02/15/10 [AS2 #90] - So what exactly is your definition of "Normal?"

[Nerikull]

Have to un-lurk now.

Mink...mmm, that is just a bundle of cute, giggly joy!

Far as 'normal'....hmmm....I this normality is over-rated.

*puts giraffes in the air*

---Nerikull Murakami

[Ry]

Rather telling that Mink said "a nice guy and/or girl"....     Thinking of threesomes there...?

It wouldn't surprise me if 'cubi are more open about polyamory than most people.  Hell, more open about most things.   

I'm fairly sure that Amber said once that there are no herms in Furrae...

There aren't any hermaphrodites on Earth, either.  It's not possible, with current medical technology etc, to have a full set of penis/testicles and vagina/ovaries, and I've never heard of anyone being born with that.
Some people do have ambiguous genitals, different chromosomes (X, XXY, XYY, etc), chromosomes that don't match (a man who was born iwt a penis, went through a male puberty, but has XX chromosomes/a woman who was born wit a vagina, went throug a female puberty, but has XY chromosomes), etc.  That's intersexed.

[Tapewolf]

I think some mythos can have additional genders as well as (or instead of) just male and female.

[Shachza]

I think some mythos can have additional genders as well as (or instead of) just male and female.

I'm sure they can, just look back at this link:

Except, they're not.

Male and Squiggly bathroom.   

[Bjalf]

Except, they're not.

Male and Squiggly bathroom.   

No no, this is a squiggly.

[thegayhare]

Aww Mink could you be any cuter. 

Realy at this rate We'll have to take away Abel title and everyone will be Gay for Mink... with out even knowing what realy means...

Though I'm still sure Minks a boy

[Naldru]

Do you think that Mink might be the friendly cubi who dresses as a clown for sick children at the hospital.  In which case, much of the course time may have been spent in acrobatics and comedic falls.

[Akisohida]

Edit: Of course, SAIA probably has "girls", "boys" and "other"   

Methinks the bathrooms would be unisex, because there's no telling what people look like at any one time.  That and 'cubi "Have seen it all." 

Except, they're not.
[/quote]

Oh gods! When will Abel be wearing all that in his story?

Also, the wing-thing could have been reflex. *Grab for Mink, fall with Mink, wing-tentacles react to save him and Mink!*

[Les]

You know, we really have no way of knowing how long it's been since May died.. With the fade-in/fade-out like that Abel could be angsting about it after a day, a week, or a century.

[Lucheek]

God. That little Squiggly is just so darn cute. (Squiggly being what Amber says Mink is, anyways.)

[entropicage]

Well... I'd say that Mink's got the easiest clan marking to hide EVER... Except for all the loincloths. 

[Shachza]

Except, they're not.

Male and Squiggly bathroom.   

No no, this is a squiggly.

Then what's the other one?  A Doodle?

"Women and Squigglies over there, Men and Doodles over here!"

[entropicage]

Rather telling that Mink said "a nice guy and/or girl"....     Thinking of threesomes there...?

It wouldn't surprise me if 'cubi are more open about polyamory than most people.  Hell, more open about most things.   

Though perhaps not... http://missmab.com/Comics/Vol_545.php (And YES, I know that there can still be cheating in Polyamory, and that poly is not cheating, etc etc etc.)

[Mrs_A_ZeTavia]

Think we need a book to properly identify what each an every "squiggly", "doodle", "doodad", etc. means to lessen the confusion. Imagine, going in a "squiggly", when you should have gone in a "swirly".......oh, the horror!! D:

Course, I have a sneaky suspicion that all these "squiggles" and "doodles" are the work of the Dimanika Clan......

[Drayco84]

You guys realize that if Amber's reading this, she'd prolly like a take a hammer to our heads for not only pointing this out, but ensuring that SOMEONE is going to call out on a mis-matched doodle, squiggly, or whatever. Or, she'll never EVER draw another friggin' bathroom door again...

[Mrs_A_ZeTavia]

You guys realize that if Amber's reading this, she'd prolly like a take a hammer to our heads for not only pointing this out, but ensuring that SOMEONE is going to call out on a mis-matched doodle, squiggly, or whatever. Or, she'll never EVER draw another friggin' bathroom door again...

But what if it was intentional?  If not, then I guess I deserve a well placed hammer to my noggin! 

[AmigaDragon]

Male and Squiggly bathroom.   

No no, this is a squiggly.

Rather than those 4 symbols symbolizing 4 genders, I think it may be just 2 systems of symbolizing 2 genders.

Rather telling that Mink said "a nice guy and/or girl"....     Thinking of threesomes there...?

It wouldn't surprise me if 'cubi are more open about polyamory than most people.  Hell, more open about most things.   

Though perhaps not... http://missmab.com/Comics/Vol_545.php (And YES, I know that there can still be cheating in Polyamory, and that poly is not cheating, etc etc etc.)

Calling it "cheating" would depend on whether you're open about multiple partners or sneaking around.

[Les]

Though perhaps not... http://missmab.com/Comics/Vol_545.php (And YES, I know that there can still be cheating in Polyamory, and that poly is not cheating, etc etc etc.)

Could be that rat-cubi girl with the day-glo green hairdo has an emotional affinity for Jealousy?   

[Mrs_A_ZeTavia]

Luckily, we are going to learn about the clan to which this symbol belongs in due time, since it was implicitly mentioned in the donation meter that Mink's great-great-grandmother was one of the still alive and active Clan Leaders.

I'm curious as to where that was mentioned? This is the first I've heard of that!  (btw I just noticed this comment, boy I'm slow......... )

[entropicage]

Luckily, we are going to learn about the clan to which this symbol belongs in due time, since it was implicitly mentioned in the donation meter that Mink's great-great-grandmother was one of the still alive and active Clan Leaders.

I'm curious as to where that was mentioned? This is the first I've heard of that!  (btw I just noticed this comment, boy I'm slow......... )

I too recall Mink saying that he can't wait to show us his great-great-grandmother. I don't know where to find the image of this, however. Anyone helpful to provide the link?

[Ry]

Though perhaps not... http://missmab.com/Comics/Vol_545.php (And YES, I know that there can still be cheating in Polyamory, and that poly is not cheating, etc etc etc.)

Yeah, if you know that then why did you point that out?  I know polyamorous people who would have the same reaction to being cheated on as her.   

Calling it "cheating" would depend on whether you're open about multiple partners or sneaking around.

Yeah- If you're convincing each of your partners that you're being monogamous, then say "But it's okay cuz I'm poly! " when they find out about the others, that's still cheating. And kind of slimy.

[Drayco84]

Calling it "cheating" would depend on whether you're open about multiple partners or sneaking around.

Yeah- If you're convincing each of your partners that you're being monogamous, then say "But it's okay cuz I'm poly! " when they find out about the others, that's still cheating. And kind of slimy.
[/quote]

No, that's Grade-A scumbaggery. And to make things worse, in the furrae court system, it's grounds for justifiable homicide.

Polyamory is more like being completely honest about all your relationships. I mean, if you tell one girl you're going out with another, and you tell the second that you already have one GF, is it really cheating? (Hmmm... Abel made a simliar argument once... Dunno which comic it was, tho...) Heck, if you invite your first GF to a date with your possible second GF, is THAT cheating? Well, I don't think so... But It'd be awkward as hell, though...

Guy: Cindy, I'd like you to meet Katrina, my polyamorous GF.
Kat: Hello. Guy's told me a lot about you.
Cindy: Uh, yeah... Look, this is just kinda awkward... I've never dated a guy and his girlfriend at the same time before...
Guy: Yeah, we hear that a lot.
Cindy: I'm not surprised... Soooo, which of you is the perverted one?
Kat: Uhm... Well, I'm not not undressing you with my eyes right now...

[Bjalf]

You guys realize that if Amber's reading this, she'd prolly like a take a hammer to our heads for not only pointing this out, but ensuring that SOMEONE is going to call out on a mis-matched doodle, squiggly, or whatever. Or, she'll never EVER draw another friggin' bathroom door again...

But what if it was intentional?  If not, then I guess I deserve a well placed hammer to my noggin! 

It'd be such an honour to be personally smacked upside the head by the artist herself   

Rather than those 4 symbols symbolizing 4 genders, I think it may be just 2 systems of symbolizing 2 genders.

How does one define a particular gender, anyway? Pregnancy? Among seahorses, it's the male that becomes pregnant (those perverts!). Sitting/standing when peeing? Oh, I know! Girls gets embarrassed by farts, while boys flaunt them loudly and with pride.

[Tapewolf]

Rather than those 4 symbols symbolizing 4 genders, I think it may be just 2 systems of symbolizing 2 genders.

I think - but I'd have to look it up to be sure - that one of them is the gender and the other one is a warning that it's protected from intrusion by a ward.  (It may even be the rune powering the ward)


EDIT:

This is about strip 549.  It's from 2005, so take it with a pinch of salt:


Posted by Amber Panyko (Member # 6308) on 09-05-2005 03:14 PM:

Hint 1: Abel went 'goth' pretty shortly after his first arrival at SAIA, so his skills at not needing food/rest/etc were still subpar.

Hint 2: The current goth outfit you see him in was one of two, the latter being a less extreme and more convenient design which later spawned his current outfit.

Hint 3: The symbol on the door is part of a ward warning. There are a few more genders out there than simple guy/girl...not to mention girls who made themselves guys and guys who made themselves girls full time and all sorts of wacky combinations of other things. Because of this, it can make washrooms and bathrooms of public domain awkward(and a bad subject for pranks) The sign on the door is more or less a ward that keeps those who are not part of the category from entering be it through teleportation or entering. The sign on the right more or less means "default" in Cubi...so as such only males who are naturally males or beleive they are males(Females who have decided to become male, etc) are allowed to enter. This is to keep someone from simply swapping their gender to enter for a prank.

[iceick]

So with that being said, which one of the four gender restrooms would Mink go into.

[Bjalf]

I wouldn't think bathrooms would need wards. Well OK, pranks I could get, but certainly not for purposes of modesty. Do cubi even have gender-related taboos?

Why would different genders in one bathroom be bad? The body holds few secrets for cubi, I'd imagine that in-depth cross-species biology would be a mandatory class as part of "Cubi 101: Master your powers before they master you".

Peeping should not be a problem, a cubi could just stand in front of a mirror and shapeshift their butt(s) off. I could even see silly contests:
"Hey, look! My squiggly is bigger than both your wangly-dangs combined!"
"Oh yeah? Well, get a load of this!"
"Whoa! Gnarly!"

Sex? There are beds in all the rooms (I'd imagine), and yet nobody sleeps in them. Sex is accepted and expected.

Rape? How does one rape a shapeshifter? What's the use of "tab A" when there's suddenly no "slot B"? Or "Dang, where did all those teeth come from?".

[Tapewolf]

I wouldn't think bathrooms would need wards. Well OK, pranks I could get, but certainly not for purposes of modesty. Do cubi even have gender-related taboos?

Why would different genders in one bathroom be bad? The body holds few secrets for cubi, I'd imagine that in-depth cross-species biology would be a mandatory class as part of "Cubi 101: Master your powers before they master you".

Somehow I'm reminded of the lines from The Silver Wolf where a barbarian tribe of werewolves are invited to a wedding in Rome around 700AD, and their leader is telling them that they mustn't howl or shapeshift.  But I don't have it to hand as I'm at work, so I can't quote it

What I'm saying is that if you're educating a bunch of shapeshifters so that they can pose as Beings or other Creatures and survive in the big bad world outside, you're going to need them to follow certain societal norms.
If they just enter the first available restroom regardless of gender or throw a party there because that's what would happen in SAIA - they're going to get in big trouble really quickly.  (Also, the bathrooms outside of SAIA seem to be warded in the same way)

[Anker Steadfast]

Guy: Cindy, I'd like you to meet Katrina, my polyamorous GF.
Kat: Hello. Guy's told me a lot about you.
Cindy: Uh, yeah... Look, this is just kinda awkward... I've never dated a guy and his girlfriend at the same time before...
Guy: Yeah, we hear that a lot.
Cindy: I'm not surprised... Soooo, which of you is the perverted one?
Kat: Uhm... Well, I'm not not undressing you with my eyes right now...

Ha ha ha ha - That made me laugh really hard, I've been in a situation kinda like that.
I'm telling you, it's always the quiet girls that surprises you the most.

Peeping should not be a problem, a cubi could just stand in front of a mirror and shapeshift their butt(s) off. I could even see silly contests:
"Hey, look! My squiggly is bigger than both your wangly-dangs combined!"
"Oh yeah? Well, get a load of this!"
"Whoa! Gnarly!"

I reckon silly contests could be based on anything, not just their naughty parts though .. sorta like when Dan made his headwings into Pacman heads.
Could be great fun at parties though. Heck, it could even be useful for something like at a beachparty, where you could turn your wings into an impromptu surfboard.

Rape? How does one rape a shapeshifter? What's the use of "tab A" when there's suddenly no "slot B"? Or "Dang, where did all those teeth come from?".

oOoooo ... imagine your wife calling you at work and telling you that she has a surprise for you when you get home ?

I mean, that could indicate a Flee or Fight moment, right?

[Bjalf]

What I'm saying is that if you're educating a bunch of shapeshifters so that they can pose as Beings or other Creatures and survive in the big bad world outside, you're going to need them to follow certain societal norms.
If they just enter the first available restroom regardless of gender or throw a party there because that's what would happen in SAIA - they're going to get in big trouble really quickly.  (Also, the bathrooms outside of SAIA seem to be warded in the same way)

Good point.

But that sort of assumes that there are no variants of those societal norms. If different places have different norms, then they need to take the class "How to blend in anywhere, anytime, with anybody" anyway. Anyhow, ...

[RandomMetaphysics]

What I'm saying is that if you're educating a bunch of shapeshifters so that they can pose as Beings or other Creatures and survive in the big bad world outside, you're going to need them to follow certain societal norms.
If they just enter the first available restroom regardless of gender or throw a party there because that's what would happen in SAIA - they're going to get in big trouble really quickly.  (Also, the bathrooms outside of SAIA seem to be warded in the same way)

Good point.

But that sort of assumes that there are no variants of those societal norms. If different places have different norms, then they need to take the class "How to blend in anywhere, anytime, with anybody" anyway. Anyhow, ...

I believe there is a general sense of "normal" the inhabitants of Furrae follow. Cubi emulate the varying versions of the norm to blend in. I would guess before entering any settlement, a Cubi that wished to "become one with the crowd," would need only to;
1. Hide their head-wings as that is the signature mark of the Cubi race, and back-wings if they feel the need to.
2. Take note of the clothes people are wearing, as different and or flashy fashion statements could attract unwanted attention.
3. Read minds for any useful information, such as any recent events that occurred.
Cubi are shape-shifting mind-readers. I think the whole issue of blending in comes to the choice of the Cubi in question. If a Cubi wanted to blend in, I don't think he or she would have that much trouble.

You know, we really have no way of knowing how long it's been since May died.. With the fade-in/fade-out like that Abel could be angsting about it after a day, a week, or a century.

You are right. Those transitions (at least in the past) fast-forwarded through large amounts of Abel's life. However in previous "fade-in/fade-outs," there were significant changes in Abel's appearance. At first, the only noticeable one I could see was the change in his hairstyle.
http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Ab_083.php (Old hairstyle)
http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Ab_090.php (New hairstyle)

Not to mention it's pretty hard to determine how long time passes when the main character of the story is a member of a race that lives for an average of 3000 years. Luckily, Fa'Lina made it clear that during this "fade-in/fadeout": (http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Ab_058.php through http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Ab_059.php), Abel had been at the academy for thirty nine years, four months, and seven days. (http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Ab_070.php)

I don't think we can say for certain just how much time has passed. It does look like he has been growing his pony-tail/braid thing a lot...
Meh, where is Fa'Lina when you need her?
Just so you know what I'm talking about: http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Ab_064.php. Count the braids in the linked comic and in the current one. You'll see what I mean.