Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Mar 23, 2009 20:00:02 GMT -5
Baal could sense something with Drew that was all too familiar. For a long time, he had had to deal with people who were anti-pacifist. He wasn't going to take it from this guy.
"Don't be so quick to judge me. I help people out. Who am I to judge who is worthy of siding with and who isn't? I'm just a man who sells crystal balls. What if I chose wrong and ended up hurting people? But if I help out people who come to me, then it's not my fault, is it?"
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Mar 23, 2009 20:13:29 GMT -5
"I didn't say anything," Drew answered defensively, shrugging back at the man. All he had said was he had heard about the classes. He had made no judgement about them or the teacher out loud.
Drew did find it ironic that the man had claimed to be a pacifist when he was teaching some pretty non-peaceful spells, from what Drew had heard. Teaching them to both sides didn't make you a pacifist. It just made you wishy-washy and weak-minded.
"I should probably leave," Drew said, getting up and excusing himself with a polite smile. He didn't agree with a thing the man had just said and could feel an argument starting. Drew just didn't think it was right to contradict the man in his own place of business.
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Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Mar 23, 2009 20:21:42 GMT -5
Baal realized that he really didn't believe a lot of what he was saying himself. It seemed like making the argument had almost become habit to him now. Maybe it was time to do something. He noticed that drew was almost out the door. He called to him, sincerely, no sarcasm, asking,
"And what would you have me do?"
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Mar 23, 2009 20:28:12 GMT -5
Drew looked at the man and shrugged again. "I can't have you do anything," he answered. "I'm just an eighteen year old kid. I haven't found anyone I can make do anything yet."
If Baal were truly a pacifist, he wouldn't teach those spells to anyone. If he truly had any conviction or trust in his own morals, he would chose a side and stick with it... even if it was the side of true pacifism. But what would Drew have him do? Baal was a grown man. He'd have to figure it out himself.
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Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Mar 23, 2009 22:37:16 GMT -5
"And now you're down to semantics. I'll rephrase. What would you suggest I do?"
Baal was always annoyed at those people who would criticize you and judge you for being wrong without actually offering any form of alternative ideas. Baal was ready to listen, he just needed someone to speak.
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Mar 23, 2009 23:07:57 GMT -5
Again, Drew didn't think it was up to him to suggest anything. Besides, he didn't think Mr. Nelson would take kindly to the idea that he should grow a pair. Then again, Drew was only considering there were three options: Good, Bad, and neutral. There was, of course, one more side that could be what was driving Baal.
"I just don't understand how anyone can care so little as to not take a side," Drew finally said. "You don't even seem to be taking the side of the pacifist like you claim. I mean... well, I guess if your side is just about making a buck, then it's all good, isn't it?"
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Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Mar 26, 2009 11:23:38 GMT -5
"Making a buck! There are some very scary things going on out there! I don't know about you, but it scares the shit out of me! So if I horde these spells for myself and never teach them, how is that helping anyone? If my spell means the difference between escaping or suffering in a dangerous situation to somebody, then I'm going to teach it.
"And you, up on you're high horse, judging me, telling me what I shouldn't do, and you don't even have any idea of what to do instead. Or maybe you do, and you're keeping it from me. You're keeping me from being able to do the right thing. Now who has the questionable morals, Drew?"
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Mar 27, 2009 1:30:16 GMT -5
"I beg to differ, sir," Drew answered calmly, knowing there was absolutely nothing wrong with his morals no matter what Mr. Nelson tried to insinuate. "I'm not judging you and I'm definitely not keeping you from doing the right thing." The good news was the man seemed pretty offended that he was in it just for the money. There was hope for the guy after all. Too boot, it sounded like Baal had actually picked a side. "I don't have the power to do keep you from doing anything. Only you do."
"So if you're so concerned about all of these 'scary things' going on, why aren't you doing something about it?" he asked, knowing that Baal was close to picking a side, but still not convinced they were on the same side. "How are you possibly helping anyone or anything by teaching both sides? And why do you think you need a kid like me to tell you what's right when it sounds like you already know it?"
Drew knew he couldn't force his own morals on anyone and definitely wasn't ready to even share exactly where those morals stood. Not when he knew he couldn't trust the guy. Still, he was glad Baal seemed to be coming to his own conclusions about things.
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Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Mar 27, 2009 19:09:10 GMT -5
"But if I ask you for suggestions, if I really am confused and have no idea what to do or how to do it. If you don't know, then how can you feel like I'm doing the only thing if it's the only thing I know? And if you do know, and you don't tell me, you strand me in the dark. Consider that. May be this is the only thing I know to do. We can't all be Aurors."
Baal paused and caught his breath. He loosened his death grip on the table. He didn't want ti break it.
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Apr 1, 2009 23:33:33 GMT -5
If Baal was confused, Drew was even more so, having no clue what the guy was trying to say. All the Ravenclaw could figure out was that the older man still wanted Drew to tell him what to do. Drew couldn't do that and wouldn't even if he could. It was not his right to impose his own morals on someone else.
"I'm sorry. You have to figure it out for yourself," Drew answered. "I can't tell you where you should stand. All I can say is I think it sucks you refuse to stand anywhere. I don't get why you chose to sit back instead of standing up for anything."
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Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Apr 5, 2009 18:11:26 GMT -5
Drew just couldn't seem to grasp the concept of not everyone being sure how to stand up for something without doing more harm. Some people didn't have all the answers, or any answers, and Baal was one of them. He was getting tired of this whole refusing thing from Drew. He didn't mind being called a coward; he was used to that by now. But what he did mind was when people accused him of being either uncaring or just plain malicious, both of which the younger man had done today.
"You're not getting it!" Baal yelled, more frustrated than angry. "It's not that I refuse to stand up, it's that I don't know how to do t without hurting people more than I already do. And if you don't have any brilliant ideas, how can you say that at least not helping the bad guys is still bad?"
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Apr 5, 2009 18:36:43 GMT -5
"You're right! I don't get it," Drew answered back through his teeth, his voice dropping lower which was a sure sign he too was getting frustrated. Baal was still making no sense and had actually started saying stuff Drew had never even implied. "You keep going on and on about how I need to help you, but there's no way in hell anyone can help you if you can't even figure out what you're trying to stand for. I can't help you do that. You have to do it for yourself. Pro-Deva? Anti-Deva? Hell, you can't even stand up correctly for Pacifism. I'm sorry, but if you want to stand up for something, then start by picking a damn side and sticking to it. You haven't even defined who the bad guys are, much less can you claim you aren't helping them. Stop being such a wuss and pick a damn side."
Hell, yeah, he was getting pissed. Drew didn't usually chew out adults like he just had chewed out Baal.
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Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Apr 9, 2009 21:08:09 GMT -5
"You don't understand what I'm saying at all! I HAVE picked a side. I have SOME idea of what I believe in. It's what comes next where I get stuck! All of my life I've taken the pacifist's, or as you would say, the coward's path. I've put all of my effort into avoiding conflict. And you know why? Because I was too bloody scared that the side I picked would be the wrong one. So I'm sorry if all of us can't be as resolute in our morals from day one as you have been. But I'm only human, Drew, and I don't have all of the answers. The problem is that I don't know how to stand up for the side I choose, because I don't have any experience in doing it."
Baal really hoped that Drew would get it this time. He felt like the conversation was completely circular. That he was making the same points, Drew was failing to get them, and the latter then made his respective points again and again. And it was devolving into nothing more than a shouting match.
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Apr 10, 2009 21:31:19 GMT -5
Drew shook his head back, trying not to get more frustrated with the man. Baal maight think he picked a side, but Drew wasn't convinced, mostly because Baal hadn't even done somemthing as simple as stating it. And honestly, Drew thought having some idea about what one believed in still wasn't picking a side. You either knew what you believed in or you didn't. You either wanted to stand up for your what you thought was right, or you didn't. Baal still sounded awfully wishy-washy about the whole thing. Drew really didn't think there was any shame in being afraid to fight-- everyone had their reasons to back up their choice in that matter--- but he really hated posers who claimed one thing and then did something totally different.
"Please! Stop trying to claim you were ever a Pacifist," Drew groaned, rolling his eyes. "True Pacifism is far from any sort of cowardace. If you think that playing both sides makes you a Pacifist, then you obviously don't know what Pacifism is. If you think that playing both sides was the best way to avoid conflict, then you obviously don't know much about either side. If you have such little faith in your own decision making process as to believe your side might be the wrong one, I don't understand how a ten minute conversation with the likes of me convinced you otherwise. I don't understand why you think anyone can help you when all you have is some vague idea as to what you believe in. If you mean what you say, then pick a damn side and OWN it. NO ONE can help you if you don't do that. The only thing that's going to get you is the WRONG side exploiting you for their own benefit."
Drew was tired of going in circles. Either the guy was an idiot or he was very smart, trying to get Drew to reveal secrets he wasn't about to share with anyone as two-faced as Baal. Drew liked the guy. He truly did. He just didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him.
"So that's how I'm helping you. Pick a side and own it," Drew repeated. "Until you do that, no one's going to take this choice of yours seriously."
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Baal Nelson
Wizarding World Aide
Wizard Shop Owner
It's all in the beard.[on:lurking in your shadows][of:lurking in shadows elsewhere]
Posts: 68
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Post by Baal Nelson on Apr 22, 2009 1:30:22 GMT -5
"And now you're down to semantics! This always happens! People like you always degenerate into picking apart words and quibbling over dictionary meanings! It drives me crazy when I try to have a conversation and it always comes down to 'You said this, you said that.' It makes me sick!"
When it came to Drew's comment about picking a side, Baal didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth, ready to retort, when he realized that Drew was right. He hadn't really picked a side. And until he could say with certainty that he had and defend not only himself but the chosen side as well, maybe he didn't have a right to debate the issue. With that one accusation, Drew had taken all of the steam out of Baal's argument. He felt deflated, and his shoulders slumped a bit.
"You're right," he said quietly.
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