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]

Obviously.

I'm a different sort of criminal.

[arsiento]

[ Ohh boy. ]

Meaning what exactly. [ Even knowing it's a pointless question, he almost can't resist adding: ] Guilty or innocent?

[restingstitchface]

[He flips the page he's reading and thumbs a message into his phone.]

Guilty.

[It's been years since he's hidden what he is; back when he's been capable of obscuring it. Nothing hides him these days. His suit just doesn't fit like it used to.]

[arsiento]

So what makes you different, then? Guilty criminals always got company.

[restingstitchface]

I'm more creative; I'm more adept; I'm honest; I'm smarter; I'm unmotivated by materialism; and I'm no quitter, just retired.

And what of you? Active and at large, are we?

[arsiento]

You know they all think that tho right? But if it was really true then they wouldn't have gotten caught.

[ Diablo hadn't, technically, as he'd turned himself in... but he doesn't care about being any of those things anymore, either, if he even ever did.

Similarly, he could arguably be considered "at large" by some people's definitions, given that he should (especially in his opinion) still be in prison. But he responds simply: ]

Neither.

[restingstitchface]

[Crane's opinion that those "different criminals" sometimes want to be caught goes unwritten.]

Stationary, then.

Doesn't make you less dangerous. Guns are inactive till fired, after all.

[arsiento]

You think I don't know that already?

People ain't guns, tho. People don't always need nothing else to be dangerous, but a gun still need bullets.

[restingstitchface]

Which can be made from all sorts of material and cause significant variations in damage.

But it so happens I agree. A single shot to the head is perhaps kinder than the sort of psychological damage people are capable of.

[arsiento]

Like what?

[ Not the kind of crimes Diablo really ever bothered with. ]

Cuz damage and crimes, they ain't always the same thing.

[restingstitchface]

No. They're sometimes not.

But the damage I speak of involves traumatizing experiences. Forcing individuals to exceed their capacity to cope, and then encouraging them to integrate associated emotions. But what exists beyond fear and pain? I might violate someone's idea of the world, and threaten of their survival and sense of security.

But they're all the wiser for it.

[Abusive ethics, torture and psychological abuse. His favorite things!]

[arsiento]

What you talking about is torture. People don't never learn nothing real from that. Nothing they wasn't better off before without.

[ Diablo is not a fan, neither of the experience -- regardless of how deserving he does or doesn't feel of what's been done to him -- or of the action in general, to commit it or know precisely how it can be committed against other people. In that sense it can be a bit of a close subject. ]

[restingstitchface]

What can I say? Torture comes from human history. We persecute and kill people because we do not understand them; because we are afraid. Today's generation are not the first people to commit it - nor will they be the last. Torture? It's human behavior; it's as natural as breathing.

Consider this. Huxley wrote that thinking is painful. A form of torture, essentially. Would you rather tell people not to think at all?

[arsiento]

The only people that ever say that are people who don't want the people they been torturing to know any better.

A man who kills is still a man. A man who tortures ain't nothing but a coward.

[restingstitchface]

[Wow. Time to GO, bro.]

Continue. Say what you want to say.

[Call him a coward to his face. Don't be chicken.]

[arsiento]

I just did. What's hard to understand about what I said already?

[restingstitchface]

Nothing. Your method of speech is beautifully simple.

I only find it ironic that you refuse to speak to my failings directly. Cowardice, indeed.

[arsiento]

It's just what you said, ain't it? People torture cuz they afraid. And cuz they know they ain't shit unless they can front like they better. Worth respecting. But that's all it is, is fronting.

How the hell am I supposed to do that when I don't even know you? Ain't my problem if you taking it that personally.

1/2

[restingstitchface]

It's not in my nature to take things personally. But some conversations are best performed face-to-face, I agree. Perhaps later, then.

2/2

[restingstitchface]

[He very, very quickly switches on his camera. Though he wears a different face - Falcone's - for the sake of irony. His own private joke.]

Here I am, as requested. Fronting.

[Falcone? There was a guy who fronted himself because he thought he deserved respect.]

[arsiento]

[ Diablo's about to answer but then just stares at the camera, squinting slightly after a moment. Something's... weird. He doesn't fall for it, but it does confuse him; there's a slight knit to his brow, if it can be seen beneath the tattoos. ]

Yeah, you are.

[ Fronting, that is. Diablo says so very plainly, though he doesn't explain himself further. He of course doesn't know Gotham and he doesn't know Falcone -- what he does know is what's been said during this conversation. ]

Thought you wanted this to be face-to-face.

[restingstitchface]

[One of his eyebrows rises.]

What makes you think this isn't?

[He drums his nails a bit on the table and looks at Diablo with calm, curious attention. Though the man isn't exactly calling him out, he is aware things aren't real. Fascinating.]

[arsiento]

[ Diablo isn't sure how he'd even begin to answer that, because frankly, it's hardly something he's ever gotten answers about himself.

But he doesn't worry about it, either. He's learned by now to just accept these things about himself and his powers. ]

What are you hiding from?

[restingstitchface]

[Crane doesn't acknowledge the slight to his bravery. He takes it in, all of it, and buries it deep, ready to be acted upon later.]

Who said anything about hiding? Perhaps it's all in your mind.

[arsiento]

[ It still falls pretty in line with Diablo's opinion on the subject, so he doesn't question it too much, weird as this whole thing may be. ]

Even it was that crazy-- [ Which he isn't saying it is... ] That don't mean it ain't also true.