Can't Leave Empty-Handed

The Ruined Township of Lycoa - After - AftermathMy neck was sore.The engraving took a lot out of me. Feels like a huge splinter is now deeply lodged into me.So, We made it back for round two.It's the same as we had left it. The fog has since expanded though-"I totally do not need this!" The Vice-Captain kept bemoaning her circumstance - as the four of us kept forward on one of the township's main arteries. "We know Mila, you've made yourself perfectly clear-" The Captain tried consoling her. While continually inspecting our surroundings. Felt as though she was waiting for something to happen. On edge.The Vice-Captain went, unbothered:"This is totally on you Rookie! You so owe me!" She exclaimed; pointing away with that accusatory finger of hers.I'm not really good at dealing with her type. Way too flamboyant for my taste. Begrudging. Never letting you live down a mistake or a shortcoming. Unforgiving, sure, but she places this expectance on people: a grossly unreasonable one. I'm mostly just left speechless at her unwarranted jabs.If at all possible I'd rather ignore her entirely. But If I do that-"Are you ignoring me!?" She kept looking my way with even more fervor as though insulted by something that I didn't do nor say; she finally broke rank, and darted towards me: Yeah...I'm screwed either way.Niles saw the meteor that was hurdling my way, and tried for a: "Vice-Captain, please!" in an effort to placate as best he could the raging storm that is our Deputy-Lead.As his pleas fell on deaf ears, the Warrant Officer selflessly placed himself in her trajectory. The Vice-Captain shoved Niles aside effortlessly. It was all so dramatic. With nothing stopping her war path now, she roughly grabbed my collar, and kept on with her ranting:"You're going to regret this big time! Do you hear me?" So close..."Mhhmmm." That was the best response I could muster, while slightly tilting my head backwards. People invading my personal space always made me feel uncomfortable.I felt a severe case of nausea too. The engravings on my neck were beginning to violently throb."You little shit! I swear-" The Vice-Captain was just about ready to start pummeling me wholesale. I was sort of readying myself for it, by wincing in anticipation."Mila." The Captain interjected We both looked her way simultaneously."Just look at him, Ela! He doesn't care!-"I do care! Also, Ela?"...for all the crap we're going through, I say we make him grovel." The Vice-Captain was arguing her case."What did you have in mind?" The Captain, halted; turning towards us. Is she seriously entertaining this?!?"I don't know, I'm sure we can think of something embarrassing. We'd force him into it with the spell." The Vice-Captain insisted."Something, embarrassing?" The Captain kept probing the idea with this deviant expression etched on her face."Yeah..." The Vice-Captain unexpectedly sprinkled herself with a hint of hesitation, I felt it, by the slight loosening of her grip : it's as though she didn't expect the Captain to actually follow-through with the idea."Like what?" The Captain asked."Well...uh!" She was thinking it over way too deeply. Though the answer eluded her completely.Oh thank god! This one's rude, but not quite as conniving as-"I take full responsibility for what I've done!" I confidently stated. "Though I don't regret my actions in the slightest, I do plan on making amends by performing as expected from a member of 3rd Recon.""Oh? How stubborn...""You think I'm buying that?" The Vice-Captain replied incredulously."Let me go." I demanded in all seriousness.The Vice-Captain was on the retreat from my brazen ask. At least she can read the room well enough...though saying that when we're outdoors is-"Let him go, Mila." The Captain repeated."Right..." She complied, with unnatural docility, and went back to the Captain's side while giving me a threatening side-glance.I was straightening my collar.This...is exhausting."Suppose we'll just have to take your word for it." The Captain capitulated."..."She then told her second-in-command:"He is strong, you know? We could use him.""If you say so..." The Vice-Captain, acquiesced reluctantly."After all...I'm not about to leave here empty-handed."