The Tour Guide

[Pan]

A day had passed since his meeting with headmaster Ethan Daniels. That evening, he and Rob wasted no time packing their few belongings away and checked out of their motel first thing the following morning. By the time the bell rang for the day's first lesson, they were already settling into their new home, the institute for gifted youngsters. Later that day, they were both scheduled to have a further meeting with the headmaster to discuss their future in the school.

Duncan was alone in his room. Following breakfast Rob turned into a sparrow and took off out the bedroom window. He'd already unpacked his things but Duncan was content to live out his suitcase, at least until he'd amassed a large enough mountain of dirty clothing on the bedroom floor. The grounds were quiet except for a game of soccer being overseen by one of the teachers. There was a crackle followed by a bang and a bright red flash lit up the sky outside. A whistle blew. Outside, two boys were brawling on the grass but the teacher quickly broke it up.

The view was fantastic from his bedroom window but Duncan wasn't content with staying indoors. He wrapped a thick woollen scarf around his neck and pulled on a scruffy denim jacket. He found his room keys inexplicably inside on of Rob's dirty socks and headed out.

His room was on the third floor and he took the main stairs. Getting up the stairs was easy, even with a suitcase but he found getting downstairs a real task. He gripped the rail and slowly descended the staircase, guaging the distance for each step. His hoofs had no grip against the recently varnished floor, with each step there came a thud and occassionally, a squeak as he slipped and scratched the wood. At first, he tried whistling to relax and get the job done but it was too distracting and he had resorted to coaching himself with words of encouragement.

"Easy now, boy. Steady. Ok, next step. Whoops! Alright. Steady... steady... and..."

And suddenly, the bells rang signalling the end of lessons. One such bell was right over his head and startled him so much that he lost his footing and tumbled down the last flight of stairs. He tried to stop himself from falling with one hand while the other made sure his kilt remained strategically in place. He landed awkwardly on the hard floor.

"Christ Almighty!" he groaned and rubbed his hindquarters.

[Sidney Burns]

"Are you okay?"

A plume of smoke wisped from underneath the stairs, the dim orange glow of a cigarette flaring before a gloved hand stubbed it out on the wall. Sidney eyed the boy curiously -- another newbie, but this one was at least interesting to look at. She remained seated under the stairs, dark eyes fixed on Duncan.

[Pan]

"Ey?"


Duncan shifted his weight to see where the voice came from. He was suprised that someone had been sat there so quietly and even more suprised by her appearance. He didn't let that show. She didn't move.

"I'm just great. Nothing like starting your day with a wee catastrophe."

He returned his attention to getting off the floor. He pushed up with both arms, his legs flailed and hooves slid against the floor. He crashed back onto his rear. He tried again, legs kicking this way and that. In the end, he resigned and turned to the girl, who was watching him intently.

"Would ya give us a hand, lass?"

[Sidney Burns]

She shifted, pressing the spent cigarette butt against the bare purple skin of her arm. There was a faint sizzle as it disappeared into her flesh. She got to her feet, moving in front of him and holding out a hand. A slight smile appeared on her lips.

"It could be worse."

[Pan]

"Aye, that it could. I coulda ended up with me horns stuck in the floor and me kilt over me head. A fine sight that woulda been. I wonder where you'd have put out your cigarette then!"

He returned her smile and took her hand, after some difficulty he stood up. He didn't let go of her hand, instead he shook it.

"Cheers. I'm Duncan, by the way, but most people call me Pan. And who might you be?"

[Sidney Burns]

"Sidney. But most people call me Sid."

She shook his hand, a little ackwardly, pulling away and clasping both hands behind her back. Mentally, she was kicking herself for sounding like such a dork. She sighed, rocking back on her heels. So much for looking cool.

[Locksmith]

"And Sid shouldn't have to be reminded that there is no smoking on school grounds," a stern voice called from behind her. "Except, of course, that which comes naturally to her."

It was John Parker, the school's caretaker as well as being one of the teachers, among other roles. Treading as lightly as he could upon the wooden floor, the heavily-built, bearded man approached with a small grin. "Sorry about that, guess I might have over-done it on the floor polish, there."

[Pan]

"Ah, it's nay problem."

Duncan folded his arms and inspected the floor.

"Ya did a fine job, man. A fine job. At least I get to see me pretty face when I land on it. I may have scratched ya good work a bit on me way down, though."

He stared at him for a moment, looking him up and down, head to toe, and smiled.

"You're a big fella. What do they call you at home?"

[Locksmith]

"Anything but late for dinner," John replied, a grin playing on his face. "But seriously, I'm Johnathan Parker, call me John. Actually, I'm only one of the Johns around here, but I'm sure you'll meet the other later."

Extending his thick hand, he nodded his greeting, "Good to meet you, you must be Duncan. Ethan said we'd had a new member join the staff, he must have meant you. And, I see you've already met Miss Burns." Turning to her, John nodded hello as well, having already forgotten about the cigarette.

[Sidney Burns]

The girl turned a slightly deeper shade of purple, but said nothing. She did move to Duncans' side, just in case John slipped on the floor as well.

[Pan]

"Aye, Miss Burns here saved me from looking the fool before the rest of the student body. Wouldn't have made a good first impression now so we'll have to keep this wee incident our secret, right Sid?"

She stood by his side now, and John backed up against a wall as a stampede of youngsters thundered through the corridoor. Duncan watched them pass by, teenagers of all different shapes and colours and sizes. He grinned as the last one disappeared round a corner.

"It's nice to see so many different people from different backgrounds living under one roof without even a hint of discrimination. How long--"

He cut himself off suddenly and asked, "I was about to have a bit of a walk, you know, peruse the grounds and that. Would you both care to join me?"

[Veritas]

An accelerating sound of wood and wingtips clacking on the tiles had made it to the staircase, and Henri Broussard gruffly pushed his spectacles up as he leaned on his walking cane.

"What is the ruckus?"

[Sidney Burns]

<i>"Oh lovely."</i>

It took all her strength to keep her eyes from rolling - her normally quiet day was turning into something else entirely. Sid shook her head as Professor Broussard approached them.

"No ruckus here, sir. Just about to play tour guide."

[Veritas]

"Good then. I am too slow to play babysitter, mademoiselle."

He looked to Pan.

"I've not been introduced. My name is Henri. Are you enrolled in my history lecture?"

[Pan]

Duncan gave Sid a fleeting glance with an expression of thanks after she'd covered up for him. He didn't want to endure the tale of his tumble yet again. He shook the Frenchman's hand, his skin was rough.

"Duncan," he replied, "I'm not enrolled for any lectures, to be honest, man. Mister Daniels has taken me on as a member of staff. Isn't this a school for youngins, anyway?"

[Veritas]

"Not exclusively." Henri replied with a quirk of the brow.

"We provide education at multiple levels of proficiency."

[Locksmith]

"That we do," John agreed. "For instance, Henri here keeps trying to teach me how to play chess better, but I don't think I've got the head for it. Good morning Henri, I trust you're ready for the new school year."

Turning back to Duncan and Sidney, the large man clapped his hands together in front of himself, then asked, "Well, if you're looking for a tour guide, I'd suppose there's not many people here at the school who know the building quite as well as I do, and Miss Burns will definitely be able to give you the younger perspective to the campus. So, what would you care to see first? And, I might suggest we use the elevator, helps keep the stairs out of... danger." He hesitated on the last word, not wishing to spread his already damaged reputation father than it had gone.

[Pan]

"Well, I'm easy. Lead the way!"

He felt suddenly surrounded and out of his depth. In truth, he had no idea what the school had to offer in terms of both education and facilities. He decided to play this one by ear and find out as much as he could about the Cullen Institute.

"Fancy a wee stoll, Henri?"

[Veritas]

Henri hefted his cane slightly.

"If a slower pace does not bore you."

[Pan]

"Nah, it'll be alright. Besides, if you fall behind, I'm sure Little John here will give ya a piggy back."

He turned to John.

"So, where to?"

[Locksmith]

Little John. Funny, in all his life he'd never been called that one before. Still, Duncan pressed a valid question. Where to? There wasn't much on the second floor but more living quarters and classrooms. Oh, and the library, too. Well, if Duncan was going to be a member of staff, that probably meant he'd get a classroom, too.

"I presume you've seen the living quarters, most of them are prettymuch the same, so, shall we take a look at the classrooms? Henri, mind using yours for an example, if there isn't anyone else using it at the moment, that is?" John asked.

[Veritas]

"There is nothing scheduled this early."

Broussard hobbled on ahead, fiddling with a key on a nearby door.

"This is for historical lecture, english, grammar, civics, and economics."

Inside was an unconventional room, with comfortable seats, warm colors, and rich hardwood bookshelves full of tomes of interest. There was a polished wooden podium, and a large plasma screen behind it. It seemed less a classroom and more a relaxed living room environment.

[Locksmith]

"Henri here has one of the better classrooms," John announced. "At least for lectures and whatnot. Keep meaning to sit in on one of your lessons, but the opportunity never seems to come up."

Deep down, John was actually a bit jealous of Henri, and his respect from the students. They actually thought of him as a teacher, and listened when he talked. Not to mention his powers allowed him to maintain a cheating-free environment, something that John struggled with in his own classes.

[Sidney Burns]

Sid followed behind the three teachers (although she couldn't see what Duncan could teach anyone if he couldn't even walk down the stairs...) with a light sigh, hands stuffed into her pockets. Being in a classroom just reminded her of the mountain of studying she had left in her room...

[Pan]

"Well, I can say this much, Henri. I bet you don't find any half-chewed gum stuck underneath your tables and chairs."

His arms were folded. He walked casually across the room and sat himself down on the most comfortable looking chair. He sighed.

"Back home, they wouldn't call this place a school. They'd call it a bloody mansion."

He noticed Sid looking a little alienated, standing with her back to the wall not saying a word.

"What do you study, Sid? Do you enjoy history lectures in the lap of luxury with Mister Broussard?"

[Sidney Burns]

"Uhhhmmm."

There was a pause, one that lasted longer than it should have.

"History's okay, I guess. Some classes are more interesting than others. I'm trying to take a little bit of everything."

[Pan]

"Sounds like a sound plan. I never got to enjoy a proper education so I might just take advantage of living in a school. In fact, if you ever have a wee bash at Scottish history, give us a shout, Henri."

He looked across the room at John, who gingerly shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"And what does a big man such as yourself teach around here?"

[Locksmith]

"Me?" John asked, then snapped back to reality. "I teach applied mechanical sciences, as well as theory of pysical energy. My classroom is the garage at the other end of the school." He jerked his thumb back over his shoulder.

"I'm only sort of a part-time teacher, though. I do other things around the campus."

[Pan]

"Really?" Duncan said, enthused. He sat upright in his chair.

"Me ma always said that a good man should be good with his hands. Now, I can't make a paper aeroplane, let alone build a machine or fix a car engine but I'd like to give it a go. If it's not too much of a bother, mate, could I sit in ya next lesson?"

[Locksmith]

To say John was suprise would have been an understatement. No one ever volunteered for his classes anymore. Oh, they used to, but now it seemed they'd all gone to wanting to learn computers instead of cars. "Uh, uh, sure. Yes, please, anytime," he stammered. "I've, um, got a class at two today, then another at four. At least those are my regular classes, I'm also responsible for helping out in the gym, too. Weightlifting and all that."

[Veritas]

"Well, I can say this much, Henri. I bet you don't find any half-chewed gum stuck underneath your tables and chairs."

"Of course not." Henri replied matter-of-factly. "I have a knack for getting to the bottom of things. Mademoiselle Burns can tell you that we learn first, and play later. Our lecture halls may be cozy, but I expect sharp minds."

This fellow, for whatever reason, was rubbing Henri's sensibilities the wrong way. Coming on far too strong. Some people just laid first impressions on thick, but Henri had a natural suspicion of such behavior.

"You mentioned becoming a staff member, monsieur. What is your curriculum?"

[Sidney Burns]

Sid had managed to wander her way into the room, plonking down in one of the chairs. She rested her head on one hand, the other drumming loudly on the plush arm of her seat.

[Pan]

"Me curriculum?" Duncan repeated with incredulity. He laughed.

"Well, we'll be finding that out later, won't we? Perhaps, I'll make a good dance instuctor. What do you think, Sid? I can do a smart Fox Trot."

Slouched in his chair, he gave her a wink, she looked thoroughly bored and he felt for her. He wondered if she saw him as a teacher or a peer.

"Henri, you've succeeded in making me green with envy," he said jovially, "I only hope that should I ever find meself teaching in a classroom, it will be half as nice as this place. But I reckon we should press on before Sid begins to snooze."

He pulled himself up out the seat and looked down at her, smiling.

"It's ladies' choice."

[Sidney Burns]

"I guess we could go to the gym, or walk around the grounds. Maybe watch some of the students training."

Watching the other kids play around with their powers was probably the most interesting thing to do, in Sids' opinion, on campus. You were almost guaranteed to see a fight or goof-up.

"That's kind of interesting."

[Veritas]

"Perhaps the gymnasium would be a change of pace."

Henri nodded along to young Sidney's idea.

"In addition to an exacting educational curriculum, we offer sport and fitness activities to keep our students in athletic shape and hone a competitive edge."

It was a field that Henri no longer was able to enjoy, but it was obvious that he once did it quite often.

The group headed down the hallway, leading to an open area, marked by larger double doors.