*Me - opening up chapter 8 (spill tea path) and seeing it's title like: OH BOI....* XD HERE WE GO, RI - HERE. WE. GO. 🤣
*THEN, me: opening chapter 8 (Traitors Edition) and seeing - - Dark Side RED, like - 🫣🤫🫡 RIIII hahaha
You were right: While there's a few similarities in the beginning, the two branches Def veer wildly in different directions to get to the same goal. Given how HUGE/BIG last chapter was, 8 is more a transition chapter. Not as BOOM BOOM, but - Necessary, all the same. It gives us (readers) a breather. To me, it honestly felt less plot focused (more: setting UP coming plot) and more... series of vignettes between MC and their chosen lover at this point. And here's where I scream talk about my Mains~
(I did Vez 1st last time, so we start with AZ) Ri - I don't know if it's the POWA era or if my MC is just feeling herself, now, picking Morana + Selene, but I am *Liking* -- nay - - LOVING C energy she's giving. And, suddenly - Azzie's the opposite(???) - so CUTE and awkward and bashful and - *gulp*. While my MC's all - 'hmmm... should I torture her, make her - Scream her secrets...~?' (GURL) 👀🔥 I don't know if this is specific variant from my choices, but: Did I snag: *Best* Timeline? SURE DID.
Azzie's big reveal made -- so much sense - but also came as a surprise. I loved seeing her demonic form (so purdy~) and I loved how my MC went after bae. What made me really fall for Az, was (their random, goofy hijinks, let's be real) how they never treated MC different. The fact they now have this Huge Empathy between them is - Beautiful as it is anxiety-inducing since they're now Official(TM) and my MC is 100% going to betray Team Royals. She and I BOTH know she's starting something only to end it. You TOLD ME this wouldn't break my route (👁️), and now knowing what we do on Az, they would have the Most understanding on Why MC chose what they chose - but - still not loving the prospects here, Ri....
Now - Vez(aka 'Domvereign'): Quite a lot of progress, relationship-wise, here! While Az had a bit more focus on plot/their internal/secrets, Vez's felt more about spending actual time with MC. I wanted to highlight a specific part I loved:
‘You expect that this is something you’ll hear often, but you don’t feel upset over it. You knew what you were getting into, and you said as much to her. You weren’t lying.’ <— 10/10. Don’t know if all Vez-mancers think this, but I LOVE how Mature my MC is. This could - - Easily - - have been a Huge point of contention for the relationship, but it’s kinda Awesome you didn't go that route. I also, Fully, smiled into my hand - - 'waaaaah, I Love this gaaame' - with Vez "Come here" moment after MC told Vez whole truth(and was - Freaking the F out).
Adooooreeed flying to farms/lake scene. It felt like I finally got to see a part of Vez Vez I never was allowed back in le Kingdom? Wings bit was yum (My MC: 'I wanna ride a Dwagon!' - 'I wanna - ride a Dwagon~ 😏 Let us RIDE the DRAGON, RI) I loved how they talked, how there's still... this sense of: 'can't tell you Everything' between them -- mixed with my MC's distrust on Vez/her circle. But there's also so much YEARNING; my God - those two are Obsceeeene. For some reason, I thought Az's route would be more Vez (going slow) and Vez's would be Az (BEHAVE) -- but am I Complaining?? Not a peep. My po' MC's bout to explode, and - oof~ I can't wait to see Vez make good on those threats for. Science.....
As a (small) critique: I will say some of the parts in Vez's route felt a little - clipped + abrupt. Like there was meant to be a bit more transition between pages. Nothing crazy terrible; just me thinking: 'whoa - did I miss something?'
Great chap chap, as always, m'dear. I feel things will get REAL in both branches with 9 (Here we go, Again~) Can't wait. :D
