The Young Protectors: Engaging The Enemy Coda—Page 8

July 18, 2017 Alex Woolfson 165 Comments

Baby, I hate to see you go, but…

So! No more questions! Kyle just gets up and walks away! But DunKid doesn’t want him to go!

Will Kyle listen? Or is Kyle out the door for good?

Tune in this Saturday to find out! Hope to see you there! 😀

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165 Comments

He grows into that nose later on, too.

Love the hand placement in panel 2.

Hahahaha!

Wow, I didn’t even notice. I’m taking this change with Duncan too hard.

That’s a good tactic.
Now, Dunkid is now the person wanting something and owes Kyle a reason for Kyle to return.

Except the easiest way to convince someone to return in this situation is to lie. “I think I remembered something!”

And then Kyle can say either “tell me what you remember and I’ll stay.” Then, if Kyle is good at bluffing (poker face time), he let’s Dunkid talk and eventually some part of the truth will spill out with the words.

What Kyle’s done here is to turn his back on Dunkid and that isolates Dunkid once again. In fact, the kid is even more isolated because he doesn’t understand what Kyle wants and he’s displeased Kyle. If ExSec is as officious and bureaucratic as I think they are, then they are berating DunKid with questions in rapid fire like the usual rough interrogations in police holding rooms. That would only serve to overwhelm Dunkid. (don’t tell ExSec that, they know it all everything).

Now a face that Dunkid is his amnesia remembers as someone with the answers to why he woke in a battlefield, someone who was so angry with him that flames sprouted from his hands and eyes, takes that long, long walk down the hallway, sits and asks one question and when the tiniest part that Dunkid remembers isn’t enough of an answer, Dunkid’s only connection to the past turns his back and dismisses him.

It’s lonely and empty down there.

There’s that red lined word balloon again.

yes, have we firmly established what that signifies yet?

Raised voice, I think. The first time we saw it was in the interlude, when Commander says no to Spooky summoning a demon to eat the computer. Several people have used it since.

Yeah, but he looks so damn good walking away 😉

Well damn!
I totally forgot to camp!!
I am on vacation this week and everything! Oh well, I’ll try to remember to camp on Friday! Haha.

Man. Maybe if he really tries, tiny Duncan might remember something.

Is Kyle legal yet? Cuz his ass looks GLORIOUS in that second panel, but I don’t want to sound like a perv, getting all turned on by a possibly under aged CARTOON CHARACTER…! 😀

Kyle turned 18 either the day of or the day before his “date” with Duncan where Duncan opened the portal to the hell dimension to contact Laampros

too late…

So let’s examine the question of why Duncan doesn’t want Red Hot to leave. One obvious possibility is that it isn’t Red Hot per se, but simply having human company – because Duncan isn’t taking solitary confinement well.
Another is that on at least some level he does remember something. Now, if that’s on a conscious level then its suggests that Duncan is playing Red Hot, and obviously needs Red Hot present to be able to talk/trick him. I would suggest that yelling and begging Red to stay is quite a backwards step from the smooth manipulator that we saw earlier in the story, but it’s likely that the de-aging process has stripped away a lot of Duncan’s social skills.
If he’s remembering on a subconscious level that suggests that Duncan simply likes Red and desires his company, which may or may not be strengthened by the not-taking-solitary-confinement-well situation.

Or he is simply taking advantage of his new situation… still same old Duncan, whole new tricks to use now that his body is young…

you put my thoughts into words so nicely each time x’D won’t ever be able make it clear this simple ^^

All this, plus Duncan told Kyle on their date that he’d been a superhero fan as a boy. I think that along with most of the personal stuff about how he’d ended up as a supervillain wasn’t a lie. If he’s genuinely amnesiac now, a scared teenage boy might find a teenage superhero a lot easier to talk to, let alone trust, than anyone else he’s seen since Kyle and Commander found him in the crater.

DANG! HOT BUNS!……I would run to catch up to that boy just to grab…….OOPS! sounding like a dirty old man >:)

Hopefully, Dunkid will be able to move away from the glass quick enough just in case Kyle spins around and starts shooting flames again!

Was that song always that country?

Stampley is one of the composers/lyricists

Damn… is Kyle about to do a ‘Duncan’?
(Refering to Duncan walking out on Kyle in the warehouse)

There’s something about that panel 3, Kyle just walking away, and Duncan’s plea feels a lot like what Kyle would have said – if he had had any option to talk in the warehouse. No matter how angy/upset Kyle was with Duncan after the hell trip, je didn’t want to be left behind bound caught and alone.

Duncan is not bound, but he’s still caught in that prison, his own kind of chains, and would be left behind of Kyle walks out now. Yeah, there’s something ambiguoiusly familiar here.

Goodbye, little villain.

No matter if or how much Duncan remember, I believe he genuinly doesn’t want Kyle to go.

Be it because he remembers more than he say, some flashes of memory gives him a feeling of connection to Kyle, or it’s none of these two and he only goes by what he’s been told, then Kyle may be the only face-to-fave contact he has had outside of an ExSec interogation (and being given food) that Duncan has had since he was taken away.

He’s in isolation and anyone to talk to, be topic hard or not, would likely be prefered to being alone with your thoughts and memories – no matter of it’s trying to make sense of them, as they may slowly return (partly?) or living with what he do remember. Even if it’a just as tye’anhry boy’.
We know Kyle is someone Duncan had unecpected emotions about, and Dunkid may have some inkling of it.

Kyle is a face he know one way or another.

and based on these images, not just a face…

I think it’s awesome for Kyle (and for us!) to just walk away like that. But I still feel bad for DunKid (every time I type that I feel like I am referring to a new Dunkin’ Donuts mascot!). I have heard of this, people fabricating lies or false confessions, or outright hallucinating, just to avoid the torture of isolation. It must be especially hard for a kid. If indeed DunKid is not faking this amnesia, then…D-:

I can’t agree with his treatment. Yes, in a former life he did bad. But punishing what is essentially an innocent isn’t going to solve or prevent shit. If anything it will send him right back to how he was. If he still has his powers, he will be a force to reckon with the day he gets out. The gods send them mercy.

the problem is that they still cannot be sure whether he really forgot everything and if for how long, if they took easier security measures and he just happens to get his memories back in a flash then he’d be gone the same second… ofc it is shit for a really amnesiac teen but I understand why they wouldn’t take chances, this guy just tried to help destroy the world ^^’

This isn’t a punishment. He was told to question him, he did, job over. They have no relationship, no reason to interact, this is not a social visit.

It’s an ethical dilemma to be sure. But lets reframe. Lets say that there is a murderer. He kills his whole family and it is caught on film. When he goes to trial, he claims that he has no memory of doing it and psychologists can’t prove that he does. Should he still be locked up? The real-world answer is that, yes he will be. He committed the crime and it is not safe for him to be released into society in case something triggers him to do it again. He will, though, probably be placed into a secured mental health ward and will receive treatment during his incarceration. And just like anyone else, he will have the opportunity to be released eventually on parole.

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. DONT GO!

*Hums ‘Simple and Clean’*

Huh, that was so not the song I thought of.

I was rather imagining Dunkid breaking out in song singing; “Don’t goooooo, I’m begging you to stay!”

Ah yes, the good old “This video is not accessible.” Why didn’t I think of that.

Oh wow DunKid is pretty desperate! I wonder why? I mean if he really doesn’t remember anything why is he hung up on Kyle that badly?
Is it unconsciously or does he indeed just try and trick us all?

Am curious how Kyle will react >//////<

(oh and sadly the vid you linked doesn't exist for me x'D says "unavailable" ^^')

He is in solitary confinement. He most likely just wants someone to talk with. Anyone.

I doubt it because before it was kind of said he deliberately asked for Kyle, hence why Kyle was even sent there, it must have a reason

Kyle is one of the first people he saw when he found himself on the battlefield and has been one of the nicest in a distressing situation. Plus, he’s attractive. Of course DunKid doesn’t want Kyle to leave. He wouldn’t have to remember anything from his previous life to want Kyle around.

BUt then I think being confined like this is not exactly helping to grow romantic thoughts x’D

Maybe not, but people latch onto what’s familiar when they’re lonely and scared. Romantic thoughts aren’t all that uncommon under stress, anyway.

The video is Tony Stampley’s song: “I Hate To See You Go (But I Love To Watch You Walk Away)”
It’s on Youtube if the link doesn’t work. It’s good, country music Apologia: (I washed it away last night with opera, Streisand, Les Mis, and The lion king)… I’m not a big country music fan. I’m not a courtly music hater but I never want Tony Stampley rattling around my head all night.
My walking away music would be “Ebbed! Ne andrò lantana” from Catalani’s La Wally which I first heard in the movie DIVA sung by Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez.

Maybe he thinks Kyle is cute even after a memory wipe and is into guys who threaten him fire from their body.

as much as I like the idea I fear he has other things on his mind atm x’D

My impression until now was that Kyle had asked to talk to Duncan, and got permission, most likely after some wrangling. But now it looks like he has been asked, or downright ordered, to question Duncan, and quits after giving it a try.

well no I remembered that he was asked to go but I remembered wrong that Dunkid asked while in fact Exsec wanted hiim to go it seems

I don’t see any evidence one way or the other. Amanda just says that he has been cleared to go. I took that to mean that it was not ExSec who wanted him to go down there. But even if it was, it would still need some paperwork to actually allow him in. Especially if one section wants him to go, and another is responsible for keeping Duncan locked up.

Kyle says so after sitting down before DunKid that “ExSec thought he might talk to him so he doesn’t mind to spare a few minutes asking questions”
that is where I took it from ^^
I agree it was unclear from Amanda’s comment still but I guess it was also tactics by Alex to make us debate it until the actual comment from Kyle came later x’D

I totally forgot that.

happens to all of us here and there x’D

I for one was sure that DunKid asked for him especially but it must have been wishful thinking on my part, too x’D

I’ve been thinking that after Kyle leaves, Sircea will pop in and take Dunkid away and we won’t get an answer, leaving Alex to do what he wishes in future books.

After he left Mavin alive, I remember thinking that AW really hates to kill off his baddies. Especially the hot ones. 🙂

Oh well, I’ll work with it. *chris cries into his pillow about the injustice of it all*

No don’t worry, I’m fine… (cough cough)

*patshead*

*chris purrs while thinking evil cat thoughts.*

I think you can be right either way. This has ‘conflict’ written all over it with a label-maker…

#DatAss

Okay, Kyle, right now you’re being kind of a dick.

It’s almost as I he’s recently been emotionally and sexy used, manipulated, abused and humiliated by Duncan and therefore doesn’t want to spend time with him.

I know, right?

Wow it’s like you two can read my mind. Heh.

We can, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

Kyle: Why not?
Duncan: Because I love you!

And if you mus

Your profile picture, though . . .

Oops, I forgot about the camping trip last night, guys . . . I brought lemonade for today, though. Am I forgiven?

Yes. (slurps tall frosty glass of lemonade.) Ahhhhh!

Gets good vodka to mellow out the lemonade. Thank you.

Ooh, I’ll have one of those.

Am I the only one looking at the third panel thinking “Damn, Kyle! I hate to see you leave, but I love to watch you walk away!”???

No and neither did Alex — click that little link in his notes…. 🙂

Oh and No No NO… just thought I’d join in. Ha.

Is there a butt scale for comic characters? Is Nightwing anywhere on it?

I’m pretty sure Nightwing is somewhere near or at the top of the scale. I’ve seen various many comics, both canon (eg, in Midnighter) and in online fan comics, where they make the ‘Wait a minute, I recognise that butt. That’s Nightwing!’ joke.

Wow! I just had to share this with some fellow superhero and/or anime geeks, so I came here! I was perusing some apps on my new smart TV, since I finally cut the cord from cable service, and I found the complete run of the original Gatchaman anime series, so I decided to give it a go. Little did I know that this was the source material for one of my FAVORITE childhood TV shows, Battle of the Planets! I had searched for years when I got back into anime for that series under the name G-Force, with no results because I had the wrong title for the original Japanese series and the English dub! So now I’ve been enjoying my day off, happily reliving my early childhood comparing and contrasting the original episodes from the dubs I remember (what a difference!). I had always thought the two main boys, Mark/Ken and Jason/Joe, were super cute, and even as a little kid I wanted to see them kiss more than I wanted to see Mark get together with Princess/Jun, the girl character. I guess I was a fujoshi before I knew what one was even then! Just thought I’d share my happy little nerdgasm with you all. 😛

🙂 I’ve been meaning to get that original anime ever since I discovered that it was available on DVD. Must go and see if it’s at an affordable price for UK shipping yet.

STOP! these teasers are killers! I am fatally wounded.

Nurse Sapfo, Strawberries needed stat!

I like strawberries!

Duncan probably feels some kind of remaining connection to Kyle, not to mention I doubt anyone else that’s not a strict guard is visiting him anyway.

Could b wishful thinking, but I think dunkid is innocent. I think he doesn’t want kyle to leave because he feels a connection to him, perhaps residual attraction as well, and is lonely and scared. I hope kyle turns back and talks to him a bit more.

And ruin that exit? Most of us wait a life time to get a walk-off like that. I mean he learned from Spooky when Spooks did that awesome walk-off at the Warehouse and then ran back for that hug.

Well, he could watch him leave after he talks some more.

Dunkid, why though? You remember him as the guy who wanted to flambé you when you woke up.

He probably feels residual affection that he can’t even explain himself. Also, he’s scared and alone.

True and I will always miss your original avatar pic. Nice to see you commenting. 🙂

Ugh, it was an accident to change it. I’m going to put it back some day when I remember my disqus password!! ^_^’
I flipped through every one of my C&H books to find just the right picture of Suzie: >:D

Good luck. Suzie has great mojo. I need to get me some more than that.

Because he’s locked into a cell isolated from everyone else, has no memories of the life they say that he lived, and as a kid is terrified at being left alone once again.

…Don’t forget – DunKid woke up with no memories of his life – which is freaky in and of itself. Just being able to speak to someone who can help you fill-in-the-blanks has got to be a relief — in addition to the possibility of residual or new attraction, and/or the thrill of talking to anyone with a pulse when you are stuck in solitary confinement. BTW – is DunKid even 18? I’m pretty sure we’re on shaky ethical & Constitutional grounds locking up a kid up like Hannibal Lecter….

The scripts made available for patreon supporters indicate that young Duncan was to be drawn at roughly 15-16 years old. However in practical terms I’d say he’s still legally the same person who was born 58 years ago.

Although I’m not in any way a lawyer, I’m guessing that the starting point of trying to sort the situation out would be using the real life situation of knowing someone did a crime but then adjusting punishment on grounds of insanity, senility or some other type of mental impairment. Then we’d have to make guesses at what the state of superhuman and/or supernatural case law in a particular fictional universe as to whether being memory wiped on account of de-aging may or may not factor into that.

If the assumption was confirmed (by whatever means) that he has in fact lost his past memories that should be treated like a mental impairment.

Whether that would actually lead to his release would then be a second matter, of course.

How are they even going to prove it’s the same guy? And all of these things he has supposedly done.

A DNA check would have been top of the list.

Not to be a downer, but you are so right. If you have ever helped someone who is losing their memory it’s horrible. You can literally viscerally feel their terror as their world becomes that of a strangers and they have no idea who to trust.

Literally my worst personal fear. Okay, THAT, and spiders….

i think that some of his feelings from before survived. that may explain why he doesn’t want him to leave now. he truly does feel lost right now

If it wasn’t such a hassle and risk i’d get the Big Bad himself to turn Duncan back, but I think everyone’s kind of done with literal hell and the devil. Perhaps being the offspring means Kyle could do it? Hmmm. Idk.

Kyle would literally be the last person on Earth to want the original Annihilator back!

Maybe the second, after the original Annihilator.

Okay that is a twistedly cool idea. Now I’m wondering what else Kyle might find he inherited as he grows into his powers. I wonder if he can pull the horn and tail combo off for cons… or in bed. Neat thought. Thanks.

Stupid, sexy Kyle…

Duncan must be very desperate to turn to Kyle, considering how Kyle treated him at their last meeting. Their only meeting, as far as Duncan remembers.

On the other hand it looked like Kyle and Amanda did indeed fight on the good side (Duncan undoubtedly noticed the released hostages/victims being helped) and young Duncan might feel drawn to that more than to the other side he only knows of by hearsay, as much as he can’t know for sure that what he was told is true.

If he’s really sincere it would be a good idea to build him a bridge to choose another path this time, but they’re clearly not sure about that yet.

Being stuck in a glass box when you’re starting puberty brings down your mood pretty fast — not that he doesn’t deserve it, but heck…

I’ll be leaving for Saturday gaming soon, so I’ll throw out the question: How is Red Hot going to react to Duncan’s plea to not be left alone?
Will he just keep walking? Will he try to leverage Duncan’s desperation? (For that matter, is it real desperation on the part of Duncan, or just part of an elaborate act to make Red think he has the upper hand? Oh, the schemey-wheemisness of it all…)
FWIW the patreon script says that Red is basically “disappointed but not surprised” by Duncan’s refusal to talk. However, as I’ve speculated in the past Alex probably has to doctor his publicly released scripts in order to preserve surprises and plot twists, so there are still several ways this situation can go. It simply depends on how much effort Red thinks is worth his while.

Have fun!

No I have “WALK ON BY” stuck on a earworm loop.

Hello Campers,
How’s it going? I had a tree-person give me a price on my 25ft Evergreen that decided to lay down on the job last March. He found more dead trees and he’ll cut them down before they fall. So that was my day. In sympathy for me, I cooked a Delmonico for dinner, a big Delmonico, medium rare, juicy, and stuffed myself. I deserved it.

Hey dave! It is going alright I guess. ^_^

Good to hear.

Hi Doki! *hugs*

Hi Stick, lovely to see you.

Hi Chris! Great to see you too!

Hey Chris.

Hey Chris

Hey sticky.

Hi D.G.! How’s it going?

OK. U?

Doing pretty well, thank you!

That’s good. Ur welcome.

*hugs* Stick!

Hey doki.

Hey!

Good for you. Deforestation one cow at a time. I may quietly chop something down and then casually drop by for dinner. 🙂

The tree that caused it all is lying down on the job. Half the roots are sticking up i the air and all the needles are brown-ish

Hi Dave! Going pretty well for me, although I’ve got a long weekend of wallpaper-removing ahead of me (again).

That’s no fun. I thought of using wallpaper in parts of my house and a decorator told me not to do it because you get tired of it and it’s easier to paint. But I had enough lithographs to fill the walls of all the rooms. I still have too many

No, not fun. But I’ve been enjoying picking out paint colors!

Hey Dave. Its been an okay day.

Great. Happy to hear that.

Hi Campers,
I await your praises, and tributes.

( presents to the right to the left. Food beverage to my designated Taster…. )

oooh, food

(As long as you are not immune to common poisons ) You get first bite. Congratulations on your appointment.

yum

Slow night. ..
It’s lucky you had that steak.

There is always time for a hunk of moo.

? https://www.wmagazine.com/story/hunk-and-moo-anderson-art-collection

Iocaine powder?

We have Wesleys on that for that

My first offering:
http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ch5-page-1/

This brilliant page loaded up first when I used Voice to open YP….

I forgot how amazing the Colors were

*happy sigh*

I thought you said, “designated taser…” and I thought that pretty rough for someone waiting for present and cash. 😀

Good idea next time.
Practice saying “stand and Deliver”

AWESOME

That third panel Kyle exit not only displays that perfect tush, but screams with “Drop. The. Mic.” attitude.

Love seeing Kyle with some swagger finally. I’ve been hurting for him since the prologue. So, this just makes me happy!

Thank you so much Alex, Adam and Vero.

Absolutely agree!

After the day I had…..and I don’t know how it happened. but I thought it was Thursday……..that’s what happens when you attend out -of – state funerals…..my Dad’s last brother has now been laid to rest……it was sort of odd…….I’ve heard a lot of people comment about how the wind always blows in Kansas…..well today was perfectly still…..clear sky, but extremely hot (standard suit and tie was a bad choice) it was a 12 hour “ordeal” beginning at 5:30 AM to get there in time……and get home. I hate the idea that our “Family reunions” have been reduced to this. Maybe the other side of “camping out” will be greatly rewarded. Now who has the s’mores …..I’m hungry : )

My sympathies on your loss.

Thank you so much , Dave, we saw it coming two weeks ago ….I’m just glad it’s over …….Catholic funerals without the travel time are enough to wear out the strongest person.

*hugs*

Thanks Doki

I’m so sorry, Wayne. *hugs* Here, have a s’more.

Thanks Stick

*big bone crushing hug.

It’s gone to its maker, demised, shuffled off the mortal coil,

(hint: This parrot is dead!)

If it’s a black oak it’s probably telling itself that it’s just a scratch and it will still prevail eventually!

Blue Spruce evergreen

Well, brown spruce everbrown now.

Two thumbs up

Then it’s probably got the blues, and won’t be ever green any more.

Ha!

Patreon rumbles

And y’all are going to carry on about it, too

{anticipation}

EEEEEEEE!!!

*rumble rumble*

New Page is up:
http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ete-coda-page-9/

I think that dunkid should b informed that without his help at the end, they couldn’t have saved mankind. Should lift some of the guilt and weight of the situation off his young shoulders.