Darth Fluffy

Dis kumputer musheen iz veri yoosful. It wurmz mi butt.

I haz mee a liss ov peepls hu mus di!. Needz me mi tankz!

Catfish

You're right, she has baggage she's not dealing with; I didn't think of that as a mask, but it really is. I don't think she lives day to day hiding it, not in the sense that she's seething and puts on a front, but it's always churning in her. So I said she makes no sense, horrible background, way too cheery, and Jerry says, "Yeah, she's hiding that from herself." That makes sense, but it's a stretch that she could do that and still be as functional as she is. I've known people like that, the weirdness is evident somewhere. People are like toothpaste, squeeze hard enough and it comes out somewhere. This might have something to do why she was so obsessive about Sam and Sarah. Or why she's sometimes very insistent on someone 'is a very nice person'. Doesn't want to lead the card games. Has confidence issues. Gave up her abilities for a spell. OK, there are symptoms. Hmm, I'm going to have to think about this. My only conclusion is that Tedd, even during his most dysfunctional early phase, is good for her. ... how they were in public, Rhoda's changed. She's more assertive. I made similar mistakes with my older kids, it was not a good experience for them. From my perspective, having been at both ends of this, the primary outcome is alienation. I can't swear I would have done as well academically as I did without my dad's overbearing approach, but I suspect I would have done well. Much of my success was from outside reading, which I did because I wanted to. I was surprisingly well versed in history despite a distaste for the classes (meandering and repetitive, repeatedly covering the same ground every few years; very opinionated presentation). Track record with kids, older excelled, but the shoving does not seem to have served him. If anything, he lacks self control, which might have been better served if he made his own choices. The next one floundered anyway, but then does well in the corporate environment in spite of poor academics. With the rest, helping them find their way seems to have worked out more consistently. It reduces the chance of unplanned children. Any lesbian that wants to have a child should be able to find a willing male participant, and she can be very selective. There can be legal barriers; here for instance, there is no legal way to be the father without incurring the financial responsibilities; there must be loopholes for sperm donors, but I don't know how those are defined (I know this because I know a coworker who is in that situation). Adoption is actually competition, when you are able to plan. "I want three kids. Hmm, lets adopt one of them." Of the two of them, Ellen is more impulsive, and Ellen's impulsiveness might egg Nanase on, or it might caution her to hold back. Hmm, we're not far off in how we are viewing this, yet we seem to be reaching different conclusions. I don't think Nanase is fully aware of what Fox is thinking nor feeling when Fox is semi-autonomous. The link is subconscious. So, when they are playing video games, they are actually competing. Contrast that with the fairy dolls; Nanase's consciousness moves to the fairy doll. She experiences the fairy doll's body and perspective, while her own body sleeps. She inhabits it. Now she said she can directly control Fox, but that seems particularly useless if it works the same way. She can't do twice as much, she's asleep while she's in Fox. (Also, neither masturbation nor incest, they can't interact in direct mode, if it works the same way) Ellen could, but why bother? Unless you're doing something hazardous, and want to remain safe, direct control Fox makes little sense. To the extent Fox can be autonomous, she becomes useful. Recall, Nanase was given the spell to use Fox as a decoy. She wants her to be able to act Nanase-like on her own. The real question then, is how deep that goes from Fox's perspective. Is she a participant, or a fancy, flesh and blood Real Doll? ... the Archie incident might not lower her drive, but it would inhibit her impulsiveness to achieve what that drive demands. I don't think so either, but because it is fiction, and narratively it would not make sense. Fertility zone and lifespan are related, from a gene's point of view. "Let's get cracking, make some copies of me." ... "Well, now you're useless. Time to turn you off." That puzzle piece does not fit there. Seriously, the immortals make no sense if you try to pin them down to a scientific framework. What the H3!! are they? If they are incorporeal, how do they then manifest corporeally and successfully mate with humans, bearing a nominally human child in Pandora's case. Did the humans appear first, then the incorporeal copies, or are humans based on incorporeal immortals? If so, how did these events occur? Why is there a connection? Was evolution subverted in this case? Or, as we've seen, Pandora Chaos Raven has many forms and extensions. Maybe they can take on any form they want, maybe they have, and maybe everything is descended from a fish-lizard / immortal fish-lizard hybrid eons ago. H3!!, maybe two immortal protozoans got together at the dawn of time and created all life. This is one of those, "if you think about it too hard, it makes no sense." In particular, a hypothetical immortal common ancestor, ... believe what you want, I think it ruins the context, and it's hard to patch in a rationale. FWIW, Adrian is only hundreds of years old. I'm sure you know that, so why bring up, "He may not be that old"? You are in good company: If you are capable of following webcomics after you die, presumably you are capable of other things, things which may be more meaningful to you at that point. Maybe your personal list of people you need to haunt? She was indeed, but she seems to really like the busty forms, too.

Nyeh, What's opera, Doc? The one you are thinking of is Rabbit of Seville.

Yeah, your narrative made it sound like something was making her uneasy. Maybe she hears something.

Pae atenshunz tu mee!

She doesn't seem to hold back much, hates keeping secrets, I don't think she's wearing a mask. That particular parent may have mentored her a little. She did seem to have an attachment. I had the impression that he had a clinical demeanor. I feel you are right about her becoming aware of things; the extremely sheltered cover story isn't far off, in terms of information available to her. Whatever their dynamic is, it appears mutual and healthy. Catalina is aware that she can be overly impulsive, I don't see her appology as extreme. Nor do they whiff of codependency. OK, that group reeks of codependency. Hopefully, they are going to get better, as foreshadowed. Mom is proud of her, but doesn't want to admit it to her. She's bragged to others. The driving may backfire. My dad was a bit like that, and I dropped out for three year before deciding what I wanted to do. Lesbians have children. There are several methods, including the purely biological one, use a male. She seems very attached, but I'm not seeing the 'bad at resisting temptation regarding Ellen'. If anything, she resisted Ellen quite a bit at first. 'I'm sure she's extremely impulsive with Ellen' - they seem at times to be less than comfortable around each other, current party story line being a case in point. They are not on the same wavelength. 'using magic in their sexy times in general' - sounds likely. They have quite a bit to play around with. 'threesome with Fox' - that is a troubling notion. Fox isn't another person, she's an extension of Nanase. It's like incest++. "Got F#$% yourself" ... "Yeah, I could do that. Literally." At the same time, Ellen making out with Fox can't be the same for anyone as Ellen making out with Nanase. Does Fox even have the capacity to enjoy things? It seems she does, from the video games, but how deep does it go? Does she have to be programmed to enjoy it? Recall that Fox lost credible behavior when things went off script; Mom thought Nanase had been drinking. Then again, Data was 'fully functional', so who knows? Ellen has been stated to have Elliot's memories, but not as if they're hers. Her dreamworld memories are more real to her. It has also been stated in-canon that she's exactly what you said, she's transformed. Grace used that as the reason she didn't have to transform at the birthday party. But it's also been contradicted, re: Magus's question and Elliot's follow up, and Ellen's response, and I agree, I'm not seeing it. She has never been a male. She has someone else's memories of being male. And those aren't even dominant. She has opportunity to try it if she wanted to, but doesn't seem keen on pursuing it. She was created by the dewitchery diamond splitting her off from Elliot. Is that the equivalent of FV5? She could just have a naturally high libido, she seemed to be similar in her dream world, which had nothing to do with the FV5 beam. If they are squirrel biological clocks, she's long past ready. Does she get the average? Something, blah, blah, blah, about Grace - it's best if you don't think too hard about it. You'd think that in the long run, people without a half-breed ancestor would be rare. I will probably no longer care by then. That is a good point, Diane is already on their radar. Susan's shower is likely plenty big. She seemed happy enough with the results. It had not occurred to me that was a possibility, now I want to ferret out the source of the spell checking.

... I think you may be right. I vaguely recall someone saying they had classes with him. Still possible, even if they're not in the same grade, but much less likely. I had one class that was very much not a core course that was like that, most of the students were seniors, I took it in a free slot as a junior. Here, you can take a few of your courses at a local community college in the AP program and get college credit along with filling your high school requirement, depending on your grade. It's a good program. You are responsible for your own transportation, which makes it daunting and late school career only. Plus the drive time take a chunk of your school day. I don't know if it's the location or the era; we had no equivalent where and when I went to school.

Oops, you're right, they do. Matt is with Susan, Elliot, Sarah, Tedd, Catalina, and Ashley at North. Now I'm curious where Sam goes. No one seems to know him outside of the gaming context. I was thinking that female Justin might still be identifiable, but see above. Well, actually, he was a go getter, and has hopefully moved on to better opportunities. Quite a bit opens up at eighteen. Likely he's in college now, may have moved away. The idea makes less and less sense, sorry.

Matt shows up to deliver the pizza, recognizes female Justin. Hijinks ensue. The spell checker does not recognize 'hijinks'.

That is a possibility. Yes, that fits. Yes, I thought Ashley was the point of discussion. Grace's upbringing was mostly horrific, and Grace's being well balanced makes absolutely no sense. I try not to think about it. Grace's DNA parents did not raise her. The human one was dead. I think both Rhoda and Catalina are aware that Catalina is impulsive, and Rhoda though it was cute that she was apologizing for what she did. Rhoda knows it didn't mean Catalina was choosing Elliot over her. I see it as healthy interaction accommodating each others quirks. Rhoda is clearly more open around someone she believes accepts her at face value. Has not been subject of the comics, yet, so we don't know. She was mousey and nerdy on retro-introduction, is apparently over all nerdy still (tutoring, also picking up on her magic so quickly and in depth), hangs out with two alpha chicks for much of the early comic, probably initially just to make it three before Dan fleshed her out, seems to fit in with them, until he gives her a personality, and she seems uncomfortable around them and you have to wonder why she puts up with them. Stockholm Syndrome? Anyway, she's probably closer to Grace at this point than she is to Diane and Lucy, although we haven't seen it. She would be like Ashley was around Grace. And, of course, closer to Catalina, who hangs out with Susan, at least occasionally, would know Sarah from Susan's anti-uniform club, knows Elliot, so Sarah again and at least an awareness of Tedd and Justin, ... and Nanase, who she's met as Diane's sidekick, is suspicious that Diane has a crush on ... their both pretty connected already. I don't think she has trouble resisting temptation per se. I think she feels overly controlled by Mom, and is trying to both rebel and not rebel. She's afraid Mom won't accept her for who she is, and she's not wrong; "It's only a phase, you'll get over it". She excels academically, yet Mom won't give her credit. I'm sure Nanase is frustrated. So she picks battles that are side issues, where she can rebel without overtly escalating the situation, the hair and the makeover. Over all, she seems to have good discipline, her martial arts, her divine form, her mom trusts her to manage the house in her absence, "She will guard your children like a tiger" endorsement from her mother for babysitting. People trust her, and she doesn't disappoint. She does seem to jump to conclusions on several occasions, so far mostly with regard to Ashley. Does she see her subconsciously as competition? What Mom knows about magic and how it impacts this is a mystery, but it's there. That is actually my point, thing he could have done, but it seems he didn't, so that's not what he wants. We don't really know, but it fits the narrative. She was thinking the dress would get attention from Tedd, maybe not beyond that. Although, you have a point, she must have an awareness that it would interest Tedd; she's not being naive. I think we are saying the same thing from different perspectives. Your last line in particular. Maybe only half of Europe. That tree spreads fast. I didn't think so either, but that look. Something is being foreshadowed. In any case, Dan's going to tie up these loose ends sometime, isn't he? Ooo, the magic police are going to investigate her background now. Susan has already released Elliot from a relationship that they didn't really have, in her own mind, and given her blessing to his relationship with Ashley. Also, she already sees Ashley as at least a friendly acquaintance, if not a friend. She won't move in on their relations ship. It would have to be all three of them in the shower. Ashley approves, and Susan also get to watch. Susan does seem to like FV5; current Fable NP included.

"Brethren and cistern ..."

Nana nana nana, nana nana nana; quick down the pole and into the catmobile!

Yes, it's definitely a buk case.

"Paws in the air, like you just don't care." - "I'm a cat. I don't care."

Justin is not attracted to female Susan. She would have to periodically transform or actually transition. She may be OK with that.

OK, that makes sense. Pandora never said Susan was his only descendant. He could be jumping to conclusions. Perhaps she is flabbergasted how much he is willing to transform. I'll lay low odds that she'll ask to invite Lucy; low, because that seems out of character for EGS, but it is something I would expect she wants at this point. And she would ask. She's a;ready accepted and part of the group dynamic.

Dan manages to get the impression of time flow across. One comic, one party, one character transforming, this was minutes or seconds. >>> "I'm going to guess slow burn, not exactly ace." <<< I agree with the barrier being upbringing, imposed guilt, not an internalized sense of wrong; I would think not squicked. She could have continued, she would have enjoyed it, but her parents would have been looking over her shoulder, pointing their fingers, and that bothered her. Where is that hinted? Context? She definitely came out of her shell at the mall in the side story. I like assertive Rhoda. I'm going to guess that she's been around abusive people, family, perhaps, and has learned to withdraw as a defense, but that's not her. Her relationship with Diane and Lucy was such that she only came out of the shell a little for them. They were kind of crappy toward her. We haven't seen much interaction with Grace, just a few hints, but I bet she comes out of her shell around Grace; she's probably a really good tutor. I wouldn't call the months the comics cover a long time in terms of relationship. Stable, yes, especially for high schoolers, and plenty of time for opportunity. I'll stand by my assessment, they still have their hangups. Maybe more so that Susan, who, while more severe, is aware of them and pursuing change. Nanase is slow to open up to change from what we've seen. He's got that Green Mile thing going on, he's going to see partners age and die, unless he can find another half breed. You might be right about the culture change allowing him to pursue casual relationship, but there's always been outlets, if that's what he wanted, he can always be buy sexual, after all. Well, most places, and in some it's legal, too. I'm going to hazard a guess here, and conjecture that Diane is the result of sympathy sex, comforting someone in her needy moment. It would fit his personality, wouldn't it? The twenties thing was probably experimentation, and there was an aspect of it that troubled him, so no more. Because it's them? mlooney changed my mind on that one; there is a possibility she want female Justin. Even if it was Tedd ... They sleep together. It's not a euphemism. I'm not clear on how out of continuity the Q&A personnel are. They seem to exist in the same universe, and they interact with the characters. Stuff they say is by definition canon. Dan's side stories tend to have impact in the main story. Do you doubt that Kitty is a character? Dan is the weird one; he exists as the actual author, an occasional character, and as a fictional character in the fictional EGS universe. Talk about covering all the bases. Plus, no goatee, how can a mirror be involved, right?

Hmm, ... it seemed she enjoyed it, but also was happy to disengage. If nothing else happened since then I'd think she was willing to let sleeping cats lie. But since she is actively pursuing changing her outlook, maybe she sees feminine Justin as an opportunity to further that. If so, she'll probably say so in the next few comics and ask to be transformed male. I guess that would not work out long term for them. Justin was not happy being female.

That is true, Justin is the one person she's been physical with. They are also online buddies. Hmm; maybe she hit a tipping point. Point against him, it did appear planned, which means premeditated. >>> "Of course, it may not be from him." <<< Although, that house, we're talking at least a mid level exec. Or, just just comes from money, inheritance or trust fund. ... Guessing she's an exec, based on the France trip. Used to getting what she wants, the school caved to her demands, she knew how to get it done; it reeks of someone with power. Also, Susan, is used to being home alone, Mom must have a job that keeps her away. Well actually, it pretty much does mean that. If he had infrequent partners, years apart, he might know who Diane's mom is, based on her age, but Susan was described as his descendant. If he's hundreds of years old, and has infrequent partners over hundreds of years, that's still quite a bit of uncertainty. "I was in my actual twenties" says he knows who it was, and there haven't been others to cloud the source. If he's had other partners, they were relatively recent, but still distinguishable by Diane's age. It's an odd panel. There are other hints that Justin is female in panel 2 but they are even more subtle. The hips aren't obvious, but look at the waist, Justin does have girly hips there. (I want to use pronouns, and it just doesn't work.) Justin's crotch is also higher, implying less hanging in the way. But the face is still the same. That is not true in real life, male faces are different than female faces. My trans daughter had surgery done to reduce her forehead; it makes a difference. You'd think magic would know to move the buttons and button holes to the other side. My conclusion is that Dan is a damn good artist. He picks up small details.

First off, I really appreciate your thoughtful comments. Susan: "She looks more interested than concerned to me, like an "Ooooh what's this?" kind of expression." - I don't think so; I agree that on the surface, that is what her expression looks like, but what we know of Susan, she doesn't project herself into a relationship, making strides to get there, but not even in the ballpark yet. Her best chemistry so far was with Elliot, and in her mind, that might bear fruition years in the future. So I don't see her thinking "Ooo, hot Justin(a), I want." Sarah: "I dunno about pained, but she certainly could be thinking the form goes a bit overboard for what Justin wanted." - As an artist with some practice drawing figures, she would have an eye for that. Nanase: "Ellen's got other qualities that Nanase loves, but Nanase also blushed at a female Justin before." - No doubt Ellen and Nanase go deeper than outward form, but Nanase was attracted to her initially; also, had some trouble accepting that she herself was gay, which seems to say that she was unaware that she was attracted to females, that kind of argues against 'she attracted to just the form'. But she is close to Justin, she seems to trust him a lot and even goes out of her way to hang out with him. So maybe it's more in line with what you're thinking, she's attracted to him transformed on multiple levels. Grace: "Grace being enthusiastic about transforming isn't new, she's probably just happy that Justin's doing it." - Sure, why not? Grace does not have to make sense in the same way that the others do, she's a wildcard. Ashley & Elliot: "Given Elliot whispering in her ear, maybe she's getting ideas for something for later." - It seems so. I take that as fitting in to her fantasy world more so than anything overtly risque. Especially given that Elliot knows Justin fairly well and is aware of his preferences. Tedd: "Both? Maybe Tedd ... things." - All valid possibilities; there does seem to be more abstract interest than attraction. Diane & Lucy: "Dan's stated ..." - Way to go, kill the speculation by throwing the WoG in there. " ... eyeopener ... " - Do tell; so one of the most dramatically morphed characters is set to change even more ... "... very thirsty ..." - That could be a euphemism for a few things; did he hint more specifically? I guess she already has relationship, really, from what we know of her family, she's h their support most of her life. There has got to be a meta-story behind this. Dan has done dramatic face change with other characters, Tedd and Susan and Nanase come to mind. but this one with Diane seems different, a longer journey. It must mean something to him. Elliot: "... Mom had to drop out of college ..." - Good point, he is rather protective of others, so it fits his narrative. "Wanting to make sure he's ready to start a family is not a bad thing." - I very much agree. Then I'll insert what Mr. Verres said, "Elliot's a Boy Scout", this is not a normal hormone driven teenage outlook. "... though 'keeping it between girls' was an unexpected suggestion." - Ya think? Some of the best evidence that we're dealing with a different universe. Seriously, folks, long before 'they directed us how to do an air search', they also took magic in stride WAY too easily, and accepted the existence of Ellen way to easily, too. Not saying there were wrong, just not normal folks; there's something big about their background that has yet to be revealed. Ellen: "Ellen was burned on the idea of sex with men, ... " - Well, Archie, particularly, who wasn't even human. It cast a big shadow for something that happened in her dream. "I don't think she'd be opposed to sex with Nanase," - Certainly not in the long run ... "and there's been a few instances where Ellen's implied having 'sexy plans'." - which is deliberately vague phrasing & Nanase: "Also Nanase was quick to suggest to Sarah that "being the same sex" was a better alternative to abstinence." - again somewhat tangential; she's discussing Elliot's reluctance, not coming on to Ellen; ... but she is aware. Diane & Lucy: "They just started dating, ..." - This is indeed a point of fact, but on an emotional level, they've been bonded for years; Diane just became suddenly aware of it. Rhoda & Catalina: "Rhoda is shy around people she doesn't know, ..." - Fair point. We have seen her come out of her shell and assert herself on occasion. "I think Rhoda and Catalina have done a great deal of experimentation." - Well, yes, but even kissing would qualify as that. Well, they're not hiding anything, not from each other. <shrug> Maybe? I still don't think so. Susan: "... she's expressed the desire to get over ... the stuff that's preventing her ..." - True; I don't think she's nearly there yet. "... he is a deadbeat dad ..." - Doesn't seem so. Her mother is rather well off. Of course, it may not be from him. ... raised in some guilt inducing religious household ... "I don't think so, ... result in webcomics of a much different tone." - Dave Willis is from an independent charismatic evangelical background. I was thinking more like Catholic (RC) or maybe Mormon. Anyway, not all the results are the same, a bit of a dice roll; Randy Milholland that does Something Positive is another example. Ellen & Nanase: "... swapping shirts ... Nanase can do the swapping magically." - I had forgotten that. She doesn't seem to use it much. Adrian Raven: "Either Adrian didn't get much action, did get lots of action and the fact that 'less likely for a half-breed to become, or get someone pregnant' and Susan and Diane happen to be the only times when Adrian wasn't firing blanks, ..." - Yes, but when Pandora said that, he did not have to stop and sort through possibilities, he knew immediately which events were the source of the pregnancies that bore them. It would appear that despite the half-breeds thing, he didn't fire any blanks. "... or maybe there are a few more half-relatives scattered about. I'm not really expecting to see any other relatives showing up in the comic unless it happens to be Susan's dad or Diane's mom." - Depending how well their dance date went, maybe we'll get to meet Amanda's daughter. Elliot & Ashley: "... got to the point where Ashley was just starting to pull off Elliot's shirt ... we saw had Elliot tucking the shirt back ..." - Good call. Seems likely. Justin: "Also it hasn't been mentioned yet here and I had missed it too until it was pointed out on discord, but between each panel of Justin's transformations, there's more 'click's." - You mean more than just panels two and eight, right? I kind of assumed that. Other things not mentioned, Justin is looking in a mirror. Otherwise, why would he be reacting? Justin has boobs in panel two. It's a bit subtle, easy to miss at first, I did not catch it at first glance. (I was going to say, 'they do not jump out at you', but ...) ((Points?)) (((Yes, yes there are ...))) ((((Stop it, you!)))) He got the hang of that rather fast.

He's had a couple of pretty good ones. His discussion shows, like Talking Dead aren't bad. Like Wil Wheaton, he embraces being a nerd and kicks butt at it.

Panel 1. You're right, it absolutely does look like something happened with that skirt. "This is the most impulsive thing I've done." - perhaps Sarah was right, Elliot was holding back with her. Panel 2 &3. We stopped, we didn't want to stop, and we both recognized we would loose control if we didn't. Panel 4. We feel continuing is inappropriate, because even though we're obviously attracted to each other, we are just getting to know each other. I think it's a fair point, sex can overshadow other aspects of a relationship; I suppose it depends on the individuals. Panel 5 & 6. If we stay here, we are going to continue. If we want to not do that, we should leave. There is something autobiographical in fictional writing, in a meta sense. You get a flavor of the person behind the comic, some sense of their beliefs and struggles with issues, some more so than others. I have the notion that this sequence of events means something to Dan, because it encapsulates how many of his characters respond to relationship.

He never specified that the points mattered for anything, so I'm OK with it.