Dream Weaver

[cuckooed]

Who: Koel, OPEN
When: After the Ringmaster's request, 10/19-10/21
Where: Cookhouse/ Supervisor Trailer 2
What: When she's not training, she's making dreamcatchers and...supervising other things
Warnings: Nothing so far - will edit if needed!

[One wonders when Koel ever sleeps. When she's not cooking, she's maintaining the tools, checking the stoves, checking the deep fryers, writing out the menus for the next day for the Cookhouse. Training her tiny new crew. Showing them the ropes. And, now, making dreamcatchers at one of the Cookhouse tables when cleaning the meals and utensils had finished, her gnarled hands working the beading and gems and mesh and feathers. She seems intensely concentrated on her work, no matter what she does.

A boon is a boon, after all.

So, it might be a surprise that the lights are on in her trailer at points in the night and early morning. Her silhouette can be seen through the windows, sitting down for long periods of time, sometimes standing and pacing. What is she doing? And when does she get sleep?

...Does she sleep?]

Comments

[dorkypantsuit]

[Psi is spending his time focusing on the dream catchers as well. The ones he makes are small, maybe 5 inches across, but they actually look okay. Most are mediocre, but he seems to be getting better at least.]

You know, we don't have these on Alternia.

[cuckooed]

...Somehow, that doesn't surprise me.

[Ah, Alternia. The land where dreams go to get beaten to death by some dreary power-hungry empress. She's heard enough of that place to know that calling it a hellhole is being too complimentary.]

You are getting the hang of it, though.

[dorkypantsuit]

[He smiles at her.]

Thanks. But I feel like I won't really be getting the hang of it until I can do it hands free.

[He winks at her, his hands glowing purple briefly to demonstrate what he means.]

Have you ever used one of these before?

[cuckooed]

Not personally, no. I had a cousin, once, who collected them.

[Once. Several identities ago.]

My own sleep tends to be dreamless.

[dorkypantsuit]

That sounds nice.

[Dreamless sleep, that's something he'd certainly enjoy.]

Not the collecting I mean, not having dreams.

Though I guess if they were made by someone better than me I wouldn't mind collecting them either.

[cuckooed]

It can be.

[Though at other times, she does wonder if she would ever have her own dreams. Not always. Once in awhile. The sheer thrill of such illogical things to have at night...]

I think you'd do just fine with enough practice, personally, dear.

[dorkypantsuit]

Well thank you, I'll certainly try.

[Still, he didn't know if he had enough patience to get actually good at it.]

It's kind of calming, I guess. If you stop thinking about how easy it is to mess up. Do people make a lot of these sorts of things where you're from?

[cuckooed]

Quite a few stores have them, actually. Most of them are a bit cheap.

[Tying a feather on.]

Its seen as a native thing, and a fad for teens.

[faking]

[Alois pokes his head into the Cookhouse in the evening, because he's nosy and doesn't know what's good for himself. (Or, maybe he does, and intentionally ignores it.) This is Koel's domain and he shouldn't be treading here, because she intimidates him. But he's the type of kid to do anything to postpone bedtime, so when he sees the Cookhouse's lights, he's drawn in like a moth.

That is to say, he ought to at least be getting ready for bed by now, but instead he's flounced out of his trailer with his treasured high-power flashlight. Better to get a little riled up with whomever's in the Cookhouse, even if it's Koel, than to succumb to sleep for the night.

That's what he thinks, anyway. When he opens the door and sees Koel at one of the tables, he shuts it again right away—and loudly at that.

... But then he opens it back up, just enough to peek through. There's not much about him that's subtle. Finally he gets some guts:]

I have a question!

[He's quite proud of himself for the confidence in his voice, his feigned haughtiness as strong as ever.]

[cuckooed]

[Goodness gracious, you're like an elephant tromping in a china shop.

There is a bemused expression on Koel's face as Alois finally shows himself fully.]

Yes, dear? What can I help you with?

[faking]

[The bemusement is something he can deal with. He doesn't mind throwing people off, doesn't even mind making them think poorly of them. In fact, those might be things he actually enjoys, in a specific way.

But she says stuff like "dear." It makes him fidget in place, chewing on his bottom lip.]

Umm... Just wondering. I mean... Well I don't come in here at night a lot. I don't! [He says it hurriedly. He doesn't want her to think he goes creeping around in her area. It was one thing to torment Hannah, back home—she was very gentle with him, and it frightened him, but at least she was completely at his mercy, and he could do whatever he wanted to her. Koel is an entirely separate field of being, in the complexity of Alois' little world.

...] So... Anyway, now that I'm here... Do you realize it still smells like dinner? It does. But, when I come in in the mornings, it smells like breakfast. If not for breakfast, would it just smell like dinner forever?

[It's not unusual for him to ask or say things that seem completely out of left field. Who knows how this kid's mind works.]

[cuckooed]

...For some time, perhaps. However, you're forgetting one thing.

[Oh, Alois. You just sound charming. You go ahead and try tormenting her, see how well it works!]

Lunch.

[faking]

[He's too scared of her for any torment! Hannah was terrible because she cared so much, and it was really scary; but Hannah was also great because Alois was in control of her, and he knew he could get away with anything, no repercussions. That she seemed to love him was horrifying—but because she loved him, she let him do anything he wanted.

Koel, on the other hand... Alois has no sway over Koel. And he isn't used to old women who don't curse at him or threaten to throttle him. He isn't used to old women like Koel.

He worries his lip between his teeth momentarily, before—] I mean besides that! If it were just dinner...

[...]

So you do do other things. I mean, aside from cooking.

[cuckooed]

[An eyebrow curls up at this.]

Who would you think I didn't?

[faking]

Well, my cook—[Because, lest anyone forget, Alois is very rich—] Mostly he cooked. He didn't even talk. Just cooking and puttering around... For his part...

[cuckooed]

Ah, that's the difference. I'm not your cook.

[She's cooked for the rich. Some of the most powerful families in America. She's hardly phased by another rich boy, especially not here. Not here where wealth means nothing.]

I cook for everyone here. But right now, I'm not.

[faking]

I— I know that! [Agghh, he's fucking this up. That's commonplace for him, but usually he does it on purpose. He clings to the doorframe with one hand, and with the other he clutches his flashlight to his chest.] I just mean I didn't know what else... I wouldn't know what one does, on one's own. My— My household, they were so boring.

[cuckooed]

Well, you won't find it boring here. That, I can guarantee.

[Fiddling with the feathers and beads.]

Now, is there anything you need? Perhaps you want to work on dreamcatchers, as well, dear? Or, are you simply going to stand there?

[trustme]

[ Doctor drops by on the first day to grab lunch and then to grab some of the craft supplies. He talks merrily to himself as he gathers up a handful of beads, plenty of string, a pinch of feathers, and several of the wooden hoops. All of these get dumped in a large salad bowl that Koel would likely recognize from the kitchen. ]

[cuckooed]

...What are you doing?

[Yes, yes she does recognize that.]

[trustme]

[ He looks in her direction and blinks innocently. ]

Just gathering materials for those dream catchers.

[cuckooed]

I see. And why are you using our salad bowl for those?

[trustme]

[ Doctor leans back and holds the bowl up in his hands like Baby Simba. ]

Huh. This is... one of the cafeteria salad bowls. To think it was in my trailer all this time.

[cuckooed]

And it should be going back to the cafeteria.

[Young man.]

There are other items you can use that don't involve depriving the kitchen of its supplies.

[sunflowerfields]

[Hinawa has been spending a lot of time at the Cookhouse, because as it turns out, there's still a lot for her to learn. Much of the equipment in the kitchen looks familiar at first glance, but it's so much more advanced than what she's used to. An oven that doesn't require starting a fire to work, for example. It's amazing!

Today she's trying a simple recipe for brownies, just to make sure she can understand this new-fangled oven. With little else to do but wait for them to finish baking, she wanders out into the Cookhouse proper, where she finds Koel at work.]

Oh! Hello, Mrs. Babić, I didn't realize anyone else was here.

[cuckooed]

Hinawa.

[She gives a nod.]

I tend to be here quite a bit. Cooking, I take it?

[sunflowerfields]

Mmhmm! I think I need a little more practice with, well, everything in the kitchen!

[She spies the various beads and gems on the table.]

Oh, you're making a dreamcatcher? It looks lovely so far.

[cuckooed]

I am. Care to join me?

[pipers_son]

Heeeey, Koel~.

[Well, look who it is. Joker pops in not too long after the Ringmaster's request over the radio, presumably after he's made sure his performers won't accidentally murder each other or themselves during practice. Junko is one of his- it's a legitimate concern.]

[Making sure not to bang his wings against the doors, he grins over at the older woman.]

Looks like you've got straight ta work as well, ha.

[cuckooed]

Of course. Our boss surely has a reason for her request, no need to doubt it.

[She motions towards the table.]

Come on in, if you want a go at it.

[pipers_son]

Actually, I was thinkin’ of grabbin’ a few things ta take ta one of the smaller tents. I was thinkin’ that, after most folks have gotten done with whatever trainin’ and work they’ve got for the day, there could be a little get together.

[Not like it seems as though he’s in a particular hurry, with the way he folds himself onto a nearby stool, wings stretching out a little.]

Figured some of our new faces might like the company, besides.

[cuckooed]

Makes sense.

[She stretches.]

You especially got quite a few of them, yeah?

[pipers_son]

Yep~.

[There’s actually quite a bit of genuine pleasure in Joker’s grin besides his usual fare.]

We’ve actually got a little bit of everythin’, for once. They gotta be polished up, no doubt, but we’re workin’ on that. What about yerself? Any good cooks?

[cuckooed]

One new person. Hinawa, she seems a good sort. A little naive, but she knows how to cook at least.

[pipers_son]

Well, ha, that can’t be helped… With how this place is, naive ones get roped in now and then. Guess she’ll learn sooner or later as she sticks around, yeah?