poor choices

[elloran]

Dear Community,

I have a...friend who has recently fallen under the influence of someone unsuitable. Ever since they met and became close he's...changed. Become darker, somehow.

Once he was my mentor but now...I fear for him, and I fear that darkness and hedonism will take over his heart.

I know it is his choice who he loves and who he allies himself with, but...is it not my duty as a friend and a protegee to urge him against such a dangerous course of action?

I fear for what might happen if that...creature gets a hold of him. The whole Inquest might quake with what they could do together...

What should I do? Should I let him go, or urge him to reconsider?

[Is Elloran talking about Kefka? Actually no. But there's no way for the community to know that, is there?]

Comments

[elloran]

They will still be dead because of - ow!

[Elloran's nose breaks with a crunch and he has just enough time to bring a hand up and look stunned at his own blood when Kefka hits him again.

His eyes go wide and for a fraction of a second he looks like a frightened child. He has to struggle to look calm.]

Why...why are you doing this?

[sandinmyboots]

You put them in harm's way! You can't be holier than thou about me hurting kids if you set them up as guards!

[Kefka isn't phased by the blood dripping down his face. His make up is smeared, and his hair is starting to fall out of his ponytail. He gets on his hands and knees and sneers.]

You insulted me. You insulted Kaaree! He does nothing but compliment you and talk about how he adores you and you treat him like this! You insult him, run around with child slaves and zombie sex monsters and do nothing but be a big hypocrite who wastes money while he thinks about you all day and cries!

[And with that, Kefka knees Elloran in the gut.]

[elloran]

They are well compen- hnurk!

[He crumbles. For all his stony exterior, he has a very low pain tolerance. Sweat breaks out on his brown and his hand scrabbles in his cloak, the other wrapped around his gut.

But his voice is level when he speaks.]

I have not insulted him. He has survived being stripped of his name. None of us could survive such a thing and remain who we are.

You lie if you think I could ever have such an effect on his life. He has always seen me as nothing but another toy or pawn. And yet among all of them, he is the closest to a friend.

[His knees give out and he crumples.]

But she will take even that from him. What hope could such a...a simple man have against the Queen of Daggers?

[sandinmyboots]

Good! You suck. Why would someone want to be like you!

And no, let me tell you why. [Kefka raises his fingers,then counts off on them.] One, he's in love with you. Two, you're thicker than a brick. Three, he's in love with you, you selfish little tit, even I can see it. Four, what is wrong with you. Five, are your brains made of scrambled eggs? Six, he could set her on fire or something because he's not a brick like you are. Seven, how could he fall for such an annoying piece of bric a brac is something I cannot understand but he relied on your friendship and support enough that he's still sad about you biting the dust 50 zillion years later so it's definitely a thing that happened. Eight, he hasn't told you because he's got even worse self esteem than you do. Ergo, you are the worst ex ever.

[He spreads his hands to show how he's proved it conclusively.]

[elloran]

[Elloran is trying really hard not to groan. Is this really what pain is like? Its...terrible! And so unproductive. But somehow Elloran's words cut through to him.]

You...[He pauses to breath]

No. Love doesn't exist in the Inquest. Even if it wasn't heresy, we simply are not capable of it. And he is the monster if he is deluding you with the idea that we can offer anything but carnal pleasures and power. You seem like a kind man - you deserve better than him.

And as you say, I am the last person he could fall for. He is more powerful than I, and she ten times as powerful as he is. Perhaps he is sad about my death, but what she offers is a hundred times more powerful, for all that she walks with corpses and plays with the bodies of children.

[sandinmyboots]

[....what]

[what]

[ w h a t ]

[Kefka is just going to walk away and bang his head on the wall because what the fuck is coming out of this man's mouth.]




[ok he's ready. Kefka smooths his hair back and comes back over, ready to explain the full factual situation to Elloran.]

First of all, I am a god of evil and destruction. I am a bad person who is responsible for the death of lots of people. I am not nice. I am also all powerful and almighty and I use my great powers to make people miserable.

Secondly, please understand that I am not an enforcer of good and love, so the fact that I have to explain to you that good, purity, and so on are associated with love and friendship and so on is really not impressing me on the quality of your virtue or your schooling. Love exists despite every attempt I have made to squash it out, so help me, so I doubt that this Inquest could kill it either. It's still there.

Third, you are seriously going up in ranks for worst ex with all this talk of monster and mega murderer, blah blah. I am the monster!

Fourth, if Mrs. Knives is such bad news, why not go tell him that you're worried and see what he's doing?

Fifth, I am a virgin and I have no interest in carnal shenanigans. I am also a powerful god and have no need for zombie sex slaves, child zombie sex slaves, what is wrong you with people, and he doesn't magic from me. So if that's the case, why are we dating, huh? Explain that!

[He waves his hands back and forth between him and Elloran rapidly, daring him to question his wisdom.]

[elloran]

[Elloran glances up. He clearly isn't believing half of what Kefka is saying. Also, why was he banging his head on the wall? Pain sucks, why would you intentionally pursue it?!

As he answers he keeps a count on his splayed fingers on how many questions he's answered. He'll not be able to keep them straight otherwise.]

By that metric I too am a bad person. I've never claimed to be special or particularly kind - that is a designation your Karakael puts on me and it sounds like the ravings of a man looking back on fond memories rather than the truth. All of us Inquestors allow death and war to happen for the greater good. Misery is inherent in all worlds and is far more likely than love and kindness.

Inquestors must be above all that. Love, kindness, hatred...those are emotions that humans can feel, not things that gods can be burdened with. All Inquestors struggle to overcome our inherent humanity. That is what we are, and that is what we give up in penance for what we must do.

We are monsters. I highly doubt you could ever do anything as horrid as what I allow to happen in a day.

And I posted to the community with my question specifically to get others opinions on the matter. You could simply given me that, and none of this would have been necessary!

And finally...Kaaree has never followed sensible rules. He's always been a man of base desires hidden behind fripperies and masks. I do fear for you; for all your talk of being a monster as well, he - and I - are far worse. It would be easy for him to lie and pretend innocence and in the end hurt you. Don't you understand? The Karakael I know is the sort to pick up lovers that either give him political advantage or who offer an interesting puzzle. Once the advantage is gone or the puzzle is broken, he is happy to discard them.

Ynoldeh may offer him a dangerous challenge but you...you can only be hurt by him.