"So... you have a guy who thinks that the world is full of evil and he wants to purge it. He wants to only bring good to the world, but he thinks that society is part of the problem, so he starts killing people. Assuming that his mental state isn't compromised, is he a good person?"
He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. His intentions may be good to him, but they cause harm to everyone around him, which I feel doesn't make a person as good. I think harm can only be justified when it is to protect people from a proven threat."
She frowned, going silent for a moment. In a small gesture, she slipped her hand down and took his, giving it a small squeeze before resuming her natural position. "I think you have the makings of being a really, really good leader," she told him quietly.
She looked up at him thoughtfully, frowning lightly. "Maybe not," she agreed eventually. "But I think... I dunno, Z. I think you could really do something great with your life now that you're free."
She shook her head, squinting up at the sun. Her fingers were finally starting to warm up, but she still felt the chill, shivering slightly. "I don't think so," she told him.
"No," she repeated, shaking her head. "I don't think someone like you can ever lose their chance to be good. You had a rough start, but I mean... I think your intentions have goodness in them, Z. Really."
She nodded in agreement. "No," she said. "You can't. But that's why we have that commitment, you know?" She let go of his arm, looking up at him. "We have a duty to be better. To always try to be better than we were the day before. You're right; we can't change what we've done. But we can stop ourselves from ever being like that again."
"Changing now isn't going to stop some people from hating me," he said. "Some people have that hate and I deserve it."
"Maybe," she said with a small shrug. "I think you're probably right that you can't win the favor of the people in order to lead, but... I don't know, Zer. I think you could lead a life. A happy life. I think you could be... you know..."
