attorneyatlol

A pleasure to meet you, sir.

Yes, I did. The first time I spoke to him was while he was affected by that virus that caused him to believe he was married to Mr. Trinity. Suffice it to say, we got off on the wrong foot. But I spoke to him again once he'd recovered, and I think we've managed to reach an understanding.

Likewise.

That's actually what I wanted to ask you about. I mean no offense, but I'm honestly curious... As a man of the law, how is it that you reached an understanding with him so readily?

Because justice without mercy is meaningless. As an attorney, you work within the court system, the arena where criminals are tried and punished for their crimes. Then you must understand that the purpose of punishment by incarceration is to deter criminals from committing crimes in the future. Of course, this flawed system often times only spurns criminals to continue with their nefarious ways, once they have served their time.

In an ideal system of justice, criminals would be re-educated while in prison and be taught a useful trade that they can use to help them reintegrate into society once more. Unfortunately, even those few convicts who truly repent of their sins and have reformed their ways find little opportunity to return to an honest way of life. They carry a stigma that can never be erased. Society shuns them and ostracizes them as before. And so, they are forced to return to a life of crime.

I believe that Mr. Mikk illustrates the best case scenario for a former criminal who possesses the genuine desire to leave his sordid past behind. He has made every effort to make up for the lives he's stolen by safeguarding the lives of many within this very community. While no amount of good deeds will ever erase what he's done in the past, I think it would be wrong to condemn him after he has tried so hard to make up for it.

You and I have the same ideas about justice, then. I believe in second chances, but when does that second chance start? It wasn't too long ago that he was still considered a criminal...

I think it begins when the criminal shows contrition and expresses his desire to repent and make amends. Of course, many criminals lie in an attempt to win mercy; that's why there are so many appeals in court.

But Hakuba told me how Mr. Mikk protected the community from these creatures called Akuma, and... he created the tease which saved Hakuba's life, as well. Apparently, Mr. Mikk is responsible for rescuing Hakuba on a number of occasions.

Yeah... He's responsible for saving my life, too...

Maybe I'm not as forgiving as some people make me out to be. It's really difficult to look past the things he's done and not be afraid that he might do something like that again.

He is?

Well... I can understand that sentiment. But you have to remember that both good and evil exist in the hearts of all men. To quote a famous line from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, "[...]all human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil[...]"

So, I suppose all you can do is trust in his sincerity to change. And continue to do what you are doing now to ensure that he doesn't backslide into his old ways. As I understand it, Mr. Mikk informed me that it is due to his relationships with people he cares about that remind him not to fall prey to those old desires.

Yeah. During the akuma invasion, I was trapped in my office. He came and got me.

...You make a good point, Mr. Shirogane. That's something I'll definitely consider.

I still don't exactly know what those creatures are or what they do. Only that they come from Mr. Mikk's world. But Hakuba assured me they were extremely dangerous.

Well, I'm glad to be of assistance, Mr. Wright. If there's one thing I've learned from my stay at the community, it's that people are complicated creatures.

I'm not 100% sure, either, but I do have some information on them, if you're interested...?

Yeah. They really are.

I'd appreciate any information you are able to offer. I pride myself on staying informed about dangerous people... and beings.

Alright. Let's see if I can remember all this...

There's a man on Tyki's world called the Millennium Earl who... manufactures akuma for the purpose of destroying humanity. They're machines of some sort, fueled by human souls, and they become stronger by killing people, which they sometimes take the identities of.

It's... really gruesome.

I see. I suppose if I desire more detailed information, I'll simply ask Mr. Mikk about it in the future.

Has that been the only incident of akuma attacking people on the community?

Yeah. He'd probably tell you. Of all the unsavory things he's done, lying isn't one of them.

I believe so.

Certainly a strange moral code he had, but... that probably had to do with him being Noah's Pleasure.

That's good. I don't think I'd like to meet one of those creatures in a dark alley anytime soon...

It's possible.

I don't think you have to worry about that. From what I understand, some portals had been opened that let the akuma in, but I'm pretty sure Tyki and the others closed them.

Others? The only other person I am aware of that comes from Mr. Mikk's world would be Cross Marian.

I think there were other Noahs here at the time. I'm not sure if there still are...

Something else that I can ask Mr. Mikk, I suppose.

Anyway, you have been most helpful.

I'm glad. You really have, too. Thank you.

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[Locked] I just want to say you are amazing. <3

[Locked] Th-thank you... ^^;;

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