nexus_crossings | (no subject)

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Isamu had accepted his fate when he was defeated by his former best friend, but at the same time he didn't. As he had sat there and told him to do as he pleased with his Reason, as he had realized there was nothing he could do anymore to create the world he had wanted, an anger and bitterness swelled inside the pit of his stomach, formed a massive ball until it dissipated into surrender...and then nothing. He hadn't been sure of what to expect after his defeat. Would be be reborn in whatever new world were to come, or be punished for his actions? Would he simply cease to exist?

When he awoke - if that was the right word to use, as he had simply just ended up standing in some unfamiliar area - he thought for sure he was reborn in another world. There were people, tables, seating...lots of seating. And people. It almost resembled how things were before the Conception.

Isamu glances about the Plaza curiously, brows furrowed in confusion and mouth slightly agape in dumbfoundedness. Was this the new world? Was this it? He simply stood there for a moment, probably quite a sight to some. An obviously lost, shirtless teenager with faces decorating his upper body, constantly twisting into various different emotions. Once his frazzled mind calms down a little he reaches out for the nearest person as if ready to grab hold of them, but he doesn't, instead stopping just short to get their attention so he could ask one simple question.

"Hey, do you...remember the Vortex world?"

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There's a buzzing in the back of Katsuya's head when he enters the Nexus. It's not Resonance, the feel of another Persona user, but more a sense of something that he hadn't sensed in a long time. He examined his door carefully, making sure the seal holding the demons of Sumaru city at bay from entering the Nexus was still in tact.

His steps are quick when he heads next to the Plaza, glancing around furtively until he finds the source of what was troubling him. He stops short of the youth, eyes widening at the grotesque faces covering his skin.

The young man speaks and Katsuya is so startled he nearly forgets to answer.

"Is that what you're calling it?" He remembers destruction, rumors becoming reality, the day demons crossed over into his world and nothing was ever the same. This is the first time someone else in the Nexus has mentioned something like that, though. Someone who feels a bit familiar, even if Katsuya's certain he hasn't seen this person before.

Even as a pseudo-fiend Isamu was used to blending in with the crowd given the different types wandering around the Vortex world, so the reaction he gets is a slight surprise. He shrugs it off easily enough though, having more important things on his mind.

"It's not like I made it up or anything." He hooks his thumbs into his pockets, idly glancing about his surroundings. "It's not my ideal world, but I guess it beats fighting for survival every day."

Of course he's not taking this whole thing as easy as his words suggest. And Isamu was never too good at hiding when he was bitter about something either.

"Are you okay?"

The officer doesn't mean to stare exactly but, well, that's very much not a normal affliction this boy has. Though it does explain why he thought there were demons in the Nexus again.

"I...survived a great catastrophe but I'm beginning to think yours and mine are not the same."

"Never better."

The response is dry but offered with a pointed stare. It's not that he's offended by the question or anything, it's just annoying. Like a pin prick. Perhaps because he's not so sure of the answer anymore.

What the stranger says piques his interest though, enough to distract him from his troubles.

"You're not talking about the Conception, are you?"

"I'm not, no. I don't think so, at any rate. Rumors becoming reality, demons roaming the streets? Society turning on itself?"

That he lived through. Fought through. He doesn't think that's what this young man is describing though.

"Gods playing chess with the lives of man, ultimately. That's what happened."

"Hm." He mulls over that information for a moment. It doesn't sound impossible, though not long ago something like this would be hard to believe. "Sounds similar."

Similar but not quite. Sounds like his society slowly crumbled as opposed to just ending in one grand moment.

"So you survived all of that, did you? Do you fight?" His gaze suddenly becomes scrutinizing. Maybe he should be working on getting to know the people who can handle themselves. Not that he needs too, of course. Just...for convenience. Yeah.

"...Yes. I fought. I still fight. There are still demons in Sumaru, though far less than there used to be."

The officer adjusts his tinted sunglasses carefully, one of his many nervous habits. Teeth sinking into flesh, claws stripping skin and rending muscle. He's felt it all. Searing, freezing, electrocution. Sword, gunshot, bludgeoning. The darkest recesses of mankind's mind. Of his own.

"...I still fight. Someone has to."

"Definitely not the same thing then. There's no "less" in the Vortex World." At least not the one he came from.

He crosses his arms and arches a brow at the man. "Still? Are there actually demons here too or something?"

"Still, yes. We fended off the god who was threatening our world, but it never did quite return to normal. The most we can do is maintain vigilance and exterminate any demon threats that arise."

Katsuya sounds somewhat tired when he admits this. It's a draining life, but one he's resigned himself to. Someone needs to protect the city.

"Not so much anymore. I believe there may be a few who have contracted with Nexus denizens here, but they've not caused trouble."

"Sounds way too troublesome," he drawls. That didn't sound like a satisfying life at all. Had his reason come to fruition there would be no need to fend off annoying gods.

"Yeah, I noticed so far this place looks pretty tame. I guess I'll find out for myself."

"Wowwww mya. Someone sure did a number on you."

There's a cat demon sprawled out along the top of a short wall somewhere behind Isamu. Her tails swish form side to side as she watches him from her vantage point, golden eyes shining in amusement.

"Myabe. I've seen a lot of shit go down in a couple of different planes. Which one was yours again mya?"

Isamu eyes the familiar cat demon a moment before allowing his gaze to wonder elsewhere, arms crossing over his chest.

"It's not exactly easy to explain. It used to be Tokyo." But he doesn't know what that means to her, if anything.

"I've never been there, personally. My turf was down in Sumaru nya~"

She stretches out then, spine arching and paws streeeeetching forward. Her claws dig into the bricks while she spreads out before seeming content and folding her arms so she can rest her head on them once more form where she's laying atop the wall.

"Demon invasion, mya? God and Satan duking it out? Humies tryin' to play with shit they got no right touching?" She rattles off the possibilities casually. "You're here though mya, so good on you. And it looks like you're not entirely a useless meatsack anymore. Double kudos nya~"

"A little from column A, B, and C, you could say."

There's a sting to Isamu's already fragile ego at her words, despite their...semi-encouraging tone? Sure, he's here. But being here had not been the end goal and is more ore less a testament to his failures. The only indication he gives of any of this is a slight slump of his shoulders.

"I don't even know how I got here. But I guess it doesn't really matter to me." He uncrosses his arms and gazes around the plaza while still somewhat keeping an eye on the cat demon. "What's the deal with this place anyway?"

"Are you kidding? This place is great compared to those shitholes myaa~"

She finally hops down, tails, curves and floof bouncing a bit when she lands before padding over to the teenager. Her golden eyes seem amused more than anything. She leans in close to him, offering a smile that could be sweet or completely predatory depending on who you asked.

"You came from a world in Chaos. This is the repository for the Collective Unconscious. The trunk from which every world branches off." Don't be impressed Isamu, she read that on one of the many welcome pamphlets to the Nexus. "Blah blah, all that shit. It's basically a hub between worlds and times where people go to kill time, escape their shithole worlds, or just network with other realms. Personally, I came here willingly so I could start a business other than trying not to get eaten every Beldr damned day."

Edited 2016-09-01 01:54 (UTC)

When the cat demon leans in Isamu remains still, not wanting his discomfort at close proximity to be mistaken for being intimidated. Though he fails and instinctively leans back a bit anyway. What she speaks makes some kind of sense to him so it's easy for him to accept the explanation. In a sense. How he's handling the information is a whole other story.

"An inter-dimensional vacation spot. There was a time where I would have thought this was kind of awesome." As opposed to just troublesome. But...it beats being dead? Maybe. "What kind of business would you run here anyway?"

"I'm a rumormonger, nya~"

It's best not to ask where she produces the small notebook she waves in front of Isamu's face. Especially considering the only thing covering her is all her fur. Some questions are best left unanswered.

"I buy and sell information. Handy business, especially considering all the people who just wanna go home. Or find someone. Or hide from someone or something. Information is a great business."

"A Rumormonger, huh?" Well, consider his interest piqued. His eyes follow the notebook, not bothering to question where she even got it from. He'll chalk it up to demons being weird like that.

"So then you must know a lot about this place, then. Is that right?" He's actually impressed. Information is indeed a great business. If you control information you're already pretty powerful.

"As much as anyone can know about a dimension that's squidgy and shifting, yeah."

Nekomata preens, clearly happy to see someone having the proper respect for her chosen profession. They were quite important back in Sumaru, too. If the threat of death wasn't so constant, she might have stayed there.

"I know a lot about the people who frequent it too. You make it a priority to know folks when this is your job."

"Anyone particularly interesting?" He adopts his tone to something more conversational so as not to appear to eager to hear this information.

"Or dangerous?"

"Nya-ah-ah~ You know thyat's not how it works."

The rumor monger gives a toothy grin and circles Isamu once, tails dragging against his arms as she does so.

"You gotta trade for valuable information. But since you're partially not a humie I'll give you a discount. Give me a piece of valuable information and I'll tell you all you want to know about the Nexus frequents~"

And here he thought he was being sly.

Isamu gives off a long, obviously exaggerated sigh. "I only just got here, you know. But I guess a discount is better than nothing."

Fighting back his urge to just start bitching about his situation, he appears to give some thought. It's not like he has any information that might be useful here, but who knows?

"Do you know anything about Reasons?"

"Reasons for what nya?"

Nekomata tilts her head to the side. First one way, then the other. She nearly sulks, but Isamu seems serious so she doesn't think he's pulling her tails on this. And being a cat, she is incredibly curious.

"Is it some kind of riddle nya?"

Now, the arrival of people is always varied and rarely shocking. Sometimes he sits about and watches for them just to see the differences in who shows up and how. Rarely will he decide to actually step in and be helpful; leave it to the peasants and the do-gooders to do that.

It's even more rare that someone's appearances get a reaction out of him either. Most of them are Overlanders and the wizard couldn't care less about another being added to the pile. And this one looks to be more of the same. But after a second moment of squinting scrutiny...

It doesn't matter if Ixis Naugus has been approached for help, he's already hollering across whatever distance the two may have, "VALE'S BONES! Boy, what the devil is wrong with your skin!?"

That is definitely a reaction Isamu is not used to being on the receiving end of. All that shouting forces a wince out of him as he takes a step back, hands up as if he were fending him off.

"You don't have to yell!" Was he startled? Yes, yes he was a bit. But he's going to adapt a casual stance and pretend as if he wasn't completely taken aback. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"Nothing wr-," Naugus sputters before coming closer to wave with urgent indication at the writhing marks of fiendhood that take up the greater part of the teen's torso. "Your skin is a mass of faces! I've seen enough Overlanders without their shirts on to know that that is not a standard feature of your race!" Yes, he's an expert on human anatomy, absolutely.

Isamu rolls his eyes - much like you'd expect an indignant teen would.

"Just because it's not normal doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it." It was ugly, yeah, but Isamu didn't care. It represented something great. At least, he might have thought so a few hours ago. Luckily his uncertainty is not showing on the surface, for now. "I could say you're pretty weird too, you know."

Not that he is, to Isamu. But he is at heart an immature teenager so he's going to say so anyway.

"How dare you! I'm a marvelous specimen who is notably lacking in horror show displays such as this! Vale's bones, at least put on a shirt. Or are you going to tell me that those things need to breathe? Or feed?"

Maybe to test that theory, Naugus reaches out with one gloved finger, aiming to stick it into one of the howling maws stretched across Isamu's chest.

At first Isamu isn't sure what Naugus is doing, so he stares with an arched brow and a twitch if his lip. "They're just emotio--"

He's barely able to finish his thought when a finger is going in one of the mouths, which doesn't yield much in the way of results. The mouth continues to stretch in a silent scream or howl - whichever emotion seems to be on display at the moment - before Isamu is quickly stepping back to put distance between them.

"The hell are you doing?! You can't just touch a guy's face like that no matter where it is!"

Naugus is frowning as he watches the lack of reaction from the body-face, that frown turning up towards the owner of said body-face once he backs off in indignation. "You're so fussy. There was no harm done, wasn't there? Unless-...Oh. Ohhh. I see. I see. I'm onto your sick games.

"This is a sexual thing, isn't it?" Because if there's one thing Ixis Naugus thinks he knows about Overlanders in this place, they're all about that sort of thing. "All the more reason to cover yourself! Honestly! Grow some decency."

Isamu's face tinges red at the accusation, mouth dumbly hanging open for lack of a response to that. But eventually he finds the words, which come out lame due to the slight cracking in his voice.

"Gross -- no! Don't be such a weirdo!" Honestly this was the most embarrassing conversation he's had since having The Talk with his parents. "You wouldn't like it if people went around touching your face either, would you?"

"It's not your face! Your face is the one you're currently using to talk to me! It's a wound! It's a wound shaped like a face, one of many, which in no way convinces me this isn't a fetishistic situation! In any case...Here." Naugus twirls a finger and a nearby souvenir stand experiences an isolated and powerful breeze, strong enough to snatch up a t-shirt. The errant wind somehow magically carries the garment towards the mage and drops unceremoniously onto Isamu's head.

It's a blue tee that has a really odd image and phrase printed on it.

"There. Enjoy."

Isamu isn't really surprised by the display of magic as much as he is by the fact that there is a t-shirt being plopped onto his head. He snatches it off, almost knocking off his hat in the process, he holds it up with a look of disdain. He has no idea what image and phrase is supposed to mean but either way he's not happy.

"I don't need this." He drops it to the floor, making sure it lands at Naugus's feet to be extra disrespectful! "If it bothers you so much then don't look my way."

Naugus frowns but uses the end of his staff to pick up the shirt and tuck it into the shadows of his cloak. There don't appear to be any pockets there, but his hand comes back empty regardless. Weird. Might as well give the shirt to Harrowheart; he'll love it because he loves stupid things.

"So what even are you? You look Overlander, save the horrific display you insist on showing us."

"The hell is an Overlander? Is that your word for human?"

He doesn't allow him to answer before he continues to talk anyway.

"If so then yeah, sort of human, sort of not. Not that it's any of your business."

"What do you mean 'sort of not'? You either are or you aren't! There's no in-betweens when it comes to species!" Says a guy who comes from a world with no crossbreeds or hybrids ~~save himself~~. "You certainly behave like an Overlander. Which, yes, I'm told can also be referred to as humans. I'll be sticking to the terminology I've always known, however."

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