"The court finds Eugene Equestor not guilty."
The thud of the mallet echoed in the courtroom. The crowd applauded for the decision. All the while, Eugene gave Stephen Lyhorn a devious grin of victory.
They discovered DNA evidence on Miranda's corpse. Some of Eugene's DNA was on her neck, strangulation marks, and on her nails, presumably when she scratched him. Blatant evidence shows that Eugene committed the crime, yet the court has deemed him not guilty. Stephen looked at the people in the courtroom. All of them were in glee, some even crying tears of joy.
"This man is clearly evil! Why are you all happy for his freedom?!"
Stephen wanted to kill Eugene on the spot with his cocky grin. He wanted to serve justice with his own hands, but as Jonathan once told him, "Let the law decide his punishment. We're just average officers; we can't decide his punishment." His hands trembled at the thought of summoning out his Artifact there and then, but he held back. Eugene saw his restraint, which caused his grin to widen even more.
Their expressions clashed in the courtroom as they eyed each other. One of pure frustration and the other of pure satisfaction. But Stephen could do nothing. He was taught to entrust the law for it to work effectively. It has many times in the past; why wouldn't it work now?
A red rose flickered in his mind. It continuously popped up in his mind as he gazed aimlessly in the courtroom. The courtroom cheering, Eugene grinning, and the judge refusing to give a single ounce of care in the world. And in the midst of all this, the red rose flickered in his mind.
"Why...?!"
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The arms click on the clock in the police station. Stephen finishes his paperwork for the day before Jonathan approaches his desk. "You did the right thing, Stephen. I'm glad you kept yourself composed." Jonathan said as he gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Do you want a drink? Maybe even talk it over about that catgirl that you were crying about? You still haven't told me anything about her yet."
"N-No... I don't want to talk about her." Stephen told him, staring aimlessly at his papers.
"Let's still get a drink, I've been itching for one this entire day."
"Fine."
They take a stroll to the nearby bar on their way there. Stephen saw the billboards blasting the news in the city streets. "Eugene Equestor deemed not guilty! Justice wins again!"
Information that struck Stephen across the face. "What is justice?" he asked himself. The sole question lingered in his mind ever since he stepped out of that courtroom. "Justice: when good prevails. People always say the law upholds justice, but what about those who are never punished? What about the trash that seeps through the cracks and manages to escape the clutches of the law's vision of justice?"
The red rose flickered in his mind again.
"What about me...? Did me, sitting back and doing nothing, truly serve justice?"
The bells on the doors rattled as they entered the bar. "Antonio's Bar." The sign read with bright letters. Entering the bar, they took their seats. Jonathan ordered his favorite beer, while Stephen merely ordered a glass of water.
"Jonathan, you said to entrust the law to do justice, but was there any justice in their decision?"
Jonathan took a sip of his drink. "No. Sometimes it's not always going to be like that, Stephen. Cracks will always appear, no matter how perfect you may think it is."
"So if there's ever a time those cracks appear, they simply get away scot-free?"
"Yes. It's bad that it happens, but it's worse if we take justice into our own hands. Leave it be, Stephen."
"But I want to help everyone..."
"Then find the resolve to do that. Don't let emotions sway your decisions. You need to find the resolve for what you think is right."
They sat in silence for the moments that followed. Jonathan could understand what Stephen was referring to, which he shut down right away. Jonathan then gulped his drink in one sitting before rushing to sit up in his seat. Dropping some copper coins on the counter, he prepared to leave. "Stephen, I paid for your drink as well. I'm leaving early because I forgot about my wife's anniversary today. Sorry for the abrupt leave!" He gave a small wave off to Stephen before scurrying out of the bar.
He watched as Jonathan's presence left the bar, leaving his thoughts only to himself. Letting out a weak sigh, he slumped over in his seat. "My resolve, huh?"
"Hey, have you heard of the Eugene Equestor case?"
A distant voice in the bar caught his attention immediately. It came from a table of two people chatting. Still slumped over, Stephen eavesdropped on the conversation between the two parties carefully.
"Yeah, it's tragic he got away with another crime again."
"It's what's expected of the most powerful family in Argon City, better yet, most criminals in this hellscape altogether."
"Still, he's been in court for stuff like this about five times already. I'm surprised he's being let scot-free."
"Maybe they should just kill these wretched criminals instead. That'll do everyone a favor."
Stephen's eyes widened, not in surprise but something else dawning over him. He didn't say anything to them, but continued to listen to their conversation.
"Pfffttt, you sound like a dictator right now."
"In the end of the day, a dead man isn't going to repeat a crime. Especially if it's monsters like Eugene Equestor. For criminals on his level, it's an easy choice!"
"Whatever, you sound crazy, man."
"Even the craziest rulers got far in their regimes. Think about it like this: if you simply got rid of anyone who'll get in your way and disrupt your order, things would run way smoother. If we had just focused on executing the evil criminals, this place would be much safer, wouldn't you agree?"
"But that'll never happen because those useless politicians always free the criminals."
"That's why you get rid of them, too. You see where I'm getting at? Because in the end, no matter what peaceful resolution we try to think of, nothing matters. Evil is easier and will always be on top. So why not go out in a blaze than deal with all this bullshit?"
Stephen stood up and walked out of the bar. He tried to tell himself that the intoxicated ramblings of some moron in a bar were ridiculous, but his resolve wavered. "Get rid... of the issue?" He looked down at his hand as it trembled at the idea. "No, that's ridiculous." Then, he felt a cold touch on his nose. Looking up, he saw it. The countless snowflakes that gently descended over the city.
"Miranda would've loved to see this..."
Stephen clenched his fist.
"If we were in a world where they did kill off all the evil and corrupt people in his city, would Miranda be alive?"
Images in his mind were made, one of a world where Miranda and he held hands in this very moment on the snowing streets. And to this, he clenched his fist harder.
"No, he spoke nonsense. He was drunk; remember that." He told himself that one last time before walking back to his apartment.
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"Do you hate fate?" Eugene asked him.
The luxurious restaurant had people playing relaxing music on their instruments, the nobles chattering, the vibrant red tablecloths on every table, and intricate gold designs encrusted throughout the walls of the place.
Eugene sat across from Stephen at the table. "I said, Do you hate fate, Stephen Lyhorn?"
Stephen begrudgingly took a bite of his steak. "Why do you ask?"
"Because you're sitting at a table, eating with the person who killed the people you loved the most."
He continued to eat his steak, but quickened his pace. His glare intensified toward Eugene, and Eugene could very well see it.
"Now, now, Stephen. Calm yourself, you police pig. Remember, your little brother will be on the chopping block next if you anger me."
Stephen's grip tightened around his silverware. "Why are you doing this to me? Please leave me alone..."
"Remember the first time we met when you got in my way? That look on your face always annoyed me. Especially when you used your filthy Artifact abilities on me to make me fall. Maybe I wouldn't have hated you so much if I hadn't kept remembering that day."
"So that justified killing Miranda and Mrs. Offner? Because of what I did to you?"
"Yes." Eugene's face was in utmost seriousness. "This is my world, fool. When a pig oinks out of his place, I need to correct that immediately. So don't underestimate me, because I have eyes everywhere in this city. So know your place and shut your mouth if you know what's good for you."
Once their meal was finished, Eugene brought Stephen outside to walk beside him. "Where are you taking me next...?" Stephen asked with a diminished tone.
"Don't question me, pig."
Their silent walk trailed all the way into an alleyway before Eugene finally pulled their flintlock. "We've arrived. I simply needed a good meal before executing you."
"So you're just going to kill me too?" Stephen questioned him.
"What else do you think? I don't need any bothersome people in my world. You are no exception."
"How do you view other people's lives? You killing off people who anger you is insane!"
"But effective, isn't it? Everyone bows down to me, and I get everything I want. Makes my life way easier."
Another image of a red rose emerged in Stephen's mind, but this time, it was blooming. It was crimson red, beginning to trickle blood.
Eugene laughed. "The fact that I can kill your little kitty girlfriend and drag you along like a dog is enough proof of that!"
Upon the mention of Miranda, the rose in his mind fully bloomed.
"Fine, I'll play by your rules..." Stephen murmured under his breath. His words paused Eugene's laughing before a sudden force weighed down Eugene, causing him to lose his grip on his gun. "What are you doing?! S-Stop your Artifact this instant! Do you understand what happens when you defy me!" Eugene watched as Stephen's Artifact materialized right in front of his eyes.
"There's trash like you in this world, so why does God need to make me suffer instead? Why did he need to take away the people I love?" Stephen stated, pressing his foot against Eugene's face as his Artifact loomed over his neck. "But I understand what God is telling me to do now, what he's been hinting at this entire time." Submerging his blade into Eugene's neck, he listened to him gargle all the while he pressed his foot harder upon his head. "I've made up my mind to change my cruel fate with my own hands."
"For that is my resolve."