4961/Return Tour

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Return Tour
Date of Scene: 19 July 2018
Location: Xavier's School, Westchester, New York
Synopsis: Scott takes a stroll around the mansion and runs into Andrea in the study hall. She gives him a brief synopsis of the New Mutants team that he'll be working with and fills him in a little on what he's missed since he's been gone.
Cast of Characters: Cyclops, Rage




Cyclops has posed:
First day back at the school, so Scott was up early this morning. He had almost forgotten how the place smelled and all of the sounds that go along with a school full of staff and students. Quite the opposite of the deafening silence in the middle of nowhere.

Now, later in the morning, Scott is effectively patrolling the halls, getting reacquainted with the place and just generally checking in on the early rising students to make sure they have everything they need. Walking down the hall, he comes to the study hall. He steps in with a cup of coffee, lifting it to his lips as he takes a look around the room not expecting to see anyone here so early.

Rage has posed:
As always, Andrea is up early. Even though it's summer and most of the kids are sleeping in, she has already got her five mile run in, a shower and now down into the study hall. Currently she is settled in front of an expensive looking MacBook Pro, tapping away at the glowing keys in front of her. Her hair is pulled up behind her and wrapped in a small bun with a pencil sticking out of it. Next to her is several notebooks and a Calc book. Dressed in a Led Zeppelin t-shirt and a pair of short destroyed shorties, she looks pretty relaxed. It's also one of the few places she can get away from curious students and selfie requests. Not that she will /ever/ turn them down from the mutant student body, but sometimes she just needs to be alone to her thoughts. At the sound of footsteps, she glances up. "Oh! Hey Mister Summers. Good morning."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott had actually started to back his way out of the study hall, as his assumption that no student would dare wake up early on a summer morning much less go to the study hall caused him to completely miss the fact that Andrea was already up and at 'em.

Her voice causes him to pause and glance back across the room to see her sitting at a desk piled up behind her laptop. He steps back in and lifts his mug as a form of greeting, "Good morning, Miss Jackson." Glancing around the rest of the hall as he makes his way towards her desk, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to find you here." As he approaches her desk, he glances down to see the pile of notebooks and the calculus book, "Pardon my interruption, I can see you're busy."

Rage has posed:
"Ha. This isn't busy. This is being bored. I was home schooled the last four years so I'm just trying to catch up on some of these basics before the next school year." Andrea laughs as she closes the lid to her laptop. "But I was also kinda taking a YouTube break. My new single just launched today and so I was watching my new music video and reading some of the feedback on it." She pauses. "By the way, never read feedback on your own stuff. You win some, you lose some, right? Already got three million hits in the last hour." Shifting the books to the side, she rises up and smooths down her shirt. "But, number one on the charts! Again." She says with a grin. "Wanna hear it? It's called Unbreakable? I wrote it about my coming out as a mutant and how I've had to face a number of negative obstacles. It's sorta my way of throwing my finger up and saying .. I'm not going anywhere. Love me or hate me."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott purses his lips into a slight thoughtful frown. Being bored and studying calculus before the next school year. Reminds him of someone. Hearing about her new video releasing and already having a few million views ellicits a raised brow as he tilts his head slightly to the side, "That's very impressive Miss Jackson." Scott has read feedback on his teaching methods from former students and the vast majority of them think he's unfairly harsh on the grading of their assignments, so he's used to feedback and most of it being negative. He didn't work this hard to make it this far for people to like him, so he's used to it.

"Perhaps another time," he says in response to listening to the song. While he hasn't personally listened to Andrea's music, he has heard bits and pieces on the radio and coming from some of the other students' rooms so he is at least somewhat familiar with her style. "What has been the reaction of your non-mutant fans since your coming out?"

Rage has posed:
"Well, most of my fans hang out in the fifteen to twenty-five demographic for the primary and the secondary is about twelve to fourteen. They love me. I mostly get the negative comments from haters in general who hate my music, or they just hate mutants. It's one or the other, pretty extreme. But, I don't know who is or isn't a mutant that hits the reply button, you know? I assume a majority are not. But for the most part they seem to focus on the music. They like it. They connect with it. Everyone, at some point in time, has felt like crap and been isolated or bullied." Andrea says as she gives a long stretch of her body. "So I make music for those people. For those who can't speak for themselves, or too afraid to. I'll take the hate for them."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott listens to Andrea intently and then finally nods, "It's a pretty bold move to put yourself out there in the public eye like that." He takes another sip of his coffee then continues, "It's good that you're giving young mutants a role model to look up to. And non-mutants a positive beacon that represents the positive things that mutants can bring to society." He glances back at her and offers her a smile, "Keep up the positive attitude, Miss Jackson."

Rage has posed:
"Bold and stupid." Andrea says with a grin. "It was a moment of frustration when I saw how the industry treated Dazzler when she came out, and I'm not sure if it's because she's in her 30's and no longer a mega star, which is why they dropped her, but .. I was so.. effing angry." Andrea says, holding back the F word in front of an adult. "And I was at the top. The top selling popstar is a mutant and I couldn't hide it. I just couldn't. Dazzler is my /idol/, and.. I was like.. screw it, what's the worse that can happen? I'm already rich. I'll just stick it in savings, right? Then I got attacked and your brother of all people saved my life at a charity concert."

Cyclops has posed:
The life she leads must be constant chaos in a completely different way than those of the students, and even staff members, here. Being a mutant is already difficult. Being a mutant involved in a team that sees combat is even moreso. Add being an immensely popular celebrity on top of the others and that's something else entirely. The more he considers it the more fortunate he feels to not have to deal with it personally.

Upon the mention of his brother's name, the eyebrow appears above his sunglasses again as he regards Andrea, "It's good that Alex was around to help. Was anyone hurt in the attack?"

This is why he didn't want to leave. Attacks happen and people get hurt. He may not be in control of every situation but he at least wants to be here for when these types of things happen.

Rage has posed:
"The bad guys got hurt. Power Girl was there too. So was the Hulk of all people. That shocked me. A few other super heroes too." Andrea says as she shrugs. "Then the Reavers attacked us... um... The New Mutants at a coffee shop. Guess they wanted round two of me. I ... may have died.." She tugs the front of her shirt down a bit to reveal a nasty scar. "Donald Pierce stabbed me through the chest with his sword arm and I got healed by a fellow student named Josh. He saved my life." She pauses. ".. then they attacked us again... and.. um... I may have killed three of them in self defense... because they were going to kill my driver and Mason." The way she says his name and wrings her hands together. ".. I have a monster inside of me, Mister Summers. When I let her out, sometimes I can't hold back her hunger. It's why I'm here, to learn control, so that if this happens again.." She pauses. "So I don't go overboard again."

Cyclops has posed:
If this much has happened to one student since his absence, he can't imagine what else has happened. But now isn't the time to worry about all that. He'll do that later when he's reading through the logs. His lips purse once more and his brows furrow as he listens to her story. "In that case I'm glad you're here. If anyone can help you control your abilities, it's the Professor and staff here." His mind can't help but drift to someone else who immediately comes to mind with a similar 'monster' inside of him. Something tells him that Logan may not necessarily want a protégé. Couldn't hurt to have a conversation with him about it. Although maybe not. He shakes his head as he imagines Andrea strutting across the stage with a cigar hanging out of her mouth and a bottle of whiskey on the side of the stage.

He can tell from the way she recounts the story that she's struggling with what happened. "We'll do everything we can to help you learn control." His face softens in an attempt to offer her a reassuring smile.

Rage has posed:
"Miss Munroe is helping me as well. Shifting into the beast is not hard. It's just what happens afterwards. I become a backseat driver to her. She goes by the name of Rage. It's what she calls herself." Andrea says with a laugh as that sounds crazy coming out of her lips. "I turn into a eight foot werewolf and I go beserk. That's when I lose it and it's hard to shift back sometimes. I can also shift into a wolf and it's easier for me to have control there. She is more at peace. The Professor went into my head and fixed a few things, um.. when I was shot in the head. That's another story, but hey, at least I'm not brain damaged, right? I just couldn't taste the color green for a few days." She jokes as she rocks back and forth on her feet to loosen the joints. "Anyways, enough of my drama. Do you want a report on the current members of the New Mutants?" She asks curiously. "Just take in mind they're personal opinion, and I could be way off."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott nods, "Ms. Munroe is one of the best. You're in capable hands with her." As she explains turning into a werewolf as well as a regular wolf, he nods again. She was also shot in the head? His eyes briefly glance up to look for any signs of a wound on her head. Fortunately for both of them perhaps, his sunglasses conceal his eyes as he does so.

The mention of the New Mutants draws his eyes back down and he finally pulls a chair out and takes a seat, "Certainly." After resting on the seat he crosses a leg over the other and rests his hands in his lap, still holding his coffee mug, "As long as you don't go into too much detail, your opinion is fine."

Rage has posed:
"Yup, shot in the head by a pebble. Just an accident. Josh saved my life there as well. I saw my brains. Was super gross." Andrea says as she takes in a deep breath, then settles down in front of him to begin her report.

"So let's start with Julian Keller. He goes by the name of Hellion. He's a top notch telekinetic. Has a badboy image about him. Really close with Miss Frost. Has a brash personality. Kinda Alpha.

"Then there is Tommy Shepard. He's a super speedster. Goes by Speed. Oldset of the group. Cocky. Mouthy. But he will run into a burning building to save someone. Has good leadership qualities if he can grow up."

"Then there is Tyler Grant. Has perfect aim and advanced reflexes. Goes by Twitch. Has social anxiety and a hero complex. Takes way too many risks because he wants to be a superhero. He is impulsive, even if his heart is in the right spot."

Andrea pauses here to let him absorb the first three of the members as she pulls up her journal.

Cyclops has posed:
Scott reaches into his pocket and produces a small flip notebook with a pen slid through the rings. He pulls the pen out and clicks the end with his thumb and flips open the notebook to a fresh page and begins taking notes. His features stiffen as he slips into a more formal mode, neatly writing down the notes that Andrea is sharing. After summarizing Tyler and pausing to pull up her journal, he simply glances up from his own and nods to politely wait for her to continue.

He offers no reaction to her opinions about her team members. He doesn't know them so he will ultimately make his own opinion of them once he's had a chance to do so and see them in action for himself. Getting the perspective of a teammate, however, is incredibly valuable input. Knowing what one's peers think of you goes a long way to determine one's potential. Especially as a leader. "Julian Keller, Tommy Shepard, and Tyler Grant. Got it."

Rage has posed:
Nodding her head, Andrea continues on down the list of names.

"Boris Breitbarth. Geokinetic and has a tail.. other physical traits that makes him stand out the most as a mutant. He's also short. He is a ride or die kinda guy. Always sticks up for us. He's like a little brother figure. Love the guy. Great trash talker. Kinda shy, but when he comes out of the shell he is hilarious."

"Ellie Phimister. Goes by Negasonic Teenage Warhead. She's a walking Hot Topic closet. Sorta Goth. Rebel attitude. Isn't a big fan of the 'man'. Has explosive powers I have yet to see but I heard are real nasty. I don't know if she's a teamplayer. Sucks at kickball."

The last one is where Andrea pauses, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Laura. Um... she is Logan's daughter? Has claws in her hands and feet. Advanced healing factor. Was held captive and trained to be a super killer. She just now got out and came straight here on a mission to find her dad. Lacks all social skills, but she seems eager to learn to be normal. I've seen her fight. I don't know who is more scary. Her or me. I'm going to with her because I don't think she cares if she chops someone's limbs off. Not to say she lacks empathy but.. um... I don't think she knows what.. empathy.. is yet.."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott glances back down at his notebook and begins to take down notes once she continues.

Boris Breitbarth - Geokenetic. Shy trash talker. Got it. He nods to himself as he scribbles down a few more things and then moves on. Ellie Phimister - Negasonic Teenage Warhead. He pauses after writing down her codename and glances up at Andrea for a moment to make sure she wasn't joking. When she carries on without missing a beat, his brow arches and he simply returns his gaze back down to his notebook and continues writing as well. Rebel and a problem with authority.

When she mentions Logan's daughter, he glances up at her again and monitors her body language. Clearly a little uneasy with Laura. It doesn't come as much of a surprise that a daughter of Logan's is already a trained killer with no social skills. He 'hmms' under his breath and returns to making notes, "I see."

Rage has posed:
"So, that's the team." Andrea says as she finishes after Laura, waiting for him to complete his scribbling. "Negasonic and Laura are both new to the program after I complained about a lack of estrogen on the team. So far we've been able to handle a few missions as a group, but we're sloppy and uncoordinated. Miss Frost has been giving us team building exercises to get to know each other better. I also need a uniform or something.. when I shift.. my clothes .. kinda become rags and I end up naked. So they talked about uniforms that can shift along with my body? That sounds freaking cool. Miss Frost wanted us to vote on team colors and I think we were leaning to black and red."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott jots down a few more notes in his notebook and then, once she confirms that she had gone through the team in its entirety, flips the notebook shut and slides the pen through the spiral hoops and returns it to his pocket. Reaching out to take up his mug once more, he settles it in his lap and nods at Andrea as she fills him in on the team dynamic. Any team is uncoordinated at first. It's just a matter of getting to know the styles of everyone else. Like any sports team you have to know how the others react to any given situation so you know where they'll be without having to keep track of it yourself.

He takes a sip of his coffee and nods, "If you haven't already received a new uniform for your circumstance, I'll see to it that you receive one as soon as possible." He takes his notebook out once more and flips it open just long enough to jot down 'black and red' and then returns it to his pocket again. "While there is still time before classes start back, we'll run some training scenarios in pairs so you can get to know one another better. That will ultimately make acting as a single unit easier in the long run."

Rage has posed:
"That would be really cool. Miss Munroe took me into the Danger Room once to have ah .. some time to talk and work out out a few things." Andrea says as she taps her skull. "I think the others would get a kick out of that. I heard you guys use it for training purposes? That's really efficient." Sliding back down into her seat, she plucks up her notebook and scribbles a few circles at the top corner of her paper. "I'll admit that I'm still shaky on the whole team idea. I didn't come here to be a superhero, or a junior X-man. I came here to learn more about who I am as a person and to control my powers. I also wanted the kids here to .. I don't know.. be inspired maybe? Have someone around with influence that cares about them?" Her shoulders lift upwards. "I suppose my vision of the team would be to be young mutant ambassadors, though the rest of the team wants to become X-Men now." She says with a small grin on her face. "I don't know if maybe I'm the right person to wear a uniform and beat up bad guys."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott lifts his mug to his mouth and finishes off his coffee. He glances down into his empty cup and frowns slightly, returning it to the desk. He looks back up at Andrea and nods silently. He'll introduce the New Mutants to the danger room slowly and in small groups so they can get accustomed to it and each other at the same time.

Her idea of using the New Mutants as something of a diplomatic liason for the school causes him to pause and consider it. It's not a bad idea. A younger team of mutants isn't, in his opinion, intended to act as a junior group of X-Men, but more of a cohesive unit of peers who have each others' backs. "The idea behind the team isn't necessarily one of combat," he says as he sits up and glances around the study hall. There used to be a coffee cart next to the door to keep the students nice and caffeinated. When his eyes fall upon it and he sees a hint of steam rising from one of the containers he smiles to himself and rises to his feet. Grabbing his mug, he walks over towards the coffee while glancing over his shoulder to continue speaking to Andrea.

The idea is that you learn to control your powers in a group setting while learning teamwork so if you're ever in trouble you will not only have to face it alone, but be able to approach it with people you trust who can have your back." He flips the valve and watches as fresh hot coffee begins to fill his mug. He speaks again a little louder as he continues to watch his coffee refill, "I do like your idea and will consider some activities." He recounts the list of teammates and their personalities and initially struggles to see how a team with that dynamic would be able to realistically act in a diplomatic fashion. Especially Laura. And from what Andrea said Ellie may be a bit of a challenge as well. At least from a public point of view.

Once his coffee is full, he lifts his mug to his lips and blows the steam away as he carefully turns and begins to walk back towards Andrea's desk, "We're not interested in forcing you to fight, Miss Jackson." He lowers himself back into his chair, "We do want to empoer you to be able to fight if you choose to do so in the future."

Rage has posed:
"I don't mind fighting if I had to fight. Self defense. You know? The public already sees us as a menace. I don't think popstar werewolf slaughtering people is really the right image for us, or my brand, or my soul I guess." She gives a glance about the room for a moment. "But I don't want to let the team down either. I'm sorta the tank of the group. I'm built to take damage in combat and I sorta got this pack mentality thing up here." She taps her finger to her skull. "I don't think I'd be able to walk away from them even if I wanted to. She won't let me."

Cyclops has posed:
Scott glances across the desk at Andrea as she taps her head and offers her a smile and a nod, "Our job is to make sure you have to worry about as little as possible when it comes to danger." And they'll certainly do everything they can to follow through on that, "But as you already very well know things are not always in our, or your control." He idly raises his mug to his lips and blows on it to lessen the heat before taking another sip. "That's where your training comes in. If you can protect yourself and your classmates then we've done our job."

He glances down at his watch and considers the time. He really should get back to his routine of checking up on all of the public areas available to the students before returning to his office to commence the endless paperwork that has piled up while he was away. He looks over the desk at Andrea once more, "I should get back to it." He smiles, "I appreciate your report."

Rage has posed:
"Aye, aye, captain. Have a good day." Andrea says with a grin as she opens the lid to her laptop again, brushing her fingers along the metal keys. "I'm always around if you want to talk more. I'm eager to get to work under you." She lifts a hand up to wave goodbye to him, then goes back to work as she slips her headphones over her head and taps the music up a bit louder.