nexus_crossings | enter helen. (introduction~)

enter helen. (introduction~)

There's a woman in the Plaza, sitting on a bench. She looks as if she's been plucked from, well, a long time ago, because she's wearing a flowy Grecian-style dress. There's no crown on her head, but there might as well be, with her raised chin and regal glance.

(Oh, and she's pretty good-looking. That should be noted.)

Helen is weary, and the way she sighs and relaxes a little against the bench shows that she's probably seen too much, and is tired, and really doesn't want to ask this question.

But she's going to anyway, because of that certain burning desire to know what she really shouldn't ask about. Everyone thinks like that at times, after all, and now, it's the former Queen of Sparta's turn.

"What," she begins, her mouth turning to a frown for a moment, "What do you blame yourself for?"

A pause.

"Also, where exactly am I? I don't recall dying."

[ooc: it's Louisa here with another sad Greek lady, woo! I've had Helen (yes, that Helen) floating around for a while, and figured I'd try playing her here in the Nexus. :D ]

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For the way she's dressed, the newcomer might believe Amelia stepped out from a time similar to her own. Leather armor and linen clothing with embroidery down the seams cover her body and a belt full of pouches and weapons hangs from her hips. Amelia regards the woman with a raised eyebrow before stepping closer to answer her questions.

"I think the list of things I don't blame myself for would be shorter, but if you're looking for an example? I blame myself for not taking the chance that could have saved me from coming to this place."

She smiles wryly before adding, "As for where this place is? I believe the correct answer is a frustrating 'everywhere'."

[OOC: Yay for new muses! Glad to have you around to tag with. :D]

Edited 2016-06-10 04:35 (UTC)

Cue a raised eyebrow from Helen, then, because that answer to her latter question isn't what she expects.

"That's...yes, frustrating," she agrees, frowning a little. "And I'm sorry, by the way. I mean, for the burden you must feel."

Frankly, it's a burden Helen knows all too well. But she might not talk about that just yet.

She looks at the other woman, regarding her with a sort of curiosity that she's attempting to disguise as coolness or indifference. It's probably not working.

"Are we safe here?" There, now that's a crucial question.

Amelia shrugs at the offered kindness. "It's something I've learned to accept. There's no changing what's done, after all." Perhaps that's not the best response she could offer, but the rogue has never been good at accepting kindness.

It's easy to see Helen's discomfort with being in this new place, but Amelia's not going to mention how easy it is to see. After all, she's not great at hiding her emotions either these days. "If you stay close to the center of this place - the Plaza that we're standing in now - you'll be safe. There's a field that prevents violence against you unless you give someone express permission to do you harm. As you move further from this place the field becomes less strict, but for now? No harm can come to you."

"Is this a place of magic?" she asks, because Amelia's explanation makes it sound that way. However, she doubts her gods are here watching over her--and if they were here, why would they even care?

Helen has learned over these last few years to not expect much, either from gods or people.

She shifts a little in her seat, still uneasy about this strange place. The queen doesn't trust easily these days.

"Magic and technology," Amelia answers easily. "They've become intertwined here and work side by side without effort. It's remarkable, actually, the way they come together so seamlessly to make certain things happen. One could likely spend their whole life studying it all and never learn all of its secrets."

Again, Helen's discomfort is noted but not mentioned. Amelia understands the feeling of being overwhelmed by a place like the Nexus before one knows enough about it to live comfortably. It takes time, and that's something the rogue can and will give freely to the newcomer.

"That sounds...daunting," she replies, and a little laugh escapes her lips, because really, what else can she do but laugh at her situation? A few moments ago, she was in a burning city, waiting to be rescued (if one could call it that) and now she's here. Funny, how things work out.

"What do people do here? For enjoyment? Or otherwise, I guess."

"It can be, but if you take getting to know it all slowly, it's not so bad." At least as far as Amelia's experienced. She can't be certain everyone else would think about it the same way she does, though.

She gives Helen a small half-shrug in answer to her question. "Depends on why they're here. Some find ways to make a living, others simply come here for delights they can't have on their own worlds." Whether because they're illegal or just not available doesn't matter, as far Amelia's concerned. They both amount to the same thing, after all.

"Others still come for the knowledge. There's a grand library just there," she points to a tall, broad structure towering above the low buildings of the Plaza behind Helen, "filled with volumes from every world connected to this place. There's books for entertainment, instructions, history, science, art, magic... If you can think of it, there's likely a book about it."

"I would like to learn," she says slowly, turning to look at the library. "It's funny, they don't really encourage that sort of thing where I come from. At least, for women, I mean."

And sometimes that frustrated her, back home. But she knew not to speak up. Here, though? She's (perhaps brazenly) assuming she can.

"What do you do?" she asks the other woman, turning back to look at her more carefully.

"It seems many worlds don't - or didn't at some point in their past. It seems to be a growing pain for many." Amelia finds it strange that, of all the things her world seems to be behind on, this isn't one of them. It's nice to know that women are that much more appreciated on her world, though. "The library will be a good place to start learning."

Having the question turned on her causes Amelia to blink in surprise. "Me? I... study, mostly. And keep to practicing techniques for my weapons." She motions to those hanging from her belt. "They may not be necessary, but I'd like to stay in good form just in case."

"You're smart to do so," Helen notes. "You never know if there will be some sort of threat you'll have to act upon."

She smiles, slightly, then, curious about Amelia.

"What do you study?"

Maybe she can get some recommendations.

"I've found that out the hard way, which is why I never settle." And she carries the scars to prove it.

This question earns a slightly sad smile. With everything going on lately, she doesn't actually have a good answer - not anymore. "I was studying in the hopes of winning the favor of someone I... cared about very much, but now I'm not sure. I have skills I need more guidance on and I think I'll focus my studies there for now."

Before this whole conversation can stay down, though, Amelia turns the question back on Helen. "What have you always longed to study? Where will you begin your search for knowledge?"

"I'm sorry to hear that," Helen says, her voice gentle. "But don't give up hope. You can always try again."

She shrugs at Amelia's question.

"I'm not entirely certain what I would want to study," she admits.

In fact, no one has really ever asked her, at least, not about her intellect.

"But," she continues, smiling. "I feel grateful already to be here, and to even have the opportunity."

Amelia doesn't comment on that, because honestly, she'd rather not try it again. If there's the chance of feeling this hurt again? Of causing so much hurt to another person? She'd rather die a spinster than go through it again.

"The question then becomes what you were jealous of watching other people study," she says with a laugh. "You can follow their example and decide quickly if it's something you like or if something else is more interesting to you. Many subjects have a way of intertwining themselves and revealing new avenues of study."

"That's a good way to look at it," Helen says with a soft smile. "I'll have to think about that."

She moves to stand, then.

"I'm sorry, I never introduced myself," she continues, feeling a little bashful, truthfully. She knows better. "My name is Helen. Thank you for welcoming me to this place. You've been so helpful already."

"Sometimes you simply have to get an outsider's perspective to better understand something." Dreams know that Amelia needs it, too.

With a small smile, she offers a hand to Helen to shake - if she knows the custom, that is. "Amelia. It's a pleasure to meet you, Helen. I hope I'm not offering a bad welcome to this strange place."

She's used to the custom--she's really only seen men do it, though. But she shakes Amelia's hand nonetheless.

"Not at all," she insists, smiling back. "It's far better than what I've left behind."

Anything is an improvement over a burning city, right? Helen tries to banish thoughts of Troy from her mind.

"....Everything."

The question of guilt is something that touches the young man rather deeply. The shadows under his eyes seem extremely pronounced, and his entire posture sags at the mention of her question.

His gaze drops to the floor.

"Not dead. It's a different world."

She pauses a moment before responding, because his words remind her of how she feels, and how awful it is to carry a burden so heavy.

"I'm sorry," Helen manages to say. "And thank you for explaining."

She's honestly still confused, but is so struck by how he appears that she doesn't want to bother him about it.

And then:

"I regret many things as well."

"What's always worst is...I never mean for it to go so wrong." He looks up then, green eyes somber with the memories of his home and what transpired there.

"How do you deal with the regret?"

"I...I don't, really," she admits, looking down. "I feel much the same as you, I think."

She sighs.

"Sometimes the memories come flooding back, and sometimes it's easier. It all depends."

"How bad was it?" Let's play a game called who is the worse person. It is a terrible idea Josh. Even if one of them wins they both lose. Awful things have happened to them both. Comparing trauma dick sizes is only going to lead to everyone being depressed.

Since when does Joshua Washington do what's good for him though? So he asks, and is fully prepared to share in turn.

"Let's just say it involved a war," Helen replies. It's hard, she thinks, trying to remember everything, especially the end.

The end was the worst part.

"I was...responsible for it. Many people claimed that, at least. I think I've started to believe it myself."

She hugs herself a little, as if attempting to soothe her troubled thoughts.

"What about you?"

"How'd you manage to start a war?" Josh leans back slightly, mouthing 'whoa' as he listens to her talk. That's some pretty heavy shit. She probably lost some loved ones there. And speaking of loved ones.....

"...I brought my friends back to the place my sisters died to get revenge for their deaths a year ago. I needed someone to blame. It..was an accident. But I hurt the people closest to me anyway. And...people died. Because I put everyone in danger. My friends died. Because of me."

"I am apparently, according to some men who I don't think should be allowed to judge this, 'the most beautiful woman in the world'. I ran off with someone who wasn't my husband, and an army formed to get me back."

Sne sighs.

"And I'm sorry. For all your loss." Helen knows what it's like to lose people you care about.

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