4715/Uncomfortable Confessions

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Uncomfortable Confessions
Date of Scene: 22 June 2018
Location: Xavier's School, Westchester, New York
Synopsis: Tyler makes a confession to Ms Frost. Things go surprisingly well for him as he doesn't get kicked out of school.
Cast of Characters: Twitch, Emma Frost




Twitch has posed:
It took some guts but Tyler managed to find himself with an appointment to speak to Ms Frost, his adviser. It had to wait until close of business at the school, though, and Tyler's been dreading it all day. When the time finally comes he finds himself seated in a chair across from the teacher, gulping deep in his throat. "Hello, Ms Frost." He sounds nervous. He looks nervous. Still, he's here to talk and he's going to do so.

Running his hands through his long hair he takes a deep breath, sighs, then speaks, "I did something bad and I need to tell you." His eyes squint faintly into an almost wince when he says those words, waiting to see how the teacher reacts.

Emma Frost has posed:
Nobody ever made appointments because they did good things. That was almost a given. Usually it was I messed up, or I need an extension. Sometimes it was pleading for a higher grade, or a remark... but nobody ever made an appointment for pleasant reasons.

Of course Emma had inklings of what it might be. Rumours of some off campus hijinks had come her way. And, in truth, she'd full intentions of getting the matter out of the children in due time... but Tyler's request made it simpler. She'd merely let him spill the tale.

Emma found people wanted to tell her all sorts of things if she merely sat there and gave them the proper incentive.

As it happens, she'd been marking finals while she waited for Tyler. It would, she had supposed, put her in a sufficiently non-amused mood to send the proper vibes to the boy when he arrived. Annoyed, but not /too/ annoyed. Plus, it gave her something to do with her hands when he got there, and a reason to send him away when she was tired of whatever confession he'd come to lay upon her.

Right on time, Tyler arrives, and Emma looks up, a tired expression upon her face. "Of course you did. Come in, and do close the door behind you. We don't don't wish to entertain the masses."

Twitch has posed:
"Yes ma'am," Tyler says to Emma, moving quickly to shut the door before reporting back her at her desk, standing straight and forcing himself to keep his head up instead of looking down. He licks his lips and lets out a loud exhale in a 'whoosh' of air.

"So, Andrea turned into a werewolf in public and this businessman got his hands on the security tapes. It also showed some other mutants doing their thing, including one I know is still in the closet about his powers," the youth says it all at once, trying to get it out before he turns chicken.

"I found the blackmailer and took care of it for her," he goes on. "There was a fight, I beat up a bunch of people and then I got the originals of the blackmail tapes and the word that it was over for her."

A deep sort of huff escapes from him, "The only problem is she'd already told Ms Grey about it and she was supposed to handle it first."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma rubs her temples. This was decidedly much more than the rumours, and a lot more than she expected in an initial foray into 'I did a bad thing...'.

"Well, you don't do things by half, do you, young man. So, let's back this up. Who is this who is in the closet? And who were the others on this tape of yours. Also, where is this tape now."

Who had the tape, and the bit about the blackmailing and fight she will deal with in due time.

Twitch has posed:
"No ma'am, I guess I don't," Tyler replies seriously, a worried look furrowing his brow. "My friend Mason. He might start going here soon but he's not a student yet," he starts off. Then there's a little nod, "There was Tommy, some guy who says things and they happen and Josh was there, but he started off on the Reavers' side before he freaked out and started healing people."

Reaching behind himself to the small of his back Tyler pulls out a hard drive from under his shirt, "I've got it. I didn't know what to do with it, other than give it to you or Ms Grey."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma silently holds out her hand for the hard drive. "And you're quite certain that this is the only copy of the material?"

Emma isn't certain. In fact, were it here blackmailing, she'd be quite certain to have made another copy. Then again, not everyone was Emma. It did, of course, mean she was going to have to pay a little visit to their blackmailer.

"I'll see to it that Ms. Grey gets this and it's dealt with properly. Now, the rest. Tell me again what happened, and slowly."

Twitch has posed:
"Andrea has a copy of it, too," Tyler says to Emma as he hands the hard drive over, returning his hands to his sides. He takes a deep breath and says, "Okay, Ms Frost..."

Tyler licks his lips, closing his eyes and thinking for a moment before he speaks, "I was getting lunch with Mason and he told me that Andrea was being blackmailed for some of her blood by this guy named Oroku Saki who runs a company called Stockgen." Making sure he's not going too fast he takes a second to breath in and out again. "I figured out where Stockgen was, disguised myself in my superhero getup, pulled the plates off my bike and tailed Oroku from where he works to a satellite lab in the Bronx." So far he's telling the truth, leaving nothing out. He's surprisingly calm about what he's saying, as if he's spent a lot of time digesting the information and planning what to say.

Once he's sure she's had a little time to digest his words he goes on, "When I got there I entered through the roof, breaking the lock with my grappling hook. Just after I got inside a guard tried to pull a gun on me. I dodged the bullet and knocked him out." Still telling the truth. "But it alerted other guys. Two more came for me and I knocked one out straightaway..." He remembers throwing a lead ingot down a hallway to smack a guy in the head and render him unconscious. "Then I ducked around the corner from the other one, whirled out when he wasn't expecting it and knocked the gun out of his hand with one ingot, I throw lead ingots so I don't kill anybody, and used another one to break his nose. Then I choked him until he told me where Oroku Saki was." It's just a blood choke, the least harmful way Tyler knows to render someone unconscious.

"I confronted Oroku Saki in his office and we had a fight. Turns out he's a martial arts master." Big fight. Lots of Tyler getting kicked around despite his powers and training. "We talked about what was going to happen and he agreed to stop blackmailing Andrea. Said he never intended to blackmail her, just to trade her her blood for the tapes." Tyler was beaten halfway to unconsciousness by this time, but other than that he's telling the truth. Of course, he's also leaving something out.

Emma Frost has posed:
"You have a superhero costume," Emma says in a pained voice. "Of course you do. Why am I even asking. And why, praytell, do you have a superhero costume?"

She's fairly certain that she's going to regret asking that and hearing the answer. The rest, though, she tucks away. Stockgen. There was a tidbit... and a lead.

Twitch has posed:
"Because I've been a superhero for a while. Since before I got to the school," Tyler confesses, wincing so hard that his eyes almost close. "I've taken down gangsters and smugglers and stuff." True. Visions of Tyler as Twitch taking down guys in suits with guns. He wears a costume that conceals him completely from the eyes down. "And I'm supposed to train with Scarlet Spider some time, but I haven't been able to because of the curfew." A flash to a business card being handed over by the superhero as he and the young mutant talk atop a large building.

Emma Frost has posed:
"Fine." Emma's tones are clipped. "And we're going to stop that nonsense for now, aren't we?" She doesn't even expand upon what nonsense, leaving it to Tyler to come to his own conclusions about what she means. It usually works better that way. "And as long as you're a student here, you aren't going to go off and make grand heroic gestures like that any more, are you? I seem to recall an order that students were to stay put on campus until the bottom of certain matters could be gotten to?"

"Now, before we return to the matter of Stockgen... who is this Scarlet Spider? And exactly what it is that she is going to be teaching you?"

Twitch has posed:
"Yes ma'am. It'll stop," Tyler says, looking down at the desk in front of himself finally. As he says the words he feels heartbroken. A flash to him in costume shaking hands with Green Arrow. "Okay, Ms Frost. I won't do anything like that any more."

"He's kind of like Spider-man, I guess," the kid explains. "Got the same powers, the super strength, the web swinging and all that. He was going to work with me on getting from rooftop to rooftop when I'm out doing my thing so I don't fall or anything."

Emma Frost has posed:
"I see," Emma says thoughtfully. "And this is a skill you feel is lacking for you to learn here at Xavier's?" It does present something of a quandry. One of the goals of the New Mutants /is/ skills training. However, Emma also has no baseline for what Tyler may or may not already be capable of, and that, as she sees it, is the more pressing matter with regards to his skills.

Twitch has posed:
"Yes ma'am." Tyler says quickly. As he continues to speak he's got a feeling of pride. "I can blow through a parkour gym without trying, but I need practice on what to do if the part of the building I'm jumping from or to collapses under me." A sensation and vision of falling as part of a wall gives way, then being caught. "I've been working with my grappling hook to make sure I can catch myself, but it would be better if I had someone who could catch me if I screwed it up."

Emma Frost has posed:
"I see," Emma says again, still looking thoughtful. "This may bear looking into. I would prefer to know this person is someone suitable." And by suitable she means someone with at least moderate ethics, and not likely to brainwash the boy... and someone she would personally approve of. Not that Tyler might know it, but despite the cool and brash exterior, Emma bears a great deal of concern and responsibilty for her students.. and once Tyler became a New Mutant, he became one of hers.

Twitch has posed:
Tyler doesn't say anything at first, just nodding his head and watching the woman silently for a prompt. He's still nervous, but since the subject of conversation turned away from what he's done wrong to something else he's begun to relax just a little. Being young and impatient he can't manage for long without speaking, "I can ask him to meet with us, Ms Frost."

Emma Frost has posed:
"Oh?" That does grab Emma's interest. "I would like that, Tyler. In fact, I think it might be beneficial to us all." Especially as if the man passed muster, he might be useful to run all the children through some scenarios.

"As for the other, just what do you think we should do about the fact that you broke curfew and put yourself and others in danger, hrm?"

She's already plucked enough information off of him to find Stockgen and to investigating of her own. Of course she'll also wish to talk to Jean about matters... And Andrea.

Emma gives an inwardly pained sigh.

Twitch has posed:
"Okay, Ms Frost. I'll hit him up and see if wants to meet up with us," Tyler says, sounding almost happy that his adviser likes his suggestion.

Then that happiness fades away. "Well, I'm already in trouble for breaking curfew. I thought we were allowed to go to West Chester because the memo only said New York was off limits..." He trails off and shuts himself up.

When the young man finally speaks he does so slowly, feeling a great deal of pain, "I'd expel me. I broke the law and I could have put the people here at risk."

Emma Frost has posed:
Tyler gets a *LOOK*.

"Really, is that the story you wish me to believe. That you thought the curfew only extended to New York. You wish me to believe that you were unable to ascertain by using your own brains that if there were danger enough to warrant not wandering in New York, that perhaps it might not be safe to go galivanting about anywhere? Or did you convince yourself that we might be stupid enough to accept that excuse under the gusie of semantics."

The look continues. "Go on. I'd like to hear your answer."

Twitch has posed:
Tyler looks seriously concerned for a moment, swallowing hard in his throat, "I wasn't sure why we were allowed to go off school grounds, but I figured it would be okay since I wasn't going into the city. Except for when I went to Stockgen." Glancing down at the desk again he takes a deep breath, "I thought that there was a reason it was New York specifically. I don't regret going into Apple Park the other day, we did save that kid, but I was pretty pissed off that I got in trouble for it when I didn't break the posted rules."

Emma Frost has posed:
Tyler is given a truly pained expression from Emma. "My dear boy. You do realize that if you aspire to be more than just the run of the mill mutant, that you will have to learn to use what you've been given, and that includes the brains inside that thick skull of yours, yes? How does one turn a curfew into a localized ban? If New York were merely the only place verbotin, it would not have been a curfew to grounds, but an advisory to stay out of New York. Now, do I need to send you back to remedial English, and perhaps some logic lessons as well, or can we agree that your desire to leave campus was greater than your desire to follow the spirit of the law you knew was in place."

"And whom did we save in Apple Park? And why am I only just hearing of this now?"

Twitch has posed:
"It only mentioned New York City being off limits in the memo. I literally thought it meant just the city," Tyler says, folding his hands together in front of his body and looking down in front of himself once more. "I guess I didn't think about it locking us down to the grounds because I think of the country as another place entirely. The worst part is I told Josh and Tommy that it was cool to go to West Chester because it wasn't listed as off limits on the thing."

He sighs deeply and shakes his head, "If it had said to stay on the school grounds I wouldn't have risked leaving."

Tyler looks concerned briefly. Shouldn't the teacher know everything? "We saved a little kid. I thought you would have known, ma'am. Ms Grey caught us out there. That's why I've got that stupid clean up after school thing I'm doing now."

Emma Frost has posed:
Quietly, and with disappointment, Emma asks, "You do know what the word curfew means, do you not, young man." Seeing as he's chosen to play at semantics, she feels no guilt in walking him down this path.

Twitch has posed:
"I do, ma'am. But it wasn't mentioned on the memo," Tyler says to Ms Frost with a little frown. "I guess I just thought about it too much and decided to trust what was written instead of my gut." He's not lying. He'd thought it through a couple of times before leaving school grounds. "Being stuck here is rough. I can't get to the gym to train, can't find anyone who knows BJJ. Mr. Logan is supposed to know martial arts but I haven't been able to get a chance to meet with him." The young man sighs, "I tried sparring with Boris and I choked him out in no time. I've been showing him a few things so he can hopefully take someone down without having to punch them up, though, so that's something. Training other people helps keep you fresh on the basics." The kid is ranting and it takes him a while to realize it. When he does he shuts up all at once.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma waits patiently for Tyler to run out of things to say and self-check his babbling tirade.

"So, you do understand the concept of curfew. And what part of no leaving school grounds without permission, or without an accompanying staff member did you think didn't apply to you? Because I'm curious how, if you read the memo, you missed those salient, and very clear, details."

Twitch has posed:
"It specifically said you needed permission and someone to go with you to New York City, Ms Frost. It didn't say anything about leaving school grounds," Tyler explains with a frown. "I double checked it after I got back. I didn't break the rules." The kid is being honest, trying to maintain eye contact with his teacher the best that he can.

Emma Frost has posed:
There's a slight inclination of head from Emma, and then a nod. "And what did you just learn, Mr. Grant?"

For some reason she doesn't seem inclined to yell at him for pointing this out to her, unlike what he might have expected, or what another teacher might have done.

Twitch has posed:
Learn? Now that's a tough question. Tyler presses his lips tightly together in thought. "To be honest with you, ma'am?" He's not sure he's got the right answer, but it's what he's been doing the whole time, aside from one little omission and she hasn't freaked out at him yet.

Emma Frost has posed:
"If there is one thing I wish you to learn about me, young man, it's that I demand honesty in all things. You may comport yourself to others in other guises, but when you speak with me, I expect truths. Not lies. I can bear and forgive many things, but I will not tolerate the arrogance of assuming I am too stupid to know the difference between a lie and the truth. And as long as I am your advisor, and she who will be overseeing the extra-curricular expansion of your skills upon our team, I expect no less than that respect. And in return, you will be treated with the same."

A pause.

"Do we understand one another? Now, proceed."

Twitch has posed:
"Yes ma'am," Tyler replies quickly, nodding his head rapidly up and down. "What do you want to know now, Ms Frost? About the thing at Apple Park?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma shakes her head. "No. I asked what you learned, just then, when you spoke up and defended yourself over the exact wording of the prohibition to leaving campus."

Twitch has posed:
"That you have enough respect for me to not get angry when I correct you as long as it's done in a respectful manner and I know what I'm talking about," Tyler says thoughtfully.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma nods. "That's a good start. Anything else?"

She seems infinitely patient at this point, and the clipped and pained tones of earlier have migrated to something else. Not quite gentle, but considered. Leading. Pointing the young man in a new direction in hopes of having him see a thing, and if not, being able to point it out to him. But first she waits to see if he finds the answer himself.

Twitch has posed:
It takes Tyler some time before he can answer, thinking back to previous moments in the conversation. Once more do his lips press tightly together as he considers what to say. Finally, he speaks, "You expect me to stand up for myself."

Emma Frost has posed:
The woman smiles. "Yes. Yes I do. When it is appropriate. And respectful. I expect you to not merely take abuse because it is given, or because there is perceived authority. You are correct. The memo was specific to New York City. I do believe the intent was to cover leaving the grounds at all, but you were not mistaken."

Emma's smile remains, and even carries a touch of warmth to it. "The fact is, Tyler, that there will always be those with more power than you. Knowing when and how to move within that framework is as important as any power or ability you may hold. Power, ultimately, is only as good as the actions of those who weild it. And our future as mutants depends upon our setting a greater example. We have been given much, and so our duty is to do more with it. And more does not mean to trounce upon those who are lesser than ourselves."

She gives him a considered look. "How did it feel when I berated you, merely because I am your teacher and advisor and you are merely a student?"

Twitch has posed:
As Emma speaks, and even smiles at him, Tyler feels a surge of pride, standing up a little straighter and puffing out his chest noticeably. His stance even relaxes a little bit as a good deal of the tension he'd been feeling leaves him. When the question comes up it doesn't take long for Tyler to answer, "It felt miserable. Unfair. Like I wasn't worth anything."

Emma Frost has posed:
There's a succinct and quiet, "Exactly," from Emma. "And you were angry, were you not? Wishing to lash out in some fashiong at the unfairness?" She knows this, having read the young man. But it's important he acknowledge and recognize the process, and understand what she is teaching him here.

Twitch has posed:
"Yes ma'am, I was angry," Tyler replies with a nod. "It really bothers me when things aren't fair." He licks lips and proceeds to speak some more, "I understand that the world isn't fair, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to do something about it."

Emma Frost has posed:
"Precisely." Emma's hands move to sit upon the papers she was marking, signifying that this meeting is likely to be coming shortly to a close. "I want you to remember how that felt, Tyler. I expect you to go forward and act in ways that do not create the feeling in others. I expect that you will learn how to weild both power and your powers with dignity and respect before you leave Xavier's. As one of my own, I demand no less than that of you and the rest of the team."

"You will be the face of mutantkind. The new face of mutantkind, and we will forge a new identity for our people. It begins with what you learned here today."

Twitch has posed:
"Yes, Ms Frost," Tyler is nodding his head now, a very serious look on his face. The young man is now more determined than ever to do the right thing and to do right by his mentor. "I'll do my best to make sure I don't abuse my power and to treat other people the way they should be treated."

As he's called the face of mutantkind he puffs up again. "I'll try my best, ma'am."

Emma Frost has posed:
"See that you do, young man. I expect you at our next meeting. Now, shoo, I have paperwork to finish. There are those expecting final grades. And if you see Andrea, tell her I am looking for her."

Twitch has posed:
"Yes, Ms Frost," Tyler says to the woman, actually flashing a smile for a moment. "I'll let her know you need to see her." And then he's off, heading through the door with the words, "Take care!"