| abstract
| - There's a Benny around here somewhere, tiny dragon form coiled limply on a bench outside the tavern. Nodhi walks through the square, the rogue for once watching the strange sky above. Sky whales, it seems, are new. Bennatsuyu lifts his head to squint at the source movement. "Oh, Nodhi. Good. Are you all right?" The small dragon, probably the approximate size of a young boa constrictor, asks. Nodhi nods. "This one has been talking to people," he says. "And apologizes if you have been lonely." "I have been gone myself. Worried, mostly." Bennatsuyu answers, blinking blearily up at Nodhi. "I'm glad if you've been all right." Nodhi comes to sit by Bennatsuyu, offering a hand to pet. "Why do you worry, Bennatsuyu?" Bennatsuyu sweeps his head along Nodhi's hand with a gusty sigh. "That monstrous black dracoid made a threat against Linnael on my way to Striet. Naturally I assumed it would include you as well. It only figures that I'd get too...tied up to check in." Nodhi shakes his head. "No dracoid has made any threats against this one yet," he says, hand moving to pet Bennatsuyu lightly, nose to tail. "This one spoke to Garviel today. He says he would never deny you the right to defend yourself." "You did? Where did you find the silver wolf, I wonder?" Bennatsuyu asks, leaning in to the petting covetously. "No, he said as much to me as well. I think his main argument was defneding myself if physically in danger was all right, but not responding to defend honor." Nodhi shakes his head, quite content to continue the petting. "He does not wish you to begin a fight. However he is quite all right with you ending one. One can defend honor that way...all one need do is let the other have the first blow." Bennatsuyu hefts a dramatic sigh. "I suppose I can live with that," the dracoid agrees. Nodhi mms. "This one spoke to him about something else, Bennatsuyu. And would like to discuss it with you as well." "Sure, Nodhi. Shoot," Bennatsuyu says, turning to look up at the rogue curiously. "Is it...the way, among your kind, the way of this city?" asks Nodhi quietly. "That the strong must rule the weak, that all must defend their own door?" Bennatsuyu blinks his gold eyes slowly in thought. "I...have never looked at it this way." He admits. "But it sounds as if you are right. Among my foxes, it was so. We followed the strongest, because that was survival. We fought and scrapped for whatever we had, and defended it because it was not much. I see it here, as well. I have met those that welcome implicitly, though. All strong people that took it to themselves to protect the weak rather than rule them. Ravus, Linnael, sometimes Eloise, and Jess..." Bennatsuyu untangles himself and lifts himself up to look at Nodhi levelly. "Why do you ask?" Nodhi absently scritches between Bennatsuyu's wings. "It was so on this one's homeworld as well," he says. "This one was not even free, but a slave, with no name. But...Bennatsuyu, this one lived all of a short life in that way. This one does not wish to live all of eternity that way. There will always be those stronger than this one could ever be. There will always be those weaker than this one as well. This one has no wish to rule, nor to be ruled." "I believe you have every right to want that." Bennatsuyu says, and then adds in a whisper. "Does that mean you're leaving?" Nodhi shakes his head. "Not yet. First...this one wishes to know if others feel the same. Neither to rule nor to be ruled on this basis. Perhaps...it is only a fantasy." "It is less a fantasy and more of a dream. I believe you can acheive it, Nodhi," Bennatsuyu offers with a small, sad smile. "I don't know about others. It is not something many people feel has been denied them." Nodhi shakes his head. "This one would need your help, Bennatsuyu. This one spoke to Garviel...as a leader of the Lupoids. This one feels...it is best if the warring ones, the angels and the demons...do not decide our fate for us. It is for humans, cats, wolves, dragons....it is for us to decide our way...if we wish it. That is where this one doubts. Would you speak before others for the freedom of dragons and the defense of dragons, or would you leave such things to Zh'aleech as the stronger dragon?" Bennatsuyu considers that, a bit stunned. "I would speak out on my behalf, and others who wish for their own freedom. If that's the majority of Dracoids, so be it. I would fight for them if it came to that." He says carefully. "Creatures like Zh'aleech and Augustus...they speak for themselves." Nodhi nods. "This one knows. But we...we are hunters, yes, but we do not wish to ourselves be prey. This one does not hunt dragons that speak, that think, nor any other beast that speaks. It is perhaps a strange distinction to make in a world such as this...but....if we spoke, before Death...if it were all right for a...council of races....would you stand for the hunters, to hunt any thing you might wish...or would you stand with those who would *be* hunted by such as Zh'aleech and Augustus? This one does not wish to remove freedom...but defend it, for this one knows he cannot stand alone and be free for long. There...must be others in this position, must there not?" Bennatsuyu says, "There must be." Bennatsuyu agrees. "I find myself in a curious predicament here, Nodhi. I myself cannot abide eating another sentient, and expect to be treated the same. In denying Zh'aleech his preferred meal, I would limit his freedom to choose...and yet I can't sit back and agree to be preyed upon." Bennatsuyu crumples in to a little rusty coil again, with a sigh." Nodhi nods. "This is the problem that besets this one as well," he says. "This one perceives the choices thus - to accept the rule of the strong, or to ally with those less strong to make a new rule." He pauses. "This one...has...thought much on the nature of freedom, and the rights of the individual. This one has no desire to rule, nor to be ruled, but if the choice must be one or the other then this one will take rule, and try to be as...benificent as possible, for those who rule now are not...who this one would serve." The robed rogue looks up at the sky whales. "A phrase, read in passing, is all this one has to ponder. 'Your right to swing your fist ends where my face begins'. That is all. Is that...truly too much?" The little dracoid curls against Nodhi then. "No. It isn't too much to ask," Bennatsuyu agrees. "Though it may be too much to give. But if we never attempt to acheive it, it would be as if we had signed with those that would *be* hunted." The small dragon nods. "We shall indeed have to collect Allies to make our fight heard. And for what it's worth," he tacks on, nudging the rogues knee with a tiny paw. "With that belief in mind, you'd make a fine ruler." Nodhi laughs, a little sadly. "There is no freedom in ruling," he says. "There is too much responsibility. But it is better than being hunted, yes?" One hand reaches to pet Bennatsuyu. "So...humans, and wolves, and dragons....then there are elves, and lizardmen, and...felines...." he sighs. "More than this one has ever met, Bennatsuyu, but if it would truly be a fair law, must it not include us all?" "It should welcome all," Bennatsuyu agrees wholeheartedly. "But what to do about those that dissent?" Nodhi spreads his hands. "This one supposes it would depend upon the reason for dissent. Perhaps Zh'aleech is expected, not to give up his hunts. With allies enough...we could make him stop, at least in the city limits." He doesn't sound happy about it. "Drat it...this one does not like *making* people do anything. But to say it is all right for him to kill speaking creatures simply because none of them are *this one* is worse." "It is the return of the infamous 'greater good' mentality there," Bennatsuyu remarks, looking up at Nodhi. "I expect it is in the interest of those who do not wish to be eaten (and I suspect there are many) to convince Zh'aleech that hunting within the city limits is not acceptable." The draconic face alters to a thoughtful frown. "We could not make him stop, but we may deterr him. Or is that outstepping the boundaries?" Nodhi shakes his head. "To deter...that is all that we would want, is it not? Not to live in fear that we are to be the next prey? This one has heard many such 'greater good' speeches, yes. Linnael has many beliefs. This one wishes only to be able to walk in this city without fear. That if this one does no harm, this one shall not be harmed in turn." "Yes," Bennatsuyu nods. "That is fair. What of those who are not strong enough to defend, then. Do those fall in to...let's call it our jurisdiction?" Bennatsuyu asks. "'Do not harm myself or the citizens of this city, and no harm shall befall you?'" He scratches up a quote. Nodhi nods. "Do no harm, and no harm befalls you. Do harm, and expect harm in turn. This one would fight for those less strong, and hope those stronger than this one would in turn do the same. No universal law...but surely not too restrictive for this city." Bennatsuyu nods vigorously in agreement. "I cannot imagine it to be too suffocating. How shall we make this known? Fighting within the City Center is already discouraged," Nodhi pats Bennatsuyu lightly. "First...we ask the other races, and see if this is agreeable to ...at least the majority of them, if not all of them. We speak to Death, and see if a council of races to address grievances between people is acceptable, for 'harm'...well, it can be a vague term at times, and all should be heard and allowed voice. Will you help, this far? With you, and I, and Garviel, that is representatives of three races today." "And a fine place to start." Bennatsuyu agrees. "I would be honored to help, Nodhi." Nodhi lightly squeezes Bennatsuyu's paw. "This one is honored by your faith in this idea," he replies. "But the hour grows late...and this one must rest. We shall meet again soon - or if you wish, come and curl up with us?" "I have a small one to check on," Bennatsuyu says a touch regretfully. "She is very new, and very afraid. Rest well, Nodhi, and I will find soon." Nodhi nods. "You will have to tell this one all about it, very soon," he says with a laugh."But with worries eased, sleep calls loudly. Rest well, Bennatsuyu."
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