Line #211 WebOriginal/SpaghettiIce


1	''Spaghetti Ice'' is a ScienceFantasy work of fiction written and illustrated by an AnonymousAuthor.
2
3	Their work consists of three installments:
4
5	* ''Spaghetti Ice'' (~2013 – 2018): A long-running, non-thematic text roleplay campaign on a now-defunct IRC server. The events of this roleplay were retroactively granted the title ''Spaghetti Ice''. Due to the ephemeral nature of IRC, the original contents of this roleplay are now considered lost media.
6	* ''Shaved Ice'' (2022): A modern, abbreviated literary retelling of the key aspects of ''Spaghetti Ice''. This story eventually evolved into its own AlternateUniverse. Can be read [[https://github.com/vicerre/shaved-ice/tree/main/entries here]].
7	* ''Cherry Ice'' (2022 – ): A series of blog posts containing short- and medium-form media. This is the continuation of both ''Spaghetti Ice'' and ''Shaved Ice'' and acts as the current ongoing narrative. Can be read [[https://github.com/vicerre/spaghetti-ice/tree/main/posts here]].
8
9	As this work spans multiple names and mediums, here is a table explaining the relationship between works.
10
11	\|\| '''Theme Name''' \|\| '''Medium(s)''' \|\|
12	\|\| Spaghetti Ice \|\| Text Roleplay \|\|
13	\|\| Shaved Ice \|\| WebOriginalFiction \|\|
14	\|\| Cherry Ice \|\| {{Blog}}[=/=]WebSerialNovel \|\|
15
16	In addition, ''Spaghetti Ice'' also acts as the name of the work's blog.
17	----
18	!!Tropes:
19	[[foldercontrol]]
20
21	[[folder:''Spaghetti Ice'']]
22	* AmnesiacVillainJoinsTheHeroes: After undergoing LaserGuidedAmnesia and a LossOfIdentity in the Dream World, [[spoiler:Vicerre joins Ishiro in his adventures.]] The fact that he was originally [[spoiler:Armin]] is unbeknownst to all until his PastLifeMemories start leaking.
23	* AnatomyOfTheSoul: Living beings in ''Spaghetti Ice'' consist of a body, soul, and memories, each of which can be manipulated. [[SoulFragment Souls can be splintered into fragments]], and each fragment represents one aspect of the original soul's personality. [[spoiler:The Gamemaster is able to instill Armin with a fragment of <redacted's> soul in creating Vicerre, which acts as a LivingEmotionalCrutch. Later, after he stabilizes, Vicerre returns this soul fragment to its owner. Then his PastLifeMemories start leaking in...]]
24	* AssimilationBackfire: [[spoiler:Adding Ishiro to the virus's collective is what lets him destabilize Armin's influence on his friends. This ultimately leads to Armin severing Ishiro from the collective entirely.]]
25	* AssimilationPlot: The MindVirus Armin synthesizes allows him to manipulate everyone it comes into contact with, with the ultimate goal being Armin ascending as a god over humanity.
26	* BefriendingTheEnemy: Ishiro is a firm believer of this trope; he prefers to reason with his enemies instead of defeating them directly. [[EvilCannotComprehendGood Armin, initially, can’t comprehend why Ishiro would offer him a shred of sympathy instead of hating him outright.]]
27	* BreakTheHaughty: The Gamemaster gives Armin a big dose of this in the Dream World, showing him what it’s actually like to play god around an actual all-powerful being. Noting his hubris, she [[DePower De-Powers]] him and erases all of the previous work he made within the Dream World. Downplayed in that Armin ends up retaining much of his pride, but it humbles him just enough to further his CharacterDevelopment.
28	* BroadStrokes: The original roleplay was quite unorganized in parts. ''Cherry Ice'' takes a broad strokes approach to what parts of the rolelay are relevant to its canon.
29	* BusCrash: Armin ends up OutOfFocus at the start of the Dream World arc as the protagonists are learning about the new world. He is later discovered to have been erased by The Gamemaster. …Sort of.
30	* CityWithNoName: The events of ''Spaghetti Ice'' take place in an unnamed city that acts roughly as the FantasyCounterpartCulture to BigApplesauce. The city is eventually NamedInTheSequel.
31	* ConductingTheCarnage: To LetThePastBurn, Armin undertakes a “symphony of destruction” on his old home, using portals to launch what amounts to a MeteorSummoningAttack.
32	* TheCorruption: During the first Adventure arc, The Exogeny turns Armin's morally-ambiguous nature into that of full-blown malice. Ishiro resorts to SupernaturalSealing to keep him at bay, although Armin still (if ineffectively) acts as TheCorrupter to him.
33	* CynicismCatalyst: Implied. Armin is described as severely embittered from past trauma, which drove him to the extreme measures in first arc of ''Spaghetti Ice''.
34	* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: Armin's abilities become this for Vicerre after the latter reawakens them, in fear of accelerating the former as a SuperpoweredEvilSide.
35	* DeaderThanDead: This is a constant in this universe; for all of the things magic and science can do, any and all attempts at bringing someone back from the dead fail. This is a sore point for Armin, as he can’t undo Vesta’s death.
36	* DeathOfPersonality: [[spoiler:Armin’s LaserGuidedAmnesia]] is eventually revealed to be a self-inflicted one of these. The Gamemaster reveals, [[spoiler:in his heart of hearts, Armin believed himself as irredeemable and sincerely desired erasure]].
37	* EyeColourChange: People under the virus's effects gain SupernaturalGoldEyes. Later on, the MarkOfTheBeast takes on the form of SupernaturalGoldEyes.
38	* FloatingContinent: The Lady of Dreams and her baku servants live in a city on a cloud that never drifts to the same place twice.
39	* ForScience: Interpreted positively. Armin's science is governed by self-interest. In contrast, Vicerre's science is driven by what he thinks would be fun to research.
40	* GodzillaThreshold: Armin's very existence becomes one for the protagonists. [[spoiler:In a life-or-death situation, Vicerre tags out with Armin to let him resolve things. He then has to get him to tag back to prevent him from becoming a ''bigger'' problem.]]
41	* GoodThingYouCanHeal: Downplayed. The character with the greatest HealingFactor, Zada, isn't exempt from death. However, she does undergo BornAgainImmortality.
42	* HesBack: Coupled with HeelFaceReturn. Post-reconciliation, Vicerre can tag in and out with Armin freely without danger. To see an Armin who is ''well-adjusted'' and working alongside the protagonists is an awesome experience for the reader.
43	* HiddenElfVillage: Zada's grove. It's located in a nondescript region of the forest, and its entrance is protected by magic.
44	* IAmNotLeftHanded: Given the SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic mechanics of this work's 'verse, you might be forgiven thinking {{Magical Gesture}}s are necessary to using supernatural abilities. Vicerre takes advantage of this trope when fighting; under friendly conditions, said gestures are honest signals, while under adversarial conditions, those signals will be misdirection.
45	* IdentityAmnesia: During the Dream World arc, [[spoiler:Vicerre refers to Armin in the third person. It later turns out Armin is actually Vicerre's past self post-LaserGuidedAmnesia]].
46	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Armin's favorite way to get rid of his enemies. Most significantly, [[TargetedToHurtTheHero he breaks Ishiro]] by driving an icicle through Zada, killing her.
47	* InterspeciesFriendship: As ''Spaghetti Ice'' is a FantasyKitchenSink with mythical creatures of human-level sentience, this trope abounds in Ishiro's team.
48	* ItAmusedMe: Armin finds it entertaining to break Ishiro physically and mentally. Eventually, this is explained as Armin's own twisted way of learning how Ishiro is able to persist despite all of the strife inflicted upon him.
49	* ItsAllJunk: In a moment of catharsis, Armin personally demolishes his residence from before his HeelFaceTurn, symbolizing leaving his past behind.
50	* JekyllAndHyde: Played with. [[spoiler:Armin, "Hyde" personality, is the original, while Vicerre, the "Jekyll" personality was manufactured by The Gamemaster.]] As [[spoiler:Vicerre acts as the dominant personality and Armin his SuperpoweredEvilSide]], this trope is typically acted out straight.
51	* MadScientistLaboratory:
52	** Initially, Armin set up his lab in his own residence, replete with specialized bioengineering equipment.
53	** During the TimeSkip between the Dream World and Second Adventure arcs, Vicerre relocates his lab and expands upon it with a supercomputer and the Dream Machine.
54	** In ''Cherry Ice'', the lab is further expanded upon to include amenities for other characters who are now working with him.
55	* MagicByAnyOtherName: Per this 'verse's use of FantasticScience, magic is universally referred to as "supernatural abilities". For example, fire, ice, and psychic abilities are referred to as pyrokinetic, cryokinetic, and psionic abilities, respectively.
56	* MindControlEyes: People under the effects of the virus have SupernaturalGoldEyes.
57	* MindVirus: The SyntheticPlague Armin designs hijacks infected people’s minds and allows them to be manipulated by the virus’s controller.
58	* MoralityChain: Armin constantly needs one.
59	** After the Virus arc, Vesta acts as one for him. Unfortunately, given her unstable biology, she perishes quickly.
60	** During the Adventure arc, Ishiro acts as the KidWithTheLeash to Armin.
61	** After the Dream World Arc, Vicerre acts as one when Armin is in control.
62	* MundaneUtility: Vicerre get a lot of mileage out of his supernatural abilities:
63	** The ability to create slabs of ice from the ground can be used for NotQuiteFlight or to create temporary walls.
64	** He often treats his access to portals as a near-infinite BagOfHolding, pulling whatever reference or gadget he needs from his home as-needed.
65	** [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And of course, having ice on tap makes it all the more convenient to make a quick flask of iced tea.]]
66	* NamedAfterFirstInstallment: Future installments in the series play with EdibleThemeNaming, but the series as a whole tends to be referred to as "Spaghetti Ice".
67	* NonResidentialResidence: Inverted. A home office is not unusual enough to count as a trope on its own. The fact that said "home office" includes specialized biochemistry equipment, which has spread to every corner of the living space, is.
68	* PortalCut: Discussed and actively defied. The Gamemaster, knowing Armin would actively abuse his ability to [[ThinkingUpPortals Think Up Portals]] in the Dream World, makes portals "soft" instead of sharp. [[NotTheIntendedUse Consequently, Armin uses his portals to hold others captive.]]
69	* ReedRichardsIsUseless: Having reverse-engineered the mechanics behind Dream Smoke, Vicerre allows users to experience a SharedDream through a machine that replicates the effect of the Dream World. However, he keeps all research on the subject private, due to the other effect the Dream Machine has—[[YourMindMakesItReal occasionally extracting the contents of the user’s dream into reality]]. After all, RealityWarpingIsNotAToy, and TheWorldIsNotReady.
70	* RedRightHand:
71	** When Armin employs the use of the MindVirus, his left hand becomes an unnatural shade of white.
72	** Those under the effects of the virus or corrupted by The Exogeny gain SupernaturalGoldEyes.
73	* RestoredMyFaithInHumanity: Armin realizes the kindness Ishiro offers him comes with no ulterior motives, which drives his CharacterDevelopment.
74	* ScienceAtTheSpeedOfPlot: Vicerre always seems to come up with devices right when the plot finds it convenient:
75	** After a TimeSkip between the Second Adventure arc and Multiverse arc, Vicerre had apparently invented and perfected a Dream Machine.
76	** When Ishiro calls on Vicerre to design devices, Vicerre gives him an accurate time estimate... which is usually followed by a TimeSkip.
77	** The author calls Vicerre's workplace a Schrödinger's Box where inventions simultaneously exist and don't exist until they are plot-relevant.
78	* SharedDream: The Dream World acts as one of these.
79	* SlowlySlippingIntoEvil: After being forced to use Armin's portals in order to save Ishiro from an otherwise deadly fall, Vicerre becomes more morally-ambiguous and liberal with his use of Armin's abilities. [[spoiler:This continues until Armin manifests once more, at which point he is treated as a SuperpoweredEvilSide. Downplayed, though, in that, even at his worst, Armin never fully crosses the boundary into evil hereafter.]]
80	* SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic:
81	** Throughout this installment, Armin takes this trope to its logical conclusion. Any supernatural phenomena that can be studied will be dissected, documented, and abused.
82	** The mechanics of how cryokinesis and portal conjuration work are described in excruciating detail [[AllThereInTheManual in the manual.]]
83	* TakenFromADream: It's possible to manifest elements from the Dream World into reality, as long as those elements obey a certain set of nebulous principles. Vicerre ends up exploiting this phenomenon for personal gain.
84	* TeethClenchedTeamwork: During the first Adventure arc, Armin only helps Ishiro because he has no other choice, and because if anything, it might amuse him.
85	* TheseusShipParadox: Discussed. [[spoiler:After he regains Armin’s memories, Vicerre wonders whether he should be considered Armin or whether he is someone else with Armin’s memories. Eventually, he decides that it doesn’t matter, since he takes responsibility anyway.]]
86	* ThinkingUpPortals: Armin receives this ability from The Exogeny, which he later passes to Vicerre. Eventually, Vicerre invents a mechanical portal that allows Ishiro to do the same.
87	* TomatoInTheMirror: As [[spoiler:Vicerre slowly recollect Armin’s memories]], it slowly dawns upon him that he was the person responsible for several heinous events. He is deeply disturbed by this revelation and actively rejects those associations, which only cause those aspects to lash out further.
88	* TransformationDiscretionShot: Switching between human and kitsune forms are preceded by a quick, obscuring swirl of Dream Smoke. Vicerre later identifies this less as "transformation" and more "matter substitution" after noticing injuries inflicted on one form do not persist on the other.
89	* TrivialTitle: ''Spaghetti Ice'' ostensibly refers to the following:
90	** The story's KudzuPlot.
91	** One character's TrademarkFavoriteFood.
92	** One of the story's ElementalMotifs.
93	* TwoAliasesOneCharacter: [[spoiler:Vicerre is Armin.]] Eventually confirmed to be his last and first name, respectively, after introducing himself to Zada as [[spoiler:Armin Vicerre]].
94	* UtilityMagic: Armin gets a lot of mileage out of being AnIcePerson. As an example, he uses the refractive index of ice to bewilder Zada in a HallOfMirrors.
95	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
96	** The Vector Reversers, a pair of small, opalescent spheres that could rewind time like a tape reel, with the strength of the effect depending on proximity. This device seems like it would be helpful to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong, but it never gets brought up again past its original introduction. The author states that the mechanic didn’t lead to fun storytelling, so it was quietly stowed away.
97	** In the Dream World, Ishiro produces a magical filament which traces back where his companions are across space. This filament is forgotten for the rest of the arc. When it’s mentioned one arc later as a solution to a problem, Ishiro's author admits that they forgot about it entirely, and it winds up going unused anyway.
98	* WhatTheHellHero: Ishiro calls out The Gamemaster for [[spoiler:erasing someone from existence who he believed could be redeemed. It later turns out, however, that this was a SuicideByCop MemoryGambit.]]
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:''Shaved Ice'']]
102	* AdaptationDistillation: ''Shaved Ice'' is one for ''Spaghetti Ice''. Per TheLawOfConservationOfDetail, anything that didn’t set the scene or directly advance the plot was cut.
103	* AdaptationalNameChange:
104	** Clementine's and Solana's roles get flipped between ''Spaghetti Ice'' and this installation.
105	** [[spoiler:Armin's and Vicerre's roles get flipped.]]
106	* AdaptationalSuperpowerChange: In ''Spaghetti Ice'', the antagonist has the ability to conjure [[AnIcePerson ice]] and [[ThinkingUpPortals portals]]. In ''Shaved Ice'', a different character has these abilities, while the antagonist has PsychicPowers instead.
107	* AdaptationTitleChange: From ''Spaghetti Ice'' to ''Shaved Ice''. The author describes the “Shaved” part of “Shaved Ice” as AdaptationDistillation.
108	* AllThereInTheManual: Many aspects of ''Shaved Ice'' get expounded in the author's personal blog.
109	* AngerBornOfWorry: Clementine calls Armin out for resetting himself right before [[spoiler:Vicerre appears in the Mental Plane]]. (To be fair, Armin didn't know this would happen, and he is quick to comfort Clementine about it.)
110	* ArtifactTitle: ''Shaved Ice'' follows the same naming convention as ''Spaghetti Ice'', but since Vicerre’s SweetTooth was AdaptedOut, the EdibleThemeNaming convention has no in-universe explanation.
111	* AuthorAppeal: The chapters that take place in Vicerre’s Headscape show the author’s love of clever puzzles and puzzle solving.
112	* BizarreDreamRationalization: Clementine's initial reaction upon landing in her Headscape (which looks abstract and contains multicolored clouds) is to pinch herself awake.
113	* CasualDangerDialogue: Even when Clementine has a knife against Vicerre's throat, Vicerre is nonchalant about trading verbal blows with her.
114	* ConnectedAllAlong: The moment Armin encounters Clementine in the Mental Plane appears to be the first time they've met. ''Not.'' It's later revealed [[spoiler:Armin is composed of Vicerre’s memories all along.]]
115	* TheCuckoolanderWasRight: Neko accurately guesses [[spoiler:Armin is actually an AmnesiacGod in the Mental Plane because… his name is one letter away from “admin”]].
116	* CynicismCatalyst: The chapter “Revelations” reveals [[spoiler:Vicerre was much more optimistic about his research on the Mental Plane at one point. However, Armin’s death, coupled with some SanitySlippage from his research, lead to the events of ''Shaved Ice''.]]
117	* DemotedMemories: Played with. Vicerre initially declares the events Armin experiences in the Mental Plane a dream. As Clementine pries into Vicerre more, though, he’s forced to admit that these memories had a profound effect on his psyche.
118	* DissonantSerenity: What is Vicerre’s reaction after Clementine escapes from the Mental Plane? A dissonant, calm “You managed to leave Oneiros.” He remains unfettered even when he threatens to drive an icicle through Clementine's skull.
119	* DoorJam: When Clementine reawakens in the Physical Plane, she finds herself in a room with only herself and Vicerre in it, and Solana and Neko nowhere to be seen. This acts as her climactic FacingYourFears moment.
120	* EerieArcticResearchStation: Vicerre’s Headscape has the hallmarks of one. [[EvilIsDeathlyCold Freezing cold?]] Check. Science? Check. Ominous MalevolentArchitecture? Check.
121	* EmotionSuppression: It's implied Vicerre [[TookALevelInCynic Taking a Level in Cynic]] resulted in him suppressing the more optimistic, idealistic aspects of himself. [[spoiler:In the Mental Plane, these aspects surface in Armin.]]
122	* EvilIsDeathlyCold: Vicerre's Headscape is cold enough that ice doesn't melt while in it. This proves key to solving one of the puzzles, as it lets [[spoiler:Armin use the ice he conjures as a TrailOfBreadCrumbs]].
123	* EyeColourChange: People under the effects of Oneiros gain gold irises. The fact that [[spoiler:Vicerre's irises become blue after Clementine returns from the Mental Plane serves as an indicator Vicerre is acting as himself again.]]
124	* FantasticFoxes: The kitsune in ''Shaved Ice'' all share the common ability to {{Dream Walk\|er}} and act as TheNavigator in the Mental Plane. Additionally, individual species specialize in their own elemental affinities. Solana, for instance, can conjure {{Fireballs}}.
125	* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Firenze is a mishmash of UsefulNotes/{{Florence}} ([[IstanbulNotConstantinople like its namesake]]) and BigApplesauce.
126	* FictionalGreetingsAndFarewells: Kitsune fan their tails out and bow as a way of greeting each other.
127	* {{Foil}}: Clementine and Vicerre serve as foils:
128	** [[EmotionsVsStoicism Clementine loves being with her companions, while Vicerre is hermetic and dispassionate.]]
129	** [[MotherNatureFatherScience Clementine loves exploring the natural world, while Vicerre dedicates his time to the sciences.]]
130	** [[spoiler:[[FireIceDuo Clementine's kitsune companion can manipulate fire, while Vicerre's kitsune companion can manipulate ice.]]]]
131	* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are several clues leading up to the revelation [[spoiler:Armin is connected to Vicerre]]:
132	** Those under the effect of Oneiros gain yellow eyes and are trapped in the Mental Plane. [[spoiler:When we first meet him, Vicerre has gold eyes, but his Mental Plane counterpart, oddly, seems amiss.]]
133	** It’s mentioned Clementine receives a different outfit when she enters the Mental Plane, but no mention is given to non-human creatures like Armin, Swey, Clementine, or Neko. [[spoiler:It turns out that Armin was given a different appearance as well—but no one thought of it out of the ordinary.]]
134	** When Armin catches up with Solana and Neko over ice cream, [[spoiler:he sits at a table the same way a human would, in contrast to fellow kitsune Solana, who sits on the ground like an actual animal]].
135	** It’s established that you need to have a connection with someone in order to travel to their Headscape. This raises the question of [[spoiler:how Armin was able to reach Clementine’s Headscape to begin with when he has no prior connection to Clementine]]. The reader may be forgiven for dismissing this point as a side-effect of Oneiros when there’s another explanation.
136	** Under the conditions of ThatsWhatIWouldDo, [[spoiler:Armin is often more correct than not about what to expect from Vicerre.]]
137	** While the team traverses through Vicerre’s Headscape, Armin ends up carrying them through each puzzle. The reader may suspect that Vicerre’s Headscape is written such that it is a PlotTailoredToTheParty… [[spoiler:and it is, but for very deliberate reasons.]]
138	** Armin is able to decipher [[spoiler:Vicerre’s arcane scientific writing]] despite being a mythical creature that should have little, if any experience of this topic.
139	* HandsLookingWrong: One of the first things Armin does upon [[spoiler:discovering he changed to a human form]] is to inspect his digits.
140	* HighlyVisiblePassword: Played straight per RuleOfPerception. All of Clementine's guesses are displayed plainly on the terminal in Vicerre's NeuroVault.
141	* HumanityEnsues: After triggering ResurrectionTeleportation, [[spoiler:Armin]] finds he changed to a human form. [[spoiler:''Vicerre's'' form.]] [[spoiler:Clementine]] is just as freaked out and confused about the transformation as he is.
142	* InterspeciesFriendship: TheVerse being a FantasyKitchenSink, Clementine’s closest companions are a {{Fantastic Fox\|es}} and a CarbuncleCreature. Additionally, she ends up befriending another kitsune at the start of the story.
143	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Subverted. Vicerre threatens Clementine with what amounts to an impromptu lobotomy unless she agrees to return to the Mental Plane. Clementine is able to convince him to change his mind.
144	* JigsawPuzzlePlot: Almost nothing but. The reader is drip-fed plot points over the course of multiple chapters, until everything comes together in TheReveal.
145	* TheJoyOfFirstFlight: The gryphon ride Clementine shares with Armin acts as one for him, and marks the point where Clementine and Armin consider each other friends.
146	* LateArrivalSpoiler: It’s an open secret that [[spoiler:Armin and Vicerre]] are connected. Downplayed, however, since {{Adaptation Name Change}}s make the exact nature of their connection more ambiguous.
147	* LaymansTerms: Armin has to act as a "translator" for Vicerre's scientific writing after they stumble upon a paper authored by him.
148	* LotusEaterMachine: Oneiros works this way by creating a SharedDream in the Mental Plane.
149	* TheMaze: The path to the center of Vicerre's Headscape is one of these, with the added bonus of being an UnnaturallyLoopingLocation as well. This turns out to be less of an issue as originally presented, as the team is well-versed in pathing through mazes. The team eventually wonders whether the maze is a RedHerring altogether. [[spoiler:It's not.]]
150	* MeaningfulName: The name of Vicerre's LotusEaterMachine, Oneiros, is named after the Greek personification of dreams.
151	* MentalWorld: The Mental Plane, natch. In particular, Headscapes are locations in the Mental Plane that reflect people:
152	** Clementine's is soft, fluffy, and, for lack of a better description, dream-like.
153	** Swey's is an alpine forest.
154	** From what we could see of Solana's and Neko's Headscapes, they have Japanese and Italian inspirations, respectively.
155	** Vicerre's is freezing-cold, mechanical, perplexing, and laden with traps.
156	* MindControlEyes: People under the effects of Oneiros have SupernaturalGoldEyes.
157	* MinimalistCast: There are six named characters in the story. One of them (Swey) only shows up for a single chapter, bringing the total number of recurring characters down to five.
158	* MorphicResonance: In the epilogue, Clementine notices [[spoiler:Vicerre’s eyes had turned icy blue after he stopped using Oneiros—just like Armin's]].
159	* MundaneUtility: Armin get a lot of mileage out of his ability to grow ice:
160	** He uses ice as a substitute for a person’s hand in order to activate a switch and set off a trap without hurting himself.
161	** After resetting himself and finding [[spoiler: his appearance changed, the first thing he does is to extrude a slab of ice to check his reflection]].
162	* MythologyGag: The head-mounted device Vicerre uses to monitor Clementine under the effects of Oneiros has an identical description as the head-mounted device used to reverse the effects of the nameless virus in ''Spaghetti Ice''.
163	* NeuroVault: Vicerre's Headscape acts as one for the inner workings of Oneiros.
164	* NeverBeHurtAgain: Eventually revealed to be the reason behind [[spoiler:Oneiros. After losing a close friend of his and having his life's work pulled out from under him, Vicerre fabricates a LotusEaterMachine where everyone can live their lives in peace. It takes convincing from Clementine to get him to back down.]]
165	* NonResidentialResidence: Inverted. A home office is not unusual enough to count as a trope on its own. The fact that said "home office" includes specialized neuroscience equipment, which has spread to every corner of the living space, is.
166	* OminousAdversarialAmusement: Vicerre's reaction to Clementine pressing the spine of her knife against her throat is a disquieting PsychoticSmirk.
167	* OnlyOneName: Non-human characters only have one given name (Solana, Neko, Armin, Swey).
168	* OntologicalMystery: The driving factor of ''Shaved Ice''. The protagonists quickly identify ''where'' they end up (the Mental Plane), but it's a mystery ''why'' they're trapped here and ''how'' they can get out.
169	* ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish:
170	** The password to Vicerre's NeuroVault is the surprisingly mundane default password "admin". [[spoiler:However, this password just unlocks the area beyond the entrance. The important part—the center of the vault—is gated behind TheMaze and another, more cryptic password.]]
171	** [[spoiler:The password to the center of Vicerre's NeuroVault is "armin".]] In a twist on this trope, the difficulty of the password is not what's important but rather what it is in the first place.
172	* PeoplePuppets: One of the abilities associated with Oneiros is the ability to "enthrall" others. When Clementine is under the effects of Oneiros, Vicerre is able to stop her from moving under her own accord.
173	* PlotDeviceAllAlong: The log files found in Vicerre’s Headscape turn out to be more than just NarrativeFiligree. As Clementine discovers, [[spoiler:Vicerre’s DarkAndTroubledPast is documented on them.]]
174	* PlotTriggeringDeath: [[spoiler:Armin’s death is responsible for the original Project Oneiros being shut down and Vicerre TakingALevelInCynic.]] ''Shaved Ice'' picks up from here.
175	* PronouncingMyNameForYou: The pronunciation of Vicerre’s name is revealed in-universe when Clementine tries typing his name in as a password using a phonetic spelling.
176	* PunnyName: The name of the setting, Firenze, is a pun on the real-life city of UsefulNotes/{{Florence}} and the word "fire".
177	* PuzzleThriller: The protagonists find their way out of Oneiros by unraveling Vicerre's puzzles. More literally, the last puzzle in the story is left as an exercise for the reader to solve.
178	* ResurrectionTeleportation: Exploited. To verify [[spoiler:Vicerre's Headscape is also his Headscape]], Armin skewers himself with his own ice abilities to force himself to respawn.
179	* RuleOfPersonificationConservation: The author states the only reason why the characters in ''Shaved Ice'' aren’t just humans with magical abilities is because it would require too much effort to adapt from ''Spaghetti Ice''.
180	* SelfMadeSuperpowers: Oneiros is AppliedPhlebotinum which grants its wielder a range of PsychicPowers. Vicerre acts as both its creator and its wielder.
181	* SharedDream: Oneiros extends DreamWalker abilities to all under its effects.
182	* ShatteringTheIllusion: [[spoiler:Armin's appearance]] turns out to be one of these. In a twist on this trope, the character shattering the illusion is the same one the illusion is placed on.
183	* ShooOutTheClowns: Neko, the resident PluckyComicRelief character, is nowhere to be seen in the final confrontation between Clementine and Vicerre.
184	* ShownTheirWork:
185	** The idea of finding a backdoor to breach a virtual environment from the inside out comes from a real hacking technique called a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_machine_escape virtual machine escape]].
186	** The strategy that Clementine and Armin use to solve TheMaze is called [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maze-solving_algorithm Trémaux's Algorithm]], and it is a legitimate strategy for solving a maze that is not simply connected, as depicted in the story.
187	* SignificantNameShift: Throughout the story, Vicerre always refers to Clementine as "Miss Clementine". [[spoiler:After his HeelFaceTurn, he drops the "Miss" part of his address.]]
188	* SolidClouds: The clouds in Clementine's Headscape are solid enough for her to stand on. Justified as Headscapes are part of the Mental Plane and aren't bound by physics.
189	* SomberBackstoryRevelation: [[spoiler:Vicerre's DarkAndTroubledPast]] is revealed in, fittingly enough, the chapter "Revelations". [[spoiler:After realizing Clementine understands and sympathizes with his loss, Vicerre decides to spare her.]]
190	* StumbledIntoThePlot: The only reason why Clementine got caught up in the plot of ''Shaved Ice'' was her proximity to ground zero.
191	* SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic: Within the universe of ''Shaved Ice'', neuroscience apparently also involves the study of supernatural phenomena such as the Mental Plane, which Vicerre studies.
192	* TitleDrop: [[spoiler:The last line of the epilogue.]] This also acts as the final puzzle of the story.
193	* TomatoInTheMirror: After solving the last puzzle in Vicerre’s Headscape, [[spoiler:Armin is treated to an enigmatic message implying that he has a past with Vicerre.]] After a brief FreakOut, he finds out the truth. In contrast to his ''Spaghetti Ice'' incarnation, he reacts to the reveal more comfortably, as he recognizes that he won’t have much longer to work anyway if he is to stop Oneiros.
194	* TomatoSurprise: The reader is usually made known of Clementine's thoughts, so it comes as a surprise when it's revealed she secretly [[spoiler:read through the other log files in Vicerre's Headscape]].
195	* TrappedInAnotherWorld: The onset of the plot comes from Clementine being thrust into the Mental Plane and unable to return to the Physical Plane.
196	* TwoAliasesOneCharacter: ''Spaghetti Ice'' and in-universe material implies that Armin is Vicerre’s first name. [[spoiler:The truth turns out to be more complicated.]]
197	* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Vicerre’s stated goal for Oneiros is to bring humanity into a LotusEaterMachine where no one would suffer. Clementine argues against this philosophy, pointing out he's just using "utopia" as a means to overcome his own unresolved grief.
198	* WhatYouAreInTheDark:
199	** Towards the beginning of the story, Vicerre, at knifepoint, questions whether Clementine is the sort of person who would resort to killing a stranger to rescue her companions.
200	** Echoed towards the end of the story. [[spoiler:When Clementine returns from the Mental Plane, Vicerre willingly returns her knife and he doesn't hold her back. This time, Clementine lets go of the knife and works things out with him.]]
201	* UltimateUniverse: ''Shaved Ice'' acts as one for ''Spaghetti Ice''. Whereas ''Spaghetti Ice'' was improvisational in nature, ''Shaved Ice'' reinterprets and distills the plot and characters to only what is essential to the narrative.
202	* WinToExit: Enforced. Oneiros traps anyone it inducts in the Mental Plane. The only way out, the protagonists find, is to find a vulnerability in Oneiros's design, which just so happens to be at the end of some MalevolentArchitecture.
203	* WordSaladTitle: This work's title, ''Awkwardly Step Around Him for a Fresh Herb'', is written as a cryptic CrosswordPuzzle clue.
204	* YourMindMakesItReal: Oneiros unknowingly grants The Administrator a slight degree of this. Within the context of the story, it is used to [[spoiler:bring Vicerre’s AnIcePerson abilities into the Physical Plane]].
205	[[/folder]]
206
207	[[folder:''Cherry Ice'']]
208
209	[[AC:Warning: All spoilers for previous installments are unmarked!]]
210
211	* FiveFiveFive: Email addresses in ''Cherry Ice'' end with .domain, a reserved top-level domain, rather than a real domain such as .com, .org, etc.
212	* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: Being an AnimalLover, Solana is fond of these. Not only does she offer headpats to the {{Intellectual Animal}}s of the cast, but she also gives one to Vic in Icebreaker 021 as a means of cheering him up.
213	* AlternativeSelfNameChange: As there would be two Clementines and two Vicerres otherwise, the ''Spaghetti Ice'' variants of these characters are referred to by their "other" name (first name for Alis, last name for Monaghan).
214	* AlternateSelfShipping: Discussed InUniverse. Solana teasingly calls Vic a narcissist for using the interdimensional portal to find an alternate universe version of himself. When Vic claims he is not since the other version is not biologically identical to him, Solana asks if she can ship the two of them.
215	* ABloodyMess: This trope is described as one reason Vic enjoys red fluids:
216	** In one comic, Vic gripes when a beaker of hibiscus tea doesn't remind Solana of blood or [[TechnicolorScience some other Technicolor chemical]].
217	** Conversed in Vignette 015. As Vic is making holiday dinner preparations, he ends up honing a kitchen knife while his hands are stained red with cranberry sauce. Solana comments how those two elements make Vic look like a PsychoKnifeNut. Vic plays into it, with dreadful results.
218	* CanonWelding: Vic's invention of the interdimensional portal lets him access alternative universes—namely, the universe of ''Shaved Ice''. The characters from this universe become recurring characters in ''Cherry Ice''.
219	* CassandraGambit: Being TheGadfly he is, Vic gleefully admits he's something of a MadScientist himself, much to others' disbelief.
220	* ChocolateOfRomance: Parodied in Vignette 021. Around what would be Valentine's Day, Vic shares some leftover chocolate with Solana. As Vic a GeniusSweetTooth and is (mostly) ObliviousToLove, the gesture comes across as [[AbsentMindedProfessor absent-minded]] rather than romantic.
221	* ChromaticArrangement: Solana, Alis, and Vic invoke the colors red, green, and blue in their character designs, respectively, and are depicted through those colors in supporting art. Furthermore, [[AuthorAvatar the Storyteller]] is associated with the color black, symbolizing their role as their progenitor.
222	* CoolGate: As depicted in Illustration 041, the interdimensional portal is one of these. It appears as large, elaborate fixture of Vicerre's lab through which recurring characters use to, well, travel across dimensions.
223	* DoWrongRight: In Icebreaker 087, Vic is less concerned about the possibility of someone requesting his bioengineering services for unsavory reasons than he is for his services being used ineffectively. For instance, he questions why someone would use his services to kill when you can use your targets as HumanResources instead?
224	* {{Feghoot}}: A backbone of many a Vignette. A good number of passages are written for the purpose of fulfilling a pun or joke, courtesy of local PungeonMaster Vic.
225	* FootnoteFever: In the footnotes of Icebreaker 038, the author debates whether plants are considered essential for life and how zombies fit into this view.
226	* FriendlyAddressPrivileges:
227	** Vic had been on a LastNameBasis ever since the Dream World arc of ''Spaghetti Ice''. It's only when he starts considering Solana a friend does he feel comfortable being referred to by his first name.
228	** Initially, the only person who had the privilege of addressing Alis as Alis was Vic. Due to [[AlternativeSelfNameChange Alternative-Self Name-Changes]], however, other characters from the ''Spaghetti Ice'' universe have addressed him by his given name, much to his disdain.
229	* GivenNameReveal: In ''Shaved Ice'', Vicerre is spoken of on a LastNameBasis, with the only hint coming from a research paper that lists his first initial as “A”. Come ''Cherry Ice'', it's revealed his first name is [[spoiler:Alistair]] (or [[spoiler:“Alis”]] for short).
230	* InsistentTerminology:
231	** Vic insists he works in bioengineering, not [[MadScientist Mad Science]].
232	** Alis would very much prefer people refer to his work as oneirology, not neuroscience.
233	* LighterAndSofter: In contrast to previous installments in the series, ''Cherry Ice'' focuses on the SliceOfLife shenanigans of the cast.
234	* MasculineLinesFeminineCurves: The male characters in the cast (Alis, Vic) are drawn with angular shapes, whereas the female characters in the cast (Monaghan, Solana) are drawn with round shapes.
235	* MeaningfulName:
236	** The Arclight virus is named for its LightIsNotGood theme. It is also a [[PunnyName pun]] on actual arc lighting.
237	** Arklight is named after "Arclight", but with the K replacing the C. This doubles as a reference to TheArk trope and as well as a nod to business trademarks.
238	* MediumAwareness: The ''Spaghetti Ice'' veterans are somewhat aware of what lies beyond the FourthWall. Solana occasionally references pop culture, and Vic occasionally [[FourthWallObserver talks directly to the author]].
239	* MundaneUtility:
240	** In Icebreaker 006, Vic uses the interdimensional portal as an ExtradimensionalShortcut for Solana's holiday.
241	** In Icebreaker 009, Vic uses his [[ThinkingUpPortals ability to conjure portals]] to block out the sun while at the beach.
242	** In Icebreaker 011, Vic uses his portals to sneak Solana some iced tea in a food venue with no outside food/drinks allowed.
243	** In Illustration 041, Vic uses his portals to take a selfie of Team Arklight. In Illustration 080, Alis does the same.
244	** Alis uses his ManipulativeBastard tendencies and [[PsychicPowers peerless psionic abilities]] to… [[ShipperOnDeck get Solana and Vic to talk to each other about their feelings]].
245	* MyFutureSelfAndMe: Despite not being from the same timeline, Alis and Vic have this sort of relationship. Alis’s timeline is [[TwentyMinutesIntoThePast nine years behind Vic’s technologically]], and he lacks nine years of CharacterDevelopment.
246	* NamedInTheSequel:
247	** The primary setting of the story is given the name "New Quendon".
248	** The MindVirus introduced in ''Spaghetti Ice'' is given the moniker "The Arclight Virus" (or simply "Arclight") in ''Cherry Ice''.
249	** The Nekorei is given the name "Nia".
250	* NoodleIncident: Events from ''Spaghetti Ice'' are treated as Noodle Incidents in ''Cherry Ice''. In Icebreaker 038, the author describes the time Vic "kill[ing] a plant" as an event comparable to him instigating a zombie apocalypse. [[ResolvedNoodleIncident This is eventually revealed]] to refer to the time where Vic had killed a mythical {{Planimal}} with the ability to [[GreenThumb manipulate nature]].
251	* OneHourWorkWeek: Ostensibly, the main cast members founded and work full-time at Arklight Limited, a business dedicated to creating custom fantastic creatures. In practice, it's rare for their day jobs to come up in a passage unless the story asks for it.
252	* OtherMeAnnoysMe: When Vic first met Alis, [[ButForMeItWasTuesday he only expected the visit to be a friendly introduction]]. From Alis’s perspective, however, Vic appeared out of nowhere and acts as a haunting reminder of someone he lost. Alis harbors reservations against Vic for being InnocentlyInsensitive, but he stays patient with him.
253	* PaintingTheMedium: Alis has the ability to communicate telepathically with others. When doing so, telepathic dialogue is rendered through monospaced font.
254	* PersonAsVerb: Icebreaker 080:
255	--> To pull a Vic: To do something ostensibly beneficial for someone while simultaneously violating their privacy.
256	* PortalCrossroadWorld: Thanks to Vic's interdimensional portal, the primary universe of ''Cherry Ice'' acts as one.
257	* PortalNetwork: Vic's interdimensional portal allows people to travel between universes.
258	* PresentTenseNarrative: Having its roots in text roleplays, ''Cherry Ice'' is written in the present tense.
259	* PsychicLink: It's revealed in ''Cherry Ice'' Oneiros allows for telepathic communication between its controller and others in its controller's range.
260	* RememberWhenYouBlewUpASun: In Vignette 001, Solana and Vicerre fondly recall the time from ''Spaghetti Ice'' Vicerre launched an AssimilationPlot on humanity.
261	* SafelySecludedScienceCenter: Vic's lab. As the only way in or out is via portal, no one ''truly'' knows where it is besides Vic himself. Icebreaker 067 suggests it can be repurposed as a SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere.
262	* SekaikeiGenre: The non-canonical Vignette 011 dabbles in this genre. In this episode, Vic's home universe and Solana are at the brink of collapse, and the protagonists can only save one of the two. Both outcomes lead to a BittersweetEnding, as only one of Solana and Vic can ultimately survive.
263	* SoftReboot: ''Cherry Ice'' is one to ''Spaghetti Ice''.
264	** ''Spaghetti Ice'' was a collaborative roleplay, while ''Cherry Ice'' is written by a single author, so many elements that were written by other authors were edited out.
265	** The dimensional fracture acts as an [[SerendipityWritesThePlot in-universe justification]] for the myriad of changes made to the 'verse's continuity.
266	** In addition, due to the LighterAndSofter tone of this installation, the author has no problems using their AuthorPowers to make changes to the 'verse. For example, in Icebreaker 029, they clean up some leftover plot devices from ''Spaghetti Ice''.
267	* SwitchingPOV: Depending on the episode, any of the recurring characters may act as the perspective character. This is often done to give insight into one character while adding intrigue through the eyes of another.
268	* StargazingScene: Vignette 005, literally titled "Stargazing". In this passage, Solana and Vic spend an evening outside an observatory nerding out over the stars and spending some quiet moments with each other.
269	* TeleportersVisualizationClause: Vic's portals can only take him to places he already knows and are physically connected to his current location. Icebreaker 098 sees him use this ability to escape [[ElevatorFailure a broken elevator]] by shimming a portal through the gap between the elevator doors.
270	* UnexplainedRecovery: Vic's original apartment is not only rebuilt but inexplicably enhanced. The only explanation given for this is the narrator's AuthorPowers.
271	* WordSaladTitle: This work's title, ''It's Cardinal He's In the Common Era'', is written as a cryptic CrosswordPuzzle clue.
272	[[/folder]]

Context WebOriginal / SpaghettiIce