Ho Ho Ho! Happy HP Holidays!

[mudblood_andproud]

There is something different about the Nexus this Christmas season. There is a light snow falling over the entire Nexus plaza. The snow is gentle, with no real coldness to the falling snow flakes. As one approaches the main gathering area, they will notice that there are many Christmas decorations, including garland hanging from the air, and there are twelve towering decorated Christmas trees, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. There are also thousands of floating tiny candles in the Nexus plaza, that gently move at their own discretion.

In one corner, there is an orchestra, directed by a Dwarf. All of the musicians are playing music on instruments made from ice. In the center of the Nexus plaza, is a huge banquet table, loaded with holiday foods and treats that showcases a variety of food from different cultures, and some of the different worlds that gather into the Nexus itself. The main delight of the banquet table is that magic can make the food replenish itself, meaning Christmas dinner never has to end. Most will be able to find something they would enjoy. With the added perk that the food is LOL-free.

There are some added little Christmas adventures, for those who get caught up in the holidays. Here are some of the extra options for the Holiday season.

Secret Santa!
There is an added bonus to the Secret Santa gifts this year. The presents will deliver themselves! There are tons of wrapped gifts floating through the air, destined to only drop when they reach the person to which they are intended. Please note that not all gifts will be given in the spirit of the season. There are a few prank gifts floating around too. Be sure to watch out for them!

Christmas Crackers!
There are Christmas crackers scattered among the tables, and in amongst the branches of the trees. They are decorated with festive paper that is twisted at either end like a sweet wrapper. Inside of the tube are prizes, and some contain Muggle prizes such as a paper hat, a plastic toy, and a slip of paper with a joke printed on it. But the rare person will receive a unique, peculiar magical prize, and will envelop everyone nearby in a cloud of blue smoke.

Weasley Sweaters!
Time to try your luck at the Christmas Sweater bin. There is a large rotating clothing rack that seems to have an endless supply of them. Each one more Festive than the last! Pick one and show your Christmas spirit for the rest of the day.

Enchanted Mistletoe!
Be warned Nexus traveler, the Nargles** have hung enchanted Mistletoe all around the plaza. If an unlucky person steps underneath the Mistletoe, they will find that they are magically stuck to the spot, until they can find someone to kiss them. Of course, the kiss can be platonic, familial, or even romantic. For a few unfortunate people, the kiss may be the last thing they would want to do... but it is that or be stuck in the same spot for the rest of the season.

**Nargle Wiki
[Click Here for information on the HP Holiday Event!]
[Your character is free to give other Christmas gifts to people they care about -- HOWEVER, please do not deliver your Secret Santa gift. That will be handled by the Secret Santa moderator. Please post details on your Secret Santa gift in this post please.]

Comments

[magnetite_plz]

Is that...? It is!

"Johnny Alpha. It has been some time."

Angel is slightly better dressed than she was the last time they met, though also not really for the current festivities. She's wearing a white wrap around dress that makes room for her wings. Still barefoot despite the chill though since she never touches the ground it's possibly somewhat understandable. She flutters over to him and offers the smallest of smiles.

"How have you been?"

[strontiumdog]

"Angel?"

Johnny is slightly distracted as he turns to to face her, and he fumbles the drink before he catches it, spilling only a little over his sleeve. Still, he's genuinely pleased to see her, and it shows in the way he offers her a warm smile and ducks his head, slightly embarrassed.

"You've gotten my name right this time," he says, a little teasing. "But I've been alright. And yourself?"

[magnetite_plz]

"Indeed."

She doesn't seem to be the least bit bothered by his fumbling. Rather, she'll flutter right on up to him and hover at eye level as is her wont to do. A subtle tiny start of a smile graces her face.

"I did not forget your instructions. It is good to see you again." She brushes her floating hair out of the way so it doesn't get in the way and into Johnny's food or drink. "I have been training under Blaze's tutelage. She has agreed to take me on patrols with her so I may be of better service."

[strontiumdog]

"That's- that's good," Johnny replies, half-distracted. He pats at the cider soaking into his sleeve, glancing up at her and hiding his mild surprise when she floats up to eye level. But he appreciates Angel's gesture. It looks unappetizing enough even without additional hair in it.

Putting that to the side, he follows up with a polite, but genuine question. "What kind of training? Nothing too dangerous, I hope?" Not that he was too concerned. Blaze packed plenty of firepower, and he'd seen Angel's healing in action. He doubted there wasn't much they couldn't handle together.

[magnetite_plz]

"Rapid summons, healing, taking instruction from Ghost, and firearms training. I keep the guns clean and have one of my own, now."

Seems like Blaze has decided Angel is gonna be the Old Testament kind of heavenly warrior. Either way the demon doesn't seem at all bothered by it. If anything her wings flutter in excitement at being found useful, at having a purpose and something to do for her Mistress that will be of genuine help.

"We are careful, of course. As...careful as Blaze ever is about anything, at least." What she lacks in subtlety she makes up for in enthusiasm and strength. But Ghost is careful enough for both of them, or so Blaze says. "I'm very pleased to be helping make a difference on her world."

[strontiumdog]

Johnny blinks, once. Huh. He'd have expected something like a flaming sword or something, like out of the old bible stories. The idea of her racking a shotgun and leaping on top of cover to provide covering fire is a fairly amusing one. Kind of weird to be seeing her flutter with excitement at the thought of having her own gun, but everybody's got another side.

"Hey," he says, with a smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes. "You already made a difference in mine."

[magnetite_plz]

She gets to do that, too, but it's much less dangerous for her to be safely out of the fray where Blaze is and taking pot shots from a distance. When things get desperate Angel is more than willing to unleash holy wrath.

"It was my pleasure to help you. It is not often I'm afforded such a direct means of being able to assist others. How have you been since last we met? I've been going on an ever increasing amount of patrols with Blaze and Ghost. Soon I hope to be reliable enough to be called a teammate."