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

[pythbox]

"Bring her to me, then," says Ursula. "Be convincing."

[subtly_artistic]

The subtle artist gets to her feet and nods to the other girls of the court to begin planning the retrieval.

[pythbox]

Ursula declines to concern herself with the details; she commands one of her servant girls to rearrange her dress and bring her something pleasing to eat.

[subtly_artistic]

Bella does not generally venture off by herself. She attends classes; she shows up to occasional student events like fairs and concerts and skirmish matches; otherwise she is rarely without company, even if it's company that doesn't personally know her.

But no part of the campus is invariably occupied. She happens to be in such a variably occupied portion of campus during a trough period, on her way back to Thatcher from an early dinner at the food court, when school has been in session for three weeks.

[pythbox]

Someone's voice whispers in her ear, "Lovely human girl, won't you come talk to me?"

[subtly_artistic]

...Bella comes to a slow stop. She doesn't think she wants to talk to anyone who chooses to open with "lovely human girl" - as opposed to, say, her name, or a conversation topic - but she's not sure where the elf or elfblood who's whispering at her is. Which means they're very far away - or someone is blocking her, which she supposes is only fair, since she blocks everyone else.

[pythbox]

"How would you like," the voice continues, "to break a faerie curse and be showered with every reward you can imagine?"

[subtly_artistic]

"I have," says Bella, "a really good imagination."

[pythbox]

The elfblood laughs a beautifully musical laugh.

"So do we."

[subtly_artistic]

"Who's 'we'?"

[pythbox]

"Interested parties," says the elfblood-or-elf. "You'll have to come with me to find out more."

[subtly_artistic]

"Mmmmno I don't think so, I make a habit of not wandering off."

[pythbox]

The elf-or-elfblood sighs.

Wistfully: "Are you sure?"

[subtly_artistic]

"That I do not make that a habit? Yes, quite."

[pythbox]

"Oh, well," says the elf(blood) regretfully.

Bella is abruptly surrounded by prettily dressed elven girls wearing veils over their mouths.

[subtly_artistic]

"...Hi," says Bella, turning on the spot to confirm that they're all around her. She still can't sense any of their minds. "Uh, you're in my way. Please let me by." She casts out for more distant minds.

Nothing.

Shit.

[pythbox]

"Would you like to reconsider?" the same voice asks in her ear. It's not clear who is speaking. "It's a very generous offer. The offer we're about to make will be... less generous."

[subtly_artistic]

"What do you want me to do?" Bella asks.

[pythbox]

"Someone is afflicted with a faerie curse that requires true love's kiss to break. We want you to supply it," the voice explains.

[subtly_artistic]

"I'm not in love with anyone, and I don't think I even know anyone under a faerie curse, so I don't think I will be very helpful," Bella says.

[pythbox]

"I'm sure you could do it if you really tried," the voice encourages.

[subtly_artistic]

"I'm not. Especially if you require true love - I'm not sure what that means but it probably doesn't involve twisting my mind around in response to threats." She notes the gender composition of her surroundings and what she remembers about elves of an age to be students at MU. "...Also, I'm straight."

[pythbox]

"Details," the voice says dismissively. "It can't hurt to try, can it?"

"Whereas," says one of the elves in front of her, speaking visibly and aloud, "it can certainly hurt not to."

[subtly_artistic]

"It can hurt to try - mind modification is serious stuff," says Bella. "I - hey, aren't you in my psych class?" she asks one of the elves to her right.

The elf who may or may not be in her psych class declines to answer.

"Are you blocking me?"

The declining continues.

[pythbox]

"You're sure as fuck blocking the path," says a different, more familiar voice from a short distance behind Bella. "Scuse me."

None of the elves move. Most of them don't even look at him.

"What," he says, theatrically aggravated, "c'mon, some of us have places to be."