2011 10 20 Mutant Massacre Part 9

Log Title:
A Welcome Guest

Characters:
Emma Frost, Charles Xavier

IC Date:
10-20-11

Location:
Xavier Mansion

Brief log summary::
Emma arrives and enters a dialogue with Charles.

Rating:
pg13

There is no TS in this log::
Yes

Post your log::

The door is opened by a large, impressive, black man <Bishop>. His clothing is reflective of black ops; black cargo pants, black tshirt, wearing a blaster strapped to his back and in combat boots. His eyes note the woman in question on the other side of the frame and he recognizes her for who she is (he's been briefed). "Miss Frost…" he says in a low tone but before he can say anything else (negative things which were already in his head) another voice, the voice of Xavier is heard behind him as Charles himself wheels forward through the Foyer. "Bishop, allow Emma inside and you may leave us.". His tone stern as if he knew that Bishop was able to be rude. Then, as Bishop turns away leaving the door open for Frost to enter, Charles addresses Emma with his eyes and an open mind. Mentally he's already expressing how sorry he is about her loss, verbally he states, "Emma, please, come inside - we've much to discuss."

Emma is barely recognizeable, and not just because of her mode of dress (designer jeans, white sweater, soft high-heeled leather knee boots); for once she has made no effort to hide the suggestion of dark circles under her eyes or the haunted look in the eyes themselves. Bishop's expression brings on an instantaneous scowl, so different from her usual icy calm, that suggests a sudden interest in applying a hand-held mixer to the inside of his skull. Manners, Emma…

Professor Xavier's interruption drives the thought from her mind, and she almost looks grateful as Bishop moves away. In her present brittle state, Charles's mental condolences are nearly too much for her. She catches the edge of the doorframe, swallowing hard, then raises her head, something of the old White Queen in her blue eyes as she steps inside. "Thank you, Charles… I'm sorry about the short notice, but… well, I'm sure you've seen the papers, and the news programs," she says, softly, her voice faintly husky for much different reasons than the usual ones.

He realizes the mental is too taxing so he refrains and stays with verbal. "I have." is said in a solem tone which is followed by, "It saddens me to hear of such horrific news. Please, shall we retire to my office?" His chair is electric powered and will rotate in place when she enters and he will lead her toward his office when she's alongside him.

"Let's, please," Emma says softly, moving to walk beside him. "I never thought that I would be here without an escort, or an offer… yet here I am. Such a strange and terrible beast is life…"

In a softened tone, Xavier replies, "Emma, though we have always been at odds in one way or another, you are always welcome within my home." Of course there are stipulations on her behavior while here, but that's understood (don't be evil). Those things are said or thought, instead, he continues, "Especially under these circumstances. You are welcome to find solice and sanctuary here within my walls." His wheels continue to turn through the foyer toward the east hallway and the office space beyond.

"Your offer is more than kind, Charles… more than I deserve, considering our past differences," Emma replies, her voice sinking yet lower. She cannot meet his eyes, and for a moment she can't even speak. When she does speak again, however, her voice is nearly flat. "I may take your offer, but there is something I must do yet. I've not come for my sake, but for others… I wonder if you ever thought you'd hear me say that." She chuckles softly, bitterly. "I have several students who yet live… and if something should happen to me, I want you to take them into your care. They deserve better than I can give them… certainly now. Perhaps they always did…" Her thoughts threaten to turn morbid; her grief is suddenly very nearly a palpable thing, and she teeters on the edge of losing her composure.

"Of course." Charles says without hesitation to her request of offering shelter to the remaining students.

The door to his office is open and receiving. He'll pause to allow her entry and follow behind. Then within he will motion for her to take a seat in one of the high backed leather chairs and he'll take a position across from her a few feet away giving her space but not too much.

"What ever you may need, Emma, just ask. I can send one or a few of my X-Men with you to offer support. You can send your students here, if they're in need of a place to take shelter at present. Tell me what I can do."

Emma sinks into the offered chairs, her shoulders sagging, unlike her usual tall, proud posture. "Best you don't send them… I've endangered entirely too many children since the day before yesterday. I have a nasty suspicion that those butchers in battlesuits were looking for me when they came to my school. I've enemies enough, certainly, and so few of them are of your moral fiber. I only wish I knew how they found out about the school… I've tried to be so very careful about keeping it secret. But not careful enough, it seems…"

She squeezes the ends of the arms of her chair until her knuckles are white. "And now it's gone, and my children are dead… if only I'd been there for them when they needed me!

After a sigh, Xavier nods understandingly, "I know…" he starts the sentence along the thread that he too has suffered loss, "I understand the pain of loss. I created this school, the X-Men, to train the students to use their powers, to defend themselves and the world from those that would do harm to themselves or others. And yet, they still face challenges that overcome them. We, you and I, can not always be there for them. And yet I know you've suffered a horrible loss, even if you were there, they may still be <gone>… and you, yourself could have also been killed. Now, as it stands, we mourn for those that we've lost, and we look to the future, to make it different, to protect those that we can, train those that are in need."

"I don't know if I can do it anymore… even if I could find the will to start over, what would stop other such… /butchers/ from coming after me again, and perhaps slaying my students instead? Again?" Emma murmurs, almost brokenly. Now her eyes are squeezed shut against tears she can't let fall, her teeth clenched against sobs she refuses to let out, to the point of holding her breath. No one must ever see her so vulnerable, so weak as to /cry/! She cannot, will not allow it!

Rolling forward, Xavier's right hand is placed on Emma's forearm, trying to offer some comfort, his voice provides meaning, "There were times when I felt the same way. Thunderbird, Cypher, Mimic… and many others over the years. I cannot imagine what you're going through with such a devistating loss, but I do know… It is our responsibility; we have powers and must use them to help others."

"Yes… yes, we do…" Emma whispers, laying her free hand over his, struggling to master the emotions that threaten to overwhelm her. "There's still something yet to do, for the living… and for the dead. Those butchers must be dealt with, or they'll just keep on killing." She straightens slowly, the weakness gone in a moment, new purpose in her eyes. Her hand over his squeezes, harder than she realizes, though likely not hard enough to actually hurt his… he may find it rather uncomfortable, however.

Chuck has been working out. No concern over the squeezes of some girl's grip. Instead of wincing, he will allow her the comfort of the proximity and touch while he lists, "I hope you're not planning something suicidal or something that will get yourself hurt. At least let me send one of my team with you." - his latter words are said with a focused interest in her well being and with the intent that his escort idea would be for the better all around. Especially since if she were to die, her remaining students would lose more than their former teammates, but also their instructor/mentor.

"I'll think about it," Emma says softly, knowing full well she won't. Someone must be there to see things through if she fails, after all, and Charles may very well need all his teams before this is over. Besides, she wouldn't want his students to see what she's going to do to these butchers… after all, they might try to stop her, and in her mind the only good mutant murderer is a lobotomized and dead mutant murderer. There's also the matter that she's of a mind that her own loss as a teacher wouldn't matter… her long chain of failures is proof of that.

She moves to rise. "I'll be in touch, Charles… I've got to pass the word on to my few students where to go and what to do, just in case. And I've yet to give a statement to the press about this butchery… something fitting for the memory of my poor children. Something they would be proud of. Perhaps the first thing about their headmistress they could be proud of…"

Charles will take note of her intended departure and wheel backwards. He nods an acceptance but will likely send someone to watch over Emma just in case. But that will not be said or thought just this instant, instead, he notes, "Take care of yourself, Emma. Upon your return, we will discuss the future." - with that, he will have nothing more to add or disrupt her from her chosen departure.

"I'd welcome that. Thank you, Charles. Perhaps you always were the better teacher," Emma says softly, with a sad smile, as she stands. "For all the times I considered you an enemy, I can only say I'm sorry… I was wrong about that, and about you. Come what may, I know my children will be in good hands. I wish you'd found them all first…" Did her voice crack? Her clenched fists suggest that perhaps it did. "I remember the way out. Take care of yourself, Charles, and of your own," she adds, quickly, before turning and leaving just as quickly.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License