The Liberation Begins

[astonishing_xmods]

WHO: Everyone
WHAT: The news of the world, brought right to your school!
WHERE: On any television, radio, or computer screen (assuming they're on a news site)
WHEN: All week
WARNING(S): if a thread goes into warning label territory, either throw it in the subject line or take it to a separate log.

"... have declined significantly. Experts say the lack of activity from the formerly aggressive group may indicate a change in gameplan for the Friends of Humanity. Rather than taking to the streets and participating in violent confrontations with rioters, the Friends of Humanity have become much more visible on the internet and in social media. "A Voice for Humanity", a gathering spot for many FoH supporters, has branched itself onto Facebook, Twitter, and other social media spheres. Paul Stacy, the creator of the website and noted anti-mutant activist and writer, has stated that in the modern world, social revolutions aren't won on the streets, but on the web..."


"... resulting in the death of five officers and six others so far, the riots in San Francisco continue as masked members of the Mutant Liberation Front fan the flames, violently fighting off any attempts by city officials to regain control of the Castro Street neighborhood, also known as "Mutant Town West". The mayor has pleaded to the state and federal governments for aid in order to restore order..."


"... Reverend William Stryker, uncle to the late Donovan Zane, was finally forced to end his vigil today as a young man identifying himself as a member of the Mutant Liberation Front rushed the capital steps today, using an unknown mutant power to injure the reverend in what police are calling attempted murder. Reverend Stryker was rushed to the nearest hospital and is said to be in critical condition..."


"... President Kelly and special diplomat Gabrielle Haller left for Genosha again for another round of peace talks, but were stopped and forced to turn away as Air Force One entered Genoshan air space. There has been no word from the mutant nation as to why, specifically, US officials were invited and then summarily dismissed before they even reached land, but many in congress are claiming this is a clear sign from the Genoshan government that they are not interested in peace talks and are preparing to invade the US..."


"... holding rallies in known mutant neighborhoods in major urban centers across the US. In District X specifically, one of the masked speakers declared that they had claimed District X back from the human hands that had left them to starve and to freeze. Several food and clothing supplies, believed to be stolen and hijacked by MLF factions working in the Atlantic, were then delivered to the district's residence..."

[[ ooc: Students and teachers are free to start their own threads in this log in response to one or more of these news clips, or even to things related but not specifically posted here. ]]

Comments

Common Room

[martyrerkomplex]

[Honestly, she didn't much blame them.]

[She hadn't really been aware of her mutation for long, but Krista knew well enough how cruel humans could be, how miserable they could make life.]

[It wasn't really that surprising, then, that someone would stand up to them. Honestly, it seemed entirely justified to her.]

[But a good girl wouldn't think that. A good girl wouldn't want things to get violent.]

How terrible...

Re: Common Room

[eileaneathompson]

Eli hadn't been paying attention to the news. She had been sitting in the common room, doing her homework, and trying hard not to mess up too badly. She could have stayed in her room, wanted to stay in her room after the whole mess at the charity thing...

But even sending out her clones, it wasn't the same. How she could get sick of the same four walls when she could see other places without leaving her bed, she had no clue... but there it was. So she had slunk out here... kind of hoping not to run into the clone boy.

When she heard the girl say "how terrible," she thought she had been referring to Eli's horrid attempt at her art assignment. It was the last straw for her shattered self esteem.

She tried to pack her things as quickly as she could, trying not to let anyone see the tears sliding down her face.

But of course the more she tried to be swift and quiet, the more her hands shook, the more she dropped things... her sketch pad flying out of her backpack to land in Krista's lap; horrible half drawing faced up.

[martyrerkomplex]

Krista nearly jumped when the sketchpad fell onto her, her attention torn suddenly away from the news program on TV. Where had that come from?

Looking around, she spotted the girl standing with her bag, red-faced and... teary-eyed?

That didn't sit well with her. She wasn't sure why, exactly, but she didn't like seeing that girl cry.

"Um... Excuse me. Are you alright?" She paused, then added shyly, "I think maybe you dropped something..."

Honestly, she hardly noticed the drawing itself, even now.

[eileaneathompson]

The confused question made Eli realize that... that the girl hadn't been talking to her after all. It had been her own feelings about her work that had made her thought that someone had insulted her work.

"A...ah...." and now she realized just how badly she had embarrassed herself. One tear fell down her face. "Ye...yeah..." she grabbed the sketch pad quickly, trying to shove it into her bag. And now she was crying in front of people.

She was never going to have friends here...

[martyrerkomplex]

What was she supposed to do? (What would a good girl, a nice girl do?)

Krista frowned, with concern rather than disapproval.

"Are you sure? I... you look upset..."

She dug in her backpack, and pulled out a pack of tissues. "...Here."

[eileaneathompson]

"Th... thanks." she reached for the tissue and.. dropped her bag, spilling everything out. She dropped back down into her seat and buried her face in her hands. Great. She as going to have a breakdown in front of the lounge. Great way to make friends.

[martyrerkomplex]

She started a little when everything scattered noisily onto the floor -- the suddenness and unpredictability of her mood swings was somehow frightening, like it might at any moment turn violent. She supposed she had her mother to thank for that. Keeping her look soft and concerned, she quickly went to her knees to pick things up and put them carefully back into the bag.

"It's alright, really -- please, don't worry about it." She offered the bag up to her, still on the ground. "Can I ask what's wrong?"

[eileaneathompson]

She took her bag, feeling horribly embarrassed and ashamed. "Thank you," she said softly. She wiped at her face. "I hadn't meant to be a bother to anyone." All she wanted was a few friends, a place to... fit. Apparently that was asking too much.

I know you posted to my permissions post, but if there's any problem with this, I can change it

[martyrerkomplex]

Krista shook her head, smiling a little as she rose up to her feet. "It's fine. I promise, you didn't bother me!"

And then it occurred to her -- she didn't have to let the stranger's feelings be a possibly-dangerous, unknowable variable, did she? She hadn't really tried using her power yet, but...

Well, this was a harmless way to try, right? It could really only help...

She made eye contact, and projected: relief, gratitude, calm. If the girl felt safe and secure, then Krista was safe from her, too, right?

It's fine, Eli could USE the calm!

[eileaneathompson]

Eli found herself calming down. "Thank you," she said softly. At least this girl wasn't laughing at her. She could have, but she didn't. Eli gave her a warmer smile. "I'm Eileanea Thompson. But my friends call me Eli or Leana."

[martyrerkomplex]

That was easier than she'd thought. She'd worried that perhaps the other girl would notice, but it seemed to have gone off without a hitch! Krista smiled, relieved herself.

"Which one do you prefer?"

[eileaneathompson]

"Which... ever you feel more comfortable with," she said softly, nervous. Well, almost terrified, would be terrified but... calm. Would she choose the friend one? Did she dare hope?

[martyrerkomplex]

Krista watched her, curious. This would all be a lot easier if she could read emotions in addition to manipulating them, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Would it be all right to call you Eli?"

[eileaneathompson]

She smiled a bright smile that bloomed on her face, lighting it up. "It... would be wonderful," she said softly, nodding. Did this... mean that the other girl wanted to be her friend?

[martyrerkomplex]

She just smiled, warm and gentle, and reached out a hand in offering to her.

"Eli, then. It's so nice to meet you! I'm Krista."

[deceases]

[ The voice actually clicks into some recognition in Natsuno's head as he hears it. Mostly because of the tone and the concern expressed, though - that girl who had seemed way too naively nice back at District X too, huh.

He turns to look, a little more sceptical himself (or maybe it's just that permanent frown that seems glued to his face). ]

It's usually like this. [ It's just not always reported on when terrible stuff happens - and he sure knows that. ]

[martyrerkomplex]

[She recognizes his voice immediately, and turns to look at him, posture vulnerable and expression soft.]

[After all, she's already set herself up to him as someone who's like that -- gentle and naive, too kind to understand an unkind world.]

I know they have good reasons to be upset. I think we all know that... But there has to be some more constructive way, doesn't there?

[deceases]

Of course there is.

[ There usually is, anyway. But even though that might seem like a surprisingly optimistic answer from Natsuno by regular standards, it's just that he can admit that much, but also-- ]

People can't see that, though. [ Because they're morons. Or most of them, anyway. ] So it ends up like this instead. It's what you see on the news even among regular humans.

[martyrerkomplex]

If there is a way, and people can't see it... well, the best thing would be to help them find it. Wouldn't it?

[deceases]

So you're going to go up to world leaders and tell them that?

[ A little cynically, because.. really, what can they do to change anything? They're just individual people who have no particular position of power - Natsuno wasn't even able to change anything in his own village, let alone something on a scale this big. ]

[martyrerkomplex]

I don't know. I was thinking more about getting good information to regular people, and maybe then the leaders...

[deceases]

It's not that easily to get it up there. Believe me. [ Not that Natsuno has dealt with things on that scale, but.. well, if he already couldn't convince the regular adults around him, then how would he ever have gotten there to begin with? ]

People aren't very willing to listen to others. Let alone mutants.

[martyrerkomplex]

I can understand what you're saying.

[Kind, gentle, compassionate. But...]

I don't really think being quiet or not doing anything will make things better, though.

[For one thing, she's tried that. For another, she wants to convince people she's someone brave enough to stand up for others, too, even if she doesn't believe it herself.]

[deceases]

[ At least he has an answer to that. ]

Of course it won't. Doing nothing won't change anything.

[ So it's more just that Natsuno has resigned himself to not being able to do much at all. Maybe it's pessimistic, maybe it's a little sad, but he doesn't really think it's either of those things. It's more just the way the world is. ]

But between wasting effort and not wasting effort for the same outcome, I'd go with the latter. [ Not that he won't get into action when it's needed, or when he can change something.. but everything back in Sotoba was on a way different scale instead of dealing with the whole world like this. ]

[martyrerkomplex]

Maybe.

But... Maybe it's better to at least know that you tried.

[She wouldn't know. But she's trying to learn.]