2024-12-03 - Puts Thou Coin Wherest Thou Mouth Ist

Another day another dollar.

Ty's in full BardMode. He's wearing his royal purple and navy costume which consists of a brocade jacket, tailored well to his form, poofy pantaloons, tights, knee-high boots, and a feathered cap that sits jauntily on his moppy head. He's strolling around the restaurant plucking away at his lute and taking requests for tips, the jar of which hands off the side of his belt along with other decorative pouches.

"Tell me why? Ain't nothin' but a heartache. Tell me why? Ain't nothing but a mistake. Tell me why. I never wanna hear you say I want it that way."

"I would tip you to change that tune," Jett says with some scathing but affectionate sarcasm. He's ended up coming up behind the meandering bard on his way back to a table by the looks of it, but cannot resist flicking the feathered cap a little. Jett is wearing his uniform underneath a black faux leather jacket, which suggests he's probably means he's going to work, just got off work, or is on some sort of break. The black jacket at least breaks up the teal and white, though it all kind of poorly clashes together in a mix of worker fashion.

Then when Ty starts with the lyrics, Jett groans, "Take my money, take my money! Please change that song!"

"Well then, good sir," oh no, Ty's doing an accent. It's...pretty awful? Barely passing for 'I've Just Been Hired At A Ren Faire' type of awful. He gives his lute a little strumming flourish, then shimmies enough to get the tip jar wiggling. "Feel free to puts thou coin wherest thou mouth ist." He grins over at Jett. "Or thou doth protest too much."

Thankfully it's a quiet day at the Balcony or the tourists would have QUESTIONS about the bard's sass level.

Jett's expression cracks into wry amusement at the accent and his expression gives some sass back with his lips pursing, chin tilting down, and his one brow raised in question against the 'good sir' sentiment. The strumming flourish and the wiggling jar has him roll his eyes a little but true to his word he jams in what he can. He fishes into his pocket where all that jangly coin is (and other stuff he's picked up) and then empties a handful into Ty's jar. There's pennies in there too, looks like some pocket lint, some pop can tabs, and at least a handful of quarters that could add up to anywhere between a dollar and three.

"Does my mouth-est pay enough-est?" He's trying to mimic the accent and it's just so wrong but at the same time comical. "What do-eth have-eth for tunes? I'd take something by Korn, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, the Red Hot Chili's ... Tool, Perfect Circle, .. which they're basically the same guy singing but it's good shit. Uhm, Silverchair or Ninch Inch Nails?"

Oooh pop can tabs, score. Ty grins big and bright at the tip, scooping up his hat and taking a step back to bow elegantly. "What a kind and gentle--" he glances up at Jett, "and fashionable patron of the arts you are, m'lord." He stands up again and plops the cap back onto his head. "Your choices are clutch and tis hard to pick just one." Whoops, the accent's dipping in and out there. He squints down at his lute as he thinks, then nods. Slender fingers then begin to strum away at a familiar melody. He skips ahead to singing the good part.

And because Jett actually paid, he puts real effort into it. The melancholy of the lyrics filters out through his voice as he leans more Trent and less Johnny.

"What have I become? My sweetest friend. Everyone I know...goes away in the end. You could have it all. My empire of dirt. I will let you down. I will make you hurt."

Jett watches the elegant bow with a guffaw for the gesture. His brows lift up at the idea that he was a fashionable patron considering the epic uniform he's in, "I am fashionable, exactly! The Lord of Lucky Games wears nothing less than fashionable!" He is absolutely playing up with this because he can and why not, the other customers might get a laugh and ask for their own requests. He chuckles over how many options he gave Ty, noting, "But how could I be certain what Sir Ty of the Tights could possibly play. I didn't want to embarrass yee!" Is it yee? Thee? Heee? Who knows.

He up nods toward his table and slides back in where a basket of fries is waiting to be polished off. He slips back into his chair and leans back with the appropriate Lordly leg sprawl happening and his hands folding against his stomach. When Ty sounds more Trent than Johnny, we love you Cash but it's Trent's song, Jett shows approval by giving a whistle as he first recognizes the tune. "Good hit that one," he jovially announces and proceeds to pluck a fry out of the basket to munch on while he gets serenaded by Hurt.

"Oh I live in the embarrassment," Ty manages to say under his breath in an amused tone. Thus the need for his alter ego. Shove it all in a box and prance around.

He gets through most of the song, making sure to do a whole turn about the place to placate the patrons, then signs off with another flourish of the strings to sit across from Jett. And steal a fry. Fry tax. "Break time." He sets the lute aside on the table and grins. "How's your day going, then?" Ty's dropped the accent, thankfully.

Jett is one of many patrons that clap and he will give encouraging looks around with widening stare to hint at those who are not clapping to do so. Eventually the applause tapers off as is only natural and Jett regards Ty with the flourish of strings and the theft of a fry. At least they were plentiful yet; he had a basket of them.

"I'm holding on so I can't complain," Jett answers with an elaborate flourish of a fry, "And I have fries." He says but of course there's a sort of heavier exhale behind that sentiment, which is weird, because he's a foodie. Noob foodie but still a foodie. "How about you?" He eyeballs the place, "At least I get to see what your gig is like now."

Uh oh. Ty's going for another one. This is going to turn into a if you give a mouse a cookie situation. "Mmm," he chews, swallows, scrunches up his mouth to one side of his face. "It was good until someone asked me if I was the TikTok Bard and now I'm worried someone's made a whole account with clips of me. I'm too scared to look. I told her no two bards were alike but I doubt she bought it."

He tilts his head a little as his looks at Jett's coat. "You know, I'm a little surprised you're not a character performer or anything? It just seems like you'd make a really magician or something on the Boo'edwalk. It's all spooky and gothy like you."

Jett pushes the basket forward so it's in the middle of the table and it doesn't require such a stretch from Ty to snag a few more. It's a lot of fries so it doesn't look like Jett actually minds sharing. His brow arches up at the talk of TikTok, "I would offer to look for you but first, that'd require a phone I think..." and his hands spread, "And I am all out of those."

"Me?" He lightly guffaws at the idea of being a character or a performer, "I don't know, I don't sing... I don't play an instrument or anything like that." He notes, "Besides if I was a performer you'd all be out of work," he says with a sudden cockiness that splits his lips into a curving smile, "then you'd have to operate games." As for the spooky gothy vibe he muses, "Maybe in the future or something. I'm happy being a smooth operator."

Ooh yay more fries. Ty doesn't exactly scarf more down but it does look like he skipped lunch today the way the yum is hitting just right. He wiggles side to side in his seat a little, content as heck, then turns a curious look to Jett. "Cause it's broken or what?"

He nods at Jett's me response. "Yes, you! You don't need to like...sing or play anything. You can just be a persona. Like Leon who plays the Evil Queen or any one of the magicians or medicine show people. Your aesthetic screams anti-hero who can upsell anything in the park and make sure people show up to the nighttime shows." The burst of cockiness gets a bright laugh in return. "See what I mean? There's the energy for it right there. But if you're happy, then you're happy."

"I don't have one," Jett says with a sheepish sort of admission, "They're all really out of my price range and ... I don't have credit so like... no payment plan." His fingers express a 'whatever' kind of deal, "I guess that makes me like off the grid old school or something."

Ty's confidence in him has him listening to the idea that he doesn't have to sing or play. The young man laughs a little at the 'anti-hero' and he nods his head a little, "I could get behind that. But you don't think I'm Villain material... just anti-hero? And what's the difference exactly-" the air is stabbed with a fry in question before he eats it.

At least he got a laugh from Ty for his cockiness and he looks down with a smile showing on his lips, "I mean. I didn't consider it ever. When I interviewed I was happy to take whatever they had open and I kind of fell in line easily enough with the games; you don't need skill to run the games is what people thing. It's not true, but people think any old person can get behind the booth and stack 'em and rack 'em like me. You can't." He thinks about it for a moment longer, "I guess I'd consider it if there was a job opening.. and not like a billion people applying for it."

"Oh." Ty blinks rapidly as he looks up, thinking. Asking would be prying and he's much more polite than-- "Why no credit?" Yep. Nope. He's just gonna ask anyway. Whoops.

The difference between villain and anti-hero has him smiling again. "Hm, let's seeeeee," Ty drawls as he goes for another fry. "I guess to me it's all about intent, right? Like a villain is going for it. Out there doing bad shit on purpose. And an anti-hero is someone who is just like chill and living their life and now reluctantly having to step up. Doing the right thing even if they don't wanna. It's more complex than just being a villain cause it's easy. I get a lot more of the second vibe from you for some reason?"

He considers what Jett says, drumming his fingers idly on the table. "I agree with you, operating booths takes like a salesperson skill I don't think I have. Keeping people interested and on the hook and wanting to drop more money. It's real easy for me to just shut off my brain and play music all day." One shoulder draws up in a small half-shrug, then he leans an elbow on the table. "Well I hope one opens up for you eventually. I think you'd kill it."

Jett considers Ty for a moment as Ty goes right on into asking the questions and Jett looks down to one of his painted black finger nails, before he notes, "I didn't have a legal address and at the time I didn't have a six month history at any legal address." He considers Ty, "It's probably for the best. I'm always broke anyway." He smirks a little as his gaze drops to the basket of fries and he plucks one out and munches it without shame.

The explanation seems to make sense to Jett because he's simply munching on fries with a thoughtful calculating gaze as his eyes tick from one side then to the other and drift upward in consideration of the valid differences between a villain and an anti-hero. "Is there an anti-villain? Someone living their life and reluctantly having to do bad shit?" He grins at the last sentiment and shrugs his shoulders, "Hey I mean I could roll with that."

Jett considers Ty at last and then wonders, "What made you come work here? I mean at the Park and then I guess I mean as ... the bard? You have some real talent you know. Why aren't you kicking it out there in the real world." Because Spellbound is totally not real, it's an amusement park or something.

Ty's brows slowly lift though it's less in shock and more in a sad sort of thoughtfulness. "Oh. Damn. Sorry to hear that." But ever the optimist, one side of his mouth tugs up into a lopsided smile. "If you can have your roomie add you to their plan and manage to pay them for your line, I'm like 99% sure my mom still has my old phone? I could ask her to mail it? The screen's cracked but...if you want to be on the grid, that is. I totally get it if you'd just rather not. Just throwing it out there."

On the anti-villain front, he lets out a laugh but shakes his head. "I think if you do bad shit, whether reluctantly or not, it just makes you a plain villain?"

There's a slightly deeper lean against the table now as he ducks his head under his hand sheepishly, then runs his fingers through his moppy hair. What a rueful look sits on his face now. "I did the real world thing. For like...six years after graduating college. Played in the band, tried to make it big, couldn't, took lots of gigs at mall orchestras and middle schools and community theater...anywhere that needed a musician. Slowly felt my soul leave my body. I feel like I lost a lot of my motivation recently..." his gaze drops to the table, "and I needed a change of pace. And this actually seemed silly and unserious. Like me."

"It's better now. I suppose I could try to see if I could get hooked up," he says against the sad thoughtfulness with a crinkle of the corner of his eyes, as if he was trying not to scowl. The expression softens as Ty mentions using his roommate, "Oh uhm. Yeah I guess I never thought to ask the Prince if he was willing to share. I mean, he does a lot for me already. He buys a lot of groceries." He chortles, "I have a bad habit of eating food like all the time. I claim I'm making up for lost time but yeah, Theo does a lot. I could see if he could get a plan like that." As for an old phone, Jett nods, "I wouldn't say no. I could even try to fix the screen. It's made out of glass right? Glass is made out of sand..." somewhat, "so like... maybe I could with my magic. Worth a shot.. otherwise I'll just fry it and apologize." At least he's up front!

The anti-villain response has Jett blinking and then cracking a smile, "That seems so judgmental. Poor villains are painted with one brush." He winks and takes up another fry to pop in his mouth.

Jett shows his curiosity at Ty's initial reaction to the question. "You couldn't?" Jett blinks as if that's a shock and a half, "What! You have the looks, you have the style, what the hell! That makes zero sense." He is absolutely a bard fanboy and so he encourages, "The world doesn't know what they're missing! We're super lucky to have you because damn, you are like it. I mean, don't let Theo hear that, but I mean, what's not to like." He clicks his tongue against his teeth, "This version of you, people like. So maybe you just need to be that version out there. I have no doubt you can pull a big hit. Your voice is fire."

"Why do you call him the Prince?" Ty asks about poor Theo. "And yeah I guess like life's about give and take? Maybe after you work here for a while and get tips and stuff you can toss some money his way. I think most people get it. Like me and Sully and River all take turns on who buys what and share." He seems rather pleased that Jett seems interested in taking his old phone, though the part about glass being sand gets a questioning look. "What kind of magic can you do? And it'll totally be yours, no worries. Like I said, it's old...maybe like four or five generations? Really you'd be doing my mom a favor by not having it clutter up a drawer but she never likes to throw things out just in case."

He can't help but laugh a bit. "I'm not judging. If villains wanna villain, that's on them! I'm just saying they can't be anti-heroes."

This much he expected and merely shrugs again. His nose scrunches up into a slightly more despondent display for once. "You know how many people can sing good and all wanna be on the radio? Like everyone." An overstatement, for sure. "It's HARD without a manager or agent or being tiktok famous." He's ready to complain for like five more minutes when he suddenly realizes he's getting compliments. A slight blush appears on his cheeks, spreading pink across them and over the bridge of his nose. He laughs a little awkwardly. "You're just being nice because I'm eating your fries."

"Because... he is a Prince," Jett says with a flat tone that stabs a fry in the air as if Ty should know this, "I'm not saying he's spoiled," he squints, "Maybe a little, butttt... that's besides the point. His stage presence is a princely guy." Then he thinks, "And he's got Prince qualities you know? Fair hearted, kind, and courageous. He'd have my back in an instant even if he sucks at fighting." He seems fond of Theo in a way that friends should be, "He took me under his wing. That is Princely shit. And I throw him extra money all the time before I spend it; fucking sweets around here are too divine not to buy." He swears as if the confectionaries were to blame.

"Oh uhm... the good part is a bit of earth type magic? I can sort of fuck around with metal, wood, stone... you know? Shape it and stuff. I figure I could fuse some sand together... fill in the cracks... and it wouldn't be too difficult. Of course I got to look at what really makes glass glass... and how much heat that would need. The stuff I make," he taps to some of the junk jewelry he's wearing, "I bend with earth magic. They are nice grounding trinkets." He offers, "Would you like one?"

"Ooo your mom sounds cool," he puts out there, "I'd like her." They'd totally hoard shit together that's why. Sagenod.

As for the reality of the entertainment out there has him sit back, making a face with his lips as if he didn't believe it, puckering them up and lifting the lips toward his nose. "Maybe I am," he says at the last, "But you know.... the way you held everyone's attention at the bonfire, not everyone can do that." He considers, "You said.. people came up to you ... for being that bard... So maybe you already are Tiktok famous? You should totally capitalize on that."

"Oh. Oh." It takes a little bit too long for Ty to thread the loop of Theo being a prince at the park. "Got it! Ah yeah, he seems really cool. And that's also great that he took care of you and all that. It's good to have people who you can trust in that way. I know this is just a job but it's also like...more? We live here. It's great that we can all get along and care."

His eyes widen at the mention of earth magic. "Woah! That's so cool. Shaping it and stuff. I'm kinda jealous." He looks down at the jewelry as Jett gestures to it. "No way. For real? You made those?" It has him leaning in to peer at the details. "What's a grounding trinket? Damn. Super cool though." There's no surprise when he blurts out "Yes!" at Jett's offer for one.

As for his mom, he leans back. "She's great. She can be really intense sometimes, like when she wants to get me to do something. But generally she's pretty chill."

"Pssssh. Theo was singing too!" Ever the humble bard, Ty seems the type who struggles with accepting compliments. Jett's also making him blush right and proper now and it has him floundering for a reprieve. "God I hope I'm not tiktok famous for that. It's one thing for people in the park to see you in tights, something completely different for the whole ass internet!" He looks over at his lute and sighs. His break time is close to being over. "Hey, so like if you ever wanna grab a drink after work or whatever, feel free to drop by around nine-ish? That's usually the end of my shift."

"Yeah. Theo is a good one," Jett says with an affection that sounds protective as well as it does fond. "We can be the exact opposite on things though and get on each other's nerve, but at the end of the day he's a good guy."

The expression over earth magic has him twitch a bit, uncertain perhaps. "Uh well, you wouldn't say that about the other magic ... It like came in a combination," he worries his lip ring a bit but then stays focused on the earth magic since Ty was excited about it. "Yeah. I make everything. I collect discarded stuff all over the place; metals, wood, stone mostly. Like this," he taps his pop can tab necklace, and then he shows off the bolt bracelet he made, "I call it junk jewelry, but I think it'd go over better if I called it something else. Trash Bandit Jewelry?" He grins and then starts to take off a bracelet, one of the ones that looked more than pieces of junk threaded together and instead shaped and tinkered over. The bracelet has delicate hoops interspaced by what looks like the tip of thumb tacks but thicker in shape and without any metal points, burnished gold. "Here," he gestures Ty to extend his wrist, "They ground you. Like, when you have your bare feet on the grass you know. I kind of attuned them to the earth frequency, I guess. It's not a lot but enough that if you hold it in your hand or fiddle with it, and take calms breaths, you can like feel less anxious... and more at ease." He'll do it up on Ty's wrist if the other man allows him to.

Jett nods quietly at what Ty's mother is like, listening to Ty talk about his mom, even if briefly something special for Jett to hear.

Jett nods a little, "But he had to be egged on. You just did it like it was breathing air for you, and I think it is." He grins at the blushing and reaches over to pat Ty's shoulder, before he sits back, "I mean, there are worse things to be tiktok famous for." He openly cackles at Ty's reaction, "I mean... the 80s were about tights and how many guys were famous for it?"

As break time comes to an end for Ty, he nods, "Yeah. Maybe I will." He realizes he should get meandering off too, "I should probably get back too. I'm pulling a double today." He wiggles the fry basket, "Last chance?" Then he'll mow down whatever is left.

Jett's comment about the other kind of magic has Ty's brows shooting up, intrigued perhaps but this time he doesn't pry. Not when Jett himself looks so uncertain. Plus there's CRAFTS to get jazzed about. "See, you were saying I should be a big famous music person and here I am saying you for sure need to make stuff and sell it online. Like your jewelry is so cool." As with most things Ty, he's genuine about it and sincerely means what he says. He tilts his head just a bit as he considers a name for the junk accessories. "Jett's Flotsam Jewelry. Get it?" A Little Mermaid reference that either shows Ty's age or his affinity for DISNEY MOVIES.

He extends his wrist, then pushes back the long sleeve of his bard jacket so Jett can clasp the bracelet around it. "Bare feet on the grass..." he echoes with a sort of newfound wonder. Jett's just taught him a thing. "Woah. I'm like anxious 24/7 so this is just what I needed. Thank you." Once it's on, he lifts his wrist and brushes his fingertips over the metal. A bright grin goes Jett's way. "Now I owe you something. Maybe I'll learn a Tool song for you?"

Jett seems to understand Ty's love for music, though. Easily. "Oh yeah I mean...I can feel it in my blood. Like...I love it. I could play something every day and it'd make me happy for eternity." He'd be mushy about it for longer but he's now grimacing at the thought of 80s tights. "Jettttttttttttt."

He looks down into the fry basket when it's wiggled at him and quickly reaches within to snatch a couple stragglers. "Too kind. Have a good rest of your day." Then he's up, still chewing but now grabbing his ornate lute to jump back into another afternoon of singing at weary park attendees.