recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
207:Flagpole

## Author Notes

Rudy is put in one hell of a pickle here. The LAST thing he’d want to do is persuade someone to deny their true feelings. Mind you, he doesn’t know Drew that well and realistically can’t be sure whether or not he really is gay. But he doesn’t want to take the risk of actually trying to talk him out of being gay if he really is. It would, after all, go against everything Rudy stands for.

But what can he really do? His new “straight guy” role is still new and delicate, and most other courses of action have too much risk (not just for him, but also for Rain).

## Transcript

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## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
242:Aiken

## Author Notes

So, we skip ahead to the next day, not really clear on Rain’s decision. Regardless, the weekend arrives and so does Aiken. A~aaaand he doesn’t seem like such a bad guy?

Special note goes to the last two panels: Aunt Fara apparently likes to bicker with all the Flaherty siblings. ^\_^

## Transcript

Dec. 22nd - saturday

Knock Knock

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Aiken/Jessica
* Ryan
368:Appointment

## Author Notes

Initially, I was considering having Rain’s first appointment still be a long ways away. I changed it later to that particular date (which is only like a week away canonically) when I realized she was looking into therapy around the same time I was (albeit, not the same year). January 10th, 2012 was MY first therapy appointment, so I thought it might be fun if hers was January 10th, 2013. This decision is purely based around sentimentality, but as you might imagine, I really like it. ^\_^

Speaking of changes, these pages represent a change in time frame. Initially, I was going to have Jessica call Fara at work to name the date of the appointment (followed by Fara’s heartfelt “thank you and I owe you” line). I like this better though. It’s sort of a weird way to close the chapter, but I think it’s fairly sweet. Not to mention, I liked the idea of hanging this date in the air until the end of the chapter.

Also, just as a reminder, there will be a two week hiatus before we jump into Chapter 16. I’m just as bummed about this as you are. However, I’m behind on a lot of things, so let’s just say this hiatus will be no vacation for me. Chapter 16 will begin on **Wednesday, July 17th** regardless of everything else, so let’s hope it’s a productive couple of weeks.

## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
126:Brother's Keeper

## Author Notes

Rudy really seems to be rather level-headed about the abuse he’s received. But he also knows that if Maria gets involved, like Gavin said, she probably WILL end this Todd guy.

She has a name though now…

Food for thought: Is Maria doing the right thing by protecting her brother against his wishes, or should she back off? If you were in Maria’s shoes, how would you handle this situation?

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Todd Bittner
* Bullying
* Emily's Party
322:BS

## Author Notes

Is Maria being rude? You betcha. But if she does indeed have some kind of terrible past conflict with Emily, can you really blame her? “Forgive and forget” is a nice sentiment, but it’s not always that easy.

And what about Emily? People don’t *normally* change so quickly. That said, in all fairness, she’s been going through kind of a lot lately. Maybe it did cause some kind of epiphany for her. Or maybe Maria’s right, and she’s really just some conniving bitch looking for payback over arbitrary and petty things.

I wonder what happened between those two…

## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Emily's Halloween Party
* Rain's new years party
* Emily/Chase
* Emily's Home Life
* Emily and Maria's past
111:Phase 1

## Author Notes

I’ve said once before that back in my high school days, these would be the kinds of girls I would avoid like the plague. And yet, as far as this comic is concerned, I love working with them so much. I just love the dynamic, I think.

If you’re scratching your head about the “perfect year” thing, this is the first time I’m mentioning it. There will be more details on it later, although it probably doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out what it means.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Emily's Halloween party
* Emily's opinion or Rain
* Maria/Gavin/Rain
143:Pick Up Line

## Author Notes

This is also based (loosely) on actual events. About six years ago, before coming out to my friends, I went as a “girl” for Halloween (to test the waters and see how accepting they’d be). Apparently, I passed so well, that a friend of mine didn’t even recognize me and proceeded to flirt unknowingly. Though I was certainly flattered and pleased to know I passed so well, I felt obligated to kind of point out who I was to him. I probably COULD have played along for a little while, but was afraid that might turn sour later if I did.

To this day, that remains one of my more interesting trans experiences…

## Transcript

Aidyn and Madison are shocked. Rudy looks sly.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Ruby
* Drew's sexual orientation
159:Male Bonding

## Author Notes

Boy, Maria’s on a roll tonight…

I’d like to make it abundantly clear that I do NOT necessarily support underage drinking. That said, it would be simply ignorant on my part if I pretended teenagers never get their hands on alcohol. I’ve been a teenager and I’ve been to parties; I know how it works. I didn’t start drinking until I was 21 though (and yes, I really did wait). So if you’re under 21 (or whatever the legal drinking age is for your country), try to be good, please. In the very least, be responsible about it.

BUT! Alcohol was probably the only thing that could complicate Rain’s night further... so of course I was going to include it in this arc.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
105:Candid

## Author Notes

Kylie and Rain meet for the first time! Go figure that neither one can read the other…

I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that Kylie does not speak in italics. By the laws of this comic, that does indeed mean that he is using his natural voice. Though it’s difficult to convey in comic form, I envision Kylie having a relatively androgynous voice - something that would sound more or less acceptable regardless of what gender he was presenting himself as. I know; kinda convenient, right?

The candid photo of Fara and Heather is intentionally blurry and pixely, by the way. That’s about as good as any picture I’ve taken with my phone has ever looked, so it feels right to me. I’m sure some phones have really good cameras that take crystal clear pictures nowadays, but I’m opting to leave it looking like that on the grounds that I’d rather it be discernibly different from the non-photo images.

And yes, there is a non blurry version, but no, don’t ask for it. :P

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topic

* Ky/Rain
* Fara's drinking
* Hangovers
* Fara/Heather
198:Lewd Conduct

## Author Notes

Actually, both pages could probably stand alone, but I didn’t feel like dragging out the scene too long. Hence, a twofer. ^\_^

And yet, there’s almost so much going on that I don’t know what to say. Your thoughts?

## Transcript

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## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
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* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
27:Evil Incarnate

## Synopsis

Maria asks Rain how she plans to deal with gym class. Maria's concern is that in the (rather revealing) gym uniforms, Rain will be exposed as Transgender.

Rain replies that there is no need to worry, as Fara, when enrolling Rain, claimed she had asthma and was thus unable to participate in gym class. Rain would be taking a study hall instead.

The conversation then turns to Father Quenton Morrison. He has a reputation for cruelty among the students, but Maria reassures Rain that 'I doubt he would REALLY go out of his way to cause trouble for the students'.

....Cut to Morrison telephoning the gym teacher and ordering Rain to be put in the gym class, brushing off the concerns about asthma with 'she should have an inhaler'.

## Author Notes

Fun fact: I was originally going to keep gym class out of this story altogether. My line thinking was, “I’ll just come up with some excuse, because getting Rain through gym undetected would probably make things so much harder for her.” My first - and only halfway decent - excuse was to give Rain asthma. But then, I asked someone who had asthma if that was plausible, and she said, “maybe if it’s REALLY bad. I still went to and enjoyed gym class.”

Well…

But it was after that that I sort of realized I was just trying to avoid this whole thing out of laziness. So, I told myself to get over it. I’m going all out with every other aspect of the story, why get lazy about THIS of all things? Hence as a result, I actually kept Rain being asthmatic and am still making her take gym class. And heck, this page as a whole is sort of me poking fun at myself for trying to cop out of potentially good drama - trying SO hard to get out of it to have my best idea shot down in seconds.

That’ll learn me to try and be lame like that. ^^;

## Transcript

Template:Talk/Father Quenton
Template:Talk/Father Quenton
Template:Talk/Father Quenton
Template:Talk/Father Quenton

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Transgender
* Passing
* Gym
145:Question

## Author Notes

Ah. Everyone loves a good old fashioned spit take, right? Except maybe Randy, anyway.

Plus, now we have two major conflicts on the rise. Maria is on a mission, and even her adoration for Rain isn’t going to distract her right now. And Kylie has just directly confronted Rain thanks to the whole “Ruby” situation. What WILL happen next?

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
320:Guilty

## Author Notes

I drew these pages a few weeks ago, and looking back, I’m not entirely sure why I decided to make them a dual-page update. Both of them do kind of stand well enough on their own. But whatevs, I don’t think anyone is going to complain about moving the story along. ^\_^

So yeah, meanwhile almost immediately after Fara walks off with Jessica, there’s another visitor. And… then another. XD

What about you folks? If you were Rain, would you let her in? I mean, this visitor IS you friend but your other friends clearly don’t get along well with her. And for the fun of it, would you still tip the pizza delivery guy? XD

## Transcript

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## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
362:Doll

## Author Notes

Well, that was a short overall interaction, but in the last couple pages, our January Girl’s talked about herself a fair bit. Just what kind of person is Ana, I wonder? DOES Rain indeed have a crush on her? For that matter, does Drew? What is this page telling us about him (apart from that he’s extremely gullible).

In case it wasn’t clear, Ana leaves by passing behind Gavin. And then Drew runs up from behind Maria. In the final panel, Maria’s pointing back behind her, directing Drew back the way he came to get him off Ana’s case. I’m not keen on spelling that out, but I wasn’t feeling confident in terms of clarity. Better safe than sorry, I guess. ^^;

## Transcript

*This article needs transcripts. If you need help transcripting a guide is here*
## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
131:Picked Out

## Author Notes

So, is it driving you all nuts yet how hardcore I am about keeping these costumes a secret?

Anyway, it’ll only be a little longer before the truth is revealed… ^\_^

## Transcript

*This article needs transcripts. If you need help transcripting a guide is here*
## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
28:Phone Call

## Author Notes

So. Be honest. How many of you forgot that Rain is the youngest of three?

1: Prologue 1

Introducing Rain’s older sister, Kellen (and vaguely mentioning Rain’s older brother, Aiken). I don’t feel inclined to describe her too much; I’d MUCH rather hear what you guys think about her so far. I mean, obviously, not much has been done with her yet, but a lot of really important dialogue has been spoken in this page (some parts much more subtle than others). ^\_^

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Flaherty Family
* Phone calls
104:Hungover

## Author Notes

This was all discussed a while ago, if you recall - [link]
Of course, this little revelation hasn't necessarily LOCATED him, but I guess it can be confirmed that he's not dead in a gutter somewhere or something.

And eHEARTyou.com is a parody of eHarmony, in case you didn’t catch on. Dumbest name for something I think I’ve ever come up with. Incidentally, that was actually what made it the optimal choice. ^\_^

P.G. Stanton meanwhile is reference to an old work of mine that's both a long and fairly uninteresting story. I suppose I could have just made some play on the ACTUAL eHarmony guy's name, but I didn't have access to the internet the day I made the page and was too lazy to change it later. In the long run, it really doesn't matter though. He's not a significant character; you'll likely never see him again.

Jessica, however... I changed her name probably a dozen times over the past few months that I've planning this page for. Up to and including about ten minutes ago. I guess I'm stuck with Jessica now.

In closing, hungover Fara and Heather amuses me. Totally nonchalant and unsympathetic Kylie amuses me more. ^\_^

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* eHEARTyou.com
* Aiken/Jessica
153:Mingling

## Author Notes

This page is really just mutt of conversations all going on at once among a group of people you probably wouldn’t expect to interact with each other. You know, like this taking place at some party or something. Oh, wait… XD

Also, this Todd-situation isn’t new, but it IS the first time we’ve actually seen him… outside of a flashback anyway. (first panel, here - 40:Not So Secret)

Still, you should probably reread Chapter 5 if you don’t remember specifically why Maria wants to talk to this Todd person.

## Transcript

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## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
417:Carmen

## Author Notes

In case it wasn’t clear, the idea is the Carmen is being referred to her by her birth name because it’s the name she used when signing up for the place. Surely, after this first visit for her, she might use her chosen name a bit more passionately. ^\_^ And I urge everyone to follow Jessica’s advice. They’re words I live by personally, and I think it’s totally worth passing on.

This interaction with little Carmen allowed me to cover some important things I wanted to discuss, and possibly offered a bit of development for Rain herself. Sadly, we won’t very likely be seeing much more of her.

At least, not in this story… ;)

## Transcript

*This article needs transcripts. If you need help transcripting a guide is here*
## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
216:Break Up

## Author Notes

Maria has had an unusually small role in this chapter, only appearing on a handful of pages. But the general consensus is that she’s been kind of a jerk lately. Personally, I feel like people are judging too harshly. I mean, yeah, she IS being kind of a jerk… but I think the vast majority of people, whether you admit it or not, would be acting the exact same way in her situation. At least, that’s my humble opinion.

That said, although we haven’t seen much of her lately, she’s had a week to think about things. Her conclusion can be somewhat surprising though (especially to Gavin). I mean, is she serious this time? And what would that mean for her if she was? And what the hell is she going to show Gavin…?

As a little heads up, the next update is the final page of the chapter. Following that, there will be a hiatus, but I do not know how long it will be at this time. You may or may not know I’m experiencing some technical difficulties lately, rendering me incapable of drawing at the moment. I am working to resolve this as quickly as possible, but please bear with me until then.

## Transcript

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## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
146:Slip Up

## Author Notes

Whoops. Did Rain just forget who she was talking to?

That is an entirely possible mistake, by the way. On my 22nd birthday (the first one after I came out to MOST of my friends), I invited everyone over for a barbeque at my place. I had a lot of friends and was pretty sure I told everyone at that time, but when I came out in a pretty dress there was one guy who damn near went into shock and demanded, “What in the hell are you wearing!?” Completely forgot to tell him, and that was a heck of a way to come out (made the day pretty awkward for a while too).

Interestingly, being trans was never a possibility that crossed his mind until he was told either. This kinda leads to the second point where Rain runs off without explaining her strange comment, and Kylie not totally getting it. It’s clear that something is up, but what, he couldn’t say. And this is very frustrating.

On a side note, although Randy was kind of a bystander through that little exchange, it’s hard to say whether or not he was actually paying attention or not. The poor guy was probably too focused on the big wet soda stain he’s going to have to deal with ALL NIGHT LONG.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
371:Smiling

## Author Notes

Oh, Rain. Poor kid just can’t catch a break. Thank god for that conveniently located bathroom, at least. XD

Ana’s utter innocence to the situation just makes it all the more awkward and amusing, in my opinion. I wouldn’t call her a ditz or anything, but she CLEARLY has no idea what kind of affect she has on Rain.

## Transcript

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## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
367:Dinner

## Author Notes

While we all know how much Rain loves having Jessica around, you have to imagine another boisterous personality at home makes expressing herself that much more difficult. You see, “I have a double date this weekend” seems to be all Rain could get out before Fara and Jessica ran with it. Said statement may have been proceeded by “but my boyfriend and I seem to be having some issues”. Or even “and I think I might have a crush on a girl”. Being the quiet one in my social groups, I feel her pain. It becomes a matter of waiting for that lull so you can throw in the new topic. In this case: the therapist.

Next update will be the last for the chapter. And then a two week hiatus. I know you don’t want to hear that because honestly, I don’t want to DO it. However, I’m behind on a lot of things. Let’s just say this hiatus will be no vacation for me. Chapter 16 will begin on **Wednesday, July 17th** regardless of everything else, so let’s hope it’s a productive couple of weeks.

## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
218:Disturbance

## Author Notes

Brother Arthur’s doubt isn’t just him simply being an questioning authority figure. If we’ve learned anything from the last chapter, it’s that he’s an extremely understanding individual. However, as the author of this comic, I’ll be the first to admit that two siblings both being gay is fairly unlikely. It’s not impossible, I know, but the statistical likelihood is actually quite slim. From his perspective, Maria being a lesbian (especially when she’s been “going out” with a guy like Gavin for almost two years), is almost completely implausible to him.

The choice words he refers to at the end, are of course, “flaming dyke”. Technically, that’s a derogatory term for a lesbian. The irony is that in this environment, it’s frowned upon to be gay, but you still can’t go around potentially offending people who might be with that language (or offending people who have no reason to be offended by that language). Yes, it’s ridiculous, but yes, I can vouch for the realism on this account.

## Transcript

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## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
245:Too Funny

## Author Notes

The obvious(?) next step to getting our latest hijinks underway. Lots of you guessed this one. Normally, I might be troubled by so many people predicting the next thing, but I was honestly kinda looking forward to this, so hearing so many other people were thinking in this direction made me pretty happy actually. ^\_^

And for everyone thinking this plan is ridiculous and will never work, we have Gavin playing the role as the ignored voice of reason...

Of particular note: Maria and Chanel at the movies? If you remember a few weeks back, I opened up about how Chanel’s involvement in the story was… kind of accidental, so I had to make up a lot of Chapter 10 literally as I went. To that end, my outline of Chapter 11 wasn’t really prepared to include her either. On an unrelated note, Maria didn’t play a major contributing role in the chapter either. As a result, I decided to kind of name a diversionary excuse for these two to not be present for a while. They’ll be back in Chapter 12, I promise. ^\_^

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Ruby
* Aiken
* Rain and Aiken's relationship
* Homophobia
* Transphobia
* Maria/Chanel
311:Loose End

## Author Notes

Okay, so this is the REAL last page of the chapter. I just wanted to make sure Kellen was addressed before moving on (more for the sake of her whereabouts than anything), since she was absent throughout this entire chapter. But for how little resolution we actually get, there are some interesting things to learn here (mostly within the first two panels).

The fourth panel was a last minute change too. Originally, I was considering dragging things out with Rain’s family – essentially having Rain face her sister in a different chapter later on. But besides feeling redundant, it just didn’t feel possible for Kellen to NOT find out sooner or later at this point. Plus, I feel like it would be pretty foolish for Rain to repeat the same course of events that clearly didn’t work for her once.

So, opinion time: Based on what we know about Kellen, how do we think she’ll react to this?

## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
122:The G Word

## Author Notes

Although any LGBT kid probably wishes they had Aunt Fara for a parent, the fact is that most of us are stuck with ones like Mr. and Mrs. Strongwell here. Honestly, even as fictional characters I’d created to play the of role of unaccepting parents, they still frustrate the hell out of me. I just can’t figure out which would be harder to deal with: their overcritical father or their ignorant mother.

Rudy displays a rare moment of weakness here. And yes, it’s not over getting beat up. It’s the fact that not only did he not get an invitation to the party, he didn’t even know about it until Gavin brought it up to him. Surely his parents aren’t helping either (at least Maria tries to help). Some readers might find this strange and that he has his priorities mixed up. Not so much. Rudy’s just the type that has an easier time dealing with physical pain than emotional pain. Neglect and feeling outcast can be especially damaging to a teenager.

But is it really just a case of kids being uncomfortable with him like his dad implies? Or was Emily and her posse just unable to find him when they were passing out flyers.

On a lighter artistic note, yes, I am very much aware that the table is oddly tall. I didn’t notice how much until I actually colored it. I do plan on fixing it, but not just now.

Also, I originally planned to have a field day with the newspaper their father is reading, but space constraints did not allow it. I wanted to sneak in the reference headline: "Mysterious department store blackout caused by mouse." just to see how many people would get it. Not that it bears any significance to the story; I just like making references. ;P

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
151:Fashionably Late

## Author Notes

I want you all to know I was WAY too proud of this page’s title. Just try to imagine me patting myself on the back to get the maximum satisfaction from your inevitable facepalm.

Anyway, it’s worth noting that we’re about 17 pages into this chapter, and this is the first appearance of Emily’s lackeys, Debbie and Holly. This was actually accidental. Even when I was writing the script, it dawned on me that I’d gotten pretty far into the chapter and two of the more important secondary characters still hadn’t made an appearance. Do I go back and squeeze them in though? Pfft, no! I run with it! Someone’s ALWAYS late to the party. Always!

Also, Debbie’s situation with her misinterpreted costume is inspired by yet another real life Halloween event. The year I went as a dark angel like Rain (two years ago, I think), the party was filled with a lot of people I didn’t know. One such miscellaneous person started making a big deal over the fact that there was a “tranny” at the party. I freaked a little; they had to be talking about me. But then people walked right by me to a genetic woman who happened to be very tall and broad-shouldered and dressed as a flapper. I felt bad for her, ‘cause she was pissed (quite reasonably, I’d say). Yet, I take my victories where I can, and I do think it’s kind of hilarious that even with the idea that there’s a tranny at the party, I wasn’t the first one suspected… actually, I wasn’t suspected at all. ^\_^

So, Rain’s kind of the middle of this little story, simply overhearing one of many keywords that could make her night any worse than it already is. But let’s be honest; isn’t there someone else at this party a bit more fitting of the term “dragqueen”…? ;P

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
315:Wanton Destruction

## Author Notes

Little art notes: the thing in Maria’s hand is her obnoxiously blue phone. Nobody wears watches these days; they just check their phones. And I don’t know why I never notice these things when I’m drawing them, but Kylie really should be a little taller. He’s short, but should still probably be higher above Chanel’s head.

Beyond that, pretty simple page as we see the characters bantering about what it is they’re going to do all night. After all, we’re looking at a pretty diverse group of teenagers here. Entertaining EVERYONE won’t be as easy setting a third of the group to play an 8-bit game. How do we entertain them all? Incidentally, most of the parties I was part of in my teenage years DID revolve around video games (with one or two people playing, and everyone else watching). That won’t be the direction we go here though, because I didn’t feel it’d make for an interesting chapter. After all, it’s more important that I entertain you the readers, than the characters themselves. XD

So what kind of ~~wanton destruction~~ entertaining things do you folks do at parties?

## Transcript

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## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
393:Special Relationship

## Author Notes

As with the last page, that’s probably not the nicest term Rudy could’ve used, but this IS still Rudy we’re talking about here. I would argue that it should be pretty obvious he meant no offense, and that it’s really pretty typical of him by this point.

And with that, I will just say this to make sure we’re all on the same page here: RuIn is done. Fortunately, it seems they will remain friends. They are not dating anymore though. This pairing has been met with MANY conflicting opinions from readers for the past year and a half since I put them together, but now that it's over, where do you stand? How do you feel? Could this have been saved? Should it have?

Thoughts, feelings, celebratory cheers, new ships, predictions, objections, and/or retroactive predictions that you saw this coming all along are ALL welcome.

## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
35:Girls

## Author Notes

Gavin is stomping angrily in your direction. Should you be worried? Y/N?

Much like the boys of the previous page, the other female classmates have not been formally named in canon yet, so once again to make things for you:
The freckly-faced redhead is Holly.
The plump, spectacled girl is Debbie.
And the snobby blonde ringleader (who actually HAS been named) is Emily.

It’s funny, because these are the kinds of girls I would’ve HATED in my high school days… and yet, I had so much fun with this page. I would even go so far as to say I regret not having had more opportunities to work with them quite yet (and the boys too, actually).

Sigh… Leave it to me to get attached to my supporting cast.

And yes. FaceSpace. It’s an exceedingly popular social networking site among teens… and practically everyone else too. What? Were you thinking it was called something else? I’ve mentioned this once before, but there is no actual product placement in this comic. That said, I’m all for parodies. ^\_^

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Gavin/Maria
* Relationships
386:Totally Beautiful

## Author Notes

A lot of people were taking the running gag with Jessica’s name personally. And I totally get their reasons. To be honest, it was going to become far less frequent after this page anyway. But the final panel was changed after the small uproar I received earlier into something a fair bit more conclusive. I just needed to close things in a way that felt in character to both of them. So, no more bad blood. ^\_^

Plus, I had to use “that name” at least once. I **HAD** to.

## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
409:A Bit of a Moment

## Author Notes

Rudy MIGHT just be taking the breakup harder than he himself realizes.

The big question here is: did Drew deserve that? Could it possibly help clear things up or put things into perspective for him? Or will this only serve to make things worse?

## Transcript

*This article needs transcripts. If you need help transcripting a guide is here*
## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
Война Глубин

Это статья - недостаб. В ней почти нет информации. Если вас интересует данная статья, то спросите главного автора - Теоса Мегалиона.

Война Глубин - это четырнадцатая крупная война в истории Идеального Мира, которая велась между Империей Центросферы и Империей Глубин. Это была долгая и трудная, которая закончилась разгромом Империи Глубин. В конце войны Хайт также убивает Маску, и империи Центросферы начинает стремительно распадаться.
36:Making a Scene

## Author Notes

And the day is saved by… Mrs. Parker…?

(I’d like to just point out that the boys would have their own gym teacher, as the boys and girls would naturally be separated during this class. Incidentally, I didn’t think of anyone for that role yet though, so we’re just going to pretend he’s really late for whatever reason. In this case, Mrs. Parker has every right to yell at even the boys to return order… and apparently pelt people with basketballs? Well, that might just be her getting aggressive as things continue to blow up in her face throughout the day...)

Anyway, that could have gone a lot better. I mean, I guess it COULD have been a lot worse too. Like, a LOT. But it still wasn’t an ideal scenario. I rather feel bad for Rain.

I think the harshest part about all of this is that Gavin isn’t actually trying to be a jerk. It might be a little unclear WHAT he’s trying to do right now, but he’s not trying to be a jerk. Do keep in mind that if he was, he really could’ve outed Rain at any time… so why doesn’t he? Food for thought?

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
41:Smokescreen

## Author Notes

End flashback sequence. ^\_^

To be fair, some of you have correctly predicted the reason for Maria and Gavin’s “relationship”. Others of you, probably just read the character bios. The rest of you might be surprised… or not? It’s not exactly the most complex logic ever…

Artistic notes: the first panel was a bitch to draw (and I’m still not totally happy with it), but I’m generally pleased with it. Also, I really like drawing Debbie (the spectacled girl in panel 3) for some reason; I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think it’s just that she’s so different from the other characters in design, that it makes her fun to draw. The second to last panel is also quite noteworthy. The “Maria Raspberry” and especially the “Happy Gavin” faces crack me up.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* beard
* Maria/Gavin
* Rudy's gossipness
196:Abnormal Feelings

## Author Notes

Kylie may have figured something out. I think he may be a bit offended that Rain’s not just admitting it…

Food for thought: Do you think Rain is just playing dumb to keep her secret safe, or is she oblivious to Kylie’s suggestion, situation, and practically everything else?

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
170:Selective Hearing

## Author Notes

I technically have a lot to say about this page, but I’m having trouble putting it into words without directly giving anything away. Please feel free to express your thoughts as you see fit though. ^\_^

Finally, we get hints about Maria and Rudy for the first time this chapter. Do we dread to know what’s going on in that household… or are we eager to see? ;)

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
113:Everyone

## Author Notes

Oh, man. This page was so much fun. ^\_^

Just a friendly reminder on the color scheme for the uniform collars:
Red - Freshman (9th grade)
Orange - Sophomore (10th grade)
Green - Junior (11th grade)
Blue - Senior (12th grade)

Up until now, you’ve usually only seen blue (with the exception of Rudy who is indeed supposed to be younger than the other main characters), because most of the cast is composed of seniors. There really hasn’t been much need for anyone else just yet. Until now, apparently.

Final note: costume theories anyone? Remember, I won’t be doing any copyright characters though.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Emily's Halloween party
* lesbian
* Maria's orientation
127:Pig Latin

## Author Notes

Man, Rudy’s just batting a thousand these days… -\_-

Anyway, we jump ahead a little bit to the weekend (they really are going to this party eventually, I swear!) as Kylie at last meets the group for costume shopping, just as Rain promised. As per usual though, things take no time in getting awkward.

This might sound strange, but I like this page a LOT simply because this is the first time we really see the four main characters hanging out together as friends… and well, Kylie who’s coming to the forefront more than even I initially expected.

The joke here was actually kind of haphazard. In my head, I imagined Rain trying to beat around the bush with Pig Latin, just in case Kylie was trying to overhear (not that anyone’s ever been fooled by Pig Latin). It was a funny coincidence that I didn’t anticipate that it came out with the word “gay” tacked on at the end. So, this actually worked better as a joke because it worked worse as a concealment plan. Hell, I can’t even remember the original punchline anymore. I love it when things accidentally work out like that. ^\_^

As a final note, just in case not everyone’s familiar with Pig Latin - Pig latin

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
212:Test

## Author Notes

That little shove being promises of Kaminari-related fangirling, of course. ^\_^

And for the record, it’s hard to read, but the grade is a 71 (out of 100). I don’t know how schools in other countries - or perhaps even other states - handle grading, but in my experience in a high school setting, anything below 65 is failing. Hence, it’s not really a fantastic grade at all. But if everything up to that point has been failure, then yeah, it DOES show improvement and willingness to put in effort.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
109:Those Left Behind

## Author Notes

(Sudden barrage of pages: 3 of 3)

Very heavy page, with lots of new info on Fara and Kellen… and a little bit about Mrs. Flaherty.

Just a heads up: There will be no new pages next week (again). I’m taking a hiatus next to play a little bit of catch up with my progress on the comic. Updates will resume its normal schedule on Sunday, August 21st with Chapter 5 (I'll also have internet in my home again by then, so updates will become more regular again).

And with any luck, I’ll have the opportunity to post a few Rain Delays during that time, in the very least. ^\_^

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## related topics

* family
* Kellen
* Kellen/Chase
* Fara/Liriel
* Kellen/Aiken
201:Worth a Try

## Author Notes

The way Maria beats herself up about BEING herself, once again proves one of the harder things in this comic to write about. She’s so supportive of others being themselves, and yet so conflicted when it comes to herself. It’s kinda tragic, because what she really wants for herself is basically unattainable.

Gavin meanwhile, as a good “boyfriend”, is sticking with Maria through these hard times, but is no doubt still trying to sort through his own feelings about what’s going on.

Rough stuff, for everyone...

## Transcript

*This article needs transcripts. If you need help transcripting a guide is here*
## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
120:Blah Blah Blah

## Author Notes

This page is dedicated to my lady love, whose patience is nothing short of infinite when it comes to putting up with my moping and crying and fretting over the same problems over and over again. ^\_^

The funny thing is that panel 5 originally had REAL dialogue. But after reading it a couple times, I started to get déjà vu. Like, “I think Rain has already gone on about this”. So, I summed up Rain’s concerns into three choice words. It ups the humor of the page, and lessens the repetition. Good change, if I do say so myself.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Emily's Halloween party
* passing
* Rain's Neuroticism
358:Function

## Author Notes

Poor Rain. For those of you who are less familiar with the experience, dysphoria really is just this constant downward spiral. Once one little thing sets a person off, their mind starts wandering to every other crap thing in their life. At least, that’s my experience.

And then poor Maria. She wants to help; she can’t just let her friend beat herself up like this. But she doesn’t seem to be having much luck.

## Links and Reference

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
AaronMeme List

* 12 Miles

* Extensive Career Ambitions
	+ Bin Man
	+ Drug Dealer
	+ Policeman
	+ Professional Boxer
	+ Professional Footballer
	+ Marine Biologist
	+ Foodie
	+ Bartender
	+ Greensand Trust Volunteer for 8 Y E A R S
	+ Binman
* Never Lies
* Good at Dota
* 30 Hours of gameplay
* Anarchy
* Somalia is a safe place to live
* Lives in a tent
* Puff Pastry Pizza
* Handshake
* Constant Shit
* Drinks with lecturers
* 'A retard is the worst thing you can call someone, retard'
* \*WAAAH\*
* Cool Story
* Always Late
* You don't have you do anything
* Fight Night

* Ultimatum

* Back Shaver
* Historians
* Memes disappear
* I'm the cunt
* "If you don't want to go to my birthday you better be in a coma"
* Tattoo
191:RuIn

## Author Notes

This page picks up where the dialogue on page 184 (Transcendence) left off. As you might recall (and have been likely cursing my name since), Rudy’s dialogue was cut off mid-sentence so I could show Maria and Gavin’s conversation. The pause was intentional, to increase suspense and questions until the very end of the chapter.

But in theory, it will clarify why things happened the way they did.

Rudy’s a lot smoother than he originally seemed…

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
17:Thought Process

## Author Notes

Awk~ward-! ^\_^

Well, that probably could have gone better…

To avoid confusion, I’m just going to come right out and tell you this new boy that Rain’s bumped into is named Rudy. He’s Maria’s little brother. Normally, I’d prefer to let the story do the talking, but as I was reviewing the story before posting this, I realized that no one actually addresses him by name for another six pages. So, rather than having comments consist of people calling him “that kid” or something for roughly another two weeks, I’ll just make it easy and tell you straight out: it’s Rudy. ^\_^

On a side note, Gavin and Maria are still sitting at the lunch table where Rain was eating, waiting for her to come back. Originally, I considered showing them divvying up the remainder of her lunch for humor’s sake. But after more thought, that just seemed like a really jerk thing to have them do…

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Transgender
* Passing
213:Congratulations

## Author Notes

Brother Arthur genuinely seems like a nice guy to pretty much everyone. I mean, how can you not like him? And yet, when he says things like that (especially with a smile on his face), he’s kinda scary too… O\_O

I want you to know how hard I worked to make sure this page landed on a Friday, so that there’d be a slightly longer gap before the follow-up to it. It’s important to me that your mind race with possibilities. ^\_^

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
11:Oh, the Irony...

## Synopsis

Gavin and Maria continue their discussion about Gavin's plan to win their bet- the bet being that Maria can talk to Rain before Gavin.

Gavin explains that before he moved to Centerville, he had a best friend named Ryan Flaherty. His plan is to ask Rain whether she is related to Ryan, thus starting a conversation.

What the two don't know is that 'Ryan' was Rain's birth name. One of the reasons Rain and Fara moved to Centerville was to escape people who knew 'Ryan' growing up.

Maria than, seemingly jokingly, remarks that "maybe it is your old buddy! Wouldn't that just be totally messed up?"

Gavin dismisses this, saying that it is more realistic that the names are just a coincidence. He challenges Maria to another bet, but Maria refuses, saying that she was just joking around.

Little do the two know, Maria is actually right....

## Author Notes

And here we have the first page to not feature the title character herself. Gavin and Maria’s discussion here amuses me so. So close, yet so far… ^\_^

 Artistically though, this page is a little boring and subpar compared to the rest of the comic. I only hope the dialogue makes up for that.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**

## Related Topics

* Crossdressing (What Maria means)
* Transgender (the actual truth)
176:Too Cute

## Author Notes

Heather may not have any foolproof evidence to back her statement, but there’s certainly a large number of factors that lend very strongly to her being able to suspect something is up with Rain. This discussion here, as well as her talks with Fara (back in Chapter 3) make it certainly plausible for her to actually piece this together. Plus, sometimes it helps to not really be directly involved with anything going on to see what’s really going on.

Kylie meanwhile, is the one hung up on this. I actually had his dialogue more or less lampshade my critics who always complain that “Rain passes too well”. I don’t get it myself (and I’d like to point out that many of those same people think this also assumed I was a genetic woman based on my picture!).

That said, if a reader can come to the unfounded conclusion that Rain is "too cute to be a boy", so too can a character.

## Links and References

* **Read this page on DeviantArt**
* **Read this page on SmackJeeves**
* **Read this page on Comic Fury**
Marine Biologist

Whereas most male toddlers have dreams of being a fireman, astronaut or Sonic the Hedgehog, Aaron wanted to become a marine biologist. By this age Aaron had already mastered boxing so putting his head down and studying could have gotten him there within a few years.

Despite how attainable the qualifications are for Aaron he has yet to actually pursue the studying required to be recognized as a fully-fledged marine biologist.