audience: aerith

[mygod]

Comments

[residentflorist]

[scawwy: burial (of dog) at sea...she's up to her full height again since i assume pestilence is standing again, hands folded behind her back as she grins a little.]

Did you want me to jump right into my questions, or will you at least tell me how you're holding up after all of that?

[we killed five people...]

[mygod]

I am holding up! [ five people died... ] I think everyone is various levels of tired, really. It was hectic.

[ and other things, but hectic. ]

But you guys are the ones in the hot seat.

[residentflorist]

We sure are! [sweats. oh boy are they, she hates it. she's letting her gaze linger on the sea.]

And since we missed the other half of the chimera...there's nothing stopping them from acting again unless we kill them first. [wonderful.] Be honest. How badly were we doing at actually finding the third monster?

[mygod]

You guys weren't really doing that bad. I think it was mostly just... I think whenever someone is onto something, if someone else questions it, a lot of the time the immediate response is to put it aside for a little bit and return to later. Which isn't the wrong thing to do, but since you're dealing with so many people talking and having their own ideas, it gets easy to forget to return back to the earlier thing.

[ hmmm. ]

Like the glasses piece! The person who originally looked at it thought to readdress it later, but so much happened you guys didn't get to until pretty late.

[residentflorist]

That's true. We couldn't place what it might be right away, so we ignored it for the easier, bigger pieces. Even though that little piece was the biggest part of what helped us find and press Erin. [a little annoying on their part, but it is what it is.]

But that happened with Boothill, too. It took finding those wood splinters on him...or even Pickles' fur on Nona's boots. If it's going to be like this every time now, we'll have to get better at following through.

[...still.]

Can...I ask some questions about the chimera? We caught Erin, but we missed the other person. What happens to them as a monster now? Do you think they're going to merge with someone else to make a new chimera?

[mygod]

They'd likely just operate on their own now, like how Boothill originally did. But... they'd very likely turn up again, if they don't...

[ get killed first. murdergame... ]

In general, I'm not the biggest fan of giving definite answers until I actually see it happen first. [ it is the scientist in them. ] So, we wait and see, but just prepare.

[residentflorist]

Right. The instinct to kill is high, so it becomes kill or be killed again. [which is. fun.] People aren't going to rest easy knowing someone's out there. It's a matter of finding who...and preparing in case we're wrong.

[because she also would like a definite answer before suggesting they murder somebody.]

Lucas and I were thinking of putting a message on the board to see if people would be interested in teaching and learning self-defense. Even if it might just benefit the monster among us, if it could help even one person stay alive longer...[she shakes her head.] It's always easier to prepare for an enemy we can see. It's harder knowing it's someone I don't want it to be.

[mygod]

... the last thing anyone wants is to have to face off against someone they care about. It makes it harder to raise your hand.

Well! Your idea is good, I think. It'll at least help some people feel less scared, if they can defend themselves better. I know... a few don't want to be burdens.

[residentflorist]

Yeah. And that hesitance might just make it a moment too late. [which is what she's worried about. but hm...give her a moment to peer at them quietly.]

Are you one of those people? [we already have one dead npc, she is concerned if the other three can defend themselves and/or don't feel like burdens for not being able to.]

[mygod]

... I wouldn't consider myself the best physical fighter, but I can defend myself, at least.

[ they pause, and they will point outward. a swirl of water rises from the ocean and forms a circle, before falling back into the waves. ]

Tada.

[residentflorist]

[i see.

she's definitely watching with interest! and when pestilence creates the swirl she even claps for them.]

That's...really cool. [aerith has her own specific brand of magic and yet she really does think this is impressive. no conduit, no special connection to the world, just pestilence themselves.] Is it just with water?

[mygod]

Mmhm. I can control it pretty well. There's still only so much I can do if the other person is just stronger than me, but it does its job.

[ unlike nehan. rip. ]

[residentflorist]

[rip...]

But it could be just enough for an advantage and I think that counts. After what happened to Death...I think most people are going to be more willing to make sure the rest of you aren't in any danger though. Or at least the best we can.

[mygod]

At least, as long as just one of us is around, it should be fine. We just really need someone who can put veils up to hide you guys when needed.

[ it would just be hard to do that if all four of them are dead ]

[residentflorist]

Even if it only takes one of you, I think people would prefer if all of you stuck around. [less dead bodies, she means]

We know how your veil works, but...have we figured out what might be happening on Thursdays and why we're stuck in place? Why we can't see other people, too.

[mygod]

I think it's mostly just this place [ they gesture around them ] reacting to what's happening. The magic that created this reacts to other magic, and sort of reforms itself to it.

Kinda feels like it's taking inspo from horror stories.

[residentflorist]

Sort of like a defense mechanism, but still just enough to screw someone else over. [hm...] I don't know a lot about horror stories, but...it means it's likely everything going forward is going to continue being kind of creepy, doesn't it?

[like. she's kind of living her own horror story with sephiroth's existence and everything that's going on there, but that's different than future skinwearers and etc.]

[mygod]

Yeah... I mean, even the farm is nice and all, but the place is still unsettling enough that you know it's that way to make you think it's nice.

But I'm also not too into that sort of thing. I get scared easily!

[residentflorist]

Lulling you into a false sense of security so that you're just a little too comfortable and easier to scare. [she hates that actually.] It's a good way to keep us on our toes, as much as I hate to say it.

[but please...pestilence...help.]

This place must be kind of driving you crazy then. People are starting to become more paranoid every day.

[mygod]

Hehe, well, I'm at least used to that. The company I work for is full of people who will be ready to backstab you, so you have to look over your shoulder.

... I guess that's similar to cult nonsense here...

[residentflorist]

[. . .]

Pestilence...are you aware of how concerning that sounds? Sounds like a pretty uncomfortable place to work.

[mygod]

Oh, I guess.

[ sometimes you are simply used to a thing. ]

I can deal with it, because in the end I just want to support the vision of the person in charge. So anyone else annoying who might try to put a hit on you is nothing in comparison!

[residentflorist]

If you say so. And you did just prove you can defend yourself enough. [she still has concerns! but it's fine.]

...what's their vision anyway?

[mygod]

Oh, she just...

[ pestilence pauses, thinking on how to word it. ]

Wanted to see the stars, and you couldn't help but want to go with her.

[residentflorist]

[there's a pause of her own.]

You might not know the journey, but you feel like you can trust her enough you want to come along and see how it plays out. Even with the risks involved, and even if it wasn't your original vision. Something like that?