"Oh the other hand..." - Said Selene, sighing - "This is a good teachable moment, I guess... She will have to learn, sooner or later, that there are moments in which the powerful shouldn't act."
Venus sighed. Lucas was well within her domains, being a woman. She knew this would not be easy on the angel.
"Sorry, forgot to go to an exchange house. I'll go through the Moon to my city to get it, it's gonna be quick." - Said Lucas.
"Very well." - Said Robert. She followed Lucas as Lucas opened a rift to her place, mentally noting how normal it felt now.
As Lucas and Robert stepped into Lucas's plot, they saw Venus and Selene.
Selene spoke first.
"Lucas... I think this is a good time for you to learn something..."
"Uhm... Okay?" - Said Lucas - "I and Robert were going to Hell's Kitchen and then the Angel Café. Robert..."
"We can wait a bit, Lucas, especially given the kind of things they show you..." - Said Robert - "Should I be here, though?"
Venus nodded.
"I think it's actually good that you are, Robert."
"Right..." - Said Lucas - "What's the matter?"
Selene/Neruite gestured and an image of Jeff appeared. He seemed to be viewing Ricky as a toy and to be thoroughly enjoying himself.
No. Not as a toy. As a slave. - Thought Lucas.
Robert felt something coming from Lucas. Power. Given the nature of the power Lucas had been given, it wasn't surprising, but it was still jarring to feel it released like that.
"Say no more, Neruite. I'm going in." - Said Lucas, calmly, her hand on the hilt of her sword. Her calm hid the fact that she was enraged with that guy.
"No. You're not." - Said Selene, gently - "Lucas. I need you to understand something. Jeff is the son of a media executive..."
"...who sees the changed as too powerful and could attack the changed with his media hounds, yes. Jeff's father is also the father of a spoiled rich brat who has showed himself to be a jerk of nearly psychopathic proportions in two days and thinks he's entitled to respect because he has money and a jackknife. I have power and a sword. No, strike that. I have power and the friggin' EXCALIBUR. I can fucking teach him. He doesn't need to know it was a changed, even..." - Said Lucas.
"And then you'll protect the changed how, from the backlash?" - Asked Venus, patiently. She knew this lesson would hurt.
"We could simply call the police..." - Said Robert - "It would be within the law, it wouldn't require violence..." - She looked carefully to Lucas - "And this boy would be punished."
"He would still see this as something the changed did and it would have been done with 'changed' tricks, so to speak." - Said Selene.
"Then what, Selene? We let this fucker run roughshod because he has connections? I know Jeff. I went to high school with some seven of him, by different names. I killed a being that could eat time and I can't go after a rich jerk that forgot slavery was abolished? Is THAT wat you're telling me?" - Asked Lucas, as politely as she could given the circumstances.
Selene sighed.
"I know you are upset, Lucas. You have every right to be. You're also annoyed at me for telling you you shouldn't go after him, or you would be calling me Neruite... You also have every right to be. It's not easy for me either."
Lucas blushed. She had caught herself feeling upset at her goddess. Robert made a mental note to inform Lucas that it was okay for worshippers to feel upset at their deities.
"I... Sorry, but..."
"I didn't say you couldn't go after him. There will be consequences if you do so, however. Lucas. You gained a lot of power really fast. It is understandable that you would want to solve everything wrong with the world. You did solve a lot of things. But it's not fair to yourself to try and solve everything. And you must learn a very important lesson about power, Lucas, when not to use it. Plus... Lucas. What punishment would you decide for him?"
Lucas blinked.
"I don't know, I'm not a... Judge. Oh. Fuck." - She realized just what pitfall she was stumbling towards. That of taking it upon herself to dole out punishment and to take power over others to herself.
"Precisely." - Said Venus - "Power brings the responsibility of using it for good. And also that of knowing when not to use it... I am sorry that you must learn this lesson like this..."
"Dammit..." - Said Lucas.
"It doesn't mean you should abstain from doing anything, Lucas. Just be careful when doing so." - Said Venus - "And when deciding to do so as well."
"I guess." - Said Lucas - "But what, then? We let this guy walk?"
"No." - Said Selene, evenly - "You see, Lucas, he pranked a mermaid that his family is hosting. He outright told the mermaid in question that he did it and he left evidence, the fish food. She has a human sister who will not like to know. Likewise, Ricky's parents will eventually know. Lucas, this Jeff fellow always had the luxury to wield what power he has as if it were a club, as you put it. Such people aren't very bright. He will get caught. It doesn't need to be by you." - She gently hugged Lucas - "No matter how much it may hurt."
Lucas just sighed.
"I guess. I am sorry... Neruite. It just... Hurts. I know how I wished someone would help me back then... And now I can't help someone that is very much like I was... I... Dammit..."
"I know... This is the burden of those with power, Lucas. Those that wish to help people in such situations. I understand this must be hard on you. I'm sorry you had to learn this lesson this way... But it beats the alternative." - Said Selene/Neruite.
"I guess..." - Said Lucas.
"Will you be okay?" - Asked Neruite.
"Yeah. I'll go exchange some cash with Robert to go get some food..." - Said Lucas.
"Are you sure?" - asked Robert, gently.
"When I'm happy, I eat to celebrate, when I'm sad, I eat to forget." - Said Lucas - "Let's go. Eating well will cheer me up."
"I thought that was with drinking?" - Said Robert.
"Yeah, but when you don't drink alcohol, you have to get your kicks with raw meat." - Said Lucas.
Neruite - right now more Neruite than Selene - paused.
"I think... Venus... I think we should learn a little something of our own. Lucas, Robert... Would you mind having company?"
"Not at all." - Said Lucas.
"It would be a pleasure." - Said Robert.
"What's your plan, Selene?" - Asked Venus.
"I think we should join them. Sister... Lucas just learned to see some things from the position of a deity. Though I am human too, I think you should learn to see some things from the position of a human..."
Venus nodded.
"Fair enough."
The four went to the exchange house so as to make their way to Hell's Kitchen.
