Kyle and Ororo - Educational opportunities.

[x-wildchild.livejournal.com]

Backdated to the morning before Jim and Kyle had their Danger Room session - Kyle finds some mid-semester confusion on his schedule and goes to see Ororo to figure out what's going on.



Kyle wasn't exactly sure when being summoned to a teacher's office had stopped causing dread and started just being something he was merely curious about. But he kind of liked knowing that it was pretty unlikely that he was about to get a lecture, and that it was just something that needed to be cleared up or addressed or just that he needed to formally say "Yeah, I am totally down for taking Cooking."

He wasn't quite at the point where he was going to go voluntarily visit his teachers in their offices yet though. That was just taking things a bit too far.

Ms. Munroe's door was open, and so instead of knocking, Kyle just stuck his head in the doorway to check that she wasn't busy or on the phone or something, and waved the hand that wasn't full of folder-with-paperwork.

"Kyle," came the immediate, warm response as Ororo noticed the young man in the doorway. "Good morning. Please, come in." She had been expecting him, of course, and as such wasn't doing anything that couldn't be put on hold for an indefinite amount of time. In this case, reviewing the school's field trip policy waiver form and pondering whether to add 'accidental or purposeful dimension-shifting paradoxes' to the list.

"I was looking at my class schedule again, because between helping Marie with gym class, and getting hand-to-hand stuff with Garrison and Danger Room stuff, and all that - I wanted to make sure I wouldn't go all Nate or Angelo and overwork myself into like, flunking history or whatever." Kyle said, after sitting down in one of the chairs. "I don't think I'm gonna, but I am kinda confused about my schedule now."

"Oh?" Ororo lifted her eyebrows, leaning forward slightly across the desk. She didn't know what about Kyle's schedule would be confusing, exactly, but she would certainly try and explain it if she could. "What exactly is confusing? Is there a mistake?"

"I dunno. I know why where I'm helping Marie with Gym, it has a "TA" on the schedule, but what's AP?" Kyle opened the folder and rifled through the papers until he found the printout of his schedule. "And why's it next to history and English? I mean, besides you and Dr. Farouk both loving to assign essays, it's not like there's a lot the same there."

Ah. Ororo's smile grew warmer as she once again sat back in her chair. "'AP' is the denotation for your Advanced Placement classes, Kyle. You have done so well in both your history and English classes that both Sam and I agreed you were more than ready for something a little more challenging. This is, of course, up to you, but I would strongly encourage you to stick with them. They are very beneficial in the long run."

Kyle stared at Ororo for a few long seconds. "Oh... kay..." He knew better then to ask if she was shitting him. First, because dropping the s-bomb in front of his teacher would be bad, and second because he knew better. "So... I've got the X-thing, the TA thing, this AP thing... any more letters you wanna throw at me? Cause I've got most of a scrabble rack right there."

"No, I think that is quite enough letters for now, don't you?" Indeed, it was enough of a workload to keep Kyle very busy indeed for the next year. "Of course, the advantage of the AP classes is that the work you put in now will pay off later. You will receive college course credit for the classes you do well in."

College. Oh, right. -That-. Kyle frowned, and shrugged a little. "So they're harder classes and... if you go to college, you have to take less classes in college because you took these hard ones?" He sounded distinctly suspicious. That wasn't at all what he'd heard, growing up. "They don't just pile on even more crazy hard stuff in college?"

"Taking AP classes allows you to test out of certain basic requirements your college may have, thus freeing you up to take other classes instead. They may be more difficult ones, if that is what you wish to do," Ororo explained, "or they may simply be more fun. I believe Scott took a history of jazz class with his extra credits, but do not tell him I told you so," she added with a conspiratorial look.

"Dude." Kyle proclaimed. "College lets you take cool... I thought the basket weaving thing was like, one of those urban myths. Like Batman." The comparison made perfect sense in his head. Obviously, he had some misconceptions.

The analogy didn't quite work for Ororo, but they weren't in English class so she let it slide. "If you like, I am sure Mr. Haller would be happy to speak with you about the variety of courses available so that you can get an idea of what might interest you." It seemed like a foregone conclusion in her mind that Kyle would be going to college - and why not? He was a smart young man and obviously could handle the work. Now all that was left was to convince him that he could do it. "Marie might also have some brochures and other information for you to look through."

"Yeah, but... and.. " Kyle started to protest, recognized that it was probably futile, and shook his head, cutting himself off mid-word. "I can talk to him, sure. I've got training with him, something about protecting teammates or ... getting used to the telepathic switchboard thinger, or something. Also learning to think quieter." He tapped his head and grinned. "Apparently I am a shouter."

"I never would have guessed," Ororo replied with a tiny smirk. "Well then, if you have any other questions feel free to come see me again. Thank you, Kyle."