Bittersweet Candy Bowl

Meh, despite Lucy’s clingyness to Paulo, it seems more like shes developed a crush on him due to his constant kind and supportive actions as of late but I wouldn’t expect it to actually turn into anything confrontational between Tess and Lucy, if we get lucky though, we might see Tess and Lucy competing at things for Paulo though Tess will still act uninterested, but then again maybe im just getting ahead of myself ;3

Lucy doesn’t seem to cling to people because she needs to anymore, but because she wants to. I did something similar in high school, at least (I went from clinging to my best friend to running after a crush). So I get the feeling that she is doing what I did.

@ILB

I don’t know mate. Lucy seems to have a tendency to cling on any guy who’s nice to her. When Mike was kind and Paulo was a jerk, she didn’t want owt to do with ‘im. Now that the roles have reversed, she’s all over Paulo. It seems a bit suspicious that’s all…

Okay, so whats this thing about Jessica?

Oh it’s just a thought I had. Jessica fancies Lucy, and now with Lucy being forced to take part in the play to which Jess was a panel judge, I thought it could either be a real dramatic or comic moment in the story. It’s just a silly thought though nowt special…

Hooray for copy and paste!

…Well, I just read the entirety of the comic in the last two days. I have to admit, Taeshi is not only an excellent artist, but has great insight into the inner workings of so many dysfunctional personalities. Plus, you can always tell a great artist is there when you realize the depth of the emotions that you feel when looking at the piece, be it art, written word, or music. Taeshi is way up there in making me feel a wide range of emotions. Most of them are frustration, anger, depression, and ‘What the f*** are you thinking you idiot!!’. Now that I have psuedo-vented, I will try to make the post relevant to the topic.

Currently, a LucyxPaulo relationship is building. You’d have to be blind, dumb, and completely oblivious not to see that. However, I doubt that it’s ever going to get seriously romantic. Paulo is just a friend. A better friend than he was before, but still a friend. Plus, Paulo has Tess on his mind.

The obvious LucyxMike relationship is the one that I personally am rooting for. I know that it can work! It just requires a couple of things to happen. The scenario in my head always plays out in one of two ways.

The first is something like this. At some point, Sandy has some conflicted feeling with Mike. Maybe she falls for another guy. Maybe she’s unsure if she really loves him. Maybe she’s just keeping him on hold, as a ‘just in case’ backup. My personal favorite is Mike ends up making a surprise trip and finds her kissing another guy. Returning from the trip, Mike is a wreck. Now, the shoe is on the other foot, and it is Mike who is dependent on Lucy. After Lucy helps him through it, they start dating. This is, actually, the least likely thing to happen. And if it did, it wouldn’t last long. Lucy would be resentful of falling second best, and it would add strain to the relationship forever more.

The second scenario is more likely to work out. Now, we’ve seen what happens to Lucy when Mike ‘dies.’ What would happen to Mike if Lucy ‘dies?’ The scenario plays out in many ways. Mike is on the phone with Sandy. Mike and Sandy are magically together at the same place at the same time. Mike is doing homework. Mike is with Lucy. It doesn’t really matter. Mike is doing SOMETHING. And then Lucy is hit by a bus. Falls from a tree. Caught in a house fire. Caught in the crossfire from Final Fantasy Cat’s friends plan. It doesn’t really matter. SOMETHING happens to Lucy. Now, this all works a lot neater if Mike is either doing something with Sandy or is with Lucy when this happens. But when Mike finds out, and thinks Lucy is dead, he snaps. Goes into a catatonic state for a second. Then jumps into action. Runs into the burning house. Pulls Lucy out of the road. Calls ambulances. Abandons Sandy to help Lucy. Even better if he’s with Sandy, and gets a call saying Lucy is in the hospital. Then he goes to the hospital, stays by her bed every second until she gets better. Finally admits to himself that he loves Lucy, and Sandy is just outside the door when he says this to her unconscious form. Sandy writes a note saying that she won’t keep Mike from his love, leaves it for Mike, and slips it into his hand after he’s fallen asleep by Lucy’s bed holding her hand. Lucy wakes up first and reads the note. Unsure of how to react, she slips it back into place. Mike wakes up and sees the note from Sandy. He’s about to read it when he sees Lucy is up. He forgets about note entirely, tossing it aside to apologize to Lucy and admit his love. When he does remember the note, Sandy has long gone. Mike, feeling guilty but not remorseful, writes one last letter to her, apologizing for stringing her along for all those years. THIS scenario has a much better chance of working out in the long run. It makes Mike confront his true feelings and realize that Lucy is more important to him than Sandy, while at the same time understanding all the pain Lucy went through when she thought Mike had died. Plus, it would follow well with everything else thus far.

@Darkdrake

You shouldn’t base character deaths on established patterns like that. Read ‘A Game of Thrones’ by George R.R. Martin. Or ‘Scarecrow’ by Matthew Reilly. It’ll blow your freaking mind.

Erebus, the second scenario in hospital is just the reverse of what I thought. Though I wrote it at the beginning of Casting Call and things have changed greatly since then. Maybe it would be more suitable for Lucy to have the accident now.

Reverse how? Mike in the hospital? Bringing Mike and Sandy closer together rather than further apart?

@Erebus: While your second scenario could happen, it seems to me that anyone would have reacted like you say Michael will in such a scenario. If Lucy was hit by a bus, I don’t think anyone (at least not anyone in the main group, including Tess and Sue) would hesitate to help her for a moment. Paulo could have done the exact same thing, so could Daisy and Abbey (together, at least). And David, too, though that might have been a completely different story.

The point is, I doubt that Michael would be the only one who cares enough to make sure that Lucy is safe. And what if that happened with Sandy? Very probably, he would have done the same.

I’m not trying to say that your scenario will never come true, though. Perhaps this is just me wanting Mike to end up with Sandy and Paulo to end up with Lucy. ^_^

And also, to everyone that says Lucy and Mike must get together in the end, I present the counter-argument: The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
(Though not the sequel. Bad, bad sequel.)

Oh, and The Sword in the Stone, for that matter.

Sorry, I’m just a Paulo+Lucy-fan. Bear with me. ^_^

It’s okay ILB. You’re forgiven And you’re right, in the given situation, Mike wouldn’t be the only one to react strongly, and it would likely end in a Paulo/Mike confrontation. I just like it for the symmetry of it all. Mike dies on Lucy, she’s a complete wreck and owns up to her feelings. Lucy dies on Mike, and he owns up to his feelings. They live happily ever after :3 Of course, that wouldn’t be a bittersweet ending. Now I’m sad

@Erebus

Oh yeah sorry mate. I meant Mike in hospital. The rest works out pretty much the same.

@ILB

Pauolo has Tess now. True everyone would have jumped to see how Lucy was, but what I think Erebus means is that Mike would be there for Lucy at every spare minute, maybe even skipping a class or two…

Or, you know, all classes until she was better.

Nah, Daisy wouldn’t allow it…

True true. Still, if Mike and Lucy don’t end up together, I am going to be seriously mad. Truly 100% pissed. Although, after reading the comic history, I have a feeling that Taeshi wants Mike and Lucy to be happy together.

And like I said before, you know it’s a great work when it makes you feel a wide range of emotions. I’ve just spent the last two hours in a mild state of depression because I wasn’t sure that Mike and Lucy would end up together. I had wanted to do some writing, but I’m afraid that it will be colored dark because of this.

Bah, depression. If you want to read something depressing try the Great Hunger by Patrick Kavanagh. It’s a poem about the sexual repression of the Catholic Church in the rural areas of De Valera’s Ireland. Now that’s depressing, all blooming 756 lines of it. Tell me how you feel at the end…

Also, let your emotions run your writing mate. They take you on an amazing journey. I mean, if you don’t let it naturally, you might as well do drugs or sowt…

@Pronkat: Yes, Michael would probably be more by Lucy’s side than any of the others. At least his earlier self would. The others have their reasons not to (David isn’t the type, Daisy has a slightly marred memory of her, Abbey and Tess don’t seem to know her well enough, Paulo feels that he can’t be what Michael is to her - I can really only think that Daisy and Tess would do the same). It seems to me, though, that Mike would do the same if Sandy was in such a spot. Or Daisy, for that matter. The point I’m trying to make is that the others care enough, though in different ways. And Michael is a very caring person. I can’t see him turning his back on anyone in the group if something like that happened.

@Erebus: Yes, the symmetry would certainly be nice. ^_^

Wow, it feels like all I’ve done on this forum is argue with people. I must have too many male friends.

Yeah. but he wouldn’t do it to the same degree as with Lucy. With Sandy, commitments such as school, and the fact that she lives in another city would eventually force him back. In his mind he’s already said his thoughts to Daisy, plus she’s got Abbey as well. Even with the guys he’ll stick a round for a while. But with Lucy he has a bond the others could never reach.

Don’t worry about the arguing, the Testosterones can’t reach you via the net. As for your outside life, I know naught. Besides we all know this was going to be a heavily debated thread. This is a high school romance story after all…

One thing about the Sandy relationship though is that they’re perpetually at the ‘honeymoon’ stage, in my opinion. There isn’t really any advancement in the relationship. It seems perpetually based off of what happened before Sandy left. How much does he really know about Sandy? Who are her friends? What kind of stuff is she doing? Heck, Sandy didn’t even tell Mike that she would be in the area when she did the parade thing. They aren’t together enough to develop as a couple. There isn’t enough communication between them to develop as a couple.

And I agree with Pronkat there. Mike would be there for all of his friends, but he would obsess over it with Lucy. Maybe even feel guilt over what happened to her. If only I’d been there… kind of thoughts.

And that’s what the internet is for: arguing with anonymous people you will probably never meet. Ever.

Erebus,you have just said that the Internet is used for doing the opposit of its intended purpose mate. We were supposed to connect man! It would have brought an online community in which we could all be groovy and in peace!

Sorry, just returned form my trip, but yeah you are right about the MIke and Sandy relationship. Never in a million years…

You sounded like Austin Powers for a second there, Pronkat. And many things created by man aren’t being used for their intended purpose. Nuclear fission was supposed to be used for energy. Now its used mostly for bombs. Man will always misuse their creations. You need only look as far as 4chan and \b\ to see that it is used closer to how I said.

Or Wikipedia being used to disseminate false information! That’s all it’s there for.

Well, I also think that Taeshi is reluctant to end the Mike/Sandy relationship because of distance. I have been told that she is in a long distance relationship as well, and ending it in the comic where she is ultimately God would almost be akin to saying she has no faith in long distance relationships

That’s why it has to be ended in such a way that distance is no factor in it at all.

But she’s married, the concept is slightly different there…

That reminds me, I haven’t seen Austin Powers in years!

And not all of Wikipedia is false mate. It has helped settled many an argument in my house before,

…Oh. Didn’t know that. Well then.

Let’s talk about a different ship. Paulo/Tess. When will Tess just say ‘Screw it, Paulo, we’re dating now.’

Why do you have so little faith in long distance relationships? ^_^

I believe Michael and Sandy could work out fine. And I want them to meet so that they can confirm their relationship. That’s why I believe the current events are a kind of ordeal for Michael. In the end, he gets what he… deserves. Or wants. Something like that. ^_^

Of course, only time (and Taeshi, but she’ll never say anything) will tell.

Oh, a new reply emerged when I was posting mine?

Tess has been absent for a long time now… I wonder where she went? Senior bus(i)/(y)ness, maybe? It seems the age difference is still plaguing her. Perhaps she will get over that when Paulo gets a bit older.

Well, part of the reason is that I am the victim of a failed long distance relationship. But note, I don’t think it should end because of long distance. I think it should end because Lucy gets hit by a bus. Wow, that was a slightly morbid thought.

And yes, the Michael/Sandy could work out fine. If Lucy didn’t exist. But let’s face it, Sandy thus far has only been used as a plot device. She has no real character. The only purpose she has served thus far is as a source of relationship drama. Before Sandy it was Daisy, and we saw how that ended. And in a previous incarnation of BCB, Mike and Lucy were in love.

My prediction is if Lucy doesn’t have a near-death experience, Michael and Sandy will meet. And in that meeting, they realize how different they really are now, that they aren’t the same people they knew all those years ago, and figure out that it really can’t work. So I’m not so much a proponent of it failing because it is a long distance relationship, but it failing because I like Lucy much better.

*bump*

Frankly anything could happen, I’m a MikexLucy fan but I wouldn’t find it to disappointing if in the end they decide to just remain friends, though if that happens I think everyone would still want to at least see Mike go through the same experience Lucy has had to go through. He has come to see her as a chore always having to be there for her because shes so reliant on him, but he might understand better just how difficult the thought of never seeing someone again would be if he had to deal with Lucy being ‘dead’ and being totally helpless to stop it (much the same way she felt when he fell into the river)

@Erebus: I could see that happening, but though it isn’t necessarily shown in the comic, Mike and Sandy do tend to talk to each other frequently though it seems to be Mike doing most of the calling, so I would find it more likely that Sandy is holding Mike in reserve or perhaps going out with him until she finds someone else, don’t want to sound anti-Sandy but she did drop Daisy completely when she started going out with Mike which doesn’t say much for her reliability.

@Senshuro

Very true, I hadn’t taken that into account. The real thing is, when (not if, WHEN) Mike and Sandy break up, how is it going to transition to Mike/Lucy without any resentment or anger? That is the hard part.

Plus, I want to know where Sue saw Sandy, as was mentioned in Unrequited pg 11. That could either make or break the whole thing. Was she seen helping orphans out of a burning building, or was she seen in an amateur teen porn video?

We’ll (hopefully) know soon… And an amateur teen porn video? You know you just set a new idea for a Rule 34 in motion right? Not saying it’ll be me (my drawing sucks XD, just kidding) but yeah someone will…

Please, I doubt it’s a new idea. I was just aiming for two opposite ends of the spectrum. One would cement the relationship further, the other would end it before you could say “!”

Remember, it’s not cheating if you are in another postcode…

That…That’s awful. Who told you that? They should be taken out back and shot.

But I just got another theory. Mike gets jealous of Lucy’s new found deeper friendship with Paulo.

I deeply resent that sentiment, Pronkat.

Though if you were joking, proceed.

It troubles me that Sue thinks Sandy looks “familiar” when she actually knew her… Is she referring to the lead singer at Tess’ Christmas party, or is this some strange form for déjà vu?

Erebus, it was a line from Road Trip, not meant to be taken seriously! Besides honesty is the best policy as some American author wrote about her polymarist relationship with her husband and her best friend. The story was that her husband had an extramarital affair with her friend. She found out, they nearly got divorced but worked it out in the end. Now they all live in the same house and have great sexual relationships with each other. They are happier than ever and their kids are also much happier too.

On other thoughts, I think you are on the money about Mike mate. I thought it was a tad bit obvious so I didn’t post it, but I guess it’s not. Any other theories?

No, Sue saw Sandy in some completely different setting I think. The realization of what that setting is is going to make all the difference, though. And, like I said, it’s just Sandy serving as another plot device.

Ooh, now that’s a good one!

@Erebus
Until proven otherwise in the comic I’m going with your “Sandy was in an amateur teen porn video” thing. That’s just too funny/awesome a theory to pass up. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Wait, which was a good one? I’m confused now…

Thank you Toasty Jester

Argh, it pains me when MikexLucy fans have so many good arguments, and I am unable to defend PauloxLucy and MichaelxSandy…

I mean, they fit together so well *sniffle*

@ILB

I hate to make people sniffle, and this is going to make it more so, but I have to say it. Have you considered that Taeshi made Mike and Sandy seem to fit together so well so that when it inevitably comes to an end, the ending will be bittersweet?

But hey, cheer up. I’m sure the most recent chapter gave hope to many PauloxLucy fans. There may be something going there. It seems more like a platonic relationship to me, but it’s also probably the healthiest relationship she has right now. I mean, let’s face it, her previous relationship with Mike was so very codependent, there was no possible way you could say it was healthy for either of them.
…
Now that I wrote it out, it’s made me think. They can’t have a real relationship based off of that unhealthy one. That’s why the fight they had was a good thing. Now they can almost start anew with a healthy relationship.

Plus, every female in BCB is a MikexLucy shipper. Just look at how they cornered Mike after Lucy told them what happened. Plus, Sue just made a play that is probably designed around bringing them together.

Aaaaaaaand I’m not helping you ILB, am I?

Nah, I’m good. It’s annoying me that you’re probably right, but the *sniffle* was for comic effect. Sorry to have misled you. ^_^

Oh, I knew you weren’t being serious. I just thought I’d play like you were. Why do people think I’m so gullible when I’m really just extending the act?

Perhaps because I was so sure someone was going to fall for it…

We hear only what we want to hear, you know.

(Those who didn’t hear that, raise their hands. ^_^)

*raises hand*

You know ILB, I just realized something. You’re a girl. I just read through the ‘post your age and gender’ thing. Didn’t do that before. Now I know why you’re PauloxLucy and MikexSandy. You’re one of those girls who wants first loves to end up together. Your reason for supporting such unlikely pairings now makes sense to me. Now I understand you. Now I’m getting in your head. Now, I can convert you. Muahahahaha.

Good grief how did I miss this one!

I’m stalking yew ILB.

Erebus

I like your 2nd scenario. It’s not too far fetched. For the sake of a short post I’ll just leave it at that.

Regarding character death. Old topic now I know, but I still feel it’s worth mentioning that Final Fantasy Cat (I CANNOT spell that name) would be a good pick for such an event. Especially if his death was a sacrifice to protect Daisy. THAT would leave a nasty taste in everyone’s mouth.

And ILB, I know how much you want for Sandy and Mike to work out, but I’m sorry, it just looks too much like Mike X Lucy is the ultimate goal. Unless Taeshi wishes to fess up something?

Oh, btw, I’m going with the amature porn idea for where Sue saw Sandy.

Oh, and Erebus… leave ILB’s poor mislead mind alone!!! -.^

@Jay
T.T But…But…Why?! It is one of the few things that I enjoy doing, fooling with people’s heads.

I like my idea too. Although, it begs the question, why was Sue watching amateur teen porn…