7684/School Trip

School Trip
Date of Scene:	04 September 2021
Location:	Xavier's School Front Yard
Synopsis:	Terry passes by the school and ends up finding a potential teacher.
Cast of Characters:	Terry O'Neil, Kurt Wagner

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Terry O'Neil has posed:
A single, solitary figure walks up the driveway to the grand building that is the school. He is walking because he lacks a car, and although he has teleported into the school grounds before, this approach lets people know someone is coming from a ways off. It will also let them know, via surveillance, that it's only Vorpal the Cheshire Cat.

Walking past the hedges and into the yard propert, Vorpal takes a moment to take in the majestic profile of the mansion. The Tower was impressive, but it was impressive in the spirit of chrome and steel, glass and modernity, the school had the splendor of a different age that spoke of drawing rooms, cigars and port, private libraries, and polished wooden banisters. It spoke of wealth the likes of which he had never experienced himself. The last two times he had been here, he hadn't had time to appreciate things because of the Shi'ar, but now he stood under the waning afternoon light and let his eyes roam over the facade.

"Wow."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
With the afternoon approaching evening, there isn't a lot of daylight left, but still ample time for anyone outside dealing with something. Kurt rounds his way through from the garage, clad in a tank top and basketball shorts. It shows much of him is blue, then there's the spaded tail and unique hands and feet as he walks barefoot along the path, singing a traditional German folk song to himself:

"Ein Jager aus Kurpfalz,
Der reitet durch den grunen Wald,
Er schiesst das Wild daher,
Gleich wie es ihm gefallt.
Juja, Juja, gar lustig ist die Jagerei
Allhier auf gruner Heid',
Allhier auf gruner Heid'."

At this point he becomes aware of the presence of another, and it leads to an interruption in the singing along with a tilting of the head followed by a cheerful wave. "Ah, hallo! Are you a new student here? I seem to have fallen behind. I have not seen you in any of my classes. Mein name ist Kurt Wagner. Und du?" Grinning, a hint of fangs can be made out, the solid yellow eyes appearing to glow. "Had you not guessed by now, one of the courses I teach is Deutsch. The German language."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Terry was aware of Kurt's approach from the start- the German folk song was unknown to him, but his voice was easily picked up by the cat's sensitive hearing, thus the cat was already glancing at Kurt by the time the other noticed him and made his introductions.

"Herr Wagner, a pleasure to meet you," the man's blue fur is striking when combined with those yellow eyes. The spaded tail gets a glance, and the cat can't help but draw demonic comparisons about Kurt's appearance.

Nevertheless, in his exposure to Satana and Company, Terry has come to learn that what is scary about demons is not their appearance per se, which he sometimes actually finds interesting instead of frightening, but their penchant for wanting to eat your soul. And, besides, not all that glitters is gold: Kurt might look demonic, but he probably was not demonic. Many mutants tended to have traits mistaken as such, though.

He takes his hands out of his hoodie and he extends one of them to shake, "Terry O'Neil- I'm actually not a student- I don't think you teach studenst past high-school? Even if you did..." he glances at the mansion again and grins "I don't think I'd be able to afford it."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"Ah, you know a bit?" Kurt asks, when greeted in that fashion. The tail dips and flicks, as if it has a mind of its own, but there is more to it than that. He certainly could pass for a demon at first glance. A very blue demon, in fact, and there is just enough of a moment that sees him hesitate before Vorpal appears not to mind what he sees. It likely won't be one of /those/ encounters, then.

Given this, a genial demeanor returns following that brief apprehension. "Ah. A visitor, then? Und we are never too old to learn something new each day, ja? It is just a different form of teaching that brings knowledge with it." Following a glance back at the sizable building he adds, "That is, I believe, assisted with for those who cannot afford it. If you are already welcome on the grounds, then I am sure you know this is not the typical school, just as I am not the typical teacher."

The hands meet, his grip gentle enough.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The feline grins, "Well... I wouldn't be a typical student, either." He looks away from the building to look back at Kurt. "After all, I am the /Grinsekatze/." Yes. Somehow, he knows the proper name for the Cheshire Cat in almost every human language that the novel has been translated into. This isn't something that he learned, this is something he got from the previous Cheshire Cat, his father.

/Why/ did his father go and memorize that? Caterpillar only knows. Just one of the many unanswered questions he left in his wake.

His handshake isn't hesitant. It's not the first time he's held someone's hand that had an unusual number of digits. Kian had three fingers and a thumb, after all. "I know a little German, but not enough to hold a conversation. So I probably would have been a frustating student," he jokes, and then tilts his head. "I'm a member of the Titans. I've been here on... other business before, and I just thought I'd come by and check on everybody. The last time I was here, there were aliens invading and I almost got killed by one."

He glances at Kurt's shorts and tank top, "I seem to have interrupted something. Were you going to jog or something?"

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner's hand certainly feels odd to anyone accustomed to the usual amount of fingers. "Und so you are. The grinning cat, I mean."

Drawing said hand back to his side, the man looks the feline up and down before explaining, "No student begins a class already knowing everything. There would be nothing left to learn, no point." Naturally. He continues, "The Titans? Ja, I have heard of your team. You have reason to be proud of the things you have accomplished, und I understand some of you aided us recently. So, to that I would say Danke schon."

As to the possibility of interruption, he shakes his head slowly. "Nein. I was over in the garage helping a friend with a little engine trouble. Amazing what one disconnected wire can cause. What brings you by, then?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Neighborly interest, mostly. I wanted to see how the place was doing and if any help was needed, but you seem to be doing well. I wasn't in any state to come see by myself." He nods, and gestures to the school. "This is the first time I've seen it from the outside. The other times I Rabbit Holed into the foyer. It's beautiful on the inside, but it's absolutely majestic from the outside" He exhales a little and looks back to Kurt.

"I'm not a mutant, alas. But I get the impression that if I had gone here for high-school instead of Saint Sebastian, I might have had an easier time of things."

Then again, alien invasions...

"Is Deutsch your only subject, Herr Wagner, or do you also teach auto mechanics?" he grins, "I'm familiar with the trouble loose cables can cause. I have occasionally been the cause of loose cables." Don't ask Victor.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner crosses his arms, then, as if growing bored with that, he crosses his legs instead - after going upside down in order to balance on one hand.

It's from this position, steadying himself so he barely even moves, that he says, "You will have to explain to me what you mean by 'rabbit holing inside.' I was not aware we had bunny tunnels. That sounds like quite the security breach. Und, I might add, you look like no rabbit I have ever seen before." How much of that is serious comparted to joking, it'd take noting his devilish grin. Yet, he does not appear to know the meaning of 'rabbit hole' in this case.

In the meantime, he remarks, "Saint Sebastian. Born in Gaul, soldier in the Roman army, eventual captain of the praetorian guard, ordered to be put to death upon the realization he was a Christian, und yet he survived until he was beaten to death for denouncing the Emperor over his treatment of Christians. Also seen as the patron saint of athletes. Truly an inspiration to keeping the faith in the face of grave danger."

He waves his free hand. "But I wander. I do enjoy teaching history to those willing to listen, I am quite the swordsman if I do say so myself, I have been a death-defying acrobat, und an eventual goal in life is to become a pirate like Errol Flynn as Captain Geoffrey Thorpe in 'The Sea Hawk.' Of course, 'Captain Blood' was his big break before that. Auto repair is simply a hobby of mine."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The cat takes a step back as the fuzzy one demonstrates how limber he is, and he blinks. He is speechless for a second, and then he finally finds his tongue. "Er... right. Rabbit Holes." He demonstrates without much ado by extending his arm and opening a Rabbit Hole to stick it in. Another hole opens by Kurt's side and Vorpal's hand waves at him from it, before it retreats and the holes close. "I gess it technically makes me a teleporter, but more of a portaler... Like Clarise." Clarise was the name, right? He hadn't had time to get down all the names, what with everything that was going on.

Kurt's hagiography has a strange effect on Terry, the feline crosses his arms and he sighs, "... unfortunately all I took away from Saint Sebastian was memories of being told how people who are different in certain ways are going to go Down Below..." he pauses, and an eyebrow ridge rises. There's a lot to unpack there. "Don't you sort of... need to be a bad guy to be a pirate? I mean, Grace O'Malley was an interesting historical character, but I wouldn't say she was exactly /nice/, and you seem like a very nice guy."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner begins to walk on both hands, his legs now pointed straight up and unwavering. This is a man who displays full control over his body's balance and positioning. By the time Vorpal is giving a demonstration with the portal, he nimbly shifts back to facing the more natural direction, though he sinks into a crouch that looks normal for him. "Ahh, I see. If you can go from one place to another unconventionally, to call it teleporting is close enough for me."

Suddenly he provides an example of his own version, and one *BAMF* later he stands to one side of the feline and offers a reassuring hand at the shoulder. Where he'd been, a faint cloud of smoke dissipates along with a mild scent of burning brimstone. Similar clings to him briefly where he's reappeared. "I, too, am a teleporter. Und it sounds like you had instructors who taught a version of religion that I do not agree with. That is a shame, und it often has the direct effect of turning people away from the positive messages when others choose to use the word to justify their own shortcomings."

Then, he simply laughs. "Pirates can be heroic! They steal the hearts of maidens fair! Und they can have spectacular swordfights spanning the entire ship!" Nice guy? He'll take it.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Kurt's control is impressive, and Vorpal is about to say something regarding it when the mutant demonstrates his own teleporting abilities. It gives him a start and he does make a little jump at the BAMF, and laughs when the cloud dissipates. "Well... doesn't that just take the prize? That is... amazing."

A wry smile appears on his face, "You don't want to steal any hearts, trust me. They are messy, and unless you have a handy container to preserve viability at four degrees celcius, it'll just get ruined!" He had to do research on organ transplants for a story- he's not a serial killer. "Swashbuckling all across a ship sounds fun, though."

He gets a look on his face, and then he gives Kurt a look. Fur. Tail. Teleporter. "So you're an acrobat as well... but do you teach it here at the school?" he asks, something of a follow-up question percolating in his brain.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"I am impressed. Your nose barely twitched, unless that was just an itch. You must have some experience around the unexpected," Kurt says. "Und that is correct. I have been called both Astonishing und Amazing during my days in the circus. 'See the Astonishing-Slash-Amazing Nightcrawler perform without a net!'" He gestures with the other hand, as though addressing an invisible crowd ready to get their money's worth.

As he steps back around to face Vorpal, his tail winds an arc just behind the cat's head without coming into contact with so much as a strand of hair. "Exceptionally fun! Ohh, /four/ degrees Celsius. No wonder! It must have looked like a two to me. That explains everything." Now that /has/ to be him messing around.

The wonder of teaching those sorts of things leads him to grow immediately more serious. "That is something I am available for, ja. But before I say anything else, you must answer a simple question for me. By way of being a guest here, you are like to have already seen some things, but how much do you know of this place?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Vorpal's grin only grows at Kurt's showmanship, and it's clear that the cat believes he has found some sort of kindred spirit, at least in the area of dramatic and bombastic speech and presentation. But when the blue acrobat grows serious, he pays attention.

How much had he seen? "Well... I helped defend the school from the alien invasion. And... I've met The Professor. And I have been to the sub-basement level. The Shi'ar assassins tried to kill Jean down there and a group of us went to intercept them. I didn't get the whole tour, but..." he holds his hands out and a perfect recreation of a few of the sub-basement corridors, resplendent in their science-fiction-like metallic structure and gleaming chrome, appears, like a scale model but incredibly realistic looking. And then, he frowns, staring at Kurt's face.

If you could get past the demonic elements, he was extremely handsome. But that wasn't exactly what Vorpal was staring at. It was the bit of recollection that had sparked in his brain. The illusion cradled in his hands shifts all of a sudden-

To that of Talia Wagner, her face staring back at Kurt.

"I also helped this young lady get in touch with the X-Men because she just dropped into Times Square out of thin air. Said she was from a different dimension and timeline, but she knew whom I should call." He lets the dramatic pause fall where it may, before adding "Illyana and Julio came to the tower to retrieve her." The Cheshire's tail flicks, and he adds, "She looks /very/ much like you..."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner is nothing if not flashy, but the good ones back it up with actual skill.

By the time Vorpal finishes his story, complete with a visual representation of the sub-levels that were seen, the display causing him to rub at the side of his face slowly, he admits, "Well, you have seen more than most, und that is good enough for me. We are what others call 'mutants,' but the way I see it, we are just another type of metahuman. Whether one is an alien, another becomes what he is through radiation, or we are born with a different chromosome that causes genetic mutation, we are all different."

He continues, "Since it is probably on your mind, I was born this way. The teleportation came years later, when most of our powers manifest. It can be very traumatic for some, life-changing at the bare minimum. This school exists to help those who need it."

The mention of Talia, without sharing her name, leads him to flash Vorpal a mildly uncomfortable look. "Ja, it is true that she is from another reality, one in which she was..or is..my daughter. I have promised to be there for her as I am able, but I do not have to explain that was a shock to learn about. There have been times I wondered if I would ever have a child. At least in one world, I have that answer."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"You do't need to tell me about timeline children. Over at the tower, we've got /two/ of those. It gets confusing, especially when you can't tell if they're yanking your chain or telling you things that may actually happen. I tend to err on the side of assuming they're pranking me." The Cheshire crosses his arms after the illusion is dispelled. "I'm very familiar with mutants, and I'm all for the cause. My sensei is a mutant turtle, and he and his brothers are like family to me..." and then he breaks out into a proud smile, "In fact, you might have read the op ed I published refuting Senator Kelly's Better Business Bill in the Daily Planet, in February*? I got a /ton/ of hate mail from Kelly's supporters. Lois was so happy she was cackling." A pause. "I work for the Daily Planet as well. I forgot to mention that."

"But to the point of my earlier question... I am looking for training. Nightwing is an excellent acrobat, one of the best, but he's so busy with Gotham, I only get sporadic sessions with him. You're... well, you're like me. You're fuzzy, you've got a tail. You teleport. I could learn a /lot/ from you." He spreads his hands, "I am willing to plead my case. In fact, I'll sweeten the pot: Let me treat you to dinner and I'll explain what a good, dedicated and amazing student who bribes his teachers with world-class Tiramisu I am!" He gives Kur this most disarming, charming smile. The idea of learning from a fellow teleporter is very appealing, and it would be a great complement to what he is already learning from Leonardo in other fronts.



* +bbread 4/245 , true believers! - Ed.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"She is not the only one we know, either," Kurt says, keeping any such identities to himself. "So on that note I am not the only one faced with awkward conversations, und the two of us are close enough here to be like siblings instead."

All of what Vorpal tells him about his experience with mutants (turtles?!) and writing for the Daily Planet, leading into talk of training, he results in taking a few steps back and forth. "While it is true there are things I as a teleporter may be able to teach you.."

The only warning given is the sound of another *BAMF* as the air rushes in to fill the spot he was just in, as he is now sweeping Vorpal's legs to take them out from underneath him while extending a hand to grasp the feline by the arm in order to keep him from actually falling all the way. "..there are differences I have seen in the ways we teleport. However, the element of surprise is easiest to use to your advantage, as you may have just noticed."

Giving Vorpal a pull back up the rest of the way, his tail flicks twice. "We can talk about it. You have helped us, though that is not the main reason for me to consider it. I can be bribed, though."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Vorpal lets out a surprised yelp as his legs give way out from under him. He would be okay, really, he's a cat who can land on his feet and can also take a fall, but suddenly there is Kurt keeping him from falling, which means there's less work for him to do. "Y-yes, the element of surprISE-"

Kurt pulls him back up and the Cheshire cat finds himself going forward, until he is stopped by landing his hands on the fuzzy elf's chest. He might as well be Dale Arden by Flash Gordon's side- the only thing that's missing is him popping his heel and exclaiming something ridiculous, like 'Flash! Flash! I love you, but we only have twenty four hours to save the Earth!'

In hindsight, that is a much, much weirder movie than anyone ever wants to acknowledge. And he right then and there makes a note to show it to Kian just to see his reaction to Brian Blessed. He clears his throat and tries to regain his composure from being surprised by the leg sweep, "Then I'll do my best to bribe you." That's when he remembers that, oh yeah, he's leaning on Kurt's chest and he gingerly straightens himself up and lets his hands lower naturally to his sides, tail twitching a little. "How about Cafe Lalo in one hour? I need to turn in my copy at the Planet for tomorrow and then change." Cafe Lalo didn't have a dress code, but it usually merited something a little nicer than his hoodie and worn, faded jeans.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Works almost every time, though there are some who are much harder to get off their feet than others. Logan? Kurt might bruise himself trying.

That moment wiith Vorpal closer is only just a moment before he is stepping back while saying, "That was just to save you from a rough landing, as a precaution. There are no mats out here, whether you would have found a way to right yourself in time or not."

The whole closeness thing goes unspoken of by him, for there is the matter of food to deal with now. "Is this place one that will cause us any trouble? I am guessing I will need to change, and find something for my feet." As Vorpal may notice, conventional footwear doesn't get the job done.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Don't worry. Nobody would dare give us trouble. Lalo's is very cosmopolitan and they've had orange aliens, green dudes and me in there. You'll be fine, although a wardrobe change might be in order. Nothing too fancy, really, I just need to change because there is a difference between 'nothing too fancy' and 'why are you wearing /that/?'" he chuckles.

"But I really should jump over to the Planet before Lois starts-"

BuuuUUUzZzzZzZZzZZ

"And there she goes," he says, taking his phone out to verify. "Yep. There she goes like clockwork." He glances up at Kurt and gives him another one of his megawatt grins. "See you in an hour at Lalo's. And give my regards to Jean."

A Rabbit Hole opens up, direct to the break room at The Planet. "Bis bald, Herr Wagner!"