10730/After Class Conversations

After Class Conversations
Date of Scene:	13 January 2020
Location:	Rec Room - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Shannon and Nathnaiel discuss heroics.
Cast of Characters:	Nightingale, Hindsight

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Nightingale has posed:
     It was just after the last classes of the day, and most have either gone to their dorms to study, taken off to hang out in Salem Center, or dispersed throughout the school to relax or study. Shannon was doing a little bit of both. She's sitting cross-legged on one of the beanbags near the TV with her phone playing some soft music, and a book in her lap. She's wearing dark blue jeans, a wine-colored tunic sweater, and well-worn white sneakers. Her hair is long and loose, and has its now trademark light blue braid dangling on the left side, with its three little silver beads. She's just sipping a mug of hot cocoa with a massive mound of whipped cream, and getting a bit of studying out of the way.

Hindsight has posed:
In comes Nathaniel Carver dressed down in a white t-shirt and slim fit black sweatpants with white lines along the legs. He's bopping his head to the sound of his own music, earbuds pushed in, and drops down on one of the room's armchairs, draping his legs over it in what could be described as a mildly uncomfortable sitting arrangement. He casually flips through a comic he brought, the cover briefly obscuring his face and revealing the title to be 'HULK'.

Nightingale has posed:
     Glancing up at just the right moment, Shannon just grins at the title of the comic, attempting--unsuccessfully, mind you--to stifle a giggle behind her hand. "The real deal's much more impressive than that," she remarks, giving an up-nod towards the comic in Nathan's hands. "And surprisingly gentle when he wants to be."

Hindsight has posed:
    Nathaniel only half-hears Shannon and tugs the white cord out of his ear. "Anyone can be anything when they -want- to be," he says, and looks up from the comic mag at her. "You're telling me he isn't just a rampaging monster?

    Nathan adjusts in his seat and drags his legs down, so his socked feet are flat on the ground. "I guess I could've come to that conclusion on my own. Does that also mean you've met him?" That seems far-fetched but maybe not completely unbelievable. "I bet meeting real superheroes makes this stuff seem really dumb." He gestures with the flimsy comic.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon laughs softly and shakes her head, closing the book on her lap. It looks to be an old, well-loved volume of Greek mythology, with many pages dog-eared, and the edges of the cover worn in spots. "No, he's not. Still wouldn't want to piss him off, though." She takes a moment to hold out her mug of cocoa to Nathan in offering, glancing between the comic, and the young man holding it. "Only met him just once. Big, green, larger than life, and he'd just saved Bean's bacon. Brought him right back here to the mansion. When he saw my wings, he was pretty curious, so I let him touch them. He was actually gentle as a kitten." Her smile softens, and she looks at the comic again. "Doesn't make that stupid, though, not in the least."

Hindsight has posed:
    To acknowledge the offer of the mug, Nathaniel has to drop the thin comic book in his laps and accept the hot drink in his hands. "Sucks to be green," he quips and sips gingerly the cocoa. He's still listening, brows lifting at the story's end. "Gentle as a kitten." He has to wonder if they're talking about the same superhero.

    "Does that happen to you often?" Nathan asks. "Meeting superheroes, I mean." He's pretty sure Shannon was outed to him as a member of the New Mutants.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon chuckles, and shrugs. "Yeah, gentle as a kitten. Kind of surprised me. Guess when you take the time to get to know folks, doesn't matter who it is, it can sometimes surprise you." She gets up to go fix herself a root beer float at the bar, humming lightly as she considers Nathaniel's question.

     "Define superheroes. I've met some folks that I never thought I would. Some have been my heroes from the time I was small, and others will be heroes to me for a long time to come. Some of them I've been priveleged enough to be able to be able to come to call them a friend." As she plops some vanilla ice cream into a tall glass and pours out some root beer, she has to dip her head to sip some of the foam that results on the top, before it can make a giant mess. The end result is a very comical ice cream moustache when she straightens up, giggling softly.

     "In the end, they're just people like us, trying to do the right thing. They've all started where we are now." Her lips quirk upwards in a smile, as she wipes the ice cream moustache away. "In point of fact, when I asked the Captain about that once, I believe the term he used referring to his days before taking up the shield was 'a bag of bird bones who didn't know when to stand down'."

Hindsight has posed:
    "People just like us who can tear down buildings with a sneeze," Nathaniel is pretty sure the Hulk can do that. He can in the comics, but apparently, that is not an accurate source of information when it comes to real people. Figures. "Thanks," he says, about the cocoa, and watches Shannon fix herself another drink.

    "I don't know how I would define a superhero," Nathan admits. "I guess it would be 'people with powers that use them to help other people'. That interpretation stops working once you consider Batman and his types," He looks to be thinking, then shrugs. "Would you consider yourself one?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon shrugs, leaning against the bar. "I keep saying I'm not one, but to hear folks like Sam and Mr. Green tell it, they'd beg to differ. I'm just a regular person who's got an extra gift or two and trying to learn to put them to good use. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fall flat on my face." She cracks a smile, swirling her glass around for a moment, and peering into the caramel-hued contents, with swirls of creamy white throughout. "I'm not even sure I'd say just 'people with powers', either. Look at folks like Batman, or Mr. Stark. Bloody geniuses, both of them, but they use what they have to help others. Then there's the Captain, and god only knows how many tales there are of his exploits. But the thing that makes him a hero most to me? He took the time to reach out when I needed it the most. Which not only makes him a hero, but that's also the act of a friend."

     Glancing up, she smiles at Nathan, quirking her brows, and lifting her chin ever so slightly. "By that same token, you have the same potential to be a hero as any of them. What's got all this going through your mind, though?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon shrugs, leaning against the bar. "I keep saying I'm not one, but to hear folks like Sam and Mr. Green tell it, they'd beg to differ. I'm just a regular person who's got an extra gift or two and trying to learn to put them to good use. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fall flat on my face." She cracks a smile, swirling her glass around for a moment, and peering into the caramel-hued contents, with swirls of creamy white throughout.

     "I'm not even sure I'd say just 'people with powers', either. Look at folks like Batman, or Mr. Stark. Bloody geniuses, both of them, but they use what they have to help others. Then there's the Captain, and god only knows how many tales there are of his exploits. But the thing that makes him a hero most to me? He took the time to reach out when I needed it the most. Which not only makes him a hero, but that's also the act of a friend."

     Glancing up, she smiles at Nathan, quirking her brows, and lifting her chin ever so slightly. "By that same token, you have the same potential to be a hero as any of them. What's got all this going through your mind, though?"

Hindsight has posed:
    "Just doing some thinking," Nathaniel explains. He flexes his fingers over his knee, gloved as always. "I suppose in that vein, everyone has the potential to be a hero, but for some people, it's a little more plausible than others, don't you think?" He shrugs. "Most days, I have a hard time accepting what you people call a gift as one." He isn't being hostile, just matter-of-fact.

    "I know there are kids in this school that do more than others," he continues. "I admit I'm struggling to think of where I would fit in that."

Nightingale has posed:
     Nodding slow, Shannon seems to consider this a moment. "Sometimes, it takes thinking of different ways to apply your gift. Take my healing touch, for example." Flexing the fingers of her left hand, she sighs softly. "It's a difficult gift to have, because at least for now, I haven't learned to direct the gift to heal differently. I just absorb injuries. It's like a power surge that backlashes onto me when I'm healing someone. But when I was working with Chris just before Christmas, we found out my gift has the potential to be closer to his, meaning less destructive to me. And before that, with Josh, he was able to help me learn to control it so not only do healings not happen accidentally, but if I restrain the gift, it serves as an excellent diagnostic tool." She cants her head slightly to one side, peering over at Nathan. "Sometimes it takes working with someone else to find possible solutions and alternate uses to particularly tricky gifts. Honestly, I'd give working with Sam... Cannonball... a chance. Maybe he could help you, or at least point you towards someone who could."

     Her eyebrows raise slightly at the mention of his particular struggle, and of students that do more than others. "Did you mean the New Mutants?" A soft sigh escapes her, and she shakes her head. "I'm so sorry you were told like you were. Guess you've probably got some questions about the whole thing."

Hindsight has posed:
    "I'm working through it with Doug," Nathaniel offers. "Doug Ramsey. I know it has its uses, but I lack control, just like you, and I'm not really sure I'll ever find the off switch." He tucks his legs underneath him and smiles at Shannon. "I don't blame anybody. It's one thing to practice your abilities in a classroom and another entirely to throw on a uniform and enter the 'Danger Room'."

    His smile widens. "Bad name, by the way."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon shakes her head and cracks a smile. "A very good name, actually. You can still get injured in there, so it's still dangerous. Ask Bean about the session in there that he, Megan, and I had with Kurt sometime." Her smile widens some and she nods. "Doug's a nice sort. Haven't worked with him much, but he's always been very kind to me."

     She grimaces slightly, crossing her arms, and peering down at her hands. "I'm glad you have him there to help you. I'll have to bug Sam about mine, see if there's anything more that can be done." Glancing up, she smiles a little bit at Nathan. "You know, if you found out about the New Mutants, it's because you have the same potential and the heart to use your gifts to do the right thing. None of us on the team are perfect. There are times we all foul up. But we have each other. We pick each other up and keep on trying. We don't go looking for trouble, but it finds us anyways, and we're there for each other through it all." Her smile turns a bit bittersweet, her brows furrowing slightly. "Remind me to tell you about the day Sam asked me to join. Or..." She tilts her head, considering for a moment. "I'd trust you enough to touch my hand and see for yourself, if you were willing."

Hindsight has posed:
    "Thanks. I might do that, or I could just sit in on one of the sessions," Nathaniel suggests. Sit in because danger. "I don't know if that would be allowed, or if I'd need permission first." He shrugs, considers Shannon's words carefully, and frowns. "That's not a good idea, Shan. Trust me on that one. Thank you for your trust. I appreciate it, but it wouldn't do either of us any favors."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles and nods. "Okay, but the offer stands. And if I ever have to heal you, it might wind up happening anyways. But hopefully you'd see some of the good things that have happened to me." Knocking back some of her root beer float, she pushes away from the bar, and heads towards the door to the rec room. Pausing, she turns to look back at Nathaniel and smiles. "I can let Sam know you're interested. If you were down in the Danger Room you'd be participating, but maybe you could observe from the control booth. He'd be the one to talk to." Dipping her head, she turns back to the door. "It was great to catch up with you again, when it's not oh-dark-stupid and we're on a morning run with Bean!" Her giggle follows her on her way out.