Timelined a day or so before Bombs Away
<Cecilia> Cecilia shuffled her biochemistry books around in her arms as she wandered through the halls to the kitchen. Two laboratory assignments due next week and it was barely noon. McCoy... you had to love him or at least she did. She had him for two classes and probably would be seeing a lot of him in the coming years if she planned to be a surgeon.
<Shaw> Since he was due to teach tomorrow, Sebastian decided he should take a look at what he had to work with here. The robotics lab was adequate, he supposed, though he could upgrade it a bit. The classrooms were, well, classrooms. It was one of these that he was quitting at the moment, when he saw a familiar face.
<Cecilia> Cecilia froze as she passed a classroom with a familiar face and backed up. Ah, alright so she wasn't just imagining things. "Sh-...Sebastian," she said, quickly reverting to his first name as opposed to his surname and putting on a decent smile. "I didn't expect to see you here. Checking up on your investments then?" She inclined her head to the lab. "The funds are put to good use, I think."
<Shaw> "Cecilia." He inclined his head in greeting, enjoying her poleaxed look just a little too much. "How was your summer?" Leaning against the doorframe, he looked over her load of books. "I see they're put to use buying some exorbitantly-priced textbooks, anyway."
<Cecilia> "Excellent," she said, smiling at the memory. "Fabian and I spent half of the summer in Puerto Rico by ourselves and then entertained my family there for a rest of the trip. I trust yours was pleasant as well?"
<Cecilia> She looked down at her textbooks. "Mm, well if you want to be the best you should only learn from the best, yeah?" Her Bronx accent was seeping into her speech again, as it often did with Fabian.
<Shaw> "Indeed, which is why I've agreed to teach a few hours here this year," he smirked, catching her accent and recalling his little intentional display of his accent for Jessica over the summer.
<Shaw> "Mine was most pleasant, thank you. I, too, spent much of the summer abroad, but a little further afield."
<Cecilia> "Anywhere in particular? You'll have to excuse me, I haven't had the opportunity to travel much so I have to live vicariously through other people," she said. She raised an eyebrow. "Teaching? What subjects then?" Oh this was amusing.
<Cecilia> "Etiquette? How to discern a good scotch from a mediocre one? Hellfire 101? Sexual education?" she teased mercilessly.
<Shaw> Sebastian chuckled. "Engineering and business... a bit of robotics." He glanced down the hall toward the lab, crossing his arms over his chest. "Though I understand the last full-time robotics instructor met a messy end."
<Shaw> "I spent some time in England and Japan," he finally said in answer, then ran his tongue over his teeth and grinned. "Perhaps I should suggest a few special seminars on the subjects you suggest - specifically the last."
<Cecilia> Cecilia paled slightly, the image of Kraven's body being rendered to pieces by Venom in her mind's eye. "...yes, I heard about that. Though I personally don't think it's possible to him to have met as quite a gruesome end as his killer did."
<Cecilia> "Japan," she said, visibly reigning herself back in and putting her face back into place. "I might be a little jealous, that's at the top of my list of 'destinations to visit' now that Spain's off the list." She laughed and blushed only slightly at the last bit. "I'm sure you'll have many ladies attending that seminar...though I hope they aren't learning anything new at this age. University age is a bit old to not know the basics."
<Shaw> Sebastian's eyes narrowed at her reaction to his off-hand comment about the fellow known as Forge - what kind of name was that? Nonetheless, he took the subject change easily. "I'm quite fond of Japan myself. It's a beautiful country."
<Shaw> "Oh, you'd be surprised. I think I could be quite instructive in a hands-on setting." The blush was very amusing.
<Cecilia> "I'll have to take your word for it," Cecilia said, giving him a shit eating grin despite the slight blush. A little less than a year ago she would've been flailing, she noted. Obviously she had gotten over herself a great deal. "I take it you'll enjoy being a teacher, then?"
<Shaw> "Perhaps. We shall see, at any rate." He decided to be honest. "I'm not entirely sure I have the patience for it. You may be onto something that my talents would better be used in scotch tastings," he added with a bit of a smirk.
<Cecilia> "I suppose it depends entirely on how dense your students are," Cecilia admitted. "Though it could still be a laugh, you do get to grade everyone and it's not so bad living here. There's always something going on or there seems to be at any rate. Maybe I just hang out with the right people." Not all the time, said a critical voice. We've not forgotten Quent now have we?
<Cecilia> "Well, if it helps perhaps you should keep a flask in your desk for emergencies."
<Shaw> "Likely an entire bottle. Perhaps I should install a hidden bar... I could make it a class project for the robotics students." He was only half kidding. "In no way do I intend to live here, but I shall be here much more often than before."
<Shaw> "I do look forward to seeing all your lovely, shining faces on almost a daily basis," he said, leaning closer to her with a suggestive grin.
<Cecilia> "Ah, yes. I suppose you'll be off somewhere else what with your commitments to the Hellfire club and your company. I forgot for a moment you aren't in the same position as most of the teachers here," she admitted. She raised an eyebrow and smirked but didn't move as he leaned closer. "My face never shines with any radiant goodness. If you're expecting that you'll be disappointed."
<Cecilia> "Not likely you'd ever have me in your class either," she pointed out. "I'm a biology person, remember?"
<Shaw> "Oh, I don't know. I'm sure we could find something to make you shine." He stayed in her personal space, smirk firmly in place. "I'm sure we'll still get to see quite a lot of one another irregardless."
<Cecilia> Cecilia crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Am I so quiet you need to stand so close to hear me?" she said archly. She damn well knew she wasn't, but she wasn't quite stupid enough to tell someone this high ranked in the Hellfire Club to move it. It was making her slightly uncomfortable though, people had to earn the right to get in her face.
<Shaw> "Oh, I understand you perfectly." The smirk spread into a grin but he didn't back off. "I'm just enjoying your company to the fullest."
<Cecilia> Cecilia just laughed at this. "I don't think you should, if Jess found out I doubt she'd be very pleased and I don't look forward to having my face re-arranged 'cause of her boyfriend – again."
<Shaw> "Again?" His head tilted, now honestly curious.
<Cecilia> "Last November Jess had a bit of a beef with me," Cecilia explained. "She took something I said about Rachel and somehow took it to mean I was attacking her now-ex, Kevin. She demanded I apologize and when I told her I wouldn't she took her anger out on my face."
<Cecilia> "So, that's one of the reasons why we don't get along," she shrugged, not particularly angry about it anymore. After the whole cannibal thing these sorts of dramas seemed...small by comparison.
<Shaw> Sebastian smirked and backed off to lean against the doorframe again, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets. "Jessica does seem to have a bit of a temper, but I assure you, I can fight my own battles." His head tilted and the smirk was back. "Not that I often find I need to fight."
<Cecilia> "I'm touched that you think I'm so concerned about your health but I'm actually more concerned about mine," Cecilia laughed, settling herself down on one of the desks. "I know, I'm perfectly aware of your powerset. It's quite unusual, very impressive."
<Shaw> "I more meant that you need not concern yourself that she would seek to defend my honor," he chuckled, then raised an eyebrow at her other statement. "Are you? Though, I suppose with your interest in the medical field it behooves you to pay attention to the different manifestations of our abilities."
<Cecilia> Cecilia nodded. "I have a...fascination with mutations. I've probably mapped and tried to scientifically explain every single mutation I've ever come across," she laughed. "I've even taken blood samples from one of my friends - a shapeshifter. That probably sounds a bit strange...believe it or not I actually wanted to be a scientist originally...and I do plan to use my education to benefit mutants."
<Shaw> Now he was interested. Sebastian pulled a desk out of line to better speak to her, sitting down and resting his weight forward on his elbows. "No, it's not as strange as many interests, believe you me. So, have you come to any conclusions about us - as a subset of homo sapiens? Or are we homo superior?"
<Cecilia> "Which do you prefer to hear?" Cecilia asked, truthfully. "The answer's there, it's quite obvious really, but all the science in the world won't convince anyone if both sides are more than willing to believe we're not human. Hell, there are still people who think my skin colour disqualifies me as human."
<Cecilia> "...neither, we're an extension of the human race, or so I think," she said, gesturing. "We're born from humans, can produce viable offspring with humans and generally look mostly human. That makes us human and, if I'm not mistaken, entitles us to all rights under the constitution. We may eventually become a subset of the race...but that would require inter-breeding only or mostly amongst ourselves for a long period of time."
<Cecilia> She sighed. "We can't survive without humans, if we wiped them out, even with all the mutants in the world together...there's just not enough of us to sustain a viable population. Not that I've seen. We'd need x-gene carriers in the human population at least to survive...the mutant's supremacist's nightmare, yeah?" she laughed awkwardly.
<Shaw> "So, you propose we are simply humans," he watched her attentively as she spoke. "Albeit with a few extra gifts to set us apart and to make humanity - well, normal humanity, and I use the term loosely - jealous enough to kill us. Jealous and fearful. Vengeful."
<Shaw> "I confess, we've often given them cause to fear us." His smile was dark at that. "Once upon a time, I did believe we could be superior, but now I've seen far too much of what we can do to one another. We're no better or worse, simply more capable of personal destruction. We're simply what comes next."
<Cecilia> "Why doesn't that surprise me?" Cecilia said, laughing. "Exactly, top marks there, Sebastian."
<Cecilia> "Don't get me wrong," she said. "I would never change who I was for anything and I despise those who are so cowardly as to run from who they are...but I don't hate humans. My family is human...I don't think their lives are meaningless."
<Shaw> "Ah, who is grading whom now?" He laughed though, and sat back, sliding down in the seat to a relaxed slouch. "As you said, we're born from humans. My parents were human as well so humans certainly have their charms." Now, the bit that had been bothering him.
<Shaw> "Have you had cause to investigate the mutations of many of the students?"
<Cecilia> "If I judge others harshly it's also 'cause I expect a great deal from myself," Cecilia noted. "I expect nothing but excellence."
<Cecilia> "Not a 'cause' per say," Cecilia admitted. "More it's just an interest of mine that I pursue with my usual amount of enthusiasm for things I find fascinating...so in other words I'm slightly obsessed and do it for the love of it...why?"
<Shaw> Concentrating for a moment, he quickly ensured they were alone. "Oh, a curiosity I suppose," he started, keeping his tone light. "Jessica's ability to produce pheromones. It doesn't seem it's been studied and she is reticent to talk about it. I find it fascinating."
<Cecilia> Cecilia had to suppress a sigh. Of course... "Is there anything specific about it you're interested in? Or are you just interested in what each one does? 'Cause I've had first hand experience with all three types."
<Shaw> "Really? I confess I haven't experienced any," he hedged.
<Cecilia> Cecilia decided that meant she was free to just give him the overview. "The pheromones are secreted through her skin similar to sweat - except they're airborne. She can't aim them. They spread quickly and once you've inhaled them the effects last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on how much you inhale. There's no getting rid of them once their in your system but you can stop her from secreting them into the air by throwing water on her.”
<Cecilia> "I'd hypothesize they're triggered by biochemical reactions in her body, for example adrenaline may trigger fear-based pheromones...so they'll essentially always be uncontrollable... though I could guess a few ways to counteract it... she can do it at will though. She's done it more than once that I've seen."
<Cecilia> "As for the types, there's a aggregation, alarm and sex pheromones...all of which are pretty self explanatory but whose properties...vary from person to person," she cleared her throat. "Is that enlightening?"
<Shaw> One eyebrow lifted. "You've experienced her sexual pheromones then? Well, well, Miss Reyes..."
<Cecilia> Cecilia just stared flatly. "It's hardly as exciting as you're imagining. When it's used on a straight female such as myself...the effect is rather disturbing for the victim. It feels...wrong."
<Shaw> His lips twitched. "Yes, I suppose it would." Still, everything she had said lined up with Jessica's explanation, except for one omission. "The effects only last a few hours you say?"
<Cecilia> "Depending on amount and length of exposure I'd guess," Cecilia clarified. "Again, I'm only going by personal experience. The fear pheromones I was hit with gave me a panic attack that lasted several hours and I was still jumpy for most of the night after and I was in a room full of them for...perhaps five or ten minutes?" she shrugged. "Why does this fascinate you so much? There are far more interesting powers."
<Shaw> Nodding to himself, he looked up at her with a meaningful expression and a small, rueful grin. "You're a bright woman, Cecilia."
<Cecilia> Deflection. "You expected anything less?" she said, laughing. "You didn't answer my question but I'll assume that's 'cause you don't wanna answer it. I'll let it go...it's nice to meet someone who has as much interest in this as I do though."
<Shaw> "Agreed, I do find it quite interesting," he said, willing to go with the change of subject again. "I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the subject in the future - on mutation in general, that is." Sebastian gave her a saucy wink and slid out of the desk. "Perhaps you should take my class after all. Or, just a seminar."
<Cecilia> Cecilia snorted. "Don't flatter yourself, Sebastian. I'm hardly as taken with you as most of the girls. You're still a person in my eyes."
<Cecilia> "I may..." she said thoughtfully, tilting her head a little. "I'm bound to come across a variety of machinery in my work. If it's relevant I could stop by. I've never really said 'no' to learning.”
<Shaw> He tsked her, but it was with a grin, and before she could protest, he caught her hand and kissed the back of it. "Well, just don't tell the other girls then."
<Shaw> Letting go, he nodded and started for the door. "That's an honorable trait, so feel free to stop by if you like."
<Cecilia> Cecilia smiled a far kinder smile than usual. "I'll keep it close to my chest," she said, saluting on her way out. "Sayonara, Sebastian!"