040. [Text/Action for Route 34]

[explosivecombat]

[TEXT]

As a former soldier, I've had to consider and handle the question of when it's considered acceptable to take another life. It's hardly a question here, since in this world life is incredibly well-protected and death is incredibly cheap; however, seeing as this place hasn't just dissolved into an anarchic killing spree, it seems that most of us still have a basic grasp on morality as we understand it and are of the basic consensus that "murder is bad."

I suppose my question then is where the line is, for most of the people here, and where the difference lies between murder and self-defense. There's the obvious understanding that if someone is trying to kill you, you likely won't just stand there and let them do it; you're probably going to defend yourself or even fight back, no matter how much of a pacifist you are.

But surely there are places where the criteria becomes a bit more difficult to discern...? Say that you have two people drowning in the ocean; there's a plank nearby that will support the weight of one of them. Without use of the plank, both people will surely die. Person A gets there first, but Person B shoves them off, saving themselves but causing Person A to drown in the process.

Was what Person B did murder? Probably. But they were also going to die if they didn't do it – isn't that just another form of self-defense?

What if Person A fought back and was able to hold their position? That's self-defense, in all probability – but they're also deliberately ensuring the death of another person. Is Person A a murderer for doing so?

Does it matter? Either way, a person is dead because someone else valued their own life more. A life is over and somehow I doubt whatever words the living use to make themselves feel better matter much to the deceased.

...I suppose now is when I apologize for the morbidity of the subject matter, although honestly it seems I can't let a year pass in which I don't ask some sort of horribly inappropriate question about murder. I suppose I'm just getting it out of the way early this year.



[ACTION]

[...And in contrast to that self-admitted horribly inappropriate question about murder, Kimblee actually is doing rather well today; if anything, he seems pleased that the weather has broken and it was above freezing for a few blessed moments today, since that means he can actually go outside and not spend most of his time shut in the base. It's large enough to keep him from getting too worked up, but it's still windowless and claustrophobic and if he can be outside, then dammit, he will be outside.

He's just outside Goldenrod today; he's up on Acasta.

It's been a while since he's done anything from up on top of the Steelix – travel is one thing, but battle is another entirely, and he's got some of his other high-leveled Pokémon out with him for the sake of satisfying that latter desire; Acasta's up against Carlisle right now, and from the look of it, it's not so much Kimblee's job to command as it is to not fall right the hell off. But his balance is good and his gaze is incredibly focused, and from the sound of it, he's having a grand time – he's laughing quite a bit, and it's cold and there's entirely too much ice around and he's done this before and it was a good time then, too.

He manages to jump down when a well-timed Earthquake finally takes Acasta out, ensuring that he's well clear of the steelsnake when it falls; apparently he's not having fun unless everyone stands a great chance of dying, and today isn't much of an exception. At least he'll be unoccupied with battle for a while as he spends a while seeking out a Revive that he has somewhere on his person; whether he's going back up later or just doesn't want to leave Acasta unconscious is a bit hard to say, but either way he's around for conversation.]

Comments

[explosivecombat]

Do you want to tell me what the problem actually is, or am I going to have to start in with the uncomfortably specific questions again?

[sadisticwarfare]

Isn't it obvious?

[Hang on, that seems to have thrown him, give him a moment.]

This could easily result in you breaking a bone or worse. Yes, yes, I know; if you die, you'll be back in twenty-four hours, but that's not...

[He frowns. This is difficult to explain. At least Archer's not yelling anymore?]

It doesn't matter how quickly you'll return - you could return instantaneously and my reaction would be the same. I don't like seeing you hurt. I don't want to see you die. You know that and still you continue to do things like this just because it's fun. Do you see why I'm a little frustrated?

[The question at the end isn't condescending or even sarcastic despite the wording. He's genuinely trying to explain himself, he's just really bad at it.]

[explosivecombat]

[...you are so awkward.]

You've explained this to me before, yes - at the same time, I don't see what difference it makes to you either way, when you know everything will work out.

[sadisticwarfare]

What do you mean? I don't know how everything will work out. Even if you practice and can stand on that thing perfectly and adapt to every move it makes, you can't possibly predict exactly how it will react when it's hit. It doesn't matter how good you are at it, you could still fall off and injure yourself.

[...]

Or are you referring to dying? Yes, I know that you'll come back, but it doesn't change the fact that you just died. Don't you see why that would bother me?

[explosivecombat]

Honestly, no.

[...You know, that actually might go a long way toward explaining. That. All of that.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[...Oh. Well that does explain a lot, doesn't it. Archer looks lost for a moment, but not because Kimblee's lack of understanding bothers him, but rather because he's trying to find a way to explain it. Perhaps a more socially competent person would be capable of explaining it, but Archer eventually has to give up.]

...I can't exactly explain why, but it's something that bothers most people. Even if you don't understand it, it's going to be something that bothers me. It doesn't matter if I know that it's not permanent and that you'll be back in a day, it still bothers me and I don't want it to happen.

[explosivecombat]

It can't even be considered proper death, Archer.

[He has no idea why this distinction even matters but apparently he's gotten it into his head that it's important, hang on.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Hang on, he thinks he knows how to handle this.]

Perhaps it couldn't be counted as a proper death back home, but death here is different. Death isn't permanent here, but that doesn't change the fact that you took serious injuries that the world felt you could not recover from on your own, so it reset you to a physical condition you could maintain. You may not even feel it, but people around you would have seen it - to you it might not be a death, but to others it is. Does that make sense?

[explosivecombat]

[...........................

...Ohhhhhhh.]

...I think it does, yes.

[sadisticwarfare]

Good. So you understand why it upsets me, even if it doesn't bother you?

[explosivecombat]

...In a purely logical sense.

[I MEAN HE DOESN'T SYMPATHIZE, BUT.]

[sadisticwarfare]

That's what I meant, yes.

[AT LEAST YOU TRIED??]

...You're going to keep doing it, aren't you? The Steelix-riding thing.

[It's not really a question.]

[explosivecombat]

Are you ordering me not to?

[sadisticwarfare]

No. You know I wouldn't do something like that.

[The response is prompt, though now that he thinks about it, it probably would be a decent thing to actually order...

..................

...No, okay, Kimblee would still be mad, and he does try to avoid that.]

[explosivecombat]

You tend not to, nowadays.

Any particular reason? Not that I'm arguing; I'm curious.

[sadisticwarfare]

[He tries to come up with something that will at least sound halfway professional and not stupid as hell, but unfortunately, he's got nothing.

After a long pause (a very long pause), he finally speaks, glancing away.]

...I don't want to anger you.

[explosivecombat]

...I'm sorry?

[Whatever he was expecting, it clearly wasn't that, goodness.]

What makes you think it will?

[sadisticwarfare]

It would be giving you an order to stop doing something you find fun. Why wouldn't it bother you?

[explosivecombat]

...You didn't say that it would bother me, you said that it would make me angry with you. There's a difference.

[sadisticwarfare]

The point is the same either way: if I give you an order to stop doing that, there will be some level of resentment, correct?

[explosivecombat]

[ARCHER.]

...You do remember that I was in the military, don't you?

[sadisticwarfare]

This is completely different! This isn't an order I'm giving because it would be more strategically sound - though don't get me wrong, I do consider it to be a better decision to stay on the ground and not risk death - this is an order I'm giving because of a personal preference. There's a huge difference!

[explosivecombat]

[Oh. Well then.]

...I appreciate the consideration, then, I suppose.

[sadisticwarfare]

[...you seriously didn't think about this being different...?]

Yes, well.

[...................]

Oh come on, what is that look for!?

[Alright, what was the stupid thing he said this time?]

[explosivecombat]

That's not something you would have taken into account a while back, you know.