#anywhere

Dirk and Kerri wrangle the multiple pounds of Kalamari out "How is we live in land and Siv still manages to turn everything to 2000 leagues under the sea?"

"Well, she apparently got her ship yesterday, so an adventure was in order. Here...would you like to try this raw for taste and fillingness, see what you think?"

"Sure" he takes a chunk, and bites. It's not attractive to watch, but he chomps, chews, then says "It ain't rotten, any wuss could eat this..." Chomp chomp... "Got a texture ... could go rubbery if you coook it too much... but actually tastes pretty good... you could make something of this what you diddn't need to be a cap to eat. Might still be too fresh for slaugh... you'd want to leave it out in the sun" A bit more of a chomp "Little like shellfish"

Kerri nods. "Good. Okay...yes, I was looking up recipes for regular squid. Hopefully they'll also work on this monster. It's not too tough?"

"I think the closer you get to the base of the tentacle near where the body was, the tougher it's gonna get... I don't know science, but I think it has to do with muscular nature and ligaments and shit.. not that I know about squid muscles." When she looks over one pound of the tentacle is gone. and he's wiping at his lips. "It's milder than I thought. You might want to mix something like.. spice or something to zest it. I think the texture is the allure ..is Allure the right word?"

"It is, and color me impressed. I'm thinking a good garlic pesto for one dish, and we've got enough tomatoes to make a large amount of diavlo."

"saw it on a show..." He shrugs slightly embarrassed by the fact she's impressed but also perhaps pleased, then "Well, whatever Diavovlo is ..." mixing it up with the car "You know I'll be happy to try it. What was the meeting in the kitchen about? The dragon?"

"I wouldn't call it a meeting. Random breakfast chatter. It started with tentacles, and went from there. Have more, if you want, or I can pack it up for you to take home, if you like. Just be kind on Anne Marie, let her know it's coming."

"Heh ,take all the fun out of it" Dirk says , And he does have more but talks as he does "I gota question about hierarchy at school. With this enforcer /peacemaker thing." Munch munch

"Oh? Well, run them by me, let me see if I can help." Oh, thank goodness.

"Well, like, I try to keep Adam in check, so I give him a reminder I'm watching right? He gets in my face.... Sylvi charges up and breaks it up so I go 'okay.. she's kind of cool and folks listen so I back up'..and Adam comes into my face and calls me fairy like he wants that fight, really wants it. Now, by the old rules, I met him after school and beat him like a rock and roll drummer onto the skins so that from then on he starts to piss himself at the sound of my voice when he heals. But SYLVI wants me to back off. How am I supposed to do my job if no one respects my authority? I can't have some twerp blow me off and get away with it"

Kerri gives a slow exhale, thinking. "Well, I thank you for listening to Sylvi rather than trying to mess with her, but that's me being a mom, and not really what you're asking about. Dirk...this was at school? With mortals around?"

"Yeah, but I shoulder check lots of folks to let them know I'm there so it's not like we started shit. And I think most folks thought he was just calling me a fa..." He catches himself "a homo" Apparently this is better "so not a violation of the Escheat..just him being mouthy. And Nah I wouldn't go after Sylvi, I DID think of going around her to feed him his locker. Sylvi doesn't actually much like Adam much. We both think he's an entitled dick."

A sigh. "I'm sorry to hear that. I think, though, he probably also felt he couldn't back down without losing respect. So...something you two have in common, at least."

"Pretty boy and me got nothing in common. I try for what I get... he expects the door opened and everyone to be glad he's gracing them with their presence. " Dirk scowls, "Best thing I could do for him WOULD be to beat him down... cause one day he's gonna try that with someone who doesn't care what the Chief or you thinks and then they're gonna kill him. You not nightmare kith don't always ..get it. you know. Symon knows... he's a snottier kind of nightmare but he knowss...Fear is GOOD. Fear is the begining of smarts... you ignore fear? You don't live. You don't fear, then you don't see what's sacred. That's why in relligions the first thing the gods want is Fear. Fear is the purest form of wonder there is.... it's the first wonder man ever felt...withoutt it, nothing would have followed. " A thoughtful look then he blinks, "Anyway.. I really wanna punch him. You're saying I can't just because I'm a peacemaker?"

Kerri blinks at the boy a moment after the unexpected theology. Then she shakes her head. "Not in the school, certainly. And Dirk...this might be one of the prices of your position. I may not understand nightmare kiths as well as some, but you need to understand that in working with a seelie troll, you're going to have to just endure a lot of things you might have lashed out for in the past. But...that being said...if it comes down to it and he does something that you really can't excuse, make sure it doesn't happen in school, make sure he can walk away from it, and make sure to get me or the Chieftain to heal him up afterwards. Or to heal you up, if he ends up surprising you." A bit of a grin. "Fair?"

"Yeah, I guess. I don't much believe in fair...if the world were fair I'd probably be killed by some shining knight with a sword because that's what's 'fair' for monsters... but yeah, I get how you mean. Lodge is the power so they set the rules... at least you guys aren't assholes about it. Thanks, Hearth. I'll make sure I don't shit where we .. I mean, If I gotta slap him around I'll try to keep it out of school. " He rises "I better get this stuff you want to Anne Marie's"

"I'll text her to expect it so you don't have to look like a 'good boy' for doing it." A wink. "And Dirk...I think you're doing a fine job, and i think the Chieftain does, too. You put a lot of thought into your responsibilities, and I appreciate that. And...hm...you might want to talk to Dagmar about him, too. She's his guide, she might have seen what he does and doesn't respond well to."

"Dagmar's all big eyes about him... also she might try to champion him. I don't want to fight Dagmar.. one, we might kill each other and that would be a LOT Fairer fight. I dont' want fair. Second.. it's not her fault girls think with their uteros. They can't help it, it's like..whacky hormones at that age... that and the romance porn they read online..does things to their brains. I mean, don't get me wrong, I got nothing wrong with punching a girl any more than a boy - I aint' sexist. I'm an equal opportunity nightmare... but I just don't know if I trust Dagmar to think straight on this one." A nose wrinkle "MAYBE I'll try it...when he's not around. Because if he pipes up with 'anytime you want' stuff I may be hard p ressed to...yeah.. not with him around." A nod "Later, Hearth" Respectful despite his comments in this very set of breaths about girls.

And with that, he trundles off with his supplies... Leaving Kerri to parse the odd odd thinking process that is Dirk.

(End Scene)