Abyssal

Jensen Samuels. Seventeen. Wit before Measure. "Clockwork gears are turning behind those burning eyes."

[jensensamuels]

Do people actually go home for the break?

[theflowerofithilienarchived-dea]

I usually go home for summer break. I’m staying a little longer this semester because my home is having some renovations but soon I’ll be home. I know other people usually go home too, but yes, some do stay here the whole summer. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of private public time.

[jensensamuels]

I like the prospect of a normally busy place being abandoned, for all intents and purposes. It's easier to get from point a to point b without interruptions or distractions. I don't envy the plane ride, which is the largest reason I've opted out of returning home ... among other things.

[jensensamuels]

Do people actually go home for the break?

[jane--peters]

All the years I’ve been year, people have always gone back home. Or at least away from the school. And I’ve been here since I was thirteen.. so.. 

[jensensamuels]

Oh good, so you're going home for the break then? Wonderful to hear. Enjoy your trip.

[jensensamuels]

Do people actually go home for the break?

Should I be expecting it as crowded as it is for the whole summer? I was quite looking forward to the idea of more time to myself in public spaces, as opposed to having to barter with when my room mate and his attachment decide to vacate.

Are people's home live's so busy or unfulfilled that they must remain?

[jensensamuels]

Didn't we just play Yankee Swap with our rooms?

[theflowerofithilienarchived-dea]

That’s true though it’s not exactly easy to constantly be packing up clothes and things and moving them to a new room. Still, at least I don’t have to worry about my life, all that Lilo has is fish and I like fish. That’s a good way to look at it.

[jensensamuels]

I truthfully have no idea who you're speaking of. I barely recall me own previous room mate and the name of the one whom I have been paired with doesn't strike a bell at this moment. I'm sure it will be fine, so long as he isn't excessive. Perhaps administration was bored, or perhaps there is a decent reason behind it that we're not privy to.

[jensensamuels]

Didn't we just play Yankee Swap with our rooms?

[theflowerofithilienarchived-dea]

They’ve swapped our rooms again? You leave for class and you come back to a moving crate.

[jensensamuels]

I suppose it keeps things interesting. So long as the new room mate doesn't keep any disgusting or annoying habits it should be fine. Call it ... an adventure.

[hjsummerfullmoon-deactivated201]

[jensensamuels]

Didn't we just play Yankee Swap with our rooms?

Administration must be bored.

Very well.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

They have to just work on the power part, it’s a collective whole here. Like this one resident I know, Chase, he’s fine on the cooperating social aspect but he knows jack about his power. It’s individual but collective, you get what I’m saying? People with powers are useful but as a collective whole we’re stronger.

You think we’re all pretentious quims? Nice word choice, by the way.

Yes.

[jensensamuels]

Then he's the one percent that happens to exist in every example. You can work as a collective whole with the social butterflies. I will sit in solitary solace and work on the reason I am here, and if I happen to run into others that have the same view point that I do and we happen to work in tandem then ... good on that. I'd honestly rather be standalone than rely on any singular person here, save for my other half. Even then, I know I can achieve better without him.

To put it nicely, yes. I do.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[jamespadraicarchive]

Of course it’s pointless to me unless it’s something, well, that I can have stock in assistance or value. Far too presumptuous on your behalf to think all that I address is mental benefit. It’s is a mockery of an educational facility with its inhabitants a mockery of fools within for even fools have more wit in their vacant minds than the lot here filled with drivel. If you find it useful then all the commendation for finding improvement in an establishment that commons the unique and wanes anything of merit to lowest forms of a side show. I figured to play along for once and see how the tone fits my tongue. It’s suiting in a sense.

[jensensamuels]

Beg pardon, but what else am I supposed to do with my time if not attempt some form of progress that I deem to be somewhat useful? As I've already stated, it's completely joke-worthy to attempt a semblance of an education here and I'd frankly rather skin myself slowly with a salted blade than attempt to lower myself to the social standards and levels of the children here. That leaves little else but the progress of power and, for all intent and purposes of my conversation --- which I am quickly realizing that all thoughts should remain inward because even the accidental slip of anything auditory calls down the hammer of judgment from all, I've made progress. That's as simple as I've come to see it, sir. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't enjoy wasting my time. This place is a waste of time.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

Sorry, it’s a force of habit. If this was just a power school, it’d be all we focused on. But it’s not. It’s not the only thing we learn here, it’s not the only class.

You familiar with international politics? Realist theory states that a single nation-state acts in self-interest on any international issue involving other nation-states. They cooperate when it benefits them specifically.  

Yes, we’re here to work on individual powers. But without learning social cooperation or how to deal with each other, we are a bunch of yelping dogs. With yelping dogs, nothing gets done. No collective progress is made.  It’s not just the powers that need work. If we don’t know how to deal with each other on a social or physical level, all we’ll do is fight with these powers and then what good is it? It’ll be all Destroy All Monsters up in here. Ever see that, the movie with Godzilla and all the other monsters fighting an…yeah, you get it.

[jensensamuels]

Now explain to me the resident program. Yes, some residents choose to intertwine themselves with the students however a majority of them avoid the student body as if it were the plague. They aren't here for the classes, the tinkering and the social standards, so ... if not for their power why are they here? You can sit here and chit-chat with people, make besti friends and possible love interests however I am sharing the same ideal as the residents who stray away from the students. I am here to learn about my power. I don't need to be scraping what little money my family has together to come to a stuffy school with pretentious quims just for the basic high school standards I could have back home. I am here to learn my power, and everything else takes a side step.

So, the basis of this conversation, the progress that I made tonight wasn't relative or useless -- it's highly useful and desirable.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

It’s got its perks but you have to control it, which is an extra weight on our shoulders. That’s a burden. I’m not knocking my powers, it’s gotten me out of more shit than I can count. Our powers aren’t all we are is all I’m saying, mate.  Maybe someone will do something good without the powers anyway. They’re just a minor detail.

[jensensamuels]

Please stop calling me mate. I understand your cultural background but it's not a term I think we're agreeing upon. You see it as a burden, at the end of the day it's the reason we're here. This isn't just another school, it isn't an excuse for us to meet and flatter one-another. It is a place that forces the definitions of our abilities onto us. Perhaps your perception is skewed. Or perhaps you don't belong here. If this was a regular school I would agree, yes, the powers are a small detail. There are adults here learning how to control themselves. They aren't here for the schooling, for the social connections.or  This is a power school. It's our defining detail.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

You’re right, must be that whole human-nature thing. It’s all relative, mate.  Just like what I said.  If something is askew elsewhere in your life, there’s no way you can focus on furthering your power.  It’s a balancing act, just like regular life.  We just have these extra burdens of the powers. 

Jolly good…or whatever.

[jensensamuels]

It's an assumption that the powers are a burden to begin with. I call it culling the weak. At the end of the line, those who have progressed well-enough will make something of themselves, be it using their mutation or pressing it away. The others will, inevitably, rot. It's a very beautiful cycle, very necessary. Which is why progress is, ultimately, necessary.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

Really? You have a power. Never would’ve guessed, I would have thought you’d just wandered in from the streets. Hope you’re catching the sarcasm, bro. We don’t forget we have powers, mate. There’s just more to us than the powers. I run but it’s not all I am. It’s part of me, but there’s more going on than just that.

Clarified. Crystal. 

[jensensamuels]

You'd be surprised the things I catch, bro. Sarcasm is just a little tip on the iceberg. No, it seems everyone is preoccupied with pointless personal drama as opposed to the reason they were recruited to this rather expensive school. Some people have drive to do something with themselves. Others think this is a knitting club, or some such. I choose to be useful as opposed to existing, wasting space and resources.

Excellent.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

Ooh, see, that was merely an invitation for you to elaborate. You in a slow lull, is that where this is coming from? 

Considering my personal progress involves not winding up in young offenders, I’m doing okay.,

[jensensamuels]

Two and two. This is a power school, I have a power. I know it's very hard to believe that some people here actually remember they have it amid the clowder of useless hobbies an friendship bracelets, however the sole purpose for some of us would be to make progress with the strange mutations that landed us in this amusing little school to begin with. Clarified enough?

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

Did I stutter?

Progress is progress but it’s all relative anyway.

[jensensamuels]

Funny, I was going to ask you the same question when you repeated me. No, you did not stutter but regardless it seems you're not understanding me and I so dislike repeating myself.

Relative to you. Your personal progress is, likely, useless.

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[jamespadraicarchive]

It would depend on the type of progress. Aimless and temporary, why not have your kicks and make the time amusing. Progress, useful development, is pointless to achieve in a place that only regresses in mentally on a daily basis. Amusement is of better use here and if you’re going to waste your time on, you better make it worth while. 

[jensensamuels]

All speculative on the basis that the progress being made is mental. There is no mental progress to be made here, this place brings deficiency to the nth degree, stunting any form of forward achievement as far as a promising future goes. I've accepted that fact a very long time ago and simply opted to coast through my academics, as I doubt the credit here actually counts toward anything. All of the progress I've made comes in the form of personal work in achieving new grounds with the sole reason I am here -- being an ability. So yes, progress. Pointless ... perhaps to you. Useful to myself in a situation when it would be deemed necessary,

[jensensamuels]

Ah, progress.

[alistair-barr]

Progress, huh?

[jensensamuels]

Is there something confusing about that?