ArchivedLogs:Migratory Failures

Migratory Failures
Going Nowhere
Dramatis Personae Ducky, Faelan
In Absentia	2014-11-30 Homework, powers, and travel. Or lack there of.
Location <XS> Conservatory
Tall panes of glass keep this large indoor garden warm year round. Tended to by the school's groundskeeper, the conservatory is lush with plant life, a carefully cultivated paradise within Xavier's walls. The room serves as a classroom as well; in the center of the garden a ring of seats forms a small circle, a favorite locale for some teachers to hold court. The nights before classes resume after a holiday break are often busy for students, whether still students of Xavier's, or College students who left some things too far out. The Conservatory isn't super well lit, but lit enough to be comfortable to sit and read and write by at least. Faelan is sitting there in an old black baggy tee shirt, written on the front in white paint "You Can't See Me", a Xavier's zip up sweat shirt open over top of it and a pair of baggy raver pants in grey. He has a leaf beneath a sheet of paper that he is moving a charcoal piece over top of to get a good impression of. Sitting open on the floor in front of him is a field guide for identifying plants, open to the page where the leaf he's working with is on. On a chill night like this, it is easy enough to tell when the door from the outside to the conservatory is opened. Ducky's entrance into the glassed in area is accompanied by a gust of cold air that ruffles the leaves of the plants near the entrance. Unzipping her bright yellow fleece coat, Ducky heads further into the conservatory, pulling her colorful knit cap off and ruffling her hair up into a messy blonde-mop. Beneath her fleece, she's wearing a bright blue-thermal top, paired with baggy jeans that have a little bit of mud inching up the cuffs that is only starting to dry out. As usual, her mottled pigeon, Kushi, is nestled into the hood of her jacket, shaking himself up to take advantage of the pleasant warmth in the conservatory. Though she has her head down, watching where she is walking, kicking at her boots in an attempt to dislodge mud from them, she pauses just a little bit away from Faelan, only looking up after her bird-companion tugs at her hair. Offering a sheepish wave, Ducky smiles at Faelan, "Heya. School work? Or just, y'know, coloring leaves?" She asks the last part curiously, peeking over towards his work, head tilting at the same time Kushi's does. Shivering at the blast of cold air coming in, Faelan glances up at the the door to see who is coming on in. Nodding his head towards her, he continues scribbling his charcoal over the page. "Biology thingy. Different leaf structures providing different photosynthesis levels and suchforth. Wanted to get some of the plants in the conservatory, since it wont just be the stuff anyone else at class would pick up from their yards." Nodding abit at his explanation, he glances at his charcoal covered fingers and smiles. "Suffering for my work, all smudgy and stuff. What about you? Visiting your avian friends that can't come inside?" "Ooooh," Ducky says, inching closer to peer at the work, genuine curiosity in her tone, "Neat. Kinda curious if they'll have me do that sorta thing or not. Still trying to decide what to really do, but I know I've applied for college, just gotta see if I'm going to actually get in and all that." She bounces from one foot to the other, eyeing the leaf etching as she babbles, "Though I'm hoping to go into the wildlife conservation and rehabilitation, but I don't know if I'll have to do stuff with plants and all, though plants are important, since, habitat." The bird-girl is babbling absently again, as she is wont to do when having been out with birds a lot, eyeing the smudges on Faelan's fingers, "Heh, yeah, I guess that's kinda hard to avoid. They make holders for charcoal sticks though, y'know? Makes it less messy, less breaky. Normally. Might be helpful, yeah?" At the question of where she had been, she nods again, scuffing her toe sheepishly. "Yeah, I was checking on some of the birds, cause some of them have, um, kinda stayed in the area, though they'd normally migrate, and I think it's my fault, and I don't really know how to fix it," she admits sheepishly, bobbing her head, "So I was taking food out to them, and seeing if I could build structures, cause it's not their fault. Its mine, I think. Maybe." "Dunno? I mean, it was what the bio professor wanted for my class this time. I mean it will be different for different professors probably?" Faelan says with a shrug. "Huh, I didn't know that about the charcoal sticks though. I'll have to pick it up. I think a lot of the professors like that old school etchings thing that show up in the old school books ya know? Like Here is this leaf, here is this feather." He glances at his fingers again and shakes his head. "I'm sure you'll find more food options. What kinda structures do they need? Traditional birdhouse? Or bigger things? You can probably get some help from other students though." Ducky nods along, listening to Faelan talk about the professors, "So how're you liking college? I mean, are you liking it? S'kinda daunting, finally having to look at moving on from here. I mean, I think I've gotten used to being here after the last year and some." She manages to calm her shuffling down a bit, though the babbling continues at the previous pace, "You might be able to find some from the art room here? Saves from the smudgeyness anyway. Though I always manage to get it all smudged all over me anyway, somehow, even with the holder thingies." Ruffling her hair again with her whole hand, giving a bit of a suggestion as to just how she might do that. "Kinda - some of them need little houses and stuff, to insulate against the cold. Others I sort of need to figure out the food thing. They're not too bad off in the cold, they can shelter in hollows in trees and stuff... but most of the food is kinda hybernating and stuff. Or frozen into the lake." Shoulders hunched a bit, Ducky seems a bit torn up about this, "So for now I'm just trying to still convince them to go. It's not so late in the year that they can't go, not for all of them. But the ducks are being stubborn." "College is alright. It's a lot of work, and the teachers don't really seem to care whether or not you manage to learn anything," Faelan says with a frown. "And yeah, I'll ask one of the art teachers if they will let me use one. Shouldn't be too much of a problem at least." Watching her as she goes over the different bird options, he nods. "Sorry they're being stubborn, but at least food probably wouldn't be too big of a problem. I don't think they would begrudge you trying to keep the animals alright, especially since it's a side effect of your powers. I could try and pop some of them off, but that might be dangerous for it. I don't know what happens with flock birds if they separate." "Ah, so kinda like school not-here. I mean public school back in Chicago was kinda like that - all talk, not a lotta care. I think we get a bit spoiled here with teachers who actually kinda sorta give a crap if we learn or not," Ducky chatters, glancing up towards the main school building, "It's ok. I'll make it work. I have to, 'cause it's my fault," she sighs and ruffles her hair again, which Kushi starts to try to tame it, but the poor pigeon is fighting a losing battle. "Wouldn't be good to port them. The ducks are a mating pair and their nest from this year... they kinda need to learn the path first, and they don't know the way yet, so, yeah. No 'porting the duckies," she babbles, scuffing her foot again. "I'm gonna talk to some of the teachers about it, but I wanted to try to convince the birds one more time. Think one of the hawks is heading off, at least," she says, glancing up at the glass ceiling, where a few birds have started to light, shadowy against the dark sky. "Sometimes I wish I could just tell them to go away," she mutters, still looking up. Nodding, Faelan replies "Yeah, kinda like that, it's been a long time since I had gone to a regular school." He shrugs at the fact it was her fault. "We have the support structure here for a reason. I have frequent flier miles, lots of them, and a passport with international stamps. You don't think those were on purpose do you?" He smiles and shakes his head, trying to be supportive with it. "And they may change their mind when it gets colder, it isn't even technically winter yet. So once it gets really bad, they'll start to bail. Or just try to come inside where it's warmer. " He nods somewhat sadly at her words. "Yeah, I met a guy the other day who couldn't stop being invisible. And we have others who would be better off without their mutations." Ducky shuffles slightly, looking sheepish at the mention of Faelan's traveling, "Yeah. And I need to get some help, because I think it's getting worse. Which I know, here has that sorta thing. I just," she sighs, hands stuffed in the pockets of her coat, her frustration showing through more in Kushi's ruffled feathers and shuffling, "Worry that I'm gonna be a burden, or it's gonna be a crutch, or something. But I need to ask, I think. The birds are kinda... all sticking to me more than they did before. S'getting more visible, I guess. Noticeable. But maybe they'll change their minds when it gets really chilly. Just know I'm not allowed to have /all/ the birds in the dorm." Wincing at the thought of not having her mutation, she shakes her head, "I don't want to be without it, not entirely. I don't know what I'd do without it, don't think I could, actually, um, function, well." She fidgets, reaching up to pet her pigeon, looking a bit nervous, "But I know others have it really bad. Really really bad. And yeah, that's bad." She shudders, apparently disturbed by the thought of losing her mutation, the motion echoed by the pigeon once more, "I should prob'ly get inside. Let you get back to finish your homework and stuff. See you 'round, 'kay?" "If anyone can help you, I'm sure the Professor or Doctor Grey would be able to. When they had me going through my power training, a lot of it was just on focus and control more than anything, which has really helped me. Well that and dealing with my phobias and all." Faelan nods trying to think of anything else that would help Ducky, but can't really figure much. "And yeah, as much trouble as it's given me, I know it's a part of me. Course, most of the uses for my capabilities are being sneaky or running away, so doesn't really say much positives that I wouldn't want it away." He offers her a way as she says she has to go though. "Have a good evening. I'll get this finished up for my class and then get some more sleep. Don't worry too much alright? When you need help, ask for help. Otherwise you may end up more troubled."