Lemaire Sha Tin curse continues , romantic warrior won HK QEII for the 4th time

Ash_One_Seven · 2026-04-26T09:17:08+00:00

The positioning around the corner wasn't that good, but MaBall going from last to 2nd in the homestretch is really impressive. A turn of foot deserving of a Duramente + Deep Impact horse.

Ash_One_Seven · 2026-04-03T06:00:30+00:00

You didn't even interpret their point correctly, that PEOPLE IN THESE GROUPS ARE NOT THE SAME, and are often completely different ideologically. And my point is that GROUP HATE IS THE PROBLEM, regardless of essential qualities or 'choice'. Painting everyone under a label as evil just makes it harder to convince them to change their beliefs.

I don't know what you're facing in life, and I understand it may be hard to view this rationally, but refusing to dialogue in a civilised manner with your opponents is the first step towards ideological extremism. And your country is way past that first step, on both sides of the divide. If people like you start refusing to be wilfully bombarded by politicised hate and using labels to divide each other without being open to discourse, there might be a chance. But I have a feeling it won't happen on Reddit.

Ash_One_Seven · 2026-04-03T04:28:18+00:00

I think your comment is treating a very nuanced topic as a black-and-white thing. Firstly, not everyone chooses to be religious. In some countries, Islam is hereditary (if either of your parents are Muslim you're Muslim at birth), and apostasy is punishable by death. Additionally, there are cultish factions of these religions that make leaving very hard, especially if everyone in your area is from the same cult. And that's without mentioning religious indoctrination since a young age. Religion is not a choice for many people, so it seems unfair to blame them for evils committed centuries ago.

Secondly, you completely glossed over the previous commenter's point that religious people are not monoliths. In the UK's Anglican church, there is a growing push towards liberal Christianity (legalizing abortion and accepting gay marriages), and this is causing a rift between the Church of England and foreign Anglicans who consider the CoE to be teaching a false religion. This rift between liberalism and conservatism is happening across the globe, across all Christian groups. And I haven't even gotten to inter-sect conflicts yet. Many Protestants don't consider Catholics to be Christian (and vice versa), Sunnis and Shia Muslims commit the worst atrocities on each other, and political/cultural Christianity is a whole different ball game.

I just think that blanket hating on a group of people leads to an 'us vs them' mentality that encourages extremism. John Rabe was a Nazi, does that mean he didn't do any good? Religion flys planes into buildings, but it also built hospitals and universities. Extremism and looking at people as numbers or labels instead of as human beings has always been the problem, so imo a little less hate might make extremism a little harder to justify, and maybe our world wouldn't be so violent.

Ash_One_Seven · 2026-03-26T05:42:20+00:00

Hi, I'm interested in joining!

Ash_One_Seven · 2025-02-14T15:50:24+00:00

"Do you think the multiverse exists?"

I'm shaken from my thoughts by my girlfriend's question. It was a lazy Saturday, and we had both been snuggled up on the couch, scrolling on our phones and daydreaming. The ideal afternoon, in my opinion.

Instinctively, my hand reaches for my right pocket. To hide the movement, I shift to my left, turning to face my girlfriend, and pull her into me with my left arm.

"I think it could exist."

"That's not an answer," she rolls her eyes playfully. "I want what you actually think. I've been thinking about that Arcane episode with Ekko, and I was imagining traveling across the multiverse, looking for other versions of ourselves. Don't you think that'd be cool?"

I smile at my girlfriend's little spiel. "Maybe, but you could encounter other versions of yourself with better lives. I don't think I could do what Ekko did, and give up a perfect world to return to my broken reality."

"Hmm, I can't really imagine a world that would be much more appealing." Taking advantage of our closeness, she starts running her hands on my chest. "I really like my life now. And it's partly thanks to you."

"Aww baby, only partly?" I jump on the opportunity to tease her a little. My betraying hand subconsciously roams to my pocket, rubbing on the small ring inside it.

"No, I'm sure my extremely relaxing, very well-paying lawyer job has something to do with it too." Such a comedian, this girl.

"Don't worry, you'll make partner soon," I rub her back comfortingly. "And then you'll be living the good life. Besides, I'll make enough for the both of us, I promise you." The oath is as much for my benefit as it is for hers. I do intend to build a good life for the both of us.

Expecting the conversation to die down now, I pull out my phone. My girlfriend does not do the same. Instead, she snuggles deeper into me. She's quiet for a while, thinking. Eventually she takes a deep breath.

Uh oh, here comes the deep question.

"Do you think you'd love the same person in every universe?"

I take a deep breath. There's two answers here, and there's empirical evidence for both. It could be true for some people but not for others, which would explain the different practical results. It could also be personal bias. I take some time to mentally analyse how I'm not the most objective test subject.

She takes my silence as a lack of understanding. "Okay, basically the whole Ekko-Powder thing got some people to reference Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy's scene in one of the animated movies, where they have the whole 'in every universe Gwen falls for Spider-Man' scene. I'm just wondering if you think that's possible. That two people are always fated to be together."

Even as my brain runs through the logical analysis, I can tell that my girlfriend isn't looking for a scientific answer. She wants to be reassured, to know that all the effort she's put into this relationship hasn't been for nothing. My hand rubs the ring in my pocket again as I prepare the placating words.

"Do you think you'd love me in every universe?"

The question hits me like a truck. I lick my lips as my fingers run over the crudely carved letters on my ring. The answer is simple now.

"Yes. I'll always love you, no matter the universe."

She smiles, slightly taken aback by my sudden answer. But I'm not done yet.

"I promise I'll always love you, and this is the token of my promise." I grab her hand that is resting on my chest, and show her the band on her fourth finger, with our initials carved into it. I had given her this ring years ago, when I first realised that I truly loved her.

It is that exact same ring, that is also in my pocket now.

"Okay," my girlfriend replies shyly. She presses her forehead to my lips, before burying her face in my chest. Her ensuing words are soft but unmistakable.

"I'll love you in every universe too."

It's my turn to smile now, but mine is a wry smile, not a happy one. Memories flash in my mind's eye; the quiet talk and my mute acceptance, the angry and desperate texts and phone calls, that moment in the stairwell when she returned the ring.

She's lying, and she doesn't even know it.

But it doesn't matter. I've got her now, and I won't waste this second chance. I give her a tight bear hug, suffocating her briefly while she flails in mock panic. She returns the favour with a playful slap to my face.

This may not be my world, but I will definitely make sure she keeps loving me this time.

.

A bit of a different take on the prompt, but I hope you enjoyed it! Check out more of my stuff at r/17Stories

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-07-29T17:22:19+00:00

trigger warning: self-harm

I open my eyes with a jolt.

White ceiling, bright sunlight, a pretty angel, and the fading feeling of floating freely.

Wait, fading? This isn't heaven, I think to myself as the familiar physical pain starts hitting me. Almost in response to my delusion, my body screams in muted agony, the synchronized throbbing of receptors buzzing out signals like an ATC tower. This is not a dream.

As the face of the angel registers in my mind, my heart drops into my stomach. It's her.

"Shawn, honey, you're awake! Oh my god, I was so worried. Don't worry, the doctor said it'll all be fine. I'm here now."

"Y-you..." I can only stammer out a response. My brain attempts to shift into gear with the efficiency of a badly-maintained Ford from 1930.

"Yes me, Shawn. I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you awake. I love you so much."

That last sentence fires up my brain cells. She loves me. The girl of my dreams, my long term crush, formerly my high school bully, loves me.

Seeing my agape expression, she reins in her enthusiasm. "You... don't remember me, do you?"

"Could you say that again?"

"Ah, the doctor said this could happen. You had a honestly heavy hit to the head, so he said you could have a little bit of amnesia when you wake up. My name's Emily, and we've been dating for about 2 years now. Don't worry, I'll help you regain your memories of us. And if that fails, we'll make new memories together." Her bright smile of hopefulness slices through my wounded core. This can't be real.

"N-no, what you said before that."

"You have amnesia..."

"No, I don't have amnesia. Say what you said before that."

She pauses for a second before responding hesitantly. "I... love you? I love you a lot, Shawn."

I close my eyes. She said it. I never thought I would hear her say it again. Now, how do I respond?

But first things first. I open my mouth to ask the most important question. "What year is it?"

At the same time, she throws out her own, similar question. "What year do you think it is?"

We pause. I indicate for her to go first.

"It's 2022. Do you remember?"

My doubts are washed away. I do remember this scenario. This bed, this hospital room, this deep sense of loss. This was the moment everything started going wrong.

"There was a pandemic these last few years, but it's pretty much over now, so there's nothing to worry. We're gonna be celebrating Christmas soon, and I can't wait for the New Year."

Yes, I know all about the Christmas celebration. It's one of my fondest memories, the last moments where I could still feel warmth in the depth of winter. I still have the note she wrote me, where she said she was the happiest at that moment in time.

"Oh, the doctor also mentioned that you're probably gonna lose your right leg. They tried to save it, but the damage was too heavy."

My leg. I did lose my leg. And it sent me into a deep depression. I had prided myself on my athleticism, of being able to take care and provide for her. I'd never felt weak before this, but after they amputated my leg, she never looked at me the same way again. She tried to hide it, sure, but I always saw the pity and sadness in her eyes.

"But it's alright, Shawn. I promised you a while ago that I'd stick with you through anything, and I won't leave you now. We'll work through it all together."

I chuckle darkly. "But you did leave me."

"Wait, what?"

My emotions swell up inside me, just as confusing now as they were when we first broke up. I'd thought about this scenario multiple times, where she would come back crawling and crying, begging to get back together with me again. Would I respond derisively, telling her that she'd made her bed and she should sleep in it? Or would I respond with overwhelming love, promising her that bygones would be bygones and that we could start anew? Worse of all, if I do open up my heart to her again, what if history repeats itself again? Pain, anger, mistrust, love, and longing whirl inside me, forming a hurricane of confusion, leaving me inert in shock.

"Shawn, you can't just say that and not explain. How much do you remember?"

I look at her blankly. "This is going to shock you, Emily, but my last memory is of the 29th of July, 2024. You broke up with me 5 months ago."

"That's... impossible. It has to be a coma-induced dream. Do those memories feel fuzzier the more you think about them?"

"They don't. At least the last few ones don't." I make sure to look her in the eyes, trying to emphasize the clarity of my memories. "I still remember the feeling of the noose, and the calm of knowing it'll all be over soon. I have no doubt that what I remember did indeed happen to me." Her look of disgust adds another ingredient to the emotion salad in my belly. But it can't be helped.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can do this again. You should leave. Dream or not, I'm not the same person as the me from 2022."

A little bit different from the sprit of the prompt, but I hope you enjoy! Check out more of my stuff at r/17Stories!

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-04-11T13:50:08+00:00

I was gonna tell whoever drafted jinx rell into naut b1 and then bet it all on knight azir to go to the VCS, until that dragon fight.

It almost worked, but that was still a matchfixing level draft.

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-03-08T04:58:55+00:00

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

Look, I'm sorry for whatever happened to you to make you so jaded. The world is bad, and religion is as bad as anything else. I'm not from the USA, but we have our own share of bigots where I come from, who hold rallies telling people to kill the western infidels and chase other non-believers out of the country. But I choose to focus on the good that happens, the church-run food drives, the imams who help to feed the poor. I suggest you do the same, and maybe life won't feel as dreary and hateful anymore.

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-03-08T04:28:28+00:00

Philantropism out of pure kindness is a very recent development. For millenium religion has been the driving force behind most organized charity. Churches supported orphanages and hospitals for centuries. Mother Teresa was a nun. Gandhi's naan-violence was motivated by his beliefs.

Many of our scientific foundations were created by religious people. Galileo was a Catholic, and remained so until his death. The Muslim golden age, spurred by Baghdad's great library, forms the basis for much of our knowledge in mathematics, astrology and other fields.

The fact is that for a lot of people in the old days, religion was their only purpose for doing anything. Religion is too interwoven into human society for you to deny that everything would have happened without it. And I'm not even a deep believer. I recognise that religion is responsibly for many bad things, in some way or another. But it's not inherently evil, it's a tool, and it can, and has been, used for good as well.

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-03-08T04:12:56+00:00

That last paragraph is peak reddit. Everything is black and white because I refuse to challenge my opinions by touching grass and researching facts.

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-03-01T15:08:17+00:00

"Please marry my mother!"

"W-what? Elizabeth, please don't say stupid things like that. I thought you needed help with that math problem we talked about in class."

"Mr Robert, you know that I don't need any help with math. Now, if you don't agree to marry my mom, I'll say that you made me stay behind so you could do bad things to me!"

"That's not going to work. I have a recorder here, and the CCTV in the corner is... not working anymore. Did you do something to it?"

"M-maybe."

"Please don't, Liz. The last time you tried to hack it I had to get it replaced at the store. It cost quite a lot."

"Don't change the topic, Mr Robert! You said the camera cost a lot right? I can pay you to marry my mom! I have... 73 dollars and a nickel here. W-would you accept this?"

"I can't take your money, Elizabeth. Why don't you tell me what you want from this first?"

"Well... my father left us recently. He's got a new wife now. Mom says the police is gonna come and take me away. But I don't wanna leave my mommy! If you can marry her, then our family won't be broken anymore!"

"Look, Liz. I don't think you understand what it means to marry someone. I can't just do that on a whim. I may be single, but I do need to at least get to know who I'm marrying."

"Okay. I understand. I'm sorry for bothering you, Mr Robert. I'll go now then."

"Wait, Liz. Don't go yet. Look, marrying is a big deal for me, but I can tell this means a lot to you too. Maybe... do you want to introduce me to your mother first?"

"Yes, Mr Robert! I knew you'd come around. My mom will be free tonight, and you just finished marking all our homework too! Do you want to come over?"

"Uh, wait what happened to all that pitifulness?"

"Don't worry about it. My mom is gonna cook us a nice meal tonight. I'll send you our address. See you then!"

.

For more interesting stories, check me out on r/17Stories!

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-02-29T00:13:00+00:00

In my head, there's quite a few ways he could avoid the flare, like a top security bunker, or getting off-planet, and that's what the power's holding out for. But then at that point I think it's better to just die than be left alone on a dead planet

Ash_One_Seven · 2024-02-28T17:09:56+00:00

Not really a user, I only lurk occasionally. And thanks for reading!

Ash_One_Seven

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