Report #004 - Text, Video Linked --BACKDATED to the 17TH - PLOT COVERAGE!
[This post is preceded with some internet linkage; back to the Making an imPact site for Wayne Enterprises dealing with media and their upcoming work on a new-and-imPort information channel. This post is repeated under Roxanne Ritchi's section, on her development and new blog, titled FORMERLY NORMAL TO SUDDENLY SUPER. Sure, you can't comment on your network ID there, but the Native masses sure can... if they sign up, and endure moderatorship. You lucky Network folk have no such caveats here on this post, however, as this is the Network and it's free-for-all.]
While things are going apace here at Wayne Enterprises as the company sets up its up and coming imPact channel, I have to admit I needed something more. While I’ve been glad to help everyone here at this great company get their ducks in a row when it comes to their City based news station, I was left feeling a little lost. This isn’t really my gig, though I’ve done my best to fill the very big shoes that were laid out for me. Thankfully, the groundwork was already underway when I arrived, and there wasn’t much for me to do beyond some field research and bring some experience to the table.
Like many people, I bring to the city years of experience I can’t prove, credentials I can’t produce, and contacts that aren’t accessible. Thankfully, Tim Drake-Wayne took me at my word and gave me an opportunity. I help him, he helps me. A mutually beneficial situation is the best situation, right?
So far, so good. I've been on the street talking to people and that lead me to some fascinating new contacts. No one is going to be shocked to find out there are very interesting people in this city, but I hope that when you read about them here or see me with them on imPact, once it goes live, that you'll learn a little more or find out something new.
For instance, I recently got out with some of our finest - and also youngest - import citizens in the City. They allowed me to accompany them into the bowels of the City to find out what was causing the animal attacks and the choking smog which was wafting up from beneath us.
Beyond is what we picked up - be glad it’s not smell-o-vision, folks: that place was foul, and yes, I did get rid of those clothes after. Nothing would get that stink out.
[There are links here to recorded segments of footage; Vivi leading the debriefing - shots of each individual that came; Geddoe, Spidey, Vivi, Ari, Julian, Lyra, and Toph - Roxanne is behind the camera, and is never seen, a mute witness for at least part of this, though she does narrate some of the experiences the group has - such as the stench, near the first two fallen Marlboro bodies. Eventually, it’s the detection and violent combat with the bloated, green head - mostly a giant mouth with teeth and an unnatural set of eyes - which gets a little chaotic as the shoulder-mount cam is only so stable when Roxanne is dodging some debris and staying out of the way of some seriously toxic breath. ]
[Elemental forces clash; Fire Magic, Lightening, Earth, TK force are all brought to bear, as are the very simple tools of 'brute force' and 'sharp knives' in a dazzling array of combat prowess from a team who has an average age among them of ‘less than twenty’. They are victorious, though - after an ugly, messy, and probably incredibly smelly fight.]
[However, it's not at cost. Even as the Marlboro falls, Vivi vanishes. Ported out, on camera, no less. There's some panic, confusion, but then, resigned acceptance; the group is not as happy as they could leave the sewers.]
I'm no stranger to the super scene starting young; but still, seeing what these kids could do, even under supposed 'adult supervision', was incredible. Everybody gave it their all. They cared about the situation and they watched each other's backs, and kept yours truly from turning into a smear somewhere under the City. There were no breakdowns, no crying, no freeze ups - just doing the job that the Porter has put on their shoulders. The vile plant thing destroyed, the Mist was cleared, and in a surprise twist, a friend went home to his world.
I don't know about what was going through Spider-Man or Geddoe's heads -- but I went home with a lot on my mind. We've got some really independently minded youth in the City; give them superpowers and they've got all the makings of 'adults before their time'. Some insitutions in the city exist to help them learn, both to better themselves in their education, as well as to use their powers. I think this is a great idea! But I know very well that some of these kids aren't going to school -- and some of them are actively helping each other circumvent Child Protective Services and other groups here in the city.
You know what? Maybe CPS and its set up is not going to work for them. Maybe attempting to take superpowered kids and putting them into the traditional family or the traditional educational set up isn't going to work. Each child's situation is going to be different and unique, from their powers to their personality. Thinking a one-size-fits-all family answer is good for government work, but I don't think it works for our City imPort children. Sometimes it doesn't even work for Native kids.
But if you're an imPort, and you know an imPort kid that isn't in a stable situation, doesn't have a family unit they've attached themselves to or formed with others, it probably wouldn't hurt to work toward a mentor relationship. There can be jokes about heroes and sidekicks all day long, but frankly -- I think it'd be good for a lot of the young out there that don't have places to go or don't know who they can trust to find those people so they're not alone.
It's not something you can organize or codify - there are no Super Big Brothers or Super Big Sisters organizations out there. When I contacted CPS, I was dismayed to find they treat imPort kids the same as they treat any children, with a little bit of added counseling. The system is woefully inadequate to find, treat, or work with these kids, and while I'm not surprised, I am disappointed. Their information is public record, but I've linked a copy of their standard operating procedure here. [CPS.pdf]
So it seems like it's up to the imPort community to watch after it's own. Some may not be receptive. Some may be looking for the perfect family fit -- it may not be the family that I'm familiar with, or that even my readers may be, but somewhere, there's probably somebody that can be That Person to one of our imPort kids -- to make sure they're eating right, have adequate training and resources, and in general -- do the right thing, the thing we should do for all our kids, big and small: taking care of each other.
[In game this would have been posted on the 17th, but due to plot play out, character discussion, etc -- this was delayed in being posted. Sorry, ya'll. Hard to report about a scene still in progress, without really bunging it up somehow.]
While things are going apace here at Wayne Enterprises as the company sets up its up and coming imPact channel, I have to admit I needed something more. While I’ve been glad to help everyone here at this great company get their ducks in a row when it comes to their City based news station, I was left feeling a little lost. This isn’t really my gig, though I’ve done my best to fill the very big shoes that were laid out for me. Thankfully, the groundwork was already underway when I arrived, and there wasn’t much for me to do beyond some field research and bring some experience to the table.
Like many people, I bring to the city years of experience I can’t prove, credentials I can’t produce, and contacts that aren’t accessible. Thankfully, Tim Drake-Wayne took me at my word and gave me an opportunity. I help him, he helps me. A mutually beneficial situation is the best situation, right?
So far, so good. I've been on the street talking to people and that lead me to some fascinating new contacts. No one is going to be shocked to find out there are very interesting people in this city, but I hope that when you read about them here or see me with them on imPact, once it goes live, that you'll learn a little more or find out something new.
For instance, I recently got out with some of our finest - and also youngest - import citizens in the City. They allowed me to accompany them into the bowels of the City to find out what was causing the animal attacks and the choking smog which was wafting up from beneath us.
Beyond is what we picked up - be glad it’s not smell-o-vision, folks: that place was foul, and yes, I did get rid of those clothes after. Nothing would get that stink out.
[There are links here to recorded segments of footage; Vivi leading the debriefing - shots of each individual that came; Geddoe, Spidey, Vivi, Ari, Julian, Lyra, and Toph - Roxanne is behind the camera, and is never seen, a mute witness for at least part of this, though she does narrate some of the experiences the group has - such as the stench, near the first two fallen Marlboro bodies. Eventually, it’s the detection and violent combat with the bloated, green head - mostly a giant mouth with teeth and an unnatural set of eyes - which gets a little chaotic as the shoulder-mount cam is only so stable when Roxanne is dodging some debris and staying out of the way of some seriously toxic breath. ]
[Elemental forces clash; Fire Magic, Lightening, Earth, TK force are all brought to bear, as are the very simple tools of 'brute force' and 'sharp knives' in a dazzling array of combat prowess from a team who has an average age among them of ‘less than twenty’. They are victorious, though - after an ugly, messy, and probably incredibly smelly fight.]
[However, it's not at cost. Even as the Marlboro falls, Vivi vanishes. Ported out, on camera, no less. There's some panic, confusion, but then, resigned acceptance; the group is not as happy as they could leave the sewers.]
I'm no stranger to the super scene starting young; but still, seeing what these kids could do, even under supposed 'adult supervision', was incredible. Everybody gave it their all. They cared about the situation and they watched each other's backs, and kept yours truly from turning into a smear somewhere under the City. There were no breakdowns, no crying, no freeze ups - just doing the job that the Porter has put on their shoulders. The vile plant thing destroyed, the Mist was cleared, and in a surprise twist, a friend went home to his world.
I don't know about what was going through Spider-Man or Geddoe's heads -- but I went home with a lot on my mind. We've got some really independently minded youth in the City; give them superpowers and they've got all the makings of 'adults before their time'. Some insitutions in the city exist to help them learn, both to better themselves in their education, as well as to use their powers. I think this is a great idea! But I know very well that some of these kids aren't going to school -- and some of them are actively helping each other circumvent Child Protective Services and other groups here in the city.
You know what? Maybe CPS and its set up is not going to work for them. Maybe attempting to take superpowered kids and putting them into the traditional family or the traditional educational set up isn't going to work. Each child's situation is going to be different and unique, from their powers to their personality. Thinking a one-size-fits-all family answer is good for government work, but I don't think it works for our City imPort children. Sometimes it doesn't even work for Native kids.
But if you're an imPort, and you know an imPort kid that isn't in a stable situation, doesn't have a family unit they've attached themselves to or formed with others, it probably wouldn't hurt to work toward a mentor relationship. There can be jokes about heroes and sidekicks all day long, but frankly -- I think it'd be good for a lot of the young out there that don't have places to go or don't know who they can trust to find those people so they're not alone.
It's not something you can organize or codify - there are no Super Big Brothers or Super Big Sisters organizations out there. When I contacted CPS, I was dismayed to find they treat imPort kids the same as they treat any children, with a little bit of added counseling. The system is woefully inadequate to find, treat, or work with these kids, and while I'm not surprised, I am disappointed. Their information is public record, but I've linked a copy of their standard operating procedure here. [CPS.pdf]
So it seems like it's up to the imPort community to watch after it's own. Some may not be receptive. Some may be looking for the perfect family fit -- it may not be the family that I'm familiar with, or that even my readers may be, but somewhere, there's probably somebody that can be That Person to one of our imPort kids -- to make sure they're eating right, have adequate training and resources, and in general -- do the right thing, the thing we should do for all our kids, big and small: taking care of each other.
[In game this would have been posted on the 17th, but due to plot play out, character discussion, etc -- this was delayed in being posted. Sorry, ya'll. Hard to report about a scene still in progress, without really bunging it up somehow.]