Traff Research Program, 2 [various times in Chirreb 4385]

[sythyry]

Mirrored from Sythyry.

Kantele

Me: “Kantele? Do you ever wish you’d been involved with another Rassimel?”

Kantele: “No.”

Me: “Just asking…”

Kantele: “I regret nothing that I have done. This is important to me. I wish to continue to regret nothing for whatever few years are left to me.”

I rather slunk out of the room, hiding under couches on the way. It’s not just Cani.

Umbers

Me: “Umbers? How do you feel about Herethroy? Sexually, I mean.”

Umbers: “We discussed this already.”

Me: “We did?”

Umbers: “I am particularly attracted to both-females. Not a terribly popular attitude, but there you go.”

Me: “Oh, right.”

Umbers: “I’m not what you call traff though. I’m what you call a libertine. I’ll do anybody for the right price … or I would have done, before I came here.”

Me: “Well, I’m more wondering what you do of your own free will.”

Umbers: “I hear we’ve got a lover in common nowadays.”

So the conversation degenerated into saying nice things about Arfaen, and me being confused whether Arfaen’s swearing off Herethroy includes Umbers or not.

Este

Me: “Hi, Este… could I ask a personal question?”

Este: “Yeah, the one about ‘do you like Rassimel’, right?”

Me: “Yes … how do you know?”

Este: “You already bugged Phaniet, she warned me.”

Me: “So…?”

Este: “I used to date Rassies. That was good. Now I’m ~married~ to Phaniet. That’s better.”

Me: “Wow, a definite answer. Thank you!”

Este: “Sure thing, boss.”

Inconnu

Me: “Inconnu? Are you ever interested in Orren?”

Inconnu: “Me? No! No, never, no! No, no way, not a chance, no way, no! No, impossible, I am offended, impossible, no!”

Me: “Really?”

Inconnu pranced out of the parlor, tail lashing angrily behind him. He knocked over an ottoman on the way out.

Within the hour, Inconnu and Arfaen snuck up on me, grabbed one of my legs in each of their hands, and carried me off to one of the more lockable parlors, and did Unspeakable Things to and with me. One of these Unspeakable Things involved jellied crabmeat. The others did not.

Which pretty much ended the research program, or started another one, depending on how one counts these things.

Conclusions

1. I’m definitely traff.
2. If I admit “libertine” as a category, I am getting a bit close to that, too.
3. Nobody on Strayway wants to explain their personal amatory choices to me.
4. Probably being very vocal about my prior theory, and making it the official theory of Castle Wrong, was somewhat of a mistake.

Comments

[redbird]

Even if you hadn't been that vocal about your prior theory, very few people want to explain their personal amatory choices. Even those few generally want to choose their own time and place.

You've been trying hard not to volunteer information about yourself and your choices—either that you had in fact slept with your cousin, or that you had found yourself attracted to a zi ri as well as to orren and other species of primes—that you've pushed everyone else to talk about their choices. If there's anyone on board you haven't had that sort of conversation with, stop now. Even if you have, stop unless you want to go to, say, Inconnu or Este, apologize, and tell zir that you're sorry you handled things badly, but you were awkwardly trying to lead up to talking about yourself and didn't think about how personal those questions were.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

...

... ...

I have been, haven't I?

I daresay you're right.

[rowyn]

Maybe you should ask them about other primes they've known instead of asking about them, personally. >:)

[delight-in.livejournal.com]

But that doesn't make sense maybe for normal people all right but Castle Wrong is self-selected for their willingness to talk about who they're attracted to that's what the Castle's founded on practically. Being willing to say 'I'm attracted to these people even though some other people disapprove'. Why would they be all offended and stuff?

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

Once again, you're not asking the question you really want the answer to, which is along the lines of, "Would you still accept me even if I don't fit into the conservative definition of traff?"

[rowyn]

Or, if zie is really determined not to admit zir affair with Saza, zie could say, "I am trying to decide whether or not a particular Prime, whom I will not name to avoid prejudice, would fit into Castle Wrong. This Prime has been attracted to her own species as well as other Prime species. Would you find this fact objectionable?"

Although honestly, Umbers self-identifies as libertine and fits in, so I don't see why anyone except Sythyry would care. >:)

[bloofox.livejournal.com]

Jellied Crabmeat?

It's things like that that make me have to say I have merely an impersonal and academic interest rather than no interest.

*laugh*

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>One of these Unspeakable Things involved jellied crabmeat. The others did not.<<

Yeah, that's one way to get an immortal wizard to shut up!

Re: *laugh*

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

[Hottest, kinkiest sex scene I've written in a while! -bb]
[Though it is not clear that anyone actually had sex, or even close to it. -bb]

Re: *laugh*

[sianmink.livejournal.com]

I was imagining some version of The Conversation tailored for confused featherdragons, and a snack.

Re: *laugh*

[kobolds.livejournal.com]

So does this mean that Inconnu finally gets to cross number eight off of his list?

Also you'll probably get better results by explaining to everyone why you are interested, and that ultimately you are interested in how they perceive you, and others like you.

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

Sythyry, you need to apologize and explain to folk... try to say a few things, maybe considering this list:

1.) You're sorry about asking inappropriate questions of everyone
2.) The reason you have asked these questions is because a crisis of faith, especially with regards to 'traff' and 'wrong', and you are trying to understand yourself and where you fit in the world
3.) Mostly, you are worried about being accepted amongst them, and also you would very much like to broaden the definition of what sorts of 'wrong' Castle Wrong accepts
4.) You are worried that whatever understanding you come to with regards to yourself won't be accepted amongst them, and are hoping that by talking through these topics with everyone, things will turn out okay
5.) You also would very much like to have a cohesive, concise, broadly applicable, useful, precise, and accurate theory of prime sexuality and are worried sick that you will get it wrong

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

So, apparently Arfaen talked Inconnu... down? Maybe down isn't the right direction. Around?

[rowyn]

Down might be the right direction! It depends what Sythyry was perched on at the time.

[mmsword.livejournal.com]

Making mistakes is part of life. Surviving them and learning from them to prevent such things happening again makes you grow in wisdom. This is why Zi Ri are the wisest of the primes, for when you are immortal, you have the chance to make the most mistakes.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I'm certainly making as many as I can possibly think of...

[mmsword.livejournal.com]

As long as you learn and grow as a person from them, you are on the correct path.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I never really know about that, either.

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

Another thought: Phaniet knows you slept with Saza. Which, they way things work, probably means the entire ship knows you slept with Saza. The reation to this questioning may be that they think you're preparing to send anyone who isn't attracted to their own sex away.

Letting everyone know that their positions are safe might help improve morale.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

"species", I think you mean, and you may be right about that. Oif.

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

[Sorry, my brain considers World Tree transffection issues isomorphic to Real World GLB issues.]

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

[It's more of a homo-morphism, y'know. -bb]

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

[Well, Sythyry is bi, so hir homomorphism "goes both ways", making it an isomorphism] ;>

[octantis.livejournal.com]

You know, for someone with an unlimited lifespan, you seem to limit yourself in some puzzling ways. You're immortal, why not just decide that what you like is what you like? If you have to put a face on for the mortals, you can say you're traff or libertine without having a crisis of faith, I should think. Or even say you've changed your mind. Eternity is an awfully long time to stick with one choice.

Of course, this is my demonic outsider point of view, so it may be that I'm not taking something into account, but it's not readily apparent to me.

[alex-muridae.livejournal.com]

I can't say much that hasn't already been said; it sounds like approaching this a little more tactfully may be wise; ask the Cani, they might help.

Also, did you know that we've been informed that today is your birthday, as we reckon it? My assumption is that's not quite accurate, but I'm amused anyway, so happy birthday. ^^

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

[It's Bard's birthday anyways! Thank you! -bb]