16556/Past Deeds for Present Dirty Work

Past Deeds for Present Dirty Work
Date of Scene:	30 September 2024
Location:	Dining Hall - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Emma and Logan come up with a plan for mutants and the Lux.
Cast of Characters:	Wolverine, Emma Frost

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Wolverine has posed:
To anyone coming by, Logan's just sitting at the empty dining room table. People are coming and going. At one point he pulls out his phone and turn up music. First it's "Dirty Work" by Steely Dan. Then other songs will play onward like "In the City" by Joe Walsh, "Run Into the Hills" by Iron Maiden and so on.

When people ask him why he's sitting, they'll get one of a variety of responses from, "Mind yer business" to "Just sitting." to angry looks, him turning up the song volume to even "Seein' who my next target is." That last one gets people to back off quick.

Time ticks onward to the later hours of the evening. By now he has a small stack of papers getting looked over. He is a teacher afterall. When one particular person shows up, that's when it all changes.

Emma Frost. Someone he hasn't spoken with too much. He did respect her, mostly. Past deeds and all that keep it from being complete. Still, he will not be cold to her and even treat her as an equal. "Emma. Been lookin' fer ya. Got some questions," and he'll set down the paper in his hands and turn the stack over. Those ocean blue eyes focused on her.

Emma Frost has posed:
     Emma Frost strides into the sleek, modern kitchen, her presence commanding the room before she even speaks. She?s dressed in fashion-forward business attire that perfectly merges sophistication with a daring edge. Her fitted blazer, stark white with sharp, angular lines, hugs her curves with tailored precision. The collar is slightly exaggerated, flaring out with a bold, almost regal design, giving her an air of authority. Beneath the blazer, a sheer, high-neck blouse in an icy silver hue catches the light subtly, adding a touch of luxury to her outfit.

     Her pencil skirt, a striking deep metallic gray, falls just below the knee, the fabric shimmering with a subtle sheen as she moves. It?s form-fitting but allows for effortless grace in her stride, the sharp slit at the side offering a flash of her slender leg. Completing the look, her stiletto heels are polished to perfection crystal-clear with silver accents, catching the light with each step. Her accessories are minimal yet powerful: a single diamond ring that sparkles on her finger and a platinum cuff bracelet, elegant but unmistakably expensive.

     Her platinum blonde hair is perfectly styled, cascading over one shoulder in soft, controlled waves. Her icy blue eyes scan the room with a cool, confident gaze, taking in the scene with an air of detachment, yet undeniable power. She?s in control, her every movement smooth and calculated.

     As she enters, the sharp click of her heels against the marble floor cuts through the quiet hum of kitchen appliances. The pristine countertops and gleaming appliances reflect her presence, the room's modern elegance a perfect backdrop for her striking appearance. Her posture is straight, her shoulders back, projecting confidence and poise, as if she owns not just the room but everything around her.

     Without missing a beat, Emma raises an eyebrow and smirks slightly, as if she's already two steps ahead of whatever conversation or confrontation might unfold in this seemingly innocuous kitchen. She lifts an eyebrow " And how can I help you logan? "

Wolverine has posed:
Logan is a contrast to Emma. She is a sign of fashion. A mixture of elegance, flirtation and power with a wardrobe that begs the question, "If you have to ask for the price, can you really afford it?"

And on the other end of the spectrum is Logan. Simple blue jeans that could be bought at any major grocer chain that does more than groceries. Same for the flannel except it could be found at a variety of sporting, camping and similar stores. Just simple light blue jeans and a black and green flannel t-shirt that's a button up.

Emma might know who waits for her, but unless she presses some thoughts may escape her. Or at least, require more probing. Either way, the main reason for speaking will tumble out shortly, if she doesn't already know it.

"Tell me 'bout the parties ya did back in the day. The ones ya did with Hellfire Club n' other organizations. The rich galas where people dressed to the nines," he looksat her for a moment. "Been thinkin' on one, or two things, could use some input."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost?s icy blue eyes flicker toward Wolverine, a subtle arch of her brow signaling both curiosity and amusement. She?s seated elegantly in an armchair, her legs crossed in a way that screams poised confidence. The mention of the Hellfire Club and those opulent galas takes her back for a moment, memories swirling behind her cool exterior silk gowns, sparkling champagne, and rooms filled with power brokers cloaked in decadence and intrigue.

     Her lips curve into a knowing smirk as she leans back, her diamond-sharp gaze sizing up Wolverine for a brief second, as if considering how much to reveal.

     Well, Logan, she begins, her voice smooth and dripping with a touch of playful arrogance, those parties were less about the gowns and champagne, and more about maneuvering through webs of influence, deception, and control. The kind of events where a perfectly timed whisper or a lingering glance could shift fortunes. She pauses, letting the weight of her words hang in the air.

     Her fingers lightly brush against the fabric of her sleek, fashion-forward ensemble as she crosses her arms, exuding her usual air of superiority. Every gala was a performance. The right look, the right word it could bend entire organizations to your will. But of course, she says, her smirk deepening, I?m sure you?re not asking for a history lesson on power games.

    She leans in slightly, her voice dropping to a low, almost conspiratorial tone, her eyes narrowing with interest. So, tell me, Logan what ?one or two things? have you been thinking about? And why, exactly, do you need my input?

    Her tone remains cool, but beneath her poised exterior, there?s a spark of intrigue. Despite her teasing, she knows Logan doesn?t ask lightly, and whatever he?s planning has piqued her curiosity.

Wolverine has posed:
Logan figures there's an unsavory element of power brokage and manipulation. That part goes without saying. If no one suspected that, then they are either very foolish, lying to themselves or some combination. Still, he wll go forward with the questions.

"I ain't askin' 'bout the broker side. Figured all that crap went without sayin'. But yer galas always had a reason to exist fer the public. Not like all yer attendees could mark their calendars with, 'Blackmailin' Ball.' So, tell me 'bout the cover stories and what you had to do to make those legit when it comes to all the officialeyes," Logan asks as the gears in his head are clearly turning.

"Because ya have a history of parties, permits n' how to make things done. Even if ya didn't know the stuff ya had to have an idea of how to make it all legit on paper."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost?s smirk widens, clearly entertained by Logan?s bluntness. She uncrosses her legs slowly, shifting in her seat with feline grace as she leans forward, resting her elbows lightly on her knees. Her diamond-hard gaze locks on his, and the sparkle of amusement in her eyes deepens as she begins to speak, the cool, measured tones of her voice hinting at the calculated games she?s mastered.

     Ah, Logan, always so refreshingly direct, she muses, her voice dripping with condescension, though tinged with a rare warmth for him. " You?re right, of course. We couldn?t exactly send out invitations with ?Corporate Espionage Gala? written across the top, could we? " Her smile is sharp, like the edge of a blade.

     She straightens, her posture becoming more authoritative as she continues, as if slipping back into the mindset of those years when she was queen of the Hellfire Club. " The cover stories had to be flawless, impeccable, designed to keep even the most prying official eyes content. Charitable causes, high-profile fundraisers, even art auctions those were the fronts. Nobility, culture, sophistication that?s what the public saw. "

     She flicks a hand, as if dismissing the surface-level facades. " Behind the scenes, though? It was about control. You see, Logan, you could throw the most luxurious event, deck it out with rare wines and glittering jewels, but the real power was in the fine print. Every ?legit? invitation had hidden clauses, contracts masked as ?donations,? and partnerships sealed with a glass of champagne. All perfectly legal, on paper."

     Her tone softens, but her expression remains calculating. " The key was balance letting the elites feel they were attending something exclusive and grand, while quietly reinforcing their dependency on the Hellfire Club?s influence. And the officials, the public? They only saw the glamour and the philanthropy. No one questioned the vast sums exchanged or the alliances formed, because the surface was so meticulously polished."

     Emma?s smile turns sly, her eyes gleaming. " But I?m sure you?ve already guessed as much. What you?re really asking is how to replicate that." She narrows her eyes slightly, studying him. " So, Logan, what exactly are you planning that requires such finesse? You don?t strike me as the gala-hosting type."

Wolverine has posed:
Logan crosses his arms listening to emma talk about the hoops they had to go through. Everything needing to be prefect. "How many things did ya have to register fer?" he wanted to figure out what they had to do legally. The hoops they had to work through to unite with the various organizations

"The glamour part has my attention," and he nods. "Yeah. Lookin' to redo that," he smirks. Then he nods. "I ain't, but here we are..."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma?s expression shifts ever so slightly, the briefest flicker of irritation crossing her flawless features. She uncrosses her arms and leans back in her chair, regarding Logan with a cool, appraising look, as if recalibrating her response. His question is straightforward, yet too focused on the mechanics, not the strategy she prides herself on. She knows exactly what he?s after, but he?s not asking the right way.

     Her voice is smooth, laced with a touch of sarcasm. "How many things did we register for?" she repeats, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Logan, darling, you make it sound so... bureaucratic, as if we were filling out forms at a DMV." She flicks her hand dismissively, her tone sharp but elegant. "This wasn?t about ticking boxes on a checklist of legalities. It was about navigating the right channels, knowing which officials to keep happy, and which ones to keep distracted."

     She lets the words hang for a moment, as if expecting Logan to catch on, but then continues, a bit more deliberate in her explanation. "Yes, there were registrations, permits, licenses things to make it all appear legitimate. Charity event filings, venue permits, tax forms that passed every audit. Everything had to be immaculate on the surface, especially when working with different organizations, both corporate and governmental. But, Logan..." Her voice drops, becoming almost conspiratorial as she leans in slightly. "It was never really about the paperwork."

     Her eyes gleam with a knowing look. "It was about leverage. We didn?t just 'unite' with organizations we infiltrated them. The registrations were just one part of the dance, the easy part. The real work was making sure those organizations needed us. Their reliance on Hellfire was our insurance that they?d play along, no matter how many hoops we pretended to jump through."

     She tilts her head, watching him closely. "So, if you're asking how we did it legally yes, there were hoops. But we owned those hoops, Logan Still do. We made sure that by the time anyone realized what was really happening, they were already caught in our web." Her smile sharpens into something more predatory. "Now, tell me again why exactly do you need to know about all this?"

Wolverine has posed:
Logan looks at her for a moment. "I know it takes a bit to register to smaller ogranizations like parks n' places like that. Been at a few wild rallies. But these places got reputation -and- an image," he says knowing that adding that factor to the mix would make it a little harder to make everything to go through.

"I'm tryin' to make a thing n' I'm gonna need the Lux," he begisn to let Emma in on the plan a little bit. "I just can't figure out how to connect points yet," so it's a plan that's forming. That may be why she can't get all of the details yet.

"Place like that is somethin' fer people to cut loose in. Might give mutants a Hell of a party with proper attire. Fashion. Stuff that aint' me," which is also a reason why he reached out to Emma. She has a history of parties similar to Logan's desire.

"I know it was never 'bout the paperwork, but it was still a needed help. I know it was all a cover. An excuse at best, a complete coverup fer somethin' else at worse," he looks at her. "IT was still the first step," because Logan knows the charity aligned with them wouldn't be the crux. It would be the surface reason.

"'Cause a place like the Lux, much as I hate the owners, it's a place someone can cut loose in while lookin' good," he knows they would vit decadance on the outside, and a party on the deeper part. Because Logan doesn't ask the details, but he knows gaining that power might have involved different things at the party itself.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost listens to Logan?s words with a knowing smirk, her sharp blue eyes glinting with amusement. She leans back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other in a poised, almost regal manner, the picture of effortless elegance. " Logan, darling," she begins, her voice smooth and laced with a touch of playfulness, "fashion and parties may not be your thing, but that?s precisely why you need me." She tilts her head slightly, the diamonds on her earrings catching the light. " You?re not wrong, places like the Lux have always been about more than what?s on the surface. Decadence, yes, but power games run just as deep, if not deeper."

     Her expression softens for a moment, as if acknowledging his concerns with sincerity, though her words remain precise. "I know that charity was never the real reason, but it was important to lay the groundwork. Every empire needs its respectable face, doesn?t it?" She uncrosses her legs, leaning forward slightly, her gaze becoming more intent. "The Lux can be the stage for something much more influential. I know the type of crowd you?re thinking about, the mutants who need more than just a night to cut loose. They need to feel important, to feel seen."

     Emma gives a brief, dismissive wave of her hand, as if brushing away the notion of Logan?s distaste for the Lux's owners. " As for the owners, well, we can always find ways to work around such obstacles. Power, as you well know, comes in many forms. The question is, what are we going to do with it once we have it? That's the answer I need what's it for? "

     Her smile widens, but there's a sharpness to it, a hint of the cunning strategist she is. "Let me worry about the details, Logan. I'll make sure everything looks perfect and that it's much more than just a party."

Wolverine has posed:
A brow goes up as Logan isn't looking to make plays or broker for some secret power. That's not really his thing, nor is he trying to really trying to make a play for anything. Sure, people like Magnus, Shaw and dozens of other would do sucha thing. Logan's much more simple. But he knows about the hurdles involved.

The brow stays up for a moment. "What's yer stake in this?" the fact Emma wants to take care of a few things has him curious. She -does- want to go for power. Also, she does like a good party. Makes Emma a little hard to predict in this situation.

What Logan can predict is the owners. "They'll want in. They like a good crowd n' will insist," it's knowing one's enemy. Logan knows that much about the duo.

Emma Frost has posed:
She thinks for a while " Because the same reason I became a teacher,I belive in mutant kind and the kids but being at the school all the time and having all those rules, times you need to blow off steam " She smirks and sighs

     She looks at logan " For young mutants that can be dangerous, so giving them a place to blow off steam in a healthy way outside of the danger room sounds like a very good thing " She chuckles " Also a place for the young to show off and be young and stupid but with us oldies looking over their shoulder to make sure it doesn't spiral out of control " .

Wolverine has posed:
"The 'oldies' can use that too," he's quick to add. "We follow the same rules n' sutff. I'm tryin' to make somethin' so -everyone- can cut loose," and he knows that's the other trick he needs to work on. All mutants need to let go a bit. And this is coming from a mutant that tries to embody control due to the animal within.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost Cocks her head and chuckles for a bit " Hmmm that works hows this " she comments " One group watches while everybody else cuts loose then we have an after party the second day .. for the older folks first party no booze after party has booze and is for the older folks to cut loose " She says brightly

Wolverine has posed:
"Maybe," Logan admits the idea does have some form of legs. He feels like it could be done in one night, but that's hard to figure out. He watches Emma for a moment. "I'll talk to Lucifer n' Sinsiter," he knows those heads of the lux will have a few things to say. Logan knows he has to play things just right with those two.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost Shrugs "We could always use the hellfire club too but I understand if you don't want too since it has some bad attachments " She admits " But yes I think 2 nights is best because the people watching the kids have to have a chance to cut loose but they can't if they are also watching the kids "

Wolverine has posed:
"We'll figure it out," Logan knows that Emma gives some good ideas. It'll give him something to mull over for a bit. He smirks, "This is an odd partnership," Logan didn't really expect to parter up with Miss Frost. Still, stranger things have happened.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost Shrugs " I am trying to do better you know " She smirks " We all are in our own way " she shrugs " I just let morals drop to the side more oftend than others " she looks to logan " some of us lose ourselves to your inner demons "