asgardeventide | eleventh minute

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eleventh minute

Justice.

[It's a strange sight, really- there's Cheriour, clock eyes always ticking, and there is a gentle sort of smile on his face as usual, but what is in his hands might be a surprise to some who haven't seen him carry it around.]

[It's a sword, and an old one at that. He's rubbing it down with a cloth, polishing it, though the slight dark tarnishes at it's end are impossible to remove. And he continues to speak at the bracelet placed next to him, hand never stopping its movements down the weapon.]

I'm not sure that many people know what justice really is, honestly! I mean, when you talk about someone being just, it means they know what is right. They can look at a situation and judge accordingly, making sure that their decisions go accordingly to their own moral compass.

But justice is really more than that. Justice is...hmmm, how to put this? It's just something that you have to follow through with. It's the feeling you get when you watch an innocent person get hurt. It's seeing a bad person really get what they deserve after all the harm and pain they've caused others. It's this force, really, that drives you to do the utmost good for people you can do.

[There's a dreamy sort of look on his face, like he's talking about something adored and prized over all- it's quite obvious that he has really strong feelings about this.]

But! Of course, not many people think about it that way. Some people think it can be only found in courtroom cases and trials, which is true, but it's so much more widespread! Justice is more than a jury and a judge, anybody can go through with it. It's found in everybody.

...At least, that's what I think.

[And he smiles over at the bracelet with a pondering look.]

What is really the definition of justice, do you think?

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[He listens carefully, letting every word be turned over in that clockwork head of his like a jeweler looking over a diamond.]

You speak quite beautifully about it, you know.

[And a slight frown.]

But what if it is decreed by God Himself if an action is right or wrong? Surely we would then follow that and judge based on that? I understand how justice can be used in such different ways, but...if justice is in immortal hands, then it's quite different, isn't it?

[She nods her head with a gracious smile] Thank you.

[But it's a short-lived smile, since her expression returns to a cool neutral one] I wish I could answer this theory with certainty. Surely, for a very long time, I would agree that a divine version of justice is justice in its purest form, but... Even before I came here, I watched as my gods faltered and delivered punishments that were unfair and unjust. So I cannot say with certainty any longer that they are above the failings of mortalkind.

[a beat] All I can say is that as a champion of justice, the justice I chose to follow is the one I just described to you. Though a difference in perception of justice is not a bad thing, in my view, as long as it does not venture into the extremes.

[He wants to snap back that HIS god is not unfair and unjust. He's the truest thing there is, the only one to follow, but he realizes that might be rude, and keeps his mouth shut on the words for the time being.]

Hmmm. Perhaps. You had multiple gods as well?

And what do you mean, extremes? What would you consider an extreme of justice? What are it's signs?

Many. I was born of the will of the Greek gods, a daughter of the Amazons given life by their divine will. [Again, her head dips graciously, though this one is more as a gesture of humbleness as she tells the story] And I served as their Champion for many years, but recently, they abandoned my people, so I also left their charge. I traveled to speak with the gods of many pantheons, from Lord Odin to Lady Set, but it was Lord Kane Milohai that accepted me as his Champion, for which I will still proudly fight.

[She chuckles, looking up] Though, of course, it seems I have also been chosen to be a champion of the Norse after all, though a different set of them...

[But her answer to the second question comes without pause] The extremes of justice comes when the desire consumes you, I believe. When it is no longer justice, but simply revenge, for there is a delicate line between them. Justice is, in theory, unbiased and neutral. We, however, are not. When that desire for justice consumes someone, the circle goes round completely, and it is they who are unjust. It may have had the best intentions, but the extreme comes when the one delivering it is considered wrong and wicked.

Greek gods? Oh, my. [He had read about them, of course, but meeting a person who actually was created by them? How fascinating.] And there were many pantheons of gods...ah, you are from a world with multiple gods, I see now. Where I come from, there's only one God, who I serve with the utmost devotion and love. Things are quite different between such worlds.

[And a long pause, because that...that does hit home a little, but he shakes it off. He is merely doing what God asked him to do. That's all. There is no extreme with him, not at all, not at all...]

..I see. But how would a person be considered wicked if they had good intentions? If it came to getting revenge on someone quite wicked, wouldn't they be considered a hero in that situation?

[She makes a deeply thoughtful noise, temporarily leaving the conversation of gods to focus on the one of morality]

It is not so easy to judge. It would vary from case to case, but... Take this story for example. There was a man in my world who was well respected and liked for how he helped others, and even helped to form an international organization to organize those with great powers and great desire to help others. But it was an effort to gather information about them, about us, because he considered us a threat to mankind with our power. He was not alone in this thought, and it is understandable, I should note.

However, he sought to destroy us from the inside, since he had a great power of his own to control others' minds. He killed my friends, controlled them to hurt each other, and was by any definition a person who deserved justice. And to save others, the only way to stop him was his death. In a fit of sorrow and of rage, to have him pay for the pain he wrought, I did kill him.

But it was not a heroic act. His death surely saved many lives, but at the cost of me crossing my own beliefs and morals. I did not think of the lives that would perhaps be saved when I killed him—It was inspired by revenge, and it is that extreme that is dangerous. To be caught up in that dark pit, we lose sight of the light that inspired us to want to do good in the first place. And this is not an isolated incident. I have seen more people than I would like lose themselves in that darkness, and I was temporarily lost in it myself. For as I see it, justice is so truly neutral that we can be its vessel in the darkness of revenge and despair just as much as we can in the light of truth and peace.

...

[He's silent for a while, expression slowly turning from interest to a waning sort of sadness as she finishes the story. The feelings which he had had when Diva was here..those weren't the feelings of a tool of justice. It had turned into something more dark, more vengeful, and he had gone along with them to the point where causing her pain would delight him to pieces.]

[And ever since she left, that weight on his heart had been lifted, though it still stings, somewhere, knowing what he had descended to.]

But you got rid of him because he hurt the ones you loved most. And you yourself state that that was the only way to stop him...sometimes we must do what is hardest to create the most good in the world. However, if you truly think that what you did wasn't right, then there's no reason for me to try to convince you it was otherwise, since I do not know what exactly you went through and can only judge based on the details you've given me.

I always did think that justice was primarily good. People could use it as an excuse to do horrible things, but true justice is something that can't be tainted so easily, really. I guess it depends on the person who thinks about something like that.

Perhaps. But was it worth betraying my own beliefs to do it? It is... [a thoughtful pause] It is perhaps that at what point should one lose themselves to the ideal of justice?

That depends on whether you feel that was going against what you believe. And...honestly, I think it's different for every person. I, being an angel of God, go along with whatever He tells me to, and if he wants me to go over the limit to protect those who are innocent, then I shall do so.

[She's quiet for several moments, choosing her words carefully before she speaks]

I do not mean to question your duty, understand before I speak. I find it admirable, and I thank you for your service, even if it is not of my world. I may speak with ignorance, for I do not know what your duty entails, but I still worry for you. For even if you may protect others, going to far will hurt you more than help, for the people you protect will fear you.

Oh, miss, really! You don't need to worry. Trust me, my brethren worry about me enough, and it's the reason why I got these eyes of mine, so I can clearly focus on the task at hand without straying to...well, muddled and distracted decisions.

[But that cheerful optimism doesn't last for long, because it's as if those last few words finally reach his ears, and his smile turns down sadly.]

I mean...yes, humans have misinterpreted what I do, but that's just really them not knowing about the existence of angels! They don't really fear me as much as the version of me they have in their minds. They don't understand the whole story. That's all.

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