10247/A Westchester Thanksgiving

A Westchester Thanksgiving
Date of Scene:	28 November 2019
Location:	Dining Hall - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	And the food coma took them all.
Cast of Characters:	Shadowcat, Polaris, Nightingale, Cannonball, Rage, Samuel Morgan, Hindsight, Dragonfly (Armenteros), Vi

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Shadowcat has posed:
The snow has mostly melted away, and a little warmer weather blows through just in time for Thanksgiving. A big, annual Thanksgiving football game is held by the students out on the front yard. The area around the kitchen and dining room are filled with delicious smells as the kitchen is preparing one of the biggest, most elaborate meals of the years. Turkey, chicken, and duck are not enough. No, there has to be turducken too. Vegetarian dishes chosen for the flavor are there for those not wishing a meat coma.

The dishes are brought into the dining room and set up on tables that surround the room on two sides. More food than even Blob would handle (though he is still in jail where the X-men put him a few weeks back).

Students start to gather, moving to make themselves plates, while the curtains are drawn back to let in some natural light before the day fades. A couple of TVs on the wall have the annual football games on. Cowboys and the Bills, resulting in a small contingent from Texas cheering against the majority of the rest of the school.

Polaris has posed:
It was the first day that Lorna had actually come down for a planned meal, and small wonder, some might say.. Roberto had visited and left after a while spent upstairs with the green haired Princess. And she seemed in higher spirits for it. Lorna stepped into the room, still bundled in a thick fleecy sweater and pair of skinny jeans as she stuck to the edges of the gathering. Her gaze swinging from gaggle of students to gaggle as they moved through the room.

When there was a break in the masses devouring the food, she stepped into line, picking up a plate and setting down the more traditional food stuffs: turkey, potatoes, gravy, beans, and squash. Stuffing. And since it was a holiday and she was of age. A small glass of wine.

Nightingale has posed:
     Off to one side of the dining hall, Shannon is on her phone, for a brief call home in between helping carry out the various dishes to be served at the feast. She's in her favorite light blue jeans, cream cotton poet's blouse, and white sneakers, and is sporting a glacier-blue braid hanging on the left side of her face. Her voice is kept low, but it still can't mask the hitch in her voice. "Gotta go, mom... dad. I love you both so much. Miss you!" With a little tap on her phone, she signs off, and has to take a few moments to compose herself. This was going to be a good day. Nobody here would be alone.

Cannonball has posed:
A whole passel of kids most don't recognize come running into the room eight of them in fact. Five girls and three boys who all but one have a strong family resemblance to one another except the one African American teenage boy. The youngest being eight or so, and the eldest looking to be 15 or 16. They are all ohhs and ahhs, and you can hear Sam's and a ladies voice at the same time "No running in the house." Sam chuckles and will step into the room with a lady who looks to be in her mid thirties. That family resemblance is obvious now it is the Guthrie clan in the house. Sam will look around and "Ok you bunch your sitting over this way with us. He will show them where to sit. As he gets them to their seats he will say "For those of you who have not met them, this is my family. Ma, Joelle, Elisabeth, Jebediah, Melody,Lewis, Cissie, Jinny (Unless comics ever finally name her in the comics later on), and the newest member of the family Ray Jr. They are going to be here for a few days and will be on their best behavior." He will tell the people and maybe his siblings as well. Sam will make sure one of Xian is on the far end with her brother and sister. He trusts her to keep an eye on the far end of the pack, as he wants to be able to sit beside Ma himself.

Rage has posed:
Heading into the kitchen is Andrea, who is dressed in a pair of slim jeans and a festive looking light blue sweater with white snowflakes upon it. She had spent most of the morning and afternoon doing a couple of PR events, but now she's back to see her friends and family. She lifts a hand to wave to Shannon, then looks over towards Sam and the large gathering of Guthries. "Happy Thanksgiving everyone." She says with a warm smile upon her face.

Brushing her dark hair back behind her ear, she heads for the fridge to snag a bottle of water and wait for the guests to serve themselves. She knows better than to muscle in on a hungry family.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It might be surprising for those who know him well, but Bean was already in the room and seemingly enjoying himself. Having helped carrying in the food, he finally helped himself to some, a modest pile of turkey, chicken, gravy, potatoes, roast carrots, stuffing and gravy. Modest for the season, not for daily consumption. Dressed in a fashionable knit sweater, fashionable jeans and sturdy but well polished shoes rather than his customary boots, he's making an effort to fit in with the other students. Even Bear, who is by necessity very much on duty, is seemingly enjoying the pleasant atmosphere, secure in the knowledge that there will be leftovers for treats later on.

    After an enlightening conversation about the rules and rivalries of Football with the crowd watching the games, the teenager wanders back over to the other side of the room, giving the Guthrie clan a brief salute with a glass of coke and making sure to pass within sight of Shannon, in case she needs someone to talk to.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty is over helping with some of the serving. She smiles to the students, and then greets some of the Guthrie clan as they show up for the meal. The guest rooms in the boathouse are probably overflowing with the sound of Kentucky accents.

Ma Guthrie keeps a watchful eye on her clan, wanting to make sure they leave a good impression with the school that has done a lot for her children already. She turns to meet the others at the school, some of whom she knows, others of whom she does not. "Hello everyone. Thank you for having us for Thanksgiving," she says.

Kitty smiles over to the woman to say, "It's been great having you. And thank you for your contributions to the meal. You really didn't have to help out in the kitchen though," Kitty says, getting a wave from Ma Guthrie. "Oh, it wouldn't feel like Thanksgiving if I wasn't cooking," Samuel Guthrie's mother says.

Hindsight has posed:
    New student, Nathaniel Carver, slips into line just behind Lorna, wearing a cable-knit sweater and a broad smile. "I was smelling this all day," he remarks, piling his plate with the customary Thanksgiving food. "Looks like everyone did an amazing job, even with...setbacks from Ms. Lee." Another grin, then he lifts a gloved hand to wave towards Andrea. "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
First Thanksgivings are something that a lot of people don't get to experience. Sure, there's the first thanksgiving with a family, or with friends, or in a new place, but for some people, like Gwendolyn, this is the first thanksgiving with all of those things involved, without her family. The insect-eyed girl is the last to arrive at the dining room or, rather, one of the last, hanging at the end of the line, watching and listening, just staying out of the way as much as one can in the middle of a cacophony of conversations, clinking plates, and merriment.

Dressed comfortably in her usual jeans and sweater combo for the winter, she's slow to approach anyone, instead preferring to sit by herself near one of the corners of the room, sipping on a glass of iced tea, made by special request, and just absorbing what all is going on.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon offers a smile to Ma Guthrie, dipping her head. "Know the feeling. Feels... strange, being here on Thanksgiving. But I'm really glad for it, too. It's wonderful to finally get a chance to know you and the rest of the clan, too." Oh yes. She'd seen the hungry hordes swarming the tables, and she was waiting her turn right along with the rest. Andrea had the right idea. You do not come between a hungry clan and a spread like this one! Not if you valued the ability to see another day, anyways.

A small smile is offered to Bean, and a quick hug around the shoulders. "Happy Thanksgiving." She waves to Gwendolyn and Andrea, Sam, and Kitty, Nathaniel, and Lorna. "Wow. This is... wow. So many more here than I thought there'd be. Sure hope there's going to be enough pies for everyone!"

Polaris has posed:
Lorna sipped at her wine as she glanced toward Nathaniel as he spoke toward her, she smiled warmly. "I was smelling it too, and I don't have any extra senses that way. I can't imagine what some people have to go through." She inhaled and mmm'ed under her breath as she made to find a place to sit down and finally rip into her turkey, gravy, and potatoes. It was all perfect.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie moves to where he can watch over the little ones as they are getting their things. He will give Jeb and Ray a look "You can come back for seconds you don't have to pile it on where it is going to fall off the plate." He is smiling though and looks over to Ma. "You go ahead and get you something to Ma, I will watch the army, this is vacation for you as well." He does look over and sees Gwen off to herself, offers her a smile and tries to make her feel welcome. Cissie one of the youngest girls looks at Shannon's wings, and says "Ah hope if I get wings they are white like yours, and not red like Josh's ". She will quickly add his are nice on him, but red wings, and blonde hair, don't think it would look good together.

Rage has posed:
Heading over to wrap Gwen up in a hug, Andrea leans in and pecks her cheek, then goes about squeezing Nathan, then Shannon as well. Samuel will get a hair tussle. She plucks a plate up and steps into line, inching forward when she can. "Gwen, gonna sit next to me? I'll save you a chair." She says as she inches in again when the line moves.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    To return the hug, Bean needs to put down his plate, which is easier said than done in the general hurly burly. But nevertheless the feat is managed so he can wrap his arms around Shannon. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too." Before picking up his plate again, before doing anything else in fact, he hurries over to Nathaniel, and offers him a very neatly wrapped package that he'd had to tuck into the back of his belt for lack of pockets on these jeans. "Happy Thanksgiving. This is for you. Hope I got the size right."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon can't help a little laugh as Cissie comes over, and she delays her trip to fill her plate just a little while longer. Crouching down to be on eye level with the wee one, she spreads out her wings to let her have a better look. "You know," she remarks, very lightly tapping the young girl on the end of her nose. "I think just about any color wing would look pretty on you, because it'd be /yours/. But whatever you are now or become someday is beautiful, because it's you." She wriggles first one wing just out of reach, then the other, playing with the little one for a moment, chortling to herself before capturing her for a wing-hug, wrapping her up in a warm, feathery cocoon.

It only lasts a moment before she stands, and is drawn into a rather enthusiastic hug herself. Meeping, she laughs and returns the hug in full measure. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too, you nutter." The last is spoken with a playful, teasing tone, and chased with a smile. She calls out to Nathaniel, "Happy Thanksgiving!", offering a smile to him as well. Still, she holds off for a few moments more, till the worst of the feeding frenzy seems past.

Shadowcat has posed:
Ma Guthrie nods to her son as he sends her off to get food. "Alright, thank you Sam," she tells him, resting a hand on her son's shoulder before moving off into the room.

Though she doesn't head for the tables yet. Instead she makes her way over to Andrea. "I understand you had a lot to do with us all getting out here together as a family," Mrs. Guthrie tells Andrea. "I just wanted to say thank you so very much. It means a lot, with Sam and Jay off in school, to get everyone back together like this," she says. If Andrea allows her, Mrs. Guthrie gives the singer a warm hug of gratitude.

Kitty makes her way over to where Lorna has taken a seat, bringing a bowl of pistachio pudding. "Can't let it go without getting in a green joke," she tells Lorna with a smile, patting her shoulder warmly.

Kitty smiles over to Samuel and moves nearer to tell him, "I think the kitchen set aside a nice bone for Bear that you can pick up." She grins to him and says, "Happy Thanksgiving. Is this a holiday you've done much celebrating on before?" she asks him more quietly.

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Andrea's hug is accepted with a small bob of her head, the seat Gwendolyn chose specifically out of the way, making Andrea have to deliberately come over and drag her into the group. Samuel gets a return wave, Gwendolyn responding to Andrea with a simple "Yeah, okay." she waves as Andrea heads off into the line, slipping out of her chair and getting in line herself, smiling at the sight of Cissie and Shannon discussing wings. "I don't know." She calls out to the little girl. "If you get wings, you're really lucky. Having wings like Jay or Shannon, whatever color, is wonderful. Or you could get wings like mine. Different, but still good."

Hindsight has posed:
    "They're worse scents," Nathaniel shoots back, to Lorna, with a chuckle. Holding a plate and being generally reluctant to touch, he tenses a bit when Andrea wraps her arms around him but quickly flashes her a smile. It's Thanksgiving, and even if he's around newly met people, they're good people and know his situation. He winks and says, "Save me one, too."

    To accept the gift from Bean, Nathaniel steps out of line and sets his full plate on a surface. "That's so..." He looks at the package as if it were some sort of treasure, taking it and carefully turning it over. There's a lot going on around him. "Well. Aren't you a sweetheart. Thank you. I'll open it back in my room, if that's okay?" He will lean in and wrap Sam in a careful hug, though.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna smiled at Nathaniel, "I'm Lorna, it's nice to meet you, are you new? I'm not always around the Mansion.. nut if you need anything you always ask." She offered politely, and as kitty came back over to her, she smiled. A glance followed toward the pudding that Kitty had brought her and Lorna grinned, plucking it up in her grip and helping herself to it before she actually started in on her food.

"Thanks, life is short, eat desert first?" She offered, and glanced around at the gathering at large.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie watches as Cissie looks confused for a moment at Gwen, and asks "Do you hide your wings like josh does?" She asks not seeing Gwen's wings yet. The little girl does seem happy talking to the older two girls. Melody and Elizabeth will stop by Sam G. and ask him something. He sighs but smirks a bit and says "If she is ok with it." and the two will head over to ask Andrea "Mind if we sit with you guys?" Sam chuckles as Jeb and Ray Jr are sitting together, waiting for the rest of the family talking and looking around still. Sam will step in to help the other kids with their food when they need it. He does a head count making sure all have their food, and will make a circuit of family and non family both giving out napkins to anyone missing on.

Rage has posed:
"I'll save you one too!" Andrea calls over to Nathan with a grin. "I'll squeeze in the middle between you and Gwen." When Ma Guthrie comes over, she gives the matriarch a smile, then returns the hug to her. "It's no problem. I knew it meant a lot to the two of them, and Shannon. I'm glad that you were all able to get out here safely! If you guys need anything else, just let me know. If you guys want to take a shopping trip into the city, I can arrange that as well. They have a huge toy store in Times Square and it's fun to run about in there."

When Melody and Elizabeth comes over, she gives them a grin. "Sure. You can sit with us also. We'll call it the VIP section with you two around."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    A careful hug is still a hug and Bean happily hugs back with equal care. After, he winks and Nathaniel and pats him on the shoulder. A sweetheart? First time he's been called that... and from his expression, he quite likes it. "Of course man. And enjoy the party." That shoulder gets a firm squeeze, and then Bean moves on... it seems, straight towards Kitty, and he lowers his voice just slightly.

    "Actually, no, this is my first one. Hope I'm doing it right." But it's said with a smile while picking up his plate which has, miraculously, not been pilfered by the ravenous hordes. "I think it's harder on Bear than me, but he's getting so many treats tonight..."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon grins at Cissie, and nods towards Gwen. "Personally, I think she's got the prettiest wings of all. Just like a dragonfly's. And she's just learning to fly, too." With a lull in the feeding frenzy, she guides the young lady over with her to get a plate full of food, with the younger one's portion a little more suited to her age. Shannon herself, however, has no qualms about getting a little bit of everything that doesn't involve pecans. As for the matter of hiding one's wings, or other mutation? "Sometimes, it's one of those complicated things you have to decide for yourself one day, whether or not you want or need to hide part of who you are. But you're still little, and shouldn't need to worry about that for a long time to come." A soft smile is given to Cissie, accompanied by a light ruffle of her pretty blonde hair. "You go on and join the clan, I'll find a seat wherever there's still room."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty laughs at Lorna's comment and nods back to her. "Absolutely. It's that time of year we can all let our hair down a little bit. And good to have people we care about with us," Kitty says, the smile she gives the Genoshan royal making it clear that Lorna is in that group. "I hope Blink is able to make it down. If not let's make sure we save her a plate of turkey," Kitty suggests.

Kitty smiles as Samuel joins her. At the question if he's doing it right, Kitty visually follows Samuel's path back to Nathaniel. "Gathering with friends. Letting them know you appreciate them. I'd say you're doing it perfectly, Sam," Kitty tells him with a big smile. "Just perfectly."

Meanwhile, Ma Guthrie is listening to a few of her kids excited at the prospect of the shopping trip that Andrea just proposed. "Well, that's such a nice offer. I think, let's see how things go," says the experienced mother of more than most people can count without using fingers. The Guthrie clan interested in seeing said toy store will know from experience, their behavior today will decide the matter. Mrs. Guthrie turns back to Andrea giving her a quick smile and wink where the kids can't see. "Thank you," she tells Andrea warmly before moving across the room a bit more.

Ma Guthrie motions towards Shannon as she looks towards Samuel Guthrie. When she gets a confirmation from him, she continues over to the white-winged girl. "I understand that you're Shannon. I've heard a lot about you," she says, offering Shannon both of her hands whenever Shannon's aren't themselves full.

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
When little Cissie expresses interest, Gwendolyn sets her empty plate aside, turns, and flexes her shoulders, rolling them this way and that for a moment or two. And as the little girl watches, what Gwen calls 'organic oragami' starts happening, and her wings - two pairs, just like a dragonfly's wings - extend, flutter once or twice, glinting like jewels in the light, and then fold back in, out of the way. "I've got the advantage of being able to put mine up. Sleep on my back. Stuff I bet Shannon, there, would really like to be able to do." A little teasing? Yeah, a little. Gwen's comfortable here.

Giving the little girl a wave, Gwendolyn moves to the line and starts to fill her plate. Ham, turkey, dressing, that orange sweet potato casserole stuff, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts with bacon...if it's on display, she takes a little of it to try before finding the empty table that Andrea has dedicated as the VIP Section.

Hindsight has posed:
    "Nathaniel Carver," The white-haired mutant says to Lorna, a faint dusting of pink on his cheek. His smile is small but entirely genuine, as Bean wanders off. Back to the princess, he calls, "I love your hair, by the way!" He takes the plate and the gift and settles into the seat at the table Andrea has designated for VIPs. It'll be a miracle if he waits until his room to open the package.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Hey, I manage to sleep on my back just fine. And I wind up with an extra feather blanket!" Shannon calls out to Gwen, chuckling. "Got to admit, though, that folding trick with your wings is pretty neat. How on earth do you do that?"

     It comes as a little bit of a surprise when Ma Guthrie approaches her, but a pleasant one. A smile spreads slowly across her face, and she sets her plate down briefly on the serving table; if it got picked up by a hungry student, it got picked up, and no hard feelings. This was far more important. She takes the older woman's hands and squeezes them gently; the fingertips of her left hand bear the beginnings of calluses familiar to anyone who plays stringed instruments. "Probably the horror stories, ma'am," she jokes, chuckling softly. "I think I've given Sam a few early gray hairs there."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie watches Cassie ohhh and smiles at the wings. She is tempted to follow the older girl but moves back to sit beside her brothers where she was supposed to be sitting. Sam will move to get inline to get him some food. He chuckles a bit over at Shannon, but still has his head on a swivel watching the gang. Mel and Elizabeth will ask Andrea questions about who she likes playing with, how she was discovered, but will try to less fan girl a bit as Gwendyth joins them.

Rage has posed:
The 'VIP' section of the table is really not a VIP section. It's just some empty chairs. Andrea flops down in between Gwen and Nathan, then drizzles some gravy over her turkey and stuffing. As she talks with the two girls, she tells them anything they want to hear, and even goes as far to get Taylor Swift on Facetime so they can all tell her Happy Thanksgiving together. Maybe she's showing off a bit, but she did plan on calling at some point.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    As much as Bean has been enjoying the general madness so far, when it comes to food he prefers to be a bit more isolated. So he finds a seat at a quieter part of the table to finally get down to the act of eating. So much food... such smells, such variety. And he saw most of the cooking during his inexpert helping out, so he can even trust everything that's on his plate. Such joy.

    Time to eat. Any and all queries directed to recipient will be answered in two to three business days...

Shadowcat has posed:
Ma Guthrie gives Shannon's hands a squeeze. "Well, he's used to handling such if so. I just want you to know, you've always got a welcome spot at our table or our home, Shannon," she says, beaming a smile to the girl. Ma Guthrie looks over to her eldest son, giving him a big smile as well and then letting Shannon go to finally go and get herself a plate.

Kitty checks on how things are going, wandering around to say hello to a few of the students and check how they are doing. Then someone mentions the gravy is running low. "I'll get some more," she says, waving someone else who was about to head to the kitchen away. Kitty heads off to pick up a new gravy boat and bring it back out.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles and gives Ma Guthrie a big hug, wings and all. "Thank you. That means a lot." There are actually tears pooling in the girl's eyes as she steps away to pick up her plate again, and find a spot over at the table, finding very few places open at this point. As she passes by Cissie, she plucks one of her larger wing feathers and tucks it into the little girl's hair for an ornament, winking at her.

Ah yes, there's an empty spot, roughly halfway between the Guthrie contingent, and the VIP section. And there is only so long the mansion's resident healer in training can go without partaking of such a feast. She chuckles, calling out to Bean as she settles into her seat, "How many extra for this repast? Two? Three?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will get his seat, and as Ma sits all the Guthrie's bow their head, and say a silent prayer. They do not force this on any of the others, each saying their own prayer softly and amen about the same time, and then it is back to talking or starting to eat. Sam will smile and will tell his Ma about Alexis apologizing since she is not here, but explaining she is at the shelter serving people and he plans on going later to help. Ma suggests he may want to take a couple of the little ones looking over to Zeb and Ray jr.

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
With the meal well and truly underway, Gwendolyn bows her head at the Guthrie family's prayer - even though she's already eaten two slices of ham and a roll. Once they're done, she tucks into her meal, nibbling and tasting and enjoying every second. When Shannon sits nearby, Gwendolyn shifts a little to reach across the table, tapping her lightly. "The wing thing? It's just lucky, I guess, being able to fold them in. If I had wings like yours, making it up here would have been much, much harder, but I'd probably have been flying much earlier than two weeks ago." She grins, glancing to Cissie and the rest of her family, watching the little girl interact, showing off the feather Shannon gave her proudly.

"You made a memory, you know?" Gwendolyn said to the angelic healer, leaning back to elbow Andrea lightly. "So, how'd your stuff this morning go?"

Rage has posed:
"It went good. Just long. Photoshoot. Interview. New single release." Andrea says with a grin, brows lifting. "Make sure you listen to the radio, Shannon. You maaaay hear yourself on it." She tucks into her food after prayer, humming to herself happily. "So, got a gift, huh Nathan?" She asks teasingly as she looks over at him, brows lifting, then glances over to Samuel. She /HMMS/ at Nathan. Hmm.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Food eaten during the holidays has no calories." Bean answers Shannon after the prayer. He didn't join in, but he did stop eating while it was going on as a sign of respect. Yes, he does catch the look Andrea gives him and simply smiles back. Then, food. Much food. Such noms.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles a little bit and nods. "Hopefully a good one," she replies to Gwendolyn. "There's been a few times like that since I came up here. When I was shadowing Josh Foley in the hospital over in Salem Center, there was a little girl there who was equally as curious about my wings. First time anyone like that ever just came right up to me without being freaked out about what I am. Hope she learned not to be afraid of us, or of herself if she turned out to manifest one day."

She grins over at Bean and just laughs, shaking her head. "I like that way of thinking." Still, it was an unspoken thing that it would be back to the morning runs the following day, and she resolved to head on down to the gym later, post turkey coma, of course!

With a forkful of turkey halfway to her mouth, she just turns and raises her eyebrows at Andrea. "Oh lordy... I was just one of a few backup singers for that one!" Her cheeks turn faintly pink and she chuckles a little bit. "We'll talk about hearing myself on the radio if any of my own stuff ever makes it. But let's be honest, you have more talent in your pinky nail than I have in my whole body."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
The food on Gwendolyn's plate is steadily disappearing. Sure, she's about halfway through this one when she starts to slow, and to her credit she doesn't go back for seconds because the absolute last thing she needs is more Calories to work off, despite what Jubilee said. Getting up for the morning run tomorrow is going to be HARD, but she promised the dark-haired woman that she'd do it. If there's one thing about Gwen, she keeps promises, even if they're not fun to keep.

"So I have to worry about my fiddle suddenly making it on to a record of yours?" Gwendolyn smiles, taking another bite. "I'm so not used to brushing shoulders with someone famous. Randomly in a song..." She giggles and pokes her fork at Shannon. "Can I have your autograph?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie starts eating. He continues to watch the gathering, and will catch Ma, smirking at him a bit, as she leans over, and tells him he is acting like his Pa at the family reunions trying to make sure everyone is having fun but not to much fun. He will blush a bit and the two with Andrea will look over to Shannon, you got to sing back up cool" They seem impressed.

Rage has posed:
There is a soft snort from Andrea as she waves off Shannon's compliment. "Come on, stop saying those things. You have a great voice and I am /not/ Beyonce or Madonna." She rubs a bit of a blush from her cheek. "But your name is on the song though in the credits. So that's cool at least. It does mean something."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Bean eats. He does occasionally glance over to the others, and shares a few jokes or comments, but mostly he's by himself, keeping to himself.

Hindsight has posed:
    "Yeah, it's from Sam," Nathaniel says, dark eyes going upwards. "Thanksgiving really is early Christmas, isn't it? You guys recorded a song together?" He only playfully waggles his brows in response to Andrea's teasing, before pushing a spoonful of food into his mouth. Can't embarrass himself if he's eating!

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon turns flame red and just shrugs at the two young Guthrie ladies, smiling a little sheepishly. "Maybe just a little. Just you wait till the concert, though. Got my own stuff to sing then." She smiles a bit back over at the clan. "Call it a bit of a Christmas present. Only one I could really give all of you at once."

Gwen gets a playful nudge and roll of her eyes. "Oh come on. I don't plan on being famous or anything." She shakes her head, laughing a little bit, and poking at the Brussels sprouts on her plate.

She grins a little bit over at Andrea and nods. "Yeah, that /is/ something. If I ever have littles of my own, it's something I can tell them about--the time I sang backup for one of the greats, the one and only Andrea Jackson. And I /still/ say you're the more talented of the two of us."

She smiles a bit over to Nathaniel and shrugs. "I was just a backup singer for one of her more recent songs. Kind of a fun experience. There was more talent in that room than you could shake a stick at--and a lot of that is sitting just a seat or two down from me, regardless of what she herself says!"

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Gwendolyn just smiles and scrapes the last of the potatoes off her plate, finishing it. Then, with a wiggle, she swivels 'round and takes her plate to the big bin that's set aside for such things and migrates to the dessert table. Quite possibly the most important table there. She takes a moment to look it over - pies, cakes, and cobblers as far as the eye can see. A diabetic nightmare. A dream for sugar-lovers. Bouncing on her toes, one of the small dessert plates is snagged and bits of dessert - bite-sized ones - are loaded up. When she returns, it's with a mountain of sugar.

"Man...." She says with a smile. "Jubilee's gonna kill me if she knew I ate this."

Rage has posed:
Jubilee pokes her head in from the other room, points at her eyes, points at Gwen, then goes back to watching the games on the TV.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie continues to chat quietly with his mom. The boys have already went for second helping after getting the nod from Sam. The girls will smile and as they set there Melody will start to glow a bit and hover off her seat, Elizabeth looks at her and points to the chair. Melody looks down, and the glow fades, and she falls about half a foot back into her chair. She blushes a bit "Um sorry about that."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
With Jubilee's appearance, the massive pile of dessert Gwendolyn had stops disappearing at about halfway. Yeah, she shouldn't eat all of this. Still, now that she's got a plate in her, she goes and starts gathering to-go containers. Surely there are people that haven't made it down and she's going to feed them, too, dammit.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon grins at Melody as she sees her glowing. "Oh, now that was neat!" She ruffles her wings out behind her in lieu of applause, as her hands are rather occupied with the task of getting food from plate to her mouth.

She giggles softly and sticks her tongue out at Jubilee, calling out to her, "Hey now, not all of us can be bug splats on the floor after 100 push-ups right out of the starting gate!" Aside, to Gwen, she chuckles, and stage-whispers, "If you play your cards right with her, it might mean ice cream for winning a fitness challenge."

Vi has posed:
Vi makes it back to the school, dropped off at the gate by a car and hurrying up the lane. Her light jacket is wrapped about herself, not quite warm enough now it's late and the temperatures are dropping. Vi reaches the front doors and slips quietly inside.

She wipes her feet carefully after having heard someone a few days back comment to another student who tracked in mud. Vi looks around the empty halls, focusing on her senses, intending to listen, but it is instead a set of smells that catch her attention.

The petite older teen makes her way slowly down the hallways, walking over nearer to the walls as she often does rather than down the middles. She nears the dining room and peeks around the doorway into the room to see what is going on inside. The different set up makes her brow furrow a little bit, and her head cants to the side as she tries to figure out what is going on in there.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will eat and as he finishes he offers to take his ma's plate to the tote to put away and she offers to get them both desserts. He sees Vi, and will smile and walk over "Hey Vi, come on in, it is an American holiday called Thanksgiving. It was originally a celebration by the settlers and native Americans. It has became a holiday for family and friends, to give thanks for the things they have, and eat lots of food, and be together. Come on in, get yourself something to eat, your part of the family here.

Cannonball has posed:
Melody blushes a bit more, and says "Ah am still learning but seems Ah am going to be able to fly sorta like Sam, but Ah just sorta glow and leave a bit of trail behind me, Ah run into something hurts like...." she remembers her ma is in the room "Heck."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
Gwendolyn is in the middle of loading up one of two to go containers with the bounty of the buffet, making sure to get stuff from each bowl or serving plate. Elisabeth's floating gets a smile from the woman, and Gwendolyn, antenna and all, lifts her visor to wink one sapphire-blue eye at the girl who was floating before pulling it back down. "Keep practicing where it's safe. And when your mom says it's okay." She says, spooning some sweet potatoes into the clamshell container. "You'll only get better with time."

The second clamshell is loaded with dessert. Pie, cake, and some of those rice krispy things, along with a healthy dollop of whipped cream for the tastes that need a little more sugar.

"I'm going to go check rooms. See if anyone's home that didn't make it down for dinner. All this..." She lets out a low whistle. "I think we're going to be eating leftovers for /weeks/ thanks to the spread this place put on." Vi's appearance isn't startling - the new face, however, is. Gwendolyn gives the petite woman a wave with her free hand. "Just in time. Come get a plate. Or two." She looks back over her shoulder at the buffet. "I think they expected more people."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon gigglefits and winks at Melody. "Oh lordy, another Rocket Toots." Yes, she's even toning down that nickname for Ma Guthrie's sake. "Stick to your big brother like glue on that one--and for heaven's sake, don't light a match." She sticks her tongue out a little bit at Sam, giggling and very much enjoying being the little sister for once. However, she does nod in agreement with Gwendolyn as well. "Exactly. Always listen to your ma on that one, too."

Vi's entrance is greeted with a wave, and a light ruffling of her wings. "Hey there! Vi, right? I've seen you a few times but never really got to talk too much." She smiles softly at the other girl, and chuckles. "Plenty of food here, so get a plate and have at it."

Vi has posed:
Vi still tends to avoid crowded times in the kitchen and dining room, though not nearly as much as she did when she first got to the school. As Samuel spots her and comes over, she gives him a tiny smile and lifts her hand to give him a little finger wave. "Oh... Thanksgiving?" she repeats. "I heard some people talking about it, mentioned we wouldn't have school but I wasn't really sure what it was," the young brunette woman says.

She moves a little further into the room, eyes darting about at people. Though it doesn't take long for the food to draw her attention. It's not so much that she's hungry. Ok, she /is/ hungry. But just the sheer amount of food set out like that where anyone can get it. Even after a month and a half, a sight like that still gets to her inside.

"Thank you," Vi tells Samuel, and Gwendolyn as the girl invites her forward as well. Vi moves over to the table, getting a plate hesitantly. She watches what others are doing, as if seeking that assurance others are just walking up and taking what they want, before she does the same. She gets some turkey. She knows what that is. And mashed potatoes and gravy. After that many of the dishes might be unfamiliar from the way Vi bends down to sniff at them. She glances about again, trying to see what other people are getting. As someone gets some cranberry sauce, she puts a little of that on her plate as well. Then some green bean casserole, and some macaroni and cheese. Dinner rolls are familiar items she gets. Not the hugest plate, but to her it's a lot of food.

Vi moves over to look for a table as Shannon greets her. "Hello. Shannon, right?" she asks quietly. She raises her hand not holding the plate to give a little wave. "So does this happen a lot?" she asks, motioning to the food.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well, I don't know about a lot, but we do the holidays pretty big, will be another big dinner sorta like this maybe not quite as much different stuff around Christmas, and then the next biggest food holiday probably be either Mardi Gras, and the fourth of July. You will find small spreads out at other times, but we try to give all the holidays some attention since we have students from multiple religions and regions of the world. You can have as much as you want, Ah only ask if you take left overs to your room, Tupperwear containers, kept in the mini fridge Ah set up, and bring them back down when empty." He smiles and says "And most of the kids ya don't recognize are my brothers and sisters, with a few new students in the number as well." He offers a smile and heads to sit beside his mom. Melody raises a brow "Rocket toots? Ah don't go nearly as fast as him, but am much quieter, and can already make turns." she as well sticks her tounge out playfully at Sam."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods and smiles at Vi. "That's right." She notes the older teen's continued hesitance about partaking in her fair share of the bounty, but doesn't make a big deal of it. She motions to the Brussels sprouts on her own plate, and then to the corresponding serving dish with a soft smile. "Those are one of my favorites," she offers by way of encouragement. "It might be interesting for you to try." Her smile widens and she ruffles her wings softly behind her. "There's sure no shortage of food here, but a major feast like this is generally reserved for special occasions. A feast like this, especially, is a really nice way for friends and family to gather and celebrate. Take today, for example. A lot of history behind the holiday, but it boils down to a day to focus on giving thanks for the things we've been blessed with in our lives."

Gwendolyn's remark about the bounty of the spread has her grinning, and laughing to the other girl. "Don't get me wrong, I love cooking... it's my way to show folks I care. But I'll be glad for a break from that for a few days, don't know about you!"

A grin and a wink of understanding is offered to Ma Guthrie, and she giggles. "Bet you're in pretty much the same boat during the holidays, ma'am, with the family you've been blessed with."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
"I will /mess you the heck up/ on Mardi Gras. No booze, either. Just food, and lots of it. Everywhere else, it's just Tuesday, but here..." Gwendolyn giggles, spinning deftly on her toe a full circle, tapping her other toe as she twists in a kind of dancing motion. "Here we'll have fun, let me tell you."

Yeah, Gwen's from Louisiana. She knows Mardi Gras amazingly well. She is going to make Mardi Gras amazing for the X-mansion.

"So to clarify." Gwendolyn waves to Vi once she's gathered a plate. "Thanksgiving is this meal here. Traditional American holiday, celebrating the first good harvest after the arrival of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. Or, at least, that's what Charlie Brown taught me." She closes the dessert clamshell, nodding to Samuel. "Ain't for me. Gonna hit the rooms and see if anyone got missed or is laid up, needing a plate or two and some conversation. Doin' the healer thing, 'cept with food and not healing."

Vi has posed:
Vi sets the plate down on the table, looking at Shannon's brussels sprouts and back to the table. "I... may get some in a bit. I feel like I have so much food already," she says. "Thank you," Vi tells Shannon with a soft smile for the offer.

The mention of Christmas gets a smile of recognition from Vi. "Christmas I know. We celebrate that. We would get out the candles after dark, and give a present to someone if you're really close to them. Or if you needed to get on their good side," she says, smiling as she feels more able to fit in on that one.

Vi takes a bite of the turkey, giving a soft, pleased sound at the flavor. She tries each thing on her plate. Cranberry sauce passes muster. The dressing gets a little unpleasant expression.

Vi glances back up to Gwen and gives her a smile. "Oh, I am in special classes. I don't think I've met him yet. What subject does Mr. Brown teach?" she asks, smiling as she makes conversation with Gwen.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over and says "He teaches morality and a bit on how to treat others. He is a comic character, that they made cartoons of. Ah will play the thanks giving and Christmas specials in the Rec room tonight, or at least will make sure someone does." he admits "In America many holidays have cartoons that are about them. originally were somewhat ment for children, but their message and memories formed, a lot of adults like them and reference them still.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles softly at Vi. "Charlie Brown is a cartoon character that was created in..." Here, she has to think a little bit, nudging the Brussels sprouts on her plate around a little bit. "...around 1950, I think. The Thanksgiving and Christmas specials are really sweet. You might enjoy them."

Sam gets a huge grin of almost child-like glee at the prospect of seeing both specials back-to-back. "Okay, now I'm convinced you're the angel here, big brother. Those have got to be two of my favorite cartoons of all time for the holidays. Think we can get all the littles to sit still for them?"

Turning back to Vi, she chuckles softly. "You remember well about Christmas. Though gift-giving is ideally because you're close to and care about someone, not for motives like getting on their good side."

The mention of Mardi Gras gets an impish grin from the winged healer, and she giggles over at Gwen. "Oh lordy. You know I've never celebrated Mardi Gras? I heard that it can get pretty wild. Just how do you celebrate it, besides a lot of good food?"

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
"I think I need to make it a rule - no christmas music after christmas. That stuff is confined to the day after thanksgiving until december 26th. Everyone pumps that stuff so much..." Gwendolyn sighs. "Completely ruins the magic of christmas if you cram it down people's throats, over and over again." Yeah, Gwen has an opinion on that. Vi's mention of Christmas, though? That gets a nod. "The candles sound a lot like what the more traditional families did after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Get together, have a meal, exchange gifts...the traditional stuff, just at midnight, and usually by candlelight."

Mardi Gras celebrations, though? That gets Gwendolyn smiling. "I'm not going to go into it now - I've got plates to take to people - but it depends on whether or not you want to celebrate it the traditional way or the way people know New Orleans for. There's a big stretch between the two. ah' think ah'll get this place to a happy medium. Even get th' boys an' the girls to set up their own krewes an' have a mardi gras parade, or somethin.'" She giggles, waving a hand. "That's not until March, though, at least. Don't worry....plans /will/ be made."

Vi has posed:
Vi eats while she listens, the information about Charlie Brown not being an actual teacher at the school absorbed with a little nod. Though there are also bits where she kind of has a blank look, probably not grasping some of the details, but not making that more obvious by asking. She'll pick it up in time, she thinks.

Vi continues to eat. Not gobbling her food down. But she eats with a determined quickness. And glances about her that are habitual while the food is still on her plate rather than in her stomach. "Hmm," she says about the cartoons that adults seem to cling to. "I would like to see this as well. If I might?" she asks.

The talk of Mardi Gras has Vi fall silent again, eyes flitting about as she listens, watching people's expression as much as listening to their words.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods, and says "Yea, your always invited to tv and movie knights we do them a bit more common during the holidays when your not having to be up for classes in the morning." He looks over to Jeb and Ray jr. and says "You two need to finish up your coming to the shelter to help tonight." The boys give a "But we are on vacation." First Sam gives them the look but what works more is Ma giving them the look behind Sam. They answer with a bit of a defeated "Yes sir."

Dragonfly (Armenteros) has posed:
"We'll do a reading of the Cajun Night Before Christmas at some point, Vi. I'll even do the voice."

The voice?

Gwendolyn giggles and picks up her stuff, heading out to distribute noms to those less fortunate.