fandomhigh | Magical Ethics: Week 1, Period 1

Alysha was attempting to look like a real grown up teacher-person as she sat carefully behind her desk, waiting for all the students to arrive. At least she hadn't ended up teaching art. No matter what her dad had said about her skills with macaroni and glue, Alysha was totally confident that art was not for her. Ethics on the other hand, was pretty much hilarious given the Gales' approach to making the world bend around them. Usually not literally.

She stood up once all the seats were filled. "Good morning, everyone," she said with a tiny smile. "I'm Alysha Gale, and this is Magical Ethics. If you're in the wrong class, you probably should leave now. If you're not awake yet cause it's too damn early, get more coffee next week."

"In this class, we're to talk about the ethics of magical use. Do people who use magic or have innate powers or who can simply do things that others can't have certain obligations to the rest of society? Should magic users be treated differently? Should they have different kinds of rights? Just because you can create water out of thin air, is it your responsibility to do it when people are dying of thirst? If you can fly, is it your responsibility to catch someone falling?"

Alysha raised an eyebrow. "Now from what I know of the school here, I'm guessing a lot of you are going to have different opinions on all this stuff, and that's totally cool. Have different opinions, argue, and actually talk about this shit - stuff. I don't give a crap if you're tactful, but keep it civil or leave. If you leave, come talk to me in my office hours or after class. I'm not reffing anyone dropping their gloves in here." That only happened at home when her cousins got overeager on the hockey rink.

"Right," she surveyed the class, flexing her fingers and barely keeping from retracing the charm on the desk to allow her to hear any whispering in the classroom. "I'm told introductions are traditional on the first day, but whatever. We'll get to all of that. For now, I'd like you all to pair up and talk about what you think about this whole idea. What's ethical magic usage? Can you make a rain of frogs just for kicks? Can you change someone's mind to make things easier for yourself? For your country? Try it out and see where you all disagree. I'll be walking around and listening in. After class if Edmund Pevenise and Tony Foster would stop by to have a chat, I'd appreciate it."

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Sookie caught her eye and gave a little, hesitant wave. "Want to work together?"

Karla waved back. She recognized Sookie, a bit, more from Emma than from any real interaction. "Sure," she said, nodding. "I'm always willing to argue with people."

She was smiling, so hopefully Sookie wouldn't worry too much about that 'argument' comment.

Hey, she'd argued with Emma about this very thing at the Welcome Picnic, so Sookie wasn't really concerned. "You think we're gonna disagree?" she asked with a lopsided smile of her own.

"I'm from a very different world," Karla said with a nod. "I'll actually be a bit confused if we don't disagree a little."

Sookie matched that nod thoughtfully. "Okay. Well, then, let's start with the easy part -- what do you think is ethical when it comes to magic, and stuff like that? Like, I don't look in people's heads unless I really can't help it, or there's a really compelling reason. I don't think that's right at all."

"I feel that way as well," Karla said, nodding. "My 'compelling reasons' may be a bit looser than yours, as I am a Black Widow--a mind-Healer," she amended. "But, generally, I wouldn't pry into someone's inner barriers without permission or just cause."

She hesitated, wondering if she should add this part. "In this world, I also find it unethical to initiate psychic-speech with other unless I know they can handle it. It's less a concern for their feelings and more for their safety."

Checking to see if the whole 'burn the brains of landens to ash' thing held true here was definitely unethical.

"Whoa, it's unsafe for people to have you talk in their heads?" Sookie asked, tilting her head. "It's hard for me to do at all, with people who aren't also telepathic. I can usually shove a picture in their head if I want, but that's hard, too. And I only do it if I know they're listening, er, that way."

"It is back home," Karla said. "Landens--those people without Craft--have no mental defenses, and so if I were to touch their minds with mine, it could--" kill "--hurt them very badly. I don't know if that's true here, but I'm also not willing to find out, you know?"

Sookie nodded, digesting that. "Wow. Yeah, I don't blame you for not wanting to find out. Better to be safe than to have someone hurt. See, that's really ethical! We don't disagree too much yet!"

Karla grinned. "I guess that means we should keep digging then." She thought back to the Magic Reserves meeting about ethics and said, "I don't see any problem with using Craft to do basic chores or what-have-you." She deliberately knocked her pencil to the floor and then used Craft to pick it back up.

"I don't see the difference between using Craft to get that or my hands. I don't feel guilty about it and I don't view it as showing off, either. What's the difference between using my hands or my Craft--they're both a part of me."

"I can't do anything like that," she noted, watching. "But, I mean, it's not really fair, but at the same time, it's part of you and why not use what you've been given? Lord knows my powers give me enough hassle. If I could do something constructive with them -- aside from eavesdropping -- I'd do it." She paused, and added, "I use this, um, electricity I can shoot from my palms to warm my hands sometimes. I guess that's kind of the same."

"Not fair in this world," Karla said, "but part of life in mine. I've spent my whole life learning Craft and training with it. What's more unethical? Ignoring those years of work? Or using them when others can't?" She shrugged. "I know it bothers some people, but I wonder. Would they be so quick to give up their vision if they went to live among the blind? Or their legs with the infirm?"

Mini-speech over, Karla looked with interest at Sookie's hands. "Can you only use it to warm your hands? Or have you found other uses as well? Do you experiment?"

Magical Ethics: Week 1, Period 1

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Re: Pair Up and Chat [1-5]

Re: Pair Up and Chat [1-5]