nexus_crossings | The latest in pocket-sized companions

The latest in pocket-sized companions

Upon finding his door back to Evermore and briefing Evan and company on his latest discovery of the Nexus, Roland has finally gotten to returning to the ever-changing realm of portals, dimensions, and alternate universes. His PINpoint is beeping away as he updates his friends on his whereabouts. There's an easiness to Roland this time, no longer wound up by the mysteries that need not be solved. It just works as it is, and he is glad to have somewhere new to explore, a place with no endgame in mind. A place where he can just...be. It isn't often he can let himself relax, with the fate of two worlds at risk almost constantly.

As Roland heads to the very end of the Plaza, he recalls a particularly fond memory, one of his firsts in the new, other world. Their dear Auntie Martha was being harassed by a wyvern, but it was not magic that came to their aid in the heat of battle. Higgledies did, tiny little things that could only speak in small squeaks of Higgle! Pig! Piggle! when they felt like expressing themselves. Other times, the higgledies would dance on the spot, or hop around shoulders, heads, and arms if they particularly enjoyed their master's company.

These spirit-like creatures could call on their own and wreak havoc in a fight, but they are peaceful, if not mischievous by default, and to find a higgledy or two around town is a sign of thriving life. And if you were lucky enough to see them - for not everyone in the other world could - then it meant there was something special about you, something strong in your heart to see such creatures of pure natural energy.

Roland reminisces about that particular memory now, because on top of his broad shoulders, and even sitting at the top of his hair, are a couple of the Higgledies themselves. One of every color hung around his frame, with some walking next to his large boots. He grins as he allows some to hop off his coat, arm extended outwards for their easy mobility. Some are bouncing with energy; some are shy and timid.

If these tiny little companions have caught your attention, dear citizen of Nexus, then you will hear Roland happily ask whoever can hear him:

"So, who wants to meet these little troublemakers?"

[ OOC: I'll be assigning certain Higgledies to whoever tags, as the game lists about 101 different little critters! Though they don't have sentient personalities, they are great for RP threading scenarios, and some Higgledies are more special than others! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Roland is visibly pleased.

"That's fantastic! And you don't need to worry about commitments. While majority of our citizens are there to settle down, we have people who are on loan indefinitely, until they decide to live in Evermore permanently. It's not a problem." He has a couple of people in mind, but regardless of their personal circumstance, Evan is determined to allow them a place to settle on Evermorian land. The same invitation would be open for Ben, and anyone else who wanted to live happily ever after.

He crosses his arms and nods with determination. "Just be ready to put in some hard work. Everyone in Evermore plays a vital role in building the kingdom, so we'll need to assign you some jobs." But his serious expression melts into a playful one just as quickly. "Heh. You'll get to pick what you want to do though. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

He takes his PINpoint out of his pocket and briefly exchanges relevant information with Ben, starting with coordinates. As they discuss plans for the near future, Phantasmagoria begins to coo in its high pitched higgles, summoning about a dozen of his dark friends to come and stare up at Ben. Some have taken to dancing in front of his boots, while Phantasmagoria itself reappeared to float briefly in front of his face, arms waving excitedly.

Roland pockets his PINpoint afterwards, watching this silent exchange between Ben and his higgledies with some level of amusement. "To be honest, I don't really know. I can't understand them the way Evan can." He hums. "But I can feel them, if that makes sense. And I'm pretty sure this one just wants to come with you for a while. If you allow it to, at least." Indeed, this was what Phantasmagoria decided on, as it wiggles in agreement.

"Hello, Phantasmagoria."

Ben's not the easiest person to get along with in the Nexus - he's curt if not impolite towards most strangers, and the number of people he considers friends can be counted on one hand. Nevertheless, even he finds his heart warmed by these...creatures. Higgledies. Whatever they are.

And one of them likes him. It's rare enough that somebody of any species likes him that he can't help but return it.

"Well, he's welcome to stay with me as long as he wants to, if he's so fond of me. I don't bite." It's spoken wryly - he can't imagine it's a coincidence that a very strong, very dark Higgledy was drawn to him in particular. It's one thing to say Ben accepts that his darkness will always be a part of him, but it's another to see physical evidence of that. Still, he also has a - wholly earned - bad reputation he's working to overcome.

"Wouldn't mind doing some work around town, so to speak. It'll be nice to visit a world that's more laid-back for a change." Ben's had a couple visits to Midgard, and has had enough of things trying to kill and/or eat him for a while. "The Nexus seems to be calm at the moment. So I could step out for a while."

Roland recalls that Phantasmagoria was one of the last Higgledies Evan and company were able to release from the higgledy stone, before facing The Horned One on Nazcaa. Not only did it require an incredibly rare offering, it was also extremely powerful in battle. But despite its intimidating presence and frightening visage, Roland has never really seen Phantasmagoria misbehave...Perhaps it was just misunderstood?

In a show of camaraderie, Roland turns his head slightly to the side, quietly summoning a Higgledy close to his heart - literally. In a small burst of sparkling light, Rannygazoo the Resolute appears. His presence draws all the other Higgledies, including Phantasmagoria, to pause for a moment, watching Rannygazoo wiggle his arms around in a silly dance. Roland smiles.

"I can't give you permission anyway. Higgledies sort of decide for themselves, I've learned. Just like this one. He hid inside my heart and now that he's had a taste of freedom, he still wants to hang around. Heh." He turns back to Ben with a determined air. "Higgledies will follow you wherever you go, unless you decide to leave them with me again. Don't worry - no matter what their personality is, they're good allies in a battle and they're incredibly loyal. You can count on them."

Rannygazoo almost seems to agree with this, as the High Higgledy makes a sound of approval before disappearing out of sight once more.

"Let me know when you're ready to head to our door. Evan might be too busy to take us for a tour, but that's why he's got a Chief Consul to do all the legwork anyway." Roland smirks. "Tell me about your dream vacation and we'll see if we can't make it happen in Evermore."

Ben still hasn't quite figured out Higgledies, but with one of the creatures following him around he'll have a chance to learn more about them. He's been inwuisitive about the Nexus as a permanent resident Part of it is curiosity, and part of it's wanting to be ahead and keeping an eye open for potential threats.

"Travel between worlds isn't uncommon here. That's where the people and most of the wildlife came from - the Wilds have creatures living there from all over the multiverse, some more pleasant than others. You don't go there unless you've got a way to defend yourself. I do, so I'm something of a regular visitor. Though there are places where even I don't go."

Ben's fond of the Wilds Pokemon, and some of the smaller creatures aren't so dangerous. But there are more dangerous ones, and he's seen the banners where the Eliksni lurk. It's against his nature to back down from a fight, but antagonizing the creatures isn't worth it. It's not worth being eaten by some other predator, either.

"I'm not fussy on my first trip. Mostly I'm interested in the basics about this place - where to go, what's expected, maybe the local dining and lodging."

He turns slightly serious for a moment at the mention of the Wilds. He can't help himself - Roland's first instinct is to defend, and to defend means to know where the potential threat could come from at any time. He crosses his arms and nods at the shared information.

"I see. You don't venture where the truce ends, right? I'll have to ask you to take me there, sometime. I want to get a feel of the Wilds. And don't worry, I know how to handle myself too. I won't be a burden." This, he says with confidence. Though the higgledies also react to this, by jumping up and down around him, brimming with energy. They sense his determination to protect. He smiles down at them for a moment, with a lightly chiding tone. "Relax, you little critters. I'm not going out to pick a fight."

He shakes his head and turns his attention back to Ben. Phantasmagoria has phased behind Ben, swaying to the wind. It has assumed its position, ready to follow him where he goes.

"Done and done," Roland says happily. "We just opened a new hotel, your timing's never been better. I'm interested in showing you our Dimensional Labs too. Looks like our itinerary's pretty much set."

"I'll take you into the Wilds, but I won't go near the banners. The people there don't like us and that won't change. The Guardians would know more about them than me, since they're old enemies. If you see any warriors in heavy armor with little robots following them around, you can ask them who the Fallen and Baroness Pelsor are. But they aren't going anywhere soon, so we've learned to live with them. It's better than a war."

Ben shrugs. He doesn't like them either, but it's better to let sleeping dogs lie, especially a small army of heavily armed dogs who've made it clear they aren't interested in making nice. It's one of the lessons he's putting into practice. Violence isn't always the answer, even when it's tempting.

"That new hotel sounds interesting, though. I wouldn't mind seeing what it's like." His attention switches over to the details Roland gives about his home universe. It sounds more comfortable than Midgard, that was for sure - the only world connected to the Nexus that he's actually spent time in. It's mostly because it's the one place he can find a proper fight. "Dimensional Labs. What are those?"

Roland has rarely ever needed to show his serious side in the Nexus, but Ben's words strike a chord in his heart. His brows furrow ever so slightly, and his frown is quite deep. "Absolutely. Anything is better than war." He uncrosses his arms. "I'll take you up on that soon. The more I know about the Wilds, the better for my peace of mind every time I visit the Nexus. In any case, you're the expert on that area so I'll leave it to you and follow your lead."

He's glad for the change in topic, only because it feels too natural to fall right back into his strategist role, and he tried his best to loosen up when he went through this door. "They're called the New Moon Rooms. You...might get some pretty interesting dreams, but we've got a regular Inn, if you want the tavern to keep you up at night." He smirks.

"Dimensional Labs are exactly what they sound like. They study dimension hopping. I wasn't able to connect the dots before, but my world has some level of understanding of all...this." Roland gestures to nothing in particular, referencing the whole of the Nexus. "Maybe not as complex, but we've gone through doors too, even before I found this place. I'll let the experts tell you when you visit Evermore. I'm not very good at explaining magic, truth be told." He almost looks sheepish, but it just comes across as an amused smile. "Hope my Evermore sales pitch is working for you. Heh."

"I'll agree to a walk in one of the safer areas. I can tell you what I know about the Wilds and about the Fallen situation specifically then. They're likely to see trespassers as spies, and I'd like to keep my head on my shoulders." Ben's heard stories and knows what the aliens are capable of. "But as long as we keep a safe distance between us and them, we'll be fine."

He turns the subject back to Evermore, since it's an easier subject for both of them to discuss. Ben gives Roland a smile "You really want me to see your home universe? You're giving me big expectations, you know." He chuckles.

"Honestly, one of the more peaceful universes would be nice for a breather. A home away from home." Ben likes visiting Atreus's home universe of Midgard, but peaceful it is not. He's been ambushed by skeleton warriors, outwitted cannibals, and possibly volunteered for a battle between Atreus and his father and a pantheon of very angry Norse gods. Evermore is looking good after that, but he doesn't doubt that it's got its own share of adventures and even dangers. He gives a quiet laugh "Wouldn't mind spending a while there. Time passes differently between the Nexus and the worlds it's connected to."

"What can I say? I'm proud of the work we've all done, and we're going to get even better still. And if all goes well, I might just ask Evan to open Evermore to inter-dimensional tourism." Roland says with a small laugh, though it does excite him to plan for the future. His life has turned out more magical than he ever expected, and if he could just give back a little bit more to Evan and the rest for literally saving his life, then he could part ways with them with a lighter heart.

But as he listens to Ben's recollection of adventures in other doors and worlds, Roland is reminded of something he was once told way back when they first met in the Grand Library - I'm dead in my world, so I can't go back. He allows a moment to pass before he turns to Ben again, voice steady but no less serious.

"If you don't mind me asking," he starts, arms crossed against his chest again. "How did you find yourself in the Nexus in the first place?" He cranes his head to the side, watching the higgledies run around with each other, making a mess by their feet. "I haven't forgotten what you told me. You said you couldn't go back to the door of your home world because you had died there." And he speaks with a gravitas, a certain sympathy, that could not have come from someone who didn't share the same experience, to a degree. "Did you just...wake up here?"

"Doors to the Nexus work both ways," Ben says. "Unpleasant things can travel through portals, too, so it's a good idea to know where your door is and keep an eye on who comes and goes. But your world sounds like one of the more peaceful ones." Honestly, Ben could use a world where he doesn't have to fight anything, even if he considers the practice necessary. He likes fighting, and probably always will - though he's more careful about his use of violence.

However, that's not the same as saying that he won't fight or even kill if he deems it necessary - the draughrs and cannibals in Atreus's world who died at his blade could testify to that. The former needed the rest he gave them, and the latter would have gladly had Ben and his younger friend for dinner if they had the chance.

"I'm dead where I'm from," he explains. "Sometimes people who die in their home worlds wake up here, in the Nexus. All the injuries I'd suffered - broken bones, bruises - they were all healed. So I was able to find my way to the Plaza easily enough when I felt up to it." He was quietly glad the Nexus patched up his wounds. While he probably would have been able to limp to a hospital anyway, it saved the staff a scare and allowed Ben to hang onto what little pride he had left.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The latest in pocket-sized companions

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject