He Even Told Us Before, He Does Business Only! He's Definitely Not A Cop!.. Wait Is That A Sniper Pointed

It's so fun how the Princess and the Dragon acknowledges and plays with game mechanics that are assumed to be non-diegetic, and uses them to add insight to the story/characters.

The title card is a really obvious example, being something that TLQ actually sees and can comment on, and something that the Princess hadn't ever seen. What most would assume is just a framing device for the player is a real element of the world/construct.

I think it emphasizes how the story that the Narrator constructed is only "meant" to be told to TLQ. After all, The Narrator only appears in TLQ's mind, providing elaborate descriptions and attempting to contextualize the events of the game as a heroic task to save the world. Meanwhile the Princess is all alone, with no title cards or exposition, no context for why any of this is happening to her. The story revolves around her, but it doesn't care about her beyond her designated role, as something to be slain and hated. Her perspective is irrelevant to the Narrator's plan, so she doesn't get the fancy presentation or necessary context: she doesn't deserve it.

There's also those long stretches of dialogue where the voices talk to each other in TLQ's mind without progressing the story. They're occasionally acknowledged by the Princess elsewhere (Prisoner, Nightmare) but P&tD makes it very explicit and confirms that time is actively passing during these conversations, with TLQ staring in silence for who knows how long.

(Personally I don't think all of the voice dialogue is necessarily in real time, if only because some Princesses wouldn't have had the patience for it. Like if you had really stood still for that long, the Beast would've definitely eaten you... she's not waiting for you to finish thinking lol)

This one I think is more for humour, but it also draws attention to how much of the inner conversation the Princess is missing in normal chapters, when the voices aren't actively speaking to her through TLQ's body. Where we're having vibrant debates or key information revealed by the Narrator, she just sees a silent, staring figure. Speaking of the Narrator, He's completely absent from the Princess' POV, either because He doesn't want to speak to her or is somehow unable to (He does say in Tower that she's not supposed to be able to interact with Him...) Again, the story was not made to be told to her, so she isn't given His context, and because the player is usually so immersed in TLQ's perspective, they probably wouldn't realize just how much she's missing until they see things from her perspective.

One other example: if you choose to [Say nothing] immediately after you excise yourself, the Princess reacts to it:

I just find this so hilarious tbh, and the fact that she repeats back those exact words implies that she literally senses the text written in brackets. If you do it once you're back in the basement, she says this:

I wonder if it's the same for the Narrator/voices... do they also “feel” your actions while you’re choosing them? Do they hear you say (Lie) before you lie? When Skeptic said "Wink" out loud did he actually choose a dialogue option with [Wink] in brackets?? Ok that last one's a joke but there's lots of potential here

I just think it's cool because the average player wouldn't think twice about any of these things, because they seem like simple stylistic/game design choices. In a game where all player input is through dialogue options, the square brackets are an immediately understandable way to convey action, as opposed to plain text. In a game structured around repeating loops, it makes sense to make those loops distinguishable for players by separating each loop with a title card, and the chapter naming convention works as a nod to the fairytale storybook aesthetics the game draws from.

But by placing you into the Princess's head and acknowledging those design choices as diegetic elements that change depending on your perspective, it forces you to reevaluate your experiences: the things you didn't think were really "part of the game" and the experiences you didn't realize weren't universal. It exposes your hidden privileges, the luxuries and structural supports you have compared to the Princess that you don't even notice because you've never experienced the alternative.

It might make you realize how the way you perceive and conceptualize the world might be very different from how others conceptualize it (Tony's recent ask about the multicoloured glass in HEA could also play into this in a fascinating way, with the mismatch in perception between TLQ and the Narrator's script). It's all just very cool for a game that's based on perception.

It also makes me wonder... what other elements of this game are diegetic that we just haven't paid attention to?

Well, I think that the captions are probably also diegetic. TLQ occasionally refers to the voices by their complete titles despite them not ever referring to each other by those titles, instead opting for descriptors like "jumpy one" or "the worst one" or "rage boy" or "chilly little freak" lol. For a direct comparison, Paranoid exclusively calls Smitten "the lovesick one" or some variant in HEA, but TLQ refers to him by his full name using quotation marks, as if he's quoting something he's read:

The voices don't seem aware that these titles exist, while TLQ does, despite them sharing a mind. Also, when the Princess shares a body/mind with you, she never uses their titles either. In the Spectre/Princess and the Dragon, she calls Hero "the nice one", Cold "the quiet one" or "cold little freak", and the Narrator "the bossy one" or "that murder-happy know-it-all". Spectre describes the voices as shards of broken glass on the floor, so she likely perceives them completely differently to how we/TLQ see them.

Even The Narrator isn't aware of His title. If you call Him that in the mirror conversation, He says "'The Narrator'. I suppose that's my job, isn't it?", reacting to the title as if it's His first time hearing about it. There's also this question from the fourth Shifty encounter:

It seems like the titles are presented specifically for The Long Quiet/decider, and that they somehow reflect how TLQ perceives the voices/Narrator, since TLQ takes credit for "calling him" that. If the captions were specifically shown to TLQ in the same way that the title cards are, it'd explain how he has this information without it ever being verbally told to him, and why the Princess doesn't know their titles even when she's sharing your body.

But besides the captions, I think it could be fun to interpret the game as if most, if not all of its game mechanics exist in-universe. The choice menu, the music, the cursors, the save/load icons, saving/loading in general, the title screen, the Clown Princess living in the walls (game files), you name it. Let’s peel away these game mechanics cell by cell! Let's see what meaning we can find together, let's see what we're made of!

Love melted into skepticism, and you pulled back layer after layer after layer until all you were left with was the knowledge that you did not know me.

You sought the truth then. Will you hide from it now that it is within your grasp?

this idea came to me randomly and I don't know if it's already been done but i had to share it with you all

I present to you

Caterpillar Adventure Line™

HEART. LUNGS. LIVER. NERVES. HEART. LUNGS. LIVER. NERVES. HEART. LUNGS. LIVER. NERVES. HEART. LUNGS. LIVER. NERVES.

The Moon's Teaparty REBLOG CHAIN!!

You're walking down the liminal void of the Paraverse. It's,, pleasant. At best. Not much, but it's certainly there for you to endure and somewhat enjoy.

As you walk, though, you happen to come across something on the ground. Rolling over and tapping against your shoe with a clink, stopping by your feet.

It seems to be a tube of some sorts,,, a scroll, maybe?

It seems like it.

Curiosity gets the better of you. You kneel down and take it into your hands, looking it over -- then opening it up. Before you, you see the following.

" Attention members of the Paraverse! You are all cordially invited to The Moon's Tea Party this upcoming Fall at Hook, Line n' Adventure™️ Grove. There will be food, drinks, and desserts provided free of charge. There is a cottagecore-esq theme to the event if you would wish to match the venue, however there is no strict dress code required. Gifts for the host are optional but appreciated for those who would like to bring one. " " Please reply to this message as soon as possible if you wish to attend this event. All are welcome to join the illustrious Moon on this joyous occasion! "

Three little stars - located near the bottom of the sheet - begin to glow once you've read everything over. A moment or so passes and they beam up what seems to be some sort of holographic-esq image.

You believe it to be the venue.

Now. This certainly seems exciting~

But here comes the question at hand.

Do you accept?

---------------------------------- 𓆩⟡𓆪 --------------------------------------

SO YES!! HI, HELLO THERE!!! GOOD MORNING, EVENING OR NIGHT, WHEREVER OR WHOEVER YOU ARE!!

I've actually been planning this little event for a while~ and it'a FINALLY HERE !! Some people on Discord have been waiting a good while for me to get it DONE too. HehHAH!! So, if you couldn't tell, this is SUPPOSED to be one of those Reblog Chain Events. And I'm hoping, to whoever wishes to participate, you ALL have fun with it!!

There's no real rules, just simply reblog THIS POST with your goober ( OR gooberS, if you have multiple ) dressed up in some sweet cottage-core-esq outfit. Bring whoever you like and whatever you like, it's all about having a wonderful time really~

Anyway, have a MAAAGNIFICENT rest of your evening~ Mx Marlowe will be delighted to see you there~

Wrote a thing for the voices, based on this

The Paranoid let out an indignant noise when he was unceremoniously dropped into the Hunted’s nest for the second time that day.

“How was the bathroom?” The Broken allowed a rare smile to crack onto his face.

“Oh fuck off.” The Paranoid huffed, ears flicking in irritation.

The Hunted had come to the less than logical conclusion that because The Paranoid had plucked most of his wings’ feathers, and because The Broken had no wings to begin with, that the chill of the winter air would kill them. So he took it upon himself to kidnap them, lock them both in his room, and force them to sit in his nest of blankets and pillow.

“How long?” “Until spring.”

Yeah, fuck that.

The Paranoid had already made an escape attempt, by asking if he could use the restroom. He had hoped that he could hide the rest of the day until The Hunted got it all out of his system.

Unfortunately, while reading a book to pass the time, The Paranoid heard quite the commotion happening elsewhere in the living room that he couldn’t see. Eventually, a frazzled looking avian overturned the couch he was hiding behind. The Hunted let out a quick sigh of relief before throwing The Paranoid over his shoulder, like one would a sack of potatoes.

They passed the Opportunist on their way back, who was in awe of the apparent wreckage the Hunted had caused in his mad search. The Paranoid gave him a pleading look, but just as the Opportunist opened his mouth the Hunted sharply turned with a scalding glare. He’d never before seen the Opportunist shut himself up quite so quickly.

“Don’t do that again.” The Hunted said in that clipped way he often did.

“Why should I even bother? The others will catch on and won’t let it continue.” The Paranoid replied, flopping forward, face falling into a pillow. “All you’re really doing is delaying the inevitable, they’ll get us out of here eventually.”

“They can try, I won’t let them.” The Hunted clicked, nestling between the two.

The Paranoid looked up, a disbelieving look on his face. “There are nine of them and one of you! What do you mean you ‘won’t let them’?”

The Hunted gave a small shrug as he spread his wings to cover the two prisoners. “You’ll see, if it comes down to it.”

The Paranoid tried to ignore the shiver that traveled up his spine.

“You should just accept it, we’re not getting out of this, not anytime soon at least. May as well enjoy it.” Broken suggested, snuggling deeper into the sea of blankets.

“I don’t see why you’re so okay with this.” The Paranoid returned.

“Well,” The Broken started, “it’s warm, it’s comfortable, we’re cared for, what more could one want?”

“A choice?”

“Choices hurt us.”

“Choices freed us.”

The Hunted flapped his wings, earning sounds of startle from the two flightless avians. “No arguing about the past. Go to sleep.”

“Is this some lousy attempt to get us to hibernate? Birds don’t do that.” The Paranoid pointed out.

The Hunted’s bigger, much healthier wing pressed down onto him, it was warm and its touch was strangely comforting despite its messy feel from the Hunted’s recent treasure hunt. “Some do, on special occasion.”

“Does this count as ‘special occasion’?”

“Yes.”

“We have a house.”

“Go to sleep.”

“An insulated, warm house.”

“Go to sleep.”

The Paranoid let out a defeated sigh, it was pointless arguing with their instinct, because instinct had a funny habit of steamrolling all in its path. He wiggled his lower half into the forest of blankets and pillows; if he was going to be stuck here then he was going to at least try to relax. He laid his heavy head on his crossed arms, just as the Broken brought a pillow to his chest.

“Maybe choices did make things better, in the end, but right now you might benefit from not thinking too hard.” The Broken softly proposed.

“Yeah yeah.” Was his response.

—

The Hunted sat up, as slowly as he could as to not disturb the two he’d placed under his care.

He saw the Broken giving in easily, but he didn’t anticipate he’d be able to get the Paranoid to sleep, not with his jumpy nature, that presented itself even within his dreams.

They both needed preening, he thought. The Broken never took care of himself properly, always ignoring layers of dirt stuck under plumage, and bent, broken feathers that likely stuck into him like needles. The Paranoid didn’t fair much better with the depressing state he’d rendered his wings to, the feathers had been plucked so thoroughly that flying was an impossibility.

The Hunted ran his clawed fingers through both of their feathers, cooing when they both let out pleased, sleepy hums.

“Hey, what’s going on-“ The Hunted whipped his head around so fast that one might think he snapped his neck. He gave the Opportunist, who had just casually walked into his den without permission, a chilling stare. A rattle started up in his throat, promising death.

“Whoa! Holy- calm down!” The Opportunist shouted, holding his hands up in surrender.

“Leave.” The Hunted growled.

“Don’t have to ask me twice! I was just worried, you know? With the whole-“

“Go.”

“Yes, right, going now, doing that, as we speak.”

The Hunted didn’t calm even as the door clicked shut, only allowing his feathers to relax after clawed footsteps faded away.

He could blockade the door later, right now he had some preening to do.

inspired by boop day, reblog this post if its ok for people to send you random asks and interact on your posts with no judgement. i want to talk to people.

hope is a skill

Imagine you died but instead of heaven or hell or nothing you're just stuck with all the other dead versions of you and you have to watch the next iteration of you make the same mistake AGAIN like a fucked up twitch chat because you ARE unfortunately the universe's favorite OC and instead of letting you truly die they just keep copying you in slightly different iterations over and over again.

First you find out that all the others were watching you fuck up before. And now you have to watch the next one fuck up even though YOU GOT YOUR HAPPY ENDING.

And none of them have the beam into your head tutorial power but Loop so the only way to communicate with them is through Loop. So Loop has to do this AGAIN. All while they have three other idiots breathing down their neck and arguing about the best way to get through this. And technically there are even more of you running around but they're so old or fragmented they're more like ghosts than anything???

How long has this been going on?

Nobody is sure. Even the oldest one there has seen the ghosts running around.

Anyways welcome to the nightmare blunt rotation.