Random Cupcake Day

[seismic_shockwave]

When: Anytime between 11 am and about 4 pm, Saturday (possibly earlier if you're helping her bake, could be later for an afterparty/cleanup)
Where: Cafeteria, Xavier Institute for the Gifted
What: Free Cupcakes! 
Who: ANYBODY

The beginning of a new school year was always exciting and stressful at the same time. There were always, however, countless special activities and programs to help people in the beginning of their transition into the new year, or into studying at Xavier's. What was not often addressed however, was the doldrums that could sometimes set in as September wore on and everything fell into an 'ordinary' pattern. Special activities tended to drop off, not to really roll around again until Halloween. 

This was an unacceptable situation for Kayla Emily Connors. Some small gesture had to be made, something to show the student populace that random whimsy was totally acceptable. 

Getting permission from the school authorities, she set up a little booth outside the Cafeteria, behind which were boxes and boxes of cupcakes that she'd baked. Chocolate ones, vanilla ones, ones with raspberry frosting, those delicious salted caramel ones, carrot cake ones with cream cheese frosting- she'd forgone the peanut butter ones on account of possible allergies. She'd put up a handful of colourful signs advertising 'FREE CUPCAKES" around the school. She'd of course, instructed her better friends amongst the school to distribute the news through any way they could. 

And so it was, that Kayla Connors found herself cheerfully standing behind a little booth in the cafeteria, handing out free cupcakes to anyone who wanted one. 

Comments

[fourshelled]

It was a rare Saturday for Pete. He was not chilling in the back of a mind of a turtle. Also, he hadn't seen Ms. Wyngarde anywhere around lately, so he thought it was safe to come out of his dorm room. His mostly empty dorm room since his roommate had been taken back to SHIELD after the attack on the school.

He had been heading toward the cafeteria to grab a snack. His steps slowed down when he spotted the little booth set up outside of the Cafeteria. He glanced at the 'FREE CUPCAKES' sign and then at the petite person manning the booth.

[seismic_shockwave]

"Hi, Pete." Kayla smiled at him, trying to get too exuberant, because she knew it might very well scare him off. "Would you like a cupcake?" She had quite an array of them available at the moment. "We've got ... double chocolate, Oreo, raspberry, lemon meringue, vanilla and salted caramel out right now."

[fourshelled]

He swallowed and tried to smile. "H-Hi."

He blinked and cleared his throat. Like that would get rid of the nervousness trying to close off his throat. He knew this young lady was tiny but could possibly rip him apart with her bare hands. Or something like that. He didn't pay too much attention to people's powers outside of very broad categories like super-strength, mind invasion, and krakaboom.

"Uh, I'll have a salted caramel one?" He paused and nodded. To make it sound like he was more sure about his choice than he sounded.

[seismic_shockwave]

Kayla kind of fell into both the super-strength and krakaboom categories as it happened, but she had no such intentions towards Pete. If anything she felt bad for him. In a way, he actually reminded her of the way she had felt, once upon a time. But she'd changed, much for the better. And though it'd been slower, she liked to think that Pete was coming out of his shell just a tiny bit too.

"You can never go wrong with salted caramel." She presented him with the cupcake on top of a colourful napkin. "Enjoy."

[fourshelled]

Pete would love to be totally out of his shell. Which meant being totally human, but he didn't think that was ever in the cards for him. He carefully reached over and took the cupcake.

"Thank you. Uh..." He glanced around bit. "Can I have another one? Later, I mean."

[seismic_shockwave]

"I got tons of these, bro. Go ahead and take another one. Come back a bit later and you can probably have a third one too." She smiled broadly at him. "People also speak highly of the lemon meringue ones, if that's your jam. Or, alternatively ..." She opened another one of the boxes and presented him with a cupcake.

"Red velvet with cream cheese frosting."

[fourshelled]

He looked down into the box of baked goodness. He glanced around again and took one. There was the faintest trace of an actual smile.

Though he wouldn't admit it. "Thanks."

[seismic_shockwave]

"Anytime, Pete." Kayla smiled at him, a lot more assuredly. "Have an awesome day."

She wouldn't call him on the smile, but she could see it clearly enough. Even if it was a faint trace.

[dolemeck]

Dolemeck wheeled himself out of the infirmary. He was finally well enough to leave, but still heavily bandaged on her torso, arm, and half of his face. It did not seem to bother him much. Ilya's leaving was what did.

With the flyer for cupcakes being passed about, he thought perhaps some tasty pastries would help cheer him up. Maybe one, as his stomach was still healing up.

"Oy, Kayla!" He said with a slight smile, wheeling himself over. "Do you still have any cupcakes left, or have you been mobbed by the rest of the student body by now, luv?"

Okay, just looking at all those cupcakes did cheer him up. Nothing could wipe that smile off his face.

[seismic_shockwave]

"If you think I'm gonna let myself run low on delicious cupcakes like that, you got another thing comin'." Kayla smirked slightly at her own little reference and then smiled at Dolemeck. "Cupcake, sir? Are you thinking more chocolate, or perhaps caramel? I also have a variety of fruit-inspired ones too. The lemon meringue ones are super good."

Just because they were free didn't mean she wasn't going to try to sell people on them.

[dolemeck]

"Well, I certainly hope not!" Dolemeck tried to grin a little. "What would the school do without your cupcakes? They are some of the best tasting ones about!"

He was being completely honest. Even he had to admit he could not compete with Kayla's cupcakes.

"Do you have something on the light side? Not too heavy to upset one's stomach?" He asked, looking a bit embarrassed.

[iced_cherub]

It's Saturday, Bobbi's coming towards the table sipping on a soda. "And reason 4 million why you're my favorite psuedo-sister Kayla." She grinned at her then saw Dolemeck. Draping her arms over his shoulders she gave him a hug.

"He needs something chocolatey." There's a sage nod to Kayla, Bobbi's trying her best to look all serious. "Pretty sure if one of the doctors were around they'd agree too."

She then went silent a moment. "Unless you only have death by chocolate left, then better not. I don't want to lose a friend to dangerously delicious cuppy-cakes."

And to think, she hasn't had one yet. Blame the hyper on sugary cereal and the last 3 hours watching old cartoons with some of the other students in the lounge. Most of them had been loony toons, some had probably been older than either of her bio-dads if she really thought about it, but hey, it beat the educational stuff on most stations in the early morning block. Or worse, the stuff that was just filled with stupid humor, if she wanted to watch that, she'd be back at her old school thanks!

"Though I'll take a Death by Chocolate if there are any."

[seismic_shockwave]

"Drift into the eternal winter of despair." Kayla replied sagely. "But the good news is that I cook and bake a bunch of other things too, so people will be fine."

Kayla took a lot of pride in her cupcakes. She was, after all, hoping to one day open a bakery.

She was already smiling, but it turned into an incandescent grin when she saw Bobbi. "SNOW DEVIL!" Kayla practically squeed as she saw Bobbi."

"If you want light, I recommend the vanilla bean. But the Death by Chocolate? Pretty deadly. Good way to go.

And Bobbi, I got you covered." She got Bobbi one of the lethally chocolatey cupcakes and passed it over. "Though ... I'm guessing this isn't the first sugar you've had today."

[dolemeck]

Dolemeck gave Bobbi's hands a gentle pat as they wrapped about his shoulders for a hug. He would then laugh at her words, before turning his attention back to Kayla.

"I've had more than enough near death experiences in me life. I do not think I want anymore." Another grin formed on his lips. "I will take the vanilla bean cupcake. Perhaps when me stomach is healed up more, I will try the "Death by Chocolate" one."

Hell, when his stomach heals up, he is going to binge on all the food he has had to miss out on. Being on a semi liquid diet was murder! This cupcake was going to be like heaven for him and he doubted anyone other than the doctors knew that.

"Bloody, Bobbi! You may need to cut down on all that sugar." He tilted his head to look up at her. "You look about ready to bounce off the walls!"

[iced_cherub]

"Aw but really if you're gonna go, one of Kayla's cupcakes is the way to do it." She grinned brightly.

"You're so awesome Kayla!" She beamed brightly at her before turning to Dolemeck. "I burn it off fast. Curse of being a walking icebox. Besides I only do the mainline sugar routine once a week. Should have seen my coffee fixes midweek when I was at my old school. Now that was bouncing off the walls, though no soccer ball got past me on the field!"

[dark_scion]

Fred had been his normal, elusive self, so word of this Free Cupcakes event hadn't actually reached him until his enhanced hearing had picked up on a couple of students chatting about it. On a whim he decided to see what all the fuss was about. He noted the gathering of students nearby, as well as the blatant FREE CUPCAKES sign. Blunt, but to the point he supposed.

"May I assume this is where one can find the free cupcakes," he ventured when Bobbi finished speaking.

[seismic_shockwave]

"My cupcakes have a 4.6 out of 5 rating on SweetWaysToDie, so yeah, you're in good hands." Kayla joked. "And how can I not be awesome when I've got the best sister from another mister in the world?" She held her fist out for a fistbump.

It was then that Fred arrived. Kayla looked up with a big smile. "You guessed right. The prize is a free cupcake. We've got ... a lot of different kinds. Are you more of a chocolate guy or do you want to try the vanilla bean or peanut butter ones?"

[dark_scion]

Fred shrugged. "I have never eaten one of these cupcakes before. Any flavor is as good as another I suppose."

[dolemeck]

"You certainly will not regret it!" Dolemeck continue to smile. "Kayla is only second to Hana when it comes to cooking! Whatever she makes, your stomach will thank you. Err... well, if it is not injured like mine is."

He then took his vanilla cupcake and wheeled himself out of the way, so that Fred could see the rest of the cupcakes, and he would not have to look at the chocolate ones. The thought of chocolate kind of made his heart hurt.

Those were his favorites. If he was still here... he would have liked them so much.

"S-so... what is everyone else up to, today?"

[iced_cherub]

Of course Kayla gets the return fist bump. She thinks a moment. "Death by chocolate for Fred then too. Pretty sure he can survive it." She flashed him a grin. "Though I will warn you, you'll be craving more later."

She noted how silent Dolmeck went for a moment and wrapped a wing comfortingly around him a moment. "I was going to go for a walk out in the warm sun, try to burn off some of my sugar rush, want to come with me? The cartoons were starting to get to be a little weird, we hit the mid-nineties."

[seismic_shockwave]

"Spoken like a man who has truly never tasted these cupcakes. Death by Chocolate coming up!" Kayla grinned broadly and passed over the cupcake to Fred.

"As for me, I'm here selling cupcakes until 4 or so, and then probably go see what Bri's up to. Next weekend we should have a lake party or something. Still warm enough for it, we should enjoy it while we can."

[dark_scion]

"Your warning is duly noted," Fred replied dryly to Bobbi. He tentatively sniffed the cupcake a few times before taking a bite. "Hmm..interesting taste." He takes another bite. "Not bad, though I do not feel any so-called addiction."

[dolemeck]

"Perhaps you are more of a vanilla man, then?" Dolemeck looked at Fred, wondering if he always actted like this, he then turned to Kayla, smiling at her idea of a lake party.

He knew he was still on probation and not allowed near the lake, but it did not mean he would stop other people from having a good time.

"It sounds like a wonderful idea. And Bobbi, I think I would like that walk. I could use the fresh air."

[iced_cherub]

"Just wait until it's gone and it leaves you craving another. At least that's what happens with me." She grinned. "Tell Bri I said hi okay? I haven't seen her around in a few days. But might just be because most the circles are different."

She nodded. "We'll go through the woods then. I've had enough of the pond and lake for a little bit."