tushanshu | Video; First Roar

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Video; First Roar

[ Hello, turtle dwellers! It's a new face appearing this evening. He's slumped over in front of his console, hands still hovering on the keyboard and the screen that activated the camera. The older man is wearing a strange costume, sans the helmet with a black domino mask covering his eyes.

Beside him, another man dressed in a black spandex undersuit has a hold of his arm and is trying in vain to pull the arm guard off him. He's about to speak into the camera when he winces. ]

Ow--Owww! What're you doing? My arm doesn't bend that way, Bunny!

[Barnaby huffs at his partner's protests, not at all sympathetic to his predicament.]

Well, maybe it would if you turned around for a second. Honestly, I can't believe you. You should have read how to take your suit off before you put it on in the first place!

Well, I shouldn't have to read the suit's manual since Saitou always has the truck stationed to take it off!

Yeah, except when he doesn't, like now. I even specifically asked him to make it easier to take off our suits just in case we had to do it ourselves! Of course, that doesn't do any good if you don't bother to educate yourself on how your own equipment works.

Well, I'm sorry! I didn't expect I'd need to know so soon [ aka like two years. ] So there's really no point in worrying about it now, right? Let's try and solve this!

[ Now then! Back to the whole point of this transmission. Wild Tiger brings his attention back to the screen with a sheepish grin. ]

Uhm, hello! So... Funny story, actually... I, uh, ehhh usually have a machine take my Hero suit off and uhmm... since our suit guy isn't here... Kinda been stuck in it all day.

Anyone else ever had this problem...? Eh hehehe... he...

[Ugh, if he was going to make a transmission, he could have given a little bit of a warning. As much as he scolded Kotetsu, Barnaby did generally have the decency to not do it in front of strangers.

Well, whatever. No reason to involve himself as though he were somehow responsible for this mess. Better to wash his hands of it and move out of eyesight. So he does just that and promptly walks off-screen.]

Bunny, what're you--? Bunny! [ Why are you leaving him?! He twists his head back to find his partner, but he's not by him anymore. Laying his head on the table, Kotetsu groans. ] Oh man.... I have to pee so bad...

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[An eyebrow raise.]

How much of that is metal, and what kind? I can probably get it off you, but no guarantees it'll be in the same shape afterwards.

Edited 2013-10-28 13:48 (UTC)

Uhhhh...

[ Why are you asking hard questions?! ]

No, I think most of it's plastic? Or... Bunny!

[ He turns around to try and make eye contact with his partner that is as far away from the camera as possible. ]

Our suits are plastic, right? Or reinforced... uhmm... plastic?

[Plastic. She'd never encountered it until she arrived here, but--]

Then if you don't mind being cut out of it, I can give you a hand. Guess it depends how badly you need to go to the bathroom.

[His voice can be heard over Kotetsu's feed.]

Sorry, but I'm not going to divulge trade secrets by telling everyone the exact composition of our suits. I will say they're not made from metal, though.

[Dryly:] I wasn't aware armor people can't get out of was something the rest of us would actually want to copy, but suit yourself.

In that case, any solution I propose is going to be a little less elegant than I'm guessing you'd prefer. If the kid with the glowing eyes can't handle it, let me know.

[ SIIIIGH! ]

Thanks. If it comes to that--which it won't [ Tiger will not allow it, even if he has to pee in his suit! ] I'll, uh... Let you know...

Not that badly! [ Actually, yes, that badly, but this is where manly pride comes into play. ] I only brought one! I can't be a Hero without my suit.

[ooh mister kaburagi ooh]

I'm sure that means something where you're from, but it doesn't to me. Unless hero is actually a job description for you.

[ Aw yis, that's right bby ]

Ehhh, you don't... know?

[ HOW EVEN PEOPLE?! ]

It's my job! I'm, you know, a Hero! I save civilians! Capture criminals on prime time television! [ Put out CD singles and act in cleaning supply commercials, but she doesn't need to know about that side of his job. ]

We have the police for that. I'm surprised you don't.

[A slight frown.] Television is like-- [waving at the screen] --this, isn't it? What on earth do you need to put it on television for?

We have police, but when your criminals can walk through bank vaults and fly! Well, obviously the police aren't able to handle that! Besides, this way we keep casualties to a minimum! No one has to risk their lives!

... Well, we do, but we're more prepared!

[ Wow, woman, where in the balls are you from? Tiger's patience starts to falter into bewildered impatience. ]

Because! For the public to see that we're taking care of them!

[ And because it's a reality TV show where the audience can root for their favorite Hero, but again, she totally doesn't need to know about that part! Or the tons of merchandise they unload on the audience. ]

I'm still not seeing why the police can't just recruit...heroes like you. [She says heroes the same way she'd say vigilantes: with a none-too-subtle trace of annoyance.] Or people who can fly or walk through walls. We've never let that stop us in Republic City.

[That faint expression of annoyance deepens at the mention of the public. She can read between the lines, or thinks she can--high-speed chases broadcast for everyone to see, with a tinny announcer giving a blow-by-blow account of events. What the pro-bending arena is to the bending arts, except with lives at stake.]

Fantastic. Do you do advertising gigs, too? Got a mascot?

Ehh, well, that's sort of... Uhh... [ You are totally talking to the wrong partner about the socioeconomic goings on in Stern Bild. ] I mean, I guess they could, but NEXT are still kind of... looked down on--Not like it was when I was a kid! But... an institution like law enforcement? It'd take a long time for it to change. So, until then, they need us. You know, Heroes!

[ Hey, he's pretty confident with that answer! Of course that quickly changes when the woman continues her potshot questions. ]

... Not a mascot exactly, but I have to advertise, yeah. I don't want to! Heroes don't have time for that kinda stuff, but my... contract...

[That gives her pause. She'd assumed an entirely different hierarchy to the one she's hearing about now: one where the underpaid, overworked police were at the beck and call of so-called superheroes. Apparently that had been more influenced by personal bias than reality. The idea that the superheroes are apparently not good enough for the police is one she hadn't even stopped to consider.]

So what, it's some kind of...entertainment for the city? And next what?

It's not entertainment! We are showing the citizens that they are being protected and promoting a better image of NEXT--They're what everyone calls people with power. Noted Entities of Extraordinary Talent!

[ Don't listen to him, it's all about entertainment. ]

Sure it isn't.

Go on, surprise me. What kind of powers do you have?

It's called Hundred Power. My strength, speed, reflexes are increased a hundredfold for a short time. Then I gotta wait for it to recharge. It's not constant like some NEXT powers.

By a hundred? [She pauses, a little impressed despite herself. And the cops haven't hired this guy yet--why?]

What other NEXT powers are there?

Uhhh, I dunno, all kinds. Shooting fire, freezing water, shape-shifting, using electricity, floating. Those are all pretty useful...

There's plenty of powers that might as well be circus acts, too. I met one kid that could shed his hair... I mean, what kind of power is that?! Not exactly handy when you're trying to grab a criminal!

[Greater variety than bending--for better or for worse. Huh.]

How does a kid end up with a power like that?

Genetic mutation or something. Some people don't develop powers until they hit the teenage years, some have 'em as soon as they're born. I got mine when I was around ten.

Think my partner got his when he was two...

It's all kinda random really. My daughter can copy any NEXT's power if she touches 'em. There's no rhyme or reason, at least not that I know of. But, hey, I'm not a scientist! Just a Hero...

[Genetic mutation is beyond her, but she can grasp the general idea of what he's saying, at least.]

So a little like bending, then. It doesn't manifest right away. Of course, yours sounds a little more random.

Why would you put the suit on if you knew you would have trouble taking it off?

[ Wow, listen, you little smart ass! ]

I didn't put the suit on myself! Our engineer has this.. big truck that woosh! and kreee! and does it for us! And it's not like I planned on getting stolen while I was on duty today!

So you arrived in the suit. Poor luck there.

Tell me about! They should give us warning before pulling a stunt like that!

[ What if he had been on the toilet?! ]

If they had given us warning, we may have been able to avoid being taken.

I.... Well... I guess that's true--Still! It was bad timing all around!

Um. Sir?

[Hard to believe that THIS is the teammate of that blonde guy. Jaime watches them on the feed struggling before sighing a little and waving at the camera.]

That's normal Earth tech, right? I can probably help get it off. If you've locked yourself in it, I mean.

[ Why in the hell are you bringing up Earth, kid? Weeird. ]

Uh, yeah... It's pretty standard--For our company, I guess [ Apollon Media is sort of the cutting edge in robotic technology, so... ]

Locked? It better not be! Bunny got out of his, mine should be pretty much the same!

[ Insert petulant whine from a forty year old here. ]

[It's a Space Thing, Kotetsu. (Though technically he'd be able to get through it anyway...)]

Okay, great. Basically, I could get it off by overriding whatever mechanism's keeping the suit on you. [As if to illustrate, Jaime's eyes briefly glow yellow.] Instead of you yanking it all off and hurting yourself.

Is that cool?

Oh... R... Really? That's sounds--!

Wait.... [ Okay, gears are turning in Tiger's brain as he tries to add together the costume, the glowing eyes, and this handy little trick to pick locks. ]

Are you some kind of thief mastermind? Are you wanted?!

[ There's only eight Heroes legally registered in Stern Bild. You're either a vigilante or a robber! OBV! ]

[Wait, him? Thief?]

N-n-no!! I'm not, I'm with the good guys! I'm the Blue Beetle! Ask any of the other superheroes, they'll vouch for me, honest!

[Cue Jaime waving his hands defensively.]

The Blue Beetle? [ Pfffft! Who names themselves after a stupid insect you can squash under your shoe? Now, a Praying Mantis... Those are pretty sweet, and they got that kung fu thing going on for 'em. But a beetle? ]

Alright, so yer a "Hero". Who're you affiliated with, or are you like the other part-timers? [ Yeah, there's a little bitterness there after the amount of backlash their occupation created on the network earlier. ]

Yes! I'm the Blue Beetle! [HUSH YOUR INNER MONOLOGUE, KOTETSU, HE DIDN'T PICK THE NAME.]

A what? [Affiliates... he's got none of those, technically. Must be a weird hero-for-pay universe thing, since he seems to be familiar with that weird blonde guy from before.] Um, the Teen Titans? I sorta had just joined before I showed up here some months back. But I don't think you guys have the Titans or the Justice League in your world.

Nah, only the Heroes for Hero TV Live. No one else is licensed by the Justice Bureau.

So... Do your leagues or whatever work together or just compete against each other? How does that work if you guys are all a part of different associations? You still have to be sanctioned, right?

[ This shit is really not as simple as it could be, guys! Learn from them. ]

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Video; First Roar

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