2013/03/08 [DMFA #1384] ♪ I'm not ready! I'm not ready! ♫

[ChaosMageX]

That chant came into my mind and now I can't get it out.

But seriously, Dan certainly mastered the art of mind shields rather quickly if he was able to hide his true feelings from a seasoned Cubi like Aaryanna.  On the other hand, Aaryanna could have seen right through his act (perhaps even without her powers) and was just humoring him.  After all, creating mind shields is one thing, but masking all of one's subtle body language, split-second facial expressions, and other involuntary emotional giveaways is quite another.

[Infranscia]

In reference to the description of the arc:

Summon bigger fish! ;U

Anyway, this comic is overall pretty cute.   I could probably go on for awhile about a lot of the little details.

Also: We finally get to the meeting!  Yay!

[Merlin]

I'm

Anyway, this comic is overall pretty cute.   I could probably go on for awhile about a lot of the little details.

I am super excited about the tiny details in today's comic!

Hooray for Peonies! This may be my new favourite DMFA page

[Zebra Bug]

Is Dan crying in the last panel? Wow. He is majorly distressed, not that I can blame him. And it seems he's grown closer to Aary over the month, their friendship with Mink probably helped. And speaking of the little squidlet....adorable as always.

[Tapewolf]

After all, creating mind shields is one thing, but masking all of one's subtle body language, split-second facial expressions, and other involuntary emotional giveaways is quite another.

He may have a head-start with that as an adventurer.

Is Dan crying in the last panel? Wow. He is majorly distressed, not that I can blame him. And it seems he's grown closer to Aary over the month, their friendship with Mink probably helped. And speaking of the little squidlet....adorable as always.

Well, after she realised he was Destania's son, she always wanted what was best for him.  She just had a rather warped idea of what that was.

[Nino]

Man,  Dan's robe just looks so bright compared with everything else. It's really stunning with his wing color. I just love how colorful the panels look in general here.

Also, the Listerine-colored character in panel 3 remind me of the girl basement rat (Phoebe? Penelope? Persephone?). Similar teal hair and species type I guess. Is she eating his microphone? Why doesn't she have headwings? Was she being-raised as well? Coloring suggests she's a Cubi at least.

edit: oh right, Jacob is doing research on being-raised Cubi. This is almost certainly the explanation as to why she hides her wings (but both sets instead of just the headwings unlike Dan... probably wants to feel more fully like a being, or maybe was taught or assisted at an early age to hide them).

[Tapewolf]

Man,  Dan's robe just looks so bright compared with everything else. It's really stunning with his wing color. I just love how colorful the panels look in general here.

Also, the Listerine-colored character in panel 3 remind me of the girl basement rat (Phoebe? Penelope? Persephone?). Similar teal hair and species type I guess. Is she eating his microphone? Why doesn't she have headwings? Was she being-raised as well? Coloring suggests she's a Cubi at least.

http://www.dhscomix.com/comics/comic.php?v=17&p=2

...I'm not sure quite how she slots into DMFA canon, but SAIA isn't exclusively 'Cubi anyway...

[Lorien077]

Aww poor Dan.  He was doing so well until that last panel.

Though its nice to see him looking happy and content in the Academy.  He's even getting along with Aary.

[Eboreg]

I always imagined Dan postponing leaving the Academy until when he finally does, all of his Being friends are dead of old age. I don't think Fa'lina will allow that though.

[Tapewolf]

I always imagined Dan postponing leaving the Academy until when he finally does, all of his Being friends are dead of old age. I don't think Fa'lina will allow that though.

It's possible that the doo will hit the fan during his stay and that she may prevent him leaving for his own safety until the matter is resolved.

On another note, it's interesting that Dan is keeping his headwings hidden.  They looked rather good on him and I'm surprised Aary hasn't reacted poorly to that, though she might be kind of pleased that he's at least using his powers slightly...

[Amber Williams]

But seriously, Dan certainly mastered the art of mind shields rather quickly if he was able to hide his true feelings from a seasoned Cubi like Aaryanna.  On the other hand, Aaryanna could have seen right through his act (perhaps even without her powers) and was just humoring him.

Mind shields are pretty easy to put up all things considered.   It's more likely that most Cubi aren't going out of their way to actively pry or second-guess someone.  One of the whole stigmas that come from being a Cubi is that folks think they are constantly reading into others' thoughts and emotions and invading their personal mental spaces.   To them, it'd be like "yeah. You have the ability to punch your friend standing right next to you...but it doesn't mean you should."  The average Cubi tends to feel that way about reading other Cubi's thoughts and emotions.  Their emotional empathy is a passive ability so on average if someone is not giving off emotions of panic and have a smile on their face and confidently say they're fine...99% of the time they are going to just assume that is the case and see no reason to doubt them.

[James StarRunner]

Man,  Dan's robe just looks so bright compared with everything else.

Sounds like you need more Dan robe.

[MT Hazard]

Sounds like Dan needs to contact his grandmother for a pep talk.

I imagine he can head off a good deal of questions by starting this way.

"No, I don't know what my mother is up to, she left some time ago. I didn't know I was a cubi until a short time ago. Cyra is fine, but I don't know much more than that, you'll have to ask her. My plans include finish school and living my life, nothing more."

[Sofox]

Man,  Dan's robe just looks so bright compared with everything else.

Sounds like you need more Dan robe.

Anytime I see someone crossing swords like that, I just imagine someone piercing a peg through where the swords cross eachother and hence suddenly greating a gigantic pair of scissors.

[James StarRunner]

Hmm... The swords weren't even touching, but I can see it now.

[joshofspam]

Hmmmm...Dan in tears?

I know Abel said cubi can have emotional spikes at times. But I wouldn't think the meeting alone would cause this. I wonder if it's something he learn or did at the time that's putting additional stress on him?

[Prroul]

Hmmmm...Dan in tears?

I know Abel said cubi can have emotional spikes at times. But I wouldn't think the meeting alone would cause this. I wonder if it's something he learn or did at the time that's putting additional stress on him?

Umm... could it possibly have anything to do with having to meet the other clan leader representatives? You know, considering some of them are quite... er... not pleasant? And, more importantly, might have relatives that Dan might've accidentally kinda knocked off during his stint as an Adventurer? AND having to actually represent his own clan, considering he represents at least a simple majority by virtue of BEING half of the surviving clan members (other than Cyra herself, of course)?

Yea... that would be enough for anyone to get a tad bit emotional about

[Jasae Bushae]

so whatever position Dan takes even that the whole killing dragons thing is silly, he will still be speaking for half the clan~ 

[MT Hazard]

Now I'm wondering about the bat character in panel 3. Just how many wings would they have? Standard cubi suggests four wings, back and head wings, but a bat has wings in place of arms (normally) and this one doesn't appear to have back wings. Is there a 'hard limit' of four wings for normal (non clan leader) cubi?

[Tapewolf]

Now I'm wondering about the bat character in panel 3. Just how many wings would they have? Standard cubi suggests four wings, back and head wings, but a bat has wings in place of arms (normally) and this one doesn't appear to have back wings. Is there a 'hard limit' of four wings for normal (non clan leader) cubi?

Probably.  I think Amber mentioned that the last bat we saw had arm-wings, and that there was a joke about what might happen if he ascended.

http://missmab.com/Comics/Ab_043.php

[Tuyu]

That'sa my kind of breakfast. Except the broccoli. No broccoli for breafast unless it's buried in an omelette.

(I'm assuming breakfast, since Dan seems to be just starting his day.)

And definitely no microphones for breakfast.

[Wanderer]

Yay! I've been waiting to get back to the Academy storyline.

And, more importantly, might have relatives that Dan might've accidentally kinda knocked off during his stint as an Adventurer?

Dan never killed any Cubi, remember?

[Prroul]

Yay! I've been waiting to get back to the Academy storyline.

And, more importantly, might have relatives that Dan might've accidentally kinda knocked off during his stint as an Adventurer?

Dan never killed any Cubi, remember?

Any Cubi, no. However, Cubi can be related to all kinds of things, since... yanno... they can breed with just about any dang thing out there they're willing to get frisky with. And no way of knowing that just happens to be the wife/husband/friend-with-benefits of some Cubi.

[ChaosMageX]

After all, creating mind shields is one thing, but masking all of one's subtle body language, split-second facial expressions, and other involuntary emotional giveaways is quite another.

He may have a head-start with that as an adventurer.

Well, that would likely be the case for a mind shield, but I'm not sure where being able to make a good poker face would come in handy in adventuring, except maybe in a capture/interrogation situation.

However, after what Amber said, I'm thinking if any Cubi is paranoid enough to try observing subtle body language in order to pry into another person's privacy, they'd first take the time to try listening more closely for thoughts that slip past the person's mind shield before resorting to other tactics.

EDIT: Also, I suddenly wonder if more advanced mind shields could actually be offensive in nature, so that someone who did try listening more closely to their user's thoughts would instead get bombarded by painful, headache-inducing cover thoughts automatically projected from the shield itself, like an attack barrier or something.  That'd be so cool.

[Tapewolf]

Well, that would likely be the case for a mind shield, but I'm not sure where being able to make a good poker face would come in handy in adventuring, except maybe in a capture/interrogation situation.

I'd say it's a natural extension of this: http://missmab.com/Comics/Vol_1382.php
...if your average Creature is going to take a simple 'oops, we messed up' as an exploitable situation, being able to keep a poker face seems like a prerequisite.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Le *GHASP* The Fa'lina is moderately dressed! Tis the end of the world I say!

[Turnsky]

Le *GHASP* The Fa'lina is moderately dressed! Tis the end of the world I say!

theatrics.. i bet it's some kind of cubi hazing ritual.. and testing...






... and cake. 

[It-Or-Whatever-I-Am]

Le *GHASP* The Fa'lina is moderately dressed! Tis the end of the world I say!

theatrics.. i bet it's some kind of cubi hazing ritual.. and testing...






... and cake. 

I hope the cake isn't a lie...

[Ignuus66]

Le *GHASP* The Fa'lina is moderately dressed! Tis the end of the world I say!

theatrics.. i bet it's some kind of cubi hazing ritual.. and testing...






... and cake. 

I hope the cake isn't a lie...

The cake is a lie, go for the pie!