text, un: rosaceae

[roseblooms]

Well, well. It seems it's true, then, that the potential exists for every monthly moon cycle to elicit a different set of changes in an individual. It's not exactly what I'd call reassuring, I suppose, but it's some consolation nevertheless. There are worse things to contend with than bioluminescence — which is proving to be a nuisance, but a tolerable one.

Of slightly more concern to me is the matter of moonlacing. While I recall that it's possible to get by on brief and simplistic methods of contact, it's also my understanding that a minimalist approach leaves a person exposed to a certain level of risk, should an unexpected drain on their chroma abruptly leave them overdrawn, as it were.

With that in mind, I'd be interested in negotiating terms for a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Let me stress that this is not a solicitation. Bold-faced overtures seeking sex will be denied without response. Consider this more an...attempt to establish certain contingencies, to afford everyone involved a little more peace of mind.

I'm willing to talk terms. If something of this nature is of interest to you, feel free to inquire within.

Comments

[miraclewhip]

i mean i could do the whole philosophical discussion of what makes things people thing. and the selling people bad thing. but i am, as established, a dick. its a pragmatism thing. hunters who try that shit turn into dead hunters pretty fast.

since you seem to have encountered them and you're still here, im guessing you know that.

[roseblooms]

I have been hunted before. Not trafficked, but pursued and badly wounded, at least. There were too many of them to kill, or I would have. Numbers prevailed that day.

Would you care to guess my crime, hunter? What had me slated for execution?

[miraclewhip]

im guessing this is a rhetorical thing but fuck it

somewhere between 'being a demon minding your own business' and 'eating people'. maybe 'being a demon minding your own business in the vicinity of some other demon eating people'.

maybe being a wordy fuck.

[roseblooms]

Oh, no. I have quite a long list of legitimate crimes. Thefts, mostly. I was never one to settle down and play castle.

But I was hunted because I was deemed dangerous. The world, it was judged, would have been better off without me. Sometimes I wonder about that.

[miraclewhip]

you might be. most demons are.

the dangerous part. not the better off dead part.

[roseblooms]

As are some humans. The dangerous part, that is.

Perhaps you are. You seem to have encountered them, and you're still alive, yourself.

[miraclewhip]

yeah, probably. the dangerous part.

thing is, anything's dangerous in the right circumstances. a crumb of cheese is dangerous if you start choking. humans are dangerous when they're armed, lucky, and cruel. a lot of things that aren't humans don't even need to be cruel, just not careful enough.

[roseblooms]

Even something as simple as not having physical contact with someone is dangerous in these circumstances. In some contexts, avoidance might mean safety. Here, it creates risk.

Moonlacing with me would render me stronger than I was before. Knowing that, are you still willing to do it? Or has your opinion changed?

[miraclewhip]

that'd be a much more meaningful question if you were anything close to the most dangerous thing here. you're probably not.

most people here can hold their own. better than people back home, anyway. this place seems to favour people who can defend themselves. even those who couldn't before, it gives magic. there's not a whole lot at stake if I make you stronger and you turn out to be a nasty piece of shit.

also you being a demon doesn't make cat food free.

so no. my opinion hasn't changed.

[roseblooms]

...You like cats? What have you named them?

[miraclewhip]

they're all called cat. it's short for nasty little bastard cat.

theyre not mine to name. and i don't like them. they just eat my food and scream at me if i don't feed them. if they ever stop being skittish feral little fucks long enough to live in a proper home there's this cafe that rehomes them. if not then at least they're well fed skittish feral little fucks.

[roseblooms]

You feel a kinship with them, don't you.

Something tells me you're also something of a skittish feral little fuck.

[miraclewhip]

[ First of all how dare you. ]

ill have you know im a skittish feral big fuck.

i signed up for chroma, not demon psychoanalysis

[roseblooms]

Expressing an educated assumption isn't psychoanalysis.

Now, if I'd said something like "you pretend not to like the cats because you think it would tarnish your outward image to be seen as someone who is kind to small creatures commonly perceived as 'cute', but in fact you still care for them because you subconsciously analogize their status as homeless strays to a position you yourself were in once in life, and therefore extend to them the kindness that you, conversely, were never shown by others", that would be psychoanalysis.

And before you ask — no, I haven't the slightest idea whether any of that is factually true. I'm merely providing a hypothetical.

[miraclewhip]

what the fuck

stop hypothesising about me.
fucking demons

ill hypothesis you if you keep this up

[roseblooms]

Will you really? I'd be delighted. By all means, please.

[miraclewhip]

you cant go around calling peoples bluff like that what the hell didnt anyone tell you how rude that is

but fine
lets see

'them'

thats the easy shit. your still calling demons 'them', even now the secrets out.
you didnt confirm or deny being dangerous. but considering you survived an encounter with people who presumably remembered to arm themselves and attack in numbers im going to guess you are.
but your still being cautious. even if you dont need to be.

[ ... ]

except for when it counts
because i never said we didnt sell demons. and even if i did youd only have my word for it and itd kind of be in my interests to lie about that because no fucker here likes slavers
but i still passed whatever the fuck test it was for you to talk about being a demon shit with me

you wanted to believe me
even though your a cautious fuck
even though you hve fuck all to gain from believing me because you already have about 70 people lined up to hold your hand or whatever
all risk, no reward and you wanted to believe me
your trying to be careful but your actually kind of a sucker

[roseblooms]

And yet when it came down to it, it seems you weren't bluffing.

You're right. I did want to believe you. I still don't think I'm wrong in my assessment that you are not, in fact, a slaver — but as you correctly pointed out, I have no proof of that other than my own intuition.

I think you're the rare sort of person who judges individuals on their own merits, rather than by their association with a collective. Demons may be dangerous as a general rule, but I've not presented myself as a threat yet, and until I do, you're disinclined to treat me as one.

[miraclewhip]

about right

cant promise id be as ready to play wait and see back home. but less chance of people dying if i do it here so. you know. no sense in starting unnecessary trouble

unless you want unnecessary trouble i mean
moonlacing only needs contact. doesnt need to be nice contact. a good fight counts

[roseblooms]

Unfortunately, I have no interest in fighting you, if that's what you were hoping for.

I know some people engage in such things amicably; however, I'm afraid the notion of a "friendly spar" is somewhat contrary to my nature.

[miraclewhip]

so no unnecessary trouble then. oh well. your loss.

just. show up if you need chroma or anything. im still in the new arrival buildings. the one with a shit ton of bowls outside the door.

[roseblooms]

I don't hold back when I fight. If we engaged, I would seek every advantage against you, relentlessly.

That sort of battle tendency doesn't exactly foster friendship.

[miraclewhip]

youd be surprised

but you dont need to explain yourself to me. you dont want to fight, you dont want to fight. fair enough

im not in the habit of trying to convince people to beat the shit out of me

[ ... ]

im not in the habit of trying very hard to convince people to beat the shit out of me

[roseblooms]

I think I've clarified the matter enough. I would rather not kill you; we're both agreeable to that.

I would, however, like to meet you, I think. Or at least to talk more. Your family business intrigues me.

[miraclewhip]

yeah, sure. any time. not like i have a whole lot to do here.