Rubbish collection

Malik listened intently as Kite began to speak and share the purpose and reasons behind her drive to become a formidable warrior that could take down the Armada's current Warlord. He did his best to listen without judgement and without filtering it through his own opinions, putting himself in her position as best as he could despite the very different paths they had walked in life. It was, of course, hard to fully comprehend the pressure that she must have felt being the daughter of someone that called themselves a Warlord, but he could feel how much this meant to her and that was enough for him to at least understand the importance of what she was saying to him. He did frown with a crease in his brow when she shared how her littermate had been permitted to participate in this competition when she had been held back. There had to be more to the situation that he wasn't being told since he was only getting her side of the story, but regardless it would have only been fair for her to be given all of the same opportunities if she wanted them and felt ready to face them.

Malik didn't respond immediately, instead mulling over the situation for a moment. Who was he to comment on the injustice and the slight that she had felt? Part of him just wanted to support her claim and assure her that she would achieve her dreams, but that didn't sit right with him either. He was confident that she was capable, but he didn't want to blindly make assurances either. "In the tribe where my father was raised and in the beliefs that I follow, scars, maims, and disabilities are viewed as a symbol of resilience and strength. They're an outward sign of surviving and overcoming a threat or adversity. I know we've only just met, but I can tell that you don't let anything slow you down and you embody that strength and resilience that my family and ancestors praised so highly. The fact that you are so driven to stand up for yourself and what you deserve in this way shows that."

There was a brief pause and a hesitation before he added, "I'm obviously just a visitor here. I have to horse in this race–so to speak. To me it just sounds like you're only doing this to prove others wrong and get their approval–not necessarily because that's what you really want or from a desire to actually be a leader and have all of the responsibility that comes with it. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand wanting to show the results from all of your hard work, but... My hope for you is that one day you're proud of yourself and content with your own accomplishments for yourself and not for anyone else." He offered her a smile and added, "In the mean time if you need a practice dummy that moves I volunteer as tribute."

"Malik of the Sea"