2011-02-20: Colleagues

Players:

Hilde_icon.jpg Jasmine_icon.jpg

Summary: Jasmine finds Hildegarde in the Rec Room and the two get to know one another.

Log Title: Colleagues

Rating: G


Xavier Mansion - Recreation Room

What was once the Parlor has been turned into a Recreation Room for the students. A nice plush carpet meets the light blue walls giving it a homey feel. A pool table at one end, a foos ball table at the other, and entertainment center with video game systems, movies, and of course, cable TV. Big comfy chairs and couches surround a coffee table for comfortable loafing. Long glass windows with a pair of French doors line one side of the room bringing in plenty of light during the day. The main rule in here is to clean up after yourself.


Scene

The Mansion is a little quiet this morning. Many of the students have been busy all weekend with the joint Xaviers Barnes dance and many of them are now resting or taking it easy. Hildegarde has decided to come down from her room and spend some time in the Recreation Room so as to be visible to the students. She is currently sitting in a chair near the window reading "The Art of War", glancing up occasionally to look out over the grounds.

Jasmine is in her casual gear today which consists of a blouse and jeans, she's still smart so that if any students are encountered, she still has a semi professional look about her. In her hand is a plate which consists of a sandwich and in her other hand are a stack of files. As she enters the rec room, she spies a woman sitting by the window. She then heads towards the nearest couch.

Hildegarde is wearing a red business looking dress at the moment. She turns the page on her book and glances out the window once more, frowning and shaking her head as a few of the children outside begin fighting over a basketball. She is about to get up when they apparently resolve the issue themselves. The woman turns and glances behind her as she hears someone enter. "Oh? Hello. Are you the news teacher here? I'd heard we got a new one. My name is Hildegarde."

Jasmine puts her plate on the nearby table and strolls over to the woman, she extends her hand and replies, "I'm Jasmine, it's a pleasure to meet you". She looks out the window for a brief moment before looking back at Hildegarde.

Hilde closes her book and takes the other woman's hand. "Nice to meet you." It feels as though Hilde is squeezing the other woman's hand as hard as she can, but the look on her face is a pleasant one. "Have you been able to find your way around the mansion easily enough?" She gestures around the room. "I kept getting lost my first few weeks." She pauses to place her book on an end table. "I teach History and German. You teach…Airplanes or something, do you not?"

Jasmine feels the grip on her hands but she doesn't seem to mind; much. She nods as she agrees with the woman's assessment of her subjects, "In a nutshell, that's pretty close. I took Aerospace Engineering as my degree so I can teach basically up to that level, but I generally teach Technical Design and/or physics. I believe that it's important to learn about the world about you". She looks around the room and chuckles, "I used to attend here when I was younger so it's not to bad, I just had to remind myself of the layout"

Hildegarde smiles at the other woman, "Oh a graduate? It's always nice to see old students returning to us." Granted, Hilde has only started here last semester. She hasn't been here nearly long enough to have any of her students return to her, let alone graduate. She nods in agreement, "Yes, I can appreciate the students needing to understand the world around them. Especially with the current state of this country." She motions to the television a few of the students are watching. There are a few people discussing the Genotian Embassy's decision to grant amnesty to any mutant who wants it.

Jasmine looks at the television and frowns, "To be honest, I'm curious to what the agenda is, I never fully trust people that suddenly fling their arms wide open". She shrugs, "However, I will give them the benefit of the doubt".

Hildegarde shakes her head. "I'm not certain. I heard that there was a complication with the girl that was shot in Mutant Town. One of the mutants down there attacked the police and said it was a bad shooting." Hilde had been following the story, assuming it would manifest into something big. "I suspect Magneto is behind it. I'm sure it will blow up into a full scale war in a week or two." The woman frowns at the TV. "Anything with him usually does."

Jasmine nods, "We just have to make sure that the pupils are aware of what's going on, just in case it does turn out to be a full scale war". She sighs, "Just have to make sure that a student doesn't get threatened by some random stranger". She then asks, "How are you finding it here?"

Hilde narrows her eyes at the television as it flashes footage of Dingo attacking the police officers. "Hmm? Oh yes. The problem is that a few of the students trust Magneto and have no problem following along with his plans." She shakes her head. "How do I like it here? Well it's a bit more exciting than I expected it to be. I do like working with the children here. And I enjoy teaching. And I suppose it is nice to be this close to the city. It's convenient for when I go out to speak or do readings."

Jasmine nods, "I guess in life, each has to follow their own choosing in life". She looks interested in her last statement, "Oh, what sort of readings do you do?"

Hilde turns back to the window and glances out again. It looks like the children are still getting along well outside. "I do occasional readings of the books I wrote." She turns back and smiles. "The last one was recently translated into English, and with all of the media attention surrounding mutants lately a few of the television programs have wanted me out to speak." Hilde walks over to a bookshelf and pulls three books off the shelf. "I'm publicly known." She passes the books to Jasmine. The Historical Implications of Mutation, Cultural Effects of Evolutionary Mutations and Descendents of the Gods: Similarities Between Classical Deities and Modern Mutants. "I wrote two others but they are more history texts than anything else."

Jasmine takes the books and asks, "Do you mind if I take these away and read them?". She then flicks through them and jokes, "Where are the pictures" as she chuckles. She looks out the window, "Regardless I would like to see how this develops so I'll be interested to see how this amnesty develops."

Hilde waves a hand dismissively, "Of course, take them as long as you'd like. I have copies in every library in the school. My editors send me all of the initial printings that they do not like. One that doesn't have the proper number of blank pages in the front or one that has the pages begin on the wrong number or one where there's a blank sheet randomly in the middle of the book. The contents are the same, just not aesthetically perfect enough to sell." She shrugs, "And there are a few random pictures in there. Mostly black and white, but they work."

Jasmine nods, "Thank you, I'll get started on them after I review these case files that I'm still carrying". She leans against the wall, "So if I may ask, what do you do around here when you're not teaching or writing?"

Hilde glances at the woman's files, chuckling a bit. "Ah, so sometime next year then?" She waves her hand at the other woman, "What do I do in my free time?" She shakes her head, "Well we live next to the city. I like to visit the museums, the zoos, the theatre. We are in a very good place. If I am to stay on the grounds I will go walk through the woods or bake or…Sometimes I just sit in my room and read."

“It's good to be back here so it's nice just to stay on the grounds and interact with the kids, let them know that I've been here before and that they should enjoy being here. I like to train my capoeira and play music".

Hilde smiles, "Oh? You play music? I used to take piano lessons as a child but I was never very good. My younger sister is much better than me, and my older sister is a well known opera singer." She frowns slightly, "I was always the least musically inclined of my sisters. What do you play?"

Jasmine hmmms, "I don't think you would have heard of it, it's called a Berimbau and it's part of my martial arts training". She smiles, "That is impressive, you have quite the talented family, my mother is an boozer and my father is a diplomat amongst other things"

Hilde raises an eyebrow, "A Berimbau? The musical bow?" That is a peculiar instrument to know." She pauses for a moment and explains, "When I am not teaching or writing I work as an Anthropologist. One of my colleagues specialized in musical migration and he liked to discuss how strange it was that such an obviously African instrument ended up in Brazil." She looks slightly uncomfortable, "Yes, well my father doesn't care about my writing. It's always "Hildegarde, why can't you be more like your sister Elke? You're always stirring up trouble."" She waves her hand again, "At least I'm trying to make a difference."

Jasmine nods, "That's what I wanted to do myself, make a difference hence why I came back to teach". She then nods, "That's the one, and I learnt it as part of the studies, my mestre deemed it important that you know the culture and how to play so that you lead the roda. I do teach the art myself so I'll be offering it to the students here.

Hilde nods to the other woman. "Ah, well that could be useful to the children. It's always good to know a martial art, despite what the student's abilities may be. Sometimes you cannot depend on your abilities in every situation, I have learned."

Jasmine sighs, "I only found out recently that my dad is a bigot towards Mutants hence why I moved out here to get as far away from him as I could, although him being from the US, it's not far enough". She then nods, "That's what I want to impart to the students, learn the basics, learn the science behind your powers". She then tilts her head, "Oh, is this a recent lesson you've learnt?"

Hilde nods to the other teacher. "Yes, I know how that can be. My father isn't exactly…Bigoted toward mutants. He really can't be with my sisters and mother. But they'd rather all not discuss it at all." She frowns and walks over to the window again, reaching down to the table she placed her book on and picking up a cup of tea. "Oh yes. We recently had an incident in Africa that turned out not so well." She takes a sip of her tea. "A warlord there had created a machine that inhibited mutant abilities." She glances back toward Jasmine. "Imagine being able to lift a tank with ease one minute and having a hard time walking in your boots the next. Not a fun experience."

Jasmine nods, "Wow, that is an experience, but in hindsight although dangerous, I suppose it does drive home the point that you have to have other skills in your arsenal". She looks slightly wary about asking this next question, "I know it's not really the done thing, but is that your power, Super strength?"

Hilde nods, "Yes. Well luckily things turned out well for us all. Actually Magneto stepped in and helped us all out a bit." She sighs and puts her cup back down. "Oh? Yes well it's not always a bad idea to ask others their ability. I know a few who's abilities key off of skin contact. It can turn out badly if you accidentally touch them." She nods, "But yes, my ability is super strength. Also I'm a little bit heavier than I look." I actually weigh close to a thousand pounds." She looks like she weighs under two hundred.

Jasmine eyes widen, "Well you look quite good for weighing to a ton" as she smiles at her, "That's quite the gift, mine is gravity manipulation". She demonstrates her ability by picking up a couch with one hand as her hands start to pulsate with blue energy". She also hovers in place.

Hilde looks at the display with interest. "Well that's a fairly interesting ability. I mean I could lift that couch with ease, but not from all the way over here." She smiles at the woman, "I suppose it's a good ability to help you understand physics." She glances at the television again and frowns. There is something about a peace march in mutant town. "Oh wonderful…I should probably…Go see about that." She turns back to the table and picks up her tea cup and book. "I'm sorry to dart out, Jasmine. If you need any help readjusting or if you get bored and need someone to adventure in the city with just hunt me down."

Jasmine grimaces as she looks at the files awaiting for her, "As soon as I'm done with these, I'll be in the gym practicing. I'll post up a couple of memos around the campus for the students". "I'll be seeing you around" as she turns towards the door.

Hilde glances at the television again and shakes her head. "You may want to wait on that. I'm pretty sure that the Genotian Embassy is behind that protest and I want to talk to the man in charge before I get the kids here involved." She nods to the woman, collects her items, and heads for the door. "It was nice meeting you!"

Jasmine looks slightly confused at the comment and then suddenly stops and slightly turns, "Oh, not that….I meant offering my lectures on 'The science behind your powers' and the martial arts classes". She does look at the TV, although I will be keeping an eye out on the news and its development.

Hilde glances at the television once more and then looks over at Jasmine. "Oh! Yes that, of course. If you slip a flier under my door I'll advertise for you in my classes. Have a good evening!" And with that the woman slips out the door.

~ Fin ~

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