2012-11-26 - Live for a Tomorrow

Early morning, before school, finds a certain winged teenager hiding out in the woods at the edge of school grounds. The air is chill with the bite of the coming winter and Lorelei is huddled deep in her duster with a knit cap pulled low over her ears, a borrowed iPod blasting some modern pop song in her ears. Smoke curls from her nostrils as she hums along to the very faintly heard music coming from her earbuds, a lit, and only half smoked, cigarette lightly held between the fingers of her left hand. At the moment, her eyes are closed and she's just enjoying having a few minutes alone where she could sneak outside and get a little bit of a nicotine fix to hold her over until after school.

Though honestly school grounds go far past the walls, it is near the walls that Lorelei is located. Watching from above, is Fantomex. He had decided to do a search of the school boarder as often Laura does...to see what good it does. Therapic perhaps for the young woman? In either case, Fantomex is bored with it and much more interested in a rule breaking Lorelei. He grins beneath his white mask.

Flipping quietly down from one limb to the next, his light thumps easily covered up by the earbuds, he soon lands on the ground behind Lorelei. Then...

...loud as can be...he screams at her from behind, "GOT YOU!" Course, he is ready to dodge and run from any sort of fist or worse yet, the wind attacks...he should know that though Lorelei's control has improved it is not perfect has he has sent her flying to the mat often enough.

The thump goes unnoticed, Lore's head bobbing slightly in time with the beat. Under the heavy canvas of her duster, her wings shift as she pulls them tighter to her back, trying to get a little added warmth from the feathers pressing against the sweater she's wearing. Then there's a sudden shout from behind her and Lorelei screams in response! The cigarette goes flying as a hard gust of wind seems to radiate out from the still scrawny girl, blowing leaves everywhere, and she quickly tries to scamper away on all fours. She may have been at the school for several months, but two years of running is a hard habit to break.

She really should learn to stay aware of her surroundings...

Fantomex has to dodge behind a tree to prevent a branch from falling on his head, and then to dive for some of the greenery to pick up the cigarette just in case...not wanting to start a woodland fire on school grounds. He raises an eyebrow as you are crowing about, breathing heavily, and trying to get your bearings.

And of course...he does the evil thing. He starts pointing and laughing, then slapping one of his thighs with his free hand. "Too funny oui? You should see your face!" He isn't holding the cigg out for the girl, sadly for the girl.

She likely needs a smoke about now...

Lorelei does need a smoke! She didn't even get to finish that one. It takes her a couple of minutes to calm down from her fright to realize that her 'attacker' is just one of the instructors at the school, and another five minutes to visibly struggle with her emotions as she tries to decide if she's more embarrassed, angry, or guilty, and then try to calm herself down enough that the wind is back under control.

Finally, she seems to decide that she's both guilty and angry, and she folds her arms over her chest, tucking her hands into her armpits and covering where the rest of her pack of cigarettes and lighter are hidden in an inside pocket, glaring at Fantomex while her cheeks flame and she shifts her weight from one foot to the other. "Yeah, yeah... Ya got me, alright." She pauses and nibbles on her lower lip for a moment, "Um... Can I have my cigarette back, please?" She obviously doesn't hold out much hope that she'll get it, but she's go to ask.

Luckily, by the time Lorelei is getting control, Jean-Phillipe has calmed down and went to gasping for breath, leaning against a tree while the wind jerks and snaps at his white trench coat. And when you have fully calmed down enough to express yourself, he has caught his breath. "Non," he says in his native French, a wicked grin beneath his mask. "And I should take your pack and lighter away, should I non?" He chuckles and pushes away from the tree to approach you, moving to pat your cheek with a gloved had if you permit him. "It is moments like this, that I find my students cute rather than annoying." Great, he likes to torment you guys.

But he does end up raising a hand to raise his mask up to the bridge of his nose and to drag a smoke on your cigerate...it was mostly out, but it re-lights with ease...thus why he didn't want to leave it there. He blows out the smoke, in the shape of an O. "Non good on your lungs, explains why you run slow little one. It is non your wings that make you slow on your feet."

The girl can't help but pout when he won't give her smoke back, and then, to add insult to injury, starts smoking it himself! When he threatens to take the rest away, Lorelei backs quickly away, looking terrified that he's going to do just that, and shakes her head, "Please don't..." She tightens her arms around herself a little, "It ain't like I smoke a lot, or nothin', an' I tried t' stop, once, but it ain't pretty when I go too long without one." She's trying, desperately, to justify why she should be allowed to continue smoking, even though it's against school rules, "Anyway, it don't affect my lungs none. I c'n still sing, after all!" She just isn't all that fast when she's on the ground; flying is something totally different!

"You are a bad liar for being a former runaway Lore." Though Jean-Phillipe sounds more amused than anything else. "It does. For me, I can heal the damage, as can Logan and Laura. But you? The damage stays there." And Fantomex moves to point at your chest, where your lungs are located. "The end choice will be yours, but you are going to get a scan done of your lungs to show you how pretty they look." Which they would already start showing damage if you have been smoking for a couple years. "But I want you fully educated, not just 'what may happen', but what is happening to your body right now." When did Jean-Phillipe start caring? He is usually hard on everyone during combat, but doesn't ever seem to care outside of it...or so it seemed.

"I ain't lyin'!" Lore huffs, "B'fore Mister Wisdom let me stay with him, I used t' stand out on the street corners singin' t' get enough money for food an' smokes." There's proof that she can still sing! His show of concern has her frowning, slightly, and she shrugs, "Sure. Whatever." She's just grumpy because he scared her, and now she's getting a lecture about smoking that she's heard variations of for several months, now. "If I'm right, c'n I keep smokin'?" She's even willing to make a deal! Not that she's likely to make any effort to try to quit even if her lungs do show damage, but she'll do just about anything to be left alone and not bothered while she's enjoying filling her lungs with tar, soot, and all kinds of nasty things!

"I meant lying about not smoking often." Fantomex takes another drag of the cigg, before moving to put it out against a tree, slowly blowing the smoke out. He keeps ahold of the butt, apparently not going to throw it away there. "You know...cancer is a horrible way to die. I'm glad I have a healing factor. Sure, someone can still manage to get lucky and kill me, or keep torturing me over and over again...but those are risks I can choose to take and suffer. While dying of sickness? Hell of a way to go, feeling weak and helpless while your body betrays you. Hate to go out like that, rather have someone put a bullet in my brains." Wait, did he say brains as in more than one?

"I don't smoke often, though... Only three a day, usually!" Lore can handle as few as two a day without going, pretty much, insane, but not any fewer than that. She huddles a little deeper into her duster when he mentions cancer, her cheeks going pale for a moment, and shakes her head, "I ain't gonna die of cancer. I'm more like t' die a' starvation." She almost did, a time or two, before she got to New York.

Fantomex gives you a 'look', "/Only/ three a day? What was I thinking about regular smoker?!" He rolls his blue eyes, then pulls his mask back down over his face. "Not while you are under the care of Professor Xavier will you die of starvation. More like cancer," he taunts Lore. He then says seriously, "Let's get a look at your lungs, then you can think things over. Quitting for most people isn't an over-the-night thing, most people don't have the discipline for it. You have help if you decide to quit." He then moves to pat you on the shoulder, and move you back toward the building. "I can run the machine, it be fun. We can try not to break anything in the med-bay. The good ol' doc doesn't even have to know."

Lorelei hunches her shoulders, and her wings, which is rather odd looking, and drops her gaze to the ground in front of her toe, "I know folks that smoke a couple packs a day..." Her voice is soft as she mumbles her protest, the teenager obviously sulking. "I didn't say I was gonna starve while I'm here, but I ain't always gonna be able t' be here, right? I mean, eventually, I'm 'spected t' go off an become a 'useful member of society' or somethin', right?" When he insists that they need to look at her lungs, she shrugs and peeks at him through her lashes, "Yeah, okay." She sighs, "I guess." She'll easily let herself be guided back toward the building, a hint of smoke lingering around her.

"Well, depends really. I doubt I'll always be here, but some people...their paths remain here. Summers and Bobby have been here since they were teens, and have never really left. Hank, only left a few years to work in the corporate world and then returned. Hank still teaches some college courses in NYC," Jean-Phillipe explains. "I know the lawyer associated with the Institute is a mutant, but I'm not sure what she is," he comments thoughtfully. He means what type she is. "Logan comes and goes, but always returns...there are lots of paths in life Lore. You just got to figure out the best one for you."

Lorelei listens thoughtfully, the girl walking silently but for the shuffle of army boots through the fallen leaves, "Yeah, I guess you're probably right." She pauses for a moment and makes a face, "It ain't like I c'n ever go back t' Texas... My folks wouldn't want me back, ev'n if I did go back..." She probably didn't intend for that to be quite as audible as it was. "I just wish I knew what my path was. I think I kinda got screwed when I grew wings."

"I am not saying they will change, but maybe they will, or perhaps one of them will. If they need a little push, just let me know," Jean-Phillipe advises. "I don't have the moral hold-ups that the Professor does," chuckling at that. Yep, he can be a very bad influence at times. "And what's so screwed about them? They are beautiful, not that I'd actually do anything with jailbait and a student...," his tone trailing off. "But if you were legal and not a student, I'd seriously enjoy a few nights with those wings." His tone is teasing and playful, flippant really. But he does remove his hand from your shoulder, just walking side-by-side with you instead.

The thought of him 'pushing' her parents has Lore looking shocked, "But... They don't like mu-mutants." She corrects what she'd been about to say at the last moment, "If somebody gives 'em a li'l push like that, they'll just hate us more." That's what she believes, anyway. When he comments on her wings being beautiful, and on enjoying spending a few nights with them, if she were older and not a student, the girl's cheeks flush hotly and she slows a little, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she tries to come up with some kind of response to that, "I, um..." She looks over at the older mutant, "Thanks, I guess... Mister Wisdom said my wings was real pretty, too, and I guess they kinda are, but they still make me different, an' Mom an' don't like folks that're different."

"So? I said I would give them a 'push', not completely change their outlook," though he could...completely twist them up inside. Fantomex just wouldn't do that, not to Lore's parents. It doesn't take a genius to figure out she still loves them. "And they wouldn't know what hit them." He then taps his head, "Jean and Professor Xavier can't even see through my tricks, you think your parents can?" He sounds amused at that. "Not that I'd do anything truly evil to them. I'd just want them to give you a chance. Just because you look different, doesn't mean you are truly different then you were three years ago. Just more experienced now."

Jean-Phillipe then pauses and turns to look back at you when you stop. He moves to get on one knee before you. His ice blue eyes are serious appearing. "Lorelei. They are not only beautiful, but they are inspiring. When I watch you fly, even I cannot help, but smile. And yes, they can be beautiful in a very kinky way too." There he goes, ruining the moment! But there is a smirk then beneath his mask, and his eyes soften. "When you find your inner self, you are going to be amazing to behold. I hope I get to see that day. I think I figured out what makes teaching so interesting...the fact you get to watch your students grow and develop. It's fascinating, and it feels good too. And just to make things clear, I don't expect you to grow up in any specific way, oui?"

Lorelei looks thoughtful for a moment, but finally just shakes her head, "I don't know... Maybe if I ev'r see 'em again, but it ain't somethin' t' worry 'bout right now." Right? "Maybe they wouldn' know, but their friends'd know." Because they would act differently. His comments about her wings being inspiring have her blushing and looking almost bashful. Then he mentions them being kinky, too, and she flushes and looks startled, almost like she's been slapped. She seems at a loss for words as her mouth opens and closes a couple of times before she manages to get just an unintelligible squeak out and she looks like she's about to make a run for the fence line, again, so that she can hide and puff away like a chimney for a half hour. Then he's talking about wanting to see her find her 'inner self' and her blush fades a little, though her cheeks are still distinctly flushed, and from more than just the chill in the air, "I... Thank you. I'm just tryin' t' get control a' my powers, right now, so's I ain't gonna hurt nobody if I get mad, 'r somethin'." That's the only thing she really wants out of life, at the moment.

Other than to just be completely normal, anyway, but that's something that's not very likely to happen.

Fantomex then stands, brushing off his knee as he does so. "You are making progress. This is...a good environment. I like this place," commenting about the facility. He then starts to walk again, expecting you to follow. "If Scott heard what I just told you, he would have hit me I bet," sounding amused with himself. Does he just enjoy shocking people?! Still, he is smiling beneath the snug mask. "Let's get that scan done, so you are not too late for classes. If they give you a hard time, just say that I was performing a surprise lesson for you, and you were very surprised." Great, Frenchmen...geez.

"Thank you." Lore does follow after him, giggling a little at the thought of Scott's reaction to the conversation they've been having. Then again, she would probably have been in serious trouble for smoking if it had been Scott that found her! "Well, I'm glad he isn't here, right now." The words are said with feeling. "And I sure am glad that I don't have his class first!" If she did, then she wouldn't be able to get out and smoke first thing in the morning, that's for sure. She makes a face and nods, "Yeah, sure. Let's get this over with, I suppose." She's really not looking forward to it...

Fantomex leads the way inside, and takes Lorelei to a place she isn't too familiar with as she isn't a Generation X member...the Staff Elevator. He reveals a hidden panel that that is revealed when he removes his glove for it to read his finger print. It then goes lower then it would for the Gym. When the doors finally slide open, it is a metal hallway that Jean-Phillipe leads you down and heads toward sliding metal doors that are labeled Med-Bay.

Lorelei can't help but look around like a country bumpkin as they head to the med-bay. She's quiet for the trip down, and keeps her duster on, though she does make the concession of unbuttoning it due to the warmth of being indoors.

Fantomex heads to the doors and they slide open automatically. The technology in the medical bay is...almost sci-fi looking. But he heads to a medical bed, "Go ahead and lay down. I'll more the scanner over you, and we will get started. Only takes about a minute, that's all. I do have to say I really like the technology here, very user-friendly."

The girl's gray eyes widen a little at the sight of the sci-fi-ish room, but she nods, murmuring a quiet, "Okay," before she swallows and moves to sit on the bed. Lore makes a face at having to lay down, but does stretch out on her back, squirming a little until she's found a comfortable enough position where she's not going to hurt her wings, or her back. She looks uncomfortable, not liking hospitals, even when they do look like something out of a sci-fi movie. When she speaks, her voice is small and there's a faint tremor in it, "Can we just get this over with? Please?"

Jean-Phillipe touches a few buttons and an arch forms over your mid-section. From there, a green light appears and seems to scan your chest area, where your lungs are located. "So impatient." This stuff doesn't bother him, he is so used to the experimentations, and everything else the Project threw at him. It does only take about a minute before the arch retracts. "There, all done sweet pea," making a bad impersonation of a Southern. He then moves over to one of the screens with a computer console. He starts typing in some things. "It is processing the data now and will be displaying it in a second."

As the image loads, there are a few spots where the lungs are suffering. Fantomex steps aside and silently points them out. Only after doing so he says, 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting, your circulation improves and your lung function increases. One to 9 months after quitting, coughing and shortness of breath decrease. The cilia regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection." There is a dramatic pause, "You realize I researched this just for you little one, right?" He grins beneath that white mask. "What you think? Not even eighteen years old, and your lungs don't look so healthy."

"I just don't like hospital beds, is all..." Lore's voice is small when she responds to his teasing and she shifts a little more. She's patient enough, waiting to be told that she can get up, but that doesn't mean that she likes it. She makes a face at the condition of her lungs and sighs, "It ain't that bad, though..." What it boils down to is that she doesn't want to give up what became a comfort to her while she was homeless. She doesn't drink nearly as much as she did before she came to the school, though she does enjoy the occasional sip or three when she's away from school grounds, but smoking... She sighs, "What if I cut back to one a day?" She'll still be crabby, at least for a while, but at least she'll still be able to smoke.

"Give it another year, they will be. But there are already marks, and they will continue to steadily increase." Fantomex shrugs, "It's up to you. If you are going to cut back, my advice, is to eventually quit. But it's all up to you." He then moves to start to delete the data from the system, to keep Lore's privacy.

Lorelei sits up and slides off of the edge of the bed, once more wrapping her arms around herself. There's a thoughtful expression on her face as she watches him work from the safe distance of three feet behind and to his right. After a moment, she sighs, "Yeah, I guess I should go on and quit, but that don't mean I gotta do it today, or nothin'. I c'n just cut back t' two, an' then t' one a day, right?"

"If that helps. It is what is right for you Lorelei. What makes you feel better about your health and abilities? After all, you have been looked at more than once for the Generation X program."

Fantomex's eyes study Lorelei, watching her, studying her...as if seeing how serious she is interested in trying this.

A vague look of awe fills Lore's face at the mention of her being considered for Generation X and she falls silent for a moment. It's obvious when she makes her decision; her shoulders straighten, her wings relax, and her jaw stiffens, "I wanna try for the Generation X program. I got friends that're a part of it, an' I wanna be there t' watch out for 'em!" Not that she's likely to be able to do much if they get in trouble, but she can at least be a spotter, or something. "If that means I gotta quit smokin', I guess I gotta." Not to mention work harder at getting full control of her powers!

Fantomex makes a point not to smile, but instead to nod firmly. "Very well. Let's get you in tip-top-shape." He then steps toward you, offering a gloved hand toward you. "How about signing up for Jean-Phillipe's road to success, or suicide...there is no failure." A wink comes from him. "It will be hard as hell, but if you dedicate yourself, you will know the rewards."

Lorelei takes his hand firmly in her own smaller hand, her fingers slightly chilled, "Just... Let me wean off of 'em? Maybe I won't try t' hurt someone 'cause they said th' wrong thing." She did it once before, when she couldn't get her hands on any money to get cigarettes. "I'll do whatev'r it takes."

A nod at that, and finally Fantomex smiles beneath that mask. "Welcome to the 'I hate that bastard Frenchman Fantomex club'," he teases. After the firm handshake, he then releases your hand. "We will be training more than just keeping control over your powers in an intense situation, but also on endurance, and your social aspects. Social includes presence, how you display yourself, and how you talk to people to get what you want. The tone, and way you speak. You will want to use your accent or drop it whenever you need to. You have a lot of potential with your cute appearance and your wings Lore. We will use them to your advantage. That includes shopping for better outfits, and even picking the right style of uniform for you. You are going to get a Fantomex make-over," and he grins at this. "Laura and Kenzie are or are becoming individuals that will do what they have to, but they need someone that can manipulative the scenes. Paige, she's a good girl, but that's part of the problem. She's 'too good'. Sometimes, things take bending the rules without breaking them. Basically, I'm going to teach you social warfare."

Lorelei giggles softly at the teasing, "I'm sure I ain't gonna hate ya." She can't think of anyone she actually hates, though there are a couple that she she does have an intense dislike for... When he mentions giving her a makeover, and his plan for what he wants to teach her, her eyes widen and a very startled look crosses her face, "I... Ya want me t' be dishonest?" She sounds a little confused, but that doesn't stop her from grinning, "Sounds good!" She well knows that you do what you have to in order to survive, after all, "It wouldn't be th' first time I done somethin' I wouldn't do if I had another choice, after all."

"More like...manipulative." And then he starts laughing at that 'sounds good'. "Manipulative for a good cause, not that it isn't your right to use it selfishly, just don't get caught." Fantomex then pats your shoulder, "Good thing I just finished a job recently. Ready to go shopping?"

Lorelei giggles a little when she's told that she can be as manipulative as she wants, as long as she doesn't get caught, "Yes, sir." The mention of shopping has her blinking a couple of times, "But... What about class? I'm already late, after all. Shouldn't I, like, get a note, or somethin', and go on to class?" She's trying to be good about school. Not that she hasn't blown off a class or two before, but still...

"Do non worry about it Lore! Your first class is with Alex, non? I can excuse you, he will non mind!" Of course Fantomex will be yelled at later by Alex, but he will make it up to the man. "Just make up your missed classwork, oui?" He then leads Lorelei out of the medical bay after deleting the medical information and head back to the elevator. Once it opens up to the teacher's wing, they head toward the main foyer and the front entrance. That is of course where they meet Paige, who is searching for said missing Lorelei who has not shown up to Alex's class.

Paige Guthrie looks around for Lorelei. "Where is she..." she says to herself.

"Uh-oh...," did Fantomex just say...hey, isn't that quaint! Still, Paige is the goody-goody...so what to do? One quick look at Lore, and he grins beneath his mask. He winks at Lore, and then says, "Quick, run out the front door to the garage, get in the white car." He then plays it up!

"Wait...hey Lore, don't run away!" And then he moves to take off with Lore...and of course...who would follow after them to the car so they can kidnap her?

Paige Guthrie finally spots Lorelei. "Lore, cmon you're going to be late for class.. Hey, where are you going?" She follows after Lorelei to try to get her to get back to class with her. She doesn't need the threat of Mr. Summers being angry - Paige is just a goody-two-shoes already when it comes to being a good student.

Lorelei's eyes dance when she hears Fantomex's instruction and she nods, darting for the door without another word. She only slows enough to be able to button her duster against the morning chill, racing to the indicated car as fast as her legs will carry her. She doesn't wait to see if Paige follows, though she can't help but grin when she hears the taller teenager running after her, apparently forgetting that her wings are covered and making a flying leap into the garage, landing and rolling a few feet until she thumps up against the bumper of a car. She winces faintly, but clamors to her feet and grabs for the front passenger door, fully intending to climb in the front seat and claim it for herself!

Paige Guthrie sees where Lorelei jumps down to the garage. She sighs. "Seriously, we're going to get in trouble if we're late for class!" She heads down far more carefully than Lorelei did, and runs to the garage after her and over to the van. "Lore, what are you DOING? We have CLASS... Mr. Summers told me to find you!"

Lorelei buckles up, laughing gleefully, and shifts around until she finds a position where she's not pulling feathers. The scrawny, scruffy teenager half turns to look back at Paige, her eyes dancing with laughter, though she manages to hold it back for a moment, "But I was told that I have to get better clothes and Mr. Fantomex said to go with him." She shrugs one shoulder, that wing following suit, "Who am I to argue with a teacher when I'm told to do something?" That's right. She's going to place the blame squarely on Jean-Phillipe's shoulders!

Paige Guthrie might be able to be tricked into being kidnapped, but she's not stupid. "That ... that makes no sense." She leans into the van to usher Lorelei to get out. "You really think Mr. Summers would rather you go buy clothes than attend classes?"

The garage door is open enough and the car door is now shut. Though Fantomex has not bucked up, "Please, Jean-Phillipe, ma fille." He then puts on the gas and skids out of the garage, "You may wish to buckle up Paige, least you get into trouble!" His tone is quite teasing right now! "We have a special project to attend, and you just became my assistant. I will make it up to Alex, after you two have made up any missed class work later." And the car is heading down the driveway, the gate at the end opening up.

Paige Guthrie blinks. "What the heck?" as she's pushed in. When the car starts up she buckles up. "We are -so- going to get in trouble, you know." She looks behind her at the mansion as it gets smaller in the distance. Then sighs a bit. Better to get in a little trouble than be branded even more of a nerd. Not to mention this can probably get blamed on Fantomex. "Fine where are we going anyway? What special project?"

"But he's a teacher. If he says it's okay, then it's gotta be, right?" Anyway, it's still more fun than sitting in class, and they can make up the work later. The mention of a special project has Lorelei blushing, "Me, kinda. I guess I dress like a runaway, or somethin' an' I gotta look more presentable." She looks over at the driver and bites her lip, "Well... Jean-Phillipe, I guess." She struggles a little with his name, not being accustomed to calling those in authority by their given names, "Anyway, it ain't like we can't do the work lat'r."

Of course it can! Alex will totally yell at Jean-Phillipe later. Though the man appears to be having the time of his life as he heads toward North Salem at a much too fast speed. "Of course it is fine! And this is an assignment too in a way, an important one. We got a cute girl hiding beneath a duster! It must go!" Of course, Jean-Phillip put tons of flare into that. He starts to slow down as he approaches the time limits and traffic. "I know just the place...not nearly as good as my dear Paris," he says with a dramatic sigh, "But it is close, so you will not be too late for your second class." He starts looking for a parking spot.

Paige Guthrie looks at Fantomex then Lorelei. "I... guess?" She peers. "I still think we're going to get in trouble though." She adds, "I don't even have a lot of money to go shopping, y'know." She looks at Fantomex, then at Lorelei's outfit. "I'm not sure what's wrong with her clothes?"

The mention of her duster has Lore frowning and looking down at the offending overcoat, "My duster? What's wrong with my duster? I stole it from my brother, fair and square." And then spent about four years pretty much living in it. "I like my duster..." She sighs, "Can I at least get a new duster? I gotta have somethin' t' cover my wings, after all."

Paige Guthrie generally tries to not buy clothes that are too expensive for a couple of reasons. One, the Guthries are not exactly rolling in money. Understatement of the year. Two, her clothes get ripped off when she husks every so often. She mentions, "That's how Jay does it too" to Lorelei about the overcoat idea.

"No more duster, unless you have to hide," he advises Lore. "And we can get you something too Paige on me, for you to dress up again. Try to make a point of not ripping it off in your excitement." That may end up going over Paige's head. But then, Fantomex finds a parking space and pulls right in. He then moves to slide out of the car with finesse, and smiles beneath his mask as he motions toward the Colorful Boutique. "Luckily, this town is somewhat mutant-friendly in areas. Still, Paris is so much more friendly to mutants." Well, as friendly as a political hotfire spot can be. "Come, come!" He motions you two onward toward the doorway.

Lorelei sighs, looking at least mildly disappointed that she's going to have to give up her duster, at least most of the time. His comment to Paige earns a blink and a sudden, quickly stifled, giggle from the winged girl. Apparently, at least one of them got the reference. She looks back at Paige as they pull into the parking space, brightening at her tact approval of the petite girl wearing a duster to hide her wings, "How else am I s'posed to keep them hidden, right?" The mention of a mutant friendly store has her looking more than a little surprised and she slides out of the car, herself, waiting for Paige to get out before she starts after the white clad man.

Paige Guthrie heads out of the car after Fantomex, looking around. Feeling out of place. "You know... we could just go to Old Navy or something, they have all sorts of sales. They have chinos for $10 and T-shirts for $8." When Fantomex offers to pay for an outfit for her as well, she says, "Really? Um... welll okay. Thanks!" Yeah, she's had other nice clothes which wound up getting torn up. Unfortunately when people start trying to kill you, they don't always wait to make sure you're in cheap enough clothing that you don't mind tearing off along with your skin. She looks back at Lorelei and murmurs, "You could wear one of those poncho things..."

"You are to watch at first, then help Paige," Fantomex advises. "You are currently giving baaaad advice." He looks horrified, "Poncho!" But then they group are inside Colorful Boutique. It is quiet during this early day, school time really. His body language changes though when the attendant looks wary at the masked man, it becomes more flirtatious and open. "What a beautiful place! I am Jean-Phillipe, from Paris," definitely using his French accent to his advantage. "These two young ladies, are students of mine. I know..me, a teacher?" He sighs dramatically. "I teach languages however, I am a lover of words! Now, the little one, she needs a new wardrobe. She was gifted by to have such beautiful wings! But she is afraid, she hides them! Can you believe an angel would be so afraid?" Yes, he is definitely working the sales lady over as he motions for Lorelei and Paige to start looking about. Not that Fantomex believes in angels..if asked, he would just laugh hysterically or look at you as if you were mentally retarded...best not to ask him.

The shop is lovely, very well designed, and the clothes are all exotic clothing, colorful, and the jewelry! It has things from exposing to Muslin style clothing where everything is covered.

Paige Guthrie does happen to believe in angels. And God. And all that other stuff that Fantomex would probably tease her about if they got into a talk about it. Not to mention she's not going to talk much in here anyway. This place is waaaaay too fancy for her. She doesn't even want to touch anything - if she gets a spot on it she'd probably have to buy it, then tutor for a few years to pay it off or something. Then everyone would make fun of the stupid redneck girl in the fancy Parisian type shop being a clumsy oaf and she's have to hide in her room forever and only come out to tutor in order to pay for the dress which she smudged and -

Paige takes a deep calming breath and stops her runaway thoughts. And just takes Fantomex's advice of watching first and not giving advice - though she'd still feel a lot less awkward if this was a Telco or Old Navy.

Probably not very surprising, while she does look at a few cute, rather skimpy, Lore is mostly drawn to the more Muslin style clothing, just because it covers so much and might be a good way to hide her wings. She stops when she hears herself called an angel and blushes, ducking to hide behind a rack of casual dresses that still cost more than she's paid for anything since before she could fly. She, too, believes in angels, but is much more ambivalent about the issue of God and what's right and wrong. She's had to grow up and learn how to survive, after all, and without having any promises from God or anything like that.

Oddly, perhaps, she also believes in ghosts.

She can't resist peeking through the clothes, not worrying about smudging anything, herself, to watch the French mutant at work.

Plenty of places in NYC and Paris that cost way more, but this is the classy place in North Salem, and it is known for its rich middle class people here. When Fantomex practically has the poor sales girl eating out of his gloved palm, he moves over toward the girls and starts to steer Lore toward the skimpier clothes. He also moves to help her get her duster off. "Off this goes. You have no need to wear it wrong me. If there is an issue, I will protect you ma fille. Be proud of your beautiful wings, and feel no shame." Though Fantomex's movements are brisk, they are also gentle. He knows how fragile Lorelei's ego is, he just doesn't pussy foot around it as they say, but he does not neglect it either. "Let us look for colors that look good with our little angelic Lore, shall we Paige? Then once we have the right colors, we will look for designs. I wish for things to show off her wings, that will be comfortable for her to wear."

"That's the point. You want to stand out and draw attention to her, you want to be at the center of it! You want to make sure people pay attention to you, and that you are in control. Like when Paige walks into a room and says, "Listen to this!" And everyone pauses to stare at her. You want to capture their attention in a way that is uniquely you." He then winks at Lore, "Do not worry, you can start wearing them about the school and me, and see how it works for you. If you feel more comfortable in your own skin and feathers." Fantomex then starts to look at long skirts, and tops that have no backs...little cool for the winter, but that's why they are on discount sale.

Paige Guthrie crosses her arms, watching. "It's really not all that bad to stand out, y'know. My li'l brother has wings and he's as pretty as a peacock." She pauses and looks over at Fantomex. "I do that?" she asks Fantomex. "I'm not bossy or anything, right?"

"You are you Paige. That is not bossy or anything, you are simply 'you'. Now, ma fille," to Lore. "Let us figure out your size and start the fashion show," he says with good humor.

"Yeah, I guess..." For her part, Lore tends to favor tops with a racer back, just so that there's a little more fabric covering her. The mention of a fashion show has her looking slightly worried, but she just sighs and doesn't argue. Her attitude could certainly use a little adjusting, though, "Alright... Let's get this over with." She waits until they have a few items in different sizes and heads reluctantly off to the fitting rooms to try them on, "I bet I'm gonna be in kids sizes, though."