[X] Plan Monsters are Louder than Saints V3
"The phrase "power corrupts" is extremely old, Kohaku, and it has
some basis..." You stretch, feeling something in your back pop, "But I believe the saying should be "Power
Reveals"."
"Power reveals?" Kohaku repeats, "What do you mean?"
"It's like those stories you hear on the news, how some guy is nice and polite gets into some power, and immediately turns on everyone else." You try to explain, "Or that story from a few months ago! Where that lady found some Yakuza dead drop, took the weapons she found, and just...
Snapped. Not because any of those people in that office had wronged her in any way, she just suddenly had the power to take a life. And she did."
"Then what, pray tell, is stopping her?"
"But then again, those are kinda the only stories that make the news nowadays." You shake your head, "You don't hear about the genuine philanthropists, or the people who donate to charity... It's just the stories about innocent people getting hurt because behind all the niceties, there was a horrible monster just below the surface." You sigh, "And usually, the people proclaiming that only
they should have power are the last people who should get it."
"What about her, then?"
"I think I'm starting to get what you're saying." Kohaku looks a little confused, but she nods anyway.
"Sorry to interject," Shoji jogs up to Kohaku's other side, "But if power supposedly corrupts, and no one around you has any power, how is anyone supposed to do
anything about those in power?"
You blink.
Kohaku blinks. "I, uh, didn't take you for an anarchist, Shoji."
"Oh, I'm not." He shakes his head, "I just had that idea floating around for a while. I'm just glad I finally got to vocalize it."
"Only the naive and the haughty think that they are incorruptible." Anahita speaks, her voice calm and powerful, "Those under any ruler should make sure they are not smothered by their liege."
"And
that," You nudge Kohaku with your elbow, "Is why a would be abuser would do anything they can to undermine, bypass, and isolate their victims."
"You would listen to the words of a demon rather than your father's?"
"Monsters are louder than saints, Kohaku." You tell her, giving a thumbs up to Anahita. "They kinda
have to be. They've gotta be loud to drown out effects of people being kind to one another. So that people will be too afraid to be kind, and the monsters can just pump out more monsters."
Kohaku looks to the ground, clearly thinking your words over.
"They are tainted. We are pure."
"Kohaku, let's be real. Your father..." You ready your fingers, "...Is a cult leader..." One finger up, "...Who brainwashes people..." Another finger, "...and his "followers" consist mainly of murderers, if
Okane was anything to go by." You stick your hand in your pocket, "I could call your old man a lot of things, but "role-model" and "good example to follow"?" You chuckle dryly, "Not in a million years."
"She speaks in falsehoods. I speak only the truth!"
Kohaku winces slightly, slowing her walking down.
"You will listen to me! You will obey me!"
"Ghh!!" Kohaku stops, holding her head in her hands.
"Kohaku!!" Shoji, who had unconsciously passed her, doubles back to crouch next to Kohaku, "Hey, what's wrong?!"
Anahita has a worried look on her face as she keeps her distance from your friend.
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