15918/Gardens Are Not the Best Place to Text

Gardens Are Not the Best Place to Text
Date of Scene:	23 September 2023
Location:	Student Gardens
Synopsis:	Magneto and Negasonic have a talk about life, the universe, and everything.
Cast of Characters:	Negasonic, Erik Lensherr

---

Negasonic has posed:
So. The Gardens. Believe it or don't, this was a good spot to hang out if you didn't like people. Yeah, while students and faculty liked the place, there were plenty - and I mean plenty - of nooks and crannies that one could go if they didn't really want to be found. Or make out, whatever.

Not that this was a garden maze, more an actual... garden. And with it being the end of autumn, a lot of the apple trees were starting to bloom.

Thus lurked Negasonic, pretty much done with her inperson social quota for the day inside of the mansion, making the most of her virtual social quota. She was trolling on social media in the shade of an apple tree.

With it still kinda being warm, she was wearing a mesh black, sleeveless top, and black leather leggings with big, stompy black boots with buckles. And all the silver jewelry that one could ask for. She was wearing her skull earrings on the lobes, with studs up the sides of the ear.

Just... typing away.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
Magneto had been missing since he'd helped break Rogue and several other mutants out of a secluded facility. He'd been very vague about what his plans were, and to his credit he hadn't appeared on the news or in rumormill since. Whatever he was doing, it was under the radar.

It is probably a surprise when he casts a shadow over the garden now. Momentarily backlit by the sun, his cape caught behind him in the wind. Negasonic would be forgiven for not noticing, being focused upon her typing as she is. He doesn't choose to hover for long, instead coming to land alongside her near the tree.

"Negasonic Teenage Warhead," he says in that stentorian voice made for oration, remembering her.

Negasonic has posed:
And Ellie was mildly concerned about that news. Not that she'd ever *show* it, the young woman tapping away on her phone.

Like many mutants, she had a soft spot for Magneto. You know, being the guy that gave enough of a crap, and had just enough of that 'don't care' attitude to go pull the mutants out of the fire in Genosha, and take over a small nation.

Whole thing fell apart, but that was probably part of why Ellie was here, after all.

And it was a surprise that anyone would talk to her. A roll of her eyes, and Ellie's dark gaze lifts up to the person who dared interrupt her texting solitude to find...

There was a bit of surprise on her usually stoic face.

"Magneto," she says. "You're not dead." A beat more. "Not that they ever seemed to be able to kill you. Anyone," she says, bringing her hand up to wiggle it around herself. "Here or anywhere."

She was looking up from her phone, even. Big steps.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Not for lack of trying," Magneto answers, reaching up to draw his helmet from his head and placing it under one bare arm, "Or to render me without my abilities, which would be a small difference in my opinion."

If he makes note of the look of surprise on her face, he does not show it. He knows well enough the level of impassivity that functions as part of the Negasonic Aesthetic and there's a kind streak in him that opts not to ruin it.

"I hope I haven't been too keenly missed. It's good to see you still here. Our diaspora was in danger of thinning even further for a moment there."

Negasonic has posed:
Don't worry, that surprise doesn't last long. The teenage sullenness was too strong. She does manage to start chewing her gum again, her brow easily settling into that resting bitch face she did so well. "Yeah, well," she says. "They got collars and shit now," she says with a rolling shrug of her shoulder.

And likewise, she knew Erik had that Noble aesthetic that contrasted with like... every mutant with a villainous streak, but he made it work for him.

"This place would probably continue so long as the Professor is manning his wheelchair," she says.

"Maybe even after that. Hope I don't see that," she says. Her phone beeps, her eyes cut down, and she fires off a reply to something. "But yeah. Good you're back," she says, drawing up one of her black booted feet. "Too many mutants around, but there's a lot that seem to like you," she says. Another beat. "I'll stick around here a while, so long as they let me stay. Where else could someone like me go, anyways? Mutant Town?" she says with a snort.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"There are places, though I don't begrudge anyone for not finding them hospitable," Magneto admits, his tone a little more personal and less like he's giving a speech for a change, "Genosha, the Asteroid. They have allowed themselves to be too keenly influenced by human culture."

He moves his arm, the helmet not slipping from where it sits but instead hovering of its own accord. The faintest gesture compels it to float and sit upon a nearby rock, out of the way for the moment.

"I have always respected Professor Xavier's philosophy," he tells her, his tone frank, "Though I have often felt it clashes with the reality of our situation. I wonder what kind of people we might be were we focused more on flourishing than merely defending our right to exist?"

A dry laugh escapes him and he casts his eyes down, raising a hand and shaking his head: "Forgive me. Even if you've signed up for one of my classes, I doubt you're interested in hearing me wax philosophical on your own time."

Negasonic has posed:
A small sound at the back of her throat, the girl staring up towards Magneto's face, still chewing on that gum. She was listening to him - but she gave most people the respect of that before a snarky comeback. Most times. "Yeah, well. What's mutant culture, anyways?" she says. "Depends on the mutant," she adds, her tone of voice irritable.

Eyes do track to see the helmet trick, briefly. Always cool.

"Dunno. Maybe we'd be better off," she says. "Or maybe humans would have killed us all off by now," she says. "They seem to keep trying anyways, in spite of most of them being alright," she says.

"But yeah," she says. "You're probably sick as hell of giving the same talk to every kid you run into here at Xavier's. What were you doing when you disappeared, anyways?" she asks. "I've just been attending classes and shit," she says. "Super educational." Her nose crinkles.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Culture comes from a seed," Magneto says with an easy roll of his shoulders, as though shrugging off some great and invisible weight, "What culture can't be traced back to a rare individual? I suppose it's the same complaint you're used to hearing from the old, mutant or not."

The question draws a sigh from him, and he seems to take a moment to mull over just how to word it.

"Sould-searching, I suppose. These men with their cures and collars reminded me of the war I started a long time ago. But here, I'm reminded of why I chose to lay down my arms. At least to a point."

He smiles, his features weathered but he hardly looks the age he purportedly is.

"I'm glad it's been educational."

Negasonic has posed:
She couldn't help it. She has to chuff at the first thing that Magneto says. But it was the fact that it was well... Magneto, that stops her from continuing to voice whatever mean thought trickled through her brain. "Yeah," says Negasonic. "It's the same with humans, as well. Every generation seems to have their own 'thing'," she says, her phone beeping as if to remind them both of the fact.

She continues to speak, in spite of her thumb moving to reply to whatever person beeped her phone.

Multitasking was a superpower, right?

"Soul-searching?" she says incredulously, glancing up towards Magneto. Okay, he looked *old* (to her), but so did most everyone above 30. "Did you find it?" she asks, her jaw clutching a bit. "It's been something," she says. "And they let me have a phone."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Who knows? If nothing else, I was reminded why I don't upend their cities or detonate all their weapons of mass destruction, at any rate."

Could he do that? He's never been shy about using his abilities, but he's also been cagey about revealing their limits. If such things even exist.

"If I'm interrupting you, feel free to send me on my way. Your perspective is refreshing, but I would understand ... "

The unspoken addendum: he understands he's positively ancient from her perspective, with a view on things that may seem similarly dated. Even if he can't admit it aloud, he acknowledges it silently.

Negasonic has posed:
Of course, Ellie reads that statement as a polite way of saying, 'You're on your phone when I'm trying to talk to you'. And with a world weary sigh, she kicks out her feet, and rises to a stand, tucking the phone in the back pocket of her leather pants. "No, you're not interrupting me," she says, her voice as dark as ever.

"I was just browsing and shit," she says. "Do it out here so there's fewer interruptions," she says, her nostrils flaring.

"But you're alright," she says.

A snort, though, as she finally responds to the first thing he said. "Well," she says. "The Prof probably would have a problem with that, too," she says. A lift of her chin, "Sounds like you would, too," she adds. "So maybe there's hope for us both," she says.

"And no, whatever. If you need these gardens, I can just go, too," she says.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"I understand the need for solitude. That's part of what the Asteroid was for ... until it became a bizarre sort of waystation for mutants in space. Hardly the Sanctum it was intended to be. But then, the world probably rests easier knowing I do not lurk above their heads encased in millions of tons of ferrous rock like the proverbial Sword of Damocles."

He shakes his head at her offer.

"I'd like you to stay. Or perhaps we could eat? It's been a while since I sat down for something substantial. I'd be interested to hear what you think. About everything, honestly."

Negasonic has posed:
For a long, long moment, Negasonic glances at the taller form of Magneto, that gum pushed around in her mouth as she keeps her arms crossed.

"Sure," she says, with a rolling shrug of her shoulder. "Whatever," she adds.

He wanted to hear what she thought about life, the universe, and everything? She kinda doubted it. But why not give him the benefit of the doubt? She was *growing*, after all.

"Sure. We can go to the kitche, unless you want some of these apples or something," she says, gesturing up to the literally low hanging fruit.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
Magneto looks to the apples, considering them in silence for a moment. He can't just summon them to him, but he does raise a few inches from the ground to pluck two of the more choice fruits from an overhanging bough. One is handed to Negasonic, the other is kept in hand.

"We can go for a walk," he explains, taking a casual bite from it in a way that seems uncharacteristic for the Master of Magnetism, "Then head to the kitchen."

Negasonic has posed:
Negasonic purses her lips, but she accepts the apple from Magneto, the gothling taking a bite from the apple pretty much right away. "I could use a walk," she says. Her phone dings in her back pocket, and one could almost see the twitch in her fingers, but she hangs tight.

"Or you could go for a float, whatever's clever," she says, noting the floating.

Another bite from the apple, and she crunches it.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"I could go for a float, yes," Magneto admits, a grin spreading on his face as he repeats it, "But it might present the wrong image, don't you think?"

He considers things for a moment before reaching out. Negasonic isn't exactly coated in metal, but there are some ferrous elements there. Enough that he can manipulate the magnetic field around her, allowing him to lift her into the air with him as he ascends several feet.

It may seem alarming at first, but there's a definite feeling of support that doesn't come when one hangs from a high place or falls through the air.

"We could both float?"

Negasonic has posed:
A shrug of her shoulders at the first thing he says, "If you care about that," she adds. "And you probably do."

So did Negasonic, she was just being unfair. What with her 'don't touch me' image. Although he gets to see her surprised again when he grabs probably all the metal studdings in her belt and pants and floats her a bit.

So yeah, there was some alarm, even if she lets her face go droll again.

"No thanks. I can walk," she says. "Just... thanks for not trying to float me by my piercings, alright?"

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Walking is probably better," Magneto agrees, coming down to Earth once again and falling into stride with Negasonic, "And don't mention it. That was a lesson I learned a long time ago."

He lifts the apple, taking a thoughtful bite of it and looking off towards the Mansion on its hill.

"Why don't you tell me what's on your mind? You don't strike me as someone who isn't always mulling over something or other."

Negasonic has posed:
"I'm sure you were just waiting to do the whole imperious float thing," says NTW.

"So don't let me stop you, if you want to impress all your friends," she says. Negasonic looked like she didn't want to impress any of her friends. Ever. Another bite of the apple though, as she tromps along the gravel.

"Well," says Negasonic. "Was just trolling some asshat on X, and he was biting into that, which was great," she says.

"Thinking about the shots I'm gonna upload to my insta that won't blow up the mansion," she says.

"And wondering what kind of shit you get up to," she says. "It's pretty quiet lately," she says. "A little too quiet," she adds. "There's the New Mutants too, gonna see if I can get them together and see what people are up to. Those are thoughts, right?" she says.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"I think I'd rather impress you," Magneto offers, holding his half-eaten apple in one hand, "And for some reason, I don't think floating is the key. But I'll find it, and when I do I'll make certain it goes with me to my grave as the most sincerest of secrets."

He listens to the litany of things on her mind. He'd probably be forgiven for not grasping well the concepts of 'X' and 'Insta' but he actually seems at least aware of them, if not actively involved with their use.

"Blow up the Mansion?" he asks, the smile on his face becoming more wry than warm.

"As for wondering about me, well, I'm here. You could ask me."

Negasonic has posed:
"You did that already," says Negasonic, chomping onto the side of the apple. "But you probably hear that a lot, too," she says. "Powers are powers though. Everyone's got 'em," she says. Her face pinches, "Except humans, I guess," she says.

"Yeah," she says. "Get sentinels or whatever a great GPS ping or tell whoever 'drone here please'," she says. Not too many teenagers thought about that sort of thing, but not too many teens had the wonderful upbringing she did.

"I did," she says. "You said..." she brings up her fingers, making air quotes, "Soul searching," she adds. "A BS hippie answer, but whatever. You're allowed to be that way. You earned it."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"You needn't worry too much about Sentinels," Magneto offers, "They've yet to design one that doesn't crumble before too long. And it seems that, at least for now, the desire to build actual weapons to oppose the mutant species has lessened in favor of control. So, thankfully, most of the sentinels we do come across are laughably outmoded."

"Well, if you really are curious, I was in Europe. I come from there originally. Nuremberg, to be precise."

There's a pause, and a weight to what he says. A fact of his life that even Charles hasn't been made privy to.

"I made a lot of decisions in my life based on what I thought some people who died a long, long time ago may want from me. I thought if I were to go back there, then perhaps I'd understand how much of it was my own desire, and how much of it was doing what I thought they would want."

He shakes his head, his stark white hair a little shaggier and longer than normal: "I haven't believed in a God, at least in the theological sense, since I was a young man. I do not think I believe consciousness persists after death. Or if it does, that those close to me would care much what I chose to do. If that's the case, then I no longer need to live my life in bitter service to memory."

Negasonic has posed:
"I was born in Genosha," says Negasonic. "But you knew that already," she adds, the beeping of her phone a constant cadence to the crunch of the gravel beneath her boots, the shaved head teenager having a nice slouch-shouldered posture as she goes along. Occasionally, other inhabitants of the mansion walk along, the sight of Negasonic and Erik probably familiar enough to not draw too many eyes.

Erik probably even gets a wave or two. Negasonic didn't.

"Didn't know that," she says. "That's..." she narrows her eyes. "Germany, right?" she says.

She listens to the rest of what he says.

"And what did you find?" she says. "Were you following in the shoes of what these other people wanted?" she says.

"But yeah. Dead is dead," she says. "If there's something after it all, it'll be a fun surprise."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Germany, yes," Magneto says with a nod of his head, "Though it's been a long time since I lived there. After that it was Poland, then Transia ... Israel. That was perhaps one of the last places I thought of as home, though. Or, at least, what I remember home to be."

Magneto, to his credit, does acknowledge the waves but he seems for the most part quite fixated on Negasonic and what she has to say. He is not one to let his attention be divided or wander if he can help it.

"I think I was doing what I thought they would want," he continues, "But if I were to somehow ask them now, they would probably temper my more reactionary leanings. They were humans themselves, after all. At least, as far as I ever knew. The human species may be greatly flawed, but it is not without exemplars of virtue."

"So, I think instead I should be a defender. An advocate. Take up the sword when it is needed, yes, but also to see the virtue in discourse."

Negasonic has posed:
Even if a wave was aimed at her (it wasn't, let's be real), Negasonic just returns any happy looks with a glare. "Only been here and Genosha. And I guess wherever an X-Mission takes me," she says, giving her shoulder a shrug. She doesn't keep her eyes on Magneto, though, letting them swoop around the garden as she goes along.

"Yeah, well, or exemplars of hiding shit," she says as she steps along.

"You do sound like the Professor, then," she says. "You growing your hair long to make him feel jealous or something?" she says.

"But... I get that. I don't want to leave the place worse off than I found it. Even if just a little bit."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"I just haven't had an opportunity to visit a barber," Erik offers, "Why, don't you like it?"

The corner of his mouth curls up into a smirk of sorts. Hardly the sort of thing anyone would expect to come from him.

"I would not say I am strictly in line with the Professor's beliefs. I do believe sometimes we must fight for what is necessary, but perhaps it isn't the first step to take."

"But I'd like to hear some more about you. Unrelated to philosophy."

Negasonic has posed:
"It's fine," says Negasonic, her eyes still flickering across the way. "If you don't like it, though, shave it off," she says.

It wasn't the sort of thing she expected from him, no.

"I think it depends on the person. If they're an asshole..." she says. "I think sometimes you gotta fight first," she says, even as they draw nearer to the mansion. The garden wasn't that big, after all.

"Like what?" she says.

"Philosophy's easier to talk about. People have strong opinions about it. And like to feel smart."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Well, you could tell me what it's like for you here at the school. So far I understand it's been 'educational' and 'phone-positive' but little beyond that. Do you have a favorite class? A favorite part of the grounds? I'm partial to the library, myself. Do you have friends here yet? People you care about more than that? Do you visit the town often? I hear it's popular."

It's a torrent of questions to be certain, but he doesn't fire them off like a machine gun. Rather they're spoken into the air naturally, allowed to hover there and for Negasonic to take whichever of them she chooses to answer.

Negasonic has posed:
A flicker of her eyes up to him at the gentle cadence of questions.

"It's fine," she says. "Some of the more outgoing kids try to talk to me, get me to open up," she says. "They stop after a while," she says.

"I like..." she considers. "History," she says. "But I like the garden, people don't bother me out here," she says. "Haven't been in the town much yet. What's out there? Shops and food with money I don't have," she says.

"Or really care too much about," she says.

"What about you? What was your favorite class in school?"

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Arithmatic. And science. Such as it was back then, of course. But I've always been interested in things like that and I suppose it opened the way to teach myself about it later."

He considers her answers in silence, wandering through one of the more verdant parts of the garden and finishing the last of his apple.

"Well, I'm glad you decided to open up to me. It's a pleasant experience after several weeks of less-than-pleasant living."

Negasonic has posed:
"Well, it must have been *really* unpleasant living, then," says Negasonic.

She nudges open the door leading back into the manor, offering to open it for Erik.

"But whatever," she adds.

There were convenient trash cans. Her apple core gets flung into it. "Guess if you moved metal with your mind, you'd want to learn a little bit about magnets," she says.

"Either way, guess I might see you in class next time you teach," she says.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
Magneto nods his head, tossing his own apple core away and stepping through the door when she opens it for him. He takes a moment to pause and look around the mansion, evidently it's the first time he's been back inside of it for a while now. He takes in the moment wordlessly.

Finally, though, he turns back to Negasonic.

"Yes, I would hope so. Though if you want to speak sooner, you know where to find me. I hope I was not too much of a dredge on your free time."

Negasonic has posed:
"I think I missed like twenty messages," says Negasonic.

"But don't worry about it," she says. "I'll just take a little time to catch up with them," she says. In fact, out comes that phone, and she was briefly browsing through the messages.

"But yeah," she says, her head down, shoulders slumped, as she throws a wave over her shoulder. "Later," she says.

She was already countermessaging. She had missed the 'taking in the mansion' moment that Erik just had.