836/Welcome To Xavier's, Lina...

Welcome To Xavier's, Lina...
Date of Scene:	07 June 2017
Location:	Xavier's School, Westchester, New York
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	858, Phoenix

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Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
Lina has been considering the idea of approaching School administration about enrolling ever since her conversation with Ororo. Every interaction she's had since then with the School's faculty and students has been stellar. So it's no surprise that she can't think of a single reason to stay in her old high school.

Today finds her dressed nicer than usual compared to her previous visits. She's wearing a very classy green blouse and a black knee-length skirt. Yes, a skirt. Because it wouldn't do to present herself poorly, would it? Several of the faculty had pointed her in the direction of the vice principal, Jean Grey. That is who she came looking for today.

Phoenix has posed:
With regular office hours during the day, Vice Principal Grey is - generally - not hard to secure some time with for new or prospective students. In fact, she sometimes makes housecalls to the latter group, in keeping with the Xavier's tradition of throwing money into jet fuel and Cerebro's energy bills to for the sake of turning people's worlds upside down while they've still got a foot on familiar ground.

Today's subject is local, however-- and unusually so, at that, having spent the better part of a week on the premises of late. Whether or not there's an appointment, Lina is expected by the time she arrives, her anticipation bleeding through the manor's walls and seeping into the Vice Principal's psyche. Unlike some of the other offices in the Institute's administrative wing, there's nobody to play gatekeeper for her; just is a small, screened panel set next to the door, with a yellow 'X' set against a blue background. It doesn't waver as Lina nears the threshold; instead, the door simply twists and draws itself open, revealing a large, if severely underdecorated space.

Inside, she'll finds Ms. Grey seated behind a mid-sized desk, dressed in a dark red blouse patterned with abstracted amber sun ray, along with black slacks. Green eyes fixed on the entrance rove just enough to meet Lina's upon her arrival, and mutedly red lips pull up into a warm smile.

"Good afternoon, Miss Whitecroft," she says, standing to extend a hand across the desk. "I understand you wanted to see me... ?"

Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
At first the door opening by itself doesn't really phase Lina. Until she realizes that no one was there to open it. However, opposite her behind a desk is the individual she came to see. She stares at the door for a minute, almost as if she doesn't trust it, before stepping past into the space. Her face breaks into a smile however, the door quickly forgotten, as the hand is extended.

"Oh, yes, it's so nice to meet you Ms. Grey." She reaches out with her own hand and grasps Jean's, her grip soft, before withdrawing it. "Wow. Where to start." She seems to hesitate for a minute, before asking "Have the other faculty mentioned me? I mean, we've never met, but you seem to know who I am. No that it's a bad thing, that is." No one's clued her in on Jean's gifts yet, beyond mentioning she was the vice principal and very good at convincing potential students' parents.

Phoenix has posed:
The door closes behind Lina as the two women shake, with Jean keeping her grip light as well. She remains standing once they've separated and initially meets that first question with nothing more than a persisting smile.

"You've spent quite a bit of time here, as of late," she replies after a moment. "Whereabouts are you from-- Salem Center? Somers, maybe? How have you been finding it? The grounds, the people-- what you've perceived of the environment. Sorry for the fifth degree-- I just don't get a lot of chances to talk to people in your position."

Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
Lina doesn't notice the door closing by itself, she's too focused on her 'interview' as it were. She stands with her hands clasped in front of her as she carefully considers what to say. Best to be honest, of course, but not to come on too strong.

"That's about right, yes. I don't live far away at all. It was pure coincidence that I ran into Ororo and Logan in the park." My how time flies. "I can't believe it's only been four days since we met. It feels like I've known Logan forever. I mean, I've barely spoken two words to him but there's just something about him that feels... familiar. And Ororo was so nice to me. She brought me back here and showed me the yard and, um, what she can do. It was very impressive."

On the topic of the environment, Lina wavers a little. "Honestly at first I didn't know what to make of it all. I think it hit me rather hard when Jono first popped into my head and started talking. I mean, I know he can't read my mind. But it was still a little alarming. I got over it quickly, though, because Jono is super nice. And Ororo and Logan were very reassuring. So yeah, Jono and I are friends now I guess." She smiles at that.

"I don't mind the questions. If I were in your position, I'd be doing the same thing. This place is really neat, but it's also very important. It's a safe haven for... people who are different. People like me. Honestly, I haven't really paid attention to much of what goes on in the world. I didn't even imagine a place like this existed. I didn't need it, so it was off my radar. Now it's very much /on/ my radar," she adds with the slightest pinking of her cheeks.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean's eyes don't waver as she nods and softly, intermittently vocalizes throughout Lina's story-- until it's near its end, at which point she arches a brow, cants her head a little, and flicks her eyes curiously across the singer.

"That's an interesting sentiment," she says with a tiny toss that sends red tresses back to their proper place behind her right shoulder. "How did you come to the conclusion that you didn't 'need' a place like this? Just setting the myriad social concerns aside, it's normally pretty common among young mutants - you //are// a mutant, right? I don't think that's too presumptuous, considering, but we've had an exception or two - to have some difficulties with controlling, or even understanding the full breadth of their abilities; were you lucky in that regard? Or just especially dedicated to figuring things out on your own?"

Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
Lina blushes a little more deeply now as Jean probes further. "Well..." She seems to think for a moment how best to explain it. "Yes, I'm a mutant. My powers seem to revolve around music and singing, from what I can tell. And you're right, I am having difficulty controlling everything. That's part of how Ororo and Logan noticed I was a mutant. I might have kind of been sending suggestive waves at them while we were interacting."

Looking straight into Jean's eyes, she adds "But I realize now how wrong I was. Felix and I thought if I just worked on it that no one would notice. That I'd be able to keep it in check and figure out how to keep a lid on it for good, eventually. But running into those two made it clear I was not succeeding. I was very obviously failing, actually."

She lets out a sigh. "My whole life I've pretty much ignored anything that didn't involve my music or myself. I know it's very selfish, I never thought of it that way. But it kind of is. So I realize now that I need to stop doing that. Pay attention to the world, to things around me, especially now that I'm a mutant. Or rather, now that I have /accepted/ that I am a mutant. And believe me, that took like a whole month."

"What I am trying to say, I guess, is that I see all the benefits your school has to offer and I think it would be a great place for me to learn. Not just how to control my powers, but also what it means to be a mutant. What's out there beyond just, you know, me. If you guys will have me, that is.

She continues "I really enjoy spending time here, I admit. But I'm not sure how exactly this all works. Outside, school is pretty straightforward. Your residence determines where you go, you put up with it, you graduate. Ta da. Welcome to real life. This place is different. It's /so/ different. But I realize I want to be a part of something bigger. Something awesome. Something like this."

Phoenix has posed:
"Suggestive waves, huh?" accompanies the further arching of a red brow.

Ms. Grey keeps her eyes on Lina's for a silent beat. Psychic defenses rise in the space of a deep breath-- just in case. For the sanctity of the interview.

"So you didn't /want/ to need a place like this, is what you really mean, then," she finally suggests without judgment. "Because doing much more than trying to tamp down on that piece of yourself would've only distracted you from your actual life-- right? I'm not sure that that's //selfish//, per se-- not //egregiously// so. Maybe a little unrealistic, in the long run, but a truly selfish person probably would've been a little more concerned with using her newfound powers for herself than figuring out how to ignore them."

She finally retakes her seat, gesturing along the way towards the three chairs set up on the other side.

"But, that said: it's wonderful that you've decided to think beyond yourself-- and, more than that, to take steps towards accepting-- and //understanding// yourself in full," she continues while folding her arms on the desk before herself.

"So." A deep breath and a slight lowering of the voice as she shifts her posture forward a bit. "What do your parents - or guardians - know? Because if this is something that you realy want, then they're going to have to be accounted for, somehow."

Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
Lina's eyes widen a bit at the implication. "Oh, no Ms. Grey, I wouldn't... I mean I'm trying very hard not to let that happen here. I don't want my gift to have anything to do with this interview. But I have to really /focus/ to keep from just... naturally doing it. It's very frustrating."

Lina sighs at Jean's next few words. "God, you have no idea. I didn't figure it out at first. All of a sudden people were paying attention to me, my band was doing awesome. It felt so /great/. Until Felix broke the news to me that none of it was real. At least, not the way I thought. That I'd been unintentionally tampering with people. It was such a blow to my ego, let me tell you. So, yes, I wanted to ignore it. I wanted it to go away. I wanted to be recognized for my own talent, not because my voice hypnotizes people into thinking I'm better than I really am. That's so not me at all."

As Jean sits, so does Lina. She smiles at Jean's words of encouragement with respect to the path she is choosing for herself. "Yes, I want to do that. I want to understand. More than just accept. And I want to stop... messing with people. I mean, sure, it can be useful. I stopped a fight once, that was a close call at school. But it's one thing to use a gift like that and it's a whole other thing to let it take control. You know?"

When her parents come up, Lina's face twists into one of near panic. "Oh Ms. Grey, please, we can't tell them. They're awesome to me but think of what they would do if they found out my voice makes people do what I secretly want. They'd never trust me again. They'd second guess every time I ever convinced them of something, any time they gave in. Please, please, don't. I could never face them." She looks almost on the verge of tears.

Phoenix has posed:
A lump is swallowed before it can fully form. Red lips part just enough to admit a sharp rush of air, then draw tightly together. Green eyes bob subtly, but don't - are not allowed - to shift. Folded hands fall to a belly suddenly alive with cold wriggling.

The plea - its precise arrangement and the particular way in which Lina's mood and expression abruptly crater while delivering it - is unique; they all are, in their way.

The rest never really seems to change, however, no matter how many times Jean has shared in it.

"Ah," she lowly exhales, eyes twitching down to the desk for a beat before she clears her throat and re-establishes eye contact. "Ms. Whitecroft... they're your //parents//. Which doesn't mean that they're in any way obligated to accept you as you are," if Lina's hands are on the desk, she reaches across to gently lay hers atop them as she quietly shares this uncomfortable truth, "but does mean that if I were to enroll you into a remote - semi-remote, relatively speaking, but remote enough - private boarding school without their knowledge, it'd only be a matter of time before there were sirens in the driveway. I know that it's difficult - terrifying, even - to imagine changing their concept of you so utterly, but-- well-- is that really who they are? Would their feelings for you be irrevocably changed by knowing who //you// really are? Or is that just who you're //afraid// they are?"

Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
Lina seems to settle down a little as Jean's hands rest on hers. Her eyes seem to shift from the desk to Jean's face to Jean's hands on hers and to the blank space between them. "I know," she admits softly. "I know that I can't just disappear right under their noses. I just mean... I mean, do we have to tell them what I do? Logan mentioned a musical scholarship or something. If they find out I'm a mutant they'll want to know why. I know them."

She takes a deep breath and seems to think for a moment. "You're right, though. I can't keep it a secret from them forevever. Sooner or later they'll find out. And... I guess it's better sooner rather than later." She chews on her lower lip for a brief moment. "I just hope... I just hope nothing changes. I guess that's all I can do." She doesn't cry, fortunately, and does seem to be reassured somewhat by Jean's touch and voice. The logic helps, too. "Okay. But can we tell them together? I don't think I can do it alone. I'm so sorry to be asking so much of you, I really am. Maybe if someone is there who can answer their questions they'll be okay with the whole thing."

Phoenix has posed:
"Well," Ms. Grey hesitantly begins to reply before Lina keeps going-- and makes essentially the same point she would have. This draws a smile-- and a rather broad one, at that, though it shrinks into something more muted after a moment.

Once Lina makes her request, she gives the girl's hands a light squeeze while nodding and replying, "Of course; part of the job description. You don't have to face this - or anything else - alone if you don't want to, now-- not if you're going to be a student here. We all have each other-- and even if there's no room anywhere else in the world, there's //here//-- there's //us//. I... can't promise you that anything else about your life'll stay the way it is now, but //that// won't change."

Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
Lina nods in response to Jean's words, a smile finally returning to her lips. "Thank you so much. It's..." She takes a deep breath before getting her words out. "It's so nice to hear you say that."

A thought suddenly occurs to her and she looks a little sheepish before asking it. "So if this is a boarding school and I'll basically be living here, do I have to give up my band? I mean, of course I wouldn't dream of telling anyone else about this place. But Felix already knows about me and he's going to suspect something is up whether I tell him or not. I mean, if I have to give up the band, then I completely understand. I just want to know so that I can tell them. That part I can do alone."

Phoenix has posed:
The question gets a bright and brief peal of laughter as Ms. Grey pats Lina's hands. She then draws back, straightening up and folding her arms across the desk.

"We don't currently have any policies regarding student garage bands," she assures with a brisk wink. "If you can make it to and from practice without violating curfew, you're fine. Just, yes, be careful when you're talking about your new school; what we do here isn't top secret, precisely, but we try not to advertise it too much; lotta risk."

Lina Whitecroft (858) has posed:
Lina nods enthusiastically. "Oh, thank you so much Ms. Grey. I really appreciate the opportunity you're giving me. I promise I won't be any trouble. Or, well, at least I'll try not to be. Like I said, sometimes my powers get away from me. But I'll do my best."

On the topic of her band and speaking about the school, she hastily agrees. "Oh, no, I wouldn't dream of telling them. I'll just do what Logan suggested, say that I got a musical scholarship and I'm transferring. They'll be happy for me as long as we can keep playing together. It's just fun, you know? We only cover other songs, no attempts at anything original yet." It's probably a good thing Jean is on the other side of the desk because Lina is the hugging sort when she's happy.

As a stray thought crosses her mind, she voices it. "Oh gosh. I'm going to have to learn all their last names now and properly call them mister and miss. I hadn't considered that." A puzzled look crosses her face as she looks to Jean and asks "What's Logan's last name? I've only ever heard him called Logan. Do I call him Mr. Logan? That seems silly."

Phoenix has posed:
"None of us have //ever// heard him called anything but Logan," Ms. Grey admits after a chuckle. "He's not the type to care about those kinds of formalities, though. Or be especially into hanging out with students, which means it probably won't come up much. You'll be fine! He generally doesn't bite."

She then stands, to offer her hand across the desk again. "Once you've finished making whatever arrangements you need to make, let me know, and we'll set up a meeting with your parents. I'll bring brochures, keep some college acceptance statistics at the ready-- just in case. Until then, though: welcome - officially - to Xavier's Institute."