13221/Discordants: The Ranch that Sif Built

Discordants: The Ranch that Sif Built
Date of Scene:	31 October 2022
Location:	Upstate New York
Synopsis:	Rhona helps Jimmy take care of Sif's ranch during these times.
Cast of Characters:	Jimmy Hudson, Rhona Lauren

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Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    Across the great state of New York in the rural back roads an hour away from Xavier's is a place that's a curious overlap of old world and out world. A place where the only buildings are a ranchhouse, a barn, and a storage shed that serve as a good run for the half dozen horses in residence. The fences are in place, cared for well. A good amount of acreage for the steeds to wander their ways and get some good grazing when they're not in their stalls at night. Not the most demanding ranch in the world.
    But it still needs a good amount of looking after.
    Which might explain why James Hudson spends not as much time around the mansion as he once had. Oh he's there for classes and to keep up his side of the bargain about the grounds at Xavier's. But his down time is mostly spoken for as he often heads off to this particular ranch to tend to it as he can.
    So often, that perhaps other folks might have noticed and one day when he was heading on out he might well have caught Rhona's attention. And if she seemed amenable, then an invitation to come along and lend a hand was given.
    It eventually led to the black SUV pulling into the driveway and the emergency brake being pulled. Getting out of it Jimmy took enough time to tell his young helper. "A'right, if yer feelin' up to it go on into the barn and make sure everyone's got good water. I'm gonna check the mail and see if there are any packages, then will head on out there too."

Rhona Lauren has posed:
Rhona had been hanging around the garage when Jimmy had found her. IT was her day off from her new job at the hospital in Salem Center, so she was admittedly kind of bored. She'd gone to the Halloween party the night before, but in the now, she was just hanging around.

So, she took him up on the offer. In the SUV, the ride had mostly been spent staring at her phone, her fancy smart watch, or out the window staring at the countryside of rural America. She's a pretty quiet girl too, unless one starts up a conversation with her first.

When they arrive, she closes the door to his SUV, and looks over the hood of the vehicle at him. "You got it." She says in her soft British flavored voice. The teenager is dressed in a black denim jacket over a black and white t-shirt, a black leather choker collar around her neck, and her dark brown hair tied up with just a few loose strands hanging around the sides of her face. She walks toward the barn, already in a pair of boots, she just moves to push the door ajar and peer inside.

Horses, she spies. A smile falls over her face then as she walks on in, her backpack slung over her shoulders, she pulls it off and sets it down on the nearest surface, then starts to familiarize herself with the barn layout, and what is available to use here in.

A bit of casual conversation starts with the horses as they're all looking at her now, and she's soon doing what needs to be done to care for the creatures, chatting them up as she works.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    Jimmy usually was fairly outgoing, would talk about just about anything. Though on the trip his conversation had been a little stilted at times. He'd start talking about some things, then pause a little, but then go on after a bit. He kept up a smile and that casual way he has just still felt like he was mildly on tenterhooks now and again.
    Though at the ranch he eased up a little, that smile settling in more naturally. She saw those horses and he called after her, "Don't let Banjo con you into givin' him extra treats, one apple for now." Since the horses had gotten used to having that little bit of niceness around about this time of the day.
    Jimmy headed off then, however. Just going to the house to make sure everything was alright. Checking around on the porch at first then scooping up the key from under one of the potted plants oh so cleverly.
    It left her with a good bit of time with the horses. Six of them all told, a couple racers that were clear and both mares. Banjo was a larger draft horse and was definitely the boss of the barn as he was the loudest when she entered and seemed to want the most attention. The others were good stock, and to be fair the place seemed well tended to. Their water was still half full so she'd need to fill their troughs back up. Feed was in a large bin and had to be distributed. A small schedule was on the side of each stall with a list of times for their evening and it looked like in fifteen minutes or so they were do to go out and get their exercise in the run.
    All told it was a peaceful place, a forest was off distant to the West and toward the ease was the fence that marked the land they had. A decent place considering.

Rhona Lauren has posed:
Rhona spent a bit of time getting to know the horses, and naturally Banjo had drawn the most of her attention since he was the most outgoing of the six. After a few minutes of becoming new friends, the teen had her phone and wireless speaker playing some music in the barn too.

She started with the water, getting that stuff organized before she moved on to the food. Her jacket joined her backpack on the table, and she was soon using the plastic bins to fill up the food boxes for the horses. She'd started with the apple treats though, and Banjo had conned a extra one out of her, because she's a bit of a pushover for such silly tactics as the Draft Horse was putting in to play.

Standing by the schedule, Rhona eyed it, her eyes looking over the basics before she glances toward the slightly open barn door.

"I bet you're all eager to get out of this stuffy barn and out in to the open air, huh?" She says to them all as she walks back toward their stalls and moves to turn off the water in the last one that she was filling up.

"Does Jimmy let you out? Or does he just come here to eat all your apples..." She muses with a smile sent to one of the Mares beside her.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    "Jimmy," The Phys Ed teacher is heard to say as he enters the barn, going through the mail and picking out the junk and coupons. He tosses those aside in the recycling bin out there then slides the more important mail into a canvas sack that seems to be growing a bit as the time goes on. "He lets them out around about this time, but I bet Banjo wouldn't mind stretchin' his legs with someone ridin' him. If yer of the mind to put in the elbow grease to saddle him up."
    He steps further in and pulls open one of the large storage areas, clicking one of the lights on and then starts to grab a small white bottle. He flips it in the air and catches it then starts to walk toward the stall of one of the mares. "Though thanks fer your help, if you wanna just hang out in the house while I walk the grounds a bit yer welcome to."
    Since he knows that millennials aren't always the most engaged souls in the world. He steps up to the other stall and pets the nose of the older mare and tells her, "Alright girl, lemme take a look at that eye. How'sit lookin'?" As he says that he holds up the bottle and lets a few drops fall in. "There ya go, feelin' better now?"

Rhona Lauren has posed:
Rhona shifts her gaze over to Jimmy when he enters the barn again. She smirks softly at him before she walks back toward where Banjo's stall is. Her arms fold over her stomach then as she stares at the horse enjoying his refreshed food supply. "Oh, yeah?" She asks of the chance to saddle him up. "I wouldn't mind doing that." The British teen says before pushing those loose strands of hair back behind her ears. She saw the saddle setup and moves over to gather one that should work for her.

"Who's place is this again?" Rhona asks of the teacher before carrying the saddle to Banjo's stall and stepping inside it carefully. "It's nice." She states next before turning to prepare the horse for the saddle.

"It reminds me of some of the palces I saw in movies before coming over here. Absolutely classica 'Americana' type thing, I guess." She says before her hands turn to gather up the saddle and sweep it over the horse who is eyeing her while she does all of this, still eating his food though, because he seems to have a one tracked mind.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    "It's uh, Sif's." Just a small bump in the train of thought as he's still looking after the mare, then ruffles her mane a little as he gives her a smile. Then he turns a little to the side and gestures for Rhona to feel free and grab the gear she needs over where it hangs across a fence and on a pegboard with a few heavy hooks.
    "She was talkin' to me about mebbe breeding some, got herself these six. Was makin' noise about bringin' some from her home." There's a pause as he moves on down to the next stall, sparing a sugar cube or two for the younger mare.
    "Haven't heard from her for a bit, so figured I'd make sure things are tended to." Then he's pulling open the two large doors that lead out toward the pasture and the run, giving her room for when she wants to bring ole Banjo out and about. "Need to check along the West side of the place, make sure these repairs I made last week took."

Rhona Lauren has posed:
Once Banjo is setup, Rhona takes a moment to slip her jacket back on, and sort it out over her hair before she puts her speaker and phone back in to her jacket pockets. She's soon leading the big horse out of the barn by his reigns, and she's eyeing Jimmy suspiciously.

"Wait, this place is your girlfriend's and she's 'gone missing'?" She asks in that snnooty way that only a Brit can. She passes him by with the horse in tow, and looks over her shoulder at him.

"This isn't like your body dump is it?" She cheekily asks the man. "I didn't come all this way to be murdered by one of this country's infamous serial killers..."

"Sif is a weird name too, what is it short for?" Nope, she doesn't know it's an Asgardian, she may not even know what an Asgardian is.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    "Oh no no, definitely not." Jimmy says as he grabs a toolbelt and a toolbox and slings the first over the shoulder while hefting the latter. "I'm not very famous at all to be fair."
    Though his smirk is there to show he's kidding, mebbe.
    "Not missing, mebbe just... I dunno. She goes off to all sorts of places. And the Asgardians aren't exactly the most reliable to text you, ya know. Since the whole technology thing sometimes doesn't sit well with them." If she doesn't know Sif's an Asgardian he doesn't quite catch onto that, though he does answer her last question as he starts to stroll to the gate that will let her ride along as he moves to walk the fence perimeter.
    "I think her whole name is Lady Sif?" Which for some reason makes him smile a little.

Rhona Lauren has posed:
When the big horse is brought to the gate, Rhona is fairly nimble enough to get up on the saddle with ease. She settles in to it and holds the reigns as she peers down at JImmy now. "Sif? Lady Sif?" She asks, looking around the farm again before her brown eyes go once more to Jimmy.

"This place is owned by ... What is she? Like Thor's sister?" She asks, then pauses, her eyes squinting some. "Thor is a Prince. She's not a Princess, is she?" She asks then, only being slightly familiar with the peerages of Asgard.

Super Heroes aren't as big of a deal in London after all. Sure, they're on the news all the time, but it's kind of a 'kid's thing' to fawn over them religiously where she's from...

She guides the horse over to the gate and waits for Jimmy to open it up.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    Just a short clack-ca-clack is heard as the wood slides against other wood, then he pulls it open with a creak and letting her ride on out. He closes it up so the other horses when they decide to wander on out stay in the pasture. Then he's just strolling along heading West, seeming content to walk and let her ride.
    "Yah, I think they're childhood friends. Grew up together. Way she tells it she would have to dive in to save his bacon every time he got in over his head." There's a fondness in his tone of voice as he walks, glancing a little sidelong toward Rhona.
    "Just she'd often go on these quests and missions. And sometimes I wouldn't hear from her for a bit. Others they'd be over in a blink of the eye. Though this is the longest one. I went down to the Embassy a few days ago and they told me nobody was receivin'." Jimmy shakes his head a little, and to be fair his gaze is a little distanced. A little troubled. But he shakes his head and picks up the pace.
    Meanwhile behind them the other horses are poking their heads out and a few trot into the run to get some exercise. "I even went on a couple missions with her. Was a wild time."

Rhona Lauren has posed:
While Jimmy speaks about all of this, the 17 year old just stares at him while she rides on the horse to his left. Banjo is moving at a casual pace, same speed as Jimmy mostly. rhona spares a look ahead, and then looks back down to the Phys Ed teacher.

"She didn't run off on you, did she?" She has to ask then. "I mean... I'm sure her life is rather different from yours, or mine, but isn't it kind of normal for 'Godly' figures to come down to Earth and choose a 'lowly Human' to ... you know... and then totally abandon us?" She asks, somewhat serious, and somewhat joking.

"I'm sure she's fine though, and in all seriousness, who would buy a place like this and get all these fine horses within it, and then abandon it forever?"

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    It's clear he's given this some thought as he walks along and they're coming on up to the fencing that he fixed the other week. He answers her right as they're stepping on up, while Banjo tosses his head and gives a few stamps of his hooves as they walk near.
    "It's possible, to be fair. She's immortal. Views things in different ways. Has lived a long time." A shake of his head is given, "It's been what? A few weeks? What's that to someone like her? Prolly not a big deal."
    Then he lets his smile grow a little, something sardonic about it but more aimed at himself. "I'll start ta worry about it if I'm still doin' this same time next year." There's some hint of a growl in there, just a touch of one, as if annoyed with himself. And the situation.
    "Though, for real. If I don't hear from her in a month or so. And if I can't talk to any of the Asgardians, I might... I dunno. Arrange some hands, maybe a service. Since... I dunno." Since by then should he even be doing this thing?

Rhona Lauren has posed:
Rhona looks away when Banjo moves a bit eradically. she eases his reigns a bit and reaches out to pet the back of his neck. "Well, you're not wrong. Time to a person like that would have to be amazingly different to someone like us. I mean, look at Pluto... it was discovered like fifty or sixty years ago, but it hasn't even completed a single rotation of our star. So it's been three weeks on Earth, but not even a day on Pluto, since you last saw her."

Rhona shoots a grin over at Jimmy then before she looks back at the horse, and then at the area up ahead of them. "Mmh, that is a unusual situation though. If this place is paid off, I imagine it can be taken care of for awhile... But it shouldn't become your burden. These horses are all in great shape still. You could sell them pretty easily, I would think. From what I've seen, Westchester is filled with snooty rich types looking to buy up pretty horses like Banjo here." She says with a smile for the horse.

"But, either way. I'm happy to come out here now and then to help you take care of it for the time being..."

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    A small scoffing laugh comes from him as he checks the posts of the fix, smacking a hand against the side of it and pleased when none of the connections to the fence fall or give way. He turns and gives her a squinty look as she tells him about the orbit of Pluto.
    Then he chuckles and shakes his head, "Nah, I'd never make a decision like that for her. I may... I dunno, get a lawyer or someone to contact the embassy. See if I could get them to take control, hire people. Just don't want the horses to suffer. But also she loved these oversized critters."
    As he says that last he lightly pat-pats Banjo on the side of the neck as he starts to move on down the line of the fence. "It'll work out, but sure you see me loadin' up the SUV feel free to hollar and I'll put you to work."

Rhona Lauren has posed:
Rhona is quiet for a moment after Jimmy pats on Banjo, and he responds with a snuffle noise. She considers the Asgardian Embassy, and everything he just said. Her eyes look back over at him then and she softly nods, chasing that with a smirk. "That sounds like a deal." She says of helping with work around here.

"Well. I'll see if I can't get some run out of him, see if that doesn't help him settle in some." She says as she works her legs and the reigns causing the horse to kick up in speed a bit.

"I'll be back." She says to Jimmy with a small smile before she and the horse are off, gaining some eventual speed, and displaying her skill at riding.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    As Rhona gives Banjo that free rein he smiles as he watches them ride off in a rush. Chuckling a little he shakes his head as he bites his lower lip, letting his gaze hold the rush and hurry of that horse and its rider. Then he turns back and rests a hand gently on the part of the fence he had fixed that other day.
    A moment passes and he looks back at the ranchhouse some ways off. A frown darkens his features for a moment as he takes a deep breath and shakes his head. No time for moodiness. There's work to do...
    So he turns to do it.