8095/Awkward Apologies

Awkward Apologies
Date of Scene:	03 October 2021
Location:	Recreation Room
Synopsis:	Conversation in the rec room, a little pool, and no drama.
Cast of Characters:	Lorna Dane, Logan Howlett, Laxmi Mallick, Dashenka Ivanov

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Lorna Dane has posed:
Another day dealing with the upcoming Embassy opening had led to Lorna sleeping. Very. Late. Late enough that she was just now getting up the day after feeling a mixture of groggy and annoyed at having slept quite so long. Also hungry. Very hungry, which is what led her to the kitchen to grab something suitable. A plate loaded up with her rendition of a Philly cheese steak along with a side salad (because nutrition) and an iced coffee is all gathered up to be held on her tray as she heads out intending to head back to her room to enjoy it. Intending to, and failing, as the sound of pool balls cracking into one another garners her attention. Curious as well as a bit bored she veers in that direction to enter the rec room seeing what was going on.

Logan Howlett has posed:
The weekend was here, which meant Logan actually had a little time he could claim as his own. Although he only taught shop classes, which were a grand total of three times a week, his night patrols of the grounds to ensure the safety of the students while the vampire was attending classes ate into his free time.

Today he was content to drink a beer while shooting some pool, the balls already scattered across the table as he looked them over. His nose never stopped working, no matter what he did it always picked up on the arrival of people before they entered the room.

"Evening Miss Dane," he offered without even looking, the very moment she entered the room, then leaned and took his shot.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi had entered a while earlier - seeking a seltzer water from the soda machine, and had ended up in a friendly game of pool with Logan, as well.. She's added some lime juice to her cup this time, and she sips from the contents as she watches Logan take his shot, her pool cue leaning up against her, and held into place against her by one of her arms.
    She looks up as Lorna enters, offering the woman a nod of greeting as well as a smile. She's seen her around the school before, of course - but somehow they'd never had much chance to talk. "Namaste, Miss Dane," she offers in greeting - setting her cup down on a coaster so she can press her palms together.

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka is walking by on her way to the gym to do her evening workout. She's dressed in her usual attire, a plain white tank top, grey BDUs, and combat boots. Around her shoulders is a towel that she'll use to dry herself off after working up a good sweat.

When she passes the rec room she hesitates. There are people there. She considers her options for a bit before turning to move inside.

"Privyet," she calls out. "You are playing pool. I would like to watch."

Lorna Dane has posed:
"Ah... Namaste," Lorna responds toward Laxmi, not sure if she should respond that way or not. It was just second nature at this point to respond in kind. Her hands are full however, so she merely dips her head in the woman's direction in return greeting. Given she'd already been spotted by both she makes her way into the room proper to find a spot to set her dinner tray down along with her drink. "Looks like you two are having fun," she offers with a friendly enough smile to the pair. "I don't believe we've officially met, yet," she adds toward Laxmi. "Please, just call me Lorna." At least the woman hadn't called her Your Highness! That was a good start. The same remark goes toward Dashenka when the younger woman enters. "Good evening," she greets before taking a sip of her iced coffee with the gusto of one that needs the caffiene. And while she does she tries her best not to stare at Logan with a thoughtful expression. Perhaps even... guilty? Maybe that's why she was choosing to take a gulp of her coffee rather than speak further.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Holding the cue in his left hand, Logan grabs his beer off a table for a drink before shifting his eyes to Dashenka and offering a, "Privyet, Dashanka. You're more then welcome to watch, or join in if you'd like."

Letting Laxmi have plenty of room to decide her should, he leans against the back of chair. It actually takes him a moment to realize that he knows both Lorna and Laxmi, and they don't know each other, so that means...

"Oh right!  Laxmi, this is Her Royal Majesty, Queen of Genoha, but just call her, Lorna Dane. Lorna, this is Laxmi Mallick, one of the most talented singers and dancers I've ever seen."

There, he's not rude, but he also noticed the expression on Lorna's face and one brow lifts. "Something wrong, Lorna?" He then asks, cause well shit, he might as well be social.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Namaste, Dashenka," Laxmi calls to the student - though she doesn't press her palms together. Nope, she's got her pool cue in hand as she walks around the table, trying to find the easiest shot. She's slowly getting better at this game - but she doubts she'll ever be a true challenge to anyone with talent.
    "Just Lorna it is, then," she agrees in a warm tone. "It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." Finding a good shot, she leans in, balancing the cue on her knuckles. The cue ball bounces off the side of the table, colliding with the 7, which heads for a corner pocket. Her shot is off by a fraction of an inch, though, causing it to ricochet off, and stop a short distance from the corner, causing her to murmur something in Hindi.

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
If Dashenka is impressed by the titles given to Lorna she sure doesn't show it. The green haired woman gets a respectful, but curt nod from the large girl. "Prviyet, Lorna. It is good to meet you."

She moves towards the bar and grabs herself a glass so she can put some seltzer water in it. She rummages around for a lemon to slice and add to it. "I am finding I like pool. It is good to practice... er..." she looks to Logan for help, "Trayektoriya? Trajectory. Spasiba. It is good to practice trajectories. I have found that white ball does not go straight unless you hit it in center."

Lorna Dane has posed:
"A pleasure," Lorna responds as well. The small spattering of Russian catches her attention. Not that she wasn't keen to the language Laxmi was speaking, but she had a little practice with Russian given her siblings spoke it as well. "<<Welcome to the school, Dashenka,>>" she offers in Russian that was ... sadly... very heavily accented. It was rare she got the chance to practice though she did make a point of TRYING to learn so that she could attempt a further relationship with her often absent siblings. Ah well. To Logan she merely flashes a smile with a quick shake of her head. "Ah, no I was just recalling our last meeting. I..." Here she hesitates with a light clearing of her throat. "I wanted to apologize for my actions. I'm finding as of late that when I've had a few drinks I get--" There's a pause, her eyes darting around those assembled. The word she was going to use isn't really a great one to drop among strangers. "Ah." Ducking her haed with a sigh she mumbles, "Flirty."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan pretends he has no idea what Laxmi said, but the corners of his mouth twitch like he wants to smile and stops it from happening. She was getting better each time she played, with a little more practice she could likely join a junior league of pool players if she wanted. The only reason he was any good was the years and years he'd had to practice. The only other game he knew well was poker, and that just wasn't the sort of game you started up in a school.

Shifting his blue eyes to Lorna, one brow lifts slightly in surprise. He wasn't sure how to respond to that, not without sounding like a complete ass. So he takes a moment by taking a drink from the bottle in his hand before speaking. "No harm done," he offered. Truth was, he didn't realize she was even flirting. "Still willing to offer my assistance as official gatherings to keep the gold digger off you."

Setting the beer back on the table, he moves back to the table and takes a walk around it looking for a shot. Leaning down, he lines the cue ball up. "'sides Lorna," he adds, taking the shot. "You shouldn't apologize for being relaxed and playful."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Oh, feel free to join us, Dashenka. I don't think Logan and I are playing for points - if so, I'm helplessly behind already. We're just taking turns taking shots," Laxmi explains with a slightly wry smile, as she sips her own seltzer.
    She allows her attention to shift towards Lorna next - amusement showing in her eyes, and in a subtle quirk at the corners of her lips. "You and Logan are planning on going to some formal functions together, then?" she asks. "That should be fun. How's your dancing, Logan?"

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Another nod is offered to Lorna. <<I'm glad that there's so many people at the school who speak Russian. It's been so hard communicating with everybody when you don't understand half of what they're saying.>> Dashenka actually visibly relaxes a little bit when she speaks in her native tongue. She doesn't seem to mind Lorna's bad English accent. After all, her Russian accent is atrocious.

When Logan speaks, her attention turns to him. "What is 'gold digger?' I do not think you mean man who digs for gold." She clearly understands that it's an idiom, but not what it's an idiom /for/.

She nods to Laxmi, and moves to take up a cue from the rack and moves to the table to await her turn.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane looks just a little flustered when Logan responds mentioning being relaxed and playful. It does put her more at ease however as she takes a deep breath, and allows herself to smile. "I think I've been spending far too long trying to keep up this Queen business at times. I feel like I always have to be on-guard about how I act." At times she did, but here? Here she OUGHT to be able to relax. "And yes," she agrees with a warm chuckle. "I'd still appreciate the company at such events a great deal." Reaching down to the plate she'd brought she tugs a little slice of cooked cheese steak off the sandwich to pop into her mouth licking her fingers clean of the cheesey grease that likely wasn't all that healthy. "Mmm, yes, we are. I've a few upcoming that I could use an escort to." Dashenka's response earns a smile as well. "I do though I rarely get to practice. My siblings are both fluent speakers so I've tried to learn. As for a 'gold digger', it's someone who is either money or power hungry going after someone they believe can give them what they want."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan moves over to lean against the chair again, offering his cue toward Dashenka so she can take a shot if she'd like. As he does, he translates the idiom of 'gold digger' to the correct correlation in Russian. "They got a lot of those in American," he snorts, almost looking disgusted by the idea. "Always looking for the easy way to rich and famous."

"You need to be you Lorna," he says then, shifting eyes to her again. "There's got to be some places you can let your guard down, let your hair down and just... be. I get the importance of images," he's had that rubbed into his brain many times, by many people... don't look good to kill everyone Logan. Stop growling Logan. You don't need to glare Logan. Wear a suit Logan. Bah. "But around here, you're just Lorna, so /be/ Lorna." He then offers Lorna a nod and a smile, his wisdom given.

Ugh, dancing. Slowly his blue eyes shift to Laxmi. "How to put this nicely," he says first. "I uh... fake it."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well, as long as you've got a sense of rhythm, it's not that hard to fake," Laxmi offers with some amusement. "But if you ever wanted lessons..." she offers.
    She shifts her attention to Lorna as she adds, "Please don't be overly concerned about appearances around me. I agree with Logan, you should be free to be yourself - especially in your own home." She offers the woman a broad, encouraging smile. "I think we all know how tiring it can be to maintain a facade." She sips her seltzer again as she allows Dashenka to take her shot, then sets her glass down on the coaster once more.

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka nods at Lorna and Logan's explanation of the idiom. "I understand. Spasiba." She takes the cue in hand and stares intently at the table. She walks around the table... almost like she was stalking the balls as she considers shots she could make. She finally settles on one and bends over to make it. She hits the cue ball hard. Too hard. The cue ball hits it's intended target with a loud *crack* and sends the ball careening towards the pocket. It probably would have been a good shot if Dashenka had managed to hit it less forcefully, but as it is it just bounces of the back of the pocket and into a mass of other balls, breaking them up.

"I hit too hard," she says, sounding a little frustrated. "I think, this time I will I will hit not so hard, but I hit hard anyway." She hands the pool cue back to Logan and stands back to watch the others take their shots.

"I am learning to dance," she says. "I am.. er.. neuklyuzhiy." She looks to Lorna and Logan for help. "Da. Clumsy. I am clumsy."

Lorna Dane has posed:
"It can be difficult to gauge your strength on the table," Lorna offers sympathetically to Dashenka. The talk of dancing, and faking or being clumsy earns a grin of amusement. "There's far less dancing than one might hope at political events. What there is, is simply just..." Her hand lifts to wave a circle in the air. "Essentially holding one another and swaying in place. Very simple and not difficult at all. Once upon a time maybe they were more complex, but these days thankfully not so much. Or just a simple waltz."

Logan Howlett has posed:
A snort, soft but still, a snort. "I rhythm," he counters, then collecting his beer adds. "But I'd take lessons just to make sure."

A drink of the beer is taken before he gestures for Laxmi to go a head and take a shot. "These events you got coming up," he begins, looking toward Lorna. "Tuxedo, fine suit, casual suit or buck naked?" It would seem, that although he is not particular one to be fancy and fashionable, he does in fact have a clue about these sorts of events. "What I've seen, you stand around talking, then move and talk more, than move and talk more... there is a pause, usually for someone big shot to make a speech, you clap, or perhaps dinner, then you can stand and sway between moving and talking. Sound about right, Lorna?"

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi nods to Logan, moving around the table speculatively as she remarks, "Well - I'd be happy to give you a few lessons when we both have some spare time - just to make sure you know the basic waltz," she offers, turned slightly away from him as she makes the remark. She spots a shot she likes, and lines it up - it's a direct shot this time, no ricochet needed, and she manages to sink it neatly, as she smiles with some satisfaction.
    "And I think you're being too hard on yourself, Dashenka. You're doing so well! It takes time for anyone to learn a new art. You have to train the muscle memory in."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane had reached down to finally pluck up her sandwich and take a very hungry bite. It's perhaps a good thing she was halfway through chewing the bite when Logan asks about attire. The last part earns a half-laugh from her that causses her to grasp quickly for a napkin covering her mouth before she makes a mess. It's quickly gulped down before she laughs again. "Formal, black tie. At least for one. We're opening an embassy in Bushwick and it needs a proper opening ceremony. Though I'd prefer something more relaxed, it's a bit tradition." Grateful for the talk of pool to be a distraction she nods in agreement. "That game is rather tricky to begin with."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka looks up from the table to turn her piercing blue eyes to Lorna. "I have been enhanced." She knows this word. It was used all the time around her after she was liberated from the Red Room. "Much stronger than human," she says, flexing a considerably thick arm for Lorna. "Was trained for strength. Not to be gentile."

She turns those eyes to the pool table contemplatively. "I use pool to teach how to be gentle. I could hurt people and not mean it." She's silent for a few heartbeats. "In project you had to be strong. To be weak you were to be 'fixed.'"

Logan Howlett has posed:
There is a nod from Logan. Black tie, he could do that, he's hate the clothing, but it's all part of the price for helping out. "Gotcha, black tie, can do," he offers to Lorna, then looks back to the table and Dashenka.

"The key too pool is trajectory, as you said," he offers, walking over to look at the balls remaining on the table. "But the secondary objective is fun. If you aren't having fun, there's no point to playing, unless it's for money, then you play to get money... side tracked," he clears this throat. "As I was saying. Don't worry so much about the mistakes Dashneka, learn from them. Don't let them anger you, use the knowledge to prepare you for the next shot."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "If you need a performer for the opening of the embassy..." Laxmi offers Lorna with a smile. "Though, I'm not sure I'd really be suited to the occassion. I imagine it would be better to have a Genoshan citizen perform. Still, I'd be happy to help - it sounds like it'll be a wonderful event," she says encouragingly.
    She takes a step back from the table as Logan figures out his next shot - watching curiously to see which he'll choose.

Lorna Dane has posed:
"That seems to be a situation for more and more people unfortunately." Lorna regards Dashenka with a small frown only to incline her head toward her as well. "While the school is an excellent place to learn to control your abilities, both given and natural, if you ever find you need an escape somewhere that everyone has similar abilities do keep in mind Genosha is good for that." A wan smile, "Even if we are rebuilding still, we've made quite a bit of progress. That's partially why we're embarking on the Embassy now as well--To offer outreach and make certain the nation isn't forgotten." There's a pause before she sighs. "I'm sorry that was so very political of me. It's a habit. The school is an excellent place by itself." Lightly clearing her throat she glances back to Logan watching him line up his shot with a thoughtful gaze. Maybe she's sizing him up to figure out how he would look in a tux. Hm. Laxmi's question quickly snaps her attention away. "Thank you. I've yet to prepare the entertainment, but I will keep it in mind. There's a large mix of cultures there these days."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
"I do not know if I am having fun," Dashenka admits. "In project we were..." she falters. <<In the project, we were too blasted by drugs and brainwashing to have any fun.>> How is she even supposed to express that in English. She tries for Laxmi's sake. "They were in control of brain. They did not want us to have fun." It'll do.

Logan Howlett has posed:
The shot is taken, the cue ball sent rolling across the green felt to strike a ball across the table with enough force for the ball to bounce off the side and sink into the pocket across from it. Logan stands again, returning to lean against the back of the chair by the table with his beer.

"It's all part of the process, Dashenka," he offers, keeping the anger over what happened to her out of his voice and eyes. If he could tear the Red Room apart, piece by piece, he would. Hell, he'd even get Creed in on it, the glorious destruction of a mutant harming location? He's certain Creed would jump on that.

"Each day will get a little easier than the last as you learn. Don't rush yourself, don't get angry with yourself, give yourself time to watch, listen and learn and in no time at all, you'll be having fun, enjoying yourself and know exactly what you want."

Collecting his bottle from the table he takes a drink, "Now, when it comes to being gentle, I can help you there as well. If you'd like Dashenska, we can work on it together."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "I'm so sorry you went through something like that, Dashenka," Laxmi remarks with sympathy and concern, as she studies the teen. "Our pasts change us, and help make us who we are, but they don't control us. You're here now - making new memories, and your own choices. Right?" She smiles encouragingly. "And no one expects it to be immediately easy for you. We're here to support you," she offers.
    Gesturing to the table she adds, "I believe it's your shot."

Lorna Dane has posed:
"Bunch of ... Those people are..." Lorna's face contorts as she tries her VERY best not to swear in front of a kid, but the gnashing of teeth makes it obvious she was as angered by the thought of it as anyone else might be. With a disastisfied grump she leans back against the end table again causing it to jostle just a bit. The coffee she'd nearly forgotten is snagged up to take a long gulp. "Bunch of assholes, the lot of them."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Lorna gets another curt nod of acknowledgement from Dashenka on her assessment of those who ran her project in the Red Room. "Da. As you say." She takes the cue stick from Laxmi and stalks the table again. "To be gentle," she says, "It is practice. Like dancing." She gestures to the pool table, "These things... pool... dancing help."

She finds the shot she's looking for and bends over to take it. It's gentler this time, but still a little hard. Still, she sinks the shot she was aiming for. "Better." She passes the cue off to Logan.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan's eyes follow Dashenka's movements. He can read the predator she was made to be in the way she moves. That's the part that causes the anger to rise in his throat, the fact that she's just a kid and already so traumatized. She's in the right place for any chance at a normal life, well as normal as any mutant can truly have that is.

Accepting the cue back, he finishes off his beer before tossing the bottle into the recycle bin. "Don't dwell on the past," he offers plainly, waiting for Laxmi to take her shot. "Learn from it and move on. Think about tomorrow, not yesterday, only way to get through life."

He doesn't talk about what happened to him, where the adamantium came from. The only people who know about that are Jean and Charles, and that was already two too many. Charles had helped him a great deal, but there were still some things that he would rather not dwell on, and this... he has learned from it, and tries to move on.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Why, Your Highness!" Laxmi protests - grinning towards the other woman. "Such shocking language." Perhaps she's counting on Lorna not having anything to toss towards her - little does she know that Lorna's rarely without ammunition, giving her gifts.
    Eyeing the table, she finds another shot, ricocheting off the side of the table, to nudge a ball that's teetering at the edge of a pocket. It's falls in. "That's two in a row!" she says with a mix of satisfaction and delight, before turning her attention back to Dashenka.
    "It sounds like Logan has some good advice - and I'm glad if the dancing helps. I hoped that it would."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane actually gives a half-snort of amused laughter at Laxmi's mocking protest. Lifting a hand she gestures... And a decorative pillow on one of the seatees here lifts up to throw itself at Laxmi. Or so it seems if one weren't aware of her particular skill. It might even be mistaken for telekinesis. It was rare she had the chance to throw something relatively soft at someone, but one side of the pillow was sequined which gave her a good hold on it. "I know far worse language, I just don't usually say it," she retorts with amusement. "It sounds as if you're on the right track then, Dashenka. And yes, Logan has a good bit of wisdom for someone his age." Was she teasing? Just a bit.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan lifts a brow and moves to jokingly cover Dashenka's ears. He reaches up, but does not actually touch her, his hands sort of hover there as if he /is/ covering them. "Let er rip Majesty," he comments, adding to the joke. "I gotta hear all those words pass your at least once in my life... then again," he lowers his hands, offering Dashenka a grin. "If you stick around me for any time at all, eventually something will happen and you'll use all those words on me anyway."

He moves back to his location by the chair, "Pass me by this round of shots," he offers, looking toward Lorna again. "My eye sights getting bad, bones are creaking, might need a walker soon..." Sure, he'll play along with the jokes at his own expense. "Lorna, be a lamb, get the Bengay?"

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka takes a sip of her almost forgotten glass of seltzer. Logan gets the barest hint of a scowl. "The past is with me," she tells him. "Always. I cannot change what they made me." She considers the pool table as Laxmi takes her shot. "But I will be /more/ than that. I will be /better/."

She looks surprised when Logan suddenly (almost) covers her ears. She doesn't react violently. Rather she looks down curiously. She knows they're making fun. Not about her, that much is obvious. Rather, all the banter seems to go over her head.

"I know words," she says. "Fuck. Shit. Dick. Pussy. These are words they did not think they were teaching us, but did."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi gets pelted by the pillow - and lets out a laugh of surprise. "Hey!" she protests, smiling at Lorna. She then picks up her drink for another sip - just as Dashenka shares her vocabulary. She hastily swallows the seltzer in her mouth, and covers her mouth with her free hand to hide her expression. Oh... dear. When she has a little more composure she offers gently, "I wouldn't overuse those words. I would save them for, mmm, the most //appropriate// moments." Then with a gesture she adds, "It's your shot, Dashenka."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane is rather glad she's not taking a drink at this point when Dashenka utters all those words. Instead she claps a hand over her mouth looking highly amused. "Generally they're used to emphasize when you're very angry at something... Or a similar situation." Chuckling she adds, "In this case I tend to very rarely use them which is why they're being brats." The pillow nearly hits the ground before being launched over toward Logan. It practically THWACKS toward him like a magnet pulled in to a large source of metal. It slows a half-second before impacting so that it just flops down against his stomach rather than whapping him hard. "Very funny." Moving to stand fully again she reaches for her plate. "I should be getting some work done in my room so I'll leave you all to enjoy your evening. We'll talk about details later, Logan."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Moving behind the bar to grab a glass, he fills it with water and a few ice cubes. He was just about to take a drink when Dashenka offers up the barrage of words instead of Lorna and he bursts out laughing. "Now /that/ was worth hearing!" he almost cheers, encouraging Dashenka even without really meaning to.

And then he's nearly pelted with a pillow. To be fair, it would have hit him had his reaction not been quick. It may just be a pillow, but his brain didn't register, it registered projectile. Claws out and the pillow his pierced, only then does he realize... it's just a pillow.

As he moves back around the bar and to the chair he has claimed as his to lean against, he pretends the pillow is not impaled on the claws of his right hand and takes that drink of water perfectly normally. Sure, he would shake the cushion off, but this is far more entertaining to him.

"You know where to find me Lorna," he offers as she prepares to leave, then salute with his left hand and thumps himself in the face with the pillow. "I'll get myself a good black tie suit."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
There's a hint of satisfaction in Dashenka's eyes when everybody damn near spittakes at the use of explicatives. It turns out the girl actually /has/ a sense of humor, though her deadpan demeanor ever hardly shows it.

She nods to Laxmi. "Da. I swear in Russian, not in English. Most do not know what I say."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well, a surprising number of people around here seem to," Laxmi answers Dashenka, nodding to Lorna as the woman prepares to leave, and allowing her gaze to rest on the pillow sticking from Logan's claws for a moment. She returns her gaze to Dashenka without commenting, however. "I would in particular recommend avoiding the word-" there's a momentary hesitation, "...pussy." Nope. Doesn't feel right saying it, even to caution the teen against its use.
    She lifts her cup to her lips to take another sip, hiding her embarrassment.

Logan Howlett has posed:
The pillow remains, even as Logan settles back in to lean. "That particular word can trigger people in numerous ways," he offers Dashenka. "Though there are others are worse, use it sparingly. Most times around here you'll want to avoid all those words, because the people here 'er pansies about that sort of thing. Never mind those words are just words, given power by what people feel they mean or the insult they take from them."

He takes another drink of water, not his usual choice but nothing else sounded good and he was about to spend the night patrolling. Never a bad idea to hydrate.

Not wanting to make a big deal out of Laxmi saying that word or the embarrassment she has from that, he moves on to a new subject, well back to one Dashenka said. "Also... Dashenka, they didn't make you anything. They might have done some things, and tried to make you something, but they failed in their attempts to make anything. You're you, not what they made you."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dasha nods as she makes her way round the table once again. "This I know," she tells Logan about the swearing. "Foster Parents told me." She lines up a shot and shoots, but this time it's a bit too gentle. The cue ball hits the target ball but it stop just short of pocketing.

She steps back, handing the pool cue to Laxmi and returns to her drink. "I do not think you are right," she tells the man. "They wanted weapon. They make me weapon. I /am/ weapon." She looks up and meets his gaze, her ice blue eyes burning with conviction. "But I am not /only/ weapon. I am more."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "In a way - we're arguing semantics, now. There are those who would argue that we all are weapons," Laxmi points out as she takes the pool cue back, and begins circling the table. Three shots in a row - can she pull it off? "Even someone like myself, whose powers are far from offensive. I would argue that people are not weapons - but is there any way to really say who is 'correct' in such matters?"
    She finds a shot she likes, her back turned towards Logan as she leans in to line up her shot, taking her time and- she hits the cue ball poorly, causing it to bounce and lose a lot of its momentum. It does collide with its target, but not with enough force, causing it to roll to a stop well short of the pocket. "Well, darn," she murmurs. Oh well.
    She hands off the cue stick once more, before retrieving her drink to finish it off.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Finally the pillow is removed from the claws, R.I.P. pretty pillow, and Logan tosses it in the garbage. Holding his hand up a moment so Dashenka can see the claws, he retracts them back into his arm. "It's the thinking that matters," he offers. "I used to think that bout myself. Those that did this to me wanted a weapon, so they made a weapon and I was a damned effective weapon. I let the thinking of what they made me effect my thinking, my actions, my emotions... and I killed, not for them, but again them."

A slow, deep breath is taken as he lets the bile of that whole thing settle for a moment. He wasn't going to go into any more details then that.

"When I got my head scrambled, and forgot most the shit that happened in my life, that changed." He takes a drink of water. "When I didn't know about the creation of the weapon, I stopped thinking like a weapon and... things changed, life changed. I'm not saying you can't be a weapon, I'm just saying don't let the thinking you are control your actions and choices."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka is silent for a while, as she considers the words of the two teachers. "I do not wish to kill," she says. "But I will fight. For /this/." she says sweeping a hand to indicate the school. "For the children." Sure most of them give her a wide berth and are just as afraid of her as they are of the vampire that walks the halls, but for all of that, Dasha has made friends, and is slowly learning what friendship actually means.

"They do not know the things I have seen, things I have done," Dashenka continues. "They should not know these things." She nods, "This is what I will fight for."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "No one should know these things," Laxmi agrees in a quiet voice, looking from Dashenka, towards Logan. Concern is written over her features - but she doesn't voice it. She remembers well enough how he felt about that the //last// time she brought it up. The expression slowly changes into an encouraging smile before she looks to Dashenka again. "I think those are things worth fighting for. A community should stand up for one another - in whatever way they can. That's what we're doing here, after all - in addition to providing education. We're building community."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan nods, seeming to relax a little at Dashenka's declaration. It was the same sanity and purpose he had, that he has accepted to stabilize his life. He was in an insane place when he was first found by the X-Men, and it was only with Professor Xavier's help that he managed to find sanity.

"Good choice, Dashenka. Really good choice," he says with a nod and a hint of a smile, though it still looks like a predator eyeing his prey.

Shifting his attention to Laxmi, he does his best not to note the changes in her scent. Every emotion has it's own markers, it's how he knows if he's being lied to, if someone is concealing something, it's annoying to constantly /know/ these things just by breathing. "The community was built by Charles Xavier years ago, what we're doing is maintaining it, and helping it grow."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka looks at Logan for help. "Community?" When he translates she nods at Laxmi, "Da. Community." She impassively looks back to Logan as he smiles at her. If she has any reaction to being regarded as prey, she's not showing it. "There was no community in project. Just military unit."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "He started it, yes," Laxmi agrees. "But the act of building community is a continuous effort. Unfortunately, it doesn't survive well if neglected."
    Her attention shifts back to the taller girl as she adds, "Not quite the same thing, I'd imagine - but I haven't really any experience in that regard. I've heard the bond in a military group can be tight, though." Picking up her glass, she moves towards the soda machine to refill its contents.

Logan Howlett has posed:
The military unit was something Logan knew waaaaaay too much about. Having served in every major war, and been part of the Howling Commandos, he knew just how close and tight a unit could be. "There are some similarities between community and a unit," he says, finally moving to sit down in the chair he'd been leaning again. "But there are also some major differences. The unit is small, a group of people willing to kill and die for one another if required in to do so in the heat of battle."

Setting the glass on the table beside him, on a coaster... he can already hear Jean or Rogue warning him about water rings... he looks back over at Dashenka. "A community is larger, friendlier, less about killing and dying and more about living and being happy." Reaching up he runs his fingers through his hair. "I suck at explaining things."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
"A military unit is not a community," answers Dashenka. "Is a tool forged in sweat and blood." She nods in agreement as Logan does his best to explain, too. "People here work together because they like to. Not because they have to or die."

Her gaze turns unfocused as she stares out into the hallways of the Mansion. "The children. They think I am stupid because I do not know English well, because I do not understand everything." She pulls her gaze back to the two teachers. "But I am not stupid. I watch and I am learning. There is joy in this place. And I am learning that too."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "I think you're explaining well enough," Laxmi answers Logan, flashing the man another smile as she returns with her glass of seltzer, perching herself on the edge of the pool table. "Don't tell yourself short."
    She lets out a sigh, then adds, "They're young - and they don't understand. Many have never had a friend who wasn't a native English speaker. I think the more they get to know you - the more they'll see the truth."

Logan Howlett has posed:
The immediately habit for Logan would be to smirk at Laxmi for offering kind words, and he almost does it. For one moment it looks like he will smirk at her dismissively, but he stops himself and instead sort of smiles. Just because he kept people at arms length did not mean he had to treat them like they at arms length. He could be nice, he just had to remind himself of that from time to time. Laxmi already knew the danger of being his 'friend', he'd told her and at the meeting concerning Jubilation, it had been hinted at numerous times by the other teachers. He wasn't over exaggerating the threat.

"There are more eloquent ways to explain things," he explains plainly. "Got the words in my head, they just don't always come out the way I'd like. Probably from all the times my brains been scrambled like eggs in a bowl being made into an omelet."

"Yukio has the same problem most days," he then says to Dashenka. "She's from Japan, so English is also her second language. Americans got a thing about non-English speakers, seem to think that if you can't speak it well, means you're a moron or something, but then... Americans got a high opinion of themselves about everything."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka doesn't actually seem to be bothered about others opinions about her. Then again, it's hard to judge what her emotions are on just about everything. Logan gets a nod of agreement. "Da. This is true. This is also true: Americans put sugar in everything." Again, it's hard to tell if the girl is joking.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "They do," Laxmi agrees. "I even had an arguement with a man at the grocery store that they put sugar in the milk." She keeps her face straight for a moment, then lets out a quiet laugh. "What the man didn't understand is that milk naturally contains sugar. He refused to accept this reality. Some people are so certain of themselves..."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan nods to both of them, agreeing fully with both statements and that the man was a moron.

"Everything has natural sugars," he snorts. "I'm a feral heathen, for the most part, and even /I/ know that. And what don't have enough natural sugar, like all the fruit juices out there, bam... add more sugar."

Finishing off his water, and chewing up the last of the ice cube that didn't melt, he stands himself up again. "I need to get to my patrols. James is taking the west side tonight, so I'm heading east. Less work for the both of us that way."

Dashenka Ivanov has posed:
Dashenka finishes off her drink, too. "I must go work out. Do svidonya Laxmi. Logan." With that, she takes her towel and follows Logan out.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "The presence of sugar is the only reason you can turn it into yogurt at all," Laxmi adds. What can she say? He mother makes her own yogurt - it's one of those carry-overs from life in India that she'd kept. She takes another drink from her glass, and nods to the pair as they move off. "I hope the patrol is uneventful - and enjoy your workout, Dashenka. Namaste," she offers the pair. She remains perched on the pool table a few moments longer, then sets down her glass, retrieving her cue as she turns towards the pool table, to continue clearing it. 6 ball, right corner pockeeeet- damn.