caughtinanetwork | 19 ♐ Video ♐ Horse-herding Cat

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19 ♐ Video ♐ Horse-herding Cat

[Action; Disciple only]

[It's just like any other day for Darkleer. He's just locked himself away in his room for the most part while Summoner slumbers away on his bed. After his matesprit had been kidnapped by the Highblood, he's been even more reluctant to leave his side.]

[So he simply sits at his workbench, sketching out the designs for the hive next door that they are going to ~~steal~~ expand to.]

[Unfortunately, he has no idea that an oliveblooded cat is slowly making her way to him and shenanigans will happen...]

[Video]

[Some time after those shenanigans, Darkleer appears on the network.]

[A very sheepish Darkleer, as a matter of fact, his hand lowering after giving some of his long hair a firm nervous tug. His shoulders are kind of tense.]

Ahem. So.

[A pause. Suddenly, somewhere from off-screen, a pair of hands start to bat at his arm which only makes him shrink back a bit more. Anyone familiar with Disciple may be able to identify those hands and arms as hers.]

I'm doing it, I'm doing it-! Ngh. [A small sigh.] Is... there anyone who is free today who would like to do something?

...That is out of my respite block.

...And my hive.

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[It involves clowns, you don't want to know, Brooklyn.]

It is beginning to approach two months now, I believe. I would be lying if I said I did not find it somewhat concerning.

[Too late, he's curious. It's probably something he'll regret though.]

Has anybody ever tried to, you know, fix those things?

I'm not sure there is a way. It is like the curses- something beyond our control.

If we could get our hands on more information on the coral and what the scientists are doing, perhaps we could learn a way to undo it, but... For now, we are stuck.

[Brooklyn looks to the side.]

Uh huh.

So, uh. The guy. He must be a friend of yours, right? Or family?

He is my matesprit- one of five possible romantic partners a troll can have.

[Brooklyn blinks.]

Wait. Five?

Yes. Trolls categorize their romances into quadrants. The only one of them to include three people would be the ashen quadrant, which is where one individual mediates between two.

I could tell you more, if you'd like, but if that doesn't interest you, all you need to know that a matespritship is most similar to what humans categorize as a romantic relationship.

[He won't even begin to act like he understands most of that.]

But, uh, if that's the romantic one then...why the rest?

Oh, trolls think of all of them as romantic, simply different types of romantic. Matespritship is just what humans would recognize. All the other quadrants play a valuable role as well.

Ehhh, It's not just the humans. I don't see what other kinds of romance you could have either. Much less, ya know. Three.

Well, there are two distinct classes of romance. You have red romance, where you pity an individual. There is black romance, which focuses on hatred. Matespritship and moiraillegiance both fall within red. Kismessissitude and auspisticism are black.

Then there is concupiscent and conciliatory romance. The first is necessary for mating, which is where matesprits and kismesises fall into. The latter is based more on emotions and involves no sexual intimacy. Moirails and auspitices fall within that.

Are you with me so far?

[Pity? Jeez.]

I. . . guess? Sorry, I'm just not seeing the overlap with romance and [he rubs his chin] hatred.

Well, from what I understand, most species seem to only recognize platonic hatred. Someone they wish never existed, or would rather kill. That certainly exists in our society as well.

The hatred required for a proper kismesisitude is hating them and wanting them at the same time because they're a challenge. Clashes continuously happen between the two. You want to beat them, hurt them, and be the only one to do so. If they're at all worth it, then there's always that risk of it happening to you in kind. They drive you mad in the worst way. It's exciting, and you begin to look forward to it.

Add in rough and rather violent kisses along with reproduction, and that is it.

[Despite how even his voice is, he still coughs into his fist and pulls a towel out from somewhere to dab at his face.]

I find it strange that more races don't have such a romance, but I understand I am biased.

Oh. Uh.

[Brooklyn isn't making eye contact anymore. This is bringing up unpleasant memories, and an even worse line of thought.]

If you say so. But...that really only explains two of them, right? If those other two are just platonic like you say, then why do you call 'em romantic partners? Isn't that just friendship?

Well, the two I mentioned are also necessary for the propagation of our entire race. The other two are important for more social reasons.

They are also greatly different than friendship. Just because they do not involve sexual acts does not make them meaningless. If that were true, then romantic partners on all worlds would be rather shallow, don't you agree?

Moirails also are fueled by pity and affection, simply different kinds. Auspitices are required so that black infidelity is not as widespread, and also to make sure that individuals do not go killing one another willy nilly. Which would you like to know about first?

Killing each other?

[The more he hears the stranger it gets.]

You could tell me about the, uh, Auspictices first I guess.

We can be a... fairly violent race. Yes.

[He clears his throat.]

The ashen quadrant is represented by a club, or a black clover if that is more familiar to you. It is the only quadrant that involves three individuals. You have two individuals who feel hatred towards one another- platonic or romantic, it doesn't matter. The third is the auspitice, who mediates between them.

The goal involves thinking of the big picture instead of the smaller one. Perhaps one of the individuals is already taken in their black quadrant. Perhaps it would wreak havoc amongst the larger social picture with their other partners even if the pair fitted together quite well. Or maybe they just want to kill one another and that can't do for any number of reasons.

Thus the auspitice intervenes in their arguments, shutting them both down from romance or murder.

It is not always the most emotionally rewarding of quadrants, but it is highly important for our culture. A good auspitice is quite respected, at least in the military where teamwork can be essential. I used to be quite an impressive one myself back in the day.

I guess that makes sense. All of it does, really. Kind of. I guess it's just weird that you've got such a....such a system for it? I mean quadrants and clubs, but they all just seem like your sorta normal social functions.

Hm. Things are simply different on Alternia, as I am sure you noticed.

One thing I still don’t get though. If the black one is supposed to be your romantic partner, but the two of you hate each other. Then how exactly do you, uh. . .

[Shhh. It’s very relevant to his interests, okay.]

...Yes?

[Sigh. Bad feeling.]

You know, with the. Romantic interactions. You said they had to do with continuing the species so I just assumed that . . .

That's right.

[Phew. Okay. Filtering this because gosh! Private matters.]

Trolls do not birth their own young. Instead, we all offer our genetic material from sexual acts to the Imperial Drones, which deliver it to the Mother Grub. The Mother Grub takes the genetic material within herself, and from the combined material, she lays eggs. Thousands of them.

It is important for both red and black pairs to give their genetics to the Drone. The material from matesprits is quite different than that of kismesisses, at least on a genetic level.

It should be noted that the Drones deliver the material in buckets, and our race finds the objects quite... well, I'm sure you understand.

[Oh. So talk about systematized.]

That clears some things up. . .

[Still not exactly what he was going after, but now he doesn't really want to press it. He changes the subject.]

We may actually have something in common there, though. You know, compared to the humans. Gargoyles lay eggs, right. All of those are put into the Rookery. Indiscriminately. We don't trace parentage, and all of the hatchlings are raised as siblings--by the whole clan.

Really? I thought it would be something like that, considering the wings and reptilian appearance, but the cultural aspect is unexpected. Interesting.

That must mean you are all quite close then.

19 ♐ Video ♐ Horse-herding Cat

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