#about psi

like Psi has a fair few relationships in a few different verses but this is the only truly toxic one he’s ever had and despite being strong-willed enough to hold his own, I genuinely feel like he’s at a loss for what to do

and DAMN does it make for some interesting writing, this is so much fun

headcanon | religion

I actually had a conversation about this with @brazenlass recently (......hi Corinne, since you’re probably the person who sent this.....) and it turns out I have a lot of opinions re: Psi and theism.

First off, he’s definitely agnostic at most. He’d like to believe there is something after death, some sort of afterlife where he can see his lost loved ones again and/or some benevolent higher power with our best interests in mind. However, given all he’s seen, he has trouble putting much stock in that idea.

Not only is cynicism a bit of a barrier, but there’s also the matter of religious values. Most religions tend to be against.... y’know.... theft and violence and lying and all the other wonderful things that make up Psi’s everyday life. So following any religion closely would be kinda difficult for him.

WHICH IS WHY I reckon that he’d drift towards something a bit more abstract and spiritual, like Buddhism. Or a Buddhist-adjacent religion from his own century. Something that doesn’t necessarily have a deity as the figurehead but focuses more on the karmic side of things; good vibes towards others eventually coming back around to you, that sort of thing. 

I feel like that fits best with Psi’s kind of robin-hood approach to being a criminal, and also the fact that he is willing to a) adopt anyone who hangs around him long enough and b) die for someone he’s known literally less than an hour. He tends to only pull heists on people or places who can afford to lose money/precious items, or those who kinda deserve it..... he’d never steal everything a person has and leave them destitute, just skim what he can get away with from off the top. 

♞ : What is your muse’s favorite animal?

my character has:

take the quiz here

Translation: criminal with a heart of gold, distrusts the System but sticks up for the little guy. Will treat you like family and probably take a bullet for you. PRETTY ACCURATE TBH

tagged by: @thistimefeelsnew

Character Development Questions | accepting

LOL Psi has had nothing BUT that. He never knew his birth parents - like a lot of second/third-born children on Ersus, he was left to an orphanage (due to a rule restricting most families to one child only, in order to keep population down). He left the orphanage at an early age of his own accord and found a new family on the streets-- the two oldest, Mia Terezhkova and Fergus McKinnon, acted as combined older-sibling and parental figures (the kids referred to them as “Ma” and “Uncle” respectively). Growing up, they were the closest thing he had to parents. Fergus passed away when he was eleven, during a job gone wrong, and Psi stepped up to help Mia take care of the younger kids in their little tribe. 

Later in life, at Open Sky, Dr Craven also acted as a sort of substitute parent - she always referred to the subjects as “[her] children” and oversaw their transformations into living weapons with a genuine - if twisted - sense of pride. At first, Psi saw her as a surrogate mother in much the same way he had Mia... but over time he came to see her for what she was. He acted out, refused tests, and was punished for it. He no longer fell for her emotional manipulation, and at the first chance he got, he made a break for it.

Character Development Questions | accepting

Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?

He works with computers 24/7 and kinda sorta is one himself.... he’s usually quite methodical when he’s in problem-solving mode. If one avenue doesn’t work, he’ll find another way. If you can’t go over, go under; if you can’t go under, go ‘round.... et cetera.

How does your character behave around people they like?

Depends on the person and what they’re comfortable with, but usually a lot of good-natured teasing and physical affection (he’s a hugger). 

How does your character behave around people they dislike?

Pretty reserved, uncharacteristically quiet, when he does talk he’s very sarcastic-- he tries to believe the best of people in any given circumstance so he usually waits for them to commit strike one before he acts out against them.

Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?

Psi definitely feels like he needs to earn it. Even though the things he did at Open Sky weren’t his fault, he still feels the need to atone for them - and that’s how he justifies to himself a lot of his generosity towards others (never mind that it’s in his nature anyway). 

What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

Character Development Questions | accepting

On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?

Usually a wide array of wiring, bolts, bits of gadgetry, half-finished circuits. He tends to fiddle with minor projects on the go so he has something to occupy his hands.

Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?

YES. Not massively, mind - he still finds himself scraping the bottom of the barrel and struggling to make rent at the end of most months - but compared to growing up on the streets of Ersus Delta, it’s practically a life of luxury. He’s not exactly a creature of comfort; a small apartment with a few little touches does him just fine.

Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?

Happiness. Again, he’s not big on the idea of being super stinking rich - as long as he has what he needs to get by (friends/family, food, a roof over his head) then he’s pretty much content. Friends and family are the important ones there. This kid seems to attract rag-tag makeshift family left, right and centre.

In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?

A little of both? He does take a certain level of pride in the fact that despite making a living from a criminal lifestyle, he keeps things non-lethal. But that’s partly because he knows he’s capable of a lot of destruction thanks to his Open Sky programming, and is kind of low-key terrified of his own potential.

If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?