2013.03.22 - Closer to the High Seas

Mystic Seaport, Conn.

A quaint little town where it's obvious that those who live there strive to keep time from passing too quickly. The town has narrow streets, houses that aren't much more than bungalos with rocks out front, and boats on trailers are tucked up against the houses, away from the elements.

The closer one gets to the water, one truly begins to walk back through time to the 1800s, the heyday of the seaport. Large, three-masted sailing ships line the quays, moored by thick ropes, the gangways pulled up but for events and tours. Their spars hold the great lengths of canvas, tied with intricate knots and lines.

--

One excited blue, fuzzy elf. Truly excited.

Kurt's signed out the Jeep, and it's not a long drive from Westchester. Particularly when the German is doing the driving; who needs speed limits? The Autobahn doesn't have speed limits! Besides, they're headed east.. towards the water. That siren song for Kurt.

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this before?" He sounds almost insulted, but in that Kurt way. More.. petulant with a german accent. "I can't believe no one told me about this."

All through the trip, Kurt simply can't contain himself. Packing for the short trip was even worse. Plans are, not going to be gone the whole day. It's a scouting mission, take a walk, get brochures.. but nooo.. Kurt's got a chest in the back filled with various pirate things. His hat, however.. his much beloved plumed hat is seated beside him, his tail settled on top so nothing untoward happens to it.

As the highways turn to smaller roads, Kurt follows the signs for Mystic Seaport. The spars of the tall ships can be seen off in the distance, guiding them in. He finds a parking spot; not hard in the still cooler weather, and setting the parking brake, Kurt grabs his hat with his tail and bamfs out of the car rather than simply opening the door and stepping out.

"We're here!"

"We had to make sure we had someone to go with you so we didn't lose you at sea," Bobby teases Kurt a little. In jeans and a long-sleeved shirt today, he's buckled in tight and wearing sunglasses as they drive. He's been joking and talking the whole trip, suggesting several driving games too. He needed some time away from the school so a trip with friends was a good plan. He shakes his head slightly as Kurt BAMFs out of the car, getting out and stretching. "That we are."

Immediately, the hat is set upon his head by his tail, and Kurt looks in his glory. He turns around a couple of times, full revolutions, taking in the sights, the sounds and the smell of the spray of the salt water from the wide ocean beyond. His glowing yellow eyes are bright, the smile that plays upon his face is broad, wide.. and happy.

"I confess, Bobby, that it's a definite possibility that I jump into the water und die a happy man amongst the sailing ship. Or, commit a sin und take one to sail upon the high seas." Coveting. Stealing. Yup.. all covered there.

"Do you think I could convince Warren to buy one?"

Like that'd happen?

"They never had this in Germany."

"Don't you dare, Kurt. I'm the one that'd have to dive in and haul your fuzzy butt back to land," Bobby teases again, walking over to Kurt's side of the car to clap his friend on the shoulder. "I think you can rent one to go sailing on, actually. At least that's what that sign looks like it dsays," he remarks. pointing to a sign hanging off a building farther down the street.

"I don't know," he rubs his chin thoughtfully. "It'd take a lot of work. Probably bribery and scantily clad women too."

"Scantily clad what?"

Usually, Kitty Pryde takes care not to fall asleep on car trips. One half-second slip and she's through the trunk and out on the pavement. Sometimes, though, she really can't help it, and she's spent the last while zzz'ing in the backseat of the jeep, bundled up against the last vestiges of winter cold.

No longer. Now, Kitty Pryde, dressed warmly, is with the two men, looking only a little dazed by the trauma of leaving slumberland. "I didn't think this was that kinda trip, Kurt."

"I can do both," Kurt looks beside him to his friend, the smile simply not going away. "I have ways.." which could sound ominious, or like a B-Grade WW2 movie, with an accent such as his. Even while grinning. "Und it would be cheaper than buying a boat myself."

Kitty's return to the waking world from the land of slumber gains Kurt's attention, and he veritably beams at the littlest X-Man. "Look, Katzchen.. ships!"

Catching Bobby's pointing at the signs, Kurt simply can't contain himself, and in the next second, he's gone, only to reappear ON the wall, next to the sign to be sure that it is indeed saying what it does. It does!

Another *bamf* and he's off the wall and back on the ground, and back with the two. "It does! They do. What do you think.. should we sign up for a tour?" Kurt grins at the pair, pointed canines showing, "Und you can come, just to keep me honest?"

Kurt- on the high seas!

"Nothing," Bobby replies to Kitty as innocently as he possibly can. Kurt just gets a lookat his omininous statement. "You can do both?" he asks, a bit skeptical. "I kind of want to see if you can actually pull it off.

He jumps when Kurt vanishes, looking to Kitty. "I think he had too much coffee today," he jokes, offering Kitty a smile. When Kurt reappears, Bobby stretches. "A tour of one of the boats sounds like it could be fun. And we should probably do it otherwise you'll be tempted to BAMF over to it all day."

The constant bamfing leads Kitty to discreetly wave at the air in front of her face, to try and not breathe in quite so much sulfurous brimstone vapor. She gives Bobby a wry look of joking mistrust, and then turns her attention back towards the gleeful demon.

"Yeah, I'm in," Kitty says, "as long as you promise no 'porting below decks, or we'll all be choking."

A tour!

Manic elf. It could easily be mistaken for an overly caffeinated blue fuzzy, but Kurt is just very excited. "Of course I can. As long as it's not my mother." It wasn't so much that he struck out at the bar that night- it was the fact that his mother was there, and he couldn't possibly trust that the group of women she was with weren't also shape-shifters.

Guh.

"It's not that hard."

Though now, word of a tour comes? "I swear." Crossing his heart with a flourish, he offers a rather large bow, complete with the removal of his hat, in Kitty's direction. Rising, the sailer's tricorn is replaced upon his head with a flip, and he's ready to go. The smile reanimates the blue elf's features, and he's off again, looking for that window in which he can throw money for a tour of that one.. or that one.. or even that one!

"I found it!" And already, he's digging money out to pay for the three of them.

Bobby laughs as Kurt brings up the Mystique incident. "Oh man, we need to have like a scanner for her. Some sort of alarm," he jokes. "And if it wasn't that hard, we wouldn't both be single," he reminds his fuzzy friend. He just looks a bit amused as Kurt gives the flourish and bow. "Good call, Kitty," he says, putting his arms behind his head as they walk. "Which one did you pick, Kurt?"

Kurt's hamminess draws a grin from Kitty, and she gives a more subdued, ironic faux-curtsy in response. She's not quite as, er, dramatic. As Kurt pays, she takes a moment to look around, and probably ruminates on the tragedy of none of these ships having wifi. Oh, well -- she walks with Bobby, hands in the pockets of her coat.

"Ja.. I could have used it in confession, too." The alarm, that is. "She was almost my confessor." Until he got to the 'good parts', and then she simply couldn't resist.

Kurt has tickets in his hand now, and he turns about to hand the tickets out. "Charles Morgan.. a whaler."

Now that he's got the tickets, Kurt is ready to settle down a little. He's assured of a place on board for that tour, and he's beginning to try to contain his excitement. "I think it's because we are too picky, Bobby. Now, you specifically said 'scantily clad girls'.. whom neither of us would bring home." Mind, they can't bring anyone 'home'. "Und we do live in 'mother's basement'. We can't bring them home.. which could be awkward."

Bobby shakes his head. "Sneaky lady," he remarks with a shrug. "We'll get Hank working on it," he assures his fuzzy friend.

Accepting the ticket, Bobby looks it over. "A whaler, huh," he glances to Kitty to see what she thinks of the boat before attention is drawn back to Kurt. "If you think we're picky, Warren must be impossible," he chuckles.

Kitty meets Bobby's gaze when he glances over. "Hey, as long as its whaling days are over," she offers. Then, when the conversation drifts towards scantily clad woman and standards of pickiness, she suppresses and eyeroll, and instead just walks with the boys, waiting to see how long it takes them to remember she's there.

"He has his own place," Kurt reminds him. "He doesn't have to bring them home." He holds up a finger in the air, "Thus, not having to be too picky." Though.. "There is a girl, however, that has caught his eye." And his, but.. "She's very cute, but I don't think she'd fall under the category of 'scantily clad'."

Now, Kurt knows that Kitty's there, and he leans to poke at her with his tail. "Ja.. whaling days are done, but.." and he extends a hand out as they approach the gangplank and tourguide. ".. can you imagine going out on the water, the sails billowing in der wind, und looking for a fluke? A blow of spray."

Kurt's exuberance carries, and he calls out happily, "Guten Abend, mein Herr.. Three, bitte.."

The tourguide, for his part, watches the trio, keeping his expression carefully schooled, though he can't help but .. STARE at the blue-furred.. creature in a pirate's hat. "Um.."

"Not having to doesn't mean he still isn't," Bobby replies. He arches a brow at the mention of Warren finding a girl though. "Has he now? This sounds like someone I need to meet," because he's protective of his Wing-Bro.

Bobby knows Kitty is around too. He's idly wondering how long it'll be until she yells at them both. "So we're going whale watching instead," he says with a grin.

When they arrive and Kurt brings the stares, Bobby flashes a grin. "Hey there. Three of us for the tour. Don't mind our friend here, he's a big fan of the boat. Nice outfit by the way, so let's get this tour going and hope it doesn't turn into Gilligan's Island," he says with a laugh. "Even if our lovely lady friend here does have the fabulous movie star good looks," he remarks, flashing a smile Kitty's way again.

Kurt's tail pokes Kitty once, and then pokes empty (but sort of tingly) air the rest of the time. Kitty's still there, just not quite so solid in the poked region. "Sorry, Bobby," Kitty says, with a gently amused smile, as if she's used to this kind of stuff, "but if your plan was to get me, how was it, scantily clad, you blew it as soon as the phrase 'New England in March' came into play."

"Ja, he does. Unless he blows it. Then, I get my chance." Which Kurt is very much hoping, even though he does support his friend. And if, by chance, Warren does get the chance to date her? He'll continue to be the obnoxious friend that bamfs in to the penthouse without warning. "But she's a very nice girl."

Kurt allows Bobby to start the chatting, and the tour guide nods his head slowly. "This one stays on the mooring lines, but those over there," and the guide points to slightly smaller ships, but still as elegant, "They do the two day, three day cruises."

Kurt's tail does, indeed, find resistance only once, and he grins as his fur tingles as he pokes through what is there, but not really. "Ja.. she is our Ginger.. or is that Mary Ann? I always thought she was cuter." He pauses, then leans to stage-whisper to Kitty, "Would it help if it were New England in June?" Just kidding!

Bobby laughs. "Planning on being Mr. Rebound?" he teases Kurt, giving him a playful nudge with his elbow. "I'll have to ask him about her when we get back. Gotta talk to him about something anyway," he murses.

Bobby nods as the tour guide explains, looking at the boat. "Sounds good, sounds good. We're staying moored today I believe," he looks to Kurt for confirmation.

That statement from Kitty just gets a scandalized look from Bobby. "Kitty! Whyever would you think I would suggest such a thing?" he asks. He knows why but it really wasn't the plan.

"Sorry, Kurt, Bobby," Kitty says, with a smirk. "I mean, I /can/ relate to one thing you guys are talking about. I'm too picky." Then she returns her attention to the tour guide, pointedly but without annoyance or malice.

"Absolutely. I have no shame."

Kurt looks to the tour guide and nods at words, looking down a couple of the moorings where gestured. "Later, then.. I'll get the card und get tickets."

Now, Kurt gets to go up the gangplank, and once on board ship, looks out over the water on the other side. "You should be picky, Katzchen. If you are not, I will be for you." And Bobby, no doubt.

The tourguide, once convinced that no harm will come to either him or the ship, begins to give the history of the ship, from it's time as a whaler on.

Kurt listens, and with half an ear, really doesn't. As he walks the decks, he's fascinated with the masts, and there's that look in those yellow eyes as he glances towards Bobby and Kitty. They know that look.. the one where the blue elf simply can't help himself but do.. something.

bamf bamf

Kurt disappears only to reappear in one of the spars on the mainsail.. rather high up in the sails. "Arrrr!!"

"Oh, that just makes the prank options open up," Bobby teases. He smiles at Kurt's statement, figuring that would be the case. He knows the elf wouldn't pass up a chance to take one sailing. Another nod is offered when Kurt mentions being picky for Kitty. Bobby'd be right there helping be picky and icing down anyone that didn't fit the bill.

He doesn't pay a lot of attention to the tourguide but manages to look like he is. Instead he lets his thoughts wander to boat and pirate based jokes to use later. Of coursw that familiar look from Kurt just brings a smile to Bobby's face and he looks up at the first BAMF. "Having fun up there, Captain Bluebeard?"

Kurt laughs, not worrying or even bothering to hold on. He doesn't need to! "This is great!" He flourishes a 'pretend' sword in his hand, and looks towards the bow. "It is everything I'd imagined it would be." Even the Danger Room doesn't come close to the feel of it all.

Once more, and Kurt teleports back down to the decks, his smile broad as he faces the pasty-white tour guide. That.. that apparently wasn't expected.

"I was born in the wrong century, truly." Of course, the chances are good that the mobs wouldn't have let him live.. they would have succeeded where modern mobs failed. But he's not about to even think about that.

"I am sorry.. mein Herr.. I didn't mean to interrupt." But everything is so cool!

Bobby couldn't stop smiling even if he wanted to. All that energy and exuberance is infectious as always. He sends the tour guide a quick apologetic look. "Don't say that, Kurt. If you were born in another, we'd be without our favorite blue elf," he says, putting on a mock pout.

"We get this a lot.." the guide offers. "Well, not -this-, this.. but.. this.." he ends a little lamely.

Kurt is looking now in ever nook and cranny, playing with the belaying pins and just being a general.. tourist. Yellow eyes lift to the far mast, and he grins as he leaps straight in the air, doing a quick backflip, tucking.. backwards before grabbing the lower spar and pushing himself up to the higher.

"I would take you with me, Bobby.. we would do well on the high seas! I wish there was a way to go back." But, being X-Men..? There's, oddly enough, always a chance of it happening.

"Und how could I deprive that world, that time of my presence? My name will be feared und loved.. not necessarily in that order."

"Yeah, you're not the first to have this reaction, dude," Bobby offers to the tour guide. "On the bright side, we tip well," he offers, trying to get a laugh. He finds a place to lean as he watches Kurt, getting an idea. "Oh, I get to come too? Well I approve of that," he calls, laughing. "And how do we know there wasn't already another one of you back then?" he jokes. "And catch!" he calls, pulling a bit of mutant magic and forming an icy pirate sword for Kurt. He makes sure his friend is ready for it before tossing it his way. To complete the costume of course.

"Does he always do this?" The tourguide shakes his head, a quiet chuckle sounding at the promise of a tip. "As long as he doesn't break anyth- oh, hey!"

Bobby's ice-sculpted sword gains a whoop of pleasure from the blue fuzzy elf, and Kurt nods his head, calling out from his perch, "Of course you do! You can be.." First mate and XO? Cabin boy? Ship surgeon? "Oh.. well, Warren would want to be in the crow's nest as lookout.."

Hee.

Catching the sword easily in hand, Kurt's out on the spars, and ready to go higher, now that he's got his prop. Brandishing it, Kurt gives it a couple test *swooshes* and finds it acceptable. "XO, then? Navigator?"

"When he gets excited, yes," Bobby replies, going back to leaning. "And don't worry, he's as good with a sword as he is with the porting around. He won't cut anything he isn't supposed to," he adds casually. "Yeah, we stick him in the Crow's nest," Bobby agrees about Warren. "XO, first mate, second in command to the fearsome fuzzy pirate Kurt," he replies with a grin.

"Done!"

Kurt does just that.. takes to teleporting around, never truly staying in one spot too long. Just long enough for the view before he's at the large navigation wheel. He's got sword in tail now as his three-fingered hands grasp the wheel. Glowing yellow eyes peer across decks and he grins. "Captain Bluetail. Do you think I could be the Dread Pirate Roberts? Would they buy it?"

Probably not..

Still, Kurt knows he's being something of a nuisance.. and his sword is starting to freeze to the fuzz on his tail. He teleports back and looks to his friend. "Should we go below decks to look at the cannon," (there's that eerie glow to his eyes there!) "..or give this poor man some rest und we'll come back early one morning.. und make sure we get a cruise?"

"No, I don't think we can put you and dread together and make it work," Bobby remarks, teasing Kurt. "Captain Bluetail is a good one though," he adds. He pushes off his leaning spot and offers to take the sword if Kurt's getting too cold. "As tempting as it would be, we should probably not stress our friend here out by combining you and cannons without more people to help me keep you from opening fire," he jokes. "The cruise sounds pretty good."

"Nope, no cannons. Whaler," the guide reminds. Still, he really wouldn't mind it if the tour was cut a little short. Thanks for the warning, guys! And the consideration!

Kurt looks disappointed there are no cannon, but he's never down for long. He's on a cool ship!

Passing over the slowly melting sword that his tail still holds, he wags it soon after to try and get some feeling back it from the cold. "Then, Captain Bluetail it is. Und we have some of our crew." Perfect. "We just need a navigator.. Katzchen, perhaps. Logan gets lost walking around the back yard.."

Kurt claps his friend on the shoulder and has it remain there as he's ready to head back to the Jeep. "I'll call tomorrow to make reservations, und put it on Warren's card." As if he has Warren's credit cards?

Bobby tosses the sword overboard into the sea to let it melt among the waves. He'd help Kurt warm up if he couldd but for now he just nods. Taking out some bills, he gives that tour guide the tip he mentioned earlier before leading the way back towards the jeep. "Kitty would be a better choice. Logan's the guy that'll drink all the rum," he says with a laugh. "And maybe let Warren know before you charge to his card."

This is shaping up to be a hell of a cruise..

"Warren likes surprises," Kurt smirks as they depart the boat, and he dances along the gangplank over the brief distance of water to the docks. "I can't believe I didn't know about this place before." He shakes his head and whistles before he bamfs once again, landing in the driver's side, and pulls out his keys. "I'm sure Warren had to know.. und so, it's only fair he buy the cruise." Nothing like having a filthy rich friend!

"Scantily clad women und.. lots of drink.."