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Guide: Choosing a Love Interest

Lots of us have been there: you’re merrily plotting or writing along, thinking you know who your character’s love interest is, and suddenly there’s another possibility. Maybe even a few possibilities, and now you have to choose. Here are some exercises to help you narrow it down…

1) Do a Chemistry Summary

For each potential love interest, summarize the chemistry they have with your character. What are their similarities and differences? What do they have in common? What do they like about each other? What is it about them that just… works?

2) Look at Plot-Relevant Decisions

Make a list of plot-relevant decisions your character will make throughout the story. For example, let’s say your character goes to dinner at a steakhouse and bump into someone who inadvertently offers a clue to a mystery your character is trying to solve. Deciding to go to dinner–and to that particular restaurant–is a plot-relevant decision.

Now, once you have your list of plot-relevant decisions made, look at how each potential love interest might affect that decision. For example, if Love Interest #3 happens to be vegan and that’s an important part of his character, how does that impact your character’s choice to go to a steakhouse on that fateful night? If you were planning to have them at the steakhouse because they’re on a first date with the love interest, Love Interest #3 being vegan would certainly impact that choice. And not to say it doesn’t work… steakhouses serve salads and vegetables after all… but it’s still something worth considering.

3) Consider Your Character’s Internal Journey

If you’re writing a story that is partly or fully character-driven, you know that your character’s internal conflict and character arc are an important part of your story. Since your character must go on an internal journey, changing as a result of the story’s events, it’s worth considering how each love interest might positively or negatively impact that change.

4) Do a Romantic Scene List

You may not yet know all the scenes that will be in your story, but you should have some idea of the romantic scenes that will need to happen. First meeting, first realizing their mutual interest, bonding, first time touching in a loving way, first date, first kiss… these kinds of scenes are important to developing a relationship in a story. So, list the scenes you know you’ll want to have (like: first kiss), then for each one, consider what that moment might look like with each potential love interest.

5) Do a Pros and Cons List

This may sound obvious, but if you haven’t done it yet, try doing a physical pros and cons list for each relationship, especially taking the previous exercises into account. Think about everything from the pros and cons of them actually being together (as people), to the pros and cons of them being together in terms of how it affects the story.

Try these exercises, and hopefully you can at least narrow it down. If not, or if you still find no one stands out as the better option, try drawing a name out of a hat. Truly!

Have fun with your story!

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So here is the Last Legacy version of the Pokemon Au.For this one, I see the Starsworn being somewhat like Pokemon Rangers seeing how they both protect and help people and their world.

Alolan Marowak(Fire/Ghost) -  Besides both having the same green flames, (and possibly height XD), this Marowak is referred as “conjurers of the dead”, with their spirt projecting and sixth sense.

Meowstic (Psychic)-The Stella vibes are strong with this one.

Cofagrigus (Ghost)- Felix occasionally visits a lot of crypts and masoleums, so it’s only natural he catches a ghost pokemon lurking around.

Decidueye(Grass/ Ghost)- So I’m in the same camp that think that Felix got his admiration of plants from Florian, so why not have a pokemon that mashes both his and his Dads interests.

Spiritomb (Ghost/Dark)- Felix has had many……”accidents “ in his life so coming a cross and eventually this spirit makes perfect sense.

Litwick(Ghost/Fire)- Reflects on how flustered and clumsy Felix can be.

Absol(Dark)- Part of this pick goes into spoiler territory for her Route, but it’s also due to its cat like appearance. Absol is also good natured and known to help those in need.

Samurott(Water)- Since Anisa is a knight , Samurott’s valiant and selfless nature fits well with her.

Aegislash(Steel/Ghost)- This mostly connects to her relic and what knight isn’t without her sword and sheild.

Togekiss(Fairy/Flying)-A pokemon relating to Anisa’s moral and gentle nature. This pokemon soars to a variety of different places, so this can connect her to awareness of outer realms.

Wingull(Water/Flying)- Another one relating to other realms.With having this pokemon around, it kinda examples where Anisa gets alot of foreign items and collection, as well as the sheer amount of junk she has in her apartment.

Kirlia(Psyhic)- I wanted to give her a pokemon to reflect her graceful and playful side.

Incineroar(Fire/Dark)- I mean come on! A hot tempered kitty with a burning fuse, how could he NOT have this pokemon.

Darmanitan(Fire)- Another big fiery muscle. Though I think this one can show more control when it goes into zen mode 

Pignite(Fire/Fighting)- This little guy is a big eater as much as Sage is a bar hopping party animal. I can definitely see them running up each others tabs.

Zoura(Dark)- A mischievous little furball who finds trouble wherever they go. It’s a perfect match. Sage probably ran into him while he was on the street as a kid.

Scrafty(Dark/Fighting)- Fits his “Lone Wolf” persona and tendencies, as well as his impatient personality.

Obstagoon(Dark/Normal)- Sage would have probably got this wild pokemon after MC’s disappearance and when Astrea was taken over. He probably worked up some mutual agreement Obstagoon to wreck havoc while until he assists at killing Gramme.