x_maker | Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure

Yes, I'm back. No, I'm not seeing any more visitors right now. I don't need anyone telling me everything's going to be okay. I don't much feel like making jokes.

In the interest of full disclosure, and to probably quiet a lot of the rumors going around, what Dr. MacTaggart said is true. Yes, I built a machine that took away my mutant powers. Magneto wanted to use it as a weapon. I built it to work once, then blow up, and it did. As usual, I didn't document anything, so there's no worries about the Brotherhood running around with it. And if anyone thinks I'm still harboring some sort of Stockholm Syndrome or that I did it all willingly - I've already convinced the Professor when he came down to talk to me, I don't need to convince any of you.

Jay says I should stick around, despite now being basically just the token normal. And I'm sure a lot of you are going to say the same, that I'm your friend, that I deserve a place to be happy here. But not a lot of you know why I'm here - and it's time for that secret to stop.

Back in school, all the way since I started going, I was the small kid and the smart kid. And in any social group, those are the first two differences that become evident. And in any social group, people like to cast out those that are different. Sometimes it's through exclusion and social pressure, and some times it's just plain violent. Lucky me, I got the full package.

High school wasn't any different. Wasn't acknowledged as anything, unless it was to be pushed around to make other people feel better about themselves. It was my place in the system, apparently. My parents - well, at the time, I didn't think to talk to them about it, because they wouldn't understand. They didn't ask how I was getting along, I didn't bother to tell them.

Finally, I got sick of it. I got sick of being invisible, sick of being pushed around, and sick of being ignored. This is the part in the story where the mutant powers kick in full speed.

So I made a bomb, plain and simple. I brought it to school, and I put it in my locker. And something happened and it went off early. You wonder why I carry around sixty-plus pounds of metal and a matching set of scars? Because I tried to blow up my school. [link: South Dallas Tribune, September 2002]

Go ahead. Read the news about it. Gas main explosion, they said. But the truth is, I did it myself. No one else hurt but me, but that wasn't the intent. And as I'm seeing argued around the journal system here, intent seems to count for a lot.

So, through chance or fate or whatnot - I'm here instead of dead or in jail. Trying to make up for what I almost did. Trying to do the right thing. I can say that being here has helped teach me that.

But if I don't belong - then I don't belong. Whether it's because I don't have my powers anymore, or because of the things I did, or because some of you probably still think I'm going to turn around and start marching to the beat of Magneto's drum; it doesn't matter.

But like I said, now you know. Make your own decisions.

JHF

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Because half the time, you don't get here without going through some rough spots, Shiro. And it's not human nature to stay squeaky clean when you've been walking through a shitstorm. I'm not making excuses for anyone, but I know there's folks come from all sorts of backgrounds that've made better.

Anyone remember the year or so of shit I gave Espinosa for being a good-for-nothing greaser gangbanger? And look where he is now. All respectable with a job and a tie and everything. If he'd been turned away from here, where do you think he'd be?

Look at Amanda. Yeah, the 'taking in strays' philosophy's bit us in the ass on that one - but imagine the damage she'd be doing elsewhere without this place to keep her in check.

If anyone ain't comfortable with this place being the halfway house for the black sheep of the mutant world, it's me. But we've got to suck it up, because by and large, it's for the best.

With regards to our little mad bomber - try this scenario. He sits in jail. Then Magneto picks him up ANYWAY, and he's got a mad on against society in general. Instead of risking his neck to get out of there, he cooperates. And we're all one step closer to losing ground.

I ain't saying not to pass judgement. You got every right to. Hell, I think the little bastard's still creepy, and now he's probably a closet arsonist and psycho to boot. But here's still the best place for him.

That is not what I said.

If you're asking why no charges were levied, it's because investigators ruled it as an accidental gas main explosion. By the time I was able to tell my parents what had actually happened, the matter had been closed. They felt that instead of letting the judicial system handle a matter that had already been closed, that the school here would be a better place for me.

That's the honest truth.

I'm asking why everyone here gets to take a miss on consequences when they screw up but the rest of the world doesn't?

I can't answer that.

So, people were picking on you and you decided to blow them up as a way of dealing? You idiot.

Seriously dude, where the hell was your head?

But, considering I did something extremely similiar, albiet with a demon rather then a bomb. I'd be damn hypocritical to condemn you for it.

Don't agree with what you did, think it was stupid but you got punished for it enough, and I think you've made up for it.

But the whole not seeing us thing? You're being a dick. Did it ever occur to you that we might want to make sure you were okay? That being told you're okay sometimes doesn't mean as much as actually seeing it?

I'm fine with not telling you that everything is going to be okay. I don't do the coddling thing. But I'd at least like to be able to come see you.

I'm not a murderer. A pawn, yes, but not a murderer.

If I were, then yes, I should be in prison. That's the law. We are taught to respect the law because we are not above it. And the law doesn't recognize regret as far as guilt goes. If you murder, then you commited a crime and you got to jail. If you're sorry, then maybe you will not be executed. It's only when the law fails that criminals don't serve their sentences.

And don't quote your bible nonsense at me. Jesus was an idiot.

Shiro, there is such a thing called "Accessory to a crime". or "Accessory to murder." You, by all rights, should be in jail for one of those.

Perhaps "Conspiracy to commit kidnapping" is more accurate.

I will quote whatever I like, whenever I like, Shiro. Or else, my request to have you stop spouting nationalistic nonsense would carry as much weight.

It is more true than anything you could say - even if you do not believe in One God, forgiving others so that you can be forgiven by others still applies. Treat others as you would be treated.

I don't expect perfection. That's an impossible goal that only a buddha can attain, and nobody here is even close to that level of holiness. But can we honestly expect to be taken seriously if we rip open loopholes in the law? I agree with Terry. Why do we get free passes when people not under the protection of the Professor or Magneto or some crime lord do not?

The Professor says we should lead by example. I fail to see how the example we set helps mutantkind if we just pick and choose which laws to follow. Unless I have misunderstood and the rule is actually "lead by example, except when it is more beneficial to cheat and cover your tracks."

No. "Because" is fascist. That's not good enough.

That was me still keeping the visition off-limits until this morning because there were still tests to be run and exhaustion to be factored in. Once he was awake this morning and asked for visitors, we opened the doors.

I probably should have made that a little more clear in my original post.

Accessory to a crime, yes. Conspiracy to commit kidnapping? No one believes my understanding of the events, but no, I am not guilty of that. And certainly not accessory to murder. I don't know where you got that one.

I do treat others as I would wanted myself to be treated. I am honest with them, as I wish people to be honest with me. And they are, sometimes.

As far as I know, the only people that've been taken in here who've committed premeditated murder without extenuating circumstances... let's see, you can argue that Nate was under someone's control at the time, or that Wisdom and Lebeau and Cassidy were just doing their jobs.

The purpose of prisons, so they tell me, isn't punishment - it's correction. And here, the kid's getting more than enough correction.

You did not attempt to kill -me- in Asgard? Oh, I am sorry, I meant attempted murder, but you stopped before you were successful. Assault then.

Ah, then you'll be turning yourself in to whatver proper authorites would cover the jusirdiction we live in? I am not sure which those would be, but I imagine someone could tell you.

Well, I thought that since you've known Professor Xavier for the better part of your life, lead the X-Men, and act as headmaster of this school, you would know the school's educational mission and admission policies as well as anyone else. My mistake.

Asgard? That is a different world entirely with different laws. But even if we do apply America's standards to the Norse, then one could argue that I was under the thrall of the Norns. Have you met them? Those goddesses are wiser than your Odin. You know his power. So you know you could not defy them.

I will stop by the precinct after classes, as long as you join me and admit to committing murder, given that you view Skippy's dupes as autonomous individuals.

Because it is just so much more productive for you to call me on the carpet on the journals, as opposed to going and having a civilized discussion with Professor Xavier about doubts that you might be having.

Drop the attitude.

We have had this arguement before, Odin is omninicent, therefore he is wiser than your fates. I defied Odin, I defy the Fates on a regular basis, and they sent you after me because I was a threat.

We estabished this already.

The different, Shiro, is that I did not break any laws. My personal guilt is my own about Jamie's twin, and he did not exist as a person legally - I cannot claim to have killed James Arthur Madrox, as he is alive and whole. Skippy Madrox did not exist legally, and the precinct would laugh at me.

I already spoke to my priest about this after the event happened.

Besides, if you were truly invested in what you believe to be the law, you would do it without needing my help. One does not follow the law because others do, but because it is right.

Yeah. Maybe.

Still, in the end, no visitors means no visitors, no matter who said it or their reasoning.

Whether I'm living as a guest in your house or not, I'll thank you not to call me a killer, or lump me in with scum like those pair. Maybe you do things differently over here, but where I'm from, the job of a police officer is to make sure *no-one* dies.

There is no blood on my hands, and if I find out who has said anything that would make you think otherwise, then I will be having very short and painful words with them.

You weren't there when my mother died. That's blood, right enough.

Not everybody, Theresa. In case you missed it with the unpleasantness surrounding Alison's post, Amanda will be facing the consequences of her actions. As soon as we have somewhere specific to send her - since making an obviously disturbed girl homeless and without resources would be the same as gift-wrapping her and leaving her on the doorstep of the HFC or whatever other magical boogeyman she's managed to run afoul of - she'll be leaving us. There's a limit to the second, third and fourth chances. In the meantime, she's basically under house arrest - she's co-operating by locking herself in her room, but if she wasn't, you can guarantee she'd be in one of the isolation labs. Preferably the one liined with steel, since metal messes with her powers.

That's one out of how many, Dr. Bartlet? And how often did she get a pass before that?

And what precisely had she done that required extreme punishment before that? She's not my most favourite student in the world, but I do consider the addiction an illness, not a crime, especially considering the way it came about. The love potion, for which she was punished by suspensions and being sent to magical boot camp, iirc. Under-age drinking, for which she's not the only one responsible and which was largely aided and abetted by her guardian. The fight with Jubilee, for which they were both punished.

If I'm missing something else, do feel free to point it out and we'll add it to the list. But do bear in mind that no-one's completely crime-free here, if you want to start demanding consequences.

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