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

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At the question, both of the twins pointed at each other, and said, at the exact same time, “he does.”

“What, excuse me? Why would I wish to purposely fall into a an embankment of snow?” Isamu scoffed.

“For a good cause!” Minoru aruged. “And besides, you might not actually fall. They’d have to hit the target first.”

“That is true… if you were throwing, taking the snowball fights of our youth into consideration, there is about a forty percent chance I will come our unscathed.” He noted.

“Hey!”

“…I will do it if you will do it.” He rose his eyebrow, and then looked at Harley. “I mean, this is all for a good cause, is it not?”

"It sure is. And I am sure if you boys takes turns, then you can have some good natured throws at the other at the same time."

"It is three snowballs for a donation..." Harley picks up a snowball and tosses it up into the air.

“What do you say, shall we support the good cause?” Isamu eyed Minoru with confidence. Minoru’s eyes narrowed, the slightest bit of old childhood rivalries shining through.

“Okay, you’re on, Bro!”

Minoru pulled out his wallet to pay for the both of them, while Isamu went to his place on the dunking booth seat.

Harley gathered three snowballs, and made sure they were nicely packed to be able to hit the target of the dunk booth.

"No throwing at his face, no matter how tempting it might be. The goal is to dunk him in that nice pile of snow..."

“What if I just happen to miss?” He asked playfully.

“You trade approximately .5 seconds of hilarity for the far-more-terrifying revelation that I am next in line to throw.”

Minoru was the more athletic one in the family, by far, but Isamu spoke with far too much confidence for that to be merely an empty threat. Granted, he often spoke with an exaggerated sense of confidence anyway, so what would the average passerby know?

“Okay, okay. I won’t miss on purpose.”

Minoru picked up the first snowball and threw. It came close to hitting Isamu in the leg.

“But you can, and will, miss on accident.” Isamu smirked.

“Hey, I’ve still got two more shots. You’re going down with this one!” Minoru narrowed his eyes, really stared at the target, taking his aim. He threw the snowball hard and fast… and overshot the target. “…okay, one more. This is harder than it looks, you know.”

If Minoru himself were the projectile, he’d have found at least twelve creative ways to hit that target with various parts of his own body. No question about that. But throwing things… wasn’t exactly his forte.

Still, he had one more snowball.

Minoru threw one more time. It was closer, so much closer. It grazed the side of the target. Had it been just a tiny bit to the right, Isamu would have been unceremoniously dropped into the fresh pile of snow. But it didn’t. And he wasn’t.

Minoru grunted a curse in Japanese.

"Snowballs are tricky to throw." Harley grins as she watches Minoru's efforts.

"Don't be discouraged."

"I was SO CLOSE!"

A sly, almost devious grin spread across Isamu's face when nobody was watching. But it was all prim and proper again when he climbed down from the seat to trade places with his brother.

"It was a valiant attempt, yes." Isamu put a hand on Minoru's back. "One day, you may indeed best me in an exchange of snowballs, but like many days that have come before this one, that day is not today."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Minoru shook his head, and hoisted himself up on the seat. He knew exactly where this was going to go. Straight down into a waiting snowbank. Any onlookers, though, were probably about to get a big surprise.

Isamu took the first of Harley's offered snowballs, moving it around in his hands to get a feel for its mass. He eyed the target, took notice of the breeze, calculated velocity and acceleration and plotted it in a mental graph with the appropriate angle of attack.

Just when the preparations might be beginning to appear awkward, Isamu wound up and threw - right into the target on the very first try.

There was no use fighting it or trying to hang on. So, Minoru went down into the snowbank with a soft thud. At least it wasn't water. It was more cold than it was wet.

"Clarification on the rules, if you please." Isamu smiled. "Was the payment in exchange for 'three tries' or three 'throws, regardless of the outcome?"

"Let me guess... you wanna throw the other two snowballs at him while he is in the snowbank. My cost is double the donation for the allowance. And of course... consent from the target..." She grins over at Minoru in the snowbank.

"It is for charity."

"You mean I don't have to just sit there and take it?" Minoru shouted, dusting the snow off his coat. This time, it was his turn for the sly grin. Isamu could throw, but now, Minoru could dodge? Oh, that evened the odds quite a bit. "It's your money, Bro. I paid for the first round."

Isamu thought for a moment, and then pulled out his wallet.

"It is for charity." he decided, paying Harley and taking the next two snowballs into his hands.

Minoru relaxed his body, weight roughly centered, so as not to give Isamu an idea of where he might move. Isamu was quite the brilliant tactician, and years of watching Minoru do his tricks made it difficult to pull off any kind of feint. But this time, it worked. He shifted just enough, feigned right and jumped clear over the snowball that Isamu threw.

"Yeah! Now that's what I'm... EEEK!"

The last snowball hit him in the upper back just as his feet touched the ground.

"talking about?" Isamu raised an eyebrow.

Minoru shook the snow out of his hair, laughing. Some things really would never change.

"All right, all right." he came out of the snowbank with his hands raised. "You win. I surrender!"

"Come er' Minoru..." Harley held out an open blanket, and poured two cups of hot chocolate. "Get a little warmed up for getting dunked."

"The drinks are included in your donation. I even have marshmellows!"

"With pleasure!" he accepted the blanket gratefully, and tossed it over his head to dry off. Isamu accepted his hot chocolate with a short bow.

"That was quite enjoyable, if I do say so myself." he smiled.

"You would." Minoru shook his head. "You know, even when we were kids, he was like a sniper. Snowball fights. Water guns. Laser tag. That retro Nintendo game with the ducks and the laughing dog..."

"Well he has never challenged the Queen of Laser Tag..." Harley winks at Isamu.

"I did like how you took the time to figure out the physics of the snowball."

"Now that's a match I'd like to see." Minoru grinned, licking hot chocolate off his lips.

"Thank you. The physics of projectiles is what makes them most enjoyable." Isamu replied. "and speaking of enjoyment, we have something for you as well."

"Oh yeah, you went and got omamori."

"I have a few to choose from - a kaiun for general good fortune and luck, kenko for good health, yakuyoke for warding off ill fortune. Though, perhaps if I wish to participate in this laser tag challenge, I should hold onto the katsumori for success and victory." he explained. "Is there a charm that you would prefer?"

"You got'me something?" Harley bounces slightly on her toes in excitement.

"Omamori?" She asks, with a smile.

"I generally have optimism for good fortune and luck in my life, and don't really have any ill fortune to ward off right now..."

"So good health?"

“It is a tradition in our family with the start of a new year to obtain traditional charms from the shrines our ancestors did.” Isamu explained. “And with the travel options available via my PINpoint, I no longer need to wait for Grandma Mikoto to mail them overseas. I can simply visit the temples myself.”

“I guess that does make it a lot easier.”

Isamu pulled a kenko omamori from his bag. It was nothing flashy, just a little cloth pouch with floral pattern on it. (His bag had a similar charm, specifically a Gakugyo-joju for success in scholarly endeavors, but it had faded and worn with the year.)

He handed it to Harley with reverence.

“It is not to be opened. Rather, they are worn or hung close to that which you wish to protect.”

"Hung close to that I wish to protect huh? Alrighty..." Harley takes the charm from him. Then she puts two fingers in her mouth to create a sharp whistle.

A few seconds later, Bruce, her hyena comes skidding over to where they stand. His tongue hanging out. His fur lightly covered with fur, as he had been rolling in a snowbank for the fun of it.

Harley leans down, and gently ties the charm to Bruce's collar. And scratches his head with a smile. "There ya'go Brucie! Now you are protected!"

While there were other omamori made specifically for pets, it didn’t really matter. It was the intention that counted, as far as the kami were concerned.

Minoru grinned, watching the hyena.

“You know, maybe I should put one on Kazumi’s enclosure.” He pondered aloud.

“Oh, I already picked up a matching set of Gakugyo-joju. To encourage success in scholarly endeavors, be they in the lab for me or in the classroom for you.” Isamu beamed, turning back to Harley. “Oh, the pleasant feeling of nostalgia pairs so nicely with a matching set.”

Minoru didn’t reply, but he wasn’t exactly as thrilled as Isamu was.

Harley ruffled Bruce's fur, and looks up with a smile. "A matching set, based on what pleases you, Isamu. So what is the matching set, based on what pleases Minoru?"

“It is a matching set of Gakugyo-joju.” Isamu repeated with tremendous pride. “Identical in form and function, as we both seek success in our academic endeavors for the coming year. Myself at the IRIS and, did Minoru not tell you? He is working his way through a PTA program here, to earn the equivalent of his Associates degree! He went back to school last year.”

While Isamu was excited about arrangement beyond belief, Minoru just groaned.

“Bro, can I forget about finals being next week for a few minutes today?”

“You will do just fine. You are an intelligent person, who has been working diligently on the material all semester.” When Minoru rose an eyebrow, Isamu doubled down. “You have almost caught back up in your Fundamentals of Disease class. Another review session on that last chapter and you will do just fine on the exam.”

Minoru just turned to Harley. “Hit him with a snowball, please?”

"As long as you ain't putting your eggs in that one basket, and you are happy, I am happy for both of you." Harley grins.

"Trust me, academic achievements are great to have, and boast about. But there does come a time when no one around ya cares if you have your PhD, because of other things that are going down."

"Him wanting time to forget about finals is something I would celebrate."

"You are bros. You accept each other, no matter what, right?"

“Of course!” Isamu was quick to answer that last question, albeit still firmly within the grip of nostalgia. “You know, the last time we had matching sets of omamori, they were a special gift from Grandma Mikoto with one semester left in our senior year of high school. From the Sanjin Gosaiden on Mount Haguro.”

Whenever the subject of academics came up, or really any kind of research project he could immerse himself in, Isamu’s face just lit up. He couldn’t help himself.

“I’ll be a lot happier when the semester’s done and over with.” Minoru answered, laughing nervously. “So, if you’ve got a good way to celebrate beforehand, I’m all ears.”

The usually boisterous twin wasn’t nearly as cheerful as he was when he arrived at the booth. (Even Harley’s extra marshmallows couldn’t fend off a the looming reality of final exams.)

Harley worries a little about Isamu. She knows that there is very little academic pursuits or research that will await him in the future. Hopefully he can find success in other ventures.

"You wanna come to the roller derby ring one night, Minoru?" She grins over at him. "That is a good way to celebrate, and get your stress out."

“Roller derby? To watch or to skate?” He had to ask. Either could be fun, honestly. But he never did get the hang of actual skates.

(Skateboarding he was starting to figure out the basics - but even that he hadn’t had much time for lately…)

"Either. If you want to skate, you can hang off me, and just enjoy the ride." Harley winks at him.

“Okay, that sounds like a blast!” He couldn’t help but grin. Sure, he’d probably go flying, but that was pretty fun sometimes too.

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Spidey's Charity Winter Fair!

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