#( and i am So Game regardless of the outcome )

[my-current-obsession]

My hyper-specific type when it comes to otome guys:

- Absolutely pathetic - Cannot speak to a girl normally to save his life - Tries to be calm/aloof, but turns tsundere when flustered enough - A good and pure man at heart, yet does some questionable things - ...Little Red Riding Hood???

[lcfthaunted]

@sorrowsick • Zahrosa sent : “Someone, somewhere has failed you miserably. You were supposed to be loved, protected and cared for but you never were.“

Mazie’s initial response is a mere raising of her eyebrows, but the Nightmare next to her takes offense. Castle huffs, somewhere between a laugh and a growl, and hauls himself to his feet. It is not a small dog he takes the form of, as his shoulders come just below Mazie’s hips. She rests her hand between his shoulder blades; part comfort for herself, part reminder to him to behave. The witch before her unsettles her in ways she struggles to comprehend, and she knows Castle is picking up on that.

“You are not wrong that my training has been… slapdash,” she says slowly, “but that does not mean I was left unloved. I could not ask for a better mum and dad, better siblings, and Madeline did the best she could with the knowledge she had.” Madeline had bound her and Castle, after all.

Mazie tips her head to the Nightmare. “As for unprotected, well. I doubt anyone could argue that.” The Nightmare grins, and it is not the grin of a dog, with too many, too long, too sharp teeth.

[johnskleats]

is anyone going to tell the kat@angers that it's not feminist activism to argue Katara's arc in LOK is fine on the grounds that "some women want to be homemakers and that's okay!!"

Like you're not helping real women that way. In fact, most antis for the cannon ship ARE women. Many are homemakers themselves.

Katara is not a real woman. She is a fictional woman written by men.

Can the sensibilities and wishes of a girl change by the time she is a adult? Yes!

But as this is a textual character who, as per the text, rejects the societal structure of her fictional world (which mirrors our own) that women are and can only ever be docile homemakers (i.e. I don't want to heal, I want to fight; I will never turn my back on people who need me; let's start a prison riot; let's engage in vigilante ecoterrorism; let's pitch an absolute fit because the boys are not pulling their fair weight in the homemaking; let's confront my mother's killer at the absolute rejection and condemnation of the male figures whom I am to respect; etc) it is perfectly reasonable to argue that this end was not a natural course for her character.

Fictional characters are not real people. This means that they do not change their mind off screen. That is not an acceptable argument. That is called a "plot hole", which is a nonsensical change made at the convenience and contrivance of the writer(s), who in this case are men exhibited to not care for women or girls all that much. It is within THEIR character to write this way.

Regardless of who, if anyone, Katara ended up with, Katara tolerating disrespect, neglect, abuse of her children, giving up all of her former aspirations to live in the shadow of men, and dying as a mere footnote in history (and being alright with it!!) is not surprising given the absolute vitriol Bryke has shown toward female fans of their "creation". It was supposed to be a "boy" show. It was always supposed to be a "boy" show. The creators of Supernatural and Game of Thrones did the same thing. ATLA just did it first.

Arguing "not all women" is not activism in the face of what is really happening in this discourse. Sending death threats to real, actual women with feelings in defense of a fake pretend woman's fake pretend autonomy is performative activism, and worse, hypocritical.

Not all women agree with you. Not all women feel represented and find the outcome of Katara's story satisfactory. If y'all care about feminism and respecting women's choices so much, lay off the real life women you're so fond of harassing. Our views and opinions, while opposing your own, don't affect you.

[meanbossart]

Okay, one more question on the Bhaalist Drow au, if you'll indulge. What happens in Astarion's mindthe immediate aftermath of the ascension failing (as in, right then but also up until the game's end). Do they bother showing up to Withers' party? How does Astarion go slip sliding down into a cowed version of himself over time? And, what I am most fascinated by in something like this, how do the other cultists, especially direct reporters to DU Drow, or like deputies, treat him? Does Astarion find he's confined certain places?

Sorry, thank you!

No apologies needed! This is a very fun scenario to play around in.

So, I'm not sure if Astarion would immediately realize that DU drow purposefully ruined the ritual, but regardless he would have realized that this is the outcome he truly wanted.

I imagine that after Du drow embraced Bhaal, Astarion would have gotten it into his head that he now must ascend so they will be on leveled ground, and fully capable of pursuing their plans of taking control over the sword coast together as equally powerful individuals. DU drow would have sold himself as completely behind this plan and supportive of the idea, eager for them to exert total control as the most dashingly evil couple in all of Faerun. And perhaps this was genuine for a day, before the fear of losing his grasp over Astarion began to settle in. He didn't voice this as all, of course, but as an avid manipulator himself Astarion would be able to tell post-failure that his support wasn't earnest.

And I think Astarion just panicked; going back and forth between convincing himself that he should be thankful to have someone powerful by his side, and just feeling like has no other option but to go along with it. Whether or not he thinks he can abandon DU drow successfully, the world has just become a much scarier place than before, and at least here he knows he has someone to take care of him - someone he should be fond of, even if time eventually proves him wrong.

For a while (weeks, if not months) Astarion would have appeared nothing if not pleased with his predicament. He has a man who is head-over-heels for him who also happens to be the head-honcho of a powerful cult, he has access to as much blood and violence as he pleases and the ability to entertain his fantasies of power and cruelty to their fullest. If there is anyone left who cares for him, he paints elaborate pictures of their routine together - of their outings, of their riches, of his exquisite quarters and their intense sex. He tells them that DU drow might be Bhaal's chosen, but he has him wrapped tight around his finger day and night and pretty much runs the show behind the scenes.

These are fantasies that he wants to others to believe in as much as he wants to convince himself of them, and a narrative that DU drow might even humor - he likes the illusion of Astarion being in control, but it can't ever be like that in practice - but reality is a lot more hollow. They have gold, and they have the expensive garments, and the sex is intense, but life has become a performance from morning until night and Astarion has completely lost the element of tenderness that he had grown to enjoy. DU drow loves him like a prized possession, like a novelty - a fragile ornament that only he knows how to handle, and no one else is allowed near.

Whenever there is push back, whenever Astarion wants to branch out, he is reminded of how vulnerable and small he is. How every day occurrences and objects can harm him, and that while DU drow may appreciate him for the man he is, others will take him for a simple monster. That It is much easier to stick by his side, sacrifice some of his freedom but be cared for than to risk exposing himself to harm. DU drow also constantly reminds him of the pain he would be in if anything were to ever draw them apart, and guilts him about what may happen if he was to die.

And as rebellious towards Cazador as he might have been, total servitude is a default he learned to fall back into in search of safety. It is easier to turn to old habits and simply accept his circumstances, surrender to them. At least here, he is never tortured, he is never physically hurt, and he is only sometimes verbally berated. He can deal with it as long as it is an improvement upon his previous situation. Slowly, he'd just become DU drow's yes-man, he'd concern himself constantly with pleasing him, looking desirable, acting desirable, fulfilling his fantasies and acting the part that's expected of him. From the outside it may even seen like he enjoys the life.

He is basically seen but not heard by DU drow's consorts. It's less about the respect that they may or may not have for him and more about the respect (or should I say fear) that they have for their leader. DU Drow would make it clear again and again that no one is allowed to touch him, he would be weary of anybody trying get too close, of being too friendly, even of staring a little too hard - he would kill and torture men over the most mundane of comments whether they be positive or negative until everyone is just too fearful of interacting with Astarion at all. As for people outside of the temple, he basically never has a chance to mingle without DU drow's watchful gaze over him (all for the sake of protecting him, of course).

I think Sceleritas would be the only person who can consistently interact with alone, since DU drow trusts him completely. The little goblin himself no longer sees Astarion as so much of a person, more so a possession; one that keeps his master happy and productive. So he extends the same amount of respect to him as he does to DU drow himself, and functions as a butler to both.

He also reports back to DU drow about Astarion's every request, every diversion from habit, every misplaced sigh and fluctuation in mood, every eye-roll. He knows the questions to ask to get the answers he wants, to interrogate him with poise on behalf of his master so he can make sure that his beau is always happy and content. Astarion realizes this learns to watch himself around Sceleritas over time too.

[a-method-in-it]

It's Election Night and I am so stressed I might be vibrating, but I want to say something important before I descend totally into madness:

No Matter Who Wins, Grassroots Efforts Must Continue

The thing about the grassroots stuff is that it never ends, no matter who is in office. The people in office determine how easy or hard it is, which issues you need to fight for and how much progress you can make. You will get more done and see bigger victories during Democratic administrations. But the work continues, regardless.

So if Kamala wins, get organizing.

If Trump wins, get organizing.

If your state legislature goes red, get organizing.

If your city council goes blue, get organizing.

Whatever it is, whatever election, whatever outcome, your next task is the same: get organizing.

It will be harder and scarier and probably more physically dangerous if Trump wins. The fight will be to preserve what we have, rather than to make the world any better. It will suck. But it needs to get done.

And if you're looking for ideas:

Unionize your workplace, or get involved in your union if you have one

Form a tenants union or get involved in the one you've got

Become a clinic escort or a court watcher

See what it takes to get your church or temple or other religious space designated as a sanctuary and talk to other congregants about it

Think about what problems exist in your community. Whatever they are, there's a local group trying to do something about it; if there's not, form one.

Find a local DSA chapter, or other left-y org, and attend a meeting

See what your local ACLU chapters are up to; a lot of them encourage members to come lobby the state legislature periodically

Donate money if you've got it

Get involved in your local Democratic Party; if you're in a rural or even suburban area, just showing up to meetings will give you a lot of sway.

No matter what happens, the grassroots game never ends.

[dalishious]

Reclaiming Independence of the Dales

Before anything else, I’d just like to clarify that that vast majority of this is made of my own ideas, based on interpretation from the little canonical information provided, and a little inspired by my own people’s history and governing structure. Additionally, what I am presenting here is an ideal situation, not necessarily what I think is an immediately realistic outcome in the world-state established. So, please keep that in mind.

The Dales were established as a homeland for elves—a small piece of a continent that was once called their home in its entirety, before the humans colonized it—by Maferath in -165 Ancient. This was in reward for the eleven people’s participation in the fight against Ancient Tevinter. But in 2:10 Glory, Divine Renata I broke this treaty and declared an Exalted March against the Dales, ending in its annexation by Orlais.

[Related Post: All You Need to Know about the Exalted March of the Dales]

If Solas has very low approval with Inquisitor Lavellan, and Lavellan accuses him of not doing enough to help their people, he will say the following: “You could order Halamshiral returned to the Dalish, if you wished. But ultimately, you know that would fail. That even you cannot solve this.” I hate this with a burning passion. The reason I can’t do that, Solas, is because it’s not an option in the game! Why are you as a character angry at me, the player, for not doing something that is not an option for me to do? Why was this written? Just to push the point that it’s not worth it to try and fight back against oppression? Because if I refuse to accept hopelessness in real life, why would I in accept it in a video game where the story is made-up, and therefore anything is possible if the developers so wish it.

Regardless, according to Solas, the Inquisition has enough power to support the reclamation of an independent Dales. I imagine this would require a lot of political maneuvering within the Orlesian governance, and therefore I think the best opportunity to do this would be with Briala ruling through Gaspard. This would then later open the door for Briala to be the leader of the newly independent Dales, too. I would like to see Briala as ruler of the Dales not just because she is a favourite of mine, but because I genuinely believe she is the best established character fit for the job. She was trained in everything Celene was trained in, has first-hand experience in court, has extensive connections, and has demonstrated her ability and desire to utilize these skills and assets for the benefit of elven kind.

Briala’s blackmail on Gaspard may help prevent Orlais from invading again while under his rule, but to last longer, the Dales would need to establish itself as a strong, independent Nation with allies. This is why I believe it would also be important to have Leliana as Divine Victoria in such a world-state where this could happen. Leliana re-canonizes the Canticle of Shartan, and in making it available for the common person to understand, would ideally help sway the minds of the average Andrastian into supporting the Dales’s independence. The nobility would of course be much trickier, because they and the Chantry are the ones who actually benefitted from its annexation—but there is little they would be able to actually accomplish if they did not have the power of the people behind them.

As far as allies go, Ferelden could only gain from Orlais losing control of the Dales, because it would mean cutting Orlais off from a lot of Ferelden’s border, therefore reducing the threat of another invasion. Additionally, a leader with just plain good morals like say, Alistair, would easily accept the elven kingdom’s return. But even Anora is willing to grant part of the Korcari Wilds to the Dalish if Mahariel requests it, and while this sadly doesn’t last, it does show a positive sign into her potentially being open to the idea of an independent Dales as well.

I sincerely doubt that all Dalish clans would return to the Dales and re-settle down. After all, they have developed differentiating cultures over the years of wandering in separated groups, with different ideals and different ways of life that they might not want to give up. But many would return, and that would likely create conflict between the elves coming from the Dalish clans and the elves coming from the cities. We know that some prejudice exists against “flat-ears” as some Dalish call those from the city, and we know that city elves have adopted a lot of misinformation from humans into their views of the Dalish. It would take time and positive leadership to reconnect the people, without risking falling into some sort of hierarchy based on origin. This is why I do not believe one group or the other should single-handedly rule alone. Rather, I think there should be a Grand Council of High Keepers made up of those voted into the position each to represent a single district of the Dales. (I like the idea of there being seven High Keepers, not just because there are seven traditional districts of Mi’kma’ki, but because it works out that there seven of the Creators. So it makes sense that there would be seven High Keepers.) The Grand Council would meet and make decisions together, with one appointed leader at the head to act as the Council’s chair.

In terms of protection and order, the Emerald Knights should be reformed. This would include the Fade Hunters, to protect the people against demons and maleficarum, with there being no Circles or Templars.

Restoring the independence of the Dales would lead to a revival of elven culture in ways that could never happen before, because they would actually be free to pursue re-learning the language, re-discovering the history and culture, and sharing it all amongst each other. They would not have to fear arrest the crime of simply being an elf.  

But what of the other races presently living in the Dales? I see no reason why they would have to leave, so long as they would be willing to follow the Grand Council’s leadership. I imagine many nobility would flee to Orlais, simply because they would not stand for it. But for the average human or surface dwarf, their life wouldn’t really even change much; they’d still be managing their farms the same as always. Hell, it might even improve things for them, assuming the Grand Council gives fairer treatment than the nobility previously.

[obsolete-stars-if]

Hello my beloved readers. It seems that I am at an impasse. So let's be real.

I am considering porting to twine. Why? The biggest point for me is surprisingly not any weird drama or suspicious activity. No no no. It's pricing. The main thing is that I don't want to earn money from this, I don't want people to pay money to play this.

While I can suggest a pricing, in the end it is out of my hands, and I am very firm on the free to play part. And I mean that, no weird ads, no refills, no paid shit. The entire experience for free.

So porting to twine seems, morally at least, the only way to actually publish the game in its entirety. However, when said port happens is another question that I want to ask for y'all's input. We certainly have some options:

Finish the Update, which at best will take me at least another month or two. I am about halfway through one of the split paths by now, I could write the update, publish it in CS, and then start the port.

Just do to the port, it would mean that the update is postponed until the entire game is ported into twine. I have no idea how long that would take. After publishing the port, not updated, I could get to the actual update.

Port and Rewrite, perhaps the longest option, and frankly what I think would make most sense quality wise- I port the game, and at the same time work on it, editing, rewriting parts, cleaning code like no one else. However that might take a very long time, I don't know how quick I'll be at coding, and editing can take a ridiculous amount of time too, esp BCS there are a lot of things to fix.

Do half the update, I'm being honest when the pricing issue came up, I was super demotivated. And while I still work on the update in CS, I can, technically speaking, simply finish the split path, update it, and then do the port, so I am not wasting more energy on the entire update only to have to recode it. I know everyone has been waiting for the Update and it personally feels like I am taking forever.

Continuing with CG/HG is not an option if I can't decide to offer the game for free in the end.

Mind you, regardless of the outcome of the Poll, it's my decision in the end. I do want to check in with what everyone would prefer, and I honestly only gave options I decided I would be willing to do.

Thanks for reading, participating, and being patient.

[mycurrentobsessionis]

After the Happy Ending: Do They Stay Together?

I don't believe that Baxter and Jamie are "in love," per se.

I made a post the other day talking about Baxter's rigidity and tendency to assert control over his relationships, and one of the reblogs included in the tags that there is no way that somebody still has feelings for someone that they met 5 years ago. This got me thinking on the realism of relationships in OL and the way pacing plays into the perception of that realism. Objectively, the best written romance in OLBA is the one between Cove and Jamie. Their relationship is the most deeply developed, includes the most content, and is the best supported textually. Baxter and Derek, on the other hand, have approximately the same amount of content. I found myself somewhat disappointed with Derek's romance (though I intend to replay his a few times to see if I can get some more satisfying outcomes) as it felt less like the slow-burn I expected and more meandering. Baxter's, on the other hand, felt a lot tighter in terms of pacing, despite the fact that in terms of in-universe timelines, he spends very little time with Jamie.

What do I mean by this? I mean that the player perceives less time passing over the course of Baxter's route. Or, more accurately, there are less "slow" spots. For the rest of this analysis, I will be making the following assumptions:

I am assuming all possible Baxter-related content.

I am assuming order of play as recommended by the creators (a Baxter-run includes replacing the 5 base-game moments with Baxter's moments and in chronological order).

Baxter develops a mild crush on/interest in Jamie at the Summer Soiree in Step 2.

Baxter and Jamie form a romantic attachment in Step 3, regardless of whether they formalize that attachment or not (e.g., Jamie being at "crush" but not actually dating Baxter).

The interest/comfort indicator does not necessarily represent Jamie's feelings at the beginning of each step.

I will admit to burying the lede a bit here. If the question is, "Do I personally believe that Baxter and Jamie are in love by the end of Step 4," then the short answer is no. I believe that being truly in love requires time, effort, and patience, and I think that Baxter, with the shortest timeline in-universe, does not have the time to cultivate that kind of relationship with Jamie. Rather, the questions I want to answer, and the ones I think are more interesting are these: Do Baxter and Jamie believe they are in love? Why do they believe this? Is their beginning a relationship realistic? And, are they likely to last as a couple?

Before we begin answering these questions, I think it's important to clarify the timeline of their relationship. They first meet in what is presumably late summer of 2011, and they have an approximately 3-5 minute interaction that includes minimal dialogue. There is no contact until the summer of 2016, during which they form a romantic attachment wherein Baxter is romantically and sexually attracted to Jamie, and Jamie returns at least the romantic feelings and possibly sexual feelings. This relationship lasts, generously, 3 months, and realistically 2-2.5 months. During the relationship, Baxter attempts to impress Jamie, shows his best side, and is largely performative, though there is genuine affection for Jamie, who is generally kind, cheerful, and inclusive. The relationship ends in August, either amicably or dramatically, and does not resume until approximately August of 2021, during which they work together on the Eckert-Adam wedding for four days, followed by the two days after the wedding, during which they begin a romantic relationship.

So, let's start with the question of whether Baxter and Jamie beginning a relationship is realistic. Personally, I think yes. You have to consider that this is a fictional romance story, and thus there is some suspension of disbelief that is required. The trope of two people working on a wedding together and falling in love through the process of that is not an uncommon trope. If the best man and maid of honor can fall in love under those circumstances, I don't see why a planner and a member of the planning committee couldn't. Frankly, the plot of Step 4 alone would not be out of place if this were a Hallmark movie.

Then we must consider the circumstances. These are two young people who are currently attracted to one another and have been attracted to one another in the past. They have just spent several days working in close proximity under intense pressure and on an event that tends to evoke thoughts of romance and love.

In addition to these circumstances, there are personal factors involved. I will start with Baxter, as his character is more "stable" and less influenced by player choices. Baxter has significant attachment issues that lead him to form unstable, short-term relationships that he quickly abandons at the first sign of conflict, which is likely related to childhood emotional neglect (I elaborate on this topic in this post). This has led to Baxter suffering from extreme loneliness and self-isolation as a young adult, as he has, at this point, burned most bridges in his life. Developmentally speaking, Baxter should be seeking connections with other people at this age in his life.

Attachment issues, like Rome, are not built in a day. They occur over a lifetime of neglect. As a result, they often create habitual and reactionary behavior that takes years to unlearn. In Step 3, we see a few of these behaviors, such as in "Drinks." In this moment, Baxter makes a minor mistake due to sleepiness. Jamie attempts to comfort him and/or brush off the mistake as no big deal, while offering an easy solution. However, Jamie is unable to connect with Baxter at all or to coregulate. Instead, Baxter becomes emotionally dysregulated and runs through possible solutions that he can implement on his own before reluctantly accepting the necessary assistance but refusing to be soothed. Compare this to a similar moment on Derek's route where Cove and Jamie forget their wallets, Derek offers to make the purchase for them, and they can either accept his generosity or offer to pay him back. Unlike Jamie, Baxter's negative feelings (embarrassment and disappointment), which are otherwise completely normal and valid reactions to the situation, persevere far beyond what is normal.

The major difference between Baxter's attachment issues in Steps 3 and 4 is that he is semi-aware of them in Step 4. In Step 3, he has poor insight into his own behavior and is extremely sensitive to perceived rejection, which he anticipates and attempts to circumvent. Baxter engages in various cognitive distortions, most frequently rationalization and catastrophizing, that cause him high levels of anxious distress in relationships and make it difficult for him to continue them for very long and lead to him attempting to assert control over the relation. As @mistyscenter says here, Baxter engages in a behavior called impression management, wherein he is attempting to influence Jamie's, and others', perceptions of him through regulating and controlling the information they have about him. This is likely a subconscious process for him -- basically second nature -- and allows him to feel safe in the relationship.

As of Step 4, he has ended his relationship with his parents, which was likely defined by seeking love and approval through minimizing his own needs and emotions and managing theirs. What does this accomplish? It removes the relationship that reinforced Baxter's worst habits. As long as this relationship was maintained, Baxter would be caught in a feedback loop of being positively reinforced for conforming to impossible standards set by his parents. As he could not hope to actually conform to the standards set for him (Derek actually does something similar), he is instead rewarded for manipulating the information that he gives his parents and that is what is reinforced. While we don't know when this split happened, I would assume he did it around 2019, when he no longer relied on them financially. That gives two years for those behaviors to fade. The reason those behaviors flare up again in step for is, in layman's terms, a case of slipping back into old habits. In psychological terms, this is known as spontaneous recovery -- Jamie's unexpected appearance provides a trigger for anxiety, which leads to the old avoidance behavior (leaving the restaurant), which reduces anxiety, which reinforces the avoidance behavior, and essentially lights those old neural pathways up like a Christmas tree. This is why the increased insight is important. While Baxter has fallen out of some of his worse habits, he hasn't actually formed any new, positive coping mechanisms, which means that when he is distressed, he immediately runs for the familiar. It isn't enough to just know he has a problem -- he has to actively choose to change his response. Because 19-year-old Baxter spent so much time rationalizing what were actually unreasonable emotional responses to perceived rejection and abandonment, he was incapable of doing anything different. The older 24-year-old Baxter is capable of facing past mistakes and doing something about them, though it will likely take years to relearn how to self-regulate and connect with people in a positive way habitually.

So, what does all of this have to do with my questions? A lot, actually! Baxter will tell Jamie after the wedding that he often revisited his memories with Jamie in Sunset Bird and treated them as precious, particularly those involving Jamie. Memories are not like files on a computer -- they are unstable and liable to change each time we recall them. On either side of these memories are long periods of loneliness, isolation, and self-doubt. It is probable that Baxter sees these memories as a lighthouse in a storm, something that he heavily romanticizes and clings to for comfort, much as he does his memories with Qiu and Ren. He also later adds that Jamie was the most stable relationship in his adult life. There is also the point that Baxter engages in mild superstition (or magical thinking), such as assigning meaning to coincidence (repeatedly running into Jamie over the years). This is part of why I don't think they are actually in love -- at least part of Baxter's feelings are based on a romanticized ideal of Jamie. That isn't to say I don't believe he could fall in love with the reality, just that it will take time. It does, however, lend credibility to the idea that he would restart the relationship. It is important to note his timing. Jamie is back in town for 6 days, and if Jamie does not restart the relationship themselves, Baxter will. He, notably, does this on day 5. Why is this important? It's simple, really. Days 1-3 are spent reliving memories from the first time he and Jamie formed an attachment, likely triggering the dormant feelings he had back then. While this caused him negative feelings, such as shame, guilt, embarrassment, and self-loathing, nostalgia is also a hell of a drug. On day 4, when Jamie responds positively to the idea or them reconnecting, that eases his anxiety regarding their relationship. He will protest a relationship early on if Jamie attempts to begin before he has explained his behavior and properly apologized. However, Jamie is also leaving soon. While Baxter is no longer choosing to see relationships as finite and time-bound, it's probably hard for him to kick the habit entirely. For an example of this in Step 3, he makes several comments in "Mountains" about how "it will be over soon" and "I wish it wouldn't end." He has some semi-conscious anxiety that Jamie leaving will mark the end of his opportunity to re-establish their romantic relationship, something that he holds on a pedestal, and hurries to do so to avoid feelings of abandonment. Also hence immediately wanting to visit Jamie after the events of the game.

It's hard to list personal factors for Jamie, as so much is essentially headcanon. However, there are some common factors. The first is, again, nostalgia is a hell of a drug. They have revisited many moments in which Jamie likely has very positive associations. The second is that while Baxter is not necessarily their first crush/relationship, he is their first adult relationship and one that ended against their will. There are a lot of "what ifs" that go along with that, particularly if one tends to ruminate.

So, do I think that these two maintained feelings for each other across 5 years of no-contact. Well... kind of, but not really. I think that Baxter likely did carry a flame for the idea of Jamie -- i.e., the idea of being in a loving relationship with someone who accepts you despite your worse tendencies. Baxter probably ruminated on the relationship and romanticized it. If he didn't date in the interim, then that was the last positive, stable relationship that he, and he ended it prematurely. If he did... well, basically the same thing is true. Jamie is a little more complicated, but I think it would have been more a case of lacking closure, which they can get without dating him, if they so choose. For both, I think the nostalgia of an old teen romance does a lot of heavy lifting. I do think that with personal and situational factors in mind, it isn't a stretch to believe that two people who are attracted to one another would reconnect in this way.

These two probably believe they are in love for many of the reasons they chose to get together in the end. The next question is, do they last? It's left up to the audience what happens next, so let's speculate. What kind of problems will they face as a couple? Most likely it will be similar problems to what they've already dealt with. Baxter has a lot of bad habits to unlearn and currently his support network is severely limited. His primary support person is Jamie, which is a heavy burden to place on another person, and likely to put strain on the relationship. His friend group consists mostly of Jamie's closest friends from childhood, which means talking to them about any relationship issues would likely be uncomfortable at best and unproductive or harmful at worst. His personal support group is basically Xavier, with whom he is fairly friendly, but there isn't a lot of depth there at this time. His outreach to others is primarily spurred by Jamie's encouragement and assistance. What would help them? I think that most of all, regardless of their future as a couple, Baxter needs to participate in some kind of counselling to learn distress tolerance, develop healthy coping skills, and reframe his understanding of relationships. Couples therapy would likely help them both learn healthy communication and give them a safe place to discuss developing problems in the relationship, especially during stressful times. It's normal to have some conflict in a relationship, but that is also when Baxter is most likely to relapse. Knowing how to work through those problems before they crop up will prevent the relationship from breaking under pressure. Lastly, Baxter needs to develop a healthy support network that exists outside of Jamie and that is likely to survive should his romantic relationship fail. A relationship is like a bridge: you want both embankments to be strong and stable, and you want there to be a little give. If there is too much pressure (such as Baxter equating losing Jamie to losing his entire social circle), then it won't take much for it to snap.

[maverick-werewolf]

Daily Werewolf Thoughts - Days 10-16

More not super prettily formatting werewolf thought posts that I've been doing daily!

Day 10- You don't really love werewolves if you don't enjoy terrible werewolf movies. Which the vast and overwhelming majority of them are terrible, at least if you ask me. But I just love werewolves so much I am driven to watch them (I also love movies with all my heart and soul), and even if the film is beyond terrible - again, as most of them are, even the ones people say are good - there's going to be a few moments that make it worth it, because werewolves are so badass, and I absolutely love studying how they created the werewolf for any film. Here's a bit of a rant for today...

One such film and series is Underworld. I hate the Underworld movies. Yes, stone me. They're terrible. The only one I enjoyed in its own right at all was Rise of the Lycans, since it had a far more compelling story than Selene's tight black leather (I understand why men enjoy this, in their defense) and absurd motivations that only extend as far as what the director wants for the next action sequence - and it was set in the Middle Ages, which is way better as a werewolf story, imo. Anyway, regardless of how I feel about the movies, I LOVE how they handled the practical effects on the werewolves.

The Underworld werewolves are unmatched. I'm not crazy about the design of the main "lie-kans" - I will never forgive the movie for the "lycans" thing btw - because they were specifically designed to be more "cat-like" or even more like a pitbull. For some reason people like to use things like cats, bears, etc to design something called a "werewolf." So I think those initial ones, like in the first film, frankly look pretty stupid. But the "feral" lycan "breed" or whatever they're called that have the more wolfish heads are a very cool design, and ultimately what I'm talking about here is how they were created and put to film. Sidebar: I'm not one of those people who thinks that the instant a movie uses any CGI, it should be condemned; CGI is a tool like any other filmmaking tool, and it can be used to achieve things we otherwise could never film and that are artistically beautiful and creative; but yes, I do prefer practical effects where they can be used.

The werewolves in Underworld were created using bodysuits, animatronics, and creature actors. They wore leg extensions, got big guys in the first place, and had extensive work for muscle, hair, and especially the faces and facial animations. The entire face is created using servos that respond to controllers held by workers off-camera to animate the werewolf costume in real time, while it's being worn by a person. The entire face, eyes, mouth, lips, etc were fully animated using a complex system of animatronics, and a comm system so the actor can be given instructions from the lead puppeteer so everyone can properly sync their work - and the final effect is such a step beyond anything we've seen from werewolf designs of this size in film before - or since.

There are better videos of the later films that had more advanced technology, like Underworld: Evolution (terrible movie but great werewolf effects), but here's one on youtube that has a lot of what was involved: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jWIF8lSlxg&ab_channel=IsaacKoo

*: "feral" by definition most often specifically refers to domesticated animals that have gone wild again and sounds very odd when used to refer to something like a wolf (but it always happens anyway because people don't care about the English language; ask any video game about their "feral wolves")

**: "breed" specifically refers to controlling the birthing of animals to produce a desired outcome, as in domesticated animals, such as dogs, cats, sheep, etc., and it makes me want to become a hermit living alone atop the Himalayas when I see people use it for werewolves

Day 11- I've often wondered what exactly set me down this path of being completely and hopelessly obsessed with werewolves. I've never really had an answer. I've speculated it was just Halloween itself, seeing the very rare and occasional werewolf around, since that's always been my favorite "kind" of werewolf. I have distinct memories of a little werewolf statue in a Hallmark; I really loved looking at that thing (never got it, though, sadly). I've occasionally wondered if it was watching Scooby Doo at my grandma's house - but in retrospect, the werewolves in Scooby Doo of that era weren't much to write home about, so that probably wasn't it. I do know for a fact I've been obsessed with them for as long as I can remember, certainly by age 6, so whatever it was, it started early. I was reading Sabine Baring-Gould's The Book of Werewolves when I was 8, searching for werewolves in video games forever, and I'll never forget the first werewolf figure I got to decorate my desk.

If you ask one of my favorite professors, who sat on the committee that passed ultimate judgment upon what became my book The Werewolf: Past and Future, she would tell you I was led to love werewolves because of "dream visions" (she is a professor and lifelong student of Old Norse, Old English, and the cultures, many sagas, and histories thereof). I told her about how my earliest memories of werewolves and the start of my obsession with them were actually long series of dreams and nightmares I had - a white werewolf would always crop up in them, sooner or later. Sometimes he was on my side, sometimes not. My dreams and nightmares are... very detached from reality in the first place, but the white werewolf became consistent for a long time. What put the idea of a werewolf into my head in the first place? I'm really not sure.

Some of my favorite experiences with werewolves come from playing as them in classic RPGs, including ones where you aren't technically supposed to be one. I loved playing a werewolf in Neverwinter Nights using character editors, cheat codes, and scripts on the big roleplaying server I played on. Now THAT was fun, but that's a whole separate story.

Anyway, I really don't even know. All I know is, I've loved werewolves for as long as I can remember, and I always will, no matter how silly that might seem.

Day 12- Remember when video games called RPGs had actual roleplaying elements in them? Some of the only games that have ever let you play as a proper werewolf are the Elder Scrolls series, specifically Daggerfall and Morrowind: Bloodmoon, the latter being my absolute favorite werewolf game ever. Why? Because you actually played as a werewolf - and all that came with it - instead of lycanthropy being a cool thing and/or awesome button.

In Bloodmoon, if you are a werewolf (having either become one from surviving a werewolf attack - werewolves spawn with INSANE rarity, trust me I found one naturally and it took me weeks, in the wild of Solstheim or you can become one through the main Bloodmoon questline), you will transform each night. You must devour 1 humanoid (playable race) NPC or suffer from hunger and exhaustion the following day, lowering your stats. The transformation will break any armor you have equipped. If someone witnesses the transformation, word of your true nature will spread, and you will be hunted. You are also attacked on sight - but NPCs will often run away rather than dare attack you. Your stats are insanely boosted, you run like the wind and leap to the point of almost flying, and you can destroy nearly anything in your path. It is one of the single coolest things in all of gaming and nothing like it has ever been recreated (I have biases).

Being a werewolf became part of your character and changed your entire gameplay experience rather than just being an "ability" or "race."

Many of these systems were also in place in Daggerfall, Morrowind's predecessor. But Morrowind was the last game of the ES series to incorporate proper werewolf mechanics. In Oblivion, we got exactly nothing, which left me crushingly disappointed as a child. In Skyrim, you have an awesome button werewolf mode wherein you must continually devour enemies in order to maintain the werewolf form. It's cool and it's fun, and I'm very glad Skyrim had werewolves playable at launch, but it doesn't have anything approaching the same feel as "being" a werewolf in Bloodmoon, where it is a curse. It can be an inconvenience, it can be an advantage, and it's something you have to plan your gameplay around - and something you must hide from everyone around you. That is what playing as a werewolf should be. I'm likely to make another post soon talking about that some more, because it's a favorite subject.

Anyway, therefore, Morrowind's expansion pack Bloodmoon is easily one of my favorite games ever made. It is really the only game where you can really play as a werewolf instead of a reasonably cool and fun but ultimately far less interesting alternative.

I also recently wrote a big ol' article about the best video games that let you play as a werewolf: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-facts/werewolf-articles/werewolf-article-play-as-a-werewolf-video-games/

Day 13- A werewolf's transformation sequence is one of the single most important things in any werewolf story. It might even be -the- most important. After all, the crux of werewolves is that even a man who is pure at heart (etc) can become a monster - and back again - and the sequence undergoing such a traumatic change is quite a thing to tackle.

I've seen it approached many ways. Painfully (obviously), painlessly, slow, fast, as something undesirable and as something desirable, as something controllable and uncontrollable - I swear this isn't innuendo. Anyway, personally, my favorite will always very easily be the most classic concept of the werewolf transformation: painful, traumatic, and very, very bad. I am not here for cuddly or happy werewolves. I'm also a fan of the werewolf not remembering what happened, but I'll ramble about that one later.

This also actually has basis in legend, as well. Even in antiquity, witnessing a werewolf transformation would potentially bring one to madness. This is mentioned in several stories, including but not necessarily limited to Niceros's story, in which witnessing the werewolf transformation freaks him out beyond reason. When he realizes the soldier he'd traveled with was a werewolf, he swears never to go near him again: "I couldn’t have eaten a crumb of bread with him, no, not if you had killed me!"

In Ovid's Metamorphoses, oft hailed as one of the "first werewolf legends" (that we have recorded, anyway), we also get our first proper werewolf transformation ever in the form of the legend of Lycaon...

"[Lycaon] howled his heart out, trying in vain to speak.

With rabid mouth he turned his lust for slaughter

Against the flocks, delighting still in blood.

His clothes changed to coarse hair, his arms to legs—

He was a wolf, yet kept some human trace,

the same grey hair, the same fierce face, the same

Wild eyes, the same image of savagery."

I've always found it interesting to note that his clothes became coarse hair, rather than him tearing his clothes off. Just a little difference there between this and many other legends.

Lots more on the ancient Greek tale of King Lycaon here: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-fact-66-the-legend-of-king-lycaon-of-arcadia/

There are a few legends, of course, that don't make it quite this dramatic. But popular culture carried over the painful transformation sequence for those with the werewolf curse, by and large, and it's incredibly effective. Everyone remembers seeing the first transformation in An American Werewolf in London (as much as I think the movie itself frankly just sucks), and likewise no one was exactly taken by a guy jumping really high and painlessly CGI'ing into a wolf in like .3 seconds.

I obviously have a lot of opinions on werewolf transformations, just like every other werewolf thing. The best and most memorable werewolf transformations are painful, dramatic, and traumatizing - because, after all, being a werewolf is neither a fun thing nor a good time... not for anyone involved.

Day 14- There's something I deeply hate in media, and it's when someone says "a werewolf scratch can turn you!" What on earth?

I have a lot of thoughts about all of this, obviously, and I'll get more into the whole werewolf bite thing later, but let's entertain if you will this notion that becoming a werewolf is like rabies. This is an extremely Early Modern concept, following the rise of scientific thought and the dismissal of all things mystical, religious, magical, mysterious, and allegorical, but even then, a werewolf spreading lycanthropy (in itself an Early Modern concept, as it was viewed as a disease, not a curse) via bite has no basis in folklore already. Does that make it bad? Nonsense, a werewolf bite is a classic storytelling element - that, once again, almost certainly comes from The Wolf Man (1941). It's so classic that for some reason zombies later completely lifted it and now everyone acts like it's a zombie thing, which is completely unfair.

But a werewolf scratch? Really? Even if we're equating it with rabies, that still doesn't work. And how stupid is it for someone to be like "oh no! the werewolf SCRATCHED you!" When I hear "scratch," I think "my cat got a little too excited about the tummy button," not "I've been mauled by a giant twisted man-beast and now I will inherit its curse." How does a werewolf even "scratch" someone without taking an entire limb off or raking red rivers through your torso? Are we sure it was a werewolf, or is it a chihuahua*?

I really wish this "werewolf scratch" thing would stop. It's just bad all over. Bring back werewolf bites exclusively.

*: what pains me is that some people would find this hilarious and make this their exclusive takeaway, because werewolves have just become jokes

Day 15- I love a wide variety of werewolf designs. If the werewolf is presented well, the design doesn't always matter that massively, as long as it doesn't look incredibly dumb and/or doesn't even resemble a man or a wolf. Unfortunately, it's amazing how often this happens.

Many monster design classes do actually say, when designing a werewolf, absolutely don't use a wolf as a reference. Artists are told by everyone under the sun, including filmmakers: use dogs, cats, bears, mandrills, hyenas - I've even seen mules, foxes, bats, badgers... and above all, they are told explicitly: whatever you do, don't use a wolf as inspiration. That'd be like, expected or cliche or bad or corny or something, because it's a WOLF monster. And we can't do anything "expected."

Werewolves are two things: human and wolf. If you're drawing the majority of your inspiration from a bear or a cat or a fox or hyena or whatever else, why even call it a werewolf? Why not make a different creature entirely, like the Beast of Gevaudan?

(more on that remark here: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-facts/the-beast-of-gevaudan/ )

I can understand the desire of some to have some particularly "memorable" or "unique" design (although I have never been taken by any of these attempts, nor do I remember them fondly), but ultimately, it baffles me that someone would choose to draw more directly from animals that aren't wolves for a werewolf design. Then again, you can also go too far in the opposite direction and just end up with fluffy wolf-people, and those can look far too cuddly (at least to... modern audiences; no one thought the werewolves in Dog Soldiers were cute even just a few years ago).

It's a careful balance to walk. When I was very young and innocent, I hated that many designs removed the tail from a werewolf (which they have in legend and I think it looks cooler), but I completely understand now. I also understand wanting to change the head shape, ear shape, etc, but all of this can be achieved without making the werewolf look like some other animal or like nothing in particular. There's a reason the Underworld werewolf design that became ubiquitous for so many werewolves afterward - Skyrim, for example, and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, just to name two - was the one with the wolfish muzzle and head shape, not the "cat pitbull" design from the first film.

Call me old-fashioned (I am), but I want a werewolf to look like what it's called. Note: I'm also not knocking the quadrupedal but still part-man looking designs, although those are far from my favorite, but it should still have wolf features. At least a few.

Day 16- Another werewolf folklore lesson! How about "curing" lycanthropy? What was that like in folklore - lifting the werewolf curse?

As per usual for my discussions, I have to mention that being a werewolf was not considered a "disease" until relatively recently; it was a magical curse, not an illness that could be "contracted" or "cured," and individuals were not "infected." Likewise, there weren't exactly a lot of examples of a werewolf curse - as per traditional "transforming between man and beast on a regular basis" definition of "werewolf" - being lifted in folklore.

There are some examples of more unusual variations of the curse being lifted, however, namely with those who end up stuck in a more seemingly permanent wolf form. Removing a magic item that cursed you to become a werewolf is fairly common, such as the magic skins donned by Sigmund and Sinfjotli in the Volsunga Saga; when they wore them, they were wolves, and only returned to human form when they managed to get the skins back off again. Another example is Melion (titular character of a British lai), who was trapped in the form of a wolf when he put on a cursed ring.

And in at least one story, that of Guillame de Palerne, the werewolf returns to his human shape when the one who cursed him is killed. This is a special case in that the werewolf never actually returned to a human form and was in fact stuck as a wolf, so it's not quite your typical werewolf example, but it is still from a French story whose title was translated as William and the Werewolf - and it's a good story.

However, in the vast majority of cases, especially with the werewolves that are more in line with what we think of as proper werewolves (transforming back and forth, instead of stuck in a wolf form), either the werewolf stayed a werewolf and it wasn't really that big of a deal (such as in several ancient Greek tales and some medieval tales, for example)...

Or else the werewolf was killed. Popular culture sometimes insists the only cure for lycanthropy is death, and that also often held true in many legends. It's also quite fun and dramatic, of course, although I do get tired of the werewolf predictably getting wasted.

There is, of course, a Werewolf Fact for this: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-facts/how-to-cure-lycanthropy/

[buwheal]

[You've Got Mail!]

You can now send your favorite salesman emails!! YAY!!

Here's some rules and information about the askbox.

First and foremost;

I will not answer every single ask. Sometimes I just cant do anything with it that will work realistically with the perimeters of the world, and I apologize!! Its nothing against you guys!!

(Unless you break the rules ofc.)

So if you dont see yours after a long while, it’s probably something that wont work, sorry! You can always send it again for a second try or send more than one ask whenever and see if that one works instead!

Besides that, here’s the rest of what you need to know!

[RULES] :

Spamton can only talk through the computer, so dont send asks that have a physical interaction!! Sorry! Thats just how i decided to set up the world/situation, and is not really anything against you guys :-)

(more of a request than a rule tbh) Preferably try to send real questions or statements. most "joke" asks are funny, but are surprisingly hard to create an in character response for. You can still send joke asks if you really want to, just dont always expect an answer X-P (i.e. asks that contain nonsense,, you can still be funny and make regular jokes, and i should probably specify that, but things that are like "you look like a worm" or smth i have no clue what to do with lol)

I know he may be a personification of spam emails... BUT DONT SPAM!!! It clogs the askbox and is a real pain!! You can send him more than one ask, though, as long as you arent repetitively sending a ton in a short burst!! Send as many as you'd like as long as they dont qualify as spam.

Dont be overly sexual or romantic, please! Even "As a joke". I dont like Spamton like that and it makes me uncomfortable, and I can't really answer that in character in a way that wouldnt provoke more of that. (You can be a flirt, but not much more than that.) Thank you!!

Be respectful and patient!! I am just one person doing everything, and this got far more popular than anticipated, so i will take a long time. I try my best to get at least one out every other day but i'll need breaks eventually!!!

I cannot give/spawn/materialize things for/to Spamton if you ask because of the way it’s set up. You are really just lines of text from a computer to Spamton, BUT... You can still do a lot if you think outside the box. or,, errr,, outside the computer. More like IN the computer. Kind of. Your words and your actions affect him and his reactions to you, so word it correctly and you can get him to do something or say something. Hes not stupid though, and he CAN usually tell when your intentions are... less.. than good.

Try not to do RP as other characters please.(Thats my job…!) I literally have no idea what to do with them and i feel bad leaving them in there :frown:

[INFORMATION] :

(Optional read :-P )

[YGM!] is technically an AU!!! not only do the events of the game not occur, but this is also set before then!

Asks are put out one a day, regardless if i have more than one, UNLESS i need to connect two(or more) to complete one event. Or i feel like it. a little treat.

I am one person doing every ask and every unique frame of art, so expect 1 ask (If youre lucky, two) maybe every other day Monday-Friday depending on my workload per day.

This is just for fun!! I am using the askbox to exercise my drawing consistency, Spamton's personality, and the way he speaks and responds to different situations! This is a way I am using to improve my understanding of him as a character, so it wont be always consistent as I am growing and learning!

Just a little disclaimer, he WILL be mean. He is a sour, nasty, grumpy, bastard and I am absolutely not opposed to him responding as such. Just keep that in mind when sending an ask if you dont want that!

If you want a common outcome, talk to other people about it! go crazy! I dont mind long threads on my posts if you want to create a plan. Infact, I can even help and tell you things occasionally!!

What you say to him DOES and WILL affect the way he responds. It is possible to regain his trust, but still a little hard. He is not a trusting person to begin with and being mean certainly doesnt help. BUT.. I am not opposed to being mean. Infact, they are quite fun to do. Either way is entertaining for me, so do as you will. YOU can choose to hurt or help him, because it’s basically always reversible in a way.

Using tone tags, while not required, are really helpful and assist me in understanding the intention in your ask if you think it may be interpreted another way! (i.e. sarcasm) :-)!!

I pick and choose asks depending on his situation, or if i have a good idea for a response, so you may need to wait a bit before i can get to yours!! Ones that i have an idea for take priority, especially when its to progress a scene. Or, alternatively, i am saving your ask for something i have planned.

I WILL reuse frames and poses to get these out faster and for my convienence :-) especially for the frames where there is no need to change his pose! So like.. dont think too hard about it lol.

Also, i prefer if you specify if the ask is for me /or/ Spamton. I do still do normal asks!! If its for me, just let me know!! I can usually tell, but most asks will be interpreted as for Spamton. I appreciate ones that start with his name before said thing is asked/stated specifically!! (i.e. "Spamton, __ __ __")

I wont be consistent with the way its answered. Sometimes it's one panel, sometimes its a couple panels, or sometimes they're animated gifs!! It varies depending on what i feel, so if youre lucky you can get a gif, lol. Those take longer usually though. Ive mostly switched to a gif format rather than multiple panels in a comic style, because its much easier to view! The animation quality can vary :-)

Thats about it!! Have fun!! ^_^

[kaibacorpintern]

ive read the argument that kaiba would stay in school to beat yuugi at grades, but i don't really think this squares. i think kaiba would see yuugi's "D+ SEE ME AFTER CLASS" on his math test and laugh his way to the administration office where he files his "i am dropping out of school and you won't stop me" paperwork and never steps foot in a high school classroom again.

like i think he went to high school as some kind of boring formality more than anything else. gozaburo seems to have had him in some kind of accelerated curriculum of languages, social studies, business management, and judging by DM, STEM as well (and being some kind of STEM prodigy just makes sense for him anyway, no matter the canon; he designed the duel disk!) so in the end he's just miles ahead of any high school curriculum regardless.

in addition, "beating yuugi at grades" is like... a perpendicular exaggeration of his competitive tendencies. first of all, he knows and acts like he is the smartest person in any room he walks into. he shows no signs of wanting to prove anything in that respect. he does not feel the need to prove he's smarter than yuugi because he already knows he is. second of all, "grades" is not the same as "duel monsters." grades are, in the end, a measure of how well you can take a test. Duel Monsters means something entirely different to kaiba--it is connection, passion, a vehicle of emotion; it is rising to meet the challenge of someone else, through an antagonistic/responsive zero-sum card game, with your whole being. a grade is something you can earn by yourself--a solitary victory. someone else can also "win" at grades and it has nothing to do with you. duel monsters is something you have to play with someone else, with an outcome constructed via interactions with other people.

in other words: he dropped out of high school the end

[krisluxxeeempress]

PICK- A - PILE, HOW DOES YOUR PERSON FEEL ABOUT YOU?

Pile One ( Skeleton Lovers) :

First things first, it's very clear that you guys are lovers however, the card came out in the reverse. I personally hold the lovers card in higher regards in comparison to the two of cups card. Anyone can have a connections but very few truly have a Divine soulmate or Twin flame connection as that is what the Lovers card indicates for me. With that being said, you both are very aware that you have shared many lifetimes together however, the BS has followed with it. I am showing a separation and you guys may not be talking. The masculine in this dynamic feels like they have lost complete control and or, refused to control their sexual desires. He may have cheated or refused to commit! The masculine could have used work as an excuse to avoid commitment and to cover up dealings with another person. ( how typical , yawns) If that is not your case, this masculine could have very well misunderstood your soulmate connection in it's entirety and as a result refused to commit. I see you guys had a sexual relationships for some and for others, where you possibly never met- there was a lot of fantasizing and 4D, 5D sexual encounters taking place for the both of you. Someone could have a fear of commitment or true intimacy due to a previous failed and traumatizing relationship ( yawns again). I am showing either you, them or both of you cannot stop looking at each others pictures, videos, social media or listening to any voicemails that may be saved still. For some of you, your person was in silent competition with you and they are mad you did not compete. This silent competition could be due to finances, career status or positions. It could be competition where you are literally competing for this persons attention, affection and love. So basically, they tried to make you jealous. (yawns again). For some, there was no real competition, all illusion created by them. Others of you, this person was leading you on out of pure ignorance of what your connection really was and meant. Emphasis on meant as this connection could be past tense, as i am seeing someone moving on and no longer wanting to be stuck mentally or physically. Someone is sexually frustrated or both, I see baby oil, dildos which only means one thing masturbation. For some, this person wants to have a family with you, others you already have one and they are concerned that you may move a long distance away or simply, find someone else to start a family with. They are mad at themselves because they knew better, allegedly, but didn't do better when they had the opportunity. For some, you do not have children and may have verbalized this at some point which prompted them to seek elsewhere. You may have had a change of heart, not because of them, but maybe- however, you had a change of heart and now want children but the damage is done considering whatever they did during your separation. Or whatever they did, or didn't do that led to the separation. The Outcome is not being able to move on meanwhile you have. Energy is fluid and so this can change, keep that in mind however, as of right now- it's a strong no.

Pile Two ( XOXO ):

Intuitively, this energy feels like a game. Like someone is playing chess and the other is playing checkers! ( i wrote this before pulling the cards) Let's proceed, shall we? Someone may have a Aquarius or Pisces moon, or moon on 11th or 10th house, regardless- i am getting that your person is completely detached or unable to identify how they feel at the moment. It's giving Linkin' park vibes, " Numb". The cards kept flying on the floor and so this can indicate someone who wants to brush things under the rug or they have a tendency to do this. If you had suspicions about your person cheating or using you for energy, attention or worse sex, it's true. It's hard to tell what side the reader is on because this person either is genuinely emotionally devoid or they have a strong poker face. Interesting i mentioned chess, checkers and now poker. Could be dealing with a Leo or Pisces. This energy seems confusing and all over the place! If this is your person for sure, it looks like they were using someone else until you wanted them or came back to them if there was a separation. I am wondering if Pile One resonated with you. I am also getting if someone claimed that a specific person or group of people were just their friends, the tarot cards and my intuition determined THAT WAS A LIE. This person wants to apologize for causing confusion, lying and either using you for sex or using others for sex until you came back around. I really think you should look into Pile One. You may have found out your position in all these mind games on your own or through this reading but they are mad because it looks like you have moved on or in the process of it. It looks like you are healing, focused on yourself and your financial stability- amongst other things that don't revolve around them and they are mad. They are mad that they lost at their own jigsaw games of BS. They are mad your standards are higher and defenses stronger now. They are mad you will no longer perform oral sex on them as it's clear you are the Goat with the Throat or Tongue, i don't know. They feel like you have moved on with a quickness and somehow it's an injustice. The outcome is only confirming that you have pulled back your loving energy and as of right now, i see no plans of you changing your mind. It looks like you are standing on principle and business. They want to apologize but . . I do not that being effective.

Pile Three ( Love Message):

Wow! this pile started off very strong with the world, death and lovers card all up right. This indicates to me a major transformation as within and so without! It appears like a lot of you are in relationship with the Divine and yourself and "your person" is really mad about this. They are mad you have chosen yourself. This person is realizing that they need you and want to have a heart to heart convo with you but the opportunistic card came out. This is the classic case of " you don't know what you have until it's gone" vibes. If you have no past person mad, this spread is indicating that you are unavailable to anyone past, present or future. Crazy thing is, this unattainable energy you are exuding is making other want to attain you. You are intelligent, stable, solid, and giving off royal vibes. You are committed to yourself and this is extremely attractive to the point, others are viewing you as a opportunity. This can be bad or good, you know this. Others see you as Husband or Wife material and are more than willing to fight for your affections. A lot of you have done the spiritual work to radiate such Divine and Royal energy. People want to be transparent with you, submissive even. They see your worth because you know your worth. There are some people who are mad you are not on their time or making time for them. In addition to, being mad that you do not show emotion! I feel like it was the complete opposite before where you wore your heart on your sleeve and even wiped your tears with the same sleeve. Sidenote, some of you may have a sleeve tattoo or this particular person- who feels entitled to your time and emotions, does. Some of you are just not the same person, it's the simple. You have came back from the dead, a completely new, powerful and fearless person. Whatever emotions you had, have died. These people that want you attention and love messages are going to have to be a magician to revive your emotions back from the dead, haha. You are not mean but you are direct and no nonsense. Some hate it and others love it. Congratulations, looks like a lot of respect, admiration and new beginnings are ahead, for you.

Thank you for reading! If this resonated, please consider hitting the reblog button so others can gain clarity and confirmation on their situations.

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[lisharchivez]

Day 2 Adventure Above Clouds event🐦‍⬛ Sylus moment post : ALL possible outcomes

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Requirements

The posts will appear in social on the 2nd day of Adventure Above Clouds event's debut in game (regardless if you finish Mystic Adventure prologues/chapters with LIs or not )

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🖤He posts this

when I logged into my main acc(when I have completed chapter 2 of new 2.0 story) something interesting has happened in front of my very eyes.

Luke comments->

Kieran comments->

Kieran likes->

This didn't happen in others ,so my conclusion is that their interaction appears if you completed the story.. what do you think?correct me if I am wrong.

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🖤Here are your comment options

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🖤Outcomes

option 1. option 2. option 3.

more from the event : Adventure Above Clouds

For more chat and posts all possible outcomes check my pinned here .

Thanks for the support

The end ;)

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[ticklystuff]

"Are you ticklish?"

a/n: ty kafka for the fic idea

characters: caelus, dan heng

wc: ~2.6k

summary: one truth, one lie~

"One round."

"No."

"Please?"

Dan Heng sighed to himself, ready to turn down Caelus' request once more, only to pause the second he looked up from his phone. Although the other was seated the same way as before, there was a slight pout to his lips that accompanied the plea in his eyes, his upper body just barely leaning over the other end of the mattress that was Dan Heng's bed. If this were March, the archivist would have no problem shooting her down, maybe even going as far to say he somewhat enjoyed it when he got the chance, but there was something different with Caelus, an unfamiliar feeling that Dan Heng found himself inept at putting into words. He found himself nearly caving to the request, but promptly shook his head. "No, no," he quickly turned the other down, unable to look him in the eyes while doing so. "No games."

Caelus huffed as folded his arms, the puppy-dog expression dissipating immediately at the sign of rejection. "But why not? You don't even know what the game is."

"Because I suspect it's a game you and March created to make a fool of me," he put it bluntly. "Am I right?"

"Wha- No!" Maybe Caelus was being honest with how vehemently he denied the claim. "March wasn't even involved.. this time. Someone else taught me, okay? March has nothing to do with this!"

Dan Heng stared at the other, flipping through the potential consequences of entertaining this "game" in his head, ultimately releasing a heavy sigh in the end. "At least tell me what the game is and I might consider playing."

One would think that Caelus had already won the actual game with the way he beamed in response. "Alright, so the game is called 'One Truth, One Lie.' It's simple; we ask each two questions per round and for one question, you have to answer with the truth. The other question, though, you have to give a lie. Easy, right?"

Dan Heng tapped an index finger to his leg as he gave thought to the rules presented to him. "How do I know when you're lying, though?"

"That's the point," Caelus said. "You don't."

"Huh, okay," he mumbled in thought, giving himself a moment to ponder. "Then what's stopping me from answering with two lies?" he threw his thoughts into the air, not necessarily directing his question at Caelus. "Or even two truths?"

"Ugh, don't be like that," Caelus shook his head at the notion. "It's no fun if you decide to cheat."

"I'm still not sure what's the end goal of this game, though."

"J-Just roll with it," Caelus stammered, huffing impatiently. "Please?"

Dan Heng tilted his head inquisitively, thinking of the many outcomes of the game. It seemed relatively benign and the overall nature was harmless, so maybe, just maybe, there was no ulterior motive? He gave Caelus one long final glance, receiving a big grin in response that only made Dan Heng sigh. "Fine, we'll go a round." He figured Caelus wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, regardless.

Caelus mouthed an inaudible 'yes' and Dan Heng couldn't help but chuckle at how very visibly excited he was. "Alright, alright," Caelus scooted closer, a little too close, "I'll go first."

Dan Heng watched as the other stared at the ceiling in thought, but as the seconds passed without a first question, he started to wonder whether this game was as simple as initially presented. "Err, you good?" Dan Heng blinked at Caelus, still awaiting a response. "Should I go-"

"Just shh," Caelus quickly waved his hand in the air and Dan Heng shut his mouth. "Okay," he breathed, a noticeable quiver to his voice. "W-What do you think about me?"

That was it? Nothing intrusive, or embarrassing even? Dan Heng couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, expecting a second question, but Caelus' held his wide eyes and what seemed to be bated breath for Dan Heng's response. "I-" he paused, pondering how he should go about his answer.

"You?" Caelus nudged him along. There was a glint of anticipation in his eyes that distracted Dan Heng for the briefest of moments, but he simply brushed it off.

"I like you," Dan Heng said with a simple nod, choosing to start off with the truth.

"You do?!"

"Uh, that's what I said, yes," he responded, taken back by the sudden eccentricity, blinking at the way Caelus seemed to visibly shake with excitement. "You're a dependable ally in combat and a great friend."

What he wasn't expecting was the complete one-eighty in expression, watching the ecstatic grin morph into a dejected frown and slouched shoulders. "Uhh, did I say something wrong?" There was genuine concern in his voice because what in Aeon's name did he say to hurt the poor thing?

"N-No, I just-"

"Should I have said that I hate you?"

"No!" Caelus nearly cried out, before sighing, balling up his fists as he recomposed himself. "I guess I just was ho- err, expecting something else? But y'know, you might be lying."

"I suppose?" Dan Heng wasn't sure what he was getting at. Why did it feel like he was playing the game wrong?

"Okay," Caelus inhaled with a nod, "your turn for a question."

"Mmmm," came an inward hum from Dan Heng's chest as he gave his first question some thought. He now realized why Caelus took so much time initially; an infinite amount of possibilities existed, so how could he just stick to one? As he took glances around the library he called his room, his eyes finally landed on Caelus' phone beside his leg and a suitable question finally sprung to mind. "How much money have you spent on your gambling games?"

"Uh, actually gachas aren't considered gambling because you still win a prize at the end, no matter the outcome," Caelus explained matter-of-factly.

"Okay, whatever helps you justify your gambling addiction."

"Well, I'm free to play, okay?" Caelus rolled his eyes at the sudden jab.

An amused chuckle slipped from Dan Heng's lips as he raised an eyebrow. "Really now?"

"Uh-huh."

"Yet you always bug me and March to pay for your lunch."

"Food always tastes better when it's free!"

Well, he couldn't argue with that. Still, he took one long final stare at Caelus, just to make sure, but found the other impossible to read, prompting a confident shrug that further threw Dan Heng off. Not that he believed Caelus at all, but his rather convincing mannerisms seemed to suggest otherwise. "Alright, your turn again," Dan Heng said once finished with his "investigation".

"Okay, I have the perfect question," Caelus said, leaning in with a smirk that Dan Heng already didn't like. "Dan Heng, are you.. ticklish?"

What a strange person this man was. Of all things he could ask, tickling was one of the things to settle on? Not about Dan Heng's past, or his most embarrassing moments, but tickling? Dan Heng blinked at the other, waiting to see if he'd take the chance to backtrack, but Caelus seemed content with his question, sitting there with a small smile as he waited. 

"I'm not," Dan Heng lied, folding his arms together. All the flashbacks of March, Himeko, even Welt on occasion, providing passing tickles seemed to rush to the forefront of his mind the instant he spoke, but he held a straight face for the sake of the game.

The smug smirk never left Caelus' face, even after Dan Heng presented his answer. "Really? You're not lying?"

"The rules of the game prevent me from revealing that," Dan Heng held firm.

"But do the rules of the game prevent me from revealing that?" Caelus asked the other. There was a brief glint in his eyes that Dan Heng failed to decipher as it disappeared, leaving him to sit there, perplexed by his actions.

What exactly was he getting at-

In hindsight, with a such a random question revolving around tickling, Dan Heng should've expected the unfolding turn of events, starting with Caelus pouncing on top of him, to the inevitability of Dan Heng being pinned to the floor, struggling under the weight of the other with futile protests. "Don't you dare!" came a hiss through clenched teeth, his hands desperately gripping Caelus' wrists, but Caelus' own hands were already positioned right where they needed to be, the space between Dan Heng's sides and Caelus' fingertips practically nonexistent.

"Oh, and what's the issue?" His tone was sweet, but Dan Heng's ears were not folly to the taste of mischief masked behind that saccharine grin. "I thought you said you weren't ticklish."

"The issue is that you're clearly going against the rules of the game!" He gritted his teeth as Caelus's fingers shifted to just barely pressing a small indent into Dan Heng's skin through the thin fabric of his shirt, resisting the urge to jolt under Caelus' grip.

This did not go unnoticed by Caelus, however, as if he was absorbing every reaction to personally store away, clearly enjoying the situation with a gleam in his eyes. "There's no harm in checking, right?"

"Caelus, n-no!" He inwardly cursed himself for the stutter in his voice, undermining his own facade. It didn't help that Caelus had now added another finger to each side, pestering Dan Heng with sporadic pokes. Normally, the archivist would shrug something like this off, but his sense of pride refused to allow Caelus to break the rules of his own game so nonchalantly. Not to mention the potential repercussions if Caelus did actually find the answer to what he was looking for. Dan Heng would shudder at the thought if not already preoccupied with the incessant jabs to his sides.

"Dan Heng, yes!" The gutturalness to Caelus' voice really added to his already over-the-top impish nature and Dan Heng did not like it one bit. Where did he learn this behavior from?! As if to answer his own question, a brief image of March popped into his head, but his focus soon returned to the situation at hand, as Caelus ripped his hands out of Dan Heng's grip and lunged at the other, all in one swift maneuver.

"W-Wait! Caelus!" His voice nearly cracked in frenzy, legs instinctively curling into his chest to protect his ribs just within reach of Caelus' fingers. He leveraged one arm to push against Caelus' body, while the other arm desperately fought off Caelus' own. "Why are you doing this?!"

Ignoring the question altogether, Caelus quickly backed off, only to send Dan Heng back into a panic at the feeling of a hand closing around his ankle, followed by a swift swipe up the sole of his foot. Though short-lived, the brief sensations were just enough for Dan Heng to uncurl his legs in an attempt to kick at Caelus, only to realize the betrayal of his own reflexes once his upper body was exposed yet again, creating just the perfect opening for Caelus to pounce and claim his prize.

"Caelus!! N-NohohOHOHOhoho!"

Time seemingly slowed for Dan Heng as the archivist did his best to defend himself, but Caelus' actions moved in real time and it wasn't long till his fingers met Dan Heng's ribs, eliciting a screech that was new to the both of them. There was a moment of pause, as if Caelus was registering everything that had just happened, and Dan Heng could have very well taken advantage of the split second of respite, but he did not like the fool he was, practically surrendering himself when Caelus started up again. His legs instinctively curled inwards just like before, but this time, Caelus was there to block him, undisturbed as Caelus made his ribs the center of attention.

"Wait, wait! Caeluhuhuhus! Stop! StaHAHAhahap!"

"Mmmm, I think you were lying in your last answer, Dan Heng," Caelus spoke nonchalantly, as if Dan Heng's frantic laughter wasn't echoing throughout the archive room. "But maybe you can tell me the truth yourself?"

At this point, the true answer to Caelus' query was quite evident, yet there was a sliver of him that went against the grain, willing him to hold onto denial. Maybe his pride took the best of him, or perhaps his own laughter ringing throughout the room had started to dishevel his line of logic; Dan Heng wasn't too sure himself, but those brief thoughts were soon usurped by the sensations at his ribs slowly making their way lateral of his midsection, heading straight for just what Dan Heng feared. 

"Wait! Waitwaitwait- wahahahahait!" Gentler touches were all that was needed, enough to send Dan Heng into panic with minimal effort, as he knew their intent full-well. His body arched forward and he flailed his limbs in an attempt to stop Caelus, yet it was like his arms turned to lead in the moment, heavy and powerless to stop the other as all he could really do was plead.

"I think we're about to really find out if Dan Heng is ticklish or not." The tone in his voice was mischievous, triumphant, almost ravenous; it was anything but innocent, which just went to show Dan Heng just how much Caelus was enjoying the moment. He didn't get too much time to ponder on this, however, as Caelus' fingers soon trailed up the side of his midsection, sending Dan Heng's eyes wide as he shook his head.

"GYAHAHA!" was what slipped past his lips at first contact, Caelus making his mark with two fingers digging into each underarm, as if each hand were needles to a balloon, pointed and precise, but their impact was very real, the overloading sensations engulfing Dan Heng in howling laughter as he was unable to deny the inevitable. "OKAY! OKAHAHAY! I-I'M TICKLIHIHIHISH!"

"Hmm? What was that? I can't understand what you're saying."

This bastard.

"YEHEHES! I'M TICKLISH! STAHAHAP!"

Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Caelus brought the tickling to a slow, allowing a slow stream of giggles to flow, before removing his hands from Dan Heng's underarms altogether. "Aww, Dan Heng, you broke the rules of the game." Caelus' words barely registered in his brain and Dan Heng would've shot him a disgruntled frown were he not busy panting from the ordeal.

"Screw off," he hardly managed through heavy breaths, giving Caelus a weak shove so that he could finally sit up again. "Are we done here?"

"Uh, no," Caelus spoke pointedly, hands on his hips. "You still need to ask me one more question."

Dan Heng rolled his eyes, already through with Caelus at this point. Something simple would do, anything to end the game and get Caelus off his back, and just as he was about to speak, an idea popped into his head, prompting Dan Heng to cut himself off at the last moment. 

"What was that?" Caelus looked at him expectantly.

"Ah, I had just settled on a question," Dan Heng began, clearing his throat before speaking again, "but Caelus, are you ticklish?" He watched for Caelus' reaction, almost relishing in how his mouth flattened, with the instant shade of red spreading across his face. 

"Uh, well-"

"Oh, and remember, there are ways of checking if you're lying or not," Dan Heng flatly reminded him, taking in just how easily flustered Caelus had become, playing right into Dan Heng's hand.

Dan Heng observed as Caelus breathed a sigh, avoiding eye contact as he twiddled his thumbs in his lap. The corner of his mouth nearly twitched into a smile that Dan Heng took effort into stifling, but there was something so satisfying with how easily the tables turned.

With a deep breath, Caelus finally looked Dan Heng in the eyes, speaking in the softest of voices, a stark contrast from his earlier demeanor.

"Yes, I'm ticklish."

[pentition]

As usual, SPOILERS AHEAD.

Been thinking about some things as I lurk on the My Time/Sandrock Discords and subreddits. It's a blast seeing other Pen fans out in the wild. Actually, it's super comforting. I'm so used to liking niche titles or characters that don't get the love or introspection they deserve, regardless of where they fall on the morality spectrum.

I'm usually lurking. Liking comments or posts because I'm a shy creature on the social front, mixed with low energy all around. But one thing I always appreciate is seeing peoples perspectives and taking time to consider them. It doesn't matter how much or how little I agree/disagree - in the end, my brain incorporates what it views as right. And what it disagrees with, I further want to know about - but also won't be bothered if ideas I have don't match others. Echo chambers are boring. I want to see people take ideas that don't match mine and see if they make them work.

That all being said, I've had something on my mind regarding Pen for a number of weeks now. Between Reddit and Discord, there have been such interesting perspectives on people who want Pen to come back but then get split on him being romanceable in the future.

I've expressed in previous musings on here that I think the Sandrock Builder and Pen's history is something I love, and it wouldn't be the same with another character. But I also kind of failed to elaborate on that. After having some cool exchanges and hearing perspectives from various sides, I think I've settled more on where I am. Not that it matters to anyone but me, but it's a fun thought exercise to write out in regards to Pen's character.

I still believe Pen and the Sandrock Builder's relationship is like, my golden child for three main reasons:

1.) It has conflicting emotions both positive and negative. You get a full range of emotions. It's vague enough to allow people to speculate which also giving enough for people to know there was something serious there. I say serious because even if it was a ruse, it meant something to Pen based on how farewell and what he left behind if you romanced him. While I believe in the symbolism of what was left behind in the chest, I'm also try to take into account on the what-if that it doesn't matter to the devs the way it matters to us.

2.) Imagination is important. When you have a character like Pen, who is so himself but still shrouded in mystery, your mind tries to fill in the blanks and make sense of things. There's what we get, what we perceive and what is mixed up in the middle. Whether it's making things more toxic to making them more sincere, there's so much possibility with a character like Pen. It's appealing and an endless chew toy for my brain.

3.) The potential. This mixes the prior two. But it really comes down to it, the history they have and that potential of what could be is why I adore them. All relationships will encounter bad periods, it's what you do during those bad periods that define the outcome. Potential is always a defining aspect in anything, it's not something that has a moral compass - it just is what it is. Which means it's versatile. Potential is important to me, personally, so when I see a character like Pen who has so much of it... it's hard not to pay attention. And in instances like this where so much plot can exist, it's hard not to get invested.

Because I am not a big brain person and sleep deprived, here's the sentence that shittily segways into the next talking point that'll eventually circle back on the prior.

The diamond ring. What if it wasn't for the Sandrock Builder, but for whatever Builder (or other role) the player will have in a future game? Maybe the reason it dropped for everyone (and not a bug) was a two-fold reason. If the Sandrock Builder romanced Pen, it could be intended for them. If they didn't romance Pen, maybe it was a set up for a future game where Pen is romanceable again.

So, future romance possibilities with Pen. That's the talking point here. I said that the Sandrock Builder and Pen are my ideal because of the reasons above. Interesting history, imaginative with its positives and negatives, so much potential. Of course, I can only be biased because I don't know and haven't yet experienced the possibility of what it's like for Pen to be with another player character.

That being said, and despite my preference, I'd still be okay if Pathea had Pen in a future installment as a romanceable character for another character. Characters should be allowed to develop as characters that don't hinge on the player. And given people don't always play the games in order, it would be kind of sucky/selfish to deprive anyone of a Pentacular (sobad) romance route.

I've run a character and story editor job online since I was fifteen, I've done a lot of work in this area with clients and with my own work. And I've also been a DM/GM for about ten to fifteen years now. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that characters aren't great because of the writers - but because of who they are and can become as characters themselves. Just look at the differences between the Chinese and English versions of Pen. Yet despite the differences all Pen fans have found that same foundation that breaches language barriers and different writing directions. That is incredible core character foundation and it's that potential that has made me so invested in his character.

My ideal is probably so dumb sounding of a compromise. But it would be cool to reintroduce Pen in a future game with a romance rival option like Portia had. As in, if you want to romance Pen then you can. But if you don't, he automatically will seek out the Sandrock Builder. I don't mean up and leave asap, but whenever he is done having a role in that game he'd head out to find them. If Evershine is going to allow the Sandrock Builder to possibly appear, then why not do the same there? Only problem is it would be tricky to do a reunion that way when people have different perspectives of how it would go. Especially depending on how long it has been. It's easy to say, 'just let the player take control!' but the thing is, if players haven't played the previous games before (as in, they are a new player to the series) it wouldn't at all make any sense to do.

And selfishly, I'd totally want to have a game right after that returns to the Sandrock Builder for a Pen return. But then, that's only based on if the Builder was close or romanced Pen. For people who didn't care or go that route, it also wouldn't make sense to do.

So for a Pen and Sandrock Builder reunion that matters, we'd have to play as that Builder again in a future game. Maybe that means the Builder has to leave Sandrock for whatever reason. But it would have to be a reason that makes sense for people who didn't romance or care about Pen, too. It's all just tricky.

Which is why I thought a lot about a Pen romance without the Sandrock Builder. Of course there's potential there. It's not the same, as much as I'd love to explore my duo having a reunion. But it's not terrible either, to me, at least. In any case, Pen needs some time to figure his shit out as a person. If that means he grows and lets go of the past romance, that's okay. If it means he wants to try and see if he can salvage things after his betrayal, that's also okay. I just hope the devs come around to taking their audience seriously, because so far their players that like other characters (like Miguel, Burgess, even Ernest or Venti) aren't treated very respectfully for the characters they/their builder likes.

This is mostly be just airing out thoughts in my head since I wasn't too happy that a prior post or two didn't elaborate that I'd be okay if Pen moved on - even if I really want to see things work out between him and the Sandrock Builder. Both have strong narrative possibilities, but I like the ups and downs of the latter and the potential of it more at this time. Maybe that'll change in the future, whenever that game comes out. Who knows. ^^

[thefirstknife]

I remember, some days/weeks before the Conductor-is-Maya cutscene reveal, I theorized that even with all the Golden Age claims that Maya's Primary Query was all about Chioma. And that her whole thing would be an obsession with finding HER Chioma (this was all assuming this was the same Maya that got herself Veil'd and Neomuna's Chioma).

I have NEVER wished that I was wrong as I was after the last 2 instances of Encore.

The obsession? The madness? That I expected, but...

This is horrible.

Even knowing it was probably a negative use of the word, I looked up what "degaussing" means the first time I ran Encore and.... My heart sank. Such unspeakable thing to do.

This is NOT how I wanted to get toxic yuri on Destiny 2.

Game said "K, we made your girlfriend suffer enough from old man yaoi. Time time for old woman yuri for your suffering." and I AM SUFFERING ALRIGHT.

I just want them to be alright T_T

If we do find Real!Chioma and she gets to speak with the Conductor, I know I will cry on the spot and then die regardless of the outcome

Putting these two together because yeah. We're all going through it!!

I really liked that bit at the end of the radio where Osiris suggests that we might be able to turn things around if we find the real Chioma and I'm hoping so much that this is how this ends. Or at least that any of the remaining Chiomas might be able to reach through to Maya and help her understand.

There's a lot of emphasis on how Maya is doing this basically out of grief and displacement and the inability to process that she died and woke up in the Vex Network and that it's been centuries and centuries, but for her it's been a moment. What she's doing is horrific, but I don't see it as them showing us that she's doing it because she's evil. There's a lot of selfishness and Maya not understanding things, but at the end of the day, as Osiris pointed out, he could've fallen down that trap as well.

I'd like to see nice conclusion to this, to parallel Saint and Osiris once again and to give Maya and Chioma an ending they deserve: to be together.

We'll see! No matter what happens, I think there will be ugly crying next week.