#played several other routes but this review was long enough

[sophie-frm-mars]

The Cass Review, and what we can do about it

The UK government is making decisive moves toward banning trans healthcare outright. The NHS says it is adjusting its policies to be in line with the "cass report", a pseudoscientific report written by a transphobe that goes as far as to claim that little boys playing with trucks and little girls playing with dolls is biological, and which disregards dozens of scientifically sound previous studies into HRT and trans healthcare in order to reach its conclusions that trans healthcare for under 25s should be radically changed to discourage transition at every turn and make it as hard as possible for young people to transition.

These moves will kill countless young trans people. I would not have made it to 25 if healthcare wasn't available and I know so many other trans people wouldn't have either.

The mainstream reporting in the UK is keeping itself ideologically cohesive by claiming that trans people exist, nobody hates them, and they're very rare, and the big problem is the explosion of new cases of not-really-trans people who are clogging up the system (this is a lie, the system has been intentionally slowed by malicious neglect, it isn't even a resource issue, the clinics have far more capacity than the number of patients who are let through)

Once again, this is genocidal and is actually a commonplace methodology of genocide. The nazis asked GRT people to help them understand which Traveller families were "real" travellers and which were the fake ones, since they insisted it was only the fake ones who were the problem and who had to be exterminated (because a lot of nazi GRT policy was based on American indigenous reservation policy).

Labour, the main opposiiton party in the UK, has announced it will "follow the Cass Report", and implement these restrictions on trans healthcare once in government.

For the survival of young trans people, robust community structures must be developed immediately.

Efforts to change the electoral situation will proceed at a snail's pace and will be entirely at the whims of what is politically expedient. It will turn around, but it will take a long time. At the voting level, everyone in the UK who cares about trans people needs to make it clear that they won't vote for Labour unless they reverse position on this, and to be clear about this: Labour will not listen. They are PR Brained Psychopaths and they don't want to get into this "controversial" issue in a way that might cost them further popularity and the easy election win.

Wes Streeting, inhuman lab experiment and Labour Shadow Health Secretary has said that activists need to "stop protesting to ask us to be better opposition and start protesting to ask us to be better government", in other words their electoral promises are cynical reactionary bargains and deals to get them into power and the only point at which they will change anything is once they are in government, if at all. I know this sounds very "push Biden left" but I'm not saying give up now - to repeat, everyone who cares about trans people in the UK should tell Labour to get fucked right away, and then keep doing it as loudly as possible, but it's just not going to change until after the general election at least.

Another way to help could be through legal routes, like the work that The Good Law Project has been doing for trans people for several years now, but I don't know enough about the law to know if it can be used to challenge this at all.

We have to accept there is no electoral solution right now to this genocidal campaign against trans people in the UK, and while those efforts are ongoing trans people and cis allies need to fucking organise. Trans exclusive / separatist organising is riddled with issues, I don't want to cast hopelessness around but there are really very few of us and while it's absolutely necessary to privilege trans voices in trans organising and give us the deciding power and the autonomy, we need to utilise the support and time and labour of every cis person who is willing to help in whatever way they can.

Robust community structures means community structures that are helping young trans people get healthcare as an absolute basic starting point, but it means a lot more than that besides. We need community structures that are consciously organised by people who are taking responsibility for the community roles they are in and being completely explicit with each other about the nature and function of their organising. We need HRT community resources so young trans people can survive this medical segregation, we need drug user harm reduction spaces so that what people turn to in despair doesn't kill them, we need sober spaces so that people can get away from unhealthy coping responses, we need conflict resolution structures so that our problems are dealt with privately and nobody is left completely isolated, but more than any of those things, and in order to have all of those things, we desperately need trans assemblies

Assemblies are how we will get a community of robust radical organisers, because only by repeatedly practicing the ongoing process of democracy can people learn how to do it in a way that will facilitate their own organising. We have to empower the whole community to answer our own questions, come up with solutions, organise people into structures to enact those solutions and then do them. All this means is that an open door event convenes frequently (at least fortnightly) to discuss what is happening in the community. Trans people get the mic for allotted time, and discuss the issues, and then whatever voting structure the assembly uses facilitates further discussion, for example through working groups - the assembly breaks into smaller groups to discuss the topic and then representatives report the outcomes of those discussions back and consensus is reached from what the representatives report.

We have to get people engaging in this process because in order to effectively combat this situation trans people must agree on the solutions and then tell cis allies how to help and so far we haven't been doing that. We really really haven't been. But we could be with a little work. And as I'm saying, doing this will also empower everyone in the community to organise toward specific solutions for specific issues like HRT provision, sober spaces, housing, food, etc.

fuck

I'll have more to add to this post later I have to get to therapy I just got really mad when I saw the news this morning

[arimiadev]

Developer Interview — Making A Date with Death

6 months ago, a brand new self-insert romance visual novel hit the market called A Date with Death, created by visual novel veterans Two and a Half Studios. Coming off of the success of The Divine Speaker, they dived into the chat sim space in visual novels with a huge splash. A Date with Death is currently sitting at over 5,000 positive reviews on Steam with a Kickstarter for an after story launching this week.

Read the interview on my blog or read it below.

Arimia: Hi Gabby, thanks for sitting down to talk about A Date with Death! Both of us have been into visual novels for quite a while, but what got you into them?

Gabby: I feel like my introduction to visual novels was probably similar to a lot of people my age…. and that was being on Tumblr too much and being introduced to Dramatical Murder much too young, and installing the fantranslation for myself and all of my friends, hahaha. From there I played the rest of the N+C games, and then moved to things like No Thank You! since it had a translation. After that I moved further to Japanese games that didn’t have a translation. These were 95% BL as well – I’ve played one or two otome games in my time but never really been super into them.

Actually, when I first got into development, I hadn’t played any Western visual novels yet. It was only after I started in game development that I tried more indie visual novels in general.

As for my favorite VNs, I have a few favorites! My first favorite and it’ll always have my heart is Lamento. It was kind of the culmination of a lot of different things I love in media, and I still love the game. There’s another untranslated game I really like called Pigeon Blood. I actually helped with some editing of translations for some of the routes a looong, long time ago. A more recent favorite, and probably my favorite overall, is MAMIYA! MAMIYA is a Japanese indie visual novel by KENKOULAND which I will happily shill over my own games (LOL) about a group of people at the “end of the world”. The way the story is presented, I don’t think I’ve ever played anything like it, and I found it very inspiring. I was lucky enough to work with the creator Kokoroten on an animation for my own game Dreambound, which was fantastic.

Arimia: Would you believe I’ve never played DMMD? Definitely cut from the same cloth though about being exposed from too much Tumblr time and hearing about all of these Japanese VNs that would never get localized over here, but now Fate/Stay Night is coming to Steam in a few months…. the visual novel landscape has changed so much.

You’ve worked on several boys love and girls love titles before A Date With Death that are more in the fantasy historical realm – how did you come up with the idea for ADWD?

Gabby: Well, we’d actually been wanting to try something more modern for awhile now, despite our love for fantasy settings, and we only happened across a screenshot from another developer’s chat sim and I kind of fell in love with the format. I’ve been really wanting to try my hand at something “cozy”, and though A Date with Death doesn’t really sound cozy on the box, we have a lot of features that I think set well with that crowd. I’m a very big fan of the informal aspect of the writing. I think even in my more serious games, I always lean into humor a little bit and I really enjoy writing banter, so the chat sim format was perfect for that.

(I styled my MC after my character Rose. he’d probably wind up in a shady chatroom like this)

Arimia: Having played some of A Date with Death, I can definitely see how it’s more “cozy” than some of your other games, and I think a lot of the player reactions I’ve seen have shown that too. The overall scope of the game is also on the smaller side, despite the player customization. How did you go about deciding the size of the game? Were there any parts/features you wanted to include but didn’t?

Gabby: Actually, the size is a lot BIGGER than we originally planned. Being our first free to play game, it’s always a little bit of a risk to put a lot of money into something when visual novel development is your livelihood, and obviously with a free game there’s no guarantee of a return. We originally planned for each “day” of the game to be only around 2000 words, for a grand total of 14,000 words for the game. Very short and sweet. Over the development we realized we had a lot more words than originally planned that we wanted to tell, and part of that is owing to just how many choices and options there are. There’s some conversations in the game which people are honestly surprised about because they’ve never managed to get them on any of their playthroughs. The game actually ended up being around 60,000 words, and this should be near doubled when Beyond the Bet releases.

We also included a lot of other things that weren’t originally planned when we concepted the game. We knew we wanted character creation and some degree of room decorating, but we also added a lot of small missable content – like interacting with your pet, watering your plant, reading books on your bookcase, minigames and websites on your computer, eavesdropping on your neighbor… the one thing we had originally planned but cut was voice acting. It’s something we really wanted to do, and we wrote Casper’s character with a very talented voice actor in mind, but it was a bit too much of a risk with the price of it and the unknown of releasing a free game but still making money on it. We don’t believe in having people work for us for free, even on free projects or jam games, so it wasn’t something we were prepared to have someone do for free even though I’m certain we could have.

Luckily, in the end we decided to hold a Kickstarter for the project, and that allows us the possibility of adding voice acting if it goes well!

Arimia: Yeah, it’s definitely a risk to spend so much time and effort on a free project, but I’m glad it worked out in the end. When announcing the game, what was your strategy? Did it differ any from how you announced and marketed your previous games?

Gabby: It was a little different! This is the first time we’ve had TikTok as one of our platforms when announcing a new project, and we knew we wanted to focus a lot of our attention there. Video content is very strong performing we’ve found, but it is definitely a skill in and of itself. We spent a lot of time honing down on our hook and how we could make people get it in a single line. On a platform like TikTok, you have a split second to catch someone’s attention.

We also had a much shorter amount of marketing time than our usual multi-year projects. We knew we wanted it out within a few months of announcing it, so we needed as much impact as possible in a short amount of time. We knew we wanted to get an animated opening since it can be a very powerful piece of marketing material, and I think that was a great idea and we’ll likely continue it going forward.

At the time of announcement, we had less than 10,000 followers on Twitter. Twitter is probably my favorite platform, but it was kind of falling off for us a little when we were ready to announce A Date with Death – but it just took off after we announced the game. We had a multi-month document with marketing beats and announcements we’d make over the few months we had, but with everything taking off much more than we expected we added to it a lot. I think you always have to be ready to adapt to change quickly in this field.

We actually never planned to market the game as “tease the babygirl”, but it’s something fans latched onto, and you can’t make that kind of marketing yourself, I think. We really leaned into our audience and what THEY thought of the game, and used that to our advantage in a way. I’m very thankful for whoever first asked if he was a babygirl.

Arimia: Twitter (was) probably my favorite platform too, mainly because it’s so easy to just make a quick post or update. TikTok has so much reach but it’s just so much easier to tweet a meme out somedays.

A little side question- with the name having the word “death” in it, were you worried about SEO / being censored on social media, or did it affect you? When I was creating Drops of Death years ago, I was worried social media platforms would suppress posts about it but ultimately went with it because it fit with the serial killer theme.

Gabby: Actually we weren’t too worried about that – we’ve definitely used words like death, kill, murderer, etc. in relation to our other games before and haven’t have much trouble. There ARE certain words especially on TikTok that it’s best to censor, but I haven’t had any problem using the name anywhere and we were prepared to risk it to use the name we wanted.

Arimia: It’s definitely a catchy name that summarizes the experience well. Back to the part where when people were first getting exposed to the concept and came up with Grim being a babygirl— how would you advise other devs to understand what keywords and pitches work better for their games?

Gabby: My first suggestion is to look at similar games to yours and the words they use. Look at the concept of your story and try to boil it down to a paragraph, then a sentence. Look at what makes your game unique, or how you can lean into what fans will get out of your work. Give your players elements that they can recognize instantly without a lengthy explanation.

“A romance chat sim where you flirt with and/or bully the Grim Reaper”

“Compete against the Grim Reaper to keep your soul… or die trying”

“Create your custom MC and flirt with the man trying to take your soul”

I use all of these in our marketing, because even though there’s a lot more to the game we’re not talking about, this is a hook that can capture someone’s attention straight away and then you can funnel them to your game.

Arimia: Getting hooks down can be such a difficult part but it’s so, so important. What do you think helped you most marketing-wise?

Gabby: It’s a tough question. We did a lot, and had huge amount of attention from all over the place and it just snowballed more, and more, and more. I think honestly what started the snowball was TikTok. Once we had one video go big, we were having multiple a week go 30k-400k views. We were getting 500-1300 wishlists per day for months. A lot of people joined our Discord from there and went to follow us on Twitter. TikTok is hard and the format is a lot to handle when you’re new to the platform, but it was absolutely worthwhile for us. Another thing I’ll quickly note – reuse your content. I just repost my TikToks to Insta Reels and they get a similar, if not more views, for no extra effort.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Two and a Half Studios (@twohalfstudios)

Arimia: Yeah, it’s wild how quickly TikTok can blow up for someone. I’ve had posts get 100k+ views and then a few posts later they’ll struggle to hit 1k.

Side note: Gabby has written about her experiences with TikTok on her blog. You can also read about my discussions on TikTok marketing for visual novels here.

What do you think was the least effective thing you did for marketing?

Gabby: I suppose Steam events this time around kind of paled in comparison to our own marketing efforts. They’re always worth doing though – any Steam events you can get into, participate in them! You’ll always see some kind of return. But for us, an event giving 200-300 wishlists was just a drop in the water. Not at all not worth doing, but certainly it wasn’t a huge focus for us this time around.

[A]ny Steam events you can get into, participate in them!

Apart from that, I posted also to some other social media sites like bluesky, but I didn’t find it very worthwhile and stopped rather quickly. There’s only so much time in a day, and as the only person handling all of the marketing, it just wasn’t worth it.

Arimia: For newbie devs, what would you recommend they focus on? TikTok, Twitter, or something else?

Gabby: I think TikTok is the easiest platform to hit it big on “fast”. I say “fast” because it’s not guaranteed that you’re going to hit it big, it really depends how well you adapt to the platform, but your content there has a chance of being seen, even without any followers at all. That’s probably why I recommend it as a platform for new and old visual novel devs alike.

I think you’ll also find that once you pick up the format, it can be pretty fun to make. I think platforms like Twitter are easier to use, but getting started on them is hard. VNs are so visual heavy so we already have so much content that works well on TikTok. Of course, there could be problems in the future with using TikTok in the US, so we’ll see how that goes.

It’s best to focus on a few places though, and not to put all of your eggs in one basket. When you’re putting your audience in places that can go away, it’s always a risk, so it’s good to spread them between places like TikTok, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.

Arimia: Yeah, I think one thing devs forget is that these social media platforms are ran by big tech that don’t care about the little guys – if your account gets banned or falsely flagged, what are you going to do if you can’t get it back? Always best to have more than one site you’re posting on, but you don’t want to spread yourself too thin.

At what point in ADWD’s development cycle did you start marketing it? It was a pretty short development cycle to begin with.

Gabby: We started working on the concept of A Date with Death January of last year, and announced it on the 5th of July. This wasn’t really 6-7 months of dev time though – we were working on two of our other games at the time. By that point, we’d finished maybe half of the game and announced the game in time for the Steam Visual Novel Fest a month later.

This was actually pretty successful for us, and gave us a decent boost to start from. We then released the demo at the end of September in time for Steam Next Fest, which was a bit more meh for us despite going in with a high wishlist velocity. We then released the game at the start of December. But, like I said, we were working full time on Dreambound and The Divine Speaker: The Sun and the Moon, so I think we could have made it in much less time if we didn’t have other games on our plate.

My suggestion is to announce the game and start marketing early, but not so early you run out of content you can post. My strat is usually announce the game at the same time the Steam page is ready, so you can use the announcement to drive people straight to it. A trailer can be another marketing beat, and then lead up to the demo release. Going in with a solid marketing plan is a great idea, too.

Side note: despite the short amount of time to market the game, they were able to enter it into at least 2 different Steam-ran festivals! That’s a great boost to wishlists and they usually don’t require much work from yourself.

[A]nnounce the game and start marketing early, but not so early you run out of content you can post.

Arimia: Once you’ve worked on a few games it’s a lot easier to gauge when that sweet spot is, but when you haven’t it’s definitely hard to figure out. I usually go with how much progress I have towards something playable like a demo. When ADWD was ready to release, how did you reach out to press?

Gabby: Actually, I didn’t sent out any press releases for the full game! I can’t tell you exactly if this was a good thing or not – but the way I’ve done it for all of my other games is that I send out a press release and streamer keys for the demo only. Especially for A Date with Death, we already had a lot of press and streamer interest naturally, so we decided to use our time for other forms of marketing and polishing up the game instead.

For the demo though, we curated a list of ~70 people to send out early keys to. I think this is quite worthwhile in hyping up the demo release, and it’s quite easy these days with tools like sullygnome.

Arimia: What lessons learnt from your previous games did you bring with you when making ADWD?

Gabby: We’ve been very lucky to work with our amazing artist Fuyuure for over six years now, so we came in with a great team who worked incredibly well together. I think that was a big bonus – working on something like a big character creator can be a difficult task for many artists, because of the sheer amount of assets you need. So, I would say coming in with a talented team who were ready for their tasks was a massive boon.

I think working on so many games beforehand prepared us to make the game in the time we did. We usually work on bigger, multi-year projects, and this was our first proper commercial endeavor into a smaller game. Our experience helped us to pinpoint exactly what we would need, which is a lot less than our other projects. The game actually only has 5 CGs, which is less than usual for us, but I think we managed to do it in a way where it doesn’t feel lacking, either. Getting scope right is a difficult thing and it’s easy to want to include anything and everything, but we were very particular about what we wanted and how long it would take.

Arimia: I can definitely see how that helped – working with people you’re already comfortable with can alleviate a lot of stress. For the A Date with Death: Beyond the Bet Kickstarter, how did you prepare the marketing campaign for it? How long did that pre-planning take you?

Gabby: We really started planning the new DLC the day A Date with Death launched last December. We knew we wanted to make more content, and with Dreambound nearly complete it was a good time to start thinking of running a new campaign. I would say the preplanning took a couple of months – working on a good date, working with lots of artists on new merch, setting up the page, getting the page to our graphic designer to make some images up for it… running a Kickstarter is definitely a lot of work! Even organizing the tiers takes some time.

We prepared mostly by getting the prelaunch page up as early as possible and getting the word out on all of our socials – Twitter, Tumblr, TikTok, Reels, Steam itself, Discord, our email list, itch…. basically, did a big blast out everywhere and we had a huge amount of people come and prelaunch straight away. We also really enjoy doing countdown images the week before launching – it lets us work with a bunch of amazing artists, and we use the art for rewards during the campaign too (as prints). Being our third campaign, we came into it knowing what we had to do, which is a big timesaver. For new developers, I’ll say don’t sleep on the prelaunch time – it’s not a good idea to put up a Kickstarter and instantly launch it. You need to bring an audience with you and get as many pledges lined up on that first day as possible.

Honestly, the support so far has blown our mind. With a similar amount of prep, Dreambound launched with less than 300 followers on the page, but as of writing this we’re already over 4500 on A Date with Death.

[I]t’s not a good idea to put up a Kickstarter and instantly launch it. You need to bring an audience with you and get as many pledges lined up on that first day as possible.

Arimia: Even though I’ve helped run and advised several Kickstarters before, there’s always something I forget or push off until the last minute. Was there anything you learned from the Dreambound KS that you used/did differently for the ADWD KS?

Gabby: Oh, for sure. I learned a lot about my tiers and page organization from our past Kickstarters. We actually have a lot more tiers than usual on this Kickstarter and I don’t think we’d be able to manage that without our past experiences.

If I had to pick one thing from the Dreambound Kickstarter that I’ve changed for A Date with Death’s, we decided to have all of our stretch goals viewable from the get-go. I enjoyed the “unlocking” of stretch goals we had before, but with the amount of attention I think we’ll get, it’s just easier to lay everything out for everyone.

Arimia: Yeah, I imagine you’ll probably be hitting stretch goals pretty early on with how many people are excited for the KS. Aside from social media like TikTok and Twitter, how do you keep your audience interested?

Gabby: I think one of the things that mobile games have as an advantage is continuously adding more content and patches. That really keeps people interested and coming back to your game and characters. Obviously we don’t really have a big enough team or enough time to be adding more and more content, so keeping people interested can be quite tough. We were very conscious of this when deciding WHEN to hold a Kickstarter in the first place – if we wait too long, people will move on. It’s already been 6 months since the game released, after all.

There’s multiple ways we’ve kept people interested during these months. One is that we funneled a lot of people to our Patreon, where we have exclusive art every month from the game, as well as behind the scenes stuff about the new DLC. We then can tease these on social media too, and drip feeding content works pretty well to keep people interested.

Another is we now have near 8000 members in our Discord, and these people become some of your core audience. We encourage interaction with each other and the game by weekly game questions that players can answer. If you had enough time to organize it, I honestly think even doing daily questions would be a really great idea. Anything to kind of keep people chatting and thinking about the game.

Arimia: To wrap this up – what advice would you give to other visual novel devs?

Gabby: There’s so much I’d like to say, but I’ll just give a few pieces of advice that I think could help newer developers. Don’t think of marketing as a bad thing, or an annoying thing. I see a lot of new developers come in and say “I won’t market. I feel like a shill and my game will speak for itself”. I think this is a huge mistake, because people won’t play your game if they don’t know it exists. Marketing can be fun! Share your little stories with the world proudly, don’t feel bad about that.

If you want to do game dev as just a hobby, then that’s absolutely fine – but it’s totally possible to do this as a profession, too. My partner and I have been working on visual novels full time for over two years now. A lot of people tend to think that’s there’s no money in visual novels, but I would say that’s not true at all. It’s hard work – like all small businesses are – and not every game is going to be wildly profitable, but it’s totally possible with a good game and good marketing. Keep making the games you love, doing market research to see what other people love, and you might be able to find a good crossover.

-------------------

And there you have it, some insight into the development and creation of A Date with Death! If you haven’t already, check the game out – the base game is completely free to play on Steam and itch.io. You can check out their social media here:

Twitter – TikTok – Tumblr

Support their Kickstarter!

[hellcatinnc]

Radiant Tale Fanfare - Liyan Review

Spoilers & Translations Ahead...

First off I do not know japanese I relied on google translate. I know they aren't perfect and you might names misspelled or placed as she instead of he but I feel confident enough that I was able to make out what its saying. I chose to buy this from the Japanese store knowing it wasn't in English but ever since I played Radiant Tale which I will shortly have that review up just got to finish Vilio. The point being I fell in love with Liyan then and I just couldn't wait for however long it was going to take for it to get localized, I needed to know how this man was and if him stealing my heart was going to be worth it. I have done this in the past and certain love interests I will do it again for. Make sure if you want more screen shots and stuff to check out my husbando challenge post since he was in it and you can find that here. Anyways on with the review.

If you get a chance to read his story even if you have to badly translate it you are going to want to if you have ever liked him and thought he should be a love interest. By far he is one of my favorite love interests from his personality to his looks right on down to the story and his love all have me wrapped up leaving my heart beating a little faster for Liyan. This is a man I will have to write some fan fic about just wow. Also you get introduced to his brother to who ends up being the bad guy trying to keep you apart for awhile but trust me he is a relatable character still and I like his brother however I found that if you try to look his brother up good luck finding any information about him. I have some places saying his name is Rist others say Lizz or in translator it says List so I can't say I actually know his name but think it stinks that he is barely even written in online when he is a big part of Liyan's route. Also if you look at the pictures of him in this post you will find he is pretty damn hot too.

So Liyan has to convince his brother why all humans like Tafalia are not bad for them as Fenrir's. You can tell he loves his brother and I love that side of Liyan as well as you find that his love for Tafalia is so real he would even fight his brother to the death if need be to keep her safe. The only reason his brother is bitter about humans is because he fell in love with a human and was in love but then when she found out he was a Fenrir she left him broken hearted says she was scared of him. So the story behind Fenrir's reminds me of Twilight movies where Jacob tells Bella about how imprinting works and then he falls for Bella's daughter in Breaking Dawn. Their story is similar he meets Tafalia at a young age and realizes in that moment he is in love with her so for years to come he watches over her from afar but never stopped loving her. The Fenrir belief is once you fall in love that is it there is no severing that tie except in death. If your person dies then you die and if the leave you broken hearted in most cases leads to death or suicide without that person. This is all of what his brother was trying to save him from, but honestly was too late Liyan had been in love with her way too long.

At one point Tafalia over hears Liyan talkin to a child and thought he had a kid, it was so cute because when she approaches him about it he gets all shy and bashful. Explain he has no kids because he is practically a virgin being pure and innocent. Hard to believe at first since he is so flirty until you realize later he flirts with no one else but her. He says he believes in loving one person forever and does not waver in that thought or process once. Tafalia notices in time when he is around other women that they flirt and try to get him to go with them and he is nice and has his charismatic personality that brings people back over and over again to his bar. However he makes it clear he looks for no casual hookups and at that point I think is when Tafalia realized all his flirtiness and all has only be towards her all this time she thought he was a ladies man.

I think this is where you see her soften up to him and not shut him down all the time. Its sad in away though because he really doesn't know what to do when she starts being nice because he is so used to her pushing him away. He lost his parents when his mom died of illness and his dad died being without his soulmate. His brother left him for his love and left Liyan caring for himself and others like him. He really has never truly been shown love so even Tafalia is just the same she hasn't always been the nicest to him. This breaks my heart when Liyan the most pure of them all (well outside of Paschalia) is pushed aside as just a ladies man to most. He keeps his flirtiness here and there to show her his attention he even goes out of his way to give her a gift that he made for her. At one point she falls asleep in his bar and he just watches her sleep wanting to touch her, wanting to kiss her. Classic Liyan and yet no matter how close he gets he just can't do it. He talks about him being the big bad wolf yet says she is so defenseless he just can't do it then goes on to make her a bed there instead. Of course she ends up leaving that night flustered and can't think but knows she needs to get away from Liyan at that point. I love though in the end it shows he is a gentleman yes he wanted to kiss her but he never gave into that selfishness because he never wanted to hurt her.

His brother brings out the protectiveness in him though when he firsts approaches Tafalia and Liyan is there to get in his path. At that point you realize Liyan doesn't just love her but he would do anything to protect her. I think even she sees this in how he reacts and if there is any doubt I think in her mind at that point he lets her know other wise. Once he takes care of his brother or thinks he has and he leaves them alone. Liyan goes into telling Tafalia he has been in love with her since he first met her. Tells her why and how it came to be but then tells her she doesn't have to say anything and never has to tell him how she feels. This leaves he stunned because when you confess to someone you usually want to know its reciprocated. So she ends up going to Paschalia and Radie I was so happy when I saw Paschalia and how he tried to help her with love advice. Oh man that man has a special place in my heart to because until Liyan he was my number one. Radie is an ass like usual never been a huge fan of him and his story used Liyan anyways and that made me mad. You saw then that Liyan could have been good for Tafalia but Radie wouldn't allow it. In this story he goes on to be the same ass even at one point practically telling her he hopes it doesn't work out with Liyan. Wow what a selfish thing to say, even Liyan wasn't like that in his route back in the first Radiant Tale.

Anyways Tafalia gets kidnapped by Liyan's brother and Vilio and Ion are ready to go in to fight with Liyan however I think Liyan knows if anyone else comes in they will probably kill his brother. That being said yes he will do anything for Tafalia but Liyan and his kind heart you can tell he wanted to handle this without the violence or losing his brother if he could. I love Vilio he made it clear he trusted Liyan however he would roast him if something happened to Tafalia due to it. Was funny but you understood his mind set. You get a full sight scene where Liyan and his brother in beautiful wolf form fight it out. Liyan trying to protect Tafalia and his brother trying to prove to him humans aren't worth it that they will only hurt him. At one point he really tries to harm Tafalia and Liyan sees red the moment she bleeds even a ounce of blood. He turns to his brother and announces him his enemy for hurting her. They fight some more and honestly at one point I'm not sure that Liyan was strong enough to take him on but then I realize he just didn't want to hurt him badly. Once he sees red though he goes all out and almost kills him before stopping. He is bleeding and exhausted but doesn't want anyone to die especially the 2 most important people in his life. His brother ends up leaving them to how they feel telling Liyan he just wanted better for him and you have to respect him. They break on good terms.

Tafalia runs to his side and she confesses that after it all she realized in all this she had fallen in love with him. My poor baby Liyan is so used to being pushed aside and not loved that he came up with the idea there is no way she could love him and that she was just being nice. Of course she has to kiss him for him to understand she isn't playing around with his emotions. He admits the reason he told her he didn't want to know how she felt when he confessed his love was because if he didn't know he could live on beside her loving her from afar and being happy. However if she told him she didn't feel anything for him it would hurt him so bad and possibly kill him of a broken heart. That was so humble and sweet and who wants the person they love to be happy and yet not with them but is content with just being in her life. I know in real life you get people that would but most love interests I have seen usually are more selfish than Liyan.

When he realizes she really does love him he can't help but to keep kissing her telling her he is the happiest he has ever been. He is that puppy wagging his tail as she pets him. He may be a big bad wolf when he needs to be but with her he is her puppy and would do anything she asks of him. That being said don't misunderstand me he is not submissive he just wants her happiness above anything even his own needs. They go back to normal life as her being his girlfriend and it was just so sweet how they decided to be partners but whats next is funnier. So his brother starts coming around and understands Tafalia is no threat even throws small flirts at her in front of Liyan and oh no Liyan jumped in front of her and made it clear to his brother she was all his. His jealousy showed but it was adorable. However he told his brother where to find his soulmate and that she had not ever forgot about him. He rushed off to try to make something with her and of course you never know if he does but I really hope he did because he deserved that too. I mean when you first see his story it is sad how he was hurt. Liyan and his brother neither had the best life however the difference between the two is Liyan believed bad things happen you get yourself up and you try for better where his brother became a realist and was hurt.

In the end I absolutely loved his story so much so that now I'm going to have to play something else because I feel like going on to another love interest in Fanfare is just breaking Liyans heart. I haven't felt this way since Ikki in Amnesia. I will review the love interests as I play them though so stay tuned. If you have yet to play the first game do so however if you become a Liyan fan trust me so well worth translating because I figure its like a year or so or more out before its translated. I was glad I didn't wait and my sweet sexy wolf boy now and forever has a place in my heart. He is a well flushed character they did very well with his story. I want to thank the creators for giving us such a jewel inside of Liyan.

[veryflirtytransportalate]

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"I can hardly believe a place like this actually exists. I don’t even feel the urge to clean." - Codsworth

Hello.

This is </null>. They woke up one day in a strange white place with a man in a lab coat and a child. Then they found themselves awake in a place called home. The robot knew them. They had memories of the place. The robot is very nice. It knew the spouse and child. They love the spouse and child. The memories know. The robot knows, too.

[ PREVIOUS ] . . . [ NEXT ]

< BONUS THINKINGS >

Hello.

First off: this is my Survival playthrough I have going on concurrently to my Sizzel game. Sizzel has about 2 days on it, so sometimes I step away. Plus I was monumentally let down when I tried to go rogue on the landing of the Overboss' dorm room or whatever it's called. Did you know no one gets hostile... unless you shoot Gage? I hate this game sometimes.

Second: I play my Survival save in black and white. I think of it as a much more engaging and dramatic experience.

Now. Let's talk about one of my favorite things to talk about: the number of heavy-handed changes I've made to the game mechanics to play exactly the way I wanted to.

I've made it so that the damage values across the game are increased extremely high, and that both the damage ideal and the damage deal to me are multiplied by 4. That has seemed to lead to a nice balance where attacks take a reasonably realistic number of hits to take someone down, usually in the one range. I also downloaded a mod that I need to remember the name of, next time I open the thing I'll try and take a look, but it completely rebalances headshots so that they are always lethal so long as the caliber of the weapon is proportionally powerful enough for the size of the creature.

So as you can imagine, any firefight I get engaged in is a really short fast tussle, and leads to some absolutely ridiculously engaging moments. Cracking off with a pipe and watching a super mutant slowly fall backwards, only to sprint in the other direction out of fear as several hounds sprint towards me. I use the same cocktail of mods for my non-survival playthrough as well, but on the survival difficulty the lack of fast travel and the additional impact of body health simulation systems lends itself to the hyperlethal game mode I've cultivated. I also downloaded Bastion, a mod that rebalances power armor, but I haven't really used any yet, so I'm waiting to review. I'm excited because it makes it so all damage taken is zero until the air breaks, then whatever area broke off becomes a weak point.

Additional mods I would love to get: I watched a video where somebody said that on survival difficulty you should be able to fast travel from a settlement to another settlement that is connected by a supply route. I thought that was brilliant, and I agree. Crafting: way more recipes, way better interface. I've finally drained all the affection I have for the default HUD, but FallHUD requires compatibility patches, and I don't even know any other mods.

Also, I know there's a voice pitch modulator mod: I'd love if Sizzel and </null> sounded different.

Oh </null> has no name because they're a synth and Father is a quack, so the value in their brain for name is empty. Hence... </null>.

In my heart both characters exist in the same game, but alas, nobody cares, and so, I can't.

[ladyirisreviews]

Pokémon Red - Review

Pokémon has come a long way, even when people are complaining that the most recent games are some of the worst in the series, I came back and played the original Pokémon Red, and let me tell ya, I didn't have a great time.

Not everything about the game is bad, so I at least want to start on the positive stuff.

It wasn't the first game to have monster-catching, but it was the first to have the objective to "catch them all" and letting you keep most of them, as well as being very kid-friendly, both things unlike the Megami Tensei games.

At least to my knowledge, it was also the first game where you could trade creatures and battle with other players in a turn-based game, and all that coupled with being able to play on the go pretty much guaranteed the game's success.

Another factor in its success was that it was such a watered-down RPG experience everyone was able to play it and have no problem finishing it.

And that might be it for the positive things I have to say about it...? except for the gameplay, that will come later.

I really don't want to be mean to such an old game but a lot of the stuff it does other games did it way better, and the stuff that was unique to the game didn't feel that very well done, of course this is me talking from the future, I wasn't looking at games at that period, but I couldn't help but be frustrated at the game while playing it.

So just let me vent a bit.

The game is unbearably slow, both the movement, the text boxes, and the battles, the game is plagued with unnecessary textboxes telling redundant stuff in battles, and where the objects you grab go.

The plot is basically nonexistent, your only objective is to be the Pokémon champion and beat Team Rocket, and there are no actual characters.

You interact with the gym leaders once and never again, they have cool designs but no personality outside of the 1-liners they throw when facing them, which is very little to me.

You might encounter your rival several times, but all there is to it is he telling you he's better than you which gets annoying.

The exploration is also so simplistic, every route is super short, there is not much to explore at all, caves might have like 3 or 4 screens long but they are equally as easy to get through.

There are only 3 places in the game I would call dungeons, where there are more than 3 floors to explore, and the exploration is not just going from A to B.

But again, it's still simple to explore, and once you defeat all the trainers around there is no threat to the exploration, it's a matter of time before you get past them.

Having talked about all that, it's finally time to talk about the gameplay, which is by far the best aspect of this game.

encounters are both random and predetermined, random while you are in bushes or in caves, and determined when there are trainers around, which is kinda cool.

On random encounters, you only fight a singular Pokémon, and trainers can have up to 6.

The way actual fights go is that you fight with one of your Pokémon against another singular Pokémon until one of them faints, it's simple enough.

What I think separates Pokémon from most RPGs in this era are the weaknesses and how similar your Pokémon are from the ones you fight.

The Pokémon you fight are the same as the ones you can control and are equally as strong.

Of course, there is a level difference in some cases, but it's mostly fair fights if you play as intended.

It would be boring if every fight was always perfectly balanced for each Pokémon, and that's where weaknesses come in.

Each pokémon has specific weaknesses depending on its typing and a hit with their weakness pretty much means defeat most of the time.

And that's why Pokémons can only have 4 moves, if they had more they could be busted, so this balance between weaknesses and limited moves is what makes Pokémon feel so different from other RPGs.

But the balance on this specific game is kind of dumb.

You can beat the game with your first Pokémon, which is fairly easy as it will get a lot of levels if you only use them, and I kind of feel it's encouraged.

Training Pokémons takes a long time in this game, and quite a lot of them are borderline unusable when you first get them.

This forces you to either come back to an earlier zone to grind to give them levels, or putting them on the front to change to your strong Pokémon, which gives them half of the EXP.

It is until the very late game that you are able to get an item that shares the EXP you gain in battle to every Pokémon in your party.

But:

A) They get very little EXP, as the way it's shared is by dividing the half of the EXP between the number of benched Pokémon you have.

B) It increases the amount of text you have to go through by a lot, making training even slower.

Though you could bring only 1 other Pokémon so they get half of the EXP and keep text boxes to a minimum, but it could be risky if your main Pokémon faints and you are unable to flee with your weak Pokémon, you risk losing a lot of money.

I like the type of gameplay they came up with, but the snail speed of the game makes it so not fun to play.

There's also a big lack of difficulty, because every route and cave are so short you can easily come back to the last Pokémon center every time one of your Pokémon gets injured instead of wasting money on potions for the way to the next city.

Another thing that bothers me a lot is how little space you have to save your items, you can save the stuff you don't need right away to the pc, but even that runs out of space surprisingly fast.

If you want to collect a lot of move discs for when you want to make a very strong Pokémon odds are you will run out of space by then.

So, to summarize

It's the lack of plot, the simplistic level design, and the general speed of the game that makes the cool gameplay hidden in the game unable to come through, at least for me.

I've played so many RPGs that respect my time that I am not able to enjoy this game, it makes me wish it was at least 3 times faster.

But like I said, there are some cool things about this game and it wasn't a hit for nothing, it worked for people and it isn't terrible if you are able to look past the extremely slow speed.

So, would I recommend it? Not really, Fire Red is right there and it's such a much better and smoother game.

And that's all I had to say, thank you for reading this far if you did get this far, any reblogs would be appreciated, I would love to engage in a conversation with people who love this game to hear their perspectives.

[bearpillowmonster]

Outer Worlds Review

I could see why someone may or may not like this game. On one hand, it has good character work and a unique sensibility that matches Obsidian's past work with the way people talk like they're from a southern shore. It'd make for a good book. On the other hand, I feel like there are some elements missing that fail to make it unique enough of a game.

The graphics aren't bad by any means but they do that weird thing where sometimes they'll look untextured and just bare masses and other times they'll look fleshed out and good, maybe it was just the way my computer ran it. But some of the environments made the color look too blended in despite whatever settings I could find to fix that, making the bodies difficult to find and loot in certain areas.

It's a bit of a mixture of Fallout and Mass Effect if I'm being honest, going to different planets, taking different party members and getting their quests and dialogue, it's neat. This was my 4th of July game and what a choice for its capitalism subtones, well done.

The worlds are really nice and varied and there're plenty of NPCs with so much personality to make it feel lived in. Ellie was my favorite.

As far as DLC goes, the first one is a mystery so I ended up doing most of the side-quests, really trying to get the details and that's kind of the thing. There's a lot of lore and stuff to read but I don't normally read them. There's crafting and modification, skill trees, a cool time slow power, stores and different things like that but I didn't really end up using them, I'm not normally one to flock to those and mainly try to streamline my experience until those elements are necessary and for people like me that hoard and love collecting, you'll have no problem. I needed money on the Groundbreaker but only because I didn't realize that bits were currency, once I learned that, I never needed money again, I was rich yet I never really went to any stores or vending machines, I never needed to, I collected enough ammo and there were consistent guns just lying around that would outclass what I had so I never fell behind either. I played on Normal difficulty and I don't think it was baby level but I was comfortable with what I had, I did worked to ration and do things more with dialogue but from time to time I'd take the wild route. While I compared it to Fallout, the combat is a lot more satisfying, there isn't a body part mechanic but it's comparable enough to just shoot where you mean to and that part will explode.

Back to the DLC, which are good lengths, for the one there was a hotel and it had several islands, I could spend about an hour per island give or take. I wanted to get to level 25 for the other DLC so during the time period, I gained around 13 levels (should that mean anything) which was well past my goal so those DLC give you a ton of exp. Should you keep to the main quest, (this goes for the main game as well) you're missing out on a whole lot and can barely be considered the experience. It all interweaves and some are character quests, improving relationships and such. I saw a little faction action but I still haven't found a game that does it like Skyrim. Maybe it's because I was more aligned as a scoundrel than corporate but it does good to give you the option to play however you want and gives you more reason to go back and replay should you want to see other outcomes. That can inspire you to wait for the DLCs until just about before you finish the game.

But you have the power to obliterate just about any NPC so that's crazy. I heard something along the grapevine when this game was first getting popular about how it was short and I saw the runtime and kind of tsked at them because it's not really a short game, it's just a regular sized game, I'd rather it be packed short than bloated long even for an RPG but as I moved on, I realized just what they were talking about. You see, you visit (most) of the planets but you more or less choose how long to stay on them and what you do, you can B-line the main story and be done rather quickly, imagine going to Ganon first thing in BOTW. I had paced myself not even knowing this and ended up spending 25 and a half hours all said and told but I found that shortly after I did that first DLC, I did like 2 or 3 quests and it was time for the final one.

I had done the character quests but it never really felt like 'oh, this will contribute to me later on' it was just another fun romp. There's an absurdity of options which is right up my alley so there are a lot of consequences and payoffs to help you fight later and stuff but not as much for the companions.

While having different characters in your party allows for different banter, and I loved the characters I had met, I felt like they weren't really given their time to shine in the regular quests? Having one may help you excel at a specific attribute but it's still 'you' doing it and a lot of the time, I had already upgraded my stats in that field well enough to do whatever I wanted for the quest I was on, armor also improves these so they almost seemed reduced to companions like Lydia in Skyrim in the main story. Yeah, she's there and she helps you fight and sometimes you can see characters butt heads like with the Iconoclasts and Sublight but because I was the one manipulating it, it wasn't like I just tripped on a plot or anything, I engaged it.

Maybe because they're all 'recruitable' and it gives you the option to not even take anybody but even with Mass Effect, certain ones were optional but you had a base of ones that were there no matter what, I don't know how to feel because yeah, I'm the big bad hero of the story and I'm impressing my friends but if I'm not doing it with them then is it really that cool? I'd never had to think about that with a game before because more freedom=better right?

As far as the ending, it's one of those cheesy knockoff ones where they show a slideshow "because of your actions, this happened." blah blah blah, it also includes the DLC which is why I said to play it "right before". So great fun but you start to see some cracks.

[howtoincreasespeedofvpnconnectio]

does my modem log web sites if i use vpn

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Modem logging policies

Modem logging policies are crucial for ensuring the security and integrity of network communications. In essence, these policies dictate how modems record and store data pertaining to user activities and network events. With the proliferation of cyber threats and the increasing importance of data privacy, modem logging policies play a vital role in safeguarding sensitive information and preventing unauthorized access.

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However, it's important to strike a balance between logging enough information to maintain security and privacy while avoiding excessive data collection that could infringe on user rights. Modem logging policies should be transparent and clearly communicate what data is being logged, how it is being used, and how long it will be retained. Additionally, organizations should regularly review and update their logging policies to adapt to evolving threats and regulatory changes.

In conclusion, modem logging policies are essential for maintaining the security, integrity, and compliance of network communications. By implementing clear and effective logging practices, organizations can better protect their data and infrastructure from cyber threats while respecting user privacy rights.

VPN privacy features

Title: Exploring Essential VPN Privacy Features: Safeguarding Your Online Activities

In today's digital landscape, protecting your online privacy is paramount. With the ever-present threat of data breaches, surveillance, and invasive tracking, utilizing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) has become essential. VPNs offer a secure pathway for your internet traffic, shielding your sensitive information from prying eyes. Let's delve into some of the key privacy features provided by VPN services:

Encryption: One of the fundamental features of VPNs is encryption. VPNs use advanced encryption protocols to scramble your data, making it unreadable to anyone who intercepts it. This ensures that even if your data is intercepted, it remains indecipherable, maintaining your privacy.

No-Logs Policy: Reputable VPN providers adhere to a strict no-logs policy. This means that they do not track or store any information about your online activities. By choosing a VPN with a no-logs policy, you can rest assured that your browsing history, connection timestamps, and any other sensitive data remain confidential.

IP Address Masking: VPNs mask your real IP address by routing your internet traffic through their servers. This prevents websites, advertisers, and even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from tracking your online activities based on your IP address. Instead, they see the IP address of the VPN server, enhancing your anonymity online.

Kill Switch: A kill switch is a crucial feature that ensures your privacy even if your VPN connection drops unexpectedly. It automatically terminates your internet connection if the VPN connection is lost, preventing any data leaks. This feature is particularly important when accessing sensitive information or using public Wi-Fi networks.

DNS Leak Protection: VPNs often come with built-in DNS leak protection, which prevents your DNS queries from being exposed to third parties. This ensures that your online activities remain private, even if there are vulnerabilities in your network configuration.

In conclusion, VPNs offer a comprehensive suite of privacy features that safeguard your online activities from various threats. By choosing a reliable VPN provider and understanding these essential features, you can enjoy a more secure and private internet experience.

Internet browsing anonymity

Internet browsing anonymity is a crucial aspect of online security and privacy for users looking to protect their personal information and browsing habits from being tracked or monitored by third parties. By maintaining anonymity while browsing the internet, users can ensure that their online activities remain private and secure.

One of the most common ways to achieve internet browsing anonymity is by using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN creates a secure and encrypted connection to the internet, masking the user's IP address and encrypting their internet traffic. This prevents hackers, internet service providers, and government agencies from tracking or monitoring the user's online activities.

Another effective method for maintaining internet browsing anonymity is by using the Tor network. Tor is a free and open-source software that allows users to browse the internet anonymously by routing their internet traffic through a network of volunteer-operated servers. This helps conceal the user's IP address and makes it difficult for anyone to track their online activities.

In addition to using VPNs and the Tor network, internet users can also protect their anonymity by using private browsing modes offered by web browsers, disabling cookies, and regularly clearing their browsing history and cache.

Overall, maintaining internet browsing anonymity is essential for protecting one's online privacy and security. By utilizing tools such as VPNs, the Tor network, and implementing good browsing habits, users can ensure that their online activities remain private and secure.

Web traffic encryption

Web traffic encryption plays a critical role in ensuring the security and privacy of users online. It involves the process of encoding data transmitted between a user's device and a website to protect it from unauthorized access. By implementing encryption protocols such as HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), websites encrypt data exchanges using cryptographic algorithms, making it difficult for cyber attackers to intercept and steal sensitive information.

One of the primary reasons why web traffic encryption is essential is to safeguard personal data such as login credentials, financial information, and other sensitive details shared online. Without encryption, this data would be vulnerable to interception by malicious actors, potentially leading to identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes. Additionally, encryption helps prevent unauthorized surveillance and monitoring of user activities, preserving individuals' privacy rights while browsing the web.

Furthermore, search engines like Google prioritize websites with encrypted connections in their search rankings, giving them a slight SEO boost. This emphasis on encryption underscores its significance not only for security but also for visibility and credibility online. As cyber threats continue to evolve, web traffic encryption remains a fundamental tool in mitigating risks and fostering a safer online environment for businesses and users alike.

In conclusion, web traffic encryption is a cornerstone of cybersecurity practices, enhancing data protection, privacy, and trust in the digital realm. By encrypting web traffic, businesses demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding customer information and maintaining a secure online presence. As internet usage continues to rise, prioritizing encryption measures is crucial to building a resilient and secure online ecosystem for all users.

Data tracking prevention

Data tracking prevention is becoming an increasingly important topic in today's digital age. With the rise of online tracking, many internet users are concerned about their privacy and the security of their personal information. Data tracking refers to the collection of user data by websites, apps, and other online platforms for various purposes such as targeted advertising, analytics, and user profiling.

In response to these concerns, many internet browsers and mobile devices now offer features that allow users to prevent data tracking. These features typically block third-party cookies, prevent cross-site tracking, and limit the collection of user data by websites and online advertisers. By enabling data tracking prevention settings, users can protect their online privacy and reduce the risk of their personal information being shared without their consent.

Data tracking prevention is particularly important for individuals who are concerned about their online security and privacy. By taking proactive steps to prevent data tracking, users can limit the amount of personal information that is collected about them online and reduce the risk of being targeted by malicious actors or experiencing privacy breaches.

Overall, data tracking prevention is an essential tool for protecting online privacy and security in today's digital world. By being aware of the risks of data tracking and taking steps to prevent it, internet users can enjoy a safer and more secure online experience.

[rapidketogummiesss]

Rapid Keto Gummies Review: Slim Down In No Time

Burning away excess fat is no easy affair. Why is this so? Several many things, there are many answers to this enquiry. Society plays a big role, though. You're presented with unrealistic bodily expectations, all while being offered foods that are loaded with complex carbs. And, advertising these are an is actually because your body likes to burn them first. It's biologically conditioned to conserve fat. In antiquity, this has been a necessity. When you weren't sure where great meal was coming from, fat kept you surviving. Those times are well behind us, yet still. And, evolution has yet to catch on top of our modern lifestyle. Be expecting that to happen for a lot of millennia yet, though. In the meantime, we recommend Rapid Keto Gummies to put you into the fat-burning zone faster than anything else can. To order yours, click any of the links on this page!

If you haven't heard the news about Rapid Keto Gummies yet, we're excited to be people to bring it on to the attention. It deploys BHB ketones to your body, and these are key for bringing about meaningful fat breakdown. As soon as you consume this formula, its ingredients make a start immediately, activating your innate ability to burn human body fat. Specifically, the ketones reorient your factories to generate fuel, not from their preferred carb source, but from your stored unwanted weight. In this way, your energy needs are being drawn directly from your accumulated fat cells. This will not only bring down your body weight, but you'll feel profound energy. You will not think so, but fat is actually far more efficient in terms of strength it provides. If it didn't take so darned long to process, we expect that the body would burn it first as opposed to glucose.

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[boukenboy]

#16: アンジェリーク 魔恋の六騎士 / Angelique: Maren no Rokukishi

Angelique: Maren no Rokukishi was a visual novel released by Koei in collaboration with Otomate, a developer of many otome games within Japan. It follows the story of Teresa, a young girl whose parents went missing when she was very young. She lives in the city of Siva with her adoptive family - an unnamed grandmother and her annoying brother, Renaud. After hearing strange rumors about a series of kidnappings within the city, she falls victim to a masked assailant later that night, only to wake up in her room a day later with no recollection of what had happened to her. Read on for drama!

Her brother disappears too, and Teresa beings to desperately search for the boy. She soon finds him within the company of a band of traveling mercenaries. She pleads for him to return, but Renaud refuses, pledging his loyalty to the captain of the mysterious group, Leviath. Faced with a lack of options and her brother's stubborn reluctance to return home, she begs the one-eyed weirdo to serve as his assistant, as Renaud is prone to exhaustion and illness. He agrees, and soon Teresa finds herself on an interstellar adventure, supporting the knights as they serve various clients.

Maren no Rokukishi focuses on the nature of war. When is violence justified? Is it worth it? Do the ends always justify the means? The game explores all of these at some point, and overall, its surprisingly cynical and dark, in a sharp contrast to the colorful art direction. Family ties are broken, betrayals abound, and the action sequences are surprisingly well-written. There are sections in Maren that I found myself completely absorbed in the writing - despite being the type to skim fight-scenes, especially those written in a language that I am not a native speaker of.

Unfortunately, most of the above happens in the final hours of the main route - the rest is simply not that interesting, primarily due to the focus on Renaud. So much of Maren revolves around him, and quite frankly, he is easily the worst member of the cast. Renaud is whiny, naïve, occasionally bratty, and has an incredibly irritating voice. He collapses at the slightest bit of effort, and yet everybody in the cast dotes on him and sees zero no issue with letting him lead his own army. Make no mistake, this is not Teresa's story. It is his.

When you're not experiencing Renaud's latest temper tantrum, depressive episode, or fainting spell, you'll be treated to amusing slice-of-life vignettes of Teresa adjusting to a mercenary lifestyle. You'll be harassed by a drunk, attacked by bandits, threatened with your life at the slightest suspicion, and so forth. Like I said earlier, Maren really only picks up in the final hours, where the shit hits the proverbial fan and characters start dropping like flies. The ending is honestly shocking in how far it plunges into campy tragedy - think Game of Thrones, but actually entertaining. I said what I said.

Thankfully, the other routes solve the Renaud issue entirely. But there is a caveat: in order to unlock these routes, you have to complete the main story first. I am of two minds about this feature. On one hand, I think its interesting that the designers have you experience their fantasy epic before allowing the player to romance their favorite knight, but on the other, I don't think that Maren's "canon" story is strong enough to justify it - there's just too much focus on one character, and he's not even remotely likeable. I did some research before writing this game, and found someone who agreed with me, saying, roughly translated from memory, "...but there was too much Renaud, so I'm taking off a star."

The individual routes are much stronger. My favorite of those that I've played was Giovanni - he's basically the ultimate twink: a hard-drinking, gambling, blackmailing scammer who loves trouble. His route is very light-hearted, which was a welcome relief from the drama present throughout the rest of the game, and his playful nature reminds me a bit of a particular ex of mine, so I'm naturally a bit biased. The main conflict in his route occurs during their second date: he carefully arranges a luxurious all-day experience with Teresa. They go to the opera! He gives her a new dress! A fancy restaurant! Flowers! It's amazing!

It is then revealed that he was able to go to such excesses because he scammed rich people out of their money. Teresa, for whatever reason, is appalled at this, and basically tears him apart, making a huge scene in public, even - and I was completely dumbfounded. This might be a bit too political for a gaming blog, but I personally would have no issue with someone I am interested in romantically treating me to a five-star experience through some rich asshole's money. They'll be fine, they're rich - who cares? It would be one thing if he was beating up orphans in the street, but Giovanni only targets those who can afford a little blackmail. He is the ideal husband. Teresa should deal with it.

Kiefer's route was incredibly moving, albeit in a more personal way - this blonde mad lad is absolutely insane, and for a good part of the story, Teresa is left unsure as to whether or not he wants to love her or kill her. With most characters of this type, they quickly warm up to you, but Kiefer is different: if Teresa expresses even something even slightly disagreeable in his mind, he would not hesitate to slaughter her on the spot. He is also the character I'm most attracted to, and that says a lot about me and I don't want to talk about it.

As I said earlier, Maren has a streak of denying the supposed inherent value of family, and there is no greater example of this than in his route: Kiefer kills his brother, an adorable himbo struggling to adjust to high society, in cold-blood, and then attempts to do the same with his father, who, as we find out, tended to dote on his twin-brother. As someone who has been disowned by my own family, Kiefer's rage resonated with me. We, as children, take in our parent's biases, for better or worse, and when we cannot live up to them, it creates a disconnect. I have not spoken to my family in nearly five years. I could understand and identify with Kiefer's rage. I wouldn't go as far as to kill my own family, but who knows what would have happened should I not have left my home town?

I did not know this when I first began playing Maren, but the game is an adaption of a light novel released after Angelique: Tenkuu no Requiem, which is itself an RPG spin-off of Angelique Special 2. This makes Maren a spin-off of a spin-off, but despite that, I still had plenty of fun with the game - I just wish the main route was realized a bit better. I usually like to replay certain routes to better formulate my opinions, but Maren focuses entirely too much on a character I could not stand. I'd definitely recommend this to fans of Angelique, particularly the sequels mentioned above, as I'm sure the game contains all sorts of references to the source materials, but on its own, it's a bit lacking overall. That being said, as much as Maren lacks, there are certain scenes that were so well-done that I found myself genuinely moved. It's an uneven experience, but one worth looking into!

[minor-solemnity]

Care

1.2k words of the purest fluffy comfort! 

The only signs that exam season is taking its toll on him are the black-blue ink stains on his fingertips and the slight hollowness under his eyes. Annoyingly enough, these slight imperfections only add to his already good looks. He looks like one of those French philosophers or a Romantic poet.

Summer should, by all accounts, be your favourite season. As a child you used to love the feeling of the sun on your bare skin, the excitement of cold juice and ice cream in the park, the feeling of complete and utter freedom that came with the promise of summer holidays. You still do love all these things, childish though they may be. 

The problem is simple. You do not love exams. You do not love spending long hours toiling away at your revision notes until arithmancy equations and transfiguration incantations blur on the page in front of you. You especially do not love hearing the younger years screaming with laughter and having fun outside in the warm summer evening because they’re twelve and their exams don’t matter. You never thought you’d be jealous of second years, but here you are, glaring at the window next to you with unbridled hatred and wishing you could hex everyone under the age of fifteen for having the gall to not have to worry about their future just yet.

You glare over your pile of messily stacked notes at a sixth year Ravenclaw who approaches. He catches one look at you and immediately pivots on the spot and retreats from whence he came. Good. For about twenty minutes, you’re left in blessed silence to stew in your anger over the injustice of having NEWTs in the summertime. You manage to review your first set of notes for transfiguration before your vision starts swimming again and you start sorely regretting your decision to skip lunch and dinner in favour of holing up in the library. 

A shadow passes over the desk and you turn to tell this person to leave too when you meet Tom’s vaguely amused gaze. He leans against a nearby bookcase, looking far too put together for your liking. The only signs that exam season is taking its toll on him are the black-blue ink stains on his fingertips and the slight hollowness under his eyes. Annoyingly enough, these slight imperfections only add to his already good looks. He looks like one of those French philosophers or a Romantic poet. 

In comparison, you feel like you wouldn’t look out of place with the hags in Nocturn. “You weren’t at dinner,” Tom says, eyeing the spread of quills and parchment laid out before you with a raised eyebrow. “Or at lunch for that matter.”

“I’ve been busy.” 

“Oh, I can see that. You look… a little out of sorts.” Coming from Tom, who rarely turns his sharp tongue on you, this is code for ‘you look like an acromantula chewed you up and spat you out’. If you weren’t so tired and hungry and stressed, you’d be insulted. He slides into the chair opposite you and begins to pack your things away. 

Immediately you’re leaning over the table, practically scrambling in your attempt to get him to stop. “They’re in an order, Tom!” You hiss and ignore the several shushing sounds from surrounding tables. “Stop packing my stuff away, I need to revise!” Your pleas fall on death ears and Tom easily bats your hands away as he continues his awful mission to destroy any chance you have of passing your Transfiguration NEWT. “You’re going to make me fail.”

He levels you with an unimpressed glare. “You’re going to make yourself fail.” All traces of amusement have left his expression and you suddenly feel very small under the weight of his reproach. “If you keep missing meals and spending every waking second in this place, you’ll end up in the hospital wing before you’ve even sat your first exam.” He sounds so reasonable. You hate it when he’s reasonable. It makes it very difficult to argue with him. You scowl at him and he rolls his eyes back, but you can’t deny the flash of genuine concern that you see flit across his expression. It’s enough to make you fall back in your chair and watch as he tucks the last set of revision notes into your bag.

He walks around the table and hold his hand out for you to take, which you do and promptly have to sit back down again when the world spins violently and spots appear in front of your vision. Straight away, he is crouching down beside you, his hands on either side of your face as he tilts your head so he can more clearly see whether or not you’re about to faint. “I’m fine,�� You mumble, “It’s just head rush.” He makes a sound in the back of his throat that tells you he does not believe you in the slightest and when you finally meet his gaze, all you can see is poorly hidden worry and exasperation playing in his dark eyes.

“We’re going to leave now.” He says decisively, and, with more care than he would probably like to admit, helps you up again and gently leads you out of the library, one hand pressed firmly against the small of your back, the other carrying your bag.

Once you’re in the dungeons, you expect to take the familiar route back to the comfort of the common room, instead, Tom leads you down a series of passages that you rarely had the need to travel down until you come to a stop outside a painting of a bowl of fruit. He leaves your side for just a moment and you watch curiously as he runs his fingers over the painting. The painting swings open and you stare, slack-jawed as the kitchens come into view.

“I… How did you even know…?” It says something about the state you’re in that you’re unable to string a simple sentence together and for the first time since you’ve left the library, Tom’s expression breaks into that amused little smile of his. He leads you through the portrait hole and sets you down on one of the benches that line the cavernous room. The house-elves don’t seem all that surprised to see him and you watch as he talks with one of them. You can’t hear what he says, but the set line of his spine gives you the impression that he’s being very serious. 

Sitting in the warmth of the kitchens, you begin to feel the true strength of your tiredness. Exam season has never been a good time for you; in fifth year you’d run yourself ragged trying to prepare and though you’d promised Tom you’d learnt your lesson, it seems like old habits die hard. Without you noticing it happen, your eyes slip shut and your head falls against the wall behind you as sleep takes hold of you. 

You’re woken by a hand gently stroking your hair and Tom swims into sight. He’s holding a large mug of something hot and a plate of your favourite snacks is sat on the bench beside you. Fondness overwhelms you as you take in his expression which is at once dryly amused and concerned. “I need you to take better care of yourself,” He murmurs, pressing the mug into your hands. “It’s not so easy to protect you when the enemy is your own stubbornness.”

You smile softly and nod your head, “You still manage though.”

He hums in agreement and presses a soft kiss against your forehead, “I said it was harder, not impossible.”

[existslikepristin]

Impromptu Review

Thanks for editing this one goes to momirene and Worldsover, and for helpful beta reading feedback from them and one dork who wants to remain anonymous.

Tags: TheLounge, Red Velvet, SNSD (Girl's Generation), Joy, Sunny, loneliness, potential traumatization of cats, a hoard of hell-themed sex toys, a strap on, a butt plug with Jiu's face in it, and bisexual problems.

The front door of Sunny’s apartment swung open so fast that Joy felt a breeze from the vacuum it left behind.

“Joy! You’re here!”

Joy blinked. “Yeah, I said I would come over.”

“It’s been so long since we’ve met up! Come in, come in!”

“It’s only been like a month though.”

Sunny grabbed Joy’s hands and pulled her through the doorway. “It feels like so much longer than that!”

Joy smiled and took her shoes off in the entryway. “You seem more excited than usual.”

“What? How so?”

“Well for one,” Joy said, pointing at the kitchen, “It looks like you prepared for a whole party in here.”

The kitchen’s island was covered in plates of snacks and several variations of alcoholic beverages. Additionally, Sunny was noticeably sweaty, like she had just run around the house preparing for guests. Joy figured it would be best not to bring that up.

“What? No. That? That’s… yeah, that’s a lot of food, isn’t it?” Sunny’s posture drooped, as if she’d already expended all of her energy on her greeting.

Joy pulled her into a side hug. Her height served to straighten Sunny back up. “What’s going on, girl?”

Sunny sighed and leaned her head on Joy’s chest. “I dunno. I’m just excited. Haven’t had a good social night any time recently.”

“Aw! But what about these cutie kitties?”

Sogeum popped her head out from behind the wall and gave Joy her signature droopy, grim stare without so much as a meow. As soon as Joy shuffled in her direction though, she turned and went back into the living room.

“Well, you know. Can’t really have a real conversation with the cats.”

Joy hummed her agreement and stepped into the kitchen. “I’m always happy to talk to you Sunny. They don’t call SM a family for nothing.”

Sunny groaned, loudly.

“Um. Okay,” Joy said when Sunny didn’t elaborate. “Not a family? Just a bunch of really close friends?”

“Yeah, that’ll work better. Not a fan of the family motif.”

Joy picked up a cracker and chomped down. “Gonna… explain? Family is normally a positive thing, isn’t it?”

Sunny grabbed a bottle of wine and yanked the cork out. “Yeah, totally, for sure. Hey, do you like Chardonnay?”

“I…” Joy didn’t want to skirt around whatever issue Sunny was having, but was well-aware of her stubbornness. “I sure do.”

As fancy glasses of white wine were generously poured, Joy made note of Sunny’s slow, unsteady movements. She worried that perhaps Sunny had already started drinking, or wasn’t getting enough sleep.

* * *

“Can you believe that, Joy?”

“No way. It’s just inhuman.”

“Completely! It’s not like green onions are suddenly more expensive to dry out!”

The conversation had started with gossip and cheese snacking when the sun was high. As the sun set, the discussion shifted to the price of instant meals, and the snack plates were all but empty. Joy had to fight the constant urge to fall asleep, as the topics were never much more interesting than that. But she let Sunny lead the talking as much as possible.

Joy was simply relieved that Sunny called her over before diving into her liquor storage. “You should start a petition to regulate the price. I’d be the first to sign it.”

Sunny’s tipsy grin matched Joy’s. Though the alcohol consumption had been slow-going, they had been doing it for several hours. “Oh that would be great press. ‘Washed up idol upset with ramen manufacturers.’”

With an exaggerated roll of the eyes, Joy pointed at a set of boxes in the corner of the living room, currently being used as a lookout tower by Sogeum. “You’re not washed up yet. Look at all of those sponsor gifts. Those weren’t here last time I came over… Wait, they weren’t, were they?”

Sunny giggled. “No, they’re, uh… new.”

Their corporate sponsors weren’t something that Joy, Sunny, or any of the other SM idols discussed often. There were usually so many vying for their attention that it was pointless trying to keep track. But Joy reasoned, somewhat drunkenly, that talking about it might be therapeutic to someone so down on their social status. “Who are they from, anyway?”

A blush deepened the red of Sunny’s already tipsy-glowing cheeks. “Uh… Nobody. Just a regular sponsor, ya know?”

Joy grinned. “Oh, come on. You can tell me. What am I gonna do? Call a press conference to tell the tabloids who’s contributing to your paycheck?”

Sunny rolled her eyes. She shot off the couch, spilling a drop or two of her wine in the process. From Joy’s naturally higher perspective, Sunny didn’t seem that much taller. “Fine,” she said, wobbling, “but you better not make fun of me.”

“I’ll make fun of you for other reasons, like how much I love you, bitch!” Joy blinked at her own shouting. She didn’t know when the alcohol had hit her, but she was beginning to think that she was a little more intoxicated than she previously thought.

Thankfully, the joviality in her voice seemed to encourage Sunny to play along. She set her wine on the coffee table and picked one of the smaller boxes off of the pile. “Disclosure first! We haven’t agreed to any deals yet. They sent me this stuff to try to convince me to shill it. I didn’t reach out to them.”

Joy waved the disclosure off like a mosquito, but Sunny still tossed the box in her direction. The weight inside of it was awkwardly distributed. Joy attempted to catch it, but it wound up ricocheting off the tips of her fingers and nearly knocking over an open, mostly full bottle of soju.

“The fuck is in this thing?”

“I’ve got some ideas but I just know who it’s from. Open it and find out.”

Joy tore into the box with no regard for the care that went into the packaging, which itself was surprisingly discreet. A smirk cracked her lips when she thought about what sorts of deliveries required such discretion. But the smirk faded right away when she got a view of the inside and realized that the packager apparently had the same idea.

Inside was a pair of plastic sheets wrapped asymmetrically around a roughly water bottle sized blob of blood red silicone. A small bit of pink cardboard advertised it as a five-speed, rotation-simulating, self-cleaning, pattern-switching, USB-charging, automatically-lubricating, remote-controlled vibrator with a speaker at the bottom for replicating a set of desired moans and a specialized charging dock.

Joy cleared her throat and stared at the horrifically fancy dildo, and its label, “Dante’s Dive,” unsure if she should toss it back to Sunny, considering it was clearly a personal item.

Sunny reached into what was left of the box, procuring a pretty little decorated card. “Dear Ms. Lee, we at Second Ring Inc were very pleased to hear your impromptu review of our products on a recent episode of ‘Welp, I Guess We’re Talking About This Now’ and wished to send you some additional items to show our appreciation. These are in no way a request for further public review,” Sunny was briefly interrupted by Joy’s disapproving snort, “but should you be interested in a partnership, we have included a phone number at which I, the chief executive officer, Lee Youngjoon, may be reached. Optionally, my username--”

Joy missed a few words as she was shocked by the extreme sound emitted by the vibrator when she pushed a button on the remote control.

“--is ‘worldsover’. As you know, Second Ring specializes in sexual wellness products, of which we’ve sent you a wide variety. They can be enjoyed by couples, or can serve as a fantastic outlet for power singles like yourself…”

Sunny trailed off. Joy was afraid she knew what was coming. “Damn, Sunny. You say so much as three words on national television and they scramble to get right up on your ass, eh?”

It was too late. Sunny was already tipping up the bottom of the soju bottle. A few drops spluttered back out of her mouth as Joy pushed it back down. “Sunny! You’ve said it yourself! You don’t want to get married!”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not still lonely!”

Joy wrapped her arms around Sunny. “You’ve got me. And a million other friends!”

“Fans don’t count.” Sunny’s voice was partially muffled by Joy’s shoulder.

“Ouch. Time for me to delete my Sone club membership. But fine. A hundred other friends. It’s not just me. It’s my members. Your members. And plenty of others. All of NCT would be--Okay, nevermind. Aespa though! They love you too.”

“But I don't want to inconvenience you." Sunny ended so matter-of-factly that Joy had to pause to process the short conversation.

"You know how… You know how you take a road trip, and there's a road block, or really bad construction, and you have to take a detour?"

"Yeah. I'm a detour."

"Come on, Sunny. What you are is the scenic route!”

There was a long silence.

“Was that the end of the metaphor?” Sunny eventually asked.

“I am very drunk.”

“You’re not that drunk.”

“Drunk enough to be shit at metaphors.”

“It’s…” Sunny extricated herself from Joy’s hug. “It’s okay. I think I know what you’re getting at, and I appreciate it. It’s just that a few words don’t really fix a brain, you know?”

Joy nodded slowly, watching as Sogeum casually stalked across the room. “Yup. But believe me. I’m here for you, at least. So if you need a friend, or some company, I’m at the top of your list.”

The cat plopped herself on the floor, right up against Sunny’s leg. Joy giggled. “Fuck off, kitty. I just said I was the top.”

It seemed the topic of conversation was ready to change. Sunny smiled, and it was enough to indicate her understanding.

“So!” Joy moved things along. “A pile of free, top of the line sex toys in your living room. What’s a young woman to do about that?”

Sunny snorted. “Well I’m not going to masturbate while I have company over, that’s for sure.” She grabbed another box from the pile and handed it over, doing her best not to disturb Sogeum’s new resting place.

The new box took mere seconds to open, this time revealing a black silicone butt plug with a red gem in the base. The casing suggested that a picture could be inserted beneath the gem, and it appeared there was one already there as an example. Joy had to flip it around to a variety of angles before she could make out that it contained a headshot of Dreamcatcher’s Jiu making finger hearts on her cheeks. She cocked her head, wondering if the image had actually been authorized.

Another box swapped between the womens’ hands. It took Joy a little longer to open than the last, but it turned out to be that way for a good reason, given that it was gently holding some fragile cargo: A red-tinted glass bottle of lube, labeled as “Juice from the Fruit of The Tree.” The lengthy product title had a snake winding through the letters.

“Well now they’re just really doubling down on this theme, aren’t they?” Sunny asked as she worked out how to open the next package, using her bottle opener as a makeshift knife.

Joy laughed and picked up yet another, now eager to see what kind of wild object it would contain. “Yeah, they really are! No lie, they’re starting to give me some ideas. Talk about sinful.”

“‘Oh I know,’” Sunny mocked the company, as SM artists often did, fingers still struggling to find their way under the first cardboard flap. “‘Let’s send Sunny a whole pile of sex junk. Bet she’s sinful enough to use it all.’ Like, come on Love-eye, or whatever your name is. What’s a single woman gonna do with all this? Hold up a pillow fort?”

“Hey, maybe he doesn’t know you’re single. Maybe there’s some stuff in here that takes two to tangle with… Fuck. Choerry’s got me using alliterations.”

Sunny barely managed to get her fingers inside the box, but her knuckles were turning white from the tightness of it. It seemed that she had left a portion of the packing tape uncut. “I said I was single on the show, though. I don’t think there will be any couples’ toys in here.”

“Oooh, I’m gonna make it a bet now.” Joy smirked. Her next sentence bypassed her verbal filter through the holes left in it by the alcohol. “If you get that thing open and there’s a strap on inside, you have to fuck me with it!”

A jerk of her arms snapped the remainder of the packing tape. Sunny chuckled. “You’re on. There’s no way it is.”

Joy had to admit that Sunny had a point, considering how small the package was. Surely it couldn’t fit a series of leather straps, or a dildo any larger than a couple of inches in any direction. The little voice in the back of her mind that told her making such an offer was stupid quieted down somewhat.

There was a moment of quiet. Sogeum rolled away from Sunny and made her way to the kitchen. Joy picked up another box, confident that she hadn’t just placed herself in an awkward situation. Sunny shook her head, amused. And then…

“J-Joy?”

Joy looked back, but wasn’t quite sure what she was looking at. It was a sort of mass of black string with some silver discs hanging off of it. Another piece of pink paper fluttered to the floor, where Joy picked it up and read aloud.

“‘The Obol.’ As Charon ferried Dante across the Styx and into the hole that is Hell, so too shall this state-of-the-art magnetic harness ferry our exclusive Dante’s Dive dildo into your… partner’s hole…”

There was more to be read, but both women seemed to get the point. The only sound in the room came from Sogeum chomping through some hard cat food in the kitchen. Slowly, their eyes raised and met. They both spoke at the same moment.

“That was a bet’s a joke bet right?”

Their drunken minds needed a moment to detangle their words into distinct sentences. Sunny’s “That was a joke, right?” and Joy’s “A bet’s a bet.”

Sunny started again first. “You know, we don’t have to.”

“I will if you want to.”

Every sentence being exchanged was followed by a palpable stillness. Joy’s heart beat loudly in her own ears, and she swore she could hear Sunny’s too.

“Do you… want to fuck me with that, Sunny?”

Sunny answered instantly. “Yup.”

There was a flurry of action, though it was slowed here and there by a tipsy stumble or two. Sunny gathered up an armful of the items on her coffee table, both sex toys and the bottle of soju, and sprinted for the bedroom. Joy rushed after her, messily attempting and failing to remove some of her clothes on the way.

Sogeum was spooked by the sudden kerfuffle and fled out of sight.

The bedroom was no less hectic. Sunny dropped everything on the bed except the soju, which she took one more swig of directly from the bottle before setting it dangerously close to the edge of her desk. She wiggled out of her shirt and bra, which attracted Joy’s attention instantly.

Joy struck at Sunny’s cleavage, wrapping her fingers as far as they could go around the legendary orbs, and her lips around one of the budding tips. Their differences in height made it awkward, but they very soon found their way to a horizontal state that eased that tension. Unfortunately, it was not on the bed, but on the floor, but they weren’t about to let something like that stop them.

What clothes they were still wearing exploded off their bodies. Joy’s shorts and shirt, Sunny’s pants and socks. All of it ended up in different sections of the room, thrown under and over furniture.

Joy was no stranger to encounters like this, and neither was Sunny. They had shared countless stories with each other… and some spit. But neither had considered their prior make out sessions to be precursors to explicitly sexual action. For her part, however, Joy considered this one differently, and Sunny’s hands searching half-blindly for Joy’s ass confirmed to her that Sunny thought the same.

Backs arched. Legs ground against one another. Open mouths met, trading the alcoholic scents that the women no longer cared to distinguish. Their minds had devoted themselves entirely to the search for physical pleasure.

A lot of exploratory prodding led Sunny’s fingers to the entrance to Joy’s pussy, failing to notice the number of pokes that ended up at Joy's exit. She took some time familiarizing herself with the drenched outer folds.

Joy, however, noticed the poking at her ass. Her mind swam with serotonin, thoughts of other people, and alcoholic fumes that seemed to rearrange the letters of her thoughts into nonsense. Or possibly into inspiration.

Inspiration relevant to the happenings at the prior year's award shows, that is.

Joy tried to pull back the moment Sunny’s fingers dipped inside her. She had opened her mouth to speak but instead groaned and arched herself further into Sunny’s grip on her sanity. "S-Sunny. B-bed."

At least that message was received loud and clear. Sunny dragged her fingers against Joy’s G-spot as she, disappointingly, pulled them out, nearly causing Joy to scream. The same fingers plunged into Joy’s mouth and quieted her as she diligently sucked her own juices from them.

The action transferred to the bed. Fingers immediately found their places again, and Joy bounced on her back in time with Sunny’s brutal shoves. Packaging bounced all around them. It was like a desperate, distracted game of Vegetable Shinobi for Joy, swiping at the jumping dildo. Sunny’s fingers were divine, eye-wateringly so, but Joy wanted something unholy.

Sunny muttered Joy’s name, catching her attention again. She lifted her head to meet for yet another imprecise kiss. Their legs twisted around each other. Joy could hear the desperation in Sunny’s moans, vibrating all the way down her throat, burning like the alcohol. She snaked a hand between them and found Sunny’s clit.

The moans freed themselves as Sunny bucked backward, almost out of Joy’s longer reach. Joy noted the exceptional reaction, and flipped Sunny onto her back, following immediately and putting herself in the position of power Sunny had initiated.

“You’re gonna fuck me with the strap on… right, Sunny?”

Sunny’s eyes widened, and she grabbed the toys.

“No, not yet,” Joy stalled in her most seductive voice. She slid down, nearly falling off the bed, and wrenched Sunny’s legs wide open with her elbows.

Sunny clenched her fingers around the hell-themed dildo for dear life. Joy’s name poured through her lips over and over again as Joy’s lips poured over her pussy.

Joy had to fight Sunny’s strength to keep her spread thighs from clamping around her head. She wanted to keep hearing her senior beg, loud and clear. To that end, she dug in her tongue, unable to penetrate far, but far enough to open Sunny up and feel the wetness flow into her mouth.

“Please… Joy… I’m close… Joy, please! Joy, don’t stop!”

The thought flitted through Joy’s head, that perhaps denying Sunny her orgasm would be fun, but something about the way she said it made Joy wonder if Sunny’s neediness was rooted in her loneliness, more than in her desire to get off. She shifted herself to wrap her arms under Sunny’s legs and pulled. It wasn’t possible for them to be any physically closer than they were, but she wanted to make it feel like they could be.

Sunny’s voice cracked, choked, and broke into a scream. Joy winced as her tongue was squeezed uncomfortably, but she wasn’t about to stop. The back arches, hair grasping, and pained gasps that followed were worth it.

Joy kept it up until Sunny’s body fell back down and her muscles relaxed. Only then, she removed herself to ask, “Need a break before my turn?”

A smile crept up Sunny’s mouth. Her fingers tightened around the dildo she still had in her hand. “Get… back down here.”

If there was any benefit Joy appreciated most about idol training, it was recovery speed, and Sunny still had it. Joy picked up the strap, quickly figuring out how it was supposed to fit and sliding it up Sunny’s legs. The motion doubled as her approach for another make out.

Of course, Joy was still immensely horny. Her interest in making out with Sunny was overshadowed by her desire to get fucked savagely, but she had the wherewithal to hold out, to let it happen naturally. She was always good at letting others take the lead. Whether they led from the top or from the bottom didn’t especially matter to her.

The alcohol made her more impatient than usual though. She forced herself to wait for the five-speed pounding she’d get, but she ground herself against Sunny’s leg in the meantime. Thankfully she didn’t have to wait long. Sunny threw her to the side and attached the vibrator to the unusual strap with very little trouble. Joy fingered herself as she watched.

“Fuck, yes, Sunny. This is going to be so goo--”

Sunny practically tackled Joy. Their lips collided again, strap hovering somewhere between Joy’s legs, but not close enough for her to feel it.

The moment she did, though, Joy grabbed Sunny’s ass and pulled. The lack of accuracy was made up for by the inhuman amount of lubrication present; both Joy’s and the curious synthetic compound that the dildo exuded seemingly of its own volition.

It was almost too much for Joy. The dildo was certainly longer than any she had used before, and bottoming out at full speed meant it hit her rather painfully in the cervix. She hissed, but otherwise just readjusted her legs in Sunny’s way to prevent the same thing from happening so easily again.

The strap held the dildo in place on Sunny’s body well. Despite its genuinely small frame, it seemed to prevent all wiggling. Every one of Sunny’s movements, including the less delicate, more intoxicated ones, translated to sensations that felt to Joy like a biologically attached dick, albeit with a plethora of extra features.

"You're so pretty, Joy," Sunny said. Even though she was doing all the work now, she wasn't nearly as winded as before. Knowing she’d affected Sunny made Joy grin into another kiss.

“No you,” Joy said with a smirk. She knew this would be good, but she truly underestimated how great it would be to see Sunny’s famous tits jiggling with the effort of fucking her. The sheen of sweat covering them would ensure the night wouldn’t be forgotten, even if Joy had another drink or two.

Joy’s first orgasm struck quickly and unexpectedly. Her breath stopped and a shudder spiked through her body from her core to the tips of her toes and fingers and head. The ability to think normally left her for a brief moment. She only kept the fleeting question of whether or not Sunny was able to feel Joy’s climax. Stars popped in and out of existence, obscuring Joy’s view of Sunny’s fantastic body.

It all faded relatively soon after, but it wasn’t enough for Joy. As soon as her lungs refilled, she screamed, “More! Sunny! Fuck me! Fuck me! Oh god!” She was practically numb everywhere, except for every square inch of her that the dildo rubbed, slid, and vibrated against. Her arms and legs wrapped around Sunny on their own.

Joy, eyes half closed, barely registered when Sunny slowed down to grab and open the extra package. She did, however, notice the sudden prodding feeling at her asshole.

“Sun--”

She couldn’t even finish Sunny’s name before something slipped its way into her butt. Her vision cleared up enough to see that even while she continued thrusting, Sunny had one hand tucked between them, and it was the source of the extra intrusion.

A couple more thrusts though, and Joy was lost to the pleasure again. She started to pant instead of scream or moan, or perhaps she was whimpering, or speaking fluent Polish. Joy couldn’t have said one way or the other. Another orgasm hit. And another. And another. She knew some time was passing between each one, but whether it was seconds or days between no longer mattered. Her mind was fading out of existence.

Until, that is, it wasn’t.

With seemingly no provocation, Joy suddenly remembered Cheungae. She had been meaning to talk to Sunny about him before they had gotten drunk. Her mind wandered, far, far more than it normally would during such intense sex.

Cheungae had taken her out several times since their first, less-than-professional meeting at the MAMAs with Wheein. Even though Joy knew he was struggling financially, he always insisted on paying for coffee, but would give up if he saw the bill when Joy took him to some of the much higher end restaurants.

He was always so polite, genuine, and humble. He didn’t even question when Joy told him they couldn’t be in a relationship, but instead insisted that they could be friends. Joy wondered if it was fair to him that she was treating him as a boyfriend in every way but name while she was still having a grand old time fucking everyone else in the industry. Cheungae knew about it, but wasn’t part of it.

And yet, sex with Cheungae made Joy feel good. Great, even. She could recreate the sensations in her mind for days afterward. His slim, toned figure hovering over her, his face contorted beautifully in adorable agony, his admittedly mediocre cock managing to hit her just right with every move. She couldn’t stop picturing him.

Another orgasm smashed through Joy’s illusion. The mental image of perfectly human Cheungae was instantly replaced with the very physical image of god-like Sunny. As tended to happen, Joy held her breath as the climax coursed through her. Her muscles contracted until she was holding Sunny in a deathly grip.

“F-fuck. Sunn-ny. Slow… slow down.”

It seemed that the request was desperately needed by both lovers, because rather than simply slow down, Sunny fell over. Joy’s pussy immediately craved to be filled again, but she knew she needed to clear her head. And besides that, she still had an odd full sensation. When her muscles relaxed enough for her to move of her own volition, she reached beneath herself and recoiled again at the feeling of a drenched butt plug. Her fingertips carried a puddle of mixed cum and lube back up.

“I’m sorry… Joy… I think that’s all I have left in me,” Sunny said between gasps.

Joy made note of her own throat and how dry it was. Whatever sound she was making while she borderline hallucinated, she’d be regretting it for a while. “All good. I was losing my sanity. That was unbelievable.”

Sunny giggled. It sounded painful. “The vibrator… or the surprise plug?”

Joy giggled back. “The plug was definitely a surprise. Was that the one with Jiu's face in it?”

“Mhm.”

“Cool,” Joy sat up, her head swimming in the aftermath. “But I just think it was you using the stuff that made it so good.”

Sunny seemed invigorated by the compliments. She smiled and reached under the bed, making some noise and bringing up a bottle of water. The two of them swapped it back and forth until it was empty and then collapsed into one another, idly feeling each others' bodies up the whole time.

“Does that mean you’re up for another… night like this? Or day?” Sunny asked as she fondled Joy’s tits. It sounded like she had sobered up, at least most of the way. Joy was too afraid of what she would see to look at a clock.

“You fucking know it,” Joy responded while she brushed her fingers up and down Sunny’s inner thighs. It was a reflex for her to agree, but she cringed inwardly as soon as she did, realizing how much more sober she had become herself, and how she wished she wasn’t. She was thinking about Cheungae again.

There was a barrage of light kisses all over her face, neck, and chest. Sunny looked far too happy for Joy to feel okay about retracting her statement.

“Maybe not right now though,” Joy said, just in case Sunny was already getting ideas. “We should really get to bed.”

She didn’t hear any arguments. They simply got up, and only long enough to flip up the duvet, flinging all of the remaining sex toys off, and jumped underneath.

It took a minute for Joy to realize she needed to remove the surprise butt plug. It was easy enough, and she ended up tossing it to the floor without looking at it.

Joy wrapped herself around Sunny. She was usually the big spoon, not that it bothered her. Sunny’s bare back felt comfortably hot against her chest and stomach. Cheungae liked being the big spoon too. He’d swap with her all the time…

“Hey, Sunny?”

“Mmm?” Sunny was on the verge of sleep, it seemed.

Joy lowered her voice, barely above a whisper. “Have you ever thought about… Settling down, I guess? Just being with one person?”

She didn’t expect Sunny to have an immense store of wisdom, but she hoped for more than what she got: a snore.

“Good night to you too, Sunny.”

[hellcatinnc]

Piofiore Fated Memories Gilbert Redford Review

Includes Spoilers

Ok so it has been long overdue I have wanted to play Gilberts route from the very start actually he is the reason I bought the game. Not only does the whole eye patch thing remind me of a pirate which is so hot to me but also the fact that the same voice actor of my beloved Impey Barbicane from Code Realize: Showtaro Morikubo. I love this man's voice and how he talks something about him is comforting. Then when I got the game I was upset I had to play everyone before unlocking him. Now don't get me wrong I am glad I got both Dante & Nicola's routes though or I would love my sweet Dante so much if not. However I still wanted to see how Gil was. So in Orlok's route he is kind of a dick but outside of that in all the routes for the most part that I have seen Gilbert he is actually a decent guy.

Now going into his route which weirdly enough starts off super early right after the prologue not delayed several chapters like all the ones before. Also the moment you meet Gil is after he pays off some dudes to leave you and this feisty little homeless kid alone. Like you can tell not only does he love people of the city but he even loves kids as well as of course women. He is very chivalrous as well as very charismatic. Everyone loves him and you see it with the way people address him when he walks through town. Its not even unheard of for people to flirt with him and him flirt back yet somehow he does it in away that I don't doesn't spark a jealousy way. Like if I was in the situation I think it might be a bit different but like he doesn't flirt with just anyone its people he knows and like alot are older women and he will talk about how they are sure to win any man over etc. The point being is he is a sweet talker.

When Liliana has to stay with him to be protected he jumps right into telling Oliver he is gonna take her on a date the next day and then he tells people through town she is his girlfriend and that its fate they met. Its funny because the moment he gets a chance he apologizes for it which is funny cause you might think he is kind of a ladies man since he even tells you in the beginning however his gentleman side of him says other wise. Like he even tells you that you don't have to be his girlfriend but it might be a easier way to keep her protected. Then this man who isn't even love with her yet takes her on a shopping spree buying her pretty accessories and pretty clothing that he chooses out as well as some she does. He takes her for a walk near the beach and gets gelato for them. Then out of nowhere he says he wants to taste hers and takes a bit of hers. It was so intimate and sweet and it did what it was supposed to. It left her heart fluttering and her mesmerized by his lips so close to hers. Like Gil is the kind of guy that will pull you in without trying.

I feel like he has a gentleman meets prince charming with a bit of roughness to him that is how he comes off to me. He also takes you on another date and tells you that you should wear one he picked you out. Its funny cause he is respectful and apologizes and takes your hand and asks things about some stuff others his dominance shines through and its so damn hot. Like even how he pays attention to the wording when he says things is enough to make you melt. Gil is the kind of guy who could leave you turned on even when you weren't expecting to be. He is super protective and honestly its not hard to feel safe with him its just how he makes you feel. Its funny cause at the beginning of your route Henri asks you on a date and he is so sweet and timid its such a big difference in how Gil is. I love that Gil is sweet and sometimes a bit over the top he reminds me alot of Ikki in Amnesia at times. However I know my weakness is the guys like Dante and from what looks like might be Henri. I would say Gil is very flirty but unlike Nicola the gentleman side with suave to go with it and you can tell he is a more mature man makes him so well rounded. He is the guy that will open doors for a woman or pull her chair out thats for sure.

I was surprised when I heard Gilbert say he was born in America who knows maybe thats why he is more outspoken and charismatic I don't know guess that explains why he doesn't have an Italian name even though he is Italian. He has a strong sense of justice which I so respect about him like he may be the head of the mafia but if sees someone being bullied or hurt he will knock the hell out of them. He doesn't believe in hitting women or children which I can completely respect and say its another thing I love about him. He is such a protector and as time went on I loved Gil more. There is one point where a man tries to grab Liliana and won't take no for a answer and Gil steps in pulling her to him and putting this man straight with a cold stare and lines any woman would want to hear. I think this was the moment his personality of being too much for me with his charm changed. I realized not only is Gil a good guy but he is a good guy with Liliana as well as stands up for women and children.

When he gets excited over something he loves he is plain adorable. Like he gets some new guns from America and he sounded like a kid on Christmas morning. I love how mature this man is though like even when he realizes he is in love with Liliana he doesn't make it about him, he struggles but he waits until she comes to him. Then he tells her how he feels and how he has felt. He has such a big heart when Luca was sick and they thought dying it hurt him and thats what makes Gil like the best daddy material for sure out of all the other men in the game. I love his suaveness in telling Lili after everything goes down he wants to show her in the bedroom how much he really loves her cause just a kiss isn't enough he said. Ha that was a awesome way to get into someone's pants I swear leave it to Gil...lol.

In the end I really enjoyed Gil himself maybe not as much the route though I felt like his story was dragging and stale so to say. Like it took me several times to come back to finish his story because sometimes he was too charismatic for me but also cause the story about counterfeit money just dragged on. Wasn't even interesting at all until chapter 6. I will say with this route again Nicola dies you don't see it happen and although behind closed doors Dante is losing it he holds his ground to Gil and promises to help him even though Gil being the kind a guy he is tells him if he needs to bow out he understands. This is something I like about Gil he knows the people that he loyal to he would do anything for so he understands Dante more from that perspective than most. Although not gonna say they are best friends but I truly thing Gil respects him as Dante does Gil. Another thing I wasn't expecting is Leo for the first time you see him more aggressive and standing up for the family and Gil in the observers that are working for a boss to frame Gil. Not gonna lie the aggressiveness is kinda hot on him.

I didn't like the whole confrontation with the direttore especially when Gil was so caught up with catching him that he left Lili behind in the burning building which comes back to my sweet Dante being the one that actually saved her. However I love that Lili had no problem calling him out on leaving her later and told him she was mad at him. Thought it was funny that Gil does get jealous but he tells Luca that Lili is his girl and Luca laughs it off too damn funny. At the last part you see how dark the direttore is and how he hates this town its so surprising that this man is Henri like literally sweet Henri you start off meeting him. Gil is old fashioned and although I would have loved to see him propose I think thats the different between him and Dante for me.

Dante hides his emotion cause he was told to but when he falls for someone thats it she is his everything and he would burn the world to be there and prove it. So at the end of his route when he proposes it felt right. With Gil his old fashioned ways he tells her he likes her and she says the same and he tells her he doesn't want to push her since she is just figured her feelings out. She even moved back to the church after which dumbfounded me. Worst part is this is how the best ending ended. It was nice how they tried to say all the mafia families could coexist and get along. After everything ended was awhile before Gil had time to go see her at the church which is why I thought it stupid for her to go back. Then after all this time he puts her in a fancy dress and you think its gonna be a romantic date instead he takes her to a hotel and tells her he just wanted to take off that dress because he loved it on her.

I mean he did end up asking her to live with him in the process of getting ready to make love to her. I don't know this left a bad taste in my mouth I honestly thought he was more of a gentleman I mean guess I always knew with the flirtiness but even Nicola didn't jump right away to that when everything was over. I don't know I would say as of right not to me its still Dante, Nicola, then Gil but thats only cause I dislike Yang and Orlok. I guess after the whole route him being like a prince charming I thought he would propose or something romantic not just here's a dress I want to take off you then lets fuck it burnt my ass.

In the good route they let Dante believe that Nicola was still alive and he was hunting to find him. The direttore gets away on this route and not caught. But Gil willing to help him look was honorable. The good ending is Gil wants to go back to America where he is from and take her with him but it will be later future after he helps Dante. Kinda lame ending and Luca gave her a bouquet a flowers but Gil didn't least he was more of a gentleman in this route and didn't jump right to the bedroom.

One of the bad routes I swear to god Oliver is hitting on Lili after Gil and her confessed to liking each other. Then a bad ending he forced himself on her granted she decided to give in but technically he was drunk and he still pushed himself on her thats called rape. This I did not expect from Gil its funny seems all the guys and least most the guys in a bad route rape her. I'm jsut glad they don't go heavy into it cause I hate seeing that shit. He was also guilty in court as well as police beat the hell out of him. This is the only route I ever saw Orlok die that was one thing that amazed me but only on a bad route. Also he breaks up with her goes on the run and breaks her heart. His bad routes were something else thats for sure. It bout broke me when he told her he wanted her but couldn't be with her because he had lost everyone, its weird its easy to forget him pushing himself on her for a moment cause his pain but maybe that was his karma in that route.

Overall Gilbert isn't horrible and I really hope he is better in 1926 but he just wasn't as great as I thought. I bought the game for him yet fell in love with Dante instead go figure lol.

[artfullypoetic]

The Burn of Cold Niceties (8/?)

Title: The Burn of Cold Niceties

Summary: Three years after the the Fourth Shinobi War, newfound peace in Konoha is rocked when one of their own is suspected of treason. Determined to uncover the truth, Sakura takes it upon herself to dive deep into Konoha’s best-kept secrets. As she faces danger and betrayal, can she protect the village and those she loves? Blank period, mostly canon-compliant, SasuSaku-centric but will include all canon pairings. New chapters every week!

Disclaimer: I do not own nor did I create Naruto. This was created solely for entertainment purposes.

Rating: M (for future content)

FF.net Link | AO3 Link. Please comment/review!

Chapter 8

The mission was simple: get information, don’t die. Sounds easy, right? Sakura laughed bitterly to herself at the thought as she expertly packed her weapons into a small, tan pouch. It had been two days since she reported her discoveries in Kusakagure to Kakashi—two days since she was assigned to infiltrate what remained of Root.

The mission was simple: get information, don't die. Sounds easy, right? Sakura laughed bitterly to herself at the thought as she expertly packed her weapons into a small, tan pouch. It had been two days since she reported her discoveries in Kusakagure to Kakashi—two days since she was assigned to infiltrate what remained of Root.

As if the mission wasn't intimidating enough, Kakashi gave her strict instructions to not share the details with anyone. But keeping secrets left a sour taste on her tongue, especially when those secrets also involved her investigating her own friends.

She was warned that this would happen—that this high level of treason met no one was safe from being a suspect, even the friends whom she trusted with her life. Kakashi echoed her thoughts but as Hokage, he couldn't play favorites like that. He was even a little taken aback when she reported that she had already told Naruto, but eventually agreed that it was for the best as he was already in training to be Hokage.

Scanning her room, she silently hoped that this mission would be over soon and that she could return home and finally live as a Konoha medic. No more traveling, no more fighting. Sakura yearned for that type of simple life. But she couldn't help but wonder if she would actually be happy if things were suddenly that simple. Or is there some masochistic part of her that enjoyed the chaos of life-threatening missions?

With one last look at her apartment, she locked the door and set out. Before heading to the Hokage's office to receive last minute instructions from Kakashi, she had one quick stop to make.

Her stroll to the hospital was refreshing, the familiar route giving her a sort of comfort. When she arrived at the front steps of the building, the feeling only strengthened. It was here that she discovered her true talents after years of mindlessly following her teammates around. It was here that she found real purpose.

Sakura found Tsunade sitting in her office, sitting with one elbow propped on the desk supporting her cheek. Her other hand was scribbling vigorous letters in her open notebook.

"Finally decide to pay this old lady a visit?" The head of the hospital asked without looking up from what she was writing.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-shishou," Sakura bowed her head. "Things were just a little hectic."

"So I've heard." The blond Sannin closed her notebook with a soft thud before resting both elbows on the table and leaning her chin onto her fists. Her brown eyes that met Sakura's softened and a small smile played on her lips. When she gestured for the pinkette to sit at the chair across from her desk, she obeyed.

"Kakashi's already filled me in with most of the details. Are you heading over there now?" Tsunade asked once Sakura was settled in the chair.

"Yes, shishou. I plan to start the mission as soon as I go over the last details of the plan with Kakashi-sensei."

"Good." The blonde woman studied Sakura for several long seconds before adding "how are your chakra reserves?"

"There's plenty. I've been able to store a bit more than usual since I haven't had to do much healing in the other villages' hospitals." As she replied, Sakura absentmindedly grazed the violet diamond seal on her forehead with her fingertips.

In a rare display of affection, Tsunade reached across the desk and lifted Sakura's chin gently until their eyes met. Sakura had been avoiding her gaze, afraid that her master would see past her facade that hid the anxiety she felt about her upcoming mission. But the older woman was too smart to fool.

"You're nervous." Tsunade stated, allowing her hand to drop from where it held Sakura's chin.

"Yes." The pink-haired kunoichi swallowed uncomfortably.

"Good."

Sakura tilted her head slightly, puzzled. "It's good to be nervous?"

"Of course it is. I would be concerned if you weren't nervous about having to investigate your own comrades."

"Ah, that's right." Sakura nodded solemnly.

"Now tell me, why did you actually stop by here? I know it wasn't just to see me."

Sakura smiled sheepishly before pulling her pouch to her lap and digging into it. From it, she produced the small vial of poison that she had collected from the man she fought several days earlier.

Handing it to her master who eyed it curiously, Sakura explained, "I fought with some rogue ninja on the way here. One managed to escape but I was able to subdue one. The only thing is before I could even get any information, he swallowed a pill with this in it and within seconds he was dead. I've never seen anything like it."

"And you want me to analyze it, correct?"

"Yes, I think that if we can trace the origins of the poison, we might be able to learn more about who we're dealing with."

With a nod, Tsunade pocketed the vial before standing from her desk. Sakura followed suit.

"It will probably take some time to analyze it but I'll assemble a team right away."

"Thank you, Tsunade-shishou."

The older woman smiled and rounded her desk until she was standing right in front of her past student. With two fingers, Tsunade once again lifted Sakura's chin until their brown and green eyes met.

"Oh how you've grown," The blonde spoke softly as she clicked her tongue. Sakura smiled warmly in return. "Come back safe, okay?"

"Of course," Sakura reassured before adding, "Do you want to bet on it?"

Tsnuade let out a noise that sounded both like a scoff and a laugh.

"Don't start with me, Sakura," The former Hokage playfully scolded as she waved her hand lazily in the air. "Now go on, you have a job to do."

"I'll see you soon, Tsunade-shishou." With a bow, Sakura exited her office but before she was past the door frame, the voice of her master stopped her in her tracks.

"And Sakura?" Tsunade called after her.

"Yes?" The pink-haired woman poked her head back in to study the older woman's face whose features were now softened yet serious.

"I'm very proud of you."

For several beats, Sakura stood deathly still before finally remembering to breathe. She had only heard her master praise her this way twice. Once immediately after the war and another time when Sakura challenged a stranger to a bet and won.

"Thank you, shishou." After a brief moment of hesitation, Sakura ran back into the office and threw her arms around Tsunade.

"Thank you," Sakura repeated in a whisper as the master-student duo embraced.

Once the shock of her student's arms gripping her form with much more strength than necessary was over, Tsunade tightly returned the younger woman's hug. Her chest filled with a maternal affection she always forgot she was capable of.

"If you're really thankful, you'll come back unharmed. I don't want to waste chakra healing you, got it?"

Giggling lightly, Sakura replied, "got it."

With a final wave of her hand, Sakura strolled away from her master's office, out of the hospital, and towards the Hokage's office.

When she reached Kakashi's office, she was greeted with the sight of him and Tenten speaking in urgent, hushed tones as they huddled over the large desk. Peering closer, she saw that their focus was on an assortment of weapons, lined neatly in a row.

"Is everything okay?" She questioned after several seconds passed with neither noticing her presence.

Tenten jumped at the sound of Sakura's voice whereas Kakashi simply waved for her to come closer, eyes still trained on the objects before him. As she approached the pair, she gave Tenten a quick side hug, which the weapons unit coordinator returned eagerly. However, their expressions grimmed immediately as their attention refocused on the weapons.

"These are the konoha advanced weapons," Sakura observed as her eyes trailed across the objects.

"Yes, we've been comparing them to the paper bomb sample you provided," Kakashi's eyes raised to meet hers, a solemn look darkening his expression. "You won't like what we found."

Her blood ran cold at the tone in Kakashi's voice but she nodded to signal him to continue.

But it was Tenten who began to speak next. "The paper bomb you brought isn't actually from Konoha."

"Isn't that good news?" Sakura's shoulders sagged in noticeable disappointment when she saw Tenten shake her head.

"You see, it may not have been from Konoha but it was a near-perfect replica of our line of advanced weaponry. So whoever you're dealing with not only was able to access our weapons but they're also knowledgeable enough to recreate them."

Tenten's words hung in the silent air for what felt like several long minutes, before the quiet was interrupted by the Hokage's exasperated sigh.

"Sakura," Kakashi's voice came out measured and cautious as the pinkette's eyes fell on him. "There's more."

Tenten took that as her signal to speak. "When we tested the substances used on their paper bomb, we found traces of another element. This is something we've been working on for a long time, long enough that even Neji knew about it and helped with its development."

At the mention of their fallen comrade's name, Sakura and Tenten exchanged sympathetic glances. Prior to the war, neither of them had been particularly close. However, the grief brought them closer over the years as they mourned the tremendous loss suffered by the village.

At Sakura's encouraging nod, the weapons expert continued, "For years, Neji thought it would be a good idea to create a special type of weapon that's strong enough to counter visual dojutsu. He was afraid that enemies using stolen eyes would be able to overpower us. We weren't able to make any progress when he was still here but over the last year, we were able to develop this."

From the row of weapons on Kakashi's desk, Tenten carefully picked up a small, round ball and held it up for Sakura to see.

"You're saying that could counter dojutsu?" she asked as she eyed the object in disbelief. It looked so tiny and unthreatening.

Tenten nodded solemnly. "It's a mineral bomb that releases a thick smoke when activated—smoke thick enough to essentially blind almost all eye techniques and render them useless."

Sakura's gaze on the bomb widened. "What about the Sharingan?"

"Yes, including the Sharingan." Kakashi spoke up now and both kunoichi turned to watch him.

"But these people are after Sasuke! What if they use it on him? What if we're too late and they've already used it on him?" Sakura was rambling now as unthinkable scenarios shuffled through her mind. The image of Sasuke's battered body after his battle with Naruto stuck to the forefront of her brain.

"Calm down, Sakura." The Hokage held up his hands to signal her to halt her rapid speech. "Sasuke's one of the strongest shinobi, he won't go down that easily."

"But you know that he relies on his visual prowess too much sometimes."

The sensei-student duo met their gaze, likely flashing back to the same day. It was several months before Sasuke left and like most days, Team 7 was sparring on the familiar training grounds with Kakashi nonchalantly reading his book under the shade of a nearby tree. As the trio battled, the Hokage finally piped up and suggested that Sasuke try taijutsu without the use of his Sharingan.

"You never know when you might have to fight without it," Kakashi had said.

At this, Sasuke seethed with anger. "I know that. I'm prepared for it," he had replied through gritted teeth.

"How can you be sure when you've used the Sharingan during every training session so far?" The ex-sensei didn't bother to look up or even flinch when Sasuke's kunai went flying towards his head. With a simple movement in his neck, he dodged the weapon and allowed it to lodge into the bark of the tree behind him.

The training session ended an hour later after Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto continued their taijutsu spar, none of them mentioning what Kakashi had said earlier. But Sakura continued to notice the red flashes of Sasuke's Sharingan.

In the present, Kakashi and Sakura continued to exchange their worried glances before Kakashi's eyes upturned in a smile.

"Sasuke has always been prepared for anything in a battle. It takes a lot to take his focus off a fight, remember that." he reassured.

Sakura swallowed and nodded to acknowledge his statement. Kakashi was right, she needed to have more faith in Sasuke.

At the silence that followed, Tenten began to gather the weapons before sealing them into a scroll that she produced from where it lay beside her feet.

"I know I can't know the details of whatever mission you both are discussing so I'll head out now." As the black-haired ninja passed Sakura, she gave the woman's shoulder a soft squeeze. "Good luck and stay safe. I'll see you back home soon, yeah?"

"Yes, thank you." With a final smile and hug between the two women, Tenten was gone, leaving the office and closing the door with a soft thud.

"What do I need to do for this mission then?" the pinkette finally asked as she turned to look at her former teacher once again.

"We need to start with getting more information," Kakashi said as he rested his elbows on the desk and clasped his hands in front of his mask-covered mouth. "We don't know anything about who we're dealing with so we'll need to get you on the inside somehow. I'm sure you've already devised a plan these past couple days?"

Sakura nodded at this. "Yes, I was planning on setting a trap and then using this," she raised her hand to point to the violet byakugou seal on her forehead. When Kakashi cocked his head to the side curiously, she explained further, "First, I'm going to use myself as bait and lure some of the ninja to attack me. I'll capture one of them, get information, then use my chakra reserves to change my appearance. From there, I'll infiltrate them disguised as one of their own."

"Okay," Kakashi said with a slight shrug.

"Okay?"

"Yes, it sounds like you have this all thought out and I don't see an issue with it. You have the training and experience to successfully subdue the attackers and I know that Lady Tsunade has taught you well. I think we can go ahead with the plan."

Sakura drew in a sharp breath, shocked that Kakashi so readily agreed with her. Sure, she has grown a lot and was easily regarded as one of the strongest kunoichi in the village, but standing in front of her former teacher made her feel almost as if she was twelve again, immediately freezing at the sight of danger and crying to be saved.

As if sensing her thoughts, Kakashi's eyes softened and his lips drew into a smile that wrinkled the fabric of his mask. "Believe in yourself, kiddo. You're stronger and smarter than you give yourself credit for."

Her face brightened at the compliment as she soaked in the warmth that spread across her cheeks.

"Thank you, sensei."

As the Hokage's smile widened, she couldn't help but notice the slight creases that formed at the corners of his eyes. It seemed as if running a village was starting to age him. The thought left a bittersweet taste on her tongue.

"Alright," he sighed as he stood from his seat and rounded the desk. "I'm going to have Pakkun come with you until you're able to capture one of the ninja. He'll be able to bring them back to me while you continue with the mission."

With a quick prick of his finger that drew tiny drops of blood, Kakashi began to expertly weave hand signs before crouching to place his palm against the ground. Immediately, black markings sprouted from his hand and etched into the floor below. The summoning jutsu produced a puff of smoke that cleared swiftly to reveal Kakashi's ninken, a small dog wearing a Konoha headband.

"Sakura," Pakkun greeted, shaking his wrinkled snout as he sniffed his surroundings. "Smells like we still use the same shampoo."

"I told you not to mention that anymore!" Sakura shouted back, pointing a threatening finger at the ninja hound before her. Her other hand curled into a fist at her chest.

"Now, now. Settle down, you two," Kakashi stepped between them with raised palms. "We have a mission to attend to, remember?"

Sakura glared at Pakkun but kept quiet. After flashing her a smile so small that the only indication it happened was the slight upturn of his eyes, Kakashi turned to Pakkun to explain the details of the mission.

The ninken was to follow Sakura at a distance until she is able to restrain one of the enemy ninja. He'll wait until she gathers enough information to assume their identity. Once her transformation is complete, Pakkun was to bring the captive nin back to the village and report immediately to the Hokage's office. From there, Sakura would be on her own.

"It's too risky to have you communicate with me while you're on the inside but hopefully it won't be too long before you can get the information we need and get out," Kakashi explained to her after he finished briefing the ninja hound. "Remember, our main goal is just to gather intel. I don't want you trying to fight them without backup."

"Got it," Sakura assured with a nod, her expression sober.

"Any further questions?" The Hokage's gaze flickered between the kunoichi and the ninken. When neither of them replied, he clapped his hands together and announced, "Alright, let the mission officially begin."

[thechekhov]

So glad you decided to play Undertale! I think it would really suit you so I’m so happy you got into it! Could I have your thoughts about the game? I would LOVE to hear them. I’m ALL for long essays and rants, that’s my jam, but even just a small review from you would make me ecstatic!

Alright alright alright alright. 

I am ecstatic that someone asked because I have a lot to say AS ALWAYS. 

I’m gonna try to keep this readable, I swear. Will add pictures in between to keep things interesting. 

However, due to the length this will SURELY achieve, AND due to spoilers (and yes, laugh at me all you want, the game has been out for 5 years) I’ll put this under a cut. Read at your own (f)risk.

Metagaming - the game plays YOU

When I first started Undertale, I ‘knew’ these things:

there’s a stabby one with a knife, their name is chara

there’s a flower everyone hates

something something sans something something

and the last, and perhaps most important thing

you can spare your enemies to avoid killing them

The thing is. The THING IS. 

I did not realize how pervasive this strategy was. My thought at first was ‘okay, so I don’t have to kill EVERYONE.’

I had no idea that the reality was that I didn’t have to kill anyone.

I’m sure many others have already said this, but Undertale kind of changes the way you think about other games. It forces to you examine simply fighting your way through the RPG by introducing completely non-murder-y ways to resolve issues. This conversation-based combat style is not the first of its kind, I’m sure, but it’s also incredibly well done. It ties into the story, it ties into your decisions.

It ties into your decisions SO MUCH that it changes everything else in the outcome.

Undertale is a game well known for breaking the 4th wall. However, it does so in a strangely eerie, heart-wrenchingly real way. It teaches us that there are other solutions to conflicts - and it really... it really TEACHES us, you know?

Which is funny because to be honest, it took me a while to get the lesson.

(You may already be fully aware of this but yes, my first True Neutral Route was extremely organic. I legitimately had no idea that there was even more than one ending. I was just stumbling about er... killing. Out of habit.)

The beauty of this is that the game drives home that point even more effectively because I was fully unaware of my own bias. I had assumed that some enemies would require killing - DESPITE TORIEL SPECIFICALLY TELLING ME TO TALK TO THEM, and the entire Ruins tutorial being about Mercy. I killed the Dummy on accident (granted, it was due to me pressing the key too fast a few times) and didn’t think much of Toriel’s disapproval. I killed a few monsters because I saw my level was low and decided to automatically grind a little bit. 

By the time I got to Toriel, I was still not comfortable with the mechanic. I knew I could Spare her somehow - after all, she was a kind monster, and clearly an important character - but the Spare option didn’t yield promising results the first few times I chose it. I ran out of patience and decided that maybe... maybe it was like pokemon! 

Maybe I had to get her health down to a certain level before she would allow me to pass through.

Funny thing though.... you know what happens if you attack Toriel one too many times? Even if she has most of her health left? 

Yeah uh... it activates that one-hit-KO thing from No Mercy Route.

So of course, what happened? I hit her one too many times... and killed her! And of course, immediately panicked and reset. 

I got back to my previous save, Spared Toriel PROPERLY this time, and walked out of the ruins only to be confronted with my own reliance on the magical ‘redo’ button which was... apparently... not that magical.

Because it WASN’T a clean redo. Flowey apparently remembered. 

The idea that the game would KNOW about my previous attempts beyond the save file snapped me out of my casual Undertale playthrough. I realized that something was up - this game was not going to be like the others.

I think it was from this point on that I tried to be more careful, but again - I still hadn’t quite gotten the memo about not killing. I took down a few monsters around Snowdin. And when I got to Papyrus, I grew frustrated about not being able to beat him (I ended up losing several times and coming back to try again) and went off to grind SOME MORE because I figured that could raise my HP and increase my chances of holding off long enough to Spare him. 

(The incredible thing about this game is that actually, raising your level gives you only a slight advantage. You can be level 1 and carrying no items, and as long as you’re relatively proficient at dodging the bullet hell style projectiles you will have no issues.) 

Anyway, the point is that I realized I could spare the big monsters and did so readily - but I didn’t bother to spare many of the smaller ones. 

I figured it didn’t matter. 

And then I successfully evaded Undyne, gave her a cup of water, etc... and then went to her house to meet Papyrus, fully expecting her to befriend me anyway. 

And you know what happened?

“She said she won’t hang out with a murderer.“

I think that probably hit me the hardest at that point in the game. 

I had a bit ‘....oh’ moment at that point because I realized that the game would punish me for killing even the ‘not-important’ civilians of the Underground. It wasn’t about just sparing the ‘boss monsters’. My actions had consequences beyond just the ‘elite’ characters that we all tend to focus on.

Because yes, it made sense. It wasn’t about just Undyne - why WOULD she randomly be my friend after I killed tons of living beings?

From there on, I spared everyone, but didn’t reset. I decided to see how it would unravel.

The thing I want to talk about, which is a little difficult, is that...

It took me that long to learn that kindness was the answer. And that, in itself, ends up being a metaphor. 

It’s difficult to be kind if you have not been show how to be.

It’s difficult to change the way you behave (in a game or out of it) if all you know is using other methods.

It was hard enough to spare Toriel before I realized I had to just be very patient and trust that her attacks wouldn’t hit - though at first I thought she would just kill me! 

It was hard to avoid Papyrus’ attacks and I had to die several times before I successfully got through it. 

It was near impossible to fight Undyne because I legitimately had no idea Fleeing was an option. I struggled for ages at her stage, and I had to ask for help to understand what I could do.

And that’s actually honestly very true to life as well.

Being kind takes risk. Being kind takes effort. And sometimes, being kind means asking others HOW to be kind. 

When you choose to be kind, you risk being hurt, and you risk being trapped (Toriel). When you choose to be kind, you need to expand a lot more energy to succeed (Papyrus). When you choose to be kind, you need to sometimes reach out to others to show you how to properly do it (Undyne).

The rest of the playthrough probably went about as you expect. I completed the game, didn’t kill any Boss Monsters, fought to the end and... got that really unsatisfying Neutral Ending which felt strangely bittersweet. 

And of course, after I was done, I was prompted to go back and do a proper Pacifist Run. Which I did. I learned about the background of Determination, about Chara and Asriel... and about how everything came to be the way it was.

The thing that gets me the most about this game is how it serves as a direct parallel to how we use videogames. In fact, Undertale is a videogame... about videogames. 

Chara appears to be a direct metaphor for the people that use videogames to escape - to cope with whatever happened to them in The Overworld. Bad family life, or bad relationships or whatever we suffer - escapism through games is not, in itself, a new theme. 

Chara arrived in Undertale by dropping themself down a hole in the mountain, perhaps even seeking to end their life. They dropped into a world which offered them comfort and companionship, a new family and a new life - but in the end, their nature was destructive because their means to finding a solution inadvertently used other people as fodder. Asgore, Asriel - they used everyone else to complete their plans. It wasn’t about forming connections - it was about Completing the Quest. 

I wonder - did Chara even HAVE access to a MERCY option? 

Was their world one without the option of sparing someone? Did they only have the choice of acting - and was Mercy in the hands of whoever attacked them? I wonder how difficult it might have been for them. I wonder how that, in itself, shaped their perception of the world. 

I wonder if that’s why, during the No Mercy run, people recognize you as Chara? If they come back and attach themselves to your resonating DETERMINATION?

If this is true, was MERCY perhaps created later, brought into existence once Asriel himself made the choice to NOT fight, to turn back and flee, even after being attacked by humans in the Overworld? 

(It would be a nice parallel to Asgore DESTROYING the Mercy option when you enter the fight with him...)

...

In the end, I think Undertale is about many things, including video games. 

But it’s also hurting - and being hurt. 

It’s about how trauma can shape us, how we deal with feeling grief, and loss, and depression - and not being able to feel anything.

It’s about how we focus on goals and use DETERMINATION to keep going - even when whatever it is that’s driving us no longer has any SOUL. 

It’s about how our action have consequences, but they also carry the weight of a choice, and how powerful those choices are, and how powerless we feel when we aren’t given a choice - not to fight back, nor show mercy. 

I think that’s probably the reason this game resonated with so many people. It really brings something we love about videogames to the forefront - that ability to fight back, to have full and total control of our own lives...

And it also shows us how having that endless loop of repetitive grinding and fighting with zero consequences can lead to an incredible hollowness and make us numb to how we interact with real-life people. 

Anyway. 

Good game. 

[captain-ozone]

Fic Writer Review

Thank you for the tag, @flutteringdreams-matw​!! I loved reading your review, and I’m stoked to have the opportunity to fill this out myself, too!

1) How many works do you have on AO3?  46. And not all of them have been transferred over from FFN. There’s at least another dozen between multiple fandoms over there, lol. 

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 656,571. My word. 

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?  When one of your fandoms is DC Comics...Does that count as one or several? LOL. xD

There’s been Merlin, Danny Phantom, Batman (Comics), Young Justice (cartoon), Teen Titans (cartoon), Titans (TV Show), Smallville (TV show), The Justice League (movie), The Flash (Arrowverse TV Show), Miraculous Ladybug, Harry Potter, Rise of the Guardians, How to Train Your Dragon, Sword Art Online (anime), Blue Exorcist (anime), The Bright Sessions (podcast). Might be missing some.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? 1. Come Alive (Young Justice) 2. life, if well lived (Batman) 3. On Three (Miraculous Ladybug) 4. a million dreams (Batman) 5. Genesis (Danny Phantom)

@redriotted​ should be informed that my top two are fics she requested from me via prompts I’m sure neither of us expected I would ever fill. Love you, dear! I credit you for these fics!

5. Which of your fic do you want more attention for?  Difficult question for me to answer. I’ve been gifted with lovely feedback on most of my work. I guess if I were to choose one it would be Locking Up the Sun (Batman)? It’s a Fantasy AU. A fantastic exercise in world-building. I had so much fun with it that I’ve been playing with the idea of spinning bits of it into an original work.

6. Do you respond to comments, why or why not? YES. I try to respond to every review and comment I receive. I understand it takes a lot of time and energy for some people, but from the moment I posted my first Merlin fic in 2011, I needed to respond, even if with nothing more than a little thank you. And I’m not about to stop the habit. I met some of my dearest friends responding to reviews. I still meet wonderful people doing so. :) 7. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?  Uhhhh, I’m not sure? I guess it depends on perspective. Most of my fics end happily, or rather, I am quite heavy-handed on the comfort part of the Hurt/Comfort trope. I do bittersweet more often than I do angst. I wrote a Merlin AU inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray about Uther Pendragon that was pretty angsty? Grief was another one, also in the Merlin fandom. I’m sure there were some in my FFN Merlin oneshot collection Rabbits and Bathroom Breaks that apply, but lord knows I hardly remember half of what I’ve posted in that monster. 

8. Do you write crossovers? Once. I wrote a Rise of the Guardians/Frozen crossover with an Elsa/Jack Frost pairing as a gift for a friend.  9. Have you ever received hate on a fic? Oh, of course. Who hasn’t? I’ve been cursed out more than once, too. It always stings, but it’s a matter of stepping back and asking myself: is this constructive? will this make me a better writer? Once you frame the comment/review that way, it’s a bit easier to see that it’s unproductive to linger on it for long. It’s someone’s personal preferences and/or beliefs not aligning with your own. Or someone who can’t quite distance themselves from fiction enough to realize you are not always what you write, nor are you a reflection of the characters/plot you’re writing about.

10. Do you write smut? if so what kind? Rarely, and only as crack or as a joke. Nothing I would ever share in public. RIP Uther Pendragon/Troll fic of circa 2013-2014. I do so wish I’d saved you somewhere safe. 11. Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes, but I have no idea where they are posted or in what language. Most of the requests came over FFN, so I’m sure they’re available somewhere. In some capacity. 

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Not quite. My friend and I wrote every other line of the aforementioned Uther/Troll fic in a chatroom, if that counts. 13. What’s your all time favorite ship? I’m far more interested in platonic/family relationships in pretty much every fandom I’m in. If I were to choose one? Adam Hayes/Caleb Michaels from The Bright Sessions. Or Barry Allen/Iris West in The Flash.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?  *eyes Shift warily*

I KID. I made a promise over half a decade ago, and I intend on keeping it.  In all seriousness: A Merlin time-travel fic I started ages upon ages ago. I hardly remember what the point of it was. There is a fun scene I’ve considered posting as a oneshot more than once over the years, though, just because it makes me laugh.

15. What are your writing strengths?  Dialogue, I think? I love it. 

16. What are your writing weaknesses? Imagery/action. Give me a single scene focused on a conversation between two hopeless individuals that need some TLC and let me forget about where they are sitting or if they are sitting at all or if there are things that need describing around them, please and thank you.  17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?  I’ve done it, in some capacity. I used my knowledge of Latin grammar from old high school classes to try to write spells for Merlin fics. I probably butchered quite a few, lol. I think it’s important to use language as accurately as possible, though, if it were to be used at all. Most of the time I take the lazy man’s route and use dialogue tags and italics, just so I can avoid making ignorant mistakes. As a reader, as long as I have translations in front of me, I’m golden.  18. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Merlin. I owe that fandom everything. 19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written? Come Alive. I don’t know that I have ever had so much fun writing anything in my life. a million dreams (my Flying Grayson time travel tear-jerker) and Not a Bit (my MLB Brothers AU, inspired by the original PV) come in close second. I dig my family feels, obviously. 20. What fic are you most proud of?  Shift, my Danny Phantom AU, if only because it’s been seven years since I posted its first chapter. Writing it has felt like pulling teeth at certain points, but it has been with me for a long, long time. Rereading it is like looking at a time lapse of how I’ve developed as a writer, lol.  Heart of Gold (Merlin) is another. Before Shift, it was the longest fic I’d ever written, one, and it was my first time really developing an OC/attempting a redemption arc as well. It was far from a perfect fic, but boy did I feel like a queen when I finished it. I’m sure you might’ve done something like this at some point, @cdelphiki, but here you go! @breynekai-tfc, too! And anyone else who sees and wants to share, please do so! 

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Game Review - A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986

Before diving into the meat of Oracle and Bone’s A Summer’s End, I want to talk about the women behind this game Tida Kietsungden, and Charissa So. So and Kietsungden have done nothing but impress me since the announcement of A Summer’s End. They have repeatedly demonstrated their immense effort and dedication to creating a beautiful and thoughtful experience. Through conversations with the studio and reading their blog entries, I gained a remarkable understanding of how this game is both a tribute to classic cinema and a love letter to the Yuri and LGBT community. Through careful research and thoughtful expression, the two women navigate and acknowledge complicated issues, including Asian LGBTQ history and Hong Kong’s delicate political situation with grace and maturity. I am in complete awe of both women and their work. However, regardless of my profound respect for these creators, I still endeavor to offer my unfiltered thoughts on the visual novel, giving praise and criticism where appropriate.

A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986 is a Yuri visual novel set, as you may have figured out, in Hong Kong in the year 1986. The game follows a young office worker, Michelle (Fong Ha) Cheung, who has a chance encounter with a free-spirited woman named Sam (Ka Yan) Wong. Both women feel drawn to each other, and the game explores this mutual attraction and the budding relationship which emerges from it.

This plot follows the standard girl meets girl story that has permeated the Yuri genre for the past several decades. Like most Yuri stories, the older and more experienced woman, Sam, is rebellious and beautiful, with long dark hair and a dominating persona. Michelle, although far more naive in the ways of love, breaks the trend of this trope by being the more sullen of the two. I would have liked to see the game diverge a bit more from the standard story of the genre. Fortunately, A Summer’s End is a romance story between adults who do not work together, setting it apart from the norms. It even includes a coming out section that creates a more robust LGBT identity than any tale of temporary schoolgirl love.

The story is well put together and well presented. The story is told primarily from Michelle’s perspective. It mostly takes place over a few days, during which Michelle engages in a whirlwind romance with Sam. This story features the struggle between her feelings and passion and her devotion to tradition and her mother. The progression of her affection is unrealistically fast. The story feels a bit rushed, and many of the societal and personal quagmires the game stumbles upon are not sufficiently developed or confronted. Had the game indulged in a more prolonged and tumultuous struggle for Michelle, conclusions would have felt much sweeter, and the story would have gone from good to great.

Even with this massive missed opportunity, there are plenty of exemplary moments and aspects of the narrative. The game pulls no punches addressing Michelle’s slightly overbearing mother and the conflict between the two. It would have been incredibly simple to take the easy route on this one. Still, the developers stuck to their guns and manage to explore a challenging situation satisfyingly, all while keeping the characters realistic and sympathetic. In fact, every scene relating to LGBT rights and history is flawlessly executed.

There are also some fantastic chapters, including a thrilling but refreshing bike ride and a flashback scene that recontextualizes certain events from another perspective. The many references and allusions to classic cinema including some older lesbian films and plenty of Asian works, are particularly noteworthy. However, the best part of A Summer’s End by far is the setting.

The location and time period is intrinsic to Sam and Michelle’s tale, as it is shaped by and reflects contemporary culture and LGBTQ rights. Oracle and Bone create a vibrant and lively world, a jaw-dropping depiction of Hong Kong in the 1980s. Everything helps feed into the creation of this world, including a fantastic and retro UI, small touches such as a Cantonese subway announcement, and objects encountered like a disposable camera help convey a strong sense of the period. However, the soundtrack sells it more than any other element, save perhaps the artwork, transporting the player to the era. While a few tracks are the standard easy listening affairs one expects from visual novels, there are tons of excellent city pop and disco beats, complete with plenty of synths and confidence! Finally, a visual novel soundtrack that contributes more than just background noise!

Sadly, the game’s dialogue choice system and branching paths are far more of a hindrance than a help. I can honestly say that the game would play better and be way more enjoyable as a kinetic novel. Most choices feel inconsequential, changing nothing of the story and resulting in almost the exact same response from other characters yet, they have a hidden points system. If you do not earn enough points, parts of the optional adult content will be unplayable until one goes back to find the right choice. I spent several hours replaying, and eventually skipping through, the game to unlock all the scenes, and finally gave up with one CG left unseen. The only choice with any actual effect is painfully evident in its consequences. One option leads to the bad ending, which is well written, but no reasonable player would go down that path unless they just wanted to see the whole game. The second unveils the true good ending, which no player in their right mind would not pursue, as again, the choice is obvious and adds nothing to the game. There is no reason to put in an alternative ending or tedious dialogue choice.

The characters in A Summer’s End are well constructed. Sam is adventurous without being obnoxious and has a mature though appropriately unrefined demeanor. Michelle is extremely curt and somewhat distant, although she displays a sharp wit and more timid nature on occasion. Both women participate in engaging, deep, and thoughtful discussions, often with each other, although sometimes internally, and thus feel well developed and complex. Unfortunately, their chemistry, while not absent, is not enough to sell the whirlwind romance. There is insufficient expression of their feelings and attractions, both internally or through dialogue and actions, so their inevitable closeness feels unearned.

However, even in the short game, both characters change with each other, especially Michelle, as she becomes more affectionate, confident, and caring. She begins to embody some of Sam’s warmness while never losing herself. Some of my favorite dialogue and interaction came from her towards the end of the game, although I will not spoil it. Additionally, side characters have a strong presence thanks to their firmly established characteristics and a profound effect on the narrative. Each has their own sprite and mannerisms, helping cement them as fixtures in A Summer’s End rather than tacked on assets.

The visual novel contains optional adult content, which is installed in an extra patch and can be toggled on and off. I played through the game with and without it and can happily report that the story is just as fulfilling and complete without it. Although the unlockable nature of these scenes is aggravating, they are very well written and sensual without being exploitative. There were moments I did not care for as much, such as Sam getting carried away at one point, but it felt very realistic and incredibly sensual. The artwork in these sexual encounters is some of the best in the game, embracing darker colors and showcasing intense desire.

Speaking of the artwork, it is stupendous. The game is bright and striking, with amazing backgrounds complete with luminous neon signs, glaring televisions, and life and activity oozing from every corner. The backgrounds are so beautiful and detailed they could effectively serve in place of CG art, although there is plenty of that asides. The character models and designs are similarly excellent, with expressive poses and faces. The various outfits, of which the game has many, embody iconic 80’s fashion. Artist Tida Kietsungden draws both the characters and CGs with a distinctive hand-drawn style, which allows them to play well off each other and add to the beautiful presentation. The detail and care that went into the aesthetics are enormous and elevate the game at every moment. 

A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986 is a vibrant and intimate experience. The fantastic setting and flawless artwork surround a compelling and thoughtful story about lesbian love and desire, societal expectations, and the bonds between family and lovers. It is rough around the edges, with a slightly rushed story that leaves little time to wallow in complexity and an awful dialogue system. However, it will win players over with its striking presentation and sophisticated subject matter. I look forward to more from this studio and highly recommend you check this game out!

Ratings: Story – 7 Characters – 6 Art – 10 Music – 8 LGBTQ – 8 Sexual Content – 3 (8 with patch) Final – 7

Purchase A Summer’s End on Steam and itch.io, available April 23

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