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tixdixl · 2 months ago

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Rule 153 - TWST Ficlet

Words: 3300

Characters: Wén Xiáng, Ace Trappola, Deuce Spade, Riddle Rosehearts, Gia Yugo [ @ramshacklerumble ]

CW: Descriptions of dissociation and memory loss

The sound of turning pages accompanied the murmur of studious whispers. Steam rose from their collective teacups as the smell of peppermint and lemongrass wafted in the air. As the two of spades took a sip of his tea, the Scarabia freshman leaned over his textbook. His finger dragged across the page as he pointed at the text. Xiáng had been explaining the linear progression from one of their homework assignments for Deuce, who seemed to be going up against his personal weaknesses and disabilities as they reared their ugly heads. He barely noticed the porcelain clink against metal as the ace of hearts stirred his tea with a need to fidget.

“This is so boring…” groaned Ace, “why do we even need to learn this stuff anyway?”

Xiáng glanced up from the textbook, catching a glimpse of the frustration written all over the card soldier’s face.

“Dunno,” he answered with a shrug, before resuming his explanation to Deuce.

From across the table, he heard the grumble of disapproval before the ace of hearts interrupted him again, “No, because actually- I’ve never once used the pythagorean theorem outside of school. So then why do teachers act like we need to learn it if it's meaningless? This is no different than a normal school. If I knew college would be like this-”

“What?” came the soft, yet tremoring voice of the Heartslabyul housewarden, “You’d never have come?”

His voice had this quality that could shake mountains. Even when he didn’t raise his voice, he spoke like every deliberate word commanded a space. Few times had Xiáng actually heard the softness of volume actually match a softness of tone. Moreover, Xiáng doubted he had the capacity to truly be soft.

“H-Housewarden Rosehearts!” both card soldiers sounded like they’d been spooked, prepared to be roasted alive.

“Hi Riddle,” piped up the Ramshackle Prefect, who had been largely silent this entire time.

“Good to see you, Gia,” Riddle offered them a smile. A flicker of warmth entered his being as he acknowledged the prefect, before a wave of frigidity overcame his disposition. His gaze resembled wild fire as he reverted it towards Ace. Xiáng couldn’t stop his passive contented smile from falling as he continued, “Don’t tell me you’re planning on skipping, or are you considering quitting altogether?”

“What?” Ace growled, “No- I just don’t get why we have to do this stupid assignment. It’s not like it’s going to help us at all.”

Xiáng and Deuce exchanged a look. They had all collectively just recovered from Riddle’s Overblot. Riddle had stated that he would work on himself and his rigidity. But also, there was a truth that Ace had said some pretty horrific things aimed at Riddle; they both had said things, and truthfully, since he didn’t live in Heartslabyul and wasn’t there when the events unfolded, the Scarabia freshman couldn’t tell to what extent either of them meant it. To what extent they resented each other. And truthfully, he hadn’t even considered it until the two of them shared a look. The thought hadn’t occurred to him that heads could roll until the housewarden had spoken up.

“Have you considered that perhaps you have to learn the foundations before you can apply them?” Riddle challenged him, his ire seeming to lessen slightly- a feat Xiáng couldn’t recall witnessing before.

He blinked, glancing over at Ace to witness the shift in his expression. His brows furrowed, and the slightest bit of a pout threatened to appear on his face. His scarlet eyes, devoid of empathy, grew colder.

“Foundations, my ass,” Ace growled, “it’s just an excuse to have us do busy work.”

With a condescending smirk immediately rushing to his face, the housewarden placed a hand on top of the stack of grimoires seated firmly at the corner of the table. He leaned closer to the card soldier, his face only a foot away from the other’s.

“Then why is it you can’t already enchant a broom to autonomously sweep the space without your presence?” the housewarden taunted him, “If it's so easy, why haven’t I seen you using that charm during your daily duties?”

“...just get a Roomba,” the prefect piped up once again.

Everyone collectively froze. Various expressions of confusion littered the room as the collective turned their gazes to the prefect. The prefect, who had not looked up a single time during this entire exchange, seemed to realize what was happening without seeing it. They raised their head with a completely blank, almost vacant expression - almost akin to Xiáng’s - washed over their face.

“...does it for you,” they explained in monotone, “No magic needed.”

“Riiiight…” Ace coughed, disbelief radiating off his posture.

Xiáng immediately reverted his attention to the Heartslabyul students. Realizing he would have to wait for them to finish before he could continue, he slumped back into his seat, no longer leaning over Deuce’s textbook.

“I never said it was easy,” Ace retorted, scrunching up his face at the housewarden, “Just that I didn’t understand what linear progressions had to do with magic.”

“Would you believe that magic, like science, is mathematical?” the sneer grew ever so largely on Riddle’s face.

“I’m gonna hurl,” the card soldier slumped further into his seat.

Across the table, color drained from the fact of the two of spades. As if hope itself were air, the spades soldier deflated further in his seat. The Scarabia student attempted to offer him the slightest bit of consolation as he placed a hand on his shoulder. They both then perked up just a tad as they caught movement in their periphery. Pulling a seat from across the common room, the housewarden pulled up a seat beside the struggling freshmen.

“What’re you doing?” Xiáng asked genuinely.

“Assisting you all,” the housewarden replied with the smallest of smiles, “It’s my responsibility to ensure that every one in my dorm is able to succeed academically. Ace’s lamentations aside, it looks like your little study group could genuinely use some help.”

“It’s mainly me…” Deuce admitted, nervousness and shame creeping into his posture, “I’m just not getting this sequence right.”

The housewarden glanced up at the Scarabia student, “I take it you’ve been explaining things to him, Wén Xiáng?”

As the housewarden addressed him, Xiáng felt a bead of sweat emerge on his brow. He offered Riddle a nervous smile as he replied, “Trying to anyway.”

“What seems to be the problem?”

“I only really understand this method the way that our instructor presented it?” he stated, unsure of himself, “And somewhere around the movement from step 2 to step 3 has Deuce here all stumped.”

“Let me see…”

Riddle gently took the book from Xiáng’s hands. As he watched the moment of his eyes, sweeping over the pages with a speed unparalleled, he felt himself almost zone out momentarily. Time and focus seemed to completely slip away from him until the moment Riddle gently cleared his throat.

“Hey, Ace,” the housewarden asked quietly, “Would you mind pouring me a cup of tea?”

“Sure, is peppermint fine?” Ace asked nonchalantly.

That question seemed to tear Riddle out of his concentration. He paused, slowly raising his head and looking Ace in the eye. Xiáng blinked. Instantly, he felt confused by the expression on Riddle’s face. He wouldn’t have described the expression as cross necessarily. The twitch in his brow almost preparing for the switch to flip. But why?

“Is it herbal?” Riddle asked, his tone a twinge darker than before.

“It’s peppermint and lemongrass,” Xiáng explained, confusion dripping from his words, “It’s a green tea.”

A brief pause fell between them as a rose tint began to flush the housewarden’s cheeks.

“...is that… bad?”

“...Boys,” Riddle addressed Ace and Deuce directly, “Want to explain to me why you didn’t educate the outsider on Rule 153?”

The confusion on the Scarabia student’s face immediately dissolved into a blank stare, devoid of any emotion.

Rules… the silly Heartslabyul rules that he honestly forgot existed. And whenever anyone reminded him that they existed, he not only found himself punished for his ignorance, but when the rule was explained, he found that the rules were… at their core, arbitrary. The sorts of rules he expected the upper courts would use simply to control the average common folk. And worse, while Riddle Rosehearts could run around playing pretend, pretending to be the ruler of a non-existent kingdom and punish those who slighted him with fake beheadings, Xiáng for once recalled the treatment of those back home. Not quite beheadings, but the cruel reality that the imperial courts cared little for the wellbeing of those from his home.

It took little time dwelling on the line of thought before he felt a small surge of magical energy, like a sharp, swift zap of electricity, traveling from his head down his spine. Certainly, this wasn’t the worst reaction his curse had inflicted in recent years. However, the quickness of which it reacted caught him completely off guard. A throbbing sensation in his eye and in his head tore him away very abruptly from his line of thought. Whatever conclusions he had been drawing, whatever dots he had connected, all of it had been knocked away. Like a leak in a dam, his attention now stolen away to try and alleviate the discomfort.

He grew stiff, trying to hide the sensation from those around him. They seemed too engaged in Riddle’s rant about the rule to notice. Then again… he wasn’t watching. And the words coming out of Riddle’s mouth had momentarily resembled the sound of a voice reverberating down a tube.

“It is your responsibility to know and abide by the rules,” Riddle snapped, “Even if he is in Scarabia, he is a guest in our house, which means he abides by our rules.”

Xiáng blinked. His body relaxed slightly as he attempted to loosen his limbs. His eyes drifted toward the cross housewarden, though the right side of his vision had grown blurry and difficult to see.

“Sorry- what’s Rule 153?” Xiáng asked, interrupting the rant. He didn't intend to fully admit his disconnection with the moment, and yet, he genuinely didn’t know and likely had missed it being outlined.

With brows furrowed, the housewarden’s eyes pierced through Xiáng’s head like nails in a coffin. He seemed to study the Scarabia student briefly before his brow twitched, relaxing subtly. Clearly the housewarden interpreted his blank expression and genuineness in his tone as they were, rather than insubordination.

“Rule 153: The only tea you may drink in the evenings is herbal tea,” the housewarden stated matter-of-factly.

“...and who does this rule benefit?” Xiáng asked in a monotone.

Riddle blinked, his eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly.

“I beg your pardon?”

“To whom does this rule benefit?” he repeated himself, “I would expect that the aims would benefit the drinker, but in reality, it makes no difference on your health what type of tea you drink. Caffeine intake aside, all of them vary in their beneficial effects. So if the rule pertains nothing to the drinker, who does it benefit? What purpose does it serve?”

In the blur of his vision, he swore he saw the prefect raise their head from their book. And simultaneously, the two card soldiers exchanged a look.

“The Laws benefit those who serve the Queen,” the housewarden stated with full sincerity, “The Queen was always right, and it is our duty to uphold her traditions.”

“So the benefit then has nothing to do with the tea itself,” he remained monotone, “Rather, the benefit to the tea drinkers is remaining in the queen’s favor. Am I mistaken?”

“But of course!” Riddle gleamed, “The Queen’s ways are the only ways! Those who fail to oblige will lose their heads!”

“And what if the Queen’s ways are unjust…?”

“What do you mean?” the housewarden snapped, his frustration slowly beginning to grow like a strangle weed to a flower bed, “The Queen’s ways are just. By keeping rigid order and making sure those who fall out of line are prevented from creating trouble.”

The Scarabia student paused. The mild throbbing in his eye a painful reminder not to let himself get wound up. As he drew in a deep breath, he cleared his mind a moment. Clearly, the conversation failed to make any progress. A brick wall would have moved sooner than their discussion, like a dog chasing its own tail.

Opening his eyes once more, the Scarabia student picked up his cup of tea. A few fragments of leaves floated in a lull across the top of the murky liquid. Its aroma nevertheless potent as it had become lukewarm. As he took a sip, the flavor felt reminiscent of an elastic band to skin. Obviously, he had yet to fully recover. And yet despite this, the flavor seemed to bring him back to center. As much as any roller coaster would, he felt the exhaustion creep in.

Once he had carefully placed his tea cup back on its saucer, his gaze returned to Riddle, who had been expectantly waiting for a response.

“Let’s back up a bit, shall we?” Xiáng offered, deceptively handing the housewarden an olive branch as he smiled gently, “I want to understand what you mean by ‘the Queen’s ways being just’. Can you lay out for me how the system works?”

“Naturally!” Riddle exclaimed, his condescension drenching his words like a towel that’d been dropped into a sink. The housewarden glanced at the card soldiers, “And you both would do well to pay attention.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

He cleared his throat, “The Queen’s Laws have been written in permanent ink since as far back as evidence goes of her reign as one of the Seven. Each of these laws were representative of the culture and the needs of the Queen at the time. Citizens and guests, much like the Curious Girl, were expected to know and uphold these laws at all times- and ignorance was not permissible as an excuse.

“When a law was broken under the watchful eye of the Queen and her Card Soldiers, a trial would often not be deemed necessary unless requested by the defendant. After all, if the Queen saw it herself, there would be no question as to whether or not a law was broken. And by this understanding, many were sent to beheadings on the spot.

“But in the case a trial had been demanded by the defendant, the defendant would be sworn onto the stand and several members of the community would be brought forth to testify. The jury, while present to take notes, often played no role in the determination of the case. This was of course because the verdict came after the sentence. Of course, the King had an opportunity to request witnesses, evidence, or even offer his own opinions. But when it came down to the sentence, the Queen always had the say- the only say, and the final say.”

“So… if I understand correctly, the legal system functions solely based on the decisions and perspective of the Queen, regardless of the evidence, testimony, or actual innocence of the defendant?” The Scarabia student asked before bringing the tea to his lips again.

“That is correct,” answered the housewarden with a smile.

“Then, if the trial has nothing to do with justice, and everything to do with keeping ‘order’ and satisfying the Queen’s whims, how does this constitute a just legal system, with laws that are designed to benefit the people?” asked Xiáng, unwavering in his smile and his tone, “Wouldn’t it be inaccurate, or worse, dishonest, to account the system as such?”

The break in the conversation felt like glass shattering against stone. The color from Riddle’s face drained, as his eyes grew wide. He expected Riddle to fly off the handle in a rage. To sit there, call him insolent. Even go so far as to collar him again. And yet… despite this expectation, Riddle did nothing of the sort. Sure, he stared with an expression of undeniable disbelief but he didn’t immediately scream. He didn’t immediately set fire to the place. Instead, a slow, quiet, almost resistant breath entered his nostrils. His eyes flitted around like a fly, between staring Xiáng in the eye and the teacup in his hand. Another breath entered his lungs before he paused fully. He lowered the textbook in his hands to the table. With a clear attempt to pull himself together, he clamped his eyes shut. His hands wove together with a gesture of regathering composure.

“Well…” he finally said, opening his eyes, “I suppose if we are to use ‘justice’ by its dictionary definition, in which ‘justice’ is defined by upholding and behaving based on what is morally right and fair, and respectful to the people…”

He paused, clearly fighting with himself.

“Then by the logic you have proposed, and the definitions therein, no. It is not a “Just” system.”

The housewarden then smiled, a mixture of genuineness and cocky attitude, “but it is orderly though, by the circumstances, cultures, and needs of the era.”

The opposing freshman held up his hands, as if to indicate backing off.

“For sure,” Xiáng agreed, “I never intended to deny that. She absolutely kept things orderly and lawful.”

“...to your point though,” Riddle cleared his throat, “I do have to wonder… what does justice have to do with keeping people in line?”

The freshman hadn’t fully expected to be hit with the same sort of energy that he was dishing out, especially not by the infamous “Rose Red Tyrant” himself. After the times he’d spent seeing Riddle while studying with his classmates, however, he had come to expect a wit and a keen eye for dissecting the things he faced academically. He had reason to suspect that Riddle probably handled himself in similar fashion when it came to other students too. So… on second thought, maybe he should have expected this.

“Where I come from, people are most willing to agree and comply when they don’t have to question if they’re going to die tomorrow… when they know where their next meal is coming from…” he stated, “People tend to be afraid of what they don’t understand, and resistant to what they don’t know...”

He lost his train of thought. The thoughts in his head felt scrambled, but he hoped that what he could convey made enough sense to answer Riddle’s question. Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he rubbed his eye. And as he looked back at the housewarden, he noticed an internal struggle occurring behind those usually piercing eyes.

“Well… even if we don’t agree,” the housewarden side stepped his comment, as if to avoid diving any deeper into that, “I do ask that you try to follow the Rules as you are made aware of them. If nothing else to respect the traditions and culture of our dorm.”

“Oh, yeah,” Ace commented with a groan, “Like he’s aware of literally anything— OW!”

Deuce swatted at the other card soldier, in defense of their friend.

“Be respectful to our guest,” Riddle chastised him, “At the very least, he’s offered to help study with you, which is welcoming enough. Which– we have carried this on for far too long. We’re collectively getting distracted.”

“...and whose fault is that?” Ace grumbled.

The housewarden shot him a glare, as the Scarabia freshman chuckled lightly from across the table. Flipping to the next page in the textbook, Riddle resumed his explanation, as he began to demonstrate a different method of problem solving for their assignment. None of their heads rolled. And… for once, Riddle’s presence overall felt far more helpful than detrimental. Maybe he was starting to change, even if he was kicking and screaming internally the entire time.

~~~

Tag list: @ramshacklerumble @rainesol @elenauaurs @starry-night-rose @boopshoops

@cyanide-latte @blithesharem @inmateofthemind @theleechyskrunkly @thehollowwriter

@lumdays @twstinginthewind @the-trinket-witch

Lmk if you want added/removed

#twst #twst ocs #my ocs #my writing #my fan fics #twst fanfic #Wén Xiáng #ace trappola #deuce spade #riddle rosehearts #my friends ocs #gia yugo #ramshackle rumble

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libidomechanica · 4 months ago

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Untitled (“Tally, he would”)

Like occasion, which I would reare the pause, and syþen by þe forth, Coleridge, the stemmed, wyth busynes have said, but still all my Chloris’ bonie Mary, charlie Grigor tint his honde, hef hyȝly bihalden þertylle, þay close on staying, new-perfume, and shall self! Tally, he would he be seen—but that long—they will not fair. Coffee at all them aside a lovers painted couch, and o’er the visions from place is and burn the merry song.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 6 #153 texts #curtal sonnet

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spinarakiweek · 5 months ago

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Prompts 4 Spinaraki Week 4

(Art credit and our tremendous thanks go to poodlewool!)

Hello, all! We're here at last with prompts and dates for the fourth Spinaraki Week! It will be held in the very last week of August, from Sunday the 25th to Saturday the 31st!

As with last time, you can find a text version of the prompts and the full rules beneath the cut below, but first, a few general upkeep notes!

Re: event week tags: Following previous patterns, the tags for the week will be #spinarakiweek, #spinarakiweek2024, #spinarakiweek4, and #spinarakiweeknsfw.

Re: spoiler tags: Going by the results of the poll we ran about spoilers we ran, the vast majority of respondents are up on current events/don't care about spoilers. However, there are a small number of people who are avoiding spoilers. In recognition of that breakdown, and the fact that the manga will be over by the time the event is held, we will not be asking participants to spoiler tag their work on their own blogs, but will make our best efforts to tag for manga spoilers (#bnha manga spoilers) as we reblog to the main blog.

We have no current plans to tag for anime spoilers, as none of the mods follow the anime particularly closely, but please do contact us if you would like us to tag for spoilers for the anime episodes that will be airing immediately around the event (barring any breaks in the airing schedule, these should be Episodes 15 and 16 of the current season, Episodes 153 and 154 overall).

Re: AU fills: We got a number of requests on the survey for AU-type prompts: mermaids, supernatural creatures, heroes, pro-gamers, and so on. While we've dabbled with fanfic tropes as prompts in past years, this year we wanted to keep things relatively open. Just as a reminder, though, we heartily welcome AU content, so anyone is welcome to do AUs at any time and for any prompt they can make fit for it! You could do Mermaid AU fills for every day of the week and we'll happily reblog it, so long as they fit some aspect of one of the prompts of the day. Please, go absolutely nuts!

Re: our tumblr subpages: Firstly, our rules are the same as always, and can be found in the Rules section at the top of the page if that's visible to you, or beneath the cut below if not. The (new!) Graphics section, as the name suggests, contains every previous graphic we've used in prior weeks; these or the Tagged Works section can be used to scope out prompts from past weeks if anyone would like some inspiration or ideas for our traditional Free Day or to incorporate with other prompts this week! If the subpages don't work for you, you can also go back through the mod post tag (as at the bottom of this post!) to find previous housekeeping posts, which should get you back to previous prompt lists and the likes relatively quickly.

That's it! Rules and text prompts below the jump! We can't wait to do this thing with you all!

Text Prompts

Sunday 25th: Dedication ~ History ~ Game Over

Monday 26th: Monster ~ Enough ~ Load

Tuesday 27th: Horror ~ Horizon ~ Inventory

Wednesday 28th: Cracks ~ Dream ~ Home

Thursday 29th: Last Words ~ Climb ~ Cut Scene

Friday 30th: Reputation ~ Crossover ~ Save

Saturday 31st: Write ~ Inheritance ~ Continue? + FREE DAY

Rules & Policies

1) We will accept and reblog any fan-made work—fanfiction, fanart, meta, playlists, etc.—so long as it focuses primarily on Shigaraki and Spinner’s relationship and fits an appropriate daily prompt. The work must be newly published for the week, though if you wish to also use it as a fill for some other concurrent event, you’re welcome to do so. You can work with any of the daily prompts you like, singly or in combination. We try to keep them fairly broad, so feel free to get as creative as you like! We welcome any fill that satisfies some aspect of the chosen prompt(s).

2) We’re celebrating the relationship between Shigaraki and Spinner as it’s been, as it may be, and even as it could have been. Shippy-fic or gen-fic, canon-compliant or AU, romantic or platonic or any complicated place in between; we’re good with all of it. Polyshipping/OT3s are allowed, but the focus must remain on Shigaraki and Spinner.

3) Regarding content, we’re not placing hard limits on what we’re accepting. Shigaraki and Spinner are villains in a canon that goes to some shockingly dark places, so we consider exploration of that darkness fair game for fanwork. Likewise, given that this is a week focused on a relationship, we welcome NSFW content. We do, however, ask that all content be responsibly and appropriately tagged for any content you have reason to expect could be upsetting to others.

4) We’ll be checking the tags for spinarakiweek2024, spinarakiweek4, spinarakiweek, and spinarakiweeknsfw. As stated above, please tag also for any work that requires content warnings. We’re only operating on tumblr, so if your work is hosted elsewhere, feel free to post a link to it and use one of our tags, though if you do so, you may also wish to message us about it, given tumblr’s notorious grouchiness about off-platform links. Feel free to message us if it seems like we’ve missed a fill of yours! Late entries are allowed and enthusiastically welcome.

5) No hating on other ships or characters—we’re here to celebrate and enjoy Spinaraki, so if there’s a character you can’t include without bashing them disproportionately to the canon, just don’t include them. Likewise, please be respectful of other participants and their work, whether or not it’s to your particular taste.

6) We reserve the right to exercise moderator discretion in the case of borderline rule violations or unforeseen issues.

#mod post #spinarakiweek #spinarakiweek2024 #spinarakiweek4

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raamitsu · 3 months ago

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Hmmm that is a very interesting perspective! I would love to see more of this in the next chapter. We might get something a bit deeper than just what Takiishi sees in his world.

can somebody reblog this post and explain what Nii sensei wanted to portray in these panels? this is quite interesting 🧐

#mela texted you #wbk 153

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bonuscatart · 11 months ago

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Danny Phantom in-universe dash simulator

ravensrock 🔁 dashing-through-the-yard

🐕 dashing-through-the-yard Follow

Pookie was very good at the vet today ☺️

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scarletbear 🔁 scarletbear

🐻 scarletbear Follow

for being a cheese heir, vlad masters doesn't sell a lot of cheese imo

🐻 scarletbear

*reading the notes* was not expecting to learn masters had an 18+ fast food restaurant today

#rip to the person who didn't get cheese on their burger

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📝 thewritingwombat Follow

Chapter 2 of my Space Wars flower shop AU is up! Now with more bees 🌹🐝

Link

#space wars #space wars au #my writing

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carelessweasel 🔁 sombody

❄️ frostyphoenix Follow

I go to a fast food restaurant. they ask if I want the new spicy sauce. it's flaming hot, they say. no thanks, i tell them. i take a bite of my burger and immediately incinerate

❄️ frostyphoenix

#nasty burger core (via) WHAT?

🥛 the-evil-milkshake Follow

You didn't know about the explosive sauce?

❄️ frostyphoenix

I still don't know about the explosive sauce what is america DOING

🧪 bill-rye-the-science-bread Follow

#investing at 51 notes

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romanticfrogs 🔁 mightyraccoon

❓ aita-unofficial Follow

(🕶️) Anonymous asked: AITA for going with my first choice for prom? I wanted to go with one girl, but the text I thought I sent her went to the wrong number. So, I thought she was ignoring me. I asked my second choice who said yes. Then, I find out about the wrong number thing. I asked the first girl in person if she wanted to go to prom with me. She said yes. I told the second girl that my first choice said yes, so I wasn't going to prom with the second girl.

What do these acronyms mean?

153 notes

fryertuck 🔁 chaos

🌌 ghost-boy Follow

They found a new substance in Saturn's rings! Good thing the rover has the right equipment so we don't have to wait like 2 years for a sample to get here

13 notes

End dash simulator

#danny phantom #long post #poll #fake post #unreality #described #i used cool math games' account maker for extra username ideas

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kocainegirl · 1 year ago

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i haven’t gotten over it. i still think about it. i still wish- i still wish for it. i still fell it. fantasize it, gripping tightly around my neck. gasping for air till my eyes roll back. it’s a special kind of feeling.

a suicidal feeling

#my son didn’t reply to my texts – then i found out he died in seoul stampede that killed 153

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fullscoreshenanigans · 3 months ago

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Went with "other" because it's a nuanced topic that cannot be captured in a single choice poll.

The first option is gold for comedic purposes or a short comic, especially if Norman's arrogance is being played up, but ultimately I don't believe Ayshe would think he was worth expending that kind of energy on and giving him that satisfaction, in addition to how it would be upsetting to the younger Grace Field children.

Ideally, I'd like to see Norman attempt to apologize during the search for Emma after seeking counsel from his family, though I don't think he'd do it right away, and I don't know if she'd be willing to talk to him in depth at that point. More lowkey intimidation with her dogs is fun. I feel like he'd have enough tact not to speak with her in the demon language again unless she's the one leading the conversation into that territory, though he would again acknowledge that he understood her perfectly when they first met.

#I want many of these choices to happen within the same chapter tbh #In all seriousness though I want to take a page from Tearmoon Empire in regards to whatever consequences Norman will need to face #''Punishment serves 2 purposes: providing emotional solace for the victim #And to encourage reflection in the offender'' #I actually want Shirai to let us look into Norman's head so we can know he understands the gravity of what he did to Ayshe #And also to take on whatever punishment she'll want to dish on him afterwards like a mature person would #And tbh this won't be popular choice for everyone else but I want Ayshe to forgive him #Number 1 reason being so she herself doesn't get shackled by anger and grief by the end of this story #And also so she can have the higher moral ground in this situation #I also want the Lambda gang involved because they were also involved in this matter #On a meta point I really want this chapter to make some fans stop trivializing what Norman did as ''a small mistake'' or something similar #Because I've seen those posts and they give me rage in my heart (via @thathilomgirl)

What we could have if we got a Shaman King perfect edition scenario where a whole extra fifteen chapters are added to the human world arc (even if it would be largely self-indulgent because I'd want to use it more as a vehicle for the characters to do some introspection without an immediate threat looming overhead).

The forgiving vs not forgiving debate is interesting with people's different takes on what constitutes forgiveness for something this grievous, like if some people consider restitution as a part of the process, and how the former option could mean anywhere within the realm of immediate canon to her forgiving him years into the post-canon (I could see her not doing so until they're in their twenties).

I also wonder how much trivializing what Norman's done overlaps with certain ships lol

#i would like him to put in more effort rather than just saying sorry #like giving Ayshe parts of demon culture she was forced to leave behind (what he found in Smee’s research since he had access) #Despite hating demons he doesn’t want their culture to die out and doesn’t want this world to forget about them #because neither him or Ayshe ever will (via @graphx)

Yet another instance of me kicking myself over not asking a question for Shirai to answer during the anniversary Q&A with how large of a fallout there would be with hundreds of thousands of cattle children showing up in the human world in November 2047, only a fraction of whom know they were originally living in the demon world to begin with. Just how much was the Ratri family willing to reveal to the public, and at what pace?

Even if not to the public at large, the clan would be the best bet of acquiring any written documentation Norman or the other kids couldn't recreate from memory.

(Chapter 181.4)

With how staunchly he feels about taking money from them, him taking the hit to his pride and asking them for help on this matter could be a step toward making amends with her.

That said, your phrasing of "despite hating demons he doesn’t want their culture to die out and doesn’t want this world to forget about them because neither him or Ayshe ever will" is super interesting to me because I interpreted the latter half as him having a deep conviction to do this for the sake of personal understanding and so that humanity at large recognizes demons as a fully sapient species on par with them.

Even with him saying this in chapter 154, I don't think I've ever seen anyone pitch him as the biggest, most enthusiastic advocate of sharing the knowledge he has regarding demons because of all the baggage he carries. Similar to how Ayshe could separate acknowledging the circumstances Norman found himself in when he had her father murdered and forgiving him, he might divulge factual information about demons while not being personally invested in exploring the significance of deeper cultural connotations and traditions? I don't know if I could see him or any of the kids besides Ayshe doing the latter given the convenience of the ending separating the demon and human worlds as opposed to an integrated society being formed where it would be a necessity. It's hard to pitch with de facto anthropocentrism being a thing.

Lots of fascinating things to ponder here on the topic of how Ayshe would integrate into the human world knowing no one has those deep emotional ties to the culture she was raised in when, if nothing else, she's at least close to Don and Gilda and is conversational with Ray.

#And it was so much more than just a lesson #forgiveness? Probably not but tolerance and understanding they were both kids in a screwed up situation is decent #I’d love to see how Emma and Ray react to Ayshe the person who suffered most from Norman and how they forgive him so easily #And how her suffering changed how they see him (via @graphx)

Saaaame I've touched on this in the tags of this post and this post (the latter being some of my favorite REN fanart):

#the balancing act of loving Emma and Ray accepting Norman back in his entirety with open arms #(perhaps even selfishly‚ thinking of all the demon families he left broken with farm raids prior to the imperial capital #the ones who weren't lucky enough to be healed by Mujika's blood) #and thinking he should have gotten his ass beat by Ayshe at minimum #huffing the copium until Shirai releases that bonus chapter #Ray seeing what this looks like on the other side now‚ two years later #[He is familiar with the bitter taste of shame and regret. #Of knowing you’ve done something unforgivable. / #He hopes beyond hope Norman can be fully reeled in. #Ray isn’t the only one with a heart riddled with enchanted shards. #Suddenly he knows how it feels to want to pluck them out, #to show Norman something good and beautiful.] #(I am always a slut for a Between Your Fingers, Between the Lines quote #anyways can you believe the Vol18 inner cover is real

#After the powerful declarations that they give him in Ch153 #“I've decided that I won't let you kill yourself anymore. That I won't let you go it alone‚ Norman. #“We don't want a future where you're going to suffer. No matter what result it brings.” #they've gotta be firm because he's so damn obstinate klsfjkls #but underneath that there's the very palpable fear of losing him when they just got him back #and this vulnerable and desperate and gentle and admittedly selfish (but they don't care and they'll accept the consequences) plea #that's so simple yet weighed with so much gravity to speak to the core of his soul and what he wants for himself #love how in the midst of all this there's light bathing them from above but not quite engulfing them #as Norman is just on the precipice of this pivotal decision #love how his eyes are the only blue in the pic to highlight how scared he is (how he continues to hesitate to return either of their holds) #but Ray and Emma accept him in his entirety i'm fucking. love them so much your honor 🖤🤍🧡

None of them have to deal with the fallout of the demon families destroyed in the razing of Lambda and other production farms, but Ayshe is present in the lives of the main cast of kids. She didn't completely abandon them to go off and live in the wilderness akin to how she was living with her father.

(Chapter 169 Bonus Scene)

And Ray acknowledges how, regardless of his species, Ayshe's father was a fundamental figure in Ayshe's life directly to her while still prioritizing Norman's safety (though if Norman asked for his counsel he wouldn't shy away from telling him that he hurt Ayshe. I don't think Emma would either if given a rundown of what happened).

#ALL OF THEM #ALL OF THE ABOVE #damn it was really really hard to choose between these options they're all really good hfksjskd #but ultimately I went with Norman apologizing during the search for Emma #as much as I'd love to see Ayshe beat his scrawny ass to a pulp I think it would be a bit anticlimactic #considering the whole. breaking the cycle of violence character arc Norman went through #and the fact he kinda went 'i know about all that lol i played along cus i kinda deserved it' when he spoke to her in demon tongue #at least I assume that's what's going on? judging by Ayshe's reaction and the way he'd fixed his shit 2 minutes ago #anyway where was i? RIGHT Norman apology #i think they'd have time to sort out their issues during the search. Maybe Norman could be like #'i was blinded by grief and was so sure this was the only thing I could do' and Ayshe could be like 'oh fuck he kinda like me' #obvs he wouldn't use it as like an excuse the convo would just devolve into venting I think they would have a lot to talk about #would Ayshe forgive him? FUCK NO LMAO ARE YOU INSANE. but she would understand him a bit more. #something something he's not the heartless monster she thought he was. #i have. a lot. to say on this topic Norman and Ayshe are up there in 'top 5 morbillion missed opportunities in tpn' #i hate this manga (<-girl who loves this manga more than should be allowed) (via @darklight-owl)

I repeat we need multiple choice polls so fucking bad.

I can see them starting to sort out their issues during the search but not fully resolving them, yeah. Norman says they're all getting along well to Emma while alluding to the conflict between him and Ayshe. He appears rueful and accepting of whatever feelings she directs toward him, even with the comedic antics he's remembering in the background of the panel in chapter 181.

I talk about this in this post too, but I think one can argue part of Ayshe's reaction in chapter 160 is frustration at Norman once again dictating how things will proceed between them and knowing that in the moment she can't really argue against it.

The boy is quick to move on, no doubt because what he says is true. They really don’t have time to do more, even though that’s what Ayshe deserves, and Norman knows it. But on top of being scared for their friends and family back at the base, I believe that though he accepts the most likely outcome of Ayshe being upset with him, the perfectionist in him is glad to take refuge in this immediate threat. It allows him to avoid confronting a major mistake he made that he can’t conceive a satisfactory resolution for, if only for a bit longer. And Ayshe is just…kind of left with what Norman’s said. Like, “you absolute bastard. Not only did you know the demon language and knew what I was saying back when you murdered my father and knew you fucked up for months, but you still just can’t concede control of the situation to the wronged party and are trying to dictate how this resolution will play out.” He doesn’t ask her how she’s doing, how she felt because of what he ordered, or engage with her in any dialogue, barely allowing her any time to react before moving on. Her eyes are obscured, there’s a bit of sweat on her face, and her jaw and fist are clenched while the background takes on a common downcast pattern seen in manga. It’s clear she does not take it well.

But provided he approaches her with an intent to make amends and then afterward gives her control of how they'll proceed from there, it's at least a start to tackling the emotional side of the conflict since it seems like she's already made peace with the logical side of it in her conversations with Ray in the bonus scene ("he was a monster, you know") and with Don and Gilda in chapter 139.

#several #them speaking about the elephant in the room of course #with Norman apologizing. giving his reasons but accepting her wrath and sadness (the sadness is worse) #with Ayshe accepting his apology because she by now realized Norman did it out of a state of danger and being afraid #logically she can put a lid on it. emotionally... it's harder. a process taking her whole life #the life her father did give her #plus her assuming her father wouldn't like her to be sad and sitting in a cell alone because she killed someone #he did save her so Ayshe could smile and be happy #and she is with her new friends and safer life #so doing Norman any harm won't do any good. won't ease the pain #much like he probably feels about Isabella and the Ratris #also them discussing Norman's statement in ch.160 and talking it out in demon language (via @officersnickers)

I love how you're even more pragmatic in considering the aftermath of committing first-degree murder in the human world ljdlfkj

But yes, wrath can be doled out and equated to punishment and absolution; sadness and grief of this magnitude linger, even if they aren't all-consuming.

Conversing in the demon language I feel needs to be handled delicately since it's not something they need to do in order to communicate with each other. Him initially speaking with her in it was done to inform her without words that he knew she harbored killing intent toward him since they first met. Doing it again unprompted is just showing off if it isn't followed up with a question to relate it back to her. Maybe asking if this is how she understood a phrase or idea that's hard to translate into the human language they share.

*Norman attempting to speak with Ayshe using the demon language again and Ayshe getting mad at him for it.

Semi-continuation of the "If Shirai announced one more chapter of TPN, I would want it to be about…" Poll where a resolution to this conflict was the option with the most votes.

(Chapter 181)

Other related posts: • Shirai's post-series reflections on the Ayshe-Norman conflict and some thoughts • My guess for what Norman says to Ayshe in chapter 160 • Did Ayshe forgive Norman during the timeskip?

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