nexus_crossings | A reminder to not count your Earths before they've hatched.

A reminder to not count your Earths before they've hatched.

It is not unusual to find Adia in the Plaza. She is there frequently enough, sitting in front of a Nexus terminal or fixing herself a cup of coffee. It is not even unusual to find her accompanied by pokémon. This time it's only one, a large bird that stands nearly as tall as she does. It stays close to her seat, keeping a watchful eye for suspicious characters.

What is unusual is the expression on her face.

Adia has come to the Nexus upset before, but this is different. All her nervous energy is gone, replaced with a washed-out, nearly lethargic appearance. She's holding a children's drawing in her hands, staring at it for long seconds before folding it along well-worn creases. She picks at a corner, staring into the distance, then unfolds it and starts the process all over again.

This goes on for several minutes until Bucky, wise bird that he is, gently nudges her with his beak. Coming back to herself, she blinks and looks around, remembering where she is.

"Something... something bad happened back home. A lot of people are... really upset. And losing hope. How do you come back from that?" She looks down at the picture and whispers, "How do you learn to hope again?"

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Josh is a nerd at heart, the kind of guy who's probably played a few Pokemon games here and there, and he's not really afraid to speak his mind. The nexus is like living out all of his geek dreams, so he seems overly eager to discuss said creatures.

"So you're not Bucky's trainer? Adia, you could've fooled me! Maybe you should become a Pokémon master? Go see the world and meet new friends?" And then he realizes how insensitive that sounds: to abandon her home for other places. "I mean, when you have free time here."

He nods to Bucky. "Well, I mean, he's a giant bird so flying with a person shouldn't be that hard." The conversation stops as Ice Bear returns to the table with drinks and snacks alike, then disappears as quickly as he arrived. "I bet Bucky agreed with me. Right?"

Flattered by Josh mistaking her for Bucky's trainer, she doesn't view his statement as insensitive. Although it is true, she would never willingly abandon the Fleet, not even for something she has clearly taken a shine to. "No," she laughs. "Steve is, although he's been very busy, even after coming back to the Nexus, so I still help him when I can."

She thanks Ice Bear for her drink, and the bowl of water for Bucky. There is a small plate of berries, too, which Bucky delicately noshes on. "I think it'd be a lot of fun to be a trainer," she admits. "But my ship is no place for a pokémon. I'm happy to share time with Steve's."

Bucky nods vigorously, for once overriding his inherent suspicion of strangers, causing Adia to giggle a little. "Well, I guess that answers that..." She pats the bird's wing. "Someday soon, then. When I'm feeling up to it."

"Steve has a good friend in you, Adia. Seriously, if you have a knack for taming a big bird, you should pursue Pokémon medicine, sciences or something like that." His eyes go wide on seeing the streaming latte, accompanied by a thick slice of chocolate-hazelnut cheesecake. So much for his exercise and dieting for the day, but the treat is well worth it. "Do it. I'll fully support and go along for the ride with you."

A friendly nod is given to Bucky, before taking a bite of cheesecake and he immediately smiles. "This is the best cake I've ever had. Makes me wish I could bake half as good as that bear..." He frowns a little, upon realizing how weak his skills are in comparison to a fuzzy polar bear. "So, what day works best to go on a date...I mean, adventure?"

She appreciates the compliment, although the idea of investing herself in pokémon medicine seems far-fetched when the medical needs of her own Fleet are more pressing. "What about you?" she asks curiously. "There are plenty of pokémon in the Nexus who are looking for a trainer or a friend."

The chai latte is delicious, as always, although she sips at it more for the warmth than the flavor. "He's very good, isn't he? I think he's made it a personal mission to be the best baker in the Nexus." She smiles, although it turns uncertain when Josh asks his question. It's not even because he overcorrects his use of the word 'date'. "Oh... um, honestly, I don't know. This is the first time I've been able to visit the Nexus since we learned about what happened to the thirteenth tribe..."

He would probably be able to turn the topic around, to make it sound like learning about Pokemon could help the Fleet, but he can't read her mind. Instead, he laughs a little at her questioning, mainly at the fact that he's already got a Garfield-like cat following him around. Instead of admitting his fondness for animals, 'Josh' merely takes her words as a joke.

"Ah...I doubt I'd make a good trainer, but I appreciate the compliment." His latte is now becoming a great way to change the topic, taking another drink, smiling all the while. He's thanking his lucky stars that him smile and appearance are much more chipper than your typical serial killer. "That's a pretty noble goal. I must admit, baking is a hobby of mine."

He puts down the warm cup of coffee. "You need to do something good for yourself, Adia. I know life is stressful right now, but at this rate, your health will start to deteriorate and that won't benefit anyone."

She wonders why he doesn't think so; is this another area of insecurity for him? But he's already moved on, talking about his baking hobby. It reminds her of their very first conversation, and she smiles a little. "Yes, I remember. How's that coming along, by the way?"

It's a valid point he makes, about taking care of herself so she can care for others. The stress is getting to her, especially now that she's had her hopes of discovering Earth cruelly dashed against the rocks. "It's hard," she admits, looking up at Josh with soulful eyes. "Putting myself first when so many of my friends are suffering..." She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "But you're right, I... I need something good... what sort of adventure did you have in mind?"

Consider him surprised that she remembers their first conversation so long ago, his wide-eyed gaze turns back to her immediately. Without even realizing it, his attitude and demeanor shifts to being overly happy. "It's going great! I've been excited to start making things related to fall, like Pumpkin pie and breads. Summer is great and all, but fall and winter are the best seasons, hands down."

Even though he wants to jabber on about his hobbies, 'Josh' knows better: he wants to win Adia over even after their last encounter. Half of the reason he's charming her is to get an answer to his questions eventually. Not today, not while she's mentally drained. "Maybe something to do with horses? To be fair, it's the only relaxing thing I could think of off the top of my head."

His enthusiasm is a little contagious. Her smile grows and she takes another sip of her latte while he explains his baking preferences. "It's nice to have the warmth of the oven on cold days," she agrees. "I've always been partial to pumpkin. I only learned recently how important it is in Halloween celebrations."

It seems that he's remembered their first conversation, too. Or perhaps he's kept her love of horses in mind this entire time. Either way, she's flattered that he remembers. Her shoulders relax at the suggestion, and her smile turns wistful. "Oh... I'd like that very much. I only had one opportunity to ride a horse since I've been here. I haven't found any stables, no matter how much I've explored."

"The scent of freshly baked goods is amazing as well, barring whatever you're cooking doesn't burn." Mentioning Halloween causes his eyes to light up, a grin on his face. "Best holiday ever. It's so much fun to come up with spooky ways to scare people. Seeing all the little kids dressed up is also a blast."

That coy smile never leaves his face, especially after seeing her relax and be open to his ideas. Date night confirmed. "I'll look into it and come up with a plan. We'll make it a nice day of relaxation, perfect for someone deserving like you. I promise."

How funny that he has that in common with the other Josh she knows. "There was a Halloween party in the Nexus last year, so I got a crash course on the holiday. We don't have anything like it where I'm from. My friend -- the other Josh I know -- he helped my with my costume. He made a haunted house, too, but..." she lowers her voice and confesses, "I was too scared to go in."

Still, there was a lot she liked about the holiday as evidenced by her brief, fond smile. "If there's another one this year, you should make sure to go. It was a lot of fun." Once Ice Bear coaxed her out of her hiding spot in the hallway.

"Okay." Unsure of what to make of the compliment, but grateful all the same, she reaches out and pats his hand. "Thanks for thinking of me."

"The other Josh? I have competition, it sounds like." He uses laughter to hide his natural interest in learning more about his recently hired prop-creator. "You don't have to tell me about the scary parts. Tell me more about your costume and your friend? What did you dress up as? If it makes you feel any better, I went as a duck this year."

Her hand immediately causes him to take a deep breath, before slowly reaching out and holding it, so she won't dart away again. He makes sure not to squeeze forcefully, merely running his fingers across hers.

"I wish I could do more, Adia."

"A duck? Really?" It seems rather out of character for him. Or perhaps a duck is a random costume choice for just about anyone who isn't a small child.

Always happy to talk up her friends' accomplishments, she thinks nothing of him asking after Josh. "He's a huge fan of the horror genre," she explains. "He likes to design props and set pieces... he's great at make-up, too. He helped me with mine. I went as Medusa. Do you know who she is? She's a popular movie monster, where I'm from."

She seems rather content to let him hold her hand, although Bucky does give the gesture a second look. Finished with his bowl of berries, he's back to watching 'Josh', although there is no malice in his expression.

It's a common refrain, her friends telling her that they wish they could do more for her. She accepts the sentiment graciously, although there is a sadness in her eyes that's difficult to shake. "You're being a good friend. That's plenty."

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A reminder to not count your Earths before they've hatched.

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