16217/Time for a little witchy Q&A

Time for a little witchy Q&A
Date of Scene:	23 April 2024
Location:	Apartment 214, Hugo Building
Synopsis:	Willow gets an unexpected visit, fundamental questions of good and evil are discussed with the Hellequin.
Cast of Characters:	Hellequin, Willow Rosenberg

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Hellequin has posed:
It's not quite midnight, but the evening that started relatively calmly suddenly turned into what seems to be a quite localized thunderstorm. It only lasts for a few minutes.

And then, as a huge lighting strike crossed the sky, someone appeared on the landing of the Hugo Building.

The smoky form slowly gathers a shape that soon reveals that the Hellequin has arrived. There is no ethereal horse or dogs with him. The man is in full Hellequin attire, complete with cape and sword.

Turning towards the door leading to Willow's room, he calls.

"WILLOW!" with insistence, uncaring that there might be other occupants in the building. Maybe he checked in advance to make sure no one was home, but his friend.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow was actually home this evening. For reasons she didn't explain to Harry. He probably put it down to homework that depended on technology - something she couldn't do at his home.

In truth, she was thinking deep thoughts which she didn't care to share with anyone. Not Harry. Not Buffy - Buffy who was out doing rounds. Leaving Willow the whole apartment to herself.

Until Henri yelled for her.

She winced. It was after dark. Surely he wasn't thinking he could call her out and mete his justice, the Lord's justice, upon her?

She felt a surge of power within her..

Note: Henri could tell that her apartment was warded very highly against supernatural creatures. Supernatural creatures of the evil sort.

When he called again, she went out on the balcony and hissed at him, "You are going to get the cops called on us! Don't yell! What do you want?" All the while her power was increasing in case he was a threat.

Hellequin has posed:
There is something different about the Hellequin, as he seems upset in a way, or nervous. His ordinary calm composure exuding confidence has given way to a state where he keeps glancing around, shifting from one foot to another, his hand always resting on the pommel of his unsheathed sword. In this agitated state, he may have felt the surge of power within Willow or decided that now was not the moment to discuss it. If he noted it - which is most likely - then he might address it later. For, the man seems on a mission that nothing will stop.

"Willow, you, the only one I can still call my friend," Hellequin starts, emphasizing each of his words with a hint of desperation.

"Pray tell me, am I cursed? Do you sense the effluvium of a sortilege on me? Can you tell me if a witch or a necromancer made me what I am?"

The questions are uttered with a sense of emergency, like someone whose life depends on the answers. Even if it is only a half-life in his case.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Good grief! Willow was his only friend?? That was a surprise, and considering his first time meeting her? This was a right royal turn about!

"Come on in. I'll boil some water to have some hot chocolate, and dig out the cookies." This had the earmarks of a long evening. "Come on. You are welcomed, nothing wards against you. See?"

And he will find that he can pass easily into her apartment despite the wardings.

As she gets them hot chocolate and cookies, she wonders, "Why are you suddenly afraid of your beginnings? I don't understand?"

She was quick in the kitchen, and brings everything out for them, puts it down, and sits cross legged on the couch. "You used to be the epitome of belief in your God? What happened?"

Hellequin has posed:
Willow is right, it might be a long night, and maybe his presence outside would alarm the neighbours. Following her inside, Hellequin doesn't seem overly interested by treats. At least for now.

"I met the Diable," Hellequin starts, and once he started, the whole story is shared.

"The devil is on Earth, /on vacation/. How could it be, if not by God's permission? If THIS is possible, then there is no godly order! Then why am I still doing, FORCED to do what I was tasked to? WHY?!"

Although the Hellequin seems more agitated, there is nothing in his attitude that could be felt as menacing.

"Then if /I/ cannot take vacations, then maybe it was NOT God who did this to me! And if it was NOT God who did this to me, then the whole eternity of hunting counts for nothing.

After a pause, final, fundamental questions are asked, "Does it mean that everything I did was wrong? That I am even worse than the souls I dispatched?!! AM I EVIL?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Wow.

There were so, SO many questions and answers she could find. But this wasn't her, it was Henri's mental state. Without asking him she shoved a hot chocolate into his hand, and some chocolate chip cookies into the other hand. Whether he ate them was his business. When you came to Willow for advice, she gave you cookies and hot chocolate.

What one to answer first..

"You are most definitely /not/ evil. Sheesh. I would be considered more evil than you in the Christian faith." Though, a Jewish girl wouldn't be up the ladder regardless.

She sighs. "So you met Lucifer. Listen there is so much mythos that Christians don't get. And quite a lot of it is true. I can explain some of it if you want. But it may not feel better?"

She noms on a cookie while waiting for him to take that in.

Hellequin has posed:
In his ethereal state, the Hellequin doesn't experience hunger. Nonetheless, who can resist chocolate chips cookies? Feeling a bit awkward with treats in hand, he decides to sit down. After a moment, trying to /really/ listen and /understand/, he shakes his head.

"I cannot care LESS about the Devil!" the Hellequin groans, "I told him it was not after him that I was, but against the evil doers. I guess that some do not make a big difference between the letters D and E! Even I, ignorant hunter, I can see the difference!" That said, it seems the Hellequin cannot resist the cookie any longer and proceeds to eat it. The chocolate, tho, is not touched for the moment.

Leaning forward, lowering his voice, the Hellequin reveals his possible change of heart.

"You see, Willow my friend, if all I did was wrong, I am already going to Hell, if I ever die." He laughs at that, "So if I am condemned, I might as well have my fun with those I served, and who let me suffer this existence. Digging up bones to throw at my dogs was interesting. I can do way worse. I could settle my account."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"And yet," Willow points out, "He was the first thing on your list. It makes me believe that something about him doesn't sit well with you."

She has to giggle for a moment. "Henri? Let me see if I can explain something to you. Alright?"

Her cookie is set down, and a more comfortable spot is picked.

"There is a belief in Christianity that until you know better, you can't be condemned to hell. And even so, the concept of hell isn't in the Bible until hundreds of years after Christ. But let's say you do believe in hell. Some say that hell is a creation of the individual. Which probably isn't helpful."

"So, we've got no sin unless you recognize a sin is happening. And hell is a product of your psyche. It gets a bit weird when you count psychopaths into the mixture, but, really they do recognize that their behaviour isn't the norm. So, they aren't innocent, really."

She has to frown as he confesses digging up bones.

"Tell me: Did you feel better? When you dug up the bones? Because bones are just bones, really. Every inch of the ground, at one point, has had bones buried. The thing that makes them holy, is the memories that are associated with them. And by holy, I don't mean holier than thou, I mean, holiness for what that bring to us - whether it's by age, and who, and the why.. sometimes we take away the Holy of religion, yet there is a reverence that we still have for what it reminds us it being human."

"I think you are angry, and the desecration only hurts you. At least in the long run. Sooner or later, people will forget what you have done, but you won't."

Hellequin has posed:
"I do NOT regret anything!" comes the booming reply from the Hellequin.

At that, he stands, his hand clasped on the pommel of his sword.

"What I did, believing it was my task, then according to you, I am fine. Excellent." He pauses, grinning, "As for the bones of these enfants de chienne, those who should have burnt at the stake and not their victims, I do NOT regret it. It was a joy. Pure joy.

Returning to the chair, sitting down, he adds, with a strange look on his face.

"I loved it, Willow. My life is already hell on Earth, this is /my/ hell. God never cared to release me of this task." So maybe he still believes a bit. "So, I am thinking, if I do evil myself, then he will have to stop me. And in the meantime, I will do what I want.

Leaning forward still, locking eyes with Willow's, he adds, "I will chose to /not/ kill those who use magic with evil purpose. Those, maybe like you? Who reeks of dark magic a little bit every day. Those, like you, will not have to fear me if they do not give me cause to destroy them."

Is there a not so subtil message there?

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow speaks quietly, "The Angel Castiel did come to the same conclusion, did you know? He felt that God has forgotten what He should be. And decided on championing humans. Things are never that easy. What if God were just another being, a powerful being, that if you believed in him, his power grew. And you would be judged by Him because you believed in him?"

Willow doesn't try to convert him, just nudges him along to see a different point of view. One that may be simpler to accept. Or discard as he choses.

Blinking her eyes, she stares back at him. "Power doesn't mean evil!"

(Not that she can reconcile that yet.)

Hellequin has posed:
The Hellequin stays silent for moment, considering what Willow just said. This seems to be a lot to consider.

"God let me down. He keeps letting me down. So be it. I plan on using the free will that everyone has received."

The fact that he mentions planning to do it, means that his decision might not be final yet.

"Power can be evil, or good," he finally states, "I am not decided yet what to do with mine, I could just wreck havoc among the pedophile priests, would that be evil?" He laughs at that, "But now I am getting more concerned about you, my friend. Will your power be good, or evil? Have you decided yet?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Me?" Willow squeaked. "I don't know what you are talking about. Besides, aren't we talking about you?"

Willow had had this argument with herself plenty of times before. And every time she had it, one of two results were her answers:

One. If she weren't a powerful witch she didn't have to worry about it. Right? She would be a vegan, no swears, low powered magic using witch and there wouldn't be any trouble.

Or..

Two. Pretend that she hadn't thought of it. Ever. See? If you didn't see the problem, it doesn't exist!

This was going to bite her in the bum eventually.

Hellequin has posed:
By the look on Hellequin's face, this was not the most convincing of answer. Nonetheless, he let her know that he would not hunt her, and this is something that he has already decided.

Hellequin slowly stands, as if unsure to pursue the conversation. Willow does not seem to be ready to address the matter, and he will not push her. It is not his business.

"I will go now," he announces, "I have some more bones to feed to my dogs, maybe some will be fresh tonight." While saying this, he raises his hand slightly and, from a distance, the furious barking of ethereal dogs can be heard. "See, they are hungry."

He then steps back, his figure slowly vanishing like smoke in the wind.

"Choose wisely, my friend. Thanks for listening, this is a rare gift that is given to me. I appreciate it."

And on that, the Hellequin is gone, the sound of barking dogs echoing in the distance.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Even with his thanking her, she didn't feel any better.

Henri still was angry. Still was desecrating the bones of the dead (which didn't hurt her, but in the end would certainly hurt him!).

And furthermore, Willow was, once again, aware that she didn't know how to balance her powers, and they were getting stronger and stronger everyday..

Something she had admitted to Harry: She was afraid. Very afraid.