#runner five asks

[i-will-go-with-you-five]

Another runner AU wheeeeeee (featuring my art getting better over time as I improved!!) Click for full image and alt description!

@artist-issues’ Runner Five metaphorically and literally found Lydia in a dumpster after she’d been Runner Five for a few months (mid Season 1). From being alone for a LOT longer than in her original story, and younger in this version, Lydia is a Lot Worse mentally. It takes quite some convincing, but Five brings Lydia back to Abel to learn to trust and rely on people again, and that life does in fact have meaning and even though it seems like the end of the world, God still has a purpose for it and her.

They take to each other quickly because of their shared faith which they mutually strengthen, they both love literary analysis, and Lydia recognizes Five is mute but is instantly able to communicate with her because her brother was deaf and she knows sign language. So when Chris McShell dies, Five convinces Lydia to become Runner Ten. They go on all their runs together so that Ten can dictate Five’s signs for Sam (who instantly also adopts her as a young and fiery bean who needs Help™️ and people to love her)

In this AU, my girl is 17 while Artist’s is 21, and they adopt each other as sisters. Ten is a chaotic, goofy, slightly annoying younger sister who just ADORES Five, while Five has to restrain Ten common sense/advice-wise at times and occasionally from physical violence 😂 They speak in sarcasm, movie quotes, Bible verses, and Twenty One Pilots lyrics. Whenever they’re not running or playing DnD with Sam, you can usually find them curled up in their bunk room reading a book and debating it together.

The one thing they will never agree about is Skittles vs peanut butter M&Ms. Its started a heated supply-run rivalry more than once. (Sam is not complaining) But besides that, it’s ride-or-die-you’re-stuck-with-me-because-I-love-you-forever-you’re-not-getting-rid-of-me friendship on both sides.

[i-will-go-with-you-five]

I LOVE THEM GAHHHHHH

Okay see now I wanna see your Runner Five design and hear the LORE behind them and everything:D

here she is!! pretty similar to my Agent Phoenix design-wise, but their backstories and personalities are VERY different. design notes and lore under the cut!

keeps their bangs long to help hide their expressions. they are so sick of “how do you even see lol” jokes

always wearing long pants (typically cargo) and a light jacket for several reasons. the one that she usually rattles off when people ask is that it protects her from sunburn

insanely practical and always prepared. no mission will ever be wasted as long as she has anything to do with it. she never drops supplies and always has a trick up her sleeve.

military girl. dad is ex-army, and he drilled her on all the proper procedures during their journey to Mullins Base. she’s very aware of the chain of command and is very stiff and professional around authority figures. she didn’t really care about any of that before the outbreak, but it kept her alive, so she leaned into it really hard. it’s the subject of a lot of teasing and people are always giving her Captain America merch and bald eagle stuff and anything camo printed, but she doesn’t mind too much.

was in England as a birthday trip with their dad and little sister. as soon the outbreak started, they headed for the nearest military base (Mullins) but unfortunately, their little sister… didn’t make it.

trained themselves out of screaming when surprised or scared and learned at Mullins not to speak unless spoken to. they’ve learned to keep their expression carefully neutral and avoid questions, too, so they’re nigh impossible to read, but they still manage to be friendly and approachable to most. very mellow and easy to talk to, although they probably won’t talk back. never, ever, EVER spills secrets. tightest lips in Abel.

her coping mechanism of shutting up when danger approaches is usually useful but sometimes goes too far. there have been a couple of times when Sam couldn’t see her and her throat locked up so she couldn’t tell him she was ok, which decidedly did not help with the already stressful situation

knows all of the gossip in Abel at any given time due to their winning combination of being extremely trustworthy and their talent at sitting still and blending into the background

quick to judge, quicker to forgive. inherently suspicious of everyone, but keeps their opinions to themselves until they’re dead sure because they’ve been wrong about a lot of people a lot of times.

nicknames include: Sticky Fingers Five (how do they get so many SUPPLIES), Boy Scout (always prepared!), The American Mary Poppins (they’ve got everything in that bag of theirs), and Cap/Captain America. they’ll respond to anything tho

absolutely, positively, irrevocably WHIPPED for Sam Yao. would live, die, and kill for him.

i am currently about halfway thru season three so there are ofc more specific stuff abt her relationships w people and things that happen in between missions but i wanted to keep this general and spoiler free :P

[balloonboyismyson]

Who do you think is the silliest (besides sun and moon) character in sb?? :D

MONTY IS ALWAYS NUMBER ONE

[artist-issues]

Hello hello I have very big and complicated questions that started out broad and complex but got more and more specific and more and more personal like my questions to my family and friends always do. Whoops lol. Buckle up.

I wanted to ask about fanfiction. I've really been thinking about that post you made about how a lot of fanfiction can be just used as a form of escapism, and not in a good way like Tolkien described it, but as a 'I hate life so I'm gonna read and write extensively about fictional characters rather than working hard/trying to improve my own life' Which I really want to avoid and not do. In the past I've certainly fallen into that trap- I would get so caught up in writing Marvel or Percy Jackson or Harry Potter fanfiction (not to toot my own horn, but was objectively good and I do think grew my skills a lot as a writer and character analyzer) that I would spend every free moment and many of ones when I really should've been working on school or chores or spending time with my actual family reading and writing it. I was probably doing that 5-8 hours a day when I was 11/12. (Yikes) Thankfully, my parents smacked some sense into me lol. It really just goes to show you how, for lack of a better term, soul-consuming, that these kind of fantasy pursuits can really be. Thankfully, I don't do that any more. I actively limit myself to a max of 3 hours of reading and writing fanfiction over the course of a week, which is a big improvement.

So yay! Now I have a definte separation from writing fanfiction to improve my writing and writing it to waste time because all of my energy is focused on it to the point where it is in my every thought. Good! Growth!

But now my new thing is this- I want to make sure that any and all fanfiction I write has a definite point. I want it to point to good things and have clear messages and blue flowers and point to Jesus, even if it isn't specifically a 'Christian' fanfiction.

For example, let's just point at that Voice in the Dark one shot I wrote, which is one of, if not the, best singular fiction piece that I've written. I think the reasons why it was so good was that A) I expanded on the story in a way that was intriguing, and got inside my characters heads and accurately depicted their thought processes through it B) Made it pleasant to read with details and action and emotion and everything, C) set everything up for a part 2 conclusion of Sam and Five really connecting and talking about what they both said/thought, and becoming friends (which after procrastinating for months, I'm finally working on), but most importantly, D) Had clear themes of hope, perseverance, connection, trust, and encouragement. Which is really what I think made it so much more excellent than other fanfiction pieces I've written. I had a clear point and intention going into it that was more than just 'Have it be something I love and just for my entertainment' although that was one of the reasons I did decide to write it I will say- you do have to love what you want to write in order to write it well after all. But this is absolutely what I want the point of all my fanfiction writing to be like from here on out, being morally great, as well as well-written.

So now, because I really enjoy ZR and its really is kinda perfect for a fanfiction format, I want to turn it into more of an ongoing piece with my favorite missions and Five's relationships with the characters. But how do I go about this trying to intentionally bring in blue flowers and good messages and beautiful themes, and not just only write it for my entertainment because its a piece of media I love? How to I make sure to firstly know what themes I can bring in, and then do it in such a way that's well-written, while also being able to have those fun moments and situations that are both in the game and I've thought up?

And finally, last thing, is I'm wrestling through if I should continue writing fanfiction to 'fix' a story (which is why I started a Percy Jackson and Marvel fanfictions, I wanted to take the parts of each story I didn't like and were poorly done and make them better) rather than make my own point with it. For most of the fanfiction writing I've ever done, my goal was to improve it, to act like a ghostwriting editor the author hired to fix their fundamentally flawed story. But now I'm realizing that I was spending so much time and effort (which don't get me wrong, I do not fully regret, I really do think that I've gotten far better at fiction writing through this) and I didn't even add any more goodness or morals to the story in a way that made it more soul-sustaining and truly good. I wanted to add a lot of bits that made be as a reader squeal and get happy over which... I don't think is bad per say, but its not what I want my fanfiction to be like any more. With my writing, I absolutely do want to improve on the source material, yes, but I also want to figure out what sort of themes and goodness I'm going for with it. So should I continue writing these large projects (cause each piece covers several books/movies) for improvement and also try to expand on the good ideas and themes the authors had, even bringing in my own, or should I just set it aside as that was great, but now I need to focus on making writing morally good and not just for entertainment?

I know a big part of this is wisdom and descretion- things that God has blessed me with but I know I always can pursue more of. So I know a absolute perfect answer to this question will require time and experience. But after sorting through my word-vomiting (sorry lol), what would you say to all of this? Thank you!! <3

Hey! First of all, I love getting questions from you, and I especially love it because you take enough time to read the previous things I say that we can have a very level conversation, and a deep back-and-forth, which is not always the case with everybody who sends me questions (I like those questions too, I’m just saying.) So thanks for typing all that up!

Second of all, I’m no expert on fanfiction writing. You’ve read what I have to say about making sure the “Tone & Style” and “Themes” of any “Continued Work” stay true to their source material when it comes to like, sequels and expansions? Well, I guess I would apply that philosophy, generally, to fanfiction, too.

But the point of my “second of all” is actually, there are better people to ask about this than me. I can answer you in a broad “here’s how I apply my storytelling philosophy to this hypothetical scenario” sense, but other people have more experience actually doing what you’re talking about with fanfiction. Specifically, @doverstar, who, if you don’t follow her or read her stuff, I seriously think you’re missing out.

So in summary, talk to Doverstar. She’ll answer this better. But if I had to try and succinctly respond, I’d say: “Intentionality is always better than doing something by accident. But if you genuinely value goodness, beauty, and truth, in your own personal worldview, in a way that is genuine, and you cultivate that…it’ll come out in your writing on accident.” So in a way, even when you’re being intentional, as long as you remember that, you don’t have to be too militant whether you’re writing fanfiction or fiction.

(That’s a thought I’m still learning to put into practice, myself. I err on the side of “control everything to a T, outline everything, everything has to have a tie-in to the theme—if it doesn’t you’re failing—“ and I don’t recommend that mindset 😅) That’s the “short” answer to your ask. I’ve got a deep-dive below the cut if you’re interested, though.

How do I make sure to firstly know what themes I can bring in?

This has to do with knowing the source-story.

ZR unfortunately gets very political and social in further seasons, but to do it credit, the main, recurring, broad theme of Zombies, Run continues to be “Something greater than yourself is all that’s worth living and dying for.”

They keep coming back to it with literally every villain, and every hero, from multiple angles. You’ll see. They say, “the pursuit of pure happiness alone is bad because it’s selfish—the pursuit of immortality is bad because it’s selfish—the pursuit of everyone’s affections is bad because it’s selfish; but sacrificing for others is the real happiness, the real immortality, the real love, etc.”

So any fanfiction—even if, surface-read, it appears to be about Five falling in love with Sam or Janine learning to communicate, etc—that comes back to “Something greater than yourself is all that’s worth living and dying for.” is a success. Because it carried on the Main Point of ZR. Or it carried on a point that could be tied to the main point, whatevs.

But your question (for other fandoms) is “How do I know what themes I can bring in?”

Okay, well, that’s actually not so hard. Lots of “sub-themes” fit under the umbrella of the main theme. “Something greater than yourself,” well, that entails “self-sacrifice, gaining a broader perspective, finding empathy,” etc. (something you can see they do with sheltered characters or brittle, mission-focused miopic characters like Janine.)

But how did I find the main theme to begin with? This post. In summary:

Take in the Story, With the Single Expectation that They’re Trying to Tell You Something.

Take Note of Where You Felt Something. Then Figure Out Why You Felt It.

Figure Out What Each Character Wants, and If They Have a Moment of Change.

Look at What Decisions the Storytellers Reward, and What Decisions They Punish.

You can apply this to Marvel, to Percy Jackson, to anything. Once you figure out the main theme, it’s not so hard to break that down into little supporting ideas. And inject those into your own story. And you can even figure out where the storytellers dropped the ball, or lost their theme and did something totally out-of-character, and then fix that with your fanfiction.

Or, galaxy-brain, is when you figure out what the story was trying to say—and it was saying something bad or wrong, but you liked some of the setting or characterizations, you can fix that. Like I’ve always wanted to do with A Streetcar Named Desire.

What you don’t want to do is try to make the story about a theme that has nothing to do with any good or true thing—it’s just gratuitous. For example, I see about sixty fanfics for Twisters (one of my new favorite movies, you may recall) and they’re all about Tyler (the main guy) needing to be defended from his abusive alcoholic dad.

There is no mention of his dad, or alcohol, or Tyler having any emotional trauma, at all, in Twisters. Because the point of the movie Twisters is the girl character’s trauma (and her best friend’s,) and Tyler’s role in all of that is to be the guy who pushes her past that. Because he’s lived a lifestyle of “you ride your fears, you don’t run from them, you don’t even just face them.”

So why would a character who’s whole conception, who was created to say that, be curled up in a sad little miserable ball because his out-of-nowhere made-up father is back in town? He wouldn’t do that. His lifestyle is “ride your fears.” He’d be the guy reaching out and inviting his dad to lunch to see if something he does can make the outcome different, even though his dad never shows up, or always makes a scene, or whatever, because that would be “riding his fears.” That’s Tyler’s character. So why would you have him curl into a little ball and need his 126-lb girlfriend to defend him?

I’ll tell you why, it’s because the point of your story was not the point of Twisters, or anything good. The point of your story was, “I have a thing for emotional scenes where a man gets all weak and vulnerable and needs his love interest to take care of him,” and it shows. So you just hung skin-puppets and names of established characters on “your thing” and that’s trash storytelling. The characters are supposed to serve the story, and the story is supposed to serve the audience, not serve you.

That would be an extreme example of what not to do.

And then do it in such a way that's well-written, while also being able to have those fun moments and situations that are both in the game and I've thought up?

If my fanfic is all about Sam and Five coming clean about their feelings together, that’s fine—but they should be driven to do that because not doing that is selfish. And selfishness is the opposite of “something greater than yourself is all that’s worth living and dying for.” So I’d have Sam avoid admitting to himself that Five means so much to him because if he does, he opens himself up to crippling worry after what happened to Alice. So out of fear, which is ultimately self-protection, he doesn’t admit that he has feelings for her. But then eventually he comes to realize that caring about someone else actually drives him to work harder for the Greater Good, etc.

See what I mean? Your fanfic can be a string of scenes of will-they-won’t-they, romcom popcorn, as long as the thread holding them together is that character arc that points back to the game’s main theme.

To make it well-written, you just have to be genuine. I know everyone has lots of good tips like “show don’t tell” but books like Jane Eyre tell much more than they show. Some people say, ���break up the pace with dialogue,” or “cut the tension with comedy, then ramp it back up,” etc., but there’s no cut to the tension in Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. There’s breaks to every rule. There’s an audience for every style. Just do what C. S. Lewis says and “tell the truth, without caring two pence if it’s original.”

If you know your source material and love the loveable parts for what it is, and then you marry that with what you really believe and value in the real world, you’ll get it.

Know what you’re trying to say, love what you’re trying to say, and sacrifice to say it.

I think now that you’re thinking about this stuff, you’re going to have a hard time not writing something morally good, with entertainment as a supporting pillar.

[sunkissedliterarylightofchrist]

for the ask game, what is your phone background and desktop background?

So because I took so long, my backgrounds have changed! I’ll show you both the ones I had when I first got the ask, and my currents ones!

My phone background at the time was this art by @meadow-roses (I don't have a screenshot whoops. ALSO she literally painted that as a surprise while we were on a call talking about those two characters Felix and Five asdfasdfasd I went SO FERAL when she then dropped it in the chat with no warning and I stopped mid-word to just screech it was amazing)

Right now it’s this lineart by Meadow that I then colored! Sam Yao and Runner Five my beloved OTP ahhhhhh

Then my computer background is this super extra secret special art for a ✨special project✨ she is doing that she hasn’t posted yet! Here’s a sneak peak of that! Rhyin and Kestler my wonderful cousins/brothers/best friends ahh!!!! Man I love them and their relationship so so much. AND DONT GET ME STARTED ON THIS ART SDJFHSKDJFHSDJKFH ITS ABSOLUTELY INSANE I have spent much time staring and then screaming in her DMs about it.

Yes I realize this post fully exposes me as just a diehard for my friends work and I Do Not Care lol. Also if you look at my blog its kind of obvious at this point asdfasdf seriously go check out her and @masterfuldoodler and their story archive @wednesday-chicken !! Keepers is amazing and their characters have made my life so much better. Please go admire for me.

[i-will-go-with-you-five]

Ahhhhhhhhhh I love them so much aldjswnisnwkdusjwjdbeieudb and your drawing is ADORABLE ARGH 🥰

Hello hello hello I LOVE your art it is so gorgeous and constantly in my queue. Your Five is adorable and I love them. And I have questions for them!

Do they have a daily routine? What’s it like?

What traits do you and Five share?

Which ones are purely Fives?

What color(s) do they wear the most?

When’s their birthday? How do they celebrate it?

What’s their ‘default’ state?

Do they have a survival mode they put on? Or are they think about that kind of stuff all the time? If they ‘put on’ a survival mode, what sets that off? 

Favorite place to be?

Do they have a pre and post run routine? What’s that like?

What do other characters associate them with and why?

How would they describe themselves? Whether it’s true or not.

Which characters are they really close to and why?

How would these characters describe them and why? Whether it’s true or not

What’s a precious object they have? Why is it special?

Who will they take advice from, no matter what it is? Who won’t they take advice from, no matter what it is?

Hello! Apologies about the wait! I cant even form the words to explain how intense work has been recently lmao.

Long post is long! So I answered everything under the cut below!

Do they have a daily routine?

Uhhh yes? But its mainly the runners routine. Get up early - earlier than most in Abel. Breakfast. Pick up running rota from Sam. Depending on when theyre needed they either spend the day running or fixing up Abel/dealing with repairs/training in the runners areas. Then the evenings are mostly to themselves, but they tend to help Janine out a lot and have an early night.

What traits do you and Five share? Which ones are purely Fives?

Oh my gosh I have no idea? Five isn’t a self-insert so they differ from me in lots of ways. Uhhh. I asked a few friends for their opinion on this and they they said the following:

I would also add that we’d both walk into a horde of zombs for a coffee

What color(s) do they wear the most?

Honestly? Probably a dark red. Mostly because I headcanon that Abel’s uniform is any red/maroon shirt they can find.

When’s their birthday?

Nobody knows (: They’re rather forget everything about their life before the apocalypse and do not want to reveal anything that can trace them back to the person they once were. Sam figures it out of course (but he’ll take that information to the grave)

How do they celebrate it?

They dont (: although their friends throw them an annual ‘adoption day’ party, to celebrate the day they joined Abel

What’s their ‘default’ state?

They’re actually quite quiet (I mean, theyre mute, but you know). They’re a bit of a wall flower. They like to listen, which is what makes they a perfect match for Sam, who likes to talk.

Do they have a survival mode they put on? Or are they think about that kind of stuff all the time?

Childhood trauma means theyre always in survival mode :D Although they can relax more nowadays thanks to feeling safe with their pals.

If they ‘put on’ a survival mode, what sets that off? 

New people, or people of authority. They are very affectionate in general, but people tend to have to prove themselves to them. They find it easier to trust new people as the seasons go on.

Favorite place to be?

Janine’s farmhouse

Do they have a pre and post run routine? What’s that like?

Theyre quite good at being mindful of warm ups/cool-downs and stretching. Other than the things expected of them, such as a decontamination shower, the only real post run routine is that they never really say goodbye to Sam before a run, and he doesnt say bye either. Feels too much like inviting bad luck to do so.

What do other characters associate them with and why?

Sunshine and big smiles. Sunflowers. But also like... Garbage lmao.

How would they describe themselves? Whether it’s true or not.

Expendable (:

Which characters are they really close to and why?

They’re closest with Sam, as the two of them tend to understand each other better than anyone else in Abel. But Simon is a close second. Simon and Five have a ride together or die together kinda friendship. I cant remember specific episodes, but there are specific moments where everyone is like ‘lets throw Five into this severely dangerous situation because they are Runner Five and theyre most likely be okay’ and he is like ‘???? Lets not ???? That’s ??? Actually fucked up???’ He’s the easiest for them to be goofy with too.

How would these characters describe them and why? Whether it’s true or not

Brave to the point of idiocy. Self-sabotaging. Goofy and silly. Loyal. Dependable. Tragic.

What’s a precious object they have? Why is it special?

They arrive at Abel with nothing except the mullin’s uniform (which gets burnt they decide theyre not going back) so they dont really have anything from the before. Most objects are like massive spoilers so imma not mention them. But the thing they cherish more than anything - which is not really an object - is when they get their own room. Theyve never really had a proper home before.

Who will they take advice from, no matter what it is?

Janine. Janine says jump they dont even ask how high before theyre launching themself off a burning building!

Who won’t they take advice from, no matter what it is?

At first I was going to say there isn’t really anyone they wouldnt hear out, but then I remembered a fic I’ll never actually write and my answer to this is their biological parents who are alive and well during the apocalypse (:

[stellar-collective]

do you have any adorable 5am doodles? <3

i dedicate this sketch page to u

[i-will-go-with-you-five]

This is all really cool, I love him!!

HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO asks for Five (watch out MANY are coming but Ive split them up to be nice :) also some of these are shamelessly stolen from ask games so the language might be odd but the ones that I did come up with are cool

What does Five like about their friends?

If Five could wish for one thing to come true, what would it be and why? How would this change their life?

Does Five have a moral code or a set of rules they have for themselves? If so, what made them adopt these morals or ideals? If not, why?

When a stranger meets your Five, what’s the first thing they notice about them? Is the first impression people get accurate to who they actually are?

What’s your Five like at their best?

What’s your Five like at their worst?

Is your Five talented at anything? How did they gain this skill and why?

What is your Five's go-to weapon?

Is your Five perceptive? Do they know when someone is upset or are they not good at reading people?

Holy moly, so many Five asks - I feel a bit nervous ahahaha. Let's see...

What does Five like about their friends?

Of course Five values stuff like loyality, intelligence, a sense of humour - but the most valuable things the best friendships have brought him are new perspectives and experiences. The first real friends he made after school taught him so many things and opened his mind so much - before they all turned into zoms, of course.

If Five could wish for one thing to come true, what would it be and why? How would this change their life?

This might be a spoiler, so I am leaving my text I've written for this out for now. Let's say that his wish coming true wouldn't necessarily change his life for the better - and it wouldn't undo the apocalypse.

Does Five have a moral code or a set of rules they have for themselves? If so, what made them adopt these morals or ideals? If not, why?

Five does not follow a strict moral code. Everything ought to be a little flexible if there are literal undead involved, and he doesn't have a real "set of rules" he follows. But if pressed, he would say that the strong always have a responsibility towards those who are weaker and that it is bad to think in categories of "valuable" and "disposable" when humans are involved. The Terry Pratchett quote about thinking about people as things resonates strongly with him.

When a stranger meets your Five, what’s the first thing they notice about them? Is the first impression people get accurate to who they actually are?

Five is misjudged quite often, because, let's be honest, he's not a particularly impressive guy at first glance. He's fairly short, always on the cusp of underweight, and very quiet. Most people would overlook him and wouldn't even notice a particular thing, or, worse, would be a bit wary of him and not put of lot of trust in him. But, hey, he's Runner Five! So of course they're wrong. He's not the fastest, he's not the strongest, but he never ever ever gives up.

What’s your Five like at their best?

Quiet, efficient, observant, tenacious. Just absolutely focused on the job, and quite good at it.

What’s your Five like at their worst?

Five can hold a grudge like no other. It takes a lot to make him truly mad, but if he hates somebody, he just can't. let. go. So Five at his worst is probably blinded by rage and senselessly pursuing revenge, against all better judgement.

Is your Five talented at anything? How did they gain this skill and why?

Five does not have any truly outstanding talents, but he discovered that he is a very good tutor at university. He is very patient and never gives the impression of judging someone for not grasping a concept. He has also a natural talent for all things involving numbers.

What is your Five's go-to weapon?

A baseball bat.

Is your Five perceptive? Do they know when someone is upset or are they not good at reading people?

He is perceptive, although not to an extremely unusual degree. But it helps that he gives off the impression of being very much not perceptive - as he does not react very much and often does not know how to show that he noticed something - so that people tend to reveal more than they might do otherwise, and sometimes, if they have to hide something, let their guard down a bit.

That's it, and thank you for asking! It was fun to think about it and putting vague ideas into words.

[cyclist-5]

whats your Five lore? how did they get to Abel? all the fun details and stuff!

Alright! So my Five is pretty heavily based on myself, but thrown into a truly wild situation, and with some details changed for the fun of it. They're nonbinary and use they/them pronouns, and are somewhere in their late-20s to early-30s. I'm a little unsure of what they did before the zombie apocalypse, but I'm currently leaning toward grad (or maybe law) student. They were a bicycle commuter for eco-conscious reasons. They were American, but doing a semester abroad when things went Bad. After a trusted faculty mentor tried to eat them, they hopped on their bike and just fled, eventually reaching Mullins Military Base. I gave them my own hypermobility and joint issues- running is pretty hard for them so they weren't a full Runner at Mullins, but they did get some physical and weapons training there and started to do some work as a courier. Eventually, they were assigned to Project Greenshoot (they still have no idea what it is), and sent by helicopter to Abel township, when they were shot down by rocket launcher and had to make a run for it. You know the rest! When I originally started playing ZR, I actually listened to Welcome to Nightvale instead of music between segments, and interpreted WTNV as a radio signal that Runner 5 was picking up! While I generally listen to music rather than podcasts while playing these days, I still like to think that my version of the world still has some of that Weirdness. They have a small portable radio that always seems to work despite not having any visible power supply, and they can tune it to some of the fiction podcasts that I listen to. Whether they're tuning in to something in an alternate universe or picking up something happening elsewhere in the world is kind of ambiguous, but there's clearly *something* going on. Also, I kind of think that they don't tell anyone their name. I'm not entirely sure why yet, but I think they like having that bit of a distinction between their previous life and the topsy-turvy world they're in now. They can go back to being [redacted] once things are back to normal, but for now, they're Five.

[enbeast]

dream edition. send me a character and a number and ill describe my personal interpretation of that characters dream

1. realistic nightmare where they experience their worst fear that is grounded in reality (no car sized spiders or weird metaphors)

2. unrealistic nightmare (exaggerated; car sized spiders and weird allegories)

3. a dream of their perfect scenario that they wouldnt want to wake up from that is literal and grounded

4. a dream of their perfect scenario that they wouldnt want to wake up from that is as exaggerated and dream-logic-y and allegorical as i want

5. a really weird dream i think theyve had

6. a recurring nightmare i think theyve had

[thecrenellations]

okay, trying to go for at least one answer that’s funny because it’s extremely expected and one that’s funny because it’s unexpected???

2 3 6 12 21 25

these are the questions.

I think you succeeded, my anonymous inquisitor! (I laughed/smiled when I read the questions.)

2. Did you reread anything? What? YES, I DID! I was going to provide some numbers for this and got a little lost in the details, but half of the individual books I read this year were ones I've read before, I read some of those books (Lion Hunters) multiple times, and then I went and reread a bunch of the ones that were new to me, especially the Lymond Chronicles! The Game of Kings wins, I think. No, I know. I love rereading, and my favorite stories are the kind that make me love it more!

3. What were your top five books of the year? In alphabetical order, with an only-one-book-per-series restriction and my apologies to a few books I liked nearly as much or the same amount as these ones: The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett, He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan, The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor, A Power Unbound by Freya Marske, and Stateless by Elizabeth Wein.

6. Was there anything you meant to read but never got to? I should have thought to split up my answers, but yes! I remembered a few of the nonfiction ones: The Power of Babel by John McWhorter, Ducks by Kate Beaton, Caring For Your Books by Michael Dirda, Karachi Vice by Samira Shackle, and a biography of John Gielgud

12. Any books that disappointed you? Certain aspects of the Lymond Chronicles, the new-reading highlight of my year, disappointed me in ways that I have also found deeply interesting to talk and think about, and I felt that Wild Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the Natural World did not quite deserve its title. Get wilder and more curious!

21. Did you participate in or watch any booklr, booktube, or book twitter drama? These questions are from 2019, so I suppose they predate booktok becoming a major thing! But I certainly watched Claire run around Schuler books and, dramatically, cause The Thief and Code Name Verity to sell out!

At @red-sea-itinerary, the capital of booklr, our polls have been very dramatic, and an author has weighed in. We should all remember Abreha's palace's water clock. Nearly everyone prefers coffee with Turunesh over kingship and no one thinks Medraut should have the latter. Birds. And Telemakos is taller than Lleu!!!

25. What reading goals do you have for next year? To get around to a few of those books in 6, to read more nonfiction (I think trying more via audiobook would help), to read more diversely in terms of authors (including time periods), and to read another series that's new to me! Maybe to help poke a certain loose book club into meeting again? To have fun and escape and think and learn. Reading was enough of a challenge during and after college that I still feel delighted and grateful that I've been reading regularly and finding new books I love. :)

[i-will-go-with-you-five]

🥹 my hearttttt i love him more than i already did awwwww

*starts new google doc*

Writing you say? 👀 I may have an idea…

ok then from your Fives pov, I need what he thinks about my Five. Personality, appearance, general vibes, all the stuff. Assume they just had a sit down talk and she told him her backstory and stuff (from my lore post) and anything else you think of. I need his thought process of her 😅

Sorry this took me so long to answer, it got buried under like 20 fake charity asks 😭

So my Five (who's new name we've established to be Laika) is a pretty distrusting person by nature. BUT he also falls very hard (in a non romantic way) for any displays of kindness towards him, since he's so starved of touch and affection.

So he would maybe not trust your Five at first, but quickly grow attached, especially after hearing her backstory with her siblings. He would be stuck to her like glue, as well as Sam, since they were the first to show him kindness. He's as loyal as a dog, if not more, and thinks of them as his family.

He loves her braids and is intrigued by them. He's probably tried to touch them or swat at them without her noticing (he fails and pretends she had a bug on her).

He never understood religion (rather, he was never introduced to the concept of religion), so he doesn't know what to make of her when she talks about her God. Having seen the worst humanity has to offer, he has a hard time believing a merciful God would have let those things happen to him, although he also wonders if maybe that God simply didn't know about him because Laika never knew to pray for interference.

He will sit quietly nearby when she prays, however, on the excuse that he's keeping watch so no one bothers her (He actually finds it calming, even if he doesn't fully "get it").

He knows she can handle herself, but is still fiercely protective of her (and, again, Sam).

[drowsystarlight]

Why is your design for Sam so crunchy!

(positive)

Thanks! I agree with you he’s so crunchy i want to eat him (NOT zombie style)

[forge-octarian-jacket]

Top 5 favorite regrativator NPCs GO!

Spud

Mark

Bive

Spilt

Party Noob [Poob]

[artist-issues]

✨tell me your Runner Five lore✨

Okay!

In my head, Runner Five is an Italian-American named Faith, but she doesn’t tell anyone her real name because she’s made her life “The Mission,” which, to her, is, “Save As Many People As I Can.” So she likes being called Five.

She’s 21. She wanted to be an Olympic track runner when she was a kid, and she got her identity from training for that, but then she found Jesus 😂 When the apocalypse hit she and her brother were on a luxury cruise.

The ship tried to stay off of land for as long as possible as countries fell to the plague one by one, but eventually, obviously, it needed to refuel and resupply. They stopped in England, everything was mostly fine, but of course, someone got bit, didn’t tell everyone else, and the plague broke out while the cruise ship was getting underway.

Five and her brother tried to escape in life rafts, helping a great many along the way, but her brother was bitten saving her. She tried to turn around and get back to him just as the engine exploded, killing just about everyone and almost-killing Five thanks to shrapnel.

She was found and taken to Mullins base. Apparently someone from there had seen her and her brother perform bravely in the face of zombies, and felt that in the survivalist world she’d come in handy. They saved her life with surgery, but good post-apocalypse doctors are hard to find, and so are supplies, so it was a little botched and she lost the ability to speak.

Now she’s mute, runs for Abel, and you know the rest!

I actually rewrote most of the ZR lore while I was waiting on a plane many years ago because the story is good but so infected with crazy postmodern values later on that I wanted to fix it. I had to go look at my note to remember some of this! 😂

Thanks for asking!

[i-will-go-with-you-five]

I love Anna she is precious and adorable and I wanna have tea with her she is the best.

I’d love to get to know your Five better!!!

Do they have a daily routine? What’s it like?

What traits do you and Five share?

Which ones are purely Fives?

What color(s) do they wear the most?

When’s their birthday? How do they celebrate it?

What’s their ‘default’ state?

Do they have a survival mode they put on? Or are they think about that kind of stuff all the time? If they ‘put on’ a survival mode, what sets that off? 

Favorite place to be?

Do they have a pre and post run routine? What’s that like?

What do other characters associate them with and why?

How would they describe themselves? Whether it’s true or not.

Which characters are they really close to and why?

How would these characters describe them and why? Whether it’s true or not

What’s a precious object they have? Why is it special?

Who will they take advice from, no matter what it is? Who won’t they take advice from, no matter what it is?

Oh bless your heart !! I don’t post much about my 5 anymore but I still adore her.

1) routine

Yes 5 has a routine she is very strict for it. Up at 7, stretch, breakfast, run at 1, back at any point. Then, shower. Has to be in the same stall. Then, stretch, enrichment, dinner and bed. If it’s wrong she will cry.

2) what traits do we share?

I was going to joke and say autism but in reality it’s being really soft for kids. Mamma bears.

3) what traits are only 5’s?

She likes ballet and can dance. I cannot. I am atrocious at dancing. Especially ballet.

4) what colours do they wear the most?

Anna’s favourite colour is yellow and if anything is yellow she will get it.

5) when is their birthday?

14th October ! She doesn’t celebrate it much bit Sam finds dates important so he celebrates it with her. It took him a year and a half to tease the date out of her.

6) what is their default state?

Quiet. They don’t cause a fuss, don’t make a noise, just…carry on.

7) what’s their survival state?

Anna would not hurt a fly. She is so gentle and doesn’t the idea of someone harmed because of her. Alas - if Abel is under threat, she will throw hands. She is very much a fighter.

8) favourite place?

Her favourite place is a quiet spot under a tree in Abel. She just likes to sit and people watch.

9) run routine

As long as she stretches and drinks water she’s fine. Simon tries to get her into more but she just likes the peace of yoga.

10) what characters associate With them?

She is very quiet - in fact a selective mute. So her pool is very small. Sam, Maxine and Paula are her go to. Lobastse and Janine are a close second.

11) how would they describe themselves?

Anna has no idea how that would happen. She’d say ‘blonde’ and maybe ‘runner’ And leave it at that. Least said. If they’re forced they’d say ‘blue eyes.’

12) which characters are they closest too?

I am a die hard 5am person and my 5am have 2 kids of their own.

13) how would these people describe her?

I think we all know how much Sam would monologue about 5s in general. Anna is no different.

14) precious items?

She has her guiding blanket. It has all her badges on it from when she was small. It keep her warm at Abel what can she say. A blanket is a must have.

15) who will she take advice from?

Janine. Enough said.

16) who won’t she take advice from?

Simon. Enough said.