☣ oo9; [video]

[lucycoded]

[Kazuhiko is resting, with his NV at arm's length, as the feed turns on. There's a small bustling around him- a cafe, maybe. He's in a booth, the decor is warm, the lighting that comfortable low that makes people feel content to stay. The glasses perched on his nose, and the stoic, but softened expression relay who it is that's in control at the

Comments

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

I see what you're getting at now. There's no other reason for the new monsters popping up, or for the Plaster murderer to decide to crawl out of that alcoholic cave of his to create his pretty little masterpieces. Especially when someone's upstaged him already.

The Valentine's murders were all about the day itself, though. I don't think he would have done it any other time. The victims were too thematic for him to pull it off for Easter. Let's just say I'm never going to look at a box of chocolates again without gagging.

This could be a defense mechanism of the Core. I wouldn't put it past that thing to be an AI of some sort. We might as well call it Skynet. Now that I think about it... A while back, this is probably long before you got here, the companies were getting close to finding the Core. Very close. I got my hands on leaked files and went after it. The thing deep fried me with radiation and set of an earthquake that caused a lot more than just property damage. Definitely something saying: Back off.

You might be onto something, Kaz.

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[Kaz? Insert slight shock and awkward. Nicknames are something he's not at all used to. People using his first name even, other than those extremely close. But he doesn't speak out.]

I see what you mean in the instance of the Valentine-

Radiation? Are you alright? [Clearly this is more important.]

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

[Pardon Jinx's incessantly American manners. You'll get used to her, or learn to tolerate it. Everyone does eventually.]

Oh, uh... yeah. I guess. It took a little science and a lot more magic, but this was about eight months ago. [She sounds a bit awkward talking about it. Why was this more important than murder? She clears her throat.]

Anyway, the Valentine's Day murders...

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[So many things to get used to in this world.]

This city and the capabilities of its people are astounding. [He sounds relieved. Of course, the health of the living is more important that the means that the dead became so. So that the living would not follow suit.]

A-Ah, yes. The murders...

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

Oh, stop. I'm not that good at potions.

[She laughs.] Anyway, this guy was a very unique case. He goes by the name Tom Hanniger, but Tom's not the murderer. The other guy who lives in his head and shares his brain is. That one's Harry. He's a dick. No one really saw the whole multiple personality thing coming, so I'm not sure how they're going to prosecute him. I just hope we got rid of Harry for good. A friend of mine tried doing something to his brain to keep Harry from taking over. We're not sure if he succeeded, but if crazy comes out to play again, I'm going to kill the host. One life for the lives of the many.

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[He's about to give a warm response, something about how potions are fairytales in his world, and thus amazing to him regardless of level. But everything stops at her explanation. Even his breathing hitches. He can't speak.

There's another with a situation so close to his own...?

One life for the lives of many...]

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

[Jinx is talking. She pays no attention to your dramatic pauses.]

I mean, the guy slaughtered both of my roommates. He came into my apartment and took one of them. When I found Claudio? The body was still warm. He was mutilated. He tried to do that same thing to another friend of mine. Axe right in the chest. I don't even want to know what he was going to do to me.

So it's this whole mess of philosophical crap. Keeping an innocent man in prison, killing an innocent man. But as someone who's been in prison more times than I can count? Innocent men are sentenced everyday. Murderers walk free in the streets. Meanwhile, there's enough hard evidence against this sicko to send him to the chair and people are busy arguing about the morality.

I'm not the model citizen. I'm probably anything but. But shouldn't a good person either be willing to sacrifice their life if it meant keeping that psycho off the streets, or volunteer for every precaution to keep Harry from killing again? Psychiatric help, ankle bracelets, checkups. I don't know. Probably just Gabriel's idealism infecting my brain again, because me? I really wish I'd just blown him to smithereens, but I'm too attached to the situation to make a logical call. That whole revenge thing.

I'm probably rambling, aren't I?

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[That's good. It gives him time to collect himself. To debate on how much to tell her. He covers the mircophone of his NV to keep his bated breathing unheard. So much panic. He steels himself when she asks him directly. He speaks blankly:]

No, it's all very logical for someone in your situation. It is a hard moral call as well. As to whether the continued existence of that person is worth the risk of the lives that could be lost. As you said, the life of one, in exchange for the possibility of saving the lives of many. And yes, you're right. A truly good person would offer themselves to the proper punishment in the name of what their body has done...

What does Mr. Hanniger think should be done?

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

[That gets a morbid chuckle out of her.]

Tom and I aren't exactly on speaking terms. His alter-ego nearly took my entire family away from me. Oh, and Tommy boy hit me across the face with a plank of wood. Granted, I probably looked like something that crawled out of the pits of Hell when he came to, so I can understand. But I'm still angry.

We caused so much commotion the cops came and grabbed him. We didn't stick around. I'm hoping that Tom's little psychosis only comes out to play every February 14th. Then it's controllable.

What would you do, detective?

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[Such a hard question. Hard because he's already done it. Twice.]

Were you on speaking terms with him prior to this incident?

[A pause, before he answers the question giving, as to stop evading.] It would be a difficult decision for me. Dangerous people should not be allowed to wander, I do agree with that. Psychiatric assistance would be insisted on at the very least.

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

I had no idea who he was before he started ripping out hearts. I hear he and Claudio were acquainted. Kill what you know, right? [Was she bitter? Yes. Yes, she was.]

Now, I'm not saying that all dangerous people need leashes. Anyone has the potential to be dangerous. Some have more potential that others. [She clears her throat on that one.] But the guy put a pickaxe in how many people? They didn't even see it coming. They couldn't even defend themselves. How could anyone even trust that man again? Is that really a life someone wants to live?

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[Understandably so.] If that is his MO, then yes. Killing friends and acquaintances is not uncommon. I'm sorry that you had to be put through a situation like that, though. And I hope that he properly pays for what he's done.

There is always more potential in certain kinds of people. And everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, but if there is a predisposition for violence, or in this case, a display of mindless violence, then actions should be taken.

[A long pause.] No, no one should be expected to trust him. No one should be expected to want to risk themselves. And he, Tom, probably doesn't wish to endanger anyone either.

voice; private

[hexyoutotuesday]

[Huh, a predisposition for violence. Jinx has no idea what that's like.]

Ugh, it's just so damn complicated. I wish it wasn't. I wish I could have just taken his life. Or caused him kidney failure so he never left a hospital.

I guess I'm not one to talk, though. I've probably put more people through worse and I did it willingly. This is definitely a world of new beginnings, isn't it?

voice; private

[lucycoded]

[Kazuhiko himself doesn't, actually. But if Shinji counts as himself-]

I'm glad that you didn't take his life. It shouldn't be the first resort, but rather the last. Even a life of violence is something that could be valued by someone else. Being out of control of your own actions leads to enough regrets, I'm sure.

Yes. This is a place of new beginnings.