#and so Digitizes them to keep the Floret alive and avoid loneliness

[reallynotafaedragon]

HDG Fic that never will be

Hello internet HDG fans and my poor followers who have to see this

I've recently fallen down the HDG fic rabbit hole (WELLNESS CHECK DID THIS TO ME) and reading about the Affini and the Compact and the universe on the wiki have got a bunch of wheels turning in my brain. I got bit by the fic writing bug and started drawing up an outline for a fic idea I had.

However, as I thought about it more, I started to realise this probably wasn't a fic I should write or that might be controversial because it would violate one of the universe guidelines. I figured I may as well make a post talking about it and hopefully get some feedback before I move on to actually spending hours writing thousands of words. Explanation under the cut.

The fic I'm thinking of is an Affini POV. Basically there's a case worker who works to help organise all the affini-floret paperwork, keeps track of the "Notices of Intent to Domesticate", checks in on "independent" Sophonts who are struggling, etc etc. Its also about the wider Compact, about the case worker taking a critical look at their culture and their ideology and potential conflicts that might arise from that. Its looking at the Affini Compact as a kind of "pet rescue" situation, and examining the issues that arise in that context.

So for example, what happens when there's a perfectly dramatic meow-meow or Autistic Trans Girl Who Stinks Good (tm) and like eight different Affini all want them as their Floret? Or how human Pinnates or Pluribuses are less likely to be "adopted" by Affini because they're more difficult and complex to care for? What happens when there's a queer polycule, three of whom are Pluribuses and two of whom are seriously disabled, who SOMEHOW made it through the Accord and are now struggling even in the post-scarcity society of the Affini? They obviously need help but most Affini are reluctant at best to take on that much responsibility.

What happens when an Affini gets bored of their Floret (*gasp*) and wants to give them up? Humans are the most recent acquisition by the Compact and are considered especially cute/domesticable, what happens when human Florets are a "fad"? Do Affini ever trade Florets, temporarily or otherwise?

And what about all the humans who AREN'T Autistic Trans Girls Who Stink Good(tm) or poor exploited military personnel who need domesticating? The "silent majority" of middle class/straight humans for whom life in the Accord was good (as long as they kept their heads down and ratted out their neighbours)? The "boring" ones. Would the Affini even be interested in them?

This is the kind of thing I want to write about. Its really got me humming along, but I'm also aware this kind of messes with one of the big guidelines for the universe - that the Affini are always "perfect". They're centuries/millennia old and are incredibly intelligent, so understand the needs and wants of their charges so perfectly they don't need or understand consent. They know you better than you know yourself, virtually gods compared to human flaws and imperfections.

But my fic would look at the Affini as people - as characters who have quirks and preferences and can make mistakes. As beings who can misunderstand you in important ways. It would be Affini interacting with other Affini, it would be comparing how different Affini treat their Florets. As I understand it, that kind of flies in the face of what the Affini are supposed to be as a concept.

I'm interested in HDG but I'm not interested in writing something that ends up being on the same tier as "Muh Spess Mehreens Could Totally Kill A Bunch Of Big Plants For Real" (shut up no they couldn't, the Compact runs on Saitama rules, your Space Marines are happy lil action figures shooting at each other with Nerf Bolters in the Space Marine Enrichment Centre). Its a really cool universe but I don't want to try and use it for something it was never intended for, I understand its got a fairly narrow focus normally.

So I thought I'd make a post about it to test the waters and see how the community reacts. Please if there are any fans or writers who see this post, I could really use some feedback. Anything you suggest is appreciated!