Dying for a bit of change

[death_calling]

 

The Nexus has a weird way of dragging people into it, yet alone choosing weird people to introduce to it. Olivia was heading to lunch when this whole ‘magical dimensional portal’ appeared in the supply closet. This must be a common thing, because there seemed to be a lot of other confused people looking for their doors when she exited hers. Instead of making the situation worse, she’s going to live with it for now. 

It doesn’t take long for her to figure out basic locations in the Nexus, such as the Grand Library, but she’s sticking to the shopping district this time around. It’s impossible to keep track of time here and after spending money on interesting used books and having a surprisingly authentic bowl of Japanese ramen, she’s now doing what any responsible adult would do: taking it easy instead of trying to find a way home. 

In front of one of the shopping district's furniture stores, she’s laying on a clean display mattress, oddly positioned like a dead corpse. Hands over her chest, legs compacted together as if she’s trying to look ominous. Her choice of attire, a three piece suit pulled straight from Don Draper’s 1950’s closet, only adds to this creepy pose she’s decided is comfortable. Her hair is pulled back nice and neat, and occasionally she lowers her hand to make sure that the large assortment of shopping bags she’s been carrying around aren’t gone.  

It’s apparent that she’s either paid the owner to let her do this, or maybe vice versa in a strange twist of fate. What better way to advertise an excellent mattress for sleep than to make puns about sleeping peacefully like the dead. 

“Okay, the whole Multiverse concept is intriguing, but I have to wonder...how does time work here? Am I going to go back home and find I don’t have a job because an hour here is ten days in my world?” As if to emphasize her point, she pulls back one sleeve to reveal her watch has stopped working. “It’s strange because I’m able to use my credit card on interdimensional purchases without anyone giving me issues, but my phone clock and watch all bit the dust when I got here. Is that normal?”

There’s a tiny hint of concern in her voice, but the comforting mattress and relaxing nature of the Nexus makes being stressed nigh impossible. For now, at least.  

Comments

[death_calling]

"Well, that's nice of the Nexus to set up such a process for incoming visitors. I figure this place works as a stop-gap in between words, people coming and going, but never really staying here permanently." She stops walking for a moment, trying to think about the door itself. "Well, it's a standard white door, which seems common around here. I almost wonder if there's a secret trick to it, beyond wildly opening doors."

The answer to the quest makes sense because Olivia can understand the dangers of a multiverse portal appearing anywhere. "I think that's the right course of action to follow. Given I wouldn't want my coworkers stumbling into this place, or something following me home. I'll be using the PINpoint from now on due to that."

Interesting, indeed. Olivia presses onward, slowly running her hand along any door that looks remotely white, pausing to slowly peek inside. "It would be a wasted opportunity if the science within the Nexus goes unstudied. I apologize if my statement sounded dark, but I'm generally interested in the topic."

[chiron_survivor]

"I mean, it might have been at one time, but at some point people decided to stay permanently." She pauses a moment, then adds hesitantly, "Some people end up here after dying on their own world, and they don't have anywhere else to go." She finds the concept a little unnerving, actually, but figures Olivia will take it in stride, especially considering her profession.

"Well, it rules out a few of them," Adia muses. "And that's a good idea, to switch to your PINpoint. That's what I did. The portal I initially used disappeared."

When Olivia begins to peek inside various doors, Adia offers a bit more direction to the search. Whether it's due to her moon rune or experience with portals, some she simply shakes her head to before Olivia checks, knowing that they aren't the right one for her.

"No, it's okay. I'm interested, too, I just don't have the time to look into it, like I used to." She smiles wryly. "Or, well, I didn't have the time to look into it back then, either, but it was a much better distraction to what was going on in my life at the time."

[death_calling]

“It’s weird hearing you said that, but then again, a lot of people do believe in different afterlives. Or this could be a stop in between. I think that the rabbit hole goes much deeper than I’d like to process.” Because she’ll get obsessed with it.

“I hope this one disappears after I’ve gotten home, of course. It’ll interfere with work having a random multidimensional portal in the storage closet.” PINpoints are truly a weird little device, being able to love people around at the simple press of a button. She’s not going to bravely step into a new world either, unlike other adventurous souls.

The visual cues Adia gives off are a bit disarming, as Olivia hastily takes her hand off a door handle. Mentally she’s trying to figure out how the other woman knew not to look there, and it hasn’t crossed her mind that Adia might have some non-human skills. It does feel weird being in the Nexus with no unique powers to her name, but so it goes.

“I shouldn’t use the Nexus as a distraction, but it tempts me like a siren at sea. So many things I want to do here, but it would distract me from real life.” Looking for work in the Nexus is another viable option, but the technical aspects would be a headache.

[chiron_survivor]

"They aren't dead here," Adia points out. "It's like they've been resurrected, but in the Nexus instead of back home." And then there's also various people who are undead of some variation or other, but she decides not to mention that, not wanting to give Olivia a headache about it on her first day in the Nexus.

"I have a theory that if a portal doesn't get used, it disappears, but that's only been my experience. Maybe you can put something in front of the door, so no one else notices it?"

Adia should probably explain her intuition for which doors to try, but she'd rather not get into the whole story of her moon rune if she can help it. Better to help Olivia out and play it off as coincidence. It's what she does back home, and she'd much rather be seen as an ordinary human to someone from a mundane world.

"It can be a respite. Some people take full advantage of it, setting up a business here or a research lab. But it can be awfully scary and overwhelming at times, too. I wouldn't give up my current life for anything, as boring as it must seem to people who live here."