The Broken Rose: Chapter 12 – Ways and Means

Update: It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything to this blog because moving is a total beast, but I had to carve out some time to update for Bethany’s artwork.  This was my most controversial chapter, and she handled the subject matter beautifully ♥  I’ve put the image near the appropriate text in the chapter.


The Broken Rose Page

<–Chapter 11                                                                                                                                 Chapter 13–>

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII, its characters, and settings are all property of Square Enix so I can take no credit nor claim any ownership of that. I do take some credit for the story’s plot.
Banner Artwork Disclaimer:  The featured artwork for the banner is entitled White rose I and was created by the very talented Deviant Artist RemusSirion who was gracious enough to grant me permission to use it here.  The picture has been slightly altered from the original. All rights belong to the artist, and links are included for both the artist page and the work.
CHAPTER ARTWORK DISCLAIMER: THE FEATURED ARTWORK FOR THIS CHAPTER IS ENTITLED aerith AND WAS CREATED BY THE Extraordinarily talented hatori0322.  THE PICTURE HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY ALTERED IN APPEARANCE AND TO INCLUDE THE CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE.  ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE ARTIST.  LINKS ARE INCLUDED FOR BOTH THE ARTIST’S PAGE AND THE WORK.

*******MAJOR CONTENT WARNING*******

Consistent and sustained graphic descriptions and mentions of rape/ sexual assault, sexual slavery/bondage, slavery, human trafficking, physical abuse, graphic descriptions of violence, mental abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, body shaming, starvation, torture, forced pregnancy, forced childbirth, miscarriage, forced miscarriage, abortion, and other potential disturbing and triggering topics.


Aeris must make her biggest decision since her rescue two months ago.

Painting of Aeris/Aerith.

Painting of Aeris/Aerith. She is looking wide-eyed off to the left with very red and slightly parted lips. She has a large red rose in her long brown hair. Her eyes are a huge and vibrant green. The background is lighter green. Chapter 12 Ways and Means is in the upper left corner in a slightly darker green than the background.

Sephiroth wandered around the kitchen with his phone couched in his right hand.  Heavy boots made no sound on the floor though his hair whispered against his coat.  He could silence that, too, if he so wished, but there was no need for stealth now.  During his hunt, he’d thought of his rose and how she slept safe and secure.  He did not smile to not crack the mask, but emerald filled the darkest corners.  No monster that evening could stand a chance against a righteous protector’s wrath, and the Great General only wished it was Midgar that burned within his sight.  Not yet, the reckoning will come at its proper time. 

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The State of the Writer: 12/25/22

<–The State of the Writer: 12/11/22         The State of the Writer: 3/5/23–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0


Project: Story/Series
Working Title:
The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress:
Updating language details on Scrivener

Since I’m working on updating my term glossary with Ravic surnames and they use a lot of jewels/gems/precious stones, I figured this image would be fitting.  I’m finally putting the language notes into Scrivener, which is the final part of the update.  I did each separate group, but now I’m doing a more general language notes with gender markers.  I’m still debating doing a separate post that kind of explains some of the world, but it would definitely be after we move lol.

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The State of the Gamer: 12/15/22

<–The State of the Gamer: 12/1/22           The State of the Gamer: 3/9/23–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

Games Demoed: 0


Games Purchased: 2

  • Crisis Core – Final Fantasy VII – Reunion – $69.99 @ Nintendo eShop
  • Sotano – $3.99 @ Nintendo eShop
Total: $73.98

Games Finished: 0


Games On Hold: 0


Games DNF: 0


Currently Playing: 1

Title: Harvestella
System: Nintendo Switch

Harvestella cover

Date Started: November 20, 2022

I continue to love and worship this game above all others I haven’t even touched the Crisis Core remaster yet lol.  I’m currently halfway through winter and I’m hoping I can finish the latest dungeon before spring because that will open up the cave biome and I’ll be able to plant more seeds and stuff.  Again I hope Squeenix decides to give this game some love and DLCs because they could do so much with it.

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The State of the Reader: 12/14/22

<–The State of the Reader: 11/30/22         The State of the Reader: 3/8/23–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 3

Total: $15.97

Books Finished: 0


Books On Hold: 1

Title: Ecofeminism
Series Title: Critique Influence Change
Authors: Maria Mies & Vandana Shiva
Date Added: July 13, 2020
Date Started: May 3, 2022

Cover of Ecofeminism by Maria Mies & Vandana ShivaMedia: Paperback

I shelved this in order to switch to another research book for a bit.  I got some amazing notes from this one, and obviously intend to go back.

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The State of the Writer: 12/11/22

<–The State of the Writer: 11/27/22         The State of the Writer: 12/25/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0


Project: Story/Series
Working Title:
The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress:
Working on surname details

I really hope I have the name of the piece and artist correct.  I checked some images with the titles and artists in English to match up where this information was.  I’m fairly certain the characters are Chinese (I went to Google translate and I put them into Traditional Chinese and I think I might be right), but it’s one of those situations where I recognize the language but don’t know it.

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The State of the Gamer: 12/1/22

<–The State of the Gamer: 11/17/22           The State of the Gamer: 12/15/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

Games Demoed: 0


Games Purchased: 0


Games Finished: 1

Title: The Journey Down: Chapter Three
Series: The Journey Down
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of The Journey Down: Chapter ThreeDate Started: November 13, 2022
Date Finished: November 19, 2022

This game was just delightful.  All three of them were.  I’m always here for a “take down the corrupt power company that’s trying to destroy the world for their own gain” stories so hooray!  Hopefully, I’ll be able to review this soon and quickly.  I’m going to do them separately even though it’s one overarching narrative.


Games On Hold: 0


Games DNF: 0


Currently Playing: 1

Title: Harvestella
System: Nintendo Switch

Harvestella coverDate Started: November 20, 2022

Soooo I’m obsessed with this game lol.  I’ve never gotten into farm sims before, though I’ve been curious about games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley.  I love seeing my friends’ updates and enjoyment of them, but I was always in the midst of something else and wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy them.  I think I mentioned when I demoed this that I was on the fence about it, but was fairly quickly hooked.  I don’t usually like games that give you a time limit, and there are only so many hours in your day so you have to make the most of them, but I’m getting into the swing of things.  I even found a subreddit for it and everyone there is really nice!  Many of them are “chart” gamers like I am and have their spreadsheets shared on Google Docs with invaluable information.

I really hope Squeenix releases some DLCs for this because it’s apparently only five chapters and I’m in Chapter 3 now (which admittedly has three parts), but there’s a lot they could do with this.


Games Played

Uno and Picross S8 of course.


And I’m officially caught up with my State posts lol.  This has been a week.  Tomorrow I need to work on cleaning my closet (still) and packing.  We’re not moving until January but settlement is two weeks from today.


<–The State of the Gamer: 11/17/22           The State of the Gamer: 12/15/22–>

The State of the Reader: 11/30/22

<–The State of the Reader: 11/16/22         The State of the Reader: 12/14/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 1

Total: $2.99

Books Finished: 0


Books On Hold: 1

Title: The Cruel Prince
Series: The Folk of the Air
Author: Holly Black
Date Added: August 1, 2019
Date Started: October 31, 2022

Media: eBook/Kindle

Not on hold by choice.  The library loan ended before I could finish, and it’s a high demand book so I wasn’t able to renew.  I had to go back on the waiting list, so it’s on hold until I get it again.

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The State of the Writer: 11/27/22

<–The State of the Writer: 11/13/22         The State of the Writer: 12/11/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0


Project: Story/Series
Working Title:
The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress:
Working on surname details

Image is just one of the many I have for character ideas.  I love Pinterest as someone who uses artwork for inspiration, but I hate it for the sake of visual artists.  It’s almost entirely made up of stolen art and even if you do find the source, you can’t leave links in the comments.  I have seen more people being called out for it though.  With all visual artists are going through now with this AI generated art bullshit, I don’t blame them for mass exodus from sites like DeviantArt, which forces you to opt out of having your work used for such, and you don’t even know if that makes any difference.

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The State of the Gamer: 11/17/22

<–The State of the Gamer: 11/3/22           The State of the Gamer: 12/1/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

Games Demoed: 0


Games Purchased: 1

  • The Journey Down: Chapter Three – $14.99 @ Nintendo eShop
Total: $14.99

Games Finished: 1

Title: The Journey Down: Chapter Two
Series: The Journey Down
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of The Journey Down: Chapter Two

Date Started: November 3, 2022
Date Finished: November 10, 2022

I really love the world of this game and I think they did a good job with how they broke it into three parts (and I now have a good comparison and riposte for something else).  I did think it would end sooner than it did, but that was a nice surprise.  I’ve already started playing the third chapter as you’ll see below.

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The State of the Reader: 11/16/22

<–The State of the Reader: 11/2/22         The State of the Reader: 11/30/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 1

Total: $0.00

Books Finished: 1

Title: The Charmer, Volume 1
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Circus of the Damned
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton & Jessica Ruffner (adaptation)
Illustrator: Ron Lim
Date Added: September 25, 2022
Date Started: October 13, 2022
Date Finished: November 6, 2022

Cover of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Circus of the Damned, Volume 1: The Charmer by Laurell K. HamiltonMedia: Paperback

I was 100% certain I was going to (want to) continue this series when I first started reading it, but as I mentioned last week I think I’ve matured beyond the “possessive paranormal boyfriend” type into more of the “protective but respecting of boundaries paranormal boyfriend/husbando type.”  I mean it’s what all of my fanfics focus on.  In all seriousness there’s a major issue with lack of consent and this whole concept of “owning” people (yes, vampires, lycanthropes et al are people insofar as they’re sentient beings), which is never challenged by the narrative.  If I do keep reading, though, I have enough conflicting feelings for it to make for some good critique.

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