15054/Just another ordinary shopping trip

Just another ordinary shopping trip
Date of Scene:	07 May 2023
Location:	Rockefeller Center, Midtown Manhattan
Synopsis:	Jean bumps into Cain at the mall and gives him a bit of a lecture.
Cast of Characters:	Phoenix, Juggernaut

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Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Well, things never really eased up at the mansion, what with new students and teachers, some with more baggage than others. But Jean was determined to get in some vacation time with Scott one way or the other. Which means she's gonna need a new swimming suit, and it seems this particular mall has some mega sales going on. Now all she needs to do is find a decent clothing store, but of course along the way she found some others items that caught her eye like a cute new purse and summer sandals.

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>A shopping center is usually not the first place you may think of when considering areas THe Unstoppable Juggernaut may be - uh - stopping at but a recent meeting has reminded him that he needs to up his wardrobe game eventually and hey..he likes nice things. It's not all pop culture tee-shirts, jeans, and clothes that he just rips and pops through any way during an idle flex or moment of irate behavior. He needs good drip.\<br\>\<br\>And so, oblicious to Jean, he stands near a Big and Tall shop. Kingsize. Big men exist after all. Some truly huge men and they are normal humans as well. Genetics, sports, obesity, etc. It's all a thing. There's wrestlers so big that they can fit their family into a pants leg.\<br\>\<br\>...Cain's bigger but still it's possible with some careful consideration and even some tailoring. For right now, he's trying on a new hat from the racks on clearence just outside the Kingsize shop. Dark shades cover his eyes and he's minding his own business.\<br\>\<br\>Stray thoughts linger and drift through the air though. Mingling with the mass of the rest of those here. \<br\>\<br\>o O (Running late) reads one thought. o O (Where's the food court.) is another o O (Ugh. The Hellfire club's over dressed..) reads Cains....

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey is neither big nor tall, but Scott is, although not like basketball player tall, but still... And she did promise to pick up some shorts for him. And so she wanders towards the big and tall store, pausing as she sees the guy with the smart looking hat and smiles. Maybe she should get a nice fedora for Scott as a surprise. "Hey, that looks good on you.." she smiles, then blinks.\<br\>\<br\>Oh hey, is that. "Er..Juggernaut. What a surprise meeting you here.." her smile quickly fades, uncertain, but not exactly guns blazing. Afterall, maybe he's just innocently shopping for clothes, which..Is somehow..Strange, but hey, even big scary villains need a change of clothes every once in a while..

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>Ironically there will be more clothes for Scott then there will be for Cain as Scott, though pretty tall, still falls in line with what can usually be picked up. Guys a few steps larger though start having issues. Piotr would definently understand as would James. Cain? He's in another league all together and he grumbles after starting to set the ascot in his hands down when he hears the compliment and he arcs an eyebrow and turns just in time to hear his alter ego name given and to land eyes right on Jean.\<br\>\<br\>He just stares at her for a few seconds before setting the hat down completely.\<br\>\<br\>"..You get lost darlin' or you doing a shopping trip for the boys? I guess the tin man qualifies. Good ol'Petey probably can't dress himself still.."

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey frowns softly as she watches him mulling over clothes that are likely still too small for him. "No, actually I was pondering buying something for Scott. I know this is a somewhat popular store for a few of the bigger Xmen as well." she smiles and nods, "Shopping trip yes. How..How have you been?" she ventures, not wanting to start things off on the wrong foot but, she still has questions. "I hear you had a run in with Rogue the other day.."

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>"I don't think your boyscout qualifies for this store unless he's added a hundred pounds on him since I last saw 'im. Course he is kinda tall I guess."\<br\>\<br\>Perspective matters. Even as a seven footer plus, Cain still knows when folk are above average in height and Scott could probably use a little more leg room then most..so he doesn't dwell on or needles that to much.\<br\>\<br\>"Hmm." is all he says when he hears the question and then it goes right to Rogue.\<br\>\<br\>"You're a little behind Red. Which 'run in' would you be referring to?" So he might have a little more information then she has. Somewhere there's a sitcom audience going 'Oooooh' at the possiblity of him about to get Rogue in some trouble. \<br\>\<br\>"You're gonna have to jog my memory." he pauses and then adds, "The old fashioned way." as a warning to not get to comfortable and inside his head.

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey arches a brow at that, a bit surprised but tries to keep it casual, "Oh..The one that landed her in medbay..Thought you were trying to turn over a new leaf, stay out of trouble so it caught me by surprise." she peers at him thoughtfully, idly wondering what other run ins they had since then but doesn't pry either way.

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>He volunteers it anyway.\<br\>\<br\>"There's a mutant fight club beneath Mutant Town. Meta club. Place folk like to unwind. Maybe not legal but necessary. You might already know about it..but we've had a few drinks and friendly exchanges there. Your southern belle's a free bird. As to the rest? Maybe we didn't have a clear understanding Jean. I am who I am. I'm gonna do what I gotta do. Whaddya want from me with all that?"\<br\>\<br\>He wrinkles his nose a little bit, "I been doing this since you were a teenager. Since before. Since Charles and I were barely older then you were when he took you kids in. People don't just...stop.."\<br\>\<br\>His voice trails off a little at that, frowning introspectively and then Cain lets that smarmy grin return.\<br\>\<br\>"Your Southern Belle and Hawkeye got in my way. Simple. Was doing a job for AIM. If it helps you feel any better, she busted up my work and I didn't get paid and AIM got captured. Regular superhero moment. You trained 'er well. She hit me with a train so when I got up, I hit her with my fist.... Guess whose stronger. I told 'er no hard feelings. Business is business..."

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey smirks and shakes her head, "Fight club? Not my business, and I don't keep the Xmen on any sort of leash. They're free to do as they please as long as they're not teaming up with villains, undoing our work or the like.." \<br\>\<br\>She shrugs, "I only worry when an old rival of our headmaster has reportedly been sending one of our own to medbay. I don't want trouble from you, Cain, and I'm sure you don't want trouble from us. Although I had hoped you had chosen a less..Destructive path for yourself. Because of course if the Xmen see you causing trouble or hurting innocents, they will intervene.." her tone is more concerned than threatening really..

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>Cain's brow furrows. He seems confused on how to take it. He hears the concern laced into the warning. That should be a threat but she's not threatening. \<br\>\<br\>"What do you want from me Jean, an apology? My issues with Charles go back to long before you were born." \<br\>\<br\>His frown deepens now. A dark mood coloring him as he's forced to begin to think over things. Her empathic abilities would surely be alerting her of his subtle mood shift. This isn't a comfortable conversation now.\<br\>\<br\>"You trying to reform me? I'm not even a mutant but you all keep knockin' on my door..." His mood changes slightly as he considers something and then says, "I hear one of your rivals is busy nation building. Magneto. Seems like he's trying to do your work better then you all are. A haven for mutants. Genosha. Sound familiar?"

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey shakes her head. "No, I am not Professor Xavier, you don't owe me an apology or am I asking you for one." \<br\>\<br\>She shrugs, "Just wanted to know exactly where we stand going forward is all." however mention of Genosha causes her to arch a brow. "I am aware of Magneto's haven for mutants. Has something happened there recently..?" there is that concern creeping up again..

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>"No. Not that I know of. I'm just surprised Charles and him aren't being more buddy buddy seeing as how he seems to be angling away from terrorism..."\<br\>\<br\>He clearly knows more then he's letting on. THere's that look in his eyes but he says nothing else to it, swtching back to:\<br\>\<br\>"You and I have no beef Jean. I like you, yer boyfriend choice notwithstanding..but the fact is you're living in the house I lived in and working with the brother that I"ve bot issues that we haven't had a Come to Jesus moment on. So as long as you stay affiliated with them...yeah..there's gonna occasionally be problems especially if someone like Rogue sticks their nose in my business."\<br\>\<br\>Cain shrugs a little and then adds, "Otherwise if they treat me with respect they get it back. Simple.. I aint gone after nobody without a reason to.."

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey sighs and shakes her head, "He and Charles share the same goals, but they use different means to get what they want. Magneto is a known terrorist, or he was in the past. Perhaps he has turned over a new leaf since then, or perhaps that peace will last only so long as non mutants stay away from his precious island. I think it best to treat it and him as a live and let live situation.."\<br\>\<br\>She frowns softly, eyeing him thoughtfully, "As for yourself, if you are hurting innocents or involving yourself in terrorist acts, we will have no choice but stop you, as it is our mission and dream so see mutants and humans living at peace with one another. However.."\<br\>\<br\>She turns towards a rack of clothing, examining it thoughtfully, "Should you choose to truly change your ways, my door is always open..You might find..I am full of surprises.." focusing on a particularly stylish shirt, she twiddles her fingers, rearranging the molecules slightly, making the bonds a bit longer so that the shirt might actually fit Juggernaut even. "You should try it on, I think it would suit you.."

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>"That's a new trick..."\<br\>\<br\>He noticed that. He doesn't miss much when he has a reason to pay attention and stay single minded and right now he's focused on her. "What're you, Samantha now? Since when did telekinesis let you do that.." \<br\>\<br\>He takes the shirt and holds it up and then is forced to cant his head to the side.\<br\>\<br\>"Not bad.." Cain muses.\<br\>\<br\>He coosiders it and then says, "I'm not THe Hulk, Jean. I don't go swinging at people walking the streets. Sometimes I get a job to do and sometimes folk in the way might get hurt but I got no beef with the average New Yorker. I happen to be one. You don't lecture a tank for causing collatoral damage when it shoots do you? I'm a WMD.." He turns the shirt over and then adds, "Sometimes things happen..."

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey sighs and nods, "Oh I'm sure, and I don't know your full history with Professor Xavier, and I get it, you're just trying to get by by working as a mercenary. But I don't like that people might get hurt because of it. That's all. But of course, you're right..It would take time to really change, if that's the path you're willing to take. Its up to you. Until then, it's live and let live. We mind our own business, you mind your's. But if there is collateral damage, if innocents are hurt because of your actions, we *will* intervene, because that's what we do. But at least it's a step up from actively targeting the Xmen I suppose.." there's a slight hint of hope in her voice as she says that.

Juggernaut has posed:\<br\>"Hn."\<br\>\<br\>In truth, Cain has not actively targetted the X-Men in a long, long time. Perhaps he was more maddened back then by the power of Cyttorak and more consumed with the lingering jealousy and rage against Charles for percieved actions. But most encounters with him have been..socially cordial and at worst violent merely by virtue of the line of work he's in.\<br\>\<br\>"...Your folk might have a different opinion of me but I haven't come after nobody.." he concurs. Now it doesn't take much to push him over the edge and he can hold a grudge but this is a starting point.\<br\>\<br\>"If you feel you need to intervene then sure, that's not my problem it's yours. I'll deal with it like I always have."\<br\>\<br\>He falters abit and then simply adds, "Fair enough?"

Phoenix has posed:\<br\>Jean Grey arches a brow and may remember it differently but to each their own..She shrugs, clutching her shopping bags more tightly as she checks her watch. "Very well then..Fair enough.." she nods to him, looking about to leave. "Well, I need to head back home..Enjoy the rest of your day, Cain.."