Revelations Ruin Bliss (IC LP RP January 15th, 2022)

BlisaMarshmellow · 2022-01-15 07:29:31 PM

SCENE: Salamandastron Dining Room

LOG:
It was long before dawn when the hares assigned to accompany the major woke up, with many loathe to rise in the cold of winter, even towards the heart of the mountain. While the walls and floors were covers with various carpets and hangings all that could not erase the chilly bite of the air blowing through the many passageways; not much was spoken as the hares shuffled down the steps and into the mess hall for what to them seemed the last warm meal they'd ever have - however one of the few outliers, a junior officer by the name of Walter Lossow, seemed excited by the prospect of going out again. He'd felt the mountain too stuffy for his tastes and truth be told had grown bored in the past season since he and the rest of the Tenderfoot hares returned.
Sipping his tea he meandered from table to table making a gallant effort to strike up conversation with the others, but none were all that eager (or really capable) of sharing their thoughts just yet. So he slowly made his way back to the table with the breakfast laid out.
One of the other hares (mostly) awake was Terrence, who was busy signing off various papers and documents he was vaguely aware had to do with how much supplies and equipment needed for the upcoming mission. He didn't have the will or the mind yet to fully read what exactly he was authorising but he trusted the clerks to know what they were about and not use his signature to sign off on something ridiculous.

Felicity has been up most of the night, unable to sleep due to the nightmares that still sometimes haunt her from the mission to rescue the Dibbuns. After tossing and turning for hours, she finally gives up and gets up, spending some time in the training room to burn off the anxious energy. She now enters the dining hall for an early breakfast before waking her sister for the day. She threads through the present hares to the serving line....but stops when she sees Terrence. She pauses, then remembers: we never know when death comes. So she heads over to his table just as a paper about giving the leverets extra candy rations is dropped off at the table for him to sign. She doesn't notice what's on it...not yet, anyway. "Terrence, I would say good mornin', but I feel 'tis a tad too early foh such a 'appy greetin'."

There's a small snicker as the leveret's rations are signed off on which earns the clerk /a look/ from Terrence, frowning. "Sorry master-sergeant, a bit of a private joke, wot."
"I see...." But Terrence was already distracted by the sergeant. "Well, good morning all the same, I say, as it's what we think and do that makes it such." Still unsmiling despite the words he starts grabbing his own breakfast.
"Though I wonder why you're up and about. You weren't roped into this too, were you?"
The clerk puts the paper - writing in a messy scrawl with several colourful ink splotches on it and signed by various young hares - at the bottom of the stack they hold. It's not the only thing they had the officer sign off on today....

Felicity shakes her head. "Nope, not comin' wi' you lot. Can't say I'm sorry 'bout it, eithah. I..." she looks to the floor. "Still sometimes 'ave nightmahes 'bout th'mission t'rescue th'Dibbuns, is all." It obviously hits her hard, especially since she's wide awake and sweaty from exercise at this time of night (early morning, whatever). Felicity shakes her head to clear it, then glances at the lower-ranking hares nearby. "Give us a moment, please, would you? Thanks." They know a polite order when they hear one, and they skitter off to get seconds on breakfast. When the 2 are alone, she turns back to the Master-Sergeant. "Terrence...we both know that th'futah isnt guaranteed, an' y'might no' come back from this mission. So I wanted t'talk t'y' 'bout somethin' while we still 'ave a chance."

It takes a moment for the master sergeant to understand what she meant about the dibbuns as the word was not all that familiar to him, but the mention of nightmares gives him a much better idea of what she speaks of. "I'm sorry..." He mummers, not sure what else he can say. Now having filled up his plate and not really reregistering the clerk leaving, Terrence had begun eating as he stood next to the table. He's just put the morsel of food in his mouth when she finishes speaking, and he pauses. Setting the fork down and chewing, he eyes her, seemingly much more awake and alert than before.
"Felicity, as far as I can tell this is going to be a thankfully boring couple of days - there aren't any really threats on the shore that we know of, and we aren't looking for a fight even if there were. Could still have a freak accident and get struck by lightening, but somehow I doubt that'll be the case."

Varus wends his way into the dining chamber, looking better than he has in ages. Oh dear... He's in one of his rare good moods. He pauses to address two privates as he enters, then says hello to a Lieutenant for good measure. And then he makes his way toward Terrence.

Felicity shakes her head. "Doesn't mattah. Thah's no time like th'present, an' I'm done waitin' foh th'right time t'say things...that accursed snake reminded me o' tha'." She takes a deep breath, then plunges into what she's wanting to say, what she tried to say last week. "I've been thinkin' 'bout our conversation from months ago 'bout Zolomon, an' I believe tha' y'nevah 'ated 'im. Maybe y'still even see 'im as a friend. I 'eard 'bout whot 'appened when 'e died" (although she still doesn't know all the details, she just thinks there was a fight) "an' I wanted t' say I'm sorry y' 'ad t'do tha', an' I'm no' angry wi' you. I know it must be 'ard foh you, an' I wanted t'make sure y'okay. An' don't y'dare lie t'me!" There is concern and sorrow in her eyes, but nothing more. She's being as honest as the day is long.

Lossow happened to be that lieutenant the major said hello to, and it had taken a moment for him to recognise the rank on the uniform and snap to attention. But Varus was already moving on and so the young hare breaths a sigh of relief.
There's a long moment before Terrence answers her, eating his food quietly. "I..." He begins slowly, "There's nothing you need to be sorry for. I did hate Zolomon in a way - but for what he did and acted, even before he was banished."
The hare shakes his head, being careful in his words. "It may have started when he was made sergeant, or perhaps before - but the pressure of leadership I don't think was something he could handle. My view of the brass who ordered it and did not seek my or Greg's opinions - as I was Zolomon's sergeant at the time and the captain his commanding officer - has not been all that favourable." He can't keep the hint of bitterness out of his tone, but he sighs and the bitterness is replaced with something more akin to tiredness. "And on top of that it always felt to me he expected praise for any good thing he did, even if there was a host of things more to do... and that was before that badger died. I'm probably wrong, and doesn't do to speak ill of the dead, but I think it would have been best for all of us had he never joined the patrol and stayed instead in Mossflower."

Varus harrump-harrumps as he arrives at Terrence and just barges head-first right into THAT conversation. "Y' did wot was bloody well necessary, wot. Seems t' me that... Zolomon, was it? 'E weren't fit f'r th' Patrol. Ya gotta bloody well be fit f'r th' job, or it'll eat ya up an' spit y' out like yestahday's cold porridge, eh wot! Wouldn't ya say, Sahgeant?"

Felicity listens, then thinks before replying. "Aye, may'ap 'twould've been bettah 'ad 'e stayed in Mossflowah...foh 'im as much as anybeast. But even if tha's right...it doesn't make it any less 'ard foh you, does it?" She doesn't say it, but it seems to her like he's trying to justify what happened. The back of her mind thinks of his mother and wonders if it's her fault Terrence can't talk about his feelings about this. Then Varus barges in like the proverbial bull in a china shop, and she scowls. "Sah....I think sometimes beasts staht out fit, then things 'appen an' break theih minds, leavin' 'em like shells o' the creatahs they were befoh, sah." Is she talking about him? Maybe? She'll never say one way or the other. "But jus' 'cause somethin' 'ad t'be done doesn't make it easy oh light'earted, beggin' y'pahdon, sah. 'Tis good t'mourn if y'feel th'need...sah." Maybe talking to Varus right now isn't the best option in the world since she hasn't eaten yet and that tends to make some does cranky...

On account of having his back to most of the room as he faced the breakfast table, Terrence had hardly noticed Varus until he spoke. "Oh! Sah."
Food now thoroughly forgotten the master sergeant spins around and stands up straighter. "Truth be told -" as he speaks he stares at some point beyond both Felicity and Varus, "Zolomon's death was something I'd come to terms with soon after he was banished, I think. He proved faithless then, and spiralled further and further..." His eyes close. "I'd feared even back then when he and I worked with Elbio that I might have to kill him if he continues as he did then, but thankfully managed to avoid that, for a time...." Trailing off he waves a paw. "It's better that I did it than some other private of ours, at least, and it was better for Zolomon to die by the sword rather than pierced by arrows and struck by stones."

Varus hmmphs. He has his own opinions on the lack of discipline in the ranks. Whatever happened to the Major in charge of the Home Guard, anyway? "Ah, well... 'E was askin' for it. I confess I don't rightly recall this Zolomon fellow, but I reviewed 'is file in th' Records room. 'E was a trouble-makah, an' tha's no doubt, I'm afraid. Seems 'e's been compared to a... Hanzi, or somebeast o' th' name. Can't say as I remembah 'im, eithah, but there are so many 'ares t' keep track of, o' course..."

Felicity is now getting frustrated, but holds it back. She came to comfort Terrence, and while she doesn't believe him when he says he came to terms with it and it was better this way and whatever. She also is being reminded why she doesn't like working directly with high-ranking hares (although Greg is pretty cool). She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, releasing all the anger as she does so. Her lips then purse and she decides she needs to do some self-care. "Y'know, I 'aven't 'ad breakfast yet. 'Scuse me." She walks away from the bucks (she's not in uniform because she's not on duty, so she may ignore anything other than a direct order) and gets in the breakfast line and starts piling up on food. This gives her a breather to gather her thoughts so she doesn't say something stupid.

Eyes following Felicity as she moves on, Terrence shrugs. "He was a trouble maker, but he was manageable when he was a corporal. I think that was Major Jinora's thought when she made him one, so he could learn. " Terrence shakes his head. "Should have had at least three seasons more of that before he was ever considered for another promotion, but that's not how things worked out. He grits his teeth. "Though next time if brass decide to promote someone in my patrol that I know isn't fit - /yet/ - for the role, I'm going to make a stink of it. Thankfully they haven't since, however," his features soften, "So maybe they've learned better of it."
With another sigh Terrence turns back to his food and finishes eating. "Daresay Zolomon was capable of doing better than Hanzi, and I wish he did." And he leaves it at that.

Varus shakes his head. "Well, I'll agree wi' y' there. P'raps I should air mah grievances. An' just where are any o' th' Majahs now? This...Jinora, y' speak of. Apparently she's off elsewhere. So who is bloody left 'ere currently? I can only find references to retired Majahs. The Recordah won't let me see any o' th' othah records highah than a captain. Says it's... Doctah's ordahs. I tol' 'im tha's poppycock." He purses his lips. "Nevah mind any o' this, Sahgeant. It's not yahr problem. It seems th' Gen'ral is tryin' t' keep me in th' dahk about somethin', but I'll figure it out eventually..."

Felicity has reached the end of the line and has been accosted by some Privates who are going on the mission but thinking bombarding her with questions is better than talking to one of the officers who's actually going. She ends up having to give them some of her shouts. "I DON'T BLOODY WELL KNOW! ASK TH'MASTAH SERGEANT OH SOMEBEAST WHO'S /ACTUALLY GOIN'/ ON THIS MISSION! NOW LET ME EAT M'FOOD IN PEACE, AN' THA'S AN ORDAH, WOT!" She marches back to sit at Terrence's table, now thoroughly in a terrible mood. Good thing she missed the last bit of the conversation before she got back...

Terrence isn't quite sure how to handle either hare, so he silently clears his dishes. "Sah," he bites the bullet when he returns, too tired at the moment to carry on the ruse - and giving him a reason to ignore the irate Felicity for the moment. "That's 'cause you're the current major of the patrol, but you don't remember that."

There's a long moment of dead silence, and several nearby hares turn, to look, having plainly overheard the exchange. The silence deepens, but then Varus starts coughing. He coughs harder, and seems to wheeze. And then it becomes apparent that he isn't coughing. He's laughing, as if he's heard the most insane joke ever written.

Felicity nearly chokes on her oatmeal with honey, crystallized fruits, greensap milk, and assorted nuts mixed in. She looks between the two, not sure what to do. When it's clear the Major is laughing, she gives Terrence a look that plainly says /WHAT DID YOU JUST DO/.

Terrence isn't joining in the mirth, his frown deepening. It might be the most serious look Varus has ever seen (if he looks up). "Sah, how many times have hares said 'major' to you before switching to what you've called yourself? Or why you aren't allowed to see the records? And why the bloody hell /you're uniform has the rank of major on it?!"

Varus stops laughing, and he fixes Terrence a hard look. "This is not funny, Sahgeant. Everybeast knows I passed over a promotion so I could stay in the field. And you KNOW I was retired, but you lot came crawlin' to me on yahr bloody paws 'n' knees wantin' me t' take ovah again!" His voice is starting to rise in pitch, whilst simultaneously one of his migraines starts to return again. "You lot needed a Majah aftah y' went an' bungled up yahr attack in Mossflowah! Remembah tha'? Yahr leadahship was sorely lackin' back then, wasn't it? It's a damnable situation."

Felicity grabs her tray (no way is she leaving her oatmeal, blueberry scones, mint tea, fruitcake, cheddar cheese, and rye bread slices behind) and starts to ease out of her chair, trying to slowly and inconspicuously get away from this conversation. Nope, nothing to see here. She also has no idea how to help, so she's just quietly edging away, giving Terrence a /sorry, bro, can't help/ look. Super helpful, here, yeah.

"Yes, and a major is a field commander," Terrence presses, "And you were brought back to be major alongside Jinora, seasons ago - when I was a corporal." He's remarkably calm. "The patrol did needed a major after the deaths in Mossflower - like my father-" He stops shrugging again, "And they choose you. "

Varus' jaw clenches, and he seems to suddenly be on the verge of a collapse, or a mental breakdown. "I was leadin' th' 23rd when you were in diapahs! An' then Sebastian ordahed that th' Patrol needed t' downsize. An' guess who was considahed obsolete?!" Too many memories are clashing together at once and his headache is increasing exponentially. "You lot 'ave always considahed us eldahs t' be ultimately expendable, really." His vision is getting a bit hazy. "But didn't I go out there when Dominik an' Felicity were missin'? Or was that Konnah? I can't keep track. Bloody 'ell."

"Considering it was hares your age or older that made the call, sah," Terrence is regretting starting this now. The entire dining chamber had gone deathly quiet... "I'd hardly blame us 'young ones'. I fear we may be expendable to them just as much as you are." He let's the dark thought hang in the air for a moment before continuing, "And you did that mission to find Dom and Konner - and yes, it /was/ Konner."
Konner was a few tables away and at this point had sunken deep in his chair, his ears red.
"And where do you think we're going?" The master-sergeant can't keep the incredulous note out of his voice, "The 23rd! We're hoping that'll jog some of your bloody memories - it isn't meant to be a Sunday stroll, sah."

Varus starts to fall back into a nearby chair, and he waves a paw airily. "Yes, tha' was mah wife's doin', I'm sure." He clears his throat. "Sahgeant Cadwallader, if y' could call for a healah, I'd be grateful. I'm afraid mah headache 'as come back. If yah want, tha's an ordah from yahr Majah."

Terrence stiffens, standing at attention. There's a brief flash of fear as he realises he may have ruined the whole operation, but maybe not - "Of course sah, right away, sah!" With that, Terrence excuses himself. There was a /LOT/ to do now - as soon as he finds a healer fit for the job he sends them over to the major, hoping things aren't /too/ bad.

Felicity sets her tray down. "I'll get y'somethin' t'drink, sah." She gets him some hot mint tea and hands it to him with a smile. "I doubt th' 'Ealahs will 'ave an issue with mint tea, wot! Tastes jolly nice, too, wi' th' 'oney th'cook added." She lets someone else get the Healer. She's not sure the argument was a good thing, but she's not going to say a word about any of it.

Varus accepts the tea, and sips it carefully. "Thank you," he answers Felicity. And when the healer finally arrives, they give him the pain medication Varus has been using to manage his headaches. After, the older hare will retire to his quarters for a long rest.

~*END*~

Thanks for reading!

Redwall MUCK Forum

Redwall MUCK is an interactive, multiplayer text game set in Brian Jacques' Redwall universe.

Visit RWMUCK.ORG for more info!

#1 2022-01-15 07:29:31 PM

Revelations Ruin Bliss (IC LP RP January 15th, 2022)

Board footer