i won't let this break me, even when the world is shaking (♫)
[ Daisy really misses the Internet. And cell phones. And Postmates. She misses being in her own time. She misses her team. She misses being in a world where she isn't a freak among freaks, the only one of her kind in existence. But here she is, truly alone for the first time in years.
She can't say she's missed that very much.
Really, though, this whole alien monolith thing is getting old. Like, seriously universe, find a new schtick already. Surely, there have to be other creative ways to mess with her, but no, it's just the same old thing over and over again. But instead of simply being sent across space or through time, or even just having her nightmares made into reality again, Daisy Johnson has been sent to an alternate universe. The past of an alternate universe.
It took her a while to accept it. Being in another time was bad enough, but after days of searching for signs of SHIELD, every effort had led to the same conclusion: she's on her own here. And while she has absolutely no doubt that her family won't leave her in this universe that isn't hers, where she's a genetic freak of epic proportions who a dozen governments would love to lock up in a lab, she can't just sit around waiting for that to happen. If there's something she can do to get back to them sooner, they'll all be better for it.
So, that's how she ended up here, in the library of a boarding school waiting for the man in charge to finish teaching a class or whatever. He's supposed to be an expert on genetics and, if she'd understood his thesis correctly, he had some pretty outlandish ideas about the possibilities for the future of the human race. She's taking a risk being here, she knows it, but she has to hope that he's not another Whitehall who will try to cut her open and study her. And if he is... Well, she's making the most of her time in his library, just in case.
She's sat at one of the heavy wood tables, surrounded by books and journals chronicling dozens of different types of Weird Stuff that have happened over the centuries, trying to find even one single instance that might lead to some clue of how to get home. If the monolith had dropped her here then surely there must be some way for her to get back. That's how the first monolith they encounter worked; it was a two-way door, you just had to find the right opening at the right time. Of course, some of the greatest scientific minds had worked on that problem, one in particular who was especially motivated to find the solution, and it had taken Fitz months of desperate attempts before he'd found that clue. Plus, they'd also been lucky enough that HYDRA had been so interested in the portal for their own nefarious reasons. As far as she can tell, there is no HYDRA here nor any other organization that might have the means to find such a door. In fact, it's entirely possible that no one on this entire planet has ever noticed it before. It's beyond frustrating.
Has she mentioned how much she really misses the internet? ]
( hank had informed charles about their visitor, and since he still had thirty minutes more with the children -- he was teaching them how to fold an origami duck, something he'd promised them he'd do last week, he'd told hank to let their guest wait for him in the library. as soon as the class is over, charles excuses himself and makes his way over to where she's at. he usually never accepts walk-ins due to his busy schedule, but hank had mentioned that it seemed important.
well. she's not human. that much he can sense already as he's nearing the library. he doesn't probe any further, not bothering to read her mind just yet, deciding to have a chat with her first. )
Hello there. ( he sees her at one of the tables surrounded by stacks and stacks of books. it seems she's made herself at home. he smiles as he approaches, offering her a handshake as he introduces himself. ) Charles Xavier. I run the school. ( the school being the school for gifted youngsters. she might have spotted that on the signboard coming in. ) You're here about my thesis? ( he really hadn't thought that when he'd written it that it would have received this much attention or interest from the public. he puts his file folder down on the table together with the origami ducks that some of the children had insisted he take with him. apparently, he's supposed to be paper-ducksitting for the day. )
[ well, shit, he's arrived earlier than she'd been expecting. or maybe the time got away from her, as it tended to these days when she is without the continuous display of the clocks on her phone and computer. hours passed like minutes and seconds dragged like hours; she doesn't enjoy either very much.
daisy takes his hand for a firm shake before leaning forward and propping her elbows on the table. ]
Daisy Johnson. And yes, I am — sort of. [ gesturing briefly to the stacks crowding the table, she looks a tiny bit sheepish as she explains. ] Sorry, I guess I thought you'd be longer and you've got an impressive library. How exactly does someone with an advanced degree from Oxford end up opening a boarding school, anyway? It doesn't seem like the most likely career path.
[ she'd meant to take her time getting to this point in the conversation but... well, to be honest, the ducks distracted her. he's got a whole tiny flock of them with him, or whatever the proper group noun is for paper birds, and it doesn't fit with the picture she'd had in her head. her expression is open and curious as she glances from the ducks back to her host, and even though she might give the impression of being someone who keeps their secrets close to the chest, her intentions are anything but malicious. ]
No. Books are meant to be perused, by all means. ( he doesn't mind that she's found so much that interests her, apparently. a surprising number of people don't care much for reading anymore these days. he blames the invention of the television for that. ) It's nice to meet you, Daisy. ( he takes a seat across from her, clearing some of the books off to the side to make space for himself. )
And that is a good question. ( it does seem strange for him to have decided to open up a school, especially considering his background in genetics. also, whenever someone mentions the professor, they usually imagine someone old and bald. at least, that's what he keeps being told. ) Just... Hold on a moment. ( he lifts a hand over the paper ducks, covering it. ) Johanna, my darling, what did I tell you about eavesdropping? ( he cants his head to the side, looking at no one in particular or so it seems. ) Show yourself, please. You know I can sense you there. ( a young girl of about six materializes right next to charles, pouting a little. they have a bit of a chat and he tells her to go back to class, please. before johanna leaves, he lets her take two of the paper ducks with her. ) And no more pit stops.
( charles then returns his attention back to daisy. ) I'm sorry, where were we? Oh, right. This isn't any ordinary school. Just like you aren't any ordinary person, are you? ( charles still doesn't know why she's here. but if he finds that he can't trust her, then daisy will be walking out of the school without any recollection of having ever been inside of it. it's the only way he can protect the young mutants who are living here. no one can know of their existence. not yet. )
[ daisy's breath catches in her throat as the little girl appears, looking sweet and innocent and— understanding crashes into her a second later, dealing such a blow that she feels like someone punched her in the chest. she hasn't even begun to pull herself together when johanna wanders off and her host's attention returns to her, though she does her best to contain her emotional devastation. it'll be followed by anger soon enough, a low-simmering rage to match her sadness. ]
Well, like you said. I'm not ordinary. [ she never has been. nothing in her life has ever been something so simple as ordinary. taking a deep breath, she shifts in her seat, leaning back and crossing her arms over her stomach. ]
How do they get their abilities? Is there a transformation or... [ thoughts tumble over each other in her mind, piling up and toppling into a jumble as she adjusts her approach. if there's even a chance that they— ] I'm trying to understand if we're the same kind of 'not ordinary' before I explain why I'm here. It's complicated, to say the least, and it'd be good to know if we have a common baseline.
[ is he different too? or is he trying to help these kids? she doesn't get the sense that he's trying to hurt them or study them, but now that the thought pops into her head, she can't help but think of whitehall and what he might have done if he'd gotten his hands on her when she was a baby. her anxiety spikes and she shoves those thoughts back down into the darkness where they belong, waiting to torment her nightmares. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
well. she's not human. that much he can sense already as he's nearing the library. he doesn't probe any further, not bothering to read her mind just yet, deciding to have a chat with her first. )
Hello there. ( he sees her at one of the tables surrounded by stacks and stacks of books. it seems she's made herself at home. he smiles as he approaches, offering her a handshake as he introduces himself. ) Charles Xavier. I run the school. ( the school being the school for gifted youngsters. she might have spotted that on the signboard coming in. ) You're here about my thesis? ( he really hadn't thought that when he'd written it that it would have received this much attention or interest from the public. he puts his file folder down on the table together with the origami ducks that some of the children had insisted he take with him. apparently, he's supposed to be paper-ducksitting for the day. )
no subject
daisy takes his hand for a firm shake before leaning forward and propping her elbows on the table. ]
Daisy Johnson. And yes, I am — sort of. [ gesturing briefly to the stacks crowding the table, she looks a tiny bit sheepish as she explains. ] Sorry, I guess I thought you'd be longer and you've got an impressive library. How exactly does someone with an advanced degree from Oxford end up opening a boarding school, anyway? It doesn't seem like the most likely career path.
[ she'd meant to take her time getting to this point in the conversation but... well, to be honest, the ducks distracted her. he's got a whole tiny flock of them with him, or whatever the proper group noun is for paper birds, and it doesn't fit with the picture she'd had in her head. her expression is open and curious as she glances from the ducks back to her host, and even though she might give the impression of being someone who keeps their secrets close to the chest, her intentions are anything but malicious. ]
no subject
And that is a good question. ( it does seem strange for him to have decided to open up a school, especially considering his background in genetics. also, whenever someone mentions the professor, they usually imagine someone old and bald. at least, that's what he keeps being told. ) Just... Hold on a moment. ( he lifts a hand over the paper ducks, covering it. ) Johanna, my darling, what did I tell you about eavesdropping? ( he cants his head to the side, looking at no one in particular or so it seems. ) Show yourself, please. You know I can sense you there. ( a young girl of about six materializes right next to charles, pouting a little. they have a bit of a chat and he tells her to go back to class, please. before johanna leaves, he lets her take two of the paper ducks with her. ) And no more pit stops.
( charles then returns his attention back to daisy. ) I'm sorry, where were we? Oh, right. This isn't any ordinary school. Just like you aren't any ordinary person, are you? ( charles still doesn't know why she's here. but if he finds that he can't trust her, then daisy will be walking out of the school without any recollection of having ever been inside of it. it's the only way he can protect the young mutants who are living here. no one can know of their existence. not yet. )
Now how I can help you, Daisy?
no subject
Well, like you said. I'm not ordinary. [ she never has been. nothing in her life has ever been something so simple as ordinary. taking a deep breath, she shifts in her seat, leaning back and crossing her arms over her stomach. ]
How do they get their abilities? Is there a transformation or... [ thoughts tumble over each other in her mind, piling up and toppling into a jumble as she adjusts her approach. if there's even a chance that they— ] I'm trying to understand if we're the same kind of 'not ordinary' before I explain why I'm here. It's complicated, to say the least, and it'd be good to know if we have a common baseline.
[ is he different too? or is he trying to help these kids? she doesn't get the sense that he's trying to hurt them or study them, but now that the thought pops into her head, she can't help but think of whitehall and what he might have done if he'd gotten his hands on her when she was a baby. her anxiety spikes and she shoves those thoughts back down into the darkness where they belong, waiting to torment her nightmares. ]