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Post by Sky Schemer on Apr 8, 2015 14:20:09 GMT
What's in the box? What's in the box?!! What's in the f... Annie's makeup supplies. Wrong movie. |
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Post by Vilthuril on Apr 8, 2015 14:26:51 GMT
First thought: Here is Action Kat, somewhat like Action Paz from back on the ship. Second thought: Tom is either actively trying to troll people with his comments below the strip (today, "Come by [at an event in New York] and we can talk about Annie and her dad's happy reunion!") or he doesn't know what is good for himself if he truly does not like people feeling emotions about this, which is what he has been saying elsewhere with emotion/anger (e.g. now writing IN CAPITALS for people to NOT TWITTER  ). Or perhaps like most of us he is just feeling his way along. ("Which side are you on, boys? Both, all, every, hard to tell?") Hu gnos?! Still, I wouldn't be surprised about getting snarked at heavily if one mentioned the topic to him now, hey?! |
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Post by forsquilis on Apr 8, 2015 14:54:41 GMT
I've been thinking for a couple of pages that "The Tree" actually refers to Antimony and Kat's tree of friendship, and that this chapter is really going to be about what Kat does in reaction. Antimony is too shocked and numb to do more than robotically obey right now. However, Kat is not going to give in.
Clear back in chapter 8, when Antimony fell off the bridge and Kat built an anti-grav hovercraft to rescue her, Kat says that now she understands how it feels to lose someone you love and she's not going to go through it again. From Kat's point of view, this is losing Annie. Combine that with her dislike of Tony Carver and her worries about Annie's safety, and she's going to do whatever it takes to interfere with what's happening.
It could be as simple as guilting Annie for abandoning Kat (and the Forest creatures who she promised to work for). It could be that Kat badgers Annie to use her blinker stone to spy, leading Annie to discover that Daddy Dearest/the Headmaster/etc have horrible plans in store for Rey, which makes her rebel to try to protect him. I don't look for much action from the adults in their lives simply because this is being done with the cooperation of the Court authorities. Maybe desperation will drive Kat to desperate recklessness, and she'll charge across the bridge shouting, "Take me to Coyote, your medium is under attack!", and cause a diplomatic incident that forces Tony and the Court to back down. Whatever the resolution is, I increasingly think that Kat's going to be the one bringing it about.
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Post by psibakaonna on Apr 8, 2015 15:16:55 GMT
I'm worried that the following exchange happened in regards to Rey:
Annie: Can I at least say goodbye-
Tony: No.
In which case I'd want to burn all the things.
As for what Kat might do... if her parents won't help her then Eglamore probably will try and find a way to help even if he has to do so indirectly. Donny would at least try to talk to Tony. I think Kat's best bet though is to talk to Parley and Smit. Smit's going to have to talk to Coyote sooner or later to let him know what's happened to the forest medium after all, filling him in before the Court might give him the chance to run into the forest and let Coyote in on events before the Court can get their story straight/set up whatever defences they have to counter an angry god. I'm really curious as to how that particular exchange between Smit and Coyote's going to play out... Heck, I'm curious to see Tony try to explain himself to Coyote.
Does anyone else suspect that if Kat does decide to run across the bridge to let Coyote know herself, Eggers would escort her into the forest rather than sending her back to the Court?
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Post by The Anarch on Apr 8, 2015 15:18:37 GMT
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Dentrala
Full Member
"I absolutely did not expect thiiiissss!!"
Posts: 156
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Post by Dentrala on Apr 8, 2015 15:19:15 GMT
 Yeah, this was pretty low-hanging fruit. Also i hope robox kicks anthony in the face. That's about the extent of my contribution to this discussion. |
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Post by fish on Apr 8, 2015 15:40:48 GMT
[...] Also when I saw Kat running, I thought she was running to get her parents to help! My heart sunk when I realized it was after classes and too late.  My thoughts exactly! First panel: You go, Kat! Get some sensible grown ups to give Anthony a piece of their mind! Last panel: No no no no! |
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Post by guitarminotaur on Apr 8, 2015 15:56:30 GMT
Kat's next move should be a circuit of Anthony's former friends and anyone who might have had a clue what Anthony was doing outside the court if she wants to help Annie. Right now she needs intelligence to act on. She needs to know more about Anthony; his personality, possible motivations and if possible some idea of what he's been up to. I am aware of how little there is to go on with that last point.
Her plan of action should follow that information. Know thine enemy, for it is socially awkward and callous.
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Post by youwiththeface on Apr 8, 2015 15:59:34 GMT
Something to think about: Annie keeps Rey in her room. Her room is all boxed up and he's (so far) no where to be seen. Is anybody else suspicious that Annie never went back to her apartment and someone or something (robots maybe) was packing up her stuff and taking the plush away before Annie was even told about moving out or said 'okay' to Anthony taking possession of Renard? EDIT: Actually, wait, no, I think he stopped living in her room at the beginning of Year 9 at Lindsey's request. I will try to dig up the appropriate comic. EDIT 2: Rey stopped living in Annie's room sometime in the middle of Year 9. He's currently with Clangler and Joey, as the original link in this post will confirm. Ah, thanks. That's a relief. Makes me wonder if it's possible for him to have figured out what's going on (to some degree) and make himself scarce until Annie comes to her senses. |
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Post by fish on Apr 8, 2015 16:01:11 GMT
Breaking the signal stick and leaving Tony and Jim to discuss good old times might actually be a nice diversion tactic 
There is also the matter of Coyote's tooth. It should be somewhere with the rest of her stuff, and since only very few people know what it is, she should be able to keep it.
Actually, I've been thinking about this since Monday. Could Tony know about the tooth somehow? Coyote said his tooth could cut the very earth, and we all assumed it might mean Jones. If Tony heard about it, he might think one element is as good as another. Could the tooth be used to cut Annie's fire-element cleanly off? Clean enough not to hurt her? If it can cut a shadow off the ground... Nooooo!  Translation: Brilliant idea! (Might have been discussed already in another thread?) I really don't want that to happen though... First thought: Here is Action Kat, somewhat like Action Paz from back on the ship. Second thought: Tom is either actively trying to troll people with his comments below the strip (today, "Come by [at an event in New York] and we can talk about Annie and her dad's happy reunion!") or he doesn't know what is good for himself if he truly does not like people feeling emotions about this, which is what he has been saying elsewhere with emotion/anger (e.g. now writing IN CAPITALS for people to NOT TWITTER ). Or perhaps like most of us he is just feeling his way along. ("Which side are you on, boys? Both, all, every, hard to tell?") Hu gnos?! Still, I wouldn't be surprised about getting snarked at heavily if one mentioned the topic to him now, hey?! I'm no Tom-expert but I don't think he would mind discussing or hearing people's thoughts on the current events in his story. Unless those thoughts are somewhere along the line of "How dare you ruin GC for me! I'm not reading anymore!" (Those people do exist, I think. If one can believe the internet... and I'm not referring those readers who want to take a break from the comic and come back at a later, less stressful time.) |
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Post by The Anarch on Apr 8, 2015 16:18:27 GMT
Kat's next move should be a circuit of Anthony's former friends and anyone who might have had a clue what Anthony was doing outside the court if she wants to help Annie. "Dad! Dad dad dad! Annie's dad is the new Biology teacher and he's awful and he's being just absolutely dreadful to her and you have to help me stop him before he does something worse!!!" " . . . er, Kat?" "What?! What is it?! No time! We have to-" "Kat, are you sure about this? Anthony's been dead for six months now . . . " |
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Post by aline on Apr 8, 2015 18:15:38 GMT
As for what Kat might do... if her parents won't help her then Eglamore probably will try and find a way to help even if he has to do so indirectly. Donny would at least try to talk to Tony. I'm not sure how much help the Donlans are going to be. While they never openly disapproved Annie going into the forest, they also didn't let their own daughter tag along. Clearly they don't think it's the ideal playground for a 14 years old. As for Reynardine, they were the ones who put him in a cell, and the only reason they didn't try to keep him from Annie was because they didn't want breaking her control over him. But if that control could just be transfered to someone else, would they have any objections? They might argue about some details like the dorms thing, but I don't see them confronting Anthony and denying him those decisions. About Eglamore, well, who knows. He probably understands more about the forest than others in the Court, and his relationship to Renard did change quite a bit other the years www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1232Also he hates Anthony. I believe he'll try to help. Does anyone else suspect that if Kat does decide to run across the bridge to let Coyote know herself, Eggers would escort her into the forest rather than sending her back to the Court? I really doubt he'd endanger his friends' daughter like that. Kat doesn't know anything about the forest and there are no gurantees that she would be welcome there. I think he'd rather go himself than let her do that. |
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Post by rosencrantz on Apr 8, 2015 18:42:51 GMT
I know why Kat is so distressed. A box is just a step away from boxbot.
Edit: Wow that'll learn me for not reading all the posts. It's been done already!
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Post by Refugee on Apr 8, 2015 18:51:20 GMT
I'm not sure how much help the Donlans are going to be. ... About Eglamore, well, who knows. Almost certainly true if it comes to Kat trying to go into the forest herself. Although Kat is not without resources (I'm betting she's put together a new, improved version of her anti-grav sled--now with proteins!) in her extensive shop, she just doesn't understand the situation well enough to meddle without making things worse. But she absolutely should go to her parents first, then Eglamore, for insight on what's going on. If she can find Jones, a visit to her would be in order. And if the consensus amongst those four is anger or horror (in Jones' case, dispassionate criticism) over what Mr. Carver is doing, then I'm going to have to take that as good evidence in support of the position that Annie's Father does not have her best interests at heart. Also, Annie may well have done her own packing while Kat was in class--but Annie may have been introduced to her ninth year classmates as well, so that she would not have had time to pack. No matter who packed, the robots probably carried out the actual move. Kat should consult with them as well. Shadow and Robot S13 are obvious informants. I hope Kat does not make the situation worse by acting impulsively without additional information. Carver has already suggested that she's under suspicion, and acting in Annie's behalf without further info or consulting her would be very dangerous. Waiting is, for Kat as well as ourselves. |
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Post by Refugee on Apr 8, 2015 19:02:27 GMT
Something's off with the forum. When I just look at this topic, my last post and one or two others are not visible. When I try to submit a new post, up to three versions of the same post appear. When I try to delete one of them, I'm told it's already been deleted.
All of which is to say, I don't whether others are seeing three copies, or none.
Whatever the problem was, it's fixed now, and I was able to delete the duplicate posts.
Oh, sure, my eyes and ears have swapped places, and that's a bit confusing, but the important stuff is taken care of.
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Post by imaginaryfriend on Apr 8, 2015 19:03:07 GMT
Breaking the signal stick and leaving Tony and Jim to discuss good old times might actually be a nice diversion tactic
There is also the matter of Coyote's tooth. It should be somewhere with the rest of her stuff, and since only very few people know what it is, she should be able to keep it.
Actually, I've been thinking about this since Monday. Could Tony know about the tooth somehow? Coyote said his tooth could cut the very earth, and we all assumed it might mean Jones. If Tony heard about it, he might think one element is as good as another. Could the tooth be used to cut Annie's fire-element cleanly off? Clean enough not to hurt her? If it can cut a shadow off the ground... has the tooth along with the lockpicks so depending on how all this went down he may still have them. If the Court isn't sure about Renard's abilities they'll probably keep him in the same body (where it would be smarter to have him jump into a body owned by the Court). That is an interesting idea about the tooth and the fire. One would assume that Antimony would still die without her fire even though the tooth could cut it from her, particularly in the hands of a skilled surgeon. However, perhaps the fire could be sliced into smaller pieces? Something's off with the forum. When I just look at this topic, my last post and one or two others are not visible. When I try to submit a new post, up to three versions of the same post appear. When I try to delete one of them, I'm told it's already been deleted. All of which is to say, I don't whether others are seeing three copies, or none. Yeah Proboards was doing that for me yesterday and the whole forum was angry bear when I tried to check it around lunch. Help confirmed the server was down. Still hanging and lagging and the front page isn't updating right. If anyone's making a long post I humbly suggest control-c the whole thing in case it tries to eat it. |
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Post by sapientcoffee on Apr 8, 2015 19:26:36 GMT
Something's off with the forum. When I just look at this topic, my last post and one or two others are not visible. When I try to submit a new post, up to three versions of the same post appear. When I try to delete one of them, I'm told it's already been deleted. All of which is to say, I don't whether others are seeing three copies, or none. I see three. Maybe the time travel changes are still propagating through the time stream. |
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Post by kelantar on Apr 8, 2015 19:26:40 GMT
He needed her to do all of the packing herself, just to twist the knife. Naw, if he really wanted to twist the knife, he would have sent Boxbot to pack her things. Actually, I've been thinking about this since Monday. Could Tony know about the tooth somehow? Coyote said his tooth could cut the very earth, and we all assumed it might mean Jones. If Tony heard about it, he might think one element is as good as another. Could the tooth be used to cut Annie's fire-element cleanly off? Clean enough not to hurt her? If it can cut a shadow off the ground... Oh dear... maybe the scalpel wasn't enough... In conclusion, I didn't see any banners that expressed my feelings on the matter, so I made one. It's pretty terrible, but not as terrible as Anthony or Boxbot, so it will suffice for now.  |
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Post by Sky Schemer on Apr 8, 2015 19:44:16 GMT
You know, I do have to hand it to Tom here. Sure, this chapter is harsh and stirrs up a lot of anger in people, but he's definitely put a stake through the heart of one trope that I am rather happy to see gone: Annie no longer qualifies as failing upwards. |
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Post by scalesandfins on Apr 8, 2015 20:56:15 GMT
Actually, I've been thinking about this since Monday. Could Tony know about the tooth somehow? Coyote said his tooth could cut the very earth, and we all assumed it might mean Jones. If Tony heard about it, he might think one element is as good as another. Could the tooth be used to cut Annie's fire-element cleanly off? Clean enough not to hurt her? If it can cut a shadow off the ground... has the tooth along with the lockpicks so depending on how all this went down he may still have them. Oh my god. Renard has the tooth. Anthony is a surgeon without his dominant hand. But he does now have the ability to command Reynardine to do his will? Please, please tell me Parley still has it. |
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Post by legion on Apr 8, 2015 21:57:09 GMT
Someone may have mentionned this theory before but…
What if this is indeed a nightmare, but it's Kat's nightmare? This would explain why the parts where only Annie is here and Kat isn't a direct witness are drawn in this sketchy, cartoonish style.
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Post by Onomatopoeia on Apr 8, 2015 22:21:42 GMT
I somehow doubt this will be a popular opinion, but honestly I have no sympathy for Antimony here. She's reaping the consequences of her actions.
People are screaming for Anthony's violent death, but are they doing so because his actions are actually wrong? Or because he's being mean to poor defenseless helpless Annie who needs to be protected from her big mean dad who probably murders puppies and dropkicks babies in his spare time?
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Post by nero on Apr 8, 2015 22:28:34 GMT
Kat ran not knowing that Annie would move out but because she knew Annie would be left alone feeling sad.
Is all the time spent with Anthony just going to be a one side conversation?
If Kat does find Annie still packing up I hope at least they make a plan to save Renard. Maybe Annie can pass ownership to Kat until they can set Renard free.
I don't see Kat going to the Forest for help. Surely she can contact her parents quickly and get answers about Anthony.
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Post by AnUpliftedCuttlefish on Apr 8, 2015 22:37:38 GMT
Kat's next move should be a circuit of Anthony's former friends and anyone who might have had a clue what Anthony was doing outside the court if she wants to help Annie. "Dad! Dad dad dad! Annie's dad is the new Biology teacher and he's awful and he's being just absolutely dreadful to her and you have to help me stop him before he does something worse!!!" " . . . er, Kat?" "What?! What is it?! No time! We have to-" "Kat, are you sure about this? Anthony's been dead for six months now . . . " *Cue Silent Hill theme* As for what Kat might do... if her parents won't help her then Eglamore probably will try and find a way to help even if he has to do so indirectly. Donny would at least try to talk to Tony. I'm not sure how much help the Donlans are going to be. While they never openly disapproved Annie going into the forest, they also didn't let their own daughter tag along. Clearly they don't think it's the ideal playground for a 14 years old. I don't actually think that's in evidence though. It was, after all, Anja who first introduced Antimony to communicating with the woods via blinker stone. Then the Donlans both looked quite encouraging when they thought Antimony would be the new medium, and quite dismayed/confused when it turned out she wasn't. They've never seemed concerned their daughter is close friends with three individuals with strong ties to Gillitie Wood (5, if you cound Smitty & Parley). And finally - Surma was one of their best friends. So think they fully support Antimony having a relationship with the forest. And even if Kat wanted to go into the woods, it's not their decision. It's up to the Court and Coyote. Jones revealed the last member of the Court permitted to go into the wood prior to Antimony (and then Smitty) was Surma. Just setting foot on the bridge without permission sets off alarms and earns one detentions. And the only ones permission is granted to are mediums, their guardians (who only get to go to the edge of the woods), and Jones. Well, when he was dangerous, and before they actually knew him. Since he's been Antimony's friend I think they've come to understand he isn't a monster. When Anja was telling the story of how Surma was intentionally trying to lure him to the Court, and why he had to stay there, she did seem sympathetic towards him. And they have both seen him risk his life for Antimony, without the slightest hesitation, despite the fact her death would set him free. Plus he's been living with, or around, their own daughter for over 2 years. He's their child's friend. I think they'd object both out of respect for Antimony & Kat, and maybe even out of respect for Rey himself. Agreed. Plus he's never actually told Antimony not to break rules - the opposite in fact. He told her if she was going to she needed to make sure she wasn't caught. And Kat doesn't know yet that Anthony has taken the forest away from Antimony. But when she learns, if she wanted to make the woods her ally in this, she just has to contact Smitty. He'd be able to go and talk to Coyote just fine, even if the school tried to block him - he was able to overrule the headmaster when it came to denying Antimony protection, after all. "It's my job as medium to tell Coyote that Antimony will not be forest medium anymore as a Court teacher... I mean her father... has ordered her not to". And I'm pretty sure both Eglamore and Parely would go with him. |
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Post by The Anarch on Apr 8, 2015 22:44:37 GMT
"Dad! Dad dad dad! Annie's dad is the new Biology teacher and he's awful and he's being just absolutely dreadful to her and you have to help me stop him before he does something worse!!!" " . . . er, Kat?" "What?! What is it?! No time! We have to-" "Kat, are you sure about this? Anthony's been dead for six months now . . . " *Cue Silent Hill theme* Or there's always the classic . . .
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Post by AnUpliftedCuttlefish on Apr 8, 2015 23:35:41 GMT
I somehow doubt this will be a popular opinion, but honestly I have no sympathy for Antimony here. She's reaping the consequences of her actions. People are screaming for Anthony's violent death, but are they doing so because his actions are actually wrong? Or because he's being mean to poor defenseless helpless Annie who needs to be protected from her big mean dad who probably murders puppies and dropkicks babies in his spare time? This is Antimony, who refused the chance to go on holiday with her best friend back in year 7 so she could hang around Gunnerkrigg alone in the hopes her father would contact her (he didn't), after he disappeared from her life without a word. This is Antimony who left bloody nail imprints in her hands and burst into tears after he spoke to her for the first time in well over a year - and that was just a coded request for scalpels. This is Antimony who had to learn about her mother's death, her fire elemental nature, the fact her father might care about her at all - from others. And then Anthony returns after a 2+ years absence from his daughter's life - his daughter who is clearly emotionally fragile in regards to her father - and his first words to her are... "your makeup is ridiculous, go wash it off". The makeup which mirrors her dead mother's. Then the first conversation he had with his daughter pretty much started with him expressing disappointment (because cheating definitely overshadows everything else Antimony has done that is good or praiseworthy) and ended (as far as we know) with him telling her to hand over one of her best friends - who is not connected with her cheating or behavior. All without once actually talking with her. Just at her. This is all fair consequence for... cheating? Being a bit rebellious? I'm not screaming for his violent death (and I haven't seen anyone else doing it either here, except jokingly), but I've absolutely criticized him for his actions* - which does include being unreasonably mean given the circumstances - because they are wrong. Two wrongs - Antimony cheating, and Anthony handling it in one of the most unnecessarily hurtful ways possible - do not make a right. *And questioned his intentions/motivations |
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Post by Sky Schemer on Apr 8, 2015 23:40:21 GMT
I somehow doubt this will be a popular opinion, but honestly I have no sympathy for Antimony here. She's reaping the consequences of her actions. People are screaming for Anthony's violent death, but are they doing so because his actions are actually wrong? Or because he's being mean to poor defenseless helpless Annie who needs to be protected from her big mean dad who probably murders puppies and dropkicks babies in his spare time? I don't think anyone is saying she doesn't deserve consequences. People have commented negatively on her cheating for quite a while. The question is the degree of Anthony's response, the means in which it is delivered, and the revelation that the Court knew and chose not to act. Put all that together with Anthony's abesnce from Antimony's life from the start of the comic until this exact point in time, and there is obviously a great deal of suspicion that what this is about is not what it appears to be about, and that what is going on is not what's really going on. Only time will tell. As someone else pointed out, the story can't continue if Tom just wontonly trashes the narrative that he has established. So there is obviously more to be revealed. A whole lot more. |
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Post by Jelly Jellybean on Apr 8, 2015 23:51:21 GMT
Something's off with the forum. When I just look at this topic, my last post and one or two others are not visible. When I try to submit a new post, up to three versions of the same post appear. When I try to delete one of them, I'm told it's already been deleted. All of which is to say, I don't whether others are seeing three copies, or none. I couldn't get into the GC forum about seven hours ago, but I could get into the support forum, but not GC. I assumed we'd finally broken the forum. |
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brokshi
Full Member
About as furious as my icon appears ecstatic.
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Post by brokshi on Apr 9, 2015 0:13:35 GMT
I'm really at a loss for what's going to come out of this.
Years of time and effort on Annie's part are being torn away in a fraction of the time, and she's accepting it because her father said so.
Yes, she cheated, yes, she was anti-authoritarian, and yes, children are expected to be punished for those things, but this is brutal to watch, especially as a serial reader and not as an archive binger. Anthony is doing everything in the most harsh way he can, and it's unnecessary.
I'm not sure what would be worse, if Annie were borderline crying and upset on the next page, or if she were fully masked to Kat. Probably the mask.
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Post by Onomatopoeia on Apr 9, 2015 0:48:38 GMT
It's nothing more than she deserves.
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). Or perhaps like most of us he is just feeling his way along. ("Which side are you on, boys? Both, all, every, hard to tell?") Hu gnos?! Still, I wouldn't be surprised about getting snarked at heavily if one mentioned the topic to him now, hey?!
