Paper Pushing, Time Frame: During the Conflict

[Mach 2]

Jean-Paul Beaubier had been at the Mansion for less than forty-eight hours when he received word. It came in the form of an email, hurriedly sent to the entire staff of would-be professors. Apparently, a group of his colleagues had rushed off to stop the threat of another gang of mutants.

Jean Paul rolled his eyes at this. He had told the Professor when he'd been hired that he would be willing to work with the youngsters on developing their powers. This did not entail training a mutant army. He had no doubt that the Professor would be approaching him soon about attending little missions like these with the other staffers, and unless it were cataclysmic, the speedster had no intention of agreeing.

He closed the window of his desktop computer and rolled his office chair to the large desk with its neat little piles. Scribbling away, he furrowed his brow at the only half-done French lesson plans. New students were arriving daily, and classes were to start in just one week. He hoped that he'd have enough time to prepare for each of his four classes.

He looked up quickly at the knocking from the cracked door. He nodded at the dark haired young man standing there, flashing a quick, if half-hearted, smile.

"Come in."

[Madriako]

Iceman

"Hey...I feel neglected. You may not care or anything, but they even took Lorna, and I'm older than she is." Bobby said with a small smile as he walked into Jean-Paul's office and plopped into one of the seats. He saw the haphazards plans lying around the desk, and frowned. "Are we supposed to be actually writting plans and stuff?"

"Anyway," He said, "Not what I came to ask you about. I really came to mainly ask you about what's going on around here. Why are you not all for the whole protect the innocents save the world like the rest of us?" Bobby was truley curious. He knew very little about Jean-Paul, and was curious because everyone else here that he had met were willing to fight for safety and some kind of equality.

[Mach 2]

Jean-Paul listened as the younger man spoke, his eyes scanning over the papers in front of him before looking up to meet the younger man's eyes. He set down his pen and motioned at the chair across from him. It was a sunny evening, the golden reds filtering in through the paned window. He couldn't help but notice how they played off the red tones in the hardwood floors of the small office.

"Sit if you'd like. And yes, we do need to write lesson plans... We already have a dozen or so full time high school age students, and more are arriving daily. With each taking between five and eight classes, you can expect your classes to be full of interesting faces. I plan to be impeccably prepared to weed out the less ambitious."

He listened further as Bobby spoke.

"Not what I came to ask you about. I really came to mainly ask you about what's going on around here. Why are you not all for the whole protect the innocents save the world like the rest of us?"

Jean Paul wasn't sure whether to be insulted or amused at Iceman's audacity. Considering his words carefully, Northstar spoke, his faint Quebecois accent filtering through his words.

"I'm not a soldier, I suppose. Which is not to assume that I can not fight or do not see the need to fight at times. I came here to be a teacher, nothing more and nothing less. I believe that mutants should learn better control of their powers to help us integrate with homo-sapiens. I don't want to fight a war against humanity or against other mutants. I do, though, have great faith in this place... and if anyone threatens it directly, you wouldn't be able to hold me back." he paused, "and believe me, Bobby, things wouldn't go too well for the other side."

[Lylithix]

Having parted company with his daughter Sean was walking through the rest of the mansion, hoping to take a little time to familiarise himself with what might be his new home. Xavier wasn't here though Sean hoped it wouldn't be long before the professor returned. His daughter would be off to get her shower and would want some time to herself. Of course he was making sure to keep an eye out for the werewolf, his ribs not entirely recovered from the enthusiastic greeting. As he reached the east wing of the building his keen hearing picked up on the sound of voices, Sean realising he wasn't entirely alone.

Slowing his pace a little, Sean wondered whether or not he really desired company at the moment. However he felt he should make the effort to familiarise himself with them, not recognising either voice from his previous visit. Walking past what he took to be the classrooms, Sean had a thought. He'd been a detective but maybe he could take another job here. There were young mutants and maybe he had something he could pass on to the younger generation. In any event it was one more thing to discuss with Xavier.

Sean was passing the office now where he could hear the voices from within. Not sure whether or not his footsteps had been heard he considered again whether he should walk away. Coming to a decision though he stepped over and knocked on the door, letting the two inside decide whether or not they wanted company.

[Mach 2]

Jean Paul had barely had time to get his last word out when another knock came at the door. For a moment he paused, not entirely sure who it could be... as most of the other adults were gone and the students would be unlikely to be in this wing yet.

His conversation wasn't going in a particularly private thread, so he nodded at Bobby and looked toward the door.

"Come in." he said quickly.

(OOC: This is bizarrely short... but really, what else is there to say lol. )

[Madriako]

Bobby realized after the fact that what he had asked was probably none of his business, but he was after all Bobby. He wasn't really designed to care. He took in what Jean-Paul said, and nodded. "Ok." The door opened and in came...well red hair. a man seemed to be unde it, but Bobby was almost positive that he had never met this man in his life.

"Heya." He said to the man before turning back to Jean-Paul, "I get what your saying, but how are we supposed to have all of this getting along mushy stuff when the two sides want to kill each other?"

He turned back to the red head, "We were just talking about mutants should integrate themselves with Homo-sapians...who don't quit want us. I'm not all for killing off the humans, but at the same time, I don't think that we should learn how to hide what and who we are in order to get along with them better either." This was of course one of the few things Bobby really had strong feelings for. Maybe it had something to do with the manifestation of his powers, but he wasn't gung ho about hiding them from anyone.

[Lylithix]

Recieving an invitation to enter the room, Sean stepped inside and nodded to the man at the desk and the young man who'd just greeted him. He mainly was going to ask if they knew anything about Xavier's whereabouts but the young man turned to him, filling him in on what had been the topic of conversation.

He nodded, thinking back to his youth and knowing then he might havw agreed with the young man. "No, if it was an ideal world we wouldn't have to hide our powers. The truth is though humans have enough trouble getting along with anything different from the normal, skin colour, sexuality..religion. It's also true we can do things it's hard to imagine, some of us are dangerous. Then you get a few who think their powers make them better, they abuse them and it just makes humans afraid."

He looked at the young man, a slightly stern glint in his blue-green eyes. "Way I see it with your powers, it's like a gun. Ye might feel safe and strong, feel ye don't have to be afraid because you've got a weapon. If ye don't know how to use it properly, yuir in as much danger as everyone else around ye. Ye come to rely on it too much and ye get overconfident, make mistakes and someone will pay the price."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Though mebbe I'm just a little old and weary, just reckon it's better to be cautious. Ye need to be ready to defend yuirself but I dinae think it's good to go out looking for a fight."

[Mach 2]

Jean-Paul gave his best attempt at a "warm smile" as Sean entered. The two hadn't met, personally, but he knew that Xavier held Sean in high regard, and that the two had been acquaintances, if not friends, for some time.

With faint amusement, he listened as Bobby filled the older mutant in on the topic of conversation at hand. His tone of voice evidenced his inexperience, but what could be expected of someone his age? He couldn't be much past twenty. But, then again, neither was Jean-Paul. At twenty four, he did his very best to appear and act several years his own senior.

Straightening up, he nodded, acknowledging both interpretations of the topic.

"Interesting how conversations go, no?" he said quickly. "You're both welcome to sit, if you'd like. I'm just doing some organization and preparation."

"As for all of this "getting along mushy stuff," I suppose it's as simple as taking it day by day. I am here to teach, not fight... so while the rest of the world is out there killing eachother, I'll do my best to keep my profession simple."

He paused. "Though Xavier has implied that my precise talents might come in handy against certain unfriendly mutants... he will have some convincing to do, I'm afraid."

[Madriako]

Bobby shrugged off the red-head's warnings, "Not looking for a fight. Looking for my rights as a person to be whoever I was born to be, and if I was born to be a mutant, so be it. I agree, mutants do need to learn how to use thier powers to avoid mistakes just as the one's you've mentioned. But at the same time, why should everyone be penelized for the mistakes of a few? Like the idiots who think thier powers make them better? We just need to go out, and squash them like bugs. And then get on with our lives."

Bobby knew that what he was saying would only wokr out in an ideal world, and that they lived in a far from ideal world. But that didn't mean it was right. And Bobby was personally ready, willing, and anxious to fight for those rights he felt he deserved.

[Mach 2]

"We just need to go out, and squash them like bugs. And then get on with our lives."

Jean-Paul resisted the distinct urge to roll his eyes at the younger man. It simply was not that simple, and Bobby would do well to remember that.

"Well, we each have our own opinions on the philosophical use and abuse of power... on to brighter things? I'll be teaching French and a few other classes when the term starts up. I'll also be serving as an advisor. Are you taking classes Bobby, or are you teaching this term?"

He asked because he wasn't sure. Bobby seemed to be in his late teens or early twenties, at an awkward age where it was difficult to decide - student or teacher.

"I'm assuming that you'll be teaching some classes, Sean?"

[Lylithix]

Sean had expected that the young man would disagree, simply giving him an even stare as his warnings were shrugged off. Again he remembered his own youth and how experience had taught him he was wrong. He didn't really see the point in further arguing with the young man, hoping that he would survive long enough to learn and not letting himself feel exasperated. If he was correct he'd guess the young man was no more than twenty or so and maybe not so mature.

Settling for giving the young man a tight smile, Sean nodded, indicating that he respected if not agreed with Bobby's opinions. Thankful for the change of subject he turned his attention to Jean-Paul, noting that the young man was called Bobby. Guessing that might be short for Robert, a slight grin came to Sean's face. That might very well be a good way to annoy Bobby, if he felt so inclined.

"Aye, I'll be happy tae do my share o'teaching. I'm just not sure which subject would be best. I'm a detective and I've got a Batchelor's Degree in Science, so hopefully I'm qualified to teach something useful."

[Madriako]

Bobby perked up a bit when Jean-Paul changed the subject. He loved arguing about as much as anyone else, but not about things that directly effected him, or made him think of his history, "Yea, I'm gonna be teaching. I'll be taking on a few Phys Ed classes and some American History classes. Professor Xavier has been helping me out with taking college courses and getting my teaching certificate the past few months, so I'm licensed and everything. Of course, I'm still me, I haven't put together a lesson plan yet. I should probably get to that huh?" Bobby asked.

He listened as Sean described his degrees, "Well, there's always logic, for the whole detective thing. And maybe chemistry is needed. Xavier has something for you to do, I'm sure." He had heard Jean-Paul call the man Sean, and turned to him, "Sorry, I never introduced myself, Bobby Drake."

((OOC: sorry so obscenely short, I'm really sick and not quite over it yet.))

[Lylithix]

Sean nodded, thinking over the young man's suggestion. He knew this wasn't going to be a conventional school, so lessons in logic might well be useful. The qualities he'd picked up from his career as a detective, might well be needed for the younger mutants, particularly those who might go on to join the fight themselves. While he couldn't really see himself as a science teacher, well maybe that would work out better than he thought. Not that he really minded doing whatever Xavier had in mind for him.

"Bobby Drake, well good tae meet ye then. Sean Cassidy."

Some of the tension had left him now, uncertainty over what he'd have to offer gone now. As for Terry she was probably going to get used to him being here, though he'd make sure to keep out of the way for a week or two. He would be there if she wanted him of course but he would give her what space she needed. Looking away from Bobby for a moment he grinned, before turning back to the younger mutant with a stern expression on his face. Though if he was sharp enough Bobby would probably realise Sean wasn't actually being serious.

"I hope I canae trust ye not tae lead m'daughter astray, at least if'n yuir the one Xavier warned me aboot."