Action: Damon, Adelia, and Stasia are riding in a carriage together through the kingdom. 

Damon: Looking cheerful You were practicing swords before, is that a practical weapon against Digonu? I know they prefer to use firearms. 

Adelia: Says proudly Our armor protects us from their bullets, and our swords are more powerful than any of their firearms. 

Stasia: Our weapons and armor are some of the few remnants of a higher age that we have. Their abilities to protect and serve us go beyond our own understanding. 

Damon: But that means their numbers are limited, and if they break the technology will be lost since it can't be duplicated. 

Stasia: Looking concerned I suppose that's true. It's a great honor to be trusted with what’s left of it. 

Adelia: I'm surprised Queen Kitia hasn't asked you to make more for us, Damon.

Damon: Smiles She has, but I always turn her down. It's not my intention to pick sides.

Adelia: Nudges Damon playfully But you keep coming back to Kintenoken instead of Digonu.

Damon: Laughs I just prefer dealing with Queen Kitia over King Hallow. 

Adelia: And you like seeing me. 

Damon: Smiles warmly at her Of course, that too.

Stasia: Clears her throat seeming annoyed Adelia, please. 

Damon: Looks out the carriage seeming fascinated I am always intrigued by how technology… Knowledge can be so easily lost and forgotten. To see a society living amongst it with no understanding of it is truly fascinating, if not frightening. As though they've lost the ability to seek out the why and how of things. Fixation on war has erased all else. This is actually a natural phenomenon that occurs regularly within the yuga cycles to maintain- 

Action: The carriage jerks to a stop ending Damon's train of thought, making Stasia look relieved. 

Stasia: Hurriedly getting out We're here. 

Action: Damon and Adelia get out of the carriage as well to see several rundown buildings full of boys of varying ages. A school, a living house, and a hospital are the primary ones. 

Stasia: Pointing to the buildings That is the building where the boys are sent to live, there they're educated in skills they'll need to have as slaves to the female population, and there is the hospital that specializes in treating males. 

Damon: Is that it? Just these buildings for the entire male population of Kintenoken? 

Stasia: One area Kintenoken is advanced in is reproduction. Since most women choose for insemination at a hospital they're able to choose to have a daughter. The only way a son is born is if they're conceived the natural way. 

Damon: By sleeping with a slave? 

Stasia: Correct, since the only status a male in Kintenoken can have is that of a slave. There's no shame in sleeping with a slave and having a child by them, but if the child is a son it's seen as an inconvenient waste. That's why most of us aren't willing to take the risk, amongst other reasons. 

Damon: How did this inequality of gender come about? 

Stasia: It was because of Digonu… Long ago when we were still one kingdom Digonu decided to take away rights from women and segregate them within society. Our female ancestors broke off from Digonu and established Kintenoken in retaliation. They decided to keep up the same segregation and oppression as Digonu had, but this time towards men. 

Damon: So instead of fighting oppression with tolerance your ancestors fought it with more oppression? 

Stasia: Yes, and Queen Kitia has no intention of ending the oppression.

Damon: And you, how do you feel about it, Stasia? 

Stasia: Clutches her chest making a pained look I hate it… of course… But it's bigger than me. 

Action: Damon puts his hand on her shoulder comfortingly but their attention is pulled by a screaming child being pulled out of a carriage. 

Child: Sobbing NO!! LET ME GO!!! I WANT TO GO BACK TO MOMMY!!! 

Attendant: Dragging the screaming child roughly Shut up! You have no family now, understand? You're a slave! 

Child: Trying to get away NO!! LET ME GO!!! LET ME GO!!! PLEASE!! I'LL BE A GIRL, JUST LET ME GO BACK TO MOMMY!!! 

Attendant: Goes to hit the child Shut up you brat! 

Action: Damon steps in between the kid and the attendant, blocking the hit with his cane.

Damon: Be calm. 

Attendant: Looking confused Who are you? Looking Damon over What are you?

Action: Damon kneels down by the child while ignoring the attendant. 

Damon: Says gently Is it true that you'd be willing to be a girl if you could go home?

Child: Wiping his eyes while still sobbing Yes, I'll do anything! I want to go home. 

Action: Damon makes a ring appear and puts it on the child's middle finger, the child turns into a girl. 

Damon: So long as you wear this you can remain a girl. If you wish to be a boy again then you can take it off, but don't lose it. 

Child: Looking at the ring R-really? Smiling with a tear stained face I'm a girl! Says to the attendant I can go home, I'm a girl! 

Attendant: Angrily grabs Damon and rips him to his feet What trickery is this?

Damon: Says with an ice cold look Begone with you, and go back to where you came from.

Action: The attendant looks dazed by that and let's go of Damon before walking off.

Adelia: Running up to Damon cheerfully That was really nice of you, Damon!

Stasia: Frowning Are you going to turn all the boys here into girls to save them from slavery? 

Damon: Smiles awkwardly Of course not… I have to take on karma for it everytime I do it. He just had the good fortune of me standing nearby. Smiles gently at the child Let's get you home, all right? 

Child: Wipes his eyes some more and beams happily Yeah!