Summary:Sharon goes over her college acceptance letters with Emma. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Catseye paces a little as she waits for Emma to get home, occasionally glancing at the pile of letters she has sitting on the table.
Emma is running a bit later than usual, but not too badly, she had to go to a meeting crosstown, a rather long and boring meeting at that. She is happy to let one of the staff take her coat, and sensing Cat's nerves, she diverts from her planned course to the bedroom for a change and a long shower, to the kitchen where her daughter is eyeing some letters. "Hello Sharon." Emma says softly, her aura wrapping about her daughter like a warm hug, soon followed by the real thing.
Catseye turns and hugs Emma tightly. "MotherMotherFrost." She takes a deep breath, lets it out. "Letters from Universities are in. Three acceptance." That's… well, it's good that she got accepted, but only three when she applied to every decent school in the city hurts a little. The one on the top is CUNY William E. Macaulay Honors College. The second is State University of New York. But the final one… Columbia University. Ivy League. Also expensive as hell, but it's not like Emma can't afford it. On the other hand, that is a hell of a lot of pressure on Sharon to measure up.
"Hello, daughter." Emma is content to just hold and be held until Cat is ready not to be. Her brow furrows at the paucity of acceptance letters, it is very likely some of the rejections will find themselves having some difficulties, not the least of which is pulled funding for pet projects - none that affect the schools, of course, just the people making the (in Emma's opnion) bad decisions. "Well, let us see who was smart enough to see your potential." She looks at the three, and then looks to Cat. "So, Sharon, which would you prefer to attend?" They're all good schools, but the decision to take up the reins of a ride through the Ivy League may not be a race Cat wants to run.
Catseye sighs and collapses into a chair. "Needs to be Columbia… Have been troubleshooting and designing circuits for Dr McCoy. Can't talk about most of it, but… other two do not have resources needed to push ideas forward. Double major, Engineering focus on Electrical, and Computer Science. Minor in Business." She looks seriously at Emma. Yes, she has a passion for feminist (and mutant-centric) analysis of history and archeology. But she's good at programming and circuit design and troubleshooting, even for esoteric tech. And with a minor in business, she would be in a good position to back Emma up in Frost International and (heaven forbid) take over if something happens to Emma unexpectedly.
Emma listens very carefully to what Catseye's ideas are, what her priorities and logic dictates, and then she smiles a nods approval. "We shall have to draft letters thanking the other schools, of course, then one to Columbia thanking them for their acceptance." And nothing to the ones who refused Cat. Eyes of sapphire are bright and proud. "Columbia. You'll likely see Doctor McCoy from time to time, he speaks there often." She is not sure she wholly approves of the man, but on the whole he's been decent - and she'll /never/ be able to fully balance their ledgers; he gave her back her Sharon, that counts for a LOT.
Rising, she makes herself a coffee from the coffee faucet, and gets Cat a nice hot chocolate, though not as nice as the one Cat made the other day.
"I am very proud of you, you know."
Sharon smiles. "Can feel it. Catseye is scared… Institute is safe, but… is a trap. Could stay at Institute, graduate, take job as Dr McCoy's assistant and… not take risks. Not grow. Have to face fear to grow, challenge self." She swallows. "Is hard. Even at FirstSchool was those who looked down, called Catseye /animal/. One doctor recommended amputating /tail/ to help pass as human." She has never mentioned that out loud before. Emma knew about it, the doctor was removed from campus, but Sharon actually talking about it is a big step for her. "Now will be going to school filled with humans. And… don't feel ready. Institute not help with that."
"Doctor McCoy would provide you a top notch education, but you'd have to go elsewhere to get the actual degrees. There's ways we could make that work…but yes, the Institute is a trap." Emma presents Cat with her hot chocolate, and then settles down at the table, claiming one of her daughter's hands. She doesn't mention the doctor, she dealt with it within an /hour/ of that reveal, and the guy ended up losing his home, his license, and most of his hair in the aftermath, so…there you go. Justice served with a nice rime of frost.
Emma nods slowly, she understands as much as anyone could. "People are more accepting now, but you will always run into cretins, louts and bigots. Treat them like you would any other low life predators."
Catseye smiles a little, "With glare that says 'Could eat you alive and still have room for lunch'?" She sips her hot chocolate, her nerves calming some. They won't be truly calm until she starts at her new school. Deals with the problems that no doubt will crop up. "And with teachers, document, document, document. Have to have -proof- before going to administration." She looks at Emma. "Mother thinks Catseye can do it? Been working on class schedule, have transferred credits and done CLEP exams, gotten as much of basics out of the way as school will allow." And she's being very careful to take classes that she won't be graded on speaking in class.
"That's a start, careful not to wear it out, save it for a special occasion. I think the 'oh, look, feces on the lawn' might be a better look for day to day. Make them /feel/ they're the filth they are, /that/ will serve you better. Save the snack glare for actually dangerous people with backup." Trust Emma to come up with a plan for such things. Sure, she's a 'Can Pass', but she's also a woman, and women face similar risks as part of their day to day, and Cat is both obvious mutant AND female, so she /will/ run into issues. No helping it.
She nods then. "Make sure you have the proof, exactly. Leave them no loopholes to exploit, and if things still go south…" Her voice drops into her deadliest purr. "…then you let ME know."
A smile then as she sips her coffee. "I do not 'think' you, no." A smile, bright and loving. "I /know/ you can, without doubt."
Sharon nods with a smile. "Will remember that." Not a hard thing to promise, she never forgets, not without telepathic help. And she would rather have the memories just pushed back, so they don't ambush her without warning. Not remembering something is horribly traumatic to someone use to flawless memory. "So, will write letters tonight, Mother proof-read in the morning, go in mail Monday. Submit Class schedule online… Text book shopping week before Christmas? Going to live here, commute. No desire to be stuck with random roommate." And with her heightened senses, dorms are a unique hell. Not soundproofed, full of other people, strange smells, no thank you!
"Of course you will." Emma knows the kind of memory that Cat has, and she is very well aware of how little she likes her memories altered or heaven forfend excised. "Good. And yes, I'll be happy to review them…three letters, two to those who accepted but you're declining in favor of the third letter, to Columbia." She smiles. "Lets look at what you were considering, perhaps we can find a way to optimize things for your schedule." A firm nod. "Good, I'll hire a driver for you, not for your safety - for the rest of the world's." Yes, Emma is TEASING Her. "And having you here will be very good for my peace of mind too." Safe. Home. Under her protection. Big Momma Cat Emma is Big!
Catseye pshaws, "Catseye just drives defensively." She gives Emma a sly look, "And best defense is a good offense." Like hell the driver isn't for her safety. But… it's a reasonable precaution. "Driver also gives Catseye excuse… if not want to stay 'Sorry, driver is coming. Maybe another time.' If /like/ person, can call driver, tell them come back later or invite person home. Person not willing to meet MotherFrost not to be trusted." It's not paranoia when they are out to get you.
"Of course you do, Sharon." Emma says in her best mother voicel. "But…we'll get you a driver all the same. One less thing on your no doubt soon to be very full plate." She'll leave it at that unless Cat /really/ wants to talk about it. No? Good call. "Absolutely, I have a couple in mind, though would you prefer 'beefy male who is intimidating', or 'unassuming female who moves like a serpent'? Both have their values—I am leaning towards the beefy male, he'll scare more people away. It will be part of the winnowing out process. Still, the lethal girl would work well too. Just she'd have to do more initially until her rep is established."
Catseye frowns thoughtfully. "Will need both. Living with MotherMotherFrost means changes. Beefy male for school days, yes. Higher risk of random assholes and amateur snatch-and-grab. Female better for evening social events, and there will be those." She looks at Emma, "Will have to attend school events, yes. But also can not dodge social responsibilities as daughter any longer." Yes, being Emma's +1 for campaign rubber chicken dinners, award banquet rubber chicken dinners, and charity events will be boring, but at least Emma will no longer be bored alone. And a slender, less obviously intimidating driver would be more appropriate for those.
"Then they will both do." Emma is very much of the opinion that buying both things when you can't decide on one is absolutely legit. The absolute pride in Cat when she speaks of her responsibilities is something she shares directly, irrefutably with her daughter. "Time to put away childish things." She intones sonorously, and then adds. "Except on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and any school holidays." This said in a much lighter tone.
Sharon laughs, then grins at Emma. "Love you, MotherMotherFrost. Glad I will be moving home."