It’s missing a word like …. “W-O-R-D!” Newspeak actually became a “Thing,” years ago, and without any government act of suppression. It was spontaneous, and I don’t think most even noticed.
Also, would roses be inappropriate as a romantic gift for Castela?
On the one hand, they seem to be mostly brought up human, on the other hand; how did I see it put once… “the dying reproductive organs of plants as a romantic gift, how does that work?”
In Pickles’ case the reproductive organs are very much alive AND waving around in the breeze, which would be horrifying/mortifying to most people if Castela’s reproductive organs looked remotely like everyone else’s organs
If I remember Spring Break rules correctly, the degree of horror involved in seeing other people’s reproductive organs is directly proportional to the youth and beauty of the person being observed So Pickle may be getting a pass on waving sensitive parts of her body around.
Time to tick off a bunch of people.
We haven’t seen mermaids or sirens or succubi at the school flashing sex organs in the hallways. Ergo, it must be against the rules to do so. Seems logical, since kids have terrible self control and school is all about teaching kids how to behave, conform and work together.
Now that I have thought about this in depth for a few minutes, this whole flower business with Castela seems not just tasteless or seriously sexist, but inappropriate as hell and disturbing in a school environment. This isn’t young 18+ year-old adults sowing wild oats in Mexico on Spring Break, this is an elementary school/high school girl – AKA A MINOR, basically dropping her drawers in the hallway.
If a cop sees that, you’re arrested, if a social worker sees that, they assume sexual abuse survivor.
Would people commenting on here be freaking out and yelling about trigger events if some guy at Pickle’s school was having a problem keeping his blooms in his pants around the girls? Why does Pickle get a pass here? Is she even female, or just identifies as female? Flowers typically have both sexes in them and rely on insects or other flowers to cross pollinate, so….
Imagine the school board hearing out in the real world: “I guess the principal of our school was too busy having an inappropriate relationship and banging Pickle’s mom to notice Castela flashing her crotch in the hallways to anyone she finds attractive. Or did our principal decide to turn a blind eye to the outrageous behavior of her lover’s kid? We cannot afford to ignore this situation.
Principal, you are FIRED. Castela, you are expelled.”
And everyone would give each other a clap on the back and think they had done something good for their kids….
I think if Castela was accused of ‘dropping pants’ she would say “I would NEVER do such disgusting HUMAN THING!!!”
and if she had to, it would be the more polite blushing cheeks and pouting lips…
Reasonably well thought out and stated, Syncline, but in Castela’s case the blooms really seem to be more akin to a severe blush like thos experienced by any overwhelmed teen or adult rather than signifying genital sexual arousal. Especially considering that she has ripped previous blooms right off when they’ve caught her by surprise. I don’t even want to think about the ramifications (or symbolism) of that act if they really were her sexual organs…
I think you’re missing one point, Syncline: Castela’s reproductive organs (or rather, supposed such – we don’t really know how her biology works) are placed in her hair – she CANNOT hide them, unless the school would require her to wear a head-scarf at all times, which I think might well be described as discrimination against plant-based paras. Anyway, it is not like she is choosing to wave them around. It is an involuntary response, no different from a teebage boy getting a visible bulge in his trousers on seeing a cute girl – and even in America I should hope that would not be a reason for experlling him.
To the people freaking out about whether those are Cas’s genitals, and how inappropriate it would be… this is a comic. Please stop being so pearl-clutching about possible inconsistent world-building. It’s meant to be hilarious; it’s like a dude popping a boner, or the standard ‘nosebleed’ in anime. It’s the AWKWARD of teenagehood. As opposed to ‘hearts in her eyes, heart beating out of her chest, foot thumping on the floor like a dog getting scratched’ kind of ‘overthetop’ expression, we get ‘Castela blooms’. It’s funny, and sweet.
OK Chill! [… how does “chill” work with an exclamation point??] This happens at the MISFILE Forum Napalm Luck All-the-Time. My reaction is usually- “It turned inside out … and exploded …Check Please!” This is what comes of too much intrusion of real life concerns on a delicate f-a-n-t-a-s-y framework never intended to support it. Like, oh! I don’t know … Age of Consent, and Angelic Pedophilia, in the case of a fictional character, story cannon says is 16. It’s fun for a while, but it goes south quickly. Napalm Luck has an outright BAN on Partisan Politics, and Religious discussion. Fat lot of good that does for a Web Comic with characters who are Angels Cherubim, and possible Demons. We manage.
Inside this framework, I would only point out:
o Castela, in addition to very likely being a hermaphrodite, is “… literally One of a Kind.” confusion, on her part, is expected, understandable, and as completely innocent, as it would be for anyone else her age.
o This is undoubtedly complicated by her HUMAN DNA, as it is also unlikely she has a “Season” any more than we do, and is Always On.
o Only a bird, bat, Botanist, or insect, would recognize that as a Sexual display, and only a School Administrator, or School Board Member, could find it deliberate, flagrant, and offensive. I’m sure you know Mark Twain’s take on School Boards.
o We Mammals have nothing to brag about. Most of our courting rituals, consist of a lot of stomping, and snorting, and would only amuse Scarlet, and completely baffle Devyn.
There’s the flowers.
It can’t be love without the flowers.
Castella you can be a bloomin idiot.
‘Cause you’re cute that way.
Love makes us all into blooming idiots.
It’s just that in Castela’s case, it’s literal.
There’s that phrase again. You can’t even—what?
https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/i-cant-even/
It is related to “As if!?”
Somewhat, in that it is slang; ‘As If!’ relates to ‘No Way!’. It’s incredulous denial of the other person’s statement.
otoh- ‘I Cant Even (Right Now)’ relates to ‘I’m overcome, i can respond/relate/reply, etc, etc until I’ve had a moment, it’s just too much right now’.
Noticed a typo: “I CAN’T respond…”.
It’s missing a word like …. “W-O-R-D!” Newspeak actually became a “Thing,” years ago, and without any government act of suppression. It was spontaneous, and I don’t think most even noticed.
She rose to the occasion
I see that everything is coming up roses for Castela.
…shouldn’t that be coming up roses for Shawna?
Also, would roses be inappropriate as a romantic gift for Castela?
On the one hand, they seem to be mostly brought up human, on the other hand; how did I see it put once… “the dying reproductive organs of plants as a romantic gift, how does that work?”
In Pickles’ case the reproductive organs are very much alive AND waving around in the breeze, which would be horrifying/mortifying to most people if Castela’s reproductive organs looked remotely like everyone else’s organs
If I remember Spring Break rules correctly, the degree of horror involved in seeing other people’s reproductive organs is directly proportional to the youth and beauty of the person being observed So Pickle may be getting a pass on waving sensitive parts of her body around.
Time to tick off a bunch of people.
We haven’t seen mermaids or sirens or succubi at the school flashing sex organs in the hallways. Ergo, it must be against the rules to do so. Seems logical, since kids have terrible self control and school is all about teaching kids how to behave, conform and work together.
Now that I have thought about this in depth for a few minutes, this whole flower business with Castela seems not just tasteless or seriously sexist, but inappropriate as hell and disturbing in a school environment. This isn’t young 18+ year-old adults sowing wild oats in Mexico on Spring Break, this is an elementary school/high school girl – AKA A MINOR, basically dropping her drawers in the hallway.
If a cop sees that, you’re arrested, if a social worker sees that, they assume sexual abuse survivor.
Would people commenting on here be freaking out and yelling about trigger events if some guy at Pickle’s school was having a problem keeping his blooms in his pants around the girls? Why does Pickle get a pass here? Is she even female, or just identifies as female? Flowers typically have both sexes in them and rely on insects or other flowers to cross pollinate, so….
Imagine the school board hearing out in the real world: “I guess the principal of our school was too busy having an inappropriate relationship and banging Pickle’s mom to notice Castela flashing her crotch in the hallways to anyone she finds attractive. Or did our principal decide to turn a blind eye to the outrageous behavior of her lover’s kid? We cannot afford to ignore this situation.
Principal, you are FIRED. Castela, you are expelled.”
And everyone would give each other a clap on the back and think they had done something good for their kids….
I think if Castela was accused of ‘dropping pants’ she would say “I would NEVER do such disgusting HUMAN THING!!!”
and if she had to, it would be the more polite blushing cheeks and pouting lips…
for plants, research!! https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/80-attracting-pollinators
her stalks would produce nectar, and her face beautiful colors…
Reasonably well thought out and stated, Syncline, but in Castela’s case the blooms really seem to be more akin to a severe blush like thos experienced by any overwhelmed teen or adult rather than signifying genital sexual arousal. Especially considering that she has ripped previous blooms right off when they’ve caught her by surprise. I don’t even want to think about the ramifications (or symbolism) of that act if they really were her sexual organs…
I think you’re missing one point, Syncline: Castela’s reproductive organs (or rather, supposed such – we don’t really know how her biology works) are placed in her hair – she CANNOT hide them, unless the school would require her to wear a head-scarf at all times, which I think might well be described as discrimination against plant-based paras. Anyway, it is not like she is choosing to wave them around. It is an involuntary response, no different from a teebage boy getting a visible bulge in his trousers on seeing a cute girl – and even in America I should hope that would not be a reason for experlling him.
also, being a plant, any part may be ‘pulled out’ without any problem, as gardeners will know when trying to get rid of weeds..
Ah, love in the bloom of youth.
Damnit! That was my line. 😛
BAD PUN, CROTALUS!!!
You know…. I bet she could make some real money as a florist just by talking to her girlfriend.
Thar She Blooms!! 😀
Scarlet is wise enough, and low-key enough, to know not to interfere in the situation right now.
Daylla, on the other hand, would certainly have put the petal to the meddle immediately.
I saw what you did there.
Pun Jar!
Now!
Pun jar SHATTERED from that God-awful one!
There hasn’t been a Pun Jar since Dave blew up the last one in a singularity pun event. We presently have a Pun Vault that’s run on TARDIS tech now.
That said, Dave pay up.
(Dave locates a silver rose, and offers the Pun Jar a handful of metal petals to whet its fettle, and settle the bill about the belle.)
Definitely looks like Scarlet is gonna be enjoying herself for the next little while.
Atsali had her wings, horns and tail and now Castela with her flowers. I wonder if they can make her a talisman to hide her bloomers.
It’s not just boys who have to worry about sudden surprise erections.
🎶 Sorry I’m not home right now
I’m turning into rose bushes
So leave a message and I’ll call you back 🎶
She ROSE to the occasion; or, FLOWER child; or, stop and GROW traffic, or…
To the people freaking out about whether those are Cas’s genitals, and how inappropriate it would be… this is a comic. Please stop being so pearl-clutching about possible inconsistent world-building. It’s meant to be hilarious; it’s like a dude popping a boner, or the standard ‘nosebleed’ in anime. It’s the AWKWARD of teenagehood. As opposed to ‘hearts in her eyes, heart beating out of her chest, foot thumping on the floor like a dog getting scratched’ kind of ‘overthetop’ expression, we get ‘Castela blooms’. It’s funny, and sweet.
yeah, go back to moaning about how star wars cannot be ‘real life’.. we know it’s not!!!
We will have to ask Shawna if this particular rose of another name smells as sweet.
looks like she was caught
In the middle of a railroad track
OK Chill! [… how does “chill” work with an exclamation point??] This happens at the MISFILE Forum Napalm Luck All-the-Time. My reaction is usually- “It turned inside out … and exploded …Check Please!” This is what comes of too much intrusion of real life concerns on a delicate f-a-n-t-a-s-y framework never intended to support it. Like, oh! I don’t know … Age of Consent, and Angelic Pedophilia, in the case of a fictional character, story cannon says is 16. It’s fun for a while, but it goes south quickly. Napalm Luck has an outright BAN on Partisan Politics, and Religious discussion. Fat lot of good that does for a Web Comic with characters who are Angels Cherubim, and possible Demons. We manage.
Inside this framework, I would only point out:
o Castela, in addition to very likely being a hermaphrodite, is “… literally One of a Kind.” confusion, on her part, is expected, understandable, and as completely innocent, as it would be for anyone else her age.
o This is undoubtedly complicated by her HUMAN DNA, as it is also unlikely she has a “Season” any more than we do, and is Always On.
o Only a bird, bat, Botanist, or insect, would recognize that as a Sexual display, and only a School Administrator, or School Board Member, could find it deliberate, flagrant, and offensive. I’m sure you know Mark Twain’s take on School Boards.
o We Mammals have nothing to brag about. Most of our courting rituals, consist of a lot of stomping, and snorting, and would only amuse Scarlet, and completely baffle Devyn.
Is there any significance to Castela’s (hair)flowers disappearing with·OUT her pulling them out❓