(no subject)

[idealisme]

You fear the strangest things, madame.

Your world may have advanced- but there will always be a need to fight for those who are downtrodden. Justice? Liberty? Equality? These have not become redundant ideas for an older time. Where ever I find myself, be certain I will continue my fight.

Liberté ou la Mort, writer. This spirit is eternal.

Comments

[to_be_free]

Indeed it is, mon frère. [He's just smiling gently, encouraging.] The lady here hopes that you will join me at the place she intends. I must say, it would be wonderful to have you there.

[idealisme]

If the choice were mine it would be so. It will be impossible to find others whom I may trust as I do L'ABC. [Even if he isn't 100% certain that the place you are going is at all okay.]

Yet she tells me of a country where the citizens are slaughtered for the sport of her rich. They have great need for the spirit of revolution there.

[to_be_free]

It sounds like it, and you would certainly be the one to bring it. I do hope in time she may reconsider, it would not ...feel right without you.

[idealisme]

You do me too much credit, Combeferre. The spirit that longs for justice burns in you just as it does me.

[to_be_free]

Not half as brightly. It is you who sets the fires alight, not I.

[idealisme]

Do not be disillusioned. You have flint in you also. The world which receives you will profit well from it, should they choose to listen.

[to_be_free]

I can only hope that it will be so. It will be ...very odd to not have my brothers about.

[idealisme]

All people are our brothers, even if their homeland is not ours.

[to_be_free]

You are right, of course. This world seems very odd, though, it is on the back of a turtle. The young lady says there is an empress, as well.

[idealisme]

A... turtle, you say?

[to_be_free]

It does sound quite mad, doesn't it? But that is what it is, apparently. I suppose the land -- if there is any-- must accumulate on the shell, perhaps.

[idealisme]

Then that is no absurd metaphor, but fact?

[A [pause.] I have encountered much here that I find difficult to comprehend, but this is the greatest, I fear.

[to_be_free]

As far as I know, it is fact.

[He just -- shrugs, for lack of anything better to say.] It is not unheard of, I have seen other lands' tales of creation -- some do believe that the world was once upon the back of a turtle.

[idealisme]

Simply that it is written in an ancient fairy tale does not make it true! Or should not.

[This is such a strange place.]

[to_be_free]

There is more in heaven and earth, my friend, than is dreamt of in our philosophy.

[idealisme]

[Enjolras is not going to debate turtles with you.]

And I would not put it past the English playwright to write of a world turtle neither.

[to_be_free]

[He just laughs.]

I do not think he did, but I cannot be certain.

[idealisme]

Then let us speak of what we can be certain. Your destination is set, and I must build you up so that you will continue strong even without me.

[to_be_free]

Or you could come with me. There are others there -- no one we know, yet, but the lady says they would be sympathetic to our cause.

[idealisme]

I will not make you a promise I cannot keep, Combeferre. No matter how I desire it.

[to_be_free]

[A little sigh.] I know it is not our choice, but even so...I would feel the lack of you at my side, despite what you think.

[idealisme]

It is kind of you to say so, mon frère.

[philosophe]

It is only the truth.

what a beautiful account 8D

[idealisme]

[Enjolras is quite touched, and, ever the tactile one, he reaches out to put his hand on his friend's arm.]

We shall survive our mutual absences. I am assured of it.

oh i do try

[philosophe]

[There's a small smile in return.]

Then I have no fear that it shall be so.

[insurgent]

Those are brave words.

[idealisme]

Only because a few rich men fear the truth will upset the comfort of their lives.

[insurgent]

No arguments there — except it's a lot more than a few.

[idealisme]

No! The rich- these bourgeois merely puff themselves up and keep the people under them divided and afraid to make it seem so!

If the people rise- when the people rise, they will outnumber them and overwhelm them utterly.

[cynisme]

Justice, Liberty and Equality has become redundant ideas for our world, Enjolras. It's no surprise that it gets worse from here.

[idealisme]

But so many nations have come so close to achieving our goal! Education is available to the people, and any man or woman may choose to have their voice heard if they so choose!

You cannot say that the revolution did not succeed!

[cynisme]

I never said that, but I doubt our little stint had much to do with it. It was always in the hands of the Americans and you know it.

[idealisme]

[Sharply] You believe in the Americans over your own people?

[cynisme]

Hardly, but I believe what I've seen, and they started this whole mess before our people even considered it.

[idealisme]

That our citizens considered it at all is the point- and that they were then roused into action against the monarchs. The dream of a Republic could have died, under the reinstated king with too many of the people content to live in mere comfort. And yet it did not.

[cynisme]

Yet. It did not yet, and even that's debatable. Hail a world where idealism reigns supreme and every true, honorable dream comes true. Hail it and be absolutely miserable for your disappointment.

[idealisme]

[headshaaake]

What is it which you fear so much about faith that you refuse to even make an attempt to grasp it for yourself?

[cynisme]

Fearing faith and being wildly disillusioned aren't quite the same thing and you know it. Learn of the world, watch real people and you might see that they will always be disappointments. There is no strength in this rotten world of ours greater than self preservation and personal gain, any anyone who realizes that would doubt the likelihood of successful change for the betterment of the masses.

I don't fear faith, I long for it. I have faith in you.

You're the only one worth having faith in, our budding martyr of the hopeless and disinterested.

[idealisme]

How can you not see that mankind has more to redeem it than that!
I will not deny that there is corruption, and that man has failings, but look at the world of our writers! There is education for the masses there, and freedom.

If Mankind were as stagnant as you profess then we should never have reached the Enlightenment, let alone a world where men and women may vote, and where injustice may be publicly denounced. There will be temporary disappointments, yes. And those who fight for it will not all see the end glory which mankind can achieve- but change can, and will- and has come.

[cynisme]

Here here, to change. And may it always be three steps ahead of us for as long as we chase it.

[junks]

[ a german girl from a later decade purses her lips thoughtfully. ] Unfortunately, it seems that there continue to be other forms of oppression on small and large scales.

[idealisme]

Then it is only that our fight has not yet ended, and new revolutionaries must rise up to spread our dream again.

[junks]

Your idealism is quite inspiring. I'm afraid I've encountered much - darkness, I suppose you could call it. I don't want to lose hope, but the struggle becomes more difficult by the hour.

[idealisme]

Would you tell me about it?

[junks]

The struggle? It seems so trivial in the grand scheme of things, but I would say it is the control of the adults over the youths of a small town. Such terrible consequences, clinging so tightly to tradition that we all suffer.

[credential]

Spirits still need bodies, and men will cling to theirs like death can be fought. You'll find that men still fear death, no matter the year.

[ In your time, you were the revolutionary. In his time, you would be a terrorist. Is this not correct? ]

[idealisme]

I am well aware of this. In my time it saddens me that too many of the people have mistaken meager comforts for freedom. But there are few men so base that they do not contain some spark of hope for better which can be ignited in time.

[It depends on whether there is education for the people and equality and representation for the oppressed. Enjolras' enemy is not government, but injustice.]