Backposting Continued
Walking In A Winter Wonderland (Storm)
((XS)) Deeper Into The Woods
As the woods grow deeper, so do they grow thicker and less mundane in variety, with many species of tree and scrub and brush thrown in, now. Off to one side, a small clearing gives way to the Japanese Gardens, and another broader, rockier trail leads down to the lake. Many hours can be carelessly dreamed away, here, in the comfort of Mother Nature's arms.
A lovely night outside is more than a certain weather witch can resist. The new snow covers the ground, a blanket of white covering the ground and frosting the trees. Ororo slowly floats down from the sky, fingertips lightly brushing over a snow covered branch, a light smile dancing over her features. There's nothing like it in the world. The feeling and the beauty of freedom.
And who else loves dramatic scenes like this? Why Sydney, of course. This area is the perfect setting for some students doing an extra credit film project, and he's the perfect person to have starring in such a film, if just for his morphing abilities. Near the entrance to the Japanese Garden, a Japanese Nobleman dressed in rich garbs from the feudal Japan era now walks slowly towards the garden gates, with the lengths of his robe flowing in the wind. Two students are filming him with camcorders from different angles, while another stands nearby with a script in hand. Whatever class this is for, it looks like it'll be worth a lot of extra credit once it's done.
Storm finally notices the other people around and halts her progression toward the ground. She hovers by one of the trees, being sure not to get herself in the picture. Instead she decides to add a little bit of her own dramatic effect. A soft breeze moves towards Sydney, blowing the robes around him with ease, whipping the ponytail around slightly in the wind. From her perch near the tree she watches, and waits for the word 'cut'.
"Line," the teen with the script calls, and immediately Sydney breaks into what sounds like a hardcore speech in Japanese. The dialogue is in Japanese, written by the student who's directing, and who has coached Syd, the non-Japanese-speaking actor, on proper pronounciation. The speech is brief, but clear: the character is sorrowful over something that occurred years ago within the Japanese Garden. He turns from the gate, refusing to enter. Then, the director lends her voice to mark the dialogue of a spectre they'll later add in using minor computer graphics. Closeup on the shocked expression of the main character, then.... "Cut! That was great!" The camera operators pause their equipment while the director approaches Sydney.
Storm is impressed, surely they'll be getting an A for this particular project. The applause seems to echo faintly, coming from both the students and from some where up in the trees. Once the cameras are turned off, Ororo floats back towards the ground, her feet lightly landing on the ground asshe claps. "Indeed. That was fantastic."
"Hey, Miss Munroe," the director and film crew call in greeting to her. The lone Japanese noble grins, then shifts to his normal self. "Man! I tell you, Japanese robes are not toasty-warm when there's a full breeze," Sydney states, then shivers in his winter wear. The directing student chuckles and says, "Well, we don't wanna freeze our star, and it is pretty late. So we can pick this up again tomorrow at dusk. Good night, Mister Jones!" All the students wave to the teacher and the almunus while they head for the main building.
Storm offers a wave to the students. "Well, you guys should go curl up with some hot chocolate before you head off to bed. We wouldn't want you to get sick." she arches an eyebrow in a teacher-like manor before smiling down at Sydney. "Sorry, I thought the breeze might be more dramatic." She walks forward slowly, hands tucked into her pocket, not even wearing a jacket. Then again she doesn't really need one.
Sydney waves to the students, then wavers both his hands at Ororo. "Oh no! The breeze was fine! We were hoping for some wind. It adds to the dramatic flare." He shoves his hands in some pockets that suddenly form in his coat. "Mind if I perch on your shoulder? I promise, this time I won't turn into a hippo spontaneously." Like he did all those years ago.
Storm watches the students until they dissapear from sight before offering Sydney a look of disbelief. "Only if you pinky promise. And if you /do/ turn into a hippo, we are /so/ going to be in a fight." It's only fair to give him warning. She holds her arm out slightly, waiting for him to hop up and perch. "So how has it been going since you've gotten back?"
Sydney wriggles his right pinky, then he shifts into a snow owl and promptly hops up onto Ororo's arm. "Hey, I was a kid then, with hyperactive tendencies. I changed into whatever came to mind regardless of wanting to! Is it my fault, we were playing a word game, and hippos came up?" He lets off an owl hoot. "Things have been great! Still no word back from the places I've auditioned at, and my Agent's taken the rest of the year off. But the kids here like my presence, and that's all that matters right now. Giving reindeer rides and taking personal requests for the odd creature here and there. It's all in fun."
Storm smiles softly and reaches up with her free hand to gently scritch the back of his feathered neck. "Well, you certainly have better control over your powers now. Though I still see a bit of the hyperactive tendancies." She winks, before starting to slowly walk through the winter wonderland. "And it's still so close to the holidays I am sure you will be hearing back about the jobs soon enough." Her nose wrinkles slightly. "Are agents supposed to take that much time off?"
Sydney chuffs. "Only when they're being sleazy. Which is all the time." He laughs at his own joke. "What about you? Have a holly jolly Christmas? Santa bring you everything you wished for?"
Storm shrugs faintly as she continues to stroke the feathers gently, a contemplative look on her face. "I was never a big fan of Christmas. I was just happy for a little bit of peace and quiet." Since a lot of the students went home for Christmas she had a little more time to herself, which was needed. "And you should try to find an agent that is not sleazy." she states with surity. Not really understanding that they /all/ are.
Sydney shakes his head to the best of his owl ability. "Agents only work for themselves, Roro. They're like pimps, only legal, and right now I'm not my agent's best bitch. I'm not sexy, I'm not on television, and I just spent seven years of my life performing shows most people nowadays hardly care about." There's no denying the classics have lost their flare with the general public. "But it's okay. Playing here with the students is as close to a vacation as I've gotten in a while. And I do have my little job at the newspaper kiosk. Maybe I'll just bum around for a few months."
Storm frowns. She obviously doesn't approve of this. But there's not much she can do about it. After all, it's his chosen profession. "Or, instead of working at the newspaper kiosk and having to deal with horrid people all day long, you could come and teach a theater class here." she offers, throwing out an idea that'd been chewing at her mind for a little while. "We seem to have trouble keeping them around for some reason."
Sydney ruffles his feathers. "Well, Professor Xavier did suggest some sort of theatre club thing, but I don't know. I'm no teacher, and I certainly don't feel worthy enough to direct the classics." He's being modest, really. But it's better than being arrogant. A wistful sigh passes Sydney's owl beak and he taps his talons gently on Ororo's shoulder. "You know what I really want to do? A children's television show. I could be, Silly Sydney, or some other stupid name like that. But teaching kids to do right, and playing with them overall, I think is a great way to use all of my talents. Even my Mutant ones."
Ah, Charles had already beaten her to the punch. Oh well, it was worth a shot atleast. "I think that if you can manage it, then it seems like a great idea." she raises a finger, the obvious signal that there's a 'but' coming. "But.." ..see? "..only if you were discrete with your powers. The world is hardly able to believe that there are super-powered beings out there. Being forced to /see/ it as well might cause more problems then we're ready for." But it's a nice dream.
Sydney sighs again, though it's more depressed than wistful. "I know. You don't have to give me any of the 'the world isn't ready for Mutants' speech. While I was traveling across the Americas, Ororo, I saw things that let me know that the world truly isn't ready for Mutants. If you guys think things are hard here in the United States, you should try heading down to Central and South America sometime. Mutants there don't even have something like the Xavier Institute to help them. And because of their already poor living conditions, most families with Mutant children are more likely to abandon them, or let worse happen to them!" He closes his eyes, shaking his head as he thinks on the very vivid truths that he has seen over the years. "Sometimes, I feel ashamed. Not to be a Mutant, mind you, but that I've had such privileges that other Mutants haven't. If I thought I could get away with it, I probably would walk down the streets proudly displaying my Mutant powers. That makes me feel sad too, because I know I have the confidence to do that and most other Mutants don't." He chuckles dryly, trying to bring the mood back up. "But no, no, I'm not referring to going all out using my Mutant powers publicly for a children's show. That would just be silly. But you know, when I traveled with the troupe I never ever needed makeup. I'd be a very budget-worthy star, any way you look at it. I could just put down on the resume somewhere that I know how to do my own makeup."
Storm knows all too well herself the things that can happen to mutants with no place like Xavier's to run to. The things that they have to go through in order to survive in the world. She'd ended up lucky, and she knows it. A hand reaches up to gently stroke the feathers as he closes his eyes, trying to sooth him slightly. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. It's the world that is wrong." Her voice takes on an edge. "Most humans can't think beyond themselves and what they're comfortable with. Take them out of that safety zone and they'll shoot first ask questions later." Ororo takes a deep breath, calming herself this time as the subject changes. "Just be careful."
Sydney hoots. "Well, it is just a dream, after all. It'll probably never happen. But in the meantime, I just do what I can with what I have." Well poo. Now the mood is ruined. But if anyone knows how to bring it back, he certainly does. "Uh-oh." He starts to feel mischievious. "I'm getting that hippo feeling again...." His owl form ripples and pulsates as if he means to change, although right now it's just an act.
"Well, if anyone can make a dream like that come true, it's you Syd." Ororo states with confidence. As she feels his wings ruffle, along with the pulsating feeling on her shoulder, she arches a brow, a hard breeze wrapping around the owly form and plucking him from Ororo's shoulder, hovering him in the air a good ten feet from the weather witch. "Well then the hippo's going to be stuck in mid air I'm afraid." she says with a hint of a grin.
Sydney stops pulsating and tsks. "Well that's not very sporting," he states, then backflips while being supported by the wind, and turns into a bunny. "You wouldn't leave a poor widdle wabbit all stuck in midair, would you?"
Storm approaches the bunny rabbit and reaches through the wind to poke the little bunny nose. "If he intends on turning into a hippo, then I certainly do." she says, finally letting the grin fall into place. "I'll happily let you down as soon as that hippo-urge passes."
Syd-bunny sniffles and bats its eyes cutely. "It's passed, I promise." How can you deny the cuteness? You can't. It's not Mutantly possible.
Storm sighs slightly as the wind drops away, arms reaching out to take the bunny in her arms before he can fall to the ground. "You had better not be fibbing." Ororo warns, not quite able to resist petting the soft fur.
Sydney snuggles up to Ororo while she pets him. "Nope! The hippo moment has passed." Then suddenly he shifts into a chimpanzee and tries to plant a quick smooch on her cheek. "However, the year of the monkey is nigh! Eee-eee!"
Storm had expected that the cute little bunny would disapear rather quickly, but still seems mildly startled by the monkey kiss. 'Ro makes a face and wipes her cheek off with her shoulder. "Ugggggggh. Come now. I'm going to need another shower if you keep this up. I'm going to smell like ten shades of animal." Despite her scolding words, the tone is laughing.
Sydney chimp-laughs. "Couldn't resist! Sometimes, the only way I can steal a kiss from any girl is to turn into some cute animal." Not that a chimpanzee is really all that cute. And... not that he does this all the time... Really, he doesn't! Sydney hops down out of Ororo's arms, then reverts back to his normal form in winter clothing. "Well, it's really late. I guess I should go home now."
Storm hmphs shortly, but end up laughing despite herself. "I'm quite sure that any girl would have trouble denying you a kiss." she states with a shake of her head. "Animal or no." She straightens out her jacket and rubs off the last of monkey slobber on her cheek before smiling. "Yes well.. just remember that if nothing else works out for you, you always have a place here." She walks over and grasps his hands for a moment. "We'd love to have you here." a smile as she gives him a kiss on the cheek. "Be careful on the way home." she states sweetly before turning to head back to the mansion.
Well, now Syd is blushing. You'd never be able to tell, though, because it's too cold to show things like that. "Thanks," he calls as he turns to leave. Near the gate he turns into a black husky and starts running towards the city.
Cooking With Chef Syd (Staren)
((XS)) Kitchen - Lv1
Meant to service a large number of people, this kitchen is vast, with more than one oven and several stainless steel work surfaces. Inset into the ceiling are fluorescent glow strips, throwing everything into bright, if somewhat harsh light. At meal times, kitchen workers scurry to and fro with pans and food and various other sundry items. But out of those times, everything is in its place, and there's even a tray of cold snacks for those who might come in search of a bite to eat.
For most of the morning and nearly at lunchtime, Sydney has commendeered the kitchen for his own personal use. Gathering all the younger Mutants he could, he has been hosting his own cooking hour, teaching them to make little treats that don't require much adult supervision. Dressed in full chef garb--muffin-shaped hat included--he paces around the free space and instructs the children as they work at their individual stations. Each station has been outfitted with a series of small cakes the width of coke cans, a tall parfait glass, and small dishes filled with various chopped fruits, nuts, and bite-sized candies. "Ze parfait must be as unique as you," Sydney instructs in a falsely french accent. "Each layer must be as you desire eet! Each level, your dream. Like art, eet ees an expression of your very soul... Only edible!" He strides across the kitchen to shake a finger at one child. "No-no-no! we do not eat zee fillings before zey are set... Unless you offer some to zee coach." With a grin he takes some for himself, then moves on.
A head pokes in the kitchen door. "Hey Mayumi-chan, are you in here? Woah..." Staren looks around at the kids, "What's this, home ec class?" A six-year-old asian girl looks over at Staren, "We're making french desserts, Starie-chan!" The rest of Staren walks into the kitchen, attached to the head via a neck. "I see... can I make one too?" He spots the man who appears to be the teacher, "Wow, you must be great with kids. ...I'm Staren Dimondus, I came here the summer before last to learn how to keep my ability under control..."
"Do not forget," Chef Sydney instructs, "put zee layer of whipped cremme, and zee layer of cake, in between your personal layers. Zat way, zee layers of teenie tiny crumbly bits do not come togezer and become indiscernible!" He turns as he is addressed and approaches Staren energetically. "Ah! Anozer for zee class? Unfortunately, zere ees no room." And no more ingredients. Jean will be very interested in knowing just how the Institute's kitchen became empty so quickly. "But! Since you know one of zee students, feel free to assist her in her work. Oui?" Ever in character, he nods once, then strides off to check on a child on the far end who seems to be done.
Staren blinks at Chef Sydney, and nods. He walks over to Mayumi, who looks up at him, "Yeah! Play with me!" Staren takes a step back, pondering. Now, he doesn't really have anything against spending some time as a kid - if he did, he'd be avoiding Mayumi, and in fact he actually enjoys spending a little time without adult cares and worries - but, he sort of wants to talk to this new teacher as an adult. Then again, the teacher doesn't seem to want to talk... --Oops! Hesitated too long! Mayumi steps up to him and focuses on making him feel like a playmate for her, and his powers react, shrinking him down into a child Mayumi's age, simultaneously changing his clothes size to fit. Mayumi hugs her little friend, glad to have her to play with again, "Yay! Now we can play!" and Starie-chan hugs her back. And looks at the incomplete parfait. "But there's only one. Can we share?"
Sydney turns in time to witness this, and blinks. "Ah, so we have an age-changing Mutant in our midst, ah? Oh, to be young again." He smiles, then claps his hands together loudly to grab everyone's attention. "Attention! Attention! Everyone should be finishing up zere creation now! Once you add zee final touch of whipped topping, turn and hold it forward for all to see!" One by one the children turn, showing off their parfait creations. There's some made just with fruit, some with just candy, some with a combination of the two, but all with layers of whipped cream and cake keeping the fruit and candy from touching each other.
Staren ponders whether to correct Sydney or not while Mayumi adds the finishing top layer of whipped cream onto her parfait, then picks it up and turns around, holding it forward to show. Then Star gets a mischievous grin and leans over to whisper to Mayumi, "Hear that? He wants to be young again, why not grant his wish?" Kid-Staren doesn't think about the danger of removing the adult supervision from a room full of kids, so it doesn't seem like a bad idea to her at all.
Of course, one would have to know that Sydney already thinks like a child, so trying to influence his mind that way wouldn't have much affect, if any. "Excellent," the Chef says in his normal voice as he looks at all the children's creations. "Now. There is a very good reason, besides holding your parfait together, that I had you all put cake and whipped cream between each of your personal layers. Take a look at the parfait of the person next to you! And the parfait of the person across the room. On certain layers, they're all the same. Full of cake, and full of whipped cream. But on other layers, they have different things mixed in. Some are full of fruit, some full of candy, some cookies..." He eyeballs one child's parfait, which has some rather indiscernible things for its layers. "... Some with things we can't even decipher! Well, that's how people are, isn't it? Mutant, and Human alike. We all have something that makes is different, but we also have something that makes us the same. And we all have different tastes, otherwise your parfaits would all be the same, wouldn't they? Remember: Differences are no reason to hate or be afraid of anyone. Or to be mean to them, either. Some of you might be afraid of humans, because you know you're different. Or some of you might want to use your powers to be mean to them, because you can. But a tasty parfait never makes someone unhappy, got it?" "Got it," the children chime, waiting for that signal to be able to eat the fruits of their labor.
Mayumi nods, "Haaaai!" Starie-chan is pleasantly surprised by this creative method of teaching. She already knows these things, but likes the new analogy. She tries to think of something to say, then shrugs and looks at Mayumi, "So we share?" The asian girl nods.
"Good," Syd replies, and as he wipes his hands on a dish towel, his clothing shifts to jeans and a t-shirt. "Now! Everyone take a label, and write your name on your parfait." He takes a stack of labels and some pencils from a box that sat on the far end of the long counter. "You can't eat it now..." A mass 'awwwww' rises from the crowd of children, which Sydney was expecting. "Sorry! But it's almost lunchtime, and Jean would kill us all if your lunch turned out to be sugar on top of sugar. But! Just think, with that parfait sitting in the fridge, you'll have a delicious treat waiting for you after you take a quick bite of a sandwich, and a quick sip of milk. Okay? So everyone lable your parfait and put it in the fridge! Then let's all clean up our stations and get washed up for lunch!" The children do as their told, even if some are reluctant. And Sydney helps, of course, by making room in the fridge and writing names for some who can't seem to get theirs around the label.
Starie and Mayumi aww with everyone else at the denial of early dessert. And then Star notices the change in Sydney's clothing. "You change your clothes? Do you like to make costumes?" she asks while Mayumi labels her parfait and puts it in the fridge.
Sydney smiles at Staren while he hands out paper towels. "Well, yes and no. Making them is fun sometimes, but having to remember them every once in a while, can get taxing on the brain. Fashion designers get to forget their creations because they keep them in a book. Me? I have to keep all of mine with me, so I can use them at the drop of a hat." He smirks. "But then, I think you might know a little something about that, too. Shapeshifter?" It may have taken a moment for him to notice, but Staren seems to have made a change from one gender to the next. And that's not something someone can attribute to an aging mutation.
Mayumi's the age-changer! Just... she's permanently stuck as a kid. It's kinda sad, but at least she lost her memory of being a teenager so she doesn't have to miss it. Staren just grins, and nods. "Yup! I'm Staren Dimondus! And I'm a shapeshifter! It's pretty cool! Mayumi here used her power to give me the feelings of a kid - I like it, no adult cares or worries..." She tries for a second to remember just what those worries are, but then loses interest in that. "...whatever those are. Anyway, who are you? I don't think we've met!"
Once the kitchen is nice and clean, all the children eventually wander out on their way to the dining room. No doubt lunch has already been made for all the younger children, so all they have to do is sit and eat it. Sydney, on the other hand, stays behind, for while children do make good cleaners, they don't make spotless cleaners, and there's a few things here and there he'll have to make neat again in their stead. "Well, being a kid is fun, but I think I'd much rather be an adult." He chuckles as he puts several jars up on a high shelf. "For one thing, I can reach stuff! And, you really shouldn't pretend to be something you're not. Constantly pretending to be something else, often builds shame for what you really are, and this school is about being proud of who you are. I should know, I used to go here." Sydney puts away the last of the cooking implements, then smiles at Staren. "I'm Sydney Jones. You can call me Syd. And I'm a Shapeshifter, too. An Omnimorph, to be exact."
Staren hmphs and folds her arms, "I can reach stuff too!" Hey, where'd Mayumi go? Seems lunch attracted her out of the room... and so her powers' effect on Staren fades. "...I don't not like being an adult. It's just... fun to spend a little time as a kid sometimes. And I'm not ashamed of who I am... Besides, just now I wasn't really pretending. Like I said, Mayumi's an empathic projector... she shared her feelings of what it's like to be a kid, projecting them on to me... so I really did feel like a kid. " She holds out a hand for Sydney to shake hands with, while starting to grow back up to his normal form.
Sydney continues to smile as he accepts the hand and shakes it firmly. "Well then, that's okay," he states, "so long as you don't get too wrapped up in the feeling. Truth be told, I like being a kid too, sometimes. But I think being an adult is a thousand times better, just because now I get to be the one giving the piggy-back rides, and the 'engine' for the airplane." Ah, Airplane. That fun game where a capable person takes a child by an arm and the corresponding leg, then swings them around to give them the feeling of flight. Fun for the fearless. "You don't particularly look like a student... Well, kind of. But you're definitely not a little one like the rest of them."
Staren shrugs, "Yeah, I just came here the summer before last when I developed my ability, to learn how to control it so I didn't wake up in a different body every day. I go to Emerson now."
Sydney gives a thumb's up to Staren. "Higher education. Righteous, my man." He finishes up with the cleaning, then starts for the hallway.
Staren follows. "So what exactly is an Omnimorph?"
Sydney shrugs lightly as he walks along. "Well, as the Professor explained to me years ago, it means I can turn into anything. Granted, I haven't tried to turn into anything yet, as part of me is still a little afraid to. I mean, just imagine if I turned into a bottle of cola, and someone drank me? I'm sure I'd be refreshing, though. Maybe a little sugary, too."
Staren chuckles at that. "Yeah, wouldn't want that to happen. Me, I can change shape, but I can't be a vegetable or mineral... and I'm limited in size to a range from a little smaller than I just was to like a big, muscley guy... but my weight and strength don't change."
Sydney chuckles back. "Yeah, I bet some people wish I would be limited to size." Like those times he used to uncontrollably change into whatever he thought, and they were learning biology in class.... "Well anyway, it was nice meeting you, Staren. I have to go, though. I gotta get to work soon, and I still have to take care of some errands."
Staren nods, "It was nice. I'd like to see what you can do sometime... you're only the second other shapeshifter I've met... at least that I knew, anyway. I guess anyone on the street could be a shapeshifter and I would never know. Anyway... I'll seeya 'round!" He waves as he turns to walk into another room.
"Well if you're around," Syd calls over his shoulder, "just try to catch me when I'm not playing with the youngsters! I usually stop by at least twice a week." He opens the main door, shifts into a Saint Bernard, then shoves the door closed before racing for the street. Time to head home!
Staren nods and waves... and then just stares as Morph easily changes into a dog and runs off. .oO( Wow, look at him go! I really should practice animal forms more... )
((XS)) Deeper Into The Woods
As the woods grow deeper, so do they grow thicker and less mundane in variety, with many species of tree and scrub and brush thrown in, now. Off to one side, a small clearing gives way to the Japanese Gardens, and another broader, rockier trail leads down to the lake. Many hours can be carelessly dreamed away, here, in the comfort of Mother Nature's arms.
A lovely night outside is more than a certain weather witch can resist. The new snow covers the ground, a blanket of white covering the ground and frosting the trees. Ororo slowly floats down from the sky, fingertips lightly brushing over a snow covered branch, a light smile dancing over her features. There's nothing like it in the world. The feeling and the beauty of freedom.
And who else loves dramatic scenes like this? Why Sydney, of course. This area is the perfect setting for some students doing an extra credit film project, and he's the perfect person to have starring in such a film, if just for his morphing abilities. Near the entrance to the Japanese Garden, a Japanese Nobleman dressed in rich garbs from the feudal Japan era now walks slowly towards the garden gates, with the lengths of his robe flowing in the wind. Two students are filming him with camcorders from different angles, while another stands nearby with a script in hand. Whatever class this is for, it looks like it'll be worth a lot of extra credit once it's done.
Storm finally notices the other people around and halts her progression toward the ground. She hovers by one of the trees, being sure not to get herself in the picture. Instead she decides to add a little bit of her own dramatic effect. A soft breeze moves towards Sydney, blowing the robes around him with ease, whipping the ponytail around slightly in the wind. From her perch near the tree she watches, and waits for the word 'cut'.
"Line," the teen with the script calls, and immediately Sydney breaks into what sounds like a hardcore speech in Japanese. The dialogue is in Japanese, written by the student who's directing, and who has coached Syd, the non-Japanese-speaking actor, on proper pronounciation. The speech is brief, but clear: the character is sorrowful over something that occurred years ago within the Japanese Garden. He turns from the gate, refusing to enter. Then, the director lends her voice to mark the dialogue of a spectre they'll later add in using minor computer graphics. Closeup on the shocked expression of the main character, then.... "Cut! That was great!" The camera operators pause their equipment while the director approaches Sydney.
Storm is impressed, surely they'll be getting an A for this particular project. The applause seems to echo faintly, coming from both the students and from some where up in the trees. Once the cameras are turned off, Ororo floats back towards the ground, her feet lightly landing on the ground asshe claps. "Indeed. That was fantastic."
"Hey, Miss Munroe," the director and film crew call in greeting to her. The lone Japanese noble grins, then shifts to his normal self. "Man! I tell you, Japanese robes are not toasty-warm when there's a full breeze," Sydney states, then shivers in his winter wear. The directing student chuckles and says, "Well, we don't wanna freeze our star, and it is pretty late. So we can pick this up again tomorrow at dusk. Good night, Mister Jones!" All the students wave to the teacher and the almunus while they head for the main building.
Storm offers a wave to the students. "Well, you guys should go curl up with some hot chocolate before you head off to bed. We wouldn't want you to get sick." she arches an eyebrow in a teacher-like manor before smiling down at Sydney. "Sorry, I thought the breeze might be more dramatic." She walks forward slowly, hands tucked into her pocket, not even wearing a jacket. Then again she doesn't really need one.
Sydney waves to the students, then wavers both his hands at Ororo. "Oh no! The breeze was fine! We were hoping for some wind. It adds to the dramatic flare." He shoves his hands in some pockets that suddenly form in his coat. "Mind if I perch on your shoulder? I promise, this time I won't turn into a hippo spontaneously." Like he did all those years ago.
Storm watches the students until they dissapear from sight before offering Sydney a look of disbelief. "Only if you pinky promise. And if you /do/ turn into a hippo, we are /so/ going to be in a fight." It's only fair to give him warning. She holds her arm out slightly, waiting for him to hop up and perch. "So how has it been going since you've gotten back?"
Sydney wriggles his right pinky, then he shifts into a snow owl and promptly hops up onto Ororo's arm. "Hey, I was a kid then, with hyperactive tendencies. I changed into whatever came to mind regardless of wanting to! Is it my fault, we were playing a word game, and hippos came up?" He lets off an owl hoot. "Things have been great! Still no word back from the places I've auditioned at, and my Agent's taken the rest of the year off. But the kids here like my presence, and that's all that matters right now. Giving reindeer rides and taking personal requests for the odd creature here and there. It's all in fun."
Storm smiles softly and reaches up with her free hand to gently scritch the back of his feathered neck. "Well, you certainly have better control over your powers now. Though I still see a bit of the hyperactive tendancies." She winks, before starting to slowly walk through the winter wonderland. "And it's still so close to the holidays I am sure you will be hearing back about the jobs soon enough." Her nose wrinkles slightly. "Are agents supposed to take that much time off?"
Sydney chuffs. "Only when they're being sleazy. Which is all the time." He laughs at his own joke. "What about you? Have a holly jolly Christmas? Santa bring you everything you wished for?"
Storm shrugs faintly as she continues to stroke the feathers gently, a contemplative look on her face. "I was never a big fan of Christmas. I was just happy for a little bit of peace and quiet." Since a lot of the students went home for Christmas she had a little more time to herself, which was needed. "And you should try to find an agent that is not sleazy." she states with surity. Not really understanding that they /all/ are.
Sydney shakes his head to the best of his owl ability. "Agents only work for themselves, Roro. They're like pimps, only legal, and right now I'm not my agent's best bitch. I'm not sexy, I'm not on television, and I just spent seven years of my life performing shows most people nowadays hardly care about." There's no denying the classics have lost their flare with the general public. "But it's okay. Playing here with the students is as close to a vacation as I've gotten in a while. And I do have my little job at the newspaper kiosk. Maybe I'll just bum around for a few months."
Storm frowns. She obviously doesn't approve of this. But there's not much she can do about it. After all, it's his chosen profession. "Or, instead of working at the newspaper kiosk and having to deal with horrid people all day long, you could come and teach a theater class here." she offers, throwing out an idea that'd been chewing at her mind for a little while. "We seem to have trouble keeping them around for some reason."
Sydney ruffles his feathers. "Well, Professor Xavier did suggest some sort of theatre club thing, but I don't know. I'm no teacher, and I certainly don't feel worthy enough to direct the classics." He's being modest, really. But it's better than being arrogant. A wistful sigh passes Sydney's owl beak and he taps his talons gently on Ororo's shoulder. "You know what I really want to do? A children's television show. I could be, Silly Sydney, or some other stupid name like that. But teaching kids to do right, and playing with them overall, I think is a great way to use all of my talents. Even my Mutant ones."
Ah, Charles had already beaten her to the punch. Oh well, it was worth a shot atleast. "I think that if you can manage it, then it seems like a great idea." she raises a finger, the obvious signal that there's a 'but' coming. "But.." ..see? "..only if you were discrete with your powers. The world is hardly able to believe that there are super-powered beings out there. Being forced to /see/ it as well might cause more problems then we're ready for." But it's a nice dream.
Sydney sighs again, though it's more depressed than wistful. "I know. You don't have to give me any of the 'the world isn't ready for Mutants' speech. While I was traveling across the Americas, Ororo, I saw things that let me know that the world truly isn't ready for Mutants. If you guys think things are hard here in the United States, you should try heading down to Central and South America sometime. Mutants there don't even have something like the Xavier Institute to help them. And because of their already poor living conditions, most families with Mutant children are more likely to abandon them, or let worse happen to them!" He closes his eyes, shaking his head as he thinks on the very vivid truths that he has seen over the years. "Sometimes, I feel ashamed. Not to be a Mutant, mind you, but that I've had such privileges that other Mutants haven't. If I thought I could get away with it, I probably would walk down the streets proudly displaying my Mutant powers. That makes me feel sad too, because I know I have the confidence to do that and most other Mutants don't." He chuckles dryly, trying to bring the mood back up. "But no, no, I'm not referring to going all out using my Mutant powers publicly for a children's show. That would just be silly. But you know, when I traveled with the troupe I never ever needed makeup. I'd be a very budget-worthy star, any way you look at it. I could just put down on the resume somewhere that I know how to do my own makeup."
Storm knows all too well herself the things that can happen to mutants with no place like Xavier's to run to. The things that they have to go through in order to survive in the world. She'd ended up lucky, and she knows it. A hand reaches up to gently stroke the feathers as he closes his eyes, trying to sooth him slightly. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. It's the world that is wrong." Her voice takes on an edge. "Most humans can't think beyond themselves and what they're comfortable with. Take them out of that safety zone and they'll shoot first ask questions later." Ororo takes a deep breath, calming herself this time as the subject changes. "Just be careful."
Sydney hoots. "Well, it is just a dream, after all. It'll probably never happen. But in the meantime, I just do what I can with what I have." Well poo. Now the mood is ruined. But if anyone knows how to bring it back, he certainly does. "Uh-oh." He starts to feel mischievious. "I'm getting that hippo feeling again...." His owl form ripples and pulsates as if he means to change, although right now it's just an act.
"Well, if anyone can make a dream like that come true, it's you Syd." Ororo states with confidence. As she feels his wings ruffle, along with the pulsating feeling on her shoulder, she arches a brow, a hard breeze wrapping around the owly form and plucking him from Ororo's shoulder, hovering him in the air a good ten feet from the weather witch. "Well then the hippo's going to be stuck in mid air I'm afraid." she says with a hint of a grin.
Sydney stops pulsating and tsks. "Well that's not very sporting," he states, then backflips while being supported by the wind, and turns into a bunny. "You wouldn't leave a poor widdle wabbit all stuck in midair, would you?"
Storm approaches the bunny rabbit and reaches through the wind to poke the little bunny nose. "If he intends on turning into a hippo, then I certainly do." she says, finally letting the grin fall into place. "I'll happily let you down as soon as that hippo-urge passes."
Syd-bunny sniffles and bats its eyes cutely. "It's passed, I promise." How can you deny the cuteness? You can't. It's not Mutantly possible.
Storm sighs slightly as the wind drops away, arms reaching out to take the bunny in her arms before he can fall to the ground. "You had better not be fibbing." Ororo warns, not quite able to resist petting the soft fur.
Sydney snuggles up to Ororo while she pets him. "Nope! The hippo moment has passed." Then suddenly he shifts into a chimpanzee and tries to plant a quick smooch on her cheek. "However, the year of the monkey is nigh! Eee-eee!"
Storm had expected that the cute little bunny would disapear rather quickly, but still seems mildly startled by the monkey kiss. 'Ro makes a face and wipes her cheek off with her shoulder. "Ugggggggh. Come now. I'm going to need another shower if you keep this up. I'm going to smell like ten shades of animal." Despite her scolding words, the tone is laughing.
Sydney chimp-laughs. "Couldn't resist! Sometimes, the only way I can steal a kiss from any girl is to turn into some cute animal." Not that a chimpanzee is really all that cute. And... not that he does this all the time... Really, he doesn't! Sydney hops down out of Ororo's arms, then reverts back to his normal form in winter clothing. "Well, it's really late. I guess I should go home now."
Storm hmphs shortly, but end up laughing despite herself. "I'm quite sure that any girl would have trouble denying you a kiss." she states with a shake of her head. "Animal or no." She straightens out her jacket and rubs off the last of monkey slobber on her cheek before smiling. "Yes well.. just remember that if nothing else works out for you, you always have a place here." She walks over and grasps his hands for a moment. "We'd love to have you here." a smile as she gives him a kiss on the cheek. "Be careful on the way home." she states sweetly before turning to head back to the mansion.
Well, now Syd is blushing. You'd never be able to tell, though, because it's too cold to show things like that. "Thanks," he calls as he turns to leave. Near the gate he turns into a black husky and starts running towards the city.
Cooking With Chef Syd (Staren)
((XS)) Kitchen - Lv1
Meant to service a large number of people, this kitchen is vast, with more than one oven and several stainless steel work surfaces. Inset into the ceiling are fluorescent glow strips, throwing everything into bright, if somewhat harsh light. At meal times, kitchen workers scurry to and fro with pans and food and various other sundry items. But out of those times, everything is in its place, and there's even a tray of cold snacks for those who might come in search of a bite to eat.
For most of the morning and nearly at lunchtime, Sydney has commendeered the kitchen for his own personal use. Gathering all the younger Mutants he could, he has been hosting his own cooking hour, teaching them to make little treats that don't require much adult supervision. Dressed in full chef garb--muffin-shaped hat included--he paces around the free space and instructs the children as they work at their individual stations. Each station has been outfitted with a series of small cakes the width of coke cans, a tall parfait glass, and small dishes filled with various chopped fruits, nuts, and bite-sized candies. "Ze parfait must be as unique as you," Sydney instructs in a falsely french accent. "Each layer must be as you desire eet! Each level, your dream. Like art, eet ees an expression of your very soul... Only edible!" He strides across the kitchen to shake a finger at one child. "No-no-no! we do not eat zee fillings before zey are set... Unless you offer some to zee coach." With a grin he takes some for himself, then moves on.
A head pokes in the kitchen door. "Hey Mayumi-chan, are you in here? Woah..." Staren looks around at the kids, "What's this, home ec class?" A six-year-old asian girl looks over at Staren, "We're making french desserts, Starie-chan!" The rest of Staren walks into the kitchen, attached to the head via a neck. "I see... can I make one too?" He spots the man who appears to be the teacher, "Wow, you must be great with kids. ...I'm Staren Dimondus, I came here the summer before last to learn how to keep my ability under control..."
"Do not forget," Chef Sydney instructs, "put zee layer of whipped cremme, and zee layer of cake, in between your personal layers. Zat way, zee layers of teenie tiny crumbly bits do not come togezer and become indiscernible!" He turns as he is addressed and approaches Staren energetically. "Ah! Anozer for zee class? Unfortunately, zere ees no room." And no more ingredients. Jean will be very interested in knowing just how the Institute's kitchen became empty so quickly. "But! Since you know one of zee students, feel free to assist her in her work. Oui?" Ever in character, he nods once, then strides off to check on a child on the far end who seems to be done.
Staren blinks at Chef Sydney, and nods. He walks over to Mayumi, who looks up at him, "Yeah! Play with me!" Staren takes a step back, pondering. Now, he doesn't really have anything against spending some time as a kid - if he did, he'd be avoiding Mayumi, and in fact he actually enjoys spending a little time without adult cares and worries - but, he sort of wants to talk to this new teacher as an adult. Then again, the teacher doesn't seem to want to talk... --Oops! Hesitated too long! Mayumi steps up to him and focuses on making him feel like a playmate for her, and his powers react, shrinking him down into a child Mayumi's age, simultaneously changing his clothes size to fit. Mayumi hugs her little friend, glad to have her to play with again, "Yay! Now we can play!" and Starie-chan hugs her back. And looks at the incomplete parfait. "But there's only one. Can we share?"
Sydney turns in time to witness this, and blinks. "Ah, so we have an age-changing Mutant in our midst, ah? Oh, to be young again." He smiles, then claps his hands together loudly to grab everyone's attention. "Attention! Attention! Everyone should be finishing up zere creation now! Once you add zee final touch of whipped topping, turn and hold it forward for all to see!" One by one the children turn, showing off their parfait creations. There's some made just with fruit, some with just candy, some with a combination of the two, but all with layers of whipped cream and cake keeping the fruit and candy from touching each other.
Staren ponders whether to correct Sydney or not while Mayumi adds the finishing top layer of whipped cream onto her parfait, then picks it up and turns around, holding it forward to show. Then Star gets a mischievous grin and leans over to whisper to Mayumi, "Hear that? He wants to be young again, why not grant his wish?" Kid-Staren doesn't think about the danger of removing the adult supervision from a room full of kids, so it doesn't seem like a bad idea to her at all.
Of course, one would have to know that Sydney already thinks like a child, so trying to influence his mind that way wouldn't have much affect, if any. "Excellent," the Chef says in his normal voice as he looks at all the children's creations. "Now. There is a very good reason, besides holding your parfait together, that I had you all put cake and whipped cream between each of your personal layers. Take a look at the parfait of the person next to you! And the parfait of the person across the room. On certain layers, they're all the same. Full of cake, and full of whipped cream. But on other layers, they have different things mixed in. Some are full of fruit, some full of candy, some cookies..." He eyeballs one child's parfait, which has some rather indiscernible things for its layers. "... Some with things we can't even decipher! Well, that's how people are, isn't it? Mutant, and Human alike. We all have something that makes is different, but we also have something that makes us the same. And we all have different tastes, otherwise your parfaits would all be the same, wouldn't they? Remember: Differences are no reason to hate or be afraid of anyone. Or to be mean to them, either. Some of you might be afraid of humans, because you know you're different. Or some of you might want to use your powers to be mean to them, because you can. But a tasty parfait never makes someone unhappy, got it?" "Got it," the children chime, waiting for that signal to be able to eat the fruits of their labor.
Mayumi nods, "Haaaai!" Starie-chan is pleasantly surprised by this creative method of teaching. She already knows these things, but likes the new analogy. She tries to think of something to say, then shrugs and looks at Mayumi, "So we share?" The asian girl nods.
"Good," Syd replies, and as he wipes his hands on a dish towel, his clothing shifts to jeans and a t-shirt. "Now! Everyone take a label, and write your name on your parfait." He takes a stack of labels and some pencils from a box that sat on the far end of the long counter. "You can't eat it now..." A mass 'awwwww' rises from the crowd of children, which Sydney was expecting. "Sorry! But it's almost lunchtime, and Jean would kill us all if your lunch turned out to be sugar on top of sugar. But! Just think, with that parfait sitting in the fridge, you'll have a delicious treat waiting for you after you take a quick bite of a sandwich, and a quick sip of milk. Okay? So everyone lable your parfait and put it in the fridge! Then let's all clean up our stations and get washed up for lunch!" The children do as their told, even if some are reluctant. And Sydney helps, of course, by making room in the fridge and writing names for some who can't seem to get theirs around the label.
Starie and Mayumi aww with everyone else at the denial of early dessert. And then Star notices the change in Sydney's clothing. "You change your clothes? Do you like to make costumes?" she asks while Mayumi labels her parfait and puts it in the fridge.
Sydney smiles at Staren while he hands out paper towels. "Well, yes and no. Making them is fun sometimes, but having to remember them every once in a while, can get taxing on the brain. Fashion designers get to forget their creations because they keep them in a book. Me? I have to keep all of mine with me, so I can use them at the drop of a hat." He smirks. "But then, I think you might know a little something about that, too. Shapeshifter?" It may have taken a moment for him to notice, but Staren seems to have made a change from one gender to the next. And that's not something someone can attribute to an aging mutation.
Mayumi's the age-changer! Just... she's permanently stuck as a kid. It's kinda sad, but at least she lost her memory of being a teenager so she doesn't have to miss it. Staren just grins, and nods. "Yup! I'm Staren Dimondus! And I'm a shapeshifter! It's pretty cool! Mayumi here used her power to give me the feelings of a kid - I like it, no adult cares or worries..." She tries for a second to remember just what those worries are, but then loses interest in that. "...whatever those are. Anyway, who are you? I don't think we've met!"
Once the kitchen is nice and clean, all the children eventually wander out on their way to the dining room. No doubt lunch has already been made for all the younger children, so all they have to do is sit and eat it. Sydney, on the other hand, stays behind, for while children do make good cleaners, they don't make spotless cleaners, and there's a few things here and there he'll have to make neat again in their stead. "Well, being a kid is fun, but I think I'd much rather be an adult." He chuckles as he puts several jars up on a high shelf. "For one thing, I can reach stuff! And, you really shouldn't pretend to be something you're not. Constantly pretending to be something else, often builds shame for what you really are, and this school is about being proud of who you are. I should know, I used to go here." Sydney puts away the last of the cooking implements, then smiles at Staren. "I'm Sydney Jones. You can call me Syd. And I'm a Shapeshifter, too. An Omnimorph, to be exact."
Staren hmphs and folds her arms, "I can reach stuff too!" Hey, where'd Mayumi go? Seems lunch attracted her out of the room... and so her powers' effect on Staren fades. "...I don't not like being an adult. It's just... fun to spend a little time as a kid sometimes. And I'm not ashamed of who I am... Besides, just now I wasn't really pretending. Like I said, Mayumi's an empathic projector... she shared her feelings of what it's like to be a kid, projecting them on to me... so I really did feel like a kid. " She holds out a hand for Sydney to shake hands with, while starting to grow back up to his normal form.
Sydney continues to smile as he accepts the hand and shakes it firmly. "Well then, that's okay," he states, "so long as you don't get too wrapped up in the feeling. Truth be told, I like being a kid too, sometimes. But I think being an adult is a thousand times better, just because now I get to be the one giving the piggy-back rides, and the 'engine' for the airplane." Ah, Airplane. That fun game where a capable person takes a child by an arm and the corresponding leg, then swings them around to give them the feeling of flight. Fun for the fearless. "You don't particularly look like a student... Well, kind of. But you're definitely not a little one like the rest of them."
Staren shrugs, "Yeah, I just came here the summer before last when I developed my ability, to learn how to control it so I didn't wake up in a different body every day. I go to Emerson now."
Sydney gives a thumb's up to Staren. "Higher education. Righteous, my man." He finishes up with the cleaning, then starts for the hallway.
Staren follows. "So what exactly is an Omnimorph?"
Sydney shrugs lightly as he walks along. "Well, as the Professor explained to me years ago, it means I can turn into anything. Granted, I haven't tried to turn into anything yet, as part of me is still a little afraid to. I mean, just imagine if I turned into a bottle of cola, and someone drank me? I'm sure I'd be refreshing, though. Maybe a little sugary, too."
Staren chuckles at that. "Yeah, wouldn't want that to happen. Me, I can change shape, but I can't be a vegetable or mineral... and I'm limited in size to a range from a little smaller than I just was to like a big, muscley guy... but my weight and strength don't change."
Sydney chuckles back. "Yeah, I bet some people wish I would be limited to size." Like those times he used to uncontrollably change into whatever he thought, and they were learning biology in class.... "Well anyway, it was nice meeting you, Staren. I have to go, though. I gotta get to work soon, and I still have to take care of some errands."
Staren nods, "It was nice. I'd like to see what you can do sometime... you're only the second other shapeshifter I've met... at least that I knew, anyway. I guess anyone on the street could be a shapeshifter and I would never know. Anyway... I'll seeya 'round!" He waves as he turns to walk into another room.
"Well if you're around," Syd calls over his shoulder, "just try to catch me when I'm not playing with the youngsters! I usually stop by at least twice a week." He opens the main door, shifts into a Saint Bernard, then shoves the door closed before racing for the street. Time to head home!
Staren nods and waves... and then just stares as Morph easily changes into a dog and runs off. .oO( Wow, look at him go! I really should practice animal forms more... )