTION THREE

[soulsurvivore]

I regret nothing, though I suppose some may regret my being here.

That's fine.

Re: QUESTION THREE

[stirtheblood]

'Course I don't.

[readytosqueeze]

Naaaaaaaah~

Re: QUESTION THREE

[finalefantasy]

[for just a moment, one of the shadows in the room fills up with stars, and there is a very soft voice from far, far away]

Strangely...we don't.