april catch-all!

[feintofhart]

Who: Claude & Various
Where: Around Aldrip!
What: Claude and his encounters around town.
Warnings: None anticipated! If you'd like to hop in on a log, however, please feel free to PM/DM me or hit me up on plurk (here!), and I'd be happy to whip up a starter for you, or you can just wildcard me in here! Claude will be going about his business exploring the new Aldrip, fumbling around with new technology, running the apothecary, training, riding his wyvern, etc., etc., so if any of those appeal, feel free to jump on in. :)

Comments

[memori3s]

[ Minato nearly walks right past Claude, who'd suddenly paused without any warning. He shuffles over and crouches next to the man to get a better look at the horehound. The patch of green looks a little unusual, but to Minato, they look a little like fuzzy clovers. He would have walked right past them without realizing their true value.

It seems nothing escapes Claude's eagle-eyed gaze. Minato will remember that.

He nods before setting to work, reaching out to carefully pick some of the horehound. He deposits them in the designated bag while listening to Claude's recitation of his history. It's why Minato can't help but steal a surprised glance at Claude. This man is a noble...? He's remarkably easygoing for one, not that Minato's ever met any nobles outside of Ethlyn and Marianne.

Minato plucks one more piece of horehood. He doesn't slide it into the bag just yet, falling into thought while holding onto the weed. He'd never considered it before, the things that Claude's sharing with him right now. While he hadn't been the leader of a nation, he was put in charge of SEES' field operations. Yet, none of these concerns had ever crossed his mind. Perhaps they'd occupied Kirijo-senpai's thoughts instead. ]

It sounds like you'll be a good leader then, whenever you can go back home.

[ Of course he will. Minato's confident of that much, given how upset Claude felt towards Rumpitur's leaders.

He reaches over and drops the horehound into the muslin bag. ]

Or... at least you'll try to be one.

[feintofhart]

[ Claude laughs, a quieter, gentler sound than most of his chipper, frenetic chatter -- a little more genuine, maybe. It's a good way to tease it out of him, talking about things like this, his true passions in life rather than the nonsense he likes to rattle off. ]

I'll try to be one, [ he says with a nod of his head. ] Whether I will be one or not will be up for history to decide, I think. While Rumpituran leadership is... questionable, I find there are few leaders who aren't trying to do what's right, in the end.

[ At least not in Fodlan. Despite their differences, he knows that Edelgard's heart is in the right place. He knows that Dimitri desperately wanted better for his people. The problem is is when people who are all convinced of their righteousness butt heads. He picks one of the plants and slips it into the bag. ]

I know you work with Marianne too. She and her are from the same place, you know. [ Different versions of the same place, but that's too complicated to get into right now. ] Her father is a Margrave, and a member of the Leicester roundtable. We're a little different from the our neighbouring nations -- I lead, but things are done as a Council, in the end. I'm sure if you're curious, she can tell you about these things from a different perspective.

[memori3s]

[ "Trying" to be a good leader is already head and shoulders ahead of what other leaders might try to do. It's a little too easy to fall into the pitfall of amassing power. Once a person gets a whiff of its taste, it's all too easy to become addicted and relentlessly pursue acquiring even more.

Minato glances up at the mention of Marianne's name, nodding to confirm Claude's statement. He does recall she'd mention he was her House leader, and that they were from different points in time. ]

Yes, Marianne's part of Ethlyn's healer brigade.

[ There's a pause as Minato considers the blue-haired woman. While he's quite fond of her, it's clear to him that she suffers from certain insecurities and anxieties. Though there are certain things that Claude likely conceals about himself, the man does exude confidence. It's probably a good thing, then, that someone like Claude is there to support her as her leader.

He continues listening while picking the last of the horehound. The world that Claude and Marianne left is radically different from his own. It's true, he wouldn't mind hearing more about it from a different perspective. Maybe he'll have to ask Marianne about it sometime.

There's a second nod. ]

...I think that's the best way to do things. Making decisions as a group -- that way everyone's helping to achieve a goal.

[ It's why he frequently fielded opinions from other members of SEES too, factoring in their input when it came to their missions. ]

[feintofhart]

In an ideal world, [ Claude says, nodding. ] When everyone agrees on the goal that they're trying to achieve.

[ He straightens up, having finished harvesting, a thoughtful expression on his face. ]

In reality, everyone has different goals they want to achieve. Some just want to accrue personal wealth. Others would prefer things remain stagnant to any real progress out of a sense of fear. And others, like the Rumpituran leaders, wish to preserve their own lives only by sacrificing others, no matter how their very people may feel about it.

[ Claude does believe in the way the Alliance works in theory. And not even here will he voice anything to the contrary beyond the most mild of reproach for the way they get things done. During peacetime, he would argue it is the ideal way to rule. But the past few years have worn him down, made him weary beyond belief, and he's contemplated more than once how much easier it would be if he were just in charge, of everything.

That's not his goal. But god, if it wouldn't make his life simpler. ]

...but no form of leadership is perfect, and it will always be complicated, no matter what we do. Sometimes it's a matter of choosing between the lesser of two evils, and listening to your people. [ He smiles at him. ] And what goal are you trying to achieve, Minato? Surely there's something rattling around that noggin of yours.

[memori3s]

[ Claude's right. Even among SEES, there'd been those who wished to be released from the knowledge of the Fall. And even after they'd all ultimately decided to meet their fate at the top of Tartarus, each member had a different reason for doing so. It's why Minato takes what Claude's words and internalizes them for himself.

However, upon hearing the man's question, Minato finds himself wishing there was still horehound to harvest. Then, he could focus on that task instead of being asked about his life goals.

The typically impassive expression on Minato's face shifts to something more uneasy. Goals, goals... It had been so easy with SEES. The goal was simple if not daunting: eliminate the Dark Hour. And after that, it was averting the Fall. The goal posts kept moving, but at least they existed.

But now? Now, there is nothing. Rather, there's nothing grand in store. Perhaps something a little more mundane would be acceptable? Minato pulls his thoughts together, and as he does, the uncertainty in his expression fades despite the remaining frown. ]

I started a garden at the farmhouse. ...I think I'd like to see those plants sprout someday.

[ ... ]

Does that count?

[ Longterm goals aren't quite on the brain after a person dies. ]