[mingle post!]

[cavedwellers]

Boy Valentine's Day was sure an adventure, wasn't it? Gosh, it's a good thing all that's over with.

Have a mingle post! If you're starting a new thread, mention where you are in the subject line. Tag each other, hang out, do whatevs.

Comments

[bythehorns]

I think, it might be, okay, at least, sort of, since, I have talked to, my matesprit, about it, and also, to his moirail, who was, the one who would be most mad, since, I did things, with his matesprit, that, only he should be doing.

[ice_and_steel]

....I'm sorry, I know this is rude and clueless, but what's a moirail or a matesprit?

I'm glad it's okay though.

[bythehorns]

No, it is, okay, they are kinds of romance, for trolls, but apparently, humans do not have, the same kind, so, I don't think, you should feel bad, for not knowing.

[ice_and_steel]

Kinds of romance? You mean it gets *more* complicated? ...I'm impressed you can handle it. I haven't even figured out the one sort I think humans are supposed to have.

[bythehorns]

For trolls, there are, four quadrants, for romance, but everything we've seen, about humans, says you only, have one. It makes Karkat, really annoyed, with humans, sometimes.

[ice_and_steel]

Karkat is the one with the constant yelling? He seems to be annoyed at everything. [She smiles wryly]

I think it might be partly that we lump a lot of things together without giving them different names. Or at least I saw many people behaving in alarmingly variable ways but all under the rubric of romance. I confess I am not quite sure how it should be the same word for someone who spends a great deal of his time beating his partner bloody versus the person who takes great personal care of her husband and spends her time making sure they are both happy. Yet I have heard both of these situations called being lovers. I don't understand how that works.

[bythehorns]

That is, definitely, Karkat, um, I didn't know, that you had met him, already.

Also, that is interesting, since, it sounds like, different quadrants, to me, but with only, one word for them, and I mean, I am not, an expert, or anything, but usually, with trolls, though I suppose, not always, when you are that violent, uh, it means, you are in, a black quadrant, instead of, a red one.

Except, uh, I guess, if you have reasons, for being, so mean, that are, not hate reasons....

[you droop a little, hunching in on yourself]

[ice_and_steel]

--Oh, fuck. Tavros, I'm sorry. I didn't--um--I'm not going to hurt you, okay? [She crouches down a little so she is more on his eye level, careful to make the movement slow so it won't appear threatening]

I--probably shouldn't have brought it up.

[bythehorns]

Um, thank you, that is, very nice of you, to say that, and, I don't mind, that you brought it up, since, you were clearly, just making, conversation, and I am, sometimes, not very good at that, which is, not your fault.

[ice_and_steel]

In theory I should be better at making conversation than this, though.

Let's start over, shall we? So you said you're doing okay since the party?

[bythehorns]

Um, pretty much, yeah, I was worried, at first, but I don't think, I've really caused problems, for the people here, who are important to me, so, that's good, um.

Uh, this is probably, the part where, I ask you, if you are also, doing okay?

[ice_and_steel]

[she rubs the back of her head awkwardly] I guess I'm okay. People seem to still be talking to me and nobody's tried to kill me, so I guess that's a net victory.

What do you do for leave--I mean, um, leisure activities around here? I'm finding it hard to know what to do besides practice magic.

[bythehorns]

Doing magic sounds, pretty cool, though.

Um, I like to, play Fiduspawn, which, is sort of complicated, but I could show you, since, I don't really, have anyone here, to play it with, since, Gamzee can't really, pay attention, for that long, and Karkat, doesn't have, any patience.

[ice_and_steel]

[she avoids the obvious pun and sticks to the nice, non-traumatic uses because traumatizing Tavros is not a fun game] Magic can be pretty cool, but it's also tiring. It does beat waiting for wounds to heal naturally, though.

I think I would like to learn, if you don't mind teaching me. Is it played on a board?

[bythehorns]

[someone who wants to play with you! yay! you haven't had a chance to play Fiduspawn since before Sgrub started. you'd hate to get out of practice.]

It is played, with cards, and also with, these Oogonibombs, which, I should clarify, since you are a soldier, are not real bombs at all, they are more like, eggs, that have, your starting fiduspawn, in them.

[you are pulling cards and capsules out of your inventory sylladex and dividing them up]

For now, uh, you can start, with these, and we can play, a starter game, where, I will talk you, through the rules.

[ice_and_steel]

[She was expecting something like chess, but this looks potentially more interesting and less rigid.] I see. So the fiduspawn are like creatures that you use? What are the cards for?

[Tavros looks really excited and that's good. She has done more than enough accidental terrorizing.]

[bythehorns]

The cards determine, what kind of bonuses, you can give, to your creatures, once you have them, um, actually, do you have, summoning, where you are from?

[ice_and_steel]

....I think so, if we mean it the same way. We have Magicite, which is what's left of a powerful magical creature when it passes away; you can use some of your own strength to recreate that creature in a very short term, usually for battle.

[bythehorns]

That sounds, really exciting, and like, it must make for, some impressive battles.

But, uh, you can think of this as, kind of the same thing, except smaller, and just for fun, instead of a real fight. Here, uh, I will start the game.

[the two of you then proceed to play one of the nerdiest games in all of paradox space.]

[ice_and_steel]

It's impressive, alright.

[game! this is interesting. and challenging!]

That was fun. Thank you, Tavros.

[bythehorns]

I am really glad, that you enjoyed it. I have missed, having chances to play.

If you want to, you can keep those cards, and your fiduspawn, from this game, and they can be a start, for your own deck.

[ice_and_steel]

I would be pleased to play with you again. Are you sure you don't need these back?

[This...is probably the first time someone has offered her something that is not practical or deadly or both. She is unsure how one handles such gifts, besides with great care.]

[bythehorns]

I would like you, to have them.

[this is a good friendship gesture, isn't it? you are pretty sure]

If your fiduspawn, get along, perhaps they will even breed, and next time, you could surprise me, with what kinds you have.

[ice_and_steel]

Thank you.

[on consideration, that's sort of alarming. They're pets?]

How will I know if they get along? ....Do I have to feed them?

[bythehorns]

They, uh, mostly take care of themselves, if you put them back, in your sylladex, when you're not playing with them.

[you spend so much time leaning on the FOURTH WALL that it doesn't even occur to you that GAMING ABSTRACTIONS might in fact be ABSTRACT for other people.]