nexus_crossings | Spidey's Charity Winter Fair!

Current Location: The Plaza

Spidey's Charity Winter Fair!

Tis the season for giving and gifting, for doing right by your neighbors and strangers alike.

The Nexus is no stranger to parties and gatherings by now. Fliers have been put up--banners are ~~webbed~~ hung up around a sectioned off block of the Plaza inviting all and sundry to come partake in a charity winter fair. Its host zips between tables to help carry anything heavy or to make sure those who need it have access to power. Spider-Man might be a recognizable Hero back home, but here he's dwarfed in size and abilities alike by the powerhouse volunteers who are helping make his idea take shape in reality. Gods, otherworldly individuals of races Spider-Man can't even guess at--but people too.

So many more than Peter could have expected.

Soon one side of the street is awash in seasonal aromas as tables get assembled laden with pies, jams, and drinks ready to be served up to interested guests. Spidey makes sure to drop off a little bag of hand made sweets to one of the volunteers who brought her kids along to make sure they don't get fussy or left out of all the fun. His head spins when he thinks of how much grander this is than just the one or two tables he and Matt discussed when they were talking out plans. It's really happening.

He's quick to jump over to the other side of the street and grab up a snow shovel to clear away space for the spots being set up for entertainment. Every shovel full of snow he clears for a puppet theater can get dumped into a pile beneath a rigged up seat for a dunking booth of sorts. Already curious onlookers point and laugh, their voices carrying in the crisp air eager for the games about to be played.

In the center of the sectioned off block sits their headquarters for the event where tickets can be sold, raffles held, and a table set up for straight donations just next to it. The man behind it is far more calm than the young costumed man who leans up against the table to catch his breath once everything seems to be coming together.

Spidey's hopeful when he looks over his shoulder to ask, "How many folks d'you think are gonna come?"

---

((OOC: See the OOC Post here if you have any questions about what this event is! We have several coordinators who will be posting their own top level comments for attractions here with subject lines advertising them but all will be linked to beneath this spot for ease of access as they go up! Feel free to mingle, this is a party post so back tagging and threadhopping are allowed. Enjoy!))

Things to Do!
Link For Spider-Man's Spider Treats
Link for Matt's Donation Table
Link for the Very Merry Puppet Theater
Link for the Family Sweet Station
Link for the Winter Dunking Extravaganza
Link for the Royal Jelly Menagerie
Link for the Heavenly Drinks Stand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ever busy and ever a glutton for a bit of pain, Mantis is situated with a table laden with a mix of three very different, but eternally related worlds: the knitter and crocheting fiend, the jam and jelly djin, and the pie prince. Mittens, gloves, hats, and a few blankets form a ring around a careful tower of jam and jelly jars and a few select fruit and nut based pies. Mantis himself is clad in a hand-made blanket and is fiddling with a crochet needle while Francour and Yaga take turns inspecting passer-by. The two creatures have their own tiny sweaters on as well as specially made ushanka with holes trimmed out to suit their ears. Mantis himself will peer at the comings and goings behind his gas mask, but ones who know him (and those perceptive enough) will see he's perfectly relaxed and possibly even smiling.

The Danes are all three out together. It's been a long time since the last time they were able to spend a holiday together and the Nexus provided more opportunity than the whirlwind of touring they are currently caught up in. At first glance they might look like triplets. Ansgar, the shortest and oldest, while Mikkel, is the tallest and youngest of the three. Rik far quieter than the other two and middle in both age and height, though none of them are old by human standards.

One sure way to get the attention of the Danes is sweets. All three of them love sweet, fruity pastries and foods. Soon they are bickering fondly over what to get.

It's Ansgar that finally looks up to the stall owner. "Which one of these pies is the sweetest?"

That is the moment all three notice the little creatures at the booth. Rik smiles at them. On his shoulder is a huge white rat with gray ears and in a little sweater and leash of it's own. He refused to leave Bonne behind.

[OOC: You have Ansgar here plus Rik (

riff_razor) and Mikkel (

oprorsk_sode) at the booth]

Mantis actually smiles properly at the question and sits up slightly to look at the different pies. He uses the crochet needle, project and all, to indicate the different ones. Yaga bats at his hand as he moves it back and forth, wings flexing in excitement.

"Let's see... I made apple, cherry, pecan, and that is...blueberry. The one far up front towards you three is rhubarb. If you want sweetest, that's up to what the accompanying taste is. I'd personally recommend is cherry, for the tart, but if you like cinnamon, the apple will suit you better."

After a bit more fighting with Yaga over who gets to keep the crochet needle, he picks his catwing up and sets the young male catwing on his chest. Yaga turns in a circle, getting a few grunts from Mantis, and finally nuzzles his way under part of the blanket.

"Behold my companions. This is Yaga, and that ball of sunshine-" He nods at Francour, who is standing on his toes to try and get a better look at the rat. "Is Francour. Francour has psychic powers and might try to say hello with them. He's harmless."

At first Mantis might think the young man approaching him may seem familiar, with the dark hair and serious demeanor, especially for a holiday party. There's a Pokémon accompanying him, too - though this one's a Vibrava, a dragon/bug-type which looks like a large dragonfly with four dark green wings. Vibrava is interested in the Meowstic, flitting over to get a closer look. There's a quiet laugh before the Pokémon is called back to Paul's side with a whistle and business is attended to.

"Hello." Paul bows his head politely to greet Mantis, but his precise manners and cautiousness with words suggest someone of rank where he came from. "I'll trade you for one of those jars. Consider the money a donation to the charity drive."

He's seen more than a few broody looking men with raven hair and a tendency to wear clothes to match, but that creature! Mantis sits up slightly as the vibrava comes closer and Francour trills excitedly seeing a fellow pokemon. Meowstic waves at vibrava happily and smiles.

"The jars are labeled according to their contents. Feel free to pick one that suits you." Mantis tilts his head slightly seeing vibrava's shape. "Where did you find your pokemon? I found Francour out in the Wilds."

"I don't go in the Wilds," Paul says. "I was told it's dangerous, between the wildlife and hostile factions who live there. I have enough of that in my home universe, and I come here for snatches of rest from that." And that's all Mantis is getting for now as a hint about where this one comes from.

"He's from the downtown area. I didn't find him so much as he found me." Vibrava responds to the friendly gesture by perching in front of Francour, wings spread. Meanwhile Paul looks over the jars, examining them.

"I do. Sometimes for the air, sometimes the food you can forage. It's plenty safe if you know what to do to stay alive, but not everyone is suited to that kind of living." Says the man currently holed up in an expanded cabin of a house with it's own garden.

"Is he? Looks a bit like a bug." Francour trills happily in greetings to the vibrava and offers his name in the language unique to Pokemon. "There's a pokecenter here if you want to learn more about him, but I've seen books about their kind in the library too. Francour was hiding in a berry bush when I found him."

"I could go in the Wilds, I think. That's not the problem. It's more that..." Paul shrugs. "I'm here to rest from fighting to survive, if that makes sense. I might go there when Vibrava evolves so I have his protection and we can train."

"Most of what I know about Vibrava comes from the library. He has one form left after this one, and that's why he needs the extra food." Paul indicates the jam. "It helps him strengthen his wings so he can grow and evolve faster. He looks like an insect, but he's classified as a ground and dragon type."

Mantis makes a noise of understanding. Another soul overworked for a lifetime before they're even all that old. "I understand that. Francour isn't suited to fighting, so I help him practice using his powers in safer environments."

"A regular dragonfly..." He twirls one finger in a circle and floats a jar of jam over to Francour. Francour takes it and offers it further to Paul. "Blackberry. It's very tart, but there's enough sugar in it that it barely stings."

"Sigurd likes fighting well enough - he's a predator, so he likes to hunt." Paul smiles a little. "Sometimes he brings me back prey he catches in the Wilds. I buy my own food, of course, but I also don't pass up his gifts."

"You should see his final form. I'll show you once he evolves again." Paul watches the jar move, interested, and accepts it from the Meowstic. "You have psychic powers?" He doesn't show off his own abilities much unless he has to, mostly because he's trying to keep a low profile in the Nexus.

"He brings you those gifts because he thins you need them. It's his way of making sure you're taken care of. A bit like a cat." He glances at Francour, who is still sitting at the front of the table and enjoying looking at the new pokemon.

"They're the one thing I can still market myself with, if I ever get allowed to mess with the side of the living." He shrugs and clicks his tongue. Francour stands up and carefully tiptoes his way back to Mantis's lap. Mantis adjusts the little hat and rubs Francour's cheeks. "He and I need to keep in practice. Helping him control his abilities helps me control mine."

"Okay seriously I didn't think you're companions could be any cuter Mantis, but they have proven that statement wrong." She kneels to say hi to them, pulling two packets of dried fruit from Hawaii to give to them.

"And ooh, homemade jams? Which do you all suggest? Because I want to try some things that aren't tropical right now."

"They need to keep warm. If I can make clothes for someone my size, I can handle them too. I can't help it if tiny clothes inspire people." He watches Yaga take the packet between his teeth and walk back over to Mantis to sniff at it. Mantis makes a flicking motion with his hand, causing the packet to peel open, seemingly on it's own. Francour, however, has himself a merry sit and tries using his paws and teeth to get the job done.

"Made them myself. Consider this a self endorsement of Royal Jelly and it's wares." He hovers his hand over the different jars before three lift off the table. "Peach, if you prefer a more subtle and sweet flavor. Middle is raspberry, which is much more acidic and tart, even after all the sugar. The one at the end is a mix of blue and blackberry. More robust flavor, but still very tart."

"This is true." She smiled at him. "They're fruit from my world, I brought you one too." She held up a bigger packet for Mantis. "As a holiday gift." She smiled at him.

"And I think I'm going to take one of each of the jams to try. I'm planning on baking some bread and they'll be great when it's out of the oven."

"Pacific island fruit mix." He takes it and nods his head. "Thank you. There's all kinds of interesting fruits from the Pacific in general. I'll never forget the first time I tried dragon fruit. It didn't even look real."

He makes an approving kind of noise at the suggestion. "Something with a more plain flavor, perhaps. French baguette or ciabatta would compliment the flavors in their own ways."

"I like the more exotic flavors than the mainstream ones." She giggled with his comment about the dragon fruit. "I know, they look like something from an Anime, but they taste so good. Lychee too."

She smiled. "Then, your choice. I'm sure whatever you pick will taste great."

"Lychee was a bit off to me, but I understood the appeal to it. Personally, I think pineapple is the best of all worlds for flavor." He can't help but smile a little popping more fruit into his mouth.

He flicks his fingers a little, and the raspberry jam rises to go to her hands. "Start with the standard. If you like it, come by Royal Jelly and I'll find some other flavor blends that might be more your speed depending on what you like about the flavor."

She watched the jar hover a moment and held her hands out to catch it. "Sounds like a plan. Thanks." She grinned. "And I promise I'll be back. Homemade is always better than store bought."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Spidey's Charity Winter Fair!

The Royal Jelly Menagerie

Three Danes

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject