The inward curled lower lip gave me the same thought … Castela was holding back a laugh.
COOL!
Great drawing, Paul! I see the intended emotion (or burst out with a laugh).
There IS no counter to Luci’s approach:
Castela: “It’s official, Tanta Phix – Your huggable!” [sternly suppresses a giggle]
Phix: *LOW Growl*
Luci: [gushing] “Is she PURRING! … SQWEEEEEEEE!!”
Phix: *takes a shot- fully in the left ear – shakes her head, squirms, and attempts to pull away*
” …. HUMPH … [gently] Young Lady! ‘She’ is right here!
Phix’s mean look falls before Luci’s open heart. Will Phix regroup, or will she pick Luci up by the scruff of the neck? Will anyone warn Luci there are paras out there who will hurt her?
“Accusations I can handle. I know what to do when threatened with violence. But a hug? How am I supposed to counter a hug?”
–Sam Starfall http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff500/fv00483.htm
Like, It’s VERY difficult for me to reconcile the stiff, no-nonsense woman who constantly butted heads with Shelly with someone who would use the phrase “Amaze-balls”.
And Luci, being short and slight, may have had to develop a rather hard shell and a brusque “no nonsense” manner fairly early in life, to keep people from pushing her around.
Up until very recently we’ve seen her only at Punk Yoga, at work, wearing her “game face”. It’s only since she’s been introduced to Castela that we’ve seen her “off the job”.
Luci learned to cope with our crappy mundane world with a lot of sarcasm and anger.
She has a good heart; she’s helping Cas, for example- yet clearly she grew a thick skin.
Like a lot of people, she always hoped for some magic in her life, and suddenly there’s a crapton of magical events happening all around her.
So yeah, we’re seeing a side of her that never showed before, but it’s a good side.
cass has disarmed her. and shown he things she has only dreamed of. it’s very hard to be a hard ass. When someone has given a chance to see and touch the things you inner child has always wanted to see and touch.
This reminds me very much of M and Amanda – well, after the twenty foot drop into the lake. When everything around you is all hard with sharp edges, you develop the shell to match. Once something cracks that, though, well… *motions at Luci*
Lotta years Phix has been minding the library. Lotta visits from creatures from all sorts of places. So why do I get the feeling no one has reacted to her in quite this way before?
Humans are the ONLY alpha predators in the Galaxy with this reaction to other alpha predators. We instinctively hug and pet them. Humans are also the only species known that pack bond with any other species and woe betide the Xeno that messes with a humans pack..
That look on Phix. Is I’m ancient and I’m not sure how to handle this help… shes supposed to be terrified of me… why isn’t she terrified. What is she that she isn’t terrified of me….
answer Phix. you walked out of her hopes and dreams and into her arms. For Luci I think always wanted being like you to exist. and there you are. she couldn’t help herself.
Funniest Wapsi moment in…..well awhile. Watching Phix go from “WHO IS THE HUMAN WHO DARES ENTER MY LIBRARY?” to “……..did the human just _hug_ me?!”, as well as Castela visibly suppressing the urge to laugh.
Looks like someone is holding back a laugh. Good idea.
Not a good idea… at this rate she might explode with the force. 😛 I don’t think that response could have backfired more on Phix.
The inward curled lower lip gave me the same thought … Castela was holding back a laugh.
COOL!
Great drawing, Paul! I see the intended emotion (or burst out with a laugh).
There IS no counter to Luci’s approach:
Castela: “It’s official, Tanta Phix – Your huggable!” [sternly suppresses a giggle]
Phix: *LOW Growl*
Luci: [gushing] “Is she PURRING! … SQWEEEEEEEE!!”
Phix: *takes a shot- fully in the left ear – shakes her head, squirms, and attempts to pull away*
” …. HUMPH … [gently] Young Lady! ‘She’ is right here!
Luci activates her Multi-Attack Ability.
Luci uses Shield-Shattering Hug.
Luci uses Bypass Active Defense.
Luci uses Armor-Piercing Squee: It’s Super-Effective!
Phix has been broken!
She just broke Phix.
She already knows one sphinx—Shelly!
But I don’t think she knows that Shelly IS a sphinx.
Or that the Sphinx she’s hugging is Shelly’s *grandmother.*
And her tattoos are back, too!
Oh, Luci, you’ve made a powerful friend!
Phix’s mean look falls before Luci’s open heart. Will Phix regroup, or will she pick Luci up by the scruff of the neck? Will anyone warn Luci there are paras out there who will hurt her?
I guess Luci trusted Castela not to bring her into danger.
What happened to Lucci being a grumpy pants?
Luci was only ever grumpy with Shelly.
Wait till she finds out that Ms. Wahnee is also a sphinx…
I hadn’t considered that, fairportfan.
Just imagine her face when she discovers what name Justin used to go by.
Is Nudge over in the corner laughing her ass off?
Not if she knows what is good for her.
yes doing her best not to make any noise and get noticed.
How many centuries is it since someone hugged Phix… well, okay, Monica’s former boss probably has. 🙂
“Accusations I can handle. I know what to do when threatened with violence. But a hug? How am I supposed to counter a hug?”
–Sam Starfall
http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff500/fv00483.htm
Bwaha. Out-Phix-ed. ~XD
How’s Luci going to react when she sees Castela vent and she realizes what she’s taken on her own shoulders?
Hugs. She’s here for hugs.
I feel like… Something has happened to Luci?
Like, It’s VERY difficult for me to reconcile the stiff, no-nonsense woman who constantly butted heads with Shelly with someone who would use the phrase “Amaze-balls”.
We all wear masks. Different people get different ones.
And Luci, being short and slight, may have had to develop a rather hard shell and a brusque “no nonsense” manner fairly early in life, to keep people from pushing her around.
Up until very recently we’ve seen her only at Punk Yoga, at work, wearing her “game face”. It’s only since she’s been introduced to Castela that we’ve seen her “off the job”.
Luci learned to cope with our crappy mundane world with a lot of sarcasm and anger.
She has a good heart; she’s helping Cas, for example- yet clearly she grew a thick skin.
Like a lot of people, she always hoped for some magic in her life, and suddenly there’s a crapton of magical events happening all around her.
So yeah, we’re seeing a side of her that never showed before, but it’s a good side.
This. Context/environment matters.
cass has disarmed her. and shown he things she has only dreamed of. it’s very hard to be a hard ass. When someone has given a chance to see and touch the things you inner child has always wanted to see and touch.
This reminds me very much of M and Amanda – well, after the twenty foot drop into the lake. When everything around you is all hard with sharp edges, you develop the shell to match. Once something cracks that, though, well… *motions at Luci*
I understand Luci. I really do…
FANGIRLING!
FANGIRLING!
Agreed! That was no “hug” that was a GLOMP.
I love how Cas is just quietly standing there, biting her lip…
That was the word I was searching for!
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Cass should say, “Phix, this is Luci, a co-worker of your granddaughter.”
Honestly, I’m kinda waiting for Shel to fly in with “Hey Grandma – oh!”
I’m here quietly waiting for Luci to see Shelly in sphinx-mode for the first tme.
😀
Life goals:
– fame
– fortune
– hugging a sphinx
Seriously, did you see the sphinx statues in The Neverending Story? Stacked.
Lotta years Phix has been minding the library. Lotta visits from creatures from all sorts of places. So why do I get the feeling no one has reacted to her in quite this way before?
Humans are the ONLY alpha predators in the Galaxy with this reaction to other alpha predators. We instinctively hug and pet them. Humans are also the only species known that pack bond with any other species and woe betide the Xeno that messes with a humans pack..
That look on Phix. Is I’m ancient and I’m not sure how to handle this help… shes supposed to be terrified of me… why isn’t she terrified. What is she that she isn’t terrified of me….
answer Phix. you walked out of her hopes and dreams and into her arms. For Luci I think always wanted being like you to exist. and there you are. she couldn’t help herself.
I’m not sure Phix has ever before been treated like a fuzzy plush unicorn.
For one horrible moment, I thought you meant Deadpool (“Oops, you weren’t supposed to see that…”)
I am sorry but I have to do this.
Sphinx: ” Luci! You got some splanin to do!!”
I think you win today’s Internet Quip award!
Nice very similar to Sydney Scoville, Jr. meeting the shadow council. (grrlpower)
D’awwwww! I don’t know which is cuter, the look on Cas’s face, the look on Phix’s face, or Luci’s sheer unicorn-hugging glee. I can’t deciiiiiide!
Disarming Hug(TM)!!!!!!
Loving Stela’s look in the last panel 😀
I’d say this is the cutest strip so far.
This ‘Toon and the comments are priceless… I wouldn’t have considerred any less.
Now I want Luci to meet Euryale. When’s the last time Euryale was beaten to the hug?
Shelly managed it once.
Does that mean Luci passes the test?
I hope Phix is not into saving face.
The riddle she gives might not be quite so easy as we’ve seen in the past.
The hilarious thing would be if she =does= opt for a fiend-level riddle, and Luci one-hits it…
“…I had a feeling you’d know that one.”
🙂
Funniest Wapsi moment in…..well awhile. Watching Phix go from “WHO IS THE HUMAN WHO DARES ENTER MY LIBRARY?” to “……..did the human just _hug_ me?!”, as well as Castela visibly suppressing the urge to laugh.
Thanks; now I have to clean off the tea I sprayed all over my screen.
…made my day, though…thank you.
Phix thinks to herself; ‘Oh, if ONLY there were more Humans like her in the old days…’
I simply can’t like this any better!
Phix rolls an Intimidation check…. Critical fail!
😆😂🤣🤪
Well, I would say Phix has a clear answer to her question. She has no clue what to do with it, but it is a very clear answer.
And THAT is how you disarm a sphinx! 🤗