Daan

[residentflorist]

code

Digitalis
Old English folklore said that foxes wore the flowers on their paws
to silence movement and stealthily stalk prey.
Healing, pain, insincerity, insecurity

Comments

[recession]

There's also the obvious part of just knowing that they'll be with us soon, rather than disappearing off into some unknown.

...

Well, suppose I don't have a guarantee that everyone will appear here, but it's been mostly consistent, no?

[residentflorist]

I think the only one who didn't arrive at all was Camille, but if they were always planning to revive her she may not have been allowed to get close enough to her. Like some kind of strange precaution.

[recession]

How bizarre.

Would've been convenient if she was able to tell us even a fragment of information back then. Would've certainly helped in changing our perspective and all.

Too easy.

[residentflorist]

Too easy...we just have to be separated a little longer. Probably enough to make sure the cult doesn't realize we're actually here until we have enough to overpower them or throw off their ritual.

[recession]

I guess her out-loud testament that there was nothing to be seen after death is probably a good thing, in terms of the cult specifically... yeah.

[residentflorist]

Keep them off our trail a little longer, at least. [...] I do hope she'll be okay over there though. Dying and coming back must be hard on her, too.

[recession]

[ Thinking about seeing her walking around with her eyepatch... ]

...I wouldn't be envious of her position, no.

Tricky, too. Might've been nicer to let her die again and come here proper, release her from the stress of being over there, but then it'd feel like it'd be undoing someone else's hard work.

[ THEIR CAMILLE ASSASSINATION SQUAD... ]

[residentflorist]

[she goes quiet for a moment, folding a few kigus.]

...I don't know, Daan. I think it might've been more cruel to her to bring her back after killing her in the first place, but I can admit I'm a little more biased than other people. They were smart to plan it that way, but...I don't know. I wonder if she knew beforehand what their plan was, or if she thought she was being set free only to be yanked back and told "figure out what to do next."

[recession]

Can't undo what's already been done, so I wasn't referring to that.

She didn't know the plan, as I understand it.

[residentflorist]

Maybe that's for the better. [although she tilts her head.] What were you actually referring to then?

[recession]

I meant killing her again, a second time.

[residentflorist]

Oh. Right, I see what you mean. They really did go through a lot of effort to bring her back. [...]

There really isn't a right or wrong answer, I think. But do you think it was a good thing? Doing it this way to begin with to save someone.

[recession]

...

[ There's just a mire of bad emotion. Not necessarily all negative, but the overall picture isn't great. ]

I don't think you should entertain the idea too much.

[residentflorist]

... [there's just her own blip of unease.]

I know. I was just wondering, I guess. Like...if a person was killed for one reason or another, and then that person still wanted to live. If it's then more about saving them because you want to have them back, or if you're helping them save themselves from leaving too soon.

[recession]

Doesn't change what they put her through, does it?

And with the situation now, it feels even more pointless that it happened at all. Either you kill her or you leave her as one of the final five standing, either of which are unpleasant scenarios.

[residentflorist]

[...she is realizing that they're talking about the same thing in two different ways and she's too much of a coward to actually explain, so she nods.]

No, it doesn't. It's still an experience she had to live through and carry with her from then until we go back to our own lives and think this place was all just a weird dream.

Neither option is pleasant, but it's a decision we're going to have to make. All of us. I don't like the thought of pinning this on five people, but it's our best option for right now. [...] Maybe I just wish they'd thought more closely about it before doing this to her, but it's not my business and I get that.

[recession]

[ He thinks about the eyepatch he's seen her wearing over there these days. The fact that he did that. How even if she does escape, she'll still be haunted -- if not by the mental scars, certainly the physical ones. ]

...Anyway, my thoughts don't have impact on the people who are living right now. I'm sure we have different opinions.

We can guide them on what to do, but the method's in their hands, ultimately.

[ He has a slightly different thought as of W6 but he only started thinking about it on Sunday and this is still Saturday. ]

[residentflorist]

[a horrifying concept isn't it.]

Likely. I do think our opinions are going to matter as time starts to run out, but I don't know how just yet. Kanda and I talked about this on Thursday. They all know what needs to be done. And...it feels terrible encouraging them, but it's better than letting them miss the chance to take care of things themselves.

[recession]

Given the alternative is total annihilation?

Be abrasive now, survive later. Wounds might mend, but true death won't.

[residentflorist]

At least by being here, we still have a chance of saving ourselves and finding a way back. But as sacrifices...who knows how far gone we'd become? I'm still not convinced bringing everyone over wouldn't work just as well, but we likely still need at least 5 just to deal with the cult themselves.

[recession]

It'd be the nice outcome.

We just need the cult to think there aren't any more than five useable sacrifices.

[ Who cares if it's true or not? Just need the cult sweating and reveal their hand. ]

...Naturally, we'd want to be sure we have a way to either spirit them away too, or come to them at the right time. Can't leave them to fend for themselves, and I'm going to go out on a limb and assume the cultists will try something anyway. Sacrifice the five and pray desperately it'll be enough? Or just kill them to try to wipe the slate clean even if it's too late. Don't want that, either.

[residentflorist]

So far so good. They haven't found us yet, and as long as Pestilence and War can keep pulling up the barriers that block the cult from seeing the Wednesday tasks and the Saturday and Sunday rituals, we should make it. But even with Robin tomorrow...that still leaves 15 on their side. They would have to lose ten people by the Monday after next, at least. Though I suppose we don't know what day the cult's going to try their summoning. We just know it's in two weeks or so.

...maybe what we should do is start convincing them to stick together in public places where we can at least see them and keep an eye on things while we work to build the bridge back. [metaphorical bridge. maybe literal at this point, we don't know.] I agree with you. The timing's gotta be right.

[recession]

Nehan did tell me it's more or less around the end, we'll have up to a week at best to roll out any plans for disruption we may want to act on.

[ The invisible mg schedule. ]

It would be nice to be able to see them during it... yeah. For our planning, but that also makes them visible to the cultists themselves... tricky balance...

[residentflorist]

And we can't just ask Pestilence and War to keep the barrier up nonstop because that's just as suspicious. [and that's frustrating as hell.] I know in the end it's not going to be up to us and it'll be in their hands, but you can't help but worry. They're all doing so poorly by this point...

[EVERYONE IS SO DEPRESSED.]

[recession]

Smart of them to begin a sort of precedence and pattern. Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, was it? I'd thought Wednesdays were under cult supervision before, but it leaves a day to talk about this and that if we want. Or rather, if they want.