Players:
Summary: These two finally meet, nothing breaks.
Date: August 4 2010.
Log Title: The African and The Afri-Cannot
Rating: PG.
Xavier Mansion - Kitchen
This kitchen was designed to feed large numbers of people, and looks it with its bright white walls and stainless steel appliances. The stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher are all larger than normal. There is an island with stools around it for people to sit and eat around along with a table for twelve by the windows in back. Along the wall is a hole in the wall looking into the dining room so food can be passed back and fourth. Anything you want to cook or eat in the kitchen you will find the food and supplies to do so.
Thursday evening and feeding time at the X-Zoo. For the hyena, that means escaping the confines of his cave-like room and venturing into the kitchen to make something for himself. Dressed per-usual in his black BDUs and t-shirt, James is crouched in front of one of the 'fridges, all but his head blocked various kitchen things. He frowns as he pokes at the stuff inside, "I dunno who eats Tofu around here, but I'm TOTALLY gonna put one of those clay erasers in here tomorrow." He reaches into the back, finding one of his hidden cans of Sobe No Fear, "Sweet baby BBQ Jesus…what's a nice thing like you not doin' in mah belly!? Get in der!" He cracks it open and begins guzzling.
Hosea has just finished with his daily prayer time, and is feeling the need for some food as well. An old reddish brown polo that should've probably been thrown away long ago covers his chest, and a pair of equally old khaki pants are on his legs, his feet bare. The kitchen is his choice of location as well, given his own appetite. He steps in the kitchen, as the hyena begins to guzzle the drink, but since the most that he sees is the head of the other mutant, he doesn't understand that it is another student. "What is dis?" He exclaims. "Hyena! Shoo! You should not be inside houses, dah outside is foh hyenas!" His accent is rich and african, and the 6'7" black man raises his hands over his head in a 'shooing' manner, as if to scare off the beast. "Go! Ha! Go!"
James turns his large head to face the boy, one ear falling as he tilts his head. He's not really sure what's going on, but the scent tells him the kid is probably serious. A smile creeps across his face that begins to show off all his pointy teeth. Another mark for the playing! Eyes widening he tries his best hyena impersonation…which isn't hard since he already looks the part. Letting out a sharp, shrill nervous laugh, the creature makes the usual cackle one would expect from the Discovery Channel before lobbing the empty can up and over at Hosea.
Hosea ducks the can, a little perplexed at how a hyena would throw such a thing, and starts to make his way around the island, his face wrinkled in a frown a little. "Go on, you—" he then spots the clothing on the hyena, and hesitates, a little perplexed. A hyena that's wearing clothes? And…is significantly larger than any hyena he's ever seen before.
With Hoesa walking around to face the creature, the preverbal jig is now up for James. But he's not going to let it go with out a fight. Holding up his claws Wolfman style, he says, "RAWR! I followed you from Africa to….EAT you! My grandmother ate your grandmother, and now….uhhh…I will eat you!…Rawr!" He stands, reaching his full, nearly 7' tall stance, "I've come here to drink Sobe and kick ass…and I just ran out of Sobe!"
The African watches as James pulls himself to his full height. He's taller than Hosea, which is saying something, since Hosea isn't a small guy. "You will eat me?" he echoes with a look of incredulity. He looks more confused than intimidated. "Ha! You are another student! You do not fool me. Hyenas can not talk, and dey are much smaller dan you." He doesn't seem scared, but nonetheless, he's still on his guard.
James gives up and frowns a little as he puts his hands on his hips, "Actually, there you're probably wrong. Being a student won't stop me from trying. Ask the headmaster—or Lucas." Since his pitiful attempt at scaring didn't work he turns to close the fridge before looking back at the other student, eyeridges arched "You seen the real thing then?"
"Only a few times," he says, "I come from Nigeria. Dere are not many hyenas in Nigeria." He gives a broad smile. "I am sorray for making actions at you like an animal. I did not realize, I hope you will accept my apology, I was vedy rude." The African holds out a dark hand, "My name," he says, "Is Hosea Ikbuku. I am a mutant, like you!" He puts his left hand on his chest as an indicator. "It is a vedy great honor to meet you." He acts as if James is some sort of celebrity now that he realizes he's not an animal.
"Ehhhhh," James says with a shrug, "It's not a full day until someone mistakes me for a zoo exhibit. I'm James." He takes the hand in his large paw and gives it a shake, offering a rather unusually friendly insight into the Gnoll. But, as the other boy has remained pretty neutral in emotion, James isn't on guard or feeling that he needs to be reactive. "Would have been more fun if you'd been scared…but that's just the Sobe talking." Or just his natural flair for trouble.
Hosea lets out a hearty and deep laugh. "I do not think it would be," he says. "I would have maybe punched you in dah face." He opens the fridge, and looks around. Spying some cold cuts, he pulls them out, and then walks to the bread basket. "I tink dat would have not been a vedy good first impression, yes?" He pulls the loaf of bread out, and places two slices on the counter before closing it back up carefully.
James shrugs and moves away from the food prep area, a habit he has to keep his hair to himself and out of other's mouths, "I prefer memorable impressions over the good ones." He crosses his arms and leans against a far table, "Just means I'll have to try harder next time." he smiles, looking semi friendly and somewhat like he might be joking, "Though…I think my grandmother really did eat yours. So, if you don't get a birthday card…I apologize in advance."
"My grandmother was dead befoh I was born," Hosea answers soberly. "But I tink she starved to death. My other grandmother lives in South Carolina, so if your grandmother ate her, I may have to eat your grandmother." It's not an epic tale, but hey, that's his grandmother's story. "Though, I had a brother dat was killed by a lion," he adds. "So it was at least another cat." His tone talking about death seems rather casual, as if it isn't a big deal.
No stranger to the conversation of death, James shrugs it off as well, "Cat huh? Not surprised. You can't trust them." He lets the rest of the conversation slip, instead, going for the obvious one that 2 new-to-one-another mutants always bring up: Powers. "So, what do you do?" the hyena asks, as if 'do' is explanation enough.
The smile on Hosea's face broadens. "Dere is a big word, I forget it." He scratches his chin, and then a light seems to go on inside. "I can do dis!" he says, putting down his sandwich ingredients and taking a rather solid looking stance before James. And then he lunges at him, as if to tackle him. However, there is no contact made, for he passes straight through the hyena, as if a ghost. Six really didn't like it when he did this, but hey, he gets a kick out of people's responses, what can he say?
If a reaction was what Hosea wanted, a reaction is what he gets. Thank to a combination of Kenta's training and the sheer fact that James really hates to be touched, the hyena drops low and lunges forward at the aggressor. It's a snap decision, instinctual…and ineffective given that Hosea wasn't 'there.' Grappling at nothing, James spins on a heel as soon as he's able too, trying to locate the other boy; hackles raised.
The African grins, and leans back on the island counter. "It is a great blessing, yes? I can do it any time dat I like." Hosea's smile might be taken as taunting, but he doesn't intend it as such. "I can also make myself heah, and den in another place without walking, dey say it is called teleporting, a vedy funny word I tink."
James narrows his eyes a little, his nose telling him that the other boy's scent is not one of aggression. He mentally tries to shake off the not-attack, his response a gruff, unfriendly one, "Yeah, funny stuff until someone takes it the wrong way." Like he might have, since that's usually par. "You should talk to Connor. You two would probably get a lot great." Nodding to the clock on the wall, hands still slightly splayed and ready to do something, he looks over at Hosea with a frown, "Anyways, I'm on security tonight…so I need to run before I'm late."
The Nigerian mutant knits his brow. "Yes, people say dat, but you are not hurt, yes? Dat was dah point. You are a noble man I tink, you put yourself in a place to protect others. Dat is a good ting. It was good to meet you James, be well and go wit God." his smile returns, which seems to be his normal expression, the white teeth contrasting against his dark skin.
James hmphs and turns to start padding towards the door, "Yeah, sure." He'd love to stay and argue the logic of the other boys thoughts, but with his shift starting soon he really doesn't have the time, less he deal with Julian over the matter. "See ya around, Hosea." A paw lifts, waves, and disappears with the rest of the hyena as he exits the room.
