[video] All that you love, and all that you hate, all you mistrust, all you save . . .

[thejewelergem]

The face of a serious-looking Johan is looking solemnly out, toward . . . whoever may answer.]I have a question

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[ voice ]

[lonestray]

Revenge is a poisonous thing. If you have even the slightest doubts, you should back out while you still can. Once you begin down that road there is hardly any turning back.

Re: [ video ]

[thejewelergem]

And if someone else gets hurt because I did . . . ? Then what?

[ voice ] sorry he is v. cynical |D

[lonestray]

You cannot hope to protect everyone. It is expecting the impossible. Not even the Patrol can protect everyone, despite all of its members.

If someone else is hurt, those close to them will have to make the same decision as you are now.

[ voice ] Hey Johan needs cynicism. Or a good smack for being an idiot, that works too.

[thejewelergem]

Then it never ends . . . .

[He pauses and takes a deep breath, eyes closed, obviously thinking. Finally he opens his eyes.]

If I don't kill him, he could go after someone else. If I do, everyone else in Anatole could go after the Scorched again, and this time people could die. [Quatre didn't disappear because of them. He DIDN'T. Sooner or later he'll come back and they'll find out he was just exploring the mist . . . Johan's got to believe that, or there really won't be any stopping him.]

. . . . I don't want anybody to be hurt . . . .

[ voice ] Hey, Scar can provide these things. (also is it still video for Johan or did he switch?)

[lonestray]

[The way this boy speaks, Scar doubts he's experienced much of hate before, seen--felt how destructive it is. He wonders if he knows what it feels like, that all-consuming fire that snakes its way into one's chest and creates the compulsion to hurt, destroy, kill.]

Tell me, do you think no Scorched would ever be hurt again, if you kill this one man? You have seen that there is more than one Anatolian willing to do us harm, without due reason, even. What will you do, then? Do you intend to kill all of them?

As I've said, you cannot hope to protect everyone. It is as if suggesting that putting out one fire will prevent all future fires from breaking out.

...However, it is not my place to tell you to stand down. But bear in mind such a path is not without consequences, for you and your friend.

It's [video], I just forgot to change it orz

[thejewelergem]

[Not much, no--the only man he's ever truly despised is no longer around to tell about it, thanks to Johan. And in that case it was a short jump indeed from anger to an only partially-intended killing in hot blood, not this kind of long and drawn-out wait.]

Then what do you think I should do? Let him go, even though he hurt somebody little who never hurt him?

[ voice ] s'all good!

[lonestray]

[...Another idealist. He thinks maybe he ought to have gotten used to it by now, but it's still always jarring to him.]

That is simply how things are, sometimes. [The words carry the heavy weight of experience]

And sometimes it is the inverse.

I have no advice to give on the matter. Only facts.

[Scar pretty much knows he's a royal fuck-up in life, so all he's willing to give Johan is an idea of how a tirade of vengeance can turn out.]

Re: [ video ] I am constantly doing that *sobs*

[thejewelergem]

It isn't fair. [You'd think he'd know by now LIFE isn't fair.] She never did anything to him.

[He sighs.] I just want things to be okay again. They don't have to be great, just . . . okay.

. . . . I can't risk something happening to me and them taking it out on her even more, can I. [He seems to be looking at a . . . trading card.] It'd just be way worse. They could kill her, and everyone else.