Problems with flip flop node

[ViceVersa]

Im trying to make retractible spikes, like in sonic the hedgehog. I have the spikes raising and lowering every two seconds just fine. Whether or not they go down or up is controlled by a boolean variable called ‘activated’ and im using the flip flop node to toggle the value. The issue im having is that hypothetically, if i had two of these blueprints right next to each other, one starts with activated true, the other one false, the spikes should go up and down at opposite times. Instead, the one that starts activated stays up for 4 seconds, and then they go up and down in sync. maybe im just using flip flop incorrectly but heres how im doing it

[Niaphim]

The reason for this behavior is that you start your timer, it reaches zero and the route A executes which writes “true” into the “Activated” variable (in other words, both spikes will be up). Then it reaches zero again for both blueprints, route B executes, and both spikes retract. And so on.

I suggest using a variable “default state” that will be true for initially active spikes and false for inactive spikes.
Your blueprint would look like this (see attached image)

[ViceVersa]

Thank you good sir, very informitive