Maybe Not Your Typical Kind of Entrance

[beyondthenorms]

With much force, a door blew off its hinges and collided with the concrete, making a loud sound as an unconscious red haired woman fell forward somewhere next to it.

Her forehead was bleeding a little. A nasty gash on her arm was starting to heal up by itself as a second sentience inside her had chosen to take over and give her nanotech a little boost in the regenerated of damaged tissue and muscles.

The sentience inside her chosen vessel had decided to take over for now, opening Mari's eyes that began to glow white. She could feel Mari's pain, and knew that she wasn't going to awaken anytime soon. She might have a concussion. She needs help, and shelter...

Mari, I am sorry, but I cannot bring you home. It's much too dangerous! Vertigo would only weaken you again. I won't allow it. We won't want her to get inside your head.

Carefully, she moved Mari's legs and arms, helping her vessel to stand. Looking around, and using Mari's voice, this life and power source of another, a sentient Nexus began to open Mari's mouth. She had no voice of her own, and had no choice but to take over and seek help.

"Is there someone out there? Please! I seek sanctuary! My companion is hurt, and she needs a place to rest." She will forgive me. She will understand. She /must/.

Comments

[beyondthenorms]

Indeed, she had found a new true friend in this other Nexus. There wasn’t a reason for her to doubt or worry. She knew she made a good choice for both of their sakes, but Jim’s words caused her to feel comforted. He could be trusted, and she was sure Mari could be friends with him too, eventually.

“In the beginning, I did not have a name. I was given one by Mari and a few other humans, years ago,” she explained. “A time I had started to observe, and learn more about them... I let humans and other visitors from all over explore, and live in what I created for them; a town, the forest areas surrounding it, and the mountains.”

She paused a moment, stopping herself from saying anything about her mistakes. An open discussion on certain events of the past was something she didn’t want to get into, not yet.

“I have the same name as this world, but you may call me Nexus Two.” She considered another variation of this nickname that Mari herself would come up with. “Or, N-Two? I’m fine with either option.” She was certain this would confuse Jim, so she admitted her reason for bringing Mari to this place. “It is our first time here, but I was able to find out a bit about this location before arriving; the name, and anti-violence shield..." She frowned. "If there had been more time and opportunity—and if Mari hadn’t been so cruelly hurt, then I would have been able to bring over our group of friends. But I believe they’re all right. They would have retreated by now.”

[smartass_captain]

"N-Two?" Jim does look a bit confused. She was the Nexus? A nexus, rather. "So...you're..."

He doesn't really understand, but then again, he doesn't really need to. N-Two saved her friend, brought her here, and now she's safe. Both of them are safe.

That's all the important bits.

"Well, you can go look for them once Mari here has recovered."

[beyondthenorms]

“Yes,” N-Two agreed. “I won’t risk using any power to track them until then. I wouldn’t want to cause her further pain.” Still, she was stressed and unhappy about the both of them being temporarily separated form the others. Mari would worry too, probably. N-Two knew her too well to know this.

She moved Mari’s facial muscles to form an apologetic smile. “It’s not easy to explain myself. And I am sorry about that.” If I could be sure that showing you something wouldn’t make her head hurt worse, then I would, Jim.

Within, she could feel her vessel beginning to stir. Oh--! “Mari’s waking up, but I will still be near. If there’s anything more for me to tell you, then she will pass it along. We co-exist as a team...”

The white glow in Mari’s eyes dimmed down to her natural brown color. After blink or two, her vision cleared. As that happened, Mari could feel her head and neck aching really bad. She instantly remembered why, and began to wonder where the hell her crazy, nasty attackers went.

Vertigo wouldn’t have bothered to cover her up in a blanket after banging her head to the ground a bunch of times... Mari’s thought process drifted as she frowned, confused. In looking ahead, she realized this wasn’t her friend Kazuma’s old home town. And why was she sitting up on something soft? She tried to look around by just moving her eyes. ...Feels like a couch?

I helped you sit down, came N-Two’s gentle thought. I placed a cushion behind your head, and covered you up. Vertigo and Zora are not around.

[smartass_captain]

Hurray, N-Two (Or N2 as Jim has already taken to labeling her. It sounds like 'into' in his head) didn't mention Jim to Mari. Jim does not know this.

He gives the redhead a small smile.

"One hell of an entrance there, Mari. Jim Kirk. Your friend fill you in on what's going on already?" He taps his temple to show that he's met N2 already.

[beyondthenorms]

She was getting there. There was a quite a bit Mari didn't know or figure out while unconscious, and N-Two didn't want her waking up in a panic. Rushing through the information wouldn't help anyone.

The first thought that came to mind after N-Two started talking telepathically was, Who the hell's Zora?

As N-Two was about to answer that question, Jim spoke. This caused Mari to quickly turn to look at who addressed her by name. Bad idea. A stab of pain made itself present in her cranium. "Oww fffffuck."

Do not be alarmed, N-Two told her as Mari's muscles tensed at seeing Jim tapping his head. He is someone I met. This good man helped seal up your wounds. You can trust him. I promise, we are /safe/ where we are.

"Okay, super. Swell," Mari muttered to her home's sentience before answering Jim's question. "Yeah. She's started to... Said you helped stop the bleeding." As she moved her formerly bleeding arm out from under the blanket, she noticed the injury was now a fading scab. From there, she just breathed deep breaths as N-Two was gently telling her to relax.

[smartass_captain]

"Didn't touch you more than I had to to get the wounds closed up." Jim promises. "Your friend tucked you in with the stuff I found for you. You're safe here."

Jim also doesn't get closer while he's talking, remaining seated in the chair he'd settled into near the couch Mari was resting on.

"You've got a bit of a concussion, so if you need to rest, I'll watch over you. Ain't got nothing better to do." He flashes her a small grin.

[beyondthenorms]

"Figured I'd have that, since the sneaky bitch monster banged my head on the ground a lot." Mari was clearly not in a good mood right now. She didn't raise her voice, and she made no more sudden movements. "If I hadn't worn my armor, I would've had a cracked skull."

Even if he did get closer, she wouldn't have summoned any weapon out of the tattooed mark on her right palm. N-Two trusted Jim, so that meant that he was definitely a good guy.

[smartass_captain]

"Small miracles, then." Jim gives her a sympathetic smile. He's been through the wringer more than a few times, himself. Getting hurt is nothing new, but still nothing he wishes on other people.

"You can rest easy. I'll stay here."

[beyondthenorms]

She sighed. "Sure. Thanks, but I'm not quite tired yet."

We'll track down everyone else once most of the pain goes away.

Her eyes lowered, focused. "I'm sure they're okay," Mari replied to N-Two aloud, allowing Jim to be involved in this. "I definitely wouldn't count the Doctor getting killed off. He already has his special getaway car. Kazuma I'm sure could've been a big help too, clearing a path through that army."

Right. Of course. The both of them would have helped everyone get away, with the Doctor's TARDIS.

Mari looked back to Jim. "He's not just any doctor, by the way. Far from it. More like a helpful universal traveler than a regular doctor." That was the easiest, shortest way to describe this particular friend of her family's.

[smartass_captain]

"My best friend's a doctor." Jim supplies helpfully, though he pauses at the whole universal traveler. "Like...an explorer?" Jim can't imagine Bones driving a getaway car. But she sure seems like she's talking about a space travelling doctor.

"That's cool. I'm sure your friends are fine, then."

[beyondthenorms]

"Part explorer, yes. Every once in a while, he comes to visit us," Mari explained. "All of us separately and together have had our...rough times." This would be putting it lightly. "But we've all pulled through. The friends and I that live in this town together are as close as family, and we've been through a lot."

Her eyes began to narrow. "Although, it's not them I want to recap on right now... Vertigo, someone who hasn't given up on wanting to conquer our Home Nexus world for so long, has apparently met some new buddies. And she's capable of traveling from world to world all by herself."

They won't be able to harm any of us here. There's an anti-violence shield in this other nexus.

"Another one?" Mari showed a bit of bewilderment. To Jim, she mentioned, "She just said this place also has an anti-violence shield?"

Yes. And while we are here, my nickname is N-Two. To prevent any further confusion among any other people we meet.

[smartass_captain]

"Not sure how many Nexus points in between multiverses you've been to but..yeah. This is a hub between hundreds of worlds. Maybe even thousands." Jim gestures around them.

"Don't bother asking how or who set this up, cuz I don't know. But there is a field that prevents violence. However, it can be broken in the outskirts, so the forum is the safest. The field is at its strongest here. And it's only been broken once that I know of, so it's not like it's a huge threat."

[beyondthenorms]

Mari nodded a bit. "Good to know, for whenever Vertigo comes. I think this is as safe as it will get for us."

I agree. We will have more time to figure out a way to stop her.

"We've been to three now," Mari added, "including this place. And as you may already know, I'm connected to another. I've had a home around N-Two for nine years now."

[smartass_captain]

There's thousands of worlds connected to this one multiversal hub. Jim doesn't know why he didn't assume there could be more than one. The thought alone is mind bending, but then, thinking of the scope of one universe is impossible enough for a human brain to take in-- imagining several and hubs to connect all of them is next to impossible.

"Well, I know a guy who's pretty handy with portals who can help you get home when you feel you're up for it."

[beyondthenorms]

It'd be hard for most to grasp everything Mari had endured, alongside her friends and boyfriend on N-Two's lands. The dangers over there and Mari's past alone would brain-break someone, even when she chose to simplify every bit of that.

As Jim offered to help Mari back home, N-Two was quick to advise. I don't think it's a good idea to go home. Don't you?

"Can't go back, Jim." Mari frowned at him. "N-Two and I know it's not safe for me to return yet. Home won't ever be safe if Vertigo's still around. She's got to go, and it can't be done simply with combat, or blowing her head off." Trust was of course a two-way street, so she began to explain further. "To help protect home and my family, I could avoid getting attacked here. Then, once the headache goes away, I could help them over here."