>>5929760“I’M me.”
The words, spoken with such conviction, snap you out of your spiraling thoughts. You meet Zith-Zi’s eyes, seeing no panic there, but certainty.
“Tips, I don’t know much about magic or none a’ that shit, but I know about one thing for godsdamned sure: Zith-motehrfuckin’-Zi. It wasn’t that floatin’ ball a’ whatsit that my momma' popped out and raised into a badass bitch. It wasn't no fuckin' ball-a-flamin'-shit that kicked ass and took named and stabbed and shank and stole and drank its way ta’ being top gob a’ her own little merry warband. I did that. It wasn’t some glob a’ devil-spunk that decided ta’ come here with you ta’ fix up Hershy—I did that. It was me that had ta’ share a basement with ya’ for a year, and it’s me that started likin’ it here with gettin' all sappy about you humie fucks... O-or getting’ all mopey about Jimmy. It’s ME that came here today lookin’ for your help, and made the deicion ta’ go along with your weird fairy fuckery. Alright?”
You nod, slowly.
“And it’s the SAME Zith-Zi tellin’ ya’ right now that whatever THAT thing is…”
She points an accusatory finger at the orb which shrinks back from her, further disappating into mist as if in response to her unexpected fury.
“That ain’t no fuckin’ Zith-ZI I ever heard of.”
Her face may have changed. Her skin might be a different colour. Her teeth might be better aligned. Her voice might have even gotten a little less harsh, you notice. But that attitude... Yeah. Whatever changes she's gone through, you recognize her after all these years. The woman before you, now longer a goblin, is nevertheless still Zith-Zi.