nexus_crossings | a new journal is full of possibilities

There are few things Atreus loves more then listening to the stories of others and writing them down. Okay, okay he definitely loves his parents more. That's a given though. Also wolves are cool. He sure does love wolves. He's quite convinced he'll prove his father wrong one day and teach himself how to turn into one but that day's sadly a long way off probably.

Writing in a journal though! Back to that! He loves writing about his adventures and and every tale he comes across, and he's wanted to write down his findings of the Nexus too... but he thought it'd be appropriate to have a separate journal for here. There were so many people from so many different worlds! He figures it'll be really easy to fill up a lot of pages really fast.

That's when he discovered the stationary store. Which is probably one of his favorite places he's found here so far. Dozens of different journals in different sizes in so many colors with so many pictures on the covers. And the writing tools! Markers, pens, colored pencils! In any and every color he could possibly imagine! There were other even more ADVANCED materials like stickers an washi tape but he was honestly starting to feel a little overwhelmed.

So he ended up leaving with a truly epic looking journal with a wolf on the cover and a small package of pens in an assortment of colors. He's investigate the other materials more thoroughly later.

As he walked he flipped open the journal. The pages were empty and pristine. There's a bit of a thrill whenever you look at blank pages like that. What will eventually fill them? He knows the first thing at least. He selects a pen and writes in runes 'Tales from the Nexus' and smiles to himself. That feels right. Not to just... get those tales!

"Excuse me!" he hails a friend or a friendly looking stranger, or just someone INTERESTING looking as they pass by, "Know any good stories?"

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Atreus has always wondered what it'd be like to have a sibling. And Ben has certainly become a wonderful brother in arms at the very least, fighting along his side feels almost as fluid as it does when he fights with his father. Maybe he'll tell him someday he secretly has a second son. Not much can ruffle Kratos' feathers but that might a bit!

"Well wolves ARE the best animal so it just means you've got good taste," he nods in approval, "I like what they symbolize too. In tales sometimes they represent violence and destruction, but more often they're a symbol of loyalty, wisdom, and courage! Good things to have if you ask me."

Plus like. They just LOOK awesome.

"I think I'd like to hear about on of your adventures here if you don't mind. To start with at least. I really want to write down as many stories about the people here as I can. It feels like it's important. Sometimes stories are all we have of people... And maybe when it's full I can bring it to that Library."

"No wonder we get along." Ben laughs. "There are a few old stories about wolves, but it never seems to go well for the wolves there."

The mixed symbolism of the wolf - powerful and brave, but violent and destructive - is something that Ben himself can relate to. Both sides are part of him, though he works to bring the positive side to the forefront and keep the negative in check.

Ben never had a brother or a sister, but he feels a sense of protectiveness over Atreus when they fight together. The first time he went to Atreus's world was an accident. After that, not so much. It gives Ben a chance to test himself against real enemies with real stakes, with no anti-violence field to get in the way.

"All right. I'll tell you a story from when I was new to the Nexus. How's that idea sound to you, Atreus?" Before moving into the Nexus proper, when he was still nervous about interacting with its population, Ben spent his time lurking in the Wilds and the Underbelly.

"I have a theory about that!" he exclaims, "In most stories the wolf's alone, right? Well if you look at real wolves they're always in a pack. A wolf on his own probably gets lonely and scared which makes it lash out."

And Atreus certainly appreciates the help Ben's given him in clearing out the undead and other nuisances from his forest. And there were a LOT. Maybe he'll see how he feels about going up against a troll next time. There were still a few wandering about making trouble.

But his mind is getting ahead of himself. Right now is the time for stories.

"Your idea sounds good with me," he nods, "Is your world really different?"

He's not heard a lot about Ben's homeworld. Aside from the 'light sabers' and a vague understanding about space wizard things.

"In most of those stories," Ben says, "the wolf usually ends up drowned or with a stomach full of rocks." That sounds...distinctly uncomfortable. "But you're right, it's only ever one wolf there."

He wouldn't be opposed to fighting a troll. Draugrs are good prey, but at some point Ben's interested in moving on to bigger game.

And fighting a troll would certainly be a story worth telling in the future.

When Atreus asks about Ben's world, he gives a nod in reply before explaining further. He figures there are some extensive differences.

"Yes," he tells Atreus, "it is. For example, we have space travel. We can go from planet to planet within my galaxy. Guessing you don't have that where you come from." He smiles, drawing a familiar object out of a pocket. "I hung onto that healing stone you gave me. Both as a souvenir and because it could be useful one of these days."

"Make sure to use it if you need it though! I can always make you a new one," he's been practicing too! He doesn't like having to summon Ratatöskr to find new ones if he can help it. That squirrel is MEAN even if he's helpful. He prefers saving him for emergencies only.

"I don't think we have anything quite like that..." he shakes his head. Maybe next time he'll pry him for stories from his world. It sounds like a really strange place, "We do have Bifrost Gates though, to go to different realms. I'll borrow a crystal next time you visit. I could bring you to Muspelheim, there are special trials there you can do there. But it's story time now, right?"

"Thank you. That's a generous offer." There isn't much in the way of battle or serious fighting in the Nexus - Ben heard stories, but never actually saw serious violence. Ben's made use of the opportunities available in the Viper's Pit, but the reason he visits Atreus's world is the chance to fight for real.

"Yes. Before we start, I wanted to give you something for your book. I do sketches for the Plaza sometimes, and I figured since we've fought together I owed you something in return." Ben offers Atreus one of his own drawings, a sketch of the fight with the draugrs. Then he moves on to the story.

"When I first came to the Nexus, there was a man there - a huge one, with a mask and carrying a knife. He couldn't actually hurt anyone because of the anti-violence field, but he was chasing people and smashing things. I decided to try and lure him away from the Plaza, so I provoked him into turning his attention to me."

He thanks him and takes out his old journal, flipping to his entry he'd written after those battles. He didn't document EVERY draugr fight he's ever been in, that'd fill a library, but he definitively wanted to record that first battle. He carefully places the picture between the pages so it stays safe.

"That guy! I think I saw him too," he exclaims, "He didn't say anything he just knocked something down and acted all spooky so I just walked away."

Sounded like his instincts served him well. That weirdo seemed dangerous.

"When he first came," Ben says, "it was people he went after. I was told he was a kind of angry spirit where he came from - he was once a boy who drowned because the people who were supposed to be watching over him acted like fools. He seems to have figured out he can't hurt anyone here, but he's not happy about it. Just storms around and breaks things sometimes."

Ben remembers being pleasantly surprised when the machete slid off him. The thrill of it made him a little overconfident.

"I couldn't attack him without breaking the anti-violence field, so I lured him away instead to buy the people in the Plaza time to leave. He threw a tree at me, so I think I annoyed him enough."

"Huh... I feel bad for him..." his lips tug down a little. He's encountered angry spirits aplenty, that's for sure, "Not that I think he should be allowed to just go around threatening people, but you know."

This is kind of one of those 'sucks for everyone' sort of situations.

"He threw a whole tree at you?" his eyes widen, "Did you slice it out of the way with your light sword?"

"I feel the same, myself." Ben knows what it's like to be angry and out of control, even if he isn't a spirit or undead creature. "You know, I hope he finds peace one day, here or where he comes from. There are other people like that here - they've been hurt in the past, so they hurt others. It doesn't make what they do right, but it's okay to feel sorry for them. Just don't expect them to show you any mercy because of it."

He'd been like that, once. It allows him to understand that mindset better than some.

"No - I was unarmed when he tried the tree, but I was able to dodge. He figured out he couldn't harm people directly and started using objects instead. My abilities make it harder to take me by surprise - it's why I was able to catch that draugr who went for me from behind."

Edited 2020-06-14 04:45 (UTC)

a new journal is full of possibilities

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