Timeline: Before "Fashionable Friendship".
Cassie: "So, now that you've had some time to explore everything, what's your favourite place at the mansion?" Cassandra asked as she led the new girl into the kitchen. She slowed her step and and turned halfway around, holding up a finger. "And the Danger Room doesn't count, because that thing just doesn't play fair with its awesomeness."
Idie: Idie 'um'd while she thought about it, "I guess the poolhouse. I like swimming... but not as much as I like surfing."
Cassie: "Ooh, yes, that's certainly not the worst choice!" Cass replied and showed Idie a quick grin. "Have you tried out the whirlpool yet? I could stay for hours in it, especially at night with the lights switched off. And not long ago, I didn't even have my own shower."
Cassie: She crossed the large room, aiming for the tall fridge by the wall. "If you don't mind the water being a bit more chilly, it's not too far to the beach from here. I've heard the sea can get quite rough around here, but I'm sure that's just how a surfer likes it."
Idie: "I have a suit so the water temperature isn't that much of an issue," she grinned, leaning against the table. "I had a hottub at home, used to have parties in there...."
Cassie: Looking over her shoulder, Cassandra returned the black girl's grin with a smirk of her own. "Well, I don't think you'll be disappointed in ours then," she commented. "Watch out for a green-skinned lizard girl lounging in there - that's usually a sure sign that a party isn't too far off from happening."
Idie: "Oh Melati? I've met her, she seems like fun!" Idie laughed, "Already got waaaasted."
Cassie: "Oh, then you already got your unofficial initiation to XU." Cassandra laughed as she opened the fridge door, pausing to give Idie a questioning look. "Would you like anything? Whatever you should be in the mood for, chances are I'll find it somewhere in here."
Idie: "I'm sure there's chicken so let's go for that." Idie hopped up onto the table.
Cassie: "Without a doubt," Cass replied, lifting one foot off the floor as she leaned forward and poked her head into the fridge. "Sometimes you can even encounter live chickens around here. I remember encountering one in the hallway out here one day."
Idie: Idie's eyebrows went up, "Live chickens? Who the hell's keeping live chickens in a school? It's not some kind of freaky science experiment is it?"
Cassie: "I think you already mentioned the explanation - it's a school." Cassandra chuckled as her head reappeared from the depths of the fridge. "You would be amazed what students bring back from their tours through the local pubs." She held a plate in hand, covered with tinfoil.
Cassie: Lifting the edge, she peeked underneath it, frowning. "Now, this might be chicken. I'm pretty sure it's not vegetables, anyway."
Idie: Idie frowned a little, "I'm afraid to try it..... is there any that's not open that I could cook instead? And yes... shocking, I know... the rich kid can cook."
Cassie: "That's because you rich kids have enough leisure time at your hands to indulge in such hobbies, where poor souls such as me always had to contend themselves with the scraps from the fine folks' tables." Cassandra laughed and gave Idie a smirk, revealing that her remark had mostly been in jest.
Idie: "Pfffft, most rich kids have maids so they don't have to learn how to cook. Obviously you don't know enough rich kids. It's okay, I can fix that."
Cassie: "Ooh, does that mean you're going to take me to all the hip parties?" Cass smirked, before giving the plate with the ominous meat another doubtful look. "I think it's probably for the best if we put that back where we found it - the eerie dimension deep inside the fridge, where all the forgotten leftovers formed their secret kingdom."
Idie: "Ew..." Idie wrinkled her nose, deciding to brave the contents of the fridge herself in search of some chicken. "Someone sould clean that out... not it."
Cassie: "I'm afraid even with our powers, that might just be beyond the possible," Cassandra replied and put a spooky tone into her voice. "There are rumors that the last student who tried to clean out the fridge was never seen again, but sometimes you can still hear his manic laugh, right before one of your socks disappears forever."
Idie: Idie turned her head and stared at Cassie for a long moment, "Why would anyone be putting their socks in the fridge?"
Cassie: With the bottle of milk in her hand that she had picked for herself, Cass turned around to give the other girl a similarly confused look right back. "As I've said, it's a school?" she replied, as if that would answer anything, before lifting the bottle to her lips to take a long swig.
Idie: "But it's not hygenic... and neither is what you just did..." She managed to find some unopened chicken and fished it out of the fridge.
Cassie: "Oh, don't worry, I don't plan to put it back," Cassie assured Idie and made her way to the kitchen counter, where she first put down her bottle, before reaching down to pick out some pans. "What do you need?" she asked, holding them up.
Idie: Idie pointed at the frying pan then moved to investigate the spice rack.
Cassie: Cassandra placed the pan on the stove and put the other one away again. "If you need any fresh vegetables or fruit, I can show you to the pantry," she offered, peeking over Idie's shoulder.
Idie: "A salad would be nice..." Idie nodded, "Really you should marinade the chicken but I'm hungry now so I don't want to wait til like... tomorrow."
Cassie: "We could just dump more spices on it to make up for that, yes?" Cassie suggested, reaching up to inspect some of the little containers.
Idie: "Uh... let me worry about that..." Idie picked out the spices she wanted and lined them up while she heated the pan.
Cassie: "Sure! You're the expert here, after all." Taking a step back, she stood behind the other girl, swaying back and forth on her toes as she leaned forward to peek past Idie's shoulder. "If you would like a suggestion, though, why not throw in some cloves? I think they smell really nice."
Idie: "They do smell good... I guess some wouldn't hurt but not too many - don't want to overpower the flavour."
Cassie: "Yay!" Cassie clapped her hands, looking way too excited over a bunch of spices. "Come on, let's go find some salad!" Not even awaiting a reply, she grabbed Idie's hand and started to drag her along towards the pantry.
Idie: Idie flailed a little, nearly overbalancing the pan in the process, before she managed to turn around enough to avoid furniture while Cassie dragged her. "Careful! Hot oil!"
Cassie: Cassandra laughed as she opened the door to the pantry, leading Idie into the dark room with its numerous shelves. "Are you taking the pan with you?" she asked, looking back over her shoulder.
Idie: "No, but it nearly fell right off the stove! Warn a girl before you go dragging her all over, will ya?" Idie straightened her outfit and checked her hair.
Cassie: "And I always thought being around me should be warning enough that something like this could happen at any moment," Cassie commented with a snicker, giving Idie a wry smile as she hit the light switch. "Always be prepared for the unexpected. Uhm, see it as a taste of your training here."
Idie: "I'm new here, how am I supposed to know who's crazy and who isn't? They sure didn't mention that in the orientation...."
Cassie: "Strange, I figured the striped thighs and the little top hat might give it away." She smirked at the new student, then turned around to skip ahead into the depths of the school's pantry. "Whatever strikes your fancy, feel free to grab it, yes? That's how everyone around here does it."
Idie: "Honey, I'm from LA..." Idie shook her head. "Nothing is weird in LA." She selected a few green vegetables to make a leafy salad and picked up some tomatoes too, they'd add nicely to the flavour.
Cassie: In the meantime, Cassandra had grabbed three oranges from another shelf and began juggling with them, following after Idie. "Maybe they should have opened the school over there then," she commented. "Sounds like it would fit right in."
Idie: Idie giggled, "Weather would be nicer too." She set the things down on the counter, "You want to cut some of these up?"
Cassie: "If you were to share some of that chicken with me, why not?" Cassie cocked her head, a wry smile curling the corner of her mouth. She caught the oranges on a summoned tendril of solid darkness, picking up the heads of salad instead to douse them in the sink.
Idie: "Well... as much as I like chicken, I don't think I could eat all of this by myself in one sitting."
Cassie: Cassandra flashed the other girl a grin and created a shadowy blade in her right hand. "Sweet! Cooking by yourself is depressing, anyway." She brought down her created knife and chopped the salad in two. "Everything is better when done with company."
Idie: Idie nodded in agreement, "I used to cook sometimes with my friends... they're all surfers so we eat a lot after an afternoon on the beach." She smiled a little sadly, "I kinda miss them."
Cassie: "If you like, I'm sure I could help you pay them a visit once in a while," Cassie replied, glancing to the girl by her side, wearing a small smile. "Besides, you don't even know yet what wonderful and exciting new friends you'll make here."
Idie: "Hey, just because I make new friends it doesn't mean I won't miss my old once. I've known most of them all my life... well most of my life..."
Cassie: "I never said you wouldn't miss them, just that making new ones might things not look so bad any more," Cassandra told Idie, once more offering her a friendly smile. "I know what you mean, by the way. I've only been here for a semester now, and I still miss all the folks at the circus."
Cassie: "We haven't known each other for as long as you've been with your friends, but they've still become something like a family to me, you know?"
Idie: Idie returned the smile, "Family's important." She nodded, "I miss them too...."
Cassie: "I haven't seen mine in a while," Cassandra revealed, her gaze focused on the salad she was chopping up. "Have you been living with yours before we abducted... I mean, before we recruited you?"
Idie: Idie nodded, "Yeah... well... it's complicated...."
Cassie: "Tell me about it," Cass replied, turning her head to offer Idie a lopsided smile. "I think you can count on one hand how many people here have what most would consider a non-messed up family life. I think it may be a mutant thing."
Idie: Idie laughed a little and shook her head, "Nah... it's not messed up. Actually it's pretty awesome... but I was adopted. That's the only weird part. I don't remember my biological parents though."
Cassie: "Oh... " She sliced another salad head in two, before looking up again. "You're right, that's not too bad. And if you ask me, family is more than just sharing the same blood." An awkward smile appeared on Cassandra's lips. "Besides, you can never know when you run into a relative without expecting it."
Idie: Idie gave the girl a smile, "Hey, I'm pretty damn lucky to end up where I did. I'm not going to be dumb or ungrateful enough to ever say otherwise... and I love my mom and dad."
Cassie: "So do I, and I know they love me, too," Cassie replied, returning Idie's look. "When they remember they have a daughter, anyway. It's mostly my godparents I didn't come along with too well."
Idie: Idie tossed the chicken into the pan with her prepared sauce. "Well hey, you can't win 'em all, right?"
Cassie: "And in the end, those you do win are the ones that really matter, no?" Cassandra replied, distracting Idie with a smirk so she could chuck another clove into the sizzling pan.
Idie: Idie nodded, "Exactly. And as for the ones that we don't? What's life without a little risk?"
Cassie: "Like a boring show without any thrill!" Cassandra laughed and decided to heed her own advice, leaning over to dip her finger into the hot sauce for a taste.
Idie: "Hey!" Idie smacked the back of her hand with the spatula, "Patience! An artist never displays her work until it's finished."
Cassie: "Ow!" Cassie shook her hand and put on a pout, even though she couldn't keep the cheeky grin off her face for too long. "Fine, Miss Kitchen Tyrant, but all that pain and suffering better be worth it in the end."
Idie: "I promise it will be. You will never want anyone else to make you chicken." Idie nodded sagely, "Now finish up that salad!"
Cassie: Cassandra stood up straight and performed a salute, which in her case looked more goofy than anything else. "Yes, ma'am!"