explosivecombat: (Rather strong physical disadvantages)
Solf J Kimblee ([personal profile] explosivecombat) wrote2015-01-19 07:16 pm

040. [Text/Action for Route 34]

[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.]
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 10)

[ACTION]

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 01:10 am (UTC)(link)
[It doesn't take Archer long to find Kimblee after that initial mass texting. He could have replied with one word (why) and gotten his point across just as easily, but instead he decided to seek Kimblee out, just to make sure he's not in some incredibly morbid mood or something.

...Needless to say, he's definitely not pleased when he finds Kimblee. At least he has the decency to wait until Kimblee jumps clear of the Steelix before getting started with the usual rant.]


What do you think you're doing!? What if you fell off!?

[...again...]
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 13)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 01:24 am (UTC)(link)
[You should expect him to show up when you're doing dangerous stunts like this!!]

How on earth is this ensuring you won't fall off? You're just going to heal the Steelix and do it again!
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 10)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
You shouldn't be practicing at all because this isn't something you should be planning on doing!

[UGH. And today was going so well too...]
samsa: (Contemplative □ that book was so bad)

[text]

[personal profile] samsa 2015-01-20 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
I think some might say that it really doesn't matter in the end. Like you said, someone dies no matter what each person decides to do...and if one of them didn't act, they would both die anyway. I don't know if I could call either person in that situation a murderer, either, because it sounds like there's absolutely no other option for them to take.

It's...really hard to say for sure.
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 13)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
[...Well, okay, that is a very good point, he does need to be mad about something daily or he's not enjoying himself...]

Well of course it is, who else would you blame for that-- That's not the point! The point is that you shouldn't be doing something so dangerous! What can you possibly gain from riding a Steelix into battle!?
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 10)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 01:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Archer looks like he's going to say something but can't seem to decide on what he wants to say or how he wants to say it and finally throws his hands up.]

Fine, whatever! Have fun potentially getting yourself killed or your spine broken! See if I care!
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 13)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
You're being ridiculous! If it's just for fun then you don't need to practice it for battle because it's an unnecessary risk!
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 03)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
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.]
samsa: (Conversation □ let me explain)

[personal profile] samsa 2015-01-20 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a bit of a pause before he answers.]

I don't know. The person who ends up living is a survivor, obviously...but at a cost.
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 09)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
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?
samsa: (Glance □ why always me)

[personal profile] samsa 2015-01-20 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
Well, I never meant to say that the person who lives isn't accountable for anything. But the situation they're in has everything to do with why they would make the decision to save themselves in the first place.

Don't you think that either person wouldn't be so quick to save themselves at another's expense if the situation were different?
theotherother: (Spiders Shut Up I'm Trying To Think)

[Text]

[personal profile] theotherother 2015-01-20 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
I think that falls under self preservation not self defense. I also think Person A or B or whichever one lives isn't going to care what you call it at the time, but might feel like shit about later.

[Speaking from experience here? No, not him. Never.]

Depending on the person anyway. Some people aren't going to care afterwards either.
sadisticwarfare: (♕ 03)

[personal profile] sadisticwarfare 2015-01-20 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
[...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.

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