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hkmaly

Story Friday, Dec 13, 2019

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http://egscomics.com/comic/party-097

I think it would be less scary if Elliot shrank with her. I mean, if whole group shrank at same time.

"Why not?" ... I can think of several why nots, but ok, apparently Grace can shrink even more. Well, she's still bigger than her squirrel form ...

And regarding how would one perceive stuff: I think that close stuff would look bigger, while stuff further away would look closer.

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Being half-height (two and a half to three feet) really ought to be something that most people have in the deep recesses of their nearly-forgotten memories from toddler-hood. I mean, most of us were around that size when we were two to three years old. I would think that at least partially, one's subconscious would be screaming "I'm like a baby again" rather than "land of the giants".

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6 hours ago, hkmaly said:

"Why not?" ... I can think of several why nots, but ok, apparently Grace can shrink even more. Well, she's still bigger than her squirrel form ...

Is she even finished shrinking herself though? She might very well be squirrel size the next time we see her.

 

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2 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

Aaaaaand still nothing more about that doorknob.

That's because Lord Tedd is turning it.

All jokes aside, we are dealing with EGS, and The Dan. A side track delay of only a week or so?  Meh.  It could be worse.

 

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10 minutes ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

Magic is known to have a flair for the dramatic
The Squirrel explaining magic should also have a flair for the dramatic

Huh, this got me wondering, would there still be "flair for the dramatic" aspects in how Magic works?

If the WoM was responsible for any of the unexpected results in using magic, it might just be content with just watching how people learn about magic in general or how old systems might get discovered or how Uryuoms react to getting access to it again.

 

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8 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

Aaaaaand still nothing more about that doorknob.

My theory is that the click was a lock locking, and that it represents a magical lock activating. Given the timing of the click, I suspect they'll notice it when they try to unshrink Ashley and find that something is keeping the enchantment from being undone.

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16 hours ago, ijuin said:

Being half-height (two and a half to three feet) really ought to be something that most people have in the deep recesses of their nearly-forgotten memories from toddler-hood. I mean, most of us were around that size when we were two to three years old. I would think that at least partially, one's subconscious would be screaming "I'm like a baby again" rather than "land of the giants".

Why should it? We never experienced sharp change. Stuff got gradually smaller - I mean, we got gradually bigger - with plenty of time to get used to it. It's only if you are confronted with something after longer time when you notice the change - like, I was very surprised when I visited some school as young adult and saw those tiny chairs children are sitting on ...

10 hours ago, Scotty said:
10 hours ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

Magic is known to have a flair for the dramatic
The Squirrel explaining magic should also have a flair for the dramatic

Huh, this got me wondering, would there still be "flair for the dramatic" aspects in how Magic works?

If the WoM was responsible for any of the unexpected results in using magic, it might just be content with just watching how people learn about magic in general or how old systems might get discovered or how Uryuoms react to getting access to it again.

The not-a-change means that there are less limits in place, but it doesn't make WoM obsolete. Seems that there is still plenty of opportunities for it to get something wrong.

5 hours ago, detrius said:
13 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

Aaaaaand still nothing more about that doorknob.

I tink that we can still get a few "cube-square law" strips out of this before that becomes relevant again.

Good point. And maybe we even touch the "sweet magic" stuff ...

5 hours ago, ChronosCat said:
13 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

Aaaaaand still nothing more about that doorknob.

My theory is that the click was a lock locking, and that it represents a magical lock activating. Given the timing of the click, I suspect they'll notice it when they try to unshrink Ashley and find that something is keeping the enchantment from being undone.

... interesting theory. I think there would be plenty of content for the story arc with just the party happening without any interference from outside forces, but, well, we will see ...

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2 hours ago, hkmaly said:

... interesting theory. I think there would be plenty of content for the story arc with just the party happening without any interference from outside forces, but, well, we will see ...

Can you think of any explanation for the "click" that doesn't involve outside forces (or an artifact which will similarly complicate the story)?

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12 minutes ago, hkmaly said:

The not-a-change means that there are less limits in place, but it doesn't make WoM obsolete. Seems that there is still plenty of opportunities for it to get something wrong.

I wasn't trying to suggest the WoM is obsolete, just that it might not have to worry about creating randomness for a bit since there's plenty of opportunity for people to create it themselves. Heck depending on how things pan out, the WoM might have to step in and place restrictions again if it becomes apparent that humanity is in danger of going overboard.

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1 hour ago, ChronosCat said:
4 hours ago, hkmaly said:

... interesting theory. I think there would be plenty of content for the story arc with just the party happening without any interference from outside forces, but, well, we will see ...

Can you think of any explanation for the "click" that doesn't involve outside forces (or an artifact which will similarly complicate the story)?

No, but I can think of easy solution how the story arc might end up not being complicated: Dan might simply not mention it until next arc :)

1 hour ago, Scotty said:
4 hours ago, hkmaly said:

The not-a-change means that there are less limits in place, but it doesn't make WoM obsolete. Seems that there is still plenty of opportunities for it to get something wrong.

I wasn't trying to suggest the WoM is obsolete, just that it might not have to worry about creating randomness for a bit since there's plenty of opportunity for people to create it themselves.

The thing is it's not doing it deliberately - well not always. There are natural mechanisms in magic which ultimately depend on Will of Magic processing stuff. I mean, Elliot was getting girly spells because magic was confused, right? I think the "magic" here is basically same "entity" as Will of Magic. In some sense.

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

Heck depending on how things pan out, the WoM might have to step in and place restrictions again if it becomes apparent that humanity is in danger of going overboard.

It can't.

It's not like there wouldn't be REASON for restrictions. It's that the restriction were implemented in way which doesn't scale. Infeasible was the word WoM used. With more magic users, the restriction would not hold, possibly would require too much energy or something.

It's risky and dangerous ... but remember that the ultimate reason why it was decided to go public with magic anyway was that there basically wasn't other option. The tools WoM could used to keep magic hidden and with limited use stopped to suffice.

Also, it directly said that there would be no more asking of seers about their opinions. Personally, I would see it as shortsighted, as there would definitely be other stuff WoM would need advice about, but maybe the mechanism of asking seers is intentionally designed to be used just for the most important question due to the risk of some of them trying to take advantage of WoM.

 

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13 hours ago, ChronosCat said:
21 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

Aaaaaand still nothing more about that doorknob.

My theory is that the click was a lock locking, and that it represents a magical lock activating. Given the timing of the click, I suspect they'll notice it when they try to unshrink Ashley and find that something is keeping the enchantment from being undone.

Why would anyone lock a door which is not hung in a doorway? If it's an artifact, maybe there's a magical doorway elsewhere. But if it's locked now, it will be unlocked before the end of the party. Kind of a Chekov Shotgun kind of plot device.

Or, maybe the "click" doesn't belong to a lock, but a switch--say, on a microphone hidden inside the doorknob.

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4 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

maybe the "click" doesn't belong to a lock

Maybe this isn't so much of a "click", but more of a "Clique"?

Demonstrating that Ashley and/or Diane are now in with the Magic Mob
The Sorcery Set
The Alakazam Alliance
 The Rabbit In The Hat Regiment

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1 hour ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

Maybe this isn't so much of a "click", but more of a "Clique"?

Demonstrating that Ashley and/or Diane are now in with the Magic Mob
The Sorcery Set
The Alakazam Alliance
 The Rabbit In The Hat Regiment

image.png

 

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Just now, hkmaly said:

Elliot was getting girly spells because magic was confused, right? I think the "magic" here is basically same "entity" as Will of Magic.

Based on Elliot's last major introspection, it's quite possible Magic was right all along, and that it was Elliot that was confused.

 

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7 minutes ago, Scotty said:

Based on Elliot's last major introspection, it's quite possible Magic was right all along, and that it was Elliot that was confused.

 

I don't think Elliot's introspection, "I never ...", is accurate, though. He has gotten comfortable over time, but was not happy for a long while. The whole event that got Ellen created was based on him not being comfortable being female.

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Just now, Darth Fluffy said:

I don't think Elliot's introspection, "I never ...", is accurate, though. He has gotten comfortable over time, but was not happy for a long while. The whole event that got Ellen created was based on him not being comfortable being female.

I was mainly referring to the "this is part of who I am!". and while Magus mostly based his assertion that Ellen should be male based on how much Elliot wanted to turn back, I think Elliot's motivation wasn't because he didn't like being female, but because he didn't want to deal with the social aspects of it, being treated differently, especially if people had to know he was transformed.

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1 minute ago, Scotty said:

 I think Elliot's motivation wasn't because he didn't like being female, but because he didn't want to deal with the social aspects of it, being treated differently, especially if people had to know he was transformed.

Well, yes, but he was also an observer and commentator in his own head as well as the participant. He had discussions with Tedd about being disappointed that his spells had to do with being a girl, and he didn't handle "You have to learn to like it" very well either. It wasn't until he chalked up some mileage of experience being a girl that he learned to accept it. Largely positive experiences; by being a part-timer who is mostly in control of the switch, he avoids being discriminated against, we haven't seen much unwanted attention that some of the others have gotten, and he apparently avoids periods - a condition which for most women amounts to 10% to 15% of your life sucks.

Recall that he first expresses acceptance of his situation as he is flying as Cheerleadra. Even if he hadn't worked through the introspection, being able to become Cheerleadra would have been a lot to give up.

Also he hasn't mentioned it, he may not even be aware of it, but his relationship with Ellen is different when he is a female, she is more open and supportive. That is likely a factor. I think that would take time to see, even subconsciously, there would have to be a track record. One time might just be her mood at the moment.

 

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I think it's clear that from the day Elliot was transformed to female, he was more concerned about the social aspects of being changed than about the personal aspects. He was perfectly willing to go out in public as female, as long as that female would be identified as not Elliot.

(I know that if I suddenly had the ability to change sexes freely, I'd use it often... but I'd have concerns about the social aspects, unless I find out that lots of people have that ability. Not helping: my full first name is distinctly male, and shows up on my ID card, on my bank cards, and on cash registers every time I use my bank cards.)

However, that doesn't mean he wasn't at all concerned about the personal aspects. There's plenty of evidence that he was initially somewhat unhappy with being - as well as, and distinct from, being seen as - female.

 

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7 minutes ago, Don Edwards said:

I think it's clear that from the day Elliot was transformed to female, he was more concerned about the social aspects of being changed than about the personal aspects. He was perfectly willing to go out in public as female, as long as that female would be identified as not Elliot.

(I know that if I suddenly had the ability to change sexes freely, I'd use it often... but I'd have concerns about the social aspects, unless I find out that lots of people have that ability. Not helping: my full first name is distinctly male, and shows up on my ID card, on my bank cards, and on cash registers every time I use my bank cards.)

However, that doesn't mean he wasn't at all concerned about the personal aspects. There's plenty of evidence that he was initially somewhat unhappy with being - as well as, and distinct from, being seen as - female.

The thing about the ID cards, credit cards, and of course, drivers license; I hadn't thought about that. It could seriously hamper the transformee. I use a card for most of my purchases; in Elliot's shoes, I'd start carrying cash as well. The drivers license issue is tougher. I suppose I'd chance just driving. Elliot could, if need be, never use the form again that had been pulled over, if it became an issue.

It is possible that the cards adjust like the clothes do, or could be made to. That would raise the question of how far the meta changes go. Elliot's school was still aware of boy Elliot the first time he showed up as his girl cousin.

 

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5 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Recall that he first expresses acceptance of his situation as he is flying as Cheerleadra. Even if he hadn't worked through the introspection, being able to become Cheerleadra would have been a lot to give up.

I'm also recalling Elliot's initial experience being female.

 

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9 hours ago, Scotty said:
19 hours ago, hkmaly said:

Elliot was getting girly spells because magic was confused, right? I think the "magic" here is basically same "entity" as Will of Magic.

Based on Elliot's last major introspection, it's quite possible Magic was right all along, and that it was Elliot that was confused.

9 hours ago, Scotty said:

I was mainly referring to the "this is part of who I am!"

I think that it wasn't originally part of who he was - I think the term we used were that he's more gender-meh than gender-fluid - however even if it would, it wouldn't be as big part as magic though. Also, magic being "confused" by method of awakening is common knowledge: quite likely, there were even worse cases than Elliot.

... I wonder that maybe if the method of awakening is REALLY not part of you, you are eventually able to overcome magic confusion, but that Elliot was exactly in the middle between "big part of him" and "not really related" which make the magic being confused exceptionally long.

5 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

The thing about the ID cards, credit cards, and of course, drivers license; I hadn't thought about that. It could seriously hamper the transformee. I use a card for most of my purchases; in Elliot's shoes, I'd start carrying cash as well. The drivers license issue is tougher. I suppose I'd chance just driving. Elliot could, if need be, never use the form again that had been pulled over, if it became an issue.

It is possible that the cards adjust like the clothes do, or could be made to. That would raise the question of how far the meta changes go. Elliot's school was still aware of boy Elliot the first time he showed up as his girl cousin.

... I find unlikely that changing the cards would be like normal part of the spell. Clothes, sure, but cards are not something you usually think about as part of you. And, obviously, in modern times card physically changing wouldn't help, as the information is in remote database anyway.

Note that Elliot apparently got away with his gender change by combination of impudence and using his girl charm on the principal. And when Ellen was separate individual, DGB took care of all official documents.

2 hours ago, Scotty said:
9 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Recall that he first expresses acceptance of his situation as he is flying as Cheerleadra. Even if he hadn't worked through the introspection, being able to become Cheerleadra would have been a lot to give up.

I'm also recalling Elliot's initial experience being female.

I consider that quite normal reaction from someone attracted to females, especially teenager.

Eventually, you get used on this new body being yours, but that takes time. Probably. Don't have personal experience with it.

 

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