[backdated March 4] Sup Ya'll? (Closed to Vox Machina & Co)

[st_illsinging]

The day after talking to Pike, Scanlan decided it was probably time to actually talk to everyone else. He had mixed feelings considering he knew a whole bunch more than literally everyone else. And also some of them were going to be pissed at him. Again.

Several days of rest had done the Gnome good and he moved to sit down in the lobby. A public place was probably good in case there was a huge fight, right? Settling down on one of the couches, Scanlan spoke into his earring.

Hey, so, you all probably heard I'm here already, but here's my official hello and I'm in the lobby if you want to say hi.

Then he picked up his lute and started playing a little, but he was mostly tuning and fixing - it was as if being in a big battle against a god could damage your instruments or something.

Comments

[st_abby]

Vax had decided to let the gnome do this in his own way and time. He knew Vex was still pissed, and from the sound of it, so was Pike. Percy hadn't said much of anything about Scanlan, but that might be well-mannered condemnation too. He didn't know what to think if anything so far as Kashaw and the tieflings went.

For what it was worth, he wasn't angry. He was grateful really, for how Scanlan had leapt in without hesitation to help him with Stephanie, without digging his heels in and demanding explanations. But he was also confused and half-informed compared to the others. What he really wanted was to get all of their shit out in the open, so they could make sense of it and hopefully, maybe, they'd then have Scanlan back in with their merry band of fuck-ups here the way he always had been, to Vax'ildan's memory.

"If you're taking requests," Vax had dressed for the occasion, in familiar black armor and cloak. "They've a ballad here called 'Free Bird' - don't suppose you've heard of it?"

[st_illsinging]

The suit of armour made Scanlan want to frown - bad memories - but he didn't and just plucked at his lute again as he saw Vax approach (A new and foreign feeling).

"You sing it to me once and I bet I can play it for you." But he hadn't heard of it, no. "Unless you want me to make something up with that title. That, I can do easily."

[st_abby]

"I'd have to know the words or the tune for that to work. And it's a long one. I was mostly just heckling you," Vax explained, lips quirking a bit as he took a seat near to Scanlan. There was concern plain on his own face, and he had a vague sense Scanlan was avoiding something or holding back. Vax supposed he wasn't looking forward to many of the conversations he might have today.

"Scan-man, I know you were in battle before you arrived here just a few days ago, and that I was probably right there with you. Other-me. But This-me, I've been here for more than a year. And the last thing I remember from Exandria was cutting down Thordak." He gave that a moment to sink in before he followed with, "when was that, for you? A while ago? Or has it not even happened?"

[st_illsinging]

Hearing that outright was really so weird for Scanlan, even though Pike had mentioned this beforehand.

"Yeah. A little while ago. A few things happened since then. Killed a green dragon, died, went to Ank'Harel for a year... you know, the typical things people do."

[st_abby]

"Vex told me we got Raishan," Vax explained. "And how you died -" Scanlan had an ear for these things, so he probably noticed that it wasn't the finality of a finished sentence.

"...What happened with you, man? Vex said we were able to bring you back, but when you woke up, you told all of us off, like we didn't know you or care about you, and then you took Kaylie and left us all just like that. Something to do with your mother and drugs? I know my sister wouldn't lie to me, but I couldn't make any sense out of it at all."

[st_illsinging]

He sighed a little, though no sound came from it. "It's a bit more complicated than that..." He plucked idly at his lute for a moment, a few pleasant hums of music that didn't lead to a song. "I'm not sure what Vex told you, exactly, but they didn't exactly leave me to wake up with my dignity... which, sure. Normally I don't care about that kind of thing, but with Kaylie there, it was different.... It's hard to explain, but out of all the people in this world, Kaylie was the one person I wanted to keep a promise to and I didn't and I didn't handle it well and I said some things. A lot of things. But I needed to get away and it seemed easier than to just... leave." Them hating him was easier somehow than them missing him, or so he had thought anyways.

[st_abby]

"Pudding and a nightgown, was it?" It's weird to him that he can even remember it from Vex's retelling, but it was such a colorful mental image that it seemed to have stuck. Vex had mentioned in passing that Pike and Percy had got drunk and pranked him. Yet of all people who ought to be able to appreciate a joke... It should have been a welcoming home, not disrespect. "You have literally shit in more inappropriate places than anyone I've ever known," Vax reminded.

But he heard Scanlan saying that wasn't the real problem. "I've often thought," Vax added after a beat, searching for Scanlan's eyes with his own," that you had life figured out better than any of us. And whenever I didn't know what the fuck I was doing, when I was so depressed I wasn't sure how to go on... I'd look at you, for a smile or a laugh, and I'd think, 'that's a reason to keep going. To try and find some of whatever Scanlan's got.' ...And that's just me. I can't imagine what it was like for Pike and Grog to watch you go off like that, but I know it would have broken all of our fucking hearts."

[st_ubby]

Vex had been in the boutique when Scanlan's voice came over the earrings. She didn't answer, going quiet while she tried to decide if she was going to see him or if she should check in on Percy first. She'd told Percy in her first days here, of course she had, how Scanlan had left them, but he'd really gotten angry at Winter's Crest, when he saw firsthand how badly Scanlan had hurt Pike.

Better to see when Scanlan was from, first. Since it had been different for each of them, and those who'd arrived after Vex all seemed to be from much later. It wasn't easy blending in, when all around was a riot of pinks and reds and oversized florals, but Vex was very very good at being stealthy, and frankly, Scanlan deserved to be snuck up on. She might as well have suddenly appeared beside the couch where he sat, dressed not in the armor she'd been wearing the last time she saw him, but more modern jeans and a grey pullover she'd found comfortable, flattering, and practical if she ever did need to fight. Her arms were crossed, and she had a dangerously amused glint in her usually warm dark eyes.

"Scanlan," she began, sounding a little like Gilmore, or Scanlan himself when he wanted something from someone who wouldn't want to give it. "Let's start with you explaining why I should try to convince Percy not to shoot you in the knee."

[st_illsinging]

Scanlan jumped when Vex appeared and had to reach for his lute before it fell off the couch. He had expected Vax to do the sneaking around, not Vex, but of course she did. He caught his breath and took her in. She looked good, even though what she was wearing seemed strange on her. Vex could probably make a potato sack look good though. She had her ways.

"Well.. I'm pretty partial to my knees in general, for one. And if I need to help you guys out, walking is probably better than hobbling or crawling?"

[st_ubby]

"Oh, is that something you care to do now? Help us out?" The words were as pointed as one of her arrows, and she wondered how much of the sharpness was her own and how much spending time with Percy. Truth was, it had been so long, and she really was trying to remember – sinaeth – she had mostly forgiven him already, and would have entire if not for how terribly he had hurt Pike. And Grog and Percy... well, all of them, but her own hurts she could move past more easily.

"Because you didn't seem all that interested when you threw your tantrum and walked out. Or using drugs and lying about it. Forcing Jarrett to do your dirty work. Really Scanlan.

"You do remember doing all those things, right?" If he was from before, and didn't, she was going to feel bad. Maybe. Not if it kept him from being so boneheaded this time around.

[st_illsinging]

"Yes, I do. And you're right. You're right about everything. I didn't handle leaving well.. but it was something I had to do. It made me a better person. Or at least a little less terrible - I'm still pretty terrible." He offered just a hint of a smile, though he actually meant the sentiment.

[st_ubby]

"You've always been terrible. Just like the rest of us." That was something he'd overlooked, that horrible day. They were all terrible. And broken. And overall, better together than they'd ever been apart.

"We needed you. We needed you, and you weren't there. And what if you had needed us? We wouldn't have been there for you either."

[st_illsinging]

"I know. And.. I'm sorry." He really was, at least to some degree, but the truth was he wouldn't change leaving for the world as it gave him a lot of time with Kaylie he didn't think he'd have otherwise. "But I came back, not that you'll have that memory yet. I just... needed time."

[st_ockandbarrel]

Percy heard the call over the earring and deliberately ignored it in favor of finalizing a blueprint for an attachment to his independently mobile device liberated from the space station. He had had a long time to consider his response to Scanlan's actions, and somewhat less time to re-examine his feelings following the bard's appearance here.

They had not appreciably changed.

Finally, an hour or more later, he hadn't been keeping track, Percy put on his coat and holstered Animus, then walked down to the lobby. Inside, he spotted Scanlan immediately. He walked over and with barely a pause said, "Come with me."

[st_illsinging]

Percy looked so serious. "Okay..." He slowly slid off of the couch and swung the lute over his shoulder. "Lead the way, Percival."

[st_ockandbarrel]

Percy did just that, walking out the front of the inn and down the long black road that ran to nowhere. They were well out of earring range when Percy stopped and turned to Scanlan.

"I want my gun back."

[st_illsinging]

Scanlan looked down on his person. Unlike his normal backpack, equipment laden self, there was just his clothes, mythcarver, and his lute today. "Uh.. I don't exactly have it on me there, Percy."

[st_ockandbarrel]

"I can see that." Percy's voice was still calm, steady in the way it became when he'd firmly set aside any sense of decency he maintained otherwise.

"I want Mythcarver. I want the earring. I want--" Percy drew Animus and pointed it at Scanlan's knee. His hand did not tremble. "For you to recall that we were your friends and any betrayal was on your part, not theirs."

He pulled the trigger.

[st_illsinging]

Scanlan had his mouth open to respond - it would be silly to give him Mythcarver and the earring, sure, he could have, but why did he need two, was it a fashion statement? But all that was replaced by seering pain as the bullet went into his knee and he shouted out in extraordinary pain. The Gnome fell forward from the useless knee and the lute went THUD against his head with the telltale sound of a string or two snapping.

Scanlan forgot how much being shot sucked and he gasped in another inaudible sound that maybe was something like 'what the hell?!' but the words didn't actually manifest. It took him several deep breaths to manage words. "What was that for?!"

Lillith & Scanlan

[st_rangepalette]

During one of their afternoon teatimes, Pike had told Lillith about her issues with Scanlan. So when Scanlan arrived, Lillith was not certain how to feel. He had been one of those who saved her, but his words to Pike had been despicable.

She still hadn't decided when she ran into him in the lobby. "Scanlan," she said tightly, her arms crossed over her chest.

Re: Lillith & Scanlan

[st_illsinging]

Well, that was an intimidating site.

"... Nice to see you again Lillith." He smiled over to her hoping that would somehow smooth her feathers.

Re: Lillith & Scanlan

[st_rangepalette]

"I would say the same, but I do not like to lie to friends." He was still a friend, even if she was extremely displeased with him. Her eyes glowed red with her anger. "I would be happier to see you if you had not hurt so many of our other friends."

Re: Lillith & Scanlan

[st_illsinging]

"Which is... understandable." He still was a little tense as he sat there. "I'm trying my best to make amends. It's pretty hard to when I have all these memories and they don't."

Re: Lillith & Scanlan

[st_rangepalette]

"I also have memories they do not share," she observed and took a seat beside him. "I knew that you had returned but not how it had happened. Of all of us, Zahra comes from the latest time. Did you see her at the battle?"

Re: Lillith & Scanlan

[st_illsinging]

"I did." He nodded. "They showed up on Wyverns and got a round off before they were paralyzed and fell to the ground. I'm just glad they survived."