As Fate Would Have It

Posted on Thu Dec 29th, 2022 @ 17:47 by Phoebe Hunter & Reagan D'Angelo

Chapter: Prologue: Dawn of Avalon
Location: Library
Timeline: Tuesday, September 15th, 1992
2024 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

One of the things that Reagan always liked to do before school started, with the various facilities of the Institute quiet and free of foot traffic, was check the library for new materials. Updating old texts, adding new ones she might have read over the summer, etcetera. She was sure Claire did something similar with the other administrative staff and the librarians in particular, but Reagan had her own priorities to keep. English and history didn't change much, but keeping the latest in biology information available for her students was a necessity for her.

In particular, every year she had a sort of periodical made available. Put together from her own field excursions, the latest research, and more in-depth information on the year's topics depending on the age group of her students, this large reference was as close to true academia as Reagan really came. Her sister might publish in fancy journals or undertake actual research, but Reagan could at least help her students thrive. At the very least, she always made sure her latest information on genetics was up-to-date and ready for young, thirsty mutant minds. As one might imagine, it was a popular topic for this particular student body.

So when the library doors opened, Reagan's focus as it was on finishing up the reference in its large, three-ring binder, she didn't seem to notice that she was no longer alone.

Phoebe had been eager to sort out her classroom but the one thing she had not considered whilst setting up had been the library. After getting directions to the room she had grabbed a coffee in a thermos and set off to look through what the library had to offer. It had been many years since she had stepped into a library for the sake of it being a library for actual studying instead tracking or some other type of intel that she paused on the threshold and just savoured the smell and silence. “Oh hello?” She called seeing that someone else was there in the space.

Reagan was partially startled when the voice spoke up. Or maybe she was trying to save face and act tough by only reacting with slightly widened eyes and a jerk of her head? No crying out, at least. "Hello! I'm sorry, you scared me. I wasn't expecting to see anyone here quite yet."

Drawing to a stand, the binder closed for now, Reagan smiled and offered her hand to the new woman. "New teacher I take it? I'm Reagan D'Angelo, biology."

Phoebe took the offered hand and shook it once before pulling back. “Phoebe Hunter. I’m the new history teacher.” She introduced herself relieved that she had chosen to wear something more than the bright purple dungarees that she had been wearing the previous day as she had moved furniture around in her new classroom. At least in jeans and a plain tee she did not look quite as imposing. Phoebe was not 100% sure who knew about the extra curricular activities that Claire thought was come their way, so she did not dare start with I’m also here for when the shit hits the fan.

Reagan's own attire was dressed down by her own standards too. After all, not expecting company of any sort, she'd opted for the comfort of a white blouse and jeans too, good for a walk by the loch later if so desired. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Hunter. Come to check what we have on offer? Think you'll find most of the library dedicated to historical texts... or just filled with old books in their own right, some a combination of both, hm?"

She smiled and took a step back to let her hands fall loosely into her pockets while her eyes went on a small tour of the shelves and cases around them. "Here strictly for the children then, or on the team as well?"

Well if she was asked it was safe to assume that the woman knew more than just the run-of-the-mill activities of the school. The redhead offered a smile and a bit of a shrug. “The team,” Phoebe said softly as she ran her hand along a bookshelf taking in the texts books that would be a joy to teach from.

Reagan watched the other woman move around and peruse for a moment before returning to her table to gather the large binder up in both arms, tucked carefully for ease of carrying. "That's great! Sure I'll see you for some training at some point once Clair gets everyone up to speed and we're all back then. Met any of the others yet? My condolences in advance if you haven't met Cameron. He'll talk your ear off, but he's a big sweetie."

"I have not met anyone as of yet apart from yourself. I decided to set up my classroom for our students before I venture into meeting anyone. But you can find me in the gym a lot of the time if you want to do some training." She had seen them all in visions but she was not going to admit that to people just yet. She trusted Claire's opinion on who she had in the team that would protect the students and Great Britain.

Reagan couldn't help but smile then, maybe even a little cocky. "Besides Clair, then? Honored to be the first. I've been around a few years, so if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask." Moving toward the front desk, she sat the binder down and smoothed out a sticky note on the cover, writing deftly with the nearby pen attached to the desk with one of those little chains of metal beads.

"Good to hear you prioritize the children too, Miss Hunter. I think that despite all our varied personalities, you'll find all the staff similar in their dedication to our charges. I think you'll fit right in."

“I hope so.” She said soothing her own fears that she would not fit in and would not be able to lead the team as well as her former occupation should allow her. She did not want to let anyone down at all, Claire was taking a chance on her and Wisdom had given her a reference so there was a lot riding on this.

"So besides decorating classrooms and history, do you have any hobbies?" Satisfied the binder was safe for the staff to shelve for the school year, Reagan returned to lean against a nearby shelf and fold her arms, giving Phoebe room to roam and look at books while they talked. "Going to get really good at squash, if you aren't already."

And roaming Phoebe did taking in how many interesting items there edge in the space. “I like running. I am looking forward to finding some good routes around the loch. It will be nice to run in nature again spent far too long in London and Bristol.” She decide pulling out a Victorian book that caught her attention for a moment before putting it back without even opening it.

That answer got a bright smile out of Reagan. "You're in luck then, Miss Hunter! A lot of us are active, but I haven't quite had anyone around to share my enthusiasm for a good, long run with in awhile! Usually take some of the children or Cameron. But he cheats. I'd be happy to show you all the routes I've plotted around the loch for the best scenery."

“Phoebe, please. No one called me Ms or Miss.” Phoebe said with a genuine smile as everyone seemed intent on calling her that. It was easy to see why when she looked a bit younger than them all but she had experience on her side that a lot of them did not. “I would love to join when I am free. I am sure I will get to meet this Cameron soon. He sounds like he could be quite a character.”

Reagan gave another genuine smile when Phoebe took the time to address her, seemingly comfortable just leaning against the shelf for now. "Phoebe then! Now you're stuck with it, hope that's not a problem." A new face, especially one joining the Knights? Things were going to be exciting around the school for awhile. That was a good thing as far as Reagan was concerned. She found herself wondering what this Phoebe might be capable of on a mission, skills or powers both, even while she continued the more normal conversation. "Great! A running buddy will make it that much more fun. And I'm sure you'll meet Cameron soon enough. He's uh... well, you'll see."

"I am sure I will," Phoebe assured thinking already about the man who was in her dossier, going to be the pilot of the jet. A speeder in charge of a plane was an exciting concept but she trusted Claire. "It is my name after all. So biology hmm? How do you teach genetics?" She wondered interested having gone to a secondary school and wanting to get to know Reagan a little more.

"Same curriculum as most primary schools, except I add in a carefully tailored lesson about what makes people like us different and leading hypotheses on why it seems to manifest so randomly. Likelihood of it appearing in siblings versus twins, sharing a mutation with a parent, etcetera. Of course, we have to be careful reading too far into it without more data, but I do what I can. And make that portion of the lesson optional, if some would prefer to avoid discussing it in a public setting. I can relate to that feeling myself."

“Interesting.” She mused with a smile as she noticed the woman watching her. It had always interested her how it manifested but she was no where near an expert just intrigued by it all. Maybe she would find some bedtime reading among it all. “Completely relate to that feeling as well.” Phoebe was lucky that her mutation was mental and allowed her to go around unseen and unopposed.

Reagan returned a smile, sitting up off the shelf finally to give her arms a little stretch. She'd been cooped up all day in this library doing her thing, and she could just feel the tension in her muscles, longing for that hit of exercise. "Some aren't so lucky as us though, are they? Like Claire. Yet here she is, having brought all of us together anyhow, and preaching peace. Have you known her long?"

"Four days." Phoebe laughed. She had not known her long but the trust that had been put into her was mind-blowing that people's recommendations had brought her on to a completely different path. "I came here from ... M1-13." She finally admitted knowing it would be understood what she had been brought there for.

Reagan couldn't help an amused little laugh of her own in response, grinning broadly at Phoebe. If the revelation on where the new woman came from meant anything to her, she didn't show it. At least not outwardly. "Spook then. Long as your mission is the children, our cause first, won't get any pushback from me. I ran a private security firm before I came to work for Claire, so I know a thing or two about government jobs."

"I am here simply to teach." Phoebe quickly assured. She did not want there to be any mistake in what she was doing there at all. She was there as MI-13 had become a political minefield that she had no skills in manoeuvring in the slightest.

"The students or the team? Both, perhaps?" Reagan teased softly. It was reassuring to hear that Phoebe wasn't just some government minder there to babysit the mutants. At least not outwardly. But it wasn't Reagan's business even if she was. Claire trusted her enough to put her on staff and even on the team, that'd have to be enough trust for her for the time being. "Look forward to seeing you work then, Phoebe."

“Me too.” The woman replied without answering the tease. Time would tell.