97 She Dreams... (1/2)
”My first question.” Chelsea's demeanor had changed from her usual cheerfullness to a somewhat pressuring solemnity.
”If you had a choice between the power to destroy all your enemies before they ever first appeared, and the power to wipe their memories of you, forever: which would you choose, Robin?”
Robin sat still. Her uncle...her cousin...that old man...all her classmates...She sat there in silence as she honestly considered. Finally she let out a long sigh.
”Why must you ask me this?” Robin grumbled.”I am neither God nor an official.”
”That question, I am not obliged to answer~!” Chelsea replied cheerfully, her smile similar to Oracle's.
Robin closed her eyes. She began speaking slowly. ”...All life is precious. To treat a life as a mere nothing....sure isn't my style. Unless they should attack first, I cannot justify extinguishing the blood and lives of so many people. Even though they are wicked, I cannot bear such a burden.”
Robin opened her eyes.
”There is no good path down the way of slaughter. That's why, I would rather not choose the first power, unless I had no other choice.”
”So you would rather choose the other one?” Chelsea asked.
”That path does seem to be the lesser of two evils.” Robin began. ”But I cannot say that I am such a saint that I can let them get away with murder, even more to allow them to forget their crimes.”
Robin nodded. ”Therefore, if given the choice, I would rather choose neither!” She replied as her tired eyes sadly looked down at the table with a soul-felt weariness.
A rhyme her mother once read to her sprang unbidden to Robin's lips. As if in a dream, Robin spoke the words that now seemed quite fitting softly:
”'Excess of mercy over-indulges
to the rotting of the soul.
Excess of justice leaves no room
for the penitent sinner.
Within such extremes of doom,
There can be no winner.
So temper mercy within justice, true.
Yet temper justice within mercy, too.
Else, justice be not just;
Nor mercy be completely merciful.'”
Her words were quiet, yet they seemed to linger in the air between the three.
Chelsea nodded. ”I see. Thank you. I have recieved your answer.”
Jasmine looked at Robin, surprised. That saying was so good! When had Robin become a poet? ”Did you write that?” She asked.
”My mother read it to me once, a long time ago.” Robin sighed. ”Not a single word of hers will I ever forget.”
”Nor should you. Your mother must be very dear to you.” Chelsea nodded. ”We must all keep such good things close to our hearts.”
Robin nodded.
”Then, my second question:” Chelsea continued. ”If your return to your world was at the expense of a life, would you do so?”
Robin frowned. ”I know not how I arrived here, but, surely, there must be a way to return without such a price?”
”Hypothetically.” Chelsea added.
”I am extremely reluctant.” Robin replied, knowing the answer almost immediately. ”Though my heart may yearn for home, If I am to trample upon the lives of others to get there, how am I any better than that Trader man? It would be better for me to look for another way.”
”I see...” Chelsea hummed a bit. ”Okay then, for my last question, I want to ask you...In the event that you find yourself surrounded with no friends, and there is no way out. What will you do?”
Robin simply smiled. ”It's not like a situation like that hasn't happened before.” She looked out at the rising moon.
”If the sun disappears, look for the moon. If the moon disappears, look for the stars. If the stars dissappear, look for the flame. And if the flame disappears...” Robin turned to look at Chelsea.
”Become the flame that illumines the darkness, sparks the stars, and lights the sun that illuminated the moon. Burn at your brightest, and you will never lose.”
Chelsea's smile widened. ”Oh? And that means?”