Hm. [ He watches him brush his bangs back, leaving him under that constant, unwavering gaze. ]
I always thought that raising a child in a place so cruel was an act of defiance. To make something despite the filth that trickles down to consume everything, swallow us in all of its misery.
[ It's funny, how similar their stories are, their cities. Certainly, Vergilius has killed more than him directly, but he does not doubt that shimmer and his quest for full control of the undercity was a path of blood as well. Worthwhile blood, blood spilled for the cause, but blood nonetheless. Was it because there was a reason for what he did, that he did not feel guilt? Had he been a different man β the man he'd been back then β would he feel that same guilt settling like a too-heavy blanket?
Could he find a way to ease it? What good was guilt, if it served no purpose? What good did it serve? What point did it have? ]
Do you need to be? [ He asked, finally, a long moment of consideration, watching him, thinking. Like those gears turning in his head. ] If you had resisted, or been a different person, would the City be different?
Or would it have found a crueler man than you to fill its place?
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I always thought that raising a child in a place so cruel was an act of defiance. To make something despite the filth that trickles down to consume everything, swallow us in all of its misery.
[ It's funny, how similar their stories are, their cities. Certainly, Vergilius has killed more than him directly, but he does not doubt that shimmer and his quest for full control of the undercity was a path of blood as well. Worthwhile blood, blood spilled for the cause, but blood nonetheless. Was it because there was a reason for what he did, that he did not feel guilt? Had he been a different man β the man he'd been back then β would he feel that same guilt settling like a too-heavy blanket?
Could he find a way to ease it? What good was guilt, if it served no purpose? What good did it serve? What point did it have? ]
Do you need to be? [ He asked, finally, a long moment of consideration, watching him, thinking. Like those gears turning in his head. ] If you had resisted, or been a different person, would the City be different?
Or would it have found a crueler man than you to fill its place?