It was a miserable day for those who hated rain, for the heavens had opened the flood gates. The Earth was sodden, puddles accumulating o'er the grounds of the mansion to create a marsh like look, while swollen and dark clouds hovered low overhead. Xavia did not mind the weather... In fact, she adored rain... But that is how plants are, yes?

The plant manipulator was going for a jog later, but would have to bide her time until then. Hey, lesson plans did not write themselves, and she could not have Kendra write them either. That was all her own work! She was leaning against her desk in the greenhouse, flipping through the biology textbook toward the part about DNA, tapped her finger against her bottom lip, then shook her head and set the book on the desk.

Xavia ran her fingers through her hair and pulled out her cellphone, hit the app that she used to record notes, and spoke into it, "Chapter eighteen, lesson one... DNA. Students will need a clear breakdown, a transition from the complexities of cells to delve deeper into t'e heart. Perhaps we can use lab to do tests on various cells, plants, animals, human, to find dna. Or maybe start wit' already tested." She hit the save button and slid the phone into her pocket.

Now all she could think of to do was to grade the progress of the plants that each student was assigned to in botany class. She took up her clip board and pen, and ignored the sting that still affected her thighs from spilled hot tea, to walk somewhat stiffly to the first row of heirloom tomatoes. She began the process of scrutiny, relaxed by the loud spatter of heavy droplets against the glass panels that the greenhouse was built from.

Derek was having a confusing day. It was his first official one at The Mansion and he desperately needed to find someone, a professor, who could act as maybe an adviser to him. This was part of Derek reinventing himself - by asking questions and seeking help.

The rain outside certainly didn't bother Derek since he loved it when it rained. He loved the relaxing patter of raindrops splattering against roofs and sides of buildings. What he loved even more was the smell afterwards. So fresh and rejuvenating!

He made his way, with an umbrella, from the main Mansion building and toward the greenhouse where he was told Professor Worshalai currently was. Derek slowly opened the door to the greenhouse, peeking his head inside before walking in fully. His eyes fell on a woman with red hair fair skin and assumed that it was the biology and botany teacher he was told about. Derek quickly closed his umbrella down and shook it before leaning against the plastic wall.

"Excuse me?" He cleared his throat gave her a warm smile. His southern accent coated his words like powdered sugar on a donut. "A-are you Professor Worshalai?"

When the young man walked in, she had her face up close to the tomatoes she examined. She jotted down some notes and answered without looking at him. "T'at is me. One moment please." The petite flower that she was seemed to be elbow deep in the plants without a care in the world as to how she looked.

When she was done doing what she was doing, she turned to see who had come into her classroom/greenhouse. When her eyes found the source of the voice, she asked, "And you are?" Her dark eyes were inquisitive as they peered at the young man.

She was a young looking woman for her actual age, with manic panic red hair, wearing a pencil skirt and blouse. A pair of dark rimmed glasses were perched precariously on her pert nose, and a pair of saddle pumps encased her feet.

"I-I'm Derek Menes." The mutant introduced himself. "It's nice to meet you. I hope I'm not interrupting your work or anything like that. I was just hoping that you were free to talk?" Derek took a couple of steps toward the woman before stopping. He wanted to make sure he respected her personal space.

He looked around the greenhouse. It was a bit humid in there, but Derek assumed that was the whole point of having a greenhouse. The young mutant smiled warmly at the woman. "Uh, I was hoping that you were free to talk. I'm fairly new to the Mansion. Actually, I arrived yesterday." He cleared his throat and smiled again.

"Just grading projects," she said as she turned to finish examining the last tomato plant. "No need to be nervous. Everybody here start somewhere. Are you to be a student or...?" She eluded to something else, obviously. Xavia wrote down the notes on the poor looking tomato plant, then touched it. If he was watching, he might notice that all the plants in a wide circle seemed to respond to her nearness, leaning toward her like she was the sun... The plant she was examining looked kind of wilted, but then she touched the plant and it perked up. She reached over to a nearby watering can and began to water the plant, murmuring apologetically as if the plant could hear her. She set the can down and moved on to the next cluster of plants.

"I have long commute to t'e city, so I have to finish t'is but I can talk and work at same time," it sounded like she was from western Europe, her accent heavy with almost Slavic sounds. "You call me Xavia if you are not student. Student call me Miss W."

She examined a bell pepper plant and wrote something down. She seemed pretty methodical about it.

Derek nodded his head and decided to only answer questions that were asked to him. "Oh, uh, I don't know yet. The Mansion just seemed to be the place that I need to be right now. I'm twenty and thinking about starting college again up here in New York," He paused. "But I also need to get a handle on my powers and possibly become an X-Men so honestly. I dunno." He smiled a bit. Derek watched as she worked with what looked to be tomato plants. He always found gardening to be both economically beneficial and relaxing at the same time. The plants, however seemed to lean toward Xavia like she was a magnet. Maybe she had something to do with chlrokinesis? He'd have to ask her later.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Xavia." Derek liked her accent. "Ah, I was hoping that you mentor me. I know it's asking a lot, but I'm gonna need a bit of guidance."

"I am glad to help people," she said, quickly but thoroughly going through the plants she was examining. "Perhaps you would rather be in the city?" She asked, then picked up the watering can again, heading to her desk to set her clip board down and then to fill the can up to water the pepper plants with. She did that task quickly too, and then would swap out for the hose for the other plants when she noticed the time getting away from her.

She misted all of the veggies and fruits (and there were a lot by the looks of it) then moved on to flowers. She passed him by closely enough a few times that he might catch the scent of real roses coming from her, but it was subtle compared to the many scents in the greenhouse. She finished her task and put away the hose, then turned toward Derek. "I have boarding house to help people wit' gifts. I give jobs, too, if job is needed. You must know t'at I keep pretty busy on purpose. I do not always go go go, but some days are very busy. What kind of power do you have? I control plants, and I become plants... I can grow a plant from not'ing in a small amount of dirt. It is not most exciting gift to some but coincidental I just happen to grow up working in family greenhouse." She shrugged and leaned herself against her desk. "I am training to be in X-men as well. May as well use gift for greater good, right? But anyhow, reason I share wit' you is so you know what to expect around me."

"The city would be much better, than living here. Only because I feel like...my space should be used for someone who might not have another place to go. Plus I feel like I've kind of aged out of being here. I guess I should've come here sooner." Yeah, like when he first started to exhibit powers when he was sixteen. Derek made sure to stay out of Xavia's way just so she could get her job done.

Derek listened to her speak about what she did off campus with having a boarding house and giving jobs that Derek desperately. Then she talked about her abilities which, to Derek, made abouslate sense. She was after all the biology and botany teacher.

"That's really amazing, Xavia. I think plant manipulation is a wonderful, useful power. You'll never go hungry." Derek left a bit. He was feeling a lot more comfortable. "Uh, I can understand and influence the behavior of animals. I still don't understand how it all works, but it does."

He would probably poop his pants if she told him the rest of what she did. He would find out soon enough if he chose to be an occupant of the Boarding house. It isn't like she kept her past a secret by any means. Not that she was famous... Because she did not wish to be... She spread her profits around the mutant community and different organizations and tried to live modestly. Even the boarding house, as beautiful as it was was meant to be a home, not some showroom.

"Well, I could use a hand around the boarding house in common areas. It is domestic work, but you would be paid well... Or you could help me in greenhouse. Oh, and yiy are right, I would never starve... I am vegetarian, my dinner is anywhere I choose to grow it."

"I'd be more than happy to help you, Xavia. I really need a job and I think working with you in the greenhouse would be perfect. I could assist on projects or be a lab assistant." Derek was opening to anything. Also working with Xavia would look amazing on his college application for when he would reapply to college in New York.

Derek smiled a bit and came a bit closer to Xavia. "...You have a nice accent. Is it...Ukrainian? Sorry, I don't know my European countries that well."

"Hungarian," she replied. "My family came here from Hungary when I was young." But that was all she said about that, for that part of her past was wary of getting into that section of her history. "Anyway, Job in greenhouse is simple. You keep flowers and animals watered on days I am not here or when I need to go home early. In lab, you help make sure t'ings are in order, and t'ings are stocked well in closet. It is all menial tasks but you will be paid enough you will not need to rely on loans so much."

She tilted her head and regarded him closely with her caramel gaze, "And some days, we can train toget'er. I know some useful fighting skills you can use along wit' your mutation." She smoothed her hands over her skirt, then pulled off her reading glasses. "It is almost time to go home. I can take you to see boarding house if you like."

Derek nodded his head when Xavia said that her and her family were from Hungary. Derek hadn't heard much from Hungary, but he assumed that it was a nice country. Most countries were nice countries in Derek's view. The world couldn't be all bad. When the Professor started to list of things that Derek would have to do while working at the greenhouse, Derek got excited. Finally, he'll be put to good use.

"I'd love that. Thank you so much for your generosity. It really means a lot." Derek gave her a smile before taking a step closer. "And I'd also love that. I do plan on moving off of campus so that would be perfect."

"No need for thanks. I am happy to help." Her brows lifted and then she remembered to feed the rabbit and guinea pig. She went to grab a few raspberries and strawberries, and some leaf lettuce, heading then to the front of the greenhouse to open the cages and lay the food in there for the animals, closed them, and then moved to pack things into her oversized Coach bag.

"Come, t'en. I take you to city. You will like my home, I hope!" And she meant it. Assuming he followed, she led him to where she parked her van... The burns that were still healing on her thighs prevented her from riding her Harley in any case, but it was nice to have an extra seat.

Derek smiled in response as he watched her feed the rabbit and guinea pig in the cage. An even wider smile came to his face when he saw the rodents start to eat."...The rabbit really loves the raspberries. The guinea pig likes the lettuce and the strawberries are for later."

"I hope so too." Derek smiled and followed her out of the greenhouse and toward her van. "Thank you again. I feel like I should make you something like, uh, cookies. Do you like oatmeal cookies, Xavia?"

"T'e rabbit always looks like she was in a blood bath after eating t'e raspberries. It is cute." She smiled as she unlocked the van and allowed him in. There was a child seat in the back. "I do not eat a lot of sweets. My daughter might like t'e cookies, and my momma would too."

She slid easily into the driver seat. She started the vehicle up. As soon as he was in, she would head toward the city. "I have a feeling t'e classroom pets will like you if you can know how t'ey feel. I hope t'ey like their homes, I triedto make t'eir cages nice and roomy for t'em."