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Post by swapgo on Dec 7, 2023 22:21:32 GMT
"I Attempt To Be Clear. If I Do Not, Then It Is Likely That The Answer Is Not Clear To Me", Desire replied somberly, it didn't seem to be satisfied with giving such an answer.
The spectre did not inch as Strange invited her over to the next room, instead, she was already there, her form coddled vaguely over a chair, one of her blackened hands holding a hot cup of tea, smoke wafting gently from its surface, if only to meet Strange's expectations. In that sense, it wasn't too unlike Liberty, minus the temper. "I Am Needless, For I Am to Provide To The Needy, The Struggling, The Weary", Desire elucidated, her craft was the air she breathed. "Jamie Was One Of These, Afflicted With The Most Puzzling Torment: Misfortune. His Life Was In Order, And It Appeared As If Fate Took It As A Challenge To Make It Not Be. He Broke When His Psychiatrist Stopped Calling Back, And Soon After Learned He Was Murdered Mysteriously. I Witnessed His Demise Firsthand", the phantom narrated gently, still undecided in what her tone should be, as if this experience was more alien to her than it was to Strange. "Jamie Wanted Normalcy And Peace. It Was The Boon That I Gifted To Him", Desire's other hand poked from within her form, pulling out...a pair of glasses...no, it was a completely white, blank replica of a pair of square glasses. Strange could almost see Jamie's face wearing them, reflecting nothing but a black void and vaguely expressive flickers of light.
"I Sculpted These For Him"
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Post by Beriadan on Dec 8, 2023 7:35:37 GMT
Strange was piecing it all together as Desire spoke, and the more they spoke, the more worry filled his heart. They seemed to want to please, picking those who tipped the scales of misfortune versus the ability to overcome. Jamie had suffered, and had not been able to persevere, so Desire gave him whatever he wanted. A world, silent of superheroes and grandiose villains, where the normal because King. He frowned into his glass of dark liquid, swirling it, contemplating.
It seemed like Desire followed the whim of whoever took them as a patron, or perhaps it was latent? They had been following Strange's desires here, even though they were minor ones. He had wanted to sit with them, and they had simply always been sitting, drinking, waiting for him. He felt his stomach twist. A truly, truly dangerous power.
"You provide them with too much. If someone is struggling, then they don't need an entire dimension created for themselves. You can't just bring everyone's whims and wishes to fruition."
Strange placed his drink down on a convenient side table, leaning forward to stare hard at Desire. What, he wondered, did they desire? Was it their wish to keep serving others for their whole lives? Did they know anything different? Why, exactly, were they doing this, besides Desire's reasons of compulsion and fairness?
"The gifts you gave Jamie turned into a nightmare for the others that were dragged into his world. It turned into something that threatened this one. There was a damn kid in there!"
Strange realised there was an anger that had been bubbling up inside, as his last statement rose to a shout. He corrected his position, cleared his throat, shook his head.
"It's... it's not an easy subject, sure. But we have a saying on Earth: shit happens. You can't just wave a magic wand and change reality, just because someone's having a bad time."
Strange watched Desire's featureless face. It was dawning on him that this could be a tipping point, of such. Desire had created the dimension, but their kin had become aggressive. How much of that temper did they share? What was stopping Desire from using their powers out of malice? He frowned as they revealed the glasses, crafted especially for Jamie.
"What would you do if someone's desire was to have someone else die? If they wished it, would you indulge? Give them the tools to murder? To take revenge? Where, exactly, is your line in the sand?"
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Post by swapgo on Dec 8, 2023 10:06:57 GMT
"I Believe I Was Already Clear"
Desire did not seem stirred yet, though her voice did carry certain levity to it, as if it was slighted at the idea of Strange standing up to her, "This Boon, Jamie Has Had It For Weeks. It Quietly Spared Him From The Ills Of Fate, He Could Breathe In His Own Life. It Was Only When It Felt Threatened, Unable To Continue Its Work From The Shadows, That It Manifested Its Volition Into A Tangible Form", it elucidated, it felt threatened? What happened that day? Rather, what did it prevent from happening that day that was so drastic?. The people he met in the orderly world seemed to be shook into compliance, it wasn't unlikely that Liberty made an example of those who would upset Jamie's concept of peace. Most importantly, if Jamie has had these glasses for weeks, how many more of these artifacts were currently in people's hands?
"Mark Millers", Desire interjected, "An Orphan, Who Currently Steals To Survive. He Was Happy To Be Able To Reunite With His Beleaguered Friends, But The Closed World Treated Him Much Better Than This One, He Believes This", it elaborated, a shallow, narrow-minded point of view, however, even at Eagle-Eye, Strange could see that the benefit of this ordered world was up to debate. "You Say This, And Yet You're The Single Most Capable Mortal Of Doing Such A Thing. There Is No Commendation For Choosing To Not Do So", it added, it was a good reminder that one had to be particularly mindful of what words they chose when dealing with a djinn, even if Desire wasn't one by the traditional sense.
"I Have Not Granted Such A Wish, If Ever I Did, I Would Give Them The Means To Seek Their Closure", Desire admitted, perhaps it almost gloated, her hands had disappeared from its form and back into its robes, though it continued to appear 'relaxed' as it could. While it attempted to appeal to honesty, its ambiguous lexicon seemed to be second nature, if not first. "It Is The Push And Pull Of Existence For Ambitions To Conflict. A Man Who Wishes To Survive His Illness Stands Against The People He Has Wronged, The People That Want Him Dead, But Lack The Grasp Or The Ambition To Carry Out The Deed. Granting The Opportunity To Achieve Them To Those That Could Never Have It Changes Not This Equivalence. The World Churns Heedlessly Regardless. Of This I Am Certain"
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Post by Beriadan on Dec 8, 2023 12:44:33 GMT
"That's different."
Strange shook his head, feeling like this conversation was becoming a debate.
"I can wave my hand and change reality, to an extent. I'll give you that. Yet I don't. People shouldn't get everything they desire. They should get everything they need."
He tapped his finger on the arm of his chair, staring off into the middle distance with a deep frown on his head. Strange was carefully crafting a rebuttal here. It was clear Desire had their own way of doing them. Slowly he raised his eyes again to look at her, an expression of mind annoyance on his visage.
"That kid. Mark Millers. In the Closed World, he was still stealing to survive. He may have had one desire, but he needed family. Support. Not just to be dumped into another reality. Jamie may have desired a world free of superheroes and strife, but what he needed was some emotional support. Perhaps a bit of perspective."
Strange breathed out heavily through his nose, tugging at his goatee with irritation.
"You give out this kind of power, these boons, these gifts, and you open up the biggest can of worms ever to grace this universe. You need to have values to stick to. You need to be able to say that actually you won't grant your desires to some people. I don't use my powers to shape reality because I know that's not the answer to the world's strife. As soon as you dip your toe into that kind of thinking, then there is no limit to what you will do. And that is dangerous. That breeds violence, greed, and a sense of self-worth. Jamie was given these gifts, and the other humans in the Closed World were powerless to do anything. They had to follow his every whim. Your powers gave him the ability to bring exactly what he hated and pass it on to others. Yet you weren't there for them. That's the difference."
Strange took a breath, sighing as he leant back in his chair, taking another drink as he stared at Desire.
"People always have the potential to manifest the darker side of their minds. That's why what you did for Jamie turned sour. You can't grant desires and then leave them to do whatever they want. Humans are flawed, it is just the way it is."
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Post by swapgo on Dec 8, 2023 22:56:32 GMT
"You Judge My Kin Quite Harshly For Being In The Closed World For All Of A Day", Desire tilted their form sideways, there was no sass to her voice, but it was almost there. "I Do Not Suggest Taking It Up To Her". It warned, not that she needed to. The Closed World clearly didn't move at the same pace as their own, one had to wonder how many looped weeks have transpired in the short days since the incident. The Desire stayed still in contemplation, a pair of calsped hands emerged from her robes and fidgetted impatiently if only to show some semblance of motion to Strange, as the air was clean of any psychic noise. "Ah. I See The Impasse", the spirit motioned briefly before her hands disappeared.
"You Believe My Goal To Be Something As Irrational And Nebulous As 'Bettering' The World"
There was a moment of absolute silence, it was always something with these spirits with blue and orange morality, wasn't it? "I Am Not A Manifestation of Compassion, Strange, I Am Opportunity, Ambition, Serendipity. It Is These Aspects Of Mortals That Make My Being. To Coddle A Single Protege, To Attempt To Guide Him Through Some Sort Of Subjective Ideal That I Do Not Understand; It Would Starve Me, I Would Wither", it explained. Hidden within many layers of generosity, conscience, and divinity, what was before Strange was a shark, a ruthless predator that couldn't afford to stop, she did not need food, water, or air, but she was incorrect when she claimed herself to be needless. "Ambition Cannot Be Dependent On Benevolence. Fortune Is Doom, Doom, Fortune. I Exist To Move The World, Not To Perfection, Not To Ruin, But Merely, Forward. I Sculpt The Faces Of Mortals, So That Mortals May Sculpt The World, As They See Fit", it spoke, her voice taking in more and more of the room, despite her apparent stillness. Responsability was an alien concept to her, she was always responsible, she was ambition itself, to ponder on consequences was hesitation, weakness, existence is there to be seized.
"Flaws Are Carvings, They Criss-Cross In The Pattern That Is Existence. Of This I Am Certain"
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Post by Beriadan on Dec 10, 2023 9:34:09 GMT
"And you don't think you need to take some responsibility?"
Strange was frowning at their words. Just what was this ideology? Stemmed from a natural urge to "feed" from fulfilling the desire of others, untempered by surroundings, allowed to grow wild like brambles in a thicket with nothing to contain it. Strange felt like treading carefully, here. The being sitting before him was perhaps a lot more dangerous than he had taken it for. Creating a new reality was one thing, but granting such abilities to other people... he took a sip of his drink, contemplating still.
"I could dominate this world if I wanted. To use my powers to their fullest extend, it could mean I could end world hunger. War. All I would have to do was release myself from the bonds of my values, from responsibility, and it would all be within my grasp."
As if to accentuate the point, Strange raised a hand, palm up, staring across the room at Desire.
"You are a being who has been gifted an ability that can change life for the better. Yet we can't simply do this without thought. Without feeling. Giving people the power to sculpt the world without understanding what they might do... it can easily lead to untold disaster and cataclysm for millions of other lives. One life, leading to the potential deaths of entire worlds. And that would be on your shoulders."
Strange lowered his hand, curling it into a fist and resting it on the arm of his chair. His expression softened somewhat as he tapped his finger on the soft leather surface.
"Yet I understand that you can't just... not do these things. I've met beings like you before, that need to do a certain thing, or they'll vanish from existence. Desire... how long have you lived for?"
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Post by swapgo on Dec 10, 2023 13:39:47 GMT
"I Am Responsible Of These Consequences. I Always Will Be".
The spirit seemed to disregard the difference between someone being responsible for something and someone being a responsible blob of space. "Your Concern Is That My Actions Would Do More Harm Than Good. My Inspiration Requires Misery To Exist, Thus It Would Stand To Reason That I Would Seek To Perpetuate That. This Flawed World Necesitates Not Such Desperation", the Desire argued that it felt at home at the current level of existential dread, jolly. "Single-Minded Intents Of Havok Are Not Often My Wards, However, To Limit My Reach To Only Those Whose Intents Are Accepted By Mortals As Pure Is Diminishing. There Are Those Who Lie To Defend, Who Steal To Provide, Who Destroy To Liberate. I Will Not Exclude Them", it argued, its visage tilting down as it did so. One could argue that the Desire took calculated risks when it came to 'means to an end' kinds of affairs, except it didn't calculate, nor was it itself at any risk.
"My Consciousness Does Not Exist Linearly. Whatever Answer I can Provide Will Be Incorrect"
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Post by Beriadan on Dec 10, 2023 14:07:44 GMT
"Are you?"
Strange's eyes narrowed as Desire spoke. Clearly he was speaking to a being that didn't quite understand the minds of humans, or mortals.
"If you are responsible, then why does your kin lie within Jamie's Closed World, alongside Jamie himself? Responsibility is more than just a word."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. It felt like Desire didn't understand, or didn't want to understand. What was worse? Yet at the same time, Desire did seem to understand. It was fine with their actions to lead to more destruction, to lead to the pain of others. Strange understood that it was just the natural way of their abilities, but that couldn't be. It couldn't exist like that.
"So you've come to me... because you want me to stop you? To help you? Or just to try and make me understand the way you do things? You say it's just because I interest you, but I can't accept just that."
Strange gave a small smile towards Desire. He leaned forward, hands knitted together in his lap as he stared across the distance between them.
"My task is to protect this world. You are telling me that you wouldn't think twice about granting someone the boon to destroy, to kill, to annihilate anything in their way, if the scales tip in their favour? Do you understand how this is an impasse?"
He frowned, squeezing his hands together. Whatever this being was confessing... Strange found that he somewhat liked them. He didn't want this to turn into another violent affair. The Sorcerer Supreme straightened up, expression twisted in some form of desperation. Trying to figure out a way to pass this conflict.
"It's not something I can accept in this form. Everything must have the chance to exist, but higher beings like you and I, like the mortals that you give this unlimited power to, we have to have perspective. I don't feel like you do."
Strange's lip twitched in another smile, as he place two index fingers against his lips, watching Desire with a keen interest and sour thoughts. He hoped they would get the picture. Strange really hoped Desire would understand.
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Post by swapgo on Dec 10, 2023 18:34:27 GMT
"Jamie, And My Kin That You Have Dubbed 'Liberty', Are Inexorably Linked, So Is My Kindred With Their Hosts, Two Pieces Of A Whole. They Were Briefly Separated By Your Actions, But No More", Desire suggested. It seemed that his theory was incorrect, Desire's 'kin' is not like her, it is instead the living enbodiment of their host's wish, Desire has no need to further inspect her wards, her kin does it for her. Liberty IS responsible, of keeping Jamie safe, and his friends well cared for, everything else be damned.
The spirit let Strange ruminate about her, it was hard to tell if she was listening in, the buzzing in the air suggested that the question about her purpose in the Sanctorum brought her to reminisce and ponder. The starts within the robes that made her form flickered in and out of existence, drifting everywhere and nowhere at once, was it the equivalent of fidgetting, or of seething? "I Have Contemplated My Consciousness During Bouts Of Nonexistence. I Did Nothing But Ruminate, Experiment, I Prodded The Ins And Outs Of My Existence. What Makes Me That Which People Desire, And How I Can Accomplish It. Some Of These Quandaries, I Am Not Yet Certain, I Will Use Some Of This Time To Find An Answer Your Question, For I Know Not The Answer Yet", the Desire responded, apparently, while it was an indubidably dangerous phenomenom, certain aspects of its own being were too out of its understanding. At least, unlike Jamie, it was interested in figuring them out, it begged the question of whether that would bring good or ill. "I Think More Than Just Twice. I Do Nothing But Think, Create, Decide, It Is The Burden I Bear. That I Am Willing To Be Heavy Handed Does Not Mean I Choose Lightly. Not Only Are You Capable Of Reaching The Destructive Lengths You Have Mentioned, But Have Both Confronted And Allied With Those Who Can Do So As Well", it rebutted, alluding to Strange's interactions with the Justice League, if it was true that Desire was peering into his frustrations, it would likely stand out like a sore thumb.
"There Is No Solving A System Of Infinites"
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Post by Beriadan on Dec 12, 2023 12:46:53 GMT
Strange leant back, a crooked grin on his face. "Kin" could be interpreted more like "children", he mused. Desire granted the wishes to those they deemed worthy, and created another being to see it through. He was quiet for a hot minute, listening to Desire. Really listening. They spoke in a way that felt hard to follow at times, but Strange felt like he was getting a grasp on it.
The reference to the Justice League made Strange pause for a beat in his thoughts. Something entered his mind, a tiny flame of an idea. Something bright, and new, but that sent deep shadows flickering around the corners of Strange's thoughts. Something so small, casting large, dark shadows. Strange blinked, as if the very idea had slapped him across his face.
If Desire could truly see within his mind, then the rainbow of emotions would strike them, too. Curiosity, followed by anger, fear, guilt. A sudden rush of regret that tried to extinguish the flame before it could grow any larger. Any other person would see simply a flicker on Strange's face, but a being who could see desire itself would see it like a drive-through theatre screen projected from his eyes to his body language.
What if I desired to stop the Justice League?
Strange clearly knew what Desire could see, and shook his head heavily.
"No. You are correct. There is no solving such a system, which threads beyond just you and I. Such thinking... it is why I do not act on my own impulses. Why I can't. Someone with my power can't act selfishly in a way that would pluck the threaded reality, or weave it as we see fit."
Strange suddenly rose, pacing behind the chair with his hands laced behind his back, his expression dark waters before the rolling storm.
"But this would be my fear. That someone without the strong resolve as I could use a being like you to create untold chaos on this world. Jamie, luckily, had very introspective ideas. A quiet world with no superheroes. Desire, what if he had different thoughts? What if Jamie's desire was to wipe out superheroes?"
He stopped, turning to face them, tugging at his goatee with a shaking hand.
"With my knowledge of what creatures with greater power than I have tried to do with half of your abilities, I hope you understand why I feel so unnerved. Why I am relentless in finding out what your motives were, what you want from me. There was another, not long ago, who could twist reality, and did so in a way that nearly tore this world apart. I cannot, and will not, stand by to see that happen again."
His other hand, which had been gripping the back of his arm chair, relaxed. Strange straightened, clearing his throat with his eyes closed. Relaxing, reorientating. Strange opened his eyes again, looking at Desire with a kinder smile on his lips. Desire might be able to sense that this sudden change of attitude was genuine. He truly wanted to get to know them better.
"In that sense, I hope we can work things out between us. Desire, I hope too that we can be friends. I don't believe you have any untoward intentions, forgive my naivity. I just don't want to fall on the same mistakes that have cut me before."
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Post by swapgo on Dec 12, 2023 17:06:11 GMT
Though it was difficult to grasp Desire's form through its hollowed out cloak, it was evident that it was leaning in with interest.
A chime like sound accompanied Strange as his train of thought came to an abrupt halt. "It Is Reality's Design That I Am Selfless. Your Efforts To Be So, In Contrast, Are Your Own", Desire attempted to find rapport, albeit with the finesse of a sack of gravel. When Strange suggested that Jamie's interjection could've gone worse, the Desire procured the replica glasses from within its form, inspecting them as if yearning insight from them. "Should I Or My Kin Be Able To So Seamlessly Fulfill Such A Wish, We Would Not Be Having This Conversation. You Would Be A Surgeon, I Would Cease To Exist", it reassured Strange. Entities that depends on mortal volition likely have limitations to their reach, some of which Desire likely does not understand herself, by her own admission, though it was likely that her boons demanded the world to produce friction, or else it would cut off its own life force.
Desire did not follow Strange in his pacing, though it always felt like she did, perhaps she actually did, and returned to her seat in the split seconds where Strange's sight crossed the empty chair. The phantom gave his words a moment, an ethereal sigh seemed to fill the room, the flames of the fireplace flickering in turn. "I Cannot Abide To Allegiances, Nor Can I Guarantee I Will Put Your Trust Over My Task. Regardless, You Found Answers, I Found Questions, This Conversation Was Fruitful, Of This I Am Certain", it considered, its form lifting itself from the chair, drifting on the way back towards where they both came from, its visage always facing the sorcerer, perhaps they would pay their daughter a visit one last time. "When Reality, Be It Yours, Or Everyone's, Hangs By A Thread, There Is No Right Or Wrong. There Is Only Forward", Desire suggested, an answer to the question he found himself mulling not too long ago. Whether he would take it to heart was up to him.
"We Will Meet Again, Strange, Of This I am certain", the words would flicker in his mind. The moment his attention lapsed for the slightest second, the phantom before him was gone, or at the very least, gone from his consciousness. The snow continued to fall, both within and without New York.
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Post by Beriadan on Dec 12, 2023 17:36:04 GMT
Strange blinked, and Desire was gone. He chuckled under his breath, not entirely phased by the meeting but still feeling shaken. Perhaps by his own thoughts, perhaps by the context that it all came with. Desire themselves didn't pose a threat, but he still couldn't tell if they were an issue. The wrong power, the wrong hands... Strange looked at his own, shaking as he stared at them. What had those thoughts been? Did the demons of his own subconscious really think like that?
His steps lead him back to the room of curiosities, where he spent a few moments staring at the orb that contained the Closed World, faux New York, Liberty and Jamie. What kind of power could create a pocket reality? What were the limits?
Strange hoped that he would meet Desire again. For now, he had more pressing matters. He swept through the corridors of the Sanctum, his cloak billowing out behind him, as he shelved the meeting, categorised under "Very Interesting". It was not alone.
No right or wrong. Only forward. Strange smiled again. That was a good way of putting it. He had to keep pressing forward, lest he be dragged back by the past. Strange had to keep a hold of his demons and dark thoughts. If he didn't, who knew what kind of reality-twisting dangers he could inadvertently cause.
The universe moved on, with or without him. Of that, he was certain.
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