Amends Overdue

In this Our World story, two questionable visitors come to see Mudbaum.

This is a transcript from Discord.

## Story

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Later that night, [that is, I'm Moving In, and You're Invited!] Jack makes a discreet visit...

Jack:
*Walks up to the nurses' station at the hospital.*
*Sees there's no one there visibly.*
"Hmm..."

Down the hall, a cleaning lady is trundling along her cleaning cart, humming softly to herself.

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Sierra:
"*Hmm, mhhm mhmm. Do-doo... doot-do do...*"

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Jack:
"Uh, excuse me Miss? Is there a nurse on call I can speak with?"

Sierra:
"Hmm? Oh, that would be me, this late at night. We're a bit understaffed."

Jack:
"Hmm. Budget cuts I assume..."

Sierra:
*Smiles.* "You know it! Still, I can't complain. This pays better than the paper shuffling I was doing at the docks before those Druids blew it up."

Jack:
"Anyways, I'm here to see Mr. Mudbaum?"

Sierra:
*Brightens up.* "Oh, Mr. Mudbaum! Yes, he's in Room 23, here. I can take you."

Jack:
"...Don't ya, need to see some ID or something? Patient privacy laws and all?"

Sierra:
*Is sorting through a set of keys.* "Oh? I dunno." *Glances up, guaging Jack.* "I mean, if you *weren't* allowed, I certainly couldn't stop you. Follow me!"

Jack:
"Uh, pretty sure that breaks some laws... And I'm trying not to do that... Kinda a waste of a presidential pardon..."

Sierra:
*Turns back, squinting.* "...Where do I know you from? Are you some famous actor?"

Jack:
*Pulls out his ID and shows it to her.*

Sierra:
*Barely refrains from rolling her eyes, before taking the ID and giving it a look. Her eyes widen.* "Uhhh... This is an Eggman Empire thing."

Jack:
*Eyes widen.*

Sierra:
"Eggboss? What the heck kind of--"

Jack:
"Uh, whoops, wrong ID. That one is really old..."
*Hands over his new legal citizen ID.*

Sierra:
*Is just beginning to connect the dots.* "Thus the 'presidential pardon' you mentioned?"
*Looks at the new ID.* "Jack Beakton--OH! You're THAT Jack!"

Jack:
"Yeah..." *Jack awkwardly takes back the IDs and looks over the Eggboss one.*
"Uh, could you chunk this in the trash for me?"

Sierra:
"And I was definitely right, you could absolutely murder me!"
*Beams a beautiful, genuine smile, while taking two steps back.* "You're a hero!"

Jack:
"People keep calling me that but I don't think it fits..."

Sierra:
*Takes the Eggboss card.* "Sure thing!" *Pockets the card.* "Follow me, Mr. Beakton! Mr. Mudbaum awaits!"

Jack:
*Follows.*
*Sees that the room is rather well-kept with fresh flowers in a vase by the bed along with some cards.*
*The handwriting on one Jack recognizes as being from a certain mouse.*

Sierra:
"I'll be right out here in the hall, within yelping distance. Let me know if you need anything."

Jack:
"Thanks Miss umm..."

Sierra:
"Myst!"

Jack:
"Right. Thanks."

Sierra Myst smiles and waves, leaving Jack, a *recently pardoned war criminal* ALONE, in a room, with a COMATOSE PATIENT.

Jack:
"..."
"Hey Jax, I uh, know ya can't hear me... But I figured I'd stop by and yah know... check on ya..."

The only sounds are the heartbeat monitor, and the even slower shallow nose-breathing of Jax Mudbaum.

Jack:
(This is no way for a being to live...)
*Ponders the old research he learned in the Eggman days.*
"Hmm..."

Roxie:
*Pops up from behind the bed.* "Whatcha doin'?"

Jack:
"GAH! What the--How?! Roxie?! Does your mother know you're here?!"

Roxie:
"Duh, of course. Well, she knows I'm at the hospital... She had to grab some paperwork. I saw ya from down the hall though and thought I'd say hi."

A woman's voice with a heavy Brooklyn accent shouts from in the hall. "Roxanne Whitmore!!"

Roxie:
"Whoops, that's Mom. Gotta jet!"
*Hugs Jack and runs out.*

Sierra:
*From the hall.* "Whoa, slow down, speedster!" *Laughs.* "No, seriously, you don't want to break somet--Well, I mean it *is* a hospital, so... Hmm..."

Jack:
*Shakes his head.* *Sigh...* "That child."
*Sits there in silence contemplating things.*

In the silence, the soft sound of skittering feet approaches Room 23.

Jack:
"?"

Ritz:
*Rushes into the room, and closes the door swiftly behind him.*
"Hehe. Phew. Still got it." *Turns around to see Jack there in the room.* *Eyes widen.*

Jack:
"..." *Squints.* "Rakghoul?"

Ritz:
"...Beakton?"

Jax:
*Mutters.*

Jack:
*Turns to look at Mudbaum hopefully.*
*Sigh...*

Ritz:
"What are you doing here, Jack Beakton?"

Jack:
"Paying my respects to a good friend. What are you doing here? You two serve together in the war or something?"

Ritz:
"Err... You could say that." *Shakes his head.* "Actually, yes, you can definitely say that. I came here to... speak with the Juggernaut. Explain some things, I guess. Get it off my chest." *Rolls his eyes.* "Should have known karma wouldn't let me away with this scott-free."

Jack:
"I see... Heh, I feel ya there."

Ritz:
"So... How's the pirating business? Still doing any smuggling?"

Jack:
"Well, I dunno if ya follow the news..."

Ritz:
"Of course. But I'm sure that the presidential pardon isn't changing your cold, black heart...?"

Jack:
*Glares at Ritz.*
"People change Ricotta."

Ritz:
*Stares disbelieving at Jack.*

Jack:
"I'm a legitimate business owner now."

Ritz:
"Oh, well frankfurters. If *you're* going soft, I don't stand a chance."

Jack:
*Pulls out his phone and shows a picture of him and Angela with Breezie in the background at a charity event the Imperial Fruit company just had a few weeks ago.*

Ritz:
"Ooh, who's the pretty bird on your shoulder?" *Eyebrows waggle.*

Jack:
"That's my wife you sleezeball."

Ritz:
*Recoils.* "You jest."

Jack:
*Holds up his left hand showing the ring.*

Ritz:
*Is stunned into silence.*

Jack:
"So, what have you been up to?"

Ritz:
*Barks one mirthless laugh, very reminiscent of Jax's own mirthless laugh.*
"Lately? Living in terror of the news, and then subsequently, this guy." *Wave his arm at Jax.*

Jack:
"Really now? And why exactly are you afraid of Jasper here?"

Ritz:
"Didn't know he'd gotten out of prison." *Glances at Jack.* "I could use my own pardon, but no president's going to help me here. I'm the jerk that put him there."

Jack:
"...I see... Then you won't mind if I..." *Punches Ritz HARD.*
"Since he can't do it himself."

Ritz:
*Is doubled over in pain, but even in that brief moment, recovers and defends himself against any further attacks.*

Jax:
"mrumnum."

Jack:
"Pfft. I see your cowardice goes further back than I thought..."

Ritz:
*Scowls, straightening up.* "Shut up. You don't know anything. Only what I've told you. Which you shouldn't even take as fact."
*Glances at Mudbaum, and the scowl melts once again, replaced by fear and nervousness.*

Jack:
"...Hm. Feeling remorseful? That cold dread feeling of the consequences of your actions..."

Ritz:
"Sort of." *Slowly pulls out a knife, limply.*
*Then quickly hands it to Jack.*

Jack:
"?"

Ritz:
"I... I don't want him to wake up. I'll lose everything. But... I can't do it."

Jack:
*Jack's eyes glow violently with rage.*

Ritz:
"So..." *Misses the fury in Jack's eyes.* "Guess I'll leave."
*Turns to leave.*

Jack:
*Throws the knife at the door, shutting it with the force of the strike.* [it was already closed though :P]

Ritz:
*Dully looks up at the knife, inches from his face.* "Well, this couldn't have gone worse."

Jack:
*Snatches Ritz by the shirt collar and pins him to the wall.*
"Oh, it can... and it will..."
*Steps between Ritz and the door.*
*Reaches for something in his pocket.*

Ritz:
*Seems resigned, but his tail, rapidly twitching, tells a very different story.*

Jack:
*And pulls out a pair of handcuffs and his GLACIA badge.*
"Ritz, you're coming in for questioning."

Ritz:
*Is unable to hide his surprise.* "Wait, what?"

Jack:
*Cuffs the rat while he's shocked.*

Ritz:
"So, not *only* are you not a pirate anymore, not *only* are you a family man... but you're ALSO an officer of the law?!"

Jack:
"Like I said, people change... However it seems you haven't."

Sierra:
*From the hall.* "Everything okay in there?"

Jack:
*Walks out shoving the rat.*

Ritz:
"No, wait, I have--It's just--Now Beakton..."

Sierra:
"Uh, who's this guy?"

Jack:
"A criminal. Who just tried to kill your patient."
*Points to the knife in the metal door.*

Sierra:
"Wait, did you say k--" *Sees the knife, and faints.*

Ritz:
"Oh, you might want to check on her, Jack. I mean, damsel in distress? Really, I mean--Uh, honestly, I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't going to do--uh--anything... I mean... Like you said, I'm a coward."

Jack:
*Glares at him.* "Well, I have witnesses..."

Ritz:
"...A single nurse and yourself?"

Jack:
*Gestures to Roxie and her mother standing behind Rakghoul.*

Roxie:
"'Sup?"

Ritz:
"Wh-What--Why are there SO MANY PEOPLE at this hospital this late at night?!"

Roxie:
"Uh, duh, my mom's the head surgeon?"

Ritz:
*Turns to Jack, his eyes twitching.* "Jack, you don't want to do this. Just let me go. I'll do anything. You know me, you know the sorts of things I can offer." *Lowers his voice to a whimper.* "I'm just losing my mind, Jack. I don't know what to do. I wasn't lying about getting this off my chest. The knife was just to make sure he didn't murder *me*!"

Jack:
"You're lucky I didn't..."

Ritz:
*Drops to his knees.* "You didn't see Jax in the war, Jack! HE WAS UNSTOPPABLE. He was... a monster. And now... he's not my friend."

Jack:
"Because he has better people to be friends with than bilge rats like you... Get up."
*Draws his wispon.* "NOW."

Ritz:
*Looks up at Jack, himself a whimpering, blubbering mess.*

Jack:
"Dr. Ruth? Could you please give the station a call for me?"

Roxie's mother nods.

The raven and the rat walk down the hallway, two lives forever changed. One standing tall, freed of some long-standing burdens. The other, bowed double over, with compounding guilt.

Jax:
*In his room, with a knife in the metal door, Mudbaum smiles.*

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## Characters

*In order of appearance:*

* Jack Beakton
* Sierra Myst
* Roxanne "Roxie" Whitmore
* Ritz Rakghoul Ricotta
* Jasper Mudbaum

## Participants

* GasglowJones
* Mortimer