Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Aug 23, 2021 1:30:11 GMT -5
โI donโt know how big it is either,โ Orpheus mused, catching more of Ryukโs words than he had expected to. It was a blessing that Ryuk spoke so slowly โ he was the perfect person to begin to lipread with. Orpheus gave a small smile, glancing away from him for just a moment.
โI think weโre probably going to spend more time looking than anyone else has, if I had to guess,โ he replied softly, letting his gaze drift back towards Ryuk. He had never been very good at keeping to the rules of politeness, but he wasnโt too worried nowโฆ Ryuk seemed the type to say something if Orpheus did anything too egregious, and so far he had been quiet about it. He was more focused on their goal of searching the maze than he was on whether or not Orpheus was being polite, and Orpheus was grateful for that. He, too was excited about exploring the maze in a way most people probably didnโt. He figured they might get more out of it that way, though he supposed it was also possible they would look back and decide it had been a waste of time.
โDo we want to go this way?โ Orpheus asked as they reached a fork in the path. The delighted screams of children seemed a little bit further away now, but he couldnโt tell for sure. Possibly it was just wishful thinking, or maybe it had only been one family of children who had moved closer to the exit. โHow will we mark where weโve been so we donโt miss any parts or repeat any?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Aug 26, 2021 21:04:02 GMT -5
L was beginning to feel himself getting drawn into the maze itself, almost as if he were having fun, regardless of the case. This wasnโt actually supposed to be funโฆheโd have to keep an eye on that, but he wasnโt too worried. It was probably just because heโd never done this before. It wasnโt as though he wasnโt able to do his job because of it. His attention was still fixed on Orpheus, and he wasnโt giving him any good chance of killing. Things were going smoothly so far, if a little longer than heโd anticipated.
He was probably going to need to multitask soon. New cases never stopped coming, and though this one qualified for his attention, he was only L Lawliet for it, and both Eraldo Coil and Deneuve were bound to need something to do before long. He was actually surprised he hadnโt already been contactedโฆhopefully, it wasnโt because he was busy here. He could do more than one case at the same time, even if one of them were in person and therefore higher risk.
He tilted his head at the next route Orpheus had pointed out. It seemed as good a way as any, he mused, and if they were going to get lost, they would need to take a lot of turns.
โAlright,โ he agreed, turning towards it as Orpheus spoke again. He glanced at him, considering the question.
โWe should mark every time we turn,โ he decided after a moment. โI didnโt bring anything with me to leave, but maybe we could just make a dent in the groundโฆ?โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Aug 28, 2021 0:29:26 GMT -5
Orpheus had no idea how complicated the situation was. He knew that Ryuk was trying to solve a case, but he had little understanding of how he was tied up in it as well. This wasnโt supposed to be work. This was, in Orpheusโ mind, both of them taking a break from the things they were supposed to be doing. He hadnโt allowed himself to take a break and actually go somewhereโฆ in a very long time. It wasnโt like there had been anything to take a break from, though. He had just beenโฆ moping and mourning. He had, he supposed, been recovering, but everything was so hazy that he wasnโt sure he could really describe it that. Orpheus shook his head, letting his thoughts drift towards the back of his mind. They were having fun now. They were exploring a maze, and it didnโt matter if they got lost, because that was the entire point. They wanted to explore every corner of the maze, so they might as well try to get lost first.
โWe can do that,โ Orpheus replied, gently scuffing at the ground. It wasnโt as though they had anything else to leave as markers. โThat way weโll know for sure which ways weโve gone.โ As fun as it sounded to explore the entire maze, Orpheus didnโtโ want to go in circles for hours, repeating the same part of the maze over and over again. โHow will we make sure that we donโt accidentally miss part of the maze?โ Hazel eyes met dark as Orpheus tilted his head, the question genuine. He seemed to trust that Ryuk knew what he was doing here, though Orpheus was the one with actual experience in a corn maze.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 6, 2021 14:50:15 GMT -5
Would getting out of this be hard? L wasnโt sure, truthfully. He knew that he was good at figuring things out, but his wasโฆa very different sort of puzzle than what he was used to. He couldnโt see outside it. He couldnโt figure out the probability of one way being right. He wasnโt entirely sure how people actually did this, since there was no real thinking involved as far as he could tell. It wasnโt like there was any way of knowing which direction to go.
Which meant he was somewhat surprised to discover he was having fun. Or thought he might be. It had been long enough that he didnโt immediately recognize the sensation, but he thought that was what it was.
โWe probably canโt be completely sure of that,โ he admitted, shaking his head a little. โItโs not even on the map, so we have no way of knowing if it even exists. If there really are things off the map, and there are a lot of themโฆwe probably will miss some. Unless we find a way to get a full map and do it thoroughly, of course.โ
It wasnโt ideal, but he hoped Orpheus wasnโt too disappointed by his answer. โAt any rate, weโll probably see some of the things off the map, even if we donโt see all of them. And we can keep track of the planets we find, too.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 6, 2021 15:56:33 GMT -5
Orpheus was mildly disappointed by the fact it was unlikely they would be able to find every corner of the maze. Still, they would see more of it than the average person would. That was his thought, anyway. As long as they were both having fun, though, it didnโt actually matter if they saw all of it or none at all. This was supposed to be a day to get away from everything they had to do. This was supposed to be the two of them going out and having fun because it had been far too long since Orpheus had been able to. He had a feeling that L wasnโt very familiar with taking breaks, so it had probably been a long time since heโd had fun either.
โThatโs alright,โ Orpheus replied cheerfully, letting one hand trace along the corn stalks to his side. โWeโll just see as much of it as we can, and make sure that we get to see all of the planets. If we see more than all of the planets, then we know weโve seen more of the maze than most people have.โ Hopefully, that would mean their experience was fuller. In truth, Orpheus figured it didnโt actually matter what they found or didnโt find, so long as they were enjoying both the maze and each otherโs company.
โDo you have a favorite planet?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 10, 2021 22:39:34 GMT -5
L was fairly confident that Orpheus knew exactly who he was and why he was there. He knew this wasnโt really a break for either of themโฆthey were watching each other. Being careful not to her too close, not yet. And if Orpheus wanted to put him in a vulnerable position for that, and make sure he was out of his depth, thenโฆwell, heโd succeeded. L didnโt know what this place was like or how it worked. At least he did know how to improvise, though. Being an in person job, he had to be even more carefulโฆit wasnโt only his life he had to think about, it was all the lives he would fail to save if he were killed here.
He glanced over, blinking a little at the question. A favoriteโฆplanet? He had to think for a moment to see if he could remember all of the planets, and then their general characteristics.
โYesโฆPluto,โ he decided after a second, giving a small, firm nod. โDoโฆyou?โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 12, 2021 2:05:07 GMT -5
Orpheus wasnโt capable of being nearly that calculated. He was watching Ryuk closely, sure, but it was because he didnโt want to miss what he was saying, not because he was trying to read something about the detective. Not because he was trying to figure out how to beat him. Really, he was trying to figure out how to make the most out of their time in the corn maze. It was different than any time he had spent in a corn maze in the past, andโฆ he was going to make the most of it.
โPluto,โ Orpheus echoed, a smile crossing his face. The smallest planet. So small that some people didnโt even consider it a planet anymore. Those people were wrong, as far as Orpheus was concerned. โI always liked Pluto when I was younger,โ he admitted, holding Ryukโs gaze before he shyly let his own drop to the ground. โI thinkโฆ itโs probably still my favorite. But I think I like Neptune, too.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 20, 2021 6:23:27 GMT -5
L wasnโt sure why he had replied with Pluto. He realized now that Orpheus probably hadnโt meant him to include dwarf planets, and last he had heard, that was what Pluto was classified as now. He didnโt want to take it back, though. Orpheus hadnโt called him for it on the technicality, and dwarf planets were planets, obviously. It was in the name and everything. And, all reason aside, he did genuinely like Pluto best. He hadnโt ever thought to consciously make that decision before this moment, but he had to admit it was accurate.
โNeptune,โ he replied thoughtfully, bringing everything he knew about Neptune to the front of his mind. โWhy do you like Neptune?โ
He didnโt mean that he didnโt like Neptune. He was just curious to hear what had drawn Orpheus to it instead of any of his other options.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Oct 1, 2021 18:58:43 GMT -5
L watched Orpheus quietly for a long moment, tilting his head as he continued. Those were as good reasons as any others, he supposed. And it wasnโt as though he really knew why heโd chosen Pluto, anyway. He didnโt like to think that something so small could give Orpheus any information about him he hadnโt decided to offer, but he knew there were always going to be strings attached to even the smallest facts, and those strings could lead you deeper into someoneโs mind than anyone could have guessed. He needed to be careful.
Neptune. NeptuneโฆNep Tune.
Tune.
Oh, well played.
Orpheus was still talking. L glanced at him again, listening quietly. It was fascinating, hearing him speak, knowing what he knew.
โUsed to?โ He prompted, tilting his head a little as he kept pace with him.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Oct 1, 2021 19:26:28 GMT -5
Perhaps part of the draw Orpheus felt to Neptune was the name. He was rather predisposed to liking things that had references to music in their names, though it wasnโt something he was always conscious of. Neptune happened to be a coincidence, not something he was using to lead Ryuk astray or make him think something in particular. He had no reason to make Ryuk think a certain way. He was justโฆ enjoying the time he could spend with his friend. Potential friend? It was still hard to tell. They hadnโt known each other that long, and this was really the first thing they had done together. It was pleasant. More than pleasant.
โYes,โ Orpheus replied, almost breathless. โIโฆ donโt think Iโm quite capable of it, if I ever was,โ he admitted, awkwardly rubbing at the back of his neck. โI supposeโฆ Iโd have to start playing again, if I were to make a difference. Iโฆ to tell you the truth, Iโm afraid.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Oct 23, 2021 0:35:24 GMT -5
L watched Orpheus for a long moment, trying to read him, though he wasnโt confident heโd see anything, even if he was careless enough to let anything flicker in his gaze. L had never been the best at reading people. He was better at judging words, reactions, that sort of thing. Which meant, if he wanted to catch something, he needed to prod a little deeper.
He dropped it for the moment, though. They werenโt all that close. Orpheus: Impostor might know exactly who L was ans why he was there, but Orpheus: Poet didnโt have a clue. Heโd need to get that disguise to drop eventually. For nowโฆhe was content to try and see how good it was.
He did lean a little closer. But that wasnโt intentional.
โChanging the world is a heavy burden,โ he noted quietly. โAnd not a good one to carry alone, I think.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Oct 30, 2021 7:14:59 GMT -5
L hadnโt expected Orpheus to be quite so open. It felt like a mistake, in a way - surely the real Orpheus wouldnโt be anywhere near so open with his own thoughts - but at the same timeโฆit was easier to think that in theory than it was to meet Orpheusโ wide eyes and hear the raw note of honesty in his tone.
He considered for a moment, then gave a small nod, deciding to allow himself to treat this interaction as he felt naturally inclined to.
โBut it isnโt that one person. Is it?โ He pointed out, his gaze unblinking as he held Orpheusโ gaze. โNot really. That one person, who meets someone kindโฆperhaps theyโd pass it on. Perhaps, because they met a kind stranger, they had the energy to be kind to another one. It would take a very long time to knock over every domino by hand.โ
It was a far more optimistic thought than he usually allowed himself. But he meant it. Wasnโt that all he did? Arrested a killer, and trusted the ripples to do the rest?
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Nov 8, 2021 3:48:47 GMT -5
โIโฆ guess itโs not just one person,โ Orpheus replied, a smile spreading across his face. He hadnโt honestly expected Ryuk to see it the same way he did. Perhaps it was because that was how Ryuk helped people. โI supposeโฆ if you save one person by arresting someone who would have killed them, then that person can create a whole chain reaction of helping people. And the more people you save, the larger impact you have. Onlyโฆ you have no idea how large your impact is, because you have no idea how many people that person you saved goes on to help, or how many people they help. And even if that means youโre responsible for the people in that chain who decide to do something bad, there are so many more examples of people doing the right thingโฆโ Orpheus blushed, scratching at the back of his neck. โI believe that people fundamentally want to do the right thing.โ He let that hang in the air for a moment before looking back in front of him.
โI still wish I could change the world.โ There was a note of regret in his voice. Regret for the chance he had lost to do anything actually meaningful. Regret for all of the people he might have provided comfort to if he hadnโt been in the explosion. Regret for his inability to save Mr. Hermes. Would whoever had been irresponsible enough to cause the explosion ever know how many lives they had hurt?
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Dec 6, 2021 20:49:38 GMT -5
Every action had consequences. That was something every chess player knew, and L had been playing for a very long time.
The problem was, you could never know for sure what those consequences would be. You could guess, and you could calculate, and you could be near certain, but even thenโฆthere was always the possibility that youโd missed something. There was always a chance that your opponent was a step ahead of where you believed them to be, and it only took one mistake to slip and fall.
โI donโt believe that,โ he replied quietly. He was watching Orpheus still, though there was a spark of curiosity in his gaze now. How would he react? It wasnโt a lieโฆL didnโt believe people were naturally inclined to do the right thing. If they were, why would so many of them go out of their way to do the wrong thing? Even when it would be far easier to make the right choice, so many fought to hurt others, and then fought to hide it so they could continue. It was despicable, but he was too used to it to give it much thought.
โI think, if at their core humans were good, my job wouldnโt exist. Or it would at least be easier. I would say, if they must be naturally inclined one way or anotherโฆtheyโre far more likely to be bad than they are to be good. Truly good people are rare. Extinct, perhaps. The bad ones tend to kill them off.โ
He didnโt sound particularly bothered by that concept. His expression remained impassive, at least to anyone who didnโt know him well enough to catch the flicker in his wide, dark eyes. The flicker he could never shut out, not completely.
โAt any rate, youโre already changing the world now. We all are, whether we intend to or not. Is that a fork in the road? I think it is.โ
He sped up, not to cut off the conversation so much as to see if he was right.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Dec 16, 2021 16:34:03 GMT -5
Orpheus paused, a little bit taken aback by Ryukโs view of humanity. He wasnโt entirely surprised, given what Ryukโs job was, but he had gone through life believing that good people far outnumbered bad ones. He didnโt know for sure if he was a good person (he wasnโt sure there really were good people and bad people in absolute terms), but he considered himself a person who did his best to do good things and make the world better for the people around him. He tended to assume that the others around him were doing the same. He had heard once that you always thought you were the hero of your own story, and obviously that wasnโt true, butโฆ he didnโt see how people could see themselves as the hero if they purposefully did bad things to people.
โMaybeโฆ maybe there are a lot of people who are neutral,โ he said after a moment, quickening his pace so he could keep talking to Ryuk. โBut I think we need to be taught how to do bad things. I thinkโฆ well, the fact that humans are alive is proof that we are, generally, inclined to do good things. If we werenโtโฆ then how did we learn how to set broken legs or cure common diseases? How did we choose to take care of our elderly and learn from them instead of leaving the weaker people to die? I thinkโฆ I think humanity is founded on doing good things. Itโs been a long time, but I find it hard to believe weโve strayed very far from that.โ He wasnโt really trying to convince Ryuk that he was right so much as he was trying to let the detective know why he believed what he did.
โI donโt know,โ he said after a moment, glancing at the fork in the road. โI guess I just thinkโฆ the last time I used the metro, I watched an old man give up his seat to a pregnant lady. He didnโt have to, he justโฆ noticed that she was uncomfortable and decided to do something to help. He might not only do good things, butโฆ if werenโt good at our core, then why would the world be so full of random acts of kindness?โ He hesitated, trying to remember the map. โSoโฆ this is our first fork. Letโs go right, like we planned?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Dec 22, 2021 0:35:54 GMT -5
Perhaps honesty wasnโt the best policy here, but L meant what heโd said, and he didnโt think it would ruin anything. It was hardly surprising, was it? He didnโt think Orpheus really believed the best of humanity, of course. Challenging that concept might even be helpful.
That was what he told himself, at least.
โDo we?โ He asked, head swiveling as he walked so he could fix Orpheus with an intense stare that had nothing at all to do with him being an imposter. โAre we? Learning how to cure diseases is simple common sense. Your enemies arenโt the only ones susceptible to them, after all. Learning to heal wounds is the sameโฆit helps the person learning as much as it does anyone else. Perhaps more.โ
He kept walking, but he didnโt take his eyes off of Orpheus for even a moment. โRandom acts of kindness, yes. An old man gives up his seat for a pregnant woman, he doesnโt get anything in return, it seems natural that itโs only because heโs a good man. But he could be a serial killer, and you wouldnโt have known. He could be perfectly awful to people he knows, and kind only to strangers. He could feel very good about himself for it, all the while ignoring the rest of his life. People are rarely good, in any meaningful way. I can believe a lot of them are neutral, though.โ
He glanced at the fork, then nodded, satisfied. โRight it is. I wonder what there might be, if all the planets are along the main path?โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Dec 22, 2021 3:57:58 GMT -5
โMaybe,โ Orpheus agreed, frowning a little bit as he considered Ryukโs arguments. It was possible, of course, that people only helped other people because it might help them in the future. โBut then why did we take care of our elderly? They may have had knowledge to pass down, but at some point that knowledge may not have been worth as much as the trouble it took to move the elderly from place to place. And we still have found the remains of people who were older than they should have been, had they just been left to die. Maybe we care for our elderly because we want to be taken care of when we grow old, butโฆ thereโs no guarantee that our children will do the same when we aid the generation above us. I would argue that most people help other people not because it will help them later, but because they can. Andโฆ and with learning how to heal wounds or cure diseasesโฆ Iโm not sure a selfish reason to do it makes it a bad deed. Youโre still helping someone, even if youโre helping yourself along the way.โ Orpheus turned right, trying to keep track of where they were going as well as the conversation at hand. It was difficult, especially since he had to be constantly watching Ryuk to make sure he didnโt say anything.
โNot every person who does a good deed is a good person,โ Orpheus murmured, agreeing on that point, โbut there are good people. Enough that even bad people can feel better about themselves by doing good things. If society werenโt founded on the idea of people with good hearts, donโt you think there wouldnโt be so much of an expectation that a good deed will feel rewarding?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jan 23, 2022 3:56:29 GMT -5
โI imagine itโs a self preservation instinct,โ L replied, arching an eyebrow at his companion. โSociety is built on the foundation that helping other people survive can be in our best interest. You said it, yourself - we want to be taken care of when we get older, so we built a society that values that, and shuns those who fail to accomplish it. Itโs a safety net.โ
He was keeping an eye on the path, too, but it was easier for him than it was for Orpheus. He could glance away and still know if Orpheus replied.
โIt gets gray, I think. Whether or not someone is a bad person, whether or not someone is in the right. I think everyone is capable of doing terrible things, myself included.โ
He paused, breaking off in the middle of his thought to sniff the air. He hadnโt realized that corn had a smell, but it turned out that it did.
He liked it.
โOr maybe thatโs why thereโs so much crime. The simpler crime, anyway. The things that are illegal, but probably not wrong. Maybe people get tired of being told that theyโll be rewarded for following the rules, so they break them. Although, itโs also possible that crimes like that exist as an outlet for people who want to rebel.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jan 23, 2022 4:54:25 GMT -5
โMaybe,โ Orpheus allowed, frowning a little as he processed such a cynical take. He didnโt know why people did what they did, but he tended to believe that people were, at their core, good people. He tended to believe that people cared for other people because people deserved to be taken care of.
โIโm not actually sure the reasons matter,โ Orpheus admitted after a long moment, trying to give L a small smile. โI meanโฆ it means that our ancestors understood delayed gratification over instant gratification. It means that they understood that setting up society so theyโre taken care of when they grow old is worth the inconvenience of trying to heal the sick and wounded and caring for the elderly while still in their prime. I donโtโฆ if someone does something good, or if someone helps someone, then Iโm not sure I really care whether their motivation is selfish or not. They still helped someone. The elderly are still taken care of. The sick and wounded are still given treatment.โ He shrugged a little, glancing at the corn for a long moment before he looked back at L.
โI think some of the rules arenโt fair,โ Orpheus admitted with a small shrug. โI think a lot of people break laws that arenโt fair, either to prove a point or justโฆ to stay alive. A lot of petty crime is committed by people who donโt have another viable option.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Mar 15, 2022 2:20:10 GMT -5
L glanced to the side, intrigued as Orpheus continued. Of course, he would think that, he musedโฆany serial killer would tell you they could justify their actions somehow. Or if not, then at least most. Harming another human wasnโt usually the default, so most people needed a push to get to that point, and that meant finding a way to make it make sense.
It wasnโt what Orpheus has said, but L kept the thought in mind anyway,
โTo be honest, I think youโre right,โ he replied, letting ona hand brush along the corn beside him for a long moment before he decided it was a bad texture and pulled it back. โAbout the rules, at least. Iโm a detective, but I wouldnโt stop someone if I saw them shoplifting, or jaywalking, for example. That would be a complete waste of time and effort for both of us. Petty crime isnโt usually worth stopping, unless it hurts someone directly.โ
And he had better things to do. He wasnโt exactly a normal detective, though, so that wasnโt a completely fair comparison. He just knew he wouldnโt have become a detective if heโd had to go through the regular law enforcement channels firstโฆhe didnโt like a lot of the people he had to work with, and he outranked them. Working under those people would have been torture.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Mar 23, 2022 23:08:55 GMT -5
โOh,โ Orpheus replied, brow raising as he looked over at L. He hadnโt expected that a detective would be in favor of breaking the law under any circumstances. He was learning that L wasnโt really a normal detective, at least in the way Orpheus usually thought of detectives. They were usually fairly tied up with cops, and cops were all about the law. Or at leastโฆ they were all about the law when it came to other people. Orpheus bit his tongue, not wanting to disparage the police when someone who likely worked with them was standing right beside him.
โI agree,โ he murmured, as if that hadnโt been made abundantly clear by the rest of what he had said. โI think if someone has to break the laws in order to survive, then thereโs something wrong with the laws in the first place. Orโฆ if not with the laws, then the system itself. Although I think shoplifting is probably more of a necessity than jaywalking. Jaywalking is justโฆ convenient.โ He gave a tiny smile, laughing a little at himself.
โIโm notโฆ Iโm not advocating for extreme crimes,โ he said after a moment, searching Lโs expression. Justโฆ ones that do more to help people than they do to hurt them. I donโt like the idea of hurting anyone, butโฆ stealing from Walmart isnโt going to hurt anyone at all, and it might mean a mother has enough food to feed her children for another week.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Jun 4, 2022 13:30:08 GMT -5
L wouldnโt have minded hearing Orpheus disparage law enforcement, personally. He was only loosely on their side most of the time, anywayโฆhe worked with them sometimes, of course, and they were usually how he found cases, but heโd found it was best for everyone involved if they didnโt work too closely. He tended to irritate them.
They also tended to irritate him.
โThatโs one way of looking at it,โ he replied thoughtfully, tilting his head a little to see Orpheusโ eyes better as he walked. โLaws are necessary. If there were no laws, there would be no way of stopping anyone from hurting others. If there were no laws, there would be no crimes, and so the only complaint anyone could make against someoneโs actions would be that they didnโt like them. Thatโs why I work with the law.โ
He considered. What was safe to say? He didnโt think there was anything about this Orpheus could use against him, but it was still technically information. If he was being recorded, could this be used to destabilize his case later?
He doubted it. Everyone already knew he didnโt like being told what to do. His opinion about the law wouldnโt come as much of a surprise. And Orpheus couldnโt do anything until he knew more, anyway, so he continued.
โBut laws are human creations. Theyโre not infallible. I consider them to be more guidelines than rules most of the time.โ
Orpheusโ laugh caught him off guard and he blinked, eyes catching on the way it escaped him, soft and surprisingly genuine. A flicker of a smile touched his face for a second, and then it vanished and he shook his head a little, trying to pull his mind back to the conversation.
โWhat makes a crime extreme?โ He mused after a moment, glancing over his shoulder to be sure no one was coming up behind them. โSome crimes would be considered extreme by some people, while barely even considered crimes at all by others.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Jul 23, 2022 1:25:58 GMT -5
โI think weโre getting into the realm of philosophy there,โ Orpheus replied, his shoulders lifting in a shrug. โI meanโฆ I know what I would consider an extreme crime, but that doesnโt mean that anybody else has to agree. There are crimes that are victimless, though, and I think thoseโฆ well, there should be a little bit of leeway for those. Like theft from large corporations. And piracy of films and things like that. And honestly, even a lot of drug charges.โ He let the words escape him, then forced himself to shut up. L was a detective, and if anybody got the idea that he was alright with some people breaking the law, all of his credibility could be gone in a moment. Orpheus had never had to worry about his own reputation, but he had heard Mr. Hermes speak about the importance of maintaining one in certain professions. Mr. Hermes had to be cordial and friendly to everyone he met, even if he didnโt particularly like them. If it got around that he wasnโt being friendlyโฆ Orpheus shook his head. He didnโt want to think about Mr. Hermes, not when they were supposed to be having fun.
โI thinkโฆ a crime is extreme if there are people that are hurt irrevocably,โ Orpheus said after a moment, weighing his words out carefully. โI meanโฆ robbery against a family in poverty is far more extreme than a robbery against someone rich living in a mansion. You might be able to steal more from the rich person, but it also impacts them much less. They can get back the things that were taken from them. Unless you injure them, of course, which would push that into the range of an extreme crime. And of course mental injury is just as serious as physical, so that needs to be factored inโฆโ Orpheus paused in his rambling, shifting a little bit so he was certain he wasnโt going to miss it if L said something.
โOh!โ Orpheus exclaimed a moment later as he looked ahead. Without the map, he hadnโt expected them to run into another important point so fast. Perhaps they had been walking for longer than it felt. โThereโs Pluto. I suppose itโs luck that itโs the first we run into when weโre not explicitly looking for one.โ A small smile flitted across Orpheusโ features. Their favorite. Both of their favorite. Fate was a weighty word to throw around, but Orpheus couldnโt help but feel it applied here. He just didnโt know why it had touched them both now.
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