Wapsi Square Forum

I'd munch on a cookie, but it's oatmeal raisin. :/

I kinda got it right - except for the fae creation part.

You have to think Phix knows about this... and Monica doesn't.

Well. THIS is a disturbing update.

We're going to need to get more of Castela's back story, but right now I think the focus should be on whether Calista is seriously hurt or not. None of these people are healers, that we know of, so they may need to get the school nurse. Which might bring the school authorities in on this. It's one thing for a Fae princess to knock out an obnoxious classmate. Another for a Blackthorn hybrid to actually try to kill the Fae princess. This might cause waves.

I wonder how Monica is going to react to the news that her surrogate niece stomped - with hurtful intent - on her Fae charge...

Good thing Sesame Street now teaches kids about what it's like to have a relative in prison.

Dave wrote: Even assuming that Pickle's story about the Fae instigating her abandonment is true and complete (and we have no reason to doubt it) her indulging in a bit of private decapitation and dismemberment is rather disturbing... her self-righteous stomp-fest equally so. Phix's "little sweetie" certainly has a dark, angry side. And, if you consider that a lot of human serial killers have been reported to have "indulged" in torturing and killing pets and other animals when they were children... *shudder*... this is a pattern in Castela that might prove to be very dangerous if not addressed and corrected quickly!

And Princess Calista... we've already seen what her self-defensive anger can lead her to do. It's no wonder they call her Cricket... "Something Wicket This Way Comes!" (I think it's interesting and perhaps encouraging that she voluntarily confirmed at least part of Castla's story and identity)

And Bia, for that matter... her ancient obsession led to a sort of moral blindness as to the hurtful consequences of her actions. Fortunately for her, the return-to-childhood her father compelled seems to have pulled her out of this moral fog and reawakened her empathy and conscience.

I get the feeling that Monica's Summer School For Delinquent Paranormals is going to have several participants. Maybe the Library has the equivalent of a one-room all-ages little red schoolhouse hung off of one of its hyperspace conduits?

We have no reason to accept Pickles story as true. She was very young when left at the orphanage and can only have a vague understanding of what happened and why. No parents when leaving a child would tell it we dumping you because the Fae are bothering us. In fact they would know why the Fae were upset. One of the parents had to be the same type as Pickle after all. If the Fae were after them because of the danger they represented to the Fae they would hide the child and NOT tell it why. So whatever reason Pickle thinks she know is based on spotty memories and childish thoughts when she was left.

Sali's comment about not remembering that any of that happened is a very telling point as well. It makes it likely that Pickle somehow thought the Fae were responsible for her being thrown away. This could lead to day dreams about punishing the Fae. She could have easily seen a small pixie and swatted it in anger. As to what really happened we need to hear from the orphanage people who were there when Pickle was left. Or get the straight story from her parents.

Makes you wonder why no one has made any attempt to find out what did happen to Pickles parents? Issues arising from Pickle should have inspired someone to find out, especially Kathy in case they ever came calling, or Pickle asked about them someday.

And that would be the ultimate wild card - does Kath know about this?

Bag of cookies says she does.

Oh my! So...given the amount of knowledge Phix seems to have regarding the supernatural world, you'd think that she knew what our little Pickle was...and you'd also think that she'd inform Kat since Kat is now Castela's legal guardian (kind of important for Mom to know these things). I guess this information was "need to know" only, and Atsali wasn't on the list? Talk about a shocking announcement to hear about one's little sister.

Also, given how this new information would rank Castela on the list of powerful supernatural beings, wouldn't it have been important for someone to make an effort to keep the little plant away from Cricket until the fae had shown improvement in her lessons with Monica? I mean, the whole "killed a fairy at the orphanage" thing might not have been documented in her file if she didn't tell anyone about it, but certainly the fact that she was picked on and her feelings towards the fae had to have been noticed. Mr. Meadows certainly seemed to be fairly involved with Castela and aware of the pain she dealt with as a result of her past. I'd have thought he would have made a note somewhere that would have been passed along to new parents...but maybe I'm just completely unaware of how the process works when adopting children (especially potentially troubled children). And maybe people thought it was overreaction given how sweet little Pickle has been around them.

KnightDelight wrote:Makes me wonder though what power the Fae could have over her parents/creators that would make them give her up at their behest. Assuming one or both could also do damage to Fae. Maybe a sacrifice to keep the peace?

That was my first thought...I guess we'll have to wait and see.

It's very easy to fall into the anthropomorphizing of these preternatural characters, but it is a mistake, clearly shown when Phix cleaned up the "mess" at the Library. Castella isn't human, and can't be judged using the same standards for humans. It may very well be a species trait to kill Fae... like a spider killing an insect... or another species of spider. If Blackthorns regard Fae as insects like a Venus Flytrap, at most Castella is guilty of playing with her food. ew

What I'm interested in is what tradition is followed in Wapsi when you save someone's life... do they owe you, or are you responsible for them for the rest of your life?

As far as Calista is concerned she's alive and if she's alive will heal at a rate Wolverine could appreciate.

zachariah wrote:Sali's comment about not remembering that any of that happened is a very telling point as well. It makes it likely that Pickle somehow thought the Fae were responsible for her being thrown away. This could lead to day dreams about punishing the Fae. She could have easily seen a small pixie and swatted it in anger. As to what really happened we need to hear from the orphanage people who were there when Pickle was left. Or get the straight story from her parents.

I thought this was telling too but for different reasons. I'm not very familiar with any of the legends that Wapsi characters are based on (we need shirts that say "Everything I needed to know about the Para-normal I learned from Wapsi Square") but is it possible that Atsali doesn't remember the Fae coming to the orphanage because that's how the Fae wanted it? If Castella's story is even remotely true then a Fae following her to the orphanage, despite that fact that it can't hurt her, doesn't bode well for any of her new friends and caretakers.

Some thoughts:

1. Hera sent snakes to kill baby Hercules. They were grabbed and throttled by the infant. Did Pickle kill her assassin? Sent by whom?

2. Given that Pickle is functionally a sentient thorny vine wrapped up in humanoid form, a worse fate would have been to engulf and crush Cricket. Stomping was for show? Or is Pickle more used to her humanoid form rather than using her innate form to deal with interlopers?

@Atomic

Re: point 2

It may be simpler than that - "while at school you will hold humanoid form..."

Wdot wrote:Castella isn't human, and can't be judged using the same standards for humans.

Yes and no. They're supposed to be learning how to behave among humans. Castela may well even be part human. That would make her part evil. So she can't grow up thinking that yanking human-like heads off of bodies is a-ok.

Happily, since she's part blackthorn, I can think of one character who can keep her in line with a snap of the fingers.

shadowinthelight wrote:

Elvis wrote:Plot twist: they were only trying to guard her from something evil.

Twistier twist: the evil was Castela's own parents.

Uhhhh, me like!

Dave wrote:The Fae may not be the only ones whose moral compass needs a bit of recharging.

Do we not know this since Phix killed one of her coworkers?

So, the only ones who can put a permanent hurt on Fae are Monica, and Castela. Aunt M may have to mentor two tiny dynamos for the time being.

Don't fkuk with the BlackThorn...

Julie wrote:

KnightDelight wrote:Makes me wonder though what power the Fae could have over her parents/creators that would make them give her up at their behest. Assuming one or both could also do damage to Fae. Maybe a sacrifice to keep the peace?

That was my first thought...I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Moi aussi. I mean, we all go nuts with how adorable she is...

I'll be settling into confusion corner while this plays out. Thanks for restocking, @Timotheus...

Dave wrote:Even assuming that Pickle's story about the Fae instigating her abandonment is true and complete (and we have no reason to doubt it) her indulging in a bit of private decapitation and dismemberment is rather disturbing... her self-righteous stomp-fest equally so.

I don't have reason not to believe her given how she's always been portrayed as cute and innocent...but maybe we've just been elaborately set up!

Yamara wrote:Good thing Sesame Street now teaches kids about what it's like to have a relative in prison.

Heh. I saw that segment on John Oliver's HBO show over the weekend. The Sesame Street episodes I watched as a kid that dealt with the issues of the day now carry a parental warning. Oh the irony...

I'll just recruit more inmates to the confusion corner by reminding folks that the Tuna just witnessed this display.
Who will lay odds that someone will regard Castela as a ticket to revenge?

jwhouk wrote:I'd munch on a cookie, but it's oatmeal raisin. :/

I kinda got it right - except for the fae creation part.

You have to think Phix knows about this... and Monica doesn't.

If it was written down, Phix knows about it. She is the librarian after all.

kingklash wrote:So, the only ones who can put a permanent hurt on Fae are Monica, and Castela. Aunt M may have to mentor two tiny dynamos for the time being.

Well, the only ones mentioned so far. . . .

Or as Arnold would say "If it bleeds, we can kill it."

meisdadoo wrote:

jwhouk wrote:I'd munch on a cookie, but it's oatmeal raisin. :/

I kinda got it right - except for the fae creation part.

You have to think Phix knows about this... and Monica doesn't.

If it was written down, Phix knows about it. She is the librarian after all.

She doesn't necessarily know it - but she can find it.

Wonder if that family tree Bia found might have something to do with this?

meisdadoo wrote:

kingklash wrote:So, the only ones who can put a permanent hurt on Fae are Monica, and Castela. Aunt M may have to mentor two tiny dynamos for the time being.

Well, the only ones mentioned so far. . . .

Or as Arnold would say "If it bleeds, we can kill it."

...and anyone with a blackthorn shillelagh...