5203/Mandatory counseling. After the riots.

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Mandatory counseling. After the riots.
Date of Scene: 15 February 2021
Location: Wellness Office
Synopsis: Paige and Kitty sit down for a cousneling session. They talk about life, religion and the ideals of right vs wrong.
Cast of Characters: Paige Guthrie, Kitty Pryde




Paige Guthrie has posed:
What a week Paige Guthrie has had. First being caught up in the middle of the Captiol riots fighting for her life, followed by what should have been an easy afternoon out to lunch with some friends turned into a massacre by the end of Cable's sniper rifle. Still, she is tough as nails, right? All Guthries are. Much like cockroaches, they are survivors. They scrape and dig and drag themselves through the mud of life and always find a way to keep their head just above the surface.

But, cracks still form even on the toughest of surfaces, or the thickest of skins.

After giving her After Action Report, Paige has been mostly burying herself in her studies. It's her final year and those AP classes won't complete themselves. Danger Room trainings won't train themselves. You can't get incredible abs by moping around your room. It's almost as if nothing has happened, though some of that spark she tends to show around the school has dimmed.

Having found a meeting show upon her calander to meet with Miss Pryde and to have a little 'touchbase', she knocks on the door from outside, dressed in a pair of slim jeans, a red checked flannel wrapped about her waist and a white tanktop. She is scratching at the inside of her arm a bit as she glances around with her blue eyes, taking in a deep breath. "Ah'm here, Miss Pryde."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The counselor's office is a small one, tucked in beside some of the other staff rooms and class rooms. It was once a broom closet long ago in the mansion's past, but was expanded and refurbished. With the school's small size it's more a private place to talk than an office, per se.

There's a desk but conversations are more likely to take place a small couch or chairs nearby. Kitty is there when Paige arrives, the door left partially open so people would know she's in there and available. "Paige, come in," the young woman's warm tones say.

Within, Kitty has a little teapot which Lockheed is blowing out fire on. "Tea is just about ready, have a seat. Figured after everything of late maybe a chance to vent would be good," Kitty offers. She gestures over to the touch. "It's pretty comfortable. I harangued the Professor to get a new one once I got back and started doing this," she says.

Though she may be staff, Kitty is the same age as the class that just graduated, even if she'd gone off to college early. She's about the same with students as she is with anyone else, bridging that age gap.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
Opening the door and stepping inside, Paige takes a moment to give a casual glance about to see if anything has been changed. As she takes a seat, she folds one leg over the other, lifting her hand to wiggle her fingers towards Lockheed. "It has been an interesting couple of days." She admits as she rubs the back of her neck, then places her hands over the top of her knee, before they move to the sleeves of her flannel and gives a few tugs along them.

She shifts a bit on the couch to get a feel for the comfort levels that was just spoken of. "It's ah' real nice couch." She confirms. "How're you doing these days?"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty gestures with a cup to see if Paige would like some of the tea. "One of the things about living in the UK," Kitty says with a glint in her eyes, "is they practically force you to learn how to make tea properly. Lockheed and I have spent a lot of time mastering getting the right amount of heat and steeping time like this," she says. A warm chuckle follows. "And without setting off the smoke detectors."

For his part, Lockheed sits up a little higher and gives Paige some attention, as good as a greeting from other people. Kitty moves around, providing the cup of tea if Paige wanted one, and bringing her own. "I can imagine what it's been like for you," Kitty tells Paige, slight lines at the corners of her eyes expressing empathy. "Just reading about events was upsetting without having actually been there."

Once she's seated, Kitty's eyes gain a slight sparkle. "I've been well. Things have been going well with Warren. Which has really helped make the rest of my life better," she tells Paige. "What about you. How are you holding up?"

Paige Guthrie has posed:
Reaching out to take the tea, Paige blows along the surface of it before taking a small sip. "Usually ah'd get my tea from Teavanna but they closed 'em all. Starbucks is evil." She says in a sulking tone. "Ah'd get this really sweet blend of blueberry and pineapple and it was really nice when it was cold. Now they just sell generic packets of it online and it's not th' same as the loose leaf kind."

Taking in a slow breath, then letting it out, she wraps her hands around the cup to soak up the heat from it. As the topic shifts to her and what she has gone through, she slowly nods her head. "I've never seen someone die before. In the last few days, ah' think ah' saw a lot of people die. From th' riots with people shootin' each other, ta' Cable .. executing that woman in my arms." There is a firm press of her lips as she glances off to the side. "Her head exploded all over me. Ah' just remember screaming and Illyana teleported me out of there."

Her fingers lightly tap the mug a few times. "But ah' made sure ta' not get all weepy 'bout it. Ah'm an X-Man in training now. Ah' can't go sobbing in class and getting other kids worried. Chin up, soldier." She murmurs softly at the end.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty's hand cradle her tea as well. There just being something soothing about feeling the warmth from a cup even before taking a sip. "I definitely developed a liking for Earl Grey," Kitty shares, which is indeed the type of tea it is. "Preferably with a little milk added." She takes a sip then leans back in the chair she's taken. Kitty slips off her shoes and then draws her legs up at her side. A comfortable position and far more like two friends chatting than some kind of counseling session.

The skin besides Kitty's eyes crease, with empathy brought on from her own memories. "It's never easy seeing that," she agrees with Paige quietly. "And if it was a first time, even worse. Good to try to shelter the others. But I hope that doesn't lead to equating not releasing in front of the younger kids, to never releasing. X-men sob too," Kitty says, letting out a quiet sigh that again speaks of her own memories.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"Ah' haven't let it all out yet, but ah'm sure at some point ah' will. It's not that ah'm bottling it up or waiting for th' right moment. It's just that .. " Paige thinks for a long moment, twisting the sleeves around in her hands. "Maybe I'm still in shock, or maybe ah' just .. forced mah'self to move forward. On ta' the next one. Back in Kentucky, people was always mean to us. Those damn Abbots .. they killed our dog, always picking on Jay and Jeb at school and beatin' on us."

There's another tug of the sleeves, knotting them slowly together. "And ah' had ta' be the man of the house with Sammy gone to Xavier's. So, ah' had ta' get tough as nails real quick. Learn ta' hit back and not let 'em see you cry. When you cry, they just come at you harder. They know that you cracked."

"But ah' don't crack. Ah' peel. Ah' blister. So ah' had ta' take the punches for Jay and Jeb and even Melody a few times. So, while ah' ain't seen anyone die before, it wasn't like ah' was blind ta' violence. Growing up in th' bible rust belt of Kentucky, yah' learn they hate everyone down there that's different. Whether you shed skin like ah' snake, or you grow wings outcha back. Ah had ta' be the strong one cuz' Sammy was gone. He couldn't protect us anymore."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The other young woman listens, her cup of tea cradled gently in her hands as she does. Little nods are given. The need to show strength or else the bullies will just feast all the more on the suffering they cause.

Lockheed hops down off the desk, walking instead of flying over to the couch where Paige sits. The little dragon hops up onto the couch and moves over into her lap, curling up not unlike a cat just seeking a warm spot in the room. He is far more than that, so very empathic. Kitty doesn't show she even notices what he's done, but she knows he brings as much to these sessions as she does. Maybe more.

"You have a very amazing family, Paige," Kitty confirms in a gentle tone. "You've done well with them. Your mom and Sam and you. That takes a lot of strength," she agrees.

Kitty looks down at her tea. "And for as rough as things were there, there's so many things out here that we have to deal with. I think what you've been through may serve you well. But we are here for you. Jean, has shirts that have absorbed enough of my tears that they should probably be mine. The first time I met her she was holding me as I cried within the first dozen seconds," Kitty shares, the memory one now that is able to just bring a soft smile, an appreciation of the redheaded X-man. "Do you have people you talk to about things like this? Sam or anyone else?"

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"Yeah, ah' got Sammy, and ah' call Jay once in awhile back home. Now that he got red rooster wings, ah' know he's having a hard time ah' things. We had ta' homeschool him so that no one would find out. Small town and lots of shotguns. We were worried with what'd happen if they saw that another 'mutie' popped up from our home. He hates it, he was always th' social one. Popular and playing his guitar. Girls practically throwing unmentionables at 'em when he croons. He has th' voice of an angel."

"Ah' don't tell Ma about this type of stuff though. Ah can't have her worrying 'bout Sammy and I." There's another tug of her sleeves before she settles a hand over Lockheed to give him a gentle stroke. He may not be a cat, but a lap dragon comes close. "Ah' got accepted inta' Harvard and MIT. Full rides for computer engineering. Got one for ah' few more local ones too that ah'm gonna consider. Ah want Ma to think that ah'm all normal and having ah' good time up here in school, as opposed ta' getting shot at. She'd yank Sammy and ah' outta here so quick by th' ears."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
A small smile is given at the mention of Jay's social activities. "Well, if talking with another winged Angel would help him at all? I think Warren would be ok with me offering that we could take a trip to Kentucky sometime. Or have him out for a visit, either one," Kitty offers.

She sips her tea again, resting the cup on the side of her bent knee where her legs are drawn up in her chair. "Yes, it can take awhile for parents to accept the realities of our lives here," Kitty agrees, without going into more depth on her own experiences on that topic. "Probably not a bad idea to shelter her for a bit at least. She does have a lot to deal with."

A smile of warm commiseration is given to Paige then as Kitty says, "Great to see someone else going into Computer Engineering. If you ever want to bounce something off me or have a question on homework, I figure you know I'd be happy to help. Will have to get you involved in designing our next batch of computers for the lab as well." They are constantly upgrading and swapping them out, the lab full of computers designed and built there at the school for the most part.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"Ah think ah'd like that. Ah' reckon that ah'd be this generation's Kitty Pryde so ta' speak. And ah'm sure someone will be the new one behind me." Paige reaches up to brush her knuckles against her eye for a moment, working out an itch. "Speakin' of, ah' brought back ah' hard drive for you that ah' recovered from that cemetary that Cable busted up. Ah' even made a backup just in case and encrypted it. Lot of it is about DNA and genetic sequencing. Ah' know that this is right up your alley and ah'm sure there is a lot of information that Doctah McCoy would want to go through."

Tilting her head slightly, she glances down at Lockheed, brushing a finger along his snout and between his eyes. "Have you had a chance ta' talk to Jubilee yet? She's a real .. mess .. about what happened, about what she did. Which wasn't her fault ah' course. But she's hurtin' something fierce and she's really freaked out that she almost killed ah' guy at the riots. Ah'm really worried about her."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The laugh that Kitty gives is warm. "We're only about a year apart, don't write me out yet," she teases. "I think you'd make an awesome this generation's Paige Guthrie. She's pretty great from everything I see," the nineteen year old adds with another pleased laugh.

The corners of Kitty's mouth that were turned up with the laugh straighten as the conversation gets more serious. "We can work on that together. Good call on the backup and all. I can show you some of the precautions we have set up. There's a safehouse for anything that might have any kind of tracker built in so it can be disabled before bringing it back, though I doubt that is an issue there. But like, a Sentinel processing unit, for instance," Kitty says.

The little dragon responds to the contact, nuzzling softly against Paige's hand, encouraging the contact. "I haven't. I know she's struggling to set back in, I didn't want to push her too much on it," Kitty says, "But definitely need to help her through it."

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"It was just your standard SATA hard drive. Ah' even got it wrapped up in an anti-static bag. Just let me know where you want it at and ah' can deliver it. Mister Summers and I burned th' rest of the place down ta' ash, so, hopefully there's not much left ta' dig up." Paige gives Lockheed a small scritching beneath the chin with her fingers.

She does give a small smile at the thought of being a this 'Generation' anything. Her shoulders lift upwards a bit, but she doesn't seem to disagree. "Ah' just wanna be the best ah' can be, and that's including being a good friend." She shifts her jaw some. "Ah've only spoke ta' Jubilee once since she got back. Haven't spoken ta' Noriko. But Jubilee wants ta' put together a fundraiser ta' pay for th' guys hospital bills. Even though he's a bigot and tried to execute Noriko in front of her .. she still wants to help him."

She glances off to the side, staring at her feet for a long moment. "Ah'll support her efforts ah' course, but .. ah just don't feel like he deserves th' charity. Ah' feel like she is doing this outta guilt. She's also scared of her powers now."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The cup of tea resting on Kitty's knee is lifted again, a sip taken. "I'm sure it does have to do with guilt," Kitty agrees. "But that also doesn't mean it isn't a good thing to do," she ventures.

The young woman's eyes drift off to the side as if searching for words. "The Professor's dream... we're not going to reach it by just interacting with the people who already are amenable to mutants. We need to be able to help others see their mistakes. To see us as people and not as something else," Kitty says quietly. Her eyes are not on Paige at the moment, more like Kitty is drawing on her own experiences rather than just talking about Jubilee's present situation.

"It's easy to hate. Especially when confronted with the same. I worry when I hear what Cable and Quentin did," Kitty confides in Paige. "I'd rather more of us tried to embrace finding ways to get through to those who hate us. Maybe what Jubilee is doing starts out coming from guilt. But maybe she accomplishes something by it that encourages her to treat still more of them how we'd like them to treat us," Kitty says.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"Ah' dunno. Part of me almost wishes he bit it." Paige says with a loud sigh. "Because my fear is he'll get better and come right on out angrier than ever and take it up a notch. He came ta' the riots with a gun. He tried ta' kill a child on her knees, two of 'em, actually. Men like that won't ever see us as anything but monsters. Ah was raised ta' be this really good Christian girl. Say mah' prayers at night on both knees and hands folded. Wishin' on stars, callin' ta Jesus ta' forgive all mah' sins."

"Then ah' start ta' wonder what kinda God would make men like that. Men that would try and slaughter children just because they got weird skin or feathers stickin' outta 'em." She grows quiet for a moment, scrunching her face upwards as she blinks a few times. "But then ah' think of how Jubilee would feel if he actually did die. She'd have ta' carry that with her forever. It's ah' lose-lose situation. Ain't no winners here. Ah' believe in Xavier's dream." She says as her voice cracks.

"But ah'm scared that it won't matter. That we're all jus' gonna get ourselves killed and ain't no one gonna mourn us freaks and monsters."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
As Paige's thoughts run the direction they do, Lockheed's gentle nuzzling against her hand picks up slightly. Many don't know just how much the dragon understands, but even if Kitty were in the dark there, she's long since noted his small reactions like this to people's emotions.

"Life isn't easy. But I believe God wants us to help each other through it. And it's easy for people to go down the wrong path," Kitty says in a gentle tone. "And it can take something different for each person to finally realize they are on a wrong path. Maybe for this man, realizing the person he was wanting to kill, who could have killed him, is instead caring for him would be enough to make the difference?" Kitty says.

Her hand drifts towards her upper chest, where her fingers brush a small Star of David hanging from her necklace, with the Tree of Life in the center and the whole adorned with small diamonds and topaz. "We don't know what his life has been like, either. What led him to hate as he does." Her fingers on the religious symbol seem to comfort Kitty. "You know, Erik was in the Jewish ghettos in World War II. There with some of my own family actually. And a big part of who he is, was made by his experiences there. When I was younger, he nearly killed me. /Was/ killing me, and it was seeing evidence of my own faith around my neck that made him realize how much his path had reached a parallel with those who he hated." She lets her hand drop back to her lap. "What I'm saying is, sometimes the smallest thing or gesture can be what it takes for someone to see things anew, and change."

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"Maybe .. it's ah' nice thought." Paige says softly as she brushes her fingers under her eye. "Ah' told her she should do it anonymously. Ya'know .. just in case he .. gets froggy and tries ta' track her down, or sue her .. or send the cops aftah' her. Ah don't know."

"But ah'm glad her heart is in the right place." She looks down at Lockhead again for a long moment. "Ah' just don't wanna see her get hurt any further because of this mess. She's one of mah' best friends and it sucks seeing her all messed up over this."

Sighing, she lets it out slowly from her lungs. "Sorry ah'm talking more 'bout her than mah'self. Ah' just don't really know what to say ah' guess. Make any sense?"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The small smile that Paige is given is accompanied by a shrug of Kitty's shoulders. "There's no wrong answer on what we talk about," Kitty tells Paige. "Even not talking isn't wrong. If it's something that you feel like talking about, then there's probably a good chance it's worth it though," she says.

Kitty sips her tea. "I'm not a psychologist and this isn't therapy. I just want to make sure you've got the support that you need. As you said, the things we go through aren't things that most people can handle, that we can even talk about fully with loved ones for not wanting to worry them."

Another smile comes, soft and genuine. "I'm just glad that you're here. We're better for having you. Jubilee is better for having you as her friend," she offers.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
There's a flush of Paige's cheeks as she shrugs her shoulders upwards. "Ah'm really trying mah' best. Ta' be the best X-Man ah' can be. Th' best person ah' can be." Then, with a glance to the door, she leans forward and drops her voice to a whisper. "Ah' made Mister Summers smile th' other day when we was out on our recon mission. Made me think ah' just won a gold medal at the olympics."

There is a small giggle from her as she tucks some blonde hair back behind her ear. "Ah' asked Roberto to the dance as well. Sammy nearly blew his top when we broke th' news to him. It was funny seeing him all puffed up like an angry chicken, making threats ta' Berto about making sure he don't hurt me and all of that."

"So, things aren't looking too down for me. You take an L, but then you take a W. You gotta find that balance in the scorecard."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty breaks out in warm laughter. "Poor Roberto. I have an idea what he's going to go through," Kitty says after hearing about Sam's reaction. "Warren and I were joking the other day about how there's a line of people formed already who have threatened what they'll do to him if he hurts me," Kitty says. "I imagine Roberto is going to face the same thing," Kitty says, reaching over and giving Paige's arm a quick squeeze as she laughs.

"Good luck, I hope you both have fun at the dance," Kitty intones, and her expression brightening at Paige's expression off finding balance. "That's what we have to do. With the lives we lead... find what joy you can in life and savor it," Kitty says. "Sometimes I think I should have pushed more for some things I wanted," the young woman says. She pauses a moment, obviously thinking about something, but then letting the thought go. "Though maybe I'm better off in the long run that I didn't. Well. That is neither here nor there, as one of my Brit friends would say. So, you know I'm here if you ever want to talk. If you need someone you can vent in front of. And so is Jean, and Rogue, and so many others. I just wanted to make sure you know that, if you need anyone."

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"Roberto is something else. Ah' force to be reckoned with. Yesterday on Valentine's Day he got me this." Paige reaches under her shirt to pull out a necklace. Platinum with a diamond heart on it. "This boy coulda bought a car with that kinda money and instead he gives me this, acting all mooneyed and lovesick. Ah haven't shown Sammy /this/ yet. He'd probably think ah'm about to get hitched and pregnant." Her lips pull upwards into an amused smile. "Ah' don't even know what t'do with a boy. Ah ain't ever been asked out before, or been ta' a dance, or gone on a date."

"But, ah'm glad it's with Sammy's best friend. Least ah' can at least kinda trust 'em to not be .. a dumb boy." Berto is the definition of a dumb boy.

"But, ah' appreciate th' chance to talk. Ah' really do. Ah'll let ya'll know if ah' need anything else." She gently plucks Lockheed up and smooches the end of his muzzle, then puts him to the side carefully before rising upwards. "And Warren bettah be good to you, or else ah'll give 'em a right hook. Ah' can turn into titanium aftah all." She drawls out.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty breaks out in a warm chuckle. "I'll make sure there's a place in line for you," Kitty says. "Sometimes people have a playboy reputation. And, well, it might be deserved. But that also doesn't mean they can't find something better," Kitty says.

She's talking about Warren, surely. Or, Roberto? It's not very clear, at that.

Kitty ets her cup aside and rises as well, Lockheed flapping his wings, it only taking two or three to relocate him over to Kitty's shoulder, his normal resting spot. "I'll look forward to seeing you at the dance," she says as she walks Paige out.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
"Ayup. Ah'll be seeing you there. Probably seeing Roberto step all over mah' feet even though he assures me he can dance. That boy can probably only do the electric slide. or somethin' awful." Paige says as she reaches for the door and steps out into the hallway with a smile.

"See yah' later Miss Pryde." She calls over her shoulder as she starts off, retightening the flannel about her waist.