shellphones | video / please send this beast to your local authorities (us)

Entry tags:

video / please send this beast to your local authorities (us)

Type: Video
Sender ID: tenrectricity (Surge)
To: Public
Subject: Have You Seen This Bum?
Warnings: n/a

[ immediately the viewer will see a green animal on screen, the camera angled up telling that whoever is holding the camera is shorter than her. don't mind that, because she's leaning forward into the screen with a sharktooth grin, then tapping at the recorder with the tip of her gloved finger. ]

Hey, is this working!?

[ in the background is a very low "yes ma'am!".

surge leans back, her ears twitching as she nods to herself. she shifts to the left a bit, then to the right now sure which side is her best side but... she'll figure that out later. ]

Okay, listen up! Your fellow heroes [ self-proclaimed ] are inna crisis! I got a prop...eristion for anyone willing to take on the challenge!

[ from behind the camera, another voice can be heard: ]

Proposition...

Yeah, that! The reward? We'll get to that later! A N Y way! There's this damn menace on the prowl causin' trouble as we speak, and you all need to be on the lookout. He's out there creatin' monsters and trying to put people in peril, but we know his weakness, and we'll get rid of him for ya before he tries to kill ya next.

[ hands on her hips, the tenrec nods to her own words because it makes sense, why wouldn't it? ]

Hand me the... y'know! [ she's holding out her hand towards the camera person, asking for something. ] So I know you're all curious about who this nefarious fiend is. My cool and artistic sidekick has taken it upon himself to draw this cretin.

[ a flap of a sheet of paper now means the camera screen, revealing the culprit. ]

THIS GUY. Bring him to us and we will beat the shit out of him and you never have to deal with his evil again! So, anyone up for the task?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ how is it her fault if he didn't speak, there's something fishy about this. ]

I'm not askin' ya to look into anything. I said bring him to me, if you can't do that stay outta my way.

[ is she being rude? yes, but there are things that aren't her fault, and he agreed what he was doing was suspicious. ]

I don't like the way you sigh, it's like you're lookin' down on me. [ and she's seen this many times, no one likes how she does things and well, that's their problem. ] I was letting it be known what's goin' on and to be careful, and if able to bring that troublemaker to me.

That's too bad, I've got ample time to engage in investigations. [ He doesn't need her to like him, actually, so he decides to be blunt. ]

You sound like an amateur, throwing around the word hero like it doesn't mean anything. You're worse than the student heroes, at least they've gotten some education under their belts and know not to jump directly to escalation. No wonder it went sideways, everything you said you did is the opposite of helpful when dealing with situations with villains or potential villains.

You don't know what you're doing.

Do you think I care what you think because I don't.

[ people deciding what she should do or how she should act, like there's a rulebook for this, there's nothing in the face of danger. when put against all odds, she has to go about it in the best way she can. ]

I'm tired of whoever tryna tell me how to lead my life and how I should do things. I know what I want, and I will achieve it in a way that makes sense to me!

[ no one will tell her she can't be a hero, no one will decide what it is that she's capable of. people before were proud of her, she's never had that, people who would smile and cheer her name, people who actually weren't afraid of her. ]

You don't know anythin' because in the end, the monster was dealt with, and in the end those people were safe and that's because I took part in that. You weren't there to do a thing! It was a success, I'll have you know.

[ There literally is a rulebook, that's the point. Her attitude of kick everything's ass is what's offending him and giving him the impression she's clueless and this answer doesn't change his mind. ]

Someone acting suspicious to you out of context is not grounds for anything and assaulting someone for doing so makes you the villain. [ Just so you know. ]

You got lucky. I'm glad for your success, but your luck is going to run out. It's not safe for people who don't know what they're doing to get tangled in heroics, and the way you're going about it is going to paint a target on your back, not this other guy's.

Then someone who knows what they're doing might be the one to come after you.

You're not glad for anythin', you're like the rest of them deciding how I'm not up to standard.

[ starline, those in the restoration that want surge and kit to be a certain way, never seeing it their way, finding ways to blame them. it's the same song and dance. she never asked to be this way.

either kill or be killed seems to be the only answer that people want from her. she said it before that she can't do it anymore, she can't, because she's chosen a new path.

no matter his doubts, she won't change her mind. ]

That doesn't scare me at all, even if I am a target, I'll prove my worth.

[ she may have yelled a little, but she's confident, and with a smirk on her face does surge scoff. ]

Whoever comes for me, be ready, I'm not the tenrec anyone can handle.

[ This is why he only has one intern and was barely interested in recruiting him - he's not one for teaching, but god, she's going to get herself killed. ]

I am, actually. Protecting people is what I'm passionate about. Protecting people means something. I come from a world full of super heroes, every kid grows up wanting to be one. Hell, I did. [ Which is how he got here. ] But being a hero is more than beating up people you think are suspicious. I'm not telling you you can't be a hero, I'm telling you to do it right. Right now, you're doing something dangerous, and you're going to get yourself killed.

[ Hawks sighs a little bit yeah, that's cute. He can't tell her age, but all the bluster screams inexperience. He's fairly confident he'd wipe the floor with her. Then again, that's literally his job. ]

If you want to be a hero you don't want to end up on the other side where you're the wanted target. If this guy came on here and started telling people you attacked him out of the blue, you don't think he'd be justified in doing so? It's partly about optics.

Right? Ha, yeah. Everyone has a version of that, but following everyone else has done nothin' for me.

[ she's had to make it on her own, the people she heard out version of "right" meant many things. him, a hero? sure, like she believes that. there's insecurities within her, horrible trust issues, and the word "hero" means so much to her that who wouldn't use it as an advantage to make her calm down.

her ears twitch briefly, one hand coming up to scratch at one. how funny, she's been the target, she was born the target, but she doesn't blame him because he doesn't know that. ]

Sometimes things don't go as ya like'm, and sometimes I'mma be the target and I'll have to protect myself. Being a hero isn't easy, that doesn't keep you safe from being someone another flunkie wants to kill. I know that!

[ she hums in thought, one hand coming to her chin, and that nose of her wiggles in thought. ]

If we swapped places, and tons of people were after me, I'd have to hold my own, but I'm not alone. I have to keep up what I do for someone else, so I won't lose.

They do, but the basics tend to be the same. [ He's literally got a license in his coat pocket, he's a real professional. ] Every vocation is nuanced to some degree, heroics isn't different, but you do still have to generally act like a hero.

[ Unsaid: she's not exactly succeeding here ]

There aren't that many villains around here, and you might've noticed the paladin armada is rotten to the core. It's important to ask questions and use critical thinking. Not everything is as it seems.

[ He hums. ] I'm sure you think I'm being mean to you, but were the tables turned I would question him too. I'm not saying you're wrong here, but what you've told me, I can't be sure that you're not. This could be all one big misunderstanding which happens more than you'd think.

It's all the same everywhere, you defend the weak people from the guys that take advantage of them. Keep them safe and happy.

[ she knows this is how it works, not much thinking goes into keeping them safe and happy. from what she's seen sonic do, he can put the world in peril and they still love him. he's still a hero. ]

Uh...

[ are they? she doesn't pay attention to those people, she's scratching the back of her head. here we go. ]

I recently got here, so I'm not familiar with what's around. [ she doesn't want to admit that, but she isn't aware about how deep the rabbit hole goes with paladins. ] What's wrong with'em?

[ is he being mean? probably not. is he saying things she doesn't want to hear? absolutely. then again the difference is that if there was a call out post for her, she would take the bait and go fight, she's not good at sitting still.

even the thought that it may be a misunderstanding is giving her a headache and not something she wants to touch on. she needs to wrap her head around the prospect of being wrong (like always). ]

[ A tall order when described that way, and a lot goes into that beyond the basics of punching the bad guy, but it's also an ideal to live up to. He can't even say all the heroes he knows do, but that's why it's important to poke at people to do the right thing. ]

The paladins are pretty corrupt. Most recently there was a huge mess with a human trafficking ring, and it turned out that higher ups in the paladins were involved in that. Not exactly the most virtuous people here. [ He's unhappy with it. ]

There have been countless cases of harassing corsairs, regardless of what they are doing, and arresting them under false pretenses. I'm sure they get bonuses for catching them. When confronted for the evidence they basically just say that they're the good guys and should be trusted, but it's clear they cannot be trusted.

[ Hawks sighs again, all this being serious has to be bad for him. He'll get wrinkles! He's too young for wrinkles. ]

Bounties can be sought out by anyone, by all accounts, there's no oversight, no questioning of the facts. Beyond all of that, most riftfarers, regardless of armada tend to be fairly good, law abiding citizens. No one chose their armada, they were just placed there. Nothing has been black and white and recently this brand they gave us was trying to stop our interactions between the fleets. Question is, why?

I knew like half of this! They put Drippy on the wrong team, he's with the Costars or whatever, he's supposed to be on the "good" team.

[ or what she thought was the good team. not that bad though now she's started to question if there's a reason she's with the paladins. then she gets it into her head that maybe she should bully other paladins to see what they're about, and when surge smiles that mischievous toothy grin shows itself like she's up to something.

that's very hero-like. ]

I'm lettin' you know this upfront, anyone bully my partner and it isn't me will have to answer to my fist so they better not think about it. I'll show them corrupt.

[ whether she's protecting him or she doesn't want anyone stealing her thunder... hard to say, hard to say. her warning sounds like a threat that she's very much willing to go through with doing. there's only so many people that she can beat up around here, and no one is going to take that from her.

which is why she circles back to the most interesting part about this. ]

I think we should take down higher ups of Paladins and replace'm, that way we can weed out the bad ones.

[ yeah, let's take down the government or whatever!! but also... ] Is the brand avoidable or...?

[ He laughs, both surprised and not about her warning. ] I think looking after those you care about is heroic. [ He thinks so anyway. ]

I don't think one side is good or bad, I don't think it's that easy. I just don't know all the motivations yet.

[ He chuckles and shrugs. ] I wouldn't complain at this point. I haven't had that much to do with the force itself, I mostly stick to my own morals and help people when I can. [ He offers his services, that's how he's a hero here. He doesn't think the rules and laws are that clear cut here either. A lot of grey area. ]

Just showed up one day. It hasn't bothered me lately, but before it was hurting when I encountered a corsair. [ Making him a paladin. ]

[ when she thinks about the people she wants to protect, it's a little selfish, but herself and kitsunami for all that happened. then, she wants to protect the weak individuals of the world who can't help that they can't protect themselves. there's not much to care about in the world, but she did like the praise. ]

Hm...

[ the way he talks is... very different from sonic, the world's hero back home, but here things must be based on something else. proof? being able to make conversation? understanding? she doesn't have these things.

but she wants to be a hero while being herself, she doesn't want to change anymore. she wants to stick to her own morals and help people when she can.

... ]

What if I wanna be a hero without changin' who I am?

[ she's not who she used to be. when she woke up, she was "surge". ] I just want better opportunities.

[ besides, confirming himself as a paladin on this side and a hero, maybe he has something to say. sure, he's an asshole, but she can be too which makes whether the conversation escalate or not. ]

Even if that brand stops us from interactin' with the opposite armada, I'll still do what I can for'em.

[ Hawks hums a little bit, looking thoughtful. ]

First of all, yes you can be a hero without changing who you are. A person's demeanor doesn't have much to do with it really, but it's more about intention. At home we compete in a cutthroat manner for popularity, so being popular is important, but that's not really the case here.

[ Here's a bit of nerdy information, he might not be half as vapid as he appears most of the time. ] You just have to decide what being a hero means to you. For me, I want to help people in any way I can. I like to feel useful, and put my skills towards that. There's not really one answer to that question, but everyone will have different ideas, and typically things like violence, potentially to an excessive degree is pretty frowned upon universally. Collateral damage? Also usually a point of contention.

[ He is a bit of an asshole, he'd cop to that, but that's what makes him likeable to the wrong people and makes him extremely great at his job. ]

Didn't stop me, I can handle the pain. I felt bad for the people talking to me though, but we weathered it okay. I've met people from both armadas, and in general most people are good.

[ if she thinks of her intention, well, they're good. it's to help people who can't protect themselves, it falls in line with what she exchanged with kit since it's not the people's fault that they're weak and need someone to save them. as long as she's loved and praised, she'll go about helping people as heroicly as she can. this post being one of the ways. ]

Violence isn't that bad, it helps in makin' people shut up.

[ it can't be helped that violence is what she was modeled for, and that paired with her bad attitude, as long as she can get what she wants then she doesn't care who she has to hurt in the long run. she mostly wants to beat up the bad guys hence why she doesn't see what's wrong with beating the shit out of shadow.

next time she thinks she should leave that part out and maybe it's better for everyone's nerves. ]

I've seen what happens when heroes let bad people walk with no consequences. [ she's a result of that. ] I don't wanna make the same mistake, It's why I think we should just take'm out.

[ as she thinks about it, the whole brand doesn't bother her so much, but maybe it's because she doesn't have much reason to touch people and if she does, she's certainly getting hurt back. ]

Drippy hates it though. Don'tcha?

[ the camera turns a little bit, and beside surge, a blue fennec fox comes onto the screen. he looks rather sullen, but has been quiet while surge has her conversation—she doesn't need his advice to be a hero, but she doesn't seem to mind receiving it either, so kit lets it slide.

instead, he peers through his bangs to look at surge's shellphone. ]

Yes...

[ there's no space between them now, shoulders pressed up against one another—the brand is allowing them that, but it has flared up once or twice now, even with the reduced effects. as much as kit appreciates that he can be closer to surge now, he still isn't happy about that mark and its restrictions in the first place. ]

Hi Drippy. [ Hawks waves in a friendly manner because it's the nice thing to do to acknowledge someone. ] Sorry to hear you're having a rough time with it.

[ He smiles and softens his expression. ]

Violence is useful in measured actions, and I didn't say no consequences. There are always consequences. But people can change. Bad actions don't make people a bad person. Most people who get tangled up in things are desperate, that's why it's not right to just eliminate the problem, not when they can have the chance to turn over a new leaf and do something different with their lives.

[ He's so genuine about that, such a bleeding heart. ]

You don't get to call me that.

[ kit seems much less energetic than his counterpart as she holds the camera facing him, and he only glowers at hawks through the shadows cast by his bangs.

that's surge's name for him, he doesn't know this guy like that. ]

I am Kitsunami.

No, there's not. I've seen someone who doesn't suffer the consequences, even while leaving the bad guy alive.

[ she sounds annoyed, as if this is a sensitive subject that always gets under her skin. ]

Over and over and over they would let the bad guy cause problems and yet!? Despite all the destruction, they keep them alive!! Why!?

[ surge stops herself, a growl leaving from her throat as she looks to the side. her hand curls tightly into a fist, shaking just a bit as she manages to look back at who she's speaking with. ]

What's gained from doing that!?

Sorry Kitsunami, I didn't realize it was a nickname. [ Hawks is quick to apologize because he's not trying to offend him.

He hums a little bit. ]

Do you not have prisons in your world? [ That's a genuine question. ] Is there no other consequence than death?

[ the apology is noted, but kit doesn't seem any happier about it. he's too stuck on what the other is saying—no different from sonic, he has the foolish belief that people can change or be dealt with in other ways. but that's not true. ]

It's not like prison will change them. They'll just escape as soon as you give them the chance.

[ bad people don't change—giving the chance only leads to more suffering.

surge and kit would know. ]

[ surge thinks it over, are there any other consequences? what can they do to someone if they don't use prison? ]

There are villains that take defeat and use it to shape their goals, then they prepare over and over again. It's useless, but they can't do that if they're dead.

[ to her, it seems like the only option. ]

Certain ones have so much power, but it's the hero's fault for letting them do whatever, right?

[ that one is also a problem. ]

You're right that prison alone won't change someone, but we do a little more than that when it comes to rehabilitation efforts where I'm from. But prison breaks aren't really a thing. I can't remember a single one in my lifetime. [ They have good prisons, but if they're from a world that doesn't, he can understand the frustration. ]

Some people will do that, others need help they couldn't get which is also a failing on our part. It would be nice to mitigate the things that cause people to turn to villainy.

[ He sighs. ] I think heroes do bear some responsibility, but they're not perfect either. They don't act on things they don't know about. If they know about something and don't act, that's definitely wrong too.

...

[ kit doesn't seem content with the answer—but he's not as passionate about the subject of letting criminals walk as surge might be.

those criminals who can't be rehabilitated are the reason why surge and kit are they way they are right now. but frankly, kit can't imagine living without surge. she's the most important thing in his life, and that's why he's willing to let her talk instead.

he looks supremely unhappy though, knees pulled up as he sits beside her. ]

Edited 2025-05-17 22:21 (UTC)

Then tell me what responsibility a hero has if they keep defeating the same villain, only to let them rebuild and play out their act of tyranny?

[ if she could ask what it is that sonic does that is a "responsibility" on his part, there's no answer that could satisfy her. ]

There's just some villains that need to be killed, and some heroes that should be taken out because to me, it sounds like they don't care what the consequences are! Or they don't have any at all.

video / please send this beast to your local authorities (us)

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GUESS who wrote their tag and it didnt post... THIS GIRL!

No worries, no worries

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