2024-12-28 - This Joint is Jumpin'

Jack Daws and his stage partner Jack Daws?! wit at the two pianos they have up on the stage facing one another. Both are dressed identically though one has the long tail coat off as they are dressed like a 200 year old grave digger or member of the Addams Family- maybe both. When you have willowy limbs and spidery fingers it helps to just lean into characters that work well for what one has.

The mood coming up to New Years has been hot. The spookeasy vibe has packed in teh croweds allowing the many acts to go harder and get more in in an evening. The current holiday rotation having more half sets to work a variety of things in for people so if one person only comes for a few hours they could get more than one act. Right now they have dueling pianos closing every thing which the Jacks have been loving as it means drunker patrons freer with tips and he is a-ok with this, though does split with staff too.

Possibly rocking a mean buzz himself the pair of Jacks bang the hell out the piano with the clapping of the crowd completing their gravel and gasoline cover of Hollywood Nights by the local Michigan legend Bob Seger. Ending on ta thunderous note the both turn with a wave to the audience and stand.

"Thank you for an amazing evening. It's been a pleasure to kick around the crypt with you all. I'm Jack Daws-"

The other Jack addresses the crowd, "And I'm your other host, the better looking Jack Daws. Can we have Diana come back up here to join me."

"Us."

"...No"

With a sigh Jack one says, "Please a round of applause for our lovely and suspiciously talented Diana Le Roux." The two offer her a hand to take a bow with them in the middle. "Thank you and good night, do not fall off the ferry or we will meet again toooo soooon." There's the ghoulish grin. Really the grave digger body jokes have even worked in as puns all evening with macabre dad humor. The inebriated do love it and it sells more drinks.

Holidays at the park were not for the weak of heart. Attendance was up, lines were long, hotel and dining reservations were at capacity, and Diana had been shoved into every nook and cranny on the schedule to assist with entertainment as the enchantress or herself, depending on the need. She was now on hour 14 of a double, having worked as the Enchantress that morning before transitioning to herself to take on the bar crowds later that day.

Thankfully, she was paired with Jack tonight. They were a sensational tag team, with Diana acting as the opener, warming up the crowd with a quick set of magic tricks and illusions before he took the stage. While Jack took requests, Diana worked the tables, delighting with traditional close-up magic, which kept her skills sharp. As always, she'd join Jack at the end for one more bit.

"Thank you, Jack, and Jack!" She said as she stepped onto the stage to applause (thanks in part to the liquor the audience had consumed). "Can we get one more round of applause for our incredibly talented dueling piano players?!" She asked, gesturing toward them while he played a final song. As the patrons closed out their tabs and swung by the stage with tips, Diana transformed the whole Spookeasy into an old Hollywood ghost bar (possibly inspired by the Hollywood Tower hotel). This did well to incorporate both the vibes of the bar and Jack's final song. Little music notes floated through the air, guiding patrons to the exit.

It wasn't until the last one left that Di dropped the tricks and plopped onto his piano bench. "I need a drink!"

Jack 2 looks around with looking impressed, though Jack 1 leans over and asks with a wry grin to Diana, "We charging them the tab twice for taking up two tables now?" Clearly not but his other self goes to talk with a couple patrons as he helps shuttle them out.

When they are finally out Jack 1 walks over and sits down where Jack 2 is fusing back into a single figure sinking into himself. He moves the sunglasses he now has to the top of his head and says "I need to not look like I've lost my hearse. You heading back right away because that set is leaving me a little wired. You up for an adventure or heading back?"

"Absolutely," Di says with her picture-perfect smile. They are on stage until it's been confirmed there are no more guests in the establishment.

Watching Jack absorb into Jack is... weird. Di watches with interest, then looks away, her eyes wide as if she just saw something deeply personal that she shouldn't have. That's kind of how that one feels. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting out of my Victorian Widow costume either," Di says as she pulls at the lacy collar of her dress. This was not her favorite costume by far, but the Spookeasy had some of her favorite coworkers. Silver linings.

"Yes. Please. All I've done is work, sleep, repeat for the past two weeks outside of the ball and sneaky out to the mainland to grab a dress for New Years."

Maybe catching part of that Jack says with a wry grin, "You should see it when the other half is a bird and I just soak a fluffy lawn dart to the chest. This is good illusion too, though two of me is more fun as it is more costly for everyone involved's peace of mind."

His hand goes all around his head, "Adds so much mystery to it all. What I'm thinking one day we do is go in costume to the ride for the Chateau Hanté and say yes, juse seeing if we're taking anyone back. She is dropping off another is fine enjoy ride, au revoir!" becuase haunting the living can be fun theatre too.

Head tilting he asks, "Change, grab a drink and go see if any of the rides are still going? Fun way to catch up while enduring ghosts chasing one another around the yard....though they do this a lot lately."

Di chuckles, shaking her head at the mental image she didn't ask for. Jack taking a bird to the chest was just... weird. "I have a question about that. Do we split the tips two ways or three?" She asked with an arched brow. Arguments could be made both ways, but her opinion was likely obvious.

She laughs and shakes her head. "Can't imagine anything could possibly go wrong!" The sarcasm is dripping from her tone. But the sparkle of mischief in her eyes suggests that she's 10000% on board. "You are a terrible influence."

"Oh, absolutely! I'd also really appreciate something sweet... and maybe a drink for the road? We can put them in the little to-go coffee cups. No one will ever know."

Jack doesn't answer the money question and leans forward just shy of being in range to smooch her cheek and flee, but instead whispers, "I aim to be the most terrible. Someday they will let me into the villains' council for being devilishly handsome and just as devious, and knowing a good time should be sacrificed never." There's a wink and with that he turns to head to the back with the jar.

He shifty eyes to the bar and then back, "I'm in. I will probably change faster than you. Can make that happen. Miss me!" He ducks back down to the tunnels below to go change back which results in oddly a lot more black than when he is performing. It's maybe 12 minutes before he's a civilian in the bar pocketing his part of the tips back and getting a drink to do in a water bottle. It's after hours and no one gets overly mad if pedestrians don't notice and nothing is ruined.

He's managed to find pastry in the process looking like apple and possible stickiness in something that is croissant like but muffin shaped.

"That is just rude," Di huffs, turning her head to meet his eyes only an inch or so from her own. She'd done plenty of work and wasn't completely convinced that just because he could split himself in half he was doing twice the amount of work as she was. She then gasps as he takes the tip jar with him. "Some of us have very high rent to pay." Hers was high. She refused to have roommates. It was her fault.

Di does take longer than him to change. Between the corset, the petticoat, the layers of skirts, the teeny tiny buttons on her cuffs and shirt, and all the bobby pins in her hair, she takes at least ten minutes longer than he does. When she finally emerges she's dressed casually in her standard uniform of jeans, black sweater, and a crimson leather jacket tied around her shoulders. She'd put it on properly when they had to face the cold.

When she emerges, she sees his pastry, move sin close, and straight up steals a bite from it while it's in his hand. "Oh, that's good," she says, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. She then makes a face as the dryness hits. It was likely from that morning. Di reaches for the waterbottle, which she assumes is water, and takes a swig. "Oh god!" She coughs. "Oh, fuck!"

When Di comes back he hands her the envelope that has a fancy D on the front. his fingers flick it away as she goes to grab it- eyebrow arching as she steals a bite in the utmost, but flicks it back to her. "Nothing is quite so good as stolen food. I told security this many times, Good thing the judge moonlights as a squirrel. She understands." Not that anyone's ever arrested or tried anyone for critter food theft. This is not keeping him from making it an entire reality for now.

Laughing he says "You said to hook you up! Now you complain. My soul- it is hurt and confused. Have another drink so you won't care as much about the first one."

Di's fingers run over the pretty D. She must have taken longer than she thought. Poor Jack ended up doing an arts and crafts project. If this were anyplace but Spellbound, Jacks comment about security moonlighting as a squirrel might have raised an eyebrow. But every other person poofs into a critter around here, so really, it's just another day at the office. She's still coughing as he complains about her complaint but does take another sip if only to get the dry crumbs down her throat. "You did well... just a little too well maybe," she says. "But yes, stolen food is the best food. It's free and not yours. What more could you want except perhaps a glass of milk?"

She slides her envelope into her tote bag. "Shall we?"

Jack will never not admit to taking credit for the pretty penmanship or the drink. Is he? He might be! His secrets are his own, and the benefits are hers. "Milk will not go with the Shanappes. I would not do this to you. You have not irritated me so I still like you enough not to sabotage a good mood."

Clinging his backpack over one shoulder with his drink in that hand he offers her the other elbow. "To tomfoolery and no good?" The cold isn't biting out here on the islands and it should be. By every right it should be, but it is not. He was serious about the Haunted Estate right. "Time for Ghoul Talk and Ghosts and Gossip. How you are?"

"Probably not," she agrees, then she laughs when he admits to liking her too much for sabotage. "I'm glad. We live in close quarters. If you decided you hated me, I'd be shit out of luck. You outnumber me," she winks.

Di zips up her jacket and slings her bag over her shoulder. She takes Jack's offered arm with his free hand and cuddles in close as the cool night air greets them. "I'm never going to get used to winters," she says through chattering teeth. Sure, it wasn't nearly as cold as the mainland, but she'd spent her winters in Nevada and her summers in France. She wasn't exactly used to cooler temperatures and most nights it showed. But she smiles and lifts up her water bottle. "Yes! If we don't make it home with a story tonight, then we will start again in the morning," Diana declares and taps her bottle to his if it's available to do so.

"I am... good," she settles on. "I feel like I've finally settled into my roles and I'm not getting lost anymore," which is a huge accomplishment. "The people are nice," she says, giving his arm a little squeeze. "I have nothing to complain about aside from the fact that no one asked me to dance at the ball. I wasted a gorgeous dress on that," she sighs. She sounded like she was more miffed about the wasted gown than anything else. "How are you?"

Jack slows the pace so if she needs to shuffle for greater warmth vis scuttling friction she can. It's a viable tactic really. "You know," He begins in French continuing, "in Montreal it is so cold all year round we use ice skating as our predominant form of transportation. The roads ices over in 1919 and we called it a loss. We just skate over the roads ever since. We get one month of summer to clean it all up to make the ice pretty again." He presents this so casually as a truth.

The evening crew is there and he pulls her to scuttle a little faster. "Waaait for us!" They haven't stopped a lot of the ride but they can tack the cars here into the back. There's his best please let me do the thing face to the haunted hostess there who laughs. "Don't mess up my cart Jack. You owe me falafel delivery." Dropping his bag into the footwell of the buggy he says "Juno, I got you. You're our favourite, merci!" He looks to Dianna with the look that says 'sell it!'

"I wanted to go so badly and ask you to go, but they put me on the schedule for a wedding. I cannot tell you how mad I was about this. I'd have asked you to that but we just met. Wedding is rushing it a bit." His fingers hold out an inch apart. How is Jackie doing/ This is a good question that gets some serious thought.

"I met a ghost and it's haunting me, the experience. I do not have a stalker dead woman that I know of. Finding some things about the people that were here I did not know. I- I will be honest between this and the hotel I was not entirely ready for this to be a thing."

Di smiled as Jack switched from English to her preferred language. Although they spoke different dialects, it still reminded her of home, and she couldn't help but smile. "You do not," she laughs. "That couldn't possibly be true. It's so impractical, she giggles. "I could see maybe on trails and in small towns, but in a city?" She shook her head. He'd have to prove that to her.

She shuffles alongside him, not wanting to lose their momentum. When they finally catch up to Juno. Di's perfectly content to let Jack beg on their behalf. It isn't until he gives her that look that she notices that she's supposed to participate and gives him a look that says 'who me?' But they don't have time to argue. "Juno," she smiles. "Thank you! This is all I've wanted to do for my birthday!" She adds. Who could say no to someone on their birthday? "You made it magical! She adds. They like that, right? Di gets into the buggy with Jack and pulls down the lap bar resisting the urge to shout 'Punch it!'

"Ask me to go?" Di looks over at jack, smiling, but clearly surprised. "That would have been fun. I get the feeling you're a great dancer." She actually means that. "Whose wedding?" She asks. "Guests?" More than likely, yes, guests.

What Jack says next leaves Diana silent. "Jack, you have really shit timing." This ride doesn't feel like the time to be discussing real life spookies. Di shifts an inch closer to Jack, just in case. "You're going to have to back up and give me some context. How did you end up meeting a ghost. What happened? Start from the beginning." That would just be easiest. "And which people?"

Jack pulls the lab bar down and calls back, "Juno, savior of birthdays. We add to your name badge!" It's not even that Juno minds or cares but people do feel better being spoiled in gratitude and he's not so shy as to avoid sweetening the pot of future favours asked. "Tres bein, chere. Excellent work as always."

"Guests. An outbreak of guests, oui." As if this were a very interesting pox that brings cake. Truthfully (as truthful as anything he says), "I am, and it would have been. We will have to fix this."

The mood shifts though and he says ' giving her all permission, "If it is too terrible consider it another elaborate story. There was a ship they wrote a song about- very famous- and it was unfortunate. The song is the Edmund Fitzgerald and Tank in his brilliant mind decided to go wiggly fingers in the boathouse and she was there and quite sad and is trying to find something she had lost to get back to her sweetums. So now, to the best of our understanding, we need to find this ring for her so she can get on with her day."

There's a pause and something bothers him deeply turning to Diana and squints, "The other one called me pitchy. I do not car if she's a silverfox but she is wrong. Dead wrong." It's the criticism that really tears a hole here. His hand finds hers to give a squeeze before he uncaps his drink bottle. "They were not violent or gross just loud and judgy." pause. "And wrong."

Di winces. "I'm sorry. An outbreak of guests is the leading cause of missed plans. They can really ruin a day." Being overworked was tough, especially around the holidays. Spellbound was busy and all of them were getting kicked in the metaphorical shins.

The story takes on an eerie flavor as it becomes dark around them, and the ride vehicle moves down the track. The soundtrack to the attraction plays, but Di is tuned into Jack. "It sounds like unfinished business. Do you have any idea where it might be?" The boathouse seemed obvious, but she'd already be on her way if it were obvious.

She's lost in her thoughts and misses his distraught expression, but she can hear it in his tone. But what he says elicits a laugh from the magician. The laugh is so bright that it elicits little fireworks of glittery gold light to surround her. Occasionally, especially after long shifts, that part of her brain would have difficulty turning off. "I'm sorry that your ego was wounded."

Adamantly, while safeguarding his dignity, he says 'officially' "Silverfox is on her own." complete with a small wave of his hand. His expression a subdued scowl he murmurs quietly while Diana is cracking up, "Slain in battle." so wounded the ego is!

Conversationally he says "I need to head back there in daylight but holidays. Callous as it may sound she's not going anywhere timebound. She can wait a couple days for us to have a day off. I thought there or Bootleggers which looks, I think I told Danny, that a spy museum ate an applebee's."

There is a small grin the comes out of the tragedeigh of frail ego taking shrapnel. "The fireworks are new! Can you float your own grocery yet? This is wonderful, look at you!"

"You poor, poor thing," Di tuts sympathetically.

"After New Year's, then," she says. I'm not sure what help I could be, but if you need or want another set of eyes, I'm happy to help," Di offers.

The fireworks are embarrassing. Di covers her face to hide what she's sure is a blush, and if she was already having illusion hiccups, who knew what she'd do? "Unfortunately, no. I'm not very good with telekinesis. Illusions though? I don't mean to toot my own horn, but toot toot."

Jack slouched a whole inch in the cart, "I knooooooow! See you understand me. You are doing your role as appointed bestie expertly I must say and I appreciate you dressed accordingly for the role. Thank you for taking my lament seriously. Mochaccino to follow." There's the dramatic sigh aaand now he can get the fuck over it. And scene!

Turning his head to her he says "After New Years." he agrees. "If it involves unpleasant looking I will conveniently be too busy to let you know and only alert you of the fun parts of the hunt that do not involve freezing your ass off, hmm?"

Still he's a buzz over the fireworks, "You blush, madamme, but you find an excellent skill. Your radience leaps off of you be not ashamed over something for which you should gloat!" There's a pause before he says more soberly, "If you do not want to toot toot I am told I am an excellent hype man, for you, this I am happy to provide."

"Appointed bestie," Di beams (quite literally). She'll take it.

"Ah, now it is you who is the best bestie," looking out for her looks and everything. He understood her. "Even protecting me from the cold," she wraps her arms around him. Yes, this was what true love was. Jack was her people. He understood. "I will be there for all the high parts... and occasionally the mid ones."

"I would love nothing more than for you to hype me up. Mostly because I'm fond of your attention," she admits through a laugh. "But you're right... and I've been enjoying them," she says, lifting one of her hands and watching as thin beams of colorful light crawl over her hand. "It is very cool."

Jack lifts both index fingers and points to himself. He also runs on flattery. An arm extends around her saying "I'm a corvid not a chicken you cannot just steal my body heat." But she can and she will and he'll let her. The token gesture of a rebuttal has been performed as is customary. He will accept this loss of heat as is also customary.

There's a moment though where he pauses in her saying nice things to squint hard. "You and that damn ghost- II am not mid! We are never mid, and never pitchy." But always sensitive to critisim while 'totally not caring about people's opinions'.

The smile returns though taking none of his own angst that seriously but points to her hands and says "You can make a killing on those breath mint commercials making it like they make a spark maybe. Smile for your audience- with your own lens flare. I appreciate this for you. I just have larger audience now for criticism but at least none of them have asked for Freebird. It is- it is the worst."

She will. Diana's arms just wrap tighter around him. It isn't that she needs the heat now, they're inside! But she might be stocking up for later, like a squirrel squirreling nuts, but it's heat. It works like that, right?

Di jumps when something spooky pops up in the attraction. When she regains herself, she rolls her eyes. "I wasn't calling you mid," she shakes her head. "Please, Jack. You're an attraction all on your own. People everywhere are always asking the Enchantress where they can see Jack." Lies... but they would someday!

"Want to be my agent?" She asks with a wide grin. She actually already had representation, thank you, but Jack would be incredible.

It's that the lies are obvious that make the gift of extra effort- like a bow on a box. All the same Jack is happy with this, but he's an entertainer and storyteller and fabricator of convenient and delightful truths so it's really an homage to the skill set.

"His head tilts against hers absolutely comfortable in people's personal space and for now hers specifically. "Hiding. Hiding from the masses. Stealing fries. Telling the masses to hide their loved ones lest their hearts become stolen and forfeit by great magic of your sorcerous ways." Casually he says "Admittedly it is a lot of fun and at least two people look at me in total confusion. A bonus."

Curious he considers the offer. "Maaaybe. What's my take so I know up front."

"Stealing fries sounds like the best part of being a bird in an amusement park. I've always thought that birds and squirrels in theme parks have really figured it all out," she says, adjusting to get even more comfortable. The ride was starting to get toward the end, and eventually they'd have to either bribe for another go or find somewhere else to be. "You're not supposed to be warning them! Really, Jack. You're supposed to be on my side!"

She considers and shrugs. "Standard is between 10 and 30. Maybe call it 15%?"

Jack admits, "Really is." Confidential real talk as they are entering being partners in food crimes. "Did not expect that. Squirrels make a killing with the small noses and bendy thumbs." He wiggles his thumb around his rum tumbler.

Jack chuckles, "Why not? Then I collect from them, collect from you, and then again from the skeptics and we split this. They never believe but who doesn't love a woman who can command fear and interest?" he pauses, "Like especially the finance bros. Big audience there." He can't keep that seriousness for two long before it's a grin.

"I think 15 percent and dinner once a week for gossip sounds fair? When you want to do dinner then?"

"And their fluffy tails." He couldn't forget the fluffy tails. Truly the best part!

"15%," she reminds him when he says 'split.' He was not getting more than that, even in a fictional business deal. She knew her worth. "The Enchantress can be frightening," she agrees, then snorts a laugh. "The other day, some guy was heckling me and I showed him his future," Di grins wickedly. "He didn't like it. I had to keep it work appropriate but he was treated to a vision of his feet held to the coals in hell."

"Who is paying for dinner?"

Chuckling Jack asks, "I thought you said I only pay 15%?" Aww he looks so official saying that and everything. He things about it and gives her a little wiggle with the arm around her and whispers "What if we both just make other Jack pay and not tell him? then it's fun for both of us. Dinner and a heist?"

After a longer pause he asks curious, "Don't they offer that service through the spa? Hot coal massage or something? Unbelievable. This man, you treat him too good."

"Yes, but I'm the client," she tells him. "You make money off me. Therefore, it's your responsibility to keep me happy and well-fed," Di informs him and boops his cute nose. "But sure, we can can go Dutch." Really, she was not hurting for money.

She laughs and shakes her head. "I don't think the stones at the spa are quite the same," she chuckles. "Honestly, he didn't seem all that impressed. He just muttered something and walked way but the rest of the audience found it hilarious." And that counted for something.

"Ooohhhh!" Jack starts to get the crux of the picture and aaaahs quietly. "No, no, I will not be Dutch. This is a different province. But I do feel terrible that wonderful events have come up and I have been able to enjoy zero of them to also your loss. I have this one. It will have wine and apology cheese."

The mark being disgruntles and walking away gets a laugh. The ghoul looks out from behind some stairs as the ride goes past which gets a hattip from the off-duty 'undertaker'. "The hecklers cannot handle their own craft. You did not shoe him this for him, it is a gift for the rest of us. I wish I could have seen it. Someday I need to perch in the audience for this."

"I like the Dutch," Di says, defending them. Her head tilts slightly, and her brows furrow. "Do you mean the ball and New Year's?" She asks, not entirely sure what he was apologizing for. Had she missed something?

The ghoul gets a reaction to Di, who squeezes Jack's bicep. But it's a friendly undertaker! "No, they can't," she agrees. "And this is not the place to heckle. All the workers here have abilities. It's really the place everyone should be on their best behavior."

Jack admits, "Hmmm they do have a decent cheese. Still no. Not today." There's a non-committal "Ehhh." which is a yes. "Well the winter ball I really want to go to and thought it would be very nice. I like ridiculous things like this and thought it would be a lot of fun to go with you, not that you do not have healthy social circle. I like spending time with my friends. This is why you don't see a bill for my time later."

"But no, they have me cover for a painfully boring wedding though there was promise when the aunties got upset." A wolfish grin widens, "Soooomeone learned telepathy and didn't realize they were broadcasting. It was very interesting at the toast."

Looking to Diana there's a small frown, "But I like to heckle you, you heckle back." But he's clearly playing at this one to fish himself a compliment from nothing, "Aaah you mean them. Of curse I am the exception to this. I see, awww you flatter me so much calling me exceptional. You are just a wonder. This is why we like you."

She laughs quietly, listening to Jack wrestle with the Dutch and weighing their cheese. "The winter ball would have been a lot more fun if you had been there, friend or otherwise," she says, then laughs when he assumes she has a healthy social circle. "I'm not sure about all of that. But hopefully, eventually. Honestly, I feel like finding meaningful connections has been hard here. There's a lot going on, especially with the holidays." She'd also only gotten there. "I find that a lot of people love to hang out at first, but then as they meet new people, they kind of," she shoos the air off. "Leave."

She grimaces. "Oh, that is not good. Not good at all, especially mixed with spirits."

"Oh, do you?" Di grins. "There is something very not right with you, Jack. You're masochistic, for a start," she says with warped affection. "Mmmm, what makes you think you're the exception and not just my neighbor that I can't seem to shake?"

Jack gestures a hand with the water bottle in agreement with her but says "This is why enjoying every now is very valuable to do. Is not hedonism, is practical as our entire lives here is a little transient surrounded by a sea of support cast is doing the same." The tourists.

The grin sharpens ear to ear, "The things that came out in that ballroom You'd think a small priest and an old priest were casting out the truth. Lives were changed that day- not mine, but enough." Leaning over to her watching the cart pull them through to the creepy crypt to the spooky cellar where- yes the dad jokes begin! He loves this part. He whispers, "I may have a bit of it recorded to save for all of time."

Jack snorts at being called a masochist. "I'm a composer, of course I am a masochist. You don't commit audible calculus without being at least a bit insane. But I know because little bird told me." There's another pause before he explains the obvious, "I am the bird but also you didn't correct me."

"What is life without pleasure?" She adds. "If we aren't here to enjoy ourselves, we might as well be dead." Otherwise, what was the point?

"What do priests have to do with anything?" She asks, looking over in Jack's direction in the dark again. "Lives were changed? A bit dramatic, Jack. My life certainly wasn't." Because she sure as hell wasn't about to let that night define her. "Next time there is a ball, you will not work."

"True. Do you think it's the work that drove you insane or your own insanity that drove you to work?" Which came first? She shoves him playfully when he points out she didn't correct him. "Hush."

"Catholic school." says Jack without even hesitating or missing a beat. He does not miss this apparently as he chuckles. "The dead sometimes have fun. I think a couple came in with family on their vacation. Some part of me is very entertained in wondering do they knoooow how many family showed for this? How does the park ticket them? Will there be a sign: Children under five and ghosts free admission?"

A side eye to Di he mutters, "This is why I'm glad to be an undertaker and not in management. We bury problems in bad jokes and alcohol. Woo!" The woo is loud but they're the last ones on the ride. He agrees though and says, "No, No I don't think I will work the next one. I think you are correct."

The grin widens admitting too truthfully, "I've been like this forever so probably the latter." The hush gets a shit eating grin knowing he gets one ephemeral point for being right to repair the five against him where he got got good.

Di laughs outright. "Were you subjected to such horrors?" She had a feeling he might have been. Poor thing. She leans her head against Jack's shoulder just because it's comfy, and she's still a little buzzed. "Hmm, I guess you can think of it like a super senior discount. They've earned it."

Jack's woo startles Di back to sitting up. "Management is purgatory. I can't imagine being management here. The unprecedented legal issues that must come with a bunch of young people wielding magic powers. Truly don't envy them." That didn't mean she wouldn't criticize them. Di tended to have opinions about most things, especially the employee handbook.

As Jack explains that he's always been mad, the ride pulls up to the final room. "You are an odd one, Jack." She laughs quietly. Not that she'd change him. Never.

Jack chortles, "Absolutely was. Little blazer and a tie, itchy socks, whole bit." He is super not thrilled about this. "Super senior? The expired discount that is still honoured."

Looking to Diana as she starts he gives her shoulder a squeeze where his hand rests. "Flying children around machinery. That's got to be so fun. Thankfully we haven't seen any that teleport. This is why we work the Spider Walk. No kids, not our issue."

She calls him odd though and he says, "Awww thank you. I think my soul would wilt if I fell to ordinary. You are welcome for odd if odd serves its purpose." His head tilts against hers giving her a small side hug. "I appreciate you indulging this because the ghosts are doomed to give me a migraine."

"Poor dear," Di tuts.

"I don't think anyone wants to be called expired. It gives spoiled milk," she makes a face. "When I'm a ghost, if you call me expired, I am haunting you." That is a promise. "I like that aspect of the spider walk," Di admits. "I love the kids... in limited quantities. After I'm done, I'm done." But she didn't really get to be done until her shift was over. At least the Enchantress didn't require constant smiling. For that, she was thankful.

"Anytime, weirdo," she calls him this with affection as the ride vehicle comes to a stop. "What nonsense next?"

Jack sighs with the expected amount of reluctance and begrudging agreement, but sobers when Di talk s about being a ghost. "You are haunting me? Oooh there's so many things I am not ready to explain. I enjoy you alive and not bored and transparent and upset."

He pauses giving the approval of, "There would be good banter this way. Maybe we don't rush into lifetime hauntings, we only met a couple months ago. We start by remaining alive and bothering all the people first. Let me get practice entertaining you for all of unspoken eternity. This only benefits you I promise."

There is absolutely a shit ton of alcohol in that travel mug and he's enjoying all of it. "Aww, out we go." He clambers out and holds out an arm for her and her belongings to exit the ride assembled in a purposeful fashion. "Botanical gardens are neat at night. I think the aquarium is sleeping. Either way is dark. Right now the butterfly house is loooocked so if we want to stay on this island I vote troll Mystic Mountain. The snow there looks neat after dark."

"I'll only be bored because you haven't joined me in the afterlife yet," she tells him. "Once you die too? Well, then I'll have nothing to be upset about," she then looks at Jack, and considers. "How old are you anyway? Don't men die before women?"

Di shakes her head. "No, when you know, you know. Right?" Wasn't that what in love people said? Not that she was in love with Jack, but in friend love. "You're my person, Jack. My lobster. You're stuck with me for eternity."

Di sips on the bottle of alcohol, hell bent on keeping her buzz going. There is a sad sound as she peels herself out of the doombuggy. Luckily, her disappointment is quickly remedied by suggestions of more fun. "Gardens!" She grins, taking his arm and leading the way.

Jack says "Don't kill me I'm still busy!" He's laughing even if a bit concerned. "Thirty-two. And no, no one is supposed to die this early after the 1400's." She calls him her lobster though which gets him making clacky sounds and gives her a peench peench at the ribs with thumb and all four fingers in proper lobster form.

"Aaaalright let's get our dramatic asses moving. Did you know I learned interesting things from it. Did you know the corpse flower is named such that it is all what is left of you if you smell it? Very glad we are not having one but it makes me wonder whatever was its purpose to survive like that? Things you learn at the Boo'edwalk."

"I'd only kill you if I had to, Jack," she chuckles. "Only if I'm already dead and don't want to be alone." Otherwise, he could live. Diana laughs harder when she hears how old he is. "Oh my gosh! I had no idea you were so ancient!" She needles. "I'm twenty four." She wears this age like a badge of honor.

She wrinkles her nose. "No, that sounds horrible!" She tells him. "Who would ever want to smell something that smells like death.... maybe we could make a corpse flower character? It can spray guests with skunk smell."

Jack shares "You want to kill me quickly have me open before noon days in a row." That is a pained look. "Every time this happens my soul dies a little more and my hangover gains momentum and power. No good." When she says she's lagging by 8 years Jack says "They didn't tell you? All the men on the Boo'edwalk are vanquished spirits bound to the docks. It's why Lennox, Rowen, and I are so thin; getting out to hunt souls is very hard." With a smile he says "You don't even know I am haunting you right now. Ooo00oo000o0o0oooh."

When she says to make people stinky he laughs, "Nooot it. I do not know if I can turn into a skunk and I do not want to know."

"I had no idea it was that easy," she smiles wickedly as if she might just set his alarm for 8 am.

"Makes sense," she says about the boys. "So Lennox is what? 342 years old? That would track for him," she chuckles. She'd grown to adore Lennox, but razzing him, even when he wasn't there to defend himself, remained a favorite pastime of the illusionist. "If you're haunting me, you're doing a terrible job. I'm having far too good a time. Let me speak to your manager."

The park is vacant outside of the employees working overnights to clean and prepare everything for the guests in the morning. The rides, restaurants, and snack stands are closed, and atmospheric lights are shut off.

"What if I gave you a dollar? Would you turn into a skunk then?"

Jack admits, "Painfully easy." There is a gasp and he says "238, don't age the poor man man! He's a vampire not a mummy. Ruuuude." Jack shakes his head, "I have bothered my manager too much he is not returning emails. " Truthfully he answers Diana, "No, I would take the dollar and keep it for an effort tax and still remain unable to do this. But yes, you'd be out a dollar and a skunk."

The way he says this though as they carry on in French is to the tone of him paying her a terrific compliment telling her of all her wonders as they walk and absolutely not how she'd be out an entire US Dollar. The tone of flattery paid is still important in the presentation.

They make their way over to Mystic Mountain above land looking like a little sleepy snowy village where the snow is both fake and authentic at the same time. "I know it is fabricated but you ever want to shrink to scale and ski down Mystic Mountain? I will tell you it's interesting being a foot tall here. To you less of a different though?" Did he call her short at 5'9? Yes, yes he did.

Di laughs and bumps Jack's shoulder playfully. "He'll survive. He doesn't look a day over 28." She has no idea how old Lennox is, but she supposed the late twenties were a good guess. "Now that is rude. Swindling even," Di says despite his affectionate tone. The smile never leaves her eyes, even when she's feigning offense.

As they continue to walk, Di gets a bit heavy on Jack's arm, starting to feel the effects of the late night hour and alcohol that she's been nursing since the conclusion of her shift. The little snowy village is one of those things that's easy to miss if you're not paying attention. Little miniatures of homes, shops, and life in the Mystic Mountain with teeny tiny little flags that match the ones around the park advertising the latest entertainment offerings. "I have never thought about what it'd be like to be that small," she muses, then whips her attention back to him. "Did you just call me short?" She laughs outright. "I'm almost as tall as you are!" He has a good four inches on her, but still. "Just wait. Next time, I'm wearing heels. "

Jack agrees, "He's doing great. He's a master of the long con. A hundred and fifty years ago you know it was very hard for him. They didn't have DJ's back then and the bars weren't open this late. He was bored as shit and very hard to find a job that was also nocturnal. We didn't think he was going to make it. He thrives now. The other secret is he's not actually a raven, he's just a very ostentatious bilingual bat." He's not even attempting to sound realistic, but where would be the fun in that.

There's a side glance as the short joke lands and erupts in her laughter. When questioned he rises up on his toes one more inch giving her a very dubious look, "Are you thooooooooooough??" The grin slowly widens and he leans over to smooch the top corner of her head. "I will just wait then. UNTIL then maybe we finish our walk and try to make sure we do not miss the ferry. It's not Quebec cold but it is cold enough to freeze the titmice off an owl."