12362/Waves On The Shore

Waves On The Shore
Date of Scene:	21 October 2020
Location:	Breakstone Lake - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Some of the X-Men (and X-Force) discuss the impermanence of peace and inevitability of conflict.
Cast of Characters:	Phoenix, Sabretooth, Cyclops, Havok

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Phoenix has posed:
It's early morning at the lake, with a few fitful gold rays of sun finding places in the heavy cloud cover to sneak through. They illuminate the world in patches, bits of autumn fire in a world slowly going to brown and grey. The dark waters of the lake are calm and empty. With winter coming, boats have been packed away and docks closed. But there out some fifty feet off shore, there's... someone.

Jean. She's standing on the water's surface when she should be treading water, with a pale rose light illuminating the bottoms of bare feet. She's looking down at the water and the fish drawn by the light and the diffuse warmth compared to the cold water with a serene smile on her face. It would be a peaceful image save the strangeness of it. People weren't meant to walk on water.

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor slowly comes out from the woods as dawn is breaking. He moves more like an animal at the moment as he walks on all fours as he leaves the cover of the trees. As he makes his way down to the lake, he rises to his two feet and finds a rock along the shore where the sun beam is hitting. He collapes down onto the rock and looks about ready to curl up. He apparently hasn't even noticed Jean Christ out there walking on water yet, but then he catches a scent. He lifts his head slightly and looks over the water.

    "You know when and where I grew up, my pa saw you doing that, he'd have called you a witch," he calls out in a rough voice that doesn't sound like it has been used much in the last few hours.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey lifts her head and looks over her shoulder towards shore and the cat who found his puddle of sun and grins behind the curtain of red hair. "He wouldn't have been wrong."

Turning, she begins making her way back towards shore. As she's come closer, he'd notice that there's only occasional ripples where she walks, as if sometimes she was making contact with the water and other times she wasn't. "Not entirely. Wizards, sorcerers, witches; sure some of them may have been actual magic users, but others may have been mutants. Unlucky for them, I have a growing affinity for fire."

Once on shore, she steps over to a rock where she'd left her shoes and then sits down on it to begin putting them back on. The light around her fades out as slowly and calmly as a nearby patch of sun as the clouds move. "I take it the rest of the woods are as quiet as it is here? Mornings always get so still once the majority of the birds migrate."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "He wasn't right very often. Except that I'd be the death of him." Victor settles back onto the rock as he watches Jean make her way across the water. "Never had much use for magic. Just the forces of Nature. Those make sense to me." He sits up slightly on the rock as she makes it to shore moving his legs into Indian style crossing. "The woods are quiet, but there is still movement if you know where to look. Everyone always assumes everything sleeps during the winter, but some of us thrive in the cold."

Cyclops has posed:
Heading out towards the lake on his morning jog is Scott Summers, the field leader for the X-Men. Shirtless and wearing just a pair of running shorts that matches his sneakers, he has gave himself quite a sweat having put in a couple of miles already. He has some plugs in his ears to blast some oldies music such as Journey into his skull. There is something about that time and generation that just keeps him motivated and keep an easy pace.

As he makes his way around the lake, he spies the two forms of Jean and Victor and slows down to a gait as he reaches up to tap the left earbud to pause the music. Reaching up with a fingerless gloved hand, he plucks them out of his ears and tucks them into his pocket as he lets out a slow, but heavy breath to calm the rhythm of his heart.

Phoenix has posed:
"What's the old saying? Magic is just something science hasn't managed to explain? I'd bet the wizards would say magic is another part of nature, like the Force or something. I've never sat down with one to go into the philosophy of it." Jean looks skyward as she muses and rests her hands behind her on the rock as she leans back. "But the idea makes sense."

She tilts her head just in the direction Scott comes from, quite likely aware that he's there and just not calling him out yet. "Nothing can sleep for the whole of winter. Things still need to eat, to move. But it's a good time to slow down when it's quiet enough to actually hear yourself think."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "If we wanted to hear ourselves think, we wouldn't pipe music into our ears." Victor says with a huff as Scott slows down his run to approach. "Summers," he says a way of greeting but the sound is still rough. He looks back to Jean. "Yeah, well, I don't sleep at all during winter. The world may sleep, but death still prowls. And so do I." He glances between them. "And I don't mean that as being evil or going back to terrorize. It is just something invitable. Just like I see myself."

Cyclops has posed:
"Well, I guess that answers the question if you hibernate or not." Scott says as he makes his way over towards them as he runs his hands back through his sweaty hair, pushing it out of his face. He has been letting it grow out lately. It may be time to take a trip to the stylist at some point, or just whack it himself in the bathroom.

"Good morning. Anything exciting to talk about or is it just business as usual?" He rocks back and forth on his ankles to keep himself limber and loose. "Hey, Victor, got a job for you later. You and the team." The 'team'.

Phoenix has posed:
"One thing dies, another takes their place. We're made of the ashes of those who came before us, same as the world and even the sun are made of worlds and stars that came before them. That's the way of it. Nothing is lost, it's just remade." Jean says, her voice distant and quiet as if she was speaking from someplace else.

As Scott arrives where they are, Jean turns her head to look to him and the heaviness in her eyes fade and her smile brightens. It's like a cloud moving away from the sun. "Nothing exciting, just getting some fresh air. Once I'm done here I need to head up to the house and find Emma, I'm sure she's been itching to talk to me. We just keep missing one another."

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor snorts at the word 'team'. "Still not wearing a uniform, Summers." He runs a hand through his hair picking out a leaf and stick before tossing those into the lake. He listens to the distant musings of Jean. "You really are taping into your inner Christ today, Red."

Cyclops has posed:
"I'm sure she has been. I am shocked that she hasn't tugged all of her hair out yet." Scott says as he leans over to bump his shoulder against Jean's gently, then curls an arm about her waist for a brief kiss to her cheek. "I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation."

"Teams have uniforms, Victor. Trust me, you'll look good in it. I'm going with all black and red highlights. I hear they are the standard in kickass blackops teams. We have a mutant group that is calling themselves Metaforce who has been attacking anti-mutant groups. Terrible, right?" He says dryly. "The issue is that they are doing it in a very public and dangerous manner that is putting innocent people at risk and they are causing noise in the government sector. I'm sending X-Force out to take them down and bring them to justice. We'll partner with SHIELD. Give us some good PR."

Phoenix has posed:
"Hm?" Jean makes a questioning sound towards Victor at his comment, and the expression on her face makes it seem like for a brief moment she actually doesn't know what he's talking about. Then she shrugs it off just as quickly as she teasingly nudges Scott in the side. "I bet you would. I'm sure she wouldn't care, we're just going to talk about my sabbatical."

She looks between them at discussion of duties and lets out a quiet, annoyed huff. "Them still? I'm tempted to go along and smack them down like the ridiculous children that they're being. I have no love for the hate groups, but war in the streets isn't how to handle it. They just turn themselves into the same kind of monster."

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor growls and bristles slightly. "Working with SHIELD, huh. You know they just want to turn us into their own hit squad, right? They don't give a damn about your dream. We are just tools to serve the mission. There is a line about dancing with the devil you know." He slowly stands up from the rock and moves towards the edge of the lake. He moves to his knees and dunks his head into the cold water for a moment before pulling back out and shaking. "So we are good monsters because we stay in the shadows."

Havok has posed:
    Stepping out from behind a tree, a boat, a boathouse, a rock, something that would otherwise obstruct direct vision... Alex Summers presents himself in a black and red flannel shirt tucked into jeans over hiking boots. He interjects in response to Sabretooth's remark about dancing with the devil. "You know, that's what I initially said about you." Alex begins walking toward the cluster of mutants, arms by his side wearing a slight grin at his comical timing and remark.

Cyclops has posed:
"Yeah, I get all of that, but you can't take these type of people to normal jail, because they blow buildings up with fireballs shaped like dragons." Scott says cooly to Victor. "And I trust Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanov from working with them in the past. I have also hit my quota of taking in 'villains' for the year."

Giving a nod of his head to Alex, he clears his throat. "The two of you, along with James, Logan and Betsy will be taking point on this mission. The best of the best with the skill-set to take them down. I have gathered intelligence and uploaded it into the war room files. I'll send everyone a link to the videos and news recaps, as well as our reports that we have documented from first hand experience."

Phoenix has posed:
"Good morning, Alex." Jean says with a wide smile towards the next Summers to arrive at the lake from where she sits on a waterside rock. She leans forward to rest crossed arms on the tops of her legs, looking between the lot as they talk.

"I trust them enough, they haven't sent the feds to our doorstep for all that they know we're here. But the thought also doesn't reassure me in the event that we would stop being cordial. So, let's not make enemies of them anytime soon."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "And you wouldn't be that wrong, Beach Boy," Victor says with a shake of his head. He pulls his damp hair behind his head and out of his face. "That is why you wouldn't take 'em to jail. We give them a more permanent solution, and don't think your pals at SHIELD have never done that before. Or what has been done in war by the other two. Jail is just an excuse to get out again." He turns to look at Jean. "They already are our enemies. I'm not forgetting that. They won't either when they don't have a use for us."

Havok has posed:
    Noting the nod from his brother, Alex returns the greeting with a slight chin-up bro gesture. Even Scott's 'team talk' gets a generalized nod from Alex as he physically agrees with the assessment and plan.

    But when Jean greets Alex, he smiles - albeit it's more of a smile of concern or regret that could or could not be picked up by the casual observer or the empathic mind. He offers a greeting in kind, a meek, "Hi Jean."

    Then his attention is turned back to Victor - and oddly enough, Alex's cologne/body spray may have the hints of some Hawaiian fruit. And while Alex is smart enough to talk and interject smart things into the conversation, he's using this time to keep his mouth shut and let everyone else talk so he can catch up on the conversation beyond making smart assed remarks. He remains standing a few feet away and he hooks his thumbs into his jean pockets.

Cyclops has posed:
"You once saw us as your enemy as well, Victor. I'm hoping that opinion has at least changed about us. The Avengers do not operate completely within SHIELD's lock and step. Steve has his own head upon his shoulders. They have worked with mutants in the past and some has joined their ranks such as Hank and Logan in the past. It's important that we keep things civil with them, even if I will never completely trust SHIELD. There are good people that work within the organization, but at the end of the day, they look out for themselves first."

Scott gives his chest a scratching with his fingers to work an itch out before he shrugs his shoulders upwards. "And if that day comes that they decide to poke us, we will make sure that that they regret that moment. I am not pretending that the future will be perfect and full of roses. I just do not want to give them any reason to show up at our front door. If the X-Men show that we are policing our own, my hope is they will trust us to manage those tasks without their need to intervene."

Phoenix has posed:
"Maybe they will let us manage our own." Jean remarks, "Someday, though with Magneto out there causing uproars - even if not entirely his fault this past time - there will always be that mistrust. It will never be a perfect scenario, but grudging respect is better than none at all. But yes. If they ever come to our door looking for trouble, then I can promise that they will realize how critical of a mistake that they've made." She says it calmly, with the ease of total assurance that it's not a threat. It's a promise.

"I'm sure you all can manage Metaforce easily. They seem to be sent packing easy enough so far, even by some of our students. This strike team is going to be over kill but it's still good practice."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "Always know your glasses were rose colored," Victor says with a snort as he begins to wade into the lake. He moves slowly, watching the water around his legs even as he speaks. "Notice you don't have us going after Magneto any time soon even if he is public as all get out." His voice is calm as he discusses this. No anger in his tone, but just matter of fact. "I'll do the mission, sans uniform," he mutters the last clause under his breath, "but don't expect me to have the back of any SHIELD agents that show up. You and I," Victor looks up from the lake to make eye contact with each of them, "have a common cause. We are mutants and that ain't ever going to change. Our relationship with SHIELD will change when we don't have a common cause. Just give it time. Ask the Runt. He has seen it nearly as many times as I have."

Cyclops has posed:
"We are not going after Magneto because he is only making grand speeches instead of throwing tanks around. The moment he steps out of line, I'll give you the chance to gut him open if you feel so inclined." Scott says as he folds his arms over his chest. "But it was the cops that shot at him first last time. He is allowed to enjoy his first amendment rights as well as anyone else. Even if what most of it that comes out is frustrating." He lets out a frustrated noise in his throat for a moment before he looks over to the others, mostly Jean. "I just want to take these problem mutants out of the picture so that we can bring peace once more. They are doing it in such a public manner."

Havok has posed:
    Alex watches Creed wade into the water while the conversation continues. There are some very good points all around. The words all make sense and the histories noted are very clear points of evidence that reflect a cycle of events that will always repeat themselves. Alex seems to be a bit annoyed as the words continue and his blue eyes darken with a frown forming upon the corners of his lips. Perhaps strained, the lines in his face harden as his jaw clenches. There's a brief sigh and Alex finally states, "As much as I'd like to believe in SHIELD; I completely agree with Victor on this. They are a government agency that acts in its own self interest. We mutants, we all have self interest goals as well. And guess what, we'll act in our own self interest when it boils down to it. So, we just need to chalk it up to, mutually beneficial until it's no longer beneficial mutually. And that being said, we just need to roll with the plan up until the plan is no longer the plan and then get the hell out of dodge before the rocks fall on our heads."

Phoenix has posed:
"Right now, that's all we can do." Jean says quietly with a nod to what Alex says. "We classify the threats, work with what we're given, and adapt when the plan inevitably changes. And who better than mutants to know how to adapt to the unknown? It's what we were born to do." Even if, judging by the tone of her voice, she's a bit weary of having to do just that. "As for SHIELD, all we can do is try and keep them pointed towards mutual points of trouble and not help give them a reason to see us as a higher threat, but that doesn't mean that I'll forget how few 'allies' shows up when the Sentinels did."

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor goes back to watching the water around his legs as he remains still. His eyes flick back and forth. "Not saying you are wrong...." he says slowly as his claws begin to grow, "just saying I think it is foolish to be working with SHIELD in the first place on any mission. They just aren't needed here." His hand darts forward and grabs a fish out of the lake and throws it back up to the shore in one motion.

Cyclops has posed:
"We aren't murderers though, Victor. Not at the core of who we are. I know you seem to think it's a quick and easy path to resolution, but the moment it comes out that the X-Men are murdering fellow mutants, it will turn mutant public opinion against us. We'll be seen as the enemy. That we're the ones siding with anti-mutant groups that these idiots are targetting. I'd rather the X-Men partner with SHIELD 'in the moment' and put these morons behind bars in a facility that is designed to hold them. I don't trust them. I don't want to work with them. But if we just step back, they will step in /anyways/. It makes more sense for us to be seen on camera as the good guys. Heroes. Not menaces."

Scott presses his lips together in a thin line, brows furrowing as he folds his arms over his chest in thought. He is obviously conflicted. "I don't have a perfect answer, or a perfect mission for something like this. If we do nothing, it will just make public opinion grow even more negative against us, and these anti-mutant religious crazies gain a lot of sympathy for being the victim."