Okay, well a dictator emerged in one country of the world where I happened to be a child and decided that one peaceful and integrated religious group was to blame for all of society's problems, which I happened to be a part of, so he rounded us all up and sent us to factories designed to kill as many people as possible as efficiently and as quickly as they could. And they managed to kill millions of us before they were overwhelmed by the forces allied against them in the war they started because they decided to multitask and annex the countries around them at the same time. If he could have just picked one set of people to brutalize at once, he might have been successful, as a matter of fact, but he just had to have everything right away.
[ Zack listens to all that silently, his expression sober. He can only imagine the kind of impact horrors like that have on people - especially children. It makes him think of Shinra and its war of attrition against Wutai.
He takes the drinks when they're ready and offers Erik his. ]
I can see why you wouldn't really like humans after that. Or trust them.
We've had some bad shit kind of like that, but I wouldn't say it's the same.
I wouldn't say it was 'humans' quite yet. In the death camp it was discovered that I had an usual ability, but I couldn't control it. I didn't know what I was or that there were others. They tortured me to bring it out, but it's also why I was kept alive when my family was slaughtered. I hunted them for a while, the people that did it. Once I grew up and found ways to teach myself how. But then I found out there were, in fact, other people with unusual abilities. And shortly after that, governments found out about us. They tried to kill us. And when that didn't work, they started putting programs into place to control or imprison or destroy us. It all sounded a little too familiar for my taste. And that's when I learned that that's what humans are.
[ Unfortunately, none of this sounds implausible to Zack. Not because he’s seen the exact same thing — people with powers targeted for being what they are — but rather because he’s seen humans target each other just for the sake of corporate greed.
He’s quiet for a few moments, and it seems like he’s contemplating the glass in front of him. ]
We’re really bad about that, aren’t we? Being cruel to others because they’re different or because they have something we want.
[ A pause, then- ]
I’ve been hunted before - but not for those reasons.
Honestly? It was a wrong place, wrong time kind of a thing.
[ Or at least, that’s the best way he can figure to describe it. ]
The company that I worked for — in case you couldn’t tell from what I already said about it on the network — was shady as hell. And once you got too close to company secrets, that meant you were basically disposable.
So — a couple years ago, Sephiroth and I were on what was supposed to be a routine mission. But we ended up discovering some really shitty things about what the company was doing — and had done — over the years. The result of that mission was Sephiroth basically went nuts — he burned the town we were in to the ground and slaughtered most of the townspeople.
In trying to stop him…my friend and I got hurt enough that we didn’t get out. So the asshole in charge of the science department at Shinra thought the best thing to use the survivors for was to shove us in a basement and do experiments on us.
When I finally managed to get out, four years had already gone by. And at that point, all I was to the company was an escaped ‘sample’. So I was on the run with my friend for a while after that.
I mean, he’s dead now so there wouldn’t really be a point to that. And even if he wasn’t dead, I wouldn’t waste a deal on him since dealing with him is something I could do myself.
[ Is Zack implying he’d do a murder if Hojo was still kicking? Yes, yes, he is. ]
I’d rather use a deal for something constructive. And the Admiral has been really good about keeping his promises - in case that’s something you’re interested in down the road.
I remember one Warden a while back who was trying to protect her people too. I can’t remember all the details or how she worded the deals, exactly, but she asked for a whole planet to move them to, if they wanted to go.
Not sure if that’s the kind of thing you’re thinking of, but he can do stuff like that.
…mm. I’m not sure about that one. About changing history.
I could ask the Admiral if you want. I’ve just…kinda shied away from it myself because changing one thing could change a bunch of other things.
Like- just to use an example. I recently asked the Admiral for my life back and someone else’s. But there’s a difference between asking for that and…asking that our deaths never happened at all.
There's the possibility it could change a lot of things, yeah.
[ Which is why he prefers not to risk it. ]
That one I'm sure he can do, though - bringing people back without changing things. I'd died about....two or three years before the Admiral approached me in, uh...my world's version of what comes after. I went back home a little while ago, after I got my life back, and...well, there were some really awkward and emotional conversations. Because I was dead, you know? Everybody who remembered me knew that.
So that part of the timeline didn't change. I just didn't stay dead.
“It’s more flexible than that,” Zack replies. “My last deal was for my life and someone else’s. And she’s…actually the last of a nonhuman race of people that use to be the stewards of our Planet. I’m gonna ask her what she thinks of bringing them back the next time I go home for a visit since…well, it’s not a decision I think I should make without her input.”
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 13 Jan 2023 17:56 (UTC)I've been on the receiving end of an attempted genocide and several waves of oppression. Do they have Nazis on your Earth?
no subject
Date: 13 Jan 2023 18:23 (UTC)No - and that's what I mean. Me, Sephiroth, and Cloud are from a completely different planet. Our histories don't match up at all.
So when I say I don't have context - apart from, like, one flood where I was a gypsy from medieval...France? For a week? I'm not exaggerating.
no subject
Date: 13 Jan 2023 18:32 (UTC)no subject
Date: 13 Jan 2023 19:32 (UTC)He takes the drinks when they're ready and offers Erik his. ]
I can see why you wouldn't really like humans after that. Or trust them.
We've had some bad shit kind of like that, but I wouldn't say it's the same.
no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 17:03 (UTC)I wouldn't say it was 'humans' quite yet. In the death camp it was discovered that I had an usual ability, but I couldn't control it. I didn't know what I was or that there were others. They tortured me to bring it out, but it's also why I was kept alive when my family was slaughtered. I hunted them for a while, the people that did it. Once I grew up and found ways to teach myself how. But then I found out there were, in fact, other people with unusual abilities. And shortly after that, governments found out about us. They tried to kill us. And when that didn't work, they started putting programs into place to control or imprison or destroy us. It all sounded a little too familiar for my taste. And that's when I learned that that's what humans are.
no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 17:22 (UTC)He’s quiet for a few moments, and it seems like he’s contemplating the glass in front of him. ]
We’re really bad about that, aren’t we? Being cruel to others because they’re different or because they have something we want.
[ A pause, then- ]
I’ve been hunted before - but not for those reasons.
no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 17:26 (UTC)For what reasons?
no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 17:47 (UTC)[ Or at least, that’s the best way he can figure to describe it. ]
The company that I worked for — in case you couldn’t tell from what I already said about it on the network — was shady as hell. And once you got too close to company secrets, that meant you were basically disposable.
So — a couple years ago, Sephiroth and I were on what was supposed to be a routine mission. But we ended up discovering some really shitty things about what the company was doing — and had done — over the years. The result of that mission was Sephiroth basically went nuts — he burned the town we were in to the ground and slaughtered most of the townspeople.
In trying to stop him…my friend and I got hurt enough that we didn’t get out. So the asshole in charge of the science department at Shinra thought the best thing to use the survivors for was to shove us in a basement and do experiments on us.
When I finally managed to get out, four years had already gone by. And at that point, all I was to the company was an escaped ‘sample’. So I was on the run with my friend for a while after that.
no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 18:10 (UTC)no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 18:18 (UTC)He used to be my superior officer - but that went out the window with that event.
no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 18:27 (UTC)no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 18:42 (UTC)But we were friends before that event happened - and that’s all I’m looking to be for him while he’s here.
no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 18:50 (UTC)no subject
Date: 14 Jan 2023 19:00 (UTC)...both, I think. I understand why he's done the shit he has even though I don't agree with it. As long as I can do that...I can work through it.
There's only one person I know I couldn't do that with, and I hope he never comes here.
no subject
Date: 16 Jan 2023 22:42 (UTC)no subject
Date: 16 Jan 2023 22:59 (UTC)[ Is Zack implying he’d do a murder if Hojo was still kicking? Yes, yes, he is. ]
I’d rather use a deal for something constructive. And the Admiral has been really good about keeping his promises - in case that’s something you’re interested in down the road.
no subject
Date: 17 Jan 2023 19:16 (UTC)no subject
Date: 17 Jan 2023 21:43 (UTC)I remember one Warden a while back who was trying to protect her people too. I can’t remember all the details or how she worded the deals, exactly, but she asked for a whole planet to move them to, if they wanted to go.
Not sure if that’s the kind of thing you’re thinking of, but he can do stuff like that.
no subject
Date: 18 Jan 2023 20:21 (UTC)no subject
Date: 18 Jan 2023 21:19 (UTC)I could ask the Admiral if you want. I’ve just…kinda shied away from it myself because changing one thing could change a bunch of other things.
Like- just to use an example. I recently asked the Admiral for my life back and someone else’s. But there’s a difference between asking for that and…asking that our deaths never happened at all.
no subject
Date: 21 Jan 2023 19:05 (UTC)He can just... bring people back without changing things?
no subject
Date: 21 Jan 2023 19:39 (UTC)[ Which is why he prefers not to risk it. ]
That one I'm sure he can do, though - bringing people back without changing things. I'd died about....two or three years before the Admiral approached me in, uh...my world's version of what comes after. I went back home a little while ago, after I got my life back, and...well, there were some really awkward and emotional conversations. Because I was dead, you know? Everybody who remembered me knew that.
So that part of the timeline didn't change. I just didn't stay dead.
no subject
Date: 23 Jan 2023 22:25 (UTC)no subject
Date: 24 Jan 2023 13:13 (UTC)no subject
Date: 24 Jan 2023 19:04 (UTC)(no subject)
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