Excerpt 011: Recalibration | OTA

[rekindledtitan]

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: The Nexus

PARTIES: Unconfirmed total [??]. Multiple [-] Ghost-type, multiple [-] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [[personal profile] rekindledtitan], additional [REDACTED]

ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Nike; Rogers, Steve; Blaze-37; Coyote;



The havoc wrought by Coyote’s ‘gifts’ may not have been undone, and the trickster may be roaming at large still. But with an end to the rampage of the Big Bad Wolf, the Nexus streets are… somewhat safer, again. Night brings a chance for people to lick their wounds, or plot revenge… or just try to adjust to their circumstances.

Most of the bars and taverns close to the Plaza are exceptionally quiet tonight, but one of the pubs is playing host to an unusual gathering. The currently human-form Ghost is seated at one of the bigger tables, and before him is spread an array of bowls and small plates. Each bears a different sample of human-edible cuisine, most of them so far untouched. Around the rest of the table hovers a ring of… well, other Ghosts, these ones in their normal shapes. Their shells are angled or patterned or painted in different colors, but their blue optics glow bright in the low lighting of the bar. One of them - Penny, distinguished by her metallic green shell - dips to examine one of the many menus scattered around the table’s edge.

“Goat’s cheese!” she announces, and one of the others nudges a plate in front of Blaze’s Ghost. He eyes it a bit uncertainly, and Penny eggs him on. “Eat!”

“Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat!” The other Ghosts take up the chant with her, bobbing in the shadows, until Ghost manages to spear the lump of cheese on a fork. The others huddle in a bit closer to watch as he nibbles on it.

Over by the bar, one of the Guardians leaning on the counter observes, “You know, that’s kinda… creepy.”

“Yyup.” Blaze drops her attention back to pulling out the contact pins on the battery pack in her hand. “’Least they’re having fun.”

And worried as the Exo is about all this, at least she knows he’ll get enough to eat. Blaze? She just needs a drink. Or several.


[ Open post for encounters/CR after the first Coyote event post, particularly characters Blaze and Ghost know (and, of course, those with Ghosts of their own who might be joining in the vicarious taste-test.). ]

Comments

[silverseamariner]

"Ah - Blaze, Ghost. The Swimmer told me that you were given troubles by a trickster spirit of some sort. It's good to see things are going a little better for the both of you. I wanted to thank you for helping us spread the message to my crew. The Sifa are grateful. So I felt we had to catch up with and thank you and your people."

There's a large skeksis approaching, a Mystic by her side. It's rare to see the two halves so close together, but the Nexus is nothing else but a place of wonders. The skeksis bows her head, and the Mystic mimics the gesture. skekSa isn't carrying her weapons, a sign of peaceful intent.

"Is there any seafood here? I'm rather partial to it myself, lass."

[juststeverogers]

"This is a terrible idea." Steve doesn't move from where he's sat down holding on to a few tools for Blaze to keep within easy reach. It's surprising how used to having someone on hand for this kind of thing a Guardian gets....up until their Ghost is no longer around or free to assist as they normally do. He's trying to keep his voice down lest he bother any of the Ghosts all crowding around their large companion to talk over each other asking him to describe the little nibble of cheese.

"I mean sure, it's fine now but half of that stuff doesn't go together. And if he doesn't know when to Stop eating he's liable to make himself sick." Steve's all too aware who's going to be in charge of helping Ghost with the facilities again when this is all over with later.

That's why Siri has been expressly instructed to stay with the gaggle of Ghosts with some bismuth-based stomach medicine just a transmat away. Just in case. The little Ghost complained loudly about having to sit and participate in this but at Steve's request has taken up position at Ghost's shoulder just to keep an eye on the proceedings. Unlike her Guardian she's welcome at the table to join in on this Science Experiment in Progress.

[shieldborne]

Steve was mercifully oblivious to the disaster as it first unfolded. Part of him is upset about it; he still wants to be on the front lines, so to speak. To help, to contribute. But even at his serum-dosed peak, there wasn't a lot he could do against magic. It's probably all for the best that he missed it.

At this point, he's only heard the most basic details, and at least half of his motivation for socializing in a pub is the hope of picking up more gossip. He's got his sketchbook and watercolors, regardless. Worst comes to worst, he'll have something to eat and some time to practice his craft.

He wasn't expecting the scene he's walked in on, and it doesn't make a lot of sense to him. A lot of little Ghosts encouraging some poor guy to eat, like it's some kind of fraternity ritual? Weird. Kind of funny, but weird.

He's just going to...quietly find himself a seat, while pretending he's not watching this. He's not that subtle.

[risenintothevoid]

Vanadis-4 had intended to help keep half an eye on the proceedings, but the Warlock has gotten herself quite buried in a book in one corner of the bar, leaving her Ghost to occasionally flit back and forth to check on her.

Athena hovers near the human Ghost's shoulder, twisting her shell this way and that. "You should eat something healthy," she suggests, her optic flickering over the dishes on offer. "That one - the bread with the seeds in it."

[chiaro_oscuro]

Ben looks at Blaze, who he recognizes, and Ghost, who he doesn't. Then something clicks, and then he groans as he realizes what must have happened.

"Don't tell me he got to you too." The young man's teeth noticeably grit. "I was helping Cricket earlier. He made a wish, and whoever he made it to took his ability to walk away. He told me about a man with the head of a coyote - now, I'm not a human from Earth, but I understand that's an animal somewhere between a dog and a wolf."

"I wanted to go looking for him, but he's probably in the wind now." He breathes in heavily, almost slumping on the table. "I need a drink, if you have one."