Amanda, Agatha - Thursday afternoon
Jan. 24th, 2008 03:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsAmanda is looking for Wanda, but comes across Agatha instead.
Despite all outward appearances and shrewd remarks, Agatha had taken the condition of Wanda's apartment in stride. She'd spent many years with the younger woman as her student, inside and outside the classroom, and fully understood that a scene of general chaos was more soothing than utter cleanliness. She very well could have been working in her hotel room but had given Wanda no explanation as to why she'd decided to, well, not to. She'd found a section of the table that she could clean without the chaos manipulator getting that pained look on her face and had settled in.
"Wanda, I need to grab one of Strange's books, the Compendium? Illyana and I are doing a who's who of demonic Limbo and I need her to point out mugshots..." Amanda, hand still on the doorknob as she had let herself in, trailled off. Taking in the older woman and her island of order in the chaos that was Wanda's table, she blinked. "Um, you're not Wanda," she managed, oh-so-brilliantly.
Agatha didn't even look up, simply flipped to the next section of her notes. "Correct or, well, correct since the last time I checked," she responded, waving Amanda further into the room. "Come in, child, before anyone else follows you in. Wanda has graciously loaned me space here while she works on something or another. She works far too much for my tastes, to be honest."
"You're telling me - sometimes I have to slide food under her nose before she'll eat." Amanda came in properly, closing the door behind her. This must be Wanda's mentor, the scary woman. "Um, sorry to interrupt like that. I'm Amanda, Wanda's research assistant. If you want, I can come back later..."
Now she turned and gave Amanda an assessing, but pleasant, look. "So you're Amanda," she commented, and then laughed. "My dear, I have seen that girl run through assistants like a thirsty person runs through water. Do not leave on my account, you were one of the people I was planning on chasing down at a later date anyway. To meet, to pass judgment on, the things I normally do." There was enough dry humor there to let her know Agatha was kidding, on some level.
There was a barely audible 'meep' from Amanda. Sure the woman was pulling her leg, but she'd seen Wanda virtually blanching at the woman's name. "Um, right. Okay. Hopefully I pass muster - I'd hate to go off and commit ritual research assistant suicide with a large book or something," she replied. Indicating a chair (covered with books, of course) she asked: "Mind if I sit down?"
"Please do, Miss Sefton," came the reply and Agatha helped to clear a spot on the chair. With careful consideration, she added it to a growing pile on the floor. "There, some place that Wanda will be sure to see it." As Amanda was getting comfortable, Agatha marked her place in her notes. "And I doubt there will be any need for ritual research assistant suicide -- I tend to only drive the bad ones to either drink or death. And if you've spent enough time with Wanda, then you probably have a resistance to the first."
"Something like that, yeah," Amanda said wryly. "So, can I ask... how do you know Wanda? Originally, I mean?"
Agatha chuckled. "I wish it were a more exciting story. And husband, god rest his soul, and I have been professors at Cambridge for some years. One day, there was this very bright but very...disrespectful and bullhead young lady in my class. An anthropology student but that was quickly forgiven. When I found that she was still struggling to control certain...abilities, I quickly took her under my wing." She looked pained for a second. "Much to her displeasure."
"No wonder she and Strange got on," Amanda laughed. "It was pretty much the same thing for him with me. And I bet she was a handful, too." A thought occurred to her. "Was it you, back last year, when we needed out of a tight spot? With the angle on the pilot bloke?"
"Oh, the poor Colonel and his plane," she sighed, rubbing at the spot between her eyes. "But, yes, in my travels I have made a numerous number of very good friends and the Colonel was kind enough to lend his services during the incident in Africa." It was obvious she had no real idea what had happened and even more obvious that it was of no importance to her.
And Amanda wasn't going to educate her, either. "Well, it saved our butts. Thanks, I guess."
"Trust me, if the Colonel calls in that favor, Wanda might be cursing my name for good long while," Agatha replied, shaking her head. "So, what is it that you do, exactly? And if you think I am asking about your credentials for what you do for Wanda, believe me, I'm not."
"Well, like I said, I'm her research assistant. Occult mostly - personal perspective, kind of. There's a lot of weird shite out there, and I help Wanda comb through it all." Amanda was evasive, but mostly because she wasn't sure how much Agatha knew of Wanda's real work. "You know what it's like - musty old books, lots of photocopying. I make a killer cup of tea, too."
"No wonder Wanda keeps you around, none of her other assistants could maker a proper cup to save their lives," Agatha sniffed, satisfied with the answer given. "And did you mention Dr. Strange earlier? She had mentioned him to me once but I have heard very little. Knowing her and relationships, however, I am not going to be very surprised if it ended in disaster of some sort, though she seemed so pleased with him at the time."
Amanda bristled, just a little - no more than a slight tightening of her body language. "Old magic tutor of mine," she said. "He and Wanda hit it off. Real 'love of my life' type stuff, only the work got in the way. Long-distance and chasing down evil cults doesn't lend itself to dating too well."
Agatha stared hard at Amanda for a moment before nodding to herself. "Well, that certainly explains it," she said, though it wasn't a comment on the relationship. "I would ask you to forgive an old lady for her assumptions but I am neither old nor all that apologetic. Wanda tends to run first, answer questions later when we are together – a unfortunate by-product of how I had to take her in hand when she was younger."
"People change," Amanda said simply, with a slight edge of wryness that was far older than her years - she knew that firsthand. "Wanda's still Wanda - still got a wild streak, still likes to have fun - but if she stayed put long enough I think you'd see that she's not the girl you knew back in the day."
At that, the older woman laughed. "The day I see Wanda stay put for very long, is the day I eat my umbrella. But I suppose you are right, she certainly has changed in many ways and it is hard to see that." Agatha waved a hand. "Not that I will actually tell her that, mind you. That girl does not scare easily, a stupid move in some cases, and a little fear keeps her fresh and sharp. And if I tell her that I just might be proud of her, she will expect the world to stop turning."
"Or we'd have to check she wasn't possessed, or a pod person or something," Amanda admitted, with a grin. Agatha wasn't such a bad old stick, after all. "The Boss Lady's done a lot for me - I don't know if she knows how much I appreciate it, but I figure if I keep bringing her tea and biscuits, she'll get the hint."
"Kill her with kindness or, in your case, tea and she might, eventually, get the idea," she replied. "Give or take about ten years. A denser skull I have never seen. Ah, well, I suppose that's what makes her Wanda, after all. Now, as for you…" Agatha smiled slowly. "If you ever feel bored here, I am always looking for a good assistant that does not scare easily."
"That's our Wanda, that's for... wait, what?" Amanda blinked. "Did you just offer me a job?"
The other woman smiled a little. "Perhaps," she said in response. "The only person who runs through assistants more than Wanda is myself, so I am always on the look out for the good ones. Especially if they happen to be hers." She gave Amanda an innocent look before asking, "Would you happen to know where Wanda keeps the tea in her kitchen? I am simply not brave enough to venture forth and try to discover it."
"Actually, I like it where I am right now..." Amanda was still getting her brain around the part where someone other than people who already knew her, or who were scared of Tante, was offering her a job. "Um, yeah, I do. I'll go make us a cup, yeah? Since I know where it is and all..." She started to get up.
“That would be brilliant, thank you, my dear.” She watched Amanda head into the kitchen before allowing herself to look very pleased. You could sometimes tell the character of a person by the company they kept and so far, Agatha was very pleased indeed.
Despite all outward appearances and shrewd remarks, Agatha had taken the condition of Wanda's apartment in stride. She'd spent many years with the younger woman as her student, inside and outside the classroom, and fully understood that a scene of general chaos was more soothing than utter cleanliness. She very well could have been working in her hotel room but had given Wanda no explanation as to why she'd decided to, well, not to. She'd found a section of the table that she could clean without the chaos manipulator getting that pained look on her face and had settled in.
"Wanda, I need to grab one of Strange's books, the Compendium? Illyana and I are doing a who's who of demonic Limbo and I need her to point out mugshots..." Amanda, hand still on the doorknob as she had let herself in, trailled off. Taking in the older woman and her island of order in the chaos that was Wanda's table, she blinked. "Um, you're not Wanda," she managed, oh-so-brilliantly.
Agatha didn't even look up, simply flipped to the next section of her notes. "Correct or, well, correct since the last time I checked," she responded, waving Amanda further into the room. "Come in, child, before anyone else follows you in. Wanda has graciously loaned me space here while she works on something or another. She works far too much for my tastes, to be honest."
"You're telling me - sometimes I have to slide food under her nose before she'll eat." Amanda came in properly, closing the door behind her. This must be Wanda's mentor, the scary woman. "Um, sorry to interrupt like that. I'm Amanda, Wanda's research assistant. If you want, I can come back later..."
Now she turned and gave Amanda an assessing, but pleasant, look. "So you're Amanda," she commented, and then laughed. "My dear, I have seen that girl run through assistants like a thirsty person runs through water. Do not leave on my account, you were one of the people I was planning on chasing down at a later date anyway. To meet, to pass judgment on, the things I normally do." There was enough dry humor there to let her know Agatha was kidding, on some level.
There was a barely audible 'meep' from Amanda. Sure the woman was pulling her leg, but she'd seen Wanda virtually blanching at the woman's name. "Um, right. Okay. Hopefully I pass muster - I'd hate to go off and commit ritual research assistant suicide with a large book or something," she replied. Indicating a chair (covered with books, of course) she asked: "Mind if I sit down?"
"Please do, Miss Sefton," came the reply and Agatha helped to clear a spot on the chair. With careful consideration, she added it to a growing pile on the floor. "There, some place that Wanda will be sure to see it." As Amanda was getting comfortable, Agatha marked her place in her notes. "And I doubt there will be any need for ritual research assistant suicide -- I tend to only drive the bad ones to either drink or death. And if you've spent enough time with Wanda, then you probably have a resistance to the first."
"Something like that, yeah," Amanda said wryly. "So, can I ask... how do you know Wanda? Originally, I mean?"
Agatha chuckled. "I wish it were a more exciting story. And husband, god rest his soul, and I have been professors at Cambridge for some years. One day, there was this very bright but very...disrespectful and bullhead young lady in my class. An anthropology student but that was quickly forgiven. When I found that she was still struggling to control certain...abilities, I quickly took her under my wing." She looked pained for a second. "Much to her displeasure."
"No wonder she and Strange got on," Amanda laughed. "It was pretty much the same thing for him with me. And I bet she was a handful, too." A thought occurred to her. "Was it you, back last year, when we needed out of a tight spot? With the angle on the pilot bloke?"
"Oh, the poor Colonel and his plane," she sighed, rubbing at the spot between her eyes. "But, yes, in my travels I have made a numerous number of very good friends and the Colonel was kind enough to lend his services during the incident in Africa." It was obvious she had no real idea what had happened and even more obvious that it was of no importance to her.
And Amanda wasn't going to educate her, either. "Well, it saved our butts. Thanks, I guess."
"Trust me, if the Colonel calls in that favor, Wanda might be cursing my name for good long while," Agatha replied, shaking her head. "So, what is it that you do, exactly? And if you think I am asking about your credentials for what you do for Wanda, believe me, I'm not."
"Well, like I said, I'm her research assistant. Occult mostly - personal perspective, kind of. There's a lot of weird shite out there, and I help Wanda comb through it all." Amanda was evasive, but mostly because she wasn't sure how much Agatha knew of Wanda's real work. "You know what it's like - musty old books, lots of photocopying. I make a killer cup of tea, too."
"No wonder Wanda keeps you around, none of her other assistants could maker a proper cup to save their lives," Agatha sniffed, satisfied with the answer given. "And did you mention Dr. Strange earlier? She had mentioned him to me once but I have heard very little. Knowing her and relationships, however, I am not going to be very surprised if it ended in disaster of some sort, though she seemed so pleased with him at the time."
Amanda bristled, just a little - no more than a slight tightening of her body language. "Old magic tutor of mine," she said. "He and Wanda hit it off. Real 'love of my life' type stuff, only the work got in the way. Long-distance and chasing down evil cults doesn't lend itself to dating too well."
Agatha stared hard at Amanda for a moment before nodding to herself. "Well, that certainly explains it," she said, though it wasn't a comment on the relationship. "I would ask you to forgive an old lady for her assumptions but I am neither old nor all that apologetic. Wanda tends to run first, answer questions later when we are together – a unfortunate by-product of how I had to take her in hand when she was younger."
"People change," Amanda said simply, with a slight edge of wryness that was far older than her years - she knew that firsthand. "Wanda's still Wanda - still got a wild streak, still likes to have fun - but if she stayed put long enough I think you'd see that she's not the girl you knew back in the day."
At that, the older woman laughed. "The day I see Wanda stay put for very long, is the day I eat my umbrella. But I suppose you are right, she certainly has changed in many ways and it is hard to see that." Agatha waved a hand. "Not that I will actually tell her that, mind you. That girl does not scare easily, a stupid move in some cases, and a little fear keeps her fresh and sharp. And if I tell her that I just might be proud of her, she will expect the world to stop turning."
"Or we'd have to check she wasn't possessed, or a pod person or something," Amanda admitted, with a grin. Agatha wasn't such a bad old stick, after all. "The Boss Lady's done a lot for me - I don't know if she knows how much I appreciate it, but I figure if I keep bringing her tea and biscuits, she'll get the hint."
"Kill her with kindness or, in your case, tea and she might, eventually, get the idea," she replied. "Give or take about ten years. A denser skull I have never seen. Ah, well, I suppose that's what makes her Wanda, after all. Now, as for you…" Agatha smiled slowly. "If you ever feel bored here, I am always looking for a good assistant that does not scare easily."
"That's our Wanda, that's for... wait, what?" Amanda blinked. "Did you just offer me a job?"
The other woman smiled a little. "Perhaps," she said in response. "The only person who runs through assistants more than Wanda is myself, so I am always on the look out for the good ones. Especially if they happen to be hers." She gave Amanda an innocent look before asking, "Would you happen to know where Wanda keeps the tea in her kitchen? I am simply not brave enough to venture forth and try to discover it."
"Actually, I like it where I am right now..." Amanda was still getting her brain around the part where someone other than people who already knew her, or who were scared of Tante, was offering her a job. "Um, yeah, I do. I'll go make us a cup, yeah? Since I know where it is and all..." She started to get up.
“That would be brilliant, thank you, my dear.” She watched Amanda head into the kitchen before allowing herself to look very pleased. You could sometimes tell the character of a person by the company they kept and so far, Agatha was very pleased indeed.
