Floor 5, Room 3

[leewards]

ITHAQUA

code

Comments

[impacter]

I politely decline that sort of measure.

[Not without reason, at least. Maybe Ahito deserved to set some researchers on fire if they were anything like the ones he knew from home.]

Simple as it would be, I've no intention to give them more reason to consider us monsters, just because we can't exercise a little patience.

[fellheart]

Don't worry. I wouldn't actually act on it. I know better. After all, I am here, aren't I?

[ was joke n_n and look! here he is, the fell dragon collaborating in a strategy (??) meeting. he's being so patient and cooperative right now. ]

Still, you cannot actually expect that a few brief weeks or months of goodwill will change a prejudice this deep seeded? Not giving them more reason is one thing, but let's be frank: anything we do is hardly going to change public perception of wizards as a whole. Even if it did, they'd have a ready excuse: 'they're from different worlds, so of course things might be different there'.

[ they don't need to make enemies or ostracize themselves unnecessarily, but going out of their way to be on extra good behavior is... ]

[impacter]

Even a few millenia isn't enough to change prejudice. That isn't my concern, nor is it our job.

I only wish to treat the people as people and not follow suit to expectation simply because it exists. Call it an act of my own conscience.

[fellheart]

Hmmmm.

[ it's brief, clipped at the trailing end. ]

Follow your conscience then, and leave us to follow our own. I can't speak for the others, but I'm hardly going to turn around and devour those of the North after speaking the way I have so far. And to do anything to the West— or the other countries— out of little more than spite and lack of patience would be to invite more trouble than it's worth.

Though I suppose I can be fickle...

[impacter]

So long as you're balanced in the outlook, I'll have little complaint. Be as fickle as you like. I'm not here to change minds, only to express concerns for a healthy debate.

[And if dialogue doesn't work, then.... well, hopefully they don't come to that.]

[fellheart]

Not here to change minds, you say. [ a huff of breath, with an almost laughing air. it's not malicious. it's almost understanding, even, or at least the pretense of it. ] Probably because you, too, must know the futility of it. Those who would affect meaningful change often burn too bright and will either be smothered for it or burn themselves out too soon. Those who you can reach are but few, and ultimately, their legacies won't last.

[ his gaze flickers away. ]

The times and settings may change, but the hearts of people will remain steadfast regardless of the state of the world. [ said, like there was another word or phrase he might have used and decided against. ] And those who have seen it ... well, they're hardly easily swayed from their beliefs, are they.

[impacter]

They aren't.

Futile or otherwise, though - I would rather reach the few for the sake of their possibility and choice than to do nothing at all.

[fellheart]

[ with nothing more than a simple, toneless curiosity, no judgment; no accusation;

no derision: ]

And what has it availed you, in all your time spent alive?

What has it availed them?

[impacter]

[He chuckles, but pointedly does not answer the question.]

My concern is for the people here right now. If you don't mind, let's keep our discussion on topic.

[fellheart]

[ he'll return the chuckle, a kind smile, and distinctly not say this: "What a self-serving concern, yours is. You claim your actions are for the good of others, but if you cannot answer that question sincerely, even if in the negative, what can it be but a show of self-indulgence?"

instead what he does is this: he dips his head, nods accordingly, and responds: ]

Very well then. Let us return to the subject of a potential Western conspiracy, odd movement in the north, and whatever it is that led to the need for one of the cities there to take in a sudden influx of children.