2013.03.31 - Arrival of the Easter Bunny

[Westchester]- Xavier Institute - Lounge This is a room that was built, quite plainly, to relax. The elegance of the rest of the mansion is somewhat more understated here. The walls are paneled in brightly polished hardwood, adorned with framed posters in place of paintings or photographs; many are classic movie posters or nature scenes. The floor is carpeted in a burgundy Berber, the whole room serviceable and relatively easy to clean.

Against the far wall stands a rather large wall-screen television with several gaming systems hooked up to it, all enclosed by a pair of well worn leather couches and three matching armchairs. Several custom-built computer systems sit on a table nearby, clearly meant for play rather than study, as they are equipped with many popular games.

A pool table and an air hockey table fill out the far side of the room, while the opposite corner has a small cubicle separating it and several bean bags for sitting. A small table holds an assortment of books and magazines, while a music player with three sets of headphones provides for a relaxing diversion from a room that can sometimes get quite noisy.

--

It's hard, it truly is, to get the younger students to bed at a reasonable hour the night before a holiday. Particularly one when a 'loved' character is due to pay a visit. (Heck, even the toothfairy is met with no little excitement!)

The day's festivities, at least as run by the Amazing Nightcrawler as mild mannered Kurt Wagner, has manged to knock some the kids out due to activity on the back lawn. Egg hunts, egg dying contests, egg and spoon races.. and a cookout, as it was an absolutely beautiful day.

Now, hiding away in the lounge, Kurt has taken possession of the airhockey table in its entirity. Upon it, baskets in various forms of completion. There is green 'grass', purple, pink and blue.. and piled in some, the chocolate bunny is already there. In others, the only things within are the jelly beans, the 'robin's eggs'.. and a little toy.

Kurt is enjoying this waaaay too much. He's got an assembly line of sorts. The chocolate bunny is the last thing to go on.. okay, and the bow on the top of the basket, each personallized with a name.

There is the very distant sound of a van pulling away - someone coming back from a trip perhaps, or just now arriving. But who would be coming at such an hour? Well, this is the joy of having a school, especially around break time - people come, people go. There's the distant rattling noise of several bags. Then the White Rabbit walks into the room, hopping in his waistcoat and carrying a large pocketwatch in one hand. The rabbit looks upwards, disapprovingly, at the fuzzy-elf, tapping the watch... and then doubling over, as if with a giggle, one fluffy paw coming to its mouth.

The rabbit develops in time into a familiar figure, beaming sunnily. "KURT!" Meggan exclaims, before covering her mouth and widening her eyes and saying in a stage-whisper afterwards, "Hello!! Am I interrupting you??"

There is almost always coming and going at the Institute. The older students, some of the Xers themselves, or the 'regular staff' make trips out to the city, to town.. and those with family nearby certainly will take the opportunity to spend the holiday with them.

As Kurt doesn't particularly have the opportunity to spend the holiday with his mother (logistics, for one thing..), he's here. Home. Doing things for the younger kids who didn't go home.

Looking up at the commotion, his brows rise into his forelock, glowing yellow eyes widening.. and as he stairs, his smile begins to creep.. and then widen as he realizes who it is. Leaving his spot with a *bamf*, he reappears right beside her to give her a big, enveloping hug, his tail ready to wrap around for that final squeeze. "Meggan! Leibchen! What are you doing here?"

Meggan slides an arm around the waist of the suddenly appearing, sulfurous yet friendly form of Nightcrawler, saying as she leans in for a peck on the cheek while returning the squeeze, "How simply lovely to see you! It's been ages!" After this she pauses, half-escaping the embrace as she puts a hand to her lips. "... I really do hope Brian handled the papers quite correctly. I did bring copies, though! Here, let me get them," and then she steps back towards the hallway, explaining as she goes.

"I'd thought I really should get a bit of formal schooling and it seems that the best place to do it is here, at this wonderful place! I'm quite interested in everything you've done here, I remember all of your stories. I'd like very much to get a bit more current with things, anyway." She pauses to look over her shoulder with wide eyes, before saying in another stage whisper, "/will we wake professor xavier/??"

"Awww, then you're still with him?" Kurt sounds theatrically disappointed. Still, Brian is a long distance away, and right now, she's here. "Ja.. it seems like a lifetime away." A kiss is placed upon the cheek in return before he releases her, but the smile remains easily behind.

"Nein.. you won't wake him. If anything, I am hoping he's helping put die Kinder to bed. To give me time to finish these und make the deliveries."

Kurt can't stop looking at her. "You will like it here, leibchen. Here, it is sink or swim.. to be thrown into the middle of the lake, as it were. You will find out more 'current things' than you truly want to." Some of it good, some of it.. not so much.

"Ohhhh," Meggan says in playful frustration, coming up to her luggage, which seems to consist of two small suitcases and a duffle bag of probable Royal Navy extraction. She crouches down, rummaging one of the suitcases and leaning forwards, her eyes seeming to grow for a moment as she peers into the gloom.

"Like what? Are all of your old friends here, Kurt? I especially want to meet Logan, he sounds like quite a character..." She produces a manila folder then, holding it up with triumph.

Aaaand, no response there as to whether or not the pair are still 'together'? Hmmmm.. and Kurt watches as she rummages through her things. "Would you like me to take your things to your room?" As if he knows where that is? Well, he does know the empty rooms, and he can always ask the Professor..

As the papers are offered, he takes them and doesn't open them quite yet. Instead, Kurt's grin grows. "Ja.. most of them, anyway. Ororo, Bobby, Logan und even Scott." He pauses before, "Katzchen ist hier.. und Jean." Just in case! If his smile has fallen any, it relights his face and he adds, "I am glad to see you," and in waving the folder, he continues, "I'll give this to Scott? Und then, your things.. und while I'm doing that, you can start adding the jelly beans und such to those baskets."

The papers have a bunch of Boring Things (at least to Meggan's eyes). She then beams, before reaching for the bags - and stopping, pausing, fingers wiggling in midair.

"Jelly beans," she says, looking back into the other room. Her attention goes back up to Kurt and she nods decisively, raising one hand up to give a crisp salute. "I shall get right upon it!" As she steps back into the game room she says to herself, "Are those labels...?" A fine way, after all, to learn everyone's name! Presumably, anyway.

By the time Kurt returns Meggan is inspecting another basket, possibly to deduce its contents. She is also eating a jelly bean.

Kurt does indeed *bamf* the paperwork onto Scott's desk, then he's back and grabbing the bags.. and once again, is gone in a cloud of brimstone.

In the span of a few heartbeats, all the errands are done, and he's returned. Kurt pauses, watching Meggan before coming to stand beside her, his tail swishing gently. "Done, und done. I'll let you unpack your things yourself." How kind!

Reaching for a small handful of chocolate bunnies, Kurt sets them into the baskets, his tail swinging forward in a gesture, "More jelly beans for these, Meggan.. you aren't supposed to eat them all." Though, it is true.. he's got a few 'soak off' bags in his room. How could he not? Sweet fang!

"So.. what made you decide to come here? Was it your idea?" "Oh Kurt I am not eating ALL of them," Meggan says with a pout. The bag does seem slightly down on the black ones, though.

Meggan then begins assembling to the spec of Kurt's instructions, distributing modest handfuls of beans into the fluffy simulated grass as she says, "It was! Brian thought it was a splendid thought though. He's been terribly supportive; I suppose he may like the idea of being able to tread mud into the house just a bit more..." Her voice shifts, "Not that I mind some mud but you know what I mean, I'm sure!"

The rabbits are briefly inspected, then distributed. "But really - well, I suppose you'll know how I mean... I feel terribly tired of being so... so..." She trails off, lips pursing. "I'm not sure how to put it..."

Then they are .. together! Maddening, and he's still not able to piece together an entire story. Yet.

Kurt will have to talk with Katzchen...

"Did he know I was here?" It has to be asked! It does! Kurt poses the question casually, keeping his tones light and conversational as he finishes off the baskets in the 'assembly line' with those bunnies. Fluffing the grass, he sets a bow on and a nametag. It's put off into a corner for delivery before the next is taken.

"You feel tired of being so..." he encourages. "Put it anyway you wish, leibchen. I'm pretty sure I'll understand."

"Well," Meggan admits after a little bunny sorting and a few moments of companionable-enough silence, "I didn't want to feel like I had no idea what people were talking about quite so often. I know it's a bit silly and I'm sure I shan't get all of it at once, but I'd like to be a bit more... up to date," she finally concludes.

Kurt exhales in a soft chuff of air before he nods, "Ja.. we'll fill you in," he offers with an encouraging smile. "All you need to is ask, if I don't come running for you." There's a sight.. but it'd certainly be more like 'teleporting for you'. "Mind, life here is quite different than in England. Things move.. quickly here. Blink und you can miss it." There's fair warning.

With that said, now, Kurt holds out his hand for her to take it while gathering up some of the baskets by the handles in the other, and with his tail. "Come with me to deliver? A bunny's work is never done."

"Oh, I'm sure! I'm hoping for it in fact!" Meggan says brightly, and then she slides her arm through several of the baskets, rising them upwards and taking the offered arm.

She looks totally solemn for a moment, other than the pair of white, fluffy rabbit ears emerging from her hair. She nods once, slowly, and bites her lip to visibly restrain more giggling.