Introduction to Speech

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

Transcribed from Emma's introductory Speech class.

Welcome, students, to Speech class. Historically, classes like this really only exist to make common boys employable and common girls marriageable. That is not what we're here for today.

That's not to say that this class won't get you a job, or even a husband, should you find yourself in need of one for some awful, archaic reason. No, the point of this class is to help you get anything you ask for.

I am a telepath. As such, I have the ability to read minds and to coerce minds. People like to think that I built my entire career on such tricks. It makes me seem less of a threat if I can be written off as nothing more than a parlor trick. The truth is, I've learned a fair number of tricks in my short, beautiful life, and I've made a habit of mastering every weapon in my arsenal. I know how to get what I want, and I don't need to resort to telepathy to get it. Now I will pass my knowledge on to you.

This class is all about articulation, presentation and confidence. It is also about manipulation, intimidation and confidence tricks. I will teach you how to fleece, how to finagle, and how to flatter. I will teach you how to seduce, how to insinuate, and how to lie. If you have moral qualms about any of this, I will teach you how to suppress them. I'm giving you the skills, and just as in auto repair class, what you do with them is up to you.

As part of the course, we will play poker once a week in the psi-damp lab, and by the end of the term I expect you to be able to put up a decent fight, even against Mr Wisdom or Mr Logan. You will learn when to raise, and when to fold. We will take a field trip to Washington DC to see the masters at work. The masters, incidentally, are not the folks who live on the Hill.

We will form a committee to change one thing about the world, and we will work to change it. How we decide what that one thing is will depend entirely on you. Or rather, on whichever of you is the strongest presence in the debate. One of my previous classes managed to secure an Oscar for a former Bond girl, for example, while another managed to swing a Senate election in New York. We've had our failures too, mind you. We never did get beach volleyball accepted as an official Olympic sport.

You will learn to recognise your strengths and others' weaknesses, and you will develop an understanding of body language. You will learn when to bluff and how to barter. You will learn charm, persuasion, and the power of silence. In short, you will learn conduct. By the time you graduate, I expect you to even be able to sweet-talk Dr MacTaggart.

Now, class, open your books to page eight. The rules of poker. Who here knows how to shuffle?

Comments

[x-marrow.livejournal.com]

This class should probably be mandatory for all the new hellion-y types, right? Cause I think Sarah just transferred in. :)

...

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

Oh, Marie-Ange is SO taking this class.

Sometime near the end of the semester, I need to log one of those poker games with some of you.

[x-kitten.livejournal.com]

Is it too late to register?

[x-gambit.livejournal.com]

Remy doesn't actually take any classes, but he'd love to sit in on those poker games. Boy needs some dishonest money.

[x-shinobi.livejournal.com]

Shinobi knows how to shuffle! */teacherspet*

[x-rogue.livejournal.com]

Oh, Auntie Emma! When Marie is well on her way to killing things with her bare hands with ease, perhaps you will have time to find some way to polish up the little southern girl who has forgotten most of her finishing lessons?

[xp_daytripper]

A class where you play poker? Fuck. My schedules full of all that 'educational' shite... Maybe next term?

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

I think Emma would strongly encourage Sarah to sign up, yes. :)

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

Oh, absolutely not. It was undersubscribed initially, but there seems to have been a recent surge in interest...

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

I think that could be arranged. Emma knows a card sharp when she sees one, and in this game, that's exactly what she needs.

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. One would hate to see Marie learning all her bad habits from Logan. There are so many other bad habits she needs to adopt.

Manuel...

[x-empath.livejournal.com]

0wnz this class.

Wait. Psi-dampener chamber.

Fsck.

Ah well, this is STILL right up his alley. These are skills Alphobnso tried (and in some cases succeeded) in giving him. In others, he failed miserably. As I'm sure you _all_ know by now.

And I know how to shuffle.

Redhawk / Manuel

Re: Manuel...

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

Ah, see, this is the class where Emma demonstrates to Manuel that she's not lying about the whole 'politeness brings its own rewards' thing. He may think he owns this class, but if he can't be charming and manipulative without the use of his powers, he'll fast be out of his depth. The poker games are going to be a real slap in the face for our Manny. :)

[x-kitten.livejournal.com]

*registers*

Thank you very much, Ms. Frost. I do hope I can do your teaching justice. *smiles sweetly*

[x-rogue.livejournal.com]

I'm /so/ glad we understand each other. Marie'd be wasted as just a tomboy who can break men in two without blinking. *grins*

Re: Manuel...

[x-empath.livejournal.com]

Yes, and that's the point.

This class is going to be a real wake-up call for How The Big Boys and Girls Play.

Manny thinks he knows, but to quote the old game:

"YOU DON'T KNOW JACK!"

I foretell much frustration and after-class retaliation, until Emma smacks him down for it. After all, changes made _before_ the dampener chamber will last until they'd fade naturally. ;)

Redhawk

[x-marrow.livejournal.com]

Beats the hell out of sociology. :)

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

OMG, we SO need to have a staff poker game. Maybe another one for younger kids, too.

*plans*

[x-shinobi.livejournal.com]

Yes! Weekly staff poker games. And Scott can take up playing the trombone and grow a beard, while we're at it. *geeks*

[x-blink.livejournal.com]

I (Maureen) resemble that remark!

[x-blink.livejournal.com]

Clarice is so in...now, what to drop...?

[x-skin.livejournal.com]

Okay, since Mythology's not on the curriculum after all and he therefore has a space free, Angelo's so taking this class.

[x-skin.livejournal.com]

When he's well enough, of course.

[x-pete.livejournal.com]

So, is Pete allowed to take the little bastards for all their money, or does this have to be strictly educational?

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

I think taking them for all their money would be educational.

Ah Yes

[x-gambit.livejournal.com]

Teachers and students with vast amounts of money! Ones that mostly have no clue! Now, the question is does Remy risk double dealing into a six deck box shuffle? Oh, the decisions...

Plus, must remember not to get rooked by Wisdom or Logan, who are at his level but have more than the little voice in the back of their heads advising.

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

Emma's not too bad herself, you know. For a girl. The Dow Jones is about as high stakes as it gets.

Yep

[x-gambit.livejournal.com]

I have no doubt. However, I'm not sure used to she is doing it without her telepathy, and Remy's never had that.

These are going to be some epic games, especially when Doug sharks everyone at the table for the first time.

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

Hmm, good point. Emma may have to put some sort of damper on Doug as well, if he's playing.

After she's given him a chance to show everyone else how it's done, anyway.

The deal with Emma is that she's used her telepathy to learn patterns of behaviour, so that she can recognise them even without her telepathy. It's a survival trait for dealing with people like Shaw, who will use psi-bafflers or dampers in meetings and even at social gatherings.

Ah...

[x-gambit.livejournal.com]

This will definitely be interesting. Not to mention Cain likely isn't a half bad poker player himself. Only trouble for Remy is distraction.

"Remy, are you in or out?"

"Depends which point of de fantasy I'm at, chere."

*sigh*"Not this again..."

"Remy not de one dat wears a white corset and choker t' de poker game."

...

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

I hope you can damp precognition as well - Marie-Ange after a few glasses of wine (and much closer to the end of the semester) is gonna pick up a few things.

Or, alternatly, just don't give her anything to drink and make sure she's slept. She only gets access to the precog when under an altered state of mind. :)

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

"The look might suit you, 'cher'. You certainly seem to enjoy sticking your neck out."

Re: ...

[x-rahne.livejournal.com]

*sends Marie-Ange a giant snake and some hallucinogenic fumes*

*is very OOC here, yes*

Re: ...

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

Hey, Oracle is the OTHER comics company. They don't have her in a movie yet.

:)

But yes, that's exactly what I was going for. The whole Oracle at Delphi thing with the fumes. No snake though. Mice instead.

Side note

[x-gambit.livejournal.com]

Yahoo now offers a Hold-Em Poker game, that we could hijack for an actual game sometime if people are interested.

Re: ...

[x-rahne.livejournal.com]

What fun are mice? ;)

Re: ...

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

Myomancy. ;)

Predicting the future by either:

1. Setting mice free to see which way they run, or.
2. reading mousetracks in a box of sand.

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

Why do I suddenly hear the Ominous Music?

[x-celsis.livejournal.com]

I don't think that's workable in game terms, simply because the strength of poker between the characters is in their interactions, and anyway, we're probably not at the same level as out characters. :)

[x-kitten.livejournal.com]

Because you're a very clever boy?