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[IC] Who Are We? - a collection of Leo's thoughts

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Bill G.
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"Recently, we gave an interview to Tasha Starr. I don't think we were ready to answer the questions she asked." "I want to ask some different questions, and answer them, for myself at least. I can't speak for anyone else, but I hope my team will agree with me." "Questions like, who are we? And what should we be?" "We haven't picked a team name. I think that's okay. It just means we aren't ready to define ourselves for you. Definition isn't easy. It's even harder when you aren't sure who you are, much less who you want to be." "In high school, they ask us to pick a career, but can't promise there'll be a world where that career makes sense any more." The adults tell kids to grow up, then start wars and wreck the economy because they can't get along. They tell millennials that they're destroying industries by not buying anything, but don't tell them how they're supposed to afford all those cool things." "Our role models help define us." "For some of us, those people are gone." "For others, those people are a warning, not a lesson." "Sometimes, we don't know how to please them." "Sometimes, we don't know how to talk to them at all, about what matters most to us. How we feel. What we fear. What we want." "I don't think it's fair to just blame adults for these problems. But I want to invite the adults to think about them. Because we listen to you a lot more than you think. What are you telling us?" "There's a lot of good kids out there. There's some bad ones too. We're like that. We're human." "But we aren't intrinsically good or bad. We watch, we listen, we learn, we grow. Show us badness, and we'll be bad. But show a bad kid goodness, and maybe they'll change." "I think young people all kind of understand each other, because we're all going through the same stuff. You can take someone from far away, or long ago, and she'll make friends with people here and now. She doesn't need to be told to, or taught how. She just does it." "So who are we?" "We're the team who is going to try something different. We're going to save people, yeah. But we also want to reach people. Inspire people. If other kids' role models aren't adequate, maybe they can look to us. We'll do our best to be worthy of that position." "It sucks not knowing who you are. Who you should be. But sometimes you can't wait to be told. Sometimes, who you should be has to be a choice you make yourself. This is our choice. I hope it works out."
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Bill G.
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Basically this is a thing Leo has in a Google Doc or something somewhere, and is noodling with. If anyone asked him what his philosophy was for the team, he'd point them at this.
This is pretty cool. I find it interesting that Link seems to be the only one of us who's really thinking some of this stuff through. The rest of us seem to be drifting together, grabbing outward for company, etc. Nobody's proposed a team name, not only because they haven't reached a decision, or figured out what the team represents, but haven't even started thinking about it.
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Bill G.
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*** Dave H. said: This is pretty cool. I find it interesting that Link seems to be the only one of us who's really thinking some of this stuff through. The rest of us seem to be drifting together, grabbing outward for company, etc. Nobody's proposed a team name, not only because they haven't reached a decision, or figured out what the team represents, but haven't even started thinking about it. Leo has the most to lose by letting others define him. Everyone else has a positive identity: son of a famous Action Scientist; son of two heroic speedsters; cosmically chosen avatar of virtue. There might be some lonely extremist who is demanding Ghost Girl immediately repudiate the Civil War and slavery or something, but even she comes off in a good light to everyone else. I kind of expect people will come up with a team name for us; I think Doyce is kind of defaulting to "Icons" right now. :)
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Bill G.
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And honestly I'm a little worried if I'm the only one thinking about it. If other people don't want to get this philosophical and just punch bad guys, I'll follow along with that. :)
No, I think it's great that Leo is thinking constructively along these lines. If he's not careful, he might end up team leader. 
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Bill G.
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*marks off Double Insecure*
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Doyce
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Let's say referring to your team as #icons or #newicons is the trend on Twitter, thanks to that reaction video one of the ponies (@heroesaremagic "My Little Power Ranger") posted. ... and Waters had some registration paperwork to push through processing.
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Bill G.
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And I'm guessing that paperwork needs a team name :)
Well, the Icons rolls off the tongue better than Organized Meta-human Young Group #8797J-HC.
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Doyce
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Bill G. said: And I'm guessing that paperwork needs a team name :) Yyyyyup.
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Bill G.
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"I was thinking Legion of--" "There's seven of you. That's not even a Roman century."
Jason would (will) be aghast at being called "Icons" or "New Icons" -- but he's also sort of the anti-Star, so take that for what it's worth.
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Bill G.
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*** Dave H. said: Jason would (will) be aghast at being called "Icons" or "New Icons" -- but he's also sort of the anti-Star, so take that for what it's worth. What about the name doesn't he like?
Bill G. said: What about the name doesn't he like? It seems pretentious / hubristic to him, for a variety of reasons. He really does't see himself as an icon. His dad was a real icon. He resented his dad being an icon. He feels guilty about resenting his dad as an icon. He's not as smart or worthy as his dad. Icons are people who are looked up to, and deserve it. Icons are people who have to give of themselves to others, all the time, regardless of what it means to their personal lives, and that scares him. Most of that he probably couldn't articulate clearly. So a jumble of inferiority complexes, unfocused resentment, uncertainty, fear. Almost as if he's a teenager. (And, as a side note that he probably wouldn't immediately think of, having just been attacked by Iconoclast,  it's a little on the nose. :-) )
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Doyce
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It sure is. :)
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Bill G.
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Pneuma's suggestion is that what the team represents is what its members need. "I think almost all of us have seen Lilo & Stitch." She glances sideways at Charlotte for a moment. "Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. In the shows Leo likes to watch, they have another word for it, 'nakama'. People who are more family than friends. People who look out for each other. If being icons makes you uncomfortable, why not just be family? Because I think that's what everyone really wants to be, in their own way."
Jason shifts uncomfortably. "Well -- we can't call ourselves 'The Family.' That would be kind of ... creepy." He clears his throat. "But I always sort of liked Lilo & Stitch.  I mean, Science Adventure, right? Explosions, secret missions, aliens, creepy government agents, creepy alien government agents, misunderstood monsters ..." He shrugs. "And surfing. And crazy music." A slight smile. "But I'm pretty sure everything about that movie's all trademarked, and even the Foundation's lawyers aren't going to go up against Disney. Heck, AEGIS probably wouldn't."
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Bill G.
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Pneuma briefly consults her smart phone. She clearly did her research. "They haven't sued either of the Ohana veterinary clinics in California, the Ohana Island Kitchen in Denver, or the Ohana Grill on Hilo. It needn't be that particular word, of course, but..." "It's okay to say you just don't like something. If you aren't sure about something, it's okay to say that too, without telling us why." She favors Jason with a warm smile. "But it's also okay if you do like something."
His return smile is crooked, but apparently genuine. "What I like usually doesn't make much of a difference. I have a lot more experience just being the kid in the back seat complaining." A soft snort. "Something about values is good. And -- yeah, family. But not something sappy. I mean, there has to be something in-between The Cosmic Mega-Heroes of Epic Legend and The Happy League of Warm Fuzzies. I don't -- I'd rather not be laughed at. Or think I should be."
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Bill G.
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Pneuma tilts her head slightly, still smiling. "To the rest of the world, you might be the son of Byron Quill. To me, and I'm sure to Leo, you are Jason . You'll always be Jason, first and best. Your opinion, and your dignity, is important." She glances briefly back to her phone. "Otto and I also brainstormed. A lot of team names are either generic, like Halcyon Heroes, or sound distressingly like a street gang, like the Marauders or the Brawlers. The actual word 'family' might suggest to the public that we're related by blood. 'Brotherhood' or 'fraternity' seem to strike the right balance of tone, but aren't gender-neutral, and in light of recent hazing incidents might send the wrong message." So now we know who's helping Leo research college.
The comment draws a genuine smile from Jason.  As to the suggestions, he nods. "I agree that we don't want to be frat boys. Or girls." Jason nibbles his lower lip. "Association? Sounds like a company. Partnership? Make me think of a bank. Consortium? That's kind of silly. Clan?  Yeah, what could go wrong with that? Ménage?" He snorts, maybe coloring slightly. "Yeah, that would make some headlines." He starts to go on, then pauses, looking away in thought. "Hmm." He raises his head to look at the ceiling. "QAI -- definition of 'menagerie.'" After a moment, Byron Quill's voice comes back from no particular source. "That word has two definitions. First, a collection of live wild animals on exhibition, or the enclosure where they are kept. Second, a diverse or miscellaneous group." A momentary pause. "You did test through on that word in vocabulary lesson 139A, taken ..." "Thank you!" Jason rolls his eyes, then glances at Pneuma. "I should have asked you. So -- the Menagerie? We're diverse, miscellaneous, kind of on exhibition. And the word --" He raises is voice, looking again at the ceiling, "--comes from the French,  ménager,  'to keep house,' a household." He looks back to Pneuma. "So that kind of has the family thing, without sounding sappy."  Jason shrugs. "I mean -- just a thought."
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Bill G.
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"We'll all get laughed at if we name ourselves after a zoo," remarks Leo, joining in at last. Pneuma sends a disapproving squint his way, but doesn't actually contradict him. "I mean I'll take it over Icons, if that's what you want. I don't want the Internet thinking they can name us. They'll start making other 'suggestions', and that will never stop." "Just gonna say, though. 'Band' something could also work. Not saying you all have to start an actual musical band with me, unless y'all changed your mind since last time."
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Bill G.
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OOC: on my list of future stuff for Leo, I actually do have robot animals. So there's that.
Bill G. said: "We'll all get laughed at if we name ourselves after a zoo," remarks Leo, joining in at last. Pneuma sends a disapproving squint his way, but doesn't actually contradict him. Jason shrugs more elaborately, but doesn't say anything. "I mean I'll take it over Icons, if that's what you want. I don't want the Internet thinking they can name us. They'll start making other 'suggestions', and that will never stop." Jason snorts. "Yeah. That part I'm worried about. If we become a hashtag, we're through." "Just gonna say, though. 'Band' something could also work. Not saying you all have to start an actual musical band with me, unless y'all changed your mind since last time." "Yyyeah, no. Did you look up that YouTube of that cartoon movie where 'I' had a band? No way I want that  stuff remembered by anyone again."
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Bill G.
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OOC:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/3884505-Johnny-Ques" rel="nofollow">https://www.discogs.com/artist/3884505-Johnny-Ques</a>... Johnny Quest: Funk metal band from Raleigh, NC during the late 80's/early 90's.
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Bill G.
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Something clicks inside Leo. "You know what? I'm down. The Menagerie has my vote. I don't give a shit if people laugh. Nobody else can say they gave us that name. Nobody else would take that name, I mean, but I don't care. It's us, it's ours." Pneuma doesn't have to say anything. She's content to smile proudly.
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Doyce
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[[Pretty much every adult in the game will hate the name, or it will confuse them, or both. Makes it a good choice for that reason, if nothing else. :) ]]
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Bill G.
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Doyce T. said: [[Pretty much every adult in the game will hate the name, or it will confuse them, or both. Makes it a good choice for that reason, if nothing else. :) ]] OOC: Leo still wants to get into a band. It's on his bucket list, before he ages to 21 and his life is over. :(
Doyce T. said: [[Pretty much every adult in the game will hate the name, or it will confuse them, or both. Makes it a good choice for that reason, if nothing else. :) ]] ((That thought had, in fact, occurred to me. "Kids these days." It has a very 60s band feel to it. And &nbsp;I swear to God I didn't think about it until I was noodling around with synonyms for "groups" above.))
Bill G. said: OOC:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/3884505-Johnny-Ques" rel="nofollow">https://www.discogs.com/artist/3884505-Johnny-Ques</a>... Johnny Quest: Funk metal band from Raleigh, NC during the late 80's/early 90's. ((Ha!)) ((I was envisioning bad 80s-style animation style abortive reboot of the JQ cartoon, only the kids are in a band, a la Josie & the Pussycats . Or, better yet,&nbsp; Josie & the Pussy Cats in Outer Space , complete with a stupid space alien side kick to torment Brigand the Dog.))
Bill G. said: Something clicks inside Leo. "You know what? I'm down. The Menagerie has my vote. I don't give a shit if people laugh. Nobody else can say they gave us that name. Nobody else would take that name, I mean, but I don't care. It's us, it's ours." Pneuma doesn't have to say anything. She's content to smile proudly. Jason stares at Leo for a moment, then he allows another smile to creep out. "Well, I don't want &nbsp;people to laugh. But -- well, I've had people laugh before." Something fierce flickers across his face. "Screw 'em."
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Bill G.
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OOC: sung to the tune of Josie & the Pussycats "Jason and the Porcupines Long quills and dressed to the nines Music and stopping crimes Hot, fun, super-cool Don't you know These heroes rule? Hurry, hurry"
((HA!))
While she won't say it very loudly (she is the only dead girl in a bunch of boys) she opines that Menagerie needs a modifier. New, Young, Lost, Magnificent, or something.
When someone finally brings this up to Adam... "Menagerie?&nbsp; I don't know, that always makes me remember that play about the girl who stays at home by herself because unicorns without horns are just horses and she's want to get hurt."&nbsp; &lt;Blank stares.&nbsp; Adam nervously averts eye contact.&gt; &nbsp; "The drama club went to a lot of plays at the Halcyon Amphitheater to chose one to put on this year...&nbsp; they're doing Treasure Island .&nbsp; I wanted to do the Secret Garden ..."&nbsp; &lt;Nervousness intensifies as Adam realized he's still talking, begins speaking rapidly.&gt; &nbsp; "But Menagerie is fine.&nbsp; I'm sure no one else will make that connection.&nbsp; It's good.&nbsp; Name."
((Deeply amused by both answers.))
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Bill G.
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Leo, upon hearing about Adam's familiarity with theater.