Players:
Summary: Skyler returns to the Mansion and all but begs Emma for a place to stay.
Date: April 30, 2012
Log Title: Returning Home (Sort Of)
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Emma Frost's Office
Miss Frost's office is not as white as one would expect, however it does present an overall theme in the room. Using a classic den/office style structure from the building, the hardwood floor has been mostly covered from entry to desk with a white carpet that has been decorative bordered in an ivy-pattern, with the center having a delicately done floral arrangement. Two plush white leather chairs sit slightly staggered and angled facing a white marble topped desk of dark-stained oak, the Xavier Academy logo in front emblazoned in a polished steel. Atop the desk is materials for physical writing as well as a dual-monitor computer system that seems keyboardless, instead having a single mouse-like interface device. To the right are a pair of striated white marble book-cases filled from top to bottom, in the center of the pair a marble fireplace that burns sedately despite the time or season.
The left wall has a series of file cabinets sitting next to another computer desk, this one with a standard keyboard and mouse with the academy logo floating sedately on the screen. Next to those is a table where mail seems to be laid out next to a carafe of what is either coffee or tea, and a small pile of cookies, which seems to vary day by day. Behind the carafe is a small containers for sugar, fresh cream, and honey.
Behind the desk is a bank of windows facing northwards, running practically from wall to wall, bordered on both sides by silver-embroidered sheer silk cloth, so even when drawn you can make out details outside, and so long as day is present, line pours in to give the room a sense of warmth. For the times when more light is required, it comes from the vaulted office ceiling from a tasteful-looking light and fan combination. Just behind the desk and on the right side is a second door with a hand-print scanner.
It's been a long time since Skyler was last at the Mansion. Five years by his reckoning, although less time by everybody else's standards. One of the first things he did after he came back (and after he established that he was, indeed, in the right place) was to contact the headmistress to meet with her. So here he is, wearing the body of a random young adult, some blonde kid in his late teens, knocking on the door of the office waiting for his audience with Emma.
As with anyone else dealing with Emma Frost, they find themselves usually as a disadvantage. So when the door is about to be knocked upon, it pops open before the knuckles fall against it. From inside, the sound of a video-conference can be heard, which is then just as immediately paused before a prim Bostonian accented voice says, "Mister St. James… Can I help you with something? Come in." The video conference is turned back on, and a few more comments are made, before the backward faces of several boardmembers can be seen vanishing, with the logo for Frost's own private company noted at the base. She remains at her desk, like as normal, remains of a dinner sitting to one side on a silver tray.
Skyler somehow manages to not pitching himself face forward while trying to knock on a door that's suddenly open, but otherwise looks just as silly standing there with his fist raised. He blinks and lowers his hand slowly. "Yes," he says, stepping through and closing the door behind him. "I'm actually kind of hoping you can." He rubs the diamond shaped red tattoo that's in the middle of his forehead absently as he speaks. "I've… uh… been away a while and, well, I was hoping that you can get me back on my feet."
"Funny…" Emma replies, "Those look to be comfortable shoes." And pushing up off her position at the desk, she comes around to face the young man, tilting her head to one side, before shaking it and putting up a hand, "To be clear, since you are pulsing off enough mental static to make me wonder about your sanity… You're not sure if you're our Skyler, but you're A Skyler… or at least that is the surface thought you were blaring out from half the campus away." Leaning back against the desk, her arms cross under her bosom, "So… what do you require?"
Skyler stifles a snort at Emma's joke, but can't help but wince as Emma calls him out on his thoughts. "Yeah, sorry. It's been chaotic," he apologizes as he tries to keep his thoughts in order so that he isn't psychically shouting as best he can. "Room," he says, "A computer with a decent internet connection so I can catch up on what I missed. Maybe a job, although I'm not entirely sure what I can do."
Emma sniffs once, "Well, never let it be said that a normal live was what any of us truly want. If that was the case, you'd not have returned here." And then coming back around to the other side of the desk, she begins to input some commands into the school database, "Three things easy enough to consider… however… given that after your disappearance… your college qualifications might be a bit thin. What would you consider within your professional purview?"
Skyler laughs lightly and leans against the back of one of the chairs bracing against it with his hands. "Yeah, well, compared to the places I've been this is normal," he says, grinning. "And my college qualifications were a bit thin to begin with anyway, so I haven't rally lost much ground there. Professionally…. I don't know. Before I was… had left I wanted to be a professional actor. I ended up in espionage. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind for myself, but it turned out I had a knack to it." He shrugs, "Maybe you need a drama coach? Or a counselor? I'm good at understanding people." The teenaged boy looks up to the Headmistress with a look that says he's probably more lost than he's ever been. "I think that's part of the reason why I'm here. I never really though I had a future and, now that I do, I need to figure out what to do with it."
There's a slight scowl from the woman, not one of distaste, but more one of consideration as she looks over her desktop interface for a long moment, and then tilts her head from one side to the other. Emma looks back up at the young man for a moment longer, "The counselor positions require a degree, I am afraid… and that is simply for people who are constantly background checking the staff here. While I can get away with some under the table for our security staff, I cannot say the same for someone who is going to be interacting with the students so often." Another couple of taps on the display, "The same could be said for a teaching position… I do however have two positions here you could fill… with only a minimal amount of skills training…"
There's a glimmer of hope in Skyler's eyes. "Anything. I'll scrub toilets at this point in time. Anything's better than…" «being asked to kill somebody» comes the thought to the forefront of his brain unbidden, but never vocalized. "… than what I was doing."
An eyebrow goes up, and the missed words are quite plainly felt and heard, and then with a motion of her hand, the screen is projected onto the wall, "Well then…" Emma goes on, "We've need of a Librarian for not only our physical library, but also the online content… alternatively…" This time her mild quirk of the mouth is about the young body, "We've also need of a lifeguard… it would be a double-duty position between working pool side, and then doing medical data entry for the student database. We've fallen slightly behind on records and filing."
Skyler's brows furrow doubtfully. "Lifeguard? Don't you need to know CPR for that?" His eyes shift upwards to the ceiling in thought, absentmindedly rubbing the tattoo again. "Though, if I recall correctly it isn't that difficult to get into a class." He mulls this over some more before coming to a conclusion. "I think, at the end of the day I'd rather be outside keeping an eye on the students than stuffed in a room with some books. I mean, I like books and everything but…" he trails off before shaking his head. "I like being around people," he finishes lamely.
"Actually, you're more afraid of being alone. I do not need to read your mind to see that. Most of those who come back are because they cannot find a place outside that makes sense." Emma replies with a wave of her hand to forestall the young man's continued comments, "CPR is easily done, certification can be completed within about a week by our on-staff physicians… and of course you will have to do basic swim tests. Understand… your duties are not only for the pool. But the cove and boating areas as well. That means you will need to check yourself out on all the equipment, check it all for wear, order replacements…" Ticking off her fingers as she goes on, she stops and looks at Skyler, "You will also be in charge of any students who are going to lifeguard during the summer time… this is not simply you sitting on a high chair with zinc on your nose staring down bikini tops. This is work. And work I expected to be treated with all seriousness."
Skyler's smirk from the idea of zinc on his nose is wiped off immediately. "Yes. Of course. Totally serious." He pauses before shaking his head. "Well, mostly serious, in any case. Thank you for helping."
Behind her desk, something begins to hum, and Emma goes to where a small printer is ensconced and brings up… of all things… an application! This is handed to the young man, and she says, "Then you can begin by filling this out. Requirements. Until we come to the interview phase, you are free to stay in guest quarters… and we can check you out for a school laptop until we can advance your first paycheck for items of your own."
Skyler peeeers at the application, opening his mouth as if to object. Then, thinking better on it, he takes it and a pen. He looks at it thoughtfully before asking, "I take it this is for public record, then?"
"It has to be." Is what Emma says to this, and shakes her head, "We are under much public scrutiny with our more recent crop of students… the attention means that every parent, ever prospective sponsor… every would-be nut-job and pariah wants to find a chink on our proverbial armor. My job is to ensure that it never becomes an issue for the students who come to our school, and the parents who put their trust in us."
Skyler nods slowly as he carefully starts to pen out some of the basic information on the application as they talk. When he gets to the box for 'sex' he hesitates. He puts down a careful mark and then, after licking his thumb, carefully smudges it so that, depending on what you're expecting to see you could make out any number of letters there. "Yeah," he says absently. "I've had to find some of those chinks before."
Suddenly, there's a white-gloved hand sitting on top of Skyler's, and a pair of arctic eyes that meet his own, "Take your time in finishing that application. Three or four days will not change a thing. We are not quite back to needing the pool or opening the boat house yet." And then she starts back towards her desk, and sits down with an exhale, "It is not as if we have a deluge of prospective employees at the moment."
Skyler chuckles and sets down the pen. "Sorry. I guess I'm a little anxious," he admits. "I keep finding myself looking for the the one thing that's off, the one thing that will throw everything off kilter, like a bad Twilight Zone episode." He sighs and lets a lazy grin play across his lips, "Besides, the weather has been getting really nice lately. I'm sure the kids can't wait for the pool to open."
Emma hmphs softly, "If you continue to be cheeky, I will make you clean it." Though there is a slight smirk as she brings her screens back in and begins to start tapping away at the screens, "I am assigning a room to you now, and security will provide you with access credentials. Our new security chief is Nathan Summers. With Scott stepping down in his duties, he was more than welcoming his son returning to the campus. You would be surprised… we've quite a good staff this year."
Skyler takes his has his queue to stand. "It's good," he says. "Like all the crows coming home to roost." With another shake of his head he picks up his application. "Oh, uh, one other thing. I left kind of abruptly and left all my things here. I don't really care about any of the clothes and stuff, but there were a few photos that I was hoping to recover…"
Without even looking up, Emma waves her hand an almost absent manner, "Your things are in storage, and once we find them, you will receive them… in time. And no, I will not let you go find them yourself… there's a reason why only certain people are allowed down there. Too many memories, especially for those that we've failed."
Skyler scowls at the thought. "No, that's okay. It's enough for me to know that you kept them. Thank you again for giving me a second chance, Ms. Frost." He sighs and turns to the door. "And now I get to track down my sister, now that I'm sure I'm in the right place. Have a good day."
