Endtown by Aaron Neathery for June 24, 2013

where does a bear have to go to find justice?? The rats are not hostile, they too are perplexed! I love the little rats, they are cute and not inherently bad, I’m glad they do have a code of honor.

Ok Panda, don’t lose your cool. I suppose you do have a cool to loose. Deep breath, that’s right, whoever it is that is laughing that maniacal laugh can’t have all his or her marbles together.

Maybe the HC had been hacked and those individuals who were suppose to be there got waylaid? The hackers then ran everything remotely?

Honestly, no idea where this is going, love every frame of it. Rogue AI, people in the shadows, ghosts? It’s all game from here on in.

Living in a Mutant Formby Jenner. Based on Living in the 70’s, by Skyhooks – credited to Greg MacainishI feel a little crazy. I feel a little strange.Like I’m in a bear suit before the big change.I feel a little edgy. I’m cracking up inside.I think I’m a schismoid, but I still have my pride.I’m living in a mutant formBand-Aids holdin’ down the rising stormCrimson shirt and a gaudy tieAnd black and white fur ‘til the day I die.I feel a little restless. I feel a little mad.I’m standing on two legs, ‘cause four legs is bad.I feel a little angry. I’m feeling full of rage.You wanna be beastly? Go live in a cage!I’m living in a mutant formHuman skin was how I was born.My world went feral in under one week. Now I get hunted down for being a freak. I’m feeling full of terror. I’m feeling full of guilt.I crucified people for drinking their milk.I’m needing retribution. I need to square accounts. I feel like a monster who’s ready to pounce. I’m living in a mutant form.Shaggy fur coat is a-keeping me warm.Panda bear face and panda bear feet,An a nice, sharp suit to make me feel complete.I’m living in a mutant formI’m living in a mutant formI’m living in a mutant formI’m living in a mutant form!

Think about it…. who is the only identifiable resident of Endtown that we have not seen make an appearance in this arc (since AM raised a glass of Oracle to “the greater good”)? We’ve seen everyone we’ve ever known (except in passing) except…. PETEY. Obviously Mallard was unable to do anything with the brain in the cooler (probably because it took a bullet when the rats tried to shoot Petey down after the return to Endtown). Petey went nuts, did the R2D2 thing and plugged into the Security computers and took over. It all makes perfect sense! ;-)

The ha ha ha ha s are coming out with stopping to breath by any living entety … Seems to be a machine???Blessing be.

Ok, confirmation of the “operating by remote” theory. Still no confirmation of a single “man behind the curtain” (the 10-member HC could just be sitting together in another room somewhere). Could be that the Topsiders hacked the comm system. Still no confirmation that Jake is or isn’t involved (he should be peering around a corner to see what’s going on).Allgood’s next step should be to track down Velda.

I think there have been two key questions waiting to be answered. They are: who is REALLY running Endtown and why are they doing what they’re doing? Hopefully we’ll soon be finding the answers to both these questions.

Sounds like someone who doesn’t have to breathe.

Remember that your last chance to help Aaron with his medical bills in this fund raiser will run out on July 2nd. Keep Endtown AliveDonate a lot of money, a little money, spare change or EVEN JUST A HUG!Picture Mr Neathery drawing our finest ever web comic on his pad of Bristol board while sitting on a hospital trolley in the emergency department, battling systemic infection under the influence of powerful therapeutic medication. This is the commitment our man has shown to Endtown, and it has been for our benefit.There’s just a little time left now to show him how much we appreciate his sacrifices: “For the greater good.”

Okay, this ’bot is tired of this.

YOU HEAR ME??? BRING IT, DECEPTICON!!!!!!

Sorry, had to get that out. but Aaron, come on… WHO’S RUNNING THE SHOW? Obama? Oprah? Bob Barker? Dubya? Rachel Ray? Katie Couric? The racist Savannah lady on Food Network?

OMG… Will be holding my metaphorical breath… WHO IS RUNNING THINGS??? Petey? Doc Groucho? A Flask clone?

TELL US, ALREADY!!!!!

Shades of HAL from ‘2001’

If you’ve been paying attention to my previous comments, you would realise that this is not entirely unexpected (by me).

Therefore, permit me to say, with all due respect:

I TOLD YOU SO!!! ;-)

So the leadership of Endtown lit out…

DirtyOldLady1:

The ha ha ha ha s are coming out with stopping to breath by any living entety … Seems to be a machine???I think the point you’ve hit is keyThe laugher does not stop for airSomewhere a smart “machine” may beOr disconnected brain is thereWe know that Petey’s one insideA mobile Mallard-built deviceBut there was one who drove their rideIf Petey’s “friend” has turned … not nice!=|====/ Level HeadVote for Endtown 2.0And for Doc Rat, tooVote for Endtown ClassicThe Endtown ForumThe Endtown AuctionThe Endtown Books

@Jenner, @Level_Head: You’ve really outdone yourselves today!And that bathroom? Every zookeeper’s dream, to have a drain in the middle of the floor.. as long as it’s at the true lowest point!

There is only one….

So the council was rotated out and never replaced. I think I predicted this in a comment somewhere but I’m too lazy to go look.

Nothing quite like maniacal laughter echoing around an empty space.

I’ve seen bathrooms like that on sailboats, only more cramped.

Interesting. I was not surprised to see empty rooms but I am beginning to wonder if my previous assumption that Velda is behind this is off. Being extremely logical in nature, I assumed that whomever was doing this was in it for some kind of practical gain, either trying to make mutant products illegal so that they could profit from the resulting illicit business or to engineer a riot so that they could have pretext for taking over Endtown. Ms. Vanderveezle seemed like the perfect suspect because she gives the impression of knowing how to control people and of being out for herself. Now its beginning to look like whomever did this is unhinged and just wants to cause all the pain and destruction they can. The calls to the police were rerouted to security to spark the riot/massacre. The trial was developed to sow divisions in the populace AND kill three individuals (at least two of which are well liked). Showing that the rooms are empty is a bad tactical move because it would risk losing the Rats support. As security officeers, the Rats feel required to support the legitimate government (the High Council). By showing that the High Council really doesn’t exist the voice has removed the Rats need to follow his directions.If this is Velda, she’s more insane and revenge driven than I had expected. Petey or his beloved might be involved. Mallard did warn that the shock of being plugged into a robot could kill Petey, maybe Mallard plugged the second brain into security, the stress drove it insane and lead to the carnage. Alternatively, Petey may have gone mad.I definitely want to see how this turns out.

Aha, it’s a shell game! The marble isn’t under ANY of the shells. Love it! Can’t wait to see where the story takes us next (and I also love how the rats are just as confused as the panda)…

Here’s a question – If the High Council rooms are empty, does this mean the HC abdicates by default? Technically, there is no HC right now… Will the rats choose to follow Allgood because he’s a guest? Velda because she was last identified as being closest to the HC? Mallard because he is the only former Security Chief still alive? Or will they commit a coup and run the place themselves outright?

And then there was this one time that an alien entity took over the computer of the Enterprise and tried to kill everyone, because it was Jack the Ripper, and then it took over the body of the Voice Actor for Piglet from Winnie the Poo… Which may or may not be in any way related to what’s going on right now.

Even the rats look a bit off. And would be nice to know what they had been protecting :p

Oh no, the HC is Hal.

Like I said on Friday comment about Allgood’s AssessmentNumber 13. Oh, Crap!!!!Even the Rats are confused so they do not escort folks to the rooms.I agree with others. Finding Velda is of primary importance now.I don’t think its Petey. Remember he did all he could to save folks. Tore down the rocket bare handed. Confronted Flask when she said she was killing 8,000 for him. The brain in the box. Petey was very attached to it to an extreme measure that I would even call LOVE. They knew each other.How about this. “Ghost in the Machine” Flask’s mean, nasty personality prior to her ascension to Nirvana is in the Computer system. A fail safe in case Endtown ever tried to stop her revenge. It would kick in and take revenge itself on Endtown if Flask ever died. Her early attitude was that everyone must suffer if she has to. If Petey could load a human brain into his mainframe who is to say a human could download one into the Endtown mainframe (if there is one).And it may not be Flask, maybe some others that left behind their “personalities and memories” before dying in the mainframe. Relatives of Velda or other more militant followers of the Society.Again maybe another Mallard experiment like the Mindrain. What does go on when they use that machine? Does the Mindrain download the brain killing or lobotomizing the subject but stores the memories for later recall.And Jenner. Doc Rat got a bit upset about food on the line ehhhh?Loved the song. Got anymore eye bandages????

ok, so they aren’t actually there, and I’m pretty sure the rats aren’t going to do what they say at the moment, so…that means the women are safe, at least for now.

If nothing else… this alone will invalidate the entire trial. And I doubt Allgood will want to prosecute a second time.

But… I’ve a sneaking suspicion the trial’s not completely done with yet.

I have a question??To quote Blazing Saddles: “Ware da wemem????”Really where are they? Are they safe?

Oh…#%&! What if the HC, (or whoever has taken it over) has control of Dittos?? The Dark HC could be right there, and/or the empty rooms could be an illusion.

That is an interesting toilet facility. The sink is the top, toilet, and shower over it. Just think you could take a shower and clean the toilet and bathroom at the same time.Just in some countries the drain hole would be misunderstood and misused.

Landru! Come out, Landru!

Veteran,I don’t think its Flask’s earlier personality. In the end of the Al and Gustine story she was playing a form of Inspector Javert. She was convinced that the pair had purposely led a horde of Topsiders to Endtown due to some sort of deal and determined that they should be punished for that. Her determination may have been a little inflexible at times but given her responsibility for the security of Endtown against a determined opponent, it was not unreasonable. When her relationship with Petey didn’t get off the ground she became determined to seek revenge at any cost. She focused her rage on the “guilty party” that tortured her and wiped her memory from her lover’s mind. She may have been disappointed that Wally and Petey didn’t share her determination but the only member of the party she directly threatened (when she didn’t need to) was Linda (who was an enemy combatant). Philomena Flask may have been twisted to a vindictive psychopath but I don’t remember her focusing bloodshed on “innocent” parties. I can’t imagine her doing this.

I think it’s safe to say that the one in charge of the High Council is none other than…(GASP!)THE JOKER!!!!

You know, Allgood…I’m thinking…as long as you have that gun, maybe you and the rats should get together and… Oh, I don’t know…SAVE THEM, WHY DON’T YOU?!!!

I hope Allgood and the rats do rescue the women, and have no clue about who is doing what or where the HC is.This is one of the scariest scenes ever for End Town, because it screams of total madness. There is no reason with that kind of insanity..

Here is something to toss around.Its all Velda.Her motive.The death of her father Mr. Hopper at the hands of mutants using mutant by-products. Her father may have been a founding member of the Society.It was never said how he died. In his sleep? Suicide?Why Suicide?His worst fear come to life. Mutants using mutants to produce food. The total loss of humanity as he saw it so life is no longer worth living.Velda’s Revenge.Just lacking actual evidence so this is as we say in the police business all circumstantial.Velda seems to be well off. Mr. Hopper appeared well off. Upper society type fits both of them.So this does fit minus any other explanation.Like any good mystery. The blanks are still not filled in.

I see the High Council had toilets in their lockups…more than I saw in the big-ceilinged rooms where Albert and Gustine, and then Holly, Maude, and Linda were locked up.#Maybe the High Council escaped down the toilet. If they mutated into snakes, it’d be easy…

Where this is going, I have little idea; one thing is sure – that is the laugh of madness…

Veteran,There are a few flaws regarding your hypothesis that Velda was avenging the late Mr. Hopper. Mr. Hopper died about one day before Linda and Maude were arrested with the cake. Velda appears to have been working at this for quite some time. Between her waiting to have a majority on the council, developing polls that she used to convince Allgood that he had a winning proposition. That couldn’t have happened in two days. Besides, according to Grout, the Endtown Police hadn’t gotten a phone call in over two months. So I can’t believe that Velda’s actions were triggered by Mr. Hopper’s death.Your claim that that Mr. Hopper committed suicide is not backed up by any facts that we know. According to Meg, Mr. Hopper died in his sleep, and there have been no indications that there was suicide or any form of foul play. There is no evidence that Mr. Hopper was interested in anything beyond Trudy and her cake. Neither Octavius nor Velda mention Mr. Hopper’s name at any time. If Mr. Hopper was an important member, his death should have caused some comment by the society’s leadership. Allgood doesn’t even use his name during his interrogation of Linda. He mentions nothing beyond trying to serve the “mutant” cake. What you have is little more than a string of speculation with no factual support.While it is highly likely that Velda is in the center of this and she may be motivated by revenge, I would imagine that it would be something far older than the loss of Mr. Hopper.

I"ve been waiting alll weekend to find out who the hell is in here and now we are finily in here and all we see is an empty room.. grrrrr DONT MAKE US WAIT ALL WEEK TO SEE SOMEONE!!!!

Another thought… If the HC is anonymous, then generally the members aren’t allowed to wander the halls loose on their own. That should mean that the controls to open the doors aren’t within the individual HC rooms. So, first, who is opening the doors now and from where? Second, if the current HC members ever existed, when would the doors have opened to let them out and who opened it for them? (The doors certainly didn’t open in the time it took Allgood to get here from the courtroom.) Third, will the rats ask these questions and go running to the control room before Velda or whoever removes all traces of her activities there?

40 years ago, I had a very tiny apartment … and the toilet, sink and shower all used the same drain … looks like I was a trendsetter for Endtown!