12458/Lean On Me

Lean On Me
Date of Scene:	16 November 2020
Location:	Horse Stables - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Jimmy and Shannon talk about family and recent events at the haunted house. It's good to have someone to lean on sometimes. It's even better to be that someone.
Cast of Characters:	Warpath, Nightingale

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Warpath has posed:
Walking with Shannon to the barn, Jimmy tells her softly,"You are going to make me an old man way before my time." It is mostly a tease,"I know you have to be you and it's my job to worry about you. Seeing your wings hurt reminded me of injuries Worthington has suffered in the past." he adds,"I don't think either of us could bear to see that happen to you."

Nightingale has posed:
     "It didn't help that I was thrown back against a wall," Shannon replies, turning for a moment to offer Warpath a hug. It's an unusually fierce hug, and with the upbeat energy of the impromptu concert in the hall dissipated, the shadows in her eyes have returned. "That wasn't even the worst of it, though. Wings heal. Hearts are harder to patch up. And both Megan and I were played like fiddles."

Warpath has posed:
     He listens and returns the hug that she offers. He holds her tight and mutters softly,"Hearts heal too little sister." he comments softly. Of course they usually use the Apache term, but sometimes it needs to be heard in to her ears properly,"You and Megan are two of the toughest girls I've met. Being played makes things worse. You want to tell me how it played out?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon sighs softly, burrowing into the hug. "It was a very low blow we were both dealt. And the way it happened has me concerned enough to want to talk to Miss Grey and Mr. Summers about it." She's shaking a little, fighting to hold back the tears that manifest as a little hitch in her voice.

     "Megan, Alice, and I were checking out what was advertised as a haunted house. There was some nonsense about contacting departed loved ones, and I pretty well thought it was a scam. But I figured hey, worst case, we lose a few bucks, but have a good time going out together. That's not how it played out."

     Sighing softly, she takes a moment to gather her thoughts. "We went along with it, and yeah, we both heard voices talking to us. Megan thought she heard her birth father and me... my grandmother. She died when I was nine, on Halloween. I /hated/ helping put that dance together. I fucking HATED it. That day is nothing but hurt to me. But I didn't want to disappoint Miss Grey."

     "But anyhow... we followed the sound of the voices, and it even looked like the spirits of our family. It seemed too good to be true, so I challenged with questions only grandma should have known. It was shocking when this 'spirit' got the answers right, because I've never talked to /anyone/ about how she passed. We fought a few days before her passing, and never got to make things right..."

Warpath has posed:
     He continues to hold her in the hug and mutters softly,"I never was a big fan of Halloween either, but for different reasons." he assures her and mutters softly,"Let them out. Don't fight that or it will just build up and you'll break completely and all at once." he admits,"Tears heal more than anything. Never be afraid of that." There is a quiet between them for a time and he comments,"It could still have been a scam. A person with telepathic abilties or something."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon nods, her shoulders shaking still more, and some tears now flowing to soak through Warpath's shirt. "That's just it. Turns out it was a meta skimming our minds, to turn it on us and fleece us for everything they could. There was no way they should've gotten that much information that quickly. And with all the trouble there's been with rogue meta groups, I really want to bump this one up a bit. It'd be better if it turned out to be nothing, than to let it go."

     She's gone silent for several very long moments, sniffling as she tries unsuccessfully to stem the tide from her eyes. "There was some demonic shit mixed up in there, and it got crazy. Furniture started flying around the room and that's when I got knocked back against the wall and busted my wings. But at the end, when it was all over... just before the spirits dissipated..." Sighing heavily, she tries to collect herself a bit. "...the one that was supposed to be my grandma said 'I really did love you'. I wish I could trust that part was real, at least. I want it to be. But I'll never know. And... I'll never be able to set things right."

Warpath has posed:
     He listens the the tale more, nodding as she continues to talk. When she mentions the mind skimming he shakes his head,"Just a new way to scam people." he mutters darkly. Considering what she says about the flying furniture he shakes his head and replies,"That isn't necessarily true. Jean could do that. Any telekinetic could do what you are talking about as far as the flying furniture."

     After a long time he adds,"I am sure she loved you. You are difficult not to." He kisses the top of her head protectively,"Everyone goes through trouble in relationships and very few are permanently changed. There are some, but very few. There are few things stronger than a connection between grandparent and grandchild."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Just wish I could set things right with her. I never want to go through this with anyone again. Ever. Regret is the worst." Shannon sighs a little bit, thinking about the possibility of a telekinetic. "I'm not sure if that was the case here. Megan seemed to be picking up on something, and so did one other person who was with us. Called himself Constantine. I'd ask the other Trouble Twin more about what happened."

Warpath has posed:
     "I can't speak for the spiritual leves around you since I wasn't there." he tells you,"Maybe there was something else going on there. I'll try to catch up with Pixie later if I get the chance." he adds,"This Constantine person. Was he a mutant as well?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon shakes her head and shrugs, calming little by little. "I'm not sure. I'd never met him before then, but he seemed decent enough. He was rather inclined towards the magical arts, it seems, and did his best to protect all three of us when things got bad."

Warpath has posed:
     "Some sort of mystic then. Be watchful until you have a good feel for him. Most mystics have a plan of their own, their own path that they follow. An agenda as it were." he explains,"My own training in that path was pretty limited by my own decision, but there are many that thought I should have followed it furthur.

Nightingale has posed:
     "I don't think it's likely I'll ever run into him again. Hell, I've a better chance of running into Captain Rogers or even Mr. Stark than that!" Looking up at Warpath, her eyebrows arch, cheeks slightly flushed and splotched from tears shed. "Really? You, training as a mystic?"

Warpath has posed:
     "The tribe wanted me to be." he replies,"It wasn't really my path and while I can sense spirits and such things I still am not very strong with it." He considers her words and adds,"As for meeting Captain Rogers or Tony Stark, sometimes meeting celebrites isn't all it's cracked up to be. That enoucnter with Iron Man before was less than stellar. I think he's a little too full of himself."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon rolls her eyes and chuckles. "What do you think happened about a week after I arrived at the school? I ran into them both in Salem Center. Mr. Stark might be a little full of himself, but in the end he's not so bad. Captain Rogers... what can I say, he's good at heart through and through." Now she smiles a bit up at Warpath. "A lot like you. You've got a bigger heart than you let on to most. I'm just glad you decided you wanted a little sister."

Warpath has posed:
     A shake of his head and he tells you,"At least it isn't always trouble that finds you." he finally admits,"As for the other. I saw a kindred spirit. It's been a long time since I had any sort of familiy. Terry is gone again and I rarely see Emma. I saw someone that needed guidance and was willing to help."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Maybe both of us in our own way need someone to lean on," Shannon says, smiling a little. She nudges Warpath gingerly in the ribs, laughing lightly. "Just in your case, you have farther to lean down to reach me." It was impossible to resist a little bit of good-natured ribbing. While the heart ached, it beat on, at least.

Warpath has posed:
     A soft laugh escapes the deep chest and he puts his arm around her to walk over and check on the nearest horse,"Sometimes people do need someone else." he agrees softly,"As for reaching down I suppose I could stand on your feet and pull on your head, see if that stretches you out some."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just wrinkles her nose and laughs, shaking her head. "Yeesh. That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?" Did she really just go there? Oh, yes she did! Together, adoptive brother and sister go about checking on the horses. Sometimes animals make more sense than people. But either way, everyone needs someone to lean on sometimes..