nrc is full of people who need to be studied under a microscope
i don't get why people think rocks are useless. in fact, sometimes i feel more useless than a rock lying on the side of the road. that rock could have come from a garden of flourishing flowers for the aesthetic appeal, or maybe it contributed to the soil formation of the ground. i'm not as important as a rock; i'm just a completely average person. i understand this fact because it's been long since i've come to terms with this. but being surrounded by extraordinary people who are as bright as diamonds merely makes me feel like a fake and just as useless as how people view rocks. sometimes i feel that it would have been much better if i was a rock that was constantly kicked, run over, or thrown into the distance instead of living as someone just average and completely useless.
1. Start with a false sense of security
• The best plot twists work because the audience feels confident they know what’s coming.
• How? Lay down a trail of clues that mislead without outright lying. Create a sense of inevitability.
• Example: A detective follows all the evidence to one suspect, only for the real criminal to be someone they completely overlooked.
2. Plant the seeds early
• A plot twist is most satisfying when it feels inevitable in hindsight. Subtly sprinkle clues throughout the narrative.
• How? Use small, seemingly insignificant details that take on new meaning after the reveal.
• Example: A side character is always conveniently absent during key events—later revealed to be orchestrating everything.
3. Subvert expectations without betraying logic
• A twist should surprise readers, but it must feel plausible within the story’s framework.
• How? Flip assumptions in a way that feels earned. Avoid twists that rely on coincidences or break the rules of your world.
• Example: A character who appears harmless and incompetent is revealed as the mastermind, with subtle foreshadowing tying everything together.
4. Exploit emotional investment
• Twists land harder when they involve characters the audience deeply cares about. Use relationships and personal stakes to heighten the impact.
• How? Create twists that change how readers perceive the characters they thought they knew.
• Example: The protagonist’s mentor is revealed to be the antagonist, making the betrayal personal and devastating.
5. Use red herrings strategically
• Mislead readers by planting false clues that draw attention away from the real twist.
• How? Make the red herrings believable but not overly obvious. They should enhance, not distract from, the story.
• Example: A mysterious object everyone believes is cursed turns out to be completely irrelevant, shifting focus from the true danger.
6. Timing is everything
• Reveal the twist at the moment it has the most dramatic or emotional weight. Too early, and it loses impact. Too late, and it feels rushed.
• How? Build tension to a breaking point before the twist shatters expectations.
• Example: A twist that flips the climax—when the hero thinks they’ve won, they realize they’ve fallen into the villain’s trap.
7. Allow for multiple interpretations
• A great twist makes readers rethink the entire story, encouraging them to revisit earlier scenes with new understanding.
• How? Design the twist so that the story works both before and after the reveal.
• Example: A character’s cryptic dialogue is recontextualized after the twist, revealing their hidden motives.
8. Pair the twist with consequences
• A twist shouldn’t just shock—it should change the trajectory of the story. Make it matter.
• How? Show how the twist raises the stakes or deepens the conflict, forcing the characters to adapt.
• Example: After discovering the villain is their ally, the protagonist must choose between loyalty and justice.
9. Keep the reader guessing
• A single twist is good, but layered twists create an unforgettable story. Just don’t overdo it.
• How? Build twists that complement each other rather than competing for attention.
• Example: A twist reveals the villain’s plan, followed by a second twist that the hero anticipated it and set a counter-trap.
10. Test the twist
• Before finalizing your twist, ensure it holds up under scrutiny. Does it fit the story’s logic? Does it enhance the narrative?
• How? Ask yourself if the twist creates a moment of genuine surprise while respecting your audience’s intelligence.
• Example: A shocking but clever reveal that leaves readers satisfied rather than feeling tricked.
i made this realization almost a month ago about that my extreme liking and obsession towards yanshen is also because of the fact that i like caiowe but unfortunately i do not know anyone who likes both mhyk and thousand autumns so i feel like i'm talking a wall whenever i mention this. anyway, for example:
a-qiao's and cain's constant goodness and perspective on the world, their strong will and determination on their beliefs and morals...
yan wushi and owen enjoying 'good' people straying away from their good character, their eagerness in riling up the person they've taken a liking to (shen qiao and cain respectively), their questionable beliefs and worldview... also the fact that both of them have a child-like personality (as a result of ptsd) LIKE THAT HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD FOR ME. xie ling and kizu owen 🥺
fjkefhdk i'd talk about this more but it's nearly 4 am and i have a class at 10...
With the upcoming prsk collab, I'm sure it's attracting people genuinely interested in learning Enstars lore. (Or if you're someone who's been playing Enstars but hasn't been engaging in the lore) In that case, do NOT start with the Reminiscence series, but instead, I highly recommend to read the Main Story first before anything else. You can read it through the English server, BUT if you want to know the very start of Enstars lore, read Basic/! era Main Story. (However, the unfortunate side is that Enstars doesn't really allow fan translations...)
You'd see people recommending stories from the Reminiscence series (Checkmate, Crossroad, Element, Marionette, Meteor Impact, Obligatto, etc.), but I highly advise to NOT read them if it's your first time learning Enstars lore — this was my mistake when I was a new fan lol. But if you do already know tidbits about Trickstar and Jin & Akiomi, then I do recommend reading their Reminiscence stories, which are Rocket Start and Guilty of Perjury respectively since it mainly tells their formation and initial dynamic with each other. The other Reminiscence stories I mentioned deal with heavy topics and require knowledge from ! era Main Story, so I really advise reading those first. It would give you a wrong impression of the characters (which is why I didn't like Shu and Eichi when I was new because my introduction to them was through Marionette💔 I'm a big ValkyrieP now though and i also love fine!)
Mo Ran's "character development" was him learning the most important rule a man can learn in his life: sometimes in order to get milf hole you have to shut the hell up and go along with whatever nonsense they demand
Chu Wanning: you must practice proper dining manners if you want to eat me out
Mo Ran in his first life: what the fuck does that even mean
Mo Ran now: yes shizun of course. I will keep my elbows off the table while I spread your legs. Whatever you want
Kagehina again
I (accidentally) rewatched Haikyuu first season, now I wanna draw them so much
最好的师尊
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absent-mindedly playing with their hair.
smiling a little too much around them
wanting to do things for them [ie. gifts, surprises, writing letters etc etc]
having them hug you tight
them running into your arms
catching them lost in your eyes. AAAAH.
glancing at them when they aren't looking at you. and thinking oh shit im screwed for life.
wanting to capture that smile of theirs.
accidental touches and then thinking about it for days.
platonic forehead kisses starting to give u the feels. LIKE ITS SOMETHING MAGICAL.
"is that really all 'A' is to you?"
trusting each other with your lives.
when they aren't hesitant to defend you in your absence
they laugh at your 'not-so-funny' jokes.
always wondering what the other will do in your situation
"your smile brings me so much joy." >>>
tight hugs where both/either of you feel super safe in.
having them give something of importance to them for you, as a gift (ie. "oh this is a necklace my late mum owned.. she always wanted me to gift this to someone i cherish.. have it. :)" )
the moment of eye-contact from across the room that magically blurs everyone out of the world. it's just u two.
a third person pointing out how beautiful they're and suddenly you're seeing them in a different light (shalalallalaaa)
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