Scene- Storm helps John makes plans for his future....

[pyro-by-nature.livejournal.com]

 Umm... this was supposed to go up ages ago, but my Internet has been a little beeyatch. So please consider it about 2 weeks backdated... *blushes*

“I can’t really say I’m surprised.” Ororo Munroe said, as she sat behind the desk in Professor Xavier’s- her office- regarding the student seated across from her. He was staring right back at her, frowning slightly, his eyebrows raised.

“Kitty already told you, didn’t she?” John asked.

“No, actually, she didn’t.” Ororo said briefly.

John’s eyebrows crept, if possible, higher.

Ororo shook her head gently. “To be perfectly honest, John… I’ve been waiting for this. Ever since you came back from treatment on Muir Island, you’ve been noticeably restless. And now your legal situation has changed for the better…”

“Hey… getting that pardon from the government… that’s not why I’m leaving. I know you took me back and protected me on the condition that I studied and kept out of trouble, but I’m not quitting just because I’m free again.”

“I know.” Ororo said sagely.

John avoided her eyes, but shook his head slowly. “I feel like I’m stuck in a rut. I just… I can’t figure out what to do. But school isn’t the answer.”

Ororo gave him a wry smile. “School never seemed to be the answer for you. I figured that out the on your very first day here.”

“When I set the science lab desks on fire?” John said, not blinking.

“Lucky it was flame retardant paint”

The corners of John’s mouth twitched into a smirk. “I remember what the professor said when you hauled me in here to see him… that I was twelve and I’d grow out of it. He was way off”

“Well… sort of. You did grow up, a little.”

Hazel eyes met brown, and John shrugged.

Ororo regarded him intently for a silent moment, and John squirmed under her gaze.

“In the past year, you’ve changed, and grown so much as a human being-”

John opened his mouth to interject- you mean Mutant, but let the comment die on his lips, and Ororo continued without noticing.

“-I didn’t think it was possible. But here you are. I’m proud of you, John. You’ve found your way back from a very dark place. I think maybe you’re ready for the world.”

John’s brow furrowed, he wasn’t used to this much praise from this woman, and they lapsed into uncomfortable silence again.

“So, if I know you at all, you’ve already started looking for work?” Ororo said, bringing the conversation back on track. John nodded.

“Not much luck so far,” he said. It was true; he’d applied for a lot of jobs, but hadn’t received any call-backs. “It’s kinda hard with a resume like mine. There’s not a lot of work going for reformed terrorists or henchman at the moment.”

Ororo inclined her head “Unless you wanted to take up a job offer on Genosha” she said dryly.

John cringed slightly, but held his tongue- he’d walked right into that one.

Ororo shuffled some papers on her desk and handed them to him. He looked at them.

“I thought a personal reference might boost your credibility.”

He read over it quickly- it was brief but surprisingly complimentary. Then he switched to the second leaf of paper. It was a photocopy of a job ad he’d noticed in the local paper on Friday.

“I was thinking about applying for this. I think I could handle working in a bookstore.” He told her.

“The owner, Ada, was friends with the Professor.”

“So, it’s Mutant friendly, then?”

Ororo nodded.

“Reformed Mutant terrorist friendly?” he asked sceptically.

Ororo shrugged. “You’ll have to ace the interview. Wear a tie.”

John frowned and nodded.

“You should also ask Doctor McCoy for a reference” Ororo suggested.

“Do you think he’d give me one?” John asked.

“I don’t see why not. You did extra-credit work for him, and that always seemed to go well.”

“Okay” John said nodding. “And um…  about my living arrangements. I’ll need to save some money, but I’ll move out soon as I can.”

“You can stay put for the moment.” Ororo told him. “But you need to keep in mind that this place is still a school for its other residents. We’ll have to bend the curfew rules for you if you start working late shifts, but aside from that, school rules still apply to you, got it? And… your new working lifestyle isn’t to disturb your roommate, or any other students here.”

“Keller’s disturbed enough already, trust me- I’ll behave” John said with a smirk. Ororo rolled her eyes. She nodded at the papers in John’s hand. “Call for that job this afternoon. Better Read than Dead is a popular store, so you know she’ll have lots of applications.”

“I’ll do it now.” John said, rising. “Uh, so yeah… thanks” he murmured, glanced away again. He moved to the door.

Ororo smiled at him. “You’re ready for the world, John. I hope the world’s ready for you.”

“We’ll see,” he answered with a smirk, and left.

*Better Read than Dead is the name of a real bookstore in Sydney... I borrowed it because it sounds like the kinda' place John would work. lol!