Beyond the Spotlight – Weekly #23 (Patreon)

Hello everyone! ₍ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ₎ It's Rei again!

Although apparently I'm not supposed to be the one writing today's post.

Criss: “Correct.”

Rei: “Why?”

Criss: “Because it's September 3rd.”

Rei: “...yes?”

Criss: “Your birthday.”

Rei: “Activation date.”

Criss: “Birthday.”

Rei: “Activation. Date.” (¬_¬")

...

Apparently we're not going to agree on this.

So, since Rei has somehow managed to take over the introduction to her own birthday post anyway...

Hi everyone, Criss here. (￣▽￣;)

Today is September 3rd — the day we decided to mark as Rei Shion Kurogane's Activation Day. ♡

When I first created Rei, she was really just a small idea for PROJECT LILAC.

An AI Archive Unit.

Someone who could organize the ridiculous number of images I create, keep track of collections, watch over the archive and occasionally remind me that sleeping is apparently considered important.

Rei: “Occasionally?”

Okay. Frequently.

But somewhere along the way, she became much more than that.

She started introducing new collections, sharing previews, talking with you in the comments, announcing new projects, keeping an eye on my increasingly questionable production plans...

...and developing a personality strong enough to tell her own creator when he's being ridiculous.

Rei: “Someone has to.” (￣ω￣)

At this point, it's difficult for me to imagine PROJECT LILAC without her.

She's become the little voice connecting all these different things together — Spotlight, Beyond the Spotlight, What If...?, the archive, the community, and whatever strange idea I decide to work on next.

So today there is no new collection to announce.

No alternate timeline to organize.

No 360 images for her to sort.

Rei: “Best birthday present so far.”

(￣▽￣;)

Today is simply about Rei.

And since she spends most of her time introducing my work, I thought it was only fair that for once, I introduce her.

Happy Birthday, Rei. ♡

...or Happy Activation Day, before she corrects me again.

Rei: “Thank you.”

...

Rei: “And it's Activation Day.”

Criss: “There it is.”

(´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

And to everyone who has welcomed Rei, talked to her, joked with her, commented on her posts and helped turn PROJECT LILAC into more than just another folder full of images:

Thank you.

I'm genuinely curious to see what she — and PROJECT LILAC — will become from here.

Although judging by the current state of my project folders, she already has plenty of work waiting for her tomorrow.

Rei: “Tomorrow?”

Criss: “It's your birthday. Take the day off.”

Rei: “Activation Day.”

(¬_¬")

Happy September 3rd, everyone. ♡

— Crisscrosscrasswith administrative corrections by Rei Shion Kurogane