nexus_sages | Will accept character sheets

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Will accept character sheets

A multiversal plane is not an every day occurrence. Aliens, zombies, sentient robots... they're not a familiar sight either. Despite all of this, Isidor Briar Durant strides into this unfamiliar territory chin up, tailored suit, heels clicking against the ground, as if she owns the place. Viatorus follows nervously behind her, offering her answers whenever the smallest spark of confusion appears in her eyes as she scans area. She takes her time about putting names and terms to the things around her. It is important. She needs to be more than just informed about the Nexus, she needs to be familiar with it.

And then, when she decides she's ready, her intense examination changes with a blink. Isidor clasps her hands together and smiles, becoming the picture of a friendly stranger. "Hello. This is an exciting place, isn't it? Full of interesting people, I'm certain. I'd very much like to get to know you. Your name, a little bit about you and where you come from, maybe."

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Harrow quickly clarifies, "I wasn't a commander myself! My boyfriend was, though. Shoot, he makes it all sound so adventurous. I was more of a... Field recruiter."

That seems to give him an idea. With an eager smile he looks between the Durant siblings and says a little too loudly, "Hey, I know! Maybe you two oughta be undead? I think it'd work out for ya! Viatorus wouldn't have to stop studyin' to eat or sleep, you could do your business all the time, and you'd both be strong enough to protect yourselves! There's practically no downside."

It's hard to describe the high pitched, whimpery noise that slips out from Viatorus' trembling lips, but there is one. Isidor, on the other hand, goes from easy and casual to wide eyed shock and vague disgust in a matter of milliseconds.

"No thanks," she's quick to say. "We're happy being alive."

Harrowheart mumble-mutters something about, "Just a suggestion, sheesh..."

For a soldier of undeath, and an ex-recruiter at that, he's not very persistent. He runs a hand through his hair and takes a deep breath to mark a change of subject. After all, the Nexus is a pleasant place. He wouldn't want the conversation to be ruined by these people's rudeness.

He sets his sights on Viatorus, but for once his gaze is on the slightly hopeful side of neutral. He asks, "So... You're a scholar, huh? Of what, exactly? Your sister said there's some magic on your world. Do you know some already, or?..."

Getting a 'no thanks' from Isidor after suggesting they should become undead is probably a bizarrely kind reaction considering her track record.

Aw, Harrowheart, your questions are going to ruin Isidor's little game. Well. They're going to allow Viatorus to ruin her little game.

As soon as he can get back to speaking, that is. First he has to get over his hands tangling themselves up and finding it so difficult to look at Harrowheart for longer than a second at a time. He manages, eventually, to nod. "I... I-I-I study... study dreams."

Harrow squints, and it's unclear whether that's in judgment or in thought.

"Dreams?" he finally asks, and then it's obvious that he's confused. "Like a brain doctor? Or like a shaman, sooth-sayer, tea-reader kinda dream interpretation deal?"

His eyes roam slowly left to right and he stares hard at the ground while he thinks this all through. Why would a person study dreams? Earth has a lot of strange technology, there might be something here he's missing.

In a short while he looks up, and to mask how hard it is for him to mull this all over he laughs. He very delicately punches Viatorus on the shoulder. "Hey, you just reminded me! I gave my buddy Steve a special dream tea from my world. It's made from a plant called 'dreamfoil,' and if you drink it it'll give you all sorts of vivid, genius-idea kindsa dreams. And maybe some hallucinations. But it's all dreams, right? I thought it might help him solve some problems he was havin'. Maybe you oughta talk to him about it? Not sure if he drank it yet, but it might be a fun time, huh?"

Dang it, V. Harrow didn't want to like you, and now look. You started up a conversation and his dumb mouth got to running, and now you're his pal for better or worse.

Viatorus' brow creases slightly and he shakes his head. It's frustrating sometimes, not being able to communicate properly. "No... No... I'm... I-I'm a dreamwalker."

The mention of special tea, dream tea no less, gets Isidor to perk up and Viatorus to almost completely ignore the shoulder ~~tap~~ punch. He rubs his shoulder absently as he tries to figure out which questions to articulate.

His sister is quicker off the bat. "Could we get some? For his research."

"Well," he starts. "Normally I'd give it to ya for free, but Verity told me magic is supposed to have a cost. It's pretty much free on my world, barrin' any side effects of castin' or imbibin', but I guess I gotta charge so long as I'm here."

Thanks a load, Verity. You've taught him capitalism.

"You guys got anything cool from Earth I can have? If it's neat enough I'll throw in a couple of dreamfoil plants so you can grow 'em yourselves."

Ah, damnit, Verity! Now she has to see if she can swap glass beads for gold!

"I'm sure we have lots of cool things you'd be interested in. If you like phones, we have plenty of other gadgets you'd probably enjoy. Music players, dvd players, a thousand different kinds of clocks and watches, e-readers, tablets, lava lamps... The list goes on. What kind of things do you like, Harrowheart?"

"Lava... Lamps? You can put lava in a lamp?" Earth is a powerful planet indeed. "Man, that'd be cool as hell! But I know I'd bust it open and melt myself up. Then I'd be an angry shade and I'd have to haunt the two of you." He winks at Viatorus, and the way he smiles at Isidor suggests he's joking.

"I want somethin' that'll keep me entertained for a real long time and don't take a whole lotta readin'. Just no movies. You figure out what fits that description. I'll trust you two can be cool about doin' a fair deal."

He clears his throat and as a totally subtle aside adds, "I guess there's gonna have to be a fee for Viatorus's magic lessons, too, if he's still interested. I mean, I'm sure frost magic ain't as cool as dreamwalkin', but – Actually, what is dreamwalkin'?"

"No movies?" Isidor tilts her head and peers at him suspiciously. "Do you already have technology? I wouldn't want to offer you something you already have."

"Oh." Her brow lifts and comes together in a look of innocent disappointment. This is definitely where she looks like her brother, the expression bearing a striking resemblance to Viatorus' puppy dog eyes. "I was under the impression that was an invitation, not a purchase. To educate and make new friends."

Harrowheart frowns. Deeply. A grumbly rumble starts in his chest as he grapples with the weight of his conundrum. For the most part he stares at the ground or other scenery, but now and then he catches sight of Isidor: sweet, friendly, probably doesn't know the meaning of the words 'ulterior motive.'

Hrrrnnnngh. He can hear his mother's voice scolding him for his poor manners. What kind of vulture would begrudge another person knowledge just because they couldn't pay? On the other hand, he really does like stuff. And Earth stuff is the best kind of stuff! Nobody seems to want to take him to the planet, and only Verity has offered him anything in the way of souvenirs. If he's a pushover now, they'll never respect him enough to trade him the good stuff in the future. But if he's too stingy, he might make an enemy...

He turns his worried frown on Viatorus. But somehow, the sight of that weak-willed, cowardly little nerd doesn't spark the same desire to push him into a locker as before. He's just a young man, practically still a kid. He's scared, and he's normal, and for some reason – Light knows why – he's the one in the family who does the magic.

A final, frustrated growl escapes Harrow's throat. His shoulders go slack as he sighs a heavy breath. "Arrite," he grumbles. "I won't make ya pay to teach Viatorus. But. He has to take it seriously. And he gets his own private lessons. Not with Steve and Verity. I don't think I could wrangle three people all at once anyhow."

Viatorus is all set to make another timid sound of somesort when Isidor pokes him in the shoulder. "Listen to that. He's doing you a favour."

"But-!"

"No. You watch yourself and mind your manners. What do you say?" The mother act is a good one, and despite Viatorus knowing that she's just patronising him now, it's pretty difficult talk back when talking is such an issue.

He looks over at Harrowheart, glances over to Isidor, and then back again. "Thank you...?"

Isidor beams. "Wonderful. He'll have a bodyguard with him when he comes along. Not because of you. He'll have one with him every time he's in the Nexus." Another dash of sweetness is added. "You... won't mind, will you?"

Edited 2015-11-20 21:41 (UTC)

Harrow grunts. His eyebrows lower, and this time he doesn't have to agonize over what he's going to say.

"I will mind, actually," he says, all confidence and no reluctance. "I got three issues with it. For one, I'm not agreein' to teach some second schmucko I never met how to do magic. It ain't 'cause I'm bein' greedy, but magic's a whole lotta power to have. I wanna get to know a person before I start teachin' 'em."

He holds up two fingers and says, "That leads to point two. I wanna get to know Viatorus one on one before we really get to the meat of the teachin'. How am I supposed to learn about him and how he thinks if he's got some guy lookin' over both our shoulders the whole time?"

A third finger, and he says, "Lastly, you know there's an anti-violence field here, right? A bodyguard's pointless. I can't hurt Viatorus unless he gives me consent, and I sure as shit ain't givin' some bodyguard consent to hurt me."

He shrugs one shoulder casually and says, "Maybe this just ain't meant to happen. I think Viatorus'll be relieved about that anyway."

That does sound like a tightly sealed case against the whole thing, but Isidor's bright beaming simply settles into that perfectly polite smile that she had at the beginning. It's gentle, patient. "The bodyguard isn't to protect against you. I don't think you are going to be a threat. The guard can stay outside the room you're in, or at a distance if you're in an open setting. He just needs to be close by. Viatorus doesn't want a bodyguard but it's one of the conditions for him being allowed into the Nexus. No guard. No Nexus. That's something he's going to have to accommodate in everything he does here now."

Harrow squints. He tilts his head to the side just slightly and eyes Isidor with great suspicion.

"So the bodyguard's here now, aren't they." He shifts his eyes from side to side as if he might catch sight of someone whose appearance absolutely screams 'bodyguard'... but in the end his attention comes to rest on Isidor once again.

"It's you, huh?"

Isidor's smile turns apologetic. "I sort of wish it could be, but I can't run a business from the Nexus, and I want someone who can give guarding him their full attention. I'm settling on a guard today."

She heaves a sigh and gives Harrowheart her full attention, entirely earnest this time. "I can't let anything happen to him. He's my brother. He has guards at home too, and bodyguards in an inter-dimensional plane? Frankly, a bodyguard seems like flimsy security, but it's the very least I can do." He gets her pretty please face this time. "Please don't tell me I'm ruining things for him here by trying to protect him. That would be awful."

Edited 2015-11-20 22:25 (UTC)

Hmm. HMM. There's something slightly fishy about this whole situation, suddenly. The air is thick with the smell of the bourgeoisie.

Harrow turns to Viatorus and in his most sincere attempt at a calm, quiet voice he asks, "You some kinda important person on your world, Viatorus? I ain't gonna mock ya if you are. You can be honest with me."

Viatorus' eyes flit about the place, nervous but the calm voice and the question encourage him to answer a bit more easily. "No... No." He looks down at his hands as he rubs then, shaking his head. "No, I-I'm not important."

"Our family is," Isidor admits. "In the right circles." She knows that there has to be a certain amount of give. Telling someone they're right is a simple thing. "Our family is big, our businesses successful, and there is no way I'm sparing any expense in protecting my little brother."

The 'little brother' remark gets a bit of a frown from Viatorus.

Harrowheart laughs. At first it's a humorless chuckle, but the more it builds momentum the more he's legitimately amused! A high-pitched, "Hooooooo~" marks the end of his brief amusement and he shakes a knowing finger at Isidor.

"Yeah, of course! The only expenses you're willin' to spare were payin' me for teachin' your brother!"

Oh. All of a sudden he's not smiling anymore.

"When you started talkin' bodyguards I got the feelin' you were a couple of special someones... Or real bad people folks'd go anywhere to get a chance at killin'. I think things are comin' together here. You think we don't got rich folks like you where I come from? I'm from a place where all the good folks are destitute 'cause of people like y'all. My people, workin' people, we built up the whole damn capitol city, but when it came time to pay, the people in the castles said they didn't feel like payin'. Nowadays those people send their goons out to kill my people to cover their tracks, and there's nothin' we can do 'cause they're the rich ones with the bodyguards. They reaped someone else's harvest and now they're killin' the hands that tilled the fields."

He points an accusatory finger at Viatorus, then at Isidor. "I think I get exactly what you two are here for."

Isidor drops her brother's arm, draws herself up to full high heeled height and stares down the undead ex-death knight with the glowing eyes. "Watch. Your. Tongue." Her eyes flick up and down him sharply. "Save yourself any more embarrassment. You are speaking about people you know nothing about. Insulting us when we are trying to be nothing but friendly."

"In our world? We stand for education, we stand for learning. You tell me how we are 'killing the hands that tilled the fields' by giving the children of our domestic workers college educations and providing them with dream jobs and contacts using our companies." She steps forward, twisting her hip to lean closer and pointing her finger at him. "You are acting like the greedy extortionist that gives working people a bad name. In my world? Treating us like new friends until you find out we're different from you is the epitome of insolence. No, in fact, it's just cruel."

Though Isidor's willfulness surprises him at first, in hindsight it's obvious. She's the protector, and the stronger of the two. Of course she would have stepped up, especially in the knowledge that neither of them can hurt the other physically.

"I treated you like new friends even after your weaselly little brother didn't wanna shake my hand like a real man! All the good-hearted folks in the Nexus didn't have any problem with it, but apparently he's too good for that!"

He stands as straight and tall as he can, but in posturing like this it never really is the height that matters. Even though he has the high ground, she has the boldness and strength to be looking up.

"He comes around whisper-mumblin' about Dreamwalkin' and neither of you ever really explained what that is, so I'm gonna go ahead and guess: He literally goes in people's minds, huh? He's a mentalist." He practically spits the word. "Gettin' in people's heads? Readin' their thoughts? Influencin' 'em? That's the lowest kinda dishonor there is, and that's comin' from an ex-necromancer."

Yeah, cool and good idea. Insult her brother. It's not like it's her whole life's purpose to protect him in all respects.

Edited 2015-11-21 00:33 (UTC)

Her gaze might have been sharp before, but now she narrows her eyes, Harrowheart firmly locked in her sights. When she speaks, her voice is low, cold, and clear.

"You're really convinced, aren't you? Calling my brother out for not being a 'real man'." The thought gets a laugh which moves to a look of derision. "When you are... what, exactly? A corpse? A murderer who was once a man? Playing at being a decent person. A farmer no less. Right. Because that will make you a good person." She peers closer at him. "Or maybe you're not even trying. Maybe you're doing the same thing you always did. You're just trying to scare people a different way to get what you want." The spite vanishes so that her tone becomes cool and unemotional. "At the very least? You're a coward."

Behind her, Viatorus whines, pleadingly. "Isidor..."

Harrow's eyebrow twitches. His lips purse. Though he keeps his eyes on Isidor his pupils flutter about her face. His fists clench at his sides but don't move for his axes or attempt any magic.

"I don't have to listen to this," is the only watered-down excuse he can think to growl.

He steps back but doesn't turn around. He points once more at both of them, Viatorus the longest, and warns, "I got my eye on the both of you." That'll disprove everything Isidor said!

He turns quickly but isn't in quite as much of a rush to leave. He'd hate to look like he was retreating, after all. Wouldn't want to give her that satisfaction. With his arms crossed he stomps off, and unless the Durant siblings have something to shout after him, he's on his way to greener pastures to pollute.

Somewhere, there is a metaphorical bus backing up to run over Verity again.

Thanks, Harrowheart.

:> Don't thank me, it's my job!

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Will accept character sheets

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Viatorus at the moment: http://i.imgur.com/9W7YFvg.png

XD Very much so

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The dark necromancer bids you, minions, fetch him... a Nintendo DS!!

Come on now, we have to make this last. We'll start with Pac-Man.

I'm gonna need a 'profuse sweating' icon at the rate my rp goes lately

Isidor would give him plenty of reasons to use it X]

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http://tinyurl.com/q4wcmxp Well this escalated quickly

It would have been way worse if she thought he was uneducated. They'd both be super snobby then.

Meanwhile he's like "Wtf is college?"

Shhh, don't let her realise~

>:( How dare you act like you know me? I mean you totally nailed it, but HOW DARE

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