Generalissimo
Generalissimo of SufficientVelocity
- Location
- Tropico, Tropico
I am certain we'll find someone to rally ourselves around eventually?
Noblesse Oblige [Znt/SI]
- Location
- Nowhere
What do you think he is, some sort of commoner?
Clearly the one to rally around is Isabella.
Generalissimo
Generalissimo of SufficientVelocity
- Location
- Tropico, Tropico
Kind of sad I am rooting for Joseph over Henry's current entourage?
I actively root completely against Shade in Fate - Stay - Write - Go!
Just assumed some of the SI's are written intentionally so that we all would like to punch them repeatedly?
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Retsof
I will keep you safe.
... what are these eight words?
Generalissimo
Generalissimo of SufficientVelocity
- Location
- Tropico, Tropico
"I don't care what happens to these people." - Dorothy Jones Heydt
- Location
- Poland
I think it has been made clear that when drinking with Joseph he had a choice of either trying to appeal to him, or appealing to everyone else, and he chose Joseph as a strategic choice because that's his plan all along. He's not being a jackass for the sake of being a jackass.
And it's easy to say that he should just do as his mother tells him to avoid punishment. That's when you're completely missing the point. He loves freedom. He's willing to suffer for it. What's amazing, truly amazing is that he doesn't hate or resent Karin. Sure, he's not willing to give up his love of freedom, but at the same time Henry as a character never hates Karin, like every other fanfic author ever would be prone to do. We as readers really don't like Karin, and that is fine, but Shade never stooped to the lowest level of bashing, and that's pretty cool. I have no idea why people would dislike him. I personally see him as a magnificent bastard wannabe.
And it's easy to say that he should just do as his mother tells him to avoid punishment. That's when you're completely missing the point. He loves freedom. He's willing to suffer for it. What's amazing, truly amazing is that he doesn't hate or resent Karin. Sure, he's not willing to give up his love of freedom, but at the same time Henry as a character never hates Karin, like every other fanfic author ever would be prone to do. We as readers really don't like Karin, and that is fine, but Shade never stooped to the lowest level of bashing, and that's pretty cool. I have no idea why people would dislike him. I personally see him as a magnificent bastard wannabe.
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
Well most of us are mommas boys or girl at heart, his freedom seems both childish and self defeating, aND at times it does seem that he's only being a jackals for the sake of it or that he has serious problems.
And when he's making strategic choices it still come off and playing blase with the lives and reputations of others around him. So he doesn't really seem like a magnificent bastard but just a really stubborn bastard.
Science
If you're reading this, omae wa mo shindeiru.
- Location
- Killeen, TX
Specially when flexibility is the reason why steel is better than iron, iron is too rigid and brittle when compared to steel. Karin's is the Rule of Iron.
- Location
- Poland
I come from an abusive family and Karin would trigger me something fierce. I've learned all the ways to avoid being hurt by my parents growing up, mostly by learning to be invisible. I understand why Henry does the thing he does. Sometimes you just gotta stick it to your parents to matter the cost. What he's doing is mild. I would've turned traitor and would do anything to see the Kingdom of Tristain burn in his place. I'd probably be Wardes friend... on the Reconquista side. Because I know what kind of "jackal" as you say I would be in his place I consider Henry to be a pretty nice guy.
Welcome to politics. That's literally what this is about. Being stopped by such a thing as principles and morals is a bad thing. When Henry laughs at how he makes his puppets dance, I'll laugh alongside him.
InfiniteDaze
Too lazy to leave the house
- Location
- I wish I could stay
Area Teen Insits Asskick Was A Draw
Chaoswind
Lord of nonsense
- Location
- Latin America
True. And now I remember counter being very effective against melee Kaito and Derf... So yeah, not a counter to elves... Everything else still stands
ShineUCrazyStar
Grossly Incandescent
- Location
- Being the Sun
Hey, she did set the victory conditions at 'to verbally capitulate'. One does not win a game of chess by beating up the other guy with fists, that just makes them a jerk who punches people during chess matches.
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
what you are saying is that you would have killed your sister to drink alchohol.
That's a bit reductionist but that mostly what these it if it were me I'd be a monster things boil down too
And here I thought being principled and considerate with regarded to the things you cared about was a good thing for a person and politician. And that increasing closing and making friends without turning the ground you stand on into sand would be the good thing.
...Have you met any politicians?
The world would a much nicer place if being a good person and being a good politician were in any way related.
- Location
- Poland
Because A then B, and Because B then C, doesn't mean A=C. Alcohol isn't the prize here. Alcohol is a token of freedom for Henry.
Would I have killed my sister to get back at the rest of the family if I was born to Karin? Yes, yes I would. My current family is really fucked up. I'm talking growing up thinking your own father might one day snap and kill you type of thing. And that the mother would just stand by and let him, because your own mother fucking hates you. You wanna know how close I am to my siblings? I don't even have their phone numbers. We never talk, we don't give a shit about each other. We grew up as strangers practically. Every man for himself, if the stakes are high in the "which child is going to be hurt by the parents next" game.
I'm being completely honest here when I say I would transfer that indifference into the setting if I were the SI. My siblings and parents would be considered people I know and not any family, because I never knew what family is.
And do work on your grammar please. The second sentence is completely unintelligible to me. English isn't even my first language, it's not that hard, I use a spell checker. Heck, I knew a girl with Dyslexia that conquered it with sheer effort.
And Splodge is right. If you're a honest politician you're doing it wrong. You'll never accomplish anything and your rivals will laugh as they stab you in the back.
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- Location
- Leeds
I see what Shade is planning now.
Nothing bad will happen in the story, instead he's going to polarise the chat and we'll do bad things to each other.
Nothing bad will happen in the story, instead he's going to polarise the chat and we'll do bad things to each other.
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
A bad one that misses the fact that obsessing over it, costs him access to it and other thing through the abuse of it.
Then I'll say it again clearly this time.
This phenomena of people talking about the monstrous things they'd do if they were in other people's place in fics amd on the Internet is pathetic and only makes you look so damaged as to sap credibility from your words like a weed.
This is weird considering how often politicians actually keep there promises when dealing with people tacitly opposed to them but no I never said honest.
I said considerate and principled towards the thing he calls himself fighting for in his own head. Things like his family he proclaims to love but who name he seeming casually drags through mud even when not remotely necesary.
- Location
- Poland
The same goes for self-righteousness. I think you're missing the point that fiction is just fiction and that you shouldn't take it so seriously.
- Pronouns
- she/her
Being a good person is unrelateds. Henry is a poor politician because he is makes few allies in comparison to his enemies and regularly does things which will form an unsavory reputation. For example at this point he should really have a reputation for alcoholism thanks to repeatedly going Gollum over booze at public events.
But even putting alcohol aside, Henry is SHIT at playing the political game because he continually capitulates on statements depending on who he is talking to. While risky, this wouldn't be huge problem if he was careful to make sure these people couldn't meet to compare notes. However Henry openly admits he was spewing bullshit, often in places where there is a high chance those people will overhear this admission.
This occurs as far back as his introduction to Anthoine, where Henry tells Wardes he isn't going to be a real friend to that guy mere seconds after Anthoine walks away from the conversation. More recently Henry presented a responsible image to the King of Gallia, only to utterly destroy any semblance of that image being sincere by presenting the opposite impression when speaking to Joseph.
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Chapter Fifty-Two
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Fifty-Two
I looked at the contents of my glass, and sighed. It wasn't water, but fruit juice. Honestly, between fruit juice and water, I would have gone with water. Cattleya was sulking, but that wasn't the most important thing. The most important thing was that it was only the four of us eating, since Louise was at the royal palace, and Eleonore had gone to a formal dinner party of sorts somewhere I hadn't bothered asking.
It was quite the uncomfortable silence that stretched around us, interrupted only by the clinking of cutlery against the plates and little else.
"You had a fight with mother, didn't you, brother?" Cattleya asked later that night as I sat down by the side of her bed, my back against the mattress. She was pouting, her expression a mixture of adorable and hug-worthy.
"Something of the sorts," I acquiesced. "How have you been?" I asked next, only for Cattleya's hand to come and swat me on the top of my head.
"Don't change the argument," Cattleya said. "What did you fight about?" she asked next.
"On whether or not I would be allowed wine," I pointed out. "Apparently, I've been drinking too much for her tastes, so I'm cut off from it." I extended both of my hands over my head, and proceeded to seek out one of Cattleya's arms to pat it. "Have you behaved properly instead, Cattleya?"
"Of course I have," Cattleya pouted, "I haven't even exchanged a kiss with Jean yet-"
I coughed, and shook my head hastily. "Too much information! I don't want to know this sort of things, sister!"
Cattleya giggled, "You're the only one that makes mother angry, brother. Maybe you should try to get along better with her?"
"I think," I said softly, "That in our very own strange way, we are actually getting along just fine," I admitted.
"The Founder is sad whenever family fights each other," Cattleya said. "It's the sacred belief of non-aggression, brother. The one that ensures peace at all time-"
"If that was true, then there would be no need for political marriages," I pointed out. "Also, I wasn't fighting against mother...it was just...very intensive sparring."
Cattleya remained silent for a moment, but I felt her shift over the bed as she rolled, her head suddenly appearing in my cone of vision right above me with a cheeky grin. "The windows were rattling so much-did she show off her Cutter Tornado?"
"It not that amazing when you're the target of it," I said, before chuckling. "But it was cool, I guess. Also, tomorrow I'll present you Raven, my crow."
Cattleya furrowed her brows. "Is it a raven, or a crow?"
"I don't know," I acquiesced. "Is there even a difference between the two types of bird?"
Cattleya's arms snaked around my neck as she suddenly hugged me, "I missed you, brother!" she said cheerfully. "You didn't even finish your story last time! I've been waiting to know how it ends!" I laughed at the childish outburst, and then nodded.
Honestly, it was nice to be back home.
The next day, of course, I regretted it.
"One hundred and-and fifty?" I choked at the number of chants, and then stared ashen-faced at my mother's presence by my side. "Is mercy on the table?"
"No," Karin said. "Your chanting could use polish, and you clearly were too slow with your swordwand's movements. You could not disarm me in time, after all. Memorizing the proper chants will noticeably help you, Henry," and with that, she took a seat by my side. I swallowed nervously as I began to repeat them, filling my mind already starting to die a little at a time. "Eleonore won't be back for at least a few weeks. Until she is, I'll take care of your education. I realize it is lacking in various aspects, none the least respect, so refusal to obey will be punished most severely."
I clenched the quill in my right hand a bit tighter, but not to the point where it broke. "Very well," I muttered, starting to write down the chants once more.
Thus, I dutifully went to work. There were some things worth fighting for, and this wasn't one of them. If I couldn't remember them all, then tough luck. She couldn't punish me if I tried my best.
At least, that was my sincere belief. Whether it became the truth or not, it wasn't up to me.
"Is that the calligraphy you normally use?" Karin said. "It's too sloppy. Write it again."
I gritted my teeth, even as I pulled a fresh piece of parchment out from the pile near me and started once more to write the same boring chant about how to properly conjure forth a rose bush from the ground. Why was it important? I didn't know. It was, however, a very sacred chant that a lot of popes considered beautiful and divinely inspired. Thus, it had to be memorized.
I'd forget about it just like I had forgotten about all of the previous chants that weren't important. I had no intention of remembering all of the variations for sprinkling water.
"Better," Karin said after what felt like hours had gone by, snatching the parchment from the desk, "Now...repeat them."
I stared at the back of the parchment, and then calmly began to recite them, one after the other. With each passing chant, Karin remained silently impressed -I was sure of it- until she folded the parchments and gave me a curt nod. "I am expecting you outside in ten minutes, do not be late."
And with that, she stood up and walked out without another word.
From the top of the ceiling, silent like a shadow of darkness and feathers, Raven swooped down with his eyes fixed on me. Silence was, sometimes, the better part of valor.
"Job well done, Mister Raven," I whispered to him with my best Bond Villain rendition as I rubbed his head gently. "Job well done."
"You're welcome," Raven answered with a soft purring to his tone. "I love you!"
"And I love you too," I said as I gave him a tiny peck on the top of his head. "Without you, I'd actually have to memorize all of those chants." I opened the nearby window, and silently let him free to fly. "Go now, enjoy your freedom. I'll go eat the dirt once more." I sighed. "Perhaps I'll come to like it?"
"Fly away!" Raven said, hopping on the edge of the windows. "Fly away!" he gestured with his head to the wide forests.
"Only cowards run from these sort of battles," I said with a chuckle, shaking my head. "And whether mother knows it or not...I am winning. She just hasn't realized it yet-my secret card-right under my bed too."
I looked around at the empty room, and then walked out.
First off, I had to separate between the two vampire lolis and the rest of the students. If, and this was a big stretch, I was being shadowed by invisible vampires capable of firstborn magic, then I'd find out as soon as my cunning trap exploded in their face later today. If, on the other hand, the informant was one of my classmates, I'd not only discover him once back at the academy, but I would also need to plan their murder and ensure nobody would be capable of connecting it to me.
Crafting a magical glitter bomb didn't really require that much magic. It was, honestly, one of the first things they taught at the Academy to explain the process of conjuration. One conjured bubbles of soap and water, and then kept them floating and bouncing until the willpower spent into them depleted itself.
The fact was, I had placed those bubbles and neatly stacked them under my bed, thus if any wannabe spy-vampire tried to touch one of them, they would either pop or move around the room. If they did the latter, I challenged them to put them back into place exactly as I had left them -I had even gone as far as color-coding them on a Red-Green-Blue basis, just for the added touch of safety.
It is not paranoia when they are out to get you.
As soon as I stepped into the courtyard where we'd normally practice, I realized that Cattleya was in attendance, and Pierre was actually standing by with his staff at the ready. "Since I realize it is folly to try to stop any of you, I will lay the ground rules. First blood means a draw for the day, for either parties. If one says that he surrenders, then he surrenders and, since we are all adults here, I sincerely hope we will all abide by the consequences of our actions," as soon as he said that, he twirled his mustache. "Also, Henry, don't make your sister cry."
"Shouldn't you say that to mother?" I retorted, only for Cattleya to wave at both Karin and I, the smile on her face warm, caring and quite honestly understanding.
And as swiftly as I said that, a feeling of burning spread across my cheek.
"Draw," Pierre said with a sigh, shaking his head as I neared a hand to the burning sensation on my right side, my fingers red with blood. She had-she had sliced my cheek while I was busy looking at Cattleya?
I stared at mother, who quite calmly placed her swordwand back by her hip. "Distraction on the battlefield is unacceptable, Henry," Karin said flatly. "Now get your father to clean you up, and then be ready to mount on your manticore. Your skills in riding must have truly grown rusty due to a lack of practice."
I clenched my fists, words threatening to burst out that yet I squashed back down.
This first blood draw thing was bullshit.
At the same time, no matter how much of a bullshit thing it was, I couldn't help but acknowledge it was perhaps the only thing that made sense. I had no way of defeating Karin, no way to make her say that she would surrender. No, honestly-she wouldn't surrender even if threatened, because she was headstrong, and determined, and she believed she was absolutely right.
So, if I wanted to convince her, I needed to use words, or at the very least, not the battlefield.
I could see what father was trying to convey with his rules, but at the same time, it took away my main card of approval.
By refusing to backing down, my hope had been to force Karin against a wall-and yet now it all came out empty.
Really, out of everyone in the house, perhaps the most terrifying wasn't my mother, but my father.
To hide his porn from her eyes-how cunning could such a man really be?
I looked at the contents of my glass, and sighed. It wasn't water, but fruit juice. Honestly, between fruit juice and water, I would have gone with water. Cattleya was sulking, but that wasn't the most important thing. The most important thing was that it was only the four of us eating, since Louise was at the royal palace, and Eleonore had gone to a formal dinner party of sorts somewhere I hadn't bothered asking.
It was quite the uncomfortable silence that stretched around us, interrupted only by the clinking of cutlery against the plates and little else.
"You had a fight with mother, didn't you, brother?" Cattleya asked later that night as I sat down by the side of her bed, my back against the mattress. She was pouting, her expression a mixture of adorable and hug-worthy.
"Something of the sorts," I acquiesced. "How have you been?" I asked next, only for Cattleya's hand to come and swat me on the top of my head.
"Don't change the argument," Cattleya said. "What did you fight about?" she asked next.
"On whether or not I would be allowed wine," I pointed out. "Apparently, I've been drinking too much for her tastes, so I'm cut off from it." I extended both of my hands over my head, and proceeded to seek out one of Cattleya's arms to pat it. "Have you behaved properly instead, Cattleya?"
"Of course I have," Cattleya pouted, "I haven't even exchanged a kiss with Jean yet-"
I coughed, and shook my head hastily. "Too much information! I don't want to know this sort of things, sister!"
Cattleya giggled, "You're the only one that makes mother angry, brother. Maybe you should try to get along better with her?"
"I think," I said softly, "That in our very own strange way, we are actually getting along just fine," I admitted.
"The Founder is sad whenever family fights each other," Cattleya said. "It's the sacred belief of non-aggression, brother. The one that ensures peace at all time-"
"If that was true, then there would be no need for political marriages," I pointed out. "Also, I wasn't fighting against mother...it was just...very intensive sparring."
Cattleya remained silent for a moment, but I felt her shift over the bed as she rolled, her head suddenly appearing in my cone of vision right above me with a cheeky grin. "The windows were rattling so much-did she show off her Cutter Tornado?"
"It not that amazing when you're the target of it," I said, before chuckling. "But it was cool, I guess. Also, tomorrow I'll present you Raven, my crow."
Cattleya furrowed her brows. "Is it a raven, or a crow?"
"I don't know," I acquiesced. "Is there even a difference between the two types of bird?"
Cattleya's arms snaked around my neck as she suddenly hugged me, "I missed you, brother!" she said cheerfully. "You didn't even finish your story last time! I've been waiting to know how it ends!" I laughed at the childish outburst, and then nodded.
Honestly, it was nice to be back home.
The next day, of course, I regretted it.
"One hundred and-and fifty?" I choked at the number of chants, and then stared ashen-faced at my mother's presence by my side. "Is mercy on the table?"
"No," Karin said. "Your chanting could use polish, and you clearly were too slow with your swordwand's movements. You could not disarm me in time, after all. Memorizing the proper chants will noticeably help you, Henry," and with that, she took a seat by my side. I swallowed nervously as I began to repeat them, filling my mind already starting to die a little at a time. "Eleonore won't be back for at least a few weeks. Until she is, I'll take care of your education. I realize it is lacking in various aspects, none the least respect, so refusal to obey will be punished most severely."
I clenched the quill in my right hand a bit tighter, but not to the point where it broke. "Very well," I muttered, starting to write down the chants once more.
Thus, I dutifully went to work. There were some things worth fighting for, and this wasn't one of them. If I couldn't remember them all, then tough luck. She couldn't punish me if I tried my best.
At least, that was my sincere belief. Whether it became the truth or not, it wasn't up to me.
"Is that the calligraphy you normally use?" Karin said. "It's too sloppy. Write it again."
I gritted my teeth, even as I pulled a fresh piece of parchment out from the pile near me and started once more to write the same boring chant about how to properly conjure forth a rose bush from the ground. Why was it important? I didn't know. It was, however, a very sacred chant that a lot of popes considered beautiful and divinely inspired. Thus, it had to be memorized.
I'd forget about it just like I had forgotten about all of the previous chants that weren't important. I had no intention of remembering all of the variations for sprinkling water.
"Better," Karin said after what felt like hours had gone by, snatching the parchment from the desk, "Now...repeat them."
I stared at the back of the parchment, and then calmly began to recite them, one after the other. With each passing chant, Karin remained silently impressed -I was sure of it- until she folded the parchments and gave me a curt nod. "I am expecting you outside in ten minutes, do not be late."
And with that, she stood up and walked out without another word.
From the top of the ceiling, silent like a shadow of darkness and feathers, Raven swooped down with his eyes fixed on me. Silence was, sometimes, the better part of valor.
"Job well done, Mister Raven," I whispered to him with my best Bond Villain rendition as I rubbed his head gently. "Job well done."
"You're welcome," Raven answered with a soft purring to his tone. "I love you!"
"And I love you too," I said as I gave him a tiny peck on the top of his head. "Without you, I'd actually have to memorize all of those chants." I opened the nearby window, and silently let him free to fly. "Go now, enjoy your freedom. I'll go eat the dirt once more." I sighed. "Perhaps I'll come to like it?"
"Fly away!" Raven said, hopping on the edge of the windows. "Fly away!" he gestured with his head to the wide forests.
"Only cowards run from these sort of battles," I said with a chuckle, shaking my head. "And whether mother knows it or not...I am winning. She just hasn't realized it yet-my secret card-right under my bed too."
I looked around at the empty room, and then walked out.
First off, I had to separate between the two vampire lolis and the rest of the students. If, and this was a big stretch, I was being shadowed by invisible vampires capable of firstborn magic, then I'd find out as soon as my cunning trap exploded in their face later today. If, on the other hand, the informant was one of my classmates, I'd not only discover him once back at the academy, but I would also need to plan their murder and ensure nobody would be capable of connecting it to me.
Crafting a magical glitter bomb didn't really require that much magic. It was, honestly, one of the first things they taught at the Academy to explain the process of conjuration. One conjured bubbles of soap and water, and then kept them floating and bouncing until the willpower spent into them depleted itself.
The fact was, I had placed those bubbles and neatly stacked them under my bed, thus if any wannabe spy-vampire tried to touch one of them, they would either pop or move around the room. If they did the latter, I challenged them to put them back into place exactly as I had left them -I had even gone as far as color-coding them on a Red-Green-Blue basis, just for the added touch of safety.
It is not paranoia when they are out to get you.
As soon as I stepped into the courtyard where we'd normally practice, I realized that Cattleya was in attendance, and Pierre was actually standing by with his staff at the ready. "Since I realize it is folly to try to stop any of you, I will lay the ground rules. First blood means a draw for the day, for either parties. If one says that he surrenders, then he surrenders and, since we are all adults here, I sincerely hope we will all abide by the consequences of our actions," as soon as he said that, he twirled his mustache. "Also, Henry, don't make your sister cry."
"Shouldn't you say that to mother?" I retorted, only for Cattleya to wave at both Karin and I, the smile on her face warm, caring and quite honestly understanding.
And as swiftly as I said that, a feeling of burning spread across my cheek.
"Draw," Pierre said with a sigh, shaking his head as I neared a hand to the burning sensation on my right side, my fingers red with blood. She had-she had sliced my cheek while I was busy looking at Cattleya?
I stared at mother, who quite calmly placed her swordwand back by her hip. "Distraction on the battlefield is unacceptable, Henry," Karin said flatly. "Now get your father to clean you up, and then be ready to mount on your manticore. Your skills in riding must have truly grown rusty due to a lack of practice."
I clenched my fists, words threatening to burst out that yet I squashed back down.
This first blood draw thing was bullshit.
At the same time, no matter how much of a bullshit thing it was, I couldn't help but acknowledge it was perhaps the only thing that made sense. I had no way of defeating Karin, no way to make her say that she would surrender. No, honestly-she wouldn't surrender even if threatened, because she was headstrong, and determined, and she believed she was absolutely right.
So, if I wanted to convince her, I needed to use words, or at the very least, not the battlefield.
I could see what father was trying to convey with his rules, but at the same time, it took away my main card of approval.
By refusing to backing down, my hope had been to force Karin against a wall-and yet now it all came out empty.
Really, out of everyone in the house, perhaps the most terrifying wasn't my mother, but my father.
To hide his porn from her eyes-how cunning could such a man really be?
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Nicely portrayed. It's easy to miss with all the sturm and drang, but Karin's actual demands aren't really that absurd for a parent to demand of their child who has yet to leave the household. Henry is pushing against them because he knows some things he doesn't want to explain, because he thinks Karin will secretly respect that, and because he figures it will work.
Pierre is tired of both Henry and Karin's shit, he knows just what they're both doing, and he is apparently clever enough to sideline the majority of the drama in favor of the continued training Henry actually needs. Bravo!
Pierre is tired of both Henry and Karin's shit, he knows just what they're both doing, and he is apparently clever enough to sideline the majority of the drama in favor of the continued training Henry actually needs. Bravo!
- Pronouns
- she/her
Cunning enough to do damage control, but not enough to interfere before the situation was 10 seconds from going nuclear.