[249] Story Discussion - It Was Good to Meet You

The odd-looking marks at the edge of Aly's face are giving fresh support to the "He's undergoing some kind of metamorphosis" theory. I wonder if that's why he's having to leave so early in the day; maybe the process affecting him is speeding up more than he and his parents had expected, forcing a change of plans.

Also of note: Aly telling Kat that wherever he's going, it won't be accessible by telephone or e-mail. Maybe the theories linking him to Gillitie Wood do have something going for them. (I'd been hesitant about them since I doubted that an inhabitant of the forest would be as familiar with popular movies and musical groups as Alistair is, but there might be an explanation there.)

Whatever the case, one's got to feel all the more sorry for Kat at this point. Remember how, back in Chapter Six (the one about the cherry tree), she told Annie that she'd never lost anyone whom she'd cared about before. I think that that's about to change. (At least she's got Annie standing next to her in the last panel. That has to be some comfort.)

Maybe he has cancer.

This looks quite a bit different than from what Zimmy went through... it's gray ringing around his eyes, not black going inside, and around his face almost looks like... Well, the gray rings and the marks around his face make me think of my parakeets' eyes and pinfeathers, and so the first thing that went through my mind was "Aly's turning into a bird!" His face also seems to be a slightly different shape.

Hmm, too bad there's a little antagonism going on between Annie and Eglamore, or she could inquire into this for Kat. Got the impression Eglamore knows about what's going on, anyway.

He's about to catch on fire!

We never really saw HOW Zimmy got how she was...just her, living in Birmingham miserably. Maybe that's what Ali will end up as, and Kat will be his Gamma?

I doubt that it's an everyday illness - unless this is intended as a "change-of-pace" story in which, for once, nothing paranormal happens (or the seemingly paranormal elements turn out to be a red herring with a mundane explanation).

Who was it who said he's the "Air" element?

If so, I have a theory; He only went to Gunnerkrigg for a week because his parents wanted to see how he'd do shut inside a school for a week. It's clearly not working, because he looks pretty bad, so he has to get into his own element (as it were) fast and be free once more.

Should this go in Wild Spec.?

Perhaps he never was human - he is in human form due to a spell of some sort, and now it's wearing off.
Maybe his parents just wanted him to experience the human world.

Poor Kat. She really deserves to know the truth, whatever it may be.

*snerk* (coffee comes out nose) Just made the connection... the giggles are catching!