2010-12-07: Learning About A Game

Players:

Quetzal_icon.jpg Rashmi_icon.jpg

Summary: Quetzal and Rashmi talk about the recent happenings in Mutant Town.

Date: December 7, 2010

Log Title: Learning About A Game

Rating: PG


Barnes Academy - Cafeteria

A large open space with dozens of tables is attached to a kitchen module and a few freezer bays. Trained chefs prepare nutritionally balanced meals for staff and students here that is usually actually pretty tasty and after hours, there is an a la carte fridge with glass doors open to all. The cafeteria is even equipped to handle non-traditional metabolisms and there is even a small private dining module towards the back for staff dinners, guests of the teachers or for use by students with dietary requirements that might disturb others. The entire ceiling is a dome of transparent material and full-spectrum lighting gives the whole space a pleasant, sunny atmosphere, bolstered by the video monitors on the walls showing various live land and sea scapes.


Even though Quetzal already ate in his room he's in the cafeteria because there is one thing here that isn't in his room, dessert. He sits at a table with Verde, in the form of a prairie dog at the moment, as he enjoys a piece of chocolate cake. He's dressed in a Shield uniform as he's not really the suit and tie type of teacher, he'd rather be in the uniform. A pack of cigarettes sits on the table as he chats with Verde in Japanese.

Rashmi emerges from the module's hatch making a beeline for the hot drinks counter, with the grateful smile that speaks of one who has learned that it is in fact possible for someone else to have decided they want good Darjeeling, and thus ensured that Barnes would be well stocked for those who know and/or care to know about it. By the time the necessary adulterations are made, the floral scent of the drink hangs about her like a garland, following her to her table as she sets her drink down, then plops into her chair. Homework break, it would seem.

Seeing Rashmi sit down at one of the tables, Quetzal gets up and walks over with his cake and the prairie dog following behind him. "Do you have a moment to talk?" He asks her as he pulls out a chair so he can sit down, resting his cane against the table. "I just wanted to ask you about the other night that…bartender seemed…I don't know how to put it politely but I'm sorry you had to see that side of me.'

Rashmi blinks, looking up as Quetzal approaches, nodding and leaning back in her chair as Quetzal speaks. "It's all right, Mr. Shimizu. You did a lot better about it than most, and I have *no* idea what that man's problem is. At first I thought he was just… I dunno, the kind of radical that mutantkind tends to collect, but then he opens his mouth and I have to wonder if he's ever had a thought of his own based in fact, you know?"

"Please, call me Queztal. I don't go by Shimizu or Hayato much anymore." Quetzal admits a bit sheepishly. "I'm not sure either but he seems like he has issues with authority and creates conspiracies why it's bad." He's just very proud of serving SHIELD as he's a bit of a soldier/agent through and through. "So he's a mutant radical, honestly I haven't run into too many of them, and honestly, I don't think anything he knows about SHIELD is based on fact."

"I'd enlighten him," Rashmi says, "but leaving aside whether or not it'd penetrate at all, there's the not-supposed-to-talk-about-it thing anyway. But, yeah. He's one of the people setting up that block-party thing I told you about, to lure in as many players of that Game as possible. So while I'm not exactly thrilled about the idea that I may have to try to keep him from killing anyone…" The redhead shrugs. "I'd rather be there and help, than not and never have tried."

"What is this Game?" Quetzal asks as he's not really sure about all the things going on in mutant town. "And is that part of the reason there was an attack on that young man putting on a concert?" He asks as he fiddles with his pack of cigarettes. "And the not supposed to talk about it? And if you're that worried about him killing someone then…would you like someone there with you?"

"Well, I've been keeping at *least8 a few agents up-to-date about the Game… Okay, it's like this. There's this thing running around on the Internet. A contest. Points are scored by killing mutants, the more powerful they are the more they're worth. End of the contest, person with the most points gets ten million dollars and probably a bunch of other stuff, I don't know." By this point, Rashmi looks faintly green, remembering some of the evidence that had been collected. "…Anyway… so there's this big party scheduled in Mutant Town. Magneto's looking to bill it as kind of a Mutant Pride Party thing, but for the most part there's not going to be a whole lot of people in the crowds who aren't ready for a fight."

"I think they try to keep me out of too much combat with the leg and all." Quetzal says which might explain why he doesn't know to much. "And I'm not exactly liking this idea of a game. Noone's lives should be used like that, mutant or human. I am a mutant like you and those being hunted and I never understood the whole…mutant hate." He does but he doesn't like it. "I wonder if I can talk to my supervisor and head over there off duty. I don't know if a formal presence would be a good thing sometimes being discrete is best."

Rashmi nods. "Probably. I've been passing what I find out up to the people whose job it is to deal with this stuff myself… I'd *really* feel happy about even a covert SHIELD presence, because I'm pretty sure it's going to get very, very bad."

Quetzal puts his hand on Rashmi's shoulder and nods. "I'll do my best to be there. Especially if there are going to be students there. Verde and I should be able to do something. I'm not as capable as I used to be but I'm still a decent shot." Though he won't be there to kill anybody. He doesn't kill unless ordered to. "No one should be hunted down like that, humans have rights, and that extends to mutants. I've fought against this sort of thing for too long to just sit back."

Rashmi draws in a deep breath, nodding. "Thanks… and you're right. *Nobody* deserves the sort of stuff the Game puts people through, you have no ide—" Closing her mouth over the last word, she shakes her head, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "…No, you probably do. Ask if you can get access to the evidence I've collected, there's… pictures. There was a 'fan' of the Game," she says, mouth twisting around the word, "He never took part, but you could tell he was gearing up to, before the accident. As far as I know, Magneto had nothing to do with his death, only bought up the house when it went to auction, and… honestly? I'm inclined to trust him."

Quetzal nods. "Well I know of Magneto from his past doings and I know about him and the Genoshian embassy. I never met him or had any dealings with him, I more dealt with organizations like Hydra and AIM." Quetzal brushes back a bit of hair and doesn't seem to mind talking with a student about this, after all she was about his age when he went into the S.D.F. "And I do have an idea, and I'd be curious at seeing these pictures. I'll see what they'll let me see. I know they might not be to happy with me…going out there but do they really expect me to be content with just a desk job." He says with his smile that just looks awkward.

Rashmi chuckles. "Well okay but *be careful* all right? The last thing I want is to get one of my teachers seriously hurt, or worse. And it *would* be my fault, because if I hadn't said anything you wouldn't have known to go, to remember that okay?

Quetzal smiles and gives a chuckle. "It wouldn't be your fault. I'm old enough to make my own choices and I've been seriously hurt before so..I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern though." He says with a slight bow of respect. "But if anything happens to you or others and I wasn't there, that'd be worse I think. I've seen my share of fights and combat so I think I'll be fine. Also if I'm there offically, arrests can be made, but I'm not sure if I can be or not."

Rashmi nods. "Well… even if you can't, please, make sure *someone* from SHIELD can. I don't care what Bruce says, it'll probably help out a *lot.* I mean, the police are probably going to be in serious danger, and you guys are *trained* for this kind of thing, you know?"

"I'm trained for a lot of things." Quetzal says with a chuckle. "Actually most of my training was in information gathering with my skill with linguistics but we did get in situations where we needed to fight so I am skilled in combats, crowd control, that wasn't what I was I was trained in just to let you know. My squad and I did a lot of recon to gather information, we were the guys who found out what was happening where so SHIELD could send in the big dogs."

"Oh, well that's good," Rashmi answers, nodding. "Then I guess I won't have to worry so much. But I won't stop entirely. I'm not sure I can," she says, chuckling. "Just how I'm wired, y'know?"

"There's nothing wrong with worrying, I know my sister worries about what I do quite a bit and how I'm handling myself on my own." Not like Quetzal's been on his own before but with the leg she worries. "I also think she wishes I would settle down and start a family but I don't think that's going to happen for me." He says with a chuckle. "But I joined SHIELD so I can help save lives and make this world a better and safer place so, if everything works out right, I'll be there."

Rashmi bobs her head. "Good.. I'm actually really glad to hear that, thanks," she says, smiling. The tea is brought to her lips, eyes closing for a moment at the taste, then sipped from. "Oh. Also. I hope I didn't fall too far behind in Latin, I did the best I could while I was absent but it's just not the same as being in the classroom."

Quetzal shakes his head. "Don't worry about it, you were gone while I was brought in so I don't know what the lessons were like for you before hand. And teaching is new to me as well so as long as you're learning that's the important part." He is still adjusting to teaching, which is a bit hard when one barely has a concept of language barrier. "Well it was nice talking to you Rashmi, thank you for telling me all of this, but I must step outside now for a smoke. Old habits." He's been smoking for a long time. "Keep me updated and I'll read your previous reports."

Rashmi nods, lifting a hand as the teacher rises from his chair. "All right. Talk to you later, Mr. Sh— um. Quetzal. Sorry, habit. Anyway, I'll let you know if I find out anything else, all right?"

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