Absolute Justice (Open)

Jump City: City Hall. Noon.

There was a bronze statue next to City Hall of the city's founder, complete with lots of historical facts about the city's growth and development. The words "Peace on Earth" were notably at the top of the text, establishing the city's goal for the future.

This particular afternoon, the statue exploded.

"Muah ha ha ha ha ha!" A man inside a heavily armored, humanoid mech laughed at the needless destruction he had caused. "My name is Megaton, and I am the new ruler of Jump City! There is nobody who can save you from my mechanical prowess. I have sent a list of my demands to the mayor. I shall destroy a building every day until they are met. Today you were lucky. This statue will take all of the punishment for today, unless anyone out there is stupid enough to try to stop me."

Dar was sitting on a park bench, reading a newspaper. He neatly folded it and stood, grabbing the huge bag he had been carrying around.

"Finally."

He walked towards the crazed man in the mechanical armor. Megaton noticed and held out a big, metal palm towards him. "Stop. You are unworthy to stand in the presence of Megaton."

Dar opened his bag and pulled out a giant sword, his personal, oversized claymore. He grinned as he activated his powers. Energy surged through him. It was invigorating, and filled him with an undeniable lust for blood. He ran towards Megaton at 100 miles per hour. Cutting his sword deep into the mechanical giant's leg, he was surprised to see that his attack didn't go all the way through.

"What are you, some kind of wannabe hero?" Megaton punched at Dar with a giant fist, pounding him into the ground. "There are no heroes any more. They all disappeared."

"I'm no hero." Dar pushed the mechanical fist to the side and stood up, bruised but otherwise unharmed. Megaton was obviously surprised. Dar cut the mecha's leg the rest of the way through, bringing it crashing to the ground. He jumped on top of it and ripped the small control room open, revealing a skinny man in a green jumpsuit. "I'm just a concerned citizen. We can't have you blowing up buildings."

Dar held his blade to Megaton's neck, ready to kill him, which he stated. "I'm going to kill you now, for the sake of justice. Absolute Justice."

It started out as a quiet day. That afternoon, Marleigh's work hunting led her to being a volunteer groundskeeper at the park next to City Hall. She was in the middle of raking leaves when she heard an explosion coming from the direction of the hall. There were no demolitions of any sort scheduled that day. Concerned that someone may be in trouble, she made haste to the scene.

What she found was nothing short of a mess. Someone had blown up the statue of the founder. The metal chunks were scattered all over the place. She felt the strong urge to clean it up but there were more pressing matters at hand. Right beside where the statue once stood, two figures were locked in combat.

As she had just arrived, she had no idea who was responsible for the destruction. It could have been one or the other. It could have been both. In any case, it looked like the one with a huge sword had gotten the upper hand and was about to deliver the finishing blow. Villain or not, she would not condone senseless and needless taking of lives. Even if it was for, according to the last few words she caught, "absolute justice".

"Stop! He has had enough!" She exclaimed in a loud but firm voice. There was a slight hint of displeasure in her tone which was otherwise neutral if not imposing.

Before Dar could kill Megaton, someone yelled at him, telling him to stop and that the villain had suffered enough. Dar looked at the newcomer, a girl dressed in a maid outfit. Strange, but Dar would not allow that to distract him from the matter at hand.

"This man threatened to kill countless innocents. Those were his words. I stopped him and destroyed his mechanical weapon. Those were my actions. Words and actions, which will you use to stop me?"

Megaton jumped to his feet and tried to run. The flat of Dar's blade swung behind him and broke the man's leg, dropping him to the ground once again.

Dar considered himself a man of honor. He would deal with this woman's petition before finishing Megaton off, but he would not allow Megaton to escape before that happened. He waited for the stranger to give her answer.

Marleigh adjusted her glasses before continuing. She was relieved that the swordsman had the decency to pay attention to her and quietly applauded his cautiousness in incapacitating his foe in the meantime.

"I will not deny your good intentions. Truth be told, the efficiency of your actions is beyond what I could have accomplished in the same situation."

She moved a little closer to the man with the broken leg, writhing in pain. The brief glance she gave him was one of neither pity nor disgust. He was just one of countless others who had little regard for life. But that fact alone did not deprive him from his right to his own. She quickly turned her attention back at the swordsman.

"That said, using actions to oppose you will certainly be a futile effort on my part. It would only serve to uselessly tire me and perhaps be a minor annoyance to you. I too believe that actions speak louder than words, but doesn't that mean one must simply speak even louder?"

She cleared her throat. "I'll try to keep it brief."

"You claim that you stopped him because he threatened to kill innocents. Can I take that as an affirmation that you value lives as well? If so, how is his life any different?"

"It's very difficult to put a price on lives because it's more or less a subjective matter. Righteous and idealistic fools will tell you every life is priceless and precious. Colder and more logical individuals will tell you that the price of one life is simply equal to the price of another. These differences are why we have laws to determine the appropriate punishments for crimes, such as crimes against life."

"This city, like any other society, has its own laws and its own measure of what a life is worth. For as long as we dwell and act within it, it is only right that we follow these laws. If you have any respect for the order this society has established to govern itself, then you should turn this man over the authorities instead of exacting justice with your own hands and judgment."

The maid girl said that trying to use actions to stop Dar would be pointless. He made sure not to feel flattered. Getting a big head could get you killed, especially in this city. Also, she certainly wasn't complimenting him. She was just stating facts. She said that actions spoke louder than words, but then reasoned that she simply had to speak louder to have the same effect. Dar was surprised, and impressed by her show of intelligence. She remained calm as she explained why Dar could not morally justify killing this man. Instead, it would be right to leave the villain to the authorities to deal with.

Dar smiled. "Your logic is flawless, but you missed one small detail." He paused for dramatic effect. "I do not value life. Yes, I stopped him because he threatened innocent people. That was what gave me the excuse to fight him, and ultimately to kill him. I did not act out of compassion, but out of the purest form of hatred."

Dar placed the tip of his greatsword to the ground and rested his hands on the hilt. "As a citizen who obeys the law, it was my duty to prevent this man's threat from becoming reality. I had the power to do so, and the willingness. Since he tried to kill me, I am under a code of honor to kill him. I do have respect for the government you speak of. A lot of respect. But I also have limits. I would not offer unquestioning loyalty and obedience to the government, and neither would you. And so, I am going to kill this man."

His grin grew wider as he waited to hear her reply. As interesting as this discussion was, his bloodlust was still in effect. Dar wanted nothing more than to kill Megaton immediately. He was showing this woman a great honor in participating in this discussion before his opponent had been finished off.

So he was that type of person. It was not as though Marleigh didn't see it coming. It just didn't sit well with her to be at the scene and not at least say something. Men driven by hate instead of compassion were predictable but much more difficult to deal with. For one, they were more stubborn than most. Hearing his words though, she couldn't help but wonder whether hatred or honor would come out on top should he ever be forced to choose just one.

She sighed in resignation. As it was, even words had become useless. But perhaps she could at least offer one more act of undeserved kindness for the villain lying on the ground.

"Do as you will then. I've said my piece. It's a shame we could not see eye to eye, but I suppose a man must keep to his convictions and beliefs. Even when the entire world is against him."

She turned to address the villain on the ground, her hand reaching into her satchel and pulling out a rather large mop. "It seems today isn't your lucky day... Good night."

Without another word she swung the mop at the back of the villain's head, knocking him unconscious.

She addressed the swordsman once more as she returned the mop back into her satchel.

"Though I only became one recently, I am also a citizen of this city. And like you I will not simply stand by while peace and safety are threatened. Not every endeavor I make will be successful. I know that much. But that won't stop me from doing what I can."

She glanced back at the unconscious villain. She may not be able to save his life, but she at least eased the pain of losing it. Dying in his sleep was the best thing she could do for him.

It seemed that the maid wasn't going to argue with Dar anymore. He was almost disappointed. Their back and forth discussion had been engaging. She was certainly no ordinary woman, which she proved even more as she knocked Megaton unconscious.

Dar's eyes opened wide in delight as he realized what she had done and why. She was saving Megaton the pain of his own death. It was a merciful thing to do, although in Dar's eyes it would give Megaton a dishonorable death. Still, he had to give this maid some respect for taking such bold action. She really did, as she had said, follow her convictions.

"You are most noble, and I wish you well in all your endeavors. Don't ever stop following your convictions, even when they clash with my own. If ever we meet again, I hope you will bear me no ill will."

Dar stabbed Megaton through the heart. Blood sprayed into the air and Dar caught some on his free hand. He smelled its fresh scent and closed his eyes in delight. He spoke again to the maid. "If you ever find the entire world against you, seek me out. When that day comes, we'll be on the same side."

Marleigh suppressed her small chuckle.

"Ill will? I am not that petty."

She let out another sigh as the swordsman dealt the finishing blow.

"In the end, while I do not agree with your methods, you still saved lives. I am certain someone out there would be glad to thank you. But not I."

She was rather surprised at the haphazard extending of the hand of friendship. She expected him to show her a little respect but to pledge aid at a time of need was more than she could ask for, especially from someone she was clashing opinions with just moments ago. In fact she still didn't think too highly of him for what he had done. But an honest and direct person like him had merits. At the very least, she would keep his offer at the back of her mind.

"I cannot say I will be counting on it, considering the circumstances of our first meeting. But it would be rather difficult to seek you out if I do not even know your name. Now that I think about it, I never introduced myself either."

"I believe it is customary in this city to identify metahumans by their code names. Mine is simple enough. Ms. Maid, at your service."

She followed her introduction with a curtsy.

The maid said that she would not hold a grudge against Dar. She also said that someone might be thankful for Dar's actions, but she certainly wasn't. Dar didn't mind. He didn't do this for appreciation. He did it because for him the thrill of bloodshed was without equal. It was intoxicating.

The maid said that she didn't plan on needing Dar's help, but she did ask for his name. First, though, she introduced herself as Ms. Maid and curtsied. She had said it was her code name, and Dar found her choice amusing, but bold at the same time.

Dar laughed. "A fitting name. If it is my code name you want, then you can call me Ghost." Dar reached into a pocket and pulled out a calling card. On it was written 'Ghost,' along with a phone number. He tossed it through the air towards Ms. Maid. "If anyone, and I mean anyone is ever threatening you, call me. I would be honored to be given the privilege of protecting you. Know this, though, the price for calling me will be the life of your attacker. I will show no mercy to anyone who attacks an upstanding citizen like you. When death stares you in the eye, I hope that you will accept my help."

With that, Dar turned and started to walk away. He cleaned his sword on a small cloth and sheathed the giant weapon back in the large bag before slinging it over his shoulder. He left Megaton's body on the front steps to City Hall, a reminder to all that crime had a price, a steep one. Unless Ms. Maid had anything left to say to him, he would leave without another word.

The swordsman identified himself as Ghost and presented her a card. It was rather convenient and practical. Marleigh almost wondered why she didn't have something similar. She caught it and slipped it into her pocket.

"I shall keep that in mind."

She watched him leave without another word, but not before ensuring that the villain's lifeless body was displayed for all to see. Quite the sick taste for someone on the side of justice, but it was not something she had not seen before.

When he had gone, she pondered if she should clean things up. It was then that she heard the sound of sirens approaching. It seemed the authorities had finally arrived. For all her talk earlier of letting the proper people handle the situation, it was only right she left it up to them. She returned to the nearby park to resume the work she had been doing.

(OOC: Thanks a lot for the thread. That was great)

OOC: Thank you! It was a really fun thread. I can't wait to RP with you more in the future.