10945/Five Blondes Two Brunettes

Five Blondes Two Brunettes
Date of Scene:	01 February 2020
Location:	Backyard - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Piotr punishes Julian and teaches Celeste how to cut with an axe
Cast of Characters:	Colossus, Stepford Cuckoos, Hellion

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Colossus has posed:
    Ah, now this is more like it. The tall Russian casts his gaze across the sweep of the grounds as the snow begins to fall. It is a gentle snowfall, unharried by the rush of wind. But it is a persistent and steady flutter of heavy flakes with an almost gentle insistence that tommorrow there will be perhaps a foot or so of it on the ground. For Piotr it is a welcome sight that brings a smile to his lips.
    Outside on the back lawn near the garage, Colossus walks down the path, footprints left in his wake in the freshly fallen powder. He reaches the wood pile, where some of the other students had gathered a pair of trees that had fallen in the woods, an old stump that apparently one of them had sliced out of the ground with some sort of energy beam. It was whatever needed cutting and it was here that Piotr stood.
    Dressed in a great heavy black pea coat, blue jeans, and those thick brown work boots, he was definitely ready for the weather and the task at hand. An axe was over his shoulder even as he knelt beside one of the fallen trees, some eight feet in length yet not too thick around.
    "Perfect."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "Mister Rasputin!" Calls a student from near the door at the back of the mansion, calling out into the snow with her voice and her mind, though the thick snowfall makes it sound like you're in a bathroom and no sound carries very far at all. Her mind however reaches out to Piotr at the same time. "Do you need help with the wood?" The feeling behind it was that the voice will help, if only because they're so cold and heat faster is better.

    Poor Celeste is the one chosen to brave into the icy winterland and she crunches the fallen snow beneath her feet as she tries to follow Piotr's footprints but it's impossible as he takes such large steps and they're still growing blondes. "Mister Rasputin." She calls out again, hands against her mouth.

Hellion has posed:
     Julian is a known troublemaker at the school, and of course, with trouble, comes detentions. Many, many, many detentions. So, in order to lighten his sentence, by means of actually serving his detention time, Julian was assigned to assist Piotr in his wood cutting.

  So the young telekinetic put on his coat, a very nice one at that. And joined, gibbing his hands covered in winter gloves, and a scarf Cessily had made for him. "Fuckin' snow. California wasn't so damn...cold." He said, trying to keep warm, shivering still as he approached Colossus. "Hey, Mister R. Let's get this shit done and grab some White Russians." A joke, get it?

Colossus has posed:
    A large gloved hand lifts to amplify Piotr's voice as he calls back, "I will have much help, for Julian is tasked with this as I am!" Perhaps the words are muffled a touch by the snow, but Celeste can feel the Russian's mind reaching out like the overly open and somewhat clumsy thing it is compared to the senses of any telepath such as her.
    And as he says that he turns to spare a smile to Julian's approach, giving him a good firm companionable nod as if to share the camaraderie. Though his blue eyes slip back to the slim figure of Celeste. When she draws near he says, "Come, I am showing your friend the proper way to chop wood for the winter. It is a very valuable skill."
    That said he reaches down and perhaps entirely too easily pulls the eight foot long tree and draaaws it out from under the rest of the wood. Only once it's set on the ground he looks up at the white sky far above them, then back down to Mr. Keller. "It will take however long it takes, my friend. I am afraid your first lesson shall be under such poor conditions." He spares a glance around and then shrugs.
    "Perhaps a good way to learn. For the next time you do this it will thus be even easier." That said he extends the axe toward Julian handle first.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "I will, ... observe, I don't think I have what it takes to do that." Celeste says with a faint kind of pout as she trudges through the snow and sees and hears the two burly men being burly, men. She shivers and brings her gloves up to cup before her face and breaths deeply into the mittens.

    The telepath watching intently and with her hair covered by the furlined parka hood over her delicate head. "Though, if you can't do it Julian, I would certainly like to give it a couple of tries, you know... just in case something happens and we crash in a plane over a desert island with only axes to fend ourselves with."

Hellion has posed:
     Julian gives a wave to Celeste back. He wasn't a fan of this weather. But he also had time to pay, so he got away enough to let Piotr lift the heavy tree. "Okay, so what? you just go all Jason Voorhees on it? Whack whack, chop chop?" He says, lifting the axe and resting it in his hands. "I could probably put a little TK in that and get it split easier?" He offers up, looking at the mountain of a man.

Colossus has posed:
    "Is a good skill to have, and it for the most part takes determination... not always the strongest arm, but the greatest focus. And time." Though she can almost feel the echo in his thoughts as he seems to murmur to himself. << Though a strong arm does not hurt. >>
    His eyebrows lift as he steps to the side to give Julian room and gestures with one hand slightly to perhaps urge Celeste to slip a little to the other side in case of wild swings. That done he turns his focus back toward the task at hand.
    "First, Julian. We are to be sectioning the tree. Cut it into lengths about... yea long." He spreads his hands roughly two to two and half feet long. "But you must eyeball it. If it seems there is a section that looks weaker..." He leans down and motions with one hand, "Such as here, where there is some damage, yes?"
    He rises back up to his considerable height and looks back to the students, "If you feel you have the facility with your powers, then da. They may aid you. But control is most important. To use too much power you can damage the tree too much. Or injure yourself. Or others." Celeste might feel a whisper of a memory there, just a small strand but it's gone before it can manifest fully.
    "So on your first swing, just take it easy, and get used to the axe."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "Jason Voorhees had a machette..." Celeste says somewhat quietly and then looks to Piotr and blinks a few times. He just picked up a tree... "Oh... yes... I do not want to get hurt." Celeste repeats something that was only mentally said. The telepath inches away and then puts her hands back up to her face and can't help but blink a few times slowly. "You both look quite strong." She says out of no where and then covers her mouth up with even more purpose. "Yes, control." Celeste repeats again. She's obviously the least comfortable of the sisters.

Hellion has posed:
     Julian's cobalt eyes look over the axe before he gives Celeste a 'Really?' look.

  The telekinetic looks to the tree and nods as Piotr shows him sections that need a bit more to cut. Once everyone is clear enough, Julian raises the axe and brings it down, lacking the finesse of someone who's done it before, but at least it isn't a wild madman swing. "Like that, right?"

  once Piotr is satisfied, Julian pulls the axe back out. "It's not like a three swing kinda thing..." The movies lied to him, Dangit!

Colossus has posed:
    A small smile is offered Celeste's way as Piotr folds his arms over his broad chest, shifting his stance to focus more on Julian in this moment. He watches with a calm gaze, gauging the youth, his grip, and his stance. A nod is given once and then Julian begins.
    And to be fair he does a good job of it. There is perhaps one moment where Piotr gets him to adjust his grip slightly, just a shifting of his hands to choke up during a difficult knot in the wood and to get him to aim his swing a little better. But all told it is clean and a good process.
    Once he gets the hang of it he sets the four sections of wood in its own little pile and then relieves Julian of the axe. Though he does pause to look over to Celeste, one eyebrow lifts and she can likely read that brief thought of concern. Is she too cold? Would she wish to take a swing with the axe? No of course she wouldn't. Instead he offers voice to, "I shall do the rest later, da? I think that is sufficient for tonight. The snow is becoming too much." And, to be fair, they have a good amount of firewood if needs be. Though for some reason Piotr's thoughts seem to flick toward there never truly being enough.
    "Shall we go inside?" He looks between the two of them and if there are no objections begins the walk. "You did the good job, Julian." And there's a rough thump thump thump on the youth's shoulder.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "We will need more wont we?" Celeste asks and then look from Julian towards Piotr, he seems to think there's not enough. No she can't turn it off, "But if you think we should go back, you're the teacher mister Rasputin." Celeste reports news that isn't news.

    "I could swing it a few times if Julian is tired already and we need more wood for the fireplaces."

Hellion has posed:
     Once the job is done, at least enough for Piotr for now. As Julian makes his way back in with the rest, the thump thump thumping makes him wince just a little, not expecting that level of force put into it. "Thanks Mister P." He says, at least for the serving of the detention he wasn't a jerk. He never really was during detention, what he did wasn't against Piotr or caused by Piotr.

  "So, about that White Russian..." Yup, some jokes never die.

Colossus has posed:
    She is perceptive, for there is a subtle touch of disquiet to Piotr. That feeling that one never knows how long the Winter may be, nor when the forest will not provide, nor when the snows might grow too high. But in the same breath his rational mind rails at himself. This is America. This is New York. This is not home. He is being foolish.
    So he turns to them both and smiles, "We have enough for now. Perhaps even for two weeks if the storm grows long. We are fine."
    And in his thoughts he does grow all the more certain. "No White Russians." The tall man smirks, rolling that 'R' a little.
    "Come, we shall go back, and one of you shall make me some cocoa while I take the axe to the tool shed, da? With that your punishment shall be complete for tonight, Julian."
    That said he continues to trudge through the freshly fallen snow, leaving a large stride of tracks behind him. He pulls open the door to the kitchen once they reach it and then holds it open for them. Once they're inside and dusting off he'll add, "I shall be right back." Not knowing that if this was a horror movie he has just condemned himself.
    Still, he walks off.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "Tell me about your home mister Rasputin. It sounds harsh." The telepath notes aloud before looking at Julian who might just be along for the ride but is also here and being helpful getting wood chopped for himself and the people in the school.

    Stepping into the Kitchen, Celeste starts to dust herself off but shakes her head and steps back outside before Piotr can shut the door, decided that she wants to follow him and learn where the axe is in person just in case there ever comes a time in her life when she might need to point it out to someone else.

Hellion has posed:
     Julian followed of course, then as Piotr gave a wink, he gave a chuckle. "Had to try."

  "I'll go for cocoa." He offers, then to Celeste. "Join me?" He asks, holding out an arm to her before she heads off with Piotr. To which, the telekinetic just gives a shrug, before his feet leave the ground. He was flying back to the mansion, to get this cocoa for himself and the others.

Colossus has posed:
    When Celeste slips back out the door and follows after, Piotr glances back and smiles a little, shaking his head just a touch as he does so. "My home?" He asks, and she'll see small flickers of memories, snippets, images. Parents, smiling. Illyana, so young. Their home, small and likely idealized in his thoughts. And, of course, the snow. The Winter.
    He gestures with one hand toward the growing snowfall as he walks. "It is much like this." Piotr says as he rests the axe upon his shoulder, walking around the side of the mansion to that toolshed that stands sentinel near the closed pool. "In some ways. This time of year, colder. Usually more snow." Then there's an image of a hearth and fireplace, the smell of something cooking in the stew pot there. "But also warmer in other ways."
    The door to the shed is pulled open and he steps inside. He tests the axe's edge with the meat of his thumb and hrms softly to himself. He will sharpen it later. But for now... he places it back upon the wall but only after sliding the leather sheath over the head of it.
    That done he moves back outside and walks along toward the kitchen's back door once again. "Perhaps some day you will travel, and visit the rodina."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "Maybe... I'm not so sure... We ... I kinda like the cold. The other's dont." Celeste half explains, it seems she's almost childlike at times, especially during one on one. All the girls do as they aren't exactly as old as they appear. "Maybe we shouldn't keep the axe in the shed where it could get frozen in?" Celeste asks after Piotr steps outside the shed and likely has locked it back up entirely. "Should we need it in an emergency, it would be nice to have in the mansion, no?" She's asking rather shallow and yet, there is some... deeper meaning laced within all of the Cuckoo's questions.

Colossus has posed:
    "You are perhaps right, Celeste." A small hesitation on her name, as if making sure he perhaps has the right one. But then he presses on as he pauses at the door, his blue eyes meeting her gaze levelly. "But here, it is less likely we shall have such dire need. Unless, of course, Bobby decides to play a trick on us and snow us in. But then we have other ways in dealing with that don't we?" He smiles wryly.
    That having been said he pulls the door open and allows her to precede him should she so wish, though he does pause long enough to smack his gloved hands upon his coat, trying to divest himself of some of the snow.
    "Now come, hopefully Julian has chosen the cocoa with the marshmallows, yes?"

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    Celeste nods with a shrug and then looks to Piotr's broad shoulders and she lets out a breath to watch the steam dissipate in the air.

    The telepath then reaches up with her own hands to copy Piotr and cleans herself off as best as she can, removing what snow she's able to and then with a hint of a frown she enters the mansion before Piotr and adds, "You'll be most disappointed, he did, but only in his own cup." Celeste frowns and then glances back over her shoulder at the large teacher, "I'll convince him to give it to you." Convince is likely not the correct word.

Hellion has posed:
     Julian had arranged three mugs, and Celeste was right, only one of them had marshmallows currently. The bag was set aside with the tiny ones, ready for people to add however many they want. The smell of chocolate was in the air, and the mansion's heat invited all those to enter.

  He had removed his coat, dressed in a short sleeve button down. His mug was already in his hand as he blew on top to cool it a little. "Oh hey." He said, looking at the two as they enter the kitchen. "I made cocoa, detention served."

Colossus has posed:
    A small exhale comes from him, not quite a chuckle though when she suggests convincing Julian to relinquish his marshmallows he shakes his head and holds up a hand toward her, "No. It is fine. After all, we can always add our own marshmallows." That said once inside and with the door closed he starts to take off his Winter clothes. First the gloves, tucked into the pockets of the coat, then the pea coat is unbuttoned and pulled off, given a good shake as he hooks it up on the large rack of jackets.
    Before he leaves the mud area he stomps out his boots and brushes his hands over his jeans, trying to get as much of the melting snow off of himself before tracking it all over the floor. That done, however, he moves into the room.
    "Thank you, Julian." He says as he accepts the mug of cocoa and moves to take a seat at the kitchen island. "So now it is your turns. Tell me what you have been up to and have you not plans for this Friday?" He smiles at Hellion, "Well, other than detention, which is now officially over."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "My only plan is... Sophie's at work with misses Storm-Richards, So Irma is in the city too..." Celeste says as she drops the hood of her parka and cleans off very similarly to Piotr, seems like she's mimicing him for how to do things in the cold. Dusting herself off, stuffing the mittens into the pockets of her heavy padded thermal parka and then stomping her boots and patting her pants. That's how these girls have always learned is mimicry to adapt and survive. "Me and Esme and Phoebe are here, not doing a whole lot." Celeste sighs softly as she picks up the mug and forgoes the marshmallows, for now.

Hellion has posed:
     Julian is seated at the kitchen island, on a barstool. He sips from his mug and shrugs. "Too cold to go out to the city and go -" Quick, think! "see one of the bands out there." He sips again, before lowering the mug and resting it on the counter. "So I guess I'll challenge some of the guys to beat my high score on the Lexbox."

  "That or see a movie or something. Maybe go to the mall." His choices of activities are mundane when he's talking about them in front of a teacher.

Colossus has posed:
    Piotr indulges in a liberal amount of marshmallows, even going so far as to pop some into his mouth without the benefit of cocoa. He chews for a time and then takes up a spoon from the drawer nearby, stirring his mug and then setting the spoon aside. With both hands he'll hold it and Celeste might sense that feeling of contentment as he enjoys the warmth of the mug through is cold fingers.
    Once Celeste finishes speaking he nods a few times then quirks an eyebrow toward Julian as he listens to the young man. "All good things to do on a Friday." Piotr nods again as he looks back and forth between them. A ghost of a thought flits through his mind as he thinks back to when he was the student and finding it so awkward to speak to a teacher.
    'Was it truly so long ago?'
    He shakes his head and grins then takes a sip of his cocoa. "I had thoughts of going into the city. But there is something to be said to staying indoors and warm on a night such as this."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "I'm going to go off and find the other two... maybe go watch a -" Distinct pause as she scans for similiar young women minds. "Watch a life time movie." She responds robotically.

    With that Celeste lifts her mug to each man in turn and smiles to them before turning towards the doorway and slipping out into the halls.

Hellion has posed:
     Julian raises his mug to Celeste as she heads out. "Later Celeste, have fun." He comments before drinking again from the sweet chocolatey goodness. "What about you, Mister Rasputin? What do you do on a Friday night?" He asks, making some small talk. "I mean, there can't be more delinquents serving detentions tonight, right?" Yup, he owned the term. "You all just kinda...disappear at night, except when you watch the dorms."

Colossus has posed:
    "I had originally thought to climb to the roof and see what of the landscape I could capture." Most likely perhaps sketching a bit. "Though I should sleep soon as I have an early day tomorrow." He sips delicately at his cocoa and slurps down a marshmallow. Blue eyes distance thoughtfully before he looks back toward the other young mutant.
    "I am working part-time at Nevinsky's Gym. A good excuse to be out and about and to meet new people." He nods at that as if perhaps trying to rationalize it to himself. Though likely this was not the answer Julian was seeking.
    "Thank you for the cocoa, Julian. I think I shall go do some laundry." Man, laundry on a Friday. Adults are dull.