Players:
Summary: Some of the staff get to know each other over breakfast.
Date: November 1, 2010
Log Title: Teacher Talk
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.
Most the time Quetzal eats in his room as he doesn't mind cooking, not that he's great at it, but as he is kind of particular about what he wants to eat. Today though isn't one of those days as he sits at one of the tables eatting waffles, bacon with a fruit salad while sipping a cup of coffee and reading a few books on Rosetta Stone's Language program. Since he's the new language teacher here, he's learning a few things and trying to figure out the best way to teach language as he isn't that great at it.
Gabriel usually does the same, preferring the sanctum of his room these days, when not helping a student or giving a class. The black-winged man soon catches the sight of a new teacher, figures he should introduce himself. His tray has a simple egg omelet with ham, followed up with some fruit, and a mug of tea, still steeping. "Excuse me, is theese seat taken?" He asks, motioning to a seat on the same table.
Quetzal looks at the man with black wings and shakes his head as he can't answer due to having his mouth full. Instead though, a small bird peaks up from Queztal's shoulder and answers. "No, there is no one sitting there, feel free to join us. I'm Verde." Says the bird as Queztal is finally able to speak. He offers a hand. "I'm Agent Quetzal, or just Quetzal, pleasure to meet you." He says in the same thick accent that Gabriel has.
He's taken aback just a little from the talking bird, though it's only because he doesn't see specimens like that these days. "Ahh, like the mythical bird." Gabriel lays his tray on the table and before he sits, shakes Quetzal's hand. "Equally as pleas-ed to meet you." He offers back. "Verde, nice to meet you too." He says with a smile. "Gah-bree-el Dumont, or if you prefer Seraphim." He sits down and attends to his tea. "I assume you're a new instructor here?" He asks, taking a sip from the mug.
Verde tilts his head and looks at Gabriel. "Mythical Bird?" The bird looking like Queztal's namesake asks before Queztal reaches up and strokes his head. "Which ever name you prefer me to call you, but yes Gah-bree-el, I am a new instructor here. I am going to be teaching language and piloting to those that wish to learn to fly. With those wings I can tell that you won't be needing any piloting classes."
Gabriel gives a pensive look to Verde. "Oh, sorry, I tink a more proper word is…legendary. Looks a lot like…you, Verde." The winged mutant smiles and laughs at the mention of not needing flying lessons. "Jes, though I teach here as well. Marksmanship and I was going to possibly start a fencing club here." A bite from his breakfast makes him smile.
The bird flies off of Queztal's shoulder and lands on the table as a doormouse. "Well it all depends on what I wish to be." Says Verde as he's a shape changer. "Ah Marksmenship, good for people to learn. I wasn't that bad of a marksmen but I have to keep my practice up as I have been slipping. Not that I'm really a field agent anymore. A Fencing Club, I never had the chance to learn fencing but I'm afraid it's too late for me."
Gabriel chuckles a little bit at the shape change. "Ahh, I see." He says to the now doormouse. "Well, the range is open to all. Not just the students. And, should the club be approved, I'd love to see some more adults in there other than myself, I'd welcome anyone willing to learn." Though he wouldn't push it farther than that. He takes more bites of his breakfast, adequately happy with the food here.
"Oh you'll see me in the shooting range a vew times a week. I took a needed break for a bit and am just getting back into things again. I have a few pistols in my room." Queztal says as he eats some of the fruit on his tray washing it down with some tea. "I can't really fence, even if I wanted to. It's not age it's that my leg isn't that great. I sustained an injury a short while back and it hasn't been the same."
Gabriel realizes his mistake there and nods. "Sorry, I just thought…that it was a question of age, please forgive." The winged man does however nod a great deal at the mention of pistols. "We keep most ammo available, unless it's something more unusual. The facilities here are more than adequate, jou can work on nearly anyting you want to practice."
Quetzal smiles and shakes his head. "You had no way of knowing, but I am getting up there in age as well. I'm not as young as I once was. Maybe the injury was also telling me it was time to quit and I was getting to old to be running around playing recon field agent." But he doesn't go into details with his SHILED position. "I know Gabriel, I was a SHIELD agent for many years and before that I was part if Japan's Air Self-Defense, I'm not stranger to a militaristic lifestyle but thank you for welcoming a new teacher and offering your assitance."
"No problem at all." He cannot help but feel as if he…has made a funky impression on Quetzal. "Anyway, how many languages do you speak? I noticed you didn't say you were a Spanish instructor, or a Japanese instructor." Looks like he does catch on with the subtleties. "I'm more inclined to Spanish, but that may be more than apparent."
"Just one, Japanese." Queztal says, in English and in Gabriel's Spanish accent which he's been talking in the entire time. "I have a gift for linquistics. I can understand practically any language except Alien ones." There might be a few others but he hasn't run into them. "If you ever feel more comfortable speaking Spanish than English, I'll still be able to understand you and speak back in Spanish. It's just the way my powers are."
Gabriel nods at the notion of Quetzal's powers. "Interesting." He decides to try this out. "Y, como tienes este poder?" He asks, intrigued at the power itself. He laughs a little, smiling. "This power, makes you a good diplomat, no? Or at least de perfect translator."
Responding completely in Spanish, Queztal answers Gabriel. "Well it makes me the prefect translator but diplomat, I think that's also a personality that I don't really have." Queztal jokes a bit. "I actually enjoy being a pilot the most but once they found out I was a mutant with this gift and the Japanese Miltary and SHIELD have used it well. As for Verde, he was found on a mission."
The winged mutant gives a nod. Gabriel being more than comfortable right now, speaking his native language. "Makes sense, though Verde, seems rather interesting himself." He won't hide the fact that he is very much interested in learning more about the creature. Though, it's not like some other people, he'd mostly just ask questions.
"I am interesting." Says the doormouse that's sitting on the table. Queztal chuckles at his compainion as he sips on his cup of tea. He's eatten most of his breakfast so that there are just a few pieces of fruit left. "What about you, do you have any powers besides the wings?" He asks as there are a few things he's curious about Gabriel, since he's so young, but he doesn't ask much more than one question. "So how does someone so young end up with a teaching position?"
Index steps into the cafeteria, his shoes tapping against the floor as he walks. Wait. Tapping? Yes, it seems that he's wearing tap shoes at the moment. Click, click, click. He first picks up his meal at tth ecafeteria counter and then approaches Quetzal and Gabriel. "Well, hello there," he says in English, since he didn't notice they were speaking Spanish. Not that he would have spoken spanish either way. "Mind if I sit down?"
Gabriel gives a nod. "Marksmanship, I just look at something and know how to hit the target. That, and my status with my father's company, got me into the Freedom Force, then over here after the group disbanded. They figured a young, publicly known mutant would be the perfect fit in a group of American heroes." At the end of the line, he moves back to english, looking to Index. "Go right ahead, at this point we're just talking over drinks, but you're more than welcome."
"Freedom Force?" Queztal asks as he's never heard of it. He looks at Index and gives a smile and nod as he goes to join them. "Feel free Index, it's good to see you again." He says to the fellow SHIELD agent. Verde then shifts into a meerkat and stands up to give Index a wave. "Hey Index!" says the animal. "So, " Queztal continues. "American Heroes? I guess I don't really fit in here since I'm not American."
"Hello Quetzal. Hello Verde," says Index, giving a small unnecessary wave before he taps his shoe against the ground, slides a chair back with his foot and sits down. The agent laughs softly and says, "Oh, it'd be nice to be young enough to be a costumed hero, but I think my suit suits me better than any spandex ever could at this age."
Gabriel nods. "They revived it, an older team, though we really weren't active for that long." Gabriel offers up. "I never put on a mask, between who I am, and my father's pride, there wasn't really any choice." He comments, before offering his hand to Index. "Ga-bree-el Dumont." He offers up to the older gntleman. "Pleasure to meet you." "Anyway, yes, AMerican Heroes, something the government can have when the Avengers were off saving the world, our focus was saving America."
Quetzal agrees with Index. "Yes, even five years ago I was in better shape but then I never had to wear the spandex, just the SHIELD uniform and such. It was odd going clothing shopping for everyday where when I didn't really wear civvies that much." He doesn't really have much fashion sense. "I thought this went beyond just American Heroes and America Gabriel, as the Avengers are the Earths' Mightest not just America's Mightest. I mean we just don't recruit Americans."
"Index. My real name's classified, otherwise, I'd tell you all about it," says the older agent, taking Gabriel's hand. He laughs softly at Quetzal's statement and says, "If there's one thing I got to do, it was plenty of shopping for civvies. When you have to be undercover all the time under multiple identities, well… they say the clothes make the man. But now, I can just wear suits that scream 'serious business'."
Tex enters the Cafeteria and nods to Quetzal and Index as he makes his way to the coffee machine. Pressing some buttons and getting a cup, he approaches, "Agents Index and Quetzal." He takes a sip and then extends his hand to Gabriel, "Texas Twister" and tips his hat.
"Oh, yes, sorry, the second part of that story is when we disbanded, SHIELD approached us to teach here, I accepted. Freedom Force was an American ting, but this place, SHIELD, ees global." The man with the cowboy hat and cowboy-ish look gets a bewildered look from Gabe, and then he remembers his own…outlandish appearance. "Seraphim." He adds in, give a codename, get a codename.
"We never had to go undercover but just did a lot of recon work where we had to get in, get informat and get out." Queztal says as he kinda misses it. "Hello there Agent Tex, how are you this morning…or is it becoming afternoon now?" He asks as he hasn't looked at his watchin a while. "I'm not much of a suit guy, they almost seem to fancy for me but I don't think wearing what I wear when I'm by myself is suitable for teaching a class." He says giving a nod to Gabriel. "Okay, sorry, I was getting what you were saying confused."
"Hello, Agent Texas Twister," says Index, giving a sort of salute before taking a bite of the cafeteria sandwich he picked up. He loves these things. "Yeah," he says to Quetzal, just speaking the next bit for the sake of reminiscence, "I was mostly used for undercover work. I was good at blending in and being whoever I needed to be. It was hard work, but good work."
Tex nods, "Ah going over past missions?" He smiles to Agent Seraphim, "Yes, it is afternoon, but I feel like it's morning. I was in the city for the evening." He sips his coffee, "Definitely different than Texas."
"Something like that, more just our pasts, always interesting to learn." Gabriel says, before standing and taking his trash and tray over and dumping it, leaving the tray in the appropriate space. "Halloween een de city, a wonderful, if not harrowing experience to the less adventerous." He states, sitting back down and adjusting his black wings.
"I guess a bit Tex. I mean as much as we can say about them. You probably know how that is." Queztal says as some details can't exactly be said. "Index, I was wondering, why are you wearing tap shoes?" He asks as he was curious earlier if there was some certain reason. "I think all old missions were hard work but good work. I was good at decoding things and reading and listening since language barrier isn't an issue and I like to think I was a decent shot when it mattered." He looks over at Gabriel and shrugs. "You know, I never have celebrated Halloween."
"I was tap dancing," replies Index to Quetzal, matter-of-factly. He lets that linger for a moment as he takes another bite of his sandwich, adding, "I'm trying to learn a tap routine for a play I'm thinking of doing. If I can't learn how to do something, I can't ask my students to. Are musicals too hard?" Oh, the joys of never having taught drama before. Surely, he'll become more accustomed. Index shrugs at the mention of Halloween, and says, "I guess I never really noticed Halloween, either. Being military kind of made it fall by the wayside for me."
Tex smirks, "Well I was never big on it either, and I didn'thave to change clothes or get a costume. Everyone thought I was a cowboy." He finishes his coffee, "But I did see some rather freaky costumes and ALOT of skin." He looks towards the food and ponders if he should eat.
"My friends and I were into Halloween, there was always a beeg party on Halloween night." He offers up. "Though, some of the costumes were really good, most of them were improvised." The mention of skin makes Gabriel chuckle. "Neber a dull moment in de city, of course." And how apropos is that? The city that never sleeps, on Halloween, quite a sight.
"I don't know, I've never done a musical but if you need someone for piano accompaniment, I do have a grand piano in my room. The thing takes up most of my space." Quetzal says as he finds playing it relaxing. "I think last night I was relaxing in my room, pondering if I should open a bottle of Sake or not." He then looks at Tex and raises an eyebrow. "Well aren't you a cowboy?"
"Oh, you play?" asks Index, raising his brows slightly. He shrugs and says, "Last night, I was just stayed in my room and got my schedule for this week done up." He pulls out his cellphone and glances at the time, putting his fingers on every element of his lunch and making them disappear. "I should get out of here, on that note. Improv exercises, coming up."
Tex tips his hat to Index, "Have fun and don't get trapped inside an invisible box." He grins and looks to Quetzal,"I am a cowboy, so I didn't have to dress up. I was wearing my own clothes and everyone thought it was a costume." He shrugs, "See ya, Index." He looks to Seraphim, "Will you be teahing here?"
"Alright, catch you guys later," says Index, kicking back his chair in an easy gesture, popping up and slipping it back where he found it. He gives a wave before walking out of the room, tapping all the way.
Gabriel soon adopts a surprised look. "I've been teaching here for a while." He offers up, before waving goodbye to Index. "Good luck, I mean, break a leg." He turns to the group. "Never understood that." But the shakes his head, dismissing the notion. "Anyway, I've been teaching marksmanship." He says back to Tex.
"Yes I do play Index and have a good day, I'll see you later." Queztal says as he looks at his meerkat friend and seems to share something private with him before speaking. "Break a leg? I never did either since breaking a leg isn't exactly a pleasant experience. So how long have you been here Gabriel?"
Tex nods and looks to Gabriel, "Oh sorry. I thought I had met everyone on the faculty." He stands up and takes his hat off and places it on the table, "Marksmanship. might be interesting to so some shooting with ya." He smiles, "I'm going to grab a quick sandwich, either of you want anything?"
Gabriel nods. "I think it would be interesting as well. Would I be too bold in assuming you are fond of the pistol?" He asks, his thick spanish accent showing off. "Or is long-range sniping more your thing?" He actually prefers a good old game of darts, but that's neither here nor there. "Nothing for me thank jou. My tea ees good enough for me."
"No thank you Tex, I already had some breakfast." Waffles are delicious. "I was telling Gabriel I have to start shooting in the range again. It's weird not carrying a pistol or rifle with me at all times." Queztal says as these are things you get used in a militeristic lifestyle. "So are you a pistol fighter Gabriel?"
Tex nods, "That was a good assumption, Gabriel, is it?" He has returned with a tuna sandwich, "And feel free to call me, Drew." He sits down, "I've worked ona rodeo before and I am a pretty good shot with rifle and six-shooter, but I am assuming you are very good, if you teach a class on it."
Gabriel smiles as Tex comes back. "Well, really anyting that can be thrown, or shot, I'll hit it on de mark." He offers up, before looking to Quetzal. "Oh, eet was soon after dees place opened, I want to say about a jear ago? Two? I don't really remember." Gabriel nods to Tex. "Gabriel, Dumont." He's a bit proud of his name, if not because he has the highest respect for his father.
"That must be really helpful Gabriel. I'm surprised that SHIELD has nabbed you for a sniper job seeing that you're that accurate." Quetzal says as he knows that sometimes they'll grab what they view is useful to use it to their full potential. "So Gabriel, were you born here in America or did you move here later?"
Tex muches on the sandwich and asks, "So your kinda like Bullseye?" He nods and lets Quetzal ask the questions, he was going to ask.
"Oh, heer in New Jork, between that and Madrid. My father's company had us moved more than once." The angelic looking man smiles. "I took de accent from my father, and he wouldn't let anyone take eet away." As to Tex's question, he does give a hearty nod. "Just without de…assasin part. I am more of a pacifist, or at least, I don't keel. Only using my training when necessary, never escalating a combat."
Quetzal can't say he's never killed but he doesn't comment on it. "Ah okay." He says not in an offensive way but more just making the understanding that Gabriel is one of the more Hero types while folks like him and Index are more the Agents, not that there is anythign wrong with it. Tex to him is a bit of both. "We should get a group of us instructors and go to a bar some night. I used to like to do that when I was in the field more and it's always fun for bonding."
Leaning back in his chair and lowering his hat to cover his eyes, Drew smirks, "That'd be fun, Quetzal. I went out with Angelo to some backyard bar or backdoor bar…something suggestive. He ended up strip dancing and I was accosted in the bathroom." He stretches a bit, "Ending up fighting some costumed nuts, Miracle Man and Shellshock."
Gabriel gives a little bit of a laugh at the story from the Texas Twister. "I wouldn't be opposed to a little get together, away from de students." He figured he could at least throw that in the hat. He's enjoying the story. "Jou know, I wonder eef we'll ever get called up again, I almost miss de…action."
Quetzal raises both eyebrows at Drew. "Striptease? That's..something I don't think I'd want to see." He says as he's not sure he'd want to see a coworker he barely knows mostly naked. "I guess I'd be happy for the fight but just not getting accosted in the bathroom. What kind of bar were you in?" He's used to sketch bars in various countries but this one almost sounds like it caters to particular male clientel. "I probably won't be. I miss being on the field but my leg will never heal properly so it's hard for me. They also disbanded my squad after an incident."
Tex shakes his head, "No idea. I think it was supposed to be a western bar. But I may have misintepreted it from the place. And it's not quite as bad as it sounds." Though he starts ot laugh, "Miracle Man was the entertaintment and he hypnotized Angelo into stripping. While I was in the bathroom, Shellshock attacked me. But we defeated them in the end."
"Well, umm. Nebermind." He says, holding his tongue, but it seems Quetzal and Gabe are thinking on the same wavelength. "Not a bad night, it sounds." Gabriel looks to Quetzal though. "How did eet happen? Your leg, I mean, if I may ask."
"Yeah that doesn't sound like our kind of bar." The meerkat finally chimes in as it walks over and settles around Queztal's neck as an ermine. "Being mind controled to attack Index was enough for me. Those guys were…a little strange, okay a lot strange, compared to what I was used to going up against. I might have powers but I was with a team where half of us didn't. So I will look around for a bar or something in the area and see when we can get together one night to relax." He then shakes his head and offers a smile at Gabriel. "I don't mind, our squad was caught, I took a fall, it was about fifteen feet and suffered a bad break. It never healed right, but at the same time, I wouldn't have found Verde here."
Tex hmmmmns, "Well, you should talk to Angelo about healing your leg." He stands up, "Well, I am going to head out for a lil bit. meet up with some students." He tip shis hat to the gentlemen.
Gabriel stands up, empty mug in hand. "I'm going to head out as well. Make sure those keeds don't treat the range like a shooting gallery." He says, giving a wave. "See jou all later." He offers before heading over and giving up the mug to the appropriate place.
Standing up himself, Verde jumps off of Quetzal's shoulder and lands on the floor gracefully as an ocelot. "It was a pleasure meeting you Gabriel but like Drew and yourself here, I must be going." He says as he takes his cane in one hand and the tray from his breakfast in the other. "I might see you in the shooting range later." He says as he nods to Drew. "Take care Drew." He says as he heads off at his slow pace.