Hope and Sue: Hobbies

[x-invisiblegirl.livejournal.com]

While trying to explore the mansion Sue gets lost and stumbles across Hope practicing her violin.



Sue peered up and down the corridor with a sigh, she was utterly and completely lost. The blonde had decided that now was as good a time as any to explore her new home, if she was going to be here for a while then she wanted to find <i>all</i> the secret passages. Old mansions were supposed to have hollow walls and paintings with the eyes cut out right. at least that's what the movies said and Sue had determined to find out if that was true. That had been the plan an hour ago, but now she had no idea where she was, who knew that this place was soo big?

Flipping a mental coin she strode off down the right hand passage, if she just kept going she'd find the way out right? Coming to the end of the corridor she heard the sound of someone playing a violin, and they were good. The music was echoing out of a door just a little way from her. A brown haired girl was standing in the middle of the room, lost in the music as she sawed her bow over the violin strings. Smiling at the sight Sue leaned against the door frame watching the girl play.

Hope slowly became aware of someone watching her as she worked her way through the music, but she kept her focus on the notes in front of her and her fingers on the bow and strings. A few moments later the final notes sounded through the room and she lowered her violin. She looked over at the girl standing at the door and tilted her head quizzically. She didn't recognize her. "Good morning." She ventured politely.  

"Hi," Sue replied gesturing at the violin, "That was really good." Atleast she thought it was good, but then music had never been the blonde's strong suit.

"Thank you." Hope replied with a graceful nod. "It still needs a lot of work though." She put the violin down on a nearby table and walked over to where the blonde was standing. "I do not think we have met before?" She searched through her mind, but there were quite a few people associated with the mansion whom Hope had not met yet.

"I couldn't tell," Sue replied pushing off the door frame and walking in to join Hope in the room. "I'm Sue," she introduced herself holding out her hand.

"I am Hope Abbott. It's a pleasure to meet you." Hope shook hands and tilted her head. "You recently arrived? I think I replied to your journal post?"

"Umm, maybe." Sue hedged. "There were a lot of people, after a while names and faces start blurring together. So you're a student here too?"

"Yes, I am." Hope nodded. "Or at least, I will be officially when the school year starts in September. Will you also be attending school here?"  

Sue nodded, "Seems that way," she confirmed with a smile. "So, what do you think of this place?" she asked gesturing to encompass the entire mansion.

"It's... different..." Hope replied after a few moments. "It takes times to get used to, but it's definitely... interesting... Most people are very kind though."

Sue laughed, "I think different is a little bit of an understatement," she pointed out. "So how long have you been here?"

"Slightly more then a month." Hope replied succinctly. She removed two water bottles from her bag and offered the closed one to Sue. "Would you like some?"  

"Thanks," Sue replied as she took the proffered bottle, "A month huh? Any tips for the new girl?" she asked with a smile.

"Hmmm..." Hope tilted her head and cracked open her bottle, taking a few sips as she thought. "All I can think of at moment is to accept when people offer assistance." She'd say that it also might help to pretend you are in a very strange world, but that would not go over very well, she expected...  

Sue made a face, she hated asking for help; although given the events of the last few weeks maybe getting help wasn't the worst thing in the world. "So the people her are generally nice then? I mean everyone I've come across has been really kind but I'm kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"In my experience most people are quite kind. I do not think this place is that different from the rest of the world and I am sure there might be someone who is not so kind. I think I still have not met all the people associated with the mansion."  

Sue stared at hope in disbelief, most people were nice? Maybe the blonde might have agreed with Hope at one point but not any more; she'd had a reality check in the worst possible way. "But everyone you've met so far seems nice right?" Sue asked seeking confirmation.

"Yes, they seem nice." Hope nodded, not minding confirming it again. "Many of them were quite willing to help me if I required assistance."

"So how did you end up here then?" Sue asked dropping to the floor and leaning her back against the wall as she took another sip of her water.

"After my manifestation my parents felt it was best to attend a school where I could receive proper assistance with my abilities." There, that could be interpreted any way people wanted to interpret it...

Sue nodded understandingly, "Parents suck like that," she commiserated.

"I am sure they choose what they thought was best for my well being." Hope remained vague on the topic. "May I ask how you came to attend the school?"

Sue looked up at Hope in surprise, she had thought that everyone would have known her story by now. "Umm, well," she hedged as she sought the right way to approach the topic. "My father decided that it might be a good idea for me to stay here," she finally admitted. "There was something about a crazed super villain kidnapping me and..." her voice trailed off and she gave Hope a weak smile.

"Ahh..." Hope nodded. "My apologies... I had heard some things, but I had not yet put the puzzle pieces together... I hope your recovery will continue to go well..."  

"Thanks," Sue replied automatically as she sought around for another topic, "How long have you been playing the violin?" she asked nodding at the instrument in Hope's hands.

Hope accepted the change of topic gracefully and easily switched. "Since I was very young. I think I was five or six years old when my parents started me on violin lesson. Do you play an instrument yourself?"

Sue shook her head vigorously, "There is no way anyone should let me anywhere near a musical instrument if they value their hearing at all." she replied with a smile.

"Do you enjoy music though?" Hope ventured after she stopped giggling.

"I guess," Sue hedged, "it's not something I ever thought of about too much."

"I am guessing you have different hobbies? Not everybody enjoys music... in my experience. And even if they do, tastes differ a lot." Hope explained, sipping from her bottle.

"Hobbies? What are these hobbies?" Sue joked. "I play chess," she offered, "and I enjoy listening to music but my brother is the real music head."

"Chess?" She had to frown a little. "I learned some basics once, but I was never very good at it." Her father had always told her it was a game of strategy and tactics and therefore mostly suited for men. Nothing she needed to her burden herself with to become accomplished at it.   

"It's amazing," Sue exclaimed animatedly, "It's a pure intellectual conflict, you and your opponent, no luck or chance involved, it's all about the skill of the players. And I mean the levels of strategy involved, you can learn so much about people by playing it. Are they aggressive, or careful; play a long game or play for a short term advantage. Plus there's no feeling really like completely beating your opponent."

"Hmm... I never really saw it that way... Managing to memorize how all the pieces moved I could do, but to see how the game was played..." Hope shook her head.   

"It's not really that hard to understand," Sue pointed out, "mastering it is very different, but even that is like 70% practice."

"To be honest, I never had much of a reason to." Hope gestured at her violin. "I spent most of my time mastering my instrument."

"Each to her own I guess," Sue replied, "Would you like to learn?"

Chess is not necessary for a young woman to know. Focus on your music and all the other subjects that are for a young woman to know.  Her father's admonishment sung through her head as Hope smiled politely and replied: "Perhaps one day. I do not really have the time now to properly devote myself to master yet another new skill."

Sue smiled and shrugged at the other girl, "Sure, let me know if you ever wanna give it a shot."

"I'll be sure to keep it in mind." Hope affirmed her reply with a smile. She screwed the cap on her bottle and rose, carefully tucking her violin in it's case and laying the bow across it before clicking it shut. "I was planning on having lunch after my practice. Would you like to join me?"

Sue pushed herself off the floor tossing her empty bottle of water at the trash can, "Storm shoots, she scores!" she cheered as the bottle sailed 2 meters into the receptacle. "Sure, some lunch would be great," Sue confirmed turning to Hope.

"Do you know the way to kitchen already?" Hope asked, remembering her own trouble with finding the way around at first.

"Someone pointed it out but...I'm a little lost." Sue admitted sheepishly.

"Now that sounds familiar." Hope grinned. "I will be happy to show you the way."