[Console; Video]

[valyriandragon]

I would like to apologize for my first impression. [This is late, she realizes, but she has spent her time well, adjusting to this world and its...peculiarities. For the sharp eyed, one might notice that she is dressed like...medical personnel? A Healer in the making?

The Queen is not above getting her hands dirty and helping others.]

I have not lived an easy life. I bite and I roar when I believe someone is taking advantage of me. Once, I cowered, you understand. I promised myself I would never do so again no matter my fear.

[Some might not understand that. She understands that too.]

In my world, I am one of four dragons; the last of my family line. Even so, I am here to serve my fellow Foreigners. My hands shall not rule in these lands; they will heal instead.

Thank you for your kindness and your patience.

Comments

[highprofilerichkid]

Hey, no problem. At least you didn't punch someone in the face on your first day here. [Tony... may have done that...] This place takes some getting used to.

And you don't have to be a ruler to stand up for yourself. Nobody here is going to tell you what to do.

[valyriandragon]

Did you - ? [She probably would have if she had met anyone in person right off the bat.]

Everyone has been kind and accommodating. I have never encountered a community like this one. Every city I have visited in the past has been...insular. Food and water are scarce in the East, so it isn't terribly surprising. I suppose the Turtle does not lack for resources?

[highprofilerichkid]

I knew him from back home, and it was, uh, complicated, [Tony explains, as if that makes it better.

But that's not important right now.]

Resources are definitely limited on the turtle, though the kedan have gotten better at managing them. There's been one freshwater shortage while I've been here, and produce used to get pretty scarce, before the Woodsmen stepped up their game. There's not a lot of arable land on a turtle shell. [Tony shrugs.] The city has its problems, but it's a pretty resilient place. The kedan have been through a lot. I guess sticking together has always been more important than fighting over what we do have, even when it isn't much.

[Then he chuckles, and humor lightens his serious expression.] One thing we're never out of, though: fish.

[valyriandragon]

At least he wasn't a complete stranger. [She can think of a few people she wouldn't mind punching.]

Then you are truly a rarity. My experience has taught me that people would react differently; they would be selfish on their own behalf and forget those who meant nothing to them.

[The Dothraki knew how to ration - as did the Unsullied.]

You have never had to deal with...panic? [She smiles faintly.] It has been a long time since I've had fish.

[highprofilerichkid]

[That makes Tony grin.] True. And he kinda had it coming. [It's okay though, they've worked things out now.]

I'm not saying it's perfect here. There's still crime and violence and political power struggles - what we've got as a "government" right now actually developed out of a bunch of powerful gangs. Trust me, we've dealt with plenty of panic.

I just mean, after everything that's happened here... we're still here. We saw it through.

[With that uplifting note, he smiles.] The best fish markets are in the Water Sector, obviously. If you want a tour, I can show you what's good.

[valyriandragon]

Apparently. [Amusement causes her strangely colored eyes to warm. She has no room to judge him since, in order to achieve an army - and pettier revenge - she ordered her dragon to burn a city alive.]

Every place experiences unrest. I do not believe perfect peace is possible. [There will forever be those who are greedy and want more or want what isn't theirs.]

Could you tell me more about these gangs? [She is rather hungry, so his offer doesn't take her long to decide on at all.] Please.

[highprofilerichkid]

Uh, I guess not. I don't think anyone's expecting it to be perfect. It's just trying to find the best way to make the most people happy.

The kedan didn't have much in the way of a government back in the old days - they had the emperors, and they were also under this spell that... I guess you could say it dumbed them down. Took away their initiative, and made them less curious and less independent. Then the last emperor died, Malicant was defeated, the Foreigners disappeared for a year, and the spell wore off. They had to figure out how to run the city themselves. There was a lot of gang activity, and the three most powerful gangs ended up turning into a kind of improvised government. That's the Families - the Snakes, the Metalworkers, and the Woodsmen. It worked better than it sounds like it would. Mostly. I'm not a fan of how the Snakes operate, but they're losing influence now that the new government is coming together.

[valyriandragon]

[Diplomacy is always the best route to take when so many different people are brought together. She nods encouragingly, eyes dark and thoughtful as he explains.]

It sounds as if everyone is moving in the right direction. While I do not suggest we all unite under one ruler - such would be taking a step back - we should decide what we want outside of the Kedan influence. We are not them, though they may accept us.

Have any of the foreigners considered creating a government of their own?

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony lets out a slow breath and runs his fingers through his hair.] Not in a while. We're trying to move away from that. A lot of us think it's better to try and integrate more with the kedan, not separate ourselves from them. That didn't work so well in the past - and making our own independent government definitely wouldn't go over well.

[valyriandragon]

[She frowns at the rationale.] A government of our own that communicated freely and openly with the Kedan government would ensure no need or desire of those who are not Kedan was overlooked. As it stands, we must all speak independently for what we lack or what changes we would like to see. That isn't...effective.

[highprofilerichkid]

The idea is we're trying not to make it look like we're asking for special treatment. If we're part of Keeliai's regular government, we're citizens just like the kedan. If we have our own government, it makes it too easy to turn things into 'Foreigners versus Kedan'.

Back when the Families were really dominant... it might have made more sense. [Tony himself had advocated for something along those lines.] But it isn't all that necessary anymore.

Anyway, that's all just politics. We can still look out for each other without an independent government. That's what's important.