2024-12-17 - Musings & Mythos

With the ferry terminal being RIGHT there, mostly, it’s a short walk for Kellin, which is a good thing when he isn’t up for that much longer walk either to his apartment, or to one of the break rooms deep in the underground of the park. It’s a short enough walk that he didn’t bother with a jacket over his navy crew neck sweater with its epaulettes with the four stripes and wheel, worn over a white button down, dark slacks, with boat shoes. Very professional looking, even his hair is pulled back in a short ponytail, though windblown wisps escape. The risk of working on a ferry, windblown locks.

The familiar greetings he gets when Kel comes into the diner implies that he isn’t a stranger there, though he may have been a hot minute since he has showed his face. His gaze roves the diner, though if he is looking for a table or a face is hard to say, either way he makes his way to one of the few empty tables and sits, his eyes finally resting on the specials board, and ignoring the menus that are in the little holder on the table.

Gabriel comes out of the swinging kitchen doors, plates balanced perfectly in both hands. They make stops at two tables and even have time to grab the metal carafe of coffee to run up refills before heading over towards the newcomer. There's not much of a uniform at the diner-- just a white apron with Nora's embroidered on the left side, which they wear atop a plain black tee and dark jeans. There's a little name tag clipped to the apron that reads: GABE. A smaller THEY/THEM sits right under it.

"Welcome to Nora's," they start almost robotically as they pull out a notepad from the center apron pocket. A double take to who they're talking to reveals a familiar face. "Oh hey. Captain Kellin. How's it going? Or should I say...ahoy?" The corners of their eyes crinkle in amusement.

The coffee cup had already been pushed into easy reach by the time Gabe made their way to where Kel has parked himself. His head lifts from where he was checking his phone messages, and Kel's gaze lights on their face. The greeting Captain Kellin for some unknown reason hits different and he is hard pressed to stifle an idiotic grin at it, that one dimple makes a fleeting appearance though. Whatever the reasons, that is for future Kellin to figure out.

"Hey." He greets back, taking in the amusement on display "Good thanks. Just got off my shift. How are you settling in?"

Gabriel tips the carafe to pour coffee into Kellin's mug, then places the metal pot on the table so they can properly take down the order. Just how Kellin seems to be quick to smile this time around, Gabriel also appears more settled. Well, partially. As much as a week and a half can get someone. But they are much more expressive today.

"Um. Well it's been a ride already," they say with an uptick of brows, "but let me put your order in before I get into it, yeah? You're probably hungry. What can I get you?" A little taptap of the pencil against the notepad.

The reaching for the sugar packets is all out of habit and not any indication that he isn't paying attention. Kel doesn't even have to really look to know what he is grabbing for so he doesn't miss the raised brows that imply there is a tale.

"I could eat." He says with a degree of nonchalance as if his stomach didn't just give a quiet rumble, which he pretends he didn't hear. He gives a brief nod about ordering first "Turkey club, slaw instead of fries, please."

Gabriel lets out a soft huff of a breath at Kellin's nonchalance. "Mhm." They seem to know better. One corner of their mouth ticks up as they scribble down the order. "Gotcha. Be back in sec." They grab the carafe and make their way back to the little window that oversees the kitchen to put in Kellin's food order. Another moment or two of seeing to other customers, then they shuffle back to Kellin's table and promptly take a seat across from him. It's not too busy, it's fine.

"What do you know about dreams?"

As Gabe goes about putting in the order Kel stirs a lone sugar packet into his coffee, eyes locked onto the whirlpool that forms as he swirls the dark liquid around with the spoon.

Gabe taking a seat across from him has Kel lifting his head in pleasant surprise, though the odd question has that being quelled rapidly, and his eyebrows furrow slightly in confusion. “Uhm…” he may be a bit taken aback. That was not how he expected this story to start. “You have them when you are sleeping, they are one of brain’s way of processing personal experiences.” It may be facts, but his tone is more questioning, almost as if he knows that isn’t exactly what is being asked “Or did you want something more philosophical as an answer?”

Gabriel nods along with all those expressions Kellin's giving because they know, yes, this is about to get weird. They're patient though, and just sit there quietly waiting and then listening to the answer.

"Um." Great way to start. They look up and off to the side, choosing words. "So I know about the magic. They talked about it in orientation and I figured it was a metaphor...but then I had this very, very lucid dream where these monsters were attacking me and a bunch of other people and it turns out...those other people are real? They work here. We were having a shared dream. Has anything like that ever happened to you?"

Kel knew that magic had been added to the orientation program, that's why he never mentions it to newbies. HR or whoever is in charge of training does a much better job than he would.

"Not a metaphor, it's real." And he did hint at it when they met "Though it may be a bit longer before you get yours." He sips at his coffee as he listens to the rest, looking perplexed, though overwise unfazed. Weird apparently is in the eye of the beholder.

So much for Kel being any help with this one. "Dream sharing? No. Dreams of fighting monsters with and without people I know, yes." He chews on his bottom lip thoughtfully "Wonder if one of the new hires is manifesting some type of dream magic and you all got sucked in?" Well good news is that Kellin believes them.

"Yeah I mean, I know that now," Gabriel adds off of Kellin's remark. "You tried to warn me, didn't you? And I was too shellshocked by my first day to listen." There's an agreeable little shrug of a shoulder as they wave it off. "Well now I've had a crash course."

"I figured it might be a long shot but wanted to ask anyway. One of the people in the dream, his name is Trace, came in here and we talked about it a bit? I think he can do dream magic. And then weirdly enough housing paired me up with him and Fin as roommates. How weird is that?"

“As much as I could in mixed company.” The passenger deck of the ferry isn’t the place for such conversations. Kel’s hands rest loosely around his coffee mug as he speaks “Honestly, that was odd. Most people are excited about coming to work here. It’s not often I see someone apprehensive about it.” Others might, but that hasn’t been his experience.

Okay, now that is weird, and Kel’s nose wrinkle shows he feels the same way. “Weird definitely, but until proven otherwise I am going to think that’s pure coincidence.” He then hmmms as he sips “I am not sure I know a Trace, at least I can’t put a face to the name. What kind of monsters? Or would you rather not talk about that part.” He would understand if that is the case.

Gabriel tilts their head a bit, looking off to the side with an unapologetic half-smile. "I guess...I'm odd?" And they seem totally okay with it at least given they're now breathing out quiet laughter.

DING-- order's up.

"They were little organic machinery looking things. Hard to describe? Jumpy things. With teeth. Let me grab your food real quick." They slide out of their seat and shuffle off to collect Kellin's order, then return to place it in front of him along with a napkin-bound bundle of silverware. A glance goes out to the other customers but everyone seems settled for now, so they sit back down. "So what kind of magic can you do?"

That has Kel lifting his coffee mug as if to toast that “Here is to the odd ones that keep the places running.” So far Kel hasn’t let his freak flag fly in front of Gabe, but that day may come one day, sooner or later.

There is a lip curl as the dream creatures are described, “Sounds like some Lovecraftian/Matrix cross over monstrosity.” Kel isn’t sure if he should be impressed or horrified by whatever or whoever’s imagination thought that up “Sure sure.” He says, glancing over where his order is up then back at Gabe as they get up to get the food and quickly bring it back and serve him before sitting back down.

As the question is asked about his own magic, Kel is reaching for the hot sauce that sits among the ketchup, salt, and pepper that sits on the table. “This.” He taps the top of the hot sauce bottle and it immediately shrinks down to half its size, tap again and it grows to double the size, a final tap and it goes to being its normal size. “I am also a type of Medusa.” With the demonstration over he opens the hot sauce and begins to sprinkle the hot sauce on his slaw and pulls the sandwich apart to add some to it.

That toast gets a breathy laugh out of them and Gabe's quick to add, "Amen."

They settle into their seat more, glancing out once more towards the rest of the diner and looking back in time to see the hot sauce shrink and blow up and return to normal. "Oh." What a tiny word for an absolutely wide-eyed expression on their face. Their mouth opens, closes, opens again. No words. Just a squint of their eyes as their brain does a good long process. After a moment, they blow air out of pursed lips. "Cool." Kellin's words take a bit to sink in then and Gabe has to blink rapidly to catch up. "Did you say medusa?"

As he waits for the shock and awe to pass Kel unwraps his silverware an amused, yet satisfied grin, on his face “Thanks.” He lets out a soft and low laugh “It certainly comes in handy. Much easier to move around furniture and things when you can shrink them down.”

“I don’t turn into a snake haired monster or anything. And I guess a basilisk may be a better comparison. I can’t turn people to stone, just temporarily petrify them.” There is a beat “At least I haven’t yet.” He isn’t sure he would want to either. Just being able to petrify is scary enough, even for him. “Nor do I go around trying. Just about everytime I have done it has been by accident.” Meaning there has been once or twice it was on purpose.

“You aren’t going to get in trouble for sitting and chatting with me, are you?” Kel does sound concerned, and looks around, none of the other employees seems to be bothered, but that could be just keeping the peace until he leaves.

"Of all things, shrinking items down sounds the most practical? Like sure, manipulating dreams are cool but imagine how many things you could fit in your pockets." Gabe's brows bounce upwards.

They tilt their head, considering Kellin's words. "How...how do you do it then? Looking at people or touching them? Because if it's by accident and I'm sitting here..." Putting two and two together, they're now mildly worried for their safety in a playful manner. There's still a crinkle in the corners of their eyes.

"Oh, uh." They turn to look over their shoulder. "Maybe. I don't know anyone well enough yet. But I suppose I should let you enjoy your food in peace." Gabe looks back at Kellin and then down to his hot sauce laden slaw. "Bone apple tea." They then offer him a tiny smile and start to get up.

"I haven't been able to shrink things to pocket size yet. That would be useful." That gets his mental wheels turning a few moments before going back to the conversation. "Would have made hauling those two suitcases of yours a hell of a lot easier." Not that he did it, or could have at he time. Not with Gabe not being in the know about magic

"Looking at them, but it has to be with intent, and most of the time the people can still talk and breathe, just not move." He waves a hand "I haven't petrified anyone on accident in a couple of years, and it never lasts for more than a few minutes." He isn't all powerful "So you're safe."

"I...,* Kel lifts a hand as if to reach out but drops it just as quickly "don't mind the company. I just don't want to see you get fired before you discover your magic." He gestures around "Make your circuit and then you can come back and tell me what magic you would like to have." To him it's a good compromise, but it's not him that would be in trouble, though he would feel bad if Gabe got written up or worse.

"Ah, alright. Guess that makes sense." Gabe quirks their mouth up to one side of their face in an empathetic show on behalf the magic that isn't quite there yet.

They look at Kellin for a long moment, brows lifted. The corners of their lips remain curved upwards with a hint of amusement even if they're purposefully giving him a flat stare down. "See..." they finally say, leaning in a little, "that's exactly the type of thing someone says before they petrify you on accident?"

But it's time to do rounds so Kellin can eat freely. Gabe nods a little at the mention of coming back, then scoops up the carafe and drifts over to another table. It takes a good ten minutes of bussing tables and getting orders out before they return to plop down in front of him.

"I wanna read minds."

"Just have to keep trying I guess." Kel lifts a shoulder giving an indication that while being able to fit a bunch of tiny things in his pocket sounds great, he isn't going to push any harder than he has too. At least not without some incentive.

Kel places his elbow on the table and rests his cheek on his palm as he looks up at the leaning Gabe. "Yet you are still here, chatting with me." a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth "Looks like it is a risk you are willing to take." followed by a low laugh when Gabe runs off to do their rounds.

By the time that Gabe returns, Kel has gotten through most of his meal and is once more sipping at his coffee, that has been graciously refilled during that time. ...read minds. has him giving the first truly horrified look during this whole conversation. Even the talk of the dream monsters didn't have such a visceral response "Really? Why?" he shakes his head "I have a hard enough time with my own intrusive thoughts, I don't want to be dealing with other peoples too."

Is it a risk Gabe's willing to take? They'll just have to wait and see.

What a visceral response to that question, though. They tilt their head, brows ticking upwards. "Wow, okay that's a pretty strong feeling you're having there? Do you wanna talk about it?" There's a little shrug, followed by an idle tap of fingertips on the table. "I don't want to know people's intrusive thoughts, I just want to know why they do things. I don't..." blue eyes shift off towards the window. "The human experience is hard to paint sometimes and I feel like it'd help me if I knew what people where thinking and when. Because I used to paint and then it left me and I haven't been able to get it back."

The reaction along with the expression from Gabe has Kellin laughing, at mostly himself and his own very gut reaction to what he has been told "Not at the moment, no." Fair, from his prospective, very few people want to discuss their intrusive thoughts, even to licensed professionals. "I was pretty sure you didn't, but that doesn't mean you won't. Though I am hardly knowledgeable in the topic. All I have to go by is comics and movies and they aren't always the best source for facts."

While Gabe's eyes may wander, Kel's remains fixed on their face, listening attentively to what must be a difficult admission "Your muse has left you?" some may say call it inspiration, or creativity, or artistry, but instead he goes with muse. He is on the fence on whether to be sympathetic or empathetic, he doesn't know Gabe well enough to predict how either will be taken "I can imagine how hard that would be." he goes for the second, though the way he absently rubs at his injured leg, he really doesn't have to imagine.

"You asked me what magic I'd like to have, Kellin, so I told you," Gabe replies flatly yet with a bit of amusement. "Who knows what the rules are..I'm just saying in a perfect vacuum...yeah."

There's a certain eloquence in Kellin's question about the muse leaving. They nod silently, eyes still fixed on the window. It's not until Kellin offers empathy that Gabriel looks back at him and waves their hand a little. "It's alright. Worse things happen to nicer people. I think I spun out too hard in the art scene and New York tends to bite back if you know what I mean. It's better that I'm here. But I still think about it. It's in the corner of my mind...a brush stroke...an imagine. And then it's gone. Like waking up from a dream." They snort softly. "Not a shared lucid dream though."

"Asked and answered yes." Kellin doesn't seem slighted by what some could consider a snarky reply, he just rubs a scruffy cheek and nods "If only they had a play book for this sort of thing, then we would all be set." and if wishes were fishes we would all be swimming in the sea.

"Burnout can be rough." right or wrong, that is how he is interpreting the spun out remark. "Nothing lasts forever, given time the muse will return, just hope it isn't Melpomene, life is tragic enough without her influence." now he is letting his own brand of weirdness show around the edges.

The reminder of the lucid dream has his eyes widening and he huffs "Nothing inspiring about those." the shared lucid dream of course.

"I think we all pretty much want a playbook on life in general, yeah."

Burnout can be rough. Gabriel nods in agreement.

The seem resigned enough about their fate to not really join in on the what-ifs of 'nothing lasts forever' though the mention of a specific muse has them studying Kellin more closely. "Melpomene? Which one was that?"

"I would like mine leather bound with gold gilt pages, maybe embossed, please." Kel casts his eyes upwards as if this is a request to whatever powers that be is up there and listening. More wishful thinking on his part.

"The muse of tragedy, you know the sad face mask that goes along with the happy face mask that is the trademark of theatre. Melpomene and her sister Thalia the muse of comedy, poetry and the like." Kel finishes the last of his coffee before continuing "There is no muse of painting. You have to go higher up the org chart for that. Believe it or not Hephaestus is the god that covers painting and other artistry, what he doesn't Athena does." apparently someone knows their Greek mythos.

"I know you have gotten the management approved tour of the park, but have you been given the down and dirty tour of the park? The one that includes the sorid and embarrassing stories of your co-workers?"

"Sounds fancy," Gabriel says with a tiny smile. A couple more customers enter the diner and take seats around the front. Knowing they still have to peruse the menu gives Gabe another moment to sit and chat. "Oh right, the masks." They're quiet as they listen, a look of keen interest spread across their face. "Ah," they say after a moment. "So the ferry captain has a soft spot for Greek mythology. Didn't see that one coming. Remind me to call you Charon next time."

There's a little shake of their head. "No, haven't really had time yet. And don't really know any coworkers other than you and them." Gabriel gestures back to the kitchen as they start to get back on their feet. "I need to get back I think."

"Not just Greek, any mythos and folklore really. Ever since I was little and watched Heracles." Kel pronounces it the proper Greek way. "It expanded into other cultures as I grew older. I am pretty equal opportunity about a lot of things." Mythology is just the tip if the iceberg really. The threat as it were, has him laughing "I would answer to that."

The arrival of customers has Kellin looking toward the door and then out the window "The ferry must have came in, which means I should get back as well." He pulls out his wallet and leaves enough on the table to cover the food and a generous tip. Kel also pulls a card out and hands it over "Feel free to call if you want that tour." on the card is the Spellbound logo, along with his name Kellin MacDonnell, and under that Captain - Siren's Song, along with the usual contact info. "See ya around." and then he is heading out so Gabe can do their job, and he can go back to his.