#keoanai hakana

[sailingshellsgames]

moodboard about how keo makes me feel ✨

Oh my gosh I'm screaming with happiness at this 💞 And scream-laughing at the sixth image!

I'm pretty sure this could be the mood board from Keo's perspective, too 😂

Thanks so much for your ask, frutillia!

[sailingshellsgames]

Hello! This is a popular ask for IFs, so sorry if you have answered this. Once in the relationship stage or maybe just very deep crushing stage, but if MC is inebriated, what would the ROs’ reactions be if they’re trying to talk to MC and they say they’re taken? Like very clearly talking about RO haha

Hi, Anon!

Omggg this is so cute. I love it. Answers below!

Wren: Thinks it's hilarious and adorable, and plays into it. "Oh? What a coincidence, I'm taken too." When MC turns to them, recognizing their voice they continue with a grin, "My partner's out with me tonight. They're the most beautiful/handsome/stunning person here." Bonus points if there's a mirror on the bar wall, because Wren will absolutely be pointing to it because yes, they are that cheesy.

Keo: Smiles, runs a hand over their mouth to hide it. Isn't sure how to reply, and in the moment of hesitation MC starts repeating they're taken, and nobody could compare to their partner who's so sweet, and strong, and handsome/beautiful/stunning. Keo tries a few times to interject, but eventually has to resort to putting a hand on MC's arm to turn them towards them. When MC realizes it's Keo and starts blushing, Keo just pulls them in for a long hug. Keo doesn't mention it again, but they're in a good mood the whole night.

Rin: Sighs dramatically. "Guess I'm fighting tonight, then." Turns to the rest of the bar and loudly asks, "Alright, which one of you idiots stole my girlfriend/boyfriend/partner?" When MC turns to reply, recognizing their voice, Rin just says "What?" in the most innocent tone imaginable. Doesn't let MC live it down, greeting them now and then with "Look, I know you're taken but hear me out..."

Thanks for your ask!

[sailingshellsgames]

Irl footage of me languishing dramatically to lana del ray while writing a Keo romance scene

[sailingshellsgames]

Me when Keo reads carefree MC to filth with a single comment

Wasn't this supposed to be Rin's job? Wtf happened, Keo? 😂

[sailingshellsgames]

bahahaha omg that's it that's Keo's romanced plot arc 🤣

Thanks as always for the laugh, randomusername001! 🧡

[sailingshellsgames]

As promised, here's a place where you can access some scenes outside of the main story!

Your support is so very appreciated, whether it's on ko-fi or tumblr❣️I admit I feel a little odd setting up a ko-fi at all since I've never considered myself to be very entrepreneurial 😅 But I really loved writing the vignettes and wanted to put them out there as an option for people, with the thought that over time I may post more extras there. As always, I'm delighted to be sharing Leas' world with you. Thanks for playing! 🤗 ☀️

(previews of the bonus scenes below)

[sailingshellsgames]

Brb screaming into a pillow

I'm writing a childhood memory between MC and Keo and aaaaaahhhhh send help. Here's a preview bc I'm weak and can't resist sharing it:

Keo stood up then and grabbed my hand, tugging me closer. "It's okay," ${keoanai_heSheThey} told me quietly, ignoring the boy. Then ${keoanai_heSheThey} smiled, and made me a little fountain of light in ${keoanai_hisHerTheir} hand, tiny multicolored birds darting through each of its streams.

I need this dang game to come out so I can scream about these moments more loudly 😤 Who do I complain to about this. What do you mean it's me.

[sailingshellsgames]

So, how did young MC and young Keo meet? Did they become friends instantly or was it a more gradual thing?

Hi, randomusername001!

This is something I've been dying to add as a choice to the game, actually! I just haven't found the right place to put it yet. It's possible it'll wind up in the second game, but I'm going to try to get it in the first. The options I've got in mind currently are:

Little MC and Keo hit it off right away and were inseparable from day one, leading to some pretty funny moments when instructors attempted to pair them with other people in class exercises (if you like bob's burgers, imagine this scene 😂)

MC and Keo became friends naturally over shared interests, would play a lot together outside their lessons and grew closer over time.

Keo was wary of MC at first (for all the reasons a little half-Fey child might be nervous about getting close with people), but slowly warmed up and became friends with them.

MC thought Keo was spacey and weird, but eventually warmed up and became friends with them.

MC thought Keo was spacey and odd, and related to that, leading to a fast friendship.

MC and Keo had a childhood rivalry that slowly developed into friendship when they realized they were good in competition, but unstoppable when they worked together (this one cracks me up imagining what menaces they'd be 😆).

MC and Keo didn't interact much until MC caught Keo in a vision and promised to keep the secret. After that, they started talking more and realized they had a lot in common and enjoyed each other's company, eventually becoming best friends.

And to answer the other half of your question, they Keo and MC met at the Den. They were part of the same cadre of recruits, so they had lessons together and lived in the same part of the compound after joining 🙂

Also, I haven't written this choice yet so if someone has an option they want but don't see in the list above, let me know. As long as it fits with the story, I'll add it 😉

Thanks for your ask!

[sailingshellsgames]

TFW Keo is being Keo...

I swear this RO could be bleeding out on the floor, see MC get a paper cut and would be like “omg I have to get you a bandaid this is a true emergency.”

We’re working on developing some self care for them, don’t worry 😂

[sailingshellsgames]

The ROs' personality stats

I thought this would be fun🙂 The MC's stat categories are Expressive/Tranquil, Genuine/Crafty, Intuitive/Methodical, and Carefree/Focused. Here's how the ROs fit into those categories:

Keoanai

Tranquil

Genuine

Intuitive

Focused

Rin

Expressive

Crafty

Intuitive

Focused

Wren

Expressive

Genuine

Methodical

Carefree

[sailingshellsgames]

Sometimes I think Keo could really benefit from a slightly shorter temper 😅

So much of their poor brain’s reaction to bad things happening is just

The answer is probably therapy. Therapy for everyone, please and thank you 😂😅

[sailingshellsgames]

Hey just finished your demo and wanted to say that I got HOOKED. Loved the Guide and the Tired Fae Guardian? dont remember her name but I really did feel sad and I genuinely wish to see her again lol. Hope Chapter 7 goes well.

Also wanted to say that I just found your tumblr today and thought wow a new IF I haven't read yet, how exciting... Only to realise when MC conversed with Vaheni the rookie that I did in fact have played your IF before. I can only remember playing till our carriage ride tho and not gonna lie, I got whiplash when I saw the surname Avantus cause I think that your IF is one of the very first IF's I read because I've been using the same name in IF's since I was VERY new to the interactive fiction scene. So, um yeah thanks for basically naming all of my MC's i guess, do you want to like split custody or something 😂 which is weird cause you uploaded your demo in 2022 but I genuinely barely remember anything, bruh my memory loss is getting worse 💀

Hope you have a good week author :) Also do you have some fun facts about our friend group and maybe the faes that helped us in the forest if it's not too spoilery??? pls 🥺

Hi Anon!

I'm so happy you liked the demo and welcome to the tumblr! 😄 I'm so in love with all the Fey in my head, so it's so cool to hear other people enjoy them too - thanks so much for your kind words! I'm cracking up at the split custody MCs - sounds good, I can't wait to meet all the various rugrats 🤣 And I hope you had a good week too!

As for fun facts, absolutely! I love giving those:

Keoanai always lists MC as their "preferred partner" for jobs, even if MC's specialty (e.g. diplomat) has nothing to do with what Keo does. They'll mention it if MC decides to train a bit of everything in chapter 1 and then chooses "Want to work together? It's a pretty tough climb."

Rin is a skilled forager. They know a lot about which plants are edible/have medicinal properties.

This is mildly spoilery but minor enough that I don't mind: Wren changes their hair color magically every few weeks. When MC met them it was auburn. The next time they change it, it will be blue. Their natural hair color is a very dark brown.

If the Little Wish had been picked up by the ROs and it couldn't turn into a person for whatever reason, it would take the form of Den Zarel for Keo, a wooden flute for Rin, and a pair of worn leather gloves for Wren.

I've actually thought about writing a standalone mini-game around the horned/tired Fey MC encounters. I'm not sure if I will, but I do intend to either bring her into the second game. Or if I don't do that then I'll probably post her backstory on this tumblr.

Thanks so much for your ask, Anon!

[sailingshellsgames]

What would F!Keoanai's reaction to accidentally reading a poem MC has written for her:

She walks into the room and my heart skips a beat Her smile brightens up my day, makes my world complete But I dare not let her know, my feelings stay concealed For fear of losing her, my heart is forced to yield

She is my friend, my confidante, my partner in crime But deep down I want her to be mine, all the time Her laughter is like music, her touch so divine I can't help but imagine her as my valentine

Every moment spent with her is a treasure to behold But my heart yearns for more, a story yet untold I dream of holding her close, feeling her heart beat But for now, my feelings remain hidden, my love discreet

So I sit here quietly, watching her from afar Knowing that my love for her will never fade or scar I hope that one day, the courage to confess will arrive And she'll see the truth in my heart, the love that I strive.

Hi fanart-fic!

Alright, F!Keoanai's reaction first:

The door to MC's room is cracked open, so Keo steps in.

"I'm almost ready," MC says, rummaging through the trunk at the end of their bed without looking up. Keo smiles a little at the way MC recognizes her footsteps and leans against the desk, waiting patiently.

Her eyes wander as the seconds pass, until after a moment she notices the messy state of MC's desk. There's an half-empty mug stained from sitting overnight and a pile of papers, some crumpled on the floor. MC must be behind on paperwork. They've had a lot of jobs lately, and Keo can see several mission reports amidst the clutter.

Then something catches her eye. Lying out with the rest is a set of verses, a... poem? Keo's brows raise, a small smile finding her face as she glances at it; she hadn't known MC was a poet. Before she knows what she's doing she's read it end to end.

My heart skips a beat... Brightens up my day...

My friend, my confidante...

Love.

Keo stares at the desk for a long moment, heart racing. A sudden thunk as MC sets a canteen on the ground brings her back to herself, shifting nervously as she looks anywhere but the poem. MC goes back to digging, oblivious as they mutter something impatiently under their breath.

It's beautiful, some distant part of Keo thinks. The poem. MC is talented. The fact that it’s a romantic subject doesn’t necessarily mean anything. MC could just be practicing writing that type of poem. Honing their craft. But even so... Would it be so bad to imagine more?

Keo pinches the bridge of her nose. Yes, yes it would be. Getting involved with MC like that is something that would inherently put them in danger. And gods, it's not as if she even knows the poem is about her.

But what if it is?

Her throat tightens as the thought hits her too quickly to stop. Too many emotions flood her body, uncomfortable and wonderful and terrible, little desert roses the size of coins sprouting from her fingernails as her Fey blood reacts to it, more honest than the human part of her could ever be.

"There it is!" MC holds up a pair of training gloves, grinning triumphantly. Keo stands straighter, clasping her hands behind her back. "Lets-" MC stops, eyes darting to the poem, their body tensing almost imperceptibly. "Let's go," they gesture. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

Keo nods and follows them out, not trusting her voice as she carefully dusts off her hands, pocketing the roses that fall from her fingers.

She must miss one, though. The next time she's in MC's room, there it is on the windowsill. Right atop a little piece of folded paper.

___________

Okay, so if you'll allow me my own reaction now - WOW. Oh my goodness. You are such a talented poet, fanart-fic, this is beautiful! Thank you so much for writing this and for sharing it - I've been grinning all morning about it! 💞😯😍😍😍💛❣️ Wishing you a lovely day ~

Thanks so much for your ask!

[sailingshellsgames]

Keo is quite defensive at times of their Fey heritage and other times isn't so vocal about it. What is their standard for defending the Fey species?

They give the impression that they will argue with you if you assume Fey are all evil, but won't argue when you mention the dangers coming from interacting with them.

Hi solariaflumine!

I'm glad that's the impression Keo's giving because that's exactly how I imagine them! ☺️ As far as their standard, the first thing I think I have to say is, uh, they don't consciously have one 😅 Keo's very driven by emotions, much more so than logic. So they tend to just "do what feels right" and not spend much time defining what makes something feel right (honestly, not the best way to operate in the world but hey, I wanted to write characters with flaws lol).

But if I'm looking at it as, "what's going on in Keo's head that I know as the author" -> it's exactly how you described it. Keo knows the Fey are dangerous, just like Keo knows humans are dangerous. Keo also believes both are beautiful, nuanced, and worth knowing. So MC treating Fey cautiously makes sense to Keo, but throwing out all Fey as evil doesn't. They understand why some humans feel that way, but Keo has a lot of reasons not to view the Fey as entirely bad, and not to view humanity as entirely good.

And you'll have the option (depending on your choices) to explore some of those reasons in chapter 8... 👀

Thanks so much for your ask!

[sailingshellsgames]

How was Keoanai treated when they were younger, by their peers and the Den's staff?

What are Keoanai's thoughts on how Den Zarel operates?

Hi Anon!

Ooo I love backstory questions ^_^

When Keoanai first arrived to the Den they were extremely quiet (for fear of accidentally outing themself as half-Fey by acting too strangely). Eventually most of their peers stopped trying to socialize with them and Keo slotted into the "loner" role, with the exception of their friendship with MC. The Den's staff tended to view Keoanai as a good student and a well-behaved child who showed a great deal of respect to their elders - Keo was happy with this, since it meant more flying under the radar. They got a bit more attention from the adults when they found their niche in terms of training (combat being their greatest strength) and began to perform excellently, but by that point they felt more comfortable fielding conversations.

Keo's main viewpoint toward the Den is gratitude. It's the safest place for an Avir to be in human society, and it's where Keo's closest friends are. They take comfort in the fact that the Den allows them no-questions-asked access to the outside world as well as a foot in human society. They really like the clear structure of the Den's hierarchy and the way jobs are handed out/everything operates. Human cultural norms are something Keo had to learn well and quickly to survive, and structure makes that easier to do.

Also, just a little fun fact about question 1 - eventually MC and Keo make friends with Viara. If you play the route that shows you a memory in chapter 6 you can learn Keoanai's the one who later brings Tiane into their little group. I think Keo was lonely growing up and really treasured MC being their friend while they got their "social sea legs" if you will, and wanted to make sure Tiane had a few people around her too. What kind of cracks me up is that now that Keo's grown they're kind of ridiculously popular. I'm itching to get to chapter 8 where we finally explore the characters a little more in-depth around things like this.

Thanks so much for your ask! :)

[sailingshellsgames]

Keo’s first playlist song! We are kicking things off with a heavy dose of longing 😂 This song is a favorite of mine; I think it’s just stunning ❤️