nexus_crossings | (no subject)

(no subject)

Nathan was used to traveling in strange ways. Or in his case Ways, short cuts around the mortal world that crossed into the Fae realm, so finding a new doorway was nothing really new. What does surprise him is the bustling city he is currently wandering in. It reminds him in a small way of Chicago or New York, but with the strangeness of magic. He limps along leaning on his staff until he comes to a tavern.

Not much of a drinker, Nathan still knows places like this are where people gather so he moves inside, a six foot tall man leaning on a staff covered in carved leaves and vines. He's dressed in a green t-shirt, and dark brown jeans with hiking boots that look like they've been through the ringer. His face is covered with a dark beard and his hair is a bit shaggy. He actually looks tired like he's seen something recently that he wishes he could have unseen.

He finds a seat at a table in the center of the room and sits ordering something that looks like mead. He glances around the room taking in the people assembled there. "If you were offered power to save yourself over someone else would you take it?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Now, what kind of a question is that?" At the next table over, a dark haired man peers Nathan's way with idle curiosity alighting his features. He scoops up his glass before getting up so he can join the man at the table unless it looks like Nathan will bite his head off for trying.

"I suppose it'd depend on how much you like the other person, wouldn't it? Why such a grim prospect though? It's a fine day, there's good drink to be had. Is that really what you want to think about here and now?"

Nathan doesn't discourage the man sitting next to him. "Things were a bit rough where I came from," he says with a quiet rasp. He can still see the devastation of Chicago in his mind's eye. So much loss and yet he believes the city and her survivors will rise from the ashes. "They were a good friend for how long I knew them," he replied, "and seeing the pain of their loss affected those who knew them longer."

"All the more reason to enjoy being somewhere more enjoyable then." The man quirks a brow Nathan's way and offers a tiny beginning of a smile. People end up here in the Nexus from all corners of the multiverse, after all. Each one of them's got their own story and their own baggage.

"Would any answer you found here change what's happened though? Even in a place like this altering the past is damn near impossible." He offers a sympathetic sigh, fingers toying with the glass in front of him before he lifts it to take a deep pull from the glass. "Have you been here long, friend?"

"I've learned first hand changing time is not a good idea," Nathan replied with a sip of his own drink., "the past should remain in the past for a reason. And any answers I get wouldn't change anything...I was just curious." He eyes the man as he takes another sip of mead. "Just arrived," he says, "I've learned not to turn down an open door when one is presented to me."

Nathan's new drinking buddy doesn't seem like he's in a hurry to race to the bottom of his glass while he lends an ear. His nod is slow. If anything, he seems to relax knowing Nathan isn't looking for a miracle to come from his questions.

"Good. That's real good, friend. Too many people ask the impossible and too many try to achieve it. In the grandiose great big picture? Hypotheticals don't mean much at all.
But it's not so bad to wonder either. Not if that's what you want."

The man sits up a bit straighter in his seat before raising his glass to Nathan in a toast. "You're safely here and that's something. Next round's on me, er. Sorry, I never did ask your name did I? Think of it as a welcome to the Nexus."

Nathan raises his own mug and considers how best to answer the question. He normally goes under a different name back home, but he senses no malice from this place, but it's always wise to be careful. "Nate," he replies easily, "and you are," he asks with a open but searching look.

"Nate it is, my friend. I won't forget it." More believable this early into a night than if he'd really been drinking hard up until now, perhaps. He lifts his free hand to press against his jacket to gesture to himself.

"Sam." Sam taps his own chest a moment before laughing. "Last I checked at least. I should have said that sooner probably." So easy to get distracted by all these serious questions and new faces that find themselves here in this place between worlds.

"Let me get us another set of drinks then, Sam. More of the same or do you care to try something different?"

Nate smiles. "Another mead is fine," he tells Sam, his raspy voice warming a bit and he slams the rest of his drink, enjoying the burn as it goes down.

"It's been a while since I've been able to just sit and relax with a drink." he admits.

Sam waggles his brow playfully when Nate takes him up on the offer, adventurous or not, before he pushes himself up to go and lean against the bar to order them another round. His voice is too quiet for Nate to make out what he says to the bartender but he won't keep the newcomer waiting for long. When he comes back it will be with another mead for Nate and another whiskey for himself.

"Is the world so terrible you walked away from that a man can't enjoy a quiet drink anymore?" Sam shakes his head as he offers over the drink. "You really have come to greener pastures."

"It's complicated," Nathan replied quietly as he took the drink and sipped some. "magical related kinds of complicated and you strike me as the type who doesn't know much about that sort of thing."

Rota comes here because he is social by nature, gregarious and sometimes loud. The angel dressed in a bright robin's egg suit with wings made of peacock feathers that trail toward to the ground like a train. At the voice he turns away from the bar. All six eyes turning to stare, each one a different color and each a different animal.

"Free will gives most beings that power but do you take the choice of self is the question?"

Nathan doesn't seem surprised at the oddness of the creature he is talking to. "I do," he replied, his voice a quiet rasp. "Most of my life was defined by the choices others made for me...now one choice made for me has turned my life into something interesting." He sips his drink. "And yet years later I still question the choice made in the heat of the moment."

"Nice staff, pal. You a wizard, mage or Dungeons and Dragons character? Something along those lines? I'm a bit rusty with all the things these geek kids are into these days."

Tony just offered a gaze to the man as he sipped his coffee. He'd added in some sugar today because it was his "get to feel good" day and hey---he'd been pretty healthy the last few weeks eating only veg smoothies. They tasted a bit like shit but they had done him a ton of good.

"As for power? That can be dangerous in the wrong hands. For people who don't know how to use or control it at will. These days I'm more into saving others than myself. I'm past the self sacrifice stage."

Was Tony Stark partially speaking bullshit? Oh, he always spouted bullshit. But the sentiment was there. Deadly serious. He was an Avenger and they laid their lives on the line to save others.

"Something like that," Nathan replied with a slight smile, "but you aren't wrong...I've seen first hand how power can harm people who get caught in its path.I was just curious mostly...came from somewhere that was nasty so I guess it made me think of it."

"Yeah, so have I and it's not pretty. Let's just say I'd rather not go into the details of that."

The whole thing with Tony's past and the ongoing Ultron thing was a rather sore spot for him to say the least. Still, this guy seemed ok and seemed to have a decent head on him. The question was; who was he and was he really a D+D character?

"Tony Stark aka. Iron-Man. Do you have a name too, pal? I mean a real one not Fancy Wizard or Goblin-Killer or something. D+D, you know."

"We all have our baggage," Nathan agreed and didn't say much beyond that. He keeps his secrets for a reason. "Nate," he says in answer to the question, "just Nate no fancy titles though there are certain people who want to give them to me." Lilly considered Nathan part of her court and wanted to give him a title but he doesn't really give a damm about those sorts of things any more. Names also have power and Nathan isn't about to risk his neck until he settles in more. "Nice to meet you Mr. Stark."

"Yeah, yeah we do. Some more than others and mine---well, mine is a shitload. Also, call me Tony. Mr. Stark makes it way too formal and I'm no longer the sit in the office and do crap loads of meeting type of guy anymore. More just Tony. Or Iron-Man. Depends on how you see me."

Tony smiled and shrugged. Most just saw him as the engineer and philanthropist without the suit. Iron-Man suiting up times was when he needed to save people or just because he wanted to test out a new suit. The Nexus didn't really have need of super heroes saving people. He knew back home on his world it was all going to shit what with Ultron but he didn't want to think about that.

"So, what's your story then, Nate?"

Nathan considers. "Older brother who tapped into powers he didn't know he had, died a couple of times and then wound up getting more power that I didn't really want. Currently a lawyer in Chicago among other things." As well as being a magical envoy for various people and the Summer Court.

"Nope!"

The simple, but emphatic answer came from one of the tables against the wall where the tiefling was sitting, slim fingers shuffling cards in his hands before plunking the deck down on the table, which he'd covered with a brocade tablecloth covered with silvery constellations. He wasn't always in this tavern, but when the mood struck him, the owner didn't mind his taking over a table to do readings.

"Not gonna say someone who does decide that is bad or not, I'm not them and I don't know their situation, but it's not my sort of thing."

Nathan nods understanding that that would be the answer. His choice had been made in the heat of a moment and had led to a life he found both interesting and peaceful at the same time. He glances at the tiefling not at all bothered by him. He's seen odder in recent years. "I wouldn't expect it to be for everyone....hell it took me being near death to choose for myself."

Molly let out a soft, considering hum, flicking one of the cards up and letting out a soft 'hah!' when he saw which it was, turning it in his fingers so the stranger could see the card as well.

"Dying didn't change my mind, but that's just me." He shrugged faintly, dropping the card in hand to the table.

Nathan let out a soft snort. "Death affects us all in small ways," he replies, "some good some bad. Sometimes it's just weird." He sips his drink. "I was mostly just curious since my choice was made years ago and I wouldn't change it for the world." He taps his leg with his staff. "Might not be the man I was, but I like the man I am."

"That's the important part!" Molly agreed with a nod. "Not much point in all the rest if you don't like yourself, hm?"

Nathan nods. "Nope..I have a friend who I wish would learn that lesson...but Harry has had a hard life and pushing him into things is a bad idea."

"I'd think I'd do what I could to save us both. But well, if I can only save myself or the other person. I'll admit, I'd probably piss off my boyfriend by sacrificing myself." Mira's seated nearby, a gadget in front of her that she is toying with trying to fix. She reaches over one of the legs of the thing to get her bourbon taking a drink.

"It's probably why he doesn't like me going out much."

"People who care worry," Nate agreed, "used to do that over my younger brother."

It's been a long time since he's seen Peter and he feels his heart ache a bit as he wonders if his brother is alright. He knows Peter is the strongest of them with the most power out of all of them, but his instincts as an older sibling are still there.

He wonders about Claire too...is she okay? He has been tempted to check on her too, but it would cause a bit too much of a mess if someone saw him.

"I gave my life to protect him a few times...."

"I'm just not used to it." She turns back to her device. "I'm used to being alone mostly." She flipped the device over humming slightly, nodding to herself. "Being different in Bullet made it easier."

Though she turns back to him when he speaks again. "Wouldn't family do that for one another though? Give everything for the others that share blood with them?" At least that's what she felt with the guy that raised her as his niece.

"Some family yes...others well they are out for themselves," Nathan says thinking of his mother and father, "they see their family members like pawns to be used how they see fit. My parents were like that...it's why I don't use my real name anymore, among other reasons."

"My found family usually complains when I get myself into trouble. But really hanging out with who I do, they tend to rub off on me and I refuse to stand by when someone's in trouble." Even though she can't really fight.

"And I know that feeling too. I don't use my given name." She wiped her hand off on her jeans to clean off any grease before she held out the hand. "Mira by the way." It's her favorite of her stage names. And really it works as well as any other right.

"Nate," comes the reply as he leans over to shake her hand. "Pleased to meet you Mira." His grip is sure and firm with smooth hands that are callused in places where he grips his staff. "Names have power where I came from. You don't just hand it out without a reason and even then you only do it bit by bit."

"Makes sense." She notes the calluses though. With what he's said and how he's holding himself, she's guessing he may be in the same line of work as her boyfriend's family, the hand reminds her of his younger brother, who uses a staff, but she knows enough to keep her mouth shut on it.

"It's why I have a few aliases. Jay and Red have made it clear enough that their real names could cause me issues, and well I got into the habit of fake ones." Besides she had her little mecha bodyguards, usually they were enough. Send one to find one of her boyfriend's family, and the others to play diversion so she could slip away. At least that's what's worked in her Gotham. Most people left her alone because they thought she was one of Penguin's entertainment as well, and no one low level wanted to mess with one of Bat's rogues, for the most part.

Orko wasn't at the tavern to drink the mead, but in his wanderings he knew places like this would be where he'd find out information. Hopefully about his friends and if they made it. Even better, he hoped to find them here in the Nexus someday. He doubted he'd ever stop worrying about them. He wasn't even sure if he'd be able to go back; uncertain if he was alive or dead considering the last thing he remembered before waking up here.

The Trollan was hanging out in a dark corner - looking like a small bundle of tattered robes and a large hat left in a pile. But on closer observation, one would be able to see large gold eyes peering out now and again from beneath the brim. He didn't miss the guy with the staff. He could feel some kind of magical force coming from him. However he also knew from a glance that the man wasn't an Eternian. The feel and the clothing wasn't quite right. Still, the man's question caught his full attention and the tiny figure concealed in the robes pushed himself upright off the bench he was curled up on and he floated over in mid-air. Other than the long and very thin arms and the long tapered ears poking out from holes in his hat; nothing else of the Trollan's body could be seen.

"No." He said softly in answer to the question. The hat shifted as he shook his head a little. "If I had an opportunity like that, I would use that power to save others. Especially those that I love."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only