Book Review

You faintly remember evil laughter. A virtual reality ray. Switching places. (live: 1s)[(if: time > 3s)[ The memories are coming back. You remember something about a theme project.](if: time > 6s)[ You remember your English teacher ganging up with your geometry teacher because he can't bring himself to be evil, where your geometry teacher locks students in his dungeon.](if: time > 10s)[ You remember it all. Your English teacher was displeased with your recent theme project. Deciding you needed to understand the book more, he teamed up with your geometry teacher to create a virtual reality ray. He has placed you in the book. You are now Princess Lucero-Elisa of Orovalle. You are the chosen one now. You bear the godstone. [[You are inside the story.]] (stop:)]]

(if: $one is true and $two is true and $three is true)[You feel a strange tingling sensation. Your teachers have taken you out of the VR. Your English teacher looks pleased. Your geometry teacher [rings a bell]<hm|.(click: ?hm)[ //Must have been what that completion sound was.//] The two of them unstrap you from the desks and let you go on your way, satisfied with your understanding of the themes. [[The End]]](else:)[Choose a number to explore a theme. [[1]] [[2]] [[3]]]

(if: (history:)contains "Keep going...")[Hey! You've already done this theme! [[Back|You are inside the story.]]](else:)[(set: $theme to "Don't be afraid to assert yourself.")You decide to explore the first theme, of not being afraid to assert yourself. Now go ahead and [[jump into the storyline]].(live: 1s)[(if: time > 20s)[ Well... Don't be scared!](if: time > 40s)[ Eheheh... This isn't funny anymore.](if: time > 60s)[ Is this a joke? Are you braindead? START. THE. STORY.(stop:)]]]

(if: (history:)contains "Who cares? At least I'll die fighting.")[Hey! You've already done this theme! [[Back|You are inside the story.]]](else:)[(set: $theme to "It's better to try and do something and get hurt in the process than to just sit and be useless.")(set: $dos to true)You decide to explore the theme of not being useless. Now go ahead and [[jump into the storyline|J2]].(live: 1s)[(if: time > 20s)[ Well... Don't be scared!](if: time > 40s)[ Eheheh... This isn't funny anymore.](if: time > 60s)[ Is this a joke? Are you braindead? START. THE. STORY.(stop:)]]]

(if: $Godstones is 6)[Hey! You've already done this theme! [[Back|You are inside the story.]]](else:)[(set: $theme to "Sometimes you need more than just yourself to accomplish something.")You decide to explore the theme of needing others. Now go ahead and [[jump into the storyline|J3]].(live: 1s)[(if: time > 20s)[ Well... Don't be scared!](if: time > 40s)[ Eheheh... This isn't funny anymore.](if: time > 60s)[ Is this a joke? Are you braindead? START. THE. STORY.(stop:)]]]

(if: (passage:) is "Failed to Understand")[ ](if: (passage:) is "You are inside the story.")[(set: $theme to 0)](else:)[(if: $theme is "" or $theme is 0)[ ](else:)[Theme: $theme <br><br>]]

You are sitting at a table. You think you remember this scene. You and the members of Alejandro--you new husband--'s court. They're talking about the impending war with the Invierne. (live: 1s)[(if: time > 12s and time < 17s)[ Everyone else is debating what to do. [[Keep quiet.]] [[Maybe we could...]]](if: time > 17s)[ They sound like they have a solid plan... (if: time > 20s)[ Unfortunately, their plan was a failure... [[Everyone was slaughtered...|Failed to Understand]]]]]

(set: $theme to "")(goto: "Untitled Passage")

You find yourself underneath a carriage. Your maid, Lady Aneaxi, is underneath you, and it seems that you have broken her leg. Fire and battle rages around you. You remember now. You, your nurse, and your maid were in the carriage, on your way to your new home after your father married you off to Alejandro. But then some local savages--the Perditos--had attacked. You three had climbed out of the carriage, and you had accidentally landed on Aneaxi's leg, probably breaking it. The battle is raging. What do you do? [[Help your maid--your friend.]] [[Stay down... maybe they won't see you?]] [[Let's fight our way out of it!]]

You find yourself backed up against the bathing pool in your suite, an animagi threatening to kill everyone you love. You faintly remember someone saying something about previous bearers. You hold an amulet in your hand, and the Godstone in your abdomen feels... warm. You don't have a lot of time. You can see Alejandro's son, Prince Rosario, holding a bag of dead Godstones behind his back. [[Maybe the other Godstones could help?]] [[Can I just... like... stab this... Animagi thing?]] [[OHMYGOSHIDUNNOWHATTODOWE'REALLGONNADIE.]]

You have died (virtually). You wake up lying on some desks in your English teacher's classroom. He and your geometry teacher are conversing from behind the Virtual Reality ray. [Move]<ERP|(click: ?ERP)[ You try to move off of the desks, but end up just jingling the clasps on your restraints. Your teachers look at you. Your English teacher asks you to ponder the themes and what you have learned of those themes in your experience. (live: 1s)[(set: $othertime to it + 1)(if: $othertime > 10s)[No matter what you said, he decided you didn't learn enough and has sent you back in. ](if: time > 17s)[(if: $theme is "Don't be afraid to assert yourself.")[(goto: "jump into the storyline")](elseif: $theme is "It's better to try and do something and get hurt in the process than to just sit and be useless.")[(goto: "J2")](elseif: $theme is "Sometimes you need more than just yourself to accomplish something.")[(goto: "J3")](else:)[ [[Hey, wait, how did you even die?|You are inside the story.]] ]]]] [Talk]<erp|(click: ?erp)[ You clear your throat and your teachers look at you. Your English teacher asks you to ponder the themes and what you have learned of those themes in your experience. (live: 1s)[(set: $timmy to it + 1)(if: $timmy > 10s)[No matter what you said, he decided you didn't learn enough and has sent you back in. ](if: time > 17s)[(if: $theme is "Don't be afraid to assert yourself.")[(goto: "jump into the storyline")](elseif: $theme is "It's better to try and do something and get hurt in the process than to just sit and be useless.")[(goto: "J2")](elseif: $theme is "Sometimes you need more than just yourself to accomplish something.")[(goto: "J3")](else:)[ [[Hey, wait, how did you even die...?|You are inside the story.]] ]]]] [Escape]<rp|(click: ?rp)[ //You're strapped to the desks.//]

You and Ximena pull Lady Aneaxi out from underneath the carriage, just like in the book. (live: 1s)[(if: time > 5s)[ You can see your husband. A Perdito stabs at him with a knife.(if: time > 9s and time < 16s)[ [[I need to do something!]] [[He'll probably be fine...]]](if: time > 16s)[ It's too late. Alejandro is dead. The battle continues.](if: time > 20s)[(set: $to to "NOOO") It took a while, but eventually Alejandro's men have warded off the attackers. You are back on your way, but not for the same reason as before. Alejandro is dead. He only has one son, and he is only a child. You are the queen. YOU are the one who must do something. It's time to [[continue on your theme-based journey.]]]]]

Unfortunately, the part of the story you forgot was that said carriage was on fire. The carriage [[collapses|Failed to Understand]].

You decide that you aren't going to let yourself or your friends get killed. You won't let Alejandro's men fight alone. Getting up from underneath the carriage, you grab a knife, which must have been dropped by one of the Perditos. As you begin fighting, Ximena struggles to pull your maid out from underneath the carriage....(live: 1s)[(if: time > 3s)[ The carriage has collapsed. There is little time to mourn. You can see your husband. A Perdito stabs at him with a knife.(if: time > 6s and time < 14s)[ [[I need to do something!]] [[He'll probably be fine...]]](if: time > 14s)[ It's too late. Alejandro is dead. The battle continues.](if: time > 18s)[ It took a while, but eventually Alejandro's men have warded off the attackers. You are back on your way, but not for the same reason as before. Alejandro is dead. He only has one son, and he is only a child. You are the queen. YOU are the one who must do something. It's time to [[continue on your theme-based journey.]]]]]

You remain silent. The others seem to be coming up with a plan, but you think it sounds horrible.(live: 1s)[(if: time > 5s and time < 10s)[ You could interrupt now. You have the opportunity. [[Maybe we could...]]](if: time > 10s)[ It's too late to say anything. People are already leaving the room to put their plan into action.(if: time > 15s)[ Their plan was an utter failure. [[Everyone was slaughtered in the war|Failed to Understand]].]]]

You begin to rattle off your idea. The others seem mildly interested. The Condesa, however, seems dissatisfied.(live: 1s)[(if: time > 5s)[ [[Or... maybe not...]] [[Keep going...]]](if: time > 35s)[ Okay, wow, just decide or something. One of the council members raises an eyebrow to your silence. Everyone is still staring at you.]]

You decide to skip a little bit of the story. Oddly enough, upon deciding you want to, the story skips ahead. You are at the pivotal point in the story. You have been kidnapped by Cosme, the Condesa's maid and spy for a third party, and Humberto, a stranger who you remember is related to Cosme. You have arrived at their home, full of scarred and injured people--mostly children. You remember what you can do. You can help them. You can win this war with them. But... you're also afraid. What if you DIE before you can fulfill your service? [[Who cares? At least I'll die fighting.]] [[Eh... nope. NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE.]]

(unless: (history:)contains "Let's fight our way out of it!")[You pick up a knife. ]Hurling yourself at Alejandro's attacker, you, well, attack in a flurry of blind frenzy. Your id has taken over, and only stops when Alejandro gently pries the knife from your hand. The virtual reality won't let you see the scene in front of you, deeming it inappropriate for a school assignment. You [[continue on your theme-based journey.]]

You stand there, afraid to do anything. You can feel the disapproval radiating off of your English teacher from here, but you ignore it.(live: 1s)[(if: time > 7s and time < 12s)[ Alejandro looks like he's dying. There's still time to [[do something|I need to do something!]].](if: time > 12s)[ It's too late again. Alejandro has died. The King's soldiers, disheartened by this, struggle in their fighting. It's not enough. [[You and your comrades have died.|Failed to Understand]]]]

You shrink away from the Condesa's unwavering gaze. You tell the others it was a silly plan anyway. So instead they go with their plan.(live: 1s)[(if: time > 7s)[ Unfortunately, their plan was a crappy one. [[Everyone has died|Failed to Understand]].]]

You continue one with your idea. Everyone (except for the Condesa) seems satisfied with your idea. Alejandro looks at you approvingly. Turns out luck is on your side--the others agree to go with it. You faintly remember some words your sister told you earlier in the story--//"Don't be afraid to be queen..."// You haven't let her down, nor have you let down your teacher. You hear a [[completion sound|You are inside the story.]].(set: $one to true)

You decide to stay and help their cause. After all, they're on the same side of the war as the people of Joya d'Arena. Much like in the book, you form the Malifico, in order to combat the Invierne in a discreet way. After the war and after applying this theme in other, smaller ways, you feel as if you've made your sister, your nurse, Ximena, and all of the priests you've known in your life proud. They were the ones who stressed the importance of your bearing the Godstone and of your service. Above all, you feel as if you've made your teachers proud. In fact, you hear a short [[completion sound|You are inside the story.]].(set: $two to true)

You decide you don't want to help. Your father wanted you to be Queen of Joya d'Arena, not the leader of a sad group of children.(if: $to is "NOOO")[ Also, you left Alejandro's son behind without anyone to take care of him.]. The people reluctantly agree to escort you back. Unfortunately for you, the people are slaughtered in the war, later letting the Invierne slaughter you and Joya d'Arena too. [[Nice going.|Failed to Understand]]

You gesture to Rosario in a discreet way, leaning against the tiles. You faintly remember the fact that they were also made by a bearer, just like the amulet you clutch against your chest. While the animagi is distracted, Rosario hands you the bag of Godstones.(live: 1s)(if: time > 15)[ Now you need to [[use your awesome timing skills to place the Godstones into the amulet]].]

Grabbing a knife that spontaneously appeared, you lunge at the Animagi. However, you've forgotten the vital fact that they have magic. The Animagi burns and [[kills you|Failed to Understand]].

You sit there like an idiot. The VR does not wish to share details, also deeming it inappropriate for school. [[You have died|Failed to Understand]].

(set: $Godstones to 0)When the prompt is shown, click to place a Godstone. (live: 1s)[Godstones placed: $Godstones](live: 0.5s)[(if: time > 5s and time < 8s)[(if: $Godstones is 0)[ [He's not looking.]<HRE|(click: ?HRE)[(if: $Godstones < 1)[(set: $Godstones to it + 1)]]]](elseif: time > 10s and time < 13s)[(if: $Godstones <= 1)[ [Now!]<dos|(click: ?dos)[(if: $Godstones < 2)[(set: $Godstones to it + 1)]]]](elseif: time > 15s and time < 17s)[(if: $Godstones <= 2)[ [Halfway there...]<guh|(click: ?guh)[(if: $Godstones < 3)[(set: $Godstones to it + 1)]]]](elseif: time > 18s and time < 20s)[(if: $Godstones <= 3)[ [Keep going!]<l|(click: ?l)[(if: $Godstones < 4)[(set: $Godstones to it + 1)]]]](elseif: time > 25s and time < 28s)[(if: $Godstones <= 4)[ [Stay determined...]<dd|(click: ?dd)[(if: $Godstones < 5)[(set: $Godstones to it + 1)]]]](elseif: time > 30s and time < 33s)[(if: $Godstones <= 5)[ [Last one!]<ssf|(click: ?ssf)[(if: $Godstones < 6)[(set: $Godstones to it + 1)]]]](if: time > 33s and $Godstones is 6)[ When combined with your own Godstone, the locket explodes. You've done it. With the collective power of all of the bearers and their services, combined with yours, you have defeated the Animagi.(set: $three to true) You hear a [[completion sound|You are inside the story.]].(stop:)](elseif: time > 33s and $Godstones is not 6)[ Unfortunately your timing skills were not enough. [[The Animagi has won|Failed to Understand]].(stop:)]]

Interactive Fiction by Natalie Maino, for 3rd quarter book review/theme project. Based off of "The Girl of Fire and Thorns" by Rae Carson. [Again?]<dfdf|(click: ?dfdf)[(reload:)](live: 1s)[(if: time > 30s)[Wow, you... you can go now, you know. GO. GO NOW! GO NOW AND LEAVE ME--I mean... just... leave this Twine story behind.]]