#project path action was really really fun to do!!

[celifin]

YOUR ODETTE ART IS SO PRETTY TY FOR DRAWING ODETTE!!!!!!!

THANK YOU !!!! THATS SO NICE, I APPRECIATE IT <333

[ninasodiiva]

blooming season

what's blooming in your life this spring?⋆.ೃ࿔🌷

PAC reading

hi my loves! hope you're having a beautiful day, im back after a long hermit period (not painful don't worry) that's why i haven't posted any readings <3 plus i had so many projects and exams but im finally free!!!

to celebrate spring we are taking a look at what's blooming in your life during this season!!

how to choose your group?

take a deep breath and relax your body, look at all the pictures and pick the one you are the most drawn to, don't think about it to much. you might be attracted to the picture or the number. REMEMBER this is a general reading, take what resonates and leave what doesn't. nothing is set in stone. if you are not drawn to any of the pictures this might not be the reading for you loves. that said, let's get into it!

pile 1: flower girl 🪻

hi and welcome pile 1, happy spring and i hope you're doing amazing my loves 🤍 let's get into your reading.

be excited for spring because your reading is giving me MAJOR romcom girl vibes. there are not any signs of relationships or romantic interest in you're reading but i feel this season you're not looking for that. you're open to the idea but it's definitely not a priority! i feel this last months/ years you tried to make sense and figure out what you want your life to look like, your passions, environment, friends, career, goals... you had a white canvas in front of you but no colors to paint with. you felt "lost" because the person you once were no longer existed and at the same time you were discovering and building your new self <3 well this spring life is giving you the paint you needed to make a beautiful and unique

the chapter of surrendering to the unknown is over, spring is lighting up the way for you. your lust for life is taking over. spirit is saying you are TRULY starting a new life with a childlike wonder for everything. i was going to say that maybe you're starting a new project but really you're starting A NEW LIFE 🌷 taking risks, socializing, indulging in activities that make you feel like life is exciting and fun again!! this spring clarity is assured and the fog is clearing, you're moving on from your old life, friends, ways of thinking, girl even your own self. i feel so whimsical in your energy but grounded, you will find the balance to enjoy the beautiful life ahead of you while having a routine that makes you feel stable and secure. perfect balance between surrendering and control. i'm truly watching a master in action babe ✨ spirit is showing movies like enchanted, 13 going 30, uptown girls, how to loose a guy in 10 days, etc. and let me tell you that's the fucking vibe you are giving in spring!!! that main character in a 2000 movie excited for her new beginning and pursuing her passions and dreams 🧚🏼‍♀️ i see you working in a project that's very important to you, very driven, talented and passionate towards it good for you my love!!! like seriously this is a 10/10 reading you have nothing to worry about and all to be happy for <3 i also see you going to social events (could be with friends, a wedding, a party you're invited to) and having LOTS of fun 🩷

spirit is also advising you to compromise yourself to that project or goals and dreams you have. make a promise to yourself but don't rush and exhaust yourself. balance is a common theme in your reading and it's the key to maintaining the energy that's blooming this spring. ofc it's totally normal to feel down sometimes, don't beat yourself up over it!! i just see you so so SO happy and proud of the life you're building and that's what you deserve 100% 🪷🦢 prosperity is on your side and you're definitely in the right path (for those who needed to hear it). TAKE SPACE, DANCE, SING, PAINT, IDK JUST GET OUT THERE AND BE YOURSELF!!!!! trust please just trust and have fun. i'm hearing that some of you will connect with your loved ones more or if you had family problems lately spirit is advising you to resolve them. maybe call them, have a heart to heart conversation and try to find common ground if it's possible (take that as it resonates pls it's only for a few of you).

dear pile one, you've cheered me up with your energy so thanks for that lol 🪷 i hope this reading was helpful and i send you lots of love

Nina˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

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pile two: bumblebee 🐝

hi and welcome group number two, if you choose the cute bumblebee this is your reading for what's blooming in your life this spring, let's get into it!! <3

my loves right away it was SO easy for me to tap into your energy and focus in channeling, i think you definitely indulge in some spiritual practice. when i opened to your energy i felt like something was being hidden from you (not in a bad way!!), spirit is keeping something hidden from you because it's a surprise, and overall there's this mysterious vibe from you. there are so many synchronicities in your reading, for some reason most of your cards have people with their eyes closed and i've had this deck for a long time and never noticed that, plus the song The Lady In Red started playing. And omg the lyrics also mention "not seeing". listen to it cause i feel it may be a sign or message (and the song is so precious too 🤍)

i see that in the past you went through a situation where you were in a constant battle with someone (?). i strongly feel you were fighting for someone's love/affection/approval. you felt in competition with another person but things didn't end the way you'd hoped. to be honest this past energy feels a bit toxic, im picturing someone spying another's phone (not saying this is you), betrayals, playing dirty, etc. as a result from this your world crumbled into pieces and i feel the pain you felt. i'm being shown yourself from that time and you now and my loves let me tell you, you're a new person 🪷. that experience made you realize there's zero point in begging for someone's affection, far less fighting another girl for a boy 😭 (that's for some of you take it as it resonates). this situation put you in the path of self love and self respect and you're still learning my love (we're always learning don't be hard on yourself <3).

well that's the past, this spring i 100% see you so so SO focused in your peace, in pouring the love and care you deserve into yourself and taking your time and energy seriously, in a soft and ethereal way. it's giving me classic disney princess. they way they moved, talked, the way they see the world and how kind they are! all that but towards your own self 🦢🌷 you will be in your own world and you'll LOVE IT, because its the one you built for yourself, one that makes you feel safe to be your true self without anyone's approval. you're ignoring hate, toxic gossip (yes i believe there's healthy gossip lol), jealousy and judgement.

im so proud of the progress you made and the one that's in the future for you pile two, really. i see you in my minds eye, how you see the world with innocent and curious eyes. doing the things you love, being so genuinely kind to everyone and helping as much as you can. you will have love not only for others but for yourself too. okey snowhite i see you ;) ❤️

now with that said, i can move to the last message. since this spring you're in your own little world, you won't notice this new love coming in. you might now them already or not BUT LISTEN, this is not the past person we just talked about please. i know you are smarter than that and i also know the work you've done to heal, so don't be stupid babes. spirit is not telling me much... omg that's what the song i channeled was about shut tf UPPP. you won't see this person coming because you're in your own world doing your thing, but i see them watching you and planning on how to approach you. for some of you it could be through social media and they might be an earth sign (taurus, capricorn or virgo). yall its coming sooner than you think im so excited for you, be open to get to know this person because spirit and the cards are saying they are a really good match for you. oh and commitment is assured 🫶🏼

my loves i hope this reading resonated and gave you clarity. let me know how this unfolds for you!! i send you lots of love 🩷

Nina˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

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pile three: magical horse 🧚🏼‍♀️

hi and welcome pile number three <3 let's get into your reading. your spread is really complex and it's about career/studies/goals you're pursuing. if that doesn't resonate i suggest you to choose another group.

welcome my boss ass bitches i know a queen when i feel this type of energy ✨, spirit took over this reading and they want to give you advice, it seems important because i tried to ask for what's blooming for you in spring but they kept insisting on giving you guidance!! i see you are a person with so much ambition but you feel unhappy with your job. you have so many options to choose from but you're scared to take a leap of faith into a direction aligned with your goals. yall your workplace is EXTREMELY toxic, i see that some of you are scared to make this move because you know your boss or people in higher ranks will "punish you" for "betraying" them (wtf???). babes listen to me, these people are purposefully bringing you down, making you doubt yourself and gaslighting you in hopes that you won't noticed the power, influence and potential you have. they're trying to keep you in their shitty environment because they KNOW you have the power to succeed and most definitely outsmart them. you know that place is not for you group three, i can feel their energy and it's disgustingly manipulative. it reminds me of that video of Robert Downey Jr. visiting Wall Street where everyone is going crazy and he says "if money is evil then that building is hell" (you being Robert obv).

you're overthinking your next step as if you don't know the best option is to GET AWAY FROM THERE, like seriously this place is reminding me of Scientology girl idk where you work at or what environment are you in but you NEED to pack your things and leave spirit is saying. tell me why the song "you don't own me" started playing... BIG SIGN. okey for a few of you this has to do with legal issues and contracts, spirit says they have your back and there will be justice for you, because i see that maybe you can't leave because of a contract. don't stress over it, justice will prevail. trust your intuition, there is so much abundance, success and happiness on the other side. you're used to being in the dark you think there's no place better than in the shadows. spirit is saying you're meant for bigger things, i know you have that idea/project/goals that just thinking about it makes you shine inside out, DO IT ✨ its totally okay to be scared of the unknown but please trust that the best is yet to come 🩷. what's blooming for you in spring is this new opportunity for greatness but only if you take a leap of faith and follow your inner voice! you're a driven and powerful person i know you can do it!!!

i asked for more messages since they only gave you advice and this is JUST PERFECT. in spring you'll celebrate this new beginning in your career, i see social gatherings, traveling, planning ahead, and an overwhelming amount of happiness and love. so wholesome, i see your loved ones being there by your side celebrating this huge milestone. ⭐️ monetary and emotional fulfillment is coming for you this spring AS IT SHOULD!! i just heard the song "APESHIT" by Beyoncé and her ugly ass husband when he says "you need me i don't need you" PERIOD THATS LITERALLY THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT!!! listen to it now i feel it's a sign

pile three i believe in you and spirit does too, i hope this readings gave you clarity and let me know how this unfolds! 🤍with so much love

Nina˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

[maybefae]

Blessings Coming In!

Pile 1 - Pile 2 - Pile 3

Remember, this is a general reading and it may not resonate for everyone or completely. Tarot is a tool to help guide but you are responsible for your actions and life, you choose your path.

Tips!

Pile 1

Tarot: The Empress, Ten of Wands, Nine of Pentacles, Three of Swords, Knight of Pentacles, Page of Pentacles, Four of Swords, Queen of Pentacles, Five of Cups, Knight of Swords, The Hanged Man and Three of Wands

Oracle: Seeds (New Ideas, hope, open-mindedness), Oak Tree (power, courage, strength)

You’re getting your mojo back! You could be getting over some heartbreak, probably losing a couple of friends or a relationship. Or you had finally cut off people that weren’t healthy for you. I see this heartbreak happening before this reading and you come to this reading in the process of figuring things out. That’s not to say that you don’t go through moments of grief though. I see you working your abundance, things that fill up your cup. This takes many forms. But I do see you also taking small steps in getting a business or project started and out into the public and I do see this growing faster than you expected! The love and work you put into it will pay off and your doubts will be soothed over from the response you get. 

For the people who are trying to get back out there to find friendships/a partner, I see you taking a very lighthearted approach. You aren’t putting your full heart into them just yet but you are being open, friendly, and slow-burning the progression. You’re feeling very sure of yourself, trusting yourself, and finding the courage (even if it’s a little nerve-wracking) to open up your heart again to new connections. These people could be completely different from who you’re used to connecting with, types of people that you could’ve always wanted to connect with.

For those dating around, I see two different people. One is very grounded, maybe even slow-moving, and you are probably not sure if they even have feelings for you or if they are emotionally available. But I think they have high standards and are as cautious (albeit open-minded) as you are. The other likes what they see, and they are probably very cheeky and knows how to talk to you. Very cunning. May have really intense eyes, “bedroom eyes.” I don’t see these two getting far with you since you’re being selective but I think you will have fun talking to them. You are keeping your options open. And since you’re the Empress, you could be looking for someone to fit the Emperor role (any gender). 

Pile 2

Tarot: Nine of Cups, King of Cups, The Sun, Four of Cups, Page of Wands, The Devil, Three of Pentacles, Four of Swords (Reversed), The Tower, The Star, Queen of Swords, Six of Wands

Oracle: Bee (Community, cooperation, sweetness), Autumn (Bounty, balance), Snow (Rest, contemplation)

Before I even pull cards, The Artist card that solely belongs to this deck was shown to me and I head “As an artist myself, I know they can be a little flighty. Head in the clouds.” But I also thought of David Bowie? Some of you could be really successful when it comes to selling your art. And I’m talking gallery level prices in the thousands of dollars. But I suppose this can be applied to any career field. “Six months time.”

Now that I’ve pulled your cards, I can confirm the previous message of money and/or success when it comes to your career coming in. I think this is coming after some burnout, which could be a bad habit of yours that reoccurs. This burnout probably left you uninspired and you could get inspiration back. Easier said than done, but please rest. You can’t do the things you love without rest. There could’ve been a big setback before that left you hopeless and burnt out. But you could be having a moment where it reignites the spark for you and that could feel like the biggest blessing since nothing seems as dull anymore.

I feel like your blessing has everything to do with abundance. Happiness, a resurgence of hope (maybe you get validation that you’re on the right track), and money from something you created from all your love and hard work. 

So, for those wanting a connection (platonic or romantic), I do see that someone could be coming in very out of the blue. I had to pull an extra card and it came out while I was looking away while shuffling. You won’t see this person coming. This could be platonic (friend or work partner) or romantic.

Pile 3

Tarot: Queen of Cups, Nine of Cups, The Sun, The World, King of Cups, The Hermit, Three of Wands, Queen of Pentacles, Nine of Wands, Page of Wands, Five of Cups, The Moon

Oracle: Rain (cleansing, purification, hydration), Sickle (focus, regrowth, letting go), Mushroom (recycling, breaking down problems)

I haven’t pulled cards yet but I am using a deck I haven’t used in a while. As soon as I pulled the cards, I got a whiff of glue.

And now that I pulled the cards, the glue is about uniting. This pile is for the people in long-distance friendships/relationships. After so many tries to finally see them, something always went wrong and you had to cancel plans. This could also be an issue about not having enough money at the time. 

The stars had to align, the moon had to be at a certain lunation…You finally get the chance to see your loved one that’s at a distance! Your wish for that is coming true. In a way, you had to kinda “give up” on the plans and now you are being gifted the opportunities since you weren’t focusing on it heavy. It’s like you had to take care of other things before you could make it happen. 

I’m being advised to tell you not to control it too much! Don’t have a tight grip on plans. Continue to go with the flow and enjoy the present with this person. You will have an amazing time together!

Decks Used: Ophida Rosa Tarot by Leila and Olive, Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot Deck by Matt Hughes, Modern Witch Tarot Deck by Lisa Sterle, The Green Witch Oracle by Arin Murphy-Hiscock and Sara Richard

Dividers: @inklore

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

Thoughts on a prince of life?

Sure! Class = character arc and Aspect = base personality traits.

The most common misconception around Princes is that they lack their Aspect - the opposite is actually true! Princes suffer from a toxic overabundance of their Aspect, and boy do they make that everyone's problem.

It's really fun to describe Eridan as hopeless and Dirk as heartless, but if you actually drill down into their characters, you'll find that Eridan's major issue is having too much Hope, while Dirk's is having too much Heart.

Eridan is a hard-headed idiot who simply does not listen to other people, defining his own reality irrespective of the input of others. Cronus shares these traits to a lesser degree, and Jake, a Page (so, starting in deficit of their Aspect) is the opposite in a way that reinforces that Eridan is running at 200% Hope while Jake is at -100%. Jake is famously wishy-washy; Eridan takes hardline stances at the slightest provocation and you can't convince him otherwise. Jake has no standards when it comes to movies; Eridan is a hipster who castigates Kanaya for being into Twilight.

What is Dirk? He's solipsistic. Heart governs the self, soul, and identity, and Dirk has way too much of that. He's highly occupied with himself, the persona he projects, his own feelings and desires. I personally believe that Hal is a wholly separate, unique entity from Dirk, but he's a Mind player (Mind players suffering from lack of personal identity, which ties into how even Hal considers himself to be a splinter of Dirk), so he offers a good look at what equal and opposite character traits might be: where Hal is genuinely manipulative, constantly playing mind games with their friend group, Dirk's version of "manipulation" is actually incredibly straightforward - he just outright tells Jane that she'll be a puppet leader and he'll be pulling the strings. Hal criticizes Dirk for being a needy, emotional wreck when he starts dating Jake, and the glimpse we see of it is a very Heart-esque "don't worry about me or my feelings, what do YOU want to do? 🥺🥺🥺". And, of course, his self-loathing - he can't help but see all his own flaws, a Heart ability echoed by Nepeta's uncanny intuition regarding peoples' true selves, intentions, and desires - and he can't help feeling burdened by himself, his splinters, his identity.

Thus are Princes burdened with too much of their Aspect, put to poor use. Moreover, they bear a great sense of duty or responsibility, some driving anxiety guiding their actions. Dirk is the most anxious of his party over their lack of progress in the game (and inability to MAKE progress), while Eridan's obsession with genocide ultimately stems from his duty to prevent genocide on a daily basis by feeding Feferi's lusus. The "good of the species" has always been on the very forefront of Eridan's mind, and he's a wreck about all the sacrifices he's had to make to that end.

Because they have such strong, overwhelming personalities, and are motivated by an anxious sense of duty and responsibility, they're very difficult to dissuade from their path of self-destruction. The class is very masculine in this way - it's hard-headed and arrogant, its players having a penchant for declaring that it's "my way or the highway," that they know best. Eridan and Dirk are both associated with toxic masculinity, with Hussie explicitly saying that the worst parts of Dirk - his intellectual aggression and penchant for mansplaining - are the parts that made it into LE, while he also explicitly calls Eridan a proto-Caliborn and makes mention of his poor behavior around women specifically.

Thus Princes are on a marching path to self-destruction, since ultimately, any pursuit fuelled by their egos and anxiety isn't sustainable. This is where they "destroy their Aspect" - they destroy themselves; without intervention, Princes will eventually run themselves so ragged that they - and whoever is unlucky enough to be in the same room - come crashing down, removing themselves, and their Aspect, from play. It's one of the greatest disasters that can befall a team, something very difficult to recover from - Eridan kicked off murderstuck, and removed Hope from play (the Page of Hope even has his dreamself killed - Hope is dead, indeed); Dirk's trickster diatribe shattered the group friendship dynamics, and they were never fully able to recover, especially Jake. It's also implied that the great disaster that Mituna tried to prevent was Kurloz's Prince meltdown, something he ultimately failed to do; Kurloz taking charge of the team's blackroms means that the dancestors simply don't have any, and contributed to their stagnation - he removed Rage from play.

This makes Princes sound very volatile and dangerous, and they are, but no moreso than any other Class at its worst. At their best, however, Princes are the ultimate obstacle removers, whatever those obstacles might be. Their toxic overabundance means that, while they lack the delicate touch other Classes may have, they can harness it into a razing, overwhelming force, the true form of "destroying with their Aspect". Eridan at one point had a prophecy to destroy LE, and with Hope's gamebreaking ability to make the impossible possible, it's very well within his capabilities to have bypassed LE's unconditional immortality, had he been able to self-actualize. If Brain Ghost Dirk had had more time, it's possible he could've killed Aranea, even though she was wearing the Ring of Life.

Their senses of duty and responsibility make them very reliable, powerful allies if they can be knocked out of the Prince Downward Spiral. They're the first to rise, last to bed, and tireless in pursuit of the greater good and Ultimate Reward. And they just also kick a ton of ass. It's good to have an asskicker in your corner when you need one.

Speaking of Life...

Life players are stubborn optimists, though this doesn't mean they're good-natured. Feferi is outright defined by her stubborn optimism, no matter how dire her circumstances, even as this leads to some not-so-savory results - like her insistence that the Horrorterrors are friendly and nice, completely ignoring how traumatized Eridan was by Gl'bgolyb, or her desire to remake Alternia with casteism fully intact. Meenah literally refuses to listen when people try to tell her that the immortal, invincible demon is immortal and invincible, and only Cronus can dissuade her from thinking the Condy is the coolest, sexiest, awesomest thing ever. Jane is a skeptic who refuses to believe that her friends are from the future, or even that Crockercorp is evil, insisting that they're just messing with her and that, as heiress, she'll be fixing it up someday.

So we see the other character traits they tend to share, especially at their worst - while Life players do often have a focus on helping others, on forward progress and betterment of themselves and society, the catch is that they tend to be doing so in a selfish way - Meenah's bullying was motivated by her desire to galvanize her party into action and self-actualization, but was also just cruel and done for her personal pleasure and love of violence (let's also note that her main target was the lowest caste immigrant girl). Feferi wants to stop state-sanctioned murder, but only because she loves taking care of things like they're pets and she finds them adorabubble (casteism is still Very Much A Thing on Beforus). Jane wants to make Crockercorp better for people, but she still very much wants Crockercorp - and consumer capitalism as a whole - to keep existing.

Which is the last Life trait I want to touch on - its players tend to be very stable and "normal" (that's the word Hussie uses for them), but in doing so, they tend to naturally prop up the status quo, even if that status quo is harmful for others. That's the dark side of Life players - they're very normal, but normalcy can be, in itself, harmful. They love forward progress, but tend not to notice the people that progress tramples. They like to take care of others, but on their own terms.

So a Prince of Life takes form. This is someone who is, more than most Life players, duty-bound to protect the weak and heal the wounded - whether or not the weak and wounded WANT that. Life players already have a tendency towards self-satisfied, overbearing personalities, and the Prince class would likely exacerbate that, even as Life's stability mitigates the Prince's anxiety somewhat.

Their meltdown, then, would likely not come from a well of anxiety, like other Aspects, but instead from a feeling of being spurned. Princes have a tendency to push others away with their difficult personalities, and a Prince of Life would likely not take very well to others pulling away from them, since they're likely to be heavily convinced of their own righteousness. Life players have a tendency to push forward even if it means trampling over others, and a Prince of Life at their lowest would feel the need to take matters into their own hands. Class is subject to Aspect - Eridan's destruction ultimately took the form of making something fake real (magic) - so a Prince of Life would have a self-destructive meltdown in a way befitting of a Life player - perhaps they unleash a zombie apocalypse, a plague of locusts, or summon so many vines and plants that they drain the life out of the rest of the earth - and even the rest of the team.

So our Life player is probably strongly obsessed with forward progress and making everyone into (what they deem to be) the best versions of themselves. Life has associations with genetics and biology (the Condy's experiments to give herself other psionic abilities is likely an expression of being a Thief of Life), so our Prince of Life probably has a penchant for some Frankenstein-style mad science, and/or a pursuit of "genetic perfection." You can quickly see how a Prince of Life becomes a dictator-esque character, even verging into the territory of eugenics, and how easily they'd be able to convince themselves not to listen to the complaints of their team, as they simply "know better" than everyone else, and believes themselves to be acting "for their teammates' own good".

Princes are burdened by their Aspect in excess - Life, with its associations with normalcy and status quo, means our Prince of Life feels some great pressure to conform. A high school Mean Girl, an influencer, or an HR-type position would suit them. This is someone who is overbearing about pressuring others to conform, but ties a lot of their own self-worth to how well THEY conform. Given Life's associations with genetics and biology, it's likely for them to be obsessed with all the latest fad diets and cosmetic surgeries. It's a pretty fundamental part of Prince psychology that, while they often feel satisfaction from moving their goals forward, it's difficult for them to truly feel relaxed, happy, or content. Thus, while the Prince of Life would project an air of easy confidence and self-satisfaction, and being a Life player does take the edge off the Prince Anxiety, the Prince of Life is still a fundamentally unstable and unhappy person at baseline.

In doing so, the Prince of Life would remove Life from play - all progress would stop dead in its tracks, and helpful resources would crumble to dust. Prince meltdowns are often a party's turning point, and very difficult to undo without fully changing the past, and a Prince of Life is no exception.

But a Prince of Life whose party is able to get through to them, who's able to have their beliefs challenged and comes to realize that the right way forward is one walked with everyone's input, not just their own personal view of the greater good, is an incredibly powerful ally. Again, Class is always subject to Aspect, and every Aspect still has things it can do even if the Class is not well-suited for it - Doom players always have prophetic visions (Mituna can see the future even though he's an Heir), and Life players always have a healing touch (the Condy, a Thief, could still extend the Helmsman's life). While being a Prince would make them less well-suited to heal than perhaps the party Sylph or Maid would be, their abilities are still intrinsically based in Life - perhaps they're clumsy to heal minor wounds, at least not without inflicting weird mutations, but they'd still have the capability. I imagine a Prince of Life would be able to grant very powerful buffs to their teammates, pushing them to their physical limits, even if there's a crash afterwards. They'd also be, in general, an utter menace on the battlefield; I see vines erupting at their command, crushing buildings in an instant. I'm also imagining medic from tf2 lmao.

I love princes hahaha

[fellthemarvelous]

"Andor made me realize I can no longer defend the Empire's actions."

I beg your finest pardon, but what?!?!

It took season two of Andor to make you realize that the Empire is and always has been the villain in this story?

I was two years old when Return of the Jedi came out. I've been watching Star Wars since I was a small child, and even as a toddler I knew that the Empire was bad.

A New Hope came out in 1977 and in the first half of that movie we see the Empire destroy a whole ass planet with the Death Star (RIP Alderaan) just to make a point.

The Empire burned Owen and Beru alive and this is how Luke found them. This also happened in A New Hope.

Not to mention that the Emperor tortured people with Force lightning for fun. Look at how much joy he got out of what he was doing to Luke in Return of the Jedi.

Andor showed us the inner workings of the Empire in a way that we haven't really seen before, but Star Wars has never pretended that the Empire was anything other than pure evil.

This is the same Empire who imprisoned Ezra Bridger's parents for treason because they spoke out against the Empire, which forced Ezra to learn how to survive on the streets of Lothal at 7 years old.

This is the same Empire that gassed the entire planet of Geonosis after the Geonosians finished their part in the creation of the Death Star.

This is the same Empire who hunted down, kidnapped, tortured, and often times murdered Force sensitive children. The Empire had its own Inquisitors with the sole purpose of hunting down surviving Jedi for crimes they did not commit.

This is the same Empire that decommissioned the clones after they served their purpose for the Emperor. He had them programmed to blindly follow Order 66 and then punished them for "blindly" following Admiral Rampart's orders on Kamino even though they were orders from the very top. They had clones who tried to tell the truth about what really happened on Kamino executed.

This is the same Empire that funded Project Necromancer, that chased Omega (a literal child) all over the galaxy because of a unique ability she possessed so they could use her in inhumane experiments.

This is the same Empire that was prepared to torture 10 year old Leia Organa for information on The Path.

This is the same Empire that purged the surface of Mandalore, slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Mandalorians and stole their beskar.

The Empire has always been this way and the Ghorman massacre is far from being the Empire's first atrocity or genocide. George Lucas has been telling us the Empire was evil since 1977.

[sabine-smitten-obviously]

And YOU will feel healed of the last 15

... when you read this fic. That is, as long as you suffered from an abandonement wound like i did.

Ello lovelies, i have another wonderful fanfic-rec for you! 🤓

But you are an ocean by @ineffably-good

Coverart by @ineffableclassics

What it is about:

After Aziraphale's defection, Crowley tries to figure out how to live life for himself.

Notes:

Ok so, the end of season two broke me. Figured I was maybe done writing stories about these two after that. And yet, several hours later, a sentence appeared in my head, and then this happened. Guessing at chapter totals… I'm finding I like the idea of Crowley going off in a different direction than what I'd initially expect. Not just raging, not sleeping for a century, but actually trying to move on. And why the hell shouldn't he just move to the South Downs by himself? So here we are.

What i like about it:

🩷This fic doesn´t jump in on pushing the story - their story - forward. Instead it goes a totally different path. A quite big part of it is dedicated to Crowley mending the pieces of his broken heart. It´s endearing, it´s breathtaking and it will have you cry. Not only for Crowley but for every single person who ever had to endure heartbreak.

🩷Fun fact no.1: in real life I am a relationship-coach specialised in toxic relationships and heartbreak. And the way Crowley´s heartbreak is described couldn´t be any more accurate. Every thought, every pain, every action he takes, the strength it costs him, the weight of it all - its written absolutely to the point. I could have copied several pages for the "most beloved quote".

🩷So Crowley tries to build a life for himself. Not just living without the angel and rotting in a pit, but really trying to carve out a nice little existence for himself. He is doing his work, he is healing and you can follow along with him, as he learns to build at least new "friendships" - though he would never call it that himself, thanks a lot.

🩷This healing-journey takes quite some time and somewhere in the middle of it i started to think - he could do it. He COULD heal his hurt, mourn the loss and still somehow at least live a life on his own. Maybe feeling the missing part of himself for the rest of his existence, but not being miserable about it the whole time. And that is a thought - a wish - i would have for my dark angel.

I could see him living that life and at one point i almost thought - i would love to see how that would´ve played out for him. A life without Aziraphale. What connections would Crowley have made? How would he have coped with the loss of those humanly connections lifespan after lifespan? Would he have relocated each century? Would he have moved to Australia and learned surfing at one time? Would he have become a timelord and travelled - i mean seriously, Crowley could do that probably?

But you, my dear, are an ocean.

And oceans are ancient

And can survive everything,

Even the wrath of weather and planets.

-- Nikita Gill

SPOILERS AHEAD - if you don´t want to know the plot, stop reading here.

Stop reading if you dont want spoilers!

Ok - you´ve been warned! Here we go: 🤗

🩷Fun fact no.2: I actually downloaded this fic some time ago but had another fic in mind i wanted to start next. So after i finished the last one (also really brilliant, i wrote a rec on it too), i started my e-reader the next day, THIS fic was already open instead on page 1. Huh?

I have absolutely no idea how this is possible, but i DO believe in hints-of-the-universe. Or little demonic miracles on their own. Because i needed this fic.

🩷Because of course - this is a Good Omens fanfic and eventually the other angel arrives. And without giving away to much: Aziraphale has to fight for Crowley. A long long time. He has to be steadfast and consistent and earn the trust of his has-been-companion-for-millenia. Nothing is a given any more.

And i am NOT saying that this is what Aziraphale needs to do or that he was wrong in any way. (The fic doesnt say that either by the way.) But what cracked ME personally about the last 15 was my own abandonement-wound which got triggered massively. I felt retraumatised even.

So reading and feeling that Crowley does not jump on the next best possibility to be back with the angel was a big thing. Having the Angel slowly earning his trust and simply showing up again and again - I needed that. I needed Crowley to take his time, not be the sick lovefool he is often proclaimed to be. For him to have doubts, to feel conflicted, to feel love and the need to self-preserve at the same time.

All these ambiguities we all have. And to take the steps with him. Watch the turning point, when the fear of losing Aziraphale again becomes less and less and the fear of wasting time gets stronger. Taking one step at a time, sometimes even backwards. All those things, typical for a healing process, which is never straight forward but most of the time a rollercoaster instead. I loved this. I needed this. I could sit back, breathe and watch my own heart grow. Just. Wow.

Most beloved quote:

So if you feel like maybe you need a fic in which Aziraphale really shows up and cares while Crowley really takes his time to learn to trust again... And not because one of them has been an idiot, but to experience them both learning and growing together ... and that might be something for your own healing journey, this might be just THE fic for you. I absolutely loved it and so will you.

Reading is therapy! 🤗

[if-whats-new]

~ SMALL TALK… ISSUE 1 (2025) ~

> WITH HARRIS POWELL-SMITH @hpowellsmith

BY BRIAR AND PETER

Joining us is an award-winning narrative designer and writer: Harris Powell-Smith! Author of the Crème de la Crème series, “Blood Money” and many more!

⟶ Hello, Harris! Welcome to Small Talk. We are absolutely thrilled to have you here with us! Before we officially begin, would you mind sharing with us a bit about yourself?

Hi! I'm a narrative designer and game writer who's worked on a few indie and mobile games including the multiplayer King of the Castle and the mobile Love Island tie-in game. Currently I'm freelancing and mostly creating choose-your-path text games with Choice of Games, which I've now been doing for eight years.

I'm most known for my dark academia Crème de la Crème series, and most recently released Honor Bound, the fourth standalone game in the series!

⟶ Now, onto the questions! Can you tell us how you started your IF writing journey?)

My very first experience with interactive writing was as a teenager, making NPC mods for Baldur's Gate 2 with my then-girlfriend, now-wife. Along with being a lot of fun, doing that gave me an understanding of branching dialogue, conditional text, and scripting, as well as how to playtest effectively, take feedback, and tailoring dialogue to fit within an existing game.

Then life happened and I didn't do much of that kind of writing until ten years ago, when I learned about Twine and started making games using it. That led me to publishing IF with the now-defunct sub-Q Magazine which was a great initiative that paid well for interactive fiction. From there I revisited Choice of Games which I'd played a bit previously, started publishing with them, and then began doing other work in the games industry.

⟶ Looking back, is there anything you wish you knew before starting IF writing?

Scope creep is a massive thing, and it's important to try to mitigate it where possible when planning and while writing. But... although I'm great at working within restrictions that other people put on me, I have a tendency to spread past most restrictions I put on myself, like a large cat overflowing over the edges of a small box. My CoG game Noblesse Oblige, the one in which I kept the closest eye on word count, ended up 40,000 words longer than I originally intended. Honor Bound, which I intended to be shorter than my previous game Royal Affairs, is over 100,000 words longer. So I haven't really internalised that advice for myself!

⟶ You started your journey into IF games with Twine. Was there a particular reason for that. Was it largely due to the loss of sub-Q Magazine? And what led you to try out CScript after?

Heh, it's more that with my Choice of Games titles, I have more freedom than I have with other projects so I have more leeway to go bigger with it!

I learned about various IF communities around the time that my friend Maz Hamilton made their Twine game Detritus in 2013. I felt inspired by playing lots of Twine games, decided to learn myself and made my first game, Aquarium! I liked that I didn't have to be a programmer to understand and use it, and that I could play around with lots of reactivity to the player's actions.

Alongside that, I rediscovered Choice of Games and got very into their catalogue. I learned ChoiceScript - again, I appreciated that it was beginner-friendly with potential for more complexity if I wanted it - and started three or so games which didn't go anywhere. But when sub-Q Magazine contacted me to ask about reprinting one of my Twine games it was very exciting to hear that people would pay me for my writing!

After publishing more IF with sub-Q, I applied to write for Choice of Games and went from there. That said, though, I carried on making games with other engines like Twine, Raconteur (which I don't know if many others have done!), Texture, and ink, plus various in-house studio's engines. So although I'm mostly working with ChoiceScript right now (which I love!), there's always been a lot of overlap. There are advantages to different tools for different kinds of projects!

⟶ You’ve written quite a few academia inspired IF games. Is this a genre you’re a big fan of? Is there a genre you’re looking forward to trying next?

Yes, I've enjoyed a lot of books in academic settings, including in boarding schools, ever since I was little! In adult life, I especially enjoyed Laurinda by Alice Pung, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark, and The Secret History by Donna Tartt. And when I'm writing, I enjoy putting player characters in situations where they have rules guiding them (whether that's school, social etiquette, a workplace, family obligations, a reality TV show, etc...) and they can work within those rules or push against them. I also like exploring the gaps and tensions between work/school and the outside world. Plus schools are a hothouse of intense emotions and boarding schools have everyone living in each other's pockets - making them great places for drama to ensue!

⟶ Honour Bound just came out recently, congratulations! Even if it’s not your first project, it must be quite exciting. Any post-release thoughts you would like to share with us?

Thank you so much! Releasing a title never gets old, so I've been very excited (and nervous) around this time. For people who don't know Honor Bound, in it you play as a disgraced, injured military officer who's been reassigned to guard a teenage prodigy at a wilderness boarding school for the children of the rich and famous. You can recover or trash your health, career, and reputation, and befriend, romance, or backstab your colleagues, and thwart or enact shady schemes.

I love Honor Bound and I'm really proud of it! It was really fun to write from the perspective of an adult in the Crème de la Crème setting and explore another part of the world. The small town and school in which Honor Bound is set feel like real places to me that I'd love to visit, and I really fell in love with the characters - the PC as well as the NPCs. The PC can develop such different personalities and go down different paths and I'm delighted to be hearing about people's adventures.

I learned a huge amount from writing Honor Bound and developed a lot of skills doing it. I'm a little sad to leave it behind, but excited for what I'm doing next!

⟶ Besides Honour Bound and your other amazing creations in the Crème de la Crème universe, there are also shorts available on your Itch.io page. Did you always plan on making several games or did that idea come later?

Haha, I wasn't really planning anything when I first started writing IF! I was just experimenting and writing things that I enjoyed making and that I thought I'd enjoy playing, and learning different things that IF tools could do along the way.

I certainly didn't think I'd be doing this as a job ten years on! (I do very much recommend starting with shorter pieces when learning new tools/languages - it's much easier to get something finished that way, and I learn something with every project I complete.)

⟶ What’s your process of deciding how many choices the readers get? That’s something many have a tad bit trouble finalizing.

It depends a lot on the kind of game and scene it is. I like using the choices available to show something about the PC's state of mind and priorities, as well as inviting the player to choose what actions they want to take. It helps with setting different tones a lot! think a lot about what the effects of the choice are, whether it splits into major or minor branches, has mechanical effects, or is self-expressive for the PC, etc.

In my Choice of Games games, and with some of the other games I've worked on, there have been style requirements to always have at least three choices. With CoG work I usually write more like four or five because I like the variety. I tend to lean towards 3-5 even if I'm just writing something for myself, depending on the kind of scene and set of options... but there are always exceptions. Having two choices or even one can be effective too!

⟶ How do you deal with the complexity of branching narratives? Are there moments when you feel frustrated?

I plan it out in quite a lot of detail in advance - if I try to code and write at the same time, I get bogged down. I can still change things up and make discoveries as I do each type of work, but it helps me not go down as many rabbit-holes as I would if I didn't plan...

That said, frustration can definitely happen when I've planned something more complicated than I intended and I feel tied to it, or when I go down a path a little too long before realising I need to change something. Both those things can be mitigated with experience, planning, and clear intentions, but it tends to happen at some stage no matter how many games I make - it's in the nature of it!

⟶ How do you get inspired? It’s different for everyone, but we are curious about your inspiration process—after all, a good story comes into being from the first spark, correct?

I get inspired by all kinds of things! Sometimes from games, books, film, or TV that I've enjoyed - or didn't enjoy as much as I hoped, or that I'd like to explore myself from a different angle. Sometimes from art, technology, nature, current and historical events, scientific facts and developments, or something that happened in a TTRPG session. Often, something will sit in my mind for a long time before I use it for something. For my first CoG game, Blood Money, I liked the idea of magic powered by blood because I wanted it to be harmful to the person using it; various pieces of folklore and myth include ghosts being attracted to blood, so putting that together helped me think of the magic mechanics. For Crème de la Crème, I liked the idea of writing a mostly non-violent game, as Blood Money was very violent, that still had high stakes; I'd also been wanting to write a school story for some time as I enjoyed that kind of setting. I love the process of developing a PC, mechanics, and goals from an initial set of nebulous thoughts.

The big thing, I think, is that I try to be open to a wide variety of ideas and inspiration, and not to limit myself. Taking inspiration purely from one area - whether that's the type of media being read or played, or the genre, or tone - means missing out on a lot of richness and texture. So I always recommend that people who want to start writing IF explore a lot of different kinds of writing and games. (Really that's good advice no matter how long you've been writing!)

⟶ What about writer’s block? Many people suffer from it. How do you deal with your creative block?

The vast majority of the times I have trouble writing, it's because of outside factors - life stuff, stress, health, etc. So in those circumstances, my being blocked means I need to pay attention to those factors to avoid burnout. Trying to power through causes problems, so rest and protecting my health are what I try to do then.

The rest of the time is usually due to me trying to push through a scene that doesn't feel strong enough, or doesn't feel true to the characters involved, or doesn't quite work for some other reason. The "block" is a signal that I need to change something. When that happens, talking to someone is my first port of call. Sometimes just talking it out (like "rubber ducking") is enough for me to recognise what that change needs to be; sometimes it involves a more in-depth discussion. Either way, it always helps untangle things and put me back on the right track.

⟶ How do you create characters that a player can connect with? And characters that feel real?

I like creating characters with specificity. They might start with a general feel or inspiration - in Honor Bound, for example, I knew I wanted the parent of the PC's teenage charge to be a single parent who was a romanceable character. But it's important to me to quickly drill into the details of what makes them feel authentic and specific. Great characters are more than what players want them to do, or being a vehicle for a trope, or attractiveness.

The characters I love best are the ones who feel like they have their own minds, while being responsive to the player's actions. When writing IF, there's a great opportunity to invite players to engage directly with characters, and that responsiveness is what makes them feel real.

⟶ For you, has there ever been a moment when you felt a deep connection to a character(s) you wrote?

I feel that a lot! Pretty much whenever I'm writing. For some particular moments, though... the PC eavesdropping on a conversation between Hartmann or Delacroix with their parents in Crème de la Crème; Pascha climbing on rocks at the beach in Noblesse Oblige; Hyacinthe talking about success and failure in Royal Affairs; Savarel talking about burnout in Honor Bound.

I feel a particular connection with the Honor Bound PC - partly because they're the most recent PC that I wrote, and partly because there's a lot of self-expression that the player can do and explore. I really enjoyed giving players the chance to personalise their PC's life and to write responsively to it.

⟶ Do you have a character that you think is slightly difficult to write as compared to the others?

Characters whom the PC already knows well can be challenging because of the knowledge/familiarity gap between the PC and the player. A lot of the family members in Blood Money were like this; the PC's family and their guard Asher in Royal Affairs; the PC's old friend Denario and the PC's mentor, Alva, in Honor Bound.

Asher in Royal Affairs was especially difficult because at least the PC hasn't seen Denario for a number of years! But with Asher, they've been in close proximity for many years before the start of the game and it would have been easy for interactions to lean too hard on assumed past feelings or experiences. So it was a juggling act making interactions feel fresh with them while keeping a sense of familiarity and giving options for the PC not to want to hang out with them!

⟶ Is there a character whose backstory was the most fun to write? Why?

I enjoy writing characters who don't want to talk about their backstories, so the process of finding out more about them can be an emotional experience in itself. Honor Bound is very fresh in my mind and I'm feeling very affectionate towards the characters in it at the moment so I'd say Korzha the aloof teacher, Fiore the anxious scientist, and Savarel the thoughtful workaholic priest... For various reasons, they aren't immediately forthcoming about things in their life and history, and it was fun writing the points at which the PC can discover that and get to know them better.

⟶ Would you choose a happy ending or sad one? Why?

The joy of writing games is that I don't have to choose a single ending. Sometimes the endings have similar tones - some of my Twine games have bleak endings, like Heretic Dreams or Thanksgiving. But sometimes they can vary a lot more and I love exploring that! I do enjoy making sure that a less successful, or sad, ending has a lot of emotion in it, to make it feel worth playing.

For playing... I have a lot of fondness for endings that allow me to have ambivalent or bittersweet situations. When I played Love Undying: A Kiss Before Dawn and Stars Arisen, or indeed the non-IF game Pathologic 2 this year, I didn't have "perfect" endings but they were very satisfying and reflected where my character was at. So things don't always have to go my PC's way to end on a note that feels good.

⟶ Just recently you officially announced a new project. Could you tell us more about it? What can we be excited about?

Ooh, I will keep most of it under wraps for the moment! But for now I will say... it's a second-world fantasy game, there's a great deal of peril, a lot of creepy magic, and a selection of intense and complicated characters who I can't wait to write!

⟶ How would the person you were when you started this journey react to how far you've gotten?

Oh gosh! Honestly, ten years ago I couldn't have imagined that I'd still be putting my work out there at all, still less that people would pay for it or that it could possibly be my job. Life was so different then as well in any number of ways! I think they'd be shocked and intrigued, and wonder how it happened. Which is how I feel sometimes myself, haha!

⟶ Do you have any advice for people who want to get into IF writing?

Experiment with short or simple writing first, and try different styles to figure out what you do and don't like, and don't expect to write something perfect on the first try. Play lots of different kinds of games. Have a solid sense of what your intention is, while also taking feedback into consideration. And most of all, enjoy yourself!

ONCE AGAIN BIG THANKS TO HARRIS POWELL-SMITH FOR SITTING WITH US!

IT WAS LOVELY TO HAVE YOU!

[ms-m-astrologer]

2024 Libra New Moon/Eclipse

Wednesday, October 2, 06:49 UT, 10°04’ Libra

Chart erected for Washington, DC

Ordinarily I would rattle off the key phrase for a New Moon - but this one happens to be a solar eclipse, and it’s better not to mess with it. I’m including a lot of information from various sources, to help you make sense of it.

This series of eclipses (Saros Series 8 South) isn’t “fun” - in The Eagle and the Lark, astrologer Bernadette Brady wrote:

Separation and loss. To be parted. To finish something, and to feel sad at its completion. Physical injury is also possible through over-straining one’s strength. This is not the time to undertake strenuous physical activities.

Previous occurrences of this series happened on September 22, 2006, at 29° Virgo; September 11, 1988, at 19° Virgo; and August 31, 1970, at 8° Virgo.

This is also a South Node solar eclipse. The South Node indicates behaviors we have “maxed out” - we have learned everything there is to learn, and we have done everything there is to do; we can no longer make any progress or achieve any growth here. It’s time to reach out to that North Node, using its ruler (Mars/Cancer) for specifics.

Looking at the actual chart: there’s the eclipse, very closely conjunct not only Mercury but both Black Moons Lilith. This is a particular mentality of deliberately not seeing ourselves and others as we really are - of sugar-coating (Libra) reality.

In Finding Our Way through the Dark, Demetra George wrote of Black Moon Lilith:

She forces us to look at ourselves with utter, naked honesty and makes us demand the truth of things, from our families, partners, groups and governments. She is ruthless in destroying any of our life structures or relationships that are built upon a foundation of deception and disrespect, or do not express our true individuality or appropriate life path.

Note also that the eclipse is square both ends of an opposition between Mars/Cancer and Ceres/Capricorn. Nothing like a family member to cut through our crap, is there? But (on the other hand) there’s also familial pressure to “be” a certain way - to assume a particular role in the tribe - whether or not we’re actually suited to that role.

If we throw in the North Node/Aries, we have a Cardinal sign grand cross. Difficult aspects in Cardinal signs are indicative of issues and problems we have been aware of for some little time, but haven’t done anything to address. Steven Forrest wrote,

When the Grand Cross falls in the Cardinal Mode, its main strength lies in boldly initiating action and in attracting support, while the main forms of self-sabotage lie either in starting things that should never been started in the first place, or in failing to follow through on one’s inspired beginnings - the failure to finish what was started…. In the dark expression of Cardinal Grand Cross energy, this sickness manifests as endlessly beginning new projects in a spirit of hope that a new day is dawning, only to lose interest and focus for no obvious reason. (The Book of Air, pp 290-291)

So: let’s look at some of the more negative Libra traits:

Going along to get along

Manipulating people and situations to get one’s own way

“Peace at any price” (see: Neville Chamberlain)

Refusing to take a stand or to commit

Too “refined” and “aesthetic;” superficial

Opting for style over substance

I dunno - it just seems to me that if something must come to an end, maybe it should be something negative? Or maybe some behavior that worked like a charm back in 7th grade, but is no longer valid years later? If all we get out of this is learning how to pray for grace, that would be a good thing.

———————————

Venmo Mary_Brack

PayPal MaryVBrack

Thank you!

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Muffin! It's ASP Inc, the conglomerate made up of the companies formerly known as Apple, Sony, and Pepsi-Co. Based on your credentials with prior projects, you've been conscripted again for another big budget Twilight media project! Probably the CEO is on drugs, but congrats on your $500m dollar budget.

Your task is to design a big-budget Twilight video game. "But I don't really play that many video games," you maybe say? Idk, the CEO doesn't seem to care and is maybe using this project for tax evasion, so your instructions are "Just make us a Twilight game with gameplay stolen from a popular thing like a Minecraft, Fortnight, Among Us, whatever the kids nowadays are playing. Maybe a Mario? Are Marios still a thing?? I played Oregon Trail on my mac once. Stick some story in it. Give it the Muffin treatment, kids like Muffins!"

Your project brief must include:

1) What non-story-based gameplay mechanic you're stealing ("It's like a Mario!") 2) What story set in the Twilight Universe (tm) you've decided is most game-able. 3) Where you're spending the big bucks.

Thank you and good luck! (I hope this is fun and not, you know, annoying)

That would be a very silly thing for them to do.

Caveat

Twilight already is a video game: it's a visual novel. You are Bella Swan, first person point of view, checking out hottie mchottie across the hall. You don't know it, but the wrong action you take, even if it's arriving in the parking lot late: you die.

It's up to you to find Bella's golden path to survival which is in fact the Twilight novels we know and love.

Ordinarily, I'm a big skeptic of medium jumps without much thought, especially to and from video games as they usually don't transition well. However, in this case, we're already there.

You don't even have to change that much of the narrative structure since it's all in first person and we have the visuals as we know exactly what everyone looks like down to what exact shade of red their hair is.

There's not much for me to do.

But That Will Never Fly/Isn't What You Asked For

It sounds like this merger corporation doesn't really understand Twilight or video games which is not surprising. So, I have to make a real person video game which is just like that thing the kiddos are playing.

And since I'm going to hell anyway: I'm making a Twilight game that's RDR/GTA styled and we're going wild.

You're Bella Swan going to high school but you can wander around the town of Forks/the world at large and do whatever the fuck you want. This often gets you killed horribly. You go to Mexico: you're eaten by vampires. You go to Alaska: you get fucked by vampires and have a wild time in their sauna. You go to Egypt: some guy named Amun locks you in a tomb where you hang out with Benjamin, Tia, and Amun's angry wife. You can take missions for the Volturi, which they never asked you to do, and every time you collect a bounty a Volturi member will give you a weird look and ask "what the fuck is wrong with you/why are you here?" but you'll earn in game rewards as they publicly shame you.

You can also get into affairs with your human friends and ruin Jessica's love life, go to Prom with five people, and so on and so forth.

You can also get involved in the La Push community where they stare at you for being this person who clearly doesn't belong and try to seduce Leah into a lesbian love affair with you. (This is a very difficult quest, Leah's not impressed and very confused and going through it with Sam right now). You get to hear all of people's drama that's going on in the side lines.

The actual plot is dating Edward, and somehow, he doesn't notice all your wild adventures because he can't read your mind and while he's been stalking you every time you leave the state he loses your scent.

Your missions are surprisingly difficult as you have to avoid death by Edward by saying the right things and avoid death by everything else in the universe by navigating Port Angeles correctly (shockingly hard as the rapists somehow corner you at every turn). You also get missions during the Hallucination Edward arc as you have to do increasingly difficult and dangerous things to get Hallucination Edward to appear at which point your player character gets sweet sweet endorphins.

In the online player mode, where you've probably become a vampire, you can engage in vampire warfare where the losing condition is you killed too many humans so the Volturi come to kill all of you.

And yes, of course, there is an honor system but you blow it yourself as Bella's honor plummets during New Moon when she has to endanger herself and others to see Edward.

The money's going into a) graphics b) the sheer open worldness allowed in the number of quests, the random events, and all that good points.

Conclusion

I imagine they ask me how I will market this game to Twilight's audience, who are presumably the only ones who will play this game, and I claim, "Young women love grand theft auto!"

[phneltwrites]

Hiiiiiii! 👋🏻

🔪🌿🥐 for the truth or dare thing (whichever you haven't been asked. Feel free to replace with another if there are any duplicates/any you don't want to answer!) 💚

🔪 ⇢ what’s the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

hm i do research a lot. I think maybe it was the time I was trying to figure out, mathematically, inches at what point a dick is considered big. Like sure, it's all well and good to SAY big dick but if someone was going to write a little piece of code about it I was gonna need a number. (in inches because the characters were american)

joke was worth it, ended up with this

I do a lot of asking of people too and that's always a fun experience. Asking my pilot friend questions to put in little jokes, or my clearances and nudity waivers friend, or whatever. Amazing the convos I can have without ever explaining why I need to know something.

for yr fandom most of my research points have been around understanding royal stuff and particularly around breaking out of the anglo sphere (so wildly obsessed with meghan markle i don't understand). I read a few issues of Hola! in Spanish for that. let's all remember i don't speak spanish. and this was print copies.

🌿 ⇢ give some advice on writer’s block and low creativity

alright i don't give advice because who am i. but here's my steps or what have you that work for me

the main thing is: NEVER YELL OR FEEL GUILTY. under stress my brain shrivels up and hides into a corner so never ever be like argh why why is this happening. the moment it starts to happen I gotta detach like a little butterfly and fly above. oh. what is this? a period of low creation? huh. let's gently float around this and see what's what

what type of writer's block is this. Am I stuck in a story/piece? Or not writing at all? Or writing doesn't feel fun?

if im stuck in a fic the problem is almost always upstream. find the last spot where it for sure felt good and fun and working and separate out from there. consider other paths the fic could take. when i have looked inside the fic then only the fic will remain

if im not writing at all gotta look around. there is a problem in the enclosure. have i gone on a bike ride recently? done a yoga? spent some time looking at my little guys? eated a snack? if no to any of the questions then do that and try again the next day

writing doesn't feel fun? this fic has insufficient beach volleyball.* kill it and do something different.

*beach volleyball is not literal beach volleyball. It's a shorthand for writing something interesting and fun. Fr ex, I don't like writing scenes of people just talking. Writing them will feel unfun for me. I can make them fun by having the scene of multiple people take place while they are also playing a beach volleyball game! Now instead of writing something I don't enjoy suddenly I'm writing beach volleyball! We love beach volleyball. A type of beach volleyball I really like are physical details so if I'm in a struggle section I might suddenly turn into Victor Hugo and be like wow the history of this architectural style goes back to the early gothic period where they didn't think of it as being dark but rather as a light and vaulted reflection of the forest canopy. Meant to evoke nature's beauty as a source of worship, much like the pages and pages of drawing Wilhelm has made of Simon's smile. boom now im back in it I can allow them to talk about their feelings briefly.

Also, I would not say that I am adherent of Skinner's but I did use to sleep train babies professionally and I have seen the efficacy of a little Routine. Now. This is dangerous because what if routine no happen. So be careful. But. If there's a small action that means 'writing time now' that can jump my brain in. Ideally something totally under my control. Like at writing time I might do a couple of quick wrist stretches and then one long exhale.

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

Being Ace's Best Friend Headcanons

* Ace gives off camp counselor vibes, tbh. He'd be so much fun to travel with, especially hiking and camping or exploring a new town! First of all, when camping, he has all the stories you could want! Funny stories, action packed ones, scary ones. He can do shadow puppets! He'll take a bite right out of your snacks though so watch out for that.

* constantly dares you to do stuff like tarzan swing across a river or touch a wild animal. He's all like, "cmon it'll be fun!" He is Luffy's brother after all.

* Shows you how to find different constellations and navigate using the north star ✨🥺

* Asks your opinion during missions and takes is seriously, even if your younger or newer to the crew, he hears you out. "Which path do you think we should take?" "Do you think we can take them?" He wants you to have a voice.

* You two balance each other out. I imagine you probably have a sarcastic and dry sense of humor that contrasts Ace's sincerity and he thinks your hilarious.

* If you get injured he. will. carry. you. on. his. back. if. need. be.

* Best way to describe Ace as a friend-- he's the sort of friend who will split an oreo and give you the cream side 🥺

* Late at night if your awake and find him you sneak into the kitchen (or the fire pit if your camped out) and make late night ramen and theorize about aliens and stuff.

Being Sanji's Best Friend Headcanons

* Seeing as all the straw hats have jobs on the ship I imagine your the "chores/cleaning person" of the ship so you often help Sanji wash dishes and go on grocery trips with him. What does this mean? It means you've played would you rather so much that you've asked every possible question. Grocery trips are a lot of fun though and Sanji tells you a lot about different fish and fruits, etc.

* Sanji gives great advice and he does not get enough credit for it. Personal advice? Great. Dietary advice? Great. Fashion advice? Also great.

* But in all seriousness, Sanji is a great listener. He's not really judgmental either, he's super open minded.

* His secret talent is that he can wrangle trapped soda cans from vending machines. He makes you promise not to tell Luffy.

* He's secretly your biggest cheerleader?? When you become stronger or accomplish a goal or defeat someone he's so proud of you?? But he normally just plays it cool and says smth like "nice one" or pats your head if your younger than him.

* Sanji uses you as his guinea pig for testing new recipes. You love eating tasty food though, so win win.

* You guys definitely play chopsticks when your bored. Sanji just gives off that vibe.

* I can't stop imagining the reader gifting Sanji a Polaroid camera at some point and Sanji then becoming that mom friend who photographs all the straw hats moments? I bet he even keeps them in a notebook? Or am I just projecting?

Hi! Oh my goodness, these are amazing! I'll be working on the headcanons for the characters your requested later today. Awesome thoughts, they all feel so in character!

[box953]

What do you think Hilbert would do if he survived and got to return to Earth with everyone? Considering the fact that, had he lived, he would’ve found out that Decima wasn’t working (yet?), and it was actually Lovelace’s alien blood that gave Eiffel those regenerative powers (fingernails growing back and such) AND that Pryce and Cutter were going to use his virus to wipe out the entire population of Earth.

Would that be enough for him to break down and give up on his life’s work? (If so, what alternate career paths do you envision for Hilbert? (That one I’m asking because it’s fun to imagine him as a gardener or high school chemistry teacher; but also: how would he make sense of his life now? When he can’t in any way pretend that all the sacrifices were worth it?) Or would the alien blood thing just give him new ideas for how to improve the virus?

(Of course, with these questions I am assuming that despite Kepler officially pulling the plug on project Decima (and Hilbert seemingly accepting that, even if only because acceptance is “what’s necessary to survive”) and Hilbert choosing *helping the mutiny* over *transporting his brain back to Earth via the salami chair* - Hilbert didn’t actually give up on Decima, and would immediately resume the project if given the chance (or would just work very hard in order to get that chance.))

And what does Lovelace do when they get back to Earth? Re: making him pay for what he did and all that.

i actually have a lot of thoughts about hilbert living long enough to realize all his work meant absolutely nothing. I answered an ask similar to this over here :)

Honestly, it feels like a good alternative end to his story where his work isnt forcefully ended because he died, but it still ends because he finally realizes his work is a lost cause. That truly no one believed in it and it has had essentially no results that weren’t just death. I want several decades of his misguided and harmful actions to catch up to him in one instant and cause him damage.

But like. I earnestly cant think of anything else he’d be doing back on earth. I can see him helplessly trying to keep ahold of his project and looking for resources but they just killed the people who were immoral and powerful enough to let him continue it. Imagining just like.. a slow degradation of his confidence over time.

As funny as the concept of him being a highschool teacher is, that feels like the last place he would go. Highschool classes generally feel like putting 25-30 Doug eiffels in one room and why would you do that to him, really.

and also like? I dont know if he has the qualifications to do any sort of job like that. I don’t know how easy it would be to find him any job. He’s not a real man, after all. He’s had his entire identity changed who knows how many times, and has done. So much. Illegal shit. Even if whatever’s going on at Goddard stays off record he still lived an entire life of experimenting with the decima project beforehand.

Maybe he gets a comfortable sum of money from Goddard futuristics (as id imagine they all do, when returning back to earth. As an ‘apology’ and a ‘please keep quiet about this’ thing.) and then he’s just living and doesn’t have to get a job or anything and he has no project left to dedicate his life to and now he just has to… live. And then there’s the crawling realization that he is not a person and he has no aspirations or goals or earnest hobbies or anything that can entertain a normal man living a normal life. I just think the idea of people who have sacrificed themselves for one goal, living long enough to move past that goal and realizing they have to keep living is very interesting to me. The concept of trying to be human again for the first time in a while. That’s more painful to me than dying in ignorance.

As for Lovelace, i think it’s important for her to realize that nothing she could do could harm Hilbert more than whatever he’s going through right now. I think it’s important that she just moves on even if Hilbert is still alive on this Earth. The podcast nods to unfortunate narrative parallels between these two, where she has more of Hilbert’s harshness and willing to do what ‘needs to be done’ with the si-5 than she’d like to admit. I feel like her moving on from a need for vengeance with Hilbert can be like her moving past those parallels, and just.. being a better person than he is.

And again, pertaining to my thoughts that Hilbert having to live with himself after losing his project is more of a painful end than dying, I think she could find a similar understanding that killing Hilbert would be a mercy. And he doesn’t deserve to die and to stop thinking about all the harm he’s done.

[maybefae]

December 2024

Pile 1 - Pile 2 - Pile 3

Remember, this is a general reading and it may not resonate for everyone or completely. Tarot is a tool to help guide but you are responsible for your actions and life, you choose your path.

Tips!

|Pile 1

Tarot: Knight of Wands, Ace of Wands, Nine of Wands, Temperance, Page of Pentacles, The Lovers, Queen of Cups, King of Cups, Page of Swords, Two of Cups, (Bottom of the Deck: The Emperor, The Magician, Six of Cups)

Oracle:  The Wise One (tradition, order), The Alchemist (balance, invention, destruction), The Astronomer (discovery, augury)

Before I pull cards, I keep getting the image of the color blue. But this blue is like the color of the sky when the sun is rising during the winter. The crispy light blue with puffy grey clouds that are not yet illuminated white yet. I saw the sunrise last night and wrote a little blurb while I was watching it. I remember saying something about the light grey and yellow clouds, lit up just as the sun was barely on the horizon, peeking up past the hills. I  said that those colors are what I believe angel wings probably look like. Now, I don’t believe in angels in a Christian sense because I’m pagan but I do like the symbology of them. Those colors came after a moment of bright, fiery orange that sliced through nighttime blue clouds…I believe that a sense of hope will probably come back to you. Maybe it’s just for a small moment during the month but it’s enough to help you keep trucking. You also could’ve lost someone recently and it’s hitting you hard during the holidays, but you may encounter something that represents this person. This person will show you that they are with you at that time and they want you to enjoy your holidays. It’s a bittersweet feeling. But there is a “the calm after a storm” feeling when it comes to this. Now onto the cards…

The same message carried through. This December will feel very hectic for you because you FEEL like you have to handle everything by yourself. There is a feeling of having to pick up roles in which you are not used to, because someone else used to do them (this could be the person that had past). This feels like an important male family member: a dad, a grandpa, or even your partner. It doesn’t have to be but there is a male figure coming through and with these partner leaning cards, it could be your late partner (maybe someone you were just really close with). 

There is a feeling that you feel like you have to create the magic of the holidays now and you are very stressed and overwhelmed with all that you have to do. I feel an energy that is tiptoeing on the line of an emotional and mental breakdown. There is someone in your life that wants you to ask for their help, which I feel like you keep pushing away because you want to handle it. This could be someone you even have an argument with which then makes you question where your relationship with them stands. But just know, all will be well after a conversation. They want to comfort you and release some of the weight off your shoulders. Maybe this will give you a heads up so you can avoid this situation as well as the stress you are putting on yourself (it will make your holidays go smoother and happier).  Be patient with yourself and others (especially out in public). 

For those who have lost someone that brought the magic of the holidays, just know that they are helping you energetically during this time. There could be a moment where it seems magical and just know that it was them bringing the energy they used to bring - they don’t want to miss out on the fun either. <3

|Pile 2

Tarot: Three of Wands, Three of Swords, The Magician, Four of Wands, Ten of Cups, The Star, White Numen, The Sun, Six of Pentacles (both upwards and reversed)

Oracle:  The Muse (generosity, naivety), The Thief  (seizing the moment, selfishness), The Acolyte (new projects, learning)

This month is about healthy selfishness for you, Pile 2! I think this is part of your healing process after some type of heartbreak and you are knowingly letting the attention and care be turned towards you. This could be the first holiday season without a partner that wasn’t aligned with you, or your family that you don’t want contact with. Instead, you might be having a friends holiday season where you and your friends celebrate and get together, which is the family you chose for yourself. These friends know of your heartbreak and are doing the most so you have the best holiday - they, in turn, also have a good holiday season as well! You are still showing your appreciation for them, that you’re more than willing to give because they deserve it. But there is a lot of internal focus on yourself during this season. You’re learning that you can have the life you always dreamt of with happy holidays and being surrounded by people that genuinely love you. This will give you a sense of hope for the future. I feel like this month will be a happy month for you, even though you may have some rough days due to this heartbreak. There will be more good days than bad though! This feels like turning a new leaf, starting a new book (not even a new chapter), and going down a path you had ignored due to uncertainty and insecurity. You’re on the precipice of a new journey and that, itself, is the greatest gift. 

|Pile 3

Tarot: Four of Wands, Page of Swords, Dreamworld, The Hierophant, Ace of Wands, Page of Wands, Strength, The Hanged Man, Six of Cups

Oracle: The King (control, reversal of fortune), The Sailor (new influences, wanderlust), The Sentinel (determination, certainty)

Alright, Pile 3, let’s see. There is a conundrum here where there is a card talking about control and another talking about releasing it. You could be someone that usually has the reigns regarding a situation or the holidays in general. However, it feels like you are easing back. 

For some, you could be finally quitting a job and adopting an “anyway the wind blows” mentality. You want to figure out what you want and you’re determined to find it. Some people could have tried to discourage you in the past but you aren’t having it. 

For others, you could be finally taking a vacation for the holidays (like that could be a gift for yourself or from someone else) or you are gonna be going on a honeymoon. There is just an overall feeling of finally getting time to relax after working so hard. You’re laying back and letting life move around you. It’s like you’re gonna be in a void space where the outside world doesn’t feel like it exists, and instead of being scared of being “lost,” you’re embracing it. And I encourage you to!

Maybe all you want these holidays is time for yourself, time to relax and that is the main message I’m getting that can be general for everyone in this pile. You gave everyone their gifts or spent time with people and now you can be a hermit for a little while. And I have a feeling that’s what you want. That, or you are finally taking a leap and embarking on a new adventure. You probably want a head start before the change of the year (and I don’t see a problem with that). 

Dividers: @inklore

[sillystappen]

As your new follower, who came for more maxiel sims stories, please tell us more! And I would love to see them too!

Aw hi welcome to my page! Glad to have you here!

My maxiel sims are my boys and I adore them, and I'm glad you like them. Here’s a little bit more about them below the cut.

Max is the angel sim of the two. He works as a project manager in the tech guru path and loves gaming and fixing things around the house (which is great because Daniel hates it). Max is a little master chef, with cooking level 7 and gourmet cooking at level 3. His sleep schedule is about as good as his irl one and my own, as he either goes to sleep really late or wakes up ridiculously early. He is afraid of fire (understandably) but has saved Daniel from burning himself before which was very good of him. He is also afraid of death... idk how that one happened tbh. Max is also very empathetic and is affected by how other sims he is close to are feeling.

Daniel... causes me stress ngl. Daniel is generally a fun, cheerful, goofy guy who likes music and also video games (I need maxiel to game together at some point). He basically has anxiety and depression from his fears - though I fear-be-goned the one where he was afraid that nothing was in his control and his actions were determined by someone else (hi, it me). He has a job as a jokestar comedian but due to his fear of his dead end job it's simultaneously the best and worst thing for him. Daniel is also afraid of fire are setting himself alight in the kitchen... twice. I full on zoom in and watch him carefully whenever he uses the oven now. But Daniel is very outgoing and social most times and he has so many friends and acquaintances - but he likes Max the most.

And finally, what do they look like? Well this is them:

Daniel’s look is inspired by enchante and Max’s is just… inspired by my everyday wardrobe tbh.

[kazisgirlfriend]

Snake Girl Rayla?

The TDP fandom has always had headcanons that didn't really work out (such as Soren rather than Claudia staying loyal to his father), but the idea of Callum being some sort of "Snake Boi" seems to have stuck around despite having basically no support in canon.

This isn't to discourage people who like the aesthetic. People who think it would be cool if Callum was That Way. By all means, keep writing those stories, making those fanarts! Many of them are downright inspired, and represents a really interesting direction the story could have taken.

But "could have taken" is the operative term here. The traits that are associated with "Snake Boi" Callum (listed below) barely represent what his defining traits really are:

Obsession

Ambition

Temper

Ruthlessness

Selective Loyalty

There are, of course, shades of the above that ring true with Callum, as they ring true for most of the main cast. But it seems odd to single out Callum as the one who most exhibits these traits. Other characters who better exhibit, say, selective loyalty (such as Sarai taking a stance against hunting the Titan but ultimately sides with Harrow), are never recognized as such, let alone singled out to the extent Callum is.

Or they're based on interpretations that are dubious at best (Callum "turning against" Viren, a man he's never shown a particular liking to), or false at worst (Callum being the only one to actually want to kill Aaravos, despite the fact that killing him was originally Rayla's idea). So given all this, it's curious as to why "Snake Boi" Callum as an actual theory of who Callum is stuck around for as long as it did.

Then it hit me: much of this is really a projection, because there is a character who does exhibit these traits far better than Callum - Rayla.

Obsession

Rayla's obsession brings out the best and worst in her. She would obsess over what the right thing to do is ("I hesitate, think too much, get confused about the right thing to do"), but then also become obsessed over specific goals, first over killing Viren, then over the coins.

Ambition

All of the main character display some forms of ambition from time to time, but Rayla seems to have dispalyed hers at a much younger age:

At an age when most of the other main characters were just having fun and getting to be children, Rayla already chose her path. She wanted to be trained day and night by her mentor, despite her parents wishing that she have fun and grow up. To set aside a normal childhood and deciding on a career at that age, that takes ambition.

Temper

It should go without saying that it doesn't take much to set Rayla off:

So whether it's being mistrusted, being lied to, being rejected, being called weak, or just plain hungry, Rayla has a history of getting pretty angry.

Ruthlessness

I mean, c'mon, look at that smirk...

Or that death glare...

If that's not enough, here is what Rayla was planning to do with Claudia and Soren at the Cursed Caldera according to the novelization:

Selective Loyalty

Last but not least - selective loyalty. I think this is best exhibited by Rayla being willing to scuttle a two-year mission to kill Viren by saving her family instead:

But also by her insistence that "we can't save anyone," typically hinting at the belief they have to look out for themselves and their in-group before others:

But this is also hinted at throughout the series. She goes to save Pyrrah from Soren and Claudia, but doesn't express similar empathy for the humans in the nearby town that the dragon burnt down. Evidently, the bonds of loyalty are a strong influence on her actions.

So much so that in ToX this is Rayla's defining trait:

So on the one hand it's curious that Rayla's "most important value" is often assigned to Callum in some headcanons, but on the other I do get it. People want Callum to be selectively loyal, because that would mean he is selecting Rayla. That he's more loyal to her than he is to any pesky moral principles, that she's his ultimate value. What's more romantic than that?

But this does have the uncomfortable nature of being wrong: the truth is Rayla is the more selectively loyal one. She ultimately chose Callum over her quest to find Viren - doesn't get more loyal than that.

Conclusion

I don't write this to disparage anyone's theories or beliefs, but merely to point out what I think should be clear by this point: every single trait Callum is thought of having - temper, obsession, ambition, and especially ruthlessness - better describe Rayla. I'm sure people don't mean to project Rayla's traits onto Callum. It does seem to be done so in order to let Rayla be an uncomplicated hero with no moral issues, but in doing so I think people unintentionally ignore Rayla's best side.

Her obsession lets her stay on task. Her ambition shaped her into a great warrior. Her temper means no one can run roughshod on her. Her ruthlessness means she has what it takes to get the job done. And her selective loyalty means that when she says...

...she means it.

[laugtherhyena]

I don't know what LINUJ was thinking when he chose to make Yoruko's upperclassman and Minako two separate characters but personally I don't really mind it? Mostly cause when I see background characters that don't officially appear beyond a few mentions, I go, "A character that barely has a skeleton of a personality that I can mold to my whims?! WOOO!!" and then proceed to squeeze them like a stress ball. I don't think about Amane (the upperclassman) a lot, especially in comparison to Kojiro, but I think it'd be fun to explore her character as I do have a project idea with her as part of the cast but it's kinda on the backburner of my brain cause I'm trying not to make too many projects at once cause I'm already struggling to juggle a bunch of other stuff at the same time. That being said, on the topic of Amane's pink hair, I actually think it's dyed?? Not sure cause I only just got passed the second bad end with my friend in Chapter 6 so we haven't seen the context of Yoruko's CG where she's in her fantasy, so take this with a grain of salt, but for some reason the wiki labels the CG as Yoruko talking to Minako??? And the woman shown has her hair having faded pink tips, revealing that her roots are actually brown. Ngl, the idea that Minako (still) dyes her hair to the color she has today is really funny but I think that's just the wiki editors messing up on whos who. Sometimes wikis aren't the most reliable source of information when you want to quickly review something without replaying the game and stuff, and I think it makes more sense that in Yoruko's fantasy, she'd be reunited with who she believes is her upperclassman, even if she cares about Minako. And if we take her appearance in the fantasy as truth from what little we can see of her, that means that both Amane and Yoruko dyed their hair for their hostess job (although Yoruko did it to mimic Amane specifically), lmao.

But yeah, I think the sequel cast having connections to the characters of the previous game is a really neat tie-in, even if it's not very strong and it's interesting to explore their connections with each other in fanon. My headcanon with Setsuka and Teruya being sibling figures to each other could be interesting since they actually reunite through their work, and probably spent a lot of time catching up and getting to know each other again. Which makes it hurt even more when Setsuka goes missing. Like, Teruya probably freaked out when he realized he hasn't heard from Setsuka in a long time and tried to push for an investigation to search for her which Kinjo put a stop to due to his own plans with Syobai. Poor guy was probably torn between disobeying orders to find Setsuka since he didn't want to lose another important person in his life or falling in line to Kinjo due to his loyalty to him. But if Kinjo were to suggest that she might've been kidnapped for the killing game, possibly to "fill in space," Teruya probably chose to fall in line since stopping Mikado's killing game would probably be the closest way to save Setsuka, even if he wanted to do more. And we all know how that worked out...

On a much lighter note, in a Non-Despair AU where Setsuka and Kojiro cross paths again after many years, I like to think that they reignite their friendship since I see Kojiro being more upset over Setsuka ghosting him (and Teruya) for years without an explanation than the fact that she cheated and got herself banned in billiards, which probably caused some controversy with his sponsorship for her. Hell, he probably thought she was dead or something with how long he didn't hear from her. That's kinda what happens when you go into hiding instead of confronting the consequences of your actions, Setsuka. But once they get pass the initial awkwardness, Setsuka and Kojiro becomes best buds again. They also become drinking buddies with Teruya (as an adult) chaperoning them, much to his (affectionate) annoyance.

It's crazy to me how he just made this random ass character instead of making Minako herself be the upperclassmen, like that would have led to a much stronger connection between Yoruko and the first killing game's class than Minako just so happening to be the boss at the bar her and Amane worked at.

Slight tangent here but, seriously, Amane Kaira? Two letters away from Akane Taira? I know Linuj has a track record of having characters with similar names in the another series, but this ridiculous. How were we seriously meant to believe this was a real person? Because for the longest time i just assumed that "Amane Kaira" was the fake ID Minako used when she worked at the bar with Yoruko since she mentioned both of them had it because they were minors back then.

As for the wiki, i believe it really is just flat out wrong when it says that's Yoruko talking to Minako (which generated this whole misconception) because those CGs were first uploaded there just a little after Ch6 came out so we didn't had everything properly translated back then and it just never got fixed + just from the little we see of this girl you can tell she's not meant to be Minako

In addition, the hair color of the girl in the Cg is a soft pink whereas Minako's is a pink closer to a purple-ish (violet-ish, whatever you wanna call it) tone + from both of her sprite galleries Minako's hair really doesn't seem to be dyed when you compare it to characters we know have dyed hair in the series (Emma has visible brown streaks in her blonde hair and Hajime's is really really light at the top for some reason)

And if this isn't enough, Linuj straight up adresses her as her own person in Yoruko's character sheet (translation by ToastCat333)

So yeah, Amane, the totally real person who is not Minako Tomori! As much as this stuff annoys me, I can't say I'm not a fan of picking minor characters and making up ocs out of them, I'm curious to see what you'll make up of this character.