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

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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