2019/05/29 - Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Post by **D-Rock** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:04 am

[2019/05/29 - Barking Up The Wrong Tree]
Title Text: we're sticking to iron clad facts, like GHOSTS and TELEPORTATION MAGIC(K)

Eh, it was a long shot, anyway.

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:07 am

Dang it, I was sort-of close. I wasn't expecting Marion to be so calm and elegant about the situation. I'm just not funny enough to think in terms of comedy.

That does prove my point that not everyone knows about King.

Gbr23 · Post by **Gbr23** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:07 am

Xane wrote:Yeah all he would know about is transforming into a hunky husky.

Xane won.

Saturn381 · Post by **Saturn381** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:08 am

He's friends with a psychic cat. Go ask her.

Champion Wallace · Post by **Champion Wallace** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:12 am

I'm surprised Ralph was so open about his dealings with the supernatural. I'm sure Marion would be permissive of any second opinion on transformation (unless he thought they were talking about an actual fox). I like how Marion phrased his question.

Saturn381 wrote:He's friends with a psychic cat. Go ask her.

I don't think "friends" in the right word to describe Fox and Sabrina.

Douglas Collier · Post by **Douglas Collier** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:12 am

I have a feeling either the K-9s will be of great help here, or none at all. It could either go satisfyingly right, or frustratingly wrong.

Rikunda · Post by **Rikunda** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:12 am

You know it is sad that everything that has happened in their lives and they know about NONE of it. We know it will be from Fox but... Probably in the locker room while they chat about the crazy female squirrel that kept talking about being a male human till he went to sleep.

Wikirojo · Post by **Wikirojo** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:13 am

Xane wrote:Yeah all he would know about is transforming into a hunky husky.

Hahahahaha

Now, I'm looking forward to seeing Fox and King meeting Marion

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:13 am

Saturn381 wrote:He's friends with a psychic cat. Go ask her.

They don't know she's psychic. Or, more accurately, magic.

At least they’re being serious,
even without a clue.
Rick plays with the answer
would Fox know what to do?
His friend is a cursed one
but they don’t know of that;
nor do they know a Witch.
(A.K.A. Fido’s black Cat)
Secrets kept from them all,
answers blocked from the light;
It will be quite a ride.
Run, boy, you’ll be all right.

Post by **D-Rock** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:15 am

fenrirblack wrote:That does prove my point that not everyone knows about King.

I'd be genuinely shocked if so many people knew. We just have the film crew, really, and I imagine that without video evidence, they're not going to be blabbing about it. Plus, Joel is still a wanted criminal.

leinglo · Post by **leinglo** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:19 am

I wonder where Marion will go from here. From his perspective he's completely out of leads. At this point, even if King, or someone familiar with King, were to run into Marion incidentally, Marion wouldn't know that those are the people he has to tell about his condition, and he's too reasonable to be shouting "I'm a human!" to just anyone and everyone. Seems like Lois is his only real option at the moment.

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:20 am

Points for Marion for staying so calm through this. I mean for a teenager he is very mature for his age. Hate to say it but points to Kevin and Ralph too for at least stopping to think about Marion's question and bringing up the jaguar ghost. I mean they're no help but it's still a better reaction then it could have gone. At least they didn't just walk away.
But at the same time at no point did they think about Fido whose girlfriend is a literal witch. I mean I doubt Fido is that open about his personal life but I figured after the Jata incident he would be sort of open about his relationship.

The sheer irony of this situation is crushing me on the inside. This is one of those scenes where you want to knock them upsides the heads and then face palm yourself.

Champion Wallace · Post by **Champion Wallace** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:27 am

Even if they did come to King asking about everything he knows about humans transforming into animals, I wouldn't expect anything less than this reaction.

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:31 am

Champion Wallace wrote:Even if they did come to King asking about everything he knows about humans transforming into animals, I wouldn't expect anything less than this reaction.

Immediately followed by something like this

IceKitsune · Post by **IceKitsune** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:36 am

Looks like they aren't going to be any help. And his experience here is going to likely make him afraid of asking any of the other pets. Unless he happens to run across Sabrina, he might be willing to ask a cat rather than a dog. Though if he doesn't then he will likely go ask wild animals which could lead him to Zach and Zach would know to ask Tarot or Sabrina or at least Peanut and Grape. That is assuming he doesn't run in to Steward first.

Ash Greytree · Post by **Ash Greytree** » Wed May 29, 2019 12:48 am

Noooo, he’s so close to getting the help he needs yet also so far away! Please don’t tell me that this is where the K-9’s involvement ends...

The way this is going has given me a bad feeling about the next couple of strips (or the next one, if End Of Year 11 happens this Friday rather than Monday). Just can’t shake the thought that this arc is going to end with him giving up and consigning himself to life as a female squirrel, either as a pet of Lois’ (who he may or may not tell the truth to; my bet is that if this happens he lies and says that Marion sent him over to her house rather than trying to explain the situation and shaking things up again), trying to make it on his own, or winding up with the Opener cult and Steward who’d lie to him and string him along as a lackey with false hopes of getting changed back eventually.

Any which way this goes, I can’t help but see Marion being stuck this way and stuck with zero leads or real assistance for a long, long time.

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Wed May 29, 2019 1:02 am

Ash Greytree wrote: Any which way this goes, I can’t help but see Marion being stuck this way and stuck with zero leads or real assistance for a long, long time.

Hopefully it won’t come to that. So the K-9’s were a bust. Considering it was Kevin and Ralph, I’m not surprised but there is hope. I was looking at kings wedding strip and there is an entire pew of unused characters. I’ve noticed it before but now it’s really clicked. Mungo was one of them. So that tells me that there is a chance that one of those unused character sprites could make their debut in Year 12 as Marion’s partner and assist him. All they would need to do is canvas the area like Marion wanted and hope someone more helpful then those two points them into the right direction. Although at this point I wouldn’t be surprised if they walked right past King and go “What about him?” “Naw, he’s kinda a weirdo.”

It could be fun to have a montage of Marion and ? interviewing pets not unlike King's attempts at finding a babysitter. I can imagine Joey's reaction and him mentioning D&D. And Marion going "NO, not D&D. Real magic."

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Wed May 29, 2019 1:04 am

Yeah, Fox would probably spew something out of one of those books he's always reading, what a nerd!

Champion Wallace wrote:I'm surprised Ralph was so open about his dealings with the supernatural.

He had to file a report about it. That makes it official.

dr_eirik · Post by **dr_eirik** » Wed May 29, 2019 1:05 am

fenrirblack wrote:
Champion Wallace wrote:Even if they did come to King asking about everything he knows about humans transforming into animals, I wouldn't expect anything less than this reaction.
Immediately followed by something like this

I dont know. King is in a better place and all he'd be able to do directly with Marion is commiserate. For any actual help, the only choices I could see King making is Tarot or Kitsune, and he can just point a paw in a general direction for that.

bjchan95 · Post by **bjchan95** » Wed May 29, 2019 1:08 am

This will lead to Fox which will lead to King which will lead to yes

leinglo · Post by **leinglo** » Wed May 29, 2019 1:12 am

Let's be honest, if Marion does get a proper lead on King, their meeting will probably look something like this.

fenrirblack · Post by **fenrirblack** » Wed May 29, 2019 1:14 am

dr_eirik wrote:I dont know. King is in a better place and all he'd be able to do directly with Marion is commiserate.

Better place?

Post by **Obbl** » Wed May 29, 2019 2:01 am

Ah, good ol' dramatic irony

Champion Wallace · Post by **Champion Wallace** » Wed May 29, 2019 2:44 am

Ash Greytree wrote:The way this is going has given me a bad feeling about the next couple of strips (or the next one, if End Of Year 11 happens this Friday rather than Monday). Just can’t shake the thought that this arc is going to end with him giving up and consigning himself to life as a female squirrel, either as a pet of Lois’ (who he may or may not tell the truth to; my bet is that if this happens he lies and says that Marion sent him over to her house rather than trying to explain the situation and shaking things up again), trying to make it on his own, or winding up with the Opener cult and Steward who’d lie to him and string him along as a lackey with false hopes of getting changed back eventually.

Lois is on the short list of people Marion's tried explaining to already so that would be more complicated. To get any owner he would just have to pass the GOE and sell himself to his local pet store, but with Lois he would have to explain something. He would either have to explain why her friend is a squirrel on her doorstep, or come up with a lie to explain why she was texted the photo of said squirrel on her doorstep.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Wed May 29, 2019 2:55 am

Well, at least we've got a civil conversation going - it's a start!

Ryusuta · Post by **Ryusuta** » Wed May 29, 2019 3:25 am

Well, the fact that Fox looks like Brock Lesnar now, for one.

Macsen · Post by **Macsen** » Wed May 29, 2019 4:47 am

Dramatic irony.

Padgriffin · Post by **Padgriffin** » Wed May 29, 2019 6:12 am

So close yet so far- today's comic had me want to tear my hair out. Bravo.

Post by **SeanWolf** » Wed May 29, 2019 6:43 am

I wonder why Kevin didn't mention Fido as isn't he friends with Sabrina (who is familiar with transformations)?

GameCobra · Post by **GameCobra** » Wed May 29, 2019 6:51 am

Knowing Kevin, he would tell Sasha, who would tell King, who would dismiss it as Sasha as being weird.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Wed May 29, 2019 7:00 am

So close and yet so far. Really hope Marion gets a happy ending out of this.

Nathan Kerbonaut · Post by **Nathan Kerbonaut** » Wed May 29, 2019 7:02 am

This has to go somewhere. It must! I can't stand another failure, not when Marion is so close

Gameb18oy · Post by **Gameb18oy** » Wed May 29, 2019 7:03 am

leinglo wrote:Let's be honest, if Marion does get a proper lead on King, their meeting will probably look something like this.

If Rick doesn’t cut a character that’s being presented as smart and level headed in the situation he’s in as Marion is a break soon + doesn’t reference that strip in some capacity, I’m gonna be a little miffed. Kinda odd that Marion took the initiative on asking regardless... I don’t know if he’s confident he can jump from tree branches to other trees, so while I hope their interaction won’t end too quickly, I won’t be surprised if he asks the more reasonable Ralph to drag Kevin offscreen as far away from the tree so he can get down. It actually be a good thing if he starts to have a freak out up in the tree and spills the beans on being a human that way, I can’t really see him just saying it when he’s calm... well as calm as one can be when Kevin makes you... exercise to put it in kinder terms

Argent · Post by **Argent** » Wed May 29, 2019 7:24 am

Come on, guys, bring your CSI guy into it. It's Terrance time!

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Wed May 29, 2019 7:28 am

SeanWolf wrote:I wonder why Kevin didn't mention Fido as isn't he friends with Sabrina (who is familiar with transformations)?

Because, AFAIK, Kevin doesn't know Sabrina is familiar (or, even, A familiar

) with transformations so why mention Fido?

Argent · Post by **Argent** » Wed May 29, 2019 7:33 am

Fido would be an option because they know he's got that mouse sidekick, and all small chase-able animals are the same thing right?

Gameb18oy · Post by **Gameb18oy** » Wed May 29, 2019 7:38 am

Argent wrote:Fido would be an option because they know he's got that mouse sidekick, and all small chase-able animals are the same thing right?

Plus, Spo be nice for Marion just so he can see he at least lucked out on being a tall rodent

Pumkin6 · Post by **Pumkin6** » Wed May 29, 2019 8:19 am

Oh, Rick. You tease.
Not what I was expecting at all. I though the last strip would be the last we saw of the K-9s. Guess we now know they're willing to help out wild animals.
Also, I didn't see the forum for the last strip. Did everyone hate on Ralph and want him to die like last time?

shadowlucario50 · Post by **shadowlucario50** » Wed May 29, 2019 10:37 am

With how level-headed Marion is, I feel like he'll take the chance and ask to speak to Fox, or at least speak to other K9 members. He'll also probably try to follow the K9 around for protection if he manages to convince them not to chase him. Unless he doesn't and get chased up more trees, which is another possibility. Maybe see Grape in one of these trees and force Marion to shell nuts for her.

Silly Zealot · Post by **Silly Zealot** » Wed May 29, 2019 10:39 am

I am having to repress a laugh seeing Ralph and Kevin being so casual about all the magic craziness.

Xane wrote:Yeah all he would know about is transforming into a hunky husky.

Bad Xane, bad Xane! Someone get me a broom. A big one!

fenrirblack wrote:Dang it, I was sort-of close. I wasn't expecting Marion to be so calm and elegant about the situation. I'm just not funny enough to think in terms of comedy.

Yes, I didn't say anything because I didn't want to be rude, but your dialogue was really missing a punchline. Remember, kids, this is a comic comic!

fenrirblack wrote:It could be fun to have a montage of Marion and ? interviewing pets not unlike King's attempts at finding a babysitter. I can imagine Joey's reaction and him mentioning D&D. And Marion going "NO, not D&D. Real magic."

Yeah! Universe and Unrealities magic! Tooootally different things!

Dumb Joey.