STORY SUMMARY: To pass the time while Gambit and Pyro train, Echo listens to an NPR story about mutants and calls in to discuss the issue with Ira Glass. Then, she has to deal with the consequences. (I realize this is a really nerdy concept for a story, but I'm interested in how normal-ish, left-leaning, NPR-listening types would react in the X-Men universe. It's an issue the professionals rarely delve into.)
STORY NOTES: This is a follow-up to my longer story Born at the Right Time, which takes place during an AU X1 and X2. You should probably read that before you read this, but in case you really don't want to but still want to read this for some reason, Born at the Right Time establishes Gambit as a member of the Brotherhood, along with my original character, Echo. Echo is basically an ex-hipster musician who can strengthen the powers of other mutants and joined up with the Brotherhood after William Stryker took an interest in her.
COPYRIGHT NOTES: The characters (except for Echo-but they can have her if they want) belong to Marvel. Credit and gratitude to Ira Glass and This American Life, which is my favorite radio program and one that I am confident would do an excellent story about mutants. Bob Boilen on All Songs Considered is pretty cool too. I guess this is technically RPF of Ira Glass, which is kind of weird. But I didn't ship him with anyone so that's okay, right? Ohh and Nintendo owns Super Smash Brothers.
Echo is sitting on the couch in the living room of the house she, Gambit, and Pyro are currently sharing. They're basically just in waiting for Magneto and Mystique to finish setting up something in Canada. She hasn't really asked. Gambit and Pyro are in the basement, sparring. She's methodically trying to hack her way into a Homeland Security database while half-listening to podcasts. She stops short when Ira Glass's familar, slightly nasal voice, says her name. She restarts the podcast and gives it her full attention.
"Until last year, you might not have heard of Noriko Oyama unless you were a music buff or you spent a lot of time in the left-wing blogospohere. Now she's known for something else, but no one can agree on what to make of her. Brainwashed? Heroine? Evil? Voice of truth?
About a year and a half ago, Noriko-a folk-rock musician for over a decade-disappeared after giving a performance in Washington, D.C. Coincidentally, she had given an interview to NPR's Bob Boilen, of All Songs Considered, that night. Here's a clip from that interview.
Bob: So. How many instruments do you actually play?
Noriko: Um. Uh. Well, it's mainly guitar and violin. And like once in awhile mandolin or bass. And I've been messing around with piano but I'm not really ready to unleash that upon the world yet. So let's say four. That's a good number, right?
Bob: Right. Who can stop at just one? And you're actually a classically trained violinist, right?
Noriko: Yeah. Yeah, I graduated from NYU with a degree in violin performance. But that was like basically to make my mom happy. [laughs]
Ira: After that night, Noriko was not seen or heard from again for another nine months, when a YouTube video appeared on her blog on February 7, the day after everyone in the world suffered simultaneous crippling headaches, which led to several tragic plane crashes and other accidents. Here's an audio excerpt:
Noriko: For six months, I have been tortured and experimented upon, leading up to a terrible plan. Yesterday, whether you are mutant or human, you probably felt an intense pain in your head and throughout your body. Stryker forced another mutant and myself to power a machine that caused this pain. If Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants had not broken in and saved us, this machine eventually would have killed all mutants on earth.
Ira: She also identified the man as a colonel in the US Army and stated that he had kidnapped other mutants, including her sister. These claims have not exactly been confirmed, although some suspicious documents have turned up. Since then, Noriko has acted as an occasional spokeswoman for the Brotherhood of Mutants, a group many call a mutant terrorist organization, though they prefer the term mutant liberators. What's incongruous is the fact that Noriko could not seem any less like a terrorist if she tried. She consistently appears reasonable and, well, gentle. I mean, you heard her-she got a degree in violin performance to make her parents happy. Does that sound like Magneto, the other spokesman for the Brotherhood? Here's a clip for you to compare.
Magneto: The Brotherhood of Mutants will not rest until the world is safe for all mutants. We suggest that you stay out of our way. We do not seek human casualties, but they will not deter us.
Ira: That was from a statement he released shortly after he escaped from Sing Sing Prison, where he had been imprisoned for a life sentence following his attack on the UN Summit in New York last year. Noriko, on the other hand, frequently quotes Gandhi, as in this statement she released last month, via YouTube:
Noriko: The great Mahatma Gandhi said, "Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit." Our political candidates would do well to remember that when they run for office on a platform that denies equality to mutants.
Ira: So, who is she? Patty Hearst or Che Guevara? Only time will tell. I'm Ira Glass with This American Life, for Public Radio International. Our theme this week is Mutation and our program is in three acts. First-and I am so excited about this piece, because I just love their show-RadioLab's Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich talk us through what mutation exactly is. Second, Sarah Vowell tells us the fascinating story of one of the first known mutants. And finally, Alex Blumberg takes to the street and asks people what mutant power they would most like to have. All this, when our story continues."
She listens thoughtfully to the rest of the podcast. She's delighted with it. It's insightful and entertaining and doesn't condemn mutants. Except Magneto, a little bit, but she can't honestly disagree.
She has an idea, which she suspects she should run by Magneto, but, well... he's out of the country. And she doubts he listens to This American Life, anyway.
She turns on her laptop's webcam and records herself:
"Hi, Ira Glass. It's Nori Oyama. I just listened to the show about mutation and I wanted to tell you that I really liked it. Um, I'm a big fan of This American Life, and if you wanted to interview me, well, that would be okay. Only over the phone. I hope you understand. To get ahold of me, you should call 760-723-4382 and leave a message with a number and a time when I can call you back. Needless to say, my number cannot be traced. I hope to talk to you soon."
She compresses the video and sends it off to the press inquiries email address for This American Life. She's back to surfing the net for mutant news when Pyro and Gambit tramp up the stairs, looking tired and sweaty. She greets them with a smile.
"Hi, boys. How was your workout?"
Pyro groans, but Gambit says, cheerfully, "Not too bad! How was your morning, cherie?'
She beams. "They talked about me on my favorite radio show!"
"Dude, we're in the news all the time," Pyro said.
"Yeah, but not on This American Life. And they didn't talk about you guys. Just me."
"What'd they say about you, ma mie?"
"They called me gentle and reasonable."
"Sounds about right to me." He sits next to her on the couch and kisses her.
She runs a hand through his chin-length hair. "Ugh, go shower."
"I might get lonely," he says with a pout.
"Get a room, you guys," Pyro says.
"That sounds like a fine idea to me," Remy says. She grins and sets aside her laptop. She follows Remy upstairs to their bathroom, where she helps him clean up. Much later, they return downstairs, damp and content. They eat lunch with Pyro and the three of them play Super Smash Brothers. Echo always insists on playing as Princess Peach, which Pyro assures her is a terrible idea. She loses fairly consistently, but doesn't mind. That evening she checks their voicemail, but there's nothing. She's disappointed, but guesses it might take more than a day for the This American Life producers to get through all their email.
It takes two and a half days, but she finally hears a message from Ira Glass himself. She's more excited than she would have imagined. It cheers her a bit to know that she isn't totally jaded.
She calls him at the designated time.
"Ira Glass."
"Hi Ira, this is Nori Oyama."
"Ms. Oyama! I'm so glad you called."
"Please, call me Nori."
"Nori, then. All right. Before we start this interview, could you say your name, age, and occupation for me? Just so I have it on record."
"My name is Noriko Oyama. I'm 34 years old, and, um, unemployed?"
"Thank you, Nori. Could you tell me your... political affiliation?"
"Green Party. And I'm a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants."
"And do I have your permission to record this conversation?"
"Yes, of course."
"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but is this the first interview you've given since your disappearance last year?"
"That's right."
"And your last interview before you disappeared was on All Songs Considered?"
"Yeah. What can I say, I'm devoted to NPR."
"Well, then... not that we're not flattered. But why us? Why not 20/20 or Anderson Cooper? You'd be an in-demand interviewee."
"Well, I'm not anxious to appear on TV, since I don't really want to get arrested. And anyway everyone knows basic network news is on its way out. Also I don't really have a mechanism in place to accept any payment for my appearance, so I thought public radio would be the way to go. But, um, like I said before, I really am a fan of your show, and I felt like I could trust you to at least present what I said fairly."
"And if I don't, is Magneto going to destroy the WBEZ office?"
"Oh God! No, Ira, no. I would shield the NPR office with my life. Um, no, I wanted to... I mean the whole reason I started posting videos and stuff is because I wanted for people to understand what the Brotherhood of Mutants is doing. I, um, I don't know if Magneto always does the best job of, um, presenting our cause to the general public."
"That might be an understatement. Can you tell me about your relationship with Magneto?"
"Strictly platonic."
"I mean, do you get along? Your personalities seem very different."
"Oh. Yes. Well, we have had very different life experiences. I really respect Magneto. He saved my life. He has done a lot to help mutants who have been abandoned by society. Do you know that the rate of homelessness among mutants is five times greater than the national average? Magneto has arranged for safe houses for mutants who are in danger of abuse from normal shelters."
"Could you say more about how you came to join the Brotherhood?"
"Well, after my last show in D. C., two members of the Brotherhood came to my hotel room and persuaded me that William Stryker was after me. They told me to come with them, and I stayed with them for the next three months, until Stryker did actually take me into his lab."
"Back up. How did they just convince you to go into hiding with them? That's a pretty big decision."
"They showed me these government documents they'd stolen from Stryker. He had this whole scary file about me. And one about my sister, and what he was doing to her."
"Where are those files now?"
"I'm not sure, actually. I think... well, I think they were in the house that we'd been staying at in D.C. I think the FBI probably searched after Magneto was tried. I never saw those papers again after that first night. It didn't really matter to me anymore."
"Okay. So then, how did you come to be with William Stryker?"
"I'm not really sure, actually. I was with Magneto at Liberty Island, and, well, when I woke up I was in Stryker's base."
"So you were helping Magneto with his plan to mutate all the world leaders at the UN Summit?"
"Yes. My own mutation is to magnify other mutations, so I was helping Magneto. But, Ira, I have to tell you that I had no idea that the machine would hurt anyone. I-I just thought it would mutate them. And I thought long and hard about it. But it really did seem like it would do so much good for the world if suddenly all the world's leaders represented mutantkind. It seemed like it would be the nonviolent option."
"And you guys didn't test it out or anything?"
"Once. It worked. Well, he thought it worked." She sighs. "It wasn't really my idea or anything. But I trust Magneto. He really does want to protect mutants."
"Yes, but hasn't he also arranged attacks on places like unemployment offices and police stations?"
"Yes, if those places have caused harm to mutants and refused to change their discriminatory policies."
"But do you think that those attacks cause more fear of mutants?"
She sighs. "It... it isn't easy for me to agree with violence. I'd been dedicating myself to non-violent protests since my college days. But I truly think that the mutant-human situation has escalated to a point where we can no longer avoid pacifism. Our own government locked me away for six months for the crime of being a mutant. I've met other mutants who have been experimented upon for years, and then released with their memories altered. Kurt, the mutant who attacked President McKenna last year-he'd been drugged by William Stryker, the same man who experimented on me."
"You're saying that someone from within the US Army tried to have the President killed?"
"I know it's a big claim, and I am sure that Stryker destroyed the evidence. But I saw his laboratory. I met Kurt. I know it's true."
"I'm sorry, you'll forgive me if I say this all sounds a little far-fetched."
"Not that long ago, the idea of a man who could control metal with his mind would have sounded far-fetched."
"Fair enough. Okay. Can I ask more questions? Do you have time?"
"Sure."
"I am just extremely curious about your day-to-day life. The Brotherhood of Mutants has a collection of... well, powerful and dangerous mutants. You don't exactly seem like you fit in."
"Well, they aren't... um, I never really hung out with people like them before, it's true. None of them get my pop culture references, which has been difficult for me. They have all had tough lives. I'm the only one who grew up with my actual parents. A lot of mutants are thrown out by their families when their powers manifest. So, some members of the Brotherhood have had to do things to survive that I never did. But they are good people. They all look out for me. I'm kind of like their helpless little sister, I think."
"And what do you guys do? Like, average day, when you're not out blowing something up-"
"I have to clarify and say that I never never blown anything up."
"All right, when your colleagues aren't out blowing something up, what do you do?"
"Well, I don't know. The others train a lot. With their powers and stuff. I, um, I mostly look online for news about mutants who might need help somewhere. I listen to NPR podcasts. We play cards and video games."
"Your day sounds like you could work here."
She laughs. "I would love that." Her voice is almost wistful.
"Do you guys have inter-office squabbles? Like maybe one of you accidentally uses the other's coffee mug or something?"
"Well, we do all spend an inordinate amount of time together. Sometimes we do bicker about like, what radio station to listen to in the car."
"Do the other members of the Brotherhood like NPR, too?"
"Sorry, Ira, not really. I'm the nerdiest one of us. Well, Magneto I think listens to it sometimes for news. But I think he would find This American Life to be, um, frivolous. But I did make everybody who's around listen to the Mutation one this week. They mostly liked it."
"Can you tell us who 'everybody' is?"
She pauses. "I'd better not."
"What would you say to those who are genuinely afraid of mutants?"
"Well, I'd want to say the same thing I'd say to people who are afraid of African Americans or Mexican Americans, which is 'get over it.' But um, also, I would point out that the vast majority of mutants don't actually have abilities that could hurt anyone. I mean, mine don't. We just want to live our lives in peace. Most of the mutants I know outside of the Brotherhood can do things like make plants grow more quickly or control the temperature of liquids. Which, true story, that guy was a really good bartender. It's um, it's kind of like they say about spiders and stuff, like we're more scared of you than you are of us. I mean for most mutants."
"Yeah, I don't really think a guy like Magneto is all that scared of a guy like me."
"No, you're right about that."
"Do you have anything else you'd like to say to public radio listeners?"
"I'd like to quote Martin Luther King Jr., actually. He said, 'History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.' Just, please, think about what is going on around you. Think about what's happening to mutants. We are people too, people all around you. Even if you don't think you know any mutants-statistically speaking, you probably do, and they are just too scared to show their powers. Mutants are being killed, abused, and denied their basic rights in this country. Please, stand up for us. People are quick to condemn the Brotherhood when we hurt someone. But people are slow to speak out against those who hurt mutants. Haven't we learned from the black civil rights movement, from the Holocaust, from the women's liberation movement? Why are we as a people still so slow to accept social change?" She takes a deep, audible breath. "I guess that's pretty much what I'd like to say to everyone out there. Oh, and to thank those of you who have stood by your mutant family members and friends, because I do know that not all humans are betraying their mutant brothers. Thank you. I hope you all serve as examples to others in your community. And Ira, thank you for listening."
"It was my pleasure. Thank you for being willing to speak to me. Nori?"
"Yes?"
"I just wanted to say I really enjoyed speaking with you. I hope... I don't know, I hope everything works out for the best for you guys."
"Thank you. Me too."
"Okay. I have to be honest. I think this is a good interview, but I'm not sure when we can put it on the show. We just did a mutation episode, after all. Would you object if we just put it up on our blog?"
"Oh, that would be fine. Like I said, I trust you, Ira. Whatever you decide-as long as you don't misrepresent my intentions-would be fine."
"Normally our stories go through a pretty strenuous fact checking process."
"Well," she laughs, "Good luck."
"So, we'll probably corroborate your story as best as we can and then post it, and note anything that we couldn't confirm. But we'll keep intact your statements about missing documents."
"That's fine."
"Is... is there any way we can reach you, if we have any more questions for you?"
"Oh... you can use that voicemail box for another few weeks or so."
"Thank you."
"Thank you," she says, and hangs up.
She smiles and goes to find Gambit. He and Pyro are playing some kind of shoot-em-up video game. The graphics are more realistic than Super Smash Brothers. She jumps over the back of the couch so as not to block the TV. She's been scolded by Pyro one too many times for her video game ruining behaviors.
"Where you been hiding, cherie?"
"I was upstairs. I gave a phone interview to Ira Glass!"
"Who?"
"Oh, he is on public radio and he is just the best. I was so excited to talk to him."
"You were excited to talk to someone on public radio?" Pyro asks. "God, Echo, you are so lame." His tone is friendly, not malicious.
She sighs. "I know. But seriously, Ira Glass is way cool. No, but, you guys remember that radio show I made you listen to a couple days ago? About mutation? He's that guy."
"Are you sure that was such a good idea?" Gambit asks.
"What? Yeah. He's a good guy. If he's on our side, if he believes about Stryker... it would be really influential."
"And you're sure you convinced him?"
"All I know is that if I'm let down by public radio, it will destroy the last vestiges of my faith in humanity."
Gambit turns to look at her, which results in his onscreen death.
"You know, cher, correct me if I'm wrong, but public radio is run by the government. The same government that funded Stryker."
"No, not true! Public radio only gets like 10% of its budget from the government. The rest is from corporate underwriting and donations from listeners. It's for the common good! Look, you'll see when the story goes up."
She hops over the back of the couch again. "Whatever, I just wanted to tell you guys."
"Cher, you sure you don't want to play with us?"
"Nah, I'm going to go make dinner. While I listen to NPR."
"Geek," Pyro calls after her, and she laughs.
The following week she pulls up the This American Life blog and reads,
"Ira here. We got a lot of responses to our Mutation story. Some of it was from listeners who were angry that we seemed to be supporting a terrorist organization, but a lot of it was from listeners who were happy to learn more about mutants. We also heard from one surprising listener-Nori Oyama herself, of the Brotherhood of Mutants, who offered to do an interview with us. It's the first interview she's done since her reappearance, and she's surprisingly candid about her life and her beliefs about mutant rights."
Then there's a link to stream the audio of their interview. She listens to it. It's pretty much uncut.
Below the interview is another note: "We spent some time trying to fact check Nori's story through the Freedom of Information act and ran into some walls. Then we remembered WikiLeaks and found a few documents referring to a Col. William Stryker. Check out the links below and judge for yourselves."
She smiles. She knew Ira Glass wouldn't let her down.
But the next day, she reads that the Friends of Humanity have claimed responsibility for a pipe bomb in WBEZ's office in Chicago. In their statement, they said, "We cannot allow public media to spread lies about America's armed forces. This American Life is clearly in bed with the pro-mutant agenda, and we act to protect normal human Americans from this filth."
She looks for details. Several were injured, and one sound engineer was killed. She tears up and tries to visit the This American Life website again. It's down. She shuts down her computer. Later, Gambit finds her sitting cross-legged on the floor with her chin in her hands, staring into space.
"Cher? You all right?"
"A-after my story aired, the FOH put a bomb in the office of the public radio station that interviewed me. Somebody died. Because of me."
He sits next to her. "No, ma mie, somebody died because of the FOH."
She sucks in a breath, considering. "Yeah. You're right. Fuck those guys."
"What about your story? Did it get posted the way you wanted?"
"Yeah. It was good."
"Well, cherie, you did the best you could. You did what you thought was right."
"I can't believe I didn't even think of that, though. I didn't think that things had gotten so bad that the FOH would make such a public attack like that. On NPR." Her tone is one of reverence and betrayal.
"Don't you think your journalist friend would have known?"
"Guess so."
"And he made the choice to talk to you anyway."
"Yeah. Yeah. It still sucks though."
"You did what you thought was best, cherie. We're just gonna have to wait and see how it plays out."
"Guess so. Ugh! Why do they have to ruin everything?"
"They're sad, scared people."
"I hate them," she says, tiredly.
"You are better than they are." He strokes her hair.
"Not like it takes much."
"You want to go play Smash Brothers?"
"Yeah, I think I do."
"It's a good way to get your aggression out, non, princesse?"
She giggles and kisses him. They sit side by side on the couch, hitting each other with fairy wands and cartoon bombs. Pyro comes to join them and she smiles. She thinks it is good for them to have this world where the violence is cartoonish and doesn't actually hurt anyone. They make too many life-and-death decisions around here.
~ The End~
Let me know if you liked this, and maybe I'll write a mutant version of Prairie Home Companion. JUST KIDDING, I will not do that.