#clsmp s2

[botanist-bird]

You need to keep Beetle away from me. I'm not- I'm not safe to be around. I couldn't bear hurting him. Not again. ...not like I did Astrin.

- Sage the Trustworthy

if this is about the withering, he’s protected from it through his proximity with me. if this is about maybe accidentally killing him…

i don’t believe that you’d hurt him in that way.

[littlewitherfusion]

Oh, I do enjoy tales of vengeance. They're some of my favorite stories — the anger, the determination, the single-mindedness...

Out of curiosity, who would that include? The Botanist? The First Victor? The Scout? The Explorer?

I don't know who you're referring to. Though, I have no target in particular. I know who Fusion cares deeply for. Flotte, Sage, Rose, Nix, Thorn. They are who I'll stick to.

Everyone else? The ones that hunted her? Trapped her? Treated her like some...

Some witch?

They need to understand what they've done.

[starlitvoidroses]

Who do you want to win? The answer can be you.

Who outside of your team do you most want to win?

Who do you think will win?

Me. I want to win it this time. I threw everything away because I didn't want to win last time, but that's not gonna happen again.

Outside of my team? One of my wives. I think it'd be silly if Cry won, although with how much I've done to help Fusion, and how much time she's spent with the Eels, it does make me root for her more.

As much as I'd like to win, the odds aren't in my favor. I have a chance, but I think it's more likely someone from Fishtrix or the Mountain Hermits will win. Doubt it'll be Wefid again, but anything's possible.

[botanist-bird]

Sharpened blades and sharper words, yeah that's the hand you deal // Stabbin' mercy, ain't you heard that's all you ever feel? // Yeah, it must be heavy to hold // Facin' down the whole world // Livin' in a tower o' gold // Drownin' in your own pearls

Daggers - Neovaii

I see how you hide your sharp edges around the Unicorn, Botanist. Surely you know it won't last long? Once he and the King remember your past violence... what do you think will happen? What happens once your violence expands past the Curse you were afflicted with?

i think they won’t be happy with me. but i entered this game expecting that, and i will simply weather it and bear the weight of their anger. i will do my best to protect them, regardless of their inevitable change of heart.

i promised them that i would.

[botanist-bird]

Press your nose against the window // The first snow barely dusts the ground // As much time as you spend in silence // One day this will be ten years past

Impressionism - Kara's Walk Home

Do you ever regret not making some of your relationships stronger? I know that many of them will be gone in what feels like the blink of an eye, but do you not regret making those count while you have the time?

sometimes i do. but—well, it’s like you said. most of them will be gone in the blink of an eye. once the games have lost their novelty, i doubt i’ll stick around. i’ll miss the friends i’ve made, but i’ve lost so many—what’s a few more?

i suppose i could try and make it better for those for whom it won’t just be a passing memory. maybe the next time around, i’ll try to be kinder to all of them. i don’t know.

i really don’t know.

i try not to think of their impermanence while i still live amongst them.

[botanist-bird]

Do you feel the shame the same way I do?

probably not lmao shame is something reserved for other people

[starlitvoidroses]

If you had to choose between your team and your wives, who would you choose?

Well... that's... quite the question. I suppose it would depend on why I'm having to make a choice.

Assuming you mean to ask about the most dramatic of scenarios, where perhaps my team and my wives have decided they are enemies to each other and I must choose which side to be on, or maybe you meant a scenario where my team and wives have all made it to the end and I have to choose who to fight for?

Either way those are terrible scenarios to imagine. But sure, I'll humor you.

For the former, if my team and wives were forcing me to choose a side right now, and with no further context, I would have to pick the people I swore my loyalty to first. Without me, my wives still have their teams, and each other. And choosing a side right now wouldn't mean I'd have to be against my wives either. Just that they would be abandoning me. And yes, Nix and Dune wouldn't be completely alone if I left, but still, they've shown me nothing but kindness, I can't do that to them.

As for the latter scenario, I don't know. I will fight for all of us to make it to the end, but if we get there? I'm not sure what I'd do.

...

Well, yknow, I've thought about, I've , hm. I've, thought, that maybe this time- maybe this time I'll try to win it. But if it came down to me or the people I care about? I think I'd find choosing to win quite difficult. And I doubt it would even feel like winning.

And if I chose not myself, then to have to pick a side? To look at the people I'd care so much about and decide which of them to kill? Who I'd betray the trust of? And ultimately, who I would leave alone, the "winner," after all of it? What a horrible thought.

As much as I'd hate to loose any of them before the end, perhaps that would be easier than having to discover the answer to your question.

[botanist-bird]

Y’know, that is…one hell of a promise you’ve made. For your sake and his, I really hope things end differently for you guys.

But, and you’re gonna have to forgive me for asking this, are you prepared to possibly break that promise?

first of all, who are you?

…

forgive me for the hostility. i find i’m much more protective this season, on account of having no lingering loyalties.

i… am always prepared for my oaths to fall through. i won’t be happy about it, and i’m trying to make sure it doesn’t happen, but…

well, i ended up breaking every single promise i made last time, so.