14396/Meeting with the Marie

Meeting with the Marie
Date of Scene:	12 March 2023
Location:	Frost Enterprises
Synopsis:	Emma talks with Marie-Ange on a variety of topics. Love, directness, fate, and change.
Cast of Characters:	Emma Frost, Marie-Ange Colbert

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Emma Frost has posed:
It's a few days after Marie-Ange's birthday party, and Emma has sent in a request for a meeting. Nothing of any particular importance, merely a catchup one. Marie-Ange, prompt as always. Emma's setup in a small conference room where she's laid out some of Marie-Ange's favorite chocolates and some liquers that the girl will hopefluly enjoy now that she's 21 and thus self allowed to drink them.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Meeting with Emma was always a pleasant occasion, and the kind that Marie certainly looked forward to. The woman had always been a friend. A mentor. A guiding force for Marie, who's done her best to repay the woman's seemingly endless kindness back as best she could. So, she dressed her best, did her hair (done in a French braid, with a little checkered bow up by her temple) and makeup as best she could, and wore her sunniest smile.

"Madame Frost!" she greets energetically, making her way through the conference room to hug the woman.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would smile, "Marie-Ange, thank you for coming. I just wanted to catch up with you, it had been awhile." A week at most? "Do sit and enjoy yourself. THere's nothing pressing. How have you been doing? Is your training going well so far? I've heard quite the glowing things about your progress." PRide over in her voice.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"Far too long!" Marie agrees. It hasn't been that long, really, but things in her life have definitely ramped up in the recent days. Her classes heading into midterms had picked up, work at the Club, she's continued to have training with T'Challa, and Jennifer Kale in different disciplines.... and then there's Mary. Mary who she's tried hard to sneak any moment their schedules line up so that they could spend time together. She wasn't about to let the responsibilities of her life get in the way of her love life.

Not again.

So she sits, and reaches for a chocolate, popping it into her mouth with a thoroughly delighted sound. "I have been well... just... so many moving pieces in my life. They keep me very busy." she makes a bit of a face. "Although, it is for good reason. These things I do will make me a better person."

Not better, more useful. Better able to protect people and herself, sure, but that's a sign of her limited self-worth. Marie views herself in terms of what she can do for other people.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would smile over at Marie-Ange, "Good darling. I'm glad that everything is going so well. I've heard very good things about your progress. And make sure to take time for yourself and your girlfriend." She's not sure whether to tag it as 'lover' or not, sos he leaves it that way. "Remember from her comes so much happiness. And prioritize it as much as you can." SHe would smile.

"And all of these things that you're doing will improve you. Make you a better person and give you more options in life. Fate gives you directions, but what you know and what you can do gives options. Forgive me if I'm being mistaken in stating this.. But fate gives you opportunities, and it is up to you to take them for yourself. It gives you guidance but you have to rely on your own abilities to accomplish it>"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"I always try my best." Marie admits, bowing her head low for a few moments. That's something she's always done. No matter what she'd trying to do, she puts full effort into it. It's just who she is as a person. It's who she's always been! Of course, then the point of Mary comes up, and she turns beet red.

"W-we find time." she stammers out a bit, not making eye contact. "She has a busy schedule herself," School, work, family. "But I made the mistake of not devoting enough of my time to her the last time we were together... allowed more and more to get in the way until... there was nothing there." Nothing but emotions, anyways, and a relationship on emotions alone cannot survive. Time has to be there. "I will not make that mistake again." The conviction in her voice is... uncommon from Marie. It's the kind of tones that only come out when she talks about her cards, fate and the like. It seems like the girl does have her priorities straight!

She nods, "Oui, I hope they will... and you are absolutely correct. Which is why I try to sharpen my abilities to the best they can be so I can seize these opportunities when they appear, n'est-ce pas?" she asks, reaching for a glass of one of the assorted liquers, now, to take a sip. She's not a /prude,/ just obedient. Now that the country's law allows it? She most certainly will indulge.

Responsibly, though. That hangover after her birthday was a nightmare.

"If I had been unwilling to speak to people, like when I first came to the Americas... I would have never made the connections that made the party possible." A pause. A giggle. "I would have never met Mary. Have I ever told you the story of how we met?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would take her hand out to when Marie-Ange seemed somewhat distressed to squeeze the girl's shoulder. Emma knows that Marie-Ange is comfortable with it, and that would signal if it gave her distress. "Then you've learned. And that is what life is for. We all make mistakes. WE all see opportunities we lost after they happened. We have times where we failed to grasp them, whehter due to being afraid or unable to take them. All we can do is remember them to not miss them again."

As Marie-Ange's tone goes to strength, Emma flashes her an approving smile. "That's my girl. I'm so proud of how dedicated you are and how much more assertive you've become." Emma goes to switch over to something to indicate her approval even more as Marie-Ange goes to take up the liquer. Her hand goes up..

And starts to pat Marie-Ange on the head.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie is, in fact, comfortable with it. Not so when the pair first met, mind, because back then she was used to touch being promptly being followed by pain. The many physically affectionate people she's run into since coming to the States helped her grow out of this fear, to the point where it's welcome, not recoiled from.

Of course, just like it arrived, the conviction fanishes, melting into a sort of dreamy, "...did you see how beautiful she looked in that dress, Madame Frost? And that smile..." she trails off, sighing dreamily. Young love is an accurate description, because Marie-Ange most certainly is in love.

Of course, there's a bit of guilt that follows, head tilting back to offer a slightly sheepish look. "I... that is something I still need to work on, I think." she admits, worrying at her lower lip. "There are some things... where I feel my heart is unshakable on." Mary's one of them. The cards are another. "...but I still avoid confrontation on other things." She wrinkles her nose a bit, taking another sip. "The other day, we were ordering pizzas, and Mademoiselle Rahne asked me what I desired. I said anything but anchovies..." Making a disgusted face. "...she ordered anchovies. I spent fifteen minutes picking the fish out of my food, just so I wouldn't have to try and correct her..."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would smile, "She makes you happy. She adores you. you adore her. You're wonderful together." That's all that matters. That the two cmoplete one another and that they're in love. Maybe it will last. Maybe it won't. But either way one should treasure every single moment together an dappreciate it for what it is.

"It's hard to change habits and things ingrained to us by life. And hard to be confrontational. OR what feels like it sometimes. WHen it goes against what we're used to. Take it in small steps as you feel comfortable with it. Don't push yourself too far if you feel it's upsetting you. But also undrestand that it's going to keep on going that way unless you change your behavior. Everything in doses. And you said you would give me a story."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"She does, she makes me so very happy... when I'm with her, I feel like I can truly be myself. That who I am is enough." Marie explains, taking another chocolate and popping it into her mouth. It's a feeling that Marie hasn't achieved anywhere else. Emma would likely know, if she's ever peeked inside the redhead's mind. She's always putting her best foot forward. She frets over every word, every action. Considers how everything would be taken by other people.

"...and you are right. It is... very difficult. Very. But yes. Small steps. I... try not to fight the meaningless battles, you know?" A little smile, there. Then it's storytime, and there's another drink taken... a longer one. "I was still in High School, I had not been in the country long... but I went to a library in the city to do some studying with Jenny," It may have been a prank on the blonde's behalf. Jenny at a library? "I did not find Jenny, but there was a writer's group there... I started speaking to them at the behest of the cards, and we ended up speaking /about/ the cards and Mary asked for a reading on her love life, because she had feelings for a boy named Peter... so, I did her reading, and it seemed liike it would have a good outcome, although a rocky road getting to it. She wished for love... he was hiding something from her -- it was another woman -- but she /would/ find love." A soft giggle. "The other girl who was there took the opportunity to ask me out, that was Julie." Power, who Marie had dated for a couple months.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would nod over at Marie-Ange. Looking at her. She's not reading the girl's mind. She respects Marie-Ange too much to do so unless the girl asks her to. "You have a great deal of concerns about how you interact with others, and how ot present yourself. And what is polite an dproper. It's how you've been taught and treated most of your life. And it's a difficult cycle to break."

Her tone gentle over and then nod over at Marie-Ange as she would go on about Jenny. She doesn't ask over on the cards or do her normal sort of snarky comment. This is something that has meaning to the girl and gives her comfort. Now is not eh time. She would nod over at Marie-Ange and smile. "That sounds somewhat comlicated. But also sweet."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"It was." Marie admits, bowing her head. "I did not know enough about Mary at the time -- or about myself, I did not realize that girls could even /date/ girls." Jenny had to help educate her when it came to dating at all. She really does miss her friend. "...but I did not realize the cards meant me, all along. Not until later. She and I became friends... she had her heart broken by Peter, but started dating a boy named Bart... and then I broke up with Julie so that she could follow her dream," Because of course Marie would. Always putting others first. "I... could not go to Jenny for comfort because her birthday was coming," and Marie didn't want to spoil the festivities. "...so I went to Mary. That is likely when I first realized that I cared for her... you know... as more than a friend." she explains. "But she was still dating. And dating a boy!"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would nod gently, "It takes some time to figure things out. Particularly in affairs of the heart. You were sheltered most of your life.. And you're taking your time to understand thingsin a safe way. You're a good soul Marie. Always trying to make sure that you get along with eveyrone. You deserve happiness. And I'm glad that you're finding it with Mary. ANd also figuring yourself out."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie nods, and smiles. "It... has been an astouding experience, but the story continues." A grin. "Mary and Monsieur Bart broke up, I went to console her... and... we got to talking." A pause. "I tried... how you say... flirting? Tried to.. gauge whether or not she would be interested... and with me... and she was." Marie smiles wide. "I still can barely believe that she gave me a chance in the first place. Gave me a second chance now." A pause, and she turns to seek out Emma's eyes. "Have you ever..." she trails, trying to figure out what she wants to say. "...have you ever had someone who makes you feel the way Mary makes me feel, Madame Frost?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would nod over and listen over. And twitch her lips upwards as she would watch the happiness go through Marie-Ange's eyes. As the girl goes to ask a quesiton, Emma would smile, "I have, it just didn't work out in the end. Not all things do." While true in the vaguest sense.. The lie to Emma comes very, very naturally and easily, the way all things do. I'ts one she's done for a very, very long time.

Attachments lead to betrayal.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"I am sorry, Madame Frost..." Marie replies, bowing her head again. Focusing on the table. "...I understand how painful heartbreak can be. To have someone you care so much about and then..." she puts her hands together, then splays her fingers like an explosion. "...to lose them like that. It hurts. A lot." Marie's admittedly more than a little bit hopeful that she doesn't have to face such a feeling again, but at the same time? She's doing her best to focus on the present, not the future, when it comes to her lovelife.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would smile, "IT's fine. Not all things in life work out. There's nothing to apologize for. There's a saying, accurate or not, about comfort. Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Cliche. Sometimes accurate." Emma would smile gently to reassure the girl.

And once again she lies completely smoothly. From long practice.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"I suppose." It makes sense to Marie that at the very least, after enough time had passed that it would be easy to look back on the happy memories... though for her? While the pair were apart, it was difficult to look back at those photographs. Happy memories that she thought she'd never get to feel again. Fears unfounded.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would nod over at Marie-Ange, "Treasure that after some time away you were able to come back to one another and find one another again. That's a difficult thing to do, Marie-Ange. Call it fate, call it karma.. But when you both were ready you came together once more. Treasure that."