2013-04-30 - Path of the Spider

It's rare that Peter isn't busy with either school work or Spider-Man, but this would be one of those ocassions, the young man has actually managed to find himself out with Aunt May. A simple shopping trip, it's the hunt for a gift that leads May to lead Peter into the strange store, glancing around the room as he enters May quickly falls into checking out some of the stranger items on the shelves.

The shop is not too big and actually Peter and May are the only customers at this time. The Skull with the blackened silver inlays Aunt May chuckles about seems to watch Peter with its hollow eyesockets, but it might be more the silver spider with the red ruby body entrapped in the marmelade jar on top of a shelf that might be of Peter's interest. Or is it the small goblin-like statue from brown limesone that rests on a brazzen tray somwehere in the leftmost shelf? Maybe even one of the scrolls, from which a small piece of string hangs down, holding a label wich reads something in japanese? At least until a slight voice from the back is noticeable. "The Parkers, am I right?" comes a quite young voice - especially considderig her real age. "You found anything of Interest?"

Peter's attention is caught by the spider and the goblin in turn, yet he shakes away both lines of thought as he hears a voice. His attention turns towards the voice, offering a faintly thoughtful frown Peter nods to the woman. "We're the Parkers... Have we met before?"

Slowly a woman emerged from behind the curtain, just as Peter answered "Oh, I doubt it, but I have quite an intuition when it comes to people entering my shop." Madame Xanadu answers with a chuckle. "I see your Aunt has found an interest in the Skull of Raschid ad-Din Sinan. Or at least it is believed to be his." the woman explains, walking over to carefully brush a hand over it. "But it is sadly not for sale."

Peter nods slowly as Aunt May steps away from the skull in question. She looks at Xanadu with a slightly surprised expression. "Ah well, I really hadn't been planning to buy it. I'm looking for something for a friends grandaughter... She's a lovely girl and her birthdays coming up. She always had an interest in magic." Peter for his part nods with a faint smile. "I think something uh simple and decorative is more what my aunt's looking for.

The woman chuckles slightly "oh, you think along the lines of a dreamcatcher or something?" Madame Xanadu asks to Peter, looking over her shelves and pulling out a ring of thin wood, which is holding a net from thin, glittering webbing. Just like a spider's web. "Did you know, that the indians say, that the first of these were made from the silk of a godly spider-spirit to capture all the dreams and just let the good ones down to the dreamer, but keep the bad ones entrapped so they vanish in the light of the morning sun?" She explains, turning it in the hands. Actual eagle feathers hang from the difficile work. "Or did your eye catch something more interesting, Mister Parker?"

Peter blinks slightly as he notices the dreamcatcher. "I think that'd be perfect." He seems to consider the story a minute. "Spiders? I never knew that." He shakes his head a little. "I'm afraid that I wouldn't even know what I'm looking at with most of this stuff." He shrugs a sheepish shoulder.

The woman chuckles a bit, pointing around "I doubt most people do. But maybe you want to take a look at something else before deciding on something? I can help you find something if you can describe what you seek."

Aunt May comes over and looks at the dream catcher. She smiles faintly to Peter and then to Xanadu. "It's lovely... Maybe should see about getting one of the spiders as well then? I'd be able to tell her the story... I'm sure it would impress her." She looks at Peter with a wide grin. "What do you think Peter." For his part Peter offers Aunt May a grin and a nod. "I think that's a great idea Aunt May."

Madame Xanadu eyes around the shop, her eyes stopping at the one spider in the Jar "I am afraid that the only spider I have here is not of native american origin, but is a dreadful Kumo. Unless you mean an ordinary spider like it is found in every corner of the house." She explains, tipping against the Jar with the jewlery - which jumps bakwards on the touch of its glass. Very much alive. "And i don't usually give away demons."


 * To Be Concluded