Wapsi Square Forum

oldmanmickey wrote:

Dave wrote:

jwhouk wrote:A cutting from a bush, perhaps, from a certain forest in time?

Very interesting thought you have there!

It was stated that the Humans were trying to experiment on the Blackthorns. Gene splicing human cells onto a Blackthorn to result in an anamorphized human/plant hybrid could be what we are seeing here. She has the learning and knowledge of the plant side but forced into human sorta form. Could be nothing is stopping her from being what ever age she wants to be.

She has been outed, once or twice, at playing the little girl. Yet, she seems to actually BE a little girl at times (see the faeries bit). There is more going on than meets the eye with her (and that NEVER happens around here, does it?).

GlytchMeister wrote:Y'know how in some comics, characters will get an asterisk, or a "hollow" asterisk (like a popped bubble?) over their head when something clicks into place in their mind?

I have always seen that as a 'light bulb moment'...

Some here predicted an ambush, although not this particular kind.
I agree with those here who think this six year old is talking way above her experience.
Maybe it is in her nature to make a sharp point once in a while.
(Contributes one of those very fine prickly pear needles to the pun jar.)

Dave wrote:

jwhouk wrote:A cutting from a bush, perhaps, from a certain forest in time?

Very interesting thought you have there!

Blackthorns were... Ugh, this is straight from memory, so forgive me if I mess up bad, but I think they were... Guardians? Gatekeepers? Something like that for gateways between worlds or something.
It could be they exist on both ends of the gateways as guardians. We know there is at least one other way into the Time Forest other than through the "JinBatteryDoohickeyMaJig", as Phix and other Apos visited Shelly while she was there.
Maybe there's a Blackthorn in the Time Forest guarding a gateway that is now missing some bits. Given the data available, it's certainly possible.

illiad wrote:

GlytchMeister wrote:Y'know how in some comics, characters will get an asterisk, or a "hollow" asterisk (like a popped bubble?) over their head when something clicks into place in their mind?

I have always seen that as a 'light bulb moment'...
Lightbulb pic

Liiiight-buuuulb...

I kind of distinguish the hollow asterisk pop from the light bulb as "Hey, waitaminute..." Versus "oh, I have an idea!"

I kinda see the gears turning then the "ding!".

As bushes go Castela's smarter than either of the Georges.

jwhouk wrote:

Dave wrote: It's possible that some deep wisdom is inherited more directly among the Blackthorn, than is the case among humans? Possibly she was grown from a cutting, rather than from a seed, and thus in some sense could be part of something much older than her child's form implies?

A cutting from a bush, perhaps, from a certain forest in time?

How could those who made Pickle have reached the Forest, though? It's in another dimension. The Sphinxes could. The various Shellys could using the Artifact. Normal humans?

Also, consider you'd have Sphinx Shelly as a permanent guardian, and the other Sphinxes as roving protectors. It'd be a very dangerous undertaking. Unless a Sphinx were the one taking the cutting...

Clever little sprout.

I'm curious about something- is the stutter a recent thing, or has she always done it and I'm just misremembering?

Aleister Crow wrote:Clever little sprout.

I'm curious about something- is the stutter a recent thing, or has she always done it and I'm just misremembering?

She-she-she has always had the speech impediment, though it lessens when she's not in a stressful situation.

jwhouk wrote:

Aleister Crow wrote:Clever little sprout.

I'm curious about something- is the stutter a recent thing, or has she always done it and I'm just misremembering?

She-she-she has always had the speech impediment, though it lessens when she's not in a stressful situation.

Recursive speech loops are extremely common in her age group. Their thoughts fly so fast, their mouths just can't keep up. It's not so much an impediment as a stage in speech development. You don't worry about it unless it is so bad as to significantly impair communication or persists into elementary school years.

Now... let's see where this 'OMG' moment takes Atsali... ya gotta love pickle- her wisdom is play and her play is wisdom...

illiad wrote:

GlytchMeister wrote:Y'know how in some comics, characters will get an asterisk, or a "hollow" asterisk (like a popped bubble?) over their head when something clicks into place in their mind?

I have always seen that as a 'light bulb moment'...

So, the corn-husk maiden and the teddy bear were sorta Castela's version of an air horn?

DinkyInky wrote:I kinda see the gears turning then the "ding!".

illiad wrote:

GlytchMeister wrote:Y'know how in some comics, characters will get an asterisk, or a "hollow" asterisk (like a popped bubble?) over their head when something clicks into place in their mind?

I have always seen that as a 'light bulb moment'...

I've always thought the popped bubble was when a thought imploded, much like a bright idea suddenly burning out said light bulb.

jwhouk wrote:

Aleister Crow wrote:Clever little sprout.

I'm curious about something- is the stutter a recent thing, or has she always done it and I'm just misremembering?

She-she-she has always had the speech impediment, though it lessens when she's not in a stressful situation.

Though sometimes, even in very non-stressful situations...

Phix: Good gracious! We're going to need to hire you your own editor.
Castela (big smile): Why?
Phix: Because it took you nearly 5 minutes to tell me that you go from Kindergarten to first grade.

GlytchMeister wrote:I kind of distinguish the hollow asterisk pop from the light bulb as "Hey, waitaminute..." Versus "oh, I have an idea!"

Kind of... like this?


Atsali also had a moment like that, not that long ago... I just don't have/won't take the time needed to look for it...

lake_wrangler wrote:

GlytchMeister wrote:I kind of distinguish the hollow asterisk pop from the light bulb as "Hey, waitaminute..." Versus "oh, I have an idea!"

Kind of... like this?


Atsali also had a moment like that, not that long ago... I just don't have/won't take the time needed to look for it...

YES. THIS. EXACTLY.

I forgot Paul actually used this... Thingy... Before. I first saw it in Calvin and Hobbes.

In my way of thinking the "light bulb" motif indicates an Idea popping into one's head, and the asterisk indicates a clearing of the mind.

GlytchMeister wrote:

lake_wrangler wrote:

GlytchMeister wrote:I kind of distinguish the hollow asterisk pop from the light bulb as "Hey, waitaminute..." Versus "oh, I have an idea!"

Kind of... like this?


Atsali also had a moment like that, not that long ago... I just don't have/won't take the time needed to look for it...

YES. THIS. EXACTLY.

I forgot Paul actually used this... Thingy... Before. I first saw it in Calvin and Hobbes.

yes (thanx for finding it... :E ), but someone did a fanart of 'Plunk' - I cannot find it... the asterisk was replaced with an animated 'windows waiting' symbol..