(no subject)

[barre_none]

There's a new addition to the nexus; a young woman in her early twenties with a small duffel bag slung over one shoulder, wearing a completely bewildered expression as well as pointe shoes, tights, and an oversized jumper over a black leotard.

She was expecting to leave her class and end up in the main theatre for rehearsal; instead, she's God knows where. After walking a little, she stops and looks around again, trying casually not to panic in a way that only the British are able; usually this involves a couple of deep breaths and muttering to yourself, but is subject to change.

"This is fine. Totally fine. I'm just completely lost in a place I've worked for years. Totally normal."

and then, at normal speaking volume;

"If there's anyone here, I'd really appreciate a hand. Anyone?"

Comments

[ixis]

"With what, precisely?" The smarmy reply comes from a decidedly bizarre figure lounging on a nearby sofa, head propped up on one hand (his only hand, for that matter), tail draped over an armrest. "People come here asking for advice all the time; you're going to have to be a little more specific."

[barre_none]

She practically spins round, startled by the other voice. While she wanted a response, she wasn't expecting it to come from so close by.

Or from someone with a tail. But Grace can cross that bridge when she gets to it. Her grip tightens a little on the strap of her bag as she answers him, her tone uncertain.

"With how I got here? Or how I can get back..?"

[ixis]

"Oh. That." Ixis Naugus hops off of the sofa and onto his feet, reaching into the darker folds of his cape and extracting a long staff topped with a large purple gem from within them. Ssssomehow? There's no way there was a pocket big or absurd enough to hold something like that. The mage gives it a casual twirl as he approaches the confused young lady.

"People tend to cross over into this place by no discernible means or reason. I personally theorize that we're all just lucky enough to slip through the cracks of reality. Random happenstance. Doing the right series of meaningless actions and phrases, perhaps? Or maybe you're just dead." Yeah, just throw that one into the mix, why don't you. That's not alarming to hear at all.

"It's not always a one way trip. Sometimes a doorway comes with you that leads you back home? Sometimes not. Were that the case, well, some people may or may not be capable of making you a door once more. If asked nicely and treated with the proper respect, of course." It's him. He makes doors.

[barre_none]

Her brows raise in surprise as she takes a step back, and she opens her mouth to comment, but thinks better of it. How a staff that size was concealed so well under a cape is - or at least, probably should be - the least of her concerns.

What the stranger is saying makes pretty much no sense to her, and the suggestion that she could be dead doesn't faze her much either. Class and rehearsals were gruelling, yes - but not enough to kill her.

The idea of going back is definitely tempting at any rate.

"And I'm guessing that someone would be you..?"

[ixis]

"You catch on quick! Yes, I make portals to and from places should the need or request arise. Child's play for someone as skilled and magnificent as myself." And he's humble too! "Oh, but here I am, yammering on about our surroundings without giving proper introduction."

There is a grand flourish and twirl of his claw before the mage dips into a low bow. "Ixis Naugus, master of the elements and sorcerer supreme! I'm a very important fellow here in the Nexus; how lucky to have met me so soon after your arrival, hm?"

[missnanny]

Curie is out for a walk with a few red clay flowerpots in her hand, and tucked inside of the pots are packets of some various seeds that she bought from one of the Nexus shops. And she perks her head up when she hears the young woman's question with a worry look on her face.

"Are you okay, mademoiselle?!" She does hope she isn't hurt, but then again she is great at taking things just a tad bit literally. "If you are hurt, I am more than capable of helping you."

[barre_none]

Grace turns towards the voice, thankful that there is in fact someone else here.

"Oh, no, I'm not hurt - I'm fine, I'm just..." she glances around, shifting her bag on her shoulder a little. "..confused is a good place to start, I guess? Where am I?"

[missnanny]

Curie fumbles a little with the stack of pots, and she is careful to avoid dropping them on the ground. "Are you sure?" She sounds relieved that Grace is not hurt, but she does want to be sure. And she soon begins to blush when she realizes this has more to do with someone finding themselves in the Nexus for the first time.

"Oh! This place is called The Nexus; it is an interdimiensional crossroads where different worlds meet. It can be a bit confusing at first, but eventually it will make a little more sense." She mmms. "Do you remember how you got here?" She sounds curious, and she wants to learn about the different ways people end up here.

[barre_none]

The Nexus, interdimensional crossroads...sounds like something out of Star Trek. Grace doesn't particularly mind that, except she'd rather experience it on the big screen instead of first hand.

When she's asked about how she got there, all Grace can do is look and gesture back down the corridor.

"There's a door back that way - I just left the studio and found myself here"

[shardofwinter]

Damsel in distress? Check. Moustache curled? Check. With everything in order, Reynard strides over to the woman. Once he's close enough, he stops, places his hand on his heart and gives a shallow bow.

"May I be of assistance?" he asks as he rises.

[barre_none]

"I- yes, actually."

The bow takes her a little off guard, but certainly not in a bad way; it's oddly charming, if nothing else. She gives the stranger a smile.

"Could you tell me how I got here..? The last thing I knew I was at work, and this doesn't look like work to me"

[shardofwinter]

"A portal, or spontaneous teleportation." His hands part in a shrug. "It's difficult to tell with this place. Have you tried turning to go back where you came from? Sometimes that works. Rarely, but it's worth a try."

[barre_none]

It's such a sensible suggestion, she's almost annoyed she didn't think to do it herself. But then he mentions that it rarely works, and she feels slightly better.

"I haven't, no...if I'm being honest, both of those sound a little far-fetched, but then I don't feel like I'm dreaming, so..."

As her sentence trails, she gives their surroundings another once over.

[westfallcorndog]

A hand, huh? How about a dead one, Grace? Cold and blue, and notably severed from whatever wrist it might belong to. It floats, open and inviting, suspended in the air by some unseen force.

But its owner isn't far! A tall man with glowing eyes whose skin is blue to match his hand and whose arms both end at the wrists is standing close by, smiling amusedly and smoking a cigarette as casually as can be. Despite being a walking corpse, there's something decidedly unintimidating about a man in a plaid shirt and a pair of cargo shorts -- unless, of course, you have any interest in fashion, in which case yikes. His other hand hovers idly near the wrist it belongs to as he stands and waits to see how this stranger will take his terrible attempt at an unspoken joke.

[barre_none]

(It's cool; I do it too :'))

In the time it takes her to look back the way she came and then face forward once more, a floating hand appears from somewhere and pretty much gives her a heart attack on the spot.

And then it clicks. A hand. Funny. She's such a mix of nerves and confused right now, she actually laughs a little, until she sees who she presumes is the hand's owner. An easy connection to make, given the colour of both.

Glancing from the hand to the man, she clears her throat and nods at it.

"Is, ah...is that yours?"

[westfallcorndog]

She laughed! He'll take that as a victory. He beams, smiling just as genuinely as anyone can (and really only the tiniest bit at her expense for having been scared.) Then he nods and in a quiet voice says, "Shouldn't'a startled ya like that when you were lookin' for some help, but I couldn't stop myself."

He sounds American Southern, but who knows, really? His hand returns to him and then he rests both of them on the pommels of the runed axes tied at his hips. With lowered, slightly worried eyebrows he gives the lady a quick once-over, then lifts his chin in her direction.

"So what was it you needed? Somethin' wrong, Miss?"

[barre_none]

The apology, whilst not entirely necessary, is returned with an appreciative nod. She wants to ask how the hand is floating or what it's used for, but only the latter is answered when the appendage not only goes back to him, but reattaches - in a way, kind of - to his general..wrist area.

This can't be real. There's no way. But hey, even if it isn't, she may as well roll with it while nothing terrible's happening.

Her free hand comes up to rub the back of her neck, the other secured almost surgically to the strap of her duffel bag.

"Yeah, actually - I have no idea where I am, and whether I'm dreaming or hallucinating or whatever..I kind of need to get back home."

She gestures at herself, or rather, at what she's wearing.

"Kind of in the middle of something."

[bornstrong]

"It's going to be all right," another young woman says, approaching her. Iphigenia's wearing an indigo-colored dress that probably makes her look like she belongs in ancient Greece--which, in fact, she does. Funny how that works.

"You're new here; but please don't be scared." The princess hopes she sounds calming.

[barre_none]

Grace takes a small step back, frowning a little at the woman's words, though it's more out of confusion than anger or fear.

"What do you mean, 'new'? How did I get here - actually, no better question - where is 'here'?"

[bornstrong]

Iphigenia smiles.

"It's the Nexus," she says. "It's a sort of meeting place for people from different worlds."

At least, that's the best way she's had it explained to her.

[barre_none]

For a couple of moments, Grace doesn't say anything as she tries to process what she's just been told. Slowly, she takes a deep breath and nods.

"..Right. So, assuming that this is all real, how do I go back..?"

Because she really does need to go back; she's not wandering around in tights for nothing.

[juststeverogers]

"With your bag? Or do you need directions?"

Because this slim ninety pound man will be infinitely better at one of those things over the other, even though he'd offer her help with both. Steve tucks his leatherbound sketchbook away before approaching her.

"You seem a bit frazzled."

[barre_none]

"That's one way to put it...I don't suppose you've got directions to London, do you?"

It's a semi-playful question; she knows he likely doesn't, but at the same time she's hoping he'll have a better idea of how she can get back.

[juststeverogers]

"Well, I can get you to 'A' London, but your London is probably not the same one."

Steve rubs at the back of his neck, giving the woman a sympathetic expression. He's been through this before, so he understands how overwhelming it can be.

"Do you remember which door you came in from?"

Maybe don't look around the Plaza because there are more doors than one could count tucked away everywhere. It's very easy to get turned around here.

[barre_none]

That was, unfortunately, pretty much what she was expecting to hear.

"My London has to be quite specific...Worth a shot though, right?"

When she's asked about the door she came through, Grace looks behind her and gestures vaguely - a little helplessly, perhaps - in the same direction before she looks back at Steve again.

"It was back there somewhere, but I doubt I could name the exact door."