Apologies - Campfire

General Summary

Myra lies awake staring at the ceilings and the walls of the room as the minutes tick by. Every few minutes she rotates, as though a new position would give her the answers to whatever questions haunt her. An hour passes and, if the rate of rotation is any indication, nothing has been resolved. She sits up running both hands through her hair. "Shit."
She exits the room, blinking into the light of the common room, noting those who remain. She hesitantly approaches the table with Raijun and Adama, eyes cast down in a display of shame you haven't seen frequently from Myra. "May I sit?" She asks quietly
Raijun looks at her, then his broken grapple hook and just motions to the empty chair without saying anything
She sits, pausing before a rush of words come out, "I'm sorry Raijun. I shouldn't have. I mean you could have been. I just couldn't. She would have. I couldn't. But I didn't mean. I'm. I'm just sorry."
"It's ok, I suppose I brought this on myself." Raijun looks like he is being careful with his words. Despite seeming angry, he is measuring himself carefully for some reason.
Myra fully won't meet Raijun's eyes staring at the floor, "No I should have stopped. Or landed. Or something. I shouldn't have... Again.... I just couldn't stand there with her. With me. Not where I had just..." Looking up, "But I didn't want to hurt you. You weren't right? Hurt I mean... Physically" Her eyes, almost watering and still slightly red, desperately look him over for new injuries
"No, I'm fine, just a few scratches, I'm sure you didn't mean to drop me that hard." Typically Raijun would boast about his biceps or something to that question, but he seems a bit quieter than usual.
"Yeah. I mean. I didn't. I'll fix it, you know? I'll fix it." And even with Raijun's insight I don't think he knows if she's talking about the grappling hook or not. She sighs and pulls her hand through her hair, turning to @Adama. She pulls out the tankard, a flask, and enough shot glasses to cover whoever is still up. "Apparently I'm dangerously violent while sober so best to prepare," she fills all the shot glasses and shoots one then fills it again and knocks it back again, closing her eyes letting the liquor hit her. Blowing out a breath, "You were right. I owe you an explanation."
“When you are ready to talk, you have people that are there for you. They are willing to be a shoulder for you to cry on, or the ear you need to complain to. We are here for you, in whatever fashion you need, though being honest, when I have to be the groups sensitive one, well shit the world’s gotten flipped upside down. So sit right back, and let me tell you how I became the Prince of HEllair.” Adama answers as he takes the shot, “We square?”
"As long as you don't wake up Kanna again." sips the third shot not killing it "I wasn't upset with you. Any of you." Pauses, "Ok maybe you a little bit. I mean no one expects their first kiss to go spectacularly and I certainly knew someone was going to talk about it. I just didn't think you'd feel the need to embellish it thatttt much." Finishes the shot
“Was that your first kiss… ohhh, that explains a lot.” Adama chuckles, Minor Illusioning him kissing Raijin and giving tons of tongue. Then minor illusions himself kissing a dog, then minor Illusions himself kissing a toad with extra tongue. “Meh, kissing isn’t that serious it’s a part of compassion and care, it’s the first step in love, but even a friendly kiss between compatriots shows care and appreciation, and deeper connection pass acquaintances, weather is was over inflated or not, it was normal, and nothing to feel ashamed about. I ever tell you the story of when the King of Slekul almost drowned and I had to give him mouth to mouth.” Adama winks at Raijin, “I see why she likes you, a bit too much tongue but not bad…”
Raijun looks at him like with a jest like "yo I was turning blue I'm just glad she jumped in and not you or Hagren or worse....Trenchcoat!" "Also, you know we're more like, brother sister than star-crossed lovers - she would try to kill me if we dated." Lightening up a bit, he says that with a jest, trying to see if the comment cracks a smile from Myra
Myra shoots another shot, "That" pointing to Raijun. Returning to Adama "Also you are clearly not someone who identifies as female. The idea that kissing isn't anything. Or sex isn't anything. It's not like I like it but do you understand how much stupid fing judgement we get? You're told to wait or you have 'loose morals' but then if you do you're a prude or a tease. And goddsssss y'all are nothing compared to stupid rich people rumors. No one has a life so it's just 'who kissed whom in the garden'"
"You don't know that." Raijun bats eyelashes
"Fine. I apologize. Neither of you obviously identify as female."
"And then there are the stupid asshats who are like 'ah yes I bought you a steak now you owe me something'. Raijun may have been my first kiss but he was not my first date. And it takes days to wash off the feeling of someone looking at you like you were a steak or just a pile of money where when they say the magic words I'll swoon and say 'take me i'm yours" feigns swooning
"Yeah that sounds like it blows, was it a guy from a lower house or something?"
Myra snorts, "Not just one. And their titles vary. That's not to say there aren't nice people. But when a date is cover for a business meeting, well I've had a lot of business meetings."
"Did you actually like any of them, or was it exploratory for you? Feel like it would sting if it was someone you like/respect"
Hagren walks in taking a look into room cautiously surveying the scene.
Looks over a Hagren and raises a shot glass "I'm drinking so it's safe."
Hagren walks over and takes a seat, Myra sliding him a shot glass. “Man what was that out there?” Taking the shot, “I feel this is the worst we ever done with this party”
"Really this is the worst?" Myra asks.
“Hurting the relationship of good friend for the greater good”
"I once slammed James against a wall and almost drew a sword on him. So I'd say this is par for the course for my track record with relationships" Myra comments as she takes a shot.
“It’s just hit home with me because I done the same thing to my good friend and lost his friendship”
"Whoooose your friend?" Hagren takes a shot and Myra pours him another, “One from Waterdeep, I didn’t much back then, and hang’n with the boyz was my daily routine.”
"So before the pirates?"
“Before I forced recruited into the navy, yes”
"Sorry Navy"
“It was after my mother’s funeral, I was drinking heavily as if it was the end of the world”
Raijun looks at Hagren a bit more empathetically, as he never knew his mother, he imagines what it would be like to be in his shoes.
"I mean it was the end of yours, seems only fair," Myra comments.
“Some my old friends would come by to cheering me, but I wasn’t having it.” takes a shot “In the end I pushed away the people who just as important to as my mother, thinking I’ll die alone from now on.”
Myra elbows Hagren, "Too bad you're stuck with us"
Hagren snorts as he continues on uninterrupted, “After my booze run dry headed out to get more, since I had no money mugging was the next best thing; unfortunately I picked the wrong people.” Hagren starting to reminisce the admiral and his first ship expedition. “It was a press gang which they looking for more crew to refill their numbers.”
"So you tried to mug the Navy but the Navy mugged you?"
“And by the that extend I was too inebriated to fight back properly, now please let me finish.” Myra looks fully chastised.
“Ok I’m done. Long story short, I was able to reach out to people once more since the crew allow me to be one of them. Point is, we might as well lost our friendship with Yamil who we with us through think and thin. I feel ashamed that I hurt other people’s feeling.” Hagran sniffs
Myra raises her hand tentatively, like a kid in school waiting to be called on.
“Yes Miss Myra”
"What happened to your friend? The one from Waterdeep."
“Don’t know maybe there still at Waterdeep, I haven’t gone back to see them yet.”
"Hagren I worry that Yamil was never actually our friend, but a prototypical infiltrator...I was in extraction, but the infiltrators are often like Yamil, conventionally attractive, conversationalists...all the while spying on our habits, strengths and weaknesses"
“Maybe it was maybe he wasn’t, I just felt the two experience were kind of similar to my past. Why make enemy when we can make friends. I’m sorry I feel like it’s my problem now while we were trying to cheer on Myra”
Myra has been looking down at the table for a bit just staring blankly into her glass. "I didn't mean for it to go there. Truly. Honestly in the moment I thought we'd all find ourselves at the Abbey."
“You know, we really need to start our next adventure with a bang! By which I mean vacation. So how about we party at the speak easy we went to the last time we came, my treat.”
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think it got shut down. I'm happy to go check but they found it while looking for the bandit that had the evocation scroll."
“Oh, that’s too bad. Still I want to host a welcoming party for the crew, let’s do it on Reach then. Black Jacks and hookers!!”
"I'm down for that, wooooo!" Raijun cheers
Myra shoots a shot, "Maybe we can see if Lux is still around first. They made a fantastic drink"
Raijun looks disappointed at Myra's comment, "But the gambling and the babes!"
"Will also be there if it's open? Hagren did you reach out to your friend? After it happened?"
“ I don’t know, pretty much I was out touch and lost track of time, heck I was release out of my service few months ago. And I don’t know if this archipelago can send Mail to Faruen?”
"So you don't know if they ever forgave you?"
“I don’t know, the last thing I …think I remember is that some flew in the air. I was thinking after everything ends, I plan to set sail back to Faruen, and try to check if any of the boyz still hanging around, and try to make amends with them, or get curve stomped trying.”
As one of the Kobolds walks by cleaning he says, “yup you sure can. Takes a bit via ship but it can get there”. He wipes down the table and leaves to clean elsewhere.
"Thanks Jeremy," Myra notes.
"That was Johnny," Raijun corrects
"Shut up I know you don't know their names. Johnny is in the back."
“I thought it was Derek," Hagren intercedes. : "I thought Derek was on bar tonight?" Leaning back and almost falling to peer at the bar. "Oh you're right shoot. Sorry Derek. At least you have some stories to tell them if you go back Hagren."
"Sure, as long as they still want to talk to me or don't get curve stomped."
"I think most people would have a hard time curb stomping you at this point. Or do I need to bring up that you've finished almost every demi-god like entity we've fought?"
"Well some of my boyz are half-orc so you know, bring dozen of them a then you'll see. They have the right to get angry."
"You could send them a letter before hand. Get a feel for things. Derek says it's possible and you know they'll get it done. Raijun, what you said before. Did you feel like he was lying? I mean obviously he lied. But after?" She avoided his name but you know she's referencing Yamil.
"It's not that I caught a lie, its just I didn't catch a truth either. One of the Immortals higher ups often mentioned this was a telltale sign of a spy. Maybe he was honest about Thompson, and serves a greater master still..."
Weakly, staring at her hands, "Or maybe he's just trying to do what's right and I attacked him for it"
“He wasn’t lying about not wanting to hurt us or your family. I don’t know how he knew about… my dealings… with Alsume though. Or why he never let on until he could hurt me with it” None of you heard Sarya enter the room, but there she is.
"I know. That he wasn't lying about my family that is." Myra seems to shrink a little more, "I'm not always the best at reading people but you get really good at telling whether someone wants to use you for your family when, well everyone wants to use you for your family." "I'm sorry everyone. I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have..."
“What I do think is that we ought to keep an eye on Yamil, if we can. I was planning on scrying for Rena tomorrow but I could try Yamil as well. I believe that Adama got a lock of hair”
"I mean we could try to find him. To apologize. I should apologize."
“I’m happy enough just to observe for the moment. I’d like to know if your suspicions were correct or not”
“My gut instinct is that he was scouting out the group, but that he didn’t absolutely know we had the scrolls. He’s working for someone other than Thompson, but their goal seems to either destroy magic or capture the scrolls. I don’t think he attacked us as 5 v 1 aren’t the best numbers. My gut feeling is he’s a military guy, but the question is for whom. It’s more than likely not his original outfit, what’s particularly interesting is that if his goal was to learn about the scrolls he should have taken the offer to go talk and we give him information about them, he wouldn’t have had to tilt his hand, he would have merely had to give plausible explanations and if he were pulling the wool over our eyes he would have been adept at coming up with lies on the spot. If I were a betting man and I am, I think he realized that we were going towards where his goal was, and at that point decided to change his location as being with us would make it much harder for him to abscond with the scroll. He was right about one thing, it’s much easier for 1 person to get in and out without being noticed as opposed to a group of 6 people," Adama adds. “I think the important question is how do we treat him in the future. We can sweep this all under the rug and move on, or we can continue to pull on the threads. If we’re going to pull on the threads, we should do some digging and asking around, who else do we know that knows him? Start to see where the bricks he has laid don’t fit with the truth”
“I think that is sound logic. He didn’t seem to have much respect for Thompson but he seemed fairly close to Jimmy - who I think that we may owe an explanation," Sarya comments.
"I mean he did tell us where he was going before. It wasn't like it was some new location. He said he was going up to the Abbey when we agreed to give him a ride. I thought he would travel up through Kolis-Tane with us. The train runs up that way and the scroll would either be in one location or the other depending on where the council had decided to keep it pending the Trial." Myra looks at the table ashamed, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I overacted. I have 'trust issues' shocker."
She hiccup laughs, "I was told so many times growing up that people would try to use relationships with me to get things. And I mean it was true. So I tend to not trust easily and assume the worst of people's motives. And we trusted him. I trusted him. And when I saw him taking advantage of the situation and your kindness Raijun. I. I'm sorry. I overreacted."
Raijun looks at her, like a brother that is trying to stay mad but can't and sighs and says, "Well I can see why you are guarded when things like this happen. And I suppose I brought my tumble on myself so, I accept your apology. We're friends right?" Extending out an arm for a shake.
Myra seems more shaken by the implication that her actions could have broken her friendship with you than most of the other things tonight. The emotion and fear of losing that flashes across her face too quickly for most other than Sarya and Raijun to catch. She swallows and nods gripping your outstretched arm. "For as long as you'll have me. Where do you come down on next steps?"
“Vacation and plot," Adama answers.
"Plot? I mean I should apologize sooner right? I don't want to just leave it out there unaddressed."
“Why apologize when you can just demand that you’re right and willfully ignore all evidence that contradicts that point”.
"But you all said. And I did... I want to be clear I understand I made a mistake. That's become painfully obvious. And if there's any shot at making amends it would be sooner no? I mean he may not forgive me but I don't want to ruin his relationship with you all too."
“Ahem… fuck em if they can’t deal with a mistake. Also we don’t know if you were wrong, maybe over-zealous but we don’t specifically know you were wrong.”
Myra looks genuinely confused, not like she's closed off but but actually unsure of the next move, "Right. I mean for him to know it was a mistake we would have to say so right? And he did tell us he wanted to go to Abbey originally. I just don't understand why it changed in the moment. Did we do something to make him think he couldn't trust us? I mean, before I attacked him... I would have sent him to Abbey you know. If he had asked. I told him we would take him there. Did we do something? Before? It seems to me the easiest way to divine his motives would be to ask him. Provided he'll talk to us... Maybe he'd talk to Raijun though?"
Raijun replies, "Maybe, correct me if I'm wrong but I was only one he didn't have something to say to, but you guys would have to distance yourselves if I went to talk to him or he'd likely be wary of a trap."
"Yeah," Myra admits looking ashamed at the table, "I don't think he'd want to talk to me. I don't even know how we would find him. I would truly like to apologize though. Even if it's only in a note."
"Well maybe save the apology until we figure out some more of this...maybe tracking down his brother would be a good start?"
"His brother who is in the As'ler and Sayra's former gang? Sarya correct me if I'm wrong and truly I mean no implication towards you on this, but it seems like we would not want to be on his side? We all thought he was a good friend. I fucked it up. I made the mistake. You all gave me another chance is that not the least of what we would do for each other? Shouldn't that be the least we extend to him?"
Sarya chimes in, “Alsume is bad news. I don’t think that working with him would endear us to Yamil”
"Sure but again," Raijun interjects, "its clear to me that we don't know everything and until we do, this puzzle will have complexities we arent ready for. I'm not saying befriend his brother, I'm saying we should find him to get more info. And yes you can give him another chance but maybe we should find out his intentions in some way first"
"I thought maybe asking him? In a less hostile setting. Is that naïve? We were friends yesterday," Myra asks. "We all have pasts we don't talk much about. I mean hell I don't even know Adama's name. And I don't believe we've heard anything that makes me believe he's out to harm people. You and Sarya both said he was being truthful even if he was dodging specifics, he doesn't seem to wish any of us ill will? Or he didn't. Before..."
"True but he does what you do when he doesn't want to answer questions, so I think that approach wouldn't yield the results we might be looking for, especially now that he's on guard. I also said he was generally truthful but in a political sense, and you dont use politician tactics unless their is information you are not trying to reveal. I guess I'm most curious at what he's hiding and why it matters to shield it from us."
Myra blushes thinking on Raijun's words as she mentally walks through the argument earlier. "Maybe James would have more answers as Sarya suggested? He's been mostly traveling alone or with us. And Raijun your right about his and my reaction. But if he's like me," pulls a hand through her hair looking embarrassed "well I think we all know that in the moment I'd rather fight the fight. You see an attack and you close up, shore up the defenses. If you don't give the enemy ammunition the assault will have to die out. Then later you may be called cold, or a politician, but at least... At least if they truly wounded you won't let them see it."
"Maybe. But based on his reaction it may take some warming up for Jimmy to squeal. Look we can fret about him as much as we want, but I also think we need to complete our rest period. We are still recovering from those...changes and krep trying to operate at half or quarter strength. We need to be back to full to get these scrolls anyways, and time heals wounds, maybe we give Yamil and Jimmy a break and approach them later, maybe even offer up an alibi for your attack, blame it on false info and our rash ways, you get the drift..." ever since the encounter with the Grammarian...Raijun seems like he's become smarter, relying less on instinct and more on reasonings he deduces
Myra seems horrified by the idea that an apology would end in a fight, only to reflect what happened earlier. Those of you with a high passive insight catch a flash of utter revulsion pass over her face before it settles into something that just looks slightly ill, "Yeah. Rest. I don't need to lie about what happened. Aren't lies what got us here? I acted irrationally and badly. I don't think tracking him down would go over well, I wouldn't like it to your point Raijun. If Temple is around perhaps I could give them a note?" Looks to Raijun clearly not trusting herself to make a decision, "Would a note be ok?"
"Why do you think there's harm in waiting?" Raijun questions, "Yamil probably feels confused & hurt if he is innocent, vulnerable & exposed is he is not, neither state of mind is going to help us save face. It would be better to come back from vacation stating the stressors of battle and events of Abjuration scroll had worn us down mentally and we were acting paranoid, which is probably truer than not. This will be a twofold effect - one it is a plausible alibi that takes heat off of us, and two will let us save face and continue the relationship." Raijun seems more confident in his train of thought then you've recently experienced.
Where Raijun may seem more confident Myra seems considerably less than usual, "I just worry... I worry if we, if I, don't make some effort - won't it seem as though I stand by my actions? I'm not saying to set up a meeting or force him to talk. I just want him to know I'm sorry. That's all. And I just don't know when we'd be in the same area again. I guess... I just don't want the next time we meet to meet antagonistically. I understand that I have caused a rift through the actions I took. And I don't want it to widen because of the actions I don't take."
"Myra don't you fly off to be alone when people say or do things you don't like? Yamil also needs time to think about things, you can leave a note but it's not going to have the same gravity. Trust me, no one messes things up as much as me and yet they all still tolerate me, its because of my apolo-jutsu technique."
Myra winces, "Well I don't seem to do much better when I stay do I?"
"I'm not critiquing your ways, I just am trying to help you see what I see by making you put yourself in their shoes. I call it Rai-pathy!"
"I mean if you're asking what I would like text is wonderful. I can't be rash and stupid in writing a note. And when I am I can burn the evidence before I deliver it. Honestly several times. Also I was literally taught how to write correspondence."
Raijun looks at Myra with empathy but at the same time, severity "Myra....Trust me, please. We need time to think on our own end as well."
"I do... I do. Just don't let me make it worse. Okay?" She asks pleadingly.
Raijun looks at her and waits a second before he says, "I won't, I've got your back like you always have mine. For as long as you'll have me."
Myra nods, a tear running down her cheek before she can catch it. She tries to cover brushing it away with another shot, allowing her to feign that clearing he throat was from the alcohol, "So Hagren needs a Tattoo I imagine that will take a few hours, we should drop off food for the queen cause we told Mama we would, Hagren wants to go out drinking. Hagren would you mind if I return the screwdriver to Topp? And then have we actually decided where we plan on this vacation?"
"I thought we might do it on Reach, thus including him to the party." Hagren Comments
"Sure though if we are going to party on Reach we could also do it to kick off the vacation where ever that is going to be. Did people have a time table for when they wanted to leave or where we are even going?"
"As soon as possible," Raijun chimes in.
"Ok great but where? I don't even know where we are going after our vacation anymore"
"To the place we were going to before, the resort w the beach and stuff, we can plan the rest there."
"So up by strangle vine on a deserted beach or Hazeldon with more people?"
"Deserted beach so when we inevitably get attacked we don't harm civilians?"
Myra swallows, nodding.
"I think a quiet place to think would do us both some good" occurrence
"Right. Quiet."
"You sound hesitant, is something on your mind about that plan?"
"With the plan? Oh, no. I just don't think I've seen the group do 'quiet' is all."
"I am a bastion of silence and introspection Here in my fortress of Swole-itude!" Raijun flexes

Report Date

14 Jan 2022