nexus_crossings | A Touch of Inspiration

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?"

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Her real life story is turning out to be a healer of sorts, although she spends most of her time patching up fellow civilians. Does that make her idea boring? Shouldn't she try creating a character who isn't essentially herself?

But then Tina takes the time to turn her suggestion into something amazing. A siren makes her think of the dangerously beguiling creatures of myth, but it only adds to the character's allure. This is the character she'd select in a game without hesitation.

"That sounds really cool," she tells Tina with a warm smile. "You have a real knack for character description. Can I have an animal companion, too? Or is that too much?"

"Sirens are p-much the best dayum ladies on the planet an' having known two of 'em I can assure you they are the For Real Deal of coolness."

Tina nods eagerly, pausing only to scribble down a few things onto one of her sheets of paper before she looks up again.

"Sure you can! You'd want to have one that could look after himself though. Even if he's not there to fight he should know how to defend himself and you if something big and nasty attacks."

"You have sirens where you're from?" Adia asks, intrigued. She reminds herself that they likely aren't the same thing as what she's thinking of, but she won't pass up an opportunity to learn about someone else's world.

Yay, an animal companion! She looks at her current companions thoughtfully. "That's a good idea... I know I feel much safer when I'm out an about with these three. Can it be something I can ride, too, like a horse?" Her eyes light up. "Can it be a flying horse?"

"Yeah, but only like, a few can exist at any one time. They're real good at controllin' space and elements and shizz like that. Lilith is all about the blaze and Maya's foiiiine ass is all kinds of talented too."

Hmm, an animal companion for the lovely Adia has to be equally as lovely. Tina frowns in thought.

"Gonna level with you, you prrrrobably don't want to use a horse. For one, they spook easy and for two the evil magistrate Jack has like a huge boner for them and would probably steal yours and rename it Buttstallion Jr."

That doesn't exactly explain what sirens are in Tina's world, but it gives her a vague idea. Enough to be flattered by her character concept, anyway. "They're a myth where I'm from. They're like mermaids, or birds with the faces of women. Their singing is so beautiful that sailors will crash their ships trying to reach them."

She looks disappointed, but only for a moment. Tina brings up a good point about horses spooking easily. Some can be trained to enter battles, but she wouldn't want to put a horse through that, even in fantasy. "Who's Jack? The villain in your story?" She purses her lips. "I most definitely do not want my horse stolen and renamed that."

A flying mount would be pretty cool, though. Looking around for inspiration, her gaze lands on Bucky. "What about a hippogriff? They'd be able to defend themselves better."

Bucky gives her a look in return. Adia, please. He can learn Fly. What does she need of some weird made-up creature when she already has the real deal?

"Really? They're like...kickass lady magic users of some kinda something on Pandora. To be real I don't really know too much about it. It's a hella rare trait to have."

Tina looks momentarily surprised when Adia asks who Jack is, before her gaze drops to the table. Who is Handsome Jack? A hero? A villain? Either way, he's the man who killed Roland and deprived Tina of her father figure once again.

"Yeah. He's uh...he's a real bad guy, Adia. Real bad."

Her shoulders hunch up and she bites at the cap of her pen. Come on Tina. You gotta smile. Showing weakness gets you killed. She forces it and perks up after only a second or so.

"Yeah son, a hippogriff would be ten kinds of awesome and much more rideable than a skag or the like. Marjorie is a purebreed with snowy white feathers speckling into a charcoal grey to black as her coat transitions and you have raised her since she was a chick. She's always got your back and knows you'll keep her safe."

Ah, okay. That gives her a better sense of what they're about. "Sounds like it. I'm flattered my character gets to be one."

It's impossible not to notice Tina's change in mood. Is Jack real, too, like the Sirens? He must have been pretty horrible to make such a negative impression on her. But aside from looking concerned, Adia doesn't say anything. Tina doesn't seem to want to talk about it,

Sarah also picks up on the shift in mood. She stops chasing discarded balls of paper so that she can pad over to the Tina's side and lean her warm, furry body against her legs.

"Marjorie," Adia repeats, her smile returning. "What a great name. She sounds beautiful." Bucky puffs up in annoyance, and this time Adia notices and reaches out to soothe his feathers. "It's just a game," she tells her feathered friend, which seems to mollify him. He is way cooler than a hippogriff, whatever that is...

Tina was hoping Adia would like the name. She's apparently a classy lady who's quite picky about what her friends are or are not named. How crushed would she be to learn that Buttstallion was in fact a real pony? Or that she belonged to Handsome Jack?

Used to, at least. Tina hopes the pony is in better hands now, but considering Hyperion's track record....she kind of doubts it. And that's a shame.

"My friend Mordecai would loooooove your character, Adia! He loves birds and pets in general too. So apologies in advance if his characters hit on yours, just sayin' that's a real possibility."

She'd be more crushed to learn how Tina has suffered from Handsome Jack's cruelty, but the idea of someone stealing a horse and renaming it something juvenile is plenty awful.

"If he loves animals then I'm sure we'd get along." Although the thought of him hitting on her in the game makes her laugh nervously. "So long as he keeps the flirting in the game only."

Tina gives Bucky a sidelong look that's a bit knowing before nodding along to Adia's assertion that Mordecai loves animals. It's best not to bring up what Handsome Jack did to his pet bird in real life. It's probably best in general for Tina just not to talk too much in length as to what her life is actually like on Pandora.

Just, for the best for everyone.

"Don' worry none he's a gentleman and pretty easy to tell off. Sides, he's a vault hunter an' like always busy with Lilith and Brick doing work so it's not much of a worry." Tina looks over her sheet and gives Adia a smile.

"What else would you want in a character? I think I'm actually gonna use this in my next game as an NPC. This is a dayum fine character you've got going on here."

Bucky's not sure what to make of that look, but for once he doesn't return it with a creepy glare. Perhaps he can recognize someone else who has learned to survive despite the cruelty of others. Or maybe he really liked that crumpet. Either way, he's warmed up a little to Tina.

"Oh. Okay." Adia doesn't seem like the sort of person who tells off others. Politely deflect, perhaps. It's unlikely she'll even have time to play a round of Bunkers and Badasses anyway, as she's too busy with her current responsibilities. "What's a vault hunter?"

She smiles at the compliment and shrugs a little at the question. "I don't know, that sounds plenty to me. If you make her too overpowered, it won't be much fun for anyone else. She'd be a great NPC for some sort of animal rescue mission."

She chews at the end of her pen when Adia asks, looking thoughtful for a long moment.

"They're like mercenaries I guess? They're real strong huggabutts who can take on any badass that comes after 'em and do work for the people of Pandora along with looking for ancient troves of alien technology buried underground in vaults."

They're also some of her best friends and surrogate family.

"She sounds real sweet and I will make sure no one gets her killed being a dummy." Tina promises to keep Siren Adia as safe as possible. She likes the design too.

Treasure-seeking mercenaries. It sheds a little more light on the state of Tina's world. "Ancient alien technology? Are any of these aliens still around?" She pauses before asking tentatively, "Are you from Earth? Or are you from another planet, like me?"

She smiles at Tina's thoughtfulness. "That's kind of you. It'd be punishing the players more than anything if you killed off a healing NPC." Adia has not played too many games of this nature, but she always felt bad if there was a character she couldn't save. She wouldn't want that guilt foisted onto Tina's friends. "If you do use her, let me know how it goes? I'd love to find out what sorts of adventures she has."

"Naw, not from Earth. I was born and raised on Pandora."

A bonafide prison planet baby. Just one of those things no one talks too much about on more civilized worlds. Better to just think of Pandora as being full of criminals and crazies and the occasional treasure hunter.

Makes people leading cushier lifestyles feel better about themselves.

"I'd never been to another world until I found this place. Lots of folks live on our moon, Elpis, but I've never been there either."

Adia can't begin to guess what it means to be born on Pandora, but learning that Tina is a fellow non-Earthling gives her a feeling of camaraderie that she doesn't often experience in the Nexus. "I'm not from Earth, either," she tells her, as if letting her in on a secret. "For the longest time, it was only a myth, where I'm from. But we recently found out that it's a real place, and we're heading towards it."

It's like a giant treasure hunt... minus the periodic food shortages, medical emergencies, and relentless pursuit from genocidal robots.

"Aw yeah! You can do it, huggabutt. Go get that sweet sweet adventure and legend, hold it in your hands."

Tina believes in you and your crew Adia!

That's the second time Tina has used the term "huggabutt" and she still has no idea what it means, but it must be something good if she's being called one. "That's the plan," she says with a small, hopeful smile. Adia doesn't have super Siren powers, but she is trying her best to keep the Fleet as healthy as it can be.

Sarah is starting to get restless, snuffling under chairs and tables while Ethel plods after her. "I think I need to get these guys to the park before they make any trouble." She stands up and dusts off her hands. "It was nice talking to you, Tina. Your game sounds like a lot of fun... ah, do you mind if I take a crumpet for the road? They look delicious."

"I'll be sure to let you know how it goes down."

Tina picks up her stack of papers and tries to organize them a bit while grinning up at Adia. This has been a lot of fun for her, plus she got to meet cute animals. Bonus!

"Go on, take as many as you'd like."

It's been fun for Adia, too. It's not often that she gets to exercise her creativity, at least in this sort of context.

She smiles back, then gives Tina a look of gratitude as she helps herself to two... no, three crumpets. One for her, and one each for Maggie and Seth, her friends on the Chiron. Sarah whines a little and Adia shakes her head. "No, this is a sometimes food. I'll get you something at Steve's, okay?" She waves at Tina with her free hand. "See you later."

Sarah barks goodbye before trotting after Adia. Ethel rumbles a farewell, too. Bucky even bobs his head at Tina, but he's quick to fly off after Adia, keeping a protective eye from the skies.

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A Touch of Inspiration

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