Mystery from Another World--MHA

Part 182: Pure Camp

Kayla tapped her fingers on the door.

"You know, quirks are a recent development," she said. It was rhetorical. "So are heroes, in that sense of the word. We in the Originals just think it was meant to stay that way. A lot of us hold the opinion that quirks were some kind of genetic experiment, done by the powers that be, and not natural. They cause so many problems. That monster there," she looked at Shigaraki, who didn't know what she said, but knew it was about him and frowned, "I've heard his story."

"All of it?"

"I've heard enough. He killed his own family. Because of his quirk. He's not the only one. There're thousands of cases like that globally."

"But it was not on purpose."

"Maybe, maybe not. Talk to the people who've lost people because of some kid's quirk going haywire in school or in public. It's hushed up when it happens, except as propaganda to get people to support the hero system more. You know, in some countries, they just seize powerful children off the streets and out of their home and recruit them to be part of their Task Force. All kinds of reasons. Quirks have done nothing to improve our world. They haven't advanced medicine or made the economy better. They say we have peace now...but how long could that last? The Metas declared war. How long before it turns into an all out war of the world? People with the strongest quirks will destroy everyone else. It would take months, at most... All this, and you wonder why I think we'd be better off without them."

"Oh, no, Kayla, I understand that perfectly," Shine said, "and I agree, quirks have made people even more stupid and stubborn than they already are by nature. They remove the most basic humility of being able to know you're not a superhuman...but they don't actually make people not human. They have the same weaknesses as before. Dialed up, maybe, or maybe not. They're about the same, from what I've seen."

"I think you are too easy on them," Kayla said.

"Kayla, what if I told you that I've seen societies where everyone is not super-powered, just like they were here...and all the problems you just listed are still present? Just because of weapons, technology, money, or religion gone wrong? Would you believe me?"

"I don't know if I would," Kayla said, "It could not be this bad."

"You have to be careful when you start saying the world could be better than it is, if you had your way. You're guilty of hubris, thinking you can do things better than God."

"If God is real, then He's not doing anything about this," Kayla said.

Shine laughed.

"What?" Kayla said, "This is so funny to you?"

"It is." Shine's eyes gleamed in the mirror. "Because I know that's not true, firsthand."

"Or really?" Kayla was skeptical.

"Yes, because I am the answer to what you just said," Shine said, "God sent me. Didn't you yourself say we're like gods? That is our goal, to be like God...not in power--that's just a bonus-- but in character. Goodness is power, actually, as George MacDonald said."

Kayla blinked at her. "You're serious?"

"Don't your cult leaders claim God appointed them to do what they do? To keep things pure?" Shine said.

"Well...yes, but...you're not like them," Kayla said.

"Well, thank goodness for that," Shine smiled wryly, "I'd hate to think I've become that static. So, that said, you don't really believe in God, but that makes you worse than ever. If you're going to help people get kidnapped, their identities stripped, and their quirks removed, at whatever cost, then, you ought to at least have the delusion it's your Divine Right, because otherwise, you're just a psychopath who's cruel because they think they can be."