| DC/Marvel: Age of Infinite Heroes | ||||||||||
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As Emma stands before Hope's door she looks to one side and the other, trying to make sure she has no one looking at her before she sighs heavily and closes her eyes. Despite her best tries to keep her cool, the blonde knows Hope Summers is one of those extreme cases, and reassuring herself that she can make it, the woman lets her insecurities go away with a simple sigh.
Dressed somewhat more casually than her usual clothes, the beautiful blonde knocks on the door softly, her free hand holding a delicate box wrapped in delicate paper and wrapped with red ribbons.
"Hope, it's me, Emma.", she begins, taking surnames and titles out of it, not her usual modus operandi.
Hope is wearing a red sports bra that is quite covering and could be worn alone and still be decent, along with fuzzy PJ bottoms that are black with hot pink lips all over them. She is barefoot, and of course has a white bandage wrapping about her rips from where she was clawed up by snake-men/women claws. She is clean at least, having gotten a shower and some sleep after the night of hell. Still, Hope hasn't really left her room except to get food and even then eat it in her room. She didn't want anyone to see how she cried over Laura and her screw-up....
Right now, Hope rubs at her eyes. They aren't wet and her cheeks are dry, but her eyes are a little blood shot. She really, really hates hurting those she loves. Still, she gets up, pausing at the door nervously and perhaps shyly as well. Slowly, she moves to open it, peeking out, "Hi Emma," her voice quiet and a little worried sounding. Though when the door opens enough for her to see the box, she blinks.
Emma spares a gentle smile before offering up the box. "May I come in?", her voice low but not subservient, confiding more than anything. "I brought chocolate.", she states then, as if that was more than a reason why Hope she should let her in. Playing to the fact this young mutant has probably had her fair share of scolding, the teacher in Emma tells her to reach Hope from another angle.
No one could likely beat up Hope more than herself, the girl's disappointment in herself is tangible. She succeeded in her mission, but...almost lost the girl she sees much like a second mother. Hope slowly nods, and finally opens the door wider. "Well, if it's chocolate, who am I to say no?" She could use a pick-me-up. She can't stay in the dumps forever, not that she knows how to get out of them right now...no matter how practical her perspective. The door is then closed behind Emma when she comes in.
"Mind if I ask..how Laura is doing? Is she resting properly? She can be so restless sometimes." Yep, Hope is worrying about her, but has been afraid to ask about her for starting those 'looks' and hearing those disappointed frustrated sighs again.
Emma walks in and takes her time. She motions to the bed as if asking if she can take a seat there, but responds to Hope's question honestly. "She is getting all the attention we can give her, but she is in bad shape. Anyone else would have died from what you girls pulled off.", her voice lacking any rigidness that could be taken as a jab at Hope. Teenagers will always be teenagers, of course.
"You'll enjoy the chocolate. It's very expensive, but it's one of the best things known to man. I had it brought from Europe.", the woman states, knowing she would hear something later about using the jets to buy things on other continents.
Two beds, one made into a couch-like thing, and one for Hope's sleeping. She motions toward the one made into a couch-like thing. Hope nods at Emma's words. She doesn't deny it, nor agrue it as she knows it is truth. A haunted look enters her eyes, but is subdued somewhat when Emma changes the topic. "Chocolate from Europe is better?" The girl really doesn't know anything. But she does move to trail after Emma like a lost, sad puppy dog looking for attention. Ah, teenagers.
Emma sits down at the bed-turned-couch and pats right beside her, beckoning Hope, and nodding she smiles a bit "You'll learn to appreciate it in time. And I will provide you with as many samples as you want.". Taking a time to let Hope get a bit more relaxed, the blonde's smile retreats a bit before she speaks.
"It is obvious you know what you did is wrong. But do you know why it was wrong, Hope?", her icy-blue eyes on Hope's jade-colored ones.
Hope moves to sit down, "I didn't plan enough, I took advantage of too much 'luck'. I...epic-ally failed as a field leader, as a commander." Hope forgets the chocolate as she rubs her hands together and stresses out. "I only had my eyes on the mission, and didn't consider the toll it could have on my allies. Undo risk." A quiet pause and then, "I betrayed Laura's trust. The mission needed to succeed...but there had to be better ways of doing it then how I handled it. I...I don't want anyone dying for me anymore," as if it has happened before, more than once. "That means I got to put their safety in consideration along with the objectives." She's been thinking about it a lot apparently. Her...confidence has taken a huge hit...but in a way that's a very good thing. She will ask for more help as she won't be so sure of her next step forward. Less bulldozing is a good thing, which Hope had a terrible habit of doing and likely will never completely stop.
Allowing herself to lay a trap for the young girl, Emma reaches for Hope, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder and pulling her closer. Although she intends for it to be warm, Emma is not motherly, more of a friend than anything else, and she offers her shoulder should Hope need one, a smile on her lips, despite her words.
"You almost killed a girl that not only is your friend, Hope, but that also needs help remembering she is a living being, not a weapon. You have failed her more than you realize.", and letting that sink, knowing it will be hard for the young girl to hear it, Emma goes on.
"I am not doing this to put you on a guilt trip, but I know you are smart enough to understand responsibility. You are well trained, and you know better than most students here what the future holds for mutants. With this training and knowledge comes that responsibility over your peers. I am a very powerful mutant, and yet I believe in the potential of young minds above anything me or my generation can achieve. You will be the leader of your generation, Hope, and yet, you keep going out when you feel like it in missions us adults barely understand. You are alienating yourself from people that one day could be your most valuable allies.", and letting Hope think about it, Emma toys a moment with one of those fiery locks. Those familiar, fiery locks of hair.
Hope stiffens a bit. The pain is sharp, but she also says, "We are all weapons in a way Emma, even you; sharpened and disciplined in ways of survival. Being a weapon does not make you inhuman, it does not make you a monster, as long as you don't forget to love. Laura loves. But there is a difference from supporting a friend, to...leaving one behind to obtain the mission objective. I....shouldn't have left her, I should have found another way. She...thought of my safety first, but I didn't think of hers. She's not a weapon to be thrown away and used, she's my best friend, my...first girlfriend really," meaning friend that is a girl.
And Hope then looks over at you, hurt, but..it's there. She's very quiet suddenly. Death, starvation, murder, mutation, running, terror, pain, suffering...the emotions have brief thoughts or images upon Hope's surface thoughts, but are quickly pushed back down deeper. It...was hell on Earth. No greenery, so much blood, no friends, and just the large constant presence of 'protector'. There was more, like a woman with red hair dying with a red chest, but it doesn't make much sense of course. "I know the cost of failure," Hope says quietly. "I'm...gathering allies, Laura and I weren't alone, and we had an adult if it makes you feel any better. But, I was the one in command, and it was my failure. It wasn't the fault of my allies." She knows she is isolated, but Hope isn't sure where to draw the line in keeping her distance, and asking for help...
Emma takes a moment to recollect herself, her eyes leaving Hope's as she looks to some point at the wall, the strength of her practiced technique of leaving her body behind to deal with the horrific. No child should ever have to suffer what those images and feelings hint of Hope's past, and with a croaked voice, the blonde continues, wetting her lips. Not one to show her emotions, especially those that hint at her vulnerabilities, Emma speaks with her eyes glistening, ready to pour fourth, even if she holds on, her jaw tense, knowing fully well that turning into a diamond now could alienate Hope from her.
"You are my responsibility now, Hope, and I know you are not an usual girl. That doesn't mean you can't trust me to help you rise above."
Hope jumps up, "I'm not your responsibility! I'm no ones!" Something about that bothers Hope badly. No more dying for her...a thought that goes through her head and rips at her painfully. Hope is shaken up too. "It's not Laura's fault! It's mind, I made bad plans, I made a bad call! I don't know how I'm going to apology to Laura, I don't know how I'm going to make it better! But it isn't going away, I know that. -Nothing- goes away, -ever-. It's always there, ready to latch on at your weakest moment."
The red-headed teen turns away, hugging her own waist, careful of the bandages as she struggles for a breath. "Sorry," she says quietly after a few moments of silence. "I over-reacted. I'll figure things out. But there are still things I can't say. I don't want to hurt any over you, and...I'm sorry." Secrets. She isn't keeping secrets to keep secrets, she does it to protect those here...from what though? Nothing comes to the surface of her mind, it's something already ingrained to her. Don't tell, don't betray with the truth. Or...perhaps it does...protect them from despair.
For the girl's name, she has no hope for herself. It is all action and progress, success or failure from hard work and harder fighting. She is as bad as Laura in some ways.
"Don't be a little kid now!", Emma says, standing and taking in a sharp intake of air. She can feel those tears forming, and the feeling makes the blonde wants to curse like she haven't in a long time. Still, she reaches Hope and pulls her closer, into an actual embrace. Once again, she lacks the tender hug of a mother, but it's fierce, possessive, one that tells of an immense strength when her brood is threatened. She hisses by Hope's hair if the girl allows her to.
"You are. You are because I am telling you are, and you can't control how I feel. Learn this lesson. People will expect things from you despite you desiring it or not, they will project feelings and hopes on you, and you'll have to make a choice to either disappoint them, or rise to the occasion. And I am not letting you be a failure. So you -are- my responsibility, as is Laura. You don't have to be alone anymore. You can trust me. You can trust me. I will be here for you.", the woman repeats like a mantra, her lips buried into the redheaded girl's hair.
"... also... I bought you chocolate. From Europe.", the woman adds in the end.
The sound of a deep, rough sounding voice in Hope's memory, << They are counting on you to be the answer to their prays and hopes, but the end choice is always yours. You don't have to do it Hope. I always wanted you to have a choice. Don't rush it. >> "I know...I know....," that people are depending on her, that she doesn't want to disappoint them. But for the trust...it isn't that Hope doesn't trust Emma, actually...it's quite the opposite. But...and there is the answer finally. Hope is trying to protect Emma from...something. But she nods, and rubs at her now eyes, not looking back. "I'd...like the chocolate now, if that's alright?"
"Of course.", Emma says. Although she is intrigued by Hope, she lacks the actual will to put the girl and herself through more turmoil. They are obviously bad at this. Taking the box in her hands, she hands it to Hope, smiling some after expertly, and subtly, wiping the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks.
"You'll never forget your first taste of Teuscher's champagne truffle, the most sinful blend of fresh cream, butter, chocolate and champagne cream, all sprinkled with the world's best confectioner's sugar. I can attest this will ruin your taste buds to american chocolate forever.", she says, somewhat sounding like a mother handing her daughter her first bra, a world changing experience.
"If that does not earn your eternal trust, I have no idea what will.", the woman says, teasing.
Hope finally turns about and nods, "Seriously, they got champagne in them?" She sounds intrigued! Such a teenager! Still, there is a slow, shy smile. She moves back over toward you, sticking closer than usual likely in response to the hug earlier. A piece of chocolate is accepted, and Hope laughs at that. "You are already a heroine in my eyes Emma. I know you are trustworthy." The words ring sincerely. Hope has a strange easy acceptance of people that others distrust...Laura, you...even James Proudstar as if he was her big brother...she clung to that poor man when he came to visit his older brother's grave and only released him so he could go talk to you about the Hellions. There seems no doubt in her eyes of your 'goodness', a feeling Emma likely hasn't experienced since Catseye.
Finally though, Hope takes a bite of that chocolate. She mmmms, her eyes widening a bit at the rich and creaming flavor, with the bite from the champagne cream.
Emma's eyes linger to Hope as the girl eats the truffle taking a bit at it, something that although sets off a few alarms on Emma's head, not being the proper way of consuming godly fruits. Something else, however, makes more of an impact, and it's the way Hope looks at her, unlike anything she has felt in recent memory. It is almost insulting, the lack of distrust, but somehow Emma smiles some, a smile she kills off fast, before taking off a glove and slipping a truffle between her pearly lips and into her mouth delicately, eating it whole. She mmms and waggles her eyebrows at the younger girl leaning into the redhead to poke at her shoulder, almost girly, intimately. When everything fails, there's always chocolate.
Hope catches the odd though, and puts the rest of the chocolate in her mouth to melt and be eaten, licking her finger tips. Alright...such a teenager...she has a lot to learn. But she smiles a bit, seeming to like the bit of silliness. She isn't used to it, but she likes it. "It's really good," she says sincerely, a bit of happiness tinting her tone finally. "I never had anything like it before. I need to visit Europe more often...when I am totally -not- grounded," Hope clarifies. She was even the one that said before anyone suggested it that she 'totally knew she was grounded'. Wow, that doesn't happen often with teens, right?
Emma waves her hand dismissively as she looks at the girl besides her "You shouldn't be grounded. I am not Headmistress, I realize that, but you shouldn't be punished for a mistake Scott and I committed.". Although she completely misses speaking about Jean, Emma is fully aware the redhead would agree with her. As she reasons, their relationship with Hope, alone amongst the students, cannot be based on power. She knows they hold no true power over her. It has to have emotional roots, in other words, it must be based in trust. "When we go to Europe we will be spending sometime in Paris to buy you some clothes, and then we can go to Swiss to buy more of these. Maybe I could even take you to Moscow so you can admire the most beautiful subway stations of the Old Country..."
Hope blinks at the 'shouldn't be grounded' part. Wait, isn't that what kids get these days when they screw up, grounded? But at the talk of shopping, the girl's eyes light up, and then a slightly cunning look enters her eyes. "Obviously, I can't afford that. So I'm assuming you are buying?" The girl loooooves clothes, she saves up her allowance to go shopping for them and cheap accessories to spread her clothes allowance even more. She has even conned people to give extra bathroom supplies to her so she can save even more money for clothes! And she has so few still...then again, she came to the school empty handed.
"I never really went sight seeing before...," Hope also confesses. "I thought about going to see the pyramids in Egypt, but I think I've seen enough of Egypt lately." Apparently, that is where the 'incident' happened. Emma is getting more and more little tidbits, ooooooh! "What's Moscow like?" Though her eyes do light up a bit more, "I remember the first time I bodyslide over there. It was...amazing," Hope says a bit breathlessly. "I only heard about it before." As if...it was 'gone'? But there is no sadness in Hope right now even with the memory, cause for now, she's thinking happy thoughts.
"Oh, dear, of course I am buying. Not everyone can afford the stores we are visiting, and when you go with Emma Grace Frost, the minimum number of digits in any piece of clothing has to be five.", the woman states, capitalizing on Hope's somewhat innocent outlook on things. Being in Hellfire Club gave Emma the unique perspective that even saints can be bought, if they are not aware of what's happening. Maybe a long trip, expensive clothes will help change the girl. Especially far away from Scott.
"Moscow is one of the strangest cities on planet Earth. When you walk about the Red Square you can almost hear the proud communists singing their anthems, and the architecture is splendorous, mighty! But if you turn the wrong alley there's only men in Adidas' coats and bad pick up lines. Dreadful.", and rolling her eyes Emma smiles at Hope.
"We will make some trips to Europe, then, maybe New Zealand, Moscow and Argentina. Prague. Abu Dabhi. You'll know a world you have never seen before.", Emma teases, trying to capture the girl's imagination, and the rest of her, in her web.
"Wait, clothes can be six digits?!" Alright, Hope is so...yep, so innocent and unknowing of civilization! Ah, but she's a soldier, that won't change...but a softer and more cunning influence, could very much be a wise idea. "I...guess I will. I'm used to back alleys with lots of shooting." She doesn't typically go to the 'nice parts' of the international world. When she visit London, it was the port in a rundown warehouse where she fought Slaymaster without a weapon and almost got herself killed. Yep, Hope is crazy. "I...don't know what to think, I'm not really sure I can understand what you are offering just now. I mean, I never thought to take the time to tour like that, and shop. But now that you mention it...," it has whetted her appetite.
"... it sounds very good. I know. One thing you must realize, Hope, is that we go through a lot, so we deserve the best.", Emma states, enjoying the shimmer in the girl's eyes. Jean would be pleased, Scott... not so much. Grabbing more chocolate and eating a bit with the young teen, Emma relaxes and just allows the time to go by, as they talk and talk until the blonde excuses herself, sensing another student's problems, but not before sparing Hope a wink and a jovial caress on the shoulder.