Something Like That 2015-04-29

[GlytchMeister]

Called it.

Unfortunately... Maybe. I dunno. I get plenty of grimdark from my anime, I just want everyone in Wapsi to be happy.
That being said, everyone being happy doesn't make for a particularly awesome story.
And I also realize that, realistically, if Atsali is as messed up by... what'sherface's suicide as she seems to be, her getting better will probably be a painful process.
Ugh. Being emotionally invested in fictional characters is confusing. Imma go get some hot chocolate from Tina and go sit in the Corner.

[oldmanmickey]

This will either cause them to go complete separate ways or make them close as sisters.

[Thor]

This will either cause them to go complete separate ways or make them close as sisters.

I'm not sure Nadette is going for either of those. There are some things sisters shouldn't be doing together.

[AnotherFairportfan]

Called it.

Wish you {i} hadn't.

Between this comic and Gunnerkrigg Court getting Very Heavy about now, i'm kinda feeling a touch out of sorts.

[Haylo]

About the only way this could fall short of a major melt-down is if Nadette has forseen (and can plainly tell, which is far from a given for seers) that she is going to survive having her heart broken and go on to live a reasonably happy life.

[Jay-Em]

Interesting development. Let me see if I got it about right..

Soo.. Horned Girl was madly in love with Atsali. Atsali liked her very much too, best friends, but not in "that" way. Horned Girl -apparently (to Atsali)- kills herself over it, Atsali feels guilty to a traumatic level. Shuts it away.
Nadette professes her "love" (or "lust") for Atsali, and -again- Atsali doesn't feel about Nadette in "that way" but as a good friend/Sister. And Atsali is deadly afraid -traumatic as her earlier experience was- that "it" will happen again, ripping open the vault with all those feelings she thought she had put behind lock&key.

And Nadette? Well.. She's Friend zoned. Not an enviable place to be. Being "in love" messes-up the Friendship bit in no uncertain way. poor (yet brave, stating het love openly) Nadette, poor Atsali.

Well now. Hów to convince Atsali that the suicide of her bestie probably wasn't Atsali's fault. Suicides (as i understand it from my Shrink-filled family. Every family-gathering could just as well be a gathering of he faculty of Clinical Psychology I am the "outlier" being a tech-head) are véry seldomly the result of óne single issue of a person.

I grew up in the -relative- security of a smaller community, with a small (lefty-liberal)High-School, where trouble was spotted and dealt with right away by our great teachers. Where teachers and parents stood together in support of the pupils. I have not experienced suicides in my direct surroundings, and as such, I call myself lucky. But I can wholly imagine that the suicide of someone that was infatuated with you, but who you still liked very much, can mess-up a person pretty bad.

[jwhouk]

Mom's home, so there's the possibility of Deus Ex Katherine if things get all messy.

Yeah, things have been getting heavy in the webcomics world as of late. Lucre/Agatha showing up again; Faye's firing, drinking binge and hospital stay; Antimony's daddy issues; now this.

[Dave]

Mom's home, so there's the possibility of Deus Ex Katherine if things get all messy.

A god, out of Katherine? Like Athena, born out of Zeus's chopped-open-with-an-axe head? Yeah, that would get messy. I'm not sure Kath could survive such a birth... unlike Zeus she probably doesn't have divine self-healing powers of that magnitude. She's only human (well, six humans) after all.

Yeah, things have been getting heavy in the webcomics world as of late. Lucre/Agatha showing up again; Faye's firing, drinking binge and hospital stay; Antimony's daddy issues; now this.

And, for a light distraction, there are the recent events on Grey's Anatomy... talk about a fan base that's feeling out of sorts...

[lake_wrangler]

As traumatic as this is all for Atsali, this latest revelation should at least reassure Nadette (probably only after a long reflection) that this is not a personal rejection, but a rejection of the concept of a close friend being in love with Atsali... Not that it makes it any easier/better, for Nadette, but at least it's not personal...

[DilyV]

to Atsali, nothing good comes from feelings of this sort. She has the mental scars to prove it... or she does in her own mind. Atsali is a tough bird... Right now, I'm worried about Nadette. As I suggested earlier, Maybe Monica is the one to right this... given her recent revelation that led her to bat for the other team. At the very least she could show Atsali that it doesn't always end in suicide. I would say that if Atsali had a predominate demon it would be guilt... Monica would be the best one to mentor her through her feelings of guilt over the horned girl incident. Perhaps Nadette could attend the sessions as a one person Support group for Atsali.

[Dave]

to Atsali, nothing good comes from feelings of this sort. She has the mental scars to prove it... or she does in her own mind. Atsali is a tough bird...

Considering her Siren powers (and her moral un-ease about what they imply), and whatever happened between Atsali and Horned Girl which may have led to the latter's suicide, I wonder whether Atsali may be carrying around a sense of "I am just too dangerous, to ever have a relationship. I can make anyone desire me... and to desire me is to die."

Sirens have a reputation for being sexual predators... and at the emotional level, Atsali may have come to see herself as a deadly threat to others even when she's unaware of doing anything. She may feel that she cannot possibly be innocent, just by her very nature.

Maybe it's a bit like Galadriel said, when Frodo freely offered to give her the One Ring if she wished. "In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow on the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!"

Hell of a burden for a sixteen-year-old girl to be carrying around in her heart.

[loxmyth]

Poor kid...

[kingklash]

Heavy, heavy, heavy. It's going to be a rough ride from here. At least, for a distraction, Book Three of Broodhollow has finally started. Nothing clears one's mind like eldritch horrors in a town of 1000 holidays.

[loxmyth]

Correction: Poor kids.

I can see several ways this could go well, depending on timescale. Plus, of course, the ways it could go poorly in the short term. That's the nature of relationships, and prophecies.

People are hard.

[Opus the Poet]

Sirens have a reputation for being sexual predators... and at the emotional level, Atsali may have come to see herself as a deadly threat to others even when she's unaware of doing anything. She may feel that she cannot possibly be innocent, just by her very nature.

Right, and she may believe that while she can "dial it back" to something she doesn't notice, it is never really "off". She may see herself as constantly causing people to "love" her if she shows any interest at all. Nadette's proclamation of "you can't effect me, I'm not all 'here' to effect." may have allowed Atsali to be friendlier to her than she would with people she might unconsciously effect, and now she's blaming herself for Nadette being sexually attracted to her. Nadette saying that she was predisposed to being sexually attracted to her, just tells Atsali that she should have been more careful with her instead of heteronormative ("She's a girl, she won't fall for me unless I make her").

[meisdadoo]

to Atsali, nothing good comes from feelings of this sort. She has the mental scars to prove it... or she does in her own mind. Atsali is a tough bird...

Considering her Siren powers (and her moral un-ease about what they imply), and whatever happened between Atsali and Horned Girl which may have led to the latter's suicide, I wonder whether Atsali may be carrying around a sense of "I am just too dangerous, to ever have a relationship. I can make anyone desire me... and to desire me is to die."

Sirens have a reputation for being sexual predators... and at the emotional level, Atsali may have come to see herself as a deadly threat to others even when she's unaware of doing anything. She may feel that she cannot possibly be innocent, just by her very nature.

Hell of a burden for a sixteen-year-old girl to be carrying around in her heart.

Well she did say as much at the beach, just coming to grips with her siren powers do not work on those she actually loves. Which raises the question about what really happened to the suicide girl; just who rejected who in that escapade? Did Atsali start it or reject it; she does like boys and girls after all.

And Katherine knows, she did warn Asali to be careful with Nadette. I think it is almost time for adult intervention--a good story needs just a little more "tension" before resolution occurs.

Regarding actual teen suicide, one of the heaviest burdens a person can carry is being the last person the deceased talked to before they carried out their exit plan. You will forever be plagued with thoughts of why, and what could I have said or done to make a different outcome. It is much worse if the two of you are related. Been there, done that. After a lot of professional assistance and group sessions I have the bleeding stopped, but it left a painful scar. 40 years later and it still hurts when I think about it.

Final observation: Dealing with real issues in a fictional paranormal universe makes for a good story.

[Skywatcher68]

to Atsali, nothing good comes from feelings of this sort. She has the mental scars to prove it... or she does in her own mind. Atsali is a tough bird... Right now, I'm worried about Nadette. As I suggested earlier, Maybe Monica is the one to right this... given her recent revelation that led her to bat for the other team. At the very least she could show Atsali that it doesn't always end in suicide. I would say that if Atsali had a predominate demon it would be guilt... Monica would be the best one to mentor her through her feelings of guilt over the horned girl incident. Perhaps Nadette could attend the sessions as a one person Support group for Atsali.

M should also be capable of tracking down Horned Girl on The Other Side to enable a dialog between the deceased and Sali.

[Grantwhy]

to Atsali, nothing good comes from feelings of this sort. She has the mental scars to prove it... or she does in her own mind. Atsali is a tough bird...

Considering her Siren powers (and her moral un-ease about what they imply), and whatever happened between Atsali and Horned Girl which may have led to the latter's suicide, I wonder whether Atsali may be carrying around a sense of "I am just too dangerous, to ever have a relationship. I can make anyone desire me... and to desire me is to die."

Sirens have a reputation for being sexual predators... and at the emotional level, Atsali may have come to see herself as a deadly threat to others even when she's unaware of doing anything. She may feel that she cannot possibly be innocent, just by her very nature.

Hell of a burden for a sixteen-year-old girl to be carrying around in her heart.

Well she did say as much at the beach, just coming to grips with her siren powers do not work on those she actually loves. Which raises the question about what really happened to the suicide girl; just who rejected who in that escapade? Did Atsali start it or reject it; she does like boys and girls after all.

Horrible thought of the day: What if the Horned Girl had heard Atsali sing? And was affected by the song?

That might explain why Atsali seems to hate/fear her Siren heritage at times?

[DinkyInky]

Yow.

This could definitely explain why Atsali was so resistant to seeing, hearing, being told, or realizing that Nadette was personally interested in her.

It wasn't cluelessness. It was traumatic armor-plating.

I'd offer a cookie to those who correctly predicted this detail, but under the circumstances I won't. The cookies would probably taste like ashes.

Just give them some Lapsang Souchong to go with it.(It's in the Adagio tea Sherlock blend I'm drinking).

[KnightDelight]

Considering her Siren powers (and her moral un-ease about what they imply), and whatever happened between Atsali and Horned Girl which may have led to the latter's suicide, I wonder whether Atsali may be carrying around a sense of "I am just too dangerous, to ever have a relationship. I can make anyone desire me... and to desire me is to die."

Sirens have a reputation for being sexual predators... and at the emotional level, Atsali may have come to see herself as a deadly threat to others even when she's unaware of doing anything. She may feel that she cannot possibly be innocent, just by her very nature.

Yep. Considering all the legends were about blood thirsty, murdering sirens luring sailors to their deaths, seemingly for their own amusement (or the amusement of the gods). Horrible reputation to live down (besides the slut thing). Something Atsali may consider herself capable of, willingly or not.

I have to wonder if she will give in to Nadette at some point, even if not what she actually wants, to lessen the chances Nadette will go the way of suicide girl. Give in to Nadette's sexual desires in a misguided attempt to keep her alive. She has, after all, already seen how broken up Nadette was when Atsali rejected her once. It's not an uncommon thing in real life, after all. Guilt, warranted or not, is a powerful motivator.