Time for a big ol' Nexus Block party

[sumarusfinest]

On a sleepy summer morning a wonderful smell begins to waft throughout the Nexus. For those familiar with this place there can only be one explanation but for those new faces to the nexus this may be a strange thing: seeing so many people flocking toward the sweet and savory scents perfuming the Nexus.

There are a few tables set out this morning in the Plaza in front of a small cafe loaded with several carafes of coffee, a myriad of pastries from more than a few different worlds and cultures, and a large pan of eggs and sausage kept warm over a chafing dish. On either end of the table are disposable plates, cups, and cutlery as well as a few welcome pamphlets in a small container. Along the front of the tables is a hand made banner.

Meet and Greet

Manning the tables is Katsuya Suou, red apron on and a cup of coffee in hand. He looks far too cheerful for how early in the morning it is. It's always satisfying to put one of these on and see the throngs of different people stuck in line together to get their food and find a place to sit among the tables and couches nearby.

"Right then, is anyone hungry? I've got more than enough here for everyone so please mingle among yourselves or feel free to ask me anything you'd like."


((OOC: This thread is ALL ABOUT threadjacking and hopping. I encourage folks to tag on each other's comments and mingle rather than to reply only to me. This is a huge opportunity to have your characters interact with people they wouldn't have talked to before. Branch out! Meet new people! Scheme new schemes! Steal the last chocolate croissant!))

Comments

[big_bad_sheriff]

IF you don't cause trouble, she said. "Wasn't planning on it." That doesn't mean it doesn't happen, of course. Sometimes Bigby wonders if he's been secretly cursed or something, but surely he would've known by now if he had.

He's not surprised she hasn't heard of either. Otherwise she'd have already known who he was. "Been visiting off and on for a couple years, I think. Usually so I can visit the Wilds. Not as many people to scare there when I stretch my paws." A pause, another mouthful of meat, while he thinks about how he wants to sniff her out. Sometimes blunt is better. "How about you, Marie?"

[to_the_wolves]

"Didn't think so. Blame all the people and entities who try to attack the Nexus on a yearly basis. No one would blink an eye at a wolf if not for those incidents."

She nods in agreement to his statement, calmly resting one hand under her chin in thought. "So long as you know how to get back safely, I could see the Wilds meeting your needs." As for his question, should she play dumb? No. There's no point in doing that. "I've been here for a few years now. My original world is no longer habitable, so I decided to stay in the Nexus instead of finding a new world to live in. The place never seems to surprise me though. I feel like the layout has changed here and there, but the main area always tends to stay the same. Have you noticed that as well?"

[big_bad_sheriff]

Bigby doesn't laugh, not exactly. It's not like it's funny, per se. But he does huff a tiny bit. "Nice to know it's not my reputation biting me in the ass this time."

'No longer habitable' sounds familiar, unfortunately. He has to wonder how many other Fables might've found their way to a place like this, some middle ground between the Homelands and some other world, unaware of Fabletown or the Farm, or unwilling to join them for whatever reason. They'd never know, would they. "Similar enough that I haven't gotten lost ever," he agrees after a moment's thought. "Usually smells the same, too."

[to_the_wolves]

"You're intimidating, but breaking the anti-violence field is the quickest way to get a target on your back." She can't help but smirk at his comment, secretly wondering what Bigby has done to get himself into trouble.

"I can agree with you on the first part, but honestly the scent wavers for me, dependent on the day...Coming here in a different form is something I try to actively avoid.Remind me to never pick a fight with you. I'd get demolished pretty quickly, based on size alone." There's a hint of admiration in her eyes, given Bigby has no real fear of showing his true self. "So, Bigby, what's your profession? Does it involve staying in your wolf form?"

[big_bad_sheriff]

"Not usually, no. I spend a lotta time looking human these days. Too many mundies around, for one thing." Not something he was particular fond of, especially in the beginning, but he's gotten used to it over the centuries. That human face doesn't look quite so alien in the mirror anymore, even if it's not the real him at heart. "I'm the sheriff of Fabletown. It's my job to keep the peace between the Fables in New York."

[to_the_wolves]

"Is it frustrating to be more human than wolf?" The question literally comes out of nowhere and she feels foolish for asking it. "My apologies, that question seems out of place."

It's clearly something personal, getting to talk with another wolf is both a boon and a curse. "I never would've guessed you to be the law enforcement type, but it does make sense. Criminals can't hide their scent from you and chasing them seems easy enough...How is justice dealt in your world? Do the perpetrators go to jail or are you hunting them?"

[big_bad_sheriff]

It's definitely a bold one, and Bigby glances aside at her, especially with how quickly she jumps to apologize for it. Normally he wouldn't even consider answering, but she smells wolf enough that he can guess where she's coming from. Or maybe have a bit of an opening to find out more about her. "Sometimes. You?" Ball's in your court now, Marie.

Her question's a reasonable one, and though he'd take it different if it was coming from someone in Fabletown - someone familiar with his history, amnesty or no - there's no accusation in her tone, no knowledge of that particular baggage. "There's that. And I'm the only one everyone'd listen to. Not that they don't still give me shit." It's not perfect, and he's certainly not liked by all, but he is respected by most. "I ain't an assassin, if that's what you're asking. I bring people in for trial, if they've done something bad enough to need one. Dole out smaller punishments for the little stuff. Community service, that kinda thing."

[to_the_wolves]

"Me...Promise you'll keep the answer between us, if you do." She leans in close, lowering her voice so no one nearby will catch on to their conversation. "At times, yes. The ability to be free, to run from place to place without a care and not worry about social appearances...I feel alive in those moments."

It seems like Bigby is getting her to drop her guard down, as she visibly relaxes once the serious topic is on the table. "Freelancer, that's a better word than being an assassin. But the short version is that you get them in for a proper trial, instead of being a person who inflicts self-justice. It's something I've looked into, but control is easier said than done at times..."

One can only guess what that statement means.

[big_bad_sheriff]

She's definitely got his attention, judging by the angle of his ears. Her confession's familiar, relatable, and something he doesn't get all that often back home anymore either. Lone wolf or not, sometimes it's nice to hear he ain't alone in feeling that way, especially when so many of his fellow Fables seem to think he should be content with being in human shape all the time. "There's too many folks who think wolves should be like dogs, but we aren't. We're meant to run wild, even if it's only once in a while."

One can only guess indeed, although Bigby is fairly certain he's got a good idea what she means. "It's definitely not the easiest job. Keeps me on my toes."

[to_the_wolves]

Seeing his ears perk up is a sign that she's hit some sort of nerve or at least has the other wolf thinking about something. Her hands are nervously rubbed together, knowing full well she can't reveal all of her secrets, despite being in the presence of a similar being. "Being in law enforcement is no different from running a business. People want us to be poised, abiding to the code of human established rules. We have to decide how much of that law to follow before giving in to our primal selves."

She lowers her head solemnly. "I'm only half your size and I should be afraid, but I'm jealous." Finally, she breaks the tension by managing a weak laugh and a smirk. "How fast are you, Mr. Bigby? Can I extend a friendly meetup at a later date?" In other words, wolf hangout time.

[big_bad_sheriff]

Well, that's certainly an... unorthodox perspective, at least compared to what he usually hears from Snow or Crane. With them it's all rules, regulations, blah blah don't be a wolf. And sure, rules have their place in society, they're not completely worthless or anything, but some of them are just needlessly restrictive. Bigby was born wild, and no matter how much he pretends to be a man these days, he's really not. Either way, the comparison has him looking over at her, considering. "That what you do?" he asks. "Run a business?"

It might be the first time someone's actually been envious of him, and he's not quite sure what to say, at first. Maybe the grass really is greener and all that. But her question gets a low chuckle out of him, unexpected but not unwelcome. Though he's not prone to stupid jokes or wordplay, it isn't every day he gets a setup this clean. "I run like the wind." With a lineage like his, he'd better. "If you want to run with me, I hope you're quick."

[to_the_wolves]

"Yes. Nothing illegal, but when I came to the Nexus, I knew I wanted something for myself. Surprisingly, people will pay stupid amounts of money to relive their pasts. So I began a service of sorts, which cascaded into opening souvenir style shops." Wow. Even speaking about 9 years of hard work seems insignificant in comparison to the achievements others have accomplished. That or it proves how childish she can be. "The best way I can sum it up is being an antique dealer, but replace antique with 'silly hard to find toy that your child won't stop screaming about' and that pretty much sums up my line of work."

Size must not be an issue then and Marie simply nods her head. "It sounds like I might have a challenge then. What shall we bet on this race?"

[big_bad_sheriff]

It's an odd line of work, that's for sure. Bigby's not much for sentimental belongings, but he's been around non-wolves enough to know that shit's important to a lot of folks. Good thing, too - you can get a lot of clues about a perp from their stuff. "Surprised there's not more competition for something like that."

He's definitely used to being the biggest wolf around; there's a reason his most famous moniker has a THE on the front of it. He'd be more surprised to run into another wolf that was his size. With little to prove, her suggestion of stakes is almost funny, but sure. He'll humor her a bit. "Bragging rights?" he suggests. That'd be a bigger feather in her cap than his, but it's not like it'd be a fair competition anyway.