Fundamentals [Asli Tilki]

[Wren Pak]

"Yes, I'm looking for anything that relates to local flora and fauna," Wren asked with a wide smile. 
The librarian, clearly uninterested, peered over the rims of her glasses and pointed to a few bookshelves, near the entrance door. "That should do the trick." 

The student nodded and offered another smile. "All right, thank you very much." 

As she turned away, the corners of her lips fell back into their usual frown. 'Do all librarians hate being asked for help?' The thought annoyed her, and she walked rather briskly over to the section. As she got close, Wren ran her hand over the spine of one of the thicker books, and took notice of how antiquated it was. I guess nobody needs to know plants and animals for creative writing reference. While she didn't hate creative writing, she certainly didn't like it either. Perhaps it was the notion of having to put "your true feelings into your writing", as the professor put it. Wren couldn't wrap her head around that idea. At least taking a little something from these books would make the paper sound professional in some way. 

She shifted weight onto one hip and flipped through the large, glossy pages and gazed down at the illustrations with an uninterested expression. 'Staghorn club moss, horsetail fern, western meadowlark...I've never seen any of these things'. While ignoring the small piece of disappointment in herself for not recognizing any of the illustrations she flipped through, she heard a noise from behind. 

Slowly, she turned slightly and peaked over shoulder to see a face she didn't recognize in the slightest. "Can I help you," she grinned, a piece of blonde hair falling over her shoulder as she greeted the newcomer.

[Asli Tilki]

"I believe what you should be asking is how i can help you," Asli said as she slid into a seat next to the girl.

Wren Pak.

The name made her sound more like an international student than someone from fairly local. It hadn't quite interested Asli in and of itself; there were plenty of names floating out there, and everyone seemed to take some interest in naming their special snowflake in their own certain way. No, Asli's interested had started as she'd heard more about the young woman's power. It proved far too intriguing not to examine. This wasn't even taking into consideration it's complimentary nature to Asli's own power.

For now, the Turkish transplant studied the young woman, getting a good emotional read, before letting her gaze slide down to the book. "If you're interested in local wildlife, it would probably be best to actually talk to someone instead of seeking a book, at least for that. Unless you find something written by a local mutant..." because why trust something a half-idiot human had managed to cobble together?

[Wren Pak]

The unknown woman made herself right at home, sitting right next to Wren. She gave off a sort of mood she couldn't quite place. Control, or confidence, maybe? The student crossed her legs and tilted her head as her acquaintance spoke. "If you're interested in local wildlife, it would probably be best to actually talk to someone instead of seeking a book, at least for that. Unless you find something written by a local mutant..."

'Well, well, Wren thought, 'how outgoing'.

"Ah, this is just reference for an assignment I'm doing," Wren replied, and set the book down onto the table. She felt slightly perturbed by this person's presence, and slightly shifted away so that their arms wouldn't touch. The woman, she noticed, was rather nice looking, and had a certain look to her that made Wren briefly think of her father's stories of traveling throughout Europe. How different the two of them must have looked, sitting next to one another. 

Slowly she extended a pale hand to the woman. "Nice to meet you, I'm Wren."

[Asli Tilki]

Ah, discomfort. That probably came from being introduced to someone knew who just made themselves at home. Asli could certainly understand it, even if she couldn't help but somewhat enjoy unnerving the younger girl. Asli was less outgoing and more... determined, but she could only pick up vagueries instead of the major thoughts that were bubbling up in the other girl's mind.

"Quite the assignment," Asli offered, glancing at the book for a few seconds. She did find it intriguing when students were taking their time and delving deeper into their studies. That did happen with surprising frequency in this school, though perhaps not too much different than where Asli came from.

Asli took the hand, giving it a light caress. "The pleasure is all mine," Asli said politely. "I am Asli Tilki," the Turkish woman withdrew her hand. "I'm certain you have several questions. Unless you'd like to start looking for the answers?" At that, Asli had to raise her brows, almost tauntingly.

[Wren Pak]

Wren supposed that to anyone else, the person sitting next to her might be seen as charming, or in the very least, amiable, but something threw her off about the woman. She couldn't possibly be more than five years older than herself, yet she definitely had an air of authority. Wren felt that familiar twinge of annoyance.

The two shook hands, and the dark haired woman introduced herself. 'Asli, hmm? What an unfamiliar name.'. Wren watched with a dull stare as Asli gave her opening spiel. With a raise of her eyebrows, she seemed to issue a small challenge. Wren slowly felt her nice appearing facade fade from her face, and she pushed her hair behind one ear. 'I see.'

"And what is that supposed to mean? Wren's tone of voice dropped down to it's natural pitch, and she turned away to look through the book again. "If you want something from me, just say it." Perhaps it was a bit forceful to say, but Wren didn't care. Other mutants found the prospect of her power either intimidating or fascinating, and she had lost patience for that kind of attitude long ago.

[Asli Tilki]

My, was this one of those moody teenage sorts. Now Asli had a full lock, and she was picking up all the little bits of emotion that kept swirling around in Wren's mind. Clearly she found herself more annoyed at the situation than anything right now. Of course, the actions gave away some of that as well.

Wren's statement didn't draw much out of Asli, beyond a slight smirk. "Why say something when you can figure it out on your own?" Asli offered, gesturing very slightly with her hand as she did. "One doesn't come to a place like this," she gestured, leaving it up to Wren to decide if she meant the school or the library or some combination of both. "Without looking for answers and trying to seek them on your own."

Asli kept that reading, feeling some of the frustration rise. She couldn't help but wonder if she shouldn't tweak it slightly, alter it just a little, perhaps give it a nudge. Her fingers were already twitching while her mind started going through several possible responses at once.

[Wren Pak]

'People who always smile are so creepy,' Wren thought as she stared down the illustration of the state bird, the meadowlark. Yet as she sat in relative silence, a small second voice popped into her head. Maybe it was the fact that she didn't interact with others much, but Wren seemed to have forgotten that the woman obtruding on her free time was probably a mutant. Suspiciously, she peered out of squinted eyes towards her as she offered a retort.

"One doesn't come to a place like this without looking for answers and trying to seek them out on your own". Ahh, what a troublesome lady. With a heavy sigh, the blonde placed her cheek in her hand. "I have reasons to be here, I'm sure they're the same as you."
A few girls walked past in the aisle behind them, and she fell silent for a few seconds.

"Since we're big into 'seeking', let me ask you, what's your shtick? I'm sure you know what I'm about.". After all, what other reason would someone have to talk to her? The thought was pretty pathetic, but Wren wasn't in the mood to check herself for the old cliches.

[Asli Tilki]

A sigh, some more of that frustration. Asli could read it, the emotions threatening to all but erupt out from the bottom. Asli was already hiding her own amusement, keeping her face blank.

"Our reasons are likely quite different,' was all she said, keeping her voice flat, or, well, as flat as it could be given her accent. The direction question had her nodding. "I'm a trainer," she offered. "And something of a scholar, quite interested in the social implications of mutant kind and what we have to offer. This school calls many, after all, and all for different reasons."

Asli considered for a few moments, before adding a twist of curiosity into Wren's bubbling mix of emotions. Just a little, and a sharp enough twist that surely the astute young woman would notice. It was, after all, a decided stretch from her irritation, though not without some connective tissue. Asli could build something out of nothing, but she found it ever so much easier to work with what was already there...