#goldfinchfreehold

"I vote Piper for power behind the throne!" Riki says "She's full of vice"

Piper gives Rikki's tail a yank. "Sit your ringed ass down."

"PIPER FOR VICE" Basil joins in

"Hey, I wanted you to be co-freeholder from the start."

Piper is looking a bit hunted as she sinks down into her seat. "I... no. I don't want it. I'm sorry, Sylvi. If the goal of this is to have someone locked and loaded in the chamber to be Freeholder next? You'll need to find someone else."

Zane looks at Piper "Piper, it would help the hold stay strong while she's at college and keep the dream the way you wanted. YOu're not trapped, you'd be vice, but it would .. help"

Dirk snorts "We ain' FORCING anybody to do a bale. Are you stoned? She don't want it, we ain't doing it, but the vice idea is good."

"No, don't push her. I don't mean to pressure you, Piper. I'm just saying I'd trust you in the role."

Piper is surprised to hear Dirk of all people... well, he's not really coming to her rescue so much, but still appreciation at the sentiment.

"Let's talk about it later." She says, not quite looking up from her hooves.

"If only Piper had like , the power of speech to tell us who she would nominate for vice" Rikki sighs "Alas, she is mute"

"Rikki, then. If you insist on a nomination, that's mine." She says, flashing a glance over at the Pooka.

RIkki looks surprised "Trust, you hear about it, but you never think it will happen to you"

Piper is clearly agitated at this point.

"How about we take a 10 minute break for food " Lucia says "And then resume. Let folks sort some ideas out and then continue" And she hands out drinks

So they can do just that

"Are you all right?" Jonas says as he has moved from the wall to Piper. His voice is soft as it can be in the sounds of food and drink

Sylvi's watching Piper with some concern, but she steps away as Jonas moves in. Breathing space.

Dagmar is back to holding up the wall and staying out of the way.

Sylvi goes to the drinks, considers a soda, but chooses a beer instead. Then she joins Dagmar at the periphery. "Well, this is fun," she says dryly. Then a sigh. "I don't like making Piper so upset, but I really think this needs to be talked about."

Grunt. "Better to get it out, but not fun."

"Thanks for the stuff you said, by the way. I feel like...well...you heard me, y'know?"

Piper sighs up at Jonas, leaning against him for a moment. "I don't like this."

"Just... I know how it feels? It's not about abandoning, it's not that you are itching to get out. But... it can be a weight? And how much can change in three, six, ten years?"

"Yeah. And..." she pauses, finding the words "...I don't want to be the person who figures that, just because I want to do a thing this way, that makes it the right way."

Jonas holds Piper "If I comprehend the nuance, you want this place as is, but don't want to feel bound?"

She nods. "Yeah. And you're figuring this out. I don't think anybody is ready right now to change freeholders - I mean, you aren't, the hold isn't. But..."

Piper's lips are pressed a little tight, they're not exactly in a private space, and several boggans abound. Who knows what sluagh are under the steps or in the shadows. "Something like that, yeah."

"Do you want to move to another room for am oment?" he offers seeing her look about

"A 'vice' doesn't sound like a bad idea, either. Chief shares the load at the Lodge, and I think that helps."

She shrugs. "No, I guess not. I really just want to leave, but... let's just stick it out."

Jonas looks at Piper and seems ot want to say something wise, or supportive, instead he just takes her hand and says "I am here."

Sylvi's brow furrows. "I think a vice is a good idea, yeah. I guess...I just don't want to make enemies, is really it." She glances in Rikki's direction. "By sticking around past my welcome."

"You can't take her entirely... I mean, she's an unseelie raccoon pooka. It doesn't matter who is in charge, it's that they're in charge."

"I guess." She nods.

Dagmar chews on a knuckle. "Piper might be scared. Things are good, yeah? And... change is scary."

Zane approaches Dagmar and Sylvi "Sorry guys. I really hoped my 'wizard appears, dispenses advice and all is well' routine would work. " A worried look towards another part of the hold "Bangs is taking this not well"

Sylvi's about to say something about Piper and change, but then Zane slips into the convo. "What's the deal there, Zane? I mean...I know she isn't, but I don't understand why."

Zane says " I think Piper is scared. Look, you guys have Rivervale, it's there. If Goldfinch alters or changes and you don't like it, you can wave it bye bye and go back to the Lodge. Maybe I'm reading cuz wrong but she's.. she likees Rivervale, but I think for her it's like visiting a museum. You can admire, you can take a seat ... but it's not something she feels a part of so much as a guest. It's important because Siv considers it a home. Suddenly ther'es Goldfinch, and the magic is about tolerence, acceptence, no judgement... and Piper really really needs a place she feels accepted and her past isn't hanging around her neck. Not saying Rivervale does that, but Goldfinch is more satyr like? Piper can relax here. She can chip in in a burst and help scared kids one minute, then go into her studio with Linwood for hours and do nothing but jam sesson and either is okay. Low expectations, low pressures, but a lot of love for it. I"m not saying she's afraid of responsilbity, but something as blatant as hold ruling is.. how do you 'pretend' thats not super serious and binding? You can't. And I don't know if she has doubts with self worth or she just wants to be able to walk free and clear to other venues or a mix but she LOVES this hold and telling her it might become something she doesn't love? It would be like ... telling her that Jonas has decided to become a boast filled warrior interested only in battle, or Siv will go super demure and timid"

Then he adds "that might be just guess work"

Sylvi listens, then bites her lip. After a moment she says, "That all sounds Piper-like." A sigh. "Okay. Okay. I gotta think on that."

"That does make a lot of sense."

"Well, don't see it as in stonee, like I said, a guess." He frowns "She definitely had a negative reaction I didn't expect. Maybe it's famlial pride I think she's be great at it, but Dirk is right, it's wrong to bully her into it. " A pause "By the way, is it 'freaking anyone else out that Dirk just did a no bullying advertisement?"

"He totally did, and it's totally not freaking me out. If anybody's going to get bullied, it's got to be approved by him first, I think. And he doesn't approve in this case. That's very Dirk."

Grunt of agreement.

"Point" Zane says then "Actually, Sylvi, if I might? I know it's wrong to promote someone to Vice just because it would make Piper comfy to keep the feel, but ... if you were looking to nominate someone... who would you and Dagmar say is the most tolerant least judgemental candidate? Their mood might keep that vibe? "

"Honestly, Dirk's gone from being a jerk of a kid to somebody I'd trust with my life," she whispers.

A blink, and she thinks about that question. "Um...Jonas? Like, he's super patient."

"Well, you did put in the work on him" Zane smiles, and whispers back "But don't tell him that. He'd have to do something just to establish his caphood"

A nod about Dirk.