9746/Test Flight

Test Flight
Date of Scene:	24 October 2019
Location:	Breakstone Lake - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	A test flight for fun turns into a discussion on life, hope, heartache, and dreams for the future.
Cast of Characters:	Nightingale, Triage

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Nightingale has posed:
     While flight had become a necessity a day or so ago, would it be enough to settle the matter of the mansion's resident winged healer and her readiness to return to full duty? There was only one real way to find out. True to promise, she did not attempt even this alone, meandering out to the lake with Triage. She's got an emerald green tunic sweater, dark blue jeans, and her favorite soft, knee-length, caramel suede boots on, and has left her hair long and loose.

     "Come on... I had to get those cookies out to Rahne's new place the other day, I'm okay!" Stubborn as ever. Really.

Triage has posed:
Triage trots beside Shannon toward the lake where one of the rowboats waits. He had prepared it in case the flight goes badly over water, and stashed his satchel aboard. "Remember. Go slowly at first. We want to be sure that all of the muscles are OK. And go easy on the acrobatics until you're sure about balance and control." He kicks the side of the rowboat once they reach it. "I don't want to lose consciousness or anything, but I'll be there to fish you out of the water if it comes to that. If not, and you just need a break, swoop down and try for a landing. That might be a good test, too. I have some snacks and a hot thermos, too." Then he blinks. "Rahne? Is she moving back?" he asks.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, and smiles some. "Think so. Got a nice little cabin in the woods just down one of the back roads. Don't want to get any more specific than that, till I'm sure if she wants people really knowing where she is."

Her eyes twinkle merrily, perhaps with a little bit of mischief. Though she nods in assent to Chris' injunctions, one is left with the feeling that they will be promptly disregarded once she's in the air. Are her fingers crossed? One may never know.

But, she doesn't give Chris time to find out for sure. With a few strong downstrokes of her wings, she's up in the air like a shot. Slowly? Yeah, right. This is Shannon's element, and she revels in the joy of flight, perhaps just a little too much to go slow.

Triage has posed:
Chris steadies the boat and steps into it, holding the sides to steady it. While he settles and grabs the oars, using one to push the boat away from shore, he watches Shannon's rapid ascent. "I said 'slowly!'" he calls after her, teasing. He rings like a kid watching a kite and imagining the view from high in the air. Then, aware of his promised role, he starts to row the boat toward the middle of the lake, still glancing often above him to assure himself that he's on course and that Shannon is doing as well as she hoped.

Nightingale has posed:
     Higher and higher, the young winged mutant flew, laughing as she spirals into the air. Wait on acrobatics? Yeah, right! That injunction went right out the window the moment her feet lost contact with the ground. In a few moments, she's nearly lost to sight, as she climbs higher and flies nearly to the other side of the lake. Much as she had the night of her verbal altercation with Kitty. Oh, boy. That could mean only one thing....

Triage has posed:
Chris rows with a steady and strong beat, propelling the small boat through the chilly water while he continues to eye Shannon's ascent. Still, he smiles and his eyes strain to follow her into the pale blue sky.

Nightingale has posed:
     Sure enough, that speck in the sky stops right where it is. It's a little too high up for the sound of laughter to reach Chris, but as the descent begins, and that speck grows larger and larger into the recognizable shape of Shannon, with her wings tucked in tightly, going very close to her top flight speed. Whoops of laughter fill the air as, dangerously close to the surface of the water, she snaps her wings outwards, 'buzzing' the rowboat and swooping upwards once again.

Triage has posed:
Chris lifts the oars to stop the boat, allowing it to drift lazily on the lake's current while he watches. He waves to her when he judges that she is close enough, and grins, happy to see the evidence of full recovery, and possibly in a moment of vicarious joy for her when she swoops almost close enough to touch the boat. "So far, so good!" he shouts in encouragement.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon giggles and banks wide, retracing her flight to make her way back to the boat. She hovers in the air nearby, close enough for Chris to catch a bit of a breeze from her wings. On a summer's day that might feel nice, but with the onset of winter not too far ahead in the future, maybe not so much. Well, at least she has no trouble holding her position in the air. "What next?" Oh yes, there is definitely a bit of a gleam in her eye, which few things other than flight can bring.

Triage has posed:
"You handled altitude well," Chris answers, still with a proud grin. "Your power-dive was wonderful, and your strafe went very well. Obviously, you can hover perfectly." He leans forward, rummages in his pack for a moment, and produces two large, dark cookies - fudge with walnuts. "Let's try a precision maneuver. Fly far enough to gain some momentum, and then take them, first left, and then right. Okay?" After securing the oars, he lifts the cookies in air, holding them between thumbs and forefingers like field-posts on a football field.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just bursts out laughing. "You're going to make me fat with those, you know." But, the challenge was issued, and duly accepted. She wheels about, heading for the other side of the lake, hovering there for a moment, just a speck to his sight. If her strafing of the rowboat was any indication, there was a fairly good idea of what Chris was in for! Though she does keep her altitude a smidge higher, Shannon does not let up one bit on the speed, snatching the cookie from his left hand the moment she's close enough and leaving nary a crumb behind. Executing a tight turn, she swoops down to grab the other cookie next, giggling madly.

Triage has posed:
Chris hooks his feet between the supports of his seat and waits, watching Shannon with a steady gaze. When she zooms toward him and is only a few feet away, he moves his left hand just enough so that she might miss unless she adjusts quickly. When she snatches the cookie from him, he shouts, "Bravo, now the other one!" He cranes his neck to follow her approach, and moves the cookie in his right hand upward just enough for her to miss if she hasn't compensated well. When she grabs the treat and both hands are free, he claps loudly enough for the sound to echo from the otherwise quiet lake. "Beautiful!" He shouts. "You're beautiful!"

Nightingale has posed:
     "Bombs away!" Shannon calls out, hovering just above the boat. If she's in the right spot, and if Chris has quick reflexes of his own, he might catch the cookie dropping through the air towards him. Silvery giggles fill the air as she watches the descent of the disc of chocolatey, walnutty goodness to the boat below. Of course, the one cookie that remains in her hand, does not stay there long, as it becomes fuel for her flight--and crumbs on her face.

Triage has posed:
Chris grins and watches Shannon, hovering for a moment like an angel above the boat. Then when she sends the cookie flying like an edible frisbee, he springs forward to catch it. "You won't gain any weight from these," he assures. "Don't you know that cookies have no calories if you eat them without touching the ground?" He grins at her and pats the bag. "There are more if you'd like another. I baked them for you."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles somewhat, her laughter stilled. What had happened? "Well, in that case, I should be fine. Besides," she adds. "We've both got to train hard to keep up with 100 push-ups a day. That'd burn off just about anything we ate." She nibbles the cookie, a bit more pensive than anything else for the moment. "I guess it counts for you, too. You're on the water, not on the ground."

She bites her lower lip, very quiet for several moments. "Thank you. You didn't need to go to so much trouble, though."

Triage has posed:
Chris cocks his head when Shannon's cheer seems to break for a moment, but he assures, "You're fine." Then he explains, "It's a matter of distance. You're farther from the lake-bed than I am, so the calories have no effect on you." It's complete rubbish but a fun way to tease her. "We certainly will need things like this now that we have a reputation to support." He nibbles his cookie and nods. "I won't mind baking them as long as you enjoy eating them." He takes another small bite. Then he looks up to her again. His tone is quiet and gentle when he adds, "For a moment there, you looked as if you had something on your mimd." He nods to the benches in the boat. "Do you want to come down here and talk? Whatever it is, you'll have my full attention."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon seems to debate this for a moment, looking down at the boat. Did she dare risk tipping it over with an attempt at a pinpoint landing? Well, hopefully both were good swimmers. She descends slowly as she can, her feet touching the bottom of the boat and only rocking the craft a little bit. Tucking her wings in behind her, she sits down, one hand over the side to skim the surface. "Last time someone baked me something instead of the other way around... it didn't quite end as I hoped."

Triage has posed:
Chris loosens the oars and sets them, holding each and ready to counter any tipping with a quick push of the blade in the chilly water. He watches Shannon's well-controlled descent, which is as careful and precise as that of a hummingbird. Once she settles, he smiles, digs into the bag, and offers another cookie to her. "Do you want to tell me about it?" he invites. Then he adds solemnly, "Whatever you say in the boat stays between us."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shrugs, accepting the cookie. She nibbles along the edges, savoring the gift for what it is. "I had a huge crush on someone," she begins. "Only the second time I'd dared let myself feel anything like that. I made no bones about it to them, either. It even seemed to be returned. Can't remember being that happy before. Heck, they even went so far as to try baking me first a cake, and when that failed, cookies when I was pretty messed up about the whole Trickster mess. I sort of had to help with that, it was a first-time thing for them." She takes a bigger bite out of the cookie in her hand, letting all that sink in for Chris for a moment.

Triage has posed:
Leaning forward again, Chris pulls the bag from inside his satchel while Shanon, possibly under the euphoric influence of cookies with cocoa, dark chocolate chips, and walnuts in the batter, begins to confide her worry to him. Next, he removes the thermos and two insulated cups. Apparently, he anticipated the chilly wind that has started to blow over the lake. "You're sixteen and you're pretty," he says. "I'm surprised that you haven't had a string of boyfriends and left a trail of broken hearts in your wake by now." He frowns when she mentions the Trickster, one of those secrets that Kitty and the others bound each of them to keep. "So, you feel a need to guard your heart in case that happens again?" he asks. He offers the bag to Shannon. "Tea?" he offers, placing the two cups in the bottom of the boat and preparing to unscrew the lid on the Thermos.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods. "Don't think I haven't seen boys looking. Heck, there was Darren over at the hospital in Salem Center. He was the first that Josh had me help, when he began training me. Think he was a normal human, and it doesn't take a telepath to figure out he was kind of smitten. Though I think that was the wings more than anything else." She nibbles on the cookie a bit more. "Heck, there was Hambone, I think he was a little smitten, and that was just two days after I got here. Never said anything outright, though. For a while, I thought maybe Kaydin was a little smitten, but he's never really said anything, so I probably read it wrong. You know I was crushing on Cannonball pretty hard, and that ended with him becoming like a big brother instead. So that was still a win. Went on one date with Mason, which also was my first kiss. I can't exactly send him a Dear John, though, and he's not around for me to have that talk with, so... yeah."

There's a deep sigh as she considers the last of the cookie, turning it over in her hands. "Then there was Bean. Yeah, that Bean. Turns out he... well, let's just say I'm not quite his cup of tea. But we wound up best friends." She smiles faintly. "Remember when you came in to the wellness office and Cannonball had told me to eat my ice cream, and I was crying my eyes out? That was immediately after that talk happened. Even after that, I talked Bean into letting me heal some injuries he'd incurred in the danger room. Well, I was just going to try and heal the arm, but couldn't stop the process once it started. But... yeah."

She nods slowly at the offer of tea, canting her head slightly. "What kind of tea, out of curiosity?"

Triage has posed:
Chris can see that the tea should wait, at least for a few minutes. His eyebrows raise for a moment at first when Shannon begins to share her history and concerns. As he promised, he sits quietly, eyes focused on Shannon and absorbing her words. When she asks about the tea, he finally glances at the heat-holding container. "I might miss a few things in the rush, but I do pay attention to the important things," He unscrews the cap, pours the steaming tea into one of the insulated cups, and offers the cup to Shannon. "It's chamomile. You said that you like it. I remembered," he answers. "Your crush on Cannonball makes sense," he comments with a nod. "He's helped many of us to adjust, like a dad. I'm glad that you were able to gain a good friendship from it. He'll stick to you like a brother. Kaydin would be hard to guess for anyone. He never stays in one place for anyone to ask." Then he nods.

"As for Mason, some girls might say that you should have been honored for his attention because he's a big star and all." Chris shakes his head. "I don't know quite what to do with that kind of thing, not even with Andrea. She seems nice but ..." He shrugs. "They say that celebrities aren't like normal folks. Some of them want to be, but I'm not sure how it would work unless they gave up the throne."

"I'll guess that Bean baked the cake, or ... tried to bake the cake." He smiles. "It couldn't have been too bad if it didn't set off the fire suppression system." He pauses. "I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you with him, but it might have been more than you'd want. I don't know, but he seems to have some strong ... military bent. That could raise problems."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shrugs a little. "The whole military thing hasn't mattered one bit to me. Wouldn't want him to change one bit. Couldn't ask for a better friend, really. You'd be surprised how protective he still is." She rolls her eyes and chuckles a little bit at the thought of the cake. "No, didn't set off the fire alarms baking the cake, but well... the batter wound up splattered on the ceiling somehow before I got there. Don't think I want to know how. It was just nice he tried. And in the end, the cookies actually turned out fairly well."

Accepting the cup, she curls her hands around it, letting the warmth seep in, and takes a careful sip. "Cannonball was about as kind and sweet about the whole matter of the crush on him as you could ever want. Okay, so I still cried my eyes out. But he didn't make light of it or try to dismiss it, or anything. So I was lucky there. Even luckier that he took me on like a little sister."

She closes her eyes, letting the scent of the chamomile relax her, as she does her best to stow those thoughts and feelings away where they could trouble her no further. When she opens her eyes again, she's at least smiling somewhat, or trying to. "What will be, will be."

Triage has posed:
"I'm sure that you weren't the first student to come here and fall for one of the teachers," Chris guesses. "In a way, it makes sense. Many of us come here from trouble of one kind or another. Your family accepted you but you knew that others in your community might be hostile. Others don't even have that security. When someone offers kindness and help, some people misinterpret. They think that kindness and help equals affection, even love." He watches while Shannon welcomes the tea. When she opens her eyes, he meets her gaze. "It must be particularly dangerous for a pretty young woman who discovers that she /is/ a young woman, with a young woman's thoughts and feelings." He shakes his head. "It's not easy for the young men, either." He frowns, "I'm sure that Cannonball was flattered, but he's older and a teacher. That poses problems. It's not easy."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, her face flaming with remembered and current embarrassment. "It doesn't matter now. What will be, will be." Her wings ruffle and she shrugs, sipping the tea, and averting her gaze to the cup. "It's all good now. There's other things to worry about."

Triage has posed:
When Shannon blushes and shifts her gaze to the tea, Chris leans slightly forward, careful to avoid upsetting the boat. He touches her hand. "If it were all good now, you wouldn't be blushing," he comments. "I know that you worry about the school and developing your gift, but that can't be it. So, if you want to talk, now's your chance. As I said, what we say here stays between us."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shrugs. "What's there to talk about? It all still hurts, but I can't let that affect what I do. These are people I study along side, work with, go out into the field with and count on in potentially deadly situations. I can't let that out, precisely because I know they care. It would affect them, too. It gets better with time. Maybe one day it won't hurt so much. Anyways, I should be past the whining and crying. I'm better and stronger than that, to let it get to me so much." She squares her shoulders and smiles somewhat, sipping slowly on the tea.

Triage has posed:
"It's not a crime to care," Chris says, still looking at Shannon. "It's not a crime feel attraction or even to love, although showing that might cause problems in some circumstances." At that, he looks down at his cup for a long moment. "There are exceptions, of course," he admits. "Like Cannonball. If I didn't know better, after what happened at the coronation, I'd say that he fancies Princess Lorna."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon chuckles a little bit. "If he fancies her, I'll be very surprised. No, I think his eyes were elsewhere." She purses her lips, swirling the pale golden liquid around in the cup between her hands, watching it catch the light. "I'm sorry for dumping all this on you. It should be over and done with. You don't deserve to have to deal with it all."

Triage has posed:
"You don't need to apologize." Chris shakes his head and then smiles. "If you'll recall, I asked what was wrong. I told you that what we discuss here will be confidential between us. You looked as if you needed to unload, and I'm glad that I was here to listen. Would it be better for you to walk around with your heart ready to explode because no one asked you 'What's wrong'?" He lifts his cup, sips some of the steaming tea before biting into his second cookie. "I am sorry that you haven't found your hero, but don't lose that hope. He might sneak up on you."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon lets out a short, sardonic laugh, shaking her head. "I'm used to it. People don't realize I feel these things very deeply, because I don't -let- them see. Twice I have, and while maybe it worked out for the best, twice it hurt really bad." She shrugs a little bit. "It's not as if I don't have heroes. Two of them, I was born to. One of them, i was incredibly lucky to meet. And let's not get into the number of them that have grown since coming here."

Triage has posed:
"You're fortunate to have your parents as heroes," Chris replies with a nod. "As I said, many don't have such benefits. Many here don't even know who their parents are. Others don't want to remember. I wish that my father would change his mind but with each year that seems less likely than last year." He shrugs, takes another sip, and then studies Shannon for a long moment. "You shared your feelings with two people and they hurt you. Why did you risk that again, and why with me? I'm glad that you talked to someone, and I'm honored that you chose me. Still ...why?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "I don't know." Shannon's gaze is on her cup, so she remains unaware of Chris' scrutiny. Her brows furrow, and for once, she genuinely seems at a loss for words. "Maybe I'm afraid to know. It's... hard to put a finger on. Part of me wants to, but part is deathly afraid to try." She peers up at him with her pale azure eyes glistening, not quite sure what to say.

     "When you look over here at me... what do you see?" Her grip on the cup tightens as she braces herself for the answer, almost seeming to hold her breath.

Triage has posed:
To answer, Chris lowers his cup and looks at Shannon. "I see a lovely, charming, and intelligent young woman, a gifted healer who cares deeply for others. She has endured more pain than she should know at her age," he answers. "I see a woman who deserves to be treasured and loved. She deserves to find the right man at the right time." He glances at his half-empty cup and then back to Shannon. "When that time comes, I hope that both of them recognize it for the gift that it is."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon tilts her head slightly to one side. "What right has this woman you see to speak of mere heartache, when so many others endure far, far worse?" Still, the ghost of a smile turns her lips upwards. "Maybe one day she'll share the belief of being worthy of being treasured like that. Maybe that day will come someday. Is there a hero out there after all?"

Triage has posed:
"She has the same right to cry her distress as all who suffer have. The others' voices might drown hers for a time," Chris answers solemnnly. "Many heroes are out there. You have some already but I'm sure that you'll find one to help you with your doubts. Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open, and trust that he will show himself in time."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly, nibbling her lower lip for a moment. Her brows furrow as she tries to think of an answer, but the only thing that comes out is a few lines from the song that was her cry in the dark.

"Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I can swear there is someone, somewhere watching me..."

She smiles a little bit more, peering over at Chris for a moment, then back at the cup now gone cold in her grasp. She sips the last of the tea, its light, apple-like taste soothing to her even cold. "I hope that day comes soon. At least there is someone out there. Maybe. I hope so."

Triage has posed:
"I don't know about the 'one true love' of fairy tales," Chris admits. "That seems improbable. It doesn't account for our ability to adapt." He shrugs. "If a man and woman care enough about each other to hold onto that dream, they'll find a way even if it takes a long time. I hope and pray that you'll find your hero soon. He might be lurking in the shadows until the time is right."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, and smiles a little bit at that thought. "Sometimes our dreams are all we have. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones... but still...." Her voice trails off as her gaze wanders over to Chris. "I finally patched things up with Kitty, you know. And kind of surprised myself in the process. Thought for sure I'd just be going into medicine and go off somewhere to do what I do... but when I was talking to her, I realized this place has already gotten into my blood. Think I'll be sticking around as a doctor and a teacher here."

Triage has posed:
Chris finishes his now cool tea, lowers the cup, and smiles when Shannon shares her news about the meeting with Kitty and her plans for the future. "If you stay here, you'll still be able to attend college. Also, you'll save yourself some trouble. I was out there, on my own for two years. Remember?" He waves to suggest the world beyond the small boat on the lake. "I survived, but I always felt alone, and I didn't need to hide with inducers. Like you, I want to heal people, almost /need/ to heal them. It's an instinct. I had a few friends, even a few dates, until people discovered my gift, most either befriended me because they wanted what I could do, or they decided that I was ... unnatural, a contagious freak that shouldn't exist. I'd like to be a doctor, but if that doesn't happen, at least here I'll have a life."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles a bit more, ruffling her wings "Well, if you do decide to go after a medical degree, let me know. I'd be happy to help you study if you want. Heck, I'll even go wild with the baked goods those nights." She smiles a bit more still, nodding slowly. "I know what you mean. It's impossible to hold back when you know someone's suffering, and there's something you can do about it."

Triage has posed:
"It's a risk, especially in public when enemies might be waiting to pounce," Chris agrees. "Still, I can't ignore them. Even when I see a hurting animal, I help it if I can without endangering others. At times, the gift is a curse, but I thank God for it as long as it saves a life." Then he smiles. "We'll help each other. I've already been through the first two years but I'll welcome a study partner. This place helped more than some realize. Because our teachers know their stuff, I was able to test out of a number of classes. I'm sure that you'll do the same. Baked goodies will be a welcome treat."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles a little bit wider now, reaching out to touch Chris' hand briefly. "The gift to heal can be a curse, but mostly it's a blessing. I don't think anybody ever said wearing the red cross would be easy. But then again, the things most worth doing, rarely are."