Thank You (Honor)

[Alexander McKenzie]

Coming back through Hammel’s doors felt a little odd now.

Granted, Alex had finished his first year of university, and was starting his second. It had been over a year since he’d had to set foot within the school, to see the teachers. During the summer he’d popped in to see Conrad in the lab, but that was really it.

Today he was on a mission. After a lot of thought, he’d decided to do something for his former trainer. She was more or less the reason he’d graduated on time. He’d seen a few students having to stay back because their powers were not yet under control. He hadn’t wanted to be one of them, and she’d helped him train to get to the point he was at now.

Heck, he was even going to get to use them to aid in his new self defense class. That was pretty good, wasn’t it?

He’d looked online weeks ago for something special. Though he’d heard many times in the halls how awful Miss Sayers could be as a trainer, he’d never felt that himself. Stern, yes. But through hard work and listening, he’d managed to gain some sort of rapport with her.

So much so, that he knew that she liked horses. He’d devoted some time into looking for a book about them in Braille. It hadn’t been easy, but he’d managed to track down a copy that went over the breeds of the world. He’d flipped through it himself, surprised by the sheer number and diversity of breeds there really were.

Honor probably knew just about all of them, too.

He’d stuck the book in a gift bag. A little silly, being that she wouldn’t be able to see it to appreciate it, but he did it nonetheless. It was a gift, after all.

Heading down the training hall, he hoped that her grading period was still at the same time as it had been when he was still her student. Her room seemed quiet, so he poked his head in and knocked, announcing himself. “Miss Sayers? It’s Alex McKenzie. May I come in?” Hopefully she remembered him, at least.

[Honor Sayers]

The day didn't start out as good as she had expected. Not that any day ever did. Honor thought she would have gotten used to it though, but no. It just screwed up her entire mood. Not that it had ever been on the upward scale anyway. But it wasn't doing anything any good either.

And the students weren't any better at uplifting her sorry mood either. Some moron made it rain on her, almost erased her memory and one even made an ice cube out of her nose. That hadn't been pleasant at all. So all in all, the grumpy mood she had when she heard the knock was quite warranted.

It didn't last long though. Surprisingly, a corner of her lips lifted just a fraction before she turned to where the voice was coming from. Her gaze fell just a fraction away from Alex's left arm as she waved a little.

"Mr. McKenzie. What a wonderful surprise." Her voice echoed in her room. The lack of furniture made it sound hollow. "Shut the door." She ordered, though her voice lacked authority. Alex McKenzie is most definitely an exception of a rule Honor made herself when she got the job as a powers trainer. What was once thought to be a relationship built on a one-sided abuse [on Honor's part, of course] turned out to be mutually respectful one when the force field yielder graduated.

He never gave up, he never broke, and he gave as good as he got. No, he was never disrespectful and surprisingly, it didn't grate her as much as it did when it came to a lot of her other students. Jonah was another one but she didn't see him anymore and that was fine with her.

"Nice of you to drop by," her previous smile turning into a soft smirk as she fingered her shades on the table.

[Alexander McKenzie]

Alex was no stranger to Honor’s moods. There had been several times he’d come into a group training lesson after another group and she’d be snapping orders and generally being... well, Honor. Apart from being naturally reserved as a person, he’d always done his best not to step on any toes during training, and had really put a lot of work into it. She might have had a pretty wicked bark at times, but he’d been lucky enough to never experience one of her bites.

He had seen others on the receiving end, however. He remembered once being put under her hypnosis, but it had only been because he’d pushed himself a little too far during a force field generation. He’d come out of it disoriented, all his senses dulled beyond what they had ever been before. She’d done it to calm him, he was sure, and it had worked.

He’d learned after that not to push so hard.

“I’m glad you still remember me, Miss Sayers.” Alex grinned as he slipped into the room and shut the door as requested. He knew he wouldn’t have to tell her it was done – she would have heard it, even if he’d done it quietly.

He approached the desk and set the bag on top of it. “I wanted to see some of my teachers again,” he admitted. “I’ve been back a few times, mostly to check in with my roommate. He works in the research labs downstairs.” His fingers toyed with the corner of the bag. “But I realized that I wanted to come by and see my teachers. Without any of you, I couldn’t have graduated when I did.” That much was true. “Do you mind if I sit and visit a while, or are you busy?” He didn’t want to impose on her. “Either way, I brought you something, as a thank you. Without you, I’d never have gotten as good a grasp on my powers as I do now. I’m very grateful.”

[Honor Sayers]

Apart from Honor's sister and her family, she didn't show a gentle side of herself more than she did to Alex. She had such a soft spot for the soft-spoken boy. He had somehow broken through most of her walls and managed to tone down her snarkiness to mild sarcasm, at best.

"How can I forget you, Mr. McKenzie?" She gave him a little affectionate smile before waving him down to sit.

She was reminded of all the times she had pushed the younger meta with his abilities that she must have broken him at least once. But he kept on fighting and thankfully he came out of it all unscathed. He was one of her more successful trainees. It was really a good thing he didn't hate her for all her work on him. He really was the exception as he was probably the only trainee she had that would actually thank her for helping him.

Honor nodded as Alex explained his presence, not really needing it. But she kept quiet, letting him talk. Oddly, it was a welcome sound, his voice.

"I'm not busy." She shook her head, leaning back against her chair with an easy, albeit difficult-to-see smile. When Alex mentioned a present, she raised an eyebrow before leaning forward. "You didn't have to." She shook her head slightly, though touched that he did. It boggled her mind as to what he could have bought for her. "It is my job to have gotten you through your training, Mr. McKenzie. You really didn't have to." She insisted, though very curious as to what it was.

Choosing to move away from the topic of the gift, Honor asked. "What are you doing now, Mr. McKenzie?"

[Alexander McKenzie]

If he was to be completely honest, Miss Sayers had terrified him when he’d sat through his first class with her. Of course, he’d been put in with a few students who liked to goof off, and he’d seen her stern side a lot faster than he’d have liked. The students had been put in their places, and he had just stared in fear, wishing that it wasn’t going to be his turn until nearer to the end of the class. She had been nice to work with, though. As long as you didn’t press buttons, she wasn’t all that caustic.

It had only been because of his attempt to please her that she’d eventually hypnotised him into stopping using his power. He’d just wanted to make her proud.

“That’s good,” he admitted with a little smile as he took her invitation and sat down in front of the desk. It was odd, being back in the classroom he’d spent so much time and energy in, trying hard to gain flawless control before he graduated. It was a familiar feeling, but also strangely foreign now.

“I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. It’s on your desk, for whenever you’d like it.” He looked down at his hands, twisting one of his rings around his finger. “I owe you a great deal, Miss Sayers. Without you, I doubt I’d have graduated when I did.” Whether or not that was actually true, he wasn’t sure, as he didn’t have another trainer to compare her work to. Regardless, he had done well under her teachings.

“I’m beginning my second year at the University of Vermont. The semester’s just starting, and I’m starting to narrow down my studies. I’ve been doing a lot of science courses, but I think this year I’m going to focus more on physics. They have a great astronomy and astrophysics track within the physics department.” He grinned, almost looking like a little boy. “I’ve been fascinated with the stars since I was a child.” He knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever was. “I thought about doing my bachelor of science, and try to get into a pre-med program somewhere, but this seems more logical.” Besides, he’d get to play with some amazing telescopes. “What about you? How are your students doing? Have you got them all terrified yet?”

[Honor Sayers]

Honor knew her reputation with her students. She had built on it straightaway because she didn't need to be an inspiration to them. She needed them to suceed one way or another and playing on their fears had always been a good motivator and so she allowed her students to continue living in fear of her.

But she recognised how persistent Alex had been and along the way, it endeared him to her. And here he was, thanking her for her training.

Reaching out to her desk, she let her fingers roam across the wooden table until she hit something foreign and she smiled. "Thank you, Mr. McKenzie. And what did I tell you about that talk? You owe me nothing, Mr. McKenzie. It was all your hard work and persistence. You just annoyed me enough to push you harder." She joked.

Hearing his accomplishments, she leaned back against her chair, feeling proud of it. She knew she had nothing to do with that. That was all Alex. She nodded and smiled. "Me? If they aren't, I'm not doing my job right, to be sure." She chuckled before shrugging. "I'm being sent all the troubled students, the ones who don't care anymore. That's a bucket load of fun." She rolled her eyes. "If I didn't know any better, it's like the principal wants me off the staff list. And fast."

"Have you made your rounds with your other teachers?"

[Alexander McKenzie]

Alex had heard plenty about Honor before even starting the class. Though he’d seen her methods firsthand before she’d turned to him for training in the class, he’d still respected her. He’d also defended her in the halls if some of the other students were badmouthing her. She was stern, but it was all for their own good. Once you figured that out, and gave her the respect she deserved, she was a great trainer.

He resisted the urge to push the bag closer to her as she searched for it, but from his own knowledge, helping would probably earn a snippy comment. He liked the fact she was still remarkably independent, regardless of her being blind. Instead, he grinned at her. “I’m sorry, Miss Sayers. I can’t help it. And I’ll have you know I worked hard at annoying you.” More jokes, because annoying his teachers had never been a hobby of his.

But apparently that wasn’t the outlook of all students. “I doubt anyone wants you off staff, Miss Sayers. You’re one of the best trainers Hammel has. I think the headmistress just figures you’re the best one to whip the delinquents into shape. If you can’t do it, I doubt anyone can.” He did his best to reassure her, because he was certain that was all it was.

“Only a few, so far. A lot of them were teaching classes, and I didn’t want to disturb them. I’m still glad you were free, though. It feels like forever since I’ve been in here.” Sometimes he missed it, with University being so different. Hammel was safe. University was... well, not Hammel.

[Honor Sayers]

Had she known Alex had refrained from pushing the bag closer, Honor would have one; smacked him over the head for even thinking it and two, thanked him for not doing it in the first place. Complicated, thy name is Honor.

"Oh, I saw the hard work, Mr. McKenzie. Don't worry. I felt it with my every fiber of being." Honor chuckled raspily.

"Mr. McKenzie," she held back her laughter at his continuous compliment. "You're out of school, flattery will get you nowhere with me anymore."

The blonde trainer simply nodded as Alex explained. "I'm glad you caught me today. I've got a packed schedule tomorrow and I'm sure you won't be seeing this side of me had you decided to come tomorrow." She smirked.

"Will you be going back to campus after this? Or will you be waiting for your friend to finish?" She asked, still fingering the gift bag. She pulled it closer to her and dropped it to her lap. She was mighty curious what was in it. It felt heavy. A book, possibly.

[Alexander McKenzie]

During Honor’s reign of ‘terror’ as his trainer, Alex had learned a thing or two about the woman. Namely, how to stay on her good side. Trying to ‘help’ was usually a surefire way to tick her off, and he didn’t want to ruin the meeting.

“Oh good, otherwise my efforts might have been wasted,” he teased lightly. “I wanted to get the best hold on my power before I left. You know you had a hand in my success.”

Her teasing made him laugh. “My girlfriend might kill me if I was flattering a teacher, former or not, Miss Sayers.” All in all, he really did think he’d done well since leaving Hammel. He still had his girlfriend firmly on his arm, he was doing well in University, and he didn’t need to be worried his powers would suddenly malfunction on him. While Honor hadn’t helped in all aspects of that, she’d at least had a hand in part of it.

“I’m glad too. I wouldn’t want to interrupt your sessions with the delinquents.” He smiled and traced a pattern in the wood of Honor’s desk. “Granted, I used to see you riled up from lazy students all the time. I’m still not afraid of you.” He wasn’t going to lie about that.

“Mn, I haven’t decided yet. If he’s going to be working late, I’ll probably go and get some dinner for him, then head back to the apartment.” He smiled a little. “Or go to campus, if my girlfriend isn’t swamped with homework.” He seemed to be spending more and more time travelling between her dorm and his apartment these days. “What do you have lined up for the afternoon? More delinquents? Or just lazy kids?” Kids. That sounded... weird. Maybe he was just getting old. Which was more odd. Best to change subject.

"Miss Sayers, you're killing me. I take back what I said. Please open the gift?" He really did want to see if she liked it or not.

[Honor Sayers]

Honor shrugged at Alex's assessment of their training. If he believed it, who was Honor to deny that? "If you think so."

The idea of Alex having a girlfriend didn't surprise Honor. It would have surprised her if he hadn't found someone who adored him. She wasn't getting too sentimental then but had she been the type to, she would have cooed at him being with a person who probably saw what Honor saw in him.

She was getting ahead of herself.

Raising an eyebrow at Alex's statement, Honor leaned forward with a smirk. "I can't quite decide whether I should feel offended by that yet." She leaned back and chuckled. "I'm probably going soft by the years." She shrugged.

Nodding at his plans, Honor tried to recall her schedule for tomorrow. "A lot of first timers. Back to back. I'm just hoping their powers aren't flashy. Those ones tend to be cocky and abrasive. I can't work with those types." She shook her head, though sarcasm dripped from every word.

Chuckling at his eagerness, Honor fingered the bag before sliding one hand in and pulling the gift out. She let her fingers do their dance and a smile slowly but surely appeared on her lips. "Mr. McKenzie..." she rasped, flipping through the book and laughing at the thoughtfulness of the gift. "I'm flattered you know this about me." The raised dots gave her the idea of what the book was about and she laughed once more, not sure what to make of the gift. More so about a student who actually appreciated her enough to give her such a thoughtful gift.

"Thank you, Mr. McKenzie. This is a wonderful surprise." She already knew exactly where on her shelf at home she was going to put it.

[Alexander McKenzie]

Clearly Honor was going to be difficult about accepting credit. Alex sighed and shrugged, leaning back in the chair. If she didn’t want the credit, he wasn’t going to force her.

Being that they’d gotten together at the end of senior year, Alex hadn’t really talked much about being with Ann to his teachers. Besides, he was there to work, and that was it. Some of the teachers seemed to take an active interest in their students and their lives outside of the classrooms, but he knew Honor hadn’t really been one of them. She was there to teach. Though, he had gotten a little bit of conversation out of her. It was how he’d found out about her love of horses.

Alex grinned and bit down on his lip, trying to keep from laughing. “You should probably be very offended. You’ve got a reputation to maintain. I swear that when I leave this room, I’ll spread the word of your terror.” Okay, he had to laugh after that. “Miss Sayers, I don’t think you’ll ever go soft. Not if they keep giving you the bratty students.”

First timers? Honor was... intimidating, to say the least, as a first trainer. Alex knew that lots of students swapped trainers throughout their stay at Hammel. He’d been lucky. He’d found Honor to be tough, but very fair, and he’d stayed under her wing until he graduated. “Don’t scare them too badly, Miss Sayers. ... Well, the non-flashy ones. Scare the pants off of the flashy ones.” A part of him almost felt bad for the new students. Almost. If they stayed quiet, and behaved, they’d be fine.

Alex folded his hands into his lap at Honor finally looked at her present. For a moment, her laughter made his heart sink. What if she already had it? But that seemed to resolve rather quickly, and he grinned. “You’re welcome, Miss Sayers. I think it came up one day in a one on one session, and I remembered it when I was looking for something appropriate for you.” Braille books on horses were not easy to find, but with the help of the internet, he’d managed it. “I’m just glad you like it.”

[Honor Sayers]

Oh she really was going to be stubborn. Also because she knew she didn't deserve anything Alex was saying. His accomplishments were not hers to be proud of. If he hadn't had the drive to succeed, whatever she did to him would not have worked.

She didn't realise that Alex had taken note of everything he had said to her and if she did, she would have been deeply flattered.

"Too right I am offended." She huffed out a laugh at his suggestion. "Could you? You're too sweet, Mr. McKenzie. That would help me a lot." She joked. "I got soft on you, didn't I?" She raised an eyebrow with a smirk at the corner of her lips.

Alex's statement made her chuckle. "I didn't do much scaring with you, did I?" Her eyebrows still raised Honor turned her attention back to the gift in her lap.

If she knew how Alex was feeling then, she would have made certain that he knew that whatever he could have given her, she would have appreciated. He was one of the good students she had ever had the pleasure to work with. There was no way she wasn't going to appreciate anything he gave her.

"Couldn't have asked for anything better, Mr. McKenzie. My sister actually opened a bookstore in town catering to the blind. I wanted to get a book like this but she didn't have it in stock yet. So...thank you." She stood up, placing the gift and its bag on the table before rounding the desk and reaching her hand out to grab the chair she thought he was sitting at. Her hand blindly looked for Alex's shoulder and she patted it awkwardly, not used to doing it to anyone other than her family members.

"You did good."

[Alexander McKenzie]

Apparently they were just going to have to come to an impasse over whose accomplishments had helped who. Alex would forever maintain that Honor had helped him a tremendous amount, regardless of her arguments.

“Oh good,” Alex said with a little grin. “I’d be worried if you weren’t offended, at least a little.” This was one of the things he really did miss about Hammel. The closeness students managed to gain with their teachers and trainers. Still... “Maybe. A little soft, nothing to completely destroy your reputation. I promise, it’s a secret I’ll take to my grave.”

Really, she hadn’t scared him much. Not beyond those first few sessions when he’d first started. He shook his head. “No, but I’m not easy to scare. I was terrified for the first few weeks, though, rest assured.” Before he’d learned how to work well under her influence.

“You’re welcome,” he said quietly, glad that she didn’t already have one like it. Thanks alone from Honor was somewhat surprising, but when she stood up? There was a time Alex might have shrank back from her, mostly out of fear she was going to use her power on him. But the pat to his shoulder surprised him, very much in a good way. “No, Miss Sayers. I just did as I was told.” He very slowly, gently lifted his hand to place it on top of hers, giving it a tiny appreciative pat. “But thank you. I honestly won’t ever forget you.” He paused, thinking for a moment before grinning. “And I promise to tell any future children to be terrified of you.”

[Honor Sayers]

Honor chuckled softly at Alex's tease and shrugged. "I'm always offended, that's my default."

Nodding, Honor grinned in amusement at the promise. "Good, good. I'll hold you to it, Mr. McKenzie." She said, somewhat at ease with this odd friendship. It was unlikely that she would ever find someone outside of her family and Alex that she would actually get along with.

That wasn't sad, that was just a surefire way to lead a heart-break free life.

Chuckling once more, Honor shrugged. "As long as you were, I guess I've done my job."

The promise once more made her laugh as she returned to her seat to get to the book again. "I hope you won't. Now, get back to whatever youthful things you should be doing instead of hanging out with an old dud such as myself." She waved a dismissive hand at Alex but was careful to make sure he knew she wasn't dismissing him.

[OOC: Wrap? Madam Maddy, as always you've made me happy threading with you ^^]

[Alexander McKenzie]

“There are worse things to default to, Miss Sayers,” Alex assured with a little smile. “I don’t think you were always offended in class, though.” Much as she might pretend otherwise.

“You can hold me to it. Scout’s honor and everything.” He had no problem keeping secrets, provided keeping them wouldn’t hurt anyone. This was an easy one to keep his word on. He knew Miss Sayer’s reputation was important to her, and if it was going to help, he’d make sure any student he encountered would get the story of how scary she was. He’d just have to draw on his first impressions of her.

“I won’t, I promise,” he said as he rose, sensing their meeting was coming to a close. Her assement of herself made him smile, but he didn’t dare laugh. “You’ll never be an old dud, Miss Sayers. I’ll see you around. And... I hope you enjoy the book.” With that, he headed out of the classroom and made his way to the labs. Maybe he could pry Connie out to have dinner with.

(Wrap! Thank you, dear. <3)