[Nexus] Inside 51

[Darkcomet]

[Blue Zone-Cirrus Street]

People present might be a little surprised when the flying aircraft carrier currently landed atop the black spire that is the Altaran Irregulars' main base launches a number of fighters. Loudly.

It doesn't launch itself, since the giant hatch up there allows it to act as a stationary airbase when it's open, but the fighters launch nonetheless.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

It was one of the many outdoor cafes that dotted the city; each donned in colors that might be thought as festive if not for the general lack of holiday apparel or decorations... Save one, of course, but that really was to be expected in the Nexus.

Still, this particular one was moderately more notable than the others by nature of narrative focus. Or rather, being the backdrop of the narrative focus for a particular 'person,' for lack of a better identifier. If one needed details, the being was of indeterminate gender with small antlers jutting from their temples; circling their crown like some kind of fey regalia which, coupled with ripe wheat gold hair, appeared to be more than just a coincidental aspect of their appearance. Long, slender hands loosely gripped either side of a cup as if they were enjoying the warmth that bled through it from the still steaming liquid inside.

They appeared to be quite peaceful if not completely out of place given themselves and their surroundings.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi appears outside the Cafe, or so it appears to anyone who was not watching the skies. A woman with forest green hair and a lighter green dress... or, actually, is that a lab coat? Hard to say. Her eyes are a bright blue, that stand out and look creepy at the wrong angle. If someone gets a close look at her, they might notice that she's not entirely natural, with slight seams showing in her skin along the joints. Of course, supernatural senses will probably see something very interesting.

Having a bit of coin to spend for some reason that may never be figured out, she examines the Cafe and what is has to offer with curiosity.

[McBish]

Nort's Place

"Yes. That would be the plan." Lawrence takes a seat on the nearest clear spot he can find, nodding to Nort. "The question is can we trust you? After our 'friends' violence, you might try to run."

Nort thinks, "Where would I run, you know where I live." He motions to the room they are in. "I don't know any reason you would trust me. I don't like the idea of working on a weapon. But with antimatter leaving you to work on it yourself... well it wouldn't make anyone safer." Nort obviously has doubts about working with the friendly kidnapper.

===================

[Gothic Roof]

"Magic," Young Star ironically deflects. No sense getting the friendly drug dealer involved. "So he's keeping powerful magic items away from people with questionable moral ethics? Shocker. Though his own are in question themselves. So, what do you think we should do with you? Careful, might be a trick question again."

The mage thinks for a few minutes before speaking up. "Find someone you know and trust that is good with mind magic. You might be able to pry something out of my mind. Or at least make sure I am not doing anything to mess with your minds." The mage glances over at Calvin. "Or you could kill me and dump my body somewhere."

Calvin looks upset at this comment. He doesn't say anything just continues to glare at the mage giving Young Star his chance to do it his way.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

Well then, it seems that something very interesting will be perceived.. But it appears that will wait a moment as the selection was being observed. Really, this place was apparently one of those theme shops that crop up and then whither for having so limited a scope but while it lasted, it was offering various teas blended with certain extracts or fruit juices for additional flavor. It likely wouldn't last the month but it was here for the time being at least.

Once Copi decided to make an order or walk away, she might get the notion of being beckoned over without any actual motion taking place. Or any apparent motion in normal three-space at least. Plenty would be going on outside that but it would be presumptuous to assume that it was all visible.

In any case, the first thing said, assuming she follows on the notion, would be a rather quaint: "Agreeable afternoon, do you think?"

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi will decide to order something nice and fruity, and then does notice the person when it(?) tries to get her attention. She will walk over to it. "Indeed," She will reply, "And I believe we are past the risk of cold snaps, as well, but I have been wrong before."

As for what is seen with the supernatural senses, it's... complex. Copi is some kind of odd thing that mainly survives off of inhaling ambient magical energy from her surroundings, and as thus she doesn't need to eat or even sleep if she's conservative. Her blood is actually liquid electricity, and as thus is a magic anomaly in and of itself. In her back are six discs, which would act as foci for some other power.

Mentally, It might be hard to see anything of her. Her mental defenses are very, very scary. Those alone could tell someone that she's a powerful psychic, and looking into her mind itself could be actively harmful for the unprepared.

If this being can see her soul... well, suffice to say it's not pretty. If it can see her soul, it might wonder how she can operate at all... much less interact with others.

[Zefir]

[The Fairview Hotel, located in the Blue Zone]

"Well. Ok" Andy replies.

After all the thing he creates isn't some kind of super weapon or even a weapon. Due to that he tells himself that this action can't directly cause an apocalypse. He will then go start his work.

[DMC 2.0]

Yuki nods and smiles slightly at Mia. "I've traveled enough to be able to at least try to keep an objective viewpoint... although I guess that in and of itself causes subjectivity."

[DMC 2.0]

Mia nods.

"You know that throws the question: Where did you come from that cause you to travel through planes?"

[Warwick Works]

Mr C just leaves without anything else.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

Complexity is interesting when it is made for sustanability. Not so much when designed simply for obfuscation as that was really just convoluted under a different name. And generally bad form on the whole or so was the Entity's opinion on the matter.

Still, sifting through the many whirling bits that one might conceptualize as varying physiological, psychological, and pseudonatural traits was something that the observing being in particular had some great experience in and would likely not suffer too much effort spent gathering all that could be gleaned from passive inspection. Active observation would involve more invasive interaction, after all, and such would be quite rude.

Still, Copi may get the notion of being measured and scrutinized even if there had been no change of expression from the apparently fey being. The current conversation would reflect none of this, however. It was rather blunt to simply ask someone about their traits immediately even if curiosity wished otherwise. "Prediction and prescience are somewhat skewed here so I would not fault any misjudgements, personally." they said with a gentle, if enigmatic, smile. "Though, if you have the time, perhaps dwelling upon the more immediate things at hand would be a venture more interesting than foreseeing the fractal paths of potentially fallacious ends. Tell me, are you much for star gazing?"

[ThePhantom]

[The Fairview Hotel, located in the Blue Zone]

"Well. Ok" Andy replies.

After all the thing he creates isn't some kind of super weapon or even a weapon. Due to that he tells himself that this action can't directly cause an apocalypse. He will then go start his work.

Indeed it isn't a weapon, and while Andy builds, the suit of armor goes to try to help him, while Mr Steward heads off to sleep.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi smiles slightly. It seems this person has a taste for verbosity much like her own. "That depends entirely on the definition. On occasion, I do enjoy looking up at the night sky, especially in the wilderness with minimal light pollution... but I have found, trying to stargaze in the nexus is an exercise in fractal paths and fallacious ends. While on occasion it can be hard to tell, every night the sky in the nexus is different. There are never quite the same constellations, sometimes you can see impressive whorls of color, and sometimes the stars move within the night. While I do not stargaze much, as per the normal definition, I do enjoy spending time gazing at the stars."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"Simply star gazing as astronomy would be a particularly irksome vocation without a non-negligible amount of aid." they said, turning a crimson gaze down to the glass table they sat at and tracing a pinky finger in a wide circle about it's center. After the third circuit, a flicker of gold appeared on the path as a sphere of sparking void was imposed within the circumferential area. Placing a thumb atop the orb, they gave it a flick and the glittering motes streaked past as the focus changed to some other location. If Copi had the capacity for sensing such things, it might be odd to her that there was no application of magical means being used here. Physics was definitely acting strangely but it seemed to be doing this of it's own volition. Of course, the existence of a hard vacuum just sitting there in such a well behaved manner would be a bit annoying to some.

"Still, it is an interesting hobby. It makes one curious as to how many of the stars that one can see in the sky has a planet which is enmeshed with this amalgamate existence. And perhaps a bit amusing as it is entirely possible to see the planet in the sky while standing on a sliver of it's soil. A shame irony cannot be used as a viable power source." they said, motioning towards the sphere with the implication that she was free to examine it how she wished. There was a hint of a nebula at the far end from her perspective if she wanted to focus on something colorful.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi regards the orb with curiosity. "Indeed. Of course, I have yet to be given any reason to believe that the nexus is a planet. For all we know, perhaps it is a planet one day, a flat plane beneath a dome the next, and perhaps on the inside of a sphere the day after that. I dare say, one might never notice." Her eyes flit from star to star in the orb, but do linger on the nebula for a bit. "What scale am I looking at here? It's obviously something quite staggering."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"I think it would be accurate to say that all of the various descriptions have merit but ultimately fall short save for words that are too nebulous to be of any real use." the Entity said. "As for the radius of vision? Technically infinite. What you see is of all the same size and distance as if you were personally at this point in space. Or rather, 'points' due to the fact that this is looking outwards rather than inwards." they said although Copi could have deduced this for herself after observing how the stars didn't 'stick' to one point when she adjusted her position of visual origin. As if to illustrate, they took their cup of tea and pushed it inside the sphere where it began to gently drift. Copi would have to move around a bit to see it given the way the perspective worked, though.

"An easy way to think of it is to take a hollow sphere with one half being transparent. You are able to see what is on the inside but the perspective is different than a sphere with dots or what have you on the outside. In short, a lense rather than a container." they said, retrieving the cup before it drifted too far.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Ah, I see. Very interesting." Copi takes a couple steps to the left, to get a slightly different view. "Where is this in relation to where we are now? For that matter, is it in the same universe, or am I privy to a completely alternate space?" She suspects that this might have something to do with this person's prior comment about standing on a planet and then being able to look into the stars and see it up there, but she deems it worth asking.

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"What you see here is effectively right here sans the ill-defined landmass we are resting upon. It is just one possibility 'out of tune' you might say. A surprisingly stable existance but it doesn't take much to be more stable than here, I suppose. So, potentially a mathematician's answer would suffice for your question." the Entity replied.

They seemed to reach a conclusion, though, and a question quite outside the current purview of conversation followed the preceding statement after a few moments "So from where do you call your generative point?" they asked. It could either be a strange way to ask where Copi came from or perhaps there was more than that implied. Either way, it was probably the first of a roundabout set of questions leading to a more or less proper introduction.

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

Copi looks somewhat surprised by this question. "Hm... from where do I call my generative point? That's an interesting question, even ignoring the unusual language you used. Well, if a normal human's generative point is somewhere in their mother's womb, we will have to redefine it for it to apply to me. If my generative point is somewhere in my home reality... it would be in the Nexus, and I suppose in a way I do consider myself a nexus native. However, I consider my real point of origin to be in some pocket dimension, some blank void. And about here is, perhaps, when you begin to wonder what bizarre series of events led to my existence, and there is where I would not tell you more, seeing as my origin story is not something I would trust to strangers. With all respect due to you, you have not yet earned my trust. Would you like to discuss something else? You seem to strike me as someone full of both questions and insights."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"You've answered my question as well as I could have hoped though I did not intend to pry into personal matters. Though it could be said that a self alters with each moment, it is always interesting to see where one defines the point where they are themselves." the Entity said. "At least, it is much more informative of a person than simply the trade of names as such tags often hold little discription about oneself. Excepting those who's name is a definition, of course, but they tend to be less common in my experience." they said, finishing off the last of their tea and setting the empty cup down on its paired saucer.

"But a new subject would be equally valid, yes. Tell me: Supposing a being existed that stretched across dimensions like they were layers of air and rooted within an under-realm where all things sit pure, what reason would you suppose they have to rest in a tea shop on a warm afternoon?" the Entity asked calmly, the smile from before still present

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Curiosity, perhaps? Boredom?" Copi shrugs. "Perhaps they are assigned to do such, by some either metaphysically or professionally greater power? Perhaps they find the way that three-dimensional being interact entertaining, or fascinating? Perhaps relaxing? Maybe they simply enjoy tea? Perhaps one could say that it's futile to guess at the motivations of such a being, but really, it's just as futile to ponder that about mortal strangers."

[Terumitsu]

[Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe]

"Perhaps, given that all matter was once so much dust of distant origin, the tea here is grown in soil that has bushed up against the realms of a hundred kings across a thousand worlds birthed by millions of stars across countless existences to provide a unique mix of minerals that traces its lineage across aeons all funneled into a single plant. Such complexity would allude to an innumerable amount of vicarious experiences that could be gleaned by observation and ingestion to provide a sublime agglomeration of what could be a perfect micro-metaphor for this combinative existance and point to its greater understanding as a whole" the Entity said.

And then they began to chuckle. "But I think you may be more right. They may simply enjoy tea. That said, how urgent is your schedule?"

[Lost_Deep]

Market Street - Twisted Tea Cafe

"Ooh... schedules. Well... I probably shouldn't waste a whole week, but that's more just keeping good habits." When you don't need to eat or sleep... schedules become more lax.

[FireFox]

[Ashley's Warehouse]

Ally comes running up, lugging a large sack over her shoulder like a reverse Santa Claus, and tries to enter. Hopefully the front door is still unlocked, although most locks would only slow her down a little. It may take awhile to recognize her as the thief, given how long it's been since she was last here and her current appearance. Ally is wearing a french maid outfit and makeup, which is quite different from her usual rough and dirty look.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally may take a moment to recognize the inside of the warehouse as the place Ashley lives in. Rather than the near-empty place it was some time ago, there are several shelves against the walls that are filled with various magical ingredients. There are several chairs and a couple of tables, and there's one recliner in a corner that has a magical fire in front of it. There's also a very tired sorceress sitting in it.

Ashley just came back from heading through a labyrinth, and she hasn't slept much anyway. When Ally opens the door with the sack, she stands up slowly, and one of her hands starts to coat itself in ice. "Who's there?" she doesn't recognize Ally, both from her new look and Ashley not being as alert as usual.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ally closes the door behind her and drops the sack to the floor with a heavy thud and metallic clinking. It's just me. Oh hey, furniture!

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Ally?" Ashley rushes up to the front to make sure it's Ally, and once she knows it, tries to hug her. "Been a little while. Sorry I haven't called or anything."

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

You wouldn't have found me. I was working a job. The thief returns the hug, then tries to pull the mage along into a dance while she laughs. But it was worth it!

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley can't help but giggle as she happily lets herself be pulled along. "Really now? You'll have to tell me all about it," she says. She'd probably be willing to stay up all night to hear the story, despite the bags under her eyes.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

Well, as you can see, it involved being hired as a maid. It took me a few weeks of cleaning this weird rich guy's house, but I finally got into his vault. Ally steps back and gestures to her coquettish uniform, then opens the sack with her flourish. The sack is revealed to be her magic levitating cloak, which she used to easily carry the gold. A lot of gold in thick, unmarked bars. Probably the best haul Ally has ever had in her life of crime.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

Ashley looks at the contents of the sack and grins. "Wow. Yeah, definitely worth it," she says. "Plus it put you in that outfit," she adds, looking back at Ally.

[FireFox]

Ashley's Warehouse

The thief blushes. This is a very... weird uniform for a maidservant.

[Devixer]

Ashley's Warehouse

"Yeah, it really is. You don't see me complaining, though," Ashley says, looking rather coy right now, though still tired.