The Rose Gardener and the Timekeeper

Disclaimer for readers: I changed the title from "Ice Mirror" because I liked this better. The title is what my lead characters call themselves behind locked doors, while the public continues to use the media monikers.

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Red rose, red rose, how do you bleed?
A warning you give, all people take heed.
The red rose weeps for all the lives she's claimed,
And the rose gardener herself cannot be shamed.

Tick tick tock, little hands on the clock.
The timekeeper tracks every shadow, creak, and lock.
The game is set. There's no turning back.
And if you lose, your timeline goes black.

Which one would you pick if you had to choose?
They're both machines. In both games, you lose.