Want To Learn 2014-07-11

[AnotherFairportfan]

As for the staff objecting to the Jaguar Girl's presence, I think they would regard it as simply a visit by a specialist (if they know what's good for 'em).

"Jaguar Girl? I don't see a Jaguar Girl. Do you see a Jaguar Girl, Jim?"

[Warrl]

I'm just wondering about Gryphon HS's adult visitation policy, along with removing students during school hours.

"The Jaguar Girl? Yes ma'am."

Monica ... is a de facto agent of MIB.

Or vice versa.

[loxmyth]

The more I look at this, the more it looks like Monica is channeling a certain librarian. Even the relative scale and pose are correct... Not that this is necessarily the best role model to adopt, but not the worst either.

[jwhouk]

Actually, you're right, Warrl: MIB was created because of Monica.

[Aed]

It makes sense to me that Monica would poit Calista and herself to some other venue for a follow up to Cricket's introduction to the Jaguar Girl. I've no clue whether or not Atsali, Berdine, and Nadette poited to the new venue as well. It might be helpful for Calista to wake up to some friendly faces rather than seeing her worst fear manifested yet again. Then again, Monica's business is with Calista so she may not choose to drag the other girls into this rather scary affair.

The good news is that this seems to be taking place during the regular lunch period so no classes are being missed. The school authorities may just view this event as a necessary time-out after the fight in the school hall earlier in the day. It remains to be seen if Calista will be able to return to class after this rather intense time-out.

Presuming that the girls did not accompany Calista and Monica, I imagine that there will be more than a little curiosity and concern for Cricket's overall well being once she returns to school.

Since much of this event, up to and including the arrival of the Jaguar Girl, occurred publicly in the school lunch room then you know that tongues are already wagging and imaginations running wild among the other on-lookers.

[TazManiac]

I don't know, its entirely possible for all this to have transpired without anyone 'going' anywhere.

Lots of what Monica's new responsibilities, powers at hand deal with internal space and perception of 'reality'. Its very likely shes in Cricket's head, and 'All Her Base R Belong to Us...".

[jwhouk]

Who says Monica was the one that "pulled" Cricket from the lunchroom? (Pay no attention to those wings behind that curtain over there...)

[scantrontb]

Actually, you're right, Warrl: MIB was created because of Monica.

No, MIB was created by Brandi (thup) Bud and Jin, to keep the secrets of Lanthian technology and other such things hidden from public knowledge. remember that they started it in the first CM Cycle, well before Monica even existed and it was only after Jin figures out that Monica was important to stop the CM that she even came into play, and going by Jin's story about M's grandpa and her hooking up for only 6 CM cycles, that means in the first 50 cycles, Monica probably DIDN'T exist at all... but MIB still DID... and it was created WELL before she was even BORN... remember that MIB was created a way way long time ago. i think it was about the time that they had just been separated or shortly thereafter... (my search-fu is weak, i cannot find the link to the page where it was described when they created it... )

It makes sense to me that Monica would poit Calista and herself to some other venue for a follow up to Cricket's introduction to the Jaguar Girl. I've no clue whether or not Atsali, Berdine, and Nadette poited to the new venue as well. It might be helpful for Calista to wake up to some friendly faces rather than seeing her worst fear manifested yet again. Then again, Monica's business is with Calista so she may not choose to drag the other girls into this rather scary affair.

I'm more of the opinion that what we see is not what everyone ELSE in the cafeteria sees... i think that when Cricket got told off by ?Berdine? and she did her speech bubble, that's when Monica poited in behind her. then someone off camera said to look behind you, at that point, the Jaguar Girl persona took over and the Cricket we see onscreen was actually her mental image? (or whatever we're calling it) of herself inside the Jaguar Girls "safe place" meaning the same mental quantum space place we saw earlier, the one that she brought Georgette to (remember the stone floors, etc in the old Aztec Temple /Jungle fortress place?) and Monica's Wrath-of-Jaguar-Girl speech, all the way up to the smack-down of her fist to the floor was all in Monica's quantum space. once she was satisfied that Cricket WANTS to change, she popped both Cricket and herself out of her Q-space and back into the school cafeteria's normal reality. where next Monday's comic will hopefully continue from... meanwhile in that reality, what Atsali and Da' Bears saw was Monica poiting in behind Cricket, (probably) Atsali telling her to look behind you, she does so, drops her glamour and stares at Monica for a few seconds/minutes in total silence (kinda vague amount of time lapse here in today's comic), then and suddenly screams NOOO! and curls up on the floor, all with Monica just standing there, unmoving... at which point things get hectic all of a sudden... Monica trying to calm her down, Atsali wondering "WTF just happened", Berdine (she's the Seer, right? or am i confusing the two of them... again?) getting a look on her face similar to what Tina had on hers when Shelly came back from the Time-Forest, over seeing Monica in "Full Jaguar Mode", with Nadette trying not to smirk at the sight of a Fae cowering in fear (especially one that has just been told that she has to WORK at it in order for her to be called a Friend, by self-said ursamorph)

[My2Cents]

I'm in favor of the idea that Calista mind got sucked into J-space between the time someone said "look behind you" and the next frame. J-space in Monica's, she controls it completely, so Calista glamours and gossamers won’t exist there, hence the reversion to her normal size and appearance. Monica is now working Calista over like a drill sergeant does a fresh recruit with a bad attitude. Then, when she is finished, snaps Calista back into her own body with no elapsed time.

The question is, when Calista’s body completes the turn to look behind herself, will Monica be standing there or the Jaguar Girl?

[MerchManDan]

As for the staff objecting to the Jaguar Girl's presence, I think they would regard it as simply a visit by a specialist (if they know what's good for 'em).

"Jaguar Girl? I don't see a Jaguar Girl. Do you see a Jaguar Girl, Jim?"

Heh. It's amusing to imagine paranaturals ignoring something the same way "mundanes" ignore them.

[AnotherFairportfan]

As for the staff objecting to the Jaguar Girl's presence, I think they would regard it as simply a visit by a specialist (if they know what's good for 'em).

"Jaguar Girl? I don't see a Jaguar Girl. Do you see a Jaguar Girl, Jim?"

Heh. It's amusing to imagine paranaturals ignoring something the same way "mundanes" ignore them.

Paranormals mostly get ignored because they Just Don't Fit In withe normals' worldview.

The Jaguar Girl (and/or the Demon Shepherd) gets ignored because nobody wants to be perceived as trying to come between her and her Rightful Prey.

[TazManiac]

Damn.

It's almost Midnight and I forgot it's Friday....

[shadowinthelight]

Damn.

It's almost Midnight and I forgot it's Friday....

That happens to me almost every week. I keep hitting F5 and wondering why the &%!* the new comic isn't up yet.

[Thor]

I think it is hard to tell anything regarding the setting or the characters' actual manifestations in this scene by using visual cues. Everything in this WS's art is stylized enough that nothing should ever be taken as a certainty.

As an example: Atsali's hair. Anyone want to give me a description of the shape of her hairdo that corresponds to Euclidian geometry? You can't, as the shape of her hair is completely dependant on the location of the 4th Wall. We, the readers, are given an impression of what her hair is supposed to be evocative of, in a symbolic and emotional sense, but there is no setting information that can be gained by studying its configuration from moment to moment.

Monica and Cricket will have been wherever they will be when we are explicitly told where that was. And who saw this and what they saw will all be whoever and whatever. You can never tell what has and hasn't happened in this strip even if it looks pretty clear when it happens in front of you. Like in the "Key Stuck in her Head" and "Minecart Adventure" storylines, where any given strip only made sense four of five strips later.

It doesn't mean you shouldn't speculate...that's what a forum like this is for. It just seems like some of you are trying to tease information out of details that are vague on purpose, which is like trying to put lipstick on a pig.

[Aed]

... which is like trying to put lipstick on a pig.

I don't mind the lipstick, so much, it's when pigs fly that I head for cover.

[Atomic]

Upcoming:

Monica's sofa in her home, M playing a video game with unconscious Cricket lying next to her.

C - (Waking up) Huh - what? (shock at seeing Monica next to her, holding controller and watching screen)

M - Now that I have your attention...

C - Yes, ma'am?

M - Two things: First, no matter how strong or clever you think you are, there's always somebody even more so. Second, whatever you think of your parents, you're here with me now because they love you. Period. Understand?

C - Yes, ma'am.

M - The reason I said "Yes" to even trying with you is not because of what you did, it's because of what you didn't do -- forcing those cheerleaders to act out their humiliation. You used gossamers to do that.

C - Yes, ma'am.

M - So you say you want to change? That's up to you, and only you. You've heard the one about "Tigers can't change their stripes?"

C - Yes, ma'am?

M - That's actually true. But -- with a lot of work, you can get a well behaved Tiger.

C - ...

M - I am also the Demon Shepard. With your permission, I will visit them within you and learn more. We will talk about things, and you can learn to do more that just what you've been doing. I have my demons too, and I make them serve me, not drive me. You can learn to do the same. Do you want that to happen?

C - Yes, ma'am!

M - Ok then. Grab the controller and we'll take a few laps around the Bubble Cart race track. There's popcorn in the bowl over there if you want some.