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Heridfel

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The fire was a lot hotter than Valkyrie remembered, and she had to dig deep to keep herself from recoiling, but despite her best efforts, the man's flames seemed hot enough to convince her that they hurt, so they did. Still, she reached out and grasped the menace, holding him tight and giving him a good squeeze, hoping to send him to un-conciousland once again.

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The fire was a lot hotter than Valkyrie remembered, and she had to dig deep to keep herself from recoiling, but despite her best efforts, the man's flames seemed hot enough to convince her that they hurt, so they did. Still, she reached out and grasped the menace, holding him tight and giving him a good squeeze, hoping to send him to un-conciousland once again.

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The fire was a lot hotter than Valkyrie remembered, and she had to dig deep to keep herself from recoiling, but despite her best efforts, the man's flames seemed hot enough to convince her that they hurt, so they did. Still, she reached out and grasped the menace, holding him tight and giving him a good squeeze, hoping to send him to un-conciousland once again.

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Valkyrie's crushing power persevered even through White Knight's inferno, and there's only so much that one man could take, even if he is super-human in his abilities. His fire finally shuts off as he falls unconscious again, allowing Valkyrie to fly down to the ground at a more sedate pace.

Erin waits for the two other heroes to return, and the police are finally arriving as Valkyrie lands. She looks over to the Emissary.

"Maybe you hit his head and he forgot that Erin knocked him out?" she suggests.

Erin snorts, "More like his butt. That's where he seems to keep all of his brains. And you got him this time, too, so it was two women. If I count, anyway."

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Valkyrie's crushing power persevered even through White Knight's inferno, and there's only so much that one man could take, even if he is super-human in his abilities. His fire finally shuts off as he falls unconscious again, allowing Valkyrie to fly down to the ground at a more sedate pace.

Erin waits for the two other heroes to return, and the police are finally arriving as Valkyrie lands. She looks over to the Emissary.

"Maybe you hit his head and he forgot that Erin knocked him out?" she suggests.

Erin snorts, "More like his butt. That's where he seems to keep all of his brains. And you got him this time, too, so it was two women. If I count, anyway."

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Valkyrie's crushing power persevered even through White Knight's inferno, and there's only so much that one man could take, even if he is super-human in his abilities. His fire finally shuts off as he falls unconscious again, allowing Valkyrie to fly down to the ground at a more sedate pace.

Erin waits for the two other heroes to return, and the police are finally arriving as Valkyrie lands. She looks over to the Emissary.

"Maybe you hit his head and he forgot that Erin knocked him out?" she suggests.

Erin snorts, "More like his butt. That's where he seems to keep all of his brains. And you got him this time, too, so it was two women. If I count, anyway."

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"Of course you count. Don't be silly. I had wanted to ask.. do you have a place to stay? And also, if you are curious to your origins, I think we could prevail upon Daedelus of the Freedom League to examine you and see if there is anything in your memory or making to give more of a hint. I have performed services for him before, so that should be entirely possible."

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"Of course you count. Don't be silly. I had wanted to ask.. do you have a place to stay? And also, if you are curious to your origins, I think we could prevail upon Daedelus of the Freedom League to examine you and see if there is anything in your memory or making to give more of a hint. I have performed services for him before, so that should be entirely possible."

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"Of course you count. Don't be silly. I had wanted to ask.. do you have a place to stay? And also, if you are curious to your origins, I think we could prevail upon Daedelus of the Freedom League to examine you and see if there is anything in your memory or making to give more of a hint. I have performed services for him before, so that should be entirely possible."

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"I don't get hungry, and I don't get cold or need to sleep, so mostly, I've just kept moving," Erin says. "It was sort of funny when a guy tried to mug me, and I picked him up and stuffed him into a dumpster. Too bad he didn't have more money on him, though. Do you know how much jeans cost these days?"

"And if it's ok, I don't really want to know more about my creator right now," she says. "I figure she had a good reason for making me this way, and I don't want somebody prodding at my head to find out something I'm not supposed to know."

Valkyrie looks over to Erin. "You stole the mugger's money?" she asks.

"Yeah. He tried to take my money, so I took his. Fair's fair," Erin answers. Valkyrie looks over to the Emissary, as if to ask how to explain this.

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"I don't get hungry, and I don't get cold or need to sleep, so mostly, I've just kept moving," Erin says. "It was sort of funny when a guy tried to mug me, and I picked him up and stuffed him into a dumpster. Too bad he didn't have more money on him, though. Do you know how much jeans cost these days?"

"And if it's ok, I don't really want to know more about my creator right now," she says. "I figure she had a good reason for making me this way, and I don't want somebody prodding at my head to find out something I'm not supposed to know."

Valkyrie looks over to Erin. "You stole the mugger's money?" she asks.

"Yeah. He tried to take my money, so I took his. Fair's fair," Erin answers. Valkyrie looks over to the Emissary, as if to ask how to explain this.

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"I don't get hungry, and I don't get cold or need to sleep, so mostly, I've just kept moving," Erin says. "It was sort of funny when a guy tried to mug me, and I picked him up and stuffed him into a dumpster. Too bad he didn't have more money on him, though. Do you know how much jeans cost these days?"

"And if it's ok, I don't really want to know more about my creator right now," she says. "I figure she had a good reason for making me this way, and I don't want somebody prodding at my head to find out something I'm not supposed to know."

Valkyrie looks over to Erin. "You stole the mugger's money?" she asks.

"Yeah. He tried to take my money, so I took his. Fair's fair," Erin answers. Valkyrie looks over to the Emissary, as if to ask how to explain this.

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He coughs politely.

"Well, truthfully, no, that is not fair. For instance, let us say this man was guided to such a misguided activity by being impoverished. In taking what little money he had, are you not making it a certainty he will rob again, and indeed, reinforcing the conditions that have made him susceptible to taking these actions in the first place? Would it not be better instead, in the name of those who might otherwise be mugged by him in the future, to given the man over to the authorities of this place, and hope that their correctional and rehabilitation services can place him onto another, less harmful path?"

"More importantly, the trick of being part of a larger society is that you cannot always abide by your personal definitions of fairness. Societies have their own laws, and at least in this place, the intent behind them is to provide a basis where people can live justly, and well, as part of a community. A criminal act responded to with one in kind cannot further justice, only a cycle of like retribution, chaos and strife. He tried to mug you, you mugged him, perhaps now in response if he has any friends, should they try to mug you in his name? What can you say to them at best? 'He started it'? Where then will it end?"

His tone is only ever helpful.

"Oh, and ahm, while I do not need to sleep myself, a comfortable place where one can rest and sit back, and have time for one's thoughts, or to read, or the like, is always nice. I recommend finding one. Or if not, I am happy to provide some space at my embassy."

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He coughs politely.

"Well, truthfully, no, that is not fair. For instance, let us say this man was guided to such a misguided activity by being impoverished. In taking what little money he had, are you not making it a certainty he will rob again, and indeed, reinforcing the conditions that have made him susceptible to taking these actions in the first place? Would it not be better instead, in the name of those who might otherwise be mugged by him in the future, to given the man over to the authorities of this place, and hope that their correctional and rehabilitation services can place him onto another, less harmful path?"

"More importantly, the trick of being part of a larger society is that you cannot always abide by your personal definitions of fairness. Societies have their own laws, and at least in this place, the intent behind them is to provide a basis where people can live justly, and well, as part of a community. A criminal act responded to with one in kind cannot further justice, only a cycle of like retribution, chaos and strife. He tried to mug you, you mugged him, perhaps now in response if he has any friends, should they try to mug you in his name? What can you say to them at best? 'He started it'? Where then will it end?"

His tone is only ever helpful.

"Oh, and ahm, while I do not need to sleep myself, a comfortable place where one can rest and sit back, and have time for one's thoughts, or to read, or the like, is always nice. I recommend finding one. Or if not, I am happy to provide some space at my embassy."

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He coughs politely.

"Well, truthfully, no, that is not fair. For instance, let us say this man was guided to such a misguided activity by being impoverished. In taking what little money he had, are you not making it a certainty he will rob again, and indeed, reinforcing the conditions that have made him susceptible to taking these actions in the first place? Would it not be better instead, in the name of those who might otherwise be mugged by him in the future, to given the man over to the authorities of this place, and hope that their correctional and rehabilitation services can place him onto another, less harmful path?"

"More importantly, the trick of being part of a larger society is that you cannot always abide by your personal definitions of fairness. Societies have their own laws, and at least in this place, the intent behind them is to provide a basis where people can live justly, and well, as part of a community. A criminal act responded to with one in kind cannot further justice, only a cycle of like retribution, chaos and strife. He tried to mug you, you mugged him, perhaps now in response if he has any friends, should they try to mug you in his name? What can you say to them at best? 'He started it'? Where then will it end?"

His tone is only ever helpful.

"Oh, and ahm, while I do not need to sleep myself, a comfortable place where one can rest and sit back, and have time for one's thoughts, or to read, or the like, is always nice. I recommend finding one. Or if not, I am happy to provide some space at my embassy."

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Erin makes an attempt to listen to what the Emissary is saying, but it seems clear that the Emissary's views on crime, rehabilitiation, and the role of the individual in a greater society don't mesh too well with her retaliatory nature. The part in the middle, though, gets her attention.

"So why was it ok for you to start hitting White Knight, even when he hadn't hit you yet? Wouldn't that be a criminal act, leading to a cycle of violence? I figure the best way to end a cycle of violence is to make it so the other side can't fight back again," she says as she looks to where the unconscious White Knight is being loaded into a power-dampener paddy wagon. One of the men doing it chuckles, "At least we won't have to drive him too far to put him back in jail."

Valkyrie tries to jump in, "That was different, because there, he was doing it to protect you. He didn't know you'd be safe from the attacks."

"So then what about when both of you went to knock him out again after he woke up? There, he was just trying to get away. Maybe the guy whose money I took was going to use it to buy a gun to shoot somebody, instead of just using a knife. We don't know. We don't have to. He did start it, and I finished it. If he wants to start it again, then I'll finish it again," Erin responds.

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Erin makes an attempt to listen to what the Emissary is saying, but it seems clear that the Emissary's views on crime, rehabilitiation, and the role of the individual in a greater society don't mesh too well with her retaliatory nature. The part in the middle, though, gets her attention.

"So why was it ok for you to start hitting White Knight, even when he hadn't hit you yet? Wouldn't that be a criminal act, leading to a cycle of violence? I figure the best way to end a cycle of violence is to make it so the other side can't fight back again," she says as she looks to where the unconscious White Knight is being loaded into a power-dampener paddy wagon. One of the men doing it chuckles, "At least we won't have to drive him too far to put him back in jail."

Valkyrie tries to jump in, "That was different, because there, he was doing it to protect you. He didn't know you'd be safe from the attacks."

"So then what about when both of you went to knock him out again after he woke up? There, he was just trying to get away. Maybe the guy whose money I took was going to use it to buy a gun to shoot somebody, instead of just using a knife. We don't know. We don't have to. He did start it, and I finished it. If he wants to start it again, then I'll finish it again," Erin responds.

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Erin makes an attempt to listen to what the Emissary is saying, but it seems clear that the Emissary's views on crime, rehabilitiation, and the role of the individual in a greater society don't mesh too well with her retaliatory nature. The part in the middle, though, gets her attention.

"So why was it ok for you to start hitting White Knight, even when he hadn't hit you yet? Wouldn't that be a criminal act, leading to a cycle of violence? I figure the best way to end a cycle of violence is to make it so the other side can't fight back again," she says as she looks to where the unconscious White Knight is being loaded into a power-dampener paddy wagon. One of the men doing it chuckles, "At least we won't have to drive him too far to put him back in jail."

Valkyrie tries to jump in, "That was different, because there, he was doing it to protect you. He didn't know you'd be safe from the attacks."

"So then what about when both of you went to knock him out again after he woke up? There, he was just trying to get away. Maybe the guy whose money I took was going to use it to buy a gun to shoot somebody, instead of just using a knife. We don't know. We don't have to. He did start it, and I finished it. If he wants to start it again, then I'll finish it again," Erin responds.

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Valkyrie-1.jpg

Rose sighs - the kid is smart, and logically what she's saying makes sense, but that doesn't mean it's right. She wants to tell Erin that 'its complicated', but realises that that's what adults say to children when they don't know the answers. She looks over at the Emissary, her face showing concern. "It's hard Erin - society tries to empower the meek and rein in the powerful, giving everyone a fair share. This isn't easy, espeically in a world where people can throw cars through buldings or control minds." She puts her hand on Erin's shoulder and looks her in the eyes - for a moment, Rose's mind goes to the children she'll never have as long as her physical body is in a coma. It's something that she had never considered until that moment, and now the thought makes her hesitate for a moment, before she pushes it to the side to deal with later, "The Emissary and I both know that man to be a wanted criminal. He's escaped authorities before and brought harm to innocent people on many occasions. It was our duty to make sure he didn't have that opportunity again." Rose has had the conversation on 'Superhero politics and law' many times with some of her contemporaries in the comic scene - it was something they did over a few drinks during a night in - doing it now from this perspective was a whole new game. "What you're saying is true - a truely benevolent being could use force to bring about their idea of what's best for people, but who's to say what they think is right. We've chosen to put our faith in a system that tries to equalise power, so that everyone can get a fair go at trying to make a better life for themselves and others - I guess it's about de-centralising power." Rose speaks slowly and deliberately. It's an odd speech to give when, nearby, a wanted supervillain is being towed away in a wagon. "How about we continue this discussion at the embassy, if that's alright with you, Emissary?"

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Valkyrie-1.jpg

Rose sighs - the kid is smart, and logically what she's saying makes sense, but that doesn't mean it's right. She wants to tell Erin that 'its complicated', but realises that that's what adults say to children when they don't know the answers. She looks over at the Emissary, her face showing concern. "It's hard Erin - society tries to empower the meek and rein in the powerful, giving everyone a fair share. This isn't easy, espeically in a world where people can throw cars through buldings or control minds." She puts her hand on Erin's shoulder and looks her in the eyes - for a moment, Rose's mind goes to the children she'll never have as long as her physical body is in a coma. It's something that she had never considered until that moment, and now the thought makes her hesitate for a moment, before she pushes it to the side to deal with later, "The Emissary and I both know that man to be a wanted criminal. He's escaped authorities before and brought harm to innocent people on many occasions. It was our duty to make sure he didn't have that opportunity again." Rose has had the conversation on 'Superhero politics and law' many times with some of her contemporaries in the comic scene - it was something they did over a few drinks during a night in - doing it now from this perspective was a whole new game. "What you're saying is true - a truely benevolent being could use force to bring about their idea of what's best for people, but who's to say what they think is right. We've chosen to put our faith in a system that tries to equalise power, so that everyone can get a fair go at trying to make a better life for themselves and others - I guess it's about de-centralising power." Rose speaks slowly and deliberately. It's an odd speech to give when, nearby, a wanted supervillain is being towed away in a wagon. "How about we continue this discussion at the embassy, if that's alright with you, Emissary?"

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Valkyrie-1.jpg

Rose sighs - the kid is smart, and logically what she's saying makes sense, but that doesn't mean it's right. She wants to tell Erin that 'its complicated', but realises that that's what adults say to children when they don't know the answers. She looks over at the Emissary, her face showing concern. "It's hard Erin - society tries to empower the meek and rein in the powerful, giving everyone a fair share. This isn't easy, espeically in a world where people can throw cars through buldings or control minds." She puts her hand on Erin's shoulder and looks her in the eyes - for a moment, Rose's mind goes to the children she'll never have as long as her physical body is in a coma. It's something that she had never considered until that moment, and now the thought makes her hesitate for a moment, before she pushes it to the side to deal with later, "The Emissary and I both know that man to be a wanted criminal. He's escaped authorities before and brought harm to innocent people on many occasions. It was our duty to make sure he didn't have that opportunity again." Rose has had the conversation on 'Superhero politics and law' many times with some of her contemporaries in the comic scene - it was something they did over a few drinks during a night in - doing it now from this perspective was a whole new game. "What you're saying is true - a truely benevolent being could use force to bring about their idea of what's best for people, but who's to say what they think is right. We've chosen to put our faith in a system that tries to equalise power, so that everyone can get a fair go at trying to make a better life for themselves and others - I guess it's about de-centralising power." Rose speaks slowly and deliberately. It's an odd speech to give when, nearby, a wanted supervillain is being towed away in a wagon. "How about we continue this discussion at the embassy, if that's alright with you, Emissary?"

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Erin shrugs, "I mean, I don't need to go anywhere. I can get by on my own." The door on the paddywagon shuts, and it begins to drive away. There are still some policemen on the scene, writing up the presence of the crime scene.

"Hey there," one shouts, "Hey, you guys. We need a statement on what happened here." The man starts to walk towards the trio of superhumans, and he stumbles into a new pothole. The cop looks down to see what he tripped over, and then back up as he walks closer. "He tear up the street too or something?"

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Erin shrugs, "I mean, I don't need to go anywhere. I can get by on my own." The door on the paddywagon shuts, and it begins to drive away. There are still some policemen on the scene, writing up the presence of the crime scene.

"Hey there," one shouts, "Hey, you guys. We need a statement on what happened here." The man starts to walk towards the trio of superhumans, and he stumbles into a new pothole. The cop looks down to see what he tripped over, and then back up as he walks closer. "He tear up the street too or something?"

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Erin shrugs, "I mean, I don't need to go anywhere. I can get by on my own." The door on the paddywagon shuts, and it begins to drive away. There are still some policemen on the scene, writing up the presence of the crime scene.

"Hey there," one shouts, "Hey, you guys. We need a statement on what happened here." The man starts to walk towards the trio of superhumans, and he stumbles into a new pothole. The cop looks down to see what he tripped over, and then back up as he walks closer. "He tear up the street too or something?"

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He looks to Erin for a while, speaking after Valkyrie has finished.

"If I then left him to linger in his injuries, or I killed him, or I did anything besides then intend to turn him over to the authorities and hope that the system of law can then eventually find a way to do something constructive with him, then yes, you would be correct, I would only be doing what I had just said. It is just as critical in terms of the intent that shapes ones actions before they are taken, and what one does afterwards, as the actions themselves."

"Whether he likes it or not, and most assuredly he does not, White Knight is part of this community. Upon violating its laws, its basic social contract, he must then face the responsiblities of doing so. And thusly his flight must be halted."

He looks thoughtful.

"More particularly, unto us is given great might. And certainly if we wished, we can just enforce our personal views with it. We can institute violent aversion therapy onto humanity. Striking out at them when they don't act how we like. Killing even, perhaps, when we choose, when that will 'pre empt any cycle'. And it may be that our intentions are good. That we even like humanity, think that for so liking them, we must protect them, and this is how we do so. Retaliation. Enforcement. Living above their laws. But what then is humanity to us really? Are they anything but a herd of animals we keep pent up with our strength, culling and mutilating so that they persist in the way we want them to? Yet that is the end result of your viewpoint seen to its conclusion. An ever watchful, ever violent herdsman. At which point one must wonder.. why even bother to help them? They are only animals to you. And certainly you do not think the world can ever improve, or you would not be its wrathful herdsman. Why then bother to defend something that does not even have the capacity to be better to you?"

"If you wish to learn from humanity, you must do so at the side of humanity, being part of the societies they build, recognizing that their growth, their evolution, their greatest achievements, their awe inspiring wonders come from joining together in these groups and aspiring to higher ideals than simple retribution if a direct wrong happens to one of them. It is only then that you can truly internalize their qualities, both good and ill. They do not exist in isolation, and thusly, neither can your actions be solely defined in context of you.â€Â

“Or… look at it this way, we have might, and we use it, but the best thing we then do with it is after helping with it how we can, we then surrender it entirely to the greater community we don’t just hope to be part of, but that which we hope to see come into being, giving over ultimate resolution to its authority. That such an act of trust and faith on our part will help inspire the values and growth we hope to see. And though that may not always be successful, there will always be some so inspired, and they will spread that virtue to others, and someday, it will birth a world larger, and stronger and more virtuous than even our own heroism. Which is to say, might then, used for right, a right beyond and greater than ourselves. I know it might sound a bit silly, but I don’t think you can say there isn’t such a thing.â€Â

He coughs.

“Or so goes my view on it anyway.â€Â

The calls of the policemen interrupt him and he looks over.

“Oh.. ah.. the White Knight had been seen emerging from his hidden state and looked to be on an attack vector towards this area. The very talented Payback intercepted him first and attempted to halt him, I arrived soon after off of a request for assistance from the Freedom League. We subdued him, Valkyrie arrived soon after, and assisted in keeping him subdued.â€Â

He looks entirely chagrinned.

“And.. the pavement was me.. his aura of flame was proving extremely injurious, and.. well… it seemed a good idea as far as being able to strike him.. ah.. forward the expense for the damages to my embassy please?â€Â

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