Nexus Spring Market Fair

[varnished_truths]

Seemingly overnight, one of the grassy areas edging the Forum has been taken over by a spring market and fair. Part state fair, part craft fair, part Renaissance faire, there are attractions for all comers. Tents and booths of every size, shape, and color are lined up more or less tidily, sometimes with wide avenues between them and sometimes with paths skinny enough to crowd a single person. Goods and treats from the far-flung corners of infinity are on display. The general organization has magic and alchemical goods grouped together and slightly separated from the other tents; arts and crafts fill the area around it. Goods such as clothes and jewelry, plants, and vintage and antique items are in the back. Food is front and center, between the entrance and the rides. This is perhaps not an ideal placement.

To one side is a brightly-lit collection of rides and games familiar to anyone who's been to a state fair. A ferris wheel, flying swings, and all manner of reasons to regret that last funnel cake are blaring tinny music and sporting blinking lights. Remember: rides first, then eat. Classic games that test strength, agility, and luck offer plush prizes sure to delight anyone until the fur rubs off. There are also some animal rides near the exit.

In the back of the roughly-fenced-in area are the exhibits. There's a petting zoo with creatures mundane and more exotic, all promised to be tame; practical demonstrations of new magical and technological wonders; a juried art show; and a stage hosting a variety of performers changing on the hour.

((This is an open event. If your character wants to have a booth selling wares or food, set one up. If your character wants to perform or provide other services, go for it! Please note what sort of service you're providing, if any, in the subject line of your top-level comment. Basically, just run with it and have fun!

I offer pictoral inspiration and ask that any pictures used in comments not be more than 300 px tall (and it looks better if you can keep it about the same height as your text). Code to have your text wrap around your picture below.))

<img src="blah.png" height="300" style="border: 0pt none; float:left; padding-right:10px; padding-bottom:10px">

Comments

[losthunter]

"That sounds perfect. It will definitely have a bit of a shine."

"If you need help, just let me know."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Thanks, but I think I can manage? It's not so different from icing a cake, right?"

Somebody stop her before it's too late.

[losthunter]

"Well, you definitely don't want a lot of 'icing' on these." Hunter sits beside her. And he picks up his own pottery vase and shows by example (after all, that is what she had done when she had cooked those grilled cheeses).

He uses a light touch, to put just a light layer of paint on the clay.

"You don't want to put too much pressure on the clay, while it is still wet. The idea is to seal everything with a light covering."

[brave_heart_verity]

Ver watches him work for several minutes before attempting her own. "Oh, okay. I can do that."

He already knows she has a delicate touch. It's her first time trying this sort of thing in ages, so it'll be far from perfect, but it shouldn't melt or explode in the kiln either.

"Like this?"

[losthunter]

"That is a good job." Hunter means it, when he says it. "Just keeping doing it like that."

[brave_heart_verity]

"This is fun." She smiles and nudges his arm lightly. "You're a good teacher."

Doing the edge is going to be trickier. Like eyeliner.

"So, is there anything you can't do?"

[losthunter]

"And I didn't even have to use the 'Ghost'-method of teaching." He teases. Yes, he has seen the movie. He is aware of the pottery scene.

"Can't do? I don't know if I should answer... is this one of those, I say something and then you help prove I can do it things?"

[That comic made me ROLF]

[brave_heart_verity]

And now Hunter's run into her spotty understanding of pop culture. The teasing gets a blank look from her. "What ghost?"

Sorry, Hunter. She doesn't watch movies. They're lies.

"Maaaaybe. Or maybe it's one of those, I'll feel better about my exceptional lack of creative skills knowing there's something you find tricky things."

[losthunter]

Right. He will at least give her the gist, so his poor joke makes sense. "A scene in an movie. Where the handsome shirtless guy, put his hands around hers as they worked on the pottery wheel together."

"Of course, I find some things tricky. Body art would be tricky."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Oh. Is that a good way to learn?" Still has no idea. She is such an innocent lamb sometimes.

She hums an agreement on that score; she doubts she could ever do it even if she were the greatest artist in the world. "Because of the new tools or the tempting canvas?"

[losthunter]

"Hands-on learning is okay, to a point in some things." He chuckles.

Hunter thinks about her question for a moment. "It would take a lot of trust. On both the artist, and the person who is acting as the mural. One has to hold still. And you have to be willing to be intimate, but in a way that doesn't intend to lead to a sensual relationship."

[brave_heart_verity]

"It does take a lot of trust," she agrees. He is, after all, preaching to the choir. "And a lot of patience."

Ver sets her brush down to look over the little pot, checking for any spots that need more attention. "I would imagine sitting for a portrait requires trust and patience as well."

[losthunter]

"Yes. That does too. It is a little easier to take a break from a portrait sitting, than it is being a model for body paint."

Hunter finishes his little pottery bowl too. He gestures to the kiln, opening it so that Verity could put her own pot into the heated device.

[brave_heart_verity]

"That's probably true. And you don't have to worry about something getting wrecked if someone sneezes."

Ver glances over at his bowl before turning her attention to the kiln. It doesn't look so mysterious as the art teachers in high school made it out to be. She sets the pot down to one side, and hopes there's room for his next to it.

[losthunter]

The small kiln can hold up to five creations. So even though hers is more shallow than others, there is room for both of their creations.

Hunter then closes up the lid, to allow the kiln to do its work.

"That can be tricky, especially when creating a portrait."

[brave_heart_verity]

"When it's you sneezing, I'd imagine." She can't quite see how the model sneezing would make things tricky. "So how long does this thing take to bake?"

[losthunter]

"This is an electric kiln. So an hour. Gives you time to explore the rest of the fair."

[brave_heart_verity]

"You wouldn't mind? I don't want you to feel like I'm ditching you." She'll contentedly stay and keep him company while he works. "But if you want, I could bring you back a drink or something?"

[losthunter]

"Not at all. I have a young teen artist who will be manning my booth for a little while anyway, so I can explore the fair myself."

"So you won't be ditching me." But she does get a hug for thinking about him.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Mm, okay." She will take hugs for any and every reason. Because hugs.

"We can meet up again later, maybe? Promise me we can check out the view from the Ferris wheel together."

[losthunter]

"Now that is a promise that is easy to make." Hunter agrees, giving her a kiss on the top of her forehead.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Thank you. I will be off, in that case. I heard someone's got home-spun yarn and I am intrigued." Watch out, Hunter, the way she's sizing you up when she steps back from the hug, you may be getting a sweater for Christmas.

[losthunter]

He laughs, especially since she is very obvious about sizing him up. "Tell you what. You can measure me, anytime."

[brave_heart_verity]

She knows she's not always subtle. Usually, she's not trying to be. "I will hold you to that. But I just need a guess right now to know how much yarn to buy."

[losthunter]

"Hope you guess right. But, I am not the booth that offers prize for guessing weights..." He chuckles.