#but not necessarily for someone who is dead

[five-rivers]

The next part of my Kingdom of Fish pollfic! Continued from here.

.

It wasn't the practice he'd been intending, but… “I'm fluent in Elysian Greek.”  That was the dialect Pandora's people used.  

“Oh, thank goodness,” said the attendant, handing him a pair of scrolls.  “People have been requesting these, and of course we don't get many people who know those dialects out this way, so…”

“Right,” said Danny.  “Where should I…?”

“Oh, right here!  But… oh dear, I'll need to find a booster seat…”

“I don't need one,” said Danny, quickly.  “I can just hover.”

Danny needed one. 

(But unlike what the attendant said, he didn't look absolutely adorable in it, nor was he perfectly precious when pouting.  He wasn't pouting at all!)

He unrolled the original scroll, weighing it down with the scroll weights on the table, then did the same to the blank scroll he was copying onto.  

“Are arrangements like this common?” asked Mom.  

“What arrangements?” murmured Danny, keeping his voice down.  

“Arrangements between groups of ghosts.  Between your library and this one.”

“The library network is a bit unusual,” said Danny.  The scroll appeared to be a transcription of the life story of an Eleusinian farmer.  “The Library of Tongues gets relatively good deals, too, since most libraries need translators at least some of the time.  But there are other groups that do similar things.  Like, alliances and stuff between Realms.  I think the Goblin Market started off that way.  And there are the universities.  Schools.  Museums, too, but I don’t mess with them.”

“Why not?” asked Dad.  “I’d think that they’d work closely with translators.”

“Well, yeah, but museums aren’t always very good about asking.  And a lot of them get overly interested in things that are one of a kind.”  Like Danny himself.  He trimmed the quill pen provided to him and dipped it in the inkwell.  He started writing.  

“Oh, avoiding them is probably a good idea.”

“You don’t have to sound so surprised, Mom,” said Danny.  “I have all sorts of good ideas.”  He wrote in relative silence for a while, pen scratching at the scroll.  

“What’s in that?” asked Dad.  

“The writing?  Record of someone’s life.  Not very long.”  He hummed and contemplated how to translate a complicated religious passage.  

“Where were they from?”

“And when?” added Mom.  

“Eleusis,” said Danny.  “And, hm, there’s not a date.  Usually stuff like this is pretty old, though.”

“Eleusis.  As in the Eleusinian Mysteries?”

“Yeah, I think so.  This doesn’t really say anything about them, but I’m sure there’s stuff in the library proper that does.  Why?”

Mom sighed.  “Sometimes, finding things in the Ghost Zone, it’s a bit like time travel without the time travel.  It’s a window into history.”

Danny frowned slightly.  It was history, and books were always a bit like that, but it wasn’t as if the person who the scroll was about was necessarily gone.  There was a very good chance that they still existed.  They had already been dead when they’d dictated this.  

Well, it didn’t matter, he supposed.  It was very unlikely that they’d ever meet the guy.  He wasn’t sure why it bothered him, anyway.  

He finished the scroll and rolled it up.  He looked up scanning the room for the attendant.  His eyes, however, caught on the large man with the bat ears and moth winds.  He looked like he was suffering, his skin soft and melty.  The thin man didn’t look like he was having a good time, either, fighting with his wings and an over-the-shoulder bag.  Oh, and there was something broken on that printing press that he could definitely fix.  And then, if he thought about it, this translation hadn’t taken him long at all.  He could certainly afford the time to do a few more.

… Danny realized, then, that in addition to not having much of a chance to travel and explore, lately, he hadn’t had much opportunity to indulge his primary Obsession beyond helping in the lab, and now that he wasn’t swamped in the haze of cabin fever, it was itching its way out of his skin.  

He was going to be horribly nosy about things.  He could just feel it.  All the practice in minding his own business he’d gotten in high school was years ago now. 

[utilitycaster]

@disastergenius replied to your post “perhaps unpopular but while I do agree the EXU...”:

re: this party doesn't talk much; i think that narratively, fcg's death isn't the call for them to talk in the way that molly's was? Molly's death happened early and bc of molly, but it was the wake-up call the party needed while separated and to actually begin to work together. bh's have different problems and fcg's death wasn't a result of party but was fcg's decision. so it also makes sense that it's not bringing the group together or anything, it's just mourning

​So I think this is part of it but I also wanted to post this as a full response because I've been thinking a lot about this! In short...having experienced a death within a friend group, people respond in weird ways, and for the most part, with the caveat that this was a friend among my friends from college and she died when we were all adults in various different cities and therefore not necessarily closely in touch all the time, we did not have a big sit-down and go around talking about our feelings. It's much slower. And I've talked a lot with people who have experienced a death within a friend group that was closer. Sometimes the group falls apart dramatically. Sometimes it just drifts apart. Sometimes it's sort of a weird blank space no one knows how to deal with.

I found Ashton's behavior in particular to be really well done on Taliesin's part and deeply affecting. They're exhausted not just mechanically but emotionally, and they don't want to really talk to anyone, but they do very much want some kind of comfort that doesn't require a lot of effort and most importantly, they don't want to be alone. When I had to learn about the (Jewish) religious practices surrounding grief and mourning, one of the things they tell you about sitting shiva (and to be clear this is not unique to shiva, it's just that Judaism has very clear time delineations of the mourning process) is that sometimes you just go there and sit with someone who doesn't want to talk much. His reaction felt incredibly real and natural, is what I'm saying. Grief can be isolating and tiring and difficult to talk about.

It feels right for the others too. Like...we can talk about the rapid pacing but that's been the case for much of the campaign, and no, I didn't like the EXU decision but what's done is done. I think deciding to, as Chetney said in 92, "make it count" seems very natural. I do hope there are conversations in Zadash and/or Aeor but at this point "we're drunk and tired and aren't ready to really feel this", especially since in-world, everything might be over in a week or so, makes a lot of sense. I also think FCG's death has united the party at least in the sense of purpose, and I think some people just dislike that the purpose is "double down on the moon plot." I think at the very least we'll have to visit it when they tell Imahara Joe (and hopefully Dancer, too.)

Ultimately, again, while I do love the episodes after Molly's death, episode 27 only has three party members in it, and episode 30 is arguably more about Fjord and Jester and Yasha being rescued (and on a meta level, welcoming Travis and Laura back to the table after parental leave) and incorporating Caduceus into the group as it is about Molly being dead. A lot of the conversations are about that, and 31 is very much about fucking around in Zadash and doing weird shit! Jester and Veth make Molly illusions not long after while on Darktow! The effects of Molly's death ripple through, quite honestly, the entire rest of the campaign and the grief is very nonlinear. Again, I adore episode 2x30, but I think one should be careful not to overly romanticize it; the party is still very much working through those initial feelings throughout the entire pirates arc, which takes place over the span of a couple of months. Bells Hells might not have months, and it might not get explored to the same extent, but I do think we'll see the effects nonetheless.

[gunilslaugh]

Need Some Help Darling? Pt.2

Kwak Jiseok Summary: Just because Jiseok is a bad guy doesn’t mean he’s necessarily a bad guy. Not to you at least. (non-idol au) WC:~1k Warning:none

part 1 part 3

photo not mine credits to owner.

After settling inside your house you laid on your bed staring at the ceiling. Why was Jiseok there? Why did he help you? Why did he insist on giving you a ride home? Why did he give you his number to call if you need help? Who is Jiseok?

That’s your biggest question of all. You didn’t really know anything about him. You assume that he is some type of loan shark, but you don’t know exactly what he does. It is safe to say that he is dangerous. He literally held a knife to your throat, but he didn’t hurt you and tonight he helped you. Then again he was also carrying a knife on his hip and he wasn’t afraid to use it. So really, what kind of guy is Jiseok? That question lingered in your mind as you drifted off to sleep.

In the morning you woke up and caught sight of the folded piece of paper on your nightstand. You unfolded the paper and looked at the numbers running across it: Jiseok’s number. You grabbed your phone and opened it up to create a new contact. You typed in the numbers from the paper and saved the contact as “Bad Guy Jiseok”.

Besides the new contact in your phone life seemed to go back to normal. You woke up in the mornings, went to work, came back home, had dinner, relaxed before going to bed. Enjoyed your days off. In fact if it wasn’t for his contact in your phone you may think your encounters with him were merely weird dreams. 

It was another normal day. You just got off work and were on your way back home. You are waiting for the cross signal at a crosswalk. The signal turns, giving you the go ahead to cross the street. When you’re about halfway across you hear a blaring horn. A car is speeding right for you and you freeze like a deer in the headlights.

“What is wrong with you? Why would you just stand there when a car is coming right for you?” Someone scolded you. Actually no, you recognized the voice. It was Jiseok’s. Jiseok was holding you by your shoulders, his eyes scanned over your body.

“Jiseok? What are you- what just happened?” you asked, looking around. You were now standing on the other side of the street, but the last thing you remember is hearing the sound of a horn.

“You almost got hit by a car! If it wasn’t for me you’d be dead right now!” He saved you, again. 

“Thanks, for saving my life,” you said. Jiseok sighed. It was obvious you were still in shock. 

“Look I have other business to attend to, but how about you wait in my car. I’ll drive you home after.” He started to guide you in the direction of his car. 

“No, it’s fine Jiseok. I can get home on my own,” you tried to decline. 

“You’re still in shock. Just wait in the car. I’ll be quick.” Jiseok opened the car door for you and motioned for you to get in. You took a glance at him before getting into his car. He shut the door behind you. 

You spent your time in the car thinking about the incident that just happened. How did Jiseok magically show up again when you needed him? Could it really be a coincidence? He did say he has other business to attend to. Have your lives possibly always overlapped and you never noticed? Your thoughts are broken by the sound of a car door opening. It’s Jiseok climbing into the driver's seat.

“Put your seatbelt on,” he tells you. You reach over and grab the seatbelt then click it into place. Jiseok begins to drive and your eyes fall to his knuckles that are wrapped around the steering wheel. They’re bruised and busted. Your eyes trail from his injured knuckles up his arm and to his face. The corner of his lip near his jaw is bruised too.

“You’re hurt,” you say. Jiseok looks at you for a moment then he looks at his knuckles. 

“It’s nothing darling,” he dismissed. 

“Doesn’t it hurt?” you questioned. He shook his head. 

“I told you it’s nothing. It doesn’t hurt,” he said. 

“It looks like it hurts,” you voiced. Jiseok chuckled. He removed one of his hands from the wheel and took hold of one of yours. His action takes you by surprise. Your eyes widen as you look at his hand holding yours. 

“If your delicate knuckles got busted it would hurt.” His thumb rubbed over your knuckles. “But my knuckles are far from delicate, so it doesn’t hurt.” 

“What do you do Jiseok?” you asked. 

“Nothing that concerns you darling.” He let go of your hand, setting his back on the wheel. 

“Then why do you help me?” You changed your question. 

“Should I have let those guys get you that night or let you get hit by that car?” he prompts. 

“No. I’m very grateful for you helping me. I just mean for someone who’s a bad guy, you don’t seem like you’re a bad guy,” you say. 

“Oh darling I’m sure there are plenty of people who would argue with you about that,” he said. 

“Well you don’t seem like a bad guy to me. I don’t think bad guys would drive someone home, so they get back safe or give someone their number to call if they need help.” Jiseok pulled up at your curb. 

“Well you’re not just someone, you’re my darling.” He leaned over closer to you. Your breath hitches. Jiseok smirks as he leans even closer to you, so close you can feel his breath fan against your face. Suddenly you hear the click of your seatbelt and the car door opens. 

“Don’t trip on your way in,” he tells you leaning back. You feel your face flush. 

“Right…thanks for the ride and saving me,” you stammer out, awkwardly getting out of his car

“Sure thing darling.” He stares at you until you make it inside your house before he drives away. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Jiseok?” You say with a quivering voice.

“What is it darling?” Jiseok asked. 

“I need help,” you sniffed.

part 1 part 3

Taglist: @purplelady85 @gingerjunhan @chewednails @ezlynkisses @mon2sunjinsuver @mxlly143

[coeluvr]

I think when people say they wish for Alistair to be alive, they never consider what being alive could’ve looked like for him. Nor the fact he could have changed and become someone who is a stranger to MC.

For MC and Alistair that would be sad ofc…but as the reader it just sounds like a great way for more angst and drama lol. Imagine a MC who keeps their happy memories of their twin close to their heart as they’re precious in all the trauma they experience afterwards, to the extent that they hear Alistair’s voice exactly as he was…only to be faced with an older Alistair who has gone through his own trauma and changed due to it, and like you said someone who is now a stranger to them after being forced apart for half their lives. Some MCs might be the same, but some will be different too, so they wouldn’t necessarily be as he remembered either. Things can’t go back to when they were carefree children, but maybe their bond is strong enough to start over again and forge a new sibling relationship. Or maybe too much has happened, especially as the MC is now tied to Rosea (potentially even dating the heir & son of the man who massacred their family).

I find it interesting because you said before that if Alistair was in MC’s position that he wouldn’t have told Helios in the library about what Luceris did, wouldn’t have accepted the consort position, and wouldn’t have burned Farah’s room. My MC did all 3 lol, so I headcanon that my MC would struggle to cope more with the situation as they were the softer one as kids and used to Alistair being their protector.

Great idea but he's gonna stay dead. Nice try! 🥰

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

Hello. Okay, so I'm going to start this off with 'this might be an crazy thing to ask'.

I just saw your post from January about Nana Shimura, and I feel like I'm insane.

I'm legitimately not trying to be belligerent here, but can you please explain to me, in your opinion, why you think that it is Nana's fault for anything that has happened in relation to her? I'm just trying to understand, because I don't see how anything could necessarily be her fault solely. Specifically when talking about the 'creation' of Tomura.

If AFO had wanted to get his hands on someone from that bloodline, if only to be a bastard or whether it was for an actual reason, he would have done it regardless of what Nana's choices would have been.

And I can't help but notice the fact that all of this skips an entire generation. Everyone is so quick to blame Nana for doing what humans do, I.E. having a husband and a child, and I feel I'm not really qualified to speak on that front because I never have wanted children and I don't foresee that changing at this ripe old age I'm at, so I'm not even going to go into whether or not I think it was wrong of her to have a family.

I just find it very interesting that people are blaming Nana for something that happened literal years after her own physical death. Things that happened at the hands of her own son. Things that would have never happened had it not been for her son, that she had no part in.

It's just that the way I see it, that man had years upon years to come to terms with what his mother had done in order to protect him, but in the end he failed anyway. Whether he knew it or not he failed more than his own mother did. He failed and he gave his fucking own child over to this horrible person, and he couldn't have been completely ignorant of that, let's be honest. Whether or not what she did was the right choice, Nana gave him up for a reason, and the fact that he couldbut possibly put himself in his mother's shoes, after how many years? Is more telling of him than it is of her.

Even if what Nana did wasn't the right choice, then what WAS the right choice? How was there a wrong or a right choice when you could never possibly predict the outcomes of whatever you chose to do? In my opinion, people are trying to pin everything on Nana when all she was doing was doing the best she could with what she was given, and I think that's unfair and stupid.

I haven't been following you for long, but I've seen your posts for quite a while, so I actually do respect your opinion, which is why I am asking you.

I really don't like the way Horikoshi writes women as a whole in this particular story, and I don't know if that's a track record of his or if this is his only work or whatever, I don't really pay attention to that sort of thing. And that's a whole other post for another time. But I just find it really weird that everyone seems to be coming after Nana while simultaneously defending her son, when her own son is the one who is committing these atrocities long after she is dead?I find it very weird indeed.

Sorry for the long post, I have far too many feelings about MHA.

First of all, sorry for taking so long to answer and thank you for taking the time to write this ask 💜

Nana Shimura is one of my favorite bnha female characters because of how complex and flawed she is!!!

Here's the short answer:

Regardless of the actions of the people around her, Nana Shimura had a responsibility with her son as a mother and with the world as a hero.

We all have to make decisions without knowing the outcomes. That's life. It doesn't absolve us from the consequences of our actions. It also doesn't mean we are evil, but simply human. It is in our nature to make mistakes and make bad decisions sometimes.

It seems extremely harsh to judge a woman for doing her best against an enemy that was so much stronger than her, but that's the whole point of writing a character like Nana. There are no easy answers.

What was the correct thing to do instead of abandoning Kotaro? How could she have won against AFO? How could one (1) woman do both and do it well?

Nana isn't responsible for what Kotaro did so many years after she left him, but she did leave him. She had a son and then left him because she needed to be a hero. We don't know the exact circumstances of how she had Kotaro, but many fans ask why she had him if she knew her hero job would put him at such risk. Or why she chose to be a hero over being his mother.

Logically, we know it was to save the world. It's just that her choice isn't black and white. She caused a lot of pain in doing what she did, even if she contributed to a lot of joy.

AFO defeating her was inevitable. Like her OFA predecessors, they were alone on their journey. See, it took Deku an army to fight AFO and his influence.

There's also the fact that Nana took Toshinori in after she left Kotaro. Of course she only did it because the kid meant to sacrifice himself for the cause just like her, but it doesn't erase the parallel between Toshinori and Kotaro. One got to enjoy her company until she died because he had the right conditions to be her heir while the other lost her forever because she loved him.

Sadly, her love didn't save Kotaro and didn't make All Might's life easier.

Any person with responsibilities is a person with failures. That rings true for every single bnha hero and villain.

The way I see it, people either have a reason to hate her or not.

Some dislike her 'cause she left Kotaro. Some are unreadable in their judgment and hate her just because she is a woman. Some just dislike her general writing or don't enjoy her type of character.

At the end of the day, Nana Shimura is still a tremendous female character. She inspired All Might himself (he who is hailed as the best hero of all times). She faced AFO alone and she died mocking him with a smile. She sacrificed her happiness and all the things dear to her in order to save the world. Nana passed down OFA and kept hope alive in a time full of violence and chaos. She is one of the best female pro-heroes to have existed and the only female OFA user. He was freaking jacked with muscle because her quirk was float.

Her flaws depict her greatness and the weight on her shoulders. Nana Shimura, everyone.

[dawn-t0-dusk]

#88: Sum of Parts

We are the sums of our parts            The bits and pieces left over            Signs that remind you of people                          The ones you may have loved                                    (or hated)            All held together with fading bonds                        -invisible but present            Eventually, there will be no use for them.            Even without anything holding you together-                         those pieces will become another part of you.

We are the sums of our parts            and I am no different. Scraps of our time still sit under my skin. They clog the gears in my chest,            stop the steady ticking of my heart Today once again-            I will have to open it up,            clean out the bits in cogs Today once again-            I will collect the bits of you                        store them in a box            To be buried in the back of my mind            Somewhere it won’t see them                       where they will always be present                        But won’t be a distraction.

[anxiously-sidequesting]

You know what I love more than just heroes and villains going up against each other is when the hero and villain have a certain respect and acknowledgement to the other, have a special relationship or connection with the other, or just a general interest that's between just THOSE TWO GUYS and not anybody else Grandfather Spider Morganthe Schismist Soldier Duncan Grimwater

Like I could easily see the YW teaming up with almost any of those people (see: only GFS and Morganthe the other two are crazy) not out of maliciousness or because they switched sides but because they're just compatible with them in ways where it just makes sense. Like for example the YW fighting back-to-back with Morganthe or having in depth magical discussions with her because we understand her on a level no one else does. Like in a crazy season finale where the Savior of the Spiral would not even Dream of Ever Working With Those Ruffians but when they have to they're like so magical (no pun intended) together because they just click. Like in the original Teen Titans where Deathstroke and Robin were like fighting in Hell together and they were on the SAME WAVELENGTH despite being bitter enemies THAT'S THE SHIT I LIKE. I think maybe that's the reason why I resonate more with these guys than Malistaire because imo it's just so much more interesting and emotional when we get two people on opposite sides of the morale scale able to come together and work so fluently. This is also me saying I want a Schismist Soldier and YW Roommate Sitcom.

[nostalgia-tblr]

The dark world thought. Loki keeps calling thor brother (mostly to annoy him) in the movie. idk why but i was hoping at least once thor would scream at him and say "STOP CALLING ME THAT"

Note to self: watch Thor 2: The Dark World. See, I think it's the other way round, and my answer involves thoughts I had about the thorki fic I inisist I will never write so fair warning for that BUT of the two it's Loki who's far more likely to insist they're not really brothers and shouldn't call each other that. A thought I had from the first film and then failed to post (I don't post ALL my thoughts on tumblr! Just most of them!) was that the 'worthy' aspect of Mjolnir is very vague and Loki would spend hours and hours trying to pin down 'what does worthy mean,' and utterly convinced that even if he isn't going to fit the criteria there must be a loophole somewhere in the wording that he can use. Whereas Thor probably hasn't spent much time worrying about that - either you're worthy or you're not and the magic hammer just knows which it is. Somehow.

Similarly I don't think Thor cares much about whether he and Loki were technically born to the same parents or even if they're the same species, because they are brothers, they've always been brothers, how can they not be brothers? Meanwhile Loki's upended life largely revolves around the fact that pedantically, legally, whateverly, they aren't really brothers and they never were. Which is why he's open to things getting incestuous now while Thor is still repulsed by his own unbrotherly yearnings. Don't be daft, Thor, we're obviously not brothers, stop calling me that it's not true you're just repeating someone else's lie! But what else would Thor call his brother? It may have been a lie to begin with, and it still might be a lie to other people, but having spent centuries thinking they were brothers and acting like they were then how is that relationship not them being brothers? Had Loki actually been his brother by blood it wouldn't have made a difference so in practical terms how are they suddenly not brothers just because Loki turned out to be a Frost Giant?

Thor wants Loki to stop causing problems and to stop being a dick, but he doesn't want him to stop being his brother (were such a thing even possible in his mind). Whereas Loki's life of crime or even just life on the run would be a lot easier if he didn't have a brother to worry about and who insists on worrying about him.

tl;dr: I got lost about halfway through my answer, sorry. I have more thoughts on this matter than my usually flippant comments might suggest D: D:

[godblooded]

someone: I hate the targs they’re problematic af

the internet was a mistake.

[katierosefun]

and when i realize all my original stories are just about the same thing over and over and over again as though i’m sitting in front of a white board of crazy

[lrdvyke]

something that i keep thinking about is that vyke takes his purpose from other people ( don't even think it matters if they are important to him or not atp ). so with it, he tends to be the type to not be content by / with just himself. he can be alone sure, but it's not an ideal state for him because with it comes feelings of idleness, boredom, even uselessness at times.

[isa-ah]

been having some creepy stuff happen lately and who knows if it's paranormal or PTSD related ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[vulpixelates]

i keep being reminded of abandoned ttrpg (mostly dnd) characters and i really need to go back and revamp some ijaowief

[arolesbianism]

Shakes the bars of my cage I need to draw soooo bad I need to draw I need to draw let me draw I have to draw I need to draw I must draw (<- has been too sick to be on electronics much and doesn't like doing traditional art)

[monsterblogging]

Links to Pacific Rim creator Travis Beacham's own posts on drift compatibility and drifting

Drift compatibility is psychological, not genetic

The better you know someone, the more likely you are to be drift compatible

Drift compatibility is potential, not fate

Drift compatibility can be a choice

Friendship is the foundation of drift compatibility

The drift requires trust

Trust is fundamental; also drift compatibility can be determined with anything that tests how well you can anticipate each others' moves

That even includes multiplayer video games

Many cadets wash out during Pons training when secrets come out in the drift and shatter their relationships

A lot of pilots get messed up by flinching over sexual thoughts

Trying to avoid thoughts just makes them worse

Not everything you see in the drift is always real; also the way to deal with thoughts is just let them flow by

Pilots communicate through "headspace"

Illustration of a conversation in headspace

First drifts can be very confusing, because partners don't understand each others' minds very well yet

The drift exposes pilots to each others' raw, unfiltered thoughts

Raleigh knew what Yancy was going to say

The drift doesn't let you read your partner's mind like a database, and you may not necessarily understand what you see. Also when Pentecost says he carries nothing into the drift he means he's calm and stable.

Pentecost gained this calmness through meditation

Trying to block your partner from your mind will make you lose control of the Jaeger

Pilots who fall below 90% sync will be in trouble

General information plus info on RABITs

You can chase your partner's RABIT

Another post confirming you can chase your partner's RABIT

More RABIT info

More general information

Travis Beacham defines ghost drifting

Partners' personalities can rub off on each other

Neural overload doesn't hit you all at once; it accumulates

The time a pilot can go solo varies, and it's a steep curve from fine to dead

More info on solo piloting

Being high in the drift probably makes it harder to avoid chasing the RABIT

[isaacathom]

every few months i have a revelation about the way i want to characterise Zimri Maier, and the current one is that Zimri's flaw, such that it is, is pride. It's not that they brag, per se, or deliberately enter into situations to improve how others see them. It's that, once shit hits the fan, Zimri will never back down or back off. They act as though they will always come out okay.

and the bit that brings that into relief is that no! no they won't! they have died twice in the dream voyages so far, and on the second occasion was only allowed to continue living by the intervention of a dark power offering them survival in exchange for a later favour. You'd think the first time would've showed them! and it didn't!

and it almost doesnt matter that each time Zimri has some kind of excuse. The first time, the adrenaline of the situation meant they forgot it was possible to just. wake up. and exit the dreamscape. in the second instance, they would INSIST the reason they stayed in combat, despite having been badly injured already, was because their departure would've all but doomed Sashka, who had come to help them. and fuck, maybe they aren't even lying! but that's not all of it, is it? it's the idea that Zimri can't possibly lose, despite ample evidence.

the reason i can focus on this is because i also know zimri's backstory, even though they don't. i know that they've already done this. they've been through this exact thing before. they've had to be rescued from their refusal to surrender, retreat, back the fuck off. they've seen the consequences of it before, and they can't even remember it. and hell, zimri would never focus on that element of the event anyway! they would focus on whose watch resulted in the monsters sneaking in, who had failed to raise the alarm, who failed to hold their part of the line. they wouldn't focus on how their stubborn position got more people hurt, or how their flashy combat attracted more attention to them in the darkness. they won't focus on how it was all but an act from the fucking divines that got them all out.

zimri's was always just a little too smart, a little too strong (magic), a little too competent, and even as it becomes rapidly clear that that isn't true, that there are forces far far beyond their fucking ken that could crush them like glass, they don't stop. they can't stop. once they commit, that's it. you have to drag them out.