11938/Hair cut and shrink...ish

Hair cut and shrink...ish
Date of Scene:	06 August 2020
Location:	James' Room (North Halls), Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Emma came by to cut Jimmy's hair. They had some enlightening conversation along the way.
Cast of Characters:	Warpath, Emma Frost

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Warpath has posed:
     As she had noticed before, Jimmy was in need of a hair cut and there weren't many that would be doing it. Once the classes are over he returns ot his room and invites her to join him once she is able.

     A chair is set up for the job, but for the moment he is sitting towards the fireplace and in a meditation. He does that a lot of late and it makes it easier for him to deal with some things, like morons in a museum trying to steal things in a large premiere.

Emma Frost has posed:
The light brush of her mind across his is non-intrusive, just enough to let him know that she's on her way. The tap at the door is polite and she waits for him to acknowledge and allow her entry before she opens it to step into his private quarters. As usual, she is elegantly tidy and calm. But the smile she offers him is a softer one than she gives most. Holding up the scissors she always kept on hand to do this kind of thing, she murmurs, "All set?"

It's not simply a question of whether he's ready at this time... there's also the undercurrent to the question of whether he's certain he's ready to allow the familiarity. They have, after all, been apart for a time.

Warpath has posed:
     When she touches his mind he gets up from the meditation to be ready for her arrival. Opening the door and motions her inside and shuts the door behind her. He returns the smile she offers,"All set." he agrees.

     He senses a little bit of anxiety between them even without the telepathy she has,"Thank you for coming to do it. It's been too long." He walks over to the chair and takes the tank top off to keep hair from getting into it.

Emma Frost has posed:
She moves toward the chair he has set up with him. "It's been a long time," Emma agrees. "And despite the way we have disagreed..." She pauses, taking the scissors out of their cover and looking down at them as she finishes, "I find myself gratified by the honor."

Clearing her throat, she shakes off the uncertainty and says, "You seem upset. If you'd like to tell me what happened while I do this, I promise not to take too much this time." Her grin is a little cheeky -- she did one time take too much. It was a long time ago.

Warpath has posed:
     He nods,"It has been a long time. I am glad you are here to do it. Trying to do it myself." He indicates his head,"Well, you see." Settling into chair he tells you softly,"What I tell you stays between us. No Scott or Jean. Anyone else either."

     He shows his trust in you very simply because he doesn't ask you, just sets the parameter for that part of the conversation like the two of you have done. Trust as clear as ever in that way,"I went with Shannon to a museum a few nights ago. It was intersting to some I suppose. There was food and that's really all I found terribly interesting. Until a group of....radical cult acting sorts crashed the party."

Emma Frost has posed:
When he says aloud that something stays between them, Emma's chin comes up and her blue eyes level on him with all the ferocity he's used to seeing in her. Because OF COURSE it stays between them. But it concerns her slightly that he feels it necessary to say so.

While he speaks, she picks up the comb to smooth his hair for trimming. The comment on the food makes her huff out a soft laugh. But her gaze flickers slightly at the 'cult'. "What happened?" she queries mildly, her scissors beginning their snipping.

Warpath has posed:
     "Before we we get to that let's clear something." he comments and reaches up to put his hand on yours for a moment. Those fierce eyes meet his easily even sitting,"I trust you. More than anyone in this place. Understand? Friction in the past is the past. I from this point on we're the way we've ever been. OK? We're back to the old days. Though probably the old days I might not have taken your hand just now." His hand on yours might be a little different of him, but years change a person.

     He takes his hand from yours and settles for you two work on the hair,"They were looking for some of the artifacts. They tried to steal them. Of course, the fight was on. I'm responsible for Shannon...I swear that girl needs another code name. Trouble follows her. So when I couldn't get her out...the fight was on." He's not going to make it an easy tale is he?

Emma Frost has posed:
SHe halts all movement as he does that, looking ... not startled, but paying very close attention to him. Emma's expression eases and she smiles, slipping her hand from his as he releases her and stroking his cheek lightly. "You probably wouldn't have, but I think I could get to like it," she tells him. He's always been her favorite.

As she goes back to cutting, her eyes on his hair while she listens, Emma considers the information he's offering. She bites back a few words regarding Shannon's propensity for attracting trouble, merely shaking her head. "Of course it was." Her tone asks, 'and then what?'

Warpath has posed:
     He listens to her response and smiles a little, not that she sees right off when she mentions possibly getting to like it. She knows him well enough to know when his trigger will snap,"The fight was fairly short despite the numbers and there were other powered parties there too. Some I don't recognize, not mutant or meta that I could recognize, mystical connections."

     "One of them got a little too close and I used a blade to turn his attack. I had a clean shot to his stomach and I wanted to." he tells you finally,"Temptation. My blood was screaming for it. At the last possible second I changed the angle and shatter his jaw and other points on his face."

Emma Frost has posed:
The only sound for a few long moments is the sussuration of the scissors while Emma considers the situation. "I suppose as an X-Person, I should be lecturing you about shattering bones," Emma finally says. "I am less concerned about that, however, than I am about the fact that you had to struggle so hard. You are very rarely out of control, James -- what was it about this one that pushed you to the point that the temptation was that strong?"

She is and always will be far more concerned with him being able to live up to his own expectations than she is about what was actually done in the end. He walked away -- that's the important part, so far as Emma is concerned.

Warpath has posed:
     He shrugs a little since shaking his head is a bad idea,"I had a run in with him again. Right before I came back." he comments softly. She would know that "him" is the one that slaughtered his entire tribe and family,"He just slipped out of my reach. Dr. Martynec. I've been fuming since."

     That might seem funny to some. Jimmy doesn't show much of anything by way of emotion infront of anyone, let alone stay mad,"I believe that was why I wanted to kill him. Illogical as it sounds."

     He does catch the comment from before after he answers the second question,"Oh they will probably be beside themselves if they ever found out, but I don't think Shannon noticed before badly injured herself. I think that might have had something to two with it. Two got away because I smelled her blood in the air and I found myself more concerned about that than catching the ones on the run.

Emma Frost has posed:
Ah. Yeah, that is guaranteed to set James off on a fiery wave of retribution. "It doesn't sound illogical at all," Emma refutes quietly as she continues her work. Her free hand, the one holding his hair, is also stroking through the strands as she cuts. The action is unconscious on her part, soothing his anger. "Those kind of hurts do not simply vanish. They are wounds always waiting to be scraped raw again. It is actually a promising sign that Shannon's injury pulled you away from the desire to kill. It means that your ties here are strong enough to ground you in the here and now." Instead of stewing on the past.

As she trims locks of hair, she continues softly, "Revenge versus justice, James. You want both, but the one you can live with is the latter. And neither is worth the life of a teammate."

Maybe it's strange to hear those words coming from *her*, of all people. She wasn't quite as good about teaching that idea when he was younger, but ... everyone changes. Grows.

Warpath has posed:
     "I've taken to that one. Had it been anyone other than you or Shannon I don't know that would have stopped." he considers that and shakes his head,"I would have, but it helped to change the focus easier." He takes a deep breath and exhales again, agitation of the situation gone away.

     "You're right. Vengance isn't the way." He smiles a little bit and when you aren't cutting he turns to look back towards you,"How the times have changed us both." he muses,"We're mellowing with age." He laughs softly and settles his head back forward again.

Emma Frost has posed:
"Perhaps some," Emma acknowledges. Although... "Perhaps not as much as Summers would like." The other day's meeting still amuses her. She meets his eyes and the half-smile curling her mouth is rueful. When he turns back, she resumes her movements.

"I prefer to think of it as working smarter not harder. Why sweat and fuss about it all when karma is certain at some point to bring them right back around in front of you when they're least expecting it. Cold justice can be excruciatingly enjoyable." She might be teasing. ALthough it's hard to tell.

Warpath has posed:
     There is a long, easy quiet between them for a while as you continue to cut the hair. He knows she's still Emma in there and some part of her can be switched to similar thoughts that he had a few nights ago,"They both enjoy sitting on their high horse at times, but I think Jean is....so different than the one we met before."

     He is quiet again and says simply,"What would you need to be able to reach out and find him?" He knows she is a powerful telpath, but there are limits. Her sense in his mind can feel how much he'd like to put this situation to bed and not dwell on that part. She can also sense that cold justice sounds appealing to say the least.

Emma Frost has posed:
It's the first time he's ever asked her that. And Emma takes her time to finish the last few snips, stroking his long hair thoughtfully. She was true to her word, only taking an inch and a half off the bottom for him.

"The first thing would be merely to scan your mind and get his image into the computers. Somewhere, someone has information on his identity," she says finally. "If we can ascertain that, locating him won't be difficult. There will be friends, acquaintances, old lovers whose knowledge of him will allow me to reach for him and find him." Her tone is cool -- she will do it if he wishes. They killed his whole family. "It is *possible* that with the use of Cerebro and enough time I could locate him that way. But I think the more mundane method of identifying and then simply taking the knowledge we need would potentially be faster."

Warpath has posed:
     He nods when you finish with the hair cut, but still stays in the chair for a moment. Finally he sighs and admits,"You are probably right. Maybe I will have another leave soon enough and start the chase again." He turns to look back at you,"Besides I can't imagine plugging into that computer and have that running through your brain. I'm not sure how Jean and Xavier do it." He hmms and laughs softly at himself,"I've missed you."

Emma Frost has posed:
Grimacing, Emma admits, "I really think they must climb through significant amounts of human slimy thoughts in that thing. I would rather not if we can avoid it. It might just make me think the human race isn't worth salvaging." Again, she may well be kidding, but ... it really doesn't make her happy to think about /wading/ through the minds of the whole freaking world with that thing.

Resting her hand on his shoulder once more, Emma says quietly, "I missed you too, James." There is a wistful tone she rarely allows. "I hope the rest of them are growing up as well as you have."

Warpath has posed:
     Shaking his head he tells you softly,"There is no sense in it. We'll find a way." he assures you and gets up. He nods towards the chairs infront of the fireplace,"I'll wash the hair off later. Let's go sit down." he offers and stands up.

     "I haven't talked to any of them in a long time." he admits and waits to see if you take him up on the invitation,"I ran into Jenny briefly while I was gone, but it was more a hey I know you and don't want to moment as she put it." He shrugs. She can sense he misses them too.

Emma Frost has posed:
Leaving the scissors there on the small table, she brushes the hair off him so that it can be swept up a little bit later and then joins him in front of the fireplace. Lowering herself to sink back into the armchair, she crosses her legs at the knee and leans her head back.

"So many things have changed since then," she observes in a low tone. "You are right that Summers and Grey are not the same as we knew them before. I suppose none of us really are. I don't... think that very many of us ever really believed that the official government of this country would turn Sentinels loose on citizens. No matter how bad it got.... I think we all thought better of people." A mistake that is unlikely to be repeated if she can help that.

Warpath has posed:
     Once the two of you are settled he turns towards you to talk easier. He settles into the seat a bit,"Part of me thinks we should find the others, but part of me thinks it better to leave them be. Have their lives."

     A nod at the mention of the Sentinels. He consideres and adds,"We took on a simulation of a potential new Sentinel a few weeks ago. The thing was annoying and in its way terrifying to think about."

Emma Frost has posed:
"It's going to get worse before it gets better. Just ask Magneto." The man saw the horrors. Emma sighs and props her temple against the tips of her fingers, her elbow on the arm of the chair. "I think," she says quietly, "that they know where to find at least me. The business is very public. If or when they are ready, they will come." She offers him a small smile. "And I will be very glad."

Warpath has posed:
     "If it is going to get worse then I think we're in as good a place as any to face it." he comments,"Plenty of people looking out for each other like the old days." He smiles a little, remember those early days,"Hopefully they will come around." He returns the smile,"So. What next?"

Emma Frost has posed:
"Well...." Emma considers. "I have to deal with actually starting classes soon. I have many of the old curricula, but... I don't think they'll suit. Which means rewriting them. And I'm in the process of accelerating the retrofit of the shipping division. There have been some interesting moments," she acknowledges.

Warpath has posed:
     "It was a pain redoing the curricula for my classes too. It wasn't as bad as it could have been." he comments,"I've had to make sure a few things got back into the curriculum."

     "The Trail of Tears was a little bit...eye opening for some of them." he tells you with a wink,"Some of them had their little worlds broken." He shakes his head,"Some high schools actually taught that the Cherokee merely moved west to make room for their new white neighbors,"I can't wait to see how World War 2 enlightens them."

Emma Frost has posed:
If he could but hear the swearing going on in Emma's mind right now. "Politically correct pablum. Wonderful. Ethics class is going to be an eye-opener, then." She rolls her blue eyes and just chuckles.