{CO} The Dance

[Elsa Bellefonte]

"Jezebel Hawke," Elsa Bellefonte said as she saw the young woman hanging out at the edge of the cook-out. Most of the people who actually mattered had gathered here, as well as most of their families. Naturally Elsa, who'd helped organize the whole affair, was here as well. She'd alternated between spending her time with people who matter and people who needed to think that they did. Jezebel Hawke happened to belong in both camps simultaneously, as far as Elsa was concerned.

"I'm not sure if we've been properly introduced," Elsa said. She put on her most professional smile and extended a hand. "Elsa Bellefonte," one of the Bellefonte heiress and probably the most individually wealthy of the Bellefonte children, the one who'd been a co-headmistress and hadn't stopped interfering with the school and how things ran since that title had been stripped, surely someone that Jezebel had heard of before. "I'm going to assume that you've heard of me before? Your outfit's quite fetching, by the way," why yes, Elsa did know the first steps of the dance, the openers. She happened to be well dressed herself: designer jeans and a blouse combo that was chic and yet still casual enough to blend in perfectly well.

"I apologize for not meeting you before now. You know how things can be." And how Elsa had purposefully set aside time during this particular gathering to do precisely this: network and socialize.

[Jezebel Hawke]

A cookout? Well, Jezebel didn't see why she shouldn't go. Besides. Drew had encouraged her to try it and do a bit of 'meeting and greeting' with the other members of her new school. It wasn't hard to convince the girl to take a little break from her work and go, wearing a much more casual short dress that not only made her look sharp as ever but also helped her blend in to the rest of the crowd at the cookout.

Although perhaps not as much as she believed, for someone soon approached her and identified her. Jezebel turned towards the girl, standing up more from where she'd been leaning against and empty table and people watching. The girl offered a name: Elsa Bellefonte. Instantly it struck a cord of recognition in her. While she had not met the girl personally, she knew quite a bit about her. Both from her own discoveries and from what Drew had told her.

And judging from the professional smile and demeanor about her, she would live up to what Jezebel had expected. Smiling back with a natural grace and long trained professionalism, Jezebel took the girl's hand and shook it firmly. "Charmed. And no, I don't think we have. We should fix that." She offered with a bit of a smirk mixing into her smile before dropping her hand. "And yes, I do know of you. Drew's talked of you and your sister before-- although I admit it's mostly about his wife. Whom I still need to thank in person for finally putting an end to our parents' nagging to get married." She offered with a bit of a chuckle.

She waved off the apology easily. "Believe me, I can understand being busy. I'm still technically working even now." She admitted. Which was true. Her phone was in her pocket should anything come up from her brother or his business that needed attention. Even if it didn't get a notification, she checked it every thirty minutes or so. "But I'm sure we can make up for that now and get to know each other."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, this one definitely knew at least the opening steps to the dance. There was the dropped hand, the admission of knowledge, even a name drop. "I'm sure you'll run into my sister at some point," Elsa replied, already making mental notes. Jezebel knew Drew, knew him rather personally. Interesting indeed. As was the fact that Jezebel admitted to being busy as well. Had something drawn her back to Kalispell? Was that something named Drew Conner?

"Events like these do give you the chance to catch up," Elsa said, gesturing. "That's part of why I actually bother to show up. Well, that and my duties to the school more or less force my presence here," Elsa had to smile and shrug slightly. Why yes, she did have duties to the school, even if she wasn't headmistress any more. The name did have some weight. But no reason to throw too much shade.

"What program are you in again, by the by? I'm just intrigued as to what would bring someone of your status to our little school."

[Jezebel Hawke]

Already a few seconds within meeting each other, and already Jezebel picked the girl for one who was calculating in most things she did. She might be good at hiding her inner thoughts, but Jezebel had learned to pick up the subtle signs of when someone was paying particular attention and/or found something to be of special interest. And Elsa was definitely showing them. "That would be nice." Jezebel said with a smile.

Oh, Jezebel definitely caught the little almost-brag the girl slide in there. Her name obviously still held weight at the school, which Jezebel honestly was not surprised about. One doesn't just step down from being a headmistress and not still concern themselves with the school's workings. Or at least, that's what Jezebel figured. "You have my respect for that. From all the people here to the sheer amount of young children running around... Well, kudos to you."

"Ah, business. And I came here honestly just to study abroad and relax a little." She admitted honestly with a shrug. "It may sound hard to believe, but that's really it. I always enjoyed America and wanted to spend some time in some new scenery for a while." She shrugged at that before looking at Elsa with a smile. "But I must admit, I'm curious about you. Anyone can say anything about another person, but it's much more informative to learn from said person themselves. Care to tell me a bit about yourself? It doesn't have to be too specific."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

It did feel good to hear some kudos coming from someone else who thought on multiple levels and had a working brain. Then again, she knew that was also a tactic to start luring and getting someone to learn a little more about the target. You drew them closer into the net before drawing it closed. Elsa had done it herself a few times.

Came to study and relax? "You picked an awful place for relaxation," Elsa drawled, arching her brows and letting her hand shift a bit to the organized fanfare around her. This was, after all, semi normal for the school. There weren't any fires or events or explosions but, well, give it time. So that just made this seem all the more unlikely to Elsa's trained ear. New scenery? Definitely a trite excuse, to say the least.

"Well, that depends on what you want to know," Elsa replied, waving a hand airily. "I study dance, which is a rumor I'm sure you'll hear at some point. I spent last summer in Africa, picked up a nasty stomach bug. I'm fairly recently out of a romantic relationship. So I think that's the more recent information," Elsa tapped her lip with a finger quizzically. "Yes, that seems like most of the recent business. So," she looked back at Jez, eyebrows raised, smiling, "what are you actually interested in?"

[Jezebel Hawke]

Ah, suspicion. This girl obviously thought Jezebel was up to no good. Probably trying to lure her in with compliments. A very effective tactic, depending on the target. Although for once Jezebel's praise had been genuine. The fact that the girl had been headmistress at such a young and and yet still continued to work for the school was admirable. Jezebel was willing to acknowledge anyone who worked hard with a measure of respect.

Jezebel had to smirk a little at that before shrugging. "Perhaps." She offered as much, glancing around at the people moving about and the general noise and life to it all. But then she looked back at Elsa as she answered her question. Studying dance-- well, Jezebel could see the interest in that. Her expression turned sympathetic at the mention of the stomach bug for a moment before she continued to listen. There was the bit about the recently ended relationship before Elsa got straight to the question with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

Oh, she was definitely good. It made a smile grow on Jezebel's face as she regarded the girl. "Well, you're the one who thinks I have some grand ulterior motive. Tell me: what do you think?"

[Elsa Bellefonte]

The woman had started lapsing into one word responses, while making sure that her thoughts ran circles. Quite interesting, how they always started doing that around Elsa. Then again, only the smart ones were actually capable of keeping it up for too much longer, and Elsa really was interested to see if Jezebel could keep it up enough to keep up with her.

Little comments, mental notes about what Elsa willingly gave away, and then the comment that had Elsa raising her brows. "I always assume that people have ulterior motives," she replied, gesturing around her. "Keeps me alive. There's this wonderful little boy for Minnesota who keeps running into me, pure thoughts and deeds, practically out of a storybook, and I still keep trying to figure out what his game is, and he's not from a prestigious family who has connects to someone who always struck me as being underhanded."

Elsa paused for a moment, letting that sink in. No, she and Drew were not on the best of terms. Mostly his doing, his and his sister. "So if I had to guess: I'd say you were mostly interested in what sort of dance I'm doing now," she replied, "and you wouldn't be quite satisfied with 'a mix of modern and ballet.'"

[Jezebel Hawke]

Always assume there was a motive. Jezebel smirked a little and nodded her head. "A wise choice." She remarked before Elsa went on. The bit about the Minnesota boy surprised Jezebel, but made her smile a bit, amused. Well, Elsa certainly seemed pretty enough to gain more than her fair share of suitors, and best of all she actually seemed intelligent. Especially with the next bit.

Even without the pause, Jezebel's brain already got the message that Elsa was projecting. She didn't like Drew. Interesting. Jezebel had a feeling there was a story behind that. Although she had a bit of a clue to at least one factor in it. But Elsa was already moving on, claiming Jezebel was more interested in the dance she was doing now. She had to smirk again. "Maybe. I'd ask what sort it was, but as you say I wouldn't be as satisfied with the answer." She stated.

"So, tell me about Bellefonte instead. I'm curious about my new school and I feel you'd be a good person to question." She said honestly.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

well, she was getting more or less what Elsa was saying, not that Elsa expected anything less. This was already turning into something of a verbal sparring match. Except, well, no one was really looking to connect here, more flourish and demonstrate the skills they already possessed. there was something of a confirmation there too, but not one that Elsa was at all willing to take on face value.

Well, at least she could do this dance.

"I'm sure you're already well aware of how our programs and majors are some of the most competitive in the country. Advantage of being able to pull certain members of the academic elite and having quite a bit of money. Any degree you get here will hold up to most Ivy League institutions and likely even a little further, considering our connections to the other mutant schools and other such, well, let's go with alumni organizations.

"Clearly we also boast a diverse staff that includes mutants from every walk of life. Our student body follows pretty much the same. We make sure to provide scholarships and funding for anyone who needs it, and the uniforms are provided of course. Essentially any and everything you could wish for is top of the line, and we're located right next to Kalispell, an increasingly erudite community," Elsa smiled and waved, having easily prattled off all that without blinking. she'd been responsible for move-in week, after all.

[Jezebel Hawke]

Jezebel listened intently while Elsa spoke, nodding hear and there to show she was in fact listening. However, there was a slight smirk on her face the whole time, her amusement growing as the girl went on. It sounded memorized but Elsa was saying it with nary a blink. At the end of it all, the smirk grew to a full one and Jezebel's entertainment from it all shown through freely. "Thank you. I have to say, you pulled that little introduction off flawlessly." She complimented easily.

"While I do appreciate your words, I'm curious about your own opinion. What do you personally like about the Academy? As a former headmistress, I have a feeling you'd know much more than most, so your opinions would be far more interesting." She asked, raising an eyebrow slightly in curiosity.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, it was memorized, if slightly improvised at the same time. Elsa wasn't surprised in the slightest to notice Jezebel noticing that. The compliment just drew a slight nod of the head from the Bellefonte: they both knew full well that this was all part of the Dance after all.

Personal opinion? And from someone who used to be a headmistress. Had Jezebel meant that as a backhanded slap or had she just been establishing a point? Elsa couldn't quite tell, and that haziness made her stop to consider for a few moments longer, picking her words. "I was born here, so I'm not exactly the best judge," Elsa said, glancing around again. "Plus, my name's right over the door," she had to smile at that. she could still recall being led to the school as a child, before her powers had developed, before any of what she'd constitute her "real life" had begun. And she'd pointed at her name and felt something from that connection.

"But I do believe that I'd find myself staying here even if the name changed. I've put enough work into the place to warrant that, I admit. But there's also just... something about it. The people or the locale or some strange combination," Elsa shrugged. "Things happen here, and I already know that I'm tied to the place. The question is whether or not you're thinking the same."