Players:
Summary: After the encounter with Caleb, Hosea and Daisuke have a talk about taking life.
Date: June 23, 2020. Immediately follows Challenge to the Hound
Log Title: Evidence of Things Unseen
Rating: R. Note: Contains religious content
The Underground - Gathering Area
Hidden in the maze of tunnels is the open area that the mutants have turned into their haven, their home. Not wanting to risk electricity being detected down here, there are battery powered and gas powered lights leaving the place dark and damp. At least three mutants are always on guard down here at the entrance to the mutant camp and secret passwords and codes are needed to get into this room. Theres a large door with a large piece of wood barricading it as those down here dont take any chances.
The trip back to the hideout was quiet. After making their way back to the entrance of the base, Hosea still didn't say anything. His smile is gone, replaced by a sober demeanor. Now they are back underground, he's still not certain that he wants to talk. He adjusts the pack on his back, filled with foodstuffs and clothing. As they head toward the first stop to deposit the goods, he maintains a steady pace, a long stride to make the pace rather quick.
Once they are back, Daisuke just puts down his gun and sword and walks to grab a role of duct tape. He takes off his vest and shirt underneath reveal many old scars and even a prominent burn scar of what looks like a clothing iron. There's also a large bruise on him where he got hit by that blast. "Damnit, my ribs just healed and they're cracked again." He mutters as he starts to tape up his side. "Hosea…do you realize what we were fighting out there?"
Hosea's back hurts from the blast, but he doesn't complain. "Yes. We were fighting other human souls," he says, placing that importance at the front. "People just like us, who have been captured and warped against their will to fight and kill us if dey are able." He is still facing away when he begins to speak, but turns toward Daisuke part way through. He unhooks the hip belt on his backpack, and lets it slide back onto one hand. His new shirt is now a new rag hanging off of his body. That one blast tore it to shreds, but fortunately, there are other shirts available now. He doesn't give any physical indicators that he's hurt by his stance, but then again, back when he helped the X-men, he rarely did if he could resist.
"I know about human souls Hosea, trust me I do." Daisuke says as he finishes taping his ribs down and starts bandaging up cuts where he's bleeding. "I sold mine years ago Hosea, but I got it back so I do know the value of a human soul. But those things out there, those hounds, we -can't- get them back to normal. We've tried. You've been in the camp, things are different there, trust me, how do you think I got this." He says pointing at his eye and the tattoo there. "Caleb…he'll kill again, and keep on killing, so every time we let a Hound go, we're giving him free reign to kill more. What evil do you want to choose?"
The large African shakes his head. "Dey would say dah same about us, yes?" he challenges. "Dah humans say we are dangerous, dat we must be stopped. Every time dey let one of us kill, we are given free reign. And so it goes back, and forth. I choose not to commit dah evil. It is better dat evil should fall upon us den we to become dah evil ourselves." He doesn't argue over whether Caleb will kill. He fully understands that.
"No Hosea, there is one thing wrong about that statement. We, you and I, we have a choice. Just like you saw now, my choice would have been to kill. Five years ago, I was an X-Man and I wouldn't have made that choice, you chose to let him go on and kill other mutants. Now Caleb…he doesn't have a choice. He's a -hound- Hosea. He has one goal and that's to see us dead." Daisuke says as he finishes bandaging himself up and goes to get a glass of water. "I don't like killing but sometimes, you have to go with the lesser of two evils. We're at -war- Hosea."
Hosea shakes his head. "You say dat he cannot change," he repeats Daisuke's earlier comment. "You do not understand. I was him. I was brainwashed into being a killah, and I did it vedy well. People in Africa see people like Caleb every day, because dey are taught from when dey are young that dey are to kill. You say dey cannot change. I changed."
Daisuke walks up to Hosea and goes to punch him, right in the face. "It's not normal brain washing Hosea. They -can't- break free of it. It's not like a telepath went in there and screwed with their heads. It's not like someone hooked up them up to a device and there is a chance they can break free. He does this on a -genetic- level. He alters them /genetically/ and /mentally/ to follow his orders. You weren't genetically altered to be a killer Hosea, just had a bad teacher is all."
Hosea phases, but returns no aggressive action. The punch passes straight through him harmlessly. "You cannot undahstand, because it has nevah been you," he says. "I could not break free of it by my own strength. God broke me free. And God is more powerful den the brainwashing I went through. He is more powerful than Ahab. He is more powerful den any power you can imagine. His Holy Spirit can overcome even dis." His voice is powerful and passionate. "I know you do not know Him, but He knows you. He knows Caleb, and I wait for His timing. We will win dis war, because I know dah character of God. I do not know if I will live to see it, or you will, but He is faithful." For Hosea, this goes far deeper than the simple of issue of whether to kill. Truth be known, if he had to kill his enemy to protect someone else, he would do it, but that situation has not arisen. "You can know Him too, if you desire to seek Him."
"Screw you Hosea! You don't think I've been brainwashed to be a killer before? Seriously! I've gone through it TWICE!" Daisuke says and when he says twice there is a rumble of his sonic power through the area. He has to calm himself so he doesn't accidentally used his powers. "Twice I was kidnapped by Mr. Sinister, twice I was force to kill people cause of him. And Mr. Sinister is a evil scientist geneticist and I was able to break out. This guy Ahab, he beats out a genius. He's….bad Hosea, real bad. And don't you dare, try to go all holy roller on me. Convert the heathen, is that what you're doing now. I was taught Shintoism by my /Grandmother/ and there is no way I'm forsaking that. Now you want to tell me more about what shit I haven't been through cause Hosea….my life is far from easy."
The African studies Daisuke for a long moment. "I do not think I am bettah then you," he returns in his deep voice. "If anything I am far worse than anyone I know, including those hounds. I do not tell you dese things because I want to offend your grandmother. I do not say your life is easy." He pauses, but clearly has more to say.
He takes a much softer tone. "But if you have been controlled before, den you must be grateful because those who cared about you did not kill you when you wanted to kill dem. Now shall you give dah same mercy to dah hounds? I believe dat it is still possible for dem to be free. If you will abandon hope dat they will be free, then dat is your choice, but I shall not abandon hope." His voice has grown quiet, and he looks almost as if he would cry if someone pushed the right button.
Daisuke shakes his head. "Sorry Hosea, I know you want to believe, but we've tried. I started working with the resistance five years ago, I got caught was put into a camp and was broken out and came back to the resistance. Jeri got me out, now…he's dead. Most people I know are dead either killed by Hunters or Hounds. I've been at this a loooong time Hosea. There are too many risks involved. In the case of you and I…well me, I had telepathic help to get me to over come everything and every bit of reprogramming. These..not even the telepaths can do it. Betsy can't. We've tries. It's not temporary Hosea. As much as you would like to believe it." He says patting him on the shoulder.
Hosea smiles again, and returns the hand on Daisuke's opposing shoulder. "I know," he says. "Dere is no thing to see before us dat will contradict you. All that we see says dat you do not speak hastily, but with knowledge. But my faith is not in what is seen, but what I have promised from my God." Many of the people that Daisuke has lost are also people Hosea has lost, but he doesn't revisit the statement. "God commands me to trust him. For fifteen years I have followed Him, He has never wronged me, so how shall I betray Him now with my doubt?"
"For fifteen years, since the first time I stepped into Xavier's, I let the chips fall where they may and fight like hell to be stronger." Not physically but mentally, emotionally. "I trust in me and those that fight beside me, I trusted the X-Men and well…I wouldn't say trust let me down but I've always attracted bad luck so I shouldn't be so surprised this is where my life ended up." He then sighs and shakes his head. "For the record, you aren't the only one who had to grow up pretty much raising themselves either. Night Biblical Avenger." He says before going to crash out on a comfortable cot with a cup of weak tea.
