liketwoswansinbalance

[liketwoswansinbalance]

Insane thought about dismemberment incoming—

"Removing the pinion joint of a bird stops the growth of the primary feathers, preventing the acceleration required for flight and is analogous to amputating a human hand at the wrist" (Source).

If Rafal's hands were cut off, would he be able to fly? Or rather, would he be able to balance properly whilst in flight? I know his flight relies on magic, but logistically, this could be interesting...

#school for good and evil #rise of the school for good and evil #rafal #rafal mistral #sge #sfgae #the school for good and evil #tsfgae #rotsge #rotsfgae #my post #my theories #bird motif #does this qualify as #whump #?

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Look, I know this is practically the antithesis of Rafal's character (with his whole "pirates are pests and subpar villain material" ideas and pirates being the opposite of his "orderly civilization" line of thought) but...

If I haven't convinced anyone based on premise alone, here's a drafted excerpt for the heck of it:

The iron stench of blood clung thick in the air, clung to Rafal’s new garments.

Craning his neck upwards at the barque, Rhian could’ve sworn his brother’s clothes smelt of blood, but he couldn’t see a trace of blood on him. Just, streaks of—blue—a strange, deep, sapphire blue on his clothes, tinging the edges of his hair, a spray of an inky substance speckling his jawline and the side of his face, and smears of blue on the… Night Crawlers assembled behind him.

And by the Storian’s grace, were those real Night Crawlers? He’d never seen them outside of storybooks. It was like Rafal had dredged himself out of a storybook, out of the deep undersea, like a myth among myths.

Rhian would have concluded it was blood, but it couldn’t be, could it?

Thoughts?

#school for good and evil #rise of the school for good and evil #rafal #rafal mistral #rhian #rhian mistral #night crawlers #james hook #sge #sfgae #the school for good and evil #tsfgae #rotsge #rotsfgae #my post #my fics #snippets

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@discjude I think this is right, but may need peer review. Reminded me of your F+B textual analysis. I loved your point that Rafal is at fault for creating the "Snake" and that "Japeth" is distinct from that identity. And I'm with you in that I hope the distinction reoccurs.

#japeth

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a post-doc was doing a guest seminar at my institute and at the beginning of his presentation he was explaining why he chose birds for his evolutionary analysis - so he said "well first of all, because birds are the best and most interesting animals and it's fun to study them" and a few professors in the room gave him a very serious nod

#rafal #and #the stymphs #? #more headcanon than anything #but I thought it fit #AND rafal changed the phenotype of an entire species! hah! #he caused premature molting in his stymphs causing them to become permanently skeletal! #and I'm sure there was a line in Rise in which he admired their new forms with some sort of morbid fascination #I feel like this is one of the most underrated things he's done #I think he actually would be biased toward birds in general #beyond just his own #bird motif #also #this is kind of a 'chicken or the egg' problem #did I end up liking rafal because I loved birds as a kid? (doubtful really) #or #did I start liking birds more because of rafal? #it's probably both #to an extent #and is it just me #or do others view him as a “man of science” within the bounds of his proto-scientific world? #he IS sort of methodical in his approach to a lot of things thrown at him #like #WOULD he measure the stymphs like Darwin with his finches? #maybe???

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To amuse myself, I made another aesthetic based on TOTSMOV41, and I'll even drop a "fun" line because why not!

If all else failed, he would call down one of his own Stymphs to end him quickly.

There may two biers in this, but the fic will only have one. Corpse not included.

#school for good and evil #rise of the school for good and evil #rafal #rafal mistral #sophie of woods beyond #japeth #japeth-sader mistral #japeth of foxwood #sge #sfgae #the school for good and evil #tsfgae #rotsge #rotsfgae #one true king #my post #my fics #snippets #my aesthetics #the one true school master of vault 41 #totsmov41

[liketwoswansinbalance]

Slightly Cursed TOTSMOV41 Thought?

The other day, I had a horrible yet probably true thought about Rafal in TOTSMOV41. He technically punishes himself. Ok, yes, the Storian is responsible for the red-hot iron shoes, but it happens inside the crystal, which I failed to consider, and that means that Sophie, Agatha, and himself (their collective, error-prone memories) are the forces punishing him. It's unconscious on all their parts, but it just seemed weird enough to mention.

In my conceptualization of it, the crystal will work like an alternate reality of a kind, a reality but also a simulation or unreality, where true and false intersect because I'm trying to match the TCY themes and so, there are both real and false elements and real and "false" injuries.

But, I'm kind of at a loss as to whether this works. Seeing as I don't have a complete explanation, I don't think this will change in the final draft, but it's certainly a... feature.

Basically, I'm not sure how well this works because the version of Rafal in the fic is the one from TLEA who isn't supposed to have a guilty conscience, so why would he be punishing himself, even unconsciously? And really, I'll have to blame it on Sophie, Agatha, and Rafal's memory of the Storian itself, leaving a painful impression on them in some way or another because it would make less sense for Sophie, Agatha, and Rafal himself to be subconsciously punishing him.

This is kind of a knee-jerk reaction at my attempt to find a reason for everything I can possibly conceive of. It probably shouldn't be taken that seriously, and at the moment, it doesn't seem to be a plot hole?

Any reactions or ideas, anyone?

#school for good and evil #rise of the school for good and evil #rafal #rafal mistral #sophie of woods beyond #agatha of woods beyond #sge #sfgae #the school for good and evil #tsfgae #rotsge #rotsfgae #one true king #my post #my fics #the one true school master of vault 41 #totsmov41

[liketwoswansinbalance]

characters who dig themselves out of their graves (whether literal or metaphorical) are at the top of the list. nothing beats a character who should have died but didn't and comes back to haunt their own life and the world around them, benevolent or violent it doesn't matter, it's enthralling either way

#the one true school master of vault 41 #totsmov41 #my fics #rafal in TOTSMOV41 #rafal #sort of #it's not exclusively his fault that he's alive #at least #not in the beginning #also #rafal in general

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This is for that ask thingy you reblogged.

I hope this doesn't sound offensive or anything, but I think you remind me a lot of how my mom can be! (Not that you are her or anything but just the character.)

I was pinning down why I often ramble a lot in your comment sections (sorry about that, by the way. I am usually not like that so if I talk a lot that means I think a person is pretty cool!)

You give a similar vibe of no nonsense, introversion and lack of clinginess, organization, and head over heart like she does. And your love of reading of course!

(again, sorry if this is weird or something, I don't mean it in an offensive way.)

I'm not offended at all!

Your rambling doesn't bother me, and I also ramble, so I'd say we're about even. (Cool, you say? Thanks. I doubt that I'm as cool in any usual sense in real life. I can actually be fairly boring, compared to most people in truth.)

I'm not sure if I'm truly no-nonsense, but the rest seems to hold true. Though, I'd guess that I'm likely not as organized as I appear to be.

#ask

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It's overdue, but I finally added ghostly text to the cover of this fic.

#school for good and evil #rise of the school for good and evil #rafal #rafal mistral #rhian #rhian mistral #vulcan of netherwood #dean hedadora #professor mayberry #dean mayberry #dean humburg #kyma #kyma of maidenvale #sge #sfgae #the school for good and evil #tsfgae #rotsge #rotsfgae #my post #my fics #fic covers #in unrecognition of rhian... #iuor

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We are gathered here today because SOMEBODY *glares at coffin* couldn’t stay alive.

#in unrecognition of rhian... #iuor #my fics #rafal #about #rhian

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Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2024 Haute Couture

#the one true school master of vault 41 #totsmov41 #my fics #sophie of woods beyond #the storian #This reminds me of something…

[liketwoswansinbalance]

You seem more introverted than extroverted and are also very academically involved. You also seem like the type to stick to a schedule and a certain routine.

Correct. Eerily correct. Now I wonder where the “routine” part came from. That is surprisingly accurate because I hate deviating from routine, and I often dislike surprises.

The only thing you’re (partly) wrong about is that I’m not always that great at sticking to schedules (often the ones I attempt to impose on myself, the slightly less important ones). That said, I devise plans all the time, and don’t always follow through with them, in the end.

#ask

[liketwoswansinbalance]

All right. Release the hounds! Cast judgments upon me! Anything, anything at all!

Really, I'm curious. If anyone wants to, you can send asks. I won't mind if they're done anonymously, and I may be willing to confirm or dispel assumptions about me, if you want to also play that tumblr game! So, you can send in assumptions as well as thoughts. I may treat them like true-or-false questions. Lastly, as a forewarning, I will answer things at my discretion, so you're not 100% guaranteed an answer, and it may take me a while to respond. Now go forth (or avaunt, whichever you chose)!

reblog if you want your followers to tell you one thing they secretly think about you.

#ask

[liketwoswansinbalance]

Texting in a Modern AU:

Rhian: Great news, Rafal!!! I have a date tonight!!!!

Rafal is typing.

Rhian: Nevermind, I shouldn't have told you.

Rafal is typing.

Rhian: I should be back at 12. Try being happy for me for a change.

Rafal: No wait

Rafal: I'm ready. Rule #1: Don't let him touch your drink. Rule #2: Leave if he asks invasive questions. Rule #3: Give me his address.

Rhian has left the chat.

#school for good and evil #rise of the school for good and evil #rafal #rafal mistral #rhian #rhian mistral #sge #sfgae #the school for good and evil #tsfgae #rotsge #rotsfgae #my post #my aus #modern au #dialogue

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#the one true school master of vault 41 #totsmov41 #my fics #rafal in TOTSMOV41 #literally #rafal #in his red-hot iron shoes #why? #the storian #punishes him

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Steps towards you wetly

#the one true school master of vault 41 #totsmov41 #my fics #rafal in TOTSMOV41 #rafal #after his “bath” and the crystal ball #seriously #even if it's ridiculous #he hasn't lost the ability to be scary while soaked to the bone #tedros would've laughed at the sight if he hadn't been mad at rafal

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#the one true school master of vault 41 #totsmov41 #my fics #sophie of woods beyond #to #rafal #rafal in TOTSMOV41 #they banter