aspect slander pt. 7 - Hope seems tw0 be a highly requested one, i d0n't know why. it's g0t to be in the t0p three most 0bviously c0rruptive of the bunch. h0pe is what skaia labels it, but in all things it calls it that and presents a different story. it's the singleminded power 0f self delusion packaged intw0 an aspect. time might be it's m0st useful and space the most required, but i think h0pe is skaia's favorite. it's one 0f those rare few like breath that 0ften manifests itself plainly. probably because als0 like it hope is generally precisi0n targeted. but rather than at those with the m0st potential and least sense 0f self, it's at the most rabidly self abs0rbed. "but sollux" y0u say, stupidly. a bit im pretty sure im reusing. "isn't it light that's the most self abs0rbed? or bl0od f0r that whole pers0nal draw thing?" c0nfidence is different from self abs0rbtion. a great leader is alm0st always confident, but a self abs0rbed one rarely finds any0ne who'd f0llow. and self-hating types are often the m0st self-absorbed as yet m0re of the energies that 0ught to be p0inted outward are redirected at the self, festering. l0ving only themself. hating 0nly themself. pitying only themself. n0ne left for 0thers. a sufficiently self abs0rbed person barely lives a life at all. simulating the w0rld outside them with0ut ever fully engaging with it. confident they kn0w how pe0ple work 0r society functi0ns when all they've ever had as a reference is themself. it builds up a layer of delusi0n so thick that breaching it is usually danger0us for every0ne involved. they already knew what y0u were going t0 say because they aren't even speaking tw0 you. just a delusi0n of y0u they've made up. s0 any detraction secretly must c0me from jeal0usy of their zer0 accomplishments 0r some kind 0f lust. because two admit they d0n't know w0uld unmake them. by their own will they have n0thing and are nothing. even v0id doesn't want t0 associate with these types. which makes h0pe the most p0ison0us aspect of all. and why s0me say it's the most p0werful offensive aspect. its p0wer is less diluted. skaia was already an unfeeling, self-serving engine 0f suffering. who better tw0 loan it's p0wer out t0 than a kindred spirit? stark, cold, empty t0rrents of blank faced cruetly self-named h0pe. no substance tw0 it at all, just empty tyranny for its 0wn sake trying to impress the wielder's will up0n their surroundings. but n0 matter how emp0wered by how malev0lent a god, a lie will remain a lie. s0 the only change they h0pe into existence is 0blivion. but the h0pebound will be pushed t0 'believe' this is the way until there's nothing left t0 challenge the fantasy. it wants tw0 make hope int0 something dirty. fucking h0pe. is there anything m0re vile? who it picks t0 associate with it is part 0f that. people can't see it n0w, but they will. some day.