Free from Brainwashing (open)

[Kit Lee]

OOC: This thread is derieved from this one.

Kit had went straight to the library and typed up the quotes of Stern Mason, inserting in his analysis of Stern's words in between. Printing out many copies of this piece, Kit went around the school campus posting this everywhere, moving quickly so that he would not be seen. The details of Kit's essay on the flyers are as follows:

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Stern Mason is a scheming person who wishes to bring chaos to this school that is already lacking in order. The text in red are exact statements from Stern Mason's secret meeting in the forest. The rest are my responses.

"You also know that the way things stand, change is not coming, at least for Hircine. Those who can voice their opinions to the government do not care or do not see the problems we face. The school itself crushes dissenters under foot, stifling their desires without even giving them consideration. You know that action must be taken, and to do that requires the courage to go against this the beast that holds us in it's jaws."

"I do not ask your to fight with fist, to draw your fellows blood. I merely ask that you be willing to bleed for this cause when their corrupt methods attempt to strike us down, to bear the abuse they shall toss toward us. For if we act as they do, we shall lose. We need to convince those who feign apathy from fear and hopelessness that we can win despite the odds, for every person that stands and claims "I will not fight for you" they become weaker while the voice of the masses grows louder."

As opposed to the definate do not Stern Mason suggests, rather, replace it with may not as how are we to know the full extent of what they are saying? Those who can voice their opinions to the government may not care or may not see the problems we face, but rather than taking matters into a form known as a revolution or riot, there are other methods. Such examples are informing and making those with influence to the government, care about our problems. It will not be done through threats, blackmail or such, but rather by way of media, such as recording a daily life of a student at Hircine High, letters and literature made publicly available to inform the public of errors or problems that should be fixed or atleast reconsidered within the school. In fighting for a cause actively, who knows who will decide to fight aggressively? Bloodshed may ensue if this option is pursued.

"What I as for all of you now, is knowing how I view you, if your willing to do what it takes to show others the light, to make them see something better is out their if they are willing to refuse the treatment they are given? What I ask is if you are willing to stand firm as the storm that rages against us? Are you willing to show their corruption by taking it, rather than becoming that which they claim we truly are? If you cannot do this, I recommend you leave now."

Storm that rages against us is such an elaborate metaphor. There is no storm that rages, but rather a form of government consisted of Pillars and a School Captain instilled to attempt to maintain stability of the school. Though the actions taken by them may be extreme at times, sometimes it is necessary to stop the excessive violence of the school. Without them, the school will lack a foundation to stop brutes who seemingly have bloodlust and enjoy unnecessary fighting. Sure Stern Mason suggests that his plan is nonviolent, but in actualty, how would he account for all the underlings who follow his lead? In the prescense of a revolution or riot, everyone acts upon their own will for a cause they believe in and leaders of the cause may change their plan of action or be overthrown by radicals.

"The plan is simple, so simple that a small amount of observation makes it obvious the easy approach. The Pillars gather their strength from three locations. The administration, the students that follow them, and their own personal abilities. The first we don't have to take out, as the removal of the Pillars will limit their ability to control student affairs. The last is easy enough to handle, I myself could easily take down any of the group."

I myself could easily take down any of the group? What happened to the nonviolent approach that Stern Mason had suggested in the beginning? Already, he is promoting the use of violence to usurp the stability of the school.

"The second power, their hold over the student body, is their weak point. If we undermine that strength, cause the student body to doubt them. They control by oppression, but oppression only stands if absolute in power. The second they lose those standing behind them, they lose the ability to assert their will. When they lose their authority, their titles are just words, and we can establish a better system in the vacuum left by them."

As opposed to controlling by oppression, the administration, pillar system and school captain is there as I have stated earlier to maintain a form of stability against adrenaline and testosterone pumped brutes that seek random battles attempting to prove they are the strongest in the school. Though corporal punishment is not a necessary means and I do not agree with it, the current system is necessary to stop complete riot and the destruction of the school and the danger of many student's lives. As stated before, there are other means to solve the problem as opposed to the course that Stern Mason wishes you to see only. As for establishing a better system, how would that be done in the chaos of the loss of an authority figure once this plan that Stern Mason suggests is carried out? Everyone will fight, arguing that their idea is the key to a better system, and more bloodshed will result.

"The key to this will be to establish ourselves as better than they are to govern. The best way is to not actually show a superior ability to govern, as that isn't possible against an established system. We need to show we are everything they fail at. We need to show open ears, true social mobility, freedom, and all those things people think they are sacrificing rather than being stripped of. We'll be running a propaganda campaign, not a military one. I'm the only one here who has something that will defiantly protect us from blackmail if we try this, and therefore beyond approach by administration and Pillars themselves, making me a choice figurehead for our organization. By portraying a overall positive image, and vocalizing on a overwhelming scale the suppressed voice of the masses, we will shift public opinion heavily into our favor."

By running a propaganda campaign, Stern Mason suggests that his followers spread his ideas to further brainwash the population of the school. Do not fall prey to his manipulation. As he said, he wishes to be the figurehead for the organization, meaning he wishes to become the next dictator of this system. All you are doing by supporting Mason is helping him rise to power, to enforce rules as he wishes to once everyone is brainwashed to follow him.

"This is why I demand enormous strength of will, as though it will be painful to not strike back, for everyone of you that gets publicly beaten more will rise up instead of cowering as before. I ask you not to fight, but to stand tall, when they try to be silence you to yell, and when they knock you down to get back up. They, who have used fear for so long, shall know it when you rise up after your beating an ask for another! You few, who have retained your individuality against this tide of conformity, are the only ones who have the ideals necessary to make this sacrifice!"

If you have truly retained your individuality, you will not conform to Stern Mason's words and follow his lead. You will not be his puppet. As for not striking back, as Stern Mason has suggested before, he could and would fight. "I myself could easily take down any of the group." How is this taking the beating as Stern Mason suggests you to do? All in all, Stern Mason is trying to use you all, do not give in to his flawed logic and be a true individual.

-Fellow Student
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Kit finally finished posting the last flyer in the school and hoped nobody saw him as he walked away. He knew that it was dangerous in broadcasting Stern Mason's words as he seemed to be full of charisma at the meeting and to be a very pursuading individual, but he had hoped the power of his words would help people see through Stern's scheme. Though Kit was not fluent in speaking english at all, his ideas and written word was very clear and strong as he did have practice of it back in Hong Kong.

[charlotte]

* * *

... I fall slowly, almost weightless, as if drifting in the air. The ground is stretched about before me like a quilt - a patchwork of faces, a sea of people, all arrayed in a fantastic assortment beneath me. I can't stop myself. I can hear thier voices now ... At first they were naught but whispers, but now I can hear them all the clearer, ringing in my head, reverberating in the air about me.

...


I watch the doctor (or teacher, he looks like my math teacher) examine his clipboard, pursing his lips as he does so.

"sO cHARLOTTE ..." he says to me, raising an eyebrow. I think he looks like a lobster, or at least, like he might have had lobster for lunch.

"Yes?" I ask him.

"iT aPPEARS wE hAVE a bIT oF a pROBLEM hERE," he answers, though the answer remains just as ambiguous as his opening statement. My math teacher

(Doctor.)

doctor had never been much of one to jump straight to the point when explaining something ... always wanting to drag everything on longer than it should. He looks at me now, seeming a bit concerned; I can almost guess what he is about to say to me.

"As a matter of fact, iT sEEMS yOU'RE aT a sTRANGE pLACE iN yOUR lIFE," he says to me, and I sigh. An apple brushes up against my leg, bobbing in the water at our knees. Well, my knee, at least - my math teacher

(Doctor.)

doctor is taller than I am.

"Yes sir, I know that," I sigh, unable to bring myself to be sarcastic. He is right, after all. So I let myself fall, letting loose my grip on the world and cutting through the air. I descend sluggishly, but smoothly, almost weightless, as if drifting in the air. The sea is stretched about before me like an endless fish bowl - a shimmering pool full of faces, a waving ocean of people, all arrayed in a fantastic assortment beneath me. I can't stop myself. I can hear the lapping of the waves now, and see thier reflections close. One of them winks at me. It looks like Tiao, but the image is changing, seeming more like Sterm Mason for a moment, then Valencia; endlessly changing.

Staring into the ocean below me now, I can see my reflection standing before Leon Loire. And there, to my utter shock, I watch as I advance foward, suddenly, my hands moving around the sides of his neck and cheeks, pulling myself closer to his face level and kissing him suddenly, fully, and passionately. I'm standing on my toes, holding the kiss, then I break away swiftly, leaning back and taking my hands away.

I watch then, as my relfection, wide eyed, exhales sharply and deeply, her cheeks flushed and seeming almost a bit surprised with herself, and -

* * *

"God!"

Charlotte awoke with a start, gasping out the exclaimation as she rolled off of her side, onto her back and sat up, pushing off her dark blue comforter. Though not drenched in cold sweat, the dream had felt so real that her abrupt exit had left her momentarily disoriented. Not only had it felt so real, but some of the images had been just plain disturbing - not scary or freaky, but disturbing. Of course, there had also been other images that just felt ridiculously embarassing ...

With a sigh, Charlotte pinched the bridege of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut and breathing in as she did so. Clearing her head from the drowziness, she swung out of the bed and made for the bathroom to have a shower; her bare feet padding softly upon the floor.

The dream had awoken her almost an hour early, and she found that whenever she woke up, it was nigh impossible for her to try and go back to sleep again immediately after. Early mornings did not make her a happy camper at all.

Which made to reason why she felt clearly disappointed when, deciding to take a walk through the campus during her free period to take a refreshing break, found flyers posted all over the place.

Well, truth be told, they were more like novels.

Props for making them and posting them up, she thought silently, tearing one down and reading through it. Kid must have taken a tape recorder to that speech to get it all word for word. But posting up an essay is not a way to get someone's attention. No one wants to read a novel sized flyer, they want to see something quick to grab thier attention. Save the speeches for a rally or the broadcast room.

Shaking her head, and sighing, her relaxing walk now turning into exactly the opposite, making her more than a bit edgy and fed up. Charlotte crumpled folded the flyer, slipping it into the front pocket of her jeans. She took a quick scan of the area, today wearing her glasses, soon catching a glint of someone walking away from a freshly posted flyer. She inclined her head slightly at that, then began walking, moving in a roundabout route towards the one she guessed to be the creator and poster of such propaganda.

Not that she had anything against propaganda, of course.

It didn't take her long to be walking towards her quarry head on, seeing for the first time that he was another student, though one she had never met before.

"Hiya," she said cheerily, though the cheer was quite literally and obviously drenched in sarcasm. "Mind if we have a little chat? Though you do seem in an awful hurry ... running away from something are we?"

[Kit Lee]

Kit stopped his walking. The soft music that was playing through his headphones lost it's melodic flow as Kit started to get pumped, aware that danger may occur. Damn, that was the last flyer too, Kit thought. As he turned around slowly, he was happy to see it was a female, as opposed to some big brute or a gang member. Though Kit knew perfectly well that females could be just as deadly and threatening as some big brute, Kit was still calmed down as females did not intimidate him in the same way. Also, since it was not a big brute that was hungry for battle, he would hope that the girl would be rational and not engage in battle especially since she had offered to have a chat. If she were a big brute, he would doubt that a chat would really occur. Though Kit was not afraid to fight, and quite confident in his abilities as he recalled the countless mindless battles he was forced to fight, Kit did not want trouble and he did not want to go against pillars which he respected for maintaining some order in the entropic environment. Kit decided to take a chance instead of dashing away. Slowly peeling off the soft felt headphones that were covering his ears like earmuffs, he thought about how he should phrase his response in english.

"Uh, hi," Kit responded as he faced the girl directly. "Yes we chat, no fighting. I no want trouble. Yes, I was in hurry. Do not want trouble from my message. Only hope to maintain peace in school. If you wondering, yes I wrote flyer. Sorry english bad but not mean I write bad." Kit wondered what the girl would have to say. Perhaps she agreed with him. Perhaps she disagreed and wanted to bludgeon him right there. I guess these kind of encounters are to be expected, Kit thought.

[charlotte]

"Don't worry, I'm not a fighting sort of person. Not since Junior High, at least," Charlotte said, crossing her arms over her chest and transferring her wieght onto her left leg, her hips shifting accordingly, to accomadate the change in stance.

"However, if you're not looking for trouble, you picked a bad way to show your sentiments. Propaganda is something that univerally draws some sort of opposition towards it."

The boy's English was very broken, and she didn't recall ever seeing him before about school. Of course, he was also preaching against Stern Mason, and to that affront, could be a helpful ally.

"But then," she went on cooly, "not many will ever take the time to read a novel like that. Flyers are meant to be quick and attention grabbing, not painfully long and arduous.

"Though," she added quickly, "It seems you and I have similar agendas concerning Stern Mason. I curious to know ... what exactly do you think of Stern and his schemes, and what exactly do you plan to do about it, if anything?"

The bluntness of the question was mostly undesirable, but in her aggravated state of significantly lowered patience, Charlotte honestly did not want to be stealthy and beating-around-the-bush with her questionnaire - which would surely only aggravate her even more.





(OCC: Sorry for being so short, but my middle and index fingers in my left hand are swollen and aching from the nasty sprain I recieved last night. Basically, it just really hurts to type anything.)

[Kit Lee]

OOC: You should stop typing till it's better then Swollen fingers don't heal with more injury. No rush to reply.

IC: "Yes, understand these type of flyers bring trouble, hence why did not write name, and try to make sure nobody see me put up flyers. Understand that not many take time to read, not very good format I choose to distribute. But not very good at speaking, also, if I speak in public, will give away identity. Other option is email, also not good, people think it spam. Cannot think of other way to tell people. Hoping if some read, they spread word. Also, no point write only few word on flyer, will not make sense." Kit replied.

"I believe Stern is going to create chaos. If pillars not around, stability of school cease to exist, people fight for their own cause each claiming they right, right in fighting. In chaos, Stern easily inject his want for what he believe is a "good" school system and rule it. Pillar stop fighting with fighting, though hypocritical, many stop fighting over time, and just stop fighting when see pillar. I plan stop Stern's plan to cause riot, plan to gather student, brainwashing them to follow his lead," Kit said, pausing a moment to think of how to answer the next part.

"Plan to stop Stern. I hope gain attention of pillars with these flyers. As for what next, not sure. Stopping brainwashing of student body is step one. Also can be only step necessary to stop Stern. No peons for chaos, Stern's attempt will fail. Atleast, that is what I know based on I have learned," Kit said, finally finishing the answers to her questions. He had to try really hard to pronounce everything properly, and tried his best to make his thoughts sound as comprehensible as possible. "Similar agenda? Where you stand in relation to Stern Mason? What you plan to do?"

Kit looked around now, wondering if anybody had heard their conversation as he had took an awefully long time to get his message out.

[stern]

Stern was surrounded by a few supporters, as they directed them to one of the fliers that had been posted. Instead of outraged they were jubilated, and the response they had been getting was almost enough to make Stern smile sincerely. After all, nothing made him happier than everything going to plan.

"Good advertising isn't it?"

It was amazing how quickly it had happened. He had spoken, and then fliers were posted up stopping him. He had gotten his word out quicker than he could have on his own. His ploy to allow an open meeting had worked successfully. He had began to worry when he had talked to Charlotte, who though clearly effected by his words was cautious enough of him to be careful in his actions.

The paper, even if they had proof, had already had a visible effect on the student body. As he walked past, people actually began to notice him. They turned and whispered in their ears. The comments were mixed at the moment, but that would quickly change. Stern carefully removed the paper from the wall, being careful to make sure he would be able to replace it when he was done.

"Clearly I'm a very bad person, who plans to use blackmail and other dubious tactics to gain power....I was not aware thats what non-violent resistance was about....in hindsight, kind of makes Gandhi a dick."

There were chuckles in the crowd. They didn't know who had posted it, and Stern quite frankly couldn't care less. It was clearly a piece of pro-pillar propaganda....but it was poorly done by those standards, probably rushed. It claimed the worst of him, but only offered proof to his openly spoken good intentions. They quoted him using could and asserted he would, claimed that despite claiming to establish a better order he merely wanted an absence of one.

In short, in was a clearly biased article with no proof to it whatsoever. It had clearly been written with someone who didn't understand how to argue. He tried to make Stern out to be the devil but in the end gave word that there was someone out there who didn't want to fight, untouchable by the administration, strong enough to defeat the Pillars but humane enough to avoid it. He also wasn't the one who was lying about the competition, as this paper claimed he said one thing and meant another, while admitting to the accusations Stern made in several places.

He said every word.....and they thought he was dumb to say compromising speech at a public gathering. Clearly they forgot that some people transfered into Varron just as they dd into Hircine.

Stern suddenly felt someone tug on his sleeve, and he turned around to find a two female students holding one of the papers. "Are you the Stern Mason these are talking about?" they asked, clearly more interested in seeing whether he was than whether the words on the paper were actually true.

"Yes, and by the looks of it your probably freshman....tell me, how have the Pillars been treating you since you got here?......."

It had begun, the opposition as predictable as always.....though this time it was the actions of a single student that compromised the first round, Stern could always count on human error, the failure in any organized of people.

It was one of the reasons Stern never let anyone know the full plan but himself...as only he could make the decision of action...and in a school full of teenagers who all claim to have something unique to say, there was nothing more effective than to let them simply run their mouths.

[charlotte]

"What do I plan to do about Stern Mason?" Charlotte said slyly, glancing over the other student's shoulder. "Well that's mostly a secret, I suppose, though I bet you can guess I'm in it to make sure his plan fails."

She shrugged, taking a step closer to the boy.

"Your intentions are good with these flyers, they say all the right things ... but ..." she let the conjunction dangle for a moment before continuing on. "... there are two problems with it."


Charlotte uncrossed her arms from her chest, thumbing one through the belt loop on her pants, holding her opposite hand before her, putting up two fingers: her index and middle.

"Number one: it's too long. People will read it, but you won't have the impact you really need. Admittedly, there aren't a lot of other options or mediums available for you, but that said, it just isn't going to change much at all.

"And number two: The people who do read it, the ones that notice? They'll only pay more attention to Stern, which is exactly what he needs. He has a handful of followers, and is hardly known amongst the greater student body of Hircine. The Varron transfers are the ones who recognise Sternthe most, but these flyers will only draw more attention to him, and his causes.

"My advice? Step back, and watch for a bit, like I do. That's it; just watch and wait. However ..." Charlotte raised an eyebrow with a midly interested look, sighting a familiar face quite a ways away, beyond earshot. The figure was standing amidst a group of his supporters and inquisitive students alike. "... it looks like here's your man now."

Charlotte motioned her head towards Stern, behind the boy she was talking with. Stern said something which she couldn't hear, then a laugh went up from the group around him.

"What's your name?" she asked the boy before her, still staring ahead at Stern and the ever expanding and shifting group about him, a sudden, feirce determination set in her grey eyes.

[Kit Lee]

"Here's your man now." Kit looked in the girl's grey eyes and saw his reflection as well as the reflection of what appeared to be a group of students. Kit turned around, and sure enough, Stern was standing there talking with some students. Turning back around, Kit replied, "My name Kit. What yours?"

The girl had made two points he had already considered. Just like she said, the flyers were very long, and it was highly doubtful that anyone would bother to read it. But once again, as he had hoped in the back of his mind, that those with a higher state of intellect and consideration for the school, would read it and understand it while those who were just big brutes that may eventually fall prey to Stern's plan, would simply discard it and not bother to read it.

As for her second point, she was right about how those that were intellectual would support him anyway as the Varron transfers recognized him. But, if Kit's writing would be so beneficial to Stern, Stern himself would have gave his speech to more people than to the limited amount that he had in the forest. Therefore, Kit judged that he had nothing to lose in writing his piece, only benefits to be reaped if students saw through Stern's message the way Kit had. And if Stern himself was planning to write such a piece, but didn't get a chance because Kit beat him to it, he would have done so. It would have been worse as it would not have the guidance of Kit's words. Now that Kit had posted his message, if Stern were to write another to counter his, students that bothered to read would have read Kits would be the same to read Sterns and would be more wary to Sterns.

At any rate, everything was all speculation, and Kit would follow what the girl said, watch and wait. React when needed. The crowd around Stern had grown a bit, and Kit turned back around to face the girl. The flyer he had posted had already gained him one definate plus. One ally. And one is better than none, one is one more than none, one more had doubled the resistance group. Who knew how many more would be added to their group to help surpress chaos within the school?

[stern]

Stern watched as the girls finished talking to him, walking away and talking quietly with each other as they left. It was a small, unspoken language in itself. It said "We're talking about you, but we don't want you to know what we're saying."

Unfortunately, the second someone knew about Stern Mason, they had already fallen into his plan. He turned away from them, not before giving a distasteful look to an older student who was giving the girls....disrespctful glares. He always felt pity for those who had nothing better to do an browse features of the opposite sex. If they out that energy into something more worthwhile, perhaps they would have something worth causing the girls they drooled over to be interested in them.

Stern was brought back to the moment as he turned to walk, his eyes landing one the lovely Miss Charlotte, who stared with fire at her. This was how a man should react to a woman, by staring her straight in the eyes. It was also much more practical, as by looking their you could usually see what the woman was trying to convey than what she spoke.

She looked at him with a braced determination, as though she were placing her footing to the storm of thoughts his presence brought to her. Indeed, she would stand against him, for now at least. She wanted him to know....wanted to break his iron shell of confidence. She probably, on a more personal note, wanted at least break, what she perceived as his hubris, with the thought of someone not simply stepping aside.

Of course, this was just an indulgent thought based on the opinion of what someones opinion was of him. There was nothing to it but the joy of it's thought.

Charlotte gave away more than she had intended in that defiant stare. She had conceded defeat in this battle, solely by telling him she refused to win the war. She also knew that the reason she lost was her side, not his. They were unorganized, fighting a war on multiple fronts and within, Stern was given the luxury of a untied force who only had one target. Perhaps she was thinking of how to win, how to possibly engage Stern correctly under the circumstances. Indeed, it was obvious she wouldn't act now.

After all, it was equally obvious that she hadn't made these fliers. She was not so quick to action, nowhere near as rash to make a choice. She was still curious about him, it was really the matter that made it so obvious to Stern at least.

~One thing I can't figure out is exactly how curious she is....How much do yo-~

Stern was cut off as a shoulder knocked into his. Though the angry senior who had done so, his eyes only filled with hate, gad intended to push through him, he had actually broken against Stern. Stern looked at the angry student, and turned back to Charlotte.

Before his eyes had only read, not spoken. Stern waited to hear what other had to say before responding, as the communication between people was difficult enough without people rushing through it. His eyes, now, however had a very clear message.

I know you saw that, you know I won today, and you know this is exactly what I wanted.

"All right, lets get going, the cafeteria will be a good spot in about an hour."

Stern walked with the group to his next meeting, walking past Charlotte as he went. He didn't look at her as he passed, the only acknowledgment to her existence was that the step at her side took slightly longer than the rest. They didn't need to say anything, and he got his point across without it. He wanted someone to try and stop him, and he wouldn't hate for it to be her.

He wanted her attention, he wanted the schools attention, he wanted the worlds attention, and there was only one thing people had left to find out, the one thing no one had yet to find out since he started this years ago. What exactly would he do when he got that when he got all that attention?

~She is as much fun as Loire....~

Stern walked off, his back would have been visible if not for those behind him. It was different than usual though, and it had nothing to do with the party itself, or even the slightly more confident aura that surrounded Stern.

It was the fact that, when he passed, the students now looked at him rather with purpose rather than simply ignoring them as they went about their lives.

[charlotte]

Charlotte did not answer Kit; at least, not right away. Her gaze remained on Stern, and for a moment, his gaze met hers, and in that instant, she saw something supremely confident, so confident in fact, that it seemed almsot delusionally infallible, both to Stern and those around him. She saw him reading her, his gaze acknowledging her intent and emotion perfectly.

They broke eye contact as another student bumped shoulders with the powerful sophmore, and he quickly turned back to her, the angry student not budging Stern a bit with the motion, but instead falling back slightly himself.

There it was in the gaze again, the irreputable and seemingly indestructable confidence, but this time, thier roles were reversed: Stern the speaker and Charlotte the listener, the observer.

Today I won, and you saw that. It was a clear cut message, and the worst part was, she knew he was right. He had won a victory today, and she had lost one. But of course, taking a glance at Kit through her peripheral vision made her remember that at least the loss had not come without some benefit.


A small victory Stern. That's all this is.


She watched him begin walking towards her, others following in his wake. Charlotte never looked at Stern, but straight ahead over Kit's head as he moved past her, the single stride carrying him slower than all his other strides. She never looked at him, and he never looked at her. No words were exchanged, but none were needed. And when Stern had passed beyond, well out of earshot, she allowed her gaze to drift back to Kit, her grey eyes full betraying the amount of thought and emotion circulating in her mind.

"You can call me Charlotte," she said finally and with a slow smile, unable to think of anything else to say in the way of conversation as she collected her thoughts and revelations, leaving that to Kit.

"And I'm going to ruin Stern Mason."

[Kit Lee]

As Stern passed by, he seemed to be challenging the girl with the step he took as he walked passed her. She then addressed herself as Charlotte as Stern appeared to be out of hearing distance. Charlotte. She was the first person at this school that he had talked to about its stability and was someone who was planning to do something in due time. Her phrase of "And I'm going to ruin Stern Mason," seemed so strong that it appeared as if she was stating a fact.

Kit was still relatively new to the school and was not knowledgable about the ties between the students or if there were any figureheads such as Stern. So he asked. "Beside Stern, is there anyone else like him? Any other gang or groups out there starting trouble in this school? I just transfer so new to school here and new also to America. Want to know if there any problem I should look out for. I want peace, stay out of trouble. Had enough trouble in Hong Kong. Also, any other group or people you know oppose Stern?"

Kit was not sure if she had all or any of the answers, but if he didn't ask he would never know. Obtaining information was a useful component to survival, and also important should he be involved with a school such as this. Knowledge is power. And this was the type of power Kit needed to prevent being assaulted from behind.

[charlotte]

"Other groups? No, Stern should be the only one to really worry about. The Pillars and Leon Loire's group are in heavy disagreement, but they have the same ideal: peace and order. The only place they differ is in their means to reach that ideal.

"You see, it really just comes down to those two ideals, spread across four groups: Order and Chaos. Law and Anarchy. Peace and Conflict. Both Loire and the Pillars are advocates for order, but while the Pillars follow the current system of control, Leon seeks to put in place a different system, more aligned to peace through liberty then peace through opression.

"On the flip side, you have Stern, who, from what I can tell, seeks chaos. He doesn't give a damn about the rest of the school, and neither does Kvist, though Kvist isn't the one you should be worrying about, not that you should also forget about him. But his influence is on the decline, and he has little power anymore."

Charlotte sighed, her aggravation from the morning slowly giving way to sudden exhaustion from her lengthy explanation and her non-verbal encounter with Stern. She reached into her pocket for her cell phone, but thought better of it, realizing her mother, though not hung over in the middle of the week, thankfully, was teaching over at the elementary school about ten minutes across the city from Hircine.

Another sigh escaped Charlotte's lips.

"Now, I'm not one much for cutting class, but I really need to take the rest of the day off so I ca go home and sleep. I guess I'll see you later then," she turned away from Kit to walk away after giving him an affirming and friendly, though certainly a Charlotte-ish sort of smile. Yes, she intended to walk home and go straight to sleep.

The thought of dreaming again struck her as a mix of comforting and intriguing.