tushanshu | 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...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ 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.

Video; First Roar

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