Little Plant 2016-11-01

[lake_wrangler]

http://wapsisquare.com/comic/little-plant/

Please remain seated and keep your arms inside the car at all times, the ride is about to start...

[Sgt. Howard]

I actually remember asking for 'Wawo' when I was probably about two...

[Dave]

Castela has entered a high-technology virtual reality projection system, known to some as The Matrox, or more familiarly The Holodeck-o'-Howlin'.

Tomorrow, she (and we) get to learn whether little Atsali decided to water the wee widdle plant with a rhyme or two.

I hope Pickle brought along her book of E tickets, because the ride she's about to take is probably going to come at quite a cost.

How many kids these days know what an E ticket is?

[AmriloJim]

Library's version of a holodeck, I assume.
I was hoping for more guidance from Phix....

Dave: I hope that cost is not too dear.

[lake_wrangler]

I was hoping for more guidance from Phix....

I'm guessing she's treating Castela like the adult Castela wants to be treated like, and will be there at the end to pick up the pieces (hopefully).

Beware what you ask for: you might actually get it...

[FreeFlier]

In frame two, Castela seems to be realizing this could go sideways . . .

Of course, it's starting by then . . .

--FreeFlier

[Armorlord]

Gauntlet of knowledge it is then.

[DilyV]

I get the feeling this is sooooo gonna suck for Castela...

[scantrontb]

I get the feeling this is sooooo gonna suck for Castela...

but GREAT for US!!...

[AnotherFairportfan]

Hmmm. Why did Phix feel it that going human was appropriate?

[oldmanmickey]

If the little plant is Castela then she is only a year or two younger than Atsali. That would allow for her to mature to 16 real fast. This is gonna be a train wreck of emotions for sure.

[illiad]

Hmmm. Why did Phix feel it that going human was appropriate?

the room is 'sized' for Atsali and Castela?

[Drakkenmensch]

Have we ever seen Pickle cry before? Because if we haven't before, we should see that soon now.

[Catawampus]

If the little plant is Castela then she is only a year or two younger than Atsali. That would allow for her to mature to 16 real fast. This is gonna be a train wreck of emotions for sure.

Castela has been alive for thousands of years, but she's apparently only been conscious as Castela for a few years. Hence her sometimes coming up with stuff that seems way beyond what a small child ought to be capable of. It could be that Castela's current self wasn't "born" until long after she'd been transferred to the care of the MiB or whomever was in charge of her. Perhaps we'll get a bit more detail on how that works in this storyline.

Of course, we're assuming that this particular little shrub is Castela, and not some previously unknown sibling of hers. . .

Hmmm. Why did Phix feel it that going human was appropriate?

More approachable and down to Castela's level? Or just more convenient for walking along and talking to a small child?

Have we ever seen Pickle cry before?

At the comic shop, shortly after her sister caused Timothy to short-circuit.

[eee]

Lord have mercy, Pickle's going to see it all.

She's going to be profoundly changed by this. I hope it's not for the worse. And that she doesn't blame humanity in general for the actions of a few.

[DilyV]

Yes... this is definitely going to suck for poor young Castela...

She's going to find the answers she seeks about Atsali alright... but she's going to see how it intertwines with her own past... This could break Castela mentally and emotionally... Why, Phix? You have to know the story here... Why would you allow poor Castela to see this at her age? She'd be much more understanding and able to hold her temper at an older age.

[Dave]

Why, Phix? You have to know the story here... Why would you allow poor Castela to see this at her age? She'd be much more understanding and able to hold her temper at an older age.

Well... in yesterday's strip, Pickle explicitly protested against the "You're too young for this" brush-off. She's insisting to be treated as an adult in this matter.

So, Phix had a difficult choice to make. Either "pull rank" as an uber-adult, play the "in loco parentis" card, and deny Pickle's choice to accept adult responsibilities... or accept her as an adult, give her what she asked for (demanded), and then help her deal with the consequences afterwards.

My guess is that denying Pickle access to the truth, at this moment, might only have made things worse. Pickle is plenty smart enough to realize that being locked away from the truth of Atsali's past, would mean that something weird was going on, and she's dedicated enough to keep looking for the truth in other ways. She wouldn't have been put off for long.

I think Phix realized that the cat was already most of the way out of the bag. Giving Castela direct access to the real story could be safer and perhaps less painful than what would happen if Pickle decided to play Rogue Investigator and started asking questions of everybody who might know parts of the story. It might end up being easier on Atsali, too.

What Phix did, seems to be consistent with Sphinx culture as a whole... Sphinxes are all about individual strength. Betcha they don't consider "coddling of the weak" to be a virtue.

But, yeah, this is gonna leave a mark.

[Gyrrakavian]

So, is that "Q" as in "que", as in "cue", or as Q from StarTrek: The Next Generation?

[Dave]

So, is that "Q" as in "que", as in "cue", or as Q from StarTrek: The Next Generation?

Or possibly "Q" as in the head of the research-and-development (weird toys) division of the same name, in the James Bond films.

Or, possibly, from "Q ships" (deceptive, well-armed ships masquerading as helpless merchant vessels)... "deal with me, and you'll get more than you thought you were bargaining for!"

[Hansontoons]

So, is that "Q" as in "que", as in "cue", or as Q from StarTrek: The Next Generation?

Or possibly "Q" as in the head of the research-and-development (weird toys) division of the same name, in the James Bond films.

Or, possibly, from "Q ships" (deceptive, well-armed ships masquerading as helpless merchant vessels)... "deal with me, and you'll get more than you thought you were bargaining for!"

Or "Query", "Question", "Quandary".

Definitely not "Q" as is Bar-B-Que" shortened to when querying where to go chew food at lunchtime. Or maybe it could be similar to a barbecue hot-seat under a questioning lamp...