6942/Campbell's Soup

Campbell's Soup
Date of Scene:	15 July 2021
Location:	Asteroid M's Med Bay
Synopsis:	Lydia brings Clarice some 'Campbell's Soup' - and they discuss everything from unexpected kisses, to hobbies, to education.
Cast of Characters:	Clarice Ferguson, Lydia Dietrich

---

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice has been dosing in and out for much of the day - the after affects of a concussion can really take it out of you, and her attempts at focusing on her homework hasn't been successful. Most recently, she'd had a visit with Talia - who'd put on 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' for the both of them to enjoy, before Clarice dozed off again in her hospital bed - dressed in her own clothes, but with a collar prominently displayed on her throat, with a few blinking lights showing it to be powered on and working.
    It's not a commentary on the movie, honest.
    It's the end of the movie breaking into loud, discordent music that finally wakes her as she blinks at the screen to see credits starting to scrawl - and Talia nowhere to be scene.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Mystique gave Lydia an open invitation to go Asteroid M whenever she wanted, but she never really thought that she'd go back up there so soon. However, when Clarice missed the last night's patrol, the young mutant put out feelers as to what happened and it came back to her that Clarice was in the med bay there, so up to the asteroid she goes.

It takes her a while to figure out where the med bay is. It wasn't part of the grand tour of the asteroid, but after few questions here and there, she finally located it. From there the nurse on station leads her to Clarice's room, knocking on the door. "Ms. Ferguson? You have a visitor," calls out the nurse.

"It's me, Lydia!" Lydia says quickly afterwards identifying herself.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice blinks towards the door - sleepy and confused for a moment, before she manages a smile the other woman. "Oh... Lydia. Umm, hey," she greets her. She fumbles for the remote, turning the TV off - and gesturing for the woman to feel free to claim a seat on the nearby chair. "What brings you up to the Asteroid?" she asks - glancing past her as if expecting Mystique to step in just after her. That doesn't seem to be the case, so she focuses her attention back on the green, faintly glowing woman instead with an almost self-conscious expression on her features. She tugs at the light blanket tucked around her - idly considering pulling it up to her throat, but that would likely make the bit of 'jewelry' she's wearing more obvious - rather than less.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Hey Clarice," Lydia says, moving into the room once she's announced. She's holding a bouquet of flowers, yellow chrysanthemums, yellow sunflowers, and white roses interspersed with greenery, stuffed into a Campbells chicken soup mug, with a floaty 'Get well soon!' balloon tied to the mugs handle. "You did," she says. "I heard you were injured so I brought you... well... this." She looks a little sheepish at the corny gift and moves to set it over on one of the nearby tables. "The, uh, chicken soup is supposed to make you feel better. It's kind of a comfort food for Americans," she explains, surmising that Clarice wouldn't get the significance of the mug.

She turns and takes the offered seat, sitting down in it and folding her hands in her lap. "How're you feeling? I was worried when you didn't make patrol last night."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice openly stares at the bouquet. She opens her mouth - shuts it - and then opens it again. "I- thank you. That's very kind of you," she replies in an almost baffled tone. Yeah, there's somethings she just don't understand. She keeps running into them lately. Her fingers pick at the blanket covering her as she returns her attention to Lydia, explaining, "Things went a bit sideways on my last mission. I mean - the mission itself went fine. We saved a lot of mutants, and transported them to Genosha, and the rest of the team's fine. I'll be on my feet soon enough."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods slowly, sensing that there's more to this story than 'things went sideways'. Her eyes study Clarice, only dipping down for a moment to the collar and then back up, and a concerned scowl pulls at her face. "What about the collar?" she asks. "From what you told me about your history, I would have thought that a collar would be the /last/ thing you'd want to have put on you."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice's form tenses at Lydia's words, her jaw tightening, and her gaze flicking away, to the far corner of the room. It remains there as she tries to gather herself, taking a deep breath in - and letting it out slowly before she'll attempt a response. "It's temporary," she answers without looking at Lydia. "If we'd had another option... I can't control my powers right now. And I can't stop them, either. It was unsafe for everyone."
    Her hands are balled tightly to the blanket now - gripping the matress beneath her to prevent her from reaching for the collar. It has to stay on - no matter how much she wants to throw it across the room.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia scooches the chair up to the side of the bed and reaches out to take a balled fist into her own comforting hands. "I know how hard this must be for you," she says, "And I'm sure the people here will figure it out soon. What happened?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We- were freeing brainwashed mutants," Clarice offers in explination, still staring fixedly at the corner. "They were being put through things similar to- to what was done to me, and I couldn't let that-" She presses her eyes shut tight, trying to force back a threatening well of tears. No - no, she's not going to cry.
    After a few calming breaths, her eyes open again. "One of them attacked me, and he scrambled my powers. It's not his fault. It's supposed to wear off - eventually."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"People are still doing that?" Lydia asks, surprised. "That's /horrible!/ Why would-" she cuts herself off in anger, shaking her head. She knows why somebody would do that to mutants. Some people see them as less than human. Tools to be enslaved and used.

Still, she keeps her hands on Clarice's unless she pulls away, trying to offering solace to the other woman. "Thank goodness it's not permanent."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Of course they are, and they always will," Clarice answers darkly. There's no sign of Clarice pulling away from the touch - but she isn't yet in a place where she can do anything but continue gripping at the blankets and matress.
    "We're not sure how long it's going to be - it could be weeks. But the doctors think they have a medication we can use to supress the- the episodes, instead of the collar. We're going to try taking the collar off later." After another deep, slow breath, she finally manages to look towards Lydia again with a small, entirely forced smile. "I'm going to be alright. Mister Creed and Mystique'll make sure of it."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"If anybody can, it'll be them," Lydia says reassuringly. She gives the hand a pat and finally lets go, leaning back in her chair. "Is there anything I can do for you? Do you want me to be there when they try removing the collar? I can... I don't know," she says, feeling helpless, "hold onto everybody there to make sure you don't portal them away or something. "

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice responds by shaking her head. "No," she answers. "That's... fine. I don't think I'll teleport anyone way, anyways. I was just... I kept opening portals, doorways, to other places. Unless I happened to create one right on top of someone..." Which, to be fair, she could - and that causes her to frown slightly. "Anyways, it's unlikely. But I appreciate the concern." She releases her grip on the matress - opening and closing her hands a few times to relax them, then reaches to her side to pick up an entirely flat cup of ginger ale that she sips at cautiously.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia wrings her hands in her lap as the whorls and eddies of the ectoplasmic mists that surround her shift to show her agitation. "I want to be helpful," she says, quietly. "I don't like seeing you here in distress."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Some of the tension eases out of Clarice's features - though her smile is still small. "I appreciate that - I really do. I mean, the whole situation is not much fun, but I'll be alright." She lets out a quiet, humorless laugh as she adds, "And I'm even going to take that 'time off' now!" Not much choice in.
    She takes another sip of her ginger ale before adding quietly, "There was actually something I'd meant to talk to you about."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia relaxes a bit when Clarice does, and even laughs a bit. "Well, there's always a silver lining. When you get cleared to leave and you have that..." she waves a hand at the collar, "/thing/ taken off, I'll take you to go dress shopping."

Her head cocks a bit, "Oh? What did you need?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Yeah... I guess we'll have to. I'll, uhh... I'll need to find ways to fill my time or I'll go insane." Clarice says it lightly - but she very much means it. She's a little worried about the challenge of having to fill her days with things that //aren't// work. But she obviously can't go out in the field without her abilities.
    She takes another small sip of her ginger ale - glad that her stomach has at least stopped rebeling after her head trauma, as she ponders how to word what she wants to ask. In the end she just //says// it. "I got kissed - by another girl. I- I really didn't expect it. And I just- I shoved her. I- well, I shoved her, and I blinked her across the room," she admits, staring down at the cup in her hands.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia makes a mental not to give Clarice a copy of her book to read, too. "I bet," she says. "Both of my parents are workaholics and they just don't know what to do with themselves whenever they have time off."

At first Lydia's eyes light up with delight when Clarice admits her kiss, but then frowns when she hears her reaction. "I suppose if you're not used to it, being kissed that is, and it just kind of came out of nowhere, I can see why you did what you did."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Really not used to it," Clarice admits quietly. "We'd been talking about, umm... I think she was struggling with the need to use violence sometimes. That- that sometimes you need to take a life, to save lives. And I was trying to reassure her, and comfort her, and then- then she kissed me, and I just didn't expect it. And I still don't really know what to think about it, or if- I don't know. Do you think I upset her?" she asks, glancing aside at Lydia, then back to her cup again.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia leans back and ruminates on what Clarice has just told her. "Possibly," she admits. She takes a breath, "The thing about relationships, be they just friendships or romantic, or really even work relationships now that I think about it... the /key/ thing about relationships is communication."

She purses her lips. "If you're asking for my advice it would be this: Talk to her. Explain to her what happened, that you were unprepared, and that you're not used to intimate physical contact. Tell her whether or not you reciprocate her feelings, too. You don't want to lead her on, and it's better to get that out in the open from the start."

She shakes her head, "If you /do/ want to start a relationship with her, tell her so, but also be clear about your boundaries. We all have them, and you need to be able to advocate for yourself. Above all else be /honest/ with her. That doesn't mean tell her everything, but the stuff that you /do/ tell her should come from the heart."

She ends up laughing, trying to keep a bit of the bitterness she's feeling out of it. "Look at me, giving relationship advice, and I've been too afraid to ask anybody out on a date."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice's gaze shifts towards Lydia - watching her out of the corner of her eyes, her expression attentive, and curious - but uncertain. "I suppose I could call her," she agrees quietly. "I mean - I didn't mean to upset her, I just- I didn't expect..." She shakes her head slightly. "I don't know what I feel. I'm not used to that sort of thing."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods sagely. "You should and tell her that. Tell her that she had surprised you, and that you're still working out your feelings. Be kind about it."

She cocks her head and looks at Clarice for a while. "It's okay to not know about these things, to question yourself. It took me a while to figure out I was a lesbian." She laughs lightly, "At first I thought there was something wrong with me. I... just wasn't interested in boys like all the other girls seemed to be. I wasn't really interested in any of the girls at the time, too." She shakes her head, "Not until high school. There was.... her name was Melissa, and she was a cheerleader. I thought that she was really pretty, and that I wanted to be friends with her. I didn't really realize it until I was watching one of my best friends kiss her boyfriend and thought... 'I wonder what Melissa's lips taste like.' And then it just kind of hit me." She chuckles and rubs the back of her neck in chagrin, "I never did screw up the courage to talk to her."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I honestly think Mystique, and Mister Creed, both want me to... find someone," Clarice admits quietly. "But I'm not even that used to having friends yet. Everything's so confusing. I don't really know what I want." She lets out a frustrated sigh. "And I don't really know how I'm supposed to figure it out, either."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia shakes her head. "Take it slow," she suggests. "You have to do this at your own pace. I know they want you to find somebody... Heck /I/ want you to find somebody, but don't go rushing out, or let us push you too fast." She purses her lips thoughtfully and considers Clarice for a moment. "I can give you a copy of one of my books," she suggests. "They're a little bit saucy, I know, but you can read the romance part and see if you connect with that?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't let anyone push me," Clarice says firmly, but quietly.
    The offer of a book has her glancing towards Lydia, then away again, staring down at the drink in her hands in silence as ponders over something, a tense look on her features. After a moment, she finally admits in a quiet voice, "I don't read very well. I've been working on it, but..."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia leans back in her chair and nods, "Okay." She looks up to the other mutant, "I can help you with that if you like. I'm an English teacher and I won't judge you. Besides," she says with a lazy grin, "it'll help me out, too. I can put 'private tutor' on my resume."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice glances aside at Lydia, studying her features for a moment - as if searching for some sign of disgust, or disappointment, or even pity. She doesn't seem to find it, however - much to her relief. She offers a small nod, then reaches for a nearby tablet. She types in a password to unlock the screen, then offers it over to Lydia. It shows a short, simple story about a paper dragon - with comprehension questions at the end. "I've been practicing by doing things like this," she explains. "It takes me a while to read it all, though. I still struggle with a lot of the words. The letters all make so many different sounds sometimes than- It gets confusing."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia takes the tablet and goes over the document, nodding to herself. "Did you have any formal training, or are you self taught?" It's not a judgmental question at all, she's just trying to assess Clarice's capabilities.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Self taught," Clarice admits. "I mean, I- Lorna knows, and she's been helping me. She helped me find some programs, and tablet games, and the like that could help me learn some of the basics. And I am following some course work, like that, where I have to submit it, and the answers get evaluated, so- so I can see how I'm doing, and if I'm really understanding things correctly." She shifts a little uncomfortably; talking about her inadequate education was not very comfortable for her.
    "I don't tell people, though," she says a bit defensively. "I don't want people to think I'm stupid. I'm trying to learn, it's just... //hard//."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Don't sell yourself short," Lydia says, taking another look at the coursework before handing the tablet back to Clarice. "Getting to a fourth grade reading level by yourself isn't insignificant. /Especially/ as an adult. Children's brains are like sponges. They're malleable and soak up any information thrown at them because they're still growing. Later on in life things settle down and it becomes a bit harder to learn things like languages, reading, writing."

She crosses one leg over the other and gives Clarice an encouraging smile. "You should be /proud/ that you got as far as you did, especially with how busy you keep yourself. My offer to tutor you still stands, but it means setting time aside every week to dedicate yourself to do this." Lydia turns very serious, "I'll let you set your own pace with how much time each week you want to spend because I know you're a busy woman where you're not dealing with-" she waves a hand at the room, "this. But I suggest three hours a week, staggered out over the week, with a little bit of extra time put aside for homework."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I doubt that everyone would feel that way - if they knew," Clarice responds quietly. She glances aside at Lydia again - her expression still uncertain, though she manages a brief, appreciative smile. "That's about how much time I set aside now," she admits. "I try to do an hour or so of studying a night. So I usually get somewhere between three and five hours a week - depending on how busy I get. But Mystique's been encouraging me to take a day off every week - but she doesn't want me using it for studying, instead..." A little frustration leaks into her voice. Yup - when told to take a day off, Clarice's first instinct was just to use it for a //different kind of work//.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia's face lights up in a grin when she hears how much time Clarice is spending on learning how to read. "That's great! I know it must be embarrassing, but considering where you came from, this is a great accomplishment." Her expression turns serious, "And I will /punch/ anybody who makes fun of you for that."

She lets out a sigh, though at Clarice's resistance to taking some time off. "What you need," she says, "is a hobby. A hobby will fill that 'must work' need in your brain but focus it on something that you find enriching and fun. I know you haven't really thought about this, but what kinds of things spark your interest? Like... hmm..." she thinks for a minute, "When you're watching a movie, and you see somebody doing things is there anything that you see that you find fascinating?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice shrugs her shoulders uncertainly, as she tries to think of //anything// that would qualify as a 'hobby.' "I enjoy hunting with Mister Creed," she offers cautiously, because honestly - it was the first thing she'd thought of when Mystique starting insisting she take 'time off.' "I also... I go snorkeling sometimes. And- umm. I riding with Nicolai on his motorcycle sometimes, and I enjoyed that. He was going to teach me, but then we had a falling out, and then he got busy with Hope House..."
    And she's still more annoyed with him than she'd like to admit.
    "Mystique and I went to a museum one time. It was alright, but..." She shrugs her shoulder. It obviously hadn't thrilled her.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia lets out a thoughtful, "Hrm," as she considers the possibilities. "Geocaching?" she wonders aloud, but quickly dismisses the thought. "You'd just teleport to the coordinates. Half the fun in that is trying to get there." She taps on her lips with a finger. "How about sailing? You liked riding on a motorcycle, so I'm guessing you liked being out in the open air with wind rushing past you, and you like snorkeling, so you like water. Maybe get yourself a catamaran and an instructor and learn how to sail?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Sailing?" Clarice repeats - in a thoughtful, puzzled tone. "Maybe..." Amusement pulls her smile a bit wider as she adds, "That's even more useless than the thought of learning how to drive a motorcycle. What is the point of me sailing anywhere?" she asks - before waving off the protest she knows is coming, "I know it's not about the //point//. I just- You have to admit it's a bit ridiculous for a teleporter to learn sailing."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods, returning Clarice's grin with one of her own. "Oh, I know, but come on! Think about it. You can dock your boat anywhere, say, somewhere in the Pacific islands, get yourself a nice picnic lunch, sail out to a reef, do some snorkeling, come back up and bask in the sun for a bit and have a bit of lunch and then sail back. Or OOH!" she exclaims snapping her fingers. "Learn how to SCUBA!"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Scuba - with the tank, and the bubbles?" Clarice asks for confirmation. "I suppose - that could be fun too. Like snorkeling, only a little bit different. Have you done scuba before?" she asks Lydia in a curious tone. "We could, umm, maybe learn it together? Or I could invite Lorna, but she might be busy." Being a Queen, and an X-Man.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods enthusiastically, "Yeah! With the tank and the bubbles," she confirms. "I've never been SCUBA diving before." She laughs, "I've never even gone snorkeling before. There... really isn't really good snorkeling spots in the Harbor."

She lets out a sigh, "You've seen a lot more of the world than I have. Like. Even without your teleporting powers you probably would have seen a lot more. I've been to Paris, once, because my mom had a conference there and my dad took me to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, and that's pretty much all the time that we had, and that was all /before/ my powers manifested themselves." She looks down at her feet and watches as she scuffs a toe back and forth. "After that they never took me anywhere, except for fancy parties with their rich friends." She sighs. "Even then I think they were kind of embarrassed about me, since they kind of just left me alone to fend for myself."

She looks up, "So I guess that's the long way of saying that, yes, I'll learn how to SCUBA dive with you."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I- I mean, I don't know. I don't even know how to judge how much of the world I would see... if I didn't have powers, or if I had different powers? Would I have stayed with my parents? Or- or learned something else in the pens? Would I still have joined the Brotherhood, or just have been... a citizen of Genosha when the Sentinels came?" She frowns, and shakes her head helplessly.
    "The only life I know is the life I have. And honestly, I'm happy with the way my life is - right now. I mean, other than being stuck in the Med Bay right now.
    "...is there somewhere in New York to learn scuba? I mean - there must be. It's //New York//."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia looks thoughtful for a moment before pulling out her phone from her purse. "Let's find out," she says. "Okay, here we go." She clears her throat as she reads off of the website in a kind of sing-song voice. "You work hard; you play hard. Making time for a new sport?s a challenge. At Scuba New York, we got you covered. We?re the only dive shop in the region with an on-site, heated pool allowing us to offer the most classes in the region to meet your 24/7, jam-packed schedule. And, our promise to you: Classes will never be cancelled simply because you?re the only student enrolled." She nods, "Sounds like a winner. Hmmm. It's in Yonkers. That's not too far away." Then she remembers /exactly/ where she is and amends, "From where I live, that is."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I'll have to ask someone to, umm... send me," Clarice adds for her part. Which is a weird thing for her to have to say.
    She really hopes her powers come back soon.
    Her fingers finally reach up to brush at the collar around her throat - before she forces her hand back down to her lap. No point in messing with it, Clarice. Instead she studies the advertisement on Lydia's phone. "Can you sign us both up for it?" she asks. "I'm sure I have enough money. I don't really spend very much."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"I have plenty of money for the both of us," Lydia inform Clarice as she pokes around the website to book some classes. "My parents are /very/ wealthy. Enough so that if I decided to, I wouldn't have to work a single day of my life. I've still got a lot left in the trust fund that they set up for me to go to college with, and I make enough with my books to help pay the bills. I can afford this for both of us."

She considers the classes list for a moment, and looks up at her friend. "When do you want to start? Not too soon because I don't think that collar is waterproof. Maybe a week from now or so?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I should be out of the collar by then," Clarice confirms. "I better be. I can't..." She starts to tense up again - as her fingers pluck at the blankets some more instead of going for the collar, like they want to. "I want to throw it across the room," she admits quietly.
    But she can do this.
    "Anyways - it'll be off soon. We should be ready to test the medicine I've been given by turning it off in another hour or so." She is //so// ready for that. "Hopefully it goes well."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Want me to stick around for that?" Lydia offers again. "I don't have to be home again any time soon, and it'll do you good to have a friendly face around."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "That's up to you," Clarice answers. "I mean - they're not going to do the tests without Mister Creed, and Mystique," she explains. "It's not like I'm going to be alone. I probably wouldn't be alone right now, but I sent Mister Creed off to get some rest. He stayed with me throught, um... The worst of it. Mystique too, they were worried for me, and I- I don't know how I would have managed without them."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods and stands, scooching the chair back to where it originally rested. "I think I've taken up enough of your time. I'll let you be in the good hadns of Mystique and Mister Creed." She reaches down and squeezes the fidgeting hand reassuringly. "Thank you for confiding in so much with me." She turns to go, "Give me a call when you're able to be out and about so I can take you dress shopping and, who knows?" She gives Clarice a mischievous wink before heading out the door, "Maybe I'll take you flying with me."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Well. That derails any worrying thoughts that may have been creeping back in, as her hands still abruptly. She gazes at Lydia as she simply repeats, "Flying?" Followed immediately by, "Yes - please. I'd like to."
    And then some of the manners Lorna had helped instill in the girl are actually remembered as she adds, "Thank you, um, for visiting. And for the flowers. They're very nice."