The Nick wrote:mikbuster wrote:Nick, that scenario eliminates all negative connotations, making it highly inaccurate. It is strongly implied by the part about a stray memory not being able to do that that she was stuck there. Melissa has repeatedly said she's not interested in Faith, so being naked in a pool with her probably wasn't high on her list of things she wanted. During combat not everything goes. If you gas a city of innocent people just to kill a handful of rebels, that's a war crime.
We're not talking about combat. We're talking about a sparring match.
Actually, what was going on was specifically described as being combat quiz against espers; as it was
combat day, after all.
So really, the battle should have ended after Faith knocked Melissa unconscious. Instead, Faith took advantage of the situation and attempted to seduce Melissa in a dream; where her inhibitions were down (if a person was drinking heavily, their inhibitions are down. If someone takes advantage of someone in that state, it's wrong. So, why would what Faith was trying to do in this case be any different from that?)
The Nick wrote:What Faith is doing are mind-games at best. Furthermore, you can't prove that the 'stray memory implication' is actually saying she's stuck there. After all, nothing is forced.
Then why would Faith be bothered by the fact that a rogue memory severed her connection to Melissa's mind? It pretty much hints that if Fade Out Girl had never appeared, Melissa would have been stuck there until she admitted her envy/love for Faith (and given the place they were at and how Faith was caressing her? Probably more). Given Faith's earlier behavior towards Melissa in the waking world, it would be ridiculous to think that's not one of the things she was aiming for with this dream setting of hers.
The Nick wrote:Theoretically, Faith could have done the same thing if the fight was in private where nobody was about (like the private hot springs she apparently has access to). If Melissa had stuttered and not answered immediately there while still having the ability to leave or run away or even just say no, people would STILL say it was a Faith rape-attempt despite the fact that she just asked a question and Melissa (who was only given a fraction of a moment to answer it and not nearly enough time to give a complex answer yet alone a complete sentence) didn't even answer.
Big difference being that they would be awake - not to mention Melissa wouldn't be caught dead being alone with Faith in the hotsprings, let alone naked with her and in such close proximity of one another, and would most certainly be able to speak her mind far easier than she had in the dreamscape, where she was clearly mesmerized by the scenery Faith presented her.
Faith says as such herself - dreams work differently than the real world. Doesn't help that a psychic esper with the nasty habit of tweaking the surroundings into her own image created the surroundings, which an unconscious mind would have far less of a chance resisting the influences it presents than a conscious mind would in the waking world (it explains how Melissa could shoot Faith's advances down repeated in the real world, but be a stuttering moron in an unconscious state).
The Nick wrote:It seems heavily implied to me that the accusations made by Faith are true - Melissa wants power and likes people who have it. This is what her character has always been about and Faith (whether she admits it or not) represents the apex of her desires, to be the real queen of the school
In the beginning, maybe - she has since
abandoned this desire to be better than Faith, as she finds there are more important things in life than popularity (even though she doesn't like to admit it; as it took Tandy's truth massage to get that out of her).
The Nick wrote:David Johnston wrote:I only say partial because groping your opponent in the middle of combat under the assumption that she'll just forget about the fight and start making out with you is not at all Marquis of Queensbery approved.
Heh, true, true, but neither is INFINITE PUPPIES, summoning a BEAR to maul living breathing people, or breaking arms because you got caught.
At least there were witnesses to these events, and someone there to put a stop to it if things got out of hand. In Faith's dream seduction, it took a rogue memory to put a stop to things, which Faith clearly wasn't expecting.
Please, don't come to me expecting me to fix your problems.