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 (:
3, 2, 1, go favorite ZR missions and moments from the first two seasons or the 5k training prequel
Well, I'm sick and avoiding my family (so I don't spread germs... and because I honestly have no energy for them right now lol) so I'm finally getting to this.
My favorite ZR missions from way back in s1 and 2? Man, everyone's favorite is obviously A Voice in the Dark and I'm not immune to it. I love it too. But another that really sticks with me is s1m15, Virtuous Circle. On the surface it's silly: oh sure, let's risk Runner Five's life for a dumb game she's not even interested in playing, that doesn't even really matter when survival is at stake.
Turns out, Runner Five had a lot to learn. And by Runner Five, of course, I mean me.
When you're young, you think that people in their 30s and 40s are old, and that we either have everything figured out, or that we know nothing. Neither of those are true (unless you're talking about Knowing in the Socratic sense) - we're actually always learning, always growing, and always able to be influenced if we allow ourselves. And this app has taught me some things even at my advanced age, so bear with my ancient crone ramblings here, especially since I'm sick and fuzzy-headed.
First off, fun is important. Sam and Maxine talk about morale, but they're really onto something. We really do need fun to thrive. We need art, music, games, dancing, stories, whatever, in order to feel human and enjoy life. It looks a little different for everyone. Maybe your idea of fun is meticulously lining up columns of numbers on an Excel spreadsheet, maybe it's wild parties full of drugs and sex that go on all night, or one of millions of other things people do - but it really matters that you have something you enjoy in life. In short, without fun, we get sick, both mentally and physically.
Secondly, We don't just need it as individuals. We need it collectively. Humans need bonding not just over the bad times - not just taking care of each other when we're sick or working together to survive - but good times too. Otherwise social dynamics get messed up. There's cliques and squabbles and gossip and all kinds of bad feelings, and groups fall apart, even erupt into violence in some cases, but generally it's just like... have you ever had a job where nobody has a sense humor? Or have you had a teacher, as a little kid, who never let the class have time to play?
Third, and this is a me thing, I spent years unpacking this internalized sort of shame that comes from being a geeky person with geeky interests. I got picked on relentlessly in school, it was really horrendous, probably because I was an undiagnosed neurodivergent girl whose family lived in poverty to boot, but I had this shame and embarrassment attached to some of my geekier interests for so, so long. This app had a medical doctor expressing interest in a tabletop RPG, and making it like this thing that everyone was into - it's mainstream in Abel - and I realized, that's real life. I'm an adult now and have been for years. I can like whatever I want and it's not even weird, and if it is weird, nobody cares. In fact, being open about my interests has helped me find out who shares them - not like when I was a kid going on a forum where the only common interest was that one thing, but with people I knew and liked already in real life, going "omg, me too!"
It was the final piece of the puzzle I needed after years of working on unraveling that sense of shame, even with geeky friends IRL and a successful career and kids. Now? I absolutely rock my Doctor Who scarf that I knit myself, I sometimes play D&D with my husband and kids, and most importantly - tying all of the above together - I realized that I had to prioritize fun and enjoyment in my own life and my family's lives. So I did, and it's made a real difference for all of us.
I was in therapy at the same time I started playing ZR, so it's not like I'm giving the app all the credit! My therapist and I worked hard too. But this episode, man, it really had a lot packed into it. I thought about the concept of a virtuous circle a lot, discussed it with my therapist, and tried to embrace the philosophy - and I'm better off for it.
And I just sort of realized that today. So, thank you for asking. And for reading, if you've made it this far.
I want you to know that your blog is what got me back into ZR after a long hiatus. In a little under 2 years I was able to clear s3 all the way up to today where I will be finishing s9. (I’m literally doing s9ep30 right now) while my Five is unable to be a villain due to his backstory, I am in full agreement of “villain Runner 5 arc when”. This entire season plus s8, my Five has been SO angry and ready to throw hands with multiple people, which he’s not used to. He basically went from quiet and introverted from s1-mid s2, more outgoing from s2 to s4, and then has been backsliding since.
Aw I’m so happy! Also yeah my Five Callista has an awful backstory because I’m a slut for ✨angst✨ but she made significant progress in her mental health only for S9 to send her hurtling backwards at the speed of light. Like she was 15 in S1 and is 21 in S9 so basically S9 undid 6 years of progress almost completely.
Also it ruined her marriage so there’s that too.
So at this point she’s like ready for her villain era. Like the entire time the Reputation Album by Taylor Swift is gonna be playing while she goes on the murder spree that she very much deserves at this point.
Also let your five throw hands. Have him beat the shit out of someone. It’s what he deserves. Also probably therapy because every five needs that but like your five deserves to go apeshit it’s okay.
1. OTP: absolutely 5am I’m so sorry 😂 I’m TRAAAASH for 5am!
2. BroTP: Janine and Sara, Five and Maggie (that “hi best buddy” in the 5k is 🥰) I love the idea of Sam being pulled into Jack and Eugenes hijinks at any given time
3. NOTP: Five/Moonchild or Five/Van Ark. I’m all for a good hate ship (my Five and Amelia have their moments of “are we fighting or flirting rn?”) but those two ships give me bad vibes.
This is a hot take but Simon/Janine also never clicked for me. I don’t hate them but I don’t adore them either. I can be converted though with the right arguments!
8. Character I’d kill for: I’m going to take this one two different ways:
Characters I’d kill for (to defend them): Sam—obviously, KEFILWE LOBATSE!!! And Jody
Characters I’d kill for (because they commanded me to): Janine and Sara. Both. Either.
16. Do I read fan fiction??? DO I R— YES! I read everyone’s fics, any pairing, and plot, any rating, I devour it. If I had any confidence as a writer, oh buddy. I’d be real busy. Drew’s fics, your fics, and Becca’s fics are my comfort stories! 🥰 (I’ll link them in a second but my phone is about to die GHGhHg)
17. Bad Take that gets under my skin: (SPOILERS FOR END OF S1, START OF S2) I’m sorry but Sam’s reaction after Abel went 💥 being “theres a hole in my jumper” instead of “holy shit my runner is alive.” ?????? I cried in my front lawn like a BABY after the end of S1 and then I get no emotional payoff at the start of S2.
Five reads before bed. It’s a habit she’s had since she was very little, even if she does read the same book over and over (sometimes) as there aren’t many books at Abel or New Canton.
She also has a very bad habit of skipping meals, that started off because she just forgot to eat but then it became a habit and It’s gotten to the point where Sam has actually noticed and been reminding her to eat something and slipping small bits of food into her rucksack before a run just to get her to eat something. She’s seriously trying to break this one.
21. what is the now-100%-expired-and-gone food your five misses the most?
Avocados. Avocados are grown in Mexico, and distributed to the UK and you can’t grow Avocados in the U.K. so her favourite fruit is non-existent until trade deals with the rest of the world are established and that could take years!
Also she’s dreading the day that the U.K. runs out of Cadbury’s milky bars, Jammie Dodgers and McVities milk chocolate Digestive biscuits. That will be a dark day for humanity indeed.
Hey guys, so I have a lot of questions about all your headcannons and such, so I’m gonna post my first question now, it’d be really great to see some of your responses, I want to know more about your Fives!!!
