2018-01-08 [DMFA# 1810] Collision Warning /ships that crash in the night

MT Hazard · January 08, 2018, 08:45:53 AM

Two enemies, both lacking in subtly, meet in a place where lies and treachery abound, will violence result, or just icy discourse?

Dan: "How about you don't tell anyone about me and I don't break my promise not to pull your limbs off while feeding on your terror and pain? Sound fair?"

Tapewolf · January 08, 2018, 09:45:37 AM

Quote from: MT Hazard on January 08, 2018, 08:45:53 AM
Two enemies, both lacking in subtly, meet in a place where lies and treachery abound, will violence result, or just icy discourse?

I'd worry more about Regina doing something idiotic. Dan's promised not to kill her, and he actually seems to be pretty canny when push comes to shove. Adventuring has been more than just hitting things, AFAIK he's done infiltration as well.

Where things could get really interesting is if she ends up having to work on a piece about Dan's new high-fashion outfit. That could end badly for all concerned - Hizell's agents are probably checking the media and putting Dan in the limelight would be dangerous. At the same time, Wildy wants to off Regina, and her name turning up in a fashion magazine might be just the clue she needs to find her.

PhycoKrusk · January 08, 2018, 10:24:49 AM

I'm embarrassed because I actually forgot Regina was going.

In any case, we can't assume that violence will be the result for two reasons:

One, Dan is actually pretty cunning when he needs to be, as Tapewolf pointed out. There's also the fact that learning more about his heritage appears to be opening him up to new lines of thought he otherwise would not have considered.

And two, Regina likes her job. She really, really likes her job. She will probably go well out of her way to avoid embarrassing her employer. Then there is also to consider the influence that Aliph has been having on her: We already know what he thinks of his brother (and by extension, his brother's parenting skills), and if nothing else, it seems like he's been trying to mentor her to follow a less disorganized and self-destructive path in life.

Depending on how things go, I don't expect anything like a reconciliation, but it's possible the two of them might come to some kind of new understanding (especially since Regina's actions in the past at least appear to have been partially to impress Dan).

Madd the Sane · January 08, 2018, 11:25:31 AM

I thought Regina was already at the party.

Konnash · January 08, 2018, 02:03:34 PM

And not one, but two potential rampaging elephants enter the crystal shop.
And there's already a mouse (Dimanika) inside for extra confusion

*sits and grab a popcorn bucket*

Saist · January 08, 2018, 04:49:31 PM

Dimanika looks like Wildy cosplaying as Dan...

Dard · January 09, 2018, 10:10:09 AM

New english word learned: "unbridled"

Akisohida · January 09, 2018, 04:58:03 PM

What I would not give to be a spider on the ceiling when they run into eachother.

Nitro, meet Glycerin. I hope you two will get along. I'll be going now. *Kee. Kee. Kee. Kee.*

Brushtail · January 10, 2018, 08:47:45 AM

Well I for one am pleased with her dress choice, I was wondering what she would choose.

Merlin · January 10, 2018, 07:21:11 PM

Quote from: Brushtail on January 10, 2018, 08:47:45 AM
Well I for one am pleased with her dress choice, I was wondering what she would choose.

You're right, it's a really cute dress!

Drakkenmensch · January 11, 2018, 12:07:42 AM

So if Dan is driving Train A from Lost Lake and Regina is driving Train B from Zinvth, both of them are going 120 km/h. Both are loaded with dynamite, nitroglycerin and puppies. When they meet in a head-on crash at Piflak's, how many years of dramatic fallout can we expect?

Prroul · January 11, 2018, 11:56:48 AM

Dun dun DUUUUUUUUN!

Ahh, was wondering when this was going to finally happen.

Problem is that Regina *knows* Dan's a Cubi. Plus if Dan loses control (remember, Cubi... emotions get the better of them, and he's still pretty new at controlling them), it'll be obvious to everyone what race he actually is. There's a lot of ways his identity might get leaked to Hizel. At which point, he becomes Primary Target Number One, and everything goes off the chain pretty rapidly in a downward motion, nestled within a nice lovely handbasket.

Mind you, Jyrras already has some very *powerful* reasons to continue working on his ADR (Anti-Dragon Rifle), like his maybe-boyfriend almost killed, but putting Dan in the crosshairs is going to *really* cheese him off. And he's got a surprisingly large box of scraps to put something together with. NEVER piss off an engineer.

The question, though, is how this is going to go down? It could be anywhere from petty sniping "So nice to see you... Lovely dress... Uniquely fitting... Totally" (do the acronym) to drink in the face to outright ballroom blitz.

Tapewolf · January 11, 2018, 12:30:37 PM

Quote from: Prroul on January 11, 2018, 11:56:48 AM
Problem is that Regina *knows* Dan's a Cubi. Plus if Dan loses control (remember, Cubi... emotions get the better of them, and he's still pretty new at controlling them), it'll be obvious to everyone what race he actually is. There's a lot of ways his identity might get leaked to Hizel. At which point, he becomes Primary Target Number One, and everything goes off the chain pretty rapidly in a downward motion, nestled within a nice lovely handbasket.

Dan's race isn't really a problem, not in a party hosted by one of the most powerful 'Cubi around, where half the guests are openly showing headwings. Things are only liable to go critical if his clan becomes known, and it's not clear that Regina, being a bit of an airhead, has paid any attention to the politics involved there. Also, DP got Dan to agree not to harm Regina, and he's smart. It's almost certainly a reciprocal agreement, whereby Regina doesn't harm Dan either. I'd be surprised and disappointed if he hasn't drummed into her head that Dan is a potential ally and not a target.

As for Dan's clan becoming known, the dye or whatever is covering his clan mark might get scraped away.
A keen eye might notice that Dan has green eyes and blue wings like Destania, but that seems more likely to be something that would make you go "Oh, yeah!" after already being tipped off. A lot of people at this stage will assume that Destania is the last of Cyra's line and would not be looking out for such details.

Cassi-kun · January 11, 2018, 03:01:26 PM

I think Regina "outing" Dan relies on whether she knows what clan he is. DP knows that Dan is Dee's son, but as mentioned above Regina herself is quite airheaded, to the point that she doesn't even remember what her conflict with Dan is based on.

Edit: No wait, she does remember what happened, that's right... go figure I'd forget someone remembering something!

Drakkenmensch · January 11, 2018, 06:13:39 PM

Regina's reaction to seeing Dan is most likely to be a continuation of how he last meeting went: See him, remember he can read her thoughts and use his wings as death-tacles and run for her life because she did kill Dan's best friend's mom.

PhycoKrusk · January 12, 2018, 02:17:03 AM

I will reiterate that Regina really likes her job. I know we'll find out soon what the result of all this will be, but given that Regina really likes her job, she'll probably go above and beyond to avoid embarrassing her employer who, I point out, is literally standing right next to her. I don't expect anything from Regina except maybe to put extra effort into avoiding Dan.

Dan, as has been pointed out, has an agreement with Aliph where he will not cause harm to Regina. With that in mind, and knowing that his cubi emotions may well get the better of him, he will likely do the easiest thing he can to avoid an incident: Avoid her.

Surely, it won't be that simple, and they'll get mashed together at some point, but the worst I would expect is maybe that meeting is frigid and terse, which will start up the rumor mill that the two of them had a relationship in the past that did not end amicably. A rumor which, depending on how you utilize those words, is not necessarily false, so they could even ostensibly lie about that being the reason and even the cubi wouldn't pick up on it, save for the most attentive ones.

Possibilities!

Treesong · January 13, 2018, 05:00:22 PM

Yes, the next few strips should be very interesting.
I read this strip maybe four times before noticing 'hit if off'. I think I was distracted by Dimanika's Wildy face.

llearch n'n'daCorna · January 16, 2018, 06:50:13 PM

Quote from: Akisohida on January 09, 2018, 04:58:03 PM
Nitro, meet Glycerin. I hope you two will get along. I'll be going now. *Kee. Kee. Kee. Kee.*

... let me just drop this hammer as I leave. >.>

joshofspam · January 17, 2018, 02:13:04 AM

Well I suppose nothing bad really has to happen between Dan and Regina this party. With agreements and jobs on the line between how they react here.

Still, there are quite a few people of interest shown to Dan and Dan has some interesting friends. I wonder if Jyrras and his inventions or hints of what he's been missing at home might come up?