nexus_crossings | A Touch of Inspiration

Sheets of paper are strewn about the Nexus today. Moreso than usual, and not just the innumerable 'Welcome to the Nexus, Newcomer!' pamphlets that can be found all over the Plaza. They're full of nearly ineligible scrawling (and some of them are sticky eww--oh wait that's just raspberry jam) but the title of each sheet is the same.

BUNKERS AND BADASSES Campaign the Second

Near the center of this litterocalypse sits Tiny Tina, a crayon tucked behind her ear while she writes fervently over yet another piece of paper in pen. A plate of crumpets sits to the side, only one of them half eaten. The young lady groans in frustration before balling up this piece of paper too and chucking it behind her.

"Hey y'all so I'm trying to plan a new Bunkers an' Badasses campaign but I gotta get some new ideas son or it's gonna be one hell of a lame trek through imagination land, ya dig? What's the most awesomest adventure you ever been on? Or, if you're hella lame and haven't saved the world or conquered one in the name of crumpets or what have yas, what kind of character would you play in an adventure game?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ohmyguh it is one of Tina's two favorite people in all of the Nexus! She kets up from where she's sitting and offers Blaze a hug almost as soon as she lays eyes on the Exo. And then scoops up Ghost for a hug of his own.

Family always gets hugs.

"I'm fine, yeah. Hows the hunting?" She drops back down into her seat, kicking her legs under the table while she talks. Though she perks up at Story Time. "Yeah! Breaking into and outta Vaults is like half of my friends' goddamn lives they'll love it!!"

Blaze wraps her arms around the girl and gives her a careful squeeze that probably carries more static than intended, before she lets Tina go to give Ghost his hug. The Exo leans an arm on her knee and watches them, wondering how she of all people wound up trying to watch over a child. But someone should do it. And in Tina's case, that someone better be fireproof.

Besides, watching her hug Ghost is about the cutest thing Blaze has ever seen.

"Hi, Tina." The little bot peers up from her arms. "It's good to see you again."

"Hunting's good," she says, pulling a stone bench up to the table so she can sit across from Tina. "System's infested with blight thanks to a Hive god, but we're rooting it out bit by bit. We've seen what that bile-spawned monster has to throw at us now, don't have to worry about a lot of nasty surprises. Word is the Vanguard sent a raiding party to finish him off for good, so give it a couple days and we'll really be celebrating.

"But that's not the story I was gearing up to tell. Not yet." She leans on the table, making it creak. "I ever tell you about the Vex? Vicious machines that share one mind across time and space. They have a foothold on the next planet in from ours - Venus."

Whatevs.

Just means when Blaze lets her go Tina's got a real nice 80s glamrock look to her hair. Sticking up in every direction. She doesn't seem to mind it in the least. Too busy dishing out hugs.

"I missed you huggabutts somethin' fierce." Tina does eventually let go of Ghost to reclaim her seat at the table. Finishes off her half eaten crumpet while Blaze pulls up a seat for herself.

"Ohhhh hivemind robos. That sounds dangerous. Do tell, my good lady~"

"Missed you too, kid." Blaze reaches out to brush down Tina's hair, but given that her hands carry the most charge this only makes the new hairdo more impressive. Oh well. Maybe she'll do better at story time.

"Think of a volcanic world, covered with lush jungles, acidic seas, sulfurous plains. Out on a stretch of ocean cliffs there's a complex of ruins. Stone and black metal, all laced with Vex conduits and all of them too old to be possible. Well, at the heart of them, sunk into the mountains, is a great circular door. And behind that door lies something called the Vault of Glass.

"I've heard some people call it a Vex underworld, or a weapons development facility. I'm not sure what it is, but down in the Vault are things never seen outside. Advanced Vex from the far future, primitive Vex from the distant past. Places where time warps around you. There's a labyrinth patrolled by Vex Gorgons that'll erase you from the timeline itself if they even spot you.

"Anyway, that didn't stop us. More than a year ago now, a team of Guardians penetrated all the way to the heart of the Vault and slew its master. It's weaker now, but it's still incredibly dangerous. Wish I could've seen it before," she adds. Not that she's wistful. Thoughtful, that's all.

"Ohemgee you guys fought time robos? How do you even do that? Also they have to be evil. Black metal ostentatious ruins on a world full of volcanoes and acid seas. It's like an evil villains death metal album cover level of 'definitely the bad guys'."

Her feet kick back and forth underneath the table while she listens, excited by the prospect of Ghost and Blaze braving this lair with a team like the badasses they are.

"Question. If they're time robos why aren't they just deus ex bullshitting the master back into power?"

"They are definitely evil," Ghost agrees, thought his gaze flicks uncertainly to Blaze at the phrasing of Tina's question. "

I don't think they have a master other than their own directives. But that's a very good question. We think they aren't able to interfere with our history directly. So far as we know they can't even approach Earth. I think the Traveler and its Light protect us. Not that they can't, you know, shoot us.

"

"If our Warlock friends are right, they can't simulate Guardians either. Can't predict us. Maybe that's why they're always teleporting around on the battlefield - trying to throw us off first." Blaze laughs. "It's a pain in the ass right until one of 'em runs into your fist. That's just funny."

A Touch of Inspiration

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject