Players:
Summary: Nicholas and Hildegarde have a much more pleasant meeting than when they first met.
Log Title: Second Impressions
Rating: G
Xavier Mansion - Stables
The smell of horse and hay immediately hit the sense for anyone who step in here. There are empty stalls for students with horses, and school owned horses for those who wish to ride. Tackle, saddles (English and Western), helmets, and grooming supplies are found neatly tucked away in a supply closet.
Scene
Having locked himself in his room, Nicholas has only come out in the last few days for food and to see his horse, which is why he's in the stables currently. Some alternative rock music can be heard playing softly in the stables and one of the horses, a bay American Quarter horse, is out of the stall and tethered for grooming. Nicholas, whose dressed for the cold, is currently brushing the horse and occasionally slipping him a sugar cube.
There is a series of loud crashing noises in the woods behind the stables. After several minutes the barn door opens and a woman steps in who appears dressed too casually for the temperature outside. Hildegarde is wearing a blue and white dress that comes to the knee with tall brown boots. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail of sorts with a decorative ribbon keeping it in place. The woman sighs and glances around, holding up her hands as though not wishing to touch anything with them. "Ah, hello there…" She casually waves to Nicholas, not really looking to see who it is. "Is there a…Ah." She locates a sink and walks over to wash her hands. "One of the students complained that some trees fell across one of the trails and I just wanted to…Clear it up." She still hasn't stopped to look at the boy, her back to him for the moment.
The loud crashing startles the horse and he starts to whiney and stomp his feet in discomfort. "Ssssh, it's okay Orion." Nicholas says so the horse, stroking his neck lightly and trying to calm him. It doesn't take long for Nick to calm the horse. "Thanks." He says to Hilde not looking at her at first. "It wasn't me but I use the trail so thanks." He then looks up over at Hilde and freezes before putting up his guard. "Oh." Is all he says to her.
The woman hums some obscure tune while she cleans up a little before turning around and smiling at the boy, her look becoming less sincere when she sees who it is. "Oh. It's you, from the other night." To scold or not to scold? Probably not the best course of action since she is supposed to be a good role model and all that. "Listen, I'm sorry about the other night. When I upset you. I don't know everyone's past here. I just want people to be safe. It's kind of my job to try and…Push people not to do anything reckless." She pauses, "Not that I'm saying you were. But…Well anyway." She approaches slowly, "Is this your horse?"
Nicholas is about to say something snarky to Hilde before she explains herself. He puts his hand on Orion and rests his head against the neck of the horse. "Yeah well…wanting everyone to be safe and it actually happening is just a dream." He says bitterly. "And yeah, this is Orion. Pretty much the only person in my life that I can connect with."
Hilde makes a mildly comical face, "Yeah. Tell me about it. It seems like every time I turn around somebody around here is in trouble." She moves a bit closer but keeps her distance, looking at the horse from several yards away. "My sister's have horses…Or had I suppose. My youngest probably still has hers." She offers a small smile, "I was always so jealous. I was never aloud to have one." The woman turns and looks at some of the other horses in the barn.
"Well it happened before I got here and it's why I'm here so…nothing you could do about it." Nick says with the same bitter tone. "And nothing I could do about it either." He says uses his telekinesis to move the brush he was using to a basket and picks up a different one, his eyes glowing the entire time as he guides his telekinesis with his hand. "My family owned a boarding and riding stable so I grew up around horses. Why were you never allowed to have one?"
Hilde nods as he speaks, but does not inquire further about his past. "My family was just…Wealthy. And everyone who's wealthy in the old country has horses, I don't know why. It's just the way things are." Her accent is mildly British in tone, but it seems off. "That would be Germany, I don't know if you knew." Her name might have given that away though. "But as for why, well I…It has to do with my mutant ability. I don't look it, but I actually weigh about a thousand pounds. No horse could carry me. And so, I just stayed on the sidelines and watched my sisters learn."
"Sorry to hear that but a horse isn't just for riding, you could have always had one just as a…friend." Nicholas says but he couldn't imagine not riding a horse. "I should have guessed German with a name like Hilde, there's a lot of German roots where I live…lived. North Dakota, Sheridan County. My last name is Gerhardt."
Hilde tilts her head to the side, "Yes, I suppose. But father wouldn't have allowed that. Kassandra and Elke learned to ride because it was proper. Having a horse around for any other purpose would have been "improper". I can hear him now. "What would the help think of you. No. Just tell them you're allergic."" She deepened her voice to imitate a man. The woman smiles when she hears of Nicholas's roots. "Ah, descended from Germans yourself are you? Do you speak it? I teach German here if you're interested." She nods. "Gerhardt means…"Strong Spear", or "Brave with a Spear". An older name. Mine is "VonRegenleif". Regenleif being one of the Valkyries from German mythology. I…Am unsure how my family picked up the name."
Nicholas makes a face as what Hilde says about it being 'proper'. "That's anything but proper for the horse. I mean it's fun and I love Horseback riding and I love horses, they're a companion not something that should be use for a social status." He actually sounds insulted by that idea. "No I don't speak it, and yeah, I remember Dad telling me that when I was a kid, though we never really had anything to do with spears personally."
Hildegarde nods, "Yes well. The "proper" thing is often not the correct thing. by most people's standards. I was often unhappy with the things we had to do when I was a child." She shrugs, "And as for your name, it is probably a carryover from long ago. Many older German names have something to do with wars or weapons. It's just the way people were named back then." She almost asks if the boy had a nice holiday, but catches herself after remembering how he reacted last time.
"Well I was almost never unhappy with the things I had to do when I was a child." Nick says as he focuses on grooming Orion's neck, who seems to be loving the attention as shown by him occasionally chewing on Nick's jacket lightly. "Though my Mom did a lot of German/American cooking. I miss her Fleischkuekle, she made them this time of year for the holiday."
Hildegarde laughs suddenly. "Fleischkuekle? Oh I haven't had that in years. My Aunt used to cook it all the time. I like to bake but I'm afraid my kitchen skills are limited to deserts. The last time I tried to bake anything with meat in it…Well it wasn't terrible. It just wasn't to the standard I was happy with." The woman chuckles and shakes her head. "This is actually the first time I've been out by the stables here. I suppose I run around between here and the city so much it leaves little time to explore the grounds.
"I can't really cook at all. I can kind of heat things up." Nick says as he continues to focus on Orion, it's helping to keep him calm. "I like being out here it's the only place that feels somewhat like home, until I step outside then it's nothing like Martin. I haven't even been to the city yet, haven't really wanted to go. The Salem Center is fine enough."
"You haven't been to the city yet? Hmmm." Hilde taps her chin with a finger, "Well New York can be fairly daunting the first time you go there. After a while you stop noticing how big it is though. It's odd how quickly such a huge place can become mundane." She smiles, "But there are some nice places there. Museums and zoos. The park is nice, but it does a poor job imitating nature."
"I figure when the weather gets better I'll do the whole tourist thing but right now, even this is…busy to me. I'm from small town North Dakota." Nick says as if that should explain everything. "I figure I'll do the tourist thing eventually I mean I've been to Florida a bunch of times and I've seen Mount Rushmore and stuff."
Hildegarde nods. "I haven't seen much of the United States, just the major cities when I go on book tours. Actually I've really only seen New York City and a couple of cities out in California." She waves a hand, "And yes, definitely stop by there some time. Mutant Town is certainly worth a visit. Though…And I know you don't want to hear it…But be careful if you go down that way. Some of the mutants there are a little crazy."
"Yeah, I want to avoid crazy right now. I've dealt with enough of it here." Nicholas says grumpily. "New York City can wait, not something on the top of my list right now. I'm dealing with too much crap to enjoy it." He says reaching into his pocket and pulling out a carrot to feed Orion.
Hildegarde nods. "Yes well, as you said…There is plenty to do around here as it is. I do go to the city all the time though. If you need anything from there just let me know and I'll see if I can pick it up for you." Though Hilde has no idea what this boy might need from the city. "Within reason, that is." The woman turns and begins heading toward the door. "I suppose I should be heading back. I need to do a bit of paperwork before bed."
Nicholas shakes his head. "No, nothing I can think off besides I can order stuff online. I'm used to be over an hour away from a store to get things besides the basics." He says before shrugging. "Have a good night Ms. VonReginleif, if I decide to take German lessons I'll let you know."
Hilde ponders that for a moment before continuing out. "Ah yes, the internet would be the most reasonable way to go about things I suppose." She shrugs and waves a goodbye. "Yes, have a good night. Perhaps I will see you in class some day." The woman exits the barn and heads back to the mansion.
~ Fin ~
