Aureus Canis - Saturday Evening
Feb. 23rd, 2008 08:31 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsLater on, Jennie has a discussion with Nate regarding the fight with Laurie on the journals.
One of these days he was going to buy his own Tamil dictionary, so that he didn't have to keep running to the mansion to borrow the one from the library. Grumbling under his breath, Nathan opened the dictionary as he walked, skimming through it trying to find the problematic words. He needed dictionary software, that was what he needed.
Jennie was slinking in the other direction, looking as displeased as dogs can. She shook herself brusquely and continued walking, pausing when she noticed Nate with his head in a book. She shook her head. As usual, not watching where he was going.
Nathan heard the padding of distinctly dog-like feet on the hardwood floor and looked up, half-expecting to see Joyita. It wasn't Angelo's dog, though - wasn't actually a dog at all, except in a technical sense. "Jennie," he said, without so much as a flicker of irony. There had been much stranger things around here than X-Men turned into dogs, after all.
#Hi Nate# came Jennie's resigned reply.
Nathan twitched at the rather purposefully formed thought, remembering Jean's post. He closed the dictionary, tucking it under one arm, and looked anywhere but at her for a moment. This was fine, he told himself. His shields were crap still, and all he had to do was listen for her. No need for actual telepathic contact...
"You okay?" he asked after another moment. "You're looking kind of, uh, baleful."
The dog sighed. #Esme#
The name and the tone of Jennie's thought said it all.
Nathan winced. "What did she do?" he asked warily, not entirely sure he wanted to know. That didn't take them long to get back to their old tricks...
Jennie shook herself. #She decided that puppy needed a collar. Puppy strongly diasgreed.#
The tone of her thought shifted, and Jennie looked slightly abashed. #I may have expressed my displeasure. By biting her.#
"She didn't manage to get it on you, did she?" Nathan said, bending to look. As if getting turned into a dog wasn't embarassing enough. Additional indignities were just not necessary.
#Nah, I think she got the hint# Jennie said smugly. Her tail wagged in response and she stilled it. #Good god is that EVER freaking weird.#
"What's weird - oh, the tail?" Nathan asked, looking up in time to catch the last half-wag. He tilted his head. "Yeah, I imagine it is. Makes you wonder how mutants with major physical differences manage some of the things they do..." Then again, most of the mutants who fit that description had the differences since birth. They'd never known another way to move, or carry themselves...
#Well, as long as I don't get any more bitch comments,# if Jennie's thought was any more dry, there would have been tumbleweeds. #Seriously, I can take a little teasing, because frankly this whole situation is stupid, but some people have just been freaking mean.#
Nathan crouched down, some old residual impulse kicking in and reminding him that she was at an automatic disadvantage in this form. Her eyes were very Jennie-like, he noticed. "I suppose it probably hasn't occurred to them that you've got reason not to like unwanted physical changes, too," he said quietly.
#Oh no, not like it's a button of mine or anything. And seriously, Amanda's comments were just uncalled for.# Jennie tried to shrug, but dog anatomy was not like human anatomy, so she just shook her head. #I know she's had it out for me for ages, but she could have the decency not to kick me while I can't exactly defend myself very well.#
There were a few things he'd learned, in his time as a teacher at Xavier's. One was to not take sides when young women fought - it tended to get vicious. Then again, he'd known that at Mistra. Nathan smiled somewhat humorlessly. "I think in general, you're a victim of 'it could have been worse' syndrome. Your mind's your own, you're able to communicate - more or less."
#Eh,# Jennie thought non-comittally. #Most of the time I ignore Amanda. I guess it's nice to know she still can't stop thinking of me. Or something.# The dog yawned. #You just wonder if people aren't putting this together with what happened last May. I don't like being thought of as not human. Especially when weird stuff happens around here all the time.#
"It's what Laurie said that really bothered you, then," Nathan said after a moment.
#Pretty much. And what I said is fairly true. She's just not very mature about a lot of things, and I don't think she realizes what she's doing.# It had been strange, her reaction to Laurie's comment, it had almost surprised her in a way. She'd had to think if she would have gotten as angry as she did if someone else had made that comment. And then Jennie figured, that no one else would.
"Mm. That said, you were a bit hard on her, too," Nathan said, meeting the familiar eyes levelly. "You do realize that there are all kinds of X-Men who have ambivalent feelings about serving on the team with various other X-Men. I'm sure there are probably a couple of people who feel you got rushed into black leathers, too."
#Yeah yeah yeah.# The sigh came through the thought as well. #We're all in this together and don't judge lest ye be judged and all that. It's not up to me that's she on the team and I'm not her. She just...she hit a nerve. I'm still me. I'm finding out people will say things to you when they think you can't answer back.#
"And that's different from usual behavior on the journals how?" Nathan asked wryly. "I don't know, Jennie... I suppose here's where I'm supposed to tell you to talk it out with her when you're back in your proper form. But I've let things pass with other team members before, so I'd be a big fat hypocrite to say anything of the sort."
#I'm not sure I want to talk to her about this.# Jennie thought after a few moments of silence, looking defeated. #it goes into things I don't want brought up. Maybe I'm just asking too much of people. I went to talk to a freaked out mutant and botched it and now I'm a dog. I'm sure sensitivity is the last thing that's on people's minds in this whole fiasco.#
"Sensitivity's usually not the first thing on people's mind in any situation," Nathan pointed out with more truth than tact. "And I don't think you botched anything, Jennie. Talking to newly manifested mutants can be the simplest thing in the world, or the hardest. It's really hard to tell which is which until you're in the middle of it."
#When was the last time any one came back quadrapedal from talking to a new mutant?# Jennie thought ruefully. #This is the universe's way of telling me a little too smug at getting my blacks.#
"The world doesn't actually deliberately kick us in the teeth when we're feeling confident," Nathan said, and managed not to let the irony get to him too much. "It just feels like it does. You know, if you're wanting some time away from the 'Look, Jennie's a dog!' crowd, you're welcome to come down to the boathouse. It's quiet, and neither Moira nor Rachel are likely to stare at you." One was too tactful and the other would see Jennie as Jennie whatever outward form she was wearing.
#Maybe. I was going to see if I couldn't get Kyle to put a movie on for me, since he won't use puppy speak on me if I show up with a DVD in my mouth.# Since his upsetness on the journals meant that he probably needed distraction, and what was more distracting than a doggy with an Eddie Izzard DVD?
"It's a standing offer," Nathan said, rising. "Hell, for both of you if you want. And no, that is not an attempt to svengali you into babysitting, don't worry."
#Dude, no offense, but your daughter is the spawn of satan. I'm afraid of fur pulling.#
One of these days he was going to buy his own Tamil dictionary, so that he didn't have to keep running to the mansion to borrow the one from the library. Grumbling under his breath, Nathan opened the dictionary as he walked, skimming through it trying to find the problematic words. He needed dictionary software, that was what he needed.
Jennie was slinking in the other direction, looking as displeased as dogs can. She shook herself brusquely and continued walking, pausing when she noticed Nate with his head in a book. She shook her head. As usual, not watching where he was going.
Nathan heard the padding of distinctly dog-like feet on the hardwood floor and looked up, half-expecting to see Joyita. It wasn't Angelo's dog, though - wasn't actually a dog at all, except in a technical sense. "Jennie," he said, without so much as a flicker of irony. There had been much stranger things around here than X-Men turned into dogs, after all.
#Hi Nate# came Jennie's resigned reply.
Nathan twitched at the rather purposefully formed thought, remembering Jean's post. He closed the dictionary, tucking it under one arm, and looked anywhere but at her for a moment. This was fine, he told himself. His shields were crap still, and all he had to do was listen for her. No need for actual telepathic contact...
"You okay?" he asked after another moment. "You're looking kind of, uh, baleful."
The dog sighed. #Esme#
The name and the tone of Jennie's thought said it all.
Nathan winced. "What did she do?" he asked warily, not entirely sure he wanted to know. That didn't take them long to get back to their old tricks...
Jennie shook herself. #She decided that puppy needed a collar. Puppy strongly diasgreed.#
The tone of her thought shifted, and Jennie looked slightly abashed. #I may have expressed my displeasure. By biting her.#
"She didn't manage to get it on you, did she?" Nathan said, bending to look. As if getting turned into a dog wasn't embarassing enough. Additional indignities were just not necessary.
#Nah, I think she got the hint# Jennie said smugly. Her tail wagged in response and she stilled it. #Good god is that EVER freaking weird.#
"What's weird - oh, the tail?" Nathan asked, looking up in time to catch the last half-wag. He tilted his head. "Yeah, I imagine it is. Makes you wonder how mutants with major physical differences manage some of the things they do..." Then again, most of the mutants who fit that description had the differences since birth. They'd never known another way to move, or carry themselves...
#Well, as long as I don't get any more bitch comments,# if Jennie's thought was any more dry, there would have been tumbleweeds. #Seriously, I can take a little teasing, because frankly this whole situation is stupid, but some people have just been freaking mean.#
Nathan crouched down, some old residual impulse kicking in and reminding him that she was at an automatic disadvantage in this form. Her eyes were very Jennie-like, he noticed. "I suppose it probably hasn't occurred to them that you've got reason not to like unwanted physical changes, too," he said quietly.
#Oh no, not like it's a button of mine or anything. And seriously, Amanda's comments were just uncalled for.# Jennie tried to shrug, but dog anatomy was not like human anatomy, so she just shook her head. #I know she's had it out for me for ages, but she could have the decency not to kick me while I can't exactly defend myself very well.#
There were a few things he'd learned, in his time as a teacher at Xavier's. One was to not take sides when young women fought - it tended to get vicious. Then again, he'd known that at Mistra. Nathan smiled somewhat humorlessly. "I think in general, you're a victim of 'it could have been worse' syndrome. Your mind's your own, you're able to communicate - more or less."
#Eh,# Jennie thought non-comittally. #Most of the time I ignore Amanda. I guess it's nice to know she still can't stop thinking of me. Or something.# The dog yawned. #You just wonder if people aren't putting this together with what happened last May. I don't like being thought of as not human. Especially when weird stuff happens around here all the time.#
"It's what Laurie said that really bothered you, then," Nathan said after a moment.
#Pretty much. And what I said is fairly true. She's just not very mature about a lot of things, and I don't think she realizes what she's doing.# It had been strange, her reaction to Laurie's comment, it had almost surprised her in a way. She'd had to think if she would have gotten as angry as she did if someone else had made that comment. And then Jennie figured, that no one else would.
"Mm. That said, you were a bit hard on her, too," Nathan said, meeting the familiar eyes levelly. "You do realize that there are all kinds of X-Men who have ambivalent feelings about serving on the team with various other X-Men. I'm sure there are probably a couple of people who feel you got rushed into black leathers, too."
#Yeah yeah yeah.# The sigh came through the thought as well. #We're all in this together and don't judge lest ye be judged and all that. It's not up to me that's she on the team and I'm not her. She just...she hit a nerve. I'm still me. I'm finding out people will say things to you when they think you can't answer back.#
"And that's different from usual behavior on the journals how?" Nathan asked wryly. "I don't know, Jennie... I suppose here's where I'm supposed to tell you to talk it out with her when you're back in your proper form. But I've let things pass with other team members before, so I'd be a big fat hypocrite to say anything of the sort."
#I'm not sure I want to talk to her about this.# Jennie thought after a few moments of silence, looking defeated. #it goes into things I don't want brought up. Maybe I'm just asking too much of people. I went to talk to a freaked out mutant and botched it and now I'm a dog. I'm sure sensitivity is the last thing that's on people's minds in this whole fiasco.#
"Sensitivity's usually not the first thing on people's mind in any situation," Nathan pointed out with more truth than tact. "And I don't think you botched anything, Jennie. Talking to newly manifested mutants can be the simplest thing in the world, or the hardest. It's really hard to tell which is which until you're in the middle of it."
#When was the last time any one came back quadrapedal from talking to a new mutant?# Jennie thought ruefully. #This is the universe's way of telling me a little too smug at getting my blacks.#
"The world doesn't actually deliberately kick us in the teeth when we're feeling confident," Nathan said, and managed not to let the irony get to him too much. "It just feels like it does. You know, if you're wanting some time away from the 'Look, Jennie's a dog!' crowd, you're welcome to come down to the boathouse. It's quiet, and neither Moira nor Rachel are likely to stare at you." One was too tactful and the other would see Jennie as Jennie whatever outward form she was wearing.
#Maybe. I was going to see if I couldn't get Kyle to put a movie on for me, since he won't use puppy speak on me if I show up with a DVD in my mouth.# Since his upsetness on the journals meant that he probably needed distraction, and what was more distracting than a doggy with an Eddie Izzard DVD?
"It's a standing offer," Nathan said, rising. "Hell, for both of you if you want. And no, that is not an attempt to svengali you into babysitting, don't worry."
#Dude, no offense, but your daughter is the spawn of satan. I'm afraid of fur pulling.#
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no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 07:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 04:51 pm (UTC)Considering Amanda only mentioned Jennie in response to a direct reply from Forge about priorities, Jennie's being a touch egotistical there. *grins* Most of the time Amanda barely acknowledges Jennie's there, except as "that uppity bitch that likes to have a go at her own friends on the journals."
no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 05:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 05:37 pm (UTC)She's also possibly a bit stressed out about this whole "boyfriend might possibly be crucified by religious nutters" issue and didn't bother to filter her words like she would normally.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 05:56 pm (UTC)Jennie doesn't have to say anything to Amanda on the journals. Although, I do remember there was something around the time Margali died where Jennie was pretty much a bitch. I'd have to check. Amanda's opinion is formed by watching how Jennie interacts with people and how people respond to her. Besides, they never really got off on the right foot, given scenes in nightclubs where Jennie essentially ripped Amanda a new one. ;)
no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 06:04 pm (UTC)But Amanda shouldn't judge someone based on how others react to her. Or she should take into account that Jennie might be the way she is for a reason and try to have a little sympathy. Or at least not belittle her when she's in a bad position.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 06:08 pm (UTC)"Did we not all learn the last hundred times that this happened that regardless of your reasons, insulting people on the journals always ends in tears? Or explosions? Or both?"
But then, I think she wants to knock Angelo and Amanda's heads together and then throw Laurie into the Atlantic for being gits.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-24 06:08 pm (UTC)All I was saying is that Amanda isn't obsessed with Jennie, whatever Jennie might think.