nexus_crossings | a re-introduction.

a re-introduction.

She feels brittle. Jill can still taste the soil in her mouth -- and blood. The hum of fluorescent lights thrums through her, even if she's in control and far from clandestine laboratories now. There are feelings that permeate despite the distance, despite time, and sometimes grab hold of her. Occasionally, it comes with sentimentality while she tries to convince herself that if she did just one thing differently that she'd be more aware and things may have changed. But that's survivor's guilt.

The regrets keep piling up, nearly insurmountable, but you'd never know it from her exterior. It's a deluge that threatens to drag her under without remorse.

As ever, she appears collected and as if the ghosts that haunt her have been laid to rest. Jill moves through the plaza like it's too familiar, but she's searching. Upon approach, she faintly lifts her head in greeting.

"So, know a place a girl can get a strong drink in these parts?"

[ OOC: I prefer bracket RP, if it's all the same to you! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh. Hello.

[This woman has the aura of a soldier. Ben knows it well - he's sure he gives it off, too, even though the Nexus is largely a peaceful place. It feels strange to him, even after he's lived here for a while, but not unpleasant. He greets her with a nod of the head in return. His clothes are as black as his hair, except for a dark blue cape which sweeps behind him as he moves.]

If you're looking for a drink, I know a few good places. This place has a way of coming up with what you need.

[He's known to head out for a drink himself, though he tries not to do it too much. Alcohol and Force powers aren't the best mix, though Ben has a better handle on his temper than he once did. Self-control is important to him.]

Anything in particular you're looking for?

[ She raises a hand, light, at elbow; no wave. ]

Hey, there.

[ There's a certain stance one takes. For her, it's no-nonsense, rigid. No slouching. It doesn't help that she's dressed in compression gear and comes with a gun at her hip and knife at her lower leg. If it wasn't for her demeanor, she might come off as if she'd start a fight.

Capes, though. That's a dramatic villain sort of thing where she's from. They aren't particularly practical but give the look a certain flair; Jill doesn't judge even if her brain is tempted to do it without much thought. ]

Funny. I'm not usually so lucky. [ Her voice has a hint of humor to it, tinged with mirth and her grin is light, curved at the corner of her mouth like she might spill into light laughter. ] Oh, bourbon would be good but I won't say no to beer.

[ Finally, she offers a hand clad in fingerless gloves. She means to clasp rather than shake. While she won't overpower him if he goes fully for the hand, she means to take his wrist. ]

Jill Valentine. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[The gesture is returned. Ben's ever alert and watchful, even when there's no danger. It's a matter of habit, and he knows that even the Nexus has its darker side. He's not the kind of person to let down his guard. He, too, is armed, and notices that she is as well - carries a lightsaber hilt at his hip and what looks like a futuristic gun.]

Neither am I. But if you're looking for a breather this is a good place.

[Her reading of what he wears and why isn't exactly wrong - the dramatic villain look is no coincidence. Though Ben has been trying to change his ways since then, the old style dies hard, and he's a Skywalker. Dramatic is in the blood, light or dark.]

Beer? There's a place not too far from here where you can get some. The Viper's Pit. I'm a regular there.

[He accepts the clasp, a small smile on his features, almost nervous.]

Yours as well, Jill. My name is Ben Solo. I've been here for a while.

[ She does eye up the weaponry in a way that's very blatantly sizing him up. In that, she's transparent in her assessment of him as a threat (she thinks she could take him, but that's neither here nor there). Jill doesn't make any action to suggest she's hostile, however, and since he doesn't either, she just huffs out a little stilted chuckle. ]

Yeah? I guess I've lucked out in that case. That's a new one -- luck being on my side.

[ Jill's all in compression gear, tucked in and streamlined, dressed to move. It's ideal for someone that grapples or physically shifts, whether running or fighting in a way that sweats or other gear just won't cut it. Are those grenades at her hip? You bet. ]

That's fine by me. I'm not a picky woman about it, not unless it all tastes funky. [ Her smile is wider still when he takes her hand. It's a friendly clasp, lingering just a touch in a way that suggests she might be teasing even though she's only just met him. Her smile reaches her pale eyes, enhancing the little lines beneath and in the corner of them. ] Good to meet you, Ben. How long's a while if you don't mind me asking?

[ When she retracts her hand, it's lifted and used to swipe the air while she talks, as if it gets her words across better. ]

It's something, isn't it? I generally believe in making my own luck.

[Ben respects capable fighters as a rule, and he assesses Jill as one. Her bearing and the weapons she carries both suggest that. He's very aware that special powers, though flashy, aren't everything in a fight - he himself is trying to rely less on the Force.]

Viper's Pit it is, then. Since you asked, I've been here for about a year, two winters ago. I live in the downtown area, since I've got friends and a place to work there. [He shrugs offhandedly.] I died back in my world. That's not an uncommon way people get here, but it's not a bad place to end up. I've made myself comfortable.

[He withdraws his own hand and listens politely, wondering to himself what kind of world she came from that she was armed with explosives like that, and exactly what she was accustomed to fighting. But he doesn't ask.]

Time here passes differently than it does back home. It can get disorienting, I've heard.

Then we're the same in that. Although I make jokes about it, I don't really believe in luck. It's all random and you've gotta be on your toes to make it through the worst of it.

[ Her only ability is being immune and frankly, she'll take it above anything grand or flashy. It's much more useful in her line of work, although it would certainly be nice to crush her enemies with a flick of the wrist. It'd be that much quicker a job, at least. ]

Alright. [ She's quick to walk a little behind and nearly beside. Her stride long like her legs, despite her height. ] I... see. I can understand why you'd want to stay here, in that case.

[ Dead. Does that mean the dead show up here, too? She doesn't want to get her hopes up or think on it too heavily, worry too much on it. None of them would blame her for what happened back in the Arklay Mountains, but she wants nothing more than to take the blame and apologize for it all. For not seeing through Wesker sooner. Her intuition should've fought against him from the start.

But that, too, is illogical. She knows in reality there's no way she could've known. ]

Time in general is disorienting, I find. I think it won't be an issue.

We're of the same mind there. Things are what we make of them.

[Ben's gone out of his way to hone his skills and keep them sharp, learning new ones where and when he can. He'll always have something of the soldier about him, though he's set to use those skills and that training for a better purpose. He can't make up for everything he's done, but he's going to do what he can where he can. Nevertheless, it's strange to be in a place like this - a former warlord visiting coffee shops and pizza parlors.]

It's not as if I have much of a choice. But I've learned to make do.

[He deserved worse, frankly, and he's grateful for a second chance in any form. And he's adaptable - most of his lessons have been the hard kind, but nevertheless he learned from them.]

I'm partial to coffee, myself, though I don't mind a little whiskey. Alcohol hits me hard.

Generally, I believe that's the case. Sometimes odds are against you but that would be the case regardless. You just have to fight harder.

[ It's clear that she fights by the way she talks. It's not all a metaphor for struggling to stay alive and be on top of things. She's someone who has fought monsters the size of houses and even she enjoys a good cup of coffee from time to time. It's just how it goes. ]

Mm. I won't pry unless you want to talk about it. [ She's the type to keep to herself even if she seems to extend herself outward and make herself available in a sense that's friendly. ] Ha, yeah? Well, it happens to the best of us. You ever do coffee and whiskey? Or rum? Warms you right up if you're ever feeling frozen. Not really my thing, personally.

[Ben's not actively looking for fights anymore, but he wants to be ready for situations if and when they come up. That, and he's used to a life constantly on guard.]

If you want coffee, there's the Yendi's Arms. [Ben appreciates quiet, restful places, ironic for someone with such a fiery temper. But maybe not so surprising - the calm atmosphere is good for him, he thinks.] I'm fond of it myself - the darker, the better. As for rum, that's a little on the strong side for me. I've had vodka. Strong stuff.

[He smiles a little at the joke.]

I'm not from Earth, there is no Earth where I come from far as I know, so it's all new to me.

The question was more like a beacon for the angel who just happened to be clutching a glass of scotch in his hand whilst reading a book. A favourite of his actually; Homer's Iliad. Nothing like a bit of classical reading whilst it was a nice day out on the Plaza. Then the voice and question caused him to close his book and smile warmly at the stranger.

"Actually, I do. It depends on what sort of strong drink you are after but I happen to stock quite a range. From tongue burners to gut-rot. Take your pick, darling."

Balthazar sipped his scotch and wondered about the woman. She seemed as if she could take care of herself in a fight.

[ Honestly, a place that lets you drink in public might just be the place for her. It's not that she drank heavily or so frequently that it mattered too much to her so much as she needed a vacation sorely -- and it's been coming for a long while. If anything, it suggests a more laid back atmosphere and while she struggles to let herself go from rigidity, it's something she needs. If you're uptight too long and work without a vacation as often as she does, you're more likely to break. That's the last thing that she needs, especially since she suspects she'll carry on and fight until death in the field.

She'd rather prolong the living part, if she can. ]

Oh, boy. [ She grins, a little toothy and crooked. ] You've said the magic words. I'm a bourbon gal myself, but I won't say "no" if something else is offered to me.

[ There's something charming about someone reading a book in public, drinking like they're in the comfort of their own home. If anything, it makes her feel more at ease. ]

[ooc: It's no problem. I can work with it ^-^]

Well, then, be my guest, love. Let me get us a drink together, since I don't wish to be rude drinking here all by myself.

[Balthazar used a little bit of angel magic and summoned up the half bottle of scotch to the inside of his jacket which he proceeded to take out and unscrew. He picked up a spare glass, which he also happened to have inside his jacket. Being an angel and immortal had it's advantages. He filled the stranger's glass halfway and passed it towards her.]

It's scotch but I do have a range of bourbons back at my bar. The Angel's Retreat. As far as names go I'm Balthazar. Pleased to meet a fellow whiskey lover.

[He offered her a charming smile and clinked his glass against hers.]

[ She pauses when he uses that summoning magic, unused to such things. It feels a little like a dream to her and in that, it's easier to shake off. Unfortunately she's so pragmatic and practical that it's hard to wrap her head around it fully. The best course of action she supposes is to leave it as is and not address it -- to carry on. So she smiles warmly and ducks her head, almost coy, in gratitude. ]

That so? I'll be sure to take a trip that way sometime soon, but for now the weather's too nice to pass up sitting out here, I think you'd agree?

[ Taking a seat, Jill folds a leg over the other almost instantly and makes herself comfortable. Her back straight, no slouching, as she carefully takes the glass and just barely has their fingers meet in the exchange. ]

Jill Valentine. A pleasure to meet you, Balthazar. [ She holds her glass out, tipping it faintly in his direction for a "cheers" gesture. ] Not everyone has great taste in liquor, unfortunately.

[Balthazar was never short of summoning magic being an immortal being of well over 250 million or so years old. Yet, he almost forgot about people not being used to magic and the supernatural.]

Oh, of course! We can sit here and enjoy one another's company, darling. Since you are new to the Nexus are there any questions you'd like answered? I'll try my best.

[He shot a charming smile as he sipped on his scotch, laying one leg over the other and leaning back on the seat. He wondered just what sort of person she was since she held herself well. No slouching. A soldier, perhaps? Someone disciplined anyway.]

Jill. Likewise. I know and it's a crying shame! People shouldn't pollute their throats and stomachs with vile piss. I do agree.

[While skekSa's careful about approaching humans, since they wouldn't have met a skeksis before, she greets the newcomer politely and answers her question. Direct and to the point, this one.]

If you're looking for a drink, lass, I might be able to offer a helping hand.

[skekSa makes note of the weapons the woman is carrying and hums in approval. She's carrying several throwing-knives herself, along with her cutlass. Clearly someone who can handle herself in a fight, and the kind of person the Lord Mariner respects.]

Captain skekSa. [The birdlike creature raises her feathered hat.] I own a tavern in the downtown Nexus. My crew and I will brew up something for you - consider it on the house.

[ Jill isn't familiar with creatures like this and frankly, her appearance is off-setting for her. Jill's quick to draw her knife and point, though not ready to quite attack due to the voice. That's her saving grace.

She inches away, not quite crescenting around in a stalking gait but ready to pounce given time. ]

You're a monster. [ She says calmly, pointedly, knife bent sideways in front of her. It gleams, but is held stiff as a board in place on a floor. There's no fear in Jill's words or actions, it's all control. ] And you're a Captain. [ Almost incredulous, she eases on the weapon. ] ...you're not like the ones from where I come from. We're on equal footing?

[ A question that hangs precariously. ]

Aye, a captain of the sea. My apologies if I startled you, lass. You have my word I mean no harm.

[skekSa is unaffected by being called a monster - there are many reasons to dislike and distrust a skeksis, and she's aware of a little of what her kin have done. She's prepared to face hostility and distrust. She wonders if this stranger has met her people before, or mistook her for something else. The Mariner raises her hands, both pairs of them, in a sign of peace.]

The ones where you come from? You've met skeksis before?

[No fear. skekSa respects that, as well. It's not anyone who can hold their ground against a Lord of the Crystal, and one of the most physically intimidating ones at that.]

[ She unfortunately doesn't know what to make of this. It feels like she's gotten high on some kind of fume. Alternate universes? No big deal. Monsters -- or inhuman things, even -- not out to kill her? Now that's a pipe dream. Jill lowers her weapon and ducks her head, looking a little ashamed. She shouldn't judge by appearance but it's hard not to. ]

Listen, I... People don't look like you, where I'm from. What I fight, I guess they're not similar, either. I jumped to conclusions. [ She sheathes the weapon as a sign of peace on her end. ] Tend to stab first and think later in order to survive in a battle, if you know what I mean.

[ Jill shakes her head, keeping her hands at her side as much as she wants to just fight and think later. But that's easy and things are never that easy for her, however much she wishes they might be. ]

'fraid not. I've never heard of a skeksis.

[skekSa nods as she listens to the explanation, quiet.]

Ah, I understand. You come from a world where you have to stay sharp to stay standing. [The Mariner's understanding, and glad this situation's resolving itself. She doesn't want to fight.] It's a fair misunderstanding to have. We don't have your people where I come from, either. We're what you would call aliens.

[She wasn't intimidated by humans when she first met them, but wasn't sure what to make of them, either.]

It's rather a long story, but that's the kind of creature I am.

A dozen or more. [The woman that responds is a few inches taller than Jill, and her outfit of worn leathers, weathered gauze, belts and chains, speaks of a different world of origin. There's something similar about the body language, though--straight spine, conservation of energy, quiet precision. Ex-military? Maybe. Definitely someone prepared for trouble.]

That might be one of the top ten most-asked questions in this place. [Furiosa muses, with a wry smile.] You prefer a dive, or somewhere that mops the floors at the end of the night?

[She's not judging, either way.]

Then it's not too different from where I come from, I'd say.

[ There's a muted hint of humor in her voice, noting that it was an expected answer but not one she was completely sure of. Being five-five Jill tends to expect most to be taller than her and when approached, she doesn't quite size up the other woman. She looks like a hunter, is her first thought. It's the leather, she supposes, but she'll wait to make further inference on the other woman. ]

No such thing as both, huh? [ Chuckling, it hits her eyes as she offers a sturdy hand. ] Jill Valentine. Dark and quiet is my preference. Can't stand loud music or television pumping while I try to lose myself in a glass or ten. I suspect you might be similar?

[Unfortunately, Jill has subtly flagged down a man wearing black sunglasses, combat boots, and a floor-length green trenchcoat in a combination that might have been really cool on a late-twenties man in the early 2000s, but not really anywhere else or since.]

[Tommy's a little taken by surprise, honestly, but he recovers quickly. He usually makes it a point not to talk to strangers - or even really make eye contact with them before powerwalking away - but there are always exceptions. Like for no-nonsense ladies dressed to kill, woah.]

[He tips his sunglasses just slightly down with his finger so he can quirk his eyebrow. It should look stupidly telegraphed, and, well, it is. Not gonna lie, it totally is. But he does it with a lot of shameless confidence, and he finds that it makes up for it sometimes. If he's lucky.]

You wanna know where you can find a strong drink...? [He tilts his head back, deep in exaggerated thought. Then suddenly snaps his fingers, and looks right at her.] Oh yeah, there just happens to be a tall, refreshin' glass of water right here!

[Wink. Not that she can see it through the shades. But regardless, wink.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

a re-introduction.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

if you're not against mixed styles i'll be responding with brackets; if it bothers you lmk!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject