[14 // video // 10 March]

[want_the_world]

[The video shows not the sender's face, but a puppy, most of a black-clad leg, and a bare foot with the remnants of black polish on the toenails. The puppy's growling and tugging at the jagged hem of the leather pants, as if they're a threat that must be neutralized.]

Who the hell does this belong to?

[Mello tries to pull his leg away, but the puppy seems to see this as escalation of the game, and gives a little bark before seizing the leather again.]

Hey! These were expensive, you little fucker!

[The picture goes dark as the communicator lands on the floor.]

Comments

[voice]

[diedforyoursins]

Are you going to hurt it?

[his word choice is carefully neutral, but he can't help the slightly sad tone in his voice -- people are free to do both good and bad things, of course, but he doesn't like the idea of needlessly hurting living things.]

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Of course not! What the hell?

[voice]

[diedforyoursins]

You sounded unhappy with it and you cut the connection. It seemed possible.

[voice]

[want_the_world]

...I dropped the communicator.

I don't hurt animals.

[voice]

[diedforyoursins]

That is good to hear. I did not mean to imply that you would do something like that, I only wanted I make sure.

[voice]

[want_the_world]

What do you care?

[voice]

[diedforyoursins]

I would rather not see it hurt. Is caring strange?

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Moderately strange, for someone who knows neither me nor the dog.

[voice]

[diedforyoursins]

It is a living thing.

[and it's not as if humans are strangers to the concept of selfless consideration for strangers. he's seen it enough times to have faith in that.]

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Ah, you're one of that type.

voice]

[diedforyoursins]

"That type"?

[voice]

[want_the_world]

The bleeding-heart compassionate type.

I've seen too much to buy that worldview.

[voice]

[diedforyoursins]

[he frowns at his communicator at that, silent for a contemplative moment before answering.]

Do you think it is bad to have compassion? I admittedly have not seen much of the world, but what I have seen is some of the best and the worst of humanity. Neither cancels out the other, and the existence of bad does not mean that goodness is pointless.

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Most of what I've seen of humanity is merely mediocre, and willing to step aside for evil dressed up as good.

[voice]

[diedforyoursins]

Then you have missed humanity's ability for kindness and generosity and selfessness. I am sorry.