Rope: Floral Perfume

Operator Record Floral Perfume
Part 1: Foreigners always have some mystical fantasies, but unfortunately, not every Yan person can hop between roofs and walk on walls. Part 2: To true lovers of gardening, there's blooming flowers and bearing fruits, but what warrants closer attention is the soil itself.

Unlock conditions

• Raise Rope to Elite 2 Level 1.
• Have at least 50% Trust with Rope.

Characters

Doctor Perfumer Rope

Backgrounds

1 2

Part 1

“

Having come to the Convalescent Garden without finding Perfumer, Rope's attention is drawn to the Garden's plant life.

”

10:30 A.M. \ Clear Rhodes Island Landship, Cabin 4, Convalescent Garden
<Background 1>
[Rope enters the Convalescent Garden...]
Rope	'Scuse me~
[...but no one is inside.]
Rope	......? 'Scuse meee, anyone in— Hmmm? Aw, man. Nobody in? Morniiiing—Mooorniiiing—Just checkiiiiing—Anyone iiiiiiiin—! Halllll—looooooo—? ...... Huh, actually deserted. That's sucky. Wasting my time somewhere empty-handed ain't my style. Hm-hmm, I'm here after all. Let's let your li'l Peter Pan of Lungmen, Rope, take a look, see what nice stuff's lying around... ...Wait, no! (Claps face) Stoppit, stoppit, Rope. Pull it in. You can't do that. (Claps face) (Claps face) Ugh, what a scary habit to have. But you can't leave the door unlocked when no-one's in. That's just too sloppy. You can't blame anyone else when you lose something, okay? I swear I won't take anything. Just looking, looking... Just lemme looksie, scope what's good around here~ Hm? What's on the ground here... iunno. Who cares? Let's jump it!
[Rope jumps into a bed of flowers.]
Rope	Hohoh, these flowers are real pretty with their colors. Dunno if they're worth anything... Oh, this ain't equipment you see everyday. Probably pretty expensive, huh? And over this way's... herbs? Hm? Hmm?? Whoooa, what IS this smell? This is pungent! I'm, I'm getting a little dizzy...
<Background fades out and in>
Rope	Pteh—haah, close call! Oh, crap, I thought I was about to faint. That was way too risky...! "Better to jimmy open a Lungmen treasury box than charge an open door." No wonder a mentor once said that. Kinda makes sense now. ...... Heh, okay, the joke ends here. If nobody's in, then I'm all hands tied. Wanted to do a little good for once, too. Whatevs. I guess I'll just come next time—
[The sound of someone walking through the vegetation is heard.]
Rope	Hm? What, I'm not the only one on the down-low? Hehey, now this is getting interesting. Wherever you came from, li'l dodger, let's have a duel~ Pitter patter, sneakity skatter... position scoped, hook ready—
<Background fades out and in>
[Rope sees Perfumer walking around the Garden.]
Perfumer	Morning dew, peppermint, shaved ice showers♪ Setting sun, jasmine, honey flowers♪
Rope	Uh...
Perfumer	Hm-hmm~, hmm~, hm-hmm hm-hmm~~
Rope	Uh, esscuse me...
Perfumer	And add just a little culture. Hmm, that should be a good amount!
Rope	No, c'mon, you're way too focused.
Perfumer	And then mix it with the deep soil here. Oh, or perhaps add a little bit more plant ash? Mhmm, this should do it just nicely!
Rope	(Has she literally not noticed me? You need to keep your wits about you, y'know?) (And here I thought some thief actually got in. Eugh.)
Perfumer	Hmm... the balance still seems a little off. Last time's cultivar had balance issues too. Phew, let me think, what should I do... Peat, akadama... maintain weak acidity...
Rope	(Still talking to herself. Is this, like, an okay situation?) (Oh, but watching from the side is pretty fun~)
Perfumer	! That's right, how could I forget! I can try adding in some sandy soil brought from where it grew! Mhmm, no matter plants or people, they're all best at home!
Rope	(Kind of makes sense to hear.) (But y'know the sort who really work to flee the nest? Never wanna go back, those people? Uh, people? Plants? Whatever, same thing. There's plenty of them, right?)
[Perfumer wanders around, seemingly looking for something.]
Perfumer	Oh, now where did I put that soil again... Not here, and not here. Hmm... how strange... Hm?
Rope	Hm?
Perfumer	!! Wha-wha-wha?!
Rope	?! Huh? Huh?? What-what's wrong? What's up?
Perfumer	Eh? Ah...
<Background black>
Perfumer	Miss... Rope?

Part 2

“

After sighting Perfumer and conversing with her, Rope has a newfound awareness of aromatherapy.

”

<Background 1>
Perfumer	I'm so very sorry, I was preparing the soil for some plants just now, and didn't notice I had a guest, and for a moment I overreacted... How shameful of me.
Rope	Uh, no biggie. Don't mind it. I shouldn't have come in without permission.
Perfumer	Oh, not at all. All my Rhodes Island friends are free to enter as they wish. There's no problem with that. But really, Miss Rope, you could've just called for me if you were here.
Rope	Oh, I kinda called my lungs out. You didn't answer... Whatever. As long as there's no danger, that's good.
Perfumer	Danger?
Rope	Nopety-nope, nothing. Don't mind it.
Perfumer	Hmm... In any case, thank you for your concern~ However, there wouldn't be any danger in the Convalescent Garden, you know. After all, this is a place for guests to unwind in. Safety is guaranteed.
Rope	I guess, with all the security systems outside the cabin. No-one from outside Rhodes'd ever get in.
Perfumer	Exactly~ Speaking of which, when did you come in, Miss Rope? It's strange, there ought to be a bell in front of the door.
Rope	Bell? Oh, you mean the device thing hidden in the entranceway? I'm guessing if you touch it, it sounds a little ringy thing?
Perfumer	Right, that's the one. I've always treated it as a visitors' bell. Since there were times I was so busy I wouldn't notice any guests, Closure installed the bell for me. As long as the door sounds that bell, it'll notify me even when I'm working.
Rope	I gotcha. Heheh~ You meant that thing, huh. I jumped straight over it.
Perfumer	Eh? Jumped...?
Rope	Uh-huh. Of course I'm not gonna randomly step on stuff if I don't know where it came from! Walk without a sound, climb without a trace. That's essential survival skills.
Perfumer	Closure spent an hour hiding that device properly. She said nobody would ever notice it! You really are something, Rope!
Rope	Aw, shucks, heckie darn. This stuff's my field of expertise~ Oh, wait, Miss Perfumer, on your face!
Perfumer	Eh?
Rope	There's some mud stuck to it... uh, here, here.
Perfumer	Ah, er, on my face? Hereabouts...?
Rope	Uh, forget it. Just lemme.
[Rope swipes the dirt off Perfumer's face.]
Rope	Alrighty, wiped that for you.
Perfumer	Oh, thank you! Hm? (Oh, this is a different aroma. It's...)
Rope	What's up?
Perfumer	Ah, nothing, not in particular. Thank you. (Hm...) (Should be no problem if it was just a little, right?) Oh, right, Rope, what did you need me for? It's very unusual to see you around here. Ah, could it be you have a new interest in perfumery? If so, you're always welcome here~
Rope	No, that's not quite it.
Perfumer	Oh, then what?
Rope	Uh. It-It was the Doctor! Yeah, right, the Doctor! The Doctor begged me to get some aromatherapy stuff from here. The, uh, the regular stuff, to help with sleeping.
Perfumer	Ah, is the Doctor having trouble falling asleep again?
Rope	I guess? Seemed a little out of it on missions the past two days. Still forced it to support the team, too... (Muttering)
Perfumer	Hmm? Did you say something just now?
Rope	Nothing! You heard wrong!
Perfumer	? Hmm... I see, then. Alright. You want the Doctor's usual, the lavender scents, right? Of course. If you're not pressed for time, Rope, could you wait while I finish sorting out these cultivation soils before I get the aromas for you? My hands are all muddy right now; it'd be a little hard. You can stroll about in the greenhouse for now. I'll be all done in just a moment!
Rope	Of course, no problem~ Strolling here'd be my pleasure!
<Background fades out and in>
Perfumer	(Stirring)
Rope	Hey, this flower's pretty cute. All tiny and... woah woah woah why's it so big now?
Perfumer	(Stirring) (Stirring)
Rope	Whew, I felt my heart stop here. Even a flower gets to be all dangerous. Wh—Who knew greenhouses went so deep?
Perfumer	(Stirring) (Holding in laughter) (Stirring)
Rope	Hm? Is this... spice? Whoa, it smells great too, nm, mm? Ha, ha, ha—choo!
Perfumer	Pfft.
Rope	Eh?
Perfumer	*cough* *cough* *cough*.
Rope	Hachoo, hachoo. Hic. Whoof...
Perfumer	Are you okay?
Rope	I'm... I'm great. Hachoo.
Perfumer	Don't exert yourself. Those flowers and spices are all ingredients I use in my perfumery, and their scents likely aren't as nice as any end-product form. They can be a little stronger...
Rope	Try a lot stronger! Ha, hachoo! Feels like my nose could just fall off... You deal with this stuff everyday? And you make it smell so good somehow. I'm beginning to admire you now...
Perfumer	Now that's just exaggerating. Oh, right, on the long table over there is a small green bottle. If your nose feels uncomfortable, you can give that a small sniff. It should be much better after that.
Rope	Oh—! Thank you! Lemme see, green, green... hachoo! There it is!
[Rope sniffs at the small green bottle, the aroma clears her nose.]
Rope	Ah, this smells sooo so good.
Perfumer	I'm glad you like it. Do you feel a little better?
Rope	Ah. Wow. I'm not sneezing anymore. This thing does work! Real work!
Perfumer	My, my. Did you perhaps doubt the power of aromatherapy? That it was just placebo effect? That they were excessive hobby goods?
Rope	Uh. It's... it's not like I ever thought that.
Perfumer	No need to be nervous. I don't mind at all. Any amount of people will have misconceptions when they first come into contact with perfumery and aromatherapy. After all, it's a field you've never learned about. It's very normal you'd think that, Rope. It's something I have to strive hard for—how to give people a true approach to perfumery. The willingness to approach it.
Rope	Huh. How do I put it... I might not get perfuming all that much, but I still know your work's real important, Perfumer. After all, the Doctor—heck, and even Dr. Kal'tsit—if they're both saying it's good, then it's gotta be, right?
Perfumer	Eh? The Doctor and Dr. Kal'tsit both...?
Rope	Yeah. I've heard them mention it a whole lotta times. "Lena's aromatherapy stands dominant at the forefront of the treatment and rehabilitation domain." ...In words kinda like that. And you gotta admit, there's a lotta operators who love scrambling for this place, right? I hear there's even people who just sleep in the greenhouse and don't wanna leave?"
Perfumer	There are a few... I recently added a few more beds just because of that, but free space is still a concern as ever. If things keep going on like this, I might need to ask Dr. Kal'tsit to see if the greenhouse can't be enlarged a little.
Rope	You see? You got it. It's pretty awesome, isn't it? You already got a bunchload of people who know the deal with perfumery. I mean, I might not super understand it, but there's way too much I don't understand. Just 'cause I don't get something myself doesn't mean I have to say it's pointless, right?
Perfumer	...... Heheh.
Rope	Whoa, what's the funnies now? Perfumer?
Perfumer	Heheh. I'm sorry. Mm. I'm just a little happy.
Rope	??
Perfumer	Don't you mind, Rope. In fact, if you don't mind, you can just call me Lena.
Rope	Uh, ah, tha-...
Perfumer	And then how about I call you Ropie?
Rope	Huh? Sure, of course, sure...
Perfumer	Heheh. Then that's settled.
Rope	(Wo-wo-wo-woah, what's going on?) (Was Perfumer always so casual?) Um, um. Say, Perfumer...
Perfumer	Hm?
Rope	Uh, L-Lena.
Perfumer	Mhmm. What is it?
Rope	Has anyone ever told you... you're, like, really surprisingly intense.
Perfumer	Never, no.
Rope	You're kidding.
[Perfumer and Rope bursts into laughter.]
Rope	Whatever. It works...
Perfumer	Alright. That should be the cultivation soils sorted, now. I'll go wash my hands.
[Perfumer heads to wash her hands while Rope looks at the nearby soil...]
Rope	You're done already? Huh, I can't really tell how this soil's different from before.
[...before returning right after.]
Perfumer	This one's a soil for raising flowers. The proportions of what went into it might be a little special.
Rope	For flowers?
Perfumer	Indeed. Gloria's therapy is into a new phase. It requires some very particular flora, with astonishingly stringent requirements for their soil.
Rope	Huh.
Perfumer	Truthfully, I haven't been too successful the past few times I've tried to cultivate them. I wanted to try new ratios this time, and see whether there's any issues with the soil's proportions or nutrients...
Rope	Ooh!
Perfumer	If nutrition is the problem, then I can sort that, but some plants require things far, far beyond nutrition alone to grow, and that's where things can get a little gnarled. I hope it can work this time. If I may say, this time I'm actually quite confident.
Rope	Sounds hecka complicated. I thought perfumery stuff would be more, uh, more sorta elegant vibes? Y'know, like, only for rich daughters who smell nice all over, all pretty and graceful, who kinda seem like they never had to do work before.
Perfumer	Ah. Are you complimenting me, Ropie?
Rope	Mm... take it that way if you want?
Perfumer	Thank you~ But I'm no leisurely unworking rich girl, you know.
Rope	That's, uh, I knew that from the moment I saw you with mud stuck to your face.
Perfumer	Haha, don't tease me now. Hmm. The Doctor's usual scent, let me look... I remember putting it here. Lavender, lavender... ah, there it is.
Rope	Right, right! Yeah, little bottles just like that!
Perfumer	Here, take it. This one's very popular. A lot of operators use a little just before bed. Makes falling asleep easier.
Rope	Ooh~ See, my experience tells me, with packaging this nice and results that good, this probably sells for a ton, right?
Perfumer	It won't be expensive at all. These are internal, non-marketed. Only Rhodes Islanders get to use it, for now. Now then, perhaps you'd like to give it a try too, Ropie?
Rope	Huh? Try what?
Perfumer	Aromatherapy, of course. Aromatherapy oils diluted like this are easy to carry, and are sure to alleviate your mind! You can use them anytime, anywhere. It might become a new trend, even! My dear Rope, they fit beautiful young women like you perfectly! Let me recommend you these scents...
Rope	Stooop, stopstopstopstop! What are you doing taking all these bottles out!? H-Hold on! Lena?!
Perfumer	Oh, Ropie, what are you shrinking back for? And why the hook, too? I'm just giving you some recommendations, nothing more. I'm not going to eat you, now~
Rope	Eep—I dunno, I kinda sense danger here...!
Perfumer	You're overthinking it.
Rope	...Am I?
Perfumer	You are.
Rope	Something tells me Im not! Uwaagh!
<Background fades out and in>
Rope	*Pant*, *pant*.
Perfumer	Wonderful. Sure enough, you fit with fragrances perfectly, Ropie.
Rope	Fit, my patootie! My body leaving a scent's real bad... in a whole lotta ways, it's real bad!
Perfumer	Is that so? If you absolutely can't stand it, of course I won't force you. But it really does fit you, you know...
Rope	...... Auuughhh fine I get it! I'll use 'em! I'll use 'em, okay!
Perfumer	!
Rope	How'd things turn out like this... ugh. Alright, alright. Okay, I'm gonna go take the Doctor's aroma stuff now. Oh yeah. Almost forgot. You might be carrying some seeds on you. Put 'em away and don't lose 'em again.
Perfumer	Oh? You're giving these back to me now? That was faster than I'd imagined. I thought it'd be at least two more days...
Rope	Eh? Hold on, what are you saying? Hold up. Are you serious? Ugh. Don't tell me you knew I took—
Perfumer	Heheh. My nose is very sensitive, you know. The slightest change in the aroma of any little spot, I can tell.
Rope	Wuh. I'm—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!! It's just, uh, this bad habit I have kinda... nnneugh.
Perfumer	Haha, no need to be like that. I'm not blaming you at all.
Rope	Huh?
Perfumer	Hmm... truthfully, I was planning to be a little more prepared.
Rope	Eh? Prepared? Prepared what? The police? Are you turning me in so the cops can arrest me oh god oh god no no no no—
Perfumer	Whaa-?! Rope?! Calm down, just calm down, I won't turn you in, nobody's going to arrest you!
Rope	R-R-R-Really?
Perfumer	Really really.
Rope	Whaahhhhh oh my god Lena you're the nicest person ever—
Perfumer	For not shedding a single tear, you've been crying an awful long time, Ropie.
Rope	Eheh. Caught in the act. Let's not mention the past, y'know! You were saying you had something prepared, Lena? What prepared?
Perfumer	Ah, well. What you took with you was a packet of flower seed.
Rope	Flower... seeds?
Perfumer	Quite right. I was planning to prepare some suitable soil for them.
Rope	Is this kinda flower seed really expensive?
Perfumer	Not at all, now.
Rope	Then it's really rare?
Perfumer	I wouldn't say it's anything unusual. They're common and quite ordinary. But grow them carefully, and they'll be gorgeous when they bloom. Very suited to perfumery, too. You see, no matter what sort of seed, they all return to the soil in the end, and then they'll all flower beautifully.
Rope	......
Perfumer	Originally, my thought was that when you came to give these seeds back, I'd encourage you to plant them for yourself.
Rope	You wanted me to? Myself...?
Perfumer	That's right. And then once they grew flowers, maybe I'd make an aromatic for you using them~
Rope	Eh? For me? Making aroma stuff? But, uh, why?
Perfumer	Do you absolutely want a reason? Hmm... let me think. I think it might be—because I always felt you'd be well suited to aromatics, Ropie.
<Background 2>
[Ropes walks along the corridor while humming something with the Doctor listening.]
Rope	Hm~, hm-hmm~, hm-hm-hmm~ Morning dew, peppermint, shaved ice showers♪ Yo, Doctor. Still sorting out battle reports? Big thanks on the last mission. I thought my number was seriously up this time. Didn't think you had a plan for it forever. But no-one's saying you have to come with the support team, right? That's gotta be a little too dicey.
Doctor	I need to ensure my operators' safety.
Rope	Cool. When things seriously hit the floor, I'll grab you and we'll bug out together. Oh, yeah. Take this. This is the kind of aroma stuff you use, right? This, uh... Perfumer—I mean, Lena wanted me to hand this to you!
Doctor	You look very happy. / Something seems a little different about you.
Rope	Heheh, you can tell? Is it obvious? Good things do that to you~ Lemme tell you a secret. There's some flowers I planted myself, and they're gonna bloom real soon.