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. ]]

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[gregorydeegan]

He poked his head out. Angry... was not a mood that generally lasted with him. "You a teacher?" he asked, still angry, trying hard not to be snappish. He had no way to know if this person was one of the ones he was angry with.

[shiningscales]

"Not exactly. I'm one of the counselors." Unthinkingly, he held up his hands in a placating gesture as he explained, "I thought you looked like you needed to talk."

[gregorydeegan]

"Fine then," he said, his white fire flaring up a bit more. "Explain something to me. Explain to me why I'm here."

[shiningscales]

"I'm not going to patronize you by pretending that question was literal." He sighs, but it's a thoughtful noise, not an exasperated one. "The fact of the matter is, though, that you students are here because you need a place where you can safely learn and grow. If there's a 'why' beyond that, it's personal, and I can't presume anything about it without you letting me know what's on your mind."

[gregorydeegan]

"I thought we were here to learn to use our powers to HELP people! Not to be told to sit down and shut up like good little children!" he threw himself back, trying hard not to cry. He didn't cry often. He hated crying.

[shiningscales]

Ah. At that, Caelius fell briefly quiet. It was a sentiment that wasn't foreign to him—which might have made him all the more cautious of how to approach it.

"Well, I hope no one said 'sit down and shut up.'" The statement came with just the tiniest hint of gentle levity, but when he continued, his tone returned to something graver. "But I understand how you feel. I think most people here do. With the way things have been, it's hard not to feel powerless sometimes." Shifting slightly, he asked, tentatively, "Um, what did you want to do?"

[gregorydeegan]

"Heal the idiot in the hospital so he could live a nice long life knowing that life was saved by a mutant," he said, a smile creeping onto his face. "And then fly out to that San Fransisco place and help calm the riots."

He sighed and leaned his head back more. "Back home... I kept getting into all sorts of crazy stuff, my family... we're big on helping people who need help. Doesn't matter what you do or don't have, it matters what you can do for someone else, what you can do to make this world a better place."

He... missed Barthis. No question. He missed Pam too... but she was the Mayor of Barthis now, and it was better for both of them that he wasn't there anymore.

[shiningscales]

...Was that a chuckle? No, absolutely not, it was almost certainly a cough. See the way Caelius made that noise into a lightly cupped fist? A cough.

"Well, I can't say that's less than what he deserves." He preferred poetic justice more than violence, all in all. "And I can't say I disagree with that look at life, either. We'd probably all be better off if more people thought about what their actions mean for other people. But..."

And there was always a but, wasn't there? He spoke carefully, choosing each word of his words. "But, there's wanting to help people, and there's jumping feet-first into a situation that could end with you or other people hurt. What you want to do is admirable, but learning to act wisely is part of learning how to help people, isn't it?"

[gregorydeegan]

"Other people are already getting hurt. That's the part I was trying to stop." Notice the part he was trying to ignore?

[shiningscales]

"That's true. That's what makes the situation so difficult." As he spoke, he kept his tone sympathetic but firm. "But try to take a step back and look at things logically. How were you planning to get to Stryker's bedside? After an attempted assassination, they almost certainly have police on alert, in case someone decides they want to finish the job. Even if you try to say you want to help, I doubt they'd just take a mutant at their word right now."

Having said that, he added, almost apologetically, "Honestly, I'm the last person that should be lecturing someone else about getting emotional. But you have to understand that right now, chances are people would misinterpret your goals, and no matter your intentions, that could make things worse for a lot of people."

[gregorydeegan]

"I was going to hover outside the hospital... and just help everyone, then fly in during the chaos. Or... something. I didn't think that part out so well, but I'm good at figuring it out as I go along. My brother's the planner. I wing it." Yes, he did work that into a bad pun.

[shiningscales]

He wouldn't be a Dominic Deegan character if he didn't

"That would be reckless of you." He sighed again, the sound somewhat heavier than before. "Don't get me wrong, it's an admirable idea. But there are times when you need more than admirable ideas before you act on them."

With that said, almost abruptly, he asked, "Are you training on one of the teams already?"

[gregorydeegan]

(OOC: SQUEE!!! THANK YOU FOR KNOWING THE COMIC!)

"I wasn't offered," he said flatly, back to annoyed. "I was helping at District X and one of the doctors there stopped me from using my healing abilities," he said. It was about as close to holding a grudge as Gregory got. He pulled a pillow over his face.

[shiningscales]

"What about starting your own, then?" He shies away from the topic of whatever might have happened in District X; he doesn't know the details, so he'll stick to something constructive about the topic at hand. "You just need a faculty member to sponsor you... And enough students to start a team, of course."

[gregorydeegan]

"If they wouldn't let me out now to help, how would having a team make a difference?" he asked, though there was less edge to the question, he was considering it. And missing Rachel.

[shiningscales]

"It's not about the immediate situation. You said you wanted to learn how to use your powers to help people, didn't you? If you're on a team, that's exactly what you'll be doing. You'll be taking the same feelings you have now and pointing them toward something productive."

[gregorydeegan]

"You'd be our sponsor?" he asked. "Maybe the band... that would rock. We'd be a band of merry heroes."

[shiningscales]

Ah. That was the question he had been hoping wouldn't come up. Now that it had, though, it'd make his words seem hollow if he refused, and that was the last thing he wanted. So— He'd have to make a compromise, then.

"Honestly? I don't think I'm very suited to the role of 'hero' myself, so I'm not sure I'd be the best adviser for you. But if you can't find a more qualified staff member willing to help, come back to me and I'll see what I can do. Deal?"

[gregorydeegan]

"You know what I learned in Barthis?" he asked, leaning back.

[shiningscales]

"Hm?" He tilted his head slightly, turning his head more fully in Gregory's direction, though with the pillow fort between them that only revealed so much.

[gregorydeegan]

"That Hero doesn't always mean warrior. Or sandwich. Sometimes even if you can't fight, you still can help. Music, for example, can be healing. We saved Barthis the last time not with swords and powers, but by raising money for charity rocking out." he sat up and propped himself on the edge of the couch fort. "If you want to make a difference, you can make a difference. As the song says, a hero is made, when you make a choice." So... want to be a hero with us?"

[shiningscales]

He had to smile. Gregory's heart was certainly in the right place, even if a pep talk wasn't exactly what he had been looking for. However effective it was in its intended purpose, he could at least say it was endearing.

"When I was your age, I was briefly on a trainee team myself. It was disbanded, but looking back on things, I don't think I was suited to be an X-Man to begin with. What I'm saying is, your instincts are obviously tuned in the right direction, and I want you to have an adviser who can really teach you how to put them to good use on the field. I know where my own skills lie, and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you didn't reach your full potential because of my poor teaching."

[gregorydeegan]

"Well, what are your skills?" he asked, legs under him now so he was half kneeling in the couch fort.

[shiningscales]

"I'm a counselor for a reason," he answered, half-laughing. "I'm more at home helping people talk out their problems than anything. Hence why I suggested you speak to someone else about sponsoring you for the more hands-on part." Then, with a shrug, he added, "Other than that, if you ever need some help in shop class, there are worse people you could ask than me."

That was a joke.

[gregorydeegan]

"So you're telling me to shop around?"