Hello Nexus!

[twitchytrouble]

There is sometimes a flying whale or two in the Nexus, and today when one glides overhead somebody goes running from it. He is not a fast runner but he is very determined. He's short and it doesn't help that he has a big ungainly shoulder-mounted laser cannon or something that is almost too big for him to carry. Crazy frizzy hair and big goggles make him look even stranger.

He runs with his hands over his head, trying to get to the big red shoe because it's cover, and he's kind of clumsy so everybody had better get out of his way or get knocked down.

Comments

[grimholdkeeper]

Balthazar is out walking his dog, who is a relatively slow mover since he only has three legs. They just happen to be leaning against the shoe for a break when the stranger comes barreling toward them. Saint barks, tail wagging, because clearly this is a game. Balthazar, on the other hand is mildly defensive, holding up an arm. "Uh...hey, where's the fire?"

[twitchytrouble]

"Are they firing now??!" The short, dumpy man almost runs into the shoe but manages to crouch and slide and cower under it. He peers up at the flying whale through the goggles.

[grimholdkeeper]

"...Whales tend not to do that. They're pretty mannerly around here." Balthazar blinks and reins in Saint as he tries to go help the nice man. "Sit! Sorry, he's friendly. Are you all right?"

[twitchytrouble]

The crazy man with the goggles is on his hands and knees so he is probably in a good position to get facelicked by the dog. Also his shoulder gun is slipping off so he tries to wave off the dog a little and keep the cannon on his shoulder at the same time. "Whales? What do whales have to do with anything?"

[grimholdkeeper]

Saint sits, air-licks close to his face, and whines when he can't quite reach. Balthazar crouches to be on his level. "That's what's flying overhead. You're safe here. No one will hurt you."

[twitchytrouble]

"It's not an airship?" the goggles swivel to Balthazar's face and then he pulls back a little because whoa that's too close. He does not need to see the stranger's pores. Goggles aren't so good for face to face. He pulls them off but leaves them hanging by the strap around his neck and fumbles for a more normal pair of glasses. He has those on a strap, too. "Are you sure? It's better not to make a mistake where those are concerned."

[grimholdkeeper]

The pores may be obscured by stubble, depending which part of his face he's looking at. "I'm positive. Would I walk my dog in a war zone?"

Okay, maybe not the best example, considering poor Saint is already an amputee.

[twitchytrouble]

"You don't need to be in a war zone to worry about airships." He starts to get up anyways and tries to brush off his knees. He's still short standing up. He's wearing a stained grey labcoat and a handmade scarf that doesn't really go with the mad scientist look. "Also, you're not lugging a big target on one shoulder."

[grimholdkeeper]

"Well, you're in the question area of the Nexus. No violence is allowed here. I'm guessing this is your first visit?" Saint, meanwhile, is trying to get a good sniff. New person! We can be friends, yes??

[twitchytrouble]

Now that the whale is gone he is calming down a little, and carefully pets the dog on the head. He smells like electricity and machine oil and tea. Also he is not completely unfamiliar with dogs but not really sure what to do with them either.

"Nexus? Where's that? The last thing I understood was the officials breaking down my door."

[grimholdkeeper]

Saint isn't picky. Uncertain pettings are just fine. Balthazar keeps a hold on his leash, but smiles reassuringly. "It's a dimensional crossroads. A number of different worlds meet here. There are no real officials."

[twitchytrouble]

"No officials?" He peers up at the Nexus-white sky and then peers at Balthazar because he really honestly wants to be sure about this. "No government? No officials at all?"

[grimholdkeeper]

"No, not really. There's some sort of magic that keeps people from injuring each other, but no one's in charge. I do advise you to behave yourself, though. People will find ways to defend themselves and their friends."

[twitchytrouble]

He giggles, and then laughs. "Heaven!" He laughs some more.

"Yes, yes we will. We do, I mean. I just didn't know that defending myself would take me so far away..."

[grimholdkeeper]

Balthazar gives him a long, flat look, trying to decide if this is a worrisome reaction or not. After a moment, he leans down to scratch behind Saint's ears and says, "I think it might be best if I gave you a crash course in the Nexus. Would you like to join me for a drink?"

[twitchytrouble]

"A drink of what?" He has stopped laughing at least, but he looks a little giddy still. "You mean a real drink? Alcohol?" He shifts the cannon on his shoulder again and beams at the stranger with the dog. "Are you an aristocrat? Are you sure you want to be talking to me?"

[grimholdkeeper]

"...alcohol, or soda pop. Whatever you prefer." He stands up and beckons him toward the Nexus bar. "I'm not an aristocrat. I'm a shopkeeper, technically. But like I said, different worlds meet here, so chances are your culture and mine aren't the same."

[twitchytrouble]

"Definitely not." He follows and he's a lot slower this time. That gun is heavy and he couldn't have run with it except in a burst of adrenaline and fear. He didn't stop to try and use it to actually shoot back though, which might have made more sense.

"I'd like alcohol. I've had alcohol."

[grimholdkeeper]

That is odd, and fortunate. While it might not have successfully injured a flying whale, it would have drawn a lot of attention. "So the government and aristocrats are...not good? Would you like a beer or hard liquor?"

[twitchytrouble]

Just because he has a big gun does not mean he wants to use it! It's a good thing there's an anti violence field though, just in case.

"That depends who you ask." He winks. "I don't know what's good. I haven't had it very often. Just not moonshine?"

[grimholdkeeper]

Balthazar looks him over, taking in his height, and smiles. "Let's start with a good beer. Just so you know, the food at this bar is usually fine, but occasionally things around the Nexus are enchanted. You want to be careful who you accept things from."

[twitchytrouble]

He's very short but he is solid! "What... kind of food?" The cannon will get set down at his feet at the bar and he climbs onto a bar stool. He isn't much over five feet tall and built kind of like a flour sack with limbs. And really crazy frizzy hair. Mad scientistry does not get him a lot of exercise.

mad scientistologomy ;)

[grimholdkeeper]

"Hungry, too? They mostly just have snacks, but let me look." There's no bartender, so he slips behind the bar and gets two beers out of the cooler-dark, yeasty types, like Guinness. "Looks like we have some oranges and bananas, chocolate cookies, chips and salsa, and salted peanuts."

Re: mad scientistismness!

[twitchytrouble]

"Not exactly." He smiles a little but the kind of foods he gets now are so simple and basic and he has to take what he can get. He is hoping for something a little better. "I don't know what chips or salsa is."

XDDD

[grimholdkeeper]

Balthazar pulls open a bag of tortilla chips and dumps them into a bowl. "Here, see if you like these. Salsa is made with vegetables. Sometimes it's spicy."

[twitchytrouble]

He takes one carefully and nibbles. Mmm, salty! "I shouldn't complain. The children bring me bread and eggs and odds and ends from gardens. Sometimes even milk." Everything he gets is homemade and anybody who likes to live healthy and wholesome might be jealous.

[grimholdkeeper]

"Well, if you want something more substantial, I'll buy you a sandwich somewhere. But tell me about your world." He gets out the salsa and comes around to sit next to him, helping himself to a couple chips.

[twitchytrouble]

"I'm not sure I know where to start. I've never spoken with anyone who wasn't living there." He smiles a little but he knows it isn't much of a joke. He'll try the chips in the salsa after he sees Balthazar dipping them. He likes it, and shuts his eyes and smiles as he chews but he's thinking about what to say too.

"It isn't as bad in some countries as it is in mine, but there are the aristocrats who have money and education and walled cities, and there are the other people who do not."

[grimholdkeeper]

"Well...fair point." He nibbles salsa and sips his beer, listening to the stranger. Whose...name he doesn't know yet...

"I'm sorry, my name is Balthazar Blake. I didn't catch your name."

[twitchytrouble]

"Denby!" He sort of laughs his name the first time, and puts out his hand to shake. It's small and pudgy but strong and there's machine grease worked into all the little creases. "Denby R. Bleylocke. Sorry about that. I guess I was too busy running from theoretical airship gunners to introduce myself properly."

[grimholdkeeper]

Balthazar can't help but smile. Denby seems like a loose cannon, but rather endearing all the same. His handshake is firm. "I think I understand. So...does this mean you're an outlaw of sorts?"

[twitchytrouble]

That is not a bad description at all! Denby smiles and tries some more chips and salsa. "I'm a convicted criminal, actually." He waves a chip around and fortunately it does not have salsa on it yet or he would be flinging it. "Falsifying personal information to obtain education outside caste restrictions, multiple counts possession of technology outside caste restrictions, and manufacture of technological weapons outside governmental authority, except the last one was wholly false." He frowns about that and completely ignores the giant shoulder cannon sitting beside his chair.

[grimholdkeeper]

"Those are...odd charges, actually." Reassuring, even, except for the weapons charge that seems to be accurate. His eyes stray toward the cannon. "You do seem to have a large technological weapon on you," he points out mildly. "But no one here is going to care, unless you use it on something living or to destroy their property."

[twitchytrouble]

"Oh! Oh, NOW I make weapons. I was already accused of it, so I thought it might be prudent to prepare to defend myself and what do I have to lose? Anyway, they did come for me..." He sucks on a tortilla chip and frowns and stares into space. "I just hope they don't hurt any of the families nearby."

[grimholdkeeper]

"That's an interesting conclusion." Balthazar can't entirely blame him, but he's not sure it's the response he'd have made to that accusation.

"Well...education, at least, is freely available here. There's a library, and a laboratory. If you want a tour, or help getting home, I'm happy to help until my dog gets tired."

[twitchytrouble]

"A library??" Denby looks like somebody has just handed him the biggest birthday present ever. He is thinking of books and books and more books and it will take him a minute to think of anything else.

"Home is where you make it, but... I do fear for the people living nearby. If the government decided to raid their homes after I fled, there's not very much I can do."

[grimholdkeeper]

"Yes. Also Inns and places to eat, if you wanted to stay a while." He's amused by the enthusiasm, but when Denby mentions people living around him, he frowns in concern.

"If you wanted to go back, you could try to help them move here. I hesitate to interfere, but..." But it sounds like an awful situation.

[twitchytrouble]

He rubs his chin in thought but a part of his mind is still going 'books!'

"If they haven't been arrested for breaking the technology ban, they... might or might not be willing to come on my word. I try to help them when I can, but I mostly talk to just they're children. I suppose they think it's safer that way, having limited contact with the wanted criminal. Then if someone catches them with technology from me, they can claim their kids brought it home. Technically that's true..." It is a very lonely life.

[grimholdkeeper]

"Maybe it would be better to lay low for a few days, then." He looks sympathetic. "Why don't I help you find a room at an Inn, and get you a PINpoint, and then you can get your bearings. Decide after you're acclimated better."