#2547

The 25th Amendment outlines procedures for temporary or permanent presidential disability. If the president declares they are unable to perform their duties, the vice president can act as president. If the president is unable to declare their inability, the vice president and a majority of the cabinet can make that declaration.

Also, regarding the manufactured, disingenuous hysteria surrounding 8647 ...

Looks like Tavros is about to get into it. Before he does, let’s speculate for a bit about what he’s thinking.

Tavros looks appalled here - and maybe even a little disgusted. Meanwhile, Vriska’s expression reads as confusion and disbelief that he’s reacting this way. Honestly, I think that’s what bothered Vriska the most - not just that Tavros didn’t kiss her, but that he didn’t think she was worth kissing.  

See, I honestly don’t think Tavros likes her - in any quadrant. Maybe he thinks he does, but he doesn’t look like it, he doesn’t act like it, and he doesn’t talk like it, which is very telling indeed. 

I think Tavros is confused. Vriska is showing interest in him, and he feels like he should reciprocate (tick, tock, goes the imperial drone), but all he actually wants from Vriska is a restraining order. 

PAT: tHERE IS AN ANGRY VOICE IN MY HEAD,

Of the two remaining members of the Midnight Crew, Boxcars is the ‘angrier’ one. None of the Felt seemed particularly angry - except maybe Cans. 

Unless...

PAT: aNYWAY, i THINK VRISKA IS UPSET ABOUT IT, aND SHE'S NOT TALKING OR ANYTHING,

Are you kidding? She just got rejected. Believe me when I say she is fuming. 

CCG: OK WELL, I CAN ADVISE YOU AND STUFF CCG: BUT YOU DO REALIZE THIS IS A PUBLIC BULLETIN. CCG: WE SHOULD BE HAVING THIS CHAT IN PRIVATE.

For all his faults, Tavros is actually a pretty tough nut to crack - it’s often hard for me to tell what he’s thinking. 

Spill the beans, Nitram. I want to hear your take. 

PAT: mAYBE FUTURE HER CAN READ THIS, aND, PAT: i GUESS, PAT: kNOW i'M SORRY ABOUT IT, PAT: i DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT HER FEELINGS,

Oh, dear. 

He was forced into a kiss, and he actually thinks he needs to apologize. This poor kid.

CCG: BUT YOU SHOULD REALIZE THE FUTURE IS KIND OF A WIDE OPEN THING, I MEAN SHE COULD READ THIS LIKE TWO MINUTES IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS 600 HOURS. [...] PAT: oH, PAT: yEAH, PAT: i DIDN'T, rEALLY THINK OF THAT, PAST arachnidsGrip [PAG] 0:08 HOURS AGO responded to memo.

And it keeps getting better! I almost can’t bear to read the rest of this. 

PAG: Tavros, it's ok. Really. PAG: So you don't feel that way a8out me! That's fine. I shouldn't have expected any different. PAG: I can deal with it! I am not a wimp like you. I roll with 8ad 8r8ks all the time. No 8iggie.

Oh. 

Oh, this is not how I thought Vriska would deal with this, and I don’t believe her for a second.

Remember when she thought Aradia was executing a long-awaited revenge plot on her, because that’s how she sees the world? Vriska is going to ‘forgive’ Tavros - and then, further down the line, she’s going to punish him. 

I don’t think her forgiveness is ‘fake’, exactly - Vriska is actually a pretty sincere person, when she’s not explicitly in cahoots. I think, in this moment, she believes she’s a tough, emotionally resilient winner who can accept rejection. Nevertheless, I don’t think she’s going to be able to forget it. 

PAG: Anyway, though totally unnecessary, your apology is accepted.

It’s the lowest of low bars, but I will give her a quark of credit for acknowledging he didn’t actually do anything wrong. 

I think she really believes this - but that’s not going to stop her from hurting him later. Hopefully Doc Scratch won’t egg her on this time, or she might actually kill him. 

CCG: THERE, GREAT, ANOTHER HAPPY COUPLE CCG: IN WHATEVER HIDEOUS QUADRANT THIS BATSHIT PAIRING WILL SUSTAIN.

menhir d' @henricoudoux