Question [G2] The Big Apple Comes With Calimari

My review is 2/10, not enough zombies.

I got voted down on the zombies.

That's what happens when you let Jobe into the state.

Nebraska, huh? I can work with Nebraska.

I'll want to mull things over a bit before really commenting, but from my initial read through, it looks like you've got some well rounded characters and a good bunch of new students. You guys should pat yourselves on the back for this.

Hmm,
Something tells me the cabal are all logged on and waiting with baited breath for comments on the new story ...

And possibly just a little nervous?

So comment

Aww man! Just when something was finally gonna happen?

That was like waiting the nine months all the way through the pregnancy and getting kicked out just as the baby cried, not even being told if it was a boy or a girl!

I want to sleep, damn it! *Cry* Have to read this tomorrow... *cry some more*

Well, this is what I get for not paying attention to the sidebar...

Read 1st paragraph. Oh hey! It's the MCO! Let's see how they've changed, and not changed, in ~10 years!
Tomorrow.

And I guess I'll see if zombies are fake-spoilers or real-spoilers! ... Now I want to read a Zombie AU, if it's fake spoilers. Ah well.

You have most of them meeting before Dunwich, what type of problems are going to be attracted to them in New York?

Why is there but one flying into Boston?

and the real kicker question:

Why do I care about these characters? I'm shown they have issues, but with no history known, it's hard to get invested into the story.

What is under her hoodie?
What does she look like without the makeup covering her blue skin?
all Poesies, since it is a day before the rest of the school arrives, oops, they won't get that benefit.

The origins for each character really will help readers get invested with them, this entry just doesn't give enough info about the characters themselves to do that.

If I may, I think this is just to give us an intro and get the ball rolling with everyone together and getting to Whateley. This way those with long origin stories can develop them at their own pace, while the shorters ones can blast them off in a short story or novella and keep going.
We know that they're not remaking Team Kimba, so at Whateley they can all do their own thing. But having them all never really meeting each other early on would limit how they can interact later.
While getting more details right now would be good, the set up of the 'verse makes this a good starter story.

It's an aperatif of a tale.

Enough hints and teasers of longer-term background, and international geo-politics to give a flavour of things to come, with all of the implied back-story. (ie. What happened to the Yama Dojo?)

And siphoning them off to a separate setting to get the drawing-room-style closer introductions.

And Evolution Rocks are still going...

More hints of Chekhov's chaingun.

Tasty start.

Domoviye wrote: If I may, I think this is just to give us an intro and get the ball rolling with everyone together and getting to Whateley. This way those with long origin stories can develop them at their own pace, while the shorters ones can blast them off in a short story or novella and keep going.
We know that they're not remaking Team Kimba, so at Whateley they can all do their own thing. But having them all never really meeting each other early on would limit how they can interact later.
While getting more details right now would be good, the set up of the 'verse makes this a good starter story.

Yeah Dom, but Dawnfry's summation isn't wrong either. We got all the boring introduction, and then Stay tuned for the second part where all will be revealed!

Kind of anticlimactic, and also, really hard to comment on, cause we're waiting for the part with the action, the emotion, the something to happen so we can have enough of a handle on things to make informed comments.

True. You'll notice I didn't say Dawnfry was wrong, just giving a reason why it was done this way. Intro, cliff hanger, stay tuned for next week.
If it's good or not really depends on the reader, this one I think most would agree is at the very least passable.

What to say...

Too many characters with too little information about them. I know there are a bunch of girls, at least one was guy. I have no idea who any of these girls are, or what they can do (one is an Exemplar, but I don't remember which one). The guy has powers like Chaka's, (I was hoping there wouldn't be anyone that close to the Gen 1 stars).

Given all the problems that the MCO causes to mutants travelling via air, sending unaccompanied minor mutants through the US Airport systems, is asking for the MCO to give them problems.

Um, no, no one has powers like Charka's. If you're referring to Kenshin, he's something else all together different.

to be fair, there's a few members of the group who'll SEEM to have similar powers to Team Kimba, but in some cases hard to avoid. There are only so many powers after all.

I won't go into all the arugements and discussions we had over origin tales, Dom, Dawnfyre, but suffice it to say, Dom's pretty much right, for reasons beyond the scope of the forum. Will all the charaters have origins? No. Several don't need/want them. Will we show other's origins/pre whateley adventures? Yep. But we started with the main plot first, this time. Think of it this way, we're doing the main series first, then we'll do origin minis.

We have 10+ characters. If every one had an origin tale, averaging 2 parts, we wouldn't get to any on-campus stories for MONTHS. Get 'em on campus, get the insanity rolling, and unfold origin tales as we need. And not all will have huge origin tales. Example, I could do without one for Cerulea, but I might add background to her by doing a vignette or short of her origin.

Some characters have more complicated backgrounds than others. Some require a bit of explanation, while others are ready to get running right out of the gate. Glyph's tale has already been written, and is just waiting for the right time.

To the authors, I hope we aren't upsetting you, I'm really trying not to do so, I promise.

But it's like this. You are building a house. A hole had been dug and the concrete foundations laid and while the concrete is setting you bring some friends out to show it off and while the hole and the foundations are all very important and necessary, at the moment there's not a lot they can say about the house, cause it's not there yet. They can make vague comments about the size and the location, but really, we're all now waiting for story two and a house to be there.

I knew that this was just to introduce the characters, as the first 2nd gen story that was obvious, I just pointed out the weakness in this story. ( and that is the only weakness in that it didn't provide enough character info to get invested into the characters. Every other aspect works. )

Opinions on the characters and their power set have to wait until we have that information.

Not upsetting me at all.

And like Morpheus, if there is a demand for the origin of a certain Del Bosque, well, it's around.

I think you can rest assured that any background stories you release will be avidly devoured.

It wasn't clear on it but did Hikaru join the group before it got on the bus or not?

My only G2 question was answered: would there still be silly call outs to movies and pop culture? Yes. Sometimes those things annoy me and sometimes they don't. This time it didn't. I appreciated the Airplane reference.

As this was only part 1, I don't think commenting on it meaningful. New characters always require introduction. I would suspect that origin stories, this time, might take place during normal stories as flashbacks or as dialog told to other characters.

I suppose we could speculate on which character belongs to which Cabal member....

Dang, took longer than I thought to read and comment on this one.

The Big Apple Comes With Calamari Part 1 comments
Comments typed as story was read.

Dang, 10 years later from the start of the original Gen and the MCO is still being a pest, or is more just the minority who think of them as the mutant menace now. Guess I will have to read this and other Gen 2 stories to get a fuller picture of how things have changed. Wonder how the woman on the phone would know about such information, it is either a set-up, a precog, or a truly concerned individual. At least he got more information, I'm starting to pity him a little with having to deal with hysterical individuals in a panic.

I'm hoping Jeff is the exception instead of the rule with the MCO now, I had hoped Tywyswr would have arranged to clean them up more by now. And pushing around the TSA and FAA like they are more important, it seems the MCO has just gotten worse in the ensuing time. Something must have happened to give them more power, instead of limiting it further than in the past.

Whoever is holding this girl captive and treating her worse than a wild animal needs to be maimed. Using mithril to torture someone, that is inhuman. A nightmare, what she was put through sounds worse than what Ayla went through. Who could treat another human being that way just because of the way they look, I will never understand that. At least Morgana can joke about it with the man. I know I wouldn't want to go back to sleep for a long while after a nightmare like that.

She needs a bodyguard, what happened to Bianca already that she needs a bodyguard!?! With her looks she is going to noticed, to guys at Whateley she is an exotic beauty. Ack! The other organizations should really had out to all employees, including airport employees, their rights and the limits of what the MCO can and can't do by law.

Morgana, if you aren't panicking just a little with all that happening to you, you are going to go nuts. Heavy-handed tactics and bullying school age kids just because they are mutants, still the same old MCO. Now there is an expression I've never heard before, stuck a big stick in their anthill. I like it. A jerk about a pill to keep her calm on a flight, something you would think even the MCO would want a mutant to be, then an ass about her luggage. Unprofessional and petty, great. Seems the MCO, at least in the USA, still needs cleaning up.

Another new kid and ouch, already been interviewed by reporters and the press. So probably mob by fellow students at Whateley, or pestered about being on TV. She got lucky, found a nice person who was interested without being pushy. Even if Poe is no longer keeping the secret [don't know yet], I'm sure some will still considered it the crazy dorm, helped by several of the incoming class having real mental issues.

Oh crud, all these kids being routed through the same airport from different locations, it is a perfect storm of potential trouble with the MCO and the people they were warned were coming. Plus her thinking she could skip over the MCO here because of the stuff she went through elsewhere, that won't fly with the MCO goons. And declaring an emergency for no obvious reason, the other agencies are going to get tired of the MCO trying to bully their way through the laws and regulations sooner or later.

And one problem at airports that needs to be fixed by security, people just standing around and blocking others from getting by, like only their time is important. Not helped by the current situation with the MCO but still. Adults always try to frame it as an adventure, forgetting what it was like as a kid and that most kid don't like to leave their friends and family behind to move to a place like a boarding school. To add in undergoing a drastic physical change to that, it is no wonder a lot of Whateley stories have the kids needing psychiatric help.

To be rejected by her older brothers and father, kicked out a school she like, and feel it is her fault her parents are divorcing, I wonder if Laura will see Dr. Bellows or has he retired. Good to know she still has her mother and little sister, although I'm surprised she didn't suffer any hearing loss from Julie's squeal of delight. Travelling by plane with the MCO around, if it weren't for the travel time I would suggest multiple connecting trains, although they accounted for that this time.

So even if they were cleared at other airports in the United States, they have to be cleared again. Guess the MCO is getting what they want, the other passengers are going to be ticked at any mutants at the airport for the delay, even though it isn't their fault. I feel a set-up, the MCO having bags of mutants stolen so they won't have ID just so they can disappear them without question. Especially with how the MCO agent is talking to her.

With how the MCO agents are treating her, this has to be a set-up. I hate scum like that, wish that something would teach them a lesson on compassion or punish them. Something happened involving mutants again and gave the MCO more power, otherwise they couldn't get away with half of what they do, licensed by the state or not. At least I hope they shouldn't be able to.

10 years later and still the bigots and ignorant are out in force, sometimes I wish social change for the better could happen faster. Staring at her because she has blue skin, I can understand the little girl asking her mob but the other people should know better than to stare. I just hope Laura can sort things out before her next flight is ready to leave.

Ooo, I hope the diplomat from Japan is connected to the mutant onboard the plane, that would make the MCO turn pale from the implications of messing with a diplomat. Well, if they have any brains or common sense left that they aren't the highest power around.
Erica is wishing for more excitement in her life...be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. Travelling with her grandmother and being taught how to shop wisely, I can see why she wants more excitement. Eep! Erica has a tricky name to pronounce for her codename, definitely stands out. A friend already made before getting to Whateley, always nice to have. Especially one with a shared interest, wonder if their liking role-playing games will come up in the future. An uncle like that might not bode well but sure would be fun to hang around with.

All those things involved if Uncle Adolf is around, either a spy, ex-spy or just plain trouble magnet. Cally, aura reading and based on the comment about her singing a siren as well, very interesting. And you can guess what Grandma was told, at least she is smart enough to avoid the MCO if possible.

Thank you, Briana. At least one of the students got through to Whateley, now they can't disappear them without the wrath of every superhero and villain connected to Whateley coming down on them. Poor girl, someone should have warned her about airport food.

A new secretary and confirmation that the secret of Poe is still a secret. Thank you for revealing this so soon into the G2 stories. I like Sandra already, get the information into the right hands as soon as possible.

And a vigilante with only good intentions and gadgets is going to make the situation more complicated, *silently screams into a paper bag in frustration* The image of him flying and smacking into a plane or airbus brought to mind George of the Jungle hitting a tree. Hurt him badly and ruin his rep, if any, in one blow.

This new generation of Whateley students so far definitely stands out from the old, more changes to hair color and GSD among the viewpoint characters, nice change. Cute kid, nice to see more points of view with others just seeing her as a teenage girl. A kid excited to be going to Whateley, what kind of stories have they been telling her, I wonder. And the shoe drops, way to ruin the girl's good mood, MCO.

Oh please say that GridGear's is one of the futuristic computers we were told would be in the Gen2 stories. I would love to have a rig like that myself, save so much space. I agree with Jimmy, I would have been looking out the plane window, obstructed view or not. A goffer for a cop, and feels good about it, never heard of such a thing before now. And I can see why, a cop like Detective Broggy is hard to find nowadays, especially in big cities. Good friends who are like an extended family, lucky kid.

Great, supervillain and his minions targeting one of the kids for their own plans. Silverplate is going to be in for a surprise when she finds out Whateley kids are off-limits or else. And I have a feeling that serum she is using on the rats is going to cause troubles later on.

Great descriptions of both of their appearances and how others react. Poor boy is being ogled by women older than his mom, if he were any more embarrassed his cheeks would have begun to glow like Rudolph's nose. Yikes, the Japanese government gave him no real choice at all.

A lot of rules, although most are reasonable, seems a bit much to ask a teen to always be polite or to obey the authorities, especially if they might be corrupt like the MCO in New York. And treating him as a burden instead of a fellow human being, Hikaru must have been taught she is special from an early age and expect special treatment in turn.

Diplomatic immunity means the MCO can't touch them and they don't have to check in, guess no one told them. And being rude to someone with diplomatic immunity, are these idiots trying to cause an international incident. This will get the whole of the New York office shut down and investigate if they mess with them. Let's hope they do just that. *gets bag of popcorn*

MCO as usual, and to a probably retired or rehabilitated villain too who has her kid with her. Calling them liars and threatening them when they have diplomatic papers, these guys are morons of the highest order. Being rude and not wishing to cause a major diplomatic incident are counter to each other. Scared by a girl at the back of the line they just send the two through, wonder who this girl is. Tia seems to be a celebrity of some sort, seems she already has Taka crushing on her.

Okay, I love how Hikaru tore those idiots apart for what they pulled. One less country without the MCO is a good thing imo. A teenage boy with the power to learn martial arts and weapon skills at superhuman speeds and need to act like a wandering hero, if Hikaru just told Tia that is what Taka is she would understand about getting in trouble.

Virtual holographic assistants for phones and computers, you guys weren't kidding when you said the tech level was going to jump. With a name like Lapin and the bulges under her hoodie, she has to have rabbit ears. Catboy in Gen 1 and now bunny girl in Gen 2, hehehe. Just don't try to get her to make Easter eggs, she probably will get upset at the least. A singer who manifested, interesting. Taka needs lesson in tact and appropriate time for things, already have a lot of people upset at mutants due to the MCO, no adding fuel to the fire.

Dang, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a waiting list of mutants wanting to immigrate to Japan. Bianca is very observant for a girl her age, more details on her past will probably reveal why. Swift change in attitude from Tia, guess she is still upset at Taka. Now 4 of the new kids are together, how long before non-MCO induced adventures begin for them.
The Mighty Squid, he has a high opinion of himself. And thinking because the police are diverted that a simple jewelry store robbery will go off without a hitch, how naïve.

Jeff, you idiot! Once the TSA finds out you wasted their time when the threat was at Central Park, you are in serious hot water. And forgetting to call off the agents at the airport so things could be cleared up, things are going to reach a tipping point and soon.

Trying to steal something from a teen, how low can the MCO get. Nice that it was a gift from a fellow mutant. A godmother who is a mutant as well, Silver Sylph, air spirit name with mystical connotations, just a guess that she is either an avatar or Wiz-type mutant. Nice timing on the call as well, won't want anyone to get stuck at the airport any longer. Fate just loves to manipulate things and bring people together in the most unlikely of ways. And by fate, I mean the writers.

Tanya is just too nice for her own good, at this rate they will both miss the pick-up by Whateley staff. MCO has everyone pissed at the mutants for the flight delays, for all they care poor girl could have been accosted and they wouldn't do anything to help. Always nice to see that not everyone judges based on a person's appearance or particular status. Laura had a crappy day so far, meeting a fellow mutant and potential friend should turn things around.

Guess even with her eyes and hair it would be hard to tell she is a mutant unless she was using her powers. Energizer or something else, I wonder. Nice to see them becoming fast friends. Calmed down and everything is okay...until Tanya remembers why she was in a rush, way to keep the drama going.

Morgana, some guys find burkas attractive on a woman. No matter what you wear, you will always attract attention. Normal nervousness instead of being scared of something which might never happen, ah to be able to have that. I can relate to their problems with crowds, had it all my life. Just feels like people are staring at you, judging you for things they couldn't possibly know, even when no one is looking your way.

Always better to be safe than sorry in those type of situations, especially with the MCO around. Morgana, they have Goth mutants but don't judge a book by its cover. Whateley staff on the ball, plus travelling by train you get to see more of the sights along the way. RFID tags in the temp stickers, now that is extreme and should be illegal as an invasion of privacy, treating them like convicted criminals or worse.

Tanya messing with the condescending Evolution Rocks guys, at least I hope she is. They sound to be less helpful and more annoying than in the past. Okay, I thought the situation was at Central Park and not at the airport, so why would the FBI or DHS send in men in power armor like that. Something major must have happened just before they got out of there. And now I have to wait for Part 2 to learn more about the new Gen 2 characters and how the world has changed. Okay...I won't go nuts...just be patient...

DanZilla wrote: Itwasn't clear on it but did Hikaru join the group before it got on the bus or not?

I don't believe so. I think both Japanese students went with a limo from the consulate and to a private hotel.

Hikaru did, Kenshin's with the group. Different reasoning, different responiblities...

Incorrect. Hikaru caught her own ride, to her own hotel. Kenshin is with the group.

Edit: Jinx, mage!

Bah! What do you know you're just the writers.

Dreamer wrote: Dang, took longer than I thought to read and comment on this one.

The Big Apple Comes With Calamari Part 1 comments
Comments typed as story was read. A lot of rules, although most are reasonable, seems a bit much to ask a teen to always be polite or to obey the authorities, especially if they might be corrupt like the MCO in New York. And treating him as a burden instead of a fellow human being, Hikaru must have been taught she is special from an early age and expect special treatment in turn.

Not... quite, it's more that Kenshin... is Kenshin. XD And Hikaru... has her own reasons for disliking having to deal with him.

Diplomatic immunity means the MCO can't touch them and they don't have to check in, guess no one told them. And being rude to someone with diplomatic immunity, are these idiots trying to cause an international incident. This will get the whole of the New York office shut down and investigate if they mess with them. Let's hope they do just that. *gets bag of popcorn*

While the MCO can't 'touch' them, checking in is still required in this universe (contrary to popluar belif, having DI does NOT mean you do not go though customs, you are still required to.) to some extent, assume.

Dang, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a waiting list of mutants wanting to immigrate to Japan. Bianca is very observant for a girl her age, more details on her past will probably reveal why. Swift change in attitude from Tia, guess she is still upset at Taka. Now 4 of the new kids are together, how long before non-MCO induced adventures begin for them.

Less than you'd think. It really depends on how many know, and how accepting Japan is in the WU, all things considered (We do have a write up about this, but it boils down to "Japan doesn't recruit or avdet, and Japan doesn't have as much pressure for immigration issues as they do in RL"

Thanks for enjoying it

Thanks for clarifying those things, MageOhki. I'm serious about the last part of my big post, going to be hard waiting to read the next one. Like reading the first few chapters of a great book and being told you have to wait a week or more before the next part of the book is available. Everyone did a great job contributing to the story and it was a fun read, I felt afraid for the kids several times in the story. I'm wondering what happened to cause the situation with mutants in the U.S. to get worse since Gen 1. Heh, I've become so paranoid about the MCO from the other stories that I thought the purse snatcher was part of a plot to steal a mutant's MID or paperwork so they could disappear them.

Note that blue people in the US used to be more common than it is now. Fugates of Kentucky: Skin Bluer than Lake Louise , oddly their condition was corrected with a blue dye.

I understand some things would have been easier for some people if we'd started out with individual origin stories, but there were reasons we didnt. If for nothing else than the sheer size. We have at least 5 characters whose stories are in the 40-60k word range. That's half a book EACH. It would have taken about 3 months, even if Kristin was OK in releasing them weekly and doing nothing else...

So we will be trickle-feeding info out - there's more to come in this story.

Someone mentioned that there are ten primary characters, but I'm only counting eight. Did I miss something?

While there is obviously not a lot of background on any of the characters, for me at least that is a good thing. The soon-to-die cat in me will probably be dwelling on numerous potential ideas and scenarios (no matter how plausible/possible/insane) for days to come, which will keep me that much more invested. The lack of knowing makes me want to know more. I am officially hooked.

Well done, authors.

ShockHawk wrote: Someone mentioned that there are ten primary characters, but I'm only counting eight. Did I miss something?

While there is obviously not a lot of background on any of the characters, for me at least that is a good thing. The soon-to-die cat in me will probably be dwelling on numerous potential ideas and scenarios (no matter how plausible/possible/insane) for days to come, which will keep me that much more invested. The lack of knowing makes me want to know more. I am officially hooked.

Well done, authors.

You haven't met all the characters yet - in fact, you wont meet all of them even in this story.

I kind of got that impression. Thanks for confirming it.

I will say that, to me at least, that speaks well of the G2 cabal's ability to work as a team. I know it wouldn't be easy for me to let my character sit out of the introductory story. While I don't know whose characters are sitting this one out, if it was too keep from having too many characters (as some have already said affected the story) then I give you guys props on being able to make that difficult decision. If my assessment is off the mark, well it is what it is. I'm still walking away with a very good first impression. (And I think everyone knows how important those are.)

Keep up the great work, Astro.

ShockHawk wrote: Someone mentioned that there are ten primary characters, but I'm only counting eight. Did I miss something?

Well dang, time to eat my words... Just realized who I was missing. Totally forgot to count Erica and Calliope... (facepalm)

Hmmm. Okay. First impressions.

Well, the MCO seems to have more than recovered from the rein-back action the government took in 2007. If anything, they seem more powerful in 2016 than in 2006, if they can call major actions like that and everybody treats it as routine. The NYC office is no longer a concentration of the more mutant-friendly, professional agents. Whether this represents just a local change (central command deciding they want more "activist" agents in NYC) or is representative of a heightening of the antimutant bias in the MCO remains to be seen.

Still, they aren't all-powerful. They can't seem to get anywhere in Japan, and they got the CRAP scared of them when they recognized Tia. Why? Remains to be seen. More backstory on Tia needed. My guess is that Tia is REALLY well-connected, and apparently a minor celebrity on her own right already. Like, the child of a major political figure. It's 2016, so the election cycle is probably in full steam. What the MCO does NOT need is Mutant Rights and MCO overreach becoming the theme du jour in the Presidential campaigns.

ElrodW is still going for angst. I mean, Cerulean is wall on her way to being Fate's favorite chewtoy...

I got the odd impression that Hikaru was herself going to Whateley, possibly as an upperclasswoman -- the way she is described, she seems to be young enough to be a student and she IS a mutant . But the data so far appear contradictory on her. I mean, if Taka was her responsibility, and she seems to take responsibilities seriously, how come she ditched him onto the Whateley rep as soon as she could? Also, she seems to be a fairly powerful individual, politically-wise -- it's implied that HER diplomatic passport is NOT a courtesy, and she is rather savvy about dealing with the MCO -- but at the same time, she was made Taka's "babysitter."

Two mysterious groups. One appears to be... benevolent? Just making sure the "target" arrives to Whateley with no problems? The other seems just your average, incompetent comedy-relief villain. But I note that the villain has a "squid" theme, and the mutant detained at the airport had squid-like tentacles. Are they related?

Overall, a lot going on, but not much actually happening, if you get my drift.

Hmm... Should I start a Japan Thread to just talk about Japan, as we know near-nothing about Japan in 2006...

Well, anyways:

The Big Apple Comes With Calimari (Part 1) wrote: In Japan, very special. Desire mutant children, families do." He smiled. "Good jobs. Respected. Gadgeteers most.

Hmm... Does "Gadgeteers most" mean that the Gadgeteers are most repected, or most common? If the latter, then distribution seems off, and is skewed by manipulation via disappearances and stuff?

Or publicity wise, Gadgeteers are most noticed so distribution is off via media bias...

Gadgeteers are most respected, and get the best jobs. If it was how many, he'd have said "many gadgeteers".

Dom is right. Gadgs are No 1 in 'most respected' with Devs being 2nd. Is there a skew towards them, eh, haven't decided.\

For those interested the order of 'respect/desire' is Gag, Dev/Healers/Mages, Exemplar, more or less, with the rest falling pretty much into the exemplar grouping, with two exceptions
Avatars (all types) and telepaths. Telepaths are downright looked at with some disgust/suspicion (cultural issue), and Avatars are judged on their spirit, with several being equal or superior to Gagdetters, and a few being "kill on sight."

MageOhki wrote: Dom is right. Gadgs are No 1 in 'most respected' with Devs being 2nd. Is there a skew towards them, eh, haven't decided.\

For those interested the order of 'respect/desire' is Gag, Dev/Healers/Mages, Exemplar, more or less, with the rest falling pretty much into the exemplar grouping, with two exceptions
Avatars (all types) and telepaths. Telepaths are downright looked at with some disgust/suspicion (cultural issue), and Avatars are judged on their spirit, with several being equal or superior to Gagdetters, and a few being "kill on sight."

What about the mixes? Like Gadg-ESPs?

I guess it's on a case-by-case basis, with an KOS AV, if they've got a Gadg focus that's really prized, like meds or something, they'll be locked up and forced to Gadg?

Malady wrote:

MageOhki wrote: Dom is right. Gadgs are No 1 in 'most respected' with Devs being 2nd. Is there a skew towards them, eh, haven't decided.\

For those interested the order of 'respect/desire' is Gag, Dev/Healers/Mages, Exemplar, more or less, with the rest falling pretty much into the exemplar grouping, with two exceptions
Avatars (all types) and telepaths. Telepaths are downright looked at with some disgust/suspicion (cultural issue), and Avatars are judged on their spirit, with several being equal or superior to Gagdetters, and a few being "kill on sight."

What about the mixes? Like Gadg-ESPs?

I guess it's on a case-by-case basis, with an KOS AV, if they've got a Gadg focus that's really prized, like meds or something, they'll be locked up and forced to Gadg?

On a note related to this, locking up a gadgeteer or devisor in order to force them to work on stuff for you hardly ever seems to work. Just think of the first iron man movie as a blueprint for how that eventually goes down.

No, the Japanese respect tech, and the people who make it.

Okay, late to the party here. For some I find that many want to dive right back into Whateley and the next gen. For me the setup is just that. The beginning of introductions for both the audience and the next group of students.

We have a a mixed breed here. 2 from overseas, British and Japanese. One that is only slightly fluent in the English language and the only male, physically, introduced. This should lead to some great misunderstandings later on as he tries to understand an culture that he most likely knows about via the internet, TV as well as books.

Another appears to be of a celebrity status and given how we know so little of who they are, she wishes to keep it low key. How many will see her once she removes her hoodie and identify with her. She seems to be the more outgoing of the group where Briana is more knowledgeable of rules.

We have one that had been male and is now female and blue.

And of course we have the introduction of the new and used MCO. So far they are living up to their previous expectations. Cock ready to fire off at a moments notice without any thought except their own. This of course is leading to a very tense situation of their own making as with the intro of 2 groups of hero's.

Another factor is two secret (yes their in New York but where which is a secret) groups. One has a vested interest in insuring one student arrives to her destination unmolested by the MCO as best as possible. Perhaps a relative or guardian.

Now what about the thief? What's he going to do with the baggage as with the information it contains? I don't think he's going to be a cross dresser but in any given world who knows. More importantly what about whats contained with the Whateley info? As with the MCO being as clueless as a straight man in a gay bar this is going to prove interesting.

We have a mixed bag of wealth both in people and stature.

Of course it all comes together and I'm looking forward to the next installment. We got a taste of the next group and they are going to have their fun with a temporary stay in New York.

Oh and lets not forget about the jewel heist as our illustrious writers bring it all together.

I like the setup, the intro of new characters and what I will learn of each of them, both abilities, characters and so forth.

So I got my Christmas present and now I can't wait, but will have to, for the next installment.

Did someone forget to let the MCO know that mutants with diplomatic passports were going throw or were they arrogant enough not to care?

There are 3 foreign students; Cally is Italian.

sam105 wrote: Did someone forget to let the MCO know that mutants with diplomatic passports were going throw or were they arrogant enough not to care?

A diplomatic passport doesn't but you the sort of complete hands-off some people seem to think.
You are still expected to be stopped and show your paperwork.
Unless its listed as a diplomatic bag, your luggage is liable for inspection.
You are still liable to be examined and questioned if they see fit, and if they dont like the answers they can refuse to admit you (although they cant arrest you)

It wasnt so much the MCO team did wrong but that they were rude about it. Which no doubt will be explained as minor officials with an overabundance of zeal under a potential high-risk situation, followed by a posting to Fairbanks.

The treating of people with diplomatic papers is traditonally polite, so as to get the same respect from others, but nothing actually mandates it.

Astro, is in essense, correct. Diplomats cannot be arrested. Their person is inviolate.

Those are the ONLY constants, and yes, you are polite to diplomats if customs or security officials, for the reasons above, yes.

However, US law (and most other nations, not all) extend 'person' in this case to personal luggage, as well, or personal vechices. (See the UN/NYC ticket issue)

Moot point. Those two MCO agents did screw up.

(to be fair, so did Hikaru, she shouldn't have said anything...)

MageOhki wrote: Astro, is in essense, correct. Diplomats cannot be arrested. Their person is inviolate.

Those are the ONLY constants, and yes, you are polite to diplomats if customs or security officials, for the reasons above, yes.

However, US law (and most other nations, not all) extend 'person' in this case to personal luggage, as well, or personal vechices. (See the UN/NYC ticket issue)

Moot point. Those two MCO agents did screw up.

(to be fair, so did Hikaru, she shouldn't have said anything...)

The 'inviolate luggage' issue is a bit complex.
Apparently they CAN ask to inspect it, but they cant confiscate anything. So I guess they could use it as an excuse to send you back.

In practice they dont bother, as anything dodgy is labelled as a diplomatic bag (which despite the name can be anything). Your usual luggage can have this flag if you've been given something to carry officially, and this case it cant be touched. The only time I could see them asking to look at it would be if there was something obviously wrong, like blood dripping from it...

From personal experience with a friend, if you arent a diplomat but have a 'diplomatic bag' they get really polite! You have the status of an official courier, which is a bit different again. I'm not sure if they can refuse entry to a diplomatic bag. I suspect they could, but that really would cause an international incident.

Astrodragon wrote: There are 3 foreign students; Cally is Italian.

Yes. I stand corrected. Her accent slipped by. Sorry.

Ok, now that I've had all night to think about it lets begin.

This is building a solid foundation for this and upcoming stories. We know how the MCO operates at least in the USA. Mutants are still mistrusted and feared, although considering how Evolution Rocks is acting, and Invictus is given a pass even with her colourful eyes, it isn't quite as bad as it used to be. Some mutants have celebraty status even as kids, backs this up. So is it more institutionalized violence now, rather than mob attacks?

Things are all sunshine and roses for the MCO if Japan has them virtually banned to a small office in Tokyo. I wonder how it will go for other countries.
This could also be a sign that while the MCO is still entrenched in the US, they're on thin ice and that's why the NYC MCO wants to make a big push to show everyone who is in charge. Short term thinking for positioning and power in exchange for long term stability.

Speaking of Japan, I wonder what the percentage of mutants is, and what happened the the Ninja's.

About the bag being stolen, I'm sure it's important, but I really want to know how. Whateley material has to have fallen into peoples hands at different times, so a leak is a problem but shouldn't be a major explosion.

Ok, while the characters were a little hard to keep track of at first (I flipped between the story and the brief author and character introduction page at first), there was enough meat to satisfy me for now. Lets get into the physical action with Part 2.

Astrodragon wrote: There are 3 foreign students; Cally is Italian.

Are there not four foreign students? Morgana, Taka, Hikaru, and Calliope?

ShockHawk wrote:

Astrodragon wrote: There are 3 foreign students; Cally is Italian.

Are there not four foreign students? Morgana, Taka, Hikaru, and Calliope?

Very good, grasshopper.

The situation with Japan actually has me wondering. I hope that there are other countries that are choosing to not buy what the MCO is trying to sell.

Because in the gen1 canon it seemed like all the countries mentioned by and large were doing whatever the MCO wanted.

Kristin Darken wrote:

Dreamer wrote: Oh please say that GridGear's is one of the futuristic computers we were told would be in the Gen2 stories. I would love to have a rig like that myself, save so much space. I agree with Jimmy, I would have been looking out the plane window, obstructed view or not. A goffer for a cop, and feels good about it, never heard of such a thing before now. And I can see why, a cop like Detective Broggy is hard to find nowadays, especially in big cities. Good friends who are like an extended family, lucky kid.

While Jimmy's GridGear isn't top of the line, it is a fairly high end gift from someone. So its not quite dominating the market... yet. The models that stick to holo only (no hard light) are far more common. I have a sneaky suspicion my GridGear contribution to G2 is going to end up like my GEO contribution to the original stories.

How weaponizable is hard-light? And how electro-hardened is the hardware?

Trantos0_1 wrote: The situation with Japan actually has me wondering. I hope that there are other countries that are choosing to not buy what the MCO is trying to sell.

Because in the gen1 canon it seemed like all the countries mentioned by and large were doing whatever the MCO wanted.

Well, we don't really know? The Yama Dojo might use MCO 'cause they don't want their Government to know what they're doing? ... How much do we know about 2006-2007 Whateley-verse Japan anyways?

The impression we have been given is that at the time of G1 it is very much a case of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down", particularly with respect to those more obviously mutated. In G2 it seems that the Japanese obsession with the latest gadget has won acceptance for gadgeteers, and that acceptance is improving the lot of mutants in general. Of course, this is speculation based on a limited database.

So as usual, it's too late for me to do much but to support points already raised.

It's a starting point, with little action but many implications, and I certainly cannot wait to see how things unfold further.

As for what I have observed, I have to wonder whether the black-clad enforcers that arrive at the end are actually the likes of the FBI or other, or if they're a different group (possibly MCO) operating in either nondescript attire, or perhaps to even implicate another group or organisation - such a concept is hardly original.

Then there's the matter that at least at the lower levels of operation, Evolution Rocks! still appears to be in the dark regarding Whateley, which indicates that the school is continuing to keep their distance - most likely due to how their interests are those of the safety and education of the students, and not a political party and the agenda that they'd attempt to push upon the school.

As for Japan, the overall impression I get (both first and second gen) is that as a nation it is more withdrawn and isolationist in the Whateleyverse than it is here.

P.S I forgot that Laura was Elrod's character until the first mention of blue skin. Then the entire scene leading up to that moment made perfect sense.

Ametros wrote: As for what I have observed, I have to wonder whether the black-clad enforcers that arrive at the end are actually the likes of the FBI or other, or if they're a different group (possibly MCO) operating in either nondescript attire, or perhaps to even implicate another group or organisation - such a concept is hardly original.

Considering how insistent that large portions of the MCO are at presenting any and all mutants as a clear and present danger along with the money and influence that their ties to the Goodkinds give, I imagine that they pull that kind of BS as often as they can.

I quite enjoyed it and am eagerly looking forward to more. Not enough story time yet to see who is what and what they can do but that's what part two and three are for. So it clears my 'I want more' threshold quite nicely.

About the MCO, well the New York office was the most cosmopolitan in the G1 tales, now I worry if that is still the case. Also the average person that encountered the characters seemed to have a higher level of 'mutant fear'. This could be due to another 'Fools Fight' incident, maybe.

Which makes me wonder if Citizen's United is a thing in 2016 Whately-verse. If it is, or something like it I could see the Goodkinds/H1 buying elections for politicians that have an anti-mutant platform, or throwing the money against candidates that are pro-mutant. A few incidents, like Sexpot wrecking parts of a city, and the whole US government could shift against mutants. Likely the US MCO would be seen the leader to the other countries MCO divisions so there might be slide against 'mutant rights' world wide. Now if other countries don't adopt the US methods it could lead the US MCO feeling a bit isolated and paranoid.

As for Japan's stance on mutants, well if some Gageteer invents a better 'widget' I could see Japanese companies using that 'widget' to open up new markets. Which would cause other countries (South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Germany, etc.) to follow the same pattern, and if the Goodkinds/H1 are still up to their usual tricks could lead to trade wars and protectionist stances against countries that employ large amounts of mutants in those foreign countries economies.

Interesting, very interesting.

Dammit I'm hooked, but at least it was real good bait.

I liked it Definitely too early to make any sweeping statements or conclusions thus far, but so far so good. At times the sheer number of brand new characters made me wish for a cheat sheet to separate "A_Random_High_School_Girl_Name_001" from "A_Random_High_School_Girl_Name_002" but that will come from time and familiarity as they begin to express more bits of personality and quirks Natural consequence of an introduction episode is they're ALL new so it'll take a bit.

Hopefully some more male side characters will be introduced in time to balance out all the girls So far the world seems to have progressed in a relatively natural fashion, so I'll definitely follow along and see how it goes.

But so far, well done all

I'm somewhat interested in what G1's regulars have been doing for the past 10 years but I suppose things like that will be dropped in when opportunities arise...
Do we have any idea when the second part will be published?

Diplomatic Immunity does NOT prevent a person from being arrested. It does prevent a person from being prosecuted. Even then there are hoops that can be jumped through to be able to prosecute someone. Normally what will happen is that the "Diplomat" will be expelled, but two Brazilian Diplomats were convicted of murder in the UK.

While a Diplomat Pouch is inviolate, and cannot be opened, x-rayed, etc. the normal luggage of a Diplomat or Courier is subject to all normal screening processes.

So unless the Whateleyverse has different laws, the MCO was within their rights to search the bags and such. The way they did so was rude, but legally correct, unless she is the Ruler of Japan.

As I understand it individual Gen2 stories will start being posted sometime in February. So probably pretty soon.

Like i tried to say in the last post i made, but without the sleep deprivation, it's nicely chewy.

It's only a scene-setting introduction, so you don't expect much meat, but there's lots of hints as to the larger changes in the background world, and the hints of the historical backstory of how those changes took place.

It'll be interesting to see what the current version of the Syndicate is up to, and how they are represented. ( Outsider effect. )

Please note, i'm not expecting another "Razzle Dazzle" ( though that would be nice... ) as you don't get that many supervillains explaining what they want you to think was really going on.

It'll be more interesting to see the "street-level" interactions, and how those have, and haven't, changed that much. Business as usual with a different set of tech. (Neal Stephenson's "The Diamond Age" gives a really nice example.)

venum4k wrote: .Do we have any idea when the second part will be published?

My guess is two weeks, just to make us wait.

venum4k wrote: I'm somewhat interested in what G1's regulars have been doing for the past 10 years but I suppose things like that will be dropped in when opportunities arise...
Do we have any idea when the second part will be published?

I think that depends upon how much Gen 2 stuff is in the queue. I believe that eventually Gen 2 stories are planned for a late week release, while Gen1 stories will be released on Mondays. With the automagical releasing Kristin can set the releases when she has time, and not have to be there to do it manually.

Isodecan wrote: The impression we have been given is that at the time of G1 it is very much a case of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down", particularly with respect to those more obviously mutated. In G2 it seems that the Japanese obsession with the latest gadget has won acceptance for gadgeteers, and that acceptance is improving the lot of mutants in general. Of course, this is speculation based on a limited database.

From where? Excatly which story, which charaters?

Also: What do you all know about the Yama Dojo?

Valentine wrote: Diplomatic Immunity does NOT prevent a person from being arrested. It does prevent a person from being prosecuted. Even then there are hoops that can be jumped through to be able to prosecute someone. Normally what will happen is that the "Diplomat" will be expelled, but two Brazilian Diplomats were convicted of murder in the UK.

While a Diplomat Pouch is inviolate, and cannot be opened, x-rayed, etc. the normal luggage of a Diplomat or Courier is subject to all normal screening processes.

So unless the Whateleyverse has different laws, the MCO was within their rights to search the bags and such. The way they did so was rude, but legally correct, unless she is the Ruler of Japan.

I can't recall... has it ever been stated what the MCO's permitted actions are when reviewing MID's at the airport?

Valentine wrote:
So unless the Whateleyverse has different laws, the MCO was within their rights to search the bags and such. The way they did so was rude, but legally correct, unless she is the Ruler of Japan.

"You ignore a diplomatic passport and lawfully-issued RSIC from the government of Japan, bully and delay unnecessarily a representative of the Imperial House of Japan, and you perhaps expect that I won't report this to the consulate? As if the Prime Minister needs any further excuse to eject your entire organization from my homeland!" She pasted on a predatory smile. "I'm certain your superiors will enjoy learning that your actions contributed to the expulsion of the MCO from Japan. Have a nice day." Smiling smugly at the stupefied expression on the agent's face, she turned back to her charge.

The term 'representative' could mean several things at the best/worst she would be member of the Imperial Family of Japan, in which case someone career will be in for crapper drop from a very high height. Also she knew that the Consul General would handle her issue with the MCO, her outfit is red and gold with a white and gold shirt, those are the colours of the Japanese Royal Family. Since she seemed to certain of expelling the MCO based on the insult she suffered I think she is way up there in the clout circles.

Of course the other option is that maybe as an Avatar of a Japanese Goddess, that Goddess would Amaterasu, the ancestor and progenitor of the Imperial Family. Which would be worse for the MCO do you think?

On what exactly the MCO can do in airports, no.

As for diplomatic immunity: Here's the way it works.
(Side note: Folks? LAWS always have loopholes, waviers, et al, so when a law is spoken as 'inviolate' it means "until wavied")

A diplomatic person (of a certain grade, not all) is inviolate. This means you cannot charge him (that's what ARREST means, btw), you cannot search him (most nations extend this to a diplomat's personal belongings)
a Diplomatic residence/office is the same.
a diplomatic pouch/transfer of doucments as diplomatic papers is the same. (THIS IS not waveable, by the by)

What you can do:
Ask to search. (if agreed, this waves the diplomatic protections in this regard)
Detain for a limited period, for either safety or security reasons.
Enter 'diplomatic' terrority again, for 'exigtent' situations, such as fire, immediate danger of life, et al.
Ask the diplomat's superior to wave his or her immunity.

Expel (person non grata) the diplomat.

Anything beyond that can be taken as an _act of war_. This applies not only to diplomats accredited to your nation, but accredited diplomats of all stripes, as long as they are in transit for their duties (NOT vacations, btw)

Side note: Like many things in international laws and customs, this is by nation (there IS NO one set of international laws, period.) But this is the general standard most UN nations hold to.

(Yes, this means the MCO _could ask to detain pending verification of papers_, Hikaru and Kenshin, that was legal. IF the MCO has arrest/entry authority)
It's why a lot of nations think diplomatic personnel are 'spies'

You might want to check out the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations , while it is not "law" (there is no such thing as International Law) it is the current ratified standards that 190 nations operate by.

[quote= Diplomatic and Consular Immunity: Guidance for Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities ]Personal inviolability is, however, qualified by the understanding, well established in international practice, that the host country does not give up its right to protect the safety and welfare of its populace and retains the right, in extraordinary circumstances, to prevent the commission of a crime.[/quote]

This applies to law enforcement, so now it depends upon what the MCO charter and treaties say. There was "a potential class 3 threat in New York City," that allowed the MCO to order the grounding of all flights in NYC.

So there are several questions to be answered:
1. What kind of "Diplomatic Passport" do they have?
2. Does the MCO qualify as Law Enforcement for their airport screening operations?
3. Does the MCO declared emergency qualify to allow them to conduct searches to protect the safety and welfare of the population? (It certainly does in their minds.)
4. Were any of the bags marked as "Diplomatic Pouches?"

Domoviye wrote: As I understand it individual Gen2 stories will start being posted sometime in February. So probably pretty soon.

We have differing views on the meaning of soon.

At one story a week, that's not exactly long.

Isn't the MCO an international organization governed by the UN? It makes all questions about what the MCO can do at a visa checkpoint difficult.

I thought it was more a private organisation with powerful friends that managed to get it quasi-legal powers and mandates. It has way too much power to be any sort of UN operation, the Veto Five have made sure that no UN agency has any teeth to do anything much on their countries sovereign soil.

As I recall the MCO started as an INTERPOL type agency that specialized in mutants, they would pool information and make available to others. Also they were researching mutant DNA and traits. However some fear mongering about how mutants were a threat and sheer numbers of them that were appearing pushed alot of buttons. As a result of the fear mongering the MCO took on an anti-mutant bent in 60's and 70's.

This lead to the MCO being granted police powers on a country by country bases, some counties keep the MCO on a tight leash other countries, well they let MCO have near carte blanche in dealing with mutant issues. The temptation for various countries to use the MCO is likely overwhelming since they aren't paying the whole bill for the MCO capabilities. In fact the Goodkind family pays about 25% of the budget of the MCO.

Which means the MCO's infrastructure is very attractive, the host country isn't paying for R&D of new gear or the equipment cost since they come from the parent organization, also with a large part of budget of the MCO provided by other sources they are cheaper than an equivalent home grown organization.

Interesting story so far. I will first and foremost congratulate all that worked on this! A story with so many POVs is very hard to do correctly, so far you guys have done a great job bringing so many POVs together.

The negative side of this which is not anything against the story its self but rather with the way it is presented in parts. With only a small portion of the whole story released, the characters were only barely introduced. I am sure as more of the story is released this will become self correcting

So I just finally got to reading G2 and fortunately I used the list of characters as a "Key" while reading. I also went through the forum here and only saw a couple passing comments about Tia. Since that name is not listed on the character list am I taking the Assumption that this is Nalley's Character. If so, and looking at the amount of "Celebrity" status this person is getting I assume yes. Look forward to see the mess that will ensue.

lmao. Nope, Tia stands as short for Lucretia, and she is mine.

Some of the earlier responses on this thread take issue with the numerous different POV during this tale. As an introduction to the second generation (set a decade after the original), you want to introduce lots of characters and give insights into the wider universe. The first generation Poesies had a much gentler gathering - some meeting on the train to Dunwich, others meeting in the train station itself (I wonder if the 2016 waiting room's been given a makeover in the past decade [perhaps financed by one of AJG Consolidated's shell companies / charitable organisations] or if it's still got the same ratty sofas and pinball machine?)

This time, we've got six of the ten students introduced in this episode (a further five from the G2 announcement haven't appeared yet, plus one who isn't in the announcement - unless Lucretia was previously known as Luke [EE doesn't have a writing credit so she's unlikely to be his mystery character]) all meeting at JFK airport (at least three of whom are Changelings [Morgana, Bianca and Laura]), thrown together earlier than usual courtesy of the security incident. We also meet a new member of Whateley staff (Sandra Daley - during one of her scenes we also learn our group is the second batch of Poesies arriving today, suggesting that the majority of rooms on the Frosh floor of Poe will be filled), a handful of members of (one of?) NYC's MCO branch(es), a villain or two and even a baseline hero (who's friends with a Gadgeteer). IIRC from G1, NYC's MCO were a mixed bunch back then. Despite appearances, this bunch may not be as aggressively anti-mutant as some G1 branches, but still take a "guilty until proven innocent" approach - besides which, in G1 it was stated somewhere that the nature of the MCO means it has a tendency to attract anti-mutant types. Jeff wasn't too pleased about being asked to come into work on a holiday so wasn't in the best of moods to begin with. It's also possible that at some point in the intervening years, a supervillain tried their luck in NYC and the resulting battle caused a lot of casualties / damage, so hardening the general attitude towards mutants among the population.

Meanwhile, the incident which locked down the airspace was initially supposed to be the arrival of two "mutant operatives" from Karedonia (so evidently Joe and/or Jobe are still alive as the island hasn't sunk yet), while the tentacled chap who was arrested and his luggage emptied may have been suspected of involvement with The Big Squid's jewellery theft.

No doubt over time we'll find out more about our mysterious Silverplate - given she's working in a secret lab, assumed to be somewhere within NYC, she's evidently not your conventional research scientist, and her lab rat may be a human / mutant and may not have volunteered willingly to be experimented on. It's even possible the destination may not be the target's intended destination but somewhere en-route where her operatives can safely divert them...

[EDIT] Given Nagrij's comment above that Lucretia is his, I'm increasing my suspicion that she's another changeling and was previously known as Luke...

So, the students still to debut are:

• Bailey (Backtrack), a Changeling penned by Katie Lyn
  
• Victor (No codename revealed yet), penned by MaLAguA
  
• AJ (Dragonblade), penned by Bek
  
• Mystery Character, penned by EE

It's also remotely possible we'll have some POV tales from non-students (e.g. mutants not involved with Whateley, staff, MCO staff, H1!/ER! activists).

mittfh wrote: I wonder if the 2016 waiting room's been given a makeover in the past decade [perhaps financed by one of AJG Consolidated's shell companies / charitable organisations] or if it's still got the same ratty sofas and pinball machine?)

It's now the Dunwich Sub-orbital launchpad, Train Station and Sub-Shop but they preserved the Waiting room for "Nostalgia".

Kristin Darken wrote: You'll get introduced to Vic in part two of Calimari. The second core G2 story "Road to Whateley" will feature Bek and E.E.'s characters. That will leave just Katie's character Bailey for introduction later in the core storyline.

ER...actually Vic appears in Part 3, Kristin, not Part 2

Vic is invisible, so he never really "appears."

Kristin Darken wrote:

Astrodragon wrote:

Kristin Darken wrote: You'll get introduced to Vic in part two of Calimari. The second core G2 story "Road to Whateley" will feature Bek and E.E.'s characters. That will leave just Katie's character Bailey for introduction later in the core storyline.

ER...actually Vic appears in Part 3, Kristin, not Part 2

Doh... that's right. I somehow moved that whole scene/encounter (in my head) into the mix with everything else in Part 2. In all fairness, I did write Jade's combat final since the last time I looked at Calimari. There's no telling what that did to my brain.

Sorry kids, no Vic until part 3.

As long as it doesn't want you to make me put Vic in a pink Hello Kitty outfit, we're probably safe.

This is a matter of personal preference but for me, the more Points of View there are in a story, the more likely I'm to start skipping over bits. This one had something like eleven points of view in a very short space of time, which is way too many. In particular the evloution rocks activist point of view was. Completely unnecessary as it gave no information that couldn't be given by one of the kids. And I just didn't get enough time in anyones point of view to actually develop a feel for who they are. Honestly I much preferred the Gen 1 approach of giving fleshed out origin stories first and. Then moving to a joint first. Adventure.

Isodecan wrote: The impression we have been given is that at the time of G1 it is very much a case of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down", particularly with respect to those more obviously mutated. In G2 it seems that the Japanese obsession with the latest gadget has won acceptance for gadgeteers, and that acceptance is improving the lot of mutants in general. Of course, this is speculation based on a limited database.

Its not necesarily about widgets. It could have just as much to do with Shinto, if enough prominent shinto thinkers had come out and declared mutents as being touched by the Kami or something of that sort, could have done a lot to smooth the acceptence of mutants.

konzill wrote:

Isodecan wrote: The impression we have been given is that at the time of G1 it is very much a case of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down", particularly with respect to those more obviously mutated. In G2 it seems that the Japanese obsession with the latest gadget has won acceptance for gadgeteers, and that acceptance is improving the lot of mutants in general. Of course, this is speculation based on a limited database.

Its not necesarily about widgets. It could have just as much to do with Shinto, if enough prominent shinto thinkers had come out and declared mutents as being touched by the Kami or something of that sort, could have done a lot to smooth the acceptence of mutants.

But probably not the non-kawaii GSD cases?

annachie wrote:

konzill wrote:

Isodecan wrote: The impression we have been given is that at the time of G1 it is very much a case of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down", particularly with respect to those more obviously mutated. In G2 it seems that the Japanese obsession with the latest gadget has won acceptance for gadgeteers, and that acceptance is improving the lot of mutants in general. Of course, this is speculation based on a limited database.

Its not necesarily about widgets. It could have just as much to do with Shinto, if enough prominent shinto thinkers had come out and declared mutents as being touched by the Kami or something of that sort, could have done a lot to smooth the acceptence of mutants.

But probably not the non-kawaii GSD cases?

You kidding me? Some of those guys and gals have it made. Three words: live action hentai.

Their movie career is assured, and top dollar.

annachie wrote: But probably not the non-kawaii GSD cases?

Hmm. well a lot of stories have suggested that your unconcious influences BITS and GSD. So its possible that fear of mutants leads Ameica to have more scary GSD cases, because the image of the scary mutant is in the collective unconcious. And that if a country has a different collective image of mutants, then mutants will trend towards that image, so that a Kawaii image of GSD will lead to more Mutants exibiting kawaii traits.

What kind of mutants a comunity gets might be a self fulfilling prophacy.

I think in this stories particular case the choice of break points might be working against the story. Unfortunately, the break came right after all the characters had been introduced and before any of the main plot lines started heating up, also the main characters had been together only just enough time to get on a bus … so at the moment it still feels like "all the individual stores before the good part".

I know, I know "great things are coming" and its not gonna be like that, but the break point is just very frustrating from a "we've only seen what you've actually released" perspective.

Just saying, not trying to start the debate again.

Kristin Darken wrote: Well, that goes back to one of my biggest complaints about the speculation style feedback that has long dominated our forums feedback. How many people in this thread started their response or comments with some variation of "Clearly the story is only at the stage of introductions and exposition so far. So there is a limit to how much I can say." And is then followed by several paragraphs of comments on what should be done differently, better, or should have been left out...

Have you read fan feedback of The Force Awakens? Just about everyone in the world gives feedback on stories that are released serially by saying "well this is just part X but given what just happened, here's what I think will happen. AND this is what I would have done differently." Youtube is littered with opinion pieces about how TFA could be better, could be different, could be in a metaphor for turnips, whatever. That's what fans do. They internalize what they read/consume and then want to play with it.

Whateley is not special in that its fanbase does this. It is NORMAL in that its fanbase does this. It may not be how you want to receive feedback about your stories. But it seems like human nature, especially among vocal fans of a property, to want it to be better, to have opinions (no matter how unfounded) about how it could be better, and to always be craving the next part at the detriment of commenting about the current one. The forums are the place to do this.

The point here is you and the fans approach Whateley from widely different perspectives. Serious discussion about a story is probably impossible until time has passed. Commenting seriously about a story in the week after it is released is not going to have any depth. It isn't until how the story affects the universe at large is more fully understood that we could post meaningful reviews of those works. As readers, we can't see how the story fits into [Chou's] tapestry until the other stories around it are filled in. As the publisher, you can already see that tapestry. You know how this story leads into Summer vacation. We won't have that perspective that until that summer story is released.

Nagrij wrote:

annachie wrote:

konzill wrote:

Isodecan wrote: The impression we have been given is that at the time of G1 it is very much a case of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down", particularly with respect to those more obviously mutated. In G2 it seems that the Japanese obsession with the latest gadget has won acceptance for gadgeteers, and that acceptance is improving the lot of mutants in general. Of course, this is speculation based on a limited database.

Its not necesarily about widgets. It could have just as much to do with Shinto, if enough prominent shinto thinkers had come out and declared mutents as being touched by the Kami or something of that sort, could have done a lot to smooth the acceptence of mutants.

But probably not the non-kawaii GSD cases?

You kidding me? Some of those guys and gals have it made. Three words: live action hentai.

Their movie career is assured, and top dollar.

*Sigh* Japan will be covered later. G1 did _nothing_ with the nation itself, nor very much with Yama Dojo (we know it exists, we know that it has mutants, who come by and play pranks on Whateley, we know they think they're shinobi)

Suffice it to say, Wasamon and I have worked a bit on this subject... and it's a mix of things. And .... Oooo. need to talk to a few people, Idea...

Kristin Darken wrote: In fact, given how many people have complained over the years about how much it sucked having to get all the one-hero movies before they finally get around to doing the Avengers or JLA... I find it surprising how many people have said that they would have preferred seeing origins first. Or is it just a matter of being greedy without thinking of the repercussions? Give us all six months of origins at once and who cares if there is nothing new released on the site for six months....?

there is a big difference here. By the time Marvel started licensing movies all the characters where well established and their origin stories had been out for decades. Even without having seen his movie I knew who the Marvel Thor was, meanwhile I don't really know who Glyph is. Really comparing to the original publication of the Avengers comic would be more reasonable. Avengers #1 was published in September 1963. Most of the founding members had had individual comic since some time in 1962, so their origin stories had been out for over a year before marvel tried to make them into a team. The only character that didn't have a previous origin story was Captain America who first appeared in Avengers #4.

Kristin Darken wrote: snip

I think it's high time that I put some effort into noting down my thoughts on the works here as I read them, instead of reading, sleeping, and subsequently forgetting a large number of my musings. It's the least I could do, on top of my limiting what could be deemed "unnecessary" speculation.

Your post comes across as frustrated (again), and I for one want to do what I can to aid against that if I may.

konzill wrote:

Kristin Darken wrote: In fact, given how many people have complained over the years about how much it sucked having to get all the one-hero movies before they finally get around to doing the Avengers or JLA... I find it surprising how many people have said that they would have preferred seeing origins first. Or is it just a matter of being greedy without thinking of the repercussions? Give us all six months of origins at once and who cares if there is nothing new released on the site for six months....?

there is a big difference here. By the time Marvel started licensing movies all the characters where well established and their origin stories had been out for decades. Even without having seen his movie I knew who the Marvel Thor was, meanwhile I don't really know who Glyph is. Really comparing to the original publication of the Avengers comic would be more reasonable. Avengers #1 was published in September 1963. Most of the founding members had had individual comic since some time in 1962, so their origin stories had been out for over a year before marvel tried to make them into a team. The only character that didn't have a previous origin story was Captain America who first appeared in Avengers #4.

OTOH, X-Men 1 was published with 5 completely unknown heroes + Prof X with basically no origin data.

Ametros wrote:

Kristin Darken wrote: snip

I think it's high time that I put some effort into noting down my thoughts on the works here as I read them, instead of reading, sleeping, and subsequently forgetting a large number of my musings. It's the least I could do, on top of my limiting what could be deemed "unnecessary" speculation.

Your post comes across as frustrated (again), and I for one want to do what I can to aid against that if I may.

I always tried to read, rest and read again before posting anything significant. I've not been able to do that lately and thus haven't been as active in story comments. The new format, with this site, makes it easier, though, for those quick "I just read the story and want to tell the author I think they did a good job" posts... just leave it after the story. You don't need to rush to the forums and tear it apart (which we've been asked in the past not to anyway).

For the posts I leave, where I put them into the forum, and they're beyond a quick comment I try to reference the story in another window and work my way through it so as not to miss commenting on the sections that I felt were well done or were perhaps missing something and I have questions.

This format of forum posting does tend to make me overlook things like Tension and pacing but, with longer stories like this that isn't always a consideration for me until I've been able to read the entire thing. So I can leave it for a post-mortem comment after the end.

Astrodragon wrote:

konzill wrote:

Kristin Darken wrote: In fact, given how many people have complained over the years about how much it sucked having to get all the one-hero movies before they finally get around to doing the Avengers or JLA... I find it surprising how many people have said that they would have preferred seeing origins first. Or is it just a matter of being greedy without thinking of the repercussions? Give us all six months of origins at once and who cares if there is nothing new released on the site for six months....?

there is a big difference here. By the time Marvel started licensing movies all the characters where well established and their origin stories had been out for decades. Even without having seen his movie I knew who the Marvel Thor was, meanwhile I don't really know who Glyph is. Really comparing to the original publication of the Avengers comic would be more reasonable. Avengers #1 was published in September 1963. Most of the founding members had had individual comic since some time in 1962, so their origin stories had been out for over a year before marvel tried to make them into a team. The only character that didn't have a previous origin story was Captain America who first appeared in Avengers #4.

OTOH, X-Men 1 was published with 5 completely unknown heroes + Prof X with basically no origin data.

Well the orginal X-men started in 1963, the New X-men with Claremont started 1975, and really took off with the Hellfire Club/Dark Phoenix arc in 1980. Much of Prof X's backstory was revealed in the Claremont years, Cain Marko/Juggernaunt, the Starjammers, Shi'ar and Lilandra, his first encounter with Alaml Farouk and Ororo Monroe, Moira MacTaggert. So that is either 50 or 30 years of backstory if you try ignore all the rewrites, resurrections (Dammit Jean Grey died on the Moon I have the original issue so there) and other massacres to continuity.

G2 is only one story in, the G2 authors are trying something new, having various kids meet up before Whateley and form up before they get there. It's also worth noting that in G1 I think they had no idea what sort of beautiful monster they would create. Sure they had an idea, but each approached that idea from their own perspective and viewpoint character. The first G1 stories are very different depending on which character you read. (Very different in Sara's case)

I may not have been clear before so I'll say it again, I enjoyed the G2 opening, it was different than what I expected but that's my own fault for thinking it would be no different than the G1 style of introduction. My only gripe is more of compliment to the G2 Crew, that story was too short I want MOAR! Which in itself is a compliment, it was a different meal that what I was expecting, an the opening course is so good that I can't what for rest.

To all G2 out there, bravo, bravo, take a bow.
Encore, encore. encore.

And to Kristen, thank you, what you do must seem like herding cats, really big noisy, hungry cats that are endlessly getting into things and making a mess at times, but you do it with style and grace. Or at least you appear to...

For me I'm still and up and coming reader as I've not read much of the first stories that were posted so I'm missing parts of the history that progresses the story from sub-arch to sub-arch with portions spend on a higher story. So for many 'new' readers who come to the site its very int imitating to give an opinion of a story that's in progress. A good example is if I were to jump in season 3 of 'Lost' and for me I really would be.

So I take the stories that I have read and try to digest what's happening. The loss of TK as with the growth of other characters such as Tansy and if I were to push it Nitro and a few others make it start to feel alive for me instead of a Sunday comic edition that's only good for one episode.

I love many of the small intricacies that I find in the stories. The fact that Kayda finds her brother more worried about whats happening to him only to tell him after she had teased him a bit along the way. The idea that she's willing to look out for him when he comes compared to someones brother who thinks he's a hot shot to all the women and how she cringes only to find him coming down a peg or two. Its more believable.

Yes I seen where the writers put in views of where others live in their own little world viewing it from a safe spot until they are thrust into it. But for many it becomes routine and easy to overlook and then when something occurs that brings us back to it we smack our head in wonder whying why we missed/overlooked it.

We only get the small pieces why the views of the writers is wider. Many people speculated on why Snape hated Harry. It wasn't till the end we find out the reason. And even now many readers re-read whats in print looking for more little things.

And I guess another reason is for many is being afraid. Afraid to give ones opinion because they will be attacked or ridiculed for speculating such an idea. For others its when another finds they are right they 'crow' about it making others not wanting to give that opinion and so give a 'Love It, Hate It' response. Its so much safer as the author comes back berating them asking why wanting for feedback. This is not for this website but for many out there and the responses they give.

Others are scared by what many have already said. Why repeat the praise or such. I think many are borderline PC in that we don't want to hurt others feelings and I don't mean in a spiteful way. We become to timid and for some writing is not an easy form of expression and thus don't want to be seen as the 'noob'.

We've all seen it, been there done that.

I also applaud those that give the Fanfics but for me it leaves me confused at times as my mind tries to wrap itself around the Canon. The stories are well written to the point that others use it as a reference at times for backfill thus leaving me wondering.

But overall once I've separated fact from fiction (fanfiction) I've come to understand some of the workings. I think I got the gist of what the major plotline is and for me it sometimes needs to be beaten into me or thrust out in full view for me to understand. Not all of us are adapt at seeing the obvious.

Well I've rambled enough. I want to do a bit of digesting of the latest stories and give my opinion whether anyone cares or not. I'm behind my times as one charter said. To much food and merriment and it's left me feeling stuffed just like the stories.

Ibi

I liked it.

Waiting for the next part.

A few things I noticed (extracted from my earlier post which was a wall of text followed by a list of G2 students we haven't met yet):

* We meet a new member of Whateley staff (Sandra Deeley), who doesn't know Poe's secret and doesn't appear to show any signs of wanting to know why Poe students arrive a day earlier than the rest.

* The students stuck at JFK are part of the second batch of Poesies to arrive - evidently with the expansion in student numbers, some are settled in and given the tour in the morning, some in the afternoon.

* The security incident was about "two mutant operatives" arriving from Karedonia - so evidently the island hasn't sunk yet, indicating that Joe and/or Jobe are still alive (I wonder if the Drow harem are still around, and if so, if they've grown in number since G1...)

* I'm willing to speculate the tentacled chap being arrested as the students left was part of The Big Squid's gang (and a suspected theft would explain being asked to empty his bags on the ground).

* While we're only seeing three very narrow views onto NYC, the security clampdown may indicate human:mutant relations there have changed since G1. It's possible that An Incident has occurred over the intervening years.

* Given Silverplate has a codename and is working in a secret lab (assumed to be within NYC), she's evidently not your conventional research scientist - which indicates her "lab rat" may be human, and may not be there voluntarily. Therefore, the destination she mentions may not be her target's intended destination but somewhere en-route where her operatives can safely obtain her target and secrete them away before the authorities notice.

mittfh wrote:
* Given Silverplate has a codename and is working in a secret lab (assumed to be within NYC), she's evidently not your conventional research scientist - which indicates her "lab rat" may be human, and may not be there voluntarily. Therefore, the destination she mentions may not be her target's intended destination but somewhere en-route where her operatives can safely obtain her target and secrete them away before the authorities notice.

What worries me about the name Silverplate, is that it's reference to modifying of B-29s in WWII for working with the Manhattan Project, and training the personnel to handle nuclear weapons for the bomb runs.

~Archangel~ wrote:

mittfh wrote:
* Given Silverplate has a codename and is working in a secret lab (assumed to be within NYC), she's evidently not your conventional research scientist - which indicates her "lab rat" may be human, and may not be there voluntarily. Therefore, the destination she mentions may not be her target's intended destination but somewhere en-route where her operatives can safely obtain her target and secrete them away before the authorities notice.

What worries me about the name Silverplate, is that it's reference to modifying of B-29s in WWII for working with the Manhattan Project, and training the personnel to handle nuclear weapons for the bomb runs.

AHA! there IS a history buff here! I wondered if anyone would catch that.
Silverplate was actually the code word used to obtain ANYTHING that the 509th Composite Bomb Group wanted or needed for their training and missions. Once the sergeants figured out how 'magical' the word was, they were requisitioning steaks and such - no questions asked. The 509th lived high on the hog thanks to that magic word

You guys are so out of my depth I wonder if I should even be here.

That's OK, you can swim around at the bottom with me and be part of the audience.

Phoenix Spiritus wrote: That's OK, you can swim around at the bottom with me and be part of the audience.

So we both can be bottom dwellers in the sea of life? Interesting. Who's cpt ahab and who's moby?

Kristin Darken wrote: I've got Ahab claimed. Never ending quest, check. Delusional obsession? Check. Sailed around on a boat for years? Check.

I'm not sure about that....
As you were underwater, doesn't that make you Moby Dick?

I am fairly certain that it has been established in the Generation 1 stories that the MCO has no official standing with the U.S. government. That dealing officially with mutants is the DPA's job. So even if something terrible connected with mutant happened between Gen 1 and Gen 2, how is it that the MCO can now order the shut down of an airport?

Amy_Amethyst wrote: I am fairly certain that it has been established in the Generation 1 stories that the MCO has no official standing with the U.S. government. That dealing officially with mutants is the DPA's job. So even if something terrible connected with mutant happened between Gen 1 and Gen 2, how is it that the MCO can now order the shut down of an airport?

Your question assumes the status quo has been preserved. It most definitely has NOT, as the actions of the MCO so illustrate. You're going to have to be a little patient, as all will be revealed about why the MCO is a little 'froggier' than they were in Gen 1. Remember, the instinctive reaction of Congress to anything that happens that seems bad is to DO SOMETHING - even if the Congressional action is really not connected to what happened. Their phony-baloney jobs depend on the illusion that they're doing something; hence the standard over-reaction.

In RL, the whole issue of which bodies are involved with whats generically called Disaster Control for things like airports is very complicated. A lot more people than you might think have their fingers in it, and can do things like trigger alerts under certain conditions. In general, the people in charge tend to play safe, when they get a threat warning they assume its genuine and sort it out later.

For example, a body like Interpol (which has a similar amount of authority to the MCO) can trigger an alert even though it isnt actually an organisation of the country.

Actually I think the be all and end all is only the airport's day-to-day administration team can really trigger a shutdown, or the federal airports administration (or whatever the US federal government authority is), but, since there is so many people's lives at stake, and planes have over and over been targeted by criminals and terrorists, the general feeling is "better to suffer the wraths of inconvenience then the never ending pangs of regret" and most credible alerts will be taken seriously by the management team, no matter what the source.

So, could the MCO really shut down JFK? No, not of their own authority, but they'd have to call "wolf" quite a few more times before the JFK management was willing to dismiss their alert.

It's worse, when you consider the FAA (which is the ones who'd order the shutdown) have a very simple policy: "Saftey First" and they not only mean it, they _DO_ it. In this case, the MCO pretty much would have to cry wolf a LOT before they got slapped down.


Now, don't get me wrong, the FAA isn't stupid, and frankly, makes sure that everyone knows it's the MCO 'suggesting' a airspace shutdown.

Part 2's Up!

whateleyacademy.net/index.php/content-me...with-calimari-part-3

I bet some people are working on their responses as I type!

EDIT: Wait a minute... Wait A Minute! ... Why's the Link sayin' "Part 3" instead of "Part 2"???!

Looks like that has been fixed, as it says Part 2 now. As is typical for Whateley main characters, a fight finds them as soon as they do something even remotely outside of what they were supposed to do. Ah well, if they hadn't left the hotel the I'm sure someone would have found a reason to attack there, as for the story to progress we need to find out what they were capable of. Its good to see that Wildhammer is still teaching, I hope that someone (either G1 or G2) ends up taking Exemplar Grace, as I really would like to see how that class works.

Just finished reading and it was GOOD.
Having them going out for food and coming across the robbery, AND not doing anything until the idiots attacked civilians was nice. They weren't looking for trouble, and were acting like normal kids, not running into combat.
I liked the different reactions especially calling 911 and Kenshen really wanting to join in but TRYING to follow the rules.
All the writing was good. Did you guys just tell Astro what your characters would do, or did you write up the scenes where your characters had POV? If it's the second, the writing styles were seamless, which is impressive and shows you guys really mesh well together.
No nitpicks here, this was pretty solid writing and plotting. Awesome!

The Big Apple Comes With Calamari Part 2 comments
Comments typed up while reading story.

Tanya, raised around superheros, kind and caring to the point of self-sacrificing as shown when she helped Laura when she was in the bathroom. Now we get to see her excited and hyper about the prospect of finally being on her way back to Whateley and having other girls to share the experience with. And the lone guy among them stands out once again.

The reaction of Morgana reminds that mutants in other places around the world have more rights than in the USA. And news of how bad it is in the USA hasn't reached everywhere, wonder how the rest of the world would respond if they knew the state of affairs towards mutants in the USA especially involving the MCO.

Figures there are extremists even in EvRocks!, no matter what there are always those who wish to take things further than the majority wish in the name of rights movements. Tanya has strong convictions and isn't afraid to fight for them, even if it draws the attention of the MCO. At least that is my impression. Poor Morgana, torn between fighting for rights for her fellow mutants and not stiring up trouble while in a foreign country. I hope she isn't pushed into anything against her will.

Thank you for the subject change, Tanya. Things were starting to get uncomfortable there. Nice to see a more spread out cast for Gen 2, Britain, wonder what heroes and villains she can tell them about, along with the laws for mutants over there. I love how Tanya rambles when nervous, make her more human to me. I can't wait until we get to see Tia without the hoodie, have me curious what kind of features she has. Hope we learn more about the Wardens who took care of Tanya, sound like good people.

Poor Laura, having to hide behind a layer of make-up and nervous about anything which could smudge it. It was going to come out sooner or later to the other girls. Afraid to even shake hands due to her make-up smudging, she needs help adjusting or she will become afraid of the slightest human contact with time. Tanya is the social instigator who gets others to open up, she will probably convince at least some of them to become a team together. Learning each others names is good, isn't Hikaru shoving Taka off onto Tia abandoning her duty to see him to Whateley?

The whirlwind of events which happened with Hikura, Taka, and Tia has Tia confused, try explaining to the others what happened and might give them a headache from all the stupidity of the MCO. Bianca is right, it happens a lot more than the odds of probability state it should, when a kid manifest unfortunate things happen to one degree or other. Kenshin is being made to feel guilty for things not completely in his control, imo.

Tanya is the queen of changing the subject when things get awkward. Bianca's powers fit in with the codename Glyph, some form of magic and if I remember from the first part a hint of runes moving across her skin when she tapped into her power. Ouch, mention of going home, poor Laura. Nice way they worked together to come up with her codename, glad not every contact risk smudging her make-up. Surprised no one reacted to Tia's codename, or ask Morgana why she chose her codename. I know how Tanya feels, something you feel you know but it is just beyond the edge of conscious memory and nagging you until figured out.

Erica, your uncle's message saved you a lot of trouble and harassment by the MCO. Non-standard hair and eyes, a lot of unique ones with the Gen 2 cast. Cally comes across as lighthearted and carefree, not worrying too much as long as things are good. Want to bet the American MCO agents harass her about her German MMID. I want to hear a story about Erica's summer, Nazis, secret bases, newfound relatives, MCO, terrorists, and other things, sounds like an exciting adventure.

Grandma seems like someone you just agree with and go along with what she says, like a force of nature, at least from what little we have seen of her. Trained observation skills to notice anything odd or off about a place, good to have especially when dealing with the MCO and at Whateley. Cally is more observant than the average teen her age or even most adults, Erica...that level of skills of observation are scary for one so young and we don't even know what her mutant powers are yet.

Oma probably has the skills to teach survival or martial arts at Whateley, calling herself old belays her abilities as Erica thinks. Daily regimen of calisthenics and krav maga practice, I wish I was in as good of shape and could keep up that level of training myself. Oma aka Winifred knows her granddaughter and Calliope too well, I bet they never get away with anything while she is around.

Erica has also learned how to read people very well and gauge their reactions. So far she seems like the kind of girl who observes firts and thinks things over before acting, cautious at times to the point of seeming aloof. She doesn't know what is happening at the airport with the MCO, wonder how soon that bomb will be dropped on Erica and Calliope. Cally on the other hand, as I said before, seems lighthearted and carefree, a little blunt and straightforward without worrying about the consquences. Based on saying she can feel, I'm guessing that Cally is a receptive empath at least.

Tanya as always is a leader and social, wishing to keep the peace and keep people talking. Got them all squirrely, that is an understatement. Laura, after how she was treated, even accussed of lying about her documents where she had them snatched, while all hints about Tia point to her being a celebrity of some reknown; I can understand wanting quiet time.

Tanya, wonder if her powers give her a greater appitite. Morgana I can understand, what passes for food on some airlines I wouldn't touch either. Doesn't help at that altitude, even in a pressurized cabin, your taste buds are dulled and even fine cuisine would taste worse. Nooooo! They said to stay in the hotel, don't leave the hotel! Call in room service.. Oh, who am I kinding. As Kirstin said in the announcement post, teenage mutants in New York, they are bound to get in more trouble. Hehe, just got that. Teenage mutants in New York, now if they were all ninjas it would be worse.

Great, wonder who this new guy is, staring at them and focused on two, the sense of dread when he entered his hidden sanctum. Villain, dark hero, vigilante, or other. I know he doesn't mean well for the girls, that is sure.

Okay, I want to know what the source of Morgana and Tanya's appetites are. I know mutant powers like exemplar come with an increase but nowhere near what an energizer would eat, then there are some who have mutant powers not normally associated with increased appetite which causes it. Wonder what it could be for those two, I think Morgana has an alternate form based on her nightmares which I believe are memories, while Tanya could be an internal energizer. Still, that is just a basic guess, could be a lot of other things.

You would think with the number of mutants and living in New York, the hot dog vendor would have seen at least 1 other mutant eat a lot before now. I can understand the other girls shock at seeing it though, especially Tanya, her height leads me back to believe energizer of some sort. I laughed at how Morgana handle it, that innocent smile at the end, hehehe. I know how Tanya and Morgana feel, I hate feeling stuck with no place to go, or not being able to explore a new place.

Not wishing to go back and dithering over it got them drawn into more trouble, *sigh*. Great, the Mighty Squid's minions show up, and have as much fashion sense as Jericho trying to make other look anywhere but him. Bwahahaha, Morgana playing the straight man with that comment. Oh god, he has the fashion sense of some of Marvel's villains, how does he expect anyone to take him seriously.

Bianca is the first to call out the idiots, wonder why no one else has, their costumes and the way they crashed, just ugh. Poor Kenshin, he doesn't understand American culture and doesn't get sarcasm. Nice Wizard of Oz reference, the situation certainly needs it. And the idiots minions turn it from threats, destruction of property and reckless endangerment only to add on aggravated assault with a potentially lethal weapon.

Yay! I knew Tanya would be the one to lead the charge, now we have a chance to see what they can do. Morgana does have another form like I guessed! Based on her nightmares and the avatar her author uses, she might be able to only partially shift into her other form based on the changes we saw here. Either that or something much more complex is going on. Laura, with how others treat you based on your appearance, don't let Morgana's appearance hold you back.

Civilains are being threatened, by not helping to stop the villain and protect the status quo, you would be interfering. Okay, sloppy logic but it would give him an excuse to get involved and explain why he helped. Laura is using her brain, as long as you aren't a threat to them, make something so you can be a threat to them. And Bianca with the chalk, guess she draws magic glyphs for her power, but wonder what the glyphs can and can't do.

Tia, sometimes the rumors are true. Just roll with it. Tia is right to call the police about this, just hope the MCO doesn't show up and charge any of them for underage superheroing or some other BS. She is right about the police laughing too much to drive to get there, reading about or hearing their outfits described will make you laugh, see them them will make you feel sick.

PK supergirl with visable field or energizer for Tanya, sure it is close to one if not one of those. Erica seems like either a mid-to-high level Exemplar, not sure of any other guess that would fit with what she has demonstraited so far alongside her training. Dragonform, interesting, gives support to alternate form theory. She showed some fighting skill as well, training, experience or something else? Intimidation without trying, always a good asset in a fight. I'm guessing the unpleasant memories of armed goons with shock weapons are linked to the nightmares of her being locked in a cage.

I like Lillian Dennon, I hope we see more of her and learn more about her in the future. Very nice devise, she is right though. Thanks to social media, cell phones with cameras and the likes, the thought of keeping your personal privacy is hard for the younger generation to even think of, or even believe there was a time you could do so easily.

New York is a crazy town, people cheering on the villain despite his minions actions. *sigh* Anyone got a mallet that can knock common sense into people? And the goons fall for the number one folly of villains, never underestimate someone just becaue they haven't joined the fight. Going after Tia first, bad move. I have no idea of what she can do, but reveal her identity without the hoodie and the crowd might just fight back to protect her, I'm guessing.

An out of shape thug against a teenage girl in good or better shape, he is going to be huffing and puffing after less than 100 feet. Ears, hidden under a hoodie, good at pinpointing exactally where sounds come from; definately have to be rabbit ears with her codename. I want to see them [well, read what they look like] already!

with the Benny Hill theme running through her head

bwahahahaha. You just can't get good minions without paying big bucks nowadays, he is going to regret going with overweight and out of shape ones.

Wonder why that one lady is being accosted by the minions as well, I know they want hostages but going after adults seems out of character for the cowards. Yay, she was called a rabbit-girl finally! How much of a rabbit she is is yet to be seen. Saving the woman and sending her to inform the police, I can't help but think with how fast she is running in heels there is more to her than meets the eye.

I've seen dumb minions in my day, but these guys take the cake. You see the girls, who have been watching a fight, sitting there and doing things you wouldn't normally do in a public setting. Yet that doesn't raise any alarms to them. Nice to have confirmation of Bianca using magic glyphs as well as runes, man that Air Rune had some power behind it. Tongue slightly between her teeth as she concentrated, I sometimes do that myself.

Darn, being distracted when building is a normal trait of gadgeteers and devisors, no wonder they don't notice people down in the Workshop tunnels a lot of the time. Kenshin has skills, I doubt he would even break a sweat in a fight against all 12 minions. Laura has never dealt with someone who doesn't speak English, she is getting infuriated at Kenshin's lack of knowledge about American culture, and it made her off-guard.

Ticking off a gadgeteer/devisor by messing with her creation, not smart. if Kenshin hadn't interveined, she might have killed the guy with an imcomplete creation, missing a component. Neural inhibitor gun, if fired without the missing component could have fried the guys brain for all we know. Laura, he is a stranger in a strange land, your sarcasm isn't helping any. I know she probably has her old male attitude still of not needing another guys help and is infuriated thinking that Kenshin saw her as a damsel in distress but ease up on the guy.

Kenshin needs to learn about American culture and how to speak English better and quick. Seeing them fighting the oddly costumed men and not realizing they're bad guys is naive to the point of annoying. Laura shows she has the guy and Kenshin tell her truthfully he doesn't get sarcasm, breaks her device while "protecting her" when she has shown she doesn't need it, if he keeps up this behavior of treating her like a helpless girl she might hurt him herself.

I can see a lot of future arguements between Laura and Kenshin, unless he learns to treat her like a fellow human instead of a helpless girl.

leaping all over the place like a hyperactive bunny on amphetamines

I've chased a normal rabbit when she didn't want to be caught and put back into her fenced off section of the yard. Trying to catch Tia sounds like a nightmare if you aren't a high level Exemplar or speedster. And finally Kenshin sees that Laura can handle herself, better remember that for the future or suffer.

Hikaru is going to be shocked by what she sees and blame most of it on Kenshin before he can explain, with her attitude towards him it seems like the thing she would do. Why me, just how much trouble has Kenshin been that she says this. At least she has the good sense not to get involved at this point.

Attacking a teenage girl, especially a mutant, is a bad idea. Hasn't this dope heard of Whateley and what happens to those that mess with their students and students' family and friends. Hitting Morgana like that is going go to make the remaining girl mads and hopefully only leave Morgana winded or minor bumps and bruises at most. You hurt Tanya as well and messed up her hair, just digging that hole deeper and deeper, Mighty Squid. Surpised her hair stuck up like a puffball, would have thought more in the lines of Frankenstein's Bride after that shock.

Great, blinded Erica because she thought too much instead of moving out of his threat zone. This guy defines over-inflated ego and arrogance, thinking just because you knock someone down that the fight is over. I love Bianca's attitude of questioning this idiot's orders. With Morgana back up, Bianca still working on that big glyph spell, along with Tanya and Erica also recovered, he is toast. Unless they are bound and helpless with no way out, never take your eyes off an opponent. Even then when dealing with mutants that won't be enough.

Tanya can be brutal when she wants to, ouch, crushing the gun and breaking a couple of the man's fingers. Then to have Kenshin knock him out, he is going to want to keep his mouth shut while in jail about this whole ordeal. D'oh! Have to watch your teammates/allies in a fight and not mess up their work, poor Bianca having to start all over again. For his minions being basically pushovers, the Mighty Squid is living up to his name so far. Hold off Erica and Morgana, binding Erica and hold stopped from killing her by Tanay with a ornamental pot plant. Just how many more tricks does that armor have left?

Nice to see that not everyone has to be a fighter to help out, Cally and Tia remind us that helping those hurt can be heroic. Especially with a crazed villain still nearby and closer and closer to a fullbown Drick out.

Shoot, I was hoping to see Morgana slice up the tentacles some, underestimate what they are made of. Darn, I hate when villains can play dodgeball with thrown projectiles, Tanya needs to figure out something else. D'oh! Fate doesn't seem to like Bianca casting big spells with her magic glyphs, first messed up and now hitting an ally instead of the enemy. If I didn't suspect the writers of being less cruel, I would think there was a probability warper in the area messing with Bianca for fun.

Ack! Poor Morgana, alone against the brute while some idiots in the crowd whistle at an underage girl who is getting her clothes torn apart and was almost down to her underwear. 3rd time is the charm for Bianca and her spell glyph, I hope. The universe can't be that cruel as to deny her again, can it. Tentacle wielding villains always seem to be tougher than they first appear, all those extra limbs, the strength and speed of them, can overwhelm even experienced heroes. At least with Tanya listening and coming up with a plan, they are finally coordinating their efforts.

Morgana holding him off as Tanya got Erica in on the plan.."Squiddly-poo!" *has to catch breath after laughing too hard* Nice toss by Tanya, distration by Erica and grab by Tanya and Morgana. The spell did a lot of damage, attesting to Bianca's potential already, yet the creep won't stay down. Tough little bugger. When Morgana said "Is he done yet?" almost sounded like she was asking if the squid was fried.

Nice description of Laura's devise, I would be dropping to the ground if I saw someone known to be a devisor holding one. With good reason, high-powered electro blaster. The Mighty Squid is going to be feeling that one for a while. Nice to see Laura get some praise and feel better about herself after what happened in the previous part of the story. Oh course the cops show up after the fight is over, that is how it always seem to happen. And if I saw a teenage girl acting enthusiastic after helping take down a supervillain about freeing the same guy, I woud be nervous as well.

Hikaru seems mature and reasonable for her age, except for when treated rudely like by the MCO at the airport or when dealing with Kenshin. Calling Whateley security to report the event, asking what she should do and actually doing what they ask. Complete opposite from some Gen 1 characters. Wonder how her time at Whateley might change her.

Yay! Lillian Dennon is the Whateley agent in New York. And miss, there is no such thing as coincidence where mutants are involved from what I've observed reading all the Whateley stories. Fate conspires to get them together and in this case to help them out when in trouble.

Had to stop typing for a minute at seeing the sergeant call him the same nickname of Squiddly, laughing so hard. Pick a squid theme, you have to think of all the squid characters in all media over the years whose name you might be taunted with. Extra paperwork at holiday times, the Squid is going to get it for causing this. More extra work due to them being underage, what fun. *sees sarcasm detector overload* I have to stop doing that.

I feel sorry for Theo, he probably has the worse job for job stress in New York, dealing with metas of all sorts. Ah, so they were tougher than I thought, including the Mighty Squid himself. Which means these kids either worked well together despite the chaos or are stronger than I originally guessed. And Whateley is still a secret to most people, not even a rumor to some. And everyone always jumps to Xavier's school first, at least it helps keep the secret.

Poor Theo has a potential political nightmare on his hands and is walking on egg shells so to speak. Hopefully nothing else happens while at the police station and they can give their statements and be on their way.

Lillian is grumping over babysitting the kids, bet she finds a new person who she will love to train in the bunch if not more than one of them. Already impressed by Hikaru's maturity, if more students of Whateley had her level of maturity we wouldn't have any stories for a long time. Still a good quality to have and probably will save them sometimes. And already stating she has to take her class on Exemplar Grace, I love Lillian and her way of taking charge. Now she has to babysit the other students, Hikaru is either going to learn to lighten up, learn some things about her fellow girls and start opening up, or go crazy.

Blaming Kenshin for it and saying she will get back at him, he barely did anything compared to everyone else except Bianca. Lillian is a mama bear protecting her cubs when riled, never question minors without legal representation or she will tear you a new one. It is one of the reasons that Mrs. Carson keeps her around. At least I'm hoping Mrs. Carson still run the school.

Theo, trying to question them like this without legal representation, asking for her real name when you her MID, and targeting foreign kids because you don't think they know the real limits imposed on you. I pitied you before, now I think you are a manipulative little weasel who needs to be replaced with someone who follows the law. Theo, you are up the creek without a paddle, she will see to it you know never to pull this shit again on any Whateley student if you value your life. And with that smile of her, I don't doubt she would do it either.

Lillian Dennon is one woman you don't want to mess with. True, she is bending the truth to put fear into them, but with what they went up against they need it. Imagine if someone more powerful and ruthless had been the super villain, what then. Nice points about Calliope and Lapin, Laura needs to learn to control her temper although Kenshin attitude and lack of ability to speak English fluently didn't help.

Laura needs needs to learn to combine her gadgets, devises and martial arts training into how she fights, instead of barely using it and only when faced with an up close threat. Maybe a devise melee weapon she could training or devise gauntlets that work with her martial arts training. And Lillian is fluent in Japanese, wonder what she said to Kenshin that has him embarrassed.

Basic Martial Arts for a lot of them, learning to fight and avoid attention is survival for a mutant, especially with the MCO seeming to have more power now. A mage with no magic and her transformation isn't a spell, wonder what it is DragonsFyre does when she transforms. Going to have the power testing guys argueing over it for a while, I'm sure. She really didn't realize how much she was showing in that fight or she might be more embarrased right now.

Invictus, confirmation she is a PK supergirl, wondered with her visible field. Most PK Super types have invisible fields, at least that we've seen so far. Dang, Squid is a C-Class and only not a D-Class cause they don't go that low. If it had been a stronger C-Class villain or heaven forbid a B-Class, they would have been in serious trouble without outside intervention. And anyone who knows students at Whateley knows those who are drawn to fight for justice or simply to protect others, there is always a next time. Hope the bully situation has improved at Whateley, it has to have with the Don long gone.

Teens do as they are told, Hikaru is the rare one who does. You are going to have more troubles before Whateley, Lillian. Fate just loves to have trouble show up in 3. Poor Morgana is going to need tougher clothes or she will go through them fast, especially if the bullies and Ultraviolents find out she is a mage who can fight like a brick. Faux-energizer which causes a physical transformation as well, sounds like the power testers were guessing and that might not really be the source of her transformations into her Dragonform.

Tanya loves her powers, reminds her of her mother and obviously she loves to use them. And not everyone can go toe to toe with super villains, some have to hold back and help in other ways. Just because you are hard to hurt doesn't mean Laura is, Tanya. Force-field generator, wonder how soon until we see her outfited with one. Ouch, and the problems of Exemplar bricks vs. PK bricks, no protection for clothing.

Hehehe, we get to see Laura's pervert side, wishing to see Morgana fight naked. And yes, Lillian would chew her out for doing that even if it would be effective against male and some female opponents. Ms. Roger is still around, wheee! Wonder if when the students talk about incidents she might bring up past ones she has heard from old students.

The description of the scars on Morgana's back and this is after several healings. This cult better not still be out there, if I could I would personally destroy them all, because to do that to a fellow human is a monstrous act. Tanya hasn't adapted to being a girl fully yet, with blushing at looking at another girl who is mostly-naked. Laura though still has her boy mindset and ogles away.

Connect a new mutant to a Prime Magic plane to act as a power source, yup, definately need to be destroyed. Tortured for weeks, only to be rescued before they could do any worse. Those scars that bad after multiple healings and they were going to do worse!! I can understand Tanya's reaction after hearing all that, the actions of true monsters sicken most everyone but fellow true monsters. Okay...the people reasonsible won't do it again ever, she is scaring when angry. Acting cool and collected and saying "But I'm fine now." So is obviously not fine and Dr. Bellows or whoever replaced him if he retired will be having many sessions with Morgana.

If Tanya isn't a changeling, then why is she so shy about looking at other girls in states of undress. Jealous of Morgana's looks despite her scars, jealous of Laura even for being curvier than her. She is either a transsexual changeling who wished to be a girl but didn't become as curvy as she wished or had an unusual upbringing to be uncomfortable around other girls in states of undress.

Ouch, Laura, I hope you are exaggerating about that or your mom was cruel to you even before you transformed, saying your singing was that bad. I won't believe she is that bad until she sings in story and it is described for us. Boy, so far both Morgana and Laura haven't thought about their modesty around other girls, while Tanya seems drawn to it. Her seeing Laura naked, I wonder if the comment about not being in a sexual way was for the audiance or for Tanya telling herself that.

I guess even someone raised by superheroes and around a GSD case can still be caught off guard. I'm starting to think Tanya's belief she lacks curves is more in her head than true. Could be caused by growing up around Exemplar beauties and having a different standard of what curves are. And poor Laura, not being able to shower until she gets to school, hope they can get her more make-up soon.

Wonder how soon she can have the neural inhibitor back up and running again. And as I thought, she was annoyed at him trying to play the gallant hero. Laura seems to not like hearing others in pain when she can help other, or the use of the wrong technique with the brush to get the tangles out infuriated her. Laura, just ask her and rip off that bandaid already, ask if Morgana was a boy before. It is going to bug you until you find out. Everyone always references Star Trek when elf ears are involved, or Lord of the Rings. It is required by some universal law, I believe.

That comment about poor Tia, what does she know about her the other girls don't. Probably knows about her ears, if not that she is a celebrity of some sort and knows about her through that. Fear that because you have changed outside that you are not the same person, definately a sign she is a changeling as that is a common feeling among them and more severe GSD cases. Glowing purple radioactive spider, now you have given someone somewhere an idea for a character origin.

Seriously Tanya has trouble with modesty issues and all signs point towards changeling, but it could just be she never was exposed to a lot of other women or went to high school with shared locker rooms. Being Whateley Universe and she is going to Whateley Academy, I'm still guessing changeling until proven wrong. Dang, she may have just woke up that way but to turn into your mom's twin of when she went to Whateley Academy, constantly being reminded of the lose, that is harsh.

Morgana needs to learn how to read social cues from others. Losing her mother at such a young age and only to have her face thrown back at her every time she looks into a mirror. She may not have been kidnapped or tortured but that is a kind of torture all its own. She needed a good cry, sometimes you just need to cry and let it all out. And Morgana's thoughts betray the truth that she is a changeling, thinking that a real girl would know what to do. What do you think you are, socks? Morgana has a great sense of humor and knows how to help out even if she isn't used to being a girl yet.

Uh oh, talk of slipping out to help Laura get more make-up, this isn't going to end well. Stop tempting the universe already, girls! Morgana, you are starting to sound like Loophole with your explainations for why you are breaking the rules, stating exactally what someone said instead of following the spirt of what they meant. And she just has to add in the ominous saying at the end that will be remembered from now as bad as "What else could go wrong?"

Oma definately would fit right in with Sensei Ito and Gunny Bardue's school of teaching. Tough love, wonder what kind of things she has seen in her lifetime. Figures their fight with the Squid isn't even news due to the big stuff in Central Park. At least no one will be reporting about the girls or describe them on air. Cousin Penelope seems very interesting just from the mentions of the muggers and *giggles* Code Moron. Erica like to play dirty when push comes to shove. Calliope getting in on the act, at least it got Penelope back on the subject of why she called in the first place.

Uncle Adolf is going to critic the fight, please let them not have heard about the other girls or I could see him coming to Whateley to do it to them as well. And end up getting hired in the process. Cousin Penny not being known around school after two weeks, she must be keeping a low profile. And a completely normal high school experience, that won't last for long.

And we know their outing won't be peaceful like they hope, plus the note might just get blown by a random gust of air from the vent and Oma won't find it, being sick with worry. Now to play the waiting game until next time, loved how everyone got more fleshed out in this part, even the small part of Kenshin and Hikara showed us more about them. Combat, story progression and character development, can't wait for more.

I was wondering if any of the authors speaks Japanese. The limo drivers responses feel to familiar. Not formal enough for the situation.

Yes we do. And modals have changed in the last decade or so, btw. Also depends on the person.
*hint*

To be fair, the two most fluent, didn't review the section as hard as we should have, and in my case, wasn't paying enough attention, but on reread, it works for several issues.

Must admit it's been the best part of 20 years since I last studied the language, and I can't remember the last time I really used it.

Who loves ya, baby?

Really, Theo Savalas? Does he suck on lollipops?

Do I win a cookie?

Yes.

Nice story.

Good well-rounded fight scene, with realistic ( for mutant/sci-fi stories) actions and consequences.

Nice fore-shadowing with the hotel staff, and with the hints/unfinished comments, re. which of them has had a gender-flip.

Looking forward to the next part.

Valentine wrote: Who loves ya, baby?

Really, Theo Savalas? Does he suck on lollipops?

Do I win a cookie?

Tsk.

I'll have you know Theo has an abundent, indeed bouffant head of hair..

Domoviye wrote: Just finished reading and it was GOOD.

your characters had POV? If it's the second, the writing styles were seamless, which is impressive and shows you guys really mesh well together.

Thanks. We liked the plot. Believe it or not, it took us MONTHS to figure out how to open Gen 2 with the kids en-route to Whateley. Someday, secrets can be revealed, but it was a lot of give-and-take and trial balloons being popped.

We do a little of both. Okay, a lot of one. Everyone who wanted to make sure his or her character was represented properly contributed stuff - ideas or even scene bits, and then we spent time editing and polishing so they looked seamless.

Now, so far, I'm very surprised by the lack of, um, reaction to how Kenshin and Laura interacted during the fight, I'm also a bit surprised that no-one has picked up on or commented on Laura's interactions with the other girls, both in the room and in the drugstore. It WAS a lot of hint about herself I put in.....

I was replying late at night and didn't feel up to specifics.
Laura and Kenshin are going to start dating after months of saying they don't like each other aren't they?

Domoviye wrote: I was replying late at night and didn't feel up to specifics.
Laura and Kenshin are going to start dating after months of saying they don't like each other aren't they?

<snerk> couldn't possibly comment...</snerk>

Astrodragon wrote:

Domoviye wrote: I was replying late at night and didn't feel up to specifics.
Laura and Kenshin are going to start dating after months of saying they don't like each other aren't they?

<snerk> couldn't possibly comment...</snerk>

Translation: "Really? You think we are that linear?"

AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

*rolls on the floor*

Oh gods, this is priceless. I'm not going to say who, and I'm not going to say why, but someone on this thread just inspired an omake. Which may or may not have something to do with Tanya. I plead the fifth, and will now hide from Neo and write it.

Phoenix Spiritus wrote:

Astrodragon wrote:

Domoviye wrote: I was replying late at night and didn't feel up to specifics.
Laura and Kenshin are going to start dating after months of saying they don't like each other aren't they?

<snerk> couldn't possibly comment...</snerk>

Translation: "Really? You think we are that linear?"

It's more a question of how twisted, evil and machiavellian you think we are...

And here is a little bonus to show you some of the sartorial elegance of the Squid Gang

Astrodragon wrote:

Phoenix Spiritus wrote:

Astrodragon wrote:

Domoviye wrote: I was replying late at night and didn't feel up to specifics.
Laura and Kenshin are going to start dating after months of saying they don't like each other aren't they?

<snerk> couldn't possibly comment...</snerk>

Translation: "Really? You think we are that linear?"

It's more a question of how twisted, evil and machiavellian you think we are...

Those poor, poor children. They are SO doomed.

Domoviye wrote:

Astrodragon wrote:

Phoenix Spiritus wrote:

Astrodragon wrote:

Domoviye wrote: I was replying late at night and didn't feel up to specifics.
Laura and Kenshin are going to start dating after months of saying they don't like each other aren't they?

<snerk> couldn't possibly comment...</snerk>

Translation: "Really? You think we are that linear?"

It's more a question of how twisted, evil and machiavellian you think we are...

Those poor, poor children. They are SO doomed.

You just realized that?

elrodw wrote: Now, so far, I'm very surprised by the lack of, um, reaction to how Kenshin and Laura interacted during the fight, I'm also a bit surprised that no-one has picked up on or commented on Laura's interactions with the other girls, both in the room and in the drugstore. It WAS a lot of hint about herself I put in.....

Uhm, pretty sure I talked about their interactions and how Laura responded to the other girls in my big comments posts.

Poor Laura, having to hide behind a layer of make-up and nervous about anything which could smudge it. It was going to come out sooner or later to the other girls. Afraid to even shake hands due to her make-up smudging, she needs help adjusting or she will become afraid of the slightest human contact with time.

Felt like she shies away from human contact out of fear of her secret being exposed, of others seeing her as a freak, especially after how her brothers and dad treated her. Having to be trained in martial arts since 8 at the insistence of her mother just to keep from being beat up by her own brothers even before manifesting, what messed up brothers.

. Ouch, mention of going home, poor Laura. Nice way they worked together to come up with her codename, glad not every contact risk smudging her make-up.

The home situation, with living with her mom and sister now due to how her dad and brothers reacted to her manifesting. Beating him up before he manifested, imagine how they reacted once he became a blue-skinned she. Father is probably H1 or worse.

How Laura reacted at first upon seeing Morgana transform is believable and understandable, most people don't know how to react upon seeing someone transform in such a way.

Laura has never dealt with someone who doesn't speak English, she is getting infuriated at Kenshin's lack of knowledge about American culture, and it made her off-guard.

She seems to get frustrated easily when others don't get things easily or confuse things, either a part of her personality or side-effect of gadgeteer/devisor traits. Dropping the one part back into her purse due to the thug shows she has a temper for when her creations are messed with in any way. And although she is upset at Kenshin for intervening, with the missing piece of her devise it might have not worked properly and done something she would have regretted.

Laura, he is a stranger in a strange land, your sarcasm isn't helping any. I know she probably has her old male attitude still of not needing another guys help and is infuriated thinking that Kenshin saw her as a damsel in distress but ease up on the guy.

She responds with sarcasm when frustrated, probably as part of a defense mechanism. As stated she seems to have her old male attitude of not needing another guys help, believing Kenshin sees her as a damsel in distress to rescue, which infuriates her as she still believes she can do everything on her own.

Laura shows she has the guy and Kenshin tell her truthfully he doesn't get sarcasm, breaks her device while "protecting her" when she has shown she doesn't need it, if he keeps up this behavior of treating her like a helpless girl she might hurt him herself.

Kenshin keeps reacting to protect her instead of even giving her a chance to do so herself, seeing himself as a samurai following the code of Bushido. Only to tick her off by breaking her devise after she has shown she doesn't need his protection. Treating her like a helpless girl that further angers Laura to the point I get the impression if he kept it up she would hurt Kenshin herself to get the point across she isn't helpless.

I can see a lot of future arguments between Laura and Kenshin, unless he learns to treat her like a fellow human instead of a helpless girl. And finally Kenshin sees that Laura can handle herself, better remember that for the future or suffer.

It took Kenshin seeing Laura knock out one of the minions of a strong kick on her own to convince him she can take care of herself. I know he follows the code of Bushido but not listening until proven wrong seems more than a bit arrogant on his part. Which if he does so in the future to Laura again she will take her frustration out on. Treating her like she can't take care of herself seems to be a huge trigger button for her anger.

Laura needs to learn to control her temper although Kenshin attitude and lack of ability to speak English fluently didn't help.

Laura needs to learn to combine her gadgets, devises and martial arts training into how she fights, instead of barely using it and only when faced with an up close threat. Maybe a devise melee weapon she could training or devise gauntlets that work with her martial arts training.

Lillian has no idea of what any of them went through, still she wouldn't take any of it as an excuse to argue on the battlefield. But Laura's remaining male attitude grated against Kenshin's Bushido and apparent attitude to her of treating her like helpless girl to be rescued. Considering all that, Laura restrained herself fairly well by not clocking Kenshin upside the head one to get her point across she didn't need help.

And I would love to see a gadgeteer/devisor combine it with martial arts training as stated above. Force-field belt combined with a gadget or devise melee weapon would be incredible together.

Hehehe, we get to see Laura's pervert side, wishing to see Morgana fight naked.

It is obvious from her ogling of Morgana she is a former teenage boy and still attracted to girl, now she has the chance to check them out without worry and will do so every chance she gets.

Ouch, Laura, I hope you are exaggerating about that or your mom was cruel to you even before you transformed, saying your singing was that bad. I won't believe she is that bad until she sings in story and it is described for us.

I seriously hope her comment about her mom not letting her sing unless it was to evacuate a building are self-deprecating humor. Since she is staying with her mom and sister and loves them, that seems to be the case.

And poor Laura, not being able to shower until she gets to school, hope they can get her more make-up soon.

Wonder how soon she can have the neural inhibitor back up and running again. And as I thought, she was annoyed at him trying to play the gallant hero. Laura seems to not like hearing others in pain when she can help other, or the use of the wrong technique with the brush to get the tangles out infuriated her. Laura, just ask her and rip off that band aid already, ask if Morgana was a boy before. It is going to bug you until you find out.

Her fear of being seen as a freak by others holds her back, even from those who have become her friends. And as stated, she saw Kenshin as trying to be the gallant hero and rescue a fair maiden, something her remaining male mentally can't tolerate. Not sure if she can't stand hearing Morgana wince in pain, or if she just feels compelled to help out as she knows she can do a better job. Almost sounded like she was doing it because it reminds her of her little sister and the time they spent together. And Laura is so afraid of being found out she is a changeling, she doesn't wish to risk asking others if they are as well. The fear of how they might react holds her back. And she doesn't wish to lose a new friend.

I'm surprised Laura didn't try and invent something like a skin projector.

Or maybe reinventing Greasy's skin.

Supremezero wrote: I'm surprised Laura didn't try and invent something like a skin projector.

Or maybe reinventing Greasy's skin.

She's a 14 year old kid whose parents are going through a nasty divorce. Her resources are somewhat limited at this point, especially for making something like that. For the devises and gadgets she currently has, she's been able to pilfer electronic parts from other things, but making a false skin requires a completely different kind of materials to work with, which are rather harder to come by.

Okay, didn't get a chance to read this last night, and pretty much just got finished with it...

A lot of what I want to comment on will probably be better posted on the individual character threads so that they see some activity and the conversations can stay focused in that way...

- Overall, I am thoroughly happy with this installment in the story... although to me it felt clunky at times (particularly just before Erica and Cally meet up with the others, and in the early moments of the fight itself) reflection after-the-fact leads me to welcome the awkwardness in a way... the kids are only just meeting after all, and most of them haven't had real training...
- I really liked the interaction between Taka and Laura during the fight... more so for Taka's part in it than Laura's to be honest... I found Taka's confusion quite endearing... Laura however did not react the way I expected... from Part 1 I expected her to be more sensitive and not so sarcastic... coping mechanism?... I hope so...
- The contrast in ability between 'Squiddley' and his minions was both surprising and refreshing... showcased the danger of underestimating others in both directions...
- The hotel scene with Laura, Morgana, and Tanya was very enjoyable... it leaves me excited for when the 'secret' comes out... I have other observations and questions about this scene, but as I said above I think those should be better addressed on the individual character threads...

Questions for consideration:
1) While we saw Squiddley show up, we did not see anything obvious from the other secret group from part 1... could the fleeing woman in heels have been associated with that group?...
2) Whatever this other event was that went down, will we find out more about it? Or is it what I believe has come to be referred to as a noodle event?...
3) Does said event have implications further down the line into the school year or is it simply to explain how the new group escapes much notice in their first misadventure?...
4) They had Hot Dogs for lunch... any guesses as to what will be for dinner?...

ShockHawk wrote: 4) They had Hot Dogs for lunch... any guesses as to what will be for dinner?...

Pepto-Bismol!

Valentine wrote:

ShockHawk wrote: 4) They had Hot Dogs for lunch... any guesses as to what will be for dinner?...

Pepto-Bismol!

The bits I added to the evening dinner bit (and other evening bits) willl provide an answer to this particular question - what, indeed, will they eat, especially after having been chewed out by Mrs. Dennon and having their fill of hot dogs? What, indeed .....

Authentic New York Pizza.

Things are warming up nicely now and part 3 should be well worth waiting for.

I suspect that this story will always read better when all the parts are put together and read as a whole. After the slow start of part 1 this part delivered the fast paced action that we've come to expect from most Whateley stories.

I do hope the hotdog vendor wasn't named Dibbler. And what is it with dragons and ketchup? I did laugh reading that comment and remembering the old sign off that was used in the forums.

Looking forward to the rest of the story.

John.

One thing that caught my eye is Under Armor making specialty clothing for people with powers, it seems like such a major change from the Gen 1 cannon- politically, it makes me wonder if the owner of the controlling stocks of Marvel had something to do with it...

makes sense, still, I'd be surprised if AJG consolidated doesn't come up in Gen 2, I mean beyond the "Does Marvel know?" "Why yes the owner of Marvel went to school here" which is practically written on the wall (not that that'd make it any less enjoyable, mind you)

Under Armor now with the New Kevra 2 polymer, 50% more stopping power.

another thing I find funny is how BMA is a "punishment" when its practically a required course unless you take survival, its not like they gave Gunny the reports of the incident and had them sit through his criticism

Mulling it over since I read it last night, I really liked the fight scene, as most seem to have done. I can't help wonder if the interactions during the fight (whether positive or negative) will lead these kids down the paths of friendship or antagonism. An example being how Morgana and Bianca "clicked" during the fight setting up the coup de grâce, while Tanya consistently messed up Bianca's efforts.

A fair bit of allusion to the inevitable origin stories, which should be a great read if the hints are anything to go by.

Regarding the "secret", I wonder what it will take for the ice to be broken - or if it's being saved for the entry to Poe. From what was seen when they grouped up in the hotel, they were all holding mention of Whateley (and by extension their mutant nature) close to the chest, so it's only natural they'll continue being reluctant to divulge such until "forced". I wonder if Calliope might pick up on the prevailing emotions again and figure it out?

All in all, I continue being impressed with the quality and coherence from such a piece of work, considering the amount of people giving input towards the final product. It's difficult to ascertain whether it's solely through greater familiarity or not, but I felt that keeping track of the large cast to be less difficult for this second part.

Keep up the great work all!

My small contribution to the random speculation:

In gen 1 'tea and synergy' we're told that with regards to Ito's BMA that:
"All the students have to go through our class. If they want to, they can take more advanced courses with the other instructors, but we make sure that everyone has at least a working notion of how to take care of themselves."

However in 'The Big Apple Comes With Calamari [part 2]' Mrs. Dennon says to Laura:
“Since you have some martial art training, more will help. We’ll see if you know enough to be placed in an advanced class or if you’ll need Basic Martial Arts.”

This could imply that BMA has undergone a changing of the guard with a different mentality, and I admit that a look at who Whateley considers Ito's successor has appeal but I suspect that this is simply 'tea and synergy' overstating their case as counter examples do exists (belphy and bova).

On a second note I believe that this is the first time Lillian Dennon has been referred to as 'Mrs.' Other stories just use 'Dennon' without an honorific. I'm left wondering when and who she married.

or it could imply "hey, we have to chew you out, but good job."

I think you may be misreading the G1 info. IIRC, all students have to go either through BMA OR Survival. For some kids (Glass), BMA would be basically impossible anyway.

mhalpern wrote: I mean beyond the "Does Marvel know?" "Why yes the owner of Marvel went to school here"

mhalpern wrote: its not like they gave Gunny the reports of the incident and had them sit through his criticism

Yet.

well yeah but even the ones who aren't trouble magnets- if BMA is possible for them it is highly encouraged over survival, in that the first time they are introduced to security, they get enrolled automatically.

they handled it reasonably well, wait until the first session of Team Tactics.

ShockHawk wrote: 2) Whatever this other event was that went down, will we find out more about it? Or is it what I believe has come to be referred to as a noodle event?...

Please, noodle incidents are SO last generation...

We do Calimari ones...

Astrodragon wrote:

ShockHawk wrote: 2) Whatever this other event was that went down, will we find out more about it? Or is it what I believe has come to be referred to as a noodle event?...

Please, noodle incidents are SO last generation...

We do Calimari ones...

LOL!!!

Astrodragon wrote:

ShockHawk wrote: 2) Whatever this other event was that went down, will we find out more about it? Or is it what I believe has come to be referred to as a noodle event?...

Please, noodle incidents are SO last generation...

We do Calimari ones...

Based on this response (which is obviously a ploy to distract commenters from my very serious 4th question)... I wager a $40 Seafood Buffet that dinner will include CALIMARI!!!!

ShockHawk wrote:

Astrodragon wrote:

ShockHawk wrote: 2) Whatever this other event was that went down, will we find out more about it? Or is it what I believe has come to be referred to as a noodle event?...

Please, noodle incidents are SO last generation...

We do Calimari ones...

Based on this response (which is obviously a ploy to distract commenters from my very serious 4th question)... I wager a $40 Seafood Buffet that dinner will include CALIMARI!!!!

We shall see, Xur! We shall SEE!!!

Actually, it'll be interesting to see the guesses on this, and how accurate they are or are not.
One thing - I will damn near guarantee that no-one will guess where they eat breakfast

(edited) - as in what food establishment.

Where they eat for breakfast? I'll guess they eat Boston.