in which nymphs are good for more than one thing

[subtly_artistic]

At least four people conclude that Bella and Celo have had sex and mention this to Bella. The fact that the door was open the entire time he spent hanging out in her room is apparently immaterial (since she wouldn't have been breaking any rules if she'd had sex with him that way, and no one was loitering in the hall supervising them the whole time). She contradicts them on this. Three people don't believe her. Miki does, and is immediately promoted to Bella's favorite out-of-class friend.

In Intro Psych for Subtle Artists, there's a discussion of what subtle artists do with their own minds, and how this differs from everyone else. Bella has already talked to all her subtle arts professors about her own peculiarities, and Professor Murray has her talk a bit about how she's used lucid dreams for introspection, self-modification, and memory boosting. Professor Murray then explains that people who aren't subtle artists can only rarely lucid dream, and even those who can don't find it an effective jumping-off point for any heavy-duty self-searching.

One of the elves in the class looks at Bella oddly through her little talk.

But she doesn't say anything, so Bella ignores her.

Comments

[subtly_artistic]

I did not know that was a mermaid thing.

[pythbox]

Yeah, neither do most people. I've done it a few times, but the mermaids didn't always know I was into it. So, you know, be careful. I just thought of it while I was out.

[subtly_artistic]

Uh, thanks for letting me know. Why is this not common knowledge?

[pythbox]

My guess? It'd fuck up the mers being classed as part human or whatever if people knew their top halves go scaly and they eat people, and they don't want that. And, you know, most of the people who find out don't get a chance to tell anybody.

[subtly_artistic]

Is there anything stopping you from, like, telling an investigative reporter?

[pythbox]

Some of the girls who ate me did know I was into it, and I don't want them torn apart by angry mobs?

[subtly_artistic]

There are other anthropophagic species on campus who aren't torn apart by angry mobs. I don't want anyone to die, and the revelation probably would lead to unrest for the first while, but there are a lot of mermaids, only a handful of them are currently in mob range, and there are a lot of other people around, and a lot of other people who don't exist yet but will in the future, who could save their lives knowing what you just casually told me.

[pythbox]

Okay, he says. Be my guest. Send somebody an anonymous tip. Bet you my title deed it all blows up.

[subtly_artistic]

I'm not saying it wouldn't blow up, I'm saying on balance it would probably be better for a greater number of people to have the information known. I'm also not sure anyone will believe an anonymous tip.

[pythbox]

Yeah, there's that. Well, I don't want to get those girls killed, so I'm not gonna do it.

[subtly_artistic]

I don't want to get them killed either! For all I know they are perfectly nice people and would never eat somebody who didn't ask nicely first! But I don't want to get their friends' future meals killed either.

[pythbox]

Uh-huh, says Celo. And I care more about the ones I've met.

[subtly_artistic]

You could warn them, send them off to lie low or wait till they're home on vacation.

[pythbox]

Meh.

[subtly_artistic]

If they or their friends eat people who aren't nymphs then the people they eat don't get to come back, [Celo's name].

[pythbox]

Yeah, believe it or not, I know people die, he says. I've killed one.

If she wants his memories on the subject, they are right there.

[subtly_artistic]

She's only chatting, not reading his thoughts; he'd have to verbally offer for him to know that she's welcome.

She considers arguing with him. She decides not to bother. If he doesn't care, he doesn't care. If there's a way to make someone care, she doesn't know it, and wouldn't do it anyway because that's one of the things she cares about.

Instead she says:

Why did you tell me, then? If it doesn't matter if people die unless they eat you alive when you ask nicely?

[pythbox]

...Is that an actual question or are you being an asshole, he says, because it sounds like you're being an asshole but I'm not totally sure.

[subtly_artistic]

You already think I'm an asshole. Never mind, I guess.

[pythbox]

You're wrong about what I think surprisingly often for a telepath, Celo observes with amusement.

[subtly_artistic]

I'm not reading your thoughts right now like I was in lab, I'm just accepting deliberate sendings. It's not exactly like talking aloud because it's minus body language and plus optional sense-memories and so on, but I'm not spying on your inmost thoughts, I'm going by what you say. One of the things you've said to me so far in our acquaintance is that I'm an asshole.

[pythbox]

Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I don't start shit with elves for people I don't like, says Celo.

[subtly_artistic]

So somewhere along the line I joined the elite circle with the friendly people-eating mermaids and now it matters if I live or die.

[pythbox]

Sure, if you want to think of it like that, he says.

[subtly_artistic]

You're bewildering.