Tree was just... *existing*.
For the longest time, it was almost unthinkable. Death P.A.C.T. (Yet Again) juggled two massive endeavors at once: Battling for Dream Island, as well as Death Prevention and Creating Trust. From sunrise to sunset, and sunset to sunrise, they were constantly hard at work, fighting and dying (though preferably not the latter) in order to defend the greatness of living, in a world that seems so hostile towards the mere concept of rest and relaxation. In each and every moment, there was the possibility of someone stumbling their way into unmitigated disaster, or someone getting the bright idea to cause some mischief and mayhem. Death didn't have any time off, and so neither should they. In every waking moment, they were constantly vigilant, constantly on guard. And if they weren't doing those things, they were *planning*, thinking about it, making sure it all won't go wrong. Well, won't go any *more* wrong than it already has, anyway. It was tiring, it was exhausting, it was *painful*, but *someone* had to do it. Someone has to fight for the possibility that things in this miserable world could be just that tiny bit better.
When the Team Swap occurred, they miraculously not only stayed perfectly intact, but they also gained a couple of new recruits. Instead of sighing in relief due to the extra sets of hands (or feet, in the case of Gaty), the veterans decided to push themselves even harder. These newbies needed to be guided, after all. They were all well-versed in the arts of competition, but the delicate craft of death prevention was another matter entirely. They had to be seamlessly integrated into the P.A.C.T., which meant countless hours of socializing and team-building activities, putting their entire mind, body, and soul into making sure they felt at home.
And it worked. Perhaps a bit *too* well.
One day, while meeting up to assess the situation, Pin would suggest that they take a day or two off. They could spend a full 24 hours, perhaps even more, just relaxing and recuperating, regaining their energy and getting themselves ready to tackle whatever the future had in store for them.
For the old members of the P.A.C.T., those that knew nothing but the struggle, it was a preposterous idea. Especially so after she began recounting her personal experiences with resting, recalling her days spent with Coiny. It was baffling, really. If anything, her days with that cruel coin creature harmed her far more than it benefitted. In her initial days as a recruit, it was all she could talk about. Every time they looked to her for a final decision, she'd panic about this and that, doubting her capabilities and wondering what that denomination of currency would do in her shoes. This absolutely did *not* align with their perceptions of her as a fearless, charismatic leader, one that pulled out all the stops in order to achieve what was necessary. One of the greatest characters of the old Battle for Dream Island, brought to her knees by... *him*, of all people. What a sick joke.
But just as the P.A.C.T. persisted with her throughout her incessant monologues, the thumbtack would persist with her pushing of the idea. The debating grew tense, the atmosphere uncomfortable. Everyone could sense the team slipping back into its old, terrible habits. The whole reason Pin was brought to the leadership position in the first place was to mend the schism between their ranks, to serve as a neutral point of view that they could depend on for unbiased judgments. And now, they were trying to go against her, bringing back the pain and misery that they were trying so hard to avoid.
Eventually, cooler heads prevailed. Everyone came to realize that these fresh and new perspectives were *exactly* the reason why they were welcomed into the group with open arms, and that there was no harm in trying them out just a little bit. A day of rest *was* going to be a day of inaction, yes. But perhaps the rest was something they really *did* need. How many times did they try to prevent death, only to just fall ever so slightly short? How many times did they wish they were just a tiny bit more capable, had a little more strength to push through?
