Chapter 5 – Page 035
Victorian man is Victorian. And now for the weather.
↓ Transcript
Panel 1:
Shaw sweeps an imperious arm. Even Ariston is thinking he’s running his mouth off a bit.
SHAW: You’ve witnessed the state of this tadpole, how ill-equipped he is to handle the most basic facets of civilisation, he can’t function without us!
NANCY (off-panel): He can’t function with you, you pompous jerk! You’re ruining his life!
Panel 2:
As Nancy is focused on getting Shaw to engage with her, Si is drawn to Maleko’s plight. Maleko stares at the ground, face fraught with emotion.
SHAW (off-panel): That so? What has the last decade of swabbing him like a newborn babe and telling him he’s blameless done for his prospects?
SHAW (off-panel): He knows why he needs us. Where all others murmur behind his back and mumble empty platitudes of his sophistic bravery, we’re the only ones with the honesty to tell him what he is to his face.
Panel 3:
Closeup of Maleko. He’s sweating, rooted, feeling his body being cracked open like a nut.
SHAW (off-panel): A coward.
SHAW (off-panel): A coward who died in that cellar in every way except the basely physical. Whose shambling undeath since that day is a breathing insult to those who perished in his stead.
Panel 4:
Nancy, from her hiding spot, disregards Shaw’s histrionics.
NANCY: Well then, you brave big ol’ bully you, if you’re so bloody courageous why aren’t you and your mates down here facing me like men instead of hiding up there like a pack of wusses?!
Panel 5:
Atop the block, amusement drains from Shaw’s face.
NANCY: C’mon, what are ya scared of, you chicken?! Afraid of being beat up by a girl?! That don’t sound like you!
Panel 6:
Same view. Shaw glowers at Ariston, who stands at attention.
SHAW: Hypaspist, would you kindly go down there and put this lesbian out of her misery?
NANCY: Aro-ace, actually, but okay, be a bigot I guess…
Shaw sweeps an imperious arm. Even Ariston is thinking he’s running his mouth off a bit.
SHAW: You’ve witnessed the state of this tadpole, how ill-equipped he is to handle the most basic facets of civilisation, he can’t function without us!
NANCY (off-panel): He can’t function with you, you pompous jerk! You’re ruining his life!
Panel 2:
As Nancy is focused on getting Shaw to engage with her, Si is drawn to Maleko’s plight. Maleko stares at the ground, face fraught with emotion.
SHAW (off-panel): That so? What has the last decade of swabbing him like a newborn babe and telling him he’s blameless done for his prospects?
SHAW (off-panel): He knows why he needs us. Where all others murmur behind his back and mumble empty platitudes of his sophistic bravery, we’re the only ones with the honesty to tell him what he is to his face.
Panel 3:
Closeup of Maleko. He’s sweating, rooted, feeling his body being cracked open like a nut.
SHAW (off-panel): A coward.
SHAW (off-panel): A coward who died in that cellar in every way except the basely physical. Whose shambling undeath since that day is a breathing insult to those who perished in his stead.
Panel 4:
Nancy, from her hiding spot, disregards Shaw’s histrionics.
NANCY: Well then, you brave big ol’ bully you, if you’re so bloody courageous why aren’t you and your mates down here facing me like men instead of hiding up there like a pack of wusses?!
Panel 5:
Atop the block, amusement drains from Shaw’s face.
NANCY: C’mon, what are ya scared of, you chicken?! Afraid of being beat up by a girl?! That don’t sound like you!
Panel 6:
Same view. Shaw glowers at Ariston, who stands at attention.
SHAW: Hypaspist, would you kindly go down there and put this lesbian out of her misery?
NANCY: Aro-ace, actually, but okay, be a bigot I guess…