ALL READ

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

I made it, I believe, quite clear that Amanda was forbidden to use her healing magics save at great need, for the sake of her health. Great magic puts a great strain on her body, and could do permanent damage. Apparently, however, I failed to emphasize this enough.

Therefore, I will make myself very clear indeed. Nobody, NOBODY, is to ask Amanda to perform any act of magic for them, for any reason whatsoever. Not a finding spell, not a charm, not the levitation of a pencil. Since clearly concern for her health is not a sufficient deterrent, perhaps the prospect of personal punishment will do the job.

This subject is not open to debate. Nobody is to take this up with Amanda, or in any way make her feel guilty for not being available to be taken advantage of. I trust that this is sufficiently clear to everyone.

Comments

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

With all due respect, sir, shouldn't that final decision be left up to Amanda? Unless you're saying she's not capable of that kind of decision.

[x-mirage.livejournal.com]

does this mean no potions either? she's given me a couple for nausea and heartburn - it's okay if she doesn't anymore and I won't ask her. but I don't know if that's magic or not.

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

And I suppose you think you are better equipped to recognize "great magic" and "great need" than say, the witch herself.

Amanda is a smart woman. Deciding how she should use her magic for her is demeaning, if not a subtle form of servitude.

[x-kylun.livejournal.com]

The nature of magic is such that its wielder is not always the best qualified to determine their own limits; at the monastery, we had caregivers whose task was solely to ensure that the mystics did not overtax themselves, and they were greatly honored. If Doctor McCoy has seen fit to take this step, I have no doubt that he has only Amanda's well-being in mind.

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

All right. I can accept that. Thank you for being all zen and reasonable with me. I have a bit of a temper; which is not an excuse, but an explanation and an apology.

However, I think what's really bothering me is not the fact that Doctor McCoy has asked that Amanda take it easy, but more so that he has ordered her to do no magic except for that which he deems necessary. How can he judge? Amanda has healed several people in serious condition with his okay, so who is to say that my brother's... issue was any less serious?

[x-kylun.livejournal.com]

Perhaps Amanda's own health is to say? That is something the Doctor is well equipped to judge, and we do not know if she might be in a more fragile state than she was on those other occasions.

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

I would think so as well, but logically wouldn't it be the opposite? Since Amanda is doing so little magic these days, she should be stronger than before, not more fragile.

Amanda's own health is always top priority. I'm just worried about how her magic doesn't really seem to be her own anymore, instead something for the doctors to hoard and use only when they decide is fit.

Don't get me wrong, our doctors are the best, but something about this just doesn't sit right with me. It's more than their right to dismiss my opinion, but I also have the right to express it.

[x-kylun.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it is the same as a sprain, when any use until the original injury is fully healed runs the risk of greater damage. Or perhaps it is something different; magic does not always conform to standard logic. Perhaps it is even something about Amanda herself, not merely the mechanics of her power. I do not know, and I am too ignorant of the particulars to speculate; but unless it becomes clear that Amanda is taking harm from their policies, in my judgment they have more than earned the benefit of whatever doubt may exist.

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

Why can't everyone be as calm and reasonable as you?

To a degree, I think we're going to have to agree to disagree. But you've brought a lot of things to light; made me think.

Thank you.

[x-kylun.livejournal.com]

A hazard of too much philosophy at an early age, perhaps? :) I hope your contemplation goes well for you, and if you wish to speak more later, I am difficult to miss.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

Amanda's good nature is too easily imposed on... she doesn't like to say no to people if she can help them. She could get badly hurt, or worse, if someone talks her into doing something she shouldn't. I wouldn't allow anyone to ask you to walk into an active reactor to fix something inside it just because you can, would I? And I certainly wouldn't let you do it, if they did. They could shut it down and repair it the ordinary way.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

Let me clarify... I am not trying to decide how Amanda uses her magic. That would be stupid, since I'm not entirely sure how it even works.

It does, however, pose a serious risk to her health, when she uses too much at once. Especially if she uses it away from the Medlab, where the doctors can watch for danger signs and treat them if possible. Let me make this as clear as I can... Amanda could die, if a major spell went wrong. She could suffer permanent brain damage. She frequently suffers phiysical injuries... they could be much worse than they have been so far.

For that reason, *no-one* is to ask her to use her powers for them, since clearly there are those in this mansion who aren't willing to keep their requests moderate. Amanda may do as she wishes with her own magic, and if she offers to help then that's up to her. But nobody is to impose on her. For *anything*.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

Potions are fine. They don't require much expenditure of magic, and thus won't hurt Amanda to create.

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

You're under the impression people LET me do anything with my power. I understand you've been out of sorts recently, Doctor, so I'll forgive you the fact that you're sounding like a rather oppressive fascist here.

If the next time I build something that saves someone's life, I come down with a little bloody nose or a headache, I suppose next time you'll say "Oh, not allowed, young man. They'll just have to die."

My power, my choice. Same goes for Amanda. There's really no argument there.

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

So what? She's a mind reader now? Well, we did need another telepath.

Look, we're not going to agree on this and I don't want to fight, especially after the much more civilized conversation with Kylun. But I do not agree with this at all.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

I did, I admit, overreact a little. Maybe more than a little. But if someone tried to kill you, Forge, especially through sheer lack of concern for your safety, I assure you, I would react the exact same way. Amanda could have died. I don't handle the potential death of students well, I admit. I became a doctor to prevent that whenever possible.

[x-polarisstar.livejournal.com]

There is rather a difference between a nose bleed and near death. It is much the same as scratching the paint on a car and ripping out the engine. You /can/ do it but it is largely considered a bad idea for the car. Which is, I suspect, what Hank is getting at here.

In any case, we listen to the med people when they tell us health things. Because they are the doctor people and have scary needles of doom and machines that go ping.

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

I see. So asking - not forcing, but asking - someone to use their power is trying to kill them? So much for that whole free will thing.

Every time one of the fliers goes up above 120 feet, they have enough altitude to reach terminal velocity in a fall and die on impact. Are you going to tell them they can't fly?

I understand that you think the ends justify the means, Doctor, but you've no more right to tell Amanda not to use her magic than you do to tell Clarice to stop being purple.

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

But you see, Dr. McCoy's already admitted to not knowing the first thing about how Amanda's power works. BECAUSE he's a doctor. That comes with a rather stringent mode of thinking, and not a lot of room to accept new paradigms. Heck, if it weren't for my power, I wouldn't have the first CLUE how Amanda's magic works.

But it's her power. It's who she is. Telling her not to use it is no different than saying "Just stop being a dirty mutie". You have an ability, you use it. Anything else makes you just human.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

I'm aware that my post was something of an overreaction. If you'd seen the condition Amanda was in, you'd understand.

It's possible to talk to Amanda about your troubles without demanding that she use her powers to fix them. And if she thinks she can help, she'll probably offer. But I don't think anyone here wants her death on their hands, do they? So. Don't ask. Like all of you, she's still learning to control her powers, and asking too much, too soon, of any young mutant can cause grievous harm.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

I have not told Amanda she can't use her magic. I have made it clear that, as of now, since there are students who can't be trusted to be careful of her safety, none of you are to *ask* her to. Amanda can write graphic insults in gigantic letters of magical fire on the lawn, if she wants to and is willing to face Cain afterwards... but nobody is to ask her to. Do you see the difference?

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

Yes. You think she's incapable of making responsible decisions for her own health. All you had to say was that you think she's incompetent, and everything would have been clear.

[x-polarisstar.livejournal.com]

He knows she can hurt herself by over-doing it. I'm not saying his 'no magic period exclamation point end of sentence' policy wasn't an overreaction but it was the reaction that a medical professional should have about his patient. If you see using magic follows to vast hurting then you stop what you think is the cause. He should have talked to Amanda first, and to her magic teacher but it wasn't as entirely out of line as it's being painted.

But it's her power. It's who she is. Telling her not to use it is no different than saying "Just stop being a dirty mutie". You have an ability, you use it. Anything else makes you just human.

I have to disagree with you on that. In fact, I have to violently disagree. My power is most certainly not who I am nor do I think that is true of any mutant. Defining yourself by a single aspect of your life is short-sighted and, in my opinion, dangerous. I will not be cast as simply 'a mutant' anymore than I will permit being cast as simply 'a cook' or 'a woman'. Doing so is insulting. I am more than the sum of my parts.

Furthermore, there is nothing 'just' about being human.

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

I repeat.

Agree to disagree.

[x-beast.livejournal.com]

I may not know how Amanda's powers work, but I do know what physical effects they have on her. And while I will not tell her not to use them, I *will* tell her to use them very cautiously, for now. As I said below, she is still young, and she is still learning. It's a question of degree, Forge... I wouldn't let you walk into a nuclear reactor, I wouldn't let a novice flyer attempt to cross the Atlantic alone and unaided, and I won't let Amanda be killed or maimed because someone pressurs her into taking too many risks with HER powers.