Work Text:
CG: DID YOU JUST TELL ME TO CHECK MY UNDERPRIVILEGED PRIVILEGE?
CG: Signless y9u 6f all tr9lls sh9uld 6e aware 6f the unique 9ppertunity that 9ur bl99d type, 9r lack there 9f, gives us as 9ffspecs.
CG: We have the rare privilege 6f 6eing a6le to empathize with all underprivileged tr9lls.
CG: H9wever, we must als9 6e aware 9f the myriad 9f p9ssible pitfalls that can 9ccur if we 9ffspecs fail t9 keep that privilege in check.
CG: There were a slew 9f instances in my hum6le 9pini9n that y9u failed t9 pr9perly check that particular 6rand 9f privilege and theref9re caused n9t 9nly y9urself t9 suffer, 6ut als9 the suffering 9f 9thers as well.
CG: SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO CONVEY IS THAT MY UNCHECKED UNDERPRIVILEGED PRIVILEGE IS AT FAULT FOR THE SUFFERING OF MY FELLOW TROLLS AND NOT THE VIOLENCE INHERENT IN THE SYSTEM.
CG: Precisely.
CG: The f9ll9wing example that I will use further explain this phen9men9n t9 y9u will c9ntain the f9ll9wing p9ssible triggers capture, slavery, and death.
CG: D9 y9u feel c9mf9rtable with me pr9ceeding with the example?
CG: CONTINUE.
CG: I’M A TROLL I CAN HANDLE IT.
CG: Excellent then I shall c9ntinue.
CG: 9ne 6latiently 96vi9us example was y9ur misguided rev9luti9n, which resulted in n9t 9nly y9ur capture and executi9n but the enslavement 9f y9ur m9irail Psiionic and Dolorosa wh9 y9u regard as y9ur luscus figure.
CG: H9wever, their fates pale in c9mparis9n t9 the c9untless multitudes 9f ill guided f9ll9wers wh9se adherence y9ur vi9lent teachings lead them t9 their untimely demise.
CG: WHAT ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION WOULD YOU HAVE TAKEN INSTEAD?
CG: It is my firm belief that vi9lence is never the answer.
CG: There exists a m9re appr9priate s9luti9n f9r every situati9n that might present itself.
CG: In my hum6le 9pini9n the m9st effective way t9 enact s9cial change is thr9ugh active f9rthright c9nversati9n n9t 9nly with gr9ups in the higher echel9ns 9f sc9ciety, but at all levels.
CG: YOU BELIEVE THE BEST WAY TO END MILENNIA OF OPPRESSION IS THROUGH TALKING.
CG: WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?
CG: There is n9 need f9r y9u t9 6e s9 hard 9n y9urself.
CG: Y9ur ultimate g9al 9f creating a spectra6lind s9ciety was quite admira6le, even if it was p99rly executed.
CG: …
CG: I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE THIS STIMULATING CONVERSATION IN PERSON.
CG: I c9ncure.
CG: I w9uld greatly enj9y furthering this c9nversati9n face t9 face.
CG: WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF USING YOUR HIVE AS A MEETING PLACE?
CG: That s9unds like a splendid idea.
CG: I’ll put a kettle 9n while I await y9ur arrival.
Little time passes between the moment you log off of trollian and the moment you arrive at his hive. The entirety of the two story structure is red. Subtlety is just not in his nature you surmise. Neither is utilizing tact, common sense, nor the ability to know appropriate times to be silent. He is most certainly lacking the latter skill. You earned your title The Sufferer at the hands of the Empress and her armies of ravenous minions. He earned his title The Insufferable by blathering on about subjects that he does not understand. Social justice. Let me tell you about social justice. You idly trace over the scars burned into your wrist before knocking on the front door. The fool openly grins at the sight of you. You take that as an opportune time to introduce your fist to his face. The pre-scratch version of yourself unceremoniously lands on the floor a few feet away. You step into the hive, close and lock the door.
Kankri eases himself up into a sitting position. He wipes a rivulet of blood from his top lip and examines the red smear on his thumb before staring up at you dumbly. You stroll closer to the wide-eyed troll and look down on him.
“You… you struck me” he accuses.
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?” You chuckle silently.
“You do not know Kankri? Perhaps it is because I am a troll who callously acts without considering what consequences my actions would have on the well being of my fellow trolls.” Kankri continues to stare up at you. “Are you truly that oblivious to how much of a fuckass you are?”
“You have an issue with me? And you think that you can use violence against me to solve this imaginary issue? I have not slighted you in a way to deserve such … barbaric treatment” he spits out.
“To answer your questions, yes, yes, and a resounding no. And before I continue I am well aware that that the last sentence was more of a statement than a question. However, you are still gravely incorrect.” You crouch down and look him directly in the eyes. “You have wronged me in ways that you cannot begin to fathom.” Kankri opened his mouth to talk, your eyes narrow. He takes the hint and allows to continue. “Now blaming me for the capture and enslavement of my closest companions, that I am gracious enough to let slide. You are not the first who has accused me of such, and I doubt that you will be the last. Nor is this about you blaming me for the merciless slaughter of my followers throughout the ages. Though I will admit that did draw my ire none the less. No, this is about you. I despise you to your very core because of who you are. On the surface our beliefs seem similar. What could be wrong with wanting all trolls to be free, equal, and most of all be able to live their lives filled with joy? Your iteration of Alternia proved that it is possible. I knew what Alternia could be from your memories. Those memories are the reason why I started the revolution.”
“You decided to fight for peace. Fighting for piece is like pailing for virginity. Violence solves nothing.”
“Violence solves nothing, but action does. Too long have I heard of like minded trolls talking about change, talking about the endless possibilities, but doing nothing. Evil prevails only when good trolls do nothing.”
“Discussing the issues at hand is a legitimate and peaceful solution” he snaps back.
“Just talking won’t end the cycles of oppression” you snarl. “I had traveled all over Alternia spreading the message of equality, of the end of the hemospectrum. I had gathered countless followers, recruited mid and high blooded sympathizers. And you know what happened?” You pause. “Nothing. Nothing happened. Words do shit against the lance of a cavalreaper, the arrow of an archeradicator, or the clubs of a subjugglator. But it is trolls like you who are the true poison rotting in our veins, trolls who preach about fairness, equality, and justice but do little work to reach those goals. You are nothing more than a smug little creature wrapped up in your own twisted standards as you rail against others who don’t meet your absurd code of conduct. You spend too much of your time appearing righteous to even be righteous. You help no one. You contribute nothing. You are a loud festering boil on the backside of society that exists only to make yourself feel better about your pathetic, useless life.” Kankri cackles.
“I am drowning in the sheer amount of irony flowing from your lips. Righteousness? A troll whose hands are drenched in blood is preaching to me about righteousness? Ha.” Kankri’s red eyes dance with a maniacal glee. “The only reason you’ve gotten away with being swaddled in your own self righteousness is because you’ve fooled everyone into believing that you are a martyr. The only thing you have ever managed to do is get caught and executed in public. The one who did real work is your cave-dwelling lunatic of a matesprite who wrote down all your laughable exploits and turned them into scripture extolling your nonexistent virtues. You are no Messiah.” You launch yourself at the troll pinning him down. “And now we see the violence inherent in your system. Help, help I’m being repressed” he sneers.
“SILENCE.”
“Oh come now Sufferer” he says your name as if it is a vulgarity, “you know that words accomplish nothing. If you want me to be silent you are going to have to make me” he hisses. You smash your mouth against his, the sharp teeth slice at your lips, and you return the favor. You momentarily draw back. The red droplets welling up on the soft flesh remind you of what the Grand Highblood had spoken of so many hundreds of sweeps ago as you writhed screaming against him. Platonic hatred is vulgar, common, and nearly ubiquitous in Alternian culture. But true caliginous hatred is a sublime gift handed down to trolls by the Mirthful Messiahs themselves. Only those who have experienced it can consider themselves blessed. Kankri looks puzzled as you push yourself up into a straddling position on top of him. He watches you unclasp your cloak and strip off your remaining upper garments. His look of puzzlement swiftly turns to revulsion as he sees the full extent of the scars that you’ve earned over the course of your brief life. You lean over and lovingly brush a claw tip along his cheek.
“Oh the sights that I can show you.”
You are blessed. You are truly blessed indeed.