At What Price Respect

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity in the forum? Not a strange sight. Verity without coffee? Rather less common. Verity slumping, exhausted, into a couch? Unusual. Verity covered in scrapes, bruises, and dust? Definitely strange.

"Help isn't if it's forced on someone. This is true. Someone not in possession of all of the facts cannot give fully informed consent. This is also true. But nobody can be forced to listen." Of course Verity has things on her mind. Who here doesn't? "How do you reconcile that? Is ignorance truly bliss? Or do you do what's needed to save someone despite their choices?"

((A note before you come to play with Verity: she's got a magic spell stuck in her that lets her always know when someone is lying to her. This includes sarcasm and knowing when someone believes something to be true when it isn't. This doesn't include lies of omission. She can also see through illusions. Please respect this; if your character is trying to lie to her, please make that known so she can react appropriately. [I completely understand this isn't going to be everyone's idea of fun.] Thanks.))

Comments

[smartass_captain]

Look who's here. A rather somber Jim Kirk grabs a chair, spins it around in one hand before slumping into it so he can lean against the back and watch Verity. There's plenty of questions he can ask. What happened? Are you hurt? Can I help?

Instead, he answers.

"If someone's important to you, then you do whatever it takes to save them. If they don't appreciate it, fine. You did everything you could to protect the most important people to you."

[brave_heart_verity]

Jim gets a tired smile from her. She's sure he has so many questions, and she appreciates his holding off for now.

"So lying would be okay to you? Kidnapping? Killing someone's abusive husband?" That last one's rhetorical, but the way her voice waivers on the kidnapping idea... ahem. Must be something caught in her throat.

[smartass_captain]

Pretty deep conversation. Something must have happened. Something big. She'll tell him when she's ready. Hell, he'll go get booze to talk over it, when that happens.

"Violating the Prime Directive to save someone's life, risking my career by lying on my reports, altering a planet, possibly starting a war, working with a known enemy....hurting the people I cared most for to save them....There's not much I haven't done to protect those I care about. So...I'm the last person to judge."

[ixis]

Naugus doesn't answer the question. He doesn't even say anything; he just looks Verity up and down, pointedly, taking in the dust and scratches and bruises. Then squints, tilting his head slightly to one side. Explain?

[brave_heart_verity]

Sigh. Shrug. "I'm bad at caves."

And then, before he asks: "There weren't any snakes."

[heirtothearcane]

For a moment he's just surprised that someone has such a similar query on their mind. Not exact, but close. So he takes time to carefully think if he can reply to her questions.

"I suppose that would depend on the person and the situation. How well do you know them? Is it your right to make decisions for them? What can your conscience live with? Is that answer driven by some form of ego or self righteousness?"

Answering questions with more questions. His idea of helpful might just be infuriating.

[brave_heart_verity]

Hello there Mister Magic Dream Man. Jim and Verity were just narrating about you.

She's not fussed by the questions, which is surprising given her bad temper and worse mood. She recognizes the method and frequently uses it herself. "Very well, no, that's what I'm trying to figure out. I should probably admit now that it's my mom."

Moms are a whole different kettle of fish.

[aw_hawkguy]

Here, Verity, have a Hawkguy, his arms and face (and possibly parts of his skin that aren't visible) sporting an abundance of bandages and spots of burn cream. He'd been looking for her, but taking in the state she's in, he sets what he'd been about to say to greet her with, "hey, Verity. You okay?"

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity gives him a once over and then one of those looks of hers. "Could ask you the same. Demons?"

[damn_yourself_early]

"Sometimes you have to think about what they would want if they did know," Loki offers, peeking out from behind something. "When there isn't time to explain, or when they'd take an explanation the wrong way. Sometimes you just have to act, and apologize later."

[brave_heart_verity]

Well. She'd been wondering where he's been. She beckons him over to join her on the couch. Kid Loki always gets cuddles. Always. Even if his damned invisible bird is around and making her feel weird.

"Oh? Is that how you'd want people to treat you?" Light-hearted-sounding question is sneaky.

[rogueinladysclothing]

"It depends on who you're saving."

Amelia's answer is given without comment about Verity's current state of being. The rogue knows better than to ask. Verity may or may not be happy to see her slightly less armed today - there's only a slingshot and some pouches hanging on her belt, and a few daggers laced into her boots, of course. She stands a few feet back from the couch Verity is resting on and crosses her arms in front of her chest, gently cupping her elbows with her hands.

"For me, the ends always justify the means - but I don't use the means unless I give a shit about the ends. There is no reconciliation needed when I know what I'm doing. If I must stain my hands to save those I care about most, then I will." There is so much more to it than that, but Amelia's not about to give away all her secrets when she's here to answer Verity's question.

[brave_heart_verity]

The number of pointy things Amelia's carrying around doesn't affect Verity's happiness, but if the rogue's feeling more comfortable in the Nexus today that's a good thing. She gets a little smile of greeting from Verity.

"I come from a world where thinking like that, thinking that the ends always justify the means, has lead to a lot of innocent people getting hurt. I'm not sure I want to become one of those people." Whether she means the crazy villains or the victims is anybody's guess. Maybe she means both. "You're looking more relaxed today."

[sumarusfinest]

Something smells like strong coffee.

Oh, there's Katsuya leaning over the back of the couch, slipping a fresh mug into her hands gently and setting a first aid kit on the couch next to her before walking around to sit on a nearby chair.

"..." He looks at her for a long time, weighing on what he should or shouldn't say. Finally, he opens his mouth. "I'll listen if you need someone to talk to."

[brave_heart_verity]

Coffee? That gets her attention. She looks more relaxed already, and Katsuya gets a grateful smile before she takes a sip. Mm, just the way she likes it.

Although he's always the first person she wants to see, right now he's also the last. So he can feel free to take as long as he likes to figure things out while she drinks her coffee. However long it is, it's not quite long enough, and she makes a little face at the mug before she answers. "My mom's being difficult about something."

His family is conversationally off-limits. Maybe he won't press.

[workthroughit]

The man didn't seem to approach. He is simply just there now, a few feet from where Verity sits. A teacup on a saucer in one hand, a spoon to stir it with the other. It makes a faint, rhythmic clink as he does so. He looks normal and decent enough. He's older, probably near 60, with neatly-combed thin hair, a straight tie and a comfortable vest. When he speaks, it's with a distinct northern European accent.

"You can push as hard as you can or insist until you've gone blue in the face, but in the end, that is all you can do. Either lay out the facts and hope they come to their senses, or leave them to their fate. It is a hard thing to do, yes, but sometimes, it is all that can be done."

[brave_heart_verity]

Okay, that's weird. She's usually more attentive than that.

"The popular opinion seems to be kidnapping." Which she's not sure she's ruled out. If so many of her friends agree, maybe there's some merit to the idea she can't see. "I don't think we've met...? I'm Verity."

[onemorebounty]

*Samus nods a greeting to Verity.*

I think ignorance is only bliss to the ignorant. Those who know look back on their own ignorance in horror. But I also think that you've got an answer in mind, deep down, that you're hoping you hear someone else say, so you won't feel alone in the idea. Care to share it?

[brave_heart_verity]

"...that obvious, am I?" It would figure Samus would see right through her, given all the time they've been spending together the last few months. "I thought I'd give her my PINpoint and show her how to use it, so she can decide what to do when the time comes." Really, it's the best of both worlds for her. It's not like she's getting out of this without feeling guilty about something.

I AM SO LATE, TAGS ANYWAY

[manwithnoname]

Max only sort of heard the question. That's a tough question. It's... yeah, that's really something. And as much as he didn't want to come off like he cared- he didn't he swore (and sometimes he really didn't, but this was another matter)- his eyes lingered on her for a moment. The man shifted his weight and cleared his throat in typical awkward Max style.

"You uh," he nodded toward her, "alright?"

IT'S ALL GOOD!

[brave_heart_verity]

Oh look, it's awkward car guy. Verity's glad to see he's okay...ish... for him? It's a fair but difficult question volleyed back. She doesn't want to lie to him, but she doesn't want him to get spooked if she seems needy either. So she'll settle for an uncertain middle ground.

"I will be."

BOOM

[frodleikr]

Enter one average height redhead into peripheral vision. He'd only been here a little while, and still being shit out of luck with magic (or current lack thereof) he did the usual: snooped around, annoyed some people, and found alcohol. His hair was a total wreck but his attire was sort of decent.

Loki sits himself on the arm of said couch and leaned back a bit. #wokeuplikethis. Now, he wasn't entirely heartless. She looked like she's been through a thing or two.

"It sounds to me like you're in desperate need of ale. I so happen," he may or may not have totally stole some, and reached into his side bag to pull out a bottle, "to be the bringer of such a thing."

LET THE FEELS PARADE BEGIN

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity looked up at the red-headed stranger when he sat down, too tired to try and shoo him away. So long as he doesn't get too close she won't argue. He looks like trouble, but at the moment she doesn't care.

And then he's talking, and she's wondering about that accent. Her eyes drop the bottle while she contemplates things. Her mom would probably tell her not to take a drink from a boy who looks like trouble. Her mom is also the cause of approximately half her grief right now, so. Fuck her dumb rules. She holds out a hand. "Thank you."

[thesmashingthunder]

Covered in bruises? That's uncommon unless someone's had a really tough brawl. Pikachu vanished briefly before returning with a plate, atop which sat a strawberry cheesecake. He couldn't find more effective healing items, like faeries or hearts, so the food would have to do. Lifting it over his head he offered it to Verity, remembering her from their previous meetings. "Pikaaaa."

He then hopped up beside her, listening to her talk. His ears drooped. That was a tough situation. He thought about how he would deal with it.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Hey, there. It's good to see you again." Pikachu gets a little smile from her. She takes the cheesecake but is more interested in her little friend for now. "Yeah. It's tough. Thank you for the present."

Sorry Pikachu, she can't unhinge her jaw and eat a whole cheesecake.