VN Ren'Py Love & Jealousy [Act 2] [Professor Amethyst Games]

[DeviantFun]

Thats kind of the only option for a "good" ending, what else could he do? forgive that she did not give a damn about him for years, and even in some ocassions when already married? Best Mc can do is accept it and live with the pain, hope that the future good balances the damaging pain he has. I was gonna say that the relatinship will never be a "disney movie", but i have seen some of the content they have in their platform now...so i better shut up about it.

And unless things change quite a lot we seem directed to a similar to polygamy relationship, a tiered one trough, or as Lacey once said, a permanent free pass, to some of the girls. I kind of already tiered them in the post when i imagined them as part of a kingdom.

Now... imagine poor Anna or any of the girls in the future, wanting to be a mother and having to ask permision from Lacey to get knocked up by Mc, that would be a scene worth reading.

Absolutely, we don't know for how long the "love experiment" will go on, Lacey is ambiguous about it, she says in act 1 that MC should date for a while and experience things (to her credit not only sexual), but in act 2 she seems to make Anna believe (maybe also Pimp and Kelly, but I don't have text lines for those) that she will be loved by MC, which doesn't make me think bout a timed compromise.

You know, looking at how weak MC is at holding his ground with anyone, I fear the direction will be (at least in one ending), that MC will forgive and all will be fine.
The guy has an incurable disease (PTSD) which can only be managed or improved slightly, there is no way that something like this can be forgiven, accepted, yes, moved past, yes, but not forgiven.
If he does it would be the headstone on this already pretty pathetic character.

And before anyone gets angry, I don't say pathetic lightly, his story is pathetic, he is a victim through and though, but it is undeniable that he is pathetic.

 

[Darmokhisarmswide]

There is still the question of what Lacey’s big secret is that she won’t tell the MC. There has been a lot of speculation in this thread to this question. I wonder if one of the following could be it (the first is more intrinsic, the second more explicit):

1.) Somewhen after Lacey met Mia in college, Mia convinced her to let go of her past including the MC, allowing her to start her «training» of Lacey. Mia came up with some bullshit explanation that the MC was part of the problem Lacey had (and not the hero saving her) and Lacey believed it. Mia hating the MC at the beginning could be a hint to this.
Of course it did not work and Lacey got worse with alcohol and drugs and even tried to kill herself. So in this theory, Lacey’s dark secret is, that a part of her started to blame MC for what has happened to her and wanted to let go of him.

2.) Lacey became an actual porn star in her senior year. After she started enjoying sex without the ketamine and alcohol (as Mia has shown the MC in the final revelation of pics) that was something Mia could convince her to.
She would wear a wig or not show her face in the videos, otherwise a lot of people would have recognised her up until now. Of course there is Barty who has seen «some videos» of Lacey. The trip to Vegas will probably get exciting as Lacey meets some former «colleagues» of hers.

So, now you can enlighten me why I am totally wrong .

 

[Maviarab]

Of course it did not work and Lacey got worse with alcohol and drugs and even tried to kill herself.

Well wrong here right off. She tried to kill herself multiple times before she even started touching alcohol or drugs. It was the K that helped her stop doing that. There is zero mention of any suicide attempts after she started taking K (IIRC, not taking into account her fuck ups over Bastion etc).

Lacey became an actual porn star in her senior year. After she started enjoying sex without the ketamine and alcohol (as Mia has shown the MC in the final revelation of pics) that was something Mia could convince her to.

Often touched upon but there is literally no evidence or proof. However, on one specific choice, she does mention that there was website that her fans used to rate 'how good she was'...so lots of videos do exist and they are/were on the internet. This also comes back around to, how the hell did they afford all the drugs?

However, the wording she uses (and perceived fear), it is obviously something that will completely and utterly break the MC and the marriage. So, given what she has already done, what we have already seen, it has to be pretty fucking grim imo.

 

[DeviantFun]

There is still the question of what Lacey’s big secret is that she won’t tell the MC. There has been a lot of speculation in this thread to this question. I wonder if one of the following could be it (the first is more intrinsic, the second more explicit):

1.) Somewhen after Lacey met Mia in college, Mia convinced her to let go of her past including the MC, allowing her to start her «training» of Lacey. Mia came up with some bullshit explanation that the MC was part of the problem Lacey had (and not the hero saving her) and Lacey believed it. Mia hating the MC at the beginning could be a hint to this.
Of course it did not work and Lacey got worse with alcohol and drugs and even tried to kill herself. So in this theory, Lacey’s dark secret is, that a part of her started to blame MC for what has happened to her and wanted to let go of him.

2.) Lacey became an actual porn star in her senior year. After she started enjoying sex without the ketamine and alcohol (as Mia has shown the MC in the final revelation of pics) that was something Mia could convince her to.
She would wear a wig or not show her face in the videos, otherwise a lot of people would have recognised her up until now. Of course there is Barty who has seen «some videos» of Lacey. The trip to Vegas will probably get exciting as Lacey meets some former «colleagues» of hers.

So, now you can enlighten me why I am totally wrong .

Allow me good sir!

So for the first one, we know the pimp tried to separate L from MC, quite a bit, but it is later discovered that during first and second phase at least Lacey would cry and repeat to herself this was all done for MC sake.
The "other side" seems to be existing before the pimp came in L life, in fact she states that it was kept at bay by MC.
But! Your theory is very similar with that AL.d proposes often.
One point in favour of this theory could be that Lacey admits that she was hurting MC.
I still do not see any strong evidence, how MC kept at bay L hating him? She refers to him as a saviour and santa Claus...
But it is a good theory, even if I don't subscribe to it.

The second one would make many in this thread, looking at you Mav, be very happy, but then again we have clear indication that the senior year was "clean" of any debauchery.
But as for the Vegas trip, I made a similar wish more than a prediction, L being recognized by some college "returning customers" in public, I don't know if we will get that,because L videos , like her K, are like Schrodinger's cat.
As far as the pimp convincing her I don't think so, when L wanted to quit her employment with her she went for a last hurrah but it seems she did help in getting her sober, so I don't see the motivation behind it, and I think the pimp is the shittiest human being in the story, even and Jared included.

Well wrong here right off. She tried to kill herself multiple times before she even started touching alcohol or drugs. It was the K that helped her stop doing that. There is zero mention of any suicide attempts after she started taking K (IIRC, not taking into account her fuck ups over Bastion etc).



Often touched upon but there is literally no evidence or proof. However, on one specific choice, she does mention that there was website that her fans used to rate 'how good she was'...so lots of videos do exist and they are/were on the internet. This also comes back around to, how the hell did they afford all the drugs?



However, the wording she uses (and perceived fear), it is obviously something that will completely and utterly break the MC and the marriage. So, given what she has already done, what we have already seen, it has to be pretty fucking grim imo.

I agree with all of what you said, add the website and the money to the Schrodinger's list.

One thing I am wondering about if Lacey is not making a bigger deal out of it than it is.
Look at the answers about the dark fantasies in kw, she is sad and kinda terrified to say them, but they are kinda mild for MC, he doesn't feel threatened by them or hurt, he just accepts them (they are not so bad if you remove the murder part).

So maybe, hopefully, L is misjudging the weight of the other side?

 

[Maviarab]

looking at you Mav

 

[Lestrouduc]

Wait, wait : define FAV = Character("Familiar Voice") # Barty in videos.

According to the author, this means that Barty in the fake video isn't really Barty with the fake Lacey, but rather FAV... and of course, her friend Reggie isn't really Reggie either... maybe Will too...

 

[Diosvincenccio]

So in this theory, Lacey’s dark secret is, that a part of her started to blame MC for what has happened to her and wanted to let go of him.

I did float the theory that Lacey somewhat hated that the MC never appeared at her college times and saved her from her bad decisions, lonelyness drugs and later the sex. As illogical that it sounds since he never knew where she was or that she needed to be saved. But since he was always protecting her before, she could have felt betrayed as he didnt protect her from herself this time. Lacey mind is not exactly rational.

So the part where she blames Mc could actually be true and holds some weight. Mia trying to shift the blame to MC as him being part of the problem, that not so much, since she didnt know what the problem was to begin with. More like Mia trying to make Lacey forget the MC.

Lacey became an actual porn star in her senior year. After she started enjoying sex without the ketamine and alcohol (as Mia has shown the MC in the final revelation of pics) that was something Mia could convince her to.
She would wear a wig or not show her face in the videos, otherwise a lot of people would have recognised her up until now. Of course there is Barty who has seen «some videos» of Lacey. The trip to Vegas will probably get exciting as Lacey meets some former «colleagues» of hers.

While it somewhat happened as there are videos of her and fans are rating them, it feels like it was somewhat without authorization on Lacey part, probably without consent or even awareness that she was being recorded. At least it dosent seem as Lacey was the one being paid for doing videos. Mia on the other side has some close enough lines to be possible that she get some remuneration, like she said, giving Lacey for favors.


Anyway some good points.

 

[DeviantFun]

Wait, wait : define FAV = Character("Familiar Voice") # Barty in videos.

According to the author, this means that Barty in the fake video isn't really Barty with the fake Lacey, but rather FAV... and of course, her friend Reggie isn't really Reggie either... maybe Will too...

I think that was more of a self reminder from the author.

I am still hoping that Barty is somewhat not involved in the whole thing, because it is disappointing to see characters shifting so heavily to fit the narrative.
He is shown to be a grieving but honorable man, which slips up while super drunk but then is very regretful.

Nothing we see in act 2 show the same character, same as Isaac, Christine and to a lesser extent Anna.

Maybe Barty has a brother? His voice was AI as well? We never see his face in the video.

 

[Maviarab]

I did float the theory that Lacey somewhat hated that the MC never appeared at her college times and saved her from her bad decisions, lonelyness drugs and later the sex. As illogical that it sounds since he never knew where she was or that she needed to be saved. But since he was always protecting her before, she could have felt betrayed as he didnt protect her from herself this time. Lacey mind is not exactly rational.

Remember, this secret she has kept from the MC since 'before' she left for college. It is not a new thing. He is unaware of it himself, and even Mia may not actually know from the dialogue.

I can't recall who first said it (may have even been you)...but I'm perhaps thinking along the lines that at some point, she started to enjoy her abuse from her father, sort of like a Stockholm syndrome type thing (and that would fit in very well with how the prof is writing this story when you think about it)...thus...events leading into junior year with Mia were not quite as awful as she makes it seem to the MC (though her shame would never allow her to admit this depravity).

I am still very concerned (despite I think most here not agreeing with me) that she truly believes herself capable of doing the deep fake if she was high enough...there is no final defiance, no I would never...she actually believes she did/could do that...

I am still hoping that Barty is somewhat not involved in the whole thing, because it is disappointing to see characters shifting so heavily to fit the narrative.

It would also be dumb as all hell imo too. A true facepalm moment though I'm with you 100%, it was not Barty but someone who looks like him. Surely with the artifacting in the video, Christine would also have picked up on them being overlayed too?

 

[conho]

It is nice to see how a story like this affected you somewhat positively, it didn't do the same for others.

It is a testament of the author akill in bringing to life some emotions.
Sure there are inconsistencies and mistakes here and there, but the emotional "transmission" is undeniable.

There should be different endings, and a somewhat happy one is definitely in the trajectory (or at least it seems to be).

There might be also some worse ones anongamer1983 made a list some posts ago with some speculations.

Personally, I am still hoping for a bittersweet ending, an ending of acceptance but not of forgiveness.
This is valid for MC and Lacey, but also for Mia and possibly Anna (which will have to accept to be a third wheel forever).

You got me so well that it is almost you know me for real lol. The way autor do this kind of thing is amazing for me but he shot stright on the thing! Wish I coould have money to be a patreon but in my country (english is not my native language), life is thight right now....

 

[AL.d]

Allow me good sir!

So for the first one, we know the pimp tried to separate L from MC, quite a bit, but it is later discovered that during first and second phase at least Lacey would cry and repeat to herself this was all done for MC sake.
The "other side" seems to be existing before the pimp came in L life, in fact she states that it was kept at bay by MC.
But! Your theory is very similar with that AL.d proposes often.
One point in favour of this theory could be that Lacey admits that she was hurting MC.
I still do not see any strong evidence, how MC kept at bay L hating him? She refers to him as a saviour and santa Claus...
But it is a good theory, even if I don't subscribe to it.

The second one would make many in this thread, looking at you Mav, be very happy, but then again we have clear indication that the senior year was "clean" of any debauchery.
But as for the Vegas trip, I made a similar wish more than a prediction, L being recognized by some college "returning customers" in public, I don't know if we will get that,because L videos , like her K, are like Schrodinger's cat.
As far as the pimp convincing her I don't think so, when L wanted to quit her employment with her she went for a last hurrah but it seems she did help in getting her sober, so I don't see the motivation behind it, and I think the pimp is the shittiest human being in the story, even and Jared included.



I agree with all of what you said, add the website and the money to the Schrodinger's list.

One thing I am wondering about if Lacey is not making a bigger deal out of it than it is.
Look at the answers about the dark fantasies in kw, she is sad and kinda terrified to say them, but they are kinda mild for MC, he doesn't feel threatened by them or hurt, he just accepts them (they are not so bad if you remove the murder part).

So maybe, hopefully, L is misjudging the weight of the other side?

Looking at their relationship as a whole, there is no doubt she has some underlying resentment for him. For not being what she thinks she needs. Damaged people like her often subconsciously look for...unsavory traits in partners. To me it's obvious from their sexual dynamic and the way she is treating him. Not the way a woman treats a man she actually respects as a chosen mate, I think that's clear. It's why I think there is a speck of truth in the deepfake when she is talking about him. And it's not even something that subtle, you don't try to "reprogram" someone who you are supposed to love for who they are.

My problem with that being the other side (even if I have mentioned it), is that she is fully conscious of that. That's not how it works. These are things that are deeply rooted and people may discover them after years of successful therapy. So while I definitely believe the resentment is blatantly clear in the way their relationship is written, I have a suspicion it's something much more simple (dumb) than that.

My eyes will roll to the back of my head if that super secret side of hers is something like self-harm.

 

[Maviarab]

y eyes will roll to the back of my head if that super secret side of hers is something like self-harm.

Can't be that as the MC was well aware of it and took steps to prevent it (before she left). Whatever it is, the MC is completely unaware of it.

 

[AL.d]

Can't be that as the MC was well aware of it and took steps to prevent it (before she left). Whatever it is, the MC is completely unaware of it.

I know. That's why I would consider it dumb. But I'm prepared to be underwhelmed.

 

[Diosvincenccio]

Remember, this secret she has kept from the MC since 'before' she left for college. It is not a new thing. He is unaware of it himself, and even Mia may not actually know from the dialogue.

I guess i explained it wrongly. I see it as a sort of missplaced anger that is directed against the MC. Along diferent versions of "How could he let it happen?" and "Why did he not do more?" that change depending on the situation. Just diverting the anger and blame to her "guardian protector and hero" for what happened to her, a coping mechanism.

At childhood, where this other side is created.
She cant understand why it happened to her, so she subconciosly searches someone to take the blame. And who is there? MC. A why he did not do more? is created, even if her logical side finds it irrational to think that. But she did not understood to what extends Mc did go until the 243 rules convo.

After prom and the start of college.
She had this idea that she could go on her own and fix herself. Instead she ended as a loner and using drugs. Even if she knows that it was her own decision to cut MC out of her life "for the moment". Subconciosly she could still think that MC should not let her go and kept her at his side.

After Mia and the drug and sex spiral.
Things got dark for her, and she knows it was on her own decisions. Influenced by others or not she is still the one that acted, she is the one acountable for allowing those bad choices. So again the subconscious seeks a way for her to feel better. Its not really my fault, if he were had come here to save and guide me, i would never had done all this, by not being here he allowed it. He has protected me in the past and so far, so if it happened is because he failed.


We know that the MC acted to the extend to his posibilities to save and protect her during all the game. In her rational mind she knows too even if she didnt know how he did it in some cases. Now think how he acted after the Jared blackmail, I finally saved you, etc... He is also blaming himself and thinking that he should have done more. If she were to reveal that she also, subconciosly, thinks that, even if she tells that she knows its irrational, it would be damn devastating for the MC.

Thats one of my takes on Lacey other side, that she irrationally blames the MC for not protecting her more, that she thinks that somewhat he failed as a hero and protector, that he did not protect her even against herself. That she blames him even when knowing she shouldnt.

 

[Maviarab]

I guess i explained it wrongly. I see it as a sort of missplaced anger that is directed against the MC. Along diferent versions of "How could he let it happen?" and "Why did he not do more?" that change depending on the situation. Just diverting the anger and blame to her "guardian protector and hero" for what happened to her, a coping mechanism.

At childhood, where this other side is created.
She cant understand why it happened to her, so she subconciosly searches someone to take the blame. And who is there? MC. A why he did not do more? is created, even if her logical side finds it irrational to think that. But she did not understood to what extends Mc did go until the 243 rules convo.

After prom and the start of college.
She had this idea that she could go on her own and fix herself. Instead she ended as a loner and using drugs. Even if she knows that it was her own decision to cut MC out of her life "for the moment". Subconciosly she could still think that MC should not let her go and kept her at his side.

After Mia and the drug and sex spiral.
Things got dark for her, and she knows it was on her own decisions. Influenced by others or not she is still the one that acted, she is the one acountable for allowing those bad choices. So again the subconscious seeks a way for her to feel better. Its not really my fault, if he were had come here to save and guide me, i would never had done all this, by not being here he allowed it. He has protected me in the past and so far, so if it happened is because he failed.


We know that the MC acted to the extend to his posibilities to save and protect her during all the game. In her rational mind she knows too even if she didnt know how he did it in some cases. Now think how he acted after the Jared blackmail, I finally saved you, etc... He is also blaming himself and thinking that he should have done more. If she were to reveal that she also, subconciosly, thinks that, even if she tells that she knows its irrational, it would be damn devastating for the MC.

Thats one of my takes on Lacey other side, that she irrationally blames the MC for not protecting her more, that she thinks that somewhat he failed as a hero and protector, that he did not protect her even against herself. That she blames him even when knowing she shouldnt.

While I could argue while fully coherant, she does tell him he saved her time and again...she actually point blank refutes him thinking he could have done more...

That aside, you do make all valid and fair points yeah. The subconcious and how people think/project can be very murky waters indeed.

 

[Maviarab]

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[DeviantFun]

As always our MC is capable, fairly good looking and basically a decent human being. With flaws as all my characters do. It's no fun to write a story if they don't

Look, I don't want to sound petty or nasty, but maybe the prof needs to replay L&J for a sec.

Our MC and being capable are two opposite concepts and even his "good" traits are actually flaws.

I guess, since we are talking about rpg, our MC probably spent all his points on appearance so there was nothing left anywhere else.

(Even though, I am sorry to say, bastion IS way more good looking than him)

 

[Maviarab]

Look, I don't want to sound petty or nasty, but maybe the prof needs to replay L&J for a sec.

Our MC and being capable are two opposite concepts and even his "good" traits are actually flaws.

I guess, since we are talking about rpg, our MC probably spent all his points on appearance so there was nothing left anywhere else.

(Even though, I am sorry to say, bastion IS way more good looking than him)

That line is about the MC in his new game btw.

However, he recently replied in the OTMT thread...I find his conspicious absence here to be very interesting. Just reading and absorbing the discussion perhaps?

 

[Dragonlight]

Look, I don't want to sound petty or nasty, but maybe the prof needs to replay L&J for a sec.

Our MC and being capable are two opposite concepts and even his "good" traits are actually flaws.

I guess, since we are talking about rpg, our MC probably spent all his points on appearance so there was nothing left anywhere else.

(Even though, I am sorry to say, bastion IS way more good looking than him)

No way our boy is less handsome than bastian.

 

[DeviantFun]

That line is about the MC in his new game btw.

However, he recently replied in the OTMT thread...I find his conspicious absence here to be very interesting. Just reading and absorbing the discussion perhaps?

Yeah but he said "as always" so I assumed he was talking about all of his games.

Well, I also think it is a shame that the author chose not to engage with this thread, but I also understand, L&J is a hard game to swallow, and we had quite a few hard comments.
Even my comments could be interpreted as hard sometimes, even if it is never my intention, as I try to offer commentary or positive criticism.

I mean we even went to his patreon page to defend his work, no matter of the perceived flaws, I hope this counts for something and will encourage him to engage with us more.

That said, looking at some of the more hateful and unhinged discussions, I don't know if I would if I were in his shoes.

View attachment 5174693

No way our boy is less handsome than bastian.

In game? No, you are right.

Outside of the game go and look at the sprites and tell me MC looks better than Bastion.

At least bastion looks like he is in his 20s and not in high school.

I stopped caring about the graphical aspects quite some time ago, but I wouldn't mind an update at some point.
Jeanette is probably the worst offender.

Edit: I just thought of one aspect, Jared has been somewhat neutered, but he still holds a lot of dirt on people, especially Veronica.

What is stopping him from.using it or selling the info?
Bella? He could easily circumvent her and send the info to Vindrelli, you know, in a "Let Samson die with all the Philistines" situation.