Comic for July 14th, 2018: Assassin Siblings, Catching Up, Pt 1

[MuonNeutrino]

Ooh, boy, Zen's in for some shocks... This is gonna be fun.

[CrRAR]

Awwww, how cute, even for how brief the Nat/Kat's exchange was. Adorable! Then right back to the races ragging on Zen without missing a beat. Natani's feeling good rn, warm fuzzies all around! Between Keith being the best lil snugglemuffin and his bro doing aight; dear diary: It's a good day.

Speaking of warm fuzzies, Zen's about to get a dose of 'em if he goes pokin' through those memories. Maybe he has learned from stupid sexy experience that he best leave sleeping dogs wolves Basitins lie.

[Schrodinger]

I'm sure that Zen will be proud that his brother is standing on his own two feet.

[Rafe]

Zen has known, and can probably imagine details of Natani and Keith's relationship. He might even be consciously avoiding learning anything more than Natani might reveal to him.

What might be more to the point of why Natani isn't sharing as much with Zen's as she used to, is that she's more comfortable with herself and less dependent upon Zen than she was before her encounter with her younger self. Natani might be feeling stronger and more independent. This might not exactly make Zen feel better about himself.

[MuonNeutrino]

Awwww, how cute, even for how brief the Nat/Kat's exchange was. Adorable!

I like how Kat is still a bit blushy around Nat. Still a bit smitten there, at least enough to feel embarrassed at a compliment anyway. She probably doesn't get many sincere compliments on her appearance, either - or, rather, not many that don't have an ulterior sexual motive, which she definitely knows isn't the case coming from Nat. We know she's a bit touchy about people automatically perceiving her that way, so it's got to be interesting having a friend (and she can't have had many of those either) who she *knows* doesn't just see her as a hot piece of tail.

Hm. I actually never thought of how that kinda is a reflection of some of *Natani's* hangups - both of them don't like people defining them by their body. It's an interesting aspect to their connection I hadn't considered.

[SirJahar]

Zen, you have no business in her mind any more. Stay the [censored] out, and learn to keep your mouth [censored] shut. You may have kept her from dying, but the YEARS of anguish and self-loathing you left her with may have been worse than death.

Sorry, I just hate Zen for not realizing he was part of the problem that he seems to have been well aware of.
And don't try to defend it as sibling-razzing. Zen had plenty of access to know that what he was saying was hitting far deeper than that and was actually harmful, but kept doing it anyway. That alone makes his new injury karmic justice. Physically beating him wouldn't be uncalled for, either.

Does he need caught up on the situation? Sure. But he's got to get used to being on equal footing, not the "big brother", JUST "the brother".

[CrRAR]

Awwww, how cute, even for how brief the Nat/Kat's exchange was. Adorable!

I like how Kat is still a bit blushy around Nat. Still a bit smitten there, at least enough to feel embarrassed at a compliment anyway. She probably doesn't get many sincere compliments on her appearance, either - or, rather, not many that don't have an ulterior sexual motive, which she definitely knows isn't the case coming from Nat. We know she's a bit touchy about people automatically perceiving her that way, so it's got to be interesting having a friend (and she can't have had many of those either) who she *knows* doesn't just see her as a hot piece of tail.

Hm. I actually never thought of how that kinda is a reflection of some of *Natani's* hangups - both of them don't like people defining them by their body. It's an interesting aspect to their connection I hadn't considered.

Indeed, even how natural it kind of just happened is the best about it. An off-the-cuff comment is often the most genial kind! Shows that they both at least are invested in each other in a positive and mutualistic light. Both are working their way toward building themselves beyond what they're accustomed to. (Part of Kat's blush could also be caused by what caused her to don the shirt in the first place, though I do rather like the simplicity of having a friend is reason enough, haha)

At the very least we can be thankful Natani didn't open with an "Eyyy there guuurl~"

But he's got to get used to being on equal footing, not the "big brother", JUST "the brother".

Wow in that one simple sentence the lengthy discussion threads way back about Zen looking at Natani as the "little sister" back from the mindscape arc just flashed across my mind. I think Zen will adjust his approach, he acknowledged his failures alone with Kat not long ago, and acknowledgment is the first step toward improvement!

[SirJahar]

But he's got to get used to being on equal footing, not the "big brother", JUST "the brother".

Wow in that one simple sentence the lengthy discussion threads way back about Zen looking at Natani as the "little sister" back from the mindscape arc just flashed across my mind. I think Zen will adjust his approach, he acknowledged his failures alone with Kat not long ago, and acknowledgment is the first step toward improvement!

I've been gone from this board A WHILE, so I missed that. And frankly, if you lot still like to essay-post like you used to, I think I'll skip digging it up.
And I think Zen will need a few (dozen) boots to the head before it really sinks in how different he needs to handle things from how he has.

[Rafe]

Something is starting to sink in with Zen. Looking at him in the last panel, he sincerely looks apologetic. He doesn't try to get into Natani's memories over her objections the way he's done in the past, but asks her if she could fill him in. And as he mentions that her memories are "...more closed off than usual", he looks like he's expecting to hear a reason why, and it's probably due to something he's done wrong.

Even without a mind-link, he can probably sense something has changed between them. Maybe it's Keith, maybe her contact with her past-self, or both. Zen will probably continue to try to joke his way though awkward situations, but he isn't ignoring this.

[CrRAR]

Something is starting to sink in with Zen. Looking at him in the last panel, he sincerely looks apologetic. He doesn't try to get into Natani's memories over her objections the way he's done in the past, but asks her if she could fill him in. And as he mentions that her memories are "...more closed off than usual", he looks like he's expecting to hear a reason why, and it's probably due to something he's done wrong.

Agreed! I like that Zen is putting the control in Natani's hands and respectfully asking his perspective of his own experiences rather than directly prying or teasing Natani about personal matters out-of-the-gate. "What aren't you letting me see? Were you smoochin' the Basitin again!?" -3-

As far as what's blocked off... it could be a certain early morning incident that even Natani isn't truly ready to tackle himself. In the same vein, there's quite a bit of uncharted territory Natani is navigating right now relationship wise, he's more capable than ever to deal with the feelings resulting from the alcohol-fueled night of snuggles but it still doesn't make it any easier esp if Zen happens along with more signature "big brother-y" critiques.

[AlphonseVaher]

Great comic, One thing though...

Is Kats shirt sheer? You can see her spots through it. And if so, Why would they have such a NORMAL looking shirt in so flirty a fabric?

[BadFoMo]

Sorry, I just hate Zen for not realizing he was part of the problem that he seems to have been well aware of.

I'm not sure if he can be hated if he didn't know he was causing a problem. If he did know about it and still kept causing the same problem, that would be a different story.

And don't try to defend it as sibling-razzing. Zen had plenty of access to know that what he was saying was hitting far deeper than that and was actually harmful, but kept doing it anyway. That alone makes his new injury karmic justice.

Maybe he's one of those types that can't grasp at hints and needs it spelled out for them.

Also, I forget, when did he get the chance to know he was psychologically harming Natani?

Something is starting to sink in with Zen. Looking at him in the last panel, he sincerely looks apologetic. He doesn't try to get into Natani's memories over her objections the way he's done in the past, but asks her if she could fill him in. And as he mentions that her memories are "...more closed off than usual", he looks like he's expecting to hear a reason why, and it's probably due to something he's done wrong.

Agreed! I like that Zen is putting the control in Natani's hands and respectfully asking his perspective of his own experiences rather than directly prying or teasing Natani about personal matters out-of-the-gate. "What aren't you letting me see? Were you smoochin' the Basitin again!?" -3-

Although there really isn't anything hint that it, I like this idea of Zen willingly not going through her memories (or at least making it look like he didn't) and letting her keep things between her and whoever else was involved in said memory.

Although, I could amusingly see things going like how that one Voting Incentive did.


P.S. Insert my usual request here.

[amenon]

A long awaited scene approaches. Very curious to see what line Natani takes, and how Zen comes out of it. I doubt it's going to be an easy moment for either of them.

[ZeroJinKui]

Zen, you have no business in her mind any more. Stay the [censored] out, and learn to keep your mouth [censored] shut. You may have kept her from dying, but the YEARS of anguish and self-loathing you left her with may have been worse than death.

Sorry, I just hate Zen for not realizing he was part of the problem that he seems to have been well aware of.
And don't try to defend it as sibling-razzing. Zen had plenty of access to know that what he was saying was hitting far deeper than that and was actually harmful, but kept doing it anyway. That alone makes his new injury karmic justice. Physically beating him wouldn't be uncalled for, either.

Does he need caught up on the situation? Sure. But he's got to get used to being on equal footing, not the "big brother", JUST "the brother".

i fully agree with everything you said.

hopefully this catching up gets that all out in the open and the two of them can work on being independent from each other.

natani needs to put him in his place, honestly.

[Kyrit]

Great comic, One thing though...

Is Kats shirt sheer? You can see her spots through it. And if so, Why would they have such a NORMAL looking shirt in so flirty a fabric?

She probably made it herself. Probably easier for her to wear, since it's probably more breathable. Less overheating and sweating under all that fur.