[There's an inherent danger in speculating baselessly, but Lobelia does have a few ideas in mind based on his own experiences. Lacus is unlikely to take his opinion as fact, but she will consider it and arrive at her own informed conclusion, so Lobelia doesn't see much harm in being honest with her.]
It's for the best that we present our best selves before our fellow captives, non? Calling them friends and allies may be a stretch, but it's worth putting in the effort to appear cordial all the same... not that you need to hear that from moi.
[They're not at all different in that regard, are they? Anyway, as for his suspicions—]
First, allow me to tell you what I make of the évidence. There was no "weapon" to speak of at the crime scene, non? That suggests the culprit wielded their own power against Merlin! And for such étrange patterns to be left behind on the corpse and on the ground... Lacus, how well do you understand physics?
[ No, she really doesn't need to hear that bit of advice. The lightly airheaded little lady she's presented to the group this far is a good bit removed from the face that Lacus is showing Lobelia today. More solemn, yet more calculating.
One has to wonder though... If this is Lobelia's version of nonconfrontational, just how much is lurking below as of yet unseen? ]
Enough, I would hope. But I have never dabbled in engineering or anything of the like.
[ Thinking a bit more about the crime scene, she adds... ]
The two points of interest would be the crater and the blood circles. The latter seem as though there were spikes shooting up out of the floor and into Merlin's body. The hastate shape of such weaponry would account for the difference in diameter between the wounds and the circles on the ground. The spikes themselves would have vanished without a trace, as though retracting back into the Earth...?
I don't have any theories about the crater though.
[Ah, what a smart girl Lacus is. He'll find it a shame if she meets her demise and he isn't present to capture her final moments within the confines of the conque, imagining that trying to subdue someone like her wouldn't happen without a struggle.
To preserve that peerless strength of hers and use it as his fuel to continue on... thinking about it makes him shiver, but that's not what they're here to talk about, so just pretend you didn't see that, Lacus.]
Très bien, très bien! Those are salient points, but the question of what forces acted upon Merlin's body remain. Someone with control over physical matter may have very well been the culprit... someone like myself or monsieur Chuuya, par exemple.
[That said, Lobelia sighs. He'd gladly have taken the chance to kill Merlin if the opportunity to presented itself, but alas! He would've done so only after giving the man a chance to make good on his boasts and show off his supposed superior wizardry. Lobelia is not the culprit, but he lists himself among his best guess to gauge Lacus' response. Would she be confiding in him if she knew what a man like himself is capable of...?]
[ Lacus looks momentarily surprised that he lists himself so easily. A test, then. Well, it's only fair that she's being tested when she's been doing the same to others.
She meets his eyes, intently studying his expression. There's a smile back on her lips. ]
Well, did you?
[ Lobelia could lie, of course. Pretend one way or another, just to see what she would do. But the knowledge that the world is full of falsehood won't stop Lacus from asking her questions with the full weight of expecting the truth. It's the principle of the thing to her. ]
[As he suspected, Lacus isn't quick to judge or side with emotion. That's the mark of a leader, someone whose position in life is one where they're elevated above the common rabble and make smart decisions on their behalf that they cannot make for themselves. Sure, he doesn't know the particulars of what Lacus' life demanded of her before arriving on the island, but he can surmise that she must've held some degree of authority.
Naturally, her question is met with a round of laughter, mirthful and genuine. He'll reward her with a bit of honesty as thanks for her patience and careful consideration.]
Non! If I had been the one to kill Merlin, I wouldn't have done so in such conspicuous fashion. Whoever ended his life, be it Monsieur Chuuya or someone else, must not understand that the odds are stacked against them here. After all, where can they run?
[Still, if the murderer does manage to get away with it, there's always the chance they'll live to murder again, but every subsequent murder will lead them closer and closer to discovering their identity.]
Simplement, it's foolish to commit murder when there's such a high risk that you'll be caught. That's why I didn't put Merlin in his place when I had the chance.
[ It's about what Lacus thought he would say, but there's still a little bit of lingering disappointment at having it confirmed - it's convenience and cautiousness that's keeping Lobelia from killing, not moral compunctions.
The pragmatic part of Lacus finds this easy to work with, if nothing else. The human part of her is just sad. ]
There is fairly little room to hide your involvement in a murder within the limited space of this island. You're better off leaning back and watching as the spiral of bloodshed affects those of more emotional nature, is that right?
[He feels the slightest pang of guilt knowing he's disappointed Lacus, but only just. There's nothing for it, really— this is who he is and causing destruction is what makes him happy. That isn't a sin in Lobelia's eyes, because as Maman and Papa so often told him, everyone deserves the opportunity to be happy... even himself.]
Oui, that's correct, but it pains me to be without the option to participate. Alas, I'll have to seek happiness elsewhere... but it won't be here. Not without raison.
[Lobelia has spent the majority of his life indiscriminately killing, but that's because he could get away with it. Here? There's no guarantee he'll manage to get away with it, so that's enough to stay him for now.]
[ There's a lot to unpack in that statement and Lacus goes quiet for a moment. Happiness...? She's heard something similar since coming here. It piques her interest even as it disturbs her. ]
... what does happiness mean to you, Lobelia?
[ It's not harsh, but it's spoken with weight. Why, why, why? What's the point of it all? Lacus has asked these questions over and over about every conflict in her homeworld, and she'll keep asking here. She's an eternal question, and she wants the world, all the worlds, to stand up for their answers. ]
[Therapy can't fix this one and neither can talking philosophy, but with that said, Lobelia is always happy to discuss that very thing: the meaning of happiness. After all, the pursuit of it is all he's living for.]
In a word: everything. As a boy, my Papa and Maman would share a certain lesson with me at every opportunity. "Everyone has the right to be happy— everyone and anyone."
Their lesson became my credo and I've lived my life pursuing happiness above all else.
[In a way, it's almost juvenile. It's a simple wish, wanting to be happy and doing anything to ensure that he is, but the means through which Lobelia pursues that happiness have meant stealing it away from the countless people he's killed. Lacus can probably guess how much or little that fact means to Lobelia.]
[ She sees, but she doesn't think she likes seeing. ]
When I was little and she was still alive, my mother used to tell me something as well.
[ Lacus closes her eyes as she recites the mantra that has become her most clear, and thus most cherished, memory of a woman who's face and voice are fading from her memory. ]
"The world belongs to you and also you belong to the world, as long as you are born and exist in this world."
[ Regardless of how you are born, and how much others may loathe your existence, there is a space for you in this reality. No matter what, you are allowed to keep moving forward. But... ]
I agree with your credo wholeheartedly, but tell me... whose happiness do you pursue?
What a lovely sentiment. It's clear you've taken your mère's lesson to heart, chère.
[Their credos are so similar and yet so different from one another's. Lacus exists as a piece of her world, working for it and with it, while Lobelia exists only for his own self-satisfaction.
Unsurprisingly, it seems Lacus has picked up on that fact as well, a laughter snaking past Lobelia's lips. Well, while they're being honest...]
My own, bien sûr. Everyone has the right to be happy, but it's their responsibility to pursue happiness themselves. No one can do it for them.
[ Yes, that is exactly the answer she expected. It's a very simple motto to live by, comprehensive and straight-forward. Yet, it is one that is incredibly difficult to work around. ]
People like you put people like me into quite the dilemma, hm?
[ Lacus sighs a little, but there's still a smile playing at her lips. She disagrees with Lobelia, but she is certainly not mad at him for speaking so frankly to her. ]
I think that the greatest and most important virtue of being a sentient being is the ability and right to strive towards happiness, no matter how impossibly far it might seem. I would never want to deny that right - but then, where does that lead to? What kind of world needs to grow in order for your pursuit of happiness and that of others to not be at odds?
This is why people like you belong in positions of leadership and not ones such as myself: selflessness is not a compétence that can be taught.
[It's inherent, and as most humans are, Lobelia is selfish. That is why people like Lacus are necessary for any healthy, functional society... and why it's best that they hail from two entirely separate worlds. Were Lacus unfortunate enough to share the same sky as Lobelia, even his fondness for her wouldn't deter him from seeking out her destruction.]
Simply put, there is no taille unique solution. Some will thrive under your rule while others suffer, but you've thought about that, non? I believe your people will be in capable hands.
[ Lobelia doesn't question her position at all, even though Lacus has introduced herself only as a former idol and nothing more. He looks at her and sees a leader, and he's correct about it. It's not often that someone sees through Lacus so quickly and completely.
For that alone, it would be hard to truly dislike Lobelia. ]
"Capable hands" is the most I would want to achieve to begin with. If the world turns into one that needs to thrive off of the ideals of a single individual... then I have failed, thoroughly.
[ It's painful to even be in this position in the first place. ]
The answer I seek is an answer for me alone, a guiding principle that the world may accept or deny.
[Call it intuition. Those who find themselves in positions of power don't find themselves there by accident. Even tyrannical rulers find their ways to the top not through happenstance, red flags ignored until nothing can be done to uproot them, but because they have what it takes to control a nation. Crushing countless people under their heel, they scale the tower of their fallen bodies to surmount the throne that lies at the top.
Lacus is just the same, but it's her peerless virtue that makes her suitable for the role. Everyone beneath her should consider themselves lucky, Lobelia thinks, save for men like himself. Under her rule, would Lacus really let a natural disaster tear through her streets? Is Lobelia's desire for happiness enough to permit someone like himself to exist on her society?
Lobelia knows what his answer is, but there may come a point where Lacus has to settle upon her own. When that time comes, Lobelia has full faith that her answer will be the correct one.]
You are only human, Chère, but no matter what path you choose to walk, your feet won't guide you astray. Still... For the sake of conversation, I must ask how it is you would choose to handle someone like me if I were to find my way to your world.
[ 'For the sake of conversation' he says, as though the hypothetical he's posing isn't thoroughly cruel to consider. But she's considered it herself - about him, about others here. She's considered it over and over because even though it's nothing but thoughtplay, the question will pose itself in countless different ways once she gets back home.
These matters were easier when she was one faction among many, fighting for her justice. As leader of a nation, more weight is on her shoulders. More guilt will accumulate as well. ]
Ideally, I would find a place for you in my forces that offers you enough entertainment. But in the case that we could not come to such an agreement, if you were to threaten innocent lives... I would not be able to turn a blind eye, no. I would fight you, if I had to.
[To entertain him would mean sacrificing innocent lives to him, so in a manner of speaking, there is no way for someone like Lacus to keep him entertained. They would be left with no choice but to fight, an idea that amuses Lobelia just as much as it disappoints him, his laughter ringing a little hollow.]
Then pray it doesn't come down to that! Alas... As fond as I am of your company, I believe it's for the best that we dwell in entirely different worlds.
[Knowing what he does about Lacus, he can't imagine she'd derive any pleasure from ending his life.]
Well then! Let's make the most of our amitié while we still draw breath! It isn't often I find myself in such amicable, intelligent company.
[ Lobelia tells her to pray, and she is. She'd much rather spend days by the beach talking about this and that then ever be faced to confront him. All that stands between making enemies out of them is Lobelia's cunning, his calculating self-preservation instinct. It is not much, but Lacus would like to count on it for a while longer. ]
I have been rather fond of your company as well. Our current situation is quite the predicament, but to be able to meet as roommates instead of enemies... That's a privilege in its own right. What a shame it would be not to enjoy it.
[ Maybe through all of this, Lacus will arrive at an answer. Maybe she will come to understand why some people seem to feel such an inherent drive towards violence, and through that be able to imagine a future in which they can be happy... Maybe. ]
[It's not as if Lobelia thinks lowly of himself — that's far from the case — but he's aware that the two of them dwell in entirely different worlds. Lacus seeks out the best in people and desires to protect their happiness while Lobelia has never enjoyed anything as much as he does wanton destruction.
For the two of them to meet as they are, it truly takes the miracle of being brought into a different world where neither of them hold as much sway as they do back home. Had it not been for this impromptu vacation, Lobelia very much doubts he'd ever have met someone whom he can truly call a friend.
Thinking about it now, Lobelia chuckles.]
You truly are an ange in human skin! To delight in the company of someone such as me despite knowing what i'm capable of... Simply put, I've never known anyone quite like you. Is that not a reason to celebrate this unique amitié of ours?
[So long as they remain here, he has no reason to lay a finger on this woman. That's enough to celebrate, isn't it?]
[ Once they get out of here, it will be best for both of them if they never see each other again. Continued association would make it so that only one force can remain. Neither of them are people who will ever compromise on their guiding principles - is it that base similarity that makes them get along, despite all complications? One has to wonder. ]
Ah, you flatter me. Whether I am good or merely misguided evil, that is something only time will tell. But here and now, we are merely ourselves.
And as one who unfailingly believes in life, I see no contradiction when I wish with my whole heart that no harm comes to you on this island.
[A paradox indeed... Lacus really is much too kind, but that said, Lobelia doesn't doubt the validity of her kindness. Appraising her in silence for a moment, a thin smile spreads across his lips.]
How much do you believe in the power of wishes, Chère? Do you believe a wish could save a life?
Mm, I see... I wonder if your songs have some lingering magie instilled in them? There's something undoubtedly unique about them, you know. Something spécial!
[Magic can be transfused into so many elements of life that Lobelia wouldn't doubt Lacus were capable of achieving that very thing... buuut he's also not in the business of teaching.]
Even without it, your songs are enough to lift the spirits and calm one's soul. To devote yourself in the service of others with such genuine intent is a rare thing, but I doubt you need me to tell you that.
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It's for the best that we present our best selves before our fellow captives, non? Calling them friends and allies may be a stretch, but it's worth putting in the effort to appear cordial all the same... not that you need to hear that from moi.
[They're not at all different in that regard, are they? Anyway, as for his suspicions—]
First, allow me to tell you what I make of the évidence. There was no "weapon" to speak of at the crime scene, non? That suggests the culprit wielded their own power against Merlin! And for such étrange patterns to be left behind on the corpse and on the ground... Lacus, how well do you understand physics?
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One has to wonder though... If this is Lobelia's version of nonconfrontational, just how much is lurking below as of yet unseen? ]
Enough, I would hope. But I have never dabbled in engineering or anything of the like.
[ Thinking a bit more about the crime scene, she adds... ]
The two points of interest would be the crater and the blood circles. The latter seem as though there were spikes shooting up out of the floor and into Merlin's body. The hastate shape of such weaponry would account for the difference in diameter between the wounds and the circles on the ground. The spikes themselves would have vanished without a trace, as though retracting back into the Earth...?
I don't have any theories about the crater though.
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To preserve that peerless strength of hers and use it as his fuel to continue on... thinking about it makes him shiver, but that's not what they're here to talk about, so just pretend you didn't see that, Lacus.]
Très bien, très bien! Those are salient points, but the question of what forces acted upon Merlin's body remain. Someone with control over physical matter may have very well been the culprit... someone like myself or monsieur Chuuya, par exemple.
[That said, Lobelia sighs. He'd gladly have taken the chance to kill Merlin if the opportunity to presented itself, but alas! He would've done so only after giving the man a chance to make good on his boasts and show off his supposed superior wizardry. Lobelia is not the culprit, but he lists himself among his best guess to gauge Lacus' response. Would she be confiding in him if she knew what a man like himself is capable of...?]
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She meets his eyes, intently studying his expression. There's a smile back on her lips. ]
Well, did you?
[ Lobelia could lie, of course. Pretend one way or another, just to see what she would do. But the knowledge that the world is full of falsehood won't stop Lacus from asking her questions with the full weight of expecting the truth. It's the principle of the thing to her. ]
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Naturally, her question is met with a round of laughter, mirthful and genuine. He'll reward her with a bit of honesty as thanks for her patience and careful consideration.]
Non! If I had been the one to kill Merlin, I wouldn't have done so in such conspicuous fashion. Whoever ended his life, be it Monsieur Chuuya or someone else, must not understand that the odds are stacked against them here. After all, where can they run?
[Still, if the murderer does manage to get away with it, there's always the chance they'll live to murder again, but every subsequent murder will lead them closer and closer to discovering their identity.]
Simplement, it's foolish to commit murder when there's such a high risk that you'll be caught. That's why I didn't put Merlin in his place when I had the chance.
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The pragmatic part of Lacus finds this easy to work with, if nothing else. The human part of her is just sad. ]
There is fairly little room to hide your involvement in a murder within the limited space of this island. You're better off leaning back and watching as the spiral of bloodshed affects those of more emotional nature, is that right?
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Oui, that's correct, but it pains me to be without the option to participate. Alas, I'll have to seek happiness elsewhere... but it won't be here. Not without raison.
[Lobelia has spent the majority of his life indiscriminately killing, but that's because he could get away with it. Here? There's no guarantee he'll manage to get away with it, so that's enough to stay him for now.]
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... what does happiness mean to you, Lobelia?
[ It's not harsh, but it's spoken with weight. Why, why, why? What's the point of it all? Lacus has asked these questions over and over about every conflict in her homeworld, and she'll keep asking here. She's an eternal question, and she wants the world, all the worlds, to stand up for their answers. ]
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In a word: everything. As a boy, my Papa and Maman would share a certain lesson with me at every opportunity. "Everyone has the right to be happy— everyone and anyone."
Their lesson became my credo and I've lived my life pursuing happiness above all else.
[In a way, it's almost juvenile. It's a simple wish, wanting to be happy and doing anything to ensure that he is, but the means through which Lobelia pursues that happiness have meant stealing it away from the countless people he's killed. Lacus can probably guess how much or little that fact means to Lobelia.]
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[ She sees, but she doesn't think she likes seeing. ]
When I was little and she was still alive, my mother used to tell me something as well.
[ Lacus closes her eyes as she recites the mantra that has become her most clear, and thus most cherished, memory of a woman who's face and voice are fading from her memory. ]
"The world belongs to you and also you belong to the world, as long as you are born and exist in this world."
[ Regardless of how you are born, and how much others may loathe your existence, there is a space for you in this reality. No matter what, you are allowed to keep moving forward. But... ]
I agree with your credo wholeheartedly, but tell me... whose happiness do you pursue?
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[Their credos are so similar and yet so different from one another's. Lacus exists as a piece of her world, working for it and with it, while Lobelia exists only for his own self-satisfaction.
Unsurprisingly, it seems Lacus has picked up on that fact as well, a laughter snaking past Lobelia's lips. Well, while they're being honest...]
My own, bien sûr. Everyone has the right to be happy, but it's their responsibility to pursue happiness themselves. No one can do it for them.
[And Lobelia would never try.]
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People like you put people like me into quite the dilemma, hm?
[ Lacus sighs a little, but there's still a smile playing at her lips. She disagrees with Lobelia, but she is certainly not mad at him for speaking so frankly to her. ]
I think that the greatest and most important virtue of being a sentient being is the ability and right to strive towards happiness, no matter how impossibly far it might seem. I would never want to deny that right - but then, where does that lead to? What kind of world needs to grow in order for your pursuit of happiness and that of others to not be at odds?
Leaders face such difficult questions.
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[It's inherent, and as most humans are, Lobelia is selfish. That is why people like Lacus are necessary for any healthy, functional society... and why it's best that they hail from two entirely separate worlds. Were Lacus unfortunate enough to share the same sky as Lobelia, even his fondness for her wouldn't deter him from seeking out her destruction.]
Simply put, there is no taille unique solution. Some will thrive under your rule while others suffer, but you've thought about that, non? I believe your people will be in capable hands.
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For that alone, it would be hard to truly dislike Lobelia. ]
"Capable hands" is the most I would want to achieve to begin with. If the world turns into one that needs to thrive off of the ideals of a single individual... then I have failed, thoroughly.
[ It's painful to even be in this position in the first place. ]
The answer I seek is an answer for me alone, a guiding principle that the world may accept or deny.
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Lacus is just the same, but it's her peerless virtue that makes her suitable for the role. Everyone beneath her should consider themselves lucky, Lobelia thinks, save for men like himself. Under her rule, would Lacus really let a natural disaster tear through her streets? Is Lobelia's desire for happiness enough to permit someone like himself to exist on her society?
Lobelia knows what his answer is, but there may come a point where Lacus has to settle upon her own. When that time comes, Lobelia has full faith that her answer will be the correct one.]
You are only human, Chère, but no matter what path you choose to walk, your feet won't guide you astray. Still... For the sake of conversation, I must ask how it is you would choose to handle someone like me if I were to find my way to your world.
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These matters were easier when she was one faction among many, fighting for her justice. As leader of a nation, more weight is on her shoulders. More guilt will accumulate as well. ]
Ideally, I would find a place for you in my forces that offers you enough entertainment. But in the case that we could not come to such an agreement, if you were to threaten innocent lives... I would not be able to turn a blind eye, no. I would fight you, if I had to.
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Then pray it doesn't come down to that! Alas... As fond as I am of your company, I believe it's for the best that we dwell in entirely different worlds.
[Knowing what he does about Lacus, he can't imagine she'd derive any pleasure from ending his life.]
Well then! Let's make the most of our amitié while we still draw breath! It isn't often I find myself in such amicable, intelligent company.
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I have been rather fond of your company as well. Our current situation is quite the predicament, but to be able to meet as roommates instead of enemies... That's a privilege in its own right. What a shame it would be not to enjoy it.
[ Maybe through all of this, Lacus will arrive at an answer. Maybe she will come to understand why some people seem to feel such an inherent drive towards violence, and through that be able to imagine a future in which they can be happy... Maybe. ]
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For the two of them to meet as they are, it truly takes the miracle of being brought into a different world where neither of them hold as much sway as they do back home. Had it not been for this impromptu vacation, Lobelia very much doubts he'd ever have met someone whom he can truly call a friend.
Thinking about it now, Lobelia chuckles.]
You truly are an ange in human skin! To delight in the company of someone such as me despite knowing what i'm capable of... Simply put, I've never known anyone quite like you. Is that not a reason to celebrate this unique amitié of ours?
[So long as they remain here, he has no reason to lay a finger on this woman. That's enough to celebrate, isn't it?]
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Ah, you flatter me. Whether I am good or merely misguided evil, that is something only time will tell. But here and now, we are merely ourselves.
And as one who unfailingly believes in life, I see no contradiction when I wish with my whole heart that no harm comes to you on this island.
[ The paradox of goodness. ]
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How much do you believe in the power of wishes, Chère? Do you believe a wish could save a life?
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Every song I've written has been a wish and a prayer.
[ And thousands of people died, even so, but that doesn't render the sentiment meaningless. ]
Carrying someone's earnest desire and emotions... That alone can make a person stronger.
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[Magic can be transfused into so many elements of life that Lobelia wouldn't doubt Lacus were capable of achieving that very thing... buuut he's also not in the business of teaching.]
Even without it, your songs are enough to lift the spirits and calm one's soul. To devote yourself in the service of others with such genuine intent is a rare thing, but I doubt you need me to tell you that.