"We have many other powers, most of them less visually impressive." The water splashes back into the water. "Precognition is very common - short-range combat precognition of a few seconds nearly universal, longer-range prophecy rarer. Given a point of connection, we can see into the past as well. We can enhance our physical abilities, especially natural healing, which we can also induce in others. We can sense and manipulate the emotions and perceptions of others, though this is discouraged under all but extreme circumstances. We can draw upon instinctual knowledge of many things, such as how to fight with an unfamiliar weapon or use unknown machinery. This is by no means an exhaustive list."

He unconsciously folded his hands behind his back while speaking. Bad habit. He releases them. "I do have a few questions - most immediately, what... is... a 'lover'?"

The coordinator chirps thoughtfully. "Um. Lovers are a symbiotic organism which we implant into our central nervous system after ten seasonal cycles, and they... take care of us? They help us control our bodies with greater finesse, and they keep us moving when we feel enervated or blocked, and they add an extra voice to our internal decisionmaking process, and they can in extremis prevent us from making particularly unfortunate mistakes, when passion would overwhelm our better judgment."

...eugh. (Eserik has never desired for anyone to hold the power to prevent him from making mistakes.)

"I see. And this is fully voluntary, of course."

Mildly distressed chirping. "...well, you don't really - it'd be very unfortunate if anyone didn't get a lover. On account of - the other thing that lovers do. Which is preventing metamorphosis."

"Metamorphosis?"

"When a member of our species goes into their tenth year without a lover, they... change. They retreat from society and slumber in a cave, emerging only to hunt, and afterwards they're. Well. Monsters. They can still speak, but - they lose their social instincts, they're far more aggressive, and they just. They're wrong. They can't even make art."

The coordinator breathes out shakily. "We don't like... thinking about them. I'm sorry."

"No, of course - I'm sorry. I'll look for more information in the text corpus, you don't have to keep talking about it."