11631/Training observation

Training observation
Date of Scene:	15 June 2020
Location:	Danger Room - X-Men Base
Synopsis:	James and Shannon took some time to train and visit.
Cast of Characters:	Warpath, Nightingale

---

Warpath has posed:
     Late nights and early mornings are the only times of day that James might find time to himself. The Danger Room is cranking out all sorts of problems for him, but he seems to be enjoying the issue. Maybe that mess the night prior has him in a less happy mood than usual?

     Though he can be a monster unarmed, currently there is a flash of metal in each hand and he is using his knives in the ways he might have enjoyed dealing with the anti-mutant crowd. Probably not the best frame of mind considering where he lives, but everyone has their ways. Currently his way is shreadding enemies to ribbons in the simulator.

Nightingale has posed:
     Late nights or the wee hours of the morning were often the best times to find a little bit of time to one's self in the Danger Room. Shannon had a few aerial obstacle courses she liked loading up from time to time, something that was a wonderful anodyne for many things by dint of it being something that required one's full concentration to avoid a nasty egg on the head. And sometimes, it was just a way to blow off steam for lack of much else to keep one's focus on. Perhaps she ought to see about taking some summer courses, the young healer mused to herself, and maybe even graduate a tiny bit sooner for it.

     However, when she made her way to the Danger Room, she found it already occupied. Having been down here with Logan training at his level, she knew better than to interfere, simply plastering herself against one wall and staying out of the way, observing silently for now.

Warpath has posed:
     The longer the session goes, the more dangerous Warpath becomes. It is almost like he gets a second wind multiple times. The knives flash, the occasional kick, and one of the opponents gets his forehead in the nose. The training session buzzes finally, maybe mercifully for the 'bad guys'. He takes a deep breath and exhales loudly. The knives find their way back in their scabbards and he starts towards the nearest control panel to assess the damage he's done this time.

Nightingale has posed:
     Ooof. Shannon merely raises her eyebrows as she assesses the damage done by Warpath for herself. Were those real bodies on the floor, most if not all of them would be beyond her gifts right now. A low, soft whistle escapes her, and she pushes herself away from the wall to glance over the gentleman himself. Safeties or not, the Danger Room was very aptly named, as she knew all too well. "You okay?"

Warpath has posed:
     He glances towards you and grunts once. There is a nod and he comments,"That one caught me when I wasn't looking." he grumbles. That one looks like it might have been tied into a knot and thrown at the wall. Clearly he doesn't like to be caught with his guard down.

     Once he's finished the assessment he looks back towards you,"I'll get the room reset for you in a minute." He looks over the simulation again and scowls deeply. Apparently he doesn't like his own handiwork.

Nightingale has posed:
     The younger woman shakes her head and smiles faintly. "It's okay, I should've figured there'd be someone down here already. It's nothing that can't wait for morning." At least Mr. Proudstar himself seemed unharmed. Good. Looking about at his handiwork, she purses her lips, crossing her arms over her chest. "What would you have done differently, if you could?" Even this could be a learning experience, she figured.

Warpath has posed:
     He starts to change the parameters in the control. The room fades to the empty Danger Room once more. He shakes his head and tells you,"It was a simple left instead of right and I didn't trust my hearing like I should have." he explains.

     "A warrior needs to rely on all fives senses as well as the training and instincts that are honed in battle." he explains,"You have to be wary of getting tunnel vision in the heat of the battle. Even the most experienced will fall to it once in a while."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Then I think it's safe to say I'm no warrior, not yet." Shannon's smile is a wry, self-deprecating one. "Or even a very good healer. That's no way to keep myself and others alive out there." True, she'd succeeded so far, but blind luck would only last for so long--and she knew it.

Warpath has posed:
     "It isn't something you are going to just wake up and become." James replies seriously,"It takes practice, dedication, and time. None of this comes over night. Not for me. Not for Logan. None of us."

     Once he is satisfied everything is as it should be with the room he looks towards you again,"You learn by doing. As long as you have a teacher it will come with time." he continues,"Just be patient and learn every lesson."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just grins ever so slightly, her cheeks darkening by a shade or two. "I know it's nothing that'll happen overnight, if it does at all." Ever harder on herself than anybody else could be, she'll likely forever call into question her own gifts. "I try. It's not easy but I try."

Warpath has posed:
     "If it was easy, anyone could do it." James replies to that sentiment,"Someone told me once it doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down it is how many times you get back up." He shakes his head and indicates the training control,"Nothing I could devise myself of course. The controls are ready for you to input."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Just like somebody told me you have to find a way to keep on going," Shannon replies, nodding slowly. "Or that mistakes we make could be a little bit worse than tripping over your own shoelaces, but we're here to pick each other back up again." Heading to the controls, the winged teen calls up one of her more complicated aerial obstacle courses, one that would require strict concentration if she was to make the hairpin turns and make it through each ring without knocking herself on the head.

     "Who told you that, out of curiosity? The part about getting back up, I mean."

Warpath has posed:
     He looks at the course that you set up. He raises a brow at it, but it's not for him to judge one way or another. Everyone has their way of training. He considers for a long time on the question and finally he admits,"Grandfather." he finally replies and doesn't seem too intrested in going any deeper into that subject.

Nightingale has posed:
     "He sounds like he was a very wise man," Shannon replies, her voice gone soft, barely above a whisper. Somehow, she sensed this was among those things that had the tall man silent and pensive the day of graduation. She reaches up to briefly rest her hand on his shoulder with a nod of understanding, before stepping back and taking to the air, heading for the beginning of her obstacle course.

Warpath has posed:
There is a nod when she touches his shoulder, but doesn't comment. Everyone has a day here and there. He opts to step back and lean on the wall as she takes off into the air and begins the course. Teachers and trainers are never not assessing what potential students might be doing. Sometimes it is easier to do such things without a group of people present.

Nightingale has posed:
     The smile on Shannon's face as she passes through the first set of rings tells the tale of a being in their element, someone taking joy in the gift of flight. It's not showing off, there is no glint of pride in her eyes. It's just pure and simple happiness, for at least one moment in time. Each ring passed changes color, with green being a perfect flight through, yellow indicating room for improvement, and red indicating missed or botched.

     So far, the majority of the rings seem to be turning green as she passes through them. However, some quick altitude changes and hairpin turns do leave one or two in the yellow. But there was no time to concentrate on failure, only time to think of how to keep going.

Warpath has posed:
     His eyes follow the flight, carefully studying your reaction times and the colors of the rings. He nods as your movements seem to impress him with each stage of the training. Of course, the nod is about all she gets. It's not like he smiles much and would it be a comfortable expression for anyone to look at?

Nightingale has posed:
     Even as familiar as Shannon is with this course, there are still a few spots where there are more red rings than there ought to be. Those seem to be mostly lower-altitude flight, and particularly sharp turns. She grumbles as she smacks right into one of the lower rings, which sends her to the ground, rolling and skidding to a stop. "Son of a beach ball!"

Warpath has posed:
     Was there a smirk just now? Not for the hurt really, probably for the expression. He shakes his head and starts to walk over to check on your well being when you crash again.

     "Anything broken? Anything bruised besides pride?" he asks and kneels to assess your general well being to see if there is anything obviously wrong by looking, not touching you yet.

Nightingale has posed:
     Rolling her shoulders slightly, twisting about, and shifting her legs, Shannon shakes her head. Too, she spreads out her wings slowly, finding they still move easily and without pain. Nothing seems outwardly out of place--just a good bruise to her pride. "Thankfully no. That part of the course will usually nail me if anything does."

Warpath has posed:
     He stands back off and offers a hand to you to help you up again. His hand about the size of some people's head, but he wait patiently to help you back up again,"Bruised pride and ego both heal fast enough." he comments.

Nightingale has posed:
     Grinning a little bit sheepishly, Shannon accepts the hand up, dusting herself off. "True. And in my case, so do bruises." Glancing back at the course, she grimaces, shaking her head. "More red in there today than I'd like. I'll have to keep working on it."

Warpath has posed:
     Once you are on your feet again he turns his eyes towards the course. The tactical analyst goes to work instantly. He looks at the rings as a whole, then the ones that are green, and lastly the ones that remain red. His eyes move from the beginning and runs it through again and his voice rumbles,"You're anticipating the ones that cause you touble. Trying to respond to them too quickly and losing your focus."

     He looks back at you and continues,"You know the course. You know the ones that will cause you touble. You anticipate them causing the problems. The problems occur. You have to get it out of your head." he instructs.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Got any ideas how I can do that?" Shannon runs her fingers through her hair, considering the wisdom he is offering. "Out in the field, it's not so bad. That is, if the chance ever comes again." Something in her tone bespeaks strong doubt of those chances--at least, for a while yet. "How do you keep from getting caught up inside your own head?"

Warpath has posed:
     There is a deep grunt and Jimmy turns to walk to the control room. A few switches and an enter key. The Danger Room becomes a desert, an Apache village not far away. Near where you are standing a roaring fire warms you against the cool night desert air.

     He comes back down to where you are standing and he points to the ground,"Sit." he comments. He settles and crosses his legs in the typical "Indian style" For a big guy that is impressive to say the least. Perfect balance to settle there.

Nightingale has posed:
     A little surprised by the change in scenery, Shannon nods, simply doing as she is bid. She also sits down by the fire, cross-legged, smiling a little as she relishes the warmth of the roaring blaze against the sudden chill of night. For a moment, it brings back memories of simpler times--and of her metamorphosis. Mist lingers at the edges of her eyes, but none falls.

     What could Mr. Proudstar be getting at? No doubt she would see soon enough.

Warpath has posed:
     He settles and watches you over the fire,"You are seeking a chance to control what you cannot." he comments softly and stares into the fire,"To start I want you to focus on the flames, watching them leap and move. See the plasma of it. Study the lack of predictability." He settles into teacher mode pretty easily.

Nightingale has posed:
     Nodding, the winged teen settles in for what could possibly be a long lesson. The flames flicker and leap, dancing a dance as old as time, when mankind first began to gather together for protection in caves, and only the blazing light of a fire to protect them. Gradually, as she lets the firedance lull her mind, her wings began to relax, spreading out and almost drooping. But for now, she remains silent.

Warpath has posed:
     True enough, they sit still and quiet for a while, at least twenty minutes. Somebody that size should not be comfortable sitting this way for so long, but he doesn't indicate anything bothering him.

     After a time his voice quietly intrudes on the peace again,"The fire doesn't does let anything tell it where to go. It has to be destroyed or it consumes. In time water will go where it chooses, though that can take years. Neither are exhibiting will or even nature. They just are. They move."

     He is quiet again for a time and then he starts again,"You need to be able to let yourself ease away from of the control. You can't be uncontrollable, but if you are too tight or tense, you will always second guess yourself and make the same mistake again.

Nightingale has posed:
     "If you enclose a fire, control it too tightly... it burns to nothing. It dies. But if you don't control it at all, it can destroy immense areas at once, from a single tiny spark." There's a calm seldom heard in the young woman's voice, tension too oft tying her up in knots. But right now, it almost seems as if a good, strong breeze might knock her over. "Where's the middle ground, like this fire?"

Warpath has posed:
     He settles his hands on the ground and replies,"Feel the earth as it were." he instructs softly. There is no arguement about what you say, he lets you have your say and it might be he agrees with you, but for now he doesn't comment,"What do you need to have a fire?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "Fuel, sufficient air and space to burn, and a spark to light the flames." Shannon rests her hands on the earth, as it were. It might be the danger room, but sometimes the best lessons it could teach, were not always the most dangerous ones. There was a little smile that widened further on her face as she settled into the lesson, listening, trying to tease out the crux of Warpath's teachings.

Warpath has posed:
     A slow nod and he looks at the fire again,"If you take any of those away and the fire dies. You are right." he explains,"The earth remains stable under the fire. The heat reaches down, but not out as much. The earth is where you center yourself. The fire builds up and out from there."

Nightingale has posed:
     Now it is Shannon's turn for silence. Whether Warpath realized it or not, he was giving the young healer a lot of food for thought. "I don't know if Mr. Summers or Miss Grey realize this," she begins. "But it meant a lot that they called me in to that training session a few weeks ago with all of you, even though I'm just a student. For once, someone wasn't saying, 'What an awful gift she has', or pitying me for the way it usually winds up working. They actually believed I could handle it, and I did. God only knows when or even if another chance like that will ever come again. But it meant a lot when it did." Now the mist in her eyes does spill its banks, twin crystalline droplets trickling down her face.

     "Even when they tried pairing me up with Alice... okay, I definitely didn't do so well on that one, but the next one will turn out better. We've just got to train together a little more, each of us getting to know how the other works. But, they still thought I could do it. Do they even know how much that means?"

Warpath has posed:
     The quiet is easy for him. He lives for ir most would say. Watching her eyes as she starts to talk he lets her have time to get everything out. The X-Men is a big goal for most mutants,"It is good to appreciate the opportunities when they arise." he comments finally.

     "As for Scott and Jean I cannot speak for them." he continues,"They are inciteful so I believe they understand." A nod and he adds,"Yes. The way to get better is to work together with those that don't usually mesh well with you. Practice builds teams."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Been training harder ever since. If that chance ever comes again, I want them to be able to depend on me. Even if I'm just a student." A soft little sigh escapes Shannon, and she shifts about on the ground, now hugging her knees to her chest, and resting her chin upon them as she looks into the flames. "I know it'll be seldom, at least for a while yet. They've still got their job to do looking out for us students. But it felt damn good."

     Thinking on the training with Alice, she goes silent for a little while. "I think of how Alice was during that training run, I see her now where I was a year ago. Wanting to try, but not real sure of how, or where to fit in. How can I help her?"

Warpath has posed:
     "I want you to consider this." he comments finally,"From Sunday evening until Friday night I want you to focus on your studies and training." he starts,"When Friday night I want you to walk away from it. Enjoy two nights..." he raises a brow slightly,"...within reason of course."

     The training with Alice gets a nod,"You build each other up to make each other stonger. For her, you need to learn what her strengths are and what her weaknesses are." He considers and adds,"How would you assess teaming with me. My strengths and weaknesses and how to bring your strengths to help?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "For one, you have a lot more experience than I do. Both you and Logan handle direct attacks very well. You've got the strength, speed, and skill for it, plus the experience and training to know when to strike, and when it's better to wait." Shannon tilts her head, thinking of this. "I have yet to see you go berserk, and I'm not certain how much emotions of the moment might play into matters for you. Though on the outside, you've always seemed very calm, even in the thick of things."

     Extending her wings, and spreading them out wide, she just seems to enjoy stretching them out for a moment. "I haven't worked with you enough to assess weaknesses well, or to understand the full breadth of your gifts. That'll take time. But one advantage I do have that you don't is flight. The times I've been out in the field has most often been as eyes in the sky. And that's fine, that's still a very good way to help."

Warpath has posed:
     "A good assessment to start." he replies to your answer. Drawing a shape in the sand absently,"You are right. I have the strength and durability. Speed as well. Your flight is an instant advantage I don't have." Whatever he is drawing he wipes off the ground.

     "You have something else I do not." he comments,"You are very in tune with emotional connections. I am not. You have a knack for reading a crowd in a way I don't. Most everything I do is more tactical in nature and less about the emotional aspect."

Nightingale has posed:
     At that, Shannon just looks right at Warpath, dumbfounded. "I'm not so sure you're entirely disconnected from the emotional aspect of things," she says. "I mean, look at how we're talking right here. That takes an ability to connect with others you say that I have. Maybe you have it a bit yourself."

Warpath has posed:
     He shakes his head and tells you,"I'm teaching you. That is different." The night sky is very clear and he watches the stars for a moment,"I miss the desert nights sometimes. This doesn't quite do it justice."

     He shakes it off and looks back at you again,"That's why it is easy for me to talk to you right now. Teaching is different. It's part of the job." he explains. His eyes study you for a long time,"The difference being, you're tuned into far better than I am."

Nightingale has posed:
     "But saying I'm tuned into it a bit better also implies you have it to some degree, even if it's a bit different." Was that a twinkle of mirth in those pale azure eyes? No, surely it must be a trick of the light from the fire.

     Shannon looks about at the desert scene, the stark, wild beauty of it, and can't help a smile. "This is the closest I've ever been to the desert. But even this is beautiful. It's like me and the ocean. I grew up not far from the water, and when things changed, it made it harder to get out to the ocean."

     Something seems to give her pause for thought, and she looks back into the fire, letting the shadows and flickering light play across her more youthful features. "I've noticed that the past couple times there's been trips to bring new students here, I've been along for it. There was Jeremy, of course, and most recently a trip with Mr. Summers and Sam down to Louisiana for a young gentleman named Ted Gammage." Pause. "Is that ability to connect part of why?"

Warpath has posed:
     "You are more adept yes." he agrees,"My abities dicatate the things I am better at communicating with others." he continues. He looks over the desert again and nods,"It is close, but not quite. Maybe the next time I go to the desert I will talk to Jean about taking you and a few of the others with me."

     He considers the question for a long moment before he finally nods,"I would suggest it is one part how easy you are getting to know people yes. It would be another part you are a pretty young woman and that goes a long way towards making sure the male potential students are at ease. The female students see a girl their age trying to find her way and look to you to help them get settled."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon blinks, and peers over at Warpath for a moment. "I don't recall a lot of the girls wanting me to help them get settled. There was Gwendolyn, sure, but not a whole lot of others. Andrea pretty much did her own thing, but she has a big career in music on her plate, too. There were times I butted heads with her when she first got here. And that was almost literally a couple times. Then there were times we almost got along. But she was the one other girls would turn to."

     Shrugging, she chuckles a little bit, running her fingers through her feathers to smooth them out. "Who knows, maybe as time goes on, things will change. And... a trip out into the desert? That actually sounds pretty awesome. Count me in if it happens!"

Warpath has posed:
     "Well. I am not an expert on the behavior of teenage girls." he admits,"Still, the general premise stands. He takes people with him that are similar in age. A breaking in sort of thing."

     There is a nod and he replies,"If I can arrange it you are on the top of the list for people to go." He closes his eyes and breathes in slowly. It is a nice night air, even if it is a fake desert air.

Nightingale has posed:
     Chuckling softly, Shannon ruffles her wings. "I /am/ a teenage girl, and I'm no expert. Honestly, the horses in the barn make more sense sometimes." The prospect of a field trip does seem to lift the young woman's spirits a bit. "Thank you," she replies, also taking in a deep breath herself. Sometimes, all that was needed was a little rambling to begin to untangle a seemingly impossible knot

Warpath has posed:
     "I suspect there are no experts on teenage girls. Just those who get paid a great deal to claim they are." he comments with a shake of his head. Another deep breath and he comments,"Yes. The horses are a good distraction.

     A shake of his head and he adds,"If you do go with me, there will be learning. I don't take students out without some purpose behind it." He understands the need to ramble and so for the most part he lets her have her rambling. Sometimes you have to get out of your own head space.

Nightingale has posed:
     "I have yet to see most anything done here without some purpose behind it. Even if it takes a while to figure out what that purpose is." Shannon shrugs, and smiles somewhat. "And there's learning in just about anything if you look at it from the right perspective. It doesn't end after school."

Warpath has posed:
     He snorts softly and shakes his head,"It never ends Shannon. There is learning in every corner of life." he replies. He waves around the Danger Room,"You are learning right now, just not in the way you expect in this setting."
     He watches the fire again for a time,"Like the fire, everything has a purpose and a pattern. Even the fire has a pattern in the lack of its pattern." he continues. Sometimes he spends too much time teaching.

Nightingale has posed:
     Chuckling softly, Shannon nods. "I figured that," she replies. "It's not always life-or-death in here, in the Danger Room. Second time I was in here, I snuck in on my own. Wasn't a New Mutant at the time, so I could've gotten in a lot of trouble. Herr Wagner was in here running one of his circus simulations, and so was Lorna. It was the first time I met him. Tried to hide out in the crowd, but he'd have none of it. I got pulled into joining in the fun with him. But there was plenty of learning, even in the fun."

Warpath has posed:
     There is another smirk at the thought of Shannon getting caught in the circus with Nightcrawler. The fire continues to burn and he enjoys the feel of the heat and cold at once,"Kurt can be a character." he agrees,"I suspect he had a great deal of fun at your expense."

     "I haven't seen Lorna since..." he pauses and considers,"....it's been a long time." he comments finally. Taking a deep breath, he exhales slowly,"Have you managed to learn anything tonight?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "Actually, he didn't have fun /at/ me. It was fun /with/ me. Once I got past the embarrassment of being caught out, it was a lot of fun. I've often wished something like that could happen again." She cracks a smile, chuckling softly. "He's definitely a very deep individual. He's got his quiet moments, but rarely have I ever met anyone with such a zest for life. Perhaps that was one of the biggest lessons that day. Be proud of who and what you are, and never forget life is for living."

     She tilts her head, hearing the hesitance in Warpath's voice about Lorna. Shaking her head, she shrugs slightly. "I haven't seen her since her coronation. It... got a little messy."

     The question put to Shannon has her thinking, and she is silent for several long moments. While she's considering an answer, she reaches for a stick with which to poke and stir the fire a bit, watching the sparks rise into the night, the coals shimmering and the flames dancing their timeless dance. "I know I have," she begins. "But I'm not sure how to put it into words."

Warpath has posed:
     There is a smile that is hard to miss. Not just a smirk, a genuine smile at the thought of you and Kurt in the circus a little longer,"A man of God despite the appearance of a demon. I have known no kinder heart or free spirit."

     There is a wince at the mention of her coronation and he shakes his head,"We all make mistakes in life Shannon. I will always watch over one that most here would object to, but she helped me at a time when nobody else could." At least he doesn't mention who. Watching the fire sparks for a time as well.

     "The lessons you learned tonight will come to you later." he assures you,"Some of them will come to you at times when you need it the most, while others will just dawn on you like the break of day."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon's eyebrows loft, and she just looks right at Warpath. "Why would anybody object to Lorna? She's about as kind-hearted as they come. Yes, I know who her father is. Yes, I've met him too, and learned to... respect him. But if they object to her, then they're missing out." And with that, she nods emphatically, her opinion expressed with no uncertainty whatsoever.

     Her smile echoes his own, and she nods slowly. "Appearances count for little. I wish Herr Wagner had not stepped back from being a teacher, but I'm glad he's still here. He's a true joy."

     She smiles even more and cants her head, looking back to the fire and poking at the coals again, just to watch the sparks fly like a swarm of fireflies. "Regardless of when the lessons find voice, one thing is for certain. They won't leave me. Ever." She turns back to look up at Warpath, reaching over to touch his hand gently. "Thank you for that."

Warpath has posed:
     "I agree. I recall those in the past that were hesitant about her." he admits with a shrug,"As for Kurt. He is a teacher every day even if he isn't in front of a class room. An example of one who endures everything and still has a heart and a smile for anyone. I've never met a soul as pure as that one."

     A quick flash of surprise when she reaches out to touch his hand, but he doesn't pull away at least. He considers the touch and then looks back at her,"It's my job. Try to teach you what the past was and how to face the future with hopes of surviving and thriving."

Nightingale has posed:
     "And one day it'll be my job as well." There wasn't the slighest hint of doubt in the winged teen's voice. "Though really, we're all both students and teachers, regardless of our titles." Smiling, she draws her hand back, a new respect for Warpath etched in her features. Yes, he might be a teacher, but in that moment, she could easily see him also as a friend.

Warpath has posed:
     "You students teach the faculty as much as we teach you." he comments. When she withdraws her hand he seems to ease a little. It wasn't a bad thing, just surprised the student touched him is all,"Now I think you've let me take up enough of your time. Get some rest. I will see you in the morning."

Nightingale has posed:
     "The time wasn't taken up. It was freely given." Smiling, Shannon gets to her feet, brushing off the legs of her 'bees, freeing them of imaginary holographic sand and dirt. She pauses as she's just about to head out the Danger Room door, turning to glance back at Warpath.

     "I'd like to think 'friends' is in there somewhere, among things like students, teachers, and everything else." With that, she slips out the door, with a lot of food for thought for quite some time to come.