Tales of Avanturia 1

Chapter 23: The Thing About Justice...

So apparently, the bomb set the house ablaze. Great..

Anyhow, the Blood Roses managed to rescue most of their belongings before they were completely lost in the flames.

Makoto lead them away, towards a secret path deep into the mountain's heart – the headquarter of the Jiyū no senshi.

This all seemed just convinient for the Blood Roses, it saved them the work to actually look for Makoto and arrange a meeting. He just came to them, set their house on fire and invited them to his hideout – nothing too special. Especially for Fenrock and Brynjolf for that matter.

The whole base seemed more like a camp. There were people training, people being educated, fed, treated. Mostly very poor people.

Makoto brought to the main building, where they'd talk.

„So, I believe, you wonder, why I brought you here." he introduced.

„Quick guess," Brynjolf said, „You've gotten word about the situation and about what happened to us, mostly good ol' Fenny over here and thought to yourself that this might be a great opportunity to finally convince us to join your cause in fighting the nobility and going for equal rights, a thing fairly uncommon in those parts. And of course that attack on the day we arrived was all a big misunderstanding and they were actually just impostors and you totally know who it really was. By the way, while you're at it, you're going to explain your actions with stuff like 'It was all for the greater good' and 'sacrifices were unaviodable' and bullshit like that, because that'll convince us even more to fight for you because, not only have you already put it on your nice litte flyers, but also the Amaharu-love-and-happiness-and-stuff festival is tomorrow and since you made this big announcement, that this will be the date where you'll change the way it was, you want us recruited by then. That about right?"

Everyone in the room just looked at him and even through Makoto's mask, one could clearly see the utter confusion, „...that's one way to put it...?" he said irritated and unsure, „You know, I was gonna hold an emotional speech about redemption and equality, but you kind off just took everything away from me here.."

„I think, that's for the better," Fenrock replied, „I always find those types speeches terribly dull and unmoving."

„Anyway," Bella interrupted, „I don't think, that we'll join you, no matter what you say."

„She's right, though," Fenrock said, „We didn't come here to join anybody and initially, our mission was to destroy your little organisation."

„And what kept you from doing it? You've had plenty opportunities." Makoto wondered.

„Trust issues." Fenrock bluntly replied.

„I see, well, if I can't convince you to join us, at least listen to what I have to say. Just to clarify things."

Fenrock looked at each of the three, who all nodded, agreeing, „Sure, why not, it's not like we have anything else going, so.. the stage is yours."

„You see, Makoto is not my actual name, my actual name is Jaque Faux, I am from Vylaria actually. I hide behind this mask, this identity because I don't want to have a face for this organisation. This concept. Anarchy is, much like anything else, an idea. And an idea is not what one person believes in, but what multiple people hold onto, expand it even, using their understanding and their interpretation and most importantly – an idea cannot be killed, even if many people would like to have it otherwise. This is why I don't see myself as a leader, but rather a representer of this organisation, merely a speech holder. The people join us, not because they believe in me as a person, but in the idea that the Jiyū no senshi fight for."