[196] Story Discussion

[aoeniac]

ethyl said:

The toy doesn't really have eyes either, just bits of cloth. I don't think he'd be able to possess Zimmy though but not because her lovely sockets. I just don't think he'd be able to touch her full stop.

I think the distinction Reynardine was talking about when he said he could possess anything with eyes, whether they are real or not, is that it's the representation of eyes that matters. He can't just possess bits of cloth and plastic with the exact same composition as the doll and its eyes, but if the bits of cloth and plastic are created such that they represent eyes, he is able to possess it.
I guess you could think of it as a sort of metaphysical thing, in that as long as the thing he tries to possess has some sort of "image" (in the philosophical sense) of an eye then all the properties of eyes that are important to Reynardine flow into it from whatever the source of supernatural power is in this universe.

So, in this sense, Reynardine wouldn't be able to possess Zimmy regardless of his fear of touching something like her, because as far as we can tell those empty sockets represent the ABSENCE of eyes more than eyes themselves.

Does that sound like a possible theory? I'm not too sure myself.


As for the Tic-Tocs, I think that if they are connected with the school, then what they observe is not necessarily available to all the staff. That information on what they observe is passed on to the faculty as deemed appropriate by whoever is in charge of things based on his/her/its/their motives in running the school.

If they are not part of the school, then I suspect they are either connected with that man Robot mentions while under the influence of that growth and that other shadow or some third party entirely yet to be introduced.

Although I find it strange that they wouldn't be at least SOMEHOW affiliated with or operated by somebody at the school because you must admit they stand out like a sore thumb and it would be pretty unlikely that not a single teacher has seen one or that a student hasn't mentioned one to a teacher. Given what we know about the staff thus far, (dragon hunters, mad scientists, technological geniuses, sorceresses, etc) I think at least one of them would be smart enough to realize what they are and drive them out of the court if they were not welcome.

Heh, I suppose I should add geologists and botanists to that list of amazing professions of the staff!