12071/Taking a Deep Breath

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Taking a Deep Breath
Date of Scene: 23 August 2020
Location: Horse Stables - Xavier's School
Synopsis: Shannon grapples with a rare opponent--fear--but does so with Warpath's help.
Cast of Characters: Nightingale, Warpath




Nightingale has posed:
     The past few days might have been oddly quiet for some around the mansion. The kitchen's seen a feather or two on the floor, but their source has been largely absent. The lake has been devoid of dive-bombing runs. There might have been a late night or two of piano practice, but that's about it. About the only place Shannon's been found is the Wellness Office, with her usual daily volunteer stint.

     This evening finds her taking refuge in the stable, one place she's fairly sure that 'guests' at the mansion generally do not go, not without good reason. It's a peaceful, relatively quiet place at this hour, with chores for the day done, and horses resting in their stalls. Soft whickering occasionally breaks the silence. The sweetness of hay and the slightly pungent smells of horses linger in the air. It's a familiar, comforting combination. The winged teen is perched on a bale of hay, her eyes closed, and simply breathing deeply, seeking a modicum of calm in the moment.

Warpath has posed:
     Tracking someone isn't too hard really. You just have to the habits and follow the trail. Since her feathers fall out that makes it a little easier. The fact that she loves the stable tends to form patterns as well. So she shouldn't be too surprised when Jimmy appears.

     "You going to stay out here with the horses for a while?" he asks you softly, soft as he can anyway,"It's not that I blame you. Sometimes I want to leave this all behind and return to my farms and animals. The animals are better than people anyway."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Yeah, sometimes they can be," the young woman acknowledges, without even opening her eyes. "It's weird. I've faced down Sentinels, survived healing what should have killed a god, been in the danger room while Logan's been training at his level with the safeties off, been in who knows how many scrapes without even batting an eye, and even managed to train with the top guns here and held my own. Things that should terrify a normal person."

     Opening her eyes, Shannon looks up at one of the lights on the ceiling, continuing to work on keeping her breath slow and even, still striving for some calm. "One whiff of Creed, though... confirmed... and I freeze. Just... fear. Raw fear. It's... disconcerting."

Warpath has posed:
     "Creed is easy to be intensly afraid of." Jimmy tells you, taking a seat next to you on the hay,"Sometimes the big things are easier to face than the more personal ones. A Sentinel isn't something you encounter in the mansion outside the Danger Room."

     "Having him in the mansion means you will have to be around him." he continues,"Now. I want you to consider a few things for me. I'll never ask you to like or trust him, but I will ask you if anyone that was once a sworn enemy of Xavier's dream and the X-Men is someone you can trust in this world?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "You're here, aren't you? If you go by what you just asked me, then I should be scared out of my mind right now. But you found a different way." Hugging her knees to her chest, Shannon rests her chin upon them, peering into the dimmer light of the stable, thinking for a moment. "I want to think they're hoping maybe he's got the same chance you did, but fear is very hard to let go of. I'm... not even sure how to."

Warpath has posed:
     "I'm here. Ms. Frost as well." he tells you,"Some of us make less intelligent choices, but that doesn't brand us. Maybe it should him, but there's nothing for it." he comments and rests his back against the hay,"I want you to do me a favor. I want you to try and go on living rather than let him control your life enough that you are not afraid just getting out of bed. I know that is easier said than done."

Nightingale has posed:
     The mention of Ms. Frost has Shannon pursing her lips for a moment, but she refrains from comment on the matter. At Warpath's request, she glances up at him, studying his features for a moment. "Have you ever been afraid like that?" she asks, after a few more heartbeats. "It -is- easier said than done, living past the fear."

     Plucking a bit of hay from the ends of her hair, she almost smiles a little bit. Almost. "I guess maybe they're trying to give him the same chance both you and Ms. Frost had. Part of me thinks they're nuts, but... part of me kind of maybe admires it a little bit, too, putting their money where their mouth is about the dream."

Warpath has posed:
     "I used to fear for my tribe." he replies softly,"Exposed to the rest of the world and nobody protect them." he continues. It isn't the same and she knows that his tribe was all killed,"So directly as you are right now? Not exactly."

     "I'd say that is the plan yes. I haven't really been around him too much by my own choice." he tells you,"I'd say I should be around him some to see if there is any indication that he is or isn't rehabilitating." He sounds dubious at best, but mostly he is just trying to help you ease up.

Nightingale has posed:
     "I imagine they're watching him like a hawk. Or a Phoenix." Shannon cracks a little bit of a smile, taking a few more breaths to try and ease up some. For a moment, she reaches out to touch Warpath's hand in a gesture of support, as he speaks of his tribe.

     "I'll try to let go a little bit. But sooner or later, it's a fear I'm going to have to face head-on. Because until then, I'm not sure I can entirely let go of it." Unfortunately, that could mean the addition of a few more nicknames to the growing list she seemed to be accumulating.

Warpath has posed:
     "They will be watching." he agrees,"If he steps too far too fast I think Jean might tear him apart. If not Logan will." He looks at the touch and adds,"You're brave shik'isn. Confronting the fear is the only way to deal with it. If you want me to be nearby or you can ask Logan to be nearby incase he does something dumb."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon frowns very deeply on that, her brows furrowing and her wings starting to furl around herself. "Logan's one of the toughest souls I know here," she begins. "But where Creed is involved, I would be terrified for him. Creed is the only one I've ever heard of so far that was able to put even Logan into the medbay for a week--and you know how fast he normally heals." She pauses, peering over at Warpath. "I'd be just as afraid for you, because I'm not sure if you have a healing factor like that."

     Her cheeks color a bit at the compliment, and there is the ghost of a smile. Maybe.

Warpath has posed:
     "I don't have quite the healing ability that Logan has, but it is better than average. Creed is no slouch." he comments,"I appreciate you worrying about me, but you need to bear in mind..." he nudges your arm with his elbow,"...you take a risk getting up and going to town and crossing the street."

Nightingale has posed:
     "In my case, that can turn out to be quite a risk. I -am- a trouble magnet, after all." Shannon just nudges Warpath right back, that ghost of a smile turning to more of a definite one now. "And why wouldn't I worry about you?"

Warpath has posed:

     "Somebody needs to worry about me. I'm prone to doing wreckless things." he replies and checks the time,"Ok. Little sister is taken care of for now. I have to go deal with one more person before settling it to terrorize the students on tomorrow's quiz." Did he mention a quiz Friday? Maybe it's a joke. Right? Right?!?!?


Nightingale has posed:
     If it was a joke, it was one that Shannon had learned was probably wise to take seriously. If a quiz was mentioned, best to be ready for it. She chuckled a little bit, and nudges his shoulder lightly. "Makes me wonder if we're related somewhere along the line, because both of us seem to be a magnet for trouble." Nodding, she leans back a little. Fear might be a difficult opponent--but even that battle need not always be fought alone.

Warpath has posed:
     "Get some rest." he tells you softly and smirks at the nudge. Standing again he gets ready to go,"I'll see you in the morning. Don't make he come out here and drag you to the dorm later." he warns playfully and then heads towards the mansion again.

Nightingale has posed:
     "I'll try," Shannon replies. "And I'll try not to make you drag me -out- of my dorm, either." With that, she gets up, dropping a few bits of hay--and thankfully no feathers this time--along her trail as she heads back inside, where a hot shower a snack, and some sleep await.