913/A Learning Process

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A Learning Process
Date of Scene: 01 April 2020
Location: Emma's Suite - Hellfire Club
Synopsis: Emma begins to teach Alex how to mentally shield himself from telepathic intrusion
Cast of Characters: Emma Frost, Alex Summers




Emma Frost has posed:
After ice cream, and dropping Lorna back off for her to head back, Emma and Alex make their way back to the Hellfire and her apartment. With him leaving with the X-Men for Genosha... for who knows how long... the next day, Emma had made some... pointed requests of the tall, blonde, and handsome mutant.

And one of them might even benefit him some once he got on the ground in Genosha.

Emma slips out of her high heels once they reach her apartment, the beaded fringe on her dress jangling lightly as she tucks them into her bedroom and out of the way. "Mm. Alex..." she glances back at him, unsure whether to just drag him into the bedroom straight off or if what she wanted to talk about might be better suited without distractions.. "I want to at least give you a start on learning to shield your mind." She leans against the doorframe of the bedroom, giving him an appreciative once over.

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex follows, feeling a bit pleased with himself. Mostly because he felt like Lorna felt better after their impromptu night off. Mind, it's mostly because she got to beat up some muggers, but still, as doom and gloom as she was acting, it was a definite improvement. He's with Emma, certainly...especially how his eyes follow her back when she precedes into the bedroom then turns around, his eyes rising to meet hers. But Lorna's a friend, and he does care about what happens to her.

    "You want to do this tonight?" he says curiously, pausing to slide off his boots at the door, before padding his way over in socked feet. "Huh...sure, you know....I'd kinda like feeling like I know what to do, at least." he admits. "Not necessarily because of you, but....seems like a lot of people I'm meeting lately can poke around without me realizing it."

Emma Frost has posed:
"There are a lot of things I want to do tonight," Emma teases him, easily. She feels comfortable and safe around Alex, even if he can melt people to ash if he loses control of himself. Maybe that's part of the fun. "But I think we might want to at least have you know some basics. There is no telling who or what sort of mutants with what sorts of powers are in Genosha, and there are some things you likely want to keep to yourself." She slides her arms around his neck as he approaches her, leaning up to steal a kiss. "Most people like to regard their minds as their sovereign safe spaces, after all."

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex mmmms, returning it lazily, then nods. "Yeah, seems sensible. Have you had to learn that sort of thing? I know Betsy said you had a mind like a black hole in terms of shields...so I'm guessing you're way above most of the people in the mansion for that sort of skill."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma looks a bit distant for a moment. "Mm. When you have sisters who can do the same things you can, and revel in ferreting out your secrets? You learn very quickly." She leans against him. "We should get comfortable. It can be tiring." She idly circles her fingertips along the back of his neck. "Maybe I should teach you how to not shield around //her//, and even some very choice thoughts you might slip when you're near her. Maybe she might keep her paws to herself." Emma looks annoyed, being reminded of her. "Even slapping her hands with a brief message didnt seem to dissuade her." Is Emma... jealous? Certainly.

Alex Summers has posed:
    There's a definite spark of annoyance at thinking of Betsy, and even a little hint of anger. "I don't know what her deal is, or why she's got a bug up her ass about you." he grumbles a bit.

    Alex, oblivious.

    "Mmm, so you want me to lie down, basically?" he says. "Or, uh, sit?" He glances between the bedroom and the living room, unsure.

Emma Frost has posed:
"Whichever you prefer," Emma replies coolly. "There are benefits to either option. Though if you fall asleep on the couch, you're on your own," she teases. "So choose wisely." She winks and gives him a brief kiss again.

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex hmmhmms, nipping back playfully at Emma's lips, before he pulls away and heads over to the bed, flopping down on it and scooting over until he's comfortable. "Well, when you put it like that..." he says teasingly, resting his hands on his stomach as he peers over at her. "The bed is much more comfy than the couch...." He grins a bit, settling back. "So...where do I start? I'm guessing this is gonna be more complicate than me just thinking the Baby Shark song in my head repeatedly.

Emma Frost has posed:
"That's a very primitive shield. And easy to push past, because it annoys you as much as it may anyone scanning you." Emma follows him into the bedroom, depositing her shawl on the dresser and unfastening the choker at her neck, laying it beside the shawl. She joins him on the bed, leaning on one arm and watching him with a smug satisfied look. "Mm. How am I going to sleep while you're on the other side of the world? I'm getting spoiled with getting to share my bed with you when we get the chance."

She lays down more comfortably next to him. "The mind is complex. Beautiful. But sometimes it's easier to understand through metaphor. Imagine your mind is a train network. The core of your attention is like Grand Central Station. Following me so far?"

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex reaches out to slide an arm around Emma, pulling her close gently as he leaves his hand resting against her side, snuggles up against her, then closes her eyes. "A train network...like subways. Okay." he says, considering, then mmms. "Too bad you can't reach me all that way, then it wouldn't matter if I was physically there....'

Emma Frost has posed:
"Unfortunately my powers can't reach so far. If they did..." she trails off, leaving that thought unvoiced. "But yeah. Like a subway. Every train of though... get it?.. passes through your mind, stopping and loading and unloading at the stations." She snuggles against him, one hand idly touching his chest. "And usually these trains are things you are naturally thinking of.".

Alex Summers has posed:
    "So familiarity doesn't help, how well you know someone?" Alex murmurs, then quiets again as Emma resumes explaining. "So literal trains of thought here." he responds, his fingers definitely distracted by where they're resting as they move up and down slightly, his chest rising and falling under Emma's touch. He's relaxed, at least. "Okay."

Emma Frost has posed:
"The problem with the Baby Shark song is you have to spend time directing that train to continue thinking of it, loading it specifically for this role. It is wasted energy. It is better to have a train of complex, yet mundane concepts that are second nature to you that you can sharply bring into your minds focus as a primary train of thought." Emma fights the urge to begin nibbling his neck. Lessons first. Fun later.

"You are studying geophysics. I dont know, the composition of rocks or the strata in which you are most like to find some specific material. Things you know, you know so well... but that are, to be honest, boring and nonsense to others." She lifts her head, leaning forward and kissing his lips lightly. "You almost need no mental energy expended at all, and yet it is at least as strong as your shark shield, if you focus on that and bring it to the main station, so to speak."

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex tilts his head up to meet the kiss slightly, a little smile coming to his lips as he listens. "So..not something annoying and obnoxious, just something mundane you know really well. That makes sense. I'd still have to focus on it to keep it going though, wouldn't I?" he questions, considering. "I mean...isn't there the old thing about whatever you do, don't think of pink elephants, and then you can't stop thinking of pink elephants?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma laughs softly. "You would, but it's not as hard to do, especially if you practice. It's a weak shield, but it holds up to surface scans... and also usually doesnt tip off the telepath you are focused on shielding. Since it's a natural thought line that you might have anyway, it doesnt have the... unnatural feel of most shielding." She slides a leg over his waist now, sitting up and straddling him, peering down at Alex with a grin. "Its also easier to hold while distracted."

Alex Summers has posed:
    And Alex is starting to get quite distracted. "Mmm, that so?" he murmurs, opening his eyes to peer up at Emma as she straddles him. "So the secret to shielding is just thinking boring mundane thoughts that you know really well so you don't think of something more important?" He reaches out, resting his hands on Emma's hips. "Seems...I dunno. Simple in detail, but hard in practice if someone is throwing questions at you."

Emma Frost has posed:
"Of course. That's why it takes practice. A lot of it. Usually keeping that shield up for days, even when not necessary." Emma shrugs. "Its a simple concept but many fail to do it. A lack of discipline." She grins. "Mm. You should try it."

Alex Summers has posed:
    "For days? So constantly? How do you keep your mind from wandering at some point..." he murmurs, closing his eyes again as he tries to focus on geophysics facts. Which in this case becomes reviewing in his mind the basic components of the hydrological cycle and how it's affected by heat energy, and the effects of the ionosphere on same.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma grins. "Discipline. And besides, it's only one train of many. You just keep that one running with your mundane thoughts and focus separately on the others." She closes her eyes, scanning him. "God, that //is// boring. That seems exactly the kind of thoughts that make a good basic shield." Basic? Oh yes, they get far more complicated.

"Once you can start doing this, then you start thinking about other things as well. Eventually this train of thought becomes second nature." Emma shifts rather purposefully, a somewhat wicked grin on her lips. Telepathy and defending against it is an unfair concept in any event, so shes not playing fair as she teaches him.

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex holds up a finger. "Hurtful, considering it's my life's study." he notes dryly, before putting his hand back down, and making a small noise as Emma shifts just so. Well, parts of him definitely aren't staying on track with anything boring at this point. "So how do you only hear one train when I've got many going at once then?"

Emma Frost has posed:
"Mm. Focus. Calm. All of the trains can keep running. You just learn how to direct them better." Emma slides off of his waist, sitting beside him. "Shirt off, roll over," she commands. She is fairly used to getting her way after all. "As for why I hear it? Well, I hear several from you right now if I listen. But that's because you're new to this. With practice, you make this train the loudest one, and it drowns over the others. Everyone always has one series of thoughts they are focused on, and they usually think those ones the loudest. What you're doing is focusing quietly, and letting a non focused train take the louder role."

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex opens his eyes, raising a bro, then sits up, tugging off his coat, then his shirt before rolling over. "Like an old steam train versus a quieter diesel?" he murmurs, resting his head on his hands. "So it's not how intensely I'm thinking, it's how complex I'm thinking?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma mms, straddling his waist again and beginning to gently massage his back. "That is one way of looking at it, perhaps. Another is that people tend to not be aware of how loud they are inside their own heads... it is beneficial for them to learn to listen to a whisper rather than think with a shout about whatever it is they are contemplating." She focuses on his neck and shoulders. "Scanning you... mm. Just like anyone, your are always thinking about 10 things at once, but you may only think you're thinking about one or two. The mind is delightful and flexible."

Alex Summers has posed:
    There's a happy grunt from Emma's student as he relaxes a bit into the massage. "I always thought of it as jumping from one thought to the next...not a lot of thoughts happening at the same time." he murmurs thoughfully, shifting a bit as he listens, his muscular shoulders loosening up under the kneading. "Sounds tricky....keeping that many thoughts going without getting distrated..."

Emma Frost has posed:
"Most people don't pay enough attention to their own minds... which is a pity, since they live in them," Emma begins to drop into almost a lecturer's cadence. "It seems like jumping because you aren't paying attention to see those trains were already running. It's a sort of mental version of object permanence. If a baby sees you walk out the door, you cease to exist until they see you again. Until they grow and learn better. Same thing with thoughts... they exist even if you arent focused on them." She leans down and drops a few kisses along his spine from the nape of his neck to right between his shoulder blades. "It only seems tricky because you dont realize you've been doing it all along."

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex shivers a bit at the kiss, sighing out a little. "Mmm. So layers of thoughts, always running, formed of different trains of thoughts, where you're trying to make the boring one the outer thought and keep the others behind it?" he murmurs. "I imagine certain distractions would make certain trains of thought much stronger.' Because he certainly has that going for him right now, very aware of the warmth of Emma straddlign him and the sensation of her lips against his neck.

Emma Frost has posed:
"I can tell," Emma grins, continuing to massage his back and shoulders. "You are very easily distracted. But discipline takes time to build. Like these very... nice.. muscles of yours." Her hands caress and then more firmly work his shoulders now. "Discipline is when you can walk into a room of people, stripped naked, and not even allow yourself the distraction or embarrassment. Or to see someone else in the same state, and not allow it to distract you or throw you off beat." She grins. "But for right now, the only discipline for you to learn is to keep your train of... iso...tonic rock heat... uhm... going." There is a pause. "Despite any distractions I may throw at you."

Alex Summers has posed:
"Defintely drawing on deep instincts for distractions there....' Alex says amusedly, letting out a pleased gasp as the fingers dig into muscles, loosening them up more. "So...think of geophysics calculations, not other things. Mmm." He's at least trying to focus on it...but thoughts keep surfacing above that each time he's made more aware of Emma's presence and touch. Which means it's an unsteady shield at best. Mostly because he keeps losing track of where he was in one set of thoughts and has to back up and remember where to restart.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma grins. The fits and starts to Alex's shield are entertaining to her, and noticeable as she keeps mentally watching how his shields are being maintained. Or not. "Oh. You can think of other things. You just need to think of your mundane thoughts louder."