[He doesn't say much else for while-- but Ginko begins to form a very low opinion of the young man. His voice is free of condescension when he speaks, however.]
Your rhetoric is rather-- distinct. Were you a politician, of some sort?
[He must agree. That behavior... he can remember it quite clearly, even if there was no video of it to mock him. It was not his own. He'd never do such a thing. Such a humiliation could not be forgiven. However, he can sense nothing but violence in any venture when it comes to these 'gods' and he will not be a part of senseless violence.]
What do you suggest? [A careful question, leaving out suspicions.]
['By force'. 'Air our grievances'. No one in power gave into such demands. Feelings were irrelevant, cared for little by those who stood on higher ground. Another boy who thought he could change the world by throwing around words and resolve alone.]
I mean to say that the plan is still being developed, with the help of those who have been here longer than you or I have.
[ Lelouch has seen Byakuya around the network before. He is, so far, not impressed with the man at all. Even without Rukia's dream and some of his conversations with the others over the network, Lelouch would have known Byakuya was a blue-blood to the core. Having been raised around those kinds of people all his life, Lelouch knew how to identify them. They had a certain indescribable disgust that seemed to permeate the air around them, as if they could create some sort of barrier against the lesser, filthier outside world with the force of their arrogance and pride alone.
Lelouch makes a note not to involve Byakuya in any sensitive correspondences unless the situation specifically required it. ]
[ Lelouch does know something Iroh doesn't - or shouldn't. He knows what it's like to see that spark die. That choice.
To be a god, a higher being, and willingly do that - not because a war was on, not because lives were at stake or justice was being miscarried, but for no reason whatsoever -
No. There was no justification for that. ]
Love is a choice.
No patron of love could possibly condone that...that farce. A choice made for you is no choice at all. There was no consent. It was wrong.
[ He pauses, to collect himself. ]
Nevertheless. I never said anything about killing anyone. It is quite possible, after all, that these beings are incapable of being killed. I simply mean we must get their attention. Make a point. Show we have free will and demand they respect that.
And to do that, we cannot run and hide from them. These Hitomi cannot be permanently removed from our persons - they could be recording us at any time. It doesn't matter if they are listening in - no, that's not right, it does matter. They have to
( ... )
I do agree we need to talk to these beings, and try to understand them. Even if they don't understand humans, they have their own motivations, which will give us a clue how to speak to them. All of that hinges on some means of communication.
[Which made him wish Aang was here -- this was suppose to be the Avatar's job, and the kid had a way of being friendly. And in finding things even Iroh might overlook.]
But, it seems like some people are already resorting to violence. It hasn't even been a week yet.
[That has Iroh worried. So far, these gods at least show some indication of being invasive, but not hostile, and he can pretend it was a misunderstanding until shown otherwise. Humans... there was less uncertainty about humans. At least so far, no one he knew about had been physically hurt by another human being.]
You can't blame them. People have been driven to violence by much less. And if violence is the only thing these gods will listen to, than we have no alternative.
[ Better to die fighting than to live in chains. Shame like that could kill you just as easily as a bullet. ]
I have been saying these same words for a year's time, and many there are who have seen fit to question me.
I will be a part of any rebellion, but you must tell me what efforts you propose.
And so far as these god's efforts, this was as nothing. Imagine how it feels to wake up in a bed beside the bodies of those against whom you have battled for untold years. Against the body which was, to you, no more than that which housed the vessel you sought for your ultimate device, for your ultimate plans.
[ You could almost scoff at that. At the memories. The loss of the feelings you never asked for, never wanted. ]
Imagine weeks of memories -- a lifetime of memories -- not your own, fighting inside of your head, contesting the truth and the lived realities of your experiences. Opening you
( ... )
[ A chill, something cold and dark, runs down Lelouch's spine at the man's words. He can hardly imagine that, a sensation of wrongness like that, but he can infer. He can extrapolate. It might be something like watching someone's eyes close down, and knowing you did it. You did it.
And this -
This thought gives Lelouch an idea. ]
We have to negotiate with them first. Open a channel of communication. If they refuse to communicate with us directly, we proceed to force. If we must.
You've been here before, haven't you? You've lived much longer here. Have these gods ever appeared in physical form? Or do they only communicate via these Hitomi?
I know of a man who fought with a god. Uchiha Madara.
However, I have found no consistent method to opposing the gods of this world. As Yukari has noted, they are many and seem to have varied goals.
I am not a man who gives up in the face of great odds, so do not take my words as a signal of defeat, but we do need a better plan than we have had in the past. Brute force is of no use. [ Much as he regrets this. Brute force has been useful for -- many things, through time. ] And a more thorough plan will require more information.
For now, I think we would do best to figure out which god is responsible for which activities.
It may come down to allying with certain spirits against other spirits.
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I'm curious-- where do you plan on starting, besides an outraged sense of justice?
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These Hitomi may be the key.
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[He doesn't say much else for while-- but Ginko begins to form a very low opinion of the young man. His voice is free of condescension when he speaks, however.]
Your rhetoric is rather-- distinct. Were you a politician, of some sort?
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[ Edging into dangerous territory now - but if he suddenly seems to pull back, that would look even worse. ]
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If there is not, we will make it.
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What do you suggest? [A careful question, leaving out suspicions.]
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By force, if necessary.
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['By force'. 'Air our grievances'. No one in power gave into such demands. Feelings were irrelevant, cared for little by those who stood on higher ground. Another boy who thought he could change the world by throwing around words and resolve alone.]
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[ Lelouch has seen Byakuya around the network before. He is, so far, not impressed with the man at all. Even without Rukia's dream and some of his conversations with the others over the network, Lelouch would have known Byakuya was a blue-blood to the core. Having been raised around those kinds of people all his life, Lelouch knew how to identify them. They had a certain indescribable disgust that seemed to permeate the air around them, as if they could create some sort of barrier against the lesser, filthier outside world with the force of their arrogance and pride alone.
Lelouch makes a note not to involve Byakuya in any sensitive correspondences unless the situation specifically required it. ]
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To be a god, a higher being, and willingly do that - not because a war was on, not because lives were at stake or justice was being miscarried, but for no reason whatsoever -
No. There was no justification for that. ]
Love is a choice.
No patron of love could possibly condone that...that farce. A choice made for you is no choice at all. There was no consent. It was wrong.
[ He pauses, to collect himself. ]
Nevertheless. I never said anything about killing anyone. It is quite possible, after all, that these beings are incapable of being killed. I simply mean we must get their attention. Make a point. Show we have free will and demand they respect that.
And to do that, we cannot run and hide from them. These Hitomi cannot be permanently removed from our persons - they could be recording us at any time. It doesn't matter if they are listening in - no, that's not right, it does matter. They have to ( ... )
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[Which made him wish Aang was here -- this was suppose to be the Avatar's job, and the kid had a way of being friendly. And in finding things even Iroh might overlook.]
But, it seems like some people are already resorting to violence. It hasn't even been a week yet.
[That has Iroh worried. So far, these gods at least show some indication of being invasive, but not hostile, and he can pretend it was a misunderstanding until shown otherwise. Humans... there was less uncertainty about humans. At least so far, no one he knew about had been physically hurt by another human being.]
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[ Better to die fighting than to live in chains. Shame like that could kill you just as easily as a bullet. ]
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I have been saying these same words for a year's time, and many there are who have seen fit to question me.
I will be a part of any rebellion, but you must tell me what efforts you propose.
And so far as these god's efforts, this was as nothing. Imagine how it feels to wake up in a bed beside the bodies of those against whom you have battled for untold years. Against the body which was, to you, no more than that which housed the vessel you sought for your ultimate device, for your ultimate plans.
[ You could almost scoff at that. At the memories. The loss of the feelings you never asked for, never wanted. ]
Imagine weeks of memories -- a lifetime of memories -- not your own, fighting inside of your head, contesting the truth and the lived realities of your experiences. Opening you ( ... )
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And this -
This thought gives Lelouch an idea. ]
We have to negotiate with them first. Open a channel of communication. If they refuse to communicate with us directly, we proceed to force. If we must.
You've been here before, haven't you? You've lived much longer here. Have these gods ever appeared in physical form? Or do they only communicate via these Hitomi?
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I know of a man who fought with a god. Uchiha Madara.
However, I have found no consistent method to opposing the gods of this world. As Yukari has noted, they are many and seem to have varied goals.
I am not a man who gives up in the face of great odds, so do not take my words as a signal of defeat, but we do need a better plan than we have had in the past. Brute force is of no use. [ Much as he regrets this. Brute force has been useful for -- many things, through time. ] And a more thorough plan will require more information.
For now, I think we would do best to figure out which god is responsible for which activities.
It may come down to allying with certain spirits against other spirits.
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Uchiha Madara. [ That's right - Lelouch has spoken with him before about these gods. ] He fought a god here?
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