Chiron Academy

Chapter 2.5: Aftermath

Transcript of 

Speech to the Nation on 1/29/20XX

by James Barrowman, POTUS

My fellow Americans, I'd like to thank you for tuning in this evening. As you know, a startling event occurred this week in Michigan that has rocked our nation. News has been pouring into Camp David through official reports and social media about the overwhelming response to the death of Clive Smith, a hero who sacrificed himself for the greater good of his neighborhood and his city. We honor his sacrifice. We are of course aware of how much heroes have helped us to achieve what we have gained in our modern world. You may well know someone who has been saved by a hero. I myself, just last year, was saved from certain death by the super-team, the Fighting Force.

However, while we appreciate the good these involved citizens do, including Clive Smith and many other teenage vigilantes like him, in the case of under-aged superheroes, the good is outweighed by our concern over the potentially hazardous danger each of them faces. Young people are not as equipped for the physical and emotional rigors of facing such danger. Their brains are still developing and cannot make the same judgment calls an adult can make. We must not allow dozens of other young people to suffer Clive's fate. We will not allow another single such case to occur.

That is why I am enacting an Executive Order hereby known as the Clive Smith Order into law tonight that any vigilante action committed by any person under the age of 18 to be illegal and any party that pursues such a course will be pursued and prosecuted with all possible emphasis.

Let it be known that young people in America are valued as the next generation of leaders. Let it be known America has it's youths' best interests at heart.

On this note, to ensure the continuing raising up of the next generation of superheroes, we have decided that a school, a program, should be begun for the training of the next generation of superheroes. Chiron Academy, named for the centaur of Greek mythology that trained several heroes, will serve as the training ground for the rising generation of humanity's saviors.

My administration is dedicated to the support and protection of our youth. I hope that you, my fellow Americans, will stand with me. Good night.

Jimmy Barrowman

--------------------

"What should we do?" Todd said.

Wyatt and Todd were standing on top of a building downtown. It was a favorite because it was it was halfway between Todd's house and Wyatt's family's apartment. It's relatively low height was also easier on Todd.

"I don't know," Wyatt replied. "You heard the president. It's illegal."

"I don't know what to do," Todd said. "Honestly, we probably shouldn't even be here. This is probably not the time to have two kids in colored jumpsuits wandering around at night."

"Well, luckily, flying around with giant wings isn't illegal. So as long as we don't stop any muggings, we should be fine," Wyatt said flatly. "What if I stop some people from jaywalking accidentally, does that still count?

"This whole thing is stupid." Wyatt continued. "Honestly, this doesn't change anything, There's still going to be criminals pulling stuff here in Atlanta. It's not like saying we can't do anything will change any of that. And it's not like the Fighting Force are suddenly going to start stopping every convenience store robbery across the country. Every mugging we've stopped, every grand theft auto would have gone off without a hitch if we hadn't been there. I've never gotten to a crime scene where a cop and I happened to get there at the same time. It just bugs me that they think they can invalidate what we've been doing for years. Like it didn't even matter."