[ The other end is quiet but not absent. He gives it a moment longer to let Fireheart's words fully sink in and settle. ]
Not easy an easy thing to hear from three people at once. I get it. [ There's still some pent-up frustration in his voice, diluted now with a hint of understanding. Fireheart may be an adult by cat standards, but he's still young in his book. ] But knowing how much you stick your neck out for others? I was surprised you went that far just to defend the guy. Sucks to say, but Flowey had the point back there.
[ He has to wonder what the hell kind of code is that. Cats really are something else. ]
... If it makes you feel better, I've heard worse. Don't beat yourself up about that part.
[There's a small bubble of frustration rising up when Bigby points out that Flowey was right. But he swallows it. Because it is true.]
I don't know why the roof thing took so long to get handled. I just don't want to believe I'm following a leader who doesn't care about his guild mates. And he deserves someone standing up for him as much as everyone else.
[Fireheart hasn't entirely realized what makes this different from helping others out of danger. He's protecting Ribombee, the same way he protects everyone. He's keeping the peace.]
[ He's really trying hard not to fault Fireheart for just wanting to defend someone, but there are only so many excuses he can take. ]
Fireheart, you can care about people and still have selfish reasons for the things you do. [ He takes in a deep breath to collect his thoughts on the matter. There's a pang of guilt lingering in the back of his mind, one he can't fully suppress when he knows he's been part of the problem before. ] No leader is perfect. That's why we have to hold them accountable when things go wrong.
[ He pauses before his next point, not exactly willing to give the bug the benefit of the doubt, but finding a way to phrase it as a question at the very least. ]
... And if Ribombee does have a good reason for not taking care of the roofs, don't you think it's fair that he talk to everyone about it himself?
[Fireheart doesn't feel great about that answer, but Bigby does have a point. And he does have to admit, begrudgingly, that he doesn't have that much experience with leaders other than Ribombee. He loved living under Bluestar, but for all he knows she might have had her own selfish habits. It's not like he knew her very well.]
...I guess you're right. I should... ask him, the next time I get a chance.
[If nothing else, he's pretty confident that Ribombee will listen to him. And maybe, at the same time, he can broach the subject of why Flowey is getting ignored.
He really hopes it doesn't mean Ribombee was taking his side when he and Flowey were fighting.]
Can I ask you something? You had a leader where you're from, right?
[ It's something at least. Not like Bigby can do much himself when he's not even in Cheri to begin with. He'll just have to ask how that eventually goes. ]
... Mm. [ He's not entirely opposed to talking about Fabletown politics at a high level, but he's not exactly comfortable with it either. ] Yeah, I do. A mayor, technically. What about him?
I just want to know what he's like. Akechi mentioned politicians can be... two-faced. Saying whatever they need to say to keep their voters happy.
[He's still a little shaken by the mental image of Akechi's human form. Fireheart doesn't quite have the context to understand an empty smile, but he knows he found Akechi's face very unsettling, and he doesn't think that's just because he's a human.]
[ The lack of nuance there gets a small, amused huff. Unsurprising, given Akechi's take on electing Umbreon. ]
A lot of them can be. Power does things to people. [ And in ways he won't speak on, he gets it. ] But the mayor is a good man. A smart man too, but most people know him for his kindness. Always cared about everyone, no matter who they were or what they did.
[ He'd leave it there, but the contrast between King Cole and Ribombee is one he can't gloss over. ]
Story goes, he made sure everyone else stayed fed during a rough patch a long time ago. Almost starved to death for it. Been the mayor ever since. [ Then, a pang of resentment. ] Doesn't mean he's perfect either though.
[Fireheart pauses, flexing his claws in the ground while he's thinking this over.]
Bluestar was like that, too. She seemed like it, at least, I didn't know her for very long. Warriors always feed the Clan before they feed themselves, and Bluestar, um... got very angry at me when we met, for hunting in their territory when I was still a housecat.
[Bluestar also allowed one of her warriors to interrupt Fireheart's apprentice ceremony and attack him, but... Fireheart doesn't know that was unusual. Surely, that's just part of it, because it's still hard to imagine that Bluestar could make mistakes.]
He’s a good person. Whether or not he's a good mayor is debatable. A lot of things happened under his not-so-careful watch that left people... [ Forgotten. Struggling. Dead. ] Anyway, when I say he isn't perfect, I have my reasons. [ He sighs, clearly not wanting to get into it. ]
Maybe things are different with cats. Maybe you just never got to see another side of her. I don't know. But if there's one takeaway I can give you, just... don't blindly follow the leaders around here without asking questions first.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Not easy an easy thing to hear from three people at once. I get it. [ There's still some pent-up frustration in his voice, diluted now with a hint of understanding. Fireheart may be an adult by cat standards, but he's still young in his book. ] But knowing how much you stick your neck out for others? I was surprised you went that far just to defend the guy. Sucks to say, but Flowey had the point back there.
[ He has to wonder what the hell kind of code is that. Cats really are something else. ]
... If it makes you feel better, I've heard worse. Don't beat yourself up about that part.
no subject
I don't know why the roof thing took so long to get handled. I just don't want to believe I'm following a leader who doesn't care about his guild mates. And he deserves someone standing up for him as much as everyone else.
[Fireheart hasn't entirely realized what makes this different from helping others out of danger. He's protecting Ribombee, the same way he protects everyone. He's keeping the peace.]
no subject
Fireheart, you can care about people and still have selfish reasons for the things you do. [ He takes in a deep breath to collect his thoughts on the matter. There's a pang of guilt lingering in the back of his mind, one he can't fully suppress when he knows he's been part of the problem before. ] No leader is perfect. That's why we have to hold them accountable when things go wrong.
[ He pauses before his next point, not exactly willing to give the bug the benefit of the doubt, but finding a way to phrase it as a question at the very least. ]
... And if Ribombee does have a good reason for not taking care of the roofs, don't you think it's fair that he talk to everyone about it himself?
no subject
...I guess you're right. I should... ask him, the next time I get a chance.
[If nothing else, he's pretty confident that Ribombee will listen to him. And maybe, at the same time, he can broach the subject of why Flowey is getting ignored.
He really hopes it doesn't mean Ribombee was taking his side when he and Flowey were fighting.]
Can I ask you something? You had a leader where you're from, right?
no subject
... Mm. [ He's not entirely opposed to talking about Fabletown politics at a high level, but he's not exactly comfortable with it either. ] Yeah, I do. A mayor, technically. What about him?
no subject
[He's still a little shaken by the mental image of Akechi's human form. Fireheart doesn't quite have the context to understand an empty smile, but he knows he found Akechi's face very unsettling, and he doesn't think that's just because he's a human.]
no subject
A lot of them can be. Power does things to people. [ And in ways he won't speak on, he gets it. ] But the mayor is a good man. A smart man too, but most people know him for his kindness. Always cared about everyone, no matter who they were or what they did.
[ He'd leave it there, but the contrast between King Cole and Ribombee is one he can't gloss over. ]
Story goes, he made sure everyone else stayed fed during a rough patch a long time ago. Almost starved to death for it. Been the mayor ever since. [ Then, a pang of resentment. ] Doesn't mean he's perfect either though.
no subject
[Fireheart pauses, flexing his claws in the ground while he's thinking this over.]
Bluestar was like that, too. She seemed like it, at least, I didn't know her for very long. Warriors always feed the Clan before they feed themselves, and Bluestar, um... got very angry at me when we met, for hunting in their territory when I was still a housecat.
[Bluestar also allowed one of her warriors to interrupt Fireheart's apprentice ceremony and attack him, but... Fireheart doesn't know that was unusual. Surely, that's just part of it, because it's still hard to imagine that Bluestar could make mistakes.]
no subject
Maybe things are different with cats. Maybe you just never got to see another side of her. I don't know. But if there's one takeaway I can give you, just... don't blindly follow the leaders around here without asking questions first.