Now that Shinsha’s op-ness is confirmed and put to use while Bort’s gorgeous hair/weapon is gone do you think they partnership will make Bort realize how Dia was feeling?Because let’s face it, right now as Euc stated the earth gems where able to subdue Phos thanks to Shinsha and Phos overpowered Bort easily. So maybe in the future Bort will learn to be humbler and understand Dia’s distress? It also would be quite ironic twist.
Oh that’s a nice question, but I think, somehow, Bort already knows?
Bort is very perceptive, but the others rarely notice because they are not the type to waste words: they only speak when they think they have something worth saying, specifically something to help their interlocutor be a better fighter. This is because they are, indeed, a battle maniac, and because they probably think that it would be in the best interests of everybody.
So, Bort thinks a lot but doesn’t waste words, they say what is useful and they say so in a practical, straightforward and blunt way. And they are always on point. From Bort’s perspective, it doesn’t make sense that Cinnabar hates themselves or thinks they are useless: they are strong! They should help the others in the fight.
That’s why, in the short run, Bort’s presence could be valuable to Shinsha because it will help them to be more objective and value themselves more.
On the other hand, I think the reason Bort picks on Dia so much is because Dia refuses to listen to them, which is completely illogical to Bort because Bort is saying the truth and it’s in Dia’s best interest to do as they say.
Albeit too harshly, Bort keeps telling them to stop fighting like Bort and start fighting like Diamond, but Dia, feeding on their own insecurities because they think they can’t live up to the expectations of being a diamond, takes it personally.
Bort’s criticism is not (or, at least, it wasn’t) aimed at destroying Dia’s self esteem: they just want them to be a better fighter, but their imposing attitude only made things worse and, even after breaking their partnership, Dia felt they still needed to avoid Bort.
It looks like Dia has internalized some sort of rivalry with Bort: they want to be just like them, even better than them, but that’s just impossible and Dia ends up making themselves miserable in the process. Maybe, since Bort was Dia’s junior, they thought that they could be someone Bort looked up to, they weren’t expecting Bort to be such a good fighter, and Bort’s attitude just made things worse.
During the fight with Shiro, it looked to me as if Bort wanted to congratulate Dia, but they cut them off with a nasty retort.
Deep down, I believe Bort knows that there is a big problem between them, but they’re probably too emotionally immature to solve it. For example, the opinion they have of themselves is very different from what other people think about them, but they don’t notice.
When Bort criticizes Phos for going on the moon, they say that Phos is “Arrogant in his cowardice,” meaning that they want to follow a humble and straightforward leader, one that speaks up their mind objectively, just like Bort. They call Phos a coward again in chap70, meaning that that’s the main problem they have with Phos’ attitude.
Phos worked behind the scenes, manipulating (ironically, just like Euclase) other people into joining their rebellion. Someone as blunt and brutally sincere as Bort cannot forgive this.
Sincerity and humility are qualities that Bort values and tries to apply to their life. For Bort, there is no shame in retreat, in learning from your juniors, in collaborating, in asking for advice during fights… just like there is no problem in telling Dia that their movements are wasteful and that they suck as a fighter, because they still don’t understand that excessive sincerity comes with a cost.
The same applies for humility because Bort is humble, but most of that humbleness comes from being sure of one’s own power. They are the best fighter, and they know it. This is a fact, a truth, but, albeit sincere, saying and acting it out loud is hardly humble.
As Cinnabar is more empathetic and in tune with other people’s emotions than Bort, maybe they can be of help to them. But some more emotional maturity is expected of Dia as well before they can start working on their issues.
