"What do you mean she can't attend?" Fox snapped out, slamming his hands down hard on the desk.
The admissions officer on the other side - a young mole - flinched back, definitely regretting his life choices at this point. Getting on the wrong side of a system-wide hero? Always a bad move. Getting on his bad side involving the child he was known to be protective of? Even worse. Doing so after it's discovered he now had lightning magic driven by his rage, among other things? He was beginning to think he should have stayed in the family mine like his parents wanted. "I-I'm sorry sir," he apologized sincerely. "It's out of my hands in this case. Regulations and all that."
"What regulation exactly is keeping Sunset from attending the Academy?" Fox demanded coldly. "It certainly can't be academic, I've seen her test results-"
"That actually is a problem in this case," the admissions officer apologized worriedly. "She's tested out of just about all the courses the Academy offers except electives and the flight courses that require Ar-Wing certification. In situations like this, standard procedure is to get certification cleared through and then slot them either directly to military career or whatever field they choose...in Sunset's case, probably being part of your Team."
"But she wants to attend the Academy so she can learn alongside students her own age and make friends!" Fox snapped. "How is this supposed to help her?"
The young mole swallowed nervously. "Well...all fraternity and sorority events to the contrary, the Academy isn't supposed to be a social club. It's supposed to focus on learning."
"Well, what about the physical courses for military training?" Fox demanded irritably. "Surely she-"
"Rates in the top ten percent in terms of physical fitness and already has three black belts," the officer pointed out nervously. "She already outclasses the majority of her peers in every reasonable category."
"What about the accelerated programs for the specialists?" Fox pressed. "Can't she be placed in those?"
"While that's normally an option...things have gotten political there..."
Fox stared at the young mole flat-eyed. "Political," he repeated calmly. "How, exactly, is it political?"
"She's an honorary member of every tribe on Dinosaur Planet because of her significance in their mythology and role in saving them recently," the young man explained carefully. "Officially, she has ambassadorial status and diplomatic immunity...and there are restrictions regarding those with that status taking the accelerated programs..."
Fox closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths. "I'm not specifically angry with you," he explained in as rational a tone as he could manage. "You're just doing your job, going by the book, just like you're supposed to. As you said, this sort of thing is out of your hands."
The admissions officer let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for understanding sir-"
Before he could get another word out, Fox was on the desk and had the young man pinned to the wall by his collar, lightning dancing around him. "But if you don't tell me whose hands it is in, that will be your choice...and then I will be angry with you," he growled.
"Only the headmaster can approve exceptions to regulations!" he gasped in response. "And he needs approval from military and civil authority as well as the planetary government involved in order to do so for those involving political matters!"
Fox calmly released him and brushed him off. "Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to talk to General Pepper and the rulers of Dinosaur Planet about getting this fixed, and finding out why I wasn't informed this would be an issue in the first place. My apologies for losing my temper." With that, he turned to go, taking a few calming breaths. Krystal had a point, the lightning inside him had affected his self-control, especially when it came to his anger. He lost his cool much quicker and with far less warning now. He'd need to look into keeping that in check before Sunset started dating. She'd never forgive him if he scared off all the suitors by roasting one.
"We're working our way through the red tape, Fox," General Pepper said calmly. "I admit, this is on me. I'd only talked about streamlining Sunset's application for standard courses and testing into her level with the Academy headmaster. I hadn't realized Sunset had gotten so advanced she'd need to go into the accelerated programs in order to be with her peers." He frowned, stroking his chin. "It's proving especially difficult as, with the exception of actual Ar-Wing certification, she'll need to be placed in all the accelerated programs to be at her level...which is going to be difficult since most of them take place at the same time for focused learning. I don't suppose she's picked any specialties she's particularly interested in? I'd rather not find out if she can time travel with magic to meet all her classes."
"Agreed," Krystal spoke up rapidly. "That's just asking for trouble...especially since Sunset would probably want to find out what would actually happen if she encountered herself."
"Ar-Wing Piloting, Cultural Interchange, Extra-steller Astro-Navigation, Mixed Martial Combat, and Field Medicine," ROB spoke up before Fox could respond. "These are the areas of Academy courses that Sunset has shown the most interest in while studying, and has the easiest time adapting her magic to. I believe if she were forced to choose specialties for her first Academy lessons, these would be them."
"And as luck would have it, their schedules don't conflict because they work well together as skill sets for those wanting to get into the Diplomatic Corps," General Pepper observed calmly as he read the sheet. "If we can put that down as her long-term goal, her diplomatic status should actually open doors for getting the application through all the proper hoops."
"I'll see if that's what she'd like to do, but I'm pretty sure it is," Fox concluded thoughtfully. "She's definitely determined to set her own path to somewhere..."
Now, if only the customers at work thought like Fox...
Now I wonder how Sunset would have done if she could’ve entered Starfleet Academy? Then again she could after My Little PWNY.
9042646
i wouldnt wish that, thats how my dad used to act when he felt like he was being deliberately blocked by someone...tryst me...not pretty...
Damn. To think that Sunset is overqualified to be a student. You'd think they would be happy with such a shining star in the academy.
9042646 I mean, they kinda do, minus the rationality. Talk to retail workers on that one.
9042694
Dude, I work in a Walmart Auto Care Center. The rationality is what I'm wishing for.
9042696 Ah, my bad. And by extension, my condolences.
Interesting that a Mole would be interested in working at the academy. Though I should probably mine my own business he clearly digs the job enough to want to work there. Sans for having to listen to what The Fox says.
I saw a Harry Potter reference.
I... Don't have anything to say here.
9042671
Working bottom line in retail, it's actually pretty nice when the upset customer appropriately places the blame for the associate saying "I'm Sorry sir, but that isn't my department, would you like me to call my manager?" Yes, it can be kinda scary, but it's also a lot less annoying in the long run than the belligerent ones who won't accept that there's F all you can do about their problem, and would they please stop acting like over entitled children while I get someone who they might actually listen too...
9042700
*eye twitch at the reference to 'What does the Fox Say?'*
No, I can deal with all of your other shenanigans worth of puns, but if you continue to pun using anything related to that song... everybody will have a bad time.
9042714
I know the feeling (I used to be a cashier), you get a lot of crazy people and they don't like when things don't go their way to the point they're yelling at you...and the manager (or manager on duty)
Why do you write Ar-Wing? It’s just Arwing.
9042714
Weep for the poor associates, who deal with the baloney. Weep for the poor customers, who deal with baloney, as well. Both sides, unfortunately, can be guilty...I have seen both. I know I just do what I can, and then I go home. And appreciate the times, when they come, when people do seem to understand.
Working with bureaucrats with Sunnies snark and temper would cause more intergalactic incidents than she could fix.
Mind nothing says screw your pompous arse better than a fireball.
9042734
Ever had to drag a parent out of the kiddie tunnels. Not fun with a cast on.
9042710
Oh, you too?
9042792
Might be the auto correct. I don't always catch it on my computer either.
This ought to be good.
I bet you are since—
*Cocks an eyebrow*
I was about to point that out. However, this is so much worse because—
Is this admissions officer actually an intelligent bureaucrat?
Yes, he is intelligent. He's also funny when he's dealing with high stress situations. Now is he competent?
Good start. Trying to get Fox's anger under control. Apologies always help with that.
This is the worst way you could possibly blow it. You're the admissions officer. Her admission is literally in your hands. Furthermore vaguely citing regulations as the reason why she can't attend is grounds for immediate and justified disciplinary actions by the enraged parent/war hero.
Thanks for playing!
9042727
i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/096/044/trollface.jpg?1296494117
A temporary problem, but the plan put forth by Rob there at the end seems like a good one. I was briefly concerned that the politics involved actually had to do with someone in power actively not wanting to allow Sunset to attend, but apparently it was just a question of properly meeting all the regulations for her specific unusual situation.
9042734
I’ve read about a cashier dealing with a belligerent housewife. The cashier was ordered to scan all items individually, and she wanted him to do something faster. While she was chewing out the cashier, someone behind her recommended an action she didn’t like. So she yelled at him, saying that since she was the wife of an officer she could tell them what to do. Or something to that effect. The Flag Officer she just yelled at begged to differ. She would make her purchases, be escorted out, and her husband (deployed at the time) had a meeting with the Flag Officer the next day.
9043131
It's a good thing I have to click on the video for it to play.
I think that is something Sunset is more likely to do herself.
a thought jest accord to me. what if sunset brought home another girl with here? like maybe twilight or someone. what would fox do then???
Fox: uhhh .......... sunset.
sunset: yeah dad?
Fox: why is there a............. girl you're age here? (points at an anthro twilight)
sunset: (blushes brightly) well........ uuuh.......
twilight: what? its ok that we're going out sunny.
Fox: (face turns red) .............. come again???????
Falco: wow. did not see that curve ball coming at all.
Close one, there; I was worried we weren't gonna see Sunset attending the academy.
9043131 I find this culturally offensive.
Don't you just love beaurocracy?