Time with Bliss

Posted on Sun Dec 10th, 2023 @ 3:50am by Aurora Summers & Bliss Hawkins

Mission: Episode 3: X-Tra Ecclesiam
Location: Mansion Grounds
Timeline: Prior to events in Boston

End of class had arrived, picking up her books Aurora headed for the outside space of the Mansion. Being in class, and the mansion as a whole with so many close quarters, unshielded minds, was wearing at the best of times, a constant hum in the back of her mind all day long. At least at night the hum was quieter as people slept. She breathed a welcome sigh of relief at being outdoors as she strolled slowly along.

Bliss was sitting at a bench eating from a sack lunch when she saw the frail appearing redhead approaching. She offered a friendly wave.
"Hi! Pull up a seat and take the load off. Are you hungry? There's more than enough in here for two."

Aurora smiled warmly as she walked across to Bliss, taking the offered seat. “Thanks, I’m most definitely hungry but I don’t want to deprive you of your food.”

Bliss waved off her concerns with a grin.
"I packed enough for at least two people. I'm used to making sure I've got food to share from my road trip. Old habits die hard. I got sandwiches, pudding, granola bars, and bottled water. Might even be some peanut m and M's."

Aurora nodded. “Better to pack more than you need, than not have enough.” She politely picked some sandwiches, a pudding and a bottle of water. “Remind me to return the favour.”

"It's all good, don't worry about it. We're here to help the professor as much as he's here to help us. Getting well fed is the least of our concerns."
Bliss took a bite from her sandwich wedge as she looked around the beautiful campus from their vantage point.
"I haven't felt this comfortable in a long time. The world's a scary place sometimes, and here I can at least prepare for it."

Aurora nodded in agreement as she enjoyed eating a sandwich she hadn’t had to make. “Mmm...I agree, it’s so peaceful here, it’s like a totally different world.”

"It is a different world."
Bliss sighed heavily.
"And you have to protect yourself even in the garden of Eden. You just never know when a snake might appear to try to sweet talk you into something enticing and exciting. You take the bite of the wrong Apple, next thing you know your ass is out the front gate into the real world again."
She reached into the sack and pulled out a huge red apple.
"Speak of the devil."

Aurora smiled even though Bliss’ words unintentionally stung a little, she had been tempted and she just hoped Professor Xavier would see how serious, and in love she and Scott were. She didn’t want to end up back outside those gates in the unwelcoming world again. “Before I was rescued alongside Bobby I used to come up here and look at this place from outside. I wanted to be a student here, and here I am.”

Bliss turned so she was facing the redhead better.
" So what's your story on how you got here. I got invited, but it took me a long time to get from Vegas to here on foot. "

“Me?” Aurora smiled. “Actually I was rescued alongside Bobby. Cyclops blew open the door, and the rest as they say, is history. Professor Xavier asked me to stay on as a student, I was only too happy to accept.”

Bliss nodded as she finished chewing her bite of apple. She was rescued. That tracks.
"That's cool. I don't know anyone here that well really, well other than Connor and Hoodwink a little. What's cyclops like when he's not got that stick up his ass?"

“Scott? He’s a nice guy” Aurora smiled. “He’s just...having a hard time since the loss of his team. I can’t say I blame him.” She didn’t want to give away just how much she really knew about Scott.

Bliss's expression softened at the mention of the loss of his team.
"That's understandable I guess. But surely the professor told him it's not his fault. After all we're all child soldiers fighting for mutant rights. There's only so much you can put on someone's shoulders, especially at his age. I don't want to see anybody broken before their time."

“Exactly” Aurora nodded. “We all fight for what we believe in, or what we’ve lost. To try and make this world a little better for mutants like us.”

{OFF}