[CoolNard]

"The commoners know of your real identity. Will they allow us to do as we will, in their village? That's not the only issue, someone in the authorities must know the true situation out there, that's why they built Shinkirou as an invisible fortress. Why do they let you roam freely here? Are they friend or foe? I can't fathom their motives. They could as easily sell us out on a whim as they have permitted your residence here. I can't put my trust in this place."

The atmosphere in the wake of my words becomes tensed and eyes avoid contact. Tatsu walks quietly over to me and places his hand on my shoulder, as if to entrust something important.

"Whatever you decide, I am relying on you to settle it. Where we set up shop is of great importance. Make sure you see to it..." he says, loud enough for only my hearing. "I'm taking Nozomi out into the village to gather some supplies. I want her well equipped for her journey northwest."

"Hey, Nozomi." Tatsu shakes her shoulder.

"Grwaakk ngnorrrzz... Huh?" Nozomi wakes up with a curdling snore, she must have fallen asleep somewhere between our conversation. "Uh... Where is the ninja kettle?"

"C'mon, let's get out of here for a bit," Tatsu prompts her.

"Yay! Shopping with Tatsu! I'll find the brigand nettle!" And, with an excited Nozomi still half-asleep, they head out of the house.

"Your insecurities are farsighted and critical, Swiftant. But they are all only correlated within a humongous farce," Aisha finally lets on. Suzette doesn't let out a noise, she must already know all this. "The townsfolk are no more than a nation segregated and dried out of the outside world. The government has inculcated a psychological barricade into the people, and so, due to their superstitious nature, the villagers have never wandered farther than the village's invisible shield - Aegis. At first impression, the illustrious balance between technology and nature makes this the ideal city, but you should have seen for yourself a hint of the morbid paranoia buried in this city, that is, when the first person to escape from Shinkirou, Suzette, was seen."

I throw a soft glance at Suzette, she hasn't moved from her position. I want to grab her hand and run out from the house and probably dismember every one who has ever insulted her. I know best how that feels: To hate people because they hate you, to side with the enemy because that's about the only usefulness you have. Just wanting someone with you. The only difference between her and me is that she wasn't willing to work as a double agent, that her heart was still with her mother and the humans. But more than ever before, all the more reason to hear Aisha out.

"This is why Shinkirou never shows up in the pages and maps of history," Aisha continues. "The only information we have beyond this shell is classified under the highest order of secrecy by the government officials. This may be a city, but the people still live with a naive and simple village mindset."

"That still doesn't explain why you're allowed in the village, then, much less to stay in it. In fact, they should have come after you eons ago," I argue.

"The townspeople are completely oblivious to the outside world, thus, my existence as a dragon is only a matter of physical difference. But more importantly, this is where I come in and perhaps, my purpose for knowing all these. I work with the government; people can't dislike someone who aids their leaders. Things get interesting here," Aisha says. "The village head struck a deal with Shakura."

"What?!" I yell, my eyebrows rise and my face disgorge utter surprise. My usually-silver tongue is cemented to my jaw.

"Yes... I thought you'd react like this... Ha ha..." Aisha sniggers.

"This isn't a laughing matter! At this rate..."

"It's alright, Swift, calm down." Suzette holds my forearm and gently guides me back to my seat.

"Explain," I say to them.

"Rather than have the people pass through each day in fearful turmoil and destruction, the village head, now the governor, negotiated with Shakura with these conditions: The dragons will not harm or desecrate the villagers in any manner, however, 100 pounds of Runestalz and 2,000,000 pounds of food must be harvested and presented to a dragon envoy fortnightly. Of course, it would make no difference to Shakura, since she could enslave the entire village anytime, but the village head was adamant about revealing the source of Runestalz otherwise," Aisha finishes and waits for me to swallow her words.

"What are Runestalz?" I ask.

"They are the rarest minerals in all of Etrirea. They come in random shapes and sizes, but are distinguished by their volatile surfaces, which can be easily refined into minerals like gold, silver and stone, or gems like diamond, emerald and amethyst," Suzette articulates. "Shakura has taken quite a huge fancy to shiny and lustrous objects."

"Right, I've been to her chamber personally, it was nothing short of a jewel paradise," I recount.

"Unfortunately, despite the governor's good intentions, the higher-ups and aristocrats have turned to corruption for survival. The masses of this village are but poor plebeians and peddlers. The gap between their status is as absurd as the one between their living quarters; we have both steel-based skyscrapers and straw-supported slums, as any eye can see. The aristocrats bow their heads shamelessly in front of the dragons and look as though they are behind the governor, when in fact, they are bent on an uprising and assassination of the governor before he finds out what really is going on.

Those gluttonous officials have no idea that I'm an outcast dragon, so I have been hired by the governor and those who still ally themselves with him, as a spy." Aisha smiles.


EDIT: This would be a great time for new characters, if anyone wants to join in.
Btw, Kanji, nice exit by Nozomi. Almost got me to tears. =)