deercountry | [Open] 🚬 July Flames

[ For good reason and social media can be a trashdump. He hadn't shown his face on the network, but anyone scrolling through would see talk of Greek gods and Dabi got that in person. It put a name to the face for him. ]

That's what I heard, and was advised to not join the Hunters too. It's just one of those situations where people fall one way or the other.

[ Such is human nature. Nico's not making a big deal of Dabi not agreeing with them. ]

I see. Allen's one of those guys, risking his own safety to help others. Personally, I think we need some of those around.

[ Nico might risk his life for someone he cared about, but if it came down to him or the other person, he knows what he'll do. Until that moment comes, he'll help Allen and the Sanctuary. ]

[it's a complete and utter trashdump and the villains like to throw matches into it to watch it go up in flames. or unearth and spread things that help with their own agendas. yeah, he didn't immediately note it was nico, but the "new person" flavor is extremely easy to pick out among the network chatter. hints and process of elimination.]

Oh yeah? And what kinda reasons did they give ya for not? Cause their way is "better" or somethin? Some other propaganda bullshit?

[it's not that he minds the lack of agreement; it's that people like nico end up getting pushed upon arrival, rather than letting them make their own choice in the matter.]

Heh, so that's what ya think. Already swayed into their mindset. Thing is, the priest's ideas about rescuin and savin only makes it harder for people.

[ He's not surprised. Villains can do that even without social media. Something he's seen in action. ]

No, he said I shouldn't get caught in the middle when it all blows up. So I made my own choice.

[ Nico is hardly the type to let himself get pushed around, especially just because he's new. ]

Trust me, I know. I knew before deciding to join that we might not be able to save everyone. That the other person might hate me for trying to save them - for whatever reason. That's all something I can carry. Maybe better than the guys like Allen. People die, people can't always be saved, people don't always want to be saved.

[ The smallest shrug of his shoulders. He speaks so casually about death, like it's an old friend. ]

So I'll take the hard path, because I can.

[villains often have a reason for doing that, with or without social media. some are selfish and traditional, but most are sick and tired of living a life crushed and imprisoned by social structures that don't benefit them.]

So he's already plannin on blowing this all up. [dabi scoffs at the revelation.] Typical hero. Their way or war.

[he saw that one coming ever since the sanctuary was put up. this place doesn't have any kind of justice system, as he told nico earlier. so something that starts to set itself up as the "power" will ultimately start to absorb more and more.]

Sounds like you've had a lot of experience with death. Guess ya ain't just some shadowy kid.

[greek gods, he said... hm. interesting.]

But that ain't the problem I'm talkin about. None of them are stupid enough to think they can save everyone. Nah, it's their decidin on who's right and who's wrong, and then actin on it.

[ He won't deny that, doesn't mean he has to agree with it. No more than the villains have to agree with the ones opposing them. ]

Allen isn't the one who advised me on that, someone else did. I don't think Allen is planning a war.

[ Nico thinks Allen would actually prefer a war, just that he has to follow his own heart. Important things like that tend to have differing opinions. ]

You could say I'm more of a shadowy death kid.

[ Greek gods, indeed. ]

That's not something I knew or have seen yet, so I can't really judge it. But I suppose everyone has their bias or opinions on things, being neutral isn't an easy thing for people.

[pretty cut and dry world view. likely born from someone who's seen the literal white and black of life versus death. agree or disagree. dabi's gonna end up wondering if there's a way for neutrality to exist between sides... doubtful.

after all, to not help is to refuse support, which is detrimental. but to not harm is to refuse impediment, which is beneficial. funny how that works, isn't it.]

A lotta wars don't ever "plan" on happenin.

[they tend to gather up into them. disagreement leads to conflict and conflict to war. that's what he sees happening with the sanctuary. particularly with the differing opinions...]

Death kid...

[dabi knows some about the grecian pantheon; he had a good education up to a certain point. at least he's aware of the big names. shadows. death. gods... hades.]

Ya weren't here when that argument blew up on the net. [dabi stretches his arms over his head.] Ya see, the Sanctuary people think the normal Trench Hunters are wrong, because we kill our targets instead of tryin to save them. They call us murderers, say we're only takin the lazy, heartless way out.

When the initial wave of thought went out, not everyone was supportive. Got a lot of angry and sarcastic responses. Especially cause they pushed their ideas on what's been the normal here since before their arrival.

Edited 2022-07-18 19:35 (UTC)

[ He's seen the shades of gray in the world, and in the afterlife. Asphodel is full of the gray - people who weren't good enough or bad enough. They drift like the ghosts they are, with no memories and no hope of rebirth. ]

Been in a lot of wars, have you?

[ Nico's been around for three, even if two were of the demigod fashion and one was more of a small-scale version. He doesn't expect everyone to have the same opinion. Just like he's going to have his own. ]

That's me.

[ 'Death kid' isn't that far off from 'Death boy' as far as nicknames go. Were he in a different mood, he might protest the use of 'kid'. ]

How do you change something that's been "normal" for such a long time? I don't agree that pushing their ideas on someone is the right thing to do, or that calling names will do any good. But you're right. I wasn't here when the argument blew up.

I don't know the whole story from both sides. All I did was what I wanted. I took the advice of someone who's looking out for me not to join both. "Some deaths cannot be prevented" is something I know very well - whether it be a friend or some misguided individual that I'd like to punch in the face.

[gray's probably the worst color, since not only can it throw rigid ideas and morals into pandemonium, it's also something that refuses to be completely defined. no one can give a definitive answer to the gray. not even the people who say they champion it, and wield it like a weapon against the black and white concepts. it's independent.]

Goin into one that's been a long time in the makin.

[he's read of one from the past, a large one that redefined society. and now he's going to be part of one, even fanned the proverbial (and very literal) flames to get it rushing out into the world. a nation about to erupt, a society torn by civil war.

down with the suffocating status quo.]

Gonna guess somethin to do with the death god. Uh... Hades.

[not exactly comparable with izanami, but similar at least.]

By decidin--and enforcin--that whatever was "normal" before, is bad now, and shouldn't be done anymore. [pretty simple concept.] Someone with enough power stomps down on anyone weaker than them, and whatever they want to decide is "normal" becomes "normal" for everyone else.

[dabi shrugs at the comment.]

A lotta times, just doin what ya want is considered "bad" too. Gotta conform to someone else's rules or ya get in trouble.

[there's a brief huff of amusement when nico mentions wanting to punch someone in the face.]

Good luck straddlin both sides tryin to play neutral, kid.

[ Nico won't say that he's never helped cause pandemonium, that those unbending individuals of either side haven't broken or suffered because of him. Only that he owns up to it and takes responsibility. ]

Wouldn't be the first time I did.

[ Playing ambassador wasn't an easy job, especially once everything was sabotaged and erupted. Yet he still threw himself into the fray in order to put a stop to it. No regrets. ]

Hades, dear ol' dad.

[ There's a lot of unspoken feelings behind those four simple words. ]

"Normal" changes, it evolves and grows, and sometimes that's for the better, other times it's for the worst. Maybe people were fine with what "normal" was, and maybe they'll dislike the change. But why should those people define what is "normal" for those that aren't okay with it? I know that people aren't going to have the same opinions and views, that it has led to a lot of wars. I can't control other people, well... mostly. If someone is corrupted and can't tell me what they want, I'm going to do what I can to save them. If you don't want me to, then get yourself the equivalent of a DNR.

[ Nico shakes his head. ]

Sure, you do still remember how we met, don't you?

[ Said with a slightly amused snort. ]

Again, wouldn't be the first time.

[causing pandemonium is sometimes the only recourse for getting something done. without a shakeup, people are content to let the status quo continue, safe and secure that nothing has to chance and none of their comforts are at risk. convenient, huh. for them. as for responsibility... that's a tricky question.]

How'd that work out for ya?

[partially curious. partially sarcastic, as if he knows the outcome isn't going to be pleasant. nothing ever good comes out of trying to play both sides. you just get everyone pissed at you.]

Ah.

[four words. says a lot. there's more to unpack there, if either of them want to bother, but dabi's content to let it drop because of his own... daddy issues. which he's not sure he wants to get into with nico at the moment.]

Morals, most of the time. People takin that moral high ground and thinkin they're superior because their way or viewpoint is better. Then they can use it to justify their own actions, even when those actions mirror the very people they're lockin up for being "bad" in the first place. Sayin they're doing it for the "right" reasons instead.

Mah, ya wastin time and energy tryin to save someone corrupted. They'll just come back again. [the sleepers will at least.] Gonna end up worse for wear if ya stretch it out.

[a reminder of the first time they met, however, earns a soft "hn" from the burned man.]

Technically ya picked a side, mine, rather than play neutral.

[ He doesn't know if chaos is the answer for the Hunters and the Sanctuary, or anyone else who viewed it differently. When Nico stuck himself in the middle of the Greeks and the Romans, it was at least something he knew something about. Ancient history.

Nico shrugs. ]

The stupid idiot who instigated war accidentally shot himself up into the sky in a fiery ball. I didn't stop him. The war ended, people died, but now both sides are cooperating like they never have before. So "not bad" for my first time as an ambassador.

[ There is a whole hell of a lot to unpack, but Nico isn't going to. Daddy issues is an understatement. ]

People taking the moral low ground can also think that way, or the middle ground. Even people who don't get involved at all can think that it's the better option.

Only Sleepers will. It's my time and energy to waste, I'm not one to let others direct how I use it.

[ Nico gives the smallest of chuckles. ]

How do you know that I didn't go back there and put down some payment for the woman?

[suppose war in itself if some kind of chaos, but that's what dabi's speculating is going to happen. somewhere in the future. he's not planning on getting in the middle of it; that's a fool's place to be. what it means for trench likely won't be of anything important. simply a chance or stay in the way things are done.]

Not sure ya wanna stop someone who's shootin himself into the sky in a fireball.

[the rest of it gets a small "hn" that's supposed to indicate acceptance, mild interest, and likewise callous disinterest. "not bad" is a decent summary at least. war, death, cooperation afterwards. how wars often end.]

Not many people are gonna go for the "worse" option in front of them. [always what's better for them, or the people/ideas they're holding in front of themselves.] The ones who don't get involved shouldn't care about the results.

[nico deciding for himself how to use his time and energy earn a brief scoff from dabi, but he doesn't argue that point.]

Goes both ways, huh.

[he rests his arms behind his head, fingers cupping his elbows.]

Cause that ain't how payment works here.

[either nico would've had to trade something the woman decided was worth it or he'd've had to bleed himself, neither of which sound viable with him saying he'd "put down some" payment. then again, that's dabi's assumption.]

Plus ya probably would've been blamed for it.

[ Whatever this turns out to be, Nico might be standing in the middle of it, but he'll be there. Probably. He doesn't intend to walk back into the ocean or away from this. ]

The guy who got hit by the flaming idiot fireball would probably disagree.

[ Even if that guy did come back to life and is fine now, also fireproof. And yeah, it could have been a lot worse. The one before was worse, though he wasn't really caught in the middle of it. ]

Yeah.

[ A small scoff. ]

Maybe you're just thinking too inside the box.

[ Whether he actually did or not, Nico will never say. ]

[walking back into the ocean'll just wash him ashore in a bit, dumping him right back into the mess he'd walked from. there's no escaping it if the battle breaks out. not with how important the players are.]

Too bad for him. Shoulda been more aware of his surroundins.

[no real care there, even a not of wry amusement at the result. nico sounds like he comes from a very interesting world. dabi finds himself willing to listen to more stories in the future if it comes to that.]

About what?

[sure, there have been lines defined in this world and he's mostly stayed within them as far as understanding goes. no so much obedience...]

[ Maybe, though that just brings up some interesting questions that could be tested. Escaping doesn't usually tend to be Nico's style. He is learning the value of a strategic retreat, however. ]

I'm not sure anyone was too broken up about his death. No one still alive, anyway.

[ There's no hint of guilt or regret in Nico's voice, either. Dabi knows his username if he ever wants to hear more. ]

Everything that has lines.

[ And sure, there are lines that shouldn't be crossed - whether for moral or other reasons. But new lines can be drawn, sometimes even without bloodshed. ]

[no argument on the strategic retreat or stalling for time. dabi's kept both of those in his arsenal for quite a while, willing to use them as the situation arises. his life is worth more than most battles want to demand, so abandoning them is fine.

he glances at nico from the corner of his eye.]

That's one way to tie off loose ends.

[true, he has a way to contact nico. whether he wants to phone him up at night for some "bedtime greek stories" is another question. sleepless nights happen...]

Careful with that thought. If there ain't lines, everythin's chaos and undefined.

[and nothing else matters except each person or thing forcing their lines on other persons or things to bring some sense of order to their own selves.

if everyone lived and operated outside those proverbial boxes...]

[ A soft hum. ]

A guy tends to lose his army's faith when he teams up with monsters willing to kill friend and foe alike.

[ Sleepless nights do happen, and Nico has a few of them himself. ]

I know that. And I'm not suggesting to ignore them all, just find out what can bend or change. Nicely.

[ Making everyone like him isn't what he wants, forcing his views and opinion on them, just helping two people find a better common one they would be okay with. ]

Depends on how ya use those monsters. Be like ditchin the team just cause someone wants to use bombs.

[something that can harm ally and enemy without care, but still finds itself incredibly useful in whichever hands it falls into. he gets what nico's saying, however; dabi's simply being obstinate for the sake of chatter.]

You'd find that out tryin to break 'em anyways.

[might even find bending or changing happening faster if people have to content with the reality you'd be willing to break those lines. force a bend or change compromise as it were. people'll pick the "bad" option if you follow up with something even worse. fun bit of psychology there.]

[Open] 🚬 July Flames

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