2010-01-11: Pointed Conversation

Players:

Kenta_icon.jpg Julio_icon.jpg JeanPaul_icon.jpg

Summary: Kenta and Jean-Paul meet, Julio arrives, they have a discussion about being an X-Man, a friend and other things.

Date: January 11, 2010

Log Title Pointed Conversation

Rating: PG


Xavier Mansion - Atrium

The Atrium is large room with four corridors leading off in diagonal directions to the classrooms and dorms. A large window looks over the front courtyard. The Atrium has also been turned into a social area for students and teachers, with chairs, tables and a television set. Since its a main area of passing, it is encouraged that people keep things to a respectful volume.


With none of the kids in the Atrium tonight, it's the perfect spot for Kenta to relax for a bit and play his guitar. His acoustic is in his lap as he plays. Kenta is extremely skilled in the guitar, having been playing for well over ten years. He's just playing for no one and to relax, on a near by chair is a small child, about five years old, sleeping. Kenta's sitting on a window ledge, with the window open, creating a chill. It's obvious why it's open, so he can exhale the cigarette smoke on the cig that he's currently half way through.

Jean-Paul exits the elevator. He's carrying a personnel folder under one arm with 'Shatterstar' printed across the manila folder. His eyebrows go up at the sound of the music and then the sight of both Kenta and the child. He gives the former a pleasant smile and pauses a moment, as though hesitating between spreading out the contents on the tables out here where he has more room or taking back to his quarters for privacy.

Kenta quickly tosses the cigarette out the window, who knows if a student will get blamed for a cigarette butt on the school grounds. "Hey, sorry I needed a smoke. Sorry." He's not sure if the other adult is gonna get on his case for that or not. "Don't mind my son, he's sleeping. My parents couldn't watch him tonight while I finished a few things up here. I'm Kenta by the way."

Jean-Paul walks over and offers a hand, a faint smile on his face. "Jean-Paul. Good evening." He glances at the sleeping child and says, "We don't often see children quite that young around here. And you are a teacher?"

"Music Teacher, yeah. And I know but I gotta do my job and be a parent at the same time. That's my son, Armande." Kenta says brushing some of his hair back. "It's nice to meet you Jean-Paul. What about yourself, you a new teacher here?"

Jean-Paul shrugs and says, "It's a good thing. Younger children are vastly more endearing than teenagers. And more or less. I'm returning." He crosses to a table nearby and starts laying out the files from the folder, looking back up. "So music. Good. Now if only someone could beat a little literary culture into these little monsters." He grins faintly as he says it, though.

Kenta looks over at his son and smiles. "Yeah, he's not at the talking back stage yet, he's a pretty good kid." Then he notices the folder Jean-Paul is looking through and raises and eyebrow. "Is that Ben?" He says stopping his playing of guitar and walking over to take a look. "How do you know him?"

Jean-Paul lays out the various reports and photos from Shatterstar's X-Man database file in front of him in categories that make sense to him, at least. "I met him in the city a few days ago. And I was with him this afternoon when his memory was reintegrated. Or at least the process was initiated." He looks up at Kenta, smiling faintly, "Fascinating young man. At least as Ben. I am trying to get a sense of who he will be as his original persona or some mix of the two." He shrugs and says, "I'm hoping that not all of his assumed life vanishes, for his sake. He rather liked himself and his life."

Coming out of the elevator, Julio looks a lot less scruffy and miserable than he did at the bar a few nights ago. He could still use a shave as he's all stubbly but he's cleaned up and dressed nicer in jeans and a green sweater. He's come to the mansion for a meeting with Scott about possibly rejoining the X-men but since the 'Fearless Leader' is busy, he's waiting. And the Atrium was suggested as a place to wait. Stepping into the room, he looks around and runs a hand through his hair. "Same as I remember it," he mutters, heading in Kenta and JP's direction without quite noticing them there yet.

"Oh so Addison was able to get that kid to help out?" Kenta hasn't talked to Ben since. His acoustic guitar sits against a couch and his son Armande is sleeping on one of the couches. "He's a cool guy, I randomly met him and we became quick friends. I am hoping that all of his assumed life doesn't vanish, I mean, that's the only Ben I know. Honestly, I was surprised when he came here one day.

Jean-Paul nods. "Apparently, the telepaths here set him with a remarkably young mutant in the city to take care of his problem. And is it just me or are the younger generation's mutations getting weirder? I mean, he /claimed/ it was magic … but really? Horns, wings and a telepath? It's like Mr. Sinister was holding a jumble sale in the genetics lab." He nods to Julio as he sees the younger mutant, glances down at the files and starts gathering them all back into a discrete, face-down pile. No sense in getting anyone overly excited just yet. Or having Ben swamped so soon after the healing process has started.

Julio blinks when he finally notices Kenta and JP, snapping out of thoughts. "Jean-Paul," he greets, giving a short wave. He hadn't been expecting to see the man today even if it was far more likely for him to be there than Julio. Forcing a small smile, the vibratory mutant from south of the border heads over. "And how're you doing tonight?"

Kenta puts his hands up and shrugs. "I really don't know, I'm kind of this Generations Mutants and not at the same time, don't ask." He was born in 1987 but yet he's 32, go figure. "I actually have never met this kid but Addison only mentioned telepathy and he might have said illusions. Maybe I'll take a trip out to the city tomorrow and stop by, see how he's doing." He looks up at Julio and holds out a hand. "Hey, I'm Kenta Gilpatrick, nice to meet you. And what is this, with all the new kids they're recruiting a fuckton of new teachers?"

Jean-Paul slides the files into the folder, still face down, and nods Julio. "Good evening, Julio. How are you this evening?" He looks back to Kenta and grins, "I wouldn't dream of it. It would probably involve higher math or something and if it isn't figuring out the legality of one's date or the vintage of one's drink, my interest in math is strictly limited. But yes, Dante seems like a fine young man. A hero in the making. If the victim of circumstance and poor sartorial choices."

Julio frowned slightly when he saw the papers getting moved. He knew that sort of action, familiar with it from when his father did it with papers concerning the 'family business' before he was old enough to know about it. Either way, the man shrugged it off. "Julio Richter," he introduced himself, taking hold of Kenta's hand for a firm shake. "Don't know anyone'd that'd call me a teacher. I'm just hear to ask Scott if there's still a place for me here," he explains. "Well. I've been worse," he replied to Jean-Paul, smirking slightly.

Kenta's hand is quite cold to touch, much colder than natural. "Hey, I don't really know either of you that well and you both aren't student age so who knows. I don't run with the X-Men, I just train with what they're calling the X-Force squad with Addision, Brian and Julian." He's the oldest of the bunch but he gets along with them okay. "I haven't met him yet, but I'm glad things worked out."
Jean-Paul smiles and says, "Well, you're a bit more upright than you were the other night." He looks back to Kenta and says, "Ah. Well, I've gone by the codename Northstar and he's Richter. I used to be a member of Alpha Flight and I'm currently an X-Man, albeit one of many. And the X-Force group are school defense, are they not?" He pauses and nods to Kenta. "Hopefully. Hopefully."

Julio blinked a few times and then laughed a little. "X-Force? So my old team is still around?" he seems amused by this. "I went by Rictor back then," he remarks, rubbing his hand on his jeans to warm it back up after shaking Kenta's. "They're security guards now?" he paused and shrugged. Jean-Paul just gets a look and a shrug about being upright before Rictor glances down one of the hallways. "Met who?"

Kenta nods. "Okay, codenames are familiar. The one I took I didn't realize was used a while back but I'm the second Darkstar." He says as he was about sixteen, seventeen when he took the name and had no clue who she was. "Yeah, we're school defense which is why I try to stick around but being a single parent, I have duties there too. And no, it's just a lot different than it was. It's like not quite X-Men but still there and training, hard to explain. In my case I'm willing to help out but I'm no X-Men."

Jean-Paul shrugs and gives Julio a quelling look. "I'd say the people entrusted with the future of the mutant race in the form of it's children and future leaders are a bit more than security guards." His voice takes a bit of a chilly tone at that. He turns back to Kenta and says, "And I also don't draw distinctions between the field and base teams. Summers may quibble about such things in order to keep his ego as the great general intact but to my mind, if you wear the X and defend our kind, you are an X-Man. Xavier's dream was about erasing boundaries. Not creating them amongst ourselves."

Julio tenses as the name 'Darkstar' comes up. He looks away, still guilty over surviving what killed his old teammate. Shaking it off, he looks back in time to get a blast of frosty attitude. "Alright…" he trails off, holding his hands up defensively. After a moment he exhales and goes quiet.

Kenta tries to hold back a chuckle and shrugs. "Whatever you say man, I just don't want the full time gig. I like teaching actually especially when music has always been my first love of life, now, it's my son." No mention of the mother. "But I know what you're saying about erasing boundaries, I was just more saying how I don't want to be a full time superhero like some people are. I know Summers is the headmaster too but he's pretty much full time. I do it because…well…cause it's right."

Jean-Paul sighs and shakes his head. "I apologize. You must understand that acceptance for mutants is much different than it was when I was younger. I, perhaps most of us, from that era tend to be protective and defensive of our collective young. And also, being something of a late convert to Xavier's dream, I am, of course a great fanatic for it." He smirks, "Well, as great a fanatic as a cynic may be." He nods at Kenta. "That I understand." His glance moves significantly to Julio as he says, "Some people just don't want to devote their lives, in whole or part, to being a part of this mad culture of superheroics. It's up the the rest of us to accept those decisions." And then back to Kenta. "C'est bon. I'm glad you feel that way."

Julio frowns when Jean-Paul seems to speak right to him. He looks at the man, brows furrowed. "Yeah…" he trails off, a bit annoyed. He continues to stare a few moments before looking back to Kenta. "I can understand it too. Just finishing a long break from it all myself."

"I spent quite a few years doing the nonstop fighting thing and now that I'm back here, I can enjoy the peace while raising Armande. I'm just lucky that my parents are willing to help." Kenta says looking over at his son and smiling. "It is a pretty mad culture of superheroes." He takes a long look at Julio and it's not hard to tell that's somethings off with him. "So what's on your mind, you seem like your not in the conversation?"

Jean-Paul sits back, idly tapping the folder and giving Julio an inquiring look at Kenta's question. He seems to be rather curious about it himself.

"I did walk into the middle of it, playing catch up," Julio remarks. After a moment he shakes his head. "Just a lot on my mind…sorry," he says. "Just still trying to figure out this whole thing with 'Star," a pause. "…Ben," he corrects himself.

Kenta raises an eyebrow and walks over to one of the windows. "Walked into the middle of what playing catch up? Jean-Paul and I just met tonight maybe five minutes before you walked in." Kenta says a bit confused. "Ben's, Ben. That's all I know." That's all Kenta says cause he doesn't know too much more. "He's a good guy, and a good friend. A fun guy to shoot the shit with after a rough day."

Jean-Paul nods and says, "True. I'd just met Kenta. And as he says, Ben is, no matter who or what else he may be, still Ben. Or at least one would hope so." Again his fingers drum on the file and he says, "One might wonder, Julio, if you are, well, obsessing a bit. Which is another occupational hazard of our particular profession. We all tend to be very goal oriented. Sometimes, though, we don't aim for the right goals."

Julio frowns. "Well it's not like I knew that," he mutters, moving to sit down. He's a little surprised that Kenta knows Ben too but doesn't voice it. The man scrubs his face with his hands and leans back. "Yeah…so everyone keeps telling me," he mutters. Jean-Paul just gets an annoyed look. "And just what goal do you think I'm aiming at?"

Kenta opens up one of the windows and lights a cigarette, aiming all the smoke outside. "Sorry." He says while listening. "Well what goal are you aiming at Julio?" Kenta asks curiously. "And no need to get annoyed, we're just a couple of adults talking about a mutual friend. At least I think we're all adults here."

Jean-Paul grins faintly and points to the sleeping boy. "Almost all adults." He arches his eyebrows at Julio and then nods to Kenta's question.

Julio glances at the boy and makes an effort to restrain any profanity he may have wanted to use. "Good question," he sighed. "I don't know…I came back to New York thinking I might come back to the X but then I ran into St-…Ben after not seeing him in such a long time and," he just sighs. "No idea."

"You've obviously got some idea or you wouldn't be sitting there like Broody McGrumpypants." Kenta says continuing to smoke. He does chuckle at Jean-Paul. "Eh Armande's sleeping and he's been through more than most even though he probably doesn't remember it. Too young when it all happened."

Jean-Paul arches frowns faintly and then decides to throw caution to the wind. "I am going to give you advice that you will not take. But, as I am a man of nigh-infinite compassion, I will try anyway. Let Ben decide what Ben wants, Julio. From our conversation at the bar and then talking to you today, you obviously want to rekindle that …brothers in arms… relationship that you once shared with him in another life. He may not be ready for that. He may /never/ be ready for that. But given the state of his mind, and trust me, I've been /in/ his mind, you would be advised to let Ben decide that without pressuring him. Because there is nothing else he hates more at the moment." A pause and then, "And yes, mooning around him, kicking lamp posts and giving him the great big puppy eyes? That's pressure of a sort."

Julio just shrugs. "Well if you wanna go short term, getting a place to live that isn't some crappy hotel room is a good goal," he tells Kenta. "Came back so I would be around people again," he mutters. Then Jean-Paul gets his attention and draws a cold and angry glare from the Latino man. He doesn't say anything, just holding in what comes to mind.

Kenta looks around at the two and raises his eyebrows. "Well, I should be on my way." He says putting out his cigarette and getting up. He slings his guitar over his shoulder and goes over to his son. "It was good meeting you two, I'll probably go see him tomorrow, see how things went." He says picking up Armande who just sleeps through it all. "Have a good night guys." He says glad to be out of that conversation with the turn it's gone.

Jean-Paul watches Kenta leave and looks back at Julio's glare, completely unperturbed. "You know, I've been given that look by elder gods, demons, aliens and would-be world dominators. On you? It's cute. A bit like a chihuahua trying to claim an island as its territory." He stands, gathers his papers and nods pleasantly. "Bonne nuit, mon ami." His amble towards his quarters is pointedly unhurried.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License