#rc Recommendation from a character

[romance-club-daily]

Recommendation from a character! #1

~Adil Badawi

A character from Romance Club will tell you about their favorite movies, books, food, places, and works of art, give advice, share personal life experiences, and much more! This is a great opportunity to get to know your favorite characters better and become even closer to them. The very first character to get in touch with us was the mysterious and incredibly captivating Adil, from the story The Desert Rose. Let's listen to what he has to share with us!

"Hello, traveler! I'm glad we met, and on this occasion, let me be your guide.

If we talk about Morocco, I have managed to travel far and wide. Although the desert is surprising every time, there is one particular place that I want to share with you.

The Bahia Palace is a combination of antiquity and Arabic philosophy for me. According to some sources, it was built in 1880, and its name echoes the concepts of brilliance and beauty.

At first glance, it seems very modest for a palace, but this is precisely what makes it the embodiment of Eastern wisdom. It is believed that what's most precious and dear to the heart cannot be shown.

How many times have I got lost in its maze of rooms and looked at the silent fountain imagining those who built this palace! And how many times I wanted to show this place to someone very important to me... Did my wish finally come true?"

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[gars-weaponeer]

Today in: Clones that deserved better!

Issue #1

-SCORCH-

Scorch belonged to the clone commando Delta Squad from the beloved videogame "Republic Commando", which came before the Clone wars series aired.

Along with his companions: Sev, Fixer and Boss. Scorch was the demolition expert of the Squad and the one with the most heart and sense of humor, arguably the one with the most personality. You could easily compare him to Hardcase or Wrecker, having a similar archetype. He, along with Sev, became a fan favorite thanks to his charismatic writing.

If you have NOT played Republic commando, I totally recommend it. You can currently find it on steam or switch and it's a very fun game to play if you are a Clone wars fan.

Delta squad appears in the Clone wars series only for a short cameo and only Boss got a short speaking line. So it was more than obvious that RC fans would want to see more representation of the beloved characters.

Then we got the Bad Batch...

I don't know who this guy is... but this is not Scorch.

I do understand they needed a face for the commando leader of Tantiss and they did not want to miss the opportunity to gain some nostalgia points with a beloved Republic Commando character. (I could rant hours about how The Bad Batch did all commando clones dirty by reducing them to novelty storm troopers, but that's a rant for another day.) But did it HAVE to be Scorch? Considering the "personality" this TBB-Scorch has, I think Fixer or even Boss could have been an arguably better pick. But since Scorch was a fan favorite he was the one chosen, and he was also the one BUTCHERED for it.

TBB-Scorch has little to no personality and what little we manage to see it drastically different from the Scorch in the video game and that's very disheartening to see for a fan of the character.

Having a model with the painted armor is not enough to give fans the representation they deserve. Specially when it comes to a character with a recognizable personality.

It would be like having Fives suddenly be a cold and loyal trooper that will do anything Pon Krell did without questioning. Or have Wrecker suddenly be the background character that had no speaking lines and was only there to guard the door.

Or have Echo disappear for an amount of episodes when he could-- oh wait....

This "character" could easily be replaced by any other commando with a cool looking armor and it wouldn't change a thing other that fans pointing and saying "OMG I KNOW THAT GUY!"

(I'm not even sure his name is even mentioned... but take that with a grain of salt, I might be wrong. I need to re-watch the third season of The Bad Batch for the third time. )

Sure, we could argue that there is a reason to why Scorch is the way he is in TBB. Maybe he was brainwashed like the CX Clones or Maybe the trauma of loosing his companions, his brothers he was born and raised with since a pod and with whom he experienced a lot of things together, made him a cold, empty husk... but if that was the case, SHOW US THAT!

Scorch could have easily been a good counterpart to Crosshair. They are both Commandos (in a sense) and they both lost their brothers in traumatic ways (allegedly). But while Scorch gave up and became a mindless follower of the Empire, Cross woke up and refused to be brainwashed like the rest.

I know I'm being too harsh.

After all, it's somehow noticiable that TBB was left unfinished. My theory is that Disney decided to pull the plug and was "nice" enough to give the project one last season. But all the ideas and all the stories they clearly wanted to tell were not going to fit on one last season, so a lot of it was cut and rushed.

It is sad, and I would have loved to see what plans they originally had. Maybe they had more plans for the commandos, maybe Scorch had a bigger role or an explanation to his loyalty towards Hemlock and the empire.

Or Maybe he was just painted in to get Republic commando fans to watch The Bad Batch.

We might never know...

Overall...

It's kind of sad that was all the representation we got of these beloved characters.

I know their stories are in "Legends" and many Legends characters have been changed for the sake of canon.

But there is Changing, and then there is Butchering.

And I think Scorch, and the Delta Squad, deserved way better.

[quarantineddreamer]

✨ B's RebelCaptain Rec List ✨

Apologies in advance as I have NO DOUBT that I missed including some very talented individuals and their works in this list. (This is by no means comprehensive.)

I haven't been here all that long, but wow--since day one I've been blown away by the talent in this fandom and the dedication of all the creators.

So, thank you lovely souls for sharing your beautiful art (in all its many forms) for us to enjoy--and thank you RC community as a whole for being so lovely and welcoming this past year! I am truly grateful to be screaming/crying/rewriting canon with you 💖

Give Up the Ghost by @frostbitepandaaaaa

I mean...what can I say? I love all of Frost's writing, but this was the first work I ever read of hers and it is devastating and gorgeous and will make you lose your mind. I remember the first time I read it just...lingering on certain sentences because I was in awe of how beautiful they were. Just read it. Trust me. (And then check out her WIP 12 Days afterwards!)

threshold by @astromechs

Another writer whose works I love. (Okay, that's pretty much everyone on this list--the RC fandom is so frickin talented). But for me, this fic in particular stands out as one that gives incredible insight into Cassian's character--and an adorable story overall. Heartfelt and beautiful.

built on hope by @luciechat

I am particularly obsessed with chapter 3 of this collection of prompt-writes Getting Back Together (in the Cold). Lucie paints the picture so clearly and the tension throughout is delicious. Highly recommend reading this RC Hoth fic--and Lucie's other amazing works!

we were never going to make it by @fulcrumstardust

Okay off the bat: be mindful of the tags! This was a whumptober fic and it is BIG SAD. But it is also so, so beautiful. The emotion woven throughout cuts to the bone and as painful as it was, the premise of the story was very well executed. (And if you're looking for a lighter read--maybe a spicy one--Moria's one-shot SOLAR STORM has such an incredible setup. The sexual tension is so well done.)

The RebelCaptain Romance Collection by @agentjackdaniels

I couldn't choose just one from this collection! Luce writes the softest, sweetest, fluffiest stories for RC that you will ever read. (Which makes perfect sense if you're lucky enough to get to know her because Luce is such a genuine, sweet soul.) These fics are like a warm-hug for the soul--just what you need after watching Rouge One.

the things you said by @gaygingersnaps

Again: I am not usually one for Modern AUs but I think the RC fandom is changing me and the first I ever read was Eli's amazing fic. I am obsessed with how Eli writes Jyn's internal dialogue. It's so in character and sharp and will make you smile and shake your head and go "Oh, Jyn!" This collection of stories is idiots-in-love like nothing else and you will fall in love with the world Eli has so thoughtfully crafted for a modern-day RC.

objection, your honor by @andorerso

I'm not usually one for modern AUs, but this fic is just so much fun. The banter between Cass and Jyn is so in character and so sharp and witty and the whole time I was reading I had a grin on my face. (These two idiots.) I love all the little details Sissi considers in this AU (Chewie being the dog for example), but that's no surprise! She is the queen of AUs!

Tethered (to the Story We Must Tell) by @dilf-din

I just absolutely loved the setup for this fic. Jess manages to fit these characters into a magical world so seamlessly by embedding the most incredible details from the Star Wars universe. (I was obsessed with the "stormtroopers".) Jess's writing is so smooth and rich and will immediately grab your attention.

Coping Mechanisms by @mosylufanfic

I think this was the first fic I ever read of mosylu's! I love the way she writes Jyn--always perfectly in character, strong and sassy. But in this fic in particular, I love the softness she brings to Jyn in how she cares for Cassian. I found it to be a very beautiful, healing read. (But if you're looking for something a bit longer or more upbeat! I mean, take your pick. Mosylu is another author who is amazing at AUs and her works are always such fun reads.)

RC Proposal by @ninsletamain

I could have put any of nins' pieces down as a rec. (Like seriously go scroll her feed she's insanely talented and her work blows my mind everytime without fail). But I chose this one because it is just so rich and full of detail, I love the story it tells, and you cannot help but smile whenever you look at it.

Claw Machine by @winterdruid

Definitely an all-time favorite for me. I remember making a joke about claw-machine as a first date when I was doing a RO rewatch with some friends and then this masterpiece showed up on my feed and my jaw dropped?! It's so fun and cute and well-done and I reblog it every time I see it soooo.

Seashore (for RC Fluffbruary) by @adeptnenyim

I love the scenery, their poses, their expressions, the quote?! Ahhh all of it! Nen's art is so soft and special and gives me all the feels and this one is no exception.

BTS of RO Inspired by @art-question-mark

I have always loved the picture this piece is based off of. In my head, it is happy Jyn and Cass. In my head, it is canon. Natalie's style is so beautiful and I love some of the quotes Natalie pulls from the Rogue One novel to go with the art!

Pretty Cute by @muguathepapaya

This piece is super cute and exactly what they deserved. I'm obsessed. Gives me all the warm and fuzzies. Sunshine on a rainy day, so gorgeous.

Time to Wake Up by @eegnm

Okay are you noticing the theme yet? I love seeing these two happy, and this scene in particular is just so...warm. I love the cuddly vibes, their expressions, all of it. You can feel the love in it.

losers by @necr0mancers

I am obsessed with the look they are exchanging. Very conspiratorial and so true to them. I also just love the style of this artists' works and the sense of humor woven through many of their pieces.

Elevator Scene by @satmolly

Nope I actually do not have words for this one. I think it says enough. (This happened, and it happened just like this and it is so very beautiful).

Favorite Scene (beach) by @dramaticmusicplaying

Another one that leaves me speechless. (Okay, they ALL do I feel like I am not doing these artists justice I'M SORRY). I just think this piece captures the beach perfectly and I love the style and all the colors and I kinda need to cry after looking at it okay?!

Jyn/Cassian Smooch by @barrikae

I am totally obsessed with this artist's style and this image in particular is just: ahhhhh! You know? Like look at themmmmm. Thank you for this barrikae.

Space Travel by @freebooter4ever

Your honor, they are holding hands and they are so very sleepy and I am so very in love with this piece. I love the artist's style and again, amazing scene set. Lives rent free in my mind.

Tagging creators for this one vs specific sets (cause you CANNOT make me choose honestly) and linking this post I wrote awhile back about how incredible I think you all are! (As in: I specifically had RC creators in mind when I wrote that post.)

*This is the list I am most nervous about cause I am almost certain I am forgetting people so if you see this and you make gifs for RC please know I love you and your work <3

@bartowskis

@staticwaffles

@jyndor

@andorerso

@jemmasimmons

@sydneyadmu

@garethsedwards

@gizkalord

@kalikoris

@dailyrebelcaptain

@therebelcaptainnetwork

[joeymerenset]

The Ash Scattered Over a Field

Book: PSI

Characters: Ivo Martin x Lou Reed

Word Count: 5566

Rating: M

Warnings: Death, Neck breaking, Nightmares, Strong language, Smoking

Tags: @rc-catalog @secret-fungi @mikaelsrose @agattthaa @liykaii @zumitry @scrubcapsg @sarahrosees @webanglikethat @annn-starrr @astarotha

Summary: Tomorrow, they set their emotions aside and fight for their goal. But tonight, they're just Lou, Ivo, and the city beyond.

Recommend music to read with: https://on.soundcloud.com/MorArg2uTjruUXRu7 on repeat

“Right now, the Assistance Corps have just taken out the Prior of the Inquisition,” a feminine voice announces.

Lou understands perfectly what is about to happen. She awaits frozen in dread as life relentlessly continues going on around her.

Faceless people surround her in a crowd as they watch the fateful event that will change the course of history.

They’re silent, faces void of any mouths to throw the usual insults thrown at such events, void of any eyes to throw any vicious or cutting glances…

Instead, they simply silently expressionlessly face him as he’s brought out. His face, unlike all others, is clear and distinct, his cold and ruthless expression precise.

He isn’t changed out of his immaculate well-kept uniform, the Inquisition badge shines brightly in spite of the cold and gloomy winter rain. His hair is in its usual impeccably neat ponytail, not a strand is out of place.

He doesn’t fit the image of a criminal about to be hanged. And yet,

He gives Lou a cold glance as he’s led past her, and in that split second it feels as though everything around them pauses and they’re in slow motion. 

Lou immediately understands what is truly in his gaze. They both know what they want to say to each other, but unspoken words unite them one last time, as the world around them resumes, and he is ruthlessly led away.

“The higher ranks of the Inquisition have not given us an exact explanation for this situation so far,” a faceless woman on a hologram TV continues reporting her announcement, “however, from the information available to us, it has become clear–”

He reaches the stage and stands in perfect posture, exactly where he’s meant to stand. He shows no sign of resistance against his situation, but as he searches the crowd for where he’s just passed by, when his eyes land on her, she can see the hidden despair in them.

His impeccable appearance contrasts the gallows. The noose now being tied around his neck by an inquisitor in an identical uniform is out of place among his perfect attire.

“...the Prior was staging a coup,” the reporter mercilessly continues against the cold silence. Lou continues staring at the man, eyes wide with horror as the dreaded event comes closer and closer, chasing her like a predator chasing his disadvantaged prey. “Having learned about this, the Vicar Jean-Francois took immediate action to eliminate the traitor.”

She tries to breathe as her heart looses its rhythm. At the sight of the noose around her lover’s neck, her hands tremble and her legs grow weak. She doesn’t take her eyes off him.

She’s paralyzed by dread, too numb to cry and yet, as she becomes hyper-aware of herself and their now inescapable situation, she feels wet tears on her cheeks.

“...horrifying news pierced our hearts,” Lou’s panic crashes into her brain, it screams at her to do something, to act. To strangle the man who’s just tied the noose. It becomes so loud that it drowns out the sound of the TV, breaking phrases into jumbled sentences. “...Church will conduct a lengthy investigation… Who else is involved in…”

Her brain refuses to listen to the indifferent voice on stage that had just begun listing his crimes, as he stands, rigorously watching her, on that trapdoor.

She can only hear her own mind screaming for her to act no less vehemently than it did a moment ago. But, feeling as though her feet are physically glued to the floor, she stands frozen, withholding his penetrating gaze.

Voices without source begin speaking out amidst the brutal silence. Their questions each cut its own deep wound. “What will the Vicar say? How will they deal with the traitor?”

A stab to the gut. “Is the traitor also guilty of the recent crimes against the Church?”

A bullet to the heart. “Did the Prior’s personal guards know of his plans?”

The question that killed her, “Who will the next Prior be?”

And on that stage, standing on that trapdoor, moments away from his final breath, he coldly endures until the dreaded question is asked: “Your final words, Monsieur Martin?”

He shows no weakness or vulnerability, simply answers the question with a cold voice, a stern expression, and a single tear of despair that streams down his uncaring face. He says: “I promised I’d make the universe bigger. I’m sorry.”

And then she hears the deafening sound of the crunch of his neck as the trapdoor opens beneath him. He’s staring directly at her when his eyes roll back into his skull and life leaves his body. 

Lou jolted awake, wheezing for air as if she had run a great distance.

She frantically searched the darkness for any semblance of hope. She found it in the realization that she’d just been dreaming.

She slowed her breathing, inhaled for four seconds, held for four seconds, and exhaled for four seconds. Jonas had once taught her this breathing exercise when she got panicked at school one time. 

She slowly turned herself over and sat herself up on her elbows. She sat frozen for a minute as her eyes worked to adjust to the darkness around her.

As her mind began to make sense of the shapes that surrounded her, Lou looked around the familiar room. It wasn’t hers. In her state of mind, she had just about forgotten where she was spending the night.

A quick scan of the room reminded her whose it is. It was confirmed when she looked down at red and gray sheets that covered her now.

And when she realized whose bed she was in, she absentmindedly turned to look to the other side of the bed. She let out a pained sigh of relief as she saw him laying next to her, soundly asleep with calm even breathing.

And as she sat mesmerized by the sight of his chest slowly rising and falling with every breath, the realization came crushing that the horrific sight she’d just seen has only yet to come. 

Her pulse rang in her ear, her heart dropped to her stomach as she settled into that realization that her nightmare can easily become a reality. She took another deep breath.

He’d told her and Stone to “settle their affairs” before the day arrived. She knew what he meant by that. She knew anything could happen on the fated day, that they’re all in a dangerous position no matter what happens. That’s why she chose to spend the previous day with him, why she wished to wake up in his bed the next morning.

And now she had another reason: she was glad of all places, she was tormented by nightmares in his bed where she can wake up next to him, and simply be with him knowing that he's safe.

She stared at him as vehemently as she had in that dream, as though she could lose him at any second. And as she did, as if her nightmare hadn’t tormented her enough, visions of how the next day could go began playing in her head. 

She imagined Jonas, barely alive from overusing his psi, being dragged away by the AC. She imagined the young Tina having to learn that she'd have to go on living alone as a result of everyone she knows having been killed. She couldn't bring herself to imagine the pyrokinetic dying, and still she imagined every outcome. Most didn’t seem ideal. 

Her imagination led back to his death. She shook her head as her mind replayed the scene, almost as though she was shaking out the image of it. 

When she zoned back in, she thoughtlessly watched him, almost fascinated by the way he breathed. The way he lived.

And amidst the silence that now lingered in her mind, one strained simple thought shattered through the wall of professional detachment she had built. Like how the moon stood out amidst the starless sky above the eternally alive and lit city outside the balcony door, her thought stood out from the quiet darkness of her mind, and it whispered to him: I don’t wanna lose you.

Her hand reached out on its own, as if it was reaching for something it had long yearned to hold, and now it gets to. It reached his face, and hovered over it, afraid to wake him.

She knew he wasn’t dreaming. At least, knowing the nature and purpose of his sedative, she doubted he was. And she knew that her wish to understand what’s going through his head right now was futile.

But Lou’s worry was slightly reassured as she realized that, after the next day’s events are over, he’d likely never have to take that sedative again.

What is happening to me, she thought, why does it matter to me that you’re sleeping soundly?

And yet, despite her deep reluctance to worry for him, her thought was followed up with: Sleeping soundly? …I really hope you are.

She found herself absentmindedly playing with his hair. She gently ran her fingers between his dark locks, as if, even when on auto-pilot, she knew exactly just how gentle to be so as to not wake him.

When she realized what she was doing, she paused, and just stared at her hand, now frozen with a lock of his hair between her fingers.

She took a deep inhale, which was somewhat surprisingly difficult for her at that moment, and then finally decided: No, I better not wake you up.

So her hand retreated, and with it, she did too. She sat herself back up and reached for the bedside table next to her. She had to tap the table a few times before landing on a small box, which she grabbed and took with her as she got up.

She didn’t bother to slip her feet into anything comfortable, so her bare footsteps hardly made any sound when she walked away and onto the balcony.

The floor was warm against her bare feet.

Despite it being the middle of summer, they’d heard it was going to rain that night. Yet, the sky was endlessly clear. Lou felt the warmth against her skin wash out her melancholy and replaced it with discomfort.

She watched the eternally awake city through clouded vision as she lit a cigarette and exhaled the first puff of smoke. Below her, she saw the light turn off from a building or two, but most, just like the Inquisition building, never really slept. 

Just as it was clear of clouds, the sky also lacked stars. It was solely lit by the moon, lonely as she now was. Its light tried to console her as it shone down on her, barely reaching far enough to envelop her in its rays like the dreaded sun did.

And she truly dreaded the dawn of the first rays of sun. She didn’t want tomorrow to come. So she endlessly watched the moon, her heart sank deeper with each second the moon set lower. 

Alone with the moon, she didn’t want to think of the next day anymore. Taking in another drag of smoke, she wondered what the sky would look like if only the harsh lights of the city didn’t outshine the stars.

She found herself rolling her eyes. She’d never cared about such things before.

But as her thoughts led back to him, it almost didn’t matter anymore. Her next thought as she hesitated to inhale again was: Beautiful, that’s how.

She breathed a pained exhale. I’m tormenting myself if I keep standing here waiting for the sun to rise. And as she turned back to return to the sleeping man behind that balcony door, just before she put out her cigarette, her eyes landed on his cello.

He'd left it there after he'd spent the night playing to her, sharing his soul through symphony after symphony, the only way he could.

Moon and sun and stars and the cello all led her to one thought, one memory that didn’t allow her to walk away anymore. 

She remembered a melody among the cosmos, as she floated between planets and nebulae. She remembered standing on the moon as the music dissolved her, and it felt as though she and the music together were becoming the stars and the galaxies.

Her mysterious admirer didn’t accompany her there, yet she learned weeks later on the very balcony she now stood on that he was with her that night. He was the melody that carried her to the stars, the music that undid her. He was the color of the sky, the twinkle of the stars that generously bathed her in their light.

Their generosity came in the form of an outstretched hand holding out a pair of shades on an inconveniently sunny day, or a pack of ice for a runny broken nose. It came as music; a flash drive to keep her company while she was lonely off work, a sound system as some part of him in her home, an orchestra at a planetarium, a cello on the balcony. It came in the form of him.

And he was the main cellist playing that orchestra. He was her beautiful symphony, the chords and tones that tugged at her heart and lured it closer, pushed it deeper into the pool of his affection. And in a world that gave him their undivided attention, she was his only audience, the only one who mattered. She was his muse.

What stupid thoughts, she convinced herself, if Jonas heard all this he’d flick me between my brows and tell me to get my shit together. 

She had no doubt the healer would have a colorful choice of words for her, had he known who she’s spending her nights with.

But she forgot Jonas’ name very easily when he was on her mind. She went back to the edge of the balcony, to the bustling city beyond it that had no idea how much it would change in a matter of hours.

And she took out another cigarette, despite knowing that standing there won’t do her any good, and lit it. She couldn’t turn her back on the moon, the only thing unchanged in her life, guaranteed to rise the next night and set the morning after. 

Shit, she exhaled a stream of smoke, what’s happening to me?

She'd never worried about someone like that before, and worrying about Ivo scared her. She'd tried to break it off the previous day for that reason. It was her duty to protect him as his personal guard, it was her duty to worry. But her worry wasn't out of duty, it was personal.

And the idea of leaving him killed her, and having the Prior die may ruin her career, but it was easier to fail as his guard than it was to fail as his lover.

Moreover, he was the Prior. He was ash scattered over crops where life grew over the death he left behind. Who was she next to him?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a quiet hoarse voice calling “Lou?” followed by the sound of a door clicking.

She turned to look back at the pale tired man who'd just walked onto the balcony. He looked more grim than peaceful and sound now that he was awake. 

He approached her lazily, as if he'd hardly allowed himself to fully wake up before realizing she wasn't asleep in bed next to him.

Lou noted the worried look on his face. He seemed to understand what she was dreading. “I'm sorry,” her apology filled the silence as she flicked the ash off her cigarette.

When he reached her, he wordlessly held her by the waist and planted a kiss just where the sleeve of her shirt had fallen from her shoulder, in silent reassurance that she didn't have anything to apologize for.

And she didn't have it in her to say anything else, so they stood like that, silently taking in each other's presence, for a while. Her, listening to the sound of his breathing and savoring every decibel. Him, watching the smoke floating from her mouth into the air almost as if, in his tired state, he was utterly mesmerized by it.

When her cloud of smoke dissipated into the air, he turned back to look at her, allowing himself to admire the sight of her. Only after he took in every feature, he planted a long kiss on her cheek.

As his lips lingered on her skin, without thinking, she mouthed “mine.” Her voice came out in more of a strangled whisper.

She felt his lips form a smile on her cheek. “That's right, Lou. Yours.”

When she realized he was about to kiss her lips, Lou abruptly moved away, swiftly remarking: “Ivo, my breath reeks of tobacco, you don't wanna taste that.”

Endearing as her concern was for him, he didn't push her any further. He simply went back to admiring her as he absentmindedly stroked her shoulder. She turned back to face the city.

After a moment,  he allowed himself to break the silence and gently asked: “Why are you awake at this hour?” 

She took a second to consider her response before she exhaled it along with another puff of smoke. “I could ask you the same thing.”

He was in no hurry to answer.

Lou decided not to wait for one anyway. “I keep playing scenarios in my head.”

“Scenarios?”

“Of the possibilities of tomorrow,” she clarified. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m prepared to put my emotions aside and serve my duty, but I don’t know that I wanna face the damage we’ll leave behind.”

He stared at her attentively, waiting for her to elaborate, or to decide that she wasn't going to. 

“The other day, while I was… hm. I went to see Jonas and I could hardly hold a conversation. I kept imagining his fate after tomorrow,” a deep inhale as she took in another drag, “it wasn't a pretty picture.”

Ivo's eyes narrowed. Though he'd heard of Jonas before, he had no idea who the healer was or what any of this had to do with him.

“A few days ago, I dreamed about Tina. After I dropped her off at work, I just stopped to think about her future. My dream that night didn’t keep me wondering for too long.”

Ivo clearly had something he wanted to say, but refrained until she’d finished speaking.

“Tonight, I dreamed about you.”

He knew there would be no more elaborating on her part.

“I see,” he sighed as he seemed to understand the gravity of what’s been on her mind. She didn’t phrase it exactly how she’d wanted, but he understood exactly what she meant. He didn’t need any more explanation. “First of all, as for your tobacco breath,” he left a brief kiss on her lips, then brazenly stated: “I don’t care.”

She smiled at him briefly, took in his face, and suddenly saw his eyes roll back into his head again the way it did when he died at the gallows.

Something inside her shivered at the unexpected vision, she abruptly turned away. She refused to look at him any longer.

He felt the strange sense of anxiety that just suddenly came over her. Realizing she probably wasn’t up for it, he didn’t ask any questions. Instead he simply offered her a place in his arms.

She took it, settled her back into his chest, and stood there, held by him. Loved by him. Loved.

“You died,” she lamented, “in this dream.”

His attentive gaze on her became penetrating. His expression confused her. She wasn’t sure whether his furrowed brows expressed anger or concern.

“Our coup hadn’t gone according to plan. We’d doomed people to those godforsaken psionic farms, doomed humanity to a horrific fate, and you were brought to the gallows to be executed. Publicly.”

Ivo silently took in her words. He didn’t answer right away. “Lou, I have everything planned out perfectly. Every moment of every event counted toward our goal, everything that led us here was done strategically and under my complete control. I have several backup plans in the case that things don’t work out. Even in the event of my death, humanity–”

“Ivo! This isn’t about humanity dammit, this is about you!” She raised her voice for the first time in the conversation. “I don’t want you to die! I want you to assure me that you won’t die!”

Panic settled into her stomach as he paused in uncertainty. He couldn’t promise her that. 

“Lie to me.”

He was only silent for a moment before lethargically responding, “...I won’t die.”

“You’re a politician, is that the best lie you could come up with?”

“It’s 2 AM.” He sluggishly refuted.

She wanted to look back at him with an unamused expression but it came out more desperate. More despaired. “Goddammit, Ivo…” She almost whimpered the words out of frustration.

And as she uttered them, flashes of that dream replayed before her mind’s eye. 

She watched again at how he didn’t take his eyes off her once as he stood on the gallows. She’d never forget the way he was looking at her before life left him as abruptly as a gut-wrenchingly beautiful song being interrupted, the cruel silence that comes after. 

And she’d never forget the horrific sound of his neck crunching, it didn’t feel like a distant memory from a dream. 

She was reluctant to inhale another drag as she struggled to breathe. The crushing realization that came next came against her will, that if she lost him, she suddenly would no longer know how to keep living

He was no empath but he almost felt what she was thinking. The weight of the images on her mind were perceptible on her face, in the way she refused to take in another drag of smoke.

She didn’t pay attention to the taste when she absentmindedly inhaled the smoke again. 

She was dragged out of her flashback by his quiet voice, silent as if she was asleep and he was reluctant to wake her. “Lou, come back to me.”

She suddenly became extremely aware of herself and the world around her. As all their problems began to feel tangible, she became hypersensitive to his cold hand on her arm. He hadn’t stopped stroking it once. At this moment, it grounded her.

“I’m sorry,” he rasped. Though he wasn’t one to usually have such a reaction, he mentally cussed at himself for his inability to convincingly lie to her. After all, he was able to deceive a stage one psionic empath. 

“I’m sorry, Lou,” he sincerely apologized again. “In the beginning, I didn’t think that we…”

“I know, Ivo,” a stream of smoke came out alongside her words. “And it’s not your fault. I’m glad I… got to know you,” she wasn’t sure how to phrase it, but they both knew what she was saying. “I knew what I was getting myself into when I became your guard,” she considered everything she’d been through so far that led her to this moment. “It wasn’t to walk in the garden.”

At first, this all started as an attempt to earn enough for a comfortable living. She understood the dangerous nature of her job, and she was prepared to do what it takes. 

She wasn’t eager to protect the head of the Inquisition when she’d first heard about the job offer, but the pay was so generous, she could hardly refuse. She fought hard for that comfortable life in Termitairy she was hoping to have, even if it meant protecting some high-ranking prick.

She never expected that one day, she’d be standing in said high-ranking prick’s arms, as if enveloped by a blanket of love and comfort, as he gently rubbed her shoulders in an attempt to dispel her worries about their upcoming dangerous mission. 

And as she realized how her bitterness towards the Inquisition and its leader was once just barely enough to dissuade her chance to earn decent money, she marveled at her eagerness to risk her life to make a difference, to risk her life for him. 

“And now we’re changing the world,” her next words were uttered silently without any context, “How could I walk away from that?”

“Of course,” Ivo agreed, “But I’m sure you hardly expected to be in this much danger either.”

“It’s easier for you isn’t it? That’s why they call you Ash,” she wasn’t really asking. “And you’ve been planning this for a while. —Well, not this but you’ve at least known some of Jean-Fracnois’ secrets for a long time, haven’t you?” After a silent pause as he considered his answer, Lou spoke up again first and added: “Plus, with the sedative-”

“That’s not the purpose of the sedative.” He hardly intended to interrupt her. It was just an objective fact he felt the need to state.

“I know, but it still helps,” she reasoned.

“To be sure. But either way, Lou, I’ve always had to put my emotions aside for my goal. The ash scattered over a field has no weakness or emotion, it is just ash, and it must fulfill its function– to be useful.”

“You are not ash.”

“I am the Prior. I endure, I do my job, I achieve my goal. Only after that am I a human being, and that’s reserved for you.”

He knew before hiring her that she was someone he’d become fond of, but he didn’t expect to become this fond of her. Too much to lose her. 

He’d told her before that he wished he could be the one to protect her, and along with the upcoming dawn, that statement rises more and more and threatens to drown him with its truth as how the dawn threatens to drown the world with its light. 

He knew where his fate would lead, that it might lead to his death. He knew he was risking the death of his team. He had come to terms with that, he was prepared for it. 

He had to put his feelings aside time and time again for the sake of his goals, since the beginning of his career. He understood that emotions had no place at work.

Before her, emotions had hardly any place in his personal life either.

But now as they stood together facing the rest of the world, holding each other in an attempt to comfort one another, she’d become a person he never wanted to know what it’s like to live without. 

“What exactly is gonna happen tomorrow,” she asked, and suddenly they both became acutely aware of the silence that had been lingering between them for minutes before she uttered her question. She looked up at the moon, and realized: “Well, today.” She turned again to face him, a look in her eyes he’d never seen before: desperation. “What are the steps of your plan? Tell me every detail.”

Her tone was cold and determined, it sounded as though she was commanding him, but she was asking for reassurance.

Ivo paused in silence for a moment, then let out a grim sigh. That was the first time in the entire conversation he’d stopped stroking her arm.

He nudged her lightly to have her turn to a position where she’s facing him, their faces inches apart. And when she complied, he took a long attentive look at her face, memorizing every feature as if it was the most important exam he was ever going to take.

Then, he took her hand with his and pressed it onto his chest. He held it there.

“Ivo, what are you doing-” she was interrupted by the murmur of a thud. Then another, and another.

He was silent for a minute as he let her listen. He simply watched her face take in the sound, and pay attention to it.

“You’re listening to the heartbeat of the Prior of the Inquisition,” he finally spoke. His chest rumbled lightly beneath her palm as his words came out. “Many have tried to stop it from sounding. Many wanted to cease its beating.” His lips were so close, they almost whispered into her temple. “You saw first hand how close they were to succeeding.”

And as he watched her attentively, her eyes were fixated on his hand on hers, holding hers to his chest. She soaked in the sound.

“Listen to it now, Lou.”

“Oh…” she felt as though she was physically holding in her hand the beating heart of the man who truly belonged to her.

Belonged to her? What right did she have to think so?

But tonight, those thoughts of doubt were drowned out by a lud, lud, lud,

A sound she now realized that, alongside the roar of her motorcycle’s engine and the music from her headphones, had just become among her favorite sounds in the world.

And just like how she cannot imagine living without music, and how she’d sooner die than give up her motorbike, she realized she never wanted to stop listening to the sound of his life whispering reassuring promises to her through his heart.

It whispered to her what he wanted her to know, because he survived and he endured for his goal because of her, but he lived for her.

He was silent again for another few minutes, she stood mesmerized again as she listened. When his voice sounded again,it almost startled Lou out of a shell she seemed to have retreated to. “First thing in the morning, we’ll meet with the Vicar,” a fact she already knew, “he will agree to my proposal–”

Lou couldn’t stand it anymore. “Yes, Ivo, but what proposal? What are you going to tell him?”

He didn’t give her an answer. Instead, he simply slowly shook his head in a silent plea to listen to his words. “Everything will go according to plan at the synod. Exactly every guest we need will show up. Every person who is taking part in our plan, whether they know it, intend to, or they don’t, will be exactly where we need them to be.”

His vagueness frustrated Lou. His words told her nothing of his plans, as always. 

His words often spoke a vague truth, one that cut. But the continued sound that trembled under her palm told Lou all she needed to hear. 

“We will gain control over the city so that we can prevent as many deaths as possible….”

As he kept speaking, he didn’t take his hand off hers, he didn’t allow her to let go of his heart. And why should she, when it beats because of her? When it beats for her.

He wanted her to own it, as if he trusts her not only to protect it from metaphorical heartbreak, but he trusts her to keep it beating. 

She no longer listened to his words, she lost herself in the sound of his heartbeat that drowned out his cruel lies, sweet reassurance that was more cruel than threats and insults.

She settled into the sound that swaddled her like the comforting darkness of the night, the steady rhythm of his heart assured her more than his sorry attempts at deciet. It didn’t have his tone, the uncertainty with which he spoke, that slight unsureness, a hesitancy in promises.

No, his heart only kept sounding, each beat a promise that it would fight for the next one.

She didn’t realize how long she’d been standing there listening to the sound of his heartbeat after he let her hand go and stopped speaking. He didn’t try to remove her hand from his chest.

He only planted a kiss on her temple, which promised more than his words ever could.

“Sorry,” she apologized half-heartedly.

If he couldn’t tell from the reluctant tone in her apology that it wasn’t true, he knew it from the way his hand lingered on his chest, refusing to pull away.

She tried again. Only this time, she tried the truth: “I love you.”

Silence was his reply. It wasn’t that he hesitated to respond, no. He was silent as her words settled in. He understood that she did, and he knew exactly how he felt, but only when her words reached his heart and caressed it like sunlight’s rays caressed all that it dawned upon, he responded: “I love you too.”

Lou understood that tonight would be their last as human beings before they’d have to put their own humanity aside for the sake of the rest of humanity.

She understood she’d have to forget her emotions and serve. She knew she could. But tonight, that wasn’t what she worried about.

Tonight, humanity disappeared and summarized in one person, in the form of him. Tonight, nobody else mattered to her, only him.

Maybe during her days when she sat in his office, when she went on missions to dangerous clubs to find shady people, or beyond the perimeter for evidence of dangerous crimes against the Inquisition or the Church, Lou’s only goal, which she fought for sincerely, was for humanity. For people.

But tonight, as sleep came and sucked her into its comforting darkness easily despite the terrifying reality of tomorrow, none of it mattered to her. Only him.

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Okay, I caved and downloaded Romance Club😭😭 Does anyone have any good story recommendations? I'm still gonna be on Choices and post Choices content (and finish off the books on my reading list). I just feel like I need to stop relying on one storytelling app

Ugh, this is such a weird feeling! It reminds me of when I switched from Episode to Choices and I had to acclimate to the better quality of stories imao. I just wanna ✨expose myself✨ to more interactive apps and since Storyscape or wtvr doesn't exist anymore this is the closest I can get

And The Haze Will Take Us (UP TO DATE)

Kali: Flame of Samsara (UP TO DATE)

Astrea's Broken Heart (UP TO DATE)

Heaven's Secret: Requiem (UP TO DATE)

Chasing You 2 (UP TO DATE)

W: Time Catcher (UP TO DATE)

Love, Sin, and Evil Vol. 1 (UP TO DATE)

Garden of Eden (UP TO DATE)

Soulless (UP TO DATE)

7 Brothers (UP TO DATE)

Song of the Crimson Nile (UP TO DATE)

Legend of the Willow (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Heart of Trespia (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Psi (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Chasing You (STARTED...)

Sails in the Fog (STARTED...)

Dracula: A Love Story (STARTED...)

Rage of the Titans (STARTED...)

Hell and Highwater (STARTED...)

Shadows of Saintfour

COMPLETED

Kali: Call of Darkness: 9/10; love the MC, the characters, the story progression, the Dozen lore, replayability, etc. but gets a point off for its problematic depiction of Indian culture and Hinduism) tbh it deserves an extra point or two off because I despise the way Remy clearly wrote from a Eurocentric perspective, but this is also the first RC book I read after the slew of mid Choices books so I got attached unfortunately

Theodora: 9.6/10; I got the ending where I was only able to save my soul and it made me sad 😭 the story was well written but there were parts where I was just a lil bored. At least, that’s how I felt initially before I became obsessed with the book. It's objectively amazing etc. but I feel kinda robbed from screentime with the OG characters if that makes sense? Either way the writer did a great job writing them into the plot in later seasons and the MC is so amazing I love her <3 it’s not easy to write the progression of multiple relationships already but to have a different set of likable LIs every season is incredible!

Arcanum: 9.8/10; THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD omg I love how the plot came full circle and the MC was interesting and well-written (her character design was also top tier). It's such a unique concept for a book I love it. I feel like S3 could have gone by a lil quicker (along with a couple of other nitpicky things) but that could just be because S2 was so full of action

Heaven's Secret: 9.9/10; I just started its sequel, but I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging this book was! I like the gradual progression from being a new student to slowly learning the truth behind your death and about the academy. The final battle scene was super cool, and I feel like everything had a logical explanation (ex. Shepha only having power over light). I also like the different pathways of being an Angel, Demon, or Harmony Bearer (which I was!) it was really fun and seems like a replayable book <3

The Desert Rose: [review pending, check later]

The One Volume 2: [review pending, check later]

Vying for Versailles: [review pending, check later]

Sins of London: [review pending, check later]

Heaven's Secret 2: [review pending, check later]

[lashysdomain]

@mageofspacemultiverse and @memurfevur 's Oc Name ARG Data

for those who AREN'T me who've spent the last 4 days and almost every waking and sleeping hour thinking about this, here's what we have so far + puzzles i've not yet been able to solve

characters: [name] - (blog they're at)

arceel - (memurfevur)

how we found out about ynygme (from here on referred to as E). ex moirail, used to be known as Balerion. this is the name that E knows him by.

Ynygme - (mageofspacemultiverse)

We have found E's name. it's recommended not to say it, just in case. they're currently in hiding while we find a tether and figure out how to decode the spell we need to bring them home.

the subjugate video

one of E's captors. we've been told to hide from them, so DNI. please. i know, villian, but dni. summoned by us guessing S

the warden video (loud)

another of e's captors, 110% fucked up on this one. i didn't notice, both of these are my fault.

current puzzle objective is solving the spell to get back to E and helping find any parts of their body to create their tether

extra characters and unsolved puzzles/extra info under the cut

watch'r - (memurfevur)

bound to arceel, knows what's going on to some degree, will take gossip as a bribe for clues, unsure what he'll give. that's my bestie

For now we're good on clues, but we might need more soon?

matild kirada - (memurfevur)

gilf. who said that mentioned in the poem posts image, likely whos help we need to find e's body

unsolved puzzles

i'm currently still trying to solve these, but i'm at my wits end in a way

possible code could be from the polls, setting the positions of letters in another key the letters and their resulting poll result numbers are: e2 r4 p5 i6 c6 h3 (the letters spell cipher. kilant you bitch.)

p is interesting, and has the options of 20 5 20 8 5 18 which when put into an alphanumeric substitution cipher gives us "tether" could be nothing but that seems purposeful? every other poll has just 123...

the pastebin clues, found from the description of the subjugate video.

these are settings for the enigma machine. what we put into it probably hasn't been sent out yet, it's also a clue about E's first name more than likely.

as dr el fj ky mt ob qx uz wh I 10 1 III 17 2 VII 6 4

A grandpre grid from the watch'r drabble and following judgements roman numerals gives us a likely second set of plugboard settings for the enigma machine.

the rest of the settings were found on a past post leading to a soundcloud link

ap cm dv gq iy ne rj sw uf zk V 4 6 IV 6 2 VIII 16 6

from the tags of the last ask + settings for another machine from the post where E told us about their past with balerion. it's unclear if the setting for the third rotor is 22 1 or 2 21

RC EY BF SG JM ID LQ KZ TU HO V 18 3 VI 1 5 III 2 2 1

from a poll with some sort of poem? poem might not actually be important, but the poll post is here

vuypo xu klt syet ya g rukobq crmgp fpkose kkmexf wkzoec knm bwbx qgzkem

Jcif xgs aphwvx rxdgdk jc boyf Irmm g inbfjh b qrqqevn onmzf Mcuvh omeccn diegypgp

from E's latest ask and pulled from the captions of the Warden video. if this is the spell, we're missing the last third piece still

i believe it might be a beaufort vigenere cipher, but we don't have it's key. could also need to be spit through specific enigma machine settings. there are far too many for me to brute force, so we'll just have to wait.

the words that bring them together are likely just the spell, not anything super complex (well more so than finding it all)

current state of the reset conspiracy board

[hojiteaversion]

Why I Think RC Has Trouble Sticking Their Landings

(Or, a pantser talks about structure and DLS for like 8 paragraphs)

My short answer: Because these stories are first drafts

Longer answer: ⬇️

1) (Lack of) Developmental editing

RC's model has its authors write long stories 2-4 chapters at a time. As much as the authors might perfect these chapters, they have no way to change something later on if they realize a scene no longer matches the big picture. An author may revise and make a batch of 4 flawless chapters, but it still doesn't mean they will fit the story seamlessly.

Developmental editing, according to this article, "involves feedback on the big picture of a […] writing piece. A developmental editor will critique structural elements like the plot, characters, theme, and organization of ideas." They also say that this kind of editing is recommended after the first or second draft.

So this type of revision would help an author make sure every character has its place (too many LIs and uneven LI screentime could be fixed), that characterization is consistent, that the plot is clear and moving at a good pacing, etc.

In DLS, for example, things that might be revised after a developmental editing: Leo's introduction scenes not matching his characterization later on, the Leo/Vlad rivalry that seems a bit strange in hindsight, more prominent role and scenes for Sandra, a more consistent progression in Noe/Laia and Ezel/Laia routes, fairer distribution of LI scenes (🫠), Laia's character motivations, the plot mysteries might be revealed to the reader a bit earlier, etc.

But these stories are arguably first drafts that will never be revised holistically (like Choices stories are/used to be, as far as I'm aware), so problems that only become clear once you're further along might not be fixed satisfactorily (or at all).

What sort of problems? Well...

2) Structure, part I

So the visual novel medium is fairly recent, right? Choose Your Own Adventure stories have existed for a while, but, I'm pretty sure, not in the scale of RC stories. 3 seasons demand a lot of story. And the thing is, I'm not sure there is a lot of guidance out there regarding story structure for interactive stories? Not that I've found, at least.

This is a problem, I think, because even if these authors follow the existing material on story structure (Save the Cat, Hero's Journey, Classic 3 Act, Seven-Point Structure, etc.), they will have to do the work of adapting it for a visual novel that A) has 3 seasons as a default, and B) 3 seasons of more or less equal length.

Look, it absolutely can be done! But my point is, I think it's generally uncharted territory and requires a lot of problem-solving. It's not just figuring what must happen in this story for it to be satisfying, it's also deciding when each thing must happen in a way that fits the requirements of three seasons and their finales, which must all fit together, but also be individually exciting and balance setup and payoff. And there is no way to go back and fix it if you realize you messed up the pacing somewhere! Not to mention…

3) Structure, part II: Routes

Not only do they have to figure out plot and structure (without being able to revise the finished story as a whole), but they also need to figure out and balance at least 4 different dynamics. As in, when it gets established, how to keep those dynamics fresh even after they get together, and how to synchronize MC's development with that relationship and its milestones. And again, it's not like there is a manual or a right answer. You have to write and fix afterwards — except they can't 😀. So if an author realizes later on that x couple needed a scene earlier on, or that they rushed things, or any other problem, there is nothing to be done except maybe add more scenes that might stand out from whatever they're trying to correct.

A tiny example of this problem in DLS would be Leo and Laia telling Derya that they're dating, which is clearly a correction of the scene in 4x02 where Laia called him "a friend" because "[she] thought it went against local customs to make a show of pre-marital relationships". In 2019 Istanbul. It would just make more sense if she had just called him her boyfriend in the first place.

4) Authors

I'll admit I'm least informed about this one, but based on a few interviews I've read with the authors, it seems some of them have never written fiction or visual novels before…? I could be wrong! But! Imagine being new to this medium and having to figure all of that ⬆️ out, with the limitations that RC's model brings. I'm not sure how much training and/or assistance they get in this entire process. It just seems a lot for one person.

And I have no answers for any of this, by the way! I don't work there, I don't know how the company works or how it doesn't. This is just my tentative opinion based on my limited experience with writing. It's extremely hard, and I genuinely cannot imagine trying to do any of that ⬆️ in the first place, but especially if I had to get it right on the first try.

Every writing advice on Earth recommends multiple drafts on longform writing because it's impossible to make your story the best it can be on the first attempt. So I think the RC endings often being unsatisfying might be, mainly, a consequence of that.

[zhoras-bitch]

Any rc writers you'd recommend?

Well what you'll like depends on your taste entirely. But I'll list the writers I like, with some notes to hopefully give you an idea about whether you might like them as well!

Personal favourites:

Arina (Theodora (complete), W Time Catcher (ongoing)) — great at writing complex, adult characters and making you cry. Her LIs are always very compelling and diverse, including female LIs, I want to romance everyone. Very light/dark academia core.

Jester (Moonborn (c), Legend of the Willow (c), Psi (c), The Thunderstorms Saga (o)) — always delivers a solid story with cool plot twists that aren't pulled out of his ass. Mature characters (mostly), subdued romance, political intrigue. Love his MCs, wish he gave more screen time to female LIs. Dry writing and the plot can feel slow at first. I don't agree with his social critique, but it's not a dealbreaker for me.

Tepish (Sails in the Fog (c), Love from Outer Space (o), Love, Sin & Evil Volume 1 (o)) — the king of variability, mini games and easter eggs. Utilises the interactivity to the full extent. His characters are very two-dimensional, but their simplicity works with the genres he's working with (adventure, comedy and slasher). Has a diverse set of female LIs and gives them screen time. Con is that he takes an eternity to write anything...

(Note that Moonborn and Sails in the Fog are literally the first stories on the app, so they do feel a bit outdated now in terms of art and writing.)

Writers I like, but there's nuance:

Langley (Vying for Versailles (c), 7 Brothers (o)) — similar to Tepish in that her stories are very interactive. A little more character focused. Treats female LIs with respect and overall very queer-inclusive. English is her first language, so I can attest to the fact that the writing is great! Nuance is that her LIs are not to my taste, and I don't like the setting of 7 Brothers at all.

Wincy (Heart of Trespia (c), Soulless (o)) — delivers a solid story, clearly puts a lot of thought into plot and worldbuilding. Also English speaker and queer and wlw-friendly. Wrote two explicitly aspec LIs! Nuance is that I only like one of her stories (Soulless), but I love it so much. It's funny, it's heartbreaking, every LI is deep and compelling in very different ways and MC is just amazing.

Honourable mention to Alexandra (Wave Patrol (c), Path of the Valkyrie (c)) — I loved her stories, but she didn't get to finish either one properly, and now she doesn't work for RC anymore. Forever sad about that.

They only wrote one story, but I like their work so far:

Yim (Hell and High Water (o)) — interactive, diverse, complex characters, queer-friendly, poly options. Another English-speaking speaker. Melancholic and heart-warming tone. A little slow, especially in the beginning, and has been on a hiatus for a whole.

Alexandra (Heaven's Secret: Requiem (o)) — appeal to my tastes specifically. MC is a cold-blooded unempathetic brainiac who can become a little more or less of a psychopath depending on your choices. All romances are fucked up in some way. The vibe is like 2000s post apocalypse zombie game/sci-fi thriller anime. If that's something you're into as well, you will eat this shit up.

Veronica (Dracula: A Love Story (o)) — I am rereading it right now, and the beginning is so corny it's lowkey embarrassing. But the characters win me over every time, and the romances fuck so hard. Veronica grabs me by the heartstrings and never lets go; I don't know how it works, but I'm not alone in this. Cons: takes an eternity to write anything. Gives her only f!LI crumbs.

[ask-emilz-de-philz]

Hey everyone! As you've noticed, we're slowly updating those who are interested about the Red Chidl AU with the posts from 2019 when they're initially posted so you'll be able to know the stories about them. ))

We actually have 3 chapters for your Red Child AU:

1. Sunshine Chapter (RC!Adam/abigail and Emilio)

2. Gloriana Chapter (Victoria and RC!Oscar)

3. Red Son Chapter (Elena and RC!Akio)

If you have any other questions not covered by the previous posts , that are RELATED to the Red Child AU, you may send your asks to either platforms:

 CuriousCat - https://curiouscat.live/PlanetPuto

 Tumblr Blog- https://ask-emilz-de-philz.tumblr.com/ask

It's highly recommended for you to be specific with your asks by placing the name/s of the characters first before you send out your ask. Thank you!

#RCAu #RedChildAU #yandereAU <---follow these links for this AU!

#planetputo

twitter/x: @planetputo / @haimacheir2

BLOG: ask-emilz-de-philz.tumblr.com

If you like our work, pls consider supporting us at: ko-fi.com/haimacheir

[darnestdungeon]

How were you able to rip the dd 2 models from the game files? I want to be able to work with the models in blender but I have literally no clue how to go about this.

Hi hi, all I've done was to follow the steps from one comment in the official DD discord server! But before I show you the comment, keep in mind that DD2 was made using Maya-- a paid software that has different bones and rigs from free ones like Blender. My knowledge about 3D software is limited, all I know from experience is that the animations just won't work on Blender: I think you'll have to manually add the bones and rigs to the models if you want to play with them. That is, unless someone already found a workaround? I don't know, I've stopped looking into it.

Now if you’re not interested in animating and all you want is to look at the models or maybe recolor some textures, you can do as I did (instructions under the read more):

Comment by RC#8842: 

How to get game assets:

1. Download the latest version of AssetStudio (https://github.com/Perfare/AssetStudio/releases)

2. Open up AssetStudio

3. Click File -> Load File

4. Navigate to your Darkest Dungeon 2 Install, usually something like C:\Program Files\Epic Games\DarkestDungeonII

5. Navigate to \DarkestDungeonII\Darkest Dungeon II_Data\StreamingAssets\aa\StandaloneWindows64

6. Select the .bundle file which should be located here.

7. Wait 20-30 seconds for AssetStudio to load the file.

8. In order to easily find the assets you're looking for, click on the tab labeled Asset List at the top.

9. Use the filter to look for the asset you're interested in. Some assets will have a preview appear on the right, others will not.

10. Once you locate the asset(s) you want, right click it and pick export selected asset(s).

11. Navigate to a folder you want AssetStudio to dump the assets into

12. Click export and the folder should automatically open with the asset contained in folder tree matching the game's internal folder organization.

Notable assets:

- Check the type of the asset you are exporting. Mesh produces an obj file, Animator produces an .fbx file along with the textures as pngs.

- Typically you can just type in a hero name with underscores to find all the assets associated with them, like grave_robber or man_at_arms

- The main model textures including colors are named tex_...._col, the textures for the black ink-looking marks on each character are named tex_..._ink

(Link to the message)

The only thing I've done differently from the above was that I extracted everything from the game and then sifted all I needed from there.

Once you find the .obj files you can import them into Blender (File > Import > Wavefront) and add the appropriate textures in the shading tab. I’ll be honest, I did try and study Blender and I did manage to understand the UI, cameras, lights and some basic shortcuts, but the whole material node thing eluded me, so I had my husband set up the textures for me.

Please do not send me follow-up questions about the textures, I won’t answer, I won't be of any help. There were some people discussing some settings over in the DD discord again, so maybe try following their conversation in the link below. I highly recommend searching for these things in the mod-discussion channel, it’s where I’ve got all of this in the first place!

Hope this helps!

[silly-jellyghoty]

I just saw the Strange World the movie and i have to say - this was super cute! THANK GOD there wasn't a single annoying "we are family" dance choreography or anything similar disney usually has going on, so that is a great great plus in my opinion. This woman prefers her movies to be plot only.

Now for a little more in depth opinion.

I can really recommend it for watching it with kids 5+ years old for the best experience. Plot-wise, i would say that it was about as easy to follow as Up or Inside Out. Minus leaky eyes emotional roller coaster. If you watch movies for dem feels and big life changing revelation at the end, this one isn't going to do it for you. And it is a refreshing change to be honest! We need more movies for kids with the message that it's the calm and mundane comfort of the satisfying life that many people are after, not only the excitement and leadership and romantic love. The danger and the loneliness of uniqueness isn't for everyone. As far as any animated feature of the last 5 years or so goes, this one gave me the most chicken soup for the soul-y feeling so far.

Now to talk a little about the plot and several motives and issues the movie adresses.

The prinary topic of the thing was about father-son abandonment issues and finding the way back together as well as about the importance of communication between generations. There was the repeated motives of pushiness of parents trying to make their kids be like themselves, the honest attempt at being better, open, and true, the honest mistake at failing to do so, the fear of messing it up and repeating the same thing one was subjected to as a child from the new perspective of the parent, and a mature adult way how to reconcile with these mistakes of the past and insecurities about the future in a productive way.

Secondary, there was this sort of environmental message about how sometimes what seems to be a great discovery and a wonderful invention that elevates the society for decades, may eventually turn to be a plague in disguise and that breaking tradition and abandoning these revolutionary means of life is sometimes necessary in order to survive in a long term.

And yeah, A'Tuin is apparently a thing in the disney universe from this point on.

All and all, i really liked it. The creature and environment design that looked to be way too fantastic yet bizarely simple compared to daily realities of our characters at the begining of the movie made a lot more sense by the end. I totally need a blue splat jello stim toy, big fluffly cloud jellyfish cuddle plush, and a pterodactily glows in the dark/black light RC ornithopter as official merch. And the beanie. I liked that patterned beanie a lot.

While there were only 4 female characters with speaking roles it passed bechdel test multiple times, and the overall female to male characters ratio is slowly growing bigger which is also a good thing. Mom is the boss around here and in this blog we love and respect women in STEM with husbands with a green thumb. What can i say - i just adore the family dinamics between main characters.

Oh yeah, and electro swing is also apparently a part of the disney universe now. I need the full soundrack of the thing playing in that kitchen scene.

So go to the cinema, watch it with your kids, have fun doing it, and don't let the greedy mouse to tank it out of spite.

[romance-club-daily]

Recommendation from a character! #4

~Sara Levine

Sara recommends Emma by Jane Austen

Read the book or watch the iconic movie adaptation of Austen's work!

What I like most about reading Emma is that it teaches the importance of reflection, honesty, and humility. Through her disastrous matchmaking and belief that she knows best, Emma Woodhouse comes to understand how little she really knows and uses those failures to become a better daughter, neighbor, lover, and friend.

The story reminds me of a spiderweb: countless gossamer strings woven inextricably together. Severing any one of them affects the whole, just as it does with our own relationships—something Emma learns as she considers herself the premiere matchmaker in her village.

The witty dialogue pops off the page, and the characters—good and bad—feel as real as the people you meet every day. It’s a true work of art which remains as relevant today as when it was published over 200 years ago.

And if you can’t handle all the old period language? Just watch Clueless! Clothes and language may change, but the wisdom of Austen is eternal.

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[annaroselyn]

Any RC books you recommend to a newbie like me?

Also me, calling myself newbie when I joined RC March 2022... but don't blame me... my studies and real life kept me soo busy that I haven't played/read a lot. I've only read Heaven's Secret 1 , Shadows of Saintfour and other two books which I didn’t liked (something with actress like Red Carpet Diaries and the other about a life guard).😢

Hopefully you can recommend me something exciting!!! 😊

I did not like My Hollywood Story or Wave Patrol either.

Arcanum is my absolute favorite book on RC. I never hesitate to recommend this. This is the same author for Heavens Secret and Shadows of Saintfour. All the LIs are great and the story is intriguing. There are a bunch of jump scares so I don’t recommend reading at night. Bert was my LI and season 2 was my favorite of the series.

Legend of the Willow is another completed series I love. The author also wrote Moonborn (number 2 on my favorites list) and Psi. There are four wonderful love interests, you can’t go wrong with any of them. The clothing is beautiful and the art is truly lovely. I would like to recommend Moonborn as well but it is an older story that suffers from poor translation and is also very long. I love it but I read it a long time ago when it was still being released.

For currently releasing books I recommend The Desert Rose and Theodora. These are beautiful books with great love interests and well written stories. Have tissue ready when you read Theodora. Also Heart of Trespia: great story, wonderful LIs, and friendship routes with the characters you don’t romance.

[s2project]

The S2 Engine: building a better Hitbox

The S2 Engine is a leverless controller layout intended to allow you to play a wider variety of games with arcade style controls. A revision of the S2 Drive, which was designed with retro style games in mind, it combines WASD style directional controls with the spacebar style jump button popularized by the Hitbox. 

The goal here was to keep a “home row” position for your hands, with the consideration that it's much faster and more comfortable to close your fingers than to extend them. 

Two thumb buttons allow easy access to the trigger buttons, with oversized pinky buttons for auxiliary functions. This has the advantage of allowing both thumbs to access the jump button, with the thumb buttons replacing the hard to reach pinky column, making it easier to hit or hold with other buttons.

The layout gives you the advantages of a regular leverless layout for fighting games, with the benefit of more intuitive navigation in menus, 2D action games and even 3D space. Combined with a remappable controller firmware, it allows a wider range of applications than both traditional leverless and arcade stick layouts. 

I have two recommended button mappings, one more in line with the traditional fightstick layout, and a more universal one suited to all kinds of games.

The first remaps the third column from R1 and R2 to both shoulder buttons, with L1 on the top and R1 on the bottom. This allows easier navigation through menu tabs, instead of the reversed left and right positions of the shoulder buttons on a traditional layout.

The second puts most of the face buttons on the same row, aligning them in a mirrored WASD position on the other side of the buttons, with the shoulder buttons flanking them. Square, cross, and circle are on the bottom row, with triangle above the cross button, and L1 and R1 to the side of the triangle button. Games commonly focus their main actions on the square, cross and circle buttons, so this allows you to access most of them at the same time without finger movement. The positioning of the L1 and R1 buttons allow more intuitive menu navigation, and directional actions. 

Both trigger buttons are positioned on the thumb buttons to the side of the large jump button, with the up button duplicated in the WASD cluster, and the L3 and R3 flank the direction and action buttons.

LAYOUT DEMONSTRATIONS

Here's some example layouts as a demonstration. 

For Street Fighter 6 this allows you to play with both classic and modern controls. On classic you get the usual 6 button layout on top, with the shortcuts for Drive Parry, Drive Impact or throw on the thumb or pinky buttons. You can even forego one of the up buttons to turn either into another macro. Personally, I use the right pinky for Drive Impact and the right thumb for parry, with throw and character specific functions on the remaining two.

On Modern this layout makes it easier to use the assist feature by mapping it to a thumb button, allowing the rest of your fingers to rest on top with the light, medium and heavy buttons, with some flexibility on where you'd like the special and shortcut buttons to be.

For Guilty Gear Strive I like to map the thumb buttons to dash and roman cancel, to get easy drift RC. I always found it hard to integrate the dash button in the main six button cluster, and this mimics the natural action of left trigger right trigger that I'm used to on controller. 

For games with a block button the thumb buttons are a lifesaver. In Mortal Kombat, the top buttons handle the four attacks, throw and stance flip, while the thumb buttons allow me to hold block and call assists. MK always felt like it didn't have a good solution on a standard arcade layout. Either the attack buttons get stuck in the middle, or shoved to one side with the others requiring you to stretch to use all of them. 

In Soulcalibur I keep the block button in the main cluster since I default to using the button combos instead of shortcuts, but I do like keeping the thumb buttons ready for stance macros and easy supers. 

In Tekken 8 I use the the top 6 buttons for the standard 4 attacks and multibuttons shortcuts, with Rage on the thumb button, Heat on the right pinky and the left pinky for awkward button combinations. 

How about something less conventional? Here's Gundam Versus. Typically you play this on an arcade stick since it only uses 8 directionals and a behind the back camera. The WASD cluster here makes it more natural and even lets you do moves like dashes and blocking (down to up) faster. Again, you can give up the larger UP button and use it for communication commands, or burst.

And here's Virtual-On. This makes it easier to hit the turbo modifiers and attack buttons together and perform fast jump cancels. You can even emulate the twin stick setup of the arcades with it. Which is also useful if you want to play some 8 way twin stick shooters. 

If you're running GP2040CE you can even use it for 3D action games. A lot of action games don't rely on analog inputs, only differentiating between 8 directions and rarely needing to walk, and often allow you to get away with centering the camera behind the back with a button instead of messing with the right stick. Simply set the directions to the left analog stick, and set the bottom jump button to a dpad modifier so you can  access those functions. 

This works great in PS2 era action games like Nightshade, which requires you to quickly chain movement and attacks, or older Devil May Cry games, where it's much easier to perform precise inputs like enemy step attacks.

On my personal controllers, I've even added aux ports that allow me to plug in pedals, to go full pianist style, getting quicker reactions for shortcuts like Drive Impact, or adding modifiers to control the camera. 

And of course, since it was designed with retro games in mind it works great for that, easily adapting to the six button layouts of the Genesis, Saturn and arcade games, and allowing you to play SNES games that rely on the shoulder buttons much easier. 

HOW DO I BUILD ONE? 

So how do you get this layout? For my part, I've mostly been creating prototypes for this layout by hand, with a power drill and step bit. But for my final build I went to Eternal Rival with my custom layout, and other case builders such as Jonyfraze, and AllFightSticks can also do custom layouts. 

I originally finished this layout over a year ago, before Street Fighter 6, and those were kind of your only options for thumb buttons. Since then the leverless controller scene has blown up with different takes, and you've got quite a few options for something similar.

I personally like Mavercade's KeebBrawler-04MX, with its pill shaped buttons and split layout, but they also have a Keebfighter line with some similar layouts.

The Zenpad Duel has a split dual thumb button layout, and Attachon and Rush box have layouts with pinky and thumb buttons. Jonyfraze offers the 6GAWD for both leverless and fightstick builds. Hell, you could even go for something like a box style controller for Smash.

I'm less impressed with the offerings from companies like Haute42, which seem to just staple buttons onto the existing layout with no consideration for access or aesthetics, but they are an option for those looking for a cheap way to test a thumb button layout. 

Whatever way you choose to go, it's undeniable that we're in an era of rapid controller innovation, with tons of different philosophies on how to build better controllers, and fresh ideas coming out all the time. The S2 Engine is what works best for me, but with so many options out there now, it'd be a waste to not experiment and find your personal favorite. 

[sweetorangepoptart]

☁️🎨🧩🍦🍄🥤❄️

☁️ ⇢ what made you choose your username?

Oh my gosh this is such a silly thing. I've had this username in one iteration or another since I was a middleschooler. My favorite color and flavor has always been orange. And I used to lament that they didn't make orange poptarts. So I started making my usernames OrangePoptart. I use Sweet in a lot of my usernames too for personal reasons. Funny thing is, a few years ago, they made a limited edition Orange Crush soda flavored poptart and I didn't like it very much 🤣

🎨 ⇢ link your favourite piece of fanart and explain why you like it

OH this one FOR SURE Like. The style, their body types, the outfits, Mako's gay hand on the hip pose...

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

Not much. I don't really have triggers and I don't get too bothered by grammatical errors. I think maybe if they're out of character without a clear reason for them to be out of character, that usually does it for me and I'll leave. Unrealistic smut can make me click back too.

🍦 ⇢ name three good things about a character you hate

You're going to make me say something nice about RAIKO? Ugh ok. 1. He's the reason for Wuko, if you go based on commentary. Wu saw Mako in the paper and called Raiko up and said "Get me that guy". So good job Raiko you put these gay disaster boys together and now they're in love. 2. Uhhhh he contracted Asami to rebuild the city roads. Good instincts there. 3. idk if this is 'good' but I love the Avatar Legends detail that he and his wife now host a political radio show and apparently Wu had a disastrous interview on the show leading to the mandate that no government employee appear on the show.

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

Oooooh here's a Wuko hc I don't talk about. I flip around the popular fanon that Wu always sleeps in and Mako's always awake first. Especially after Wu moves to Ba Sing Se, I hc that BSS time is about 3 hours ahead or Republic City. So when they visit each other, Wu is always awake first, literally up before the sun when he's in RC.

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love

@starshinemaiden and @deerstalkerdeathfrisbee Wrote some great stuff for Wuko Week and both have great Longfics, Regularly Scheduled Miracles and Mako and the Terrible, Awful, No-Good, Very Bad Road Trip

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

That's a tricky one!! I'm not sure I can conceive of a dream theme or plot... But to plug a non-LoK author, @pikapeppa literally writes the best stories if you are into any of her fandoms. She captures character's voices better than anyone I know.

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

So this is mostly a Choices blog but some of you know that I've recently started playing Romance Club as well because 1) there are some really good books on RC, 2) the art, and 3) to compare both apps. I could probably make this a series(?) to compare and contrast the two but here's one of the main things I've noticed playing both apps:

The Difference in Pacing

Background: The clear reason for this is because of how the books are set up. On Choices, each completed book is approx. 16 chapters (like a movie) while on RC, the book is typically 3 seasons with around 10-12 episodes (like a tv show). So a book like Open Heart, for instance, would be 3 seasons under one title instead of 3 separate books since they occur within a close period. This is different from a series like Heaven's Secret, which has two separate books that span ten years apart.

I bring this up because I assume this difference explains why the pacing in both apps is so different. I can use Blades II, Kindred, Theodora, and DALS as an example.

I've brought this up already, but one of my biggest gripes with Blades II was the very odd pacing. The beginning of the book (in my opinion) took longer than necessary to start the plot and there was a little too much filler with less time to focus on new lore the themes ate tho and I'm grateful we got another book.

Kindred has a similar issue. The concept of a witch book was cool and they had a good plot, but 16 chapters weren't enough to explore everything they wanted to with the book. The ending was rushed and it felt way too easy to defeat the Wraith King. Do I still love this book? Yes. Do I think the authors did well with the amount of time they were given? Also yes. But the rushed plot does make it hard to recommend it since PB is capable of handling a lot of plot (RE: Blades I).

On the other hand, Theodora has 3 seasons and the whole immortality arc (the premise of the book) wasn't explained until near the end of S2. We had an entire season to explore the character and at least half of a second season to explore her life after she realized she was immortal but without knowing why (human -> immortal -> realizing how she became immortal and starts controlling her power). As a result, it becomes easier to get attached to her since we spent more time getting to know her still one of my favorite MCs.

Dracula: A Love Story still can't believe it has 4 seasons spent an entire season before revealing Vlad's identity even though it's in the title. In comparison, PB would have done three chapters of leaving MC in the dark before revealing who Vlad is with the rest of the book being allotted to helping him. I get that we needed to see all the visions and stuff but personally, I feel like I was more invested in Lale and would have read an entire book about her, Aslan, and Vlad. I swear I don't hate DALS please don't be offended lol.

Am I saying I prefer RC to Choices? Not necessarily, I have problems with RC too mostly regarding representation, and I also know it wouldn't be fair to compare the apps since they are set up differently. I just thought this was something interesting to point out.