Be it fate or just plain misfortune, all it took was one little chance encounter to set you on a path you never even imagined you'd tread. Now, it's up to you to decide where it will lead you.
As a child, you got your hands on a Vestige, a remnant of a bygone era containing immense power and potential. It was an opportunity many would pay dearly for, and pay you did, as finding the relic did not come without a cost. The encounter left you with a parting gift you wish you could return, and sent you and your sister on the run - and you've been running ever since.
Years later, you find yourself in the bastion of knowledge, Verimys, joining the local guild in search for answers. But, it appears you have arrived at exactly the wrong time; a series of murders plagues the city, seemingly without rhyme or reason, and you are about to get dragged into the fray.
With the fate of more than just your own life in your hands, can you weather the storm ahead?
Vestiges of the Hallowing is an interactive fantasy game written in Twine and published on itch.io. The game is heavily character driven, with a focus on character interaction and interpersonal relationships.
The DEMO currently goes up to the middle of Chapter 4, standing at 94k words (without code).
play as male, female, or nonbinary; cis or trans
customize your appearance, skillset, and personality
romance any (or none) of the 6 potential love interests (2 male, 2 female, 2 nonbinary) without any gender restrictions
join a guild, investigate the murders in the city, and uncover a secret or two (or ten)
explore the Archives in the city and find out more about the Vestiges and your...unique situation
the Companion
A member of the Greyhounds guild your sister talked into vouching for you. Eager to help and friendly with everyone, but when the spotlight is off him, that spark in his eye dies out. Is he really as relaxed and easygoing as he tries to appear?
Appearance: Lanky and of average height, with tan skin and big round chocolate brown eyes framed by short fluffy hair of the same colour that falls in messy waves, encircling his face.
the Journalist
A journalist working for a local newspaper called The Meridian. Resourceful and naturally charismatic, she has a way with people that seems almost effortless. Persistent in the pursuit of the truth almost to the point of recklessness, how far is she willing to go to achieve her goals?
Appearance: Tall and lean, with rich brown skin and hazel eyes with prominent specks of green. Her long black hair falls down her shoulders in big curls.
the Archivist
An archivist of the Order of Erudition. Poised and perfectly cordial at first glance, though anyone who has crossed their path would say it's all a front, concealing their razor sharp wit and heartless disposition. Seemingly always in the know about everything, with just the right words to say, one can't help but wonder what goes on behind that calculating gaze?
Appearance: Lithe and on the taller side, with olive skin and dark, midnight blue monolid eyes. Their silky black hair falls in a fringe over one side of their face and reaches a little past their shoulders.
the Renegade
A mysterious stranger that appears to be living full-time in a tavern. Bitter and asocial, with only a stray dog as company, he refuses to get involved in anything, yet seems suspiciously connected to the happenings in the city. It's clear he's hiding something, but what?
Appearance: Tall and athletic, with fair, freckled skin and forest green eyes. His fiery auburn hair is shaved on the sides, while the rest is left short and unruly.
the Investigator
One of the two agents sent by the City Council to investigate the murders. Soft-spoken and level-headed, with a keen eye for details and an even keener mind, their forte is obtaining information and interpreting it. Though it's obvious they're devoted to the task, something else draws their attention away from it; what could be so important?
Appearance: Lean and on the shorter side, with pale skin and sandy blonde hair that falls in a fringe over their dark grey eyes.
the Enforcer
Second of the two agents sent by the City Council. Assertive and ambitious, with an unorthodox approach to solving problems, her skill with a sword and quick reflexes make her an invaluable asset. Driven, but not too concerned about her task nor the goings on in the city; is there something else that holds her interest?
Appearance: Toned and of average height, with fair skin and icy blue eyes framed by bangs of sleek platinum blonde hair that, when loose, reaches the small of her back.
I recently started playing this IF and I do have one question if you don't mind! Does this IF contain NSFW content or no? I'm not sure if this has already been asked yet and I didn't see any content warnings (unless I missed them)
Thank you!
hi there!
don't worry hahah, you haven't missed anything! currently, the demo doesn't contain any nsfw content, but if and when such content shows up, i'll update the warnings so it's clear what people can expect!
for the time being though, i am not planning on there being any explicit nsfw scenes in the game, but this could change somewhere down the road so nothing's really guaranteed. if i do put them in, however, they would be optional, with a choice to view the full scene or skip with a fade to black
i'm not opposed to answering any nsfw questions on here or writing some steamy side stories or scenarios, but for now, i'm leaning towards leaving that sort of content for outside of the game itself
hey folks! hope everyone's doing alright 💕 long time no see, i know, but i'm back with some good news! real life got a bit in the way, but i've still been working hard on the story whenever i could, so i'm glad to tell you that a new update is coming out soon! 🎉
it will be only half a chapter this time, but it'll be as long as the previous one (which is to say around 30k words 👀), and it'll be out in about two or three weeks' time! i'm still working on some finishing touches and rewriting some bits from the earlier chapters, so that might keep me busy, but i'm doing my best so that the update is out no later than by the end of june, so keep an eye out! 💕
the final in the second batch of ro povs is here! enjoy~
-
She really can't catch a break, can she?
It wasn't by happenstance that she found her way here, to this little training ground in the courtyard; no, it was deliberate. All Theo wanted was a break from all those boring preparations and the nagging, and maybe to find something interesting to do out here. She was so good the entire day – she even only rolled her eyes at people when they weren't looking, as per Elio's demands to tone down her irreverent attitude and make a good impression.
And what does she get in return? Not even 10 minutes of peace with a sword in her hand before someone's nagging at her again.
This man – Malcom – strikes up a conversation with her as if she were his subordinate, talking about duty and his expectations of the team and yadda yadda yadda.
What an ego on him, huh? To think that he can boss her around just because she technically works for his guild now.
Tsk tsk. It appears she'll have to fix this faulty impression he's got.
"Now, now. Don't mistake me for one of your pups," Theo warns with a grin, not raising her eyes from the weapon she's playing with. "I'll do the work, but I do not answer to you."
Just because he temporarily got ahold of her leash doesn't mean he owns her now. And he'd better get that into his head real quick, or he'll be learning that lesson the hard way.
For a moment, he appears taken aback by her audacity, opening his mouth as if to retort, but not knowing what to say. In the end, he only shakes his head at her, though whether in irritation or disappointment, she couldn't tell. Not that it bothers her, either way.
"...Is this all just a game to you?" he frowns, and Theo notes how he doesn't attempt to reprimand her again.
Good, he's learning.
"What else would it be?" she chuckles at the familiar question, posed to her at least a million times over. People just can't seem to get over the fact that she really does not care.
She's only here because of how promising the job sounded.
For way too long they kept her cooped up, piling up meaningless chores disguised as 'important work'. Now, she finally gets what she's been longing for – blood-pumping action and the thrill of a chase. Something to finally scratch that itch that won't let her rest.
Hopefully, this will be everything she's wanted, and more.
Malcom, however, seeing that Theo's not even paying attention to him anymore, shakes his head once more and then finally, finally, leaves her alone, scurrying off somewhere outside the guild's compound. Not hiding her glee, Theo raises her gaze to watch him go, exhaling a contented sigh as she gives a glance around the courtyard in his wake.
Quite the crowd has gathered in the meantime – maybe she should go mingle with the locals for a bit, see if she can find something more interesting to do than swing a sword around. This would have been more fun with a partner, as most things are, but she's only been here a few hours, and it's way too early to start going around and making propositions. ...For a sparring match, or for anything else.
Anyway, with so many people around, some entertainment is bound to be near.
Her eyes scour the crowd, attention catching on one particular pair having a somewhat heated conversation right in the middle of the courtyard.
What luck! Truly, there's nothing more fun than other people's drama.
The biggest library in all of the land, and this is what it has come to. Pitiful.
Musing on the state of the establishment, Valentine makes their way across the main floor of the library in question, expertly weaving through aisles and around shelves. As they walk, their eyes scan the books around them methodically, searching for anything out of place. They've been doing this for an hour or so already, and yet every new outlier they find only makes them more exasperated.
Are these people truly this inept? Incapable of putting things back where they found them? Astounding.
Truth be told, they were supposed to be spending the afternoon in their own domain, down in the archives, sorting through one of the older collections that hasn't been touched in decades. And they were doing precisely that, until an off-hand reference in one of the volumes caught their attention; they couldn't not look into it further, so they headed upstairs, only to along the way spot another book that someone simply left lying there at one of the reading tables in the back. They picked it up, intending to hold onto it for only a moment until they can return it to its proper place, but... Well, one thing led to another, and now there is an entire pile of tomes in their hands, each volume only serving as a testament to their slowly fraying nerves.
...It's a damn shame their authority only encompasses the archives. Because if the entire library was theirs? There would be some very substantial changes around here, whether anyone likes it or not.
Hmph.
No matter. They'll have their way eventually. When they finally prove to everyone who– Oouf!
The books Valentine was carrying fly out of their grasp as someone barrels into them, almost knocking them off their feet entirely. Briefly, they steady themself with one hand on a nearby shelf, before a look of concern crosses their face.
They aren't worried about themself though, nor for the well-being of the stranger who nearly tackled them; instead, Valentine's attention is on the ground, examining the condition of the books that just scattered across the floor like a pile of rocks.
Thankfully, everything seems fine at first glance. Even though some of these tomes are fairly old, there doesn't seem to be any damage to them.
Still, a wave of agitation washes over them as they lock eyes with the person they collided with.
Rationally? They know this is entirely their own fault, getting so caught up in their thoughts they forgot to pay attention to where they were going, but their frustration has slowly been building up over the past few hours, and this was the final straw.
Silently fuming, they open their mouth to speak, then bite their tongue at the last second.
Oh how they wish they could just say exactly what they mean, express every ounce of their ire openly without care of who gets caught in the crossfire. However, with so many eyes on them at all times, they have to be on their best behavior. They can’t afford to make any scenes.
Besides, losing their composure over something as petty as someone bumping into them would truly be pathetic, and they’re not about to stoop so low.
Biting back the words that threaten to spill and lifting their chin high, Valentine reverts back to their perfectly poised facade, even as they prepare to kneel down on the floor to start gathering up the scattered tomes.
Imagine their surprise then, when the stranger who ran into them actually helps them pick up the books. They were expecting them to simply be on their merry way, or even complain about the inconvenience, but lo and behold, this one actually has some manners! Astonishing.
A few moments later, the stack is finally assembled again, and carefully cradled in Valentine's arms like a newborn.
It's not in their nature to admit fault, and as far as expressing gratitude goes, they give the somewhat helpful stranger the next best thing. Although... Finally peeling their eyes away from their books, they notice something odd... No one is escorting this person through the library.
That is not how things work here. Did they somehow sneak past the front desk unnoticed? Or, perhaps, coming back to the crux of the matter, everyone here is just so incompetent they're letting patrons run around unattended like a flock of headless chickens.
Sigh.
It's most likely the latter, isn't it?
Suppressing an even heavier sigh, Valentine looks around, and when no orderly materializes out of thin air, they ask the question they already know the answer to.
as promised, here is the new ro pov! a little bit delayed cause of Circumstances™, but here nonetheless! enjoy~
-
"Oh c'mon. I have it on good authority that you guys are on the brink of some kinda scandal." Gabriella grins at the man she had spent the past 10 minutes badgering, her voice still light and airy as he gets redder and redder in the face. "We'd just like your official statement on your current state of affairs."
"I told you already, there is nothing going on here! Who even let you inside the building?!"
This curator is definitely a piece of work, she knew that much beforehand, but she was still surprised at how ferociously he clammed up the moment she brought up this subject. Granted, she did start the conversation with a little white lie, letting him believe she was just a student here in search of some guidance, so she can’t really blame him for blowing up like this.
Ah, whatever – she wasn't expecting much from this guy anyways. Welp, time for plan B. Which, of course, stands for Be as annoying as possible to get under his skin, in hopes he’ll blurt out something he otherwise wouldn’t.
"Oh, don't be like that! I know you book types." Her laughter echoes throughout the room. "This is the most fun you've had this entire month, isn't it?"
"There is nothing fun about being pestered for gossip by–" The man sputters, stopping right in the middle of his tirade as he looks wide-eyed at something behind her.
Unexpectedly, a temporary zap of panic courses through Gabriella at the thought of one of his superiors showing up, which could really land her in hot water, but turning around, all she finds is an ordinary couple of folk. They don't look like Academy staff – nor students, for that matter. Fellow journalists, perhaps? Some other interested party?
"Oh, hello! And who might you be?" She gives each of the newcomers a good hard look, trying to discern their intentions. "More people trying to get the scoop?"
"Oh, no, don't mind us. Please, continue," one of them grins, gesturing for her and her interlocutor to carry on. "We were really enjoying the show."
The girl beside them looks mortified, and Gabriella can almost feel the curator's murderous gaze burning through her, but she pays neither of them any mind, eyes fixed on this self-proclaimed jokester. She likes their style – a good sense of humor is something that's woefully lacking in her line of work, so she appreciates this brief bit of respite, because to be honest, having to carefully pick and choose each word in a conversation in order not to offend anyone 'important' has really been wearing her down lately.
"Gosh, I should start charging tickets!" She chuckles, bringing a hand to her chin as if really considering it. "Mm, just think of all the extra revenue that would bring..." Now that's a thought, huh? Perhaps she should really try her hand at theatre? Everyone always tells her she's very expressive... "Anyhow, I'm never too busy for meeting fans. My name is Gabriella – Gabriella Finley – of the Meridian fame. Head journalist, at your service." She does a fancy little bow, like at the end of a grand performance, then looks up at them expectantly. "And you are..?"
The girl previously shocked into silence chimes in this time, introducing herself and her sibling, but just as Gabriella is about to ask the pair what they're doing here, the curator decides to throw his opinion about her profession into the mix.
Ugh. She really can't stand these entitled pricks, acting like they've got the monopoly on all the information in the world.
Whatever! Fine, then. If this jerk is incapable of having a civilized conversation, she'll simply have to be the bigger person and leave. Even if that means having to bite her tongue to stifle the frustration bubbling from within.
With a brief salute directed at the other two, Gabriella regretfully leaves them at the mercy of this tyrant, heading off downstairs with a faster than usual pace. She's not worried about the curator's little threat to call the guards on her; she simply wants to get as far away from here as possible right now.
---
Honestly, if she were alone with him? She would probably continue the argument, even if they had to drag her out of there kicking and screaming – and oh, how she would love to land just a single good kick on him – but as it is, she'd rather not involve other people into this mess.
hey y'all, time for some end of the month updates~
i had a little break after the demo update, took some time to fully outline the next chapter and sort out all of the details, and now that i've started writing, it's clear that chapter 4 is gonna be quite big, probably as long as chapter 3, so i've got a lot of work ahead of me hahah
in other news, now that all of the cast have finally been introduced, another batch of ro povs is on the way! i've been working a little on those as well, so they'll hopefully be out in a few weeks or so~
oh and just a lil heads up, cause i'll be uploading a new, bugless and typo-free version of the demo soon: i've tested the save system a lot, and found only one way to retain your progress throughout the updates, and that is to save directly to your device (save to disk option). sorry for any inconveniences this might cause!
so excited for the next chapter. Can't wait to further romance the renegade!!
hehe i'm glad to hear that! not sure yet exactly how much screentime he'll have in chapter 4, but things will only be getting more interesting from here on out~
this is where the demo ends for me, with no link to the next passage. there's no errors and i tried different choices just in case that was it. I also cleared my cache, but that didn't change anything either.
okay so, i have no idea why this is happening, but it's obviously some kind of an issue with the variables, so i messed around in there a bit and now hopefully everything's fixed!
is the demo supposed to end after the new recruit announcement/introduction of Theo and Elio? i ask because the chapter 3 announcement mentions a murder and that's not something i've encountered in the demo.
no, it is not! there's a 'you've reached the end of the demo' message at the actual end, so it is absolutely not supposed to cut off there. this seems like a bug, but a pretty weird one since i tested this part extensively and it all works as it should on my end
try refreshing your browser and playing again, in case it was just some temporary glitch that popped up, but if it persists, send me a screenshot of the exact part where this happens and if any error messages appear, and i'll try and work things out~
i am back!! i know it's been a while - i've been dealing with some personal shit and writer's block made me hate everything i'd ever written, but now i'm back with a new chapter! finally!!
chapter 3 is a big one, roughly 32k words without code (twice the size of chapter 2! :O), which makes the total word count of the entire demo about 68k now! playable here
i also made some substantial changes to the previous chapters, so i'm afraid old saves won't work, but i put in a little skipper straight to the new chapter so you don't have to go through all of that again if you just wanna experience more of the story 🥰
what's new:
visit a library and meet someone who could possibly help you
gain an ardent admirer
run into some strangers you've met before
investigate a murder
content warning: contains depictions of gore and violence
What would the ROs' reactions be if MC fell asleep on their shoulder?
so sorry for the wait lmao but inspiration struck and then it all kinda got away from me 😅
the Companion: It's late at night and you've been helping him sort out some paperwork for the Guild for the past few hours. You were chatting happily when you started, but by now neither of you has the energy to spare on talking as you're trying to keep focused while struggling to stifle yawns here and there. One moment you were awake, examining a paper in front of you, and the next your eyes were closing, whole body leaning to the side until you came to rest on something soft.
This kind of menial work always has him fighting to keep his eyes open, especially at this hour, but he finds that he no longer has to put in the effort, as suddenly a jolt of awareness rushes through him, waking him up more effectively than pouring a bucket full of ice-cold water over him. Unbelieveing, he looks to the side, convinced he must've fallen asleep and is currently dreaming, but the warmth of your body against him makes him realize that no, this is actually happening.
He stills, every muscle taut, almost forgetting to breathe, all out of fear of disturbing you. Should he call out your name? Wake you up? Or should he just let you rest? You must have been so tired, to fall asleep sitting up like this; he should definitely let you sleep. But, uh... What should he do with himself now? It's true he was on the brink of sleep just moments ago, but right now, he's wide awake and forced to deal with something he's been avoiding so far. Your scent, now that you're so close to him, invades his senses; your breath, as you lean against him, tickles his skin... He's at his wits' end.
He's all too aware of your effect on him, but doesn't know what to do about it. Usually, he'd follow the tried and true strategy of running away, burying the feelings deep down never to be seen again, but he can't do that now, with you pressed against him like this. All that's left for him to do is stay still and hope you wake up soon to spare him from his anguish, at which point he'll staunchly deny this ever happened and go back to pretending everything is fine.
the Journalist: You had made plans to go out and have some fun after she was done with work, so you paid a visit to her office at the Meridian, only to find her sitting on the floor, papers strewn all around her as she scribbled in her notebook. She assured you she'd just be a couple of minutes more, but in the meantime, would you come and take a look at this? Do these two happenstances seem connected to you? Or- or this one, do you think there might be something more to this? The next thing you know, almost two hours have passed and she's still in the zone and no closer to being finished, but you're starting to feel the exhaustion, so you tell yourself that you'll just close your eyes for a moment...
When she feels a weight on her arm, she humms in question without taking her eyes off her notebook, assuming you're trying to draw her attention to something. When no reply comes, and the weight doesn't remove itself, she feels annoyed at the interruption - she's almost on the brink of a breakthrough here! But when she turns to ask you to help her rather than hinder her, the words die on her lips as she realizes that oohh no, she lost track of time again.
Looking around, her suspicions are confirmed when she notices the lack of sunlight coming from the window in the back, the sun already slowly setting. Guilt starts creeping up on her as she turns back to you with an apologetic twist to her lips. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry. Why didn't you say something?" she whispers, raising her hand to gently cup your cheek as her eyes roam over your face, taking in your tranquil expression. You look so adorable like this; she doesn't have the heart to wake you up.
Slowly, careful not to move too much, she reaches for her coat that is lying discared nearby and drapes it around you, trying to make you as comfortable as possible. Then, she begins picking up the pieces of paper that surround you both, set on putting them away and finishing up for tonight. The thought did cross her mind that now that you're asleep, she might as well continue with her work, but she quickly dismissed it. Your company is far too precious to her to be wasted like this, so after she's done tidying up - which might take a while - she'll nudge you awake and promise to make amends for how this evening played out, and perhaps see if you'd still be willing to go somewhere with her tonight.
the Archivist: The two of you are spending another day poring over old tomes, looking for any information about your condition. You read in silence, sitting side by side at one of the desks in the archives, each with several open books in front of you, and another pile waiting nearby. For them, this is a fairly common occurrence, but you, on the other hand, aren't used to spending hours on end sitting in one place, staring at ink on paper. No matter how much you try to focus on the page in front of you, soon enough your eyes start to close and you slump to the side, landing cheek first on some very fine silk.
Immersed in their reading, they jolt out of their trance at the physical contact, turning their head slowly to the side, curious as to why you've decided to drape yourself over them. "Excuse me, but I would like my arm returned to me," they raise one eyebrow sardonically while attempting to shrug you off, but when you don't budge, they halt, leaning over to take a closer look.
What they see sends a spark of indignance coursing through them, because really? You begged them to let you come here, to access all this knowledge, and then you just... fall asleep? But as quick as it came, the vexation is chased away, replaced by a feeling of sympathy for what you must be going through. Though they're not quite sure they like that feeling.
Sigh. Nevermind. They'll go through your workload as well, no need to go waking you up now. After all, it's better this way. 'When you do everything yourself, you needn't be concerned that someone else will fuck up their part,' they tell themself, the words sharp enough to counter the gentle way they settle you down on their lap, your head cushioned on their thigh as they return to their reading.
the Renegade: You're sat beside him at his booth at the Matchstick, watching as he nurses his drink with a thousand-yard stare, not paying you any attention. He was against you accompanying him at first, but once you promised you wouldn't bother him, he relented. To keep yourself occupied, you've also had a few drinks, but they're starting to take their toll as you feel weariness take hold of you; a few moments later, your head lolls to the side, landing on the first soft thing within your reach.
At the feeling of a sudden weight on his shoulder, he stiffens, a curse falling unbidden out of his mouth as he turns his head towards the source of the intrusion. "What the fuck-" he growls, only to stop himself abruptly when he notices that it's you. He'd almost forgotten you were there, that's how accustomed to your presence he's become. "Hey," he gives you a nudge, trying to draw your attention, "What are you..." but trails off when he notices you're asleep.
Hmph. If it were anyone else, he'd just shake them off, uncaring if they woke up or not, as long as they get off of him, but... for whatever reason, he doesn't seem to mind it this time. Something stirs in his chest at the sight of you, resting practically on top of him without a care in the world, but he dismisses it as purely sympathy, nothing else. After all, he's no stranger to falling asleep in weird places, and knows a thing or two about waking up with a crick in his neck or cramped muscles.
He planned on staying here throughout the evening anyway, so there's no urgent need to dislodge you from him... is the excuse he tells himself as he relaxes and shifts slightly, careful not to wake you, until you find yourself in a more comfortable position on his shoulder. He just prays to whoever will listen that Vanessa doesn't happen to walk by, because if she witnessed this and noticed the faint coloring to his cheeks, he'd never hear the end of it.
the Investigator: The two of you are sitting shoulder to shoulder on a balcony of a dilapidated bell-tower in the South District, backs against the wall and legs dangling in the air. You were sent on a late night patrol of the area, and they suggested finding a good vantage spot would make it easier, so you let them lead you here. It's been a few hours since your surveilance began, and they still seem perfectly alert, eyes darting over the buildings and alleyways below, but you are staring to drift off, lulled to sleep by the peaceful sounds of the night.
When your head comes to rest on their shoulder, they startle, having been so engrossed in observing the goings on in the city that they didn't notice you dozing off next to them. Blinking the surprise out of their eyes, they look towards you, concerned, only to realize that you're fast asleep. They let their eyes roam across your face, inspecting every inch of the expression you're making as you slumber. You look so peaceful like this; they'd feel guilty if they woke you up now. Though, only now they realize exactly how close to them you are.
Sigh. They know they'll never act on their feelings, never ask for anything more, and that's something they've made their peace with. Nothing good would come of it, of that they're certain. But... they're still only human. And they'll gladly take any form of affection you're willing to give to them, even if it's just innocently resting on their shoulder. Because that's all they can ever get.
So they lean back slightly, getting more comfortable, and dare to rest their head against yours, breathing a small sigh of content as they return to observing the streets below. Once they feel you stir and start to wake up, they'll move away, but for now, this is good enough.
the Enforcer: It's almost midnight and you can feel the fatigue clinging to you. You had been at the guild since the early morning, doing all sorts of menial work, but when she invited you to join her for a drink at a local tavern, you just couldn't say no. So, now here you are, sitting next to her in a booth and waiting for the barkeep to return with your drinks, and you're beginning to suspect this was a bad idea, because no matter how much you enjoy her company, your eyes keep fluttering closed and you're having trouble concentrating on your surroundings. So it's no wonder when your consciousness abandons you soon after.
"Oh? Darling, if you wanted to take this a bit further, you could have just asked," she says playfully, throwing you a sideways glance and seeing your head on her shoulder, then fakes a pout when there's no answer. Craning her head to get a better look, she realizes why you didn't answer her; you're fast asleep. She brings her hand to your face, tapping you lightly on the nose with her forefinger a few times, trying to see if you'll wake up, but when you don't even stir, a real pout forms on her lips.
"Hmm, well that's no fun," she tells no one in particular, and while her voice is light, her eyebrows furrow in contemplation. Is she losing her touch? Has her mere presence started putting people to sleep now? Hmm, she'll have to step up her game... That's it, it's decided, next time she's taking you to one of those underground fighting rings she's heard about; let's see you fall asleep in that ambiance!
Taking hold of her drink that just arrived, she pays you no more mind, but also doesn't shake you off her shoulder. She would have, usually, but... Hmm. Why does she let you stay there? The question perplexes her. She doesn't normally waste time on these... frivolous gestures of affection, and there is that itch that urges her to get up, find something fun to do, but she guesses this isn't that bad. And it is kind of flattering that you trust her of all people enough to fall asleep like this. 'And, if Elio found out I oh so irresponsibly abandoned you in a random tavern while asleep, they'd bitch about it forever,' she tells herself, finding a reason to stay seated here for a while longer, drink in her hand and your head against her shoulder.
They look up at the sky, taking stock of the dark grey clouds that have been slowly gathering above-head for a few hours now. Yes, such an outcome seems quite probable... But they will gladly welcome it. Rainy weather always seems to make them feel at ease, and right now, they're in dire need of that peace of mind.
They spent the past hour walking around aimlessly, getting lost amongst the winding streets of the city, trying to drown out their thoughts.
Why can't she just take this seriously?
They sigh, pulling up the cowl wrapped around their neck further up to shield them from the cold night air.
Truth be told, they know what she's like, so they really shouldn't be surprised, but still. They can't help but worry, given the nature of this assignment.
Lost in thought, they fail to notice the rather rapid sound of footsteps approaching the alley they're strolling through, only becoming aware that they have company when they see someone walking towards them.
They jump, startled, and take several steps backward on instinct alone, before registering that the stranger is not coming after them. In fact, the person doesn't even seem to be aware of their presence, leaning with their back against the wall maybe ten feet away from them, eyes closed and their head in their hands.
They can't help but wince at the sight; the person looks... quite pained.
They were going to just slip away unnoticed, but a feeling of concern tugs at them, and before they even realize it, they open their mouth to ask, "Are you alright?"
Instantly, they regret it, as the person's head snaps towards them, a look of distrust marring their features.
"A better question is, why are you sneaking up on me?" they counter, frowning while crossing their arms.
Well, that was to be expected. They should have taken a moment to think about how this would look. Of course no one would appreciate a stranger standing aside like a creep and watching them during their most vulnerable moments, even though that is not what they were doing just now.
"I apologize, that was not my intention," they try, but the person just stares back at them. It's then when they remember they're all covered up, so they tug down their cowl and attempt a harmless smile as they do their best to explain the situation while apologizing once more, then excuse themself and turn to leave, intent on leaving the stranger alone.
After all, it was a mistake to get involved. One they never seem to learn from, seeing as all their attempts at altruism end up exactly like this.
Helloo. Is it possible to add neutral and/or stoic choices? For example, when the Renegade asked if we're doing alright, can we just answer with a simple "yes" or a nod?
It's fine if it's not possible, it's only a suggestion. Thank you for your had work nonetheless ^_^
heyhey~
sorry for the late reply, but the answer is yes! absolutely hahah i'm not quite satisfied with the current dialogue options in the demo as it is and plan on revamping them a bit in the very near future, hopefully with the chapter 3 update, so i'll add more neutral choices with that
this is my first IF and i'm still trying things out and seeing what fits best so there's definitely room for improvement, and i'm always open to suggestions, so if there's something you feel could be added or changed, be it dialogue options, character customization, or anything similar, do let me know! i'll definitely consider it :3
hey y'all! sorry for the radio silence, i've just been awfully busy lately, but i did promise you the ro povs, so here's the second one! hope you enjoy~
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Shoot, shoot, shoot.
He's running late.
He was supposed to be back at the Guild half an hour ago, to greet Bellamy's sibling, but the woman he was helping out was just so chatty, and he didn't have the heart to tell her he needed to be somewhere else. She's just so alone in that big old house, her children and grandchildren having moved to the capital, and she insisted he stayed for tea; what else could he do but accept?
And if that means he'll keep some people waiting, then sue him. He knows how bad loneliness can be.
Though thankfully, this isn't anything official, and he had planned it so they meet some time before Kait's available, so there's still a margin for error.
He slows his pace when he reaches the Guild's compound, trying to appear less winded than he is; first impressions are important, and he doesn't want it to look like he just ran here. ...Even though he kind of did.
Passing next to the entrance, he can see Cal and Selene chatting inside, but there's no sign of the person he's expecting. Only when he goes a bit farther down the street can he see them standing under the awning of a building nearby, looking at their reflection in one of the windows.
Okay. Now don't screw this up.
He casually approaches them, stopping a polite distance away, and calls them out by their name.
They turn around, and–
'Oh wow, they're stunning,' the thought comes unbidden to his mind, and he seems to experience a momentary lapse of motor functions, as he just stands there, blinking at them.
Thankfully, they've interpreted his blatant staring as confusion, so they answer him with a "Yeah, that's me."
Shaking off the strange feeling that took over for a moment there, he smiles at them, doing his best to be friendly and put them at ease.
Perhaps he could try a joke?
"Oh good! It'd be awkward if it turned out I just jumped a random stranger on the street, haha..."
Ookay, no, that's worse, that makes him sound like some maniac who assaults people on the street. Ugh, he should just skip to introducing himself and welcoming them to the city.
He acutely aware of their eyes on him as he does just that, scrutinizing him, and he can feel the anxiety creeping up on him. Even more so once they ask if he's actually a member of the Guild.
"Uh, yeah?" Was that not...clear?
Did he give them a reason to doubt him?
...Or does he just seem that pathetic?
His hand goes to the badge on his belt instinctually, almost worried it's not going to be there and he'll look like a fool trying to explain himself. Luckily, he finds it exactly where it's supposed to be, and while that's reassuring, they're still looking at him in confusion.
Should he elaborate? Or would that come across as condescending..?
Ugh, he'll just leave the explanations to Kait.
But before they go see her, he should apologize for making them wait this long. Really, as far as first impressions go, he's making a bad one.
