entranceway | 004; video (demon)

[Before he even speaks, there is something distinctly, perceptibly different about Armin. For one, he is lounging. Armin does not lounge. He barely even relaxes. Secondly, his eyes just aren't... right. They lack their normal clarity and alertness. They are hazy, and subtly scrutinizing, as if he's sizing you up.]

Good and Evil. Hmm.

[He presses his fingertips together.]

I think such broad terms are too... confining. It depends on the situation, doesn't it? You can harm a person to save yourself, or someone you love. Or your kind actions, or good intentions, can lead down an unwitting path of destruction. No, drawing a line line in the sand between what is and is not sin-- that isn't very fair, is it?

Stipulations. There needs to be stipulations. The Commandments should be open to amendment. Humans aren't as simple as they were... How long has it been now? 4000 years ago? It's not all first borns and blood sacrifice anymore. We need to modernize. Preferably democratically.

Not every good action is good for you. Not every bad action is bad for others. Think about that.

[This, of course, is a logic trap. Any action you would take would then end up being a sin. But that's exactly what he wants. Spreading little discontents is so much more effective than traditional tempting.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There's the kami at Tatsuhime Shrine. [There were actually two, and he only knew the identity of one of them.] And Izanagi.

That's Japanese, correct? I only have a cursory knowledge of Shintoism.

Izanagi is one of the creators of Japan and many other kami. His wife, Izanami, gave me my powers.

[Which he...doesn't seem to have right now. :\]

...Literally? Powers?

Yes.

[He has a feeling he's not going to be believed. If Armin really believes he's a demon, and Souji can't demonstrate because his powers are gone, then there's no reason for Armin to believe Souji had ever had them.]

[Armin can't sense anything supernatural in him, but that doesn't mean he can confirm or deny either. And he doesn't seem crazy at all. Hmm.]

I get the feeling you realize the consequences of telling someone something like that.

I'm not much of a liar.

[Except to Dojima, but shhhh, we don't talk about that.]

I can't use them right now because of the event. But when it's over, I can show them to you.

I have to admit, I'm quite curious. I wonder why the mother of your homeland would bestow powers on a mortal. It's the sort of situation that men would make into myth, given time.

Maybe. She wanted to find out if humans would search for the truth, given the power to do so. I guess that sounds like a myth.

The truth? [He smiles, like a snake.] Oh, humans definitely desire the truth. They'll go to great lengths to find it, even at detriment to themselves.

That's not what she thought. A lot of people proved her right, too. But not everyone is like that.

No. God loves sheep so much they call His Son the Shepherd, and of them there are many. But some will always wander.

That would mean that God had created people to choose. So why would God punish people for doing it?

Ah, the Ineffable Plan. We just don't know.

I don't think I can believe in a god like that. That's all.

That point of view is becoming more popular these days.

[And it's certainly a win for him, so he's not complaining.]

It's been popular where I come from for most of our history... Unless you believe that everyone who practices any religion is worshiping the same thing or being in different forms.

No. Religion is extremely different depending on who is practicing it, where, and how. Organized religion, however, that's an institution. They're two different things.

Yeah. From what I've read, I can see that.

Not everybody is able to make that distinction. Many would argue that the church is a body of Christ, but I don't think it's held that kind of sincerity for centuries.

How do you know so much about Christianity? [Let's get back to the fundamental weirdness of this conversation, shall we?]

It's a vocational interest.

I thought you fought Titans.

[Clearly the event is giving Armin a different memory, but Souji wants to see how far he can push it.]

Titans? Like in Greek mythology?

[Yeah, this event has definitely messed with him.]

Can't say I have. Where would you get such a notion?

I guess I must be mistaken.

[Evasion seems easier than arguing reality.]

004; video (demon)

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