T R A V E L

and then you think, very quietly: actually. actually. I think I want a coffee. a nap. a sandwich. a book.

and I want to die turns day by day into I want to go home, I want to walk in the woods, I want to see my friend, I want to sit in the sun

I want a cleaner kitchen

I want a better job

I want to live somewhere else

Animated Sarah Andersen's comic page about treasure :>

Knight of the Void Parts 1 and 2 by Anato Finnstark

Ariadne & Dionysus

Zombies are docile when adorned with flowers.

Settlements overgrown with herbs and flora.

Barely any banditry; everyone is focused on farming and gathering.

Different human factions and towns named after flowers like Lilies, Orchids, Roses, etc.

It’s incredibly risky to attack zombies. The scent of the attacker’s aggressive intent coupled with spilled pungent rotten blood drives other zombies into a frenzy.

Zombies given funeral rites grow flowers within their bodies, eventually bursting from their chest and head area. These zombies are naturally gentle and their presence tames other zombies in the vicinity. Due to their helpfulness, it’s taboo to harm “blooming” undead:

Sweaty summers are the worst and everyone hopes they have enough dried flowers to last the winter. 

It’s a colourful apocalypse! An overabundance of flowers in the world leads to plenty of dyes and busy little honey bees!! Scented candles are a thriving export.

Survivors who help spread flowers, look after “blooming” undead, cull the hordes, and herd zombies away from safe areas are affectionately called Florists.

Regular weapons such as guns and knives are still used but everyone prefers perfumed water guns, spray bottles, and incense.

Take this absolutely gorgeous mostly peaceful flower zombies idea

And put it with this idea

Just imagine.

You’re an American(the true horror), and what survives of humanity in your country is paranoid, violent towards the dead, focusing purely on survival. The apocalypse started when you were barely a teenager, and you’re an adult. Running is all you know.

You manage to get on a boat and escape, hoping to find some kind of help in other countries.

Days, maybe weeks later, after storms, falling into the ocean at least once, you are soaking, but at least you’re clean for probably the first time since the apocalypse started, you wash up on land. You’re not sure where exactly, but you’re decently sure it’s Europe.

You wander for a short while, and to your horror, you see zombies.

But they all have flowers, some of them have flowers blooming out of their bodies, and don’t pay any attention to you, when usually, zombies would already have gotten a whiff of your scent, and attacked. The zombies with flowers blooming from them seem to be herding the other zombies, in a way.

What’s more, a group of children is playing by the zombies, and bringing them flower crowns.

One of the children spots you, and points you out to the eldest of the group, a teenager, who’s at most 15. They run over to ask who you are, because they know there’s no settlements that way, and also quickly give you soap, telling you to clean up.

They lead you back to their settlement, where you see flowers being grown everywhere, and where there are adults, who quickly get you inside, insisting you need a bath immediately.

After being cleaned, they explain to you what they discovered about zombies.

The village leader, a blind woman in her 70s, explains to you how they received word of the flowers. Some other survivors had traveled to their town, 8 years ago, telling you of how it was discovered. A child from their group had given a flower crown to a zombie.

After being able to calm the existing zombies, people could start focusing on rebuilding, and honoring those who died by decorticating their bodies in flowers had become a tradition. They’d sent word by trained messenger birds to everywhere they could, and found that that unlike America, most of the world has made these discoveries, or had already been informed, and have been recovering more or less peacefully.

The growth!!!

Uncomfortable hug from Beatrice who barely knows Ava, but, although hesitantly, still comforts her.

Beatrice’s absolute pride in Ava’s success

(bonus: Bea realizing her feelings)

The emotional support hug. They are grounding each other. They are each other’s person.

The we did it! The oh thank god you’re okay hug. Both Ava and Beatrice latch on so quick and tight. They cannot bear the thought of the other getting hurt at this point

The absolute relief from Beatrice that she did not loose Ava, and Ava so happy Bea is there to support her. (Bonus the little neck kiss)

And finally the kiss. Ava has been pining over Beatrice all season. Beatrice who is struggling with her feelings because of her vows. But Ava is about to go, and she cannot leave her love without letting her know she loves her and just how much she means to her. While also simultaneously showing how much she has grown because of Beatrice (“once you realize everything is not about you”, and then easily dodging Bea’s attack to pull her into her arms in the the smoothest way possible. Lastly, her new faith. She tells Bea “in the next”. After putting on the crown she realizes that there is something else out there, something that will bring Beatrice back to her when Bea’s time comes. She isn’t running, not like she did before, she is saving her sisters and her love despite knowing she is going to die). Beatrice made Ava better, but Ava also made Beatrice better. Beatrice opened herself up to get close to someone again, not just her sister Warrior’s who, even then seemed to keep them at arms length. Beatrice in the first season would do anything for the OCS. In this season, Beatrice would do anything for Ava.

So THIS, your honor, is character growth and slow burn at its finest.

Thank you, Warrior Nun.