8784/Files Only Tell So Much

Files Only Tell So Much
Date of Scene:	13 August 2019
Location:	Frontyard - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Scott meets Shannon and drills her for information. In other words, he was actually nice.
Cast of Characters:	Cyclops, Nightingale

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Cyclops has posed:
After the race the other night, Scott had made a couple of personal notes that he needed to follow up on. The first was to have a chat with Mr. Parker about something he noticed during the crash. The second was to have a look at the file for a student: Shannon Lance.

It was after looking through that file, taking note of her power set and history, that he had sent a message asking for her to meet him in the yard that afternoon. It had also been relayed she wasn't in trouble, since that seemed to be the immediate fear of anyone Scott Summers asked to see.

It was standing outside by the front steps, head turned so it looked like he was staring at the distant treeline. The red quartz lenses made it impossible to see where his actual focus was.

Nightingale has posed:
     The text message reached Shannon and she shivered a little. She had been here only a couple weeks, how was it that she was being called in to see Scott already? Word among the students was that when he called, someone was usually in trouble. But a second glance at the text message let her sigh with relief. Whew. Okay, so if she wasn't in trouble, what was going on?

     It was a clear day, thankfully, and she had been indulging in the simple joy of flight above the treeline. It felt good to just get out and feel the wind in her face as she did one thing most humans could only dream of. The wind was not too strong, allowing her to glide almost as much as fly back towards the mansion, hovering just above the front steps for a few moments.

Cyclops has posed:
As the flying figure appeared, Scott never turned his head. He continued to stare off into the distance. In truth, he was tracking her progress, making mental notes of her pitch and speed. It was a bit of the pilot in him mixed with his spatial awareness. It was also something else he was always doing: Analysis for tactical decisions. Not that they were needed now. It was something that was always there in his through processes.

When she reached the steps, he finally turned his head to focus on her more directly. A nod of acknowledgement was followed by a smile. "Thanks for meeting with me. I saw you the other night during the scooter race. I don't think we have met officially although I'm certain my reputation has preceded me. I'm Scott Summers."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon backwings into a semi-graceful landing, an improvement from the last he saw her in flight. Perhaps practice has done some good. She tilts her head slightly, considering what to say. She'd not had the best of luck lately avoiding the infamous foot-in-mouth disease, and was not at all keen on contracting another case of it! There was something of a smile at the mention of the scooter race and she nods. "Yeah, that was actually kind of fun. Peter scared the bejeebers out of me wiping out like that, though." She offers her hand, and smiles. "Shannon Lance. Sometimes called Nightingale. Nice to finally meet you."

Cyclops has posed:
"Nightingale. Nice choice. Befitting both the healing and the wings," Scott said as he took her hand briefly. His grip was firm, hand slightly callused. "It's a pleasure."

As he dropped his hand to his side, he continued to regard her. A brief glance at those wings, that reminded him of Warren back in the day. "I hope you are adjusting to the school? I know it is quite a difference from being homeschooled. But at least you know everyone here has gifts like yourself so hopefully that has eased the process?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly. "It has. It's nice, in a way... but nice to just kind of get to know the people -behind- the gifts, if that makes sense?" Her wings ruffle slightly as she draws them in close behind her, almost as if shrugging. "Guess I'm one of the lucky ones that still has their kin behind them, even after the change. They're the ones that started calling me Nightingale, and it stuck." It seemed the rumors she'd heard of Scott weren't quite true. He didn't seem so bad after all--if anything, he was pretty chill and relaxed.

Cyclops has posed:
"I wanted to talk to you more about our experiences and abilities," Scott continues, the niceties over with. "It said in your file that you gained your abilities when you were 14 I believe?" He glanced to her for verification or correction before continuing.

"Then you were homeschooled for a couple of years before coming here. What prompted the change? Sending you here instead of continuing at home for two more years?" While she had mentioned her parents were supportive, he still wanted to verify some things.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly. "Yeah, it was at summer camp around the time I turned 14 that the healing showed up. The wings came in not long after that. Holy heck, that hurt." She shivers a little at the thought of it; her gaze unfocuses as she thinks back to that summer. "I was actually homeschooled a bit longer than two years. My folks weren't too happy with the schools in the area. Let's not even get into my third grade teacher." She smirks just a little bit... wait, a smirk? On her face? "I heard that teacher retired really close to the time my family pulled me out of school and started homeschooling me. No regrets, though. I haven't missed all the clique-y nonsense that happens at schools." A light sigh escaped her, the smirk fading and her brows furrowing as she thinks back a little bit more. "Unfortunately, our area was not mutant-friendly at all. Being homeschooled helped for a little while, but it wasn't likely that could last forever."

Cyclops has posed:
"So the move here was to make sure you had plenty of opportunity while not facing those social prejudices. Good. We have learned through this place that such support is really best for the growth of our students." His thoughts went back to when the first five of them had come here, students themselves. How times had changed since then, yet were still the same in the lack of acceptance in so many places. He shook his head a moment, sending the memories back to the corners of his mind.

"I won't say we don't have cliques here too but it isn't quite as bad as the normal high school experience at least." He pauses to gather his thoughts before speaking again. "Have you met Mr. Worthington yet? He probably would be a good guide for your flight training. How is that going, by the way? I know you were wanting to test your speed the other night."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon chuckles a little bit, and shrugs. "I've heard that name several times now since first coming here but haven't seen hide nor feather of him yet. Guess if it's meant to be it will be. Haven't seen much of Mr. McCoy and miss Munroe since coming here, though. Kind of disappointed, they were both very kind. Expected it, though, I guess. They've got their hands full with the school." Her eyebrows raise a little bit and she groans softly, shaking her head. Great. Cliques here, too? Well, so be it. She could do without that nonsense. "Sam's been a huge help with the flight training... and surprisingly enough, so has Kurt." She actually laughs, a bit of a twinkle in her eyes. "Now there's someone with a zest for life."

Cyclops has posed:
The situation with Warren isn't surprising. His old friend had a habit of taking a hiatus from the school with little or no notice. He probably was off on one of his sabbaticals.

Hearing the compliments to the others, he nodded. Sam helping with flight training got his notice. It reminded him of Sam's past as a leader of the New Mutants, alongside Dani Moonstar. He was good at it, even if they didn't always agree.

The comment on Kurt? That caught his attention and held it. "Yes, he does. How is he helping with flight training?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Now Shannon -does- squirm a little bit, ducking her head. "I ummm... sort of snuck down to the danger room and it was open. He had some sort of circus simulation running, and didn't exactly let me blend in." Still, there's that little bit of a smile on her face, and she actually laughs. "You'd be surprised how something so simple can really challenge you, and get you to work together with someone you barely know."

Cyclops has posed:
Two triggers there. At mention of the Danger Room, there is the slightest change in his expression. Just a tightening of the jawline. "Sneaking into the Danger Room is not only against the rules, it is also...pardon the expression...dangerous." He shakes his head. "I trust I won't be hearing about that happening ever again."

He doesn't really expect an answer so doesn't leave time for one, continuing the conversation as though that moment hadn't happened. "Being put into a situation will often have people relying on one another in ways never expected. Training for the unexpected helps with that as well." How one can expect and train for the unexpected? If anyone does that, or tries to, it's him. "So what happened in this simulation and how did it help with your flying?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon flushes bright red clear to the tips of her ears, and ducks her head. Yeah, she'd earned that rebuke, but better to come clean about it than have it found out the hard way, no? "Well, it did turn out to be fairly good practice with agility and timing, actually. Aerial stunts were pretty good for that. He did a pretty good job of pushing me to test myself, but didn't seem to push it too far." She looks up, her brows furrowed with concern. "I hope he's not in trouble for it, though."

Cyclops has posed:
"He is authorized to use the Danger Room. And to train others while there. He isn't in trouble." Scott doesn't bother specifying she isn't either. After all, he's not yelling at her so probably safe assumption in his mind. It doesn't occur to him that sometimes others need more than silence.

"So you are advancing on your flying. What about the healing? Is it only wounds or can you heal the common cold as well? Have you gotten to work on practicing with it a bit more?" He glances at her hands, remembering that they had gotten the roadrash she had healed for Parker. "May I see your hands?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods and holds out her hands; there isn't a sign of any road rash or even scarring on them. "Josh has been working with me on that. The worst of it is holding the healing back, and just... well, sort of sensing, rather than actually absorbing the injury. I haven't tried to absorb a cold, but so far have managed physical injuries." She smiles some, her expression softening. "The first training run was actually to the hospital in Salem Center. Got some good practice there... and hopefully, just maybe, managed to get through to a little one, too." Her smile widens. "It was the most precious thing. Kid just ran right up to me and asked if she could have wings, too. I wish more people would remember what it was like when they were little, and they hadn't learned to hate or be afraid."

Cyclops has posed:
"Wings are one of the better looks though, you have to admit. Not like some of the other physical manifestations out there." The story of the child does make Scott smile, something that isn't very common. Sure, the polite smile that is required when dealing with others but this one lightens his usual severe expression a bit. Makes him seem more approachable. Which is why it quickly disappears a moment later. Can't have his reputation ruined.

"That would be something to test then. Healing diseases. Cold would be the simplest and I'm certain we will have some of those in the next few months right here on campus." It is going to be fall soon, after all. "Now the big question. What do you see for your future? Any idea what sort of career you want to pursue after school?"

Nightingale has posed:
     That question does give Shannon a bit of pause, and she folds her arms across her chest, nibbling her lower lip. "Once, I would have wanted to go for music. Maybe even the Boston Symphony one day. But dreams change." She looks back at the mansion, then down the drive, and the area beyond, sighing lightly. "I've got these gifts, it seems pretty stupid to not use them. Not sure how the flying will figure in, but I guess there's time for that. But healing... that's pretty obvious. I'd be looking at possibly studying medicine, to kind of back that gift up." Her tone actually darkens just a little bit, a bit surprising for a girl her age, and belying her outer appearance. "In some of the training with Josh, it's not hard to see how in trying to help, if I were to rely only on my gifts, it could present some danger--even with healing pretty quickly. Not just to me, but possibly others. I won't do any good to anyone else, if I'm down for the count. So I'm hoping to pick up some basic first aid to start, and go on to full on medical from there."

Cyclops has posed:
"An excellent choice. Well thought out and complimentary to your power set." His watch beeps and he glances down, tapping the screen once then looking back to Shannon. "Unfortunately, have to cut this short before I can ask to watch you flying a bit more, to see some of your limits. We'll have to do that another time. For now, I understand there is going to be a field trip upcoming. You may want to go look into that."