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."
I know we had to vote for the ritual to take place. But if the cult can interfere like this, doesn't that mean we're going to be responsible for sacrificing others if this happens again?
... I think we should expect it to happen again. [ which isn't what she asked, but it's on his mind, so he says that first. ] What are our choices? Either we go along and put them through the ritual to stop them from killing, or we... let them go, and they'll kill more people. Just a different flavor of sacrifice.
[ he shakes his head ]
They were implying not voting wasn't an option, too.
[no! that's not what she asked! but cloud is usually pretty blunt about these things so she's unsurprised.]
Right. If we find them and put them through the ritual to stop them, we lose less people versus letting them go and risking them taking more of us. But just because it has to be this way now doesn't mean there can't be a different ritual we find later to separate the monster from the person.
[...also that's not fun either.]
Let me guess. Not voting would be sacrificing ourselves?
I'm not saying this is the only thing we can do forever. But for now, it's the only option we had.
[ he's not satisfied with it either! he has some personal issues about people turning into monsters against their will and not being able to be fixed or whatever,,
he shakes his head ]
They didn't outright say, but that's the most likely answer. We're connected to all these rituals whether we like it or not.
[yes. i wonder why they both have some issues about people turning into monsters against their will and not fully acting on their own conscious.
she doesn't say anything to that right away, but she grips his arm a little tighter before they seem to arrive at the church. she doesn't quite go inside yet, but she does look at him as if asking if sitting down outside is fine.]
...we already had people volunteering to die in people's places if they didn't like the answer. [so this does not exactly bode well for future trials.]
It's going to get bad as people get to know each other more. There are going to be people other people don't want to lose. [in some cases, there are already people who have people they don't want to lose.]
... [well. yes. they are some of them, and aerith acknowledges that much.]
Caelus told me he and Aventurine were fighting back where they're from. They weren't on the same side, but coming here they'd agreed to trying again. And Karlach, Gale and Astarion were traveling together back where they're from. I don't think they'd give up on each other no matter what happened.
[again, like, hard same, but we are not making words happen there yet.]
Lucas and Mathis are from the same place, too. [ if we're going to be listing every body. he looks down at aerith but he is not going to be the one to put real words there right away, because he doesn't think it's helpful ] It won't get any easier with time for anybody.
Mmhm. Lucas said Mathis is his student. [we are still going to avoid the words. instead, we are going to sit side by side as she looks off into the distance at the pyre.]
...it's a little cruel, isn't it? Bringing so many people from the same place and being told they might lose them.
... Maybe the cruelty's the point. [ maybe dying alone is worse, though? he doesn't want to ask that out loud. ] Seems like the kind of thing this "ritual" would like.
...I don't think I like that very much. [which is such a simple thing to say, but it kind of says everything at the same time. maybe cloud will understand or maybe he won't. there's the additional layer for her, knowing she was brought here after being pulled away from her friends the first time. being pulled away a second time does, actually, scare her. but the best she can do is everything to keep all three of them safe and get back to where they belong.
the idea that it could be used against them...is awful. but even without cloud knowing the full extent, maybe he'll understand the dislike translates into her worries that they aren't exempt either.]
but he wouldn't be cloud then, and even if she teases him about still having a lot to learn and flirts with him with reckless abandon (and even though she'd told him he can't fall in love with her, and even though she's very aware of how she feels about him), she thinks this is exactly what she wants from him. it's his own decision, and that's enough. she doesn't pull away or even really move her hand outside of letting her fingers curl against him.
this does nothing to solve the problem they may very well be doomed down the line. but they're together for now. she'll make the most of the second chance given while she can.]
...we won't let it then. [very easy to say "fuck the ritual", but.]
[ she's very aware of how she feels, but cloud still isn't sure how he does entirely, about... well, anything. or how she does, either. but it's aerith, and she's here, and he doesn't want to lose her, and all those things have always been true.
(right?) ]
Yeah. We won't. [ he sounds pretty certain, or at least determined. it's easy to say it, sure. he wants to believe it too, though. ] We're facing even worst things back home. Can't let a little cult thing stop us now.
[she's comfortably leaning against him, a hum of agreement when he says that. whether cloud knows what he wants or not, at least aerith seems to be willing to wait for as long as she can.]
When you think about it? It's not really all that different. [like besides the monster part (mostly.) she's talking about being hunted down and/or maybe dying for someone else's goals.] Just gotta keep going and get through this.
[it is a gay implication, but she is comforted by it anyway. it's why she remains huddled up against him, hand in his and nodding quietly. together is the operative word here, after all.
...and speaking of together...]
Yuffie's not handling this well. [which was obvious.] We should give her some space to talk to Boothill, but after that. ["we need to be there for her" is the implication.]
[ he looks down at his lap with a frown at that reminder, leaning on her just a tad ]
... Alright. [ he is not the person to talk to about these things, he thinks, but he can be... in the same room ... as feelings... and not ruin things... maybe. but, also: ] I don't know how much of Boothill there is to talk to.
[she believes in you cloud. but also yeah. there's...that. she's kind of thinking the same, there's not much of the man that's himself right now if the trial was any indication, but she also can understand wanting to try. if he's contained, and she's safe, maybe it's better to let her.
it's better than losing people without getting to say your last words, she thinks.]
Probably not much, but...somewhere, deep down, he has to still be there. Even if she can't reach him right away, maybe something will make it through.
[ if he is in there, is it better or worse if he can be reached? if it's possible he'll die unable to be himself again, knowing he's trapped like that? these are maybe things he's considered for himself too, but that's neither here nor there. ]
Yeah. Could be. Even if he can't reply... probably he can hear it.
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residentflorist) wrote2024-06-08 12:51 pm
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[ he assumes the same, because if she didn't feel right asking karma outright, then-- probably weird to vote for him ]
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[ does it count as the easy way out when it had to be given a spotlight by the killer conveniently dropping their murder evidence on us ]
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[ he shakes his head ]
They were implying not voting wasn't an option, too.
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Right. If we find them and put them through the ritual to stop them, we lose less people versus letting them go and risking them taking more of us. But just because it has to be this way now doesn't mean there can't be a different ritual we find later to separate the monster from the person.
[...also that's not fun either.]
Let me guess. Not voting would be sacrificing ourselves?
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[ he's not satisfied with it either! he has some personal issues about people turning into monsters against their will and not being able to be fixed or whatever,,
he shakes his head ]
They didn't outright say, but that's the most likely answer. We're connected to all these rituals whether we like it or not.
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she doesn't say anything to that right away, but she grips his arm a little tighter before they seem to arrive at the church. she doesn't quite go inside yet, but she does look at him as if asking if sitting down outside is fine.]
...we already had people volunteering to die in people's places if they didn't like the answer. [so this does not exactly bode well for future trials.]
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he's looking up at the church for a bit so he misses her look first, but then he nods at her like. whatever she wants is fine. ]
Yeah. Like that'd help. [ it does not bode well for future trials and he is also kind of--annoyed. about it. ]
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It's going to get bad as people get to know each other more. There are going to be people other people don't want to lose. [in some cases, there are already people who have people they don't want to lose.]
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... Think that's already the case with some people. [ they are some of them, but words are not happening on that ]
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... [well. yes. they are some of them, and aerith acknowledges that much.]
Caelus told me he and Aventurine were fighting back where they're from. They weren't on the same side, but coming here they'd agreed to trying again. And Karlach, Gale and Astarion were traveling together back where they're from. I don't think they'd give up on each other no matter what happened.
[again, like, hard same, but we are not making words happen there yet.]
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...it's a little cruel, isn't it? Bringing so many people from the same place and being told they might lose them.
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...I don't think I like that very much. [which is such a simple thing to say, but it kind of says everything at the same time. maybe cloud will understand or maybe he won't. there's the additional layer for her, knowing she was brought here after being pulled away from her friends the first time. being pulled away a second time does, actually, scare her. but the best she can do is everything to keep all three of them safe and get back to where they belong.
the idea that it could be used against them...is awful. but even without cloud knowing the full extent, maybe he'll understand the dislike translates into her worries that they aren't exempt either.]
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(he didn't make it either last time.) ]
... Yeah. Me neither. [ he hesitates and, after a long pause, gently places his hand over hers ]
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but he wouldn't be cloud then, and even if she teases him about still having a lot to learn and flirts with him with reckless abandon (and even though she'd told him he can't fall in love with her, and even though she's very aware of how she feels about him), she thinks this is exactly what she wants from him. it's his own decision, and that's enough. she doesn't pull away or even really move her hand outside of letting her fingers curl against him.
this does nothing to solve the problem they may very well be doomed down the line. but they're together for now. she'll make the most of the second chance given while she can.]
...we won't let it then. [very easy to say "fuck the ritual", but.]
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(right?) ]
Yeah. We won't. [ he sounds pretty certain, or at least determined. it's easy to say it, sure. he wants to believe it too, though. ] We're facing even worst things back home. Can't let a little cult thing stop us now.
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When you think about it? It's not really all that different. [like besides the monster part (mostly.) she's talking about being hunted down and/or maybe dying for someone else's goals.] Just gotta keep going and get through this.
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[ together is the gay implication ]
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...and speaking of together...]
Yuffie's not handling this well. [which was obvious.] We should give her some space to talk to Boothill, but after that. ["we need to be there for her" is the implication.]
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... Alright. [ he is not the person to talk to about these things, he thinks, but he can be... in the same room ... as feelings... and not ruin things... maybe. but, also: ] I don't know how much of Boothill there is to talk to.
[ and if it is a good idea to try it, he means ]
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it's better than losing people without getting to say your last words, she thinks.]
Probably not much, but...somewhere, deep down, he has to still be there. Even if she can't reach him right away, maybe something will make it through.
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Yeah. Could be. Even if he can't reply... probably he can hear it.
[ is that better? if he knows what he's done. ]
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