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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 4, 2020 18:20:32 GMT -5
Date: Friday, July 7, 2023 Words: 203 Tags: open! Notes: I got nothing. Just wanted another thread to toss Kurt into.Kurt was hanging upside-down from his ceiling light fixture courtesy of his tail. It may not have looked comfortable to another, but it didn't strain Kurt's muscles at all. In fact, the little exercise kept his tail fit and in shape. Besides, he had the best light in this position, and he needed it to read over the itty-bitty print of the reports from Sierra to help his musings.
For the past few months, the Xavier Institute was doing fairly well. They had a decent handful of new recruits, all pretty good kids for the most part, and they were doing well in the institute. Of course, there had been a few hiccups now and then, with the majority of them were still getting used to everything, but Kurt would take what he could get.
The headmaster took a deep breath and glanced out of his balcony doors, the doors being opened just enough to allow the slight summer breeze into the room. It wasn't much, but it helped to cool the room a little. The breeze kept his bedroom door opened a tad as well, and he hadn't bothered to shut it, allowing others to come and visit if they needed to.
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 9, 2020 20:13:04 GMT -5
Tags: Nightcrawler, open Words: 201 "If you break your tail from such shenanigans," Sierra said, walking into the room with another folder of paperwork, "I think even I'd be hard-pressed to find a way to set a tail like yours in a cast."
She used the manilla folder as a makeshift fan against the summer weather, finding the breeze of little use. She was thankful for the central air conditioning the mansion had; her room in particular was generally kept on a cooler setting all year round both for her comfort and the couple of computers she kept at her desk. Gesturing to the folder after a moment of fanning herself, Sierra placed it on Kurt's own desk.
"I have some of the new recruits' school schedules, as you requested," Sierra said. "There are a few who still need to finalize their transfers and choices, but I'll get you those when they're all set. There's no real rush for the students as long as they understand that the longer they wait, the more of a chance classes they want may be filled by the time September rolls around.
"I didn't interrupt you, did I?" she asked suddenly. "I presume you have some reason for hanging upside-down."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 12, 2020 8:07:30 GMT -5
Words: 217 Tags: Gigabyte, still open if anyone else wants to pop inAt Sierra's appearance, Kurt rolled his eyes, one of his fangs poking out of his crooked smile. "I'll be careful," he said. "Thanks for the concern, as wayward as it is. I'll be sure not to get hurt enough to impede on your talents, Fräulein."
Nevertheless, he teleported off of the light fixture and landed on his bed. With a flip, he bounced back up and placed the reports on his nightstand. "Actually," he said, "it's good exercise for my tail. Compare it to pull-ups, ja? Just with a tail muscle rather than my arms."
It was a welcome break to speak to Sierra, especially considering that the pair hadn't had a good, full conversation lately, not with how busy both of them have been lately. Sierra especially, what with her duties as principal and preparing for a new school year already.
He walked up to his friend and glanced at the papers that were placed on his desk. Okay, so maybe their conversation will be about more reports and schedules, but it was still better than mulling over them himself. "Thank you, Sierra," he said, picking up the folder to skim through them. "Were they difficult to do? Or perhaps you have everything in that head of yours, making the process all the more simpler?"
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 17, 2020 6:38:20 GMT -5
Tags: Nightcrawler, open Words: 206 Sierra gave Kurt a crooked smile as he compared pull-ups to hanging upside-down with his tail. She leaned against his desk as he skimmed through the schedules and the few Danger Room reports she threw into the folder and gave him a small shrug in response to his question.
"I do have everything up in my mind," she said, "but even I'll admit it's nice to have things on paper once in a while. I feel as if I do not need to dedicate as much space in my mind to things when they are written down."
Was there anything else she needed to tell Kurt? The students were doing well adjusting, some more than others, but their wide range of personalities contributed to that. Cerebro picked up the occasional mutant signature before going quiet -- there were more and more mutants in the world, it was a bit difficult to try to pinpoint younger mutants who may need the Xavier Institute -- and Sierra was on schedule when it came to preparing for her first year as Bayville High's principal.
Oh.
She paused then, mulling over her next words. Deciding to be her blunt self, Sierra said, "I hired Todd Tolansky as a janitor for Bayville High."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 23, 2020 10:59:01 GMT -5
Words: 243 Tags: Gigabyte, openKurt returned Sierra's crooked smile with one of his own. It was rather nice seeing her smile, something that he didn't remember seeing much of when the pair were teens. Sierra was still one of the most serious people he'd ever met in his life, but she seemed to be relaxed now more than in the past.
Of course, when the public school started, that may all be thrown out the window, but Kurt hoped that Sierra realized that she could depend on him just as much as he depended on her.
Then Sierra mentioned that she hired Todd Tolansky as a janitor, and Kurt's eyebrows raised to his hairline.
"That... is not something I expected to hear today," he admitted, putting the reports and schedules back down so he could focus wholly on Sierra. "That name is not something I expected to hear, well, ever."
He paused a moment before trying to joke, "Was he the only one who applied?"
On one hand, Kurt understood why Sierra would mention that she hired Tolansky. The Toad had been rivals of theirs when they were teenagers, and Kurt figured that Sierra wanted to be transparent with Kurt about her hiring him. But, on the other hand, it really wasn't any of Kurt's business as to who she hired in the high school. He assumed she had some good reasons as to hiring him.
Yet, Kurt felt a little slimy himself upon remembering Tolansky's existence...
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 31, 2020 18:16:40 GMT -5
Tags: Nightcrawler, open Words: 242 Sierra was not surprised at Kurt's reaction to her news. She hadn't expected him to be pleased at the reminder of Todd Tolansky's existence nor did she expect any visual disgust or anger at the mention of him.
Really, the mild disbelief and the attempt at a joke was on par for Kurt. Yet, Sierra still felt relieved at Kurt's reaction. It was illogical, of course, to be relieved at her friend and colleague's reaction, but there the relief was just the same.
"No, he was not the only one who had applied," Sierra said. "There were about half a dozen candidates, most of which would also have done well, I'm sure. Yet, Todd did have the most straight-forward interview and I will be meeting him tomorrow to finalize all of the paperwork. I'll also be meeting a few other new faculty and students, so I'm unsure when I'll be back home."
She paused for a moment before mentioning, "Actually, I do fear I was a little biased in hiring Todd. While I obviously am not privy as to whether or not the others were, Todd was the open mutant of the group. Having a member of the faculty be an open mutant will, hopefully, help the mutant students who cannot hide who they are.
"That, and I'm sure Todd's abilities will be useful in the janitor position," she added. "I'm not quite sure if this was the right move or not..."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Aug 3, 2020 18:17:15 GMT -5
Words: 198 Tags: Gigabyte"The most straight-forward?" Kurt echoed when the talk turned to Todd's interview. "Do you mean he was the least formal? That I can believe."
Perhaps Kurt didn't sound that fair. He was sure Todd had grown up somewhat since they were all teenagers. Didn't he do a stint with a faction of the government at one point?
"More new students?" Kurt was a little surprised at that. Sierra must have her hands full with the paperwork of the new recruits alone, but he didn't even think that there was the rest of the student body she had to contend with. "Fräulein, you do have a staff that can help you with all this, ja? I know you're brilliant, but I hope you also know your limits. Remember to rest."
She explained more of her hiring process to Kurt and he did feel a little of his misgivings dissipate. "I do not think you have to worry," he said. "By the sounds of it, there were more reasons as to why you hired Todd than just because he is a mutant.
Perhaps you were a little biased," he added, "but it was for the right reasons, meine freundin."
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Post by Gigabyte on Aug 6, 2020 7:27:13 GMT -5
Tags: NightcrawlerWords: 224 "He started off formal," Sierra noted. "I suppose he was doing his best. Then once he recognized me, he dropped some of the formality, believing that I had called him in just to say it wouldn't work out. He didn't expect me to give him a fair chance."
Which was a little sad, in all honesty. Sierra believed he deserved a chance just as much as everyone else who had applied, despite his attitude from a decade and a half ago. It would be a bit different if his background check had revealed criminal activity, but his record was clean.
She gave Kurt a crooked smile and said, "I do have a staff, yes, and they handle the regular paperwork. I still wish to know those who are enrolling as new students to Bayville, though I thank you for your concern. I'll be fine. Keeping all of this organized is what I'm here for after all, isn't it?"
She listened to Kurt's words about her being biased and tilted her head. "Thank you," she said, "but I'm wondering if it is ever okay to be biased. With that said, if word gets out that I'm also a mutant, others may cry foul and that I only hired Todd because he is also a mutant... I do thank you for you confidence just the same."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Aug 8, 2020 8:29:04 GMT -5
Tags: Gigabyte Words: 238A touch of guilt at his initial feelings regarding Todd being back in their lives (or, rather, Sierra's life; Kurt supposed he wouldn't be seeing too much of Todd Tolansky, since Kurt himself didn't have much of a hand in Bayville High aside from the new recruits and Sierra herself) hit Kurt when Sierra mentioned that Todd had assumed he wouldn't be given a fair chance due to their pasts.
"I'm glad you did give him a fair chance," Kurt said. "I'm not sure it would have been the same if the roles were reversed." Briefly, he wondered if Todd was the type to hold grudges.
Sierra gave him a crooked smile as they spoke of her other staff, and Kurt returned it until she mentioned that she was here to keep things organized. "You're here for so much more than that, fräulein," he said. "You know that, yes?
"Your mind is brilliant," he continued, "but you're here because of you. You are our friend and a member of this family. I certainly hope that you do not overextend yourself because you believe you are only here for your abilities."
She mentioned her wonder at whether or not it was ever okay to be biased, and Kurt said, "I believe everyone is biased in some way. What matters is how you act upon that bias. I believe you did what is right with the circumstances before you."
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Post by Gigabyte on Aug 8, 2020 13:49:12 GMT -5
Tags: NightcrawlerWords: 276 Notes: I'm thinking this is a good place to end this? Thank you for the thread! Sierra mulled over the idea on what it would be like if Todd's and her roles had been reversed. Would Todd have given her a fair chance as well? Would he have been mature enough to get over whatever past grudges he may have held from when they were teenagers? Aside from being on the X-Men, Sierra herself did not go up against Todd head-to-head in any particular skirmish.
It was something they would never know.
The topic changed into Sierra's role at the institute, and the sheer sincerity in Kurt's words nearly made Sierra's cheeks color. "Well, yes, of course I am aware of that," she said, although there was a hint of confusion in her tone. "I know this is my home and that, like the others here, I'd be welcome no matter what my abilities bring to the table, so to speak.
"But," she added, "thank you for the reminder. I appreciate it, and you, as I'm sure you're aware."
Kurt mentioned that everyone has a bit of bias in them, and Sierra agreed with that sentiment. "Perhaps you're right," she said. "It's the nature of a world that naturally favors those who have an advantage. If I am a little biased towards the underdog, if you will, that can't be too bad of a thing. Thank you, Kurt."
One of the clocks out in the hallway chimed the hour, and Sierra paused for a heartbeat before saying, "I must get back to work. I'm dealing with the security system mechanics right now. Most are too stubborn to want to be updated. I'll see you at dinner, though. Thank you for the talk."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Aug 11, 2020 7:01:08 GMT -5
Tags: Gigabyte to see the response Words: 143 (a little short, but I'm just ending the thread)Kurt tried to hide his grin, his delight at seeing Sierra's cheeks color at his words. It wasn't often the usually-stoic Sierra got anything close to flustered, and Kurt will take to heart the role of being Sierra's reminder that she was much more than just her organized brain and abilities.
"Let me know if you ever need another reminder," Kurt said. "I will be more than happy to provide that and sing your praises."
He nodded, thanking Sierra quietly when she also said how she appreciated him, and he was struck with how thankful he was that Sierra had returned in time to help with reopening the manor.
Kurt was a little disappointed when the clock chiming seemed to have reminded Sierra of her never-ending to-do list, and she took her leave.
"Thank you again, fräulein," he said, as she left.
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