Sixth Haiku [Voice, Locked to X-Men and Staff]

[koukai_kirai]

This is the moment where we have to ask ourselves:

Is sheltering her worth the trouble? We're at a very real risk of making enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D., which could compromise the safety of a number of people here.

Perhaps we've let her borrow enough time. She got herself into this mess willingly, after all.

[He'll be the absolute last to suggest doing anything against Xavier's orders or behind his back -- but he's more than willing, at this point, to question the decisions that have been made.]

Comments

[aquawayfinder]

"We agreed to protect this person. Therefore, she should have a say in what happens next. I have a trust and a faith in these students, but there is more than simply that."

"If this group who demands we turn her over is a group of good people who would not do anything we would feel the need to protect her from, they likewise would not act in such a way that would harm the students. If they are such a group as would harm the students, what lesson do we teach handing anyone over to them?"

[Aqua shook her head softly.]

"If all parties, Master Xavier, the woman herself, and the leader of this other group, cannot or will not meet civilly to discuss the options and come to a consensus, what more can we do than defend our word and be true to who we are? If it comes to that, we defend the students by showing the proper path, as well as by defending them."

[koukai_kirai]

We didn't all choose to give our word, and she did choose to stir up violent anti-human sentiment. Frankly, I couldn't care much less about her say in the matter while her presence is a threat to the students.

And it isn't so simple as a "proper path" or whether they're "good" or not. They've got an agenda, but they also have more legitimate authority in this than we do, and we may have to rely on their backup in other matters again someday. They aren't an enemy we want to make.

[Hijikata's word and honor are priorities, but they rank somewhere far below the safety of the school and its students to him. He's, at his core, a somewhat vicious pragmatist.]

[aquawayfinder]

"We did, however, give our word to follow Master Xavier and aid him. I do not agree with what she did, however, I do care about keeping my word and the lesson that we teach the students by how we act."

"We cannot stand united to protect the students, or to guide them, if we spend our time second guessing and questioning our leader constantly. This is a case where there is no perfect or right answer. It is not that The Master has chosen a clearly wrong path, it is that he has chosen one path of many when no good ones offered."

"It is for us to offer council if it is requested, and when it is not, to support him, not to make the path more difficult."

[koukai_kirai]

I'll support Xavier until the day it kills me. That doesn't mean I won't question him.

[aquawayfinder]

"Even if questioning him threatens to leave us divided when we most need to be united?"

[She asked very softly.]

[koukai_kirai]

We can unite when a decision's made. Shying away from criticism before that isn't going to help anyone in the long run.

[aquawayfinder]

"Our advice was not requested,"

[She said softly. She did not want to argue, this was pretty much the opposite of what she wanted to do.]

[koukai_kirai]

I didn't request yours, either.

[aquawayfinder]

"Then I apologize, I misunderstood, and thought that you had opened this as a public forum for discussion."

[Sad thing is, she wasn't saying that as snide or snarky or to make a point. She is sincere.]

"I will remove myself from the conversation then, and I deeply apologize for the intrusion. Social media was not part of my life before I came here, and I am still learning the customs and cultural boundaries."

[She crossed one arm over her chest and bowed deeply.]

[koukai_kirai]

[He was... not expecting that reaction.]

[But he doesn't really feel like inviting her to keep arguing with him -- it's been a long day already and he finds himself with limited energy for things like that -- so he just shrugs his shoulder a bit uncomfortably, acknowledging her apology while trying not to imply too heavily that it was actually necessary.]

[aquawayfinder]

[And she cuts the connection]