Erin felt her hands shaking as her brain sought a way to get Mistel off her back regarding Rex blowing everyone’s cover. The Plot stung at her extremities again, but didn’t muster the energy to take control.
“Look, I didn’t provoke him or whatever, okay?” she sputtered as Mistel examined her. “We didn’t get along to start but I didn’t think he’d follow me to my motorcycle to bitch that I wasn’t… whatever he wanted.” Erin looked away out the window, a fury in her chest that she even had to say this to avoid blowing the Protagonist’s cover. “I didn’t lead him on. I didn’t ask-” Erin didn’t need the Plot to warn her not to say ‘to be part of your stupid story’ but said instead, “...to be here, alright?”
“Erin I-” She seemed at a loss, like she hadn’t been quite expecting this much life from another non-Invader. Erin was about to say something she’d regret when she saw Mistel shift out of the corner of her eye.
Mistel looked like she might put her hand on one of Erin’s crossed arms when she flinched at her motion. “When Tyson called he was… a little hard to understand at first. I didn’t believe- well… but he didn’t seem to be certain of what happened either. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t as… I didn’t think it was even possible-.” She paused, to gather her thoughts, before finally finishing. “Sorry, Erin, I’m not acting any better than the cop I was supposed to save you from.” She almost sounded guilty.
They sat in silence for a bit. Erin didn’t feel like telling Mistel it would be alright. “Let me text Tyson, see if he’s okay, and we can get you home.”
As Mistel pulled her phone out, Erin asked the question she was almost afraid to know the answer to: “Do you know where Rex is?” She hated how she seemed to whisper the question. She couldn’t summon him by saying his name.
Mistel flinched at the question. “Rex is gone. He might have escaped the police, but I highly doubt he can ever come back. I’m so sorry.” Mistel looked up to see Erin raise her eyebrow, and responded to the unspoken question. “On behalf of Tyson, for what Rex did.. I know he was an associate of Tyson’s, but I know he’s going to be devastated that this happened. I… Tyson’s a pretty sensitive guy, but he trusts too easily sometimes. He’s got a habit of thinking he’s made a new friend when they just want to use him. He will think this is his fault.”
Erin didn’t know whether to pretend concern for a Protagonist, or what. The noise she made was non-committal at best, but probably sounded more disbelieving.
“I will make sure you never see Rex again,” Mistel promised as she texted something. “I have connections to the sorts of investigators that will find out anything criminal he’s done. He’ll never walk these streets free again.”
Of course, Erin, a normal person, shouldn’t think that Mistel, just some lawyer and friend of Tyson, was responsible for stopping Rex. But Erin, a backdrop, was certain that first apology was initially intended as from Mistel Mason, the Protagonist, for letting this happen. Neither could acknowledge it. In fact, Erin had the distinct impression that Mistel didn’t think Erin could understand what the apology was for.
Because Mistel and every other Protagonist, even Rex, seemed to assume all the backdrop were ignorant, Erin almost patently believed Mistel’s promises. Protagonists were never villains. It was one of the unspoken rules. Many skirted the edges of anti-heroes, but none that Erin had ever seen, researched or heard of were actually villains.
Rex Magnum may have pushed that boundary, and broken some unwritten rules that even Protagonists must absolutely obey, and got banished, no matter what ‘strings’ he pulled. Erin would have to see if King Gym’s even still existed, or if they were being closed and forgotten the old fashion way. She wondered what would happen to the footage of Spectacular. If Mistel could keep her promise.
But why was the Plot letting Erin keep her mind through all this? And now Erin was pretty certain of something else too. The Ferret wasn’t able to tell if Erin was lying.
Mistel answered as she was distracted by another text, sounding almost like she was trying to console Erin, rather than explain, “Looks like Tyson is fine. He’s, ah, worried you are angry at him.”
Mistel was obviously more concerned about her friend’s emotional state than Erin’s. Protagonists really did think of ‘natives’ as being ‘forgiving’. That was the word Rex had used, wasn’t it? This was the third time she’d been prompted to forgive Tyson too.
“I get to be a little angry about being attacked by his poor choice of friends, don’t I?” The Plot didn’t like this, and Erin offered a little more, before it forced her to say something else. “Of course Tyson didn’t do this to me. I’m not blaming him. I’m just... tired, Mistel.”
Mistel put her phone down, looking a little more stricken. “I- No, Erin, you are totally right. He and I are friends. I’d like to be yours too. I like your honesty.” Mistel paused, taking a breath. Erin watched her, wordless. She finally started again, “I haven’t made much of a good impression, have I? I am really sorry, Erin.” She sounded sincere, but Erin was a little worked up to let it go so quickly. “Please, if you feel comfortable, please call me Misty. I promise I will stop pressing you. You are the victim here.”
Erin considered her answer, feeling that a slightly contrite Protagonist was probably the best she’d get. “It’s fine. I’m just tired,” she repeated lamely.
Mistel seemed uncertain herself. “Would you mind if I took you home? I can call an autocab if you prefer.”
“I… You can take me. I will just call an autocab in the morning to get back to Oda.”
Mistel perked up a little at having something to talk about that wasn’t Rex or Tyson related. “Oda? Your motorcycle’s name is Oda?” Her lips twinged in a bit of a smile, amused.
This time Erin sighed internally. She’d forgotten that, among The Ferret’s many expensive toys, the Protagonist often used a tech-loaded custom-designed racing motorcycle to traverse the city when she wasn’t with the rest of the group.
Erin talked to Mistel for a little about Oda. Mistel Mason, the ditzy lawyer that ‘secretly’ owned controlling shares in half of the research and development industry in Meridian City, would never, ever ride a motorcycle, but she said she thought they were ‘neat!’
Not long later, Erin and Misty finally arrived at Erin’s house.
“Take my personal card, Erin? Call me in the morning to tell that you are okay? My office number is always monitored, and my cell is always on. By all rights I should take you to the hospital for them to check you out, but I know you don’t want that.”
Misty didn’t forget to force Erin to take her card. In any other circumstances, Erin would be happy to get a pretty woman’s phone number. These circumstances were not included. She took the card, which had Mistel’s office contact information and her cell number.
When Erin was finally left alone, locked up in her house, she left all the lights on as she prepared for bed, like the lights might banish the shadows over her life.
Erin took a shower, tentatively washing at the cut on her forehead. She was pretty sure her back was bruised up pretty bad too, once the water began to beat on it. Right after, she just curled up in bed. The weight of it all was too much. She did manage to fall asleep with her bedroom light on above her.
As soon as she woke up the next morning, she pushed the pillow off her face and checked her phone, which had about fifteen texts from Janey, still marked as ‘Janette’. It also had a voicemail message from a number she didn’t recognize. Not wanting to deal with Janey, Erin checked the voicemail.
“I am so sorry, Erin.” Tyson’s deep voice came through more clearly than crappy voicemail recordings ought to allow. Plot work. “I am so sorry for what happened. I completely understand and respect it if you are not interested in ever talking to me. I cannot even imagine what must be going through your head right now, and what you must think of me and my horrific choice in… associates. I- I’d do anything I can to make it up to you, if there is anything that could atone for this. I really hope you are doing well, and again, I really am sorry.” It sounded so sincere it was painful. Erin nearly deleted the message anyway.
Janey also said she was sorry in her texts, that she was worried, that she really hoped Erin was okay, that she wanted to apologize in person, and that she was terribly worried that Erin would be upset.
Was she supposed to make up with Janey? Call Tyson back? Cling to Mistel’s offered friendship with eagerness? Shouldn’t the Plot take over now, either over her, or somehow push the Protagonists onto a new Plotline?
While in bed, she decided she should check the forum she still had access to. There was one thread talking about some event that tied up police and The Ferret, but no one seemed to have much information on it, and without anyone from the police leaking the content, it was just chalked up to being one of those weird one-off events.
Erin had been seen eating dinner with Tyson, Janette and Rex, which had its own thread of speculation, but no one had linked them… yet. Even so, the dinner was enough for people to damn Erin to being almost certainly a Pawn.
After coffee and a proper wake up, she texted Janey back. If Erin didn’t respond at some point, Erin feared Janey would just show up at her apartment, or something.
Janey’s response was to call her immediately. Erin really didn’t want to answer. She was still hurt that Janey couldn’t remember the basics about her. That Janey would even try to set her up on a date with Rex.
Erin stared at the phone long enough, before finally answering, “Hello?”
“Erin! Are you alright, dear? I am so sorry. I had-” Erin’s ears were assaulted by the plaintive and apologetic pleadings of Janey, which Erin had to stop as soon as possible.
“Janey! Janey. Calm down, alright? I am fine. Really, I am. And you couldn’t have known what a-”
Erin’s mind skittered between possible options. ‘Creep’ seemed too nice. ‘Monster’ seemed overblown, and she didn’t want to send Janey into more apologies. ‘Villain’ was right out because no one seemed sure that Rex had used his powers, but Erin didn’t want poke at that sleeping bear.
Finally, Erin continued after an almost too long pause, “Really. You couldn’t have possibly guessed what kind of guy he was. I’m sure even Tyson hadn’t known.” That last part felt more evident as Erin recalled Tyson’s growing dissatisfaction during the course of the meal. Tyson almost seemed to know Rex as little as Erin had, by the end of it. That voicemail had been anguished, and while Erin was still unhappy, it would be easier to appease Tyson than infuriate the Plot.
Erin might have forgiven him for Rex, but not for Tyson being a Protagonist. Not for taking Janette.
Janey responded, “I am so, so glad you are okay. Oh, and speaking of Tyson, he is just in the other room. Did you want to… if you don’t want to talk to him, I understand, but he- he is really, really sorry. He is really beating himself up about it.”
Erin’s sympathy deflated as she was prompted to give Tyson closure again. “I don’t mind talking to him, but not right now. And no, I’m fine and at home now. Mistel Mas-”
“Misty! I am glad she came by. Did she help? Tyson was worried the cops might think you were involved with whatever had happened, given their reaction. I don’t see how they could have made that mistake.”
Erin pulled the phone from her face for a moment to keep her sigh from being heard. “Yes. I met Misty. She explained the situation to them. My bike is still at the parking garage, but I’ll get it later today. I-”
“Oh, no! You had to leave your bike? Do you need a-”
“Janey.” Erin’s growl caused the chatty Pawn to shut up. “I can’t tell you what happened if you don’t let me finish... silly,” she paused, adding that last part, just so she didn’t have to feel like she was abusing a Pawn. Her name still came out like an epithet. “I am sure the bike is fine. Everything will work out fine. I’ll autocab to it later”
Erin talked with Janey for a while then, mostly listening and reassuring Janey that she was okay, and that she wasn’t angry at either Janey or Tyson.
Erin still had no interest in talking to Tyson yet.
Oh, and she also texted Tyson back, using the same number that left a voicemail: "Hey, this is Erin. Dont worry, im fine. Mistel got to me and helped me get home. Thanks for your concern. I am safe and recovering. I dont blame you or Janey. You couldnt have known. Just no more blind not-dates. I cant take this kind of beating regularly. ;D"
That was about as angry that Erin felt she could get away with without agitating the Plot. Even that emoticon was meant to soften the hard edge of her comment, directed more at the Plot than at Tyson anyway. It was the closest she thought she could manage to be defiant. Whatever little good it may do, it made her feel better than being outright subservient.
Erin texted Misty’s cell before the Protagonist could get antsy about her silence.
Misty responded immediately with a text: ‘Hey, glad you are up and about. Need a ride to your bike?’
Erin responded, ‘Naw, tanks. I dont know the hourly rate but using a lawyer as a driver will probably add up quick’
Erin almost immediately regretted making the joke, as it seemed to be an invitation for Misty to text back, asking about Erin’s health.
Misty: ‘Ha, fair enough; how are you feeling? Any headaches as you woke up? Still bleeding?’
Erin: ‘Nope all good. The cut is high enough i’m not really laying on it.’
Misty: ‘=D Glad to hear it, Erin. You don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything. I’ll stop bothering you for now. Give my regards to the daimyō!’
Erin: ‘Have a good day!”
Erin left her response at that, since she had to look up ‘daimyō’ in her phone. It was apparently the name of a Japanese feudal lord. Did Mistel Mason not realize Oda had started as a lord, but had become emperor? Perhaps Erin should feel gratified the Protagonist was trying.
They spoke for a bit as Erin waited for the autocab to arrive at her apartment. The pleasant nothing of people who mean nothing to one another. Erin sighed, hoping that just getting the Tyson apology over with would end this whole saga. She wanted to go back to being a nobody to these people again.
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