“Satan Overlooking Paradise” (1870) by Gustave Doré :: [Guillaume Gris]
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“Satan, on the contrary, is thin, ascetic and a fanatical devotee of logic. He reads Machiavelli, Ignatius of Loyola, Marx and Hegel; he is cold and unmerciful to mankind, out of a kind of mathematical mercifulness. He is damned always to do that which is most repugnant to him: to become a slaughterer, in order to abolish slaughtering, to sacrifice lambs so that no more lambs may be slaughtered, to whip people with knouts so that they may learn not to let themselves be whipped, to strip himself of every scruple in the name of a higher scrupulousness, and to challenge the hatred of mankind because of his love for it--an abstract and geometric love.”
― Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon
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“It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui.”
― Helen Keller, The Story of My Life
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childe/ayaka, hear me out
ayaka longs for the teenage rebellion she never got, a SERIOUS rebellion; but nothing that would cause actual problems for anyone, which makes it hard. enter childe, who is just running around doing childe things and being a general menace but a CHARMING menace.
ayaka would honestly think he's not that bad and one day when ayato is complaining about the fatui and that insane redhead and how he might have to get involved soon, ayaka says it out loud, "oh, come on, he's not that bad." and ayato go quiet and then he'd grill her alive, what does that mean, have you met him--you've talked to him? ayaka, please, he's dangerous. (because childe has already started making his way through the inazuma ranks and trying to find the best fighters and then, you know, fight them. childe has only recently gotten it in his head that he wants to fight ayato but he really, really wants to fight ayato.)
the conversation between ayato and ayaka about childe turns into an argument and they both leave a bit angry. the next time ayaka and childe run into each other, the argument is still fresh in ayaka's mind and she complains about her brother. and childe says, "wait, ayato is your brother? huh." he thinks for a moment, then says hopefully, "would he fight me to protect your honor or anything like that?"
ayaka laughs, because ayato is much too sensible for that. but then she stops. because childe doesn't know that, and it would make ayato so very, very displeased to know his dear sister was involved with someone like childe. so she says brightly, "want to date me and find out?"
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"What do you do with the money?" - a suspicious Yasmeen to Achilles
❛I gamble more. Some people would say I have a gambling problem.❜
Achilles thought he was funny, but Yasmeen did not smile or laugh, which made him pout a little. Looking at the young woman, he did not move from under the tree he was sitting with his book, and she did not come closer to him. She was at a fair distance, and the demigod could tell that she did not like being to close to people, knowing what he observed the past few days, he could understand why. His eyes on her, he saw how wary she was of him, and he would felt a bit offended, if he did not know why she was like that. Indeed, a few days ago, the man successfully stole money from Rhys and Xanthe, without their knowledge. It wasn't surprising to him, Achilles was a master thief, but what was surprising was that Yasmeen caught him. She did not tell anything, she did not make him return the money, but they made eye contact, and he could see the disapproval in her brown eyes. If he cared a little, he would have felt ashamed about that. But he did not care, plus he knew they weren't good people, so why should he have remorse?
His eyes still on Yasmeen, he examined her; she looked familiar. He knew he already saw her somewhere, but he couldn't recall where, which was frustrating. Achilles had such a good memory, and yet, since he arrived at the Seelie Court, he seemed to lack of memory. First with Nathaniel Blackwater, and now with Yasmeen. Why do both of them seemed so familiar, as if he met them before? Why did he dream of them in impossible scenarios? He did not know, but he was dying to found out.
Yasmeen looked away, and he noticed only now how creepy he must be, to look at her so intensely. She must feel uncomfortable, and too used of not saying anything, the only way she found to make him understand was looking somewhere else. Shaking his head, the young man sigh a little before, once again, shrugging.
❛The human world.❜ He suddenly said, bringing back Yasmeen's attention on him. ❛Thereis a lot of people in need there. I go to the human world and give some money to the poor. I feed the youngest.❜
❛You use the money on other people?❜ She asked a bit taken aback, although she tried to not show it, the tone of her voice betrayed her. Achilles felt very much offended by that.
❛I do not use it to get richer, if that's what you were thinking.❜ The demigod answered a bit irritated, but he tried his best to not show it too much. ❛I couldn't care less about my own profit, I'm quite content with my situation, believe it or not.❜
❛Why?❜ Yasmeen questioned, and this time, she showed how surprised she was. It was Achilles turn to be taken aback by her words now. ❛Why don't you keep all the money for you?❜ She asked, but Achilles did not answer. He did not have the time, to be honest, Yasmeen's brain was working, and she put the pieces together, before he could even say anything: ❛Because you were at their place once. You grew up in the street, don't you?❜
Once again, the demigod said nothing. She was observant, he had to admit that. This time, it was he who looked away, not being able to support the young woman's gaze on him. His past wasn't something he liked to dwell on, to be honest, it was quite blurry at the moment, always had been, he did not know why. He could remember a lot of things, but not his past, although, he knew he did not have the best of childhood. Maybe he did live in the street, maybe it was an orphanage, but Achilles saw those places, and orphanage or street, there were no differences in his eyes. He knew that whatever he lived in his childhood, it shaped him to be the vigilante he was today, and he wasn't mad about it. After a few minutes, he sighed and shrugged. His eternal childish smile on his face, he looked back at Yasmeen who was still looking at him, probably trying to read him.
❛I did not have a good childhood, you can say that.❜ He finally admitted, and he realized it was the first time he told that to someone. ❛I just don't like injustice. Why are they all organizing balls for the stupidest reasons, when some people struggle to have food in their table? That's unfair. Yes, I keep some money, because quite frankly, I need it too, but most of it goes to people who truly benefit from it.❜
❛That's honourable.❜
❛That's what they should do.❜ She said nothing to that, surely because she knew he was right. ❛You didn't tell on me. You could have, you would have been in their good grace for sure, but you didn't. Why?❜
❛All these people have too much money anyway. I won't stop you.❜
❛Good to know.❜
❛As long as you don't steal anything from the princess Calypso.❜
❛Oh, now you are spoiling all the fun!❜ He said with amusement, but just as previously, she did not find it funny. ❛She has this gorgeous diamond necklace, I can at least steal that.❜
❛That's her favourite one, I won't let you take it.❜ She was firm, and he knew he couldn't argue. After all she was nice enough to not tell on him, he should push his luck.
❛Such a waste, though.❜
❛Princess Calypso is different. She will help if you as-❜
❛I won't ask for charity to those people.❜
❛Then princess Calypso is out of the question.❜
❛What if I gamble with her and I win?❜
❛You're trying to find loophole.❜
❛That's one of my speciality.❜ He joked and winked at her. Yasmeen was unfazed.
After a while, Achilles stood up, took his bag and gave one apple to Yasmeen. The girl seemed confused by his action, and it took him insisting for her to take the fruit. She looked at it af if it was the most peculiar thing she ever saw in her life, before looking at the young man in front of her.
❛I can't eat anything from the fae kingdom.❜
❛That's from the human world. I don't like their fruits here, they taste weird. Keep it.❜
❛Why?❜
❛You look familiar.❜ He finally admitted to her, and he could see surprise in her eyes. ❛I feel like I meet you before.❜
❛If that was true, I would have remember it. You seem like the kind of man you can't forget easily.❜
❛Thank you.❜
❛It wasn't really a compliment.❜
❛I take that as such anyway.❜ He laughed and shruggled. For the first time, he saw the outline of a smile on her face, and he was proud of him. ❛I know you cannot leave the place, not without your little princess, if you want I can bring you some food.❜
❛Why would you do that?❜ Now she was back at being suspicious, and deep down he couldn't blame her.
❛Because I am a nice person. And because between outsiders we have to stick together, don't we?❜
❛... I suppose you're right.❜
❛You are fun to be around, Yasmeen. A bit too wary in my taste, but still.❜
❛Thank you for the apple.❜
❛You know what they say: an apple a day keeps the doctor away.❜
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