05/03/2010 [AS2 #100] Such a dominating personality

[Mao]

I would give into the baiting but all I'm going to say is this:  It generally isn't wise to be snide or rude to someone much nastier than yourself who happens to be wielding a weapon and who derives sustenance from pain.  In a world where two students fighting results in limbs being torn off (remember the fight Not-so-Abel and Aary had when he de-dressu'd her, and the resultant missing half wing that they had to reattach?  (link)), I'd say a crop to the face for being rude to a professor is a pretty light punishment.  SAIA is designed to help teach Cubi to go on and live happy lives.  Thing is, they live in a world where adventurers are trying to slay them constantly, nastier things would like nothing more than to stomp them out and things far more terrible than them lurk and actively stalk.  If they can't take a little bit of physical abuse, they're not going to do well in this world.  As for Destania taking pleasure in it?  She's Cyra.  Her emotional affinity is pain.  If every time I punched you, I got mint chocolate chip icecream.. I'd probably start punching you a whole lot, and honestly, I'd enjoy it.

That said, you all seem to have missed something that has been a major theme in this comic so far:  There's more than one side to every story, people aren't flat, one dimension personalities.  Sure, Dee's a pretty vicious creature where it comes to the dragons, why wouldn't she be?  They're trying to exterminate her, too and she won't stand for it.  That's the extent of her 'genocidal' tendencies that people like to harp on about.  She was also a caring mother, a loving wife who even now is trying to save her husband, and honestly you may see her harshness in school as some sickness, but I see it as fair prep for a world where one misstep can get you killed by something that decided you look tasty and didn't appreciate the words that were coming from your mouth.  

Also, on the 'more than flat personalities':  I think Destania's 'nastier' nature isn't something strictly hers.  Know that Fa'lina lady you all seem to think isn't so bad?  Yeah, even she finds some of Destania's quirks amusing (link).  She's even a bit of an insane sadist herself.

[joshofspam]

I would give into the baiting but all I'm going to say is this:  It generally isn't wise to be snide or rude to someone much nastier than yourself who happens to be wielding a weapon and who derives sustenance from pain.  In a world where two students fighting results in limbs being torn off (remember the fight Not-so-Abel and Aary had when he de-dressu'd her, and the resultant missing half wing that they had to reattach?  (link)), I'd say a crop to the face for being rude to a professor is a pretty light punishment.  SAIA is designed to help teach Cubi to go on and live happy lives.  Thing is, they live in a world where adventurers are trying to slay them constantly, nastier things would like nothing more than to stomp them out and things far more terrible than them lurk and actively stalk.  If they can't take a little bit of physical abuse, they're not going to do well in this world.  As for Destania taking pleasure in it?  She's Cyra.  Her emotional affinity is pain.  If every time I punched you, I got mint chocolate chip icecream.. I'd probably start punching you a whole lot, and honestly, I'd enjoy it.

That said, you all seem to have missed something that has been a major theme in this comic so far:  There's more than one side to every story, people aren't flat, one dimension personalities.  Sure, Dee's a pretty vicious creature where it comes to the dragons, why wouldn't she be?  They're trying to exterminate her, too and she won't stand for it.  That's the extent of her 'genocidal' tendencies that people like to harp on about.  She was also a caring mother, a loving wife who even now is trying to save her husband, and honestly you may see her harshness in school as some sickness, but I see it as fair prep for a world where one misstep can get you killed by something that decided you look tasty and didn't appreciate the words that were coming from your mouth.  

Also, on the 'more than flat personalities':  I think Destania's 'nastier' nature isn't something strictly hers.  Know that Fa'lina lady you all seem to think isn't so bad?  Yeah, even she finds some of Destania's quirks amusing (link).  She's even a bit of an insane sadist herself.

True.

Nothing stays the same and every thing changes giving time.

She has a very caring nature to her children so she can't be all bad.

Her totall destruction of the dragon race might be bad news for Ducky and Alexis.

While were on the topic of dragons that are egging Destinia on, do you think the dragon with the group of amazon's in Dan's first meeting of DP might have been an out cast who really couldn't care less who Dan's mom is?

I would think a younger generation might get tired of hunting and killing just to kill entire families after a while.

[VAE]

I would think a younger generation might get tired of hunting and killing just to kill intire families after a while.

From what we saw of pyroduck, it is the case at least concerning him

[Eon]

Umm... Meow! o.o;

[AmigaDragon]

Her totall destruction of the dragon race might be bad news for Ducky and Alexis.

While were on the topic of dragons that are egging Destinia on, do you think the dragon with the group of amazon's in Dan's first meeting of DP might have been an out cast who really couldn't care less who Dan's mom is?

That "total destruction" may be a bit of exaggeration for Biggs' benefit. We won't know for quite a while. Individuals (like Ducky, Shanna) may be untargeted.

[Caswin]

Good summation of Cubi racial traits, but what about her personality?

No, no, other way around.  Plenty of 'cubi who aren't horrible monsters by virtually any standard exist.

I swear.

Like... uh... Mink.

[Tapewolf]

No, no, other way around.  Plenty of 'cubi who aren't horrible monsters by virtually any standard exist.
I swear.

Like... uh... Mink.

I notice you left Dan and Abel off that list 

[Scow2]

Good summation of Cubi racial traits, but what about her personality?

No, no, other way around.  Plenty of 'cubi who aren't horrible monsters by virtually any standard exist.

I swear.

Like... uh... Mink.

Also, in my previous post, I showed how I specifically tailored each word to fit Destania, not 'cubi as a whole...

[TheZombie]

Everyone just wants to pick on abel. He's the quiet nerdy one that all the bully's radar locks onto for beating on.

I thought that he was the mouthy sarcastic jerk whose mouth is like laser guided radar for fists?

[Caswin]

I notice you left Dan and Abel off that list 

It was a joke brought on by not wanting to get dragged into an actual debate.

That said, Dan was actually my first instinct, then Abel, then Quoar, then Mink, and, I'm sure, plenty of others.  Sadism and other assorted "evil" traits are not racially inherent to 'cubi; at best, they seem to be loosely cultural.

And by all accounts, Destania is -- was -- even worse than most of them.  For the record, I'm not going to challenge any of Scow2's conclusions.

[Tapewolf]

It was a joke brought on by not wanting to get dragged into an actual debate.

Yeah, I can appreciate that.

[Prof B Hunnydew]

I think Fa'lina and even Amber has hinted that Destania was one of the types that gives every cubi a bad name.  And Her clan leader has been link to starting the Dragon-Cubi wars.  So, Who knows that Dee and Biggs plan will cause, now.

The problem I see Is what will Dan think of his Mother, when her scheme come into play?  

PBH

[AGE00]

Two thoughts.
One, I hope Abel is shielding his thoughts effectively, because Destania had picked a pretty bad time to draw attention to her appearance. She couldn't look more ridiculous if she were wearing an orange wig and riding a unicycle.

Two, whoever said violence is the last recourse of the incompetent probably wasn't very good at it. This is why we do not mouth off to people who can rip us apart like a roast chicken.


As an addendum, I'm still somewhat baffled by the mad on some people have for Abel. If the guy wants to sit on his backside for a couple of centuries and do sweet FA, why shouldn't he? He's immortal and he's got a pretty cushy gig going on. Why not spend a few lifetimes doing the 'cubi equivalent of sitting around in his underpants and playing x-box?

[Caswin]

Not to mention the only reason she is antagonistic towards abel somewhat (and even that i wouldn't be sure of  - otherwise she would do decisively less talking and more beating up)

Er... unless I'm reading the page incorrectly, she is doing less talking and more beating up.  That said, I could almost see mild physical violence as "somewhat antagonistic" by her standards.

[lilpuppy23]

Oh! Also!
Gee... that must hurt!

(has anyone else mentioned that yet?)

[Les]

Abel appears to have made a grave miscalculation. 

Destania offered Abel assistance in obtaining something she thought he would want (Revenge against Aniz) to their mutual benefit; Abel seems to have misconstrued this as a sign that he and Destania are somehow equals, or at least on the same reasonably level playing-field.  He is of course mistaken, Destania is far above him both in the hierarchy of SAIA and in personal power and sees him merely as a potential tool.. a tool that is now sitting dull and rusty in the shed.   

One simply does not have to 'give a damn' about what others think or feel about you or their attempts at baiting you into a tit-for-tat battle of words in hopes of pushing your buttons when you can simply crush them like a bug.

[VAE]

 
@Les
I think that was an excellent summary of what has happened.
Although i have certain suspicion that what Destania was to explain would have  involved the riding crop even if he did not let his mouth take a walk...

[Les]

Indeed.  Destania is a succubus who not only at this point is an active professor at SAIA but 'Feared and Respected[tm]' in a particularly 'Feared and Respected[tm]' field, but is also a member of what is alluded to be a powerful.. if numbers-depleted clan.   Abel then proceeds to... be Abel.. at her like she were just one of the students.

[Infranscia]

Riding crop?  High-heeled boots?

Destania is reminding me of a certain young and/or short prosecutor.


I think there's a vague possibility that she's just asking that question to make it look sound she doesn't care, when she really does.  Or that it's sort of a pop-quiz type thing.

Des: 'Do I look like someone who cares?'
Abel: 'Erm... yes?'
Des: 'Correct!  Here's a cookie! (:'

...But then again, we know what Fa'Lina said about D's sense of humor.

Though considering her current standard behavior, I wouldn't be surprised if she was just saying that to play with his mind.  If so, she may possibly let him know that she was messing with him later, but it's iffy.

[Unsilenced]

Riding crop?  High-heeled boots?

Destania is reminding me of a certain young and/or short prosecutor.


I think there's a vague possibility that she's just asking that question to make it look sound she doesn't care, when she really does.  Or that it's sort of a pop-quiz type thing.

Des: 'Do I look like someone who cares?'
Abel: 'Erm... yes?'
Des: 'Correct!  Here's a cookie! (:'

...But then again, we know what Fa'Lina said about D's sense of humor.

Though considering her current standard behavior, I wouldn't be surprised if she was just saying that to play with his mind.  If so, she may possibly let him know that she was messing with him later, but it's iffy.

Oh hey Abel, remember when I dropped you with a riding crop? I was just messin' with yah. It's O.K.

[AGE00]

Seriously, I don't imagine this is a huge deal for Destania. After all, familiarity breeds contempt, and you can grow awfully familiar if people see you day in and day out, decade after decade. I imagine she has to remind people who she is on a fairly regular basis.

Not that I blame Abel for over-stepping his bounds, mind you. He already seems to have a surplus of controlling female, so I doubt he was in the market for any more. It's not surprising his patience was worn a little thin.

[Chakat Blackspots]

The upshot of Destania is quite nice.  Is Abel disliked because of his emo-ness and inaction towards other things, up to including completely ignoring it?

[Les]

Is Abel disliked because of his emo-ness and inaction towards other things, up to including completely ignoring it?

Pretty much.

Mink is a pacifist because he just loves everything and everyone far too much to want to do anything violent, and we all wuv the squiggly.

Abel is pacifistic largely out of apathy, or so it seems anyway, so a significant portion of the fans on this board see him as a sulkey-emo-git as a result.

[Unsilenced]

Is Abel disliked because of his emo-ness and inaction towards other things, up to including completely ignoring it?

Pretty much.

Mink is a pacifist because he just loves everything and everyone far too much to want to do anything violent, and we all wuv the squiggly.

Abel is pacifistic largely out of apathy, or so it seems anyway, so a significant portion of the fans on this board see him as a sulkey-emo-git as a result.

Well, that and the crippling aversion to blood.

Hemophobia does NOT help in combat.

Reminds me of some movie, the name escapes me, but in it there's a hemophobic detective who catches a mugger. A brief fistfight ensues during which he beats the crap out of the mugger. After getting his face smashed, the mugger raises his hands and says something to the effect of "you win" just as a trickle of blood starts coming from his nose.

The detective faints and the mugger, after looking stunned for a moment, runs away.