2013/08/12 - Dragon It In

Johnnaman · Post by **Johnnaman** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:18 am

A good question to ask is how would Dragon react to being rejected. Since she's in love with peanut it's unlikely she would harm him or (possibly) her avatar. I don't think she would get mad but she might just get really depressed about everything and not have the will to play The Game. This might lead to Pete's Victory.
Then there's the possibility of a kidnapping. :/ Dragons in lore are notorious for their greedyness.

Skiff · Post by **Skiff** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:21 am

Well, that escalated quickly.

I think we're still missing a piece of the puzzle. Is Peanuts decision just an side outcome of their talk or will it actually affect the game somehow seeing as that was what Tarot wanted to discuss.

KhazixRusyuu · Post by **KhazixRusyuu** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:23 am

Huh. If they both knew about it yet seemed ok with it (and they can't use Peanut glossing over it as an excuse, they know him), why are they just now deciding to get it out in the open? Game shenanigans afoot?

Ryusuta · Post by **Ryusuta** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:28 am

GameCobra wrote:
Ryusuta wrote:Unsurprisingly, Rick has REALLY been massively stepping up his game in the past year or so. Going back in the archives, you'll see that EVERYONE has gotten some kind of redesign and polish. Tarot and Dragon just haven't appeared for awhile, so it's most noticeable with them.
Not just art, though, but in the romantic arcs. X3

OBJECTION!

Grapenut has ALWAYS been awesome! Same with King and Bailey!

GarrisonSkunk · Post by **GarrisonSkunk** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:45 am

Kinda puts a spin on Dragon's line about 'four feet is cheating'. In that one strip it could be interpreted that Dragon's complaining she's not allowed to use her true form's four feet here (although she never does seem to use them other than perhaps to steer her floating). And then in the larger overall case, she might mean she feels its cheating for Peanut to still be with Tarot while on four feet (compatible, as it were, with Dragon's true form) as opposed to his natural two feet (Tarot's true form).

Jrogenshin · Post by **Jrogenshin** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:59 am

Boy! This is certainly a major cliffhanger! Although I suspect a few things: (1) Peanut would point out that although he thought that both dragon and tarot were one of the same, he couldn't choose either of them as he still has feelings for Grape. (2) Peanut could get upset over choosing one over the other seeing as how they are making him choose and put on the spot like that. (3) Finally, Grape and Max could arrive and make things even worse for peanut since he still can't decide and accidently blurts out Grape's name as he sees her and put both Tarot and Dragon into a weird and akward situation.

although it's only something to think about, Rick certainly has a way of surprising us all! One random event into another!

copper · Post by **copper** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:05 am

I kind of want him to choose Spirit Dragon... can she make herself Peanut sized? That would be adorable...

Well, this could affect the game if he chooses Dragon. She could forfeit and be put in a mortal body just to date Peanut I guess...

My favorite face of this strip is actually First panel peanut... he has that nice little eye twitch going on!

GarrisonSkunk · Post by **GarrisonSkunk** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:11 am

Arbitrary wrote:Wait, so is everyone in this universe populated by the dragon? If that is the case, Max getting the boot (twice) was completely unnecessary.

Perhaps that's Pete trying to break Grape and Max up in order to get his original avatar choice back.

gameangel147 · Post by **gameangel147** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:13 am

Wow, I do not want to be Peanut right now! This is just big, though it does explain all of the people and jeez this is a lot to take in.

But on the upside, Tarot looks so adorable with her little legs and fluffy , poofy fur!

ShadowLightning · Post by **ShadowLightning** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:21 am

Spirit Dragon looks a little... upset to me. Or she could be just concerned.

Alt Text wrote:For you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup

Why does that bother me? Is that... is that supposed to imply something? My guess is Spirit Dragon's gonna eat Peanut if he doesn't choose her. But that's just me...

Kyuunado · Post by **Kyuunado** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:26 am

Maybe dragon will intentionally lose the game to become mortal to be near Peanut? You just never know...

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:27 am

ShadowLightning wrote:Spirit Dragon looks a little... upset to me. Or she could be just concerned.

Alt Text wrote:For you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup
Why does that bother me? Is that... is that supposed to imply something? My guess is Spirit Dragon's gonna eat Peanut if he doesn't choose her. But that's just me...

It's an old saying. "Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons because you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup."

I've lived my life in lonely eternity
subject to the cold rules of the game
I've watched your empires rise and die
I've seen the cold, but not felt the flame
of intoxicant love my Tarot feels for him.
He who has entered her life at this stage
has made this forever living feel alive
but he's with her now and I must know...
Does he love her? For herself or for me?
For her external glory or for her internal glow?
His heart makes both of ours beat faster
and I find, for the first time, something I want.
But I can't hurt Tarot, I just can't do it.
She deserves him, just like I do. She can flaunt
him for the rest of her life. Mine never ends
if he says her name. I promise we'll stay friends...

EveningPen · Post by **EveningPen** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:54 am

Oh great, Peanut has to choose between Tarot and Spirit Dragon. Nice Rick, making him do the Matrix Choice thing. Once again Im on edge.

Duster · Post by **Duster** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:59 am

Well Peanut, you have yourself caught between a celestial dragon and a psychic Pomeranian. Choose wisely.....

Darastrixen · Post by **Darastrixen** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 3:06 am

I've been expecting a "I think we should see other people" ending to this arc ever since Tarot declared that she and Peanut needed to talk. I mean, honestly, have the words "We need to talk" ever heralded a good thing? That being said, this I did not expect...this was rather sudden. Dragon looks exceptionally nervous about his answer; that pose just screams anxiety. There must have been a lot happening offscreen, because although we saw Dragon being allegedly in love with a "low-order being," quite some time ago, things have clearly come to a head.

Looking back at the previous comic, at the end we can see Tarot's frustration at having to tell Peanut that there are in fact two of them. She says that "this is what I was trying to avoid," but dropping that bombshell on Peanut and then asking him to choose on the spot doesn't exactly mesh with wanting to avoid the topic. It makes me wonder if Tarot would have preferred the old arrangement where Dragon pretended to be Tarot. Perhaps Dragon finally reached a breaking point and has decided that she really loves Peanut and wants him to know the real her? It would make a degree of sense: if she loves him enough, it would make up for the fact that she'll probably lose her avatar over him, assuming that he would choose her.

I'm really worried that the next comic will cut away to Max and Grape doing their own thing and leaving us in suspense!

TheInsaneMaster · Post by **TheInsaneMaster** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:00 am

The dragon looks angry. Why is she so angry? Also, did her arms grow muscles?

Cerberusx · Post by **Cerberusx** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:03 am

Fact reaminds that this is a love angle. And this can end badly. Or go very well for Peanut if he plays his carda right.

P.S. I really want to see the picture of the shark Peanut drew.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:07 am

TheInsaneMaster wrote:The dragon looks angry. Why is she so angry? Also, did her arms grow muscles?

I think that's anxiety.

IceKitsune · Post by **IceKitsune** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:17 am

Cerberusx wrote:Fact reaminds that this is a love angle. And this can end badly. Or go very well for Peanut if he plays his carda right.

P.S. I really want to see the picture of the shark Peanut drew.

I really can't think of a way this doesn't end without someone (or everyone) getting hurt. Peanut is in a lose lose scenario here, his best option is to pick Tarot really. It will leave Dragon out in the cold but what did she really expect from doing this? In fact Peanut picking Tarot is Dragons best option as well if Peanut picks Dragon she very likely out a well trained and high level Avatar and would have to fall back to Sabrina who is not nearly as experienced given what we have been told.

I however still say this is going to end with him picking neither of them and wanting time to think about it.

BassGroove · Post by **BassGroove** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:46 am

Regardless how this ends, I doubt it will be that dramatic of a change. Rick has invested a lot of time developing both Tarot and Dragon, and for him to completely drop one or the other (or both...) would be a shock.

shane b. · Post by **shane b.** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:17 am

GeckoZY wrote:I have a really weird feeling that something like this is going to happen but not this soon. O_O

Choose Dragon! She has powers!

I was hoping this to happen ages ago though I only starting reading HP in February.

If I was Peanut, I'd pick Tarot

Gamewolf67 · Post by **Gamewolf67** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:32 am

Choose Tarot! She's a dog and you can actually relate to her!

RockstarRaccoon · Post by **RockstarRaccoon** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:35 am

Ok, good advice for Peanut: don't try to decide. Figure out who's better for you based on who DOESN'T need you to decide. As demonstrated in Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, when Harry rightly decides that Draco Malfoy is a better friend than that Weasely kid: no true friend should ask you to choose them over another.

Though, to be fair, considering his situation with Grape, I'm surprised this is a problem...

Arjay · Post by **Arjay** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:46 am

choose Tarot: get smashed by jealous Spirit Dragon
choose Dragon: get squished by massive dragon hug.

seems like a loose-loose situation to me :/ Can't wait to see how Peanut gets out of this one!

Silly Zealot · Post by **Silly Zealot** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:54 am

It's actually not so much as Tarot's fault as it is Dragons, cuz if you where in Tarot's position would you really just directly tell somone that can take control of your will "HEY! STOP FLIRTING WITH MY BOYFRIEND!" ? [/quote]
She did! She did!

Welsh Halfwit wrote:I've lived my life in lonely eternity
subject to the cold rules of the game
I've watched your empires rise and die
I've seen the cold, but not felt the flame
of intoxicant love my Tarot feels for him.
He who has entered her life at this stage
has made this forever living feel alive
but he's with her now and I must know...
Does he love her? For herself or for me?
For her external glory or for her internal glow?
His heart makes both of ours beat faster
and I find, for the first time, something I want.
But I can't hurt Tarot, I just can't do it.
She deserves him, just like I do. She can flaunt
him for the rest of her life. Mine never ends
if he says her name. I promise we'll stay friends...

That was actually beautiful! Probably your best poem yet in this forums, Mister Halfwit!
I don't think she is gonna be such a good sport should Peanut reject her, however.

Perfesser_Bear · Post by **Perfesser_Bear** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 7:37 am

Johnnaman wrote:
RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:plot twist: he chooses Grape and the way Max has been acting is enough to drive her into Peanut's arms
And then Tarax happens.

Tarax? A soft drink from Melbourne, Australia?

Anyway, the Dragon thing worked out okay for Donkey in the Shrek series. I'm just sayin'...

Post by **Obbl** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 8:54 am

Excellent job, Rick.
I usually don't give in to the LOLs and instead let out a delighted chuckle, but this one was just dragon the laughter outta me.

"No pressure"

I like what both options have to offer for this story, so I'm not sure which one I favor. Can't wait to see where this goes.

Sonic Fox · Post by **Sonic Fox** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:09 am

I'd probably go with dragon, nothing against Tarot, just think that dating a dragon god like creature would be interesting.

Argent · Post by **Argent** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:23 am

CHAOKOCartoons wrote:I don't think Peanut has it in him to reject either of them right there on the spot (based on his personality), so he's probably going to go to Grape for advise.

Yeh, if I was Peanut I'd totally do that.

TheInsaneMaster wrote:The dragon looks angry. Why is she so angry? Also, did her arms grow muscles?

You're right, she looks quite buff, moreso than usual.

Ryusuta · Post by **Ryusuta** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:40 am

Dudes, I'm only just now realizing this, but Dragon is extremely BUFF!

DingoVolf · Post by **DingoVolf** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:16 am

Hah! LOVE the way Dragon looks in this!

But yea Peanut, this is just another game, and like the other game you thought this was, the only way to win is to not play.

Saber-Sonic · Post by **Saber-Sonic** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:30 am

man i gota say pick the dragon! you know you want to.

metaecho · Post by **metaecho** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 11:05 am

I'm so confused.. oh well. At least it explains why everyone was so tolerable of peanut and tarot on their date and not grape and max.

Is Dragon a quadruped in this universe too? Its hard to tell :/

Ninkurou · Post by **Ninkurou** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:05 pm

Peanut will NOT be able to decide, nobody would be able to decide such a important thing all of a sudden!

Stuff. · Post by **Stuff.** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:45 pm

Huh-oh, looks like it's the Test of Love all over again. Hold on, Peanut, let me getcha some fitting music.

I am probably the only one here right now who can relate to that joke. Oh, well.

Also, I'd actually be kinda surprised if he didn't pick Tarot.

Ryusuta · Post by **Ryusuta** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:49 pm

metaecho wrote:I'm so confused.. oh well. At least it explains why everyone was so tolerable of peanut and tarot on their date and not grape and max.

Is Dragon a quadruped in this universe too? Its hard to tell :/

Yes. You can see her hind legs further back in the panel. Though she's basically always flying it seems, so it's kind of a moot point.

Darastrixen · Post by **Darastrixen** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:57 pm

Gamewolf67 wrote:Choose Tarot! She's a dog and you can actually relate to her!

Do you mean to imply that there is anyone in existence that Peanut can't relate to?

Xane wrote:Tarot said this was about The Game but then turns it into a relationship thing. I agree with a few others that this was sparked by whatever Pete is up to. If that's true it just makes it worse to me because that means they're still using Peanut as a pawn in their stupid game.

Although I personally doubt that this is being motivated [solely] by the Game, if this is, I'm going to vastly dissapointed in Dragon...

That being said, part of me thinks that the reason they're in another dimension is so that it makes it easier for Dragon to manifest herself without Pete catching wind of it. He wanted Peanut as his Dream Sunderer because he has a lot of "imagination;" Pete could ruin everything if he knew what was going in here.

Xane wrote:I always thought the recap of the game with "off-putting figurines" was meant to show that even if the players seem to care about their avatars/followers (Pete and Joan of Arc, Dragon and Peanut), in the long run there's such a huge difference between them that in the end they're still just "toys" for the superbeings.

I'm going to slightly disagree on this point. Pete's a real, self-proclaimed jerk, and he goes to a lot of trouble to make sure that everybody knows it. But when his avatar in the previous game dies? He glosses over it, but you can see in his memories that he's weeping like a child (http://www.housepetscomic.com/2012/05/2 ... -lifetime/). That doesn't mean that he always cares, or that he cares for his followers as much as his avatar, but when he "seem to care," he really does care at least on the level of losing a beloved pet.

People can get really upset in a roleplaying game when their long-time character dies; they invest a lot in those characters. Imagine how much more difficult that would be knowing that someone actually died.

Saturn381 · Post by **Saturn381** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:10 pm

Darastrixen wrote:
Gamewolf67 wrote:Choose Tarot! She's a dog and you can actually relate to her!
Do you mean to imply that there is anyone in existence that Peanut can't relate to?

Yeah have you forgotten that him and Grape do almost everything together Gamewolf?

matthew Wolf · Post by **matthew Wolf** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:38 pm

:shock:i dont think he will choose the dragon either .......poor peanut now he has to decide between them to .... what if he chooses grape ?

Silly Zealot · Post by **Silly Zealot** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 3:16 pm

Obbl wrote:I like what both options have to offer for this story, so I'm not sure which one I favor. Can't wait to see where this goes.

Gbr23 wrote:tough choice there ... #TeamTarot or #TeamDragon

I choose Buzz Lightyear!

metaecho wrote:Is Dragon a quadruped in this universe too? Its hard to tell :/

I think the dragon was ALWAYS a quadruped.

Ninkurou wrote:Peanut will NOT be able to decide, nobody would be able to decide such a important thing all of a sudden!

Ah!, But Peanut is no nobody! He will choose. Besides, women can be realluy headstrong when it comes to the desicions of men.... and pets, etc.

Xane wrote:I always thought the recap of the game with "off-putting figurines" was meant to show that even if the players seem to care about their avatars/followers (Pete and Joan of Arc, Dragon and Peanut), in the long run there's such a huge difference between them that in the end they're still just "toys" for the superbeings.

Honestly I think Peanut should pick neither, but Tarot more than dragon only because I think omnipotent beings just can't relate properly (unless she loses the game intentionally to be with him as a mortal).

Quadrupedal Tarot is disgustingly adorable with short legs, you just have to draw King like this.

1) I don't think that's Joanne D'Arc, given how that flashback is from a previous game, most likely played on another dimension. I agree that mortals really look like they are mere playthings for the cosmic entities. That's why I hate them so, so very much.
You know what? I agree with you completely and utterly. Dump them both, Peanut!

2)I think Joel/King going full quadrupedal would make him be reduced to tears.