"What's the meaning of this? His heart is completely different now, he has none of the indecision or sadness or fear of before. I sense only anger, and he delights in the thought of killing me."
— Goshinki on Inuyasha when he fails to read the mind of his Superpowered Evil Side, Inuyasha
"THINK ABOUT COWS THINK ABOUT COWS THINK ABOUT COWS..."
— Clay, Wings of Fire
"...switch the face of the +1/-1 card, the totals are nine-ten. Switch the face of the +2/-2 card, the total is eight-eleven. Switch..."
— Atton Rand, Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Dad took a step forward. “You’re a fighter. A survivor. Even if I don’t know where you learned to curse like that.”
“Aliens made me do it,” I said. It was a particularly unfunny bumper sticker that had experienced a massive uptick in popularity in recent times.
Dad took a deep breath, visibly battling against the urge to express his disapproval.
“Seriously, though.” I cleared my throat. “Spirit of full disclosure and all: it started out as a way to annoy Temrash one-fourteen. Kinda got in the habit after that, even though Britney Spears tunes worked way better on Essa four-twelve.”
Dad raised an eyebrow. “Britney Spears?”
“No appreciation of the finer things, that one.” I grinned at him.
His smile had gone oddly soft. “You know, with your mom it was Barry Manilow?”
“Barry Manilow?” I repeated slowly. “Mom has memorized enough Barry Manilow to set his songs on a mental loop?”
He held up both hands as if to excuse himself from answering. “She has hidden depths.”
“Sadistic, terrifying-as-fuck hidden depths.” I shook my head. “Did you ever...?” I stopped. It was a personal question, in some ways the most personal question. A part of me didn’t want to know, just in case he hadn’t fought back at all, had never made the effort...
Dad shrugged. “Never hurts to rehearse the periodic table of elements every once in a while, say...” He frowned thoughtfully. “Forty or fifty times a day. Just to stay fresh, of course.”
“Okay, you win for monotony.” I laughed incredulously. “Alahar three-eighteen must have fucking hated you.”
“Aliens made me do it,” I said. It was a particularly unfunny bumper sticker that had experienced a massive uptick in popularity in recent times.
Dad took a deep breath, visibly battling against the urge to express his disapproval.
“Seriously, though.” I cleared my throat. “Spirit of full disclosure and all: it started out as a way to annoy Temrash one-fourteen. Kinda got in the habit after that, even though Britney Spears tunes worked way better on Essa four-twelve.”
Dad raised an eyebrow. “Britney Spears?”
“No appreciation of the finer things, that one.” I grinned at him.
His smile had gone oddly soft. “You know, with your mom it was Barry Manilow?”
“Barry Manilow?” I repeated slowly. “Mom has memorized enough Barry Manilow to set his songs on a mental loop?”
He held up both hands as if to excuse himself from answering. “She has hidden depths.”
“Sadistic, terrifying-as-fuck hidden depths.” I shook my head. “Did you ever...?” I stopped. It was a personal question, in some ways the most personal question. A part of me didn’t want to know, just in case he hadn’t fought back at all, had never made the effort...
Dad shrugged. “Never hurts to rehearse the periodic table of elements every once in a while, say...” He frowned thoughtfully. “Forty or fifty times a day. Just to stay fresh, of course.”
“Okay, you win for monotony.” I laughed incredulously. “Alahar three-eighteen must have fucking hated you.”
— Animorphs fanfic Back to the Future
