Cloud

[residentflorist]

code

Lilium
Derived from Latin lilia, which may have come from a corrupted
pronunciation of a word from an extinct Eastern Mediterranean language
Humility, devotion, restored innocence after death

"Lovers used to give these when they were reunited."

Comments

[residentmerc]

It's probably why they're saying it. [ no, he agrees, he means: ] It doesn't exactly match the narrative that we were brought here just to die if there's something we can gain from going along with things.

[residentflorist]

If the monster affinity was put into us when they brought us here and not fully on purpose, maybe they weren't anticipating that for us. [but she knows he's right. it doesn't match.] The wish can be used for anything outside of something like more wishes or outright wishing for the ritual to stop. Or that's what I heard.

[residentmerc]

This isn't sounding any less like a trap.

[ to grab desperate people who might be willing to risk this for a wish. now, are they a little desperate. yes. are they desperate enough to tie themselves to other people. hm. ]

That tying thing, is it only for this place?

[residentflorist]

[see? the dilemma. this is an excellent question though.]

Famine wasn't sure. But it seemed that they thought we'd probably find a way to fix it ourselves. Especially since the tie was a side effect of the ritual used to bring us here in the first place. So if we leave, we should be able to undo it.

[residentmerc]

Emphasis on should. [ he shakes his head ] Guess I should check in with those guys and see what I can learn myself.

[ which i was gonna do ... on tuesday... but then he was a dog... ]

[residentflorist]

Mmhm. [just. yes. like she's going to tell cloud not to do the thing?] Start with the ones you haven't talked to much yet and see if that helps. I've talked to all four of them now, but I suppose I should see War and Death again later.

[residentmerc]

... Those names still aren't inspiring.

[ he's not objecting to her doing this he just. they picked those names, huh. ]

[residentflorist]

Well...names aren't everything, you know? They might not mean anything to them at all.

[residentmerc]

They're probably cult names. [ he's not disagreeing, he's just. dismissive. ]

[residentflorist]

And that probably means they have other names that might be more fitting.

[residentmerc]

Sure.

[ is he humoring her. yes a little ]

How d'you find them, then? [ as people. not like. how did you send a message. ]

[residentflorist]

[thanks cloud.]

Hm...Pestilence is probably the easiest to speak with. They showed me a little more of their garden and let me help with some things, but they were pretty forthcoming with answers. And Famine will keep saying they don't care about opinions and that they don't want to know more about us than what they have to know, but they're willing to listen for as long as you want. I think they really do want to help us as much as they can.

[i.e. she talked to them for. a long time.]

Death seemed easy enough to talk to when we spoke yesterday, but I'll have to find their crow again for another time. War, too.

[residentmerc]

... Do you trust them?

[ that's not what she said, but she sounds like she wants to be able to trust them, which is maybe the same thing, cloud thinks, wrongly, ]

[residentflorist]

[she thinks about this for a moment.]

They haven't given me a reason not to yet. I don't know what their full expectations are, but I think they're serious about helping us find a way out.

[residentmerc]

... Well, we'll see. But it'd be better if you were right.

[ he can't trust things anymore he trusted ONE CAT and they were BETRAYED ]

[residentflorist]

[she kind of forgave cait so she is aware she has a different set of standards than cloud right now.]

Give them a chance and see what you think. Maybe you'll have a different conversation with them than I did.

[residentmerc]

[ he has mostly forgiven him hes just, also, still pissed about it, ]

I said I would. It'd be stupid not to.

[residentflorist]

[she looks at him for a moment.]

And if the first conversation doesn't work out, you have to try again. [she knows...sometimes...you are just a little bitch.]

[residentmerc]

I'm not that bad.

[ hey >:/ ]

[residentflorist]

[look.]

You've gotten better.

[residentmerc]

[ why's that condescending... ]

... Better.

[residentflorist]

Better! [now it's a little more sincere, as if that helps.]

[residentmerc]

Aerith.

[ IT DOESN'T HELP ]

[residentflorist]

[anyway!]

Oh. Here's something you might be able to ask them about. I saw Lucas earlier today. He's been praying in different parts of the town, but...he said he's been hearing some sort of strange gospel after a while. [thinking...] "The Lord said to His lamb, 'Rachel! Go forth, and head to the south, and meet the people in Riverdale.'" And then something about sacrificing goats without eating from the holy flesh, or all food will become ash in a person's mouth going forth.

[residentmerc]

[ what the actual fuck it's week zero ]

... Are we sure he's not just hearing voices?