The Dragons of Chicago 8-2-12

[[ This is part of a larger Dragon meeting which I can't publish.  However this part is important to Raoul's character arch, so I'm including it. I left out any and all Dragon secrets. ]]

Raoul turned to look at Riven trying to gauge his reaction.

Riven's reaction is complete and utter bewilderment at the Chicago Dragons' stunningly dysfunctional group dynamic.  He clears his throat and has something to say.  He crosses his fingers and smiles.

"Much, much more important than that, though, I'd like to offer some advice.  As an Admired Dragon, or just as someone who's been doing this longer than most of you.  Take your pick; I'm in a giving mood.

"Mr. Beasley, impatience is unbecoming of you.  You have 'sick of your covenant-mate Raoul' written all over your face.  Not only are impatience and an inability to lie traits inappropriate to a harpy, but I think you'll find that they are poor tools to a proper scientist as well.  What is the key trait that all true Dragons have in common, the one single tool that we are all taught to employ?  Observation, Mr. Beasley.  I strongly advise that you spend a little more time observing your fellow Dragons and a little less time making assumptions on them.  It is the poor Dragon who forms an opinion of anything, especially a fellow Dragon, and then fails to allow that opinion to evolve as the Dragon in question grows.

"Mr. DuFrays, get over yourself.  Self-deprecation doesn't suit you, as it doesn't suit anyone who has moved from a Slave into a higher understanding of the kindred condition.  Your peers are right to roll their eyes at a Dragon who seems unwilling to learn such as yourself, but your constant fallback stance of 'Well I guess I just suck, don't I?' is not a move forward.  Go be emo on your own time, Mr. DuFrays.  While you are among your peers in this covenant, your worst response to those who know more than you is to assume that this fact is somehow a judgment of your abilities and that you are found wanting.  A more acceptable response is what you did at first, to acknowledge what they have taught you and remain silent but grateful.  The best possible response is to take what they have said, flip it on its ear, and return it to them in a way they never thought possible.  When you can do that third, you will have taken a definitive step into the upper echelons of this covenant.  When you do the second, you display wisdom without deference.  When you do the first, you waste everyone's time.

"The group of us are in a very tenuous position right now.  The citizens of Chicago will defend us if the Prima Invicta come here for some reason, I have no doubt, but we are outnumbered and outgunned by our fellow citizens.  We must be shown to be supporting them right back.  We must display a unified front.  There can be no eye-rolling in public, no sniggering behind one another's backs or angry looks simmering in the undercurrents.  Mme. Rose, Mr. Beasley, I don't care how much you hate Mr. DuFrays.  Mr. DuFrays, I don't care how much you apparently hate yourself.  We have bigger problems here.  I hate giving orders; I have always felt that the need to give an order is the first real sign of a complete loss of control in a situation.  But so help me, I will if I must.  I cannot order you to like one another, but I can order you to put on a much, much better show of it.  I have heard much from my old allies, like Mae and Sallow and Evengii, of how the Dragons feel about 'that one at the bottom of their heap.'  Whether they're accurate or not is immaterial; the perception is everything.  These are desperate times.  If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately."

 

Beasley opened his mouth to speak and then thought better of it. He looked at Raoul and Morgana each in turn and then when back to staring into his beer and sighed.

 

Raoul was unable to suppress the immediate look of triumph that crossed his face if only for a second.  Then he cleared his throat and looked down at his hands before looking back up again.  There was nothing condemning in his voice, only a driving need to be truly heard.

"In Morgana's defense,"  He began not really talking to Riven as much as everyone at the table,  "She has been teaching me or at least talking me through certain points of what it means to be a Dragon.  However," he looked at Grandma Rose and when he spoke his tone was free from affectation, "when you call me honey or sweetheart, when you interrupt me, when you talk over me, when you repeatedly threaten to 'put me in a box', when you throw tables across the room in disgust over what I say, I draw conclusions.  It's clear that, at best, you see me as a child, and, at worst, you see me as a complete imbecile.  That makes me less inclined to consider your words because the disregard I am feeling overshadows my ability to absorb the knowledge that I truly do want."       

"And Jim, well Jim is Jim."  He looked directly at Beasley and hoped the utter sincerity of his words came across as he wanted them too.  "You are charming, quick witted, personable, very knowledgeable, not to mention gorgeous.  In short, you are everything that I want to be.  I worship you, honestly I do.  Please don't disregard me because that hurts in a way I shouldn't even be able to feel any more.  That's all."

 

Morgana smirks and turns to look at Roaul.

 

"And what did you learn from my actions? You are studying beasts and humanity are you not? Did we not speak on the reflection you needed to perform about the actions and words we had together that evening?" 

 

Riven smiles.  "See, perfect.  I never doubted any of you."

 

Raoul stood as well when his mentor did.  "Thank you for stopping by Mr. Riven.  It's nice to see you as always.  Hopefully we will speak again soon."