What is Justice? (Closed)

[Brynhildr]

"It is... true that I have existed as I am for... not a great time," Brynhildr conceded, hesitantly and a little awkwardly in her uncertain speech. She didn't think she was exceptionally young as celestials went, they tended to blossom brilliantly and burn out quickly if their Song went to ofar against that of Elibe or other celestials. But she certainly wasn't anything like those who had lived for decades, centuries... possibly millennia. She didn't even have a sense of what time so great could be like; Brynhildr herself had only been truly alive a few years at most by human standards, less so as a full-fledged woman, so long term experience was not her strongest suit.

Truthfully, Sigdrifa was wielding her words with a level of skill and certainty that threatened to sway her as well. She could not argue with the other Valkyrie's assessment of Elibe - that it was a mean, imperfect, brutal place that had been so for as long as she or even any human could remember. And it was true that... going by the tales of what she had heard about the so-called immortals, most were completely focused on specific matters, their fields of study or the search for power, rather than using it to be benevolent rulers. Bryn's discomfort was evident in the rigidity of her stance and the none too pleased expression on her face, not hidden very well.

It wasn't that Sig was right - it was that for the most part those were the questions Brynhildr struggled the most with about her own ideology - the difficulty in making the change she truly believed was possible. Elibe was a large and varied place, and if changing the world was as simple as a good sales pitch, she would already be done. Or rather, many people would have done it already.

But - just because something was hard didn't mean it was wrong. And it didn't mean it was a waste of time. If anything, the harder a valid task was, the more it was worth doing, as far as Bree was concerned. Simply because it was 'hard' to convince people to do the right thing didn't mean she had any reason to stop. Even if she never succeeded in truly changing Elibe, Brynhildr was steadfast in her belief that it was the right thing to do nonetheless. She would not be swayed in her beliefs, even if there were a... few... decent points in Sigdrifa's arsenal. But it was frustrating to see that despite some ideological similarities, they disagreed so fundamentally on what the role of humanity was in that bright new world.

Rallying, Brynhildr chose her words carefully, desiring to avoid the conflict that her reaction earlier had caused. "I cannot argue that... expecting all of humanity to follow suit, soon or perhaps ever, is... optimistic. But-" Always a but. Whether carrot and stick, or stubbornness, was left to the eye of the beholder. The valkyrie smiled gently regardless, no longer trying to refute Sigdrifa, but steadfast in her own beliefs. "-I have seen mortals champion ideals similar to each of ours as bravely as you or I might ever hope to - perhaps more so, given their humble origins. Even if it is impossible to convert them all, I should like to at least try to encourage more to take up that standard while fighting for my own ideals. Though it is as you have said; we must be the pinnacle of our own beliefs, demonstrating them either intentionally or as a byproduct of our actions."

[Sigdrifa]

It seemed Sigdrifa's verse had reached more than just Brynhildr's ears. The other Celestial had become hesitant, at least when she first began to reply. She had listened patiently to Sigdrifa so the redhead, in turn, would allow her sister to finish making her point no matter how long it took. It seemed she was indeed rather "young", in a sense. No doubt around the same "age" as Sigdrifa herself. Maybe their very essence differed in age but somehow she got the sense that Brynhildr's physical form was created near the same time as hers. It was intuition, a mere hunch, but Sigdrifa did not focus on it at all.

Sigdrifa did, however, gain some small satisfaction at seeing Brynhildr struggle to reply. She did not really understand why that was. The redhead had (mostly) abandoned the earlier slight against her own ideology from before, and she did not feel...bitter...at the moment. So why? It was nothing so sadistic as delighting in the suffering of an enemy or rival, perhaps it was just that this was the first time she got to truly see her song influence a fellow Celestial. That said she doubted she would turn Bryn from her path. Had the other Celestial been so easily swayed from her chosen path she never would have materialized a physical form. Her essence would have been swallowed by a stronger-willed Celestial, adding her light and voice to their song instead.


Eventually Brynhildr to make a counterpoint: that mortals are just as capable of "good" as they are of "evil", essentially. Sigdrifa was aware of this. Not every mortal driven by greed. Some simply wanted to live. Others cared for the families and friends. That much she had seen, yet...was it really enough? No. Even if she could inspire a few mortals, and in turn those mortals inspired others, it would never be enough. Focusing on the good was still wrong to Sigdrifa. They needed to stare into the abyss and obliterate it, not nurture what good already existed.

That said...there was something almost frustratingly admirable in Brynhildr's words. They may not be Sigdrifa's and they may not ring true to her, but she felt that she had finally begun to understand her sister's song.

"It seems we're at a crossroads here." Sigdrifa stated, closing her eyes and smirking. "I'm afraid we will never see eye-to-eye on the focus of our songs. That said I can respect your passion nonetheless, and your ideals can run parallel to mine own."

[Brynhildr]

The winged maiden's brow furrowed slightly at Sigdrifa's imperious declaration of incompatibility. It seemed far too early to do so, and something about the manner flew counter to her essence in a strangely oblique way that she could not quite place, but certainly did little to improve her mood. Yes, their... debate had not gone perfectly, she could admit that much. She had gone unnecessarily on the offense when she believed Sigdrifa was attacking her Song directly, and vice-versa too when the fiery celestial had taken Brynhildr's criticisms as an attack of her own. Certainly there was something to be learned from the exchange by both of them, and yet the other celestial seemed determined to declare victory and defeat simultaneously rather than exhaust those channels or attempt to learn anything from the exchange.

It seemed - inefficient. Unnecessary. Sigdrifa held justice close to her heart, so she could not be evil, and Brynhildr believed that they could have learned from each other, at least to some degree. She was not willing to say that the other celestial's beliefs were superior to hers - but the most true test of an ideology was to crash it against opposition, whether it be the tribulations of implementation or a war of minds against another ideology. She raised hr hand carefully, cradling the bridge of her nose between two fingers as she thought for a moment. She had privately been excited to meet a sister, more so to find out that they shared similar mindsets, so to find such a disparity here was discouraging at best.

But this was not the end. Bryn dropped her hand in a single smooth motion, her frustration ruthlessly crushed as she smiled lightly at Sigdrifa. "Perhaps you are right, sister, but I do not believe this was all in vain. A chorus is not one song, but a harmony. Our songs may not match exactly, they still entwine in mutually beneficial notes." In truth, she was a little disappointed that Sigdrifa had not seen any real value in cultivating others to follow her beliefs. It stung a little as a rejection of her own code, regardless of how Sig had meant it. But in the end, it was her decision on how to react to that, and Brynhildr believed graciousness the better part of vindictiveness. "Thank you for sharing your song with me, Sigdrifa."

[Sigdrifa]

Brynhildr seemed to be displeased with Sigdrifa's assessment, albeit only briefly. The redhead could not fathom why. There was little more to be gained in such an exchange. Rather than continue to spout back and forth about their ideals Sigdrifa would prefer to put actions to those words. To stand against injustice and combat it, as every fiber in her being commanded her to do. Turning her attention away from Brynhildr's demeanor Sigdrifa instead studied her own form. All imperfections, blemishes, wounds, and so on had been rectified. The Cathedral had done it's duty, restoring her to her full glory.

Which meant, of course, that it was time to once again enter the fray. Elibe awaited her judgement, her action. It ignited even further drive throughout her being. There truly was no other feeling than to be ready to work straight towards the sole purpose for your existence. Sigdrifa did not even live for such a sensation. Such an...emotion. It was simply all that she truly knew. Everything else was secondary, beyond her control and true understanding. Her sense of justice, her purpose, her reason to live...that was her song.

And she would sing it.

"For what it is worth..." Sigdrifa began as she walked past Brynhildr, her strides long and confident. "I, too, believe this discussion was not in vain. To hear your song helped me understand that it is one worth singing. You deserve your status as a Celestial, in that regard." She turned back around once she reached the doorway, giving Brynhildr an expression that even Sigdrifa herself would question if she thought back on it. Her lips were curved into a smirk, but her eyes glinted in a mischievous, challenging way.

"However. I would like to see you put your ideals to action, not just words. My body is healed and ready to stand against injustice once more. Perhaps the next time we meet shall be on Elibe?"

[Brynhildr]

"Hm."

Brynhildr raised her mailed fist to stomach level, staring down at her upstretched palm before clenching her fist and opening it thoughtfully. It was a bit of a vague response, but she didn't have anything better prepared, and a great deal to think about. She had been neither victor nor victim of this exchange - her ideals neither overwhelming nor overwhelmed. They had clashed, bared fangs against each other, and then... retreated. Advanced in the opposite direction, if one so preferred the terminology. She was not Sigdrifa's friend, nor her ally exactly - but neither were they enemies, nor their ideals diametrically opposed.

Had her song been strengthened by the clash, the valkyrie wondered? Was it now greater in the wake of being tested, or diminished by it? It was an interesting conundrum, and she would need time to consider it. Time that she had, for better or for worse; unlike Sigdrifa, she still required more time to finish reforming. In the Aether, she appeared unscathed, but Brynhildr knew the truth - her form was still injured. She could feel it in every heartbeat, ever twinge in her wings. It was more phantom pain than real, but those sensations did not come from nowhere. And besides. It behooved her to consider her path, especially in the wake of this discussion, rather than simply rushing directly into the fray.

"Yes." Her hesitation gone, the blonde valkyrie turned to face her counterpart with an approving smile, not particularly wide - hers rarely were - but genuine and firm. "If we each hold to our beliefs, I am sure we shall meet again soon. Good hunting, sister." Not even the slightest hint of doubt bubbled in her mind or betrayed her steely tone; from the depths of her existence, Brynhildr believed that they would meet again. Not because she wanted to, or because of some fate, but simply because songs so similar could hardly be apart forever. It was not chance that had brought them together here, either, but her own unconscious recognition of familiarity. It was only a matter of time. The only question was which of them would have more of it.