2025-01-03 - Tea for... how many?

One thing this California Girl had not gotten used to was how cold it was here! Aisley had learned from others that this isn't even that cold, that it was colder on the Mainland and this was warmer than what it should be. It was freezing and people were weird, because you should be able to go to the beach in December and January. Like normal people.

Ok... Not normal people... California people. At these from where this one hailed from.

For these reasons, it would be safe to assume and you would be right, that Aisley is sitting at the table closest to the fireplace. She was dressed in a pullover black knit sweater, with black leggings, white socks, and black combat boots. It would also be safe to assume that she was not working right now because she was not this Goth in front of the kids she watched. These were her personal clothes. When she watched the kids she was either in her uniform shirt for the resort or was wearing lighter more friendly colors.

On the table in front of her is a notebook that has been bedazzled in a dreamy cloud scene, a pen was in her hand as she twirled it lost in thought.

The California lad likewise is not thrilled about the weather, but he's had 4 years of gettin the complaining about it out of his system. He grabs his tea and slides into the booth finding her wearing a stadium jacket with a cowl flap in the back for the wings to stick down through.

"My folks," he greets setting a pair of heated apple croissant down, "Offered to pay for us to come visit them. Naaaah we said, come here we said. I might have chosen poorly." Hand comes up to push the knit cap off his head and tuck it into a sleeve of his coat.

Leaning forward he snoops on the doodle. "Hi. We got a whole thing going there. How's today treatin ya?"

Concentration is broken when Angelo slides up and into the booth bench across from her. Aisley drops her arm and sets the pen twirling her hand on top of the doodle she'd started of a tablescape. She was not an amazing artist and it was rough, but it gave off the idea she had in her head.

"Always, always go visit them, because you can leave. You invite them to you and they have the option to stay for as long as they like. Especially the holiday season when work was seldom and they have nothing to get back to." Speaking from personal experience? More than likely.

Leaning on the tabletop, she pushes the sketch over to Angelo to take a look, "I was going for Maria Antoinette meets Alice in Wonderland. The kid is 8, she might not be into all the cartoony stuff anymore, but she's not mature enough to appreciate a real Maria Antionette tea party." Jumping into the conversation like he already knew what she was thinking about in her head for the last 30mins.

"Hi, by the way." breaking back into some normalcy, grinning over at him "I do not have three kids hanging on me, so it's already treating me well. What about you?"

Angelo tilts his head admitting, "I dunno, I don't get to see them often as I like. Dramatic, but cool people. They're in SoCal though so the skiing is shit but the weather's better." He's not in character right now; he's not censoring himself as he pulls his pastry apart looking at the doodle and listening.

There's a leeeean and a bite taken. "Hmm," Finishing eating before answering, "Eight year olds totally are. So for a Marie Antoinette tea party do you stick a creamer into a tiny carrot slicer and turn it into Half n Half and pour oooor how's that go?" He seems to slide right into the in media res stream of consciousness with questions prepped. Maybe living with someone on the creative team's prepped him for this moment.

There's a chuckle at the belated 'hi'. And answers with a smile commiserating, "Still covered in body glitter from the 2'oclock show. It is never coming out of this sweater but I think we're doing alright. Kinda getting my head through the holidays. The laundry turned out according to long and detailed instructions. We're in the clear." Looking back to the notebook and to her he asks, "So is the decapitated tea something you're shopping for an opportunity for for Aisley then?"

"I had friends that would go to Big Bear down there and they would catch some good snowboarding," Aisley says, "I never went with them so they could be lying?" Shrugging, "My Dad would take us to the mountains in and around L.A. but he didn't like the cold, so it was always in the spring or summer for camping. My Dad loves L.A."

Bouncing back into party planning mode...

Shaking her head as she laughs, "I don't know, I hadn't gotten that far yet. Need to work in the fairy's in there still..." The pen is brought up to her mouth, pouts them, and starts tapping the back of the pen against her lips thoughtfully... "Hmmm, what do Fairy's like to eat? Maybe it would be a tea party that they invited the Fae by enticing them with their favorite foods. A peace offering, a show of good will that the children mean no harm." Maybe too much back story was going into this tea party, but thats just the way Aisley does things. If she was going to make an event... it was going to have a whole backstory.

And jump back out of party planning mode friend mode just as easily.

"I don't know if I should feel moved that you came straight here to meet me after a 2 o'clock show or if I should be cringing with the idea that you have that much glitter stuck to your body?" The final outcome was just to laugh about it. "Glad to hear you got a high grade on the laundry, gift well worth it I guess. I appreciate you coming out and helping me. Obviously, you can see I can use it."

Angelo tilts his head curious, "Mighta run into them, or over them depending on hos the snowboarding was going." This is not a big brag moment. Used to go camping out there. My mom not so much- more of a 'glamper'. Where you from?" As an aside his hand lifts in absolution, "Pretty certain I'm always covered in some amount of glitter or chalk dust at this point. I've just learned to co-exist with the hazards of the trade. The sympathy is appreciated."

Drinking his chai he considers, "I mean we don't have a canon lore. We're wingy people in real life so if you got a specific narrative we need to fit we can do that." The royal we here. "We called them tündér as kids. Found near water and that and love flattery and tiny breads." He pauses and waves a vague hand, "Pretty much the same as any employee here really."

A hand is waved promising, "This is a step away from the rest of the drama. I promise I don't mind at all. Kids are pretty cool and unlike adults pretty easy to keep happy. Ooh, maybe give them plastic beads or something to exchange. Friendship bracelet exchange. Keeps the project on budget?"

"I grew up in the L.A. area, in a little ole city called Pasadena," paraphrasing the Beach Boys oldie song. "I was there until I went to college in Santa Barbara, then I got a job there so I just stayed until I came here." Aisley's eyes dips lower to his neck and she could see the sparkle of glitter coming off of him. "The only thing worse than glitter is nothing."

Scribbling a little note in the corner of her "Notes" section of her notebook, 'tiny breads'. and then another note is written about 'friendship bracelets' and another little one 'friendship bracelet making station?'. Looking up from her writing, "What about a bracelet making table, then they can all make their own and give them to each other? It also allows them to make as many as they want if they want to make more than one for a single friend."

The pen taps gently against the notebook, "I kids will probably just love having the wingy people show up, I'm probably going overboard with the theme and backstory on this. I like my events to make sense."

Looking impressed Angelo says "Just south of Santa Monica. Came out here for college though as UofM gave me the best deal on the gymnastics scholarship." His nose wrinkles, "Still too cold here." Even with 4 years of practice. There's a small frown, "Well good news, we are free of having nothing."

Leaning on the table looking and looking at the doodles he shrugs, "I mean anything to keep em busy. So long as the lore is consistent, right?" With a roll of his hand he says "Look one time last month we broke into Yarble's cave, fought off ice spiders to set him up a holiday tree. We have done a lot of crazy shit which is to say- the lore can be whatever it needs to be. We can stick to it. You want to make a whole universe we can do that. Kids just like something to go off of that they can take home in their imagination, right?"

"Did you surf?" she asks, "Most of the people I knew from Santa Monica surfed. My friends and I would go down to Santa Monica and walk the promenade when I was a teenager, we'd meet up with some of the regulars that hung out down there." Aisley grins across the table at Angelo, "Gymnastics, wow... So you've been out here for a while, that doesn't make me feel better that you still think it's cold though because that just means that I'm never going to get used to it."

"... That's actually a really fun concept story, I bet that was fun and the kids enjoyed it too." She'd have to think of a story for this tea party and come up with something, "Since it's going to be mostly little girls I'll have to come up with something fanciful that isn't going into crazy and just too hard to believe."

Angelo dips his head in a nod, hands finding warmth around his tea.. "Of course. My brother more than me cause time." Taking a sip he shakes his head tilts it back and forth, "Well four years in Michigan. Five months in the park. I don't think we're ever going to get use to it, no. The long puffy coats make a huge huge difference. Something something the Nords said there's no bad weather only bad clothes or something. I forget the quote but I think they're trying to cope without sunshine." The grin widens.

There's a small shrug seeming pleased with the idea without any grandstanding which is saved for pirate ships with pyrotechnics. "Kids are great. You have a much better job than Enzo. Kids just want to have a good time. Duder has to abate the angry Karens and Kevins of the world And if they really need to paint my nails or some shit I will not break out in indignity. I grew up with a sister, and a brother in fashion. I have been an art project before. Kinda jealous. If it's gonna be lil girls could pack examples of how the faerie queen is a badass and the cool shit she does in, like, kid appropriate language." His hand rollds including that part being probably understood.

"I need to buy warmer clothing," Something she already knew but Angelo just confirmed it, "I packed pretty light to come out here since most of everything is provided, you know? I'll a list of things I need to get and/or order. I don't even have a TV in my room right now." Could one live without a TV in their room, did Aisley want to be one of those people? No, she did not. Laughing about the Nords and the cope without sunshine, "I don't think I could cope without sunshine and live in a place like Portland where it rains all the time. I like the sun and seeing the ocean."

Nodding her head in regard to Enzo, "I usually see that happen and just usher the kids in the other direction. Some of those Karens can really Karen. I've been on the receiving end of it too with Moms, it's not fun." Something Angelo says sparks an idea, "What about the girls being "Royally" invited as personal guests of the Fae Queen to enjoy an afternoon tea."

Angelo says with curiosity, "But you said you moved a couple times. What was that like? Like what do you go to school for that brings you to a park where you sugar up people's kids and send them home?" This said not as a negative but possibly a solid positive. Alternately he says "Always check with maintenance crew. Sometimes people move out and leave stuff behind. Perfectly good televisions no one knows about."

"I have seen some of the professional Karens. It is terrifying and awe inspiring in such a way." Another drink from his tea follows. He sets it down with calloused hands and a lot of thought; one hand wrapping around the other to rest his chin on thinking about that.

"I think we got enough time. I think- I don't know who does that if it's like marketing or the Gallery or what but I know who to ask. They doing a Fabricadabra day too cause they might have something like that we can see if they can reword. It can't be that hard." For someone with those skills which is not him. What trust he has. "really like that idea. Who doesn't love to feel recognized. That's cool."

"Child Development," Aisley informs him, "I had initially thought of being a kindergarten teacher and still could with the degree that I have," Something to fall back on, "When I was still in school I became a Nanny part-time to get some experience and when school ended I was offered a live-in Nanny position. Which... Sounded awesome. Everything but food for provided for and I got paid for it, I got to travel with the family and use to come here a lot, it was a family favorite vacation."

A brilliant idea! "I will do that! What a hot tip to land on, where is the maintenance office?"

"Karens are like car crashes, it's horrifying to witness, terrifying to experience and you just can't look away when you pass it by." Looking down at Angelo's tea she realizes she should get something warm, "I'm going to get another drink you need anything else while I'm up there?"

"Right? Instead of the kids inviting the fae, the fae invites them - that sounds like more of a logical idea coming from a place like Spellbound." None of this was logical, but in the spirit of fiction it was logical.

Angelo points to the back of the Cozy Cottage. "Tunnels I thiiiiink near props? If you ask in like hair or wardrobe or the workshop they'll point you to it. I was lucky that my ex roomie, played Tannin the one that was the pixie with the pistol tricks, Tannin the Cannon? He was dating someone from there and loved to hook him up with cool stuff." If she was here a bunch she likely caught the roomies shows that even predated Angelo joining the cast.

""That sounds pretty awesome so long as the parents are cool and the kids don't bite. If they do then it's just easier having a hamster." The grin goes wry, "Should have you help work on the program. We were talking about doing a pirate school in the square for the kids as between show promotionals. That's a lot of work though, I respect that- tot wrangling."

"Karens are like car crashes, yeah. You don't exactly want to be in the drama but it is fascinating and education like how can I avoid that in my life? There's a pause. Does he need anything? Why does that catch him off guard, "Uhhh couple napkins. I think the bottom of my cup had like a ring on it. Thanks."

Mentally envisioning the tunnels and where she'd seen hair and wardrobe, Aisley's head begins to nod up and down subtly as if remembering where she'd see then... Somewhere. "Ok, yeah I think I can find that." The name 'Tannin' sparks a memory she'd long forgotten about, "I do remember that show! I completely forgot about it until you just said the name. The oldest kid at the time really loved that one."

Aisley laughs, "There is always some sort of biting or testing of the waters to see what you'll let them get away with at the beginning. Once they realize I'm not a push over or will allow anything like that they tend to back down and give up, it can take days or it can take months, eventually we all get to the same mark." Hopefully, she didn't mean the biting marks.

"A pirate school?" she tilts her head, "Like have them sit in a class-like setting for an hour or so to learn how to become a pirate? That kind of pirate school? That sounds like it would be really loved by kids."

Closing her notebook with the pen in the middle binding she starts to move closer to the edge of the booth to start the process of getting up, "Agreed!" she says with resounding support. Her eyes dart over to the tea and the cup and she nods, "I think I just need more caffeine." And then she gets up to go order something warm.

Listening there's a grin that seems to ready his eyes, "I'll be sure to let him know next time he texts me. See it's harder to do that to you here. You can tell them 'I work with dragons, this is not new child'." This job role is getting bolstered now even if it wasn't needed.

He chuckles, "Yeah like Captain Abdul's Pirate School the book?" And he goes back to his stage accent as Cashew in second nature and good humor, "Like e'eryone gather ye'selves around. We be learnin how tae be a good pirate. T'day we be startin with Planks, Parrots, and Profits." There's the flash of a dimpled grin. "Nah everyone grabs a sword and we all do the fun stuff together. Leant how to call on the cannons and then we make the little booms go off in the distance like 'Gee Billy you aimed a bit loud there. You just fired on Wisconsin. Good one. Just getting to be ridiculous. It is not a history lesson. We're gonna make Trace and Ty go through it. They're working on their 'yarr' ya know?"

He points, "Do we get to see the rest of the drawings. Aisley?" She's getting tea he's not. he's not looking like he's going to go through her belongings though.

Aisley is not familiar with that book so there is a look of confusion on her face when Angelo mentions it, "uhhh..." she starts just before he dives into the accent of Cashew, and even without knowing the book she is able to grasp the point of the book with his help. Unable to help herself her grin breaks into laughter, "I think that would be amazing for the kids, what a great idea!"

"Yarrr!" The Nanny might or might not have had some practice in pirate play and she isn't half bad at it.

Before she walks off to get her drink, she pushes the notebook over to Angelo, "You can take a look I have nothing private in there, its just ideas for the kids and I jot them down or I draw what I see in my head to help me remember." And then she strides off to get her coffee.

If Angelo opens the note book he'll find just what she said, lists of ideas for activities for kids in the event they get 'bored'. Such things as : visit the Spellbound Fire Department, treasure hunt, movie night on the beach, robotics machine play, ect. Other papers are full of doodles, the largest one is the tea party that they've been discussing with little notes all around it like a thinking map little arrows that point to the table and are in the drawing 'friendship bracelet making station', 'dress up station', 'face painting'.

It's when Aisley lets herself laugh Angelo's hands gesture outward content in a 'and there it is' manner. "You've been practicing. That's a great yarr right from the belly of the ship there. Go get your tea and a scone. You earned that one." Fingers reach out to slide the offered notebook over to flip through it very curious.

Reaching over he steals her pencil to follow through her train of thought as it pulls into multiple stations- a veritable cruise line on the stream of consciousness! In his little lefty slant writing he adds under the group a little line that says 'official badge of plunder- see props'. contrary to popular assumption he does not shed glitter on everything he touches leaving a shimmery wake. The notebook is spared this.

"Aisley, how far out we got like two weeks? bet props can 3-d print some of this out and have it ready if we give em at least four days." factoring in execution and shipping seem to at least be engrained into his planning process.

When Aisley comes back to the table she has a large cup of something hot that has a strong aroma of coffee and one of those little number ticket flags for an order that she is waiting for.

Waiting until she slips into the booth across from Angelo to answer the question he called out to her, "I think about 2 and half weeks, its not until the end of January." They had time for things. Sipping at her to-go cup and angling her head so that she can read the idea that Angelo added, nodding in approvals. "Great idea! It could be another keepsake to take home from the event," besides the friendship bracelets they had already started talked about.

"Do you mean they could build some of these table decor items too?" Because that is not something she'd thought of, "I'm use to making them all myself..." What a time saver that would be!

Angelo is still pouring over the tiny doodles and maybe brainstorming himself here when she comes back. Sitting back up he relinquishes snooping her things with a nod. "Couple people in props are super fast at that." Pulling out his phone he's already making a text happen. which he doesn't hide from her.

[TXT to D-Mode] Gelly: Can you find out who in props to ask about making like 3d print pirate coin things we can use as a necklace and the stuff for friendship bracelets? Long story that ends in faerie birthday party. Need cool stuff for them to take home as gifts. thz? Also fancy invitation ppl who 2 tk 2.

Angelo looks up to Aisley and squints typey typing a second text.

[TXT to D-Mode] Gelly: Also table pcs. if can do. they 9 and fancy for a day.

Flipping the phone screen down now Angelo says to Aisley, "Weeeeeeeeeee will see. It's not about doing I found out, it's about finding the people that do. I'd be a shit pixie pirate if I can't prestidigitate important parties." He says this so seriously and ruins it with a snicker.

"Sounds like it'd be fun to make but also just like exhausting with a non stop gaggle of chirrun following you around like ducklings. Let props do it. Take a half minute for yourself. I am still sad I missed the character breakfast. Sounded like you had fun though. What does Aisley get out of these for Aisley though? Which part you look forward to for you?"

Aisley doesn't move to take the notebook back, there is nothing in there that she is hiding and it is not a diary of her deepest and darkest secrets, she trusted no one with those except her own mind.

The texting gets a look and she turns her head so that she can see what is being said and grin appears on her mouth, "You're the best!" she says, "Seriously, I couldn't have gotten to where we are right now without you. I'm still learning the ropes around here and who I should talk to and what is available to me. I'm use to having to create all of my ideas on my own and I don't even think about the fact that we have a whole team of people here designed to make dreams a reality."

That was a deeper question than all the others that Angelo had asked her previously so it took her a moment to really think about it. "The look and smile on the kid's faces. The fact that I made a dream come true or that I was part of the making the best vacation they ever had to date. If I'm a part of that memory and they hold onto that and know that this one lady was there and was super awesome and did all these fun things, she paid attention to them, listened to them and they remember that? That's a wish come true for me."

Angelo tilts a smile up to her, "What can I say, I excel at being a team player and am aimless if left to my own devices. Please make as much use of that as is useful to ya." His hand waves in an 'all of this' reference to the book. "Fabrication's a thing they do easily than we have time for. Who doesn't love a cool fun project?" Pragmatic optimism now on tap.

Aisley goes into the deep end of the loaded question though which gets Angelo to rest back in the chair and listen to the answer swirl about and unfold. "It's fucking something to make a kid feel seen and heard. I love that. It's going to mean so much to them for like barely any effort on our part. I think-"

He picks his words really carefully with a glance out the window as if rifling through a lot of thoughts and deciding which make the final cut before flicking his eyes back to her. "You see hundreds of kids a year? You get to spend a little time with them but it's unique and huge to them. I've had training camp coaches like that. The people that take something enormous and make it possible. I think that's a damn important thing you're doin. Don't- don't lose that." His fingers tap the corner of the notebook, "That's the good stuff."

"I will for sure make use of you," Aisley grins across at Angelo before taking another drink of her coffee.

The change into more serious and deeper conversation has she features softening just a little, knowing that he understood what she was saying and she give a small subtle nod. Her eyebrows shoot upward when he pauses at the word 'think' and she waits patiently to see what it is he thinks.

Goosebumps appeared on her skin at his final words and she turns girlish as she rubs her forearms, "I'm going to try really hard to never lose sight of that or the importance of what I'm trying to do." And just like she attempts to do with the kids, Angelo just made her seen and heard.

Angelo lifts his tea to dink it and points from around the cup, "See, since you are not twirling a mustache I'll tryst you but with that glint of mischief now I'm wondering what trouble I just got intooo. But, good."

Angelo sips his tea and watches, maybe the little theatre of emotions. He doesn't interrupt but seems to be at peace with this. "Well consider yourself having people to remind ya. I mean some days? The job's fucking hard. We hurt, we're tired, and that's all before getting out of bed. Seeing kids get that excited is revivifying. Makes me wonder what they do moving forward with it. They going to be an author, a gym coach, come up with something new?"

His hand turns over confiding, "I think we were like five or something and during December my parents to us to the local theatre to see this holiday Cirque show. My sister and I were like people do THAT for a living? Sometimes we need experiences that make us remember we can make our own options. Those are good days when that happens."

Aisley laughs, "I'll only use my ability to use you for good and not evil," says and offers a pinky swear as promise not to use him for evil.

"We all need to be reminded that we are doing some sort of good in the world, you're right we are tired and jobs are hard and we all need cheerleaders in our lives to remind us to keep on going and we are doing something good or benefiting from them somehow." But that was getting all very too deep and she shifts into listening about his experience at the Cirque show and she smiles at the told memory.

The memory was one that every adult could relate to, a moment when something changed for them and they decided something serious about their own lives. "So that is what made you want to become a gymnast?"

Angelo grins squinting at her trying to look serious while also trying not to laugh, "Ya sure? If you're sure-sure that seems pretty official. I guess I'm going to have to just trust ya." Entirely serious he nods giving her the good news casually, "Well the good news for you is I did three years on cheer squad in high school and I'm almost fairly certain I remember how not to drop anyone so if you do need a cheerleader I got ya." He tacks on at the end, "More than likely." The odds are better than okay.

As for the gymnastics there's a half shrug of one shoulder and he thinks about it. "I don't know. Was something I think we just started doing and I just never wanted to quit. We saw that though and that was old people doing this for real. Like super real very authentic adults who were probably only twenty or something but when you're five we're all like ancient." He shakes his head at that one he concludes, "Between that and the Olympics I think that point of realizing you'll have to figure something else out just never came up and I consider myself lucky for that but now we can have fun doing that with paid medical and who does not love that."

"It is official. I take pinky promises very seriously," As one would if you worked with children, it was the highest level of trust and promise. Aisley laughs, "I do not doubt that." Aisley had not been a cheerleader and the girl dressed in all black across him about not be pegged at one under normal circumstances. "I was never a cheerleader, but I can be a pretty good one if someone needs a bit more of pickme up than normal."

Lifting a hand up, "Wait, hold one, back up, you went to the Olympics?"

Angelo nods solemnly offering a pinky out- being a triplet with a sister he's got understanding of the gravitas of promising on the smallest of digits. Helpfully he says, "Well the Boo'edwalk might have some pompoms at Fabricadabra that match your outfit and everything." He wiggles his fists in the air twice at head height, "A good 'woo' and you're all set. I super believe you got this."

As the Olympics come back his head tilts and there's a squint. "Almost made team. Just missed placement as our alternate but as he teammates went I took part of the summer off and joined them because we can still train with them and spot in practice so got a support staff badge. Johnny's in the same boat. Few of the folks around here are just really really that good."

A quirk of a smile follows with some slight embarrassment, "Means that were I not living where I work and stuff I'd still have like zero social life. If you want to relive what it was like being there I can chase you around with the garden hose. It rained so much. But weirdly, circuitously, the games are responsible for making me very excited to entertain some kids and make them ridiculous happy."

"wooo!" Aisley yells out, perhaps a little too loud for those that were surrounding them. Looking back over her shoulder at people who have not turned towards them, "Hi, hello, nice to see you..." saying casually as she looks back to Angelo.

Ok, she'd gotten that wrong and read the situation wrong and she nods her head at the clarification that he almost made it there. "Still, that's pretty impressive that you even got that close."

A small chuckle comes out of her and she nods her head, "I think you entertain the kids with massive ridiculousness of happiness if that helps at al." Checking her phone she sighs, "I have to get going, I had the day off, but my night is filled with kids in the evening that need to be entertained in their hotel room while their parents are at dinner. At least we get to order room service."

Angelo shifts his eyes to the people that look over and waves back to them before looking to Aisley and hanging his head snickering as quietly as possible. He's fighting so hard to not. He was training at lease.

A small smile accepts the compliment with a bit of red to his ears, "Well I appreciate you saying so." The grin widens and he says "Look I like kids. They're not allergic to fun or worrying to closely about canon just that we have cannons. If you need a flyby visit or snacks snuck to you or a meme let me know."