text;

[toycommander]

Filtered to Students

Am I the only one who thinks there is something seriously wrong here? I mean look around. This school is practically a movie set - big stately manor on beautiful grounds with all the facilities a school full of teenagers could want. And of course everyone's so nice and friendly and they just want to help us mutants learn to use and control our powers...

I mean do you all watch movies? It's like the perfect setup for a horror flick. One of those where they discover that the seemingly perfect location is just cover for some sort of mad scientist's twisted experiments. With us as the victims, not the heroes.

I'm sure some of you are going to think I'm overreacting. But I've got one question. This is supposedly a super-swank, upscale private school. Even without the whole mutant thing, it should be costing thousands of dollars to go here. So how come this little chica from the inner city of San Fran's here? 'Cause my folks sure as shit can't pay.

And don't say it's out of the goodness of their hearts. Ain't nobody actually works like that.

Comments

text;

[presto_turn]

This school's staff has saved the lives of a lot of the students here. You're being disrespectful to all of them by talking about the Institute like that.

If you have questions, you can always ask the Professor or Principal Munroe. Instead of talking about things you don't know anything about.

[That's...kind of a pissier message than Shindou would normally shoot to what's obviously a new student but. It's a delicate subject, and he hits "send" before thinking better of it.]

text;

[toycommander]

Well, since I wan't here for that, it doesn't really affect my impressions, now does it.

And just saying I should ~trust them~ because you've had good experiences or whatever is kinda bullshit. I mean, I don't know you from a hole in the wall, so why should I even trust you?

[Audio]

[stardustreverie]

[Cue a creepy voice]

Because ya know, it's to make us all one. Ya know? Like a hive mind. Know what's goin' on at all time and know where ta go in a instant.

It helps when the heroes come after us ya know?

[audio]

[toycommander]

[Her tone is so very dry and flat]

Oh, of course. It's all clear now

[And in a more normal tone]

I thought the party line is we're to be the heroes.

[voice]

[tofudog]

I know, right?? Plus did you know one of the teachers here is an actual cannibal with a real criminal record? AND I just met a lady who said a bunch of kids got kidnapped here! Then she changed her name and left for "Personal Reasons."

This place is like, 1000% messed up.

[Except he sounds kind of pumped about it.]

[voice]

[toycommander]

You sound way too happy about that.

Voice

[niepokonany]

God, don't let that optimism get too out of hand or anything!

I mean, like, the old man's wicked loaded, and it's not like everyone here needs that much help paying for anything. [He doesn't. His dad's a mid to high-level diplomat, and his mom works, too.] Plus, it's not like anybody really wants to leave other people like us out there, freaking out over not being able to control their powers or getting picked on or whatever?

Also, we make way crappy victims. Trust me. We're a total pain in the butt.

Voice

[toycommander]

Adults don't do anything without some sort of angle. That's just how it is. Sure, no one wants mutants running around with uncontrolled powers, but if that was all they cared about they'd just throw us in some sort of jail or whatever.

So there's something more going on.

Text

[scorchedchivalry]

I believe Professor Xavier is an honorable man. The finances of this place is unknown to me. What I do know is that my uncle told me not to worry about contributing to the expense of attending.

I have found most philanthropists across the world tend to have more money than they know what to do with. Perhaps this is similar.

Text

[toycommander]

Must be nice, not having to worry about such things. But some of us do.

And rich folk just like to show off how rich they are. Charity work's just an easy way to do it and gives them warm fuzzies so they can sleep at night and not think about all the people they're screwing over.

text

[friendofdorothy]

The cream of the crop are filtered into the X-Men, I would guess.

Keep in mind I am not passing judgement.

text

[toycommander]

[That's not exactly much better. Since it implies this is actually some sort of paramilitary training camp. Except I didn't sign up for that

text

[usedforcepalm]

It benefits them if they can show that mutants aren't a threat as long as they can learn to control their powers and go to school somewhere where they're not being bullied for being mutants.

text

[toycommander]

And I'm sure this is just a bully-free utopia.

Pull the other one

of course I missed the "filtered to students" bit [text]

[kickstart_my_heart]

dont worry 2 much. these r nice ppl. saved th world n stuff.

[toycommander]

Maybe they should work on their own PR a bit before dragging kids into it then. 'Cause last I checked mutants ain't exactly loved, no matter how much world saving they've done.

text;

[knowitallgoddess]

To be fair, I'm pretty sure my parents donate quite a bit of money to the school. I'm not saying I peeked at any records but I did manage to get a glance.

text;

[toycommander]

Well that must be really nice for you. Not all of us have that kind of money chica.

text

[kamiizumi]

Maybe a lot of people don't do that out of the goodness of their hearts, but it doesn't mean that nobody does, either.

text

[toycommander]

Doesn't mean they do. I've never met an adult that didn't have some sort of angle going on

[tactlesstactician]

There are plenty of things they get out of this. For example:
- Loyal recruits for the X-men or potentially training future potential recruits
- Minimizing public incidents caused by poor control on our parts and thus aiding public perception

But that aside, let's say your suspicions are right and this is a set up for experiments or something else. Are you really sure you should be talking about it over the intranet? Do you trust a network run by the very school you're questioning?

[toycommander]

Of course I don't trust them. And I don't really think they're going to experiment on us, at least not like that. But it makes you think, y'know?

I'll grant the possibility of your second point, though they should clean their own house first before dragging us into it. But the first...

The rep who talked my parents into sending me here made no mention of joining what is essentially a paramilitary gang. I mean, not that it'd have made a difference, but still. Y'think that'd be mentioned. If I wanted to join a gang, I'd have stayed in Cali.

Text.

[nobodysweapon]

It is out of the goodness of Professor Xavier's heart, but it also directly benefits his agenda.

If we were to not control our powers, and we were to cause massive property damage and harm to the public who is already against mutants it would damage Xavier's message that we are not different enough for this to be a concern.

The senior staff is of no threat, provided you do not steal Logan's beer or touch any of Dr. McCoy's ongoing experiments.

You can trust them.

Text.

[toycommander]

This from the girl who admitted there's been kidnappings and massive property damage here. 'Cause that's perfectly normal stuff to happen at a school.

Except, y'know. Not

[spes_phthisica]

it's pretty weird, i agree (・。・;) i don't have much of a choice because of power control things
got nowhere else to go either, i think (^_^メ)
but don't you think people would've noticed if students kept disappearing from this place earlier or something? i mean there ARE people here with influential families and things like that, right?

either way, it still kind of beats the psych ward ^^

[toycommander]

Most ~important~ people are usually quite willing to shove their 'different' kids away where they won't be noticed.

I wouldn't know. Never been to a psych ward.

[text]

[knighterrantofthedragon]

Doubtless, you've already received responses; some, I imagine, impassioned.

For what it's worth, while I can absolutely understand your skepticism, I must disagree on one point: there are, indeed, people who, in your words, work like that. Fewer than one might like, certainly, and sometimes misguided, but they do exist.

I wouldn't insult your intelligence or pride by telling you to simply discard your misgivings, but I would ask you to leave some room for the possibility that someone, occasionally, might hold to a higher, better standard, and that you might have the opportunity to meet such people, here.

I'm Alric Caelegart, by the way; a new student, myself. I'm sure I'll look forward to making your acquaintance.

[text]

[toycommander]

People can try to hold to what ever standards they wanna proclaim. But the reality always falls short. And it's people like me who're left holding the pieces.

I'm Velma

Text

[littlerabbit]

It's weird, I know, but professor wheels seem kind of idealistic. And I guess it's better for everyone if most of the weirdos are kept here instead of out there with the normal people.

Besides, it's not like it's all cupcakes and rainbows. There were kidnappings and attacks and things before and it doesn't seem like the world has magically changed to a mutant loving place since then so I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

Text

[toycommander]

Idealism either gets beaten out by reality or it gets people killed.

So the choice is somewhere that has been known to have bad things happen to it's students - bad things no one seems to act like are that big a deal - or take the chances out it the wider world? Shit, if I wasn't a minor and kinda stuck here, I'd be high-tailing it out.