xviii | video

[onblackwings]

[ wow, look, another post from a bar! someone check this dragon into rehab, seriously. But this time she's just sort of staring expressionlessly into a drink, and not looking particular drunk at all. ]

I can't reach Dick Grayson. I don't suppose anyone's been kidnapped lately? [ A flick of a glance at the screen, not very hopeful. ] If the Porter's idea of a gift is to bring people in from the distant past and uninteresting future of my world, at the expense of people I like, I'd rather she keep it to herself.

You people, the ones he actually liked— have any of you seen him?

[ A pause, while she sips at the drink and eyes the bar. ]

And the rest of you... what have you done to be remembered?

Comments

[onblackwings]

Respect and fear are never unwelcome. [ She looks a little uncomfortable as she says it, though. damn, she's making herself a really convincing argument for not staying in this shape anymore. ]

[undeadsidekick]

I didn't know dragons read Machiavelli.

[onblackwings]

Read what?

[undeadsidekick]

Machiavelli. He was a human author who talked a lot about ruling through fear and respect more than devotion. It was a joke.

You should check him out. Seems about your speed.

[onblackwings]

[ a thoughtful pause! ]

I might. Do you have his book?

[undeadsidekick]

[Unexpected!]

Nope. But you should be able to find it at any self-respecting book store. I recommend The Prince. That's the one she told me to read.

[onblackwings]

Who is she?

[undeadsidekick]

An old friend. She isn't here.

[onblackwings]

You must have valued her taste.

[undeadsidekick]

I do. She helped me out a lot.

[onblackwings]

With what?

[undeadsidekick]

Survival. I owe her for that.

[onblackwings]

That seems more useful than the lessons humans usually give one another.

[undeadsidekick]

You could say that. I needed looking after for a while there.

Why the interest in books?

[onblackwings]

I'm... willing to listen to suggestions. If this human Machiavelli has them, then so be it.

[undeadsidekick]

Had. He's been dead for a few hundred years now.

Suggestions on politics? I didn't know dragons were into that scene either.

[onblackwings]

You didn't say it was politics. [ SCOWL. ]

Though a successful concept can be applied somewhere else.

[undeadsidekick]

It's considered politics, but that's probably a simplification of it. Really, it's just a hand full of anecdotes and pieces of advise for a ruler, or someone who wants to be in a position of power.

[onblackwings]

I suppose it could be decent, then.

[undeadsidekick]

Well. It's no Pride and Prejudice, but it's not bad.