A much needed talk

[Chambers]

The awakened of Sacramento would not fail to notice that a moderately sized corkboard had been left in the circle, propped against the bookcase, several notices already pinned up but with room and pins for more.


One such a sheet of lined paper in the upper left most corner reads:
Contact details:
Chambers (Phone number)

Another message hand written on a A sheet of formal stationary paer
Reads thusly:
Dear Philip
I think it is fair to say that we seem to have been at odds of late. This is something I both regret my part in and hope to amicably resolve.
If you’re willing to meet with me so me can talk these things over I’ll be in the circle each Monday-Thursday evening and Sunday of this month from 7pm.
Hope to see you soon.
Chambers

I am aware there is no privacy in the circle so others can hop in if they want to but with the nature of the conversation neutral ground worked best.

Chambers for his part is true to his word and will be found in the circle on any of the given evenings dressed casually in jeans a shirt and a jacket. Usually reading, working on sudoku or drawing while he waits.
Philp Crosen Xisdor

[Philip Crosen]

Philip failed to miss the corkboard Chambers appeared to have left in the Circle. And he appreciated Chambers` olive branch, given their recent differences, he`d written on the paper he attached to said corkboard. So he went to the Circle at the time Chambers had specified, wearing his usual business attire, which was a black suit, polished black boots, and white pants, to emphasize the gravity of the situation. After all, he`d just come from a meeting and he`d cleared his schedule to take care of this. He also took his laptop and one of his 4- TB SSDs, as well as his customary phone and wallet along with him in his backpack, being fully prepared to face any challenges Chambers might try to throw at him. But there had been mistakes on both sides. Well at least according to Philip, who firmly believed he was not solely to blame for this confrontation.

[Chambers]

At the sound of footsteps echoing through the soaring nave ceiling. Chambers looks up from his book of advanced sudoku puzzles to see the person he had hoped for, Philip, approaching. Placing the book to one side he raises a hand to greet the enchanter, not a full wave the context of this meeting is too formal for that, but still a greeting he intends to be polite.

The fact that he's here is a good sign. ‘Hey. Thanks for coming.’ Chambers gestures to the seats around. ‘Cutting to it, last month really seemed to highlight that we have been getting under each other’s skin.’ A disagreement took two after all and he wasn’t going to pretend to be innocent in this. ‘Its not good for us, and in a community so small not good for anyone. I was hoping we could clear the air. Talk about what it is the other has done or said and see if we can’t find ways of moving past all this, if that sounds good to you?' This will of course require both of us to admit fault, and see past ourselves.

[Philip Crosen]

Philip greeted Chambers with a smile, but he also stood his ground firmly.

”Agreed. It`s been quite a few things.” he stated, before a slight think.

”I really appreciate the gesture to talk about this, and I cleared my calendar at work. So let`s start. I`ll start this off by telling you everything about this from my side. Please bear with me. Because as you probably know by now, I can get carried away and there`s a lot to cover here.” he said, hesitating, but also matter-of-factly. He then slowly but very clearly stated all of the major points that came to his mind, in his typically long single thought-esque speech.
”First of all, the thing in the park really struck a nerve. I know I said I forgave you in the Circle afterwards and that I overreacted, but despite that, I guess still didn`t really get over it. It was a traumatizing event in my childhood that got brought up in the park because of that, not something you just get over. So I`d have preferred to talk about that alone with you, earlier. And I felt I couldn`t really tell you exactly how I felt with all the others present, so I rushed to close the subject by saying I was fine then and it just kind of built up. And speaking of that, I hope no one else comes here now, seeing as we`re technically at the Circle right now, too, heh. Oh the irony.”

He chuckled at his attempt at a joke. Then he got pensive again. They were in the Circle after all and other awakened could come and disturb them or already be there without them knowing about it and overhear them. So there was a kernel of truth to his joke, which also meant he knew had to choose his next words carefully.

”And then at the cocktail cruise with those ladies, I guess I took it too far when I made a joke about alcohol with your name on it. And you definitely have a right to be furious at me for that. I suppose I also indirectly mentioned `running circles` by accident. Although to be fair, you also almost blundered yourself when you introduced yourself to them. So yeah. Not that that excuses anything, but still. I suppose it was the situation with the ladies and the built up resentment from the park I still hadn`t quite gotten over, that came home to roost. Not my finest moment, which I will definitely make up to you. I must say your `Shadow Boxer` drink startled me. Because I thought it was a subtle threat to take me out from the shadows for that remark. Not that that wasn`t an appropriate response, though I must say that was a bit extreme.

And then there`s the whole situation at the Circle where you accused me of being a `showman`? What was that about? I tried to answer your questions about how the previous discussion changed me to the best of my ability, and also more about my part in the Free Council fight. So please tell me what you want to know and how my answers caused you to come to that conclusion. You also said I didn`t answer the question? What? Please explain that, because I gave it my best try and I really tried to be patient with you, too.”

[Chambers]

Chambers turns fully in his seat to face Philip as he speaks, and really does a great job at opening up about what’s been getting between them. I expected two out of those three, but the new one seems fairly simple to resolve. He nods slowly stoking his Chin.

‘Right, okay. Firstly, thank you for being so open. I decided on the circle for this meet up because you know, its neutral ground we can talk openly at.’ Doing this at anyone’s Sanctum would put the power balance in their court.

‘Each of those points is worth addressing one at time, so best not to confuse anything. Then I’ll go, that sound good?’ We'll probably address some of it in his third grievance with me, they tie in.

[Philip Crosen]

”Well, I want to get to the bottom of all of this as much as you do, so I`ll try to start with open cards. And, yeah yeah. I know it`s supposed to be neutral ground, but I don`t know about the open part. Some of these don`t make for very friendly group discussion. That`s part of the reason I stayed mad at you for the thing at the park. There might have been more privacy at any of our sanctums than here. But ok. I`m just going to hope no one comes.”

Having just told him the gist of his issues with him, it seemed Chambers wanted Philip to contribute more.

Like-for-like, this was not.

he thought, frowning at Chambers, but not quite indignantly yet.

”So I guess let`s start with the thing in the park because that has something to do with what I just said about not speaking openly. As I told you, it` s hard for me to talk about this with anyone, let alone someone I only know a few months, because it`s very personal and it makes my skin crawl. But let`s just say I saw, and mostly smelled, some things at my parent`s house growing up I can`t forget, even with being awakened and all that.”

[Chambers]

Allowing Philip to talk, Chambers nods quite accepting. 'Hey man I wasn't looking to pry, your secrets are your secrets. Just checking we are on the same page for how best way to address things.' Taking things step by step so nothing was missed, give everything the time it deserved. 'We can move it to a a Sanctum if you'd feel more comfortable. I've started inviting people to mine so why not.'

'As for the park. Hands up I'm at fault.' He was, he knew it. 'I saw you were uncomfortable but ignored it for the sake of a laugh, it was childish of me.' He'd already apologised and publicly so he weighs what to say next with care. 'I'll keep it in mind in the future, those on my path don't tend to be as bothered by rot and death as others its easy to forget not everyone is the same.' I'm not sure what else I could really do with this. 'Unless there's something specific you can think that would help?'

[Philip Crosen]

”Thanks for the offer. But it`s too late to move our discussion now, I think, since we already started. We`ll just have to take our chances.“

He then got pensive.

Just how do I forgive him? That`s actually a good question. Huh. After all, he did really hurt me. Urrg! Just thinking about it is giving me the creeps. Yeah, you will need to earn my forgiveness, dude!

"As for the park, best thing you can do is give me space and keep it in mind. And not making it worse, like by mentioning `rot and death`!"
he said irritatedly, frowning coldly.

"Although I will admit that I`m responsible for bringing this topic up in the first place, this time, even my bringing it up is getting me worked up again. I`ll get over it with time, and when I do, you will be quietly forgiven. And while this was a good first step, when that is, I cannot say.”

He then turned his attention more directly to Chambers, having been in thought as to how to best express the road to how Chambers might earn his forgiveness.

”As for the cruise, I expect earning your forgiveness for that will be difficult, too.”

he said with another frown, while going to a more neutral, deadpan expression, trying to get Chambers to get the hint and change the subject to the next topic on the list.

[Chambers]

Nodding once to confirm remaining in the venue.

If I recall he was the first one to mention death when asking about my Arcanum proficiency, good thing I didn’t regale any stories then.

Maintaining the gentle smile and attentive ear is a little hard given the way this is going, but no one said it would be easy. So I get forgiveness when he gets over child hood trauma and I won’t actually know it … No working with him then, if he’s going to hold a grudge over something so small and unintended how can I trust my safety to him or him trust his to me?

‘Space might be a little hard given were supposed to meet with Sarah and Mary at some point for a history cruise and lunch but yeah otherwise can do.’

Okay looks like this might just end up being a little more back and forth, Not a bad thing really. ‘Speaking of the cruise.’ He shrugs. ‘At the end of the day we use each other’s shadow names more than anything else, slip ups are going to happen especially when drinking and in such …’ The shadow of blush creeps in even thinking about them. ‘Overpowering company. So at the end of the day no harm no foul.’

I didn’t realise you heard my slip up, but I doubt you know how bad it nearly was. ‘Good thing my shadow name isn’t Hades or Ra or some such.’ That gets a chuckle. ‘That might be harder to explain, but yeah worth trying to keep it to code names or just not using terms of address at all.’

An expression of curiosity does etch across his face. ‘But you thought I threatened you?' He raises a hand shaking his head with some vigour. 'That was a misunderstanding shadow boxer … as in put the shadow talk in a box … out of sight.’ He mimes a 3D cube with his hands. ‘I’m a mystagogue I prefer to seal things away behind a dozen locks and wards if I can' Playing to the stereotype a little but still. 'Rather than use violence.’ I’m not part of that branch of my order. ‘Considering I was tipsy and flustered by that point I didn’t think it was that bad of a secret message for thinking on the fly.’

[Philip Crosen]

Philip looked up, surprised and slightly ashamed. He didn`t expect Chambers to accept his apology for the Cruise so quickly.

”Well, I`m really glad we cleared the Shadow Boxer misunderstanding. That was one of the main reasons this meeting was so important to me. And I`m surprised and delighted that you`ve accepted my apology so quickly for as severe a thing as what happened during the cruise. If you can forgive me for this so easily, I must say I misjudged you. The more we`ve talked about this now, the easier it`s getting. Consider your slip up in the park pretty much forgiven. So as for space, this sort of lunch or cruise might be just the thing I need to finally get over it. I`m surprised myself I`m holding as grudge as long as I did. But as I said, it`s not easily gotten over.”

What Chambers didn`t know was Philip was viewing the whole situation as a negotiation. Chambers knew he`d wronged him and he`d wronged Chambers. There would have to be sacrifices on both sides. And it helped, if Philip had something to sacrifice. While the thing in the park had been a big deal, the way he`d just claimed to hold on to the grudge nigh-indefinitely was slightly exaggerated. Chambers` forgiveness had surprised him, as he did again when he clarified the Shadow Boxer misunderstanding. That threat was one of the main reasons he`d taken the meeting with Chambers so seriously. And now that that was gone, a weight had been lifted off him, giving him a clear head to view his personal troubles with death and decay. He was ashamed of himself of how long it took him to get over it, and how his holding on to that was contributing to stopping Chambers, by forcing him to deal with him.