Every Rose Has Its Thorns

There are things in this world which look innocent and sweet. To the naked eye, they seem like dainty little roses with no abilities to cause real harm in any way, shape, or form. Surely, their only strengths might be their pleasant aesthetics, right?

Wrong. You see, every rose has its thorns. Well, these thorns are technically called prickles - according to science. But the point still remains. Behind many seemingly harmless disguises in this world lie both potent desires and hidden strengths.

An attractive drink could secretly be drugged with an invisible intoxicant. A cabinet decorated in hearts may disguise an arsenal of dangerous weapons. A perfectly green set of leaves might really be a provider of skin irritants like poison ivy is.

A sweet and loving dog will likely attempt to bite back if provoked enough. The cutest cat is still capable of scratching both people and things. Herbivores that only eat plants such as hippos do attack humans if their territories are invaded. Heck, they even run fast in spite of their thick size.

Speaking of people…yes, humans are absolutely able to mask their true natures. Certain people do pretend to be tough while speaking but freeze out at actual confrontation. Others, though, do the opposite.

Instead of being outwardly confrontational and scaring others away, some choose to act like nice people to those they’re not interested in taking advantage of. They might be quiet, not talking unless a good opportunity seems to come up. They could also be more outspoken, using their voices for socially acceptable good causes at times.

But beneath a veneer of kindness and generosity lies a different type of person. Perhaps they do have people they care about. However, their true values and morals are - to put it bluntly - rather warped. Destroying the lives of innocent people and ruining their “loved” ones’ days is far from unusual to them, unfortunately.

These people can be dangerous. At least with honest jerks, you can gauge how to act or not act around them more easily. You don’t have to trust them like you would with loved ones. Wolves in sheep’s clothing, though? By the time you find out the truth…it’s probably too late to do much.

Not all secretly strong people in this world are bad, though. Far from it.

There are those out there who are typically shy and introverted. Outwardly meek and obedient, they don’t seem like they’re capable of fighting back all that much - let alone starting a confrontation in the first place. However, they are still able to assert themselves when sufficiently provoked.

Maybe the trigger is getting a close friend, family member, or lover hurt. Perhaps it’s just emotionally beating up and pushing them around. Heck, it could also be a mix of both. Regardless of the cause, they can and will still retaliate at a certain point. And if you’ve made them resent you enough for them to do so…better hope someone has mercy for you.

The point is that surface passivity is not necessarily an indicator that something or someone won’t either do any sort of harm or ruthlessly retaliate against such. Sure, it might take a lot or the right event for such a disaster to happen. Heck, maybe they’ll eventually lose their capabilities over time as they age and weaken.

But when it comes to living beings? Strengthening can also occur throughout the passage of time. One day, they may be more assertive with their abilities. Whether they choose to do so or not, though…don’t underestimate them.

Any other thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments!

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