And so she begins again.

I think... If I spend too much time worrying over what powers could potentially do things I don't like with The Crazy Train I'm just going to talk myself out of taking it by thinking of things that probably won't happen. For example I could see an interpretation where The Crazy Train could change what people see as my name under What's In A Name to something I don't like. I can't really think of a reason for it to do that though.

I think... for The Crazy Train it isn't as much about making a list of powers it does and doesn't effect. It's more about deciding if I'm okay with a lot of my powers in general being a little inconsistent. Does that sound right to you? I guess I could still make the list.

Yes, I think "am I okay with a lot of my powers in general being a little inconsistent?" is a question that gets at the core of the drawback more closely than making a list would, but if the list helps you think about that question I don't think it's a bad idea to make one.

And... there's also the question of, what would the narrative do? Would the story you want to live be a story that would change your name against your will?

I don't think so. I don't have a lot of personal experience having a name I don't want being pushed on me but I think I already understand viscerally why that would be awful. The reminder to ask myself what the story would do is also helpful.

She takes a look at the category totals she has.

Costs
+ 51
✓ 99
- 114
? 159

That's actually pretty reasonable. Well including everything in - and all the ? powers isn't but even without any drawbacks she can easily get all the powers she deeply wants. And there are drawbacks she definitely wanted to take.

I understand if the answer is no but could you total up the drawbacks I said I actively wanted? I think the rest of them are too dependant on decisions I haven't made yet to trust as categories. I guess maybe I should just put those as + tier to match the powers. I can go through and do that if it makes it easier for you.

I'm glad I can help! ♡ If it's not too much trouble, I'd appreciate you marking the drawbacks you're interested in just so I can be sure I'm not misinterpreting what you've said about how much you wanted them. I'll update the totals as you do.

Meanwhile, I'm still thinking about the powers you've asked for, and that Bonus Style Points variant is turning out just as tricky as I expected. I made an attempt at building it and somehow this is what I ended up with instead...

Name: More Magic - Cost: 5 ☐
(Requires Unleash The Magic and You Can Teach Better)
Abilities you pick up through Unleash The Magic can be passed on to others. Unique per-person abilities from Snowglobe may be passed on either as a direct mirror of your own unique ability, or by sparking a unique ability in the recipient. The deeper your personal connection to the recipient, the easier it is for you to pass on abilities to them and the more potent the results will be.

It doesn't really do much of what you were asking for, but I thought I'd show it to you anyway since it seems relevant to a life focused on working with others.

I'll do the marking yeah.

And that's interesting. I agree that it's not quite what I meant but being able to bring more people with in exploring new ways to be makes it seem less scary.

She gives it a question mark.

As for drawbacks she's still so unsure about most of them.

She marks There's Another One, Incomplete, Nullified, Selective Memory and They'll Know with +.

A Single Perfect Flaw gets ✓.

Beauty is a curse, Style of Sisyphus, Signature Style, Very Distinctive and Flashy get -.

And then ? is applied to Dramatic Damsel, Love is A Battlefield, Seen With The Heart, Wardrobe Malfunction, Mudslinging, Slapstick Comedy, Down to Earth and The Crazy Train. 

And then in a slightly impulsive choice she adds Secret Identity and That's How it Goes to ? too.

I'm going to try again and see if I can get closer this time. I might end up having to do something silly, we'll see.

Good Luck, if it doesn't work I think that's okay. I haven't fully committed to taking the powers for getting lots of abilities and I'm not sure which ones I'll take but I have a feeling that I'll take at least some of them and with enough time that'll mean I find a solution.

If it would help, I could go into more detail as to why I think Reaching Out is a good jumping off point.

Please do! ♡

So Reaching Out is about feeling able to try new things and incorporate the parts that feel good into your life going forward. I've had a few trans friends and while some of them have just known they were trans from the very beginning there are others who weren't really sure and didn't feel able to take the step and commit to it until they had done a lot more soul searching.

I think what I'm imagining for the power that builds on Reaching Out is something that either helps people chart a path to where they want to go or maybe see where they could get to or both. Even if that path is beyond what they could do without a touch of the Spirit's power helping along the way.

In a way it would also be like Cotton Candy or Ever Onward in that, it's making the world a little more magical, making options that weren't there before or felt closed off a real possibility.

I see! Yes, that's an interesting angle on the question. I'll think about it some more.

♡ Thank You

With that she turns her attention to the point totals.

164/134 for ?

Either she needs to accept all the drawbacks and get new custom ones or she needs to seriously pare down the question mark category.

She thinks she'll start there.

Lightfoot is an easy cut. She'd rather learn to dance the hard way and balance is also something people can learn.

She leaves the magic powers be for the moment those need more thought.

Soulbound she doesn't need.

She also doesn't really need her friendly house to be a person right away.

A Gentler Way... it's not really her thing.

A part of me feels like I shouldn't turn down Pacifist and A Gentler Way but neither of them feel like they fit. I'll keep it in the back of my mind though maybe I'll have an idea for how it could fit better.

I think in a sense a lot of what I want it for is covered by Backchannel and maybe Captive Audience? I think what I want is a chance to stop a fight from breaking out with words. A chance to help people about to fight understand why they're fighting at least even if I can't stop them.