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"No Certainty"
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No Certainty
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Latest Medusa Comic

No Certainty

by Paul Taylor on October 17, 2017 at 10:33 pm
Story: Wapsi-Archive
Characters: Brenda, Scarlet
Location: Scarlet's House

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Discussion (64) ¬

  1. Patricia Lupien
    October 17, 2017, 10:38 pm | # | Reply

    Do not yell at Momma, for she will make your head spin faster than you can say “Oops.”

    • Hinoron
      October 19, 2017, 12:26 am | # | Reply

      Especially do not yell at Momma if she is part lion(*) and can roar back at you loud enough to shatter the windows.

      * (I think?)

      • Negatron
        October 12, 2019, 2:05 pm | #

        It’s Timothy that’s part lion. Scarlet is part fox, which just proves Paul needs to study some zoology, since a fox muzzle is both longer and more slender

      • Hinoron
        March 24, 2021, 7:36 pm | #

        @Negatron
        …Man, I have never once looked at any member of this family and thought “fox”.

    • MidnightDStroyer
      October 19, 2017, 7:57 pm | # | Reply

      True, true. If there’s one thing everybody learns one way or another, if momma’s not happy, nobody’s happy.

  2. Stormtalon
    October 17, 2017, 10:47 pm | # | Reply

    Scarlet’s mom used “Middle Name.”
    It’s super effective!

    • joecrouse
      October 18, 2017, 8:44 am | # | Reply

      She used all three names AND mom voice. Only thing worse is when they start sputtering your other brothers/cousins/sisters/ect names and then they give up and go with “YOU know what your name is…”

  3. Dan Farris
    October 17, 2017, 10:47 pm | # | Reply

    WOAH! All three names!

    • ....
      October 17, 2017, 10:58 pm | # | Reply

      also, her eyes turned black. <.<

      • Michael Birks
        October 18, 2017, 7:15 am | #

        All three names is scarier.

      • Guesticus
        October 18, 2017, 9:34 am | #

        Just imagine how bad it is if you have more than two first names, and hyphenated surname (hopefully by the time they have finished saying all the names, they are tired out and need to rest 😀 )

  4. jwhouk
    October 17, 2017, 10:50 pm | # | Reply

    Good thing her mom’s name isn’t Sandra.

  5. BarerMender
    October 17, 2017, 11:20 pm | # | Reply

    “Ill stop raising my voice when I stop getting DICKED AROUND LIKE A FUCKING PAWN!”

    • Dr. Otter
      October 17, 2017, 11:34 pm | # | Reply

      Waaaait! Was that a quote from an earlier installment?

      • BarerMender
        October 17, 2017, 11:43 pm | #

        Whattaya know?

      • Michael Birks
        October 18, 2017, 7:21 am | #

        Monica, at the Calendar Machine? #darmok

      • BarerMender
        October 18, 2017, 5:24 pm | #

        It was Shelly talking to Phix about getting fixed up with Epimetheus. I mean, Justin.

    • Killjoy
      October 18, 2017, 9:11 am | # | Reply

      No kidding. “Momma” deserved a good yelling-at, and is now just throwing her parental weight around. No respect earned = non given.

    • Akamar
      October 18, 2017, 12:59 pm | # | Reply

      Like a pawn? Seriously? We’re talking potential heredity. Mom simply decided that until it mattered it didn’t mattered. There’s no manipulation going on.

      honestly, all these paranormals finding out they have powers and getting angry/upset over it baffles me. I can understand Shelly and monica, who were products of eons of design getting miffed over finding out much of their lives were a lie. But this isn’t one of those situations.

      • Gavote
        October 19, 2017, 11:23 am | #

        Yes, but she’s a teenager. Emotional outbursts are situation normal.

  6. gyrre
    October 17, 2017, 11:56 pm | # | Reply

    Firm but fair

    • Dave
      October 18, 2017, 1:22 am | # | Reply

      More than fair, even. She told Scarlet to own the responsibility for understanding her own power (whatever it is)… and by implication she’s trusting Scarlet to be able to handle it properly.

      I sense a “Welcome to adulthood, dear!” subtext in there.

      • Guesticus
        October 18, 2017, 1:43 am | #

        No, that is not fair, how can Scar ‘own the responsibility for understanding her own power’ when she only just found out about it two minutes ago? Her power her mother at least suspected she would have, and had been told about it from her mother, but hoped that Scar wouldn’t get so wouldn’t have to explain shit
        So no, not fair at all

      • Michael Birks
        October 18, 2017, 7:18 am | #

        @Guesticus, The Macarons are the gambit and emotional firewall that allows the explanation of shit to begin on a more rational ground.

        “Stop yelling, it’s known shit, lets talk over baked goods.”.

      • Akamar
        October 18, 2017, 1:02 pm | #

        @Guesticus And what is Brenda supposed to have done? I mean, perhaps a “oh, granny could talk to ghosts, and you might be able to, too. so let me know if you have any weird experiences” would have been NICE.

        As for the rest… How is Brenda supposed to relate? She doesn’t have the gift. Any attempt to help would be marginal at best. it’s ultimately going to be up to Scarlet to understand her own gifts. Mom will be there with love and cookies, I’m sure… but she’s not going to be able to really help beyond that.

    • Correllian
      October 18, 2017, 4:24 pm | # | Reply

      @Guesticus: Wouldn’t it be crueler to go “OK, your Grandma had weird powers to talk to ghosts, and you MIGHT inherit them”……..only for Scarlet to (hypothetically) never inherit them and worry for her entire teenage years about potentially being “weird”?

      Teenagers have enough $#!+ to deal with as it is, para teenagers especially.

      No, I think Brenda made the best of a potentially awkward situation here. She told Scarlet about it when she needed to know, and was likely planning on waiting until Scarlet was older to bring it up, but fate forced her hand.

  7. GrantCMcCormick
    October 18, 2017, 12:00 am | # | Reply

    Before this arc completes, I would like to hear the Jaguar Girl’s views.

    • Michael Birks
      October 18, 2017, 7:24 am | # | Reply

      ::snort:: I’d like to hear from someone who actually knows something about the Para world.
      Phyx, Jin, or maybe Jacqui.

      But Monica? Is there a china shop she _hasn’t_ bulled her way through?

      • GrantCMcCormick
        October 18, 2017, 8:30 am | #

        I didn’t say “only the Jaguar Girl’s” but it is in her job description. But Bud, Jin, Phix, Charon, and others as well. May, for example, on binding the Golem Girls into the golems. There’s lots!

  8. Peabody
    October 18, 2017, 12:08 am | # | Reply

    Congratulations, you are now a candidate spirit guide.

  9. Iceburgh69
    October 18, 2017, 12:12 am | # | Reply

    My parents never did do the full name thing with me. I hear “Christoph!” I know I just made my mom world-breakingly angry. Dad’s a bit harder to read, since he relies on tone to get my attention, but it sounds the same when he’s angry as it does when he’s just yelling for my help. It’s usually what he says after and how he says it that clues me in.

    • MidnightDStroyer
      October 19, 2017, 8:08 pm | # | Reply

      When I was really young, I thought my name was Jesus Christ. I’d hear it all the time: “Jesus Christ sit on the couch, not run on it,” Jesus Christ, don’t jump on the bed,” “Jesus Christ, don’t smear those eggs all over the floor.”Eetc, etc, etc.

      • Bratty Roger
        August 11, 2023, 9:42 am | #

        🥴 … 🤣❗

  10. All-Purpose Guru
    October 18, 2017, 12:38 am | # | Reply

    With me its usually me Very. Slowly. Talking. And. Very. Firmly. Restraining. Myself. because the lava is VERY close to the surface.

  11. Carl-E
    October 18, 2017, 12:41 am | # | Reply

    Macaroons.

    • Carl-E
      October 18, 2017, 12:43 am | # | Reply

      OK, my bad. Different things with different spellings. Shame you can’t go back and edit (or delete) comments…

    • FreeFlier
      October 18, 2017, 1:16 am | # | Reply

      Interesting . . . never heard of a macaron before.

      • Dorje Sylas
        October 18, 2017, 3:00 am | #

        Growing up in a mix of US SoCal and South West cultures, I didn’t encounter them during my childhood. For a long time I though they were a pasta, like macaroni. Oh my uncultured youth.

        You need a good bakery in convenient proximity, and an adult family member with a bit of a sweet-tooth, to get an early introduction.

      • RBZ
        October 18, 2017, 7:38 am | #

        They are rather moreish!

        More so than macaroons, definitely.

    • Guesticus
      October 18, 2017, 1:59 am | # | Reply

      Over here, macaroons and macarons are different: macarons kinda look like edible yo-yos, macaroons are a thin chocolate-covered coconut biscuit
      Here is what a macaroon looks like (hope the link works) and a macaron, and a disgusting side-by-side comparison (not to be confused with macaroni 😛 )

      • TazManiac
        October 18, 2017, 12:12 pm | #

        Why is it a disgusting comparison?

      • Guesticus
        October 19, 2017, 8:00 am | #

        Have you seen the two macaroons? And meant ‘disgusting’ relating to the macaroon in that comparison image, compared to the chocolate one, it looks like someone ate a coconut and barfed into a fire!

  12. Cortanis
    October 18, 2017, 5:17 am | # | Reply

    I may be reading into this a bit more than I should, but is she supposed to be a kind of play on Bastet or otherwise distant relation to her?

    • Iceburgh69
      October 18, 2017, 11:04 am | # | Reply

      They’re foxes.

  13. Robert Nowall
    October 18, 2017, 8:21 am | # | Reply

    “Gail?”

    • Guesticus
      October 18, 2017, 9:37 am | # | Reply

      What’s wrong with Gail? o_O

      • Robert Nowall
        October 18, 2017, 5:34 pm | #

        Well, I kinda thought “Scarlet” would be her middle name, like Catherine Scarlett O’Hara.

  14. Iceburgh69
    October 18, 2017, 11:05 am | # | Reply

    “Scarlett’s me middle name. Me full name is Will Scarlett O’Hara. We’re from Georgia.” “What part of Georgia you from, South-Central?” “We haven’t quite figured that part out yet.” Couldn’t resist.

    • Michael
      December 26, 2017, 7:21 pm | # | Reply

      “where do you come from?” – “london” – “london, where?” – “london, england”. WIth a bit of a snob tone with it. From an interview with “The Who” in the 1960ties. First time i heard it, i laughed my ass off.

  15. William Adams
    October 18, 2017, 11:34 am | # | Reply

    With chocolate ganache?

  16. Fauxlosopher
    October 18, 2017, 12:53 pm | # | Reply

    Wait why can’t I find the update schedule? It’s not on the home page, the “About,” or in the archive. I think when I left off it was MWF, but I can’t remember. Is this a daily now, or an “as possible” type?

    • Akamar
      October 18, 2017, 1:05 pm | # | Reply

      it’s monday through friday..

    • Paul Taylor
      October 18, 2017, 1:24 pm | # | Reply

      Daily M-F. =)

  17. AYH
    October 18, 2017, 1:24 pm | # | Reply

    Scarlet has a point. Mom can say that as long as it didn’t affect Scarlet then it wasn’t need to know. Thing is, grandma was FAMILY. You don’t decide what you tell your kids about their own FAMILY on need to know. You just share with them who they came from because that’s what family does. It is not a military or political institution. Plus, what if this skipped Scarlet’s generation and it was Scarlet’s daughter that could now speak with ghosts?

    Whoops, sorry kid, Scarlet’s Mom never said a word about it and died a happy death of old age, now Scarlet doesn’t know squat and you’re on your own even though there’s a handy dandy journal collecting dust among your great grandma’s possessions that Scarlet doesn’t know about because you know, she didn’t need to know while Scarlet’s Mom was still alive. But hey, maybe you can talk to ghost grandma and spring this surprise on a 30+ year old Scarlet. I’m sure it’s better that way.

    You tell your kids where they came from. It’s part of the family history and it’s a part of THEM. They Need to Know where they come from. What if it skipped three generations, then what? Now no one would have known. What if a cousin lost her parents and didn’t have anyone else to turn to before this ability manifested. Sorry, the rest of your family thinks you’re nuts because none of them were ever in the ‘need to know’ category so they can’t even give you emotional support or even explain things to you. Guess you should have gotten another family, you know, one that’ll support you and not think you’re a nutso freak because no one ever told them that this is a thing that could happen so keep an eye out and support anyone that may suddenly get this. Oh well, need to know and all that. You understand right?

    • Correllian
      October 18, 2017, 4:30 pm | # | Reply

      I get the distinct impression that Brenda was waiting until she felt Scarlet was emotionally mature enough to be able to handle the revelation, and was planning on easing her into it, but fate forced her to drop it all at once like a bombshell. If Brenda was smart, and most adult paras are, she would have arranged for Grandma’s book to come into Scarlet’s possession if anything happened to Scarlet’s parents.

      • AYH
        October 18, 2017, 5:20 pm | #

        I will need to disagree as I had a different impression. Though we will probably never know her true intentions, my take away was that as long as Scarlet did not have the ability, then Brenda had no reason in her mind to tell Scarlet, regardless of age or maturity. But unless explicitly stated by the author though, we can only guess what her intent was.

        But as for being smart and willing the book to her in case of tragedy, the main point of tragedy is that it is tragic, and most often times sudden. How many people actually made a will? How many people under 50 have a will? With normal adult responsibilities and pressures, most don’t get around to it until retirement.

        All it would have taken for a smart para parent like Brenda to mess up was one careless driver hitting her while she was crossing the street during a lunch break at work. It really doesn’t matter how smart you are, all the plans in the world amount to nothing if you’re taken out before you actually get around to them. That’s what would make it tragic.

        Though it can also be argued that she’s already written up a will due to being a Para, so again, I guess it’s up to the author. My main gripe with the scenario really isn’t with Brenda specifically, it’s the whole notion of a ‘need to know’ basis. It can only operate under the assumption that the people who KNOW will always be alive, in a position to do something, and/or left behind instructions that will automatically and without fail reach you when the NEED manifests. That’s a big assumption and to me is flimsy and just asking to fail.

        Thank you.

      • Guesticus
        October 19, 2017, 8:04 am | #

        Correliian: that doesn’t make it any better

        AYH: completely agree with both of your posts here

  18. Treesong
    October 18, 2017, 1:48 pm | # | Reply

    Quite a variety of reactions. I’m on Mom’s side; Scarlett had enough adolescent anxiety to deal with and didn’t need to have ghosts added. I’m sure she would have told Scarlett in due time, and willed the notebook to her in case of tragedy.

  19. Rei
    October 18, 2017, 5:33 pm | # | Reply

    All the people here who think it’s alright to yell at your parents must have not gotten a real punishment as a child. I would’ve immediately gotten the taste slapped out my mouth. Whether or not is seems fair, this is her mother, and her reasons revolve around her childs wellbeing. Knowledge of uncertainties is not included.

    • Guesticus
      October 19, 2017, 8:10 am | # | Reply

      No, just no, why is it okay for a parent to scream at their kids when the kids do something wrong or stupid (or both), but the parent is allowed to get away with doing the same thing?

      No, if a parent does something stupid or wrong (specially when it directly involves one or more of the offspring) then they get yelled at as well, the deciding factor is what happens afterwards, namely, a hug to show there was (and is) no ill-will towards them

      What Brenda did is basically what older sister does to mum all the time: they are talking about, stuff, mum says something, maybe something stupid or something she simply doesn’t fully understand, and sister screams at her, and, as far as sister is concerned, that’s that, no apology, no discussion to help mum understand, nothing, she acts as though nothing even happened, but with macarons

  20. Vorlonagent
    October 18, 2017, 6:24 pm | # | Reply

    Akashic records huh? Lucky thing Castela knows someone who got a bunch of those downloaded into her head…

  21. Michael
    December 26, 2017, 7:22 pm | # | Reply

    rrrrrrrrrrrr. Does anybody else think, that Brenda is a hot mama?

  22. Bratty Roger
    August 2, 2018, 8:45 pm | # | Reply

    I wonder if Brenda’s Mom is japanese(kitsune)/part-japanese and if this would be reflected in her/her-Mom’s human-guise.

  23. Centaur71
    January 28, 2024, 8:01 am | # | Reply

    Uh-oh; middle name… Not good!

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