004; video (demon)

[strategisch]

[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.]

Comments

[strategisch]

It would force a lot of our old-timers to get on with the future, that's for certain.

[He smiles, and it looks so cute, so innocent... of course he would get on well. He still looks like the cherub he was back in the old days.]

You flatter me! You're a rather forward thinker yourself. I can really appreciate that.

[boyhood]

You're a fan of change, I take it?

<sub>[He asks the questioning musingly. They all have their individual preferences...

"Old-timers" is an apt way to describe some of their kind who insist on playing the same old games each and every time. And the self-righteous angels, augh. So set in their ways, they'd never consider breaking the rules and joining the other team. It's all very tiring when a creative, young demon thinks of how old-fashioned the system is.]</sub>

Well, I try. Long life would be awfully dull without that quality.

[strategisch]

It's like you say. Humans are always changing their ways, so why can't we?

[boyhood]

Not to play Devil's advocate... _[Hahaha.] ... but I think there are a more than a few people who'd argue we don't have it in us. Not in the real sense.

We don't have the luxury of making those kinds of choices. What do you think?

[strategisch]

We were all angels once, even the big man. That's still in us. It's hard to disobey. And I don't think we can make choices the way humans do, but that's different from having a sense of self.

However, I think it's also in our nature-- our nature, as demons-- to bend and break. It's why we fall.

[boyhood]

_{[Peter's tone ventures into amused territory.]}

Dark days. Don't remind me. I was bored stiff back then...

<sub>["Evil is made, not born." He can't recall where he first heard that, but in many cases, it's held true. In Peter's, however, there's a part of him that doesn't wonder if he'd been born a little rotten, zigging left where he should zag right. Even starting out as an angel, he'd felt deep down that something had been... missing.

Ironically, his capacity for great deeds had only risen the more his virtue had fallen, but he wouldn't call that a breakdown of his morals or anything of that nature. He'd finally hit his stride.]</sub>

It's been melancholy, that sort of description. Like we're destined for failure.

_{[Maybe they are--maybe the whole game of cat and mouse between good and bad is--but Peter had felt trapped way before this.]}

[strategisch]

All part of the Ineffable Plan. Cogs in the machine... even the rusty kind, that make your clock 5 minutes late.

[Yes, they're all trapped. He won't deny it. But that doesn't mean you can't have a good time in the cage you've been provided, however frustrating or sub-par.]

I like the challenge though. We have a disadvantage, you know? People have to let go of fear to really fall. It's safe to be good.

[boyhood]

That's even a terrible metaphor. I might need cheering up after this conversation! All of this makes me remember why some of these four thousand years have been so dull.

<sub>[Rousing humans' into deep thought has the added bonus of depressing demons, reminding them why their jobs are so tedious at times.

Ah, but at least Armin is a kindred spirit in putting a combination of cleverness and sadistic curiosity to good use... Planting little seeds of doubt in minds and hearts is the best part, it really is.]</sub>

We think alike.

_{[Winning against pure-heartedness, good times.]}