All aboard the cupcake express

Posted on Mon Dec 11th, 2023 @ 9:47 by Gabriella Baxter & Phoebe Hunter
Edited on on Wed Apr 3rd, 2024 @ 8:23

Chapter: Winter's Crest Festival
Location: Avalon Institute, Main Courtyard
Timeline: Early morning, Monday, December 14th, 1992
1577 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

The wind was whipping around the courtyard of Avalon, where Gabriella was unloading her baking supplies. Arms full of bowls as a particularly strong gust threw one of the metal containers from her grip and onto the white pebbles on the driveway. "Awa' you, fucking Borrum." She cursed the Celtic god of wind, a good deity to know by name when living in the highlands. Carefully she stepped towards the offending bowl and as she bent over to try and collect it again lost grip of a whisk, which had clearly been pivotal in keeping all the rest together since once that went she lost control over all the other utensils she had so carefully pulled from her T3 VW van.

Phoebe had been rushing back across the court yard to get back from her lunchtime walk around the ground when she saw the bowl blow away and rushed to get it before she realised that something more drastic was going to happen. She reached the woman just in time to help scoop the items back into the woman’s arms. “Nearly went.” She grinned at the woman not at all recognising her.

"Thank you." It was odd that this strange woman had been able to respond as quickly as she did to the unfolding calamity, "Good reflexes." Gabriella felt the wind whipping around her, hairs flying in her face, "I'd shake yer hand but.." She then looked down at the bowl still on the ground, "would ye mind?"

“My reflexes are normally sharper so no need to shake my hand,” Phoebe assured turning to scoop up the bowl before turning to take several of the items from her. “So what brings you and your bowls here?” The history teacher wondered.

Gabriella beamed with glee at the question, apparently not everyone was informed. The surprise would only be greater. "We're baking stuff with the kids. First to teach them some hands on patisserie and decorating skills and by the end of the week in order to have something to put in our market stall for the Festival." She started her way into the castle, "I'm the baker in the Corner Bakery back in New Cresthill. Claire frequents my establishment." That last part was said with a simile of Claire's posh accent.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes just a little at the last part of the woman’s words before she broke into a smile almost as if she had seen something that woman could not see. “Of course she does. We all have bits of New Cresthill that we frequent.” She agreed. “Well, baker in the Corner Bakery in New Cresthill that Claire frequents I am Phoebe. I teach history.” The redhead explained indicating the main door to show her inside.

"Gabriella. Baxter. I bake cupcakes." The baker from the Corner Bakery introduced herself when Phoebe not so subtly pointed out she hadn't given her name yet. "Today, at least, tomorrow it'll be something else. Will you be doing anything special for the coming week? From what I understood there wouldn't be regular classes scheduled." She hoped she hadn't misunderstood, her lesson would take longer than a regular class.

Phoebe opened the door for the woman to bring her side the entrance hall. It was an impressive entrance to the place but nothing compared to further inside. “I do. Historical Games Carnival, a trivia quiz and a Craft Fair.” It was a lot of planning and organising but Phoebe had less stress now than when she was working with MI-13 so time to plus those skills to work.

"Oh. Interesting. Like Highland Games type thing?" There was an immediate wonder how bad such games could get when some of the participants could probably lift a truck or run around the place in a heartbeat.

Phoebe cocked her head to the side and considered what the other woman had said. “I had not considered that as an option.” She admitted before breaking into a smile thinking on the possibilities.

"All you really need is kilts. I'm convinced it's all about the men finding excuses to wear their kilts." Gabriella joked a bit before looking around the large hall. "Claire said something about setting up a bakery room, though I guess it'll be near the kitchen?"

"Yeah well, this is a school full of teenagers I'd rather no kilts were involved." Phoebe chuckled a little as he thought drifted to men she would not mind in a kilt. It would be a question for William if she got a chance to talk to him properly. "Most likely the dining hall as it would be the only large space." Pheobe said thinking it was the only space she could think of unless they had a specific classroom that she had missed over the last couple of months.

"It's not so much the space I'm worried about, I'm guessing only about three kids signed up for pastry class." Gabriella knew there were probably a lot more exciting things to be doing than decorating cupcakes. "It's more the ovens and other appliances." the baker was moving slowly through the halls, impressed by their sheer scale. She'd seen the castle from the outside before but it was almost like it was bigger on the inside.

Phoebe closed her eyes and did something she did not often do and used her abilities for her own use. She could see herself many different times getting confused and going somewhere else but just once she could see herself finding the home economics room. "Found it." She declared and quickly led the way. "I would not worry about people signing up this time." She added to the room set up with ovens and desks and everything you would need to teach how to cook and other basics.

Gabriella stepped into the room and saw the available room and hardware for her to teach these kids a thing or two about baking. "Wow, this is your Home Eco classroom? I should've gone to private school." She let out a low whistle through her teeth. "Do you mind walking back with me one more time? I'm not sure I'd be able to find the courtyard from here." She wasn't great with directions and her attention had been occupied quite a bit by the massive halls. It was only then she spotted the bags of produce that Claire had promised would be waiting for her. It was clear the head mistress had gotten more than she had asked for, it was definitely not something Gabriella would do, knowing how thin the margins were sometimes between costs and what you could charge for cupcakes.

“My secondary school was similar to this but it had just been upgraded a the year before I joined.” Phoebe commented putting the items she had been carrying down. It was a nice room but it would be needed to teach the students how to survive and cook for themselves. “Of course not. Was Claire not meeting you here?” She wondered thoughtfully.

"She said she would, but I can imagine she's preoccupied." The baker said the last word in a much more posh fashion than she ever would use herself, a clear dig at the Head Mistress' way of speaking. "It's alright, I've never ran a school, I can't imagine the amount of time and energy that takes, not even taking into account the fact that it's a school for mutants. Or. I mean. Can I call you mutants? Is there a better word?"

Phoebe knew that some people hated the word but the precog did not at all mind as they were a mutation of an established species. It was not derogatory in her opinion just stating facts. “I do not mind the term as it’s just a fact but I know others do not like it but I do not believe any of them are here either student or teacher.” The woman admitted as she led the way back to the car along the long corridors that she knew the woman would have gotten lost in.

"Thank you, you're very kind."

As they got outside there was a certain purple woman stood against the bakery's van, arms wrapped around herself holding the long dark green overcoat closely wrapped around herself. "I think I may have just missed you." Claire pushed herself off the van and stepped closer to the approaching women. "I saw the van wasn't empty yet, so I figured you'd come back here at some point. Thought I'd help carry."

Gabriella closed the distance and put her arms around the head mistress in greeting. "Ta." She then pointed over her shoulder at Phoebe, "One of yer friends helped me already. Or. I mean. Employees. Teachers? Faculty."

"I think I am a friend but I am sure Claire can confirm when I am well out of earshot," Phoebe said offering a smile to Gabriella. "I will be seeing you again baker in the Corner Bakery in New Cresthill that Claire frequents." The woman said with a secret smile as she turned on her heels and disappeared back into the castle.

"She's a good friend." Claire made sure to say it quickly and loud enough for Phoebe not to have a chance to doubt that. She turned to Gabriella and smiled, it was nice to have someone so selflessly give their help to the institute. "Alright then, what else do we need to drag inside?"