2013.07.26 - A Strong Future

It's mid-day, and the sun is cresting over the horizon... illuminating a vast stretch of wild lands through which paved roads run their course. This heavily wooded area not far from the Hudson River, and the New Hudson Dam, saw some unusual activity within the last week. And it bears all of the signs of it; the roads leading directly to the dam are closed, and the presence of police patrol cars throughout the area make it evident the city officials are being more than cautious.
Banging along the road leading up to the dam, not far from the road block that's been put in place, is a beat-up old farmers truck whose tail is filled with dogs. ... And a young brunette girl wearing a rather conspicuous beanie as well. The truck drives along the road for a good ways, before finally slowing and coming to a stop slightly less than a mile from the blockade. It's at this point, the young brunette leaps from the back of the truck and darts around to the front drivers side. There's a brief exchange of money, a meager amount likely, and the old farmer reaches out to pat the girl on the head.
...And moments later, he's departing... leaving the small girl dressed in green and white striped pull-over and blue jeans to stare down the hillside... at the Dam far in the distance which - judging by the police presence - she cannot readily get to...
It is well known that Emma Frost has excellent connection. She has eyes and ears in all things, and always is on the lookout for new talent. She got wind of this young Molly, and sought her out.
She was easily able to track down the foster home she was currently residing in but it seems she had arrived just too late to catch her. In his silver corvette she was able to track her down, and another car could be heard zooming in the distance behind her.
Hand on her beanie, a bright pink thing with floppy 'earpieces' and cartoon eyes drawn on the front, the brunette girl kicks at the road she came in on with a scraping of gravel. A pebble or two rolls away from her right foot as she stares off into distance at the road block, sighing softly. "...Must be repairing it now." She scans that general area with her emerald green eyes, with a look of heavy contemplation in her soft features. "...I wonder if I can sneak i-..."
Then she hears the sound of a car coming, and instinctively moving aside... whilst turning to stare at the spectacle of a car she'd... probably never own in her lifetime! "...Wow..."
The very high end sports car impressively slides into a break, not too close to the young girl. A long stiletto heeled white boot steps out first, as Emma Frost emerges from the car. Her long blonde hair is worn loose, and is being whipped about by the wind. She was wearing a pair of large white sunglasses, which she pushes to the top of her head as she makes eye contact with the girl. Her outfit was not off the rack, with a silver shimmery blouse and white cigarette pants.
She smiles at the girl as she closes the door behind her, "Molly Hayes, I presume? You do wear a very distinctive. . .hat."
Molly doesn't say too terribly much for the first few moments, after that car pulls up beside her. She just... stares at it. And when the door open, and a woman steps out, Molly's gaze shifts toward her. And she goes from simply rude staring to full on bumpkin mode, jaw dropping and eyebrow quirking as she tries very quickly to puzzle out what to say about it. It's pretty clear who this woman -was-, one does not exist in this city without hearing at least a little of Emma Frost. The ravishingly beautiful business woman well known for her - well, everything. Molly, in particular, would be familiar with her charity contributions because well... she's more than likely been a beneficiary.
The question on Molly's mind was not who is this woman, rather it was... "...Uh... yes? That's my name, how do you know me?" And more importantly, why would she care to...?
A smile spread across Emma's face as she looked in the distance towards the repair work. She leaned up against the car, and made herself comfortable, "We both have a mutual acquaintance, Hope."
She let out a soft giggle, "Don't worry I mean you no harm. I'm the headmistress at her school, the Academy of Tomorrow. She said you were quite. . .astounding."
Finally, after Emma finishes, Molly seems to get her wits about her enough to be semi-conversational. Rubbing at the back of her neck, briefly, and looking down she gives a bit of a soft nod. Then she looks up, eyeing the dam in the distance again, "...Yeah, I met Hope for a little bit. She was one of the people responsible for getting me home after I passed out on the dam roof." She blushes a little bit. "...I have a tendency to do that when I overextend my..." ...And she pauses, on instinct, before saying something about her powers. ... And after a second or so, it passes. Primarily because of who Molly was talking to, "...my abilities."
The girl adjusts her hat upon her head briefly, before continuing, "...Yeah, I have heard about that Academy I think. I might have seen it..." ...passing by on her way to and from her own school. "...She seems like a really nice girl. Not a bad fighter. ... Did... something happen to her?" Molly looks quizzical, probably wondering what exactly Hope has to do with Emma being here.
Emma shook her head and opened the car door, she called out from the inside "No no, Hope's fine! I came out here to talk to you."
She pulled out this tall silver canister and poured out two glasses of green tea, "Are you thirsty?"
She smelled her own glass and took a sip, "At my school, I house and teach many with astounding abilities. Some human and some not. I could help you further your training, to pace your powers and endurance."
Molly seems mildly hesitant to partake of the offered drink, mostly for her manners. Or the lack of them. ... In the end, she very slowly makes her way over and takes the offered glass. She doesn't seem to drink much, initially, though. Mostly staring into it quietly for a few seconds after taking it, and then lifting her eyes to regard Emma in silence as she speaks. ... For a moment or so after Emma finishes, Molly doesn't seem to say much. She just mulls over the idea internally. There's the fact that Molly's had dreams of becoming a 'hero' since she was small. It made a pretty persuasive argument all by itself. But somewhere at the back of her mind, the past reactions she's received to her absurd levels of super human strength and durability weigh on her like an anchor. ...
It was, after all, the reason she still lacked parents.
She finally offers a small nod, realizing it was rude not to answer the other woman for so long. "...Uh huh. I've heard about the Academy, it sounds like a nice place." ... And she looks off into the distance at the dam again, and into soon to be distant memories, "...Do you really think I could grow to be something better...?"
Molly's last sentence broke Emma's heart. She reached out and touched the top of her cap, "Darling, I am quite sure of it. From everything I've heard you already are excellent. And with my help, and working with my fellow students you will be."
Emma's mind reaches into Molly's to read her surface thoughts, and finds it a bit difficult then normal. Interesting.
Molly blushes softly again as Emma's hand comes to rest on her cap. "...Okay." Doesn't seem to take too much more than that for this girl. Who could blame her? What else was there, her usual mundane existence? Even with the occasional excitement she got from forays into situations like the one at the dam, it was still mostly boring. And spending time at school with ordinary humans was a drag too!
Molly finally drinks the offered tea, before offering a polite little bow to Emma in turn, "Thank you for the drink!" and then offering her the glass back as well. "I'd be happy to join your school."
Emma grins and reaches out her hand to shake Molly's, "Excellent! And I know your situation, so we can get you set up with a scholarship. However. . ."
She is thoughtful for a moment and looks to Molly, "You are accepted into my school, but I am curious to see your ability in person."
Molly looks at the offered hand for a moment, and then smiles, nodding again before drawing her left hand out of her jeans pocket to shake Emma's own. "...Oh! Well, that's nice of you! I appreciate it, because... yeah..." She may have just given her last five dollars to that farmer to drive her here. ... When Emma pauses, however, to think... Molly just stares up at her quietly, with an expectant look. It was a look that might seem to indicate she were trying to puzzle out what Emma was thinking.
"...Oh!" the girl says, in reply to the remark that comes a moment later. ... And she immediately looks around, trying to figure out how best to demonstrate. The car is an easy mark, but that would be just plain rude... so instead Molly walks a ways away toward a tall redwood tree. Standing at the base of the tree, far, far, larger than she... she looks up at it... and then back at Emma. "Okay."
...And her eyes take on a subtle, violet, glow nearly an instant after she says this. The girl reaches out, with both arms, and attempts to grasp the tree about its trunk...
...And then she rips the entire thing straight up out of the ground like pulling a weed. ... It barely even so much as takes /effort/, the roots of the massive tree simply being torn quickly from the earth.
For extra emphasis, she rather recklessly throws the tree a few feet away... creating a massive clatter as the thing crashes to the earth again. "...How's that?"
Emma walks a few steps over to watch as the girl rips the tree out of the ground, and claps as it is tossed. Extra points for not accidentally throwing it at her car, "Bravo! Oh you are quite the strong one. Come come, it's a long trip to the school and we can iron out some more details on the way. Don't touch the stereo."
Category:Log