Owner	Pose
Shannon	It's about mid-afternoon, on a surprisingly clear day. Though the sun shines on a landscape covered with white, the overall weather is damp, cold, and a bit miserable. It's enough to where Shannon has actually indulged in a little bit of firewood for the small hearth in her room, and has set a small fire to popping and crackling merrily. It lends warmth and comfort to the space, making the young woman seated cross-legged on the ground in front of it, smile. She's in some brown-and-gold striped leggings, a crimson red tunic sweater, and has her feet bare to soak in the warmth of the flames. On a small tray beside her is a carafe, a mug of cocoa, and some snacks. In her lap are her studies for the afternoon. Idly curled up at her left hip and purring, is the black-and-white 'moo' cat which has been her furry little study buddy for the past year and a few odd months. She reaches over to scritch the little guy's ears, chuckling. "You're not helping, you know, being as cute as you are... you little love-bug, you."
Kurt Wagner	There have been classes, but those have finished for the day. Free of the students, Kurt has taken a sidetrip to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water. There was a stop made at his own rooms, to change from his 'teaching clothes' to something a bit more casual, and then he's made his way towards the dorms. He could teleport, but for today he goes on foot until he reaches the closed door of Shannon's room. He's barefooted, wearing dark blue jeans and a light blue t-shirt. His tail swishes behind him, and he lifts a hand to lightly knock on the door. The hallway is relatively quiet, though he may earn a couple of looks just by being there.
Shannon	There's a 'mrrow' from within the room, and the sound of shuffling as someone makes their way towards the door. As she cracks the door open a bit, Shannon's eyebrows loft, and she smiles. "Goten Tag, Herr Wagner!" she exclaims, the pleasant surprise of the visit plain in her voice and face. Down by her feet, a little white kitty face, with the right ear black like a beret atop the little guy's head, peeks out at Kurt. "This is an unexpected pleasure... how are you?"
Kurt Wagner	There's a slight tilt of his head at the 'mrrow' from within, a flicker of curiosity. He didn't realize there was a feline, though its presence doesn't bother him at all. He waits, patiently, for his knock to be answered, and when it is, he greets her with a smile. "Ah, guten nachmittag, mein dame," Kurt greets her, giving a nod to her. His gaze falls to the kitty, and he crouches to greet the feline as well, with an offering of his hand to be sniffed and, if accepted, a petting of its head. Then he rises once again before giving a nod to her. "I'm doing well, thank you. And how are you?" he asks in turn, his yellow gaze studying her.
Shannon	The feline in question touches his little pink nose to Kurt's finger, taking a cautious sniff. This was one that did not often invade -his- domain. It always belongs to the feline, as it is well-known. Shannon holds her breath for a moment as she watches the interaction, giggling softly when Kurt's greeting is met with a head-bonk, and a kitty kiss. "Doing well, thanks. I was just settling in for some snacks and studying. There's plenty of snacks, if you'd care for some?"
Kurt Wagner	No frequent visitor miles for his punch card! Kurt seldom visits any student to their dorm room, truth be told. This is a bit of an unusual situation. "It would seem that your roommate approves that I visit," he comments, sounding amused. "He will not scamper out, will he...? I would not wish him to escape on account of dallying on the threshold," he adds, quirking a grin that shows those pointed teeth of his. "Studying and snacks are a time-honoured combination. I would not mind sharing your snacks, if you are burdened with an excess of them. I hope I am not intruding?" he asks, tilting his head to one side.
Shannon	Indeed, the feline overlord seems to prefer remaining within his domain, rubbing around Kurt's feet for a moment or two more before heading back inside and over to the fireplace, to curl up and soak in the warmth. Shannon chuckles and steps back to let Kurt in. "Please, I often find myself overburdened with such goodies as cocoa and cookies. Oatmeal chocolate chip today, if that sort of thing suits you?" Tilting her head to one side, she purses her lips ever so slightly. "It's a little odd to have many visitors to my dorm at all, even from among other students. Is everything alright?"
Kurt Wagner	The first bit of kitty rubbing around his feet is a bit surprising, but it brings him to smile, pleased. The furbaby seems to approve of him! Kitty acceptance! It's a wonderful thing to have. He watches the kitty head back inside, and when Shannon moves to allow him entry, he gives a nod to her and a smile. "Ah, danke, mein dame," he says. Then he moves to enter the room, his tail lightly swishing behind him as he does, stepping aside so that she can close the door. "Such terrible things to be overburdened with, tsk," he comments, grinning with the words, "I will have to make it my duty to unburden you of such things, ja." He's quiet for a moment, considering what she said last, and he gives a nod. "It is not a typical habit for me to make such visits. Everything is well, ja, but there is a thing that I would wish to speak with you about, mein dame," he says.
Shannon	Now, that -did- have Shannon worrying somewhat, the lines of it showing between her brows as they beetle together. As she heads back over to the fireplace, she retrieves the tray from the ground, depositing it on the small table between the two chairs nearby. Amongst the things in the room, too, are items that betoken a feline in residence--a cat tree with a nice little 'cave' on the bottom and a platform on top, a decently-sized exercise wheel, a kitty bed at the foot of her own bed, and in the bathroom, one can imagine the more earthy necessities of owning (or being owned by) a cat are present as well. "What is it you wanted to ask?"
Kurt Wagner	The room is given a brief look -- he's not the sort to be too nosy! -- and Kurt steps across the room towards the chairs near to the fireplace. He settles in one of the chairs, his tail flicking, and then he crosses his legs at the knee. He leans a touch, his left arm resting on the arm of the chair. He reaches out with his right hand to claim a cookie from the plate, though he doesn't immediately take a bite from it. He considers things a moment, quiet for that period of time, which is perhaps a touch unusual for him. "There is a man who says he knows you," Kurt begins, tilting his head to one side and lifting his yellow gaze to her, watching her, "and he is camping in the forest some short distance from here."
Shannon	Shannon's eyebrows raise, and she tilts her head. "Which one?" she finally replies, after a moment. "I'd been hoping to have a word with Mr. Rasputin about one, as there would be some similarities in their mother tongue." She settles down in the other chair, plucking a cookie from the plate and nibbling on the edge. The cat, for his part, is purring contently by the fire, with surprising volume. PURRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr....
Kurt Wagner	There might be a slight twitch of an eyebrow at her question. Which one? There's more than one?! He blinks at her. And then he blinks again. He refrains from muttering in German, though only just barely. "As innocent as a lamb, she asks 'which one'," he says quietly to himself. "You will tell me of the other one, mein dame," he says, watching her closely. "I have met one. He wears robes and his native tongue is Mandarin. One of the Bamfs found his camp in scrounging for things, as people are sometimes of the terrible habit to toss trash into the wild spaces such as the forest. So I went to meet him. He has been to the wall. He agrees not to mess with it, at least, but he has sensed that it was created by a greater power," he says in a thoughtful tone. "When did you first meet him?" he asks, curious.
Shannon	Shannon can tell the restraint it takes for Kurt to not make use of more 'conversational' German, and she just chuckles softly. "Please, Herr Wagner, I've heard you cursing in the medbay, it won't shock me. I mixed up 'Bunsen' burners for about three weeks afterwards in science class."      Her good-natured humor is tempered by the seriousness of the moment, the young woman taking a few seconds to gather her thoughts. "It sounds like the one you're describing is Xiang Zhao. I've been meaning to try and find him again, because I need to get his guqin back to him. He left it behind in Apple Park by mistake, and I didn't want to see anything happen to it, so I took it with me." Indeed, next to her bed, there is a cloth-wrapped item, some feet long, and about a foot or so wide. "I don't think he realizes he's that close to a school for mutants, and I certainly wasn't going to say a word about it, either. The only thing I've told him is that I'm studying for my state EMT exam, with an eye towards medical school later--which is the truth. I first met him in Bushwick around the end of January, not long after the 'Cure' had been rather forcefully distributed. He met me without wings first, and got to see their return later."      Taking a breath, she nibbles on the cookie a little more, taking a moment to savor the sweet treat, with a warm smile. "The other one I've seen, albeit a few less times, is Vitali. He's a healer, a bit like me, though he works with water to accomplish his work. He's been camping very close by as well. It's made me a little wary of going out on my morning runs, because I don't want to lead him back to the school. I don't believe he would harm anyone, but I also think perhaps one of the teachers might want to step in on this one." She smiles a bit more. "As it turns out, his mother tongue is Russian, so I was hoping to approach Mr. Rasputin first. I mentioned him to Vitali as a friend, but again, said nothing about the school. First ran into him around mid to late February, and it's also a meeting that Pixie was present for. It would be good to ask her as well."      She tilts her head and reaches for the mug on the tray, and the carafe, moving to offer them to Kurt. "What else would you want to know about them?"
Kurt Wagner	The fact that he earns Shannon's 'permission' to use some of the unsavoury words of his native tongue isn't necessarily a helpful thing. He really tries not to swear! In any language. And he stares at her for a long moment at the mention of the confusion of words. Oh, dear. There's definitely a twitch of one of his ears at that, though if there's any colour that comes to his cheeks it's at least hidden by his natural colouration. And he takes a bite of the cookie, which buys him a moment to think for longer. And then he gives a slight shake of his head once the bite has been chewed up and swallowed. "As much as it would not shock you to hear such words, I prefer not to use them," he admits, perhaps a touch sheepish in manner. He inclines his head towards her when she mentions the man's name. "Ja, Xiang Zhao is the name that he gave me," he says, a smile tugging around the corners of his lips. "I did not mention the school, but I did seek to reinforce the notion that the wall was likely there for a purpose and best not prodded in any way," he comments, a thoughtful tone to his voice. Words need to be a careful choice in regards to the school. "I don't think he is aware of or has any guess as to what may lie beyond the wall, which is a good thing. Jean and Scott should perhaps be advised so that they might make their own assessment," he muses, then takes another bite of the cookie to savour. As she speaks of the other man, he tilts his head a bit to one side, listening attentively before giving a small nod. "A healer who uses water to accomplish the task sounds interesting. Different, as well. They may have questions beyond the scope of the small visit that I made. Especially since my visit was only to one of them, and I did not see a sign of another," he says in a thoughtful tone. "They are both close, and both largely unknown, including their intentions. Their proximity is of some small concern, but I have no wish to send or chase them off without a need or a reason."
Shannon	Shannon nods slowly, and sighs, rubbing her temples. "I dislike the thought of spooking them unnecessarily, but I'm also thinking it's better they know. I'm curtailing my morning runs in favor of visits to the gym instead until this is resolved. I'd just as soon not lead them back here, even accidentally." She pours herself a bit of cocoa, tucking her feet up beneath her on the chair as she sips the steaming, dark, sweet concoction. "While they did not seem to have ill intentions, I have to defer to Mr. Summers' and Miss Grey's far more extensive experience in this matter. As I did allude to Mr. Rasputin to Vitali as a fellow speaker of his mother tongue, I would also like to suggest the idea of him as a possible contact point."      She pauses, and purses her lips ever so slightly. "I stand a better chance of reaching out to Vitali, than I do Zhao, to arrange for a meeting, should Mr. Summers and Miss Grey deem it necessary to do so. Vitali has an eagle as a companion, who also seemed to rather take a shine to me." She chuckles softly, and smiles a bit. "I think it was the wings. But, at any rate, I would be able to signal to the eagle with a whistle. Her name is Soraya. If she is in range, there is a chance she might answer."      Once again, she sighs softly, shaking her head. "I don't like that this feels like a hint of betrayal of trust, that Zhao and Vitali both placed in me. But I have to think of the school, my friends and family here. Hopefully, they would understand."
Kurt Wagner	"I have no wish to spook either of them, nor to villify them. They have done naught wrong, ja?" Kurt suggests, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Neither of them have come upon the school grounds or sought to damage the wall around the school in any way. These are good things. Zhao has admitted that he has been exploring, which is all well and good, however... what happens if curiosity overcomes caution?" he asks, tilting his head a touch to one side. He doesn't term it as when such happens but instead appropriately as if as the man didn't seem inclined to be poking at the wall anytime soon. He eats the rest of the cookie, weighing certain things out as he does so. "It is something of a challenging situation, ja? They are friends to you and I would not wish them in trouble, but the students and the school must be protected as well. I did not have an ill impression of Zhao, in all honesty. He seemed sincere and was quite hospitable. Since I teleported there and back, he didn't see which direction I went. As much as I might wish it could be otherwise, we should speak with Scott and Jean to see what their opinion is. Piotr is a good addition, as well, especially given that you have alluded to having a Russian friend," he muses, his tone thoughtful. "And if the three of them decide to go visit the men in the forest, then it would be best -- in my opinion -- for you to go as well. You know them, you can approach them first and set them at ease, let them know that there are visitors who are friends, ja?" he suggests. There's a raised eyebrow that comes when she mentions the chances of reaching either of the men camping in the forest, and he tilts his head to one side, watching her. And listening. "An eagle? Interesting. Perhaps if it is decided that a meeting must be then I might be able to escort you from the school so that you might call the eagle and we can both see what happens, ja? If the eagle comes, then perhaps a message can be sent," he says in a thoughtful tone. Shifting, he sits forward and reaches out a hand to lightly touch her hand. "You are not betraying them, mein dame. Imagine, if you will, if they tamper with the wall, ja? What manner of thing would happen to them that would be bad? It is protecting them, and that is what friends do for each other," he says softly, a smile coming to his features.
Shannon	Shannon nods, and reaches out to squeeze Kurt's hand. "I know it needs to be done. It's... a tricky situation. And I know the school needs to be protected. That is priority one." She purses her lips, seeming to think for a moment. "I did, on a very early meeting with Zhao, attempt to direct him to a shelter where he would at least be out of the elements. It seems he prefers being one with nature. I didn't suggest the same to Vitali, as I had no wish to insult him."      She smiles somewhat, sipping her cocoa. "One thing that has me cautiously optimistic is that both recognize and seem to value hospitality, and the ideals that go along with it. And again, I might also add that Pixie has also met Vitali. It couldn't hurt to get her impressions as well."
Kurt Wagner	There's a nod to her, and a smile at that, and he turns his hand to give hers a bit of a return squeeze. He's grateful that she understands, at least. "It is tricky, ja. I do not wish for them to come to harm, but I do not wish for the students to come to harm either, or for there to be some manner of... unintentional conflict between us and them," Kurt says, a thoughtful tone to his voice. He quirks an eyebrow at the mention of the shelters, and he tilts his head to one side. "Nature is peaceful. At least, when it is not storming, for the most part. I can understand the want to remain surrounded by it. You believe that Vitali would have been insulted by the suggestion, had you made it?" he asks, curious. He's quiet a moment, weighing things out some, and then he gives a nod. "I will speak with Pixie as well, if I'm able to make the opportunity for it. I did not meet Vitali, so... I do not have an impression of him, alas. It is good that they value hospitality. Zhao shared his food with me, and willingly so. It was quite good," he says, a smile coming to his features.
Shannon	"Zhao seemed very proud, and Vitali as well. It was a very quiet sort of pride, in that they could provide for themselves while yet having not very much at all. I don't know as Vitali might have been insulted, but I would not want to take that pride, that... is dignity a good word here?... away from him. Or from either of them." She smiles a little bit, rubbing her temples. "Balancing kindness and duty is... tricky. And this is probably only a tiny taste of what Miss Grey and Mr. Summers have to go through every day."
Kurt Wagner	"Ja, he did seem very much able to take care of himself. He made a sort of chicken friend rice, with pheasant. It was very good. He cooks well," Kurt says, a smile easily returning to his features. He gives her hand a light pat as he nods to her. "I think dignity is likely the best word. Perhaps better than pride, ja? To suggest he could not take care of himself properly out in the wilderness, to imply that he is unable to take care of himself without help, well... I cannot imagine someone living in the wilderness if they could not manage it," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice. "There are many things which are a balance, ja? Duty and kindness and loyalty are tricky things. I'm grateful to not need to face all of the things that they do on a daily basis," he comments, giving a soft chuckle.
Shannon	"He does seem to enjoy teaching languages," Shannon remarked. "Zhao, I mean. Though one of the few phrases I can remember is 'xiao meimei'." She laughs a little bit, and takes a good gulp of the cocoa. "I think that translates as 'little sister'. Something he seemed inclined to call me. So I don't think he was truly insulted by the suggestion of a shelter."      For a little while, the young woman is silent, her wings flared out behind her, moving lazily to and fro. "For what it's worth, had you not come to me first, I was already going to approach Mr. Rasputin, and seek his advice, let him escalate the entire thing if need be. This isn't something I wanted to sit on for long."
Kurt Wagner	"He expressed a willingness to teach me Mandarin. It's a language that I don't know. I offered to teach him one of the languages that I know, although I don't think he would have much use for Romani," Kurt comments, giving a soft chuckle. He reaches out to claim on of the cookies, taking a bite and munching on it. "He didn't teach me that one, though he did teach me 'bù kèqì', and I already knew 'xiexie' of Chinese," he comments, quirking a grin and showing his pointed teeth. He chuckles softly, lifting one of his hands to tussle his hair, settling back a bit in the chair and swishing his tail a bit. "It seems like he was not truly insulted, in that case," he comments, a smile coming to his features. "I'm glad that you had intended to tell someone about him to start with. It seems that I simply beat you to the end result, ja? I can appreciate that you wanted time to be able to weigh it out for yourself."
Shannon	"It wouldn't matter who it was. Camping this close to the school, something had to be said. You just beat me to it, ja." It seemed perfectly natural for Shannon to slip the occasional word or two of German or other languages into her speech, when talking to someone who spoke the language. A smile spreads across her face and she bobs her head once. "Best word in any language. Xiexie. Danke. Merci. Grazie."
Kurt Wagner	"That's true, it wouldn't matter who it was that was camping out there. They are close, and that makes it necessary to check on them. To investigate," Kurt says, a smile coming to his features. "We will see if we can speak with Jean and Scott tomorrow, ja? Or perhaps I will send them both a message, to let them know that they should speak with you," he muses, a thoughtful tone to his voice. Then he chuckles softly before giving a nod of agreement, his yellow eyes glowing a touch brighter. "Ja, these are some of the best words. Also best are the words to respond to those ones," he says in a warm tone, his tail lazily swishing back and forth.
Shannon	"If it's all the same, I think I'd prefer it if perhaps we could both approach them?" Shannon smiles, chuckling softly. "I think, if it helps any, I would also have come looking for you, had you not made the first move. Logan is also someone I would have spoken to. For all he's got some rough edges, he also has an extremely good sense about these kinds of things."      Her smile widens as she listens, the young woman dipping her head. "Oh, yes. Bu keqi. Bitte. De rien, or pas de quoi. Prego. Excellent words, all." Now, she can't help but laugh, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "And none of them would be mixed up in the middle of science class."
Kurt Wagner	Both ears perk up and towards her at the suggestion, and then he gives a nod. "Ja, this is a good idea, since you are knowing the men camping in the forest better than what I konw them. I am in agreement with your idea, that we speak with them together," Kurt says, a warm smile coming to his features. "Perhaps tomorrow, after classes have finished for the day, ja?" he offers, raising an eyebrow slightly. He chuckles, and then he gives a nod. "Ja, he is not always with the stabbity-stab and shredding of things," he comments, amusement in his voice. He grins at her, his pointed teeth showing and his yellow eyes bright as he nods in agreement to her. "Ja, these are also the best words! These are the words that should be learned first, ja? The 'thank you' and the 'you're welcome'. Words of manners," he says. Then he softly clears his throat, looking a touch sheepish. "Ja, this is also true, they would not be mistaken in science class," he agrees with a grin.
Shannon	"Oh, he's definitely not always about the claws and battle. Fearsome in battle, but a damn good friend, and teacher, once he's decided to take you under his wing. Only really seems to growl at the ones he cares about." Shannon gets a bit of a sheepish grin on her face. "And since I've gotten growled at once or twice, that settles that."      With plans made and settled, she smiles somewhat more easily, as if perhaps relieved. "You know, it's been ages since you introduced me to the joy that is schnitzel. Maybe the next time I go into town, I should look for some nice veal to use for some, and this time, I might actually learn how to make it from you, if you're willing?"
Kurt Wagner	"Ja, he is a fierce fighter. He is gruff on the outside, but he has a good heart. But if anyone asks, that is something I did not say," Kurt comments, quirking a grin. There's a fash of his pointed teeth in the expression. "He is as you say, both a good friend and a good teacher," he agrees, giving a nod. He tilts his head to one side at her mention of schnitzel, his ears perking up with the mention. "It has been ages since I have last had it! It is time for it to be made again, ja. And the spaetzle, too. Maybe even some katenbrot. If you think of it, mein dame, ja -- I would be very grateful for it. And I would be happy to teach you to make these things. It would please me to share the foods of my home with you," he says in a warm voice.
Shannon	"You don't have to say it. I could already see it. And I'd like to keep breathing, so I'd best keep it to myself as well." The last is spoken with wry amusement in her tone, and a light laugh. "Not that I think he would ever willingly harm either of us. Quite the opposite. But he has an image to maintain."      The names of a few other dishes get Kurt a raised eyebrow, and then a look of mild confusion. "Spaetzle, I've heard of the name but I'm not sure what it is. And what is... katenbrot?" She grins a bit sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. "Seems this time, I'll be the one playing sous chef. Sounds like we've got one heck of a shopping list to put together."
Kurt Wagner	There's a grin and a light laugh, and Kurt gives a nod of agreement with what she's said. "Ja, it's better not to say such things. Or say them too loud. He might hear, otherwise. His ears are quite keen," he comments, amusement to his voice. He finishes the cookie he'd been working on, then lifts a hand to tussle his hair a bit before giving a nod to her. His tail flicks and swishes, a bit more active with talking about the food of his homeland. "Spaetzle is a German pasta. It will use what is in the pantry already, and some eggs. Katenbrot is a type of rye bread," he says, explaining the different things. "We will work together on it, ja? Everyone starts somewhere, with cooking," he says with a warm smile. "We will not need to buy much. The pantry is good."