BBS | Voice | Mephistopheles

[subconmodo]

[Snatcher's voice sounds rather strained, just a hair away from speaking through grit teeth.]

HERE'S A FUN FACT!

Did you know that if you publish photos that damage someone's reputation you can be sued in civil court?

If for some reason you happen to feel like you've been wronged by... I don't know... a bunch of NOSY PAPARAZZI, let me know! I'd be happy to take your case!

[For the record, Snatcher's candid photos are of him air guitaring and otherwise rocking the hell out in the privacy of his own room, and reading his minion and stolen spygoat a book of fairy tales if anyone feels like mocking him.]

Comments

Voice

[onedrinkwithme]

[He had to look up what a paparazzi was before responding and...oof, that sounds terrible.]

Did these people do this to you?

[He doesn't read gossip rags so it's clueless on him.]

[subconmodo]

[Look. Gossip rags are hilarious. They just ended up biting him in the ass this time. And that, of course, is why he's going to carefully navigate this question. ]

Apparently someone has been taking pictures of just about everyone here. Even in places that are supposed to be private.

[onedrinkwithme]

Hmm, that can explain why the animals here at my temple have been acting out a bit more than expected.

[Just as he sees Drake divebomb into some bushes at the far corner of the yard. Weird.]

What did they say when you told them of this?

[subconmodo]

Honestly, I don't think they cared. I should have told them I was willing to rip them limb. From. Limb.

[onedrinkwithme]

Would that have stopped them?

[And there goes Argos joining in on the divebombing. Probably some other creature they're trying to get.]

[subconmodo]

Probably not. But it would have made me feel better.

[onedrinkwithme]

But for how long? Surely there must be a way to ensure they stop taking these photos without permission.

[Don't mind the squawking and screeching in the background, it's fine.]

[subconmodo]

[He will do no such thing.]

That's why I'm suggesting a lawsuit. Enough pressure and--Are you being attacked by birds?

[onedrinkwithme]

Hmm?

[He looks out and watches his comrades move about.]

Oh no, my hawks seem to be chasing after something. They can be rather persistent.

1/2

[subconmodo]

And loud. Wow. Bit of advice here: the louder a bird is, the more you should keep it away from knives.

Just some food for thought.

2/2

[subconmodo]

ANYWAY, as I was saying... Lawsuit. I really think a few people might have a libel case here! Or at least I can put things together in an incriminating enough way to make it into one.

[onedrinkwithme]

[Don't mind him sending an image for this.]

I fear Luna may disagree with that statement. But then again, she is the only one who can be near Mandragora without a fight. However, we would need to make sure there is sufficient evidence as well as understanding the laws of Heaven.

[Having to try and understand several countries own versions of their laws is a pain but such is the job of a god of justice and reconciliation. Also, exploit the shit out of the loopholes if needed.]

[subconmodo]

Ugh. That's... a good point.

[How dare you bring logic into this, Aymeric.]

Into the library, I guess. It's like I'm in law school all over again.

voice | from: Obi

[yasei]

I did not know that! What's civil court and paparazzi?

[subconmodo]

Paparazzi are a bunch of annoying people who like to follow others around and take photos. A lot of photos. The more incriminating and controversial the better.

Civil court--[ahem]--is where individuals can sue one another as part of noncriminal cases.

[yasei]

So go ruin the pictures, it can't be that hard.

...right.. I don't really get it.

[subconmodo]

Oh, trust me, I'd love to. The problem is they've already been published.

As for civil court, don't worry about it. Just know that if the lawsuit goes through, I intend to take them for every yen they're worth.

[yasei]

Eh? Oh, I see. You can't have them retracted or anything?

Uhh, suurree, okay. What's the point of it though?

[subconmodo]

Humiliation.

See, retracting the photos doesn't exactly stop people from having seen them. It's not a one-to-one taste of their own medicine, but it's good enough for me.

[yasei]

Humiliation? Uuhh.. Were they that terrible?

[subconmodo]

I don't know, why don't you ask the people who had pictures taken of them in the privacy of their own home without their knowledge?

[yasei]

Huh. If it's more about invasion of privacy than humiliation then wouldn't it be better to just call it what it is?

[subconmodo]

Not quite, but you may be onto something.

[There's the scratch of pen on paper as he makes notes] That's a charge with some meat to it!

[yasei]

Not quite? Why's it not quite?

[ He's glad to be of help...maybe?? ]

[onedrinkwithme]

[Because that's what lawyering does?]

Law school? So you are a man of the aspect?

[He knows of lawyers but only since arriving here. Ishgard ain't known for their...fair courts.]

[subconmodo]

Simple! It's about both.

More charges, more punishment, more of a chance to hit them where it hurts. Along with it just being rude, of course.

[subconmodo]

I was! Then a few things happened and it fell through. But now I'm here! And when opportunity knocks I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

[yasei]

Huh...

So, would that make it more even then, you mean?

[subconmodo]

Something like that. You've gotta show that they caused you trouble. And while breaches of policy are definitely bad news, doing it to take embarrassing photos? Depending on how Heaven's laws go, they might as well have gift wrapped this case for me.

[yasei]

Thennn, it means that you need to read up on the Heavens' laws first of all? It seems Amaterasu runs the show and decides things.

[onedrinkwithme]

I see...it would help within the long run. While they may hail me as a God of Justice, I am still trying to understand the matters of law itself. I fear it is not something I am fully versed in.

[Again, when your trials involve combat or dropping people down cliffs...yeah.]

[subconmodo]

Not surprising, really.

Law and justice? Not exactly the same thing. They just happen to coincide from time to time.

[subconmodo]

That's the plan. Even if it's a little more difficult than I'd expected, I can assure you I don't intend to give up that easily.

[overreacting, petty revenge waits for no man]

[onedrinkwithme]

Oh? Might you be able to tell me more?

[Look, he's interested.]

[subconmodo]

Let's start with my personal favorite example:

Certain laws out there state that you're not supposed to kill your contractors. Seems cut and dry, right? NOPE! There's a loophole there.

Say your contractor is no longer in possession of their soul, for example. Is that person even alive to begin with? And if not, how does the definition of "kill" change? Important distinctions to be made in court!

[onedrinkwithme]

[Ok so the soul thing is weird. But thought provoking. If he knew Hat Kid went through this, it would be so awkward.]

So the question is if that person is still a person without a soul, yes?

[He has to think about the wording because that is strange. Is he talking about killing? That in itself would depend on the situation: mindless and needless killing is a no no but the put someone down when they are a danger to a nation and redemption cannot be a thing...that's when it gets messy.]

[subconmodo]

That's one of them. Along with what constitutes being alive. Do you need the soul? Or are you just looking for the heartbeat?

Now let's add another layer to the mix: yes, killing people is generally considered "not morally acceptable." But what if that person's been warned? What if that person just so happened to waltz on in where they weren't wanted?

A man has his right to keep his property safe, right? And you so happened to intrude on his domain. Morally, there might be arguments. Legally? Trespasser's the one in the wrong.

Voice--->Video--->Voice

[onedrinkwithme]

I am aware of the difference between moral and legal rights...but-

[Remember that noise from earlier? Well, it's back in full force. And Aymeric gets an idea.]

Mayhap this might be what you are talking about?

[And the video feed switches on as Aymeric zooms in on a man surrounded by five hawks (and one is holding a big knife) and a fluffy old white cat that Snatcher will remember as Mandragora. Said cat decides to launch himself at the man's face while three of the hawks come in as the man is running around, trying to escape. Two however are just messing around with the camera he dropped and the feed switches back to voice.]

[subconmodo]

[It takes him a bit to respond, too busy laughing his ass off, and when he pulls it together he has to wipe away a tear.]

Exactly! Oh man... That's the most beautiful thing I've seen in years.

Serves the guy right!

[onedrinkwithme]

I do have a sign warning others of Mandragora at the temple entrance. But that seems to be more of caution than trespassing.

[He'll return the camera later. Raine and Myst are having too fun for him to take it away.]

[subconmodo]

[He waves a hand]

Not the same. You warn someone not to trespass and they do anyway? Whatever happens is on them.

But that's the kind of thing I mean. Morality... law... Two entirely different beasts.

[yasei]

Your assurances don't really have any impact on me at the moment so... Well. Maybe the library actually has something on it at least.