Pandora's Fox II

[folkie]

PANDORA'S FOX II

If you were here last June, do you remember that app that appeared on the relics then, Pandora's Fox? It's all about finding your Familiar bond. It's been available for people to use since every Star Child was forced to fill it out or have it filled out for them with its grand reveal. However, it's sat quietly in the background unobtrusive to those who didn't click to see what it was about.

Until now.

That's right, Pandora's Fox is back! (and with a makeover). The app has been rejiggered with old questions and new, including some specific to each Role! The app will buzz and open itself with a blank profile waiting to be filled out. Star Children can fill it out for themselves—as long as they don't lie. This app will not allow Star Children to lie. Honesty is important in a Familiar bond. Star Children who lie may find that answer filled in a little too honestly and unable to be deleted. Anyone who waits too long to fill it in will find it answered for them!

Familiar bonds come in all different shapes and sizes, so find the right person for you!

This is game canon!

Forms for your characters!

Myths:
<lj-raw><center><div style="width:750px;margin:0 auto 5px auto;background:#fff;border:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);box-shadow:2px 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.1);line-height:1.4;color:#111;text-align: justify;"><!---IMAGES---><div style="height:300px;background:#ddd;"><div style="height:300px;background:URL( IMAGE URL )center;background-size:cover;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;"><div name="charactername" style="width: 100%;margin-top: -300px"> <img src="https://i.postimg.cc/HkPkyD7T/myth.png"></div></div></div><!---PROFILE INFO---><div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> <b style="font-size:22px;color:#03cffc;">CHARACTER NAME/NICKNAME</b><br> Age | Gender | Role </div><!---PROFILE BLURB---><div style="padding:20px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> QUICK CHARACTER INFO BLURB IF YOU WANT (your character can write this or the spirits can have written it for them) <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">My favorite of these colors is:</b> Burgundy, Red, Green, Blue, Gray, Orchid, Lavender <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc">I live in:</b> (region/neighborhood) <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">I spend a lot of time in:</b> (regions/neighborhoods/specific locations) <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">I choose these areas because:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">Regions/locations I avoid:</b> (regions/neighborhoods/specific locations) <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">I avoid them because:</b> </div><!---ROLE SPECIFIC---><div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> <b style="color:#03cffc;">I think I'm a Myth because:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">Reasons I would form a Familiar bond:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">What I want from a Familiar Bond:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">I have these physical traits:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">How I would rule the world:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">My favorite forms of self-care:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#03cffc;">My dealbreakers are:</b> </div></lj-raw>

Legends:
<lj-raw><center><div style="width:750px;margin:0 auto 5px auto;background:#fff;border:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);box-shadow:2px 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.1);line-height:1.4;color:#111;text-align: justify;"><!---IMAGES---><div style="height:300px;background:#ddd;"><div style="height:300px;background:URL( IMAGE URL )center;background-size:cover;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;"><div name="charactername" style="width: 100%;margin-top: -300px"> <img src="https://i.postimg.cc/sg22xDxn/legend.png"></div></div></div><!---PROFILE INFO---><div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> <b style="font-size:22px;color:#e8bd46;">CHARACTER NAME/NICKNAME</b><br> Age | Gender | Role </div><!---PROFILE BLURB---><div style="padding:20px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> QUICK CHARACTER INFO BLURB IF YOU WANT (your character can write this or the spirits can have written it for them) <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">My favorite of these colors is:</b> Burgundy, Red, Green, Blue, Gray, Orchid, Lavender <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">I live in:</b> (region/neighborhood) <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">I spend a lot of time in:</b> (regions/neighborhoods/specific locations) <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">I choose these areas because:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">Regions/locations I avoid:</b> (regions/neighborhoods/specific locations) <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">I avoid them because:</b> </div><!---ROLE SPECIFIC---><div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> <b style="color:#e8bd46;">I think I'm a Legend because:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">Reasons I would form a Familiar bond:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">What I want from a Familiar Bond:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">I have these physical traits:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">My mood ring eye colors mean:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">The best way to help people is:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#e8bd46;">My dealbreakers are:</b> </div></lj-raw>

Familiars:
<lj-raw><center><div style="width:750px;margin:0 auto 5px auto;background:#fff;border:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);box-shadow:2px 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.1);line-height:1.4;color:#111;text-align: justify;"><!---IMAGES---><div style="height:300px;background:#ddd;"><div style="height:300px;background:URL( IMAGE URL )center;background-size:cover;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;"><div name="charactername" style="width: 100%;margin-top: -300px"> <img src="https://i.postimg.cc/g2Zs6dxW/familiartest.png"></div></div></div><!---PROFILE INFO---><div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> <b style="font-size:22px;color:#32c971;">CHARACTER NAME/NICKNAME</b><br> Age | Gender | Role </div><!---PROFILE BLURB---><div style="padding:20px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> QUICK CHARACTER INFO BLURB IF YOU WANT (your character can write this or the spirits can have written it for them) <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">My favorite of these colors is:</b> Burgundy, Red, Green, Blue, Gray, Orchid, Lavender <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">I live in:</b> (region/neighborhood) <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">I spend a lot of time in:</b> (regions/neighborhoods/specific locations) <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">I choose these areas because:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">Regions/locations I avoid:</b> (regions/neighborhoods/specific locations) <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">I avoid them because:</b> </div><!---ROLE SPECIFIC---><div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"> <b style="color:#32c971;">I think I'm a Familiar because:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">Reasons I would form a bond:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">What I want from a bond:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">I favor these animal forms:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">I am interested in:</b> (Legends/Myths/Either) <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">The way to win me over is:</b> <br><br><b style="color:#32c971;">My dealbreakers are:</b> </div></lj-raw>

Comments

[goldenturtle]

Mm. You are at an age where that type of guardian isn't so bad. [ He concedes, knowing how independent On has started to become as a teenager. ] But if you ever find yourself overwhelmed and unsure of what to do you can reach out to me.

I don't have an answer to that. The only research I've done on expletives is how to say them in multiple languages.

[unrival]

I'll remember it, don't worry. You're surprisingly attentive for an adult.

[Gurl it's more that you're not used to adults paying positive attention to you, but go off.]

How many languages do you know?

[goldenturtle]

You must not have met many decent adults then. [ What is it with so many adults not being able to take proper care of kids of even trash like him is doing a better job? ]

If you mean fluency, I know how to hold a conversation in at least five and I can read in more languages than I can converse in.

[unrival]

Mm... I don't get along with my parents, and my old mentor's given up on me. [In fairness to Lilith, she had a lot going on in her life that is way higher up in priority. Still, they didn't part ways very nicely either.] Besides Eda, I'm not sure who else there is to depend on.

Five languages on its own is impressive! I'm not even sure how many languages still exist in my world. I've only ever known the one I grew up with.

[goldenturtle]

Any mentor who gives up on a young student they took in is a trash mentor. [ If you're going to mentor someone you're accepting responsibility for them. That isn't something you can just give up. Especially not when it involves a child. ] I can teach you how to identify signs that someone is trustworthy or not if you want to learn.

[ Cale doesn't have a special ability related to knowing if someone can be trusted or not, but he spent over thirty years as Kim Rok Soo learning how to read people in order to survive. If teaching children how to do the same saves them from what he had to go through then Cale will gladly teach them. ]

I have a cheat skill that makes languages easy for me, so I think knowing magic is much more impressive.

[unrival]

It's not really her fault. She made me cheat in a contest to win a bet against her sister, so I was angry with her and ran off. Then she left to try and help that sister cure a terrible illness, and she never reached out again.

[....]

Okay, that does make it sound like it's her fault. But I don't blame her for choosing her family.

[goldenturtle]

It sounds that way because it was her fault.

Amity, you are a child. She manipulated you, used you, and when you were understandably upset by that she abandoned you.

You were allowed to be angry just as she was allowed to help her sister.

But she chose to be your mentor. She chose to take on that responsibility yet abandoned it as soon as things became difficult. She let you run off and never tried reaching out to you again.

It doesn't matter what was going on with her family. She could have taken time to at least send a message to check on you.

What she did is something you don't fucking do to a child.

[unrival]

[Amity is quiet for a long moment afterwards, stunned into silence and forced to really stew on those words. Manipulated? Used? That's just how it is in the Emperor's Coven, from what she's heard, and witnessed from Hunter. Probably part of why it appealed to her mother so much that she practically groomed Amity from birth to aim for it. The Emperor's Coven is the best of the best, and the Blights are the best of the best, so their most promising child must join them. Nevermind what she ever wanted. Nevermind that the twins got to do whatever they wanted (because Odalia had given up on them already). Nevermind that one of the major reasons she'd latched onto Lilith was it almost felt like she was finally getting some positive adult attention and maybe, just maybe, she could find some joy in this fate that'd been forced on her. She'd be the best, and someone would actually care about her.

But no one did, and Lilith betrayed her trust, and left her.

Her voice is quiet when she finally responds, hesitant, as if she's struggling to believe in her own words.]

I failed, though. It's what her coven teaches. When something's a failure, you throw it away.

[It's what her family did, too. Prospects, dreams, friends, children. If something's not up to par, just get rid of it or find something better. There's always better options.]

[goldenturtle]

Bullshit. There is no person who hasn't failed before. Failures are meant to be opportunities to help you learn.

You are a child and she was supposed to be teaching you. The one who failed was your mentor, not you. So you should be the one throwing her away.

You've grown up well until now, all without the support you needed and deserved from the adults around you. You are already strong and smart, so you will be even more amazing once you're finished growing.

You've done a good job.

[unrival]

[Again, his words are met with silence. Or, not entirely silence: there is a moment of harsh breathing, because when do people ever say things like that to her without expectations? Luz, of course. She's always encouraged the best out of Amity, genuine and true, ever since they'd managed to get on somewhat good terms. There was no condescension, no force. She could just... be. And the friends she's made, the people her age, they've been good to her. She's so grateful.

As for those older than her, it's such a short list. Her parents are... well, her parents. Enough said about that. Lilith took what she needed and left. None of her teachers protected her, afraid of the iron hand of Blight Industries or indifferent to her plight. Adults who should have been on her side only cared for themselves, or ignored her.

Here, Rue was kind, Rue encouraged her. Eda was nice in her own way, but she wasn't one for big speeches like this, and Luz was her protege, not Amity. This is...

It's a lot to take in. The idea of "good job" without strings attached.]

...It... wasn't fair. What she did. She made me cheat in front of everyone, and I didn't even know it. I worked so hard! I worked every single day, I did everything right! Everything she asked! And she didn't believe in me at all... she didn't even apologize...

[goldenturtle]

[ Cale remains quiet, letting Amity process whatever emotions his words have brought to the surface. He isn't busy, but even if he was he would make time to wait for her. Unlike her trash 'mentor', Cale wants to be sure Amity is okay. ]

Yes, you're right. It wasn't fair, Amity. You deserved better than that, and are owed an apology.

[unrival]

[She sniffs, wiping at her eyes, and breathes deep a few times to regain some control. This is so absurd... it's been months and months since that happened, and her life is so much better now. Why is she dwelling on all the bad?]

...It... it's okay. In a weird way, she saved my life by leaving me, anyway.

[goldenturtle]

[ He waits again for her to compose herself, willing to be as patient as she needs. ]

You are okay. You survived and you aren't alone. You have people who will support you now.

But that doesn't make what happened to you okay. Don't ever think that it does, because you didn't deserve that.

[unrival]

[...o-oh. She hadn't thought- well, it wasn't okay, maybe. But deserve? She'd ended up in that mess because of her own actions. If she'd been nicer to King, Luz wouldn't have challenged her. Lilith wouldn't have gotten so competitive to win against Eda. Didn't she deserve that? To be publicly humiliated for being needlessly cruel? It seems right. Good things should happen to good people. She wasn't a good person. Not then.]

You don't know what I was like. You don't know what I deserved.

[goldenturtle]

It doesn't matter what you did, Amity. A child doesn't deserve to be treated that way.

[unrival]

You sound so sure... it really doesn't matter?

[goldenturtle]

It doesn't. Children are allowed to make mistakes.

It's the job of adults to let them safely make and learn from those mistakes while feeling cared for and supported.

[unrival]

[....]

Why are so many adults so bad at it, then? Looking back, for so many years it feels like all I ever learned was how to do it wrong.

[goldenturtle]

Every person has their own life circumstances, and sometimes those circumstances can make it difficult for an adult to give a child proper nurturing.

[ ... ]

For an example, my mother died when I was eight. My father couldn't bear to look at me for years because I resembled her too much. His grief kept him from being there for me as a child.

[ It feels. weird. To be speaking of the original Cale Henituse's past as if it were his own. But he has inherited this body and its history, so...

At least he knows the original Cale would approve of this. ]

...We've reconciled now and are much closer, but that doesn't make his neglect okay.

[unrival]

[What a sobering story. She's not sure what to say at first, except:]

I'm sorry...

[It's not the same as her own story, of course, but it's not so different either. She can sympathize. Her mother's not literally dead but she's lifeless when it comes to affection and care. Her father's neglected her for nearly a decade, focusing on his work and ignoring what was happening to his children entirely. The recent Bonesborough Brawl was the first time they'd really talked in ages. Reconciliation... she can see that taking a long time, too.

And the neglect was not okay. Not for either of them.]

Were you able to tell him how you felt?

[goldenturtle]

Thank you. [ He dislikes receiving sympathy, and in this case it felt misplaced because Cale didn't experience that himself, but he chooses to simply accept the sentiment for what it is. ]

No, I didn't. I didn't need to.

While my father is a little awkward with feelings he is very perceptive. He knew how I felt from my actions.

[ A sigh; softer than he usually sighs. ]

It was a long time ago, and I only brought it up so you could understand what I am saying a bit better.

You're smart, so I'm sure things are a bit clearer for you now.

[unrival]

[A perceptive father... must be nice. (Though in fairness, he had noticed how intentional her hair colour was. No one else had recognized the reason she'd chosen it.) It does help her understand what he'd been getting at, though.

Even if an adult starts out bad at it, they can improve... that gives her some hope for the future. Maybe one day she'll have at least one reliable parent.]

Mm... yes. I have some things to think about.

[goldenturtle]

It is easy to overthink things, so be sure to take breaks to eat, play, and rest.

[ Speaking of which— ]

Have you been eating properly?

[unrival]

[Oh boy, is she about to get leftovers-]

I've been eating fine. The cooking group has been very accommodating. We even had something of a Boiling Isles picnic recently!

[goldenturtle]

[ Good. He's glad the cooking group has been feeding her well. ]

Hmm? A picnic? I'm glad. Did you have fun with everyone?

[ He's also glad she's had the opportunity to indulge in fun things like picnics. ]