ArchivedLogs:Friendship Is Magic: Xavier Style
| Friendship Is Magic: Xavier Style | |
|---|---|
| Dramatis Personae | |
| In Absentia
|
2013-05-29 ' |
| Location
<XS> Rec Room | |
School this may be, but life for Xavier's students certainly isn't all studying. Outside classes, this is a popular spot to find students in their downtime. An enormous tribute to slacking off, this room is a wealth of fun and relaxation. Comfortable armchairs, couches, and beanbags offer plentiful seating scattered throughout the room, and the cushioned windowseats by the high windows offer a cozy nook to curl up and look out on the grounds. The room is often filled with the noises of gaming -- whether it comes from the big-screen television (tall racks of DVDs beside it, if nothing can be found on the multitude of cable channels), tricked out with consoles from retro to the latest releases, or the less electronic clatter and thump of the pool table, air hockey, or foosball. For those a little more subdued in their gaming, the cabinets hold stacks and stacks of board and card games, ranging as classic as chess and go to as esoteric as Dixit, Catan, and Gloom.
Maybe it's the sound of My Little Pony on the television, or the lure of snacks (cookies), but something lures Kai down the hall and into the rec room, where he stands for a moment by the door. Dressed in blue athletic shorts and a white t-shirt, he seems equally casual as he watches the television. Then he's hopping forward quietly, hopping up to hang his middle over the back of the couch and offer a small smile to Kris. "Hello, Kris," he says brightly. "You are watching ponies!" As if she weren't aware of this fact. Wilmer gets a surprised look. "And you /have/ a pony! May I watch with you?" He doesn't wait for an answer, tilting his weight forward and turning a small somersault to sprawl on the cushions. Ta da! Ducky is still a little unsure of herself around the dorms, and she is admittedly tiptoeing barefoot around down the hallway, a large book hugged to her chest. The young woman is wearing a pair of dark green pajama pants, wearing a bright yellow tank top with the word DUCKS written across the chest, a little cartoon duck printed high on the back. She is making her way into the rec room, trying to sneak past those in the room without disturbing them, raising an eyebrow at the rainbow of ponies on the tv, but not commenting. For the first time, she is actually spotted in the school withough some variety of bird on her person. She continues her attempt at sneaking toward an armchair in the corner. Kris actually reaches out to ruffle Kai's hair, and clap a little bit when he performs his somersault. For his troubles, he gets a quick hug, and a giant stuffed unicorn thrust into his lap, followed by a rack of cookies set on top of said unicorn,"That is Wilmer. It was the first thing my new parents gave me when they told me they wanted to adopt me. He has lots of personality, I think." She leans over to kiss the stuffed toy's cheek. "You will of course watch with me- DUCKY." She points at Ducky, unfooled by her sneaky ways,"Come watch ponies with us!" Kai is finally used to spontaneous hugs, and he smiles when Kris gathers him into one. Wilmer is inspected carefully when he's deposited, and Kai nods. "He is a very good unicorn," he agrees. "I am sure he is good company." He says this in a somber tone that indicates he might believe it if Kris told him that the toy came to life at night. "What is it like to have different parents than the ones you were born with?" he asks, plucking up a cookie and nibbling at it. "Is it od -- oh, hello," he says, breaking off his question when Ducky is identified. He offers a small wave of Wilmer-tail, although it seems distracted as he lowers one eyebrow thoughtfully at the girl. "I do not think we have met before." There is a decidedly startled yelp from the sneaking girl as she is noticed, and she jumps back towards the door in surprise. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, or intrude your, ah, ponies?" Ducky stammers, shuffling her foot a bit, her voice a bit confused over the show they are watching. Kai's greeting gets a nervous smile and a little bit of a wave, shaking her head, "No. I um, haven't met many people here, yet. I, uh, don't get out much. Hi." Kris ruffles Wilmer's mane in a playful manner, then picks up a handful of chips,"It is... I miss the parents I was born with... but my adoptive parents are extra kind to me, and want nothing but the best." She offers a toothy smile, then crunches a handful of Doritos with a sort of beatific expression on her face. This done, she makes some sort of satisfied sound, scoots over closer to Kai to make some room, and pats the couch to make some room,"Come sit with us? You're not intruding. I promise, Kai and I are excellent company." She looks over to Kai, then says,"I asked your friend Peter out on a date. And Shane asked me and several other people to the dance." "It sounds nice," Kai says, and his smile is a bit wistful. "Maybe some day I will have a new family, too." He doesn't sound very certain about this, though, and Wilmer gets a small hug as he peers up at Ducky. "You are not interrupting us," he says. "This is a place for all students to be welcome. Do you like cookies?" He picks up the rack and holds it up encouragingly. When Kris mentions asking Peter out, and then Shane asking.../everyone/ out, he grows quiet, and his mouth presses into a less-cheery line. "Peter is a very good person," he says slowly, his eyes tracking to the screen to watch a stampede through Ponyville. "He is a lot of fun to spend time with." The subject of Shane is neatly avoided. He scrunches his nose. "What did he say?" Ducky shuffles towards an empty arm chair in front of the TV, setting her book - the Audobon guide to North America - down on the floor beside her chair. Ducky stutters, "As, ah, as long as I'm not intruding, I guess I'll stay." She pulls her knees up to her chest, and listens to the talk about the dance for a bit, chewing on her lower lip as she does. "Good god, everyone is obsessing about that dance, aren't they? I, uh, I think this may be the thirsd conversation I've heard about it," Ducky bobs her head as she takes a cookie from the tray, "I like cookies. Thank you." Ducky pauses, and listens again, recognizing only a handful of the names. Kris looks into her bag of chips as if it contains the secret of life,"You can be my family. You are nice enough, and you treat me like a sister you are not annoyed by." She stuffs mor chips in her mouth. Omnomnom. "I am not particularly interested in Shane, but it was a nice offer. And Peter has always been very kind to me. I think I may be going on a date with Peter at some indeterminate time. I think Shane might also be there, but if he makes Peter happy, then that is fine. It's very confusing." She shifts her gaze over towards Ducky at this point,"I didn't get to go to school for a long time. I was never going to have dances before, so I'm very eager to see one. I am also eager to get 'Slurpees' with Kai and Sophie and Megan. It will be a fun outing." Kai blushes at the offer, and ducks his head. "That would be very nice," he says honestly. "I have never had a sister, before. Only brothers." He smiles, then, as Ducky takes a cookie. "I do not know why it is such a popular subject," he says of the dance. "But it seems to be very important." He listens as Kris talks, and something about what she's saying causes him to become very, very still. His attention flicks to the screen, then, and when he does move, it's only to sink into the cushions with a look that clearly says the math of Kris' date is confusing to him, as well. After a slow blink, he offers a small smile aimed at no one in particular. "I am looking forward to trying a Slurpee," he says. "I hope that we will be able to do it before Ivan goes to Russia." At the response from Kris, Ducky shakes her head, and pulls her knees up closer to her, trying to retreat, "Ah, no, no that's not, I didn't mean to say," she grimaces, running a hand through her short hair as she does, "Sorry. I didn't mean that it's a bad thing to talk about the dance, or going with people, or, um. Just that, um, it's a common discussion. And, I, I'm just gonna shut up now. Before I lodge my entire leg in my mouth along with my foot." She sighs, resting her chin on her knee with a somewhat vacant stare towards the TV, mumbling to herself mostly inaudibly. Kris reaches out to squeeze Kai's shoulder. "I think this is a positive development. I have never had siblings at all. I suspect it is a wonderful thing." She scratches her chin ina sort of antsy manner,"We can go anytime we have free time. When is Ivan going to Russia? Is he visiting his family? Will he be gone long? I like Ivan." She reaches for the remote to turn the television down a little,"That is a most acrobatic accomplishment. Anyway, it is okay if you do not have the same attention for it. Some things will always be more important to others. That is life. So, how is my little buddy Zophi." Zophi has apparently been friend-jacked. Kai smiles again, a little watery curl of lips that is no less genuine for it. "It can be a wonderful thing, I think. Not /my/ brothers, but some siblings can be nice." He colors a bit, and scrunches his nose as he considers the question. "He is going for two months," he says. "I think he will go when we are done with this term." And that exhausts his information on Ivan's travel plans, except for: "Peter and I will be taking care of his bugs, so they will be healthy for him when he gets back." He nods solemnly, and sinks back into the couch once more, flicking his gaze between the two girls. "It did not look like you had your leg in your mouth," he offers to Ducky helpfully. "You were sitting there the entire time." Ducky opens her mouth, closes it again, and smirks slightly, "Ah, it's a figure of speach," Ducky explains, shaking her head, "It means I'd said something foolish that I was regretting, and failing miserably at recovering from saying wrong." She ruffles her hair again, though it stays ruffled without the pigeon to groom it down, "I, ah, Zophi is fine. He kinds stays in the forest, since he's actually from around here. Kushi usually sleeps on my window sill. But, um, they're both fine, thanks for asking." She nods, smiling, but still keeping herself curled up, listening quietly to the discussion of families, natural and not, tilting her head slightly at the mention of keeping bugs for someone. Kris nods to Kai,"Let me know if you need help caring for them. He has very many bugs and I can't imagine it's easy for one or even two people without bug-control powers to manage." She leans over the couch now towards Ducky's armchair, holding her bag of chips out,"You should have some snacks. Pony-time is always better with snacks. And they taste better than leg or foot." She pauses and looks at Kai again,"I talked to Sebastian. He is looking into finding some horse for me. If he does, you will have to help me cook the good soup." She rises, rifling through her pockets at this point, until she finds a small comb, and holds it in Ducky's direction,"Your hair is messed up... I can comb it for you, or you can do it yourself." Kai nods. "Ivan wrote down instructions," he says to Kris. "Before he went with Mister Jackson and the others. So I will do it correctly and not get bitten." Because this is a REAL CONCERN with some of Ivan's bugs. "And Peter and I are going to try and find him others in the forest," he adds. "You can come with us." This is a generous offer, and a wave of his hand indicates that Ducky is included in it. "If you like bugs. Some people do not care for them." The tray of cookies is set aside, so that Kai can slide forward to inspect the chips and salsa. When Kris mentions Sebastian's aid, his face darkens again. "Kris." He's clearly going to MAKE A POINT. "The horse will taste very good in the soup. But you should not tell Sebastian that I will enjoy it, too. The twins do not wish to be my friends right now." He says this very matter-of-factly, even as he's grabbing a chip and scooping far too much salsa onto it. Ducky accepts a single chip from the bag, and idly nibbles on the chip in small deliberate lines, "Thank you." She glances between Kai, Kris, and the TV, where My Little Pony is still playing silently in the background, opening her mouth as though to say something, but apparently decides against voicing it. She keeps the irony of discussing eating horse while watching a show about sentient, friendly horses, to herself. She runs a hand through her hair, attempting to smooth it back down, "Sorry about that. I, uh, tend to just ruffly it up, one of my birds is usually there to fix it back down." Ducky raises an eyebrow at the fact that someone was apparently not very nice to Kai, tilting her head at the mention of the twins. Kris grins a little bit,"I have already taken this into mine. You have suggested as much to me, Kai. I still think they will warm up to you in time. If they do not, then they are fools. You are more important to me." Pause. "I will help you catch many more. I got very good at that in the jungle. Usually I ate them right away, but I will not eat them. I would be honored to help." She nibbles on her own chips, then pops up,"I'm going to clean up some of this since my shows are almost over. Anyone want me to bring them something from the kitchen?" Apparently she sees no reason to worry about eating horse while watching ponies. "Are you not allowed to bring the birds in?" Kai shrugs. "They are right to be angry with me. Foom did terrible things to people they cared about. It will take much time, I think." He's still very matter-of-fact about this, although there's a small frown as he considers something for a moment before shoveling the overladen chip into his mouth. But then there is discussion of Ducky's friends, and he turns his interest to the new girl, swallowing quickly. "You have birds?" he asks, eyebrows hiking. "Like Ivan has bugs? They are his friends, and sometimes they are in his hair." Because the two are /totally/ the same, in comparison. At least to Kai. He shakes his head at Kris' offer. "No, thank you. But I will help you clean up, if you wish." Ducky blinks in confusion about the eating bugs, apparently having lead a relatively sheltered life, all things considered, and continues nibbling on the chip she pulled from the bag, making tiny crunching noises with it. Almost all of what Kris and Kai are saying goes right over her head, but she does her best impression of understanding from the sidelines. The questions about her birds gets a blush, and she shakes her head, "Um, technically speaking, no. I'm supposed to get it cleared with the teachers before I can have them inside, especially since pigeons, especially city pigeons, are considered not so clean. Which is entirely a falsehood, really." She nods emphatically, glancing out the window, where sure enough, the dappled gray and white pigeon has settled in on the window ledge, pressed up against the glass and watching the three students. "And, um, yeah. I have birds, sort of, Kushi is almost always with me, and there are others who talk to me, but I don't bring them into the dorm," Ducky explains, mumbling an addition into her knees, "Unless it's storming really bad, or there's hawks threatening them." Kris shakes her head slightly at Kai,"I do not require help, but thank you for offering. She leaves the chips and salsa Kai is working on for the boy to continue eating,"Examine your statement, Kai. Foom did terrible things to people they cared about. Whether or not Foom is part of you, you do not control Foom, and from what you tell me, he would unlikely be able to muster the energy to even scoff at you trying to take responsibility for his deeds. Forgive yourself, as I try to forgive myself, friend. I was in control when I did my bit, you were not. If I can be forgiven, then so can you." She turns back to Ducky, at this point, and wonders,"You can't ask the hawks not to bother them? Well, I suppose it's good there aren't many falcons in this area." She gathers up a few more bits and pieces,"It was nice speaking to you Ducky. I'll try to be kinder to pigeons from now on." Kai nods patiently as Kris speaks, his lips curling into a small smile. "This is a thing which I know," he says. "Even Foom was not in control of himself when those things happen; it is not the fault of anyone but the bad doctors and their medicine." He has clearly come to terms with this. "It only makes me sad because Peter is their good friend, and it is uncomfortable for him at times." He smiles gamely, then turns his attention back to Ducky. "Birds are wonderful," he says. "I would watch them on the farm when I was young, flying overhead. Which one is the pigeon?" He lifts his eyebrows. "Are they the ones with many colors, that can talk?" Kris grins a little bit,"It will all resolve in time, Kai. I believe this. There is always a place to look beyond the rough times. When you find it, then life gets better. So it will be with your friend and his friends. Trust your friends to make all things good in time. Peter will look after himself." She turns with her armload of stuff for the exit. "You two be good and don't get into trouble, okay?" Ducky politely averts her eyes and attention as the conversation covers topics she feels she has no right to overhear, focusing instead on another dorito, nibbling on this one in much the same way as before. She nods about the birds, "I can ask, but I don't have command over the birds. So unless I offer them something else in exchange, they don't really like to listen to me. I'm, uh, it's something I intend to work on. But I appreciate you being nicer to the birds. Most people just ignore them, or worse." She smiles confusedly at Kai, and shakes her head, "No, those are parrots. Um, pigeons are sorta, normally gray, and dappled green purple... and don't really talk to most people, I think." She offers a wave to Kris as the other girl gets up to leave, stealing another handful of chips to nibble on. Kai smiles at Kris, and waves as she heads off. "She is very nice," he says to Ducky. "She will be a good sister." He scoots closer to Ducky when she describes her ability, and he nods. "That is a wonderful thing, though. I imagine birds see all sorts of interesting things." He's so sincere as he watches the girl's face. "Parrots," he repeats, nodding firmly. "I do not think I have seen a pigeon before," he admits, then his eyebrows pop. "Oh! They are the birds in the movies, who are always around the fountains and things." He nods with a bit more excitement. "They helped Giselle to clean the man's apartment, in the movie about the princess!" He actually bounces in his excitement at this understanding. "Do you like speaking to birds? Do they say interesting things?" Ducky nibbles on her chip, "Yeah. Pigeons are usually in cities - but they are really closely related to doves. They're actually called rock doves, but, um, pigeon is usually the common term." She tilts her head, smiling slightly at the Disney Princess reference, "Yup. Like Giselle, and Snow White, and, um, a few others. Not a connection I'd really made before now, I guess. Most people just call me bird brained." She grins, and ruffles her hair again, "Some have more to say than others. But they are my friends, and I like talking to them, sometimes it's easier than talking to people." She tweaks her mouth to the side, pondering, "If you want. I can introduce you to my friends some time. When it is nice out." The new girl nods and grins, looking at Kai, "Um, can, can I ask what your power is? Um, if you don't mind. If you don't want to tell me, that's ok. Just being curious, and, um, I, uh, sorry. Don't have to answer, just being nosey. Sorry." Birds. So much easier to talk to sometimes. Kai's brow furrows at the words he can't quite parse, and his lower lip juts out. "Why would they say you have the brain of a bird?" he asks, clearly confused. "You seem like a normal girl to me. One who can talk to birds." He smiles, and scoops up more salsa. "I would like to meet some birds," he says around a mouthful of chip, wiping a dribble of salsa from his chin. "To find out if they say interesting things. Thank you." The question for him gets a small shrug. and his smile fades. "I turn into dragon, who is called Foom," he says simply. "I do not think I will introduce you to him, though." "Sorry, I keep using sayings and stuff. Bird brained can mean, um, flighty, absent minded," Ducky offers with a smile, "Kids back home used to call me that, they picked that one since I was more interested in birds than people. 'Swhy dances don't really, um, interest me that much." She nibbles for a few more minutes on the chip, grinning, "I can introduce you to them some time. Next sunny day, when you aren't in classes or anything, meet me on the back porch. I can bring some of my friends around, and translate for them, so you can talk to them." Her grin fades a bit when Kai explains his power, "Oh. Oh wow. Um, I, ah, thank you." Kai frowns. "I have noticed that people are often mean when they don't understand something," he says. "It seems very wrong to me. It is much less effort to merely ask for an explanation." He smiles, and shrugs. "But you seem fine to me," he declares. "So, I will just call you Ducky. And I would very much like to meet your friends. I am often out in the gardens, so it will be easy to meet you." When her grin fades, his smile turns encouraging. "It is a very dangerous thing," he says. "But I am here to learn how to /not/ be dangerous about it." He closes one eye, and colors a bit. "And to attend school." Ducky smiles and nods, "I would like that. I go by Ducky most of the time. I'm, um, kinda nervous still, even thought Professor Xavier said it was safe here, that if I say my real name, my parents are gonna find me and ruin it all. So, what should I call you? I don't think I caught your name?" The young woman ruffles her hair again, grinning lopsidedly, "I'm here mostly to go to school. And because it was getting kinda dangerous in the city. People were dissapearing. The birds were telling me about it." She nods. "There is no need to be nervous," Kai offers helpfully. "But I know it is hard not to be. There are many good people here, and they will help you." He tilts his head, and offers a small, sympathetic curl of his lips. "My parents were bad, too," he says, and shrugs. "But I am here, now, and the Professor will watch over me. And you." The question gets a widening of the boy's eyes, and the duck of his head borders on a bow. "I am Kai," he says. "I came here a few months ago." The mentioning of the disappearances gets a deep frown. "Yes. They took Peter. And the twins." As if she should know who those folks are. "It was a very bad time. Now that they are back, it is time to make things better." Because it's just that easy. Nodding slowly, Ducky settles back into the chair, "I should know that. Everyone keeps telling me that, and the past few weeks I've been here, I've seen that, but," she shrugs, looking outside for a moment, "I can't help but worry. I've worried for nearly two years, I can't just turn it off." She smiles, when Kai says his name, "It is very nice to meet you, Kai." Nodding, "Yeah, the birds found where the twins were taken from, but I hadn't heard any updates after that, but I haven't exactly been asking around too horribly much. I figured it wasn't entirely my business." A concerned look crosses her face at mention of Peter, "I still need to thank him some time. Peter, that is. He, ah, saved me from some rather stabby people on a rooftop in New York." She leans her chin on her knee, grinning sideways, "I figure I'll meet people in time. It can't be that big of a school, right?" "It is nice to meet you, Ducky." Kai's very earnest as he, too, settles back, cuddling the left-behind Wilmer to his chest as he listens to Ducky's involvement in the missing mutant matter. His eyes widen as she speaks, and then he frowns. "If you helped in any way, it is not bad to ask how things turned out. It is not vanity, or being rude. It is correct that you should be curious to the results of your efforts." He raises a hand to see-saw it in the air, palm up. "But, I suppose it does not matter. They are home, and safe. So you know that you helped in doing a very good thing." His smile actually shows a bit of teeth, this time. "Peter is a very good person," he says, echoing his earlier sentiment. "He is my very good friend." Ducky's sentiment on the school population gets a small giggle, and Kai claps a hand over his mouth. "There are many students here," he says. "But it is not hard to make friends. They are very nice people." Most of them. "It's just good to know that they are back here, and safe, and sound," Ducky says with a nod, shifting in her chair, "I didn't do much. But I am glad if it helped in any way. It was, um, scary, in the city, while people were being snatched up. More so than usual." She shakes her head and looks at the time, sighing, "Bah. I am very sorry for having to run off, but, um, I need to head out. I'm supposed to be meeting with my advisor and finding out what class I'll actually be getting to take next semester, and training, I guess." She shrugs, ruffling her hair again. "It was nice to meet you. I will see you around campus, I suppose," she says, uncurling herself from her chair and picking up her book, "Have a nice day, Kai." Offering a bit of a wave, she heads for her dorm, intent on changing out of PJs before talking to her advisor. Kai smiles. "Any help is help," he says wisely, and Wilmer agrees, the way the boy twitches the unicorn's head to nod. When Ducky begins to make her exit, he nods. "It was good to meet you, too, Ducky," he says earnestly. "I am always here," he says to seeing her around campus. "This is my home, now." And with /that/ sentiment, he sends her off with a cheery wave, watching intently as she heads out the door. Then he's getting the tray of cookies and settling back with Wilmer to continue the My Little Pony marathon where Kris left off. | |
