Yet see how he doesn't offer one, Loki whispers in the back of Magpie's head, though his face is schooled to careful silence. Another voice pops up, though, not a Persona but by now as clear and bright. I believe in you, Magpie, says inner-Raven. I know you'll try.

Rather than throw a pillow at Raven-in-his-head, Magpie watches Falcon for a long moment. "You understand apologies as well as I do," he says. "Better, perhaps. I used to think of them as the oil that kept society working, as if it was some sort of complicated clock. Maybe you had a different image."