nexus_crossings | Jamming in the Afternoon

Cooking did not happen too often in Mantis’s home. It was messy. It was hot. It took time. He was going to be all day with this latest project. Wandering into the industrial area of the Nexus will allow people to see an unusual sight. Rather than wearing his usual mask, Mantis had a scarf wrapped around his face vaguely similar to how one might imagine a ninja might look. He was seated in front of a portable stove with a pot cooking away over the flame. Next to him were several packages of fruits, empty mason jars, bags of sugar, and massive jugs of water. He sat in a folding chair situated beneath the shade of a large umbrella with a pile of long grass on his lap. Every so often, he’d pick up a piece and add it to a growing weaving project in his hands.

One might recognize the simple operation as a jam making jamboree. It’s an old, but fun way to make the most of a day and a harvest of fruit. Perhaps those who know him might be able to recognize his somewhat gaunt frame as he lounges back in the shade. Some who do not might be curious in general. Pale grey eyes dart up every so often to the cooking pot, but he’s not about to get up and rush for anyone or anything. He gets the jam stirring every so often with a flick of his wrist and a well-used wooden spoon.

There are a lot of jars, in spite of himself. With how time-consuming this was, that jam was going to last him a while. He wouldn’t have to buy any, wouldn’t have to borrow any, and that left him with visions of a personal hoard of sugar-sweet goodness. He sighs as he keeps with making his grass-woven project and sniffs the air. The question was half asked to the air around him, but it does deserve to be answered: “What should I do with these first?”

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"Last winter was all right, but the one before that was the Long Winter. The weather was the worst of it, it made people hungry and sick - but the Fallen didn't need food like we do, so they had an edge over us. Isidor Durant and the Guardians told me a little about it. So having more food on hand for a bad time is a good idea. Want to stay in good shape if things go bad again."

Ben's always alert for potential threats, and reads winter as a threat. While he doesn't know much about Reynard he's picked up that his interests and duties as Winter Spirit and the interests of the Nexus's other inhabitants don't always align. And if worst comes to worst he wants to be in good condition to fend off any threats.

"Consider me interested. I'd be happy to help you make some - it's a while before winter, but the earlier we prepare the better." Ben agrees, since he thinks this is a good chance for them to help each other out. "I know how to cook some, but growing my own food would be helpful. I'll join you and see what I can learn. You're more experienced in making your own food than I am."

"I grew up with winters like that. Preparing as far in advance as you can is the best solution for surviving. Preserved food of all kinds, a surplus of warm clothes and the materials needed to make them, and firewood will solve just about anything."

He rattles off the necessities with a calm tone and gets up to stretch his arms and back. Joints crack all over the place and he groans when a couple of louder ones sound off to let him know he sat down too long. One hand settles on his back and the other starts using the almost finished fan to cool off a bit.

"The recipe is pretty simple for jams. You need equal parts fruit and sugar and cook it over a high heat until it goes from a more watery mixture to something just slightly thicker. The trick is stopping just before the sugar caramelizes and it starts to burn."

"I can believe that. I don't have any world to retreat to, so I'm going to need to stock up as best I can. Food, water, clothes, basic materials. Wood, too. But this jam is a start. Honestly, between us I enjoy fruit in any of its forms."

There's a heavy gulp as Ben disposes of the last bite of his apple before flicking the core into the nearest bin. Then his expression noticeably sobers, and his voice turns low. He doesn't think anybody's listening in, but when you're about to antagonize a witch with powerful psychic abilities - a witch who can control people through the Nexus's boundaries - it pays to be careful.

"Speaking of planning ahead, I'm not just here for the food. There's a situation in the Nexus - or something that might become a situation - and I wanted to consult you. Do you know about somebody named Honerva? A person named Ziggy Stardust told me about her, and said she was causing trouble here. Messing with his partner's head, running experiments on prisoners."

"Count yourself blessed to have had the means to survive as well as you did. There's been more than a few people who learned the hard way that an Arctic winter of any kind is a vicious one."

His head turns slowly over his shoulder as Ben brings up the witch. So she's caught the attention of quite a few people. And that name, Ziggy Stardust. There's something familiar about it that he can't quite place. It sounded like a character from a science fiction story.

"There's a lot of people meeting that suka." It's a simple swear, but Mantis can fit a lot of bile into how he says it. "I know the man she's been using as her conduit here. He's completely innocent and she can take him over like it's nothing. We talked of the possibility of trapping her here somehow, but it would take a fair amount of psychics like us to make it happen. Thankfully, there seems to be at least ten of various species and strength wandering around."

"Yes, that one. I volunteered my help in dealing with her. Ziggy suggested we meet at his townhouse in two days, in the evening, and the situation will be explained there. He'll have his family and some people from her home universe. I don't know much about her, but I know that she's dangerous and that she's been victimizing someone named Hiroki. Let's say, although I don't know Hiroki personally, I feel strongly about the situation. It hits a little too close to home - having someone in my head who doesn't have my best intentions at heart."

Knowing that Honerva's so powerful is honestly the reason why his idea was to go to Mantis for help rather than confront her himself. Losing badly to the Emperor taught him not to get too reckless with somebody with that kind of power.

"Ziggy thought that she wants to establish influence for herself here, manipulate people into trusting her with Hiroki as her puppet. But if she can't use him she'll switch to someone else. She won't stop unless we make her. Who are the other psychics you were thinking of recruiting?"

"Did he? Count me in. I want a chance to drag her around and see how she enjoys being at someone's mercy. The worst thing is, I met another man who is almost as bad as she is when checking in on Hiroki. We realized she was using Hiroki as a means to talk to both of us and the bastard suggested it would be easier for Hiroki to kill himself or allow himself to be killed rather than being an easy target. The witch draws in people just like herself."

Mantis's tone grows increasingly bitter and he crosses over to the pot of stewing fruits. He stirs it slowly and floats up a few jars next to him. Once the heat is cut, he makes easy work using his powers to move the pot contents to the jars.

"I say we call in people like The Doctor and Lucifer. If we can't kill her, the focus should be on creating a way for her to be permanently trapped or barred from this place. My specialty is not in such things, but I like to think there's a way in a place like this. I've trapped people in mental horrors. The least we can do is make some for her."

"He suggested killing Hiroki?" There's a note of anger that Mantis might pick up. "Hiroki's the victim in this situation. He's being manipulated by the witch. Honerva's the one to blame. If anybody needs to be taken out here, it's her - though I wouldn't mind teaching this man you're talking about a lesson. The nerve of some people - they make the same mistakes in every universe. Attacking the victim, not the target, just makes things worse."

Ben breathes in to calm himself down. Between his history with Emperor Palpatine and the incident with Luke Skywalker, it's impossible for him to be a neutral party here. A lot of this is something he can relate to on a very personal level. He's older and far less innocent, but he was once a lot like Hiroki.

"You're welcome to join me there. If Lucifer knows the extent of what she's been up to - that she's experimented on and enslaved people and won't stop - he might be willing to help. He's strong enough to show her what it's like to be on the receiving end of that kind of power. I'm in contact with him, but not with the Doctor, unfortunately. We may not see eye to eye with the Doctor, but this seems like the kind of thing he wouldn't tolerate."

"You can imagine how far my opinion of him fell," He raises a hand up and drops it quickly. "When I heard that coming out of his mouth. As different my experiences were growing up, I thought I at least tried to pick up some good morals. Hiroki needs protection, same as anyone who can't defend themselves against a greater threat."

And he's very grateful that Ben has such an immediate, and dare he say, visceral reaction. Only very particular kinds of people could look at this situation for what it was and have what he considered to be the only appropriate reaction.

"I will bring over some jam for a gift. The least a war meeting needs is sustenance so everyone thinks clearly." He makes a thoughtful noise. "I can try and find the Doctor and see if he's still in the Nexus. If he's not, then there's a few things I can think of to catch the attention of the Light Bringer."

Jamming in the Afternoon

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