bottlecaplogs | October Catch-All

Gee, I didn't know I was dealing with someone so great!

... Wait, hold on, what happened to the first princess? Eaten by a dragon or something?

[It doesn't occur to him that this might be a sibling type situation.]

[He opts to ignore what sounds like sarcasm to him, because he is great dammit, let him have this.

...That is, until Flowey asks that ridiculous question, to which he cannot resist rolling his eyes.]

The crown princess was perfectly all right. Her younger stepsister was the one who needed my help.

[~~A.k.a. the better one what do you mean he has a bias.~~]

[Interesting... very interesting. He picks up on the bias immediately.] Good to hear! It would be terrible if something happened to the crown princess and left the younger stepsister in charge. After all, merit isn't as important as birthright! Everyone knows that!

[He gets to work with Cedric while they speak. Mostly, he clears farmland- using his roots to remove stones and any impurities- and then allows Cedric to handle the planting and watering.]

What are you insinuating? Nothing is going to happen to either of them if I can help it! And if it came down to that, Sofia wouldn't be in charge, it'd be her twin brother Ja-

[Wait, why is he explaining this?]

Oh, that's not important! The point is, none of them are going anywhere! ...Except me, I suppose.

[He visibly droops and lets out a sigh before turning to the plots Flowey's prepared and... all right, dropping the seeds is easy, but it does take him a few tries to angle the watering can in his small form without spilling too much. After about the fifth attempt, he finally gets the hang of it - at least then the mounds are pretty neat for being prepared by a bird.]

Except you, hee hee! Who knows what could've happened by now...?

[He really has no reason to antagonize Cedric. He's just an asshole.]

... Unless you think they'd be fine without you, Cedric the Great.

[Oh, that stings. That stings a lot, and he doesn't want to admit that it stings a lot, but he's visibly ruffled (literally; his feathers are molting), and if he still had teeth they'd be gritted right now.

Ever since he found himself here, he's been trying desperately not to fret over what could be happening in Enchancia without him. The kids enjoying the summer at the castle before leaving for two brand new schools; the presence of these Mystic Isle Protectors that apparently Sofia knew for a while; the bloody "Elf Situation" that only recently got resolved; and all of it going on without his involvement. He knows they'll all be fine, they've easily proven their capabilities - but what if Flowey's right, what if something has happened or will? And last time, he was the only one who could help... if that were to occur again, who could step up...?]

[After much too long a time to really be nothing, he shakes his head and gathers up a stack of seeds to continue planting.]

N-never you mind Enchancia, you nosy seedling. Just worry about getting your cousins in the soil.

You think all us seedlings know each other? I'm touched. [Oh, to have so much family in the world.

He does do what Cedric says, though, if only because he doesn't want to upset the newcomer that much. The guild leaders would get mad at him, for one, and also...

He doesn't take as much joy in pressing people's buttons as he used to. There's lots of other things to discover about people before he gets bored of them.]

... they're probably fine. Maybe not even a second has passed since you left! Who knows...? All we can do is hope for the best and try to find a way back.

[He's quiet for a moment as he focuses on the work; he's picked up a good rhythm, at least, so he's lagging behind Flowey a little less along the rows.

After the attempted assurance, however, his face drops again. He's not even trying to hide it this time, the pathos is clear in his voice when he speaks.]

The whole time we "outsiders" have shown up, there's really no one who made it back home?

Well... not that we know of. Sometimes people show up for a little bit and then disappear. [He's thinking about Pokemon who show up during TDM months but don't apply. Flowey had been assuming they died, to be honest. But maybe an optimist would think they did make it back, Flowey reasons.]

For the rest of us, it's probably going to be everyone or no one.

... Hey, cheer up! [He says, as if he wasn't just tormenting Cedric a few minutes ago.] We've got some great minds working on it, like yours truly! [That may not help him feel better.] Not to mention you, Cedric the Great! Believe in yourself!

[Now that Flowey mentions it, he does remember meeting a couple of Pokémon (people?) who seem to have vanished after Froslass' visit... she better not be related to that, or else he'll have even more reason to be ashamed of falling for her charm...

He cocks his head at the seed's encouragement but does appear less morose. Even if the repeated use of his title is now starting to sound like mockery.]

And what as your great mind found out so far, Flowey the... seedy? [~~The double meaning may work better than he intends.~~]

Do NOT call me that.

... You really want to know? [He has uncovered a lot, but it feels like a lot to drop on a newcomer. Still, he's going to need to know, especially if he wants to help.]

... past guilds have fallen before to some disaster. Some of them look startlingly similar to ours. One of them I explored in Heavy Downmoor had the EXACT layout of the Archives.

Some of us have heard a mysterious voice. When I was in that ruined guild, I heard it say: "How many times have we been here? How many times have we fallen to ruin?"

But I don't think this is some weird time loop. Too many things don't add up. I do think a legendary Pokemon like Arceus called us here to break a cycle, though. Only it could have that type of purposeful power to call us from across time and space and change our forms entirely.

We're still learning more as we explore. You should ask Akechi for more information. He's my assistant-- [Akechi is not his assistant.] -- and we've been spearheading the investigation.

[If there's a smirk on his face from Flowey's reaction to the nickname, it's gone very quickly when the Sunkern mentions another version of the Archives. And from there, he's all eyes on his companion.

If any of this is true, then their existence here is more than just some cruel joke; it's a calling, to those someone thinks may be able to help, and he is one of them.

...As are Flowey and the ostrich, for some reason, but maybe that was a mistake.

Nevertheless, there's a newfound determination in Cedric's eyes - one of a man eager to investigate, yearning to discover more about the secrets of this world he finds himself in.] I most certainly shall.

[He is not at all convinced by the "assistant" title; Akechi doesn't seem much like a follower. Still, there is one remaining question for Flowey as he remembers there's planting to be done.] Who is this "Arceus"?

A god of some kind. Hard to find more information. That's just what I've heard. Apparently, it called some people to the past before. Akari is one of them, but she's in a coma. Ingo, also, I'm pretty sure.

[He narrows his eyes. If there's any info that ought to be evident in this world, you'd think a god would be part of it.

He would have said so, if not for that additional little detail that's made his entire body stiffen like a pole.]

...Are comas... common around here?

... Sometimes people just... fall down. [Those two words carry more weight for him than it seems.] Sometimes they wake up, sometimes they don't. Dr. Denne in the clinic is looking into it.

There's no rhyme or reason behind it, so I guess that means it could happen to you or me at any moment! Ha ha! Isn't that just great? [There's no actual mirth behind these words. He's poorly disguising his own horror at the fact. How many of his friends have already fallen comatose? How many more will...?]

[If Cedric were still human, Flowey would see the colour drain from his face. Not only has no one been able to get back home, but now they can also just lose consciousness, at any time?

His beak opens and closes many times as his throat suddenly feels dry.]

[And then, almost in a second, his eyes narrow in a deep glare.]

You're joking. You're making a terrible joke that's not even funny!

[Flowey can't blame Cedric for not believing him after some of the shit he's said. Normally, he would mock him about clinging to comforting denial. Is reality REALLY that hard to accept?

(... He remembers himself waiting by Lusamine's bedside, knowing she was never going to wake up again.)]

... Believe whatever you want. [Unceremoniously, he drops the last seed into a hole and covers it with dirt.] I'm sure you can figure the truth out for yourself!

[There's a pit, deep down in Cedric's stomach, that tells him Flowey isn't lying, and the seriousness in that last statement only cements that. But admitting that out loud makes it too much a reality, and the Murkrow can't handle that just yet. Not to mention he can't show any further weakness to this flower... seed... thing.

So instead, he stubbornly covers that final seed with dirt and waters the mound with an aggressive tilt of the watering can.] I shall!

[He takes a quick glance around to confirm that it is, indeed, the last of their work and Flowey isn't tricking him into making a mistake - before turning sharply back.] Is that all then?

Yup! That's all! Guess I'll be seeing you around... Cedric the Great.

[He watches Cedric leave, keeping that smile pasted on his face.]

Likewise.

[The "unfortunately" is presumed, as he abruptly flaps away, leaving Flowey to gather up the supplies like a jerk.]

October Catch-All

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lets go flowey plot recap

hell yeah

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flowey is talking about what happens to characters who get dropped/whose players go on hiatus LOL

gotta love traumatizing characters via game mechanics (also 1/2)

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/wrap!