crystal; closed to diplomacy

[altusimperius]

FORM: crystal
SENDER: Benedict
RECIPIENT: members of Diplomacy
NOTES:

[posh and softspoken, guess who it is:]

In light of our most recent Rifter's arrival, maybe we ought to, um. Encourage a certain degree of etiquette, both for those receiving sending crystals for the first time, and for those greeting a new member.

It can be very confusing and isolating, coming here. When one didn't intend to, presumably when one doesn't even know what our world is or what they're doing here. People say stupid things on both sides of the crystal, and they get heated.

I don't have a solution, but it's something I've been thinking about. And would like to talk through, if you'll humor me.

Comments

[bouchonne]

[ It's extremely rude to call someone out on their hypocrisy. ]

So perhaps the dear hearts involved should find a friend to vent with, rather than sinking their fangs into someone they don't know.

[dissolving]

How'd you make your friends?

[ is a little pointed, maybe. but, ]

We're all gonna be in worse shit soon. They tussle now, 's safer than doing it on the battlefield. You want Miss LaRue getting pissed with a pike in hand?

[bouchonne]

I feel as though there's a slight difference between rage on a battlefield and peevishness over - whatever that argument was about.

public -> private

[dissolving]

Miss Arany saved my life in the attacks. [ after she almost killed him. they're even. ] Promise you, hasn't always been a peach, but whatever issues we got — already knew we could work 'em out later.

[ but. he swaps to private: ]

Not used t'seeing you upset for this sort of thing. What's on?

private

[bouchonne]

Nothing.

[ Well, something. An old hurt. But nothing he's going to surface in this company. ]

There's just a difference between saying shall we take this outside and breaking a bottle over someone's head without warning. Fight all you want with the people you know, but get to know 'em first.

eternal

[dissolving]

So 's the surprise what bothers you, or the numbers?

[ or the individuals, he thinks better than to say. can't tell how well rutyer knows most folks these days, but he's always been cavalier. something touched a nerve. can't figure it's the ramps. ]

[bouchonne]

The surprise. Naturally.

[ He sounds a bit haughty. ]

Tell me - for your part, what bit of the conversation was it that made you think, "ah yes, this is a reasonable way for a person to react to another person"?

[dissolving]

'Course it weren't. But people don't run on reason, or reckon we'd have this Corypheus shit licked by now.

[ a beat, ]

How would you want it t'go? If you were Abella. Can't take those words back, so what d'you think should happen?

[bouchonne]

A query. Which words are you referring to, anyway? What was offensive, precisely?

[dissolving]

Y'said folks were unreasonable through the whole conversation. If you show up new, get met with a lot of mad, what d'you want to happen?

[bouchonne]

[ What a lot of questions Cedric asks. And so few answers given. ]

What would you want to happen?

[dissolving]

When it's been me? I've wanted friends. Someone on my side, and room t'do better — and she's got that. Got plenty of it.

Now let's pretend I'm LaRue. I'm stuck here same way as this newcomer, same way as everyone mad was, only my girl's not a month gone and 'm sleeping on rocks outside. You been twenty. Someone shows up after all that, handing you a list of new rules, how you gonna take it?

[bouchonne]

I think I missed the part with the new rules.

[dissolving]

[ echoing benedict (which might be more effective if he didn't sound like dracula's poor cousin): ]

Encourage a certain degree of etiquette. You got another way that looks, 's the time to put it forward.

[bouchonne]

Oh, now we’re talking about Artemaeus.

[dissolving]

We're talking on you, and what you want from the conversation he started. You can duck that long as you like, but he was brave enough t'bring an idea. Reckon we all owe it some actual consideration. Not blind agreement, and not having a go. If you can't do that, dunno how y'expect everyone else to.

[bouchonne]

We haven’t talked much before, have we, dear fellow?

[dissolving]

[ that he does not, given this conversation, intend to talk much after -

doesn't matter. won't. that's the crux of all this, isn't it? they're too short hands to shuck anyone for acting a fool.

(that byerly has sat in the exact same meetings as him and thought it irrelevant stirs some older shadow. same as abella not hearing his name, as rowntree talking past his head, as vidal's rank condescension. ever the outsider,) ]

I'm in the Gallows most days,

[ so: no. ]

[bouchonne]

We should talk more.

[ He sounds immensely pleasant. ]

Shall we set up a charming little coffee date?

[dissolving]

[ goat: gotten. but he didn't decide to branch out only to bitch out, run back to guard duty; you sign for the job, you do it. so — ]

'S time for another Barnsley letter. You want an eye on it, come 'round the library after noon.

[ before that, he'll be hitting his feelings with a sword ]