backdated to Byerly's abduction

[permastubble]

I— Damn. I need to apologize to you all. I screwed up. Everybody probably knows by now, but I was keeping track of things in a notebook and it got snatched. I don’t know who got it the first time, but they didn’t have it for more than two or three minutes, and I imagine most of it was spent drawing all over it. Wouldn’t you know, when I was going to destroy it, I ran into the princess and she got it away from me. I couldn’t catch her, and I burned it as soon as I did get it back. So… Yeah.

I don’t know how much she or the other thief got out of it, because it was in shorthand, dammit, but names are hard to disguise so they know some of those.

So. I don’t know what else to say. I’m sorry.

Comments

[timelessinventor]

Don't be too hard on yourself, darling. Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes large ones, but there is nothing that cannot be overcome.

I've made a few colossal blunders in my time that probably should not be repeated.

[permastubble]

Considering that I just got a man abducted, I think this is more major than "large." But thanks.

[timelessinventor]

Oh, bollocks. Wait, was that Byerly? He said it had something to do with that Prince fellow. You or Yee or something like that.

[permastubble]

Yeah, it’s Vorrutyer.

If it had anything to do with royalty, it was the princess. She’s the one who stole it, and what I’ve heard is that she didn’t have a high opinion of the prince.

But someone else stole it too, and my money’s on whoever the hell they were.

[timelessinventor]

This princess seems to be one hell of a mess. I had to drag Adachi out of a bar a while back over her.

Interesting. So, the first thief was likely the one who caught Byerly, and the princess a distraction.

[permastubble]

I heard. I figured better leave him to someone who wouldn’t be tempted to get drunk with him. This whole thing has left me wanting a drink or several and I’ve made enough mistakes sober.

And it’s that or something unrelated. We don’t have enough evidence to say for sure.

[timelessinventor]

I think after this mess, we all could use several stiff drinks. Hopefully we can find some in that Liminal Space when we are done.

You raise a good point. I feel like at the moment we know very little about anything, and it's bloody frustrating.

[permastubble]

But after this mess.

Yeah, we’re wandering around blind, and if I didn’t know this was usually the way things went, I’d wonder if these Trumps were trying to sabotage us. It’s hard to get things done when you know less than nothing.

[whydoyoushine]

[There are no words, just laughter. This is the funniest stuff Zed's heard all day.]

[permastubble]

[He doesn't even dignify it with a response and eye-rolling doesn't communicate over the network.]

[loyalrebel]

There will be a talk later.

If we survive this.

[permastubble]

Understood, sir.

[urbanwhizkid]

[Pardon the sense of disbelief but wow that's even possible.]

I didn't think it was possible to pick a cops pocket. And wait Naoto got her hands on it. When did she get so sneaky?

[permastubble]

Nothing is impossible, and people from home wouldn’t be able to, but the child thieves here… They’re better than any thief I’ve ever seen. It’s not an excuse; I did screw up.

In her case it wasn’t sneakiness as much as being small and fast and hard as hell to catch once she had it.

[urbanwhizkid]

They must be if they got information off of you Doujima-san. I can't imagine being quick enough to lift a notebook from you.

She is that isn't she. It's a little scary when she's using it against you.

[permastubble]

Well, she doesn’t know me like this, not that that’s much comfort.

[urbanwhizkid]

She doesn't know me either. Not sure that helps though.

[permastubble]

It really doesn’t, I guess.

[urbanwhizkid]

Yeah I guess it wouldn't. Have you seen Souji?

[permastubble]

I haven’t since I got here. Adachi probably still knows where he is though?

[urbanwhizkid]

Thanks. I was just curious. Sorry about the notebook Doujima-san.

[permastubble]

No problem. And… thanks, Hanamura.

hours later

[bypartisan]

You owe me a new coat, Doujima.

[permastubble]

What size do you wear?

[bypartisan]

[Byerly gives him his size.]

Blue with oodles of gold braid, if you'd be so kind. And you might as well go to Vilmos Kovacs. The man has exquisite taste and I doubt he'd let anything tacky in his shop.

[permastubble]

Blue I can do, but don’t count on the gold; I’m not made of cash. But, I’ll look the guy up and see what he has.

[bypartisan]

A little decoration, at least? Kovacs does beautiful embroidery.

[permastubble]

I'll ask about embroidery then.

[Public -> Private]

[bypartisan]

Good.

[SWITCHING TO PRIVATE.]

If you must know, I lost it because nobody told me Greek fire was napalm. And also because Istas didn't listen and tracked me by scent, just as I'd gotten the criminals to accept me as one of their own.

[Private]

[permastubble]

They have napalm?! Damn. And who’s Istas?

And by accepting you, do you mean that they’re also going to expect you to go criminal? Undercover is one thing, but they know who you are.

Re: [Private]

[bypartisan]

Yes. Or 'Greek fire' as they call it here. And I have no clue as to whether or not they expect me to commit criminal acts. If I do, I don't think you have the authority here to arrest me.

Istas is a rather fierce young lady who can turn into a ten-foot-tall bear-wolf. For reasons I don't completely understand, I seem to have become her walking conscience.

Re: [Private]

[permastubble]

You shouldn’t have to feel guilty about what you have to do here later. That’s— I wouldn’t arrest you; I know there’s extenuating circumstances. Just!

Oh. Yeah, I know who you were talking about. I didn’t have her name before. I don’t envy you at all for that.

Re: [Private]

[bypartisan]

I've gotten used to her. Sharing a hotel room for weeks will do that. Although I wish she'd let me sleep on the hotel bed for once. I've been permanently consigned to the rollaway.

Re: [Private]

[permastubble]

[That actually gets a little smile out of him, not that Byerly can see it.]

It could be worse? But if you really get tired of things, you could bunk with me for a while. I don't mind letting someone else have the bed; I've fallen asleep on worse than the floor.

Re: [Private]

[bypartisan]

Mm. I might consider it.

[He's surprised by the offer? And oddly touched. After how easy it had been to needle him about the liaison with Tollman, Byerly had assumed he was one of those who'd never even dream of sharing a room with By for fear he'd molest them in his sleep. It was... gratifying to be proved wrong.]

Re: [Private]

[permastubble]

Offer's open; just call me up or however this network works if you want to take me up on it.