+1 extreme mountain climber

[sever_the_skyline]

Newcomers are nothing unusual in the Nexus and today there is one 20-something year old who looks part grumpy, part panicked for being brought into the Nexus. She's standing next to a blue door with hearts and a mountain carved into it, kicking the wood idly with one boot.

"Stupid door...I was just trying to go through a hotel and now I'm in this place."

She's clearly been mulling over this specific door for a while, while holding a crunched-up pamphlet in her hand. Questions? Multiverses? She has no time for this, there's a mountain waiting to be climbed back home, after all! Finally, Madeline caves, stepping away from the door to address anyone who's nearby.

"So, if I ask a question, do I get to go home? How do you deal with an evil part of yourself that likes chasing you?" She puts both hands into her pockets and seems very serious about this question. "If that's too complicated, what's a good place to visit around here?"

Comments

[brother_alone]

"Do you mean like, metaphorically or literally chasing you. If it's the former I suggest copious amounts of alcohol. If it's the latter...well, a taser's always good for self defense."

Josh is all bundled up for the winter in his knit beanie, flannel, and insulated vest. Hands tucked into his vest pockets while he watches the newcomer.

[sever_the_skyline]

“Literally. I know it sounds crazy, but it really happened.” She appreciates his advice, but shakes her head a little at his suggestion. “Highly doubtful that I can find a weapon, let alone actually hurt that other part of me.”

Josh’s wardrobe reminds her of home and his comment about alcohol gets a questionable look. “That’s how I handle some of my problems...Can you get a decent drink around here?”

[brother_alone]

"I've heard weirder. This place kind of desensitizes you to the strange and unbelievable. I mean, I heard there's two different versions of the same guy wandering around, and I house sit for a sentient polar bear. So, you get used to it."

Her concerns make a fair bit of sense though. Plus if it really is another part of herself, well...

"Guess you shouldn't risk accidentally hurting yourself either just to hurt her." He nods at her question though. "I've yet to run into someone who couldn't find a drink that'd affect them in this place if they looked hard enough."

[sever_the_skyline]

"...What. Now I really feel like I'm just dreaming this place up." She seems skeptical at Josh's words, but given she's able to visually see talking minotaurs and elves, then there's some scrap of truth here.

She digs into her pockets and pulls out a few coins, then looks up at Josh expectantly. "What can I get for $3.50? Assuming this place takes Canadian money."

[brother_alone]

"A cheap beer somewhere? Look, money ain't a problem, I can foot whatever you're short."

There's a grin on his face to see the familiar currency in someone else's hands. He'll lead the long woman along the cleared paths in the plaza to a local bar he frequents not quite on the regular but often enough where the bartender recognizes his face.

"What part of the country you from? I grew up just outside Calgary."

[sever_the_skyline]

"What's the catch? Are you secretly some guy who going to try and kidnap me?"

His grin causes her to blink in confusion, until Josh starts asking about regions in Canada. Madeline follows for now, but if she thinks something weird is going to go down, she's only a dash away from leaving.

"Vancouver. I've been to Calgary before to see my Grandmother before though." She nods her head. "Feels kinda strange meeting someone who happens to hail from Canada in my first hour here."

[brother_alone]

"The catch is you tell me what bizarro version of Canada spawns evil shadow clones of you to chase you through mountains. You're one of the few other Canadians I've ever met here, and that's the first I've heard of...whatever kind of haunting you're dealing with."

Sadly not the first to be mired in paranormal events though. Not even close.

"Call me cautiously curious."

[sever_the_skyline]

"Well...I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but there's this mountain outside of Vancouver called Celeste Mountain. I was trying to climb it and stumbled upon this weird mirror. It broke and shortly after that, a Part of Me appeared and started chasing me down." Madeline shrugs her shoulders, following Josh as he walks through the Nexus.

"Understandable...I imagine what I'm telling you is tame in comparison to this place."

[fiveofnone]

Caspar isn't in the Plaza to answer anybody's question, but this one in particular catches his attention, even before he looks over who is asking it.

"If you can't outright kill it, you try your best to stay one step ahead," he says plainly. "Are you being literal when you ask this?"

[sever_the_skyline]

“That’s all I’ve been able to do lately. She’s as fast as me though; it feels like I can’t outrun my own shadow.” She nods yes. “I know it sounds like I’ve dreamed up the situation, but yes, I’m being literal.”

Despite the girl trying to act all tough, she clearly seems distracted by these recent events. Getting brought to the Nexus isn’t helping much...

[fiveofnone]

For what it's worth, Caspar doesn't look like he disbelieves her. He's heard of weirder scenarios.

"Do you know what she wants with you?" He smirks. "Maybe she just wants to be friends."

[sever_the_skyline]

"She wants me to stop climbing a certain mountain back home. Says it'll be good for the both of us." She frowns at his comment about being friends, replying sarcastically back to him. "Ha. Ha. Very funny. Pretty sure if she's trying to hurt me, then we're not best friends forever."

Madeline shifts where she stands, adjusting the large camping bag on her back. "So, about the other obvious problem here...Kinda can't get the door to open and this place is weird. Is there something specific I should be doing?"

[fiveofnone]

"Do you believe what she says? Despite being evil, is she honest? Because it sounds like there's something up there that she doesn't want you to find."

He could be a total dick and tell her that she's stuck for good, but even he doesn't know that for sure. But it's nice to meet someone who isn't all sunshine and rainbows. He can cut her a little slack. "Portals open and close here all the time. You could hang around and wait for it to open again, or ask some magical do-gooder to open a portal for you." He shrugs. "I don't come here by portal, and I don't trust them, frankly."

[sever_the_skyline]

"I highly doubt she knows what's on top of the mountain..." She ignores the first question, almost intentionally. "Maybe there's another way I can deal with her, but for now, I guess I have time to think about it. "

She crosses her arms over her chest, acting irritated at the way the Nexus works and not Caspar directly. "I got here through a door, which conveniently won't open now. Guess I have to hang around until it stops being fickle. Any other things I should be mindful of?"

[fiveofnone]

"Unless she follows you here," he can't help but point out.

It's not exactly his nature to be helpful, but a direct question like that deserves an answer. "There's an anti-violence field but it's less reliable the further you move away from the Plaza. You're going to meet all kinds of weirdos here. Some people will fall over themselves to help you, some are total assholes." He smirks briefly. "But that's how it is everywhere, am I right? Oh, and there's magic here, and sometimes it goes haywire, so be prepared for things that violate the laws of physics. Other than that, it's like any other busy city."

[sever_the_skyline]

"Don't jink it, Mister." Because it's one thing to have to worry about returning home, let alone your evil side chasing you.

She starts to look around here and there while he talks, reconfirming the whole 'weirdos' theme, given how many strange species are meandering about the Plaza. "Magic? Yeah...I really do feel like I'm dreaming. I guess the proof is here though." Now for the most important question... "So, can I just camp out anywhere or do you know of a spot? Because I really don't want someone thinking I'm homeless or a vagrant teenager."

[fiveofnone]

He shrugs innocently. "Better to be prepared than not. What's she look like? Exactly like you? And my name's Caspar."

Giving her a chance to take another look around, he waits a few seconds before replying. "There's a Grand Library over that way if reading's your thing. Plenty of couches in the Plaza, or cafés in the Shopping District. Trust me, nobody's going to think you're a vagrant. There are people who show up here covered in blood. You're already ahead of the game."

[sever_the_skyline]

"Yeah, except she's wearing a dark purple jacket and her hair is also purple. Can't really miss her, since she'd stick out like a sore thumb...maybe..." She manages a smile. "Um, Madeline is my name. Nice to meet you."

One hand is kept tightly around the strap of her pack, even though the bag isn't going anywhere. "People really show up like that? This place is already weird...But the library sounds nice, especially if it's free. I didn't exactly pack a whole lot of money for my climbing trip."

[fiveofnone]

"Around here? Probably not. But I'll keep an eye out." The introduction gets a brief nod, nothing more. Although he manages not to make an evil twin joke, so... progress?

"Some people show up here after they'd died on their world," he says with absolute seriousness. "I'd say that made this place purgatory, but there are enough people who pass through the 'normal' way that I wouldn't worry about it." He frowns thoughtfully. "You can get by here without a lot of money. There's a vending machine that has free hot drinks but they're not that great. The library has bathrooms and water fountains. If you're lucky, you'll only be stuck here a few hours."

[sever_the_skyline]

Progress, indeed. But it's painfully obvious that she's skeptical on just about anything and anyone that's here in the Nexus.

"Yeah...I was in the middle of doing something important, which I guess is a common thing. Some other people were complaining at the doors when I first got here." At least she was able to stay somewhat calm, but it's clear that the longer home is locked away, the more stressed she might become. "Can I ask...do you live here in the Nexus?"

[fiveofnone]

"At least you weren't in the bathroom," he deadpans. "Portals open up all the time around here. It's the nature of the place."

Her question makes him snort derisively. "God, no. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate having access to things I can't get at home, but I'd probably go insane if I lived here 24-7. There's too much weird shit that spontaneously happens."

It only occurs to him belatedly that Madeline might be looking for a little reassurance that being stuck here isn't so terrible. Whoops.