ArchivedLogs:It Comes in Buckets

It Comes in Buckets
Dramatis Personae Lia, Jack
In Absentia	6 March 2015 Ice cream, that is. Or snow.
Location <XS> Playground
Set on the still-expansive grounds around the side of the school, this area is to the outdoors rather what the rec room is to the indoors. There's a large basketball court out here; a fenced-off tennis court adjacent. Further distant there are setups for other sports -- a large track, a soccer field. Closer in to the school, though, in its own large enclosure adjacent to the basketball and tennis courts, is the playground, a huge expanse of equipment set up on alternating plots of slightly squishy flooring and mulch. Centrally there is a large sprinkler-fountain, not always /on/ but it can be turned on with a push of a button; spreading out around this is the actual playground equipment, sturdy and varied. A huge dome constructed in honeycombed interlocked poles and rope netting rises hiiiigh for climbing; a large swingset holds four pairs of swings. A large roundabout in bright colours stands in one corner near a long see-saw. The huge bridge-and-tunnel castle structure at one end has many routes of entry, from poles to climb up (or slide down) to a small climbing /wall/. Monkeybars. Four different slides of varying lengths and spiraling. For the adventurous, between things to climb on and jump between and bounce across it is probably possible to skirt one end of the playground and back without touching the ground, though it might take a particularly adept feat of balance and agility. Or possibly wings. The heaps of snow from yesterday have been entertaining Xavier's students for some time, it would seem. Piles and dug-out regions, snow-angels of rather varied shapes, half-destroyed snow forts, snowmen, and other constructs dot the grounds. A particularly artistic contingent has created a dragon that is curling up the side of the play-castle, though it is difficult to tell if its posture is menacing or protective of the structure. Lia's latest mission seems to have been to create a big, loose, fluffy mountain of snow. This mountain is located in front of the swing set, and the girl is located /in/ a swing, pushing herself faster-higher. The hood of her powder blue parka has blown back, letting her wavy hair fly wild with the movement. Blue and silver convertible mittens, skinny jeans over lined leggings and tall socks, and faux-fur topped winter boots also work in concert in attempt to keep her warm enough to /stay/ out in the below-freezing weather. Swinging. A snowball floating through the air on its own enters the playground area before the person behind its creation. Taking a break from studying for his last exam of the day, Jack's enjoying a walk and putting in a little TK practice by levitating a snowball. In jeans, a bright red hoodie, and the white coat he got from Billy, he's in a pretty good mood. He gives an impressed whistle at the sight of the snow dragon and considers examining it closer when motion catches his eye. He blinks when he spots the mountain and Lia and tilts his head to the side. "Is she going to..." he trails off quietly, wondering if Lia is planning on jumping. There really could be little question with this particular arrangement and individual. Lia has always had a fondness for things that simulate flight. The swing itself going higher and higher is a good start. Releasing it to soar (a few feet) through the bitter-cold air is even better. The design of the whole thing is quite well-planned, letting the small parka-covered form move without concern for a gymnast's landing. Rather, she /whoomphs/ down into the snow as if into a net placed for the purpose, sinking into the loosely gathered stuff. Jack can't help but make a startled little noise when Lia goes sailing through the air. The snowball he's been floating drops and the invisible teen starts jogging towards the snowy mountain. "Hey, Lia?" he calls, a little concern in his voice. "Are you okay in there?" he asks, moving around to see if he can spot his friend in the snow. The snow at the top of the mountain crumbles in a little. The source of the crumbling can be spotted upon approach: the girl inside her person-shaped depression swimming her limbs through the powder, wriggling down into it, giggling to herself as she ends up half-buried. The sound of another's voice catches Lia's attention, lifting her /head/ up, at least, to peer out of her shallow hole. “I flew,” she replies simply. “The mountain caught me.” Swoosh-swoosh, her arms play through the snow some more. Jack lets out a breath of relief and the tension drains from his shoulders. "I saw," he replies with a little laugh. "Do you need some help getting out of there?" he offers. The invisible teen clears some of the snow out of his way as he gets to the mountain, just making it easier to get closer. “Oh, no. It is actually very nice. Like a...hard pillow. But colder. Sitting in a bucket of ice cream.” Lia's lips slide into a wider smile at this, continuing to writhe around in the snow just for the feel of it. “Out is not hard, though. Look, it is not far.” She sits up, the better half of her above the hole for the motion. Some more wiggling later launches her over the ridge of the hole, limbs tucking in to log-roll herself down the (albeit /short/) hill into the level blanket of snow beneath. Flopping out in this again, she snow-angels into a new spot. “Whole /playground/ covered in ice cream!” she calls back to Jack. "I don't think I've ever seen an actual bucket of ice cream," Jack muses aloud. He's smiling as well even if it can't be seen. The sudden launch and roll get Jack blinking a few times then laughing a little. "Just making sure you didn't get stuck in there. Snow can be clingy," he says. "Yeah, the snow really came down yesterday. I'm glad it finally stopped so it's nicer out here," he says, reaching down to scoop up a handful of snow. "That dragon is pretty awesome." “It comes in buckets!” Lia assures, still calling up from her supine position. “In the summertime here sometimes there are parties. And there are so many people the ice cream is actual plastic buckets with handles and you scoop out of them. Usually ice cream in the freezer is in smaller containers.” Mittened hands reach up to pat-pat at the snow to either side of her as she finally sits up again. “Yes, it does like to hold on. It was so /pretty/ coming down all swirl-swirl-swirl. Like a snow globe.” She nods happily at the mention of the dragon. “It is an ice dragon for now, guarding the castle for the ice people. It is magic and made of water. When it gets warmer it will melt and be water again, and it will get lighter and lighter and be able to fly up in the clouds.” "I hope there's a party here then since that sounds awesome. I actually haven't had ice cream in awhile," Jack pauses a moment at how strange that sounds but he shakes it off. "Do you have a favorite ice cream flavor?" he asks, forming up the snow in his hand into a loose ball shape. "It's nice when it comes down slow but when its all windy and whipping around it looks kind of bad," he shrugs. Humming, he tosses the snowball up high above them both. A little concentration and he uses his TK to 'pop' it, sending snowflakes falling down slowly. Its not a lot but it's the effect he was going for. "Did someone make ice people in the castle?" “There are always parties. And dances. They have them regularly for events. When it is warm, sometimes there is also /lots/ of ice cream.” Lia looks downright pensive at the question of favourites. “I like the ones that have things hidden in them. Rocky road and moose tracks and chocolate chip cookie dough and... Oh! Or the one with the chocolate and the vanilla and the strawberry all in the same container, then you just put things /on top/.” Lia picks some snow out of her hair that has formed a particularly impressive clump. “I do not know. I like to watch it even when it is spinning and wild. The conservatory is good for watching then.” Her hands quit their work for a moment to clap (mutedly, through mitten-cloth) at the sudden miniature snow shower. “There /were/ snowmen in there, but I think they got used for ammunition in the last snow fight.” "Well, I've got some new ice cream flavors to try now. Those sound good. Thanks, Lia," Jack replies. He hesitates for a moment before flopping into the snow mountain as well. "Sprinkles were always my favorite thing to add to ice cream when I was younger. The rainbow ones tasted the best," he replies, just looking up at the sky. He laughs a little at the mentions of the snow fight. "I don't think I got in that one but the snow fights have been a lot of fun," he says with an invisible grin. "Someone can always build some more snowmen though. Complete the castle look." Lia chuckles at the thanks. "There are /many/ flavours. I always try to taste all the different things." The chuckles turn to giggles as Jack joins in the snow-flopping. "Sprinkles /are/ the prettiest. You can add all /kinds/ of things, though. I like to play with whipped cream. Oh, and cherries! Or fudge or peanut butter or nuts or bits of candy and cookies and things. Sometimes I like to put just a /tiny/ bit of many things, all on different spots, so each spoonful is a new thing. Ice cream is like salad. It has a lot of possibilities." This last is said a little dreamily. "There are still many snowpeople and snowthings around the grounds. Maybe they all left the castle to go play, too." "I usually just find a flavor I like and stick with it," Jack admits. "That way I always know I'm getting a good ice cream," he says with a nod. "Oh yeah, always lots of stuff to add. Like M&Ms and like breaking up a cone and putting the pieces on top of the ice cream," Jack remembers some of those fondly. "I like whipped cream on jello more than ice cream though," he adds, scooping up some more snow even as he lays there. "That would be...interesting. The snowpeople moving around when no one's looking." “I do not think I have ever had bad ice cream. Well, I have had ice cream that got a freezer burn, but that was not the ice cream's fault. It got forgotten in a back corner of the freezer and then it tasted funny.” Lia finally finishes picking the snow clod out of her hair, then pulls her hood up before setting her head back in the snow again. “Oh, they move whether you look or not. Not so much /this/ year. Not yet. I need to find the right time or the right snow person for the right hat. Then, maybe.” Jack looks up, making a larger snow clump than the last one. "I had a bad flavor once. It was green...pistachio I think. I tried it and it was just...not so good," he shakes his head. "Freezer burn...that's always a shame. Especially when it gets ice cream," he says. "You put a bunch of hats on snow people?" “Last year. There were many snow people walking around. They came with hats. Or someone gave them hats. I am not sure. But they had hats when they came. And each one of them followed a person around,” Lia explains, smiling fondly at the memory. “The snowpeople went away, but they left their hats. I kept mine. I think maybe it will wake one up again if I do it right.” "Oh yeah," Jack murmurs, remembering hearing about that. "Good luck," he offers. "It sounds like it was cool," he pauses a beat. "No pun intended," he adds. "I wonder...would my snow person be invisible too?" he jokes. Finishing his snowball making, Jack rolls back to his feet. He takes a deep breath and concentrates before telekinetically launching a half dozen snowballs into the air. He pops them just like the first, smiling at the mini-snow shower. One hand lifts to his head though, Jack getting a little headache from using his TK that much. “I do not think so. Everyone's snow-people did not look and act just like them. They were all snow people. But with different hats.” Lia watches the snowballs fly and pop, clapping again as snow showers down over them. When she turns to Jack, she catches the pained look and her dark little brows bend toward one another. “Oh. Oh, you look like maybe you need to go inside or eat or drink or rest. All of those.” She wiggles her fingers inside of her gloves. “Also, I cannot feel my fingers and toes anymore. Inside might be the best plan.” Hauling herself to her feet, she offers a hand down to Jack to help him up. Jack looks as sheepish as empty clothes can as Lia catches him. "Yeah...I should get some rest. Been playing with the whole...moving things with my mind thing too much," he says. "Got one more test too," he sighs. Accepting the hand, Jack smiles as he gets up. "You should warm up too before the play tonight." “Oh yes. Warm. All the warm. Warm fingers and toes and voice,” Lia assures as she helps Jack up and heads back toward the main house. “And /you/ rest your mind for your exam.” Jack follows along towards the main house and chuckles. "Right. See you at the show then!" he offers, brushing snow off himself along the way. Time to head back to his room for a little more studying before the exam!