Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

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aitaituo
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#16 Post by aitaituo »

Eclipse wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 2:15 pm Damn Sythe, you've got major balls to just come out with that.

inb4 Maren cuts them off.
I know a lot of shippers are probably hoping for Sythe and Maren to hook up, but I think he permanently blew it here. Maren is going to chew out Sythe pretty hard and likely fall back on her racism to do it. She is way too reserved to respond positively to such a brazen pass. Sythe's best case scenario is a massive distraction before Maren's mouth really gets going.

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Tiennos
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#17 Post by Tiennos »

Heh. Keidran traditional courtship:
"Wanna shag?
- OK."

I don't think it's going to work on Maren, but you never know...
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#18 Post by Emp_Dragon »

aitaituo wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 5:28 pm
Eclipse wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 2:15 pm Damn Sythe, you've got major balls to just come out with that.

inb4 Maren cuts them off.
I know a lot of shippers are probably hoping for Sythe and Maren to hook up, but I think he permanently blew it here. Maren is going to chew out Sythe pretty hard and likely fall back on her racism to do it. She is way too reserved to respond positively to such a brazen pass. Sythe's best case scenario is a massive distraction before Maren's mouth really gets going.
Or, she could, take one of the three sensible options that wouldn't be mean or any more awkward than it already is and either.
1) pretend she didn't hear and go off with her sister for a swim/slide down dumbstruck into the water and then swim away.
2) decline the offer on the basis that she isn't interested in those kinds of activities with him/anyone for the forseeable future.
3) surprise herself and take him up on the offer just to challenge her own prejudice.

After all, it was a civil but blunt and audacious honest, open suggestion/invitation without any attempt at preassuring or disrespect, and it deserves an equally civil reply in turn.

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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#19 Post by Bellhead »

aitaituo wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 5:28 pm
Eclipse wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 2:15 pmDamn Sythe, you've got major balls to just come out with that.

inb4 Maren cuts them off.
I know a lot of shippers are probably hoping for Sythe and Maren to hook up, but I think he permanently blew it here. Maren is going to chew out Sythe pretty hard and likely fall back on her racism to do it. She is way too reserved to respond positively to such a brazen pass. Sythe's best case scenario is a massive distraction before Maren's mouth really gets going.
I'm not so sure. That blush could be her hiding her true feelings, or suppressed ones. My bet's on a Freudian Slip, like Natani back in the ship's baths. And I bet Sythe saw that blush, and decided to push his luck.

In any case, this is going to be fun.
Emp_Dragon wrote:After all, it was a civil but blunt and audacious honest, open suggestion/invitation without any attempt at preassuring or disrespect, and it deserves an equally civil reply in turn.
Open honest suggestion, yes. But he was SO far out of line, she choked on pizza. She wouldn't be far off to outright kick him in the nards for it. I just can't wait for her reaction. :mrgreen:
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#20 Post by Emp_Dragon »

Bellhead wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 6:18 pm
aitaituo wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 5:28 pm
Eclipse wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 2:15 pmDamn Sythe, you've got major balls to just come out with that.

inb4 Maren cuts them off.
I know a lot of shippers are probably hoping for Sythe and Maren to hook up, but I think he permanently blew it here. Maren is going to chew out Sythe pretty hard and likely fall back on her racism to do it. She is way too reserved to respond positively to such a brazen pass. Sythe's best case scenario is a massive distraction before Maren's mouth really gets going.
I'm not so sure. That blush could be her hiding her true feelings, or suppressed ones. My bet's on a Freudian Slip, like Natani back in the ship's baths. And I bet Sythe saw that blush, and decided to push his luck.

In any case, this is going to be fun.
Emp_Dragon wrote:After all, it was a civil but blunt and audacious honest, open suggestion/invitation without any attempt at preassuring or disrespect, and it deserves an equally civil reply in turn.
Open honest suggestion, yes. But he was SO far out of line, she choked on pizza. She wouldn't be far off to outright kick him in the nards for it. I just can't wait for her reaction. :mrgreen:
I'd say they've known eachother too long with too much unspoken romantic tension along the way for a kick in the nuts as a proportionate response.

A slap on the head or an indignated retort would be justified though imo.

Then again, as someone who due to ADD, would need that level of blunt invites to recognise it as anything directed specifically at me rather than a lewd joke to the general crowd in an already flirty atmosphere probably considder it less out of line than many others.
And on top of that, I've grown up in a society without an inherent dating culture unlike the Anglican countries.

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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#21 Post by CrRAR »

Emp_Dragon wrote:
Bellhead wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 6:18 pm
Emp_Dragon wrote:After all, it was a civil but blunt and audacious honest, open suggestion/invitation without any attempt at preassuring or disrespect, and it deserves an equally civil reply in turn.
Open honest suggestion, yes. But he was SO far out of line, she choked on pizza. She wouldn't be far off to outright kick him in the nards for it. I just can't wait for her reaction. :mrgreen:
I'd say they've known eachother too long with too much unspoken romantic tension along the way for a kick in the nuts as a proportionate response.

A slap on the head or an indignated retort would be justified though imo.

Then again, as someone who due to ADD, would need that level of blunt invites to recognise it as anything directed specifically at me rather than a lewd joke to the general crowd in an already flirty atmosphere probably considder it less out of line than many others.
And on top of that, I've grown up in a society without an inherent dating culture unlike the Anglican countries.
Good point(s). One interpretation I was thinking is it could totally be a "I was afraid he was going to ask that" reaction, afraid from weighing her feelings and realizing that her own answer might be "Hey, what the hell". They have certainly gravitated toward each other. Seems to be lots of nonverbal chemistry thus far, perhaps with just Maren's predispositions holding her back. They are powerful though and I have no doubt that's the source of the cautious perimeter Maren's apprehensively pacing around.

Afterall, who knows Maren's subtleties better than Karen? She senses something in Maren's behavior around Sythe. It may be a more apparent elephant in the room if you piece all the context together. If so, Sythe is reading and responding to the situation right. Despite the brashness, it ushers progress in a forward direction, whereever that goes.

The WORST would be if she's reacting to something else and we don't get an answer. Nibbly may be getting mischievous... but hopefully not with how quickly the reaction followed Sythe's last dialog.

I'm suddenly stricken that this is a perfect "Chew it over... with twix pizza!" moment.
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#22 Post by IHeartMaeve »

You know, if I'm interpreting this correctly, then I get a feeling I might just be able to see exactly what Sythe is thinking right now:
  1. He knows that Flora is apparently expecting Trace's child.
  2. Flora and Trace are two different species.
  3. The child would therefore be a hybrid.
  4. Hybrids are, as far as most are concerned, impossible.
  5. If this "impossible" event is now possible, then he can hit on human women in that way and, if they go that far...
But then again, this is just my interpretation. Any other ideas are acceptable as well.
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#23 Post by TheMouse »

Ooooh, didn't expect that. Got to hand it to him, that's pretty straightforward.
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#24 Post by Sky Shatter »

Jeez, I'm straight and I'd have a hard time saying "no" to that face.

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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#25 Post by Insomniac »

CrRAR wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 4:05 pm
Bellhead wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 10:50 am Damn, that guy's got some nerve. So casual about it too. Well, I suppose to him, it would be, given keidran culture on the matter...
Image
...and took his time he did, xD. Current page is practically 2nd date!

Yes, Keidran view relations much more as a standard social affair. Being a former diplomat, he’s probably used to being... quite the socialite. :roll:

Though, I’m thinking Sythe is partially forgetting who he’s talking to. The alcohol is probably helping with that, which I think is most evidently still a factor in panel 3. Look at those ears at odd angles! Eyes a bit distant. Certainly still feeling a bit fuzzy behind the eyes, and... everywhere else for that matter. :P

The only way this proposition gets better is if Sythe turns to Mike (who’s been sitting nearby in disbelief trying desperately to disappear) and goes, “Hey there scamp, you wanna tag along too?” meanwhile Maren stalks closer to drown the boisterous boy.

Gods, Nibbly save this poor boy. xD
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#26 Post by themunck »

I've been coming back to this strip all day now, and damn, it still works well for me. Sythe just got himself a ton of respect points from me. Relaxed atmosphere, direct and to the point, with a face that shows he's both serious but probably also not so eager a no will do anything more than make him shrug. She has room to back away if she feels she needs to, or to turn it into a conversation if they need to. They're private, but not so private she can't go to her sister for some emotional backup without broadcasting anything more than she wants to.
If she says yes, then score. If she says no, then all he needs to do is say "huh, guess I read the signs wrong then. My bad.", and they can take everything back to where it was before. Only three things can really make it go wrong, and at this point, two of them are pretty much out of his control.
1) They can be interrupted, which I think last page foreshadowed. Hopefully she'll at least give him an answer before then, but drama does as drama must.
2) She can react with a very public and humiliating no, though their friendship (and these circumstances) make that feel unlikely. I'd certainly be disappointed at her if she starts yelling about how that'd never happen.
3) She can say no, and he can be pissy about that. That would really be his only bad move now, and I doubt he'd do that. Sythe never struck me as particularly entitled or possessive.

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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#27 Post by AmigaDragon »

His approach makes me wonder if he's just trolling her or actually attracted. The "take our time" in the first encounter could have been attraction already or it could have just been "there's food, lets take our time". Sitting in the hot spring pool in the woods, he also seemed to be leaning toward attraction rather than just trolling.
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#28 Post by CrRAR »

themunck wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 10:56 pmIf she says no, then all he needs to do is say "huh, guess I read the signs wrong then. My bad.", and they can take everything back to where it was before.
"Search your feelings Maren, you know it to be true. Come... to the fuzzy side of the force and realize your destiny~"

Maren: "No! N-noooo! NOOOOO!" (good try, though)

*sometime later*

"Eh, it's not such a big deal. He's such a good boyy!" *brushiebrushie*
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#29 Post by Bellhead »

themunck wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 10:56 pm1) They can be interrupted, which I think last page foreshadowed. Hopefully she'll at least give him an answer before then, but drama does as drama must.
2) She can react with a very public and humiliating no, though their friendship (and these circumstances) make that feel unlikely. I'd certainly be disappointed at her if she starts yelling about how that'd never happen.
3) She can say no, and he can be pissy about that. That would really be his only bad move now, and I doubt he'd do that. Sythe never struck me as particularly entitled or possessive.
1 is unlikely, as we inevitably have a page or two at LEAST before foreshadowed events take place. 3 I'd also disagree with, as even with their friendship, she'd not let him off that easy. Certainly not with a calm, rational "no". Which leaves 2, but I'd like to raise your "humiliating no" to "You've got SOME NERVE." She's never been a subtle person, nor quiet about her ideas.

I find it very unlikely that she'll react with anything even remotely calm after a comment like that. She probably won't just outright refuse, but she'll definitely chew him out for that. No pun intended. :wink:

5:1 odds next page features Sythe laughing and Maren yelling in at least one panel each.
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Re: Comic for December 14, 2019: Sythe Goes For It!

#30 Post by Warrl »

AmigaDragon wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2019 11:05 pm His approach makes me wonder if he's just trolling her or actually attracted.
My take is that he's mostly trolling her but won't complain a bit if she takes him up on it.

(And do Sythe and Maren know and believe that Flora is pregnant with Trace's kid? After all, it's been well-known for a long time that keidran and human can't cross-breed, and I don't recall either of them even being explicitly told that part of the situation.)

Oh, and if I were Tom, we just wouldn't see Sythe or Maren again in the comic for a while. Nor would we see anything where either of them really ought to be there. And no, nobody will ask about where either one of them is. It would be entirely plausible, on every page in this stretch, that they're present in the scene but just off camera. And equally plausible that they are elsewhere in the mansion.

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