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Thank you for your patience, everyone. We have a big 31-page episode with some revelations and consequences... Yay!

Just a quick "timeline" note: Remember that this section all takes place before Sandy's latest episodes.

So, whatever happens next is the reason Mr. Xu decided to visit Mrs. Ferris in-person and request Sandy's help with Nikki. 😊

Anyway, I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

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Comments

Gemma

Only began reading episode. Off the bat, it is interesting that whilst Nikki’s internal voice may still be masculine, her external voice - under stress, at least, has become feminine again. More later, got to read more of this exciting chapter.

Maggie Heels

FFFFFFFF what a cliffhaaaaaaaanger ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️

mdaily

ambidextrous uber athlete! Throwing didn't go so well the last time!

Maggie Heels

Seriously I'm starting to think that Mr Fuckface Hutchinson is the best male villain in all Emory's universes together... Xu is only worthy to tie his shoelaces... and I hope he'll resign from hurting Janice... in a way that it will look like it was his idea not Nikki of course...

Tim

Gawd, I hope her ability to throw a baseball is just as bad now as her ability to throw a football... I don't want to see the consequence if she's able to throw a strike. Hopefully it will just nick Hutchinson's ear and distract him long enough for Zach to arrive. I also think he'd look a bit less menacing in the aftermath with a tiny little pillow on the side of his head.

Zoe Storm

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Zoe Storm

More coherent thoughts when I've stopped screaming about this. Meanwhile: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Gemma

I agrees with Maggie- wow! What a cliff hanger. I interesting to hear more of the back story and historical inter-connections between the different characters. Hutchinson certainly has his own perspective and version of reality. It his own interesting to hear his (at times ), compelling argument and rational to explain his actions. It’s funny how narcissists can see themselves ultimately as ‘ good guy’ who sees the big picture more clearly than others. I’m sure we all know people in very high positions who are not too dissimilar to this. As always Emory great images. Love Nikki’s reflection in Hutchinson’s shiny knife. Also Nikki looks so pretty and beautiful in all these images. I can agree with Hutchinson in that she does make a very pretty girl. I hope for her sake that her arm is (as suggested by Tim) nowhere as strong and powerful it used to be. It would certainly highlight to Nikki that she certainly is no where near to what she used to be. Thanks Emory, brilliant episode.

Jay

Interesting how zach refers to nikki with female pronouns

Solaufein

WHO'S ARMANDO?! That hussy better not be trying to steal Zach away from Nikki...

Female-Bosmer-Always

So nice to finally see Hutchinson...hopefully...get what he truly deserves. My muse Emory, you know know how to leave a guy hanging. Hopefully it'll make full contact with his skull. Hutch, how many Toys have you abused? Hutch...what have you done?

Thomas Tolliver

Even KFC knows breasts aren't wings.

Erica Rost

The story is starting to get very interesting!

Tim

I'm anxiously waiting for when Nikki's thought bubbles change from green to pink... a sure sign the girl has arrived.

Tim

It was Hutchinson who made the first Trumpy reference when he told Nikki, "Women shouldn't be in positions of power. Too emotional, too irrational."

Helena Grace

The thing i haven't seen mentioned, Nick had the fast ball. Not Nikki. When she she throw a fast ball last? Is she basing the speed and frankly accuracy on her old practiced skills It's entirely possible that she misses or does little to no damage. Which would be bad for her.

SingularCurve

Oh the joys of being a star in two sports. The motions are the same but I dont think that Nikki realizes that to be dangerous she doesnt need to throw a big rock. Even a golfball sized rock thrown with the speed and accuracy of a pitcher with an 85 mph fastball can be deadly enough.

Joe 13 Foxtrot

Oh the pain of cliff hangers argh 😫 but seriously great chapter Emory.

Robertlouis

The extended dialogues we’re getting between Nikki and Hutchinson in the last few episodes, while confrontatational and dialling up the tension between the two of them, are allowing the issues to come out into the open and especially for Hutchinson to reveal his plans. And they’re even uglier and crazier than we might have imagined. For him it’s all about legacy and for Zach and Nikki to carry the Hutchinson name from the Texas state senate via ownership of the Dallas Cowboys and on to the White House. Their dreams and desires are immaterial. He’s deranged. And to demonstrate his intent and power he’s going to maim Janice. The world is spinning as that rock speeds towards his head and we hold our collective breath. Quite a hiatus, Emory. And a word about the art. The harsh light and shadows add further drama to the scene, and the expressions on both faces are terrific - it’s the first time we’ve seen anything on Hutchinson other than a sneer or a snarl, perhaps you’ll even show vulnerability as the story deepens, we’ll see. Wonderful stuff.

Richard Head

Damn, can't wait to see where this goes. Very sneaky of Mr Hutchinson to use language specifically derogatory towards women when berating Nikki (or maybe he genuinely believes she may as well be just another girl by now). Depending how the next update goes, I'm also expecting a jibe at the very least about how she's more suited to softball than baseball now. Also interesting that although Zach asks if Nick is OK (instead of Nikki) he still refers to "her". Guess the "feminine aura" is just that strong. And if how the last date ended is anything to go by, I think we all know the inevitable kiss between our trapped princess and her knight in shining armor will be much more "real" than she wants to believe. A little coaxing from Sandy given her own experiences and maybe something more can come of it.

Richard Head

He's holding a gelding knife while she's going to infuriate him while talking about balls. Not sure I like this set-up...

mdaily

actually, since this takes place prior to the last time that we saw Sandy, we know that Hutchinson survives the throw. possibly a KO until Zach arrives?

emoryahlberg

Good catch! 😊 Yeah, the real question is what condition he’ll be left in if that rock hits!

mdaily

I think a condition of generally pissed off is highly probable

Elrod W

First - this is good. I was figuring the threat was not directly to Nikki - there is too much potential for blowback to Hutchison from son - and possibly from Second Dawn. Speaking of which, given that he wasn't "allowed" into the more elite program of Second Dawn, how much leeway does he have toward his 'property'? Is she on loan from Second ? If he were to follow through with removing a finger, is it possible that he'd get himself in trouble? Perhaps end up with the same fate as whats-her-name? (Sorry - brain fog ultimately resulting from constant neuropathic pain). And - it's not clear that Second Dawn would consider his extreme misogynistic to be a desirable trait in one of their members - is it perhaps conceivable that Jill comes to pay a visit - perhaps with Wu - to put Hutchison in his place, given his threatened mutilation of one of their 'products' and his misogyny. And threats to Nikki - we've seen Jill go into protective mode for Nikki. Could she have a future role here - maybe some type of last-minute save? I could see that - things are going really south for Nikki, Hutchison maybe follows through on his threat and castrates her, Zack tries to intervene, and then Jill swoops in, and with Sandy, help Nikki accept what she can't change. And poor Hutchison - crossed the line one too many times, so he gets 'the treatment'. Zack and Nikki - would be a cute couple, but that'd be a fairy-tale type of ending, so I'd bet that ultimately, Emory will have them end up friends.

Robertlouis

Perhaps Janice’s phone call was to Jill. At first I thought Holly, but I couldn’t imagine her getting physical with Hutchinson.

emoryahlberg

Holly and Jill don’t have anything to do with the “toys” - that’s all Davis and his ilk! But at the end of the episode we saw she was actually Zach. 😊

emoryahlberg

No, it did not. Nick may have had an 85 mph fastball, but Nikki certainly doesn't. Still, if she's accurate, that rock will still do some serious damage!

emoryahlberg

Thank you, Maggie! Yeah, Hutchinson is pretty vile. Xu is a villain but at least he's Lawful Evil so you know what to expect. Hutchinson seems far more unstable.

emoryahlberg

I've actually been thinking about Nikki's athletic abilities a lot lately. The hormone treatments have definitely affected her strength and muscle mass, but muscle memory is a fascinating thing. I imagine she'd still have good form, even if the power isn't quite there anymore. We'll see! 😊

emoryahlberg

Thank you, Gemma! I like to explore how someone like Hutchinson could justify their actions, not just to others, but to themselves. In his mind, he's the hero of this story - he's "saving" Nikki, giving her a better life, all while securing his family's legacy. Of course, the twist of the knife is that we kind of agree with him... Don't we? 😉

emoryahlberg

Yep! He's a little confused in the heat of the moment. He says "Nick" but then "she." Oops!

emoryahlberg

Thanks, Hel! I imagine Nikki's struggling with the disconnect between her muscle memory and her current physical capabilities. She probably still feels like she could throw that fastball, but her body just won't respond the way it used to! ⚾

emoryahlberg

Good point, Singular! Although there's no way Nikki now has the same 85 mph speed that Nick did. Still, if that rock hits, it'll do some serious damage. But Nikki's still struggling to reconcile her new physical limitations with her ingrained athletic instincts. In her mind, she's still the star quarterback with a killer arm, even if her body has changed (a lot). Nikki's impulsiveness and tendency to go big or go home (traits that served her well in sports) might not always be the best approach in her current situation. She'll soon need to learn when to use finesse instead of brute force, both literally and metaphorically!

emoryahlberg

Thank you, Robert! Hutchinson's expressions were so fun to try to get right. The calm is his armor, but underneath, there seems to be a whole lot of rage. His obsession with legacy isn't just about power - it's about validation, about proving his worth to a world he feels has underestimated him. The dialogue between them was honestly crucial for me. I wanted to peel back the layers, to show that this isn't just about gender or sexuality - it's about power, control, and the lengths people will go to shape the world according to their vision. For Hutchinson, that length is "any." 😬

emoryahlberg

Thank you, Richard! Yeah, Hutchinson's sexism runs deep (and notice we have no idea where Zach's mom might be), and he's definitely weaponizing it against Nikki. It's may be a deliberate tactic to undermine her sense of self, but it also reflects his genuine beliefs. Zach's getting confused! He's caught between his attraction to Nick and the reality of Nikki's current appearance. Uh oh... And, yeah, if the "mandated" kiss happens, it'll be a pivotal moment for sure! 😉

Tim

Oh oh... you did say something's going to happen that prompts Xu's request that Sandy help "guide" Nikki. It seems that Nikki may have thrown a rock at a hornets' nest and only succeeded in pissing off the big bee.

SingularCurve

Thats the truth, but there are plenty of women irl that can throw at the same sort of speeds with a softball that the pros do with a smaller baseball. Im not sure what the second dawn super hormones do internally, but Nikki looks like she still has a ton of muscles. Also from personal experience, even a small child can hurt someone with a rock to the head (happened when I was a small child at the time.) Nikki really does need to work on her impulsiveness. I am looking forward to how Nikki will use finesse once she learns it. Every adult of any gender needs to know that lesson.

Robertlouis

And how he’ll react towards Nikki whether it hits or not! We’ve heard him threaten violence and we know that he’s capable of inflicting it, but we’ve yet to see it.

Robertlouis

Is that a hint that Mme Hutchinson will put in an appearance in the future? If so, why did she leave in the first place, and what was her relationship with Zach like? The plot thickeneth!!!

Robertlouis

If she practises within her limitations, but retains her former accuracy that could be sufficient. However, paradoxically it would also require her to recognise and admit that her strength is now female rather than male, and she’s still clinging desperately to the final shreds of her masculinity. It’s an impossible situation.

Female-Bosmer-Always

I really hope it does connect...perfectly. Unlike Sophia, Holly, Jill...and even Mob-wannabe Angela...Hutchinson, Davis and Kaschak truly serve what they get. I could NOT EVER write a character so multidimensional and yet so utterly amoral and loathsome except Anatoly Raskolnikov, the fugitive leader of the AlixTG inspired House of Raskolnikov. In your P.M to me giving permission for my characters to enter "The Xuniverse" you mentioned it was 25-30 years ahead of everyone else medically and technologically. Since Dr. Danica Crowe is a specialist is genetics/CRSIPR, nanotechnology and cloning I'm hoping the families of the "Attritions" will get a happy ending. Summer, Vienna, Uncle Rudy and aunt Isabella teared up like little girls when Gina mentioned the "Attritions". Usually Afghanistan veterans with combat kills don't tear up like little girls.

Nolwenn

It's such a shame that Davis and Hutchinson don't know each other. These two would have caused carnage 😅