Just a Scratch [TW: Blood]

[ixis]

We've all seen it before. Someone shows up to the Nexus, fresh from some assault or battle, all beaten and bruised. It's just one of those things that happens in this place.

But it's usually newcomers, not well-established residents.

Ixis Naugus has hobbled his way to the Forum, leaning heavily on his staff and looking like hell. His face is covered in blood, in equal parts from his nose and a long diagonal cut slashed across his face. He's been bleeding from it long enough that it's streaked down his beard and stained a good portion of it red. The wizard is also sporting a gouge in his left side; a grievous puncture wound from the looks of it. That's got the whole of that side darkened with blood as well.

Naugus finds himself a chair and drops himself heavily into it, panting for breath. Adjusting both hand and claw on his staff, he looks about before managing a weary, possibly sarcastic, smile.

"How are you today? I'm fine."

Comments

[ixis]

Naugus seems confused for a time at the moped, as if he needs a good portion of time making sense of what he's seeing. Bear...on vehicle? Bear is driving-...? Oh wait! His face lights up in recognition.

That's Ice Bear. He knows him. He knows Ice Bear.

"I mmmmay have gotten into a fight," he finally replies, stroking his blood-streaked beard. "I won, of course," he adds.

this comic is winning

[icebearforpresident]

[Okay, Ice is officially confused, but hides it behind his stoic face. One might catch his ears twitching at brief intervals, but no other personal indicators beyond that. The blue helmet is quickly removed and hung on the the back of the moped. Turning the vehicle off, Ice dismounts and rests his eyes on the injuries Ixis has sustained.]

"Why?" [He's not much for words right now. Then again, when is the bear ever really talkative.]

((I edit this to say yes :D to clerks reference. carry on))

pop culture night in the beat-up naugus thread

[ixis]

"She assaulted me. Grabbed me by my beard! I don't know what her issue was; probably unstable. Maybe on drugs? Probably, yes." Right, that's totally how it shook out, Naugus. Your recollection of events is flawless.

"But I made her regret her actions! Make no mistake of that."

no objections to that

[icebearforpresident]

"..."

[The bear just thinks about this for a moment, eyes blinking at a much faster pace than usual. Who is Ixis talking about? Again, why doesn't the anti-violence barrier work in this place again? He really can only say one thing in response to the mage and his boasting.]

"Who? Why?" [Looks like he wants more details in order to further understand to situation.]

[ixis]

Naugus chortles, which is followed by him screwing his mouth to one side and then spitting. It is, of course, a mouthful of blood that hits the floor.

"Some idiot girl. Her name is-...Agggh, Overlander. Always has a silver hairpiece? Knives? Sometimes a corset, I believe. Amy? Amall-...Amelia! There we are. Amelia. Stupid little Overlander child who comes from a backwater Overlander world where they're afraid of fire and their own shadows. I simply pointed this out and she went berserk!"

[icebearforpresident]

[The sight of blood really doesn't bother Ice all that much. He's watched and read too many stories where something is bleeding, so whatever. What really gets him thinking is the name being mentioned. He's met the person once before; they didn't seem that bad or evil. But the words that hit home are the ones about people being afraid, as Ice can understand that feeling.]

"Ice Bear wants to know why they are afraid. Ice Bear wants to know what you said to her as well."

[ixis]

"I just said it was silly. It was silly she was going to go off and seal her world because the confederacy of dunces that populated it are afraid of magic. Said they'd riot and kill if they saw it. What rot. What absolute-...It's stupid. She's stupid. They're stupid."

You said it, man!

[icebearforpresident]

[The thought of getting a world invaded doesn't really bother Ice Bear at all, that is until he recalls the demon invasion. How the creatures ripped and tore through the Nexus without mercy and that the possibility of that happening elsewhere causes the bear to shudder.

That's why he hasn't told his family about the Nexus. He doesn't want them getting hurt.]

"Does that make Ice Bear stupid then?" [He's giving Ixis a very serious look now. Better think about the answer long and hard, good sir.]

[ixis]

"...What? No. You appreciate magic, don't you? It's useful! It's incredible! It's my life, my profession, my-..." He trails off. What else is it? He's sure it's a lot of things. All of them good! But he's drawn a blank now. "It's good," he concludes instead with a short nod.

"Meanwhile, she's afraid if these plebes see a magic spark or a phone, they'd immediately fly to violence and kill everyone. I can't respect that."

[icebearforpresident]

[The bear has to think about this for a moment, because yes, he has a frost fairy buddy who's a common practitioner of magic. On the flip side of the coin, the demons who invaded the Nexus possessed fearsome magic as well. Finally, he comes up with the best thing to say to the situation.]

"Ixis is looking at the wrong thing. Ice Bear isn't talking about magic. Ice Bear is talking about protecting his home from the Nexus."

[Both paws cross over Ice's fluffy chest, and if one looks carefully, the concern is there in his eyes.] "So, Ice Bear asks again...Is Ice Bear stupid for wanting to protect his world from danger?"

[ixis]

"Nnnngh." He frowns, deeply confused by this quandary. "...Nnnnooo, I suppose not. But she made it sound like she was afraid of any advances in magic or technology (which I don't blame her for, tech ruins everything) getting through and making the people think a devil was among them. At that point, it's not protecting them from the Nexus, it's protecting them from themselves."

[icebearforpresident]

"...Ice Bear is afraid. Ice Bear has seen the terrors of the Nexus."

[A rare moment indeed that the bear openly admits he has a weakness, let alone one so vast. He just walks over to Ixis and pats him lightly on the shoulder. Perhaps the bear's temper has dwindled a bit.]

"Ixis should try harder. To be understanding. To not fight unless necessary."

[ixis]

"Understanding? I understand fine! And I certainly know how to pick my battles. I'm a very patient man. I know when to bide and when to strike!" Because that's clearly what Ice Bear meant, Naugus.

"Besides, she started it."