Winter tithe

[shardofwinter]

Although the Nexus is generally well kept, this year its inhabitants are a fraction more careful about keeping the paths clear of snow. As if by pushing the mound of white powder to the side they will stop the Nexus from being buried like last year. But as with all places lacking an organised effort, the clearance is patchy. Where some people have thrown out dirt or salt to clear the paths outside of their homes or houses, an equal number haven't. Ice sits perfectly clear over stone and concrete, or hidden under the thinnest layer of snow. All of it a precarious balance of mortal awareness and a Winter spirit's work.

This is one of the few times Reynard walks freely in his human form through the streets. Occasionally someone will recognise him and hasten to take care of their home or pull gloves onto their hands. Most people don't, however. Such is the nature of the Nexus, in a place filled with so many people they don't seem to be able to point to the person encouraging their troubles, even if he has proclaimed it from the rooftops. Once he's done admiring the hard work of some and punishing the negligence of others, he ends up in the centre of the Nexus.

Leaning against a lamp post, he takes his hat from his head, inspecting it briefly before address those passing by. "What are you leaving in the past this year?"

Comments

[chiaro_oscuro]

That's a heavy question, and it catches Ben Solo's attention. It's something he's been thinking about himself, and he's unsettled by how relevant it is to his current situation, especially from a complete stranger. He gives the question the care and attention it deserves before cautiously answering. He doesn't recognize the man, but on policy here he's courteous to strangers. You never know who you're talking to in the Nexus.

He knows the impulse to leave his past as Kylo Ren and the Jedi Killer behind in the Nexus. He could change his name, pretend to be someone else, lie to strangers when he has to and when he can. But he's decided not to do that, at least when he isn't talking to his parents. Just his luck that both Han and Leia come here, and from a time before he was born - he wants to be honest with them, but it's for everyone's good that he leave them in the dark.

"This last year was, well, intense. Trying to kill the past didn't exactly work out for me." Ben smiles, but there's more than a hint of bitterness in it. "It's time to try something new. Instead, I'm going to try and learn from my past."

[shardofwinter]

The past is always relevant. It sits in the back of the mind, present even when silent. No matter how focused on the present and future a person is, there is always a little part of them remembering. That's how choices are made: By remembering and learning from the past.

And so the Season of Death and Ghosts and Memory is always bound to strike a nerve. Reynard's quite used to it by now. He has all the patience in the world for those thinking back.

He's casual when he asks. Blank as a fresh sheet of snow. "How is that? By taking it with you?"

[chiaro_oscuro]

"By remembering what I've done, and using that to guide me in the present. Accepting I can't change what's already happened. Learning from my choices, both good and bad."

There are a lot more things in the second category than the first. While Ben has decided that the darkness in his past won't stop him from living here, or finding a place for himself, it still weighs heavy. He can't kill Kylo Ren completely - while he rejects the name and the persona, what he did as Kylo will forever be a part of him. That's one of the things he accepts, even as he struggles to make healthier choices and keep darker impulses in check. He can heal, and try to do good here, but he cannot undo the things he did.

"So yes, I take it with me. It's a hard burden, but that's part of living. You grow and learn from your mistakes. Especially the most painful, the most terrible ones."

[shardofwinter]

"That's a lot you're taking with you." None of it bad, either. More people should keep the past in mind. More again should learn from it. Speaking of the virtues of memory and lessons seems like it would be preaching to the choir with this man, and Reynard would wholeheartedly agree. But that's not what he's looking for today. "With all these things you're taking into the future, what are you leaving behind?"

[skeksisheretic]

There are two aliens shuffling by. The taller of the two smiles in greeting when he notices the stranger by the lamp post. "Oh! Hello! I haven't seen you around before. I am skekGra the Heretic - it's wonderful to meet you."

skekGra and urGoh are dressed for winter as best as creatures who spent 379 trine in a desert can. urGoh is wearing a sweater modified to fit a four-armed urRu while skekGra has a winter coat and gloves over his usual robes. It was something of a hassle for the two to alter them and put them on, but skekGra thinks he looks good in his new winter outfit.

"As for your question..." It's a hard one. Not that skekGra doesn't have regrets. He has plenty, most of them related to his trine as the Conqueror. It's just that none of them date from a year ago. He figures years are equivalent to trine in his world, and most of his year was spent either in the Nexus or in Thra, at the Circle of the Suns.

"One of my brothers broke into our house this year," he finally says, thinking of skekMal's break-in and the Hunter's attack on his new friends. That's something he'd like to forget. "I had guests over to visit. We were having a good time before he showed up. He made a terrible mess of the place, and we had to leave. I'd like to put that whole mess behind me, honestly."

"Our...family has...issues," says urGoh, his expression sad. "Both of...our families. We want to...move forward...from that."

[shardofwinter]

This is certainly not the first time he's met four armed creatures. In fact, he's vaguely fond of the ones he met last year. More respectful than fond, but nevertheless, he has no issue with them. Although these two could probably use some of the furs he's seen lining Fallen collars.

To skekGra's extroverted introduction, Reynard tips his head and lifts the hat in his hand slightly. "Reynard North."

Whether it's 'wonderful' to meet them is still up for debate, naturally, but he'll share the greeting regardless. Afterwards he falls quiet, listening and waiting until the other being settles on an answer.

"Will you be able to?"

[skeksisheretic]

While urGoh's four arms are fully functional, skekGra's secondary pair are bound behind his back with tight rope, in such a way that it's impossible to undo.

Thra is a warm planet, with warmer winters than the Nexus is used to. The winters there are longer but hotter. It's taken some adjusting for the Skeksis and Mystic to the new climate, but they take it in good spirits. skekGra and urGoh in particular are used to much warmer temperatures, but they had some help adjusting.

skekGra shrugs in response to the question. "We had to abandon our home at the Circle of the Suns and move our operations here. But it's okay! urGoh and I have made new friends in the Nexus." The Skeksis gives a tooth-filled smile. "So it turned out all right in the end."

"We...lived as...hermits," explains urGoh. "Meeting...so many people...is new...to us. Forgive my...counterpart. He's...excitable."

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

Dor's checking over the walkway to the apartment being where they're flat is currently. Aal gives him another kiss before heading out with her sled to stock up on things and check in with and on folks. It's..been kinda quiet lately..Least in their neck of the woods and while that's a good thing..It's also likely to make them think there's a shoe..or boot somewhere readying to drop with a good west or north wind as the case may be.

She scents the air, the lamppost itself makes her face soften for a number of reasons and wistfulness springs up in her. The figure makes her smile a little but also..second time she'd seen him this year..Hopefully tis more of a good sign. She always got edgier when she didn't see either of the Seasonal beings about. It also made her sad. Very very sad..and feel bad.

Even if her own fondness for them was one-sided..anyway. no use dwelling on such..{They were busy..they didn't have times for visiting, Silly wolfies.} Not that most probably wanted to anyways. She reasoned with her self shaking her head ruefully. As she pads over her ears perking up under her hoods and tip of her tail wagging under her long green puffy coat. "Ello, roo..ahem Reynard." She greets him warmly with a lopsided friendly smile showing a little bit of her left canine tooth. Before her whole smile flashes into view.

She hums and rubs her chin in thought that was a good one.

"That's a thinker that is." She murmurs and hums again.." I mean..there are quite a few things I like to..doing so's more difficult in some cases.." She murmurs..like grieving and other worries. Not to mention other things that tended to plague one but were ditrus of years before. "Stress is a big one though." She adds after a moment. Sometimes talking stuff out helped when she was spitballing ideas and thoughts.

[shardofwinter]

Even those marginally close to Reynard know not to take things too personally during Winter. After all, during his Season his thoughts aren't with those mortals he's grown used to or fond of. Instead it's with the melted ice around the pavement in front of her house and the frost doing its best to crawl across her windows. It's a good thing Reynard's eyes are so dark or they might look glassy and vacant.

Her answer is met with a low and gentle rumble. "A difficult thing to do indeed. And do you think you'll be able to leave stress firmly in the past?"

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

On a good day reason usually, wins out in some mental arguments..but since when does self-esteem and other issues and old habits see reason? Though it could be in part her wolf side is kinda lonely or feeling the winter doldrums. Yes, of course, she had her mate, but wolves were typically pack minded creatures for a multitude of reasons. Let alone a healer and someone like herself.

Her eyes soften, regardless. Knowing he was both in his 'element ' and not completely himself during this time of year always had her torn. She runs her gloved hand over her top hood and slightly rubs/ruffles. "Aye, and " She lets out an uncertain breath. "I'll certainly give it my best college try..It's harder when things..Happen you can do little about.." She murmurs softly. "Though really..all you can control is..yourself..well sometimes. " She adds after a moment and a little wryly. Her other hand going subconsciously to rest at her belly for a moment. But was something she was trying to learn to do and make a habit of...Starting small might be best.

[dennis_murdoc]

Personally, Dennis is having a great time. He's gotten over the slight unease he sometimes feels, when there's a lot of snow. The layer of ice on the sidewalks and pavement is proving to be a lot of fun. Dennis is just running around, occasionally gliding over the icy patches. He skids to a stop, when he hears the question being asked. Stopping, he tilts his head. Questions like that always confused him.

"Um. Well, this past year, for starters. Kissing that one good-bye. Eleventh grade? Whooo, I'm gonna be a senior! Oh, and driver's ed. Definitely done with that, thank heaven," Dennis says with dry disdain for the subject. "Erm, I'm not sure I have a philosophical answer to that? I mean, your past forms you, so...good luck dumping it."

[shardofwinter]

A twitch of his moustache betrays his smile at the giddy antics of the young man. It's pleasant to see someone enjoying the weather, but it's just as pleasant knowing that every skid is a gamble. A fun game of waiting to see if he'll fall on his ass.

For now, however, he's stopped in his tracks, so there's no such satisfaction to be had. He hears out the answer and takes a moment before positing his own thoughts.

"There's a difference between erasing your past and leaving it firmly behind you. For example, erasing your past year of school would make the next rather difficult, but you're unlikely to repeat embarrassing trends you thought were cool or clever."

[dennis_murdoc]

"Well, yeah, getting stuck in the past isn't cool," Dennis concedes, shrugging lightly. "Live, learn, and move on, so to speak. I'm gonna forget and move on from the time I flipped out in driver's ed. No one's holding it against me, so yeah."

Dennis realizes he might be lying to himself a bit with that one. The incident itself is easily put away. The cause of the incident...not so much.

[eumenis]

There is no snow in the Wasteland. There's almost never any precipitation at all, and while it gets cold enough to kill an unwary person at night, it's always that kind of dry, still chill that wrings the wet out of any human body exposed to it. In the desert at night, you can't be sure whether you're hypothermic or dehydrated. Furiosa doesn't know that as Winter, per se. Just the way the world is, and has been since she was a child.

Last year, of course, she got a hell of a crash course in this kind of weather, and her folk have insisted on precautions to make sure she doesn't get stuck in the Nexus again. She has an entourage, posted by her gate and ready to back her up in case of trouble, or fetch her back the minute she's needed at home. They're not with her now, though, just waiting in the wings. She's better equipped to walk in this than they are, anyway. But she appears to have a couple books and pamphlets about snowmobiles tucked in a bag over her right shoulder; she's considering her options.

She has jury-rigged treads strapped to her boots, clunky chains to help bite the ice, but she seems to be choosing to walk in the footsteps of previous passers-by, rather than on dubiously cleared areas. At least she's attentive.

"Hesitation," she answers the question without looking up from a step over glossy uncleared ice. "And maybe naivete. I'm done trying to pretend this place doesn't exist, and doesn't impact my world."

Once she thinks she has her footing, then she looks him over. There is no hint of recognition in her face, just the natural caution--suspicion, really--of a person who has learned to assume most strangers mean ill. "Can't have it both ways, I guess. Can't take a blessing without a risk."

[shardofwinter]

Someone isn't taking any chances. Not surprising, really. This woman radiates resilience, hardship clinging to her soul like frozen droplets to a branch stripped bare. Reynard's willing to bet her mind churns away constantly, predicting and planning to prepare. She seems like the type. She seems like Autumn would like her.

For someone so ready for trouble his staring might not be reassuring, he realises, and breaks out of his thoughts to blink and remember to breathe. Small things that are harder when your body isn't really physical anymore. How useful it is to have flesh automatically do the things that put people at ease.

"They sound like good ways to move forwards," he rumbles in agreement, then turns his head ever so slightly. "You're not a gambling woman?"

[eumenis]

On her own recognizance, Furiosa is known to be reckless. Kami-crazy, as the slang in her world goes. All her risks are calculated, though, even in fractions of a second. Chancing death for a reward--and usually that reward is merely an opportunity to live a little longer, but in the Wasteland that's the best prize of all. For the sake of her settlement and the people that depend on her, though, she's a lot more careful, picking her way through slippery situations the way she's taking her slow steps across the ice.

She flatters herself that Autumn does seem to like her, and she adores the spirit in return, though whether she has a full understanding of her is doubtful.

The staring hasn't registered, but the sound of his breathing starting up clues her in to notice the fact that he wasn't breathing before. Well, that's a little weird, but you don't call people out on these things the instant you notice them.

Thoughtful, she considers the question a moment, then says, "I gamble with my own life now and then. Try not to with my people's lives. Not that I asked to be their leader, but once you get into that kind of position you either give your all or let everyone down. There's no in-between."

"What about you? That's quite a question you asked. Are you getting the answers you're looking for?"

[websnextdoor]

Some people know better, that Winter has a name and a face and a body in this place. Some don't. Peter knows that this place can be dangerous in Winter, he's seen it first hand. watched others (and himself) be taught some very harsh lessons. He's done what he can with what little he has, bundling up with layers on over the fancy suit with the heating function Mister Stark made for him.

It's become something of a security blanket, his suit. Spider-Man hasn't made much of an appearance either in the Nexus or at home these last few months but Peter can't bring himself to go much of anywhere without it. Memories of men better than he'll ever be are plastered all over his home. Still welcome new faces into the Nexus here, even. A strange bearded man's question prods right at the heart of Peter Parker's unseen wounds and he flinches even though no one's looking directly at him.

But he stops. Turns. Nods toward the older man asking his questions.

"Not sure it counts as leaving something in the past if it was taken from you." The last two words get mumbled as he swallows around a lump in his throat. "Did you lose someone important this year too?"

[shardofwinter]

An unexpected answer, but sharp and witty and poignant at once. A wry smile curls his mouth and his drawl is dry when he says, "I never said whatever it was had to be left voluntarily."

Something the boy noticed quicker than the spirit really did. Maybe it was a subconscious choice, ingrained in his very being, or maybe the boy just took advantage of his phrasing. Either way is curious, either way is amusing.

The question thrown back at him, though... Reynard's eyes slip to a sheet of ice further up the path that has cracked into a hundred pieces under somebody's weight. There are a hundred hundred lives he's lived, a hundred hundred experiences that he could draw on to answer the young man. Ghosts that sit so far away, waiting to be called on. He knows all of their stories... but he feels none of the loss his mortal heart shattered with. If anything, he's gained more people who are truly close to him than he has in centuries.

"No," he answers eventually, gaze meeting Peter's once more. "Not this year."

[websnextdoor]

Not this year. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out the implications there. Peter's shoulders hunch as he huddles in on himself. Gloved fingers curl around his own forearms as though he could stave off both the chill of the breeze and the sadness of the unspoken truth lingering in the air between them if only he tried hard enough.

"S'pose you didn't. Then, a lot." More than anyone should have to lose. Doesn't seem right to complain though, so Peter shuffles a step closer to take a look at Reynard instead.

"How...how do you deal with it?"

[iwillcatchup]

Peter looks like he has had personal encounters with at least 10 snowbanks. Because he has. That is one thing about being a speedster during the winter time. He sometimes go right through them... when going from one place to the other. He doesn't get hurt by any odd debris in the snowbanks due to his sonic speed, but sure does get covered in the snow.

When he is at top speed, for the most part icy patches don't slow him down since the laws of physics fall to the wayside at Mach 10 speeds. But there are times when he gets distracted... and falls into a snowbank, because he hit a slippery patch while running over a rooftop, or a wall of a building, or just took a misstep. The treacherous nature of ice itself is no stranger to this speedster.

He stops at the question. Taking a moment to process it, as he adjusts himself to the normal time around him. It doesn't take him long to know an answer, even if it is difficult to admit. "Being an X-Men. I have to leave that behind."

"And a relationship that I thought could have gone somewhere..." Peter places his googles on top of his head. "Leaving that behind too."

[shardofwinter]

Although Reynard doesn't move at speeds quite as high, he's never felt much need to. He's vaguely aware of the speedster's spirit flying through the Nexus, amidst all the the other souls milling around. However it's only when the boy stops that he focuses on him.

"Things you have to leave behind, rather than want to. Harsh, but easier to move on from, since you don't have much of a choice."

[iwillcatchup]

“I seem to have a lot more things I have to leave behind. Life of a speedster...” Peter rolls his shoulders. “But you are right... no choice but to move forward.”

[thebluedevil]

Sonic actually liked the snow. Though it took a little bit of adjusting to run on it, through it or over ice. He still hadn't mastered stopping on it - but it sure was fun to cannonball into snowbanks. He wasn't as fond of the cold - but playing in the snow made it worth it.

He was new to the Nexus, and over the past several days had taken to exploring the new place by careening at top speeds through it; startling both locals and wildlife alike. The absolute best thing though was that no one batted an eyelash at seeing a small blue vaguely humanoid shaped hedgehog. He had been so used to hiding that walking around town like anyone else was really nice.

Not being a stranger to hopping through portals, suddenly finding himself here wasn't too startling. He had managed to get one of those PINpoint things, and he had his bag of rings as backup so he knew he could return home at any time. So he decided to stick around for a bit.

Sonic was making his way through town (at a not as blistering pace as usual) when the fellow with the hat asking a question caught his attention. He managed to slide several feet to a stop without falling over - looking up at him as the man stood there leaning against a lamp post.

"What am I leaving in the past?" He echoed, actually pondering that for a moment or two. "Well, I'm not gonna hide anymore and run away when things get tough. I have friends to protect now!" He planted his hands on his hips - but shifted a hand to point. "Cool hat by the way!" He added, grinning.

[shardofwinter]

Time in the spiritual plane is... odd. Like the wind it can twist and turn, some beings being more clearly attuned to it than others. Presence is much the same. In Winter, Reynard is aware of the presence of many, many beings both across the shifting Nexus and only in the small space around him. As a mortal it would be disorienting. As a spirit it's just how things are.

That being said, Reynard doesn't notice this creature more than any other until it skids to a halt nearby and starts speaking. It's small, colourful, fast and energetic. A perfect combination for a small trickster critter of folklore. Something about it is more alien than Fae, but the potential is vaguely interesting.

He smiles and lifts the hat in thanks for the compliment, moving at a casual pace even for humans. Hopefully it won't be too excruciating for the speedster to be around.

"Do you think that will be hard? They say all beings are ingrained with fight or flight. Instinct is a difficult thing to change."

[thebluedevil]

Sonic thought on that for a second or two, then spread his hands with a nod. "Probably." He agreed that fighting instinct wouldn't be easy. "I'm sure there will be lots of times where I'll be scared. I was on the run for a long time so that will be a hard habit to break." His bright green eyes watched the other man as he spoke with clear honesty.

"But I found a family and a home. In my eyes there's nothing more important than protecting those I care about. Even if I'm scared." He added with a grin. "Besides, I'd rather use my power to help others than to hide." It took him a while to realize that, and that revelation came to him in a battle with a madman.