08/16 Game: The Greys in Between

[steyn]

SinJin: St. John tapped his pen idly on his notebook - what a boring class. He looked up occasionally to put on a show of paying attention, but his notebook was full of the upcoming chapter in his latest book.

Benjamin: Ben vigorously wrote down lyrics on his paper. It had been a long time since he had taken any class economics related and though he liked the class and wanted to pay attention... it was hard to do so when you have songs in your head screaming to be written.

Farouk: Farouk sat down in front of the small juggled group of curiousities that represented his class after scribbling a last growth curve on the board. They hadn't paid much attention even when he had entered the room, which was as well. As long as they'd participate in what came now...maybe he should make this part of the final grade?

Benjamin: Ben's attention went to the board... for about five seconds and then his vision slowly sank back to his piece of paper. Humming a melody, quietly, he reworked some of the phrasing. "like a...dance..." No. Bad. He crumpled the paper up and opened up his notebook. Inside were doodles of him with a sword saving Neena from a terrible dragon.

Japh: Japh always struggled to stay awake. Every so often he would slowly start to nod off, only to look up again when someone's voice became louder. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Japh: ((struggled to stay awake in Economics))

SinJin: He looked around - everyone seemed bored. Except the teacher. That wasn't a good sign. He paid more attention.

Farouk: "Well ladies and gentlemen, now that we have successfully sailed through the dry basics for today, I would like you try and administer what you have learned. Please, form a circle with your chairs." His finger made a small circling movement over the area in front of him.

Benjamin: Ben proceeded with the directions having only just pulled his attention away from 'Sir Benjamin The Brave' fighting the evil dragon of Doom!'


Japh: Japh was so wanting to roll his eyes at the teacher's request, but figured it would probably wake him up to stand for a bit. He got up and moved his chair to where Farouk told them to.

SinJin: He complied, grinning at the others. "Well, this is nice and cosy."

Rogue: "Those boys are somethin' else. Gotta teach 'em h-..ow." Rogue covered a snicker with a cough as she looked over at Rae when they walked in. She cringed a bit and mouthed 'oops?' when she saw everyone moving their chairs to a circle.

Benjamin: Ben nodded and half smiled to Ginny. Seeing Rachel and Rogue in the door, he waved frantically and his half smile turned into a full, toothy, grin.

Farouk: He grinned at the group in front of him from behind his desk and let out a satisfied sigh. "Now that we're all cozy...When the ladies don't mind to sit down too, that is..." He noted Rogue and Rachel with a risen eyebrow.

rachel: "Yeah, they..." Rachel trailed off in reply and eyed Farouk as long as she could without going blind. she sent with a sigh before moving to sit down.

Rogue: Rogue let the snicker happen when she got Rae's message, then put her shields in place for class. No teachers in her mind, kay thanks. She gave Farouk an apologetic smile and moved to sit between Japh and Ginny. "Hey, y'all."

SinJin: "Hey Rogue, Rae. Glad you could join us!"

Japh: Japh smiled at the girls, "Hey Rogue, hey Rachel." He shifted a little back in his seat. This was supposed to be cosy, and cosy meant comfortable and sitting up for long is not comfortable.

Farouk: After putting this little incident under 'Things that affect grades' in his head, Farouk cleared his throat to gather attentive eyes again. "As I wanted to say, before I was interrupted: After the introducing words on the numbers, I would like you students to have an open discussion with me merely as the moderator."

SinJin: He smirked at Japh. "Someone didn't get enough sleep last night..." he whispered.

Farouk: His hands formed a little tent on the desk when he continued. "The topic is 'The good in the Mutant Registration Act'. I think this school is supposed to broaden your children's hoizons, so from time to time you should try to see the other side of the fence."

Farouk: "Any questions?"

Benjamin: Ben raised his hand.

rachel: She blinked and chewed on her lip. Okay, discussion. Woo, another fail for this class....

Rogue: Rogue propped her elbow on the table and held her hand up, making a face since Ben got to it first

SinJin: "Yeah - are we doing Devil's Advocate for it?"

Farouk: "Mister Reily?" He gestured towards Ben.

Benjamin: "How does this effect our economy? It's just a bill."

Rogue: "Oooh, good movie," Rogue said quietly to Ginny.

Farouk: "Good question." That was a happy face for Benjamin Riley in his little book. "For example, registered mutants could be administered into certain sectors of the job market, which could prove beneficial for them and the economy. Imagine yourself cleaning a whole housefront on your own and in the course of one afternoon if you will, Mr. Reily."

Japh: "Someone kept me up all night" Japh whispered back to Ginny, and then went back to the class in session. "Well, best I can think of, the government can prepare itself for anything that might happen concerning mutants. Like specialised medical care and stuff."

Benjamin: "But I'm gonna be a musician... I think?" Ben said. "Why would they 'administer' anyone into anything?"

SinJin: He grinned at Japh knowingly. "Well, I'd make an excellent Fire Fighter...or Starter."

Rogue: Rogue sighed and put her head down on her upper arm, hand still up as she waited not-so-patiently. She grinned at Japh and Ginny's conversation going on over her head.

Farouk: "That's for you to discuss, son. would you be willing to give up your expectations for life, or at least bend them a bit, for the greater good?"

SinJin: "Hell no."

Rogue: "Hell fuckin' no," Rogue whispered.

Japh: "Dude, you'd look great in a fireman's costume," Japh joked, even giving a thumbs up to Ginny with a pimp smirk and a Rock eyebrow move.

Rogue: Rogue gave Ginny a grin and stifled a laugh.

Farouk: Noting the dropping head to his left he pointed at Rogue. "My, I nearly forgot your question. Miss..." What was her family name again........"...Rogue?"

rachel: Rachel sighed and laid her head on her desk. Hate this class...

SinJin: "I can work that into the DR," he replied. "But seriously - if they asked nicely and paid me a lot of money, sure, I'd do jobs for this government - though I'd be more likely to accept a position in Australia."


Benjamin: "I would hope not..." Ben said quietly. "But wouldn't it open more jobs in the sense that now we can do things other people can't? Or couldn't do? Like, heck, I can clean windows on sky scrapers and get paid for that. Easier and safer."

Benjamin: "Shouldn't that be what they want with this bill? To make it easier for us to function in society without any hatred or animosity towards us?"

Rogue: "Rogue. Yes. Just Rogue" She sat up and fought rolling her eyes. "When ya say 'good of tha registration act', are ya meanin' f' us, or f' normal humans? 'Cause Ah gotta tell ya, it ain't lookin' hot f' us."

Rogue: Rogue shot Ben a look telling him to shut up. Shit, he got on her nerves sometimes.

rachel: "No hatred? Yeah, that's working out well so far," she muttered.

SinJin: "In a perfect world, Ben."

Benjamin: Ben rolled his eyes as Rogue looked away. "Well, everything takes time. I'm not saying how they've started off is great, hell I got fired the other day. But I know better than to blame the whole for the fault of one."

SinJin: "You got fired? For being a mutant?"

SinJin: He sat up.

Farouk: "Why, for both sides obviously, ladies." His critizising eye let Rachel know that he had heard her. The he looked over to Ben. "Would you mind to explain that?"

Benjamin: "Yeah, sorta." Ben said. "Guy came in, made trouble. But, that's not what this is about, this is economics, I'm a musician. I'll find another job, the economy isn't going to cry because I can't play guitar for the coffee lovers."

rachel: Rachel shot Farouk a glare at his look as she half listened. She figured going to sleep would be a really bad idea, but she didn't want to pay attention either.

Farouk: "Unemployment is a part of the economy, though, isn't it?"

Benjamin: Ben shook his head. "Temporary unemployment. And besides, I'm still working at the music store."

Rogue: Rogue sat back in her seat and crossed her arms under her chest for a moment. Mostly for the sake of ignoring Ben, she started counting the holes in the ceiling tiles. She quickly lost count and looked down at her hands, unfolding her arms and slowly pulling the gloves off, watching her fingers move.

Farouk: "Are we boring you, Miss?," he directed towards Rogue.

Rogue: "Nope." Rogue never looked up.

SinJin: "Yeah but what about the poor bastards who only have a physical change, and have no other special powers? They're fucked."

Farouk: "People with disfigurements are also 'fucked' then?"

rachel: She glanced over at Rogue, scowling at her shielding. So much for telepathy being entertaining. Well, not that she could blame Rogue with Farouk around...

Benjamin: Ben pointed to Farouk. "Exactly. When people were coming back from Vietnam no one would give them jobs. They were too fucked up. Physically, mentally, everything. It took time and change, and we still say nasty things, make awful references, but it's fading away now. Everything takes time man."

SinJin: "Well, sure. There's forms of racism all ready prevalent about who gets which job, and how much they get paid."

Rogue: Rogue felt eyes on her and looked over at Rae, arching an eyebrow, then looked back down and started running her thumb over the cuticles of her other hand. "Nothin' good'll come of this shit," she mumbled.

SinJin: "This is just yet another form."

Farouk: "Indeed it is. We are no slaves yet, though, so, do we need our own 'Mutant Luther King'?"

Benjamin: "Maybe one of us should run for senate. Or president then? Make some changes, the way Martin Luther King Jr, and the Kennedy's and everyone else before them has. Maybe we need one of us to step into the limelight and prove that there's something wrong with their views."

Rogue: "Who's willin' ta get shot f' tha good of mutant kind?" Rogue raised her eyebrows and looked at her classmates with mock-curiosity on her face.

rachel: "Hopefully one of us that can't die."

Rogue: "Ah'll do it then," Rogue shrugged.

Japh: Japh wanted to say that line, but Rachel beat him when he only opened his mouth for it.

Rogue: She shot Rachel a grin and stuffed her gloves in her pocket.

rachel: "Now, you just have to magically become old enough to be president," she gave a weak grin back.

Rogue: Rogue snickered, "Yeah, like tha entire country'd trust someone who don't have a real name." She gave Rachel a thoughtful look, "Although... with a powerful telepath behind me..." She giggled a bit.


Benjamin: Ben shook his head. "No, not a martyr guys, we need someone to shine the light. That doesn't mean their safety isn't in jeopardy, but they need to step up. And you know what, fuckin'-A, I'd do it. For Neena, or you Rogue, or Rachel, any of you."

SinJin: "Well, Australia's pretty cool about mutants. It seems like America's always making snap judgments and fucking their own citizens over a lot."

Farouk: This got amusing. "I think the young Miss has brought up an important point: Maybe a mutant president, or at least senator, would be better fitted for the position than a normal human?"

rachel: "Yeah, well, like the country would trust a telepath," she shrugged.

Rogue: "No, Ben. Don't be a fuckin' martyr." She gave him a glare. "Especially not f' me. Ah don't want ya help. Nor do Ah need it."

Japh: "Mind you, I doubt if South Africa would end up doing teh registration if it ends up a bad thing." Japh added

Benjamin: "A mutant president would work. Hell, Professor Xavier should run. Someone with the knowledge of what we can accomplish and who we are." He glared to Rogue. "And maybe someone with some tact."

Japh: "Not to be rude, but I doubt if professor Xavier would live long enough for that to happen. I mean, they guy's, bless his geriatric heart, is what? Eighty?"

Farouk: "He isn't the only powerfull telepath around, though..." One could barely hear those words being muttered

rachel: She shook her head and glanced over at Rogue, who was still glaring at Ben. "Maybe you should just be president," she looked over at Farouk. The world was already doomed anyway...

Benjamin: Ben shrugged. "It doesn't have to be someone we know, but if we're gonna start listing off mutants in school, I vote Dr. McCoy. He's got a good head on him."

SinJin: He stifled his laughter with a couch.

Japh: Japh held back his humour. Soooo wanted to say that the oval office will have to be enlarge to fit Farouk.

SinJin: ((COUGH))

Benjamin: ((Farouk or farouk's ego?))

Farouk: ((They share a beneficial partnership))

Japh: ((atm just his body, the whitehouse estate sin't large enough for his ego))

Benjamin: ((the pentagon I think would work.))

rachel: ((nothing can hold Farouk))

SinJin: ((LMAO))

Farouk: "This is very interesting, but let's go back on topic: Let's say one of your parents suffers terminal cancer, and somewhere out there is a mutant who could help him or her, but he decided that he'd rather be a backer, never hearing of the problems of other people that way."

Farouk: He cast a dramatic pause into the room. "Do we have a responsibility for the good of the whole, based on who we are?"

rachel: Well, that wasn't really something she had to worry about since there was Josh and all. Though, depending on which parent, she may not care.

Japh: "I gotta agree, with the mutant registration, the government would be able to contact all the people with healing abilities, and one of them would surely be able to help." Japh said

Benjamin: "The good of the many outweigh the good of the few, or one?" Ben asked. "Like... Star Trek?"

Rogue: Rogue frowned, "That hypothetical equasion shouldn't involve me."

SinJin: "Yeah but if we cured all the world's illnesses, we'd have a population explosion." He pointed out, playing the Devil's advocate.

Rogue: "An' there would be no more jobs f' doctors."

Japh: "Okay, rogue, how about this, lets say there's a situation and only you can save the life or lives of people, would you help them?"

Benjamin: "Evolution would find a way Ginny. Chaos theory." Ben pointed out. "Doesn't matter how many people you save it can't always be enough." Ben turned to Japh at the interesting question he had just proposed.

Rogue: Rogue barked a laugh at that, "Yeah, sugah, that would not be me. Mah powers wouldn't save a soul."

Farouk: "So, Miss Rogue? How about working for the police then, capturing criminal mutants?"

Japh: "You can lift a frikken elphant with your pinky, Rogue, you can fly and you can't get hurt normally. I think there might be a situation here or there that could count."

Rogue: "Ah stole those, Japh. They ain't what Ah manifested, therefore, ain't rightly mine. But ya right, if Ah could use those ta help someone Ah would. Hell, Ah have."

Benjamin: "Someone, or someones, that's what he's asking Rogue." Ben pointed out. "The little boy or a whole schoolyard? One or the many?"

Rogue: "Which brings my train of thought somewhere else... One of tha times Ah have that sticks out most was helpin' get people out from a hell hole of a place. If they make our records public... That person, or someone like 'em, could get 'em an' use 'em against us again."

Rogue: Rogue chewed her lip and glanced at Rachel out of the corner of her eye.

Farouk: "But if your value outweights your crimes, maybe you would get a pardon?"

Rogue: Rogue scoffed a laugh at that and sank a bit in her chair, "Or if ya crimes are kept secret then ya wouldn't have ta worry 'bout it."

SinJin: "What kind of value? Nobody's life or abilities is worth enough to expunge some crimes."

rachel: Rachel visibly cringed and sunk down in her seat at the mention of Essex and took a deep breath, avoiding Rogue's look.

Farouk: "What if a man who has killed another man could save the lives of thousands then? That's the numbers we're talking about with mutants, after all..."

Rogue: "Depends on why tha hell he killed tha other man. Shit happens on accident a lot an' people don't see it that way..." Rogue swallowed and pushed thoughts of Carol away as she examined her bare hands again.

rachel: She slid down a bit more once the question had registered. Josh had killed someone...

Benjamin: "Does that mean we should register him?" Ben asked. "I mean, you know what he can do... but he's a good person if he saves others..." God, he was getting confused. "Waitaminute, Rogue, didn't you save Moon? With Rachel right?"

Rogue: "What's ya point?" She didn't look up from her fingers.

Japh: "Think of how many people you could save if the government knew what you could do?"

SinJin: "Oh, I agree, Rogue circumstances figure into it a lot."

Benjamin: "Okay, so let's say someone starts a fight with an innocent mutant and you break it up and you snap a couple of necks. Wouldn't ouw ant it on record what you've done beforehand? I mean saving her...."

Benjamin: "Of course... that would put her on record...." Ben thought about this. "Nevermind."

Rogue: Rogue's jaw clenched and she shifted in her chair, turning to sit sideways and crossing her legs. "Wouldn't want tha killin' on record at all..." Still no one knew she killed Carol except for her closest friends here... She liked it that way.

rachel: Rachel really wished she'd skipped this class as she buried her face in her arms. Maybe risking waking up from a nightmare in class wouldn't be so bad. Rogue had dealt with her after nightmares before, so she'd know what to do...

Farouk: "Well, one could say a good thing of the registration would be that the police gets informations about mutant powers. Maybe they could solve a few misterious crimes that way?" He kind of liked how heavy the atmosphere had become in here. Time to poke around a bit. "I mean, a crime is always a crime too, isn't it? And how could one know who needs to atone for his sins if one doesn't know about the powers which comitted them?"

SinJin: "What? That doesn't even make sense."

Benjamin: "C'mon Ginny, how do you expect a 'jury-of-your-peers' to judge you when they don't even understand you?"

Benjamin: "How do you charge someone for manslaughter 2 when they had no idea they were doing it, nor how they did so?"

Farouk: "Not? As Mr. Reily has point out, knowing is important. And normal humans have to work for the society to make up for their crimes, muatants should too, shouldn't we?"

SinJin: "My peers are other mutants - so having non-mutants sort of nulls the point."

Rogue: Rogue narrowed her eyes at Farouk's suggestion, but didn't look at him. Her jaw clenched tighter until she took a breath and forced herself to take a breath, putting her careful blank face back in place. "Even scientists cain't always understand shit. So if a scientist cain't understand how a power works, how're they gonna be able ta put it in a record acurately?"

Benjamin: "That's not what they want to hear and they'll send you away faster than you can protest if you point that out to 'em."

SinJin: "Luckily, I'm not from this country." He muttered. This had to be the worst class ever. He vowed he just wasn't going to show up - screw his grade.

Benjamin: "So it's not your problem then?" Ben asked crossing his arms. "You commit a minor crime, they deport you because they can't wrap their minds around you, and then all of your other fellow mutants are here getting thrown in jail or worse because people don't get what they are. All it needs is a little awareness. Some prominent people in the community who just happen to be mutants."

SinJin: "Well, it's a problem. But I just wouldn't say I'm a mutant - my powers are very well under control, and I look normal."

Rogue: "Ya know, that's not happened yet. Why would it start happenin' now? Hardly anybody cared till all this fuckin' shit got brought up." Rogue took another breath and forced her temper down as she rolled her shoulders.

Benjamin: Ben's eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "I got fired and never denied it, I could've easily done so, called them both crazy drunks. I'm just like you are, no visible traces of any mutation." Ben shook his head. "Whatever."

Japh: "They fired you because you're a mutant? That's the reason?" Japh asked

SinJin: "Well, then you're just stupid, and I'm sorry that you got fired, but really."

Benjamin: Ben bit his lip. You can change the belief, but not how someone believes it, Ben remembered. Nor the perspective they see it in. "Yeah Japh, sort of. Long story short, I got called out and the boss said 'it'll be easier if you just leave.'"

Japh: "Damn, that's a bit nuts. People really don't like mutants at that coffee place then. Glad I don't drink coffee." Japh said.

Japh: ((was it the coffee plce or the bar?))

Benjamin: ((coffee))

Japh: ((phew, good, was scared I'd end up making these double brackets....damn, doing it now.))

Benjamin: ((what double-oh.))

Benjamin: "Yeah well... like everything else, it'll sort itself out." I hope, he continued in his head.

SinJin: "I hope so. But I have to go to the little boy's room, so I'll be right back." He took his notebook with him and wondered where Lizzie was as he ambled in the opposite direction of the bathroom. He still had those backstage passes.

Japh: "Well, looks like he won't be coming back," Japh noted, "So what if a mutant is persuaded to work for the government? Like a draft for hisorher abilities?" Japh asked.

Rogue: "Drafts ain't right. People should be able ta decide f' themselves if they wanna do taht."



and then farouk exploded and all the children on the block had enough candy for a year!

the end.






[Edited on 16/8/2008 by steyn]

[Ult_Sm86]

My favorite part was the ending.