4502/First Impressions

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First Impressions
Date of Scene: 23 May 2018
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Volt, Iceman, Rift




Volt has posed:
Drake Riley has been here in the Xavier School a night insofar. He didn't have long enough to really soak in anything when he first arrived. Sleep was a rarity, a special privelege over the past few weeks. So was eating. Last night, he got to do both. And in the process, he was /out/; like a light doesn't even begin to describe it. At some point through the night, his belongings were laundered. No, he doesn't know how, or why they'd go the extra mile, or if he even gave his own form of loopy, awake-but-not-awake consent, but he appreciates having clothing that isn't clammy and cold. Rest assured, the threads still look like hot garbage, thanks to the wear and tear they've been subjected to, but it's a step up. He's certainly grateful.

The day was spent absorbing information and trying to process these new surroundings. Nothing was official, and any time he stepped out of his temporary room, he just knows he was under some strict observation. So he kept to reading material and trying to come to grips with what was being offered. He was also trying to get ahead of any eventual rejections, based on his circumstances. He's not exactly emancipated, legally.

Drake needed some time.

Stepping out into the foyer, foregoing the sunglasses, hoodie, and hat, his hands stuffed into his pants pockets, the teen drifts from one painting to the next, taking in their details with some distant interest. He's treating it rather like a museum.

Iceman has posed:
    Bobby had been checking on the new arrival from the joint X-men / Avengers raid the other night. It'd been a long few days, so he was looking forward to some relaxing time with some sunshine and a glass of Moscato wine. That's how he walked down the hallway, in his casual clothes, a pair of jeans and a short-sleeve shirt that fit him well but also left room to move. Seeing the young man staring up at a portrait of Professor Xavier gave him pause...few people ever looked at the art or portraits.
    "He never liked that one. He said it made him look old," are Bobby's first words to the new arrival. Those are followed up with a more normal greeting, "You must be the new Drake?" he says with a slight smile creeping along his mouth. He takes a second to size up the young man with a critical eye before walking up alongside carrying his glass of wine, "So, what do you think so far?"

Volt has posed:
"He looks kind of like the dude from Star Trek," posits Drake. He meant it as a compliment, in his own puckish way. It's just fortunate he left it at that.

Turning to the unfamiliar male, Drake flashes a bright grin. "Yep. I'm the newer model. Two-point-oh," he jokes, having no idea if there were ever any Drakes before him. "I think it's, ah...," he lets his vivid green gaze drift sidelong to the decor, "...to be honest, I think it's freakin' intimidating. I don't know if I'll fit in here."

Iceman has posed:
    Bobby laughs at that, looks at the picture, and tilts his head first one way then the other. "Hey, you know I never noticed that. Man would he be upset to have that comparison made."
    Bobby lets the young man stammer about for a moment as he takes a sip of wine. The expression on his face is rather neutral throughout the whole two-point-oh comment. He lets the silence hang for a moment, enjoying it before he switches his wine glass to his left hand and extends his right hand, "Well, you might, it just depends how Drake one-point-oh likes you...oh, I'm Bobby. Bobby Drake. It's nice to meet you." His comment is said with a genuine smile and his brown eyes seem to hold the green ones long enough to convey the good nature of the comment.

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley looks back over, eyebrows raised. "Hah, really?" He takes the hand for a quick, but only slightly awkward shake before quickly withdrawing it again. It's a motion he's clearly not used to. "So you'd be the one-point-oh?" Suddenly, NewDrake leans forward to achieve a more energetically conspiratorial presence. His voice lowers in volume, as well. "So are you, like... a mutant?"

Iceman has posed:
    If Bobby finds the shake awkward he gives no indication of doing so as he gives a firm one in return. "Well, I like to think of myself as the original," is his quick retort. In response to the conspiratorial whisper, Bobby leans in closely, looks back and forth as if checking that no one is listening. "I'm an accountant," is his initial, playful response. However, without missing a beat, he adds, "But if you promise not to tell the woman controlling storms, the girl phasing through doors, and the guy with eyes that shoot energy beams, I'll tell you that yeah I'm a mutant."

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley squints at the other male and purses his lips at the joke. "That's a lott'a syllables just to say 'yes'," he teases back. He's pretty sure he knows the answer anyway, given the way Bobby had responded. But the additional details he gives causes Drake to lean back, eyebrows raised. "Seriously? They can do that? This place is freakin' cool. What do you do?"

Iceman has posed:
    "Well you'll find I can be verbose when it suits me," Bobby replies. He turns and drapes an arm around Drake's shoulder and steers him towards one of the stairs leading down to the lower level. "Well besides keeping the drinks cold as a party trick?" Then, Bobby points at the stairs, more for dramatic effect than any real need, and soon ice crystals form on the railing, the steps, and even up the walls a foot or two. Soon, the entire set of stairs are a solid sheet of ice, making a slide, though a bit bumpy.
    As he's about to say something, an exasperated female voice from below hollers up "Bobby Drake! Unfreeze these stairs right now." Bobby chuckles and looks at the young mutant with him "Not until the new guy gets initiated!"

Iceman has posed:
    "Well you'll find I can be verbose when it suits me," Bobby replies. He turns and drapes an arm around Drake's shoulder and steers him towards one of the stairs leading down to the lower level. "Well besides keeping the drinks cold as a party trick?" Then, Bobby points at the stairs, more for dramatic effect than any real need, and soon ice crystals form on the railing, the steps, and even up the walls a foot or two. Soon, the entire set of stairs are a solid sheet of ice, making a slide, though a bit bumpy.
    As he's about to say something, an exasperated female voice from below hollers up "Bobby Drake! Unfreeze these stairs right now." Bobby chuckles and looks at the young mutant with him "Not until the new guy gets initiated!"

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley finds himself looped and guided along the foyer to the steps leading down, and tilts his head. At first, he isn't sure he really understands what he's saying. But all it takes is the sight of icy fragments forming before he gets what's going on. He certainly didn't expect it to completely freeze over, though.

"Ohhh," drawls the teen, eyes widened, "snap."

Beat.

"Wait." His head cocks to look back to Bobby. "Initiated?"

Iceman has posed:
    Bobby just nods, with that cocky almost wicked smile plastered on his face, "Yep, Initiated. Everyone gets to ride the slide here!" He maneuvers so that Drake is near the landing, "You're choice of head first or feet first of course." Then Bobby releases his arm from the other young man's shoulder and steps back "Don't worry, you won't get going .... too fast....I think...."

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley spins on heel to face him. "Oh, you think something like this is gonna freak me out?," he asks with a cocked eyebrow. He adjusts his footing as he continues, "You don't know who you're messing wi- ah!" The last sound is a yelp as his heel grazes the ice and flies out from under him. The teen upends, lands on his back, and kareens down the ice slope! "Aaahh!"

He hits the lower level, thankfully without mishap, and continues sliding a few feet before bumping his head lightly against a decorative table.

Iceman has posed:
    Bobby has done this before, despite his cavalier attitude. Though Drake may not be aware, several areas of ice adjusted to his downward descent to make it less painful and to keep Bobby from getting into more trouble. As the young man glides down into the lower hallway, several students have gathered and begin clapping for him. One of them, a broad, blue furred man, though he has the features of an animal, reaches out a strong hand and helps the new guy up, "I surmise that you have made the acquaintance of Bobby Drake and survived."
    Bobby comes gliding down the stairs effortlessly, leaving. behind a melting puddle of water that soon evaporates into the air as if nothing had ever been changed.
    "Good job, kid. You pass!"

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley greets the blue-furred man with a wide-eyed stare, frozen more by the shock of his appearance than the embarrassment of what just happened. Rest assured, that's plenty embarrassing, and not exactly the impressive introduction he was hoping to score. When he's picked up and rebalanced on his feet, he's somewhat hunched like a kitten being picked up by the scruff, followed by a couple owlish blinks.

"Go me~," he says, his voice more a self-conscious wince than sincere.

Iceman has posed:
    The students who'd gathered around the new guy begin to disperse, headed off to whatever classes or in-between class activities they might be engaged in. Several of them clap Drake on the shoulder or offer words of congratulations to him for his successful slide. Soon, most have left the downstairs foyer and so Bobby walks up, "Hey you're on your way to being a student here...that first step is just a doozy." Bobby offers a friendly shoulder bump before walking down the hallway passed a few closed doors. "So, you've met a few more students now, and I have a feeling people will know who you are. So I guess you'll be staying."

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley wobbles with the shoulder bump, his posture starting to relax again. His frame twists to look after the scattering students, then back to Bobby, noting he's also moving along. "I don't think I've actually /met/ any students. Other than, uh.." He gestures about, indicating the vague platitudes he'd received following his blunder. "..But I'm really considering it, yeah. Being with people who're.. y'know, like me.. not giving me the boot for not being strictly human.. it's good."

He glances down briefly, then clears his throat. No sappiness! His head lifts, followed by his arms spreading. "Besides, look at this place! It's friggin' nuts!," he declares with a smile.

Iceman has posed:
    As Bobby looks around at what Drake's indicating, he can't help but smile. He remembers when he first came here many years ago. He had the same type of wide-eyed wonder. It's refreshing to see it again.
    "Well if you think this is nuts, wait until you see the rest of the place!" He keeps walking down the hallway to where the main kitchen is, "This," he indicates with a flourish, "is the most popular place I'd be willing to bet. Hungry?"

Rift has posed:
And in the cafeteria is a redhead Asian girl who would be familiar to both Drake and Mr. Drake. Kitora has two huge plates in front of her - it looks like enough to feed four normal people as she looks up, staring. "Drake?" she squeaks as she leaves her feast and runs over. "You're... you're here? Really? I wanted to bring you here since I met you... but... I didn't know you were... like me."

Volt has posed:
"The kitchen?," asks Drake, eyes instantly widening. Given his lifestyle over the past several weeks, food is still something of a rare and special treat. "There's /food/!?" It seems obvious in retrospect, realizing how ridiculous it sounds just after saying it. But it doesn't at all curb his enthusiasm. Nothing could stop him from scrounging around in the kitchen like a wily raccoon.

Well, nothing except: "Whoa, Kitora!?"

The teen skids to a halt on his heels. "I.." He's stunned. His mind is racing. A part of him feels like he should apologize. Another part feels like he's just too happy with the prospect of food and familiarity to care. In the end, he takes the last several steps to close in with her, wearing a bright smile. "I know! I kept it quiet! I-.. it's hard to explain. But I /promise/ I will!"

Iceman has posed:
    At first, Bobby was confused why Kitora would be so excited to see him....then when they hug, he nods to himself in understanding. He gives the two a moment to collect themselves and catch up, as it appears they know each other from before either arrived.
    "Well, you make friends quickly," Bobby jokes as he walks up to the pair.

Rift has posed:
Kitora Alua nods. "Yes - I met him two weeks ago. I was showing off with my powers at the beach, using a portal to do a highdive, and crossed paths iwth him. He seemed more interested than not - and we kept in touch. Oh, Drake, if I knew you were a mutant I would've made arrangements to get you here immediately. You... need a home."

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley lifts a hand to scratch meekly at his temple. "She says that like any guy wouldn'a been. She was wearin' a bikini," he excuses. There's a chance he didn't quite catch her meaning, but that's now out there. He looks to Bobby, then back to Kitora. "I had to know I was with the sort of people who were doing what.. I want to. Or at least connected to'em." He exhales a soft sigh and ducks his head. "I should've said something to you back at the beach. M'sorry."

Iceman has posed:
    A short series of beeps go off around Bobby and he reaches into a pocket to grab his phone. He checks the number and smiles. Then, turning to the reunited duo, he says, "Hey looks like you two have some catching up to do and well someone needs their beer chilled." The last is surely meant as a joke...right? He reaches out with both hands, one on each shoulder of the two mutants, "Try not to fry any circuits in your mad rush to eat. I won't be here to freeze the melted ice cream." Then he's turning to his phone again, "Kitora, you keep him out of trouble...." Then he rolls his eyes, "What am I saying...that won't happen!" With that comment and a smile, Bobby is headed out of the room with the phone to his ear talking to someone.

Rift has posed:
Kitora Alua blinks. "'Fry any circuits?'" she asks as she returns to her table, gesturing for you to take from her plate. "They know I eat a lot. I have a speedster's appetite and there's two who eat a ton here." She smiles. "Feel free to take what you want." There's a lot of choices on the platter in front of her.

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley glances to the food arranged on the platters, then back to Kitora hesitantly. "I dunno what he meant. And I dunno what /you/ mean, either," he notes, gently bumping a fist towards her shoulder. "Appetite of a speedster? What does that even mean?" He begins inching along towards the platter. "And I planned on calling you. And how's your side? You all better?"

Rift has posed:
Kitora Alua smiles faintly. "Speedsters have an incredibly high metabolism due to... how fast they are. I'm not, quite, a speedster but my appetite is similar. Bending the laws of physics takes a lot of energy." She smiles. "So - you're a mutant too - one of the lucky ones who looks normal. What are your powers," she states as she gestures. "I invited you to partake. Go ahead. I might've over-ordered." She blinks, "Won't even be a bruise anymore."

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley lingers at the platter, his gaze returning to her and dipping briefly towards her midsection. Alas, he can't verify with her being considerably more covered up this time around. But his eyes raise to her face again. He offers her a small smile. "You look normal enough. Contacts'n whatever," he ofers. "But there's nothing wrong with the way you look."

He glances to the platter and spears a small sausage on a toothpick. "Not a single thing." He pops it into his mouth.

After swallowing, he gives a small smile. "I'd show ya, but I'm a little worried about damaging something around here. I don't know if there's anything 'special' in place around here that might.. I dunno, cause backlash?"

Rift has posed:
Kitora Alua blinks. "Well, this is my natural hair and eye color. They changed when my powers awakened." She smiles. "Yes- if you fry the cafeteria, I'll be very angry. Why don't you just tell me about them." She smiles as she gets up, and gets you a plate of food and sets it for you. "There. All yours. The good cook's on today." She starts eating again as she listens.

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley moves out of her way, believing that's probably what she wanted, what with him getting his own plate. He begins picking at it, trying to keep a slow pace to be able to talk without choking. "Electricity," he says finally. "And everything to do with it. Very flashy, very dangerous. But also, you'll never have a flashlight you can't use."

Rift has posed:
Kitora Alua nods. "Electrical powers. Neat. What can they do?" she asks. "I still have other tricks other than portals. I can float stuff around with gravity fields... pin bad people to the ground by making them weigh so much..."

Volt has posed:
Drake Riley has cobbled together a very, very meaty sandwich with the various food objects. It's too much by normal standards, but then, he's been quite literally starving. "You told me about that," he mentions. "You don't remember us talkin' about it?" He chomps the sandwich, chews, and swallows. "I can, like.. generate electricity and control the way it flows. And I can pull it into myself."

Rift has posed:
Kitora Alua smiles. "Well, that's neat," she states. "I wasn't sure if I told you all of it. Well, there's one or two other things..." She ponders. "That's a neat powerset. But is there a cost? These mutant gifts aren't all upside."

Volt has posed:
"Well, I mean, it's possible to overdo it if I /keep/ pouring it out at full force. But I can't imagine why I'd need to ever go that hardball on something. Or I could absorb too much. And if I use it in water.. that's a bad time for everyone." Drake takes another chomp off the sandwich, vivid green eyes trained on her curiously.

Rift has posed:
Kitora Alua nods. "This school will help you msater your powers," she muses as she devoetes to eating. "They certainly helped with mine. I mean, I had a soft pad tacked to the ceiling of my room - sometimes I sleep in negative gravity just because... it's soothing. Or in zero-G hovering. Learning to use my powers while sleeping was a great triumph." She smiles as she just devotes herself to eating. "But I'm _starving_." She then starts to chow down, only making idle small talk.