2013.05.30 - After-Class Chat

It's afternoon, after classes and before whatever late Spring post-class activities people have gotten up to. Jocelyn, however, wanted to chat with Jubilee. Laura was out of their room at the moment, so now seemed like a reasonable time. She'd sent a text to Jubilee seeing if she had a few minutes to swing by her room.

The teenager, at this moment, is sitting on her chair at the fairly bare desk, flipping through her science textbook. Despite the fact she'd taken her GED and was awaiting the results, she was still going through the text, just in case. There are a couple college brochures on her desk as well, but they're not the focus of her attention at the moment.

Jubilee herself is in her room, putting the last touches on a coat of polish on her nails. She's painted them five different colors, matching each finger's color to the one on her other hand, and is working on doing the same to her toes. This has put her in an awkward, pretzelized position, lying on her back across her bed with one foot propped on the wall, the other drawn up and crossed ankle-to-thigh as she works. She's just doing the last brushstroke when her phone beeps from the bedside table.

"Oh, fudge..." she murmurs, letting go of her foot and reaching for the phone, carefully holding the brush away from that last toenail. She can't quite reach it, but maybe with a little stretching... almost... just a little more... got it! "Yes!"

She flips open the phone, reading the text quickly. Nodding, she does the last two brushstrokes, then texts back a reply that she'll be there shortly. She puts the caps back on the polish bottles, then swings and rolls... wait, watch those tootsies! Shaking her head at her absentmindedness, she bends down and carefully slips on her rubber sandals, then gets up, preventing polish damage by carpet. Moments later, she's knocking on the door to Jocelyn's room.

Opening the door, Jocelyn smiles. "Hey Jubes, how's it going?" Jocelyn sniffs the air. Someone had been polishing her nails. Jocelyn may not be Laura, but nail polish had a very distinctive scent to it. "Thanks for coming by. Had a couple quick questions for you, and figured it'd be easier to just ask them all at once". And, well, you know, away from the prying eyes and ears of everyone else in the school, for reasons that would become obvious.

Jocelyn takes a seat on her bed and gestures to the chair. "Have a seat," the teen says. "And I promise I haven't packed up the room or anything like that. We just don't have a lot of stuff between us in here," Jocelyn explains.

Jubilee smiles as Jocelyn smiles, though it falters a bit when the taller girl sniffs the air. "Yeah... sorry, I just finished with my nails," she explains, probably unnecessarily, holding up a hand and doing a nail-flashing version of Obi-Wan's 'Use The Force' handwave. "I can sit closer to the window if it bothers you," she offers.

Invited to take a seat, she does. "Questions are okay. Ask away. And, honestly? I hadn't been gonna say anything about the room," she adds, with a shyish smile for her friend. Some subjects are sensitive.

Eh, it wasn't that big of a thing, but Jocelyn nods and smiles. "No worries," the teenager says. She does, however, reach under the bed and pull out a box, this one filled with a few chocolate bars. She offers one over to Jubilee as she takes one for herself.

"So. I was having a conversation with my friend Hawkeye the other day, and I'm given to understand I've got a new teammate," Jocelyn offers casually enough. Jocelyn did have a lot of friends, though this is the first time she's ever mentioned actually being part of the Young Allies. But, Jubilee had been brought in, so Jocelyn figured she should mention that she's also a part of the team. "I take it Scarlet suggested it?" the teen questions. Because really, who else would make that offer to Jubilee?

"Oh, cool! Thanks!" Jubilee says gratefully, removing the chocolate bar from Jocelyn's hand so fast it might well have teleported into Jubes's hand. She begins unwrapping it as Jocelyn brings up the matter of new teammates. "Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't know you were an Ally, too," the Asian teen replies sheepishly, the idea weighing on her mind enough for her to set down the candy. "I really should've asked. But yeah, Ben suggested it. I guess he figured I might make a good addition."

"Eh. I didn't ask either," Jocelyn says with a laugh. "Honestly, you're the first person in this mansion I've mentioned it to". Because Jocelyn didn't see any conflicts between the two groups. "I mean, it isn't like they require us to live there or anything like that, and they don't require you to reveal your identity". Jocelyn shrugs. "Though most of them have met me without any mask on, so it isn't like it's a secret. I just haven't told them where I go to school". The teen smiles a little. "But, yeah. I figured I crossed paths enough with them when out and about that when Hawkeye asked me to join, I saw no reason not to. I figured you should know though. They put the app on your phone?" she asks.

"Just yesterday. It's pretty cool," Jubilee replies, her smile firming up again. She crosses her legs carefully at the ankle, so as not to rub her toes together. "So how long have you been a member, Joce? I think Ben's been in for a while, but he only just mentioned it to me. I guess I can understand that, with this business being so secretive and all."

"Not long. A little bit more than a month. Ben has been there longer, yeah. I was one of the newest, until they brought in Kiden and Longshot and now you," Jocelyn says. She wrinkles her nose a little, thinking about some of those circumstances, but shrugs a bit. "Right now, there seems to be some group targeting the Allies. I haven't found a ton of information on them, but they seem to be trying to adapt to the team and rather enjoy publically taunting them. Haven't figured out a motive yet though. Though I'll admit I'm glad we dealt with the power nullifier". The teen winces at that memory. Stupid nullifiers. That'll mess someone like Jocelyn up in a real hurry. "Anyway, wanted to say welcome properly. You sticking around here during the summer then?" she asks.

"Whoa. So we've made an enemy?" Jubilee has to ask, blue eyes opening wide at the thought. "The kind that's trying real hard to take us out?" She's silent for a moment. "I hope I can help," she says at last. "I've really got no place else to go but here, so I should be here at the school this summer. I'll be around if the Allies need help," she promises.

"Yeah. I've been checking into some of my contacts and nosing around a few places a nice, respectable boarding school girl shouldn't be," Jocelyn explains. "They're apparently the 'Young Masters' and they're working with some group or individual called 'The Superior'. I haven't found out too much about them otherwise though," Jocelyn admits. "They've been trying to force the group fights into individual solo fights, so the current thought is to try and change it up. Do a two-on-two thing or something of that nature," Jocelyn explains.

"I won't be heading anywhere, though I didn't know you could stay at the manor until recently. I might be staying at Gloria's place instead. She's offered me the room if I want it at least," Jocelyn explains. A laugh. "And if I managed to pass the GED, I need to figure out if I can get into college for the fall or not, but I can't move on that until I know for sure". So she's not exactly sure what her status is going to be in a couple months. It's a weird time for the girl.

"Sounds like we need to learn some serious teamwork," Jubilee says, frowning thoughtfully. "I mean the kind that involves switching up and supporting each other without a lot of warning for the bad guys. That might take a lot of practice."

She leans forward, listening as Jocelyn explains her own near future. "I wish I could do more than wish you good luck, Joce," she murmurs. "But who's Gloria?"

"Yeah. Been working on that. I'll get you some more details later," Jocelyn says. She and Jubilee are hanging out in Jocelyn's room, chatting and eating a bit of chocolate. It was almost the end of the school year, so indulging a little bit was totally okay! It's late afternoon, after classes are over. "Gloria is...one of the reserve X-Men, I think is how it is. Not really here all the time, but present," Jocelyn explains. "Met her probably my second or third day here. She's been teaching me a bit of Spanish," the woman explains. "And thanks. I should know more in a week or two what's going on with my summer". She laughs. "Though I may need to consider a part-time job or something so I have a little bit of spending cash".

"I don't think I've met her, but maybe I will soon." Jubilee's learned to take life as it comes. Besides, when you look for someone it seems like they just get harder to find. "There should be some jobs down in Salem Center, if you need to look for one. The mall's always hiring, especially the big chain stores."

"True," Jocelyn says. "Though I'll need to find out what pops up when someone runs a background check on me. That could throw some interesting flags up for an employer," Jocelyn says, thinking that over. Because being accused of arson and murder, though cleared, wasn't something employers tended to like to see on their employees background checks. "Maybe the Professor can help with that. I just don't want to feel like a complete mooch, you know?" It wasn't in her nature.

"Speaking of the summer, what are you planning on doing when we don't have classes?" Pause. "I assume training keeps going, just without actual class stuff?" she asks.

"Mostly. They don't want us getting out of condition," Jubilee replies. "It does slow down a little, but not much. Sometimes we even get more of it."

She frowns at the thought of such a background check. "I hope somebody came to their senses," she says at last. "It's not like Xavier's would take you if they thought you were serious trouble." After all, they've got a very exclusive reputation to uphold.

"That's true," Jocelyn agrees. Regardless, if she did do that, it'd be an interesting experience for the possible employer, that's for certain! "But, like I said, I've got a little bit of time to figure it out".

The girl glances down at her watch. "Though I actually need to get rolling. I've got a few things to do still this afternoon. Thanks for the chat, Jubilee," the teen says to her friend. "I'll catch you later".

"Again, good luck, totally!" Jubilee rises to her feet, retrieving her uneaten candy bar. "I'll see you at dinner." Knowing her appetite for sugar, she probably won't eat a thing less then, either!