28-10-14 Out of print

[Shouri]

Strip! http://www.stickydillybuns.com/strips-sdb/out_of_print

[Spidrift]

Good; she washed her hair and changed her clothes before she rushed out. Lovely bit of Jung self-awareness in the first panel, too. ("I don't judge...") The interesting questions now are (a) does he start working on ways to put Ruby at her ease (repeat custom is repeat custom), and (b) where can he lay hands on a second-hand copy of the book, and what's it going to cost, in any and every sense?

("Actually, come to think of it, I think one of our staff ran off with the last copy. She may have finished with it by now..."?)

[themacnut]

Of course Zii is going to have the last copy. And extracting that copy from her (I use the word "extracting" deliberately) is most likely going to cost Ruby dearly, in time, money and effort. And of course, embarrassment. I can image Ruby finding the whole process just one long conga line of humiliation.

[Spidrift]

Honestly, while I find "Humiliate Ruby again" to be a lazy, rarely-funny plotting,* such an encounter between her and Zii could be worth it for the character interaction - and it does seem to have been set up by that throwaway strip at the gig. Did Ruby stick in Zii's memory? If so, what does Zii remember? Does she even think of Ruby as someone who Amber respects? How much will Ruby instinctively despise Zii? Would she be honest enough to admit to her interest in yaoi to someone who just talks about it as normal? And how will Zii handle a meeting with someone who's pretty much her diametrical opposite, at a time when her own approach to life doesn't seem to be working quite so well?


*Funnily enough, the last few Ruby strips haven't annoyed me so much. Ruby setting up her own embarrassments doesn't look like comedy bullying, and so long as she's somewhat in control of her own situation, she can actually learn things she really needs to know from the process.

[Hogan]

Cuteness... thy name is Ruby

[FlashD81]

Ruby is quite cute when she is flustered.

Still, I really like how Jung is working the situation. Getting to know the extent of Ruby's interest in order to see how much she is willing to replace the out of print book. It does seem that a meeting with Zii is going to happen, but how will Ruby react is the question. Also while she is here, if Jung is any good, he will point out that hey have a wide selection of Yaoi at the shop.

[brasca]

Since it's out of print it's not going to be easy to replace in one day otherwise she could probably get a second-hand copy online. I didn't think it would be since what would be the point of such a plot. Where this goes next is anybody's guess.

A sale is a sale so Jung might have something in stock, but it will be expensive so perhaps Ruby might get a job there to pay for it.

Or Zii would likely possess a copy and to get one from her has plenty of potential hijinks. In all likelihood Zii remembers her less than Ruby remembers her which could work in her favor since she'd likely be generous to Amber's kid sister. Seeing as how Ruby gets embarrassed and flustered more often without anyone's intention there's plenty of potential situations even if Zii is behaving herself. Seeing as how both the storyline in Menage a 3 and Sticky Dilly Buns takes place the day after the concert there's no time difference and it looks like Zii's preoccupation with Gary's inexplicable sex status may require an assistant who's an outsider.

Or this could go off in a completely different direction and we'll get to meet new characters.

[Spidrift]

We keep guessing that this scene will lead to an encounter between Ruby and Zii, and that is my best guess as to how Ruby can get hold of a copy of the book, but we have no proof yet. I'm sure that Ruby will want the book today, though, and I can't guess how else she can manage this.

Jung will have to be careful about pointing Ruby at the yaoi shelves; with her state of denial, she won't just walk over to them. But if she knows they're there, she'll contrive to end up on that side of the shop somehow.

And Ruby surely won't want Zii to recognise her in this situation; she's incredibly sensitive about maintaining her dignity in front of Amber, even by her standards (I guess it's the one advantage she thinks she's got), and she'd expect Zii to tell Amber about the encounter. Of course, to Zii, Ruby was a pre-pubescent kid on the edge of her vision ten years ago, so she might well not remember her face -- but Ruby would tend to assume the worst. If Zii does pick up on her face, or hear her surname, Ruby will probably beg her not to mention all this to Amber. (I would also love to see Zii convey to Ruby that Amber respects or is nervous of her intelligence - Ruby could use the reassurance - but that's a long shot. Still, she might say "Oh, you're Amber's smart sister" or something.)

I can't really see how Ruby could assist Zii with any issues regarding Gary - she wouldn't be happy with the subject - but I guess one never knows.

[brasca]

Neither do I, but if I had to guess as to what Zii is up to it's how to learn and imitate the swirly-go-round technique. Dillon isn't going to be much help, but perhaps if she spies on Gary she can learn the secret. This could require some assistance. Now I don't see Zii dolling up Ruby as bait since that could upset Amber, but she might need her in a some capacity that would still be embarrassing or tempting seeing as how Zii probably has a very extensive yaoi library of own. Just look at the influence she had on Amber. It's quite possible she'll give her copy to Ruby for a favor to be redeemed later since Zii would need a few days to plan something.

Quote removed. The DAMNed

[Spidrift]

Ruby is desperate, but not stupid, and she now knows that Zii is Amber's lesbian lover. She'd need to hemorrhage about thirty points of IQ before she'd accept a debt of an unspecified future service to Zii.

More likely we'll just get some mildly confused chat of some kind between Ruby and Zii, and a cash payment for the book. It's the details of that chat that could be interesting.

[Artemisia]

...anyone have a feeling that, in the end, Jung is going to end up hiring Ruby to help tackle the accounting?

Next question...anyone else feel like it's time Jung came out as asexual?

[Don Alexander]

Not me, for sure. Not everyone who isn't an immediate horndog is automatically asexual...

Anyway, I'm waiting for the moment when Ruby quietly goes fuck and implodes into a black hole due to all the surrounding pressure!

("Actually, come to think of it, I think one of our staff ran off with the last copy. She may have finished with it by now..."?)

But it will have a broken spine and be covered with lots of dried spots too (just not purple - we hope!).

[Artemisia]

Don...this is the Ma3verse...anyone who isn't horn dogging is almost automatically asexual...

[brasca]

or dead.

Ruby is desperate, but not stupid, and she now knows that Zii is Amber's lesbian lover. She'd need to hemorrhage about thirty points of IQ before she'd accept a debt of an unspecified future service to Zii.

What she's doing now is about 30 points shy of her normal IQ. She could order a replacement online and Dillon would be none the wiser in the meantime. Everyone is too absorbed with themselves to really be paying attention to what Ruby is doing. She could easily get away with it and even if Dillon noticed a book was missing he would probably assume Amber borrowed it. However, Ruby's weakness is her inability to recognize she has a healthy sexual appetite too and that others would somehow think differently of her if she did acknowledge it. As such she is going to far greater lengths than she should if she was thinking rationally. And because of that she just might agree to fulfill a favor asked by Zii only to stop and realize what she did 5 minutes later. I'm sure it's something she will dread every day until Zii asks her to return the favor.

[Spidrift]

But it will have a broken spine and be covered with lots of dried spots too (just not purple - we hope!).

Purple?

I'm obviously missing something here. But anyway, I thought that one advantage women had over men was that their used erotica didn't have to have all sorts of stains and sticky patches. Though I have heard horror stories from librarians about the state that "Your First Period" educational videos were returned in.

What she's doing now is about 30 points shy of her normal IQ.

Ruby's fabled IQ is sometimes visible, but she's often written as, well, not that bright; one must, shall we say, assume that her panic and confusion at the environment in which she finds herself combine with her emerging libido to stop her thinking clearly.

She could order a replacement online and Dillon would be none the wiser in the meantime.

She's very tidy-minded, an excruciatingly bad liar, and basically honest. She'd expect anyone to notice that a book was missing from their shelves (she certainly would), she knows that she couldn't hide what had happened if Dillon asked, and she'd feel bad about messing up his property even if she wasn't found out. She really needs that replacement straight away, to relieve the strain on her emotions and conscience.

Plus, she wants to know the ending of the story.

However, Ruby's weakness is her inability to recognize she has a healthy sexual appetite too and that others would somehow think differently of her if she did acknowledge it.

Remember that she defines herself as the opposite of Amber. I also get the impression that there was a bit of sisterly teasing before Amber left home, and because the relationship broke down, they've never renegotiated things to a more adult level. Ruby is worried that Amber will think that they have anything in common, especially anything to do with sex, and terrified of showing weakness.

Ruby's problems are quite strongly focused on Amber. She's uncomfortable when Dillon teases or embarrasses her, but she can live with that stuff; she didn't entirely mind wearing the Rudy disguise in front of him. But whenever Amber showed up, she fled in panic; she doesn't want Amber knowing about that. That family relationship has really gone quite toxic.

As such she is going to far greater lengths than she should if she was thinking rationally. And because of that she just might agree to fulfill a favor asked by Zii only to stop and realize what she did 5 minutes later. I'm sure it's something she will dread every day until Zii asks her to return the favor.

It's just too complex, and runs too much risk of Amber finding stuff out. Zii wouldn't know it, but if she should want a favour from Ruby, all she'd have to do is threaten to mention the book to Amber.