2013-01-30 Cafeteria Conversation

[Westchester]- Xavier Institute - Cafeteria This is a large room, running most of the length of the center wing of the house. The floors are hardwood, much as in the rest of the mansion, while the walls here give way from full wood paneling to ornate oak wainscoting, above which they are plain white. The north wall is dominated by large bay windows that overlook the rear grounds, while the south wall bears several paintings of the surrounding countryside.

The west wall has a long wooden counter with shutters that open into the kitchen beyond, and a free-standing salad bar stands close by. Shelves along the east wall offer a place to stow bulky personal belongings, such as backpacks, during mealtime.

Six small chandeliers hang at intervals around the room, one centered over each of the long, rectangular dining tables. These are made of solid oak, large enough to take up most of the room, and matching chairs seat ten on either side of each table. --

After classes and after dinner hours.. for the most part. While it's not yet time for 'lights out', the sun has set and the moon is rising in the sky. It's been an unseasonably warm day, and as such, the opportunities were taken. A couple small groups of students are coming in from outside, talking and laughing a little loudly. Behind them, ushering their steps, is Herr Wagner, drama teacher. He's talking with a couple of boys, early teens at the oldest, and his tones and gestures are expansive, and sounding an encouraging note. Here, at home, he is what he is.. blue, fuzzy, be-tailed, and speaks with a decided German accent. "It may not seem like much, but you do know.. those two got their own show later on. Just because they are wonderful characters." Beat. "Now go.. I expect you to have memorized your lines by the end of the week." The pair look as it they'll argue, but nothing sounds. Instead, they race forward, calling out to their friends, complaining loudly but perhaps not quite as bitterly as before. Thus divested of students, Kurt shifts his progress and begins making his way towards the kitchen for a smaaaaall snack.

It could be said that it took a little bit of work. After all, all that Wolverine did on one end of things was offers a blank business card with a phone number.

But on the other end, things probably were in motion the instant he went back to The Xavier Institute.

Thus, by the time a certain someone ended up calling that number, people might be expecting this 'visitor'.

And yet, said visitor is not picked up and brought in by anyone. How that visitor got inside the gate, and on the grounds of the Institute may be a /little/ questionable. But then again, it is possible she may have been given an access code when she called.

But how ever this person made it onto the grounds, and even into the Institute itself, they are here now. In fact, the person in question, a girl in a black hoodie, black pants, and black combat boots, who's going by the name of Laura appears to be alone and off to the side in the cafeteria, sipping some form of warm drink.

Slipping into the kitchen for a couple of moments, Kurt emerges once again with a small handful of white, powdered donuts and a good sized glass of milk. He's whistling softly as he begins to head towards the door when he catches the form and figure of someone he doesn't immediately recognize in the cafeteria. After all, the students have all gone.. lights out will be in the next hour or so, except for a few upperclassmen who have to study for mid-terms.

Flipping a donut into his mouth, timing it for it's end over end rise and then fall.. only to be caught in his mouth, he makes his way towards the unidentified girl in the dark hoodie.. and such. He's a victim of white, confectioner's sugar, and he makes the attempt to wipe it (mostly) from his face, but can't do the best of jobs, considering the blue fuzz. "Guten Abend, fraulein.. I do not recall having seen you here before.." Not to be deterred by that small fact, he swings his tail close to his side to wrap around the glass of milk in order to free up a hand. He bows lightly, adding, "I am Kurt Wagner.. und if you are here, I can assume you were in some way invited." Which makes it his business!

And here's where Kurt may be in for a bit of a surprise. Maybe a welcome one after a fashion. but a surprise none the less. Why? Because if only he started speaking in German, this girl responds in German! And it does sound like she may be fluent, but it's very, very formal sounding. After a fashion that is.

 is said, in german.  The girl pauses, before reaching up and pulling back her hood so she can get a better view of the blue guy. one that she doesn't really react to. Or at least she doesn't react to his near demonic appearance, or the white sugar that may be on him.

Then though, as if to just make things a bit stranger, the last two words she speaks are in english.

"Weapon X."

Kurt's tail lowers, though he doesn't spill any of the milk, and his donuts are ignored for the time being. He watches as the hood comes off, yellow eyes studying the young woman before him. The fact that she speaks German, though not natively (as far as he can tell), he doesn't have a problem staying in English, though his is obviously heavily accented. "Weap-" he begins before he looks around to be sure none of the students remain, or even are lingering at the door. Young ears and such. "I am sorry," and the words are genuine.

His mind is racing, and he reaches out to the memory of his email messages, however. Logan had said.. ah! "Then you must be Fraulein Kinney.. I have heard that you were here." He remembers the donuts in hand before the milk, and he holds out his small collection of the sweet bread, "Donut?" Which is followed quickly with a movement of his tail, coiled as it is around the glass, "Milk?"

And there still isn't even a blink at how that tail is used.

On the other hand, the offer of food and drink does cause the teenage girl to tilt her head ever so slightly to the side as she switches back to German, and /almost/ peers at the 'elf'. 

At the polite rejection of the donuts and milk, Kurt's hand lowers, though he doesn't completely recind the offer. If anything?  It's obvious that the fuzzy blue demon-looking Kurt is a great deal more comfortable in German, which is why he forces himself out and back into English. He keeps his voice lower, however.. just in case of those prying ears. "Because I know what that is, und it is not something I would wish upon anyone."

A deep breath is taken, a cue that the chances are good that the subject will be changed from the detestable Weapon X, if only for the moment anyway. "Have you been here long?"

"An hour. At most. Got into the building with as few people seeing me as possible."

Wait... What? Why the heck would Laura say that? Why would she do that? What ever her reasoning is, she doesn't say.

"Caught some... Familiar smells. But couldn't find them. Ended up here."

And yet, even as all of that is said, there isn't any outward sign of acknowledgment of the 'if you want any later' offer either, unfortunately. Worse, she just continues to sit there, her expressions barely readable, if at all.

Kurt studies the girl for a long moment before he nods his head slowly. "There is no problem with you being seen, fraulein. In fact, we like it very much to know who is coming und going. Gives the others a feeling of safety." A chuckle sound and his head inclines, "Besides, we knew you were coming.. eventually. I just did not know 'when' is all. Und now that you are here?" He finally brings his tail around to 'hand it off' to his free hand before he gestures with his now 'encumbered' hand. "I should take you to the Girls' Dormitory so you can pick a bed." Beat. "Or perhaps I should find one of the ladies to do that for me." Better idea!

Though, Kurt does come back to something said. "Familiar smells? What of? Today's meatloaf?" He knows better, of course..

There's another, slight pause, possibly as she tries to find the right way to put what she smelled. That is before she finally says, "People."

And yes, yet again Laura still doesn't react to the bit with the tail. Not even as she sets her drink down, not too far from Kurt, revealing that it's just... Hot water?

"People... And maybe a big bug."

A hint of a smile plays across the blue elf's face, and he offers, "I will be sure then the boys begin to take more regular showers." Kurt knows what she's talking about, he does! And what seems to be her own brand of humour peeks through, and he easily responds to it, "I think that is a science experiment.. the bug. If not, and you still smell it here, we will have to hire an exterminator. Unless that is William, und we have to speak to him about his shape-changing." Beat. "Again."

"The big bug that likes hot chocolate and is friends with the golden boy is named William?" is asked before Laura blinks, and lets out a faint, low growl. "And if he is a science experiment, then he should of known better to let the golden boy experiment on him in the city like he did."

Then though, there is a snort. A bit of a delayed snort. but it's there.

"And more showers won't help. I'll still smell them."

It's after dinner is over, and the day has been a balmy one.. for winter anyway. The sky's been clear, and all in all, a good day for studies outside. Air out the kids, as it were. Now inside, they're (mostly) tucked into their dorms, the upperclass kids studying for their looming midterms. In the cafeteria, there are only a couple of figures; Kurt stands, holding a handful of donuts in one hand, a glass of milk in the other. There's a little bit of white powder on his face from the white powdery sweet-bread that is stuck in the blue fuzz. That's not coming out until the next time he soaks his face! The teenager that he's standing, speaking to, is dressed all in black, though her hoodies is now down. The pair are talking, seeking a little, if not common ground, equilibrium.

"No, no.. the science experiment is actually bugs. We would never experiment on our students." EVER. "Und yes.. that is William. He was talking to Stefan.. the golden one." He chuckles, "Hot chocolate.. he did not have his mint in in tonight?" He already knows the answer to that question, certainly. "As for the boys taking more showers.. every little bit does help."

And on top of all of that, the girls expression is strangely neutral. She's not really reacting to Kurts appearance, use of his tail, or even his antics. At all.

All though she does occasionally sound slightly confused by things he says, or offers him a curious tilt of her head. But those things are brief and few inbetween.

"I will... Look out for them." is said as Laura continues to sit there, before taking another sip of her steaming hot water. "If it is them. But I ran into them a few weeks ago. In the city. The golden boy did something to the bug, making him big. The bug then went.... Crazy, talking about eating human flesh and wrecking things until the golden boy managed to change the bug back into a bug boy."

With the aura of cold evening air from outside surrounding her, Rogue into the cafeteria. She's making her way over to the kitchen and most certainly not eavesdropping as she keeps her hood up and head down. However, she pauses at the door and looks back over her shoulder as she says, "Broo. The kid's name is Broo, not bug. It ain't nice to be callin' people names."

Studying is an anathema to John. Most of his past teachers theorized that, judging by the efforts he went to avoid it, opening a textbook outside of class would more than likely mortally wound him in some fashion. He hasn't really changed his mind that much about the subject. He's just wandering now, slipping through the cafeteria doors in no particular hurry. The conversation draws his attention as surely as it does Rogue's, the boy slowing, tilting his head over in the direction of the people in the room.

Rogue's entrance receives Kurt's acknowledgment, and he raises his voice a little, though he doesn't take yellow eyes off Laura. "She was not referring to his appearance, Rogue, but I believe his smell." Like.. Logan. "There was no offence meant." He finally takes another bite, launching the donut into the air and catching it after its done a couple of revolutions in the air. He still hasn't washed them down with milk, however. That, he'll have in his room, before turning in.

Now, Kurt speaks directly to the darkly dressed girl, his brows creasing. "I will ask about that.." Not something //good//, to say the least. "And then speak to them."

Pyro's entrance does gain his attention, and his head ducks, brows rising. "Shouldn't you be.." studying?

There's an ever so faint nod towards Kurt, as if to confirm what he's saying about Broo.

"Only met him once. In the city. When he was trying to eat people. After the Golden Boy experimented on him. Sorry." is said towards Rogue as Laura continues to be rather... Emotionally impassive. heck, she doesn't even really show much of a sign that she's reacting to the cold as the other woman enters.

Then though there is a slight glance towards John, as if to note his entrance, before her attention shifts back to Kurt.

"Better you than me. But I doubt the Golden Boy will do that again if he knows I'm around."

Rogue pauses in the doorway, turning around and looking over the others. There is a moment of hesitation, an uncertainty if she will stay or go. It is decided when she reaches up and lowers her hood and finds a perch leaning against the door frame. "Ain't a thing," she says to Laura with a shrug before finding a half-smile as she remarks to Kurt and John, "Studying? Ah'm sure that's what all the good little mutants are up to this time of night. He's probably just here for some study fuel. That right, John?"

"No." Pyro's response is nearly immediately. When Rogue offers a helpful excuse he backpedals a step to add, "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'd rather have something to eat." He stares at Kurt's remaining doughnuts for a second, then comments, "I heard about that thing that happened. You should probably keep those two far away from each other."

Kurt exhales in a sigh at Rogue's words. "She amended her words, Rogue. A little.. tolerance would be appreciated." He hasn't found a mutant yet that doesn't require particular, specialized.. understanding, and Laura.. and Rogue are absolutely no different.

"I will speak to him, und remind him that it is in everyone's best interests that attention be kept at a minimum." Now there's an understatement. "Particularly now."

Yellow eyes turn towards John, and he watches him for a long moment before he nods. What can he say? He's got a handful of donuts (minus 2) and his glass of milk. "I will. Sometimes, we do not know until something happens. We try and hope for the best. Sometimes, on those rare occasions, we do get 'the worst'." Still, no one died.. to his knowledge.

"I do need to head upstairs, however.. Rogue, will you please show Laura where the Girls' Dorms are please, and help her pick out a bed for the night?" To that end, as well, he begins to move towards the door, to head upstairs to his office and his room.

And yet despite it being dark out, and what time of day it is, Laura does say something to Rogue as Kurt heads off.

"You do not have to do that. I will go."

And no, she doesn't give any indication of where. Only more of an impression of 'not here'.

All thought at John, there is an eyebrow that is faintly raised. Yeah, she could add something, possibly about the studying, but doesn't.

Kurt on the other hand gets a faint nod as he heads off.

The half-smile finds its way into a more genuine expression as Rogue replies to Laura, "Nonsense. Y'all look like you could use at least a night with a real roof over your head. Ah'm no stranger to livin' on the run, and Ah wouldn't squader a night someplace warm and dry."

Rogue brushes some stray bangs from her face and adds, "Since we ain't been properly introduced, my name's Rogue, and our the budding scholar over there, he goes by John."

