Okay, so the big moment is coming up.  Whila a bunch of us have been rooting for Oliver, destiny approaches.  Time to share a little truth from my perspective.

    Okay, we all know Oliver is gonna get shrunk.   We all know he’s gonna spend the rest of the story as “less.”  But if you are a fan of the character, keep in mind, no matter what his circumstance.  He didn’t lose.  
    First, in order to lose, you have to know you’re in conflict.  Any other circumstance is more like an assassination.  Do you say JFK “lost” to Oswald?  No.
    You know how you win a war?  The first step is declare fucking war!  If you take hostile action against someone with out them knowing you are hostile, you are an assassin, a murderer, something...you are not a winner and your victim is not a loser.
    Oliver has made mistakes.  That isn’t losing.
    Oh sure..the ‘Mega Cunts with their antisocial personality disorder laden brains will think “We won.”  But they lie to themselves better than they lie to men.  Ah, you say “he took the arm bands they came with a warning ‘belong to omega pi?’”  So the megs warned him and he still walked into their trap.
    Imagine a scenario.  I show you a picture of a house.  I say, “I will sell you a house just like this for $20,000.  Only one previous owner.”  The pic shows a brown and red house, with a nice porch.  On the back of the photo is written X square feet, X insulation...etc.  You say “Sure.” and give me the money.  I give you a copy of the photo.  “See,” I say, “just like this one.  Only one previous owner.”  You didn’t lose.  You were deceived. 
    I didn’t sell you a house, I sold you a photo: I lied.  The implied promise was I’d sell you a house with X sqft and X insulation.  It was the only term on the board.
     Now, keep in mind:the girls handing out the arm bands all “belong to omega pi.”  They aren’t being shrunk, humliated, tortured.  The aren’t having their lives destroyed.   The only terms on the board are their experiences of “belonging to Omega Pi” which are clearly benign.  What they are selling and what they are showing are two very different things.  In other words: they lie.
    Those of us who come from a rural area and have half a brain, might object that Duggernaut is treating Oliver like a “bumpkin”, but we all know the guy who is “smart, except when it comes to women.”  Oliver being that guy, does not make him a loser.  In fact, you could make an argument that Oliver is not that guy. 
    Oliver is a small town gentleman.  He as treated the ‘Megs as though they were honorable and worthy of trust and respect.  A mistake, but not his fault.  Do you suppose for one moment his so called mother ever said “Oliver, guard your self respect and dignity jealously?”  Ha!  Her supposed mothering was more like “playing house” when she wasn’t showing him off to her psycho friends.  He has no defense against that.  Especially when he’s being lied to and manipulated. 
    The base mistake he’s made is interacting with them like they were human.  These things are only shaped like beautiful women...inside...I’m not sure what they are....but it’s as ugly as it comes.   They may be human enough that they feel the need for justification....some “all men are guilty crap”....what has Oliver done compared to what they do?  Makes any justification they give themselves a great big, stinky lie.
    When Sersi grabs Oliver’s junk she’s telling him “I want you as a man.”  Could there be a bigger lie?  She grabs her own junk and tells herself she’s thinking of Oliver.  Un huh, what did she compare their victims to?  Oh yeah, a cigarette butt.  Can’t be both a cigarette butt and Oliver.   But, when you lie to others so easily...lying to  yourself is a breeze. 
    This, actually, illustrates one of the big lies the ‘Megs tell themselves; they are intimate with their victims.  It’s pretty  clear they are getting off on their victims pain and humiliation, the guys themselves are providing very little physical stimulation.   If it were otherwise, they wouldn’t need all those sex toys.  Look at Sersi’s fantasies about Oliver, all designed to humiliate him, not stimulate him.
    So, no matter how it goes, Oliver has not “lost.”  He’s been victimized, but that’s not the same thing.  For those of us who are rooting for Oliver, we know he’s not a loser and the ‘Mega’s lies and double entendres can’t make him one.   When some giant monster is pushing him around, he won’t be a loser then either.  Bullied, maybe, but not a loser. 

    I've described before how Duggernaut has created these fantastic good guys and bad guys for us.  And this is just to show that I'm still with Oliver all the way....Go Team Oliver!

Peace.

PixL8Ed

         Ya’ know Shrinkmeister, we’re only thinking of the poor young men, destroyed at the beginning of their adult life. You notice how both Cam on Oliver have no biological dads?  There’s a whole “black widow” thing going on too I think.Which puts Stan in their sights too, well, everybody really.  They make a big deal about “selected sons”  but that doesn’t really eliminate anybody.   I mean who did they use for the first rituals?   Didn’t have selected sons before they had an organization.
          Hmmm....they don’t seem to mind girls for sex. And they don’t go out of their way to be nice to girls who ain’t “in the club.” Remember the two girls who avoided the 'Megs when Oliver toured the campus at the beginning of the story?   There might even be a percentage tiny women getting the 'Megs “special attention.”  Usually,as an SW fan, that’s a fun concept...but with these monsters....ugn..no. I picture one of them shrinking a gal and keeping her “just to prove she can be gentle”....until she gets bored and eats her.
     It looks like they a don’t target kids...well...while they’re kids....no...their little things with young Oliver and Vesper’s boy...I mean they wait until they have all their energy to get’em. But you can see them swimming around the youngsters like sharks, thinking....soon....Just evil.
      The thing Oliver’s mom is attending...there are no real details, only the “other sister’s progeny” it might even be a girl that thought she could pick her own path though life, that would be sad.
    Year after year,generation after generation these vile things justify their actions and dine on people like Oliver and Cam...just reprehensible.

     And I’m feeling very pessimistic about Oliver’s escape attempt. The next chapter could begin with him injuring himself...though I’ve made and arguement why that isn’t logical in the shower scene comment...or it might begin with him landing in some bitch’s hand...that’d suck.  Or he’ll scurry around the chamber floor until he’s spotted,making his efforts useless.  Or, maybe he gets found by, I dunno...Harmony.  Who knows she’ll never get her shot otherwise.  But, yeah, Harmony, who gave a hint of living on the same planet as a human being with her “aren’t they still people?" comment, but a little peer pressure from Sersi and...what does this make?  Her second...third victim?  Yeah,that's a conversation for the ages...you were delicious...now how can I help?  Ha.
       Unless she didn't partake.  That would mean she’s not under the influence of the “swoon” thus able to act...but can you imagine one of these things, raised as they were. Not liking the idea of their values being “washed away.”  When they could simply join the vampiric cow brigader?  One of these critters?  I guess it could happen...if you're more of a romantic than me.  And what is a giant, naked girl with no stolen energy going to do?  Hide him in her.....mouth?  Oh, gawd!  That is an image!  “How did you like the ceremony?”  Nods.  “Was I right?”  Nods. hahaha.
      In spite of how much things are likely going to suck for Oliver, I do smile at the idea of the harpies becoming aware, seeing no Oliver and blaming Cerys.  They’d think she had an impulse control problem and ate him...ha...of course, she won't have to face any real consequences....but if she did...that'd be sweet.
 
   One problem is, luck has been nowhere near on his side.  Sersi (check this out, I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt and NOT chalking it up to her just being a lying, treacherous slime) got lucky when Cam wasn’t paying attention or, settled for partial information, when she was telling him how to get the most desired pussy on campus.  Though that is kind of hard to imagine.  Considering their sibling rivalry (which Sersi takes way too seriously) she’s lucky he even listened to her, but he did, so he could pass on faulty info to Oliver.  Thus making Oliver think he had answers he didn’t have.  She got lucky with the movie quote.   They’ve all been incredibly lucky that Oliver didn’t tip to hints like Vesper knowing his so called mother.  Let’s hope they’ve used up all their luck for this story.  Because Oliver is in the belly of the bitch.  Figuratively.
 
     I'm kind of new to SM fiction, and Oliver's big problem is that he's in an SM story.  The genre is NOT kind to it's protagonists.  SMs never get justice...they get survival...they, maybe, get someone to fight their battles for them.  All their victories are small victories.  Can someone name me a story where you stuck with some poor shrunken guy through some horrible crap and at the end he got even close to balancing the scales?  Where the character’s reward/revenge was worth the hell of act 2?  It’s almost like Oliver is too good a guy for this genre.
      And the GTSs always get the equivalent to a slap on wrist.  I’m very unlikely to get to see Sersi get her fingers and nose eaten off by demon weasels.
    And Oliver has no real chance of getting justice...this thing is too big.  The ‘Mega Cunts have all the power, they’re entrenched.  At this point all he can hope for is...well...he gets away.   He’ll have to have someone take care of him....that’ll sit well with a Wyoming boy.   I’d consider getting depressed and stop reading right now.....as if I could.  But who could?  In spite of how bad it looks, still gotta stick with Oliver. He’s the kind of character you just have faith in.

    Duggernaut is giving us a horror story of epic proportions (yes, I went there.)  It’s so compelling and dark that you can’t turn away.  I know I ain’t gonna.

    Peace.


    PixL8Ed

    Okay, guys, I just need to make things more complicated here for a moment.  With a secret society like this, there’s power structure and then there’s “power structure.”  What I’m saying is both theories could be correct.  However the hierarchy is formally structured, it could be very different in how it works.   Picture Frost as an eternal feature of the group, sometimes she’s no.1, sometimes no.2, or 3, etc....she lets other members get more experience at the “day to day” in the upper levels of power, (and to give her a break from all the paperwork) but she’s always going to be deferred to.   So Vesper could be the no.1 in the organization (she’s probably pissey enough) and Frost no 2  (I don’t gotta say it, do I?)  But what Frost says goes.  
    Personally I would favor the theory that we haven’t met no 1 yet.  She might be something really dark and inhuman (cause,you know, we ain’t seen none of that) or even a real not human thing.  Like a Platonic evil that the ‘Megs are just reflections of. 
    If the first theory is correct, then maybe Frost is the only original member remaining.   Maybe the others just faded out, or maybe Frost is the “last witch standing”  after a long power struggle.  That would’ve been something to see.

Fumble in the dark ya buncha cows!  Fall down the stairs while your at it!

Wait, so Harmony sat out the first two?  I didn't get that.  Okay, missed the first one, but why did she not partake in Bear's?  Gotta pay better attention.

Still have zero faith in the feckless little waif.   Screw her and her go-alongness.

It is so cool being a fan of this story....for people who don't appreciate it... oh well.

Peace,

pix

       Okay, I know, the truth sucks, but this is actually a huge win for Oliver.  We all know in the long run (I personally hope very long run) Oliver will fall into their clutches.  Now he won't have evil harpies looming over him and giggling while he learns the truth.  One less tool in Sersi's toolbox of bitchiness.

      I kinda smile at the thought of ol' weasel bait telling him and grinning in anticipation...and he shrugs..."figures."   

      He has to start thinking about food and water and stuff now.  And he has to do it before those hunting him can start using those needs as bait. 

      The suspense is thick enough to cut with a chainsaw.  I can see the image in my mind of Oliver on the desk, behind cover, the two slimies in the distance.  The writing is that vivid.  Wow Duggernaut, just wow.

    Peace,

    PixL8Ed

    And to anyone who doesn't like my bit of "fan fun" please feel free to by pass my reviews.  I have no desire to turn a place that should be reserved for heaping praise upon a deserving author into a flame pit.  So if you see my nick...just move along.

Shrinkmeister, buddy, don’t ask me questions like that...you gotta know I’m gonna answer you. 

Though right now I’m up to imagining the soundtrack to “Omega Prison Girls 3: Pussy Parole”  (because “Omega Prison Girls 2: The Lick Down” left so many unanswered questions.)  Is guitar fusion jazz too much of a stretch?

While your suggestions have merit, they’re a little too old school.  Even classic impaling doesn’t quite do it for me.  Though if we were stuck with the golden oldies, that’d be my choice, it has that “intimate" element to give things a touch of balance.  However, your suggestion of making it public is inspired.

I’m kinda drawn to something that invokes the three-fold-law-of-return, we see in modern occult theory.  The law basically states that what you do with your power, positive or negative, comes back to you multiplied by three.  Using that logic, since their victims are shrunk to three inches they should wind up at about one inch tall.
Since they consume their victims (after a fashion) they should be covered and restrained in a hard candy shell, (like a Jolly Rancher) and tossed into a cage full of hungry weasels.  The hard candy shell provides a moment of pure enjoyment as they get see and hear the charming furry creatures chew their way toward them for a touch of the old room one oh one.
Since I’m orchestrating this little show, Sersi gets to go last.  She also gets to watch as Cam and Oliver do rock paper scissors lizard spock to see who gets to punt her in.  I see Oliver, even if he wins, giving the privilege to Cam anyway.  He’s earned it.

Of course, it’s tough to top the Cam-ster’s own idea.  But do it on a grander scale.  Starting with Sersi, they each get shrunk and tied to his johnson, or just stuck in a condom, (he’ll want protection for this.)  The he ass plows every Omega Pi in the backdoor.  Every Omega Pi.  Ever.  Even his Grandma.  Then the shrinkee gets re-enlarged minus one inch and the process starts over until he’s given them all the special attention they deserve.  This process continues as they subjects keep losing an inch a turn.  Soon, as the receivers shrink, dem bung holes are tight enough that the tiny creep gets mushed into the slime they already are inside.  Now, because we’ve got the magic on our side for this one,  they’re protected from things like suffocation and such as long as they don’t enjoy it...the second they like it...choke!  Except Sersi, too much chance she’d like it from the first round.  
Oh, and to make it public as you suggested, it gets filmed and edited to follow the process for each ‘Meg.  Then the vids get sold on Clips4Sale dot com.  No reason Bro’ can’t pocket a little something for all his efforts.

Or we just cleverly edit the footage to use in Omega Prison Girls 4:Back Door Row.

Have a nice day everybody.


Pix

Tom,
I would say that the honey reference is Oliver’s way of acknowledging the ‘Megs beauty and predatory nature.  In this case he is the fly,wistfully admitting to himself how they caught him. 

There’s an implied “Ya got me, honey.”

...or maybe it’s something else...

pix

The bit about thinking of water after eating something salty.  That was great, subtly turning the pressure up on the survival front.

As far as resource gathering goes, Melody the slob might be his best friend right now.  Until someone else makes the same observation.   

Oh, editing note, at one point you call Bear a football “the little football wanted none of it”, which may be wrong, but seems so appropriate I had to laugh.  Freudian slip?

It’s kind of hard to feel sorry for guy like Bear.  In many ways he is like the ‘Megs.  Pushy and selfish.  So I don’t mind if Oliver doen’t go out of his way to help him.  Though it is clearly the right thing to do.   (As long as it makes sense tactically.)  But, it’s me, if i have to choose between saving Bear and the cows getting theirs: WEASELS!

This veneer of childishness has me thinking of Harmony.  How can she be so ignorant of all this? (I will NOT use the term innocent.)  She must be the type of girl who never asked “Where’s Daddy?”  Or maybe she still believes dad is still on a secret mission for the CIA in upper Mongolia.   We’ve only really seen inside “families” that have sons....it could be that as long as the wife throws girls you’re okay....but make a boy and >GAK<

Cool scene Duggernaut.  Thanks for the amazing.

Pix

All the time humming “thank god I’m a country boy.”

This is why we root for Oliver, because it pays off.  He’s not gonna go “I guess I’m a dumbass who want’s to get eaten.”  I do hope he figure’s out the meaning of Ol Weasel Munchie’s “visit” and takes precautions. 

Gearing up was a risk, but since he has a time line in mind, he might be planning another move.  Back to familiar, probably already searched, territory (basement or Maeve’s)  or forward?

Great characters in a great story.  Isn’t that what we all want? Thanks for hooking us up Duggernaut.  You rock!

I may be missing something, but with all this lockdown business, did anyone clear out Oliver’s room.  Plus, Deacon was never doped, how are they going to get this past him?

All this chit chat with the ‘Megs has them almost sounding like human beings, but good ‘ol Cam shows up at the end to remind us what they really are.

All this could still lead to Oliver seeing, or even rescuing Cam.  Movie quotes, pot jokes and finding every way to call ol’ “weasel chow” a bitch would be a winning turn.  Of course, Cam might not be in a joking mood, that tiny prison shank joke might not seem so funny to someone waking up wondering why their neck is wet and kinda hurts.  Just think of the edge a tiny person could put on a blade; it’d go through someone’s skin like butter and they might not even feel it.
 
Honestly, as satisfying as something like that might seem, it doesn’t feel right for the characters.  Oliver and Cam should remain the moral, likable gentlemen we have seen so far, at least not until the 'Megs start talking about making Deacon or even Stan “go away.”  Then the lessons every cowboy learns about killing animals might just come to the forefront of Oliver’s mind.  Kinda’ wonder how many they could get in one night.  Would that release the stolen energy back to them?

Aaaaannnd other cheery thoughts from the Sersi fan club.

Thanks Duggernaut.  A great way to up the tension and make the situation Oliver is in clear.  You have made a chapter that could have been completely “utilitarian” an interesting view on character and just damn entertaining. 

Peace

pix