DIRECTED TO MERIDIAN, OPEN TO ALL.

[twohand]

[ In the midst of the Advocate's beginnings, perhaps a few world adventures in ( ignore pax's belated posting in that case ), there is a quiet presence that coalesces within the minds of all. An Advocate, dusk-skinned and thoughtful as he addresses all present. Even his voice is morose, a little saddened by what he has taken notice of — though that is mostly on behalf of Meridian. He cannot imagine what it must feel like, to look upon something familiar and have it not be exactly what they want. ]

They're dying. These worlds — they're already lost, they're torn up and left in pieces, they're dreams of what was; please don't make them suffer when you can bring them a gentle end. Even if you fight to restore them in the long run, choosing to save them now is torturous. It is asking someone with a terminal illness to fight on, when they ought to be given the ability to rest.

[ He sounds like he is pleading with the Meri, a call not to stand so firmly with their impossible desire to restore all that they make such a glaring mistake. ]

All things have a right to live, I agree. But, all those same things also should have a dignified end. I am only asking that you understand this, and choose to help us give what is left of these worlds the ending that I wish our worlds could have had.

This time, please... just this time. I am asking on their behalf, for all to choose a difficult thing — but, the thing that only we now have the power to do for them.

Comments

[twohand]

[ Amos's words cause him to flinch a little, the validation ripping through his heart with great difficulty. ]

I don't feel like one.

[ He's asking people to consider ( and commit ) to, yes, mercy-killing the remnants of worlds. To not force them to limp on. To euthanize them, for pity's sake. It's hideous to have to ask that of anyone, but he doesn't want the vote to weigh in favor of preserving them for more pain, no matter if they deserve to fight now or later. ]

Besides, this isn't a question of "good" or "evil", I don't think. The Advocate is asking us to find enough value in these worlds to be able to let them go before they're ripped from us.

[baltimores]

[ ... He doesn't understand that flinch, his own confusion rippling across their shared space. He follows that up with the sensation of putting a hand on Drizzt's shoulder, and, softly, ]

The Advocate's a dick.

[ He'd shunned it when it had reached out to him, turning in on himself and refusing to answer. Giving it nothing. ]

Playing games with this is fucked up. Maybe the others don't get it, but there are things worse than death. You're choosing to spare them that because you don't want them to suffer. That makes you a good person.

[ Gentle as his presence is trying to be, there's a finality to his words; Drizzt isn't allowed to argue with the sentiment. He's good, end of story. ]

[twohand]

[ He's still a little cross with Amos for what he did, for doing what was told of him and causing so much grief — but, Amos is not the only one at fault. In a way, everyone bears the burden of one another's actions, and must hold one another accountable. So, in this moment he can listen to what is being said to him and not spurn it because he's upset or cross. ]

I'm an Advocate. I think similar to it — finding value, and understanding that still means making difficult decisions based on what information we have.

[ It feels weird, to be the Aspect that the Oracle corresponds with in that case. ]

Sometimes, we cannot afford to wait until everything is laid out... we must do our best, and shoulder the consequences all the same.

[ Under the pressure of Amos's mind and hand, he bows a little. Humility runs heavy in him, honesty and genuine compassion rich without anything to hide — and he passes the sensation of touching at the other man's knuckles. A companionable pass of his dark hand. ]

[baltimores]

[ For a moment Amos sits with Drizzt's words, the feel of hand on hand. And he thinks — well, Drizzt is probably over it. Knowing that Yima is still out there somewhere and that they're elsewhere now anyway, he certainly is.

Water under the bridge, and all that. ]

None of this is real anyway, is it? Don't get me wrong, it's good of you to find value, but it's not a tough choice. You put something out of its misery instead of letting it drag out to its inevitable end. Just that here it's more like an abstract question. Not like you gotta pull a trigger or plunge in the needle or anything.

[ A beat, because he's tended to be drawn to Advocate-like people — and while he respects the hell out of them, he also knows they also tend to have one particular flaw he wants them to, well. Stop having. ]

You don't gotta take on a burden here.