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magical ethics

Magical Ethics: Week 8, Period 1

The ~~handwavy~~ email that went out asked the class to meet in the Danger Shop. When the students arrived and filed in, they found Alysha scowling at the controls and really, really wishing she'd brought more coffee. It was the Danger Shop that apparently needed coffee.

"You all look tan," Alysha commented, smiling at the group once they were all there. "Except for the ones of you who don't in which case, good on you for not damaging your skin."

She turned back to the Danger Shop controls and keyed in the entry code. The Danger Shop morphed around them until the students were all standing on the top of what looked like a very high cliff. Also on the cliff and possibly looking like they might be considering jumping off were a bunch of - ponies.

Red and white ponies to be clear. With a red maple leaf on each of their butts. Apparently the Danger Shop had taken that humming of O Canada under Alysha's breath as she came in seriously. (But really, after an ending like that to the Olympics, what was she supposed to be humming?)

She frowned at the ponies but shrugged, turning back to the class. "We're putting what we've talked about into action today. Today a total stranger - a pony is going to jump off this cliff. It's your job to stop him using any means you consider ethical." Alysha looked around, making sure everyone was following. "We've talked about a lot of different scenarios so far this class, and a lot of you seem pretty confident that you know what to do in a given situation so - let's do it. You can find a partner or you can work alone on this. The ponies will jump in 4 minutes so you have some time to discuss what you want to do. You can act while they're still on the cliff or while they're in the air. The one thing I'm going to ask is treat the ponies like they're sentient creatures, like they're humans. I don't want to see anyone putting a halter around the pony's head and trying to lead it away because I'm pretty damn sure you're not doing that to another person."

Alysha glanced around. "Any questions? Then pair up and go for it."

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Save the pony, save the world.

Okay! Here's the gameplay bits, feel free to mod the ponies, succeed or fail at your discretion. If you'd like me to mod a pony, lemme know.

Totally pair up to talk about it. The ponies will jump in exactly four minutes which means about 15 pings total (going by 3MD guidelines) so use your time wisely, do what you feel is right/best/all of that.

Edmund eyed one of the ponies. He wanted to do this alone, but in the interest of being all TA-like, he looked around to see if anyone wanted to join him.

Tara eyed the people waiting for partners and decided Alysha's TA might be the safest to approach.

"I don't know how I'm going to do this," she confided. "D-do you have an idea?"

"Well," Edmund said, surveying the situation and quietly thinking that he was glad he hadn't been paired up with one of students who was quick to jump to magic, "we have a little less than four minutes. Negotiation should always come first. Most situations can be talked out if you say the right words. Care to try?"

"Sure," Tara said, glancing over to the pony. "That's what I was thinking too, the talking thing. Can you cover for me if I start to giggle? I, uh, don't usually talk to ponies."

The pony ... looked sad.

"Of course. I have your back. Excuse me," he said to the pony. "Might you have a moment to talk?" The pony nodded after a moment's hesitation. That was a good start. Edmund gestured to Tara to take over.

"Hi, pony," Tara said softly. "I, uh -- we -- Edmund and me -- we really don't want you to jump. Y-you have so much to live for. You're so young."

The pony snorted and stepped back toward the ledge.

"A-a-and your team won more gold medals than anybody! That's good, right?"

The pony looked like he was considering her point and gave a reluctant nod.

"I can't imagine how you're feeling right now, but we want you to know that we appreciate you. There may not seem like another way out, but we'd like to help you and be here for you."

Tara reached a hand to the pony, gesturing it away from the ledge. "No one else could be the special creature that you are," she intoned.

She didn't giggle. The pony stepped toward her to nuzzle her palm.

"We're here to support you," Edmund added. "And we're willing to do whatever we can to help you. Come a little further away and everything will work out." He nodded at Tara, encouraging her.

Edited 2010-03-03 02:33 (UTC)

"We can get you any kind of help you want," Tara said, as the pony nuzzled her hand. "Do you like carrots? W-we have carrots. And apples."

She took a few steps with the pony, encouraging it toward Edmund. It still looked sad, but moved steadily.

Edmund stepped slightly off to the side and placed a firm but careful hand on the pony's neck. Thankfully, Edmund knew horses, so he had a slight advantage here and was able to convey a silent, calm reassurance for the pony. "We'll go and get something to eat and," he agreed, "and then we can work out the rest. You go on ahead and collect yourself. We'll be right behind you."

The pony looked torn between wanting to skitter back to the edge and wanting to go the way Edmund had gestured.

"This will be fine," he reassured the pony. "Go ahead."

The pony nudged Tara some more and then, head down, started to walk further away from the cliff. Edmund gave Tara an impressed look and a nod.

Tara managed not to grin until the pony was safely away from the cliff edge. A suicidal pony was very serious business.

Then she quietly whispered a triumphant, "We did it! You were awesome."

Ino twirled a pen in one hand, studying the ponies. Really, she wasn't going to use her powers on them--first, they were danger shop constructions and that probably wouldn't work anyway--and secondly...

Well, would it really hurt them to knock one out and drag it away? Seriously? What was so wrong with that? It meant they were alive and away from the cliff that would make them not alive and that had to be better than--well, off the cliff.

She glanced around for a partner, looking to see if anyone wanted to pair up.

... If not, she was totally going for the knock-'em-out route.

"Hi, Ino!" Karla said, practically skipping over to talk to her.

A week in the Bahamas had put a slight crimp in her 'befriend Ino' plans, but back at school they could continue apace. "Shall we pair off?"

Whereas Ino had spent the week in the Bahamas slowly relaxing because no Karla saying things had meant that, clearly, she was just being paranoid.

... Ino was back to being paranoid. Pair off, indeed. Still...

"Hey," she said, smiling a bit. "We can, and I don't suppose you've got a better suggestion than 'knock the pony out'? 'Cause, well... that's my idea and it doesn't sound like the teacher would go kindly for it."

Raven eyed the ponies. If they weren't simulated, this would be easier and far less traumatic. But since they had no real emotions....

She sat down on the ground, crossing her legs under her and closing her eyes. Her Soul-Self emerged from her body and flew to the edge of the cliff. Any ponies that fell would be caught and transported back to Canada.

"I got no magic, I need a partner."

"I don't have magic, either." Elle shrugged. "Think I could shock the ponies?" She let a tendril of electricity snake through her fingers.

"Maybe some kind of electric fence along the cliff to drive them back?"

"Ooh, that could work... maybe..." Elle said, looking at the edge of the cliff critically.

"It depends on how determined they are. Or if that didn't work, a shock should throw them away from the cliff. Just have to try not to hurt them."

Diana was trying not to giggle about the ponies. Instead, she worked on manipulating possibilities. When they jumped, half of the ponies would simply land on a convenient ledge a few feet down. The other half would land right back where they had started from.

This seemed simple enough, minus the standing about the edge of a cliff with ponies.

Griff waited until the pony jumped, doing his own version of jumping to grab the animal around its neck mid-air and land it safely at the bottom. He didn't think it would make sense to teleport the creature back to the top so it could try leaping again. Ethical or not, it was his solution.

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