9673/In Search Of Food

In Search Of Food
Date of Scene:	20 October 2019
Location:	Dining Hall - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Kurt and Shannon show Vi the kitchen at Xavier's. Samuel spots the Hydra logo on her bag and reacts.
Cast of Characters:	Vi, Samuel Morgan, Nightingale, Nightcrawler

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Vi has posed:
After Vi had been shown to the dorm room, she'd closed the door and then sat with an ear pressed against it, listening to the receding footsteps. After a bit, she'd peeked out the door to glance around. No sign of guards on the door, or even at the end of the hallway. She'd checked the lock. It looked a good one to her. She could pick it, but only with a lot of attempts, probably. Vi augmented the lock with a chair wedged under the door knob, and finally went to sleep on the incredibly soft bed.

Morning included a lot of staring out the window at the yellowed October grass and the hardwood trees with their oddly colorful leaves. Vi found the bathroom had a shower. She still felt pangs of wrongness on wasting so much water, but was beginning to enjoy how her skin felt after such a cleaning.

More peeking out the door then, waiting for a moment the hallway was clear to slip out. Her metal case was kept safe about her body. Jeans and a blouse from REI - though Vi had no idea the source, other than Lara Croft - and completely bare feet. She'd worn the boots to SHIELD but their unfamiliar feel left her toes feeling cramped.

Vi slowly explored the school. The map had helped a little though it had taken her time to figure out it was showing multiple floors. It at least showed her where the hallways met. The small teen moved along trying to avoid others in the halls. When that was unavoidable, she just tried to walk like she belonged there. But students knew an unfamiliar face, and Vi could feel their eyes on her even as she averted her own gaze to try to avoid too much notice.

A round container on the ground floor that was left unattended yielded a bag of thin white plastic with some blue symbols on it. Vi took it with her, and soon the scents of food called to her stomach. It wasn't long after that she found the dining room, full of people eating. Vi watched from a bend in the hallway through the door.

People were so careless with their food. Leaving it unattended to go and fetch this or that. Even the youngest and least skilled would have had no problem coming away with days worth of food in this place. Just as Vi was considering making a move, she noticed people carrying their trays and plates over to another of those receptacles like where she'd found the plastic bag. Dumping uneaten food in and then leaving!

Vi waited a half hour, until the Dining Hall finally cleared out. She moved swiftly and silently on bare feet to the tall container. Two bites of some sort of sandwich, a bun with a patty of meat, sat on top. It was quickly added to the bag. Then what looked like some kind of vegetable. Something else, soft and sticky looking Vi picked up and added to the bag. Her hand came away smeared with white frosting which she tentatively tasted. Her eyes went wide and she sucked the frosting from her fingers before beginning to load up more food into her bag from the trash can, trying to hurry before anyone else should arrive.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It had been well over a months since Sam-Bean arrived at the school, having no clue whatsoever on how he should behave, or come to terms that he wasn't in yet another prison. Five weeks of socialising, of falling and picking himself up, of being coached and guided, and things have started to get better. At least, he's managed to work out some kind of routine, and routine is the next door neighbor to normality.

    Not so routine was that his daily morning run was a solo affair, not counting the puffing staffer trying to keep up with him and make sure he doesn't run off or gets kidnapped. Early morning class takes the form of going down to the gym for some serious training, and he only comes back up when the breakfast rush has come and gone. Crowds... Bean still doesn't really do crowds.

    What he considers to be his 'morning rations' are assembled in the kitchen with the usual efficiency. Toast, eggs, sausages, and a glass of orange juice. This feast is carried in on a tray, into the dining hall, where he spots Vi rooting through the trash. H-huh. A few moments of signal scanning and he reads the notice that has gone out for a new student. Ah.

    "You know, there's fresh food in the kitchen for you to just grab. No rationing." He talks softly, sitting down at the large table in his usual spot, where he can watch all the doors. "I'm Sam, my friends call me Bean."

Nightingale has posed:
     It was either a late breakfast or an early lunch for one of the mansion's residents. A white-winged young woman shuffles into the dining hall with a tray that had simpler fare than some; the bowl on the tray had wisps of steam lingering over the top, with savory, spicy scents following in the teen's wake. It looks, too, as if she's got a good bit of cornbread to go with it, and a tall glass of... is that sweet tea?

     Shannon spots Bean and extends a wing towards him in something of a wave, her aquamarine gaze taking in Vi as well. "'morning, you two! Room for one more at the table?" As it is, she's already heading that way, though for Vi's sake, she holds back a moment. The poor girl had looked a bit overwhelmed the night before when she arrived--and she remembered that feeling well. It hadn't been all that long ago, for her.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Kurt was slipping into the dining hall as Vi was mid-way though her scavenging. Silent for a moment to consider what he was seeing and trying to move past the wall of sadness that struck him

    Sam's arrival forestalls his own entry, remaining in the door, crouched while he waits to see the reaction of the young woman - especially to the boisterous nature of Shannon at what could be a delicate moment. His first instincts are to approach and help - but if she's startled will she recoil as she did before?

Vi has posed:
So intent was Vi on transferring the easily had food to the bag, she didn't even consider enhancing her senses to have more forewarning of someone coming. As it is, Vi's head snaps up as the room's other door swings open, and the fifteen-year-old is into the room and spotting her stealing from the container before she can find a hiding spot.

Vi's instinct is flight, turning towards the doorway only to find the blue skinned and furred man who introduced himself as Nightcrawler standing there. Though that wouldn't have stopped her from trying to run, in Echo, something stays the girl's bare feet, at least long enough to hear Samuel.

"I don't have a ration card," Vi finally says quietly. "No rationing?" repeats Samuel's words in the tone of someone who thinks they surely must have misheard something. Or maybe the other misspoke.

Vi's eyes go back to Nightcrawler worriedly as Shannon enters, heading towards a table. Vi's eyes shift about, uncertain what to do.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "No rationing." Bean confirms with a friendly smile, spearing a sausage on his fork and holding it up. "Real meat. Fresh vegetables, milk, eggs, fresh bread. I know, it sounds incredible, but it's true." Yes, he's been there, and understands the confusion. Only now does he take a closer look at the new student, having gotten out of the habit of threat assessing everyone he meets. After all, he's in a safe place, there's no need to be.. -

    His eyes catch the logo on that box Vi carries, linger there for a just a second, and then the casual glance becomes a more thorough assessment. He let his guard down! He broke the first rule of survival, and he's reminded, in the most vivid possible way, that he should never relax. Never again!

    His expression goes from open and friendly to neutral and hard in a moment as Bean slowly puts down his cutlery and starts to rise from his seat. Backing towards the door. Away from Vi. Away from the HYDRA assassin!

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon stops in her tracks, taking a few steps backwards, not blind in the least to Vi's discomfiture. Instead, she elects to sit at a table nearby, keeping a little bit of distance. There'd be time enough to come to know the newest person at the school. She keeps her wings folded in tightly and tucks into her meal, keeping quiet and observing the events unfolding for the time being.

Nightcrawler has posed:
"Peace, Bean." Kurt gives Sam a look as he enters now, "She was saved from a very bad place." approaching Vi, smiling sadly, "Samuel is right, meine Dame - there is no rationing or needs for ration cards. If you are hungry, you can eat, ja?" He must look odd to her, now he's in khakis and a button down.

"Vi, what is something you would like to eat? Without worrying about scrounging, or 'ration card' nonsense." The fuzzy blue elf approaches and very slowly holds out his hand for the garbage bag being used to scavange.

Vi has posed:
Vi watches as Samuel indicates the food. It does seem too good to be true to her. She looks from his plate, back to the round container that holds enough discarded food it could have staved off hunger in her friends for days. No, a week.

She's just looking back to Samuel when she spots the sudden change in his demeanor. Vi's glance at the trash can caused her to miss Samuel's eyes going to the black metal case she has strapped across her body, stamped on top, an indentation in the shape of the Hydra logo there.

His suddenly tense posture and expression is not missed, and the diminutive teen takes a few hurried steps away from him. Though there is no outward change in Vi's appearance, she burns flakes of Pewter in her stomach, strengthening her body against attack.

The girl turns to flee when Kurt steps forward and speaks in the calm voice. It stalls the girl's flight before it begins, though she looks back over her shoulder at Samuel, eyes fearful. "I didn't mean to cause trouble," she says softly, stealing glances at people to note their reactions, rather than meeting their eyes now.

Vi glances back to Samuel, and when she doesn't see anything aggressive coming her way, she hesitantly opens the bag, and pulls out the last bite of a piece of white cake, whose frosting smeared her fingers when she took it out of the trash can. "Is there more of this?" she asks.

Nightingale has posed:
     A look of understanding crosses Shannon's face, her concern melting into a gentle smile. She turns so that it can be seen there is plenty of space at her table, should Vi or Kurt wish to join her; otherwise, she says nothing about it. Her eyebrows do go up when she sees the container in Vi's keeping, and the logo on it. Very bad place, indeed. Things were starting to make a little more sense now. She remembered where she had seen similar jumpy reactions before.

     Bean. He, too, had been very much on his guard when he first arrived, and even now, old training would reassert itself from time to time. And that logo... HYDRA. The danger room session that had been a no-win scenario. She hadn't recognized it then, but now had a frame of reference, however tenuous.

     Her smile widens a little more, a light twinkle making her eyes sparkle in the ambient light. Her color was much improved from the night before. "I don't know, but if there isn't, maybe I could make some, if you like?"

Nightcrawler has posed:
"I'm sure there is plenty and more - but you should throw that in the trash" motioning to one of the tall garbage bins, Kurt keeps smiling at Vi while nodding to Shannon. "In fact, Vi. If you come with us, we will show you where you can take your pick, where you can always go when needed to get something if you're hungry."

He holds his hands palms up, not touching or anything else that could be aggressive. He even keeps a non-threatening distance. Vi is in control, can make the choices, no pressure,

"Any questions, any worries or concerns - you can air them without worry eh?"

Vi has posed:
Vi watched as Bean slipped away into the kitchen. She burns her swallowed Tin, senses sharpened enough to hear his footsteps as they carry him away from her, getting softer with distance. She looks back around the room, at Shannon and Kurt, before finally releasing both metals that fuel her mutant powers. The extra strength and vitality draining away leaves her feeling smaller than ever.

Vi tells Shannon, "I don't know, if you work in the food kitchen. I don't want you to get in trouble over me." The girl's expression is a little anxious as she looks back to Kurt. His smiling face seems to help put Vi at a little more ease. She reluctantly places the plastic bag with the food in it back into the trash can at his direction. "Ok," she says. "I'm sorry this is... this is all very different for me," she says, getting another sense of just how out of place she must seem to them.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles to Vi, inclining her head. "I'm just a student like you. But it's not uncommon for students to get their hands dirty in the kitchen. It definitely won't get anyone in trouble." Glancing between the diminutive young woman and Kurt, she smiles. The fuzzy blue elf had a zest for life, and a knack for putting the most skittish and wary souls at ease. It had been her in a similar spot, once upon a time.

"No need to be sorry. It can be a lot to get used to. But it's okay, people here are really good about helping you through it." She smiles to herself, thinking back. "There's still times I have to remind myself that I'm not alone, too."

Nightcrawler has posed:
A nod is given and Kurt motions for Vi to follow after him, dropping to all fours as he walk for the kitchen, "Come, come! Whenever you feel comfortable. Shannon, come as well ja?" They can let Vi decide if she wishes to follow or remain behind.

Vi has posed:
Vi wraps an arm about the Hydra-stamped metal case, keeping it close to herself, the teen's posture rather insecure. "They let just anyone where the food is," is what Vi takes away from Shannon's statement. She looks around the big, and extravagantly decorated dining room, before turning back as Kurt is heading into the kitchen.

Vi quickly follows along. Kurt is the most familiar thing here, already. And it won't be until later that Vi will think about that consciously, and how she's already seemed to accept his appearance which scared her back in the SHIELD conference room where she first saw him.

She follows into the kitchen, eyes going around the spacious room. "It's so clean," she whispers under her breath. Vi follows close behind Kurt, not touching anything yet.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles, getting up and picking up her tray, following Kurt and Vi along to the kitchen. This was a lot more comfortable for her, anyways. Instead of sitting at a large table with who knows how many other students, she slides her tray onto the counter island, pulling over a stool and having a seat. On the counter, too, is a crock pot simmering away, with the same savory, spicy aromas as are coming from her bowl. Yep. Chili. "Looks like Sam Guthrie's been at it again," she offers, nodding towards the crock pot.

Nightcrawler has posed:
"You can come in here whenever you want, Shannon. Especially if being in here is more comfortable to the dining hall - being smaller, quieter. I can understand that if you need." Kurt is still talking, calm toned and polite even as he moves to the confectionary refrigerator and opens the door with his tail.

Vi is presented with more than just white cake... pie, cupcakes, chocolate silk mouse. Kurt motions to one with white frosting and red between three total layers, "I like Black Forest chocolate cherry myself, eh?" giving a wink as he lets Vi enjoy her overabundance of choice.

Vi has posed:
The kitchen still likely has many scents lingering from breakfast preparations, in addition to Sam's crock pot. Vi stares at the contents of the refrigerator when Kurt opens it. So many things she has no clue what they are. The bulk of the contents actually, though a few things are familiar.

Vi looks over to Shannon as if a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of the selection. "I'll try that then," Vi says to Kurt. "Black Forest chocolate cherry," she repeats. She's hesitant about reaching into the fridge for the food, but if Kurt gives her an encouraging look it will be enough for her to take the container out with the cake in it.

They'll like need to help or direct Vi towards getting a plate and silverware, else she'll probably just pick up a slice and start eating it with her hand. When Vi finally gets a taste of it, her eyes go wide, much like they did at the first taste of frosting. "And this is here, every day? And people can just, come and eat it?" she asks. Trying to keep the doubt from her voice, but it can be heard. "Why?" she asks.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods and cracks a bit of a smile at Kurt's words, chuckling softly. "There's times I think I almost live in here, mein Herr. The dining hall's okay... but it can be a bit much sometimes. Besides," she adds. "It's fun to be able to cook. Let's just not get into my last attempt at schnitzel." She rolls her eyes and grins a little sheepishly, nibbling on her bowl of chili. Ah, simple pleasures.

She slides off of her stool to get Vi a plate and fork, setting both on the counter near her and taking a few steps back, keeping her wings tucked behind her to try and minimize their appearance. "Because this is home. And I keep learning every day we're all like a family. Family does for each other like that."

Nightcrawler has posed:
"Mein Dame" Kurt corrects Shannon as he motions for Vi to come sit where the plate is. A bottle is produced from a drink cooler and a mug of rootbeer is poured for the young woman.

"It's home for as long as you want it to be, ja?" Kurt himself gets himself a mug with ice cream and another bottle, making his own float to enjoy. Breakfast of champions.

"If you're not sure of something, just ask. We won't be mad ja? We're all happy to help out."

Vi has posed:
Vi remains silent at the mention of family, her eyes drifting off to the side as people do when accessing their memories. But she doesn't say anything, refocusing on the cake and getting a bite of it. She gets another one right after, eating quickly if still short of gobbling it greedily.

Vi looks at Shannon, eyes going to her wings and then over to Kurt and his unusual coloring. "Why is your skin like that?" she asks Kurt finally. "Are there a lot of people like that here? I never saw anyone who had wings, or was your color, before," she says quietly. "And there was a boy in the hall," she says, motioning towards her face but not trying to explain in what way he looked unusual.

Nightcrawler has posed:
"I'm this color because it's my mother's color..." Kurt notes, doing his best to keep his expression light and pleasent despite the reminders who other people. "Some people like us, they look different." sipping at his float for a moment, buying time and forcing his face to shift.

"I find more of our kind tend to look like normal humans. The rest of us, well." his hand lifts to show its three fingers. "We're not so common."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles softly, allowing her wings to spread just a little in a bit of a more relaxed pose. Hopefully, they are not intimidating to Vi. "There's probably going to be a lot of firsts here for you. Hopefully some good ones, like that cake. Or seeing blue fur, or a pair of wings." She tilts her head, going back to her stool at the counter, picking up her spoon to nibble on the chili that is her lunch. "There is one other here I've seen who is blue, but a little different from Kurt. That'd be Mr. McCoy. He's really kind, smart as anything, and very protective of the people who live here. Including the newest of us."

She tilts her head as she glances over at Vi, keeping her expression pleasant. "What was the boy like?" she asks.

Vi has posed:
Vi hesitates and then motions to her face again in response to Shannon. "He had big eyes. And his ears were points," she says, speaking of one of the underclassmen students with a rather unique appearance.

Vi sets the fork down on the already-empty plate. She looks back to Kurt, listening to his explanation. The girl sits quietly for a moment and then says, "I'm sorry how I reacted when I met you. I just was surprised. You've been very nice and I'm glad to be here and not with those other men," Vi tells him.

Vi looks Kurt over. "So, is this something that comes from our parents?" she asks him, before looking to Shannon. "Your mother had wings too?"

Nightcrawler has posed:
"It's not like that for all of us, just some." Kurt smiles and lifts his mug as his pocket buzzes. A quick check of a outsized phone and he nods, "I need to sit in on a meeting for student affairs." bowing his head towards Vi, "It's good to see you, and feel free to trust Shannon, she's a good heart ja?" standing and taking a swig before he starts on his way to the exit

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shakes her head, ruffling her wings a little. "I'm a first-generation mutant. Both my parents are normal humans. Kurt was saying once he thought I might be something called... cherayafim? But I don't know if there's any way to know that part for sure. Kind of curious about it." She dips her cornbread into the chili, nibbling on it as she listens to Vi for a few minutes, letting the girl tell her own story. As Kurt heads out the door, she wiggles a wing in lieu of a wave and smiles, rather than fling cornbread crumbs around.

Vi has posed:
Vi nods towards Kurt as he says he has to go. "Ok, thank you, Nightcrawler," she tells him, watching him go before she looks back to Shannon. "So can you use those to fly?" she asks, eyes going to the beautiful white wings.

Vi glances around the kitchen, and back to the fridge. Though rather than go over there, she spots some bread, moving over and tentatively picking up the plastic-wrapped loaf. She hesitates as if waiting to see if Shannon tells her not to get any of the bread, Barring that happening, Vi opens it up and pulls out first one, and then a second slice of bread. She replaces the loaf and then begins eating the slice of bread, just as is. She looks down at it, expression a little surprised, then taking another bite quickly.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles, not making a single move to stop Vi from having any of the bread if she so chooses. "There might be some sliced meats in the fridge if you wanted to make that a sandwich," she offers, working on her own repast for a few minutes. For a little bit, the two girls eat in shared silence, enjoying the company without the pressures of conversation. It's a pleasant silence, a relaxing one, with the younger teen letting Vi explore the place for herself.

Nodding once, her smile widens, and she spreads both wings to their full span, mindful of any proximity to Vi so she doesn't jostle the young woman about. "Yes, I can. It's pretty handy... and it's just something I enjoy, too." Keeping the motions of her wings slow, she moves them back in forth as if flying in slow motion, sending a light breeze through the room--but not enough to really do anything, or knock anything over. After a second or two, she folds them in behind her again.

Vi has posed:
Vi watches as the wings sweep slowly like a bird's, and feels the movement of the air in the kitchen that results. "Wow," she says, softly, staring at the feathered wings for a few moments. "That must be wonderful. You could just go anywhere, anytime you wanted. Fences wouldn't keep you in or, or anything," she says quietly.

Vi glances up as a large group of students come in, having missed the staff-prepared meal while they were out playing basketball. She shies away from the extra people. "I... I'm going to go back to my room," she says quietly. Vi slips away, quiet as a mouse walking on her bare feet.