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

[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?"

[shiningscales]

"I—"

... ... ...

He couldn't help but feel like he'd been beaten at something.

"Yes. Yes, I am."

[gregorydeegan]

He grinned. "Well, what if we had two sponsors, then?" he asked with a grin. "You can help us with the back here stuff, and someone more hands on that would help us with the out work?" It sounded almost like he was setting up another pun, didn't it?

[shiningscales]

He sighed, but the noise sounded like a concession. "I wouldn't mind helping with the moral support part. That is what I'm here for, after all."

Alas, Caelius was Bad At Jokes, leaving him vulnerable to whatever wordplay might have been in the works.

[gregorydeegan]

And as he got the answer he wanted, he let the joke slide. He beamed brightly. "Wonderful! Lets go find the other sponser then, and the rest of the team!" he flew out of the fort with his walking stick, grabbed the other's arm and started walking, calling back in the white fire. Which meant he needed his walking stick...

Whoops.


As he had still been just holding it, he let go of Caelius' arm as he fell, flat on his face. "I won't let it keep me down!" he said, even as he tried to get to his feet.

[shiningscales]

"Whoa— Hey, hold up!" Automatically, as Gregory toppled, Caelius made a grab for him. In spite of his best efforts, the student hit the floor, leaving Caelius to kneel and support him as he tried to clamber back onto his feet. That little spill worried him, naturally, and he immediately cast around for a place to sit he could direct Gregory to.

Unfortunately, thanks the earlier construction of the fort, the couches were uniformly disassembled, so he simply continued to support Gregory's weight as he asked, "Do you have an idea of who you wanted to ask? I'll vouch for you if they need convincing, but let's think about what you're doing first."

[gregorydeegan]

"Well, you have ideas, right? you know the teachers better than I do, so who should we ask? Maybe one of the blue dudes? Maybe if we were with them, they;d be less sad." Smirk. He totally just said that.

[shiningscales]

Caelius considered Reimu for roughly a second and a half, then decided that no, that was a terrible idea. The pun only contributed a little.

"I'll ask around and see who's willing to commit." After all, he wouldn't want to presume. "What about other team members?"

[gregorydeegan]

"We could ask my future hopefully bandmates," he said. He considered as he leaned against his staff. "There are those two kids I was talking to on the network. They could be fun."

[shiningscales]

Once he felt confident Gregory wouldn't fall again, Caelius let go and took a step back, redirecting his attention to the cushions scattered across the floor. He leaned over to begin gathering them up as he suggested, "How about this: You find out who's interested, I'll ask around about an adviser, and we'll reconvene in a few days to discuss."

[gregorydeegan]

"Deal. Lets rock this thing out!"