Comic for Saturday, March 4th, 2017

[Hayate]

Clearly none of you have been in a mansion before. It doesn't matter if you are an assassin, doctor, cashier, teacher or literary artist, once in a mansion, you are a theif. With a house that big they'll never notice when a few things go missing... Right?

[Cyon]

Clearly none of you have been in a mansion before. It doesn't matter if you are an assassin, doctor, cashier, teacher or literary artist, once in a mansion, you are a theif. With a house that big they'll never notice when a few things go missing... Right?

True, but I'm thinking about it more on a trust basis. If there's even a small chance that Nat will get found out, he shouldn't attempt anything. I can't think of where this would lead to in the story.

...or alternatively this was just an internal reflection in Natani's mind to facilitate the next panel. And would "explain" Rose's distrust of him for those who haven't read TDM

[CrRAR]

Nice page, but I'm confused by something: Why would Natani want to steal things from the manor? As far as we know, they were only ever an assassin, not a thief. What would he do with it?

I will have to compile some evidence from over the years but Natani has at times been shown to view his association with Group A to be kind of...false. There were a few other moments like this/things said to Zen that indicate a lack of actual value in the relationship to the rest of the group. It's like the ruse of a con man. Ready to be dropped at a moment's notice (probably though at the same time hauling Keith off unconscious into the sunset).

That being said, Natani and Zen are in quite dire financial straits...and with Zen's "capture" by Group B their latest mission is also no bueno. Thieving is the next most respectable thing next to murderin' for a living. XD

EDIT:
Ahh, here it's clear Natani has alternate orders that contradict being a genuine and true friend.
Here, Natani is being reminded by Zen to stay on mission, but Keith is unknowingly thwarting that directive. Haha
I mean...Natani and Zen were introduced as assassins sent to kill Trace (...or Flora?) then ordered to follow instead.

...I'll find more. Also, Clovis is leader of a thief's guild. Whom Zen and Natani have worked for before in TDM. So thieving to survive is not unfamiliar to them.

[BadFoMo]

About Natani stealing from the manner, there has been an update.

Panel 7
Original
Natani (thinking): Man… I am going to steal so much from this place.
Natani: <…Huh. White wolves usually all look the same to me, but the one in this painting looks a little… familiar.>
Update
Natani: <Man… So much gold. I'm really tempted to pocket some of this stuff.>
Natani: …Huh. Snow wolves usually all look the same to me, but the one in this painting looks oddly… familiar.>

Panel 13
Original
Keith: <You two know each other?>
Natani: Uh, erm… <it's nothing. White wolves and brown wolves just don't get along well.>
Update
Natani (thinking): On second thought, maybe I shouldn't.
Keith: <You two know each other?>
Natani: Uh, erm… <it's nothing. Snow wolves and forest wolves just don't get along, is all.>

[NiWo21k]

Oh man, this page is great - Its great to see that these two still recognize each other

But the part with Trace...is this just memorys that are coming back or is this a hint, that his evil part is just hiding

[Hayate]

About Natani stealing from the manner, there has been an update.

Panel 7
Original
Natani (thinking): Man… I am going to steal so much from this place.
Natani: <…Huh. White wolves usually all look the same to me, but the one in this painting looks a little… familiar.>
Update
Natani: <Man… So much gold. I'm really tempted to pocket some of this stuff.>
Natani: …Huh. Snow wolves usually all look the same to me, but the one in this painting looks oddly… familiar.>

Panel 13
Original
Keith: <You two know each other?>
Natani: Uh, erm… <it's nothing. White wolves and brown wolves just don't get along well.>
Update
Natani (thinking): On second thought, maybe I shouldn't.
Keith: <You two know each other?>
Natani: Uh, erm… <it's nothing. Snow wolves and forest wolves just don't get along, is all.>

Hmm, well that clears things up nicely. Everybody was in such a panic xD

[Cyon]

About Natani stealing from the manner, there has been an update.

Panel 7
Original
Natani (thinking): Man… I am going to steal so much from this place.
Natani: <…Huh. White wolves usually all look the same to me, but the one in this painting looks a little… familiar.>
Update
Natani: <Man… So much gold. I'm really tempted to pocket some of this stuff.>
Natani: …Huh. Snow wolves usually all look the same to me, but the one in this painting looks oddly… familiar.>

Panel 13
Original
Keith: <You two know each other?>
Natani: Uh, erm… <it's nothing. White wolves and brown wolves just don't get along well.>
Update
Natani (thinking): On second thought, maybe I shouldn't.
Keith: <You two know each other?>
Natani: Uh, erm… <it's nothing. Snow wolves and forest wolves just don't get along, is all.>

Ah great! The increased subtlety fits in much better.

[MuonNeutrino]

Um... when did Natani become a thief?
And yeah, Rose TOTALLY remember's Nat.

The thing is though

Spoiler!

Rose never actually saw Natani's real face. When Natani spun her around to knock her out, she was already disguised as Rose

Spoiler!

Actually I don't think so. In that first panel on page 12 you can see the magic swirls around Natani, indicating that he is *just then* in the process of casting the illusion spell - and Rose is already turned around to face him, so she should have seen his face. Rose may also be able to identify him by scent, though he may have had the (usual) scent disguise spell active at that point.

About Natani stealing from the manner, there has been an update.

Interestingly enough, I seem to have gotten an intermediate version. Mine had the changes from 'white' and 'brown' to 'snow' and 'forest', but didn't have the changes in Natani's thought bubbles, and still had 'don't get along well' as the ending to Nat's last sentence. (Unfortunately I accidentally closed the tab, so I don't have it anymore, sorry!)

[SirJahar]

Ok, that fits a LOT better with how Nat has been presented over the years.
And I'd say that orders have become largely an excuse to keep up with Keith at this point. I mean, when you can't ever go home again, whe bother listening to orders any more?

[SpottedKitty]

Heh — I happened to look at the stream just as the bottom half of the page was being worked on. As soon as I realised what Rose was doing, I was ROTFL.

And I'm pretty sure that wide-eyed ultra-closeup is the little light coming on between Natani's ears as he suddenly recognises Rose.

[RowanEx]

He actually used two of the three panels of Rose "I see you" for the twitter preview, LOL

I got into a glance of the stream during the shading part and wow, everyone cheered for the new Rose. I was like "oh hey, she remembers him from TDM!"

EDIT: Saria has red eyes, a red necklace, and a red dress. Wut.

Also, if you remove the speech bubbles, it still makes sense. In a way. Wooohoo.

EDIT: I actually called the three panels "Rose 'I remember what you did' look."

[CrRAR]

And I'd say that orders have become largely an excuse to keep up with Keith at this point. I mean, when you can't ever go home again, whe bother listening to orders any more?

Yeah, definitely. I said something very similar sometime ago; that that life may be slipping away.

Clovis resurfacing though is a big development, there are worse feelings between him and Zen/Natani than there is between Rose/Natani. I think maybe this may lead to a crisis where Natani is put in a position where his "allegiance" to Group A may be put on display? Put in a situation where Keith & company have to be defended vs his history with the guild/unfinished business with past parties be dealt with. It just seems like lots of Natani's past is now coming back to haunt him. It may not be the guild itself, but ghosts of the machine of which they were a part.

[yaytime]

I get the feeling that rose is waiting for Natani to mess up so she can be the one to give her backside a caning, and this is if she dose not already intend to punish her for what she did regardless. ether way watch you're tail Natani.


EDIT
also i wounder if we are going to get a seen at some point of Natani apologizing about what she did and saying why she did it.

[Aurora]

Heh. Something about Rose's gesture makes her look so badass! She might be someone that you don't mess with now!

[Foxx Trotter]

Ah, yes...how things change over the years. Then again, how some things don't.