How Green Becomes Wood

"I'll be able to ride the Ferris Wheel," She reminded him, "and I am having fun. I love getting to hear you and your brother have fun. And Dark too. It's good you're enjoying it, I'm not sure what we'd do if you hated it here, you're bound to go to a thousand more."

"I am not entirely sure of the mechanations. Probably tighten the plate, use a lighter weight so it is harder to get it to reach the bell. But if you have fine enough form, you should be able to reach fairly high..." He sighed, again looking up at the sky. They couldn't have asked for better weather, "After this next game we should bring the prizes to the car, so we are not lugging them around all day. Are you alright, darling? You have been standing longer than we have, because we have been able to sit down on rides. You would let me know if you need a break, right?"

"I'm okay right now," She replied, although she was mildly pleased to be walking on Alec's arm, because since he was shorter than her, she was able to slow down to match his speed, rather than hurrying alongside her much taller husband.
 
"I think I can stand going to a couple more," Alec giggled.

Xander frowned, considering the thought. "Wonder if we can tap the plate a few times to test it before giving it a whack. Maybe next time, we should bring a bag or something to put everything in. A backpack or something."

Alec looked up at Daizi. "There are a few seating areas near the food area. We can all rest our feet there, and you should have more water."

"I'm sure Daizi knows exactly how much water she should drink, but we should get food and water after banging a bell," Xander told him.
 
Dark looked from the owl he held to the dolphin, "It would need to be a pretty large bag. And you are welcome to try to test it, I feel solid enough about my chances, I have many years of practice. But, that said, there is a reason why on games of skill I take my time and allow others to try it before I do. Never rush into battle before you have gathered the facts."

Daizi smiled towards Xander, grateful he had defended her right to govern her own needs, but said, "It would be nice to eat soon. And I think the music is near the food, which will be nice for all of us."

"And we need to reapply sunscreen," Dark said, looking at his own forearm with a slight frown, "You too especially, but I paid too much money to have it ruined by not taking easy prevention measures."
 
"You sound like one of those Chinese proverbs," Xander chuckled, but he figured Dark had a point. "Okay, then, Alec, you should go first, and then Daizi, then me, and the clever giant goes last."

"Why in that order?" Alec asked quizzically as he moved to stand in the short line to the game.

"It's my best guess for weakest to strongest," Xander grinned at him.

Alec promptly hit him with his inflatable dolphin, sending Xander into peels of laughter. "Then you should have put yourself first, you doofus!"
 
"What makes you think you're stronger than me?" Daizi asked Xander, chuckling lightly, "I'm taller than you and I'm pretty sure I outweigh you, even if you don't count..." She took a pause, so it was obvious what she meant without her having to say it, "and I exercise, and not like I used to be able to, because I need to be extra careful for her sake."

"I support your chance to prove it," Dark said. By no means would he reveal who he believed was probably stronger, although he had an opinion, and thankfully they had an easy way to discover the true answer in a relatively fair capacity.

Daizi, though, shifted slightly at the thought of actually playing the game, "I would play, but... You're meant to swing the mallet over your head, right? I'm worried..." She released Alec's arm to touch her middle, "I don't want to throw myself off balance."
 
"Height and weight don't exactly equate strength," Xander pointed out, "and guys are physically built to have greater upper body strength. I bet I can beat you."

Alec sighed wearily. "I suppose this is silly to say right before a literal feat judging your strength, but must everything be a challenge? Besides, hard work overcomes natural talent - or physical build - every time. Or nearly every time. So if Daizi's worked out and you haven't, then it stands to reason that she'll be stronger."

"Yeah, but I've been practicing martial arts and have been to a whole three lessons," Xander reminded him with a smirk. "I suppose there's one easy way to sort this!"

"You could test the weight of the mallet and go slow while we stand next to you just in case," Alec offered to Daizi. "You don't have to if you don't want to. There will be other chances to prove him wrong."
 
"No, but people with greater mass can put more physical power behind what they do," Daizi argued, still uncertain about actually playing, "but in this case, going slowly limits how much force I can actually use to hit the thing, which means it's not a fair test anyway, unless Xander also goes at a equivalent speed. And it's not like I'm likely to actually connect with where I'm meant to, aiming isn't my strong suit."

Dark looked at her empathetically, "I am sure the operator would not be against letting you test it a bit before making your swing. It would only be fair, all things considered."

"I don't want to hit anyone's toes either..."
 
Xander shrugged. "Alright, I suppose you raise some fair points, but that just means that if you don't do it this time around, next time you have to square up against me properly. Without a mini you getting in the way."

"If you're worried, then you shouldn't do it. It's just a game, after all," Alec told her brightly. "Games are supposed to be fun."
 
"Oh, trust me Xander," She smirked, taking Alec's arm again, "Next year, when I don't need to worry about a fall causing a placental abruption, it's on sight. Or--You know what I mean. So you better get training, you have a few months when you're able to prepare when I'm still indisposed."

"By next year with all of your training, you will both beat me," Dark said as they approached the game. He missed having his wife on his arm, but ultimately he was pleased to see she had made a firm stance against something she felt had too great a risk. More than the twins, he guessed, Dark knew Daizi wasn't stupid, and would never intentionally do something to put their baby in harm's way, at least not if she were in her right mind (and he couldn't blame her for not doing the exact right things during her first trimester--He felt he was more at fault there than she was, since it's hard to expect a person who feels so ill each day to think too far ahead), but... It was nice to see it proven. Hopefully they'd not presume it was just a one-time moment of clarity.

"I'd beat you now," Daizi teased, "which is why it's good that I'm not playing. Are you keeping to the same turn order?"
 
Xander gently pushed Alec forward. "I think it sounds fair!"

"You would. You came up with it," Alec grumbled, but he let himself be urged forward and nervously tapped the plate with his foot before picking up the hammer. He couldn't help a slight grunt as he did so. The hammer was a bit heavier than he'd expected. Still, he hoisted it up, took careful aim, and brought the hammer down with all his might. The little ball bounced, lazily rising to just under the one-third mark, and dropping back down. "Hey, I got it to move!" Alec grinned, laughing at himself.

Xander grinned and patted his shoulder. "Nice job! I bet if you train, too, you just might hit the bell."

"In my dreams, perhaps," Alec said, handing over the hammer.

Xander weighed the hammer carefully and took a couple of careful test swings. When he felt ready, he swung the hammer hard but with more technique than Alec, getting his entire body into the motion instead of just his arms. The ball rocketed up the pole, rising up passed the three-quarter mark but not making it as high as the bell. Then it dropped down with a thunk.
 
While they waited for both twins to have their turn, both adults melted against each other. If Xander had brought it up, Dark would be unable to deny they had been unbearably 'sappy' that day, but... well, they couldn't help it. A great day like that? Out with their boys? Daizi stood directly in front of him, and Dark had her enveloped in his arms. Both cheered appropriately for Alec, but really cheered for how high Xander had gotten it to go!

If he was being honest, Dark was a bit surprised to see how well the teen had done on his first go, "With a bit more practice and better form," He said, "You are bound to hit the bell next year!"
It was his turn, then, and to nobody's real surprise, the 6'8 muscular man obsessed with carnivals was able to ring the bell. Interestingly, when he swung it down, he shifted his hands slightly, in a way which, presumably, added to the power... Although, all of his techniques may not have been strictly necessary, considering Xander, without the ideal form, had also done quite well. But he was committed.

"Okay, Xander," He said, putting the mallet down, "You can pick the prize this time, and just keep it for yourself, I do not mind."
 
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"Nice swing! Totally expected it of you, but still awesome. How about that foam snake on a stick thing," Xander asked, pointing toward the puppet-like toy in a band of rainbow colors. "That think looks appropriately unique and dorky and will totally get in everyone's way."

Alec laughed and clapped. "That was awesome!" He would have happily watched Dark go again, but he was getting hungry and said as much.
 
Dark nodded his assent to the foam snake, and as the carnie gave it over, said, "You do seem to like snakes. I used to want to own one, but ball pythons live twenty to thirty years, and at the time, we did not even want kids, so it seemed like too much of a commitment."

"Imagine how different our lives would be if we had just gotten the snake," Daizi laughed.

"It would be worse," Dark replied. He did not take even a full moment to think about it. Theoretically they might have ended up in the same, or at least very similar, place, just with a snake, but he loved the twins, and his dog, and their rats, and the baby who was on the way, and he couldn't help but imagine if they had made a different choice all those years ago, the, for one reason or another, would somehow have ended up in a different place than they were now. And he didn't want to be.

"Probably," Daizi agreed, "We have built a really nice life together... But, come on, I'm starving too, and we'll all be miserable if we don't eat soon."

He agreed, of course, and together they all headed to where all of the different food stalls were. There were a variety of options, which Daizi (in her pregnant mind) found extremely overwhelming, and being completely earnest asked, "Do you think they would be willing to add the nacho cheese to the funnel cake?"
 
Xander held up the foam snake and wiggled it a bit. "I never thought about it, but, yeah, I guess I do," he mused. "I dunno about owning one, but I like the look." Did he want a real snake? The idea had never occurred to him, but just as quickly as it did, he knew the answer: no. At least, not right now. Maybe someday, maybe, but he wasn't drawn to owning one.

Alec eyed their stuff and turned to Dark. "What if one of us takes all the prizes to the car, and the rest of us find a seat and start standing in line for the food? I think every food stall has a line of some length."

Xander squinted at the funnel cake stand. "I don't see any nacho cheese in their stall, booth, thingy, but I bet you could get a funnel cake plain and get the cheese from the nacho stall. I'm feeling corn dog!"

"Me too! And one of those giant pretzels!" Alec grinned.
 
"One of us going to the car might be a good idea," Dark agreed slowly, looking across towards the parking lot, "It would either have to be myself or Xander, I think, because Alec, I am afraid to say, I do not trust your ability to go there and find your way back to us. And, darling..."

"Oh, yeah, no, there is no way I could make it to the car and find my way back," She agreed. Regarding the funnel cake she said, "No, I still want it with chocolate, whipped cream, and powdered sugar. I just also really want the cheese. And the giant pretzel would be great, and..."

She trailed off when she heard Dark chuckling to himself, "Whatever you like, you can have, my dear."
 
"I'll go," Xander offered and started gathering everything up. "I don't mind. I'll be back in a jiff. If I get delayed, just remember I want a corndog! And a thing of onion fries." He waited for Dark to give hi the keys before heading off with the prizes.

"You could get a funnel cake with the cheese on the side and dip it," Alec suggested, trying not to show how revolting that all sounded. Pregnancy cravings were weird.
 
Dark handed him the keys and the owl, "Remember to lock it when you come back."

"We'll remember what you wanted, don't worry," Daizi assured him, "and I'll probably just drizzle the cheese on top. We need to get, babe, that spray cheese that comes in the can, remember? Cooger used to get it when he was in his twenties and wanted to impress the girls he brought home with what was the closest he'd come to a charcuterie board? The spray cheese and the Ritz crackers? I've not thought about it in years, but I think I was probably way too hard on it."

"We will get some," He replied. She was so funny, he thought. There was a nice empty table near to the bandstand, so Dark led Daizi over to it, "How about you sit here and keep the table for us, darling, while Alec and I get the food?"
 
Xander sped away, heading for the parking lot. Even remembering where they parked, it still took him a good amount of time to locate the car. Carnival parking lots were weird and haphazard. Still, he eventually found the car and started loading it up.

"What's a charcuterie board?" Alec asked Dark once Daizi was situated and they'd moved away from the table. "Is that like a display of crackers with different shapes sprayed on with that canned cheese stuff?"
 
"A good charcuterie board should have a variety of crackers, real cheeses--not Kraft Singles and spray cheese, real cheddar, swiss, brie, those sorts--and cured meats. The really good ones will also have olives, nuts, and fruit. They are nice, sophisticated... What Cooger set out was sort of like the fast food version of pizza, compared to the pizza you would get at a nice restaurant." Dark explained as they went to get into the first line.

Thankfully, although all of the stalls did have a line, they weren't absurdly long, so it was very possible to go many different places without spending half the day attempting to get food.
 
Alec nodded in understanding, smiling a little at the idea. That seemed like something Cooger would do. At least he tried though, right? That had to count for something. Although it was difficult to imagine Cooger trying to impress anyone.

Xander returned just as they were returning to the table with the food. "I think they put the food as far away from the front gate as possible," he grumbled, leaning against the table. "Everything is tucked away safe and sound, and the car is locked." He held out the keys to Dark.
 
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