[Video]

[i_love_squats]

[It’s Zack, of course it is. He looks strangely serious, strangely quiet, even as he rubs oils down into the rather significant sword laying across his lap. He’s talking, but not looking into the camera; maybe he’s afraid of what you might see there.]

I want to, too, you know. Go after the one who hurt Yachiru. Of course I do. Of course I want to

Comments

[ voice ]

[stray_gunner]

What d'you suggest, then?

[ voice ]

[i_love_squats]

I don't know. Imprisonment. Hard labor. Something. There has to be something.

[ voice ]

[stray_gunner]

Why are you so sure?

[ voice ]

[i_love_squats]

Because this? This isn't the best we can do. We can do better, dammit.

[ text. ]

[machiavellisms]

Do you want to be considered a hero?

[Voice ]

[i_love_squats]

Yeah, of course. But revenge killings won't going to make me one.

[Voice ]

[machiavellisms]

Is that what they're calling justice now?

[Voice ]

[i_love_squats]

[This is such shaky ground, such a weird topic, and even Zack isn't sure what he thinks on the matter.]

I can't speak for everyone else, just for me.

But it seems a little bloodier around here than usual. And I think it needs to stop.

[video]

[lumenrelegandus]

[there's dented furniture and unrestrained spell damage from every moment he's decided not to go after Bellatrix (or Yazoo, or Malfatto) in his voice as he responds, slowly and carefully]

…Thank you.

I wish I had any actionable-or otherwise-suggestions as to how to improve the situation.

[he doesn't because all such thoughts lead, in his mind, inextricably, to war]

Still… it is… very good to hear those thoughts articulated. They're worth saying, and continuing to repeat.

This is an inherently chaotic, lawless situation, here in Anatole-even without us, further destabilising, bringing with us insurmountable inequities in power, carrying inapplicable codes and hierarchies from systems and contexts into which we no longer fit.

Given that, some of… this… is inevitable. Perhaps unsolvable.

But intentions are important. Ideals are more important to maintain the more improbable they seem, in the face of an inhospitable reality. The battle is never to defeat entropy. It's to keep resisting it.

So again, for that reminder-thank you.

[video]

[i_love_squats]

[You...you made Zack blush. A little. It's a manly blush, with just a hint of color, but it was there. You said everything far more beautiful than he ever could have, but it's nice knowing that he's not the only one feeling this.]

It's only inevitable if we don't try. Even if it's just a dent, a small little dent, it's something, right?

[video] worth the wait NOT!

[lumenrelegandus]

[smiles] Right.