6878/Good Riddance to Emma Frost

Good Riddance to Emma Frost
Date of Scene:	13 March 2019
Location:	Emma Frost's Office - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Emma Frost finishes cleaning out her office. She is interrupted by the Cuckoos, seeking information. James Proudstar shows up and explains that his vacation has been anything but.
Cast of Characters:	Emma Frost, Stepford Cuckoos, Warpath

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Emma Frost has posed:
Time has passed quickly. Emma had turned in her notice at Xavier's, parting ways to return to her own Academy. There were no ill feelings. At least, not on her part. Some of the people here still had never forgiven her past. Some were not going to forgive her current choice. It was a necessity though. The students there needed her and, to be honest, her own personal views did not match those of Charles Xavier. She felt he was looking at the world through rose-colored glasses to think there would ever be coexistence for their people. It might happen but not in their lifetime and the youngsters facing the unsure future deserved to know that.

She was in her office, finishing up the last of her paperwork and penning a few personal notes for those few people who had befriended her or special students she had worked with. They were truly few. Less than a handful.

Finishing up the last, she capped her pen then folded the paper neatly and placed it into the envelope. Using a blotter, she wet the seal then closed it.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    There's a rasping at the doorway, a pregnant pause follows, but Emma would get an odd sort of psychic feeling, as the quintuplets approach, a sort of bubble of mental power larger than most presses against her sixth sense. Without waiting for an answer from the other side, the leader of the five turns the knob and opens the door before stepping in, her four sisters following suit. The girls all wear white long sleeve shirts tucked into skirts with plaid coloration on them but the colors of an entirely different school with matching ties done loosely at their collars.

    In the mind scape, a strange pressure is pressed onto Emma, like the girls were actively scanning her, but not trying to harm, they're simply trying to learn. "Are you Miss Frost?" The lead girl, Phoebe, asks.

Warpath has posed:
The return from the city had been a quiet trip, James lost in his thoughts and listening to the news on the radio. It was never good anymore, the news. Maybe it never had been. Maybe it was just the young not paying as much attention to it. James wasn't young anymore. And after events, and his own actions, of late he was feeling far older inside than his years.

Arriving back at the school he parked and crossed the lot, feet crunching on the salt that had been laid down to help melt the last bits of ice that were trying to cling their way into the slow warming of March. Up the steps and into the halls of the school.

Students turned to look. The immense Native American tends to draw looks for his size most anywhere he goes. Though if some wave of quiet preceded him down the hallway, it was not for his height this time.

In mid-stride James caught her scent. Slowing his stride, he followed it, tracing her steps. Smelling where she'd passed another direction, but nose picking up the stronger of the two scents, following it to Emma's office. Looking up, James sees the identical young women step inside that office. The Native American pauses a moment, waiting in the hall as they go inside, giving them a moment to talk to Emma before he interrupts. Not trying to eavesdrop, but at this distance he'll hear anything said in the room nonetheless.

Emma Frost has posed:
At the noise from the doorway, Emma glances that direction. She normally reaches out mentally to find who is on the other side before giving permission to enter. This time, she finds herself feeling the presence without even trying. There is a furrowing of her brow as she feels that build of psychic power.

The door is opened without her permission, getting a hint of a frown in reaction that impropriety. Then there is surprise as the five identical young women enter and that power swells moreso with the closeness.

She keeps her mental shields in place and is glad she did so as she feels the pressure on her mind, the attempt to intrude on her thoughts. "I am Miss Frost. And it is impolite to read someone's mind without permission," she adds, letting the girls know she is aware of what they are doing. "How may I assist you?"

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "Oh, we keep forgetting our lessons." Sophie explains though the enormous power that is the hive mind do keep feeling at Emma's own power, a very peculiar familiarity there, as if looking into a mental mirror but not quite, as the five together are incredibly power, it's greater than the sum of it's parts, but the girls do draw back as requested. "We were told you were leaving and one of the other students recommended we seek you out. We were not sure why until." The girls say in unison before they kindly offer a mental sort of bow/greeting, officially.

    Their blue eyes remain on Emma, unwavering an nearly robotic in how they stand still and unwavering.

Warpath has posed:
James Proudstar debates whether to move forward or not. He gives a slight frown, feeling guilty for eavesdropping even if he has no control over hearing that conversation. Nor the lesson being given in the next classroom, or the two students snickering about cutting class in the nearby boy's bathroom.

He finally makes up his mind, moving forward to stand outside the doorway. Letting Emma see him. She'll know he hears what is said in the room, and can let him know if it's something she doesn't wish him to overhear.

Once he makes eye-contact with the platinum blonde, James gives a little nod of his head towards her, and waits for some guidance, whether visual or telepathic.

Emma Frost has posed:
So very strange. Their power is much like hers but the five of them are able to combine into a singular unit, allowing their powers to increase exponentially with each sister added to the bunch.

Seeing movement over their shoulders, Emma makes eye contact with James. She gives him a nod and a slight lifting of her hand, motioning that he is welcome to enter the room. Her surprise at seeing him here, of all places, is hidden.

She looks back to the quintuplets, focusing on the one doing the talking so far although it's a little unnerving having all of them staring that way. "I would presume since you are telepaths and that is my main ability. Your minds 'feel' much like my own which is something I have never encountered."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "We have only encountered the two other telepaths... Jean and Charles, and even they have different signatures than your own." Phoebe explains for the five of them, and yet they all shift their heads to get a glimpse of James as he enters the room. A moment's pause where they all check their own minds for any knowledge of the Native and yet they come up short but the subtle motions of Emma catch the girl's eyes. "You two know each other. Should we leave?" Sophie this time asks, looking to Emma while the other four keep their attention on James.

Warpath has posed:
James Proudstar's mind is fairly closed to the telepaths compared to most. Stray thoughts to be caught are rare. Seeing Emma's motion towards him, the immense Apache steps forward into the room. "Pardon me, ladies," he says to the Stepford students in a quiet, deep bass voice. "You need not leave on my account," he says, making that known to them as well as to Emma.

James steps a bit to the side, leaving plenty of room for the young women. His eyes scan the office, her former personal assistant very familiar with Emma's particulars of how she keeps it. If he's noticed that the office is being cleaned out he makes no comment, just leans against the wall quietly.

Emma Frost has posed:
"You don't have to leave," Emma reassures the sisters as well. She takes the notes she had been writing and tucks them in a box next to her feet, mostly hidden under the desk. It has the rest of her belongings from the office already in it. As James knose, she tends to keep her office quite bare and functional anyway but this one is moreso at the moment than normal. There is nothing left of Emma Frost other than her pen and herself.

"All telepaths have a distinct signature, much like fingerprints. Perhaps that is why I am confused to find your own so close to mine. May I take a look?" she asks, nodding toward the girls.

Aside, she sends out a mental thought to James. <<I did not expect to see you here. Was this your vacation destination?>>

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    Much like when Emma was young, and control was an issue, the girls seem to be constantly observing nearly all surface level thoughts around them, but they do not react to them like a complete novice would. They have some self control, and are still learning how to turn their abilities to only work actively and not passively.

    The girls allow Emma to look at their mental signature, but also inviting her to tap into the power of the collective, she doesn't have to worry about being an individual, she can be a part of something greater. Emma likely would be able to take on the collective and control it as an individual, but the mental construct would be unstoppably powerful. None would dare oppose the white queen with those abilities. "Sure, any chance to learn about ourselves is ideal." Phoebe speaks before the other four keep an eye on James. "We don't want to leave, this woman is intruiging.

Warpath has posed:
James Proudstar glances at the identical young women but then his eyes go back to meet the ice blue of Emma's. <<Not really vacation. Long story. Short version... I should have listened to you about letting go of John's death. Tried to take revenge on Xavier for John's death. They finally convinced me, it was John's fault. After a lot of gunfire and knives. Offered me a chance to stick around. Make up for it. I took them up on it. Taking a class just to be part of the school. Mostly just... I have a lot to make up for, Emma,>> James thinks back to her.

And then he opens himself up to her, letting her sense his memories of the events. Just enough so she'll know. The kidnapping, luring the X-men to the place of John's death. The fight. After, Rahne telling him he was worse than Empath. That one stung. A lot of time in a containment cell. And now? The school. Students whispering once he's past, still getting used to his presence.

Emma Frost has posed:
The mmemories are sifted through quickly. Emma tries to be considerate when dealing with James. She trusts him and, as such, she will not abuse him lowering his shields to allow her access. In and out quickly so he has his privacy maintained. <<I see. I wish you had spoken to me but we all must make our own choices. And mistakes.>> She keeps her eyes locked on his as she shares that information with him. <<I will respect your choices but know you have a place at the Academy should you wish to return once your debts are repaid.>>

She flicks her gaze back to the girls, ice blue eyes meeting. As they open up their minds, there is the faintest of gasps from Emma. It is a whisper of sound, lost to most but James will be able to hear it.

As they invite her to the collective, she feels herself being drawn into it. It is like sinking into a pool of warm water, pleasant yet that slight bubble of pressure around her. She could let go of that bubble, release self and just become one with them. The swell of power has her mind reaching out further than it ever has, picking up the thoughts of every student, every teacher, anyone that isn't shielded. Beyond the school, into the town.

Just let go. It would be easy. Absorbed into the hive.

The tempation is great but Emma is not one to cede control of self to anyone. She forces that bubble around her mind to thicken then withdraws, pulling away and declining to join the collective.

"Intriguing is a very good term," she murmurs softly once her mind is back to being hers alone. She withdraws her mental probe and eyes the girls more thoughtfully. "It is unfortunate that I am leaving Xavier's. I feel I would be able to teach you much more than the other telepaths in residence."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "You're leaving, we feel we are not a priority for the teachers here." "We will follow you." "We want you to be our teacher." Phoebe, Celeste, Esme, and Sophie all say one after the other to Emma, their eyes fading from a milk white to their normal blues after the mental handshake has been recalled and all the women return to themselves. The collective liked having that much power, obviously they'll want it again and one way to ensure that. "It seems James is staying here for a while, we could leave to have a real teacher." The girls explain their thoughts verbally.

Warpath has posed:
James Proudstar waits until Emma has the gist of the situation. Which takes only moments. So much faster communicating that way, and he's very used to it with it Emma. <<Thank you. I'm dedicating myself to protecting our people. Here. At the Academy. Both. I probably need to stick mostly here for a while. Until I've earned back some trust. But don't consider me as gone so much as... on leave, if you would,>> James tells her back in his thoughts.

He leans back against the wall, just watching, not finding it odd when no words are said. The little gasp from Emma, quite as it is, puts him a little more on alert. Though as he sees the rest of her expressions, hears her heartbeat, smells her body's subtle emotional reactions to what she's feeling, he relaxes a bit more, not sensing anything distressing his friend and mentor.

Emma Frost has posed:
"I am certain the teachers here do feel you are a priority. However," Emma will be diplomatic but she isn't going to miss this opportunity. Not with so many questions about the five young women. Not with that much power at her fingertips to tap into for future use. With that much power, she is positive she would be even stronger than Xavier.

That is not something to pass up in order to be polite to her former employers.

It isn't as though she sought to take the student with her. She didn't ask her to go. It is the choice of the five. "I would be glad to take you to the Academy of Tomorrow. I believe you will excel there. If you find it is not a good fit for you, you are always welcome to return here."

She does look over at James, her expression closed but he knows her well enough to realize she has found something here she thinks will be helpful to her cause. She does speak out loud to him this time. "You will be missed during your leave but I understand. I will hope it isn't too long."

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
    "Then we will dally no longer and shall pack our things." Phoebe says as she mentally orders the others to turn and give James a polite yet false smile as they all walk past and out of Emma's former office and up stairs towards their rooms.

Warpath has posed:
James Proudstar watches the quintets leave, the large man nodding towards them before turning his attention back to Emma. He clears his throat, a hand rubbing the back of his head. Without even needing her psychic powers, she'll know he's feeling... it won't be just embarrassment. He'll feel like he's letting her down by not being there. And he is. And she knows from being in his memories, he feels like he let down other mutants in general. "Thanks, Emma. I'll be back when I can," he tells her with a little nod. "If you need me though," he says. And he doesn't have to finish the rest. He'd be there if she needed him.