Administrivia ((Open to any who want to see the new Xavier's Headmaster))

[nohoundsallowed]

Rachel was in the middle of remodeling what was now her office. Xavier has finished up the semester and given her the office as hers. Though she currently had no clue how to decorate it. So things were looking a little bare with her desk and two chairs across from it for adornment.

She had plans for the estate on her desk. She sat in her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose. There were pages of the requirements for a being a certified school scattered on the floor behind her. She had posted about her open office before the summer semester began.

The redhead didn't know if having visitors would be a blessing or not.

Comments

[nohoundsallowed]

"Good morning, Franklin," Rachel greeted as he came in. She shut the door behind him while gesturing to the chairs in front of her desk. "Thank you. Have a seat."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Lucky for you I'm doing a bit of reorganizing of the staff to come into compliance with state laws. We may have some openings. What's your education background and experience?"

[firstbornrichards]

Franklin went over to the chairs and sat down. "I can imagine that's quite a headache in the making. I have a degree in physics, but I honestly think I'd be more useful in a history class. I've spent the last few years travelling through various points in history, getting firsthand experience of it. I have proposed lesson plans aimed towards a high-school and entrance-level university audience in the portfolio I prepared, if you'd like to take a look at them. They're made in accordance to state curriculum regulations for US and world history."

[nohoundsallowed]

Rachel chuckled. "If I take the sciences away from Hank, he will pout at me. Blue furry pouting is not to be underestimated."

She held out her hand. "Let me see this portfolio. Though I'm sure the headmaster is telling me you got the job as a history prof."

[firstbornrichards]

"I can imagine. He shouldn't worry too much, though." Franklin passed over the portfolio with the lesson plans and semester plans already made up in them. The semester plans were skeletons of course, where a more robust musculature could be built around them. Just a sign that he had an idea how to plan a year.

He smiled slightly. "I'll have to thank the headmaster profusely. So how have things been going here since the ... outing?"

[nohoundsallowed]

"Oh, he has nothing to worry about. I have him exactly where I need him, in the labs wrangling our future scientists." She looked over the portfolio. It looked impressive to her and on track with what she needed.

"You're hired. Will you be commuting or will you need staff lodging?"

She puffed out a breath at the question. "The students are tense. And things outside of the school have been... unpleasant. I'm might need a therapist on staff to help with some recent traumas. If you know of anyone interested and capable, please let me know."

[firstbornrichards]

"While I came here looking to be hired as a teacher, if you need me for ... extra duty, I'm more than willing to help, Rachel." Franklin wanted to make sure that was clear. "The kids deserve better than all this." He couldn't help but think of the murder that had just happened in Westchester, as well as the incident with Stephanie Shaw.

"I know a really great therapist, but I doubt I could convince them to sign up for here. Maybe Doc Samson can be coaxed out to Westchester or something, at least for a little while."

[nohoundsallowed]

"So noted. Once I figure out exactly what I need help with, I'll let you know. Beyond all the remodeling needed before the fall semester starts."

She sighed. "They're paying the price for us being lucky until now. And we can no longer be lax on somethings as we were before."

She shook her head and dismissed the maudlin feeling before it took hold. "We may have to have someone like Doc Samson on hand soon. The hits just keep coming."

[firstbornrichards]

"Good luck with trying to get Logan to conform to state standards." Franklin couldn't help but smile faintly. It didn't last long though and he frowned slightly to see Rachel look so crestfallen.

"We'll get through it. There's been dark days at the Institute before." Worse ones, in many ways. The aftermath of the Mutant Massacre and the destruction of the Mansion after Inferno. The ugly tensions during the first Stryker Crusade.

Franklin was confident they'd make it.

[nohoundsallowed]

"Oh, he has to in some ways. He has CPS breathing down his neck. I'm not particularly worried about his lesson plans." She shook her head sadly. She did not envy him.

"There are always moments of light even as shadows cover us. We just have to hold on and not walk deeper in." She gave him a faint smile and shrugged.

"The grounds should be slightly transformed by fall. Classrooms should stay in the mansion, as well as active X-Men lodging. I'm considering how to work the student dorms and staff lodging. Particularly if we get a boom in students." Which was likely to happen knowing her luck.

[firstbornrichards]

"Poor guy. I know he's about the least conventional dad ever, but he's a damn good one where it counts." Franklin wouldn't have agreed with every decision he made, but he trusted the man implicitly. Hopefully they didn't try to do anything so boneheaded as to try and take away his kids. That wouldn't end well for anyone.

"Well, I won't need any staff lodging. I've got my apartment and I can teleport there pretty much instantaneously whenever I want." And really, for the better, because the last thing he wanted was even a chance of some student phasing or teleporting in on him and Katie.

"I'd prepare for a huge boom. I bet lots of people would've gone to the school but never did because they didn't know one existed. Everyone knows now. It'll make outreach easier, that's a positive. But yeah, I'd be shocked if numbers don't go up in a huge way. Fifty percent to double."

[nohoundsallowed]

"It's just bad luck. It could have been any of the parents here at any point. He doesn't deserve it in the least." Even if some of the rules she would have to lay down may rankle. It would be a dance she would have to do to keep the school running and the students in the halls.

Rachel rubbed her eyebrows to try to ease the oncoming headache. "Good thing I'm hiring more staff then, huh?"

[firstbornrichards]

"Not at all. As long as everyone understands the importance of sticking together and playing the game, we should be all right." After all, there were many reasons why force would be a poor tool to get the Mansion offline. A lot of powerful resistance. If he could bring himself to trust government at all, it could even be seen as an opportunity.

"Indeed. Try to see it as an opportunity, not just a headache. You have a chance to really make a positive impression in the long run. We do good, important work here. Keep doing it and people will notice, even beneath the constant buzz of news cycles."