9849/A Different Thinking Spot

A Different Thinking Spot
Date of Scene:	31 October 2019
Location:	Roof Tower - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Shannon vents worries about losing Sam to life, and also learns that there's no shame in seeing a counselor. Life, love, fear, and many things are discussed, and plans are made.
Cast of Characters:	Nightingale, Cannonball

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Nightingale has posed:
     The counseling session with Jubilee had been unexpected, and quite frankly, more draining than Shannon had expected. It was unsettling, to say the least, and right now, none of her usual thinking spots would do. But there was one spot not many bothered with--the tower rooftop. So for once, while the snow was not yet flying, she's come out to enjoy a clear night, with a view of the grounds she did not often indulge in when not in flight. There was a lot to think about, and how!

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie comes to this spot on occasion himself, may even have a book hidden away up here somewhere. But tonight he just happens to notice two white wings as he is flying by and decided to stop in and see whats up. "Hey Kiddo, you ok?" He says once he has landed.

Nightingale has posed:
     Only the slight sound of shaky breath answers Sam at first, those white wings tremblng a little bit. Shannon just nods, swallowing quickly. "It's all good... kind of surprised to see you here. What's up?" Her voice is soft, just above a whisper.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will walk over and sit down beside her and puts his arm around her. "Ah just happened to be flying by and saw my sister sitting alone on the roof, and thought "Hey she might plan on tormenting me soon, but Ah thought Hey lets make sure she is ok."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon lets herself be pulled into the hug, burrowing in against her adopted big brother for what she's sure will likely be one of the last times for a long, long while, closing her eyes tightly. Her shoulders and wings just shake, and she tries to keep silent.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie rubs her arm, and says "So what's got you upset kiddo, you gonna let me in on it?" He will ask her. "Worried about the movie?" He asks.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shakes her head, trying to catch her breath but only crying more for her efforts. "Feels like I'm losing you." Her voice is muffled by the hug, and by now, her tears have started to soak through his shirt.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie 's brow raises and rubs herback and wings "How are you loosing me?" He seems confused a bit about this and says "Me spending an occasional night in town?" He asks with consern

Nightingale has posed:
     "And a new girl... don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you... really glad to see you happy... just finally got used to the idea of having a big brother, and now it's all changing up again..." She tries to calm down, the backrub helping a little; at least she isn't shaking quite so much.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie 's brow raises a bit and says "Shannon, it was a first date, and yea there will be a second but Ah have dated in the past since you have been here, how is this different?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon feels her face flame at the admonishment, and just holds on, taking a few deep breaths to try and stop crying. "S-sorry for being so stupid... not sure why this one seems so different... stupid to even think about it..." She tries to quiet down some, and isn't having much luck. "Got called to Jube's office today..."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie rubs to her and says "Your not stupid kiddo if your worried about something with me you can come talk to me about it, and we will figure it out." He gives her a squeeze and says "What was with Jubes?

Nightingale has posed:
     "Kind of surprised me when she called me in. Thought for sure I'd frakked up somehow. But no... all the stuff that's happened since I got here, she's just never seen me go in for any kind of counseling and it was bugging her. A lot more came out than I thought." For a moment it seems as if she might start crying again, but she forces that back down, her wings ruffling in agitation behind her.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie hmms and says "So you actually needed it abit? He will ask her "Never hurts to have someone to chat with even if at times you don't think you need to." He looks over to her "Want to tell me what ya talked about or want to keep it between you and Jubes?

Nightingale has posed:
     "She thought for sure with some of the crap I've seen and done since coming here I'd be having nightmares or have the socks scared off of me. But most of the time.. I'm just calm about it. Maybe I still see Daniel in the back of my mind... maybe I still see Triage with his elbows deep in Andrea's guts putting her back together... maybe I still see those Sentinels with Kitty in their crosshairs... but there's just no time to think of this stuff. And what the hell kind of right do I have to complain about any of it, when there are kids who come in here who have already dealt with much worse, and yet they take it all in stride? And you know... even with all the blood and guts, and bigotry, and giant killer robots... it doesn't scare the crap out of me. Wanna know what does?"

     She pauses for a moment. "Losing my big brother. Having him that close, yet so far away. I know it's gotta happen, you've got your own life to lead and that's as it should be... but still..."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her, and says "Your not loosing me kiddo. Ah aint going to be away Ah will still be living here most of the time. You can still come see me, and even if I aint here you can call me, you know that right?" He will lean over and kiss the top of her head "You aint getting rid off me easily."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon laughs just a little bit and shakes her head. "No I can't. With my luck, I'd call and you'd be in the middle of kissing her." She isn't at all inclined to move just then, calming down a bit more as she listens, and burrows into the hug. "Is something wrong with me, if I'm not having nightmares from everything that's happened?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie shakes his head and says "Ah don't think so, we all deal with things differently. You and your mind will figure out how ya want to deal with stress, seeing help won't hurt. He looks to her, and says "And you can call still, Ah aint kissed her yet, and if we get to that point and you do, then Ah will call ya after Ah get done sucking face." He says trying to ass humor for her.

Nightingale has posed:
     "But I'm not crazy! Why the hell should I need to see a counselor?" Her eyes are a bit red and puffy from having cried as much as she has, but without makeup, there are no streaks. "How would I even know if I'm stressed from any of this anyways? It's just been... normal... since I got here."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her, and says "Maybe to make sure you don't go that way?" He looks to her, and says "Trust me Ah had to see some, and the worst of it, was a lot worse than talking to Jubes. All the students here really should be talking to people, it is part of why Ah am here too. We are here to help you guys cause we have been there. Do everything that happened to us pertain to you? No. But when your feeling like no one understands you or knows what your going through we are here. And your not loosing me, but will admit Jubes knows more about girl things, except maybe fashion. I would talk to Betsy about that.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shakes her head. "I barely know Betsy, just the one time at the Hellfire when I dropped off her birthday present, and then the day that 'Jeremy' showed up. But that's about the only contact I've had with her." She sighs a little bit and looks up at him. "I've been exceptionally lucky compared to some of the kids here. But I don't hear about them whining and crying, so why the heck should I?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her, and says "Shannon, if people did not need them we would not have counselors. Maybe the reason you don't hear about other kids whining and crying is cause they are worried people will think they are whining or crying so keep it to themselves?" What you say to your counselor is between them and you, you don't have to tell anyone your seeing one or what you talk about. It can help even if nothing else you can go in there and tell Jubes, Sam and Jay are neinner heads, and took my barbie dolls out and let the pigs eat her hair. Not that, ever happened to anyone or anything.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Oh gawd... you two didn't do that to one of your little sisters, did you?" She tries not to giggle, and fails, only just barely managing to stifle the sound. She swats him very gently with one wing, and rolls her eyes a bit. "Am I gonna have to watch out for you two pranksters now?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well it may depend on how much you torment me in front of Alexis." He grins at her, and says "I say nothing if it was real or not just throwing our examples." He teases a bit to her. "Seriously though you can chat with Jubes and none going to think less about you, or anything. Also more people get help than you know kido."

Nightingale has posed:
     "What good is it going to do if they see me getting help? Huh? What good is it going to do if they think the one healing them is going to fall apart, or she's a few bats short of a belfry?" She can't help a little bit of a smile for a moment. "As for the teasing, it all depends on the dirt Jay can dig up, since I'm a bit late to the Guthrie game here."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to Shannon, and says "Well maybe they will say she is like me and if she can seek help it is ok for me to seek help? And just cause your seeing someone does not mean your crazy, and then the third thing. If you don't want the others to know why do they have to know?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, and bites her lower lip. "Okay okay... I'll try to talk about stuff a little more... but honestly, all those bad things that happen, they just seem... normal. Sam, that's gonna be what I do, is deal with that. Is it wrong I just... accept it?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie shrugs a bit and says "Well all handle it differently but if you want the honest truth it does worry me a little bit. Bad things happen, but if they don't seem bad to you, even if your not tempted to do them, others might see it and think it is ok. I understand you feel you need to be strong and be there for them, a pillar of strength for your friends and patients, but tell me something. Your dad, he sees a lot of bad stuff right? You ever asked him if it bothers him?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shakes her head. "He never really talks about it, and I never see him cry. He just picks up and carries on, every single day." Her brows furrow as she thinks about this for a moment. "Oh gawd... I wonder if that's rubbed off on me."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her a bit and says "Probably a bit, but Ah am also willing to bet that your dad when he has a tough day talks to your mom, other folks who work at the funeral home. Maybe even after a particularly rough time a therapist. Tell me has your dad, ever seen extra distant after dealing with kids funerals? Specially Girls funerals?

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods a little. "Yeah, actually. Those are the worst. But I never bug him about it. Figured if he wanted me to know he'd tell me. I'd just give him extra hugs and try to do something nice for him, like make a little cocoa, or cook something I know he likes."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods, and says "And do you think he just bottled it up, and did notta, or do you think he talked to your mom, told her how worried he was about you, how much it shook him to the core? You can put the pillar up for those who need it, but make sure you keep your foundation sturdy with help for others.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shrugs a little bit. "I don't know. Once they're behind closed doors, I wasn't gonna bug them. The one time I /did/ do that..." Her face goes beet-red, and she looks as if she ate a sour lemon. "We shall not speak of such things."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie chuckles softly and says "Well you know me Shannon, and Ah like to think you know you can trust me. Our psyche is a lot like a car, you can ride it and ride it hard and it will hold up for a decent amount of time. But if you take the time to change the oil, clean the spark plugs and do all the maintenance that car is going to last you two or three times the life. You will with time be taught techniques to help shore up your psyche from outside attack, but tell me do you want to protect something with cracks and stress fractures, or do you think it would be easier to protect something that when there was a hairline crack, you were able to put some plasture on it?

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon holds up her hands. "Okay okay, I surrender... I'll make a point of talking to Jubilee more often, and maybe bug the fuzzy blue elf and the lone wolf, too. Sheesh! You are /relentless/, big brother. That has got to be how you got your nickname!"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie chuckles a bit and says "You mean stubborn SOB? Pretty sure there are plenty of reasons Ah get called that." He grins at her. "Ok, now tell me what ah have done that makes you think things are going to change between us?

Nightingale has posed:
     "First moving... even part time... then a pretty girl who doesn't hesitate to chew me out on stage... yeah, this is one that can stand up to the stubborn SOB you are, she's going to be sticking around and stealing my big brother away..." She tries to smile some for him, at least a little bit.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her, and says "Ok, first we have had 1 date, and Ah did not even kiss her. Might want to wait till we have sent out a few times to think about stealing away, and three, if something does happen, and she and Ah decide to want something more than an occasional date, think maybe she might treat you like she would my family? Heck you and she have a lot in common, music, she does have some mutation effects she tries to hide, not as large as the wings but things she prefers to hide. Ah honestly think you would like her, she is a part time music teacher, did you know that?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "You say you think I'd like her as if I never met her. Are you forgetting when she dropped by the club that very first day? Holy hell's bells, she's got a temper on her! But not in a bad way, mind you, just the kind I give someone else when they're coming down on th... FRAK. Is she my evil twin or something???" Rolling her eyes, she chuckles a little bit. "No, didn't know she was a music teacher but I can believe it. Which reminds me, I've gotta check in with Andrea and see if she got her new flute in yet. I sort of volunteered to help her get started with that."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "I mean it more as you have met her but not really had a chance to get to know her yet. She and Ah spend a couple hours sitting on the edge of a building chatting." He will lean in hug her again, and says "Just know you can call me any time, but if Ah smooching it might take me a bit to call back but Ah will call ya back.""

Nightingale has posed:
     "So how come you get so lucky as to find a pretty girl, and I keep striking out? Frak, that just isn't fair!" She pouts a little and shrugs, wrapping her wings around them both for a hug. "Some Guthries have all the luck."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her, and says "Well, Ah am five years older than you. You are barely the same age Ah was when Ah had my first serious girl friend. You just gotta give it time. Did not work out for me with the first girl I kissed either."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Oh, back when the mountains were young?" Yeah, the sassy Shannon's back, at least for a little while. "Hey, you've aged well, what can I say? 'When nine hundred years old /you/ reach, look as good /you/ will not, hmm?'."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over to her, and says "You do know, I know you can fly so throwing you off the roof is an option right?" He smiles at her and ruffles her hair as he looks at her.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon giggles and headbutts his hand almost like a kitten, ruffling her wings. "Well, what's stopping you, since I can fly anyways? You've seen me dive-bomb, you know I'd be okay."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie hmms and says "Well maybe the fact that I actually like ya for some reason or something like that maybe.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon is actually grinning for once, snapping her wings outwards. "Maybe? Just maybe? Oh, I see how it is." She holds her hands up in a playful sort of threat, curling and wiggling her fingers as she dives in towards Sam's ribs. "En garde!"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will move to catch both her hands, and says "Oh we going there are was?" He chuckles a bit though at her.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon giggles as she is caught, making a grand show of trying to get free--but isn't really trying too hard. "Just you wait, one of these days I'll be quick enough and then you'll be crying 'uncle'!"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie grins at her, and says "Speaking of uncles, remind me when we head down to kentucky to take you to uncle Toby's BBQ joint best BBQ you will ever find."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon actually has to pull one hand away to dab at the corners of her mouth, almost drooling at the thought. "Oh my gawd... definitely! Are we talking pork? Chicken? Brisket? Got to have those charred end pieces, those are sooooo good!"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will let her hands free and says "Pork mostly but he does some Mutton as well, you don't find it in many places, but kentucky there is a few places that make it, and Uncle Toby does some of it on occasion

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon raises her eyebrows. "Mutton, at a BBQ joint? Now that /is/ unusual! Awww heck, now you're getting me hungry, talking about all this good food! We're heading down to Kentucky when, exactly?" She giggles some, visibly more relaxed than when Sam found her out here.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well Jay and Ah will at christmas, thought maybe see if you wanted to try around thanksgiving maybe for a weekend or something"

Nightingale has posed:
     "Maybe a little bit before then? I thought Thanksgiving was going to be here." She looks a little confused, and very, very tempted by the prospect of another road trip, or even a flight.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "We usually have something here specially since there is some kids here who have no place to go. There will be a dinner here pretty sure on that one."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods firmly. "Good, because I want to help out on that. You know," she muses, thinking a bit to herself. "Maybe I could find out who's going to be staying put for the holiday, and see if each person wants to bring one family favorite dish to the table."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well you will need to be careful on that one hon. Try finding out of there is something they remember and like, and also if they can cook. Some of the kids have bad memories cause of their family. Some of them had their own family try to kill them."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, pursing her lips slightly. "Maybe I'd better find out who's got charge of the feast and talk it out with them. Got a few recipes I could volunteer. Not to mention I manage alright with the turkey. It got to the point where hey presto, guess who usually got put on turkey duty?" She laughs a little bit. "We always talked about trying to deep-fry a turkey but never got around to actually doing it."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well from what you said of ya mom's cooking it aint no surprise." He looks over to her, and says "Jay gave your mac and cheese some pretty high marks.""

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon rolls her eyes and laughs, turning a bit red. "Pffft. Mac 'n cheese isn't anything real hard to make, it's super-basic. Heck, that's one of the first things my dad taught me to make."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie shurgs and says "Just saying." He will tell her. "Not sure who is in charge of the turkey day, I would ask Kurt or maybe Jubes, one of them one probably know.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, and snaps her fingers as if remembering something. "Crap, that's what I forgot to ask Kurt... or maybe I did and it kind of got glossed over. He mentioned maybe letting me access some of his safer DR simulations, but I haven't got the faintest clue how to even work with all that."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well you might be able to get access to some very minor things but they really do prefer to have you at least second if not the third year before they let you go in there by yourself."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly. "Kind of figured that. But if I can't corner him, is there any chance maybe you could get me started? When you're not busy sucking face, of course," she teases, giggling.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well might not be able to get you solo but maybe able to put some time in doing paperwork in the control room. What you wanting to do?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shrugs a little. "Just picking up some of the basics for now. I don't want to be in there solo, are you kidding me? That place is very well-named. But I'm kind of curious about the other end of things in there. Would it be hard to learn to set up a flight agiity course? Maybe something that could benefit other flyers, too. I know you have that one you set up, but still, it could be useful."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie blinks and says "Oh your wanting to learn how to write and control the programs? I can show ya some of that, but if you want the best teacher for that talk to Doug.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Well, can you blame me for being curious about that? Hey, it could be a good skill to learn. Something totally new. I thought about maybe asking Doug, but how many times have you already had to bug him about not getting enough sleep? I don't want to put one more thing on his plate that's not exactly critical. But maybe between the two of you, this dullard could learn?" She smiles somewhat, looking a bit cheered at this possible new project. Maybe things were looking up after all.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods, and says "Well the question I am curious are you more thinking the nuts and bolts coder or put a robot here, a building there?

Nightingale has posed:
     "Would it be too weird to say both? It's all part of the whole deal. But it's not exactly a critical thing, really. Would be a helluva change of pace, though. Maybe some good skills to pick up at some point." She shrugs a little, slowly unfurling one wing and... trying to tickle Sam with the tips of her feathers!

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods, and says "Well we might want to get you into some computer programing and such if your wanting in on the nuts and bolts of the programming." He looks to her "So, whats your favorite class so far?

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon laughs and just smiles. "Would you believe training out by the lake? Probably one of the only times I really get to clear my head. No medbay emergencies, nobody attacking my friends, no bigotry or killer-bots. Just me, nature, and a lone wolf with a helluva lot of common sense, and maybe a bigger heart than he usually lets on. Shit actually starts making sense out there." She frowns somewhat, pursing her lips. "It's going to suck big time when winter sets in. Wonder what's going to become of that class."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her, and says "Just make sure you got a good winter coat." He tells her grinning at her.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon reaches out to muss Sam's hair, and chuckles. "Good point. Going to have to go shopping for one soon enough. Oh, and the only class I really don't like too much?" She wrinkles her nose and laughs. "Math."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and says "Well I might be able to help with that somewhat I was always good with the sciences and alot of that is math based.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Science itself isn't too bad. But when it comes to pure math? Forget about it, I'm hopeless!" She grins ruefully, scratching the back of her head. "Me and quadratic equations do /not/ get along."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie grins a bit and says "Well I can help you with them and see if it clicks if not there is always a calculator

Nightingale has posed:
     "You sure you're not the angel here?" Shannon makes a big show of checking Sam for wings and a halo, passing her hand above his head with a silvery little giggle. "Thank you."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie chuckles and says "Na, You, and Jay are the ones with the wings, I am just the one you call fire fart." He jokes a bit with her

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon bursts out laughing, wrinkling her nose. "Oh, so that's the secret behind your power. It's that chili you make!" She takes a couple steps backwards, spreading her wings and moving them enough to send a light breeze Sam's way as if to clear the air, but not enough to wind up flying.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smirks a bit at her, and says "Actually as much grief as everyone gives me, Ah can actually channel my power out besides my feet and legs, Have figured out a blast punch."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon raises her eyebrows. "Now that sounds like it could come in handy. Let's hope I never have to see it... and let's also hope you didn't eat too much chili before you pull that little maneuver, or you'll blow us all to kingdom come."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smirks a bit shaking his head some to this and says "Took me a while to figure it out to be honest."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods and smiles some. "Maybe sometime I'd get to see it, in a DR training session? Sounds like it could be real useful." She tilts her head, thinking for a moment. "How'd you first find out about it, anyways?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well started off working on a kick with it, but got to thinking about should be able to do other things, and thinking about my blast field and hovering I got to thinking about how I might be able to do other things"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly, thinking for a few minutes. She glances down at her hands. "I wonder if there's other ways to use my gifts somewhere in there. I mean, once I get the hang of them to begin with, of course..."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "Well, Ah could think of a possible thing but it would not be something Ah think you would enjoy doing."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon raises her eyebrows. "Oh? What possible thing is that?" What possible potential use of her healing gift could he be thinking of, that she would find so unpleasant?

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to her, and says "Reversing, it, giving what ever damage you have to the person your toughing

Nightingale has posed:
     "Or absorbing the damage, holding onto it long enough, and then reversing it later?" That does get Shannon's eyebrows to loft quite a bit. She shrugs a little bit. "I don't know if it's possible, or even how to test it without seriously causing someone a lot of gr..." If it was even possible, her eyebrows raise a bit higher still. "OH... crap, not sure if he'd like that idea one bit... because besides Josh, there's only one or two others I could think of who might be able to handle being on the receiving end of that."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods, and says "I can think of two off of the top of my head to be honest, and one of them might be willing to test it, but if you ever decide to work on it, try small things