[313] Story Discussion - another hour

[Mezzaphor]

Oh, that Reynardine!

It took me a second to realize what what was going on in the last panel.

[Goatmon]

His face in the bottom left panel, oh my stars, that's fucking great. Seriously, awesome facial expression, Tom. xD

I just had to crop this.

[Yin]

Uh, what *is* going on in the last panel? I'm confused.

[todd]

Apparently, Reynardine used one of his hind legs to make a very impolite gesture. (He always seems to behave less regally whenever he returns to his stuffed animal form. At least, I can't imagine him acting that way in his white wolf form.)

I wonder whether his sentence began when Annie told him to be quiet at the end of Chapter Fourteen. If so, he's been silent during the entire past six weeks!

(I will confess that I've harbored dreams of seeing Reynardine become frustrated enough to indulge in some unconstitutional language - rendered here, of course, in the form of "@#$%&*" - followed immediately afterwards by Annie, with a very stern expression on her face, proceeding to wash his mouth out with soap.)

[Mezzaphor]

I initially thought Rey was flipping the bird at Annie... without fingers.

Looking again, I think it's the "bent elbow" aka "umbrella gesture". Equally rude, and less dependent on fingers.

[Ed130]

In my long experience of being an elder brother to two younger brat.. I mean siblings, the naughty mat, spot, etc should be on the floor and not on a comfortable bed.

But at least she is punishing him.

[Boksha]

Personally I think it's funnier to interpret it as him giving Annie the finger, but the umbrella gesture probably makes more sense. I'm surprised Annie even recognises it though. I had to look it up on Wikipedia, and it seems to be in use mostly in southern europe.

[Aspen d'Grey]

Ahaha, that was awesome, I think I just choked on my juice. Ow.

Yeah, I'm going for the fist + crossed arm, with the legs.

[La Goon]

Ah, it took some time for me to figure out that it was in the last panel - and not the second to last - Reynardine did something :-P

[todd]

It does seem a bit amazing that a girl with Annie's more innocent background would recognize what Reynardine did as a rude gesture - but maybe she can guess at the intent from the expression on his face.

What I really like about this page is that we get to see Annie's "no-nonsense" side again - the girl who is ready to handle anything that the paranormal world throws at her, who won't tolerate rude behavior from anyone, even a trickster-god.

[UbiquitousDragon]

I don't think hospitals are very innocent places to grow up in ...

[todd]

Maybe not. And Annie *did* guess correctly what Reynardine was talking about when he made his infamous remark in Chapter Seven.

[Mezzaphor]

todd said:

I wonder whether his sentence began when Annie told him to be quiet at the end of Chapter Fourteen. If so, he's been silent during the entire past six weeks!

I think this is unlikely, considering what Annie said (relayed through Kat's comments in the second letter) about Rey being pleasant when no one else was around.

[King Mir]

Judging by the fact that Annie added one hour to his punishment, I'd guess that Reynardine did something naughty that day. Otherwise an addition of a single hour would be too insignificant of a threat to make.

Which makes me wonder what naughtiness Reynardine may have done before 8 o'clock in the morning*. Possibly it was some base remark about Annie and Kat again.

*time guessed at based on page 1 of this chapter.

[dragonmage06]

I cracked up at Reynardine being punished. I think that is a very effective one, too, since Rey seems to like making his snarky comments.

[todd]

king0mir said:

Possibly it was some base remark about Annie and Kat again.

Except - is Reynardine stupid enough to make the same mistake twice? Surely he couldn't have forgotten what happened last time he did that.

[dork457]

mezzaphor said:

I initially thought Rey was flipping the bird at Annie... without fingers.

Looking again, I think it's the "bent elbow" aka "umbrella gesture". Equally rude, and less dependent on fingers.

for clarification

[King Mir]

todd said:

king0mir said:

Possibly it was some base remark about Annie and Kat again.

Except - is Reynardine stupid enough to make the same mistake twice? Surely he couldn't have forgotten what happened last time he did that.

I doubt that Reynardine was surprised at his punishment. I think Reynardine did something obviously naughty or rude, and Annie has previously demonstrated a willingness to punish him.

[Mezzaphor]

todd said:

Except - is Reynardine stupid enough to make the same mistake twice? Surely he couldn't have forgotten what happened last time he did that.

He also must have known that gesturing at Annie would get him further punishment. If he's willing to put up with the punishment, he'll make the same mistake twice in a heartbeat.

If this continues, Annie will need to come up with some worse punishment.

[King Mir]

mezzaphor said:

If this continues, Annie will need to come up with some worse punishment.

Like locking him up in his box again?

[todd]

king0mir said:

mezzaphor said:

If this continues, Annie will need to come up with some worse punishment.

Like locking him up in his box again?

Maybe like threatening to lend him to Zimmy.

[Mezzaphor]

Or volunteering him as the test dummy for one of Kat's machines.

[Madii]

todd said:

Maybe like threatening to lend him to Zimmy.

Oh, I long for the day when this becomes part of the storyline.