un: Accelerator; text

[levelshift]

Hey, listen up.

[He hates doing announcements. Even as Board Chairman he tried to avoid them whenever possible and let his city's communications department handle disseminating notices. Unfortunately, there isn't anyone else here like that who can do this, so the responsibility falls to him. Besides, it's a distraction from certain thoughts that keep invading his head — events in San Francisco, certain Etrayans disappearing, his ribs still aching.]

A while ago this brat and I were using Ramsay Farm as a space for kids. Most of them are gone now, but since kids still show up sometimes I'm opening it back up for that. The fridge is stocked, there are a couple of bedrooms, and a security system's been installed. There are some farm animals the bots have been taking care of, too.

If you're 15, 16 or 17 you can hang out, but only if you're willing to help out around the place. Cleaning, guard duty or whatever, I don't care as long as you're pulling your weight and not being a leech. Anyone younger can just hang out.

If you're 18 or older then you can come do work, and only if someone under 18 vouches for you not being a creepy shithead. You're not allowed to be a loafer. If you've got an age that doesn't line up with modern human legalities then go by your cognitive development and stick yourself into one of these categories: kid, teenager, adult. Then apply the rules based on where you fall.

If any teens or adults break any rules or if anyone messes the farm up, including the gravestone on property, I'll beat the shit out of you. This is your one warning.

[He isn't sure if he'll ever get used to giving warnings, but he knows it's better than the alternative of just attacking someone out of nowhere because they broke a rule. Violence is the easy answer for him, and he's making a concentrated effort not to take the easy way out.]

There aren't really places around here just for kids, and adults are usually really shitty, so getting a break from them can help.

Comments

[levelshift]

Yeah.

[It is, he isn't going to deny it.]

Then you can do that. Saves me from having to figure out how to use a lawnmower.

I run a city of 2.3 million back home, most of whom are kids. Babysitting isn't new to me.

[laserguy]

Wow, seriously? Peter Pan has nothing on you.

Did you personally chase away all the adults there?

[levelshift]

[He's eyerolling so hard at that.]

Don't be stupid, of course adults work there. This is just the natural fucking consequence of the city having thousands of schools.

[laserguy]

You made it sound like only kids lived in your city! Kids and teenagers at least.

Why does it have thousands of schools anyway? Is it just that fucking huge?

[levelshift]

No. As far as Japanese cities go it's pretty small.

All those kids are being used as guinea pigs for scientific research. It's why the city even exists. Every school is affiliated with a research centre, so the more schools the more test subjects.

[laserguy]

[Oh wait, he remembers him mentioning the whole thing about kids being used for experimentation and shit.....]

Dude what the fuck?? And you're just letting that happen?

[levelshift]

I'm in the process of cleaning the place up, dumbass, but I need to prioritize. There's plenty of research going on involving the city's kids that doesn't hurt them. I'm focusing on the shit that does.

[It isn't easy when you're 15 and have never done anything remotely close to running an entire nation.]

[laserguy]

Well you didn't say that either. Maybe mention that first?????

So you can't just go in and rescue all the kids in these schools.

[levelshift]

Maybe you shouldn't assume things!

[Is this normal teenager bickering? Despite the subject matter, it feels strangely normal.]

I'm one fucking person, and back home I was running things from my prison cell. I'm not about to break out and ruin everything I've been working towards. And even if I did, what the hell would I do with all those kids? Loads of them don't have any families they can rely on.

No, it's better for me to act like a goddamn leader and a role model. I need to make sure the city's support structures function like they're supposed to. Law enforcement roots out corruption, arrests criminals, and shuts down facilities that are hurting kids; the justice system makes sure criminals get put away and rehabilitated; the school system functions in a responsible guardian capacity for the kids, so they aren't taken advantage of. Every aspect of society in the city needs to work properly or it all falls apart. One person can't do it all on their own.

[laserguy]

Why are you in a prison cell???

So. It's sort of a slow grind. Making sure those systems function. And the law enforcement is actually shutting down the facilities that are hurting kids? How do you get everyone to follow you anyway? From prison, no less.

[levelshift]

Same reason most other people are in prison. I committed a bunch of crimes and was convicted in a court of law.

A lot of people don't. The ones that do are mostly just good people who want to do their jobs.

[Unsurprisingly, he is extremely unpopular back home.]

[laserguy]

Truly a role model here.

Guess it's kind of surprising that even some people are still listening to you despite everything.

[levelshift]

[He just sighs a bit.]

It could be that they're scared of me. Or they aren't stupid, since I'm the only one with all the access codes to Academy City's worst weapons, beyond my own esper ability.

[laserguy]

Yeah. That's probably a big part of it.

Throwing it out there, ruling through fear sucks.

[levelshift]

I know, but I don't have a lot of options. I don't want people sympathizing with me, that'd be really fucking screwed up.

[laserguy]

Why? Because you're a criminal?

[levelshift]

Yes.

[laserguy]

Well you're from a fucked up world it sounds like. You probably can't stop that from happening.

Besides you talked about being a role model?? Isn't it better if they can relate to you and shit?

[levelshift]

I should still try.

A role model as in, "don't become a monster like me." No one should be relating to me.

[laserguy]

Dude that's not what being a role model means. Jesus.

Why do you want people to hate you so much anyway????? When you actually want to improve shit.

[levelshift]

You've got a narrow view of what constitutes a role model, if you think that.

Because I'm a fucking monster. I'm exactly the kind of person people should hate.

[laserguy]

Okay then make me hate you.

[levelshift]

I've murdered over ten thousand innocent people, to start with.

[laserguy]

[WELL... that's a pretty good start.]

What the fuck happened

[levelshift]

You're going to have to be more specific with your questions, asshole.