3997/The Day After Halloween

The Day After Halloween
Date of Scene:	01 November 2020
Location:	Hole-In One Donuts
Synopsis:	There's someone coming to the school that Raven wants, Ruth has been put on notice..
Cast of Characters:	Ruth Aldine, Raven Darkholme

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Ruth Aldine has posed:
It was the day after Halloween, November first to be exact. Usually on the first of the month, Ruth's aunt would send over spending money, what she could scrap by so that Ruth could get supplies that she needed for school. Usually this was done by herself; she didn't need a new bookbag, but she did need papers, pens, pencils.. that sort of thing that just runs out within a month if you're working hard enough.

And to stop, Ruth wanted a coffee. She missed the parties that happened around the school, settling for being by herself. She saw nothing good coming of her being there, and for the sake of everyone else, decided to stay away. That was par for the course. Plus, the period was about to end and Ruth needed to study, no. Wanted to study, the answers were already known due to what she could do, but kept those secrets to herself. So in the booth she sat, a large, sprinkled chocolate donut with a steaming cup of coffee. Not alone, not yet anyways, but waiting for that person to come check upon her, as she saw a few minutes ago.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A simple routine is the easiest to catch, yes, but also the easiest to disguise. Just a mundane chat with a different person, this time a bearded man who looks like a sailor, cap tucked down over his ears, beard sprinkled with grey and something of a jaunty tilt to his voice.

"Ah, I do see me wee bairn right over there. A cup of coffee, if you please, madame, and one of those donuts there, the ones with the cara-mel 'pon them, they do look mighty tasty," the man says. He's served and he carries his bounty over to the booth, setting them down.

"Well now, me lassie, I'm glad to see ya lookin' so very fit an' firm as ye are. I do hope the soft hands down at the ol' Xavier Institute haven't been treatin' ye wrong. I'd hate to have to go and put the old man over my knee and give him a spank 'round his numb keister."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
Surprise flashes for but a moment. Right when she hears the voice. She knew the woman was coming, but not what -as-. And the 'as' aspect was nearly surprising as the way the coffee tasted, which she would not drink.

"Hello." She says to the man, finger lifting to push her sunglasses closer to her face. The hand-crafted scarf around her neck looks warm, but nearly falling apart at the seams, much like the rest of her clothing. Big coat, shoes with holes, pants that match in regards to holes..

"No one bothers me, thank you." She says to the man, her head tilting in thanks and appreciation at the care. It was nearly difficult to decipher the lingo, as it was the first time her hearing.. "Scottish, yes?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique grins, "In a basic sense, yes, although I take a few liberty's with ye olde dialect now and again. Most people can't tell the difference anyways unless you're actually in the place itself. Accents are things from movies and television, not somethin' they oft hear day to day," he says. "Plus, I watched that Lighthouse movie and I felt like bein' an old sea dog."

"I am glad to hear you are unbothered. Have you heard anything interesting you'd like to share? I do love a good tale. And is there any support ye be needin', help and the like?" the man says, taking a long sip of his coffee.

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"I do not watch movies, sorry." Ruth had no clue what Lighthouse was. Perhaps one day she could partake in the joy of listening to different people speak. Dang, her existence sounded sad..

"I did not hear, no. But saw." She explains, her gaze finally lifting towards the door and to everyone else. No one was listening to them of course, it almost looks as if father and daughter were speaking, or.. in a more debase sense, sugar daddy and sugar baby..

"New lights." She states, finally reaching for her coffee. It still steamed, and while she didn't take a drink, her hands warmed around the mug. "Sorry. New mental lights. People are lights when I do not see them but am aware, yes." She nods slightly. "New lights gather and move around the house but pardon, I have lately not felt okay to see. Sorry."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique shakes her head, "No need to apologize. I'm not here to crack a whip on you or expect anything. I'm just checking in, as I said I would."

The man lifts the donut and takes a deep bite chewing thoughtfully. Mystique doesn't care much about appearances, so long as the truth isn't what might be perceived. Luckily, Xavier's people were shockingly naive and rarely suspected or tailed their own people.

"I have an eye on at least one potential student coming in. I haven't initiated contact yet, but will soon. I'll let you know if it's someone for you to contact," the old man says, his accent shed for the moment.

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"But if I take money from you I am expected to deliver." Ruth points out. At least, from what she's heard of most and seen during her childhood years, it was the truth. Now is the time for her to drink coffee, taking a very loud slurp, loud enough for the person walking past to their own table stops. And when that person stops, the waittress delivering food to another table drops two plates upon the floor. If the man continued on, he would have been messy and hurt.

But Ruth wasn't going to pry. To pry meant that she had to sleep just to see beyond the limits she unknowingly placed upon herself. She could read the mind of Mystique, but she wasn't sure and quite frightful of what she would get.

"Are they mean? Sorry."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique nods, "Delivering means telling me the truth, not making things up to entertain me. I appreciate your diligence but I don't think you're holding out on me. Also: you are still new to this. I haven't begun to rely on you for much as of yet, because you don't yet fully grasp what you're doing or how to apply your abilities towards it."

"Speaking of learning, we should arrange for you to begin proper self-defense instruction. You should be able to defend yourself, not merely follow orders from that red-eyed toady."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"Oh." Ruth didn't know that, or didn't even bother to check. But it was refreshing to know that if she didn't do anything, she wouldn't be hurt by it. In fact, she's been a bundle of nerves about anything, and felt that keeping to herself was a way of keeping secrets.

Did Mystique want to keep their meetings a secret?

"Mr. Summers is nice." Sort of. "I do not learn self defense there. Just high school stuff. Yes." Ruth admits. "I graduate this year." A little ghost of a smile is given, and then its back to her coffee. "Red eyed toady." She jerks a little, as one would when they bark a laugh. But there was no sound from Ruth at all. "I had a friend, he took me out fighting once, yes. But he got shot and I got a dog." That.. pretty much just runs around the school being friendly to everyone else.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique nods, "Yes, I understand they're trying not to militarize their youth. Naive nonsense. You don't have to be in the military to know how to fight. Revolutions have been waged by waitresses and writers and brewers and architects. But narrow minds don't know any better," Mystique says.

"Ah, thank ye, darlin'," the voice rturns as the waitress comes to refill the cups, "You're a peach and a darlin'. I'll be leavin' you a fine tip, I promise," the old man says with a wink and a twinkle.

When she's gone, "I rather wish I'd chosen a younger model. She's cute."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"And the poor." Waitresses could be considered poor, but.. the really downtrodden are usually the ones that turn out on top.

As the waitress fills their cups, Ruth takes a sip again. If she had eyes, they would cut towards the woman who smiles and walks away, then to Mystique.

"It does not matter, sorry." Ruth states. "I fear to look further, but she does not care." It was evident by the way she slightly cringes, a youthful thing to do. "She thinks that you are something. The word blurs. But she also thinks of other things I do not care to mention outloud. Thank you." She slurps again, then shifts a little uncomfortably.

"But you will break her. And she will be sad for a while. But then she will get married and have children. One lost to the rainbows. Yes."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique nods softly, "Yes, well. I have broken others before. And I know something of sadness."

On that note, the old mutant and the young mutant sit in companiable silence for a while, Raven's mind wandering to lost trails and lost loves. Her true love, of course, was so much like this young woman, a blind precog with a strange view of the world. But they were different, too, so very different. Part of her had wondered if this girl might somehow be her Irene in another guise, but no. Ruth is her own creature, her own self. It is not fair to impose Destiny's blueprint onto her.

"I may have asked you before, but...what is it that you want, child? Who do you wish to be?"

Ruth Aldine has posed:
There was nothing Ruth could say to that. She only settled in with a bite to her donut and sip of her coffee. While Raven's mind wandered; Ruth's stayed put. Quite possibly for the good of others around her.

And then the silence was broken with a question that no one has ever really asked her. No one asked if she wanted to attend the school where she was, no one asked her if she felt horrible that her mother died.. or that her brother had been executed for it..

"Pardon.." She says quietly, clearing her throat. The thought was that she might choke.

"I want to survive. Yes." Who she wants to be? She could say vengence, but her brother was already dead and took a part of her with him.. and.. oddly enough, she misses him.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique sighs softly, "I know that feeling. I have a fire for revolution in my belly, but there have been times in my life where I have just...gotten by. There is no shame in that. Saving the world is stressful and not so very easy. Even contributing anything towards it, even if it is only from the sidelines, is worthwhile," the old man says quietly. In that moment, Mystique's age is there, in those eyes.

She doesn't need to pry because she already knows Ruth's story. Of course she does. She makes it her business to know such things.

"You have endured a great deal already. Your lot has not been an easy one. It is a shame that Xavier and his people do not offer you better support."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"I do not ask." Ruth puts it bluntly and politely as possible. It was the fact that she didn't know how. IN fact, she knew how to stay out of other peoples way, that was for certain.

The thoughts of all of this made Ruth lose her appetite, the bitten donut offered up to Mystique if she chooses to have it, her coffee discarded. The bags at her feet were idly kicked, not knowing what to do now to pass the time, though figuring it's best to not leave just yet.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique nods, "Pride is a common malady. I've suffered from it myself on occasion. But solidarity is important. We mutants must help each other, because the humans will not. Strange that the group that preaches peace and inclusion has difficulty with that concept," he says.

"You don't have to keep me company, if you wish to go. I will be in touch again soon for another of these meetings. Keep your mind and your ears open. Call me if you need me."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
"Mm." Ruth says, remaining still. She's heard everything the woman/man had said, but she has yet to move, waiting for the proper time and mome--

"Bye."

Ruth abruptly sands from her booth, bending to gather her bag of school supplies, hiking them upon her shoulder and over her back, promptly leaving Mystique with the bill of four dollars and seventy-six cents to pay.