24 ⚜ Anonymous Text / CW: abuse mentions

[restingstitchface]

Whether a man is a criminal or a hero is a matter of perspective.

But if you don't want to play your role anymore, and are removed from your motivation for being who you are, what do you do? Do you seek redemption and rehabilitation and transform as an individual, or do you repeat negative behavior? How much do you believe people change only because they are imPorted? In short, do you believe people can change?

If I had anybody willing to discuss this in private with me, I assure you, I'd not be raising the issue publically.

Thank you in advance.

Comments

[restingstitchface]

Perhaps so, though I'm no marine biologist.

Now. The fact that it's normal. Do you understand what that means? I'll inform you: the patterns of animalistic traits and human behavior - you're familiar with them, are you not? - they're the same between one world and the next!

Everyone seeks control over their lives and those of others, in essence. It's not abnormal, what you've done.

[h2no]

[the next message takes a little while to come through. despite still being in all caps, the... defeatedness is probably clear.]

I ONLY WANTED TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
I NEVER WANTED TO CONTROL ANYONE.

[restingstitchface]

Do you believe that? In order to make things better, control is necessary, whether exerted on others or self. Human, animal, god. What's the difference?

[h2no]

I ONLY WANTED TO CAUSE THE CHANGE.
AFTER THAT, I HAD NO INTENTION TO REIGN OVER ANYONE.
EVERYTHING HAD GONE WRONG AND I WANTED TO HIT THE RESET BUTTON.

[restingstitchface]

I see. Coming to terms with the consequences of your behavior must be difficult.

[h2no]

YEAH. I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING.
WHAT DID YOU DO?

[restingstitchface]

I passed the experimental stages of a compound, a stimulant, that would be safe for testing on imPorts.

I turned the swear-in into an experiment, essentially. There were a number of people who... objected.

[h2no]

YEAH I CAN WHY.
DID IT SCREW WITH ANYONE BADLY?

[restingstitchface]

I suppose it did. Though the results are dependent on the subject's capacity for self-control.

[h2no]

YIKES.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS A SHITSHOW.
DO YOU REGRET IT?

[restingstitchface]

No. I really thought I was doing the right thing.

[h2no]

[squints... so did he even know it was wrong?? oh well.]

YEAH.
AND WE HAVE THAT IN COMMON.
OTHER THAN THE DIFFERENCE IN SCALE.

[restingstitchface]

[He might do an experiment on that scale, were it possible.]

I suppose we do.

Now. Might we exchange names? It would be the right thing to do now, also.

[h2no]

RIGHT.
MY NAME'S ARCHIE.

[restingstitchface]

Doctor Jonathan Crane.

You may happen across some news calling me Scarecrow. Either way, it's been a privilige, Archie.

[h2no]

YOU STILL HAVE THAT TITLE AFTER THE EXPERIMENT?
THANKS, DOC.

[restingstitchface]

[YES HE DOES. HE EARNED IT.]

Back home, yes.

And you're welcome.

[h2no]

[did he just get tricked into a psychoanalysis session? archie doesn't think much of it and closes his communicator.

he'd know, right? nah, this guy obviously has the similar bad feelings he does and wants to help. a doctor is super smart and would have good advice for dealing with this stuff!]