holds up butterfly is this king midas

[survivaltricks]

WHO: some wayward thistles and visitors!
WHERE: thistle barn
WHEN: early morning, day 6

[if you're an early riser, you may see a trio of thistles— two of them covered in blood and one of them with an arm of solid gold— stumbling back to their barn!]

[it's fine!!]

Comments

[literal_trainwreck]

I wonder if my ability could have made the difference...

[survivaltricks]

Probably not.

[. . .]

But at least, when we do have the tools to kill that thing, we know where to find it.

[literal_trainwreck]

[deep breath]

Yes. Right.

[survivaltricks]

[quietly, but firmly, with the sort of cold rage that is capable of chilling one to the bone]

. . . the next time we meet that thing. . . I'm going to tear it apart.

Piece by piece.

[literal_trainwreck]

[getting chills all right]

Save some for me.

[survivaltricks]

[a small huff]

You'll get the first shot.

[literal_trainwreck]

[actually looking a little cheered up, what do you know]

Now there's something to look forward to.

[survivaltricks]

[if you can't actually beat 'em, fantasize about killing them!!]

Yeah. Definitely.

[so you're not allowed to die before then!!]

I'm going to ask Red about what we saw. I doubt we'll get any answers, but it's worth a try.

[literal_trainwreck]

Shall I accompany you?

[survivaltricks]

[shakes his head]

Nah. Focus on getting some rest, okay? I'll report back later.

[literal_trainwreck]

All right. I'll...

[what the hell am I going to do to not go stir crazy while needing to "rest"]

...Perhaps I'll take a long shower.

[survivaltricks]

And I won't even fight you for it this time.

[TEASING]

[literal_trainwreck]

I should hope not. It would be a shame if someone else were to lose a body part today.

[half-hearted but. you know what he's trying]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . it's cute. . .]

We really need to get that extra bathroom, don't we?

[literal_trainwreck]

A bathhouse. That's what we need.

[survivaltricks]

With medicinal herbs. The medicinal baths in Yongen-Jaya were the best.

[literal_trainwreck]

You're sounding like an old man again.

It was a nice bath, though.

[survivaltricks]

I'm allowed to sound like an old man when it comes to relaxing.

[harumph!]

As far as I'm concerned, nothing stands up to Yongen-Jaya's bathhouse.

But we can try for something similar.

[literal_trainwreck]

You're really fond of that place...

[survivaltricks]

[shrugs]

I spent a lot of time there. Leblanc didn't have a shower.

[how else was he supposed to clean up?? . . . and also raise his charm]

[literal_trainwreck]

I meant Yongen-Jaya. It's hard to imagine anyone else being attached to such a quiet little district.

[survivaltricks]

[. . . ah. . .]

[his gaze flicks away, and he gives a little shrug]

There's a lot to love about Yongen-Jaya.

[. . .]

A lot to love in it.

[literal_trainwreck]

...Of course, it's natural to be homesick. You were spirited away, after all.

[he can be sympathetic sometimes]

[survivaltricks]

[he is very homesick, and very obvious about it]

Yeah.

[what he says next is carefully even]

. . . but it's not just that. My probation ended, so I moved back home.

[literal_trainwreck]

[noting that]

You've never spoken about your life there.