fandomhigh | Introductory Superhuman Physics, Period 4 [9-30]

"The current world record holder for the 100-metre dash," Jean-Paul began after the students had taken their seats, "is one Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who can run that distance in 9.69 seconds. Actually, he is capable of running it faster; he slowed down several strides before the finish to 'showboat'. In my world, he would have been immediately escorted off to be tested for the X factor if he had turned in that performance, but he is of this world, so I can only conclude Monsieur Bolt is one hundred percent natural human."

Jean-Paul paused before continuing. "As we have already established, I...am not. I can run one hundred metres in substantially less than 9.69 seconds. I can fly it in less still. I can break the sound barrier, in fact. When I was a teenager, before I realized what my abilities really were, I competed for Canada in the Olympic Games, as a skier. I won gold medals. I honestly could not tell you whether I used my abilities at the Olympics or not--in fact, I was at the elite levels of my sport before my abilities ever manifested--but when my mutation was discovered, I was stripped of my medals.

"So, my question to you today is, was this fair? I will not be insulted by either opinion. After all, no 'normal' human could ever dream of keeping up with me, so it makes sense to exclude me from a sporting competition including normal humans, non? To tell you the truth, I found the lack of real competition boring at the end. But if someone wants to compete, and they are not using any artificial means, merely their own body's capabilities...should they not be able? Discuss."

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Speedily!

Peter Petrelli

Gavin Darklighter

John Sheppard

Francine Peters

Ben Skywalker

Johnny Storm

Momoko Akatsutsumi

Viki

Alec

Katina Choovanski

Teddy Altman

Warren Peace

Take notes, chat, think Mr. Beaubier has a big head, etc.

Katchoo was . . . pretty much just not looking at Francine, the entire time.

Superhumans and sporting events: mixy or nonmixy things?

"I think it depends on what people are expecting when they go into the game," Peter said. "Like maybe you wouldn't have won those medals if there'd been other super-powered people competing. Then again, if you're the only person with that kind of super-speed, then it's a moot point. But at least it's a fair test."

"I am faster than my sister," Jean-Paul said. "But she can go farther. And I am not sure how I stack up against Quicksilver or certain other speedsters I could name. Interestingly enough, when I won my medals, I did not set world records, meaning I was well within human norms." Unless the people who hold the records had superpowers no one knew about... "Do my intentions count for anything? I did not mean to cheat, if cheat I did."

"Yeah but that's an issue in regular races too," Peter said. "Distance vs. time, I mean. Bolt was amazing but no way could he run a marathon. And I'm not sure. I mean don't they hold doping against atheletes even if they didn't know what they were taking? On the other hand I'm not sure I feel comfortable comparing super powers with drugs."

"Thank you for that," Jean-Paul said dryly. He'd heard it done a few too many times.

"I think it'd depend on the person's knowledge too," Gavin said. "I mean, you said you didn't know if you used your abilities so, for all anyone knows, you could have one those just off sheer talent. If someone goes into a sporting event with the knowledge that they have an advantage over everyone, I think it becomes unfair."

"Well, back when we had football here, we let kids with powers play and just asked them not to use their powers," John said when it was his turn. "It worked pretty well. But I guess you have to be willing to trust people."

"I don't think you should have to hold yourself back just to make other people feel better," Ben decided. "It's not your fault you have skills they don't."

Francine shrugged confusedly. "I don't know much about sports. Couldn't there be different... classes or something, for people with powers? Like they have weight classes in wrestling?"

"My friend Kaoru has super strength but that doesn't help her when she's playing sports. She actually has to hold back because she kicks too hard and can send the ball too far or even destroy it. Or she can kick it into someone and really hurt them. So she has to concentrate twice as hard to play with normal people and yet she enjoys sports so much that she does all that anyway just to be able to play." Momoko frowned. "I don't see how it's always an advantage to have powers, so why make everyone pay? Just because you have speed powers doesn't make you a good SKIER."

Alec snorted. "I don't think humans are ever going to be very fair when it comes to people who aren't like them," he said dryly.

He's here for it.

Yes. Jean-Paul is an Olympic skier. He's also an excellent businessman, a trapeze artist, and he wrote a book. Yet he's never had a boyfriend. Oh, Marvel.

He slices, dices, and makes julienne fries! And makes all the little Purple Girls sigh.

And he has a sexy Quebecois accent.

I'd date him! Unfortunately, he is fictional and I am not.

Introductory Superhuman Physics, Period 4 [9-30]

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