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Grayling - Friday, December 27, 2002 Fern: Why are you so interested, anyway? Morbid humor? Do you want me to tell you all the hideous details? Or are you looking to offer false sympathy? / Fola: If it's pity you want, there are people to give it..for a price. I may be able to help you.. in more ways than you may think. / Fern: You're speaking to someone who has given up on trusting anybody. You're as stupid as Lem is. / Fola: LET there be no trust between us, then. / Fola: I'm not interested in your trust as Lem was. We already have a bit of a... relationship, don't we? You are fire--I am air. You rely on me already. We affect each other. / Fola: Our reliance is not mutual. In a sense, you OWE me, Moranerial. But I won't linger on that. Lem is angry with you, but I can still see your potential, even in your present state. Why does Cal need that crestil for you, Moranerial? Is it because you are so often injured, your physical body is becoming weaker and weaker? You need a more efficient healing system. Where are those injuries coming from? / Fern: It's not a matter of weakness, but convenience. / Fern: Do you really want to know? I could care less by this time whether you know or not. There are few secrets around here. / Fola: Really, you are good at making one feel special. / Fola: I spoke to you not really knowing what abuses you've withstood in the past few months. You have changed a great deal... that warrants explanation. / Fern: Transformations happen so quickly, you are a new person before you even notice it. / Fern: I thought.. I knew Cal. I didn't. It was a humbling experience. / Fern: That's the simple side of it. The other side... well, it's simple, but feels idiotic to say. / Fern: He.. cut me apart. Dissected me. Like one of his dead animals. No anaesthetic, just tied, cut apart, pinned down, like a frog in a laboratory pan. I trusted him, that was what I received in return.
Grayling - Saturday, December 28, 2002 Fola: He's mad. / Fern: Heh. No kidding. If you haven't noticed, ALL of us are a little crazy. We try to keep it to ourselves...I think Cal has been trying to do that for quite some time, but he's failing. A bit fat lesson for us all. Well, anyway. I'm leaving now. / Fola: You're not staying for the weekend? / Fern: ...No..I changed my mind. This should give you all a good oppertunity to gossip, hmm? / Fern: So long, Viv. / Fern: Cal? I'm home. / ...what...the hell.. / Oh...god..Cal...
Grayling - Sunday, December 29, 2002 Fern: You know, most depressed people DON'T cut their hands and noses off when they feel down. They write bad poetry and wear black. But OH, not you, you just had to be a rebel. / Fern: *flop* / Fern:Why...why are you doing this to me...to yourself... / Fern: When did I go wrong...? I thought we were okay, Cal... / Fern: I didn't tell Fola the worst thing you do. / Fern: You ignore me. You're too busy talking to yourself. / Fern: Why...why Cal? Why won't you tell me what's wrong? / Fern: One way or another...I'll beat this.
Grayling - Monday, December 30, 2002 Rae: Cal? / Rae: You're angry and tired of me. Maybe...you're...even...with...HIM.... / Rae: And why not? Why talk to me when you have him? / Rae: *snrk* / Rae: Cal...please...talk to me...don't leave me locked alone in here.
Grayling - Tuesday, December 31, 2002 Cal: All right, all right. / I'm here. / Rae: Cal!!! You came! / Rae: ... / What took you so long? / Cal: I was asleep. I need..I need time to myself every day, Rae..please... / Rae: NO! You come when I WANT you to come. What sort of brother are you?! / Rae: You taught me you're supposed to sacrifice for the ones you love! / I don't have ANYthing in here! You're my only window to the world! / Cal: ...yes, yes, I did teach you that, didn't I. / Rae: If you don't start spending more ttime with me I'll send you nightmares again. Don't think I won't do it, either. / Cal: Alright...I'll stay...I'll tell you a story until you go to sleep, okay? / Rae: *purr* / Okay!
 
Grayling - Wednesday, January 1, 2003 Cal: I...I was wondering if I could...talk to you. / May I come in? / I...know it doesn't mean anything to you...after what I did. But I promise not to hurt you. / Fern: Fine. / Come on in--it's your house, after all.
Grayling - Thursday, January 2, 2003 Cal: Oh! I'm...I'm doing the wrong thing! Don't tell me..I remember what you told me... / Cal: It's rude to look at someone naked, right? Here is a towel. I promise not to look at you naked, even though I want to. Am I doing the right thing? / Fern: Yes, Cal. But you have got to be the craziest man I've ever met...you've already seen me naked on several occasions. You can't make up for that by being excessively polite now. / Cal: Well...I just want to make it up to you, Fern. / Fern: Hn...keep back. / Cal: Okay. / Fern: I see your nose and hand grew back. How's that wound on your chest? I put a bandage on it. / Fern: What's that from, anyway? / Cal: I...I did it to myself. A while ago. / Fern: You might want to stop that sometime, Cal. / Cal: I know...Fern? / Fern: I'm right here. / Cal: How...how do I make you feel good again? / Fern: I guess I would like to trust you again. That might make me happy. / But I have the feeling that's going to be difficult.
Grayling - Friday, January 3, 2003 Fern: Anyway. I don't know how I can trust you now that you can read everything in my head. / Cal: You're not a bad man, Fern...You have nothing to hide... / Why does this upset you so much? / Fern: Maybe I need the comfort of having these few inches of space inside my skull to myself, to work things out, to reason, to be ALONE to think...It's not about the CONTENT, it's the..the PRINCIPLE of the thing! / Cal: I don't understand what TROUBLES you, Fern! I found out, from making you an elemental, that you return my affections! How can that be a bad thing? Why did you keep it a secret, what could be the use of that? Let's just be HAPPY we're togther! / Fern: How dare you. / Fern: If you want a lesson, Cal, here's one. Don't PRESUME to tell ANYONE what their FEELINGS are. You TRESPASSED into a sacred space--yes, SACRED! I'm just just like any other person, and that means I have the RIGHT to my own THOUGHTS and FEELINGS. / I have the RIGHT to WORK OUT those feelings before CHOOSING to EXPRESS them on my own time, of my own WILL! How DARE you, Cal, how DARE you. / Cal: Fern... / Fern: Just...just don't talk to me. / / Author's Note: AUGHHH ANGST FROM LEFT FIELD
Grayling - Saturday, January 4, 2003 Cal: Don't walk away from me! / Cal: Why must you be so DIFFICULT?! Can't you see I'm TRYING to appease you? Doesn't that mean ANYTHING to you?! You're--you're such a MORTAL! / Fern: Maybe because I still WANT to be mortal. This WASN'T my choice, if you remember. I TOLD you what I wanted and you STABBED me in the BACK, Cal! You BETRAYED me! What'd I do to DESERVE that?! / Cal: BETRAYED?? I did the best I could under the circumstances. You seem unable to APPRECIATE that, you UNGRATEFUL little-- / Fern: Appreciate?? APPRECIATE? How can you use that word?! Why would I appreciate being played with like a toy?! You lured me into your den and tore me to pieces like an angler fish! And then you tell me you LIKE me? You want me to be HAPPY? What the HELL is wrong with you? / Cal: *SMACK* / Fern (narration): That's a thing you should understand about Cal. / Fern (narration): He looks weak. But get him pissed off enough, and he hits like a ton of bricks. / Cal: Now you listen to me, and listen good. I tried to do it your way, and it STILL wasn't enough to satisfy you. To be quite frank, I don't think you know what you want. / Cal: You BELONG to me. I OWN you. I'll do as I damn well please with you, and you'll take it and LIKE it. When I tell you to want me, you WILL want me. Now say it. Say "I want you, Cal." / Fern: FUCK you.
Grayling - Sunday, January 5, 2003 Cal: Say it. / Fern: No. / Cal: I'm giving you one more chance. / Fern: Go to hell.
 
Grayling - Monday, January 6, 2003 Fern: {thinking} You go to sleep, you wake up...You wander through a muddy haze... / I learned how good it was to forget. / How good it was... / Fern: Awwwgh. Fuck. I faint more often than a chick in a Victorian novel. My head hurts. / Smoke: You didn't faint. Cal gave you something to make you sleep while you healed. / Fern: How long have i been out? / Smoke: ...Several months. Cal wanted time. He's been holed up in his room, mostly. / Fern: Fuck. Now he just "turns me off" when he can't be bothered. / Smoke: Fern....I didn't have a choice. But I'm glad I'm your minion. / Fern: Oh criminy....you big furball...you were worried about me. / Fern: I'm sorry...I'm sorry about everything...c'mere. / Fern: What are we going to do, Smoke? I Just don't know.
Grayling - Tuesday, January 7, 2003 Fern: Smoke said you wanted to see me. / Cal: Yes...come in, please. / Hm, you've acquired quite a collection of books, Cal...Nice selection, I see... / Cal: Yes...I've been reading a lot. / Cal: I've also...been thinking quite a bit about what you said....About reading your thoughts...I think I've worked out a solution that will work for both of us... / Fern: So it took you how many months to work this out? And all the time, I was convienently bed ridden. How nice for you. / Cal: *sigh* I deserve your scorn. / But please, just hear me out.
Grayling - Wednesday, January 8, 2003 Fern: Okay. Fine. Shoot. / Cal: Well...to start off...Here's your crestil. / Fern: My crestil's a box? / Cal: No. It's the jewel inside. It still needs to be set in something....so you don't lose it. / Fern: A crestil, eh? / Cal: Once you get accustomed to it, you should be able to do a variety of interesting things with it...I've been using mine, and they work very well... / Fern: Gee, this should be even more fun for you then. You can maul me as much as you please and hey presto, I'm ready for another round a minute later. / Cal: ...If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were intentionally trying to provoke me to make me lose my temper again. / Fern: And why not? Seeing what your REAL opinion of me is, I need to figure out where I stand. I have every right to test the water. / Cal: I didn't ENJOY hurting you-- / Fern: You're a liar. Ugh. This is a waste of time. I'm out of here. / Cal: N..No Fern, please wait... / Fern: Don't TOUCH me! Don't EVER touch me again!
Grayling - Thursday, January 9, 2003 Fern: What am I doing? That's not what I want at all... / Cal: And here we are, I've spread the disease to you. I've made you afraid, as I am afraid. / Cal: It's never going to stop. I can't stop it from coming out. Every shred of my rationality screams whenever it takes a step...but I can't stop it. Can't stop it... / Fern: I--I want you to touch me, Cal....... / Cal: It's...it's too late, Fern. / Cal: Heh. Look..holding your crestil..you've already learned how to use it to shield your thoughts. You're such a bright creature, Fern.... / Fern: Why did you hurt me, Cal, why? Help me to understand! / Cal: I can't explain what I don't understand, either! / Fern: Try. For my sake, Cal, please, for my sanity. / Cal: Somebody hurt me...and I was weak, foolish enough to let it rot and fester...to let it pass through me unto others. I'm a coward, Fern. This was never your fault. / Cal: You're so perfect..Even your hatred...even your anger...it's as clean as warm rain. I want you to wash me clean with it.
Grayling - Friday, January 10, 2003 Fern: I hate you. I hate the control you have over me. It's not...it's not..... / Cal: Don't play tag anymore, Fern. I'm not mortal. You're proud. I can see that. The more you resist, the I'll want to crush you, when I only want to preserve you in the first place. / Cal: You're not mortal, either. / Cal: There's no need for these games anymore. / [Author's Note: WHERE DID I GET THIS DIALOGUE. THE GUTTER?]
 
Grayling - Saturday, January 11, 2003 Cal: Good morning. / You ARE awake, aren't you? / Fern: Mmmm. Depends. / Cal: I trust you slept well? / Fern: Mm hm. / Cal: Don't move. / I'll make the attempt and try to get some breakfast together. / Fern: Don't burn yourself. / Cal: Couldn't burn myself any worse that you did last night. / Fern: That was an accident! >_x / Cal: It's okay. I'm not hurt at all. It was more than worth it. >:3 / Fern: Heh. Smartass. / Cal: I'll be back! / Smoke: "OH! No, Lem, I couldn't! I'm not attracted to men!" / Fern: Isn't it time for your daily frolic in the traffic?
Grayling - Sunday, January 12, 2003 Fern: {Writing} Well. Contrary to what Arby has chosen to show you, 'mentals have rather boring lives most of the time. For a long time after this...we were happy. / Fern: I mean, of course, we had an occasional fight, but that's healthy in a realtionship. ..Like when he started inviting weird animals into the house and I woke up covered in nillits. Damnit, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Stupid nillits... / Let's stay on topic, Fern. / Fern: {Writing} Shut up! This is my monologue, isn't it? / Fern: {Writing} Where was I? Oh, right. For a long time, we were fine. The world had reached a plateau as far as we were concerned, so we were left in peace for once. I got a lot of reading done. / Cal: Fern, how long have you been reading like that? / Fern: Dunno. It just looks better far away. / Fern: {Writing} I was having a small problem reading, so we went to the optometrist... / Cal: Fern needs an eye exam. Do you have a chair with straps? / Optometrist: Uh, sure, right this way. / Fern: {Writing} Cal helped me choose some frames... / Cal: These are particularly shiny, Fern! They have rhinestones! / Cal: That wasn't so bad, was it? You look so pretty in your new glasses. / Fern: Hey, I can see better now..wha?! These things cost $400?! That's criminal!
Grayling - Monday, January 13, 2003 Cal: 7 am...Damnit. I told him I'd be back last night. / Cal: Lovely? Are you up? I'm home. / Fern: Mmhh...Cal..? It's morning... / Cal: Lem was being difficult all night. I'm sorry I didn't get back earlier. / Fern: S'okay....You're probably exhausted... / Cal: I'm all right. / Fern: I'll make some breakfast.
Grayling - Tuesday, January 14, 2003 Fern: What were you and Lem arguing about, anyway? / Cal: He objects to some of my present experiments. They're nothing big...but I'm working with artificial life, and he says that's outside my 'realm', so to speak. / Fern: I don't see how your experiments are any of his goddamn business. / Fern: He only does this to lord it over you and make himself feel important, and you inferior. You know and HE knows you could squish him like a bug. / Cal: I can't just...squish him like a bug, Fern. That's the point. I have to take some flak, all right? It's just how things are. It's not only about Lem and I, it's about the things he's created. They're people. They factor into the equation as much as we're unused to it... / Fern: It just pisses me off. He's such...such a worm. / Fern: He shouldn't be in charge of so many things. And you deserve a better sibling. / Cal: Now, don't speak that way. I appreciate your concern, Fern, but he's my little brother...I know him better than you do. I don't need a lawyer. I need you. So cheer up. I don't want to think about business all day. I'd much prefer to think about you. / Fern: Just think about me, hmmm? You can do a little more than that. / Cal: Of course! I plan to. / Fern: Don't get your hopes to high. I have a few chores to do today myself. Like brushing a certain melcey. Look who just woke up. / Cal: Lord, even his bedhair is an improvement over his usual appearance.
Grayling - Wednesday, January 15, 2003 Later-- / Smoke: Why the long face? / Fern: Had a little encounter with Lem yesterday. He said Cal will eventually get bored with me. I was just thinking about it. / Smoke: Perhaps he spoke out of jealousy? / Fern: Pfft, everything he does is out of jealousy. / Smoke: You don't sound very worried. / Fern: Not because I know he's lying--because I know it's the truth. / Fern: He is what he is. I'm not going to change that. / Fern: He'll probably lose interest. He'll get obsessed with some new thing, and I'll be less than an afterthought. / Fern: Maybe I'll lose interest. Maybe not. Maybe I'll always be waiting for him. It's worth it.
 
Grayling - Thursday, January 16, 2003 2 years later. / Fern: I wish you wouldn't work in bed. What is it? / Cal: Well.. you know how I gave Lem my experimental designs to shush him up a while ago? He's started to... build things he really shouldn't be. / Cal: There's just... a lot of trouble. I have a bad feeling. He's getting more and more aggressive, impulsive even. It's not like him. / Fern: You hadn't mentioned that in a while. I thought it was fine. / Cal: Sadly, no. / Fern: Cal... If he messes up his own world, it's his own fault. You're doing your job, right? / Cal: Yes.. but.. / Fern: You're overworking yourself. Relax! / Cal: You're making it very hard for me to concentrate, Fern. / Fern: Good! >:3 / Fern: I know you've been nervous lately... I've tried not to pick at it, but I'm worried about you. Do you have to hear me say it? All you needed to do was ask. / Fern: I love you. / Cal: I know.
Grayling - Friday, January 17, 2003 500 years later. / Viv: Hey, they have pool here. Let's scare the mortals away from a table, eh? / Fola: I'm not here to play a ridiculous game, Viv. / Viv: Well, okay. Just trying to get you to relax Fola-lola. / Fola: Don't call me that. I don't exactly have a lot of time, Lem is cracking down hard. We don't get much time to spend to ourselves. / It's amazing how this mess has escalated... / Cal and Lem have gotten to be so paranoid about each other, it's leaked down into the branches. It's reflected in everything we do. / Viv: Don't worry. It will pass. / Fola: That's what you said centuries agon, isn't that correct? / Viv: Yes... We're immortal for a reason, you know. / Viv: I could use a drink. / Fola: I tried to get a hold of Fern, but he couldn't slip away. This is insane. The way has got to stop, and SOON. / Resources are depleted, land on the southern continent has been rendered USELESS for habitation.. and all of these FREAKISH monsters are running amok. / Only seven civilians have been killed, through accidents, but that's seven too many if you ask me. Lem's influence over the people is on the edge of a razor. / What do you two want? / Viv: Good evening. Do you have breadsticks? / Waitress: Yes. And with all respect, Vivanerial, I wouldn't sleep with you if you were the last man on the planet. What else do you want? / Viv: .... I think they're figuring me out. / Fola: Ugh. My guess is they had YOU figured out quite a long time ago.
Grayling - Saturday, January 18, 2003 Viv: Though I sympathize with your Lem problems, Fola, I think we all need to worry about Fern at the moment. / Fola: Okay, we all know they have huge fights, but afterwards they boink like bunnyrabbits. I don't see what the problem there is. / Viv: Not anymore they don't. Cal is obsessed with this war... I doubt they've had a normal converstation since it started. We have the same problem with May and Lem, but they're not our lovers. / Viv: Lem wants to create a form of life that cannot die, but so far he's only been able to cheat death by sheer numbers. Faidia's become over-populated with his experiments. / Fola: I know, I know. That's what I said. / Fola: Whats that got to do with Fern? / Viv: He's the clean up crew. For BOTH of them. / Fola: Clean up crew? / Viv: Cal uses him to clean up the living. Lem uses him to clean up the dead.
Grayling - Sunday, January 19, 2003 Viv: As much as we scorn the mortals at times, they certainly can be strong when the desire takes them. Look at this city -- flattened, yet they continue as before, as though nothing as happened. / Fola: Look over there, Viv. / Fola: Is that thing still..active? / Viv: No..it ran out of fuel. That's the one that went berserk and annihilated the city.
Grayling - Monday, January 20, 2003 Rae: So? How does it feel? How does it feel to be ignored and forgotten, Fern? I /hate/ you. / Rae: If you think what we've done to you already was painful... just wait. / How I'd love to cut your pretty face into ribbons right now... / But I can't. I'm trapped in here. My claws are sheathed. / Rae: Slowly.. slowly. I can be very patient, Fern. I will hurt you in ways you didn't konw were possible. / Fern: Mmh.. Cal...? / Cal: Yes, darling. It's me. Time to get up.
 
Grayling - Tuesday, January 21, 2003 Fern: Cal.. I've only been asleep for an hour... can't I get a little more rest before going out again? / Cal: Fine. Lay in bed like the lazy, worthless bum you are. I'll do it myself. / Fern: Sheesh... Don't have a hissy fit, I'll do it, I'll do it... / What's the assignment? / Cal: I want you to find Kezper and call him away from his present mission. I need the both of you to work on the organized cleanup. / Fern: Just so you know, Cal... Last time I was out there I noticed that all of the troops look exactly the same whether they're Lemaneriallians or Callaneriallian. They're just randomly killing each other.. there's no way to tell them apart. / Cal: I'm already aware of this, it's why I'm sending you out there. You and Kezper need to destroy all the strutters you can find. When you're done, you're to deactivate Kezper. I don't want any left. / I'm growing sick of this sloppy game. I want it choked off.
Grayling - Wednesday, January 22, 2003 Kezper: Master Moranerial! What a pleasant surprise! I thought you were going to be away for awile. Why are you riding that horrible old thing? That model is outdated. / Fern: Hello, Kezper. / Fern: I didn't really have a choice, Kezper. This was one of the few still moving so I took it. Would you come down from there, please? I need to speak with you.
Grayling - Thursday, January 23, 2003 Kezper: Look, look Master Moranerial! Haven't I improved? I articulated a five-fingered hand at last! / Fern: Yes...very nice, Kezper. / Kezper: I really don't know why I had so much trouble before now it seems like second nature. Do I look better to you? Maybe I'll find a form of my own soon! But I need more materials. My joints are getting so stiff. Did Master Callanerial mention that he was going to repair me at all? I haven't seen him in so very long. / Fern:....I'm sorry, Kezper. Cal wants us to destroy the rest of the strutters. Then you're to be dismantled. / Kezper: Oh...Oh dear..Oh dear oh dear! This--this is not what--not--not what I expected! / This-- this is bad isn't it?! NO! What master wants can't be bad but.... / oh dear..
Grayling - Friday, January 24, 2003 Fern: I'm really sorry, Kezper. Please don't be upset. / Kezper: Er well it's not your fault, is it? I suppose. I think. Well, I just don't know anything anymore. / But he just--he just promised me..... / Fern: I think it's in his personality to NORMALLY keep his promises. But there's something wrong with him lately. Like he's pissed off with everything, especially me. He says all the things he used to... but he's almost sarcastic about it. Like I owe him something I'm not giving. Makes me feel like shit, really, but what am I s'posed to say when he hasn't really done anything? / Kezper: Perhaps talk to Viv? He understands relationships and all these other things better than I. / Pfff, yeah right. / Fern: I'd shrivel up and croak if Viv got wind of this. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing anymore. I kill people the way he wants me to, then he seems angry. / You and Smoke are the only people I feel comfortable talking to any more. And Smoke is always off someplace now. Seems like we're all "off" in more ways then one. / Kezper: Master will come back to us, he will. He just feels crazy right now, I feel crazy sometimes! I just kill somethings and then I feel better! / Fern: Kez, I appreciate your help...but...I don't think this "crazy" in Cal is just gonna go away. And frankly, I don't think my crazies are getting any better either. Fuck...I've got beaten housewife syndrome or something. How'd it come to this? / Kezper: Mewww.... / Fern: I'm just gonna try and figure out what's wrong once our job is done... I'll save your hard drive if I can, okay? Then maybe some day when he's not so angry we can get you running again. Just gimme some time, Kezper. I'll figure out something to make it better. / I'll say this--I'm not planning not to get into anymore relationships. / Guys are too fucking delicate and women have better things to do.
Grayling - Saturday, January 25, 2003 Fern (narration): I shouldn't have made such stupid promises. / Fern (narration): It was only a little while earlier he was making promises to save me. / Fern (narration): Kezper and I... there was nothing for us but these idiotic, empty words. / Fern (narration): Not something to linger on. / Fern (narration): I don't know exactly how long the war went on after that... It was a long time, at any rate. All I was aware of was feeling tired... sick of death, sick of it all. Sick of Remembering. / Fern (narration): All that's left of Kezper. / Fern (narration): Home is where when you knock, they have to let you in. / Fern (narration): At least that's what they say. / Fern (narration): For sinners, there's a different set of rules.
 

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