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Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

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If we lead Xuan Shi on (which is option one) it will be incredibly wrong of Ling Qi. Letting the situation fester is absolutely a terrible idea. We have only gained by being honest and directs with our friends and family. Trying to push people away to protect our feelings will only make things worse (as seen with Meizhen). We have to be honest. We shouldnt let things continue on like this.

Option 1 is in direct contrast to everything we have tried to become. We want to be an honest good friend that doesnt intentionally string people along. Lets prove it.
 
picklepikkl said:
It's not clear to me that Ling Qi understands that she perceives all hints of interest as threatening because the first time she experienced it was when one of her mother's clients tried to buy a night with her. When she was ten. She just seems to have internalized that romantic/sexual interest (and to her I think they gloss as basically the same thing?) is scary and exploitative and so, when her brain tries to reconcile "all romantic interest is predatory" with "the most herbivorous of boys, Xuan fucking Shi, is interested in me," she segfaults.
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Oh yeah, I kinda figure the only one who remotely knows what's actually going on in Ling Qi's head is Sixiang due to having to live there.
But also they don't necessarily get actually being human, so the net effect is a whole lot of shrugging and pretty slow broaching of topics.
 
I find it very interesting that Xuan Shi was without any attention from his parents in childhood.

Did they lose those desires due to their cultivation?
 
Here's my reasons for wanting to broach the subject:
1. Stringing him along is cruel.
2. Broaching it helps us grow.
3. Part of our self worth is based on sincerity, so we shouldn't lie to ourselves.

Both our insight about stillness and our insight about sincerity strongly suggest a course of action here.
 
Ohnonono said:
Ohnohnohnohnowhatdowedo?!?!?!

...... I'd vote for the first reflexively.... but but but but would Xuan Shi notice?!
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For all that he is pretty reserved and wallflower like, he's not exactly blind. He definitely could have a chance to I think.

yrsillar said:
  • Unbroken Will: B (3/35) :: Fortitude, Resilience
  • Sincere Negotiator: B (0/35) [B10] :: Speech
    • +10 (speech)
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yrsillar said:
  • Empathy: C (32/25)
  • Music: C (0/25) [C25] • +10 (domain), +5 (Sixiang), +10 (PLR)
  • Speech: C (5/25) [C10] • +5 (robe), +5(+10 intimidate, FSS)
  • Spirit Ken: C (32/25) [C10] • +10 (MoSS) • Specialty: Moon, Darkness
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yrsillar said:
Composure: C (11/50) +1 Rank (Domain, paired)
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Skill and attribute wise in general if people want a look at what might apply here, but here's where I'm coming from when I said Ling Qi has the skills to not fuck this up. She also has experience from the first Lakegate with Meizhen, where it worked out after they actually talked.

And her domain bonus to Composure comes up and pushes Composure to B, particularly if she is in a space that is "hers". This is wrong, but occurs when speaking to/with those she's at Bond 4 with, sorry. Anyway I don't think it harms my point too much.
 
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HeiTian said:
Oh my ... not sure my heart can take this!

what - oh Heaven! - is the shipping option here? Probably the waiting and letting develop option, this "don't let him misinterpret" sounds too much like confronting and letting him down gently if there is an interest. Aaarrrggggbhhhh
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This isnt about shipping, this is about Ling Qi's approach to the situation. Do we take the easy road and pretend nothing is happening, or do we do whats difficult and confront the situation.

With Option 1 we simply let Xuan Shis relationship with us just not progress

Option 2 we attempt to resolve our issues and move forward.
 
Ok, both boys gave hard serious assessing stares at Ling Qi quite close succession. I think being wounded or something have Ling Qi dropped her social guard or something.
 
Pipeman said:
Oh yeah, I kinda figure the only one who remotely knows what's actually going on in Ling Qi's head is Sixiang due to having to live there.
But also they don't necessarily get actually being human, so the net effect is a whole lot of shrugging and pretty slow broaching of topics.
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...I absolutely want to see Sixiang have a conversation with Qingge about LQ's baggage, with Six providing the "here's what's going on in her head" info and Qingge providing the "ah, here's what spurred that and here's some human context," while LQ sits there and writhes with embarrassment. That would be amazing. They can do it, too, now that Sixiang can manipulate wind currents to talk!
 
picklepikkl said:
...I absolutely want to see Sixiang have a conversation with Qingge about LQ's baggage, with Six providing the "here's what's going on in her head" info and Qingge providing the "ah, here's what spurred that and here's some human context," while LQ sits there and writhes with embarrassment. That would be amazing. They can do it, too, now that Sixiang can manipulate wind currents to talk!
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Sixiang could visit Qingge in a dream.
 
yrsillar said:
"Ling Qi, even I could see that he held an interest in you," her Mother chided. "Are you truly saying that you were not making use of that?"

Ling Qi gave her a horrified look. Her Mother examined Ling Qi's face, and then slowly lowered her face into her hands.
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They may be two realms higher in cultivation, but nothing gets past Mom!
 
I was hoping for LQ's next words to her mother to be something like "don't worry mother, I worked this out with Bai Meizhen already, I'll work things out with Xuan Shi too!" for maximum horror. She obviously wouldn't do that, though.
 
I think we have to talk to him. It is mean to him otherwise and he has been nothing but respectful of us. Seriously, despite how increably skittish we are he managed to accidently take us to a make out cave and we can still talk to him. I don't think there is another character we would willingly interact with after something like that. We should show him some honest kindness. Plus, we may get an advanced empathy skill out of this.
 
Something also of note is that as some have pointed out, taking the leave it alone option basically attempts to put a hard stop on this plotline.

There's also been some thoughts raised on discord by Sparkle that leave it alone is also weird from a narrative flow perspective. Here's all this build up, started in the temple event that just falls flat on its face, and I agree. Pushing it off to work on later is very dubious from a narrative flow perspective, especially when this is highlighted with other even bigger social issues like Ling Qi's anxiety over her family's security. It works much better if we can get a conclusion of some form from Xuan Shi here and then be able to focus narrative attention of following arcs on that family anxiety.

Sparkle also pointed out that the leave it alone option is not exactly conducive to increasing Xuan Shi's bond rank if one wants to do that.

SparkleInTheNightToday at 1:30 PM
Hopefully
We cant actually progress him if we let this stagnate
These bonds are 2 way
If we have this in between us it will always be in between us
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I don't particularly think leaving it alone really leads to much when a conclusion is presented right in front of us, especially when this particular event has good chunk of similarity to Lakegate way back when.
 
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Holliden said:
Ling Qi needs to talk more about this with her friends before anything and she shouldn't try to rush into anything without knowing more about Xuan Shi and what her personal feelings are.
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But which friends? Meizhen is somehow the best and worst option for advice at the same time.

Also, if that Nightmare asshole attached itself to Xuan Shi it's gonna be fisticuffs time.
 
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OneArmedYeti said:
Eh, I don't think so. From Qingqe's framework, the two of them being in the panic room without her to chaperone was borderline scandalous.

If she does that under her mother's nose, it's reasonable to assume she does more things elsewhere. At least reasonable enough to ask the question.
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Actually, come to think of it, cultivation means that the army utility between men and women is fully and truly equalized. That results in gender equality among cultivators because it is kinda hard to treat someone that could whoop your ass as inferior or second rate citizen, but I wonder how/if it actually affects mortal customs and laws.
 
dpara said:
But which friends? Meizhen is somehow the best and worst option for advice at the same time.

Also, if that Nightmare asshole attached itself to Xuan Shi it's gonna be fisticuffs time.
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I'm more worried about that thing twisting his perception of events. I mean, that's what it did when we met it in the liminal realm.
It could make the coming conversation go very poorly, no matter what is chosen.
 
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