Goddamn Teenagers (Worm, AU/time travel)
And corporatist funding of anti-government propaganda for the last century to drive down union membership.
Honestly public schooling has been one of the cornerstones of American democracy for two centuries; that's why one of the key priorities of groups that want to weaken American democracy is to weaken, defund, interfere with, and eventually privatize public schools. There's a reason conservatives have prioritized political takeovers of school boards for the last forty years, and a clear pattern of what they've done with that power once they got it.
Honestly public schooling has been one of the cornerstones of American democracy for two centuries; that's why one of the key priorities of groups that want to weaken American democracy is to weaken, defund, interfere with, and eventually privatize public schools. There's a reason conservatives have prioritized political takeovers of school boards for the last forty years, and a clear pattern of what they've done with that power once they got it.
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FaerieKnight79
Verified Pixie
- Location
- The Internet
The funny thing is that the public school system was never designed to educate. It was designed to mold children into ideal factory workers. And that's something that schools were apparently rather good at. Too bad "barely educated factory worker" is no longer really a viable career path in many places. The system's breakdown is due to the school system being forced to things it's not actually designed to do.
Safety First, Part 4
"How is the report coming along?" Dr. Weaver asked, as Vista took a seat.
Vista scowled. "I'm still reading all the water science stuff." Why does she have to turn even interesting things into work.
"Hmm. Well, if you have any questions, we can arrange a session with a college-level tutor."
"Thank you," Vista ground out. She absolutely wouldn't need help. She could totally get through the stuff on her own.
"Second, Director Piggot and I are concerned that, in light of your extensive experience, the current Wards team structure is underutilizing your skills and insufficiently supporting your development."
"Ok…" Vista refused to get her hopes up.
"ENE will be trialing a new leadership position. Specifically, Wards Junior Safety Officer. You were really the only choice, thanks to your incredible enthusiasm for exploring novel power uses, diligent work with the BBFD, and in light of your extensive experience as a Ward. Congratulations on your appointment."
Vista blinked. "What does that mean?"
"You will work with your teammates to assist them in more safely exploring the use of their powers…"
Ok, that could actually be interesting…
"… accordingly, you will now have the pleasure of taking a multi-session tailored safety course with the power testers. Thereafter, you will meet with them regularly, as well as regularly working with your teammates…"
Vista couldn't prevent her face from adopting a look of horror.
Note: Sorry, Missy, after Imp, Regent, Lisa and THE HEARTBROKEN, you are easy mode.
Vista scowled. "I'm still reading all the water science stuff." Why does she have to turn even interesting things into work.
"Hmm. Well, if you have any questions, we can arrange a session with a college-level tutor."
"Thank you," Vista ground out. She absolutely wouldn't need help. She could totally get through the stuff on her own.
"Second, Director Piggot and I are concerned that, in light of your extensive experience, the current Wards team structure is underutilizing your skills and insufficiently supporting your development."
"Ok…" Vista refused to get her hopes up.
"ENE will be trialing a new leadership position. Specifically, Wards Junior Safety Officer. You were really the only choice, thanks to your incredible enthusiasm for exploring novel power uses, diligent work with the BBFD, and in light of your extensive experience as a Ward. Congratulations on your appointment."
Vista blinked. "What does that mean?"
"You will work with your teammates to assist them in more safely exploring the use of their powers…"
Ok, that could actually be interesting…
"… accordingly, you will now have the pleasure of taking a multi-session tailored safety course with the power testers. Thereafter, you will meet with them regularly, as well as regularly working with your teammates…"
Vista couldn't prevent her face from adopting a look of horror.
Note: Sorry, Missy, after Imp, Regent, Lisa and THE HEARTBROKEN, you are easy mode.
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
I wonder, what might that look of horror be like?
tenmachi
We don't talk about the other nine
Vista: "Please shoot me."
Dr. Weaver: "Sorry, can't do that. It wouldn't be safe."
If you are interested in experimenting with your power's utility to redirect projectiles we will of course support you. Please begin by preparing a detailed safety and testing plan."
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
"Vista. We require you to study the movie 'Home Alone', 1990 version, and produce a report on all the failings of the assault, and the defence against it. Further, how you'd use your powers both as one of the attackers (assume the other attacker will act in ways to just produce extra laughs), and as the defender. Powers Testing is currently building the movie-house as a powers-testing exercise, that will be conducted by Wards and PRT agents. On each side."
The emotions fighting it out across Vista's face were a little mixed...
---
For reference: Home Alone - Wikipedia
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BethofDeath
Girls just wanna have pun
- Location
- Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Oh wow, Earth Bet!Home Alone must've been even crazier -- actual-Tinker!McCallister?
Of course, the Wet Bandits were already Brutes so nothing would change on their end, unless it's to make them even more resilient when McCallister breaks out exotic effects from a combination of Lincoln Logs, his dad's shaving cream, his mother's... er, Vibe Scepter, and the refrigerator.
Of course, the Wet Bandits were already Brutes so nothing would change on their end, unless it's to make them even more resilient when McCallister breaks out exotic effects from a combination of Lincoln Logs, his dad's shaving cream, his mother's... er, Vibe Scepter, and the refrigerator.
Snowball, Part 21
"… and we of course will be fully cooperating with the investigation," Max concluded in his best disappointed gravitas voice. "Mr. Fleischer abused our trust to misappropriate valuable corporate assets, no doubt working with his criminal colleagues and their capes to cover his tracks."
"What about," the blonde-haired, blue-eyed TV interviewer replied, "allegations that this is a sign of more wide-spread problems in the company?"
This question, while distasteful, was necessary, and at least this way they were assured of a friendly presentation. "We will vigorously defend any allegations of misconduct on the part of the company. Mr. Fleischer's actions were his own, and were in no way authorized by…"
Elsewhere
Emily turned off the TV, and turned to Phil. "Well?"
Phil shrugged. "Nothing in his workspaces was as bad as what was found at the house—we can assume the FBI would have screamed for help if they encountered anything suggestive of an IED. Still, he was clearly involved in diverting precursors and even drugs to the Empire, and the FBI did share that they found multiple costumes."
Emily's face froze. "Costumes, plural?"
Phil nodded. "Two generic bodysuits and masks, in different sizes, as well as a spare outfit for Krieg."
Emily let out a sigh of relief. "Thank them for sharing with us. Official ENE view remains 'high-level minion'. Unofficially, contingency plan as if he's Krieg or worse, no hard evidence, abundance of caution, good training, verbal only, the usual deniability." She paused a moment, before continuing. "Reach out to Medhall as well, standard offer of assistance with potential parahuman infiltration."
Note: This is not Emily's first rodeo.
"What about," the blonde-haired, blue-eyed TV interviewer replied, "allegations that this is a sign of more wide-spread problems in the company?"
This question, while distasteful, was necessary, and at least this way they were assured of a friendly presentation. "We will vigorously defend any allegations of misconduct on the part of the company. Mr. Fleischer's actions were his own, and were in no way authorized by…"
Elsewhere
Emily turned off the TV, and turned to Phil. "Well?"
Phil shrugged. "Nothing in his workspaces was as bad as what was found at the house—we can assume the FBI would have screamed for help if they encountered anything suggestive of an IED. Still, he was clearly involved in diverting precursors and even drugs to the Empire, and the FBI did share that they found multiple costumes."
Emily's face froze. "Costumes, plural?"
Phil nodded. "Two generic bodysuits and masks, in different sizes, as well as a spare outfit for Krieg."
Emily let out a sigh of relief. "Thank them for sharing with us. Official ENE view remains 'high-level minion'. Unofficially, contingency plan as if he's Krieg or worse, no hard evidence, abundance of caution, good training, verbal only, the usual deniability." She paused a moment, before continuing. "Reach out to Medhall as well, standard offer of assistance with potential parahuman infiltration."
Note: This is not Emily's first rodeo.
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100% corporatist propaganda, and shame on you for falling for it. As I said, public schooling in the US is over 200 years old, was a passion project of many of the people who wrote the US Constitution, and predates the industrial revolution entirely, let alone the move to factory work as the primary driver of economic growth around the world, which only really happened after the proliferation of the electric light bulb near the start of the 20th century, almost 80 years later.
The US education system's breakdown is more recent, and is a part of a long campaign to discredit faith in collective action and public institutions in order to combat unionization and de-segregation, both of which were on the rise in the 1930s, through the 60s. And it's largely worked: instead of thinking critically about what they read, people get their "news" from whoever has the money to flood the channel in Tiktok and Meta, nobody bothers to even think about what their best interests are, let alone vote that way, and, hidden by the noise, the people with the money get to write whatever rules they want, repealing child labor laws, de-funding food, product, and workplace safety regulators, and quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly) rolling back human rights wherever they can.
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Without getting too in the weeds, I will observe that resource allocation matters, and I don't just mean money. I also mean time, and political capital.
Broadly speaking, the groups most interested in changing education in this country tend to have relatively niche views, and the broader majority generally doesn't get too worried about education other than when a tax measure comes up for vote or when some "scandal" hits the news.
Part of what makes the problem so difficult is that there is no "quick fix", and anyone who tells you there is one is lying.
Also, I try to keep in mind that the education situation will be worse on Earth Bet. In practice what that means is that things get knocked down a quality level. For example, a school that on Earth Bet would be in the top 10% might only be at the 25% mark by IRL standards at an equivalent time period. There, part of the issue is that parahumans and entities generally made things suck more, but also that related concerns diverted much of what little attention IRL was focused on education.
Put differently, you know how IRL education hasn't gotten much national political focus in the US since the misguided "no child left behind" thing? Yeah, as bad as it is here, it's worse on Bet.
I'm going to start screaming now. I don't know when I'll stop.
I was in the last graduating class before that particular charlie foxtrot took effect and I got to see all the knock-on effects in a remote indigenous community.
Supervillains and Endbringers might actually have been an improvement over who we got up there.
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
No Child Left Behind Act - Wikipedia
Not the same sort of thing, but I've occasionally wondered what would have happened if the One Laptop per Child project had actually worked...
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School Daze, Part 9
"… and I don't understand where this Pan-Asian community group has been all these years?" Vicky said. "They are so much more reasonable than Lung and the ABB all their grr rawr dragon stuff!"
Taylor rolled her eyes. "The ABB stood up a political arm."
"Huh?"
"Why do you think they popped up now?" Taylor asked. "Lung is signaling that he can operate in this new world order where if you get too bad the Fairy Queen will use her portals to explode you, or just show up and eat you."
"Isn't that a good thing then?" Vicky asked.
"Yes, but by sponsoring his own legitimate—or legitimate adjacent—community front, Lung undermines and preempts legitimate reform efforts, effectively silencing…"
Dennis turned to Amy. "Seriously, where the hell did they find this girl?"
"… and while it will assist Lung in keeping the PRT's eyes firmly on the Empire, it also creates a tension in…"
Amy rolled her eyes. "Blame Dr. Weaver. Girl was bad enough before, but now she's been talking to Lisa, who fancies herself an analyst, and Dinah, who is really fucking good at eavesdropping on, say, her uncle."
Chris winced.
"No, no," Dean said, jotting down a few notes on his phone. "This is good. Some of the stuff my Dad has been saying makes more sense now."
"… and of course, there are interesting historical precedents in Ireland, both the war of independence and again in the Troubles, well, until the King's Men made a mess of things, and…"
Note:
They're in New England. Of course Taylor Has Views on the Troubles.
Also, while Lisa can cheat to make connections, Taylor (and Vicky) are legitimately smart and well-read for their age. Lisa has been catching up, under Dr. Weaver's guidance, but for general knowledge I figure Taylor still has them both beat. (Vicky being better at general parahuman stuff, and Lisa having an edge on esoteric rich people etiquette and, now, formal analytical frameworks and certain other odds and ends Dr. Weaver has tricked her into learning.)
Also also, you can see Dinah has been learning from Aisha.
Taylor rolled her eyes. "The ABB stood up a political arm."
"Huh?"
"Why do you think they popped up now?" Taylor asked. "Lung is signaling that he can operate in this new world order where if you get too bad the Fairy Queen will use her portals to explode you, or just show up and eat you."
"Isn't that a good thing then?" Vicky asked.
"Yes, but by sponsoring his own legitimate—or legitimate adjacent—community front, Lung undermines and preempts legitimate reform efforts, effectively silencing…"
Dennis turned to Amy. "Seriously, where the hell did they find this girl?"
"… and while it will assist Lung in keeping the PRT's eyes firmly on the Empire, it also creates a tension in…"
Amy rolled her eyes. "Blame Dr. Weaver. Girl was bad enough before, but now she's been talking to Lisa, who fancies herself an analyst, and Dinah, who is really fucking good at eavesdropping on, say, her uncle."
Chris winced.
"No, no," Dean said, jotting down a few notes on his phone. "This is good. Some of the stuff my Dad has been saying makes more sense now."
"… and of course, there are interesting historical precedents in Ireland, both the war of independence and again in the Troubles, well, until the King's Men made a mess of things, and…"
Note:
They're in New England. Of course Taylor Has Views on the Troubles.
Also, while Lisa can cheat to make connections, Taylor (and Vicky) are legitimately smart and well-read for their age. Lisa has been catching up, under Dr. Weaver's guidance, but for general knowledge I figure Taylor still has them both beat. (Vicky being better at general parahuman stuff, and Lisa having an edge on esoteric rich people etiquette and, now, formal analytical frameworks and certain other odds and ends Dr. Weaver has tricked her into learning.)
Also also, you can see Dinah has been learning from Aisha.
Dr. Weaver has entirely rational concerns about letting Any touch her, that totally have nothing to do with her feelings regarding uptime!Amy.
Stringing It Together
"Lisa?"
Lisa blinked, and stuck her head out of her bedroom. "Aisha, why are you in my kitchen."
"Got you a donut. Has jelly, that's fruit, so it's healthy. Why is your yarn board in here, bigger, and covered in Nazi shit?"
"Huh?" Lisa shuffled into the kitchen to discover first, Aisha, but more importantly, a delicious delicious donut.
"For real, this is some serious mom's ex-boyfriend vibes here."
Right, Aisha. "I need to figure out how to convince Rachel not to take her dogs out Nazi hunting, but to do that I need to figure out what the fuck is actually happening, and it turns out that what appears to be a series of coincidences may actually—"
"Ima stop you there. So someone is doing thinker shit to fuck up the Nazis?"
Lisa blinked. "Probably? It might even be our old "boss", although even with a generous interpretation of his power that wouldn't—"
"Stop. So just tell her she'll mess up the thinker bullshit plan thing."
"Huh. Won't she want to help?"
Aisha shrugged. "I don't know, maybe figure out a reason why her helping would mess up the plan?"
"It can't be that simple, I mean, what if, but then who…"
"Wait you still have the one in here too?" Aisha's voice drifted from Lisa's open bedroom door. "Girl, you have a problem."
Note: Writing tunnel vision Lisa is so much fun…
Lisa blinked, and stuck her head out of her bedroom. "Aisha, why are you in my kitchen."
"Got you a donut. Has jelly, that's fruit, so it's healthy. Why is your yarn board in here, bigger, and covered in Nazi shit?"
"Huh?" Lisa shuffled into the kitchen to discover first, Aisha, but more importantly, a delicious delicious donut.
"For real, this is some serious mom's ex-boyfriend vibes here."
Right, Aisha. "I need to figure out how to convince Rachel not to take her dogs out Nazi hunting, but to do that I need to figure out what the fuck is actually happening, and it turns out that what appears to be a series of coincidences may actually—"
"Ima stop you there. So someone is doing thinker shit to fuck up the Nazis?"
Lisa blinked. "Probably? It might even be our old "boss", although even with a generous interpretation of his power that wouldn't—"
"Stop. So just tell her she'll mess up the thinker bullshit plan thing."
"Huh. Won't she want to help?"
Aisha shrugged. "I don't know, maybe figure out a reason why her helping would mess up the plan?"
"It can't be that simple, I mean, what if, but then who…"
"Wait you still have the one in here too?" Aisha's voice drifted from Lisa's open bedroom door. "Girl, you have a problem."
Note: Writing tunnel vision Lisa is so much fun…
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- Location
- The Internet?
People in the other forum for this fic were talking about things like home ec, and scouting, and managing budgets and things, which reminded me of one of those simple text based educational games I used in a lesson for a class I was covering. (It actually even has a Wikipedia page!) It was designed to help show kids the kind of struggle lower income people might face in terms of having to make tough choices to stay afloat in a frustrating system that can feel like it's rigged against them. A good number of kids were visibly frustrated in playing it, but I noticed the ones being, like, vocal about it being rigged were some of the more well off students. It's been years since I thought of that, so I had to look it back up, and found a list of a bunch more (that I haven't tried yet, but seem interesting) while searching for the specific game I used, if there are people interested in that sort of thing.
That man's tower is gonna fall, and I am here for it.
The K there stands for knuckle-head.
Because that might actually make sense, if Tommy C is employing a bunch of fictional people to take the fall for his financial power-use shenanigans, fronts, or mercenaries as 'junior executives.'
Anyway, I'm really enjoying your story, and very grateful you're sharing it with us, even if the succinct nature can make it tricky to follow an individual snippet/section at times, I'm overall really liking everything about it!
Kindly KEO* Kaiser, upon receiving the offer: "Ah yes, 'parahuman infiltrators.' We have dismissed that claim."
That man's tower is gonna fall, and I am here for it.
The K there stands for knuckle-head.
Does he work in the mailroom? Or at Brandish's law office?
Anyway, I'm really enjoying your story, and very grateful you're sharing it with us, even if the succinct nature can make it tricky to follow an individual snippet/section at times, I'm overall really liking everything about it!
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BethofDeath
Girls just wanna have pun
- Location
- Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Ah yes,
'Kindly' We have dismissed that claim.Out of a cannon.
Into a pool full of sharks.
Equipped with Tinkertech laser cannons.
- Location
- The Internet?
I mean... Kaiser's alter-ego could practically be the trope namer for villain with good publicity, he's a job provider for hospitals and medicine-related things in a struggling town, and surely he's just appalled at the fact that notorious villains associated with gasp Nazis could infiltrate a business his company works with. I'm definitely eagerly waiting for him to get his comeuppance.Ah yes,
Out of a cannon.
Into a pool full of sharks.
Equipped with Tinkertech laser cannons.
Also, I completely forgot about those emojis, but I'm glad you got the reference!
BethofDeath
Girls just wanna have pun
- Location
- Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Of course I got the reference, I'm older than Baldur's Gate let alone Mass Effect! I remember when Bioware games were good. (Aside from the romances, which even at the time were just... the only/best game in town.)
Snowball, Part 22
"Me and a few hand-picked guys are going through the caches and armories." Brad said. "Some dumb shit, some sticky fingers, but no red flags. So far."
"Make sure the capes all check their homes as well." Max replies.
Victor made a note.
Max turned to Victor. "Any leads on who is doing this?"
"Nothing… concrete," Victor said. "Lung doesn't have the demonstrated ability, but no one really knows what Coil's capabilities even are."
"It doesn't help that we don't know how the fuck it was done." Brad's frustration was evident. "Then you got the cherry on this shit sundae of the Boston connection, so throw in Accord, the Teeth, and whoever else lives in that shithole."
Victor shifted uncomfortably. "We also have the Elite sniffing around."
Max looked up sharply.
"They've reached out to myself and Othala," Victor continued, "possibly others as well."
Max swore. Normally they would bring in Gesellschaft, there was no love lost between them and the Elite, but if Krieg was compromised…
"I'll make some calls," he finally said, "Victor, you get with Brad and set up a new exfil plan for Krieg, both identities. Close to the vest, we need this one clean."
Note:
Coil: All according to keikaku.*
*Translator's note - keikaku means plan
"Make sure the capes all check their homes as well." Max replies.
Victor made a note.
Max turned to Victor. "Any leads on who is doing this?"
"Nothing… concrete," Victor said. "Lung doesn't have the demonstrated ability, but no one really knows what Coil's capabilities even are."
"It doesn't help that we don't know how the fuck it was done." Brad's frustration was evident. "Then you got the cherry on this shit sundae of the Boston connection, so throw in Accord, the Teeth, and whoever else lives in that shithole."
Victor shifted uncomfortably. "We also have the Elite sniffing around."
Max looked up sharply.
"They've reached out to myself and Othala," Victor continued, "possibly others as well."
Max swore. Normally they would bring in Gesellschaft, there was no love lost between them and the Elite, but if Krieg was compromised…
"I'll make some calls," he finally said, "Victor, you get with Brad and set up a new exfil plan for Krieg, both identities. Close to the vest, we need this one clean."
Note:
Coil: All according to keikaku.*
*Translator's note - keikaku means plan
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Sibling Science | Meet the Birons
"I hope they have bunnies!" Impulse said as he, Cherish and Amy entered the testing areas.
"Huh?" Cherish asked.
Amy rolled her eyes. "Knowing him, your next birthday present."
Impulse laughed.
"What are we doing today anyway?" Amy asked. "Besides getting paid."
"Something, something, interaction between my power and Sis's powers," Impulse recited, "something, something, biological telltales, something, something, screening for neurological power effects."
Amy snorted.
Elsewhere
"Finally," Dr. Weaver said, "I'll be meeting with Panacea, Insight, Vista, and their respective parents to discuss an alert from Valkyrie regarding potential CUI activity."
"Are there specific concerns?" Director Piggot asked, leaning forward.
Dr. Weaver shrugged. "Valkyrie's people handled the parts they became aware of, but out of an abundance of caution we can't assume they got it all."
Director Piggot nodded, then paused. "You have met Vista's parents?"
"No? On my Bet, she didn't much like me, and here we've never crossed paths. Is there anything I should know?"
Director Piggot opened her mouth, then closed it. "I'm sure it will be fine."
Note: Yes, Dr. Weaver, you are the perfect person to reassure parents.
"Huh?" Cherish asked.
Amy rolled her eyes. "Knowing him, your next birthday present."
Impulse laughed.
"What are we doing today anyway?" Amy asked. "Besides getting paid."
"Something, something, interaction between my power and Sis's powers," Impulse recited, "something, something, biological telltales, something, something, screening for neurological power effects."
Amy snorted.
Elsewhere
"Finally," Dr. Weaver said, "I'll be meeting with Panacea, Insight, Vista, and their respective parents to discuss an alert from Valkyrie regarding potential CUI activity."
"Are there specific concerns?" Director Piggot asked, leaning forward.
Dr. Weaver shrugged. "Valkyrie's people handled the parts they became aware of, but out of an abundance of caution we can't assume they got it all."
Director Piggot nodded, then paused. "You have met Vista's parents?"
"No? On my Bet, she didn't much like me, and here we've never crossed paths. Is there anything I should know?"
Director Piggot opened her mouth, then closed it. "I'm sure it will be fine."
Note: Yes, Dr. Weaver, you are the perfect person to reassure parents.
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- Location
- Somewhere, Maybe
Oh god, she's going to put the fear of THEIR DAUGHTER into Missy's Parents, who are going to stop fighting over her, and start fighting to get -away- from her. 0,0