"Why don't we start with a little bit of categorisation, hmm? We'll go through your list, and decide whether each item is a misconception, some internalised feralist ideology, or simply an expression of what you're afraid to admit that you want?"

"And what about legitimate concerns?"

"Then I suppose that we'll just have to use my answer, when you can't think of one."

Should Petal really be going through her list of concerns, and just telling Delphinium why they're wrong? "Well, I happen to think that these are all legitimate concerns, but… I guess I could write what I think that you think they are."

"That would be acceptable too, my dear. Just as somewhere for us to start from."

"Alright, well… I guess the first three would be, like… social conditioning, or whatever."

"Good girl~. Why don't you put a little 'T' next to them, so we can remember that you said they were Terranist ideals still floating around inside that pretty little head of yours~."

Sure, that works.

lose freedom T
lose free will T
lose political rights T

"Now, this next one?"

"It's a legitimate concern."

"It might be, if there were any chance of it happening~. Why don't you just write an 'M' there for now?"

“Why an ‘M’?”

“For misconception, of course~.”

"... Fine, I guess. It doesn't mean I agree with it."

"Not yet~"

what if I change my mind? M

"Do we really have to do all of these?"

"Well, I suppose if it's too difficult for you, I could do this for you, and you could go help Millie write down why you do want to be a pet~."

Fine. She can keep trying to think like an affini for a bit.

what if they stop me from being able to change my mind even if I should? M

Petal was half expecting Delphinium to make a comment about how she should have written a W, for it being something she secretly wants, but apparently she's willing to let Petal make the decisions. For now.

what if they change my mind and I'm not me anymore? M T

Petal isn't so sure about that one. But after quick look up to see Delphinium's face smiling down at her encouragingly, she presses on.

have to choose which one M

Well, that one was easy, it actually was just a misconception, although Petal still feels a warmth in her cheeks at the thought of Delphinium reading that, as if needing to choose which affini to give herself to was as big a concern of hers as her freedom.

what if the affini changes their mind? M

"That's right, Petal, and I hope you can see by now, that if you were to become my floret, I would never, ever let you go."

She certainly has been possessive since finding out about Petal's relationship to her floret. And her name. And the wardship thing. 

…

what if the affini changes their mind? M

"Good girl~." Delphinium strokes a vine, or maybe a cluster of vines, down Petal's hair. It almost feels like she's using tiny vines to make the bristles of a hairbrush. Whatever she's doing, it feels way too good. Dangerously good. 

Delphinium is absolutely going to praise her like that for every thing she crosses off, isn't she?

I'll never get to make another real decision in my life T

That's basically the whole deal, right? Giving away your ability to make decisions, in the hopes that you could trust your affini, and the Affini in general to see to your needs.

I'll be admitting that I'm not good enough to be a real person

Even Petal can muster up the self-awareness to recognise that that's a holdover from… what did Delphinium call it, some internalised feralist ideology? She was also absolutely going to object to Petal doing anything she could construe as mean to herself. 

I'll be admitting that I'm not good enough to be a real person

"Oh, very good, my darling Petal~. At this rate, we might even get through all of it before I put you to bed~." The vine brush strokes Petal's hair again, settling into a gentle, calming rhythm.

Oh. Delphinium isn't going to praise her like that for each thing she crosses off. She's going to praise her more and more each time, until Petal is ready to just throw the whole thing out just to make her happy.

would I even really be a human anymore?

Again, it sounded like Free Terranist bullshit, so she writes a ‘T’, but… maybe they had a point. Just the wrong point. Petal had been on edge ever since she and Millie had left the root, even a little bit before that. From when she saw other humans. Free humans. She was fine with Millie, and every other floret she'd met had been an absolute pleasure to be around. Even the affini, as terrifying as their bodies could be, didn't leave her feeling so… disconnected. So… different.

Very slowly, Petal crosses out the ‘T’, and writes a ‘W’ in its place. Her cheeks are on fire, and if she isn't crying yet, it feels like it was only a matter of time. 

would I even really be a human anymore? T W

Even Delphinium seems surprised. For a moment. "I'm so proud of you, my dear. It can be so hard to admit to what you want, especially when you've been taught that to want it is wrong your whole life."

Petal feels Delphinium wrap her up in her vines for a firm hug, and a tissue was pulled in from across the room to dry her eyes. Delphinium brings her face in to give Petal a surprisingly soft kiss on the forehead. 

Petal just sits there, wrapped up in Delphinium's loving vines for what feels like an eternity.

"Millie, dear, could you write 'don't have to be a human' down on your piece of paper for me?"

"Of course, Mistress!"

"Now, Petal dearest, I have to confess, I'm not entirely certain of what would be necessary for you to feel sufficiently divested of your humanity, but I can definitely assure you that if you were my floret, I would see it done."

Petal was expecting flirtation, teasing, something about how of course she wouldn't be a human, she'd be a pet, a floret. Instead Delphinium gave her a genuine, compassionate, but firm reassurance that everything was going to be okay, and it was completely unfair.

Petal could feel her tears flowing freely, and she shakily reached out the pen to cross off the entry, Delphinium somehow managing to keep the paper lined up with pen enough for it to look like a straight line

would I even really be a human anymore? T W

Petal feels Delphinium wipe her eyes dry again, at least for the moment, and blinks a few times. Delphinium is looking down at her with what Petal thinks might actually be genuine pride, and she feels her tears threatening to break free again.

"W-we, I… I should keep going."

"It's okay, my dearest Petal, we can take a break. There's no rush." Delphinium continues to brush Petal's hair, cuddling her tight in her vines.

Petal lets her arm drop back down to her side, and curls up slightly in Delphinium's vines. "Yes, Mistress."

A moment later, Petal feels Millie being bundled into the vines with her. It's soft, and warm, and Petal feels so much love, and safety. She soaks in the feeling, until she's completely suffused with it, and even then waits another minute or so before speaking up. 

"I think I'd like to keep going again, now."

Delphinium seems to consider this for a moment. A moment just long enough to serve as a reminder that she's the only one able to make the decision. "Okay dear, we can keep going."

A few vines snake out to collect the paper and pens, and deposit them in front of Petal and Millie. 

would I be betraying humanity somehow?

That one's easy, it could be any or all of them, but regardless, it's not really something Petal cares about. Humanity never did anything good for her, she shouldn't care about what it would think of what she's doing. 

would I be betraying humanity somehow?

"Very good girl~." Delphinium starts to play with Petal's hair with her vines, and it's completely unfair.

what if something goes wrong with the implant? M

This feels like another legitimate concern, so it's probably another 'if it had a chance of happening' Petal is pretty sure that Delphinium wouldn't make her do it if it were that risky. Petal considers crossing it off, but she wouldn't mind some actual reassurances. 

what if I just become a puppet?

At the time, Petal was thinking along the lines of being remotely controlled by her implant, like it probably said in that pamphlet. She hadn't considered Delphinium just moving her body directly like she had with the door, and… she hadn't considered that she actually kind of liked it?

"Um… about this one."

"Yes, dearest?"

"I… well… I don't want to just be a puppet."

"But you do, perhaps, want to sometimes be a puppet?"

Petal's cheeks burned as she ever so slightly nodded. 

"Would my assurance that I would not keep you as a puppet if you did not wish to be, be sufficient?"

There's the question, alright. Does she trust Delphinium enough to give her complete control, with nothing but her word to stop her from going too far? Petal skips down to the end of the list and writes

can I trust Delphinium? M

Petal almost expects to feel disappointment radiating from above, but Delphinium doesn't seem to have any problem with it. She probably thinks it'll be easy to convince Petal to trust her. It also kind of summarises a few of Petal's other concerns, so maybe she should cross those off?

what if they stop me from being able to change my mind even if I should? M
what if they change my mind and I'm not me anymore? M T
what if I just become a puppet?

Petal's list is getting a lot shorter.

"Oh my dear, I'm-"

"I'm just… grouping them up. They're all based on…"

"On if you can trust me. So you've crossed out the specific concerns. I understand. I'm still proud of you for recognising that."

Petal blushes. Why does Delphinium have to keep saying all the right things?

I won't be able to stop the affini from doing anything to me

Well, that's easy. It's just a matter of trust, again. As is the next one. She crosses them both out.

I won't be able to stop the affini from doing anything to me
maybe I'll just be too high to think all the time

"Those were just more trust things. And I don't want to be too high to think all of the time, just…" Petal already sounds defensive, she doesn’t need Delphinium to flirt with her over this.

Delphinium strokes Petal’s brow with a vine. "Just some of the time. I understand."

what if I go with Millie's mistress and we break up?

That's probably supposed to be a M, too. It's a valid concern, and it's definitely not something Petal wants on any level. 

what if I go with Millie's mistress and we break up? M

She’s so close to done she can feel it.

it might be a trick

Well, it still might. Petal’s not quite sure what kind of trick, any more, nor what effect it really has on, well, anything, so she crosses that out as well.

Which just leaves the thing Delphinium already made her cross off, and the question about trust. Her list is already looking a lot shorter, and Delphinium wasn't even really trying to convince her to cross stuff off. Yet.

lose freedom T
lose free will T
lose political rights T
what if I change my mind? M
what if they stop me from being able to change my mind even if I should? M
what if they change my mind and I'm not me anymore? M T
have to choose which one M
what if the affini changes their mind? M
I'll never get to make another real decision in my life T
I'll be admitting that I'm not good enough to be a real person
would I even really be a human anymore? T W
would I be betraying humanity somehow?
what if something goes wrong with the implant? M
what if I just become a puppet?
I won't be able to stop the affini from doing anything to me
maybe I'll just be too high to think all the time
what if I go with Millie's mistress and we break up? M
it might be a trick
███████████████████
can I trust Delphinium? M

Petal has a sinking feeling that Delphinium might just be right about this all being done by the time she goes to bed. For now, however, she lets go of the pen, and Delphinium carries it and the paper away, before giving Petal another soft kiss on the forehead.

“Well done, my dearest Petal. You’ve been a very good girl, and now you can just rest for a bit, okay?”

Petal nods. She can almost feel herself drifting off to sleep. It has been a very long day, and she’s warm, and safe, and comfortable, and a nap honestly seems like a great idea right now.