#It's a cute but morbid tutorial | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ilovenikkisfashion · 5 months

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Winter is the Season of Sewing

I just realized my pun! "Sewing"... "Snowing"...

As the days get shorter and the temperature chills, something inside me yells out, "time to knit and sew and dress up all fluffy and cute!" I can only imagine something influenced me, and it may have been a particular mobile game...

In college, the sessions between classes granted me some free time, so I decided to check out a game who's ads kept popping up on my YouTube videos - Love Nikki.

The ads were not at all what the game actually turned out to be. In fact, the ads were quite shocking - I remember the main character with pink hair, Nikki, and another young lady with silver hair, later known in the actual story as Kimi, were fighting over a shared male love interest as well as other ads that made it appear there was a "dating-sim" element, which there was not. Here's an example of an ad (I never personally saw this one, but it is a good example): https://youtube.com/shorts/H3t_r2Y_d6U?si=msTisoOq8IE82X17

If you're interested in comically bad and misleading advertisements, here's a reddit forum I found. None of the ads spark any memories unfortunately, but I may be misremembering, or the ads I saw were before someone started archiving them. https://www.reddit.com/r/LoveNikki/comments/9gnksq/love_nikki_ads/

The game is absolutely adorable and pure compared to the ads! It's such a shame that the marketing studio used shock and strange situations to promote the game, but it did get me to try it out of morbid curiosity...

You play as Nikki, a pink-haired human girl who was sent to the magically world of Miraland where you battle through styling! You start the game through a styling battle tutorial with Queen Nanari, the one who brought Nikki and her cape-wearing talking cat, Momo, to this universe. The queen did not explain why she brought the duo to Miraland, only that they would understand in due time. Nikki meets several characters throughout her journey who guide her through the different cities and kingdoms. Each chapter has about a dozen or so stage missions for you to complete through styling battles against NPC opponents. At each stage, there were currency and clothing item drops, which you could use in future styling battles or collect and use to craft new pieces that were worth more styling points.

There were 10 main style categories clothing and accessories could be labeled under, each piece having only 1 or 2 styles: Gorgeous, Elegant, Sexy, Mature, Lively, Pure, Cute, Simple, Cool and Warm. Each stage required a certain number of points towards certain categories, and you would receive a rank from "F" to "S" depending on your success. There were also 5 buttons along the bottom of the screen during the battle for you to gain additional points or to debuff or sabotage the opponent, and they could do the same to you.

My favorite aspect of the game were the different locations and culturally influenced clothing. The Apple Federation was definitely based off of the United States of America. According to the Wiki page, Welton, the founder of the Apple Federation, fought against colonist rule, and the nation is home to a diversity of people as it is immigrant-friendly. I believe the name either comes from New York City, "The Big Apple," because Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty being the most iconic symbols of liberty, freedom, and refuge for immigrants, or it could come from the notion of George Washington having chopped his father's apple (or cherry) tree as a child and praised by his father for being honest about his misdeed - I can't remember where this came from; it was like a tale passed around in elementary school, but it was apparently true.

I could go on about each nation, but I'll quickly summarize their style and real-life inspiration/influence:

Apple Federation: simple and modern styles; North American / United States inspired

Lilith Kingdom: cute and fairytale-inspired styles; very much European, most notably Greece (Wintermount), Italy (Cicia), Austria (Hayden), and Denmark, Norway, or Sweden (Hela Vi)

Cloud Empire: gorgeous and elegant styles; divided into four regions as follows: Northern Cloud (with snowfall in the mountains that divide the Cloud Empire and the North Kingdom, populated by yaks and snow leopards, this sounds like Mongolia to the north of China), Southern Cloud (the wiki listed Silvery Embroidery as an example of the style, which is reminiscent of the Miao ethnic group in Southern China, known for their elaborate silver headpieces), Western Cloud (based on the wiki description of being a land of "dancers and fortunetellers", the game is stereotyping Romani people, especially with the mention of the region having "a history of bandits", and Eastern Cloud (where the capital lies, and the Imperial Palace appears to be based off the Forbidden City in Beijing)

North Kingdom: a militant and sexy style, particularly for women; assuming this is Russia given that it borders Cloud Empire to the south, and is a nation of snow and bloodshed from in-fighting. There is also a viking/Norse-inspired city, so it this kingdom encompasses the entire Arctic North.

Republic of Wasteland: "tribal and aboriginal style"; they've lumped together different tribes and ancient cultures that are polytheistic in this region- ancient Egyptian (Wind Sand and Pale Morrow), Central Asia (Windvale), and North American Natives (Pota), the latter of which makes no sense given it's obvious inspiration

Ruin Island: sci-fi, futuristic style; this has no particular geographical influence

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This was a longer ramble than I was expecting! The point I'm trying to make is that this game, because I started playing it in the winter time, I now associate winter with styling and fashion. I've even made my own form for sewing projects!

My fiancé introduced me to Obsidian, a unique note-taking software that I am currently using to plan my sewing and styling journey! First I'm starting off with understanding what designs flatter me the most. I've gathered all my information from this person I've seen pop up on Pinterest during my research: Gabrielle Arruda. The diagrams are very informative and easy to read.

I have divided different articles of clothing and accessories into folders. Once I've got everything researched, I'll pop into the Nikki's Info Wiki and gather each piece that fits these categories.

For anything that may not be my style, I could always make it for someone else!

I am looking to make all of the clothing out of natural materials: wool, cotton, linen, etc., as I try to keep away from unnecessary plastics while designing a timeless wardrobe.

I'm excited to share this journey! My biggest wish is to have a fulfilling life where I can create, and this blog will be my journal.

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bluerosesburnblue · 6 years

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Liz Liveblogs Bravely Second: Chapter 5, Part 2/2

And now for the actual story of Chapter 5: This is Our Coup de Gravy!

There were... so many Coup de Gravies in this chapter. Too many. It seems like everyone had one

You know, thinking about the Sidequest Roundup last time, I don’t think I’ve ever said how much I love the way Bravely handles obtaining jobs. It would be so easy to just hand you a magic job crystal at different story beats, but no. You have to fight someone using the job you wish to obtain. You have to figure out how it works and overcome its abilities at their most powerful before you can use them against others. It serves as both a neat tutorial for how the job works, since you’re on the receiving end of most of its attacks, and proof that you deserve to have the job since you overcame its user. It feels earned every time you get a new job. It’s kinda like how I feel about the Island Trials in Pokémon Sun and Moon, where you have to fight a difficult boss of a specific elemental type, and once you do you gain the ability to use the strongest move of that type. I dunno, I just really like this trend in games of proving your worth for the skills you gain by besting them in combat

Anyway, let’s head on to the Harena Sea Caves to stop Geist from performing his heist

You could absolutely stab a man with that compass

Oh, come on, Edea. When did you get possessed by Rev? Just now? When we walked in? How long have you secretly been a ghost child?

Heyyy Templar Braev to the rescue! TBH, I’d stop running if Edea’s dad was staring me down

Wait... Geist didn’t recognize him until he said his name? Dude, like, even NPC #67 knows Braev, get with the program!

I wonder if the exploit I used to insta-kill Rev the first time will work again. I also wonder if Geist might be able to undo that

Oh, it’s backstory time. Geist left his ill son because he got called to do an exorcism in a foreign country. I guess he was probably a priest, fitting with the Bestiary tidbit of his name, Grace, being given to those respected by the Orthodoxy. But the girl wasn’t possessed, she was sick. Patient Zero for the Great Plague. And she was taken onto his boat because she wanted to go home one last time. But she was used to spread the disease around. He still blames himself for what happened and wants to make up for both spreading the Plague and his botched attempt to revive his son

Geist may be the bigger problem with his Undo abilities, so I’m gonna focus on him

Rev actively refused to move on because he loved his daddy and didn’t want to go without him. Ohhhhh my god, kiddo, that’s so sweet in a morbid way

Stop being dramatic, Geist. Best timeline rules dictate that we’re keeping you alive. You’re not dead. Relax

Undo HP after Rev possessed someone does work, it just took him until he was about halfway down to start possessing people

This poor kid’s in a tough spot. I don’t expect him to understand the full implications of “rewrite time to fix things.” He just thinks they’re gonna make everything better. He doesn’t understand the Butterfly Effect, and how it’ll erase the future. He just thinks what he’s doing will make his dad happy, so he’s gonna do it

At least we got through to Geist. Changing the past could wipe his son from existence. A second “death,” if you would. And harming Rev is the one thing he could never do

Now that is a cute hug. even if it’s between a man drenched in blood and the ghost of his son possessing armor that’s a full head taller than him

And Geist does know Braev... but on a personal level. Braev was a young priest back when he worked with the Orthodoxy

And there it is. Geist sent a warning back, which allowed them to gather a team of physicians to find a cure. The Plague would have been much worse without that warning, but all Geist can see are the people who died in the first place

And he finally gets some closure. His son doesn’t care that he’s a ghost in a suit of armor, he’s just happy that he can stay with his dad. And his actions did save plenty of people. It’s just that the guilt has been crippling him for years. Now that he’s free, he’s allowing himself to be arrested for crimes of the present, and no longer for assumed crimes of the past

I really appreciate Edea’s speech to Rev here. She talks about how she used to blindly believe everything her dad told her until the events of the last game. It broke her heart to fight him, but ultimately, in doing so, she started to actually understand him instead of just parroting what he said. And when they met again? It was as equals, and their bond was stronger than it had ever been. So she encourages Rev to come up with his own ideas, try to understand his father’s, and then come together as equals. Truly understanding each other, instead of blind faith, because that’s the best way to support your loved ones. And she says this all in front of Braev, too, and the pride he feels towards her is so evident. It’s moments like this that make this game a great sequel. Edea’s come so far from the person she was at the start of the last game, but she’s still not flat in this one. Sure, the focus is more on Yew and Magnolia’s development, while Tiz and Edea had the brunt of it in the last game, but our returning party members are still growing, too, and it’s nice to see them in a mentor role

Phase 2 of Magnolia’s plan: use the compass to lure out the Kaiser. Unfortunately, it seems something’s come up on Kamiizumi’s end of this plan, so now we’re off to Florem Gardens to help

Also, I love how Kamiizumi is so useless with the pendant call. He can’t work the thing at all

On to Florem Gardens. Good to see my old grinding grounds are doing well. I’ll be back for more next chapter!

Aww, they called Edea’s dad with the pendant. It’s really nice to see them getting along in this game

Yew’s call to Norzen didn’t go half as well, though. Turns out Norzen, Braev, and Kamiizumi have a shrubbery group chat

Altair is now telling them about how he and Vega would call each other using cell phones and video phones. The more things change, the more couples keep talking forever on the phone playing “No you hang up”

Chill, Kamiizumi, I’m like, one screen away. We’ll be there in two minutes

Oh dear lord Angelo set up shop in the forest. And Aimee’s here, too. Time to beat her down using her own job I guess

So they think the last timeline was a dream, but Angelo’s memories of Aimee’s dying words spurred them on to being an actual couple. Also, they’re still gonna fight us, because definitely fight people who made you mad in (what you assume are) dreams?

Also, Aimee is literally from Florem Gardens. They met there. That’s why the shop’s there

Some neat tactics going on with them, with Angelo inflicting the party with fire weakness and then having Aimee use Firehead to give all her attacks fire damage. Not much else of note though

And Yew just totally hired them to open up shop in Gathelatio. Not... sure they deserve it, but I guess they were the least attached to the Kaiser’s plan in the first place

...thanks for all the help, Kamiizumi

Oh good lord there’s so many cats here. I see where this is going. We’re gonna have to take on Minette, aren’t we

Kamiizumi’s cat’s here. Forgot that was a plot thread

Hide the compass in Sagitta? With how easily Geist got in? I don’t know if that’s the best plan

Ah, I see. We’re feeding the cats false information to report to Minette, who will lead the Kaiser right into our SP Cannon’s blast. Not a bad plan

Of course Tiz is “all catted out.” He’s been my dedicated Catmancer for a long freaking time

Alright, Elder Sirius. Time to shoot that Skyhold out of the sky

I appreciate Yew’s conviction in stopping Denys. He may be his brother, but he’s also gone (or about to go) too far. And I’m sure Yew feels responsible for it, since this all started after Denys lost his hand due to Yew’s mistake

Making Yew be the one to fire the cannon seems a BIT cruel to me, though

I can’t believe that plan actually worked

Minette’s gonna buy time for Denys, Janne, and Nikolai to escape, and they’re all treating it like she’s gonna die, but guys. We haven’t killed a single person this timeline. We have fought six of your people and the worst they got is prison! You really think we’re gonna kill the kid and only the kid?

You can see Denys actively fighting with his Big Brother Instinct to protect the kid. But he renounced that to be the Kaiser. Best he can do now is send the lion with her, just in case

Please. Child. Just stop the cat puns. You keep making it so tempting to actually kill you

Okay, I know this kid was experimented on and crossed with cat DNA or something equally ridiculous, but her backstory and mannerisms REALLY say “I’m a cat who was turned into a human”

She became a cat to... please her mom? What? Why would her mom be upset her daughter WASN’T a cat? Did the experiment fail? Or did she just have a kid and go “you know, I should’ve just adopted a cat instead”

Holy shit, I was gonna say “not a hard fight” but then Minette got off a lucky full-party Catnap+RIP combo and totally wiped the team

Definitely sticking a Clothespin on Yew this time

I probably went about that in the dumbest way possible, but we beat her

Child! I will take you in if you just! Stop! The cat puns! That’s it! That’s all I ask of you! Maybe people are abandoning you because every time you open your mouth you make yourself as insufferable as possible!

Oh no Kamiizumi just adopted her. Dude... dude please break her of the cat pun habit

Hey! She’s not a cat! She’s a human who thinks she’s a cat! Stop telling her she can sleep in front of the fire all day every day! How about you freaking rehabilitate the kid and then send her to school like Gho

You are adopting a daughter, not a pet

Minette is one of the worst characters in this whole series. I can’t even muster any sympathy for her because all she is is a GIMMICK with a cute face. She isn’t even a character! She’s just the human embodiment of cat puns! And I hate it!

So Norzen, Rifa, and Pudgius just enchanted a crystal to trap the Skyhold. Guess we’re storming it again already, huh? I’ve gotta say, after the Empire being constantly one step ahead last timeline, it’s nice to be the ones in control for a change

And Norzen knew Minette’s mom. He was working to make a cure for the Plague. It killed so many that it mostly died down, but they saw that it was going to make a comeback, even worse than before. Minette’s mom noticed that no cat got infected, so she used them as the base for her vaccine, and tested it on herself. And died. But not before giving the vaccine to Minette, who the scientists took in and studied, and in doing so found the cure they needed to stop the Plague for good. Nope. Still feel nothing for Minette. This is a half-assed justification for making a Walking Gimmick. Minette could be deleted from existence and I would not care and it is entirely to do with the fact that her entire character is Cats™ and Abandonment Issues™ with no further substance

Back to the Skyhold. The big diamond in the center is looking quite a bit worse for wear now that the SP cannon landed a direct hit on it

I hate this stupid dungeon and its useless map that does a really awful job of showing how platforms overlap

On the way back to where we fought Anne. Everyone’s treating this as a point of no return, but I’ve gotta wonder about that considering there’s three jobs, one summon, and several more Catmancy skills left in locations that I can’t access yet

“Regrets... are like rutabagas - far better overcooked than left untouched in the pantry.” Altair I have never eaten a rutabaga in my life, your metaphor is lost on me

Oh, we’re finally going to hear about Vega. Good, I was looking for a reason to be invested in Altair and his story

Wait... Altair’s from the Celestial Realm? Does that make him a Celestial? Does he know the Celestial/Player from the first game (and probably also this one, since I’m assuming it’s the same Celestial guiding the party both times)? ...is he aware that I’ve been making fun of his metaphors and the way he pronounces his name for a while now?

Vega was his wife. A great Calamity befell the Celestial Realm, so they planned to take a ship and flee to Luxendarc... but Vega never made it to the ship. Altair didn’t realize she wasn’t onboard until after the ship had left on its one-way trip to another dimension. He doesn’t say it outright, but he probably doesn’t even know why she never made it or if she’s even alive anymore. He never said goodbye to his wife. He wasn’t expecting to need to. The last time he saw her was never supposed to be the last

Since a female voice narrates the ends of chapters, and what seems to be Altair’s theme plays there, I can only assume that that’s Vega. I don’t think she’s THE Celestial that guides the party, but I do wonder if the two know each other and The Celestial/Player is showing her what they’re seeing. Or maybe just intercepting messages from her

Yeah, I’m sure this is a “final” battle and your backstory is entirely irrelevant, Altair. The Kaiser is definitely the Big Bad, just like Braev was last game. Definitely

So I have Magnolia as a Black Mage and the brim of her hat is just barely covering her eyes. It almost looks like she’s trying to hide tears behind it, which is especially noticeable since she had the biggest reaction to Altair’s story

“With the right dressing, a simple piece of lettuce can become a salad.” Have you ever even eaten a salad before because it takes more than one piece of lettuce to make those. Otherwise it’s just lettuce with some sauce on it

Altair, we both ship Yew/Magnolia, but maybe lay off the kid a little? I know your romance went poorly, but I have no intention of letting these kids die. That only ever happens accidentally

“Give Tiz the pendant. ...I believe he has something to tell someone.” Agnès probably already knows... but I think they both need to hear it spoken. Two years can be a painfully long time to wait just to hear someone say “I love you, too.”

And all I can think of during this is poor Edea. I think she loves Alternis... but as a brother. The Alternis that she’s in love with, the one who grew and changed, the one she shared an adventure with, who she came to care for beyond their shared history but as an equal... well as far as she knows he isn’t in this dimension anymore. She’s already had her Altair/Vega situation, a goodbye that never was. Of course, if my theory’s right and one of the Alternises running around is Ringabel, then she may have another chance. But as for now... she just has to sit here listening to her new family get resolutions that have been lost to her

So I did end up grinding out the Bestiary entries for Skyhold just on the off-chance it was a one-time location and let me just say: Ranger Edea is terrifyingly strong and I love her

Dammit, Denys, just stay still so I can fight you, rip your sword out of your robot hand, and then steal your job!

Oh fuck OFF, Janne!

“In the end, you understood me. You’re a true friend, Yew.” Yeah, he’s a much better friend to you than you are to him. It’s a two-way street! So kindly take that newfound modicum of introspection and use it for something, you brat

So it’s a Janne/Nikolai dual boss as they cover Denys’s escape. My team’s level 65 and pretty damn tough at the moment, though. Nikolai’s gonna have a hell of a time trying to out-heal Tiz’s Exorcism HP Undos and Janne’s barely gonna make a dent with Yew’s Spellcraft-boosted Healing

“Now isn’t the time to wallow in sentiment!” Sure, Janne. “Stop thinking about the past!” Yep. Sure. You fucking hypocrite

Whaaaaaaat the fuck was that rumbling. What did you three idiots doooooo!?

Don’t know why Nikolai thought using Sacrifice was a good idea. Janne’s really useless on his own

Guys. We haven’t killed anyone this timeline. Stop being dramatic! We aren’t going to kill you. ...but you are going to prison for Mook #4′s death, Janne. You brought that one on yourself

“Only death can stop us” or some really good chains, you know

Atta boy, Yew. Don’t compromise your own morals for these idiots

“You can still change the world without destroying the past!” And that’s the crux of this whole game, isn’t it? What’s done is done. We’d all like to go back and change things. It seems like it would be so easy to erase the mistakes of our lives... but things aren’t that simple. How much good can come of the bad? If the Plague hadn’t happened, a cure never would have been developed, and the technologies and medicine that arose from it can be used to great benefit in the future, and so on. This is a game about accepting the bad and moving on. Working not to undo your mistakes, but fix them and be better the next time similar situations arise. And as someone who struggles a lot with self-blame, that’s really powerful to me

“But... what about my revenge!?” Oh. MY GOD!!! I get that you’re 16 and moral complexity seems to fly right over your head, Janne, but have you listened to nothing this entire game!? I actually hate you more than Minette, and she makes insufferable cats puns every. Fucking. Sentence. I swear you two are the worst goddamn characters in this game. Give. It. A. REST

Oh, so Janne’s motives are entirely selfish, too. Because according to him, he’s not looking to see his family again. He’s not looking to bring back his parents because he loves them and thinks they deserved better. No, he just wants to undo the years of emotional suffering and living on the streets he had to go through in the aftermath, and he’s taking it out on everybody else

God, fuck, why do people like this character!? Is it because he falls into the “tortured-but-physically-attractive character with a tragic backstory, so even if they do awful things they’re sympathetic so I can change them (or have the other participant in a ship with them do so)” archetype? Because fuck that archetype, it’s been romanticized to hell and back and I have literally always hated it. I’m not shy about my distaste for Kylo Ren in the new Star Wars films, a certain villain from Pokémon Sun and Moon, Merula Snyde in Hogwarts Mystery, and I’m certainly not shy about my distaste for Janne Balestra, the most self-centered brat in existence still trying to pretend that just having a tragic backstory somehow justifies all of the shitty things he’s done in this game, with no effort to make amends on his part. People don’t deserve to get off with no consequences like that!

“What am I supposed to do!?” How about you grow the fuck up, listen to what we’ve been telling you this whole game, and stop taking your frustrations out on everybody! Get a therapist! Open up an orphanage or something so other kids don’t end up on the street like you! You’re the one who decided that rewriting time and killing anyone with even the slightest connection to the Balestra deaths was the way to handle this. Honestly, your lack of direction is not our problem to fix now that that’s out the window. The only thing Yew’s obligated to make right is his relationship with Denys

Oh, nice! Yew’s gonna hand control of the Crystalguard from House Geneolgia to the Orthodoxy. That won’t stop corruption entirely, but I’m sure Agnès will make good use of being able to control the knights sworn to protect her and her faith

And the other Houses in control of the guard are in agreement. Enough of using the Crystalguard as a tool against each other, now we’re letting Agnès decide. One, unified voice in the organization, instead of the warring factions it’s been made of

And Braev, Goodman, Norzen, and Lotus will help out, as counterbablances to Agnès, representing the needs of the four Continents (with Crystals on them. Sucks to be Caldisla, I guess)

Yew’s finally figured out who he is and what he wants out of life. He’s not just the kid following Crystalguard orders or filling in for Denys out of a sense of duty. He’s seen the corruption and he’s going to work to change it. To make the organization he was told was his to inherit into something worth inheriting. Something to be proud of. And now, he’s not doing it alone. He sounds just like a certain blonde in our party...

And Nikolai and Janne agree to help us... without even the slightest hint of an apology from Janne. Fuck you, just leave the story already

And Denys’s in the Geneolgia mausoleums beneath Gathelatio. Time to kick some sense into big bro’s ass while surrounded by the corpses of our ancestors?

I can’t help but notice the game’s letting me walk around but still hasn’t addressed the shaking during the fight. I get the feeling there’s another boss coming and it isn’t Denys

I got off Skyhold and literally nothing happened, but I don’t think that’s the end of the rumble shenanigans

Ah, making use of that tiny door next to Yew’s house. Down into the Crypts we go!

I love how Alfred’s first thought upon seeing Nikolai and Janne is “Hey, it’s you jerks who betrayed Yew! Get lost!”

And we didn’t even need Alfred, because Denys left the door open instead of locking it behind him, as would be smart. Though in his defense, the only people he’d want to stop could just use Alfred’s key, and Denys doesn’t seem like he wants Alfred to know who he is just yet so it’s safer to leave his old butler alone than sneak in and grab the key

Denys has the other key because he told Alfred he wanted to lay flowers on his mother’s grave before he was exiled. So even if her son wasn’t the favored heir of House Geneolgia, they still had the decency to bury her with the rest of the family

I love how Alfred really loves the Geneolgia kids, more than even their father. He doesn’t want to believe that Denys is the Kaiser, it seems so out of character for the boy he knew, but when it’s Yew saying it... how could he not believe?

No, Yew, let Nikolai and Janne turn themselves in to the police. I know you still hold some affection for them (despite how much Janne doesn’t deserve it) but they totally committed some atrocious crimes and need to atone in some way

“A crime is a crime. How can we hope to reform others if we cannot admit our own trespasses?” And that, right there, is why I have sympathy for Nikolai and not Janne. He’s willing to admit he did wrong, and willing to attempt to make it right. Janne may be going along with him, but he still hasn’t apologized and is throwing a minor fit about explaining himself. His behavior is beyond unsympathetic, no matter what his backstory is, and his “reformation” comes across more like he’s just doing it to please Nikolai. Like when a child begrudgingly apologizes because their parents told them to, but you can hear it in their voice that they don’t mean it

The Geneolgia Crypts. The location of the final summon, one of two remaining places with Catmancy skills... and the last story-mandated asterisk. Time to find Denys

I know it plays in a lot of locations, but I love the music in the Crypts, “Dungeon of the Nature.” It’s somber, but grand. Soft, not bombastic, but still powerful. It’s great, I’d recommend people look it up if they haven’t heard it yet

Why are there instant-kill rabbits in here

Also can’t help noticing that the other enemy types are female mummies and ghost knights. Doesn’t seem like the Geneolgia family is really at rest, does it?

So it’s a maze, where I have to light each crystal to unlock the door, huh? Not too complicated

Susano-o Obtained! He’s been changed from non-elemental to Dark, but it’s otherwise our same old friend from Default

I find it bizarre that Amaterasu is listed after Susano-o, despite unlocking earlier. I suppose most people would run into Susano-o first, since there’s literally nothing out by Amaterasu’s anchorite and no reason to go there

I also appreciate that the two “strongest” summons are named after sibling gods from Shinto mythology, though I do wish there was a Tsukuyomi to go with them, considering the abundant moon symbolism in this game

Ah, is Yew’s fear of ghosts from being down here as a kid? He says he came down to bury his father and pay his respects, but he doesn’t remember it well because he tried to forget. He didn’t want to remember how lonely his childhood was because of the emotional divide between Denys and his mother, Yew and his mother, and their father. Going off to school was his first taste of freedom

“It’s... perfect.” God, can we give Michael Sinterniklaas an award for just the delivery of that line?

Hey, Denys. Fancy seeing you in what is clearly a boss room. No hard feelings for what comes next, yeah?

OH MY GOD I put my 3DS down and the screen went black for two seconds. Scared the hell out of me I thought I was gonna have to play part of that over again

I can just leave the room. The stairs are right there. The game is letting me walk right past him and go... but that won’t solve anything, will it?

We stand at the grave of Foundar Geneolgia. Captain of the Crystalguard, first leader of the Three Cavaliers... and completely corrupt beyond belief, using his position to take out personal enemies by accusing them of being enemies of the Orthodoxy, all to keep his own power. Sometimes to gain more

This was the standard of House Geneolgia. Those who deviated, who tried to be better... what remains are unmarked gravestones. Still here, within the family, but shunned and forgotten. Even in death. Denied the opportunity to be remembered by the lives they touched and shackled by the legacy of a bloodline they were unable to escape. Lost to an underground cavern for eternity.

And that’s his goal. Denys, disgusted by his ancestors and bearing the weight of a bloodline he never asked for, planned to travel back in time and kill Foundar, erasing the entire Geneolgia line and their sins with it

He’s so caught up in his plan that he’s failed to see something that I think Yew’s already figured out: these brothers are the only members of the Geneolgia family left. They aren’t beholden to the laws of the family anymore, because who will enforce them? Each other? There’s no guarantee someone worse won’t spring up in the place of Foundar, but Yew and Denys together can take what their bloodline has been given and turn it into something worthwhile. Erasing the past is a gamble on a brighter present. Working together is a guarantee of a brighter future

*squints* There’s a single dead pixel on my screen right in the middle of Denys’s face right now and it’s driving me nuts

“So you, too, would slumber in an unmarked grave. We are more alike than I thought...” And you always have been. If you’d spoken openly to your brother, you would have noticed who he is deep in his heart. Someone who doesn’t care for money or power, who takes in and cares for others as if they were family, an idealist who wants nothing more than a better world for those they care for, even at the cost of their own life... You two make quite a pair.

This whole conflict probably could have been avoided if these two had the chance to be closer as kids. If Denys had a single family member to confide in... If Yew had someone to guide him away from the indoctrination of their father... The tragedy is that the only times they’ve been able to speak freely to each other... have been at the end of this game

It’s just a shame Denys wants to fight. He wants to be proven wrong, not just have his baby brother spout nice platitudes at him

Still, I warned this chinstrap-beard-sporting jackass. I’m going to RIP. THAT. SWORD. OUT. OF. HIS. DUMB. METAL. HAND!

(By which I mean I’m stealing the Chaos Blade, the only missable item as far as I’m aware, from him. I was just being dramatic about it so I wouldn’t forget)

No pretense of fighting “The Kaiser,” an untouchable force of nature. Now he’s just Denys. A brother lost to his own guilt. Flawed, human, and in need of a guiding hand to bring him towards a redemption I think he’s willing to start

Aaaaaand of course he has reraise

I mean... that’s a decent argument. If Denys goes back to change the past, he actually ruins the future because he’s given Anne access to the Holy Pillar

And now the party gets the Kaiser job. Almost like a spiritual relinquishing of the role from Denys

I assumed we’d be taking Denys home to rest. Can’t help but notice we took his coat, though. Really shows off the fact that Yew cut off his entire right arm, not just his hand

Denys was always going to try and make a martyr of himself. It didn’t matter what he did, how bad his actions were, his final act, erasing himself from existence, was supposed to be his atonement. Now what does he do, living with the things he’s done and no easy end to absolve him of it?

It’s like the game thought I wouldn’t recognize Agnès‘s voice immediately

Agnès is willing to give him the chance to atone. Not forgive him outright, but a chance to earn that forgiveness. And why wouldn’t she? Agnès was once the puppet of a fairy herself, nearly driving the world to ruin with the goal of its salvation. Killing countless Duchy soldiers (and I know the game’s gonna act like the random encounter soldiers didn’t exist, but they did) in the name of her cause. Denys really is in the same position as Tiz, Agnès, Edea, and Ringabel were just two years ago

Denys really thinks all of his companions are dead, huh? “The only mercy I need is a quick death, so I may apologize face-to-face.” “Then come with me to the Sanctum.” We’re just gonna arrange a prison meet-and-greet with the other Glanz Empire higher-ups that we didn’t kill, just stuck in prison, and Denys’s gonna have a change of heart and join us, I can already see it coming

According to the Bestiary, Denys met Anne when the Great Chasm “disappeared” (where... did it go?), captured the Ba’al Diamante and seized the asterisks left behind in the crater, and then created the Skyhold using Diamante. So the Ba’al that the Sagitta thought they were firing on, and the one sealed within... is Diamante, which I thought was just the official name for the Skyhold when it appeared on the location intro card. I... I think I know what those rumbles from before may have been

Yew makes sure to note that everything he wrote was told to him by Denys, presumably off-screen. And there’s a little note that makes a similar point to what I did during the fight: his Bestiary entry is listed as Denys Geneolgia, not Kaiser Oblivion, because should anything happen, Yew wants him to be remembered not as the leader of the Glanz Empire, but as his beloved brother

“To meet those who sacrificed themselves for your cause... This is what you truly wish? Then let it be done!” I see you trying to be dramatic, Agnès, but let’s cut the man a break, yeah? Faking him out like this is just a bit mean. The look on his face is gonna be great, though

Yup! And Minette even got adopted with no jail time. Isn’t that great?

“I-I do not deserve...” Maybe not forgiveness, but no one has given you a second chance to atone yet. It’s about time we do

Okay, I know Braev was cutting his restraints, but it still looked like he slashed Denys across the back. Could you imagine if he had! “Grand Marshall! I meant cut his restraints!” “Oh. OH. Oh no. My apologies. I thought this was going somewhere else! Oh dear... someone call a healer! Nikolai!”

Family dinner! FAMILY DINNER! FAMILY DINNEEEEEER! Aw man, get in here, Agnès! It’s the whole dang team! Magnolia, Tiz, Edea, Yew, and Agnès all sharing some down time together is what I live for!

Aaaaaaand Agnès made it sad by asking if Magnolia’s gonna go home to the Moon when her work is done. Now Yew’s sad. And Magnolia’s sad

Denys, get in here! If the team’s willing to forgive and forget, well, I’ve been willing to with you for a while! Family dinner! Estranged older brothers and adoptive extradimensional aunts and all!

I am desperately in need of a reconciliation hug between Denys and Yew right now

“What do you say we go for a bath, Brother?” Or... you can make it weird, Yew. I feel like that’s a few steps past a hug

Just two bros chillin’ in a hot spring, five feet apart ‘cause they’re estranged siblings awkwardly attempting to reconnect

This is good for both of them, really. Just finally getting to chat it out, maybe air some grievances...

Denys never blamed Yew for what happened with his arm. It actually gave him the perfect opportunity to walk out on their father and never look back. One of his big regrets was that he never got to tell Yew that before he was forced to leave. He’s just glad they even have the opportunity to talk again. That he had the opportunity to finally tell his brother that he doesn’t have to bear that weight anymore

And now he’s giving relationship advice to his little bro... awww, that’s sweet, but I gotta wonder what Denys actually knows about romance. Like... at all

Denys’s just sitting here like “Oh this dense kid. It’s so obvious they belong together. Come on, Yew, confess. That’s gonna be my new sister-in-law, I can tell.”

Nothing like a GIANT FUCKING DEATH LASER IN THE SKY to ruin your nice chat with your brother, huh!?

Dammit, I knew Anne was suspiciously absent and yet I still overlooked her. I bet she used Sylvie to overload the Crystals and form the Holy Pillar

MMMMMMmmmmm Skyhold again. I’ve got... a bad feeling about what’s going to happen to Denys. Please don’t go Redemption Equals Death, please don’t go Redemption Equals Death he has so much potential...

Yew’s apologizing to Magnolia because she helped him repair his relationship with Denys, but he still hasn’t returned the favor in helping her defeat the Ba’al and save the Moon. God, I love this kid’s sense of honor

Oh, hey, confirmation that the Moon and Appleberry are still okay. At least until Anne does something again

I knew it. The Matriarch and Sylvie are here

Anne you fairy fuck get over here! I know you’re aware of my existence, you’re the one who asked me to play the original game!

“You’re here already? Not bad! You beat my estimate by fourteen minutes.” Not bad considering I took a day’s break before getting here. That estimate must have been pretty generous

She pulled an Airy on Sylvie and the Matriarch and convinced them to help her. Where the Fairy Flies, am I right?

“Denied!” Denys you ham this is supposed to be serious

Oh... I forgot that Anne sent Denys to the future instead of the past and he still remembers that

You didn’t realize she sent you to the wrong time!? How do you not notice the technology and architecture being way off?

She had no intention of sending him to the past. Of course not. Why would Airy’s sister have you invalidate all the work she had the player/Celestial do last game?

...Master?

Here we go. The freed Diamante, Ba’al that destroyed the Moon civilizations. And Magnolia’s freaking out, but her new family won’t have it! We avenge her people together!

Diamante looks freaking awesome. A diamond unicorn with a skeleton rider, with butterflies in her long, teal hair and shredded wings for arms.

And don’t think I haven’t noticed the background. A woman with a ponytail kneeling behind a chain-link fence, reaching her left hand out towards what appears to be a rocket ship flying off into the distance. The ring on her finger glinting every once in a while

A married woman left behind, longing to reach a ship... Vega...

Diamante, the diamond ring

Health doesn’t look too bad, but I’m worried about the 100% Mirror. Seems it even reflects physical attacks

It’s gone down to 60% after a round of attacks. Maybe I’ve just got to wear its shield down

It did... something to Tiz that prevents him from doing anything besides Default and Summon and brings its Mirror up for one more hit every turn, but this seems manageable. Turns out attack items count as hits to bring it down, so if I toss one out per turn it can’t do anything

I love the effect of the diamonds on the unicorn breaking away to reveal an electric interior

Reraise was to be expected at this point

They only make you fight it twice and it still revives at the end, but I think it’s poetic that I beat it while I had Magnolia’s theme playing thanks to her special being the second-to-last hit on it

Do what you did to the Moon? “Let the cleansing fires cover the world, and burn for three days and three nights!” Why so specific, Anne? It sounds like you’re quoting a Bible verse at me

You sound ridiculous, Anne. Tone the formality down a peg

“Yes, it is time I atone for my sins.” Denys don’t you fucking dare

Yew, do not give him the compass.

You are not taking this Ba’al to the end of time, young man! No! You aren’t allowed to pull a Redemption Equals Death on me

“I trust you. My sacrifice will not be in vain.” You don’t have to do this! I can keep this boss fight going forever! We weren’t even struggling! I’ve got the resources to keep trying!

Denys, please. You could be Party Member #5. You could have a well-written, non-copout redemption arc. Let’s think about this

God...

...dammit.

#bravely default #bravely second #liz liveblogs bravely second

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marklipinski · 7 years

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ARTspiration

Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my soul. This piece is called Girl With Pigtails by Sir Samuel Henry William Llewellyn, who was an English painter of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries

YOKE DU YOUR

Two elephants walk in the wilderness and spot a guy peeing at the bushes. One elephant nudges the other, “Man, I wonder how he ever manages to eat anything with that thing!”

DESIGNspiration

Look around you. Design is everywhere! Keep your eyes open. How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?

IDEA I LOVE

I love the look of these ric rac flowers. They look pretty easy to make. Check it out here: http://todayscreativelife.com/how-to-make-ric-rac-flowers/

IDEA I LOVE

What kid wouldn’t love this cozy pillow bed? I’m trying to figure out the proportions for making an adult sized version. Click on the like to find out how to make your own for your munchkins: http://dabblesandbabbles.com/how-to-make-a-cozy-pillow-bed/

YUMMY DISH!

CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE

(No Sugar like the jar versions)

Ingredients

San Marzano tomatoes

extra-virgin olive oil

garlic cloves

dried whole chile, or crushed red pepper flakes

kosher salt

fresh basil

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015987-classic-marinara-sauce?action=click&module=Collection+Page+Recipe+Card®ion=No-Sugar+Added&pgType=collection&rank=1

IDEA I LOVE

I’m a hoochie for little boxes, any kind of little boxes. Needless to say, I was thrilled to find this cool tutorial for making embossed boxes from soda cans. Let’s face it, it’s totally worth diabetes and morbid obesity just to get enough stash to create these little suckers. Click on the link for the tutorial for making your own:

Click on the link for the tutorial for making your own: http://hackaday.com/2011/01/21/making-boxes-from-soda-cans/

BREATHLESS INSPIRATION

Handmade marbles . . .

Aren’t these amazing? You can buy your own handmade marbles and see more examples by clicking this link: http://www.route66glassworks.com/Gallery.html

SO DRINK, CHUG-A-LUG CHUG-A-LUG

CHOCOLATE WHITE RUSSIAN

Ingredients

Vodka

Kahlua

Heavy Cream

Chocolate Syrup

Ice

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE http://basilandbubbly.com/chocolate-white-russian/

IDEA I LOVE

Aren’t these sprocket pillows cute? They’re not hard to make and are totally the right project to start with if you’re ever considering a Dresden Plate quilt block and fabric covered buttons are one of my all-time favorite idiot-proof things to make. Heres’s the tutorial for making these fun pillows yourself: http://cluckclucksew.com/2011/03/tutorial-sprocket-pillows.html

WORDS TO LIVE BY

IDEA I LOVE, CROCHETspiration

Grab your crochet hook and a pair of rubber flip-flops and, oh baby, you will have boots to die for. Make them even better by weaving ribbons into your crochet, embellish, hand-dye, etc. If you have strong arches, these could be quite comfortable. If you have feet as flat as Donald Duck, well, you’re screwed. Here’s the tutorial on how to make a pair of your own boots: http://makeanddocrew.com/crochet-boots-flip-flops-pattern-video/

MAN CAN LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!

MARK BITMAN’S NO-KNEAD BREAD

Ingredients:

bread flour

instant yeast

salt

Cornmeal or wheat bran

For the full recipe CLICK HERE: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread?action=click&module=Collection+Page+Recipe+Card®ion=No-Sugar+Added&pgType=collection&rank=6

MEMBA?

And now a word . . .

Now that the weather is cool, I’m heading back upstairs to continue clearing out my studio. Get first dibs on all of my eBay listings when you follow the Pickle Road Stash Busting page on Facebook! Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PickleRoadStashBusting/

win WIN win

Check back here soon. I’ll be a part of a blog hop and you can win the book I LOVE PRECUT QUILTS!

SALE SALE SALE

$5.00

Over 40% OFF the regular price of my digital Palm Beauty pattern

Today and Tomorrow only (January 28 &29 2017)

Order your Palm Beauty pattern here: http://www.marklipinski.com/shop-2/

AND

COOKIES!

TWIX COOKIES

Ingredients

butter

powdered sugar

flour

vanilla

salt

caramel

milk chocolate chips

shortening

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE http://www.thisgrandmaisfun.com/twix-cookies-3/

LOL

JUST BECAUSE I SWOON

Documented 1971 Valentino Couture Italian Vogue Audrey Hepburn Gown Dress

DESIGNER: Valentino Couture, published in the 1971 Italian Vogue, in a different print, on model Isa Stoppi. The same blue version of this dress was worn by Audrey Hepburn in Italian Vogue 1971. The white long sleeve version of this dress, also seen in the photo with Isa Stoppi, was shown in the exhibit Valentino Retrospective. $42,999

You might disagree, but although this dress costs a mint, it reminds me of something that Eunice might wear.

IDEA I LOVE!

I think painting on fabric is an amazing talent. It’s an amazing way to create your own fabric. Can’t draw? So what? There are so many cheating tools you can use – lightboxes, computer printouts, embroidery transfer papers… Why not try it. It won’t break the bank, and you might just learn to love it. Click on the link for more information on how to rock your fabric: http://uniqart.blogspot.com/2015/02/tutorial-painting-on-fabric-with.html

BE DAZZLED!

This is a vintage piece of costume jewelry from 1948. It is marked, Coro with Pegasus and designed by Adolph Katz. It is in excellent condition. $475 ‘

Here’s how you can own this piece: http://www.trifari.com/pages/cor1377.html

PATCHWORK, BABY! QUILTspiration!

Call me sentimental, but I love cheddar in a quilt. Make this easy traditional Album Patch quilt from McCall’s Quilting. Now, cupcakes, think out of the box. This pattern can look totally contemporary with just a change of fabric colors. Click-o on the link-o to get the pattern: http://www.mccallsquilting.com/content_downloads/Album_Patch_WEB_BONUS.pdf

SHOEspiration

So what do you think of these Clear Floral Oxfords by Kunihiko Morinaga? These are from the 2012 collection and made from leather, plastic, and embroidery!

IDEA I LOVE!

What a great idea for upcycling your Altoids tin. Make a pocket-sized watercolor box. Listen, I know you’ve always to create an art journal on the run. Now’s your chance to honor your creativity or try something completely new. Click on the link for a tutorial on how to make your own version of you watercolor box:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Altoids-Tin-Pocket-Sized-Watercolor-Box/?ALLSTEPS

IDEA I LOVE! KNITspiration!

These are the absolute cutest knitted pigs I’ve ever seen. I wish I could knit better; I’d try to tackle this. Instead, I’m going to have to sell my soul for one. Not only that, I’m guessing the knitting shops still don’t have pink yarn in stock after the run for the Women’s March hats (well, unless you’re in Franklin, Tennessee http://huff.to/2jzY8fT).

Here’s the pattern: http://blueskyfibers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Oink1.pdf

GARDENspiration

Yummy! Make a freshwater terrarium. It can’t be any easier. Here’s how to put one together for your home or office. Look, if this works out, say goodbye to the bathtub.

Here’s the tutorial: http://artseachic.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-freshwater-terrarium.html

MUST HAVE

They say (whomeverthehelltheyare) that our phones are the filthiest and grimiest possessions we possess. No more, babycakes. I want to zap my smartphone with this sanitizer. Get one for you:

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/phonesoap-smartphone-sanitizer

IDEA I LOVE!

A simple embroidery stitch can help you create the dopest border on napkins, collars, and almost anything (why not stitch on paper for homemade Valentine’s Day cards?). To learn the technique, click on the link:

http://www.designsponge.com/2014/02/diy-project-chain-of-heart-napkins.html

TIP I LOVE

Isn’t this a great tip? Organize your seam ripper, marking pencils, and snips by using a suction cup soap holder! Take a look:

http://sewmanyways.blogspot.ca/2014/01/organizing-ideas-for-suction-cup-soap.html

EMBROIDERYspiration!

LOVE this teeny tiny embroidery. What is better there is a tutorial for how to embroider your own version. What a terrific little embellishment for you bib overalls, mittens, jeans, or wherever you need a little life. Start your project by clicking the link:

http://randomactsofamy.com/2016/09/09/tiny-embroidery-tutorial/

DESSERT!

BEST EVER JAPANESE COTTON CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS

Full cream milk or Low-fat milk Butter Cheese cream Plain flour Corn flour Egg yolks Vanilla flavor Egg whites Cream of tartar Sugar

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE http://amirahwaznahku.blogspot.de/2014/06/best-ever-japanese-cotton-cheesecake.html

IDEA I LOVE

Dollar Store here I come. Grab several colorful bags of garden glass and glue them to a window. Glorious. It’s so darn simple, but if I were you, I would campaign for the death penalty for anyone breaking a stained glass window before you make yours. Start here:

http://www.hometalk.com/26593919/easy-stained-glass-window

… and VALENTINEpiration IS HERE

These are designed to be fabric heart coasters. I love them but I’d be afraid that the seams might tip my full glass of Old Turkey onto my rug, leaving me no option than to suck the juice from the carpet (like it hasn’t been done before). You could add a little ribbon to the top so they can be used as doorknob decor. I’d also love to see some embroidery accenting the fabric used for the hearts. Here’s how you make these pretty Valentine coasters: http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/fabric-heart-coasters/

IF YOU LIKE THIS BLOG

If you’re liking this blog Please tell your friends about it! I’d really appreciate it!

Just cut and paste this into an email or post on your Facebook and Twitter pages:

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Please Leave a Comment Below

Create Ric Rac Roses! Sew a Cozy Pillow Bed! DIY Embossed Metal Boxes! Learn to Make Sprocket Pillows! Crochet Sweater Boots! Paint Fabric using Inktense! Piece an Album Patch Quilt! Craft a Portable Watercolor Box! Knit a Flying Pig! Plant a Freshwater Terrarium! Embroider a set of Chain of Hearts Napkins! Create Stunning Stained Glass Windows! Sew Heart-Themed Coasters! Mini Embroidery Project! Make a Soda Can Rose! A Sewing Machine Tip! How to Spin Yarn! Sewing Ric Rac! PLUS . . . Recipes, Videos, Inspiration, Creativity, Ideas, and More ARTspiration Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my soul. This piece is called

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