Kurt and Johnny (backdated to April 27th)

[x-ricochet.livejournal.com]

Kurt and Johnny have their first meeting and their first training session.



Johnny's training sessions with the other New Mutants had, thus far, yielded little in the way of improvement. While the boy seemed capable enough of keeping up and avoiding injury, by a matter of instinct and quick reflexes more than anything, his technique was unrefined at best. The referral to Kurt for a little one-on-one practice had been justified on this notion. Not that the teenager was aware of the fact; the message he'd received had been much shorter and less specific and had left him only with the exciting prospect of working with someone who had a mutation somewhat similar to his own.

With the damage to the Danger Room and the relative simplicity of their training, they had agreed to meet in gym. The white-haired teen had arrived first and stood stretching idly while he awaited the arrival of his instructor, wondering just what might be in store for the afternoon.

Kurt smiled at the boy as he stepped into the gym and began to limber up. "Good afternoon, Johnny. I hope you are looking forward to this session?"

Johnny halted in the easy routine at the sound of the door opening, turning to look and gawking for just a moment at the unfamiliar man. Their mutations shared many aspects, but blue flesh and a barbed tail were not among them and he couldn't help but be instantly curious. Still, even he knew the behavior was less than polite and soon put on an easy smile, bobbing his head, "Yeah. Definitely! You're Mr. Wagner, right?"

Curiosity, even gawking, were par for the course in first meetings, for Kurt, and as long as they included no malice - which they clearly didn't here - he tended to just let it wash over him. "Sefton", he corrected lightly, "but some still call me Wagner. It was my old name, so either will do."

Johnny's expression remained, but gathered a sheepish quality. He wasn't making much of a first impression, was he? "Mr. Sefton, then....Sorry."

"No need for apologies", Kurt assured him quickly. "Many of those here knew me before the change, and sometimes there is still confusion. You were not to know... now, shall we begin?"

The white-haired mutant was relieved and it showed. He nodded again, smile and energy renewed, "Where do we start?"

"Well, let us see..." He considered for a moment. "Have you had any training in the field before?"

"Not unless obstacle courses with the team or confrontation with a jerk at school this one time count as 'field experience'," Johnny admitted reluctantly, trying to sound amused by his own lack of experience but seeming more embarrassed than anything else.

"I am sorry, my meaning was not clear", Kurt said with a faint smile. "I meant in the field of acrobatics, not "in the field". Has anyone taught you any exercises, or are you self-taught?"

Something about this direct mentoring seemed to have him fumbling left and right and Johnny could only hope his body wouldn't follow the trend once they actually got started. He shook his head, "Nobody's really taught me anything. It's been more...trial and error, I guess."

Kurt nodded. "It is a quite valid way to learn, if you have no access to true teaching. But with your talents, I think we can do better than that... how about you show me a little of what you can do?"

His talents? Johnny felt a hesitant glimmer of pride, even if the older mutant was simply referring to the innate abilities he had done nothing to earn. He nodded, "I'll do my best...what do you want me to do?"

"Start with the bars", Kurt suggested. "Then the balance beam, perhaps. Just so I can judge the level you have brought yourself to already."

Johnny followed Kurt's gaze to the pair of bars, then to the beam. He'd only seen the things on television before, but the technique didn't seem like it would be too difficult to imitate. And it was probably safer than the ways he'd tested himself when he first got his powers anyway. Shorter fall. He nodded again and moved over to the first station, jumping upward to catch hold of the bars without the use of the typical spring board.

Kurt watched, impressed, as the boy leaped and made his way through the stations. "That is very good, Johnny. I could not have done better at first."

Still poised in an effortless stance upon the narrow beam once the demonstration was complete, the white-haired teen smiled a little, visibly relieved. "Really?"

"Very much so", he confirmed. "I could not have done that jump, certainly, before I worked at making my muscles stronger. Does that strength come naturally to you?"

Johnny dropped to sit upon his perch, swinging his feet and considering the question, "I guess so...jumps come to me pretty easily." He smiled with faint embarrassment, remembering his recent defeat to a certain puffy-tailed teammate, "I'm no Doreen, though."

"Well, she does have certain advantages", Kurt pointed out, amused. "You are not a human-sized squirrel. You may find she beats you on balance, too. It is the tail."

Though the praise had been a very welcome thing, this seemed to relax him more than anything had thus far. Johnny crossed his arms, feigning offense with a rather obvious grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, "I'll have you know my balance is spot-on. Tail or no tail."

Kurt laughed and came back with a teasing, "I can see you are doing very well, considering."

Johnny allowed the full smile to come through, quipping lightly in return, "Just not as 'well' as you tailed-types, huh? I see how it is..." They shared a brief amusement before the white-haired mutant seemed to sober a little, looking thoughtful, "But you'll help me get better, right?"

"Of course I will", was the instant response, back to full seriousness. "You have great potential, Johnny, with your powers and even without them, if you work at it. I mean to help you reach that potential."

The teen's slim figure was motionless upon the beam as he watched his now serious instructor intently. Once Kurt had finished, the resolution this had stirred in Johnny was obvious and he nodded once, slowly, "...I'll do my best."

"I know you will." He offered another smile, reassuringly. "It is something you enjoy doing, I think, which will make it easier."

The determined expression grew faintly sheepish, a smile pulling at the boy's lips. He couldn't deny it whatsoever. "Well, there is that ..."

"You should not be embarrassed or ashamed of it", Kurt told him, amused. "It is a good thing to enjoy your skills."

No matter how often he worried that his abilities didn't measure up to those of his teammates, and he did frequently, Johnny did enjoy his powers. Except maybe that danger sense, which still had as many false alarms as anything. He grinned, replying lightly, "I know...but it certainly makes our determination less admirable, doesn't it? Working hard at something you like doesn't feel nearly as hard."

"Ah, but the end result will get you all the admiration you could want. I will take you to perform in my brother's circus, if you would like, to prove it."

Johnny laughed softly, "If I'm going to impress anybody...I think I'd like to start with some people closer to home." Despite his light-hearted tone, he hoped with some sincerity that it was possible. Teammates and otherwise. He then added, teasing, "And what kind of teacher encourages a student to run off and join the circus, huh?"

Kurt grinned. "The kind of teacher who had a wonderful childhood and adolescence in the circus. But as you will - the offer stands, at least for one time, any time you like."

The look this earned was akin to the one he had initially received from Johnny: curious and shocked. "...You really grew up in a circus?"

"I did. A small one, run by my clan. I began training as an acrobat at a very young age, being born especially suited to it." He smiled slightly, wistfully. "I was a performer there and in bigger circuses until well into my twenties, and still do sometimes when I go home."

This nostalgic look was one yet unseen on the older mutant's cerulean features and made Johnny all the more intrigued. He listened silently until Kurt had finished, then smiled again, "Wow...you must be really good."

"I was billed as the Amazing Nightcrawler, once", he admitted. "But that is showbill exaggeration. I am good enough." He'd never been very good at talking himself up.

"It couldn't be that much of an exaggeration or people would've asked for their money back," Johnny pointed out, undeterred by his instructor's modesty. "...Can you show me some?"

"Of course", Kurt said readily, and headed for the balance beam to swing himself up and begin a routine. Modest or not, he was always happy to show off his skill (if only for the chance to use it).

Johnny watched, silent and impressed, as Kurt went through the elaborate motions with ease and precision. Whether the older mutant liked it or not, 'amazing' certainly came to mind, and the teen was suddenly very aware of why he'd been sent to study under the man.

"My left leg is not as reliable as it was", Kurt called down mid-swing through the bars. "There was a time I could have showed you flips the length of that beam, but I cannot trust it now. I would bet you can do it, though."

Johnny blinked, obviously surprised, and tried to watch Kurt with more focus than he was even sure he had. If the man really did have a bum leg, his movements certainly didn't reflect it. But maybe it was best to take his word for it. He kept his questions to himself and grinned, "You think so? Outdoing the 'Amazing Nightcrawler' on day one seems like a tall order."

It showed more when he was walking normally than playing around like this, and even then he'd been trying to minimize his limp in front of Johnny. It didn't exactly breed confidence. "You are far younger than me", he pointed out with a grin. "I fully expect you to outdo me before we are done."

The teen's smile couldn't help but widen and he replied playfully, "Well, now I really will work hard."