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In Need of Guidance; [Kate, Kurt, Open]
Topic Started: Oct 11 2008, 04:00 AM (216 Views)
Kate
Unregistered

Time of Day: 11 AM
Place in the Time-Line: October 8th, on the day the new Bugle newspaper issue comes out.



All was not well in Kate's world. To be fair, since she had manifested her mutant powers everything had seemed like it had gone to hell in a handbasket, but this...this took the cake. She trudged down the hallway towards the staff wing, looking for Mr. Wagner's -- Kurt's, she reminded herself -- room.

In one hand was a newspaper that looked as though it had been through the wringer. It was only today's issue, but the thing was crumbled, torn, and the ink had run and blotched where tears had met it. All because of a news story, detailing the new stance that the pope had on mutants.

Kate was still feeling quite sheepish in regards to Kurt. She'd treated him badly during Ari's birthday, not out of a hate but from a jealously that had nothing to do with his character. She knew he was a great person, but the idea of losing her 'big sister' had spooked her just a bit. The girl realized now that she had been ridiculous, and vowed to be sweet to Kurt from then on.

And now, when her world was crumbling, she desperately needed his help and advice.

"Kurt?" Kate reached his door and knocked hesitantly, recounting just how many times that she'd come to this wing looking for help. She felt like such a weakling, but there were times when she couldn't keep it up. "Kurt...um...Mr. Wagner, I need your help. Um, advice." Her voice broke, and her grip on the paper tightened. "Please?"

To her astonishment, Kate found that she was crying suddenly, her vision blurring as her fingers threatened to poke holes in the newspaper. All of this because of a stupid article, and a stupid worry of Kurt taking her sister. "Please..." She squeaked again, leaning her forehead on his doorway. Her bangs stuck, but that didn't matter at all.
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Kurt Wagner
Unregistered

Kurt was more than a little crestfallen at reading the paper as well. He had prayed a lot today so far. It might seem odd that one would pray in response to a spiritual crisis, but as Kurt saw it when else would someone pray. The pope was the leader of the church, his church. He couldn't believe what the man said, never would. How could one call mutations the work of the devil? There was just so much evidence and the bible never said anything about this and... damn it. Kurt was just so very confused. Slamming his fist down on the desk with the anger of his betrayal, Kurt saw this action unsteady a book that had been teetering there. His tail reached out reflexively to grab it, keeping it from hitting the ground. He held in his tail a piece of his heritage. The book had been recommended by several as a powerful story, and a true one. An accounting of a Catholic who protested the Nazi rule and was rewarded by being sent to a camp as a political prisoner. Kurt knew his history, knew that the church as a whole had not acted with this man's bravery. A dark part of his religion's past, of his country's past really. It saddened Kurt to see his church not learn from their mistakes, to succumb to the political pressure instead of standing up for what they knew was right. History would mark this as a dark day as well, but maybe one day they would learn. It didn't change the fact that this was the one true faith, the direct line from the apostles. The time would come when they would live up to their obligation, but they were made up of imperfect men. Peter denied the Christ after having seen all his glory out of fear of man. Kurt was unsure if the pope would weep bitterly about it as Peter had, but he hoped he would one day. He would pray for him.

He could see that he was not the only one who was upset at the news. He didn't particularly mind if Kate called him Kurt, but that wasn't on his mind. She seemed genuinely distraught as he opened the door.

"Kate, are you alright?" he asked sincerely, "Come in, come in. Have a seat. What's wrong, Kate?"

Kurt hoped he could help with whatever the young woman's problem was.
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Kate
Unregistered

It was a great relief when the door opened. Kate straightened, swiping at the tears on her face with her wrist, but they just kept coming. "Kurt." She managed to squeak, then realized who she was talking to. "Mr. Wagner." Kate corrected herself.

Finding that she couldn't speak any more, the girl trudged into his room, hardly able to make eye contact with him. Finally, she held the ragged newspaper up, a silent testimony to just why she was upset. Kate didn't know if he had read the story yet, but figured that he would be able to help regardless. Her life was crumbling; the figurehead of the pope had denounced her and her kind, and the blow was crushing.

"The pope...he said we're bad." Kate finally managed, sinking down into the desk chair with weak knees. She found that his presence alone was helpful; how could someone so faithful and gentle like Kurt be denounced, just because of a set of genes that he hadn't even asked for?

"I don't know what to do." She finally sighed, crumpling the paper just a little more in her hands. "If...if the pope is the head of the church and is supposed to be God's mouthpiece, then...then are we really...really...bad?" The last word came out as a frightened squeak. "Are we automatically bad in God's eyes, just 'cause we're mutants?" Kate sniffed again, trembling. At least he knew, though. At least Kurt could feel exactly what she was going through, and he made all the difference in the world.
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Kurt Wagner
Unregistered

Kurt saw the paper, but didn't really make the connection. He wasn't real sure of the religious affiliation of most of the students. He saw some carrying crosses sometimes, but although he was deeply religious he knew the school wasn't the place for that. As a teacher, he had a responsibility to teach the students as well as he could, but he also had a responsibility to let the children choose such personal things for themselves.

"You can call me Kurt if you want," he said. She was clearly upset, and now was not the time to be strict about using his surname. Kurt had never worried too much about what he was called, anyway. It had felt very odd to have the students call him Mr. Wagner anyway.

The cause of her troubles was shown, and Kurt certainly agreed with her. He didn't know if Kate was a Catholic or not, but he could see how it would be upsetting to someone of any religion, or even not of a religion at all. This was different from laws. Although the pope certainly influenced politics, he could have a far deeper impact on people than any law. A law told people what was legal, what the government had decided was or wasn't allowed in order to advance the common good. The pope was uniquely positioned to tell people what was moral, what was right and wrong. He didn't set laws for everyone, but people looked to him as a moral authority. A law could influence people actions, the pope could influence their hearts and minds. To have him come up and say something so backwards, so wrong, was a massive step in the wrong direction in Kurt's eyes.

"Kate, the only way to know if we are bad in god's eyes is to look for the answer ourselves," he said, trying to explain things as best he could, "The pope is a man that the Lord has chosen to be his earthly voice, but he is still just a man. He can make mistakes. You know, the first pope, Peter, made lots of mistakes."

Of course, Kurt was praying some for patience and self control. Yes, the pope was a man who could make mistakes, but this mistake could cost lives, could set the progression of mutant rights back decades. A very bad decision when lives hang in the balance.

"All we can do is hope that he will see his error," he finished. Kurt knew that he would pray that he would do so.
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Kate
Unregistered

Kate lifted her face as Kurt talked, watching him and listening him as carefully as she could. Slowly, folding her hands, the girl nodded mutely. He was making sense, sort of, but the fact remained that the pope, arguably the most powerful man in the world, was condemning them straight to hell. Her parents had always told her that she should respect and listen to the pope, but now it was becoming even harder than ever.

As soon as Kurt had stopped talking, Kate shifted in her seat. "Even if we're not bad, what happens now?" She asked, completely unsure of the answer. "Even if Paul made mistakes, what if everyone today believes that we're bad? Do they hate us even more?"

Even the idea that her parents would suffer just because she was a mutant stung. So if her parents had borne a mutant child, would they be considered unclean as well? Kate shuddered. They had already been through so much, and now this. How had Kurt, who was so obviously a mutant, survived all these years as well?

Speaking through the eyes of the law, mutants were still legal, but morally, they were now bad. Kate could barely believe it. "I need to call my parents." She murmured absently, hands clenching in her lap. But Kate had come to Kurt first, because Kurt was someone who would know just how it all felt, and was wise in the ways of religion.

"I...I don't want to let God down." She admitted, swiping at her eyes. "If He doesn't think we're bad, then we have to prove it, right?" Kate smiled then, but barely and it hardly reached her eyes. She would prove it, though other mutants might disprove it.
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Kurt Wagner
Unregistered

Kurt could empathize with Kate. When one is that age the world seems so big, so daunting and it certainly wouldn't help if most of it hated you. Kurt sadly thought that the Pope's announcement would only fan the flames of an already existing fire. People were already afraid of mutants, already hated them. The pope had given into fear of the world, it seemed. After all, to cast one's lot with mutants was often to share in their fate. The oppressors never liked those with the courage to point out their oppression, because it exposed them for what they were and they thrived on deception. The devil's first sin was lying, and of all his arts it seems to still be what he favors.

"I don't know Kate. I wish I did. People are people, and no one knows how they are going to react. I'd like to say that I think that they'll see this for what it is, but a lot of people are afraid of us."

Kurt was not very good at lying, even if it might have been better to do so. People could see right through him when he tried. So he told Kate the simple truth as best he could.

"You're not going to let god down, Kate. All god expects of you is that you try your hardest to please him. He understands us better than anyone, and can ever see our intentions and motivations. So even if on the outside people can't tell we're trying, he knows. if you worry too much about people who judge you based on what you are or what you look like, you'll go crazy," Kurt chuckled, displaying just a part of his physical mutation, his sharp canines, "Believe me, I know."
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