A Mythic MeetingThursday, March 15th, two-thirtyish in the afternoon
The Dinning Hall was usually bustling with people. Some students played cards while wolfing down cafeteria style food while others gossiped or engaged in affectionate teasing. The communal eating and the laughing and light-hearted chatter accompanying it made up a daily ritual that Drian Macneil still found unnerving. Come late May he would mark a year in this new universe so different from his own. While the change had meant lifting the ever-present weight from his shoulders every once and awhile Drian knew that the anniversary of his first steps into this Universe was not a date he anticipated enjoying. However it was not just the one year date of being here that he could mark on his calender. Weighing heavily on his mind was the thought of his birthday.
Since childhood it had been a date which meant little to him. His last real birthday party with gifts had been held at age nine and it was one time he could not ever really return to. Vampires and darkness had robbed him of his parents and effectively of the gradual transition from boy to man that most were afforded. Drian had become an adult when he watched his mentor and guardian killed by evil and had been forced to fend for himself. In a matter of weeks he would turn twenty-three. Drian didn't have high hopes of regaining a touch of innocence or the life he had long left behind but some part of him wondered if things could be different. Four years ago his birthday had meant the death of a friend, could his birthday here bring him a new beginning? The former rebellion leader doubted it but if there was one thing Aisha had taught him it was hope. For a man who had never really believed in a god it was a step in the right direction.
Vampires he could handle but groups of people still made Drian skittish. He assumed it was because most groups in his world had been of vampires or of small desperate bands of rebels like his own. Sometimes he wondered if abandonning them had been the right decision. Hadn't it been about his own selfish desires more than a genuine desire to do good? He had left for Aisha but she didn't need him anymore. In an ironic twist of fate she was now the one guiding him through life. In this world Aisha had found an alternate mother and while that was a difficult issue to tiptoe around they seemed to be gaining ground. More importantly his sister figure had friends. Drian was so used to being the leader, the older brother figure. He had taken care of her and they had been close. They still were but now Aisha had other friends, friends she was currently out shopping with. She hadn't been raised like he had. It hadn't been the same depth of Hell for the daughter of Storm. She was still young, still malleable. Drian was like an old dog, he was set in his ways now and he feared he might never adjust.
He had particularly chosen his mealtimes so that they didn't co-ordinate with those of other students. Not many people would bother eating lunch at two-thirty he figured and as a result could avoid the crowds on days when he didn't have Aisha, or the one friend he had made in the school teacher Johnny Smith, to act as a buffer. Johnny had classes to teach today and he was left to his own devices. There were still a few people in front of him and Drian waited patiently in the line, tucking a strand of hair so dark it was nearing black behind his ear as he did so. He was so used to cutting his own hair and thus it had been easier to leave it long and pull it back into a short ponytail. Now Drian kept his hair long out of habit although it was still shorter than his previous cuts.
He chose a sandwich of some variety and placed it on the tray in front of him. It didn't really matter what kind of meal it was, it was food and it was fairly decent. Living in a cave didn't suit picky people and he had eaten what he could. Ready made sandwiches and things like french fries were luxaries. Holding the tray in both hands Drian began the careful deliberations on where to sit. There were a few clean tables but a group of students talking loudly were in that direction of the dining hall. He turned his attention to the otherside of the hall, noticing students studying while eating and some who sat alone. Presumably they were loners like himself to a certain extent. The person who caught his attention however did so because his fiery red hair was a shade the likes of which Drian had never seen before.
Noticing that the only clean tables seemed to be occupied with the exception of one in a darker light corner Drian looked more closely at the red-headed mutant. He was pretty sure he didn't know him because he didn't really know anyone but the guy didn't even look familiar and Drian was pretty sure he would have recognised him had he seen him around before.
Walking towards the table Drian made up his mind and for once in his life took the social approach. He wasn't sure if it was the desire to make friends somewhere below his brooding surface or the fear of being left alone while Aisha and Johnny Smith moved towards greater destinies than being his chaperone or guide. Whatever the reason he made the decision and standing directly beside the chair across from the red-haired man Drian asked, "Do you mind if I...?" The question trailed off but soulful dark eyes glanced at the chair, implying that he was asking if he could sit there. His tone was quiet in his typical soft-spoken way but there was a strange quiet-confidence there which only a leader of a team could possess. His inquiry was polite enough he thought and hoped that the other wouldn't mind his prescence too much. If he was feeling bold he might actually try his hand at small talk, after satisfying his hunger that was.
The week started off interesting, it seemed to be staying that way as well, the weekend was approaching and there rarely appeared to be a dull moment. Though Kichi was proving an interesting friend to say the least… though her first day had been quite the eye opener, it wasn’t every day he had some girl striping down in front of him, even if she didn’t have the full dose of female autonomy, Jay was still a guy, so the feminine curves alone were enough to distract him and keep his imagination occupied. The former band member was still curious… and somewhat terrified to think there was someone who could go through life without lust or physical cravings, in some ways that would be great, it helped take away some of the pain Icarus felt… In other ways… he still hoped one day he’d get over things and learn to cope and move on and learn to feel what he had taken for granted the last three years. Jay had been somewhat of an early bloomer with girls, his sculptured physique and fiery hair, attractive features and the bad boy attitude had definitely hit it off with the girls, especially the fact he was such a fantastic singer. But since Julia’s death he backed away from woman… even just female friends. He was starting to miss the bonds he once had. Maybe Kichi was his chance to gain a friend, she seemed extreme at first, but she was definitely growing on him… Maybe she couldn’t have any physical relationships, but right now Icarus liked to convince himself that he wasn’t interested in that sort of relationship at the moment, all he would be content in was a small group of friends.
"Do you mind if I...?" The words came to drag Icarus from his thoughtful contemplation, leaving bright eyes to peer up at the darker pair and then to follow their gaze to the empty seat. Jay dropped the bread stic he had been nibbling on and drew his tensely folded wings even closer against his back.
"Wow, aren’t I popular this week?" A rather neutral comment came from the seated mutant, who shrugged and motioned towards the seat while adding his own private joke into the mix without really thinking of the comment. "As long as you promise t’remain dressed… Ah’ve had enough surprises for the week." Although the comment was a private joke, he said it in a casual and straight forth manner, returning to his picked at plate and reluctantly dipping the edge of the bread into his stake sauce and then mixing the mashed potato with it… Though thoughts were too distracting for him to bother eating just yet, most of the plate seemed picked at but not really touched significantly if you discount the bread dipping.
Sitting there idly however was now not really an option with someone else there watching, so Icarus placed down his bread stick and picked up his knife and fork, the Kentucky mutant then carefully cutting the steak and spreading some potato against it before lifting the mouthful of food to his lips. Veggies scattered the side of the plate, including a decent serving of sweet pumpkin all of which was smeared in the gravy.
TBC: Drian (and Bryce is allowed in the thread.. don't know if Lady wants to post first or not)
Re: A Mythic Meeting
With watchful eyes hardened from years of battle Drian watched the red-headed mutant, unflinchingly meeting the brighter pair of eyes that looked up at him. When his eyes dropped to the empty chair the other's gaze followed.
"Wow, aren’t I popular this week?" Well that was one way to gain attention and it got Drian's. The older mutant's dark eyes returned to Jay's face, as he seemed to search his words but found them neutral. It was a part of Drian's nature to read carefully into everything that was said for among his group of rebels, in the place he still thought of as home, messages could be containned within the simplest of statements and everything meant more than it seemed. Yet in Jay's words he was unable to pick beneath the surface and he gave up entirely as the winged mutant spoke again.
"As long as you promise t’remain dressed… Ah’ve had enough surprises for the week." That gained Jay a rise of one eyebrow in an expression Drian remembered seeing on his mentor's face often enough when the man had been perplexed by the younger Drian, an apprentice in a sense, and his behaviour. It almost seemed as though there should be an accompanying line, somesort of explanation but after a few seconds it became clear that the line was a stand alone one.
Strange, Drian thought to himself as he watched Jay return to his plate. Bread, steak sauce and mashed potato came together in a strange routing of mixing but Prometheus was a trained observer and his gaze took in the fact that the other was only picking at his plate. He ignored it. Why bother telling a stranger something the guy already knew? He wasn't fond of stating the obvious and he was pretty sure the other mutant had a similar view so he ignored the lack of progress and instead thought about the previous comment made.
When Jay picked up his fork and knife Drian had a feeling the younger man felt self-conscious or something and wished he could tell him not to bother. If he wanted to pick at his food that was his business and Drian wasn't about to call him on it. Instead he watched for a moment, the careful cutting of the steak and the spreading of potato seeming almost an artform, before tearing his eyes away.
Well, he thought to himself, He hasn't said no. For Drian that was enough and the psychic mutant pulled out the seat and slumped heavily into it. "I'm not gonna ask," he muttered, half to himself and half for Jay, in reference to the comment about keeping his clothes on. He was just gonna assume that the other guy had had one hell of a strange week and leave it at that.
Drian glanced down at the sandwich, egg salad between whole wheat bread and forced himself to take a bite. Hell if the other guy felt obligated to eat then he should feel the same way. He wasn't hungry though and he had known that when he picked the sandwich from the cafeteria, choosing it over the steak and more filling choices offered. Slightly yellowed teeth that hadn't had the benefit of braces bit into the bread and egg slowly and the dark-haired one chewed and swallowed mechanically, holding back a grimace as he began to wish he had looked at the choices available more carefully.
Having finished one bite he glanced up from the unwanted sandwich to the mutant seated across from him and returned dark eyes to the bread. "Drian," he said, feeling the need to introduce himself since he was gonna be sitting across from the strange guy. He didn't look up, just offered his name free of handshake or obligation to say anything in return. Once more he focused on the sandwich, on the egg which he was now realising he only liked devilled or scrambled. A few more slow bites he could toss the thing or just pick at it until classes began again.
So much for food being a luxary, Drian thought, almost grinning at the thought of the sandwich. Truth be told he hadn't had egg before and it was the first real food item he had ever disliked. Of all the choices I pick the one I can't stand, he thought, finding the situation both ironic and humourous although not in the most pleasant of ways.
"I think I hate egg sandwiches," he remarked, feeling the need to say it aloud. Even still it was the type of comment one called random, hardly a statement directed at Jay or anyone else and the redhead could choose to ignore it or respond, whatever suited him. Drian glanced back at the bread and took one more small bite just to be sure. Yup he hated egg alright and that was okay, it meant he was learning.
Re: A Mythic Meeting
It had been just two days since Bryce had pulled up to the Xavier Institute, in a desperate attempt to try and escape from the talons of Emma, and Bryce had yet to actually get to know that many of his classmates. Sure he had talked to a few people in his classes, but even in an open-entry school like this most of the social cliques had already been established. So he had spent most of his free time practicing the piano in the school’s rec room, and running laps around the property.
But every once in a while he had to come inside and join the rest of the student body, and now was just such a time. After grabbing a bowl of soup, so that it could easily pass through the force-field that protected him, Bryce looked around the cafeteria for somewhere to eat. He knew his self-imposed exile need to end, and it was time to start meeting people but he just wasn’t in the mood to make small talk with random people.
There’s that group of girls over there, but how typical is that for someone like me? Guys joking and rough housing in the corner, not the smartest looking guys,’ Bryce thought to himself, surveying the room before spotting the red winged mutant and dark haired man sitting in the far corner.
He immediately recognized the red-winged mutant as the same young man who he had seen playing a guitar in the courtyard as he ran in the mornings. He had amazing musical talent and even his voice carried to the far reaches of the property on the early morning air and if wasn’t mistaken he had also been in the rec room a few times that Bryce had been on the piano.
Deciding that he had found the group he wanted to eat with, Bryce slowly made his way across the room and too the table. So with a wide smile the White Prince stepped up to the table and stopped behind an empty chair, waiting for a break in the conversation.
"I think I hate egg sandwiches," the dark haired man stated, before taking another bite out of his sandwich. It was understandable after all, both egg and mayonnaise tended to go bad after sitting out for any length of time and a school cafeteria didn’t inspire the best faith in freshness.
“Not a big fan myself, tends to be a natural carrier for e-coli,” he joked, before shifting his weight before nodding to the empty chair and continuing, “I’m Bryce by the way. Mind if I have a seat?”
Re: A Mythic Meeting
"I'm not gonna ask," And that’s what Icarus preferred, how the hell does one explain a random strip show? Anyway, it wasn’t something he could talk about even if he could put it into words, Kichi was trying to explain something to him… he was just so damn curious now on what things she could and couldn’t do that he felt a little awkward around her. How to have a meaningful conversation if ones mind was more focused on the ‘what if’ and ‘I wonder..’ of a physical relationship with someone he didn’t even know and most certainly wasn’t at any sort of level of acquaintance to be allowing himself such flights of fancy around her.
"Drian," For a brief moment Icarus thought the other guy had said ‘dried’ as in referring to perhaps his sandwich being stale, but luckily the winged mutant hesitated enough to replay the word and realize it had been a name. A definite contrast to Kichi’s personality, this one was more subtle and quiet, relieving any tension Icarus felt from worrying over having to deal with any new overly bubbly strangers. Kichi was hyper, definitely overly hyper, and one would expect it to drive Icarus insane but the flyer found himself dealing well enough with her at the moment. As long as it was in small doses he was sure she was manageable, but every moment of the drive was likely to drive anyone insane.
"I think I hate egg sandwiches," Icarus was still slowly chewing at the mouthful he had taken just as Drian introduced himself, bright eyes lifting from the plate to stare at the other young man whilst finishing his mouthful. Jay’s family didn’t really have the luxury to hate such an easy to come by food source, eggs made up most of their breakfasts but the former singer was all too well aware that everyone had different tastes and preferences, some not liking egg one way but finding it alright another way. Icarus raised the cup to his lips, helping rinse down his mouthful of food so that he could at least offer a name in return if nothing else. However was the cool liquid poured passed Jay’s lips the flyers blue-eyed gaze slid over to another figure that approached the table, hovering beside Drian behind one of the other empty chairs with a tray of food in his hands.
“Not a big fan myself, tends to be a natural carrier for e-coli,” he joked, before shifting his weight before nodding to the empty chair and continuing, “I’m Bryce by the way. Mind if I have a seat?” The glass was partially lowered from the flyers lips, his eyes drifting off to the side, more because two students were trying to pass behind him. The simple fact they were even dumb enough to try it was pretty annoying, though Icarus indignantly pulled his wings even tighter against his back while they wiggled past, placing down the cup a moment later and casting his eyes back to the new arrival.
"Why not?" It was a tone of voice that was more a sigh of ‘sure, go ahead’ then anything too negative, but Icarus could see the table getting packed now and the more who joined the more chances of one being a hyper cheery optimist. Dear lord, the agony of such a thought. "Drian." A motion to the dark haired boy was made with a fork, since the fella already gave his name once it would be pretty trying to have to keep repeated himself, at least Icarus thought it like that. "An’ I’m Jay."And please, let us not get into who has what powers. Jay silently prayed as he returned the fork to the mashed potatoes, picking up a morsel and lifting it to his mouth, fully aware he gave off the impression that he wasn’t one for long idle chit chats. Sure he could listen ok enough, but it was when people expected a two way conversation that really bugged him, half the things some guys went on about was just useless drivel.
Re: A Mythic Meeting
Drian hadn't expected anyone to approach the pair of them and consequently didn't notice the White Prince's approach as he normally would have. It occurred to him that he was getting sloppy; in this new world he was becoming lazy and more and more often was caught off guard. That made the vision mutant uneasy for he had always been a vigilent watcher of people around him. Back there he had always been wary because it wasn't always easy to tell the vampires from the people. Drian noted that he no longer thought of Lost Angels at home and noted this with a strange detachment. Lost Angels may not have been home but neither was Xavier's Institute in this world, at least not yet.
“Not a big fan myself, tends to be a natural carrier for e-coli.” Drian's dark eyes darted up and he turned to face the speaker with a wary look, like an animal unsure of a human's presence near them. E-coli had never been a worry of his before and Drian didn't know if the other mutant was serious or not. With a neutral mask on his face Drian put the sandwich down.
“I’m Bryce by the way. Mind if I have a seat?” Did he mind? Drian wasn't sure. He had picked the red-haired mutant, who had yet to offer a name, because it seemed a better option than the other assorted groups of students talking cheerily between mouthfuls. Drian had been looking for quiet and minimal conversation ideally and so far the other man had been providing just that. He didn't know how he felt about this bolder man joining their group. It came to Drian that the decision wasn't his to make. He had asked to join the other mutant and the winged one had permitted him. It was the latter's decision as to who joined him at the table.
"Why not?" came a response only slightly delayed. The other's voice was hardly welcoming but it wasn't unkind either. In fact it seemed more a sigh and resignation to the fact that there were other people about and that some might want to join him. The winged mutant seemed to have bowed to fate and Drian recognized the resignation as something he had done often enough. Dark eyes began to examine the newcomer closely. Bright blue eyes, dark hair and a charming smile. Drian had trouble remembering the last time he had truly smiled and meant it.
"Drian." He snapped back to attention, eyes now on the red-haired mutant. It seemed though that he was being introduced to Bryce. Drian shot the winged one a half-smile, appreciating the introduction so that he didn't have to repeat himself. He looked over at Bryce once more and inclined his head slightly in greeting, producing an expression that didn't look too pained or brooding.
"An’ I’m Jay." Jay. So the other guy had a name now. Jay was a name short and to the point, free of rambling or nonsense. Drian thought it suited him. As Jay returned his fork to his food and then to his mouth it seemed as though he was not one for conversation, or at least for smalltalk. Drian could appreciate that. He wasn't the type for that either so he remained silent, giving the dreaded egg salad sandwich another look. A part of him really despised the notion of eating it but he didn't have much of a choice. Drian certainly wasn't about to be picky, to walk over and get something else. He had lived on easily prepareable and only barely edible food for a few years back in Lost Angels so why was it he couldn't choke down a damned egg sandwich?
Drian sighed almost inaudibly and raised the sandwich to his lips again with willful stubbornness and took another bite. He definetly didn't like egg salad but he was two bites in now and he did have a bottle of room temperature tap water in his backpack that would have to do. Pulling the water out Drian unscrewed the cap and raised the bottle, talking a long sip and using it to swallow down the sandwich. Only another three or four bites now, it wasn't that large a sandwich and surely he could handle that much. He had fought vampires, surviving a bad sandwich was no hardship.
Edited by: Lady of Arendor at: 12/20/05 10:35 am
Re: A Mythic Meeting
It had been a conversation killer it seemed, the introducing of themselves, as once that was done nothing further was added, then again Drian appeared to be struggling with his sandwich to a degree that Icarus felt knocking the thing from the guys hands would be a merciful tactic. Each to their own, if the guy wanted to force it down so be it, though Icarus was happy with his steak and potatoes, he still considered going to get something better for the guy just out of sympathy, there had been a few days in his youth he had to down food that was near on uneatable to him. Being poor tended to cause a few meals like that, but Icarus wouldn’t complain, not now at least, not with all this food spoiling them, it seemed shameful that despite the abundance there was still someone eating something that wasn’t to their liking.
Small talk progressed only meekly during the meal and soon enough the last arrival had curtly said his farewells and left the other two, Icarus still slowly nibbling away at his meal though feeling rather awkward while he chewed knowing that Drian had less then a pleasant meal. Usually Icarus would hardly care, if the guy wanted a bloody decent meal all he ahd to do was get up and grab something else, but this week was different, this was a week where the flyer was intentionally going out of his way to try and not be so indifferent with people. So far it was working well enough… he didn’t want to ruin it.
"You woulda have hated livin’ back home in Kentucky, nothing but fresh eggs every morning, only sometimes ah’d have the money for bacon." There was a chuckle given with the tease, shortly pausing for a drink before placing down his fork and knife on the plate that was still holding a third of his unfinished meal. "How’d you last this long without never tasting eggs before?" It astounded Icarus who seemed to fall slightly back in his accent that faded at times when he spoke heavily with people, around Rogue or other southerners his words really returned to their strong southern born sounds but a year here helped round the edges of his sentences and smoothen his pronounciations.
Re: A Mythic Meeting
The talk, or rather silence, that occurred during their shared meal was awkward and even painful at certain moments. Drian Macneil hardly considered himself a master conversationalist, master of stopping conversation dead was a more accurate description of his small talk abilities, but even he felt uncomfortable here and now and the sandwich was beginning to look better by the moment.
Each time he took a bite it meant his mouth was occupied and he was no longer obligated to respond verbally to anything said or to put forth anything himself. It was a position Drian was happy to be in so he ignored the taste and took larger bites of his unsavoury sandwich in hopes of missing the conversation and silence altogether.
The last to arrive at their table (more accurately Jay's table he supposed) was also the first to leave and the two less chatty members of the group were left to eachother. This was a slight problem because when there are only two people present one speaks and the other must answer. Gods how he hated smalltalk.
It was really rather ironic if one thought about it. He was the former leader of a small but moderately successful rebellion against vampires and evils of the darkness. He was able to call out commands and lead a motley group of people against a dangerous foe without a second thought and yet he couldn't sit down and make easy conversation with one peer. Drian knew how Aisha would see it. He had resolved to try and keep his social life as private as possible for while Drian spoke almost solely to her and to Johnny Smith Aisha had a group of friends and fit in as if she had always been here. It was what he had wanted for her, what he had intended when he made sure she made that jump and piggybacked into this world of light. Why then was it painful for him to accept that she had fit in just so well, so well that he might no longer need him in her life.
All this thought had meant that the vision mutant had forgotten all about the sandwich and when he drew himself away from his thoughts in an attempt to politely pay attention he found that the Kentucky-born mutant was addressing him.
"You woulda have hated livin’ back home in Kentucky, nothing but fresh eggs every morning, only sometimes ah’d have the money for bacon."
Kentucky. Drian knew of the place of course; since coming here he had made sure to study up on the basics such as geography and some elements of pop culture. He had never really been outside of the New England and New York area though.
"How’d you last this long without never tasting eggs before?" Jay asked him, seeming astonished that Drian had a problem with the egg salad.
"I've been a world away," Drian answered. "Literally," he added with the rare hint of a smile. Resources could be scarse in his world, especially if you were a rebel rising up against the evil that governed the place. Bacon and Eggs weren't really the first thing on a person's mind and sometimes the rebels had been content with canned goods that Drian could only assume resembled army rations in this world.
"I had.." Drian searched for the right word and descripion. He knew he had tried one variety of eggs before and the memory of which one it had been was just not coming to him. A few months ago Aisha had gotten it into her head that they should have a taste testing party of foods she hadn't gotten to eat back home. Some of the foods were flavours of ice cream or chip varieties but just as much were foods taken for granted by the residents of this universe. Things like peanut butter and jelly were new to Drian, or at least he didn't remember having it when he was a kid and things had been different.
Unanticipated the term came upon him. "Over easy eggs once," the dark-haired mutant continued. "I liked them, I guess I thought I would appreciate egg salad." A wry look crossed Drian's face. "Apparently not. Still Aisha's always trying to get me to try new things so I figured I'd give it a go." He was slightly surprised by how much he had spoken, far more than the sometimes stoic leader usually said in one turn of speech but perhaps this was progress...or perhaps it was nervous rambling and explaining to cover the fact that he was the only person in the school to not have tried mundane foods like egg salad before now.
"What's Kentucky like?" Drian asked, a quieter tone in place. Yes. This was a safe question that he could ask and not embaress himself or 'Isha with. He was making smalltalk. Maybe he wasn't so different afterall.
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