01 [little bit of everything]

[dramaking]

[Shatterstar has been to a lot of strange places, and seen a lot of strange things, but this device is new to him. He's been told that the similar devices back from the version of earth he's from are called "smartphones" (he assumes this is ironic, as they don't even have the barest A.I. capability), but the ones he's seen before don't have functions like this.

What ends up being broadcast is: first a recording of what seems to be several seconds of silence followed by the muffled sound of something like the snapping of fingers. Then there's a video, footage of a few seconds of what looks like a deserted alleyway. He's testing out its functions; he's not dumb enough to let himself get recorded while he does it. At least not until he knows the nature of his enemy.

Then, finally, there's text.]

This is Shatterstar. If my teammates are out there and can respond, do so. I'll find you.

To the villains behind this farce, know this. If you think you can control me, you are laughably mistaken. I have bested far more capable than you. Your "government" does not intimidate a warrior born.

[Okay, that last bit he just threw in for fun. Let them come after him. He could use a workout, if they even proved to be that skilled.]

Comments

[dramaking]

How is one form of kidnapping more evil than the other?

[Legit question bc he's not seeing the difference rn]

[ursawhiner]

The government here didn't choose to kidnap us. It just kind of happens.

The Russians took a bunch of us because they think we're dangerous and shoved us in a cell for almost two weeks. So this is actually way better.

[Definitely less traumatising.]

[dramaking]

At least a cell is straightforward. Who told you that being brought here wasn't on purpose?

[ursawhiner]

There was something about an AI infecting the Porter? And it's not like the government really wants to house and feed a bunch of superheroes.

[dramaking]

Unless there's an ulterior motive.

[He's really never letting go of this.]

[ursawhiner]

I sneeze kittens. I'm not exactly a superweapon, dude.

[dramaking]

[What.]

You make cats come out of your nose?

[ursawhiner]

No!! I sneeze and a kitten appears.

That sounds painful.

[dramaking]

From where? Is the sound of your sneezing some kind of signal to them?

[This is the most important conversation he's ever had.]

[ursawhiner]

I might be creating the kittens out of thin air. Or teleporting them to me through time and space, I don't know!!

[dramaking]

That sounds fascinating. Would you mind demonstrating at some point?

[ursawhiner]

I'm not really supposed to do it any more. The shelters are really full and we already have four cats.

[dramaking]

What happens when you get a cold?

[ursawhiner]

Terrible things.

[Okay, just a lot of trips to the shelters.]

[dramaking]

Let me know next time you find yourself with a new crop of sneeze kittens. I'd like to examine one.

[ursawhiner]

Allergy season is coming up soon, so you probably won't have to wait long.

...You're not going to dissect them or anything, right?

[dramaking]

I wasn't planning on it. You don't have any form of genetic testing on this world?

[ursawhiner]

We do. What exactly are you planning on doing?

[dramaking]

To see if there's a way to track the genetic pattern of these cats, to determine whether you're creating them from scratch or pulling them from somewhere else.

[ursawhiner]

If I'm making them, that's kind of scary. But the other option is that I'm stealing someone's pet. No one wins.

[dramaking]

If it's the latter, then perhaps you can use that information to return them to their owners.

[ursawhiner]

We tried, for awhile. But no one ever came for them.

i'm so sorry

[dramaking]

That would indicate you are creating them. Perhaps you could use them as a food supply in emergencies.

[ursawhiner]

Owlfonso was already eating them, which is why we're not allowed to have that many.

[dramaking]

Then what will Owlfonso do for food?