genessia | [Video]

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[When the feed starts, Karla is looking down, not directly at the camera, with a serious look of contemplation on her face.]

...Some people seem to believe that only people with special powers can be..."heroes"...although I hesitate to use that term.

I'm a Deputy Guardian in Genessia City. One without powers. For two and a half years, I've done my part to protect and assist the people here. For the longest time, all I've had was this...

[She brings up her sword, holding it horizontally in front of the camera. Karla slowly lowers the blade before she continues.]

Although my time as a Deputy will soon come to an end, my instincts will not leave me. I would still be compelled to fight and protect if any threat arises. The point I'm making is, one can make a difference, even without special powers.

[She lets out a soft sigh before moving on to the next, somewhat related topic.]

That said, exactly what defines a "hero?" We on the Guardian and Deputy teams have worked hard to keep the people safe...but we're hardly, if ever, referred to as heroes. Even after all this time, I would hardly consider myself a hero. Then again, being called a hero...is it really that special?

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As Deputy, our task is to protect the people and the city. Heroics can happen but it is not why I am in this job.

Prior to my being changed to what you see before you, I also had no special powers. I was a Kaleesh with a rifle and later a sword, and I became a hero of my people by leading them to victory over those who would invade, destroy and enslave us. My people declared me a demi-god, so great were my feats in battle.

All with no special powers. Only my skill in strategy and with weapons.

[She smiles a bit, although it's something of a sad smile.]

I'm sure there are many others with stories similar to yours that would prove my point.

Why will you no longer be a deputy?

Because David is retiring as City Guardian. My understanding was that if the current Guardian loses their position, their Deputies lose their positions also.

Ah, that does not have to be the case. I have served under succeeding Guardians. The new one may want to keep you on as well. If you wish to retain your position, you should speak with the replacement Guardian when they begin their official duties.

Hmm...perhaps I will. However, it would depend on who the succeeding Guardian is. There have been some candidates in previous elections that I would not want to work for...

[The Mr. X weirdo would be one of them, but there have been questionable candidates for the other cities as well.]

Indeed.

Of course you can always help the city in a less official capacity, if you do step down.

Yes...that is what I said I would do in my statement.

[Ochaco has been thinking for a bit on how to answer this, how to address the problems she feels are underneath the surface and what may honestly just be a genuine attempt at positivity.]

Um, if you don't mind me saying so... I think it's important to explain the difference between Heroes and heroes where I'm from. [lightly implying that Shigaraki (whom she assumes Karla is reacting to) is also from her world.]

Everyone where I'm from is born with quirks. Uhhh.. special abilities. Almost everyone, anyway. They can be just about anything really! Some are more useful for certain jobs than others... which... well, I go to a school where we're training to be Heroes. It's a job just like anything else! You have to train, get licensed and follow rules and you get paid for doing your job.

[she pauses, tilting her head to the side as she thinks.] It's not meant to imply that people who don't have stronger abilities can't be heroic. The police aren't Heroes but they still do heroic things. Not all people with special abilities are heroic either, there are people who decide to do terrible things with the quirks they have. [she seems to dampen her spirits a little when she talks about this part.]

So maybe, being called a hero can be pretty special for some people. That's especially true somewhere like here! I've met a lot of people who don't have quirks or special abilities who do just fine! I just think there might have been a misunderstanding. Like I'm sure you don't mean to be negative about people who would want to be called heroes!

[Karla listens carefully, and what she hears makes a lot of sense. Except the last part. Did she say something wrong again?]

I...did not mean to speak negatively of people who wished to be called heroes.

So...from what you say, the "Heroes" in your own world are essentially the same as the Guardians in this world, is that it? That makes sense.

So what was that person trying to prove? Simply to say that no one is safe? That is exactly why we're here. If there was no danger, and no evil, there would be no heroes. There would be no need for Guardians, or Heroes.

Yeah, they're kind of like Guardians I guess! A little different here and there.

[but as for Shigaraki... Ochaco looks rather serious while she considers what to say.] He's a villain. He doesn't like what heroes do, I guess. He especially hates All Might from our world.

[She looks a little guilty here, her expression partially hidden by her hair as she looks down.] I feel really responsible for Bulla's injuries if I'm honest. The person who did that to her and who brought down that building is from the same world as me and my friends.

Hmm...I see.

[Karla nods.]

Just because he's from your world doesn't make you responsible. Those were his actions, not yours.

[There's a bit of sadness in her eyes when she smiles.]

You know, I always have thought the real heroes were the ones like you. People who are clever, [her tone implies that not including her in this category isn't meant to be an insult] or powerful, or immortal? Going out and causing a ruckus isn't special. It's expected of you, and after a while, you expect it of yourself. But the people without powers, you're the ones that really shine! You run in when you should be runnin' away, and you save lives and bring people hope when they need it most! And you clean up after the messes the powerful ones make.

The others, more often then not, we just bring more trouble on ourselves, and on the people we try and protect. Being called a hero doesn't mean you are, it just means people think you're better then you are, and puts a great, big target on top of your head and everyone else around you. It's not bravery when we run out into the middle of danger. It's pride and stupidity.

Really...?

[Karla taps her chin, pondering. She honestly hadn't thought of non-powered people that way, but it's a good point.]

I see. For the "pride and stupidity" part...that would depend on the reason for running out into danger.

Edited 2018-11-15 00:06 (UTC)

[She gave a small, wistful sort of shrug, her lines persed in a thin smile.]

S'pose that depends on who's doin' the running. [It seems to make her uncomfortable, talking too deeply on the matter. But the pride she felt for people like the other woman, those who did their best to make a difference when they were just as vulnerable as everyone else, beat out most of her tight-lipped nature.] More often then not, in my case? It's letting my pride cloud my judgement. Lettin' myself forget that other people can get hurt, and not knowin' when to step back and mind my place in things.

[Her expression shifts quickly, too quickly, into a bright smile as she laughs, her head tilting to the side and her hands resting on her hips. That got too real, too personal, especially for someone who, until less then a month ago, told people absolutely nothing about himself.]

Normal, boring humans are the best people. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Having been on both sides of the whole 'good guy'/'bad guy' thing... I think being a hero is mostly a matter of perspective. I mean, I don't consider myself a hero, but someone else might, either because I have powers, because I try to do the right thing, or both. But then there's probably a lot of people doing really terrible things out there who think that they're doing what's right, or at least necessary. They think they're the heroes, but everybody else can see that they're messed up in the head.

[Maybe the guy that sparked this discussion is even one such person, but Lea's not sure enough of that to say it aloud.]

I guess... maybe real heroes don't go out of their way to be called heroes. They just... do what they can to help out, however they can. Doing heroic things has to be more important than having people think you're a hero, if that makes sense.

[She can't help smiling at his response.]

It makes perfect sense, and sounds very much what I've been thinking myself.

[Lea returns the smile.]

Nice to know we agree on certain things.

[He pauses, looking more thoughtful.]

There'll always be people who're out to hurt others. Just like there'll always be people out to help others. Just some people are more visible than others, whichever side they pick.

If you're referencing that explosive video earlier this week, then I think your conversation points are missing the mark. Granted, there was a lot of noise and violence, so I guess that makes sense...

"Heroes" to him, as he said, are people whose gifts and abilities are "useful" to society. Whether you label yourself a hero or not, you fit into that bucket if your sword ability is used by the Guardianship in order to protect people.

Now, if this is just a general forum discussion about what makes someone heroic... That all depends on how other people see them. It's an external label.

Well, I did question the point that guy was trying to make. Was he simply trying to prove that no one is safe? I was simply reminding people that the notion of "no one being safe" is exactly why we Guardians and Deputies do our jobs.

As for what makes people heroic, I would agree with your points.

He said something to the point of all that protection and safety making people complacent and lazy, right? In which case, you’re still not addressing what he was saying. [Uai, clearly, spends too much time thinking about these things.

But he’s more interested in understanding why that happened, so it won’t happen again.]

Because “heroes” keep people content, they become oblivious. Going by that logic, he thinks striking down the powerful will be a wake-up call to society. You saying that Guardians and Deputies keep people safe isn’t news to him and is exactly the problem he has with them.

You get it now?

I get it...but what I don't understand is how committing crimes is supposed to solve his supposed "problem." Society has enough "wake up calls" as it is. Every other week, there are bounties in the paper. And let's not forget the strange things that Genessia itself throws at us on occasion.

If he truly wants to strike down heroes, there is only one effective way to do so. And committing crimes is not the way. In fact, criminals committing crimes only strengthens the resolve of the heroes. What he doesn't understand is that he's only making his "problem" worse.

[She tilts her head with an unamused glare.]

And I do hope you're not thinking that my statement was an attempt to make him feel better.

Well, look at it this way:

He blamed some person "All Might," which I presume is a noun and refers to a hero from his world. Someone he called a pillar of peace, or something. If we consider then that he blames peacekeepers who shelter others, especially the powerful ones, then his targets become "strong heroes." That girl presumably falls into that category.
The crime he committed was very specific in its attempt to shake some foundation.

She got hurt, and now everyone's feathers are ruffled over it. Heck, you even made a public network post about it. So I'd say, he accomplished what he wanted to accomplish.

So he only wanted to "ruffle our feathers," is that it? I suppose he did accomplish that.

[But it's all still so pointless to her.]

So according to you, he prefers a world of chaos. He dislikes people living in peace, which he calls being "complacent and lazy." He knows so little about what people actually do in their daily lives. How hard they're actually working, which many of us take for granted, to the point where we don't even notice. And I'd like to hear him explain how a world in chaos is supposed to be better than a world of peace.

In my world, having powers is a curse. The hero of the marines, the force that fights for law and justice in my world, is not cursed like that, and neither are practically any of the strongest swordsmen in the world.

Being a hero isn't about strength, it's about justice. There will always be those who oppose that on principle, and no matter what excuses they make, they're just that, excuses.

"Having powers is a curse..." I can see how it can be, in some cases...

[She remembers what David had told her when she had inquired about acquiring super powers before. Perhaps now, if only for the moment, she can be glad for not having these powers.]

And I would agree that being heroic is more about justice than strength.

Especially as pertains to those that would oppose it.

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