5. Field Trip! What a riot

Posted on Wed May 24th, 2023 @ 12:32am by Kai & Kranny Shtorm & Rebecca McMillen & Astrid Lindstorm & Gabe Spicer & Kunikpaa

2,414 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: 1. Year One
Timeline: September 11, 1992 1215

Mayor Mark Kline stood on the stairs of the city hall building in downtown New Orleans and surveyed the crowd before him. He was pleased with the turnout including several groups of high school students, they may be too young to vote, but not too young to learn about their civic duty. After a brief welcome and introduction, he began his speech.

"Dear citizens of New Orleans, As you know, mutants have lived among us for quite some time now. They're not different, they're just gifted. And it is our duty to protect their rights. Henceforth, I'd like to announce that we are going to set up registration kiosks manned by city officials for mutants to register their superpowers. This will ensure the safety of all individuals within the city, including our mutant population. Let us respect and appreciate their talents, while still maintaining the peace.

Through registration, we can ensure that those who may unintentionally harm others with their powers can receive proper training and support. It also allows us to properly monitor and regulate the use of these abilities, preventing any misuse or abuse. This is not meant to limit the potential of mutants, but rather to protect them and our city from any potential threats...." The mayor continued speaking but the small group from Ridgehaven Manor, began discussing the speeches content.

Rebecca tried to play it cool. She was in a crowd with her co-workers and students yes, but she was also in a crowd with everyone else. If it's one thing a life on the run taught her, it was when to keep her head down.

"Speaking as a guy who's had a good chunk of his life taken by the government..Im a little hesitant to believe him." Gabe said under his breath

"Governments have always used filing, listing and categories to separate the population how they see. Not the first time nor will it be the last" As Shtorm stands their crossed armed. "And just because he won't use it for less than savory means, doesn't mean the next mayor or government official won't."

As Shtorm remembers the horror of his old life, people "registered" based on nothing more than which God they followed or just simply speaking out against the leaders. All in all, registration does not sit well with Shtorm.

Heather crossed her arms and huffed. "As if. They talked about the same thing in California, but it got shut down petty fast." She said to no one in particular.

"This is where it starts," observed Kunikpaa. She was forced by US immigration to register with the federal government so she could attend Ridgehaven. It almost put her off going, if the alternative wasn't likely homelessness. But it scared her. She heard the stories about the church and government schools some of her relatives were forced to attend. She thought the Mayor had good intentions at least, but sometimes those good intentions had the scariest outcomes.

"I know you're kind of new to the area, but this guy is a better choice than his opponent. My dad said he overheard the Mayor's opponent wants to eliminate mutants because they're a plague on society. This guy isn't much better, but what do you do when you have to vote the lesser of the two evils?"

"Shouldn't we try to get a mutant in some form of government. I can't exactly vote anyway but I make one hell of a bodyguard." As Shtorm chuckles a bit.

"Who knows, there already could be, Mr. Shtorm," Kai said to his teacher, "If there was I'd think they would have to be careful not to reveal their powers. So you think it will ever be safe for mutants sir?"

Shtorm stays silent for a moment while still watching. "I honestly don't know. I'm not the type to lie, so I won't say yes. But as long as we look out for each other and those around us, be they mutants or not, we can hope to make a world one day where we can be" Shtorm says with a large smile.

"I don't like his platform, but he's the better of the two." Rebecca confirmed, before turning to look over at Kai, "Yeah, if there was one already in office, they'd be under more pressure than any of us. I don't think I could do it, to be honest."

Kai furrowed his brows in thought before replying, "Do you think it will ever be safe for us to use our powers in public without ridicule?"

Rebecca offered Kai a smile, "Well, I really hope so. I mean that's the plan right? Make it so you can be you." she paused, "There's always going to be someone who doesn't understand, and that will make them afraid. Our job, our goal, isn't to make the number of folks who DO understand outnumber those that don't. It's to help the people that don't understand."

"Teachers teach, right?" she asked rhetorically, such a silly question.

-Moments Later-
As the Mayor reached the climax of his speech the sound of several school busses honking their horns filled the air. The busses were spray painted black with the words "Apostles of Prometheus." The busses disgorged itself of its human contents until a large crowd appeared carrying various signs with hateful slogans and epithets directed at eliminating or abusing mutants. Their leader stepped to the forefront and using a bullhorn started a chant," Mutant lovers go home, Down with the Muties."

As the Apostles pushed into the crowd panic began to break out as they picked fights while trying to force mutants to reveal themselves.

Without thought, Heather grabbed onto Louis-Phillipe's arm. "We should leave now!" She called out to the group.

Shtorm will see this as he turns to the students. " How about all of you get behind me." as Shtorm goes to stand between the attendants of the class trip and the Apostles of Prometheus as they approach, greeting them standing up straight to his full height and with a wide friendly smile.

Kai moved quickly behind Mr. Shtorm, "What's the plan, Sir?" he asked hoping his tone didn't portray the nervousness he felt. His heartbeat quickened as the sound of outraged protesters, and the injured cries grew louder and closer.

Shtorm will kneel down to Kai. "Don't worry I got this."
As He gives Kai a reassuring smile.

Shtorm looks around as the crowd flees and as the protesters close in. He sees the bus they came in on parked down the street. He turns to Rebecca, "There is an opening over there where people are funneling out to. Take the children that way and around the long way to the bus." As he points down to where some are fleeing to. "I'll make sure they don't notice you." as he gives her a bit smile and a thumbs up." Children, stay close to Rebecca. I'll see you back on the bus". As Shtorm prepares to gain all of the Apostles of Prometheus attention.

"We can help." Louis-Phillipe was annoyed at the thought of being sidelined.

Shtorm will smile. "You are. I need all for you to keep each other safe. I don't plan on a fight, and what's most important is not to play into their hand but for now to retreat and regroup."

Rebecca took stock of the moment, then gave Shtorm a nod before turning to the kids with them, "Single file, heads down, follow me." and the blonde started to make her way through the crowd, avoiding hot spots and trying to get to the...

The bus...

The bus with one of the rioters by it...

And a flat tire.

"Oh you gotta be kidding me." she muttered, before looking for an alternate route to safety. It made a certain amount of sense, so Rebecca started to lead them all towards City Hall. After all, you couldn't FIGHT city hall.

"Everyone, go go go." she ushered once she had gotten them near the steps.

"Good idea. if you got a phone, call the Doc. I'll try to meet you as soon as i can." As Shtorm sidesteps so he can keep an eye on the kids in his peripherals as he steps forward to meet the riots, standing tall, with a friendly smile. "I'm sorry, is there a problem here?"

Daryl hit his hand with the baseball bat as he sized up the large man in front of him, "Yeah I got a problem here," he said before spitting a large chink of old chewing tobacco, "I don't like mutie lovers and since you're here, I reckon you're either with me or against me. What's it gonna be, Old Man? I bet with all those young'ins behind ya one or two of them gotta be muties."

Shtorm looks at the man never removing his friendly smile. "So you come here to couse trouble? A panic? I'm sure a resemble member of society like yourself would much rather not cause any problems that could put yourself in the same kind of light as you seem to see the mutants in." As Shtorm stops Infront of the gentleman. "So why don't you and your friends just pack up and go. I'm sure we can settle all this friendly like." As Shtorm puts out a hand to Daryl.

"Nah, I ain't going anywhere," Daryl. "We got more friends coming, yall think your so special cuz you stand up for mutants? Why I bet an old man like you as built as you are a mutant yourself," he said and to emphasize it he poked Shtorm in the gut with his baseball bat.

Shtorm gives out a hardy laugh. "My friend, a lot of what you see is a product of hard work, eating right and military training." As Shtorm pushes the bat gently to the side, off his gut. "I'm just here to be everyone's friend. And sometimes friends need to put their friends in time out. Now I might be new to the whole teacher thing, but I don't think either of us want that." Shtorm says as stares the man in the eyes, anticipating a swing of that wooden bat thinner than Shtorm's Bicep.

Daryl waved more of his friends slowly trying to surround the small group, "I reckon me and my friends are gonna kick your butt old timer. You muties need to learn a lesson." Daryl raised his bat and swung low to try to take out the big man's knee.

Shtorm will allow the bat to make contact as it hits with a thunk on his body. Seeing the bat do nothing Shtorm gives the man a face only understandable as a really now face.

Shtorm grabs the bat from the man and just simply snaps the wooden bat in half tossing the pieces to his side. He will go to hoist the man up by the back of his shirt. As he yells over his shoulders to the other rioters. "Last chance my friends, till I stop using my friend voice and start using that aforementioned military training to toss you around like some krauts."

"Kick the Muties' ass boys!" Daryl hollered while being held up by Shtorm.

The other trouble makers carried crowbar, chains, bats, and other items of destruction as they tried stepped into the fray to try to free their friend. "Attack the mutants," they hollered as they rushed at Shtorm.

Shtorm will sigh deeply. "Don't say I didn't warn ya." As Shtorm throws Daryl at the closest rioter, plants his feet on the ground and rushes the next closest going for a grab.

As the fighting broke out around them Kai pulled out his water bottle and poured some into his hand. He began using it to trip some of the assailants as they ran at Shtorm. Unfortunately his attempt to assist only angered the mob more as more of the crowd began turning against them.

Shtorm will grab the rioter by the waist hoist him up and Suplex him bringing him stright down onto the ground with a hard thunk.. As Shtorm gets up, he cracks his neck. "Good work Kai but I got these low Lifes, nothing more than simple cubs." As Shtorm gives large belly laugh. "So which one of you, well I was going to say men but you are more like uppity children. Regardless, Who's next!" as Shtorm plants his feet and puts his fists up. He gives Daryl a smile.

Rebecca, however, was not enjoying the notion of the riot. She put a hand on Kai's shoulder, "Okay, that's clever, and good, but we can't risk drawing too much attention to our..." was all she got out before someone noticed there was something peculiar about Rebecca. Something unusual. Something... different.

"SHE'S A RAT!!!!" a woman screamed, and the crowd gasped and turned. Pointing, shrieking, screaming normal ordinary folk rattled by someone with a tail. "Ewwww!!" "Gross!" "Go back to the sewer!" came the calls, and Rebecca could do little more than keep her head down. "Hurry Kai, w... we gotta get outta here." she said in a whisper.

Kai turned to look for an exit but they were caught in the crowd and quickly being surrounded by other protesters and rioters. He waved his hand and used the water to trip some people up behind Shtorm, "I can try to clear a way out of here towards that alley," he said as he began rallying the students in that direction.

Shtorm will turn to the sound of the women screaming. His moment of distraction gave one of the rioters a change to get a clean shot of Shtorm hitting him across the face with a crowbar leaving a nice cut over his eye brow slowly bleeding down his face.

Shtorm will respond with an uppercut to the man's jaw, maybe with a little more power than he initially intended to, launching the man a few feet up in the air and falling into the ground with a loud thunk. As Shtorm collects himself seeing the crowds start to surround Rebecca and the students be starts to make his way over to them as he goes for a few grabs and throws of the rioters in his way.

Kai watched as the group slowly made their retreat to the steps of City Hall constantly beliguered by rioters on nearly side. He hoped help in any gorm would arrive soon...

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