ArchivedLogs:The Newish Teachers

The Newish Teachers
Dramatis Personae Aloke, Mallory, Vanessa
In Absentia	2014-01-05 Introductions and drinks among coworkers
Location <XS> - Teachers' Lounge - B1
Running a school for mutant teenagers just taking control of their powers is not an easy job, and the teachers at Xavier's deserve a place to come and relax. This lounge is their place to come and de-stress, and it does not skimp for relaxation. The room is elegant and luxurious, plush couches making up the seating in the lounge and a glossy glassy bar wrapping around one wall, well-stocked with alcohol (and perpetually fresh-brewed coffee, for those so inclined.) A large-screen high-def television hangs on one wall, stocked with about as many movies and games as the childrens' rec room upstairs. High bookshelves hold a wealth of books. The fridge here is always well stocked, and the cook is always willing to make deliveries down to this level. Far in the back, a hot tub is submerged into the floor, for still more unwinding. More days than not, there's some variety of snacks to be found on perched on an end of the bar -- quite often in the form of fresh-baked desserts. Aloke is down in the lounge with a stack of paperwork which at a glance looks to have something to do with Jackson's classes that he's taking over while the other teacher has been arrested. Syllabi, rosters, lesson plans, etc. All of this however has been pushed aside and it looks like he's poured himself a healthy looking gin and tonic with extra lime in it. He's sitting over by the bar while the big screen seems to be showing the colorized version of Miracle on 34th Street on mute. Barely anyone has seen the new teacher, Vanessa, as she made a evening and late night arrival, but it's not really a secret that a new math and physics teacher has been added. Those that have seen much of her probably only saw her array of suitcases that were in the upper teacher's floor. Now, though, she makes a quiet appearance, breezing into the teacher's lounge, her dark eyes scanning everything with a great deal of attentiveness and curiosity. She doesn't seem lost: more like a relaxed personal tour, as she passes along to give the snacks and fresh-baked items a once-over. The last night before classes begin again after the long, tumultuous break, and the teacher's lounge appears to be a popular destination for the evening. There is a soft click of hooves against the hallway flooring that precedes Mallory's arrival in the lounge, a small monogrammed briefcase held in one hand, a black thermos of tea in the other. Despite the professional looking briefcase, the librarian has opted to spend her last night of break in comfort, wearing a pair of fitted black tights that hug her digitigrade legs, paired with a knee-length tunic sweatshirt in a soft heathered gray, which hangs off her left shoulder to show the strap of a black tank top beneath. A small wave of greeting and a curious look is given to the new teacher, accompanied by a pleasant smile from the demonic looking English woman. Her attention then moves right past the snacks and television to the teacher seated at the bar, a small smile tugging at her wine colored lips. She makes her way to a vacant stool at the counter, taking a seat and gently nudging Aloke with one hoof once seated by way of silent greeting. Aloke looks up openly grateful for the distraction presented by the presence of the other teachers. Vanessa's entrance earns a pleasant wave and a "Hello there, you must be Vanessa." When Mallory comes in, he leans over to kiss her on the cheek and pats his pile of work. "Best distraction I've found yet," Aloke says with a tired smile and a sigh. He turns to Vanessa and waves her over to the bar. "How's the move-in going? All set up?" Vanessa visually had been picking through the snack offerings, with apparent interest, but turned due to the unusual hoof sound. She doesn't overreact, and mostly curbs any surprise she might have felt at the unusual mutant appearance. Vanessa herself looks entirely human. She doesn't stay quiet or shy when given the silent wave, or when Aloke speaks to her, she flows immediately into a natural, relaxed smile, and approaches the bar readily. "Yes, Vanessa Rose, and you are...?" Vanessa queries, offering a slim hand to each of the other teachers, if they'll accept it. "Set up? Well enough. Barely enough time to get my lessons in order: I won't be entertaining in my room soon, it's still full of boxes," she explains with a natural rueful smile. Mallory smiles at the kiss on her cheek, reaching into her briefcase to pull her own pile of papers out to set on the counter, though it is far less impressive looking than Aloke's stack. The red skinned, horned librarian leans over to return the cheek kiss, just a chaste peck on the cheek by way of greeting. "Distractions are good," she says quietly to him, though her statement fades as though she may have left some of it unsaid. Her attention then turns back to Vanessa, actually spinning the stool around to face the other teacher. "Oh, yes, you are the new math teacher, I presume?" she questions with a gently smile, revealing slightly pointed teeth, "So pleasant to meet you at last. I'm Mallory Winthrop, the senior librarian, and one of the English teachers." Her accent is decidedly 'not from around here', the Oxford accent and precise pronunciation perhaps a touch out of sorts with the otherwise somewhat sinister appearance. The mention of lesson plans, however, gets a smirk, "I'm afraid I've put off my planning until the last minute as well, though I have no such convenient excuse." "Hey, good to meet you," Aloke says, shaking her hand. His skin maintains a glow anywhere from fairly dim to that of a 40w light bulb, but today seems to be in the dimmer range, maybe half the brightness of a regular bulb, but probably still hard to look directly at for extended periods. He's also wearing khakis, a button up white shirt, and he's barefoot (feet also glowing). "Yeah, this is Mallory," he says, even though she introduced herself, and then adds. "I'm Aloke Suresh. I teach art mostly, and a yoga class after school, actually. Where are you from originally, Vanessa? A New Yorker like me?" He pronounces his first name as if it would rhyme with 'A Bloke'. Vanessa slightly mispronounces Aloke's name, but it doesn't sound intentional. "Alouke Suresh. Yoga? The students have an interest in yoga?" She asks, more in a surprised, pleased way than anything else. In fact, she stares probably just slightly longer, likely due to catching onto the glow. "I've been trying to get into that, as well as some types of calming meditation." Her expression is merely curious, though, and lacks judgement. With Mallory it may be apparent she's making more of an effort to deliberately not scan her more thoroughly, out of being respectful about it. "And Mallory Winthrop, English, ah! I will be teaching the math, and the physics. Are you recently from Europe?" She asks. "I grew up primarily in Southern California, and several places in Mexico more recently, first time to New York," Vanessa answers Aloke's question, deliberately allowing more of the Spanish accent she had been keeping in check to flow through. "Have you both been here long?" She asks, indicating the whole school with a general sweep of wrist. Mallory chuckles quietly at the at the repeated introduction from Aloke, smiling broader. "I know I have found a great amount of help in the meditative aspects, even if the physical is a bit beyond my capabilities," Mallory offers with a smile, glancing self consciously down at her legs, running a hand along one of her horns sheepishly, "Calming is helpful." The extended look from Vanessa gets a slight, understanding smirk, and Mallory's tail twitches slightly behind her, creating a 'thunk' against the base of the stool she sits on. There is indeed quite a good deal to stare at on the almost completely inhuman looking librarian, from the deep red skin, the prominent, curling ram's horns that sprout from her temples, the strange legs and cloven hooves, tail, and the dark black eyes that hold just the slightest glint of the embers of a dying fire. "Fairly recently arrived from Oxfordshire, England, yes. I have been here since late June, I believe. It has been a rather long several months - I cannot quite believe it has been so short a time," she answers with a bright, friendly smile. Aloke makes a knowing shrug and nods. "Well, the students aren't as eager as I'd hoped, but there are a few who keep coming. And Mallory, here." He smiles and rests a hand briefly on her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze before reaching for his own drink. The affection between the two, while reserved in the work environment, is probably fairly obvious. And then there's the scuttlebutt around campus about them too, of course. "I've only been here a couple months longer than Mallory. We're both newbies, really. I just came last spring. I've made some great friends on the staff here though, and the families too." The old man's expression lowers some, as he sips his drink, lost in thought, before shaking his head and putting a small smile back on. "But you should join us for class sometime. We meet in the gym right after sports practice is done. In nicer weather we even go outside sometimes." Aloke jingles the glass in his drink and asks, "Can you make you something behind the bar, Vanessa? A welcome to the family drink?" "Ah! All three of us, new, then," Vanessa says, smoothly. "Perhaps I will come by, after I've gotten used to my new schedule, and worked out the jetlag," Vanessa says, rolling her dark eyes a little. No wonder she's wide awake. She does take in the affectionate behavior, but it doesn't seem to cause any real reaction for her other than perhaps a pleased smile to herself. "I very much appreciate joining the family," Vanessa says, with a little pause, "I expect it is much the same teaching here as anywhere: at least, that is how I intend to approach it." She cocks her head a little, as if inquiring if the other two believe that is indeed the case. But when Aloke mentions the drinks, she brightens (although not in the same way Aloke 'brightens'), and slides with an easy move of hip and hand around the bar to serving-side. All of her movements tend to glide, in a breezy way, but nothing that would call much attention to it, other than that she has a graceful way of moving without disturbing much around her. "I enjoy mixing drinks; allow me," Vanessa offers, and directs a fingertip towards Mallory with a mild beckon, gesturing clearly for her to give up what she would like with a pearl manicured nail. Mallory smiles at the affection from Aloke, reaching a neatly manicured hand up to brush against his briefly, before letting it fall back to her lap. "Indeed. There is a fourth just as new as I, but getting him out of his laboratory can be a bit like pulling teeth," Mallory adds, a smirk and roll of her entirely black eyes, "My twin brother teaches Chemistry here, as well." Mallory seems to consider for a moment, the question about teaching, her expression thoughtful, "I do not know if I would call it quite like that. Many of the students here have, how shall I say, difficult backgrounds? Some require a bit more tutelage than others, and others still are a bit further behind in studies than their age would suggest." When Vanessa heads behind the counter, Mallory grins, spinning around on her stool so that she now faces the new teacher, "Hmm. Perhaps a gin and cranberry juice, with just a touch of lime, please?" The silence and bowed head from Aloke brings a slight frown, and she reaches towards his hand, offering a reassuring, concerned squeeze and a glance his way. "And a gin and tonic refill for me, thanks," Aloke says. He turns on his stool to face the bar, and slides his paperwork well out of the way. "Yeah, the kids are mostly mutants, of course. And a lot of them have had rough treatment." He shrugs and adds, "But then, a lot of us have too." His tone makes it clear he assumes Vanessa is a mutant too, even if she's not as obvious as he and Mallory are. "Sometimes it's best to go in with a soft touch, is all." He offers a small smile again, and looks to be doing well enough, putting on a brave face. "Gin all around, then," Vanessa decides. She has to hunt a little for the cranberry, since it's obviously her first time in this particular bar, but makes it seem as if she was intentionally taking her time, with her more relaxed manner. She considers their words about the mutant students, pausing to slowly remove the cap of the cranberry, thoughts more on their points about the kids than the juice mixes themselves. "Rough treatment... indeed. In both neglect and ...'overattention'," Vanessa sighs, her dark brows pulling together a little, which suggests some bad memory surfaced for her. Her eyes darken with a brief empathy, which probably makes it apparent she is a mutant herself. "I think it's no service to them to treat them differently than I would another student," Vanessa says, though her tone is gentle. "...as in, another student that was also further behind and needed extra help, or had a very difficult life, as I dislike any kind of 'exceptions' made," She clarifies. "I expect it is all... case by case, really. I intend to be just as much of a 'demanding monster' as I was previously." Vanessa says in a lightened tone, punctuating the monster comment with slicing lime, before she pours the gin and selects necessary ice. The lime she cuts efficiently, with no extra flourish, into precise sections. "All of us had to take some sort of journey to arrive here, so to speak, literal or figurative. I imagine all have had their pitfalls and setbacks," Mallory muses, nodding in agreement with Aloke, pensively watching Vanessa prepare the drinks, "Case by case is a good way to approach it, I have found. Perhaps with a touch of flexibility tossed in at times." She sighs slightly, smirking, "Oh, I have heard that term tossed around plenty about me in the halls. I teach a handful of the AP English courses. I just sort of smile, and accept it as a badge of honour. I would rather be called a monster in this regard than others." Aloke nods as both women discuss their experiences, and teaching methods. "Well, most importantly, you passed an interview with the Professor, which makes you alright in my book." He grins, and the way he says 'Professor' makes it clear he isn't talking about any of the teachers, but the bald man in the wheelchair. "I'm sure you'll do fine. But just so you know, the blue twin boys... Their dad is Jackson Holland, the one who got arrested last week. I hope they'll take the time off, but if they feel like coming back to school, maybe just try to give them some extra elbow room. They've been through a lot lately." He smiles to make his advice more gentle, but his tone is clear that he hopes she'll follow along on this. "Holland... right. I read about that, but I don't know anything more than just the general media commentary," Vanessa says, with a shrug of dismissal about the media which suggests she hasn't really formed an opinion on any of it. "I can only imagine what the other students are saying to them about it... if I do have them, there certainly won't be any of /that/ on my watch," she says, starkly, taking a deep drink of the gin and tonic that she'd made for herself. "Perhaps they will take some time, but if they do come, well, sometimes it's best to keep busy, and not dwell. That's usually how I feel, at any rate, when it's me." Vanessa starts to clean up, automatically, moving the knife and items used to the sink, to wash; if they're clearly done with their glasses she'll take those also. Entirely human, still, in appearance. "On that note, I still have more to be busy with, I don't know about you two, and tomorrow is going to feel far too early," Vanessa sighs. Mallory nods grimly at the mention of the current events, of Jax and the twins, "Agreed. This past year has been beyond rough for their family, and this is far more misfortune than anyone, especially Jax, deserves. And children can be cruel. There is already discussion of a certain... bias. So keep an eye out for them, in case there is bullying from the other students." She finishes off her drink quickly enough, passing the glass back towards Vanessa, with a brilliant smile, "Thank you, for making the drink. Quite good. Need any assistance with cleanup?" The papers she had slipped from her briefcase are put back away, untouched, despite her best intentions, as she glances sideways towards Aloke. "Unfortunately, yes, tomorrow is likely to be an early morning for all. I have to tend to the library first thing, and then I have early classes this semester," the librarian says this with a pained grimace, as though the thought of being awake that early were a terrible thing. "Speaking of, it is beginning to get a bit late, and perhaps it would be best to retire a touch early, given the oncoming early morning," Mallory says, with a subtle hip bump against Aloke's side as she stands from her seat, tottering unsteadily on spindly leggs. "It was lovely to meet you, Vanessa. I wish you the best of luck in your first semester, and hope to see you around campus, yes?" She turns her attention back to Aloke, resting a hand on his shoulder, a subtle smirk on her lips, "Come on, love. You may want to address your distraction in a slightly less distracting work area, if you have any hope of actually sleeping tonight." Leaving it at that, Mallory gathers her things and starts to leave, though fairly obviously waiting for Aloke to follow. Aloke smiles at Vanessa's explanation and looks like he has more to say until she mentions being 'busy'. Then at Mallory's elaboration he sighs and looks over the pile of his own work. "Damn. Yeah, that's a good point, Mallo." He raises his drink to Vanessa in a kind of salute, drains it, and sets it down on the bar again. "Copy that. We should turn in and get an early start tomorrow." He offers an affectionate smile at Mallory's hip-bump and gathers his things before getting to his feet. "Nice to you meet, Vanessa. Good luck on your first day tomorrow." He smiles, and heads for the door with Mallory.