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Michael couldn't help with a little pain circulating within him when Diana broke down crying in front of him and Britta. She did it so freely and so...immediate, it must have been something really serious. But then again, he wasn't the one to talk about such seriousness when he couldn't do such a thing himself when he wanted to. He wondered if he had turned cold-hearted now, or that the time wasn't ripe for his feelings to come out. Michael hoped that it was the latter. It couldn't be the former, right? He was always told of how nice he had been, and how caring he was to others. They couldn't have been wrong, right?

Right?

Perhaps now wasn't the time for that answer, as Diana continued on with her story. It was perhaps surprising to hear a girl so unreserved like Diana to be tormented in childhood. But the identity of the man wasn't much of a surprise though. Michael knew the man. Personally at that. Even though they did not clash, his display of beliefs fluttered the red flag that the Donsters should not be associated with. He is a rat, just like the rest of the family. His degeneracy was to the point that Michael's father almost abandoned his religious conviction to wish eradication upon these individuals, and to be honest Michael did not blame him. It was that bad. Castleton was probably having parties all day with that kind of people living there. He also knew that Diana's sister, Astra, was going to marry Richard, who was also participating in this war with Diana and the rest of them. Great, the Earth is so round. He couldn't help but feel bad for Diana's family, whom, to her words, sounded like some pretty decent individuals. 

He was expecting to just sit quietly and listen with sympathy, or add encouraging words to Diana, but what he faced rather was a question. It was perhaps common sense to some people, especially the cynical, that people would act greedily to each other. That people would trample upon others to achieve their selfish goals. But how many people had asked themselves why people do so. Perhaps a lot, but it was easy to dismiss. It is a trend on many different levels of society, from personal to institutional to even government policy: to cater a reason for a negative action to be solely the result of individual's moral failing. So even though the question was thrown around a lot, there was no answer.

[color=bf00ff]"I'm really no psychologist. But if you ask me..."[/color] Michael turned around to face his back against the bar, the cup of tea still on the plate on his hand. [color=bf00ff]"Just think of this for a moment. Think of the time when you have to share something with your sisters, or your friends. Something both of you really love. Something both of you really enjoy. And now think of how many times you want it for yourself."[/color] 

Michael waited a couple of seconds for her to come up with an answer on top of her head before continuing. [color=bf00ff]"If you're thinking that you always share, that's not what I meant."[/color] He said. [color=bf00ff]"Imagine yourself in the scenario where your sisters or friends do not want it as much as you do. It's still a shared item, but they just don't use it as often anymore. Do you prefer to keep it more to yourself, use it more, or you spend just as much time with it as when your friends also want it?"[/color]

His tea cup separated from the plate now that he took a quick break, the edge of it met his soft lips as he sipped the tea, wondering if she got the idea he was going for. 

[color=bf00ff]"Let's just say that we have the mindset of private ownership. We want to own things we love."[/color] He explained. [color=bf00ff]"And those people you say, your sister Astra. It's just it but on a whole different level."[/color]

But after all the cold talk, he sighed a warm compassionate tone. [color=bf00ff]"But that doesn't make it any less wrong."[/color] 

Then he placed a hand on Diana's small wrist, just as small as he was. Really reminded him of Lucia, both of whom looked just as frail as the other. But he was certain that they weren't weak. To stand with all those burdens on their shoulders, he did have a lot to compliment such strength. To both bear it, and to share it.

[color=bf00ff]"So I share your viewpoints. It is quite saddening with some clear examples. It should not have been at all."[/color] Michael said. [color=bf00ff]"But at the end of the day, I still pray that your sister find the errors of her own ways."[/color]
[@Landaus Five-One]