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Summary: Hildegarde accidentally sets off Nicholas while chatting with him and Nigel.
Log Title: The Unhappiest Time of the Year
Rating: R
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
A quiet evening in the rec room, the lights are dim with the lights on the Christmas tree in the corner casting odd shadows. The silence is broken by the outburst of "Ah hit him already dammit!" As a non-tooned Nigel spits another curse at the screen as he plays Left 4 dead 2. "Gah damn chargers…" Tonight’s take-out is Chinese from the looks of the cartoons on the coffee table and the half-empty case of Pepsi max.
Thinking he's about to walk into the living room when he realizes he's in the rec room instead. "Damnit." He mutters to himself sounding a bit angry and is about to turn around and walk out when he notices the video game being placed and walks in a few steps to watch them. He pulls the hood of his hoodie up to block the view of the Christmas tree and shoves his hands in his pockets as he watches.
There is a soft humming noise coming from the kitchen along with the wafting aroma of cookies, something not so uncommon the past couple of weeks. Hildegarde is quite fond of this time of year, it being the perfect time to bake her favorite holiday treats. Some time after the outburst at the television the woman decides to investigate, but not without a plate of cookies to lighten the mood of whoever is in apparent distress. The woman is wearing a pink house-dress with a white apron. Her hair is pulled up in a double braided bun and her boots appear to be plated with some sort of metal. "Ah! I thought I heard people in here."
Nigel hasn't noticed Nicholas's entrance yet, still focused on what he's doing. "Aha! Cricket bat… time for some Shaun of the dead you rotting bastards!" Of course right after that his character is promptly mauled by a hunter which gets another burst of creative vulgarity best left undescribed from the teenager. Nearly throwing the controller down as the fame over screen flashes. "Gah.. knew I should have played guitar hero instead. Or maybe I can find the DDR mat." He perks up when he smells cookies and hears Hilde enter, turning with a grin only to have it falter a bit when he spots Nicholas and remembers his run-in with Wildcard last night. "Alright something smells… awesome. Ah hey there man."
Not recognizing Nigel as Wildcard from last night, he speaks up to the other student. "Well…if you ever want a second player?" He offers quietly with a bit of uncertainty in his voice. He turns and looks over at Hilde and shrugs. "I thought this was the living room, mixed up the two rooms…again."
Hilde frowns at the cursing but says nothing right away. "What is that game? Are you killing…Orcs?" She ponders for a moment. "Orcs do not enter human cities. And I do not think they would fare badly against a bat." There is a slight smirk on her face, is she joking? "But either way, perhaps you should play something less violent or maybe less…Likely to cause you to speak in such a non-child friendly way? There are younger students about. I'd hate for them to pick up such language. Or to have nightmares on the Solstice." The woman shakes her head and holds up a hand, "But enough lecturing…Who wants cookies?"
Nigel grins to Nicholas a little "Yeah always better co-op, glad to have a second. Not too many folks around here play shooters for whatever reason. Probably some connection between mutants and gunfire I haven't made yet." He cheers up a little. "Anyway cookies sound good, the Chinese on the coffee table is still warm if anyone wants some, but they put way too much heat in the general Tsos." He downs the rest of his current can of Pepsi and stands from the couch to head towards Hilde.
Nicholas walks over and sits down on the couch. "Right now the violent games are good and if something as stupid as language is going to cause the kiddies here nightmares than everything I've heard about this school is bullshit." He comments bitterly. "I used to play a lot of shooters back home with my best friend and girlfriend…." He says looking down at the ground. "I'll pass on the cookies, I'm boycotting Christmas and whatever Solstice is."
Hilde frowns at Nicholas as he continues with the un-gentlemanly language. "I meant nightmares from watching people being torn limb from limb by the walking dead." So apparently she does not actually think they're orcs. "And I'll pass on the Chinese, thank you. I had dinner in the city a short while back." The woman holds up a finger and waggles it in the air as she teaches Nicholas about the magic of Solstice. "Solstice is not a holiday. It is the shortest day of the year with the longest period of darkness. You cannot boycott the tilt of the earth. Though I suppose you can boycott Christmas if that's what's hip these days."
Nigel chuckles "That why I play the game when nobody else is here. I creep people out around here enough as it is." He takes one of the cookies and heads back towards the Pepsi case to grab a fresh can. "Parents are too scared of me to let me come home, though I doubt they will even if I get my alter-ego under control. So there's no place like school for the holidays. Figure maybe this weekend I'll head into New York and go see the Macy’s windows or watch the parade. Day with the longest period of darkness eh? Sounds like high school all over again."
"Isn't this High School?" Nicholas asks a bit flatly before finding a spot on the other side of the room to be quite interesting to stare at. "Yes, because I'm not celebrating Christmas this year to be a cool kid, since that's what matters, right, being cool?" He says bitterly, his gaze never leaving.
Hilde smiles warmly at Nicholas, "I thought so. I know how you kids think. Believe it or not, I used to be one myself." She's what, thirty something? Either she's crazy or blatantly making fun of this kid. "Oh I missed the Thanksgiving Day parade this year. I did want to see it. But the tree is up in Rockefeller, I'd suggest that. And if you walk down Fifth Avenue all of the big and famous stores are decked out for the season."
Nigel nods and cracks open the new can, taking a bite from the cookie first. "I always thought this was college of sorts.. guess it depends on your age. Anyway gotta make the best of it. Though I wonder if I could make it back to the burgh on Christmas even in time for the Steelers home game. I can only maintain the transformation for an hour at a time, but with wildcard's top speed I could probably pull off getting from here to Pittsburgh in a about 4 hours or so.. two walking and two transformed." He takes a swallow from the can.
Nicholas scowls and rolls his eyes at Hilde. "Well it's still High School for me, though it's the weirdest High School ever." He says looking around for a second controller. "I've always been partial to the Vikings as they're the closet team to home. My best friend likes the Browns for who knows what reason."
Hilde seems a little concerned at Nigel's plan. "It might be ill advised to use your powers for such a purpose. If you really want to go maybe we could find you a bus for not too much money. I'd prefer someone went with you though…And you may need permission from the headmaster…Perhaps. I am unfamiliar with your situation." And then, "Vikings? Why my family is descended from Vikings, on my father's side. Also on my mother…Oh you are talking about an American sport game team, aren't you."
Nigel chuckles "Eh I use him to get into town from time to time. Can't get the restaurants to deliver here. That's how I got the Chinese food. Why have the powers if we can't use them? I mean if I'm going to ostracized for doing what I can do I might as well enjoy it. Not like I'm out terrorizing the public or something."
"Yes, we were referring to football. I don't really follow it that much but sometimes I'd watch….it doesn't matter." Nick says looking away again, it seems that he has a hard time keeping his gaze on either person. The pool table is really interesting right now. "So, uh, what do you mean by transform? And why can't you just borrow a car or something to travel into the city?"
Hildegarde nods and walks over to sit the tray of cookies on a coffee table. "Well just because you have a power does not mean you should use it. Especially the way things are currently in the world. You do not want someone to mistake you for one of the…Less than lawful mutants out there, do you? It could cause problems. It is best to stay under the radar…Trust me." She shakes her head and waves a hand to Nicholas. "Drive? Into the city? The parking there is impossible."
Nigel takes another bite from the cookie. "They tried to explain how what I do works to me once, I think blood starting running out my nose trying to understand it. Something about unstable molecules.. but anyway the short version is I have this Jekyll and Hyde thing going on where I can transform into a living cartoon. You met him last night.. sorry about that." He gives a bit of a sheepish grin. "I have a little bit of control over what he does.. but not much."
Nicholas opens his mouth to say something to Nigel but Hilde's words cause him to stop and shake his head. "Just shut up okay?" He snaps at Hilde. "God, just shut up. I know what people can do if they find you have powers, I don't want to be fucking reminded of it okay? Every fucking day is a battle in this place with everything thinking Christmas is so fucking grand and they get to spend it with their families or whatnot, just….I'm never leaving my fucking room again, I swear." He mutters standing up and moving to head out of the room.
Hildegarde listens in a generally interested fashion to Nigel explain his powers. "That sounds…Very interesting." She would like to see this sometime, but the woman thinks it impolite to ask probably. Her eyes narrow when Nicholas goes on his tirade. "Now listen here, mister. I don't know what's got you in such a mood, but there is a reason everyone keeps telling you to be careful. And that reason is that those of us that have been around long enough have seen what can happen when the wrong people learn what we can do. We don't do it to annoy you. We do it so you'll always remember. To protect you."
Nigel shakes his head "Naw it's ok, let him go. He's got a reason to be bent out of shape this year. None of us has had an easy life but his got real ugly real fast. I didn't know about it till last night and I screwed up, so if he wants to take off let him."
Nicholas stops as Hilde talks and tenses up and doesn't turn around until Nigel is done speaking. "What's got me in such a mood? You! Just talking and talking about how you know better about the dangers out there when /they tried to kill me!/ Some assholes called the Purifiers killed my Mom and Dad and Bodie but my powers….just…fuck you cause I don't think I'll ever forget so next time you want to remind me, don't!"
Hildegarde frowns. Her arms are crossed and she is tapping her foot on the ground in an annoyed fashion as the boy leaves the room. It probably wouldn't be so intimidating except for the deep, resonating thump of her foot with each tap. It sounds almost as though someone is repeatedly dropping something very heavy on the floor. After a few moments she seems to calm down. "He's not the only one with a story like that. I hope he doesn't go on tirades like that at other students. I can handle it…But I'm a bit concerned for him…" She turns to Nigel, "Sorry to spoil the mood. Are you alright?"
Nigel shrugs "Eh I'm used to it, between him and Quenton there's enough bad blood around here to choke a horse. I just let it roll off and keep smiling. I mean I can understand it, I think if my folks had died I'd have gone off the deep end. He'll come to terms with it sooner or later, at least right now I don't think he's strong enough to go get revenge.. but god help the purifiers when he does get stronger."
The woman is silent for a few minutes longer. Purifiers? Sounds similar to that group that ran through Mutant Town a year or so back. She'll ask about it later, it is not the proper thing to talk about this time of year. "Alright…Well you seem to at least know him better than I. If you think he's up to anything that might put himself or others in danger, please find someone on staff."
Nigel nods "Yeah some of us are keeping an eye out, I doubt he's gonna do anything crazy at the moment but give him a few months and we'll see." He turns off the X-box and flips on the local news. "So anyway I still intend to have a merry Christmas despite all the killjoys around here."
Hilde seems to snap out of her deep thought and glances back at Nigel. "Oh yes? Well that is good. Perhaps your good mood will be contagious, hmm? I'll try to keep the kitchen stocked with cookies…While I can. You know I'll bake up a few dozen and turn my back for a second and BAM! Gone." She shakes her head. "At least I know someone out there likes them."
Nigel grins "Ah I doubt it'll spread, but I try to keep positive on things. The cookies are a definite help. Besides no point in being grouchy this time of year, takes way too much effort."
Hilde nods in agreement. "Yes. And there are far too many other things to think about than…I don't know, being unhappy. If that makes any sense. Well anyway, I need to go send out a few emails. I'll leave the cookies on the table there. I'd say wrap them up when you're finished, but I'm sure someone will come along and help you finish them off, hmm?" The woman smiles and offers a wave before heading off toward the hall again.
Nigel nods "Well you have a good night and Merry Christmas to you, I'll se sure to deal with the leftovers if there are any."
~ Fin ~
