– She met a cerebrus (or more) in the Time Forest?
– What was going on when she did?
– Is this the Library defending itself?
– Against Justin?
– Against Shelly as a test by Phix?
– What other powers does Shelly have?
– And, what about Naomi?
The answers to these and more! Same Waspi time, same Wapsi channel!!
“The answers to these and more! Same Waspi time, same Wapsi channel!!”
Not this week! If I understood Paul correctly, this is technically Thursday’s comic, and we’re getting Friday’s tomorrow. It’ll be a special Wapsi weekend edition!
Not really according to wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus) The number of heads differs in some accounts. The only important thing is that they are hell hounds.
It might be a test on both of them. Shelly may be more vulnerable to death than Justin is. We don’t know just how deep his power runs. But at the same time Justin has got those issues about being used because of his ability. She might be looking to see how willing each is to protect the other.
In the first frame, Shelly seems to have suddenly realized what they are facing – and she is definitely worried at that point, and even more so in the third frame. ULP!
A good first effort. She didn’t transform until there was danger and she did the minimum necessary to protect them both. That shows reasonable self-control.
See, it’s a matter of perspective. One is in the foreground while the other is BEHIND it so we can’t see its body.
(Alright Ari, cut the patronizing speech before someone beheads you!) Fine Angel Ari. Sheesh, you’re a nag.
i’d like to introduce you to my service dog, Shadow. she’s roughly 6 and a half years old (she’s a rescue, so we’re not sure) and 7 pounds of tinypoodle fluff. does a darn good job at sniffing out blood sugar lows, though.
it took her over a year with me to even THINK that belly rubs may be a good thing, and she has to be REALLY into skritchy-time before she’ll consent to one finger rubbing her belly a wee little bit.
@illiad
Not necessarily, I once knew a neighbors Rottweiler that was the biggest Rott I have ever seen in my life named Bear. Bear used to live on a farm, but had to be taken off the farm because the dog was killing horses! Yeah… that big!
When I first meet Bear he was all piss and vinegar, not letting anyone remotely near his master. Then I started to rub its belly. Now every time I meet Bear, it barks and growls! Then it puts my hand in its mouth, rolls over with my hand still in its mouth! Then continues to bark, bare teeth, and growl. While I rub its belly.
I swear I could rob their house or kill Bears master, and all it would do is roll over for a belly rub!
OUCH! A dog’s breath can smell bad enough, can you imagine what THAT smells like? Combined with fried feathers? Someone grab the air freshener!
If I were her, I’d sphinxiate completely, get Justin out of there, then come back to have a “conversation” with the puppies, including the use of “bad dog!” and “NO!”.
Since Justin is rather touchy on the subject of “being with women who take unhealthy advantage of my regenerative powers”, it’s probably a very good thing that Shelly didn’t push him to the front, to take the brunt of that nasty snort-plasma. She made a big point during their discussion about “I want to keep you safe… I’m a guardian sphinx… that’s what I do!” and it feels as if this emphasis was a big part of what cooled Justin down and persuaded him not to leave her. The fact that she’s committed to using her paranormal status to take care of him is (at this point) an important factor in their relationship.
Now, if he were voluntarily jump to the front to protect her (perhaps knowing that he could survive the flaming without long-term consequences) that would be a different matter entirely. From the way he was cringing back yesterday and today, though, I don’t think he’s at all confident of his defense, and certainly wasn’t leaping out to be the Fireproof Defender.
I’m not so sure Shelly is fireproof… or proof against a Cerberus’ fire breath (it would be magical, after all).
Before anybody says “She’s a sphinx, the apex predator), I ask you to find in the natural world an ‘apex predator’ immune to all other predators in their environment (and no, humans are not immune to the predators in ANY environment).
If there is no such thing as a predator immune to all others in the natural world, I see no reason there would be any in the para-natural world.
I am more and more convinced that the library itself does NOT approve of one or both of them trying to enter it at this point. So far we’ve only see Phix test people’s worthiness to remain / converse with her… we haven’t seen what happens when one truly unworthy attempts entry. Perhaps this is it?
Possibility 1: Conscience is hanging around in the boiler room, watching the whole thing on Demonovision and happily munching popcorn.
Possibility 2: she’s embarrassed and is in hiding. When Shelly had her little “get close to Justin, and then start sphinx-morphing without control” episode, and daydreamed in the shower about how badly things could go wrong, Conscience poo-poohed her concerns and gave her a hard time for catastrophizing about the situation. Only a few days thereafter, things did go wrong with Justin as the result of an uncontrolled sphinx morph… just about as bad as Shelly had feared, although not quite the same in detail. Shelly was right to be concerned, and Conscience may very well be reluctant to show her face for a while.
Debutant? I used to own one. Green with blue doors… eh, parts is parts. A 1972 Debutant with the dual overhead leaks in the moonroof. Couldn’t keep up with a Gremlin. Mail advantage to the rear window defroster was it kept yer hands warm when you pushed it… what was the question?
I watched one of the early, 1st-Doctor serials the other day. The end credits actually listed the character name as “Doctor Who”. I kinda like that. It makes me think of A Wrinkle in Time, one of my very favorite books growing up, which features otherworldly beings named Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which.
I’m surprised someone hasn’t suggested calling for Cesar Millan! I would pay some serious bucks to see THAT episode!
And as I asked the other day, if the Library doesn’t like Justin, just WHAT is he?? Heals quickly, gets involved with supernatural sweeties – what else does he do and what other talents does he have?? (Other, of course, the ones that Shelley likes!)
I think Justin would have remembered Phix, even in her human form. She uses her real name and Shelly has mentioned it several times. I doubt that he and Phix have ever met, let alone had any sort of relationship.
Nudge and Justin, on the other hand…
(In the Greek myths I read growing up, Kerberos ate the flesh of the living — thus, no one but the dead could enter the Underworld, and no one could leave to return to life, unless specifically authorized to do so. Maybe the Romans added the flamey bit?)
In this case, that particular ranged attack might not work. Hurling a +V8 block of engine-ness against an opponent who is clearly thoroughly fuel-injected may be just clutching at straws.
Well that answers that, sort of.
But in turn, the questions it raises!
– She met a cerebrus (or more) in the Time Forest?
– What was going on when she did?
– Is this the Library defending itself?
– Against Justin?
– Against Shelly as a test by Phix?
– What other powers does Shelly have?
– And, what about Naomi?
The answers to these and more! Same Waspi time, same Wapsi channel!!
Ahhhh. Love of Chair, my favorite soap.
Darn. I was hoping I’d be the first to get that reference.
Actually, I was referring to “As the Stomach Turns” on the “Carol Burnette Show!”
Time to look up “Love of Chair”…
“The answers to these and more! Same Waspi time, same Wapsi channel!!”
Not this week! If I understood Paul correctly, this is technically Thursday’s comic, and we’re getting Friday’s tomorrow. It’ll be a special Wapsi weekend edition!
Isn’t it missing a head if it’s cerberi?
Not really according to wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus) The number of heads differs in some accounts. The only important thing is that they are hell hounds.
Hellhounds, like Donna and Dianna?
http://dungeond.com/2005/12/15/12152005/
“Gesundheit.”
…but then again, they don’t need to charge if they can breathe fire.
I am definitely thinking this is a test. But is this a test of her or the both of them.
“This is a test. This is only a test. Had this been a real emergency, you would all be dead by now.”
It might be a test on both of them. Shelly may be more vulnerable to death than Justin is. We don’t know just how deep his power runs. But at the same time Justin has got those issues about being used because of his ability. She might be looking to see how willing each is to protect the other.
I was wondering if she could do that. I guess that answers that question.
In the first frame, Shelly seems to have suddenly realized what they are facing – and she is definitely worried at that point, and even more so in the third frame. ULP!
What ARE those mutts???
This situation REALLY needs Phix-ing!
Well, at least *I* sphinx it does.
::empties wallet into pun jar::
Dear god, my ears are bleeding from all the puns!!!! 🙂
Yes, it is a pun-ishing experience.
De-puns. Cat got your tongue?
Not yet. She’s still staring at the doggies, and clutching OTB.
Aaaaaah! The puns! They burn! They buuuuurn!
Maybe it’s not a test and they’re getting right into the practical training.
CRIPES!! O_o;;;
It’s a hot time in the old town tonight folks!
Thanks to you I have a song from my childhood about “Old Lady Leary” stuck in my head now. 😛
Don’t let that situation cow you.
She sprouted just the wings, but did not grow. Seems to me that’s cheating us. 😉
Shelly is doing her Victoria’s Secret Angel impression.
My assessment:
A good first effort. She didn’t transform until there was danger and she did the minimum necessary to protect them both. That shows reasonable self-control.
My feeling is that sphinxes are the paranormal police force — only their instincts are too shoot first and ask questions later.
A big test would be to have non-supernatural threats and see if she can resolve those issues without transforming (unless absolutely necessary).
Another good test would be to have paranormal threats that can be neutralised without transforming or resorting to violence.
Didn’t those doggies have only one head each yesterday?
And that has to sting.
They only have one head each today.
Yeah, they’re just standing side by side.
See, it’s a matter of perspective. One is in the foreground while the other is BEHIND it so we can’t see its body.
(Alright Ari, cut the patronizing speech before someone beheads you!) Fine Angel Ari. Sheesh, you’re a nag.
Dog-gone it! This storyline is going to the birds.
Thriller. Vincent Price. I hope they have the soul for getting down.
If not they’ll face the hounds of hell, and rot inside a corpse’s shell!
That can’t be it; they would’ve smelled the funk of 40,000 years when they came in.
Shelly, go for the belly rub! All dogs love belly rubs!
This is a proven fact!
With the hiccup in the scanner, didn’t somebody have time to grab a can of tennis balls on Thursday?
A whole basket of tennis balls: a Weapon of Mass Distraction
I have known dogs to ignore the WMD that are tennis balls. But none can resist, the power of belly rubs!
Agreed! The WMD is only effective if they are in a fetching or playing mood. I’ve yet to meet the dog that isn’t always in a belly-rubbing mood. 🙂
i’d like to introduce you to my service dog, Shadow. she’s roughly 6 and a half years old (she’s a rescue, so we’re not sure) and 7 pounds of tinypoodle fluff. does a darn good job at sniffing out blood sugar lows, though.
it took her over a year with me to even THINK that belly rubs may be a good thing, and she has to be REALLY into skritchy-time before she’ll consent to one finger rubbing her belly a wee little bit.
Buuuuttt… you have to get past the snapping, razor sharp teeth first…
@illiad
Not necessarily, I once knew a neighbors Rottweiler that was the biggest Rott I have ever seen in my life named Bear. Bear used to live on a farm, but had to be taken off the farm because the dog was killing horses! Yeah… that big!
When I first meet Bear he was all piss and vinegar, not letting anyone remotely near his master. Then I started to rub its belly. Now every time I meet Bear, it barks and growls! Then it puts my hand in its mouth, rolls over with my hand still in its mouth! Then continues to bark, bare teeth, and growl. While I rub its belly.
I swear I could rob their house or kill Bears master, and all it would do is roll over for a belly rub!
Now I want a pinup of “Angel Shelly”. I wonder if she can do a full transformation without growing. She’s mostly there already.
Dude… you gotta stop snorting, that stuff really burns
*deposits money into the pun jar*
That’s why wizards developed the Snorting Hat.
OUCH! A dog’s breath can smell bad enough, can you imagine what THAT smells like? Combined with fried feathers? Someone grab the air freshener!
If I were her, I’d sphinxiate completely, get Justin out of there, then come back to have a “conversation” with the puppies, including the use of “bad dog!” and “NO!”.
Don’t forget the rolled up newspaper. If it doesn’t work on the dogs you can always use it for a torch.
The fire burning out all the oxygen might well cause Shelley to asphinxiate.
Which one’s the Keymaster?
Sorry, Ghostbusters doesn’t have a Minneapolis franchise.
Silly Shelly, you got it backwards.
Regenerating meatshield goes ‘between’ you and the blast, not the other way around.
She can’t help it… the big lug is in lurv.
At this point, we only know what happens when he gets hit by slashing-damage-type effects. I’d guess piercing would be the same way.
Thermal attacks might actually give him a hard time – it does more damage, continuous damage, and if it heats his brain enough, *poof*!
I wonder if Justin could wind up saving Shelly?
I know she’s be very protective of him, but our dear friendly officer is..
.. well… you know…
right?
Yes, but..You know? It would like..hurt like hell.. Ask Wolverine…
Shellinx is not about to let that happen to her beau.
That’s what I was thinking. He’s supposed to be the human shield! Damn the pain and suffering, full steam ahead!
Besides…she said she’s a guardian. *shrugs* It’s in her nature to protect.
He can heal, but burns will still burn. He’s not flame retardant.
Shelly called it right protecting him.
Since Justin is rather touchy on the subject of “being with women who take unhealthy advantage of my regenerative powers”, it’s probably a very good thing that Shelly didn’t push him to the front, to take the brunt of that nasty snort-plasma. She made a big point during their discussion about “I want to keep you safe… I’m a guardian sphinx… that’s what I do!” and it feels as if this emphasis was a big part of what cooled Justin down and persuaded him not to leave her. The fact that she’s committed to using her paranormal status to take care of him is (at this point) an important factor in their relationship.
Now, if he were voluntarily jump to the front to protect her (perhaps knowing that he could survive the flaming without long-term consequences) that would be a different matter entirely. From the way he was cringing back yesterday and today, though, I don’t think he’s at all confident of his defense, and certainly wasn’t leaping out to be the Fireproof Defender.
*fanfare* It’s the Fireproof Defender!
thanks for making me think of that. now he needs a costume with a red FD emblazoned on the chest.
I’m not so sure Shelly is fireproof… or proof against a Cerberus’ fire breath (it would be magical, after all).
Before anybody says “She’s a sphinx, the apex predator), I ask you to find in the natural world an ‘apex predator’ immune to all other predators in their environment (and no, humans are not immune to the predators in ANY environment).
If there is no such thing as a predator immune to all others in the natural world, I see no reason there would be any in the para-natural world.
I am more and more convinced that the library itself does NOT approve of one or both of them trying to enter it at this point. So far we’ve only see Phix test people’s worthiness to remain / converse with her… we haven’t seen what happens when one truly unworthy attempts entry. Perhaps this is it?
Or perhaps the library simply does not recognize Justin and is using Shelly’s reaction to test if he is friend or foe.
If this was happening due to the library’s wishes, the ‘unwelcoming committee’ with Apo-sphinxes.
the ‘unwelcoming committee’ would be Apo-sphinxes.
I think it’s because of *him*. Shelly has the OK to go there, he on the other hand is an unknown to Phix.
Well he may be known, but he has not gotten the approval by Phix and no one “poit-ed” him in.
if he were an unknown to the library, he would be allowed in (because he is Shelly’s guest) and tested.
I think this is Phix’s first lesson for Shelly or we have a new player in the Wapsi plot lines.
The library would not have sent fire-breathing guardians into the warehouse when it could have just hidden behind its ‘portal mask’.
well i wonder when creepy little girl comes to rescue
Possibility 1: Conscience is hanging around in the boiler room, watching the whole thing on Demonovision and happily munching popcorn.
Possibility 2: she’s embarrassed and is in hiding. When Shelly had her little “get close to Justin, and then start sphinx-morphing without control” episode, and daydreamed in the shower about how badly things could go wrong, Conscience poo-poohed her concerns and gave her a hard time for catastrophizing about the situation. Only a few days thereafter, things did go wrong with Justin as the result of an uncontrolled sphinx morph… just about as bad as Shelly had feared, although not quite the same in detail. Shelly was right to be concerned, and Conscience may very well be reluctant to show her face for a while.
And I suddenly realize I’ve never needed to know the plural of Cerberus before…
Cerberi?
Yes but I’ve never NEEDED to know it until now.
Yes. I’ve found that cerberi rarely travel in packs.
You’re thinking of Debutantes, who often travel in packs.
Debutantes are a hive mentality. They can’t exist outside of the hive. Not a pack.
Debutant? I used to own one. Green with blue doors… eh, parts is parts. A 1972 Debutant with the dual overhead leaks in the moonroof. Couldn’t keep up with a Gremlin. Mail advantage to the rear window defroster was it kept yer hands warm when you pushed it… what was the question?
SoWhyMe, and the packs travel in cartons?
This line of discussion is getting too cerebral for me. . . .
Nananienanaah! Told You: Hell Hounds!
Run! Definitely RUN!
By the by: SQUEEEEEE!!! Shelly can do the “Angel-look”
That’s sooo cool.
I am an Atheist, but angels are an admitted weakness. Apparently I got indoctrinated a bit..Sunday-school made me collect cool pics of them.. 😛
Might I interest you in Altermeta’s current storyline, then? (jump to page 99 to skip the introductions…)
(Okay, it’s dragons instead of angels, but there’s quite some similarity…)
At least – thanks to Paul’s problems yesterday – we do have tomorrow to look forward to.
Amen. I hate being cheated out of a day of Wapsi… 😀
A rare moment. The *Saturday* cliff hanger.
Yeah, Saturday “cliffhanger” Just like at the Movies, or a Saturday episode of ‘Doctor WHO’.
OKAY … I’ll bite …
Doctor who?
(The question that has been asked since the begining … DOCTOR WHO???)
I watched one of the early, 1st-Doctor serials the other day. The end credits actually listed the character name as “Doctor Who”. I kinda like that. It makes me think of A Wrinkle in Time, one of my very favorite books growing up, which features otherworldly beings named Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which.
I don’t know what they pay animal control in this town, but it is most certainly not enough…
Amen to that one!
Dogs vs Eagle/lion hybrids…
Need more dogs.
You like monkeys, you like ponies,
OK, maybe I used to many monkeys…
So – what’s with all the screaming?
Isn’t it enough to know I ruined a pony making a present for you?
I don’t blame Shelly for her reaction. Think about it, a Hellhound Blows a ‘loogee’- albeit flames – all over your back. Ewwww,GROSS!
Hey, You may think its funny but it’snot.
*clink*
Especially when the puppies sneeze naplam.
Who ran off with the brain bleach??
ME!!!.. Mwuah ha ha ha!!
And if they were facing the opposite direction for attack mode, an ill wind would blow…
Wouldn’t that be “an ill wind would break’?
I can’t believe it–snotbutter?
Didn’t they serve it on chiffon? No doubt the sleeves of otherwise elegant ladies. Mostly age 4-7.
Love this one. However, Shelly owes the pun jar for that one. 😉
LOL!!! Good catch!
As a pun, shouldn’t she have used the plural? “Sons of. . . .”
And then the one on the left says, “I am a daughter of a bitch, thank you very much.”
But doesn’t “daughter of a bitch” have four redundant syllables?
actually, I think the quote would be:
“WRONG! I AM A BITCH!”
There’s another pun in there if you assume somebody has a late book.
Worst case of canine howlitosis Shelly and Justin have ever encountered.
(deposits a very large bottle of Plaque Attack pet dental spray in the Pun Jar)
I’m surprised someone hasn’t suggested calling for Cesar Millan! I would pay some serious bucks to see THAT episode!
And as I asked the other day, if the Library doesn’t like Justin, just WHAT is he?? Heals quickly, gets involved with supernatural sweeties – what else does he do and what other talents does he have?? (Other, of course, the ones that Shelley likes!)
or Phix doesn’t like meeting old boyfriends??:-)
I think Justin would have remembered Phix, even in her human form. She uses her real name and Shelly has mentioned it several times. I doubt that he and Phix have ever met, let alone had any sort of relationship.
Nudge and Justin, on the other hand…
Has Justin met Phix, or even heard her name? Shelly just told him an older Sphinx would be mentoring her, if I recal correctly.
Great merciful Mogg!
That would be quite the twist. One would have thought he had mentioned a sphinx in has past at this point though.
Fire-breathing Cerberi. That’s a new one on me.
(In the Greek myths I read growing up, Kerberos ate the flesh of the living — thus, no one but the dead could enter the Underworld, and no one could leave to return to life, unless specifically authorized to do so. Maybe the Romans added the flamey bit?)
I’m beginning to think Sphinxes are everything retardant. They’re not at the top of the supernatural food chain for nothing.
I will agree if (and only if) you can name an apex predator in the natural world immune to the other predators in it’s environment.
Since there is no such immunity, I see no reason to expect such in the para-natural or supernatural worlds.
Don’t forget the song stylings of a certain musician.
Exactly. Were this a denial of service, we wouldn’t be seeing the big dogs. Nothing but an empty building would have come up.
Unless they’re simply a firewall, rather than a DoS.
I shake the pun jar at thee, sir!
And I laugh at it.
At the very least, you could fart in its general direction… 😀
::glances at Danzier’s comment::
::glances at the pun jar she is holding::
Ironic. Now feed it. 😛
I’m not sure whether this is a Kerberos error code 18 (client credentials have been revoked) or code 48 (alternative authentication method required).
+5 Geek Karma points
So its bark IS worse than its bite!
So Shelly can do the wing thing without tripling in size? Interesting. I wonder what the extent of her control is…
This could explain the origin of the concept of an Angel.
On the other hand, can Shelly be charged with “Impersonating the minion of a deity”?
As long as it’s not “Impersonating the pinions of a deity’s minion”.
I suspect you are an imagination of my figment
She still claws the blankets and drools if you scratch her behind the ears
More reasons to be a cat person.
[David Bowie] Putting Out Fires (With Gasoline)[/David Bowie]
Talking Heads & Burning Down the House…
How to make a cat go “woof?”
Soak in gasoline and toss match.
Woof!
Not nice!
So the #1 question is: Does Shelly have ranged attack capabilities or is she limited to speed and melee attacks?
Of course she has a ranged attack–she chucks engines!
In this case, that particular ranged attack might not work. Hurling a +V8 block of engine-ness against an opponent who is clearly thoroughly fuel-injected may be just clutching at straws.
Shelnix: – 3d6
Strength – 17
Dexterity – 12
Constitution – 16
Intelligence – 8
Wisdom – 9
—-
Melee +5 (claws)
Ranged +4 (accuracy)
Blunt +2 (strength)
Edged/Pole -1
Hmmm .. and what are her numbers with
1) Mother deuce
2) Mk IV torpedoes
3) ‘SQEEEE’ attacks?
More like Strength: 20?
Oh dear.
I think Shelly’s in for some time with a para-physician.
She’ll need a most ingenious para-dox!
Do we have a pun bucket? One that needs filling? THAT qualified as “… with deadly intent,”
no need for even one peer, much less two.
Who would a peer be to these?
As Howard Trump once said…YOU’RE FIRED!!! (literally)