20° VIDEO

[faceofthe4]

[Johnny's sitting awkwardly in front of the console in his suite.]

Why is no one freaking out about this? From the sounds of it, all of our powers are gone. Just like that. [He snaps. No flame appears. He throws his hands up in frustration.]

Seriously. There should be alarms going off. People should be taking blood samples and looking at ours cells. Someone should be creating some sort of system to track different.. I don't know.. thermal.. geo.. radio... something. Is it a sun spot? Aliens? We have no idea, because we're all sitting around trying.

Something's coming. Great. That might be the cause, but if it's not? We should probably figure this whole no-powers thing out before it gets here.

[He looks down at his hand and shakes it, as one might shake a Nintendo controller when the game glitches. He stops shaking it. Nothing happens.]

Oh COME ON!

Comments

[cons]

I just don't see what's wrong with being a pilot for a while, I guess. Does this place really need superheroes?

[ ah, crap, that sounded much less offensive in her head ]

I only mean- I haven't exactly ran into any supervillains since I got here, so does it matter?

[faceofthe4]

People still need saving even when there aren't villains. Clyde, for example. He's sick. He could use some help.

Besides, does this place really need pilots?

aaah back from hiatus, sorry for the wait!!

[cons]

-- Who's Clyde?

welcome back; no worries!

[faceofthe4]

The turtle.

[cons]

Is that.. his real name, or is that the name you gave him?

[faceofthe4]

It's the best name he has. That's what's important.

[cons]

Clyde? That's the best you've got?

[ pretending to be more invested in this just to avoid talking about how superheroes aren't so super right now? yes. ]

[faceofthe4]

You could do better?

[He'll take that distraction.]

[cons]

Well, I mean, I hardly know him. Haven't even introduced myself. It'd be tough to give a nickname to a guy I've never met.

But yeah, I can.

[ basically ]

[faceofthe4]

I don't know where you're from, but you don't really "meet" turtles.

[cons]

Um. [ ??!-face, all very exaggerated ] Would you give a name to a dog you've never met?

[faceofthe4]

If I spent weeks riding around on his back first? Sure. Think of him as more of an airline.

[cons]

That's just rude.

I heard the turtle has feelings. What if he can hear all this? Now he's going to be upset.

[faceofthe4]

You're right. I should apologize.

[Johnny turns to look away from the screen and yells:] I'M SORRY, CLYDE.

[This his attention's forward again.]

Feel better?

[cons]

Hey, I feel fine- it's Clyde you need to be concerned about.

Although I'm actually starting to like the name Clyde, I think. Hm.

[faceofthe4]

See? It grows on you.

Like me. You think I'm annoying at first, but then, suddenly, you just can't wait to go to dinner with me.

[cons]

[ snort ]

Is that right?

[faceofthe4]

You don't feel that sexual tension?

[cons]

I-

[ squint, deliberate pause ]

I can't tell if you're joking or not..

[faceofthe4]

Not about us having dinner.

[cons]

Do people do that here? I would've thought with the whole rationing thing, there wouldn't be any dinner dates going on.

[ just stalling here ]

[faceofthe4]

When you want it that badly, you make it work.

[cons]

I'm guessing you mean 'you' in the general sense, yeah?

[faceofthe4]

Sure thing.