[Set-up for bittenhand]

[8th_castellan]

Ramon sighs, looking around at the Nexus and its residents as they stroll past. He wasn't keen on coming to this place, not with everything that's now at stake back home, and not with talk of Umbrella in the air once more. But then again, that's what's brought him here, and he couldn't think of a better place to meet this girl

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[bittenhand]

Well, let's just say she wasn't exactly looking forward to meeting any people anytime soon. If... that's what these things were. Rain hesitated for just a second which is something the woman rarely did and just walked on up to the gazebo and stared to the rather creepy looking things.

"Halloween's a little late don't you think?" the Detroit native spoke up a little eyeing them and tried her best not to be intimidated. Hoping it wasn't some kind of cruel joke by Umbrella, Ocampo insists to herself she should get the hell out of here in her thoughts. Yet here her feet stay, planted and it looks like this Latina isn't going anywhere.

[8th_castellan]

Ramon looks up when she speaks, then gives a wry smirk.

"Or early. I get that a lot." Given his own 18th century clothing and unusual physical appearances, from his pale skin, his yellow eyes, white hair and short stature, it's probably true.

But he still stands, and gives a short nod as an improvised bow of courtesy. Then waves a hand to indicate the seat across from him, inviting Rain to take it. "Don't worry, they," he points now at the robed Verdugos, "are under my command and will not harm you." Unless she tries to harm him first. "I'm just taking all precautions I feel are necessary when it comes to Umbrella. They will also ensure that we are not interrupted or overheard."

The Verdugos only growl softly as they look the woman over, gripping their spears a little tighter, then resume their patrol.

[bittenhand]

"Well late in terms of zombies already made it look like Halloween, so there's really...nothing... new. " her sentence trails off when her brown eyes widen slightly, seeing ...a rather short man approach her. Yet he seemed nice enough. However nice could be deceiving. Well if she had lived this long, then why stop now? "But yeah, you get the point." nodding to him, trying to make herself not so uneasy and inspects the chair for a moment still soldier-like before sitting down.

Instead of fearing the Verdugos, Ocampo only glared at them with her usual upstare glares, her trademark 'you can see the whites of my eyes'. "I won't ask, I'm just going to respect." saying it a little under her breath.

[8th_castellan]

Ramon resumes his seat as well, resting his arms and clasping his hands on the table between them.

"...So. Are you familiar, first and foremost, with the workings of the Nexus? I'm not certain if this is your first time here or not. I've been negligent of the place as of late, I have to confess. But I found my way here about three years ago, so I'm more than happy to fill you in on anything you want to know there."

Then his eyes narrow a bit and he can't help the cautious look back out towards the Nexus, like he's expecting to see Umbrella agents or, God forbid, Wesker himself to appear in the sea of faces any moment now.

"What I will tell you unsolicited is to be careful of speaking so freely of Umbrella in this place. It's been a long time since they were truly active here, but the Nexus also has a way of bringing people around when you mention them. Or least expect them."

[bittenhand]

It seemed to be small talk. Rain didn't do small talk. Though she did acknowledge him by shaking her head on the whole 'not needing to know about the Nexus' she'd figure it out. Ocampo instead muttered a raspy "Great." in the place of what he had last said.

"It recently happened to me, so I figured whatever help I could get would be good." "Last thing I need to do is cause trouble, however... it's not exactly a fairy tale to see a God damn zombie, let alone your best friend being ...eaten."

[8th_castellan]

"I'm sorry for your loss." It's said in a kind of perfunctory way, though. Because it's just what you're expected to say in these situations and when you hear of those sort of things, he's long since learned. At least when they're people you've only just met. And when there are more pressing things pertaining to the meeting of this person.

"I might be able to offer some of that help you seek. But I'm going to venture a guess that all of this is happening in your world, however?" Here's hoping she's up on the Nexus deal of this being a crossroad of worlds, then. Because that can take awhile to explain and he'd also rather just get right down to business. "What's the present situation with them in your world, then?"

[bittenhand]

Tapping her fingers lightly on the arm of the chair, Rain nods. "Correct." the tapping ceased and her dark eyes look to him. "Currently, there's a place called Raccoon City, it's in mass terror. Though I don't know the details, I'm guessing... all the above. Now someone tells me the city is under sand. For that I have no idea what that means. Las Vegas or something."

"In short. Virus got out. And everybody died."

[8th_castellan]

"Everybody? As in, on a worldwide scale, or simply with Raccoon City?" Because that's at least familiar territory. Everyone from his world knows about the incident where there was a viral outbreak and the small American city had to be leveled with nuclear firepower. He was 14 years old when it happened and was embroiled in his own, er, questionable activities, but even he had heard of it from overseas.

But the thought of an entire world wiped out by Umbrella's acts makes his internal parasite churn a little. (Since he doesn't have a stomach to do the churning anymore these days.)

[bittenhand]

"Everybody. The entire world. Close friend tells me that anyway, you'll have to meet her I guess." Rain shrugged, but still the pit of her stomach didn't feel so good at the moment right now either.

"Families...children... everyone gone. Because of one stupid person's idea and then it just went on to broader ideas...and look at that a whole corporation of them."

[8th_castellan]

"...Dios. What did they think they were going to achieve out of that? To kill everyone? I thought their goals was to control the world, not annihilate it!"

He shakes his head, sitting back a little to take this in.

"But you somehow survived. Came back to life, even. How many others are left surviving, then? Are they all in this fabled city under the sand?"

Ramon narrows his eyes again, this time as he concludes thinking over the information she's divulged thus far.

"And are you hoping to evacuate any remaining survivors, or take out Umbrella for good and reclaim your world?"

[bittenhand]

Arching both eyebrows Rain leans back in her chair, trying to relax. Though it was hard in strange place, with strange people. "Alice wants to do something about it, ... trust me by the time I was too weak that they had to carry me everywhere, I gave up." Rain admitted her defeat.

"But not anymore. If possible, I want to find their weak spot, and get them for good."

[8th_castellan]

"Easier said than done," he mutters. "They're like an infestation of cockroaches. You crush one hive, but then turn over another rock and there waits an even bigger one."

He seems to pause and consider something, then offers a hand across the table in order to shake.

"By the way, I don't think we bothered with introductions. Ramon Salazar, 8th castellan of the Salazar legacy." Yes, he has to include the title in there. It's only proper.

[bittenhand]

"No shit." Rain replied. "But my friend... happens to be one of their projects, and according to them, it looks like they're wimps. She's knocked every one of them on their asses."

Leaning her arm forward, she shook his hand.

"Rain Ocampo, Former Ensign, First class."

[8th_castellan]

He shakes her hand warmly, and with a bit of a smile. But when there's that mention of her friend being one of Umbrella's projects, his face falls and he shivers visibly. Then sits back quickly in his seat, gripping the sides of it as he stares downward at nothing in particular.

"I see. But...I don't know, I wouldn't go so far to call them wimps. They made us into what we are, after all."

Us?

[bittenhand]

Us? just what Rain was thinking.

"Wait...us?" Rain asked a little bit curious on the subject. "I mean, if they're not cowardly bastards, why close up shop and run when they made a mistake? Sounds like something a kid would do and then run away from his mommy for fear of getting in trouble, you feel me?"

[8th_castellan]

"Cowardly, but smart. Perhaps there's some grander scheme of theirs at work here. Maybe they're hiding to wait for some manner of results. No matter what, they'll always be ruthless in getting what they want."

He's attempting to relax again, easing the grip he has on his chair, taking a deep breath before continuing. It's been a long time since he'd thought about this entire incident he's going to address, and even still, after all this time, it sends him into a fit of anxiety. The prowling Verdugos pause, looking to ensure that Master's agitation isn't the fault of the woman he's talking to.

"But si. Us. Umbrella took interest in me about two years ago. Because of who I am, because of what I am. And because of what I carry." His pale hand goes to his chest. "I have a parasite inside of me called Las Plagas. I'm not certain if you're familiar with it or not." People's knowledge from all the variants of their worlds tend to be sort of hit and miss. And Las Plagas was subject to a government cover-up, after all.

"They-...He abducted